I was drinking something resembling green tea at a coffee shop near the administrative office.
The people accompanying me were grade 7 administrative office officials, Shavin, and her best friend, Ragna. It wasn't our first meeting. After meeting the sewer commission, we met a few times at Shavin's initiative for lunch or tea. As for frequency, it was about once a month.
«Oh! Share this with your colleagues when you come back later. They sell them at a new cookie store near our office, and they are very popular these days».
«...I will. Thanks».
Most of our conversations were about trivial things, but the reason I kept coming to these meetings was simple. Sometimes, there was useful information.
«Ah yeah! Had I told you? I think the system that reduces mana stone exchange rates based on seniority is going to disappear».
«How sure are you?»
«Our boss considers that he is already quite over».
Damn. For an explorer with less than a year of experience, this was no different from lightning striking from the sky. «When do you think it will be applied?»
«Well, maybe next year at the earliest, or the next at the latest...».
«That's lucky, at least, I guess».
As always, after exchanging useful information, the conversation turned to business as usual. Around the time I was starting to get bored, Shavin would blurt out more useful information. I realized this was no coincidence at the second meeting.
It's like they're training me or something.
Shavin definitely knew that without bait like this, I would have no reason to participate in these boring meetings.
He must be doing all this for this boy.
«And you? Ragna? Is something wrong with you?»
I didn't know it at first, but the librarian, Ragna Litaniel Peprok, had the social skills of a rock. Was that why Shavin wanted me to be good friends with her? Did she think she was his mother or something?
«No, nada».
«Oh yeah? Anything you want to say to Mr. Yandel? You've been very quiet since before».
«Something you want to say... There may be something, actually.»
«Oh yeah? Then let go. You two are already friends, right?»
Shavin looked at me after that, and I let out a silent sigh and nodded. «Yes, we are friends».
It was a friendship officiated with a handshake at the first meeting. Honestly, I didn't know what meaning that could have. But what could I do? Working in the back office, Shavin had a lot of information that could benefit me. Not only that, but I also took on sweet non-sewing jobs, so all I could do was roll around like a trapped fish.
«Friends...» Did my words give you courage? Ragna, who had remained still throughout the conversation, looked at me with her usual expressionless face and recited as if to discipline me: «B-Bjorn Yandel. You shouldn't stay away from books».
«Oh, I've been busy these days». Was true. After leaving the maze, there had not been a day when he rested properly.
«So... will you come tomorrow?»
«If today's work goes well».
I still had the Dragon Slayer sword, but there was nothing I could do until Krovitz got me a meeting. Once the recruitment of a magician is finished, he could rest for a while.
«Ragna Litaniel Peprok». In that spirit, it was time to move on to the main topic. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was for this purpose that I participated in the meeting despite being busy.
«If you have something to say, say it. Forward. We are friends, right?».
«Of course!» When Ragna used the word «friend» first, Shavin smiled happily and accepted.
Well, that should be sufficient basis. «Are you interested in becoming an explorer?»
«...It's the same proposal you made then».
«Yeah.» I had made the same offer before, but the situation was a little different from that time. Our team had diversified a lot and now we were friends.
While waiting for Ragna's response, Shavin shouted madly: «N-no! What are you talking about?» It was an unexpected situation. «Ragna? You will refuse, right? Of course. You know what the maze is like!»
It was a mistake. I thought Shavin would help me, saying that being an explorer was also a social experience, as she seemed to be friends with several explorers. I judged that she would resist exploration less. That's why I brought it up when the three of us were together. I never thought she would be the one to ruin my plan.
«...Shavin, don't be so afraid. I'm not going anywhere». Ragna gently grabbed Shavin's hand. Only then did Shavin come to his senses and sit back down with an embarrassed face.
That left a bitter taste in my mouth. «So you reject my offer».
«Yeah. I like the job of librarian».
You liked being a librarian, huh? To believe that, he would have to ignore a clear memory of her looking into the distance and saying: «Who would be interested in this place?». It would be wiser to accept that she couldn't leave for some reason.
Recruiting her was a failure.
I was a little disappointed. While meeting them a few times, I learned that their mage rank was very high. She was at least rank 5, but also young and had room to grow in the future.
Well, the fact that a guy like that works as a librarian means there's some kind of backstory there.
I erased all my regrets. She would have been a great recruit, but now she couldn't do anything. At our level of acquaintances, even if I asked him what his story was, I didn't think he would tell me so easily.
Shavin, who had returned to normal, asked: «But isn't there a wizard on your team, Mr. Yandel? The administrative magician...»
I answered: «He's dead».
«Oh...»
That was the end of today's meeting.
***
After the meeting, I headed to the magic tower. It was my first visit in two months. Wow, it had been so long since the research cooperation ended.
«¿Eh? ¿Sr. Candle?»
«How long without seeing him. I can pass?»
«Well of course».
Raven's personal laboratory had not changed since then. Documents piled up like mountains and magical materials were scattered here and there. I wanted it to clean up a little.
«Don't put that anywhere and give it to me. I need to remember where I put it». Hmm, was it a system that didn't need cleaning because she remembered everything? It could be more reasonable than it seemed. After handing him the document I had left on my chair, Raven abruptly asked: «What happened? You haven't visited us in two months».
At first, he brought me water in a flask, at least. Did we not even have a business relationship anymore? Well, getting straight to the point was welcome. No matter how much he flattered her or led her to it, that wouldn't change this woman's decision. If the outcome was decided, he should at least buy time.
«I have a suggestion for you».
«Tell me.»
«There is a vacancy for a magician on my new team».
