Chapter 2

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 2

Chapter Title: Receptionist

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Tutorial Village had entered its peak season.

The first floor's economy ran on seasonal business, much like a summer stream.

During the period when new adventurers flooded into the tower in droves, the residents of the first floor were literally showered with money.

"Earthbound Spirit! You should've said something if you were here! Things are so hectic right now!"

"You looked busy, so I didn't want to interrupt."

"Kuhuhu, and it's not even evening yet, but look at all these customers!"

The innkeeper, Raymond, seemed overwhelmed trying to assign ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rooms to the adventurers pouring in like a tidal wave.

His favorite daytime drinking sessions would be off the table for a while, but he appeared to be enjoying the thrill of making money ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠instead.

As long as he's happy in his own way, that's fine, I guess.

"Earthbound Spirit?"

One new adventurer took an interest.

From his flawless skin to his awkward stance holding a weapon, and armor so flimsy you had to wonder if it offered any real protection—he was the picture of a total beginner.

Raymond grabbed my shoulder and said,

"Ah, this newbie probably needs an explanation. Let me introduce you: the veteran adventurer Earthbound Spirit!"

"I'm not a veteran. And please don't introduce me with that weird nickname."

"No can do. It's already stuck in my mouth."

The new adventurer's eyes sparkled brightly.

"He's basically your senior, so feel free to ask him anything you're curious about."

"Ah, got it!"

I knew this would happen.

I didn't come here to deal with some prankster who can't act his age.

"Earthbound Spirit Senior! Nice to meet you."

"Raymond, my title's already getting weird because of you."

"What's wrong with Earthbound Spirit? There's no better-fitting name."

The beginner introduced herself as Rien.

"You're Korean, aren't you?"

"Yes!"

"Then why's your name like that?"

"Is it weird? Before entering the tower, it was trendy to come up with nicknames in advance, so I picked it ambitiously..."

What kind of trends are going on outside?

Do they think the tower's some mobile game?

The source of the trend was easy to spot the moment we stepped outside the inn.

"Ah, Lady Amelia!"

"Right. She's the one who started the name-changing trend. Rankers are always trouble."

Park Sua was promoting the Crimson Flame Guild in the square where new adventurers had gathered.

Her work mode was completely different from usual.

I didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠know she could make such a stern face.

Besides the Crimson Flame Guild, other major guilds were visible too.

It was still hard to get used to seeing the top figures from each guild down on the first floor.

It meant recruiting promising new adventurers into their guilds was a hugely important matter.

"I heard the most efficient way is to hit level 5 fast on the first floor and head to the next one?"

"Huh? You can bounce after level 3."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"From the Crimson Flame Guild strategy guide? They said with their gear support, two people can clear the second floor mobs easy."

"Gotta follow the top guild. Let's go before the hunting spots fill up."

The adventurers wandered around clutching pamphlets in all colors.

Strategy guides.

The primary method guilds used to attract new adventurers.

They provided efficient routes starting from the first floor, optimized for time.

If you joined the guild, they'd provide guides for higher floors too—naturally drawing interest.

"Umm... I need to go get a strategy guide too, so I'll head out first."

"Yeah, sure. Work hard. Be careful not to get hurt."

"Thank you."

The tower wasn't a game.

Strategy guides and guilds were just late additions to the system.

Back when I first entered the tower...

"Never mind. No point dredging up old memories."

I left the square before things got more annoying.

Like Raymond's inn, the request office where Ellie worked was swamped with new adventurers.

It was a sight you'd never see normally.

"Everyone! Please wait your turn one by one!"

"Me first! Hurry!"

"We'll lose our spots like this!"

"I hunted the slimes! Give me my quest reward!"

"Hey! No cutting! I was here first!"

"Bullshit! There's no line for quests!"

It was total chaos.

"Ugh, uwaaa... There are way too many!"

"Ellie, you okay?"

"Earthbound Spirit!"

Ellie was sweating bullets.

The sudden workload surge was too much for her alone.

"Need a hand?"

"I'm fine! This is my job!"

"Guild promotions will wrap up soon. Then even more will come."

"Ah, ahh... No way..."

Three more adventurers entered while I was talking to her.

"You sure you're okay?"

"It's embarrassing, but... could you help just for today?"

"Of course."

