While we were sitting in this relatively isolated spot, I could finally think a bit more clearly. The sights and sounds of all these people had overwhelmed me but once there was some quiet I needed to think about how we were going to live in this place. It was not like the wilderness we had been in up to now. We needed to find a way to earn some money and a place to stay.

I was way stronger than I was in my past life. Surely I could get some work lifting things. Wait never mind definitely not doing that. Damn curse of poverty. I could be a travelling bard but to do that I needed instruments or at least I needed to finish my repertoire of songs. I spent a while trying to think of what work I could do but ended up drawing a blank as just about every job I could think of required me to be able to pick something up or at least understand the local language. Well something would work out. For now, we can just turn in those eyeballs Gregory had in his log and get some money that way. Surely, they would pay us for exterminating such a dangerous monster.

Obviously we needed to get to the adventurers guild. That said, I had no idea where such a thing was or even how to go about finding it. I couldn't understand the language or read the signs. I decided to think about it logically. Adventurers are generally uncouth and rough characters in books so presumably the well off townsfolk that live inside the walls of the town wouldn't want adventurers in their fancy part of town. There was likely a guild branch out here. I still wasn't sure there even existed an adventurer guild in this world but it was in all the various games and fantasy books I read. Surely it must exist. I just had to find it.

"Hey Gregory you have any idea where the adventurer guild is?"

*Shake*

"Any ideas on how to find it?"

*Flip*

"Oh really. That is great! What is ... ?"

Just as I was about to finish my sentence, Gregory leapt up and knocked my jaw closed. Every time I tried to speak he would do the same thing. Got it he wants me to be silent. *sigh* Just when it was finally safe for me to talk again, I apparently wasn't allowed to speak. Out in the wilderness, I never knew when a monster might hear me talking so I had to stay quiet as much as possible. I thought here in town I might finally be able to talk a little more. Gregory better have a really good explanation for this.

It isn't that I like to talk a lot. It is just that I have a lot to say sometimes. There was no need for Gregory to try to shut me up like that was there? If I can't even talk to him, I am going to be in dire straits. I need some kind of social interaction or I am going to go crazy. Maybe he will let me talk to other people in the city.

Once I stopped trying to talk, Gregory picked up his log and walked off. I had no choice but to follow. We walked for about five minutes before Gregory walked into a huge wooden building with a rickety sign out front. The place looked vaguely familiar like we had walked past it before but it was hard to tell. The sign had a picture of a crossed sword and cane with some words written underneath it. I had no idea what the words meant but this looked like it just might be the place.

The building looked like it was part of a complex which stretched the whole block. There was a fence which surrounded the whole thing keeping anyone from seeing much inside. Still the fence wasn't terribly high and I couldn't imagine it would keep out even remotely determined thieves. Three meters is nothing in this world. I could jump it easily. Oh well, I am sure they know what they are doing. It is probably just a way to demarcate what is theirs and they had tons of magical wards and human guards wandering around the place. Nothing to worry about I am sure.

I was definitely not standing outside of the entrance with an unsure expression. I was contemplating important matters that need to be considered. If their security is bad how am I to trust them to do other things well. It was around this point that Gregory once again started pulling my hair and I was forced to enter the building against my will.

When I entered there was a front area which seemed to take up half the available space. There were a three desks behind which were what looked like office workers. In lines in front of the desks were rough looking characters with various fantasy armours and weapons. I saw a lot of swords, axes, bows, and canes but not a single gun or modern weapon. Definitely, a typical swords and sorcery setting so far.

Of the three lines one was definitely longer than the other two. At first, I couldn't figure out why. Then I looked at the people behind the desks. Two of the receptionists were fairly ordinary looking middle aged men who could be siblings. The receptionist behind the last desk was a stunningly beautiful young woman. How I took that long to notice I have no idea. I blame living in a jungle from hell for so many years.

Her hair was a deep green. Her eyes were a light blue I could see from here. Her skin was so pale and clear that it looked like it would shine in the sun. I could not see much of her body but she definitely had all the right curves up top if you know what I mean. Oh new world I am so glad you did not let me down.

I immediately lined up at the end of the longest line. There was no way I was going to miss the chance to interact with a woman like this. The line moved really slowly. I mean seriously, I understand moving slowly in a slum but this is the adventurer guild. You are all big burly types. You clearly are well fed. Where is the need for you to move so slow. I wish I had some cards or something to pass the time. Seriously, I was really bored and Gregory would hit me every time I tried to talk to him. It was a small forever before I was in front of the young lady. I ended up spending most of the time trying to think up witty lines to wow her with.

