“Now that everyone’s here, let’s start with introductions,” Jin announced.
At that, everyone in the room quieted down. I already knew Jin, of course, but three other people had gathered to greet me.
There was a guy with two swords hanging from his waist. His blue hair was styled in a flashy way that didn’t really seem to suit him.
There was a girl in a black robe with long, silver hair parted into pigtails. Based on her outfit, I was guessing she was probably a mage.
There was a little girl wearing a priestess’s vestments... although it was more accurate to say they were wearing her.
And then there was plain old me, making for five of us in total. We were seated around a wooden table in the dining room of Arrivers HQ.
“So, like... Wh-What are you supposed to say in an introduction?” the little priestess stammered timidly.
Her eyes darted about as her voice trembled. I could see the faint sheen of a nervous sweat forming on her brow. I wasn’t sure what was making her so anxious, but I was honestly glad she’d asked about introductions. I had no idea what to say either. I normally chose the safe route and just mirrored whatever the person before me said... Yeah, introductions were awkward encounters for people with no remarkable characteristics or skills.
“Let’s see... How about everyone starts with their name, their role, and why they want to conquer dungeons? I think that’s how we introduced ourselves when we first formed the party, too,” Jin suggested, turning to the guy with the blue hair.
“Guess so,” he replied bluntly.
The reason I want to conquer dungeons...?
A slight panic stirred in my chest. I had no problem sharing my name, and I didn’t have a role in the party yet, so that wasn’t an issue... But as for my motivations, I was at a loss. Why did I want to conquer a dungeon? Why had I agreed to join the party? Was it for money? Fame?
No. It wasn’t anything like that. The reason I became an adventurer in the first place was much humbler. You see, when Miya and I were little, her parents would tell us stories of their days as adventurers. Miya would always look at me and say, “We should become adventurers when we grow up too!” And I took that seriously. That was it. That was all the motivation I’d needed. So there was no way I could come up with a respectable answer on the fly when someone asked me why I was here...
My panic must have been showing on my face. Jin stepped in and offered me a helping hand.
“Okay, then let’s go clockwise starting from me. You can go last, Note.”
Phew... Thanks to him, I’d have time to think before it was my turn.
“I’m Jin. I don’t have a last name, so it’s just Jin. I’m the party assassin. And I’m here to make my mark on history, I guess.”
Make his mark on history? His ambitions were completely different from mine. Like, on a whole other level. I mean, he was a member of a top-tier party, after all. There was no way I could ever aim that high. I couldn’t mimic that for my introduction...
“Okay, I’m up next,” the guy with the blue hair said as he stood up next to Jin. “I’m Force Granz, the leader of the Arrivers. My reason for conquering dungeons is obvious! I’m in it for the fame, the fortune, and the women! ’Nuff said!”
Wow. He, uh... He really went and said that. That would have been enough to embarrass most people, but he said it with such gusto... Wait, was that even a valid reason for dungeon diving? Like, seriously? Kind of made me feel like a fool for thinking about it so hard.
I turned to the girls, who were watching Force with looks of resigned exasperation. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a valid reason after all.
“This is precisely why you’re going to be single forever, Force,” the girl in the mage robes retorted.
She sure didn’t seem to have a problem speaking her mind...
“You just don’t get it, Erin. It’s not just me. All men think that way. Right, new guy? Admit it. You’re just in it for the ladies too, aren’t you?”
Please don’t put me on the spot like that...
Was I really dungeon diving... for a girl? Was it because I wanted Miya to see me in a different light? Because I wanted Miya to like me?
No, that wasn’t really it. The relationship I had with Miya was over already, and there was no undoing that. What had been broken could never truly return to its original form. Even if we reunited after I’d made a name for myself conquering a dungeon, things would never be the same.
“I wonder...”
That was all I could mutter in response to Force’s question. Thankfully, however, the introductions quickly moved on.
“My turn next,” said the girl in the mage robes.
