Chapter 33

Dieta Arbenia.

She appeared before Najin as if it were a chance encounter, but the reality was somewhat different.

She knew that Najin had accepted a task from Mid-Rank Priest Volkman, including the details and date of the assignment. Her network of informants in the guild made this possible. All that was left was to wait for Najin’s return.

And when Najin did return…

“What a coincidence.”

Pretending it was just a ‘coincidence’ that she had business at the guild and ‘coincidentally’ ran into him during this, Dieta approached Najin. He was a man worth all this effort.

“You won’t say no this time, will you?”

She then removed her gloves and extended her bare hand.

She had been refused a handshake last time, but this time she expected it to be different.

“It seems you’re interested in quests higher than your current rank? I might be able to help you with that.”

Having what you need makes me valuable to you.

Dieta smiled. Najin looked hesitantly between Dieta’s hand and face, then finally extended his hand to shake hers.

In the private meeting room of Dieta Trading Company.

Najin sipped the coffee from the cup in front of him and frowned.

‘This is terribly bitter.’

Come to think of it, Ivan often brewed coffee, didn’t he? In the underground city, it was a tremendous luxury. But what’s the taste in this? With that thought, Najin put down the cup.

“What do you mean you can help?”

“Exactly what I said. I introduced myself last time, remember?”

She pointed to her badge.

“I’m the head of Dieta Trading Company, and my company plays a significant role in this city. It’s quite large too.”

Najin knew this. In the ten days he’d been in the city, he had learned basic information, including about Dieta Trading Company.

‘Dieta Trading Company.’

One of the three largest companies in the city, responsible for external trade. They exported materials from monsters hunted by adventurers.

“Our company is affiliated with the central guild. And an organization with such credibility can…”

She took out a piece of paper from her bosom.

“I can write something like this for you.”

A paper emblazoned with the emblem of Dieta Trading Company.

Pointing at it, Dieta said,

“When accepting quests, the most important factor is the rank assigned by the guild. However, a credible organization can vouch for you, saying ‘this person is trustworthy’.”

In simpler terms.

“It’s like a guarantee, right?”

Dieta smiled.

Although you lack a track record, you have the potential to climb higher. Organizations often lend their names to promising individuals.

“In this case, Dieta Trading Company would be vouching for your skills. You could even accept quests of much higher rank than Black.”

She waved the paper in front of Najin.

“Quite an attractive offer, isn’t it?”

“It is an attractive offer, but…”

Najin looked at Dieta.

“Why are you going to such lengths for me?”

The same question as before.

Last time, Dieta evaded answering Najin’s question, but this time she spoke candidly.

“Well, because you seem like you could make me money.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Why else do merchants treat people well? Because they see gold in it. You’re not the type to stay at the Black rank for long, are you?”

Dieta knew.

The boy sitting before her had skills far beyond the Black rank. She hadn’t seen Najin in combat to be certain, but it was clear he was close to the Blue rank.

‘And more…’

He would climb higher soon. The clues were few, but her instincts told her so. This man was worth the investment.

“Lending the name of our company is a huge gamble for me. Your failure could lead to a loss of trust in our company.”

Yet she offered her guarantee because.

“I’m trying to gain your favor. It’s like marking my territory in advance on someone who will rise high.”

“…Is it okay to be so blunt?”

“Why not? You would know anyway.”

Dieta shrugged.

What’s wrong with exposing desires? Clear intentions and purposes are more trustworthy. There’s nothing more definite than pure desire.

“Wouldn’t it be more suspicious if someone approached you with pure kindness? That seems more dubious.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“Of course, even if I give you all this and you later ignore me, I can’t do anything. But investing in a promising individual like you is still good business. It leaves an impression in the market.”

Dieta sipped her tea.

“Anyway, I am investing in you. The more achievements you make, the more I plan to invest.”

Her yellow eyes narrowed as she glanced at Najin.

“A rapidly rising adventurer in the city, supported by the Dieta Trading Company. Using our gear, potions, and vaults… That alone is great advertising.”

Adventurers admire special individuals.

Admiration leads to emulation, and emulation leads to consumption of similar items. She knew this could lead to tremendous advertising effects.

“You get support, and I get to advertise using you as a model. It’s a win-win, isn’t it?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Dieta laid all her cards on the table.

There was no harm in revealing them.

“I’ll use you, and you can use me. Do we need any other reason?”

As Najin listened to Dieta’s words, he couldn’t help but smile. At his smile, Dieta tilted her head.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s just that it’s refreshing.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’ve never met someone who’s so straightforward with their intentions.”

Najin took a deep breath.

“Well, fine. I don’t know what you see in me, but if you’re willing to invest… I’m grateful.”

Najin pointed to the guarantee letter Dieta had brought out.

“How high a rank can you vouch for?”

“I can write up to Blue rank, but I’m still considering. I haven’t confirmed your abilities yet.”

Hmm, Najin stroked his chin.

‘Should I show it?’

-You’re pretending to be 28, right? Then it’s fine to show a bit of your sword aura. You were planning to reveal some of your skills anyway, weren’t you?

‘That’s true.’

Najin made up his mind.

The moment he laid his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, Dieta’s guard, Pasion, reacted. As if ready to charge the moment the sword was drawn, Najin pre-emptively spoke.

