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The corner of the man’s lips twitched slightly as he listened to the report with an impassive face. The subordinate, whose cheek was flushed red, continued the report but stopped abruptly upon seeing his superior’s face.

“I apologize.”

“Continue.”

The subordinate, gauging his superior’s mood, reluctantly opened his mouth.

“I will soon go and take his head… Until then, take good care of your neck…”

The man stood up from his seat without a word and slowly approached his subordinate. The subordinate trembled like an aspen leaf, watching his superior approach.

The man gently stroked the subordinate’s cheek and then suddenly jabbed his finger into the wound. Bright red blood trickled down the man’s finger.

“Ugh… I apologize.”

The man continued to poke at the wound as if he found it amusing, and the subordinate trembled but desperately tried not to move, as if any movement would lead to instant death.

After poking at the wound for a while, the man waved his hand, and the subordinate stumbled back and left the room.

“Interesting.”

The man nonchalantly wiped his bloody finger on his clothes and sat down on the head seat, looking at the others.

There were three more subordinates in the room.

“What do you think?”

One of the subordinates who had been silently observing until now answered.

“It seems that Bulrai has caught on.”

“Will he really come?”

“He’s a fool… but he trembled before the House Head. He won’t come on his own.”

“So?”

“Perhaps he’s thinking of causing a ruckus in Bayern and then running away.”

“Bulrai, using his head?”

“There’s an old man in the branch who knows how to strategize.”

The man’s lips curled into a smile, his face expressionless, then suddenly burst into a grotesque laugh.

“This is amusing. It’s been too long since Bulrai has seen me. That boisterous fellow is now begging for death.”

“…”

For a long while, only the man’s laughter filled the House Head’s room at the Dark Soul headquarters.

The man, who had been deep in thought with his chin resting on his hand, raised his head and looked at another subordinate.

There was a woman who didn’t seem to fit in with the atmosphere of this place.

Surprisingly, a warm light shone in the man’s eyes, which had been expressionless until now.

“Daisy.”

“Yes, House Head.”

A clear voice echoed.

“I think it would be best for the First Vice-Commander to take on this task.”

“Speak freely.”

“Go and take care of Bulrai. It seems difficult to just keep watching.”

“Should I bring back his head?”

“Absorb the entire Khaoto branch under your command and wait. Stay at the branch until I give you further orders.”

For a fleeting moment, a subtle expression crossed the woman’s face.

“Are you saying I shouldn’t return?”

“Yes. This is an important task, I can’t just assign anyone to it. I hope Vice-Commander Daisy understands. It’s a shame I won’t be able to see you for a while, but it can’t be helped. I’ll give you a big reward when this is over, so look forward to it.”

“A big reward?”

“You can look forward to it if things go well.”

“Just the thought excites me.”

Daisy, her cheeks flushed and her head bowed in embarrassment, muttered inwardly.

‘That fucking bastard.’

Daisy truly wanted to grind Shepiro’s face into dust.

His intention was clear.

He was telling her to get lost to Khaoto.

It meant that while she was stuck in the backwater of Khaoto, he would absorb all of her influence here at the headquarters.

‘Should I really kill him?’

Daisy clenched her teeth, suppressing the rising anger within her.

It was understandable, as Dark Soul was practically a force that Daisy herself had built. With all sorts of people flocking to Leon, she protected the locals and collected tributes, sometimes even safeguarding merchants for a fee.

Strictly speaking, it might not have been a noble endeavor, but Daisy didn’t dwell on it. That’s how the world worked, after all.

Legitimate demand and legitimate supply.

In fact, during the previous House Head’s reign, Dark Soul was insignificant, but it grew rapidly after the meddlesome Daisy joined.

However, things started to go awry after Shepiro appeared.

It wasn’t strange that Shepiro killed the former House Head and seized the position. Killing and being killed were common occurrences in this world.

The problem was that Shepiro had no sense of moderation. He tripled the tributes under the guise of protection fees, and later, he demanded exorbitant sums from both locals and merchants, sums they couldn’t possibly afford.

