章 21: Formation Of A Temporary Party

We moved to a less crowded area to talk more comfortably.

To start, we introduced ourselves.

"I'm Zeros. I have the [Crest of Null] and I'm level 24."

"I'm Shuna. I have the [Magic Crest] and I just reached level 20... Wait, level 24 with the [Crest of Null]!?"

Shuna, as she introduced herself, sounded surprised.

"That's amazing. I've never seen someone with the [Crest of Null] at such a high level."

Her tone wasn't mocking. It was just that in this world, the [Crest of Null] was often seen as a mark of uselessness. Given that the Inheritance Shrine Grant Point wasn't known in this era, it made sense.

(Still, I think you can level up to some extent even without skills...)

But in this reality, where dying even once meant the end, few people would take risks with a crest not suited for combat.

Back to the main topic. I continued to persuade Shuna.

"Yeah. I have enough ability to handle the basics, so you don't need to worry about that. The main point is, there's a dungeon I want to conquer, and I need your help..."

"W-wait! Stop, stop!"

Shuna hurriedly interrupted me.

Maybe I was a bit too hasty.

After taking a deep breath, Shuna spoke again.

"I appreciate that you're relying on me, Zeros, but I only have [Magic Missile] and [Sacred Enchant]. I don't think I can meet your expectations..."

"No, I specifically need that [Sacred Enchant]."

When I said that, Shuna seemed flustered and continued.

"Wait, Zeros, you don't understand! Look at this and see if you still think you need it!"

She showed me her status screen.

With the owner's permission, others could view their status. Although it wasn't generally recommended, this time Shuna was showing it willingly, so I looked.

It read as follows:

――――――――――――――――――――

Shuna Trimeil

Gender: Female

Age: 15

Crest: [Magic Crest]

Level: 20

HP: 160/160

MP: 140/140

Strength: 23

Endurance: 23

Speed: 26

Intelligence: 40

Luck: 26

Status Points: 0

Skills: [Magic Missile] Lv.1, [Sacred Enchant] Lv.1

――――――――――――――――――――

[Sacred Enchant] Lv.1

・Magic Skill

・Attribute: Holy

・Consumes an additional 50% MP to grant the user's magic the Holy attribute.

――――――――――――――――――――

(Shuna Trimeil...?)

Something about the name caught my attention, but I set that aside and focused on the stats. She had allocated many points to Intelligence, with balanced distribution elsewhere (Speed and Luck slightly higher). It was a standard setup for a mage. And most importantly, there was the shining [Sacred Enchant] skill.

...Yes, just as expected.

"See? It's a useless skill that only adds an attribute at the cost of 50% more MP. With [Magic Missile] already draining my MP, I can't manage it... So, you don't need to push yourself to recruit me--"

"No, seeing this confirms it. I really need your help, Shuna."

"Eh, really!?"

Shuna was clearly taken aback. I continued, pressing my point.

"Let's form a temporary party first. I'll guide you on how to use the skill effectively against monsters in the dungeon. There shouldn't be much danger. If you feel uncomfortable about the boss fight afterward, I won't force you."

"Um, well..."

"Just once. Please come to the dungeon with me?"

"..."

I bowed my head, making my plea. If she refused here, I couldn't push any further. Shuna had her own goals as an adventurer, and I didn't want to override them.

But she had been looking for a party. If she wanted to get stronger through dungeon conquering even a little...

With a mix of hope and anxiety in my heart, Shuna finally spoke softly.

"Will I really be useful to you, Zeros?"

"Yes. Please lend me your strength."

I raised my head and looked at her seriously. After a few moments, Shuna nodded as if making a decision.

"Okay, Zeros."

"R-really!?"

"Yeah. Besides, I also wanted someone to team up with... Nice to meet you, Zeros!"

"Yeah. Nice to meet you too, Shuna."

We shook hands. Thus, our temporary party was formed.

コメント 2のコメント

投票