Chapter 50- Joan's investigation

"Um... Miss Moss, I seem to have some impression of her."

"She's really strong. The other day, she drew her sword in a flash, I couldn't even see it clearly. The cup on the table... yes, it's similar to this wooden cup here. She brushed it with the sword, and a flame shape appeared, neater than if carved with a knife."

Joan blinked, clenched her fist, and said, "Ah, I remember now, her adventurer's information." Whenever adventurers arrive at a new place, they must register immediately at the local branch of the adventurers' guild to obtain a certain level of regional privileges, such as carrying weapons or engaging in monster hunts, which may violate local regulations or require assistance from local officials, all of which the guild helps to negotiate.

Those who fail to register their information or update their registration are not accountable to the adventurers' guild for their actions in that area.

"Her name is quite long... is Melody her nickname?"

Frank nodded, "How much do you remember?"

Joan whispered, "She's really strong, I remember... she has a special title on her adventurer identification. Something like 'Dancer of the Crimson Lotus'."

"Vicky, what's that?"

"Special titles, also known as unique titles. Ordinary nicknames and professional titles, the former are not recognized by the adventurers' guild, while the latter are generic and don't specify a particular adventurer. Unique titles are different, usually belonging to powerful adventurers who have accumulated a certain level of fame, and most are one-of-a-kind. These titles are not easy to certify and register with the adventurers' guild; strength and reputation are essential."

"Oh..." Frank thought for a moment, then said, "But even so, I still don't know how strong she really is. Is there no more reliable information?"

"Yes, her adventurer level. I remember it's over five hundred already!" Joan turned her head, excited yet with a hint of admiration, "In a peaceful place like Lorsa, it's rare to see a five-star powerhouse."

"What does that level mean?" This time, he didn't bother asking Vicky; he just asked directly.

"It's the total value of rewards received from all the missions undertaken since registering as an adventurer." This was Joan's job, and she answered very fluently and quickly, "Usually, the assessment is directly reflected on the adventurer's certificate. One small star equals level 1, one big star equals ten small stars, one golden star equals ten big stars, and one crown equals ten golden stars... Oh, if she gets the crown mark, we'll have to award her the Medal of Valor."

"Wait a minute..." Frank frowned, "This level sounds more like seniority. Does it relate to strength? Can't someone just grind goblins every day to level up?"

"Goblins? What's that?" Joan tilted her head, puzzled.

In his haste, he forgot to use the corresponding word from the other world, and a transliteration slipped out. Frank slapped his forehead and said, "It's the lowest level of small green goblins."

Actually, the goblins in Lurbihat didn't have green skin, and their appearance was different from the goblins Frank was familiar with, but describing them this way would make it easier for the other person to understand, just like translating 'slime' directly as 'gelatinous creature' for ease of communication.

"That's impossible." Joan shook her head, "The adventurers' guild isn't a place where you can just grind seniority for a lot of stars. The lifespan of creatures is limited, and if you're not strong enough, it's hard to accumulate a lot of stars."

Thinking about it this way, it seemed to make sense. Whether it's a goblin slayer or a sword god, real strength ultimately determines success, not just avoiding leaving the beginner's village. So, the key to the problem lies in this.

"Joan, according to the usual market rates of the adventurers' guild, how much would it cost to hire a bodyguard like this for full-time protection?," asked the administrator.

Miss Moss pondered for a moment before replying, "The adventurers' guild generally doesn't interfere with the pricing set by clients; they only give appropriate suggestions. Contracts can be registered anonymously until there's a breach of contract. It's hard to estimate such a market... If the adventurer is particularly easy to negotiate with and doesn't care much about money, I think you could negotiate around twenty gold coins."

So, not only did this redhead volunteer herself, but she also gave him a discount? No wonder he felt something was off all along. If this fire spirit could only earn two gold coins in a month, there was no way she could pay off her gambling debt in three days without selling herself. When accused of being a gambler, he immediately denied it because, in her eyes, it was just for recreational gambling.

Frank collected himself and lowered his voice, "Joan, she only asked me for two gold coins." "Ah?" The surprised rabbit girl almost knocked over the table, then leaned in eagerly and asked, "Did you also... sleep with her?"

What's that supposed to mean? Are they suggesting my sexual prowess is worth eighteen gold coins?

Frank shook his head, "I have the ability to make girls feel comfortable, but that comfort shouldn't be worth that much. And besides, I really didn't sleep with her."

"If I were rich, I think you'd still be worth that price..." Joan blushed and said softly. Although her estrus had been suppressed by the potion, judging by her expression, she clearly still yearned for the ultimate pleasure his robust physique brought her.

