Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Trigger for the World to Change is Surprisingly Trivial. (2)
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The trigger for the world to change is surprisingly trivial.
"Hello."
"Ah, Mr. Kane. Come on in."
With trembling anticipation, I headed to the Adventurer's Guild for my first day on the job.
The one greeting me right away was a stunning beauty with deep purple hair.
It was Iris, the vice branch manager of the Hasler branch.
"Since it's your first day, I'll start by showing you around the guild facilities. Then you'll observe a few classes from the other instructors for a couple of days."
It seemed they had no intention of throwing me straight into instructor duty on day one.
Which made sense... What could anyone expect from a total newbie with zero knowledge?
The Hero Academy was the weird one.
There, they'd shoved me right into supervising practical training and sent me straight into the forest.
Thank goodness I'd researched the forest's ecology and layout beforehand. Otherwise, I'd have been monster chow for sure.
Ugh, even thinking about it now gives me chills.
How do people treat others like that?
No wonder their classes were such a mess.
Sure, trials build character, but throwing people at monsters without any prior knowledge? That's not normal.
"That's where adventurers wait and pick up requests. This is the reception desk. The reception room you visited before... The first-floor restrooms are over there."
Starting from the first floor, then up to the second and third.
Compared to a fancy inn or noble mansion that's four or five stories tall, the ceilings weren't that high.
But it stretched wide sideways, so in terms of floor space, it probably surpassed most mansions.
Makes sense, with all the adventurers coming and going.
"And this is the classroom where adventurers receive their training."
But... not everything was mansion-like.
The top floor, third level.
Tucked away in the most inconspicuous corner.
A single room that could barely fit thirty people, with about twenty desks and chairs crammed in.
A blackboard covered in chalk marks, questionable if it was ever properly cleaned.
That was the entirety of the adventurer classroom.
...Isn't this a bit much?
Honestly, I was pretty taken aback.
They'd just hired a new instructor, and Branch Chief Terry and Iris had been so welcoming to me.
I figured they at least took education seriously.
But this?
Even the Hero Academy had flashy, state-of-the-art classrooms.
...Not that they were ever used properly.
"......"
"Ahem..."
Noticing my stunned expression, Iris cleared her throat awkwardly.
...Let's take a look, anyway.
Right then, about five adventurers were sitting in on a class.
The instructor was a middle-aged man with neatly combed black hair showing hints of gray.
He had a gentle, mild-mannered appearance overall.
"This is periodic training for D-rank adventurers. The instructor in charge is... Mr. Perriat."
Periodic training, huh.
The Adventurer's Guild offers three types of training in total.
First, newbie orientation.
Gathering fresh adventurers to brief them on rules and precautions they must follow.
Second, rank-up training.
For those who've passed exams and leveled up, teaching what requests are available at the new rank and what to watch out for.
Finally, the periodic training right in front of us.
Active adventurers are required to attend one session per month at their local branch.
These refresh knowledge on rank-appropriate requests and subjugations.
They also reiterate guild rules and various precautions.
Officially mandatory, with penalties for skipping.
But the punishment is a measly three-day activity suspension—a slap on the wrist—so most blow it off.
The guild seems to treat it as a formality too, since they don't bother tweaking penalties or promoting its importance.
That's why only five D-ranks are here now.
And even they don't look engaged—probably the ones who can't afford the income hit from suspension.
The instructor knows it too, just scribbling vaguely on the board and mumbling inaudibly.
One nearly asleep.
One staring blankly out the window.
One circulating mana for personal training... What a disaster.
Just like academy students during theory lectures.
They probably think the same thing.
'Experience in the field is what matters—why bother with theory?'
'Combat isn't about theory.'
I get it.
Real combat and theory are different.
As a frail civilian who can't handle fieldwork, I can't teach practical combat.
All I can do is pass on what knowledge I have.
Ordinary, insignificant work anyone could do.
But insignificant or not...
Theory and knowledge aren't useless in the field.
