Pretending to be a noob in a world scaled by power level

[19] Dinner

"It's all your fault! Nobody wants to join our team because you are E tier!" Sera points her finger at me in frustration.

Sera's outburst drew the curious gazes of the other patrons. "You're ruining our reputation before we even have one!" she continued, her violet eyes flashing with accusation.

I shrugged, taking a slow sip of my ale. "Maybe. Or maybe they're just not the right people for our team."

This seemed to take her aback. She huffed, crossing her arms. "And who, according to you, are the 'right' people?"

"Those who can see beyond the tiers," I replied simply, reaching for a piece of bread. "Tiers can be deceiving, Sera. Real strength lies in strategy, teamwork, resilience... qualities that don't show up in a crystal orb scan."

She seemed momentarily silenced, mulling over my words. But then her expression hardened. "Well, good luck finding people like that," she retorted, a hint of bitterness seeping into her tone.

"Thank you, Sera," I said, meeting her glare with a soft smile. "I will."

She rolled her eyes, but a tinge of pink spread across her cheeks. "Don't thank me. I'm just stuck with you for now. And stop smiling like that, it's annoying."

"Like what?" I asked, my smile growing wider.

"Like... like that!" she stuttered, her face now fully flushed. "Like you know something I don't!"

"Do I?" I teased, chuckling at her flustered reaction. Despite her tough exterior, Sera was proving to be an entertaining companion, her tsundere personality adding a certain spice to our interactions.

On our way out of the bar, from the corner of my eyes, I spotted a bunch of burly men of various races surrounding a girl in a dark alley. I stopped in my tracks at once.

"Boss?" Sera back peddled a few steps to see what I was seeing.

The leader, a stocky dwarf with a thick, braided beard, slammed a meaty fist onto a bunch of brick wall, causing a small crack. "Ye've been dillydallying for too long, lass!" he barked, his voice rumbling through the room like an angry tempest.

The girl, a petite human with a defiant look in her eyes, sat slumped in a chair, her short black hair messy and tangled. Her eyes were wide, a stark contrast to her otherwise determined demeanor. "I will pay you back," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but her tone was firm.

The burly men laughed, the sound harsh and grating against the clamor of the bar. "Ye've been sayin' that for weeks now, lassie!" roared another man, a burly beastkin with fur-covered arms.

"Give me more time," the human girl pleaded, her voice growing more desperate.

"Time is somethin' ye don't have anymore, lass," the dwarf said, leaning in closer, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

From our position, I could see Sera clenching her fists, her eyes shooting daggers at the group of men. "We should help her," she muttered, her voice tight with anger.

As I surveyed the situation, I felt a pang of empathy for the young girl, cornered and outmatched. Yet, her spirit was far from broken. "Let's see how this plays out first," I said quietly, observing the scene unfolding before us.

Q: What's your usual dinner?