After a moment of silence and much contemplation, the dwarf, who had been hesitating to speak, opened his mouth. "I see?" The reaction was one of bewilderment and surprise.
"Why are you so surprised? You must have at least one of these!"
"That's true, but... has your personality always been like this?"
Well, I didn't know what this guy knew about me, but that was enough embarrassment for today. With the dwarf's experience, he should have had a pretty good idea of the quality of my equipment just from that information.
With this, I won't be able to play any rare games with the distribution ratio despite my short career.
Of course, the recruitment list clearly stated "Equal Distribution," but I still remembered the dwarf's face with his angry eyes, calling me greedy when I said I would give up the rest of the loot for the Bloody Citadel Riftstone.
After all, he is an explorer.
Once he despised me here, there would be no end in sight.
Without asking if I could sit down, I sat across from him and blurted out, "Hikurod, you're paying for the drinks, since you earned the numbered item thanks to me." The comment showcased my skills while simultaneously reminding him of his debt to me.
"What? Hahaha! Is that so?" The dwarf just laughed uproariously and didn't deny it. He couldn't, because I was the one who made the biggest contribution in the Bloody Citadel. "Well, that's not bad! It's a bit early, but I can buy you all the drinks you want. Let's talk about what we missed while we drink."
"OK".
It seemed like it would be a while before the food arrived, but naturally, we started serving drinks first. Then we got to the real business.
The dwarf was the first to bring it up. "When I found out it was you who submitted the application, I was quite shocked. What on earth happened? Was there some kind of treasure hidden in that crevice? I was sure that mage girl had looked everywhere." As expected, I was bombarded with questions. Given my current state, it was only natural, though I didn't have the loyalty to give a truthful answer.
"It's something like that."
"What does that mean? Tell me more details."
"Like you said, there was a treasure. That's all. Don't ask any more questions."
When I drew the line, the dwarf looked disappointed. I suppose he judged it would be difficult to get an answer out of me. "I don't know what kind of treasure you've found, but you're very lucky."
Luck? This guy was the one who benefited the most from the Bloody Citadel in the first place. I almost died there. All he did was one person's job, took the numbered item, and left.
I'm curious about what was dropped, too… I should ask about that later.
Our dishes started arriving, so the rest of the conversation took place while we filled our stomachs.
First, you should start with this.
«So, have you found any members yet?».
«Nobody that interests me. You are the first one I have met».
«I see. Nodding, I got straight to the point, like a barbarian. This was the real objective of this meeting. «So what are you going to do?» Would Hikurod Murad accept me as a member of the team?
«Um, that's right... Until now, I've mostly only come to check that it was really you. Aside from recruiting a team, I mainly wanted to talk to you. Oh, too, I've written it down as floor three, but with the right people, I plan to go into the fourth floor, too...»
It was an unnecessarily long explanation. Saying that I had no intention of accepting myself into the team would have been enough. «So now you've changed your mind?».
When I asked him, staring at him, the dwarf responded while stroking his beard. «Ahem, you could say yes. After all, who would look at you now and think you're a beginner? If it weren't for the part that it would be difficult to recruit the rest of the team if a beginner joined, I wouldn't have even worried about it in the first place!».
Instead of making such poor excuses, I wonder if it would have been better to say that from the beginning. However, the lack of those types of changes was one of the dwarves' attractions. «So are we done here?»
«Hahaha! You could say yes».
When I picked up my glass, the dwarf did the same. «I hope we form a good team again».
A team was formed. We were still just two people, but for something like that, I would have to pretend to discuss it with him while recruiting members to my liking.
***
«Hikurod, didn't you say before that a lot of people showed up?»
«That's right.»
«Who were they?»
«You don't have to worry about that. They were just rank 8 rookies without even a year of experience.»
What is this? An indirect insult?
As he thought seriously about this, the dwarf opened his mouth as if he had remembered something. «Oh! I forgot to ask this! How did you level up so quickly? It wouldn't be easy to get a rank 7 with just the corpse golem essence».
«Just the essence of the corpse golem?». I realized my mistake after saying this out loud. True. He passed out when it happened, so I didn't know I had the vampire essence. Was it okay to say something like that to him?
I was deep in thought when suddenly the dwarf shouted: «Aha! I see! Ha ha ha! I had not thought about it! True, that team will surely raise you to rank 7!».
