Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: A Merchant's Plea
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Chapter 10: Driver’s High
The Kingdom of Britannia, true to its name, was indeed a kingdom, but among all the nations on the continent, it was the one where the royal family held the least power.
As the royal family's power was weak, the nobility's was strong. Among the regional lords, some even wielded influence comparable to that of 'minor kings'.
The merchant city of Roselburg was a place that perfectly embodied this characteristic of the Kingdom of Britannia.
Roselburg, a 'market city' jointly funded by the powerful nobles of western Britannia bordering the Duchy of Avalon, was treated as practically a 'foreign territory' despite being within the kingdom's domain.
A merchant city that reaped all the benefits of being a foreign territory while bearing none of the disadvantages.
That was Roselburg.
***
“So many people.”
After passing through the massive city gate, which looked to be at least ten meters high, Kang-seok and his party stared blankly at the cityscape.
Just as Seong Yu-jin had exclaimed, it was crowded.
The alleys were so packed with people it felt like being in a bustling downtown shopping district.
Choi Yu-ra pointed to various spots around the city.
“Whoa, is that a seven-story building? This is more amazing than I thought.”
Constructing tall buildings required quite advanced architectural techniques.
Unlike the other towns they had seen, which at most had two-story buildings, it was only natural to be surprised by the abundance of structures around seven stories high.
“Don't just stand there gawking in the middle of the road!”
Startled by the shout from behind, the party quickly moved to the side.
Riding was forbidden within the city, so they were each holding their horse's reins. With three horses standing abreast, they were taking up a considerable amount of space.
Kang-seok frowned as he watched a carriage quickly pass by.
“Looks like just finding the Keyman Guild is going to be a chore…”
He must have underestimated this world, thinking of it as just 'fantasy'. Seong Yu-jin tapped Kang-seok's shoulder.
“Anyway, let's get moving. We got a map from that guard earlier, didn't we?”
A beautiful woman is a treasure to the world.
During the brief inspection at the city gate, Seong Yu-jin had managed to get not only various bits of information but also a hand-drawn map from the guard.
‘The scarier part is that it doesn't seem like she was intentionally flirting.’
It was as if she'd obtained it all so naturally.
Recalling the guard's dazed face, looking as if he would have given his heart and soul to Seong Yu-jin, Kang-seok gave a wry smile. Looking at the map Seong Yu-jin held out, he started walking.
Roselburg was a city built in the middle of a plain, so it was based on land transportation.
Straight roads extended from the four main gates on each side of the city, forming a natural intersection, and the entire city was divided into four districts around this crossroads.
The Keyman Guild was located in the center of the western district.
***
“Greetings, I am Turk from the Roselburg branch of the Keyman Guild. How may I help you?”
Inside the massive building, countless merchants and customers were in the midst of bustling trade.
With the warehouse and trading floor all mixed together, the place was as chaotic as a crowded market.
At the reception desk, the only place maintaining a semblance of calm within the building, Kang-seok came face to face with a smiling young merchant.
Though he was clearly smiling, it was a typical business smile that felt strangely stiff.
Smiling back, Kang-seok spoke in a fairly loud voice, considering the surrounding noise.
“We were referred by Mr. Roxley.”
As he casually presented the card he'd received from Roxley, a flicker of interest appeared in the young merchant's eyes.
Kang-seok swallowed dryly.
Roxley had promised generous treatment if he presented this card at the Keyman Guild, but Kang-seok wasn't expecting much. All he wanted was a recommendation for a good inn and perhaps to trade a few items.
The young merchant examined the card for a moment, then stood up from his seat. After conveying something to another nearby merchant with a hand signal, he spoke to Kang-seok again.
“Would you mind waiting in the reception room for a moment?”
It was a reaction beyond what he had expected.
‘Could Mr. Roxley be in Roselburg?’
Otherwise, it seemed unlikely they would go to the trouble of ushering the party inside like this.
Seong Yu-jin, who had been listening quietly until now, spoke up.
