Chapter: 12
EX-grade Merchant Elia’s Contract
[You have made a contract with EX-grade Merchant Elia.]
[Partnership agreement completed!]
[Elia has been appointed as the designated merchant!]
[The ‘rights’ of a designated merchant have been granted to EX-grade Merchant Elia.]
A message window appeared after signing the contract with Elia.
I thought it was simply going to determine the profit ratio.
But she was actually appointed as a designated merchant, receiving various rights and obligations.
‘Does this mean I can only trade with Elia from now on?’
It did not really matter.
After all, Elia was the only merchant who responded to Minhyuk’s summons anyway.
Moreover, there was a privilege he liked quite a lot.
[Rights of a Designated Merchant]
Merchant experience +5%
Assigned a designated stall in the Free Market.
Can move to the partner’s location (hereafter referred to as the business site) through a portal without using Merchant Summon.
The last line was especially important.
‘A designated merchant can come to the business site whenever they want?’
Now, even without Minhyuk using the 「Merchant Summon」 function, Elia could come to the deserted island whenever she wanted.
Actually, this was better.
Rather than staying with strange people trying to take money from a child,
playing with Kkurung in a safe and healthy deserted island was much better.
“Look. You can see this, right? If you want to play, you can come anytime.”
“Okay! I’ll come play every day!”
Elia seemed to like it as well and smiled happily.
At this point, as a proper adult, even though he was stranded on a deserted island,
he had taken every possible measure to protect a child.
[EX-grade Merchant Elia delivers the profit.]
[Sales amount → 300 coins.]
Now it was time to settle the payment.
[15 coins are deducted according to the settlement ratio.]
[You have obtained a total of 285 coins!]
After deducting the merchant fee of 5%,
285 coins were transferred to Minhyuk.
[Total coins owned → 300 coins.]
The 15 coins earned from the first cucumber sale.
And the additional 285 coins earned this time.
By the way, the sales amount was 300 coins.
“You sold everything again?”
“Yes! It sold super fast.”
After checking his now much fuller balance,
Minhyuk gave Elia the reward he had promised.
“Here, let’s eat roasted potatoes. They’re hot, so be careful. Okay?”
“Wow!”
Roasted potatoes with a scent of leaves.
First, Minhyuk took a bite.
“Ah, hot— hot. Hoo— hoo—”
Although it was hot enough to burn the roof of his mouth,
the salty savory flavor spread strongly across his tongue.
Was it because they were grown in 「Fertile Territory」?
Compared to before, the taste and aroma felt much deeper.
“Hoo— hoo— Here, ahh~”
“Ah~”
This time, it was Elia’s turn.
After cooling it with his breath and feeding it to her,
a bright light flashed in Elia’s eyes.
“Mmm! It’s so delicious!”
“You can eat a lot today. We just harvested them, so we have plenty of potatoes.”
“Hehe, I’ll eat ten!”
That amount was fine.
After all, he was only giving 5% of the merchant fee.
He should at least let her eat as much food as she wanted.
“Ugh— I’m full……”
However, Elia surrendered after eating only half a roasted potato.
Seeing her little round belly after eating such a small amount made Minhyuk laugh.
“Rest. I’ll go do some work.”
“Work? Should I help?”
“No, it’s okay.”
Minhyuk quickly waved his hands.
Harvesting cucumbers and potatoes.
No matter what else it was, he could never give these two things up.
Because they were a reliable source of experience points.
“Play quietly with Kkurung.”
“Okay. Got it.”
Minhyuk rolled up his sleeves and headed to the field, beginning the harvest.
Tap— tap—
[Successfully harvested ‘Deserted Island Cucumber’.]
[You gained 7 experience points.]
[Successfully harvested ‘Deserted Island Cucumber’.]
[You gained 10 experience points.]
He picked cucumbers.
Tap— tap—
[Successfully harvested ‘Deserted Island Potato’.]
[You gained 9 experience points.]
[Successfully harvested ‘Deserted Island Cucumber’.]
[You gained 8 experience points.]
He picked potatoes as well.
‘The potatoes…… I think it’s better not to sell them again.’
He had just eaten two.
That left 38 potatoes.
For reference, the potato harvest cycle was 14 days.
Furthermore, since he had started exercising,
a steady supply of carbohydrates was necessary.
After setting aside potatoes for Kkurung and Elia,
and reserving some to use as seed potatoes,
the remaining amount would barely be enough for Minhyuk alone.
Therefore, potato sales were postponed.
“Finiiiished—!”
After finishing the exhausting farm work,
a pleasant notification window appeared before Minhyuk.
