Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Strategic Disclosures
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The Azelan Continent.
Six men appeared in the marketplace, which was steeped in the languid atmosphere of the post-lunch hour.
The man leading the way was excessively cautious, a testament to the status of those who followed.
Spotting an approaching cargo cart, he waved his hand, signaling for it to move aside. The driver scowled for a moment before quickly bowing his head.
He had seen the attire of the men following behind.
Among them, the figure directly behind the guide wore a white robe with two vertical stripes.
The moment people saw the robe symbolizing a 5th-floor mage of the Magic Tower, they cleared a path on their own, allowing the group to pass through the narrow market alley with ease.
Their destination was the Mirje Trading Company, located in the middle of the market.
Oh Min-jae, having already heard of their arrival, approached with a smile as he saw Heros, the guide. He then bowed his head to a man in his mid-forties with an arrogant expression standing behind Heros.
“Welcome, Lord Sodoban.”
Sodoban, a 5th-floor mage of the Magic Tower.
He was quite a renowned figure among the 5th-floor mages. What made his name so well-known among the fifty mages of his rank was his extensive involvement in external affairs.
Thanks to his frequent association with royalty and nobility, and his involvement in related matters, he possessed a reputation rivaling that of a 6th-floor mage.
“A pleasure to meet you.”
The arrogant expression vanished, replaced by a smile.
“I’ve heard a great deal about you. For one so young to accomplish such a great feat.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Lord Sodoban.”
Unlike other mages, Sodoban was adept at human relations.
Though known to be arrogant, he never disrespected those who were beneficial to him or with whom he did business.
It was only natural that he had a good reputation among imperial officials and nobles.
‘These are the types of people you have to be careful with.’
He was a man who moved strictly for profit.
The kind of person who treated you as a friend when there was something to gain, and as less than human when there wasn't.
“Please, come in.”
Oh Min-jae led the five mages who had come with Heros into the reception room.
After about ten minutes of exchanging empty compliments in the reception room, Aisi opened the door and entered.
The mages’ gazes briefly shifted to Aisi’s beauty, but soon, an object that captivated their eyes even more was placed on the table.
Five gold bars.
They were half the size of a palm, each stamped with the imperial seal.
Each bar was worth 100 gold coins, making the total value equivalent to 500 gold coins.
The weekly wage for a laborer in the market was typically two silver coins.
About one gold coin a year.
The money before them was equivalent to 500 years' salary for a common worker.
Of course, given the vast wealth disparity, it didn't hold the same value for the mages, but it was by no means a small sum.
“This is the settlement of profits from the last two months.”
At Oh Min-jae’s words, the five mages seated on the sofa looked surprised.
“Didn't you say there would be hardly any profit in the beginning? Your skill is truly remarkable.”
The magic ingredients Oh Min-jae created had achieved 50 percent effectiveness and had gone on sale two months prior.
Today was the first day of settling those profits. That was why all five mages who had lent their names to the sales had come.
They were the 5th-floor mage, Sodoban, and four 4th-floor mages, including Mekanti.
The 3rd-floor mages who had come last time were all gone.
“Then one of these must be our share.”
“Ah, it seems there's been a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
Instead of answering, Oh Min-jae pushed all five gold bars toward Sodoban.
“This is the 20 percent profit share. The amount I promised all of you.”
Oh Min-jae smiled and handed them a ledger.
“This is a direct copy of the real ledger for your verification. It details where and how everything was sold.”
Sodoban’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t about the money.
A merchant handing over their own ledger was an unheard-of occurrence.
“I’ve never done business like this before.”
No merchant ever showed their transaction ledgers. If one were to forcibly view another’s ledger, it would be safe to assume their relationship had soured.
Yet, Oh Min-jae had presented his ledger without being asked. This was a fresh shock even for Sodoban, who had extensive experience with external affairs.
“I prefer transparency. Besides, I don't intend for this to be our only venture together.”
Sodoban didn’t disrespect his allies, but he wasn’t one to trust them either.
“May I take a look?”
“By all means.”
Sodoban immediately opened the ledger.
Inside, the production volume of the items, material costs, and detailed records of where and how much was supplied were all written down.
