Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: A Customer, Not a Friend
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The man led Lee Si-woo to the basement of the cleanest building nearby.
An empty basement, with nothing but a flickering incandescent bulb.
In that place, like a solitary confinement cell in a prison, a middle-aged woman and a young black man were waiting for Lee Si-woo.
Observing the two, Lee Si-woo raised an eyebrow slightly.
‘The food stall owner?’
Recognizing the middle-aged woman as the lady who ran the food stall, Lee Si-woo’s mind began to race.
The resourcefulness to run a food stall as a woman in the middle of a slum with poor security.
He couldn’t help but think of a connection to a certain group.
‘Wait, if that's the case, then Master too…’
Concluding it was no coincidence that the owner of Autoreu’s regular spot was a member of the Racists, Lee Si-woo clicked his tongue.
‘Tsk, I wondered why he was having such an important conversation in a place like a food stall… Was he connected to the Racists? Ha, for crying out loud. I never imagined that serving a master I never asked for would be this troublesome.’
Knowing the context and observing her carefully, he could now see the middle-aged woman’s true nature.
Unusually developed biceps and forearms, a perfectly symmetrical and balanced physique.
She was undoubtedly a possessor of top-tier skill.
The young black man, on the other hand, seemed ordinary, which was precisely why he drew more attention.
In cases like this, one was usually the bodyguard and the other, the superior.
Sure enough, the young black man spoke with a gentle smile.
“It is an honor to meet the benefactor who helped Roben. And I apologize for receiving you in such a humble place. As you know, we have quite a few enemies…”
“It's fine. Who I'm meeting is what's important, not where. And a benefactor… I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s a bit much. I was simply acting in my own interest.”
“Regardless of your intentions, you are our benefactor, Mr. Lee Si-woo. If it weren’t for you, Roben would never have survived.”
The young black man’s attitude was polite from beginning to end.
It was obvious he was trying to win Lee Si-woo’s favor.
But Lee Si-woo, knowing all about them, had no intention of getting friendly, so instead of exchanging pleasantries, he set the stage for the main topic.
“Well, since you think of me that way, perhaps it would be all right for me to shamelessly ask a favor of you today.”
“A favor… Yes. We must, of course, grant it, as long as it is within our capabilities. However, Mr. Lee Si-woo, if you don’t mind, may I have the coin first?”
“Here you go.”
Taking the commemorative coin from Lee Si-woo, the young black man smiled brightly and said.
“You may not know this, Mr. Lee Si-woo, but this coin holds great meaning for us. That’s why we don’t just hand it out to anyone.”
“I’m glad I don’t fall into that ‘anyone’ category.”
At Lee Si-woo’s remark, the young black man gave a meaningful smile, then put the coin in his pocket and said.
“You have two choices, Mr. Lee Si-woo. But don’t worry. No matter which you choose, as long as you brought the coin, we will grant you one favor unconditionally.”
“Then it seems I have nothing to lose. Alright. Let’s hear what the choices are.”
“We only give this coin to friends or customers. So, I’d like to give you the chance to choose which you’d like to be… Which do you consider yourself?”
“A customer.”
At Lee Si-woo’s firm and immediate answer, the young black man couldn’t hide the disappointment on his face.
“A customer… Mr. Lee Si-woo, are you sure you won’t regret this? The opportunity to become our friend doesn’t come often. Customers, on the other hand, are rather common.”
“No. I don’t particularly enjoy making friends. Perhaps it’s because I was born a merchant, but I’m more comfortable with transactions than with exchanging favors.”
Lee Si-woo took a step back from the young black man.
It was an action that seemed to re-emphasize the distance between himself and the Racists.
At Lee Si-woo’s act of drawing a line, the young black man couldn't hide his disappointment as he spoke.
“A shame. I thought I might make a decent friend for once, but it turns out to be just another common business deal. Well, you can’t force friendship, so it can’t be helped. So? What is this favor you wish to ask of us?”
“The Senior Magic Tower has been periodically recruiting laborers from the slums… Do you know anything about this?”
For the first time since meeting Lee Si-woo, the smile vanished from the young black man’s lips.
He spoke with an expression as cold as a winter wind.
“Yes. Like a butcher looking for livestock to slaughter, they use private police to sweep up people from the slums. Those who are taken that way never return. It’s a truly regrettable state of affairs, isn’t it?”
The young black man’s voice was filled with a nuance that seemed to demand empathy from Lee Si-woo, a fellow human.
But Lee Si-woo had no intention of discussing the Racists’ ideology or lamenting the way other races treated humans.
Lee Si-woo said in a calm tone.
“Since you already know, this will be easy. I want to become one of them.”
For a moment, the young black man, unable to understand Lee Si-woo’s words, asked back.
“Excuse me? What did you just… say?”
“To put it simply, I'm asking you to disguise me as a slum dweller when the private police are rounding people up at the Senior Magic Tower's request. So that I can infiltrate the tower as a laborer without arousing suspicion.”
