McClain rose from his seat and slowly approached her.

Natalie, who had been composed, flinched at his gradual approach and instinctively took half a step back. So much for acting tough. He inwardly scoffed.

“Can you guarantee you’ll focus on the expedition without any distractions?”

“Of course, trust me. I’ll be much better than Tommy McAvoy. Though it seemed like he was already looking for another job anyway.”

“Hmm.”

McClain exhaled a short sigh and said, as if spitting out the words.

“Then let’s do this. If Tommy McAvoy doesn’t join, I’ll give you a chance too.”

Of course, there was no way Tommy McAvoy would end up joining the expedition.

Natalie left the interview room and immediately took Tommy McAvoy, who had been waiting for her, to the magic tower. She promptly expressed her intention to resign to the tower master and recommended Tommy as her replacement.

“What is this all of a sudden! What about the ongoing project? How can you quit so irresponsibly?”

“I’m sorry, Tower Master. Due to circumstances, I urgently need to go to the northern erosion zone. But I’ve brought a suitable talent as my replacement. I’ll ensure a perfect handover so the research won’t be disrupted even if I leave.”

Fortunately, she had already organized the relevant information and experimental processes until the research results would come out.

This was possible because she had been controlling the research pace to receive research funding stably for as long as possible.

“Here, I’ve organized this separately. If you follow what’s written here, you should be able to successfully complete the project.”

As she handed over the research materials, Tommy looked at Natalie with eyes brimming with tears of gratitude.

“How could you even… such valuable materials… Thank you so much, Natalie! I don’t know how I can repay this kindness. I didn’t realize, but you’re truly…”

As Tommy raised his arms and approached as if about to hug her, Natalie hastily stepped back and added casually.

“If you’re grateful, occasionally send news of my parents after I leave for the expedition. They’ll surely be very worried.”

“Of course, that’s a given!”

She arranged to receive her severance pay, which was neither too much nor too little, before the expedition’s departure.

Although she would receive some contract money upon joining the expedition, it was far from enough for her parents to hold out against debt collectors until her return.

The person who had invested the largest amount was none other than McClain Lindhart. Although she hadn’t mentioned it in advance, Natalie planned to ask for an extension of the principal repayment deadline once she successfully joined the expedition. As late as possible, and if possible, even a waiver would be nice.

Of course, she didn’t want a waiver for nothing. Since he didn’t seem to want a contract marriage, she thought of proposing to provide magical support for life or regularly create magical artifacts for him.

Fortunately or unfortunately, when she visited McClain again a few days later, she didn’t have to approach him with a humble face to request an extension of the repayment deadline.

McClain frowned deeply when he saw Natalie entering the interview room instead of the expected Tommy McAvoy.

I already know that’s not just a setting, but do you really have to show such obvious displeasure?

Natalie was about to flare up in anger too but barely managed to compose her expression. Besides joining the expedition, she still had the matter of the repayment extension to deal with.

“It seems I’m the only option left, so can I assume I’m joining?”

“Hmm…”

The man stared somewhere in empty space for a long time with a contemplative face. Even the slight wrinkles around his eyes from frowning were so handsome it was annoying.

Whether he was looking at status window messages or not, his eyes, which had been wandering through the empty space, finally returned to her with resolve. The man asked in a rigid voice, as if making a final confirmation.

“I have no intention of giving special treatment because you’re a woman. I plan to treat you no differently from the other members. Can you handle that? If you’re thinking of giving up midway and returning, go back right now.”

“I was actually going to ask you to treat me the same, so that’s fortunate. If I had intended to give up, I wouldn’t have applied so persistently. So…?”

“Fine. Then I’ll make an exceptional decision this time.”

“Does that mean?”

“Let’s work well together from now on. And…”

After accepting Natalie’s joining, the man added unexpectedly,

“I don’t intend to recover the amount invested in the Pereira family.”

“You won’t recover the investment? Are you saying you’ll exempt it completely, not just postpone the repayment deadline?”

When Natalie asked in disbelief at the unexpected statement, he nodded with an expression of evident regret.

“That’s the condition for accepting the quest to include you in the expedition.”