Ah, uh... It's a plausible assumption, but... «Yeah, something like that».
Now that this had already happened, I decided that I would keep this fact to myself. It wasn't like the team had officially formed yet, and I couldn't know what kind of people were going to join later. It was better to have a plan for everything. Someday, this could become my asset.
I can say that regenerative power comes from the imprint of immortality.
The most important matter was over, but we continued drinking and talking. Thanks to this, I was able to find out why the dwarf had left his previous team to recruit another.
«As you know, I left my team for a short period before».
«That's how it was». I found out that he had requested a leave of absence in hopes of entering a rift.
«But when I tried to return, they were more interested in the warrior they temporarily recruited to fill my empty position!». The dwarf then furiously vomited his anger towards his former comrades, but I couldn't empathize with him at all.
The fact that you left your team for personal reasons is the problem, right?
The biggest victim was his former team leader. While planning the next expedition, the dwarf suddenly took a break, leaving him running back and forth. Maybe if that warrior had ended up having problems, things would have turned out differently. But were they better?
If I were that crew chief, I wouldn't accept that selfish dwarf back on my team either. I'm sure he'll do his thing again.
Of course, I kept it to myself.
«Oh my god, what disloyal bastards, don't you think?»
«That's right. They don't seem to know what loyalty is». In these situations, I learned that unconditional affirmation was best. That statement aside, I decided to ask what really made me curious. «I don't know how good they are, but if they found out what you've earned this time, they'd surely regret it for the rest of their lives!».
"¿Lo que gané?"
«¡El numbered object!»
«Ahh! Come to think of it, it's true! If I meet them later, I have to let them know how stupid they were!» The dwarf seemed to be already imagining that in his mind. After taking a sip of his drink, he burst into laughter.
Nice, it seemed natural, right? «So I wanted to ask...». I started cautiously. «What did you win?»
«Hmm, haven't I told you yet?»
«You haven't!»
It was something I had been curious about since we met. I knew all the numbered objects that could fall, but what I cleared this time was an unprecedented crack. Perhaps a unique item had appeared, like the mystery box Raven left open in the boss room.
Come to think of it, I didn't ask what it contained.
I decided to ask him next week, when we met.
The dwarf smiled and put his thick arm on the table. «This wristband is what I got out of there».
Hmm, I couldn't get an idea just by looking at it. «What is it called?
«The guild's appraiser said her name is Guardian's Wristband».
«Shut up.» That came out?
«... Hmm? Do you know him?»
«O-oh, no. I was just surprised at how cool the name was».
«Hahaha! After all, I have something in common with you! I thought so too!»
No. 3,112: Guardian bracelet was a numbered object belonging to the 3,000, which could only be obtained in the cracks of the fourth floor or higher. Its effects were side effects. How much did this thing cost?
«I checked the price through the central bag and it looks like it is worth around 50 million stones».
Damn. Was this a game? What exactly did this dwarf bastard do in that crack to deserve this?
«Hahaha! They said that was even the old price, and could be more expensive since there is almost no stock for sale! Of course, I have no intention of selling it!». He paused when I didn't answer him. «Hey, hey, why are you so quiet all of a sudden?».
«It's nothing. I'm... surprised, that's all». To be honest, I was so surprised that my stomach, full of alcohol and meat, was getting unbearably sore.
«I understand. 50 million stones? I thought I was going to faint when I first heard it, so you must be too».
Was this what it meant to sow winds and reap storms? Now that I saw him, my boast from before was nothing compared to this dwarf bastard.
«Don't be so jealous. If you keep exploring, someday you will also find a numbered item. Of course, it won't compare to what I have! Hahaha!»
Avoiding the smiling dwarf's gaze, I slowly lowered my hand under the table.
Deslice.
It was the hand that carried the Frost Spirit Ring No. 9,425.
***
A punishment guard? 50 million stones? I decided to think as positively as possible. The small problem of my guts churning to the point of wanting to vomit could be overlooked. Anyway, it was good to have a strong teammate.
Let's focus on forming a team.
Calming myself with this thought, the next thing I did was level up the bastard dwarf's scout rank. To find good teammates, we must first look like an attractive team. There was a huge gap between the team leader being rank 7 and rank 6, which no words could fill.
