I Am Not Goblin Slayer
Chapter 93: Beginner-Level Task

After leaving the office, Gauss let out a sigh of relief.

The warlock named Sherry had exerted quite some pressure on him.

It felt like his entire aura had been suppressed.

This sudden encounter with a mysterious powerhouse made him rein in some of his pride after becoming a professional.

There were always greater masters beyond one's current level, and higher skies above the heavens.

Many powerful individuals existed in this world, and becoming a professional was merely the starting point.

Walking further down the corridor,

Petra led him to a VIP room.

This was a room usually not open to the public, primarily reserved for adventurers of professional rank.

Although most Bronze-ranked adventurers would significantly reduce their visits to the first floor for ordinary tasks after getting accustomed to beginner-level tasks, there were still occasional exceptions.

Sometimes, even Iron-ranked or stronger adventurers would take on ordinary tasks, likely as a way to cultivate their temperament and relax.

Guided inside, the lights above automatically brightened as Gauss entered.

The exquisite interior decoration came into view—unlike the rough style of the main hall, this small room was elegantly arranged, bringing an immediate sense of tranquility.

Despite being an enclosed space, the air felt refreshing rather than stuffy.

Gauss curiously looked around. He had visited the Adventurers Guild many times but never knew such a pleasant place existed.

"Lady Sherry actually has a very good temper. Among the guild's senior members, she's the friendliest toward us ordinary receptionists," Petra said, putting in a good word for Sherry after leading Gauss inside.

Gauss took a seat in a high-backed armchair.

"I understand. It's just that her aura was a bit overwhelming..."

"Haha, you'll feel differently after interacting with her a few more times. Rest here for now while I fill out a registration report."

"Alright, go ahead."

Nodding, Gauss turned his attention to the VIP room's layout.

Soft golden light flowed from crystal lamps embedded in the pure white ceiling. The lighting was meticulously designed—neither dim nor glaring—illuminating every corner perfectly.

The walls were covered in deep olive-green velvet wallpaper, subtly embroidered with silver threads forming the Adventurers Guild's emblem, exuding understated nobility.

In the center stood a heavy oak round table, its surface mirror-smooth with edges carved in intertwining vine and arcane patterns. Neatly arranged on it were glasses of clean water and some food.

A brass-framed grandfather clock stood in the corner, its pendulum rhythmically ticking. On the opposite wall hung a massive parchment map depicting the entire kingdom and surrounding dangerous regions.

Grayrock Town was just a tiny dot on the map, and even the Emerald Forest appeared no larger than a palm. Gauss suspected that if this map weren't displayed in Grayrock Town's Adventurers Guild, the town might not have been marked at all.

The clearest evidence was that Absinthe Town had no special markings either—only major cities were prominently displayed.

After studying it for a while, Gauss exhaled deeply and relaxed into the chair.

The deep brown leather backrest was filled with soft yet supportive padding, so comfortable it nearly lulled him to sleep.

How nice.

Having been in this world for some time, his memories of his previous life were becoming increasingly distant, as if they belonged to another era.

The decor of this VIP reception room was undoubtedly the finest he'd encountered in this world—even surpassing many high-end interiors from his past life.

Inhaling the faint, elegant fragrance in the air,

Gauss's mind involuntarily contrasted this with the bustling scenes of the Adventurers Hall during peak hours:

The jostling crowds, the cacophony of overlapping conversations, the stale sweat odor from leather-armored adventurers who hadn't bathed in days, the slightly faded floor tiles worn by countless footsteps...

Looking around the luxurious room occupied only by himself and Petra, he realized more profoundly that professionals and non-professionals truly lived in separate worlds.

This world's resources were concentrated without restraint around that small minority who possessed formidable power.

Truthfully, Gauss didn't dislike the lively atmosphere of the main hall, but having some quiet time occasionally wasn't bad either.

As he lost himself in thought,

Petra finally finished her report.

"All done." She set the report aside and placed two crystals—one large, one small—on the oak table.

"Gauss, hold this larger blue crystal. It's a task crystal—as a professional, you should be able to read mission information from it."

