004 Training Arc 4: Guild Return Home

Fifth of ten chapters posted.

Finished my first job and headed back to the station.

Directed by the station controller to the guild's cargo dock.

Approaching the cargo dock near the industrial zone, deep in the station's lower levels, from behind.

The dock looks like a storage hangar at first glance, but it's always open—enter headfirst.

Dock alongside, unload containers loaded with cargo from the ship's hold, then proceed straight through to individual storage hangars.

Enter the hangars in reverse—thankfully, the ship's neural net handles that automatically. Easy.

Rental Ship 10 has docked at its assigned position; the neural connection cuts.

First time piloting a space vessel, but I managed it smoothly—fun as hell.

I’ve grown fond of Rental Ship 10. Feels like home already.

I patted the pilot seat like it was a pet, gave the ship a little pep talk, then stepped out of the CIC and ducked through the hatch to the waiting area.

Changed out of my pilot suit and headed toward the storage bay transfer port.

Destination: the Guild. Time to report mission completion and get the salvage items appraised.

Entered the Guild district via transfer port, keyed in the Guild’s designation on my wristband, and stepped through.

Walked up to an open counter, handed over the quest completion report.

“Hello. I’m here to report completion of the debris recovery mission and request appraisal and purchase of the haul.”

The receptionist—just a background NPC—scanned my wristband from her terminal.

“Quest complete. Confirmed. Salvage appraisal finalized. Please confirm whether you’d like to sell it or keep it.”

She opened a holographic screen and displayed the list.

Charged Particle Cannon Particle Accelerator (Salvage Parts Only - Junk) 1 Unit Price: 10,000 G

Beam-Resistant Coating Special Steel Armor Plate (Standard Plate - Perfect Condition) 5 Units Unit Price: 3,000 G

Laser Cannon Laser Oscillator (Component - Perfect Condition) 2 Units Unit Price: 2,000 G

Missile Guidance System (Salvage Parts Only - Junk) 7 Units Unit Price: 500 G

Other Special Alloys (Melt-Separated & Extracted - Recyclable) 12 t Unit Price: 1,000 G

Carbon Crystals 17 Units Unit Price: 0 G

“The charged particle cannon particle accelerator is junk, but it’s got plenty of functional parts—repairable, probably. That’s why it’s 10,000 G.

The Beam-Resistant Coating special steel armor plates are standard-grade perfect condition—ready to use straight out of the crate. That’s 3,000 G each.

The laser cannon laser oscillator is also in perfect condition—2,000 G.

The missile guidance system is junk, meant only for parts. That’s why it’s only 500 G.”

The damaged armor plating—special alloy—is all marked for recycling. That’s why it’s only 1,000 G per unit.

Also, carbon crystals were recovered, but they’re non-purchaseable. Honestly, they’re just garbage.”

What?! The value of diamonds is zero?! I’m utterly crushed by that.

“This debris has a destruction right assigned to it.

For ten days after destruction, that right is recognized. Whoever recovers it must pay a fee to the rights holder.

So fifty percent of the valuation goes to the gamer who holds the destruction right.

After ten days, recovery is free—but the debris itself diminishes, and it gets tricky.

The destruction right fee is collected regardless of whether you sell it to the guild. Please note.

Also, ten percent of the sale price goes to the guild tax. Plus, there’s a tax-free quest reward of 2,000 G added.

How would you like the breakdown of the recovery buyback?”

So there’s actually a “destroyed target” right? Splitting the work like that—immediate recovery for the big ones, debris left to the scavenger quests. Makes sense.

Actually, pretty well thought out system.

Still, expecting diamonds to be treated as just carbon crystals... that’s a surprise.

I’ll keep the diamonds and have the rest taken away.

Useless to aliens, but back on Earth? That’s a fortune.

“Then, I’ll take everything except the carbon crystals.”

“Understood. Total buyback comes to 44,500 G. 22,250 G for the destruction rights, 4,450 G for guild tax, and 2,000 G as quest reward. That leaves 19,800 G for Miss Yaezaki.”

Charged to your wristband now. Please confirm.

Also, carbon crystals are strictly forbidden to be removed. Please leave them in the station room as a decoration.

I touched the wristband and opened a tiny virtual screen—my balance read 19,800 G.

Looking closer, transaction history appeared too.

But I felt a pang of disappointment—diamonds can’t be brought back to Earth.

I thought the enrollment fee issue was solved...

Still, 19,800 G in income? Huh? Wait—what’s the actual value of G? I asked the receptionist.

“What’s 1 G worth in yen? Can it be exchanged? Can I take it to Earth?”

“Current rate is 1.5 yen per G. So 19,800 G is about 30,000 yen. That amount can be transferred to a terrestrial account.”

Wait—30,000 yen a day? If I do this every day… I could save up for enrollment fees by summer break.

I left the guild and immediately touched my wristband, teleporting home.

I’ll rest at home today and pack what I need tomorrow, then shift my base to the station.

"Every day, I’ll do quests and save up for tuition!"

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