Chapter 42

“Well, did you enjoy looking around?”

Charlson greeted them when they left the storehouse and returned to the building. Beside him stood the doorkeeper who had fought Woojin, along with an unfamiliar, enormous man.

“I've heard a lot about the Azen Trading Company. That storehouse certainly lived up to its reputation.”

“Heh heh, of course. I spent my whole life collecting those things.”

The [Scales of the Earth] lay on the table beside Charlson.

“But there wasn't anything particularly useful.”

Woojin spoke after glancing at it.

“Are you sure you looked properly? Those items are hard to come by even on the central continent.”

Woojin's indifference was so contrary to his expectations that Charlson sounded taken aback.

“I had a good look, and nothing interested me. Why don't we finish the rest of our deal?”

Woojin set the key down in front of him.

“That comes with a proper permit, I assume?”

Charlson's expression stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.

“Heh. You're a damn perceptive bastard.”

Taking the key, Charlson looked at him with a smile.

“Don't worry. The Scales of the Earth is a consumable. It disappears once you use it, so it doesn't need a permit.”

“Write one out properly. A permit.”

“... What?”

“Consumable or not, make it official. Unlike that smuggled junk in your storehouse, I want something legitimate.”

BANG!!

The gnome's small fist struck the table with a surprisingly loud crash.

“Smuggled junk? You little shit, you haven't even set foot on the central continent...! How dare you judge the masterpieces I've spent a lifetime collecting?”

“Masterpieces, my ass. Something you can't use is no different from trash.”

“Arrogant bastard...! I was going to write you a permit once you told me what you wanted. How dare you belittle my generosity like that?”

“When?”

“What?”

“You'd say it doesn't matter. You can use smuggled goods in the Dark Forest without a permit. But what about afterward?”

Woojin smiled at him.

“Would I get it after saving your son? Or when I'm about to leave for the central continent?”

BANG!!

Woojin's fist made an even louder sound.

“Someone once told me that those who get drunk on the power of their equipment meet their end in death.”

It was Ratan's warning. Woojin had never expected to repeat it, but nothing could have suited the present situation better.

“Once you mistake your equipment's power for your own, you can't bring yourself to let it go. That's what you were after, wasn't it?”

“Don't be ridiculous. I simply wanted to provide you with better equipment as your partner!”

“Then put it in writing.”

“... What?”

“That you'll immediately issue a permit for any piece of equipment in that storehouse.”

Charlson swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. That was answer enough.

“Don't try to get clever with me.”

Woojin tucked the [Scales of the Earth] from the table inside his clothes as he spoke.

“Think carefully, Charlson. You've gotten our deal off on the wrong foot. Whether I bring back your son or his corpse is up to you.”

“... Are you threatening me? I told you I'm recruiting people to clear the Ice Cave, even without you.”

“Right. The question is whether your son will still be alive by the time they gather.”

Charlson had no reply.

“Isn't that why you want my help?”

“Well, well.”

Charlson raised both hands in surrender and shook his head.

“You're right. Forgive my rudeness.”

The sight of Charlson bowing to Woojin astonished not only his subordinates, but Ruen as well.

He opened the door of the bookcase beside the table and began writing something.

“Here's the permit for the Scales. And...”

Along with an old sheet of paper, he took a necklace set with a blue gemstone from the bookcase.

“This artifact wards off the cold. It will help you in the Ice Cave.”

Name: Sapphire Necklace

Grade: C

Description: Provides excellent cold resistance.

▶ Wearer's Cold Resistance +50%

Resistance items were essential for any player attempting to conquer the Labyrinth Tower. An item that halved elemental damage was particularly rare, even on the central continent. There was no doubt it would fetch an enormous price if listed on the marketplace right now.

“This is it?”

“... What?”

It was an item anyone would covet, but Woojin took only the permit, his expression dismissive.

“There were plenty of far better things in the storehouse. You're trying to settle this with a measly thing like that? In your position, I'd have offered a permit valid for any one of them.”

“Ahem...”

Charlson's expression grew increasingly strained.

'Damn it... He's got me cornered. Adventurers are supposed to lose their heads over treasure right in front of them... What is this bastard?'

He let out a quiet sigh.

“Very well. On the condition that you bring this matter to a successful conclusion, I'll issue a permit for any item in the storehouse.”

'Yes, as long as my younger boy comes back, there's plenty of time to deal with him afterward. Insolent bastard...'

Having apparently made up his mind, he nodded and spoke to Woojin.

“And?”

“... What do you mean, ‘and’?”

“Surely you don't expect to settle a contract verbally?”

“All right! All right. Damn it, there's no winning with you. Are you really an adventurer?”

Charlson fetched another scroll from the bookcase and handed it to Woojin.

Name: Charlson's Contract

Grade: D

Description: A contract personally written by Charlson, head of the Azen Trading Company.

▶ Entitles the holder to one item of their choice from his private storehouse and an official permit for that item.

Only after checking its contents did Woojin nod.

“Now it feels like we've made a deal. I'll be off, then.”