“We have our horses and luggage with us.”
“Ah, you needn't worry about that.”
The young merchant clapped his hands, and two youths who looked to be in their early teens ran out from the back of the building. With very natural movements, they took the horses' reins from the party and headed towards the stables outside the building.
“We will take care of your luggage and send it to your lodgings separately. Please, this way to the reception room. I will guide you.”
At this point, it was difficult to refuse. Kang-seok, Seong Yu-jin, and Choi Yu-ra glanced at each other once before following the young merchant's lead to the reception room.
Unlike the market-like chaos outside, the reception room tucked away behind the main desk was exceptionally calm. The furniture and wallpaper were luxurious, suggesting that not just anyone was guided here.
After the young merchant left and the three of them were alone in the reception room, Choi Yu-ra narrowed her eyes.
“Isn't something a little strange?”
“This doesn't feel like a simple welcome, does it?”
Kang-seok's party had certainly saved Roxley's caravan from a crisis.
But even so, this kind of reaction was somewhat strange.
‘They didn't even ask why we came, just tried to get us inside. It's more like they have something to ask of us.’
Thinking this to himself, Kang-seok glanced at Seong Yu-jin. When it came to intuition, she was the quickest in the group. As soon as their eyes met, she nodded as if she had read his thoughts completely.
Why was Roxley so happy to see them?
“Well, we'll find out when we meet Mr. Roxley. It's not like he'd try to harm us, right? Besides, this chair is really comfy.”
In her typical fashion, Choi Yu-ra simplified the situation.
Whatever the scheme, they'd find out when they met Roxley. So they might as well just wait.
Neither Kang-seok nor Seong Yu-jin disagreed. Like Choi Yu-ra, they leaned back into the sofa and waited for the young merchant to return.
***
“Oh, by the White God. It is truly a pleasure to see you all.”
As soon as they followed the young merchant into a private office, the party was welcomed by Roxley.
Roxley's attitude was so enthusiastic, it was as if he had run out to greet them the moment he heard they'd arrived.
As soon as he finished shaking Kang-seok's hand, Roxley hurriedly kissed the backs of Seong Yu-jin's and Choi Yu-ra's hands and spoke quickly.
“Miss Yu-jin and Miss Yu-ra, you are as beautiful as ever.”
Though he was observing formalities, he was clearly in a great hurry.
Seeing Roxley like this for the first time, Seong Yu-jin's eyes widened.
Kang-seok said.
“It's good to see you too, but… is there some kind of emergency?”
It could have been a somewhat rude question, but Roxley's face showed he was grateful for being asked. Immediately after guiding the party to the sofa in the middle of the office, he began to speak.
“I'll get straight to the point. Please help me. I will be sure to reward you.”
Just as they suspected. Choi Yu-ra and Seong Yu-jin looked at Kang-seok as if to entrust the matter to him, and Kang-seok faced Roxley with a slightly weary expression.
“Let's hear the story first.”
“The Keyman Guild is quite powerful in eastern Britannia, but its influence is still minimal in the west. Therefore, the guild master wished to cooperate with Count Ivan, who holds great power near Heidelberg and Roselburg, to expand into the west.”
“So, a political marriage?”
Choi Yu-ra asked, and Seong Yu-jin's eyes widened. She reflexively tapped Choi Yu-ra's arm lightly and said quietly.
“Yu-ra.”
But Choi Yu-ra kept her eyes on Roxley. Roxley continued with an awkward expression.
“It's alright. It's not something to be discussed openly, but it is the truth. A marriage was arranged between the guild master's second daughter, Lady Wayne, and Count Ivan's third son… and I came to Roselburg with Lady Wayne for this purpose.”
So far, nothing seemed strange.
Choi Yu-ra asked again.
“It's not that there's a problem with Lady Wayne, is it?”
A situation common in movies or novels, like insisting she doesn't want a political marriage, or running away from home.
To Choi Yu-ra's expectant gaze, Roxley shook his head.