"Hmm, while you're working, I'm the boss, so keep using formal speech."

"Pardon? Understood."

"Good. Nice working with you, daily receptionist."

Having two receptionists didn't make things leisurely.

It'd take at least four for smooth operations.

Still, it was fine.

Even with some fumbling, just working alongside someone brought a sense of stability.

"How were you planning to handle all these people alone?"

"Right? I thought I practiced every day, but real combat's different."

Maybe my words had planted the seed.

Once guild promotions ended, even more customers flooded in.

No time for short chats with Ellie.

"Adventurer! At the village outskirts—"

"Skip the explanation, just give me a quest."

"Great job! Thanks to you, our village is safer—"

"Reward! Hand over the reward!"

Their goal: get stronger ASAP.

Catch a guild rep's eye.

Head to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠higher floors.

The first floor was just a space to skip quickly.

New adventurers cut off Ellie's prepared lines and rushed about.

My side was the same.

"Old man, what're you doing? Quest, now."

"..."

"It's just slime hunting anyway, why so slow?"

"Hoo..."

They treat me like a game NPC.

"Follow the path to the village outskirts—"

"There's only one way to the hunting grounds on the first floor. Think I don't know it?"

Ah, these obnoxious bastards.

After hours of battle, the request office finally calmed down.

The only standing quest at Ellie's office was slime extermination—and only once per day.

No reason for growth-hungry newbies to visit twice.

Once the hot rush ended, customers thinned out, except for a few latecomers.

They'd probably followed guild strategy guides to efficient leveling spots.

"Hoo— good work."

"You too, boss."

"Pfft, just kidding. You can drop the formal speech now."

Tomorrow would be much more relaxed.

Not intentional, but with so many adventurers, their chatter naturally reached my ears.

"Only once a day? Gotta come back tomorrow."

"What? Didn't read the guide? Efficient only early on. Better camp at the swordsmanship training ground till level 3."

"Oh, right. No need to come back here."

"Swordsmanship training ground? I wanna use magic."

"Idiot, where do you learn magic on the first floor?"

Say that stuff outside.

"Earthbound Spirit, relax your face."

"Huh, what?"

"Standing there looking scary will scare off any adventurers who come in."

Was my face that bad?

"Don't mind those words."

"I don't."

Ellie seemed more fine than expected.

Were her toughing it out, or really okay?

"Today was really fun. It's rare for the request office to get this crowded."

Ellie enjoyed receptionist work.

She felt responsible assigning quests and proud handing out rewards.

For her, today was an unforgettable memory.

"I know. That those adventurers won't come back tomorrow."

"..."

"My request office only has slime extermination quests."

For such an Ellie, the first floor must feel like a curse.

Unlike influx adventurers, locals couldn't move between floors.

The only monster habitat: slimes in the damp forest.

No other extermination quests possible.

Rarely, special monsters appeared on the first floor.

But after slime-weary adventurers left.

Then, Guard Koon and I, the sole adventurer, handled them.

"But it's okay. Even if my request office empties out again tomorrow, I won't be lonely."

Ellie leaned close to my ear and whispered.

I felt her body heat near my cheek.

"My favorite adventurer comes every day."

"...!"

"Hehe, my regular isn't here today."

Her face flushed red after saying it.

"No more customers seem to be coming."

"Rewards all handed out, so we can call it a day."

"Good work, daily receptionist."

The temporary receptionist class vanished.

Ellie handed over 800 coins as pay.

"Boss, is my receptionist shift over?"

"Yes, time to go back to being an adventurer. No more awkward boss treatment."

Part-time was done.

My role returned to adventurer.

"Ellie, same as always today."

As I said before, I like familiarity.

"Seriously, Earthbound Spirit is such a weird adventurer."

"Isn't it normal for adventurers to take quests at the request office?"

Ellie delivered her prepared lines perfectly, without interruption—after months of practice.

Ironic that practice partner and real deal were the same, but did it matter?

"Adventurer! Terrifying slimes live at the village outskirts!"

"If their numbers grow, they might attack our village."

"Follow the path to the damp forest, and you'll find slimes."

"Hunt 5 slimes in the damp forest and bring back their slime cores!"

Ellie wore the most refreshed expression I'd seen all day.

"Be careful out there!"

"I'll be back."

I gladly decided

to be her eternal adventurer.