As her title suggests, 5★ ''Mercenary Queen'' Reba was both adventurer and mercenary. More precisely, not just a mercenary but amander leading over a hundred mercenaries.


    While viewers who hadn''t seen that ming red hair in a while were loudly expressing their desires andte joiners demanded to see what all the "dom queen" fuss was about, there was something they didn''t know - Reba had an uncanny nose for money, earning her the nickname "Money Devil" in the industry.


    After all, she was a woman who prated the highest tower floors for mana stones, used them to establish Magic Tower trade routes, and sent her mercenaries across the kingdom formerce.


    She became ''Mercenary Queen'' before Han Se-ah even logged into this world. Back when the marsnds weren''t corrupted, before any beauty buffs, she led over a hundred subordinates while her hair was more like matted animal fur caked with mud - that''s how good she was at making money.


    "Oh? Rnd? The tower''s a small world, running into you here."


    "Reba, are those Imperial knights behind you?"


    Seeing her leading neatly armored knights instead of her mercenary band made me think not that she''d been promoted to knighthood, but rather:


    She''d found some marks.


    "Ahem, Miss Reba. That person is...?""It''s Rnd, man. Don''t you know Rnd?"


    Some very gullible marks at that.


    As the distance closed and Reba recognized us, running overughing about the tower being small, one of her knightpanions tried smoothly joining the conversation.


    His attempt to impress Reba while subtly checking me out was so obvious that even I, wearing a helmet for a head, could see right through it. Clear proof Reba had thoroughly hooked some suckers.


    Given how thick those rose-colored sses were, he''d probably offer up his liver and galldder if Reba asked with augh.


    "Rnd... ah, the Holy Sword''s owner."


    "Word hasn''t spread to the Empire yet?"


    The young man''s eyes burned every time Reba acted friendly with me. Though not ipetent, he seemed young for an officer trainee... in mercenary terms, still wet behind the ears.


    His poor control over his emotions was so obvious that not just us but even the Ice Cross Knights who didn''t know Reba noticed, creating an awkward silence despite over fifty people gathered in the safe zone.@@novelbin@@


    Ah, maybe the Ice Cross Knights were used to this from watching Olek and Alisa''s childhood friend romanceedy daily.


    "By the way Reba, who are these people? What are you doing with them?"


    "This? Training rookies. They shower gold coins just for basic instruction. The pay is fucking insane!"


    "P-pay?! Miss Reba..."


    Seems the young master wasn''t used to mercenary speech yet - his reactions to Reba''s every word were quite entertaining. Given those reactions, Reba seemed to be deliberately teasing him.


    A mark with both fun reactions and deep pockets - exactly the type mercenaries loved most.


    ...Hey, isn''t this exactly like Han Se-ah- ahem.


    Quickly dismissing that small nder that crossed my mind, I looked to Reba''s adjutant standing behind her for a more detailed exnation. Given her personality, she always kept someone detail-oriented nearby.


    "It''s a request from the Empire, Sir Rnd. We help develop mercenary skills and strategic abilities by leading our mercenary band against the ins'' monsters."


    "With Reba involved, it won''t be just mercenary skills."


    "Ah, Reba doesn''t usually participate. She stands by just in case, while normally our men handle the orcs."


    The subordinate mercenary, used to working under Reba''s casual style, naturally continued exining as Reba grinned while teasing the Empire''s traineemander. With no objection from her, he fully exined the contract.


    Thirty intermediate mercenaries mixed as shield bearers, spearmen and archers acted as regr soldiers, with higher-ranked mercenaries as knights for emergencies. Rather than overwhelming with individual ability, the goal was achieving maximum upation with minimalbat through reconnaissance and terrain analysis.


    "The Empire seems to be hiring lots of mercenaries to evaluate officer candidates. Many other bands besides ours are employed."


    "Very Empire-like, using the whole tower as a testing ground."


    With many traineemanders being evaluated this way, I had thoughts but kept quiet.


    Though we had no right to criticize what the Empire did in the tower since we hadn''t rented it, pushing people to achieve merits meant they''d all target the floor 60 boss.


    There was no Empire standardized scoring system - the best way to look superior was achieving one major feat that stood out from others.


    ※


    True to her reputation for thoroughlypleting paid work, Reba left with her knights without much talk. Though her smirking lips showed she had plenty to say and clearly wanted to drag me somewhere private, a mercenary who took advance payment had to maintain trust.


    But those smirking lips finally threw me a warning before leaving - as we suspected, many were eyeing the floor 60 boss''s head. A casual warning along with mentioning we''d see each other often since they''d stay in the north.


    "Why would Imperial knights target the floor 60 boss?"


    "Like they said, the Empress must be quite angry."


    For all the talk of anger atmoners and nobles being equally threatened, coldly contracting with the Kingdom to mass producemanders seemed calcting.


    Yet targeting military gains against the Demon King''s army seemed emotional - training against monster waves could be done anywhere, no need toe all the way to the Kingdom.


    This suggested the Empress had some scheme in sending knights to the tower, but we had no way of knowing her intentions now.


    "Well, even with morepetition our job hasn''t changed. Let''s rest well and head north tomorrow."


    "Katie''s right. In the end, we need to hunt the floor 60 boss before anyone else. That''s why we brought the Ice Cross Knights."


    "Hmm, hearing Rnd makes my shoulders feel heavy."


    -Maybe your shoulders hurt for other reasons lololololololol


    -Even if Han Se-ah is super un-Korean that''s too direct YES SIR


    -Everyone''s popping up but the conclusion''s the same - gotta hurry since lots want the final blow


    -RUN (to the boss room)


    -Honestly nothing''s changed, Kingdom adventurers temple knights Magic Tower geezers etc always wanted final blow lol


    Setting aside the Empress''s motives, we had to push toward the boss monster. The viewers dismissed Han Se-ah''s grumbling as whining of the well-fed, starting their usual bickering about herpanion luck.


    Meanwhile Grace quietly approached me. Gently cing her hand on my forearm as if having something to say, she smiled brightly and asked:


    "Rnd, something happened with Hanna, right?"


    "Why suddenly?"


    A question striking right to the point, befitting the Shadow-Chasing Arrow. Though it might seem like checking if a lover cheated, Grace''s eyes held not a hint of displeasure.


    Those bright eyes held pure interest. Even if we could keep secrets from viewers, seems we couldn''t fool her. As I tried avoiding her gaze with that thought, she grabbed my arm and insisted on eye contact.


    Seeing her posture dere she''d keep bothering me until she got an answer, I slightly raised my hands in surrender and secretly observed Han Se-ah.


    Her camera pointed elsewhere as she chatted with viewers while busy hearing about the Empress from the Ice Cross Knights. Had to be careful saying such things in case she turned the camera to eavesdrop.


    "Why do you think that?"


    "Well, Hanna''s looked at Rnd''s hands several times while walking. Before she looked at your weapons or armor, but now she watches your hands and shoulders?"


    How did she notice gazes even I hadn''t felt?