Outpacing Everyone, Carving My Own Path (6)
After shaking off Choi Yu-jin, who kept trying to cling to me no matter what, I waited until late evening. "You're late. Oh, you came too?" As soon as we entered the restaurant, Shemiri closed the door right behind us.
"We're closed for business..."
"It's not like you get a ton of customers anyway. And closing at this hour lets them know we're not some 24-hour joint."
It might suck for folks at other spots if a good value eatery shut down, but for us, this was prime time—no interruptions, just a leisurely meal.
"So, what'll it be? Bread and soup?"
"The 20 Exchange Voucher special."
"My, my. How much did you rake in?"
"Gave each of seven guys one win apiece. 210 vouchers."
"......You're not sticking around just to fuck me, right?"
There it was. Even Shemiri seemed wary of my proxy wins piling up.
"Or are you here investigating something? Like, hired to kill someone for an outsider?"
"Could be. For now, just feed us. That temp joint's bread was a real pain."
"Yeah, it was the kind of place where you'd bludgeon someone to death with a loaf."
"Got it. You two sit tight and relax. Especially you, miss... looks like you've got something to say."
Shemiri pocketed the 20 Exchange Vouchers and headed to the kitchen. I sat across from Shin Yu-hee.
"Something on your mind?"
"Not trying to change your mind or anything. Just curious."
"Shoot."
"I get that helping others is a 'why bother' for you. But using Choi Yu-jin to do it..."
"It's using Choi Yu-jin."
I wasn't running some naive charity.
"If I'd planned to save everyone from the start, I'd have announced it the second we got here. 'I've done this tutorial before!!'"
"Previous round winner?"
Bingo.
"Didn't know it was goblin survival instead of red light green light, but yeah. Anyway, I'm thinking of turning Choi Yu-jin into our subcontractor."
"Subcontractor?"
"Yeah. Sub. So before they come begging our party, they hit her up first."
"Are you already sketching out post-tutorial plans, sunbae?"
Sharp instincts.
"Right now, it's just for the next stage. Who knows if we'll even clear it? Any further ahead is just rough sketches."
"So Choi Yu-jin's crew... not full party members, but on-call allies when needed?"
"More precisely, meat shields. Shin Yu-hee, Choi herself gets it, but what about the reserve heroes eyeing us?"
"They wanted free help. Then if we asked for payback, they'd pull out the calculator."
Thanks to me dodging them, we'd only crossed a few, but that sample size said plenty about the rest.
"Even..."
"Even?"
"You were busy proxy-fighting in the arena, so you might've missed it, but some watched from afar, locked eyes with me, then vanished."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Dark-haired folks. Not sure if reserves or arena locals. Probably the former?"
"Could be both."
"Huh?"
"Former makes sense. Latter? Not impossible."
I tapped my armor.
"Dex's adopted bro Hexter. No clue on his background, but Dex's crew might be spying. Or rivals."
"...Threat level?"
"Nah. This is tutorial. Life-or-death risks, sure, but skill gets you through bodily. Except one thing."
"One?"
"Probably Chekhov. Gotta watch the vampire overseer and refs."
If Shemiri or Grimwald were NPCs, Chekhov and her vamps were straight-up GMs.
"Don't sweat them yet. Once reserves tangle with Madam Helma, the board clears up. Till then, pump our value sky-high."
"Value?"
"Yeah. Heard from folks back home: loans only flow big if you've got pull."
"...You're not seriously planning to leverage with Helma, right?"
"Not you, at least."
I drew a hard line with Shin Yu-hee.
"Even infiltration? I'd sign the contract selling my body first. Better than whoring you out—might as well charge in with axes and decapitate the lot."
"...Is it wrong to feel touched here?"
"Nah? Touched means you're adapting. To hero life. For now... let's fill the tank."
"Coming right up~"
Shemiri hummed as she brought the food herself. She hauled out a massive pot whole, ladling huge scoops into our bowls. Beef stew. Chunky bits—definitely meat, not veggies.
"This... for 10 Exchange Vouchers...?"
"What's wrong, miss? Other places not hit the spot?"
"C-can I dig in?"
"Of course. Oh, this ain't all. You looked starved, so stew first. Take your time?"
Shemiri headed back to the kitchen. I scooped stew into Shin Yu-hee's bowl till it nearly overflowed.
"Eat up. More if needed."
"Sunbae."
"Yeah."
"We should just wipe that crew off the map. No peeking our way."
Shin Yu-hee fired up hard.
"Ditching this for them? Makes no sense. Good eats matter big in arena fights."
"That much?"
"Duh. Sunbae, previous grub tasty or what?"
"Taste secondary. Fill belly, done."
"You said your goal was noble riches!"
"Fine, fine."
No way I'd spark a riot by picking elsewhere, so I took her gripe.
"If we run into reserves, play it by ear. One iron rule..."
"No freebies. Right?"
"Exactly."
Good teacher, good student.
"What about free sex?"
"...Huh?"
Shemiri had snuck behind me, cradling my head against her chest.
"If I wanna fuck you for free, then what?"
"Hey, you..."
"Hey, miss. That armor? Bought with vouchers from feeding this guy?"
"Uh, er..."
Shin Yu-hee froze, clueless how to respond to Shemiri's sudden move.
"Um, Shemiri? That's..."
"You reek of fresh fuck while playing coy."
"N-no! How'd you know?!"
"Soap washes the body, not a man's scent on you. Kidding. No literal stink."
Shin Yu-hee, who'd leaned to sniff her clothes, slumped. Shemiri cackled and plopped beside me.
"Why?"
"Curious. Sounded fun."
"Just chit-chat. These guys before Madam Helma's claws sink in?"
"...Helma? Already?"
"Already?"
"She targets fresh meat girls, sure... but moving this fast?"
"Saw prime talent worth hoarding. Or her clients starved her out."
"Hmm..."
Shemiri spread her hand fully.
"Eh, her route's an escape hatch, sorta."
"Escape?"
"Yeah. Useless for you now, miss, but hopeless fighters? I send 'em Helma's way sometimes."
"...To whore?"
"Whores get outside views from this hellhole arena. Outsiders visit brothels. Rare, but some get bought off by clients."
"Not weird."
Wealthy types grabbing worn slaves? Standard.
"Oh yeah, Shemiri. Question."
"Hit me."
"Madam Helma's brothel—whores only? No male gigolos?"
"...What?"
Smack. Shemiri's face hardened; she slapped my back.
"Selling to her? Sell to me. I'll pay top."
"Nah, not serious. Thought collateral for a voucher loan."
"Short on vouchers? I can spot you."
"No. Just making 'pretext'."
"Pretext...?"
"Yeah."
I stirred the stew spoon wildly.
"I wanna flip this board hard. Shake the arena's system to its core."
"...Why? Revolution? Collapse?"
"Nah. To meet her."
"Who? ...No way?"
Shemiri's face stiffened; she pointed up.
"Your goal from the start... her?"
"Not at first, but possible, right?"
Rampage legally, she'll summon me eventually.
"They say Chekhov's a stunning virgin."
White-haired, red-eyed beauty vamp. Chekhov. Might snag Goddess Points.