The First Request
The First Request
'Good. One annoying task finished.'
Max visited Bohemian, the largest mercenary association in Heize, and completed his registration as a 2nd-Circle Mage.
Being the largest, their initiation fee was also the most expensive among the dozens of mercenary associations.
'Aside from the monthly dues, they take a commission from requests too... Well, I expected as much.'
Registering with the association cost money in various ways, starting with the initiation fee, but he remembered it was worth the price.
Not only did they arrange work for nameless mercenaries, but if a mediocre organization tried to mess with a mercenary recognized by the association, the association would sometimes provide protection.
'I need to use the association's background as a shield until I gain enough power.'
A mercenary's request list is mostly filled with tasks that openly create enemies, such as sabotaging a small-to-medium enterprise's new product or carrying out assassinations.
Of course, corporations themselves have plenty of dirty laundry, so it's rare for them to blame a mercenary and track them down to the bitter end.
Unless they are a titan corporation with their own private soldiers, they are ultimately in a position where they must hire mercenaries themselves to pursue profit.
However, since there are occasionally outlier corporations that ignore practical interests and choose revenge out of desperation, it's better to have a safety device like the association if one feels their own abilities are lacking.
'Birds of a feather flock together... For now, let's find an office.'
He had decided to vacate his studio apartment on the outskirts within the month.
Max's mind was filled only with the thought of quickly finding an office and moving. He planned to eat and sleep at the office.
The future wouldn't be easy. Things wouldn't always go as planned, and he would witness many unsightly things.
Nevertheless, the reason Max chose to be a mercenary was simple.
'I need my own reputation.'
To resolve the questions in his head, he would have to poke around various places in the future.
He needed proven power, not just brute force.
..
..
Max began checking empty offices.
This was the fourth real estate agent.
"The location here is great, the deposit is only 20 million Credits, and the monthly rent is on the cheaper side at 1.7 million Credits."
"How much did you say that commercial space we saw earlier was?"
"A 30 million deposit and 2.5 million rent."
"Hmm."
He walked into the bathroom to check the water flow and looked around at things like the number and location of outlets.
As Max moved around trying to find flaws, the real estate agent kept mentioning other properties.
"It does go a bit over the budget you mentioned, but there's a vacant first-floor commercial space with a 50 million deposit and 3.5 million rent. If you're planning to run a business, you should consider the first floor—"
"I'm planning to open a mercenary office, so the second floor is perfect. There's a reason I set those conditions."
"Ah...!"
The real estate agent's expression stiffened instantly.
Conversely, the corners of Max's mouth curled up.
'He said he just started as a real estate agent, and he's definitely slow on the uptake.'
A mercenary office is a necessary evil.
Its mere existence causes a phenomenon similar to NIMBY.
People desperately seek them out when in a hurry, but they absolutely hate the idea of one moving in near their own home.
Therefore, it is an unwritten rule that if one wants to open a mercenary office in a residential area, they must hide in the deepest, most secluded alleys.
'I wouldn't need to follow such annoying principles below District 40.'
The area Max was currently looking at was District 27.
It was a district where people had high incomes for the middle class but were not economically free.
Since he had to follow the unwritten rule to set up near a residential area, Max was looking at commercial buildings in the bustling downtown area.
In downtown areas, people tend to glare less at mercenaries.
"If you're going to open a mercenary office... there is a cheaper and more spacious office."
"Where is it?"
"But the first floor is a bit of a noisy shop. It's been vacant for over three months."
"I don't care. Show me first."
It wasn't hard to deduce why the real estate agent was being cautious.
In the common sense of Heize citizens, the location of a mercenary office is usually predetermined.
If there's a speculative gaming center or a gambling den like a screen horse racing track or a pachinko parlor on the first floor, a mercenary office is usually found on the second floor.
'There's also the perception that they take money to provide protection.'
The place they arrived at following the real estate agent wasn't too far from the downtown area.
'The location isn't bad.'
The first floor was a speculative gaming center where the smell of cigarettes would likely explode the moment the door opened. He could see it was filled with slot machines.
Everyone sat before the machines with crazed eyes.
It was exactly as he expected.
"It certainly is noisy. And the third floor is a bar?"
He started by highlighting the downsides first.
It was the startup for haggling.
"Ah, but it's quiet once you go up to the second floor. Please, take a look first!"
"Hmm... Let's go in for now."
The agent climbed the narrow stairs and opened the door to the second floor.
Max immediately inspected the interior. There were no major flaws to point out.
'The size is appropriate. The soundproofing isn't bad either.'
There was a separate room that could be used as a private space, and even a sink.
Honestly, he liked it. But showing that he wanted it would only lead to a loss.
"So, how much is this place?"
"A 5 million Credit deposit and 800,000 Credits monthly rent."
