The Author's POV

[…Currently, talking about the Northern district, Sword of Light and Luxious, two major gold graded guilds, have officially declared a guild war against Bull's Wrath. Although the reason for the sudden war is unknown, sources say that it has to do with the heirs of both respective gu...]

-Click!

Turning off the TV, lazily sitting on my chair, I glanced at Smallsnake.

"Smallsnake, how's the stock market faring?"

With his eyes glued on two large monitors filled with numbers, Smallsnake apathetically replied

"...Just as you predicted, Bull's Wrath's stock has declined hard"

"Mhhh, alright."

Leaning back on my chair, I lazily nodded my head.

Prior to everything that had happened, using all the money I had left, I shorted Bull's Wrath's stock.

Knowing that their stock would plummet once Luxious and Sword of Light officially declared a guild war against them, I shorted their stock.

...and with that, I solved my money problem.

So not only did I resolve the issues with Ryan, but I now also resolved the money situation that had been annoying me for the past week or so. In just one move, I managed to resolve two of the problems that had been bothering me lately.

Like the saying goes, 'Two birds with one stone'

And honestly, couldn't be more content with the result...

...Although I do have to point out the fact that what I did was definitely illegal.

Yup.

Well, as long as I don't get caught.

You ain't guilty till proven guilty. I'll stick with that rationle for now.

"...now that you've sorted out Luxious, what about Ryan?"

"Him?"

"Yeah"

Thinking for a moment, I half-closed my eyes and lazily responded

"Nothing really...we just wait for them to call"

Taking his eyes off the monitors, Smallsnake frowned as he glanced in my direction

"...wait, you just went through all of this trouble to get rid of Luxious off of Ryan's back...and right after solving everything you suddenly start to become passive? What?"

Seriously looking at Smallsnake, I nodded my head.

"Pretty much"

I mean, it's not that I was being passive.

...it's just that I was that confident in what I proposed.

Anyone with a sane mind would without a doubt agree to the terms I proposed...I mean, the terms I proposed were just too good to be turned down.

Not only did I include a hefty sum of money as a salary for Ryan, I also included added benefits such as short working hours and free housing. What more could you ask for?

Actually...looking back on the terms I proposed, my heart couldn't help but start bleeding...For a 12-year-old kid, I really did go overboard. But I don't regret it. It was worth the investment.

Ah, wait, what if they thought it was a scam?

Oh, shit.

that my mercenary group was only [I] ranked with no missions or accomplishments to its name I slowly started

that I thought about it carefully...without a doubt they might assume this

thus far, my face couldn't

I miscalculated...

"Sigh"

face, Smallsnake couldn't help but

why you're face is currently looking like that...my instincts

watch, Smallsnake couldn't help but

shouldn't you be heading back

"Me? Why?"

frowned

I go back home now?

eyes, and sighing once

you have to return to

"*****************"

-Bam!

muster, I quickly packed up everything that

fact that today was the day I was supposed to return to the Lock completely

I was careless...

"Right..."

feet

make sure

we made enough money from this ordeal, hiring him shouldn't be a problem... In the meantime, since we're in the same school, I'll take care of recruiting Ava so just focus on recruiting

on the monitors,

"On it"

think I've said enough, gotta

I dashed out of the

probably already waiting at the train station. Couldn't

...

you're going to miss

"Comiiing!"

the train platform, I heard my mother's shout coming from the other side of where I was, near the air train that

"Huff...huff...I made it!"

with my

Nola in her arms, my

why are you

nothing really, I was just busy with work and

"Work?"

the subsidiary

I wasn't lying.

so busy dealing with the mercenary stuff, I completely forgot about the fact that today I was returning to the

to call it a holiday would be an overstatement as I was busy almost everyday with the

"Good job"

He was happy

alright, but don't

mother helplessly sighed. Putting Nola down and extending her arms in

"Give us a hug"

"Alright"

forwards and hugged everyone. This went on for a solid minute as they refused to release

-Beep! -Beep! -Beep!

time for me

beeps coming from the train, signaling that it was about to depart, I finally freed

train, I looked

I stared at them happily waving at me, I couldn't help but feel my

One month.

I couldn't help but feel a bond as I stared at them. Most of the emotions probably came from the previous Ren, but I had a feeling that a part of it

of my previous family

smile appeared on my

…thank you for everything.