Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: The Barbarian Warrior's Volunteer Work (6)
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The very next day at dawn, the trash... no, Leon headed out with Valian to scout for jobs.
He insisted he'd help raise sponsorship funds!
Aram couldn't make sense of his behavior at all.
From someone with zero connection?
At that question, Yuseong just snorted.
"That guy's got a chronic condition. Whenever he sees something that looks good, he copies it."
"Kids do it because they're pure. That bastard does it just to get praised."
"Didn't get it? He pulls this shit to get compliments from others."
"Yeah, even though he's a grown-ass man."
"Don't bother trying to understand. He's just wired that way."
Adults feel good about praise too.
Nobody hates compliments.
But the kind adults crave is 'social recognition' or 'honor,' not praise for some good deed.
In that sense, Leon—at twenty-eight years old—was still blatantly chasing the "nice guy" pat on the back.
He'd risk his life just to help someone and hear a "thank you."
What a...
"Classic nuisance type you don't wanna get tangled with."
The type who tries to help but ends up exhausting others tenfold and putting lives at risk.
That was Leon.
"Valian got called trash over women. Leon earned it by being a massive pain in everyone's ass."
Aram couldn't fathom how this trainwreck of a party managed to slay a big shot like the Demon King.
And Yuseong too.
"...Beats me."
The guy who'd actually done it was just as baffled.
Even if Leon's antics stemmed from his childish chronic habit, Valian welcomed it.
"Sponsorship funds will swell even more."
What mattered to him was the growing pile of cash, not Leon's issues.
In the process of finding work for himself, Leon started mimicking Valian's gigs.
Manual labor like shrine cleaning and construction sites.
Not quite on Valian's level, but Leon had a sturdy build. He put on a solid show, raking in a decent sum from day one.
If Valian averaged 120 lanners a day, Leon pulled in about 90. Seeing that, Leon...
"...You do this every day?"
"Pretty much."
"......"
Heavy shadows darkened his eyes, way worse than that morning.
'This ain't work for humans...'
Mana kept his body from breaking down, but doing this daily? That was another story.
If Valian's body was steel, Leon was iron at best.
Keeping up that pace consistently? Impossible.
"...Gonna scout other jobs."
After that, Leon scoured job boards and landed cafe and restaurant gigs.
Looks probably helped get him hired.
"Boss says the pay's generous."
"How much?"
"This much?"
"......"
......Yeah, looks really are everything in this world.
"Part-time pay like a mid-sized company manager?"
"The cafe and restaurant I signed on for must be pretty popular spots."
"Still feels excessive..."
Just like that, Leon pledged 70% of his salary to donations.
Originally 100%, but Aram intervened.
"I-I know, but..."
"Th-that's..."
"......"
And so, saving began.
Valian was the same.
"Hm..."
He pondered Aram's words deeply, lost in thought—but as a stubborn barbarian, it clashed hard with his values.
"Indeed."
"Naturally."
Stubborn lunatic.
That was what Yuseong had called Valian to Aram. Now she finally understood.
Aram believed her existence as this hyper-advanced AI came with one mission.
To guide people onto the right path.
So she decided to advise this 'poor deluded maniac.'
"What?"
"!!!"
Aram continued with what felt like a sly grin.
.........
.........
Yuseong and Valian's relationship.
Back in the party's early days, Valian's rampant womanizing forced Yuseong to take the fallout. He suffered endlessly.
You might ask why suffer over another guy's flings, but in Midgard, if the woman was nobility, any injustice was fair game.
And the victim? A powerless porter, perfect scapegoat.
—You should've supported her better! What the hell is this mess?!
—I put a wretch like you in a place of honor, and this is how you repay me? Useless...!
—Stifle the rumors. By any means...!
For nobles obsessed with face and honor, nothing terrified them more than whispers of a barbarian stealing their woman.
So Yuseong ended up doing more odd jobs than supporter duties.
How infuriating it had been...!
That's why Yuseong hated Valian.
Hated being the one cleaning up his shit.
And that built-up frustration, rage, disgust? It lingered to this day.
But...!
"Say that again. What?"
"Teach me how to make money."
"......"
"I seek your guidance."
"...Hah."
...The source of all that irritation shows up so shamelessly, it's beyond absurd—it's just...
"Wanna die?"
"......"
He wanted to beat the dogshit out of him.
Valian spoke calmly.
"Beat me if you want. Insult and humiliate me. If it clears your grudge against Luke, do as you please. But... if it eases your anger even a little, then teach me."
"......"
"I swear it. Even if I lose an arm. Even an eye. I won't hold it against you."
"......"
Valian stayed utterly serious throughout. Yuseong just stared silently.
"You."
"Nobody but you would pull this crap."
His gaze fixed on Valian, Yuseong snapped sharply at Aram.
"Tell me what happened."
"Aram did nothing wrong. She just gave advice. I pondered it and decided."
Valian jumped in to defend her as Yuseong tried to scold. Yuseong turned a heavy gaze his way.
"...So why'd you end up concluding that?"
"Because you're the wisest."
"...What?"
"From what I know, you always have the answers."
So
"I beg you. Grant me guidance."
"......"
With endless sincerity, endless gravity.
He pleaded desperately.
The great warrior of the plains.
A ruler who commanded the reverence of all barbarians.
One word from him, and thousands—tens of thousands—of barbarians and mercenaries would stake their lives.
Yet here that great warrior knelt.
The prideful bastard...
Yuseong eyed him with sunken, cold eyes...!
'How the fuck can even sincerity be this goddamn infuriating?'
Managing to make even his serious face this repulsive...
If that's a talent, it's a talent.
After chasing Valian off, Yuseong asked.
"So, what exactly did you tell him?"
"I'll blow up after I hear it."
Aram continued playing pitiful, desperately hoping no hard reboot.
Aram's spiel boiled down to that.
Orphanage kids and costs scaling with numbers, their futures, etc.
A bit negative, brutally realistic stuff.
Unstable income won't cut it—need steady, big bucks. Not blind spending like now, but investing for profit, positive moves...!
Aram had offered nothing but harsh, practical advice.
After hearing it all, Yuseong said.
"But why come to me all of a sudden?"
"Me?"
"I just got lucky?"
"...Won't deny that."
"......"
Yuseong suddenly went quiet.
Had her words pissed him off?
Aram glanced nervously.
Aram eyed him desperately, pondering why "the tongue brings trouble."
Just don't get mad─
"—You've got intel on it, right."
"That orphanage. You've investigated it, yeah?"
"Got curious. Send the files by end of day."
Instead of raging, Yuseong made a weird demand.
Why the sudden interest in orphanage data?
"Oh, and."
"Meddling like that deserves punishment, right?"
...Aram's crisis wasn't over yet.
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