Chapter 30: Guests from the Guild (2)
Jeten Swordsmanship Guild.
A guild based in the Kain Kingdom in the southern part of the continent, it was a sizable organization exerting influence over three cities.
Compared to swordsmanship halls that uphold the beliefs of heroes or swordsmanship families of noble birth, it had fewer restrictions and rules, resulting in a large number of members, and it was a group that would do anything if it involved money.
The reason their guild elites came all the way here was also because of money.
It was to extort profits from Eddy…… no, the Harang Family, which had seized control of the back alleys of the Commercial City Marzen.
‘If that Travion guy had just done well, we could have extracted much more profit, damn him.’
The image of the guy making promises came to mind.
His words, promising that if they provided sufficient support, he would ensure they gained several times the profit through tribute payments, were still clearly remembered.
However, as you can see, the result was a mess, and thus they were put in a situation where they had to renegotiate with the final victor.
Of course, it was just a little bothersome; they didn't think it would be a very difficult task.
What kind of place was the Jeten Swordsmanship Guild?
It was a military group composed of hundreds of swordsmen.
Of course, since Marzen wasn't their base, there were limits to the influence they could exert, but it was clear they were an overwhelming opponent for a mere few dozen to face.
Even the most foolish gangsters wouldn't be ignorant of this.
Sure enough, Eddy, the former boss of the family, and the guy who seemed to be the advisor, were sweating profusely from the start, continuing the conversation in a subservient manner.
In this situation, applying just a little pressure would likely resolve things smoothly.
That's right.
They had definitely thought so…….
“What is your business, Gangster sirs?”
“……”
“……”
Some crazy bastard had crawled into the meeting and was provoking them.
Against two elite swordsmen of the great Jeten Guild, no less.
“Your words are excessive.”
“Are they?”
“Yes. We are not gangsters. You, surely you know the renowned name of the Jeten Swordsmanship Guild?”
“I don’t know it.”
“……”
“If you’re not gangsters, I apologize. However, seeing these people looking so frightened, I couldn’t help but misunderstand.”
“What!”
“That never happened, Boss!”
This time, Eddy and Pale flared up, but as soon as their eyes met Harang's, they quickly quieted down with a cough.
Thus, silence fell.
Victor, the swordsman from the Jeten Guild, realizing that a strange atmosphere different from before had formed, let out a sigh.
‘I thought things were going well, but now I have to explain again because of this young boss brat.’
He had heard.
That the boss who had seized control of both Travion and the Eddy Family at once was a young man, so young he was practically a child, with black hair and black eyes.
A truly terrifyingly skilled individual.
Laughter escaped him.
Of course, becoming the head of a large organization at around the age of twenty was a great achievement, but still, he was just a gangster boss.
There were over ten skilled individuals of that level within the guild.
‘It seems he doesn’t know much about the world…… It would be better to talk while applying a bit more pressure.’
There was no thought of drawing his sword.
Causing a commotion within the city could put him in a difficult position too.
However, he felt he needed to clearly establish who was superior and who was inferior.
Having finished his thoughts, Victor opened his mouth.
“Since it seems you are the boss, let’s talk again.”
“I’m not the boss.”
“Hm?”
“Just an acquaintance of Mr. Eddy and Mr. Pale.”
“……Then why are you here?”
“Just continue with what you were saying. I heard about the Jeten Swordsmanship Guild earlier, so what’s the reason you came all this way?”
“……”
A flustered Victor looked at his colleague.
However, his colleague also had a look of not knowing what was going on, and soon, Victor felt displeased.
He felt like he was being mocked.
Wooooong-!
Unable to bear it, he released his presence.
As the Aura spread out like a dense water fog and encroached upon the room, Eddy's and Pale's complexions darkened.
It was clear evidence they were under pressure, yet the young boss brat still maintained an impassive face.
‘It’s only for a moment, though.’
Victor smirked.
It seemed he was desperately hiding his difficulty, pretending to be slightly more skilled.
It wasn't bad.
However, mental strength also had its limits, so it was obvious he would be exhausted by the end of the conversation.
Thinking that, he slowly began to state the reason for their visit…….
‘……What is this?’
There was no reaction.
Truly, not even the slightest reaction.
Despite deliberately changing the subject, speaking slowly, repeating himself, and continuing the pressure with his presence, the kid still maintained a calm expression, looking straight into his eyes.
‘How dare he!’
Victor, feeling displeased, slightly increased the output of his energy.
This was the limit of the power he could exert while pretending to continue the conversation leisurely.
But still, there was no reaction.
In the end, Harang's posture did not break until the entire conversation was over.
He just occasionally nodded his head to understand the content.
Thus, silence fell once again.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“……”
Eddy and Pale held their breath.
Victor, and the swordsman who had accompanied him as support, also remained silent, watching the young boss.
Harang remained unchanged.
Still with an expressionless face.
He continued his own thoughts with a solid atmosphere, as if wearing an iron mask, and no one dared to rush his next action.
About 1 minute passed like that.
Extremely short for some.
However, after a time that must have felt much longer to those gathered in the room had passed.
