Episode 19. A leisurely cup of coffee. (One)
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One.
Murmur.
“Who really conquered the 10th floor?”
“I keep watching the news, but it doesn’t come up. “There is nothing but gossip…”
“Aren’t you deliberately hiding it from Black Dragon? “If it is revealed dramatically later…”
“ah. “I heard you have solid sword skills!”
A city on the first floor of the tower. Babylon was in an uproar.
People were happy that the impregnable 10th floor had finally been conquered. And we gathered at an outdoor cafe and chatted about who the secret, yet-to-be-revealed attacker might be.
How will they react?
“Hmm.”
When you find out that the person sitting right next to you is the one who broke through the 10th floor.
“It’s sweet.”
I said while sucking on my caramel macchiato. Outdoor cafe. This cafe, located across from the Sangryun headquarters, was the only Starbucks in Babylon.
Even though it is a tower where people cannot leave once they enter, I once again admired the spirit of challenge that led them to open a chain store here. There was even a franchise with a red-nosed clown and a generous old man as their representative mascots.
ah. What is human desire?
“What do you think, Mr. Geomje? Isn’t victory so sweet? Actually, I think I can taste the sweetness just by drinking espresso right now. yes?”
-······.
“Ugh. Are these earphones broken? That’s strange. “I can’t hear you answer.”
I took out the earphones from my ears and tapped them. Of course, no sound came from the earphones.
A simple gimmick.
If you just talk to yourself without anything, you’ll look like a crazy person, so put on earphones and pretend to talk to someone. This worked pretty well. No one in the cafe looked at me strangely.
“Mr. Geomje? Geomje nobleman? Hey, Mr. Psychopath. “Hey, crazy guy?”
-···OK.
“oh my. I can finally hear it now. I was worried that you were deaf again. Tsk tsk, you’re making Confucius, who is like the sky, worried. “Humans can’t do that.”
-······.
“Oh right. You were a ghost, not a human. I forgot because I was stupid. really! It’s Geomje. Can we leave it alone now? You call me Confucius, but it’s a little weird when I use the honorific. right?”
-Mr…foot…
Bae Hu-ryeong, who was floating across the table, was shaking his shoulders.
-I have never been humiliated like this in my life… Emperor… How could I, who was praised as the King of the Sword, die and cause such a catastrophe…?
“Ugh. Just kidding, kidding. Anyway, even if I were called Confucius, would I talk to Hunter, who is much older than me? Of course you can let it go. There is, though. Just for the sake of my character, I will continue to call you Mr. Geomje. how is it? Are you satisfied?”
-Just kill me!
Bae Hu-ryeong cried.
-Acquire a new skill and overwrite it in the [Sword Constellation] slot! 그럼 되잖아, 개새끼야! Better kill me!
“no. This guy is saying he’s going to be in big trouble. Aren’t we partners in name and name, partners? Friends for life. Best friend! Who in the world kills their best friend? “We will be together forever.”
-Uh huh huh. it’s okay···. I won’t say anything. Marcus Grandfather. I want to go back to my grandfather…
Ah, it’s sweet.
I looked up at the sky while drinking coffee.
[22:32:50]
The clock in the sky showed that an hour and a half had already passed.
That’s when I thought, “It’s about time.”
-Meow.
“hmm?”
A brown-haired cat crawled over. Even though he was a stray cat, he was well-groomed. What’s unusual is that instead of a bell, he wears two gold coins around his neck?
“······.”
gulp.
I wondered for a moment how to deal with it.
‘Golden cat.’
-huh?
‘Golden cat. Very famous… Ah. People don’t know now.’
This cat was no ordinary pet.
After about 5 years, it was a mascot that would solidify into a proper noun.
‘···I never expected such a big man to come visit me in person.’
For now, I have no choice but to pretend not to know.
I calmly looked down at the cat. While managing your facial expressions.
“Are you lost?”
-Meow.
The brown cat nuzzled its head against my leg. I was shocked inside. If you saw it without knowing its identity, it was a real cat that was friendly to people.
