A Merchant's Desperate Deal
"...You've tried Hura-nim's tteokbokki before, haven't you?"
"...!"
"...!"
The two merchants' eyes widened, their mouths dropping open. Plop—half-chewed tteokbokki fell from Dapam's mouth onto the table.
"N-No?! Who's Hura?!"
"R-Right. We've never even heard that name."
They tried to backpedal, but it was too late. Dapam and Reliable Merchant realized it mid-excuse.
"......"
Gwisinigo Kalori stared at them coldly from across the table.
Gwisinigo Kalori pointed at the cup of tteokbokki in her hand and spoke.
"...This tteokbokki is the latest version developed by our research team."
"Ah, yes. It's delicious."
Dapam responded earnestly to her sudden remark. It really was pretty good.
Gwisinigo Kalori nodded.
"It is delicious. Very delicious. The first taste makes your eyes go wide."
Her finger, which had been pointing at the tteokbokki, crooked toward the two of them.
"But do you know what your reaction was?"
"...What was it?"
"Indifferent."
"......"
"You couldn't have that reaction without having tasted Hura-nim's tteokbokki first."
People get surprised and amazed when something exceeds their expectations. But if they've experienced something even better before, those expectations soar endlessly higher. Like how someone who's seen a whale wouldn't bat an eye at an elephant.
When expectations are that high, it's hard to be impressed by anything ordinary. You just think, Eh, not bad.
That was the case for these two merchants who'd eaten Hura's tteokbokki. This stuff was undoubtedly delicious, but it couldn't hold a candle to Hura's. The difference between an elephant and a whale.
Even so, Dapam played it cool.
"What do you mean by that reaction?"
"Maybe my explanation was lacking, but most people's first reaction to this tteokbokki is like this."
Gwisinigo Kalori suddenly snatched the cup in front of them and popped a piece of tteok into her mouth.
"Whoa! This is insanely good!"
"......"
"......"
The two merchants stared blankly at Gwisinigo Kalori, who was suddenly putting on a dramatic show.
"But your reaction was this."
Gwisinigo Kalori ignored them and shoved another piece into her mouth.
"Mm... pretty good."
"......"
"......"
Having kindly reenacted it for them, Gwisinigo Kalori switched back to her stiff tone.
"Do you get it now?"
"...We're just naturally reserved types."
"Cut the crap. I know everything."
"Know what?"
Reliable Merchant still tried to play innocent.
Gwisinigo Kalori slammed down like an awl on the duck's foot they were extending.
"You're merchants, right?"
"...!"
"...!"
"Specifically, the ones who hired Axe Man for transport escort."
"...!"
"...!"
At the unexpected name drop, their eyes nearly bulged out. She'd figured out they'd traveled with Hura ages ago!
Gwisinigo Kalori pressed on, ignoring their shock.
"Where did Hura-nim go?"
"...No idea."
Gwisinigo Kalori furrowed her brow.
"Don't do this."
"We're not hiding it. We really don't know."
"We've gathered info on all the places Hura-nim might go. Our members will check everywhere."
"Is that so."
"It's only a matter of time. We're both busy, so let's wrap this up."
Reliable Merchant sighed.
"We really don't know."
"......"
Gwisinigo Kalori stared at him silently.
"We only traveled with Hura-nim for the job. Nothing more. We parted ways right after payment."
"...About a week ago."
She glanced at her clipboard and spoke calmly.
"Suspected Hura and ReliableMerchant made contact near the east entrance of Shin-dong Village."
"...!"
"Entered the 'Song of the Trees' inn where Dapam and ReliableMerchant were staying."
"...!"
"Suspected some kind of deal."
Gwisinigo Kalori looked up at the merchants again.
"Nothing to say now?"
Dapam responded defensively.
"Just a small trade—"
"Entered an inn room and didn't come out for 3 hours."
"......"
"Do simple trades take 3 hours?"
