Can't Get Full on the First Sip
Seventeen. You can't get full on the first sip. It was clearly a figure she'd calculated in her own way. With raw material costs around 2 billion, tacking on 5 billion for my labor made 7 billion seem like an insane markup. But watching her light up like that, I was convinced she would've bitten even at a minimum of 10 billion—no, 15 billion. A brand-new K2 Black Panther tank rolling around on Earth costs about 15 billion won. And repairing a strategic weapon for an A-rank hunter who could output more firepower than one all by herself for just 7 billion? Put like that, my stomach started to ache thinking I'd priced it too low.
But the wave of regret was fleeting. I swallowed the bitterness and calmly reined in my reason.
No, calm down. You can't get full on the first sip.
The basics of business. A deal that's great only for me, sucking the opponent dry to the bone, just breeds resentment in the end. 7 billion was a massive windfall for me, and for Seo Ara, it was a cheap(?) and reasonable price to reclaim her weapon—a true win-win.
Yeah, don't get greedy. The best deal leaves both sides happy.
"Yes, 7 billion sounds about right."
As I gave the firm confirmation, Seo Ara's eyes sparkled like stars.
"Oh, how long will it take? There's a guild alliance subjugation raid in two months, so I'd love to get it back as soon as possible if you can manage it."
At her question, I pretended to mull it over before opening my mouth. Since I could just buy the materials from the point shop and fuse them, I was about to say, 'About five minutes.' But the moment my eyes caught the blue hologram repair conditions floating there again, I nearly gasped out loud.
Required Materials: A-rank Frost Elemental Stone x1, A-rank Mana Stone x5, High-grade Mana Gold 20g, Mana 100p
......Huh? Wait, what the hell?
My gaze locked onto the final line.
'Mana 100p.'
A chill ran down my spine.
What? Hold on, it needs 100 mana?
I hurriedly peeked at my status window. Back in my junkyard repairman days, my mana was a measly 10. After chugging the Dragon Heart Mana Circuit Activator, it had exploded to 65. I'd gotten cocky, thinking I could chew through low-rank gates like candy, but the mana required to repair an A-rank artifact was a whopping 35 higher than my current pool. Repair attempt impossible.
My heart started pounding like mad. But if I admitted here that I lacked the mana to fix it? I'd be kicking away a 7-billion-won deal with my own foot. No way, I couldn't let that happen. 7 billion was on the line!
There has to be a way to hit 100 mana... There has to be!
If I scoured the trading community's info posts, there'd definitely be a method to boost mana short-term. Feigning nonchalance with a casual expression, I cautiously replied.
"Um, Vice Guild Master. For this... factoring in material procurement time and fine-tuning the mana circuits, I'd need a generous month at least?"
A professional-sounding excuse. Seo Ara paused for a beat.
"......A month?"
"Yes. It's an A-rank item, after all. That's how long it takes."
I decided to brazen it out. Her stiffened expression bloomed into delight, a radiant smile spreading across her face.
"A month is plenty of time to wait! No, if you can fix it, I'd wait a year! The other artisans threw up their hands, saying they couldn't even touch it!"
Whew, crisis averted. Somehow, a month had packaged itself as a perfectly reasonable timeframe in her mind. Seo Ara pulled out her smartphone with a satisfied look, staring straight at me again.
"Then the repair contract is good to go. 1 billion as a deposit out of the 7 billion, okay?"
Eh, offering payment upfront?
Hold up...?
I racked my brain again.
"You'll need to wire at least half."
Seo Ara tilted her head.
"Half?"
"Yes, materials alone are more than that, and I can't source them on my own."
She responded generously.
"Ah! Sorry, I was only thinking of myself. Then I'll just wire the full 7 billion upfront."
What? How is she this nice? First time meeting today, and she's fronting the whole sum? Or was 7 billion pocket change to her?
"I'll draw up the contract and wire it to your account today. By the way, President Kwon. Are you affiliated with any guild right now?"
That's when it hit me why Seo Ara was so eager to front the full repair fee.
Right, no such thing as a free lunch.
Scouting extension. Probably to plant a good impression. Acting like I'd seen it coming, I replied calmly.
"No, nothing like that. I don't like being tied down anywhere."
Her face visibly brightened.