“I’m just going to show you.”

Najin drew his sword, pointing it towards the ground, not at Dieta. He then firmly gripped the hilt.

Pshh…

He didn’t draw in external mana as usual.

Using the mana cultivation technique Merlin taught him, he mobilized the small amount of mana stored inside his body to forge his sword aura. A white radiance flowed down the blade.

That was a fragment of the sword aura.

Being careful not to let it fully form and produce the platinum glow, Najin controlled his power. Since he didn’t draw in a large amount of external mana, it wasn’t too difficult to manage the output.

Yet, even so.

The white radiance on Najin’s sword was enough to make the onlookers widen their eyes. Pasion and Dieta stared at the sword, their eyes wide.

“Does this qualify me for the Blue rank?”

A short while after Najin, holding the Trading Company’s guarantee for up to Blue-rank quests, left the meeting room, Dieta spoke.

“Sir Pasion.”

“…Yes, what is it?”

“That was a sword aura, right? Definitely.”

“Precisely, it was a fragment of a sword aura.”

The white glow.

Although it hadn’t fully formed into a complete sword aura, it was a radiance closely akin to it. This meant the boy’s skills were approaching that of a Sword Expert.

“His official age is 28, but… it doesn’t seem likely, does it?”

“At best, he looks like he’s in his early twenties. At a glance, he could even be around your age, Miss Dieta.”

“That’s what I thought too.”

A fragment of a sword aura in his early twenties.

Dieta let out a wry laugh. Of course, the man named Ivan might really be a late-twenty-something as he claims.

But that’s still quick.

The promising ones from good families, even with proper support, managed to draw their sword auras in their early thirties. Pasion himself, a prodigy discovered by the Arbenia family, achieved it at 31.

“That man earlier, how long do you think until his sword aura is complete?”

“…With the right opportunity, it could happen. At most, in a month or two, I believe.”

Dieta laughed.

“What could it be? Do the rangers of the Techno Mountain Range also draw sword auras? I remember them training in a different area…”

“I don’t really know.”

Pasion, trying to hide his confusion, answered.

He had seen Najin’s sword aura up close. Dieta, not well-versed in swords, might not have noticed, but Pasion could tell.

The oddity of the boy’s sword aura.

Although it hadn’t fully formed, the density of the white radiance flowing along the blade was intensely thick. Pasion had never seen a fragment of sword aura with such concentration.

‘You have to clash to know for sure…’

Even though it was just a fragment, it seemed like it wouldn’t lose against a fully drawn sword aura.

Dieta Trading Company’s guarantee letter.

Showing it at the counter, Najin could now access quests up to the Blue rank. Looking at the quests densely pinned on the board, Najin inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘They definitely get more complicated at the Blue rank.’

While Black rank quests were mostly simple monster hunts or material collection…

[Escort mission.]

[Capture the special creature ‘One-Eyed Orc’ alive.]

[Capture the wanted criminal ‘Wyman’ alive.]

Blue rank quests ranged from escort missions to capturing special monsters or hunting wanted criminals. Najin’s gaze stopped at a particular quest.

‘This one isn’t bad, right?’

-Not bad at all. Good for gaining experience and making a name for yourself.

Gaining prominence.

Building a solid track record.

‘Then let’s go with this one.’

Najin and Merlin agreed.

Snip, Najin plucked the quest off the board.

“Boss.”

“What is it, Barger? Something to report?”

“The mission you requested is now fully staffed. I’ve compiled the list of personnel. Would you like to see it?”

“Ah, thanks for your work.”

The documents handed over by her subordinate.

Skimming through the stack, the woman’s brows furrowed. She pointed at a specific part of the paper with a frown.

“What’s this? Why is there a blackie here?”

Blackie. A derogatory term for the common Black-rank adventurers. She was pointing at the information about a man named Ivan.

“Wasn’t the minimum required rank Blue? How did a blackie manage to take on the quest? Did those guild folks mess up their job again?”

“Please check the special note.”

“Special note?”

She scrutinized the document further.

“…Dieta Trading Company is vouching for him? The Dieta Trading Company I know?”

“Yes.”

“The one with that gold-gobbling crazy woman? What in the world is she doing vouching for someone else?”

“We were considering removing him, but brought him in due to that detail. What will you do?”

At her subordinate’s question, the woman crossed her arms, tapping her forearm with her fingers.

“Doesn’t seem like that snake Dieta would vouch for someone without a reason. She must be trusting something. But what?”

Intriguing, indeed.

Muttering, she stood up, her jet-black hair swaying. Tying her long hair carelessly with a rubber band, she spoke.

“Let’s leave it for now. Let’s see what he’s made of.”

Picking one of the swords hanging on the wall, she strapped it to her waist and slung her arm over her subordinate’s shoulder.

“If he seems decent, maybe I’ll snag him. What do you think, Barger?”

“I doubt the gold-gobbling snake will just sit by idly…”

“So what? It’s normal in this line of work to snag the good ones.”

The woman’s red eyes sparkled.

“Let’s go see him then.”

The leader of the Red Eye Mercenaries.

One of the five White Horns of the city.

Sword Seeker, Roselin Ascalo, licked her lips in anticipation.