Chapter 89: Five Stars 4
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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For every cause, there's an effect.
When an incident occurs, there's a process to resolve and handle it.
"Wow, you took care of it in just a day. Isn't that too diligent?"
"They were so noisy, we would've found them even without a scout."
"I heard from the adventurers that hundreds of orcs suddenly showed up, and a high mage took them out with lightning. It would be harder not to notice something of that scale."
There's no way the aftermath would be simple.
Especially given that the Kingdom's Knights were involved.
Ellis, with a mountain of dizzying paperwork in her hands, sits down at the table.
Despite it being a minor event, the ambush on the knights couldn't be overlooked.
Since knights are a superhuman force representing the nation in this fantasy-styled kingdom with a strict class system, there would inevitably be backlash.
Of course, the Adventurer's Guild's high-ranking members and the nobles wanting to keep the freedom of the city are the ones handling the backlash.
With the loot given to Antenor and the magic stone to the guild, our party's job is done.
"Given that the issue involved the kingdom's Knights Division, the Guild Master looked quite troubled. He's relieved it was resolved quickly. He said he would've had a headache if he had to intervene. He wanted me to express his gratitude."
"Just words?"
"There's also a promise to watch your backs as long as you maintain your current track record."
"That's good."
The Adventurer's Guild's Guild Master is a retired top adventurer known as 5 'Cunning Old Man' Graham.
Despite his age, he hasn't lost his skills.
But he disliked meddling in politics, shuddering at the mere thought of it.
Judging by his appearance alone, with his sharp and sophisticated features, one might think he would be a high-ranking company official.
And he especially detests getting involved in politics.
Like me, he preferred using his body over his brain.
"We'll discuss compensation when everyone is here."
"Treating the leader well, I see?"
"My role has always been to guide them as the senior adventurer. I follow what they say, unless they mess up a lot."
"I wonder what changed you so much...?"
Before meeting Han Se-ah, I lived a life of running small errands to maintain connections and drinking with the money left from buying equipment.
Since I had spent half of my life drinking thanks to my sturdy body, Ellis couldn't help but look at me strangely.
Like Grace, Ellis was also enamored by Han Se-ah.
The rumor is that the genius mage rekindled the dying passion of a lazy senior adventurer.
Of course, Ellis was the origin of these rumors.
To be more precise, it was a combination of Ellis and my old drinking buddies.
Naturally, they'd talk since I used to practically live at the bar but now I'm partying with a novice and adventuring in the lower floors of the tower.
"What kinds of things are they saying?"
"This and that..."
Apparently, they made bets on when I'd come back to my regular bar
Or said something crazy like I must have actually died.
As we chattered, one by one, my party members trickled in.
Grace and Han Se-ah, followed by Irene and Kaiden, took their respective seats at the table.
Han Se-ah seemed eager about the potential rewards, as she mentioned compensation as soon as she arrived.
[Help streamer 'Han Se-ah' clear the main quest 0/1]
Looks like she wants to declare 'quest complete!'.
However, even my own quest wasn't finished.
It seemed that the quest would only be marked as completed once Han Se-ah claimed her reward and finished the 20th floor's story.
As the group assembled, Ellis naturally began to explain.
Sitting together like this, it felt like a true party.
"Firstly, the guild had several rewards in mind for the magic stone left by the orc boss... but the situation is turning a bit unusual."
What happened?
The Knights Division and the Magic Tower began competing for the magic stone.
Ellis' explanation had our group curiously glancing my way, as if wondering why this would be an issue.
They probably thought a bidding war between buyers would just drive up the price, which sounded like good news.
That would indeed be the case if it were a competition among mages... but here, the Kingdom's Knights are involved.
Using excuses like 'for the nation', 'for honor', or 'for the Royal Family', they could actually push the rewards downward.
In simple terms, even in this medieval fantasy world, a patriotism tax exists.
The Adventurer's Guild acts as a middleman for selling the magic stone, not as a distributor of wealth to adventurers. It was founded to prevent adventurers from being exploited and undersold for their efforts.
So, what happens if the Knights Division becomes the buyer?
"You might receive a medal for your service to the kingdom and end up without any tangible reward. Alternatively, they could reduce the reward by claiming that purifying the blessed land is your duty."
"What? Can they really do that?"
It's a possibility, not a certainty, Grace.
It should be obvious, but the Adventurer's Guild isnt rich. If they had a knack for multiplying money, they'd be merchants, not part of the guild.
Their income mainly comes from commissions for facilitating requests and selling magic stones, not from hoarding vast treasures.
Moreover, it's absurd for the guild to issue a reward before a buyer is found.
They're supposed to earn a commission after acting as sales agents, but without a sale, it's like the guild is buying the magic stone themselves.
If the Knights Division and the Magic Tower start a bidding war driven by pride, the sale could be delayed.
And if the sale gets postponed, the rewards that the guild can offer also get delayed. Thats why Ellis mentioned the situation being a bit off.
