17 The Adventurer Guild

"I'm sorry captain. I don't think introducing firearms into this world is a good idea." Emma shook her head to say. "It's the equivalent of the invention of event horizon bomb in our world."

"People will copy our technology. It'll create an era of endless destruction."

Jack's expression turned dark. "You have a better idea? How are we supposed to combat a religious organization with a monopoly on weapons?"

"People always kill each other. Firearms or not." He looked down and knitted his brows.

"But deadlier weapons mean more people will die, sir!" Emma argued.

"How do you suppose we fix that damn spaceship if we don't advance the technology in this world?" Jack turned his head upward; his voice became loud. "You think while you teach people new knowledge, they won't figure out how to build things to kill with it? Do you think you can lock this world in sword-and-spear era forever?"

Jack's breath slowed down. He looked into Emma's eyes.

"Firearms can kill, but it can also save people."

"There are beasts in this world that infect human with a touch."

"Think about it, officer Emma."

Jack said, took out his tobacco packet, and left the room.

***

Naomi broke the silence. "I think I agree with captain Jack, sister Emma."

Emma did not respond. Naomi put her hands on Emma's cheeks and touched Emma's forehead with hers.

"We are alone in this world. It is full of enemies and dangers. The only way we can protect ourselves is to be stronger. I'll be stronger, sister Emma. We can all be strong and overcome the challenges together."

"I understand." Emma meekly said. Naomi looked at Emma and smiled.

***

15 minutes later, captain Jack entered the room.

"So, do we have an agreement?" The captain asked Emma. Emma replied with certainty in her voice.

"Yes, sir. I am sorry for having doubted your decision, sir."

The guy grinned. He sat back down on the floor, scratching his head for a long while. Then he said to the two ladies in the room.

"There is no problem with doubting my resolve. In fact, from now on, I am no longer your captain. We are in this together. We take decisions together and bear the consequences together."

The blond bearded man reached out his hand and said.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Jack Rutherford. I renounce from being the captain of the Motive. Let's be friends."

The lady with wavy black hair grabbed the man's hand. "My name is Emma Rodriguez. It's my pleasure." Emma said as she smiled. Naomi hesitated a bit, but finally grabbed Jack's hand. "My name is Naomi White. Please treat me well."

"Hey, why did you hesitate?" Jack furrowed his eyebrows.

"N-no, I didn't. S-sorry!"

"Anyway, one last thing before I renounce the chain of command." Jack retracted his hand, as the others did, and said.

"I'm going to be a merchant. We can't keep selling our food for coins. I'm going to manage the finance of our operation."

He pointed at Naomi. "You're going to be a mercenary. It's going to tricky, but you have the best potential when it comes to combat. I'm too old to learn to use a sword. Emma, well, she's a non-augmented girl. No offense."

Emma waved her hand, showing that she had no problem with it. Naomi was still digesting the command.

"Emma, try to build some primitive firearms. Not machine gun primitive, something like the flintlock. We must introduce the technologies step-by-step. Is that cool?"

"Certainly."

"That concludes the meeting." Jack stood up and was about to leave, but he stopped his steps. He turned around.

"Emma, you should take Naomi and buy a hooded coat or something. Nobody fights with a straw hat."

***

The next day, Jack brought Naomi to one of the biggest buildings in the village of Redshire. The Guildhall of Adventurer, a tall building of two floors where armed men and women frequently move to-and-fro.

['Adventurer'. How eloquent. People that come here don't "adventure" anywhere but that forest. Or occasional skirmishes by the nobles.] Jack smirked as he thought.

Walking next to him was Naomi, wearing a white shirt, a brown corset and black-hooded long coat. The black leather pants greatly suited her, showing the excessively fine figure of the young girl. Which was probably why Naomi showed discomfort wearing it.

[Emma really knows how to choose clothes. It's a mystery why she kept wearing those baggy jeans considering her fashion sense.]

[But man, this really puts us in the red. I'm going to miss those protein bars.]

The fried protein bars were sold at a stall with a board that said "Miraculous food that fills your stomach in one bite." It was especially popular with the mercenaries. The board was written by the kind inn owner, as both Jack and Emma had not read enough letters to be familiar with the writing.

It was a necessary investment. With Naomi working as a mercenary, the trio would have more financial leeway to obtain more money.

The registration process did not take long. The Adventurer Guild was always in need of people.

The lady at the reception read the recruitment notices to Jack one by one. It was common practice since the literacy rate of this world was too low, especially among soldiers of fortune. Jack also noticed that most of the recruitment notices had the same writing, possibly the receptionist's.

The majority of the mercenary teams that were recruiting were all men. Jack did not feel like letting Naomi join them, for some reason. [It'll be bad if they try anything to the girl and get all their bones broken as a result.] He thought.

"Where can I find this Anver guy?"

"He is sitting over there. The Guild doesn't dispatch a team of two, so he has been sitting here every day waiting for new people. He insists on not joining another team."

"What happened to his last team member?"

"Dead."

The redhead receptionist eerily smiled as she said that. [What a cold response. The worth of lives is too low in this warm-looking building.] Jack shuddered a bit.

[Should I be going instead? Can Naomi grow in this environment?]

[No, we all have our jobs to do. If any of us can't do our job, then our plan is as good as doomed.]

[Naomi, stay alive. Be strong.]

Jack gave the receptionist a few copper coins.

"Thank you for your help. Naomi, let's meet your new employer."