Chapter 294: A Changed World
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 294: A Changed World
A strange tension filled the air. Of course, they couldn’t help but be nervous. This was their only chance to revive their clan, which had been completely shattered after the war. A heavy silence descended, and sweat beaded on his brow. He didn’t know how many minutes he’d been pacing in front of the door.
“Hey, are you sure you prepared properly?”
“Of course…”
“But we’re from the South. Is this really going to be okay?”
“We’ve already registered with the guild, so of course it’s okay, right? Don’t worry so much. Do you remember Park Ahjung?”
“Ah…”
The Free Dungeon Agreement, established after the dramatic alliance between humans and Green Skins.
That was why Lee Isung of the Golden Eagle Clan was so tense.
“You know she has some serious Green Skin connections, right? I heard she hit the jackpot again this time. There are rumors she has a strange relationship with the Great Tribe Leader over there… but if they could do it, there’s no reason we can’t.”
It was just as he said. Park Ahjung, who had run a small-to-medium-sized clan in the West, had suddenly soared. She was probably one of the biggest beneficiaries of this Free Dungeon Agreement, and one of the people using it most effectively.
“But I’m still worried, Oppa. What if we go into a dungeon with them and they just eat us?”
As his companions continued to worry, Lee Isung spoke again.
“Honestly, don’t you think it’s a miracle we’re even still alive? If they wanted to kill us, we would’ve become Green Skin food a long time ago. We lost the war, and that’s that.”
“W-well, that’s true, but.”
“And haven’t you heard? They don’t care about your origins as long as you work hard and prove your ability. Do you really not know what the situation is like right now?”
They probably couldn’t answer.
Although the ruling rights of the South and West had been transferred to the East and North, and the new rulers had promised to treat everyone without discrimination, that didn’t mean discrimination didn’t exist. Clans and guilds from the South and West were quietly enduring mistreatment, and they couldn’t help but be on edge whenever an inspection was announced.
“You know we’re fucked if we get branded as war criminals, right?”
“Of course I know…”
“We have to show them that we have absolutely no intention of defying the will of the Queen of the North and the Witch of the East. The first step is this Free Dungeon Agreement… do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Y-yeah…”
“And honestly, nothing’s going to change just because we’re being stubborn and scared. Now is the best time to get back on our feet. If you can’t adapt, you fall behind. If you fall behind, you’re weeded out and abandoned. You know those guys who scream that you can’t trust Green Skins? They’ll all be gone within half a year.”
He knew well enough from his experience on Earth that those who couldn’t keep up with the times would be left behind. His companions surely knew this too.
Opportunity only comes to the brave.
“S-so, who are we going with?”
“What were you listening to during the meeting?”
“S-sorry, Oppa. I just didn’t think things would really get this big…”
“Then did you think I bought this expensive thing from a black market dealer for no reason?”
“I thought maybe you’d picked up a new hobby…”
Isung gently caressed the card pack in his hand. It was the only way to save his clan from this crisis. Through a friend of a friend, he’d found out about a decent dungeon, and through another friend of a friend, he’d learned that this card pack would play a decisive role.
It was a card game called Greenstone, which he had acquired through shady channels for 100 gold borrowed from the bank. He knew Green Skins had a civilization, but he’d never imagined they’d be playing card games like this.
“Our party is short on tankers, so… an Ogre from the Goff Clan… or maybe the Big Ogre Clan?”
“We’ll have a chance to go with them later if the need arises. There will be times when we need a shaman, too.”
Green Skins from Named clans were always in high demand. Especially for those from the South, where the number of warriors who could fight on the front lines had been severely depleted by the war, Minotaurs and Ogres were extremely popular.
Of course, these Green Skin clans wanted priests and mages. They sometimes took dealers or warriors with them, but that was usually when a weaker Green Skin tribe teamed up with a strong human guild. The purpose of a major guild teaming up with Green Skins was obvious.
‘Connections.’
It was all about connections. The major guilds were also doing their best to adapt to the changing times. If a new continent was really going to open soon, as the Great Tribe Leader and the continent’s queens had announced, then getting to know these people would be a huge advantage.
A clan like the Golden Eagle was not a strong one. They couldn’t attract the interest of the Green Skins, and even if they did manage to team up, they might only get stuck with strange ones who did nothing but charge into enemy lines.
‘It’s all up to you.’
Isung gripped the card pack tightly and spoke to his companions again. He had to answer their question.
“The High Fairy Queen Mev and the elite Orc swordsmen of the Blood Dagger Clan.”
“…”
A brief silence fell.
“The one we saw in the Continental War?”
Isung nodded. Blood Dagger, the hero of the Continental War who had torn the Sword Saint to shreds. He had heard a rumor that the elite Orc swordsmen under his command and the archer Mev, who commanded spirits, had been frequenting the guild lately, as if they’d had some change of heart.
“But… will they even bother with us? I heard the elite Orc swordsmen prefer to go out with strong warriors… We’re not that strong, and isn’t Mev that famous fairy, Blood Dagger’s woman? If something happens…”
“Where did we decide to go?”
“The Spirit Dungeon… ah…”
“We needed that fairy in the first place, and with those elite Orc swordsmen with us, what do you think is going to happen? If anything, we’re the ones who should be worried about something happening to them… Right now, we should be worried about whether that fairy will accept us or not.”
“R-right.”
“And if big shots like the Blood Dagger Clan are sniffing around a place like this, they’re obviously looking to help out beginners or guys like us. It’s good for publicity, and I heard the Blood Dagger Clan is the most interested in improving relations with humans.”
