-- Early in the morning, I got ready to go to the rest of the house and then went outside to make sure the store was locked up tight.

'All right, let's get going then.'

　The three companions were Garnett, Erica, and Leila.
　In short, they are the head office members except for Noir and Alexia.

''Noir-san and the others are already there, right?
'You're helping with the chapter's infrastructure. It was an overnight job, but I'm sure it'll be done by the time we get there.

　As it was mentioned in the conversation with Erica, the destination we are heading to now is the Adventurer's Guild Hollow Bottom Branch on the fifth level of the 'Sundial Forest', and Noir and Alexia have been working there since yesterday.

　Noir is a black wizard who can create magical tools, and Alexia is a highly skilled mechanic.

　Both of them have a number of skills to draw on in infrastructure development.

　Just as I occasionally take on work as a restorer, the two of us do other work that is not part of the shop's business.

　Incidentally, this job is to build a new water supply and drainage system, so I, who specialize in [restoration], can't be of much use in this case.

''Come to think of it, Sylvia is also over there today. Let's go to the Spring Wakaba-Tei branch after we're done with our errands.
Maybe it's a good time for lunch.

　Erica walks in the lead with her fluffy hair swinging, and I walk a little behind her.

　A few more steps behind, Garnett and Leila are following--.

What's the rating on ...... for White Wolf's so far?
''You have good group leadership skills and a wide network of contacts. If a member of the Frontier Count family also recognizes your abilities, I have no other choice than to report a good reputation for the Order.
You look pleased with yourself. I thought you didn't care about the white wolf.
It's a good thing for us. Without any personal feelings, though.

　--a conversation that was very difficult to turn around in a whisper that Erica couldn't hear.

　Ostensibly, it was an exchange between a boy and a girl working in the same shop.

　From Erica's point of view, it's an exchange of information between a boy knight belonging to the Silver Wing Knights and his relatives in the Dragon King Knights.

　To me, it's a conversation between a familiar girl and a newly acquainted girl, and to Garnett ...... no, it doesn't seem to be a matter for me to think about.

　It's a good idea to head to the 'Sundial Forest' at such a rate, and descend the well-built slope to reach the fifth level, the Hollow Bottom Branch.

''This forest is also a dungeon in one form or another, isn't it? I don't think so very much. ......

　On the way, Leila looked around the landscape of the 'Sundial Forest' with interest.

'It's E-rated, and it's an open form. The inhabitants thought it was just a basin for a long time, and they used to dive there as if they were picking wild vegetables.
''It wasn't until the White Wolf's arrived and found the 'Demon King's Castle Realm' that it was properly maintained to this point. I don't know how you've managed to make it this far.

　People who came from elsewhere would always be surprised to learn that this "Sundial Forest" was a dungeon.

　This was not only Leila, but all the new staff from other regions and new adventurers as well.

　It was a familiar sight to us now, but this was certainly a far cry from the usual image of a dungeon.

　The slopes are divided into five large steps, each level of which is densely covered with lush vegetation, and each level is rich in a variety of medicinal herbs.

　These medicinal plants are a valuable source of income for new adventurers, and perhaps thanks to their unique properties and fertile magic, they seem to be growing at a rate equal to the amount of herbs collected.

　Despite this natural environment, transportation is rather convenient.

　The gently sloping forest roads are well maintained, and wagons loaded with large amounts of goods and wood and stone can be easily transported up and down.

　It's not a dungeon, it's more like a road that crosses a mountain forest.

Well. Well then, what should we clean up first?

　I stopped in front of the Hollow Bottom Branch - a guild branch in a repurposed Golden Fang Knights' fortress - and counted off my fingers the things I needed to do here today.

'Go see how the branch is preparing to open, meet up with Noir and Alexia, and go say hello to Florence, the branch leader. The rest of the day is just a tour of the entire branch and then lunch at Sylvia's place.

　Not a lot to do itself, but, well, it would get done by noon.

　We entered the branch's vestibule and supply storage area through the front gate of the wall that surrounded it, a voice I was usually used to hearing called out to me.

'Good morning, Luke-dono,'
What, Sakura's here too?

　Sakura, dressed in her usual Eastern-style equipment, runs up to me with a smile.

''I have been asked to patrol the branch today. It's more of an adventurer and rotating contribution than a job.
I do. You get an allowance, but it's cheap, per diem.

　If you're an adventurer, you can't help but nod your head and say yah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.

　Guilds provide numerous benefits and conveniences to adventurers, but adventurers are also expected to contribute and serve the guild.

　However, it's not an exaggeration; it's an accumulation of small things, such as undertaking the work necessary for the maintenance of the guild's facilities.

　The most frequent jobs are security and cleaning.
　In this case, security in this case is more of a nature of preventing trouble in the inner circle than a vigilance against harm from the outside.

''Is Luke-dono on a visit to the branch?''
I think I'll take a look around the branch as well. I don't know what else is in there.
Then I'll show you where. I have the store layout in mind for security purposes.
Are you sure you're okay with stopping by when you're at work?

　It was a grateful offer, but it would mean skipping work, wouldn't it?

　However, Sakura shook her head with a smile on her face.

'It's fine. The order of the patrol is optional, and we've been instructed to focus on the area where the store is located.''
You mean on the job. Well, I'll take you up on your offer and ask you to show me around. I'd like to stop by our branch first, though.
Yes, I'll take care of it.

　Adding Sakura to the group, we step inside the Hollow Bottom Branch building.

　This building, which was once used as a military fortress, allocates 20 percent of the total building to function as a guild branch, while the remaining 80 percent is rented out to the public as rental property.

　The result is a scene that unfolds before your eyes.

　A high-density commercial space with a variety of shops packed into a single large building, targeting adventurers.

　In a nutshell, it could be described in one word as a "department store", a shopping area that resembles a housing complex.