"Then how about joining our Roijir Guild? We'd treat you as an exclusive blacksmith at the top level in Korea."
But I shook my head firmly.
"If I join a guild, don't I have to repair guild members' weapons for free? I'm not into volunteer work with my skills."
At my prickly response, she waved it off in disbelief.
"No way! Base scouting bonus and nine-figure salary just for breathing! And for every repair you do, we'd bill materials and tech fees separately at market rate! Come on, President Kwon, you don't think we'd try to hog your talents for free, do you?"
I blinked. Base pay plus per-repair fees on top?
Hmm...? Not bad at all?
Let's think it through. Holed up in this stinking junkyard, how much could I even make from customers? Plus, scraping together cash sloppily would just paint a target on my back for tax audits from the IRS. Nothing wrong, but what a hassle. And if word got out I had money, every opportunist would come sniffing for my assets.
But affiliating with a major guild like Roijir? I'd get legal high-earner status as a shield, repair their overflowing high-end weapons for fat fees, and above all, a spot in a prestigious guild would be the best license to dodge Hunter Association red tape.
"Hmm... Honestly, that's tempting. I'll think it over positively."
As I fiddled with my mouth, feigning real deliberation, Seo Ara beamed and grabbed both my hands tight.
"Really!?"
"Yes, I'll consider it... Ow! Wait, my hands...!"
A grip like my bones were shattering. Even my Dragon Heart-enhanced body couldn't handle an excited A-rank hunter's monstrous strength.
"Oh! Sorry! I got too excited!"
Seo Ara flushed red and yanked her hands back. As she coughed awkwardly in embarrassment, Seo Ayoung, who'd been hovering quietly in the back, scurried over and wedged in beside me.
"Um, President Kwon."
"Yes?"
"How old are you, boss?"
Out-of-left-field personal question. I answered on reflex.
"Uh, twenty-six."
"Whoa! Oppa!"
Seo Ayoung suddenly grinned brightly, leaning in.
"I'm twenty-two! So oppa, if you join our guild, we can party up and hunt together! I'm the only F-rank who joined on my sister's coattails, so I always go solo!"
Sister's connections, fair enough. And her blurting it out so innocently was pretty endearing. Seo Ara sighed, pinching her brow at her immature little sister, but Seo Ayoung ignored her and stuck close to me.
That might actually be nice?
If asked my type, I'd pick someone cute and petite like Seo Ayoung over the intimidatingly tall and glamorous Seo Ara style any day. I cleared my throat and tossed a subtle positive signal.
"Well... even without the same guild, partying up now and then is fine."
"Really!?"
"Of course. You seem like a close-combat warrior type, and I can do ranged DPS too."
"Oh yeah! That insane javelin throw yesterday! No joke!"
These sisters both had such sunny personalities... Seo Ara shook her head at her flighty sibling but looked inwardly relieved at my favorable guild response. And so we drew up the contract.
"See you in a month then, President Kwon. We'll talk guild details for sure then. Repair fee incoming right away."
"Yes, drive safe."
"Oppa! I'll text you next time for a gate!"
"Sure thing."
Vroooom—!
With that, the Seo sisters whirlwinded away in their sports car.
Guild... party member...
My boring life of the past few years was suddenly exploding with massive events.
This isn't the time to slack.
I bolted to the nearby convenience store.
A short while later. A feast of desserts from renowned scholars—or so the packaging claimed. Caramel, candy, chocolate, and I'd even swung by the bakery for cake.
This should be bribe enough.
I lowered the shop shutter again and retreated inside. No business today. I whipped out my smartphone and fired up the Multidimensional Secondhand Market community app.
The most likely first shot: Begging the big bro who'd taught me Dragon Words. I opened our 1:1 chat immediately.
But after a minute, ten minutes, the 'unread' mark next to Jermad's text didn't budge.
Sleeping? He'll see it tomorrow...
But two days passed, then three, and Jermad was still radio silent. I'd browsed the community and posted questions in that time, but it was all useless noise. Now the dragon bro was my only hope...
I finally started getting antsy.
"No way..."
In fantasy tropes, dragons slept a ton. Long-lived, they filled their boring eternities with naps. Some novels had them snoozing for centuries.
Realizing that, a headache crept in.
"Ah... this is driving me nuts."