Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 9 - Short-Term Contract Worker (1)
“Actually, I saw everything. Well, not everything, but… I definitely noticed your strength yesterday. Just a glimpse.”
Arzen instinctively held his breath.
'This crazy…'
So there really are no acts of kindness in this world without ulterior motives. Is this bastard trying to blackmail me?
'Are you threatening to hand me over to the Inquisition? To treat me like a slave? Is that what you’re planning?'
Arzen felt the unpleasant trickle of sweat running down his forehead and along the bridge of his nose.
'I need to kill him…'
I can’t live that life again.
Void creatures leave no trace.
Right now, I have to navigate this situation and then, when no one is watching, eliminate him without a trace.
“Wow, a healer who can use magic? You’re more impressive than I thought!”
“?”
“There are always guys like you. Ace adventurers who hide their identities and enter the adventurer world from places like the Sword Palace or the Magic Tower.”
“!”
“What are you looking so shocked for? I have experience, too. I’ve seen hundreds of adventurers at the city hall. You used summoning magic, didn’t you? It’s no joke how strong those creatures are.”
Arzen tilted his head in confusion.
Samson raised an eyebrow, as if to say not to tease him.
'This doesn’t seem like a lie, though?'
Wait a minute…
Why was I overthinking this?
To outsiders, it wouldn’t be any different from regular magic.
'I’ve heard that the classification of magic is incredibly broad.'
I remember that a talented individual named Yong-hyeon appeared a hundred years ago, and since then, the magical system has been significantly subdivided and developed.
Even summoning magic has a lot of classifications, starting from whether it involves organic or inorganic materials.
Unless one has considerable knowledge of magic, it makes sense for someone like Samson to judge it this way.
“The other three yesterday were useless compared to you. I felt like you could wipe them out all on your own if given the chance.”
“That’s right.”
“Exactly, so let’s team up and make some money together. I’ll get you set up for a short-term contract.”
“What does that entail?”
“In the summer, slimes keep infesting the sewers every week or two. No matter how much you clean, it never ends. Ugh, I’m always stuck submitting requests and getting approvals. It’s a hassle.”
“So you want me to catch slimes?”
“Basically, yes. I’ll funnel all the work your way. Most people don’t care about sewer jobs anyway. You’ll get to keep all the money you earned yesterday. Just give me this little cut in return.”
Samson held up three fingers.
Having grown up among thugs, Arzen could smell the stench of corruption in the air.
'He’s asking for 30% of the profits. What a thief.'
Well, if I think of it as doubling the guild fees, it’s a loss, but…
- Waaaah! A request!
- Move aside!
- Line up properly, you scoundrels!
- Don’t push!
Is now really the time to be picky about food?
In a society like this, it’s better to take what you can get than to search for high-quality requests!
Above all, in this world, it’s the fools who don’t use loopholes.
Those who try to live honestly are the gullible ones.
Arzen felt this truth deeply while struggling in the ranks of the Divine Guillotine.
“Why? Are you hesitating because of that guy’s contributions? To get promoted?”
“It’s true I can’t remain a Steel tier forever.”
“Don’t worry! If you say you worked as a contract manager for the sewers in the summer, that’ll count as a credential in the guild.”
“!”
“If you need any paperwork, just let me know. I’ll handle it right away.”
Arzen jumped to his feet immediately.
He bowed deeply and extended his hands.
“I’m in awe of your insight, sir. If you entrust this task to someone as unworthy as me, I’ll do my utmost.”
Arzen and Samson shook hands, exchanging smiles that reeked of money.
“Then let’s head to the city hall right away. You don’t have any other plans, do you?”
“If I have any, I’ll cancel them all for you, sir.”
“Haha! Then hurry up and finish eating! We’re going to the city hall.”
* * *
Arzen followed Samson toward the city hall, located in the center of the city.
As the city hall building grew closer, Arzen felt his heart pounding with tension.
Being the city hall of one of the Seven Great Cities, most of the officials there were elites.
'These people come from a completely different world than Steel-ranked adventurers who roll around in the dirt!'
He reminded himself to stay sharp.
He needed to lay the groundwork carefully, using flattery, bribes, and charm to gain favor.
'And above all, the Witch Association’s office is also housed in the city hall, meaning witches are stationed here as well.'
There was nothing good that could come from drawing the attention of the witches, who were the guardians of the Republic.
'In other words, this place is no different from a den of tigers!'
The moment he saw the office of the Witch Association, Arzen began to wonder if he'd made the wrong choice.
"Hey, Samson. Late again, huh?"
Even the city hall guards reeked of corruption.
In other words, they were people Arzen could get along with.
