Although it was technically a Thursday, they didn’t immediately throw us into work the moment we arrived. After lunch yesterday, we had some time to explore the area around the station, regrouped, and then moved to Winterfield Castle under Jennifer's guidance, receiving introductions along the way. It made sense to familiarize ourselves with the locals; having a good rapport might prove beneficial in case we ever needed help.

Traveling as a group of fifteen noble students led by a noble instructor, we naturally drew a fair share of stares. Given that we all wore coats over our uniforms—garments resembling officers' jackets—it was no wonder the townspeople kept a cautious distance.

Alice, Charlotte, and I retired to our rooms in the afternoon to get some rest, but others took the opportunity to roam around. Even Mia Crowfield, who seemed less enthusiastic than most, was among the students exploring.

"Ugh, it's still freezing out here, even in May," Alice shivered as we stepped outside.

Despite the supposed arrival of spring, the chill still lingered intensely. Northern winters seemed to defy seasonal changes, which I couldn't decide was due to the developers' detailed world-building or a fantasy element meant to reinforce the idea that “the north is always cold.”

Regardless, the biting weather meant I'd abandoned my usual cape-like way of wearing my coat, opting to wear it properly. Thick, dark stockings had become a necessity as well — I’d chosen practicality over style the moment I stepped off the train and felt the northern chill sink into my bones.

"At least the quest office is open. Look," Claire pointed to the quest office near the main castle.

The other shops and eateries around us remained dark and silent, with only the gas streetlights casting faint, eerie glows across the empty main street. Since we were within the castle walls, the atmosphere was less foreboding; at the station, the forest at the edge of town would have looked incredibly ominous in this predawn stillness.

“Winterfield’s law enforcement structure is surprisingly modern,” I thought as I looked around. Here, the military and the police operated separately, with imperial soldiers handling military matters and imperial police in charge of maintaining order. However, imperial police were limited primarily to territories directly under the emperor’s control. This semi-autonomy granted certain lords the means to run local police forces funded by regional taxes.

For strategic locations like Winterfield, this system had its advantages, allowing lords some leeway to maintain "support troops" as auxiliary forces to the imperial army. If necessary, these forces could protect against external threats without direct imperial oversight. Yet, if the emperor deemed these forces a threat and ordered their dissolution, there would be no alternative but to comply or face the wrath of the imperial army.

"Let's hurry inside before we freeze out here," Charlotte suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement. Even Mia and Jake, who both looked groggy after breakfast, perked up at the mention of warmth.

I trailed behind the group, grateful the cobbled road was kept free of snow by underground steam pipes, which allowed horses and carriages safe passage.

---

*BAM!*

A loud bang resounded as the muscular woman behind the front desk slammed her fist down, startling Mia Crowfield into a quiet squeak.

“Are you here to demand work this early in the morning!?” she growled, her voice heavy with irritation.

The woman, visibly scarred and with arms that hinted at brawls with bears, did not appear to be a mere receptionist. Her grimacing face and bulging muscles were intimidating, even for someone like Alice, who raised an eyebrow at the woman’s tone but chose not to comment.

“Oh, uh, sorry, but the door was open… Are you not on duty yet?” Leo responded calmly.

Impressive. That was the original protagonist’s line from a key decision in the game. In the game, selecting "Stand your ground" led to this exact dialogue with a bonus point, although I wasn’t sure if that had any significance in real life.

“Hmm?” The receptionist shot Leo an evaluating look, as if reevaluating her earlier annoyance. The expression she wore resembled one that said, "Well, would you look at that?" She simply nodded.

"Apologies for the early intrusion. We assumed you were open for business," Leo added with some tact.

“True enough,” she conceded with a lazy shrug before pointing to a board covered in quest postings. “There’s plenty to choose from, so pick wisely. If you fail, you’ll earn a solid smack on the head, so don’t get too ambitious.”

I glanced at her hand. It looked large enough to cover my entire face.

Not that I was worried. With our group’s capabilities, we weren’t likely to fail. Besides, I trusted Leo’s judgment in picking tasks suited to our strengths.

Leaving the grumpy receptionist behind, we moved to the wall-sized corkboard covered in quest sheets.

“...There are so many,” Claire murmured, and Leo nodded.

In the game, only three or four quests appeared at a time, but the board here was covered with countless tasks. Considering there were fifteen of us, as well as hired mercenaries, it made sense that there would be plenty of work available.

"Hmm…" Claire was carefully examining each option when Charlotte pointed to a specific quest sheet.

**[Quest – Elemental Bear “Red Claw”]**

*Capture not required. Notify for corpse retrieval if killed.
Reward: 5 pounds. Additional compensation if the corpse is intact. Detailed information provided by the receptionist.*

A bounty of five pounds was generous. It roughly translated to around 500,000 won by the game’s standards, where one pound was equated to 10,000 yen. Split among five of us, that was one pound each, enough for modest daily expenses. Though selling the bear’s remains ourselves might yield more, the contractors had ways of ensuring that wasn’t a feasible option.

The group nodded in agreement; a bear was dangerous solo but manageable as a team.

After picking a few other quests along with the bear task, all of which I recognized as familiar side quests, we approached the receptionist.

“Elemental Bear, huh?” She glanced over the selected quests, pausing when she noticed Leo’s hair. Her gaze shifted to Claire, and her expression turned to one of understanding. “Oh, so you’re the kids from House Grace?”

It was a little annoying that she noticed Leo and Claire, the baron’s children, first, rather than the royal Alice or myself. But she probably knew who we were; her gaze drifted over Alice and me as if acknowledging our presence.

“Alright. I’ll hand you the detailed paperwork,” she said, handing over a thin stack of papers. The receptionist explained that some clients preferred the details to remain confidential unless they were working with trusted individuals.

“Thank you very much!” Claire said with a bright smile, clutching the documents tightly.

“Alright then. Take care, and try not to get yourselves killed,” the receptionist added, her stern face softening into a slight smile.