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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 153: I Want to Hire You as a Cleaner
Leaving the tavern, I headed to the branch office with the staff member.
Though I felt a bit annoyed at Zion's carefree expression as he guzzled down the moonshine the moment I left, I had the last laugh.
Because I walked out without paying.
"Thank you for responding to my urgent request."
The staff member, who had been silent the entire walk, finally greeted me as we entered the office.
I carefully observed his expression.
"You look tired."
"I'm alright."
"Your superior is giving you a hard time, huh?"
The staff member didn't answer, but I understood.
Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words.
As we were going up to the second floor, the staff member suddenly turned to me.
"If you don't mind me asking..."
"Go ahead."
"How were you able to clear the Demon Realm so quickly? Do you have some kind of secret method?"
"Secret method?"
"Like a shortcut, for example... or a way to easily obtain the Demon Realm's core... Ah, I'm not asking you to tell me how."
"It sounds like you're asking if I cheated."
The staff member waved his hands.
"Ah, that's a misunderstanding. I didn't mean it that way."
I had noticed it before, but this staff member showed no signs of having cultivated Mana.
This meant one of two things:
He was either an ordinary person, or his level was far superior to mine.
The latter couldn't be true, so the answer was obvious.
"So the Alliance assigns ordinary people to places like this? You must have had a hard time, seeing as there are a lot of dangerous individuals around."
"I volunteered, actually..."
"That's unexpected. Why?"
"It's hard to explain in detail. It's part of my effort to learn magic."
I had originally intended to ignore the staff member's question, but I changed my mind.
"To answer your question, I don't actually know. Only my subordinates entered the Demon Realm. But that's not important."
"Huh?"
"There's no such thing as a cheat. Whether it's a trick or not, it's best not to think that way. Those who try to belittle others tend to think like that. Because it's easier on their minds. But it's just a narrow-minded way of thinking that doesn't benefit anyone."
"I understand."
When we arrived on the second floor, the staff member suddenly spoke again.
"Are you, by any chance, a mage?"
"Indeed. If you're trying to learn magic, you'd be better off somewhere else."
The staff member smiled bitterly as he looked at me.
"I don't have the talent. Instead, I'll become a scholar. It's what I've always wanted to do."
I didn't understand what being a scholar had to do with working here, but I didn't bother asking.
Because when he said that, his eyes were sparkling with life.
"A man with a dream, I see. Where's the manager?"
"You'll find him in the office at the end of the hallway on the right."
The second floor was even more crowded than the last time I was here.
Most of them seemed like drifters, grumbling about this and that.
Some of them recognized me and flinched, quickly averting their gaze.
I was heading to the office at the far right when I paused.
The staff member, who had come closer, looked around and spoke in a low voice.
"Be careful. The manager was demoted from headquarters for embezzlement."
I nodded.
"Embezzlement is a serious crime."
"He's also quite different from the typical Alliance managers."
"This is getting more and more interesting."
I patted the staff member's shoulder, and he bowed his head.
"I won't forget the advice you gave me earlier. There are no shortcuts."
* * *
I opened the office door.
The man with his legs crossed on the chair spoke in a low voice without even looking this way.
"Who entered without knocking?"
"Me. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander."
"What?"
"Didn't you just ask who entered without knocking?"
"..."
"It's me."
The man, uncrossing his legs, suddenly scanned me from head to toe and began to stare intently.
I, in turn, observed the man.
A portly figure.
He didn't seem that old.
He seemed to have cultivated a Mana Core, but it didn't look like he trained diligently.
"Are you the commander of that Crazy Mage Squad or whatever it's called? Samael?"
"That's me."
"Did you hear that I asked to see you?"
"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't. You're wasting your breath."
I'm a man with very few preconceptions.
Everyone said the manager was a terrible guy, but I intended to see, hear, speak, and experience him for myself before making a judgement.
Usually, a person's true nature reveals itself through conversation.
