Chapter 27
Meredith unlocked the metal box.
Inside were a syringe and a glass vial that looked to be about 5ml, with a slanted grid pattern decoration on one side of the vial.
Ellen, who was watching from Max’s side, recognized the item at once.
She looked slightly surprised.
“It’s a gift from the Association Chairman to an Association member who has consecutively resolved difficult requests.”
“What is this?”
“It’s an enhancement drug called Diamond Spike.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard of an enhancement drug with such a flashy name.”
“Heh heh… It certainly isn’t a common item.”
Max didn’t know about this item.
This meant it wasn’t an enhancement drug circulating in the market. He didn’t know its effects, nor did he know its value.
“It’s a simple question, but since our young friend is a Mage, you must know where magic power accumulates.”
“The heart.”
“Exactly. It’s a Liquid Metal that coats the heart to expand its capacity and increase the amount of magic power. It’s a shame that using it consecutively yields no effect after the coating is finished, though.”
The fact that it couldn’t be used multiple times on a single individual was the same as the Genesis Bio Solution Max had purchased through the Broker.
Above all, he was tempted by the words that it increases magic power capacity.
Because that was the area where Max’s thirst was the most severe.
“It sounds like a precious item just from hearing about it.”
“Of course, of course. Ellen Clements must know this item well. Would you like to see if it’s genuine?”
Ellen approached and picked up the item without hesitation.
She turned it this way and that to check it, then injected magic power to confirm its reaction. Finally, she touched the grid pattern made of a Hologram to verify its unique serial number.
“It’s genuine.”
“Ho ho, your appraisal is fast as expected.”
“Old Man, where did you get this?”
“When you live to this age, wouldn’t there be opportunities to obtain an item like this?”
Ellen stopped her interrogation and sat down. It was an item that a Magic Noble Family like Clements possessed in large quantities anyway.
For now, she just planned to watch the interaction between Max and the Association President.
“Now, it’s a gift for our Mage friend.”
The Association President pushed the case forward for him to take, but Max did not reach out his hand.
Snatching up and eating something just because it was given to you in Haze was an act of madness.
“Association President, I have received all of my Request Reward. Is this really a simple gift?”
“Is it too heavy?”
“Even if you had given me 1 credit in the same manner, I would have asked the exact same thing.”
“Tsk tsk… That’s a good attitude. Being a Mercenary is your calling.”
“And isn’t there still something we need to clear up? I thought the Association President’s main job was being a Diviner.”
“Looking at the Outline of Fate is simply a Hobby. In the Upper District, you can’t even buy a meal with 10,000 credits.”
“If you gather customers while shoving a gun muzzle at them, it seems like you’d earn quite a bit…”
As they made it obvious that they knew each other, Ellen and Meredith rolled their eyes.
The Association President laughed heartily and continued the conversation.
“I wanted to get my hooks into you somehow back then. I got greedy and ended up using rough methods.”
“Why did you try to involve me?”
From a Regressor’s perspective, this was a very important issue.
In his past life, he would have lightly ignored it, but now, he couldn’t help but pay attention to a Person blabbering about the Outline of Fate and acting like he knew everything.
“First, to make one thing clear, meeting you that day was a coincidence. Fortune-telling has aspects similar to magic, so if you let go of it for a long time, it drifts away. That’s why I tour various districts and periodically act as a Diviner.”
“I will ask again. Why did you try to involve me then?”
As Max showed an attitude of pressuring the Association President, the Bodyguard Ludwig flinched.
The Association President raised a hand to stop him. Far from being displeased, he found Max’s attitude amusing.
‘He isn’t bluffing by trusting in backgrounds like Clements or Crimson Howl.’
Aside from the skill of reaching the 3rd tier from the 1st tier in that short amount of time, his mental state was intriguing.
He had met various humans while serving as the Association President, and though mages were said to have unique aspects, this type was a first.
“An energy that rots and gnaws at your lifeline was dangling precariously, yet the path ahead was radiantly open. The contradiction was so bizarre that I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I wanted to see the face of whatever kind of guy you were.”
Max did his utmost not to show any sign of it on his face.
‘This old Diviner… he’s no quack.’
It seemed best to show ignorance with an ambiguous attitude. In moments like this, there was no Shield as good as ignorance.
“It’s hard to understand what you mean. I’m not very smart, so I don’t really like vague expressions.”
“It’s difficult for this Old Man to explain any further as well. I’m merely reciting what I see.”
“According to your words, does that mean I have the face of a dead man?”
“No. From the first time we met, you were Forcibly holding onto a causality that should have been severed. It looks like a fate tougher than braided steel, where a massive providence tried to devour you but gave up and left of its own accord.”
Was that how a Regressor looked in the eyes of The Real Deal Diviner?
