With an elegant appearance, delicate blonde hair, a height of around five feet tall, and a bone-thin figure, Riol Warb Dwalkie, a rank 8 wizard who could manipulate lifestyle and administrative magic, along with some curses and cold magic, he was a man who reeked more of a fraud the more he talked.
Damn, is he even a magician?
Doubting it, I investigated him for this and that, but surprisingly, he really was a magician. Looking back, he didn't actually lie. He only said that his uncle was the baroness's third brother; He did not say that he himself was a nobleman. Well, he probably knew his place and that posing as a nobleman was a crime that could lead directly to summary execution.
«So what do you think? Step?»
After much deliberation, we decided to add him to the team. «...From now on, you will be our teammate.»
«Hahaha! Excellent. Since it is my first expedition, I wanted to join a team with as many warriors as possible.»
A personality full of bravado and hot air and zero experience in the labyrinth; These were his two defects, but still. He was a magician. He didn't ask for further distribution of the loot and even said that he would follow orders once we were in the maze, so this seemed to be enough to keep him under control.
All cheap objects have a reason for being.
Furthermore, if it was known that there was a mage on the team, it was clear that the specifications of the new aspirants would increase even further. That was because the personality of a magician could not be seen on paper.
«Once the rest of the team is recruited, we will contact you».
«Okay. Then, see you».
Once Dwalkie left, Hikurod, who had remained frozen throughout the conversation, let out a long sigh. «Isn't it amazing? That a magician, even a nobleman, can be so humble...».
I answered him sincerely: «Hikurod, you are more amazing». It was 100% true.
***
The subsequent routine of city life was simple. Aside from visiting Raven's lab once a week, I would get up at 7 in the morning, eat something, and head straight to the library.
«Parsytiev.»
«Have a good day.»
Including the last time I was here, I had been coming to the library almost every day for the past two months, but I had never had a proper conversation with this librarian.
Growl!
After eating every four hours between readings, it was soon time to close the library. Today I had an appointment. I was about to leave a little before closing time, but the librarian suddenly spoke to me earlier.
«I have something to ask you».
«... What is it?»
«Why do you always wear your armor to the library?».
Oh, so that was what I was curious about. I answered honestly. «What if someone steals it from my room at the inn?».
«...If that's the reason, I understand». As soon as I responded, the librarian closed her eyes as if her matter with me was over.
«I thought you were completely indifferent to others, but that doesn't seem to be the case...». I felt like I was losing, so I added a comment, but the librarian showed slight disgust on her face.
«We have received many complaints from other library users. That they can't read because you're too distracting».
«... I see?»
«Yeah. If your business here is over, could you please stop bothering me and leave?»
Annoy? You're going to fall asleep as soon as I leave.
I wanted to answer her with that, but if I kept bothering her and she ended up expelled from the library, it would only be my problem. I ran out of the library and headed to the meeting place shortly after nine at night.
«Here! Bjorn! Why are you so late today?»
«Sorry, I couldn't find you because you're too small.»
«Hahaha! More jokes! Come sit down!»
He met Hikurod more and more often in the afternoons, about three or four times a week. Of course, the purpose of these meetings was not only to be friendly, but to discuss team matters.
«What was the person you met like this time?».
«He was a serious and reliable guy».
«No, not that. What were his skills like?»
«Oh! It wasn't as bad as I was worried about. He has had a long career as an explorer, and I think he can measure up in any situation.»
«I see.»
«So I ask... What do you think?» After thinking about it for a while, I nodded, and his face lit up. «Ugh, what a relief. I was worried that you would say no again, since we don't have much time left».
In that sigh, I could feel the pain of the dwarf, who was practically the team's puppet boss. True, he would have suffered more.
Time for a compliment. It didn't cost money, right? «You have done very well, Hikurod. You are a great team leader. I'm glad I chose you».
«Hahaha! Right?»
«Of course. Is there any other team leader who respects the opinions of their team members like you? Don't lose concentration and do what you are doing now. Then, unlike that idiot who kicked you out, you will become a great boss».
«Hahaha! What a compliment, my friend! I was worried about playing this role for the first time, but I'm glad to have you with me!».
My heart raced at those words. Hikurod had once complained about my frequent interference. But to think that he had become a great boss. «In that sense, you pay for the drinks today!»
«... Again? Didn't I pay the last time too?»
«Again, a good team leader shouldn't be stingy about this kind of thing!»
«Not that I'm being stingy!»
There was exactly one week left until the maze opened.
«Damn! I'll buy today! We finally have all the team members, what's wrong with paying for some drinks?»
Finally, the team was complete.
***
The reality was different from a game. You couldn't enter the maze just because the equipment was complete. There were things that had to be taken care of other than that.
First, everyone had to familiarize themselves with each other and discuss how many floors to climb, what areas to focus on for hunting, and, conveniently for the explorers who were practically the embodiment of money, have a heated discussion about whether the distribution ratio was fair. If after that there was still no problem, you had to officially register the equipment in the guild and finally practice with each other almost every day to organize exploration plans and so on.
It happened before I knew it. He had spent the busiest week since waking up in Bjorn Yandel's body and the long-awaited moment had arrived.
[You have entered the glass cave on the first floor].
