Chapter 17

“Tsk, tsk. I knew this would happen.”

“How long did it last this time?”

“Who knows? A week at most, maybe.”

For some reason, the people seemed accustomed to the commotion at the Mercenary Association.

“Hmm.”

Intrigued by their reaction, Woojin stole a look inside.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but if you terminate the contract, there will be a cancellation fee...”

“I don’t care. Take her back right now. How can you sell useless trash like this?”

“Our association disclosed all the mercenary’s information—”

THWACK!!

The man kicked the contract lying on the floor toward the clerk.

“Enough! I don’t care about the cancellation fee or anything else. Just cancel the damn contract!”

“Understood.”

The clerk picked up the contract that had come flying at him and cast a bitter glance at the person slumped on the floor.

“This contract is being terminated at the client’s request. The cancellation fee will be deducted automatically from your inventory. If your funds are insufficient, a late-payment interest charge of ten percent will apply.”

“I have enough money. Just take it.”

The man kept grumbling as he signed the document the clerk handed him.

“I swear, every mercenary in the beginner area is trash. See if I ever use this place again.”

PTUI!!

The man threw the canceled contract back at the person collapsed on the floor, then wrenched the door open.

“Hah... Humans, honestly. Are you all right?”

Only after the man left did the clerk let out a quiet sigh and help the fallen mercenary up.

“And he was the one who wanted you in the first place... If your level were high like the mercenaries on the central continent, the cancellation fee would be steep enough to stop this nonsense. Tsk, tsk.”

DING.

Just then, the association’s door opened, stirring the wind chime hanging above it. The clerk’s shoulders flinched involuntarily.

“W-w... Welcome!”

He turned his head cautiously. Relieved to see it wasn’t the man who had just caused the disturbance, he brightened and bowed to Woojin.

“Please, come this way. Are you looking for a mercenary?”

“I just... thought I’d have a look around.”

“Oh. Is that so?”

At Woojin’s answer, the clerk’s manner seemed to turn noticeably colder.

“The mercenaries waiting here are in the back. Profiles for those who aren’t currently present are on the noticeboard on the wall.”

Following his directions, Woojin glanced toward the curtained-off area.

“You’re welcome to look, but there is one thing I must ask of you.”

“What is it?”

“We are the Mercenary Association, not a slave trader or a brothel.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

When Woojin showed a hint of displeasure, the clerk hesitated.

“... I only meant to ask that you not enter into a mercenary contract lightly.”

Woojin smiled wryly.

'I think I get it.'

The reason for the commotion just now, that is.

Woojin raised his head. The mercenary whose contract had just been canceled sat in a chair by the wall.

A hooded cloak covered the figure from head to toe, hiding their appearance, but he could see green eyes beneath the hood that seemed to regard him warily.

“...”

The cloak wasn’t particularly long. Even accounting for the mercenary’s hunched posture, it covered the entire body. A hundred and fifty centimeters tall at most?

A slight build, and long ears visible beneath the hood were enough to identify the race.

'An elf.'

“I’d like to hear a little about that one.”

He pointed to the huddled elf as he asked the clerk.

RUSTLE.

As the elf looked up at the finger pointing her way, the hood concealing her face slipped down.

Dazzlingly radiant blond hair. Green eyes.

Even the coolheaded Woojin stared at her face for a moment, spellbound.

'I can see why people would be tempted.'

Woojin smiled wryly. The clerk was looking at him much as he had looked at the man earlier.

[Evil Tale] was virtual reality. It was a virtual world, but that meant anything possible in reality was possible here.

Indeed, on the central continent, one could buy slaves, and entertainment districts lit up after nightfall.

That was probably the reason behind the clerk’s veiled warning: people who hired mercenaries with something other than mercenary work in mind.

“Why was her contract canceled?”

“Well, I don’t know what her former employer had in mind when he hired her... but I’ll be frank. I can’t recommend her as a mercenary.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s an elf of Uldin. A rare race with high Magical Power and exceptional affinity for spirits.”

He drew a little closer to Woojin and lowered his voice.

“So we had high hopes for her, too, but...”

He glanced sidelong at the elf, then cupped a hand around his mouth to whisper in Woojin’s ear.

“She’s a lost cause. She can’t use magic. First-class spells are her limit. And the only spirit she can command is a single lesser water spirit.”

The clerk sighed.

“Mana Vessel Disease, was it? Apparently, it’s caused by overly narrow mana vessels... Anyway, we recruited her on the strength of her origins alone, and we’ve suffered no small loss ourselves.”

'Hmm.'

Woojin looked at her.

“She’s fairly dexterous, so she seems decent with a bow... but we have archers like that by the dozen in the back. Would you... care to take a look?”

The clerk moved into Woojin’s line of sight as he spoke.

“You there. How about you stop taking an interest in me?”

At the elf’s words from behind him, the clerk sighed, looking as though he had expected as much.

