New chapter of Ordinary Person is out (3/3 chapters)

Chapter 3

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

I had pushed my parents a bit too hard. My hometown was simply too far, and we had no relatives in Toyota City.

So, I chose a high school in Toyota, and rented an apartment nearby. Even though land prices had crashed due to the dungeon’s appearance, and rent along with them, it still couldn’t have been easy for an ordinary family to afford.

Maybe they dipped into their savings, or maybe Otou-san sold some of the stocks he has held for years…

I didn’t think I would be wildly successful in the dungeon, but I had already decided that I would remember this and repay it someday.

There were still a few days before high school began. So, of course, I headed to the dungeon. Today, I planned to register and take a quick peek into the dungeon before heading home. The registration process was easier than getting a moped license. Still, it was called a license, so I assumed they were planning to eventually create a proper legal framework around it.

I arrived at the guild. It was just a little over a ten-minute walk from the apartment I was renting.

When dungeons first started appearing, there had apparently been all kinds of chaos, specialized government ministries, JSDF units, and so on. I didn’t know the details, but a facility was built right in front of the dungeon for the regular people who ventured inside, known as “Tansakusha” or “Explorers”. That was the guild.

Strictly speaking, it had a long and complicated official name, but everyone just called it the “Guild”. Even on the social studies test, the formal name had been on there, but I couldn’t write it down.

Whatever! The word “Guild” is recognized internationally, and there are more than a few countries that have officially adopted that name! They’re going to officially rename it in next year’s Diet anyway! So, stop putting it on tests!!

It wasn’t finalized yet, but if Prime Minister Asou said it, then it was basically set in stone. No one in the current government could go against Prime Minister Asou.

On the contrary, if we don’t align with global standards, Japan might get left behind. And if something went wrong, everyone would want Prime Minister Asou to take responsibility, so no politician would dare interfere and risk being branded incompetent by the public.

“Welcome. What kind of business do you have today?” (Receptionist)

“Uh, I’d like to register as a ‘Tansakusha’…” (Kouta)

I was finally standing at the guild’s front desk. I was a bit nervous.

Maybe it feels similar to a bank or city office counter?

But the front entrance and reception area both radiated the financial power of Toyota City…

Totally different from my hometown. Even the receptionist-oneesan is pretty.

“I’m sorry, but may I ask your age?” (Receptionist)

“Ah, yes. I’m fifteen. I just graduated from junior high this year.” (Kouta)

I had already looked into this part. Initially, dungeon entry by civilians had been avoided in Japan. But with dungeons increasing each year, Japan had been forced to adapt. They revised the laws practically every year. First, only adults were allowed to enter. Then, the age limit was lowered to 15. And this year, it had changed again, now tied to school graduation. If they used birthdays to determine eligibility, it would feel unfair.

The official reasoning is that it makes no sense to group students by school year but restrict them by age. Well, in reality, the government probably just wants to send more people into the dungeons. If they wait until school started, spring break would go to waste, so it is standardized to junior high graduation.

This kind of policy showed just how desperate things really were. In countries with conscription, they apparently sent new conscripts directly into dungeons and pushed the exploration forward.

“Do you have any form of personal identification with you today?” (Receptionist)

“Yes, I have this…” (Kouta)

I handed over My Number Card.

I also brought my health insurance card, but the government website had said the My Number Card contained more information and required fewer data fields to be input.

“Thank you. I’ll take this for a moment.” (Receptionist)

The onee-san scanned the card into a specialized tablet.

There’s no reason anything bad should happen… Yet, my heart’s pounding as I wait.

“Thank you. Here’s your card back. Please read through this document. If you understand and agree, please press the consent button and sign your name.” (Receptionist)

She handed me a tablet, and I read through the document as instructed.

Apparently, if you say you haven’t seen or hear this later, your license would be immediately revoked. The content says: you’re responsible for your own life, don’t cause trouble in the dungeon, and in case monsters emerge from the dungeon, you may be forcibly summoned. Please agree to that.

It was all written in difficult legal language, and it took me a while to understand.

Having such a pretty Onee-san right in front of me makes it impossible to stay calm.

Because of that, I panicked and took even longer to read and understand…

“All done.” (Kouta)

“Thank you. Would you like to register for research cooperation?” (Receptionist)

“No, I’ll pass on that.” (Kouta)

This referred to a system with another long, official name… something like the Japan Explorer Skill Research… whatever. If you join, you have to enter the dungeon five times a month. In return, you’d get a monthly “Appraisal”. “Appraisal” was the only way to check your “Status”, either by using a special item found in dungeons or a skill obtained upon leveling up. But this also mean that my “Status” would be completely exposed to researchers.

As someone with no self-confidence, I absolutely want to avoid that.

“Understood. You can register for it later if you change your mind.” (Receptionist)

“Ah… okay.” (Kouta)

I doubt I’ll ever change my mind, but I gave that answer anyway.

I handed over the registration fee and received my Explorer License Card.

All that was left was to check my initial status, and that would be the end of the process.

 

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(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)