In his past life, he had never been in the mercenary guild. He wasnât skillful enough so he never even thought of doing so. It was only after he left Genavis that he attempted to become a mercenary.
âOf course.â
But he wasnât fazed. This request wasnât 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 wasnât common for a martial artist to be a mercenary.
âYour young.â
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.
âIâm Dox, the president of the Genavis guild.â
â...Itâs Lee Sungmin.â
Sungmin said while saying the posture. Dox looked at Sungminâs face and asked.
âThereâs many things I want to ask, but Iâll ask one thing first. Why did you lie?â
â...Yes?â
âYou're not a martial artist.â
Dox tapped his glasses that was on his nose.
âDo you know about artifacts?â
â...Somewhat.â
An artifact was an object with magic on it. Sungminâs interdimensional pocket was an artifact.
âThese glasses are an artifact. If you wear them, they tell you the personâs class. Your class⌠is a No Class. Itâs hard to believe.â
Dox muttered. He was surprised, but Sungmin didnât show it. If he was caught, he was caught. He couldnât be flustered by something like this.
âA No Class learned martial arts⌠thatâs not hard to believe. Arenât No Classes popular these days. The martial skeleton from the surgeon and learning martial arts is possible.â
â...You know well.â
Sungmin sighed. He had to.
âWhy did you lie?â
âI thought it wouldnât make sense.â
Sungmin answered. Dox nodded his head.
âThat is true. Itâs true for me actually. You. How long has been since you came here?â
â...are you questioning me? I donât think I caused a crime to be questionedâŚâ
âAh, I see. Iâll apologize to that. Iâm not in the position to question you. You're not in the position to be questioned either.â
Dox agreed on his mistake nonchalantly. It seemed not of place because of his huge size, but to Sungmin it wasnât. Not all mercenaries are politie. Most of them were, but usually a president was an intelligent man.
âThere are idiots in the heads of the mercenaries though.â
He knew from experience.
âI just thought it was strange that you would lie. Well⌠itâs not something I don'tâ believe so. Well, iâll ignore that. Thatâs not important.â
Dox muttered and put his hand under the desk. Then, he pulled out an envelope.
âThe 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.â
That was surprising. Do Sangrang said something like that. Sungmin never knew that Do Sangrang would emphasize his role in the quest.
âDo Sangrang agreed. To give you 1,000,000 while he gets 800,000 Erie. And to the spoils as well. Thereâs going to be at least 600,000. You can get 400,000 as well.
â...Can you do that much for me?â
âI have nothing to do with it. Do Sangrang said that.â
Dox said.
âLetâs stop this and I want to get to the point.â
âYes?â
Sungmin pretended that he didn'tâ know. He said that, but he knew why Dox brought him here.â
âDonât you have any thought of becoming a mercenary?â
It was that.
âDo Sangrang said. You are between the second and first rate, very close to the first rate. Thatâs surprising. Much surprising if youâre a No Class as well.â
Dox touched his glasses.
âYouâre very young. If you keep growing like this, youâre going to be a first rate, and maybe even become a master depending on the effort.â
â...that⌠is true?â
Sungmin answered. He knew that wasnât easy. To Dox who didnât know Sungmin, Sungmin was probably a genius. Even though he wasnât.
âIf you become a mercenary, weâre 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?â
Dox asked. Sungmin stayed silent for a while. It wasnât bad. If he became a D rank, it would give him enough money to live without taking any request.
â...Thank you for the offerâŚâ
But Sungmin refused. He couldnât 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 couldnât compete in that.
âWhat a shame.â
Dox nodded. He didnât offer anymore and handed the money envelope.
âIf you change  your mind, come back again.â
â...thank you.â
Sungmin put the money in his pocket. Dox muttered as Sungmin walked away.
âYou're not like your age.â
âYes?â
âYou arenât 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.
âI need to grow older.â
Everything aside, the acting like a young kid was killing him.
*
âWhy were you so late?â
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.
