#062. Encounter (3)
—
“Ma-Mage!”
“D-damn it, I should’ve known when I saw just three kids standing around!”
*Click! Click!*
The mercenaries, pale-faced, simultaneously raised their guns and aimed at Ray’s group.
They belonged to a mid-sized mercenary group led by Skyle. They had encountered mages during various missions, enough to know the dangers they posed.
*”Are you asking me to do this? Hmm? Want to start breathing through your anus instead of your mouth? Hmm?”*
*”I can manage that, but first, how about cutting off one of your arms to make it fair?”*
Mages are unpredictable and eccentric.
People of incomprehensible power capable of wiping out dozens with a mere gesture. Encounters were rare, but the fear they evoked was deeply imprinted in their minds.
The faint composure they had clung to moments earlier was completely obliterated.
‘Damn it, what kind of calamity is this? First, the guy guarding the old client turned out to be something else, and now…’
Even the seasoned leader, Skyle, felt his chest tighten.
Why was a mage in a place like this? And such a young one at that?
From what he knew, mages were exceedingly rare and usually worked under exclusive contracts for large sums of money. There was no reason for them to be wandering alone in a deserted wasteland like this.
“If you’re confident, go ahead and shoot. But the moment you pull the trigger, your lives aren’t guaranteed.”
The subordinates were visibly uneasy.
Skyle ground his lips in frustration.
‘Damn it, I thought they were just reckless brats.’
But now he noticed something else: a transparent dome-like barrier surrounding the mage and their group. The warning was likely real, as he recalled a past incident where a mage had summoned a similar barrier, blocking a rain of bullets.
Soon after, electrical currents extended from within the dome, incapacitating a dozen men in a single strike.
“….”
This time, it wasn’t electricity but flames. Still, the result would clearly be devastating for anyone caught in it.
They might be able to win if they fought. But it would come at a significant cost.
Skyle raised his hand, signaling his men to lower their weapons.
*Click. Click.*
The barrels of the guns lowered in unison, and Skyle spoke in an entirely different, respectful tone.
“Our apologies. We have greatly offended you. Please, we ask for your forgiveness.”
“……”
Ray didn’t dispel the fireball. He observed them coldly.
‘There’s no need to fight.’
He had calculated the situation from the moment they first clashed.
Their barriers, including Veronica’s, were layered. While they wouldn’t last long against a barrage of bullets due to their dwindling white mana reserves, Ray was confident. If needed, he could step outside the barrier, clad in his metallic mana armor, and neutralize the threat single-handedly.
But if the other side was willing to back down, there was no reason to escalate. His immediate goal wasn’t to fight but to gather information.
Ray finally spoke.
“I don’t plan on making this worse. Just fulfill a few conditions, and we’ll let your men go.”
“Yes, of course. What conditions?”
“Tell me more about the story you mentioned earlier—about the deer with a blue gemstone on its forehead and how it turned into water.”
The unexpected request left not just Skyle but his entire team dumbfounded.
This? Over something they had joked about?
And in such a tense, life-threatening situation?
‘What the hell? He doesn’t seem like he’s joking. What are mages even thinking?’
Skyle reluctantly answered.
“That was what our client told us. An old man who was once renowned in the 40s sector for his well-digging business. He claimed that when he was young and stranded in the wilderness, he was saved by a Rockdeer.”
Even as he spoke, he looked as though he couldn’t believe it himself.
“A blue-skinned Rockdeer flew through the air and brought him water. Its body apparently turned into water itself, though I didn’t ask for the details. It sounded utterly ridiculous…”
“Is that all you remember?”
“Yes. That’s all I heard.”
“And where can I meet this client of yours?”
Skyle’s head began to spin.
It seemed the other party intended to meet their client to hear the details directly.
Unconsciously, he bit down on his lip.
**‘Damn it. That old man might spout some nonsense.’**
For instance, he could say that they had been neglecting the commission and solely focusing on hunting.
While it was easy to manipulate a wealthy but frail old man, caution wouldn’t hurt in this case.
After deliberation, he responded.
“…It’ll be difficult to meet him in person. He’s in Sector 42, and we’re the only ones who came here.”
