Red Ribbons and Endless Paperwork
The room at the end of the corridor on the second floor of the Adventurer's Guild. A place no outsider could ever reach. By my estimation, the most secretive and tightly secured spot in the entire guild. And right now, I was standing inside the guild's women's changing room. Together with Irene.
"Alright. Take it off."
"......"
"Your clothes. Off."
Irene tossed the words out as if they were nothing. I mulled over what could possibly be going through her head to make her say something like that. Wait—why did I have to take my clothes off in the first place?
"...Wasn't I supposed to be working the reception desk?"
This wasn't receptionist work. She was trying to make me do something weird.
"Yeah. That's why I'm telling you to take them off."
I still couldn't figure out the connection. What did being a receptionist have to do with stripping in front of Irene?
"You have to take off what you're wearing so you can change into the receptionist uniform."
"Oh. So that's what this was about?"
"...What exactly did you think I meant?"
"Nothing. I wasn't thinking anything."
I followed Irene's instructions and began removing my clothes. Off came the outer layer, then I unbuttoned my shirt one button at a time. That's when I noticed something odd.
"...But why are you still here?"
"Huh? Why what?"
"I mean, why are you watching me undress?"
"So I can pick out clothes that actually fit you."
This felt a little unsettling. I didn't particularly want to change where she could see everything. Still, she was paying me, so I didn't have much choice.
I finished unbuttoning my shirt and slipped off my skirt. Soon I stood there in nothing but my underwear. Irene stepped right up to me, close enough that I could feel her breath. She stared intently at my barely-covered body, then reached out and began touching me everywhere.
"Let's see... Excuse me for a second? I need to check your measurements."
Starting at my legs, moving up through my waist and all the way to my shoulders, Irene poked and prodded. Her cool fingers slowly traced every inch of me, lingering in places that had nothing to do with sizing. It felt less like measuring and more like my body was being thoroughly examined. I squeezed my eyes shut. Humiliating, but I had to endure it.
"You're even smaller than I thought. Still growing?"
"...Am I really that small?"
"Doesn't look like malnutrition. Maybe you're just a late bloomer compared to others your age?"
Irene's hands returned to my waist, sliding over it casually to gauge the size before she turned to the closet and pulled out some clothes.
"Here. These should work. Might be a little big, though."
She handed them over. I unfolded the garments. They were identical to the receptionist uniform Irene wore. I compared them to my own discarded clothes. Definitely a bit larger.
"That's the smallest size we have. None of the other receptionists are smaller than you."
I dressed piece by piece. The fabric felt surprisingly pleasant—good quality, apparently. White dress shirt, dark brown skirt that stopped just above the knees, and a black slim-fit vest on top. Once everything was on, the outfit looked like a neat, if slightly stiff, business suit. The size was clearly a touch too big.
I gave a little spin once I was fully dressed.
"How does it look? Does it suit me?"
"Perfect. Though... something still feels missing."
Irene opened the closet again and rummaged around. After a moment she pulled something out—a red ribbon, the kind used for hair.
"Try this."
She moved behind me, arranged my hair with practiced fingers, and tied the ribbon. A neat ponytail secured with bright red finished the look.
"There. All done."
I turned my head just enough to look at her.
"Be honest. Is this your preference?"
Irene nodded, her face bright with clear delight.
"Yes. Exactly my preference."
"......"
I felt a wave of irritation. I had become a dress-up doll. Just for today. Remember that. I won't be doing this again.
"Right then. Follow me. Time to work."
We left the changing room and walked down the hallway side by side.
"So... what exactly am I supposed to do?"
"You'll be assisting me with my duties overall. Mostly paperwork, I imagine. You don't seem suited for anything that requires physical strength, Noel."
"I see."
"And while we're on the clock, call me Team Leader."
"Yes, Team Leader."
"Also, greet the other receptionists nicely. Don't make it awkward."
"No problem. I can handle greetings."
Just then another woman approached from the opposite direction, also wearing the receptionist uniform. Our eyes met. I gave a polite bow.
"Hello."
The woman stopped and looked between me and Irene.
"Team Leader. Who's this?"
"This is Noel. She lives at the potion shop. She's helping us out for the day."
Irene's introduction was brief.
"Ah. I've seen her around. Isn't she the one always slacking off with you lately, Team Leader?"
"......"
So much for a good first impression. I'd been branded a slacker from the very first meeting.
Irene's face tightened slightly. She was clearly pretending it didn't bother her.
"I'm the vice team leader. Nice to meet you."
"Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too. My name is Noel."
I bowed again, deeper and more politely this time. I needed to salvage the terrible first impression. Something told me I absolutely could not afford to get on this woman's bad side. She carried a different kind of pressure than Kirke. She had to be the real authority among the receptionists.
The vice team leader crossed her arms and spoke to Irene in a scolding tone.
"So? Why are you assigning her work on a whim?"
"Because I'm busy. She's only helping me today."
"Isn't your busyness entirely your own fault? You keep putting work off, that's why."
"W-well, that's true, but..."
"Do it yourself. I'll take her."
The vice team leader made the declaration without room for argument. Wait—what? Wasn't I hired to help Irene?
"Huh? I hired Noel specifically to help with my duties."
"Everyone else is busy too. You can handle your own work, Team Leader."
With that, the vice team leader held her hand out to me.
"Come on. Follow me. You shouldn't learn anything from someone like her."
...So this was how Irene's subordinates saw her. I wasn't completely clueless. Irene seemed to be considered a dead weight. Aligning with her would be a bad move. Without hesitation I switched factions. From now on I was on the vice team leader's side.
