Finn looked at Durgan, who was dutifully placing more and more meat pieces on the table. He had seen how useful [Advanced Carpentry] and [Advanced Tailoring] skills were.
Imagine if he could get a hold of [Advanced Blacksmithing], too!
Not to mention, he really liked Durgan as a person. He thought he was kind, wise, and hardworking. Finding staff members was more than just finding talent, it was finding the right person with the right attitude and values as well!
Thinking of all these factors, Durgan was really too perfect!
Finn—after nearly dying so many times—thought that life was short, so he knew when to go directly to the point.
"Durgan," he said, looking at the kind-looking dwarf. "Would you like to stay here and work for me?"
At this, Marcus, who had just entered after shaking the monster blood off of him, gasped.
"You’re recruiting our tank?! Right when we’re here?! I didn’t think you’d be so shameless, Finn!" he exclaimed, appearing to be hurt and angry.
Most people would be intimidated, but Finn’s smile remained. "He did say he wanted to retire, right?"
"But he could do that close to us! So we can visit him!" the big man said, tone rising.
Many people would be intimidated. In Finn’s eyes, though, he looked more like a pouting golden retriever than a bulging man.
"Yeah, but doesn’t he still like the adventurer’s life? He loves to be outside, it’s just the extreme stress he can’t handle," he said.
When he was travelling with them before, he had been observing them closely. Durgan mentioned retiring like, fifty times. However, he also saw that he was brimming with life when he was fighting.
He just knew that working with him would not be a bad choice for Durgan.
Durgan raised his hand at this. "Err... but what job would you give me?"
Marcus gasped, aghast that he even asked. This meant that Durgan was considering it. "Durgan!"
Finn smiled at the blonde. "Oh, hush, Marcus, Nona would hear you. Didn’t you say she hates it when her routines get disturbed?"
Marcus tended to overshare, so Finn ended up knowing these details. Well, he was using it against him now.
"Butcher, but also hunter," he said. Telling Durgan he wanted him as a blacksmith, if he didn’t practice it, was a sure way to get rejected. It would also be too weird and suspicious. He’d tell him when the inheritance was available.
"You know how we met, right? We’ll chill here, train with the barrier, but also go around occasionally for some fresh air."
At this point, seeing Durgan listening to all the explanations, Marcus was close to crying. "You’re still fighting monsters! How is that different from adventurers’ life?!"
Finn was not to lose. His smile was gentle. "Look around you. We’re comfortable, free, protected, and the food is great.
"Didn’t you say many of the fruits in the danger zone are very rare outside of it?" he asked. They really ate a lot of fruits, and he heard them mention many times how expensive one was back home, so they ought to eat as much as they could while they were free.
"We get to hunt at our own pace, keep our savings, while also eating delicious food..." he paused, looking at Marcus. "By definition, it is retirement."
Marcus flinched.
.
.
Hearing all this...why did he suddenly feel envious?
However, he was quick to gather himself. His back straightened, and his hardy and well-chiseled chest puffed out. He looked like he was ready to fight.
He couldn’t give up easily, could he? He wasn’t called "Tenacious Marcus" for nothing!
The two whipped their heads to look at Durgan, who flinched under their combined looks. Even his beard looked stressed. "I...
"Are you really considering his offers, Durgan?" Marcus asked, and Finn rolled his eyes.
"He wouldn’t be able to be honest with you if you look like you’re gonna cry at the answer."
"Then that depends on the answer, isn’t it?!"
"Oh, what’s with the tension?"
It was here that the girls came out, looking pretty and refreshed.
Leiah was naturally beautiful, especially as a half-elf. On earth, she’d definitely be a head-turner. Nona, on the other hand, had objectively plain features, but she had a nice combination that made her still pleasing to look at. Of course, as an assassin, having a plain face was an advantage.
They had heard of Marcus’ loud voice, but he was always loud, so they didn’t think too much of it at first.
However, seeing them now, they realized that there was unusual tension between the three men. At this, the dwarf flinched and backed away.
"I’ll take a bath now," Durgan said, his stout feet quite fast in escaping.
And Marcus sniffled and glared at Finn. "We’ll talk about this later," the blonde said and then headed to the other bathroom to angry-wash.
The two women couldn’t help but look curiously at Finn, who just sent them a handsome smile.
"I was recruiting Durgan to join me," he said. He didn’t hide anything from them.
The two women flinched, and they immediately flashed him looks of dislike and suspiciousness. "What?"
Finn was not intimidated by the women’s combined glares. "Why not? This is a nice place to live in, no?"
"But it’s so far from civilization."
"I turned out fine ," he said, lying with a straight face. "Besides, I’ll pay him well and we’ll fight monsters every day with the barrier. Who knows, he might get upgraded faster than y’all."
"..."
He had a point.
And the more they thought about it, the more they realized the advantages.
Unlike them, who had to pay a few gold for each night of stay, Durgan could stay indefinitely and even get paid!
Was the offer only for Durgan?
That said, it wouldn’t be so straightforward when emotions are involved.
"It’s not like he can’t find a good job in a proper town..." Nona said, looking at him, siding with Marcus on this one.
"Well, at least if he retires, he’d be here and he’d still be fighting, getting those cores and possibly extending his life."
After all, getting stronger in this world was adding years to one’s lifespan. Durgal was the oldest among them, but he had been stuck in tier 3 of the toughened stage for nearly a decade. He definitely needed a bit more help to upgrade.
"In any case, it’ll be up to him. I just opened the option to him," Finn said, before looking at the raven-haired woman. "He can consider it more within the day. I promise not to bug him if he decides to come back with you in the end.
"It made Marcus angry, though. Be sure to comfort him well."
According to his observation, the two seemed to be in a sort of situationship that was masquerading as a long-term friendship.
He hadn’t been in serious relationships himself (he had been to blind dates, but was forced by clients and seniors), but his observation skills were top-notch.
At this, Nona’s dark smile faded, and a small blush crept up her face. "What?"
Leiah blinked and looked at her friend, gaping a bit at her reaction. Obviously, she was as oblivious to the odd air as the other girl was.
Finn chuckled at the cuteness of the two girls.
Ah, young love, he thought, as if they weren’t his age.