Chapter 50: Absolute Darkness (3)
Its the second day since the Labyrinth of the Lartania territory was opened.
Most mercenaries, realizing that monsters in Lartanias Labyrinth appeared endlessly, were diligently running through the Labyrinth to earn even a penny more.
At the same time, as evening approached, mercenaries started to come out for a rest in preparation for the final sprint tomorrow.
Ah, it ends tomorrow.
Yeah, its a bit disappointing.
Tsk, of course, they wont keep such a Labyrinth open for more than three days.
Ah its going to be tiring to run around doing escort quests again.
The mercenaries felt a considerable regret that the Labyrinths open period would end tomorrow.
The residents of Lartania felt the same way.
Naturally, once the Labyrinth opening ended, the mercenaries would naturally leave, and the residents sales would naturally decrease, returning to normal.
So, when personal regrets began to be expressed here and there, Kim Hyunwoo stepped onto the platform.
Just the sight of him getting on the platform and making motions as if preparing something was enough for the mercenaries to start gathering in the square.
I will now announce a notice.
Soon, as the square began to fill up to some extent, Kim Hyunwoo opened his mouth.
As you all know, after noon tomorrow, mercenaries will no longer be able to enter and leave the Labyrinth of Lartania.
The mercenaries showed a bit of regret at his words.
Seeing them, Kim Hyunwoo continued.
However, even after noon tomorrow, there is a way for you to enter the Labyrinth.
Immediately after Kim Hyunwoos continued words, the mercenaries started to murmur all at once.
Seeing the square quickly fill up with the murmuring mercenaries, Kim Hyunwoo, as if he had been waiting, pulled out a card from his pocket.
Kim Hyunwoo, holding something the size of a credit card if it were the real world, said,
With this membership card, you can mine Magic Stones inside the Labyrinth anytime, anywhere.
After showing the shining gray card to the mercenaries as if to give them a good look, he continued,
This membership card you see is, in simple terms, an admission ticket to Lartanias Labyrinth. Its available for purchase in our territory, and the price is five Gold Coins.
The mercenaries murmured at Kim Hyunwoos words.
Their murmuring was natural.
While the basic currency for Kim Hyunwoo, who runs the territory, is shown as Gold Coins, one Gold Coin was a significant amount for a citizen or a mercenary.
Thus, from the mercenaries perspective, a card costing five Gold Coins was really expensive.
However, despite the murmuring mercenaries, Kim Hyunwoo calmly continued speaking.
Furthermore, if you buy a card and enter, from now on, youll be able to bring out Magic Stones from Lartanias territory by paying a 50% tax.
At Kim Hyunwoos words, the mercenaries murmured even louder this time.
Now, amidst the murmurs, voices of discontent began to emerge subtly.
If a 50% tax had been set from the beginning, it might have been different, but having to pay money and an additional 10% tax to the territory naturally led to dissatisfaction.
However, Kim Hyunwoo still looked at the mercenaries with a confident smile.
While there was murmuring of dissatisfaction among them, none were voicing strong complaints or leaving the square.
Thus, even if Kim Hyunwoo stopped here, the mercenaries would not leave; instead, they would spend the rest of the day eager to buy a card.
Of course, there might be slight dissatisfaction with the suddenly increased 50% tax, but-
However, naturally not intending to end the announcement here, Kim Hyunwoo pulled out the remaining four cards from his pocket and continued,
If you diligently explore the Labyrinth and provide a large number of Magic Stones to Lartanias territory at a slightly lower price, we plan to reduce the tax based on your contributions.
For instance, with a Bronze card, you will only be taxed at about 45%. With a Silver card, its 40%, which means you only pay the current tax rate for the Magic Stones. Is this the end? No.
Kim Hyunwoo showed them a gold-colored card and a shining blue card.
The Gold card shown here allows you to take Magic Stones with only a 35% tax, receiving a 15% discount, and this final Platinum card gives a whopping 20% discount, allowing you to pay only 30% tax.
The mercenaries stirred again at his words.