"If I’m not late, it’s not me, Samson."
"Still the same madman. Who’s the kid?"
"I am Arzen, humbly serving the great Samson. Please take care of me."
The guards exchanged puzzled glances, then burst out laughing.
"What’s this kid saying?"
"Great Samson, he says. Pahahaha!"
"This guy’s a riot. Go on in."
Arzen followed Samson into the city hall.
As expected of the city hall of one of the Seven Great Cities, its scale was ridiculous.
The ceiling was so high that their footsteps echoed, and the floor was made entirely of marble.
Suddenly, Arzen came to a halt.
“Huh, is that…?”
The first-floor lobby, open to the public.
At its center stood a statue of a giant hero, depicted in the act of bravely slaying a demon.
“First time seeing it? That’s Demon Slayer Kassel Rinkan.”
“One of the first five adventurers. A legend who helped the Hero’s party reach the end of the world.”
“Yeah, he’s the hero of this city. A man in a completely different league from us.”
Samson grumbled bitterly as he lit another cigarette.
At that moment, a passing female official gave him a stern look.
“There’s no smoking inside the city hall, Chief.”
The woman, dressed in a neat and proper suit, gave off a graceful and dignified impression.
“Oh, look at that! I forgot I was indoors.”
“You should forget things worth forgetting! And who’s this?”
“He’s a new hire in the Sewer Maintenance Department.”
The woman raised an eyebrow.
“This kid? You hired him?”
“I’ve seen a lot of adventurers, and this one’s a real talent. Arzen, say hello. This is Milviet, the one who does all the nagging in our department.”
Arzen pretended to hesitate for a moment, letting his lips tremble slightly.
‘The key is to glance up just barely after looking down, a trick that triggers the protective instincts in women!’
His finishing move would be to greet her in the faintest, most fragile voice he could muster.
“H-h-hello!”
“Yes, alright… You weren’t tricked into coming here, were you? I’m starting to worry.”
Success in triggering her protective instincts!
‘This is the secret tip for handsome geniuses like me!’
Just by playing the shy boy, he could strongly stir the protective instincts of older women.
- Women can’t resist a cute boy. Make that your strength, Arzen.
Those were Circe’s words of wisdom.
As a result, Milviet, someone he’d just met, was already fretting over him.
- For adventurers like us, born without backing, we have to use everything we’re given. That includes charm and looks.
Arzen followed Samson up to the third floor.
Witches in pointed hats crossed the hallway up ahead.
Even the corrupt official Samson greeted them with deep respect.
‘Witches… They treat those hats like crowns, wearing them indoors as if they were symbols of honor.’
Though he grumbled inwardly, Arzen also bowed deeply as he passed.
Whenever he saw witches, his chest tightened with anxiety, as if something about the Void’s power might cause a problem.
‘Damn it, maybe I shouldn’t have come. I fell for Samson’s slick words and got myself into this.’
Samson knocked on the grandest, most elaborate door at the end of the third-floor hallway.
- Mayor’s Office
The mayors of the Seven Great Cities were the equivalent of high-ranking nobility in the barbaric nations where a class system still existed.
All the mayors of the Seven Great Cities held the title of Consul, allowing them to attend the Senate and vote on important matters.
“Mayor, this is the new hire from the Sewer Maintenance Department.”
The mayor was a short, white-haired man.
His face was lined with deep wrinkles, the marks of a long career in politics.
“Oh, Samson. Why are you bothering to report something so trivial to me?”
A master of political strategy, no doubt.
‘That tone doesn’t suggest trust in Samson. He’s annoyed that such a minor issue is being brought to him! I can tell, after being tossed around by the Divine Guillotine!’
Arzen felt an intense pressure not to step out of line in front of the mayor.
But the mayor wasn’t alone in his office.
Sitting in one of the guest chairs was a middle-aged woman with a stern face. She glared at Samson.
“A new hire? You didn’t take bribes and hire someone suspicious again, did you?”
“Oh, heavens no! How could you say such a thing, Grand Witch? He’s an exemplary young man.”
Grand Witch? The Grand Witch?
The Grand Witch was at the top of the witch hierarchy. In the Republic, only the High Priestess, who also served as the head of the government, stood above her.
Only thirty witches in the entire Republic could hold the rank of Grand Witch.
In short, they were omnipotent figures with as much power as the mayors.
‘Damn it, stupid Arzen. I should’ve realized that the Witch Association in a Great City would be headed by a Grand Witch!’
Samson nudged Arzen’s back, signaling him to bow.
‘Can I even use my usual tricks on someone this powerful? What if I try and she sees right through me? I’m screwed!’
No choice. I have to try.
