Chapter 24

Chapter 24

“Looks like you’re just a kid after all.”

Minors weren’t allowed to accept contracts from the mercenary guild. If it were discovered that a minor had been employed, the guild would be suspended and shut down without reconsideration.

There was no need for the guild to take such risks. This was a place where desperate humans flocked, offering their lives for a chance at work, and boys full of bravado but ignorant of the ways of the world often botched jobs.

Even if a minor with exceptional skills like Valen completed a contract perfectly, they were not guaranteed to receive any payment.

Valen pulled his hand free and flipped his hood back over his head.

“Isn’t it enough to just do the job well?”

“Oh… hiding that face and voice under a hood.”

The broker scrutinized Valen’s face with eyes buried in fat-laden eyelids. Despite the unfavorable situation, Valen glared back fiercely without a hint of fear.

This one’s a real find, a real gem. The broker had been in this business for over 30 years. His snake-like greed quickly sensed an opportunity.

“No matter how good you are, I can’t give a minor the payment.”

When the broker hid the pouch under the table, Valen’s eyes wavered for the first time.

“For two years, I’ve been taking on the jobs others threw away. There’s no chance of getting caught, and certainly no one will report it.”

“So, you’ve been deceiving me for two years.”

“I had no other intention. I just needed the money.”

“Is there anyone here who isn’t crazy about money?”

“What do you want?”

“I like how quick you are to catch on.”

Valen wanted to rip off the broker’s smirking lips. He knew the broker was trying to swallow him whole with his dirty mouth open wide, but he was in a helpless situation. He had nothing, and the responsibilities he had to take care of were waiting for him, so he had to do something.

“There are many jobs that can’t be publicly announced. Guys like you who are full of energy are doing the hard work for us. We’re not just sitting around making money. When things go wrong, the risk is all on us. If you guys die, that’s it. So, the commission is a bit high…”

“Just get to the point.”

“10%. 10% of the job payment is yours.”

Valen’s teeth clenched. Those were scoundrels. But there was no place for a poor orphan from a poor kingdom to rely on. Jobs were scarce, and even selling his organs would only get him a pittance. The broker knew that this unfair proposal was the only way for Valen to make money.

  *

As expected, illegal jobs poured in.

Among them, the broker actively recommended Valen to serve as an ornament for nobles. This could last from half a day to until just before adulthood. There wouldn’t be any particularly hard tasks, but his life wouldn’t be guaranteed.

Valen didn’t bother asking what the job entailed.

The tasks he had to do were all dangerous and disgusting anyway. He didn’t want to choose a plaything just to satisfy the broker’s base desires.

‘Tsk. You don’t know how to make money. If you don’t want it, fine. But don’t regret it. You turned it down.’

The broker acted as if becoming a noble’s plaything was some sort of great privilege. Valen had seen too much to fall for such shameless incitement.

Valen had been conscripted into foreign wars and spent about half a year on the open sea, guarding a merchant ship. He couldn’t rest for a moment due to the constant threat of pirates.

He hadn’t received payment for that job, but he figured that whatever job fell into his hands, there couldn’t be anything worse.

However, Valen was speechless for a while after receiving the contract.

The errands for nobles blinded by forbidden sorcery were full of dubious tasks. What was this forbidden sorcery, and what kind of dirty work did it entail?

Although his mind was filled with question marks, Valen headed to the location of the contract. Since he already accepted it, there was no turning back.

Upon arriving at the site of the job, Valen immediately realized what he was supposed to do.

“Ugh– uaackk!”

A wind carrying a strong scent of blood blew past him. Naked people, in utter panic, poured out of the mansion’s chapel. Valen drew his sword from his waist and walked into the open chapel.

“……”

Countless corpses, spilled guts oozing out of burst flesh, and blood strangely spouting towards the ceiling. Valen, who had eaten and slept among many dead bodies, felt chills the moment he saw this place of complete and horrific annihilation. White smoke rose above the carelessly placed candles on the floor.

Suddenly, the stifling heat of the summer night dissipated, and a frigid cold set in, causing each exhaled breath to turn into a cloud of mist. Valen’s hand, gripping the sword, trembled slightly, whether from the cold or fear.

It was a bizarre murder scene. The only living beings were Valen and the creature rummaging through the corpses… no, it was a monster.

Despite the lack of wind, its gray hair fluttered. With a skeletal frame, it sifted through the pile of bodies. It was definitely a monster. It resembled the creature that had killed Valen’s parents, but it wasn’t exactly the same. This one didn’t eat humans.

Thud. As Valen instinctively took half a step back, his heel struck something heavy. It was a corpse with half its head blown off.

At the small sound, the monster snapped its head up. Before Valen could even brace himself, the creature flew at him with incredible speed. Its hand curled into a sharp point like an awl and plunged toward Valen’s face.

“Ugh…!”

He barely managed to prevent his face from being pierced, but his right hand was impaled. The intense pain seared through his nerves, spreading a numbing sensation to his brain.

Valen kicked the monster in the abdomen with all his strength. With a scream, it spat blood from its mouth and was thrown backward.

Valen clutched his mangled hand and gripped his sword.

  *

“Is that thing really dead?”

“Look at this guy, it’s been torn apart like a rag doll, and you’re asking how it’s still alive? It’s like you’re asking me to put it in a stew and boil it for dinner.”

“Don’t make such a horrific joke. That thing’s belly was full, and it brought us ten sacrifices in one day. Ugh. I should have reported it to the mercenary guild earlier.”

Four elderly men, seemingly experienced, collected the corpses in the chapel. They worked efficiently, as if they had done this many times before, without needing anyone to direct them.

“What about that thing?”

“What’s with the questions? Let’s just burn it together.”

Valen was slumped against the wall of the chapel, his head hung low, and blood dripping from his wounded area. The wooden stake had pierced his shoulder and abdomen, but he didn’t have the energy to react.

The old man knelt down and gazed intently at Valen’s face.

“He’s got a big build, but his face still reeks of milk. Could it be that this kid took down that demon?”

“Then he must have done it! Don’t waste time and get to work!”

“Just a minute. Is this guy still alive?! He’s breathing!”

“If you’re just going to keep dawdling, move aside! I’ll take care of it. He’s already useless, with a hand that’s as good as trash, unable to even hold a cup.”

Just as another worker was about to grab Valen’s ankle,

“Woof!”

a scruffy puppy suddenly popped out of a bag lying on the floor and bit the worker’s hand.

“You d-mn dog!”

“Hahaha! Serves you right.”

Blood had burst into Valen’s irises. His vision was tinged with red. While the workers bickered, an intense battle raged within him.

Get up, you have to get up. It’s a life where you’re discarded if you lose your usefulness.

If he couldn’t stand on his own two feet here, he’d suffer for nothing and receive no payment.

Valen focused his mind and exhaled slowly and deeply. Then, he gathered all his remaining strength, furrowing his brow with effort.

Despite staggering, he finally managed to stand up, and the workers looked up at him with astonished eyes. They said something to him, but he couldn’t hear it.