The man who helped me after an argument in a bar, Ronan Rolland, was what we call a middleman, or broker.
His reason for approaching me and blatantly trying to curry favor was obvious.
He wanted to hire me because he coveted my skills.
‘I may look like this, but I'm definitely a monster physically.’
I had no choice but to admit it.
My body had already reached superhuman levels.
It's no wonder, since I've maxed out all my stats in the game.
'Even so, I didn't expect to be able to parry a flying bullet.’
I picked up and threw away three big guys who had just been arguing with me, using only my bare hands.
Of course, that almost got me into another fight with the others, but the man in front of me helped me out.Ronan Rolland, a narrow-eyed man who introduced himself as a broker.
His expression didn't change even as I stared at him, blatantly trying to read between the lines.
He still wore his smile, which, to be honest, made him look even more suspicious.
‘If this was the original game, I'd recognize him as an important NPC, but not here.’
Of course, now that the NPC in front of you is real, I don't even know the true intentions of the actual person.
All I can do right now is try to infer what he wants from his job.
"So what do you want from me?"
......This tone of voice again.
But this isn't something I can force myself to correct, so let's let it go for now.
The important thing is to have a conversation with the person in front of me.
‘Never let down your guard in front of narrow eyes……!’
I squinted and glared at the man in front of me.
*
Ronan Roland marveled inwardly.
Osian's piercing gaze was like a blade, threatening to cut through his skin if he let his guard down.
'I really can't let my guard down.'
It was purely by chance that Ronan found him in the bar.
When he spotted Osian in his armor, Ronan knew he was the man from the source he'd just heard about.
But he couldn't yet believe that he had actually taken down a gang of 40 gunmen with a single sword.
Information is always half bullshit if not properly vetted.
That's why the Dutri brothers gave him a well-timed challenge when Ronan was staring at him.
Ronan realized then and there that Osian' information had not been exaggerated.
The strength to bounce the big man out of the bar with a single blow was one thing, but so was the invisible speed with which he swung his sword when the second and third of the three brothers pointed their guns at him.
'A mutant with physical enhancements, and a very high ranking one at that. Can't miss him.'
Mutants were humans with special powers who began appearing in the world over a century ago.
Mutants were beings who emerged in a world transitioning from the age of magic to the age of science.
It was a term used to describe people who were not magical, but had miraculous, superhuman powers.
They could summon lightning from their bare hands, control the minds of others, or turn their skin to steel.
Mutants' abilities varied widely, and even similar powers had different outputs depending on their rank.
In Ronan Rolland's eyes, Osian was a mutant with enhancement powers.
‘Usually, physical enhancement mutants bifurcate there, too. They get stronger muscles, harder skin, or faster speed.’
In Ronan's opinion, Osian was a multi-powered mutant, a mutant whose overall physical abilities increased all at once.
Strength and speed. The high increase in both put him at the upper end of the physical enhancement mutants.
'I don't know where he got his armor or why he wields a sword.’
The important thing was that he was a blank slate, not yet under contract with anyone.
If he could recruit him, it would be a huge boost to his fixer's office.
So to win him over, he paid for the drinks he had ordered but never finished.
"Let me start by introducing myself. I'm Ronan Rolland, owner of Violet Fox, a fixer's shop."
Ronan handed Osian a luxurious purple business card to catch him off guard.
"The reason I've approached you, Mr. Osian, is because I'd like to make you a proposal."
"A proposal?"
Osian's eyebrows twitched.
He was more intrigued than annoyed.
"Yes. Mr. Osian, this is your first time in the city, right?"
"......How do you know that?"
Osian asked warily, and Ronan stared at his armor, puzzled.
Osian looked down at his own armor, then at the attire of the mercenaries around him, and nodded, hmm.
"......Yes. Let's just say I'm new to this city, so what's the big deal?"
"Did you come to this city with a specific purpose, Mr. Osian?"
"......."
Osian fell silent at Ronan's sharp question.
He couldn't have come to the great steel city of Tirna with a specific purpose.
In the first place, Osian had woken up and found himself in a game world.
There was no way he could have come to the Industrial Revolution city with a purpose.
"Then you have no place to stay and no means to earn money."
Osian didn't answer, just tapped his fingers on the table in silence.
That was enough of an answer for Ronan and he cut straight to the chase.
"Then why don't you come work for me?"
Osian stared at Ronan for a moment.
Even though it was just that, he felt an irresistible pressure and Ronan's smile cracked, if only for a moment.
The mercenaries and fixers who'd been stealing glances at the two, pretending not to be around, flinched involuntarily.
'What, what is it? A sudden chill.’
‘Crazy. I'm getting goosebumps just looking at him.’
The mercenaries all tensed, staring at each other expectantly, wondering how this was going to end.
Ronan pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from his cheeks.
‘What's wrong with you? Did something I said offend you?’
