Chapter 6


    # 006 – MercenaryGuild


    After I arrived in front of the reception counter, I found myself facing a guy sporting numerous old battle scars on his body . His left arm also seemed like a mechanical prosthetic . How should I put this? It felt like I finally encountered something mercenary guild-like .


    “Ahn? The hell do you guys want?”


    “He’s a newbie . This guy’s going around Underground without registering with the Guild . ”


    “Huh? Underground? I sometimes hear about guys like that, but it’s my first time seeing one in person . C’mon over and take a seat bro . ”


    “Ah, yes . ”


    I sat down in front of the counter like I was told . This guy was pretty intense man . If I met someone like him back home in Japan, I’d never want to get involved with the guy at all . He really looks like someone from a rather “dangerous and illegal” profession .


    “Even if you’re unregistered, you do own a ship right? Tell me your ship name and I . D . It’s parked in the hangar bay right?”


    “Yes . ”


    “Pfft . You seem like a frightened little kitten you know . So interesting . ”


    “Shut up . ”


    I red at Elma, who had one hand over her mouth while trying to stifle herughter, but didn’t seem to be able to . Dammit! I can’t help it okay! This uncle’s just he scary man!


    The receptionist uncle with a terrifying face inputted the ship name and I . D . I gave him on a tablet terminal and fiddled with it for some moments .


    “The hell? What’s up with your ship kid? I’ve never seen a model like this before . ”


    “Although I can’t exactly disclose the source, I guarantee I didn’t get her illegally . ”


    “Nah, y’know… Well, it’s a breach of manners to ask about a mercenary’s past . It says here you engaged three pirate ships in battle four days ago and managed to win, but that’s about it . Rather, you don’t have any other activity records kid . ”


    “I seem to have gotten involved in an ident while my ship was on Hyperdrive and got thrown out somewhere near this colony . Because of that ident, I seem to have lost most of my memories, and I currently have absolutely no idea where I am . ”


    “You serious? Ah… Well, that’s fine . You don’t have a bounty on your head anyway . Oh yeah, could you stop it with that politenguage thing? If the other guys hear you talkin like that, you’d get looked down on y’know . ”


    “Y- Yeah . ”


    Man, it sure takes some serious balls to talk in a casual manner with this grim faced uncle…


    “That’s true . It’s more or less over for a merc who’s underestimated, so watch how you act from now on . However, you’re still asx as ever, aren’t you?”


    “You’re also aware of the rules, right missy? There’s no merit for probing about a merc’s past . If they’ve got no bounty on their heads and properly earn their keep, then there’s absolutely no problem . ”


    A question suddenly popped into my head while the two were having their conversation . So I decided to just blurt it out right away .


    “Um, a starship’s not exactly cheap right? So I’m sure there aren’t that many guys who go like [I got myself one, so I’ll be a mercenary starting today!] just like that yeah? How do you even manage to recruit enough members then?”


    I think my question does have some merit . I’ve investigated about the general market prices in this world these past few days, and in order to purchase a properly armed ship, you’d need to fork out at least 50,000 Enel . If you convert that to Japanese Yen, you’d end up with 5,000,000 . I haven’t managed to investigate the average ie of people in this world, but I’m sure that’s still an astronomical amount of money for the average joe .


    “Well, there’s actually lots of guys who’re formerly from the military active in this business y’see . They’re pretty high levelled and have great skills . There are also some who just in love fighting and chose to be mercenaries as a result . There’s also them extremely greedy, money-obsessed types . ”


    “There are also those who graduated from the Mercenary Training Institute right?”


    “Yeah . But there’s none of those types in this particr star system . ”


    “Those still seems to be a bitcking as sources of ‘fresh blood’ though . ”


    “Guess so . But the gxy’s a friggin huge ce kid . We’ve managed to get enough members to fulfill most of the requests sent to us . ”


    Hm . In other words, there are lots of prerequisites, so they’ve managed to gather up only the folks who fulfill those conditions . Or maybe there just isn’t a lot of mercenary work in this world? Hm . I don’t get it . I don’t get it, but I’ll just go with the flow anyway .


    “I’ve finished setting up your registration . The only thing left is the test . ”


    “Test?”


    “Yeah . If we don’t know how skilled you are, won’t we have no idea what type of jobs you’d be able to take up?”


    “That’s reasonable . But how are you gonna test me?”


    “Training course . There’s a simtor here for that purpose . I’ll have you undergo that . ”


    “OK . ”


    The receptionist uncle stood up from his seat, called out towards the back of the office and guided Elma and me to another room . Why’d Elma follow me anyway? Elma grinned mischievously at me when she noticed my gaze .


