Chapter 259: 259
Chapter 259 – Growth (9)
Team: HH, thursdays, Yahiko (1/12)
“I’m telling you this ahead of time, but you never asked for anything other than setting up a meeting . So don’t complain to me if the meeting doesn’t go well . ”
Atran drew the line first . The meeting with By the Table was difficult to set, and it took a long time for him to hear an answer .
He had thought he failed, but he suddenly received a positive response .
Atran was pretty surprised . By the Table was a group surrounded by secrecy from the world .
They should’ve rejected the request of a player who wasn’t even a ranker, but they had accepted it .
Atran knew that this was also a chance for him .
It was a great honor and opportunity to contact By the Table as an ordinary merchant .
Rumors would spread, and the name of the merchant who had connected them would be known by more people .
However, he was worried about what Yeon-woo would do if things didn’t go well . Atran was scared of Yeon-woo ever since he saw how the Red Dragon was crushed .
Yeon-woo just waved his hand as if telling Atran to get on with it .
Atran held in the sigh trying to escape his lips and pulled out a crystal from a subspace .
Hwak!
After he quietly took a few steps back, the crystal shattered, and a blue light was emitted . It was an artifact that stated the other side’s meaning that only a single meeting was enough . It scattered in a whirlpool .
The scene around the two changed .
They were in a forest . It felt like there was really a fresh breeze coming their way within this illusion . Atran blankly looked around .
On the other hand, Yeon-woo was calm . He was pretty used to it now .
‘An Imaginary World . ’
It was similar to the Imaginary World that Brahm had used in the Demons’ Forest . But still, creating a barrier like this with just a single crystal was incredible .
All kinds of animals gathered around the rock Yeon-woo was sitting on . Different varieties of birds flew above him, and there were foxes and deer on the ground .
They weren’t normal animals . They either had a magical aura coming from them or were a large size . The Imaginary World was filled with beings that were hard to find even on the 11th floor stage .
The trees split as the ground shook, and gigantic shadows appeared .
A large wolf that looked to be bigger than 5 meters at a single glance was examining Yeon-woo from between the trees .
It was a Legendary Beast with white fur, a White Wolf . There was a girl sitting criss-cross on its head .
Thump—
『Wow . It’s so pretty . 』
『A White Wolf . I haven’t seen one in a while . 』
Nike and Nemesis, who had been sleeping inside the Philosopher’s Stone, woke up to mutter to themselves . The White Wolf was as formidable as the Four Legendary Beasts . It was similar to Anatasia’s Gumiho, which Yeon-woo saw in the entertainment district .
The White World laughed in a low tone like it read Nike and Nemesis’s thoughts .
The girl stroked the White Wolf’s head . She had reddish-brown shoulder-length hair . However, she was wearing a wooden mask, so it was hard to see her face . Her deep eyes were striking .
Atran gasped subconsciously when he saw this . He thought a ‘Weed’ or a ‘Wildflower’ would come, but the one who came was someone who was incomparable to those beings .
‘F-Freesia!’
The master of By the Table herself had arrived .
Freesia turned her head their way .
Even though her face was covered by a wooden mask, her intense eyes were clearly regarding Atran . She didn’t say anything, but Atran could tell what she meant .
Don’t say anything .
Atran nodded his head with his mouth shut . He calmed his thumping heart down . It seemed like Freesia didn’t want Yeon-woo to know her identity .
Atran was curious why the master had come herself . She didn’t like going outside . She was surrounded by more secrecy than By the Table .
Atran quietly watched the two . His thumping heart didn’t calm down . Just when he thought he was fine, Yeon-woo made his heart skip a beat again .
“I didn’t know the master of By the Table herself would come . ”
Atran’s body stiffened . He didn’t think that Yeon-woo would recognize Freesia .
Freesia was silent for a moment as well . She narrowed her eyes at Yeon-woo . Even though she was definitely a hologram, Yeon-woo felt like she was digging into him . It was a gaze that was similar to that of the Martial King and the Psychic Medium . It was the gaze that differentiated between foes and friends .
