Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Where did you go? You left everything to me! There’s a limit to trust, you know! You won’t learn anything from this?”

“You, you little… piece of… You damned rascal! Where do you plan to set up my precious forge? Why didn’t you tell me the city was wrecked?!”

It took over thirty minutes for their complaints, as they pulled on both of Leeha’s arms, as if trying to tear her apart (?), to subside.

“…Looking back, it’s fortunate we didn’t occupy Castle Dale.”

Kijeong nodded, observing the scene.

Efficient city operation, expanding the city walls, creating defensive equipment, and preparing the defense posture.

The three pieces Leeha had envisioned were finally coming together.

The attack on City Gaza and the subsequent recovery efforts had caused quite a commotion. People were closely watching who, when, and how someone had entered the city’s shield.

Of course, although Ram Hwayeon was handling the deputy authority and had blocked access from suspicious individuals, there was one thing that needed to be addressed first.

The fact that City Gaza was acknowledged as a major city by Ram Hwayeon.

And major cities, of course, had ‘high-end taverns’.

“Well, as expected, they called for a Hwahong in Starcho.”

“Yes, just as Okasan predicted.”

“Well, then, as I suggested before, we need to rile up the noble Oni tribes in Foubiel as much as possible. However, we can’t let those two join us. Foolish Faust… He wouldn’t even be able to chew if I gave him a method.”

Chiyoe was in conversation with Sasuke, nervously twisting her hair around her fingers, in a secret tavern located on the outskirts of the luxury housing area of City Gaza, far from the common market.

Of course, Chiyoe was the owner.

“What’s your plan?”

“For now, let’s monitor the situation. We need to see how the different countries will react after the reinforcement treaty is signed… and most importantly, I’m curious about what will happen here in City Gaza. The NPC I bought in the city?”

“Those… they have died.”

“Huh, so these lackeys of the Demon King army were of no help. Find someone new to grease the wheels as quickly as possible.”

“Understood.”

For Leeha, this was a fortunate period of information gap thanks to Chiyoe.

Even Leeha didn’t know the truth, let alone what was going on in City Gaza. But the instincts of a sniper were stirring.

* * *

“…Up to here, please do as I asked each of you. I’m going to see the Pope.”

Leeha spoke quietly in the Inner Defense Conference Room of City Gaza. The once-soothed atmosphere was once again becoming heated.

“Pope? Brother?”

“The Pope, what is that? Aren’t you in charge of managing the city? How long do you plan to mess around…?”

“This rascal! You think I’m going to handle something as insignificant as wall repairs while you go off gallivanting around?!”

Though Kijeong, Ram Hwayeon, and Bottleneck were about to stand up, Leeha silenced them with just a finger to her lips.

“Hush. That’s not it.”

It wasn’t the usual relaxed atmosphere where everyone was chatting.

And when Leeha’s eyes changed like this, and her voice changed like this, the people present knew that the course of events in Mid-World was about to shift.

“Pacts have been reinforced, and according to the information from the Starcho Guild, the nobles within Foubiel are no longer causing trouble. The towns in Minis haven’t been attacked since the attack on City Gaza. What do you think that means?”

The essential points were stored in her modification panel, and Kijeong, who was still worried about other things, didn’t delete them.

Foubiel’s remaining Starcho Guild members no longer received quests to defend against the Oni tribes.

Moreover, the chimeras and the minions of the Demon King army that had been attacking the outlying villages in Minis had also stopped moving for several days.

Kijeong and Ram Hwayeon, hearing the news, were certain.

“Bluebeard knows that the reinforcement pact has been signed.”

“How does Bluebeard know?”

“There are people in his organization who handle ‘information’, right?”

Even if Faust and other members of the Demon King’s army didn’t know, it was highly likely that someone outside of their usual circle was aware.

‘In that case, what will Bluebeard do next?’

That was the point that Leeha’s instincts, the instincts of a sniper, had discovered.

“They’re all going to gather in one place. All the nobles in Foubiel, all the chimeras that were rampaging in Minis, as well as the Demon King’s army’s front-line troops.”

Gulp, whether it was Kijeong or Ram Hwayeon, one of them swallowed audibly. Someone else seemed to hold back the urge to gulp as well.

This was partly because Leeha had predicted what would follow her words.

“Before that, I’ll persuade the Pope to form a Bluebeard suppression team. Before they all gather―”

Leeha took out Black Beast, which would usually have been done after confirming the facts. But not now.

Since the attack on City Gaza, there was no more time for passive waiting.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

“We strike first. Very discreetly.”

And it was natural to repay blood with blood.

* * *

“Wait! Sure, that sounds easy, but Leeha, without you, it’s difficult to develop the city! Just being a deputy in authority isn’t enough!”

“Yeah, that arrogant woman is right. You, you darn guy, talking about wall repairs? We don’t even have money for that! How do you expect us to fix it without the funds to bring in materials and manpower?”

“What? You’re complaining about money now when the city looks like this? It was already so difficult to recover this much with the meager income we had!”

Ram Hwayeon and Bottleneck growled at each other.

This had been their ongoing disagreement even before Leeha’s arrival. Bottleneck wanted to claim rights after fulfilling his duties, but the conditions weren’t there to fulfill those obligations.

