Cling clang
The standard Hunter Guild branch doorbell rang whenever it is opened. Then, ignoring the stares of the Hunters and guild staff that were all directed at me, I walked over to the reception desk.
"...The mercenary guild is next door, you know?"
Shut up! Who are you calling a serial killer?!
"It's not an order, it's a request! And the request isn't an assassination or anything like that!" (Kaoru)
"E-excuse me!" (Receptionist)
There's a limit to how rude you can be!
"The details of the request are as follows." (Kaoru)
It's not like this was the first time I had made a request to the guild. ...But that was over 70 years ago. What's more, it was in a country far away from here. The way requests were made and the standard fee amount might have changed a lot since then.
"Yes, all the necessary information is here and there are no problems with the regulations. We can accept it. However, the reward amount is left blank..." (Receptionist)
Yes, I was hesitant to just write it casually.
"What is the going rate...?" (Kaoru)
After consulting with the receptionist, I decided on a reasonable fee and the request was placed without any problems. ...After filling out something like a ledger, the request form was simply posted on a board on the wall. Yes, this was also part of the strategy to reconcile with the local community.
Were the lord's subordinates, the guards, the ones with the greatest fighting power in the city? No, that's not it. It was a branch of the Hunter Guild.
Although there was no clear hierarchy, Hunters follow the orders of the guild's higher-ups as long as it doesn't affect their own lives or profits. So, if all the members of the guild were to bare their fangs, they would be stronger than the security forces.
On the one hand, there are the Hunters, who fight every day and sometimes even risk their lives. On the other hand, there are the small number of security guards who train every day, live in a peaceful world without war, and have never killed a person.
If it were to come to an all-out frontal battle, who would win? Well, it's not like I want to have the Guards and the Hunters' Guild fight each other. I just want the Hunters' Guild on my side just in case.
On the other hand, there were underage girls who regularly brought in suitable requests for novice hunters. On the other hand, there was a thug from outside. When there was a dispute, it would normally be ignored and passed over, but what about in this case? …Yeah, the chances of getting help increased significantly! Besides, I had intended to submit a request in the first place. They had been thinking about getting their hands on meat soon. Not only for their own consumption, but also as a product. Yes, things like jerky and smoked foods... Boiled and grilled dishes were probably made by bars, restaurants, and each household, so unless you sold them at a stall in the park, you couldn't make a living doing it the way we did. So, they took time and effort to make, could be stored for a certain period, and were easy to transport.
If I let Reiko out into the fields, I think she'll hunt them down with magic. ...But, well, control yourself, control yourself! So, I decided to ask the Hunters Guild for some game meat, hoping to kill two birds with one stone.
The request was as follows:
Securing Meat for Consumption.
Target: Horned rabbit, deer, boar, bear, orc, etc. Delivered as is, without butchering. However, blood should be drained.
Period, quantity: Always available. However, the number of orders will be adjusted at the reception desk.
Additionally, a lecture on skinning and butchering will be requested for an additional fee. The lecture will be given only once for each type of prey.
The reason for adjusting the amount at the counter was because it would be a problem if a large amount was delivered at once or if the amount was biased towards a certain type. Therefore, I made a table detailing the amount and type that we could buy and gave it to the receptionist.
When the person who received our request came to the counter, we gave them various instructions depending on the current order situation, and when the quantity exceeded the limit, we could temporarily remove the request form on the board. We also needed to check whether the dismantling lecture had been completed.
Also, the time range for the delivery of the prey was specified. If it was delivered just before dinner time, I wouldn't be able to receive the lecture on dismantling it, and it would be troublesome if they came when I was not at home.
...The conditions were complicated and required a lot of work from the receptionist, so I had to pay extra, damn it!
The compensation was a little higher than the market rate. From this request, everyone would guess, "Oh, they're trying to teach the orphans how to butcher animals." And the smart ones would realize that this would add processed meat to the products we handle. If we were just going to eat it at home, we could buy it from a butcher—The Guild didn't do retail sales. There was no other way to think of buying the entire unprocessed item (including the parts that were to be thrown away) and then taking the trouble to dismantle it.
Several hunters approached the board, perhaps curious about an order from me since I was somewhat well known, but I quickly retreated. No, if I wait a while, someone might show up to take the quest, but I would leave for now. I didn't want to get in the way of the hunters talking amongst themselves about the quest I gave them. It would be awkward to talk to the receptionist if the client was listening in. So I quickly retreated. I was not in a big hurry after all.
Also, unlike escort requests, this request did not require the acceptor to meet the client before the hunt. It was up to the receptionist to decide whether the client was suitable or not and I just wait for the client to come to my house with their prey for delivery and a lecture on dismantling. It was a bit of a hassle not knowing when they would be coming, but that couldn't be helped. When would they be able to accept the order? When would they be able to hunt prey? When would they decide to leave the hunting grounds? Would they come to deliver the goods as soon as they return? Would they come after they've had a meal and a drink? Or would they come the next morning?
There were too many variables to decide on a delivery date and time in advance, so we just had to decide on a time frame when the delivery could be made and make sure everyone was home during that time. Well, once the lecture on dismantling was finished, as long as either I or Reiko was there, there would be no problem with purchasing or storing it. At that point, I would adjust the delivery time.
"Excuse me~!"
Oh, there's a voice calling from the front door... Even though there is a door knocker... Well, it's probably the hunter who accepted the request.
"Ye~s!" (Kaoru)
I hurried to the entrance and, just as I expected, there was a group of four hunters there. They're all male and probably under 20. Maybe around 17 or 18 years old, I’d say… Of course, this was based on the standards here, so if these guys were standing on the streets of Japan, they would probably pass for being in their late 20s... almost "old men."
"We've come to deliver the goods. And to explain how to dismantle them..." (A hunter)
"I understand. Thank you for your order. So, the prey is..." (Kaoru)
From what I could see, everyone was carrying a sack over their shoulder—
"Yes, eight horned rabbits." (A hunter)
……as I thought.
If there were big things, they would carry them differently. Everyone was carrying bags, which meant they were carrying small things. And since we didn't order any birds this time, it naturally meant horned rabbits.
Since the objective was meat, goblins and kobolds were not included in the order. That meant there were other animals such as deer, boar, bear, orc, and ogre, but it would be hard to catch normal deer and boar that weren't monsters. On top of that, when it came to orcs, bears, and ogres, it was probably unsafe for four young people to hunt them.
Well, sure, they might be able to hunt, but if there was a 10% chance that someone would get injured, then if they did that job 10 times, they were probably going to get injured. Then their fighting power would be weakened, they would become a burden, and... that would be the end.
So, they only took jobs that were almost certain to leave everyone unscathed.
Therefore, the jobs suitable for this party would not be hunting orcs, but hunting goblins, kobolds, and horned rabbits.
Coward? No, in a few years, these guys would be hunting orcs, then bears and ogres, and those of their age who were hunting orcs now would be in the guts of orcs in a few months. The world was harsh to fools. And fools weren't even given the chance to grow from their mistakes. Yes, that's just how the world was...
"Come this way then... Hey, prepare the dismantling! The prey is eight horned rabbits!" (Kaory)
"Yes!" (Reiko + Mine + Aral)
A reply came from the back, from Reiko and the kids. Everyone else went around from inside the house, so I went around outside, showing the hunters around. No, I wouldn't let them carry a blood-stained sack around the house! In the house, shoes are strictly prohibited, as per Japanese custom...