Moreover, I often found myself wanting to engage with those who were deemed undesirable by others.
"Strange. Are you perhaps a former mercenary? Why are you so disrespectful?"
I plopped down on the seat opposite him and pointed at the man.
"Disrespectful? That's rich. I dropped everything, including my drink, and came all the way here because you summoned me. Is this how you normally treat your guests?"
"...Haven't you heard of who I am?"
"Who are you? Now that I think about it, I don't even know your name."
The man crossed his arms and lifted his chin.
"Porter."
"What a name. Sounds like a baggage cart."
"What?"
"Just talking to myself."
"I'm the manager who oversees the low-level Demon Realms that the likes of you enter."
It sounded like he expected me to be intimidated.
At this point, I had finished my assessment of Porter. Everyone else was right about him.
Of course, from my perspective, he was becoming more and more intriguing.
I pointed at Porter and said,
"Why did you ask to see me?"
As if he had also finished his assessment of me, Porter nodded.
"I haven't dealt with just one or two people here. I know your type well. Let's get straight to the point. I want to hire you as a cleaner."
"A cleaner?"
"You've seen how things work around here for the past few days. I'll give you the information on the opening of the Level 4 Demon Realm first. I won't hold you responsible for anything that happens inside."
I met Porter's eyes.
"And in return, you want money?"
Porter suddenly burst into laughter.
"Indeed. My eye for people is never wrong. You catch on quick. I don't need much. Just a certain percentage of the money you collect."
"Don't you already have cleaners?"
"Don't worry about that. Even cleaners need to prove their worth to be treated well."
No wonder things seemed so chaotic, even for a Level 4 Demon Realm.
So this was the reason.
"What's the percentage?"
"50% of the collection rate. If you're thinking of lying, I advise against it. If I catch you later, I'll restrict your entry into the Demon Realms."
"You're no different from a robber."
"The benefits are substantial, so you won't feel shortchanged."
Just as I expected.
Porter was such an interesting character. I couldn't understand why everyone was so averse to interacting with someone I found so engaging.
Shaking my head, I said,
"50% is too much. And I'm not planning on entering any more Level 4 Demon Realms."
"What?"
"I said I'm not entering any Level 4 ones."
Porter burst into laughter once again.
"So you're aiming for Level 3? Don't underestimate the Demon Realms, my friend. No matter how quickly you monopolize the Level 4 Demon Realms, that's all it is. A lynx, no matter how good a hunter, can't hunt a tiger."
"I prefer automated hunting. But this time, I'll have to step up myself. I'm too riled up to sit back."
I gestured towards Porter.
"Increase the percentage. Do you have cleaners for Level 3 too?"
Porter's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The current Level 3 cleaners are very capable. It's unlikely, but if you're truly that skilled, I might consider backing you. I've been dissatisfied with the current cleaners lately. If they're cleaners, they should just stick to cleaning, why do they keep poking their noses into everything?"
At this point, I suddenly asked Porter,
"Do people ever die in the Level 3 Demon Realms?"
"All the time."
"Has there ever been a complete wipeout?"
Porter replied casually,
"Of course."
"What about cases where a whole group is wiped out, leaving no bodies behind?"
"No bodies?"
Porter tilted his head, then responded as if he finally understood my intentions.
"Well, that can happen if a high-ranking monster appears. There have been a few instances recently. I see you're worried, but you have to accept that level of risk."
"What about cases where there are no bodies, even though no high-ranking monster appeared?"
Porter tilted his head again and asked, with a puzzled expression on his face.
"What are you talking about?"
"There weren't any? That's different from what I heard. Didn't you say you manage all the low-level Demon Realms?"
Irritation began to rise on Porter's face.
"Of course I manage them all. Lately, low-level Demon Realms have been opening like crazy, but I still receive reports on everything."
"..."
"Well, there are occasional cases where headquarters directly intervenes in post-incident investigations, but that rarely happens in low-level Demon Realms."
