episode_0135

“Hahaha! Is that all these little ones can do! Put more strength into it!!”

Mina and Eugene Schneider loaded up a cart full of supplies and visited each house in the slum to distribute them to the children.

After finishing all the work, they gathered together to eat, and after eating, they started playing with the children.

They played tag and house.

Right now, Eugene is the only one doing tug-of-war with the kids.

“Keuhaaaaa! You’re too strong!”

“Please go easy on us, mister!!”

“No way! The world is a competitive society, you guys have to learn to compete from the start!”

Drag, drag, drag, drag, drag!

Eugene dragged the little ones hanging from the thick rope.

The sight of the children being dragged helplessly was truly pathetic.

A truly immature sight,

but that is truly the way Eugene Schneider plays.

Since Mina has already shown them enough of a soft side,

Eugene Schneider himself wants to teach these young kids that the world is not easy.

“Wow~ Eugene is really strong! Look over there, sister, even the big brothers are being dragged along!”

“Really? That’s amazing?”

Margaret was shocked by Eugene’s display of strength, which she saw for the first time, and went wild.

Of course, Eugene Schneider gave her a piggyback ride when they first met,

but the sight of him dragging nearly 20 children attached to a rope is a superpower that cannot be compared to that.

Margaret couldn’t help but be surprised that even the kids who used to be strong in the slums were falling like autumn leaves.

Then, Mina, who was hugging Margaret from behind, chimed in and empathized with Margaret’s excitement.

“Wow~ The kids’ stamina is really amazing~”

After playing with the children for a while, Eugene sat down on the platform where Margaret and Mina were sitting together.

Eugene Schneider, a Sword Expert Awakener who was deeply inhaling,

but far away, the children, despite being dragged around by Eugene so much, quickly recovered their stamina and were playing with each other.

And Margaret, who had been chatting with Mina until just before, joined the group of children and was playing around like crazy.

“Thanks to you, Eugene, I’m having a much easier time today. Usually, I’d be the one panting like that right now. Here, wipe your sweat with this towel.”

Swoosh…!

Mina handed Eugene a towel.

She understands his exhausted appearance very well.

As Mina said, normally, it would have been Mina herself playing with those energetic children.

Playing with kids is harder than working as a blacksmith,

but she couldn’t neglect that work every time she came for relief and volunteer work.

Because what the slum children need is not just relief supplies, but also the interest and affection of outsiders.

Because those meetings and relationships act as seeds of hope for the children, preventing them from being swallowed up by the darkness within the slum.

“Hahaha! Thank you, Mina!”

Eugene received the towel from Mina and joked.

“And Eugene, I’m sorry about what happened earlier…”

After that, Eugene wiped his face and neck with the towel and tidied himself up.

Mina, who had been watching him silently, apologized in a cautious tone.

“Huh? About what happened earlier?”

Eugene asked back with a puzzled expression.

“About Margaret lying… When I asked Margaret, she said she wanted to show off to the children that she was close and friendly with Eugene… She’s a child who likes to receive attention…”

It was an apology for making her say that Eugene was her boyfriend.

For the past month or so, Margaret felt for the first time that she was at the center of the slum children.

She was young and always pushed around, but thanks to Eugene Schneider and Mina, she was able to enjoy that attention and gaze,

so she lied that Eugene Schneider was Mina’s boyfriend.

Because then she could further emphasize her closeness with Eugene Schneider.

“Haha! Why are you apologizing for that? If you’re going to do that, I should be the one apologizing for publicly acknowledging it without Mina’s consent.”

But Eugene shook his hand.

“Umm… that’s…”

Mina hesitated at Eugene’s gesture.

‘Eugene is a noble and I’m from the underground city, so of course I should be the one who’s sorry…’

Because it’s not a normal relationship between a man and a woman for Mina.

If it were a normal relationship between a man and a woman, Eugene’s words would definitely make sense,

but in their relationship, if Eugene acknowledges their friendship, Mina should just be grateful for the grace.

Those words were circling in her head, but Mina couldn’t bring herself to say them.

“I said I had something to tell Mina separately when I came, right?”

At that moment, Eugene brought something up this time.

“Yes, you did. It sounded like quite good news at first.”

While finishing preparations in Pangea and heading to the outskirts of the castle where the slums were located, Eugene casually said he had something to tell Mina directly.

The nuance was quite positive, so Mina is showing the same reaction as now.

“Rather than good news, it’s a proposal that I hope will be good news. So, what I mean is, our Red Fox Mercenary Group is thinking of building a mercenary village. And I’m going to propose to Mina to bring her there.”

It was none other than Jeanne’s dream,

the story of Yongmyeong Village.

In this Alexandria expedition quest, the Red Fox Mercenary Group earned much more quest money than expected.