Repairing the city walls wasn’t something that could be done with just a few hammers. Ram Hwayeon had her own complaints, primarily due to the fact that City Gaza had no current income.

Having already depleted the remaining treasury funds for the most urgent recovery efforts, such as the restoration of roads, waterworks, and housing for NPC residents, there was no budget left for large-scale wall repairs.

“I can keep a certain number of our guild members stationed here at the request of Hyung… We can certainly use our strength for defense, but we can’t do that indefinitely. I would be willing to stay as long as needed if it were just me, but…”

Kijeong’s position was the same.

Although the key members and officers from Starcho who had been with Leeha could lend their strength to her at any time, it was unreasonable to expect all the members of Starcho to stay stationed in City Gaza.

“If we use Starcho, well, we might be able to save some of the operating budget for the knight order. However, as the Guild Master of Starcho said, recruiting and training the City Gaza Knights again doesn’t seem to require much money.”

In the end, to operate the City Gaza Knights that had suffered near-fatal damage, it would take money, something that the city couldn’t afford.

“Sigh… What can we do?”

“Am I a bank? I can’t just generate money!”

“Ugh…”

Listening to Ram Hwayeon’s explanation, Leeha was at a loss. This operation required speed and secrecy.

To carry out this operation without letting anyone in “Ban Sang Bak” know about it, they needed to act as quickly and carefully as possible. But being constrained by money was hardly helpful.

In the end, to carry out all these plans simultaneously, Leeha’s money had to be put into it. Fortunately, there was some money available.

Legendary items collected from “Kuzugunakshi Rare.” Selling those items should provide an immediate solution. In a sense, it was a long-term investment, but…

Reality couldn’t be ignored.

Leeha also had some real estate that her mother had left for her.

What should she do about that? If she poured these items into City Gaza, it would push aside the problems of reality.

It wasn’t an easy decision for Leeha.

“Huff… whether it’s reality or a game, money is always the issue.”

“You’re stating the obvious. Did you think city management was easy? It’s all to generate more income― ugh?!”

Whooosh…

“What? What’s this?”

“Magic?! Is it magic?!”

A turquoise light erupted from City Gaza’s Inner Defense Conference Room.

Leeha felt a strange sensation, as if someone were tugging at her sleeve, a feeling she hadn’t experienced before with magic.

Floating where the light disappeared was a small, bronze dragon, Blaugrun’s hatchling.

[Kyu!]

Blaugrun, who had disappeared somewhere, used the “Summon” magic to come to Leeha.

“A dragon?!”

“Leeha Hyung? What’s on your shoulder?!”

“Huh! That’s the dragon that was born last time. Already using magic?”

Kijeong, Ram Hwayeon, and Bottleneck looked at Blaugrun with their own thoughts.

Leeha suddenly felt apologetic.

She had been planning to restore City Gaza and suppress the Demon King’s army’s front-line troops, but she didn’t even know that Blaugrun had disappeared….

“Ah, Blaugrun! Where have you been―”

[Kyuuuu!]

Feeling sorry, Leeha tried to reach out and at least pat Blaugrun, but the hatchling avoided her hand.

“It’s not like you have to avoid my touch that much.”

[Kyu, kyu!]

Leeha said with both disappointment and apology, and Blaugrun tilted its head. It seemed like it was telling her that it wasn’t what she thought.

[Kyuuuu!]

Blaugrun shivered as if it were cold, like it was shaking its body with force.

“Huh…? What is this now?”

Shaaaa…

When a light emanated from the small creature floating in the air again, the central space where the people were gathered in the conference room started to split apart.

“A pocket dimension magic! The hatchling, the hatchling is using pocket dimension magic!? So, this is the dragon hatched from the Easter Egg!”

Bottleneck was so shocked that he shouted, but the players didn’t quite grasp the meaning of his words.

What was pocket dimension magic?

They would come to understand the nature of this magic a few seconds later.

“Uh, uh, uh―!”

“What’s coming out?!”

Something started pouring out through the rift in the air as if unzipping a zipper, making a rustling sound!

Crash, thud.

The players could tell from the strange sounds what the items that fell to the ground were. Swords, shields, armor, boots… The central space of the conference room was filled with items.

“Wow… what is this?”

“What is this?! Heroic, heroic, heroic, heroic―”

“It’s equipment! The dragon brought us gifts! Wahaha! That damn guy, this dragon is repaying the debt to you!”

Bottleneck shouted with joy, and Blaugrun responded with a joyful cry.

[Kyu, kyu!]

Then, fluttering, it landed on Leeha’s shoulder again.

With its bright voice and the items dropping from the air, Leeha realized.

“Could it be… really meant for me to use?”

[Kyu!]

“The three rewards I can choose―”

[Kyuuuu?]

“―No, does that mean it’s not that? It’s just… a gift? Like, you’re giving it to me as it is?”

[Kyu! Kyu!]

Blaugrun vigorously nodded its head.

Leeha felt as if she heard the voice of adult Blaugrun from before.

“Is this good enough?”

“Yeah, that’s good. It’s more than enough to use as an emergency budget, starting with the wall repairs.”

“Okay! Kijeong! Call the Starcho members too. We’ll leave recruiting and training the City Gaza Knights to your side.”

Leeha immediately put on Black Beast as if she were about to leave.