Chapter 18: Meet the team - Part 1

Miles sat down cautiously, still feeling the weight of curious stares around them. “Was… was that a test?”

Lancy smirked. “Of course. Had to see if you really didn’t know who I was or if you were playing dumb to trick me. Turns out, you’re as clueless as you seem.”

Her words stung a little, but Miles decided not to take it personally. “So, who are you, exactly?”

Lancy’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Let’s just say I’m someone who’s been around long enough to know when someone’s bluffing—and when they’re not. You’ve got an interesting kind of luck, Miles. The kind that could get you into a lot of trouble—or pull you out of it.”

Her cryptic words only made him more curious, but he didn’t press. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, trying to project an air of nonchalance. “So, why’d you invite me here?”

Lancy took a sip of her drink, her gaze steady. “I’ve got a job that might interest you. But before we talk business, I need to know something.”

Miles tensed. “What’s that?”

“Are you willing to take risks?” she asked, her tone suddenly serious.

The room seemed to grow quieter, and Miles felt the weight of her question. He thought about everything he’d been through—the dungeon, the dice, the cursed village. Risks were all he’d been taking since he got here.

He nodded. “Yeah. I am.”

Lancy’s lips curved into a small smile. “Good. Because if you’re going to survive in this world, you’ll need to take plenty of them.”

She leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Meet me here tomorrow. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

Miles nodded, his curiosity piqued. As he left the tavern, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d just taken the first step into something far bigger than he realized.

Miles leaned back in his chair, his mind racing with questions about Lancy. She exuded an aura of confidence that made him curious—and wary. Deciding to test the waters, he focused his thoughts on a simple command.

Roll to Detect Lancy’s Skills and Level.

The dice in his mind spun furiously before coming to an abrupt halt. The result flashed, but it wasn’t what he wanted to see:

Failure. Level and skill detection blocked due to significant skill disparity.

Miles frowned as the system chimed in with a warning.

Alert: Target possesses advanced mana awareness. Attempting to detect their stats may reveal your intent. Proceed with caution.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Before he could decide whether to try again, Lancy’s amber eyes locked onto him, sharp and calculating.

“Did you just try to cast a detection skill on me?” she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

Miles’s heart skipped a beat. “Uh, no! Nothing like that. My skill set is... complicated.”

She arched an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but not pressing the issue. “Complicated, huh?”

Miles decided to deflect. “What about you? What’s your skill set?”

Lancy chuckled softly, a sound that sent shivers down his spine. “You’re bold, I’ll give you that.” She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. “But asking someone to reveal their skills without offering anything in return? That’s not how this works.”

Her evasion only fueled Miles’s suspicion, but before he could press further, Lancy changed the subject.

“How about this: instead of interrogating me, you join my party?”

Miles blinked in surprise. “Your party?”

Lancy nodded. “I’ve already got a team of three, but we’re looking for a fourth before we tackle our next dungeon. Your skill set seems... unconventional, but I think it could be useful.”

Miles hesitated. Joining her party sounded like a good opportunity, but the disparity in their levels made him cautious. He couldn’t risk becoming a liability or being abandoned midway through a dungeon.

Roll to Decide if Joining Lancy’s Party is a Good Idea.

The dice spun again, landing on a favorable result.

Outcome: Positive. Proceed with caution.

But then the system added:

Note: The dice cannot make decisions for you. Choose wisely.

Miles sighed. “Thanks for the reminder,” he muttered under his breath.

He looked back at Lancy, her gaze steady as she waited for his response. “Okay,” he said finally. “I’ll join your party, but only on one condition.”

Her brow furrowed slightly. “And what’s that?”

“I’ll help you clear your dungeon, but you and your party will need to help me clear one too. It’s not a high-level dungeon—it only requires level 5 to enter—and we’ll split the rewards.”

Lancy’s eyes narrowed slightly, her tail flicking in thought. “If it’s so easy, why haven’t you cleared it yourself?”

Miles stiffened, his mind scrambling for an explanation. He couldn’t admit he was only level 3—it would raise too many questions about his abilities. Then he remembered the dungeon’s level requirement.

“It has a minimum level restriction,” he said quickly. “I can’t enter it alone, but with your team, we’ll breeze through it.”

Lancy studied him for a long moment, her sharp gaze making him feel as though she could see right through him. Finally, she nodded.

“All right,” she said. “But this is strictly temporary. Once we’re done with your dungeon, we go our separate ways.”

Miles nodded, relieved. “Deal.”

With the agreement in place, Lancy leaned back in her chair, her demeanor relaxing slightly. “We’ll meet tomorrow morning at the guild’s main entrance. I’ll introduce you to the others then.”

“Sounds good,” Miles said, though his nerves were still buzzing.

As Lancy stood to leave, she paused and gave him one last appraising look. “One more thing. Don’t try anything stupid. My team doesn’t tolerate dead weight.”

Miles gave her a weak smile. “Noted.”

As she walked away, Miles let out a long breath. He’d secured his first party, but the stakes had just been raised. He wasn’t just gambling with his luck anymore—he was gambling with his life.

The next morning, Miles stood outside the Adventurer's Guild, feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. He’d agreed to join Lancy’s party, but meeting her teammates was another matter. He adjusted his gear and entered the guild, spotting Lancy standing near the bulletin board with two others.

The first was a broad-shouldered man with a calm demeanor. He carried a medical satchel over one shoulder and a staff strapped to his back. His short brown hair and warm smile gave him an approachable air.

The second was a petite woman with sharp eyes, her outfit decorated with vials and pouches of unknown liquids. Her crimson hair was tied back, and she held a mortar and pestle in one hand as if she’d been working on something moments before.

“Miles,” Lancy called out, waving him over. “Meet my team.”