«In a word, it's another recruiting offer». Raven laughed. It was a completely different attitude than before, when he put on a serious face as soon as I asked him. Well, that was before I earned the nickname Little Balkan. «Mr. Yandel, do you remember what I told you then?».
«You said it would be nice if all team members had a rank higher than 6 and there was a priest».
«AND? How was?»
I introduced the members sincerely, starting with the fact that there was no priest and that Missha was a rank 7 melee dealer.
«Hmm, ¿Rango 7?»
«She'll be promoted to rank 6 in a month, so don't worry about that».
Seeing her expression of distrust, I recited Missha's essences and rank and Raven softened her face. «If you say so».
Next was Ainar. Since we left the Bloody Citadel together, there was no need for a long explanation.
«You speak so confidently, and yet she is rank 9? No, more importantly, why is it still rank 9? He then consumed the Bone Knight» essence.
«She is just like Missha. There was no time to request a promotion».
This was not an excuse, but the truth. Right now, the two who had a massive fight yesterday would be in the Explorers Guild requesting a promotion. She would receive at least a rank 7 evaluation. Ainar currently had a rank 7 essence and a whopping rank 4 essence.
«Have you inherited a rank 4 essence? Well, that changes things».
«The evaluation may be rank 7, but it is safe to say that she is rank 6. I fought with her and judged this part myself, so there is no need to doubt it».
«I can find out on my own. And the last person?»
«Abman Urikfried, an explorer of 5 de la tribe Very Negro. Usa buna gran ballesta como weapon ».
When I told him about his tank summoned beast, Raven's expression changed. «That's enough to welcome you anywhere. Why did he join your team?»
«We already knew each other. He said at least I wouldn't stab a teammate in the back».
«Well... You are trustworthy in that sense». Raven surprisingly accepted this easily and moved on. But after hearing the members' composition, she was doubtful. «What about an explorer?»
The long-awaited question arrived. Since people got different impressions of the information depending on how it will be presented, I brought up the topic as if I had just remembered it. «Oh, I hadn't told you. Urikfried is a guide».
«...Is that true?»
«Should I take an oath for you to believe me?»
«No, but...»
I chuckled, straightened my shoulders confidently, and threw overboard the remorse of conscience that was beginning to twist.
No mentí, ¿verdad?
Mr. Bear was a guide. The thing is that he was given the wrong instructions. Anyway, after revealing Mr. Bear's talent, the rest was a breeze. Raven pretended to think about it, since her pride was at stake.
«It will be a good opportunity for you too. Don't you always say you don't have enough money? For now, the goal is to reach the sixth floor, so there will be no shortage of money when exploration gets serious.»
«Hmm. »
«As you can see from the composition of the team, it can't be just any magician. We need an expert magician like you».
« ¿Hmm? »
«Oh, and one more. Since there is a guide, there will be several occasions when we enter a crack or discover a hidden space in the maze. A magician like you should know the value of that, right?».
«Hmmmm.» When I came out more convinced, Raven lowered her pride and nodded. «Okay. Since you speak so seriously». This was expected, because she did not reject it as soon as the offer came out. If she didn't have exploration in mind in the first place, she wouldn't have listened to me until now. «But, I have a condition.»
«...Speak.»
«Exploration is always the second priority for me. The first will be my research».
«Dilo simply.»
«If I have a topic to research, I can take a break of a month or two, or even leave the team completely. I hope you can understand that part».
She was secretly nervous, but it wasn't an unreasonable demand. We were not an official clan. Sudden vacancies were common in this industry, especially for a high magician. Yes, this wasn't bad at all.
«Okay. Instead, tell me in advance. If you're gone forever, I'll have to find a new wizard. Just use mercenaries for a month or two».
«Okay. That's all, then».
This is how the last member was decided: Arua Raven, a rank 6 conventional mage from the Altemion school.
«I guess we are colleagues now».
«I'm counting on you».
Recruitment success.
After that, we chatted briefly. The foundations had been laid to form the team, but it was not ready yet. «Let's all get together to register the team in the guild and talk about distribution. When would be a good time?»
It was common for a team to fall apart during the meeting phase, so I wanted to hold a meeting as soon as possible. I judged that time was running out to find new members.
Unfortunately, the final meeting was delayed by more than a week. «My thesis on the vampire guardian is in the final stages. Next week, everything, including registration for the academy, will be over, so maybe we can meet around that time».
I decided to think about it positively. If the investigation ended next month, I wouldn't have even thought about listening to my proposal. The timing was good in many ways. With your specifications, you could find better equipment than ours.
«Then let's meet on the 17th floor, I will discuss the place and time with the group and send you an email».
«I would appreciate it».
After that I left the magic tower and met with Missha and Mr. Bear individually. After deciding the place and time, I returned to my accommodation and rested.
The next day, I visited the library, and after that, my daily life continued without incident.
«Wow! I have never seen a mace so big!»
I faced Ainar and practiced true gigantization mode.
«Do you buy this for me even after I bought cotton candy? Bjorn, are you some kind of shaman's pot?»
«I'm not buying it from you, it's an investment-No, loan. When you earn money later, you have to pay it back».
The three of us visited Kommelby, including Missha, to improve Ainar's team. Missha moved into the next room that happened to be free just in time.
«And your original accommodation?» i asked. «There aren't many places that allow you to cook».
«Alright. Now I'm going to buy everything. Anyway, he steals all my food».
We visited Mr. Bear's shop, and almost got him killed after Missha spoke out.
«Honey, have you been fooling me and entering the maze on your own this whole time!?»
«Honey? I'm sorry... Don't kill me...! Think of the baby!»
Thus the quiet days passed. With only one minute left until midnight on the 15th I lay comfortably on the bed.
[Your soul has resonated and is attracted to a specific world].
That moment had arrived once again.