Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Motivation (1)
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“Why is Seol-hwa…”
“Shall we move somewhere else first?”
“Ah, yes. Let’s do that.”
We moved to a conference room on the top floor to hear the story.
It was a rather absurd tale.
Go Hwa-yeon, the new recruit, and Seol-hwa hadn't gone to the labyrinth last time.
Neither of them were combat personnel, and they had apparently planned to start a new business while we were in the labyrinth.
It wasn't anything grand; they opened a restaurant called 'Taste of Home'.
Thanks to Go Hwa-yeon’s ‘Elsia-pong’, they were able to procure ingredients from their original world, albeit at a slightly high price.
The prices were set a bit high, but they believed it would be appealing enough for high-level summoned individuals and wealthy residents, and their prediction was spot on.
It was said that everyone from the lord's castle's low-ranking officials to the territory's knights and wealthy residents flocked to the place, turning it into a popular eatery.
They were thrilled, thinking they had secured a stable source of income that even non-combat guild members could participate in as they broke sales records day after day, but then trouble struck.
Late last night, an imperial emissary visited Taste of Home and collapsed while eating.
“He suddenly collapsed? Did he have a pre-existing condition or something…?”
“That could be, but apparently it happened after he ate the Fire Chicken Stir-fried Noodles.”
“What?”
Originally, they had decided to sell the Fire Chicken Stir-fried Noodles only to the summoned, since the people of Elsia can't handle spicy food.
But the emissary saw the employees who were about to change shifts enjoying the noodles, so he ordered them too. He was sweating profusely while eating and then just collapsed…
The restaurant was immediately shut down, and Seol-hwa was taken away, so Tae-soo hyung-nim rushed to the lord’s castle…
The situation was rather baffling, but I was worried they might face severe punishment for a crime like conspiracy to assassinate an imperial emissary if things went wrong.
“I should head to the lord’s castle as well.”
“Would you? To be honest, I was debating whether to contact you…”
“Why hesitate? Of course, you should have told me. Between me and Tae-soo hyung-nim…”
The 35th batch of summoned isn't the problem right now.
The imperial emissary is a bit of a nuisance, but I need to go to the lord’s castle.
It's a little concerning since this is the same emissary who set up checkpoints to find my shoes, but the lord said it would be fine as long as he wasn't wearing them.
I left the guild house and first took my companions to Kabisa.
“Something’s come up, so I’m going to meet the lord. Wait here for a bit.”
“Understood.”
“It’s okay.”
“Um, Hyeon-ung, are you close with that Seol-hwa person?”
Timi narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I’m close with Seol-hwa, but Tae-soo hyung-nim is someone who has helped me a lot… He’s the one who brought us the cola and soda yesterday.”
“Oh? He did?”
“Then of course we should help him.”
I told them to ask Luke if they needed anything and made my way to the lord’s castle.
I picked up my pace and arrived in no time… Huh?
“Tae-soo hyung-nim! Seol-hwa!”
I spotted Seol-hwa and Tae-soo hyung-nim walking out of the entrance, perfectly fine.
“A-u-nim?”
“Hyeon-ung?”
“I heard you were taken to the lord’s castle because of the restaurant…”
“Fortunately, the lord mediated, and it was resolved smoothly.”
The lord mediated?
Hearing the story, the atmosphere was tense at first, but thankfully, the emissary regained consciousness quickly.
The lord had asked Tae-soo hyung-nim if he knew me, and when he said yes, the lord actively defended him.
They had indeed warned the emissary when he ordered the Fire Chicken Stir-fried Noodles, and knowing he had insisted on it, they let the matter slide.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“Not at all, I didn’t do anything. I’m just glad you’re both safe.”
“We also decided to go into business with the lord.”
“Meal kits?”
“He said he’ll help distribute goods like ramen and snacks not just in Kramis, but outside the capital as well.”
Oh, it seems they turned a crisis into an opportunity.
“Oh, really?”
“He asked for a slightly hefty commission, but it looks like we won’t have to worry about money from now on.”
