Chapter 170: Star, The First Station (2)
As Chang-Sun and Woo Hye-Bin stood in front of the store, Shin Eun-Seo frowned when she noticed the French volunteer Players watching them. “Those bastards…”
“Hmm?” Shin Geum-Gyu tilted his head in confusion.
“They’re smirking.” Eun-Seo clenched her teeth.
“They really want to get beaten up again, huh?” Geum-Gyu also scowled at the French Players.
Not missing when one corner of the French Players’ mouths twitched, Eun-Seo instinctively felt as if something was up… Although these stores were convenient and couldn’t normally be found in Dungeons, she felt as if there had to be an upside and downside to them.
Unlike the French Players, who had already attempted to clear the ‘Wuthering Stone Desert’ several times, the Korean Players didn’t have trivial information about it, not even about its stores.
“It’s due to the currency of that store,” Joachim Wolff explained in English, having quietly approached the two from behind.
Eun-Seo and Geum-Gyu flinched and looked back. They were both really bad at English, and Joachim’s strong German accent made it even more difficult to understand him. Fortunately, someone showed up and saved the Shin siblings from humiliation.
“He’s saying that they’re having a problem because that store uses a different kind of currency,” Ernst Mach, Joachim’s secretary, added in Korean. His pronunciation was a little unclear, but he spoke proficiently enough for the Shin siblings to understand.
“Uh… You can speak Korean?” Eun-Seo asked.
“I studied a bit for self-improvement,” Ernst replied nonchalantly.
“S-self-improvement?” Eun-Seo repeated.
“Yes, I’ve been interested in K-Pop for quite some time now. I like the girl idol group Twice.,” Ernst said.
‘Then why haven’t you told me anything until now, you idiot!’?Eun-Seo thought, holding back her frustration. She also couldn’t help but have mixed emotions when she heard that the cold-blooded-looking man was a fan of a girl idol group, but she also felt as if she met a comrade.
This didn’t seem to be the place to talk about it, though, so she instead brought up the question she had about Joachim’s explanation. “What do you mean the currency is different?”
Ernst translated Eun-Seo’s words in German for Joachim. From that point on, he became the interpreter of the group.
“Just like I told you, every station of the ‘Wuthering Stone Desert’ has a store we can get everything we need from. However, the store owners only take currency called ‘Hound,’ which is really difficult to get,” Joachim explained.
“Why’s that?” Eun-Seo asked.
“You have to complete a quest,” Joachim answered.
“Quest…?” Eun-Seo repeated.
Joachim nodded. “Yes. The store owners don’t only sell things. They also give out quests and pay the Players an appropriate amount of commission fee once they complete them. The Players can then use their earnings to buy what they need from the store. ”
“It’s like games,” Eun-Seo said.
“That’s right.” Joachim smiled. “It’ll be easier to understand if you think of this as a role-playing game. The store owners like Jarapgu are the NPCs of the village, and we’re the players. ”
“But how many quests do the store owners have?” Eun-Seo doubtfully asked.
Joachim shrugged. “I’m not sure, but the store owners say that they just mediate between Players and monsters in the Dungeon… From what I’ve heard, they also claim to be connected to the <Management Bureau>. Well, I guess no one can verify that.”
When he mentioned the <Management Bureau>, Eun-Seo dumbfoundedly chuckled. She had heard that even Guardians couldn’t push the bureau members around, so Joachim’s story sounded too surreal to her.
“Anyhow, it looks like the French Players are reacting that way because they know Mr. Chang-Sun and Miss Woo Hye-Bin will get into trouble since they don’t know about the store owners’ quests…!” Joachim was about to finish explaining.
Thud!
Jarapgu suddenly slammed the stall in anger and sprang up from his seat, his face reddening. He shouted at the top of his lungs and pointed at Chang-Sun. With Chang-Sun seemingly having a problem with the store owner, Joachim’s jaw dropped. He then hurriedly ran to the store. The Players should never act that way in this Dungeon.
* * *
“… Put it on your tab?” Jarapgu repeated.
“I can’t do that?” Chang-Sun coldly replied.
“Urgghh…!” Jarapgu’s face turned scarlet red. He slammed the stall and sprang up from his seat, pointing at Chang-Sun.
Thud!
