The Recruitment of the Strategist

"How are things going lately, meow?"

Under the clear, blue sky.

Beside a vast, shimmering lake.

Rackcho’s thick, fluffy tail swayed back and forth.

For the record, the one Rackcho was speaking to today was not Kim Uju.

"Our Lady Ian is succeeding in her climbs day after day, woof! You can never ignore the value of experience and seniority, woof!"

Ber puffed out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his chest with immense pride, looking quite smug.

"You’re only climbing so desperately because of the items my Uju provided! Though, I suppose it’s a good thing the climbing speed has increased, meow!"

Perhaps annoyed by Ber’s arrogance, Rackcho tried to claim the credit for himself.

It was understandable, really.

Back in the early days, when there were no dedicated Awakened, Seo Ian had been the one to awaken first and soar to the top.

And Ber was her dedicated merchant.

Rackcho still harbored deep resentment over how insufferably smug Ber had acted all this time.

Even Foxy, the merchant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for Hong Jehun—the de facto number one—stayed humble and quiet!

"That’s not true, woof! It’s Lady Ian who is amazing, woof!"

Ber showed no signs of stopping his bragging.

"Wrong, meow! If it weren't for Uju, Lady Ian wouldn't have been able to climb like that! Ber, you aren't even a fox like Foxy, so why are you acting like you're riding on someone else's coattails, meow!"

"Are you really in a position to talk, Rackcho, woof!"

A Ragdoll cat and a Doberman, bickering back and forth.

And the many other Tower Merchants watching the spectacle.

"Let’s make a bet, then, meow!"

"Fine, woof! You guys over there! You’re the witnesses, woof!"

Ber shouted, turning to the other Tower Merchants watching them.

"But what’s the content of the bet, kyu-rung?"

Foxy, the Tower Merchant for Hong Jehun, who resembled an Arctic fox, chimed in, looking intrigued.

"What is it, woof?"

"Let’s bet on who gets the higher contribution score in the upcoming special floor, meow!"

Rackcho answered as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"This special floor is disadvantageous for Lady Ian, you sly cat, woof!"

Ber bared his teeth and flew into a rage.

He seemed unable to control his anger, even letting saliva drip from his jowls.

Startled by the sudden threat, Rackcho’s spirit withered instantly.

Rackcho let his tail and ears droop, his voice shrinking to a whisper.

"It was just a joke, meow……."

Realizing he’d gone too far, Ber carefully approached Rackcho.

He didn't apologize for losing his temper, but instead:

"Rackcho!"

"Meow…?"

"Want some churro, woof?"

"What’s a churro, meow?"

"It’s a snack Lady Ian set aside for me, woof!"

Ber seemed to be trying to appease Rackcho by sharing his own snack, but:

"I don't need it, meow! My Uju gives me those too, meow!"

It seemed to have caused a massive misunderstanding.

And Foxy, who was notoriously oblivious, suddenly spoke up.

"Can I join that bet, kyu-rung?"

"Thank you for using the 'Mercenary Rabbit' service again today, customer."

Forget the Wandering Merchant Rabbit!

Now is the era of the Mercenary Rabbit!

Well, in truth, it was a forced choice because I had to drastically reduce the number of items I sold due to the special floor.

"Thank you! Mr. Rabbit!"

I left his thanks behind and went to meet Rackcho.

The 12th floor.

The rewards weren't great.

There wasn't anything worth buying, so I figured I’d pay back some of my debt to Rackcho…….

But Rackcho has been acting strange lately.

"Rackcho."

"What, meow?"

How should I put it? Should I say he’s become a bit cold?

…I suspect the incident from a few days ago is the root cause.

That day, when I checked the glove skill, Reflection.

I was deeply disappointed.

A burst damage skill? An area-of-effect skill?

It wasn't even an attack skill.

It even had a tricky condition: it had to be used at the exact 'timing'.

"It’s good if you use it well, meow."

Rackcho’s innocent and nonchalant reply.

It was 'if you use it well' again.