"Well, the issue now isn't how much I'm worth." Frank chuckled, "I need to know if that gal has any ill intentions."

Blame Ivanka. His attitude toward women had shifted from default belief to default suspicion.

"She shouldn't. Experienced adventurers know the rules; if they agree to be your bodyguard, they won't do anything against you. If they breach the contract and the guild finds out, the punishment is severe."

"But what if she's serving as a bodyguard for another purpose?"

Joan rested her chin on her hand, pondering for a moment before whispering, "How about this? Since I know the details of your contract with her, I'll check on this for you when I'm at work this afternoon. According to the rules, her contract should have a signed backup at the adventurers' guild. I'll deduce some information from that to see whose commission she's taken."

"But if it's from an anonymous client, you won't be able to find out much, right? And even if you do, telling me would be against the rules, wouldn't it?" Frank softened his voice, "Joan, I don't want you to take such a big risk for me."

"If the other party requests anonymity, I... will just look at the details of the commission and believe I should be able to roughly figure out whether it's goodwill or malice. If there's a possibility of malice, I'll report the situation according to the special regulations of the adventurers' guild. The guild's issues can be escalated to the Guardians, and I don't believe any noble family or sect can cover it up."

"Thank you." Frank reached out and held Joan's hand on the table, thanking her sincerely.

The girls in this other world had shown him a tenderness he had never experienced in his previous life. Unconsciously, the idea of returning to the original world with Ivanka was about to disappear entirely.

Joan shyly lowered her head, showing no trace of the seductive demeanor she had when she was wildly moving on top of him last night. The insides of her ears were even redder than usual. "You've helped me so much, and this little thing... even if I have to resign from my job, I will definitely help you through it. Anyone with ill intentions towards you is my enemy." With the help of the adventurers' guild administrator, Frank felt considerably more at ease.

Of course, adventurers could privately take on jobs, but the risks associated with skipping those formalities were usually unwelcome for both parties. Moreover, Melody was indeed registered at the branch and her contract had been backed up. If it were just a front desk receptionist, perhaps not much information could be gleaned. Joan, as an administrator, should be able to uncover some clues. If even she couldn't find anything, then no one else in the adventurers' guild branch could either.

You see, the adventurers' guild is directly subordinate to the Guardians in various territories, with a considerable degree of independence. Even if noble families were short of funds and tried to levy taxes forcefully, they would wisely steer clear of this financial hub. In this world rampant with monsters and demons, both the forces of light and parts of the dark territories heavily relied on the adventurers' guild. And where they didn't rely, the adventurers' guild wouldn't bother to establish a branch.

So, even if the lord of Lorsa were planning some conspiracy, Joan should be able to find some clues.

If things turned sour... Frank thought, since he already bought the "Calm Mind Elixir" and earned quite a bit of money, why not just pack up and leave? Thirty-six stratagems, retreat is the best.

After discussing the serious matters, the atmosphere between the man and woman at the table relaxed considerably. Joan suggested that since he had both money and skills, if he felt that having Melody around posed a risk, why not consider recruiting a reliable bodyguard with a substantial sum of money? She also professionally introduced various client systems of the adventurers' guild.

Given his financial means, the best option was to opt for the "Guaranteed Level Administrator" through the "Anonymous Widespread Recruitment" method. Although the word structure was long, it wasn't difficult to understand as a simple compound word.

The "Guaranteed Level Administrator" essentially screened out a batch of newbies. While "Widespread Recruitment" required an additional fee for bidding security, the selection results would be fairly guaranteed. As for "Anonymous," it could conveniently prevent ill-intentioned adventurers from being prepared.

As for the threshold for this type of commission, it was only 10 gold coins, which Frank could afford. Even if it were a bit higher, as long as safety could be ensured, he could simply sell some of the top-grade potions stored in Ivanka and cash them out in another city.

They were halfway through their meal when Melody finished hers already. This sexy fire spirit seemed to have a deep passion for dancing. After sitting there drinking juice for a while, she took off her leather armor, revealed her two long legs wrapped in black stockings, and danced energetically by the door.

Watching the tips being thrown into the hall, Frank couldn't help but wonder if she felt the reward for this mission was too low, so she had to dance every minute to earn extra income?

Feeling increasingly unsafe, Frank didn't go out to explore local customs in the afternoon. Instead, he stayed in the reception hall of the adventurers' guild, reading through books and pamphlets one after another. Whenever he encountered something he didn't understand, he would query with his consciousness, preparing to thoroughly understand the important information here as soon as possible. And also waiting for Joan's investigation results.