Who Says I'm Not a Proper Adventurer?
Chapter 6: Gathering Copper Hat Mushrooms

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Gathering Copper Hat Mushrooms

In an instant, a crimson blush burned from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.

"It’s all your fault!"

Nia was mortified. She frantically threw down the form and clapped both hands over Lance’s ears.

Feeling the soft, warm little hands on his ears and looking at the girl in front of him, who was so embarrassed she looked like she might start steaming, Lance could only raise his hands in surrender.

To make amends, and also to thank Nia for her help.

Ten minutes later, the two were sitting side-by-side on a bench in a corner of the Guild hall.

Lance had painfully splurged, going to the bakery across the street to buy the lunch Nia had been dreaming of.

It was two freshly baked, special herb bread rolls.

The rolls were plump and enticingly round, their crusts baked to a perfect, crispy golden-brown. The baker had scored a cross on top, shaped like rose petals, revealing the soft, white interior.

The dough had clearly been prepared with care, kneaded with a generous amount of fresh, chopped rosemary picked from the edge of Copper Creek Forest. The rich herbal aroma wafted through the air, making one’s mouth water.

In addition to that, Lance had gritted his teeth and bought a bottle of pink, sparkling berry wine.

It was a low-alcohol fruit wine, extremely popular among the female Adventurers of Gray Rock Town, with a clean, sweet taste and fine, dense bubbles.

Nia held the bread roll with both hands and took a careful bite.

The crispy crust and soft interior met between her teeth, and the fragrance of herbs instantly filled her mouth.

Then, she took a satisfying gulp of the pink sparkling wine.

"Mmm... so delicious!"

Nia’s eyes blissfully narrowed into slits, like a kitten that had just stolen a dried fish, her legs swinging cheerfully beneath the bench.

Watching her carefree smile, Lance felt his now-deflated coin purse.

That one meal had cost him half a day’s wages.

’It’s fine. This is a necessary social investment.’

Lance wept silently in his heart, then took a huge bite of the bread in his hand.

...

The clerical staff at the Adventurer’s Guild actually got weekends off.

It was just that before, in order to save up enough for the trip to Ostrara sooner, Lance had voluntarily chosen a no-days-off, year-round overtime schedule.

In a border town like Gray Rock Town, which revolved around Adventurers, most of the local entertainment was steeped in the scent of hormones and alcohol.

Wherever Adventurers gathered, there was usually trouble and conflict.

So, strictly adhering to his ironclad rule of "never join a crowd," Lance used to prefer spending his free time on duty at the Guild, enjoying the free heating, aside from the occasional game of Three Dragon Card with a few young women he knew.

But things were different now.

His Adventurer certification would be approved tomorrow, and the day after that was when he planned to try accepting a quest and heading to Copper Creek Forest.

In these next two days, he had to get all the tools of his trade ready.

Taking advantage of the evening after work, Lance first slipped home to change into an inconspicuous gray hoodie, then plunged into the chaotic Artisan District.

This area was perpetually shrouded in black smoke from burning coal, and the air was filled with the sour stench of leather tanning—not exactly pleasant.

The streets were lined with a dazzling array of Blacksmiths and leather shops. If a layman came here, they would most likely be fleeced like an easy mark.

But Lance was different.

Thanks to the experience he’d gained from months of being an "invisible man" behind the Guild counter and overhearing all sorts of things.

He had a crystal-clear idea of which shops had good craftsmanship and which owners were unscrupulous.

With practiced ease, he ducked into a few old, reputable shops and bought all the necessary equipment at the fairest prices.

When it came to life-saving gear, he absolutely could not skimp.

The whole trip cost him a total of 8 Silver Coins and 46 Copper Coins.

If he also factored in the other adventuring miscellaneous items he’d need to get later—a backpack, fire-starting tools, a waterskin, and rope—his already meager savings would likely be completely wiped out.

Back home, Lance painstakingly put on the gear he had just bought, piece by piece.

Closest to his body was a specially treated, riveted Reinforced Leather Armor.

This Leather Armor had hard iron plates inlaid in key areas on the chest and back, greatly enhancing its protection against piercing damage.

On his head was a reinforced Leather Helmet, covered by a thick hood.

The cleverest design was for the face: the Leather Helmet came with a built-in half Face Armor that extended from the forehead to the bridge of his nose, not only protecting his vulnerable nose but also perfectly concealing most of his face.

Strapped to his arms were reinforced Arm Guards inlaid with iron bars, strong enough to block a slash at a critical moment.

On his hands was a pair of non-slip, wear-resistant Fingerless Gloves.

On his lower body, he wore thick Leather Shin Guards, and on his feet was a pair of steel-toed military short boots.

Add to that the standard-issue Fine Steel Short Sword hanging from his waist and the sturdy Wooden Round Shield on his back.

When Lance pulled his hood down...

...even Nia, who saw him every day, probably wouldn’t recognize this menacing figure as the mild-mannered Copyist she knew.

The whole getup was heavy, and he certainly didn’t look like a rookie to be trifled with.

Staring at his fully armed reflection in the mirror, Lance was a little dazed.

Even though he had been mentally prepared, seeing himself like this brought a rush of indescribable reality.

’My life... is really about to change.’

「Two days later.」

Lance successfully received his own special Adventurer identification.

It was a special metal Plaque, the size of his palm, engraved with complex anti-counterfeiting patterns that contained his encrypted identification information.

The only thing legible was a single word: his codename, Raven.

When his day off arrived, Lance was already fully dressed and on his way before the early morning mist had dissipated, a bulging pack on his back.

Unlike most Adventurers, he didn’t head to Copper Creek Forest on foot.

Instead, he went to the town gate early, spent a few Copper Coins, and hitched a ride on a logging cart from a merchant caravan that was heading to the outskirts of the forest to buy lumber.

Riding in the swaying cart not only saved him the effort of walking but, more importantly, gave him the chance to chat with the lumber merchants who traveled between the forest and the town year-round.

They would know best where beasts had recently become more numerous or which roads had become difficult to travel.

The quest he had accepted for the day was very simple.

Gather Copper Hat Mushrooms.

This was a common type of fungus that grew on the outskirts of Copper Creek Forest. It was a dull brass color all over and usually only grew beneath rotting, damp tree stumps.

The quest’s reward wasn’t high either; a small leather pouch filled with Copper Hat Mushrooms would fetch a purchase price of around 15 Copper Coins.

This was a type of welfare-oriented quest specially issued by the Guild.

It had no mandatory combat requirements, nor did it require venturing deep into dangerous areas.

It was perfectly suited for a novice like Lance, on his first quest, to cautiously test the waters of the forest.