On the night of the 17th, all the members of the newly formed team met. The meeting place was a three-story bar that had opened not long ago. At first, we were going to meet at Mr. Bear's tent, but he flatly refused.
«Hmm, our store is not good for secret conversations».
«Alright. Instead of exploration plans, we will talk about distribution...»
«Stop, there's a place I know. Let's go there.»
Geez, I was just trying to help increase his profits. Was it the custom of a married man to reject that with disgust? I swear, this man was funny.
«Am I the last?» After Raven arrived, everyone was gathered.
«Don't feel it, sit down.»
«I arrived on time, why should I apologize?»
Oh, that was true... but why was she more feisty than usual? Oh, was he trying to get an advantage since they were all strangers?
She is very astute in these areas.
I thought maybe it arrived on time on purpose, but I didn't bother to say it. They had not yet signed the contract. «Then let's introduce ourselves briefly».
After ordering some dishes and drinks, we had time to get acquainted with each other. Ainar began. «I am Ainar, Fenelin's second daughter! Nice to meet you».
«Ainar? I think it's too short...»
«I-Do I have to say more...? Forgive. I'm not used to these meetings...» Missha, who had gotten quite close to her these past few days, made a comment at which Ainar scratched her head in shame. Nobody criticized her for it. Ainar already knew the entire team. He was with Raven at the Bloody Citadel, and had met Mr. Bear in his tent a few days ago.
«Miss Ainar... you are exactly the same».
«Thanks for the compliment. Wizard, you look the same too».
Anyway, in the end I introduced Ainar on her behalf, things like her scout rank, her role on the team, etc.
After my presentation, Mr. Bear made a brief comment. «So there are two swordsmen?».
Before he could respond, Ainar interrupted as if to point out a mistake. «Urakburak, I am a warrior, not a swordsman».
«My name is Urikfried... No, I already said it last time, can't you call me Abman?».
«...I'll try. Pronunciation is difficult».
«Pronunciation?»
«Is there a problem?»
Mr. Bear seemed to have a lot to say, but ended the conversation with a deep sigh. Little by little he was learning to talk to a barbarian. It was best not to talk to them. «It's you I don't know. I've heard a lot about Bjorn. Abman Urikfried.»
«Raven Arua». You are a guide, right?»
Missha interrupted: «Ah, I'm Missha Karlstein».
Afterwards, the remaining three introduced themselves and exchanged conversations about their respective roles as professionals. With this, half of the first meeting was over. Our neat dishes arrived then, so we continued our conversation while eating and drinking.
«This place is clean and has good food».
«If my wife cooked like that...»
«¿Está casado, Sr. Urikfried?»
«Oh, I hadn't told him. Three years ago».
«Bjorn, this is called squid, would you like to try it? The texture is very special».
The atmosphere was generally friendly until the topic of the maze came up near the end of the meal.
«Anyway, let's get to the point now, okay?»
«Yes, it's a good idea. Bjorn, how are you going to distribute the loot?».
When the money problem came to the surface, everyone's eyes changed. Well, everyone except Ainar.
«Can't we just take what Bjorn gives us?»
«Maybe you can, Miss Ainar. But we don't».
The wizard was quick to calculate and Mr. Bear had a family to protect. They were both good people in private, but when the time came, they openly defended their rights.
«Missha is fine, but I think there is a problem with Ainar receiving the same proportion. She is the most lacking among us».
«Urakburak...! Is that what you think of me?! I-I trusted you! I thought you were a valuable comrade!»
«Be calm. Bjorrrn will take care of it. Um? Be kind.»
«¡Uf…!»
Ainar trembled at the betrayal and Missha covered her mouth from her side just in time to silence her. However, seeing her like this, Mr. Bear must have had a hard time opening his mouth.
«Ahem...» Mr. Bear coughed and looked away.
Raven naturally took the lead and began appealing herself. «I don't really care about Miss Ainar or Karlstein. I'm a magician, after all».
«...Speak.»
«With me, you can store an essence in a test tube and sell it. Since I learned high class distortion too, even if our goal is a byproduct, we can get it much easier.»
«Are you asking to increase your distribution?»
«Yeah. I want 30%».
Ugh, this wasn't easy from the beginning. Dwalkie had accepted an even cast with a smile and a laugh. «...30% is too much».
