I Became the Guardian of Big Shots in the Game

“Ethan-nim?”
Ethan, who had been staring blankly with his spoon of stew stopped in mid-air,
Finally came to his senses when Levi called him with a worried expression.
“Is the food not to your liking?”
“No, let’s finish eating.”
While resuming moving his spoon, he continued thinking.
‘What on earth is going on?’
The notifications that had flooded in exceeded 20.
In other words, it meant that all the thugs and robbers who were supposed to pick fights with the player when the main story started had been wiped out.
‘How is this possible?’
Was it because of a variable created by the starting point being moved up?
Had a threatening figure appeared in Serdin?
Or had they self-destructed while fighting among themselves?
‘No, it says I’m ranked 1st in contributions.’
That made it even more questionable.
All Ethan had done was visit the ruins early in the morning to avoid contact with gangs of thugs or robbers.
He hadn’t even experienced any sudden events.
What kind of butterfly effect could this be?
After pondering with his 1000 rounds of gleaming play experience,
He reached the most rational conclusion.
‘Is it a bug?’
It didn’t make sense otherwise.
Ignoring the blinking notification window telling him to receive the reward,
He finished his meal.
He felt good about having skipped the story and even receiving rewards, but
On the other hand, he felt uneasy because he hadn’t done anything himself.
Could that have shown on his face?
‘Was it not enough?’
Levi thought the cause of Ethan’s unsatisfactory expression was
The insufficient handling of the vermin secretly operating in Serdin.
As it was a big city, evil people were everywhere,
And although the special forces members were quick, it was impossible to clean up everything in a short time with just a few people.
Since he was the one who had been reincarnated to punish the wicked,
The trash spread throughout the city must be bothering him.
‘Relieving the worries of the one I serve, and taking on their concerns. Isn’t that the duty of a loyal subject?’
Levi decided to act first, even without Ethan’s orders.
“Ethan-nim, what are you planning to do next?”
“First, I’ll look for a suitable house. If possible, I’m thinking of buying a merchant guild.”
“Understood.”
Levi once again signaled to the Serdin branch special forces agent waiting on a nearby roof.
“Speaking of houses, there was one for sale that we passed by. If you’d like, shall we take a look?”
“Shall we?”
“I’ll guide you.”
Unlike Ethan, who was thinking of a suitable house,
‘I’ll present you with the finest mansion in the city.’
Levi had other plans in mind.

Corpses with slit throats are scattered throughout the mansion’s corridors.
Rivers of blood flowed over the smooth marble,
And the men who walked splashing through it soon found the mansion’s owner.
“W-why, why are you doing this… What crime have I committed!”
“Baron Roan, Kavic Roan. The filthiest man in Serdin’s underworld. I wonder what guts made you run for Serdin’s mayoral election.”
They threw a thick bundle of documents at Kavic.
“T-this is…”
“Evidence that will not only make you lose the election but also rot in prison for life if made public.”
Records of violations of the kingdom’s laws as if it were a daily meal.
Evidence and ledgers of businesses that sold minors as sex slaves, pocketing hefty sums from the kingdom’s high-ranking officials.
Traces of involvement in contract killings and human trafficking,
And even documents detailing plans to distribute new drugs imported from Sergaphilt.
It was a moment when all his unjust actions were being exposed in detail.
“I’ll give you a choice. Either abandon your mansion, wealth, and all positions in the underworld and leave alive. Or.”
Whoosh!
Thud!
“Aaaaargh!”
A dagger pierced through Kavic’s left hand and stuck into the thick wooden desk.
“Die miserably like your subordinates scattered outside. Choose.”
Through the slightly open door, his loyal subordinates could be seen lying helplessly.
All the corpses were only his men.
‘My boys were all killed, but not a single one of these guys died?’
Countless challenges and assassination attempts by rivals had accompanied his rise to the top of Serdin’s underworld.
But Kavic, with an eye for people rivaling that of a sage, had employed men with both loyalty and skill for his mansion.
As a result, there had been twenty-nine assassination attempts so far,
And all twenty-nine had been repelled without any damage.
Those subordinates had been completely annihilated without putting up a fight.
If such skilled individuals had been operating in Serdin, he would have known.
‘Could it be that the flood of reports this morning about attacks on the lower ranks…’
Were these people?
If so, resistance was meaningless.
The organization members who might come to rescue him were either dead or being dealt with now.
With his mind racing due to blood loss and pain, he
“P-please spare my life!”
Decided to beg for his life.
“Sign this.”
Kavic scribbled with a trembling hand using the quill pen.
After confirming the signature, the men put a sack over Kavic’s head and dragged him out.
Mission accomplished.
The special forces had dealt with the underworld boss as ordered by the Imperial Princess and confiscated the mansion and assets.
However,
‘I’m concerned that we acted too openly.’
They should always operate in the shadows.
The special forces whose identities must not be revealed.
But a mere member couldn’t dare question the Princess, so
He silently wiped the floor.
They had about 10 minutes to remove the corpses and thoroughly clean up the original owner’s belongings.
‘If we’re even a little late…’
Feeling a chill, the special forces member decided not to think about the consequences.

