Chapter 45: Full Moon Wolf 5
No matter how much the surface has changed, the core remains the same.
Rebecca teased me with all her might as usual.
If anything, the slight change is that I don't get as angry as I used to, perhaps because of her beautiful appearance.
Just as Rebecca's core remained the same, I proved to still be weak for beautiful women.
If the requester was pretty, I would take requests even adventurers and mercenaries avoided.
"I didn't bring him today, but he's quite a capable guy. I don't know where he picked up his skills, but he's above the novice level."
"So, what floor is he on?"
"He's soloed up to the 14th floor. As a mercenary porter, he made it to the 20th floor. Perfect for joining your party, don't you think?"
"What about his equipment?"
"He wields a slightly longer one-handed sword. It's a bit unusual, but he's skilled."
"Ah, that's a shame. He uses a one-handed sword but doesn't use a shield?"
"He's unique. Sometimes he even swings it with both hands."
An attack-focused vanguard, not bad at all.
Depending on whether he has any exceptional abilities, making it to the 14th floor alone is worth considering for an interview.
Rebecca may be straightforward and outgoing, but she never lies about someone's skills.
I sneak a glance at Han Se-ah, who can't seem to take her eyes off Rebecca.
Judging by her looks and abilities, she's probably a 4 at least, and skilled enough to avoid detection by me, so I'd say she's likely a 5.
Of course, Rebecca wouldn't ignore such a passionate gaze.
"What's the matter, Miss Mage? Are you interested in me? It can get quite lonely in the tower, and I welcome the company of women too."
"No, no! That's not it!"
Han Se-ah's face turns red at Rebecca's words.
She openly intertwines her index and middle fingers and shakes them in the air in an inappropriate gesture.
Grace and Irene are also taken aback by her audacious actions.
Rebecca is truly a free-spirited woman.
She wasn't one for innuendos or beating around the bush and spoke her mind directly.
It's surprising that she manages a mercenary group so effectively.
"She's our party leader, so he should ask her."
"You're not the leader?"
"I'm not known for using my head, you know."
"I see. Anyway, I'll send him tomorrow."
With that, Rebecca, who appeared as swiftly as the wind, vanished.
Her hand, covered in cookie crumbs, patted my back before disappearing out of the caf.
"Ah..."
"She seems very outgoing."
"You have connections with mercenaries as well as adventurers?"
As soon as Rebecca left, the three of them reacted very differently.
Han Se-ah seemed somewhat regretful, Irene found Rebecca's attitude intriguing, and Grace was curious about my past.
We finished our coffee and snacks and prepared to leave.
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Raei Translations
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"No, even if she's a 5, her title is Mercenary Queen, how am I supposed to win her over? Have you guys ever seen an executive from Samsung go work as a vice manager at a local supermarket?
If that's the case, huh? I might as well ask the King to hand over his nation to me and climb the tower."
It seemed that the viewers found it amusing that I couldn't speak to 5 'Mercenary Queen' Rebecca and merely blushed at her harassment.
The fact that she leads hundreds of mercenaries and was higher up the tower than me isn't just for show.
And no matter how much Han Se-ah argued rationally, the viewers seemed to enjoy flustering her.
Even though she was passionately addressing the viewers, she was quietly walking to the temple, arm in arm with Irene.
Is this also the skill of streamers?
"I was surprised that the children warmed up to Sister Hanna so easily. It means that Sister Hanna is considerate and kind, right?"
"She would have joined us if I'd accepted her invitation? Be careful saying stuff like that outside, you might end up in a police station- oh, thank you, Irene."
Among the stories told by viewers, there was a story about 'party disagreements leading to a breakup'.
It was a story similar to how Grace joined our party after arguing with her former party leader.
So, Han Se-ah decided to build up Irene's favorability.
"So, Roland, where are you planning to go?"
"I'm thinking of having a drink somewhere or resting in my room."
"Don't you love your room a bit too much?"
"I paid a hefty price for the room, and I've gathered a bunch of magic tools there. I should make good use of them."
And so, our party split up.
Han Se-ah planned to explore uncharted areas within the expansive temple with Irene and complete the mini-map, while Grace had no interest in venturing deeper into the temple, so we paired off accordingly.
As for why Grace decided to come with me...
Well, it was obvious. I see no reason to play dumb, given that I'm not a lead in a sitcom.
