Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Iron Rank Adventurer Reti (1)
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I huddled in the corner of the library, scribbling away with my quill.
Complicated calculations sprawled across scraps of parchment.
The only sound breaking the silence was the scratch of the pen.
"First, from Oakwood to the capital Dunholm, then from there to Whitehelm Port... and the ticket for the transoceanic passenger ship..."
I traced the route on the map with my finger to double-check.
Thankfully, flipping through the encyclopedia had revealed some hopeful news.
[Goodness! A cart that runs on iron tracks powered by boiling water! What a marvel!]
This world had trains!
And it wasn't just trains—engravings showed ships belching steam as they sailed.
"They call them steamships."
[Goodness! A waterwheel! The ship has a hamster wheel on its side! How rat-friendly is that!]
There were steam engines, and ships that combined sails with steam power for voyages.
Heck, there were even airships.
The scenery from the guild came back to mind once more.
'There were cameras and weird telegraph machines.'
This world's civilization and tech level were higher than I'd thought.
"Anyway, the fastest route is by train."
That said, there was no transcontinental railroad.
Monsters and border disputes had prevented tracks from spanning the entire continent.
So, you'd have to switch to carriages now and then.
There were no 21st-century Earth-style quarantines or immigration checks, but every border crossing came with tolls.
And that was just the start. Food, lodging, gear repairs.
Plus emergency funds for who-knows-what.
I scribbled the final number and circled it boldly.
"Three gold coins."
That was the rough estimate.
For reference, my entire fortune right now was a handful of silver coins and a wad of coppers.
In this world's currency, one gold coin equaled 100 silvers, and one silver equaled 100 coppers.
'Exchange rates vary a bit by country, but it's generally like that, right?'
From books and bits I'd overheard, steady, hardworking laborers earned 20 to 30 silvers a month.
A hard hunk of rye bread cost about five coppers... Ugh, I didn't even want to think about it.
"Lord, this is impossible right now. I don't have the money."
[Hmm...]
Rodentia peered at the map with a grave expression.
Her tiny finger pointed to a spot on the map.
[First, once we leave the Winster Kingdom here, things might get easier. There are a few ancient ruins in my memories.]
"What, go tomb-raiding or something?"
[No! My lost relics and totems might be sleeping there! If we find them, my power will grow, and maybe I can even use high-level divine arts like rat-hole teleportation!]
Hmm.
She had a point.
If teleportation or shrinking steps were possible, travel costs would plummet.
But the problem was getting there in the first place.
And the adventurer guild rules I'd seen while filling out paperwork were an issue too.
"To get your rank recognized at a foreign guild, you need at least Silver Rank."
Iron or Bronze got reset at the border.
You'd have to start over from Iron Rank.
So the smart move was to grind here, raise my rank, gear up properly, and then head out.
"Alright. Let's save up money first. And raise our rank too."
I set down the quill, picturing the weapons I had in mind.
Beyond the crossbow I was making now, I had ideas for powerful firepower without gunpowder.
YouTube craftsmen designs and concepts were stored in my head.
I'd even built some myself.
If I made them and used them on quests, three gold coins weren't a pipe dream.
[Ooh! Apostle! Your eyes are gleaming! Did you think of something good?]
"Yeah. Worth a shot."
I clenched my fist.
Yeah, let's do this.
I'd run a crane before—what couldn't I handle?
The next day.
I slung the finished crossbow over my back and strode confidently into the adventurer guild.
My brand-new registration card, issued after just two days, boldly read [Name: Reti - Rank: Iron].
Finally, I was a proper adventurer.
But reality was harsh.
I approached the counter full of dreams, only to get a cold response.
"Quests for Iron Rank? Check the bottom of the board. The green papers."
The receptionist's finger pointed to a mess of odd jobs.
[Herb Gathering - Reward: 30 coppers]
[Sewer Cleaning - Reward: 70 coppers]
[Farmhand Help (Potato Harvest) - Reward: 40 coppers + Lunch Provided]
"...Hah."
I let out a deep sigh.
Even one night at an inn cost at least 40 coppers.
And city meals were pricier.
A single hunk of bread was a whopping seven coppers!
The cool quests like monster hunts or ruin explorations were Bronze Rank and up.
Iron Rank was basically treated as manual labor, not adventuring.
"What can you do? Gotta start from the bottom."
In the end, I picked up a hoe instead of a pickaxe.
"Hup!"
A potato came up easily.
Digging potatoes under the blazing sun, covered in dirt.
Was this the isekai life I'd dreamed of?
"Ow... My back hurts..."
It felt like my waist was breaking.
[Ugh! So pitiful! My great first apostle, reduced to digging potatoes!]
Rodentia wailed on my shoulder, pounding the ground.
The lord had chattered directions like [Dig deeper!] [That's a big one!] while I harvested, but offered zero actual help.
[Just summon a horned rat...]
"What do you think the farmer will say if he sees a rat?"
[He'll worship the sacred horned rat, of course!]