âWhy didnât you eat?â
âMy friend isnât here, so why would I?â
âYou couldâŚâ
Was that a reason. Sungmin wanted to disagree, but he pushed the thought deep down.
âYou smell like blood.â
Sungmin sat in front of Wijihoyun. Wijihoyun twitched her nose and muttered.
âWhyâd you kill a person?â
âItâs nothing. Someone tried to kill me.â
âReally?â
Wijihoyun seemed uninterested. She picked up the bread and put it in her mouth.
âI thought about it.â
Lula gave Sungmin his dinner. Wijihoyun opened her mouth as Sungmin picked up his fork.
âIt will take about a month for me to fix the High Heavens. I will give you that, and when you seem good with it⌠Iâm leaving.â
Sungminâs hand stopped.
â...Really?â
âWhy. Is it a shame?â
â... I donât want to stop youâ
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.
âI thought about it.â
Wijihoyun said.
âYou 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.â
Sungmin didnât say. He knew generally what she would say.
âBut I canât. Why do you think that?â
âI wonât be a help to you.â
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.
âYou're wrong.â
Wijihoyun answered. Her eyes turned cold.
âI donât like that part about you at all.â
Wijihoyun spit out.
â...what is that?â
âInferiority.â
Wijihoyunâs voice was cold, and it was a sharp knife. Sungminâs correct answer was wrong to Wijihoyun, but Wijihoyunâs answer was right to Sungmin. âInferiority.â filled through Sungmin'sâ mind.
âYou donât help me? So thatâs why Iâm leaving? Why do you think that?â
âItâs true.â
âYes. You are weak. If I stay with you, Iâm going to have to protect you. But thatâs not the reason.â
Wijihoyunâs eyeâs narrowed sharply.
âIf I stay with you, you wonât grow anymore.â
If Sungmin went along with Wijihoyun, she would fix the problems that Sungmin had.
âYour past life is holding you back. Itâs not good. The inferiority is holding you back.â
â...what do you want to say. Your friend is the Small Pegasus Wijihoyun.â
Wijihoyunâs voice had some feel to it. Her voice was low, but it delved deep into Sungminâs feelings.
âYouâre 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.â
â...It was you who said that i lacked talent. No matter how much you fix it, I might not be able to learn it.â
âHave you tried?â
Wijihoyun asked.
âDid you past self say? Itâs impossible. Did it?â
â..itâs better to understand your situation than to get your hopes upâŚâ
âThat is inferiority.â
âYou wonât know. Youâre a genius.â
Sungmin mocked.
âHow would a genius know a non genius?â
âTrue. I am a genius, so I donât know you completely.â
Wijihoyun agreed on that.
âBut I donât like your attitude of giving up because of your inferiority before even trying it. Do I look irresponsible?â
âYes.â
âYou looked well. I am irresponsible.â
This b*tch. What was she trying to say. Sungmin glared at Wijihoyun.
âDonât think that it will be the same as your past life. You started over, and youâre going in the opposite direction from it.â
âIt doesnât change the person I am.â
âNo, people change.â
Wijihoyun disagreed immediately.
âYou changed. I changed. The few months here changed me. Sungmin didnât know the Wijihoyun from her life. But Wijihoyun knew.
âEverything 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.â
Sungmin couldnât refute what she said.
âTalent.â
Wijihoyun shook her head.
âYou canât get something that you donât have...but. You canât do anything with your inferior self. First, you.â
Wijihoyun pointed at Sungmin.
âYou need a goal. I said before. What do you want to do with your life.â
âYou did.â
âYou said before. A life better than before. Yes. Thatâs easy. Your life is going to better no matter what happens. But you won'tâ 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 wasnât happy enough.
âYou gain strength from opportunities. But, you donât know what to do with that strength. Isnât that you? Youâre thinking of how your life isnât going well.â
Sungmin tried to refute again, but closed his mouth. It was true.
âOf course, you will try. With a general goal. So what you need...is a real goal.â
â...what goal?â
Sungmin sighed. To that, Wijihoyun didnât hesitate and put her hand on her chest.