Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Treatment You Deserve
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The beastkin Aisi instinctively opened her eyes, even in the depths of sleep.
Carefully opening her door, Aisi sensed an approaching presence and hid herself.
The presence was heading for Oh Min-jae's room.
The moment he reached for the doorknob, Aisi lunged.
Thud.
Aisi intended to subdue her target.
Approaching from behind, she pressed the tip of her dagger to the man's neck and spoke.
“Back off.”
But the man's reaction was strange.
He simply pushed the sharp dagger away with sheer force. To her surprise, the blade hadn't pierced his skin.
Realizing her opponent was no ordinary person, Aisi immediately took a step back.
“Krrgh!”
Her body transformed in an instant.
A white tiger.
“Stop.”
Aisi, who had been baring her claws, froze at the word.
She recognized the visitor.
Returning to her human form, Aisi bowed her head in greeting instead of continuing the fight.
“I didn't realize you were standing guard like this. I'm sorry.”
The one apologizing was Wang-sik.
“My apologies.”
“No, you were excellent. I'll be counting on you in the future.”
Wang-sik's tone was softer than usual.
‘So she's been protecting him this diligently.’
He was pleased with Aisi's actions.
‘She's quite strong. Different from when I first saw her.’
It wasn't just her strength; her beast form had grown larger as well.
It meant she was growing rapidly.
“I'll wake the Company Leader.”
She had originally wanted to call him 'Master', but Oh Min-jae had refused, so she called him 'Company Leader'.
“It's fine.”
“It's almost time for his medicine.”
Following Aisi into the room, he saw Oh Min-jae lying in bed. But the IV drip that should have been there was missing.
He was using potions as painkillers, but even those were gone. Aisi showed him why.
Aisi skillfully opened a drawer, took out a potion, and injected it into Oh Min-jae's arm.
The syringe, also made by Oh Min-jae, had been crafted to match the potion's dosage.
“He sleeps more comfortably this way. He sleeps like this once every two days.”
The relationship between Oh Min-jae and Aisi was much closer than Wang-sik had imagined.
“Let's just let him sleep.”
“I'll prepare a room for you to sleep in.”
“No. Let's talk for a moment.”
Wang-sik wanted to ask about what had just happened.
“This way, please.”
Wang-sik asked Aisi as she prepared the room where he would be staying.
“Is there a danger that warrants such vigilance? Or have you always been like this?”
“A few rival factions have appeared recently.”
After quickly making the bed, Aisi explained the current situation to Wang-sik.
“Competition between the trading companies has started. It wasn't like this when we were just selling magic items, but we started facing resistance when we began acquiring gate materials. The Company Leader didn't just buy the goods; he set up a proper business venture. He said it wouldn't be a problem in the long run.”
Indeed, since magic items would continue to be in demand, expanding the business rather than just purchasing supplies was a way to reduce costs and ensure a stable supply.
“And our relationship with the Alchemist Guild isn't good either. They paid us a visit not long ago.”
This was to be expected.
They were making low-cost versions of products originally created by alchemists, so conflict was inevitable.
“How dangerous is it?”
“There haven't been any direct actions yet. It's just that I'm a bit anxious...”
“You did well. Please, keep it up.”
Despite Wang-sik's praise, Aisi's expression didn't relax.
“I don't know if I can protect him.”
That was why she couldn't smile.
“Because of your relationship with the Magic Tower, a direct attack is unlikely. Still, if something happens, prioritize escaping over fighting. And make sure you take Min-jae with you, of course.”
“For now, that's enough, but I don't know about the future. He's someone who often has dangerous ideas...”
“That's true. He's more fearless than I am.”
Oh Min-jae was fighting just as fiercely as Wang-sik. And he was doing it by making enemies in the heart of the Azelan Continent.
“Um, so, I have a favor to ask...”
“What is it?”
“If you give me some time, I can grow strong enough to protect the Company Leader.”
“There's a way to do that?”
After a moment of hesitation at Wang-sik's question, Aisi spoke.
“I want to perform my coming-of-age ceremony.”
When beastkin come of age, they undergo a coming-of-age ceremony that brings about rapid growth.
“You must have told Min-jae.”
“Yes. The Company Leader told me not to.”
“There must have been a reason.”
“He said it was too dangerous.”
Aisi didn't hide the dangers of the ceremony.
The ceremony differs depending on the beast soul one is born with, and the greater the potential, the more difficult the ceremony.
“My soul is a saber-toothed tiger. It's the most difficult, and the survival rate is low.”
The success rate was one in five.
A mere twenty percent.
“I probably wouldn't have allowed it either. Why are you trying to choose such a dangerous path?”
“Because I want to be a person of value. The moment I can no longer protect the Company Leader, my worth disappears, doesn't it?”
Her words were so earnest that Wang-sik couldn't find a suitable reply.
‘Min-jae made the right choice.’
Aisi was completely devoted to Oh Min-jae.
“Let's think about that slowly. For now, we need someone to protect Min-jae.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Aisi bowed and left the room.
Meeting Wang-sik early the next morning, Oh Min-jae nodded after hearing about the agreement made in Korea.
“That's great. Once the gate is open, there will be a lot we can do with Guseong Group.”
Full-scale gate trade would begin.
“I've found Gellick's location. He's still active, so it wasn't too difficult.”
This was why Wang-sik had arrived late last night.
“I'll go meet him first.”
“Tell him you're the Vice-Director of our company. Once you've set up a meeting, I'll meet him with you.”