That was when Ray moved.
The moment a new knife emerged from his hand and pierced the back of the man lying on the floor.
**Thud!**
“Aaaaargh! Boss! Boss! Please, spare me! I beg you! Ughh!”
Straightening up, Ray spoke in a voice dripping with coldness.
“This is your final warning. I told you not to lie in front of me.”
A cold sweat trickled down Skyle’s back.
**He knew I was lying? How?**
He’d spent years in the rough mercenary world and mastered the art of deceit. Even seasoned businessmen and veteran mercenaries couldn’t resist falling for his lies.
**‘There’s no doubt about it. He’s seeing right through my lies.’**
Anxiously biting his lip, Skyle finally opened his mouth.
“…The Gallet Hotel in Sector 48. That’s where our client is staying.”
“Good.”
Ray continued with his questions:
How far was it to Sector 48?
Did the mass movement of the Rockdeer have anything to do with their hunting activities?
“The Rockdeer gathering had nothing to do with us. They usually move in groups of dozens, but the gaps between the groups are so wide that humans could never herd thousands of them together. It’s more of a natural behavior they exhibit during migration season.”
Skyle’s answers were obedient.
“We arrived at Sector 48 five days ago for this commission. On the first day, we went scouting on the outskirts and were startled. The Rockdeer were migrating much earlier than usual.”
Though they didn’t know the exact reason, it was a welcome sight.
Rockdeer lived in high mountainous areas, making them notoriously difficult to hunt.
Migration season, when they came down to the plains for extended periods, was a *golden opportunity* for hunters.
“For mercenaries like us, who are always ready to switch professions temporarily, this is ideal. You may not know, but Rockdeer antlers and meat fetch a decent price.”
This was a chance to make far more than a typical commission.
The mercenaries listening to Skyle nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, it’s just a shame we didn’t prepare more transport vehicles in advance.”
“With one good haul, we’ll make more than several commissions combined.”
Skyle and all the mercenaries emanated a golden mana of greed.
This specific hue of mana reflected their intense desire, particularly for wealth.
And this desire to avoid unnecessary losses or conflict was why Skyle was acting submissive toward Ray.
**‘The faster we settle this and get back to work, the better. Before other mercenary groups or professional hunters show up, we need to rake in as much profit as possible.’**
“Questions are over. Now, one final demand.”
At last, the words they had been waiting for.
Skyle eagerly responded.
“Yes. What’s your demand?”
“The Rockdeer veered toward the road and caused havoc. That’s your fault. We found ourselves in a very dangerous situation because of it.”
“……”
“Though we made it out safely, our vehicle might have sustained some damage in the process. So, you’ll compensate us for the repairs.”
Ray was being genuine.
During the escape, a Rockdeer had slammed into the rear of their vehicle.
The pre-applied metal fortification spell had mitigated the impact, and there didn’t seem to be any visible damage. But there was no telling if something inside the vehicle had been affected.
While an inspection would confirm the state of the vehicle, Ray decided it was only fair to secure repair funds in advance.
**Compensation.**
As soon as money was mentioned, Skyle’s face twisted into a scowl.
The wandering kid had suddenly turned into a mage and was now demanding money like a bandit.
“How much are you asking for?”
Ray turned to Philip and said,
“Philip, name a reasonable amount.”
Philip chuckled. “Of course, the repair costs would be… huh?”
Philip snapped back to focus.
—
—
Skyle and the mercenaries loaded the fallen Rockdeer onto their truck.
Ray didn’t stop them from doing so.
He had already gained enough.
There was no need to provoke them any further.
**”Well then… I hope you have a pleasant journey. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again soon.”**
Though he smiled as he spoke, Skyle’s eyes showed no warmth. He boarded the vehicle with his subordinates and departed the scene.
**Vroooom!**
With bloodstains splattered across the road, only Ray’s group remained.
**”Whew… Oh, whew…”**
**”Hah… I feel like my heart’s about to burst.”**
**”Philip, a human heart doesn’t burst that easily.”**
**”No, I mean it. It feels like it’s about to explode.”**
**”It won’t.”**
Philip let out a helpless laugh without realizing it.
