As her title suggests, 5★ ''Mercenary Queen'' Rebecca was both adventurer and mercenary. More precisely, not just a mercenary but a commander leading over a hundred mercenaries.


    While viewers who hadn''t seen that flaming red hair in a while were loudly expressing their desires and late joiners demanded to see what all the "dom queen" fuss was about, there was something they didn''t know - Rebecca had an uncanny nose for money, earning her the nickname "Money Devil" in the industry.


    After all, she was a woman who penetrated the highest tower floors for mana stones, used them to establish Magic Tower trade routes, and sent her mercenaries across the kingdom for commerce.


    She became ''Mercenary Queen'' before Han Se-ah even logged into this world. Back when the marshlands weren''t corrupted, before any beauty buffs, she led over a hundred subordinates while her hair was more like matted animal fur caked with mud - that''s how good she was at making money.


    "Oh? Roland? The tower''s a small world, running into you here."


    "Rebecca, are those Imperial knights behind you?"


    Seeing her leading neatly armored knights instead of her mercenary band made me think not that she''d been promoted to knighthood, but rather:


    She''d found some marks.


    "Ahem, Miss Rebecca. That person is...?"


    "It''s Roland, man. Don''t you know Roland?"


    Some very gullible marks at that.


    As the distance closed and Rebecca recognized us, running over laughing about the tower being small, one of her knight companions tried smoothly joining the conversation.


    His attempt to impress Rebecca while subtly checking me out was so obvious that even I, wearing a helmet for a head, could see right through it. Clear proof Rebecca had thoroughly hooked some suckers.


    Given how thick those rose-colored glasses were, he''d probably offer up his liver and gallbladder if Rebecca asked with a laugh.


    "Roland... ah, the Holy Sword''s owner."


    "Word hasn''t spread to the Empire yet?"


    The young man''s eyes burned every time Rebecca acted friendly with me. Though not incompetent, he seemed young for an officer trainee... in mercenary terms, still wet behind the ears.


    His poor control over his emotions was so obvious that not just us but even the Ice Cross Knights who didn''t know Rebecca noticed, creating an awkward silence despite over fifty people gathered in the safe zone.


    Ah, maybe the Ice Cross Knights were used to this from watching Olek and Alisa''s childhood friend romance comedy daily.


    "By the way Rebecca, who are these people? What are you doing with them?"


    "This? Training rookies. They shower gold coins just for basic instruction. The pay is fucking insane!"


    Yet targeting military gains against the Demon King''s army seemed emotional - training against monster waves could be done anywhere, no need to come all the way to the Kingdom.


    This suggested the Empress had some scheme in sending knights to the tower, but we had no way of knowing her intentions now.


    "Well, even with more competition our job hasn''t changed. Let''s rest well and head north tomorrow."


    "Katie''s right. In the end, we need to hunt the floor 60 boss before anyone else. That''s why we brought the Ice Cross Knights."


    "Hmm, hearing Roland makes my shoulders feel heavy."


    -Maybe your shoulders hurt for other reasons lololololololol


    -Even if Han Se-ah is super un-Korean that''s too direct YES SIR


    -Everyone''s popping up but the conclusion''s the same - gotta hurry since lots want the final blow


    -RUN (to the boss room)


    -Honestly nothing''s changed, Kingdom adventurers temple knights Magic Tower geezers etc always wanted final blow lol


    Setting aside the Empress''s motives, we had to push toward the boss monster. The viewers dismissed Han Se-ah''s grumbling as whining of the well-fed, starting their usual bickering about her companion luck.


    Meanwhile Grace quietly approached me. Gently placing her hand on my forearm as if having something to say, she smiled brightly and asked:


    "Roland, something happened with Hanna, right?"


    "Why suddenly?"


    A question striking right to the point, befitting the Shadow-Chasing Arrow. Though it might seem like checking if a lover cheated, Grace''s eyes held not a hint of displeasure.


    Those bright eyes held pure interest. Even if we could keep secrets from viewers, seems we couldn''t fool her. As I tried avoiding her gaze with that thought, she grabbed my arm and insisted on eye contact.


    Seeing her posture declare she''d keep bothering me until she got an answer, I slightly raised my hands in surrender and secretly observed Han Se-ah.


    Her camera pointed elsewhere as she chatted with viewers while busy hearing about the Empress from the Ice Cross Knights. Had to be careful saying such things in case she turned the camera to eavesdrop.


    "Why do you think that?"


    "Well, Hanna''s looked at Roland''s hands several times while walking. Before she looked at your weapons or armor, but now she watches your hands and shoulders?"


    How did she notice gazes even I hadn''t felt?