Building up takes effort, but destroying takes just a moment.

Smiling, he firmly returned Hartis' handshake.

"Thank you for your excessive support; it's an honor."

Well, there is still some time left regarding the party matter. From what I understand, Level 9 is akin to a probationary period in a company, where basic general quests are handled, along with slightly more difficult gathering tasks, and requests that begin to require some expertise start coming in.

"I've roughly checked the Adventurers' Guild regulations, but could you share your firsthand experiences regarding the general idea of each level and what daily life is like?"

Honestly, even after reading the regulations, it's hard to get a concrete picture of what can be done and the requirements needed. The content is just endless lists of "Party A shall do this" and "Party B shall do that." At work, I used to cry while reading such documents, but I never thought I'd end up reading them here too. Still, I wanted to hear from an actual staff member, someone experienced, about what life is really like.

"Hmm. Generally, you can start living comfortably around Level 8, and your life becomes stable by Level 7. The reward for completing quests increases starting at Level 8. Of course, this also depends on the difficulty."

Of course. When I briefly looked into Level 8 requests, there were frequent wolf packs that needed to be exterminated or bears with useful materials. But handling these solo seems impossible. Even a single wolf isn't too bad, but generally, they come in groups of ten or more. If you're surrounded, it's over.

"Level 9 is like a preparation period. It's about figuring out what you can do, completing quests to gain experience, and deciding on your direction. Typically, during Level 9, you find trustworthy companions, form a party, and learn to help each other out. Party-based exams start at Level 8."

Right. So it's all about the team. While teamwork becomes mandatory from Level 7 onward, gathering such a team isn't something that happens instantly when you reach that level. Trust within a team takes time to build. In a workplace too, coworkers are essentially strangers. You have to confirm what each person can do and determine if they're trustworthy before building trust.

And yet, trust is built through painstaking effort, but it can be destroyed in an instant. Just by touching on something the other party finds unacceptable, trust and credibility vanish. Like being punctual, meeting deadlines, taking notes—things I was told from student days onward, but which became ingrained once I entered the workforce.

These are basic courtesies for trusting others. Someone who is always late, without prior notice or a valid reason, immediately drops to zero in terms of trust. On the surface, it might not be obvious, but internally, their score plummets into negative territory. Deadlines affect many people and must be strictly adhered to. If delays are anticipated, they need to be communicated early on; otherwise, you end up taking full responsibility.

Taking notes is another thing—assuming the other person has already noted what was said. To double-check... Well, that's just part of it. That's why Japanese people go above and beyond contractual obligations. Trust is like walking a tightrope, inching closer to someone with each step.

So, teams, parties. In this world, longer interactions are necessary for quests like escorts. You can't entrust your life to someone you don't trust. In a game party, dying is just a joke, but in reality, it's final. If someone dies, that's it. And if you're the cause of their death, you have to live with that responsibility forever.

Looking at Diedo and his group, hearing they were mostly from the same village and had been childhood friends, I realized trust is strongest among those close to you.

My head hurts. Continuing as an adventurer? Not a thought in my mind. This job is just like temporary work. The tax deductions are convenient, but beyond that, it's all about relying on your own skills. Honestly, adventurers in games are designed with goals and endless强化 (strengthening) in mind. Real-life adventurers have it tough. I miss the stability of a salaryman life. At least then, trust made work manageable. I need to find a stable job quickly.

I often see stories where people aim to be top adventurers, but whether that's good or not is another question. A hero? What's that? Something tasty? Me? No way.

I need to gather people quickly and form a trustworthy team. As someone who led teams in a company, this feels like an urgent task.

"How do members of the Adventurers' Guild usually form parties?"

"Most are from the same hometown. Knowing each other's hearts is a big factor. But such cases are rare. People leave all the time. Generally, people look for companions in neighboring villages or towns. It's common to be searching for someone, but whether that's good or not is another matter."

Of course, needing replacements usually means someone died or disappeared.

"Do you offer any mediation services at the Guild?"

"Yes, we do. We introduce people based on their completed quests' trends. Especially for you, with no flaws in your tasks and this recent incident—forgive me for saying so, but risking yourself to complete the quest while protecting your companions—the Guild recognizes and values that."

Great! That's trust. Good thing I did my work honestly.

"Can you introduce me to some?"

"Yes, of course. Your success rate is perfect, and you handle tasks above your level. There's no issue with introducing you."

"Is that so? I'd appreciate it."

"Yes. The Guild shares information across countries. On the negative side, we deal with untrustworthy individuals. On the positive side, we share successes like yours. Congratulations. We look forward to your future endeavors."

The conversation ended. Though there's no taverns here, the Guild will handle arrangements. Plus, they have a basic blacklist.

Feeling slightly reassured, I wanted to take a break.