Sales were conducted almost nationwide, and at the end of each line was the settlement amount, allowing for a quick summary of the results.
But there was something odd.
“The total profit isn’t 2,500 gold coins.”
If their share was 20 percent, the total should have been 2,500 gold coins. But the amount recorded in the ledger was far less.
“That’s right. To be precise, it’s 1,734 gold and 70 silver coins.”
“Then the calculation doesn't add up, does it? It seems you've given us far too much for our share.”
“That's because the actual sales volume does amount to 2,500 gold coins. The profit is lower because I arbitrarily offered discounts and made donations.”
“Haha. Such things are bound to happen in business. Are you saying you're taking responsibility for all of it?”
“Of course, I should be the one to take responsibility. This is partly to show my respect for you, but it's also a way to ensure I can conduct business as I see fit in the future. We may be partners on this path, but I want to run the business my way.”
“You’re a truly interesting man. Very well, then we can't just let this pass either.”
Sodoban pushed two of the five gold bars from his share toward Oh Min-jae.
“A gift for your honesty.”
“There's no need for that. I'll be making much more than this in the future. Naturally, your share will also increase. Please look forward to the next settlement.”
Oh Min-jae picked up one of the gold bars he was offered.
“I'll accept one, though. It's a gift from an elder, after all.”
“Hahaha. What a delightful fellow.”
With a large sum of money exchanged, the atmosphere brightened.
“The next settlement will be at least three times larger. We've been flooded with orders recently, and supply can't keep up.”
“Is the supply that short? If you need more apprentices, just say the word.”
They had already received support from Magic Tower apprentices for mass production.
“It's not the apprentices, but securing Longthes powder that's difficult. To be honest, I feel we're paying too much for it as well.”
It was the dried powder of the Longthes, also known as the flower of spirits. It had a magic-preserving effect, making it an essential ingredient in all materials.
“Where are you getting your supply from now?”
“From the Deril Trading Company, but they're restricting the supply so much it's become a headache.”
“Don't worry. I'll take care of it. Why didn't you mention this sooner?”
“I was embarrassed. It's something I should have handled myself.”
“Haha. My dear man. We agreed to work together, yet you struggle with such matters alone? If there's anything you need help with, just ask. Your income is our income, is it not?”
In reality, considering the costs of materials, labor, and distribution, the money Oh Min-jae earned was nearly the same as the share that went to the mages.
And this was without factoring in the investment in technology and research, meaning his actual profits were even lower.
‘It’s an investment.’
Not an investment for money.
Money was just one of many objectives.
“Hm?”
But in the middle of their conversation, a mage who had been examining the ledger showed something to Sodoban.
“The Dusk Gate Research Institute? You supplied them for free.”
His tone wasn’t accusatory, just curious.
“Yes. I offered to donate it.”
“For publicity?”
“No. It's an investment for future business. From now on, I plan to supply them at half price. After all, the biggest business in this field is the Gate industry, isn't it?”
Oh Min-jae said it as if it were obvious, and the mages conceded. However, they didn't like the idea of him connecting with other organizations.
“Why not just talk to us instead? You must know that the Magic Tower's Gate technology is the best.”
“I know. But there's no room for me to get involved. It's difficult to acquire the technology for research, too.”
The Magic Tower treated its Gate technology as confidential. The empire and the nobility provided the funds, but even they could only invest and were denied access to the technology itself.
Instead, the Magic Tower would open Gates for things like Gate gambling or special banquets. Otherwise, the technology was exclusively used by 5th-floor mages and above.
“I didn't want to burden you with a request. But I haven't given up completely. I'll be starting my own Gate research soon, and if I get good results, I'll ask for your help confidently. Please lend me your aid then.”
“You seem quite confident.”
“This is a secret, but… the real reason I quit my regular business and entered this field was because I wanted to get into the Gate industry. I was fascinated by the idea of connecting to other worlds. I've already been studying Gates for the past five years. I'm probably better at it than some shoddy Gate research institute.”
Oh Min-jae displayed confidence while also offering an exaggerated laugh. It came across as a charming boast, which allowed the mages to laugh it off.
