Chapter 45

# 45

User Manual for the Reincarnated 045

Crazy Bitch (3)

"If I die, do you think our sister Hee-ra will just stand by?!"

I could see the old man clamping his mouth shut.

Of course, it’s a lie that won’t hold any water.

If Cha Hee-ra were here, she would probably burst out laughing.

I only met Cha Hee-ra yesterday, and we didn’t really talk much.

It’s a ridiculous bluff, but this bluff will definitely work.

There must be a scene in the old man’s memory.

‘There has to be. It has to be there.’

Whether intentional or not, I’ve created a connection with Cha Hee-ra.

Judging by how he’s clamping his mouth shut, it seems something is coming to mind.

To the old man, who has his head bowed, it might have been a rather stimulating scene.

"What... bullshit..."

"Whether it’s bullshit or not, we’ll see. Your eyes aren’t just for show, right?"

"..."

He’s become quite composed.

For a bluff, it’s working quite well.

It seems the name Cha Hee-ra of the Red Mercenary Guild carries a lot of weight.

Even though I was just probing based on the assumption that Cha Hee-ra doesn’t have much contact with the Blue Guild, it seems my guess was right.

It’s natural that no one wants to mess with a monster with a Strength of 97.

It’s not just about stats.

She’s one of the largest guilds in the Holy Empire and has the highest stats and combat skills of anyone I’ve seen so far.

Assuming she acts according to her nature, the mere mention of her name would be enough to make anyone think twice before dismissing my words as lies.

The Blue Guild’s current state seems like a candle waiting to be extinguished by the wind.

‘Originally.’

A scared dog barks the loudest.

This applies to both the old man and me.

"About Cha Hee-ra..."

"That’s none of your business. Whether we had a connection from Earth or if we love each other, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the Blue Guild, which has the right to negotiate, is bullying a new recruit here, and this can’t be made public. Even the glorious Blue Guild would flinch at the mention of Hee-ra’s name, wouldn’t they?"

"..."

"I don’t know how things work here, but it doesn’t seem like you’re lacking enemies. You wouldn’t want to hand over your negotiating power to another guild, would you? I can’t understand why you’re taking this attitude. I came here to negotiate, not to fight. Even if you’re drunk on past glory, ignoring a senior’s words and acting this way is clearly a problem, isn’t it? Or has your judgment deteriorated to the point where you can’t even recognize that?"

"You... brat..."

I can’t help but smirk.

It’s because the moment I mentioned Cha Hee-ra’s name, the magical aura that had been dominating the room started to fade.

But I try to maintain a neutral expression and slowly open my mouth.

It’s important to stay calm.

I know that in meaningless arguments like this, the overly excited side usually loses.

"Phew... If you want to show that the Blue Guild is as free and casual as a family, then it’s a huge success, no... I’d say it’s a huge success."

"..."

"Those who ruin a group are people like you."

"What?"

"Stagnant water, that’s what I mean."

"What do you know...?"

"There are things that can be seen even without looking. Mr. Lee Seol-ho. I don’t really care what you think of me. I know very well that Kim Hyun-sung and Jung Ha-yeon are more valuable. I understand why you’re not fond of me. Yes, I understand completely."

"..."

"But you should have been more moderate. Even if this continent operates on the logic of power, your actions are still quite rude. I’m not your subordinate yet."

"You brat...!"

The old man, who was getting excited, was about to stand up.

Bang!

The sound made me turn my head involuntarily.

Lee Seol-ho, who also seemed excited, was looking in the direction of the sound.

It’s obvious what happened. Unable to bear the junior’s nonsense any longer, Yi Sang-hee had slammed her fist on the table.

"Lee Seol-ho."

"Y-Yes, Miss Yi Sang-hee..."

"Do you know what you’re doing right now?"

"That... is..."

"Detention."

"What?"

"I said detention. Go outside and return to the guild immediately. Of course, after apologizing to Mr. Ki Yeong."

I had a rough idea of how this would play out.

For a guild leader, the only action to take against the sudden outburst of an old-timer drunk on past glory is one.

"I’m... for the guild..."

"I told you to apologize. I won’t repeat myself, Mr. Lee Seol-ho."

He’ll probably bow his head.

People like him are usually weak against strong individuals.

As expected, the old man’s face, which was contorted with frustration, appeared.

A complex expression, one of betrayal and confusion.

But whether Lee Seol-ho understands this situation or not is irrelevant to me.

As expected, Lee Seol-ho’s face, slowly turning to look at me, appeared in my field of vision.

Of course, I could see him bowing his head.

"For my rude words... I... apologize."

