The president of the Genavis mercenary guild.
In his past life, he had never been in the mercenary guild. He wasn’t skillful enough so he never even thought of doing so. It was only after he left Genavis that he attempted to become a mercenary.
‘Of course.’
But he wasn’t fazed. This request wasn’t just a regular one; there were issues with it. An orc village conquest was an important job for the Genavis guild.
And the issues.
It was probably not fixed by just reporting, and it was directly reported to the president.
14 year old.
Martial artist.
It was common to be a martial artist. Do Sangrang was one himself.
But it wasn’t common for a martial artist to be a mercenary.
“Your young.”
Sungmin heard that as soon as he opened the door. There were cigarette odors permeating the room. A middle age man with a huge build and thick glasses looked from his desk.
“I’m Dox, the president of the Genavis guild.”
“...It’s Lee Sungmin.”
Sungmin said while saying the posture. Dox looked at Sungmin’s face and asked.
“There’s many things I want to ask, but I’ll ask one thing first. Why did you lie?”
“...Yes?”
“You're not a martial artist.”
Dox tapped his glasses that was on his nose.
“Do you know about artifacts?”
“...Somewhat.”
An artifact was an object with magic on it. Sungmin’s interdimensional pocket was an artifact.
“These glasses are an artifact. If you wear them, they tell you the person’s class. Your class… is a No Class. It’s hard to believe.”
Dox muttered. He was surprised, but Sungmin didn’t show it. If he was caught, he was caught. He couldn’t be flustered by something like this.
“A No Class learned martial arts… that’s not hard to believe. Aren’t No Classes popular these days. The martial skeleton from the surgeon and learning martial arts is possible.”
“...You know well.”
Sungmin sighed. He had to.
“Why did you lie?”
“I thought it wouldn’t make sense.”
Sungmin answered. Dox nodded his head.
“That is true. It’s true for me actually. You. How long has been since you came here?”
“...are you questioning me? I don’t think I caused a crime to be questioned…”
“Ah, I see. I’ll apologize to that. I’m not in the position to question you. You're not in the position to be questioned either.”
Dox agreed on his mistake nonchalantly. It seemed not of place because of his huge size, but to Sungmin it wasn’t. Not all mercenaries are politie. Most of them were, but usually a president was an intelligent man.
‘There are idiots in the heads of the mercenaries though.’
He knew from experience.
“I just thought it was strange that you would lie. Well… it’s not something I don't’ believe so. Well, i’ll ignore that. That’s not important.”
Dox muttered and put his hand under the desk. Then, he pulled out an envelope.
“The money is 2,000,000 Erie. But… there were troubles. So two survivors. I gave 100,000 Erie to the apprentices and the 1,800,000 goes to you twol. Do Sangrang said. It was because of you that you were able to eliminate those b*stards.”
That was surprising. Do Sangrang said something like that. Sungmin never knew that Do Sangrang would emphasize his role in the quest.
“Do Sangrang agreed. To give you 1,000,000 while he gets 800,000 Erie. And to the spoils as well. There’s going to be at least 600,000. You can get 400,000 as well.
“...Can you do that much for me?”
“I have nothing to do with it. Do Sangrang said that.”
Dox said.
“Let’s stop this and I want to get to the point.”
“Yes?”
Sungmin pretended that he didn't’ know. He said that, but he knew why Dox brought him here.’
“Don’t you have any thought of becoming a mercenary?”
It was that.
“Do Sangrang said. You are between the second and first rate, very close to the first rate. That’s surprising. Much surprising if you’re a No Class as well.”
Dox touched his glasses.
“You’re very young. If you keep growing like this, you’re going to be a first rate, and maybe even become a master depending on the effort.”
“...that… is true?”
Sungmin answered. He knew that wasn’t easy. To Dox who didn’t know Sungmin, Sungmin was probably a genius. Even though he wasn’t.
“If you become a mercenary, we’re going to give you a D rank. If you complete a few tasks, you will definitely get up to C rank. If you get up to a first rate, you could be a B rank. How is that?”
Dox asked. Sungmin stayed silent for a while. It wasn’t bad. If he became a D rank, it would give him enough money to live without taking any request.
“...Thank you for the offer…”
But Sungmin refused. He couldn’t be a mercenary. He needed the Intelligence Potion that the No Class Fight would give him. He needed that to bring his inner strength up. A mercenary couldn’t compete in that.
“What a shame.”
Dox nodded. He didn’t offer anymore and handed the money envelope.
“If you change your mind, come back again.”
“...thank you.”
Sungmin put the money in his pocket. Dox muttered as Sungmin walked away.
“You're not like your age.”
“Yes?”
“You aren’t like a 14 year old. Well, incidents change your mind. If I was summoned at a young age, I would have gone crazy.
Dox seemed to understand. Sungmin smiled bitterly and left the guild.
‘I need to grow older.’
Everything aside, the acting like a young kid was killing him.
*
“Why were you so late?”
