Making Money (5)
Making Money (5)
"Hmm. They're late."
The man in the suit, Yu-jin Kim, checked his wristwatch to see how much time had passed.
"Did they die or something?"
A dry chuckle escaped him as he recalled Se-chan Gu and Si-woo Lee heading into the sewers. To Yu-jin's eyes, they looked like complete amateurs.
"This is why mages are the worst."
Yu-jin shook his head with a faint smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.
Yu-jin Kim. He despised mages.
Arrogant, elitist bastards—their very existence was nothing more than an unpleasant memory for Yu-jin, a magician.
'Useless trash who can't even use magic—get the hell out of my sight.'
Just thinking about it made the scar on his chest throb.
But now, imagining those rookie mages dead in the sewers lifted his spirits, if only a little.
"What a good day. I should go home and crack open a beer."
Just as he turned the ignition and gripped the steering wheel—
THUD!
A bloody handprint smeared across the driver's side window.
Startled, Yu-jin quickly checked who it was. A disheveled-looking man in ragged clothes and a naked punk—Si-woo and Se-chan.
"Mind opening the door?"
Si-woo leaned in close to the window and spoke softly. His blood-soaked hand pressed against the glass as he peered inside, sending a chill down Yu-jin's spine.
'His eyes... they're different.'
Back in the office, Si-woo had seemed meek and unremarkable. But the aura he gave off was unmistakably that of a mage, and the dissonance between his appearance and presence had been unsettling. Now, locking eyes with Si-woo through the window, Yu-jin felt something far worse—fear.
His hands trembled on the wheel. The longer he stared, the more unwanted memories surfaced.
'No one cares if a magician dies, you know?'
'Don't even think of standing next to me, you worthless insect.'
'Why do I hate you? Isn't it obvious? You're a magician.'
The cold, disdainful gaze of a mage—eyes that made him feel smaller than dirt. Yu-jin couldn't move.
Just before entering the sewers, Si-woo had seemed like an ordinary guy. But now, his eyes held the dark madness of a mage.
THUD.
Si-woo and Se-chan opened the back door and climbed in.
"Ugh, it's freezing. Hey, give me some clothes."
"No."
Gulp.
Yu-jin barely managed to steady himself.
This was strange. His job involved brokering deals between mages and magicians—he'd been dealing with mages for years.
Yet here he was, trembling in fear just from a single glance.
No matter how much he hated mages, he hadn't been afraid of them in a long time. He'd overcome his trauma ages ago. So why was he terrified now?
He pushed the questions aside for the moment and pulled out a thick envelope of cash from his briefcase, extending it toward the mages in the backseat.
"Good work. Leave the cleanup to me."
But the mages didn't take the money. Yu-jin froze when he realized Si-woo was staring straight through him.
Gulp.
Yu-jin swallowed hard, wondering if he'd done something wrong. Maybe Si-woo was still pissed about his attitude back in the office? If so, that wouldn't be surprising—most mages he knew were petty like that.
"You said there were three ghouls, right?"
"Huh? Y-Yes! That's correct. Is there a problem?"
Sigh.
Si-woo frowned, and Yu-jin stiffened. That look in his eyes was dredging up old trauma.
"Wh-What's the... the problem?"
Se-chan, still naked, snickered at Yu-jin's stuttering while Si-woo ignored him and spoke flatly.
"I killed over ten ghouls. Are you joking? We almost died."
"Yeah, exactly! You have no idea how much it hurts to get bitten by those things! Wanna try it yourself?!"
Gulp.
"Understood. Then I'll double the payment—twenty million won."
Yu-jin swallowed again and offered a higher sum. But the amount didn't seem to satisfy them. Si-woo and Se-chan grimaced.
"Twenty? That's it?"
"Way too low."
THUD.
Si-woo suddenly opened the car door and stepped out. In his hand was a single talisman.
"Looks like there's still one left."
A ghoul staggered out from the sewer entrance.
Si-woo flicked the talisman toward it. The slip of paper shot through the air and struck the ghoul's head before exploding.
BOOM!!
"......"
Yu-jin was speechless at the sheer absurdity of the firepower.
That talisman had clearly been a Ghost Fire Talisman—one of the most basic, cheap talismans sold in the market. But the destructive force was nothing like what Yu-jin knew.
There was only one explanation. A mage capable of amplifying a Ghost Fire Talisman to that level had to be at least 5th Class. Meaning the rookie he'd underestimated was actually a 5th-Class Mage.
THUD.
While Yu-jin was still reeling from the realization, Si-woo climbed back into the car.
"So, how much more are you giving us?"
"Thirty... no! Forty—how about that?"
"Forty?! Seriously?"
Si-woo raised his voice, and Yu-jin panicked.
"Fifty million! I'll give you fifty!"
It wasn't his money anyway. He was just the broker—he could always squeeze the client for more. His reputation might take a hit, but that didn't matter right now. No job was worth his life.
"This isn't a dream, right?"
Dazed, I sat on the couch at home, staring at the glowing screen of my phone.
[Account Balance: 51,000,430 won]
I pinched my cheek.
"Ow."
Rubbing the sore spot, I kept staring at the balance. This was what I'd earned in a single day.
Fifty million won.
"Last week, I was making 200,000 won a day..."
But this money hadn't come easy. I'd nearly died. Se-chan had gotten his entire body torn apart by ghouls.
Still, no matter how dangerous, if I could make this much, it was worth the risk.
"When will Noona be back?"
On the way home, I'd stopped by a butcher shop and bought expensive beef. I planned to eat it with my sister when she got off work. Might as well convince her to quit her job while I was at it.
