Forming a Party

We both started to go down the stairs, and Nozomi jumped back onto my head; it seems she liked that spot. Halfway down, we heard some shouts coming from the floor below, accompanied by loud laughter.

“You have to let us accept the mission!” It was Kharel's voice, and he seemed to be arguing.

“I can’t allow you to do that!” Rosie replied. “That would be a D-rank mission; it’s too dangerous for you.”

“Then send someone else to do it! At this rate, there could be fatalities,” Karen added. They seemed to be having some difficulties.

I arrived on the lower floor, and with the ruckus they were causing, they had everyone’s attention. As soon as Rosie saw me, she quickly told me to come over.

“Ray, you need to help me dissuade them; it’s suicide!”

“But we have to help those villagers!” Kharel shouted at me. “None of these adventurers want to go!”

“Nobody will accept such a low reward!” A bald man laughed loudly among the others.

“Can I know what’s going on?”

Karen cleared her throat and began explaining.

“We just became adventurers and want to accept the mission to save the village from the wolf pack, but since it’s D-rank, we can’t. We’ve tried asking other adventurers for help, but 500 grim is too little for such a dangerous mission.”

I understand; 500 grim might be a lot for one person, but the mission level is high for low-level adventurers. No matter your rank, a wolf pack could mean many wolves. Going alone would be suicide, and if they go in a group, the divided reward isn’t worth it.

“Ray, you have to help us!” Kharel pleaded, but I still didn’t know how strong the wolves in this world were.

Master, we have to help them, Nozomi looked at me with big puppy eyes; I think I’m going to regret this.

“I accept the mission.”

For a moment, the entire guild fell silent. I feel like I’m digging a deep hole that I won’t be able to climb out of.

“But Ray, you’re E-rank; you can’t—” Before Rosie could finish speaking, I handed her my EI. When she looked at it, she was stunned. “D-rank…”

The people watching in silence started murmuring. Well, it seems everyone will have their attention on me now. It doesn’t matter; if anyone has a problem, Nozomi will answer for me.

“Then there’s no problem; I can accept the mission.”

“Still, going alone…”

“I’m not going alone.” I put my hands on the twins’ shoulders. “They’ll come with me; there’s no problem because we’re a group, right?”

The twins’ eyes lit up, and Rosie sighed.

“If you’re going to make a group, you need to fill out this form. It’s fine since you’re D-rank, but remember they’re F-rank; don’t do anything crazy.”

Rosie placed a paper on the table; it looked quite similar to the registration forms for the guild. We had to put a name for the group, the names of the members, who would be the leader, their jobs, and their roles. There was space for 14 members—a lot, if I may say so. I probably should have thought twice about forming a group with the twins, but well, I can’t avoid it now; they were both looking at me with shining eyes.

“Who will be the leader?” I asked them, wanting to make sure, and also to avoid taking on that responsibility, but as expected, they both pointed at me. Even Nozomi nodded. I wrote my name and job, but I didn’t quite understand what “role” meant. I suppose it’s like in an MMORPG, so being a Tamer, I’ll be the Support of the group. Now, onto the next issue—"what name should we give the group?"

“It has to be something cool and imposing.” Kharel seemed excited. “Burning Demons!” That name sounds like a criminal gang!

“Don’t go overboard; with that name, people will be afraid of us. The name should give a feeling of protection and familiarity.” Karen glanced at Nozomi for a moment, then gave me a determined look. “The Fluffy Guardians!” That doesn’t even make sense… Ugh, don’t make me think of a name myself.

“That name doesn’t sound cool; let’s stick with Burning Demons!”

“That name doesn’t fit us; Fluffy Guardians it is.”

Amid the twins' bickering and the laughter of the rest of the guild, I wished the ground would swallow me up.

How about… Wish Blossom? Nozomi said timidly. Wish, because that’s the meaning of the name you gave me, and blossom because flowers are beautiful and everyone likes them. A bit cheesy, but with a deep meaning…

“Gluttonous Slimes…” Oops, that slipped out.

The twins stared at me, and Kharel started laughing.

“That’s too stupid!”

“Ray, you should stop thinking of names.”

“None of you have suggested more respectable names!” I couldn’t help but blush, and in a moment of impulse, I wrote “Wish Blossom” in the group name. The twins looked at what I had written and nodded after glancing at each other.

“It’s not bad; I like it, even if it’s cheesy.”

“With that, people will surely give us lots of quests.”

Well, it seems they liked it, and Nozomi was also happy, so everything’s good. Huh, now that I think about it.

“Should I add Nozomi to the group?” I asked Rosie. She thought for a moment but then shook her head.

