17th day of the third month.

Waking up, I feel slightly sluggish and my body is really sore. I really need to learn vigor magic.

Shaking it off, I open my eyes to the small paradise I've made for myself, my beautiful Faris's face up close while we exchange saliva before I have a turn with Neri.

After doing some morning "exercises", we start with our usual routine to prepare ourselves for the day though we are taking a break from the dungeon for today to start looking for a request we can take.

For the past week or so, we've been fighting non-stop on the fifth floor of Greens Filth, focusing on how to fight properly together. With the new pace we are going at, we've made a bit short of five gold coins since Neri has joined us if you count the mana crystals we have on hand.

We could've gone to the next floor but we decided against it as the enemies on the fifth floor were suitable for us to train our teamwork without putting ourselves at risk.

Now that we've gotten a hang of it, I lay my eyes back on our current goal, to raise enough funds to purchase our next member. At the pace we're going if we only rely on dungeons, it'll take too long if no magic gems show up.

So that brings us to our new plan, to finally find work as an adventurer, to complete requests. I've heard requests have been booming with the war still going on so there is a shortage of personnel everywhere. And personally, I kind of want to travel to someplace new.

"All set? I don't plan on fighting today but let's be prepared just in case there are some easy requests we can finish within today." I ask the two girls who join me near the door.

"We're ready, master." The two girls exchange glances before replying with a nod in unison.

With the rising sun as our background, we head off on Blacky towards the familiar guild building.

Entering the guild, I find it just as bustling as ever as numerous people enter and exit through the guild doors. Some young-looking adventurer bumps into me too as I open the inner doors to where the pub and counters are located.

Geez, at least apologize, I complain about him in my mind while I make sure I have all my belongings.

Seeing how this will be my first request, I send the two girls off with the remaining mana crystals we haven't turned in yet to do so while I head over to chat with Lawrence.

"We'll be looking around for a good request to take today and since it's our first time, I'm going to consult Lawrence so why don't you two go sell our remaining mana crystals in the meantime, here." I pass a pouch of mana crystals to Faris.

"Sure master." Faris energetically replies while Neri remains quiet and nods before going to join the line.

Watching them walk away, I think back to last week where we tried to have Neri be more open even with other people around but she remains a lot less talkative in the presence of unfamiliar people. At least that means she feels comfortable with us then, I guess.

"Morning Lawrence, you busy? I wanted to ask you about some things."

I head over to the counter to find Lawrence diligently going through a huge pile of paperwork with his catkin partner who seems to be directing some adventurers.

"I'm always busy."

He gives me a brief glance before resuming back into his paperwork.

"But ask away if you wish, if it's part of my job then I will answer, if not, it'll depend on my mood which I can tell you isn't very good right now." Lawrence points to the huge stack of paperwork.

"Errr... I wanted to take on a request so can you tell me about them?"

"Just read the requests posted on the board, it'll tell you all the details and minimum rank required to take on. Once you find a suitable request you like on the request board, come back here with the request number that's written on the top left corner and report it to Fron over here." Lawrence points to the middle-aged catkin man beside him.

"Is there any limit on how many I can take at a time?"

Lawrence spares a glance toward his co-worker and seeing him stilled occupied, he continues.

"Within reason, as long as you can complete it within the deadline and it's a request that can be done consecutively within common sense. Don't do something stupid like trying to escort two different clients even if they are going toward the same direction unless they explicitly indicate they do not mind."

Why are you talking like I would do such a thing...? Maybe I thought about it for a split second due to efficiency but even I would know to respect the requester and their privacy!

"So which requests pay the best for the effort invested?"

"Want good pay for no work eh? Youngsters these days... Typical requests the fit the bill would be to search for items or rare materials from monsters but require luck so I wouldn't recommend it. Monster extermination quests along the major roads are menial and tiring but consistent pay, bodyguard work is about as consistent in pay and can be a lot more relaxing but will be time-consuming from the travels. The pay for most requests is 50% more than usual too since the war has caused combat-worthy personnel shortage everywhere so it really depends on your preference."

"Hmmm, isn't there anything better?"

"What? You want to go slay a dragon or something for a huge reward or something? Stay realistic kid. It's not my department so I'm not clear on the details so go ask Fron when he's free if you have any further questions. In the meantime, why don't you go check out the request board for yourself."

With Lawrence seeming to no longer want to talk, I have no choice but to squeeze my way through the other adventurers to the request board to take a look. There sure are a lot of requests and they have so much detail written about the job on it too.

I start skimming through the requests and only reading it through in more detail on the ones I have interest in. I pay extra attention to a section of the information provided, the locations.

It's so we can take several quests that fit together, of course, we ARE trying to maximize our profits after all. Yep, there's no way it has anything to do with me wanting to head to the capital soon to learn vigor magic, no way at all.

Before I know it, I feel a tap on my should while I was engrossed in reading.