She was the one who’d come for Force a minute ago. I think he’d called her Erin?
The Arrivers all seemed pretty young, but this girl looked like she was the closest to me in age. The fine, silver pigtails that reached down to her waist were her most notable feature. Her face was on the cuter side, but her slanted eyes and sour expression made her seem rather stern. Maybe it was really just her sharp tongue that gave me that impression...
“My name is Erin Fortlord. For the record, I’m the party mage. I’m here to do what no man has done before to prove that I’m the best mage in the world.”
As I suspected, she seemed a little on the stony side. Proud, too. Her introduction was predicated on the idea that she was the best mage in the world, after all.
I felt a slight sense of aversion and a slight sense of jealousy. I’d never had that kind of confidence in anything. This girl was the polar opposite of a weak, cowardly guy like me. Maybe that’s why I didn’t really mind hearing her boast, honestly...
Once Erin was done, everyone turned to the young priestess who’d yet to introduce herself. The attention made her squeak and squirm in a panic.
“Go ahead, Neme. It’s your turn to introduce yourself,” Jin encouraged.
She then stood up across the table from me in a fluster, knocking her chair backwards behind her in a clatter.
“I’m Neme... Neme Pargin! I’m a p-priestess, and... um... I want to clear dungeons b-because they were said to be created by God!”
She was sweating buckets by the time she got through her introduction. Her cheeks were even redder than her auburn hair.
“Are you okay?”
I was worried about her, but...
“Y-Yes!”
All I got was that nervous response. She really didn’t seem okay...
“Listen, Neme’s really shy around strangers, so just be patient with her until she gets to know you,” Jin explained.
“N-Neme’s not shy! Neme’s just a little bad at meeting people for the first time!” the girl immediately refuted.
Based on how she spoke to Jin, it certainly seemed like she was comfortable with people she knew already. I guess that’s just part of being shy. What a cute little girl—
“Don’t get the wrong idea, new guy,” Force piped up. “She may look young, but she’s actually way older than us. She’s 22. Practically a grandma.”
“What?! No way!”
I couldn’t help my shocked reply. Neme, however, bashfully hung her head at my apparent surprise.
“I-It’s true. I’m a dwarf, so I look younger than I really am... Ooh, but you, Force! Neme isn’t a grandma! Neme’s a young woman!”
It was like a complete one-eighty with people she already knew. She was definitely shy. I decided to take the chance to apologize.
“I’m sorry I raised my voice, Miss Neme. I was just a little surprised.”
Hearing that, she suddenly started trembling with joy.
“At long last, Neme has a disciple to worship her...”
Okay, as it turned out, she was unexpectedly easy to win over. I could still feel some distance between us, but I was sure that would diminish over time.
While I was warmly watching Neme with a smile, however, Jin got the conversation back on track.
“Last is your turn, Note.”
“Uh...”
Uh oh. I’d gotten so distracted by Neme that I’d completely forgotten about introductions. I still had no idea what I was going to say. What was I supposed to do...?
Argh! Whatever! I was just gonna go with the flow and say whatever came to mind! It’d all work out somehow!
“I’m Note Athlon. Previously I was... more of a gofer than an adventurer, really. I have a sword, but I’m practically a beginner at using it, so I doubt I’ll be of much use there. As for the reason I want to conquer dungeons...”
I hadn’t planned what I was going to say, so what came out of my mouth ended up being the honest truth.
Between my dark past and my murky future, there was only one way to articulate my vague ambition. A wish I’d never fulfilled. Something I’d never been able to put into words.
“The reason why I want to conquer dungeons is... because I want to change myself.”
To anyone else, I was sure that didn’t make any sense. Yet none of the Arrivers laughed at me or mocked me. For even if we all had our different reasons, we shared the same goal.
“Great introduction, Note. Once again, welcome to the Arrivers!”
As someone who had always been searching for their place, hearing Jin say that made me truly happy.