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.
“Phew. Now, there are only two left.”
During the week, many stone statues were ‘liberated’.
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.
“Come on.”
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.
“I am confident today.”
“Hoo. Then I’ll look forward to it and try it.”
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 hadn’t even praised her yet, but Mien stretched out her chest and put her hand on her waist.
“Today, black people gave me good ingredients. Usually, they just give me things like that and I don’t know what’s going on.”
black person.
I don’t know how it looks to her, but to me it’s 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 didn’t 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 couldn’t bear to touch her.
‘The dungeon… no, just the existence of Mien will make it difficult for many people.’
I know it in my head.
But Mien here is just a child.
He has no memories and doesn’t 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.
“Taesangdanju told me to give him carrots if he whipped me.”
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.
“The opponent is the Holy Kingdom. I’m worried that I might be threatened.”
“That’s why we moved to this remote area. do not worry. Even if Seongguk becomes disquieted, in the end, they will end up choking me.”
Negotiations in the castle country could have been threatened.
That’s 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 manager’s concerns still did not seem to disappear.
“The Danju is too carefree. Don’t you know that the Seongguk these days is not the same as before? I’m afraid I’ll do something wrong and run away.”
“Tsk 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?”
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 Hafman’s group.
“Hello, 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.”
Hafman also greeted him face-to-face.
“Nice 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?”
At that, Baron Kyle’s eyes shone.
‘I was thinking of digging up information while talking about negotiations, but he’s more shrewd than I thought.’
It’s not just a half who doesn’t 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.
“Follow me. I will guide you to the venue.”
“thank you.”
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.
That’s 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.
“It is a difficult place. There are no specialties and the location is bad. It won’t last long.”
Halfman nodded.
few years ago.
A similar question was asked of Ray when a flood caused a lot of flood damage.
– Lord Taesang, why are you investing so much money in a place like this? I understand sympathy for the flood victims, but isn’t this land not suitable for farming?
At that, Ray shook his head.
– Due to the flood, people will be stranded for a while. If you’re 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 couldn’t 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.
“Certainly, 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.”
As I spoke with a slight smile on my face, Baron Kyle replied as if he was a bit surprised.
“Yes… I’m sure it might be.”
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.
“I hope there will be good negotiations.”
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.
“Nice to meet you, Danju. Let me say that I am High Priest Jeep, attending as the representative of the Holy Father.”
“Meet the high priest. Thank you for coming today despite your busy schedule.”
“Heh heh heh. I’m nervous because it’s the first time I’ve met the danju of the grand corps. Won’t you sit down and talk?”
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.
“Then let’s 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.”
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.
“I don’t like direct conversation. This Holy Kingdom requires twenty Imperial Platinum Coins for the sales of the Merchant Merchants.”
Twenty imperial platinum coins.
The amount is less than I thought.
‘I thought I would ask for thirty, but what happened?’
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.
“There is only one condition.”
I knew it.
“Tell me.”
“I hope that the Gui Corps will give priority to providing combat materials to the home country for the next year.”
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.
Let’s 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.
“That seems difficult.”
If it’s a normal transaction, what Seongguk wants is ‘support’.
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.
“Then another suggestion…”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“Please sell the magic stones to my home country.”
magic stone?
Halfman’s eyes narrowed as he sensed something.
What is he going to do by buying magic stones on a board where mana is gone?
“Do you mind if I ask what you are using it for?”
When Harfman asked, the High Priest Jeep flatly refused.
“Sorry, but I don’t think that will work.”
“How many magic stones do you want?”
“The quality is top notch. Please get as many as you can.”
“Mmm.”
After ‘Mana Extinction’, 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 Seongguk’s proposed conditions were not excessive, so he readily accepted.
“All right. Then, can I make a deal on the condition of giving priority to the sale of twenty Imperial Platinum Coins and magic crystals?”
“Do so.”
No matter how one-sided the negotiations were, this was over too quickly.
The branch manager also didn’t show it, but he looked a little uneasy.
‘I don’t know if I’m involved in this or not.’
Hafman wrote down the transaction on parchment, trying hard to hide his embarrassment.
