On the evening of the 17th, all members of the newly formed team gathered for a meeting. The meeting place was a three-story pub, which opened recently. At first, we were going to meet at Mr. Bear's tavern, but he flatly refused.

"Hmph, our tavern is not suitable for secret conversations." It's okay. Instead of expedition plans, we will talk about distribution..."Wait, I know one place. Let's go there."

Lord, I was just trying to help him increase sales. Is it really common for a married man not to want to return home? Funny guy.

"Am I the last?" After Raven arrived, everyone was there.

"Don't apologize, sit down."

"I came on time, why should I apologize?"

Oh, it's true... But why is it more quarrelsome than usual? Is it because of the tension of the situation and because they are in the company of strangers?

Here she is really not at ease.

I thought that perhaps she had come on purpose at this hour, but I did not say it. We haven't signed a contract yet.

"Then let's introduce ourselves briefly.

After ordering a few dishes and drinks, they began to get to know each other. Ainar was the first to start.

"I am Einar, Feneline's 2nd daughter!" Nice to meet you!

"Um, Ainar?" It seems to me that this is too short...

"Do I have to say more...?" Forgive me. I'm not used to such meetings...

Mike, who had become very close to her over the past few days, made a remark, to which Einar scratched her head in embarrassment. However, no one condemned her for this. Ainar was already familiar with the whole team. She had been with Raven in the Blood Citadel, and had met Mr. Bear at his tavern a few days ago.

"Miss Einar... You're still the same.

"Thank you for the compliment." Magus, you look the same too.

—…

In general, in the end, I introduced Einar on her behalf, talked about her rank as a researcher, her role in the team, and so on.

After my speech, Mr. Bear commented briefly.

"So we have two swordsmen?"

Before I could reply, Einar intervened, as if to point out a mistake.

"Urakburak, I am a warrior, not a swordsman.

"My name is Urikfried... No, I said it last time, can you just call me Abman?

— ... I'll try. But it is difficult to pronounce.

"Is it difficult to pronounce?"

— Any problems?

Mr. Bear looked like he had something to say, but he ended the conversation with a deep sigh. He seems to be beginning to understand how to talk to barbarians. The best thing was not to talk to them at all.

"But I don't know you. I've heard a lot from Bjorn. Abman Urikfried.

— Arua Raven. You're a guide, aren't you?

"Oh, I'm Misha Karlstein," Mike interrupted.

After everyone introduced themselves, we, as professionals, exchanged views about our roles. This was the end of the first half of the meeting.

The ordered dishes were brought, and we continued the conversation over food and drinks.

"The food here is clean and delicious.

"If only my wife was as good at cooking—"

"Are you married, Mr. Urikfried?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you. For 3 years now.

"Bjorn, it's called squid, would you like to try it?" The texture is very peculiar.

The general atmosphere was friendly, until towards the end of the meal they talked about the labyrinth.

"Anyway, let's get down to business, okay?"

— Yes, that's a good idea. Bjorn, how are you going to distribute the loot?

When the question of money was raised, everyone's views changed. Well, everyone except Einar.

"Can't we just take what Bjorn gives us?"

"Maybe you can, Miss Einar." But we don't.

A quick magician, and Mr. Bear, who must take care of his family. Both of them were nice people behind closed doors, but when the time came, they brazenly defended their rights.

– Maybe Misha deserves such a share, but I think that there is a problem with the ratio of Ainar. She is the weakest among us.

"Urakburak...!" You, do you think so of me?! I trusted you! I considered you a valuable comrade!

"Shut up." Bjorn will take care of it. Hmm? Be polite.

"Ugh...!"

Ainar shuddered at the betrayal, and Misha covered her mouth in time. However, seeing her in this state, Mr. Bear must have found it difficult to say anything else.

Mr. Bear coughed and looked away.

Raven, of course, took up the baton and began to appeal to herself.

"I don't really care who it is, Miss Einar or Karlštejn. I'm a mage, after all.

— ... Closer to the body.

"With me, you can store the essence in a test tube and sell it. Since I have also learned [Higher Distortion], even if our goal is a by-product, we will be able to obtain it much more easily.

"Are you asking for an increase in the share of distribution?"

— Да. Я хочу 30%.

It didn't get easy from the start. Dvalki accepted the equal distribution with a smile on his face.

— ... 30% is too much.