“Hmm, but aren’t you a mage affiliated with the Senior Magic Tower, Mr. Lee Si-woo? May I ask why you’re choosing such a troublesome method…?”
Lee Si-woo cut the young black man off firmly.
“If prying into a customer's objective is your business style, I'm going to be quite disappointed. Unless, of course, you’re saying this with the intention of this being our first and last meeting.”
As Lee Si-woo relentlessly drew the line, the young black man let out a faint sigh.
As a member of the Racists, he wanted to build a close relationship with a high-caliber individual like Lee Si-woo, but since the other party didn't want it and maintained an unequivocal stance, he was left with a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Very well. We will grant that favor.”
In truth, it wasn’t a task easy enough to agree to so lightly.
They would need to know the Senior Magic Tower’s labor recruitment schedule and the private police’s movements in advance to insert Lee Si-woo.
But making a fuss over something like this would do nothing to help build a future relationship with Lee Si-woo.
The young black man and the Racists had no intention of giving up on someone of Lee Si-woo’s caliber so easily.
As if the Racists’ deferential posture was only natural, Lee Si-woo spoke without a hint of satisfaction.
“Thank you. I’ll be counting on you, then. I’ll be on my way. As for my contact information… well, I assume you already have it through Roben.”
Just as Lee Si-woo was about to leave, the young black man’s voice stopped him.
“Mr. Lee Si-woo, our door is always wide open. So whenever you feel lonely or wronged, please come find us. In this relentlessly harsh world, who can you trust your back to but your fellow humans? Don't forget. In the end, the only ones you can trust are your own kind.”
Lee Si-woo left the basement quietly, without a reply.
* * *
Three days later, having received a call from the Racists sooner than expected, Lee Si-woo finished preparing and left his lodgings.
‘The ruins… I don’t know how dangerous that place is, but… thanks to Harman, I’ve finished mining the platinum, so I should be able to prepare to some extent.’
After finishing the platinum mining, Lee Si-woo’s level was now 250.
He had reached a level equivalent to a true 2nd Circle Expert.
Of course, it was a far cry from what was needed to feel safe entering ruins where even Autoreu in his prime had lost his disciple, but what could he do?
In a situation with no other choice, he had to be grateful for what he had.
‘Fortunately, I have Barathrum. So even if I face the worst-case scenario, I should be able to survive.’
Lee Si-woo clutched Barathrum.
As if it were the only talisman that could protect him.
Taking a deep breath, Lee Si-woo’s eyes gleamed as he muttered.
“Alright, let’s go.”
* * *
The top floor of the Magic Tower, the Tower Master’s residence.
Here, in a place that boasted a splendor and convenience rivaling any penthouse, Kenyon and Isabelle greeted the summoner, Elim.
“It’s been a while, Elim.”
“Has it been about five years? It has been a long time.”
He spoke informally to the head of the greatest Magic Tower in Granada without hesitation.
But Kenyon, as if used to it, showed no sign of displeasure.
He knew that summoners, who served only the gods, did not use honorifics for anyone but them.
“We rarely visit each other, and we have no business conflicts, so it’s only natural we’d be out of touch. Which makes me all the more curious. What brings you on such a solemn visit today?”
“Stop playing dumb when you already know. You took Lee Si-woo, whom I summoned with my ticket, under your wing. You must have expected I’d come looking for him.”
As Elim mentioned Lee Si-woo’s name, Isabelle, who had been sitting rather demurely beside Kenyon, frowned.
She had a feeling that what she had feared was now happening.
“So, it’s about Lee Si-woo after all. But what can I do? That boy is already one of our Magic Tower’s people.”
“Before that, he's my property. And one I summoned myself with a Rainbow Ticket.”
Kenyon, who hadn’t expected the ticket Elim invested in Lee Si-woo to be of Rainbow grade, let out a gasp.
“A Rainbow Ticket? You mean to say that boy is the result of a Rainbow Ticket investment? Ha, well now. You must be quite bitter. To think that all you got for using such an expensive ticket was a mere human mage like Lee Si-woo.”
“That’s right, I’m so bitter about it that I’ve come to take back the thing I threw away. I feel like I’ll go crazy otherwise.”
As Elim’s attitude proved unexpectedly firm, Kenyon shot a sidelong glance at Isabelle.
When Isabelle shook her head slightly but clearly, Kenyon clicked his tongue softly and said.
“Tsk, it seems this situation is taking a nasty turn. Since you’ve put it that way, Summoner, it would be right for me to accommodate you if possible… but as you know, handing over Lee Si-woo, who is already my man, is a matter directly related to my honor. How about this? I’ll offer you appropriate compensation if you give up on Lee Si-woo.”
Elim smirked, glaring at Kenyon with chilling eyes.
“Look, Kenyon. I admit you’re a pretty big shot around here. But I didn’t come here today to make a deal, I came to give you a notice. A notice that I’ve come to retrieve my property, so hand it over. And even this is something I wouldn’t have done if I hadn’t considered your reputation.”
