Perhaps sensing the suspicion in Gauss's eyes.

Dwarf Thorin also realized his words might sound somewhat questionable and quickly waved his hands.

"Hey hey! Dragonkin lad, what's with that look! I, Thorin Mithril, am a legitimate five-star adventurer who only does legal work! I'd never engage in any wrongdoing!"

He hurriedly explained.

The female mage Nancy beside him sighed.

"This isn't the place for conversation. If you're interested, come find us later at the Silver Blossom Tavern north of town. We're staying there temporarily."

"We'll be in Lincrest Town for several more days, so we're not in any hurry to leave."

Thorin quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes!"

"Alright."

Gauss watched the three figures retreating, with Thorin still loudly discussing something with Nancy.

He turned to exchange glances with Aria and Serlandul.

"Have you heard of the Ironheart Clan?" Gauss asked.

When he first entered the second floor earlier, he'd overheard passing adventurers discussing Thorin's background.

"Yes, I've heard of them." Aria nodded, organizing her thoughts as she recalled the information. "The Ironheart Clan is quite famous even within the Dwarf Kingdom, having been rooted for generations within a mountain called Molten Iron Peak. Consequently, they're exceptionally skilled at utilizing volcanic environments and special materials for forging. The equipment they produce is priceless on the market."

"This is my first time meeting a dwarf from the Ironheart Clan."

Gauss nodded.

The dwarf Thorin and his companions had made a decent impression earlier.

Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that they were putting on an act in front of him, but if that were the case, their acting skills would be truly phenomenal.

"Their reputation is solid both in forging circles and among adventurers." Serlandul added in his raspy voice. "I've visited some border markets in the Dwarf Kingdom - the Ironheart Clan's name carries weight. Their credibility is good;

at least publicly, there are no stories of betrayal or treachery."

Serlandul paused briefly.

"Moreover, that Thorin Mithril - his surname Mithril isn't a simple one. In dwarf clans that highly value heritage and forging, bearing the name of such a mysterious and precious metal suggests his direct family lineage is quite significant."

"Mithril..."

Gauss couldn't help but recall descriptions of this material he'd read in a book.

It was a special magical metal, colored like molten gold, with hardness far surpassing ordinary steel once solidified. It possessed excellent affinity for magical energy, capable of perfectly bearing and amplifying enchantment effects. An extremely precious forging material, more valuable than gold itself. Typically found only in small quantities deep within special ancient veins.

Similar precious minerals included dark iron, adamantine, mithril...

"A dwarf with such a surname is practically equivalent to nobility in human society. They typically consider family honor and credibility more important than life itself."

"Understood."

Gauss nodded, his doubts somewhat alleviated.

"Let's find time to visit the Silver Blossom Tavern to understand the specific situation."

Whether to accept the invitation would depend on learning the detailed information first.

Exiting the Adventurers Guild building.

Gauss paused at the entrance, carefully scanning the crowd again.

Confirming he no longer felt that prickling sensation between his shoulder blades from earlier, he raised an eyebrow.

Leading Aria and Serlandul, he headed toward their inn.

It wasn't until noon that Andni, who had been invited to the meeting, returned to the inn with her characteristic swaggering gait.

When she pushed open Gauss's door.

The three of them were sitting around a small table with a simplified map of Lincrest Town and notes spread out.

Andni lowered her robe hood, found an empty seat and hopped onto it, casually grabbing a cleaned fruit from the table and taking a bite.

"Andni, how was the meeting?" Gauss handed her a cup of water.

"Just a bunch of bureaucrats arguing." Andni yawned. "But two things were basically confirmed."

"These monster disturbances aren't just targeting Outpost 11 - several other outposts have been attacked too. Secondly, the provincial capital will send additional support."

"You three youngsters need to be extra careful when moving around the area recently."

Andni stretched lazily.

"Understood."

"By the way, Gauss. I might be leaving tomorrow." she suddenly announced.

"Tomorrow? Is something urgent?" Gauss asked, surprised.

According to what Andni had mentioned earlier, she should be traveling without pressing matters.

"Can't be helped, accepted a commission." Andni shook her head.

"Sorry, I can't disclose the specific details."

Though she tried to appear troubled, the upward curve of her lips betrayed her.

Clearly, the employer had offered a price she couldn't refuse.

Although Andni was nominally retired from adventuring, retirement didn't mean completely distancing herself from conflicts and adventures.

When rewards were generous enough to move her, this powerful Halfling mage would still selectively take on jobs to stretch her limbs, essentially building up her retirement fund.

"No problem, attend to your matters first." Gauss nodded understandingly.

Their meeting had been coincidental, and having her protection for a while was already fortunate. They couldn't expect her to babysit them like a nanny.

Adventuring always involved meetings and partings - making new friends on the journey while saying goodbye to old ones was simply the natural order.

