Episode 507 Reunion with Soonbok (4)
A week has passed since I started to purify the stone chamber.
On the third day, because the structure of the dungeon had changed, I had to find the way again, but luckily there was a cave not too far away, so I was able to go see Mien every day.
Ray, who completely absorbed one of the stone chambers, stole sweat.
âPhew. Now, there are only two left.â
During the week, many stone statues were âliberatedâ.
Unfortunately, none of the statues spoke like the statue of the girl, but it was rewarding to think that several sources of poison had been removed.
He left the chamber with familiar steps.
Following the marks left on each wall of the hallway, the entrance to the cave caught my eye.
Flolight pushes the heavy-looking stone door past the messy stairs.
Then, as if he had waited, he saw Mian sitting on the desk and reading a book.
âCome on.â
A sweet scent pervades the room.
I think I made bread again.
On the outside, it looks like a lot of playfulness, but Mien unexpectedly liked making cookies and bread.
Even a few days ago, I gave it to myself occasionally, but now I bake bread and read a book while I wait.
She pushed the plate of bread with her small hand.
âI am confident today.â
âHoo. Then Iâll look forward to it and try it.â
Ray took the bread.
Then Minen looked at him with throbbing eyes.
When you take a bite, you can feel the moist texture of freshly baked bread with the sweet buttery scent.
Certainly, this deserves to be called self-made.
She hadnât even praised her yet, but Mien stretched out her chest and put her hand on her waist.
âToday, black people gave me good ingredients. Usually, they just give me things like that and I donât know whatâs going on.â
black person.
I donât know how it looks to her, but to me itâs just a black figure.
Does the conversation work?
do you have a doctor
There were times when I went downstairs to the study, wanting to find out, but it was impossible to get out completely.
As if blocked by something, it is blocked by a transparent membrane.
There was nothing impossible if you wanted to break through with force, but there was a risk that the dungeon would collapse if you did so, so I didnât try.
Ray spent time with Mien baking, reading, and talking.
Is it because of the affection accumulated over the years?
Even knowing that she was the nucleus of the dungeon, I couldnât bear to touch her.
âThe dungeon⦠no, just the existence of Mien will make it difficult for many people.â
I know it in my head.
But Mien here is just a child.
He has no memories and doesnât even know why he has to disappear.
Would it be okay to kill her just because it would harm her?
I asked for bread with my thoughts.
It seemed that he felt a bitterness that he had not felt before.
* * *
Seongguk gave up the strength contest and bent his pride.
It was only then that Hafman put everything aside and went to negotiations with the Holy Kingdom.
âTaesangdanju told me to give him carrots if he whipped me.â
The Holy Kingdom has already been whipped quite a lot.
They broke their pride and gave up even supplies and funds to some extent.
In such a situation, driving them further could be poison.
After moving for four days in a wagon, they arrived at a village near the Holy Kingdom and Celia Kingdom.
The branch manager, who followed Hafman to assist, said worriedly.
âThe opponent is the Holy Kingdom. Iâm worried that I might be threatened.â
âThatâs why we moved to this remote area. do not worry. Even if Seongguk becomes disquieted, in the end, they will end up choking me.â
Negotiations in the castle country could have been threatened.
Thatâs why Hafman deliberately moved the place of negotiations to a shabby village located in the middle ground.
Halfman said as if to reassure him, but the branch managerâs concerns still did not seem to disappear.
âThe Danju is too carefree. Donât you know that the Seongguk these days is not the same as before? Iâm afraid Iâll do something wrong and run away.â
âTsk tsk. Branch manager, my sister-in-law said, but grow up with that bean-like courage. Where can a merchant live and trade if he is afraid of trading?â
I heard it and it is the theory.
Hearing a normal level of criticism from Hafman somehow made me feel strange.
The two disarmed and entered the village with only as many escorts as needed.
Seongguk greeted us from the entrance.
blonde hair.
Hana, a middle-aged man with a gentle smile, greeted Hafmanâs group.
âHello, half-man Danju. It is an honor to meet the rumored Continental First Prize. I am Baron Kyle, who holds the priesthood of the Holy Kingdom.â
Hafman also greeted him face-to-face.
âNice to meet you, Baron Kyle. I apologize as soon as we met, but would it be all right if I ask you to direct me to the venue?â
At that, Baron Kyleâs eyes shone.
âI was thinking of digging up information while talking about negotiations, but heâs more shrewd than I thought.â
Itâs not just a half who doesnât know his insides.
Even though he had designated the place, at the point where he was greeted by the people of the Holy Kingdom, he expected that they had already finished preparing for negotiations and were waiting for him.
âFollow me. I will guide you to the venue.â
âthank you.â
After following Baron Kyle, the inside of the shabby village was clearly visible.
Between the Kingdom of Silia and the Holy Kingdom.
Since it was a village located in the middle of nowhere, it did not receive protection from either the Kingdom of Silia or the Holy Kingdom.
Thatâs why bandits have no choice but to be good at it, and the poor situation is difficult, so the faces of the villagers are buried in poverty.
If there was a young man, he would make money by farming and selling crops, but it was difficult to meet a young man even while wandering around the village.
said Baron Kyle.