"Just a little more, and I can get Seo-ah treated."
To send my little sister, Seo-ah, to the U.S. for treatment, I needed an insane amount of money—something we could never afford before, barely scraping by day to day. But now, that amount wasn't so impossible anymore.
[Account Balance: 51,000,430 won]
"Heh heh..."
I couldn't help but grin at the number.
"Might as well gather some info while I wait for Noona."
Bored, I logged into the community forums to look up answers to the questions I'd had after today's job.
[Seoul Wizard Community]
[Why are these damn shamans so annoying lately?]
[Dinner of a Successful Magician]
[Meow meow! Today, some magician trash talked me, so I buried him!]
[The Pinnacle of Magic]
[If you hate mages acting high and mighty, smash that upvote! LOLOLOL]
"Any actual info on magic?"
Time to use the search bar. There weren't any newbie guides, but I figured I could find something about magic if I looked hard enough.
Search Keyword: Magic
[Mage vs. Magician]
[How strong is your Unique Magic?]
[Thoughts on Magic]
[I Want to Become a Mage]
[A Guide to the Magic World for Newbies]
[Honestly, mages using magic tools is just cheating]
"Huh?"
As I scrolled, I spotted the exact newbie guide I'd been desperately searching for yesterday. According to the date, it had been posted this morning.
[A Guide to the Magic World for Newbies]
Posted by: Newbie Slayer - 4th Class
Hey, newbies. (And non-newbies, I guess.) Today, I'm gonna explain some magic theory for you rookies.
If you're a newbie, you probably haven't even awakened your Unique Magic yet.
But don't worry too much.
If you're not sure whether you're a mage, just approach one you know. If they treat you normally, congrats—you're a mage. If they look at you with disgust, you're a pathetic magician. I'd recommend suicide.
Anyway, if you've confirmed you're a mage, congrats! Your body is inscribed with a magic formula of incredible potential.
Of course, mages are ranked based on their magic. But just being a mage already puts you above most magicians, so feel proud.
Real magic is very different from what normies think. If you were expecting energy bolts or blizzards like in games, forget it. The magic we wield is far more profound and mysterious.
Most people just click and awaken to their magic at some point. It could happen while eating, sleeping—though a lot of people say they awakened right before death.
Once you've awakened your Unique Magic, you'll be able to use it right away.
Magic is about concepts. Confused? Let me give you an example.
Say your magic is Life. You could control plants or heal people. If it's Sky, you might fly freely or manipulate the wind.
There are some broken magics like Invincibility or Instant Death.
But magic is all about talent. If your talent is garbage, even the most overpowered magic won't be usable.
On the flip side, even if your magic sucks, high talent can compensate. Out of the five known 9th-Class Mages, four of them have trash-tier magics.
Again, talent is everything!
Alright, I think I've covered the important stuff. The rest is just bonus info.
1. The Difference Between Magic and Sorcery
I already explained magic. Now, a quick rundown on sorcery.
Anyone who can't use magic but can wield supernatural powers is considered a magician.
Shamans, alchemists, summoners—they all use different powers, but they're all magicians.
Magicians can't use magic, but mages can use sorcery.
That said, very few mages bother learning sorcery. At most, they might use talismans made by shamans or magic tools crafted by alchemists. And like magic, sorcery also depends on innate talent.
The biggest reason mages avoid it? Pride. Using the same power as those magician insects is beneath them. Plus, sorcery is weaker than magic.
2. Mental Instability
Some newbies might start feeling... different as they learn magic. A few even suspect they've gone insane and visit psychiatrists.
Don't bother. It's a natural side effect of magic.
For example, normies and magicians might start seeming beneath you. But don't worry—you probably won't feel that way about close friends or family. Probably.
Alright, that's everything I know.
Hope this helps the newbies.
"Hmm."
The long post had a desperate tone to it.
I scrolled down to check the comments.
LOL this guy's scared shitless posting this
What do you mean?
The OP's the same guy who always trashes newbies the hardest LMAO
Ohhh~ So the 10th-Class Archmage scared you that bad? Serves you right! Should've behaved better~
Bro writes like shit, can't understand a word.
Thanks for the info.
That's all you know? LOLOLOL You the real newbie here?
"Guess it's not fake."
The post was actually helpful. At the very least, it confirmed that I needed to keep doing this kind of work to develop my magic.
"Magic..."
I recalled the magic I'd seen in the sewers today.
Immortality. Se-chan's magic. Even after his head was rolling on the ground, he didn't die—his body just regenerated. Something incomprehensible, truly mystical.
What was my magic?
The questions kept piling up. My chest swelled with anticipation, like I might burst if I didn't find out soon.
Then, my phone buzzed.
Ding.
[I'll be home late today, so go to sleep first. Did you eat? Sorry I couldn't prepare anything—you must be tired after work.]
A text from Noona.
"...What time is it that she's still working?"
Tch.
The excitement I'd felt about magic drained away like a receding tide. I turned off my phone and lay down on the uncomfortable couch.
"I should sleep."
I shut my eyes and prepared to drift off.
I'll visit the hospital tomorrow. With that thought, I fell asleep.
The next day. The moment I woke up, I called Se-chan.
"Let's work."
[Ah, sorry. Can't today.]
Why? When I asked, the answer was simple.
[Family stuff came up.]
Nothing I could do about that.
Guess I'd be working alone today.
I rummaged through my pockets and pulled out a business card I'd kept.
[Yu-jin Kim]
The broker from yesterday.
This guy seemed loaded, so I figured I'd work with him again.