“I always thought your knowledge of magic was impressive; so that was the reason. But Gate research is very expensive. And you must know that the profits aren't stable yet, right?”
“Yes, I know. But the greater the risk, the greater the potential reward. Business is all about investment, after all. If you're afraid to invest, you get left behind.”
Seeing his firm conviction, Sodoban nodded. Then, Oh Min-jae’s tone shifted, and he asked cautiously.
“So, speaking of which, do you happen to know anyone who could teach me about Gate knowledge? Someone not affiliated with the Magic Tower.”
The Magic Tower’s knowledge was confidential. That was why he was asking Sodoban, who would serve as a guarantor that there would be no problems down the line.
“Hmm.”
He didn't trust Oh Min-jae yet, but introducing him to a private tutor wasn't a big request.
“Go to the Mage's Guild in Armara. Aside from our Magic Tower, they've shown some decent results. I'll write you a letter of introduction.”
“Thank you.”
Oh Min-jae smiled like a child.
After that, they talked for a long time, maintaining a pleasant atmosphere.
When the mages finally left after more than an hour, Oh Min-jae sat down on the sofa and let out a long sigh.
But as he turned after seeing them off, a familiar figure came into view.
“Hey!”
Wang-sik was approaching him.
Aisi, who had set down cookies and tea, saw Oh Min-jae's bright expression and left the room.
‘He only ever smiles genuinely when he's with him.’
Even without any particular conversation, Oh Min-jae looked happy.
‘Because they're family.’
They weren't blood brothers, but in Aisi's eyes, they appeared to be.
Her thoughts naturally drifted to her own family, filling her with longing. But there was nowhere for that longing to go.
‘I wish I could be part of their family, too.’
Shaking off her wistfulness, she moved away from the room. Meanwhile, the conversation between Oh Min-jae and Wang-sik continued.
“You revealed it on purpose?”
“Yeah. I just came out and said I'm interested in Gates. That way, no one will be suspicious when I start my research. It's not something I need to hide here anyway.”
“That makes sense.”
Wang-sik nodded and fell silent for a moment.
“Hey, what's wrong? Did something happen?”
“If you start researching now, how long would it take to open a two-way Gate?”
“Opening it isn't the hard part. I already have the detailed schematics.”
He said he had schematics because he possessed the Necromancer’s research journal.
“I just need a mage to activate the magic circle.”
“Last time, you said there were a lot of materials you didn't recognize.”
“I've already figured them all out. I've even secured more than half of them. But why are you suddenly asking about this?”
Wang-sik told him the truth.
“Because the newly elected president mentioned the Gate on the deserted island.”
“What?”
“It's not that serious yet. But you never know with politics.”
“Well, strictly speaking, that Gate isn't ours.”
The deserted island Gate and the house on the island.
They did not belong to Wang-sik.
To be precise, they were the property of the South Korean government and classified as top-secret.
Initially, research had been conducted on the Gate, but it had only resulted in massive casualties.
They couldn't withstand the monsters of the Decartes Mountains.
A secret contract had been made with the top guild at the time to attempt a raid, but it ended in annihilation.
The downfall of the Mukseom Guild, once called Korea's hope, was due to this secret operation.
After that, the policy shifted to only preparing for Gate invasions, and Wang-sik was officially a defense personnel guarding the Gate.
The previous president had agreed to keep the secret, especially since so many Awakened had died, but now that the president had changed, the topic was being brought up again.
—South Korea has a two-way Gate.
This was a matter of immense research value, so it was unlikely to be ignored.
It could even be used to attack the opposing party and Kang Il-seop, using the fact that it had been hidden until now as a pretext.
“Seeing as the Bureau Director mentioned it himself, it seems the new president isn't going to let this go.”
This was what Kang Il-seop had told Wang-sik directly when he went to the Hunter Management Bureau after a meeting at the Guseong Group's secret base.
“Hmm. That's pretty serious. What exactly did he say?”
“He said he'd protect it unconditionally until the moment he steps down, so not to worry.”
“Ah, that's not reassuring at all.”
“Right?”
Kang Il-seop’s bold declaration made both of them look serious.