“Please understand. Given her origins, she can hardly help it.”

“Her origins?”

“As I said, she’s an elf of Uldin.”

“And?”

“Surely... you’ve heard of Uldin?”

The clerk looked back at him in surprise.

“Is it that surprising that I haven’t?”

“Of course. Uldin is the royal family that founded the now-fallen Elvenheim.”

'Royal blood, then... '

At the clerk’s explanation, he finally understood the meaning of her needlessly high Conviction points. She was born into a great founding royal house.

Yet despite that fine pedigree, she could only use first-class magic.

In practical terms, she was the worst of the rejects.

“She’s already had her contract canceled dozens of times. As the only elf here, she tempts everyone into signing... but her abilities are so...”

Woojin glanced at her as she glared at him.

“... Filthy human bastards.”

“I don’t know. From where I’m standing, you look like the filthy one.”

“What?”

Her cheek twitched in disbelief.

Woojin chuckled, then picked up the document on the counter with an impassive expression.

A Board.

It was a panel that displayed mercenaries’ stats, much like a status window.

Name: Ruen Firbas

Class: Arcane Archer

Association Rank: D

Level: 20

Total Points: 280

Traits: Swiftness, Survival Instinct, Hawk Eyes

'Her Conviction is far higher than the rest.'

Her total points were higher than he had expected for her level, but that was because of her abnormally high Conviction.

Did it signify that she was a haughty elf? Or was there something else behind it? He had no way of knowing yet.

But while her strengths were unclear, her shortcomings were plain.

'And her Magical Power is only ten points.'

Just as the clerk had said, it was bewilderingly low.

“Definitely...”

There was no reason to recruit her.

And yet...

Woojin couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He wasn’t the type to take an unnecessary interest in others.

So why had she caught his attention?

DING.

It happened just then. As he finished examining all the elf’s stats on the Board, a notification sounded, and his vision wavered slightly.

[Trait: Shell Eyes activates.]

▶ You can see what is concealed.

At that moment, something began to appear on the Board displaying her stats.

“... Huh?”

Out of nowhere?

His surprise at the unexpected skill activation lasted only a moment before the figures appearing before his eyes left him stunned.

“This is...”

Name: Ruen Firbas

Class: Arcane Archer

Association Rank: D

Level: 20

Total Points: 280

Traits: Swiftness, Survival Instinct, Hawk Eyes

Potential Unlock Conditions:

Unlock ten levels for each stage of Mana Vessel Disease cured.

Stages of Mana Vessel Disease currently cured: (0/6)

Amazingly, the empty stat fields had filled in.

'Does potential... mean levels?'

Mercenaries on the central continent were already at their level caps when recruited. According to the community forums, the highest-level mercenary currently available was level 60.

Every class had to reach level 99 to unlock its third skill tree. In other words, mercenaries recruited on the central continent were limited to their second skill tree.

By contrast, mercenaries recruited in the beginner area could grow. They could develop further, but there was no telling how far.

Some might be able to unlock third-tier skills, while others might never even unlock their second-tier skills.

The mercenaries from the two regions thus had clear advantages and disadvantages.

'Later, once people reach high levels and have resources to spare, they could try raising beginner-area mercenaries as an experiment... '

But with players only just tackling the Labyrinth Tower’s tenth floor, no one could afford that luxury.

And yet...

'I can see their level caps?'

Woojin was speechless.

'To think “seeing what is concealed” meant something like this.'

When he first acquired the skill, he hadn’t understood what it meant. He had practically forgotten he even had it.

'This is incredible.'

[Additional description has been added to Trait: Shell Eyes.]

Trait: Shell Eyes

▶ You can see what is concealed.

Effect: You can see NPCs’ level caps.

Effect: Locked

Effect: Locked

'There are two more effects left?'

An odd smile curved Woojin’s lips as he read it.

'Whatever they are, being able to see hidden things means... '

He alone could uncover the game’s secrets.

“Mana Vessel Disease...”

Woojin looked at Ruen, who was glaring warily at him.

'A level cap of 99 really is extraordinary.'

She was underrated because the rare condition called Mana Vessel Disease left her stats low at present. But if he could find a cure...

'She could unlock not just the third skill tree, but her second class advancement, too.'

GULP.

Woojin swallowed involuntarily.

'The question is whether I can find a way to cure Mana Vessel Disease.'

[You can cure one stage of Mana Vessel Disease with an Ancient Mana Stone.]

Just then, a notification sounded as though it had been waiting for him.

[Would you like to proceed with treatment?]

“Melton!! I don’t care how much money they offer. I’m never signing another contract with a human, so keep that in mind!”

She pulled her fallen hood firmly back over her head and shouted at the clerk.

“Who said anything about paying you?”

“... What?”

“If anything, I think you should be paying me.”

Woojin chuckled as he toyed with the mana stone.