Chapter 66: Things Money Can Buy 1
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
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Stepping off the carriage, I am welcomed by a familiar city.
It's a long, three-day carriage journey each way. But with internet access, time doesn't really matter.
Traveling to Grace's village was slow due to the number of carriages, but heading north in a more expensive carriage alone, I managed to make the journey in just three days with no stops.
If I hadn't hired adventurers with money, wouldn't it have taken about three weeks?
It's a situation where the costs outweigh the benefits, but I'm not complaining.
If it earns me the gratitude of a disguised noblewoman, then it's all worthwhile.
"Roland? You're back from the north, did you bring back anything interesting?"
"Sadly, nothing to eat."
"That's a shame."
Upon my return to the city in the late afternoon, I head to the adventurers' guild.
There, behind the counter, is Ellis, greeting me with her usual enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, I didn't bring anything back for her.
The journey takes three days, there's just no time for me to shop for desserts.
Ellis doesn't seem too disappointed, she probably wasn't serious about it.
She's not a gourmet looking for delicacies from every corner of the world, she's just a woman who has a soft spot for sweets.
"Where's the rest of my party?"
"They sold a lot of magic stones yesterday, so I think they're taking a day off."
That explains why Han Se-ah didn't stream today.
Perhaps she's keeping busy on her own.
Even without streaming, there's plenty to do in this game.
From participating in events with fellow adventurers to practicing simple alchemy, exploring the city and mapping out areas, repairing equipment, and taking care of yourself.
While these tasks don't necessarily make for interesting streaming content, they are essential for gamers.
Come to think of it, Han Se-ah did make a wolf lure during the Full Moon Wolf Quest last time.
Seems she's picking up some alchemy skills.
"Did anything happen while I was away?"
"Business as usual. People who descended from the tower went back up, there was a squabble with the mages over gate rights. Ah, and some of the adventurers who were up top have settled down on the 20th and 30th floors."
"On the 20th floor?"
"Apparently, since a 10-story gate was found, mages who believe they can find a 20-story or 30-story gate led to them hiring the adventurers that came down."
Anyone could think of that.
Not just gamers.
Regardless of being part of a game world, the NPCs aren't idiots incapable of thinking.
The unknown tower that doesn't exist in religious scriptures is a mystery even the mages are trying to solve.
But then, what if a gate suddenly appears that skips 10 floors?
Would you just think "Wow, convenient!"?
Or would you believe there's more hidden waiting to be discovered?
Obviously, curiosity would lead you to explore further.
In this world, mages are like scientists in the sense that they seek to uncover the unknown.
They come across as a mix of scientists and university professors when you look at their assistants.
-Was it wise to join the mage's tower?
[Picture of piled up research documents.JPG]
[Clip of assistants dozing off in front of a boiling potion.GIF]
It's like working in a lab;;
Wow, I feel PTSD coming on.
From a basement-dwelling gamer in reality to a grad student in another world?
I'd rather stay a basement-dwelling gamer lol
The mage's tower needs to abolish slavery.
Oh, it was your choice, dear customer.
It seems that this sentiment isn't unique to my world, as there are quite a few posts expressing the same thing.
The unfortunate victims who chose discipleship over tower climbing due to their interest in magic or alchemy.
If teens who commit crimes are sent to juvenile detention, college students who mess up are sent to grad school.
Some users on the Heroes Chronicle Wiki appear to have been caught in a similar predicament.
They only learn about the main scenario and tower climbing from Han Se-ah's streams.
They have to learn the city's settings and the fantasy continent's overall political situation through their own experiences.
That involves countless hours brewing alchemy potions, staying up all night for magical experiments, and doing menial tasks for their masters.
"Of course, those guys will exhaust every resource to find something, even if it means clearing the entire 20th floor."
"Mages have a surprisingly persistent side."
"Surprisingly?"
"As a receptionist at the Adventurer's Guild, I shouldn't criticize them too harshly~"
After leaving the guild, I decided to enjoy my time off some more and dive back into the internet.
With each of Han Se-ah's logouts and logins, a leap forward in time occurs in the outside world, providing endless content for me to enjoy.