If merchants refused protection due to the burdensome fees, he wouldn’t hesitate to threaten or even kill them as an example.

Fear and oppression.

Daisy had seen all sorts of things, but even she felt that his actions were crossing the line.

Indeed, Dark Soul’s notoriety grew, and the nearby merchant alliance, unable to stand it any longer, even put a bounty on Shepiro’s head, despite the risk.

In truth, Daisy had contemplated killing Shepiro countless times. But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t guarantee success.

The problem was that she couldn’t accurately gauge his skills.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen bounty hunters trying to assassinate House Head Shepiro only to be killed themselves.

‘Let’s wait for now.’

In any case, Shepiro had feelings for her.

Daisy decided to wait until the right moment arrived. Hiding her true intentions while using her appearance to her advantage was Daisy’s specialty.

Therefore, Daisy…

When this task was completed and Shepiro’s heart was completely broken…

That was when she would strike.

‘Just you wait, you fucking bastard.’

Daisy looked at Shepiro with a bright smile.

* * *

Early in the morning, after a good night’s sleep, I went down to the first floor, and there was Donkey, diligently cleaning the dining hall as usual.

“Good morning!”

“Wow, you’re up early.”

With the recent increase in customers, he should be tired, but Donkey was truly a diligent man. Suddenly, a nostalgic feeling washed over me, and I picked up a broom lying in the corner and started sweeping the floor.

“What are you doing, Ruin?”

“Take it easy. We can’t have the future world’s greatest chef collapsing from overwork.”

Donkey replied with a laugh.

“Just leave it, I’m almost done anyway.”

While cleaning, I noticed the wind chime and asked, “By the way, why did you hang the wind chime here? Was it Zion’s idea?”

“I asked him to. I thought it looked pretty. The outer wall is a bit plain, and I thought hanging it in the dining hall would make it easier for people to find us.”

I thought for a moment and then nodded. As I continued sweeping the floor with the broom, Donkey, who had been watching me, said, “Wow, you’re good at cleaning.”

“Cleaning is a wizard’s basic skill.”

It wasn’t an empty compliment.

If physical strength is the foundation of magic, then cleaning is the foundation of a wizard.

Even in my past life, the first thing I did after joining Samael was to clean the training grounds.

Wake up and clean, eat breakfast and clean, train in the morning and clean, eat lunch and clean, eat dinner and clean, keep cleaning…

In short, I was a master of cleaning. It was almost the end of cleaning when I heard someone coughing outside.

I went out to see Garlic and Greed standing guard next to the main entrance of the dining hall, half asleep.

“What are you guys doing here?”

“Oh, we were standing guard.”

“Why are you standing guard? There’s no one around. And why are you guys nodding off if you’re supposed to be on guard?”

“Oh, that’s because…”

Dark circles were visible under Garlic and Greed’s eyes.

“The, snoring…”

“Ah.”

It seemed they barely slept, sharing a room with Zion. While I felt a bit sorry for them, I heard someone stretching inside.

“Yawn. Ah, I slept well. Donkey, you’re here early. Shall we start the day fresh?”

I nodded and called Zion, and he approached, wiggling his hips.

“Oh, boss, you’re up early. Huh? Why are you guys out here?”

I tapped the back of Zion’s head and said, “Go back now.”

“Huh?”

“Go back to your family.”

Zion suddenly took a step back and said with a determined expression.

“No. I have to protect the business. What if those thugs come looking for me when they find out I’m gone?”

“It’s okay. They all became mercenaries now.”

“No, just in case.”

I approached Zion with a smile and said,

“Our business owner seems to have lost his mind lately. He started as an employee and now he’s really become one. You’re enjoying every day, aren’t you? How about a duel here?”

Zion quickly stepped back and replied, “…I’ll just take my backpack.”

A moment later, Zion came out with his backpack, wiping his eyes and saying goodbye to Donkey.

