The Rookie With Nothing to Teach (2)
Right after the recruitment offer slipped from Reina's lips.
The boisterous Ronan, who had been hearty throughout, suddenly grew solemn. He crossed his arms and stared back and forth between me and Reina before speaking up.
"Reina. We don't have the authority to recommend a newbie to the Council."
"We don't have authority, but recommendations are totally fine! Spirit mages are so rare and special that the Grand Master will approve it in a flash."
"Hmm…."
Ronan let out a low groan at Reina's words.
"Reina, even with your insatiable thirst for knowledge, pushing a young boy into the jaws of death for that reason doesn't sit right. No matter how short we are on talent, isn't that wrong? He looks about academy age—fieldwork is a whole different beast. What happened today might leave him with trauma."
It was a statement full of concern.
I'd pegged him as a rough brute, but he had a surprisingly thoughtful side.
"I know that! Then he can start in an office job instead of fieldwork, right? Not Heart's Eye Squad, but the Cheonchu Division handling admin work."
Ronan stroked his chin and nodded at Reina's suggestion.
"Hmm… that might actually work."
As soon as Ronan hinted at approval, Reina grabbed my hand with her chin thrust forward.
"Normally, to join the Council, you need top grades from the academy or insane skills! But you're a spirit mage, so you're golden! Total parachute drop!"
Her eyes sparkled like stars.
I wondered just how amazing a spirit mage could be.
"So, what do you say?"
I answered without a moment's hesitation.
"No thanks."
"……What?"
Reina's mouth fell open, forgetting her usual clipped slang.
Becoming a civil servant wasn't a bad gig. It just didn't appeal to me—the Council specifically.
It was because of the stories my parents had told me about the Council.
Before they raised me, they'd nearly gotten in deep trouble because of one Council member.
The Council paid peanuts, so members clung desperately to missions for performance bonuses. That one guy had hounded my parents day and night for three straight days just to pad his stats.
'If the Holy Church is a nest of faith-crazed lunatics, the Council is a den of performance-obsessed maniacs,' they'd said.
Ronan seemed decent enough, but looking at Reina made me hesitate again.
Above all, the low pay stuck in my craw.
"I had no idea our Council's prestige meant so little…?"
"Never thought you'd turn it down flat… Heh."
The two exchanged shocked, hollow laughs.
The moment I subtly stepped back to make my refusal crystal clear—
"W-Wait!!"
Reina suddenly flung herself to the floor and latched onto my ankle.
"Gah! What are you doing?!"
"Just hear me out! Our benefits are insane! Company housing in Zone 2, fat retirement pension, and base salary of 200 gold just for breathing! Plus bonuses and hazard pay…."
Hold up.
200 gold?
I flinched. Lannancy noona had eyed those jewels priced at 99 gold.
That made 200 gold a month sound pretty tempting.
"Really 200 gold?"
"Totally! Thousand gold per mission success or performance milestone!"
Thousand gold?
I only had 1,000 gold on hand right now—and Amelia had stuffed my pockets generously.
Get that every successful mission?
No wonder Council members went feral for mission clears.
"But boy, considering the Imperial Capital's brutal prices, 200 gold barely covers scraping by…."
Snap!
As Ronan started to speak, Reina flicked her fingers. Vines sprouted from the ground, wrapping his mouth tight as a drum.
"What did you just say…."
"Ignore it! Prices are a tad high 'cause it's a yokai-proof zone, that's all!"
"Um. But I'm not strong, and I just met the spirit today, so…."
"You were tempted just now, weren't you?!"
Reina released my ankle and shot to her feet.
"Don't sweat it. We're civil servants—higher ranks unlock more info. Tons on spirits too!"
She threw her arms skyward and bellowed.
"Info on spirits is scarce, but the path of knowledge is endless! If needed, I'll dig it up myself… heh heh… and help you out big time."
"But why treat a spirit mage so specially?"
"Spirits are yokai's polar opposites. Perfect for detecting and exorcising them."
Her explanation went like this.
Yokai and rule yokai didn't always take living forms.
Some appeared as houses like the cookie house, or objects like books or dolls.
That's why civilians often blundered into them unknowingly and met grim ends.
No one beat spirit mages at preventing that.
"Um… does the Council teach ways to get stronger?"
Earning money was great, but I felt the need to power up too.
An elite group like that had to be packed with strong folks. Learning even a little from them couldn't hurt.
"Hmm……."
"Mmph. Mmph mmph."
Ronan mumbled through his gag while Reina sighed.
"For systematic martial arts or magic training, academy's your best bet. The Council… doesn't usually form mentor bonds."
"Why not?"
Ronan finally tore the vines from his mouth and answered.
"You never know when or how you'll die. Getting attached only to crumble and bleed—we've seen it too many times."
Reina gave a wry smile.
"That's the world we live in. No one knows when death comes. Even eternal vows shatter overnight."
Regret laced her words. Her gaze drifted past me, as if seeing something far away.
As the mood sank, Ronan boomed heartily.
"Then let's head to the Imperial Capital together! You look like a first-timer—we'll show you around!"