“The young lady has been overly mature since she was a child. Count Ivan's third son is an excellent young man in his own right. And… you may not believe it, but the two of them have been on very good terms for a long time. They will both likely welcome this marriage. The problem is the betrothal gift.”
Having said that, Roxley glanced around as if afraid someone might overhear. He lowered his voice slightly as he continued.
“For this wedding, our guild prepared the 'Tear of the Green God' as a gift. It is an item that Count Ivan has long been rumored to desire greatly.”
At this point, the story was becoming predictable. Kang-seok narrowed his eyes.
“Don't tell me that Tear of the Green God…”
“Yes, it has disappeared. To be precise, it was stolen.”
“Uh… wait a minute, Mr. Roxley. We're not detectives.”
Is he really asking us to find the stolen Tear of the Green God?
As Choi Yu-ra waved her hand as if to say it was impossible, Roxley spoke even more quickly.
“We already know who took the Tear of the Green God. In fact, we've practically confirmed its location.”
The Tear of the Green God was stolen.
But they know who took it, and even where it is now.
Seong Yu-jin narrowed her eyes.
“This wasn't a simple robbery, was it?”
“That's right. There are other guilds that were already established in this city. I cannot say which guild yet, but besides them, there are quite a few groups reluctant to see our Keyman Guild join hands with the Ivan family. And those scoundrels have laid their hands on the Tear of the Green God to sabotage this marriage.”
It wasn't a pleasant story to hear.
“Is the gift that important?”
Even in modern Korea, it was quite common for marriages to fall apart over betrothal gifts, but it was hard to imagine a political marriage, of all things, would be broken over such an issue.
Roxley didn't hide his distress.
“There is the matter of face, but… Count Ivan is a very famous gem enthusiast. In fact, this political marriage came about precisely because our Keyman Guild possessed the Tear of the Green God.”
The Keyman Guild desperately wanted Count Ivan's help, but the Count did not feel the same. He would have nothing to regret even if he allied with other guilds already established in Roselburg.
“The Tear of the Green God is currently in the headquarters of this city's thieves' guild. I cannot reveal the source of this information, but… it seems it will be moved to another city tonight. There is no guarantee we can continue to track the gem's whereabouts after that, and with the wedding deadline approaching, tonight is effectively our only chance.”
In the end, what Roxley wanted from Kang-seok's party was 'force' for the retrieval.
But Seong Yu-jin still wasn't fully convinced.
Strictly speaking, Kang-seok's party were outsiders to the Keyman Guild. Moreover, they weren't just any outsiders, but the alien existences known as 'Players'.
Yet he was asking such beings for help, even revealing the guild's vulnerability?
“Aren't the guild's warriors enough? What about asking Count Ivan for help…?”
“Borrowing Count Ivan's power is impossible. As I mentioned, the Keyman Guild's power in Roselburg is not yet great, so the warriors we have are not exactly outstanding. The remaining option is to hire adventurers… but that front is also heavily obstructed by the rival guild. Waiting for people from the main branch would take too long.”
It was truly a total crisis.
It was now clear why Roxley had welcomed the party so eagerly.
“So we showed up at the perfect time, huh.”
Beings who had no conflicts of interest with other guilds, were acquainted with Roxley, and possessed formidable power.
As if in answer to Choi Yu-ra's words, letters of light appeared in the minds of the three.
[Quest: Retrieve the Tear of the Green God.]
[Assist the Keyman Guild and retrieve the Tear of the Green God.]
[* You can build a friendly relationship with the Keyman Guild and the Ivan family, but depending on the quest's outcome, your relationships with other groups may become strained.]
[* Roxley's words are true.]
This time, too, Iris's voice was not heard.
Whether to undertake the quest or not was entirely up to the Player.
Meeting Roxley's desperate gaze, Kang-seok didn't let emotion rush his decision.
This was completely different from previous quests. It was a task that required them to confront the humans of this world, not monsters.
He couldn't rashly decide such a serious matter on his own.
“Could you give us a moment to discuss this amongst ourselves?”
