’Karen! Are you done over there?’
’No, I think I need so help here....’
’Ah, Captain. Good morning!’
The morning scene was a bit noisier than usual.
This guild house, which used to be occupied by a modest number of people relative to its size, had beco quite lively as the headcount increased.
Coming down the stairs, Ian found the three of them busy cleaning.
Anne, Karen, and Seria. They were Tanya’s friends and the mbers of the Second Unit recently formally hired by the Ian rcenary Group.
’Are you cleaning?’
’Yes. Tanya said we needed to organize the basent....’
Normally, they left the cleaning to the maintenance staff who visited regularly from the guild, but certain places like the basent warehouse, which held the rcenary group’s important assets, couldn’t be opened to outsiders.
In the past, Tanya had handled it with a quick tidy-up, but now that she had more colleagues, it seed she couldn’t just let it slide.
’Ah, Captain.’
Tanya poked her head out from the stairs, spotted Ian, and hurriedly ran down to bring sothing back up.
’Captain. Here is what you asked for yesterday.’
Tanya handed a small wooden box to Ian.
It was the item Ian had asked her to set aside yesterday.
When he opened the box slightly, he saw several reagents and materials he had ntioned yesterday, neatly organized.
’Yes, everything is here. Thanks.’
’What are you planning to use these for all of a sudden?’
Inside were magic reagents they had discovered in the underground waterway a while ago.
Though they had brought them all back, there was no one in the rcenary group who could really use them, so they had just been taking up space in the warehouse.
Ian replied as he took the box.
’I have soone I want to give them to as a gift.’
If they sold everything, it would have fetched a significant amount of money, but rare materials were often things that even money couldn’t buy if the opportunity didn’t arise.
Of course, there were more than a few materials that ended up rotting in the warehouse until the ga ended for that very reason.
Fortunately, this ti, he was lucky enough to find soone who could put the materials to use.
* * *
’Wow....’
Mika, who had accompanied Ian on his outing, looked up at the inn.
It was a luxury inn located a bit away from the general comrcial district.
Since it wasn’t a place she would have reason to visit personally, she had only heard rumors of such a place, and this was her first ti seeing it in person.
...Strictly speaking, the guild house would be much more expensive.
Still, since this was a place where people paid to stay every day, it felt like a much more extravagant location.
’So people really do stay in places like this.’
’Wealthy outsiders wouldn’t have many other options.’
Ian also tended to think of such accommodations as a waste of money.
They were much more expensive than regular inns yet the difference in effects wasn’t that large, and they were halfway houses where one couldn’t receive facility bonuses like a base.
Of course, this was the perspective of soone running a rcenary group; for a guest visiting from outside, there probably weren’t many other choices.
’Let’s go in.’
’C-can we really just go in?’
Mika followed hesitantly and awkwardly behind Ian.
Ian stated his purpose to the staff at the counter.
’I have an appointnt with Ms. Louise.’
This was the lodging of Louise the alchemist, with whom he had ford a bit of a connection during the rescue request the other day.
’That person must be incredibly rich.’
’Alchemists earn a lot of money.’
’Maybe I should have learned alchemy too.’
Mika muttered enviously as they climbed the stairs.
But... once she learned more about alchemists, that feeling would likely vanish.
Ian shared the more detailed reality of alchemists with Mika.
’Alchemists earn a lot... but they can’t save any of it.’
’Pardon? What does that an?’
’Because alchemy swallows up an enormous amount of money.’
Alchemists were in a position where they had plenty of cash flowing in, yet had to pinch every penny for the sake of their research.
That was why Louise had tried to save on rcenary hiring costs or gather materials herself, which led to her accident.
No matter how much money one made, alchemy was a profession where money leaked out endlessly.
Staying at a luxury inn like this was, in a way, semi-mandatory. Considering the value of the items an alchemist carried, the security of a regular inn wouldn’t allow them a single day of peace.
Arriving in front of Louise’s room, Ian knocked on the door.
With the sound of so shuffling inside, the door opened a tiny crack, and Louise peeked out.
’W-what is it?’
’Don’t worry, I haven’t co to collect more fees.’
’Are you sure...?’
Louise opened the door a fraction more, sticking her face out cautiously.
She seed to be checking if a guild official had co along behind Ian.
’Phew. Please, co in.’
Only after Louise, who had been on high alert, opened the door could Ian and Mika enter her room.