"That was—"
"No time for excuses. I'll preempt whatever you're about to say."
Gwisinigo Kalori read from her clipboard.
"After the deal, immediately sold the wagons and horses. Miscellaneous cleanup, then holed up in the inn room. Suspected delay due to hastily planning next route after an unexpectedly big trade."
"...!"
"Selling essential merchant gear like wagons and horses. Departing in simple clothes. Sudden major plan change. All points to trading in precious gems or jewels."
"...!"
Gwisinigo Kalori slammed her clipboard on the table.
"No time. Spill it now."
"...So we were last for a reason."
"You worked hard, huh."
As Gwisinigo Kalori paced with her clipboard, other cult members had been rushing in and out, handing her documents—it must've been intel on them.
"Fine, no point hiding it now."
"Then?"
"Yes. We have a guess where Hura-nim might be. Not certain, though."
"Reliable!"
Dapam tried to stop him immediately, but Reliable Merchant raised a hand, palm out, to calm him.
"Where?"
"First, a favor?"
"What favor?"
◈ Sparkling jewels that shine brilliantly even in the dark
"...!"
The glittering treasures shone dazzlingly even in the dim room.
"We'll give you some of the treasures we bought, so please don't chase Hura-nim. Just for a few days."
"...Why?"
Gwisinigo Kalori squinted at the radiant glow, asking.
The reflected light pierced the shadows under her hood.
"We owe him. Spiritually and materially."
Reliable Merchant chuckled inwardly.
But Gwisinigo Kalori didn't laugh. Instead, her eyes blazed from the shadows under her hood, now slightly illuminated.
Her delicately placed hand clenched tight.
"Reliable Merchant-nim."
"Yes."
"...You're misunderstanding something."
Suddenly, Gwisinigo Kalori grabbed the heavy wooden table between them and flipped it like overturning a meal tray—hurling it backward.
Bam!
The table smashed mercilessly over their heads with a massive crash, splintering. The flung treasures scattered everywhere.
"N-No!"
Startled, Dapam dove to save the treasures.
Gwisinigo Kalori, her hood slipping from the rough movement, glared straight at Reliable Merchant. Surprisingly, under the hood was an ordinary girl with round glasses.
Her narrowed brow and burning eyes stared him down. The round glasses glinted coldly.
"We don't need your pathetic treasures. Stop messing around and tell us Hura-nim's location. Last warning."
"...!"
"Did you think the Tteokbokki Cult would fall for trash like that?"
Someone who hated treasure? Stunned by the revelation, Reliable Merchant asked while staring at her.
"...Is there a reason you're chasing Hura-nim so obsessively?"
"Reason? You asked for a reason?"
Her eyes gleamed with madness. Her pupils, wide behind the glasses, looked downright ghostly.
"You've tasted Hura-nim's tteokbokki too."
"......"
Reliable Merchant swallowed hard, meeting her gaze. He couldn't answer that question. Not yet.
But crisis breeds opportunity. He saw the chance in this peril.
He assessed her, the fanatic Tteokbokki Cult she represented. And what he had.
He sought the best path.
"......"
Fanatics are scary, but exploiting their twisted faith—their ultimate goal—might make persuasion surprisingly easy.
Why had they gathered? Why risen in Genesis Village? How had they reached Shin-dong Village?
And he turned crisis to opportunity.
Reliable Merchant whipped out the [Investment Contract] from his bosom like lightning.
"What's that?"
"An investment contract. Hura-nim invested in our 'Berry Merchant Company'."
At Hura's name, Gwisinigo Kalori cautiously took the [Investment Contract] and read it carefully.
"...3,000 gold?"
"Yes. Said he believed in our 'Berry Merchant Company''s potential."
"Why show me this?"
"Hura-nim asked us to grow it at least 10-fold."
Sorry, Hura-nim. The 10-fold bit was his own addition, but a little white lie for persuasion.
"10-fold...? 30,000 gold?"