Not only that, but they also secured a route to carry out higher quality quests in the future.

So she began to establish and promote plans to build a Red Fox mercenary village in earnest.

The first step is, of course, the recruitment of Mina, a blacksmith who can perfectly perform the role of blacksmith, who is an important resource for the village.

“Me???”

Mina’s eyes widened in surprise at Eugene’s words.

Mina had heard from other Red Fox mercenaries she was close to that Jeanne wanted to build a mercenary village.

To name a Red Fox mercenary who openly discussed it with her, it’s Marie.

However, the fact that Jeanne had Mina in mind as the exclusive blacksmith for the mercenary village was a fact known only to Jeanne herself and Eugene,

so in fact, Mina is hearing the offer to become the exclusive blacksmith for the mercenary village for the first time.

“Yes. Our leader really wants a mercenary group like a family. In order for that to happen, an environment must be created in which all members of the village can settle down. The village is formed and the mercenaries are raising families there. In that case, we need an exclusive blacksmith for the village, and the leader thinks that Mina, who is responsible and skilled, would be really good at that role.”

Eugene explained Jeanne’s proposal to Mina with a sincere and earnest expression and tone of voice.

Originally, Jeanne was thinking of meeting Mina separately and asking her herself.

However, Eugene thought that it would be better to bring it up during today’s slum volunteer work in order to succeed in persuading her.

So, Eugene Schneider was on a mission, having been entrusted by Jeanne to persuade Mina.

‘The blacksmith of the mercenary village…’

Mina was lost in thought as she listened to Eugene’s explanation.

‘It was a really attractive thing to say when I heard it from Marie.’

She is quite fond of the position of exclusive blacksmith of the mercenary village.

Among blacksmiths, there are those who hate being tied down somewhere, and there are those who welcome people who get along well.

The former are very high-level craftsmen or blacksmiths who are completely career-oriented.

If you become a blacksmith in a mercenary village, your income will be stable, but the high point will be much lower.

But Mina is not the type of blacksmith who wants a high point.

‘I was wondering if I could take care of the children more stably there.’

Mina wants her blacksmithing skills, and the money she earns through them, to help the slum children she has been taking care of so far so that they can grow up well.

From her point of view, if she becomes a stable and kind-hearted exclusive blacksmith in a mercenary group village, she would be able to do that important work even better.

‘Oh, as Marie said, Mina seems to be positive.’

Eugene looked at Mina’s face, which was full of thoughts, and his eyes twinkled slightly.

Because it seemed to him that Mina was tempted by his proposal.

When Jeanne told her Red Fox mercenary colleagues that she would promote the mercenary village and suggested that Mina be recommended as the exclusive blacksmith, Marie reflexively blurted out the reaction Mina had shown her in the past.

As Marie had experienced firsthand, Mina had said that she thought Jeanne’s mercenary village plan was a very meaningful and good plan.

Eugene came here after hearing Marie’s words in advance, so he was cautious but confident in grasping Mina’s intentions and made the proposal.

“Are you thinking about whether these children can be with you there, Mina?”

And Eugene knew exactly what Mina was tempted by.

Because he knows her tendencies so well.

“Yes… that’s right, Eugene. That’s why I’m working so hard now.”

Mina nodded slowly in response to Eugene’s question.

“What is being discussed as our mercenary group’s mercenary village is near Jebodang Village, the location of the last quest. Actually, I’ve talked to those people in advance about what Mina is thinking? They are in a mood to readily accept it. So I am sure that it will be done as Mina wants.”

Eugene, having been entrusted by Jeanne, flew to Jebodang to persuade people and assess the situation.

Jebodang Village is so remote that there has been no influx of people for a long time.

Therefore, they were very positive about the formation of the mercenary village and the arrival of children.

“I see. I don’t know what to do with you preparing so thoroughly, Eugene.”

“Haha! It’s essential to make that kind of effort when recruiting an important person!”

Mina felt Eugene’s preparedness, so she was impressed and amazed.

“I would be really happy and honored if you recruited me to such a wonderful place. Although my skills are not very good, I will do my best to help the Red Fox Mercenary Village succeed.”

So Mina accepted the position of exclusive blacksmith for the Red Fox Mercenary Village.

“You’ve made a really good decision! Thank you, Mina!”

Grab!

Eugene was so happy with Mina’s decision that he grabbed her hand and thanked her.

Smile…!

Then Mina looked at Eugene, who was so innocently happy, and gave him a warm smile.

And that appearance of the two people

‘It seems like it went well.’

Someone was hiding far away and watching.

‘Anyway, that Eugene Schneider is damn good at seducing women’s hearts…’

It was Jeanne.

Jealous Jeanne secretly followed Eugene Schneider like a stray cat

and was watching the scene.