“Do you think I’m a pushover just because I’m a Goblin?! You bastard, I’m going to put you on the blacklist so you won’t be able to buy anything from other stations too!” Jarapgu snapped at Chang-Sun.
Hye-Bin froze up upon hearing the word ‘blacklist.’ Although she wasn’t sure what it exactly was, she easily figured out that clearing the Dungeon would become extremely difficult if Jarapgu put Chang-Sun’s name on it.
However, Chang-Sun remained as nonchalant as ever. “Even if I’m trying to open the ‘Rhaegaren’?”
“W-what?” Jarpagu looked noticeably baffled.
“Well, if you’re not interested, then I’ll have to go to the next station. Let’s go, Hye-Bin.” Chang-Sun gestured at Hye-Bin.
“Huh? Okay!” Hye-Bin dazedly followed Chang-Sun, unable to understand what he meant.
“Wait! Wait, stooooppp!” Jarapgu yelled, now the one in a rush.
After hurriedly dashing out of the store, Jarapgu threw himself before Chang-Sun so quickly that Hye-Bin wasn’t sure if it was possible to move that fast with such short legs.
“What?” Chang-Sun asked.
“I-i-is what you just said true?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you really going to go to the ‘Giant King’s Heartvault’?!” Jarpagu shouted.
“Is there another ‘Rhaegaren’?” Chang-Sun said.
“…!” Jarapgu’s lips trembled profusely, which Chang-Sun didn’t miss.
“You might have to head to the second station if things don’t work out, there is something you must do once you arrive at the first station,” Thanatos instructed.
“Something I must do?” Chang-Sun repeated.?
“You have to gain the favor of every station’s store owner.”
“The reason being?” Chang-Sun asked.?
“They’re Surtr’s true loyal subjects. For generations, they’ve been honoring their last king until they die.”
Thanatos had called the store owners like Jarpagu ‘sentries.’ Surtr, their last king, had died, and <Muspelheim> had been destroyed long ago. However, the store owners—the descendants of Surtr’s loyal Giant subjects—still paid their respects to the deceased Giant King as they waited for glory. Their goals were to protect this Dungeon since it was practically Surtr’s grave and open the ‘Giant King’s Heartvault,’ which was located deep underground.
“There seemed to be a legend among the sentries about opening the ‘Rhaegaren,’ which would allow them to recreate the Giants’ old myth,” Thanatos said as he laughed.?
“Is that possible?” Chang-Sun asked.?
“No, it’ isn’t.” Thanatos shook his head. “Being in a Dungeon means they’re already dead. All the Giants’ souls had already gone to the Underworld or got annihilated.”?
“Then…” Chang-Sun trailed off.?
“Yes, just like any other beings in Dungeons, their ‘shells’ are just repeating what they did before they died. The ‘Rhaegaren’ is real, though, and so are the sentries’ beliefs.”
Thanatos simply advised using the store owners’ hopes to stir them up.
“It looks like our business is done, so I’ll get going.” Chang-Sun was about to leave.
Jarapgu hurriedly waved his hands from side to side. “W-wait! You’re really going to open the ‘Rhaegaren’? Really?!”
“Yeah, I am.” Chang-sun nodded.
“How in the world are you going to do that?” Jarapgu asked in disbelief.
“Why should I tell you that?” Chang-Sun tilted his head.
“… Shit! You already know everything, don’t you?” Jarapgu frowned because Chang-Sun had a point. For some reason, Jarapgu felt as if Chang-Sun had him right in his palm, but he had no time to get into that right now. “Don’t you know the basic principle of trade?! I have to be guaranteed that you can come back before I can decide! ”
Ding!
[The Hidden Quest (Deceased King’s Legacy) has been created!]
[Deceased King’s Legacy]
Type: Hidden.
Description: Very few people remember the <Deceased Star> ‘Destruction-Calling Fiery Giant’ now, but he had put his heart in the ‘Rhaegaren’—where his race’s entire legacy is accumulated—before he died. A legend about the ‘Rhaegaren’ enabling the sentries to revive their lost race once opened has spread among them, so they have been searching for someone who can open it for quite some time now. Prove that you are the right man for the job.
