Making Money (3)
Making Money (3)
Do you know what the penalty for arson is?
If deemed intentional, it's 15 years in prison. Even if claimed as accidental, you're looking at around 3 years. Considering that murder—an unforgivable crime—only carries a sentence of about 10 years, arson is arguably treated as even more severe than taking a life.
Having been raised by my aunt—who cared for me better than my own parents ever could—to be a model citizen, I was well aware of the gravity of arson.
And yet, I had just accidentally set something on fire.
The only silver lining was that the fire I had started wasn't in the real world, but rather, it was burning through the Mage Gallery.
[Guys, wasn't 9th Class supposed to be the highest rank?]
[Great Archmage, if you're reading this, please answer my prayer]
[Where did all the alchemists go? T_T It's no use running away scared!]
[From now on, I'll treat newbies with the utmost care]
[Honestly, this is all part of the Great Archmage's grand plan]
...Should I just leave this as it is?
Whether well-intentioned or not, I knew attention like this in online communities was rarely a good thing. I needed to do something about it, but first, I decided to delete my original post.
[Where should a newbie learn magic?] (452 replies)
Seriously, how did this post already have over 400 replies in such a short time? Shaking my head, I clicked into the thread to find the delete button—except there wasn't one.
"Wait, there's no delete function?"
A sigh escaped me. Regrettably, it seemed I'd have to leave the post up for now.
Before considering other options, I took a quick glance at the Gallery's current state.
[EMERGENCY!!!! ALL GRAND ALCHEMISTS, ASSEMBLE!!!!]
[These magician cockroaches are getting way too bold lololol]
[Isn't this the first time a 10th Class Mage has appeared in the Gallery?]
[I wanna be a Great Archmage too]
[Great Archmage, can you become one even without Unique Magic?]
[Everyone, be careful around newbies from now on]
The Gallery was still ablaze.
It didn't look like this fire would die down on its own.
"Hmm..."
Swallowing a groan, I resorted to my last option.
"Maybe I should just sleep on it?"
Time could be the best medicine. Often, problems that seemed impossible to solve would resolve themselves if you just waited. This happened frequently enough in real life.
So, I decided to let time handle the Gallery's chaos.
The next morning, I woke up early, washed up quickly, and left the house.
I walked toward the address Gu Se-chan had sent me. Every now and then, the urge to take the bus crept up, but the sight of my empty bank account made that thought quickly retreat.
After a long walk, I spotted Se-chan waiting for me in an empty lot. His dazzling hair was an added bonus.
"Hey! You're late!"
"I arrived right on time."
"You should've come 30 minutes early like me and waited!"
"What kind of thug logic is that? And what's with the hair?"
Se-chan smirked, flipping his radiant locks.
"This? Hah! Pretty cool, right? I dyed it to celebrate becoming a mage!"
"It suits you."
And it really did. With his already delinquent-like face, the flashy hair made him look like a genuine street thug to anyone who didn't know him.
"Oh, by the way! Did you see the Gallery yesterday? A 10th Class Mage showed up!!"
He clapped his hands excitedly, as if suddenly remembering.
"...Is a 10th Class Mage really that big of a deal?"
"Of course! Mages from 7th Class onward are called Great Archmages, and 10th Class is the highest rank!"
I knew he hadn't been part of the community much longer than me, but he seemed way more informed. Just how much time had he spent scrolling through the Gallery?
"People are saying it's the first time a 10th Class Mage has ever appeared in the Gallery! It's huge!"
Looking closer, I noticed dark circles under his eyes. He must've stayed up all night browsing.
"...I see."
I nodded vaguely, playing dumb. Now wasn't the time to reveal that I was the 10th Class Mage who'd set the Gallery on fire.
"Aaaah—! I wanna see a 10th Class Mage too! They must use insanely cool and beautiful magic, right?!"
Watching Se-chan grin like a madman while staring at the sky, I shook my head. Telling him the truth would only invite trouble. He'd always been obsessed with the occult, after all.
