I Became the Youngest Summoner in the Strongest Guild

83. Financial Treatment is the Most Effective!

83. Financial Treatment is the Most Effective!

The World Tree grew and began to bear fruit one by one.

In about a week, many children will be born.

Now all we have to do is wait.

"I'm curious about something."
"You can ask me anything!"

When the Demon King asked her question, I said I'd answer anything, and she asked why I came to the demon realm.

"Well, about that."

I told her about what had happened and the story of the bounty placed on me, and she smiled broadly, but that smile was scary.

"Oh? They dared to touch our demon realm?"
"Huh? What? They didn't touch the demon realm though?"
"Yuna, you are a duke of the demon realm. In other words, it's the same as touching the entire demon realm."

Is that how it works?

While my head wasn't working due to the unexpectedly complicated story, the Demon King patted my head.

"Don't worry. I'll resolve this problem."
"Thank you!"

At that time, I didn't know what would happen. Really.

*
*
*

An anomaly occurred in 'Eve', the AI robot managing Arcana Online.

"Team leader! It's an emergency! An anomaly has been detected in Eve!"
"Argh! It must be traveler No. 1 again!"
"Th-this time it's even worse!"

At the team member's shout, I checked the monitor screen and collapsed in my spot with weak legs.

"Team leader!?"
"How is this already..."

A golden window floating on the huge screen.

[Main scenario quest conditions have been met.]
[CHAPTER 1: Protect the Avalon Empire.]
[Time remaining until invasion begins: 239 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds]

According to the AI robot Eve's judgment, it was supposed to occur at least 3 years later, but why is it invading already?

Moreover, it was originally supposed to target the World Tree, but suddenly it's targeting the Avalon Empire...?

This is a disaster.

Inevitably, the time has come to use the last resort.

"Can you bring me what's in the bottom drawer of my desk?"
"Huh? Alright."

The item that the confused employee took out of my desk drawer was a resignation letter.

"Wh-what is this, Team leader...?"
"Can't you see? It's a resignation letter. It's been tough working together, let's never meet again."
"N-no, Team leader!"

With those words, the employee tore up my resignation letter.

"Argh! What are you doing! That was the only one!"
"Absolutely not! Don't even think about quitting, even if you die!"
"Then what are we going to do about that!?"

When I pointed at the screen, the subordinate turned away.

This is driving me crazy. I don't know where to start untangling this mess.

First, I should contact the CEO and have a conversation with traveler No. 1.

At that moment, the CEO enters through the door.

"The main scenario quest came faster than expected."
"Th-this is all because of traveler No. 1!"

I tried to complain, but it was useless.

The CEO pats my shoulder and says, "I'm counting on you, Team leader."

Now is the time to hand in my resignation letter.

"When the main scenario quest is over, I'll give everyone bonuses and send you on an overseas trip, so please work hard."
"We'll do our best, CEO!"

As the saying goes, kindness comes from a full granary¹, if there's financial treatment, it's doable.

After the CEO left, I remained with the team members.

"First, locate where traveler No. 1 is."
"W-well... We can't locate them."
"......"

If we can't locate them when we're monitoring the entire Arcana continent, it means they're currently not on the Arcana continent but in another place.

If they're currently in the demon realm...? Then everything makes sense.

"Send a dispatch team to the demon realm!!"
"We'll all die, Team leader!!"

The demon realm is a world of survival of the fittest that runs on power.

With the dispatch team's level, they'll all be defeated by low-level demons as soon as they enter.

If it comes to this, it's over...

"Where's the resignation letter that was torn up earlier?"
"Team leader!?"

*
*
*

While all travelers are in an uproar due to the main scenario quest, strangely, the Red Revolution Group is quiet.

As the group boasting the largest scale, depending on what position they take, the opinions of numerous travelers would be divided, but it's strangely quiet.

Many guilds send spies to the Red Revolution Group to check information, but they're all caught at an unbelievably fast speed.

Plus, there's retaliation.

