Episode 1

The easiest way for a bottom-dweller to earn money, fame, and rise in status was to become a mercenary.

Of course, not everyone who became a mercenary succeeded.

Within a year of starting, more than half died, and the vast majority of the rest only reached a mediocre level in their mercenary career…

However, some of the surviving mercenaries earned an income that would make many rich people envious. Some of them even became knights and were granted territories, thereby completely changing their status.

Those who achieved this success openly mocked the low-ranking knights who lived modestly in remote rural areas, managing small territories.

Such occurrences were rare in history, but it happened quite often in this damned game. So, as soon as I entered this world, I decided to abandon my position as the heir to a rural knight family and become a mercenary.

I set a goal to someday lead a large mercenary group, acquire wealth and fame, and establish my own harem…

However, contrary to my grandiose goals, right now, as I just started my mercenary life, what I needed the most was to find a mercenary group to work for and get today’s meal, damn it.

“The White Beard Mercenary Group is looking for new members! Any interested young ones out there? I’ll buy you drinks and snacks, so come over!”

Hearing talk about food, my stomach automatically growled.

Having come to the city to find a mercenary position, I hadn’t had a proper meal, and it felt like my stomach was complaining.

Hearing the name of the mercenary group, it seemed like this was the place I had been looking for since I entered this world.

If I applied there, I could secure a job, a meal, and a start to my mercenary life all at once.

As I gathered my thoughts and looked around, it seemed that young and shabby-looking boys like me, perhaps with the same idea, had already arrived and were waiting. In no time, a considerable crowd had gathered near the man who announced the recruitment.

“Heh, you milk-scented brats. Did you come here wanting to become an awesome mercenary like me?”

The boys standing next to me responded loudly.

“I’ve dreamed of being a strong mercenary since I was a kid.”

“I want to become a mercenary and be a strong man like you!”

“Just order me around! Even if you tell me to die, I’ll at least pretend to.”

Outside the inn, the bald man who was recruiting mercenaries laughed and said,

“My name is Dalton, and I’m the captain of the Whitebeard Mercenary Group. All of you look so feeble that I think I could knock you down with a single finger. But fine, I’ll let you join, especially for today. Enjoy your meals without worry. Lads, eat as if it’s your last supper.”

At those words, nearly 20 young men, including myself, who looked like they had just come from the countryside, rushed into the bar. Dalton grabbed my neck with one hand.

“Wait, kid. Not you, scram loser.”

“Why can’t I join?”

Dalton knocked on the armor I was wearing and said,

“Just by looking at what you’re wearing, I can tell you’re from a knight’s family. Someone who’s had some education and sword training. We’re looking for expendables, shields made of meat, not someone like you who smells of milk. Get lost, kid! Go suckle some more at your mother’s teat.”

“I really want to work in this mercenary group. I’ll do anything you ask; please give me a chance.”

Seeing that I wasn’t backing down, Dalton sighed and said,

“You look like you’re from a knight’s family, but you don’t know your own worth. Even though our mercenaries might look dumb as rocks, we don’t treat those who can use a sword and those who are mere meat shields the same. I’d love to hire someone with skills, but damn…”

As Dalton said, in this game world, new recruits fall into two categories:

Category one was young men from poor farming families, also known as meat shields. The other was people like me, born into a knight’s family but unable to become a knight and thus unemployed.

While both were classified as newbie mercenaries, just as in reality, the treatment of new employees differed based on their education; in this cursed fantasy world, knights and peasants were also treated distinctly differently.

The man in front of me sighed heavily and continued with a sympathetic look,

“Look, kid. Someone of your caliber would start as a senior mercenary in any other group and earn double the normal wage. Do you know what that means? Your salary would be worth ten times that of those fools who just rushed into the bar. But we’re short on money right now and can’t afford someone as expensive as you. Look elsewhere, or I’ll bash your head in.”

In this game, other mercenary leaders might have tried to undercut my salary or deceive me, but his honesty drew me in.

Truth be told, the Whitebeard Mercenary Group was where named characters destined to join the protagonist’s party passed through.

Knowing this, I could not miss the opportunity to connect with named characters. Therefore, I definitely needed to join this group.

“Thank you for explaining kindly.”

“Yeah, right? So, quickly join another mercenary group in another city that has a lot of money, kid.”

“But I also want to serve in this mercenary group with those shield-bearing meat shields. Please let me join.”

“Damn, you’re a dumbass. Even when I tell you nicely to leave, why can’t you understand? Are you deaf? Do I need to take off that damned helmet and dig out your ears with a shovel for you to get it? Get lost, you crazy bastard.”

At that, I chuckled softly.

“Damn, this kid is laughing? I’ll show you today…”

“Yes, I am that crazy bastard. Damn, I decided to start as a mercenary to make a name for myself rather than living as a broke knight, inheriting a small countryside knight family’s legacy. I’m indeed that madman who threw away his inheritance.”

Dalton looked at me as if thinking, ‘Is this kid really insane?’

And yes, I was that insane guy, or rather a fool who had thrown away his luck.

“That’s why I understand it well. A naive kid like me, I’ll suffer if I try to command new recruits as a senior mercenary or act nobly. So, I came here prepared to start from the very bottom.”