Is it because of my trait?

I feel like I only ever get things that are only good if I use them 'well'.

No, at this point, it wasn't just a feeling—I was certain of it.

A sigh escaped my lips before I could stop it.

At that, Rackcho’s ears twitched.

And I suspect that was the moment Rackcho started sulking at me.

As I prepared to blink my eyes to activate Hawk's Eye….

"Don't use that on Rackcho, meow!"

The little guy hissed at me.

Someone who knows about Hawk's Eye…. No, using Hawk's Eye on a Tower Merchant would be like looking through the hidden folder in someone’s phone gallery—a serious breach of etiquette.

"I know, I’m sorry. But Rackcho, did I do something wrong?"

"No, meow!"

"Then why is your voice so full of annoyance?"

"I’m not annoyed, meow! My voice is just like this, meow!"

Oh, really? And you won't even look me in the eye?

Next time I come in, I’ll have to buy some cat toys and try playing with him.

Strike while the iron is hot.

The first place I stopped after heading out was Daiso.

Daiso, the place that has everything.

I went straight up to the 3rd floor and stopped by the cat supplies section.

But there were just too many varieties.

It was impossible to buy them all.

It wasn't that I lacked money, but my inventory space was limited.

What does Rackcho like? What would he enjoy?

As I wandered around the cat toy section for a long time.

"Awakened Kim Uju?"

An unfamiliar woman approached me with a friendly greeting.

Knowing me as an Awakened meant she was either from the Association or…….

An A-Rank or higher Awakened I’d met in the special floor!

My eyes lit up, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and I gave her a pleasant, friendly smile.

"Hello! Have you been doing well?"

I added a touch of familiarity.

I always welcome A-Rank or higher Awakened!

"I’ve been doing well! By the way, are you raising a cat, Uju?"

She smiled brightly and stepped closer.

"Uh…."

Should I call it raising?

It feels more like a stray cat than a pet, really.

But wouldn't it look weird to buy toys for a stray cat to play with?

"Something like that, I suppose."

"Something like that?"

"Anyway, I want to play with the little guy, but there are so many options it’s difficult. Could you perhaps recommend something?"

I was willing to accept one, maybe two if there were really good ones.

But seriously, who is this person?

With looks like that, I feel like I would have remembered her even if I’d just passed by her.

I pretended there was dust in my eye, rubbing it and blinking.

A chill ran down my spine the moment I read the content.

Found me?

Why?

And it was my first time seeing red text.

Just as suspicions began to pile up one after another.

"My cat at home likes this mouse-shaped toy and the feather-shaped one the best."

Suddenly, a voice that wasn't hers cut in.

A calm, familiar tone that inexplicably made my tension melt away.

"Hong Jehun?"

"We were supposed to meet tomorrow, right? Could we move the appointment to today?"

I paid for Hong Jehun’s 2-pick and got into his car.

"Why did you drive all the way to Daiso? There’s no parking here."

There were only two parking spots.

What would he have done if they were full?

"I was on my way home when I saw you, Uju, so I followed you for a moment."

"Oh. I see."

"And please, don't talk to strangers so easily. Whenever you go out outside the Tower, make sure to take your doping. That woman just now was an overseas scout. She’s approached me before, too."

At those words, what Seo Ian had said previously came to mind.

Did she say overseas scouts were cunning and vicious?

"If you go to another country, Korea will have a problem, and if you get into trouble, it will also become a major issue. Since you’ve settled into the rankings, please value yourself more."

"Would Korea be in trouble if something happened to me?"

"The special floor last month. If you hadn't been there, we wouldn't have cleared the phase. If you aren't there this month, I can't guarantee we’ll maintain our previous performance."

Hong Jehun waved his hand in the air for a moment, then carefully pulled a staff from his inventory to show me.

"Has anything… changed?"

No matter how I looked at it, it was the same as the one he used before.

"It looks the same, but thanks to you, Uju, the contents have changed completely. I got a Special-Grade Attribute Enhancement Stone as a reward back then."