Andni looked at the three of them. Though her time with Aria and Serlandul hadn't been long apart from Gauss, they had experienced the outpost battle together, so she still felt somewhat concerned.

She rummaged in her storage bag for a moment before pulling out three small talismans strung on silver chains, casually tossing them to the trio.

"Here." she said with feigned casualness. "Parting gifts. One-time triggered short-distance teleportation talismans. Crush them to activate a protective field, then randomly teleport you somewhere within a few hundred meters. Cheap little trinkets, but should be somewhat useful."

"This..." Gauss hesitated momentarily. "These seem quite valuable."

They didn't sound inexpensive - far more convenient than the teleportation scrolls Gauss had acquired earlier that required spell expenditure and stable activation. These could be used instantly by crushing them and would generate a protective field.

Definitely not the "cheap little trinkets" she casually described.

"Accept them." Andni insisted, making the talismans float before them. "Next time we meet, I hope you're all still alive and well."

"Well then, thank you, senior." Gauss carefully stored the talisman gratefully.

"Thank you, senior." Aria and the others followed with their thanks.

"Small matter."

While Andni was still here, Gauss took the opportunity to ask about dwarf Thorin, including the somewhat strange invitation.

"You can check it out this afternoon. Most dwarf brothers are quite reliable. If anything feels uncertain, you can come back and consult me - I'm not leaving town until tomorrow morning."

Andni stayed in Gauss's room a while longer, mainly discussing things to be cautious about during adventures.

"Alright, that's everything I needed to cover."

She jumped down from the chair and waved dismissively.

"I'll head back to my room to pack now."

Watching Andni's petite figure disappear down the corridor, Gauss returned to the topic with his two companions.

"Let's prepare then. To the Silver Blossom Tavern to see what this is all about."

After lunch, afternoon arrived quickly.

After asking locals for directions to the Silver Blossom Tavern, the trio arrived before a quiet building.

Pushing the door open.

The tavern interior was quiet and elegant.

After giving dwarf Thorin's name, they were quickly guided by a server to the secluded booth Thorin's party had reserved.

Dwarf Thorin sat there, and despite it being daytime, several empty ale jugs already sat on the table - clearly he'd been drinking for a while.

His cheeks were flushed, but his eyes remained clear without much drunkenness.

Truly dwarven - a race that could drink strong liquor like water.

Seeing Gauss and his companions, Thorin immediately rose enthusiastically from the soft booth, greeting them in a booming voice: "Haha, Dragonkin lad! You came, quick, have a seat!"

"Miss server, bring my friends something to drink - the best fruit wine, ale, put it on my tab!"

His face was ruddy but his words remained clear.

Though perhaps due to the alcohol, his familiar attitude had intensified.

"Thorin, skip the drinks - we have business to attend to during the day." Gauss waved to the server, finding seats in the soft booth with his companions.

"Haha, fine, business first!" Thorin didn't insist, glancing at mage Nancy across from him.

Nancy understood, her slender pale fingers tracing patterns in the air as she quickly uttered a barely audible short syllable.

Soon, a transparent diamond-shaped barrier with slight air distortion quietly appeared, enveloping the booth area and completely isolating internal and external sounds.

"Good, now we can talk conveniently." Thorin nodded satisfied.

His short but robust frame sank back into the soft booth, his expression turning more serious.

"Dragonkin lad... Gauss, and these two..."

"Aria, Serlandul." Gauss briefly introduced them.

"Then I'll get straight to the point."

He moved the cups and alcohol aside, tapping the table with thick fingers.

"The 'big job' I want to invite you to join is exploring a ruin."

"Ruin?" Gauss repeated. This was indeed much more legitimate than various possibilities he'd imagined.

"Correct." Thorin instinctively lowered his voice. "It's a location marked in our Ironheart Clan records, somewhere in the Emerald Forest. Previously, too many monsters gathered around it - never had the opportunity to go."

"But with the outpost incident and the monster disturbances within the Emerald Forest, the monster habitats have conveniently shifted."

Nancy simultaneously added: "To be precise, it's a forge workshop ruin possibly related to a lost branch of the ancient Dwarf Kingdom. Might potentially contain some unique forging knowledge and weapon prototypes."

"Are there dwarves in the forest too?" Gauss interrupted curiously, assessing the information's authenticity.

Dwarves typically lived deep within mountains, caves, volcanoes, and mine areas because their livelihood of forging and smelting depended on minerals and mountains. Their presence in a forest seemed somewhat incongruous.

"That was long, long ago. Our ancestors' footprints covered the continent. To seek precious mineral materials and geothermal fires, they established workshops in places you wouldn't imagine. Back then, this area wasn't forest terrain."

Gauss turned to look at Aria, who nodded slightly.

