How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 47

53. What You Need in Life is Money (3)

Was it thanks to the work of ‘Minor Luck’ [a skill or blessing that grants small advantages]?

This time, I didn’t encounter any major obstacles during the journey.

At most, I ran into a few monster groups.

I didn’t even have to step in myself.

‘Well, it’s not common for guys like Galdens [presumably a powerful monster] to come at me.’

Usually, this would be normal.

After that, as soon as I arrived at my destination, I headed straight to the Mercenary Guild.

As soon as I arrived at the guild, I realized that this place was strangely heated.

The atmosphere of the guild is usually bustling with mercenaries looking for work or mercenaries killing time until they run out of money, but today the atmosphere is even more excited.

It’s strangely lively.

“Today, I’m going to find him no matter what!”

“You’re funny! Why don’t you be careful not to get killed by him?”

“Huh, who’s going to die?”

The mercenaries are all excited and full of motivation, so they are edgy with each other.

Some of them may start a fistfight at any moment.

Is this also because of that request?

Anyway, everyone seems to be having fun, so I’m jealous.

I approached the receptionist who manages the request list.

I showed her my mercenary badge and stated my business right away.

“…Actually, I heard a rumor that there’s a job here that can make a lot of money.”

“You’re talking about the black magician search request.”

Answering as if it were obvious, this noisy atmosphere must be because of this request.

“So there really was one.”

I didn’t expect it, but there really was a request.

I was relieved that the elements mentioned in the original work were proceeding without any difference, and I expressed my intention to accept the request.

The receptionist started to formally register my name for the black magician subjugation at my request.

Since I formally accepted the request, I was able to hear about the full details.

It was confirmed that a person presumed to be a black magician was hiding somewhere in the territory, and accordingly, the lord ordered a request to subjugate him.

The reward for the request is 100 gold coins if you only find the black magician’s residence.

Or, if you complete the subjugation of the black magician, it seems to be 500 gold coins.

500 gold coins… enough to make the mercenaries go crazy.

‘It’s as I guessed…’

I could have predicted the situation to some extent, so there is nothing unexpected.

However, there is one thing that bothers me a little.

“You said that the person who made the request was the lord?”

“Yes. It was definitely posted in his name.”

“I don’t doubt that. Unless you’re an idiot, you wouldn’t impersonate the lord. But…”

What bothers me is why this request is being made to the Mercenary Guild.

“I’ve never seen a request posted so openly. Usually, there are other experts, right?”

The natural enemies of black magicians are, of course, the Church or the Magic Tower [organizations dedicated to combating dark magic].

To the Church, they are beings who completely deny the teachings of God.

To the Magic Tower, they are a nuisance that greatly tarnishes the image of magicians.

If you entrust it to either of them, they will step forward without hesitation, and depending on the negotiation, some rights and interests can be divided.

Was there a need to put aside the experts and spread the request to the mercenaries?

This is like leaving a professional quarantine company and asking the fire station.

“…Ah, it’s certainly a rare request.”

However, the receptionist avoided my gaze as if she was in trouble with my question.

Is it a hassle to talk about?

There’s no reason to give up if you have a good sense.

I took out three silver coins and placed them on the desk, then gently pushed them with my fingertips.

It means I’m not asking you to tell me for free.

“…First of all, it’s a rumor.”

“I like rumors, so please keep talking.”

As expected, a light tip tends to increase people’s trust.

The receptionist glanced at the silver coins I had placed and took a light breath before continuing the explanation.

“There were rumors that the Church and the Magic Tower would not dispatch subjugation teams, or that they would be considerably late. It would take at least a year.”

“So the lord, who couldn’t stand it, made a request to the Mercenary Guild?”

“I can’t give you a definite answer to that. …That’s all I can tell you.”

Hmm… I think I know roughly.

That also smells of a dirty world [a conspiracy or hidden agenda].

There must be some inside story behind the delay of the subjugation team.

In the end, the lord, who couldn’t stand it, relied on the possibility of one in a million and put a request on the black magician’s head himself.

Because the lord here doesn’t have the power to subjugate the black magician himself.

After the subjugation, he can negotiate appropriately with the mercenaries about the rights and interests.

I think I know roughly.

‘Well, it’s not like there’s no precedent for a single mercenary defeating a black magician…’

If it seems difficult alone, they will unite as a group and beat him up.

That’s one way to do it.

Anyway, I’ve confirmed the request, so I need to think about how to act.

Everyone seems to be very motivated.

If I’m not careful, I might get robbed of the initiative.

…More than anything, I need to find out about the whereabouts of a certain person who might have arrived here.

To get profit from this black magician subjugation, it is best to confirm the existence and whereabouts of ‘that person’.

‘But… I can’t see him?’

In some ways, there is no one as noticeable as ‘that person’, so I would find him right away if he was here.

If I can’t see him, he won’t be here.

I was looking around the guild when.

“Hey, you there.”

Someone shouted loudly.

No manners.

Half ignoring the annoying sound and still looking around.

“You bastard!”

Thump!

Some idiot blocked my way, making a violent footstep.

I wondered why it was so noisy, but he was calling me.

Well, I knew it and ignored it.

The one who blocked my way was a young man who looked quite ill-mannered.

“What is it?”

“…You, you seem to have come from quite far away? I haven’t seen your face around here.”

