Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: A Second Chance
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After Wang-sik's group had completely disappeared.
The beastkin cautiously slipped out of the cage that had confined her.
Now in the guise of a girl in tattered clothes, she managed to move her staggering body and climb down from the wagon. Her eyes, instinctively scanning her surroundings again, fell upon the dead hunter's body.
*I have to get away.*
Just as she had that thought, a savory smell tickled her nose.
The bread the human had given her.
Could she trust it?
But she was too hungry.
For the three days she'd been trapped in the cage, the only food she'd had was the garbage thrown to her by the slave trader.
Her hand reached for it instinctively.
Bread and milk.
Holding them, the beastkin turned to leave the wagon. She planned to eat in a safe place.
But she couldn't leave just yet.
Something had caught her eye.
"A kind person."
A handkerchief.
He could have just left the food on the floor.
But he had placed the food on top of a handkerchief.
It was the first act of kindness she had ever received from a human in her entire life.
"Dad used to do that."
She remembered her father, who would always brush away the dust and place a thin piece of leather down before setting out her food. The memory of her father dying a brutal death before her very eyes made her instinctively shake her head.
There was no time for sorrow.
"Get a grip, Aisi."
As she admonished herself, her clouded mind cleared.
She put down the bread and milk and searched the dead slave trader's pockets. She took a leather pouch filled with coins, then found the certificate that had been tucked inside his clothes.
It was her identification, proving she was a citizen of the continent.
It was a fake, but it was the most crucial tool that allowed her to live as a human. After coolly gathering the necessary items, Aisi returned to where the bread and milk were.
"Thank you."
She picked up the handkerchief first.
After neatly folding it and tucking it away, she finally took the food and left the wagon.
***
It was well after sunrise when the soldiers finally began to stir.
As the firmly shut city gates opened, the waiting crowd took out their identification papers and prepared to enter.
But even though he was ready, Wang-sik couldn't move.
*Was that a mistake?*
Because at the very back of the line stood the girl.
The beastkin girl he had rescued.
Unlike when she was caged, she now looked like an ordinary commoner, but if she were to be caught at the gate, it would cause a lot of trouble.
And it wasn't a situation where he could just deal with her in front of the soldiers.
In the meantime, people began to pass through the gates after having their papers checked.
"Once we're through the gate, move quickly."
"Got it."
Oh Min-jae agreed without asking why. He didn't know the beastkin was following them.
Thanks to the early hour and the small crowd, it wasn't long before they were standing before the soldiers.
Wang-sik handed over his identification with a coin slipped underneath.
This was a common practice among high-ranking nobles or merchants; they might even give a silver coin if they had a lot of luggage.
Giving a silver coin without much luggage might arouse suspicion, so Wang-sik deliberately handed over a regular coin.
As expected, the soldiers simply verified the authenticity of their identification without any particular suspicion and let them pass.
"So now I'm Mirje."
That was the name written on Oh Min-jae's identification, which had been prepared in advance through the black market.
It cost five times more than going through the Thieves' Guild, but the black market was safer.
The Thieves' Guild created new identities through connections, whereas the black market procured and forged the identification of deceased individuals.
"But this name feels a bit lazy. Who came up with it?"
Wang-sik, who had been walking in silence, flinched and stopped.
"No, it's fine. I like it. A person can't be good at everything, right?"
"You don't like it?"
"It's fine. Your name is Sik, right? I think this is better than that."
Normally, he would have flared up and poked him in the ribs, but this wasn't the time for that.
"Let's walk a little faster."
They deliberately walked down a main street and then found a spot around a corner.
"Wait here a moment."
Wang-sik was watching the city gate.
If a problem arose because of the beastkin, they would have to exit the city again. Fleeing deeper into the city would only lead to a bigger fight.
*Huh?*
But then, Wang-sik saw something that defied his expectations.
The beastkin, whom he thought was alone at the back of the line, handed over her identification along with the people in front of her, as if they were a group.
After being inspected with what appeared to be bundle merchants, the beastkin passed through the gate without any trouble.
Once on the main road, the bundle merchants naturally split off in different directions.
"Huh?"
Oh Min-jae also belatedly recognized the girl.
The girl hesitated for a moment, then approached Wang-sik, who was staring at her with a sharp gaze.
"I don't intend to cause you any trouble."
She had proven the sincerity of her words by passing through the gate.
"Why did you follow us?"
"I wanted to ask if you could hire me."
"Hire you?"
"I worked at an inn for three years. I can do anything."
"I refuse."
Wang-sik didn't ask for a reason.
The important thing right now was to avoid creating problems.
While passing through the gate proved there was no immediate issue, he had no desire to introduce a variable.
"I have nowhere to go. And no one I can trust."
He tried not to listen, but the beastkin, Aisi, spoke first.
"I won't ask for money. Just let me stay for a year. I'll leave quietly after that."
"You must have a pack of your own."
"I was cast out."
What if he had heard such a story on Earth?
He would have at least helped her get assistance from a government agency. But this was the Azelan Continent.
"I refuse. Our business is finished here."
