Chapter 6

I believe you already know, but Ali is a hard worker.

"Then, let's get to the details."

Yuri nodded, sipping the water placed before him.

This place is the residence of the clan 《Crimson Lynx》. Located on the outskirts of the capital Dralheim, where many adventurers live, the residence of 《Crimson Lynx》 is a mansion by any standard. It looks luxurious, and its size is that of a mansion.

Or rather, it might give the impression of a dormitory. At the very least, it is overwhelmingly larger than the surrounding houses. The reason for this was also explained. Normally, even if they are in the same clan, they don't live together. They only gather when necessary, and otherwise, they live in inns or boarding houses. However, all members of 《Crimson Lynx》 live in the same place, which is quite rare.

However, there is a good reason for this. After hearing it, Yuri was convinced.

《Crimson Lynx》 is like a training ground for treasure hunters.

There are no schools in this world. Well, there are, but they are only for the nobility and the wealthy, where they learn etiquette and manners. In such a situation, it's easy to imagine what happens to novice adventurers. Without proper education, young people who rush in with just enthusiasm and momentum are bound to die quickly. Especially for treasure hunters, who delve into dungeons as a matter of course, they die one after another. It's rather unusual for them not to die.

That's why the previous leader, who was concerned about this, established 《Crimson Lynx》, where young people aspiring to be treasure hunters train. Ali, Brook, and Frau are apparently in charge of training these newcomers. There are two more trainers, and the current total number of 《Crimson Lynx》 is 20, which is small for a clan.

And 《Crimson Lynx》 continuously graduates those who have become fully-fledged. New adventurers aspiring to be treasure hunters come and go. It's a unique clan, like a training ground.

Let's get back to the topic.

"...My profession is a Seeker."

"......Huh?"

"...Sorry. I did intend to deceive you, but it's just that... I didn't want to stand out."

Yuri, looking dejected, said this, leaving Ali speechless. He couldn't help it. He could only look at the timid-looking boy in front of him, wondering if such a thing could be true.

A Seeker is a legendary profession. For those in appraisal-related professions, it is already a legend and a source of admiration. And it's not just for appraisers. Seekers, who have been given the ability to see through the truth by the gods, are beings that should be called the agents of the gods in this world.

How could this timid-looking boy in front of him be a Seeker? It was unbelievable.

However, it didn't seem like he was lying. More importantly, no one who could resist the appraisal of a genuine expert like Ali could be ordinary. ...A genuine expert is the highest-ranking profession in the appraisal field. Without confirmation of the existence of Seekers, it's not unreasonable to say that genuine experts are the strongest in the appraisal field.

But there is a Seeker in front of him. A born transcender, pursued by everyone but never attainable through effort.

"...If you're a Seeker, you can see my profession and skills, right? Tell me."

"Ah, yes. Your profession is a genuine expert. Your skill is 【Magic Eye】 at MAX level. ...However, it says 'halved.'"

"...To be able to see that accurately. Even among genuine experts, not many can see the halving. It's not for nothing that my skill level is MAX."

Ali groaned, holding his head. What Yuri said was true. Ali possesses a high-level appraisal skill called 【Magic Eye】. It's essentially a lower version of the 【Eye of God】. It has similar abilities, but it doesn't see everything. It's just above appraisal.

And Ali, due to an injury in a dungeon, lost an eye, resulting in his 【Magic Eye】 being halved. Even so, with his skill level at MAX, he is better than most genuine experts with 【Magic Eye】. And with his skill level at MAX, no one could tell that his 【Magic Eye】 was halved.

Who would think that a skill depends on actual eyes? Ali himself only realized his skill was affected by his eyes after losing one. ...Among genuine experts, they can see each other's irises change color under certain lighting, but to ordinary people, they look like normal eyes. Ali now thinks he should have taken this fact more seriously.

"...Was being a Seeker a secret in your homeland?"

"...I didn't say anything. Besides, I have high cooking and sewing skills, so those are more like my hobbies or main focus..."

"Understood. Don't mention being a Seeker. But since you saw through the trap, it's already known that you have an appraisal-related skill. It's not something you can hide completely. So, just say you're an appraiser."

"...Okay."

Yuri nodded. Ali, in truth, would have preferred to keep him as a genuine expert. But Yuri's eyes look normal. Genuine experts know each other's eye colors. Without the changing irises, Yuri's claim as a genuine expert would lack credibility. ...There are no idiots who would force an appraisal on someone without reason, so this would have to do. That's what Ali thought.