«Hikurod, go to the guild today and raise your scout rank first».
«... Why so suddenly?»
«Don't you have equipment worth 50 million stones? If you request a review, the guild will definitely take it seriously!»
«But, it's too sudden...»
«So you don't want to?»
«No, it is not like that...»
«So, let's go!»
I even followed him to the guild and watched him apply just in case he slipped away in between. For reference, it took six days for the evaluation results to come out, a little longer than I expected, but fortunately, the promotion in rank was a success. Applicants' specifications increased enormously from this point on. More than ten applicants arrived every day.
I carefully reviewed the applicants with the dwarf. We were arguing happily when suddenly a magician's request came.
«Mago? »
Of course, he was not a tower mage, but a rank 8 mage who worked in a guild, or perhaps a public institution. But he was still a magician.
«Hey Bjorn, did something go wrong? Why would a magician ask to join our team?»
«It's definitely strange. There should be many more teams with better conditions than us.»
«So what should we do?»
There were some questionable things about it, but we decided to meet with the wizard and communicated it to the guild. That morning, finally, the place and time for the appointment was set.
«They won't ask for half the profits, right? They say that all magicians have a lot of rights...».
I didn't know what made him so nervous. He held on to his share of the winnings against Raven, who was a member of the Tower, without being pushed back in the slightest.
«Why are you so worried? If they make a request like this we can say no thanks and leave».
«¿True?»
Was it because he was the first magician he met as a team leader? While comforting Hikurod, who kept bouncing his leg and making a fuss, a man in a robe entered the tavern. When he saw us, he waved at us.
«Oh, barbarian! Dwarf!»
Shit, was it another landmine? How could you piss someone off with such a short greeting? I could already sense that a catastrophe was approaching, but just in case, I decided to watch him a little more.
«Hahaha! Nice to meet you, are you the magician we're meeting today?».
«What is the probability of meeting a magician by chance at the exact time and place?».
At the bastard's question, the dwarf looked at me bewildered. I couldn't stop sighing. «Ha... It means you're right».
«T-Are you right? Ha ha ha. Anyway, nice to meet you, my name is Hikurod Murad!».
«What a strange name. I am a Riol Warb Dwalkie, a rank 8 mage and approved by the Rafdonian royal family».
«... Approved by the Rafdonian royal family?» hikurod asked.
Why are you so surprised? «It means that you work in a public institution as an administrator, not in a union».
«Ahh, ¿of veo?»
The imbecile magician continued speaking with confused words, but that dwarf who continued to fall into the trap every time also began to get on my nerves.
The magician laughed. «Hahaha! Even if you are a barbarian, you know a lot. What's your name?»
«Bjorn, son of Yandel. Sit». At first I planned to just watch, but feeling frustrated, I decided to lead the conversation myself. This would save more time. «Dwalkie, I have read your request. I have some questions I would like to ask you. Is that okay with you?»
«Of course.»
«Do you have a pass to the maze?»
«Would I have come if I didn't have it?»
Just say yes, man. «One more thing, why do you want to be an explorer if you can make enough money in the city?»
It was rare for a rank 8 mage to go on an expedition. The reason was simple: They did not have enough skills to work on the middle or upper floors. However, exploring the lower floors did not make much money. The income obtained working in a public institution was much higher. Considering the difficulty of getting an entry pass and the risk involved, it wasn't worth the money in many ways.
"Hmm, this is an unexpected question." Dwalkie tilted his head and continued, "It's simple. I want to become a great explorer and bring glory to our Baron Martoin." He stated his aspiration with pride and a confident expression.
Hikurod, who had been listening to this in silence, was startled. "B-baron? Are you a n-noble? No, are you a noble... sir?" Nobility. The most powerful in Rafdonia, and those whom an ordinary person might never meet in their entire life.
Apparently, Hikurod's reaction was quite satisfactory, because Dwalkie burst into laughter and said proudly, "Hahaha, my mother's sister, Aunt Enka's husband, is Baroness Martoin's third youngest brother." At that, the dwarf gasped as if he were about to faint. Dwalkie patted him on the shoulder as if he understood. He had a kind smile on his lips. "Don't be so flustered. I have no intention of mistreating anyone with my status."
Seeing that smile, I thought to myself, "This bastard. Is he a lunatic?"