Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Investing Through the Status Window.

Episode 80: Chapter 2 (3).

Upon hearing that a group of mages from the Magic Tower had gathered in Vermandois, mercenary groups, intrigued, began flocking to the mercenary city as well.

Inferior mercenary groups would snoop around, wondering if they could at least pick up some crumbs, while superior ones would scan to see if there were any worthy mages to recruit.

And, the caliber of these superior mercenary groups was much more splendid than expected.

The Donovan-Mercenary Group, nicknamed The Iron Man, a muscular giant of a man standing well over 2 meters, the Giant Arbalest-Mercenary Group, one of the few mage group leaders on the continent, the King-Mercenary Group, the Madame Obonne-Mercenary Group, which amassed a tremendous fortune through shrewd business tactics, and even the formidable Dagon-Mercenary Group and Zione-Mercenary Group of the Top 10.

The status of the Magic Tower, long isolated from the outside world, was roughly like that. The expectation that there might be mages as highly skilled as the mage Group Leader King commonly scattered around.

In fact, Viola, too, before meeting the magicians from the Magic Tower, wasn’t without such expectations. But she was greatly disappointed later as the numbers turned out to be far less impressive than she thought.

Anyway. For whatever reason, once they arrived in the mercenary city, it was their common practice to come and greet Group Leader Viola, one of the Top 10. It was not wise to offend the mood of the Top 10 over trivial matters. …Of course, Viola wasn’t such a person to be easily offended.

…However, there was just one person whom she could hardly welcome.

One of the Top 10 group leaders, Dagon’s sister. Commander of the Dagon-Mercenary Group, Dana Kelpri.

Viola’s office door was flung open by the red-haired Dana, who greeted her as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

“Big Sis, long time no see—!”

Her thin top, with nipples protruding, was covered in dried bloodstains here and there. It created a menacing atmosphere, blending with the scar that diagonally crossed her face.

“Ah, it’s so suffocating. This is why I say I won’t be a vice-group leader. That guy also just sticks to the office working all day. It’s better to move around here and there.”

Dana, with her lively personality, waved her hands in disgust at the thought of office work, plopped down on a chair, and crudely scratched her groin, sniffing at the smell.

Viola, who had a neat-freak personality, involuntarily frowned, but she didn’t say anything unpleasant. It wouldn’t change anything anyway.

“…So, what brings you here this time?”

“The Magic Tower has completely fallen, so I came.”

Dana laughed with her teeth showing.

“We need a mage for our business. Heard there’s some stock available after a while.”

The ‘our business’ she mentioned was obvious. It was drugs—. That the main business of the Top 10 group leader, Dagon, was the drug trade, was an open secret to those in the know.

The redhead, who had been giggling, suddenly remembered something and pulled something out of his waistband. It was a letter envelope again. And it was pink, symbolizing pure love.

“Brother asked me to deliver this.”

Dagon’s love letter. Viola did receive it, but she had no intention whatsoever of associating with that damned drug addict.

She had clearly sent back a letter of gentle refusal last time, but it seems that such acts don’t work on a drug addict.

“But, you know. Do you happen to know any good mages? You’re good at spotting that kind of thing.”

“Well, I’m not really interested.”

“…Seems like they’re not up to big sis’s standards?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even check. …I just hate the authority complex of the Mage Tower.”

It was not an excuse but the truth. Viola hated the authority complex of those mages, who were full of pride for being from the Mage Tower. It was as if they looked down on mercenaries as inferior.

Then, Dana leaned slightly toward Viola and whispered as if she was about to share something incredible.

“When that happens, just beat them until they listen. Beasts only come to their senses after a beating.”

Viola let it go in one ear and out the other.

“…And, you should also start being a bit more flexible. Brother is also reaching his limit. He’s been incredibly irritable lately. The state of our house is just terrible, really.”

“What does the state of your house have to do with me?”

“Why doesn’t it matter? We’ll be family later on.”

‘Hmph, family, my foot.’

“Or, are you still deeply involved with that guy?”

Viola just glared at Dana and didn’t respond. Expecting some reaction, Dana was instead surprised by her calmness.

