Chapter 12

About a week after sending back the knight who came from Andersen’s main house.

During that time, I faithfully performed my duties as a butler, assisting Jeremiah with all my heart.

I was responsible for her meals, kept her company when I had time, and stayed by her side until she fell asleep if she was too anxious to sleep…

This daily routine was maintained smoothly with the bounty money earned from catching the wanted criminal, but there were still many things to consider before I could be satisfied.

Although I had cleaned the mansion thoroughly, there was hardly any furniture or decorations, and the yard didn’t even have a single patch of grass, let alone a flower bed, making it look extremely bleak from the outside.

Additionally, since we had to prepare for a ball in a month, I would need to earn a considerable amount of money to solve all these problems.

“Dresses, shoes, cosmetics, accessories… It takes a lot of money to attend gatherings of the upper class.”

But if we’re going, we should make sure she has the best outfit that will make everyone there look up to her.

For that reason, I went out to the streets to find ways to earn money and eventually arrived at a building located in the eastern part of the city.

“The Herta Shi East Branch of the Solver Association… This must be the place Captain Carly mentioned.”

The Solver Association.

They were often mentioned in the Romancing Academy game I played, and their main role was to arrange requests for solvers who handled tasks on behalf of others, as well as to assign ranks.

Receiving requests and handling tasks…

At first glance, it feels similar to the ‘mercenary guilds’ often seen in other media, but in this world, mercenaries and solvers were strictly separated and distinguished.

“Mercenaries mainly handle problems outside the city, while solvers handle problems within the city.”

Mercenaries are employed for tasks requiring force, such as monster subjugation or war, and since they operate in areas with less societal influence, they are relatively free from legal and ethical constraints.

On the other hand, solvers primarily deal with people rather than monsters.

In addition to just fighting, they also handle investigations, escorts, administrative tasks, transportation, and various other miscellaneous tasks, so to become a high-ranking solver, one needs to acquire various skills or qualifications.

“Well, on the flip side, since they recruit talent from all fields, anyone can do it.”

If it pays, they’ll do anything, and they don’t even require qualifications, so there’s no better job for someone like me who needs money right now.

For that reason, I entered the association building and was greeted by a bustling crowd inside.

Their attire and equipment were all different. Some carried weapons, while others held magnifying glasses for investigation or cases for transportation.

Although they accept any job, it seems most have a specialized field they focus on.

I decided to figure out which field to delve into later and immediately approached the staff at the counter handling administrative tasks.

“Welcome. Are you here to make a request?”

“I came to obtain a solver license. How do I proceed with the application?”

“Ah, you’re an aspiring solver. Please fill out this personal information form and the required fields.”

The staff handed me a form and a pen.

I briefly glanced over the contents and immediately returned it to the staff.

I filled in fake details like identity and place of origin, but I hope they don’t investigate and catch me.

“Alright, Mr. Sebastian. Confirmed. Here, take this.”

Fortunately, the staff only skimmed through the form without pointing anything out.

Then, the staff pulled out a small metal plate made of tin from under the counter.

“This is…?”

“It’s the identification badge given to new solvers. Be careful not to lose it, as you’ll have to reapply and get it reissued.”

The staff returned to their administrative tasks.

I took my eyes off them and looked at the crude metal plate in my hand with a blank expression.

Just filling out a form and getting a license without any further investigation? This kind of careless handling would be unimaginable in 21st-century South Korea.

Of course, in an era without computerization, this might be normal… Well, anyway, now that I can earn money with this, I should take it positively.

“Hey, Skal. Look over there. There’s a newbie who just became a solver, right?”

As I wandered around the building looking for requests, I soon felt someone’s gaze and turned my head slightly.

There, I saw two men.

With mohawk hairstyles and family vests, they gave off a strong impression of stereotypical delinquents.

“Kehehe, I saw him too, Skal. Looking around cluelessly, it seems he became a solver without knowing anything~?”

“Found a struggling newbie, so as seniors, we can’t just stand by. Let’s educate that clueless newbie right now~”

The two men approached with sinister smiles.

For some reason, I felt a sense of déjà vu, probably because I’ve seen countless people like them before.

Delinquents were common in Hell.

Assuming they were trying to bully me as part of some newbie initiation, I quietly faced them as they approached.

“Do you two have business with me?”

“Business? Of course! We can’t just stand by and watch a newbie struggle in front of us!”

“Listen up, from now on, we’ll thoroughly teach you what you need to do as a newbie!”

Getting into trouble right after becoming a solver?

Well, I’m not one to avoid a fight, so I’ll handle them appropriately.

Thinking that, I prepared for them to charge, but they started rambling about various things.

“Looks like you don’t know where to get requests. The place to get requests is at the bulletin board located at the end of the hallway from here.”

