Rothschild… I think I’ve heard that name before, but… I’m not sure. Maybe he just gave me a souvenir or something.
“Wow! That’s a cool Badge. I feel like I’ve received something even more precious. Thank you.”
“It’s a valuable item for me, so please keep it safe. You’ll understand one day, but who knows, that might lead us to meet again someday.”
So, for Lac-nim, this must be something precious…
“Thank you, Lac-nim. Next time we meet, I’ll proudly introduce you to a flourishing Unicorn Company.”
“I look forward to it. Well then, this has been a fruitful meeting. Let’s see each other again.”
After saying his farewells, Lac-nim left, carrying my first signature from this world with him.
I spent a bit more time looking around, then returned to the meeting spot.
Richard was already waiting for me.
“How did forming the company go?”
“Yes, it went well. The Unicorn Company and Unicorn Mercenary Company are ready.”
I showed Richard the Certificate of Merchant Group and the Mercenary Company Certificate.
“I don’t know why you went out of your way to make a Mercenary Company… but since Miss gave her approval, I won’t say anything more.”
“Just focus on doing well on your first assignment. Don’t get any funny ideas.”
“Of course. I’ll only focus on that…”
Richard handed me the bundle he’d received from Miss.
Inside was the artifact, the Cloak of Protection.
I carefully tucked the Certificate of Merchant Group into the bundle.
“Well then, shall we go hire a mercenary escort?”
Richard had agreed to accompany me only until the hiring at the Mercenary Guild.
Together, Richard and I headed to the Mercenary Guild, located a little away from the Order of Merchants.
***
“Guildmaster, did you go out to meet a new company owner again?”
The Merchant Guildmaster, Lac Feller Rothschild, had a peculiar hobby.
It was meeting up-and-coming new company owners who piqued his interest.
Approving new company owners was part of his daily routine, but this time, his interest was especially roused when he heard someone was forming both a company and a mercenary company at the same time.
Upon meeting him, Lac realized he was a type of talent he’d never encountered before.
“Heh… Of course, I went to meet the guy starting both a company and a mercenary company at once. This new company owner is as fascinating as they come. I was so intrigued that I even gave him my Family Seal.”
The adjutant’s eyes widened to the point of disbelief at those words.
“What? You gave him that precious item? The Rothschild Family Seal that can’t be obtained even with money? A stranger with no prior relationship, and you let him have something that lets him request help from the Rothschild Family even once?”
“Heh heh. That’s a merchant’s intuition. I’m looking forward to the day I find out if that kid is worth that much. Besides, it wasn’t for free. I received this token as well.”
He shook the autograph with a gentle smile, but his eyes sparkled sharply behind it.
Lac Feller Rothschild.
He is the Merchant Guildmaster of the Tutun Kingdom, and the head of the world-renowned financial merchant family, the Rothschilds.
His family also supplied resources on a massive scale for the victory in the war against the Demon race.
And he himself was one of the eight members of the Hero Party who defeated the Demon King.
If you had to pick the greatest heroes of this world, he’d certainly be among the top ten.
“Well then. Back to work. Bring me the documents for payment.”
***
Richard and I headed to the Mercenary Employment Office inside the Mercenary Guild.
The Mercenary Employment Office was set up much like a tavern, with two floors.
I was only allowed on the first floor.
The second floor was a sort of premium space, where pricier or famous mercenary companies stayed.
I heard you need to be at least a Fourth Grade company to enter the second floor. That must be where the more capable mercenaries gather.
Richard considered visiting a mercenary company directly, but because of his connections to the nobility and for practicality, he decided it was better to hire through the Mercenary Guild than to try hiring a couple of mercenaries himself.
He said he’d entrust the selection to me, as a test of my judgment. But, if I picked someone he didn’t like, he’d shake his head to signal disapproval.
Conversely, if he approved, he’d nod.
At the entrance stood two tough-looking men blocking the way.
I showed them my Fifth Grade company certificate, and they let us through.
At the entrance to the first floor, there were two doors.
“I take the right one…”
There were two entrances.
The left was for mercenaries or mercenary companies looking for work, and the right was for those looking to hire.
Ultimately, they led to the same room, but depending on which door you entered, people could instantly tell if you were a hiring client or a rival.
It felt almost like drawing a lottery in a game.
Come on! Give me a SSS-Grade mercenary.
The nickname for the first floor was ‘Mercenary Tavern’. As the name suggested, mercenaries drank and ate meat there as they waited for clients.
As I walked in through the right door, the bustling place suddenly went silent, and every eye was on me.
***
“Sorry, sorry. I get a lot of job offers, but I don’t want to work with a rookie company. Come back after you’ve built up a reputation.”
A female mercenary, looking as nimble as a thief, refused my offer.
“Then, just trust me! You see this edge of my battle axe? See how red it is? If you believe it’s all stained with the blood of the Demon race, then hire me! Just five gold a month for my company.”
Seeing I was a rookie, someone spouted an obviously fake tale and quoted a ridiculous fee…
“Hm… Unicorn Company, was it? What’s your purpose for hiring? I mainly do contract killing and assassinations…”
A mercenary with a snake-like face gave a positive signal, but Richard shook his head.