Kim Hyunwoo, seeing them, smiled and said,
The cards will start being sold at the stands in front of the Lords castle from this moment, as I have announced. So, if you wish to use the Labyrinth after tomorrow, please purchase a card first.
Having said that, he was about to step down from the platform when he added,
Ah, since it takes time to make the cards, there might be a waiting period of more than a week, so if youre considering it, it would be best to apply quickly.
He finished his words and stepped down.
At the same time, the mercenaries,
Hey, where was the Lords castle again!
Its over there, you dummy! Run!!
Uh uh? I dont have money!? What if I spend all my money-
Is that the problem!? First, we have to run and buy the card! If we can just get inside and work, we can easily make five Gold Coins!!
Move! Im first!!
No! Im first, you bastard!!
Instantly, they began to run towards the Lords castle.
Huu-
Phew-
Kim Hyunwoo looked at the mercenaries gathered beneath the Lords castle and smiled with satisfaction.
Due to the influx of mercenaries, except for the soldiers acting as guards in the resting areas of the Labyrinth, everyone was busy guarding the place selling cards, and Elena was also busy leading the soldiers, but he had a smile on his lips.
Everyone being busy meant that Kim Hyunwoos work was going as well as he had thought.
Therefore, as Kim Hyunwoo was about to open the notification window with a satisfied smile to check the upcoming schedule,
A hero 'Absolute Ruler of Darkness' has entered the territory.
??
Suddenly, a notification popped up before his eyes, and he unwittingly made a puzzled expression.
No wonder, since from Kim Hyunwoos perspective, this notification came out of nowhere.
So there was Kim Hyunwoo, staring at the notification, momentarily lost in thought.
Thud-!
Soon after, Kim Hyunwoo realized that a woman had appeared before him, where there had been no one just moments before.
Wrapped in darkness enough to engulf everything, she appeared in a dark-colored qipao, and he realized that the Absolute Ruler of Darkness had appeared before him.
Rin?
Unwittingly, Kim Hyunwoo found himself blankly calling out the name of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness.
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness.
No, Rin unwittingly suppressed the emotions welling up inside her.
She wanted to run into the Lords arms right then and there, but she knew.
That now was not the time for that.
I must apologize, I must apologize.
Rin knew what she had to do.
However, once she stood before him, she had no idea what to say.
Only tears welled up.
At the fact that he, whom she thought she might never see again, was here now.
And at the fact that he had called her name, her heart was just pounding.
Sigh-
Knowing she shouldnt be like this, she forcibly took deep breaths, but her heart wouldnt calm down.
Her heart, which hadnt raced even in confrontations with great heroes where she could lose her life, was now pounding crazily just because one man was in front of her.
That That is-
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness gave up on calming her heart and decided to say what was most important first.
First, I must start from the beginning, one thing at a time-
Rin heard a bit late that Kim Hyunwoo had returned, but she knew very well about Lartanias history.
She knew that the damn wolf first came and informed about a crisis in the Lartania territory, and she also knew that the territory had faced several crises.
Therefore, she had to make excuses about that.
First, I am sorry for being so late. That the item I was too late because I was retrieving it!
Item?
Of course, the excuses were all prepared.
The excuse was about the Execution Sword.
In fact, thanks to Rin buying items conspicuously in Rapengan, rumors had already spread, and it was certain those rumors would reach the Lords ears soon.
That surely wasnt good for Rin. However, for that reason, she wanted to use those rumors as an excuse.
She made up the excuse that she was late because someone had stolen her Execution Sword and she had been looking for it when it was put up for auction.
At the same time, Rin wanted to show her sincerity to him.
She wanted to ask for forgiveness by showing all the gifts Kim Hyunwoo had given her up to now, demonstrating that she had not taken any of his gifts for granted even for a moment.
Therefore.
The truth is, I lost the Execution Sword by mistake Someone had stolen it and sold it at the Rapengan auction! I was a bit late coming to the territory because I was retrieving it!
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness said.
The Execution Sword in Rapengan territory?
Yes, thats right, someone secretly stole my Execution Sword and put it up for auction-!
Uh that one, is it yours?
Eh?
Rin felt her vision turning white.
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