"Are you perhaps looking for a quest?"
It was an inquiry from a girl who suddenly appeared at his side. She was petite and had platinum blonde hair fixed in a lace braid ponytail. Her white blazer and black skirt, paired with a black robe, give the image of a magic academy student.
Though her elegant looks make her stand out from the crowd, what caught his attention were her eyes. Her appearance suggests that she wasn't a beastkin, nor an elf, nor a dwarf, yet her eyes, which are blue in color, have two black pupils colliding with each other.
'It is as if an image of two worlds colliding.'
"My, my, my... Have you been enticed by my beauty?"
Her remark made him realize that he had been intently staring at her for a while now, and her mischievous smile made him feel embarrassed for his rude behavior. Thus, he was unable to hide his embarrassment and slightly blushing face, and could only manage to put together a few words to awkwardly apologize.
"I'm sorry for staring, Miss."
The girl gave a pleased smile, which kind of looked like an irritating smirk, then continued with her previous inquiry.
"You are looking for a quest, right?"
The fact that he is currently inside the adventurers' guild, standing in front of the notice board where various quests are posted, makes it obvious what his business is.
'It doesn't require someone to be as smart as a detective to figure that out.' He wanted to say it out loud, but kept it to himself so as not to be rude again and ruin her smug smile that says she has figured everything out. So instead, he decided to give a casual reply and a composed smile to hide his thoughts.
"I'm here to take a quest, but I'm having trouble choosing which one..."
"It's because you can't read what is written on each quest, right?"
"Eh?..."
Rather than feeling annoyed, he was impressed that the girl had figured out his illiteracy in reading. With that thought visible on his face, the girl proudly explained how she arrived at her conclusion.
"It's not that you have a dumb face, which gives out your illiteracy in reading, but rather, it is the troubled look you have while staring at the notice board. A troubled look that someone who has the issue with weighing his capability for a quest won't make, but rather, someone who has the issue with understanding what the quest is about."
It kind of feels like she just insulted him, but his annoyance was overwhelmed by his amazement at her deduction.
"Are you a detective or something?"
"Huh? What's a detective?"
"Nothing, just forget what I said."
"Hmm~... Regardless, if you don't know which quest to take, how would you like to work together with my party on a quest?"
He has a laid-back demeanor and has a well-built body despite not being overly muscular. His equipment only includes a ragged large halberd axe strapped on his back, a dagger, a black leather armor over his clothes, a pair of black arm guards and knee guards, and a brown coat which is the same color as his short hair. The copper metal tag on his necklace indicates that he is a copper-rank adventurer, but somehow, his presence gives the vibe of a veteran warrior. At least that was her first impression of him.
He is exactly what her party needs. Someone who could take command when a party, which has just been formed recently and mostly made up of newbie copper-rank adventurers, panics and falls apart. But she didn't exactly need to explain that.
"The truth is, I need more meat shield for this quest."
Her innocent smile and cheerful voice annoyed him even more than her blunt words.
"At least say tank rather than meat shield."
"Tank?"
"I mean a vanguard."
"Putting that aside, it's just a cushy quest that is easy, effortless, and if luck favors us, we can earn extra income more than the reward."
It is not like he is hurting in terms of money. He has enough for a few days' worth of food and rent for the inn he is staying at. But if he didn't start earning right away, he would soon be left camping outside the wall of the capital and hunting for food in the forest.
Being a solo newbie copper-rank adventurer won't allow him to take a profitable quest. He will need to form a party if he wants to take more quests in the future, so having to experience joining one at an early stage would be a good opportunity. Besides, her reason might sound harsh but her offer is at least reasonable with probably good intentions. What is left to judge is the detail of the quest.
"Can I at least hear first what kind of quest you took?"
"Mhm! It's a simple goblin slaying quest."
If the opponents are goblins, then his equipment should be enough for the job. With that thought, he finally came to a decision.
"Okay, please let me work with your party, Miss..."
"Lynn... You can worship me by that name."
"Worship?"
Ignoring his protest and his laid-back expression that is starting to get a little annoyed, Lynn continues talking full of confidence with a smug smile on her face.
"You should be grateful that I'm letting you join my adventurers' party. After all, you have been rude to me twice already."
"Twice?"
"Mhm! Twice!... Anyway, you can at least introduce yourself, right?"
"You can call me Arezu."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Arezu."
"Likewise, Ms. Lynn."
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UelUel's Note.
Here are the characters concept designs for Lynn and Arezu. Look at the comment.