“I heard that too. It’s because of the Witch of the East, right?”
Isung nodded. It seemed they were finally on the same page.
“Anyway, stay sharp. Don’t say anything stupid, and especially don’t say things in front of Lady Mev like ‘the Witch of the East’ or ‘the Green Flower is beautiful.’ You’ll be fucked instantly. And don’t forget to praise the greatness of Blood Dagger…”
“Okay…”
A grim determination settled on everyone’s faces.
Isung swallowed once and opened the door. He was immediately met with a cacophony of boisterous voices.
“Looking for an Ogre to enter a dungeon with us! We’ll leave as soon as you join. It’s a very dangerous dungeon where you can feel the scent of peril and the fear of death!”
“Krrrrk. Seeking a human priest for a glorious adventure. No thieves. Krrrrk. Human thieves, stop asking.”
“Woooooah! Where is the human clan that will venture forth with Apachi of the valiant Giant Scream Clan! And human thieves, please stop asking! We are no longer accepting human thieves!”
“The Northern Wolf Guild is recruiting Green Skins. Anyone is welcome. However, we must respectfully decline goblin thieves.”
He had been here once before, but it was definitely a strange sight. The scene of humans and Green Skins mixed together, looking for parties, was quite amusing. As expected, his clan members’ eyes went wide.
Translation magic was automatically cast when one entered this party-finding area. He’d heard it was the work of an elf from another continent, and it was truly fascinating. As they stood there, a voice came from the side.
“Is this your first time here? Shall I help you register?”
It was an incredibly beautiful elf. Isung felt his face flush without realizing it as he spoke.
“It’s alright. We’ve already registered. We’re here today to see if we can find anyone to go to a dungeon or hunt with…”
“Ah, I see. Would you like me to introduce you to someone suitable? The Green…”
“Ah. I’m sorry, but if it’s the Green Goblin Clan, we’ll have to reconsider at a later time.”
“Ah… I see. Well then, please enjoy your time.”
The Green Goblin Clan. They were a very famous clan. He’d heard they were strong, but also that they were obsessed with gold. There was a joke that if you went into a dungeon with the Green Goblin Clan, you’d lose more than you gained, so it was best to avoid them in this case.
He was relieved he’d remembered hearing that the chieftain of the Green Goblin Clan, Green Goblin, was quite close with Blood Dagger, and that the guild often tried to pair up first-time adventurers with them.
Of course, teaming up with the Green Goblin Clan wasn’t a bad option. But the market was already saturated with thieves and assassins, so to aim for a bigger profit, it was better to secure different connections.
Isung quickly began to scan his surroundings. He’d heard they often showed up at the tavern in here.
“Are you sure they’re coming today?”
“Yes. I heard they’ve been showing up continuously lately, and more importantly, I haven’t heard any news that they’ve left for a dungeon.”
“Seeing this is really amazing.”
“I told you. There’s no need to be scared. More importantly, we need to hurry and find Lady Mev…”
“Oppa… over there! There!”
Following his sister’s pointing finger, someone definitely began to come into view. Elite Orc swordsmen with muscles that looked ready to burst, swords strapped to their waists. Every single one of them looked extraordinary.
The Orcs known as the Named Green Skins Gark and Hark didn’t seem to be there, but they still looked somehow different from the other Green Skins in this place.
And sitting in the center, drinking milk, was a small child with wings. She was even wearing a crown. What’s more, next to her was the Green Flower. He hadn’t known the Green Flower would be here too; it felt like he’d hit the jackpot. If this went well, he might be able to find some connection to the Green Flower as well.
Isung knew better than anyone that he must never call her a child. He gestured to his companions, swallowed, and slowly began to approach the fairy.
“It is truly an honor to meet the glorious elite Orc swordsmen of the Blood Dagger Clan, and the beautiful Lady Mev, who is the first wife of Lord Blood Dagger and brought his first heir, Lady Laveua, into the world! For Blood Dagger!”
‘That was the perfect greeting.’
“Hmph! For Blood Dagger!”
“For Blood Dagger!”
The elite Orc swordsmen returned the greeting with vigor. Isung nodded.
‘A good start.’
Just as he was smiling, a cold voice flowed from the Green Flower’s lips.
“Write down your clan’s information and name here, then disappear.”
Damn it… Of course, he knew what mistake he’d made. The Green Flower before him was also known as one of Blood Dagger’s women. It was only natural she’d be angry after he’d prattled on about the ‘first wife’ and ‘beautiful Mev’ right in front of her.
But having come this far, the card pack in his hand was too precious to just back down like this. It was worth a whopping 100 gold. How much effort had he poured into making this happen? He couldn’t retreat. Isung slowly looked back at Mev and opened his mouth again.
“Ah… o-of course, that is one of our goals, but it’s not the only one. Actually, I’ve recently picked up an interesting hobby, and I was wondering if I could perhaps share it with Lady Mev…”
“Hmph!”
He could feel the fairy’s gaze burning toward his right hand. Isung swallowed hard, and the fairy spoke for the first time.
“A challenger! Sit! Human!”
The fairy pulled out a card pack. Isung swallowed and took out his own deck.
He had perfectly memorized the rules. Her reaction was pretty good, too.
As he sat down and organized his cards, a sudden thought struck him. He hadn’t been told whether it was better to win or to lose.
‘What do I do?’
Everything depended on this one game.