The Regressor Wants to Become a Hero

From the tone, it was clear the man wasn’t asking for more money. That made it all the more absurd.

Of course, this was the kind of attitude a guild employee should have.

It was natural, but given the many instances where this wasn’t the case, Ian felt like common sense was being challenged.

Who would’ve thought someone like this would exist in a mercenary guild he had assumed was completely rotten?

“What about the base?” Ian asked.

“That I can tell you. Let’s see.”

The staff opened a drawer and pulled out a notebook, flipping through it.

“Start with Gaum City.”

“Start with?”

“The guild reported setting up a base there, but I’ve heard they recently relocated. Someone mentioned it in passing.”

“Where did they move to?”

“I heard it’s Animi Fortress, the southernmost point of the defensive line. But I’m not entirely sure, so just take it as a reference.”

Ian tilted his head at the response. Gaum City made sense, but Animi Fortress?

The terrain there was rough, and it wasn’t an ideal spot for a mercenary group to operate.

Although rare materials could be gathered there, the location didn’t align with the White Owl Mercenaries’ style.

Of course, there could be an unknown reason, but his naturally suspicious perspective made it seem even stranger.

“Anything else you’re curious about?”

Ian wanted to ask about the size of the mercenary group, but considering the staff’s reluctance to share the location, he figured that information would also be deemed confidential.

When Ian said there was nothing else, the staff nodded.

“Then why not renew your mercenary badge before you go? You know the first renewal has to be done at the place of issue, right? If you leave it as is, you might have to come back later. After that, it can be renewed anywhere, so take care of it now.”

“I’m in a hurry.”

“If you want to join the White Owls, having an iron badge won’t cut it. They’ll kick you out before even testing your skills.”

“…….”

“It won’t take long. I’ll process it for you right away, so hand over your current badge.”

Ian took out his mercenary badge, which he had been carrying. It was a basic grade made of mixed scrap metal.

The new badge issued by the staff was silver.

“With this, no one will look down on you wherever you go.”

The badges were divided into five ranks: iron, copper, silver, gold, and platinum. Starting from silver, it signified a trustworthy mercenary. Since promotion to gold required a higher rank, silver was currently the highest grade obtainable.

“The promotion fee is 30 silver coins.”

“…….”

“You can pay with a card too.”

Although Ian already knew this, it was still an exorbitant price.

Instead of complaining about the cost, Ian took out another gold coin from his pocket.

As the staff grabbed the drawer, he asked, “What about the change?”

“Keep it.”

“Hohoho, good luck. Come back if you have more questions.”

Ian tucked the badge away. A few people glanced at him with interest, but he ignored their stares and began searching for Eor.

The inquisitor, dressed in a cleric’s robe with a worn-out coat draped over his arm, stood by the bulletin board.

Seeing the dark circles under Eor’s eyes, Ian thought he looked pitiful.

From the air he carried alone, it was clear Eor was a skilled individual. Perhaps that’s why a mercenary was sticking close to him, offering unsolicited advice.

“You shouldn’t take that job. It might look lucrative at first, but once you account for the effort and costs, it’s a loss. Unless you’re confident in your scouting skills, it’s better to pass, big brother.”

“…Big brother? Are you speaking to me?”

“Who else would I be talking to? There’s no one here but you, Priest. Don’t be so clueless. After all this talking, don’t you feel a little bond forming between us?”

“Is there something you want?”

“Of course! Part of it’s just goodwill, though. Anyway, Priest, what’s your rank? Silver, right? If you don’t mind, why not take on a request with us? We’ll make sure you’re well-compensated.”

“Sorry, but that will be difficult.”

“What? Why?”

“I have companions, and we already have plans.”

“But you were just looking at the bulletin board with me!”

“Out of curiosity. I was just wondering what kind of requests were listed.”

Eor’s indifferent response left the mercenary visibly disappointed. She seemed to have taken a liking to him and clearly wasn’t going to back down easily.

Ian had no choice but to step forward.

“The priest already said he’s not interested.”

“Stay out of this. He hasn’t said no yet.”

“That’s a bit problematic.”

“Why is it your problem? You’re not the priest.”

“Because I’m his companion. Don’t do something unethical—just back off.”

“…What?”

“Or is it a trend among mercenaries these days to openly poach someone else’s companions? I’ve seen some shameless behavior, but this takes the cake.”

The mercenary turned from Eor to Ian, her expression twisting in anger. Ian’s words were a clear insult, and she wasn’t going to let it slide.

She took a step forward, closing the distance between them, her face inches from Ian’s. Her eyes sharpened, and she looked ready to either throw a punch or draw the sword at her waist.

“Say that again. What did you just say?”

Ian wasn’t planning to let it go either. He might not intend to work as a mercenary in this guild, but tolerating this kind of behavior would set a dangerous precedent.

He understood how difficult it was to shake off a single wrong perception once it took root.

Knowing the risks, Ian didn’t bother to hide his irritation. Instead, he began to openly draw on his mana, exuding an intense, almost palpable heat that encroached on the space around them.

“If this is how you want to play it, I can’t just let it go. Are you looking to shed blood here? If that’s what you want, I’ll oblige.”

“Oh, really? Then let’s see what you’ve got.”

The female mercenary smirked as she placed her hand on her weapon. The tension rose, and the surrounding mercenaries began stepping back, clicking their tongues.

“Is she out of her mind?”

“Leave her. She’s so smitten with that handsome priest she can’t see straight.”