“…… Damn, you’re a complete idiot.”

“If I start from scratch after giving up the family inheritance, I can slowly climb up. Then, as you said, not only as a senior mercenary but maybe I can even receive a title. If I have no skills, I’ll just die like those meat shield guys.”

Ever since I reincarnated into this damned game world, I had never hesitated and had always moved forward.

There was no room for hesitation on a long journey.

Dalton and I locked eyes for a minute, and then Dalton burst into laughter.

“Damn, you’re right. Honestly, it’s 100 billion times better to recruit a passionate madman like you than those idiots who act all superior in the mercenary group just because they received some knight training. So, are you joining on the same terms as those shield guys in terms of salary?”

“Yes, life is just one shot, right? A war is imminent, and then you’ll recognize my abilities. By then, my treatment will also change.”

“Damn, life is full of unexpected turns. I like that you are assigned to the Fior ten-man squad. Today, indulge yourself, and on the battlefield, show me what you’re capable of, as you’ve said. Stinking greenhorn!”

When I received the permission to join, I let out a sigh of relief.

With this, I wouldn’t have to worry about meals, and I even got an opportunity to show my capabilities.

Upon entering the tavern, rookies with shield emblems were mingling loudly with the veterans, laughing, pouring, and drinking heavily.

I asked around among the mercenaries who met my gaze to locate the position of the Fior ten men squad. But there was only one dazzlingly beautiful female elf present.

There should be around ten mercenaries if it was a group of ten, so why was there only one? I wondered this just as the elf in front of me gestured for me to sit.

“Are you the newcomer to our Fior ten-man squad?”

Caught off guard, I blurted out my response.

“Yes, I am.”

Immediately, the elf woman looked at me with uninterested eyes and grumbled,

“The leader of the squad and the others went out drinking and then to see some courtesans a while ago. I don’t know why they waste their money like that.”

…This was supposed to be an opportunity for a rookie like me to bond and drink with the seniors, but they just left their seats to hang out with courtesans. It was quite rude, wasn’t it?

But, thanks to that, I got a chance to converse with such a beauty, so I couldn’t really complain.

Her breasts, neither too large nor too small, seemed like they would fit perfectly in one’s hand, those unique pointed elf ears, golden hair, and green eyes.

This incredibly beautiful woman, whom I had only seen in games, now appeared as a real-life elf before my eyes.

The female elf in front of me extended her hand and said,

“My name is Karin, a senior mercenary in the Fior ten-man squad. But, well, among the mercenaries, I am just one of those with a bit of experience.”

In Korean terms, a senior mercenary was similar to a sergeant in charge of a squad.

This meant that if I got off on the wrong foot with her, my mercenary life would become difficult…

“My name is Martin Meyer. I joined the Dalton Mercenaries today. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you. But that armor.”

She pointed at my armor and asked,

“Are you by any chance from a knight’s family?”

“That is so. But aren’t I just a rookie?”

Karin nodded in response to my words.

“Even if they are rookies, there’s a world of difference between you and those punks over there without even a single spear. And from the handshake earlier, I could tell. You’re quite good, aren’t you? Have you had any experience?”

“I’ve never killed anyone, nor have I had experiences with women like those visiting the courtesans over there.”

Upon hearing this, she looked at me with an expression as if evaluating something heavy.

To say one had to kill but hadn’t ever done it was akin to saying one has no work experience when applying for a job. It was understandable.

“Throughout my time as a mercenary, I’ve met several young lords in armor. I’m curious about how you’d compare. Are you confident?”

I chuckled lightly in response.

“Yes, I am confident. If I weren’t, why would I come all the way to the Whitebeard Mercenary Group instead of starting with another group?”

Hearing this, Karin gave a faint smile.

“I’ve been in this mercenary life for 2 years, but you’re the first nutcase like this.”

“Is that so?”

She extended her pointer finger, lightly touched my chin, then smiled and said,

“Prove that bravado. Show me it’s not just blind madness.”

“Yes, understood.”

Then, seemingly out of obligation rather than genuine curiosity, she asked with a somewhat disinterested look,

“What’s the rookie’s dream?”

Becoming a mercenary captain was fine, and living a stable life as a knight from a noble family, like a civil servant, wasn’t bad either. However, being reincarnated into this world and forsaking my family name wasn’t just to stop at that.

With that sentiment, I declared,

“My dream is to become the leader of a large-scale mercenary group or a noble with vast territories, possessing wealth, honor, and beauty, and climbing up to a position everyone envies.”

At that, Karin chuckled lightly.

“Really? Well, all rookies dream big. I did too once.”

While I was having a conversation with Karin, someone approached from behind and suddenly smacked me on my shoulder.

As I got up briskly, like a new recruit should, the person who hit me from behind started to shout in an angry voice out of nowhere.

“You damn bastard, how dare a newbie like you hit on Karin? Are you in heat or something?”

…Was this guy crazy? Ah, no matter if I was a newbie, this wasn’t the military but a mercenary group.

If I just bowed down and took it, they would see me as a pushover.

When I had done nothing wrong, and he came at me like this, shouldn’t I also stand my ground and give him a taste of his own medicine?

Damn, just try laying a hand on me. You’re going to get it.