"So? Interested?" Thorin leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with the inherent dwarf passion for weapons, minerals, and treasures. "Think about it, Gauss - a dwarf workshop forgotten for who knows how many years, possibly preserving lost forging techniques. Even without those, just finding some prototype weapons, mithril ingots, or special alloys would be tremendous wealth. Plus, you'll gain the friendship of the Ironheart Clan's Mithril family. Visit our homeland later, and we'll give you discounts on weapon forging."

Gauss didn't respond immediately, pondering while unconsciously tapping the table, weighing the pros and cons.

Risks and rewards were both evident.

For him, though the other party were level 5 professionals, his full burst strength was still hard to gauge, but they didn't know that.

"Why us?" He looked up, getting straight to his confusion. "You're a five-star team. Exploring a ruin at a known location doesn't seem to require assistance from low-level adventurers like us, does it?"

Without an answer, he couldn't feel completely at ease.

"Good question." Dwarf Thorin didn't take offense but instead nodded appreciatively.

"First, that ruin is quite ancient after all. Internal conditions are unknown - might need to handle various emergencies. Gauss, you're both a spellcaster and possess considerable close combat ability. Such flexibility is valuable when exploring unknown environments."

"Secondly, reaching the ruin location isn't exactly close. We'll encounter various monsters along the way. Our team only has three members, and we want to be thoroughly prepared. Your combat strength isn't ordinary for a level 3 adventurer - we all witnessed your capability that night. Excessive modesty is just pride."

"Finally, we trust your character." Thorin's expression turned particularly serious. "That night at the outpost, you actively escorted those weaker low-level adventurers and soldiers to break through - not something ordinary adventurers would do. I don't want to team up with strong individuals who might stab us in the back later."

"Besides, I'm not short on money - just want to collect more of our ancestors' lost techniques."

He pointed at his eyes: "I, Thorin, rarely misjudge people. You lot are reliable."

Though Aria and Serlandul seemed somewhat weaker to him, adventuring wasn't just about levels. Some special professions or skills might work wonders in specific situations.

"I understand." Gauss nodded. "My companions and I need to discuss this first."

Gauss could vaguely sense Thorin's sincerity, but such matters required communication within his team.

Soon, the three began communicating using the Message spell.

Thorin and the others didn't interfere.

After some time, Gauss looked up again at Thorin, his expression turning serious.

"We need more detailed plans."

"Haha, good." Hearing Gauss's response, Thorin laughed heartily.

Soon, Nancy produced a map and spread it on the table.

"The map is somewhat dated, so the terrain might..."

After some discussion, the two teams quickly finalized various aspects of the exploration.

Route, potential monster encounters, necessary preparations, and most importantly - profit distribution.

Forging techniques would belong to Thorin's team, other proceeds would be split fifty-fifty.

Thorin cared most about the forging techniques - other gains were just bonuses to him.

These terms were quite generous for Gauss and his team too.

With numerous matters settled, Nancy gently waved her hand to dismiss the sound barrier. The tavern's subtle noises flooded back into their hearing.

She looked at Gauss and said.

"We still need to wait these few days for our information channels to report back on monster activities within the Emerald Forest. Once we confirm the timing is suitable, we'll notify you immediately."

"Alright." Gauss looked at her, becoming more aware that this team's members had unusual backgrounds.

With matters settled, Thorin was in excellent spirits. He stepped onto his chair, hooked his arm around Gauss's shoulder, and called for more drinks. This time, Gauss didn't refuse.

After drinking a bit, they rose to bid farewell to Thorin and the others, leaving the Silver Blossom Tavern.

Watching the three figures disappear down the road.

The priest Elton, who had remained largely silent, withdrew his gaze and looked puzzled at Thorin.

He didn't speak, but his voice transmitted silently among the three.

"Is he really as strong as you claim?"

"Yes." Dwarf Thorin patted the back of his head where there was a slight bulge. "Don't underestimate my second brain."

"After the close contact earlier, it told me there seems to be an extremely terrifying power hidden within his body."

Nancy nodded calmly nearby, her thoughts flashing.

"Hope everything goes smoothly. My birds have scouted several large tribes beginning to move within the Emerald Forest. Apparently, the Xavier family's youngest son had an accident at Outpost 11. The unrest will likely intensify."

"We must quickly clean up that contamination as the prophecy indicated." Nancy continued seriously.

"Prophecy, that thing - does it still have meaning? You prophesy, I prophesy your prophecy - this world has long been in complete chaos." Thorin blew at his beard and sighed.

"Which is why they sent insignificant pawns like us, isn't it?" Nancy smiled faintly. "Remember, a butterfly flapping its wings on the Rony Coast might stir up a storm thousands of miles away on the Eastern Continent. Even the smallest variables can leverage fate's lever at the right juncture - that's precisely our opportunity."

"Besides, each of us has unique skills, which is why I didn't interfere with your decision either."

Elton gently traced a prayer symbol over his chest nearby.

"May light guide our path, avoiding unnecessary conflicts. I only hope to bring peace."