“Donkey, thank you for everything. I’ll miss you. Please take care even without me, and be sure to send my regards to the ladies who come looking for me. Until I return, stay healthy and live long!”

I hit the back of Zion’s head and said,

“Stop being sentimental and go, you idiot. And take these guys with you.”

I looked at Garlic and Greed and said,

“You two will receive special treatment, even among the mercenaries. From now on, Garlic and Greed are the gatekeepers of Samael. The gatekeepers are the face of the family. You understand?”

The two shouted energetically with courage.

“Yes!”

After Zion and the two gatekeepers left, I finally went back inside the restaurant and sat down next to Donkey.

Donkey spoke with a hint of regret in his voice, “Zion was a decent employee.”

“Decent, my foot. If we kept him as an employee, he would’ve tried to climb the ladder. If you’re short-handed, just find another diligent kid to hire.”

Donkey nodded and headed into the kitchen, saying, “How about a bowl of stew? It’ll be a while before the customers arrive.”

“Sounds good. I was getting hungry anyway.”

Soon, a steaming chicken stew was served.

The savory aroma of the stew filled the air.

Today, it was a white broth with boiled chicken. I took a spoonful, and the warm broth with just the right amount of seasoning warmed my insides.

“How is it? I made it less spicy since it’s morning.”

I gave a thumbs-up and savored the stew slowly. After a few spoonfuls, I noticed a strange woman outside the restaurant, looking around.

‘That’s odd.’

Perhaps it was her unusual attire, but my eyes kept following her.

She wore a thin black martial arts uniform that revealed her curves and a mask that covered her lower face.

Moreover, she had small sheaths on both sides of her waist, designed for daggers, judging by their length.

‘Who is she?’

The woman entered the restaurant and approached me.

“Let me ask you something. Where’s the Dark Soul branch located?”

Just from the way she spoke informally to a stranger, I knew she wasn’t ordinary, so I responded in my own way.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

As the woman tilted her head in confusion, Donkey’s voice came from the kitchen.

“What are you muttering about, Ruin? Did a customer come in?”

Donkey came out of the kitchen and flinched, taking a step back upon seeing the woman’s attire.

“Are you the owner?”

“Yes, I am.”

The woman looked at Donkey and me, tilting her head once as if she found us strange.

“The people here are a bit odd. Well, that’s not important. Do you happen to know where the Dark Soul is located?”

“I’m not sure of the exact location.”

“No one seems to know.”

The woman headed straight outside but then stopped abruptly, turned back, and made intense eye contact with me.

Hmm, now that I look closely…

‘Oh, this is troublesome.’

I unconsciously looked away with a melancholic expression. The woman walked gracefully towards me and stopped right in front of me, then spoke towards the kitchen.

“Owner, can I have a bowl of stew before I go? It smells delicious.”

“Of course. Please have a seat and wait a moment.”

A moment later, the stew was served, and the woman took a spoonful, her expression slightly surprised.

“You’re quite skilled.”

“Haha, thank you. If you come in the evening, you can also try the spicy one. That’s my specialty.”

Without any further comment, the woman finished the stew and approached Donkey.

“How much is it?”

“10 silvers, oh, no. 20 silvers, please.”

The woman narrowed her eyes and replied, “Are you kidding me?”

Donkey quickly explained, “I apologize. I recently started this business, and I haven’t adjusted the prices yet. It’s 20 silver.”

“Why would you double the price? Are you trying to rip me off?”

“Of course not. I originally intended to charge 10 silver. But because of the tribute, I have no choice.”

“…”

“The tribute is a bit expensive. Haha.”

“…They’re taking tributes that are as much as the food itself.”

Come to think of it, Donkey didn’t know that I had taken over the Dark Soul mercenary group.

“What the fuck…”

The woman, frowning deeply and cursing, took out a gold coin from her inner pocket and tossed it to Donkey.

“Thank you. The change is…”

“Keep it.”

The woman disappeared outside in an instant without looking back.

Lost in thought for a moment, I watched the women’s receding figure.

———