The group members weren’t deceived.
“It takes 3 minutes to walk here from the school, so why would you come here by car.”
“It’s more than one stop by bus so if you get on it takes longer.”
Lee Hyun’s eyes became mellow and moist.
Choi Ji Hoon, who uses the in game name Zephyr had taught the elder brothers this; Lee Hyun tried to use the method to pacify girls.
Lee Hyun wagged his finger, and spoke with his most sweet voice.
“These sly deer… Are you doubting my words right now?”
“…”
At that moment the female students’ expressions indicated that something from within their stomachs was urgently coming up.
‘Ah, the breast milk I drank when I was a baby…’
The queasy and greasy feeling!
Even if you mixed peanut butter and cheese and made ramen, it wouldn’t be this bad.
“Ah, we get it. For now let’s just hurry and start.”
Hong Sun Ye, who saw Lee Hyun a lot doing this and that these days, took his side for him. Though he was even harder to deal with than her hair-splitting cousins that her uncle left from morning to evening, she demonstrated patience.
“Oppa.”
Lee Yoo Jung addressed him before she went into the capsule,
“Hm?”
“You’re near Dale Kingdom, right? We’re already all gathered, and we also did a lot of exploration practice.”
Lee Hyun answered as if there wasn’t a problem.
“Of course. I’m almost all the way there.”
“Yes, then that’s a relief. We’ll go in first and wait. Please come quickly.”
“Just wait a little. I’ll be there soon.”
Lee Hyun went into the capsule, and as the sensors mounted he thought, ‘I guess I should leave soon.’
* * *
He had been busy selling the accessories and sculptures he had made in Kuruso Kingdom to merchants, so he was still at Nest Kingdom’s Herom Castle.
Even by riding a horse, Dale Kingdom’s Nekan Castle was over five days away.
‘In Korean terms, I’m almost all the way there. Since “soon” means “still gonna take a long time” now, they’ll probably be understanding even if I’m late.’
Herom Castle!
As the Kingdom had a position in the borderland, it was a castle bustling with Merchants dealing in entrepot trade. As a result of the users who were buying had wagons and goods. It was so disorderly it reminded him of the marketplace at dawn.
There were users who struck out at the prices as they bargained, and Merchants who weren’t going to cut down even a single penny were even having a fierce fight.
“Why, no matter how money-grubbing a Merchant ya are, how can ya do this? How can ya buy the wares that are like my own children that I created at the end of so much suffering with that price?”
“Look, elder. Please calm down for now and listen to my explanation. The current market prices of wares…”
“Market prices! What did ya say the wares I made were like? Is there even a wee scratch somewhere? Or are ya saying the quality of this ruby is low?”
A small Dwarf was in hysterics. Of course, the Dwarf’s true identity was Weed!
He became an obstinate Dwarf to the novice Merchants and was striking up the prices.
He sold crafted jewel ware accessories and sculptures, and even the Dwarves’ gifts. To be honest, when he sold the gifts he had received at the farewell ceremony, he felt a small prick of his conscience.
‘Even so, the market nowadays has changed. For the gifts I don’t need, I can just think of them as receiving a gift certificate.’
Gifts from the heart!
He had received the hearts of the gift-givers and thought that was good enough, and was selling them with overcharged prices to his heart’s content.
Since they were goods being sold by a Dwarf the credibility was high and the quality was good too, but because he insisted on the high prices, transactions weren’t made quickly.
* * *
“Ugh, when is he coming.”
“It’s getting too late… Should we just give up and go by ourselves?”
“We can’t. ‘Cause if there’s even 1 person missing from the group we won’t get points.”
Beneath the old tree by Nekan Castle, a party of people were waiting for someone.
A party composed of two Swordsmen, a Thief, Enchanter, Elemental Magician, and Ranger!
Hegel set the shield he had cleaned to a sparkling shine on the ground.
“It’s getting late. Though I pulled out Kudram’s Shield for a change.”
Kudram’s Shield.
A kite shield that could cover the whole body, it had a defense of over 70, and had the effect of blocking charges with its ponderous weight. Choe Sang Jun had borrowed the armor and shield from his older brother, who was a member of the Black Lions’ Guild.
When Enchanter Rumi saw the shield, she said with a curious face, “Sang Jun, no Hegel, who enchanted that shield for you?”
“The best magic user in Haven Kingdom, Perrier-nim did it. He’s the Enchanter of Black Lions’ Guild.”
“Ah, that famous person did…”
The party members’ gazes were bent toward Kudram’s Shield.
Even inside Nekan Castle, the attention was focused on Hegel, who was attired in outstanding equipment.
In the Versailles Continent, generally it was possible to show a person’s might with equipment. A Swordsman’s attack power could become the strength to support the whole party, and they could also be the root of enemy pulverization.
If you looked at the outstanding Swordsman, being envious was a given.
“Must be nice, Hegel.”