“Would you like to stay with your brother for a little while until your master comes looking for you?”
-Nyaaa.
“Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.”
I picked up the cat and placed it on my lap. The brown cat curled up peacefully in my lap, as if it had been aiming for this place from the beginning. Isn’t it even meow-yawning while crying?
‘They say he’s crazy about cats. ‘You have tremendous acting skills.’
I stuck my tongue out in my mind and stroked the cat’s head.
-Nyaowong.
As I was listening to the cat purring for a while, a group of hunters approached the cafe. One of them spoke to me first.
“excuse me. “Is your name Gongja Kim?”
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“hmm.”
Even at a quick glance, the equipment was magnificent. They weren’t some idiots. If not the guild leader, then at least an officer. Such people flocked to the outdoor cafe.
I took out my ID card with one hand and showed it.
“I was wondering how long it would take. “It takes just 1 hour and 30 minutes.”
“······!”
The hunters’ eyes wavered when they saw my ID. The agitation spread. The hunters quickly took out their smartphones and started contacting someone.
“yes. “I found it!”
“At the cafe right across from the bank…”
“no. All the other guilds gathered together… yes. yes “I understand, Colonel.”
“Do not worry. “I will never let it be taken away by another guild!”
It’s literally the calm before the storm.
I happily watched what was happening right in front of me.
‘Do you feel like a complete VIP?’
-what. Most guilds will be eager to recruit you. You cleared the 10th floor by yourself, which no one else could clear. Then you are a real VIP.
‘hmm. but. Even those who cleared up to the 99th floor are treated with respect, calling them Confucius, but it is a bit strange if they are not VIPs.’
-f*ck! f*ck! Shibaal!
The hunters ended the call one by one.
And they all looked at me with tense faces.
As we waited to see which guild would step forward first, a large blonde hunter took a step forward.
“I am the head of the personnel team of the vigilante guild. Gongja Kim Hunter. As you know, the Vigilantes are the most honorable guild in Babylon. “If you would join our guild…!”
“Please wait a moment.”
I raised my hand. The head of the vigilante personnel team paused.
“I’m really sorry for interrupting you. But let’s make two things clear before we talk.”
“······.”
“first. “Please don’t leak it to the media yet.”
I looked around at the hunters carefully. I can guarantee that among these hunters, there will not be a single one with a lower rank than me. These are hunters who would not have dared to look up in the old days before the regression.
But I wasn’t put off at all.
performance!
Because I have the achievement of being the first human being to reach the top 10 floors.
This was like a monumental tower that no one could damage, regardless of whether its rank was high or not.
The more capable a hunter was, the more important performance was considered. If they are really capable, they can’t treat me carelessly.
“If my name is leaked to the media by any guild, I will never sign a contract with that guild. I won’t even interact with you. Please keep that in mind.”
“that···. Uh, until when?”
Another hunter raised his hand and asked.
“Now, Hwanmun Newspaper reporters are going to all kinds of guilds… Gongja Kim. “I honestly can’t tell you with confidence how much we can hide this even if we do.”
“Well, I’m not asking you to hide it for long.”
I pointed to the sky.
The hunters also looked upward.
[22:25:31]
“Just until today. “Please keep the embargo until the clock shows 00:00:00.”
“ah! yes. If it gets there, somehow… All right.”
The hunters breathed a sigh of relief.
I smiled.
‘You can’t get hit on by reporters for nothing. ‘I have to rush to the 11th floor as soon as it opens.’
I opened my mouth again.
“This is the first condition. Then the second time-.”
“······.”
The hunters looked at me with stern expressions. He seemed nervous about how difficult the conditions would be this time.
I grinned and pointed around.
“-This is a public place, so let’s be considerate of other guests.”
“yes?”
“Can’t you feel the guests looking here? “Everyone is shocked because you suddenly come in droves.”
I was right.
Other customers sitting at the outdoor cafe were peeking in this direction. Gossip and gossip. Most of the guests were whispering and looking at me suspiciously. There was even a customer who seemed to be secretly using his smartphone to take pictures.