"That's not too much. All my seniors say that they take exactly that.

Hey, who are you trying to fool?

Of course, in the labyrinth, mages were treated well, assuming that everyone was equal.

"These seniors must have joined teams with a lower rank than themselves.

"Hmph, are you saying that this is not the case in my case?"

Since Raven was a rank 6 Magus, it was only right to consider her as a rank 5 researcher. Considering that Misha and I were rank 6 and Einar was rank 7, she was clearly of a higher rank.

"We will be able to find out during the expedition.

I was confident in myself. Regardless of rank, there won't be a situation where she has to drag us alone.

"That's why you joined this team, because you share this opinion, don't you?"

"Well, that's true.

Surprisingly, Raven readily admitted this. Was all this really the basis for the next round?

"Still, it's true that Miss Karlstein and Miss Feneline are less important than the three of us.

"Soon they will become important.

— Yes. I think so too. A year later... No, the earliest is in a few months. But why should I incur losses until then?

Raven suggested that the team come back to the topic of correlation later, when the two of them could proudly claim their share, and I agreed to some extent.

— The ratio is 20% for everyone. Instead, you will receive 40% of the special loot obtained through magic.

"Good.

In the end, Raven accepted the condition that a mage in a group of five would normally receive: an equal distribution plus a bonus bet limited to the loot obtained through magic. At least I dealt with one. Only Mr. Bear remained.

"I'll take 5% from Einar and give it to you."

In fact, given that he was a guide, it wouldn't have been that small if I had given him all 10%.

"Since we haven't even gone on the first expedition yet, I'll be content with that for now.

Mr. Bear readily agreed. I was sure that it would be a little self-confident of him to demand a larger share. He may have been a guide, but his navigational abilities were at zero.

- Then this issue is resolved.

Thus, the final distribution ratio was determined:

I — 20%;

Misha — 20%,

Ainar — 15%,

Raven – 20% (+ Special Loot – 40%)

Mr. Bear – 25%.

This only applied to general loot. We agreed to divide equally everything that would be obtained by killing looters and so on.

Wow, what a pity.

I understood why researchers are so fixated on boosting. I needed to reach rank 5 as soon as possible. If the three of us were all rank 5, these guys wouldn't even bring up the issue of distribution.

… Well, that's within the expected range.

I took a sip from my drink and wiped away my regret. I even had a script, in case they were even more greedy than they are now, but they still kept the limits. If I were not the leader, and it would be a different team, then its members would be more open about their advantage.

I think the most important obstacle has been passed.

Negotiations on the distribution were over, and the team was practically approved, although there were still a number of issues that needed to be discussed.

- Oh yes, and what about the team? When are you going to register it? Raven asked.

"I'll do it tomorrow."

"Then I won't be able to attend." I thought it would happen, so I took a power of attorney with me. Please go without me.

— ... Of course.

We had to discuss all sorts of things, from simple administrative tasks to all kinds of issues.

— Will we create a separate team fund? Or will we collect each time only as necessary?

"We will collect a regular amount every month.

"How much?"

How much will be allocated to the team's fund? If there is a shortage of funds, how will we make up for it? If we get into the Chasm or discover a mysterious treasure in the labyrinth, will we use the same distribution coefficient? Will we recognize everything that is obtained individually? Will there be incentives? Blah blah blah blah blah...

In a team of losers, everything was different...

Before I knew it, only Raven and I were actively participating in the conversation.

*Hraaaaaap!*

Ainar slept with her head hanging down. Mr. Bear was enjoying his long-awaited freedom for a long time, drinking alone, and Mike was scribbling something in a notebook. She didn't make any records or anything, it was just her hobby. Apparently, his hands itched to do something, not being able to cook. She started drawing a few days ago.

— ... What did you draw?

"N-nothing.

"An orc?"

— Фух!!! Да, это Орк. Орк. Хи-хи.

It was a somewhat unpleasant reaction, but Raven called me before I could ask Misha for details.

"Hmm, Mr. Yandel, we're still talking..."

Oh, yes. Having used my brain for the past few hours, I could no longer concentrate. I didn't know if it was an important topic, I don't understand why we spend so much time on details.

Soon I checked the time and said:

"Raven, let's finish for today.

"Excuse me?" But we still have a number of issues that need to be streamlined.

— … Regulate?

– Points that need to be considered before forming a team. I organized them in advance.