‘I’ll use every trick I learned from the Divine Guillotine!’
Arzen acted as if he were overwhelmed with nerves, playing the part of a frightened boy whose judgment was clouded.
He suddenly dropped to the floor, prostrating himself before the Grand Witch.
Silence fell for a moment, then the mayor burst into laughter, and even the Grand Witch smirked.
“Well, well, what a polite young man. It’s true, the adventurers Samson usually brings in are a bit lacking in character, but they’re certainly competent.”
At the mayor’s words, Samson nodded eagerly.
“Of course, Mayor. If I brought in someone useless, I’d only make more work for myself cleaning up afterward, and you know how much I hate that.”
“Right, and in sewer maintenance, competence is everything, isn’t it? Laviata, I don’t think there will be any problems.”
With the mayor’s support, Samson grovelled in response.
The Grand Witch, Laviata, who had been glaring at Samson, turned her gaze toward Arzen.
“Fine. A cute kid like this can’t do much harm, anyway. Besides, sewer maintenance isn’t really our responsibility.”
“!!!”
“If Samson gives you any trouble, come to me. My office is at the far end of this hallway.”
Witches, especially those stationed in major cities like this one, were far too valuable to bother with something like sewer management.
‘Thank goodness for that!’
If witches had been overseeing the Sewer Maintenance Department, Arzen wouldn’t have gotten this job.
And even if he had, he would’ve flat-out refused to work under them.
‘Don’t let your guard down, Arzen! Keep acting like a frightened boy in awe of the witches until the very end!’
Growing up among the thugs of the Divine Guillotine, Arzen had thought there was no adult who could intimidate him anymore…
But the witches’ presence was different.
Maybe his subconscious awareness that the Void’s power was somehow sinister caused him to be wary of them.
‘No, if anything, this wariness is helping me deliver the best performance possible!’
Arzen bowed repeatedly, exaggeratedly low.
“T-thank you! I’ll work hard!”
The mayor chuckled and waved his hand.
“He’s a fine lad. Now, off you go, Samson. We have other matters to discuss.”
As the door to the mayor’s office closed behind him, Arzen felt like his life had just been spared.
It had been a long time since he’d been this nervous.
“Whew, I thought I was going to die in there.”
Samson also sighed in relief.
“You're not really going to rat me out, are you?”
“How could I ever do such a thing, Chief?”
“See? I knew I recognized your potential.”
Back at the Sewer Maintenance Department, Samson signed off on Arzen’s contract and handed him the official city worker badge.
“You’re free to go for today. You don’t need to show up every day, just come in twice a week, in the mornings. Clock in, shuffle some papers, then clock out.”
“Twice a week?”
“Yeah, just show up, shuffle some documents, pretend to work a bit, and you’re done.”
“The smell of corruption is strong.”
“Yeah, well, this is a big city, so the sewer system is extensive. Slimes pop up every one or two weeks… with your skills, you’ll probably need to make two trips a week. You’ll figure it out.”
Last time, they had only cleared one section of the northwestern quadrant.
‘North, northwest, northeast, south, southwest, southeast, central…’
There were thirteen districts in total.
‘If I clear one section per day?’
I’ll have to go two or three times a week, just as Samson said.
‘It’s better to stay busy.’
Rising through the adventurer ranks is great.
But right now, my top priority is testing and enhancing the power of the Void.
‘Once I get stronger, it’ll be easy to climb the ranks with the right connections!’
The pay for sewer jobs was great, and more importantly, no one was watching.
I could freely experiment with the power of the Void.
‘I hate the smell, but maybe I can make the void creatures eat it? We’ll see.’
Now, time was on Arzen’s side.
This entire summer had been handed to him as a period for growth.
The possibilities were endless.
“Oh, Chief, could you maybe give me an advance on my pay this month?”
“What?”
“I spent all my money on clothes, so I’m broke… sob.”
Arzen pulled his best pitiful face.
This technique, perfected while training under the Divine Guillotine, had even made those hardened criminals stop their beatings.
For someone less vile than them, like Samson, it would be even more effective.
“Alright, alright. How about one silver coin? Make it last. You know contract workers are paid per job, not a salary.”
Without hesitation, Samson opened the department’s petty cash drawer, flicked out a silver coin, and tossed it to Arzen.
Such outrageous coolness!
Was corruption what made government officials so awesome?
He hadn’t expected to receive anything more than a few coppers.
“Thank you, Chief. I’ll dedicate my body and soul to keeping the sewers spotless.”
Arzen bowed three times in quick succession, then left.
As he made his way back to his lodgings, crossing the city streets, a cheerful whistle escaped his lips.
‘Life’s too easy. Ridiculously easy.’
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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