I Entered a Gacha Game That Had Been Abandoned for 10 Years chapter 74

74 – The Era of Gacha (5)

For a moment, Elena was taken aback by Kim Hyunwoo’s gloomy appearance, but then she cleared her throat and spoke.

“Ahem… But, my lord, will the supply be able to meet the demand? It seems to me that the supply might be a bit insufficient.”

“Well, yes, it does seem so in the current state.”

As soon as Kim Hyunwoo realized that the stamp was functioning properly, he called Elena and Rani to help make the explorer’s magnifying glass.

Thanks to that, the quantity of magnifying glasses surpassed 1,000 in just one day. However, from this moment on, it was naturally difficult for Kim Hyunwoo to keep up with the mercenaries’ demand, no matter how many magnifying glasses he made.

In other words, he needed to establish a factory to produce magnifying glasses.

In fact, from Kim Hyunwoo’s perspective, creating a factory to make explorer’s magnifying glasses was something he could do in no time.

In the first place, with the stamp in his hands, he could produce thousands or even tens of thousands of explorer’s magnifying glasses at any moment.

The materials needed for the explorer’s magnifying glass were simply wood, iron, magic stones, and magic water.

‘The minimum amount of magic stones needed to make one magnifying glass is just one. Therefore, there’s no worry about running out of materials.’

As he came this far in his thoughts, Kim Hyun-woo unconsciously considered the cost of production for the explorer’s magnifying glass.

‘With just one bottle of magic water, about 1,500 magnifying glasses can be made, and since only one lowest grade magic stone is needed per magnifying glass, if we consider everything… the production cost is roughly around 15 silver coins…?’

Kim Hyun-woo marveled at his own thoughts.

‘Is this even better than the food industry?’

He admired the incredible creative economy he had made, which was worth almost a gold coin with a cost of only 12 silver coins. However, he returned to the main problem at hand.

‘…In the end, creating isn’t the problem but leakage is.’

In fact, losing a few magnifying glasses isn’t a big issue, but leaking the manufacturing method is.

If other places could produce the explorer’s magnifying glass as well, then things would become a little more complicated.

‘…Of course, if only I have the stamp and other heroes help engrave the circuit diagram inside the wood block.’

He could prevent any leakage that way. Ultimately, in this simple manufacturing process, the most important thing is the circuit diagram that Kim Hyun-woo’s stamp carves inside the wood block.

Since the already produced explorer’s magnifying glass, treated as an in-game item, couldn’t be disassembled unless destroyed, there were no significant concerns about disassembling the produced item.

‘However, a woodblock in the pre-production stage would not be treated as an in-game item and would be able to be disassembled.’

There were no answers if someone stole the pre-production materials.

‘Hmm…’

Kim Hyun-woo, who had been pondering, soon came to a conclusion.

“Well, the situation is a little desperate right now, so I’m planning to produce it myself for a while.”

“Do you plan to make it without using workers?”

“If the production method accidentally leaks, it could be disastrous.”

“Ah…”

“By the way, I’d appreciate it if Elena and Rani could help out in their free time. I trust you both.”

Those were Kim Hyunwoo’s words.

Elena blinked at him for a moment before coughing and clearing her throat once more to speak.

“When I finish my work, I’ll help out. As you’ve said, Lord, there is essentially no difference between me being on the same boat with you now.”

“I’ll also help when I finish all the cooking! Recently, thanks to the Lord hiring more chefs, I’ve got much more free time, excluding the regular working hours!”

“Thank you.”

At their acceptance, Kim Hyunwoo nodded with a smile, but he was thinking,

‘Still, I can’t keep doing this on my own…I definitely need a reliable person to trust this with…I need to give this more thought.’

Kim Hyunwoo sighed lightly as if he had no choice and said,

“Then, can you assist me a little more today?”

With that, Elena, Rani, and Kim Hyunwoo continued to make spectacles until late into the night.

That day, Kim Hyunwoo, Elena, and Rani managed to create around 4,000 spectacles, even securing extra materials.

####

In just a few days, the low-grade explorer’s spectacles from the Lartania territory began to spread, changing mercenaries’ quality of life.

“It’s a jackpot!”

“Damn it!”

…for better or worse.

“Damn it, this can’t be! How could I have broken over a hundred and not get a single one!”

“Fi, finally, I’ve recouped my capital! hahahahaha!”

Ever since the binoculars of the lowest rank explorer started being widely distributed, various human hordes have emerged in the territory of Lartania.

“Do you know what this is?”

“Th, that’s Cella’s rapier…!”

“It’s a whopping 310 gold coins!”

“Exactly. I got it from the binoculars only after five tries.”

“Heck, this is insane…!”

“Is, is it really? You got it after only five tries with the binoculars?”

“Yes.”

Those who brag about the things they’ve obtained just from using the binoculars a few times.

“I, I also want to do it!”

“Honestly, isn’t it okay to try like ten times?”

“If that guy managed to get it, then I should as well…!”

Those who rush to try it themselves after seeing the ones boasting about their items.

“Darn it! Does this make sense!? How can none appear at all, none!!”

“I’m ruined…I’ve already spent 50 gold coins but nothing’s come out…!”

“Heavens!!!! Why this trial to me!!”

Those who lose all their money and become dejected when they fail at this instant gamble.

“We, we can’t end it like this, we can’t!”

“That’s, that’s right. From what I heard from my old colleague, that guy got Ambara’s chains at exactly the 100th look through the binoculars…!”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes! It is certain that the probability of finding good items increases when you get to the 100th time!”