âIt is a difficult place. There are no specialties and the location is bad. It wonât last long.â
Halfman nodded.
few years ago.
A similar question was asked of Ray when a flood caused a lot of flood damage.
â Lord Taesang, why are you investing so much money in a place like this? I understand sympathy for the flood victims, but isnât this land not suitable for farming?
At that, Ray shook his head.
â Due to the flood, people will be stranded for a while. If youâre looking for the right time to invest money, now is the only time.
He remained calm even when the upper deck was completely submerged by floodwaters.
Rather, he turned a crisis into an opportunity and increased the size of the upper ranks, so Hafman couldnât say anything in admiration.
Baron Kyle was saying the same thing as himself before meeting Ray.
The self who gives up when he sees a loss and moves in pursuit of profit.
It may have been the right attitude for a merchant, but thanks to the teachings of Taesangdanju, I barely realized that there is profit in loss.
Haffman said.
âCertainly, this is not fertile land, and people do not come and go. But if you do it right, you can turn it into a place of trade. It could be a little more free city as it is not located anywhere. Like the Neutral Zone.â
As I spoke with a slight smile on my face, Baron Kyle replied as if he was a bit surprised.
âYes⦠Iâm sure it might be.â
As we talked, we arrived at the venue in no time.
The baron, perhaps acting as a guide, did not enter the venue and saw off at the entrance.
âI hope there will be good negotiations.â
Halfman, who bowed his head slightly, entered the venue accompanied by the branch manager and escort.
Even though he was the chairman, he only rented the house of the village headman.
As
the old door opened with a sound, the gazes of the people of the Seongguk gathered.
The High Priest, who took the place of Pope Eclair, greeted them.
âNice to meet you, Danju. Let me say that I am High Priest Jeep, attending as the representative of the Holy Father.â
âMeet the high priest. Thank you for coming today despite your busy schedule.â
âHeh heh heh. Iâm nervous because itâs the first time Iâve met the danju of the grand corps. Wonât you sit down and talk?â
Unlike words, there is plenty of room in the tone.
When the High Priestess offered a seat, Hafman sat down on an antique wooden chair.
The branch manager stood next to Hafman and held out a parchment.
After accepting it and taking a look at it, Hafman brought up the main subject.
âThen letâs talk right away. This is about the negotiations between Seongguk and the upper ranks, but we want to respect the opinions of Seongguk to the end.â
Fucking to respect.
Even if he asked for a slightly higher amount than he expected, Hafman was going to leave with a cold heart.
These negotiations are bound to be unilateral.
It was only the half, not the Holy Kingdom, that was holding the hilt.
Perhaps he thought that something had come, instead of Jeep, the look on his face hardened a little.
âI donât like direct conversation. This Holy Kingdom requires twenty Imperial Platinum Coins for the sales of the Merchant Merchants.â
Twenty imperial platinum coins.
The amount is less than I thought.
âI thought I would ask for thirty, but what happened?â
Seongguk is not a group of idiots, and there is no way that they only ask for twenty platinum coins.
Even if you think about it with common sense, there are too many kingdoms that want to buy the top of the kingdom for twenty platinum coins.
Hafman had a hunch that there was something more.
As expected, the Minister of Jeep continued.
âThere is only one condition.â
I knew it.
âTell me.â
âI hope that the Gui Corps will give priority to providing combat materials to the home country for the next year.â
It is not a difficult condition.
However, it was difficult to support combat materials.
Supporting weapons and equipment is in line with supporting the country.
Letâs assume that even if a war broke out between the Holy Kingdom and the Lessian Empire.
If so, it was only natural that the Lessian Empire would be hostile even to the upper half of Harpman.
As the Holy Kingdom was in the middle of preparing for a crusade against the Demonic Church, it was something that might pose a threat to the upper ranks.
âThat seems difficult.â
If itâs a normal transaction, what Seongguk wants is âsupportâ.
Perhaps it was a condition proposed by Halfman, who said that the Holy Kingdom was also the top of the continent, hoping that they would support them.
When Harfman refused, the High Priest Jeep readily nodded and agreed, as if he had expected that.
âThen another suggestionâ¦â
âYes. Please speak.â
âPlease sell the magic stones to my home country.â
magic stone?
Halfmanâs eyes narrowed as he sensed something.
What is he going to do by buying magic stones on a board where mana is gone?
âDo you mind if I ask what you are using it for?â
When Harfman asked, the High Priest Jeep flatly refused.
âSorry, but I donât think that will work.â
âHow many magic stones do you want?â
âThe quality is top notch. Please get as many as you can.â
âMmm.â
After âMana Extinctionâ, the price of magic stones became cheaper.
Even in the case of top-notch magic crystals, it was possible to buy about five silver coins.
Hafman had doubts about something, but Seonggukâs proposed conditions were not excessive, so he readily accepted.
âAll right. Then, can I make a deal on the condition of giving priority to the sale of twenty Imperial Platinum Coins and magic crystals?â
âDo so.â
No matter how one-sided the negotiations were, this was over too quickly.
The branch manager also didnât show it, but he looked a little uneasy.
âI donât know if Iâm involved in this or not.â
Hafman wrote down the transaction on parchment, trying hard to hide his embarrassment.
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