Then, Freesia jumped down from the White Wolf’s head and landed on the ground . She didn’t make any sound because of the soft grass .
『Step back for a while . 』
Koo—
The White Wolf rubbed his head in Freesia’s arms and slowly stepped back .
He continued to look where they were from where he was with a stiff face, thinking that Yeon-woo would try to injure his owner .
『Nice to meet you . You wanted to meet us?』
Freesia opened her mouth with a polite bow . She was probably curious how Yeon-woo knew about her, but she didn’t say anything, like all she had to do was fulfill her goal for coming here .
‘She’s saying that she can figure out how I know whenever she wants . That’s the master, I see . It’s hard to read her mind . ’
Yeon-woo had a mask on like Freesia did, so it was hard to read his expression as well .
Most exchanges with By the Table were done anonymously . When they had to meet, they kept their identities hidden with masks . Only their leader, Freesia, knew the identities of the members .
Obviously, Freesia’s identity was a secret as well . All that was known about her was that she almost never left the Imaginary World and that she cherished magical animals .
Even the name Freesia might’ve been fake . She knew that everyone was curious about her but never revealed herself .
I only found out who she was later, but she was someone who was hard to talk to ever since I met her . She always replied coldly to any jokes I made .
What should I do to melt this ice princess ahjumma? [TN: Ahjumma means middle-aged woman . ]
Jeong-woo first came to know By the Table when he was preparing to challenge the 50th floor .
By the Table showed an interest in sponsoring Arthia .
His brother had accepted this readily . There were a lot of cases when unions sponsored famous clans to spread their name and took a part of the subjugation rewards .
Arthia had already been sponsored by several unions at that point, so he thought that By the Table was just an ordinary union like the rest of them .
However, the moment that their sponsorship funds rose to an amount that most unions couldn’t even dream of, he realized that By the Table wasn’t normal .
That was actually when Arthia really began to spread its wings .
With the funds from By the Table, they were able to buy artifacts they couldn’t before and restructure their finances .
Then, he learned that the person who had come to offer their sponsorship was their leader .
The members had been curious then . Why were they supporting them? Some unions requested as much as they sponsored, so there was occasionally a fight . However, By the Table didn’t do anything like that . They didn’t have any requests, as if they just wanted Arthia to focus on climbing the floors .
‘Until Arthia collapsed . ’
Even when only a shadow of the old Arthia was left, By the Table had been there .
They ended their sponsorship when his brother had been preparing to fight to his last battle .
In a way, they had left when he needed them the most, but his brother was still grateful to them . They had stayed until the end when his lover and comrades had left .
I couldn’t discover the goal of By the Table even until the end . However, I was sure that there was a common occurrence whenever Freesia appeared .
King .
She appeared when she determined that there was a ruler of the Tower or someone who could occupy that position .
Only those who were at the level of the Nine Kings knew Freesia .
There was only one reason why Freesia had shown up here .
‘Like Jeong-woo, she judged me highly . ’
Yeon-woo thought that even if he hadn’t approached them first, By the Table would’ve contacted him someday . However, that was probably going to be when he was near the 50th floor like Arthia .
That was fine if he was planning on solo playing until then, but since he decided to create a clan, he desperately needed their help .
Also, it was because he was grateful to see the person who had saved his brother’s life .
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Anyways, in the end, the reason why Yeon-woo had summoned By the Table here was simple .
Sponsorship .
“Yes . ”
『Can I ask why?』
“I’m planning on establishing a clan . I heard rumors that By the Table sponsors a few clans . ”
『Are you saying you want your new clan to be a part of that?』
“If possible . ”
『Do you know how we decide who to sponsor?』
“I heard you look for them yourselves . ”
『That’s correct . There are some people who contact us like this . For most of them…… . 』
“You reject them . ”
Freesia nodded .