Suspicious.
No, beyond suspicious, it’s too strange.
“Just 5,000 gold? For this place?”
“That’s right. Do you like it?”
“I do, but…”
The place Levi guided him to was a
Jaw-droppingly large and well-maintained grayish-white mansion whose owner urgently wanted to sell.
“5,000 for this?”
Although he had never played as someone in the construction or real estate industry during his time playing ,
It couldn’t possibly be this cheap no matter how he thought about it.
In the last round,
That is, in the 1000th round that Ethan cleared with a slave starting point,
Even a smaller mansion than this cost well over 100,000 gold.
Serdin is a trade hub and a major city of the Etrion Kingdom.
Considering this, it should cost at least 1 million gold.
It doesn’t make sense even if it’s an urgent sale.
“Do you like it?”
Seeing Levi’s bright smile, Ethan felt even more uneasy.
“Levi, such a large mansion, you know. It’s not a place for one person to use.”
“Why not?”
“To manage it, you need to employ lots of people, and maintenance costs quite a bit. Plus, if you want to hire security…”
But she smiled even more brightly.
“I’ve anticipated all that.”
Clap clap.
As she clapped twice,
Ten sturdy men rushed in from somewhere.
“These people are…?”
“I contacted the village, and they said they’d help with the work, so I called them. I’ll pay their wages with the gold coins you gave me.”
“Just tell us what to do.”
“Hmm.”
Ethan gathered his thoughts.
There’s still over 9 years left until the main story starts anyway,
And to establish himself as a guardian in the trading city of Serdin, outward dignity is important.
‘Is a 5,000 gold property worth it?’
Moreover, since these men were brought by Levi, who is full of goodwill towards Ethan,
They shouldn’t be dangerous to him.
‘I can earn money for maintenance costs.’
Having made up his mind,
He signed the contract.
“It’s a property that came up at a very good price. I’m sure you’ll be pleased. Hahaha.”
Ethan didn’t notice the real estate agent’s awkward laugh.
He also didn’t know that the cause was the daggers pointed at the agent’s back by the special forces members directly under Levi’s command.
“Shall we take a look?”
“Yes, let’s see how magnificent the interior is.”
People feel good even just receiving a package.
While Ethan was distracted by the thought of ‘I, who used to live in a studio, am now the owner of a three-story mansion in another world’,
Levi’s hands moved quickly behind her back.
‘Silence him thoroughly.’
The real estate agent was dragged away with a sack over his head.
That evening, he was found collapsed in front of his office,
And when acquaintances asked what had happened, his voice was magically sealed, unable to speak when he tried to answer.
Seeing his miserable state, his acquaintances clicked their tongues.
“Judging by the method, he must have crossed the underworld.”
“Have you heard? It seems an incredible big shot has appeared to discipline the underworld. I heard from a younger acquaintance. Can you believe it, all the fighting gangs have been cleaned up?”
“What kind of person could have entered Serdin to do that?”
“I don’t know. Anyway, be careful for a while.”
“Sigh, we must. What power do merchants like us have? I just hope they don’t raise the protection fees.”
The big shot they were mentioning,
“Wow~ This is a room?”
Was unaware that he had become such a figure,
And was busy admiring the magnificent bedroom.

That night.
Ethan finally touched the notification window that had been bothering him all day.
[Do you want to receive the special reward?]
“Yes.”
[The special reward has been given to ‘Ethan’!]
A small object wrapped in bright light was transmitted before him.
Although it’s called a special reward, it’s just for clearing Act 1 of the story.
He set aside expectations of it being some amazing equipment or item, even if it was random.
The probability was too low for that.
-Tsk tsk tsk tsk!
[Congratulations! You’ve won ‘1 Ward Slot Ticket’!]
“Was there such an item?”
In , the maximum number of people a guardian can sponsor is 6.
But because of the high risk of diversified investment, guardian players prefer to choose just one person and focus on them.
“They give me the most useless thing.”
Obedient, physically capable, pretty,
And even bringing luck like this mansion.
With Levi around, do I really need other kids?
Ethan didn’t think so.
But suddenly, due to the influence of his composure stat, his mind became crystal clear.
“Wait a minute.”
A good idea occurred to him.
“All-in play?”
Why didn’t he think of that before?
If he starts raising Levi by designating her as his ward,
Of course, he plans to give her everything.
But that’s not enough.
She might lose the protagonist’s position.
“The big shots of the six countries.”
Beings who, without player interference, would grow steadily until the outbreak of the Great War and exert significant influence.
They are called the six talents, or the six big shots.
The only variables are them.
But now, 12 years before the war breaks out,
Those guys should all be youngsters.
“If I use this too, it’ll be exactly seven. Perfect.”
Designate them all as wards and focus everything on Levi.
The plan was perfect.
If the influence of the six is removed, probably only Levi will be left to play a role in the Great War.
“Then I’ll go to sleep now, and tomorrow I should look around for a merchant guild.”
Run a merchant guild to make money, and preemptively snatch away the talents scattered across the 6 countries.
Ethan blew out the candle and got into bed.
The mansion’s bed was much more comfortable than the hard bed he had slept on the first night at the inn.
Around the time he fell asleep,
The long window silently opened and closed.
In the room, the shadow of an intruder backlit by moonlight stretched long.
‘Did you say you needed a merchant guild?’
The red eyes swept over Ethan with an expression of love bordering on madness,
Then gently drew the curtains and left the room.
‘I should prepare so you can choose one right away tomorrow.’
And,
In the room she had left,
-Ding!
The translucent notification window lit up again.
[The main story’s antagonistic force, ‘Ruler of Serdin’s Underworld, Kavic Roan’ has been prematurely eliminated.]
[Etrion Kingdom, Serdin Story Act 2 cleared.]
[Congratulations to ‘Ethan’, ranked 1st in contributions.]
[‘Ethan’ is awarded the title ‘Purifier of Serdin’s Underworld’.]
[Special rewards will be given.]
…