Unlike a cheap inn room, Louise’s room was spacious, equipped with a table and chairs for speaking with guests.
Ian and Mika sat across from Louise, and Louise’s gaze lingered briefly on Mika.
’Oh. It’s the young mage lady from before. Thank you for that ti.’
’Ah, yes!’
Louise rembered that Mika had used quite a unique spell.
She hadn’t been able to speak to her back then because things were so chaotic, but she was a very interesting person.
’It’s rare to see a mage who uses barrier magic.... If there’s a chance, could we talk later? I’m curious about what kind of research you’re doing.’
’Re-research?’
Why did mages have to do research?
Mika’s confidence, which had puffed up her chest at being treated as a proper mage, shrank in an instant.
Yes. Later. If there’s a chance.
Mika gauged Louise’s mood and managed to survive the crisis with a soulless response.
’By the way....’
Louise, who had been talking with Mika, soon turned her attention to Ian.
It was the right timing to get to the main point.
’Captain.... If you aren’t here to collect extra fees, what brings you here?’
’I was curious about how you plan to operate in the Labyrinth from now on.’
This... sounds like he’s aiming for investnt or employnt.
Louise, who had already experienced many such things, realized it instinctively.
Quite a few financiers approached her once they knew she was an alchemist.
The problem was that those people ca only thinking that alchemists made a lot of money. Without knowing how an alchemist’s research could devour money like a bottomless pit.
Louise stole a glance at Ian’s eyes.
When an alchemist chose an investor... it was important to discern if they were the type of person who would go on a rampage demanding their investnt back.
’I’m currently preoccupied with personal matters, so I don’t have much leeway. I’d like to talk after I’m a bit more settled.’
First, set up a shop in the Labyrinth and find a proper place in the city. Then cover the research costs with those profits, and conduct research while receiving investnt....
That plan had gone completely awry from the start.
She had intended to sign a contract for a shop in a decent location, but because of the massive expenditure for the rescue, her hard-earned capital had shrunk significantly.
With that money, she could only afford a secluded shop on the outskirts near the city wall at best.
Setting up a shop in such a place was out of the question. For now, she had no choice but to set up a stall or work at another shop.
’Well, there’s nothing for it then.’
Ian recognized Louise’s polite refusal. He hadn’t expected much and had just made the proposal for now.
Since they were sowhat acquainted, there was a chance she might have just accepted.
NPCs without affiliations like Louise, such as alchemists or blacksmiths, could be hired as supporters for the rcenary group, but to do so, one had to raise their affinity.
The standard way was to consistently take and clear quests from the NPC to build affinity.... but that thod took a rather long ti.
’Mika. That thing.’
’Ah, yes. Here it is.’
Ian, as if in place of the offer, took the box Mika was holding and held it out to Louise.
’This is a gift.’
’Oh, this is....’
Louise opened the box and was slightly surprised to see the materials inside. For a formal gift, these were quite serious alchemy materials.
’Is it alright for you to just give sothing like this?’
’I obtained them by chance, but I don’t have a specific use for them. They will be more useful to you, Ms. Louise.’
’I’m truly grateful. You’re welco to visit anyti, Captain.’
Louise, having unexpectedly obtained good reagents, gave a genuine smile and spoke to Ian.
Since the conversation that was today’s goal was over, there was nothing more to talk about. Ian and Mika stood up, and the day’s conversation concluded in a very positive atmosphere.
And Ian visited Louise again the next day.
’This is a gift.’
’Oh, again?’
And the day after that.
’...Is this also a gift?’
’Yes.’
The following day too....
’Excuse , Captain Ian? Wait a mont.’
Louise, receiving the identical box once again, finally couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed Ian. The items Ian brought were things that regular shops wouldn’t even show to just anyone.
Louise, finding it strange that soone who wasn’t an alchemist kept obtaining and bringing such items, asked Ian.
’These, where do you keep getting them? There weren’t any in the shops I visited....’
’We have quite a surplus in our warehouse.’
’You have more of these in your warehouse?’
...There was no way an alchemist could hold back after hearing such words.
In the end, Louise, who visited Ian’s base and was personally guided to the underground warehouse, looked around the warehouse shelves with a dazed face.
’....’
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- [Louise]’s affinity has beco [Very Positive].
- Recruited Alchemist [Louise] as a supporter.
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