53 – Dragon (2) (Edited)
“Ah.”
After leaving the Lartania territory, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness absentmindedly took a few steps and let out a low sigh as if realizing something.
“I didn’t… bring all the weapons.”
Although she had the habit of always carrying weapons controlled by her, she realized that she had failed to properly bring some of them.
However, despite realizing this, Lynn’s expression remained unchanged.
After all, she had already realized it.
That collecting all the gifts would ultimately have no meaning.
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness, realizing this, unknowingly formed a melancholic smile and looked up at the sky.
She, who had been staring blankly at the distant darkness where only the moonlit night existed, unknowingly shed tears.
“…”
In fact, from any perspective, today could be considered a good day for her.
No, it could even be a very good day.
After all, she met him today after 10 long years, the one she longed for and missed so much, and at the same time, she realized a very important fact.
That she could definitely return to his side.
That was important.
At least until now, she had been collecting gifts for over 10 years, but she was always filled with anxiety.
After all, even if she collected gifts, it was uncertain whether he, who had disappointed her and left, would accept her again.
But today, she received confirmation.
From him.
The confirmation that she could return to the one she had always been waiting for, and dearly cherished.
It was a joyous occasion and something she had longed for.
After all, her purpose was to return to him.
Yet, despite realizing this fact, Lin shed tears silently.
No matter how much she could confirm that fact, the reality of being rejected by him ultimately tormented her heart.
So, she bit her lip and shed tears for a while, but the absolute ruler of darkness wiped away her tears at some point.
Then, with determined, reddened eyes, she gazed at the Larutania territory she had left behind.
Not the vast territory she had known and lived in 10 years ago, but the small territory that was just beginning to develop.
“Without fail, I will return.”
Lin recalled the words of Kim Hyun-woo.
More precisely, he thought of the reason why he was not accepted.
‘Infamy’
If only that could be eliminated, the absolute ruler of darkness could return.
Could return.
Could have a chance once again.
Once again, could have a chance to build a close relationship with him.
“…”
Countless thoughts passed through her mind at that moment.
Countless plans were made and discarded in her mind on how to quickly remove the infamy, and then re-established.
At the same time.
Thinking of that, Lin wished to return to the territory of Lartania as soon as possible.
‘First, I know you’ve been through a lot. I may not know the details, but you must have had your own things to do. At least, as far as I know, you wouldn’t recklessly take someone else’s life.’
He cherished the fragment of kindness he had told her.
Wished.
####
The next day.
After the brief confusion over Lin’s sudden visit, Kim Hyun-woo listened to a report on the sales trend of membership cards from Lorelle.
“The amount earned from membership card sales yesterday is a total of 7,500 gold coins.”
“…7500 gold coins?”
“Yes, if we exclude the production cost of the membership cards, it’s about 7400 gold coins.”
Hyunwoo was taken aback by Lorel’s words and asked, “So, did 1,500 people buy the membership?”
[Yes, and that’s just the sales from yesterday. Looking at the long line extending all the way to the square today, the sales for today… will be quite substantial.]
Hyunwoo was astonished by Lorel’s words and thought to himself, ‘I thought it would sell well, but I didn’t expect it to be this much.’
Naturally, thanks to the system he had created, he had expected the cards to sell very well.
Ultimately, to the mercenaries, the 5 gold coins were an amount they could earn back by selling hard work stone.
Furthermore, he had thought that the mercenaries would be eager to buy the membership due to the tax reduction benefits from the public contribution, which did not exist in the medieval era. He was truly surprised by the extent of it, and his astonished expression showed it.
Not long after, Elena, who had come to report the membership sales until this morning, also opened her mouth with a very surprised expression.
“…A total of 982 cards were sold until this morning.”
“So, for today…”
“It seems like it will far exceed yesterday’s sales. We even temporarily closed the store during lunchtime because of the current demand.”
With a truly surprised expression, Elena reviewed the report she had come to deliver once again.
Seeing her, Hyunwoo smiled at the feeling that his planned actions were progressing smoothly.
Just by selling the membership, he had already recovered the gold coins from the mercenaries and exchanged them.
‘Of course, as time goes by, the sales of the membership will decrease, but it doesn’t matter.’
After all, the membership was just the first way to recover the gold coins. Even if the mercenaries started digging for hard work stone in the labyrinth after buying the membership, Hyunwoo wouldn’t suffer any losses. On the contrary, he would only gain.
If the mercenaries brought hard work stone from the bottom, Hyunwoo would receive 50% of the hard work stone under the pretext of taxes.
In other words, from Hyunwoo’s perspective, he could obtain hard work stone for free without consuming any resources from his territory.
Is that all?
In the end, the mercenaries who started to settle and operate in the labyrinth city began to engage in economic activities within the territory, which would eventually be converted into taxes paid by the residents of the territory.
“Of course, by putting in the public contribution system to purchase mana stones at a lower price, the taxes will eventually decrease.”
Still, it was okay.
The public contribution system created by Kim Hyun-woo seemed fine on the surface, appearing to be a positive system for the mercenaries, but naturally, he didn’t create the system without any ulterior motive.
In other words, Kim Hyun-woo was playing a little prank.
Of course, the prank he played was not the usual public contribution manipulation often seen in third-rate games.
Playing pranks on the public contribution, an element that could upgrade the cards to the next level, was a very effective method, but there was a high probability that the mercenaries’ response would not be great.
Because the intention behind playing pranks on the public contribution that needed to be filled was quite obvious.
Therefore, Kim Hyun-woo did not play pranks on the public contribution.
Instead, the initial public contribution he set was quite conscientious, although a bit excessive from the mercenaries’ perspective, but it was reasonably reasonable.
Instead, what Kim Hyun-woo played a prank on was the introduction of the ranking system.
The public contribution of the mercenaries is maintained as it accumulates.
However, the value of the accumulated public contribution decreases over time.
Why? Because when other mercenaries accumulate public contribution, the card grade will decrease.
“Of course, the rank system starts from bronze.”
In other words, Kim Hyun-woo was thinking of pitting the mercenaries against each other, firmly believing that this would be successful.
And it would be, because the system he created, which constantly encouraged competition by accumulating this public contribution, was directly copied from the structure of a once very popular mobile game.
From Kim Hyun-woo’s perspective, even if the taxes decreased, it wasn’t a big loss.
Even if some were unaware, in the end, most skilled mercenaries would flock to the territory and hoard most of the mana stones for the public contribution.
Like he used to repeatedly retry a stage in the mobile game from the past, hundreds of retries just to clear one level.
…In fact, even without all the above devices, Kim Hyunwoo was right now purely gaining benefits.
Since the monsters in the labyrinth would be constantly regenerated during the time he had purchased the package.
So, smiling, Kim Hyunwoo was.
—-
In the domain, the ★★★ hero ‘Witch of Gold Coins’ has entered.
—-
[At the top of the domain, ‘Tynus’ has arrived!]
“Hmm?”
He confirmed the notification window that popped up.
“Hello.”
Soon, after a certain amount of time passed, Kim Hyunwoo met Adriana as usual.
“Ye-huk!?”
“??”
Adriana, who suddenly opened her eyes wide, had a bewildered expression. But, the one making that expression couldn’t easily loosen it.
Because Adriana, who is currently sharing senses with the guardian of Tynus at the top, the Red-eyed Dragon, is sharing sensations.
[Master? Master? Master? Master? Master? Master? Master
Oh boy…