Chapter 272: 272 [Pride] [Exhibitionism] [Masochism]

Ian looked around at the Mercenary Guild, which he hadn’t visited in a while.

The staff were still moving about busily, but they seemed to have found quite a bit more composure than before.

Having received the guild’s official notice to collect the reward money, Ian visited the guild the following day and was able to receive the City Council’s reward through a very simple procedure.

Had they been a high-ranking, famous mercenary group, they might have been invited to a victory event attended by the mayor and council members, but…

The Ian Mercenary Group was still an unknown D-rank group.

They likely lacked various qualifications to participate in such an event.

“Alright, the Ian Mercenary Group is over here.”

Ian took the pen and signed the documents.

Naturally, it couldn’t be compared to the amount settled as a distribution, but considering it was just a reward, it was a decent bonus.

“Then we’ll skip the ceremony…. Here is the reward money. Check it.”

What Ian received was a reward that the City Council had delivered to the Mercenary Guild in bulk.

Since the council couldn’t inspect and commend every mercenary group individually, it was a budget provided with the intent that the guild should select and distribute it as they saw fit.

According to formal procedures, the Mercenary Guild should have held an award ceremony and conducted its own event, but…

It was already a busy time with various tasks to handle.

There was no staff member who wanted to waste time on such useless things, nor a mercenary who particularly wanted to attend such a bothersome event in this guild.

Let’s just pretend we did it and take the gold.

Under that mutual implicit agreement, Ian was able to simply sign and receive the pouch of gold coins.

“It’s correct.”

When Ian checked the contents and nodded, the investigator left his final signature and closed the file.

“By the way. There are quite a few requests addressed to you. Are you aware?”

“Requests?”

“Since you haven’t opened a line of communication at the counter, they’re flying in from all over asking me to mediate.”

They likely submitted proposals through the guild’s counter, but since Ian hadn’t accepted any such contacts.

They must have eventually had no choice but to ask someone within the guild.

“There were also hiring proposals from the Defense Force side…”

He picked up the letters on his desk and fluttered them.

“There’s even a place that wants to acquire your group as a subsidiary mercenary group. If you’re interested, I’ll connect you.”

“I’m not interested.”

“I thought so. Even in my eyes, it looks like your value could double. You’ll be promoted soon, after all.”

The investigator nodded as he spoke.

Promotion…

He had no intention of selling the mercenary group, but hearing about the promotion made Ian fall into a bit of deep thought.

The time to prepare for promotion was slowly approaching.

* * *

Thanks to all the useless procedures being skipped, Ian simply received the reward and walked down the stairs.

Ian looked around at the first floor of the guild, which he hadn’t seen in a while.

Recently, he hadn’t been able to visit the guild for quite a long time because he was handling work at the base.

The task of moving supplies from the underground waterway was almost finished.

Since most of the organization of the base was also completed…

Should I start looking for the next job?

With that thought, Ian’s gaze shifted toward the mission board.

Ian, who intended to check the remaining long-term missions, discovered a familiar face talking to someone in a corner.

A tall mercenary with rough, spiked blonde hair tied back carelessly.

Almost at the same time Ian discovered Rebecca, Rebecca also noticed Ian and their eyes met.

Since Rebecca was in the middle of talking to someone else, Ian intended to just give a casual hand wave and pass by.

However, Rebecca, whose eyes had met his, waved her hand toward Ian first.

“Yo. Hey there.”

Since it seemed Rebecca had something to say to him, Ian approached Rebecca, who was waving at him.

“Hello, Ms. Rebecca.”

“I heard the rumors. You’re doing well lately, aren’t you?”

“Thanks to you.”

Ian’s gaze naturally drifted toward the person Rebecca was talking to.

Rebecca was in the middle of a conversation with a mercenary Ian had never seen before.

Red hair, and an impression that looked a bit sharp.

Seeing the well-equipped gear, she seemed to be a mercenary of a reasonably high level.

Given that her appearance didn’t trigger any memories, she likely wasn’t a guild employee or an important NPC. She was probably just an ordinary mercenary.

Perhaps because Rebecca acknowledged him first, that person also seemed to show a bit of interest in Ian.

Seeing the two exchange glances, Rebecca stepped in and introduced them to each other.

“This girl is Lia. She’s a C-rank mercenary.”

Rebecca, who introduced the mercenary named Lia first, then pointed at Ian and introduced him to Lia.

“This is Captain Ian of the Ian Mercenary Group. He’s D-rank now, but he’ll be moving up to C-rank soon.”

D-rank?

There was no verbal response, but Ian felt that murmur in Lia’s gaze.

Lia, who seemed to show a bit of interest for a moment, appeared to lose interest instantly upon hearing he was D-rank.

However, whether she didn’t notice that strangely chilly atmosphere.