"Beginner-level tasks vary in difficulty. Currently, you can only accept one-star beginner tasks, which are relatively safer among beginner commissions."

"Understood, thanks."

Gauss picked up the larger crystal.

The moment his fingers touched the prism-shaped stone, a strange ripple emanated from within.

He felt his Rank resonate slightly, a cool sensation spreading across his scalp. Suddenly, he could perceive the vast information stored within the task crystal.

Immersed in the data stream,

he quickly sensed numerous one-star beginner tasks recorded inside.

The monsters involved were diverse—some old acquaintances like goblins and slimes, others he hadn't encountered yet: gnolls, fishmen, rust monsters, fire lizards, etc.

Surprisingly, most one-star beginner tasks targeted monsters without challenge ratings.

The quantities were just larger than ordinary tasks—usually over forty—with occasional notes about variant individuals.

As for commissions involving challenge-rated monsters, there were only a few, each marked with warnings about solo acceptance.

Evidently, in the guild's intelligence system, even a newly promoted Level 1 professional wouldn't have an advantage against a Level 1 challenge-rated monster in a one-on-one fight.

But doesn't this imply my strength far exceeds my peers? Gauss felt somewhat pleased.

During his apprenticeship, he'd killed a mantis man—a foe most new professionals would struggle against. Though he'd exploited its weakness, the kill was real. Therefore, as a professional, his combat power would naturally surpass other newcomers.

His gaze lingered on those challenge-rated monster commissions before decisively moving on to the regular low-tier creatures.

Even realizing he might handle elite monsters that would overwhelm other new professionals, he had no intention of testing himself unnecessarily.

Better to steadily grind weaker foes first.

Especially since these tasks each involved dozens of low-tier monsters—perfect for efficiency.

One such mission could equal several ordinary tasks, multiplying his gains exponentially.

The only concern was getting overwhelmed by numbers, but with his strong defensive skills and some caution, serious mishaps were unlikely.

After browsing the task list extensively,

he finally selected a monster extermination mission:

[Redcap Goblin Tribe Eradication]

Details: Eliminate a medium-sized goblin tribe. All targets must be killed.

Location: See map.

Duration: Within two weeks.

Notes: This tribe has over 50 adult goblins. The leader is a redcap goblin (no challenge rating but more formidable than regular goblins). Proceed with caution.

Reward: 90 silver coins.

Yes, even when advancing to beginner-level tasks, he still chose goblins.

What could he do? Their numbers were ideal.

Plus, his racial talent—Rapid Digestion—required mass goblin hunting for improvement.

Assessing his combat capabilities, he felt confident about completing the mission.

Besides, he didn't need to charge head-on—options like fire attacks, poisoning, or ambushes were plentiful.

"Total monsters killed: 179"

If successful, this mission would easily push him past the 200 mark.

Since beginner tasks involved more monsters, his kill efficiency would also increase.

The only downside was needing to venture deeper into the Emerald Forest's periphery, raising the danger level.

But this made sense—a goblin tribe of fifty near human settlements would've been eliminated by other professionals long ago, leaving no chance for him.

"I've chosen," Gauss told Petra. "How do I confirm?"

"Focus on the specific task for a few seconds to accept it."

Following her instructions, the goblin mission soon disappeared from the task crystal.

"Since you're still a no-rank adventurer, your identity badge isn't directly linked to the task crystal. I'll need to register it manually. Give me your badge—wait here, I'll be right back."

"Oh, and this smaller crystal is your mission recorder. Keep it with you throughout the task, or your results will be invalid."

"Understood."

With that reminder, Petra took the task crystal and hurried to another room for registration.

Gauss picked up the transparent recorder, examining it curiously.

He detected faint magical fluctuations within, but they were minimal.

Its lightweight feel gave an impression of cheapness.

Probably such recording devices allowed the guild to confidently let examinees complete tasks alone.

During submission, just checking the recorder's data would reveal whether the adventurer worked solo or had external assistance.

Tucking away the crystal,

Gauss decided to rest for two more days before setting out—time to replenish supplies and purchase new gear.