Ali held his head, groaning. He even wondered how things had come to this. It was fortunate to return safely from the dungeon, and the trap on the ceiling was something Ali had almost missed. He should be grateful to Yuri. But still, why did he have to get involved in such a troublesome situation? Ali felt like asking the gods.

"You can stay here until you have a clear plan to return to your homeland."

"...?"

"Different countries have different common sense. You might be tricked and sold."

"That's not something I want. Thank you very much."

Yuri bowed his head politely. In this short time, he had already discerned that Ali was trustworthy. Whether it was due to his skill, he didn't know. But Ali, despite his rough tone, had always been concerned about Yuri. He was like a good older brother who took care of him.

Maybe it was the effect of his infinite luck? He considered it but abandoned the idea because it was too much trouble. He hadn't tampered with his own stats, so there was nothing he could do about it. Originally, Yuri wasn't particularly lucky. Why his luck value became infinite in this world was completely incomprehensible.

On the other hand, Ali sighed at the sudden influx of new members. His skills were beyond the norm, but everything else was too amateur. During the time in the dungeon, he learned that Yuri's level was 1, and his stats weren't particularly high. It would be risky to take him into the dungeon. For his safety, he needed to level up in non-combat areas, Ali thought.

And so, Yuri became a lodger at 《Crimson Lynx》.

He was told that detailed explanations and role assignments would be given the next day. After parting with Ali, Yuri wandered around the hideout. The room assigned to him had a dormitory-like atmosphere. It had a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. But it was a private room, so his privacy was protected. He was told that he would need to buy necessary items for daily life the next day, so he nodded obediently.

He wandered around, either to familiarize himself with the layout or out of childish curiosity. He was also looking for a kitchen-like place because he was hungry. His curiosity overcame the shock of being thrown into a different world.

...Yuri is, after all, laid-back.

The news of Yuri being a new member seemed to have spread. Everyone he met greeted him kindly and gave him information. 《Crimson Lynx》, with its high turnover of members, was friendly to newcomers. For Yuri, who had lived a solitary life for a long time, it was a surprisingly comfortable place. Everyone was kind.

He wasn't sure about the civilization level of this world, but it seemed to have a complete water supply and drainage system. He was shown to the bath, where hot water came out of the faucet. The principle was unclear to Yuri, but it was said to be a device using a fire attribute magic stone.

...If he appraised it, he would understand more, but he found it too much trouble. The fact that he could take a warm bath was enough for him.

There was also a washing machine. However, it was different from the one he knew, as the spin cycle was manual. Still, it was enough that he didn't have to wash by hand. It reminded him of an old washing machine he saw at his grandmother's house, which had a separate spin cycle. The appearance was different, but it seemed similar.

...If he appraised it, he would understand more, but he didn't care. The fact that he could do laundry easily was enough for him.

Personal cleaning and laundry were done individually, but general cleaning, bath cleaning, and meal preparation were apparently the responsibility of new members. There were no specialists for these tasks, so everyone took turns, but it was basically the job of new members. They would start by learning basic life skills before being trained as treasure hunters. ...It reminded Yuri of temple training.

"...Is anyone there?"

As Yuri approached the kitchen, he heard a groan and tilted his head. It was more like a voice of frustration. Curious about what was causing such frustration, he peeked in.

There was a boy with a younger appearance than Yuri. He was a normal human, with brown hair and eyes, and freckles. The boy, with a charming face, was groaning as if he was sweating profusely. Wondering what was wrong, Yuri stepped into the kitchen and called out. ...He had a kind heart and couldn't leave someone in trouble.

"Um, are you having trouble with something?"

"Whoa?! W-Who are you?!"

"Ah, nice to meet you. I'm Yuri. I'm going to be a lodger at 《Crimson Lynx》."

"New member? Got it. I'm Yack. I'm the lowest-ranked apprentice here for now."

Yack smiled and extended his hand. Realizing he was being asked for a handshake, Yuri took his hand. It was squeezed tightly, making him teary-eyed. ...It seemed that the residents of this world had higher stats than Yuri. He didn't check his stats to avoid being rude.

"So, what were you groaning about?"

"...Well, I'm on meal duty..."

Yuri tilted his head at the dejected Yack. If he was on meal duty, he just needed to prepare the meal, right? He wanted to say that, but seeing Yack's dejection, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Little did Yuri know that this encounter would determine his position.

Despite his laid-back nature, he influences those around him.

However, it's a heartwarming story, so please rest assured?

I look forward to your comments and feedback.