“Only adventurers need to register in the group; tamed monsters or familiars don’t need to be included.”

“Well, that clears that up; you’re next.” I handed the pen to Kharel, who was closest to me.

With a smile, he wrote his name, putting Vanguard as his role and Swordsman as his job. Then he passed the pen to his sister, and she wrote the same as her brother, only putting Burster as her role. I suppose that’s the role for those who deal a lot of damage to enemies in a few attacks, and for her job, she put Elemental Sorceress. It makes sense; I’ve seen her use both fire and ice. I wonder if she has other elements, like wind or earth? I guess I’ll find out later. Karen handed the sheet to Rosie.

“Very well, let me have the EIs for a moment, and everything will be in order.” We all handed over our EIs, and in less than five minutes, they were returned. “All in order; I’ve also accepted the mission. Check the details.”

I looked at my EI; there, besides the name of the group I belong to, now appeared Kharel and Karen's names as group members. I could see their levels and stats; I guess that’s to prevent information leaks. The twins were only level 3; huh, at least their levels are higher compared to mine when I started. I suppose they’ll level up over time. I went to the mission section; there was the mission “Save the Village of Reille,” and in the details, it said we needed to eliminate the wolf pack that lived nearby. The reward: 500 grim divided equally among the group members. Well, it seems simple enough.

“Thank you so much, Ray!” Kharel grabbed my hand and gave me a huge smile.

“Now we can fulfill the promise we made to the villagers; we’ll be eternally grateful.” Karen bowed; I couldn’t help but look away; this is so embarrassing.

Master, you’re a really good person. Even Nozomi… I don’t remember the last time I was praised this much.

I rubbed the back of my head and diverted my gaze to Rosie; she had a smile on her face but a worried look in her eyes. I suppose that’s normal; three novice adventurers taking on a potentially dangerous mission; anyone would be worried. I brought my right hand to my mouth and cleared my throat.

“How far is the village of Reille?” It was something I didn’t know and wanted to clear up my doubt.

“A half-day walk, a couple of hours by carriage.” Karen quickly replied.

“Let’s not waste any more time; we must go save the villagers!” Kharel raised his fist. This guy… doesn’t he realize it’s too late to leave today? Fortunately, his sister scolded him.

“I don’t think there are any carriages at this hour, and if we walk, night will fall on us.” How can they look so alike and be so different in character?

“Karen is right; we’ll leave early tomorrow. For now, there are things I want to do in the city, and I’ve already paid for my stay at the inn tonight; I’m not going to waste it.” Making the most of every grim is important.

“Then we’ll help you with whatever you need!” Kharel looked at me excitedly.

“If you need equipment or anything, we’ll help you get it.” Karen reached her arms toward my head to take Nozomi; I leaned down so it would be easier for her to reach; she’s gotten quite attached to the slime.

“Alright then, let’s go to the market.”

The guild members continued to stare at us intently, but I didn't pay much attention to it. The three of us left the guild and headed to the market district. The sun was almost setting, and people had started to pack up their stalls to go rest. As I looked over the goods available, I couldn't find what I was looking for.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Karen's question came quickly.

"I need something to store items like herbs, flowers, equipment, or potions. I can't keep depending on Nozomi."

"Then you should go to a magic items shop. A bottomless bag is ideal for any adventurer; I think I’ve seen that kind of shop nearby, in one of the alleys." Huh, a bottomless bag… But that would probably be out of my budget.

"How much do they usually cost?"

Karen stroked her chin.

"It mostly depends on the shop and the bag's material. I'd say it will cost at least 500 grim if it's secondhand."

"I'm afraid that's a bit out of my reach for now." I dropped my shoulders and sighed; I barely have enough with what I earned today. I guess the bag will have to wait.

The twins exchanged glances and then smiled.

"Don't worry," Kharel said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We'll pay for it."

"Huh?" That caught me off guard.

"It's the least we can do," Karen continued. "You saved our lives, guided us to the city, and on top of that, you're going to help us fulfill our promise. It's just a small payment for all that."

"You really don't have to…" I never know how to react when people are so kind to me. I was going to try to refuse, but the young man gave me a pat on the back.

"Besides, that bag benefits all of us in the group; it's better to have it as soon as possible."

That’s true, but still…

"At least let's split the cost; I don't want two young people I just met to pay for everything."

"Alright, we'll split it," Karen said, starting to walk toward one of the alleys we had passed earlier. "If we don’t hurry, they’ll close."