At this point, I felt further questioning was pointless.
If Parin from headquarters had intervened directly, it was natural for Porter to be unaware.
"Alright, alright, enough with the nonsensical talk. So, are you going to take the cleaner job or not?"
I asked in return,
"You said I needed to show you my abilities to increase the percentage?"
Porter smiled wickedly.
"If you have the skills, of course I'll treat you well. The current cleaners have gotten too big for their britches. I need a change."
"I'll take care of it for you. It's a deal."
Porter waved his hand dismissively, still smiling.
"Alright, alright. You can leave now."
As I was leaving the office, curiosity got the better of me, and I turned around.
"By the way, which tower are you affiliated with?"
Porter arrogantly lifted his chin.
"I have connections with the Red Magic Tower."
"Oh?"
"Finally realizing my prestige, are you?"
"I'll be going then."
Suppressing a laugh, I exited the office.
There was no way Porter was affiliated with the Red Magic Tower.
Even though those guys were arrogant, they at least had some basic standards.
A member of the Red Magic Tower wouldn't have such a corpulent physique.
'So he's not a dispatched member.'
I had a feeling he was probably kicked out of the tower.
* * *
"You're really going alone, Commander?"
I looked at the faces of my subordinates, their expressions filled with worry.
How many of them were being sincere?
"...Commander, I'm really against you going alone. Honestly, the acting commander position is a bit of a burden."
I was certain of one person's sincerity.
As soon as I struck the back of his head with a thwack—, Zion dropped his head and blurted out his true feelings.
"Ah, you damn commander!"
"Try expressing yourself with a bit more sincerity."
Then, Palge spoke up.
"I'm being totally sincere, meow..."
"Just shut up."
This time, Chano started to meddle from the side.
"I'd love to go with you... but our mercenary group needs to prepare for the Demon Realm opening in Section 1 next week, so I can't."
"That's a very good idea."
"If you just remember what I told you, there shouldn't be any problems. The Demon Realm opening today is relatively safe. Just in case, I'll remind you again. This time, I'll share a different experience. Based on this experience... It was back when I was with the LA mercenary group..."
'Should I knock him out?'
'How about a slap across the face?'
Just as they were about to launch into another endless chatter, Arin, with electricity crackling around the edge of her hand, struck Chano's throat from behind.
"Oof!"
I waved my hand and said,
"Enough with the mushy farewells, just go. Go drink some moonshine."
While Chano was still bewildered, Zion said,
"So you're really going to rest? You sure you can handle it yourself?"
I looked around and said,
"I do prefer auto hunting, but I'm more confident in manual hunting. And don't just rest, try to find that black otter or whatever it's called."
"That guy from before?"
"The one who stole the two gold coins hasn't turned himself in."
Once the group left, I approached the barrier where the Demon Realm was opening.
People waiting to enter were gathered in small groups, but there was hardly any competition compared to the Level 4 Demon Realm.
According to Chano, the reason was that from Level 3 onwards, the difficulty level increased sharply, so amateurs avoided entering altogether.
He said that sometimes, they didn't even reach the maximum number of entrants.
Even now, there weren't that many people gathered.
Until the Demon Realm opened, I leaned against a plank of wood on the side of the street and observed the passing crowd.
'There they are.'
There were two groups of cleaners for the Level 3 Demon Realm.
The Kalma Group and the Sahwa Party.
The Kalma Group, dressed in matching black clothes and carrying large swords, were positioned closest to the barrier.
Across from them were two individuals presumed to be from the Sahwa Party. Despite being outnumbered, the Kalma Group seemed more wary of those two.
However, no matter how closely I looked, I couldn't see anyone as suspicious as Parin.
A moment later, the person in charge of Section 9 appeared with a few knights and announced the commencement of entry.
Whiiirrr—
A noise resonated throughout the entire area.
"Let's go!"
The Kalma Group members were the first to jump into the barrier, followed by the two from the Sahwa Party and the rest of the crowd.
