Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Commission (4)
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"Come on in. I've been looking forward to meeting you."
Juyeon greeted me with a faint smile, ushering me toward a chair.
"Have a seat."
She was much softer than I'd imagined.
No sign of the mad dog or lone wolf vibe everyone talked about.
'Did Jenellu get something wrong about this woman?'
Her demeanor was so different from what everyone else had described that my tension melted away before I knew it.
Juyeon sat cross-legged across from me, with three women standing behind her.
"So, what brings you here to see me? As Celly told you, I'm a very busy woman."
I knew exactly why the Black Wolf had sought me out, so I figured it was time to drive up my own value.
"Heh. It seems like you already know why I'm here?"
Juyeon chuckled leisurely at my words.
"Yeah. I didn't at first, but with three clans approaching me, I get it now. You want to recruit me, right?"
"Ahaha! Really? Is that what you think?"
They did want to recruit me. But that wasn't all—I knew they wanted to infiltrate the knight order through me.
Still, I gave the wrong answer on purpose. To them, I was just a naive twenty-year-old kid.
The more they underestimated and misjudged me, the better it was for me.
"What? Am I wrong?"
"Ahahaha. No, you're right. Spot on."
Juyeon burst into laughter at my question. It felt like some of her wariness toward me had eased.
"I heard you've only been a Pilot for a short time. But you already possess an incredible Valkyrie. And your talent is off the charts. You might be weak now, but I want to invest in your potential."
"How? What can you offer me?"
At her words, I leaned back in my chair before leaning forward slightly toward her, like an eager kid waiting for a gift.
"You know the Black Wolves handle the shopping district, right? We have immense wealth. More than enough to support you."
Juyeon spoke with confidence, but her answer left me with a sour expression as I leaned back again.
"Hmm... Money?"
It was obvious I wasn't impressed.
I truly had no interest in money. More importantly, I wanted to show them it wouldn't move me.
There had to be something substantial I could gain from them. Just cash? I made ten million gold a day. For a Pilot like me, money wasn't a big deal.
Reading my face, Juyeon looked a bit desperate. Like a fish she'd had in her grasp was slipping through her fingers.
"Our wealth is beyond anything you can imagine."
She was trying to boast about it again.
"Guess how much gold I made in the Golden Reed Forest today? A Pilot like me isn't swayed by money."
Juyeon's face fell as she realized her mistake.
"How about this? Valkyrie armaments? There's a black market in the shopping district with rare weapons, armor, and accessories."
'Oh... That's tempting.'
I knew Valkyrie gear could be bought with gold from regular shops.
I had an easier way—diamonds.
But after buying the mansion, I'd planned to use my excess gold for Valkyrie equipment. If they offered to cover that, it wasn't bad.
Still, I knew my worth. Valkyrie gear? I could afford it with my earnings.
What I really wanted was the Black Wolf clan itself—not just some handouts for gear.
"But that's still something you buy with money, isn't it?"
The leisure was fading from Juyeon's expression.
Now she leaned forward, away from the backrest, toward me.
"So what is it you want, Kai?"
She cut straight to the point.
I grinned.
"Women."
"Pardon?"
Her face showed pure confusion—the first flustered look since I walked in.
"The Black Book Clan and Blood Shadow Clan approached me. Why do you think I turned them down?"
"Th-this..."
Her expression shifted rapidly until she regained her composure and reverted to her polite smile.
"With your looks and skills, women must flock to you. You really came here just for women?"
"Sure, women are everywhere, but special ones are rare. Like you, for example..."
"Wh-what...?"
I thought she couldn't look more flustered than before, but now her face was downright comical.
'She must think I'm some lunatic.'
The so-called "Three" behind her wore the same expressions.
"What? Am I not good enough for you? My looks? Pretty decent, right? My skills? How many Pilots match me?"
"A-are you... sane? You come into the Black Wolves and say this? Haven't you heard? Even if you grew up in the back alleys, you must've heard of me—the mad dog of this district?"
She was so rattled she called herself the mad dog.
"I don't believe rumors. I trust only what I see. You don't look like a mad dog to me. To me, you're just a stunning beauty. Talented and cool, too."
'Wow... Am I really this smooth with women?'
Everything was going my way, and the words flowed effortlessly.
Looks like the silver tongue I'd honed at mid-sized companies back home worked here too.
"Ha..."
She stared at me in disbelief, hand on her forehead.
But there was no disgust in her expression. Her mind was probably racing with calculations.
"Fine. I'll admit you're talented and pretty handsome. But that's not enough. Show me something else."
"You're dirtier than I thought."
At her words, I stood and reached for my belt.
"Gah!! You psycho! What are you doing?!"
"You said show you something else."
"No! You're insane! Who asked to see that?!"
My outrageous act shattered her poised, pure image, revealing a glimpse of her true temper.
"Lady Juyeon... Calm down..."
Aili tried to soothe her from the side.
"Hoo... Ha... Uh... Yeah. Thanks."
Aili's intervention seemed to prevent a full meltdown.
She sat back down and composed herself.
"Sorry. I got too flustered..."
"No, my bad. I misunderstood."
"You're not in any clan yet, right?"
Juyeon had regained her poise and was finally getting to the point.
"Yeah. Never joined one."
Even Twilight Moon hadn't officially registered me. It was for infiltrating the knights.
"If you complete the mission we give you, we'll give you what you want."
"Mission? What's that?"
"Are you planning to take the Hainel Kingdom knight order exam?"
"The one in two months?"
"Exactly."
"Of course. Do you know whose house I'm staying at right now?"
She glanced back at Celly and the others, who all shook their heads.
They still hadn't figured out I was living with Diana.
But it would come out soon anyway. Better to address it head-on to avoid misunderstandings.
"No idea. Where?"
"I'm living with Diana, third-ranked in the Hainelrune Knights. She said my chances of joining are high."
"Really?"
Instead of doubting me, Juyeon smiled brightly.
"But why does that matter?"
"Ahem... Are you and Lady Diana... close?"
Her expression shifted as she asked.
"Why does that matter?"
"The mission is to join the Hainel Kingdom knight order. Once you're in, support us in the situations ahead."
"Hm? Could you spell it out?"
I played dumb on purpose.
"We've already infiltrated several people into the knights—not the top ones like Hainelrune, but some with influence.
Other clans have people in there too.
Especially Black Book; a lot of them are inside, trying to dominate the underworld with their sway.
So we're preparing countermeasures. If you join Hainelrune, you could be a huge help to us."
"I get it. Basically, join Hainelrune, make a name for myself, build influence, and support your clan later?"
"Not your clan—our clan."
Juyeon smiled, adding a touch of charm.
"And what do I get if I do?"
"Pardon?"
"You think you can ask that for nothing? If I support your clan, I need gains too."
"Oh! Right. We'll give you 200 million gold upfront. And if you join Hainelrune, we'll fund your Valkyrie gear too. Full support."
"That's it? What about my initial request?"
Her face flushed red—not from anger.
To her, I was a massive catch. Reel me in, and she could pressure Black Book's knights.
That meant she might have to meet my demands eventually.