"Fi-finally… I made it!"

  Why "finally"? Well, I got lost almost immediately after leaving my house, wandering through the forest for over an hour.

  "Oh… wait. Maybe I could just use the map function on my arm?"

  And just like that, I arrived at the city in no time. Truly, what a hopeless protagonist I am.

  As I reached the city gates,

  "Hey! You there! Show me proof of your identity!"

  …Well, that's a problem. I don’t have anything like that identity proof.... Guess I’ll just be honest.

  "Hey man, actually... I don’t have any identification. Could you tell me where I can get one issued?"

  "I see.... Wait here for a moment."

  The gatekeeper disappeared for a bit and then returned, carrying a crystal about the size of a basketball.

  "Place your hand on this crystal."

  "Understood."

  I did as I was told, placing my hand on it.

  The crystal remained unchanged.

  "Hmm... Alright. No criminal record. As per the rules, that’ll be $1,000."

  Wait… Dollar? This world uses this currency? How kind of them to use a currency of my previous world. But still....

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  "Sorry man, I don’t have any money with me right now because I’ve been living in the forest until now for some reason."

  "Huh?…Alright, I get it. You can pass. But this is a loan. Once you earn some money, come back and pay me back, or this amount will be deducted from my monthly salary."

  "Wait… you're really letting me through?"

  "Well, you don’t have any money and you don't have any criminal records, so what else can I do? Besides… what’s your name?"

  …Huh!? He’s asking my name now?

  "I’m Jiro."

  "I see. Then, Jiro, I’ll trust you."

  This guy… As a person, he's incredibly kind, but is it really okay for a gatekeeper to be this trusting? Well, worrying about it won’t change anything.

  "I understand. I won’t forget this favor until I pay you back."

  "Hah, Jiro, you’re pretty straightforward."

  "By the way…"

  "Hmm? What is it?"

  "Could you tell me where I can earn some money?"

  ".... You just looked so confident about paying me back and you don't even have an earning source, seriously dude?!"

  "Hey I just told you that I was in the forest for a while...."

  "Alright, but this makes it another loan, got it?"

  …This guy is pretty straightforward too.

  With the gatekeeper’s guidance, I arrived at my destination.

  So, this is the guild, huh? A wooden building with a big sign that clearly says "Guild." Straightforward. The staff here seem pretty helpful.

  The moment I stepped inside, the air was thick, not with the scent of wood, but with the overwhelming stench of alcohol. Ugh, it reeks! I’m still just 18, and I already feel like I’m getting drunk just from the smell.

  "Welcome. Is this your first time using the guild?"

  Whoa. What a beautiful woman.

  "But wait… aren't her ears kinda long?" I thought in my mind while uncontrollably staring at the woman's ears, which was soon noticed by the woman.

  "Ah, I see. I’m an elf, so my ears are longer than other races'."

  That makes sense.

  I took a better look at the elf receptionist. Since she was behind the counter, I could only see her upper body. Her greenish-brown hair, reaching down to her shoulders, suited her perfectly. I wonder what the rest of her body looks like...

  "Excuse me… I’d like to explain the guild’s rules before you register. Is that alright?"

  The elf spoke with a troubled expression.

  …And of course, the reason for that was me, staring at her too intently.

  I reflect on my actions.