It's a bit of a shame, but if I had been the one to bring Go Hwa-yeon here, things probably wouldn't have progressed this far.
His experience running a business back in the modern world is not to be underestimated.
“That’s a relief, but it seems there’s a problem at the guild.”
“What problem?”
He doesn't know yet.
As I explained what I had heard at the guild earlier, his expression gradually hardened.
Seol-hwa’s did too.
“So the 35th batch of summoned is the problem.”
“For now, I sent them away since I know the head of the Apeid Company, but he said he needs an answer by this evening…”
“It seems we’ve received our a-u-nim’s help again.”
“Don’t mention it. More importantly, how do you plan to handle this?”
I was curious about Tae-soo hyung-nim’s decision.
“What can be done about what’s already happened? Our guild members caused the trouble, so we have to bear the consequences.”
“Bear the consequences… Does that mean you’re going to accept all the 35th batch members they brought?”
“Hyung-bu?”
Not just me, but Seol-hwa also looked shocked.
“Once we start the distribution business, we’ll need to do packaging and expand the restaurant. Won’t we need a lot of hands for that?”
“So you’re going to put the 35th batch to work in the business…”
“That’s right. I’m thinking of putting the kids who don’t go to the labyrinth to work there. They should be able to earn enough to pay their taxes.”
“Hyung-bu, are we some kind of charity? Why do we have to take care of them to that extent…?”
Seol-hwa looked completely displeased.
“Didn’t our a-u-nim say it last time? Even though we’re in Elsia, we’re all from the modern world.”
“We can’t be responsible for every summoned person. Elsia’s unspoken rule is that everyone has to survive on their own.”
Seol-hwa wasn't wrong.
“They’re still just kids.”
“You know it makes no sense to give kids special treatment in Elsia…”
As the head of finance, she was very level-headed.
“Still, I don’t think it’s right to just watch kids who haven't even gone to high school work in the entertainment district. And it’s not like we don’t have the means to help.”
“But still…”
“Seol-hwa, we’re adults, aren’t we? And we’ll go back someday. When we do, I think I’ll keep remembering how I turned a blind eye.”
As he calmly persuaded Seol-hwa, asking her to let him have his way this time, Tae-soo hyung-nim looked incredibly cool.
Of course, thinking realistically, it was a bit inefficient.
They could just utilize the residents or existing guild members instead of going out of their way to use the 35th batch.
It must have been a difficult decision…
He seems like a genuinely warm-hearted person.
“We don’t even know how much we’ll be earning yet…”
“We’ll just have to work that much harder.”
“Honestly, hyung-bu, you’re too soft-hearted…”
“Your sister said she likes that about me, cheo-je. So does our daughter.”
“Fine, I get it. But there’s no special treatment just because they’re kids. If they slack off or don’t do their job properly, I’ll fire them without exception.”
Isn’t a true adult someone with a heart like Tae-soo hyung-nim, not just someone who gets older?
****
After a brief stop at the guild house with Tae-soo hyung-nim and Seol-hwa, I returned to Kabisa.
My companions were all sprawled out on the beds.
“Oh? Hyeon-ung, you’re back early.”
“Did everything get sorted out?”
“Of course. I brought presents, too.”
When I took the cola and soda out of my inventory, their eyes sparkled before turning into expressions of shock.
“H… Hyeon-ung?”
“Is this all… cola?”
“There are so many delicious-looking ramen packs, too!”
Milli, who had a particular fondness for Sing Sing Udon, held up a pack of ramen with a huge grin.
Since I was at the guild anyway, I met with Go Hwa-yeon and bought quite a lot of supplies.
It was a hassle to ask multiple times, so I just filled my inventory to the brim in one go.
I think I spent around 2,000 gold?
Go Hwa-yeon was completely flustered, but the cola alone was enough to fill an entire room in Kabisa.
Besides that, I also bought some snacks and ramen to eat in the labyrinth.
“Get the cups, get the cups!”
“Let’s order ice, quick.”
