Possessing Nothing

“Chimera?”

Baron’s eyes widened hearing the report. Rudy carefully explained to Baron what kind of things ocurred in the forest that day. As he heard the story Baron examined Lee Sungmin.

Even though he subjugated a ogre chimera single-handedly, Lee Sungmin body didn’t show sign of a single injury.

To be honest, Baron didn’t thought it was possible for Lee Sungmin to subjugate a ogre by himself. Even as a so called no class expert. Even if his talent was genuine, he thought he would be lacking in an actual battle.

That is why Rudy was sent together. But according to the story he heard Rudy didn’t interfere, could Lee Sungmin have subjugated an ogre chimera alone? Baron, gazing at Lee Sungmin face, opened his mouth,

“…I was wrong about you.”

“Huh?”

Baron’s surprising words made Lee Sungmin tilt his head. Baron rubbed his nose with his hand while frowning his forehead.

“Originally, after you came back from the ogre subjugation, I intented to give you a S-Rank. But since it is a ogre chimera…”

“There shouldn’t be any problem raising it to SS-Rank, right?”

Rudy, who was listening, gave his opinion. At that words Baron let out a sight while saying,

“I can’t grant a SS-Rank so easily.”

“Subjugating a ogre chimera single-handedly should be enough to receive a SS-Rank.”

“This isn’t a matter I can decide on my own.”

Baron took a glance at Lee sungmin as he said so.

“Of course the results themselves are sufficient to be given a SS-Rank. However, it is unprecedent to be appointed as a SS-Rank as soon as you join the mercenary guild. So, the matter of granting a SS-Rank, isn’t something I can decide on my own.”

“I don’t mind.”

Lee Sungmin opened his mouth,

“I expected to be assigned a S-Rank from the start so I don’t have any complaints. It won’t be a problem raising my rank with the achievements I will accumulate from now on.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Baron bowed his head. Upon becoming a SS-Rank one can receive a lot of benefits, but few could see the hardwork necessary to reach the SS-Rank. It was necessary a lot of accomplishments to raise one’s mercenary rank and Lee Sungmin too knew that. Despite an ogre chimera being a strong monster this sort of instant rise to SS-Rank is a sight Baron seldom see.

“If it is like that for now let’s raise it to S-Rank as planned. And then maybe…”

Baron nodded his head after hesitating for a second.

“As Rudy said, subjugating a ogre chimera is worth enough merits to ascend to SS-Rank. It is just that because of many small reasons I can’t upgrade your rank in the moment.”

“I know.”

“I feel sorry that is the case. Since it is like that… I know! You don’t have a place to stay, right? Although we have lodgings in the 4th floor, that itself  has many downsides. In that case, I am gonna present you a house.”

“Excuse me?”

“It is a one story. Opportunely this one is currently empty.”

“Opportunely? it is just that no one else wants to touch that useless property you are responsible for.”

Rudy provocative remarks sent Baron in a coughing fit.

“Why are saying unnecessary things?”

“I just wanted to bring it up.”

“You!”

Baron once again coughed and looked at Lee Sungmin,

“Cough… It is a pretty good house. A good location. Even though it is said it can’t be sold, if you consider the current prices,  it would be quite expensive… But you can use it if you like.

“Thank you.”

Lee Sungmin didn’t have the kind of personality who refused to accept favors. And that too right when he was thinking he needed a house. Even though the mercenary guild’s lodgings aren’t bad it would be good to have some private training space.

“Don’t tell me you will take part of the reward as payment for the house?”

“Do I look like a person who lacks common sense?”

Rudy words destroyed Baron’s noble image . Baron opened his desk drawer.

“The reward the villages presented for the ogre subjugation was 30 Million Erie. Originally a commision for a monster like a ogre should be at least 40 million… Fortunely the request was accepted given our need to verify your skills. Normally, I would have ignored it.

It was just like Lee Sungmin thought. That is why he didn’t recall hearing any story featuring a ogre chimera in his past life. It seems like in his previous life the comission for a ogre submission was ignored.

“As A S-Rank mercenary the guild will be taking a 10% fee from the reward… And to Rudy…”

“I am okay with not getting anything. I didn’t do anything in the end. Just take it as me watching a good spectacle.”

Rudy laughted while waving his hand. In that case Lee Sungmin reward amounted to 27 millions Erie. Baron readily gave Lee Sungmin a cheque in that value.

“You can use this cheque anywhere in Eria. Despite that don’t carry it while wandering around. It would be easier to deposit it in a bank and make a card.”

“Thank you.”

Looking down at the check Lee Sungmin felt some complicated emotions. This is an unrealistic amount. 27 million Erie. Lee Sungmin saw many commissions worth 1 million Erie in his time as a C-Rank mercenary. Despite that he never accepted that sort of request. There were too many mercenaries and too few requests. There were a lot of C-Ranks mercenaries in the company Lee Sungmin belonged to. That being the case he never could receive one of those.

And commissions aren’t always easy and comfortable. Therefore all his earned money was wasted drinking alcohol and buying women.

There was a time where he thought about raising money. Collect money, practice better martial skills and learn magic. Hoping: ‘Can I not change my circumstances if I do so?’. Of course, that didn’t happen in the end. Savings? Conservation? Those things weren’t part of a mercenary lifestyle.

