"Anyone here want to join our team?! We already have one golden core and two silver cores!"
"I need someone with fighting experience to join me. My father is a member of parliament, and he will reward whoever helps me!"
The hunter administration building was even rowdier than it had been yesterday.
The sky was clear, and everyone was in a somewhat jovial mood.
'I guess this world is different from other novel worlds.'
Technically, it wasn't a novel world. Still, it was refreshing to see a fantasy world without those stupid young masters who look down on those weaker than them or people showing off their abilities.
I glanced around as the wind suddenly picked up, making my hair flutter slightly, revealing the blue underside.
'I knew I should have gotten a two-block haircut instead of this sixty-forty.'
Still, the haircut enhanced my face, making me stand out even more in a crowd.
"Hey, mister."
I turned toward the voice. It was a very short girl with red hair and golden eyes. She didn't seem local; she looked European.
"Do you have a group, or are you planning to go alone? If not, can you join me? You know the man from yesterday said we should be in groups of four, right?"
"Uhmm…"
'She speaks really quickly.'
I somehow knew that if I joined this girl, my head might split in half.
"I'm sorry, I—"
Before I could finish, she clasped her hands around mine. "No! Don't refuse yet. Let me finish, okay? You see, my dad is super rich, and it isn't like I'm trying to bribe you or anything, but I can give you money. Plus, I have a map of the other world!" She suddenly covered her mouth. "Sorry for yelling that out loud."
Murmurs started around us, and most eyes turned toward the red-haired girl. Clearly, if she were left alone, she wouldn't make it back to her group safely.
However, I had already planned to join a team with Quincy and the rest. Jake was going to be my meat shield, after all.
But I couldn't just let this girl go.
'Is this what my Geass meant by "Surprise"?'
I let out a sigh. "On one condition." I was going to run away by giving her a condition she'd never agree to. "You show me your status panel."
In the world of hunters, it was usually impossible to see another person's interface even when standing beside them. However, if the person gave permission, another hunter could view it.
The red-haired girl stared at me with wide eyes. She turned to one side, pondered, then turned to the other and pondered some more.
"Hmmm…" She placed her hand under her chin. "Well…" Her face scrunched so tightly it nearly erased all her beautiful features. "I guess that's alright. I don't have anything to hide."
"You know your Geass is in your stats, right? What makes you think I won't betray you later?"
She tilted her head slightly. "Well… you're hot."
"That doesn't—"
She cut me off, smiling sheepishly. "If you were a bad guy, you wouldn't give me this warning, right?"
She's really dumb. Like, seriously dumb.
It wasn't a bad thing, though. Dumb just meant easier to control.
I rubbed the back of my neck. "I guess it's fine, then."
"Does that mean I don't have to show you my status panel?"
"No, you still do."
The red-haired girl puffed her cheeks before stretching out her hand. "My name is Cordelia Blackwood. I'm a gold core. Nice to meet you."
I shook her hand and introduced myself too. "Allen Park, white core. Nice to meet you as well."
Cordelia's eyes widened. "WHITE CORE!" She clapped her hands together immediately. "You have a white core?" Her eyes literally sparkled as if she had found a hidden treasure—which, in all honesty, I was. "Hehehe… am I the luckiest or what?"
She placed her hand on her hip in a dramatic pose. "So, Mister Allen, I better introduce you to our other team members on this grand expedition."
I nodded before pulling out my phone and telling Valentina I wouldn't make it.
Her reply came almost immediately. According to her, Jake had already found a new partner, and she wasn't sure when to tell me.
"So they ditched me," I whispered. "Well, I can get on Jake's good side later."
Right now, I had to concentrate on what lay in front of me.
I followed Cordelia through the crowd until we reached a small, secluded corner.
There were two others there. A woman who looked far older than me, with large breasts that made it hard to notice any of her other features. And beside her was a young woman with a rapier, whom I recognized immediately.
The young woman turned to me, blinked, and pointed straight at me. "Oh, pretty boy."
"Pretty boy?"
The lilac-haired girl I had met yesterday in the passageway seemed pleased by my appearance, while the older woman holding her staff close to her chest just smiled.
She was clearly nervous. Compared to the rest, she looked the almost ordinary.
It was normal to be scared at times like this, but the lilac girl was absent-minded, while the Redy was just weird.
I leaned against the wall and glanced around.
Since everyone here was still level 0, we couldn't sense each other's potential. But for me, things were different—I could use Equalization to sense the strength of those around me.
I scanned the area but couldn't pick up anyone remotely strong.
I let out a breath and turned to my group, only to freeze.
"Huh?"
I blinked once to confirm I wasn't hallucinating before looking at the three girls again.
They weren't level 0. They had somehow made themselves look and feel like level 0s, but Equalization wasn't activating at all. That meant each of them was at least level 20.
The older woman's eyes seemed to sharpen for a brief moment as she locked gazes with me. "What happened, Al?"
'Al, huh?' I smiled softly. "Nothing."