Chapter 95

Using that silence as my companion, I quietly began to map out my future plans in my head.

First, I would leave Redna City, this massive metropolis. I needed to head to the outskirts of the Tubilan Empire—somewhere I could make money by hunting monsters or magical beasts without needing an ID card.

The transportation I’d use was the steam train, the cheapest and most popular way to get around the Tubilan Empire. It had a simple structure, using ignition stones to boil water for steam, but thanks to magical assistance, the magnificent thing could reach a top speed of 200 kilometers per hour.

The train fare and any expenses needed during travel would be covered by the 150,000 mil I had “received” in donations here.

While working hard to earn money out there, I’d look for a way to contact Shia and my other comrades back in Seol.

Once I had saved up enough, I’d use a Sanctuary to return to the Northern Continent.

Could I really earn a billion mil just by hunting monsters?

It was possible. At the very least, it was entirely doable back on the Northern Continent. High-tier monsters or magical beasts truly held that kind of value. Well, I’d need a bit of luck to go my way, of course.

And if all else failed, I could just join the Great Fleet that set sail in six months. It was much cheaper than using a Sanctuary. Given the distance, the travel time would be astronomical, but hey, that couldn’t be helped.

“Mm. Good. Perfect. That’s the plan.”

The next morning at 10:00 AM, after finally getting to wash up and relieve my fatigue in a warm place (I found a place similar to a Korean jjimjilbang), I headed toward a decent clothing store I had scouted earlier.

Tring.

“Welcome.”

As soon as I stepped inside, I spoke to the beastkin woman who appeared to be the owner.

“I’m looking to buy some clothes for myself for around 20,000 mil. Anything that looks halfway decent will do.”

“Hmm…”

She looked me up and down with an indifferent gaze. Then, her eyes suddenly began to sparkle with curiosity.

“…This is good.”

“Pardon?”

“Customer. Forget the money. I’ll tailor a sharp suit for you myself. In exchange, would you mind if I took ‘before and after’ photos of you to display in the shop?”

“…Uh. Sure.”

I hadn’t expected to be scouted as a model, but hey, it was a free suit. I had nothing to lose.

“Let’s get your measurements first.”

She touched my shoulders, back, chest, and thighs with unhesitating hands, letting out a series of exclamations.

“Wow… I’ve been in this business for over thirty years, but I’ve never seen a body like yours. You’re a Hunter, right? Which guild are you with?”

“I’m not a Hunter.”

“Oh, stop it. I used to work as a Hunter myself, so I know. Who else trains their body like this if not a Hunter? Is it the Topspin Guild?”

What kind of guild name was that? Sounds like they’re good at spinning tops or something.

Anyway, while she was busy performing what was either a muscle measurement or sexual harassment, she eventually went into the warehouse and brought out several suits.

“Here, try these on one by one. If we find the one, I’ll handle the alterations too.”

An hour later.

I stood before the mirror, my hair slicked back and wearing a black suit that subtly traced the lines of my physique.

“Wow…! This is legendary! You’re gorgeous! My eye for talent is seriously—! Ah! The photo! I need the photo!!”

I was a bit surprised looking in the mirror myself. Even by modern Earth standards, this looked pretty good.

My black hair was neatly groomed and possessed a healthy sheen. The sides were gelled back cleanly, while the bangs were left with a touch of stylish, soft disarray. On top of that, I had a height of over 185cm and a solid, balanced frame.

And while not overly heavy, I gave off a dignified atmosphere that suggested I wasn’t someone easily approached.

How should I put it…? I just looked like I was ‘expensive.’

Without a hint of exaggeration, she snapped about a hundred photos with an artifact camera (I didn’t know the official name). As I was leaving, she even pressed 100,000 mil into my hand as a modeling fee, smiling brightly.

“Please come again! I’ll give you a great deal next time too!”

Feeling grateful, I gave her a polite nod.

“Yes. Thank you. If I need clothes, I’ll come back here.”

Unfortunately, I doubted I’d have the chance.