"Master, we're done, what are you doing? Looking at requests?"

Faris voices sound out beside me as I turn to look to find the two girls behind me with Faris holding out her hand to me to give me the money obtained from selling our mana crystals.

"Good job, I'm looking for multiple requests we can do at the same time that will help us raise funds as fast as possible."

"Wow, there are so many that it's making my eyes spin, are they organized somehow?" Faris voices out in genuine curiosity.

"Yeah, you see the ones over here? Those are all monster extermination requests, usually along roads. With the war ongoing, it's paying another silver coin for each proof of extermination on top of the mana crystals." I point over to the section at one end of the board.

I turn over to Faris to wait a moment for her to absorb and for her acknowledgment to continue but suddenly, a very quiet voice sounds out in between us that I can barely hear over the rowdiness of the guild.

"With the soldiers and knights being redeployed for the war, the cities don't have enough manpower to cleanse the monsters on the roads far from towns so it pays better than usual. I wouldn't recommend it though, master. There may be powerful mixed in that escaped those obscure dungeons somewhere." Neri lightly whispers at a volume only Faris and I can barely make out because we stood so close to her.

Both Faris and I take a step closer so we can hear her better and to encourage her to continue. Seeing how she has said everything she wanted to, Neri looks to me to continue.

"The section beside it has all the requests that involve searching, either for missing people, item, or rare materials from monsters or nature. There aren't any minimum rank requirements or requests number marked on the top left so I think that means it's not a request we need to actively take to finish it." I look over to Neri to see if there is anything she wants to add.

"Don't let their high reward distract you, those quests rely heavily on luck, you're more likely to get nothing than something so it should be regarded as side quests that you bump upon." Neri continues expanding on my explanations with whisper-like volume.

Faris closes her eyes and nods, did she really understand?

"The next section here has all the requests related to bodyguard work. It's generally pretty straightforward, guard the requester while they travel from point A to point B. The requesters are usually non-combatants like peddlers and travel with a lot of belongings so the travel speed will slow down which makes these requests time-consuming."

"With the war in action, most of the peddlers are following the scent of money and moving toward where the battlefield is to act as logistics. So the requesters probably consist more of civilians looking for escorts to travel between cities. The pay is definitely higher for these quests as well with increased monster activity along roads with the army busy and lack of adventurers." Neri explains without a stutter while looking through the requests herself.

Faris nods once again, urging us to continue.

"The last two sections are supplies request and miscellaneous requests. Ignoring miscellaneous, supplies request seem to be a call from the merchant guild from different cities requesting for a variety of supplies like alcohol, high-quality food ingredients and spices, and an assortment of different materials from different places. I thought you needed a peddler or merchant license from the merchant guild to transport goods, is it different in wartime?" I look over to Neri who seems eager to be of use.

I choose not to go over miscellaneous requests as right now, it is filled with requests related to the war. Either scouting, small strike teams, or even rear-guards, they are all too dangerous for me to want to be involved with despite the money.

"With all the peddlers being redirected towards the battlefield, shipments of goods for many things is interrupted. Since both peddlers and combatants that are needed to escort them are in short supply, the merchant guild requests the adventurer guild in a roundabout way to legally ask adventurers to fill that role. After all, adventurers won't need escorts so allowing them to act as peddlers themselves will be more efficient, benefiting all parties and hurts the interests of none."

"So? Do you have an idea of what quests you want to take now, Faris?" I ask the closed-eye beautiful girl with pretty shoulder-length silver-grey hair.

"I'm happy with whatever master picks," Faris responds with a gleaming smile.

So does that mean you weren't really paying attention the entire time...?

"...Master...can we take this request?"

Surprisingly, Neri is the one with a request she fancies as she points over to one of the requests at the supplies section while tugging on my sleeves.

I look over to request Neri points at and read it over.

The entire request is pretty standard delivery, apparently, the supply of dwarven alcohol is dwindling in the capital, especially high-quality ones used in high-society banquets so it is requesting for as much alcohol as possible.

Those drunkards...

There didn't seem to be anything else special about the request besides the location of where to procure the alcohol, at the capital city of the Dwarven country in the mountains to the south.

"Neri... do you want to go home...?" I ask while trying to maintain my emotions while Faris stares on at Neri with a mix of astonishment and betrayal.

Is she homesick and wants to visit or is she planning to run away back to her home country?

"No, it isn't anything like that or what master and sister Faris are thinking. I won't lie, there is something I need to resolve at that place. If master could allow me some time to operate by myself... I promise I won't bring any trouble to yo---"

Seeing Neri's eyes tear up, it's obvious that it must be something personal and important to her and it must take a lot of courage to speak out on the matter. I reflexively lean down to her eye-level and embrace Neri into my arms.

