“Grandma is a skilled mercenary in swordsmanship! Grandma, who is smart and strong, is very popular!”

Ren, who was surprised to hear Bireta’s occupation, regained his composure.

Ren remembered Bireta, who stood out from the usual elderly.

She had a sharply refined vigor that couldn’t be felt in an ordinary old person.

“Do you know specifically what mercenaries do?”

“I heard they obtain necessary things or protect people!”

Tein was excited about boasting his grandmother.

Bireta, who had mainly taken dangerous missions in her youth, had been taking short and simple missions since her grandchildren were born. Naturally, she refused dirty requests involving murder or power struggles that would be dishonest to her grandchildren.

‘Mercenary.’

Ren gazed at the old log house and stroked his chin.

In summary, mercenaries were like errand runners.

With nothing but their bodies, all they could do was use their strength. It seemed like a job that Ren could challenge.

‘Did they plan to raise me as a mercenary?’

It was a natural misunderstanding.

“Do mercenaries earn a lot of money?”

“Grandma has received meat as compensation!”

There was not only monetary compensation for requests.

Tein, who still lacked knowledge about real-life prices, explained meat to Ren as a comparison that he could easily understand.

‘Now that I think about it, Grandpa said that. Shya can’t afford it because it’s expensive…’

Ren’s face became complicated as he learned the approximate market price of meat.

Sharty put that expensive meat in the soup, and the bowl full of meat chunks was always Ren’s share.

Ren felt awkward as he didn’t feel like eating it, but Sharty’s explanation was consistent whenever he did.

“… Does your teacher like meat?”

The voice that came out after scratching the throat was low and uncomfortable.

Tein chuckled as if he didn’t understand Ren’s question.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t like meat?”

“……. ”

Ren lowered his head deeply. He wanted to bang his head against a wall.

It wasn’t unexpected. It wasn’t that he didn’t notice Sharty’s lies either.
So now that I’ve confirmed the truth, I regret even more not acting cleverly and letting things pass back then.

“Teacher likes something else.”

“What?”

Ren raised his head in surprise.

Tein tapped his head vigorously.

“She likes hairpins.”

“…….”

There were no hairpins, let alone jewelry, in Sharty’s house. Ren had never seen any in her bedroom.

But Ren believed Tein’s words.

Sharty, who had no material desires, didn’t seem likely to spend money on non-essential items like hairpins. Always wearing a roomy hood to cover her head and face and a plain robe to conceal her body, she had no reason to wear jewelry.

“But you still need to give her a different gift. Teacher needs a lot of things.”

Women’s jewelry was worth a lot even if it was just a plausible pebble. At that price, it would be more beneficial to buy necessities for Sharty.

So, Birena gave Sharty a small lamp on her desk as a gift.

“Got it. I’ll remember.”

Tein smiled with narrowed eyes in response to Ren’s answer.

Ren once again gently stroked the head of the clever kid who was thinking about the teacher.

‘How much more money do I need then?’

Ren’s dilemma deepened.

How much money would it take to buy rubies, necessities, and even hairpins?

Ren glanced at his old log house.

Fortunately, someone who could help him with his dilemma was at home now.

“Let’s stop here.”

Ren stood up, hiding his impatience.

Tein followed behind Ren as he walked back to the log house.

Looking up at the large backpack that could only be filled by tilting his head completely, Tein laughed.

Another reliable back was engraved in the child’s eyes.

While Sharty was studying with Tein in her room, Birena sat on the sofa, facing Ren.

The dog, which had been sitting with Ren on the grass field, stood in front of the sofa with a determined expression.

Ren spoke without hesitation.

“I have a question.”

Although he wanted to ignore the dog’s question, Birena nodded her head once, thinking of Sharty.

Anyway, since it was Sharty’s dog, it had to be trained to be useful.

“How can I become a mercenary?”

“For now, you can’t.”

“… What do you mean?”

Ren’s eyebrows twitched at the firm denial that was not a refusal.

Birena chuckled as if she didn’t understand Ren’s question.

“Even if you call yourself a wandering mercenary, registration of identity is essential.”

“…….”

“You can’t do it without anything to prove your identity.”

It was natural that trust was crucial for mercenary contracts.

Ren relaxed his expression at Birena’s explanation.

At least it was fortunate that Birena wasn’t personally against it.

“Then don’t mercenaries need laborers like servants?”

In other words, he meant a subordinate position that would take care of the mercenaries’ odds and ends.

Birena raised one eyebrow in a seemingly surprised manner.
Hm. Ren lightly tapped the back of Bireta’s hand that she had been folding.

“Are you saying you’ll do it?”

When Bireta saw Ren, whose inflexible personality was perfect for irritating mercenaries with dirty tempers and foul mouths, she thought that it would be great for dealing with those who had questionable attitudes. Of course, there might be mercenaries who would be submissive to Ren’s size or appearance.

“I want to work.”

Ren replied briefly.

However, when Bireta said nothing, he added as if murmuring.

“I need to earn money.”

“Well, then there’s no choice.”

Bireta nodded.

Assisting mercenaries instead of being a mercenary, especially in a subordinate position, didn’t yield much profit compared to the workload.

Bireta slowly scanned Ren from head to toe.

Finding a loophole and becoming a lower-ranked mercenary would be more profitable.

“So, what was that suggestion?”

Ren, who belatedly felt awkwardness in her proposal to go together, frowned.

Ignoring his suspicion, Bireta gestured backward.

“If you want to earn money, you’d better work as Shya’s assistant. Guarding the owner under the pretext of the dog topic, no matter where you go.”

“…….”

Ren, who was eyeing Bireta at the mention of the dog, had an expression of realization.

Certainly, if it was related to mercenaries, Ren would often leave Sharty’s side.

He was blinded by money and had short-sighted thinking.

“But to become Shya’s assistant…”

The difference between a slave and an assistant was not only the body but also supporting mentally.

Practically, Ren doubted how much help an assistant who couldn’t even distinguish herbs from weeds would be to a doctor.

At that moment, a realization dawned on him as he let out a sigh.

“……!”

He recalled the existence of the all-purpose helper, which he had momentarily forgotten. There was a request from Sharty as a doctor’s assistant.

A confident smile filled Ren’s lips.

At the somewhat suspicious reaction, Bireta made a bitter expression.

After Bireta and Tein left, Sharty also wore the same expression.

“Let’s give it a try, Shya.”

Sharty closed her eyes tightly in frustration.