When I asked how many points were left, Raven replied that there were 31.

... What we have done so far is less than half?

Thinking about the remaining questions, it seems to me that I already want to die, but given its nature, it will probably be useful, even if we can solve at least some of them.

"However, it's too late now. Let's do the rest next time.

"Good.

We agreed to meet in two days and everyone left. I was exhausted both physically and mentally. I thought that my personality was similar to that of a magician, but when I saw a real magician, I was convinced of this.

I was glad that I had chosen a barbarian.

***

The next morning after our first meeting, the four of us packed up and went to the Explorers Guild. Having provided yesterday's power of attorney, we have officially completed the registration of the team.

— Is the name of the team "Bjorn"? Isn't that too frivolous? Ainar muttered in displeasure, but I just followed protocol. The official name of the team of losers was simply "Murad". Usually, everyone called the teams by the name or surname of the leader.

"We can change it later if we come up with something suitable, so don't be discouraged.

"Can I think of it too?"

"Of course, why not?!"

"Really!?" I'll think about it!

I was sure she would forget about it in a few hours, but it didn't matter. The name of the team does not matter.

"Abman, what are you going to do?"

"I have to go back to the tavern. My wife is waiting for me.

- I see.

As soon as the team was formed, Mr. Bear left, and we just ate outside and returned to the inn. Now the three of us lived here: I was in room 201, Ainar was in room 202, and Misha was in room 207 opposite.

"Oh, Bjorn. Did you receive something in the mail?

"Mail?"

When I checked, there was a letter inside with the seal of the Reatlas Church.

Could it be about meeting the Dragon Tribe?

I hurriedly entered my room and read the contents. But what is it? When I opened it, there was only one sentence written there.

[They'll call you].

[Paal Krovitz, 2nd Captain of the Paladin Order] The headline was longer than the message itself.

What the heck?

As I stared at him in confusion, the letter caught fire and in an instant turned to ashes. I was grateful to him for the security measures I had taken, as I had asked... But because of this, even I found it difficult to understand.

—…

I sat down on the bed to get my thoughts in order. I had a rough idea of whom Krovits meant. He was probably talking about the leader of the dragon tribe, the elder dragon.

But I didn't quite understand one thing.

Is he going to call me?

It would have been easier to understand if he had written down the time and place, for it was I who had asked him to arrange the meeting in the strictest secrecy.

How will he call me? Would he find me again to make an appointment?

As I sat on the bed with these thoughts, a magic circle appeared on the wooden floor in a blue light.

"Huh?"

Without giving me time to assess the situation, the magic circle emitted a bright light. When I came to, I found myself in an unfamiliar room.

It was like some kind of call to another world.

It was a building that resembled a Greek temple, supported by huge columns.

This is the Dragon Temple.

I quickly got my bearings in the situation.

Is this [Dragon Tongue] a type of space movement? Did the letter serve as an intermediary?

I roughly understood the circumstances. Everything was not bad. It was much easier to keep it a secret.

"You don't seem surprised.

Soon I looked ahead. On the throne sat a man who had all the characteristics of a dragon tribe, looking down at me.

Scales sprouted from his skin, and his pupils resembled those of a reptile. The throne was shrouded in mist, and dozens of eyes shone behind it. Could it be that these were all Dragons? How many did he gather?

… Oh, those eyes.

A pressure other than murderous energy emanated from them. It felt like I was naked up against another species that I could never defeat, a natural enemy. This was what all Dragons are passively endowed with—[Dragon Fear].

And they're using it on me, right?

I smiled bitterly. I thought I knew what their intentions were.

"Do you know?" You are not the first barbarian to visit this place. However...

—…

"If you come back alive, you'll be the first."

It was a kind of attempt to pacify me. Due to the nature of their race, they wouldn't steal the Dragon Slayer Sword without compensating their benefactor, but apparently they decided that it was better to break my spirit first. They did not know what unreasonable demands such a barbarian as I could make.

—…

[The Dragon's fear] intensified, causing me to break out in a cold sweat. So what? I wasn't raised to be so stupid that my mind would be clouded just by a little sweat.

… Why do these people love psychological warfare so much?

Thanks to this, it became clear to me what I should do right now. It never occurred to me that I would start with this before I even introduced myself, but letting them know now would save them more time.

'Behella

Whether they tried to suppress me with [Dragon Fear] or not, it was a waste of time.