Chapter 30

Chapter 30

“I’m thinking of starting a company.”

Kim’s words quieted the room. The silence lasted less than three seconds, and the gazes that had been focused on him were back in place.

“I don’t have a lot of money… but I do have some, and I’m pretty sure I could quit drinking and smoking if I had to, so please, just give me a seat.”

“When did you say that your face would get you a girl?”

“No, I haven’t met anyone, I guess I’ve been living on the edge. I thought if I walked around downtown at night, someone would pick up my number!”

“You’ve been fighting over that? You’re crazy.”

Pep and Jenna chatted among themselves. Bryce was sipping rum and tinkering with his personal gear in between.

Chelsea was the most docile of the bunch, at least on the surface. She sat on the couch, hugging the cushions and glaring at them with her axe eyes.

Not all of Whitefang’s survivors were here. Bald Robben and a young man named Peterson had already moved on. They should be busy working by now.

Anyway.

“……I’m thinking of starting a company.”

“You don’t have to say it twice. I’ve heard it all.”

Kim frowned at Bryce’s answer.

“But what’s with the reaction?”

“It was a bit out of the blue, but I guess it was meant to be. Not surprising, given your personality.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“No offense.”

I’m feeling a little stuck. I exchange a few words with Bryce, and before I know it, Jenna is back in the Chapter.

“If it’s a company, it’s what you said before, right?”

“Come to think of it, you said you might hire me. Did you mean it?”

“I’m a liar, but I’m not an empty talker.”

“What difference does it make?”

Smirking, Xena straightened up and sat down.

“Actually, I’m kind of interested, I don’t want to go to another platoon like Robben or Peterson because of what Whitefang has become.”

Only one person responded positively. Bryce was the one who immediately flipped out.

“If you’re talking to us, you’re probably thinking of a PMC, and they’re not going to be able to establish a presence in Kilikia now. Even the original companies are looking for a way out.”

“I think I’m oversaturated, too.”

He had a point. With the number of outlaws plummeting, the mercenary market is a red ocean. The odds of a startup succeeding are slim.

But first, we needed to clear up a misconception.

“It’s a different direction than you think. I’d say, um. It’s more of an autonomous operation at Whitefin than the Lotus Company. You’ll be working in a small group.”

“Does it feel like a mercenary organization that is a company in name only?”

“Well, at least we’ll have the capital… but the fact remains that jobs are a problem, right?”

“I’ve got the job, for the long haul.”

Huh. Bryce made a blowing sound.

“In what gap?”

“Yesterday. Apparently, the council needs some laborers, and they’re worried that the shady guys from the basement won’t fit in upstairs.”

Bryce stops what he’s doing, thinking. Pep still looked nervous. Meanwhile, Jenna held up a hand.

“Me. I’m giggling.”

“Is it okay to just say that?”

“Oh well. I’ll be the new kid on the block no matter where I go, so I’d rather be comfortable here. Besides, you said it’s a congressional job, and it pays well, but it’s clean and doesn’t have a lot of baggage.”

“Mr. Eye. That sounds about right and….”

“I’ll work as hard as he does. Give me twice as much.”

You have a motivated workforce. Even Pep, who has a frisky temperament, began to wrap his head around the conflict.

“And after the congressional mandate?”

“We’ll see about that. I’ll tell you in advance that Kilikia is only one of our bases, but I don’t intend to limit your activities, and you may be assigned a branch.”

To intervene in later scenarios, I will need to travel across the continent. I plan to establish a good network of contacts before I leave Kilikia.

“Is it okay if I hold off on answering for a while?”

“Do what you’re comfortable with.”

“Then I’ll hold off for now, too.”

“Let’s take a day off their base pay for every day they’re late.”

Jenna hates bluster, but she was being blunt. That’s when she realized she was being bossy.

“Hey, ……, it’s all well and good for you guys to start your own company and shit, but why don’t you go out and do some work?”

The landlord spat bitterly.

This was Chelsea’s house. The house where the old White Fangs had started coming and going. Grown-ups gathered here like a safe house.

A pointed glance was directed at Kim.

“Do you like me? Why do you keep coming to other people’s houses? You have your own place.”

“That’s when it broke.”

“What do I care!”

“They clean the house and stock the fridge.”

“That’s… thank you!”

A momentarily speechless Chelsea replied with a shaky voice.

There was a reason for the obsession. It wasn’t a romantic crush. Kim was determined to scout Chelsea.

“He’s always helpful.

He’s not a well-regarded agent in the game. While he can fulfill a variety of roles with the right gear, his performance is often criticized for being ambiguous.

But what about the reality.

It’s an environment where a simple skill – being a good shot – can shine. In the previous two incidents, Chelsea played a key role.

‘……I can’t help but think of Mary.’

If she were alive, we would have had an absurd amount of synergy, and I feel guilty, guilty, guilty, but I can’t help but regret it.

“You should think about it. You won’t be bored.”

“I like my life boring.”

“Then why do you gamble?”

“How many times do I have to tell you, it’s an investment?”

“Oh, yeah. Do you want me to give you some picks?”

Chelsea snorted and glanced at Kim.

“You’re not working. Do you know the League’s weird and wonderful ecosystem?”

“I don’t know, but I can give you an earful when Asterique comes out to play.”

She sucked in a breath. In her mind, she began to bounce the abacus busily. The watery color of the bath reflected in her expression.

Bryce, watching from the sidelines, shook his head.

“I heard the owl was a faucet… but it turns out he’s just a jerk.”