Wang-sik began his activities as the Vice-Director of Mirje Trading Company.
He arrived in Ertan, a mid-sized city in the southern part of the continent. There was a transport gate here as well, allowing for a quick arrival.
There, Wang-sik recalled the information from the Thieves' Guild.
—Gellick is currently staying in Ertan with two of his followers. He is participating in a joint venture between the Delia Trading Company and the Doomilla Gate Research Institute, where he seems to have achieved considerable success. He recently met with Count Carrier, who is known to be the backer of the Delia Trading Company.
After the great failure of the legendary-grade gate, Gellick, who had been living as a wanderer, had settled down here.
‘Designers need investors more than anything.’
Through the Thieves' Guild's information, he learned that Gellick had not only lost all his wealth but was also burdened with massive debt.
The failure of the gate design had been that devastating.
‘This must be why S-rank gates are so rare.’
S-rank gates required such a massive investment that it was a burden even for them.
“So he's secured Count Carrier as his sponsor?”
What Gellick needed most right now was a noble who could pay off his debts and back his future endeavors.
That was why the designer who once created S-rank gates was now building B-rank and C-rank gates to rebuild trust.
‘His skills must be genuine.’
One failure doesn't mean his skills have vanished.
The problem was the assessment of Count Carrier.
—He is one of the wealthiest men in the south. Originally the owner of the Delia Trading Company, he received his noble title by funding the imperial war effort. As he comes from a merchant background, he is not well-regarded among the nobility, but his immense wealth means no one can ignore him.
In short, his was a family that solved everything with money.
Being a family of merchant origins with no history, they resided in the mid-sized southern city of Ertan, but their influence was said to extend throughout the entire southern region.
“This is the place.”
The place Wang-sik had found was a rather large inn in Ertan.
The two-story main building had nearly seventy tables, and there were two separate buildings for lodging.
This establishment, also run by the Delia Trading Company, was the largest of its kind in the city.
The prices were higher than at a typical inn, but by evening, there were few empty tables.
The patrons' attire suggested they were not common laborers, and the food on the tables consisted mainly of prepared dishes rather than simple fare.
“Roast duck and a beer.”
“What kind of soup would you like?”
“Kirip soup, and add some Bota bread.”
This wasn't an unfamiliar scene for Wang-sik, so he ordered skillfully and took a table in a corner of the first floor.
An hour later, while leisurely eating his meal, Wang-sik spotted Gellick and his companions.
He had just finished his food and was ordering another beer when he saw three men enter.
Recalling the description from the Thieves' Guild, he was certain one was Gellick, and he could guess who the others were.
As they took a table in the center of the first floor, Wang-sik made his move.
‘Time to throw some money around, I guess.’
Putting down his beer, Wang-sik rose from his seat and approached them.
“Mr. Gellick?”
The man called Gellick was in his late fifties, gaunt and with a sharp-featured face.
He wore a black robe, as if to boast of being a mage, which made his slanted eyes seem all the more piercing.
“My name is Sik, Vice-Director of the Mirje Trading Company.”
He stated his identity, but their wariness did not lessen.
“I won't interrupt your meal. I was just hoping we could speak for a moment after you've finished.”
Just then, a waiter came to take their order, and Wang-sik spoke first.
“Roast goat with Demor wine. For soup, Elo soup, and Fris tea, please. And I'll pay for any additional orders in advance.”
The items Wang-sik ordered were top-shelf wherever you went. Demor wine, in particular, cost ten gold coins a bottle, a drink that even nobles savored.
Clink.
As he spoke, Wang-sik placed a pouch full of gold coins on the table.
The mouth of the pouch was open, revealing thirty gold coins inside.
“Please allow me the courtesy of a greeting once your meal is over.”
With that, Wang-sik bowed and left the inn.
About thirty minutes later, Gellick came outside.
He must have been in the middle of his meal, but he couldn't wait.
“That seems like too much money to spend just for a greeting.”
“I wanted to make a clear impression.”
“Mirje Trading Company, you said? I heard you've recently started selling magic consumables in Magit?”
It seemed the Mirje Trading Company was better known than Wang-sik had thought. Then again, he had heard they were making a fortune from their products. Two new items had recently been developed and were scheduled for release soon.
“Yes. We came because we need you, Mr. Gellick, for our next business venture.”
“You intend to build gates?”
“Isn't it the natural next step?”
Since they were selling magic materials, the connection was clear.
“I'm already working with someone.”
“But you're not under a formal contract, as I understand it.”
“You've done your research.”
“Well, where you work isn't the important thing. Isn't this what truly matters?”
Wang-sik recalled Oh Min-jae's advice.
—He's probably a man with a lot of pride. You have to use that.
Remembering those words, Wang-sik asked Gellick.
“Are you receiving the treatment you deserve?”
At that, Gellick frowned. Seizing the opportunity, Wang-sik continued.
“The details should be discussed with our Company Leader, not me. If you'll permit it, I'll arrange a meeting.”
“Is it a meeting worth having?”
“The Company Leader asked me to tell you this: the best designer deserves to be in a place befitting his stature. And he said he can give you wings, Mr. Gellick.”
Gellick seemed to be considering it for a moment.
“I suppose there's no harm in a casual meeting.”
“Then I'll arrange it.”
“Contact me.”
As Gellick said, there was no harm in hearing them out. After all, he had fallen from being the best on the continent to having to curry favor with a noble.
‘I might as well meet them. I was getting sick of pandering to that pig of a noble anyway.’
The meeting, born from their aligned interests, took place three days later.