At Elim’s utterly arrogant attitude, both Kenyon and Isabelle openly showed their displeasure.
But the arrogance of these so-called agents of the gods was nothing new, and their abilities were formidable, so they couldn’t openly rebuke him.
The influence of summoners in the Main Dimension was so great that not even the Senior Magic Tower could afford to ignore them.
Of course, no matter how many powerful chosen ones Elim led, he was no match for the Senior Magic Tower.
While Elim was a formidable opponent, he was no match for Kenyon, a 6th Circle Beginner.
The problem, however, was the cost-benefit analysis.
Becoming enemies with a summoner over a 1st Circle Beginner simply didn’t add up.
Sensing Kenyon’s inner thoughts, Elim grinned and said.
“It’s a burden for you too, isn’t it? Becoming my enemy over a mere 1st Circle mage.”
“Even if it’s a burden, I can’t just throw away my honor, can I? Elim, I am Kenyon. The only 6th Circle mage in Granada, and the head of the Senior. For someone like me… to hand over my person without any conditions, even if it is to you, is simply out of the question.”
It sounded like he was venting his various feelings, but in the end, it meant that if the conditions were right, he wasn’t unwilling to hand over Lee Si-woo.
At Kenyon’s subtle hint of compromise, Isabelle clenched her fists and her eyes widened, but Elim was pleased.
“Alright, I almost forgot who I was standing before. Yes, if I were to disrespect the greatest mage in Granada, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth as well. So, for once, just this once, I will grant your request. Be it support, a deal, or pressure on a corporation. I’m saying that I’ll concede once, even if it means I take a loss.”
At this, Kenyon was surprised.
Promising to help unconditionally once was tantamount to handing over a blank check.
It was not a promise someone of a summoner’s stature should make lightly.
As the situation took a strange turn, Isabelle nervously bit her nails.
She hadn’t expected Elim to make such a bold investment.
Yet she couldn’t speak up recklessly; although she had forced her way into this meeting, Elim’s reputation was too intimidating.
Seeing their bewildered reactions, Elim chuckled and said.
“Right. I did go a bit big, didn’t I? That’s why there’s one condition.”
With a ‘that makes more sense’ expression, Kenyon asked back.
“What’s the condition?”
“Capture Lee Si-woo and deliver him to a time and place of my choosing. And I want you to eliminate all variables that might appear while I’m capturing him. For example, if reinforcements show up, you’ll stop them yourself?”
Hearing the condition, Isabelle’s eyes wavered.
‘Elim, this guy… could he know about the Faceless Lord?’
While it was slightly different if one were to delve into it, Isabelle’s judgment wasn’t entirely wrong.
Elim suspected Lee Si-woo had a backer, and Isabelle believed that backer was the Faceless Lord.
Kenyon, on the other hand, was simply dumbfounded.
He never imagined that someone of a summoner’s standing would request his support to catch a single 1st Circle mage.
“Elim, you seem to be mistaken about something. Lee Si-woo is a 1st Circle mage. A beginner, at that. And you want my support? Too much worry can make you sick.”
“Hey, have you ever watched cartoons for kids?”
At Elim’s sudden, out-of-place remark, Kenyon frowned and asked back.
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“You don’t? A shame. I enjoy them from time to time. In them, you see, the villainous bastards send minions that the protagonist can just barely handle, right? They keep doing that, building up the protagonist, and then in the final episode, they get their heads lopped off by the now-overpowered hero. I mean, what the hell are they doing? It’s idiotic.”
Kenyon let out a faint sigh.
He wondered what he was going on about, only to find Elim using strange analogies, just like himself.
“…They say a tiger uses its full strength even when catching a rabbit.”
“Ah, right. That’s exactly what I wanted to say. Lee Si-woo is the perfect opponent for me to let my guard down against. He seems to have something, but in reality, he’s clearly dog food… a nagging kind of guy, you know? So…”
Elim’s eyes flashed with a greedy light, as if he were before a grand feast.
“I’m going to use any means necessary, very humbly, and with all my might, to catch him. So that he can never escape my grasp again. And then… I’ll slowly savor him. Chewing his flesh and bones, tearing out his innards.”
Seeing Elim, ready to greedily devour whatever Lee Si-woo was hiding or possessed, Isabelle sighed.
No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t see any way for Lee Si-woo to escape.
‘Sorry, Si-woo. You’re on your own. I want to help as much as I can… but I can’t bleed for you, can I? Right? So if you want to live, you’d better cling to the Lord. As far as I can see, that’s your only way out.’
But she failed to notice it.
In a corner of the space they occupied, a faint, smoke-like white mist.
‘This is bad. Elim has started to make his move in earnest. Hmm… I should report to Lord Jin immediately…’
Under Jin’s orders, the white mist monitoring Elim—Umbra—flickered violently before vanishing like a mirage.