Nothing beats the miracle of a new webtoon episode appearing while I munch on chicken legs and drink beer.
The content that Han Se-ah provides resonates more with me than Jesus's miracle of feeding five thousand.
-It's heart-wrenching watching Han Se-ah camp
It's heart-wrenching to see her not sorting out the usable branches while picking up stones
She walks around cutting off branches that get in her way
It's disappointing that she doesn't even consider tidying up the camp and setting up traps...
I gave some advice as the "heart-wrenched man", and leave the guild behind.
Since it's getting late, it would be a good idea to head to the market for some snacks and appetizers.
Just as I have this thought, someone calls out to me.
"Roland? You're back already?"
"Kaiden? I managed to get all the items you asked for."
Upon seeing me, Kaiden, who was strolling alone down the street for some reason, opens her eyes wide.
Knowing the value of the items she asked for, she was very surprised to see me so soon.
Had it not been for the carriage I rented at the mage guild, I would have traveled at a more leisurely pace.
It would have taken more than three days of travel.
Five days to get there, an estimated week to gather the materials, and another five days to return.
Kaiden must have calculated she wouldn't see me again for at least three weeks.
To be honest, the items she requested were quite difficult to find.
"To have gathered so many items in such a short time...."
"The adventurers in the North are quite skilled."
"Is that so?"
They're excellent when it comes to getting items when money is provided.
To be honest, I was also surprised by how quickly they managed to complete the task.
I went to the dangerous areas myself, so I thought the rest would take longer to gather...
Little did I know they would put in extra effort and gather everything so quickly.
If it were anyone else, I might have refrained from boasting, but this time it's different as Kaiden is a noblewoman in disguise.
Also, the ladies from the information guild are watching.
"When I handed them gold coins, they managed to strip the entire mountain range bare in less than two days."
"Gold coins?"
"I hired adventurers because the task was too much for me to handle alone. I have your items at the inn, I'll give them to you tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Kaiden's expression subtly changed.
She murmurs something at the mention of "gold coins", which makes me think she's got the message.
As a noblewoman, Kaiden might be unaware, but as a mercenary and adventurer, she knows the worth of money.
Mercenaries and adventurers stake their lives on coins.
Inexperienced beginners often lose their lives trying to earn more.
Such a scenario would undoubtedly be shocking to a noble lady who has disguised herself and ventured into the world.
Even after becoming an intermediate-level adventurer, the money you earn is in silver coins.
Yet, a man who barely knows her was willing to spend not just a few, but dozens of gold coins for her request.
"Thank you, truly."
"What's there to thank? It's just a favor for a teammate, after all."
"A teammate, you say."
In a fantasy world where human rights and morality differ greatly from the modern world, the most valuable thing is gold coins.
My words cause Kaiden's expression to change peculiarly.
She seems to believe that her unreasonable request led to an excessive expenditure.
She doesn't yet understand the earning potential of a senior adventurer.
"Don't worry. I have a decent amount saved up. If it bothers you, climb higher, earn a lot of money, and then repay me."
"Yes. I will certainly repay you."
The materials Kaiden requested are incredibly pricey when converted into currency.
Without me, The Han Se-ah party would have to pool their resources for several months to gather the necessary funds.
These are valuable resources that can only be found and identified by veteran adventurers in dangerous areas, and are harvested in zones only dared to be entered by senior adventurers.
Such pricey resources are gathered by high-priced manpower, then refined by expensive mages and alchemists.
Not to mention, the labor cost surpasses the cost of the material.
But on the other hand, senior adventurers are those who pay that high price to equip a full set of gear.
Since the materials are expensive, the money senior adventurers make is also significant.
"By the way, did you encounter any trouble in the tower?"
"No. Other than a bit of fatigue after our first night watch, there was nothing else. I suppose everyone isn't accustomed to fighting in a sleep-deprived state. No other issues."
"Is that so? Then, let's meet at the guild tomorrow."
After listening to Kaiden's report, I turn away.
Even if I sow seeds of anxiety in Han Se-ah and create a sense of debt in Kaiden's mind, these issues won't be resolved immediately.
These things need to be addressed one step at a time.
---
Quite the calculating guy...
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