An assassin visits in the middle of the night, hangs them upside down, and sprinkles salt...

A traveler who has experienced it once never approaches the Red Revolution Group again.

At the same time.

Yuna, the leader of the Red Revolution Group and a member of the Frey Guild, is studying in the library.

She's already in trouble for spending a bit more time playing games recently and might have her game console confiscated by her parents if she's not careful.

Well, a student retaking the college entrance exam shouldn't just be playing games...

I came out of the library to take a break and was drinking a beverage from the vending machine when I saw a familiar silhouette.

"Rea unni!"
"Yuna!"

I waved my hand happily, and she ran over in one step and hugged me. She's been more physically affectionate lately.

As I was happily burying my face in her large chest, she gently pushed me away.

"Sometimes I feel like I have a little brother."
"Th-there's no way that's possible, right?"
"Then why are you stuttering?"
"Ahaha..."

This is why they say a woman's intuition is scary. It's true.

We sat on a nearby bench drinking beverages and chatting. She said her growth rate has become incredibly fast lately thanks to the equipment I gave her, and she thanked me.

"It's nothing between us."
"So, about that..."

She looked at me with eyes that seemed to have made a decision.

"I think this is an opportunity. So I'm thinking of playing the game seriously."

Well, she did make it big through games in that other world.

Back then, there was a sports car and a building...

Wait a minute... If I help Rea unni, won't she be able to support me later?

Rea unni even moved next door to take care of me.

I held her hands tightly and said I'd help with anything she needed. She hugged me happily, and indeed, they're big.

She told me to study hard and said goodbye. As I was about to move my feet to go back to studying after watching her leave, a thought crossed my mind.

Should I try to make some money through the game too...?

No. My parents won't let me.

Let's think about it after entering university.

Time is finite, but this isn't a problem to be decided hastily.

As I was spacing out for a while, I heard a voice.

"Kyuuung."
"Hm? You're saying the tteokbokki we ate last time was delicious? I'll buy you some on the way."

Our Yong-yong has changed since coming to this other world.

In that world, he only ate magic stones, but since coming to this world, he started eating food.

Especially, he's crazy about spicy things. Last time we went to eat malatang together, and the money...

That was the first time I tried to call Nia to apologize, but she called first.

"Well done! That's how you should eat! You should eat at least that much from now on, okay?"
"Um? O-okay..."

She said that and hung up saying she was busy, but I've made one good friend.

On the way home after studying late that day.

After devouring tteokbokki and various fried foods at a nearby snack shop and packing some for my sister, I entered the house and was greeted by my parents.

"Our daughter is home?"
"Good job studying."
"Ehehe, I'm home! Ah! I bought this on the way!"

My parents don't really like street food, so I only bought a little, but they stared at it for a while and then the snacks disappeared in an instant.

I didn't know they'd eat it so well.

"It's delicious eating it after a long time."
"I ate well, our daughter."

Then I heard footsteps.

"What's that smell? It smells so good!"

My sister appeared with a 'ta-da!' and checked the empty bowls, and my parents disappeared in an instant.

Left alone with my sister, an awkward atmosphere flowed.

"Little sister, what about mine...?"
"Mom and dad just ate everything..."
"What about mine...?"
"Should we go eat together...?"
"Okay!"

Going out with my sister is always awkward.

When we were brother and sister, we only spoke about one word a day at most, but since becoming sisters, we talk a lot every day.

And the conversation topics change every day.

"Does our little sister have anyone she's dating?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
"Your sister understands."
"What!?"

Even though I insist that it's not that I can't date but that I don't want to date, my real older sister ignores my words and says a good person will come along later.

This is driving me crazy. I have no intention of dating at all.

As we walked hand in hand towards the snack shop, talking about various things, stars shone in the night sky, lighting our way.

Just like when I went camping with my sister when I was young.

Footnotes:

¹: This is a Korean proverb meaning that generosity comes from abundance. In this context, it suggests that the employees are more willing to work hard because they're being offered financial incentives.