Chapter 57 Rules

Suzuka asked Lisanna with a hint of worry in her voice. "Wait, Lisanna, are you finished accepting registrations for today?" she asked, her tone laced with concern. "I hope I haven't missed the deadline. I was expecting to register today."

Lisanna gave Suzuka a comforting smile, sensing her worry. "There's no need to worry, we still have plenty of time before today's deadline. But you're right, it's best to take care of it now. We can catch up and have a girl's talk later."

Suzuka nodded in agreement with Lisanna's words and then turned her attention to the matter at hand. With a look of curiosity, Suzuka asked Lisanna, "This is my first time registering as an adventurer. Would you mind walking me through the process? I want to make sure I get it right."

Lisanna smiled warmly at Suzuka's question and leaned over the counter. "Of course, I'd be happy to help you. Let me just gather the necessary forms and we can get started."

Lisanna reached under the counter and retrieved a crisp sheet of paper, placing it in front of Suzuka. "Here you go," she said with a smile. "Just fill out this form and we'll be one step closer to getting started on your adventure." She pushed a nearby quill and inkwell towards Suzuka and continued, "The form just asks for basic information, such as your name, party members, and details about your previous quests. It helps us keep track of all the adventurers and ensures that everyone is properly registered."

 Suzuka nodded, taking the form and starting to fill it out. Lisanna leaned forward, watching as Suzuka worked, and added, "It's a simple process, but it's important to make sure we have all the information we need to ensure that your next adventure is a success. And if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask me. I'm here to help."

Suzuka cast a grateful smile toward Lisanna, feeling thankful for the assistance she had provided. She spoke warmly, "Thank you, Lisanna. Your help means a great deal to me." As she spoke, a thought occurred to her and she paused, turning to face Lisanna with a curious expression. "I've been wondering, what do you think would be a good adventurer's name for me? Should I just use my real name or should I come up with something a little more adventurous?" Suzuka eagerly awaited Lisanna's response, eager to hear her thoughts on the matter.

Lisanna gave a serious response to Suzuka about the adventurer's name, "I strongly advise that you consider changing your name. Adventurers have little to no protection and they are essentially on their own in this world. If someone has malicious intentions, they may do some digging and uncover information about you and your loved ones, using them as leverage to force you into doing unsavory tasks. So, it's important to take precautions and have a level of anonymity in this line of work."

Suzuka pondered for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face. She then snapped her fingers and her eyes lit up with inspiration.

"You know what? I just thought of a name. How about Helen?" she suggested, turning to Lisanna.

Lisanna nodded, a smile spreading across her face, "You know what? I think you're right. Helen has a nice sound to it. I like it!"

"Okay, I've got my name down, now what about my age? What was the minimum age requirement to join the hunters guild?" she asked.

Lisanna smiled and replied, "You must be at least 18 years old to join the hunters guild in Rockmine. But, don't worry, you look much older than that. I'm sure you'll have no problem with the age requirement."

Suzuka was just 16 years old, despite being underage, without hesitation, Suzuka wrote down 18, adding a few extra years to her true age.

She knew that if she revealed her true age, she would likely be turned away from the guild and forced to wait until she was older. But Suzuka was not willing to wait. She was eager to embark on her adventures and start making a living.

As Suzuka was filling out the registration form, Lisanna interrupted her with a reminder. "Just so you know, this form is just the first step in the registration process," Lisanna said. "In order to become a fully registered adventurer, you'll need to complete three steps: the Information form, a medical evaluation, and an interview with the guild leader." Lisanna leaned in closer and added, "Oh, and also, if you were a magic box power user, there would be an additional fourth step involved."

While filling out the form Suzuka nodded in agreement to Lisanna's statement, "Yes, it looks like I'll need to complete all four steps," she said with determination in her voice.

Lisanna's eyes widened in surprise as she processed what Suzuka had just said. "Wait a minute," she exclaimed, "Are you a magic box power user?" Lisanna was eager to learn more about this new aspect of Suzuka.

Suzuka chuckled at Lisanna's reaction, "Yes, I am," she confirmed. "I've been practicing my box power for some time now and I've grown quite skilled."

Lisanna was taken aback that Olivia had failed to mention a crucial detail in their discussion with her. She turned to Suzuka, a look of concern etched on her face. "Why didn't Olivia mention that? If she had led with that information, I would have been able to sweeten her quest reward and bonus. Wait a minute, did she know?" Lisanna whispered and leaned in closer, her eyes narrowed as she carefully waited for the answer.

"No, I didn't tell her that, she didn't know. I kept it a secret, not from her, from everyone." Suzuka explained.

Lisanna leaned in close to Suzuka, her voice hushed as she spoke. "I completely understand why you kept it a secret," she whispered. "Until you officially join the guild, it's best to keep your abilities under wraps. Unfortunately, there are some unsavory characters who would use your abilities for their own gain. And as an unregistered adventurer, you would be a prime target for these kinds of people." 