“Ah… that’s right. She asked me to show my face once I’d trimmed my beard and hair, didn’t she? Let’s see what that general store girl has to say when she sees me.”

Reaching the general store in less than ten minutes, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh. The inside of the store was packed with people—more specifically, human men.

“Ah… right, it’s lunchtime. I had a feeling, but she’s really popular, isn’t she?”

Honestly, even if the owner paid her 50,000 mil an hour instead of 15,000, it would still be a profitable business.

As I watched from the outside to avoid the crowd, the people who had come to the store just to see her seemed to fall into three categories.

The first group was the twenty or so men crammed inside the shop, pretending to shop while constantly stealing glances at her.

The second group consisted of ten-plus men lining up at the door, waiting for a spot to open up inside. Every single one of them was staring through the glass door as if they were trying to burn a hole through it. Tsk tsk… why don’t you just lick the glass while you’re at it?

‘Now that I look at it… unlike other shops that are wide open, this place has everything except the door covered with blinds.’

Don’t tell me… did the owner set it up so you have to go inside and buy something if you want to see the Elf girl? Wow. Look at the brains on this shopkeeper.

And then there was the third group: the men who were too late even for the line. Half-resigned, they were either standing or sitting a distance away, waiting for the crowd to thin out.

“Well, in a sense, their passion is impressive. To go that far just to see a face once.”

Out of respect for their dedication, I humbly joined the very end of the line in front of the store.

Well, it shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. If things get too complicated, I can just come back later. It’s not like I’m leaving the city this very second.

Twenty minutes later.

…The guys inside were taking forever, lingering way longer than I expected.

Tring…

When my turn finally came and I pushed open the door, the Elf girl was nowhere to be seen—likely in the back organizing stock. Instead, the shop was swarming with grumpy-looking men, clustered together like ants drawn to a drop of sugar water.

In an instant, every single one of those “ants” turned their gaze toward me.

“……”

“……”

I was caught off guard by the sheer amount of hostility and raw hatred packed into their stares.

Hey, guys. Why are you looking at me like a kid whose mom just walked in while he was watching something “special” in the middle of the night?

A second later, dark mutterings began to drift from all corners of the room.

“…Normie.”

“…Alpha male.”

“…Mom’s friend’s son.”¹

“…NTR Protagonist.”²

Wait, who said that last one? I’m not blonde, I’m not tanned, and I’m definitely not a delinquent.

Just as I was about to declare a forfeit and retreat from those hateful glares… a voice of salvation broke through the suffocating atmosphere.

“Ah, I’m so sorry! I ran out of small change. You’ve all been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”

The men in the shop turned their heads toward her simultaneously, like a field of sunflowers following the sun.

At the same time, the guys who looked like a pack of post-apocalyptic zombies just a moment ago suddenly straightened their clothes, plastered greasy smiles on their faces, and transformed back into something resembling human beings.

“To those of you waiting! I’ll start ringing you up again. Please bring your items to this counter.”

A few of the men scrambled to the front like colts with their tails on fire. The ones left behind were likely planning to stall for time so they could look at her just a little bit longer.

Since I had no reason to dawdle, I grabbed a bottle of water and joined the back of the line.

“That will be 4,300 mil. Membership applied? Yes, with the discount, it’s 4,100 mil. Oh, a 2,500 mil coupon as well? One moment… with the coupon, it’s 1,600 mil. Ah… a 50,000 mil silver coin. One moment while I get your change. A receipt? Ah, yes.”

“That will be 9,600 mil. Membership? Yes, that makes it 9,150 mil. Oh, a 5,000 mil coupon? It would have been great if you’d mentioned that earlier. One moment. Okay, with the coupon, it’s 4,150 mil. Oh, a check is a bit… ah, another 50,000 mil silver coin… Yes, I’ll take that. One moment. Change, change… here you go. Thank you. You need a receipt? Yes, ah, yes. It’s no problem. I’ll print one for you.”

“13,400 mil. Membership? Yes, with the discount… Sigh… another 50,000 mil silver coin… I’m almost out of change already… A-a receipt? Sigh… Yes.”

