Chapter 53: Dragon (2)
Ah.
Right after escaping Lartanias territory, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness aimlessly walked before murmuring with a low exclamation as if realizing something.
I didnt bring all the weapons
She realized that although the darkness she controlled habitually gathered weapons, she had failed to properly bring a few of them.
However, even upon realizing this, Rins expression did not change significantly.
After all, she had realized it.
That gathering all the gifts in the end meant nothing.
Upon thinking this, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness unknowingly smiled wistfully and looked up at the sky.
Staring blankly into the dark night with only the moon, she unknowingly shed tears.
In fact, from a certain perspective, today could be considered a good day for her.
No, perhaps it could be considered a very good day.
After all, she had met him today for the first time in ten years, the one she had longed for, and at the same time, she realized a very important fact.
Namely, the certain realization that she could return to his side.
That was important.
At least until now, she had gathered gifts for over ten years but always trembled with anxiety.
After all, it was uncertain whether he, who had left disappointed even after she gathered gifts, would accept her back.
But today, she had received confirmation.
From him.
From the one she had always waited for, and dearly cherished.
The confirmation that she could return.
It was an incredibly happy moment, and something she had wished for.
After all, her purpose was to return to him.
However, despite realizing this fact, Rin silently shed tears.
No matter that she had received confirmation, the fact that she had been rejected by him weighed heavily on her heart.
Thus, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, who had been biting her lip and shedding tears for a while, wiped her tears away at some point.
Then, with eyes full of determination and swollen red, she looked back at Lartanias territory that she had just left.
Not the vast territory she knew from ten years ago, but a small territory just beginning to develop.
I must return, no matter what.
Rin remembered what Kim Hyunwoo had said.
More precisely, she thought about the reason he did not accept her.
Infamy.
If only she could get rid of that, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness could return.
She could return again.
She could get another chance.
Once again, she could have the opportunity to build affection with him.
Numerous thoughts flashed through her mind immediately.
How to quickly remove the infamy, numerous plans were formulated, discarded, and reestablished in her mind.
At the same time.
Thinking of it, Rin wished to return to Lartania as soon as possible.
First of all, I understand youve had a hard time. Even if I cant know the details, you must have had your reasons. At least from what I know, you wouldnt take someones life without reason.
Gathering the pieces of affection he had shared, she cherished them.
She wished.
The next day.
After the sudden visit from Rin had momentarily caused confusion, Kim Hyunwoo listened to Lorias report on the sales trend of memberships.
[The total amount earned from yesterday's membership sales is 7,500 Gold Coins]
7,500 Gold Coins?
[Yes, excluding the cost of manufacturing the membership cards, it amounts to about 7,500 Gold Coins]
Kim Hyunwoo asked in surprise following Lorias words.
So, 1,500 people bought memberships?
[Yes, that's based on yesterday's sales, and seeing as the line extends to the plaza just like yesterday, today's sales will be... truly significant]
Upon hearing Lorias words, Kim Hyunwoo had a bewildered expression and thought.
I thought it would sell well, but I didnt know it would be to this extent.
Naturally, he expected the cards to sell very well thanks to the system he created.
After all, from the mercenaries perspective, five Gold Coins was an amount they could recover by diligently selling Magic Stones.
Additionally, he thought the tax reduction benefits from public points, which absolutely did not exist in the medieval era, would surely ignite the mercenaries desire to purchase memberships, but he was surprised it was to this degree.
Not long after, Elena, who came to report the membership sales until this morning, also spoke with a very surprised expression.
A total of 982 cards have been sold until this morning.
So, today will be
It seems like it will far exceed yesterdays sales. The counter is temporarily closed right now because its lunchtime.
Elena, with a truly amazed expression, reviewed the contents of her own report once again.
Seeing her, Kim Hyunwoo smiled broadly, feeling that everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
This was because he had already covered the Gold Coins he exchanged for the Magic Stones received from the mercenaries just by selling the memberships.
Of course, membership sales will gradually decrease over time, but that doesnt matter.
After all, memberships were just the first method to recover Gold Coins, and even if the mercenaries bought memberships and started mining Magic Stones in earnest, Kim Hyunwoo wouldnt lose anything.
It was all gain, in fact.
If the mercenaries mined Magic Stones from the bottom, Kim Hyunwoo could obtain 50% of the Magic Stones they brought under the guise of taxes.
In other words, from Kim Hyunwoos perspective, he could obtain Magic Stones for free without spending any resources of the territory.
And thats not all.
Ultimately, mercenaries who start to establish themselves and become active in the Labyrinth city begin economic activities within the territory, which then translates into taxes from the residents.
Of course, introducing a public point system to buy Magic Stones cheaply will eventually reduce taxes.
Still, it was fine.
At first glance, the public point system created by Kim Hyunwoo seemed like a positive system without any problems to the mercenaries, but naturally, he didnt create it without thought.
In essence, Kim Hyunwoo had played a trick.
Of course, the trick he played was not just about increasing public points, a tactic often seen in third-rate games.
Messing with public points, an element that could upgrade the card to the next level, was an effective method, but it was likely to elicit poor responses from the mercenaries, separate from its efficacy.
This is because the intent behind tampering with the required public points was too obvious.
Therefore, Kim Hyunwoo did not tamper with the public points.
Instead, the initial public points he set were quite conscientious, slightly excessive from the mercenaries perspective, but still quite reasonable.
Instead, the trick Kim Hyunwoo played was introducing a ranking system.
The mercenaries public points remain as they accumulate.
However, the value of the accumulated public points gradually decreases.
Why? Because if other mercenaries accumulate public points, the card rank will drop.
Of course, the rank system starts from bronze.
In essence, Kim Hyunwoo intended to incite competition among the mercenaries, and he firmly believed this would be successful.
This was because the system, which kept the competition going no matter how much public points were accumulated, was modeled after the structure of a once very successful mobile game.
From Kim Hyunwoos perspective, a reduction in taxes was not a big loss.
While average mercenaries might not understand, eventually, the skilled mercenaries who gather will deposit most of their Magic Stones in the territory for public points.
Just like in that mobile game from the past, where players retried hundreds of times for a single flip.
In fact, even without all the above mechanisms, Kim Hyunwoo was genuinely profiting right now.
After all, monsters in the Labyrinth would continuously regenerate while the package was purchased.
Therefore, Kim Hyunwoo, who was smiling,
A hero 'Golden Witch' has entered the territory.
[The Tienus Merchant Group has arrived at the territory!]
Hmm?
He noticed the notification pop-up.
Hello.
Soon, after some time had passed, Kim Hyunwoo, who met Adria as usual,
Eh-uh!?
??
Adria suddenly widened her eyes, causing Kim Hyunwoo to look puzzled, but she, making that expression, couldnt easily relax her face.
That was because Adria, who was currently sharing consciousness and senses with the Red Dream Dragon, the Guardian of the Tienus Merchant Group,
[Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?Master?-]
could hear her voice chillingly echoing in her head.
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