Lisanna looked at Suzuka with a mixture of concern and empathy, her eyes softening. "But don't worry, I'm here to help. I'll tell you this, for an adventurer, there is a high chance to fail the license test but as a magic box power user, you will be accepted. Just put up a tough front and you will be fine. Now finish up the form and we will be almost done."

As Suzuka was writing, Lisanna suddenly remembered an important detail she had forgotten to mention. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she exclaimed, "I completely forgot to mention the registration fee. I imagine you probably don't have the funds, given your current situation."

Suzuka quickly replied, "That's no problem. I have a few items on me that I can sell." She took off her backpack and placed it on the counter in front of Lisanna. "I have a variety of crystals, gems also two crystal golem cores and a handful of name tags. I'm sure I can raise enough money to cover the fee."

Lisanna looked through the items with interest, inspecting them carefully. "Well, I must say, you have good items here. But, I have some bad news I'm afraid." She began to sort through the items, evaluating their worth and making notes on a small ledger. 

Lisanna patiently explained the situation to Suzuka, outlining the reasons why she couldn't pay the full price for the items Suzuka was selling. "According to the rules of the guild, I can only offer you 35% of the actual value of your items," Lisanna began. "The reason for this is due to the taxes imposed on non-citizens of Rockmine town and individuals who are not registered with any hunter's guilds. As you are not a resident of Rockmine and are not affiliated with any hunters guild, a portion of the payment must be directed towards the town's main treasury and for handling goods."

Suzuka listened intently, understanding the importance of following the rules and regulations.

Lisanna continued, "There are a variety of taxes that apply to non-adventurer like yourself, such as the handling of goods tax and the import tax. These taxes help ensure that all goods entering the town are properly accounted for and help to support the local economy. We also charge adventurers for a monthly fee, but, magic box power users pay the same fee only once a year."

Suzuka asked Lisanna about the cost of registering, "So, how much exactly would I need to pay for the registration fee?"

Lisanna replied, "Normally, the fee is four gold coins, but since you are one of the valued box power users, I'll be happy to lower it to two gold coins for you."

Suzuka's eyes widened at the mention of the lower fee, "That's quite a significant difference. So, could you tell me how much I might expect to receive for my items here?"

Lisanna responded with a nod, "At the current market value, I estimate that your items would net you about 3.5 gold coins. However, I should note that registered members of our guild are eligible for a higher payout. If you were a registered member, you could expect to receive around 10.5 gold coins for your items."

Suzuka looked at Lisanna with a look of disappointment, "I was hoping to sell for a little bit more, to raise some funds for living expenses and the fee. I won't survive long with only 1.5 gold after the fee. Also, I need to get new clothes, my gear maintenance, a place to stay the night, food, and a lot of other minor things."

Lisanna placed a hand on Suzuka's shoulder, her expression serious. "Hold on, I'm not finished speaking," she said firmly. "I know I'm not supposed to reveal any loopholes in our system, but since you're a friend of Olivia, I'll make an exception for you. Here's the deal, you sell me these two crystal golem cores and I'll use them to cover your registration fee. Once you're officially registered, you can then sell me the rest of your goods. This way, you'll get the fee paid and you'll still walk away with 4.5 gold coins in your pocket. I'm afraid I can't cook a better deal than that."

Suzuka beamed with gratitude, unable to contain her excitement. "Wow, this is fantastic. 3 whole gold coins more? Thank you so much for doing this for me."

Lisanna, smiling warmly, brushed off the praise with a wave of her hand. "It's no big deal. Just don't go telling everyone, okay? I don't make exceptions like this for just anyone."

Suzuka nodded, understanding the weight of the trust that Lisanna was placing in her. "I won't say a word. Your kindness means a lot to me, and I won't betray that trust."

Lisanna smiled, satisfied with Suzuka's response. "Good. I knew I could count on you. Now, let's get back to the matter at hand and make sure we're done with the form." 

With a confident smile, Suzuka finished filling out the form and presented it to the quest coordinator. To her relief, her application was accepted.

Before putting down the form in the pile with other applicants she checked if all the information was correct, "Okay, I will check what you wrote here and see if all is in order"

Requested Name: Helen
Age: 18 "Huh, sorry but you look a tiny bit older." Lisanna thought to herself.
Race: Human-dwarf  "Oh, hey, wow... another half-dwarf. No wonder", she thought.
Gender: Female
Sexuality (Optional): Bisexual
Hometown: Woodmill Town

Physical Appearance
Height: Normal 175cm 
Weight: Normal 60kg 
Eye color: Yellow
Skin color: Sun-kissed
Body: Fit
Hair color: Black with a violet shade
Complexion: teeth
Preferred armor and weapon: Light-reinforced Leather, a short sword, and a battle axe. 
Party occupation: Warrior 
Likes: Cats
Dislikes: Monsters
Education: Middle school
General attitude: Friendly
Magic box: Gravity

Lisanna put the registration form in the pile along with the others and said, "Looks, good. I think we covered the information part. After I cash in the items, we can discuss what comes next, Helen. 

But wait! There's more! If you managed to read up to this point, congratulations! You get the achievement "Persistent". Enjoy your title, keep reading, and maybe you get another. Cheers!