Kharel and I followed her, and Nozomi jumped onto my head. In the narrow alley, there was a door with a sign that read, "Magic Items from the Silver Witch." It was barely visible from the market street. The door had a sign that said "Open." Karen pushed the door, and the sweet sound of a bell signaled to the shopkeeper that we were entering. Karen went in first, followed by Kharel, and finally Nozomi and me. I closed the door behind me. The place wasn’t very big, but it was quite messy. The walls were filled with shelves of various gadgets, some of which looked familiar, while others I had never seen before. There were no windows in the room, but it was illuminated by two large chandeliers on each wall, casting a dim light throughout the room, enough to see the objects from a distance. At the back was a counter and a door in the wall. The counter had some clutter on it, but no one was there to attend to it. Didn’t they worry that someone would come in and steal something? With all this mess, they wouldn’t even know what had been taken. There was no sound either; was there really someone managing this place?

"Excuse me, but we've come to see your merchandise," Karen broke the silence in the room, and a voice could be heard from behind the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," the voice sounded like that of a mature woman, calm but a bit tired. "Wait a moment."

After about two minutes and several loud thuds and breaking sounds, the door opened. A woman stepped out who seemed to be in her early thirties, with long, somewhat disheveled silver hair falling to her waist, covering her left eye. Her irises were orange, which complemented her pale skin and pink lips. She wore a black witch hat, and her black outfit with some red accents matched her witchy look, sensually displaying her right leg and a neckline that revealed much of her prominent bosom. The woman yawned before approaching us.

"Kids, what have you come to look for in my shop?" Her tone had shifted to a more aggressive one; she seemed annoyed, as if we had woken her from sleep.

"We're looking for a bottomless bag; do you have any here?" I decided to answer since I was the one interested in buying the item.

The lady looked me up and down, as if examining me, then fixed her piercing gaze on Nozomi, who began to tremble.

"Master, I don't like her gaze at all."

"Is there a problem?" I tried to break the eye contact with Nozomi, but she continued to scrutinize her.

"Your slime..." Her voice now sounded mysterious. "I've never seen such a strange mark."

Oh crap, it’s true; I had completely forgotten about the mark of my dark pact.

"Don't other tamers have that kind of mark on their creatures?" I tried to divert her attention with an innocent question, even though I already knew the answer.

The woman leaned on the counter, grabbed the collar of my shirt, stretched her arm, and pulled me toward her. Our faces were just inches apart, and thanks to this, I could smell the unmistakable scent of alcohol; this woman must have drunk recently.

"You seem like an interesting and mysterious boy," she said, whispering sensually. "I’d like to know more about you."

The tone of her voice made me uncomfortable, and I think I blushed slightly. I also had to avoid looking down; she was showing too much skin and wasn't wearing a bra. I still couldn't understand how her breasts hadn't spilled out of her dress when she leaned over.

"Excuse me, but..." Karen pulled me away from the witch, and I swear she sounded somewhat annoyed. "What mark? Nozomi is just an ordinary blue slime; there’s nothing strange about it."

At Karen's words, I took Nozomi off my head and looked for the mark of the pact, but it was nowhere to be found. Oh right, when she uses "sanguiformation," the mark disappears… So… how does she know about the mark?

"Oh, you're right, dear," the woman smiled after examining Nozomi. "Forgive me, it’s a bit dark in here, and I’m feeling a little tired. What were you looking for?"

Although she changed the subject, she continued to look at me strangely, as if she knew about my facade... Could she also be reincarnated? But her eyes are orange, so that’s not possible... Although I still don't know many details about that subject, I better not dismiss that possibility.

"We were looking for a bottomless bag that doesn’t exceed 500 Grims. Do you have any?" Karen had taken the lead in the conversation, still somewhat annoyed but trying not to show it, while Kharel was staring intently at the woman's cleavage, his expression a mix of awe, embarrassment, and a hint of lewdness. I suppose that’s normal for people of his age.

"Yes, fortunately I have one, although it’s secondhand and a bit worn," the woman lowered her head toward the bottom of the counter, seemingly searching on the floor. After a few seconds, she popped her head back up and placed a worn salmon-colored leather bag with some darker patches on the counter. The previous owner must have used it a lot. "But it still works like the first day, although I can’t guarantee it will last you long. So I’ll let it go for just 400 Grim. The standard market price for a new one is over 1000, and secondhand ones don't go below 500. You shouldn’t let this opportunity slip by."

To be honest, I was planning to buy it at the standard market price, but if she’s giving us a discount, who am I to refuse? But before I could say anything, Karen grabbed the bag and examined it closely, then put her hand inside. I was surprised to see that in a bag no larger than a coin pouch, a whole arm could fit. After pulling her arm out, she gave the object a couple more turns and then set it down on the table.

"It’s in very poor condition." Now it was clear that Karen was upset; her voice sounded hostile. "400 Grim would be too much for an item that could break after using it once. I don’t believe it cost you even half that to buy."