Ah, since that person is a game transmigrator, quests must have appeared for him too. In other words, he’s saying he’d like to extract money right away if he could, but he can’t because of the quest conditions?

Natalie momentarily felt doubtful about the path she had chosen.

She wondered if it was even possible to entice this man, whose head was filled only with quests and leveling up, into creating a lovey-dovey ending.

She even thought it might be the right answer to completely change the development and find a different male lead.

Natalie barely moved her lips, which seemed ready to shout “Let’s just give up. Let’s each survive on our own,” and created an expression close to gratitude.

“I was actually going to ask you separately about that, so this is really appreciated. But I wonder if there’s any chance you won’t pay the advance in exchange for not recovering the investment.”

“The contract money is paid by the imperial family, so it has nothing to do with whether I recover my personal investment or not.”

Only then did Natalie let out a sigh of “Ah” in complete relief and smiled.

With the substantial advance payment before the expedition’s departure and the debt to the Lindhart family gone, it seemed her parents could live without worrying about debt collectors while she was away.

After watching her for a moment, McClain immediately stood up, saying he would introduce the rest of the members.

“They should all be at the training ground by now. I told them I would introduce you if we decided to recruit you, so they’ll be waiting.”

Following McClain out through the corridor and around the side of the building, a fairly large open space came into view.

Natalie’s eyes widened when she spotted men engrossed in sparring, raising clouds of dust. Some of the members were dressed in rather embarrassing attire.

Two men with darker skin and larger builds than the others, possibly foreigners, were rolling around in the dirt engaged in hand-to-hand combat, barely covering their essential parts with loincloths the size of palms.

McClain frowned at the two men rolling on the ground and called out to the rest of the personnel.

“Attention! I’ll introduce the last recruited member. This is mage Natalie Pereira.”

“Wow, Commander! You’ve finally made a decision?”

The first to run over was the blonde-haired man she had seen in the interview room. As he gestured excitedly, the rest of the group rushed over. The two bulky men covered in sweat and dirt looked at Natalie curiously and asked.

“Oh, a woman! A female mage?”

“She looks weak. Can she fight alongside us?”

Glistening, sweaty muscles filled her vision. Unable to bear the pressure, Natalie unconsciously took half a step back, and a brown-haired knight slapped the backs of the two bulky men, shouting.

“Hey, Munash! Muki! Don’t stand there n*ked, put on a shirt quickly, you’re startling the lady!”

Natalie pressed the back of her hand against her cheeks, which were flushed with embarrassment, and asked as if it were no big deal.

“Uh, um, are these five gentlemen all the expedition members?”

In response to her question, a nimble, blonde-haired archer grinned and answered.

“Fewer than expected, right? It’s because we’re all elites… haha. I’m Orlando Blythe, adjutant to Commander McClain. It’s an honor to be with you, lady.”

“We met before. I’m Bertel Vale.”

After the tall, brown-haired man who had slapped the backs of the shirtless duo introduced himself, the two bulky men who had hurriedly put on shirts rushed forward as if pouncing.

“I am Munash, and this is Muki. We are from the Eastern Continent. Pleased to meet you, Miss.”

“I’m Jorel Hato, mainly responsible for reconnaissance and tracking missions. I look forward to working with you, lady.”

After the final introduction from the taciturn knight with shaggy gray hair, McClain, who had been watching with a somewhat disgruntled expression, spoke in a rigid voice.

“Now that the final member has joined, I’ll inform everyone of the matters we all need to be mindful of.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Although we’ve exceptionally recruited a female member, I don’t want the expedition’s atmosphere to be disrupted because of it. Erase the fact that Pereira is a woman from your minds and treat her equally as a comrade. Treat her the same as other members. Understood?”

“Yes, understood.”

His strangely intimidating gaze slowly scanned the members before finally flying toward Natalie and piercing into her. McClain looked at her with narrowed eyes and asked.

“Pereira, do you have any objections?”

“No objections.”

Natalie answered with a strong voice. Yet, as she felt the curious gazes of the men still directed at her, she thought.

Perhaps the male protagonist of the ending I’ll create might be different from the original work.

※※※

D*mn it.

McClain mentally cursed as he observed the members gathered for departure.

What he had feared was happening.