"Do you have a place you'd like to visit?"
"Huh?"
"We have some free time, so we might as well explore together."
"...I want to go to the Hunter's Guild and check out some arrows."
Grace, her cheeks flushed, slowly responded to my question.
Shopping for equipment, not a bad idea.
All Grace had received as a reward from the Full Moon Wolf was armor.
The Magic Tower didn't manufacture arrows, so it was only natural.
Robes, staves, magical tools, and even the leather armor Grace received were all items crafted by the Magic Tower, a collaboration between magic and alchemy.
Therefore, it made sense for her to seek out a bow and arrows at the Hunter's Guild.
'Should I buy her a bow with a greater draw weight? She should have gained some strength by now.'
The bow currently in Grace's possession was a hunter's bow she took when she left her village to become an adventurer.
Although it was well-maintained, as expected of a Novice Ranger, it couldn't be considered a high-quality bow.
After all, a bow obtained in a rural village wouldn't compare to those made in a bustling adventurer's city.
"Do you ever think about changing your bow instead of just the arrows?"
"I have considered it. Why?"
"I can contribute a bit of extra money towards it. How about getting a new bow?"
"Well, if I use all the money I have for changing equipment, I could afford a new bow."
Grace had fewer stars compared to Irene and me, but that didn't mean there were no solutions.
This world wasn't like Heroines Chronicle, where combat power was solely determined by stars.
Irene and Rebecca were perfect examples of that.
Despite both being 5, how could Irene, who dedicated herself to caring for orphans in the temple, fight on par with Rebecca, who had been training longer than even me?
Of course, I wasn't expecting Grace to possess such advanced combat skills.
There was another way to make up for her lack of combat power, and it was an area in which I had quite a bit of confidence.
Money, or rather, funding.
"If we recruit a new vanguard this time, I'll be stepping back offensively from the 11th floor onwards."
"Are you planning to train him up?"
"Not just him, but both you and Hanna as well."
Considering our abilities, if I tank properly, the vanguard wielding a one-handed sword can strike from the flank while Han Se-ah and Grace provide support from a distance.
It's a combination I've been planning since I first met Han Se-ah and she expressed her desire to visit the Magic Tower.
The lowly horned rabbits and foxes that inhabit the lower floors are too weak to provide any meaningful combat experience.
They're killed with a mere kick, so how could they possibly offer any chance to grow?
Still, there's no shortage of fools who die to them.
It's safe to say that the real adventure begins once we tread into the 11th floor with our fully assembled team.
From that point onward, I should refrain from single-handedly defeating them all.
So far, Han Se-ah's spells have mostly been aimed at Horned Wolves I've pinned down.
"Being raised by a senior adventurer... what a luxury."
"A seasoned adventurer from the 37th floor, is taking you under his wing. That is pretty generous."
Strolling alongside Grace is quite the pleasure.
As much as I enjoy the more experienced, flirtatious ladies, the freshness of being with a girl in love is something entirely different.
With a fluttering stride, she guides me to the Hunter's Guild.
It's a street where it's common to see people in leather armor, bows slung across their backs.
Grace's eyes sparkle as she surveys the area: archery might be more than just a profession to her, perhaps even a passion.
After all, she chose to learn it voluntarily, not out of compulsion.
In a rural town devoid of any entertainment, hitting targets with arrows might be more fun than anything out there.
"Do you have a specific store in mind?"
"There's something I saw before. That's where we're heading."
Whether she's happy to be buying the equipment she'd spotted, or happy to be with me, her steps are light.
She casually strides into a narrow alley brimming with animal and monster hides, and slips into a small shop.
Inside, a burly man with a square jaw greets us.
His thick beard is tucked into his angular jawline, and his rough gloves, a red and black checkered shirt, and deep bronze leather overalls give him a rugged look.
"Excuse me, do you still have that compound bow from last time?"
"That one? It hasn't been sold yet."
...He really looks like a lumberjack character you'd see in a cartoon.
If Han Se-ah were here to assess him, he'd likely be a 2 'Lumberjack' or something along those lines.
Watching the shop owner pull back a leather curtain to reveal a longbow, I couldn't help but feel that the city was growing more and more enjoyable.
***
Hmm new male party member? Doesn't happen often in harem novels...
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