The glass cave on the first floor of the maze was surrounded by brightly colored lights.
«Oh! So this is a maze!»
Unlike the days gone by when we were alone or in a duo, there were five men and women in our circle, including me. They were my new teammates, with whom I was going on this expedition.
«Leait!» dwalkie shouted to cast a spell.
«Ah! Fuck! My eyes!» The name of this scrawny blonde wizard who shot a light into our eyes before they could even adjust was Riol Warb Dwalkie. Bottom line: Dwalkie the Weasel.
«It's son of...»
Before I could yell at him in annoyance, the dwarf beat me to it. «Dwalkie, save your magic as much as possible».
«Mm, but it's so dark!»
«In the maze, this is considered luminous. If it is very dark, we can light a torch».
«Okay then. Okay.»
This was a change that had occurred over time. Hikurod had soon realized that Dwalkie was not a nobleman and began to treat him with ease. Somehow, they became good friends. The dwarf pretended otherwise, but every time that weasel behaved like a complete idiot, he would go crazy and help him. That was the dynamic of their relationship.
«Why have you put so many things here? Are you trying to make it obvious that you are a beginner? Give it to me. I'll put it in my bag».
«I will not decline your careful consideration».
Just as Hikurod was taking care of Dwalkie as usual, I heard a high-pitched, cheerful voice. «Captain, shouldn't we dock?» As was obvious from the triangular ears on her head, Missha Karlstein was a beastwoman. She had 25 years and five years of experience as an explorer. His height was around five feet seventy, with an elongated and thin figure. Combined with a haughty expression, it gave off a cold atmosphere. «Stop playing and let's gooorr. I want to crush some monster hearts».
He had a habit of confusing the extremes of his words. She said it was an inevitable problem derived from the structure of her body, but she had never seen anyone with such poor pronunciation as her. Oh, and one more feature of it...
«Hahaha! How can I refuse the princess's order!»
«Eeek! I told you not to call me princess!»
«But, you are the daughter of the head of the Red Cat Tribe, how could I...?»
«I will kill you! Dwarrf!»
Missha was a princess of the Red Cat Tribe, one of the big five. Did he say it was 13
? He didn't remember the order in which he was born. In any case, there was no need for special treatment or anything like that. She was only a princess in the eyes of human society, not her own.
not even 15
On the contrary, there was someone else to be careful with. «Hikurod, stop it. Even if it's a joke, she doesn't like it». Brown Rotmiller, Race: Human; Age: 34. He was rank 7, but with eight years of experience. No matter how meritocratic the scout sector was, he was the most experienced of all, which is why the dwarf always took a step back from Brown's words.
«Ahem, I went a little overboard, didn't I? I will be more careful in the future».
«You deserve it, dwarrf-»
«The same goes for Miss Karlstein. No matter how angry you are, is it reasonable to threaten to kill your team leader?»
«...I'm sorry...»
Personally, he was my favorite. In a way, he was the only normal person on this team. Although that was true, he had the disadvantage of not being able to kick him like the other members of the team.
«Hikurod, can we leave before it's too late?»
«Oh please.»
«From now on, everyone stay behind me», Brown ordered.
But Dwalkie started talking just as we were about to leave. «Wait, wouldn't it be better if Bjorn or Hikurod took the lead? They are warriors, after all...».
«We will need your help from the third floor, but first we will be fine with just me».
Honestly, I didn't know what worried this hooligan so much. Brown was a professional explorer who had survived in the maze for eight years.
Although his scout rank is low compared to the past tense...
...i had a good opinion of him on that part. Eight years was enough time to go through all kinds of things in the maze, but staying as healthy as he was was amazing, a result not of combat power, but of using his other strengths.
It must have been the result of his seriousness and inflexibility towards everything.
Then, under Brown's guidance, we finally reached our destination and crushed the monsters that appeared from time to time along the way. The outermost part of the first floor used to be called the dark area. Although we ran here using the shortest route without getting lost, the portal had already been opened by other explorers.
«Of course. This time there have also been previous visitors».
«Do not blame yourself. You've done enough».
«Hikurod, that's no reason not to work hard. If you don't feel resentful of your own shortcomings, that means your life as an explorer is over.»
«Is that so?»
For reference, it took me about 10 hours to get here. He couldn't say this in front of the always passionate Brown, but this was a very good record for a regular scouting team. It's not like we were a team of brokers after the portal opening experience points. To be honest, I didn't expect him to find the portal so easily.
If your search for paths is as good as it is not guiding...
Although I was beginning to look forward to his other yet-to-be-discovered abilities, a kind of regret also came over me.
If it had been Ainar or Erwen, they could have earned the initial experience points.
Using the dimensional instability method, which had shortened to an error, it was possible to unconditionally receive portal opening experience points. However, this method could only be used when confidentiality could be maintained with a promise or oath.
That's for later... when the equipment is really reliable. After all, experience points aren't urgent right now.
Taking a deep breath to shake off any remnants of remorse, Hikurod shouted loudly: «Come on, let's go in!». The dwarf entered the portal first, and I immediately followed him.
Please, I hope nothing bad happens this time...
But was it too much to ask?
[You have entered the Lair of Beasts on the second floor].
The journey had officially begun.