Chapter 81
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Chapter 2 (3)
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Word had spread that Bermandua was overflowing with mages from the Magic Tower, so mercenary corps from all over began flocking to the mercenary city in droves.
The lowly ones poked around hoping for whatever scraps they could scrounge, while the elite ones scanned for any mages worth their salt.
And the elite corps were far more dazzling than expected.
The Donovan Mercenary Corps, nicknamed the Iron Man; the Giant Albares Mercenary Corps, led by a muscle-bound giant over two meters tall; the King Mercenary Corps, commanded by one of the continent's rare mage leaders; the Madam Obonne Mercenary Corps, which had amassed a fortune through shrewd business dealings; and even the top ten powerhouses, the Dagon Mercenary Corps and Geone Mercenary Corps.
That was the rough prestige of the Magic Tower, isolated from the world for so long. There was a hope that maybe they'd find mages on the level of Leader King scattered around everywhere.
Truth be told, even Viola hadn't been entirely free of such expectations before meeting the Magic Tower mages. She'd been bitterly disappointed by how disappointingly low their standards turned out to be.
Anyway. Now that they were in the mercenary city for whatever reason, it was standard protocol for them to drop by and pay their respects to the top ten Leader Viola. It wasn't wise to risk offending one of the top ten over something trivial. ...Not that Viola was the type to take offense easily.
...However, there was one person she wasn't exactly thrilled to see.
Dana Kelpri, the younger sister of top ten Leader Dagon and captain of the Dagon Mercenary Corps.
The redhead burst through the door of Viola's office without knocking and greeted her like she didn't have a care in the world.
"Sis, looong time no see~!"
Bloodstains crusted here and there on her thin top, where her nipples poked prominently through. It meshed with the knife scar slashing diagonally across her face, giving off a savage air.
"Ugh, so stuffy. That's why I told them I won't do vice-leader. The guy's always holed up in his office buried in paperwork. Way better to roam around."
The energetic Dana waved her hands dismissively at the idea of desk work, plopped down on a chair, and scratched her crotch vulgarly before sniffing her fingers.
Viola, with her neat-freak tendencies, couldn't help but frown, but she held her tongue. No point in saying anything; it wouldn't change a thing.
"...So, what brings you here this time?"
"Heard the Magic Tower totally tanked. Came to check it out."
Dana grinned, flashing her teeth.
"We need some mages for our business. Figured stock was finally available."
Her "business" was obvious. Drugs. It was an open secret among those in the know that top ten Leader Dagon's main operation was narcotics.
The redhead, who had been chuckling slyly, suddenly remembered something and pulled an item from her pants pocket. Another envelope. Pink, this time, symbolizing romance.
"Bro asked me to pass this on."
A love letter from Dagon. Viola took it, but she had zero intention of dealing with that damn junkie.
She'd even written a polite refusal last time, but apparently that didn't work on junkies.
"By the way. Got any good mages? You always spot that stuff."
"Dunno. Not really my thing."
"...They must not be up to your standards, huh?"
"No idea. Haven't checked. ...I just hate the Magic Tower's holier-than-thou attitude."
That wasn't an excuse; it was genuine. Viola despised the arrogance those mages wrapped themselves in just because they came from the Magic Tower. Like they looked down on mercenaries as inferior.
Dana leaned forward conspiratorially, as if sharing some huge secret.
"Then just beat 'em till they listen. Beasts only wise up after a good thrashing."
Viola let it go in one ear and out the other.
"...And you should ease up on the stubbornness too. Bro's hitting his limit. He's been super pissy lately. Family's a total mess."
"What does your family's mess have to do with me?"
"Why wouldn't it? We're gonna be family someday."
Hmph, family my ass.
"Or are things still hot and heavy with that guy?"
Viola shot Dana a sharp glare but said nothing. Dana had expected some reaction, but when Viola brushed it off calmly, she looked genuinely surprised instead.
"Boring... I'm outta here. Give me the reply next time."
"I'd appreciate it if our next meeting was actually worthwhile."
"...Yeah, I'll work on that."
The redhead flashed a grin. ...But the moment she stepped out of the office, the smile vanished from her lips like a lie.
......Is there really something between those two?
In this filthy mercenary underworld, rumors of hookups between men and women were a dime a dozen. But for some reason, this one felt off to her. Their relationship didn't seem like just leader-to-leader banter...
That haughty, proud woman actually head over heels for some guy? Even turning down Bro Dagon?
Dana felt an itch she couldn't scratch.
Fuck, I can't let this slide.
After three days of grueling work that left him drained, Allen finally settled at a corner table in the first-floor hall and savored a leisurely beer. Even in his downtime, though, his mind buzzed with calculations about money.
He was especially torn between ditching this inn life early to set up a proper hideout or saving up more cash first. With their current funds, they could probably snag a rundown inn building in some back alley...
To take on requests, they'd need an office too, and to sell goods, a shop. They could rent a street stall for the shop to put out immediate fires, but with the corps growing so large, the need for a dedicated hideout and office had become glaringly obvious.
......No matter how he sliced it, they couldn't keep cramming members in like sardines. Long-term contractors were only increasing, so a hideout was basically essential now. With money to spare, it was time to pull the trigger.
In [Guild Master], establishing a hideout was usually priority one or two as the corps scaled up. Without it, loyalty and satisfaction tanked, dragging reputation down with them.
Of course, they couldn't dream of a high-end setup like Viola House, and he planned to buy an inn building that could generate steady rental income on the side. Everyone started out rough like that.
Next, rent a stall to offload the jewelry, and the immediate to-dos would be wrapped up.
With a rough plan sketched out, Allen finally exhaled and slumped back against his chair.
The Blind Saintess, who had tagged along with him that morning for a quick errand, sat beside him, sampling all sorts of tasty dishes and making a huge fuss.
"Leader, you gotta try this. It's so good."
"......Please, Sister, eat your fill."
The one-eyed woman crammed her mouth full until her cheeks bulged, reveling in these worldly delights.
The saintly teachings about purging desire and embracing abstinence had long since been scrubbed from her mind.
......She was waaaay happier now than back in the Holy Kingdom.
Dana weaved through the alleys humming a cheerful tune until she reached her destination: a shabby inn with a creaky old sign swaying in the breeze.
The redhead shoved open the weathered wooden door and scanned the hall.
Mmm, perfect. Ripe with that delicious broke-ass stench.
She wrinkled her nose playfully, took a deep whiff of the musty air, and strode straight to the counter where the innkeeper stood.
"Heard a guy named Allen's staying here."
"Who're you?"
"Don't need to know."
She fished a small gold coin from her pocket and flicked it at him with her finger. The old innkeeper snatched it deftly out of the air and jerked his chin toward a corner table in the hall.
The redheaded Dana whipped her head around to look. There sat a man and woman, chatting away.
That must be Allen...
She marched right over. ......He was definitely handsome. Knowing Sis Viola had her eye on him made him seem even more appealing, somehow.
A nun sat next to the man named Allen. Even banging a blind nun? Classy taste piqued her interest further.
Dana plopped down across from the man without asking. The smile faded from his face as he stopped chatting with the nun.
"Allen?"
"......Who...?"
"You any good in a fight? You look like total cannon fodder."
But her long years as a mercenary had taught her not to judge by appearances alone. ......So she'd test him herself.
In the blink of an eye, she struck. If it failed, she'd gauge his skill; if it landed, she'd scar that pretty face. Win-win.
But Dana's dagger veered far from its target. She slowly turned her head toward the nun who had shoved her arm aside.
"......Not just some convent slut, huh?"
"Oh my, such naughty words."
The two women's auras clashed fiercely.