«Of course not. All my elders say they take that amount».
Hey, who are you trying to fool?
Certainly, magicians were treated well in the labyrinth, assuming that everyone was equal. «Those seniors must have joined lower-ranking teams than them».
«Hmm, are you saying I don't?»
Since Raven was a rank 6 mage, it was okay to treat her like a rank 5 scout. Considering that Missha and I were rank 6 and Ainar was rank 7, she was clearly a higher rank.
«We'll find out once we explore». I was confident. Regardless of rank, there wouldn't be a situation where she would take us without help. «Isn't that why you wanted to join the team?»
«Well, that's true». Surprisingly, Raven readily admitted it. Were all these the bases for the next step? «Still, it's true that Miss Karlstein and Miss Fenelin are less important than the three of us».
«They will soon do their part».
«Yeah. I believe it too. In a year... No, at the earliest, they will do their part in a few months. But why should I suffer a loss until then?».
Raven proposed that the team re-set the ratio later, once the two could proudly claim their share, and I accepted that to some extent. «The proportion is 20% for everyone. Instead, you will have 40% of the special loot obtained through magic».
«Okay.»
Thus, Raven ended up accepting the condition that a magician belonging to a group of five people would normally receive, equitable distribution plus a bonus rate limited to magic loot. That's what one person ended up with. Only Mr. Bear remained.
«I will take 5% of Ainar and give it to you». In reality, taking into account that he was a guide, it would not be an understatement to give him 10% more. «Since we haven't even done the first scan, for now, settle for that».
Mr. Bear gladly accepted. He was sure it would be a little awkward to proudly claim his share. He may have been a guide, but his searching ability was zero.
«Then this matter is resolved.»
Thus, the final distribution proportion was determined: I, 20%; Missha, 20%; Ainar, 15%; Raven, 20% (special loot, 40%); and Mr. Bear, 25%. This only applied to general loot. We agreed to divide equally everything obtained by getting rid of a looter and things like that.
Ugh, what a waste.
I could see why explorers were so obsessed with ascents. I needed to reach rank 5 or something soon. If all three of us had rank 5, those guys wouldn't even have considered the distribution.
Well, this is within expectations.
I took a sip of my drink and erased my regret. He even had a scenario in mind where they would be even greedier than this, but they stayed in their lane. If I weren't the leader and it was another team, the members would have talked more openly about their profits.
I guess the biggest obstacle has already passed.
Once distribution negotiations were completed, the team was virtually confirmed, although there were still countless issues to discuss.
«Oh yeah, what's up with the team? When are you going to register it?» raven asked.
«I'll do it tomorrow».
«Then I can't go. I thought this would be the case, so I brought a power of attorney. Please go without me».
«...Of course.»
We had to discuss everything from simple administrative tasks to all kinds of matters.
«Are we going to make a separate fund for the team? Or raise only what is necessary each time?»
«We will collect a regular amount each month».
«How much?»
How much would be allocated to team funds? If funds were lacking, how would we compensate? If we entered a crack or discovered a mysterious treasure in the maze, would we still use the same distribution ratio? Were we going to recognize everything gained through individual means? Were there incentives? etc etc.
The Half Witty Team wasn't like that...
When I paid attention again, it was just Raven and I actively participating in the conversation.
¡Honnnnnkk!
Ainar was asleep with her head hanging. Mr. Bear had just dropped his drink as if enjoying his long-awaited freedom, and Missha was scribbling in a notebook. He wasn't taking notes or anything, it was just his hobby. Apparently, his hands were itchy from doing something without being able to cook. I had started drawing a few days ago.
«...What did you draw?»
«Nada.
«An ogre?»
«¡Pffft! Si, es un orrrcooo. Orco. Kekeke».
It was a somewhat unpleasant reaction, but Raven called me by name before I could ask Missha for details. «Um, Mr. Yandel, we're still talking...»
Oh sure. Having used my brain for the past few hours, my concentration was failing. I didn't know anything about the important issues, but deciding on so many little things made it so. After a while, I looked at the time and said: «Raven, let's finish here for today».
«Excuse me? But we haven't finished reviewing the things I've organized».
«Organized?»
«The points that must be addressed before forming the team. I have organized them in advance». When I asked him how many points were left, Raven responded with thirty-one.
