I Couldn’t Afford to Buy Mana, so I Started Streaming

“Damn, I wasn’t supposed to take the request. Why the hell isn’t that bitch contacting me?”

Thud thud-

A man trudges down the hallway with heavy steps.

He grimaces as he recalls the client he met at the San Raffaele Psychiatric Ward.

He’s got a down payment of 100,000 euros.

With this measly amount, escaping overseas is going to take a lot more planning.

Having failed the assassination mission on Monica Ricci and losing contact with the client now, he thinks,

‘Wait a second, can’t I just pretend this never happened?’

The man grins slyly.

After all, the down payment is as good as a life, so there’s no reason to return it.

It would be a real problem if the client has backup, but he can deal with that when it comes.

But then…

“Hey Greco, do you know who just arrived at the hospital?”

“Those noisy volunteer groups again?”

“No. The wizards who visited the Ricci family yesterday are all gathered here.”

At the mention of the Ricci family, Greco tenses up immediately.

“Some of them are already cluelessly getting signatures. We really need to teach those idiots a lesson someday.”

“How about Monica Ricci? Did she come too?”

“She’s probably busy preparing for the match. Why do you ask?”

“Nothing… Just tell them I’m taking a half-day off in the afternoon.”

“What? You’re skipping work too?”

It’s just paranoia.

But what is this anxiety all about?

The moment Greco steps out of the psychiatric ward, he encounters the group of wizards.

The trio of swordsmen from Japan chat among themselves and walk right past Greco.

“Phew. Is it because I’ve taken this request after so long? I can’t help but be distracted by that side of things.”

He heads up to the 3rd floor to change into casual clothes.

Once again, he accidentally passes by Cecilia and Giselle.

After changing, he heads down to the lobby, where the rumored NoName is performing a circus act with her doll.

A silver-haired woman bounces up and down on a magic circle fine-tuned for elasticity.

Clap clap goes the applause from the hospital patients.

While Greco is momentarily distracted, the wizards slowly begin to encircle him from all sides.

The moment he feels those gazes like thick mud on him,

‘This isn’t good.’

Realizing the situation too late, Greco hesitates.

Should he charge through strongly? Or should he just sneak out like before?

As he debates, the entrance gets blocked.

When the bouncing Saetbyeol’s gaze locks onto him, precisely on his brow,

‘I’m the target…!’

With a firm resolve, he steps forward without a moment’s hesitation.

Bam-!

He maximizes his Aura Heart and creates a gust of wind.

In a flash, he leaps to where Saetbyeol is and snatches her right out of the air.

“Ahhh!”

The audience watching the circus scream in horror.

“Captain! What are you doing?!”

In no time, the armed forces of Lokianemone burst onto the scene.

Cough.

Greco tightly grips Saetbyeol’s neck with his thick forearm.

Whooooosh-

As he notices eight light transmutation circle inscribers aiming right at him, Greco’s eyebrow twitches.

“Wasn’t bringing wands into the hospital banned? The organization has really stepped up. To let intruders in so easily…”

“What the hell are you all doing? Drop your weapons! You trying to die?”

The mafia members, realizing the situation, aim their guns at Na-me’s party.

A member spots the shimmering emerald crystal at the center of a wand and yells.

“They all have barrier stones…!”

“What?!”

The barrier stones operated by skilled wizards exhibit capabilities far beyond any body armor.

Just a single piece costs over 50,000 euros.

Na-me emerges from the wizards, eyes glowing a brilliant gold.

“Who do you think you’re aiming guns at?”

“…!”

“Drop the guns now, unless you want to go to jail.”

The mafia members are taken aback.

Though it’s been 89 years since the crime of disrespecting wizards was lifted, they realize how futile it was for their ancestors to oppose them.

‘This is on a whole different level.’

The National Exchange Tournament, meaning the wizards of each country are tested to become their respective ultimate weapons.

It had been concealed beneath their cute, insignificant appearances.

Na-me is already ranked among the strongest in the world.

“Feeling confident?”

Brilliant golden horns sprout, and black aura swirls around her arms.

As Na-me tightens her claw-like hand, the marble turns to dust.

The armed squad slowly lowers their arms.

“What are you doing! They’re just intruders without justification! Get them out of here!”

Panicking, Greco tries to tighten his grip on Saetbyeol’s neck. But then,

“Yawn.”

Suddenly, Saetbyeol lets out a bored yawn.

Greco stares at her in disbelief.

“Do you even realize you’re a hostage?”

“Well… I actually prefer it when I’m squeezed harder. Something like this strength?”

Gaggh!

A silver aura emerging from her lower back lunges at Greco’s neck mercilessly.

The vertically slit pupils show only trivial emotions.