“…Huh?”

“By the way, each bulletin board is divided by rank, so newbies should start with the lowest 5th-rank requests. Requests above that are not only difficult, but even if you complete them successfully, the association often doesn’t pay properly due to trust issues.”

“That’s right! Newbies shouldn’t be greedy and should start by building trust with low-rank requests! Got it!?”

“Uh, yeah. I understand.”

What’s this?

Weren’t they here to pick a fight?

“As seniors, we advise you to perform at least five 5th-rank requests to gain experience, even if you’re in a hurry for money. Once you’ve done that, the association will start arranging higher-rank requests for you as your trust builds.”

“After that, you can also put your name on the job board to receive direct requests. Of course, direct requests are usually not given to just anyone, so if you want to be properly recognized, you need to build your trust first. For solvers, the most important thing is trust, first and foremost. Got it!?”

“…Yes, trust is the most important thing for solvers.”

“If you want to get equipment, head to the workshop district 15 minutes southeast of here. You’ll be able to find equipment suited for you there.”

“If funds are tight, don’t insist on new items and buy used ones~ If you push yourself to buy new, your wallet might suffer! And once you start earning, it’s good to find a shop you visit regularly. Becoming a regular makes it easier to get custom equipment!”

“Ah, yes. If I need equipment, I’ll go to the workshop district… Is there anything else you’d like to advise me on?”

“Kehaha! A newbie asking for information directly, this is fun to teach!”

“Yeah, yeah, ask anything! As seniors, we’ll answer anything!”

Jacob and Skal continued to kindly explain things to me.

Despite their rough appearance and voices, their explanations were filled with kindness and usefulness.

The game didn’t cover much about solvers, so there was a lot I didn’t know, but this was a great lesson.

“Kehehe, how is it? Is there anything you don’t understand from the explanation so far?”

“If you didn’t understand, we’ll kindly explain it again!”

“No, I’m just grateful for everything you’ve taught me so far. I’ll repay you when I get the chance.”

“Kehahaha! Alright, when you make some money, buy us a drink!”

“We sincerely wish for your growth and success and will happily wait for it. Hahaha!!”

Jacob and Skal left with hearty laughter.

I waved goodbye to them and headed to the bulletin board they mentioned.

So, newbies should start with five 5th-rank requests, huh?

Of course, being the lowest rank, the pay isn’t great, but I decided to prioritize completing 5th-rank requests.

“It’s good to heed the advice of kind seniors.”

Well, even though I need money urgently, there’s still a month left, so I’ll start by building trust.

Having made that decision, I found a suitable 5th-rank request on the bulletin board and leisurely made my way to the location.

****

“Let’s see, the location is… here.”

The request location was 30 minutes away from the Solver Association.

The place was a large sewer under a bridge, with a single armed soldier stationed in front.

“Are you here for the request?”

“Yes, I heard there’s a job to exterminate rats here.”

My first request was to catch rats in the sewer.

The guard briefly explained the request to me.

“The request is simple. Go inside, deal with the rats, and bring back their tails as proof.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes, but it’s not an easy task for a beginner. The rats in this city’s sewers aren’t small.”

Eh, how big can rats be?

Thinking that, I passed by the guard and entered the sewer.

The interior gradually darkened as the light faded.

Sewage from the city flowed through the holes, and soon, signs of something began to appear.

-Squeak! Squeak!!

Rat sounds…

But the intensity was far from ordinary, and I immediately realized why.

“Huh, I heard they were big, but I didn’t expect this.”

They were up to my knees. About the size of a small dog?

And there wasn’t just one, but a whole pack of them. Even I, who had seen everything in Hell, felt a physiological disgust.

I thought they’d be at most the size of a palm, but these were more like wild beasts than small animals.

“Thinking about these rats coming up to the city is terrifying.”

No wonder they stationed guards and made requests to solvers.

Of course, the pay isn’t bad, so it’s best to catch as many as I can.

Having made that decision, I reached out and summoned the familiar sleeping within me.

“Come out, Baskervill.”

Responding to my will, the Hellhound was summoned.

The most ferocious and savage predator of Hell.

-Arf!

…But when I faced the adorable puppy, I quietly gave an order, remembering something I had forgotten.

“Baskervill. There’s no need to keep your size small now.”

-Crack, crack.

Baskervill expanded back to its original size.

Soon, red eyes glowed fiercely in the darkness, and the sewer rats began to tremble.

-Squeak, squeak…

That’s right, no matter how big they are, they’re still just rats in front of the Hellhound.

I smiled leisurely and said to Baskervill.

“Leave the tails. We need proof of the hunt to get the reward.”

Solving the request and feeding Baskervill at the same time.

Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?