‘The money I worked hard for years… A S-Rank could receive in one time!’

Even though this was surreal this was reality. Lee Sungmin put the check he received inside his inner chest pocket.

“The mansion Location…”

“If you can draw a rough map I will find it.”

“…Will that be okay? The path is long and pretty complicated. Behengeru isn’t small.”

“It is all right.”

This is the city he lived the longest in his past live. It almost didn’t change, he can find it with a simple map. Baron scratched his cheek, pulled a pen and paper, and not long later passed over a rough map drawing to Lee Sungmin.

“Here it is. Those are the Keys.”

Lee Sungmin received the keys and map from Baron and got out of the room. Baron moved his sight from the closed door and shifted it in Rudy direction.

“How was it?”

“I believe it is better to see with one’s own eyes rather than saying.”

“Then show me.”

With that words Rudy pulled his chair and sat in front of Baron. Baron took the staff placed in his back and, while moving his lips slightly, stretched his other hand laying it a top Rudy head.

“…Ugh.”

Baron, who was looking through Rudy memories, let scape a small groan. Letting down the staff he was holding he let out a sigh.

“Certainly. His hability doesn’t belong to the S-Rank.”

“Didn’t I say that? It would be better to just raise him to SS-Rank.”

“I am gonna make a suggestion.”

Baron replied. Even though he was Behengeru’s mercenary guild current branch manager Baron isn’t the highest authority here. There are a lot of mercenaries on Behengeru. A guild branch manager has the role of managing and not ruling over them, on contrary, the influence of the heads of some mercenary groups might surpass Baron’s as a branch manager.

“Xeon is going to be eager!”

Baron Mumbled in a small voice.

The house Baron handed out to Lee Sungmin was too big for someone living alone. It was a house with a spacious first floor, high walls, and it wasn’t as far away from the mercenary guild as it was described. After unlocking the gate with his keys the first thing that caught Lee Sungmin’s attention upon entering was the frontal garden.

Even though it it wasn’t receiving the correct management and the weeds were overgrown Lee Sungmin didn’t mind. It wasn’t a problem for him wheter the weeds continued to grow. After all, Lee Sungmin had no intention of managing a garden.

‘It is really big.’

It was his first time living in this sort of house. Many things as a S-Rank didn’t feel real . But he would get used to it soon.

Even though it was a little bit too open, Lee Sungmin felt satisfied with the emergence of a personal space. If everything goes well here was where he would practice his spear techniques everyday in the future. But, before that, Lee Sungmin opened his interdimensional pocket.

The spare spear he used to carry was most likely going to have to be discarded after the ogre subjugation this time. It was not a big loss. The only reason Lee Sungmin could afford to use that spear was exactly because it was an inferior weapon who could be easily obtained anywhere.

‘Fortunely I received some money.’

For the time being there was nothing else requiring his money. Although he had thought about using his hard earned money to purchase potions and martials arts, he didn’t have enough to buy a potion. Nor was he willing to purchase martial arts. He still hadn’t trained Endless Nine Skies and Amethist Cloud to an acceptable level. Spear techiniques, cultivation techniques, movement techniques. It isn’t right to desire other techniques when the most important is focusing on the 3 skills he currently owns.

“Neville.”

Lee Sungmin quietly called out to Neville. And like that Neville’s body emerged from Lee Sungmin shadow. Neville greeted Lee Sungmin while nodding his head slightly,

“How may I help you?”

“I need a weapon.”

“Do you want to buy one? Or have one crafted instead?”

“Which one is better?”

Lee Sungmin gritted his teeth. To that words Neville replied while smiling beamingly,

“Each one has it pros and cons. If you want to purchase you can get the best goods with the correct price. But would it suit you? To use a weapon it should feel correct in your hands. A good weapon that doesn’t feel right in your hand will inevitably not be approppriate.”

“In that case let’s try the crafting option first.”

“How much budget do you possess?”

“27 Million Erie.”

“Not that much.”

Neville replied. That words sent Lee Sungmin mind reeling. 27 millions Erie were not even worth being mentioned.

“Our brokered blacksmiths are all the most skilled available. Therefore the prices have no choice but be expensive.”

“Is there no way to adjust that?”

“That is not difficult. You can lower you sight a little, or instead… You can put aside your pride.”

“…Pride?”

Neville words made Lee Sungmin tilt his head. Neville laughed as he said,

“Aren’t artisans like that? Stubborn and with strong pride. Therefore there are many who have rash personalities. Like I said before, the blacksmiths we mediate are all the one possessing the most skill… But skill isn’t proportional to character.”

“That is not an issue as long as their skills are real.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Finishing saying that Neville disappeared inside Lee Sungmin’s shadow. Even though the money he received was completely used he didn’t regret it.

Although Lee Sungmin also wielded the spear in his past life the ones he used in his former days were  inferior weapons. As a C Rank mercenary his weapons were always like that. Thinking: ‘Be it good or bad weapons there was no problem if all you had you do was stab someone a couple times with it’. He ended spending the money that should be used upgrading and maintaning his weapons, thinking it was more profitable using it on better drinks or embracing more expensive women.

But it was different now. He would fulfill that old desire.

The desire of holding a good weapon for once.