"The deposit is cheap, but the rent is expensive... Even for a mercenary office, it's troublesome to be sandwiched between shops like these."
"No! The third floor is a cocktail bar. It'll be much quieter than a regular pub."
"I'll only know that once I live here. Drunks are all the same; if it's noisy, are you going to compensate me?"
When the issue of liability comes up, agents tend to shut their mouths.
Max led the conversation with an indifferent voice.
"What kind of person is the landlord here?"
"The owner is flexible and straightforward! But they are currently hospitalized, so their son is managing it instead."
The opponent was an inexperienced real estate agent.
It was worth a gamble.
"Then haggling the rent will be impossible too. Let's look at other offices."
"Oh, no! I'll try giving them a call first! They did say it was troublesome because maintenance fees keep piling up."
While the agent stepped away to make the call.
Max scrolled through commercial property information on his smartphone. He had to check the market price to see if the price just mentioned was correct.
"Customer-nim! Would you like to take the call?"
"Give it here."
After the conversation continued like that, Max emerged victorious.
He completed the contract with a monthly rent of 500,000 Credits under certain conditions.
'It feels like a waste of money to call movers just to move the stuff from my studio... Maybe I'll rent a vehicle and move it myself.'
As he walked out, he informed the Bohemian Mercenary Association of the address and requested a sign.
He was able to purchase a sign with the association's certification mark at a low price.
'I guess I should start by buying a refrigerator, a sofa, and a desk. I won't need any separate employees.'
By the time he brought his belongings from the studio and shoved them into the room, it was already dinner time.
Max informed Flora of his new location, and a reply came in less than 10 minutes.
[Flora Crimsonhowl: Would the day after tomorrow be okay?]
Of course it was okay. And he understood.
Since she was attending Minerva Academy, it would be hard to find time unless it was the weekend.
Just as he sent the reply.
A knock was heard at the door of the office, which hadn't even officially opened yet.
'Who is it?'
When Max opened the door with Psychokinesis while keeping his distance, a woman in a suit was standing there.
The woman walked in confidently and spoke.
"I am from the Bohemian Mercenary Association. Congratulations on your opening."
"...Thank you. I should offer you a drink, but as you can see, I haven't brought in any furniture yet."
"It's fine. Are you busy by any chance?"
"No. I'm not particularly busy."
The office was empty, without even a place to sit.
The woman, who said she was from the association, pulled out a business card and handed it to Max.
As if she had finished the necessary procedures, she immediately got to the point.
"Are you planning to take a request right now?"
"I don't mind. As long as the pay is good."
"The reward is here."
The number the woman showed him was 8 million Credits.
It was not a small amount.
"What's the request? Let's hear the details first."
"Before I mention it, this is a task that involves damaging a corporation. Since you, Mage-nim, lack credibility with the association, you cannot back out once you hear the details."
"A corporation, huh..."
"The requester is anonymous, but they are a reliable individual, so you don't have to worry about the money."
It was a predictable story.
The requester targeting a corporation was overwhelmingly likely to be a rival company from somewhere.
"Fine. You came to me because it's a job suitable for a 2nd-Circle Mage, didn't you?"
The woman nodded and showed the tablet she was holding in her arms.
"Aside from you, Mage-nim, there are five 1st-Circle mercenaries and two more 2nd-Circle mercenaries."
"The details?"
"A truck loaded with Ghost Logic products is in the garage. You just need to blow it up in the garage before it departs. The specific time and location are here."
Max memorized the information written on the tablet instantly.
"Do you have an estimate of the mercenaries Ghost Logic uses for security?"
"They belong to the Hammer Mercenary Association; we estimate a large number of 1st-Circles and four 2nd-Circles."
Max stroked his chin, lost in thought.
Silence filled the office.
'Ghost Logic... wasn't that a small company in the District 70s? It's a good request for using magic.'
It wasn't bad for a first request.
"And this is a personal request from the requester to you, Mage-nim."
When she swiped the tablet screen, a small rat with a glowing body appeared.
Max, who had worked at Cheonmyeong Pharmaceuticals, knew what that was.
'A Neon Shade.'
A mutant created when small animals like stray cats or rats were exposed to discarded drugs.
Ever since they appeared, there were attempts to exterminate them, but they were declared impossible to eradicate due to their incredible reproductive rate.
Once fully grown, they emit pulses that paralyze electronic devices and breed while gnawing through power lines, making them a headache that crashes servers if not dealt with immediately upon sight.
"We would like you to release the rats shown here inside Ghost Logic. You just need to release them at this location shown on the map."
It was something that wouldn't even be difficult using Psychokinesis.
"The additional fee?"
"3 million Credits."
"Deal."
Two days remained until the day Flora would visit.
It was a perfect request to kill time.