"It's fine, you don't have to worry. You can ask for our help, I'll be glad to help you and I'm sure Faris feels the same way. As I told you before, you are mine now so I'll also help bear your burdens too. You better not think to do everything yourself, since the day you joined my party you are one of us." I whisper gently into Neri's ears who is in my embrace.

"Don't be so reserved with us, Neri, I'm sure we can help you with whatever it is. It's better to do things as a team than doing it alone, haven't we be been learning that throughout this week?" Faris voices softly echo out, at some point in time she also embraces Neri from the other side.

"...Ok...ay" Neri manages to squeeze the two syllables out.

---

Well, that was awkward, to say the least. Having a sudden group hug by the request board and one of the girls almost shedding tears...

Shit, I definitely looked like a bad guy there didn't I? Please stop giving me those murderous stares, it's actually pricking me.

Come on guys, I'm not a bad guy, I swear!

Anyways, having memorized the request number for another request, I'm finally able to escape from that sea of people staring daggers into me and head over to where Lawrence and Fron are at.

Luckily, it seems Fron is free so I immediately approach to tell him the requests I would like to take.

"Fron is it? My name is Aster Estrea, Lawrence told me to come to talk to you to take on requests?"

"Ah yes, a pleasure to meet you. So which requests are you planning to take?" A high-pitch voice replies.

I've had weird feelings about him since the first day I've set foot into the adventurer's guild but hearing his high-pitched voice for the first time has just brought it to a whole nother. Picture a fit manly looking middle-aged man and slap on cute cat ears and cat-tails on him and pair that up with that voice... I'm surprised my poker face is holding up.

Is this some sort of joke? I use identify in disbelief.

 

Catkin Male

Age: 48

Magic Level:   Strength Lv. 1   Stamina Lv. 42   Dexterity Lv. 49   Fire Lv. 1   Water Lv. 1

Unique Magic:   Night Vision

Please don't laugh, come on, I can do it. Hold it in!

The only good side is that he at least gets straight to the point, I'm sure it has something to do with him being in charge of taking care of the requests.

"I would like to take request #42 and #91," I answer as I watch him write it down on a piece of paper.

He writes down the numbers for the first two without delay.

"Your guild badges please." His high-pitch voice resounds that grinds my ears.

I hand over my guild badge as I watch him use it to register my information before stamping on the piece of paper before handing back my guild badge.

"Your party members as well." He looks over at Faris and Neri.

The two hands him their badge and the process is repeated.

"I believe this is your first time taking on requests, so I'll inform you of a few things. Every time you take on requests, you must register the members who will be participating together which means you can perform them with a different party every time as long as they meet the requirements to take on the request. The process is a bit tedious for those who stick with the same party so we offer the option to register adventurers as a party together so that this process can be simplified, would you like to register?"

"Sure."

I only plan on fighting with my slaves anyway, I don't trust other people enough anyway and it won't help with my harem immortality plan fighting with others.

"Is there a name you would like to give to the party? If not, we will use the party leader's name and thus your party will become Aster's party in our records as slaves can not be designated as party leaders. Of course, you can change the name at any time."

I'm put on the spot. To think of a name suddenly is not something I can do.

"Leave it as the leader's name for now."

"I understand, from now on, only the party leader is required to be present when taking on requests. Please do exercise this power with caution as the entire party will receive ratings from the guild for performance so remember to notify us of only the members taking part in the request or else your party members will have the right to report you if their performance ratings fall and a guild investigation will be launched."

I nod at his words with a poker face. I'm starting to get used to his voice but please keep it short.

"Please head over to room #8 and wait for a guild staff to come to give you additional details on the request."

"Thank you."

At Fron's direction, I quickly leave and find the correct meeting room I'm supposed to be in.

It isn't hard finding the room as Lawrence has brought us to the meeting room area before when I sold my first magic gem. We quickly enter the room marked with the number 8 on the door and take our seats and chat among ourselves while we wait.

It doesn't even take five minutes until a knock is heard and a guild staff enters. The guild staff this time is a young rabbitkin woman who seems to be in her mid-twenties. She has long rabbit ears in a light greyish color and has a really voluptuous figure.

If I hadn't rigorously "exercised" recently I would definitely ogle a lot more but in my sage form, I intend to get to the point.

"Is it Aster Estrea? Would you kindly present your guild badge once more please."

I quickly let her confirm my identity through my badge.

"Perfect, now to be on-topic. I must remind you that the supply request you took requires you to invest your own funds to procure the goods so be sure to have ample cash when traveling to the dwarven country."

Great, make the adventurer take all the risks, at least this will pay well.

"As for the escort request, I have gotten in contact with the requester and a meeting will be held this afternoon to determine if they wish to employ you. Please remember that the employer has the power to decline to employ you for whatever reason they choose but once they employ you, they will be bind by the contract and must remunerate you for your services. On that part, the guild will protect your interests to the best of our abilities, rest assured."

So you're telling me the guild is going to do its job? Great.