At Wang-sik's cold refusal, Aisi looked at Oh Min-jae standing beside him.
A pleading gaze.
But Oh Min-jae shook his head. However, his expression was one of pity, openly revealing his feelings.
*I shouldn't trouble that man.*
Aisi gave up.
"Thank you for saving me."
She withdrew her request and bowed deeply.
The sight made Oh Min-jae feel even more sorry for her, but Wang-sik remained unmoved. As Wang-sik turned away, Aisi did not follow.
After passing through two transport gates, they arrived at their destination, Maejit, and headed to the general commercial district adjacent to the magic shop street.
"This is it."
In the middle of a street lined with grocery stores stood a vacant three-story building. It was about three times larger than a typical shop, and a sign reading 'Mirje Trading Company' hung over the entrance.
It was small for a trading company building, but since Wang-sik had arranged for everything from repairs and cleaning to new furniture, it had a rather refined atmosphere.
"A trading company used to be here. I bought it after it went on the market due to business failure."
The reason he had gone to the trouble of acquiring a trading company was to create a plausible background for learning magic. Since it was an endeavor that required a significant amount of money, a background like a trading company was necessary to avoid suspicion.
"You put a lot of thought into this. Thanks."
As they entered the company building, someone who recognized Wang-sik greeted him.
"Ah! Is this the new company owner?"
When Wang-sik nodded, a man in his early fifties with salt-and-pepper hair bowed to Oh Min-jae.
"My name is Hanson. It's a pleasure to work with you."
"I'm Mirje."
Oh Min-jae returned the greeting with a slight nod.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Wang-sik, who had been watching their exchange, handed the man a silver coin.
"You can go home and rest for today."
"Yes, sir. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Wang-sik sent the man away so they could speak freely.
"Is he the only employee?"
After confirming the man had left, Wang-sik placed a pouch filled with gold and silver ingots and gold coins on the desk.
"Take this."
"Isn't this a bit much for initial startup capital?"
"Potions aren't cheap. Just run the business as a front. I'll continue to support you."
The IV drips and painkillers Oh Min-jae used while sleeping couldn't be brought through the gate.
Fortunately, there was a substitute on the Azelan Continent: potions.
Their effect was better than modern painkillers, but the problem was their considerable price.
"Hey, I can't do that. It'll look more natural if I actually run a business and turn a profit."
Oh Min-jae said as he put away the business funds.
"I'll return your investment several times over. Just trust me."
"It's not good to stand out unnecessarily."
"If I'm going to do this, I have to do it right, and that means standing out. Don't worry. There's no way my identity will be revealed."
Oh Min-jae knew what Wang-sik was worried about.
If he were to ever create items from Earth to make money, his identity could be exposed immediately.
After all, there was already someone who had spread knowledge from Earth in this world.
*Well, he is a smart kid.*
Wang-sik decided not to worry about that part anymore.
"Alright, get some rest today, and let's start hiring employees tomorrow."
"Hmm. But if we're going to hire someone anyway, wouldn't that girl be a good choice?"
"It's risky."
"You might be worrying too much. I don't trust the people of Azelan anyway. Regardless of her race, I think I can trust her more."
He wasn't wrong.
It wasn't as if she had discovered some great secret, and the way she had said her goodbyes didn't seem malicious.
And since he had saved her from a crisis, she was certainly less likely to betray them than a complete stranger.
However, the concern that her past might cause problems remained.
"Let's hear her story. If she's honest this time too, I think it would be good to give her a chance."
For a beastkin to live among humans, she must have a story she needs to hide.
Would she tell them honestly?
"Fine. Let's hear her out first."
At Oh Min-jae's repeated requests, Wang-sik relented.
***
Aisi sighed as she left the inn.
—We have enough help.
She had already been rejected at five places.
*Should I just go live alone in the mountains?*
That was an option.
But it would mean living the life of a wild beast, not a person.
*No. I don't have the strength to survive that right now. I have to endure here until I become an adult.*
She didn't have the power to survive in a forest teeming with monsters and wild animals.
*Stay strong. I have to survive, no matter what.*
Aisi set off to find another job.
After that, she asked for work at two more inns and one trading company, but the answer was always rejection.
No, to be precise, one place had agreed.
—Hmm. Alright. Do you want to start right now?
At the last trading company she visited, a sleazy-looking man in his late forties had offered her a job. But the way his eyes roamed over her didn't feel like an offer for legitimate work.
It was a look she had experienced once before.
Aisi shuddered and left the trading company.
She endured the curses hurled at her back, clenching her fists so tightly that red marks were left on her palms.
*Will I ever meet another person like him?*
She thought of the person who had saved her. The only human who had ever shown her warmth.
*I never got to return this.*
His handkerchief was still tucked inside her clothes. Because she had been rejected so coldly, she had forgotten to give it back.
*I suppose I'll never see him again, will I?*
It was then.
As she lifted her head, the man was standing there like a mirage. It felt so much like an illusion that she froze on the spot.
"Can we talk?"
Only after hearing his words did she realize it was real.