Sticking rigidly to theory narrows your view, but relying solely on experience does the same.
Fusing and adapting both is key.
Of course, battle-hardened types dismiss "trivial knowledge" and won't listen.
Reminds me of the academy days.
Back then, I focused solely on Jenny, so other students dying or whatever didn't matter.
This time, since I volunteered, I should at least try to reach every adventurer in this branch.
The mindset feels like the academy, but the setup's like training the marquis's guards.
"Phew, back to square one."
"Pardon?"
Oh, I must've said it out loud.
Iris looks at me quizzically.
"No, nothing."
I brushed it off and, leaving Iris tilting her head, quietly observed the shabby classroom.
Thinking about the tasks ahead.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Not many, huh."
The beautiful girl with long sky-blue hair, Rin Pacific, stood at the third entrance to Soltier Forest.
Only about twenty students were around her.
With practical class starting and heading straight here, that seemed to be it.
The rest were probably goofing off in the capital after two weeks out.
Not that these twenty were diligent.
"Better finish this crap quick and have fun."
"Yeah, clears the mind."
They just wanted to wrap up the hassle and play.
Rin was a bit different.
'No need to drag out this lame assignment. Finish fast and train.'
She was eager to smash filthy orcs quick and practice swordsmanship.
'I need to get stronger. No time wasting on orcs!'
Get stronger.
Strong enough to become a hero and return to the kingdom.
'And prove... I'm worth something.'
She strode confidently into Soltier Forest.
But she didn't draw her beloved sword 'Ice Break'.
'Can't stain my precious blade with lowlife orc blood. Father Emperor bestowed it on me.'
She caressed the hilt fondly, then drew a cheap iron sword bought at the plaza.
"Orcs are nothing—this'll do."
Truth be told, even without a sword, she wielded intermediate water and ice magic like a mid-tier mage.
She could crush orcs with spells alone.
But she bought a new sword because she prioritized swordsmanship over magic.
"Come on out. Let's end this and go."
Deep in the forest, she walked boldly.
No scanning surroundings.
Orcs were no threat even if they ambushed, she thought.
And that held... mostly.
Rustle─
"...! There! Frozen spear of mana, pierce my foe. Ice Lance!"
At the shaking forest sound, she cast Ice Lance toward it.
A sharp icicle formed in midair and shot off.
Crack! Splurt!
"Queeek!"
It pierced the head of an orc emerging from the brush, clutching a crudely carved wooden club.
"...Hmph, just one?"
She snorted and approached the corpse.
"Ugh... n-need the nose..."
The assignment was ten orcs for proof, so she tried cutting off the nose—standard evidence.
But it was so gross she fumbled disgustingly.
Whoosh─
Suddenly, a heavy whoosh cut the air behind her.
"!!"
She dodged sideways instantly.
Thud!
A club the size of her torso crashed where she'd stood.
"Ambushing from behind, you dare...!"
Seeing the orc attack indifferently despite its kin's gruesome death, she paled in disgust.
"Brainless trash monster. You'll get the same..."
Crack!
As she geared for another Ice Lance, her vision shook—dull pain throbbed at her temple.
"Queeek!"
Another orc cry from behind.
'No way... a second one...?'
Dizzy, vision spinning, off-balance, she somehow stayed upright.
'How...?'
Confusion hit. Orcs were dumb brutes.
One drawing aggro while another sneaks?
'Coincidence... has to be.'
Of course, it wasn't.
A common misconception among new Hero Academy students: orcs are surprisingly smart monsters.
They don't talk, act beastly with lust, but they communicate, craft weapons, even basic tactics.
Still animal-level intellect, so stay alert and it's fine.
Yes, if you don't get careless.
That's the hardest part for academy freshmen.
"Queek! Queeeek!"
"Quek!"
Enraged by their dead kin, two orcs swung clubs at her.
"Urk..."
Still reeling from the temple hit, she couldn't steady herself.
Crack!
She took a direct blow.
With wood filling her vision, her consciousness snapped.