Karen was staring at the witch, who looked surprised by the young woman's insight, and after a few seconds of silence, the woman burst out laughing.

"You have a good eye for this, dear. Are you sure your true calling isn’t to be a merchant? I think you’d be better suited for that than being a half-baked adventurer." In that last sentence, the witch let slip a hint of hostility in her tone that had been calm until now, at least since the conversation about Nozomi's mark.

"Do you think you can trick us just because we're novices?" Karen was angry; that was unusual. I thought she was the type of person who remained calm with everyone except those close to her. "Being an adventurer has nothing to do with common sense, which you seem to lack. What kind of human drinks alcohol and falls asleep in the middle of work?"

The woman frowned at Karen's comment; her smile had vanished. It seemed the redhead had said something she shouldn’t have. This is bad; the woman could refuse to sell us the bag. I need to do something.

Just when the woman was about to say something, I grabbed the bag from the counter and looked inside.

"I wonder what kind of adventures the person who carried this bag has experienced." Changing the subject is usually the best way to stop arguments, and besides, I was curious. "Given how worn it is, its owner must have gone through a lot."

Everyone looked at me, the witch let out a faint smile, gazing at the bag with a hint of nostalgia.

"I can assure you that bag has been through a lot," the woman returned to her calm tone, with a relaxed expression. "If you’re interested in those kinds of details, I can let you have the bag for 200, and if it breaks, I’ll repair it for free."

Karen had a complicated expression, as if she had just regretted losing her composure, and she tilted her head toward the witch.

"Sorry, I’m no one to interfere in the life of someone I don’t know; I didn’t mean to offend you." Karen's voice trembled; she seemed very remorseful.

"Don’t worry, dear. I was the one who started it; I should have kept my mouth shut, but I can’t help but annoy people like you." Karen raised her gaze, and it was clear to see the fire of a furious stare, but she said nothing. She simply took a silver grim from a small pouch she had under her tunic. I pulled out the small leather pouch that Gema had given me with the reward and took out a silver coin, placing it on the counter, and Karen did the same. The woman took the coins and pushed the bag toward us. "A pleasure doing business with you. If you need any other magical gadgets, don’t hesitate to stop by here." Karen took the bag from the counter and headed for the exit without even saying goodbye or waiting for us.

"Excuse her," Kharel spoke with a melancholic tone. "She always gets like this when someone tries to dissuade her from pursuing her dream. She didn’t mean it with bad intentions."

"Don’t worry, dear; we all lose our tempers sometimes, and she still needs to mature."

Kharel sighed and started walking toward the exit. I was about to follow, but the woman grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear.

"I know you’re not from this world." I pulled away from her instantly, my expression serious and a bit agitated. How does she know? When I was about to ask, Karen called me to come out. It seems I don’t have time to question her. "My name is Aria. Don’t hesitate to seek me out if you need help."

Aria showed a sincere smile; she didn’t seem to have anything hidden about her, but still… I have a bad feeling… I think the sooner I get away from her, the better. I stepped outside, where the twins were waiting for me. Karen handed me the bag and reached out her arms to take Nozomi, then leaned her head toward me.

"I'm really sorry, Ray." The redhead looked nervous, and her voice was still trembling. "I didn’t want that woman to cheat us, and I ended up losing my composure. You also had the right to give your opinion, and yet I..." Before she could say another word, I patted her head. I think she thinks I might kick her out of the group or punish her.

"You did well; lift your head." Karen raised her head and looked me in the eyes. Her deep sky-blue eyes were glassy, and she looked like she was about to cry. "I don’t know the value of items in this world, nor how long they’ll last. Someone like you helps me a lot; don’t blame yourself for it. Next time, let Kharel or me give our opinion. It’s always good to compare different points of view and discuss whether we should buy something or not. We’re a group, after all."

Without letting go of Nozomi, Karen wiped her eyes with her sleeve and then showed a small smile.

"Okay, I’ll keep that in mind." Just as she finished speaking, her stomach growled, and she couldn’t help but blush. "Shall we go to the inn? It’s getting late, and neither Kharel nor I have eaten anything since breakfast."

As if the redhead had just remembered something, he placed his hands on his stomach.

"That’s true… With all the mission stuff and being adventurers, I almost forgot we haven’t eaten anything. Can we go to your inn, Ray?"

"Of course, come on." I smiled at them and started walking toward the main street. "It’s not far; the service is excellent, and the food tastes great, plus it’s cheap."

"Decided then!" Kharel raised his voice and followed me. Karen nodded, and the three of us made our way to the inn.