He heard grumbles as soon as he came in the inn. It was Wijihoyun. She was looking with a mad face towards Sungmin. Sungmin looked at the food on the dishes.
“Why didn’t you eat?”
“My friend isn’t here, so why would I?”
“You could…”
Was that a reason. Sungmin wanted to disagree, but he pushed the thought deep down.
“You smell like blood.”
Sungmin sat in front of Wijihoyun. Wijihoyun twitched her nose and muttered.
“Why’d you kill a person?”
“It’s nothing. Someone tried to kill me.”
“Really?”
Wijihoyun seemed uninterested. She picked up the bread and put it in her mouth.
“I thought about it.”
Lula gave Sungmin his dinner. Wijihoyun opened her mouth as Sungmin picked up his fork.
“It will take about a month for me to fix the High Heavens. I will give you that, and when you seem good with it… I’m leaving.”
Sungmin’s hand stopped.
“...Really?”
“Why. Is it a shame?”
“... I don’t want to stop you”
Sungmin sighed and muttered. The past Wijihoyun only stayed in Genavis for a month. It was only because of Sungmin that she was staying here.
“I thought about it.”
Wijihoyun said.
“You have a goal. To get the position is your goal. Then you will leave here. I was wondering if I should wait for you and leave together.”
Sungmin didn’t say. He knew generally what she would say.
“But I can’t. Why do you think that?”
“I won’t be a help to you.”
Sungmin thought. That was true for Sungmin. Sungmin was weak. He had no talent. But what was Wijihoyun. She was a genius. She was learning the techniques that completed a genius.
“You're wrong.”
Wijihoyun answered. Her eyes turned cold.
“I don’t like that part about you at all.”
Wijihoyun spit out.
“...what is that?”
“Inferiority.”
Wijihoyun’s voice was cold, and it was a sharp knife. Sungmin’s correct answer was wrong to Wijihoyun, but Wijihoyun’s answer was right to Sungmin. ‘Inferiority.’ filled through Sungmin's’ mind.
“You don’t help me? So that’s why I’m leaving? Why do you think that?”
“It’s true.”
“Yes. You are weak. If I stay with you, I’m going to have to protect you. But that’s not the reason.”
Wijihoyun’s eye’s narrowed sharply.
“If I stay with you, you won’t grow anymore.”
If Sungmin went along with Wijihoyun, she would fix the problems that Sungmin had.
“Your past life is holding you back. It’s not good. The inferiority is holding you back.”
“...what do you want to say. Your friend is the Small Pegasus Wijihoyun.”
Wijihoyun’s voice had some feel to it. Her voice was low, but it delved deep into Sungmin’s feelings.
“You’re learned techniques are one of the best, and the High Heavens that you will be learning is one of the best spear techniques in the world. That technique, I am fixing it for you.”
“...It was you who said that i lacked talent. No matter how much you fix it, I might not be able to learn it.”
“Have you tried?”
Wijihoyun asked.
“Did you past self say? It’s impossible. Did it?”
“..it’s better to understand your situation than to get your hopes up…”
“That is inferiority.”
“You won’t know. You’re a genius.”
Sungmin mocked.
“How would a genius know a non genius?”
“True. I am a genius, so I don’t know you completely.”
Wijihoyun agreed on that.
“But I don’t like your attitude of giving up because of your inferiority before even trying it. Do I look irresponsible?”
“Yes.”
“You looked well. I am irresponsible.”
This b*tch. What was she trying to say. Sungmin glared at Wijihoyun.
“Don’t think that it will be the same as your past life. You started over, and you’re going in the opposite direction from it.”
“It doesn’t change the person I am.”
“No, people change.”
Wijihoyun disagreed immediately.
“You changed. I changed. The few months here changed me. Sungmin didn’t know the Wijihoyun from her life. But Wijihoyun knew.
“Everything could change from your past life. The you before and you now are different, the things that you before and the you now will face are going to be different. How would the same result come out then.”
Sungmin couldn’t refute what she said.
“Talent.”
Wijihoyun shook her head.
“You can’t get something that you don’t have...but. You can’t do anything with your inferior self. First, you.”
Wijihoyun pointed at Sungmin.
“You need a goal. I said before. What do you want to do with your life.”
“You did.”
“You said before. A life better than before. Yes. That’s easy. Your life is going to better no matter what happens. But you won't’ be happy with just that.
That was true. Humans were like that without a concrete goal. He knew what happens now and later, so he wasn’t happy enough.
“You gain strength from opportunities. But, you don’t know what to do with that strength. Isn’t that you? You’re thinking of how your life isn’t going well.”
Sungmin tried to refute again, but closed his mouth. It was true.
“Of course, you will try. With a general goal. So what you need...is a real goal.”
“...what goal?”
Sungmin sighed. To that, Wijihoyun didn’t hesitate and put her hand on her chest.
“Me.”
Wijihoyun said with strength..
“Make me your goal.”