30,000 gold was nearly 300 million won—an enormous sum.
"Yes. Seemed like Hura-nim wanted to make big money."
"Then tteokbokki business—"
"I heard. Sold tteokbokki in Genesis Village for 3 days. But slaving away without eating properly, selling cheap? 100 gold would be lucky."
"...!"
Seeing her shocked, Reliable Merchant smiled faintly. Step one: success.
"So he quit street vending for adventuring. Got dungeon treasures too."
"...Then."
"Yes. Instead of tailing him begging to sell tteokbokki again—"
"Then just give him the money."
"Yes, give him the money... Wait, what?!"
Reliable Merchant doubted his ears, staring at her.
Did I hear that right?
"It's a lot, but not impossible. If I'd known Hura-nim wanted money, we'd have prepared it ages ago!"
"...!"
Seeing her mutter seriously, Reliable Merchant panicked. This reaction was off-script. And she meant it—30,000 gold wasn't "hard" for them!
"Gotta meet the other executives. Convene a meeting now—"
"W-Wait. I wasn't done. Haven't told you where Hura-nim might be."
Reliable Merchant hurriedly stopped her.
"Heard enough. Like you said, dangle big money and Hura-nim will come running. That's your point, right?"
"N-No. Please hear me out. 'Listen to the end' in Korean, right?"
"......"
He finally got her back in the chair and unleashed his merchant eloquence to persuade her.
"If Hura-nim wanted quick cash, he'd have sold tteokbokki for 1 gold each. Did he?"
"...No. 5 coppers."
"Exactly. Hura-nim holds the noble convictions of a chef."
"Convictions of a chef?"
"Yes. Thinks of customers' hearts, keeps his conscience as a cook. Takes only fair value."
"...!"
Indeed, selling a single cup for 1 gold would rake in cash fast. But fair? Desirable for a chef? Buyers would gripe, "What cup tteokbokki costs 1 gold?!" And it'd inflate all tteokbokki prices. "Some guy's charging 1 gold? 1 silver hike ain't bad"—other vendors would follow.
"Heard when he quit vending, people chased him offering more money for tteokbokki. If it was just about cash, why not take it then?"
"...We didn't know that either!"
Gwisinigo Kalori's eyes welled up with emotion. Reliable Merchant sighed inwardly in relief.
And smiled. It worked. Now to play his hand.
"So, want to make a deal?"
"A... deal?"
"Yes. Hura-nim's adventuring now to earn fair money. This [Investment Contract] is one legit way."
"......"
"How about routing all Tteokbokki Cult purchases and sales through our 'Berry Merchant Company'?"
He was proposing an exclusive deal.
"More trades mean our company grows, more returns to Hura-nim. You'll trade with local merchants anyway—might as well benefit Hura-nim through us."
"...Huge profit for you."
But Gwisinigo Kalori wasn't a pushover.
Reliable Merchant nodded.
"True. But merchants have convictions too. You won't lose out. Sign exclusive with us, I swear 5% below market every time."
"......"
"No haggling with vendors. Just say the word, we'll procure."
"......"
"The company Hura-nim trusted with big money. We won't betray that. Don't want to."
"...Special clauses? Like, don't chase Hura-nim?"
Reliable Merchant shook his head firmly.
"Not that. Just insurance. Free insurance."
"......"
"Who knows? Make Hura-nim rich, maybe he quits adventuring for tteokbokki vending."
"...!"
Would you like to log in as character 'Hura'?
"Ugh."
Welcome to the Fantasy World.
Whoosh—my retinas tinged blue as the world reformed around me.
"Ow, my back."
Even in-game, my back ached. I rubbed it while looking around.
"......"
Something's off.
"...?"
Something's wrong.
The blackened ground looked ravaged by disasters, and far off stood the Demon King's Castle, jagged like needles.
"...Respawn at the nearest village, right?"
As I stared blankly, a chilling voice came from behind.
"I warned you."
Chills ran down my spine.