Let's Become Frail Men (1)
"I absolutely refuse to accept this!"
A woman burst into my office shouting those words. It might seem incredibly rude, but she held a position that justified it.
"Putting some inferior man in such a high spot? Don't make me laugh!"
"Now, now, that's far too discriminatory, Kali. And Vivi has more than proven his abilities."
Vice Guild Master Helen, who had followed behind her, tried to intervene, but the woman showed no sign of stopping her tirade against me.
Vice Guild Master Kali. Excluding the Guild Master herself, she was Tragodia Adventurer's Guild's strongest fighter—the de facto leader of the guild's adventurers. Unlike the gentle Helen, she was infamous for her rough, violent tendencies.
"What's your name supposed to be? Pippy?"
"It's not Pippy, it's Vivi."
"It's Vivaldi..."
"Whatever! You just got lucky, that's all! Good eye for talent? You just picked someone at random and they happened to be competent! Right?"
Finally, someone who gets my situation! I hadn't realized Marie and Gerda were that capable! Overjoyed, I jumped to my feet and nodded vigorously.
"Exactly!"
"Huh? Exactly what? You think you understand me, you little man?"
"......"
Kali scowled, clearly annoyed by my agreement. What rhythm am I supposed to dance to here?
"Ugh..."
I tried to stare her down in disbelief, but ended up turning away in embarrassment.
Among all the women I'd seen, Kali wore the most revealing outfit by far. It was so provocative that she might as well have been walking around in just her underwear. Her figure wasn't as voluptuous as Helen's, but her proportions were so perfect that my face burned.
"See? He can't even look me in the eye! How do you expect the guild members to respect a guy like that as their superior?"
"You'd kill him if he did look straight at you."
"Even the Guild Master said we don't need men anymore!"
"Think beyond emotions to reality, dear. There aren't many women lining up for desk jobs in Labyrinth City."
"Well, now there are! That Marie girl's already handling the entire reception desk! Why not just leave it all to her from now on?"
"Even Marie can't handle all the administrative work alone..."
In this world, some women viewed men as inferior and hated entrusting them with any real work. Kali seemed intent on purging all the male guild members and dumping everything on Marie.
In other words, if I went along with this, I'd get booted too! Just what I've been hoping for!
"No, she can! Marie could definitely do it!"
"Huh? What makes you think a newbie like her could pull that off? You mocking me?"
"......"
What the hell am I supposed to do?
Kali jabbed a finger into my chest.
"Eek...!"
"Listen up, pretty boy. You might look all cute and delicate, and maybe you've charmed the guild girls with that, but it won't work on me. I've seen plenty of guys like you—relying on their looks, playing cute with women to suck up the sweet life."
"Y-yes, sor—"
"Shut up and listen! Even if you've got some achievements as a receptionist, this is the Tragodia Adventurer's Guild in Labyrinth City. We can't put some green kid with zero Great Labyrinth experience in a top spot!"
She's absolutely right. Please, kick this green kid out right now! But knowing she'd get prickly again, I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"So I'm gonna test if you've got what it takes in the Great Labyrinth too. Fail this test, and you're out of the guild!"
"Now, that's too harsh, Kali. Vivi's just a frail little boy who's never even fought before..."
"No! I'll do it!"
Just as Helen said, I was nothing but a frail man. Unlike the tough women of this world, men rarely had any talent for combat. Our physical strength and magic aptitude were far below the female average. There was nothing I could do in the Great Labyrinth—I'd just get expelled from the guild, right on cue!
"Don't come to work tomorrow morning. Head straight to the Great Labyrinth. Got it? Skip it, and I'll kill you."
"......Yes!"
I'd planned to forfeit outright, but apparently that wasn't an option.
"Your party will be four people, including you. Fail to assemble a proper party, and you're gone. Finding people and forming a party is part of your competence too!"
With that ultimatum, Kali stormed out of the office in a huff.
Helen glanced between the door Kali had left through and me, her face etched with worry.
"Vivi... I'm sorry I couldn't stop her."
"It's fine. She wasn't wrong, anyway."
Even as fellow vice guild masters, this was the Tragodia Adventurer's Guild in Labyrinth City. Adventuring prowess in the Great Labyrinth was valued above all else. The vice guild master leading adventurers naturally had more sway than the one handling welfare.