I'd originally planned to explain the situation and ask for his advice, but it seemed I'd have to handle this one alone.
"Oh! Now's not the time! We've got work to do!"
"Wait, at least tell me what we're doing."
"The broker will explain. I don't even know yet. Let's just hurry!"
Seriously? We're going in blind? Or maybe this was just Se-chan's idiocy at work—jumping into a job just because it paid well. I doubted anyone would be that reckless, but given his track record, my suspicions grew.
"Where are we meeting?"
"Somewhere around here... Just follow me."
Trailing behind Se-chan, we soon arrived at a shabby-looking office.
"...A real estate agency?"
"Come on."
The alley was deserted. Se-chan confidently pushed the door open, and I slipped in before it closed.
The inside was nothing like the exterior. Neatly arranged desks and chairs, bookshelves filled not with real estate manuals but with English tomes on magic.
"Don't touch those. They're expensive."
Just as I reached for one, a cold, indifferent voice stopped me. I awkwardly retracted my hand and bowed slightly.
"Ah, sorry."
The man who seemed to own the place adjusted his glasses. His stiff suit matched his tone.
"You're the mages here for the ghoul extermination request?"
"Yeah! That's the one."
Se-chan nodded eagerly, as if finally remembering why we were here. The suit-wearing man wordlessly turned and walked out.
"Come on, let's go!"
Se-chan grabbed my wrist and pulled.
"I'll follow, just let go."
"Wahaha! Work time! I'm a real mage now!"
Thrilled to be called a mage, Se-chan finally released my wrist, still grinning to himself.
Pfft.
Watching him, I couldn't help but laugh. He had a talent for making even serious situations feel light. I trudged after him.
We rode in the suited man's car.
After about ten minutes in the backseat of his luxury sedan, the car stopped. We'd arrived.
"What kind of place is this?"
"No idea."
Ignoring the useless Se-chan, I watched as the man stepped out. Sensing my unspoken question, he turned to explain.
"...I assumed you'd already been briefed, but I'll summarize. Your target is the ghouls spotted in the sewers. Reports indicate three of them, so this should be quick. I'll wait here."
With that, he got back in the car. I turned to Se-chan, who was still scratching his head blankly.
"So, what now?"
"We hunt, obviously."
Se-chan pulled a baseball bat from his duffel bag.
Whiff. Whiff.
"Yeah, feels good."
After a few practice swings, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Aren't you using magic?"
"My magic's close-range."
Close-range? I thought all mages were supposed to be long-range fighters. Between the Gallery and Se-chan, my romanticized image of mages was crumbling.
"Then what am I supposed to do? I don't know magic, and I didn't bring a weapon."
I'd come empty-handed despite knowing the risks. At a glance, I looked utterly useless, but I stood my ground—Se-chan had told me to come unarmed.
"I brought your weapon too. Here, take these."
Se-chan pulled out a thick stack of yellow paper slips and handed them to me.
"What's this?"
"Talismans."
At least tell me how to use them. That explanation was way too short. When I voiced my complaint, he smirked knowingly.
"Throw them with your heart. That'll do it."
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Dunno more than that. I just read it in the Gallery."
"Then how am I supposed to—?"
"Oh! Look at the time! Let's go!"
Se-chan checked his watch, feigned shock, and bolted for the sewer entrance. Was I imagining things, or was he just dodging the explanation?
"Hey! Trade weapons with me!"
Watching his retreating back disappear into the sewers, I followed.
Fifty minutes of wandering the sewers later.
"Ah, damn."
I'd thought I was getting the hang of hunting ghouls, but apparently not.
"Gyaaaaah—!"
I realized my mistake when I saw Se-chan surrounded by a pack of them.
Limbs torn, entrails spilling, his once-vibrant hair now dyed red.
This was the second time I'd seen someone die.
I learned something important.
No matter how powerful a mage you are, carelessness means death.