Chapter 5
Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Downstream Life (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#005
1.
Born with a rotten nature from the get-go, I've lived chasing my innate cravings.
That's why I gained some advantages.
No matter the situation, I developed a boldness and composure where I wouldn't even blink.
Even I have moments that throw me for a loop.
Like when the sister who was just vowing revenge crawls into my place half-dead.
"Honey."
"...."
I lightly patted her soft cheek, but she didn't budge an inch.
For now, I laid her on the bed and covered her with a ragged blanket like a straw mat.
The bed was cramped even for one person, so I sat on the floor and rubbed my dry face.
"So, the ambush was real?"
Circumstances point that way.
Arbel must have shaken off her pursuers and crawled all the way to this safe house belatedly.
Before my head got too complicated, there was work to do.
"Sis, stay still, okay? Don't suddenly blast any magic or anything? I won't do anything weird."
For starters, I stripped off Arbel's clothes.
If she were conscious, I'd be half-dead, but in emergency treatment, undressing and contact are legally exempt from liability.
Her body was hot like a hand warmer, but her sweat-soaked clothes quickly turned cold.
I rolled Arbel's body this way and that, checking her all over.
"She's fine?"
Aside from minor scrapes, her skin was smooth as porcelain.
Every inch was sleek.
Really sleek.
"Desirable."
Meaning no notable wounds.
Whether it was the monstrous recovery power of a mage,
Or if it wasn't mere external injuries but internal damage.
Probably the latter, but no way a layman like me could figure it out just by looking.
To properly check, I'd need a doctor or a priest.
But a doctor in this shithole city? A priest?
Poor little Cedric here ate cockroach cat food because he had no rice?
"Ha, now I've got a burden on my hands."
A deep sigh welled up from my chest.
Wasn't she supposed to be a 1st Rank Mage bunny-eared magical girl...?
Wasn't she here to save me...?
"Just toss her out."
Arbel wasn't even my blood sister, and we weren't particularly close.
Honestly, doesn't seem like she fought to protect me.
Her dad got killed, so she lost it and charged in.
Taking care of myself is tough enough—adding a bedridden sandbag who groans all day?
My survival odds would plummet like a brutal candlestick chart.
Not "oh, I'm dying" exaggeration—she'd actually die!
Look at this city!
I've already experienced death.
That pain, that fear, that terror.
The helpless sensation of my life slipping away pointlessly bit by bit.
Afterward, tossed into utter void, my sense of self slowly crushed and worn down.
A horrific sensation I never want to go through again.
Still.
"Well, might as well do what I can."
Honestly, if it were a hairy-legged brother or younger sibling, I'd ditch them, but Arbel is soft, fluffy, and cute.
Plus, she's a sister and a mage?
Especially being a 1st Rank Mage—that could be the foundation for my happy-happy casino life.
It's a bottom-buying opportunity.
I wrapped Arbel's fully stripped body in the blanket like a burrito.
"Arbel, you better pay me back later."
Consider the bunny girl cosplay agreed to, got it?
Her chubby cheek under my fingertip was incredibly soft too.
2.
"A doctor? Why the hell are you asking about that here?"
The city hall clerk who'd been kind during today's rations tilted his cigarette irritably.
"There's a sick person at home. As you know, I haven't been in Necropolis long."
"So?"
"Any medical aid programs from city hall or something?"
"You want city hall to send a doctor because you've got a sick person at home? What bullshit."
Wrong place to ask?
This was my last straw, so I came, but the reaction is lukewarm.
Like the top campus beauty who's grossed out after a pity word to a pitiful nerd turns into clingy harassment?
Not from experience.
"Family member's sick, huh? Bad?"
"Yeah, touch and go."
"Tch, that's rough. But no such thing. You think there is, looking around? Common sense."
Surprisingly sympathetic despite the rough mouth, the clerk shook his head.
"No priests in this city. You think the Holy See sends them to this cesspool?"
"Doctors?"
"No proper doctor for the likes of you. At best, head to 'Aquarium Street' around C Sector—quack doctors operate there."
Recalling me coming for rations today, the clerk clicked his tongue.
"Go to the square by city hall. Day labor jobs there."
"Thanks!"
"You gotta hustle. Those quacks got no skill but charge a fortune."
"Yes, sir!"
I opened my eyes as pitifully as possible, hoping for help,
But he wasn't that much of a pushover.
This much help is plenty.
As I headed over, I arrived at a barren square with not even a weed in sight, greeted by a desolate scene.
"This is Junk Necropolis, huh...."
Atmosphere just like those ethnic markets from the movies.
Amid the swarming crowd, a bulletin board stood like a tombstone.
Crude board of rusted iron plates, greasy flyers tattered like rags.
- Twilight Resource Development Co., coal mine miners wanted, weekly 15k, no meals, bring own gear -
- Mausoleum Union, corpse haulers wanted, weekly 8k bios -
- Toad Butchery, fairy meat processing, weekly 6k, fast experienced preferred -
- Steam Bathhouse attendants wanted, weekly 50k+, room/board, neat appearance, males OK -
"Why are the wages like this?"
Excluding the last one, pocket change even if you squint.
Ark City factory workers make 100k bios a month.
Worse wages than imagined.
Too many people, so they lowball?
"Ha...."
Stings anew.
Got 200 million bios at the casino.
With that, I could've done the Necropolis emperor tour.