"I'll help you round up some party members somehow."
"No! Please don't help."
"You really think you can handle it...?"
"Yes!"
"......Alright then. Good luck."
Helen gave a pitying faint smile before leaving the office.
Party members? No way in hell. I had zero intention of entering the Great Labyrinth. If I showed up without any and looking pathetic, Kali would boot me on the spot, right?
"Heh... heh heh..."
I chuckled to myself as I reviewed the paperwork. I felt so good that work flew by today. Knowing this was my last day, I couldn't stop grinning.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
Like hell it flew by—last day or not, nothing's sinking in. I tossed the papers into a desk corner and slumped into the comfy executive chair.
"Vivaldi-nim! Vivaldi-nim!"
"Ugh..."
I'd just closed my eyes for a quick rest when someone called me urgently. It was the youthful-looking young man with dog ears—Haru.
"Haru...?"
"I-it's almost morning! You have to go to the Great Labyrinth!"
"Eh?"
I'd only shut my eyes for a moment, or so I thought—but I'd slept straight through to morning. How exhausted was I?
"......But how do you know I have to go to the Great Labyrinth?"
"W-well, truth is, yesterday when the vice guild master came, I heard everything from outside."
"Ah."
Haru's dog ears weren't for show. He'd overheard the whole conversation from inside the office.
"If you get expelled, Vivaldi-nim, the other guys will probably get kicked out too. Including me..."
"......Yeah, probably."
So he was worried about losing his job. But staying in a black company like this was riskier. Sorry, Haru and the other male receptionists—I need you all to get expelled with me.
I stretched with a big yawn, left the guild hall, and headed for the Great Labyrinth. Haru followed me the whole way, clearly anxious.
"Um, Vivaldi-nim, what about your party members...?"
"Don't have any."
"What?!"
Labyrinth City wasn't a properly planned city. Crude buildings thrown up haphazardly by crowds of people dotted it irregularly. Without the people milling about, it would look like ruins. At its center stood a massive square-pyramid fortress—the Great Labyrinth, a shape that would be called a pyramid in my old world.
As I entered the Great Labyrinth entrance, I saw countless adventurer parties gathered, chatting among themselves. Among them, a scantily clad woman was glaring at me.
"Hah? I told you to bring three party members! You only got one? And how the hell are you..."
"Eek...!"
Haru folded his dog ears in terror at Vice Guild Master Kali's fierce glare. I didn't know why he'd followed, and he wasn't my party member anyway—no need to explain.
"Figures no other crazy bitch would team up with a frail man for the Great Labyrinth, huh?"
I hadn't scouted anyone, and with lives on the line, of course not.
"......Stay here."
"Huh?"
"Eek...?"
Before I knew it, a woman had snuck up and wrapped her tail around my waist. It was Natalia, with her black cat ears. Few in the guild knew of her, but a vice guild master like Kali apparently did.
"......I'll go into the labyrinth with Vivi."
"N-Natalia? You don't have to—"
I tried to stop Natalia from ruining my plan, but she and Kali squared off chest-to-chest, growling. Natalia was much taller, looming over her.
"You...! Why are you butting in all of a sudden?"
"......Sudden or not, you're the one messing with a perfectly fine guild member."
"Perfectly fine? You had to clean up most of that mess, and you still trust a man?"
"......Vivi's different."
"Hah! Pointless anyway. Even with you, he's still short one for a party. I said four people or he's out."
"......That's why I brought one more."
"I'll help Vivaldi-nim too, wa yo!"
Gerda popped out from behind Natalia. Natalia shot me a how'd I do? look, but I couldn't muster a smile.
"W-wait a second! Haru's not a party member!"
At this rate, we might actually form a four-person party. I shouted in a panic. Haru hadn't come with me anyway, wasn't an adventurer, and it'd be dangerous for him in the Great Labyrinth.
"N-no, it's fine...! I'll go too, Vivaldi-nim!"
"No! Haru, guys like us ordinary men going in twos would just be a burden...!"
"I-I'm...!"
Haru suddenly yanked open the front of his shirt. Seeing the binding wrap around his chest, I could only gape in shock.
"I'm actually a girl!"