“Who said anything about not being able to drink?”

“Don’t start rumors.”

“If you don’t remember, that’s because you passed out on the floor with your head on the floor when the film cut out.”

“I was… not feeling well at the time.”

“You betcha.”

The two of them were ready for a drinking match. Kim snorted and clucked his tongue, a rather unflattering sight when he was drinking.

It was an ordinary afternoon.

* * *

The wait wasn’t long.

Bryce and Pep have also decided to join us. Normally, they would have chosen a more stable job, but the last battle changed their minds.

I realized that stability can easily be taken away by someone’s intrigue and malice, and the camaraderie of surviving there together played a part.

Chelsea maintained a disinterested demeanor, but only on the surface. At night, messages would arrive on Kim’s phone.

– What are the terms of the contract?

– No, I’m just asking.

– How much vacation do I get?

– I think welfare is important in this day and age.

– You’ll take care of it?

– No bullshit.

After a day of bustling activity, I’d be alone again at night, and my mind would be racing. It’s practically over. I’m sure we’ll get a contract sooner or later.

Once the initial members were in place, Kim began preparations in earnest, renting an office on a street where land was cheap.

“Haha, this office is just as shabby as I thought it would be.”

“This is right. If you’re going to be a dick about it from the get-go, go ahead.”

“Well. I wasn’t expecting it either.”

It wasn’t as chic as the workers said it was: cramped and dirty. It looked like the office of a third-rate mobster in a movie.

“I don’t have enough money to buy a building in the center of town. Even if I did, I wouldn’t run it that way. I’d rather buy land or a warehouse to use as a training ground.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you met the requirements. You’ve only just become a citizen. I thought it would be at least three or four months of red tape.”

Incorporation is not simple. During the Kilikia Parliament’s aggressive immigrant welfare policies, companies used immigrants to set up paper companies in droves.

There were as many incidents and mishaps as there were fledgling entities, and it was at this point that Kilikia, in labor pains, imposed strict conditions and procedures.

But it wasn’t something she cared about.

“I had some help.”

It was already closely connected to Congress from the conception stage. There was no reason to get bogged down in the process as long as they approved it.

“Congress, hmm. That’s a bit of a candle in the wind, but I don’t think we should rely on it too much. It’s a partnership, to say the least……..”

I didn’t have to ask what the omitted afterword was. He was worried about being the dog of Congress. It was no secret.

“It doesn’t matter. Just remember that when you’re in Kilikia, you’re basically going to be on the Council’s side. It’s better than taking a few random commissions here and there and then getting caught up in squabbles.”

“I see.”

“Just don’t give them too much control. We need to make them think it’s better to let us do our own thing.”

“I understand the policy. It was a rude awakening.”

“No, I want you to stay out of my way.”

Kim’s purpose hasn’t changed. To prevent tragedies from befalling Polaris, and if not possible, to minimize the damage somehow.

“I’d be comfortable if you could explain it to me right now.

I didn’t want to tell them now. There’s so much to explain, and even if I did, I doubt they’d truly understand.

“We’ll figure it out as we go along.

He can’t stay in Kilikia forever. We need someone who can move autonomously when Kim is away.

“It might be hard to get there.

At the very least, it should be able to be maintained as a ‘Kilikia chapter’. So that we can exchange information from afar. And to be able to function when we return to Kilikia.

Asterique, who had been listening in the corner, said.

“…… is hard to understand. I can’t follow it.”

“Anyway, that means I’m the boss.”

“I know that.”

“Then I know everything. You’ll be the same person you’ve always been. It’s just that there are a few more people, so there’s more things we can do together.”

A hole-in-the-wall shop that’s run by the fist compared to other businesses. It’s just a formality to keep things organized.

“Mr. Hyun. Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you that.”

“Huh?”

“The name of the company, what does it mean?”

Pep stared at the office wall. It was the spot where Kim had scrawled the words, which would soon be replaced by a sign with the company’s mission statement.

Dustborne Corporation.

Originally Dustborn Interactive. It’s the name of Polaris’ production company. The meaning was unknown to Kim. His focus was on Polaris, not the company’s mission statement.

But the answer was clear.

“Sons of bitches.”

* * *

“Huh, huh!”

A skinny man ran frantically through the back streets of Kilikia. Every puddle of rainwater he stepped in made a crackling sound.

A trickle of rain chilled the night air. The man stumbled and fell, but picked himself up and resumed walking.

– The winner of this match, Sharice, is ……!

– That’s five wins in a row. Ludva, who finished last season in 9th place, ended up giving up a point.

– It’s a mixed bag for officials and spectators alike, but please pick up your trash. It’s not fair to pay a fine when you’ve already lost money, right?

I could hear the league’s broadcaster’s casual voice through the rain. Outside the alley, I glimpsed dense buildings and billboards splashed with light.

The boulevard is close. The man’s face turned to Chapter. He could use some help. The man whipped his tired body once more.

The in-young that appeared then blocked out the light of the street.

“Lost item found. Send location information.”

A pressed black beanie. The face beneath the hat was utterly expressionless. Like something inhuman, unaware of human emotions.

They see others as tools. They treat them like meat in a butcher shop. Maybe they think of them as walking currency.

“Shit…!”

The man had no choice but to turn his back. The neon glow faded from his vision. The dark alley looked like a monster had opened its mouth.

There was life in the monster’s maw. The darkness of Kilikia was patient, and it did not chew and devour people all at once.

It’s like candy, you just roll it around in your mouth and let it melt.