“Of course. It's only natural that you would need to consider it. I will have a separate room prepared for you.”
A moment later, they followed the young merchant who entered into a new room.
***
“Things are a bit complicated, huh?”
As soon as the three were alone in the small room, Choi Yu-ra was the first to speak. Kang-seok nodded.
“The incident itself is simple, but getting involved is tricky.”
“The fact that our enemies are the people of this world, not monsters, is also important.”
Once again, Seong Yu-jin did not miss the core of the issue.
The enemies are the humans of this world, not monsters.
The very nature of this battle was different from those before.
Until now, Kang-seok's party had only had simple interactions with the people of this world.
Saving people from the danger of monsters.
But this time was different. It was an act of intervening in the conflicts of interest between humans and taking one side.
Kang-seok swallowed dryly.
“We can't remain complete outsiders forever.”
Ten thousand superhumans from another world.
Tens of millions of humans who originally existed in this world.
He had thought about it since first contemplating the concept. Forging relationships and interacting was a necessary choice for the future.
“It might be a premature calculation, but we have to blend in with the people of this world.”
The Keyman Guild could become the party's 'backing' in the future.
During the journey to Roselburg, Kang-seok had looked over various materials. The Keyman Guild was a powerful organization.
Choi Yu-ra raised her hand slightly.
“I vote for helping. Like Kang-seok said, if we have to form relationships eventually, isn't it better to help the Keyman Guild and Mr. Roxley, people we're already familiar with?”
“I also think helping is the right choice. There's no guarantee Mr. Roxley's words are completely true, but I want Lady Wayne to be happy.”
Seong Yu-jin added her thoughts. From an objective standpoint, helping Roxley was also the right thing to do.
Kang-seok agreed with the two of them. But he remained cautious.
“Honestly, I'm worried about the opposing faction.”
Helping the Keyman Guild also meant setting themselves against the 'opposing faction'.
Choi Yu-ra frowned.
“But the Keyman Guild could serve as our umbrella or shield. If the opposing faction was powerful enough to just crush the Keyman Guild, they wouldn't have resorted to such a petty trick in the first place. And we don't know how they'll judge us. They might just see us as hired warriors. They might even want to hire us themselves.”
It was a valid point.
Since all three were quick-witted and sharp, the conversation flowed quickly.
Kang-seok once again emphasized the key point of this choice.
“This is a fight against people, not monsters. Are you both prepared for that?”
“If we didn't have that kind of resolve in the first place, we wouldn't have even passed the tutorial.”
Seong Yu-jin answered sharply.
Though they were monsters, they had limbs, and each had their own language and culture.
Only those with the resolve to fight and ultimately kill such monsters could pass the tutorial.
Monsters and humans were different, but that didn't mean their will to fight was diminished.
The three reached a consensus.
“Let's go see Mr. Roxley.”
***
“Oh, by the White God. This must have been a difficult decision for you all. Thank you so much.”
As soon as he heard they would help, Roxley offered a prayer.
Seeing a man who was clearly a veteran merchant break out in a cold sweat and show such emotion made it clear how serious this situation was.
Choi Yu-ra handed a handkerchief to Roxley and said playfully.
“It was a really tough decision, so you'd better make sure the reward is good, okay?”
“But of course. I will ensure you are handsomely rewarded.”
Roxley, showing a merchant's smile, didn't delay any further.
“We must act tonight, so there isn't much time.”
“Um, but we're not doing this on our own, are we?”
Roxley quickly replied to Seong Yu-jin's question.
“Of course, our Keyman Guild's warriors will be with you. And we have also hired another Player.”
“A Player?”
It was an unexpected piece of news, so Kang-seok asked back reflexively. As if on cue, a knock came from the door.
A slightly different knock from when the young merchant came and went.
Roxley stood up and gestured toward the door.
“Ah, you've arrived just in time. Please, come in!”
The last part was directed at the person outside the door. Kang-seok and the others all turned to look at the door.
They watched as a Player entered the room.