"I accept your apology. I was also somewhat excited. I should apologize as well."

"Thank you for understanding."

His expression didn’t match that of someone who had just apologized.

He hurriedly left the room, which was quite a sight.

His complex expression made me a bit uneasy, but I couldn’t show it.

I smiled and looked at Yi Sang-hee, who also bowed.

"I’m really sorry. It was my negligence for not controlling the guild member properly. I’m really... sorry."

"..."

‘A capable person.’

Yi Sang-hee is a capable person.

It’s not just a show.

She’s bowing so deeply that I feel a bit embarrassed. Of course, there’s no reason to make an enemy of the Blue Guild.

Pressuring them further won’t yield any benefits.

It’s a rational decision to wrap things up here.

"No, I’m the one who’s sorry."

"Even if you criticize us, we have no excuse... but please..."

"Regarding the contract, there’s no need to worry."

"Really?"

"I was rude."

"Ah..."

"I didn’t properly consider the pride of the Blue members when I brought up the topic. Even if it was for negotiation, I shouldn’t have stirred up the guild’s wounds. Lee Seol-ho’s actions can’t be justified, but I also didn’t handle it well."

"Ah... What about Miss Cha Hee-ra...?"

"I just had a small connection by luck. Knowing her well will probably be beneficial for the Blue Guild as well."

"Does that mean... you’re willing to accept the contract positively?"

"Of course. We can agree to 10,000 gold instead of 15,000 gold. However..."

"Yes?"

"Please consider giving me a key position in the Blue Guild."

"Ah..."

"I believe you can understand why I’m making this proposal."

There’s no guarantee that a situation like the one with that old man won’t happen again.

There’s no guarantee that there’s only one such old man.

They might even organize and try to make things difficult for us.

That’s how people with vested interests usually act.

I have no intention of bowing down.

I’d even welcome a political struggle.

I’m proposing the necessary power to establish a foundation for that.

"Even if it’s just a nominal position, I don’t mind."

She’ll probably accept it.

She must think my value has increased since earlier.

The biggest reason is that I have a connection with the mercenary queen, Cha Hee-ra.

If the Blue Guild recruits our party, they’ll have a chance to compete with the Red Mercenary.

Of course, it’s a complete lie.

She might be considering the possibility that I’m a spy for the Red Mercenary, but she’s probably concluded that the Red Mercenary has no reason to target the Blue Guild.

If so, joining hands is a gain that can’t be quantified.

That’s not all.

‘Stagnant water...’

She might think we’re suitable as a counterbalance to the stagnant elements that are eroding the guild.

The old-timers who are out of control must be a headache for her.

Considering the sudden outburst just now, this guild has various issues.

Problems that are a bit different from mere power struggles.

Proposing a key position is for my benefit, but also for hers and the guild’s.

‘I’ll fix it.’

That’s what I’m essentially saying.

Of course, there will be differences between the results she wants and the results I want, but I believe we both agree that the stagnant elements need to be cleaned up.

"Actually..."

"Yes?"

"We can try to meet the contract amount as much as possible. I haven’t completely ruled out a key position, but it seems you’re asking for a slightly higher position than I expected. I’m being cautious. Is that correct...?"

There’s no need to lie.

I nodded as if it were obvious.

"Yes."

"Also, regarding Hero-grade items, it might be difficult to provide them immediately. It’s possible if you give us some time, but right now..."

"Ah."

‘More valuable than I thought.’

Hero-grade items seem to be more valuable than I expected.

Maybe it’s because of the Alchemy Primer by Lamus Tucker that popped out of Kim Hyun-sung’s magic bag, but I had somewhat underestimated high-grade items.

"The items don’t need to be provided immediately. If they’re not something we can use right away..."

"Ah! Then, can I get back to you after an internal meeting? It won’t take long."

"Of course. Given the difficulty of the decision, take your time."

"Thank you for your consideration."

This isn’t a meeting about whether to accept us.

That’s already decided to some extent.

The key points will be which items to provide and what level of position to guarantee.

I’d like to hear the details of the meeting, but unfortunately, I don’t have the time or the luxury.

"Then, I’ll take my leave."

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Ki Yeong. And I apologize again for the rudeness earlier."

"No, I’m the one who’s sorry."

I need to turn today’s ridiculous lies into the truth.

‘Cha Hee-ra...’

Literally.

I was too soft. Anything can happen on this continent.

Even a successful person like Kim Hyun-sung could suddenly die, and a crazy old man might be plotting against me.

Relying solely on our party seems risky.

‘I need a backup.’

I think it’s time to have a backup to prepare for any unforeseen situations.