Chapter 11, If You’d Like, I Can Introduce You to the Guild I’m In

Translator: Lizz

 

Since I somehow end up agreeing to get healed, we head to a nearby park.

 

What surprises me is just how fast the treatment works. Not even a minute passes before the burn is completely healed without leaving a trace. I’m stunned.

 

We’re sitting side by side on a bench, and my jaw just drops in disbelief.

 

As warm, fresh green light shone from her small pale hand, the burn disappears instantly. If anything, my hand might feel even better than before.

 

“Whoa! You can heal this easily?”

 

“Hehe. When it comes to magic, I’m a little confident in my skills.”

 

We chat a bit more, and it turns out she regularly explores dungeons with her friends and guildmates.

 

If I think about it, she’s definitely way more experienced at dungeon exploration than I am.

 

“That’s nice! I want teammates I can explore dungeons with too. Nah, I guess I need to find a job first.”

 

“Huh? You’re not working right now?”

 

“Ah, yeah. I’ve turned into a jobless bum. I just got fired recently.”

 

“What?!”

 

I’ve brought up a topic I really didn’t need to. My bad habit of saying things I should probably keep to myself strikes again.

 

<If you continue exploring dungeons and streaming as you are, it’s entirely possible to sustain your lifestyle.>

 

Whoa, out of nowhere, AI Miria chimes in again.

 

“Come on, that’s a tough road. I’ve seen tons of explorers grinding away with barely double-digit views. My last stream? Got four views.”

 

Saying that out loud makes me feel even worse!

 

<Among the rewards gained from this exploration, there are some items that would sell for a pretty decent price. Just running through the upper layers alone could earn you enough for living expenses.>

 

“No way, really!?”

 

“U-um…”

 

While I’m reeling from Milia’s explanation, the quiet girl speaks up with a question.

 

“That AI is so… unusual. It’s like it’s actually alive.”

 

“Exactly! It feels just like talking to a real person. Modern AIs are seriously impressive. That subscription plan is totally worth it.”

 

“I’ve been curious – what exactly is the subscription?”

 

Oh? She doesn’t know about the subscription, even though she explores dungeons regularly?

 

I try explaining everything I know about the subscription. As I go on, the quiet girl starts reacting more and more with little gasps and confused looks.

 

“This is all new to me! I didn’t know exploration gear had such useful functions!”

 

“Right? I had no clue either. Still blown away every day.”

 

“This is the first time I’ve heard of a login bonus.”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“Summon card gacha… It’s the first time I’ve heard of that too.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Skip tickets? And boxes? Those sound super convenient! But this is the first time I’ve heard of them.”

 

“No way! That’s way too many ‘first times’!”

 

Seems like she’s done her fair share of exploring, but seriously, how can all of this be totally new to her?

 

<This subscription plan isn’t widely available to the public. It’s released in limited quantities.>

 

“Oh, I see! That makes sense why so few people know about it.”

 

I’m convinced, but the girl still looks kinda flabbergasted.

 

<In any case, Kagetora-sama, if you want to maintain your current lifestyle, I suggest regularly exploring dungeons.>

 

“But still… there’s only so much I can do solo, you know?”

 

“Um… If you’d like, I can introduce you to the Guild I’m in. It’s invitation-only.”

 

“Wait, seriously?”

 

Her offer feels like a dream come true to me. While most Guilds are open to anyone, the ones that are truly in demand seem to be invitation-only.

 

Dungeon exploration is risky; it can cost you your life. So naturally, the quality of your teammates matters a lot.

 

And no one wants to pair up with dangerous or reckless people, which means the longer someone explores, the more they crave a safe and reliable team environment.

 

That’s why more people are starting to seek out Guilds with referral systems, rather than ones that allow anyone to join.

 

Without connections, you can’t get into invite-only Guilds, which means that unless you’re chatting up people in public Guilds, it’s nearly impossible to build a proper team.

 

…Though to be honest, the reason I was flying solo was just that I’m bad at talking to people.

 

“Yes! And, if it wouldn’t be a bother… I could come with you too.”

 

“What?! Is that alright? I’m still a total beginner, you know?”

 

“Of course. So, um, if it’s okay… can we exchange contact info?”

 

<No contact information is necessary.>

 

“Whoa!? What’s with the sudden outburst?”

 

The AI chimes in with another piece of advice. Its loud voice startles the girl sitting next to me.

 

<Communicating through the Guild should be enough.>

 

“Well, when you put it that way…”

 

“B-but… when introducing someone, we still need to be connected on LIN.”

 

“Oh, then I guess we have to exchange info. Is it okay if I send you a request?”

 

“Yes!”

 

<…>

 

I’m curious about why the AI suddenly went quiet, but anyway, we finish exchanging contact info.

 

“Aoi-chan, is that right?”

 

“It is!”

 

“Thanks! I’ve saved it.”

 

Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve swapped contact info with a student. I’ve exchanged details with my relatives’ kids before, but this feels different.

 

After that, we chat a bit, and Aoi-chan’s phone rings loudly. She looks a little confused but responds with a serious expression.

 

When the call ends, her face relaxes a bit.

 

“Sorry. That was my manager. I’ll be heading off now.”

 

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

 

Manager? Not sure what she means, but maybe she’s signed with an exploration streaming agency.

 

“Thank you for helping me! Um, let’s keep working together in the Guild!”

 

“Yeah, looking forward to it.”

 

Her bright smile when she turned around to leave was dazzling. Got me thinking, maybe youth really is something special. I’m starting to feel like an old man.

 

Anyway, back to the point: this might finally be my chance to stop flying solo.

 

Well, I need to land a job first. Just a little, but things do feel like they’re shifting in a better direction.

 

I’ve got a full slate of interviews tomorrow. No time to be tired – there’s still tons to prep to do once I get home.