Seeing how well-geared the rest of the team was, Gauss couldn't help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
Good thing he upgraded his armor—otherwise, he would've looked like he didn't belong in the same group. Even now, he was still clearly the most "budget" member of the party.
Fortunately, no one made a big deal about it. Most just gave him a glance and looked away. Whether that was because they didn't care, didn't rate him at all, or were just being polite—it was hard to say. Probably a mix of all three.
As a "mage" with an unproven track record, Gauss knew he wasn't going to impress anyone until he actually demonstrated some skill.
He had to admit, even though his last job had gone well, he was still a rookie. Compared to these seasoned adventurers, he was clearly lagging behind—at least in terms of gear and funds.
Well… unless you counted the life mana stone hidden under his shirt.
If that was included, he might actually be the richest one here.
Then again, who knew? Someone in the group could be secretly loaded. Gauss wasn't exactly an expert at appraising high-end gear.
Still, having well-off teammates was a good thing. Less chance of anyone backstabbing him over a few coins.
Not that wealth makes someone morally superior—but when everyone has more to lose, the bar for betrayal gets a lot higher. At least nobody was going to get greedy over pocket change.
"Looks like we're all here," Laevin announced, slinging his shield onto his back. "Let's head out for our training session."
The team made their way out of town. Their tidy formation and varied equipment drew curious glances from passing townsfolk.
They weren't full-fledged professionals, but even so, they stood out among the low-rank adventurers. Their posture, confidence, and the quality of their gear gave off a quiet authority—enough that people instinctively stepped aside to give them space.
Truth was, if a group like this went rogue, the average civilian wouldn't stand a chance.
They walked past the town outskirts and deeper into open fields.
Along the way, Gauss quietly observed his new teammates—and realized that Laevin wasn't bluffing when he called them an "elite" party.
These guys weren't just talk.
Take Laevin himself: he wore heavy scaled armor and carried a massive oak shield, but still moved effortlessly. The guy was both strong and fit.
Gauss had gotten sturdier himself after bumping his Constitution stat to 6, especially with all the meat he'd been eating lately. His body had definitely gone through a second growth spurt. He wasn't scrawny anymore.
In fact, he was strong enough now that people often mistook him for a swordsman.
Even so, when it came to raw strength, Laevin still had him beat. If Gauss had to guess, Laevin's Strength and Constitution were probably both at a solid 6—and on the higher end at that.
The swordsman Doyle wasn't far behind either, though a little shorter and not quite as tanky as Laevin.
As for Oliver the archer, Meva the rogue, and Daphne the cleric—they weren't heavy hitters, but they were all clearly in great shape. No one was lagging, no one looked tired.
Even the gentle-looking cleric, Daphne, kept pace without breaking a sweat.
It was a humbling realization.
Gauss had been feeling a little proud of his progress lately—but seeing how polished even these low-ranking adventurers were reminded him just how far he still had to go.
And this was just an unranked party.
If even this level of adventurer was so well-rounded, he couldn't imagine what real professionals were like.
As they walked, Gauss found himself next to Daphne. He glanced at the wooden staff she carried—curious if it might be a magic wand—and finally gave in to the urge to ask.
"Hey, Daphne… is that a wand?"
"Huh?" She looked surprised, as if snapped out of a daydream.
"Sorry, what was that?"
He repeated the question.
"Oh, no," she smiled. "It's just a piece of wood that helps me channel divine power. It's not a real wand—more like a base material I'm working with."
Gauss nodded, intrigued.
He'd guessed she was the most approachable one in the group aside from Laevin. He wasn't wrong.
"Once it's properly bonded with me," she continued, "I'll have it inlaid with a magic stone that matches my abilities. Then I'll take it to a specialist to have it crafted into a proper staff. It's better than buying a pre-made one, and the bond is stronger."
"I'm actually saving up for a life mana stone right now. But even the cheapest ones cost two and a half gold coins."
Gauss's heart skipped a beat.
He had one.
Tucked beneath his shirt, hanging from a cord around his neck.
Two and a half gold, huh?
So even the estimate from the blacksmith—two gold coins—had been low. Then again, the guy hadn't been in the adventuring scene for years. Misjudging the price was understandable.
"You okay?" Daphne asked, noticing his silence.
"Yeah, no worries," Gauss said with a quick wave.
No way he was going to mention what he had.
They barely knew each other. And flaunting rare items was a great way to invite trouble.
Plus, it's not like he could just hand it over to her to "build friendship points."
She needed a wand—he needed a wand. Life mana stones weren't cheap.
Based on what Daphne said, all he needed was to find a compatible core (like his mana stone), get a suitable shaft, and have it forged into a wand.
In fact, bartering with someone in the future might even get him a better deal than selling it for plain coin.
All that remained was figuring out how much the wand's wooden core cost… and the fee for having it custom made.
He was about to ask—but by then, the group had reached their training area.
With a sigh, Gauss pushed the question to the back of his mind.
There would be time for that later.