Maybe he judged the man’s character to be bad. Good. He was a bit scary anyway.
It wasn’t easy finding a mercenary for the Unicorn Company. The mood made hiring feel difficult, and I was about to give up when the left door opened.
A new mercenary appeared.
‘Why is it so dazzling?’
A golden-haired boy entered, having just opened the door.
He wore a hard leather jacket and carried his sword, not at her hip but slung across his back.
“I came to work as a mercenary.”
He asked innocently. The serving maid of the Mercenary Guild, who’d been less than friendly to me, paused when he saw the girl.
Then she treated him with utmost kindness.
She hadn’t been that nice to me…
Maybe it’s because he’s good-looking?
Not that I’m any less good-looking…
The boy took a seat, guided by the friendly maid.
I overheard he’d registered as a mercenary just today.
‘He’s got a naive and somewhat clumsy vibe…’
But since he passed through that door, he must have at least proven his basic abilities as a rookie mercenary.
Even on the first floor of the Mercenary Guild, the screening is said to be quite strict.
At that moment, the mercenary who’d rejected me earlier called out.
“Company owner, it looks like a little mercenary perfect for you has arrived. Hahaha! Let you kids do your best together.”
Laughter erupted through the tavern.
I glanced at Richard. He nodded silently.
Unexpectedly, I received a sign that it was fine to hire this boy.
“Nice to meet you. I’m William Steven. I’m looking to hire a mercenary to guard the Fifth Grade Unicorn Company.”
“Hello, Steven-nim. I’m Slot. I just registered with the Mercenary Guild today. I may not be much, but I do know how to use a sword. If you don’t mind, please consider hiring me.”
“What did you do before this?”
“That… is a secret…”
He answered shyly. He looked even younger than me.
A rather petite frame. Especially, his delicate face didn’t give off a tough impression at all.
I hesitated a bit, but since he passed both the interview and character check, I accepted him as my first companion.
“You don’t have any problematic tendencies, right?”
“I do have one issue… I have trouble holding back when I see injustice.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
Thinking it was nothing serious, I signed the Contract of Mercenary with Slot.
The monthly wage was set at one gold, with adjustments based on performance.
Since mercenaries risk their lives, pay tends to be high, but at one gold, that’s about two million won in Korean currency—a fair deal.
I made a few more offers to other mercenaries, but none wanted to work with a company owner who’d just created a mercenary company or a rookie who’d just joined a company.
For now, that’s it…
We stepped out of the mercenary office.
I did want to see his skills at least once…
Caw!
“Please, just once! Help me!”
Somewhere, a woman’s scream rang out.
“You wretched woman… Hand over the money already, you unlucky wench…”
Smack!
A thuggish, broad-shouldered man struck the woman. She collapsed helplessly.
“What’s going on?”
As I was about to grasp the situation, something darted past me like a gust of wind.
Thud!
Crunch?
Pak!
Slot kicked off the ground and accelerated at a terrifying speed.
In a flash, he was in front of the man, and kicked him hard.
Gweh:
The man crashed into the wall with a heavy thud.
“How dare you commit violence against a poor woman. I, Slot, shall punish you in the name of justice!”
Uh… what’s with this sudden development?
And why did his tone change all of a sudden?
Slot drew his sword and swung it down with lightning speed.
Clang!
Slot’s sword was blocked by someone. Richard had intervened and blocked his sword. The clash of blades rang out.
Richard pushed him back, and Slot took a few steps away. For an instant, Richard’s squinting eyes opened slightly.
“Shouldn’t we hear the whole story first?”
“It’s unacceptable for someone walking the path of a Knight to stand by and watch violence against a woman!”
At that moment, the battered man struggled to speak.
“That woman’s a pickpocket. I barely caught up to her to get my stolen money back.”
Slot’s eyes widened with shock.
***
“S… sorry.”
“It’s good that you calmed down. Why are you like that?”
Slot had already made trouble the moment I hired him. Let’s just chalk it up as an accident…
“I just couldn’t ignore a woman in distress. Like I said earlier, I can’t hold back when I see injustice. Honestly, joining the Mercenary Guild was part of my training to fix this trait.”
Slot had returned to being an innocent girl. Just now, he was so arrogant and all, but…
Our first mercenary, Slot, had a disorder. Not Rage Control Disorder, but Justice Control Disorder.
But Richard nodded, as if understanding his actions as befitting a Knight.
“Am I the only one who doesn’t get it…?”
“You’re new to being a mercenary, right? With skills like yours, you could have gone straight to Second Grade.”
“Ah, yes… The examiner did tell me to go to Second Grade, but since I made the contract on the first floor, I haven’t been up there yet.”
“You won’t have to worry about the cold, then. I look forward to working with you, Slot-nim.”
“I learned a lot as well. I hope we can have an official Duel someday, Sir Richard.”
Slot gave Richard a formal bow. So, he really is strong, huh?
He seems a bit weak against mental attacks, but he has the skill to make it to the second floor.
His character doesn’t seem bad, either…
Looks like my first mercenary contract was a jackpot.
A SSS-grade jackpot at that…