『Then you must know our answer . 』
“Is that so? I suppose nothing can be done . Thank you for meeting with me . ”
Yeon-woo nonchalantly nodded his head like he expected this and slowly stood up . Freesia’s eyes crinkled at his sudden actions .
『What are you doing?』
This time, Yeon-woo tilted his head like he didn’t understand .
“I suggested it, and you rejected me, right? Then I think we’re done now . ”
Freesia gazed at Yeon-woo with still eyes . She couldn’t tell what Yeon-woo was thinking . Most people would try to convince her or ask her to look over the proposal at least . Was he thinking that she might suddenly become interested if he acted like this?
However, the Yeon-woo that Freesia had investigated wasn’t someone that simple .
His image as the Hoarder was so violent and evil that players described him as a dhole starved for blood .
Freesia thought differently .
Said badly, he was violent, but if said nicely, it meant he knew to wait . He had the determination of snatching up his prey at the appropriate timing . He knew when to leave and enter, and his judgment was deep .
At the same time, he had rapid growth and the One-horned tribe backing him up .
She judged that he wouldn’t do childish games like this . She had also come here to see what kind of person he was, so Freesia decided to take a step back .
『We can still talk for a little longer . Right?』
Freesia tossed the question, and Yeon-woo quietly sat down .
His eyes beyond his mask were as hard to read as her poker face .
However, Yeon-woo only wanted something simple .
It was nice if things went well, but nothing could be done if they didn’t . What Yeon-woo wanted was a fair and reasonable contract with By the Table . Even if he wanted a sponsorship, he had no intention of being controlled by them . He was planning on paying them back for what he received .
And if it was the leader of By the Table, he thought she would know about the path he was trying to take as well .
If she was looking for a king, there was no reason for her to let him go .
He was correct .
‘Jeong-woo said she was looking for something among people who are kings . He was right . ’
Yeon-woo gazed at Freesia’s eyes .
『I’ll ask a few questions』
“Please go ahead . ”
『I heard you received a few of the Summer Queen’s storage rooms . Why are you asking us to sponsor you when you have all that money?』
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Yeon-woo inwardly clicked his tongue . He hadn’t told even the Phante siblings that he received Intrenian as a reward . It was because he thought nothing good would come out of people knowing .
The inheritance of the Summer Queen . There would definitely be an astronomical amount of money left in a storage room of a Draconic species, so people would be interested .
However, Freesia was asking like it was obvious . That was how well-connected By the Table was .
Yeon-woo nodded his head, not planning on hiding it .
“I don’t have it . ”
It was unexpected . Freesia’s eyes widened .
『……What . 』
“I already used it all . ”
Her widened eyes became even bigger . It was the first change in emotion Freesia showed . That was how shocking what Yeon-woo said was . He had already used the Summer Queen’s inheritance? In less than a year?
“I sold everything inside Intrenian other than what I needed, and I spent all that money already as well . ”
He could hear someone gasping behind him . Freesia turned to look . Atran was shaking while muttering ‘Crazy bastard!’ to himself .
He had sold everything secretly on the black market in Yeon-woo’s place, so he knew how much Yeon-woo had .
He didn’t know how much exactly, but it was probably enough for a large clan to use for several years . He couldn’t imagine where Yeon-woo had used all of that .
However, the money that would’ve been enough for others wasn’t enough for Yeon-woo .
To create a dungeon, restore the Outer Space, restructure a large scale lab, and make his own smithy, he didn’t have enough .
『Hoho . Ho!』
Freesia burst out laughing . Atran was surprised once more . He had never seen the leader laugh either .
Then, the laughter suddenly stopped . Her eyes were as cunning as a snake . She opened her mouth .
『It seems you spend as much as you use you want to swallow up . 』
Freesia couldn’t help but be amazed at how Yeon-woo had spent such a large amount of money, even for By the Table .
She saw what Yeon-woo was after . The Tower . Yeon-woo was trying to swallow this world . He was very avaricious .
Avarice without consumption stopped at just greed, but with consumption, it became ambition .