Out cold and eyes rolled back, Greco falls unconscious.

Saetbyeol perks up her big ears, then snickers.

“How about it, sis? I’ve been training this hard. Isn’t it impressive?”

Ping- tatadadadada-

Na-me hurls her wand to the floor and rushes to Saetbyeol.

“Ah! I messed up! Next time, I’ll definitely remember to add my aura!”

Somehow sensing she might get a heavy hit to the head,

Saetbyeol closes her eyes tight.

Hug-

Na-me gently wraps her arms around Saetbyeol’s waist, burying her small face into her side.

“I’m so glad you’re safe. Really.”

Her voice muffled and half-lost in the padding.

Saetbyeol, who longed for Na-me’s praise, thinks,

‘This feels nice too. Hehe!’

All she could think was how cute Na-me looked, desperately holding back her overflowing emotions.

*

“Ugh, I’m so bored. Na-me, isn’t there anything fun outside?”

“If you’re bored, train.”

“Not that again!”

With the European Super Cup preparations forcing her into a digital detox, Monica Ricci has no idea about the series of shocking incidents sweeping across Italy.

The outrageous event involving an assassination attempt on a conglomerate family is unfolding.

Massimo Greco gets arrested, and Lokianemone immediately starts damage control.

To prove that this incident was solely Greco’s unilateral action, the organization leaked all his contact history.

The client who promised him a success fee of 50 billion won jokingly happened to give him the entire down payment as their net worth.

Yep, this is the pathetic world wherein these ridiculous and pitiable fools gather as the mafia.

Not an ounce of admiration to be found.

While Monica loosens her taut muscles with a massage gun, I casually ask her,

“By the way, what about that scar on your neck? Did you suffer from domestic violence before?”

Whirring-

The massage gun buzzing over her calves impotently stops working.

Monica scrunches her face and flips her hair.

“What? Did our father spill the beans on that? When did you guys become so close? Honestly, at times, he seems to favor Na-me more than me. How pathetic, not knowing how to keep a lady’s secrets, tsk.”

Obsessed with money, Monica continues to lament.

“I don’t know. I don’t even remember the details.”

“It’s not a big deal. You know that our illustrious duke remarried, right?”

Just by glancing at the new duchess’s age, it’s obvious.

The age difference with the duke’s eldest son didn’t seem that much.

Monica lies face down on the sofa, glancing at me.

“My four older brothers are from the late wife. There’s a twin studying in the U.S. who’s one of the current wife’s sons.”

With six boys in the family, it sounds like a macho gene factory.

“What about you, Monica?”

“I’m just caught in between. My father’s had a rough life. After his first wife passed, he was wandering around when he got tangled up with some gambling addict, and I’m still being threatened by her.”

“A gambling addict? Threatened?”

When I tilt my head in confusion, Monica chuckles and exhales a long sigh.

“I don’t know. My mom somehow gave birth to me and then blackmailed the duke for money. Whenever my dad rejects her, she gets furious and beats me up, locking me in the room. Eventually, when that didn’t work, she tried to commit double suicide by running over my neck with a mana line!”

Monica points to the mana lines installed throughout the house, sticking her tongue out and pretending to be in pain.

“So, the scar is from…”

“No, you see, the other burn scars are all healed just fine, but this one got damaged all the way to my Aura Heart, so it’s a mess. I’ve struggled to cover it up with makeup for so long; dad would never know, even if he died and woke up!”

Monica nonchalantly spills her traumatic childhood memories, and I can only marvel at her.

She shares her past just calmly, without a hint of emotional turmoil.

“Anyway, thanks to surviving, I got adopted into a prestigious family and am living this cheat-like life. My mom went to prison, but she was released a while back and wanted money again. So I told her if she asked for money, I wouldn’t spare her, okay? What a mess.”

“You’ve had it tough. I’m glad you’re living well.”

“Living well, huh. It’s just the same as living like this. I just think I drew my share of pain early on.”

She’ll probably feel quite shocked.

When she realizes that the person who commissioned her assassination is none other than her own mother…

“Puhah, I can’t breathe. Monica… you’ve really had a hard life. I’ll comfort you.”

“Giselle Fischer? What are you doing! Where have you been!”

Monica turns pale in shock.

“I was just napping behind the sofa.”

“Why?”

“It’s comfy here. The heating in the other rooms is too intense.”

“You could just turn down the heat! And I don’t want your comfort…! My life as the Monica Ricci has had no ups or downs at all!”

Pat pat. It’s okay now.

“Ahhhh!”

Monica’s well-styled hair becomes a tangled mess yet again.

Watching the unbreakable friendship between the girls, I can’t help but chuckle softly.

The European Super Cup is only two days away.

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