(Is she of the ice-cold type…?)
(Or perhaps the cute mute type…?)
Tyler glanced at the golden-haired little fox maiden’s basic information, gaining a preliminary understanding of her.
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Emilia, female, 18 years old, receptionist at the Quest Guild – Sunny Town branch
Production Occupation: None
Manufacturing Occupation: Cook – Lv2
Combat Occupation: Junior Mage – Lv20
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Hm? The same age as me?
Tyler was somewhat surprised, wondering if she was a “legal loli”. (*′Д｀)=з
Upon closer examination, he realized that she was actually seated.
Due to the reception desk obstructing his view, Tyler had mistakenly thought she was standing, thus misjudging her age.
With this realization, he could no longer call her a little fox maiden. Tyler made a mental note of her name: Emilia. 𝒐𝗏𝑙ℯxt.𝐜𝑜𝔪
More than her age, Tyler was intrigued by her combat profession: “Junior Mage – Lv20.”
For a young receptionist, both the type and level of her combat profession seemed to be somewhat of an overqualification.
Perhaps that’s why, despite being a demi-human, she could work as a receptionist so openly…?
Tyler thought for a moment but didn’t approach Emilia directly. Instead, he took a walk around the hall first.
Those who lingered in the Quest Guild hall tonight were engaged in casual conversations.
Tyler listened in briefly, discovering that everyone was discussing matters related to the Adventurers Guild.
They said that the Adventurers Guild’s plagiarism was utterly shameless, and that bounty hunters should unite against them, bringing about a swift collapse of the enigmatic Adventurers Guild.
(Bounty hunters… the equivalent of adventurers in other worlds, right…?)
(It was the right choice not to join the Adventurers Guild. It is indeed a trap.)
Tyler could now basically confirm that, as an otherworldly traveler, he was still in a state of being hunted, but the hunter could not yet lock onto his identity.
Furthermore, this hunter was likely another otherworldly traveler, otherwise, they couldn’t have devised a trap like the “Adventurers Guild.”
With such a strong influence, the other party must have arrived in this Prison World many years, or even decades, before Tyler…
(…A max-level veteran is going to crush a newbie like me, huh?)
The towering pillar of fire from that time in Ira Village reemerged in Tyler’s mind.
The memories of the past reminded him once more that if he didn’t hurry to become stronger, he might be suddenly and utterly crushed at any moment.
.
Fear of the unknown adversary transformed into Tyler’s drive as he surveyed the hall and roughly grasped the workings of the Quest Guild.
At its core, the Quest Guild served as a “civilian demand matchmaking platform.” Anyone or any organization could submit requests, which would be classified and rated for difficulty by the staff before being posted on the task board.
Bounty Hunters could then complete these requests in accordance with the rules to earn their reward, which would be paid by the requester.
Tasks were divided into two types based on how they could be completed:
a. Exclusive Quests, which included escort and transport missions.
Once someone accepted such a task, no one else could participate unless the person failed or died.
b. Competitive Quests, typically collection or hunting missions.
These tasks would remain on the board until completed, with the competition revolving around who could fulfill the requirements first.
For Exclusive Quests, staff would screen bounty hunters based on the difficulty to avoid unnecessary deaths. As for Competitive Quests, participants would have to gauge their own capabilities.
Having understood the general situation, Tyler approached the front desk.
Up close, the fox-girl Emilia provided him with a fresh perspective.
At the moment, Emilia was leaning on the desk, engrossed in a book.
Despite her loose, gray-black robe, the contours of her ample, supple boobs were still clearly outlined.
This was a figure that a little fox maiden could not possess, making Tyler realize he had misjudged her.
“Ahem, hello. I’m new here. Do I register at this desk?” Tyler said, rousing Emilia from her literary reverie.
“Hm? Oh, I apologize. I didn’t expect anyone new at this hour,” Emilia said, startled but quickly regaining her composure.
She swiftly closed her book, stood up gracefully, and handed Tyler a form to complete. During this exchange, her boobs jiggled slightly due to inertia.
“Please fill out your basic information here,” Emilia said, her tone neither warm nor cold.
“Alright.” Tyler quickly filled out the form, which only asked for basic information. However, resisting the urge to gaze at…ahem…proved to be a significant challenge for him.
“Very well, we have received your information, Mr. Banning. Your registration will be complete tomorrow, and you’ll be able to accept Exclusive Quests from then on. You may participate in Competitive Quests right away.”
Emilia’s speech was rapid, and her work efficient. It was evident she had been a receptionist for quite some time.
Tyler appreciated dealing with professional and efficient staff, but he was surprised by the total absence of any emotional response or inner thoughts from Emilia.
“Thank you. Additionally, I’d like to inquire about the ‘Trial’.”
“Regarding the ‘Trial,’ please consult the ‘Trial Guide’ at the neighboring counter during tomorrow’s business hours. I apologize, but I’m only responsible for matters related to requests,” Emilia quickly declined.
Tyler, however, was prepared for this.
“Would this not suffice?” Tyler took a golden badge from his bag. The Scarlet Family’s emblem was engraved on it, shining brightly even in the dim hall.
“I apologize, but I cannot accept anything unrelated to requests. Please cease this behavior.”
“Ah, I’m not offering it to you. I just hoped that seeing this badge might inform you of my background.”
Tyler had never imagined he would have to rely on his influence.
“I apologize, but our Sunny Town branch treats all bounty hunters equally. Please return during business hours tomorrow.”
If not for the real person standing before him, Tyler might have thought he was speaking with a machine. Even more baffling was the lack of any inner thoughts from Emilia.
(Is she really so composed?)
At this point, other bounty hunters nearby were drawn in, thinking Tyler was bullying Emilia. They began to surround him with angry expressions.
“Please, don’t misunderstand. I’m not bullying her; I just wanted to show her this,” Tyler said, lifting the golden Scarlet Family emblem. The onlookers immediately quieted down.
“A golden emblem of the Scarlet Family?!”
Someone shouted this, and the crowd’s attitude swiftly pulled a complete 180-degree turn.
They all retracted their menacing expressions, replacing them with smiles, as if fearing that laughing too late might offend Tyler.
Unconcerned with the reactions of these onlookers, Tyler looked at Emilia, wondering if the Scarlet Family’s reputation could elicit even a hint of emotion from her impassive face.
