Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Investing Through the Status Window.

Episode 109: Hometown (1).

-You fucking bitch, get a hold of yourself! Damn it, we’re all going to die at this rate, you fucking bitch!!

Then, the harsh hand that mercilessly slapped her cheek.

-Hurry up, you bitch! Go and take down those bastards!!

Charlotte, sobbing, ran in that direction and suddenly woke up from the dream.

Ah.

Drenched in cold sweat, Charlotte took a deep breath and slowly raised her upper body.

To think I would meet that man here…

The man who had suddenly disappeared, Allen Dewise Pomwell, had reappeared in front of her just like before. Now, he had become a recognized group leader by one of the Top 10.

…Honestly, my perception of him changed a lot after we went through the mission in the Demon Lands together. Who would have thought that someone who only seemed to follow women around would have such outstanding abilities as a mercenary group leader?

If, by any chance, he had been designated as her fiancé after that incident, she wouldn’t have opposed so fiercely as before… Perhaps they really would have gotten engaged and even married.

The timing was just bad. For her, and for him…

No, it’s all in the past anyway…!

Charlotte shook her head vigorously to scatter the faint image of Allen that surfaced in her mind, and stood up from her seat. Then she went out to the terrace to watch the beautiful sunrise.

The sight of the red color rising over the gently flowing river was an incredibly moving scene.

After a brief sunrise viewing, the blonde woman took a clean bath in the tub and then had an early breakfast with Group Leader Viola.

“If you two knew each other, I should have arranged a separate place for you.”

“No, it’s fine. We’ve just known each other a bit since childhood… That’s all.”

…In fact, they had almost been engaged, but there was no need to mention such a messy detail.

Group Leader Viola merely gave a faint smile instead of replying, but oddly, she didn’t feel very comfortable.

A young and beautiful hometown friend. Moreover, a childhood friend from a Count’s family…

In the past, it might not have been noticeable, but now Allen was undeniably a charming and attractive man. Even Elizabeth, a vice group leader of the Top 10, coveted him enough to engage in a power struggle with a fellow Top 10 group leader. Viola. And in such a situation, suddenly reuniting with a childhood friend from his hometown? Such a coincidence was unheard of.

Though there were some concerns, Viola did not forget her purpose. After all, Charlotte was the employer, and Allen was the employee. She believed that Group Leader Allen would not forget his role… Who else could she trust if not the man who stood firm against the temptations of Lady Elizabeth Belver, who anyone would drool over?

In any case, after the meal, the two women parted ways to attend to their respective duties.

Considering the negotiations with the two group leaders, the departure date was roughly ten days away.

Of course, Charlotte had no intention of just wasting time here. This was the city of mercenaries, Vermandois. Powerful mercenaries, hard to find in the southern region, gathered here in droves, so she had to make an effort to hire them somehow.

…Still, my mercenary group is quite well-known in the southern region now.

Thus, Group Leader Charlotte rented an office from the guild house to the roadside and started recruiting mercenaries in earnest.

Of course, the imagination of skilled mercenaries flocking in droves was shattered in just one day. Not a single mercenary showed up at the office; only flies buzzed around. The reality was that the Charlotte-Mercenary Group from the south wasn’t even recognized as a mercenary group in Vermandois. Moreover, they weren’t offering a lot of money, so no one in their right mind would join. Occasionally, those who peeked into the office were, even in Charlotte’s eyes, useless.

In contrast, the Allen-Mercenary Group had already made quite a name, even in Vermandois. There were even rumors that they had some kind of relationship with Group Leader Viola of the Top 10… Surely, there seemed to be something subtle between the two. It was a woman’s intuition.

…No, what do I care about their relationship?

Charlotte tried to think of Allen not as a man who could have been her fiancé but merely as an employee. Anyway, apart from a few missions together, they had no other connections. There was no need to attach meaning to old events. Whether he succeeded or not, or whether he got involved with another woman, had nothing to do with her.

I am me, and he is him. We have no relationship at all.

-You damn bitch!

Charlotte kept remembering Allen grabbing her by the collar and shouting like that.

…The man she hadn’t seen for a long time felt strangely familiar to her.