Although Ray’s unique manner of speech was more a statement than a joke, hearing those words somehow caused the tension that had been gripping his body to dissipate.
**”Heheh… We survived. I thought we were really done for this time.”**
**”I know, right? My legs are still shaking.”**
The two agreed that if it hadn’t been for Ray, they wouldn’t have escaped unscathed.
However, Ray shook his head.
**”You two did your part as well.”**
He meant it.
Veronica had secured their safety by deploying protective barriers, while Philip had played a significant role in negotiating the repair costs.
**”Uh… Excuse me, but about the compensation for damages…”**
Philip had been extremely nervous at first.
But as the negotiation progressed, he found his footing and eventually took control of the discussion.
**”Boss, you won’t find anyone else agreeing to this kind of deal, you know? Besides, we have a mage on our side.”**
**”A mage, huh…”**
**”Sure, we reduced the external impact using magic, but who knows what kind of internal damage the vehicle might have sustained? You know how much our mage is holding back, right? He has quite the temper—terrible at controlling his anger.”**
**”Philip, I’m perfectly capable of controlling my─”**
**”Mage, please stay quiet. We can’t have you going around annihilating people. Anyway, if you lose it and blow this place up, kaboom! You get it, don’t you? Right?”**
Perhaps it was the excess adrenaline dulling his fear, but Philip had become almost excessively talkative.
Nevertheless, his sharp tongue, honed through countless disputes with street merchants, proved a match for the seasoned mercenary leader.
The results weren’t bad.
By the end of the negotiation, they’d secured 250,000 shillings—a sizable amount for mere repair costs.
Philip shook the leather pouch full of coins and said, **”I’ll stash this in the trunk’s safe. Of course, it’s Ray’s money.”**
Although they shared the safe, personal funds were kept separate.
Ray’s savings: approximately 2.25 million shillings.
Philip’s savings: approximately 2.47 million shillings.
Veronica, having taken only a small portion of the old man’s wealth, had about 350,000 shillings.
A simple meal cost between 500 to 1,000 shillings, and lodging typically ranged from 5,000 to 10,000 shillings per night. Considering this, they had more than enough to sustain themselves during their travels without worrying about running out of money.
Still, Ray intended to keep saving as much as possible.
**”A city of mages, huh. I’ve heard rumors.”**
The old man had told them that if they followed the Elton River upstream, they would eventually reach a city inhabited solely by mages.
Though the exact sector wasn’t clear, the many circulating stories suggested it was a real place.
Ray didn’t think the city of mages was just a baseless tale.
**”I want you to find my sister.”**
**”The sister Hector sold off to the city of mages.”**
Humphrey from Sector 50 had mentioned it before.
The old man had also added:
**”According to rumors, an enormous entrance fee is required—an amount an ordinary person couldn’t earn in a lifetime.”**
Ray planned to continue his journey toward the city of mages.
It was part of Humphrey’s request and also a precaution in case they couldn’t find the Rainbow before then.
With so many mages gathered, it would also be a prime location to gather information about the Rainbow.
**‘I need to save as much money as possible. Who knows how much the entrance fee will be?’**
Still, Ray had no intention of hoarding the money for himself.
**”No. The money will be divided equally.”**
It wasn’t earnings he had achieved alone.
Moreover, fair compensation was necessary to maintain morale.
**”From now on, regardless of how we earn money, it will be distributed fairly among all of us.”**
To prevent future disputes, it was important to set this precedent now.
Calculating individual contributions and distributing money accordingly each time would be impractical.
Furthermore, those who received less might harbor resentment.
Even though Philip and Veronica weren’t particularly greedy for money, it was better to be cautious.
Philip and Veronica widened their eyes at Ray’s words.
**”We didn’t really do anything…”**
**”I feel the same way.”**
Though the two looked apologetic, Ray’s decision stood firm.
**”Whether it’s about money or anything else, we’ll handle things as fairly as possible from now on.”**
**”Understood.”**
**”Got it.”**
─*Grrk.*
The small animal nestled comfortably in Veronica’s arms let out a cry, as if agreeing.
For a moment, everyone’s eyes turned toward it.