“How boring… I’ll be going now. Give me your reply next time.”

“I hope our next meeting will be more fruitful.”

“…Yeah, I’ll try.”

The redhead smiled faintly. …However, as soon as she left the office, the smile on her lips dried up as if it were a lie.

‘……Do those two really have something?’

In this dirty mercenary world, rumors about men and women were incredibly common. Yet, she couldn’t shake off this strange feeling. Their relationship seemed to be more than just the usual…

That high and mighty woman had truly fallen for a man? Even rejecting her brother, Dagon?

Dana felt a tingling sensation.

‘Damn, I can’t stand this—.’

···

After suffering terribly for three days, Allen found a corner table on the first floor hall and leisurely sipped on a beer for the first time in a while. However, even during his break, his mind was busy with various calculations about money.

He was especially deeply contemplating whether to end this inn life early and create a hideout or save up more money. With the funds he currently had, he could probably buy one of the inns located at the corner of an alley….

To take on commissions, an office was necessary, and to sell goods, a store was needed. For now, renting a street stall could somehow put out the immediate fire, but as the size of the mercenary group grew, the need for a hideout and office became noticeably more significant.

…No matter how I think about it, it’s not possible to accommodate the members like this. The number of long-term contractors is going to increase, so now a hideout has almost become essential. Since we’ve come into a bit of money, it might be a good idea to do it now.

In Guild Master, establishing a hideout was usually the first or second priority. Suppose a mercenary group grew without a hideout, loyalty and satisfaction decrease. Naturally, the reputation suffered as well.

Of course, it was impossible to hope for a high-end hideout like the Viola House, and the plan was to buy an inn building to aim for a certain amount of income every month. It was always like that in the beginning.

‘Next, if I rent a street stall and dispose of the goods, then the immediate tasks at hand would be concluded.’

Having roughly outlined his future plans, Allen finally let out a sigh and slumped back in his chair.

The blind saintess, who had accompanied Group Leader Allen on a brief errand in the morning, was sitting next to him, tasting all sorts of delicious foods and making a fuss with her exclamations.

“Group Leader, try some of this. It’s really good.”

“……Sister, please eat a lot.”

Odd-eyed, her cheeks about to burst, she stuffed her mouth full of food, reveling in the blissful taste of this worldly life.

The words of the Holy Spirit, to eliminate desire and live a life of moderation, had long been erased from her mind.

…She was far happier now than she had ever been in the kingdom.

Dana hummed a little tune through her nose as she made her way through the alley, finally arriving at her destination. It was the front of an inn with an old, creaking sign.

The redhead energetically opened the worn wooden door and quickly scanned the hall.

‘Hmm, perfect. This wretched smell of poverty…’

She wrinkled her nose, took a deep breath of the musty smell, and confidently walked to the counter where the innkeeper was.

“I heard a man named Allen is here.”

“Who might you be?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

She pulled out a small gold coin from her pocket and flicked it with her finger towards him. The old innkeeper skillfully caught it in mid-air and then pointed with his chin towards a table in the corner of the hall.

Red-haired Dana sharply turned her head to look in the direction pointed by the inn master’s chin. There, a man and a woman were sitting, idly chatting.

‘That guy is Allen…’

She walked briskly towards them. …He was certainly a handsome man. Since Big Sis Viola had her eyes on him, somehow, he seemed even more attractive.

Next to the man named Allen was a nun. To have the refined taste for even a blind nun… Her interest grew even more.

Without permission, Dana plopped down opposite the man. The smile gradually faded from the face of the man who had been chatting with the nun.

“Allen?”

“……Who……?”

“Good at fighting? You look like a loser.”

However, her long experience as a mercenary taught her not to judge by appearances.

‘…Then, I’ll have to check for myself.’

At the same time, there was a lightning-fast movement. If it failed, it was good because she could know the opponent’s skill, and if it succeeded, it was good because she could put a needle on that pretty face.

However, Dana’s dagger was far from its target. She slowly turned her head towards the nun who had pushed her arm far to the side.

“…You’re not just a cock-sleeve nun, are you?”

“Oh my, such foul language.”

The energies of the two women fiercely collided.