I Am Not Goblin Slayer
Chapter 28: Magic Wand Intelligence

Seeing his teammates' "luxurious" protective gear, Gauss couldn't help but sigh in relief.  

Fortunately, he had upgraded his armor—otherwise, standing together, he would have looked completely out of place compared to the others.  

Even now, he remained the poorest-looking member of the team.  

Thankfully, the others merely glanced at him before looking away, not paying much attention to his equipment.  

Whether they looked down on him, simply didn't care, or were too polite to stare—perhaps all of the above—was unclear.  

Despite being a "Mage," Gauss's unknown capabilities meant these experienced low-tier adventurers wouldn't treat him differently.  

For many adventurers, the only way to earn their respect was to demonstrate superior strength!  

Gauss had to admit that as a rookie adventurer who had only completed one mission, even if that mission had been highly profitable, he still lagged far behind these seasoned low-tier adventurers in terms of funds.  

Of course, this excluded the Life Magic Stone hidden beneath his clothes, hanging around his neck.  

If that were counted, he might actually be the wealthiest in the group.  

Then again, it was hard to say—there might be a rich second-generation heir among them, and Gauss lacked the expertise to appraise his teammates' gear.  

In another sense, his teammates' wealth worked in his favor.  

The likelihood of being betrayed by them decreased somewhat.  

This wasn't to say wealthy people couldn't be villains or that they had higher moral standards—it just meant the price to tempt them into breaking rules would be steeper. At the very least, they were unlikely to cause trouble over trivial gains during the mission.  

"Everyone's here, so let's head out for joint training," Levin announced, hoisting his large shield onto his back.  

The group made their way out of town.  

Along the way, they attracted curious gazes from the townsfolk.  

Though their equipment and aura couldn't compare to true professionals, among low-tier adventurers, they were elites. Their diverse gear and synchronized movements instinctively commanded a mix of respect and wariness from ordinary folk, who automatically cleared a path.  

A well-equipped adventurer team like this could easily overpower commoners if they chose to do harm.  

After leaving town and traveling some distance, Gauss quietly observed his teammates.  

He realized Levin hadn't been boasting when calling their group an "elite squad"—the others weren't just for show either.  

Take Levin, for example: clad in metal scale armor and carrying a heavy oak shield, yet he moved with surprising lightness, demonstrating considerable strength and stamina.  

Gauss himself had grown much stronger after reaching 6 points in Constitution and undergoing secondary physical development from a meat-rich diet.  

Even if he hadn't fully adapted to his enhanced physique, he was far from frail now—which was why he'd been mistaken for a swordsman at the guild recruitment area.  

Yet despite this, he still felt inferior to Levin in raw physicality.  

He estimated that if Levin had a status panel, his Strength and Constitution would both be at 6 points—stronger versions at that.  

Swordsman Doyle also possessed good strength and stamina, though not quite matching Levin's—their builds differed, with Levin standing over 190cm tall while Doyle was just over 180cm.  

As for archer Oliver, rogue Meva, and priest Daphne, though none of their "classes" were strength-focused, their stamina was impressive too. They showed no signs of fatigue after the long walk—even Daphne, who appeared the most delicate, maintained a light, steady pace.  

This realization immediately humbled Gauss, who had been feeling somewhat proud of his rapid growth. The world was full of strong individuals.  

Though Levin kept emphasizing their team was an "elite squad," the fact remained: they were still an unranked adventurer team.  

Yet even so, every member was exceptional, with no glaring weaknesses.  

Experienced adventurers always worked to cover their shortcomings—real professionals would be even more formidable.  

Pushing these thoughts aside, Gauss walked alongside priest Daphne.  

Staring at the plant-based staff in her hand, he hesitated before finally asking:  

"Daphne, is that staff a magic wand?"  

"Huh?" Daphne, who had been enjoying the scenery, seemed startled by his sudden question. "Sorry, what did you say?"  

Gauss repeated himself.  

"Oh, no. This is just wood good for channeling divine power—it helps me cast spells but isn't a true staff or wand. Just base material," Daphne explained frankly.  

This openness was why Gauss had asked—he sensed Daphne was, after Levin, the most approachable in the group.  

In fact, he'd noticed her subtle curiosity toward him earlier, likely because they were both "magic-based classes," creating natural affinity.  

"I'm still attuning to this wood. Once that's done,"  

"I'll have it fitted with a suitable magic stone of matching attributes, then have it professionally crafted into a proper staff. This method produces the best compatibility," Daphne added. "Better than buying a premade one."  

"I'm saving up for a Life Magic Stone now, but even the cheapest costs two and a half gold coins."  

"Oh?" Gauss's heart skipped a beat.  

Beneath his clothes, against his neck, hung a Life Magic Stone.  

Two and a half gold coins.  

Shopkeeper Grom's estimate of two gold had been low—understandable, given his years away from the professional circuit. Misjudging item values was normal.  

"What's wrong?" Daphne asked, noticing his prolonged silence.  

"Nothing," Gauss waved it off.  

He certainly wouldn't blurt out his secret.  

First, they'd just met—keeping wealth private was basic caution.  

Second, revealing it brought no benefit. Should he sell it cheap to Daphne for a favor?  

She lacked a staff, but he needed a wand too.  

The difference a wand made for spellcasters was monumental.  

From Daphne's tone, the core component of a wand seemed to be a suitably attuned magic stone.  

Even if his future wand didn't require a Life Magic Stone, trading it for one he needed might work.  

Common sense told Gauss exchanging magic stones for gold was inefficient—bartering directly would avoid middleman markups.  

Meaning, until finding the right trade partner, he only needed funds for base materials and crafting fees.  

Just as Gauss was about to ask Daphne about material prices, they arrived at the training site, forcing him to table his questions for another time.