"I'd like to simply sell it to the Magic Tower and wash my hands of it, but because the other party is the Kingdom's Knights, it puts the guild in a difficult position."
"They are indeed a nuisance."
"Roland, you often handle them in personal requests, don't you?"
From the guild's perspective, they would want anyone to buy as long as they pay generously.
The more gold coins they can secure, the more commission they can earn.
The profit that can be made from a single magic stone isn't very high, but every adventurer aims to earn as much as possible.
If the Magic Tower were to purchase it, they would promise various magical tools, equipment, gate usage tickets, and other things that could be beneficial to the adventurer, along with slightly less gold coins.
The problem arises with the sudden involvement of the Kingdom's Knights.
From the guild's perspective, the best-case scenario would be to receive a hefty purse of gold coins and finalize the transaction.
The worst-case would be receiving a paltry medal or badge and having the magic stone taken without proper compensation.
It's quite the dilemma.
"It's not just a matter of skimming off a commission. The precedent of the Adventurers' Guild offering the spoils from the tower to the kingdom could become a political issue. Of course, it's not really our problem."
-Roland giving 'Know-It-All' vibes rn
-LOL, I don't care about politics. Just give me my boss rewards lololol
-So, the delay is due to this political squabble?
-Delayed due to political issues... Is this what they mean by realistic?
-First NPCs can steal our boss kills, now they're taking our rewards too? Feels like a revolution is in order
The situation is like this: the Magic Tower offers a sure reward, albeit with a smaller commission, while the Knight Divisions compensation can be unpredictable. The guild, caught between the two, has no real authority and is mostly playing it by ear."
"Can you be so frank in front of the Guild's receptionist?"
"Well, I'm not lying."
Ellis laughed softly, lightening the mood of the group.
Initially, everyone was concerned about not receiving their hard-earned rewards.
But now, understanding that the Adventurer's Guild is also acting in its own interests, they felt somewhat reassured.
Whatever we do here, the outcome wont change.
Whether the Magic Tower or the Knight Division comes out on top, someone will inevitably claim the magic stone after a fierce political battle.
"So we have to wait for our rewards? What should we do in the meantime, Roland?"
"Well... You could complete the remaining requests on the 20th floor, or advance to the 21st floor and familiarize ourselves with the cave terrain."
Clearing the remaining requests on the 20th floor would be like grinding.
Just like the death of the Full Moon Wolf doesn't exterminate the Horned Wolves, the death of the Orc Chief doesn't eradicate the Orc Tribe, so requests remain.
Moving on to the 21st floor would be advancing our progress.
The caves are a stark contrast to the forests.
We'd be battling against large spiders and bats in an environment full of webs, narrow passages, and creatures that can fly or crawl on walls.
Its a completely different kind of combat compared to what we experienced in the forest.
"So, I have something for your party... It's a request from the Knight's Division."
"A request? Not for Roland but for our party?"
"Correct, it's a request specifically for Mage Hanna's party."
Should we remain on the 20th floor to improve our skills until we receive our rewards, or, as befits the stream with the most progress, should we promptly head to the 21st floor?
Amidst this dilemma, Ellis began to brief Han Se-ah.
"The orcs were recently seen in the blessed Obernu forest, right? And even after taking care of the boss monster, there are still orcs on the 20th floor. So, it seems they want adventurers who have resolved this incident to scout the forest for them.
At a glance, it seems like a type of side quest.
After the main scenario, it seems character quests are unlocked, followed by side quests.
Of course, Han Se-ah would know if it's a genuine quest or not.
I cast a glance at Han Se-ah's live stream.
Seeing her hastily opening the quest window, it appeared she had the same thought.
"Ah, there's a new side quest. As an RPG player, it feels uncomfortable passing by without completing the quest.
-I feel uneasy when I see exclamation marks on the mini map
-True hardcore RPG player here, mapping cities and all.
-It's frustrating to get the short stick on rewards, makes me restless
-It's unnerving when Ellis keeps hinting at a scheme~
The sudden introduction of a third choice.
Now we had three options: to stay on the 20th floor, to progress to the 21st floor, or to embark on this newly opened side quest.
Owing to this, the chat had become as lively as if it was China, split into three kingdoms.
Unable to make a choice instantly, Han Se-ah, deep in thought, starts reading the chat one by one.
If this were a standard RPG game, and if she were merely guiding viewers through the game at a leisurely pace, she would have instantly moved to clear the side quest.
However, Han Se-ah is the world's top-ranking player with the most progress in the game.
She is in a race for the honor and reward of being the first to clear it.
It's like a speedrunner getting berated by her viewers for not skipping event and story cutscenes.
Remain on the 20th floor and grow stronger while waiting for the main scenario rewards.
Push forward rapidly to maintain the honor of being first, knowing the rewards will come eventually.
As a gamer, it's impossible to overlook the side quest without at least giving it some consideration.
Han Se-ah, at a crossroads, finally speaks after deep contemplation.
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