Freesia like that avarice .
She didn’t know if he would become a moth drawn to a flame or a spider, but whatever happened, he was definitely going to become something .
『And the amount you need?』
“The more the better . It’ll probably dry up soon . ”
『You’re saying you’ll use it like you use tap water . 』
Freesia laughed . It was a laugh that looked like both an ordinary laugh and a mocking laugh .
『I can see what you’re trying to do without asking you . And the clan members? Have you chosen?』
“I have a few people in mind . ”
『They’re not shallow, hm?』
“If I was going to pick those people, I wouldn’t have used up all of the Summer Queen’s inheritance in the first place . ”
『Fine . We’ll sponsor you . 』
Freesia nodded her head firmly .
『You can talk about the details with Atran . 』
Atran was surprised at the sudden mention . Freesia narrowed her eyes .
『Why? Is it too much? If so, I won’t force you . 』
Atran quickly bowed on the floor .
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“N-No! Thank you for giving me this chance!”
Freesia nodded her head . You couldn’t tell her no . She made the impossible possible .
Yeon-woo tsked inwardly as he watched her .
She was pretending to be calm on the outside, but she was an investor who took risks .
She didn’t ask what he needed, details about the sponsorship, or anything else . She just handed everything over to Atran . It also meant that she was confident she could handle whatever scale he asked for .
Was everyone at her level like that? He didn’t know how much she could handle . There was one word that came to his mind when he saw people like that .
King .
Freesia was someone who had the potential of a ruler/sovereign . She might’ve thought that to work with her, you needed to have the same qualifications as her .
Yeon-woo was amused that he was acknowledged by her . At the very least, he wasn’t an older brother who lost to his little sibling .
Swa—
Just then, the light of Freesia’s form started to scatter .
『It’s already time . Oh, before I go, let me say this . 』
Freesia spoke calmly with the eyes of an intellectual .
『I’m your average investor . I don’t ever do things that will hurt me . Also, that’s how expensive my money is . So if you think that you can’t pay me back, even the interest… . . 』
Freesia didn’t continue . She was telling him to figure it out on his own . He knew her wealth and connections, so Yeon-woo nodded his head .
The White Wolf stood up . Freesia stroked the White Wolf’s head as she jumped on top of him . She was about to return in the direction she came from .
Yeon-woo asked the last question .
“Is Yul doing well?”
『Yul?』
The White Wolf stopped . Right before Freesia disappeared, she tilted her head as her eyes glittered .
『Ah . That Furry . He’s doing well . Did you send him to the garden?』
Freesia looked at Yeon-woo strangely . Then, she grinned, shaking her head .
『This is my first time being tested whether or not we’re qualified to sponsor someone . However, I hope you don’t do things like this from now on so there aren’t any misunderstandings . 』
With that, it was over .
Atran frantically looked back at Yeon-woo . He had become a ‘Weed’ of By the Table . It was an honor for a mysterious merchant, but he was still shocked . He was also filled with questions .
“Yul? Who’s that?”
He seemed to want to ask a lot of things, but Yeon-woo just shook his head and didn’t answer . Instead, he grinned under his mask .
The child who hadn’t been able to do anything back in the Tutorial . The scared body who had his thorns raised . Yeon-woo still remembered how he said thanks and called him Hyung at the end .
He had been curious about how he was doing, but he was able to hear news about him like this . It was a relief he seemed to be doing better than what he thought .
The 98th floor .
The land of mystery that no player had approached . However, this was where the gods and demons lived .
It was divided into two large regions, but it was split into countless Societies, so it could fall apart any minute .
In Olympus, one of the larger Societies, Hermes was meeting his beautiful sister, Athena . However, Athena had a slightly stiff face unlike his easygoing one .
“It seems like our foolish uncle has made the decision to kill that child . ”
Her voice was filled with annoyance . There were undertones of a deep disappointment . It was because of what their uncle, Poseidon, was trying to do .
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