105 – Blue Tower Aura (4)
About 10 minutes later.
After Kim Hyunwoo learned about Shardra, who had been in the orphanage, he briefly exchanged greetings and had a simple conversation with her.
“Well, it seems like they’re all here because of us watching, so it would be stealing their time if we stay too long, right? So, I’ll come by next time!”
Nodding as he looked at Shardra, who spoke cheerfully.
“And I need to visit the Matap Branch anyway, so I’ll come by after finishing work, either today or tomorrow.”
“Really! Then should we go quickly and tidy up the office? It’s a bit messy with all the things we left behind!”
“Should we go a little later then?”
“No! You can come today! I have a lot of things to talk to Dad about, so I want to have a conversation. Like back then.”
Seeing Shardra, who was laughing brightly, Kim Hyun-woo nodded as if he understood her words.
“Alright, then I’ll try to go back then.”
“Yes! Then I’ll go now? You have to come!”
Looking at Shardra, who had a innocent smile as she disappeared into the blue teleportation gate, Kim Hyun-woo was filled with strange thoughts.
“The character from the orphanage became a 4.5-star teleportation gate user… I never expected that.”
Since Libera had been a 1-star hero since 10 years ago, it made sense, but he didn’t expect that the child he had become close to because of the mini-game and honor would become a 4.5-star hero.
“It’s lucky like this.”
With that, Kim Hyun-woo smiled.
Of course, in the world of Arteil, the occupation of a wizard was necessary not only as a hero, but also as a support hero.
“Of course, I don’t know if Shardra is more of an attacker or a support. I’ll find out eventually.”
Knowing that Shardra was a character related to the blue teleportation gate, Kim Hyun-woo thought that she would be very helpful based on her actions.
“Lord, what is the relationship between you and that woman- no, the blue teleportation gate user…?”
“I don’t know either…?”
Kim Hyun-woo realized that he hadn’t explained anything about her, despite introducing Shardra and greeting her, when he saw Elena and Libera’s serious expressions next to him.
A little later.
“So, the blue teleportation gate user was a child who had a very close relationship with you at the orphanage you sponsored 10 years ago?”
“Right?”
“…Is that the end?”
“Well, isn’t it? There’s really nothing more to add there.”
When Kim Hyun-woo responded to Elena’s words like that, this time, River asked.
“Friend? For that kind of thing, that human woman was sticking to you quite persistently, wasn’t she?”
Looking at River, who spoke with an urgent expression, Kim Hyun-woo hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Well, maybe she was like that even before?”
Right after always playing mini-games and collecting about 150 won, which could be converted into cash, when talking to Shadra to collect the honor points, Kim Hyun-woo, who remembered that she was always the avatar of the lord in pixels—hugging herself or sitting on his knees—explained.
“Well, but now she’s an adult…”
“Well… certainly, if you just look at the appearance, she’s an adult… honestly, it felt a bit weird to be called ‘dad.'”
To be precise, it felt a bit like doing something very immoral. Kim Hyun-woo muttered to himself, and soon looked at Elena, who was sighing in relief beside him, and tilted his head.
“Oh, well, I’ll listen after I see it first.”
In the end, with Kim Hyun-woo recalling the reason they came up here, the briefing began.
####
Territory: Larvania.
Territory Development: 2680
Residents of the Territory
[Humans: 17,133]
Owned Buildings
[Lord’s Castle LV1 ＞＞＞ Upgrade in progress 99% [Temporarily suspended]]
[City Wall Level 3]
[Residential Area Level 5↑]
[Blacksmith Level 5↑]
[Camp Level 4 ＞＞＞ Upgrading in progress 0%]
[Tavern Level 3]
[Market Level 3↑]
[Lumber Processing Facility Level 2↑ ＞＞＞ Upgrading in progress 0%]
[Restaurant Level 3]
[Leather Processing Facility Level 2↑ ＞＞＞ Upgrading in progress 0%]
[Stone Processing Facility Level 2↑ ＞＞＞ Upgrading in progress 0%]
[Trading Post Level 2↑]
[Secondary City Wall Level 3]
[Inn Level 3↑]
[Administrative District Level 3↑]
[Paved Road Level 1↑]
External Buildings
[Mercenary Guild Level 0] [Under Construction]
[Mage Tower Branch Level 1↑]
[Blacksmith Guild Branch Level 1↑]
Military Strength
– 200 regular soldiers
– 200 trainees
—-
After receiving reports from Elena and the daytime briefing from River, Kim Hyun-woo let out a light sigh and looked at the information window of his territory.
Although there had been an explosion while making missiles, since he had already saved all the materials, the building level had smoothly increased.
Of course, due to the demon army’s invasion, construction had temporarily stopped in the middle. However, this had actually divided Lartania completely into before and after the demon army’s invasion.
The immediate change that could be seen was the houses in the residential area beyond the market.
Houses that had been uniformly built up to level 4 suddenly gained individuality as they reached level 5, which was when Lartania began consuming resources in earnest.
In the meantime, dessert shops responsible for the citizens’ happiness and spaces where people could take a break started to appear in the residential area.