The Allen-Mercenary Group prepared for their southern journey. They checked their equipment and packed their belongings…

Although it wasn’t as far as the west, it required comparable preparation and resolve.

Before heading south, there was another round of wage negotiations between the employer and the employee. They didn’t set the entire amount here; they first agreed on the minimum guaranteed payment, then planned to renegotiate whether to add more in the mid-sized city Berge.

Of course, Allen wasn’t going to cut the amount just because Charlotte was from the same hometown. The Count’s family, which even had a mine, was wealthy, so he intended to extract as much as possible.

“We won’t go below a thousand gold coins.”

“…Whaaat?!?!”

Of course, it was an amount unimaginable in the south. She had thought it would be around 400 at most, so she was naturally flustered when the cost more than doubled.

“A thousand gold coins is too much. No matter how you look at it…!”

“From my standpoint, it’s just the right amount… Listen, Group Leader Charlotte. Do you know how much it costs to hire my mercenary group for a month? It’s over 200 gold coins, over 200! And it takes more than a month just to get to Berge. Just breathing costs 200 gold coins; that’s what I’m saying.”

The perception gap between the central and southern regions was indeed that large… For that reason, everyone tries to go to Vermandois, who would want to go to the south?

“Didn’t you say you haven’t been able to approach the mine for several months? The damage alone must be enormous, so rather than trembling over a mere thousand gold coins, wouldn’t it be much more beneficial to resolve the situation quickly and minimize the damage?”

Of course, that made sense, but considering the distance, a thousand gold coins seemed too steep. It was an amount she had never expected…

“Still, it’s too expensive…”

“To bring a skilled mercenary group all the way out there, you have to be prepared for that kind of expense…. Group Leader Charlotte. We’re not living off the land. Every move costs money. You’re completely out of touch with reality.”

The Southern Village Girl Charlotte had nothing to say in response… Honestly, it was true that she didn’t know much about Vermandois’s situation.

Allen, who had been pounding the table with his fist and pushing with a strong tone, began to coax the Southern Village Girl with a soft voice again.

“Still, considering our old ties, I gave you a discount. If it were someone else, I would have asked for twelve hundred. Besides, we have the guarantee of Group Leader Viola of the Top 10. Our skills are worth that much money.”

Charlotte was already almost swayed by Allen’s words. At that moment, he drove the final nail.

“Well, I’m not forcing you. If we can’t find a mutual agreement, there’s nothing we can do… Alright. Then I’ll withdraw from this mission. Try finding a cheaper mercenary group.”

As Allen tried to conclude the negotiation, the Southern Village Girl hastily asked again.

“No, I haven’t refused yet. It’s just… I need some time to think…”

“Sorry, but we can’t give you much time. Our mercenary group is quite busy as well… If possible, I’d like to conclude this matter here and now…”

Allen smiled leisurely and tapped the table with his fingers. Having dealt with numerous cunning people before, handling this Southern Village Girl was a piece of cake… Still, out of old affection, he didn’t call too high a price. Otherwise, he would have stripped her down to her underwear.

“But since it’s you, Group Leader Viola personally mediated. Any other southern mercenary group wouldn’t have been paid any heed.”

And at this point, a bit of flattery.

Since the person had the [Narcissism] trait, boosting their pride or self-esteem had particularly good effects.

Outwardly, she pretended to be haughty, but inside, she was thrilled. Indeed, this man recognized her abilities, she thought…

“…Alright. Let’s do that. The matter is quite urgent, so we can’t delay any longer. And even if it costs some money, it’s better to get the job done properly, right?”

“A very wise choice.”

Allen stood up with a bright smile and extended his hand for a handshake to the southern village woman.

“Looking forward to working with you, Group Leader Charlotte.”

The blonde beauty, with her chin slightly raised like that of a haughty noblewoman, elegantly took his outstretched hand.

“Yes, Group Leader Allen.”

Of course, Charlotte thought Allen wouldn’t charge more when he arrived in Berge for further detailed negotiations… but the Money Demon Allen wasn’t going to let it slide so easily.

If it’s a mission related to demonic beasts, I could probably squeeze out another two or three hundred gold coins.

Of course! It’s not because I hold a grudge against the Count’s family for not letting me become her fiancé… Ah, really!