People who are fixed on recovering their invested costs start to invest more money and start believing in things that were not true.

Despite this, countless people had spread among the mercenaries of Rartania, including those who had gambled excessively after finally reclaiming the principal, thinking that merely regaining the principal was unreasonable.

“What the hell…”

Allen, who leads the mercenary group in Rartania, was also one of those numerous people.

“Why can’t I get anything…!!”

The mercenaries all wore gloomy expressions in response to the desperation washing over Allen as he hit the bottom of the labyrinth.

Today, Allen had used about 80 magnifying glasses that had been purchased through the combined pennies of the mercenary members.

In other words, the whole Allen Mercenary group had invested in magnifying glass ‘gachas’, and at the same time, they had wasted all the money they had collected over several weeks through the magnifying lenses, so the atmosphere of the mercenary group could not be good.

So the gloom was short-lived.

“…I knew this would happen.”

Harrell, a member of Allen’s Mercenaries who had been consistently opposing the use of magnifying glasses, and virtually played the role of guide for the mercenary group, told his story with a sigh.

“I told you the risk was too high…”

“I’m sorry… If I had chosen better.”

Allen speaks in a voice filled with endless gloom.

Noticing some odd expression in his murmur, Harrell checked on the morale of the mercenaries before responding.

“Well, we can’t help what’s already happened. As you know, money doesn’t come back. But being so gloomy isn’t going to change anything. You guys know that, right?”

Harrell, who looked around and spoke, patted Allen’s shoulder and said,

“So let’s shake it off and get up. We’ve already paid for the inn for over a week anyway…The random things we found will be bought in Rartania. If we sell all this, we should be able to scrape together about 10 gold coins.”

The somber atmosphere of the mercenaries, including the rattled Allen, started to gradually improve due to Harel’s words giving a swift change to the gloomy ambiance.

“Right, nothing changes no matter how gloomy we get.”

“That’s, that’s right! Allen, don’t be too gloomy! After all, we all agreed on this…!”

Soon, each member consoled Allen, and the atmosphere of the mercenaries returned to its former state.

“This gamble shouldn’t have been started in the first place. As you know, it’s just like a gamble, right? We’re lucky if we win, otherwise we fall into a rut from then on.”

Harel’s words, beginning to enumerate one by one the terrifying points of this predicament as if pointing out that chances of escape were slim.

“..That’s right, there’s no guarantee that we will succeed just because that guy could.”

“Clearly, there are a lot more people who have failed rather than profited. I see quite a few people around here who’ve experienced disgrace.”

The mercenaries, one by one, began to pull themselves out of the quagmire they had fallen into momentarily.

Like that, about six hours.

The mercenary group decided to work just as usual without falling into the trap and to save up money regularly. They diligently hunted.

“We’re better off working hard for our money than depending on luck.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

As the mercenaries were discussing and emerged from the maze.

“This is insane…!”

“Jackpot!”

“Heaven above!!! Why me!!!”

As the mercenaries emerged from the maze, a furor ensued, and they all wore puzzled expressions.

Seeing a familiar mercenary making a fuss, Allen approached and asked him.

“What’s all the commotion about?”

“Who…? Ah, it’s you? Perfect timing! I’m in a mess over a magnifying glass.”

“A magnifying glass…?”

“Yes! You see, someone has pulled out Kamaran’s necklace!”

“Kamaran’s necklace…? Oh no, you don’t mean… the one traded at the Lapengan auction house for 5000 gold coins as an artifact from a labyrinth?”

“Yes, that’s the one! And it’s caused quite a ruckus!”

“This is crazy…”

Hearing this, Allen’s impulse started to fan out.

Even if he lost the 80 gold coins for the time being, what if he pulls out the necklace and earns 5000 gold coins?

That’s a profit.

It’s not just a profit, but a substantial amount that he could retire from his mercenary job right now…!

That’s why Allen felt a surge of impulse in his heart.

‘No, I must resist it…!’

He strived to suppress his desires as much as possible.

Since he had already lost 80 gold coins this morning.

From Noble mtl dot com

Nevertheless, Allen grinded his teeth.

“1 gold coin for… 5000 gold coins…”

“…Harel?”

Upon seeing Harel, who had begun to ponder something, Allen wore a puzzled expression.

“…Shall we, give it a go?”

“Eh? But you clearly said earlier that this is an inescapable scam..”

“…If goods worth 5,000 gold coins were to come out, the story would be different.”

Upon hearing Harel’s continued words, Allen suddenly thought of her dream.

‘…Sure, I’ve always wanted to retire. Even if I were to split 5,000 gold coins among 8 people, it’s still 600 gold coins… With that amount, I could settle somewhere and create the pub I always wanted to…’

The moment he thought of it.

“…I’ve spent 80 gold coins now… Should we use 20 more to round it off to 100 coins?”

Allen, along with his words, looked at the desire subtly brimming in her eyes, which seemed marked with money symbols, and slowly started to release the desire he had been holding back.

Six hours past the broken head being stitched up through a magnifying glass.

“Should…should we?”

The Allen Mercenary Group was once again falling into desire.

And at that moment.

When nearly all the magnifying glasses were sold out, and even selling was becoming virtually impossible due to the exhausted stock.

All around Lartania, amidst the heated debates about the magnifying glasses, a place where all sorts of emotions, including hope and despair, were rampant.

“…Is this, is this the extent?”

Elena, with curious expression, was heading towards the labyrinth, holding a magnifying glass.