Similarly, the blacksmith’s shop, which had reached level 5, had transformed into a size comparable to the headquarters of the blacksmith guild, clearly indicating that it was the blacksmith shop within the territory.
The woodworking shop, leatherworking shop, and stoneworking shop had also slightly increased in size compared to before.
And the huge market street spreading around these workshops showed that Lartania had truly become a remarkable territory, bustling with activity.
But in fact, more than anything else, what Kim Hyun-woo was satisfied with was the paved roads that covered the entire territory.
“Now it really feels like a territory.”
The outer parts were not properly designed yet, so the roads had not been paved there. However, since the roads were paved inside the territory, the atmosphere of the territory came alive. Smiling, Kim Hyun-woo thought to himself.
“Hoo-“
Soon, he looked at the inventory window.
[Red stones: 30] [Blue stones: 232] [Gold coins: 246,422] [Magic stones: 192,231]
The inventory window that Kim Hyun-woo was looking at had regained stability, unlike two weeks ago when he barely managed to keep it together.
Since the moment Kim Hyun-woo annihilated the demon army, the magic stones, which had only amounted to 30, were rapidly accumulating due to the influx of mercenaries.
The gold, rather than being by one’s own efforts, regained stability through external means.
“It seems that we can no longer rely on resources from the Tesnoca Territory.”
The reason Kim Hyun-woo was able to grow overwhelmingly fast until now was because he could obtain resources from the Tesnoca Territory.
However, with the emergence of demons in the Norba Kingdom, the Tesnoca Territory could no longer receive resources.
“It’s probably because of the demons.”
For about three weeks, Kim Hyun-woo had some knowledge of what was happening in the Norba Kingdom, so he knew that the Tesnoca Territory was no longer in a situation to sell resources.
Thanks to that, gold coins were accumulating in Kim Hyun-woo’s balance.
Apart from the immediate drop in the value of mana stones, Larutania’s balance would inevitably accumulate unless money was poured into developing the original territory.
Therefore, as Kim Hyun-woo looked at the territory window and the goods window, he organized the things he needed to do in order.
Increase the number of troops.
Develop the territory.
Purchase the Proposal Ring.
These three things were what Kim Hyun-woo needed to do at the current moment.
The security was being maintained sufficiently, but since the demon army attacked, soldiers had to be increased without exception.
Territory development, of course, should not stay at the current level.
And, without a doubt, the Proposal Ring had to be purchased.
“Hmm…”
Kim Hyun-woo unconsciously tapped his fingers.
Actually, the first one was a problem that could be addressed immediately, and he had already thought about how to defend against demon invasions once or twice after increasing the military.
But the second and third were issues.
Even if the development center was raised right away, to develop the territory at a similar speed to before, resources were needed, and to buy those resources, money was needed.
So, there wasn’t enough money.
Likewise, the third time was similar.
To buy the engagement ring right away, a red stone was needed, and to gather that red stone, the gathering pace of the mana stones needed to be faster than now.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Well, the pace of gathering mana stones is getting faster enough, but still, I wish it were a little faster.”
As time passed, Kim Hyunwoo became more and more curious about why he had come here.
At the moment when Kim Hyunwoo was contemplating.
Just a moment ago, after reporting to him and leaving the office, Elena and River could certainly meet Shadra, who had said earlier that she was going back to the tower branch.
“Hello~”
Shadra spoke with a wide smile.
Elena and River were momentarily bewildered by her cheerful expression, but they nodded in return.
“Oh, it’s just that since we’ll be seeing each other often from now on, it felt a bit awkward to just say goodbye as if we were leaving for good, so I waited to properly greet you.”
Still wearing her friendly smile, Shadra’s words made Elena and River momentarily dazed, unknowingly prompting such thoughts in their minds.
‘Could this guy be unexpectedly nice?’
The more they talked, the more such thoughts crept into Elena and River’s minds.
No wonder, Shadra was much better at leading the conversation in a more lively way than they had thought.
However.
“Anyway, it’s fortunate. You two don’t have to worry about it, which is good.”
Shadra’s subsequent words left Elena and River momentarily puzzled.
“… Huh?”
“…What on earth are you talking about?”
Elena and Reaver asked.
“Oh, this story?”
Shadra responded with a smile that had been cheerful just a moment ago.
“Both of you, it’s fortunate that it seems not to be the style Dad desires, isn’t it?”
She said.
“…What?”
“…”
Instantly, the air froze between them.
####
About three days later, Merilda, who had been roaming near the Norba Kingdom, killing monsters pulled from the demon side as much as possible, seemingly anxiously wondering if their usefulness had disappeared.
“What is that? What did that woman say… Dad?”
“…She did call me Dad.”
“She did?”
“Putting her hand on my neck, it seemed like she deliberately pressed her chest appealingly.”
After hearing Giral’s report,
“What, what did she say!?”
“…As I mentioned. Master. That woman’s tail-chasing magic seems suspicious.”
Lyn also learned of the impending crisis from Loreiel.