Unfortunately, as soon as it was my turn and I actually stood in front of her I was struck speechless by her beauty. I had never been great around women in the first place. Talking to someone this good looking after not talking to anyone for over a decade was just setting the bar way too high. I should have started with one of the other receptionists and worked my way up to this one. In a few weeks. No, make that months.

As I was lost in my thoughts, Gregory saved me once again. He is so reliable. I have never understood why he wasn't more of a chick magnet. He pulled my hair so that my head was forced to look over at his log only to see two of the cavities in his log had been opened. In one was the eyes of the basilisk we killed earlier in the day and in the other was one of his fire stones.

This whole time the receptionist had been talking to me, though of course I didn't understand what she was saying. She did have a slightly disgusted look on her face but that was probably just a cultural thing. I am sure that is this country's version of a professional smile. Anyway, when she followed my gaze towards Gregory's log, her eyes widened. She immediately picked up the fire stone and held it up to her face. Afterwards, she grabbed the eyes with a disgusted expression and said something to me. Gregory did a flip and pulled my hair so I nodded. This appeared to satisfy her as she immediately disappeared into the back area of the building.

It was only a few minutes later at most that she returned with a broad smile on her face. It was stunning. Honestly, I had been berating myself for not saying anything to her and psyching myself up to do it this time. However, as soon as I saw that smile all the thoughts immediately flew right out of my head. All that was left was the image of that beautiful smiling face.

There was an older man who had a bit of a paunch who came with her. Maybe it was her father or something? I was aware that he seemed to be saying things and Gregory was nodding or shaking my head for me by pulling my hair but honestly I don't remember any of it. Eventually, Gregory pulled me away by the hair and I only came to my senses when I could no longer see her.

After we were a few blocks down the street, I regained enough of a presence of mind to ask how much we got for our loot. Gregory lifted up one of the cavity covers in response and showed me five silvery coins. Five silver seemed a bit low for killing the basilisk that had already killed five other adventurers. Then I realized it might be platinum. I had never seen platinum but it was supposed to be silvery. Having no idea what the value of currency was around here, five platinum might be an unexpectedly lot of money.

I had Gregory cover the money back up quickly so we didn't get mugged. This was the slums after all. We would need to be careful with our new earnings. I hurried Gregory off so we wouldn't be targeted by thieves who had seen our new found wealth.

Once we were in a quiet place:

"Do you know if there are any banks in this world?"

*Shake*

"Do you even know what a bank is?"

*Shake*

"A place that keeps money safe for you. Sometimes you have to pay a fee to store it."

*Flip*

"Oh so you have heard of something like that before?"

*Shake*

"Well do you have any ideas on how in the world we are going to prevent people from stealing our money?"

*Shake*

"Hey money is precious you know! It is not just yours but mine as well. You need to be more careful with it."

*Shake*

"What do you mean no? You won't be more careful about it?"

*Shake*

"Wait. You aren't going to tell me it is all yours and not mine?"

*Flip*

"That is cold. I hunted it with you!"

*Flip*

"So we hunted it together but you get all the profits."

*Flip*

"That is the most selfish thing you have ever said you know that."

*Shake*

"How is that not selfish? What could possibly justify not sharing with your partner and best friend?"

At this point Gregory picked up a small stone on the ground and put it in my hand. Of course it shortly fell back to the ground. Stupid curse of poverty. Oh. Right.

"Good point Gregory. I leave the material goods to you for now."

*Flip*

It was at this point that Gregory picked up his log and started walking off. He seemed to know where he was going so I just followed behind. I wanted to continue this conversation but I knew Gregory would just hit me if I tried.

I started to get annoyed about his behaviour recently but then I remembered all the years that I was in his care on that horrible island. He had always taken care of me up until now. I doubted his personality had a complete reversal just because we found a town. Thinking back on his actions, I could kind of see how he was trying to take care of me. My speech seemed to draw a bad kind of attention which was why he was always trying to get me to be quiet. He kept the money so that it wouldn't just disappear due to my curse. He even seemed to understand what other people were saying in the Adventurer Guild. I am sorry Gregory it must have been hard. Please take care of me in the future.

Still, even if he wasn't going to split the profits, at the very least I should get some kind of wages shouldn't I? How could I be paid if not in money? This was something I needed to think about.