Hazure Skill ‘Mapping’ wo Te ni Shita Ore wa, Saikyou Party to Tomo ni Dungeon ni Idomu Chapter 4

Chapter 4
Chapter 4 – Introductions

Translator/Editor: Mana
Special Thanks: Rinkage

“Since everyone is here, shall we introduce ourselves first?” Jin said, and everyone quietened down.

This room was one of the rooms in the ‘Arrivers’ Party House. Five people sat around a simple wooden desk. Jin, the person who invited me to the ‘Arrivers’. A young man with rather stylish blue hair and two swords at his waist. A black-robed mage with silver twintails. A little girl wearing a priestess habit—which could probably be better expressed as a priestess habit wearing a little girl.

Followed by plain old me.

“Erm… what… do you say… in an introduction…” the little priestess asked hesitantly. From her wandering gaze and trembling voice, she seemed quite nervous.

To be honest, this question saved me. Since I’m also the type to fret about what to say in a self-introduction… Introductions are quite a torturous event for people who don’t have special characteristics or abilities.

“Hmm, let’s see… How about we do the same introduction as when we first formed the party? Our name, job, and the reason why we’re challenging the dungeon.”

The reason why I’m challenging the dungeon… A tiny seed of panic bloomed within me at Jin’s words. What was my reason for trying to clear the dungeon? For money? For honour?

I didn’t think it was for anything like that.

The reason why I originally wanted to become an adventurer wasn’t particularly impressive either. When we were little, Miya and I listened to tales of Miya’s adventurer father and promised each other, “Let’s become adventurers when we grow up!”. That’s how insignificant it was.

So even if I was suddenly questioned about my reasons for challenging the dungeon, there was no way I could give a refined answer—

“Then let’s introduce ourselves in a clockwise direction, starting from me. Note, you can go last.”

Perhaps my panic had shown on my face, as Jin threw me a lifeline. This kind of consideration really helped. I was honestly glad I didn’t have to go first.

“My name is Jin. I don’t have a last name, so just call me Jin. My job is an a.s.sa.s.sin. The reason why I’m aiming to conquer the dungeon is because I want to leave my name in history, or something like that?”

Because he wants to leave his name in history… People like Jin sure have a different way of seeing the world… I couldn’t even imagine having such an outrageous goal. It didn’t seem like it would be a helpful reference for my own reason.

“Alright, then I’m next,” the blue-haired swordsman sitting on Jin’s left spoke up. “My name is Force Granz. The leader of the ‘Arrivers’! I have only one reason for clearing dungeons! To be popular amongst women, that’s it!” he declared.

He declared, full of confidence.

Wait, that kind of reason for conquering dungeons is acceptable? Is that really okay? Now I feel like a fool for thinking too deeply…

Looking at the expressions on the girls, they seemed halfway between glaring in disdain and giving up. It didn’t seem okay after all.

The female mage went as far to say, “And that’s why you’re not popular, Force…”

“You just don’t get it, Erin. All men are challenging dungeons to become popular… Right? Newbie?”

Please don’t throw me such hard-to-answer questions…

Am I challenging a dungeon to be popular with girls? Was I going to go dungeon diving because I wanted to be liked by Miya, because I wanted her to see me i

n a better light?

I don’t think that was it.

The relations.h.i.+p between me and Miya was already over, and while I regret it, I do not want to start over with her. I don’t even think of starting over as an option.

“Hmm… I wonder?” I had no choice but to evasively reply to Force’s question. The girls direct just a bit of their cold gazes towards me.

“It’s my turn next!”

It was the silver twintail mage’s turn to introduce herself. Her height was a little shorter than me. She was a girl close to my age. Her face was kind of cute, but her eyes and expression gave off the impression of a rather strict personality.

Well, she was chewing Force out just a moment ago… She definitely had a strict personality…

“My name is Erin Fortroad. My job is a mage. I’m conquering dungeons to prove I’m the best mage in the world!”

She really did seem fierce.

I was amazed at how she could just declare herself the best mage in the world. But at the same time, I was also a little envious. I saw myself as inferior and didn’t have any self-esteem at all, making her the complete opposite of my existence. Perhaps that was why. Even though I was listening to them boast, it strangely didn’t put me in a bad mood.