Or if she knew and was just ignoring it…

Rebecca seemed to want to encourage the two to keep talking.

Ian and Lia.

Rebecca, who was glancing back and forth between the two while thinking of something, nodded as if a good idea had struck her and said.

“Captain Ian, aren’t you looking for more recruits?”

“It is about time I got some.”

“How about this one? Lia doesn’t have a mercenary group right now.”

“…Wait a minute, Ms. Rebecca. I’m not interested yet.”

When she tried to connect her with Ian, the mercenary named Lia eventually spoke to Rebecca without hiding her discomfort.

“Is it because of the D-rank? The future is really bright here. It’ll be to your advantage to join in advance, you know?”

“I appreciate it, but I’ll find a mercenary group on my own.”

Having said that, Lia gave a slight nod of greeting to Rebecca.

Without even giving Ian a glance, she turned around and left the guild.

Watching Lia’s back as she left without listening further, Rebecca grinned toward Ian and spoke.

“Sorry. That one, her skills are decent, but she’s got absolutely no manners.”

Rebecca shook her head while watching Lia’s retreating figure.

Ian asked about the mercenary named Lia who had just left.

“Did you say she has no affiliation right now?”

“Ah, yeah. Well, it’s not like she caused any trouble.”

Since it was another mercenary’s past, Rebecca hesitated for a moment whether to tell him or not, then lowered her voice slightly and spoke to Ian.

“A while back…. I taught her a bit about how to fight. Since she was a rookie overflowing with motivation.”

Not that she was exactly a disciple, though.

Recalling things from a while ago, Rebecca muttered with an awkward laugh.

“But she has talent. She learned too well.”

Rebecca likely intended to only teach her a bit of how to fight…

But Lia, who received the teaching, grew so rapidly that she reached a level where no one in her mercenary group could keep up.

To the point where the original mercenary group could no longer hold her.

“So that’s why she left?”

“Yeah. That’s better for both sides, after all.”

Whether it was Lia intentionally matching the level of the mercenary group, or the mercenary group taking on unreasonable missions by relying on Lia’s skills, there was nothing good in it for either of them.

A mercenary group and a mercenary whose levels no longer matched would eventually have had no choice but to part ways.

“But she hasn’t been able to find a new group for months. She says there’s nowhere she likes.”

“You seem to be quite concerned about her.”

“It’s because it’s a waste. Her skills are good but…. Good grief, as if she’s in any position to be picky about which group to go to.”

Ultimately, Lia still hadn’t joined a mercenary group and was currently active by joining requests that urgently needed extra personnel as a short-term hire.

Was it because she was a mercenary she had taught, even if only a little?

Rebecca seemed to want to find a good place for Lia’s next mercenary group no matter what.

Rebecca, perhaps wanting something.

Kept sending a peculiar gaze toward Ian.

“It would be perfect if she entered Captain Ian’s place. She could get some etiquette training too.”

“We don’t do that kind of training.”

“She’ll learn something just by being nearby.”

Rebecca recalled the members of the Ian Mercenary Group she had met before.

If her personality were even half as good as theirs, there would be nothing to worry about in the future.

“I’m not just saying this…. It wouldn’t be a bad deal, would it?”

While receiving Rebecca’s subtle suggestion, Ian also recalled Lia’s stats he had briefly checked just a moment ago.

Certainly.

If he could recruit her in the current situation, she was a member who would be significantly helpful.

They were still a D-rank mercenary group, but as Rebecca said, it wouldn’t take that long to promote to C-rank.

If he could recruit a C-rank member in advance, even if it was a bit of a stretch, it would be a huge help.

Unlike the E-rank mercenaries scattered around the recruitment centers, there weren’t many paths to actually hire mercenaries above C-rank.

However, unlike low-level mercenaries where giving money was enough, these kinds of mercenaries required satisfying somewhat tricky hiring conditions.

In a case like Lia just now, she would likely demand high fame or traits like [Chivalry].

It was a typical characteristic of mercenaries with high-pride personalities.

When Ian was lost in thought without flatly refusing, Rebecca, thinking he had become interested, whispered softly in Ian’s ear.

“That girl, she’s staying at the Starfall Inn. If you’re interested, go find her.”

“…Is it okay for you to just tell me that?”

“Say you ran into her by chance while passing by. Don’t say I told you.”

If you say you saw her by chance on the street, what’s she going to do about it?

Rebecca gave a smirk like that and tapped Ian on the back as if to say ’good luck.’

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Name: Lia

Level: 24

Affiliation: None

Traits:

[Physical Augmentation C] [Swordsmanship B] [Intuition E] [Steel Cleaver]

[Attack Power Increase B] [Weapon Mana Infusion D] [Fire Affinity E] [Confectionery D]

[Pride] [Exhibitionism] [Masochism]

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