"Yeah, right. More like 'Rat's eating my potatoes!' and freak out."
[Sob...]
"Don't worry. It's all money. And potatoes make great food—potato pancakes, french fries..."
[French fries? What's that?]
"I'll make some later. First, let's finish the job."
Still, it felt rewarding.
After completing my first quest, I got paid by the farmer uncle.
"You're small but work hard, eh? Here, some potatoes—the ones that ain't sellable. Take a few!"
"Thank you!"
I even scored free food.
It was pocket change, but there was hope.
Completing quests like this built up achievements for Bronze Rank promotion.
Bronze meant real quests like monster hunting.
I slaved away at odd jobs for days, scraping together coins.
Even cleaned sewers.
[Urgh! The smell!]
Found a lost cat too.
[Using a spirit horned rat as bait! Apostle! How irreverent!]
"No choice! I'll offer better tribute later. Extra cheese!"
[...Run, horned rat!]
Did restaurant dishwashing.
With the earnings, I bought a bundle of arrows, dried rations, and a sturdy hand axe.
Then, a few days later, opportunity knocked.
A red paper appeared on the guild board.
[Urgent: Mana Stones Wanted!]
[Client: Mage Tower Workshop 3]
[Details: Workshop short on materials! Purity doesn't matter.]
[Slime cores, goblin ritual stones—any with mana reaction accepted.]
[Conditions: Broken or cloudy low-grade stones OK (no powder).]
[Reward: 6 silvers per 10-stone bundle (20% above market price of 50 coppers!)]
[Note: No singles under 10. Must deliver within 3 days or no deal.]
"This is it!"
My eyes lit up.
Mana stones dropped from dungeon monsters at a certain rate.
Low-grade ones were plentiful even in beginner dungeons like the Glowing Cave.
Adventurers were already lining up.
Risky, but way better payout than potato digging.
I rushed to the counter and accepted the quest.
The issue was the party.
Even a beginner dungeon was suicide solo.
But browsing the party board, no group wanted a ratkin like me.
"Hey, rat brat, move."
"Tch, bad luck. Stick to porter work—why play adventurer?"
Cold stares and open disdain from adventurers.
I was pondering solo play when...
[Apostle! Look over there!]
Rodentia suddenly shrieked.
Her finger pointed to a corner of the guild.
"That way?"
A girl sat there.
A fellow ratkin.
But her fur was different.
Snow-white hair and fur, ruby-red eyes.
'Albino?'
She wore shabby monk robes over leather armor.
Shield and shortsword on her back and hip.
Iron Rank badge around her neck, just like mine.
She sat alone, munching bread glumly.
[Apostle! White hair! Red eyes! That's the sacred shrine maiden rat bloodline!]
Rodentia excitedly thumped her hamster wheel.
[Rare and blessed lineage! Party with her! Now!]
"Shrine maiden bloodline?"
[Yes! Descendants of those who sat highest in my temples! Extraordinary divine power!]
Hmm.
Same ratkin, so maybe no discrimination.
And shrine maiden bloodline—probably special abilities.
I mustered courage and approached.
"Um, hi?"
She looked up.
Red eyes stared straight at me.
Wary at first, but softened seeing kin.
"H-Hi! You're a rat too?"
Her voice was plucky.
I nodded and flashed my Iron badge.
"Yeah. Iron Rank like you. Looking for a party?"
"Yeah! But no one's taking me..."
She drooped her ears sadly.
Same boat. The ratkin struggle.
"Wanna team up? Going for mana stones. Split rewards even."
"Really? Yay! Awesome!"
She jumped up beaming.
Tail wagging happily.
"I'm Sena! Call me Sena! Aspiring holy knight and monk!"
"Holy knight?"
"Yep! Serving the Hearth Goddess. I can swing a sword and cast minor blessings!"
Hearth Goddess—mainstream deity.
Sword skills plus heals or buffs? Perfect tank-support.
And she seemed bright and friendly.
"I'm Reti. Nice to meet you, Sena."
"You too, Reti! Let's do our best!"
We shook hands.
Small and soft, but callused—capable grip.
Then Rodentia whispered secretly in my ear.
[Apostle! Chance! Time to make a second apostle!]
"Huh? Lord, she already has a god."
Rodentia ignored my whisper.
[What does that matter? Pantheon Temple allows multiple faiths! And...]
Sudden trash-talk flood.
[Know what the Hearth Goddess is? Stuffy, uptight old hag!]
[Goddess of home and love? Pfft! That one's a chicken-coop stinking housewife!]
"Ch-Chicken coop smell...?"
What blasphemy was this?
God dissing god—still blasphemy?
[Exactly! Sweating by the fire—what's so great? That cute, bubbly kid deserves better than boring faith!]
Rodentia chittered slyly.
[Time to spread the great hamster wheel teachings! Evangelize! Show her the lord of the hamster wheel's cuteness and greatness!]
This goddess reeked of worldly vibes lately.
Anyway, solid companion acquired.
Sena and I boarded a cart to the dungeon.
Now, the real adventure begins!