Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: 7. The Dignity of the Greatest Swordsman (3)
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Day-use room.
Renting out a room for a fee.
The word itself wasn't particularly special or dangerous.
The problem was the world in which it was being used.
A world with dragons and quests, where most people wandered around armed to the teeth.
Even Youngwoo, with his Greatest Swordsman status, only felt a twinge of bewilderment, but others were trembling in fear.
"Day-use room...?"
"What's going to happen at night for them to say that?"
"Does it cost money just to sleep?"
The huddled Haneul Chae residents exchanged worried words.
Meanwhile, Youngwoo wolfed down his food, not wanting to waste time.
Across from him, Yechan, who had been biting into some bread, lowered his voice and asked cautiously.
"Mister."
"Yeah."
"What do you think? About this day-use room thing."
From the exchange office to the monster appearance and mutant disposal.
Everything since the reset had been nothing short of miraculous for Youngwoo, so Yechan had no choice but to trust his insight.
"Hmm. I don't know if they'll keep offering day-use rooms ongoing or if it's just a first-day convenience..."
"Yeah."
"Whether you're the Greatest Swordsman or anyone else, you're completely defenseless while sleeping, right? So maybe it's their way of ensuring everyone can sleep alone and safely somehow."
Of course, it wouldn't be free, Youngwoo added.
But Yechan's question lingered.
"Then where?"
"Huh?"
"Day-use room means renting a room, right? In a way, isn't this mart just one big room?"
He had a point.
Even Youngwoo couldn't quite imagine what form the world's 'day-use room' service would take.
A motel dropping out of the sky in the middle of downtown wouldn't seem out of place.
"We'll find out in an hour. The one sure thing is..."
Youngwoo trailed off and shoveled the canned tuna into his mouth.
"That if you have enough money, you can solve most problems."
* * *
Time flew by in an instant.
The fact that it was much darker outside the mart than before made it obvious.
It probably hadn't even been a full hour.
In that time, all Youngwoo and Yechan had done was eat and sort their gear onto the bicycles.
In the meantime, several visitors had come from outside looking for food. Most, upon seeing Youngwoo's title, politely expressed their thanks before scattering to find their own meals.
Thanks to the commemorative coins, he was practically a public figure in Gumi now.
Of course, not everyone was friendly toward Youngwoo.
Those who clearly had above-average combat experience tended to eye him warily or with envy.
Some were even subtly sizing up his skills.
"......"
Feeling the piercing gazes from all directions, Youngwoo checked the regional status.
|You are currently in 'Gumi'.
|This region's Greatest Swordsman is 'Jeong Youngwoo07'. 1st generation, 6 defenses.
Probably due to the incident at the mart entrance, his defense count had risen to 6.
'Still, that's not as many as I expected.'
If even he thought that, what about others?
There were bound to be people somewhere thinking the Greatest Swordsman title was all hype.
Especially if that person had never even seen a mutant.
"Mister, I'm all set."
Yechan finally reported back after packing his gear.
Youngwoo did a final check on the bags and ropes tied to his bicycle.
That's when a middle-aged man who had been hovering nearby approached slowly.
"Um... Greatest Swordsman, sir."
"......"
Correcting the title every time was tiring, so Youngwoo just continued.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Do you perhaps need a watch?"
"A watch?"
Youngwoo glanced at the mart's wall clock, still turned to stone, and the man unwrapped something from his wrist.
It was a digital wristwatch. Not petrified—a real, working one.
[20:48]
The current time: 8:48 PM.
Youngwoo's eyes widened at the sight of 'time' after so long.
"But why sell it? You've already reversed the petrification..."
"I need money right now. With day-use rooms starting soon, I figure I'll need it then."
"You've used up all your commemorative coins?"
At Youngwoo's question, the man looked apologetic.
"Uh, actually, they were taken from me."
"By who?"
"Some young guys."
Young guys. Even as the robbery victim, his wording was remarkably polite.
This man was probably a good person.
Youngwoo thought of the exchange office cop, which now felt like ancient history, and softened his expression.
"So, how much do you need?"
"I'm asking half of what it cost to reverse the petrification. 2,000 karma."
Meaning he'd paid 4,000 karma initially to restore it.
"Sure. Deal."
His backpack was stuffed with crimson coins, so this was like pocket change for Youngwoo.
Jingle.
As Youngwoo rummaged for the 2,000 karma, the man's eyes sparkled.
"Looks like luck's on my side today. Selling a watch to the Greatest Swordsman himself."
"You're overestimating me."
Youngwoo placed the coins in the man's hand, and in return, received the wristwatch.
This was essentially bartering based on trust.
The belief that the other wouldn't pull a knife instead of money.