“She pulled this same stunt last time too. Tsk tsk.”

“She probably doesn’t even hear us.”

Most of the mercenaries were mocking her.

“…What the hell?”

The atmosphere felt off. Normally, people would cheer and egg them on to fight, but today, she was getting looks of pity instead. Even someone as oblivious as her could sense that something wasn’t right.

‘Wait, why does this feel so familiar?’

The mercenary recalled a recent incident. Something similar had happened before.

The situation had escalated to the point where the female mercenary couldn’t simply laugh it off as a joke. Her pride wouldn’t allow it, not after she had already gotten in Ian’s face.

Still, she forced a smile and asked, “What’s your name? I haven’t heard of such a brazen kid operating around here.”

“Ian.”

“…Berger?”

The name triggered a series of realizations. As soon as she heard it, the surname that naturally followed surfaced in her mind.

Berger. The ruling family of the city they were in, and protectors of the eastern region of the El Carda Empire.

And then it clicked. The youngest son of that powerful family, the third heir, was rumored to be indulging in mercenary work.

Black hair. Eyes tinged with red. The mercenary’s face froze as she connected the dots. She quickly stepped back, undoing the proximity she had aggressively closed moments earlier.

“Go ahead, attack me.”

“…….”

But her body stiffened, completely unable to move. Now, everything was painfully clear to her.

The golden embroidery on Ian’s collar. The crest symbolizing the Berger family. Details she had failed to notice in her earlier recklessness now glared at her like warning signs.

The murderous look on her face vanished, replaced with an almost childlike nervousness. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.

She muttered under her breath, “I’m screwed.”

What now? If only someone would step in and diffuse the tension! But her silent plea went unanswered.

Just as Ian furrowed his brow and prepared to speak, the mercenary suddenly dropped to her knees, clasping her hands together.

“…What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry! My deepest apologies, young master!”

Her voice quivered, and tears welled in her eyes as she begged.

“I didn’t recognize you and foolishly overstepped my bounds! Please, forgive me just this once!”

Ian’s jaw tightened at her dramatic shift. He was speechless at the sight of her groveling, rubbing her palms together as if she was trying to wear them out.

The surrounding mercenaries, who had been watching the scene unfold, erupted into laughter at her expense.

“Young master, please! I was blind to the truth. People always tell me I lack awareness, and I’ll change! From now on, I’ll think twice before messing with someone! Just give me the word, and I’ll make those laughing idiots kneel right now!”

Her desperate act caused the smirking spectators to sober up. One by one, they coughed awkwardly and fell silent, but none of them stepped away. They seemed determined to witness the rare spectacle play out to the end.

Ian sighed, exasperated. The situation was so overblown that responding seriously felt absurd.

At this point, Eor, who had been watching quietly, intervened.

“Isn’t that enough, Sir Ian?”

“If I let this go, she’ll just repeat the same behavior,”

The mercenary hurriedly shook her head, vehemently denying it. “I wouldn’t dare! I’ve learned my lesson! This won’t ever happen again, I swear!”

“There you go. She said she’s learned her lesson. Let’s leave it at that. We still have a long journey ahead of us,”

Eor had a point—they did have a long way to go. But Ian couldn’t help but feel a pang of curiosity. A part of him wanted to test this groveling mercenary’s mettle.

“Your sudden change in attitude—it’s because of my family name, isn’t it?”

“Of course not! It’s because of your reputation, young master!”

“How about this,” Ian proposed, a sly smile spreading across his face. “Let’s settle it as mercenary against mercenary. A proper match. If I lose, I promise there’ll be no retaliation. Absolutely none.”

The mercenary hesitated, visibly tempted by the idea for a brief moment. But then she quickly waved her hands, forcing an ingratiating laugh.

“Oh, no, no. How could I possibly dare? I wouldn’t dream of it. Just… let’s forget this ever happened, please. Hehe.”

The awkwardness of her laugh killed what little interest Ian had left. With a faint shake of his head, he decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

At this point, forcing a fight would accomplish nothing. She wouldn’t take it seriously, and it would only make Ian look like someone who bullies the weak.

“What’s your name?”

“…Para”

“See you next time, if the chance arises.”

Ian let the mana he had been gathering dissipate.

“Ah, thank you! Truly, thank you!”

The mercenary wasted no time standing up, shoving aside the crowd of onlookers as she made her escape.

Ian, too, left the mercenary guild alongside Eor.

***

The City of Gaum

Situated at the heart of the defensive line, Gaum was a logistics hub.

It served as the terminal for trains arriving from all over the Empire. The resources stockpiled here were redistributed to the frontline and fortresses, while byproducts from the fortresses flowed back into the city.

But that wasn’t all. Gaum was also the first stop for soldiers on leave from the various fortresses, making it a land of opportunity for merchants.

Ian and Eor arrived in Gaum not by train but via teleportation magic from the Mage Tower, materializing at a bustling terminal where countless people disembarked from trains.

“You could’ve taken the train. No sense of romance, do you?” Eor remarked.

“Why didn’t you mention it earlier? You stayed quiet the entire time until now,” Ian replied dryly.

“Let’s take the train on the way back. Even I need some rest now and then, though I doubt I’ll get any when we return.”

Ian let out a hollow laugh.

“So, are we headed to another mercenary guild?”

“No. Since we’re here, let’s stop by the market first. That’s where we’ll find the White Owls.”

A spark of interest lit in Ian’s eyes as he followed Eor into the bustling streets of Gaum.

———-