…and so it went on.

Watching her ring them up, I could only laugh in disbelief.

Wow… are these guys seriously doing this just to spend an extra ten seconds facing her?

Why the hell are they handing over high-value silver coins for a single loaf of bread? And why are they all asking for receipts?

Sure, I’m a man, so I get it to an extent. To be honest, even by my standards—which have been raised so high they’ve left the atmosphere and entered orbit—this Elf part-timer’s looks were truly top-tier. Her shimmering metallic blue hair was especially captivating. Since most other Elves had silver or green hair, she really stood out.

But understanding is one thing; being an annoying customer is another. Give it a rest, you guys.

“Yes, 50,000 mil received. Ah… I’m out of change again. Could you wait just a moment? I’ll go get some from—”

As expected of an Elf, the literal embodiment of kindness. Even with customers like this, she didn’t lose her smile for a second and continued to serve them diligently.

“Ah… we don’t have any in the back either. I’m so sorry. I think I’ll have to run to the bank nearby for a moment. Could you wait just a little longer?”

“Hahaha. I’m in a bit of a hurry, but… I guess I can wait. Go ahead.”

A well-built man in his mid-thirties who looked like he spent a lot of time at the gym—the one who had just flustered her with a silver coin—held his head high as if he were doing her a massive favor.

The look on his face practically screamed, ‘Look at me, the guy who knows how to be patient. Pretty cool, right?’ It was quite the masterpiece.

Good grief… at this rate, the sun will set before I even get to talk to her.

“Hey. Watching from the back, this is getting ridiculous. Do all of you seriously only have silver coins? I’m a man too, so I get liking a pretty face, but this is crossing the line. Aren’t you guys embarrassed?”

The moment I finished speaking, the reactions from the men in the store split into two groups.

One group looked ashamed and began pulling out copper coins. The other group glared at me with expressions that said, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’

The representative of the latter was none other than the “Big Guy” standing at the counter.

“What? Look at this guy. Hey. Are you the only saint here while the rest of us are trash?”

Hoh… dragging other people into it. He’s got at least a bit of a brain.

Well, I’ve seen plenty of guys like him on both Earth and Kion. The type who has never backed down in a confrontation and never lost a shouting match. Because of that, regardless of right or wrong, they never hesitate to start a fight and are always overflowing with unearned confidence.

“And for your information, I used a silver coin because I really don’t have change. Who do you think you’re talking to? Go ahead and search me, you prick. If you find a single copper coin, I’ll let you hit me once for every one you find. But if you don’t find anything, you’re dead.”

Aw, what a sweetheart. Such charming words. Want a hit? I’ll give you a hit.

The moment he stopped talking, I reached out and yanked the back pocket of his pants.

Thanks to his protruding backside, the wallet that was sticking halfway out fell right into my hand. I quickly kicked it up into the air and emptied it upside down right in front of the man, who was now standing there with his mouth agape.

Clink! Clink!!

A shower of copper coins rained down. I guess he didn’t expect me to actually check.

“I thought you said you only had 50,000 mil silver coins. What now? Do you really want to get hit for every copper coin? Or are you going to pay with change and get lost?”

“!#$!###!%”

The man’s face turned bright red like a boiled octopus. He grabbed my collar and dragged me toward a corner. He was surprisingly skilled at picking a blind spot where he could beat me comfortably without being seen.

“You little shit, you’re asking for death…”

Thinking he was perfectly hidden, the guy balled his hand into a fist.

Hmm… should I hit this guy? It’s not ideal to draw attention when I don’t even have an ID card.

As I was debating how to respond, a clear, ringing voice echoed through the shop at the perfect moment.

“Ah! I knew it! It really is that Oppa! I wasn’t sure at first, but it is you!!”

…Took her long enough to notice.

“Hello. By the way, could you do something about this guy? I think he’ll listen if it’s coming from you.”

And so, with the man still clutching my collar, I gave her my first greeting of the day.