    “Don’t you think I have the right to see just how skilled the rookie I brought with me is?”


    “You do?”


    Well, I did manage to smoothly proceed with my mercenary registration thanks to Elma, so I don’t really mind if she observes my moves . Moreover, the opinions of a veteran merc with five years of experience under her belt would be valuable . If I have her evaluate me, I’ll be able to more properly judge my overall skill level .


    “It’s right here . ”


    The room with the simtor was surprisingly bigger than I expected . Lined up within it were simtor machines which looked a bit like small sized trucks . Or rather, they seem to be mimicking just the cockpit block of a ship .


    “Chose something which resembles the cockpit model of your ship and get in . ”


    “Gocha . ”


    The overall look of a ship’s cockpit isrgely influenced by its manufacturer . That also goes for the cockpit controls . So most ships are made to bepatible with most cockpit blocks avable on the market . This essentially means that it’s possible to detach a cockpit block and install it onto another ship . This function was also avable on Ste Online, so I’m quite used to it .


    “Guess it’s this one . ”


    “Hoh . Ain’t that a high-end military model? Alright . I’ll have it prepped straight away . ”


    The uncle, who seemed a somehow impressed when I chose my cockpit block, went away somewhere . I’m sure he’s going to the control room for the simtors . Elma’s figure was also gone . Guess she’s spectating from somewhere else .


    ★★★


    “Well then, let’s start the evaluation test . ”


    “Roger that . What about the operating data of this test unit?”


    “I’ll upload your ship’s data on it . You should be able to control it like you usually do after…… Oi, oi . What the heck is this?”


    “What’s up?”


    “You really askin me? This unit’s data… Can you really use this thing?”


    “I think I’ll be okay if it’s Krishna’s data . ”


    Was there something strange about the data . Well, I don’t really know how Krishna would be evaluated in this world . It was a pretty strong unit back in Ste Online though .


    “Oh well . This is a test to evaluate your skills after all . The objective of the test is pretty basic . Destroy all enemy units . All ships except for you are enemies . They’ll be few in number at first, but they’ll being at you in waves . The difficulty will increase as their numbers go up . ”


    “Got it . ”


    “Then let’s start the test . Activating the unit . ”


    The cockpit interior dimmed; only a minimal amount of illumination remained . So it urately simtes even a ship’s dormant state . I fired up the main generator with practiced motions and brought it up to battle level . In response to that, the simted Krishna activated, and a space environment gradually unveiled itself before me . It was a pretty realistic view . This simtor’s extremely detailed .


    [Unidentified ship detected . Its weapon systems are online]


    I also activated my weapon systems and quickly set course for the location of the enemy ship disyed on the radar . I elerated all at once . I felt my body being strongly pressed down onto the seat .


    “Whoah . This thing even simtes the Gs . ”


    What kind of tech did they use to make this thing? Well, if this world really was the same as Ste Online, then a gravity generating device should have been developed . This machine must be using something like that .


    A figure that seemed to be the enemy ship was cruising in the distance and carefully approaching me in order to mount a surprise attack . I’ve already managed to get a lock on the slowpoke . The four maniptor arms deployed from the hull and immediately aimed at the enemy ship . The moment I pulled the control stick’s trigger, four beams of light fired straight at the enemy and tore it open . I managed to shoot down the enemy in one attack .


    “How fragile . ”


    Not to mention slow as heck . Judging from its appearance, it was a small transport ship with a high carrying capacity . Just this huh?


    More enemy ships appeared after that, but all of them were pretty weak . Slow . Fragile . They’re no different from live targets . I don’t think they would be able to properly gauge my abilities with these .


    “Ah, looks like the evaluation program for new recruits just won’t cut it . ”


    “Hey . Isn’t the difference in unit specs too lopsided?”


    “Well, you’re right but… Let me change to a different test program . ”


    “Roger . ”


    I tried out the new program . It was definitely better than the first, but the enemies were still quite slow . Damn weak . They’re no different from those suckers I shot down a few days ago .


    “They’re so weak . I can’t feel any sort of pressure . ”


    “The hell kid… This is an evaluation program for veterans y’know . ”


    “Wha— You’re joking right? Isn’t there anything more difficult?”


    “There is… But I think this one’s a bit of an overkill . ”


    I finally felt some pressure this time . More than ten pirate ships attacked all at once, and their weapons were also quite powerful . But if I keep a close eye and take timely evasive actions whenever they fired their high-powered ballistic weaponry, I’d be fine . Theirser cannons can’t even prate my shield, so they’re practically no threat . The light cruiser model that came out at the end was pretty tough . But once I managed to get to its blind spot, it became a done deal .


