Jack of all Trades – 11
“Mr. Asagi. Your reward is ready. Are you here?”
I could hear the guild worker calling me, and so I quickly wiped my hands and mouth and left some money on the bar counter.
“Mr. Asagi.”
The guild worker had come all the way over to the bar and was looking left and right before seeing me and calling me over. We walked back to the counter.
“Mr. Asagi. You’re pretty close to your next rank.”
“Am I really?”
“Yes, you gain one rank after finishing fifteen G rank quests. So, that is six more quests. Though, there is also another method.”
“What kind of quests will be the most prominent in the next rank?”
I was curious about what this other method was, but that could wait. I wanted to be more efficient once I reached F rank. And weeding was getting a little boring.
“The most prominent quests in F rank are goblin slaying. The goblins are fond of the mana around the southern part of the forest. You will be permitted to go out much further than before.”
After saying as much, she looked at me and smiled mischievously. It was cute, but there was ‘I know everything’ meaning behind it. I couldn’t say anything so I just smiled awkwardly and scratched at my cheek.
“Hehe. Well, I will bring your reward now, so please wait a moment.”
“Ahaha…thank you.”
How uncomfortable. I waited restlessly until the guild worker returned with a tray that carried my status card and the reward.
“Here, this is the reward for completing the quest. All of the herbs you’ve collected were in excellent condition. The owner of the druggist is always happy with them, so I’ve added a little bonus for you.”
“Thank you very much. I intend to collect herbs again next time, so I’ll keep their quality in mind.”
“That would be great. The other G rank adventurers only bring back shriveled and torn plants…”
How can I bother to pick herbs! That’s probably what they’re thinking as they gather them… Idiots. It’s much better to do these kinds of slow jobs carefully.
“Thank you for coming in today. We hope to see you again soon.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The reward was forty pieces of copper and one silver as a bonus. I put them in a purse and left the counter.
Well then, I had nothing left to do today. Perhaps I should return to the inn… That was what I was thinking as I left the guild house before I was immediately surrounded.
“Hey, Black Rabbit. Aren’t you getting a little arrogant lately?”
A tall adventurer with a scar on his cheek said as he glowered down at me.
“I’ve gotten used to questing and I suppose I’m proud of it. I can’t wait to go picking herbs again tomorrow!”
“Are you making fun of me you little shit!”
The bastard’s arm stretched out to grab me right there. He was slow. ‘Jack of all Trade’ taught me self-defense against people as well. I dodged the arms just like the image that played in my head showed. Then I rushed behind him planted my foot in his back and kicked him to the ground. After that, I turned around and ran towards the town.
“Wait! I’ll get you!”
“Damn, he’s fast…!”
He may have been asking me to wait, but there was no idiot in the universe who would do that. I ran through crowds of people as I made my way back to the inn.
While I was running, I thought I saw a teary-eyed Ness walking on the road, but it was probably just me.
Thanks for the chapter!
At least he refused to just beat them up. On the other hand, the prostitute not taking an interest in Ness but being mentioned at all is probably a flag for our protagonist. It would be another interesting switch up from the usual if he ends up earning an ex-prostitute as a waifu.
Mc’s refusal to deal with the bullies is starting to be irritating. I’m not talking about wanting action, but he’s an adult who should know by now that there’s only three ways to stop bullying; 1) give them a better target, 2)get away and stay away from them, 3) remove their ability to bully you (usually by violence or incarceration). Running away without doing anything to change the situation just delays the inevitable.
I mean, I get what you’re saying, but his social status is questionable at best. He’s not a super rookie like in some novels, if he kicks up too much of a fuss as a new adventurer, they’re likely to just boot him if there’s the slightest ambiguity about who’s at fault. Someone who lacks tact is troublesome after all. This is when the guild is by far his best shot at a credible identity and livelihood in this strange land.
Yeah, it sucks, but I think it’s objectively better to endure for now until he raises his rank to F, becoming a real adventurer, and solidifies his ties to the guild personnel. It won’t even take that long. Shorter if the bullies start to feel threatened and cross the line.
None of those three options are open to him.
1) There’s no one to throw under the bus, if he was willing to be a total shit.
2) Where’s he going to go hide? They work & drink where he goes to get paid
3) if he removes one or two of their ability to fight, they can’t make money for their clans. Who’ll are going to more then return the favor.
This isn’t new kid in high school.
These are mercenary gangs making money by killing… monsters. Mostly.
He’s thought through his options & is doing best he can to avoid another knife in the gut.
Caught up, love this story!
Thanks 4 the chapter!
Is he the only one that brought the herbs back in good condition? If he is, herb quality in that town will take a dive after he rank up.
I quite enjoy this self contained story nothing to flashy yet but not to boring like a SOL isekai kudos to the translator for making this coherent read.
Thanks for the chapter! 🙂
i hope he keeps collecting herbs after a rank up cause that town likely depends on his collecting quality over quantity of herbs that aren’t basically dead like the reception lady says….. which I’d also do mundane quest like herb picking cause they keep people alive
thanks for the chapter
Thanks for the treat.
The template dictates that he will be meeting the adventurers again outside waiting him in the forest… lets see if that happens and if it does how it goes XD
Thanks for the chapter, I am liking this MC style, not rishing to anything but neither cowering in fear.
RIP Ness. Earn some more money and try again 😀
Thanks 4 the great work~
So basically he is wasting money by killing goblins and not making any money out of it, since it could have been a request to clear out vermin like goblins to keep their numbers low in the vicinity of the town. I always find it stupid that rank restricts people of doing things in guilds like this. Shouldn’t ability determine what they can and can’t do? It is their choice. Guilds aren’t nanny services, they are a middleman that connects the client and job taker. Not like they can take the money and run, the money comes after the job is completed…