“It’s a nuisance.”
“······.”
“I can guess that everyone is busy looking for me, but let’s take it slow. “It’s not like I’m going to run away anywhere.”
“Excuse me, sir.”
The hunters belatedly came to their senses and dispersed to the surrounding area.
“sorry. “I can’t tell you the circumstances, but if you please leave…”
“Owner. “I’d like to rent this cafe for an hour. How much would it cost?”
“Everyone, thank you for your understanding! “If you come to Cheonmumun later, I’ll thank you separately…”
Indeed, the executives of the large guilds were different.
It took 5 minutes to bow to the customers and rent the store from the owner. In less than five minutes, the cafe was completely empty.
“Ego.”
We went from outside to inside the cafe and resumed our conversation.
“Then let’s start negotiations. “Tell me the conditions.”
Interestingly enough, each hunter was holding a coffee cup in each hand. Everyone ordered coffee when I asked if it was a nuisance. It’s cute.
“···Our vigilante group proposes a down payment of 10,000 gold.”
That was the starting point.
“10,000 gold? Oh my. It’s a place like this that makes you look poor. Gongja Kim Hunter! Please join the adventure club. “I promise you 20,000 gold as a down payment, plus a position as an executive.”
“Please come to Cheonmu Gate. Hunter. Our guild is a professional guild that trains the most upright combat hunters in Babylon. “I will take you as an instructor right away and give you a down payment of 25,000 gold.”
“A position like an instructor is just a nuisance. Think carefully. Gongja Kim Hunter! If you join our pantheon, we will guarantee you an honorary position. To be honest, I hope you will take on the role of promoting the pantheon both internally and externally. “The down payment is 30,000 gold, and each transaction is separate…!”
“Administrative Bureau! Please come as a public relations ambassador for the Bureau!”
fuss.
The HR managers desperately wooed him. I also understood their position. Until now, all of the top guilds must have been pressured by the name ‘Sword Saint’, knowingly or unknowingly.
No. 1 in the rankings where children are independent without joining any guilds!
Because such a being exists, people start thinking. Is there really a need to join a guild? In the end, Hunter said solo play would be the right answer…
‘It’s just that the swordsmanship is special.’
The image of the guilds will definitely take a hit.
‘In this situation, a new hero has been born who will cause as much attention as Sword Saint?’
I smiled.
‘We must recruit them by any means possible.’
At least make sure to prevent it from being taken over by another guild!
Such an order was probably given to HR managers. It was obvious.
“Now, the vigilantes… can give you 36,000 gold as a down payment…”
“That’s right. The poor guild should take a step back. yes?”
“What do you mean, let’s compete for 1,000 gold pieces now? “Can’t you understand the atmosphere?”
“In our pension castle…!”
It was that time.
“Sangryeon(商聯).”
A heavy voice rang out from somewhere.
“500,000 gold.”
“······.”
The hunters all turned their heads. The place their eyes were directed at was none other than my knees. To be exact, it was a cat curled up on my lap.
The cat meowed and then jumped up. Even when it hit my knee, the cat’s hind paws were like the soft paws of an animal. But not in time for him to land on the cafe floor. The cat’s hind feet suddenly became human shoes, and they stepped on the floor with ease.
“500,000 gold as a down payment alone. “If you want, I’ll hand it to you right now.”
The person looked back. Jinglang. The two gold coins hanging from the necklace made a clear sound as they hit each other.
“And I will give you the position of vice-guild leader of Sangryun.”
Hunter ranking 3rd.
Guild leader of the Merchant Union. Count (爵).
“Vice-guild leader for 500,000 gold. “How about it?”
A woman with the [Transformation] skill said with a grin. Although she may have been over 40, she looked like she was in her 20s. She must have obtained the finest elixir of immortality and drinks it every day.
He was a hunter with overwhelming wealth in the tower.
“hmm.”
If it were me before, I would never have met a big person.
I tried to keep my composure and smiled.
“Now the negotiations have become more like negotiations.”
The first stage of ransom negotiations is over.
etc,