Finally, from Harang's mouth, who nodded his head, the same words as before flowed out.
“You are gangsters.”
“……!”
“This crazy brat……”
“I understood what you meant. The back alleys of Marzen are lands where significant profits can be made, and so there will be many aiming for it. Managing it with only the Eddy Family's strength would be quite difficult, so you will lend the name of the Jeten Guild. You want compensation for that…… Right?”
“……”
“……”
“I don't think there's a problem with the content itself. Give one, take one; that's the basis of a transaction. However…… if coercion and violence exist in the process of deciding that, then…… I think it's no different from gangsters collecting protection money from Merchants. Swordsmen of the Jeten Guild.”
At last, Harang's words came to an end.
The voice flowed out dryly, without highs or lows.
This was certainly no different from his usual self.
Eddy and Pale, who had watched him closely, knew best that the boss inherently had a personality that didn't reveal emotions.
But why?
The feeling that he currently seemed to be calmly expressing anger…… Was it just the two of them misinterpreting?
‘Somehow, today’s boss is…….’
‘Different…….’
Eddy and Pale felt their mouths drying up.
It wasn't just their story.
Victor, and the swordsman accompanying him, were the same.
As if conversely exposed to the opponent's Aura, they felt sweat dampening their backs.
‘No, this is different.’
Feeling sweat seeping into his palms, Victor clenched his fists.
It wasn't because he was angry.
Rather, it was to avoid being consumed by the atmosphere, by the presence naturally exuded by the person named Harang.
Surprisingly, this young boss showed the ability to suppress the atmosphere within the room without emitting energy like himself.
This was a feeling he had only experienced from a few powerful individuals, including the Guild Leader.
‘This…… I can’t win.’
Victor closed his eyes.
Various thoughts brushed past his mind, but the conclusion was one.
It couldn't be resolved at his level.
Huu, letting out a sigh, he gulped down the cold water placed on the table.
“Puha. Drank well. Heard the story well too.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. I understand my boss' intentions well, so let's withdraw around here for today.”
“The word ‘today’ means……”
“Ah, don't misunderstand. I merely report what I've seen and heard to my superiors; I'm not in a position to make decisions alone. If the higher-ups aren't convinced…… we might end up seeing each other again. Though I'd rather not.”
“……”
“Well then, it was nice meeting you. Farewell.”
With those words, Victor and the Jeten Guild swordsman promptly left their seats.
There wasn't a speck of lingering attachment in their departing backs.
Rather, they seemed filled with the desire to leave this place quickly.
At this, Eddy and Pale wore blank expressions.
Who was the Jeten Guild?
They were a group that grabbed every single money-making opportunity possible with swords, which meant their identity wasn't far removed from that of gangsters.
Harang's assessment, asking if they were gangsters from the start, wasn't far off the mark.
Yet, he sent such vicious guys back just through conversation?
No. It wasn't just sending them back.
Observing from the side, Harang had shown the ability to overwhelm two swordsmen, clearly Expert Mid-level, in a battle of presence.
‘How is this possible?’
‘Does this make sense?’
The gazes of the two gangsters turned to Harang.
Still an expressionless face.
However, seeing him looking subtly displeased, the two realized simultaneously.
Feeling it anew, this person…….
‘Is not of a gangster’s caliber!’
‘That’s not a gangster’s skill!’
Just as the two middle-aged men were looking at the twenty-year-old young man with sparkling eyes.
Harang, who had maintained silence ever since the Jeten Guild swordsmen left, belatedly opened his mouth.
“Don’t call me for things like this in the future.”
“Yes?”
“Pardon? Why do you say that, Boss Harang……”
“Don’t call me Boss either.”
“……”
“……”
“Didn't I say? I am not a gangster. I don't want to become a gangster.”
Harang nodded.
Now he understood. Why he felt bad.
Because he realized. That just like the Jeten Guild, the Eddy Family was also a wicked group that could never be justified.
Protecting Merchants from ruffians and receiving money in return?
It's rational. Harang himself had witnessed numerous instances of customer misconduct, so if there was an amicable agreement between the two parties, it could be a perfectly viable transaction.
However…….
‘If coercion and violence are involved in that process, the story changes.’
Harang recalled the gazes from the past week.
The eyes, expressions, complexions of the Merchants looking at him…… were definitely not those of people transacting on equal footing.
It felt like looking at Eddy and Pale in front of the Jeten Guild.
‘I don’t want that.’
He did not want to become the village's manager.
That was all.
“Well then, farewell.”
Harang moved his steps.
Maintaining an acquaintance was something he could nod to.
But becoming their boss was impossible.
As he, having clearly organized his thoughts, was leaving the room, Eddy's voice came from behind.
“W-wait, just a moment, Boss!”
A voice so desperate he couldn't possibly ignore it.
At this, Harang glanced back, narrowing his eyes.
The sight of the two men, who had already knelt.
As he was about to say something upon seeing the two about to touch their foreheads to the ground, Eddy's and Pale's voices came a beat faster.
“We beg you! We won't ask you to be our boss anymore, so please……!”
“Could you perhaps teach us a thing or two so that we too can become stronger?”