The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 62

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 62
Episode 62
Of course, Yuna had valid reasons for throwing out such a direct question.
A Guild offer right from the start?
That’s crossing a line.
Suddenly proposing Guild recruitment to someone you’ve barely met is incredibly awkward.
Hiring as a mercenary is much the same.
In a way, it’s a gamble.
Actually, it was practically a gamble.
But the opportunity was too valuable to pass up.
Without letting on that she’d absolutely figured out he was Jin-woo, Yuna added her explanation.
“Looking at the equipment you’re wearing, those items appear to be of considerable value, and whether you’re aiming to acquire skills or familiarize yourself with their mechanics, the fact that you’re examining multiple types of magical skill books suggests you have the means to do so. I made my offer assuming you’ve reached at least level 30.”
“Huh.”
“Of course, I’ll provide compensation as well.”
What Yuna said in that brief moment was quite reasonable.
To have figured that out after just one conversation.
From Jin-woo’s perspective, there was no choice but to be surprised.
Well, even if he were Jin-woo, he would have been.
It was surprising in the first place, after all.
Naturally, Jin-woo had intended to refuse.
If they partied together, she might discover that he was the one who’d questioned whether it was rigged work.
For some reason, that seemed more dangerous than being exposed as Zinu TV.
In any case, just as he was about to refuse.
Yuna continued speaking.
“Of course, I’m not just talking about hiring you as a simple mercenary. Do you know what a Regional Transfer Quest is?”
“….”
He didn’t respond.
But as Jin-woo, he couldn’t help but be shocked.
‘She’s already found that?’
That’s information that shouldn’t be unlocked for another month.
But how did she find it?
His mind was full of questions, though he did consider the possibility that things might have changed.
He’d touched so many things.
After all, hadn’t he become entangled with Tensor, who originally released information?
The future could certainly have shifted enough.
Moreover.
‘The Han-sung Guild did have remarkably fast information even before the regression.’
This made him reluctant to refuse again.
The graduation Quest of Falcon Village.
It offered random skill books, no less.
Moreover, it was a random skill book given to all party members.
It was only given as an initial reward.
Naturally, Han Yu-na had obtained one before the regression as well.
‘I suppose this could happen,’ I thought.
Forming a party with Han Yu-na.
When I saw her after being trapped in Falcon Village for a week.
I had anticipated it.
But I’d tried my best to avoid it.
The random skill book was quite valuable.
It wasn’t for nothing that I was staying here to learn skills.
Seeing me lost in thought, Yuna delivered the finishing blow.
[User ‘Yuna’ has sent you a trade request.]
“Hm?”
“How about a mercenary contract as an advance condition?”
Huh, so money solves everything, is that it?
Her confident attitude left me speechless instead.
Does she think money can buy anything?
I have plenty of money too, thank you very much!
That’s what I thought to myself while Jin-woo.
Opening the trade window.
Just how much was she offering anyway?
I could guess…
[Trade Window]
-User ‘Yuna’ has placed 10,000 Gold in the trade window.
-If you accept the trade as is, the exchange will be completed.
“…?”
Wait, wasn’t the gold exchange rate 2 to 3 dollars per gold right now?
That’s what it was when I checked yesterday.
In the early days it was like that, but later it stabilized to around 1.5 dollars per gold.
Where should I check the exchange rate?
Oh! Exactly 2 dollars.
So that’s 20 million won?
“Well, why not! Let me give it a shot!”
“Oh! Thank you so much!”
[You have accepted the trade.]
[10,000 Gold has been added to your inventory.]
The amount was far too tempting to refuse.
* * *
The moment the trade window closed, Yuna sent me a friend request.
The message that came with it had the most suspicious content imaginable.
[The person who sent the friend request wishes to hide their nickname and information.]
[Even if you become friends, you will not be able to see the other person’s nickname and information if you agree.]
Any way you looked at it, the message was suspicious.
The concealment was painfully obvious, but that was only because Yuna already knew Jin-woo.
If it had been someone she truly didn’t know, she never would have figured it out.
Regardless, this was an opportunity!
Yuna accepted immediately.
Then a message appeared.
[Friend request completed.]
‘Done!’
Once the friend request was accepted, the worry that he might take the money and disappear vanished.
Even though he’d hidden his information and nickname.
At least messages could still reach him.
Besides, he didn’t seem like someone without a conscience.
My excitement was unmistakable.
But I suppressed it as much as I could.
I couldn’t let it show.
I simply smiled and bowed my head in gratitude.
As if I were truly desperate.
“Thank you. Then I’ll coordinate schedules with my party members and contact you again.”
“Yes.”
“Then.”
Yuna rose from her seat and left the Library.
She certainly had business with the public magic skills, but that hardly mattered now.
I could finally make contact with Jin-woo!
A gamble.
It had succeeded.
‘I thought I was dead.’
Honestly, I’d worried terribly that the proposal would fail.
It was definitely a gamble, after all.
That’s why I played my trump card—the regional transfer Quest.
I was certain Jin-woo would be hooked.
That Argon of Verdant Green from the video.
He was probably the boss of the regional transfer Quest.
Since Jin-woo had already defeated him, I thought he’d show interest in the regional transfer Quest.
‘The money was just a nominal advance; the Quest was the real bait.’
Though I suspect Jin-woo was more interested in the former.
Well, misunderstandings are free.
I needed to tell the other party members about this quickly.
Yuna sent messages to her other party members.
However, I didn’t reveal that the mercenary was Jin-woo.
Yuna was well-trained enough to hide it seamlessly, like wearing a perfect mask.