“Don’t drink too much just because there’s a lot. You’ll get cavities.”
After that, we spent the rest of the day lazing around in the room.
I didn’t step out of the room except to briefly receive a letter and a video recording crystal from the lord in the evening.
It was raining like yesterday, and I was tired from running around so much. The others seemed to feel the same.
Timi had gently coaxed me, saying anywhere was fine as long as she was with me, better than going out, and the other members had agreed.
When it was time to sleep, we didn’t separate like yesterday and all slept together.
I figured they’d just crawl into my bed one by one anyway.
There was a small squabble over who would get to use my arm as a pillow, but thankfully, they all fell asleep quickly.
As I pulled the blankets up over my sleeping companions and stroked each of their heads, I felt the corners of my mouth lift unconsciously.
What else is happiness?
Of course, with happiness comes a little regret.
It would have been even better if Rina, Hanna, and well, even Alpen could have been here with us.
And that guy Bio, too…
Until now, I honestly didn't have much desire to reach the 100th floor.
But now, I’m starting to get a little greedy.
Because if I truly obtain the Orb of Wishes, I could make it all happen.
****
The morning of our departure for the labyrinth dawned.
After resting well from afternoon to evening, my condition was better than ever.
My companions were also up early, getting ready.
“Hyeon-ung, can I have more cola?”
“Sure.”
We ordered breakfast via room service, finished our meal with some ice-cold cola, and left Kabisa.
When we arrived at the central plaza, it was absolutely packed, probably because it was the first entry time.
The break was short this time, yet it felt like fewer people were taking time off.
“Wow, there are so many people.”
“Are they all summoned?”
“That’s right.”
“But Hyeon-ung, why are you alone…”
Seriously, this kid Elaine is at it again…
If there were a pure evil contest, Elaine would take first place.
“Why would I be alone? I have you guys.”
“That’s right, Hyeon-ung. You have us.”
Timi grabbed my arm and clung to it tightly.
“Haha, don’t cling so hard. So, how was everyone’s visit to the city?”
“It was a bit short, which is a shame, but getting to eat delicious food and go out with you was so much fun, Hyeon-ung! Cola is the best!”
“I’m so jealous of Rina and Hanna, who get to spend ten days with you. I should have come later…”
Both Elaine and Timi answered with bright smiles, looking satisfied.
“I had a wonderful time, too. I even got a present. If it’s okay, I’d love for you to call me again next time.”
Milli was the most introverted and quietest of my companions, but I think we grew much closer this time.
“Of course. I’ll prepare something so we can have even more fun next time, so look forward to it.”
“Still, it’s such a shame.”
“I’m jealous of Geum-yong and Nix.”
“Kkyuing?”
“Hanna and Rina get to spend ten whole days with you…”
“And Alpen, too…”
“Hyeon-ung, can’t I come one more time instead of Alpen?”
Just as I was about to say that would be a bit difficult, my vision changed.
It was the familiar first floor of the labyrinth, but the companions who were by my side just a moment ago were gone.
I hadn't received a separate explanation, but it seemed the structure was that they were reverse-summoned upon entering the labyrinth.
I first summoned Red Hare to move to the 51st floor, then summoned my companions one by one, starting with Hanna.
“Hyeon-ung! Thank you for summoning me again!”
“Nothing to thank me for. Hanna, have you been well?”
“Yes.”
“Mister, why did you summon Hanna-unni first again…”
“Sorry, I forgot.”
This damn popularity of mine.
“I bet that vixen was all over you. Nothing happened, right?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Well, I can just ask them myself. Milli, what did you do outside?”
“I’m curious too.”
“Me too. Timi-nim, how was the city?”
Rina, Hanna, and Alpen all seemed very curious about the outside world.
Elaine, Timi, and Milli all had strange expressions.
“What’s wrong with you all?”
“I… I can’t remember.”
“...I don’t have any memory of it either…”
“What, you’re all being cheap. Hey, Elaine, you tell me.”
Even Elaine tilted her head in confusion.
“Hyeon-ung, did we really go outside?”