How did it come to this shit?
Anyway, need quick cash now.
Skip weeklies, check day labor.
Lots in my situation? Day labor board was busier.
- Twilight Resource Development Co., recycling sorter at sorting plant, daily 2k, no hazmat, includes toxic waste sorting -
- Iron Mountain Co., landfill designated resource (scrap, glass) collector, 1.5k per 10kg, lunch provided -
- Overnus Pharma Co., drug clinical trial volunteers, 10k per session 7 sessions, no quitting mid-contract -
Better pay, but riskier.
Notably, ones with '(Co.)' seem better overall.
Like major corps in this scene?
Knowledge gained.
I memorized carefully, then headed to the next board.
But....
"Hm?"
Right next to it, yet weirdly different vibe.
Unlike the packed previous one, this was sparse.
Above all, job seekers' aura different.
Deep fedora, stylish coat, Italian mafia look guy.
Musclebound dude at least 190cm.
Neatly dressed folks arms crossed.
- North Gate Gang, 'Mushroom Factory' fairies, 8k per head buy, x2 live capture -
- Overnus Pharma Co., 'Hotel' B2 extermination request, Rank 7 Solver+, death bounty included -
- City Hall public request, 'Old Sewers' maintenance, pay per entity see rate sheet -
Feeling hit me.
This one's for 'Solvers.'
"Solvers, huh...."
From what I know, Solver's nothing special.
Trouble-shooters for pay.
Fancy name for mercenaries.
"Hold on."
'Sedric' lacks talent or aptitude, but noble blood.
My body has 'mana circuits' too.
Mana circuits boost physical abilities just by existing.
In noble society, treated as dimwit, but maybe Sedric squeezes out Rank 9 Solver combat power?
Scanning, main gig seems entering 'Rifts' to bash monsters—I've got real hunt XP.
"Hm."
Still risky.
Unknown pursuer with unclear motives might still tailing.
Forget a loser like me—even with Arbel alive, pursuit might follow.
Better avoid flashy moves.
"Alright, decided."
Got nothing? Time to collateralize risk.
No seed money? Take loan. Still short? Bribe.
That's how shit changes.
Picking safe options now just sinks slow like a listing ship.
3.
"Solver? You?"
"Yeah."
The clerk eyed me up and down, clicking his tongue after my 10-min return.
"How?"
"Rank 9's just registration, right?"
"5k bios fee, asshole. You got money?"
"Ah."
Fuck, there's that?
What government office charges 50k for paperwork!
"Bro, trust me just once."
"Aigoo, fuck. Bro when you see me? Get lost!"
I made my eyes as pitiful as possible.
Then dropped to my knees, clung to his pant leg.
"Got a younger brother at home wasting away. If I fuck up, he dies. Here, let me shine your shoes."
I huffed on the clerk's shoes and buffed with my sleeve.
Tell me to lick? I'd lick.
Pride pay bills?
After much tussle.
"Look at that shine. See? Face reflects."
"Sigh.... Fine. Sly little shit, but can't hate ya."
"Then.... mind sparing a smoke? I'll pay back."
"You know how much these cost?"
He chuckled dryly, handed one over.
"Uh.... light too."
"Here."
"Thanks!"
-Sizzle
Puff, nicotine.
Smoke in lungs after ages, head spins.
"Eh, you look desperate, so loan ya. But."
"Thanks, bro! Ah, from first glance, sensed your warm little prince heart!"
"Listen to end, punk. Think folks here dumb, slurping dirt in mines, slaving factories?"
Honestly, don't look that sharp.
"'Cause risky. Rank 9 Solver? Nine out of ten die in first month in 'Rifts.' Who takes that? Tomorrow's starvation cases, terminal, junkies. Last resort dead-ends."
He patted my shoulder.
"You just arrived. Sick family. Who feeds 'em if you die? Fought before?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Lemme show ya."
Before his puzzled repeat, I took stance, showed light shadowboxing.
"Shh, shh-shh-shh!"
Quit 'cause boring, but kid me took youth boxing silver.
Plus Sedric's body moves better than expected.
Noble mana circuit perks?
Light as feather despite years bedridden boozing.
Equals or tops peak 'me.'
"Oho, packs a punch?"
"This enough, bro?"
Seemed passable mid-demo, clerk nodded arms crossed.
"License yours. Hook ya up with Solver agency I know. Head there."
"Thanks! This grace—I'll repay!"
I bowed deeply, fist clenched.
.
.
.
Next day, rundown Solver agency 'BigDick' the clerk intro'd.
"Hellooooo!!!! Newbie! James Bond! Bowing to the big bosses ruling Necropolis!!!!"
"Oy, yeah. You the rookie intro'd?"
"Yes, sir! First time Solver work, so short in many ways, but I'll serve bosses with all heart! Annoying chores! Odd jobs! Pile 'em on!"
"Hoho, rookie's spirited. Uh, where from?"
"Mom's womb!!!"
"UHAHAHAHA!!! Rook got humor! Huh? Why you touching my gut?"
"Holding your belly button so it don't fall off, captain!"
"KAHAHAHA!!!"
Thus begins James Bond, Rank 9 Solver's turbulent isekai life!
Fuck.
Living's goddamn hard.
======
::: Challenges (Newly Achieved!) :::
- Acquired 9th Rank Solver License. +1pt
- Joined a Solver Agency. +1pt
======