But the other party members weren’t.
[Yuna: I know this is sudden, but I’ve hired a mercenary.]
[Neira: Huh? All of a sudden? Didn’t you say you were going to get the princess’s skill?]
The Female Mage was the first to respond.
It seemed they were taking a break from combat, because the Male Warrior and Female Warrior sent messages in quick succession.
[Pandel: This is quite sudden, but has their ability been verified?]
[Ellen: If Yuna hired them, I think we can trust them.]
The Male Warrior Pandel with his slightly concerned tone, and the Female Warrior Ellen with her indifferent attitude.
It couldn’t really be helped.
It was far too sudden.
[Yuna: They’re quite skilled, but it seems difficult to recruit them into the Guild immediately, so I’ve hired them as a mercenary for now.]
[Pandel: Even if someone is called skilled in our village, would they really surpass us? In any case, they’ll probably be inferior to us.]
[Neira: Well, I guess that idiot Pan has a point.]
[Yuna: Understood. I’ll ask them about a skill test.]
[Ellen: I’ll just stay quiet. I trust that Yuna will handle it well.]
[Neira: Yeah, I trust you too, but I can’t trust that person.]
[Pandel: Right.]
I understood my party members’ concerns, though.
They were comrades I’d been working with all along.
It was natural to dislike someone suddenly joining in.
No matter if they were just a mercenary.
What should I do?
I should contact Jin-woo first, right?
Should I go back into the Library?
No, that would be awkward.
I should leave a message for now.
[Yuna: Mercenary, would it be alright if I conducted a skill test? Of course, I’m prepared to pay extra, counting practice sessions as work.]
Money probably wouldn’t be a major concern for them.
But still, I needed to maintain proper form.
What if they refused?
While Yuna was worrying about this.
A reply came back quite quickly.
[**: Skill test, understood.]
[Yuna: Ah! Thank you! I’ll make sure to pay you properly.]
[**: …Will it be the same amount?]
It seemed like they were hesitating over something.
It was probably just my imagination.
That’s what Yuna thought.
Someone with that level of skill worrying over a mere twenty million won? Impossible.
That couldn’t be it.
They must be someone who values formality.
So I should match that formality.
[Yuna: Yes. I’ll consider this payment as covering the skill test, and we can settle the next payment when we meet again. After the skill test, I’ll increase the pay accordingly. I feel like I’ve put you through enough trouble.]
[**: Ah! Thank you so much!]
There was something excited in that tone.
It seemed they were anticipating something.
Could it be that Jin-woo had also noticed something about my abilities?
I hoped so.
Anyway.
Strike while the iron is hot, as they say.
[Yuna: When would be convenient for you? I’ll adjust to your schedule.]
[**: Hmm, since I’ve already received the advance, how about three hours from now?]
[Yuna: Yes, understood! Shall we meet at the Central Square?]
[**: Yes, I’ll be there.]
[Yuna: Great! See you then.]
After confirming with Jin-woo as well, Yuna
sent another message to the rest of the party.
[Yuna: We’ve decided to do the skill test. We’re meeting at the Central Square in three hours. How about I take you there?]
[Neira: We’re fine with it!]
[Pandel: I’m good with it too!]
[Ellen: I’m in favor~.]
Everyone agreed.
I was grateful for that.
Though it seemed they weren’t entirely convinced.
[Pandel: Still, they’re probably not as skilled as us, so don’t get your hopes too high, Yuna.]
Seeing Pandel’s reaction made my lips twitch, but I held back.
I was curious what kind of reaction they’d show once they saw my actual abilities.
But if they’re wearing equipment like that, would they fight like a mage?
I couldn’t get a read on it.
From the video, they looked unmistakably like a warrior.
Though it seemed they had used magic skills too.
I simply couldn’t pin them down.
Either way, I’d find out during the skill test.
‘Three hours. I hope they pass quickly.’
Whether from anticipation
or something else, time crawled by.
* * *
Three hours later, the moment of truth arrived.
Yuna arrived at the Hunting Grounds where the party members were stationed, having brought Jin-woo from the Central Square.
Jin-woo glanced around at his new teammates, then offered a slight bow in greeting.
“Pleased to meet you all. Please call me Mercenary A.”
“Mercenary A?”
“That seems suspicious.”
“Ahahaha! The princess has brought us quite the character!”
He was even wearing a mask.
The whole appearance screamed suspicion.
A vague alias and a mask to boot?
Even a child could tell something was off.
The party members’ skepticism was hardly unreasonable.
Yuna, however, addressed them with casual confidence.
“Why don’t we see what he can do first?”
None of them objected to that.
Suspicious or not, if Yuna approved, then it was fine—or so they reasoned.
But Pandel had already made up his mind.
From his appearance alone, he was clearly a Mage.
No matter what, Pandel thought he couldn’t possibly match Neira’s abilities.
‘There’s no way he’s better than our party members.’
Yuna had probably brought him along because he showed some promise.
After all, she was known for her hunger for talent.
Well, a skill test would reveal the truth soon enough.
Looking at his equipment, at least he wasn’t completely worthless.
Of course, Yuna wouldn’t have brought him otherwise.
“Then shall we head to the Goblin Dungeon we cleared before? The first-clear bonus is gone, but it’s still a decent dungeon.”
Everyone nodded at Neira’s suggestion.
Jin-woo nodded as well.
As if it made no difference to him.
Then came a striking remark.
“Any location is fine with me.”
Pandel found himself hoping that Jin-woo’s abilities matched the confidence in his words.
He had no idea what reaction he was about to witness.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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