Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 306

 Apprentice Adventurers

There isn't a formal system for this.

In other places, those aspiring to be adventurers may not be able to challenge dungeons, but they can gain experience through tasks such as patrolling towns, villages, farmland, and roads.

However, this capital city is a place where even veterans can lose their lives if they let their guard down.

Originally, it would have been appropriate to wait until they are 14, the age of adulthood, but considering the increase in those aiming to become adventurers, which had been frowned upon until now, the Adventurers' Guild and the second squad of the Knights' Order decided to take the lead in their training.

Initially, we anticipated around ten participants, but the trial shot of the 【Dunrem's Thread】 turned out to be a great stimulus, and they managed to overcome the autumn and winter training with hardly any dropouts. As a result, we ended up with more than twenty youngsters.

With spring arriving, the plan was to take 4–5 people at a time into the forest, where I would oversee the monster vigilance while they collected medicinal herbs. However, the number is a bit too high.

If I were to keep an eye on all of them, I wouldn’t be able to do anything else…

I was troubled about what to do, but the Hunters' Guild offered their cooperation, which resolved the issue.

The purpose of collecting medicinal herbs is to learn how to navigate the forest, not to engage in battles with monsters. In that regard, hunters are more specialized. They said it was just right, as they could also train them not to unnecessarily ravage the forest when they become adventurers in the future.

Thanks to that, I only need to lead them once or twice a week, and I have the rest of the time to myself.

Now, today is the prestigious first session, but I wonder what kind of guidance was given?

Today, I am with a group of four, and they are incredibly cautious.

Even though I am on alert for monsters, they are, of course, also on guard. However, they speak not a word and constantly scan their surroundings. When collecting herbs, one person gathers while the remaining three constantly look around…

They explore a shallow area just inside the forest for about an hour, but will they manage with this approach?

“Um… Are you all okay? In such shallow areas, only those driven out of their herd during winter come here, so you don't have to be so cautious…”

It’s better to be overly cautious than to be careless, but even though they haven't encountered a single monster, their faces are tense, and despite it being spring, they are sweating in the chilly air. How are they supposed to handle this?

They react to every sound made by stepping on grass or branches. If they were to encounter a monster, their hearts might stop before the fight even begins.

As an adventurer, I don’t possess the skills to teach anything substantial, and I intended not to give advice as a general rule, but I couldn’t help but speak up.

“!? Hah… Yes!”

They are completely stiff.

It doesn’t look promising…

Well, it is the first day, and since this group is the first wave, it’s understandable that we cannot get information from other groups. It might be unavoidable. Although their pace is slow, they are still managing to collect herbs, so I’ll refrain from unnecessary comments and let them focus on their tasks.

◇

The collection ended without incident… truly without incident, and we returned to the city and headed to the Adventurers' Guild.

Not a single goblin appeared…

They will now wait at the reception for the assessment of the medicinal herbs they collected. And when the assessment is complete, they will surely be disappointed… Their excessive caution slowed their pace, and the quantity collected was minimal, so it won't amount to much.

Leaving them aside, I have come to the branch manager's office to report on today’s activities. Inside the office, the branch manager and the executives are listening to my report.

Since spring has arrived and adventurers have started exploring, it shows they are taking this apprentice training system seriously, as they have gathered despite their busy schedules.

“I understand the situation. The issue is how to alleviate the children’s tension…”

“They were already taught by their parents to stay away from the forest, and we further exacerbated that in their classroom training… It would be quickest to have them participate in battles and show them that monsters can be defeated… but that wouldn't serve any purpose.”

After finishing the report, it seems they are indeed concerned about the children’s level of tension. With their current state… even if other guides were to offer advice, they might not catch it.

The objective is training, not earning pocket money, so if they don’t take it seriously, it defeats the purpose.

“For now, let’s finish up with the rest and then reconsider. If there are issues, we can try changing the group combinations.”

“That’s right.”

In the end, everyone agreed with that safe opinion. Since this is the first time, there are things we won’t know until we try.

Though, everyone is quite patient. Perhaps it’s because adventurers have been a marginalized group for a long time in this city?

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Sera 【Hideout】 +1 【Prayer】【Mira’s Blessing】・【Floating Orb】【Shadow Sword】【Crimson Bee Needle】【Fairy’s Eye】【Dragon’s Lung】【Amber Sword】【Dunrem's Thread】・9 cards

Seriana 【Range Identification】・【】・38 cards

Elena 【】・【Green Fang】・5 cards

Alec 【】・【Red Shield】【Fierce Horn】・12 cards