The unexpected voice startled the three of them.
Especially the short-haired girl, who visibly trembled.
The archer girl observed Gauss with a scrutinizing gaze, wary of the stranger.
She did not respond.
However, from her slightly resistant expression, it was evident that she was inclined to refuse.
In her view, Gauss's appearance didn't signal much strength.
Apart from the cheap small round shield at his side, he carried no proper armor, just a linen garment washed to the point of fading, with the hem even torn with some breezy holes, and the only weapon he carried was the worn dagger at his waist.
He looked more like a young person with no food to eat, biting the bullet to take a gamble, rather than an adventurer.
The only commendable aspect was his rather clean and delicate appearance, black hair, and green eyes—he wasn't particularly handsome, but his bright eyes made people want to look twice.
She quite liked those green eyes, but she couldn't recruit a "pretty face" lacking combat power into the team just because of that.
Now, she remained silent, just contemplating what excuse to use to refuse him.
After a few seconds of silence, the atmosphere turned subtle.
The young swordsman leaning against the pillar, however, responded to Gauss at this moment.
"We are also newcomers. If you want to accumulate adventure experience, it's best to team up with some veterans."
He spoke weakly, but his words were very sincere, carrying a touch of goodwill.
"It's fine, my target is also the goblin commission. I just haven't found a suitable solo commission for now, so I thought about trying a temporary team-up." Gauss wasn't particularly keen on teaming up with veterans who've been lingering among bottom adventurers for years.
"I need to discuss with my companions first." Hearing Gauss's words, the archer girl finally spoke.
"No problem." Gauss nodded.
He didn't insist; he was just asking with a try-and-see attitude.
If refused, he would just look for suitable tasks elsewhere.
"Oh, right."
Just as Gauss prepared to step further away to give the three some space for private discussion, the archer halted him as if recalling something.
"Is your main weapon the dagger? Or do you have any other specialty?"
She wasn't expecting any useful answer. An adventurer would definitely be most skilled with the weapon he carried.
She asked simply to find a pretext, planning to politely refuse using the fact that the team already had someone skilled with daggers, lacking close-combat members temporarily.
However, Gauss's answer surprised her.
"For close combat, I would use the dagger and wooden spear. As for specialties, I used to be a hunter, so I won't get lost in the wild, and also, I just learned a spell."
"A spell?"
Once Gauss finished speaking, the three all looked over.
Their eyes conveyed a sentiment of "this thing shouldn't belong in your realm."
"Are you a mage?"
"I'm not sure if I qualify, but I do indeed know a spell." Gauss did not intend to conceal anything.
Since he was asking people about teaming up, there was no reason to hide anything.
Thinking that mere words were not enough, he immediately cast the Mage's Hand.
The air briefly twisted slightly, and under the shaping of magic power, an invisible spectral hand condensed.
He handed over the dagger.
The Mage's Hand grasped the hilt and swung twice in the air.
"It really is… magic!" The archer girl, watching the dagger cutting through air, couldn't help but let her eyes sparkle with excitement!
She eagerly approached and asked Gauss.
"What spell is this?"
"Mage's Hand, it forms an invisible hand," Gauss briefly explained.
While not intending to withhold details, he also didn't elaborate for now, uncertain if they would let him join the team.
Talking too much now, if refused, would be a waste of words.
"Mage's Hand... Hmm, sounds impressive." The archer girl nodded repeatedly, her eyes still shimmering with excitement.
She seemed quite enthusiastic about magic and spells.
"We'll discuss this first. Please wait here for us, don't leave just yet." Having said that, she swiftly pulled the other two companions into the corner for a discussion.
The three didn't go far; though Gauss had no intention of eavesdropping, their unlowered voices still reached his ears.
"Should we team up with this stranger?"
"But he's a mage!"
"Teaming up with a mage should offer more safety, especially for a first mission involving seven to eight goblins."
"..."
After a short meeting, the three returned to Gauss.
"My companions and I have no objections. Welcome to our team; we hope for a pleasant cooperation on the upcoming commissions."
The archer led with a welcome to Gauss, reaching out to shake hands.
"Yes, pleased to meet you." Gauss replied, shaking hands with her. "How should I address the three of you?"
"I am Haylir, skilled with bows and arrows, providing long-range support. Uh, I also cook."
"I'm Mia; I can use daggers."
"Bell, using a longsword."
The three had different personalities: Haylir was the most enthusiastic upon knowing Gauss's "mage" identity, Mia was the shy short-haired girl, and Bell was the lazy-spoken swordsman.
Despite their varying personalities, Gauss felt by instinct that they were all good.
"You guys aren't locals, right?"
Gauss had been around the town for more than a year but hadn't seen them before.
"That's right, we're all from Barry City, friends since childhood."
...
The first day of the temporary teaming.
As the team leader, Haylir generously treated everyone, taking them to a tavern to celebrate over a meal.
The three from Barry City indeed had a decent family background, not necessarily of nobility, but at least worry-free from hunger or cold.
Roast meat, malt beer, salted sturgeon, venison sausage...
Gauss had the most sumptuous meal since arriving in the Otherworld.
The meat pieces sizzling with oil and drizzled with the shop's secret sauce exploded in flavor upon biting, harmonizing the juices and savory sauce on the tongue.
The sliced venison sausage tasted special too, with an intense salty meat flavor akin to beef and a mysterious smoky fruit aroma.
The skills of this world's chefs were not bad, especially comparing after Gauss had days of black bread, oatmeal porridge, and pickled vegetables, the dishes before him seemed especially lavish.
However, when it came to paying, the price quoted by the waiter made Gauss silently click his tongue.
"A modest 3 silver coins and 40 copper coins."
The meal used up all of his assets.
He initially thought about suggesting sharing the bill, but he swallowed those words back, his face showing slight embarrassment.
Having just paid the adventurer registration fee, he honestly didn't have enough money to split this meal evenly.
"No need to be polite with Haylir; her family runs a business, well-off enough." Bell whispered.
Gauss nodded, suddenly sensing that the wealth gap in this Otherworld was equally significant.
Both young individuals venturing out into the world for the first time, the original body came out from home with 30 copper coins, a set of changed clothes, 1 pound of black bread, relying on personal effort to save over 3 silver coins over more than a year, yet it's merely the price of a meal.
Shaking his head.
He felt something about the disparity but didn't feel discouraged.
After all, the future was his.
Although now the purse was light, he knew it was only temporary.
When he had money in the future, he would treat in return.
Gauss rubbed his empty money pouch, following the three out of the tavern.