Prerequisite: ―
Quest Failure Penalty: ―
Quest Rewards:
1. Buy the store products on credit.
2. Connected Quest ‘Deceased King’s Legacy II’
After looking at the quest window for a moment, Chang-Sun quietly turned his head to the side and looked at the empty sky.
“It says so,” he said, and a long line was drawn in the sky. A rabbit man stuck his head out through the spatial gap.
“… Please stop calling me for moments like this. This Dungeon isn’t even in my jurisdiction,” Herald sighed.
“Is that so? I’ll ask other Administrators if you don’t feel like it.”
“… Alright, alright. I’ll do it.” Herald groaned and lightly landed on the ground. Although he didn’t like that Chang-Sun treated him like a servant even though Chang-Sun was just a Player, Herald couldn’t ignore his request.
‘Why did this person have to be classified as a <Prospect>...!’?Herald clenched his teeth.
<Prospects> were Players under the <Management Bureau>’s close scrutiny. Among the countless people in the numerous civilizations, these Players were considered special, naturally attracting many Guardians’ attention. Hence, the <Management Bureau> even had to publish reports about them.
Among them, Chang-Sun had the highest tier. Despite having no Guardian, he became so strong far quicker and more brilliantly than anyone, making even the Zodiacs take interest in him. In fact, the <Management Bureau> was running out of copies of Chang-Sun’s <Reports> to sell.
As a result, the Administrator who ‘managed’ Chang-Sun could become very influential within the <Management Bureau>. Herald was currently assigned to take care of matters related to Chim. If Chang-Sun and other Administrators got into contact and conspired to change the assigned Administrator, the whole thing could become a wild goose chase for Herald.
The more popular Chang-Sun became, the more Herald gained in the end, so he couldn’t help but be swayed by Chang-Sun. Chang-Sun seemed to be aware of that too.
‘I don’t know how in the world he knows all this stuff.’?Herald shook his head in disbelief.
Anyhow, Herald instinctively had this premonition that Chang-Sun would keep enslaving him.
* * *
“… He’s a Tier 3 <Prospect>, and The <Management Bureau> can vouch for his talent?” Jarapgu looked at Chang-Sun in surprise after exchanging a few words with Herald. He started to faintly look hopeful, thinking Chang-Sun could really open up the path to the ‘Rhaegaren.’
“Fine.” Jarapgu nodded. “I’ll put the stuff you buy on your tab and consider it an investment.”
Ding!
[You have successfully completed the Hidden Quest(Deceased King’s Legacy)!]
[As a reward, you have acquired Merit.]
[As a reward, you have ‘bought the products on credit’.]
[The ‘Fire-Avoiding Bead’ has been added to your <Inventory>.]
[The ‘Fire Ring’ has been added to your <Inventory>.]
…
[The Connected Quest (Deceased King’s Legacy II) has been created.]
[Deceased King’s Legacy II]
Type: Hidden, Connected.
Description: Having proven that you are the right man for the job, you may now begin the rough journey to the ‘Rhaegaren.’ Safely arrive at the heart of the ‘Destruction-Calling Fiery Giant,’ which is where the ‘Rhaegaren’ is located.
Quest Failure Penalty: Death.
Quest Rewards:
1. Authorization to enter the ‘Rhaegaren.’
2. Connected Quest ‘Deceased King’s Legacy III.’
“You stay behind, lady. You, follow me.” Jarapgu turned around and walked toward the old iron door at the back of the store. On it were an ‘Authorized Personnel Only’ sign hanging crookedly and a rusty padlock. As Chang-Sun followed Jarapgu, he sent a telepathic message to Hye-Bin, who was looking at him with worry.
『I’ll be away until tomorrow. I already told Gyeo-Ul about this, but take as many of Jarapgu’s quests as possible and earn Hounds while I’m gone. It will come in handy in this Dungeon and will also be helpful in the future.』
Thinking Chang-Sun could be heading somewhere dangerous, Hye-Bin wanted to ask where he was headed, but she stopped when she noticed Chang-Sun was faintly smiling.
‘What is he planning?’ Hye-Bin wondered.
She thought she had become close with Chang-Sun on some level, but he still seemed to have many secrets.
Hye-Bin soon noticed the melona in her hand was melting, so she quickly put the cold ice cream in her mouth, making her feel really refreshed.
‘It’s delicious,’ she thought.
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