    “That did make me sweat a little . ”


    “You can’t be serious kid!?” the uncle cried out in exasperation . Huh? Was that actually the highest difficulty?


    “Uh… Well . Damn . Test’s over kid . ”


    “Roger that . ”


    That was easier than I thought . I wonder how they’ll evaluate me…? Well, judging from that uncle’s reaction, it’ll probably be alright . I cut the power flow from the generator, stopped the simtor and stepped out of the cockpit . When I went out of the simtor hatch, I found the receptionist uncle and Elma staring at me with hard to describe looks on their faces . They could probably be described as disbelieving expressions .


    “Um, what’s my evaluation results?”


    “Ah, let’s get back to the counter and talk there . ”


    They sure are acting strange . I think it would’ve been fine even if they told me the result here . For some reason, Elma also kept staring at my face . Just what’s with all this man?


    I followed the two of them back to the lobby with my head tilted in puzzlement .


    “Uh… First, about the exam result . ”


    “Yeah . ”


    “You passed . ”


    “That’s great . But what’s with those strange expressions?”


    “Well y’see, we mercenaries have a ranking system in ce . ”


    “Hm?”


    Was it something simr to that adventurer ranking thing used in a lot of those isekai themed webnovels? Would this lead to a development where I suddenly get promoted to A or S rank?


    “It’s called a Combat Rank, and it serves to objectively represent a merc’sbat capabilities . The five ranks are as follows: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold and tinum . Iron’s the lowest and tinum’s the highest . ”


    “I see . So?”


    “Thest test you tackled was the one for promotion to Gold Rank . ”


    “Okay?”


    “But y’see, even though you did pass the Gold Rank promotion exam, I can’t just suddenly promote you to Gold right from the start . ”


    “I understand . ”


    I’m not too hot on the idea of getting promoted to the second highest rank just like that either anyway . This was something not present in Ste Online after all . I want to savor the pleasure of ranking up step by step .


    “You don’t have a solid track record yet . You understand, right?”


    “Yeah, I do . ”


    “So for now, you’ll be ranked Bronze . Temporarily, of course . I’ll pass the data from the simtion you took earlier to the higher-ups and have them confirm your ranking . ”


    “Spare me from suddenly ranking up to Gold, will you? I’d miss out on the fun of steadily raising my rank . ”


    “I— Is that so?”


    It somehow felt like I’m drawing too much attention . Elma kept painfully staring at me from the side while sporting a specially grumpy expression . What? Please stop that . I’m just a newbie here, y’know . Please cut me a little ck ma’am .


    “For now, the rank’s tentative, but you’re already officially registered as a mercenary . You’ll have the backing of the Mercenary Guild from now on . And at the same time, you’ll also be carrying the name and reputation of the Mercenary Guild with you . Please try not to forget this fact . ”


    “Aren’t you supposed to exin the rules and regtions for new members or something?”


    “It’s a pain, so just read the manual yourself . I’ll send it you via e-mail . ”


    “Now that’s just inzy . ”


    “It’s not like you need to read it right away . Just run through it slowly tonight or something . ”


    “Now then, why is my great Elma-senpai so upset, I wonder?”


    “Silver . ”


    “Eh?”


    “I’ve just managed to reach Silver after five years worth of effort y’know . ”


    “Ah . Eh . Um…”


    When I looked towards the receptionist uncle for help, he quickly turned his gaze away from mine .


    “You’ll probably make it to Silver yourself soon kid . ”


    “Ah… Mmm . ”


    “Grrr…”


    “No matter what my rank turns out to be, Elma-senpai will always be my senpai! Look, if I didn’t meet Elma-senpai, I’d probably remain unregistered until now . I still don’t know left from right and need your help . I’m the pathetic scrub who doesn’t even know where the convenience store is . I’ll always be counting on Elma-senpai . It’s true!”


    “I— Is that so? T— That’s fine then . Let’s go to the convenience store next . This ‘senpai’ will properly guide you . ”


    This disappointing space elf quickly regained her mood after my unrestrained bootlicking spree . How easy .


    “Amazing~ How admirable~”


    “As for this colony’s map……”


    “We’ll be going ahead then!”


    The receptionist uncle looked like he kinda wanted to say something but I stopped him with my gaze . Just stop uncle . It’ll be troublesome if her mood drops again okay .


    Hold on? Y’know, I probably wouldn’t have any trouble going around this ce if I managed to obtain a map . But let’s just stop that train of thought, shall we? Yeah .