"Now we really have to go. Looks like day-use starts at 9 PM."
With the deal done, Youngwoo placed his hand on the bicycle and spoke. Yechan glanced at the Haneul Chae group.
"What about them?"
"They'll go their own way. Not planning to play backup for them."
The Haneul Chae side was still busy packing.
Makes sense—they had a lot of people to carry.
Meanwhile, this side might face endless challengers, mutants, and even Greatest Swordsmen from other regions.
They weren't suited to travel together.
"...Got it. Let's hurry then."
Yechan seemed to understand, pulling his eyes from the Haneul Chae people and grabbing his bike.
* * *
Youngwoo and Yechan had spent maybe an hour in the mart, but in that time, the outside atmosphere had completely changed.
It had turned into a total marketplace.
"Excuse me, make way!"
"Let us through. We're heading out now anyway."
People trying to enter the mart mixed chaotically with those finishing up and leaving.
On top of that.
"Please, just one coin. I was robbed and..."
"Anyone willing to share a bit of food? I haven't eaten all day."
"Looking for work! Porter, companion, night watch—anything goes!"
Beggars interspersed in the crowd, plus people hustling for odd jobs to earn money, turning it into utter pandemonium.
"How did it turn into this in just an hour?"
"Because it's a mart, not anywhere else."
Youngwoo saw it as entirely predictable.
Current time: 8:56 PM.
The hour when people who hadn't eaten a single meal were starving, and after the president's hologram had spread the word about karma's uses.
The fact that karma could restore petrified food, for one.
'And I even handed out money to everyone.'
Give cash to the hungry, and of course they'd rush to buy food first.
Though plenty seemed to have been robbed on the way here.
Anyway, with moneyed people flocking to the mart, it was natural for those needing money to follow.
"Marts, restaurants, convenience stores—people will gather there for a while."
Looked like it'd double as a job board too.
In other words, new economic hubs were forming.
"Gasp... Gr-Greatest Swordsman?"
"It's the Greatest Swordsman!"
"Youngwoo!"
"Jeong Youngwoo!"
As Youngwoo and Yechan emerged from the mart entrance, the already rowdy crowd grew even louder.
But unlike the previous chaos where no one yielded way, the mood shifted.
Strangers though they were, people now showed friendliness toward Youngwoo, parting the crowd or even following behind.
"Youngwoo! Where are you headed?"
"Greatest Swordsman! Mind if I tag along?"
"I'll put these coins to good use!"
All thanks to the commemorative coins.
The face and name engraved on them stirred a sense of familiarity among Gumi's citizens.
Plus, everyone knew he'd given them up, forgoing 3 million in monopoly rewards.
"...Mister, you're super popular."
Yechan glared at the people shoving him with their bodies while hurrying after Youngwoo.
"At this rate, we'll get stuck here. Let's break out quick."
Youngwoo signaled back to Yechan, hopped on his bike, and pedaled hard.
"Huh?"
"C-come with us!"
"Youngwoo!"
As Youngwoo's group picked up speed, some in the crowd tried to chase, but the vast stat gap quickly left them behind.
"It's kinda scary how much."
Yechan muttered, glancing back at the few still running far behind.
Youngwoo replied softly.
"That's because everyone's been through hell."
"So they're that happy to see you because things are so tough?"
"Yeah. There are hardly any good things left to be happy about anymore."
Youngwoo stopped elaborating and recalled the Haneul Chae old man's words.
—It's the first good thing since that reset mess started. What you did, Youngwoo.
What Youngwoo had done.
"......"
He kept chewing over the old man's last words. It lifted his mood considerably—even pedaling through this wretched world.
Screech, screech.
After another minute of pedaling.
Beep. The wristwatch chimed 9:00 PM exactly.
Flash!
At the same moment, system text appeared before Youngwoo and Yechan's eyes.
「The day-use room service has begun.」
「From now on, all buildings classified as 'residences' will be affected by the day-use system and enter an inviolable state.」
‘All buildings classified as residences?’
Probably meaning pre-existing structures used for lodging.
Villas, apartments, hotels, that sort.
「Anyone can pay karma to occupy a desired residence for a set time.」
「During the day-use period, access to the space can be controlled, and it's possible to charge others a group fee.」
In short, you could play innkeeper. Depending on perspective, it was a way to split the day-use fee among a group.
But did you really have to pay to sleep?
Yechan seemed to be thinking the same.
"Uh... couldn't we just skip day-use, hide somewhere decent, and sleep?"
"That'd be fine if you're okay with a low chance of getting stabbed in your sleep."
But the real reason seemed to be something else.
He'd thought the explanation was over, but one final notice remained.
「Note: Tonight's nighttime weather is red mist.」
「Beware of respiratory damage.」