I gently took her offered hand.
"First I'll introduce you to the reception staff. Then I'll give you some simple tasks."
Even from our short conversation, I could sense competence in her words. She seemed far more capable than Irene and carried the perfect aura of an ideal supervisor.
Leaving Irene—who was sweating in obvious panic—behind, I followed the vice team leader. Sorry, Irene. But public matters and private ones have to stay separate.
The guild office was located deeper inside the building. Several people wearing receptionist uniforms had gathered there. I introduced myself in front of them.
"My name is Noel. I'll be helping out today. Please take care of me."
"Noel will be assisting us today. She can read, write, and do calculations, so I'll mainly assign her paperwork."
After the vice team leader's introduction, she guided me to an empty desk. Almost immediately, an unfamiliar staff member brought over a thick stack of documents.
"These are request forms. Sort them by rank. Use this chart as reference."
I scanned the chart. It listed rank classifications based on mission difficulty. There was quite a lot. I worried whether I could finish it all in one day.
I started sorting from the top, comparing each form against the chart as quickly as I could. When I was about halfway through, another staff member approached.
"You're already this far? Almost done?"
"Yes, just a little more."
"Let me see..."
The staff member picked up my sorted pile and flipped through it. She nodded, satisfied.
"Well done. Not a single mistake."
"That's a relief."
"No wonder the team leader brought you. We could hire you full-time."
She showered me with praise. It lifted my mood a little.
"Then could I ask you to handle these as well?"
She brought another massive stack. These were labeled adventurer performance records.
"Organize these too. I'd appreciate it."
My briefly improved mood sank again. I couldn't exactly refuse, so I nodded.
"...Understood."
There was far more work than I'd expected. The moment I finished one task, another appeared. I wanted to run away. Was it still possible? ...No, it was already too late. I should have realized when they offered five silver coins. They weren't paying that much for nothing.
After that I worked in silence for a long time. My back ached and my eyes grew heavy. Exhaustion crept in.
Suddenly I wondered what Irene was doing. I lifted my gaze from the documents and looked around. There she was, slumped at a distant desk in almost the same posture as me—half sprawled across it, rubbing her eyes as she worked. She must have felt my stare because our eyes met. Irene looked at me with pity.
I finally understood exactly how she felt. So this is why she keeps trying to slack off.
I wanted to go back to the potion shop. The work there was easier. Yuria only asked for simple errands. I'd grown tired of this bustling guild office. I missed the quiet, cozy potion shop where Yuria was. I missed her so much it hurt.
I kept processing the endless stream of documents until I nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Still, I somehow managed to finish everything on time. My desk was finally clear. No more tasks.
"All... done..."
I slumped back in my chair, completely drained. My mind felt scorched white.
"Good work."
Irene appeared beside me, holding two cups. She set one on my desk. Steam rose gently from the warm tea inside.
"This is expensive stuff. Drink up."
"Where did you get this?"
"...From the guild master's desk."
If it was Kirke's, it should be fine. We weren't strangers. I took a sip. The warmth helped settle my cluttered thoughts.
"Did you finish your work? I thought you had a lot."
"I got through most of it. Just need to tidy up now."
Irene rummaged inside her outer jacket and pulled out a small pouch, which she handed to me.
"Here."
I opened it. Six silver coins. One more than promised?
"The vice team leader said you worked hard and told me to add one."
"Ahaha..."
Thinking about it, five silver coins really wouldn't have been enough. Six felt fair.
"She also asked if you'd come again. Said you were a big help."
...No thanks. I never wanted to come back. Even seven silver coins probably wouldn't tempt me. The potion shop suited me better. I was starting to respect Irene. How did she manage this every single day?
Irene stared at me—specifically at my hair.
"Noel. Your ribbon came loose."
"Huh? My hair?"
I touched the ponytail. The red ribbon had slipped a little.
"I'll tie it again. Come here."
I tilted my head toward her. Irene gently untied the red ribbon, held it between her lips, and used both hands to arrange my hair. Her movements were practiced and familiar. She'd clearly done this before. Did she like tying hair?
"Irene, do you like tied-up hair?"
"I do. Enough that my eyes keep drifting to it while I work."
"...Enough that your eyes keep drifting while you work?"
So that's why she'd kept glancing my way and smiling like an idiot the whole time? My mood soured instantly. I felt like throwing the ribbon away.
"Noel's hair is the best. That pink color looks perfect with a red ribbon."
"I'm starting to feel worse..."
"...If you react like that, I get hurt too, you know?"
Sitting in the office with Irene, drinking tea and chatting about nothing important—it was surprisingly enjoyable. Maybe because we'd just finished a difficult task, the moment felt especially precious. Thinking back on it now, coming to help out once in a while might not be so bad. I liked the uniform, the pay was decent, and above all, Irene was here. That alone made occasional visits worthwhile.
Irene's hands stopped.
"There. Ribbon's tied..."
Just as she was about to finish speaking, a frantic voice cut through the room.
"Team Leader! Is the team leader here?!"
The vice team leader was urgently looking for Irene. What was going on?
"I'm right here."
Irene rubbed her face and answered. She looked even more exhausted than usual.
"Um... Team Leader... I think you need to come to the reception desk right away..."
Unlike the flustered vice team leader, Irene responded calmly, as if this were routine.
"Noel, wait here for a bit. Don't come out of the office."
"Huh? Suddenly? Why?"
"There's a reason."
She said it lightly and gave a small, casual smile.