“W-wait! You have to leave that!”

“Why?”

“... N-never mind.”

Making a show of it, Woojin took the necklace from the table and left the room.

* * *

“Whew...”

Only after they were out of the building did Ruen place a hand on her chest and release the breath she'd been holding.

“All we did was talk. Why am I so exhausted? I feel like I've aged another six months.”

“Because it wasn't just a conversation.”

Woojin chuckled at her remark.

“In a negotiation, you put an edge on your tongue.”

“But how are you so good with words, Master?”

“Well... It was something I did all the time.”

“Before you became an adventurer?”

“Something like that.”

'It's been a while since I've had a battle of words.'

Unlike Ruen, who had been on edge throughout, Woojin had found his conversation with Charlson enjoyable in a way. It seemed to remind him of who he was as Kim Woojin, not Khan.

[You have received a Message from Peron.]

▶ I'll be waiting in Room 401 of Kun's Inn by the east gate.

* * *

“Have you both been well?”

Peron greeted the two when they entered the inn named in his Message.

“Did you wrap things up?”

“Yes. I noticed a few people tailing me when I left Parta. Fortunately, I dealt with them quietly.”

Woojin nodded. In truth, there couldn't be many people in the Dark Forest who could handle Peron.

“You look a little different, though.”

“Haha, it's all thanks to you, boss. I never dreamed you'd leave a whole fifty gold in the pouch.”

“So you went on a shopping spree.”

Peron's appearance had certainly changed. Several pieces of equipment had been added over his old armor, and a small gemstone now adorned the hilt of his sword.

“Appearances matter when you're visiting the Azen Trading Company. You'll have to keep your wits about you. That Charlson fellow may be an NPC, but he's no pushover.”

“I know. We've just come from there.”

“You went there?!”

Peron sighed regretfully at his reply.

“Oh, why did you do that? You should've gone with me. I hope the bastard didn't rip you off.”

“He just gave it to me.”

“... Sorry?”

“A necklace, too, as a bonus.”

“Don't tell me... For free?”

“For now.”

The [Sapphire Necklace] in Woojin's hand left Peron speechless.

'This guy... What on earth did he do?'

Azen's Charlson was notorious in the community as one of the nastiest NPCs. And he'd handed over an item for free...

“Ah!! Seriously, how could I not admire you?!”

Woojin pushed Peron's head away to dislodge him as he clung to him, then asked,

“Peron, what level are you now?”

“Forty-nine. I've been deliberately keeping it below fifty.”

“Perfect. How about doing some proper adventuring for a change?”

“Proper adventuring?”

* * *

“W-wait a minute!! Ice trolls and ogres?! No! I'm not doing it! No, I can't!!”

Peron sprang to his feet, bowed deeply to Woojin, and opened the room's door.

“I've guided you to Hundred Flowers Valley, so I believe my work here is done. Well, I'll be going...”

“You've heard of the Ulda Alliance, right?”

“... What?”

“A member named Gareth came here to clear this new dungeon.”

With his hand on the doorknob, Peron stiffly turned his head.

“... The Ulda Alliance?”

Sure enough, Teron, who knew Evil Tale's clans inside out, couldn't hide his curiosity at the alliance's name, just as Kim Chan hadn't.

“He even lowered his level to come here.”

The hand on the doorknob dropped naturally to his side.

“The Ice Cave is a new dungeon. If I'm right, there's a good chance it's completely different from the Dark Forest's existing dungeons.”

[Quest Name: Charlson's Request]

▶ Grade: B

▶ Rescue Charlson's younger son, who is trapped in the Ice Cave.

▶ Minimum Participants: 1

▶ Maximum Participants: 30

It was a little different from the quests he'd done so far. That difference had allowed Woojin to deduce something about the Ice Cave.

'The number of participants listed in the quest.'

If as many as thirty people could undertake the rescue of Charlson's younger son at once...

“The Ice Cave is a raid dungeon.”

“... Is that really true?”

Peron asked again, finding it hard to believe.

“The quest I received allows up to thirty people to participate simultaneously. Thirty. Ring any bells?”

“... The size of a raid group.”

“Exactly.”

“I thought raid dungeons only existed on the central continent... And now there's one in the Dark Forest.”

“There's more to it than just a new dungeon appearing. Why do you think Gareth lowered his level to come here?”

No matter how good the quest rewards were, they would still be limited to the Dark Forest's standards. Could they really be worth lowering his level for when he was already active on the central continent?

“He must be after something other than the quest.”

“Don't tell me... The Conqueror reward?”

“Exactly.”

[Conqueror] was an achievement awarded to the first team to clear a dungeon.

“New players like us never even had a chance at it, no matter how much we wanted one.”

Woojin looked at Peron.

“And you're going to throw away a golden opportunity that might never come again?”

“... Apparently it hasn't occurred to you that we might fail to clear it.”

“Of course not. Why would I think that?”

“...”

Peron looked at Woojin, whose eyes seemed to ask whether any further explanation was necessary.

“Ugh...!!”