Erin’s self-introduction had ended, and everyone simultaneously turned their attention to the little girl who had yet to introduce herself.

Under everyone’s gazes, the little girl startled with a “Eh?”

“The next introduction. It’s your turn, Neme,” Jin said gently, seeming to grasp the situation. She hurriedly opened her mouth.

“Err… I’m Neme… Neme Parsin… I’m a priestess… E-Erm… and… the reason why I’m clearing dungeons is… because I want to try clear the dungeons G.o.d created… something like that…”

The little girl diagonally to my right finished her s.h.i.+fty introduction while sweating buckets. Her cheeks were as red as her short, red hair.

Even I started to feel a little worried for her, and asked “Are you alright…?”

“Eh? Y-Yes!” A twitching reply came back at me. She didn’t seem alright at all…

“Umm… Neme is super shy around people… so take it easy with her…”

“I’m not shy! I’m just bad at meeting people for the first time!”

The little girl instantly fired a retort at Jin’s follow-up comment. Now matter how you look at it, this toughness that was only directed towards acquaintances was definitely shyness…

But that was what made her a cute little girl…

“Newbie. Looks can be misleading so I’m telling you this now, but this kid is actually 21 years old. She’s the oldest out of all of us. She’s an auntie.”

Eh? No way.

I couldn’t hide my surprise at Force’s statement. Or rather, I actually voiced my thoughts out loud. “Eh? No way.”

“Y-Yes… It’s true… I’m a dwarf… so… I look younger than my age… Always… Also, Force! I’m not an auntie! 21 is still a young miss!”

She was really only tough to her acquaintances. You’re definitely shy, Miss Neme…

After that, I apologised with a “Sorry for speaking so rudely, Miss Neme,” and she happily responded, “I finally have an adoring disciple…”

I could still feel a wall between us, but I was sure that would disappear with time.

“Note, it’s your turn.”

At the sound of Jin’s voice, I remembered the fact my own introduction wasn’t done yet. My conversation with Neme just now distracted me, and I had completely forgotten about it. Of course, I hadn’t decided what to say yet.

Since it couldn’t be helped, I just said what came to mind.

“I’m Note Athlon. Until now, I’ve been an adventurer doing odd jobs. I’ve been tentatively using a sword, but I’m an amateur with practically no abilities, so I’m basically useless… Err, and the reason why I want to challenge the dungeon is…”

I hadn’t thought of what to say in my introduction. Because I hadn’t thought of it, the words that blurted out of my mouth were the truth.

An unforgettable past. Words that precisely expressed my vague wish within a grey reality. A wish I had always wanted, but couldn’t put into words until now.

“The reason I want to challenge dungeons is because I want to change myself.”

To an onlooker, my reason might not make any sense. But no one in this party laughed. No one mocked me. Although everyone here had gathered for different reasons, we all had the same goal.

“It was a good introduction! Now then. Once more, welcome to the ‘Arrivers’!”

Because I had always been looking for a place where I belonged, Jin’s words to me made me truly happy.

“Alright! Now let’s go to the dungeon!”

With a glance at the clock leaning against the wall, Force stood up.

“Eh?” Four voices of surprise echoed throughout the room. “We’re going right now?”

The mage Erin raised a voice of complaint. “Why do we have to leave so late today? We can just go tomorrow!”

“But don’t you want to dive in the dungeon and find out if Note’s ‘Mapping’ skill can actually be used? We also need to lift Note, so can we just clear the first floor in a flash and come straight back, right?”

Wondering what ‘lift’ meant, I turned to Jin next to me, and asked in a whisper.

Apparently, ‘lift’ was the word used to describe the action of taking people who hadn’t ventured very far into the dungeon to the transport crystal in the deeper floors, then returning.

What could be the point of that action? Well apparently, transport crystals that have been previously reached can be teleported to directly from the entrance. In other words, by receiving a ‘lift’, you can instantly access the floor you reached last time.

Erin and the other members seemed to accept Force’s idea.

Thus my first dungeon exploration was decided with no time for me to prepare my heart.