Max’s curiosity continued without hesitation because he didn’t think he was the only special one.
“Are there other cases like mine?”
“You’re the first. There hasn’t been a human I could even call similar until now.”
“Well… I’m not in a position to believe in fortune-telling or fate, but it feels good to hear you say nice things, because being tough is important for a Mercenary.”
“Of course! Absolutely.”
“Then was it also the Association President who nominated me for the Gaia Food request?”
“It wasn’t entirely my own will, but it’s true that I made the proposal.”
“Why is that?”
“To you who say you don’t believe in fate, could you accept it if I said the visible flow was like that?”
“Hmm…”
Max closed his mouth without readily answering.
He loathed being told to accept words that didn’t even have data to prove them.
The longer the conversation that required concentration went on, the more he felt the urge to bite into a Lollipop.
An appropriate assist followed.
“Oppa. Say ah~.”
As if his thoughts had shown on his face, Ellen unwrapped a Lollipop and shoved it into his mouth.
The Association President’s group froze in bewilderment at Ellen’s action. The fact that Ellen Clements would do such a thing caused cognitive dissonance.
But from Max’s perspective, what a perfect handling of the situation this was. Even if it wasn’t a polite action, if Ellen was the one putting it in his mouth, no one could say anything.
On top of that, Melon Flavor? That’s crazy!
“Thanks to that, I’ve reached the 3rd tier, so I’ll accept it.”
“…Good, good. You catch on fast.”
The Association President, erasing Ellen’s action from his mind, nodded in satisfaction and picked up his paper cup.
He drank water to wash away the dryness and got straight to the point.
“To return to the main point, my reasoning is simple in giving this item to you.”
“Please tell me.”
“Half of it is my stance as the Mercenary Association President wanting to sponsor a Mage with a bright future. The other half is a request to prioritize the requests you’re nominated for over other requests from now on. Of course, I also plan to support you with reliable personnel.”
It was insufficient content to erase Max’s suspicions.
Even if he was drooling over the gift, he shouldn’t accept it until he understood the beginning, middle, and end of the situation.
“Is it a relief that Ellen is listening right next to me?”
If Ellen heard it, the Association President wouldn’t be able to change his words later.
He kept feeling the realization that he had hired a good Employee.
“The request you mentioned prioritizing, Association President, is connected to Gaia Food?”
“Ho ho ho! You’re very quick-witted.”
Ellen, who had been listening quietly, produced a small spark with her finger and interjected into the conversation.
“Old Man. Is it okay for me to hear this conversation right now? I loathe talk related to politics or tightrope walking.”
“Of course it’s fine.”
“You say that so refreshingly that it’s annoying.”
“I would appreciate it if you accepted it as a declaration of intent that the Bohemian Mercenary Association won’t go against the Magic Noble Family Clements.”
“Hmph…”
Ellen waved her hand dismissively, telling them to continue the conversation.
The Association President bowed his head in a show of gratitude, then focused on Max once again.
“Actually, I thought supporting you with money would be ideal, but with your current strength, the future won’t be easy. And in Haze, even if you have money, the items a Mercenary can obtain are limited, aren’t they?”
“…”
“I highly value your growth speed, not to mention the details that follow a massive request.”
From Max’s perspective, the Association President was holding hands with an unknown Client and targeting a certain Corporation.
Saying to prioritize a specific request while showing such moves meant to join the same Faction as the Association.
“Did I buy quite a bit of trust with the Gaia Food job?”
Max’s mind quickly listed the information.
The fact that he wasn’t hiding the conversation from Ellen, who belonged to Clements, and that Clements was among the founders of the MegaCorp known as Genesis Bio was noteworthy.
Based on the immediate information, the enemy they had to face wasn’t in this direction.
‘There must be a mountain of things he hasn’t told me yet. Even taking that into account…’
Of course, he didn’t trust the current conversation.
But to the question of whether it would still be okay, the answer came quickly.
“If there are lies mixed in what he said to Ellen, or if he tries to antagonize Clements, the Bohemian Mercenary Association would be struck by lightning and disintegrate in midair.”
The only 100 percent trustworthy information was that the Bohemian Mercenary Association existed perfectly fine Before Regression.
He didn’t know how it was internally, but externally, they didn’t do anything crazy like causing friction with a Magic Noble Family.
Ellen, like Flora, was a rare good-natured Person in Haze.
‘…’
He thoroughly searched the memories in his head to see if he had missed anything.
Max, who had repeatedly doubted to the point where anyone looking into his head would call it excessive, came to a conclusion.
‘Even if there are gaps in the information here and there, there’s a point where it connects.’
He accepted the metal box placed on the table.
“I’ll use it gratefully.”
An unexpected opportunity.
The path to the 4th tier had opened faster than he thought.