He smiled brightly.

"A Special-Grade Enhancement Stone doubles the attribute, and the next Special-Grade Attribute Enhancement Stone used quadruples it. It was only known to exist through mentions in the enhancement status window, but I’m probably the first in the world to have it. The Association told me to keep it quiet until the next special floor, so I’m staying silent for now."

"Is it okay to tell me?"

"I wouldn't have obtained it if it weren't for you, Uju. That’s why I’m telling you."

"Maybe Hong Jehun was just lucky?"

Why the sudden special treatment?

It’s making me feel awkward.

"That’s not it. The box had a phase manifestation bonus, so it was written that a Special-Grade or higher item would definitely appear."

He put the staff back into his inventory and continued.

"Is that so? That’s great. As expected of a special floor, right?"

"Indeed. By the way, Uju, I heard you recently created a guild."

I didn't need to ask for the source.

I knew it was Seo Ian.

Alright, now for the main event.

Seo Ian needs to be pampered.

Hong Jehun? You have to approach him as a cheerleader to get him on board.

Through several intrusions, I’d learned that Hong Jehun was the type who felt a massive dopamine rush from successfully climbing.

Therefore, I had to focus my pitch on helping him climb more easily.

"That’s right. Would you like to join? I plan to focus on special floors, but I can also help with individual climbs."

Before that, let’s get to the point.

I like getting straight to the point.

The kind where the answer comes first, followed by the explanation.

Why? Because it’s not frustrating that way!

And it seemed Hong Jehun was the same.

"That sounds good."

But only the conclusion came, with no explanation following.

"…Why? Weren't you planning to create a guild yourself?"

It was good that he joined readily.

But if I didn't hear the reason, I’d be tossing and turning all night wondering about it.

"I thought about creating a guild to keep people with outstanding abilities by my side. However, I’ve recently come to think that sticking by their side isn't such a bad method, either."

Having finished his sentence, Hong Jehun gave that calm, composed smile of his.

"Don't you agree?"

"You're right. That’s a very wise choice!"

Feeling good, I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from curling upward.

And fearing he might change his mind, I immediately recited the conditions.

"…So, Uju’s dedicated Tower Merchant is that rabbit?"

And then, that question popped out of his mouth.

"Yes."

It was the card I could play with the most confidence, and the bait the other party would be most tempted by.

It was using the Wandering Merchant Rabbit to help the other party climb the Tower smoothly.

I had confessed the fact that I was the Rabbit to Seo Ian, but I didn't want the number of people who knew that fact to increase.

I was already being flooded with requests for help.

If they thought the Rabbit was an NPC, they’d just say "Oh well" if their request was ignored, but if they knew the Rabbit was a specific person, resentment would sprout if their requests were ignored.

If that happened, some crazy people might even try to take revenge on me.

That’s why I wanted to delay the increase in the number of people who knew my identity as much as possible.

They say there are no eternal secrets, but I could at least reduce the number of people who knew it.

So, I came up with the idea of pretending my Tower Merchant was the Rabbit.

I told him that if he contacted me, I would tell the Rabbit to prioritize visiting him if possible.

"Ah."

Hong Jehun had a face that said he understood everything.

That was exactly what I wanted.

If my Tower Merchant was the Rabbit, my abnormal growth speed and Tower climbing records could all be explained.

Not to mention why the Rabbit only appeared in Korea.

"But the clause about following orders…."

Seeing that question come from Hong Jehun’s mouth made me wonder if I’d written the contract vaguely, leading people to misunderstand it.

"I’ll never make ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you do anything dangerous, and I’ll never make you do anything that hinders your contribution score. It’s just, when clearing phases, I might ask you to adjust your damage, or if there are devices that need to be cleared first, I’d appreciate it if you could prioritize those?"

"Ah. I see."

And the condition added only for Seo Ian.

That she provide me with EXP potions.

There was one condition added only for Hong Jehun, and that was.

"But this 'Sub-Leader' position…."

Yes. Exactly this.