...What we have done so far is not even half?
Thinking about the rest of the points already bored me like an oyster, but with his personality, overcoming them would be at least a little useful. «Still, it's too late. Let's do the rest next time».
«Okay.»
We made an appointment in two days and left. For some reason, both my body and mind were exhausted. I thought my personality was similar to that of a magician, but seeing a real one, I was sure. I was glad I chose a barbarian.
***
The morning after the first meeting, four of us met and visited the Explorers Guild. By filing yesterday's power of attorney, we officially complete the team registration.
«Is the team name Bjorn? Isn't that too half-hearted?» ainar murmured dissatisfiedly, but I just did what was customary. The official name of the Half-Wit team was simply «Murad». Normally, everyone used the leader's first or last name.
«If there is something more suitable, we can change it. So don't be too disappointed».
«Can I think of one too?»
«Of course you can».
«Really? I'll think about it a lot». She was sure she would forget about it in a few hours, but it didn't matter if she did. The name of the team was not important.
"Abman, what are you going to hate?"
«I have to go back to the store. My wife is waiting for me».
«Ya veo.»
As soon as the team was formed, Mr. Bear left and we ate something simple outside before returning home. The three of us lived here now, me in room 201, Ainar in room 202, and Missha in room 207 across the hall.
«Oh, Bjorrrn. There's something in your mailbox».
«Mail?» When I checked by Missha's words, there was a letter inside with the seal of the Church of Reatlas.
Is it a meeting with the dragon tribe?
I hurried into my room and checked the contents. But what was this? When I opened it, there was only one sentence written.
He will call you.
The title «Paal Krovitz, Second Captain of the Paladins» was longer than the actual message.
What is this?
As he looked at her confused, the letter caught fire and turned to ashes in an instant. I was grateful that he paid attention to the secret as I asked... but this made it difficult for even me to understand.
For now I sat on the bed to organize my thoughts. I had a rough idea of the «him» Krovitz was referring to. He must have been talking about the leader of the dragon tribe, the old dragon. There was only one thing I didn't quite understand.
Are you going to call me?
It would have been easier to understand if he had written down a time and place instead, since I was the one who asked him to arrange a meeting with the utmost secrecy.
What are you going to call me? Will you meet me again to make an appointment?
When I fell back into bed with these thoughts, a magic circle appeared on the wooden floor with a blue light.
«¿Eh?»
Without giving me time to judge the situation, the magic circle emitted a bright light. When I came to, I found myself in an unknown space.
It was like an invocation from another world.
It was a building reminiscent of a Greek temple supported by enormous pillars. I quickly organized the current situation.
It is the temple of the dragon. Is it a teleportation type Dragon Speech? And did the letter serve as a medium?
I broadly understood the circumstances. It wasn't bad. This way, the secret was much easier to maintain.
«No, it surprises you».
Soon, I looked forward. A man with all the characteristics of Dragon Town was sitting on a throne and looking at me softly. Scales sprouted from its skin and its pupils were reminiscent of a reptile. The throne was shrouded in mist, but dozens of eyes shone from beyond. Were they all Dragon People? How many had he gathered?
Geez, those eyes.
They transmitted a different type of pressure than murderous energy. I felt like I was facing another species with my own body that I could never defeat, a natural enemy. This was Dragon Fear, something that all Dragon People were passively equipped with.
And they're using it on me, huh?
I smiled bitterly. I thought I knew what his intentions were.
«Did you know? You are not the first barbarian to visit this place. However... if you come back alive, you will be the first.»
It was a kind of forest paralysis. Due to the nature of their race, they would not steal the Dragon Slayer sword without compensating their benefactor, but they probably judged that it was better to kill my spirits beforehand. They didn't know what kind of unreasonable demands a barbarian like me would make.
The Dragon Fear grew stronger, which made me break out in a cold sweat. But so what? I wasn't raised so stupidly that my mind would go blank just from a little sweat.
Why do these people like nervous breakdowns so much?
Thanks to that, it became clear to me what I had to do at that moment. I never dreamed I'd start this before I even introduced myself, but letting you know now would save me more time. Whether they tried to suppress me with Dragon Fear or not, it was a waste of time.
«¡Behell-aaaaaaaaaaah!»