His name is Nelt, an extra [an unimportant character], so there’s no need to remember him.

He looked at me with an unpleasant gaze, strangely arrogant.

“I heard you say a little while ago. You’re a spiritist [someone who can communicate with spirits]?”

Did you eavesdrop?

You are free to listen, but it’s not a good thing.

In the first place, it’s also my fault for shouting it out loud.

“If so, come with us.”

“…Huh?”

“You look like a newbie, so you’re not thinking of doing the request alone, are you? Then it would be better to act with us.”

The idiot started talking on his own.

I was half dumbfounded rather than annoyed, so I listened to the story without realizing it.

I roughly knew the purpose.

Spiritists are useful.

Especially for requests against black magicians, the spiritist’s ability is also quite effective.

Black magic and the spiritist’s spirit power are opposite in nature, so they can have a great effect on each other.

A spiritist who looks young has come in, so he’s trying to pick her up and use her.

“Okay! Since we’re leading a newbie, the reward is natural, but we’ll get a little more.”

…Is this guy an idiot?

I’m going to use you at a low price. We’re a black company [exploitative business].

It’s like putting up an advertisement.

Not worth listening to.

“No, thanks. Get lost.”

I refused with a sneer.

I refuse. I refuse.

“…What?”

“Can’t you understand? Get lost. And don’t say that kind of thing when you’re gathering people somewhere?”

I would politely refuse if possible, but the other side was the first to be rude, and I personally felt bad, so I spoke without thinking.

Of course, when I refused like this, he was half red-faced and angry.

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying!”

He comes to grab my collar.

Are you going to drag me by force?

What should I do? I don’t want to be caught.

‘Reacting is tiring, but sometimes you have to show it properly.’

There are many mercenaries anyway.

Even if it’s not him, I can’t deny that there are gazes that look down on me.

If I shake it off carelessly, another guy might look down on me and pick a fight.

I have to make an example.

Before his hand reached my neck.

“Then will you understand with this?”

The moment I smiled and touched his hand with my index finger.

Whoosh!

The stupid guy was engulfed in flames.

The guild’s atmosphere was instantly engulfed in chaos along with his screams.

“What is it?!”

“Burning someone, are you crazy!”

Suddenly, a person is burning and rolling around, so you can’t avoid the confusion.

However, some calm people seemed to have noticed and only showed a little surprise, but soon looked at it with interest.

‘…I should keep the jokes to a minimum.’

I had a feeling that it would be annoying if I made more noise, so I pretended to shake my hand.

Then, the salamander [a fire spirit], who was hovering in a spirit summoned state at his feet, disappeared, licking its lips as if it was a pity, “Is it already over?”

Yes, it’s over, so go away.

When the fire subsided, the stupid guy was completely out of his mind and sat down.

“…Ah… Aaaaa?”

Can’t even speak.

He doesn’t even realize whether he’s alive or dead. Good for you.

“Hey. How does it feel to almost burn to death? Huh? Do you feel like you’ve been reborn?”

The reason why he didn’t burn to death is just because I let him.

If you control the salamander’s fire, you can create only threatening flames without burning the enemy.

Above all, the threat effect is amazing.

You can tell just by looking at the stupid guy’s blank face.

“Ah, if you attack me again next time, I might really burn you then. It’s a bit difficult to control.”

When I smiled and tried to put my finger on his forehead again like before.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!”

He struggled and screamed and disappeared.

His colleagues glared at me, but when I gestured with my hand, they ran away.

“…Just kidding?”

Would I really burn him just because I got into a fight?

Of course, I might not know if he really attacks me.

Anyway, the effect of chasing him away was quite good.

The gazes of the mercenaries watching me became more cautious than before.

Showing off my strength is not my taste, but I can’t help it in this case.

Leave it alone.

First of all, should I go back and prepare to leave right away?

The person I’m looking for doesn’t seem to be here.

Let’s leave as soon as the preparation is over.

“Wait. Wait a minute.”

Then I stopped because I thought someone was calling me again.

When I turned around, five mercenaries were approaching me.

They don’t seem to have anything to do with that guy from before. The atmosphere is different.

The man who seemed to be the leader among them spoke to me again.

He is two heads taller than me and has a large axe on his back.

His name is Soland, another stranger.

“You… that just now, is that spiritism?”

“…”

I didn’t answer.

There’s no reason to, and I’m a little tired of it because of what happened earlier.

He smiled slightly as if he understood my attitude.

“That’s right. It would be polite to introduce myself first. My name is Soland. And these friends behind me are the friends who decided to accompany me on this trip.”

Unlike that stupid guy from before, Soland is introducing himself and his colleagues as carefully as possible, letting them know that he has no hostility.

“I think you’re a little edgy because of what happened earlier, so it doesn’t matter if you just listen.”

“…It’s okay. I reacted a little sensitively. My name is Eilon. Mr. Soland, so what’s the matter?”

“If you’re not going to accompany other people, would you like to come with us?”

Quite bold.

To try to seduce me without saying anything after seeing the commotion a while ago.

Well, you have to be brave to get talent.

“Are you okay? A little while ago…”

“Don’t worry about that idiot. He’s originally a bad-reputed brat. Rather, it’s wise not to go.”

Come to think of it, no one blamed me for causing the commotion.

Was he really unpopular?

It seems like it wouldn’t have mattered if I had really burned him.

Tsk, what a waste.