I entered the barrier last, taking my time leisurely.
As expected, the sky was ash-gray.
The Demon Realm in front of me was shaped like a tomb, similar to the one I saw in Section 37.
The only difference was that it seemed about three times larger.
'I don't sense any demonic energy.'
It was no different from a Level 4 Demon Realm.
Even after examining the entrance thoroughly, there was no trace of demonic energy.
As soon as I stepped inside, the surrounding scenery instantly transformed.
* * *
A circular cavity.
Small torches dimly illuminated the pitch-black darkness.
People were forming a long line in front of me, and a voice echoed from the front.
"Two gold coins. Pass."
The Kalma Group and the Sahwa Party were blocking the entrance to the path and collecting money.
Just as I expected.
Since these guys were quiet outside the barrier, it was only natural to assume they'd be collecting fees inside.
"Excuse me."
I whispered to the man preparing his gold coins right in front of me.
"Did you come in alone?"
The man turned to me and raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Ah, you're that guy. You're quite famous these days. Crazy Mage Squad, was it?"
"That's right. I'm the commander. Why are you paying? It's a waste."
"It can't be helped. It's more costly to have a bloodbath."
"Isn't the cost too high?"
"Think of it as an entrance fee."
"Why is it so noisy back there!"
At the shout from up ahead, the man shook his head and closed his mouth.
It seemed to me that this wasn't a one-time occurrence.
Both those paying and those collecting the money couldn't have been more nonchalant.
I waited quietly at the back of the line, observing the situation.
"Next!"
Finally, it was my turn.
A Kalma Group member, brandishing his sword, scanned me menacingly from head to toe before saying,
"You look familiar."
Someone whispered in his ear from behind.
"...Is that so?"
"Yes, that's him."
"I've heard of him too."
The man with the sword looked at me and changed his tone.
"Just give us one gold coin and go on in."
"Why only one for me?"
"Skilled individuals deserve special treatment."
"Oh, thank you."
As I placed a gold coin and tried to enter the passage, one of the Sahwa Party members approached and blocked my way.
"Stop."
"I just paid."
"You didn't pay us. Two gold coins."
I looked back and forth between the two groups with surprise.
"Wow, I have to pay both sides?"
The Sahwa Party member simply nodded without a word.
"Can't you give me a discount?"
"Not us."
"Oh well, it can't be helped."
I handed two gold coins to the Sahwa Party and entered the passage.
Now, the cavity was empty except for the cleaners.
The Sahwa Party and the Kalma Group, as always, were counting their gold coins when their faces fell.
"This is too little this time."
"Section 1 is opening soon. Not many people came here because they're preparing for that."
"Tsk."
The Kalma Group, having finished counting first, left the cavity and entered the narrow passage. The two remaining Sahwa Party members were just about to follow when—
Thud—
"What's this?"
Suddenly, they felt a presence, and the passage was blocked.
The Kalma Group was blocking the way and refusing to move.
The two Sahwa Party members exchanged glances for a moment before shouting,
"What do you think you're doing? Do you dare challenge our Sahwa Party— Wait a minute."
Looking closer, they realized that the Kalma Group wasn't intentionally blocking the path.
It seemed like they wanted to move forward but couldn't.
The passage was so narrow that it was difficult to see what was happening at the front.
It was then that they heard a voice from afar.
"Three gold coins. Of course, three per head."
Then, they heard the Kalma Group leader yelling.
"What?"
"We don't have time. Pay up quickly. We only have 3 seconds left. 3, 2..."
"What kind of crazy talk is that!"
Slap—! Thud!
Suddenly, the sound of something exploding.
The two Sahwa Party members exchanged glances once again.
"What's going on..."
They couldn't finish their sentence.
Fwoosh—!
Sparks suddenly flew in the air, illuminating their vision.
Then, the ceiling of the Demon Realm began to shake violently.
Rumble rumble rumble—!
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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