Chapter 7

Immediately after that, the police came and took away the three pirate uncles.

The uncles had all been laid off and, after being mocked and divorced by their wives and children, they decided to become pirates. They pooled their money to buy an asteroid residence and a combat ship.

It was a sad story, or something like that...

Perhaps it wasn't good that they succeeded on their first try...

After that, they probably got a taste for it.

Well, at least they didn't kill everyone like some vicious gang.

The amount they stole was small, so it probably wouldn't be too bad.

While talking about this with Loanz, the old man at the mercenary guild's reception, as I came to collect my reward, he sighed deeply and said,

"The world is harsh..."

Still, if this were a protagonist's story,

the pirates would be three beautiful sisters,

originally the daughters of a large, prestigious pirate leader,

who, after being betrayed by their subordinates and nearly killed for refusing to become their women,

survived thanks to a loyal subordinate's desperate actions,

and were gathering funds to take revenge on the traitors.

Furthermore, some special exception would be granted, and the three sisters would become the protagonist's partners.

That's how it would go.

Before I even started to report on the job, there was something that caught my attention.

"So, what about that?"

It was a scene where dozens of mercenaries were surrounding and confronting a VIP.

"There was a request for a group of fifty, right? The client only paid one person, and apparently gave that one person the entire amount that should have been paid to everyone. The client, a marquis's daughter, told those who didn't get paid, 'You didn't get paid because you didn't do a trustworthy job!'"

I couldn't believe my ears.

Gathering so many people and not paying them was definitely a serious issue!

Probably the marquis's daughter favored someone and made up an excuse to favor them.

"That's a big deal! Did the guild protest?"

"The client is from a marquis family. They wouldn't listen."

I'm glad I didn't take that job.

"Avoid taking jobs for nobles unless it's combat," a senior mercenary once told me.

"So, the guild's bigwig who assigned that job is being blamed?"

"Yeah, something like that."

The bigwig, who was responsible for assigning the job, was being yelled at by various mercenaries.

"Did the favored hero quit being a mercenary and become the marquis's daughter's personal guard?"

I was sure it was that hero.

"No, he apparently said, 'I am a mercenary. There are others I need to save,' and turned it down."

"Didn't the client get angry?"

"The lady is apparently head over heels for that hero. She was impressed rather than angry."

Protagonists are different, indeed.

Normally, if you defy a noble's request, you could be charged with a ridiculous crime like disrespect.

But because the noble's daughter is infatuated with him and likes his personality and appearance, he's forgiven.

If I were a nobody, I might be executed on the spot.

But I wouldn't even be favored in the first place, so I'm safe.

Still, if he's going to say that, he should have suggested paying everyone properly!

Didn't he think the reward amount was off?

"By the way, I don't see the hero who got the reward?"

"He probably left before being surrounded."

Protagonists have everything, even time and the flow of people, on their side.

Still, I can understand why the marquis's daughter likes that hero.

He's the kind of handsome guy who embodies every girl's ideal.

Not many people can exude that level of cleanliness.

There's nothing good for a nobody like me to get involved with such a perfect hero.

It's best to stay away.

"It's done."

By the time I finished, the payment process was complete.

Even after deducting the handling fee for the asteroid residence and combat ship, a decent amount of money came in.

"Alright, I'll come back for more work after a short break."

"Sure, see you later."

Thus, I collected my reward and left the mercenary guild.

After finishing a job, I usually wander around an anime shop before heading home, but there's something I need to do first.

Sending money to my parents.

I chose to be a mercenary for this very reason.

The reason I chose to be a mercenary was that in high school, I was deceived by a teacher and forced to join a mercenary group.

At that time, not just me, but also delinquents and introverts, who had problems with their grades, personalities, and lives, were gathered under the pretense of a special camp to prevent failing and were forced to join the mercenary group.

In reality, they were brought in to increase the number of members and boost the reward from clients, and to serve as shields for regular members, with all their salaries going into the teacher's pocket.

During that operation, 37 out of 40 people, including me, died, either because they were overly optimistic about being mercenaries or because they were used as shields or decoys.

The two who survived besides me were the ones who performed heroically.

I survived by not being overly optimistic and by staying in the corner of the battlefield, just as I do now.

Playing dogfighting shooters and first-person shooters might have helped me survive.

Immediately after that operation, the corrupt teacher and the mercenary group were arrested.

The teacher, who showed no remorse, was quickly sentenced to death.

After that, my high school life passed uneventfully, but just before the college entrance exams, my father quit his job to start farming, so I couldn't go to college.

I knew he was actually unfairly fired, so I didn't complain.

With my college plans suddenly derailed, I chose to become a mercenary.

My grades weren't outstanding, and my appearance made it hard to get a regular part-time job.

One reason might be that a kind senior mercenary, who was from a different faction than the corrupt teacher, told me,

"Surviving is the best result, no matter the outcome. You'll make a good mercenary."

My parents are currently living happily on the planet Tabor, where my father was born, farming.

It's tough, but they're doing well.

Anyway, I decided to go to the nearest bank and transfer money to my parents' account via ATM.

I have a rule to send one-third of each reward to my parents.

This time, the reward for the job was 400,000 credits, but the uncles' ship was worth 5.6 million credits.

So, I sent 2 million credits, which is one-third of the total.

Last time, the reward was about 3 million credits for a salvage operation, so I sent 1 million.

I thought about sending half, but it's better to keep some funds for unexpected situations.

After sending the money, I decided to go to the anime shop to buy some novels to read during my commute and new anime data software.

However, on the way, I saw someone I didn't want to see.

Rior Burnnext, who was deceived with me and joined the mercenary group, but unlike me, performed heroically and survived.

He's a handsome guy, kind to everyone, serious, and strong-willed, with excellent grades and athletic abilities, and no flaws.

And, as is common with such people, he's stubborn and overly kind.

That's why I don't like him.

I tried to leave before he noticed me, but unfortunately, he did.

"Hey, John Uzos. How long do you plan to keep being a mercenary?"

I usually avoid him, but sometimes I think I should interact with him.

I consider having one persistent, beautiful person to deal with, but I'll pass on humans.

I already have a candidate, though...

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