Ronan didn't know why Osian was so uncomfortable.
Right now Osian looked like he could draw his sword and swung it at him at a moment's notice.
Maybe he'd hurt his pride by offering him a job as a fixer?
Osian was deep in thought as Ronan swallowed dryly and tensed up.
‘What, is this not just a mission, but an offer to join?’
In truth, he didn't think much of it.
He was only seriously considering it because he didn't expect to be recruited by a place like this.
Ronan told him that he runs a fixer's office.
A fixer is someone who takes care of things for money and most of the time it was illegal and likely to involve violence.
‘In the old world, this would have been impossible, but in the current situation, there is nothing better.’
Osian was like an unwanted guest, dropped into the world out of nowhere.
He had no guaranteed status and no immediate place to stay.
His sturdy body might not mind sleeping on the ground, but his modern sensibilities, which had not so long ago slept in a plush bed, could not tolerate it.
Above all, there was one thing that was essential for living in this world: money.
Everything costs money.
In particular, more money was needed for food, clothing and the most necessary things for people to survive.
For now, he was paying for his food with the money he'd made from beating up gangsters, but he couldn't live like this forever.
Eventually, he needed a stable way to make money.
‘In the game I knew I would have gone on quests and gotten paid or done simple mercenary work.’
But the world was completely different now.
All Osian could do now was swordplay, using his ridiculous physical abilities.
And there was no way to make money at it, other than, coincidentally, Ronan's solution in front of him.
Osian should have taken him up on his offer, because it seemed like the right thing to do.
There was only one reason he didn't.
Ronan wasn't being suspicious.
"I promise you, Mr. Osian, we'll give you the best treatment in the business."
Ronan's bold offer didn't faze Osian at all.
If anything, he was even more suspicious of Ronan.
‘The best conditions in the industry? No matter how great my physical ability is, how can you suddenly trust someone like me?’
In fact, Ronan's attempts to be nice made him feel even more suspicious.
Now that Osian had already become aware that he was suspicious, it was difficult for him to trust Ronan.
Naturally, Osian's eyes narrowed, and Ronan had to swallow hard under the increased pressure of wariness.
All he could do was to keep a smile on his face.
What, he didn't like even the best treatment in the business?
The tension reached a crescendo, and even the mercenaries watching from afar clenched their fists in cold sweat.
Osian opened his mouth.
"Your proposal is interesting, but it's late at night, so we'll save the details for tomorrow."
The atmosphere, tightened to its limits, thickened and loosened.
The mercenaries, who had been watching without breathing, began to gasp for air, and so did Ronan.
‘Why are they doing this?’
Osian was oblivious and could only stare at them in disbelief.
"......Haha. I see, and I'm sorry if I've inconvenienced you, Mr. Osian, at this late hour."
"No. I don't think it's a bad thing, since you've helped me out. I just needed some time to gather my thoughts. I'm tired."
Osian spoke sincerely, but no one took his words at face value.
Ronan, for one, was left scratching his head.
‘He didn't seem happy at all when I told him that he would receive the best treatment in the business. Isn’t this ridiculous?’
Ronan glanced at the mercenaries around him.
Many had already witnessed this turn of events.
There was no way the gossipy mercenaries would let this go unnoticed.
‘Tomorrow, the other brokers who picked up the news will come running with their eyes lit up.’
And the sharp-eyed brokers will recognize Osian's extraordinary talent and try to recruit him.
He deliberately bought him a drink and approached him with a favorable attitude and tried to sign a contract right away but Osian was not so easily persuaded.
‘Or is this what you're after?’
Ronan's expression grew serious.
Ronan couldn't help but think that Osian was playing a trick on him by deliberately not confirming the deal and putting it off until tomorrow.
This was a kind of competition.
Perhaps his tiredness was just an excuse, and he had been setting this up all along.
As his mind raced, Ronan grew impatient.
"I, Mr. Osian."
"What is it?"
"Do you happen to have a place to stay tonight?"
"Uh, no. Not yet."
"Ah, well then, this is a tavern, but the second and third floors double as an inn, so you might be able to stay for a night or so. Since it's fate that brought us together today, would you mind if I paid for your stay?"
Ronan was going to have to do his best to look good to Ossian no matter what.
He had to show him that he was as sincere as he could be, even in a small detail like this.
"......? Sure."
Osian didn't know why Ronan was doing this.
It wasn't like he was suddenly in need of something, or that he was grateful for it.
Right now, Osian needed time to organize today's events and prepare his mind, that’s why he delayed rather than accepting Ronan's offer right away.
He was truly tired, if not physically, then mentally.
‘At least I have a place to stay for the night.’
Let's go upstairs, get a good night's sleep, and think about it.
With that thought, Osian rose from his seat.
"See you tomorrow."
Ronan's face brightened at Osian's casual words.