The Imperial Capital buzzed with people from the entrance.
The line to enter showed no sign of shrinking. If I'd come alone, I'd be stuck waiting forever.
Thanks to Ronan and Reina, we cut ahead for inspection. Though my ID sparked a minor hiccup.
"Name…… Outlander?"
The guard holding my ID tilted his head.
Oh no.
As I braced for trouble from the name-shifting ID folks assumed was fake, Reina slapped the guard's shoulder.
"Problem?"
"This guy's name is weird. How's Outlander a name?"
"Pfft…! Outlander?? For real?"
I ducked my head, suddenly embarrassed, and mumbled confirmation in a tiny voice.
They snickered at my reaction.
"Lately, yokai messing with names are rampant, so that's probably it. Let him through quick."
We also got checked for mental corruption and divine power reactions.
Good thing I didn't bring noona—they'd have been dicey.
Once inspections wrapped, Reina sidled up, giggling.
"Suspicious name like yours'll get you flagged a lot. Here."
She handed me a silver badge with an eye pupil pattern.
"Flash this for instant ID clearance. Shows the Council's pull."
"Isn't this for Council members? You sure about giving it to me…?"
"I've busted tons—pile in my room. It's fine. Tradition's for seniors to pass to juniors…."
"Huh?"
"Nothing! But don't forget how nice I was. Got it?"
"Got it."
And so, I finally set foot in my dream Imperial Capital.
This is it….
A massive translucent barrier enveloped the city, arching grandly overhead.
The capital's barrier layered in three tiers per zone.
Where I stood was Zone 3, the outermost. Effects weakened outward, but the air felt worlds apart from outside.
People on the streets brimmed with vitality—no shadowed gloom from yokai fears.
Zone 3 fit the slum label.
The capital was vast, but elites flocked inward where barriers strengthened.
Zone 2 resembled a normal city.
Folks dressed sharp; merchants and lesser nobles gathered there.
And Zone 1 at last.
"Whoa……."
It was dazzling beyond words.
Streets gleamed spotless marble, home only to top continental nobles, mages, royals, and Holy Church high priests.
At the zone's heart loomed the sky-piercing white spires of the Holy Church's Central Cathedral and the Council's towering silver steeple radiating cold intellect—propping the capital's flanks.
Between them rose the grandest palace, piercing the heavens.
"Day after tomorrow, swing by HQ for aptitude tests and recruitment screening. Oh, Zone 2 housing's a month out due to paperwork—rent something meantime."
"Don't get hopes up. She's hyping it, but Council's no easy join. Unless you've got my talent—."
I parted from them and headed to Zone 2 real estate—for a month-long stay.
Zone 1's eye-wateringly pricey just to look. Zone 2 should be right.
But ten minutes in, I was shoved out.
"Thousand gold? Kid, that won't cover the toilet deposit. Scram."
Slam.
The door shut. I barely recovered from shock.
Why so expensive?
I thought I'd misheard at first.
No way deposits hit 20,000 gold!
Suspected a scam, but every agency repeated the same.
"What about Zone 1?"
"Zone 1? Bwahaha! Kid, millions minimum. Think your pocket change cuts it?"
"……."
Bitterly, I turned to Zone 3 real estate hugging the barrier's edge.
Zone 3's office bustled more than the last.
Meant brisk business.
Waiting patiently, a dirt-cheap flyer on the wall caught my eye.
"Sir, what're you looking for?"
My turn. A ponytail clerk greeted me, eyes twitching—clearly thinking a kid wandered in wrong.
"This one."
I handed the flyer.
"Why's it so cheap?"
She glanced, covered her mouth, and bowed repeatedly.
"Ah…! Sorry! Should've taken it down. Recent tenants kept suiciding… Council's investigating soon."
"Yokai in the capital too?"
"Not spawning, but they sneak in sometimes. Inner zones fine, but Zone 3 needs caution."
Hmm.
Tough call.
500 gold deposit, 10 gold rent—hard to pass up.
But couldn't ignore risks.
If not yokai, even I'd be in danger.
Homeless in winter…? No way.
I glanced at Sariya noona dozing in my inner pocket.
"Snooore…."
Her head poked out, still out cold.
…Can't let noona catch cold sleeping.
No homelessness.
Decision made. I'd be her shield, right? Only one choice.
"Sir? Folks behind you, so if you're mulling…."
"I'll take it."
The clerk chuckled and waved me off.
"Uh… no no. Can't till Council's cleared it—"
Clink.
I set Reina's silver badge on the desk.
Her face paled; she bowed nearly 90 degrees.
"Eek! C-Council elite! Sorry for not recognizing Heart's Eye Squad!"
I hated lying again, but no choice.
"…Show me there."
"Y-Yes!"
Her attitude flipped.
From naive kid to "don't drag me into this" vibes.
This good?
I quietly asked the flustered clerk.
"Oh, before that."
"Y-Yes?"
I scratched my cheek.
"Salt shops nearby? Need a sack or two."
Prep had to be thorough.