[Safe Zone LV. 9 → LV. 10]
[The Safe Zone expands!]
The Safe Zone level had finally reached double digits.
That’s right.
This was why he farmed.
However……
[Reached Level 10!]
[A special benefit is granted!]
“S-special benefit?”
He thought he would receive another useless benefit like 「Humidity Control」.
But this time it was special?
Specialllll?
Gulp—
Expectation filled Minhyuk’s eyes.
[Safe Zone recognition complete.]
[Searching survivor’s skills……]
[Analyzing skill-linked benefits……]
Message windows continued appearing like computer codes.
[Special benefit is granted to the Safe Zone!]
“……Oh?”
Minhyuk carefully checked the Safe Zone status window.
[Safe Zone]
Status → LV.10
Space → 30 pyeong.
Effects → Fertile Territory, Humidity Control, UV Protection, Legion Production.
“……Legion Production?”
What was this?
He immediately checked the details.
[Legion Production (LV.1)]
Can create powerful little soldiers.
Summons specialized in combat and protection.
Can be created using the skill ‘Crafting’.
Consumption cost and strength vary depending on material composition.
Currently available soldier material → Wood
Powerful little soldiers.
Was it some kind of guard?
“I guess I’ll only know if I try it.”
They say seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.
Minhyuk immediately used ‘Legion Production’.
‘It said wood was the material……’
Scratch— scratch—
He carved wood with his carving knife.
If he roughly shaped it into a human figure……
[Successfully created ‘Wooden Soldier Prototype’.]
[You gained 14 experience points!]
[The benefit ‘Legion Production’ activates.]
[20 coins are consumed.]
At that moment, a bright light flashed.
[Successfully created ‘Little Wooden Soldier’!]
A little wooden soldier wearing an outfit resembling a British Empire-era military uniform was completed.
Salute—!
The little wooden soldier saluted Minhyuk.
Minhyuk awkwardly returned the salute.
“Uh…… yeah. Nice to meet you too.”
It was…… nice to meet it.
But.
What could he actually do with this?
‘Isn’t it too small?’
It was only about the size of a human forearm.
Furthermore, it was not steel or titanium.
It was wood.
It looked like it would break if kicked.
He spent 20 coins and got this toy—
“Wha?!”
Minhyuk stared at the wooden soldier’s status window and was shocked.
[Little Wooden Soldier]
Grade → S
Effect → None.
Description → A soldier created by someone. Stronger than it appears.
The grade was……
“S-rank?! This is S-rank?!”
S-rank was a hunter rank possessed by only a few people in Korea.
But a single S-rank guard soldier for 20 coins?
“Oh……”
Minhyuk stared deeply at the little wooden soldier.
With this kind of extreme cost efficiency,
the situation completely changed.
‘Wait a second……’
Kkurung could detect the location of monsters.
But that was all.
Without a doubt, its combat ability was below Minhyuk’s.
Meaning it provided no real combat help.
But what if he had an S-rank wooden little soldier?
Not one.
But an actual “legion”?
And if he combined that with Kkurung’s detection ability?
‘Could I explore the jungle……?’
Not just being satisfied with cucumbers and potatoes.
He could enjoy more resources from this deserted island.
He could live a much richer stranded life.
“Hmm. Looking again, you’re pretty reliable.”
Minhyuk looked at the little wooden soldier with eyes completely different from before.
[Total coins owned → 300 coins.]
He had earned a good amount of coins.
Should he make a few more soldiers?
Love Church Headquarters.
‘Hmm…… this is strange……’
Kang Seongjun, the founder of this religion and the leader known as the Pope of Love Church, was experiencing a very confusing situation.
‘What…… exactly is happening……?’
Love Church.
A religion established only two years ago.
It was founded around the grand doctrine of praying to the Tower’s god and saving humanity.
But that was only a convincing front.
The reality was completely different.
Doctrine?
Tower’s god?
Everything was a lie created by Kang Seongjun.
It definitely was.
But……
“The Pope’s words were correct!”
“The Tower’s god has answered our prayers!”
The believers were jumping in excitement.
Calling out to him, their Pope,
and a Tower’s god that did not even exist.
“Long live! Long live the Tower’s god! Long live the Pope!”
For Kang Seongjun,
this was extremely confusing.
The reason he created Love Church?
It was simple.
His family already had money.
But he hated being overshadowed by his older brother, the youngest congressman in Korea,
and his second older brother, a famous hunter from a large guild.
So he created a religion simply to obtain a grand title called “Pope.”
It started from a childish desire to surpass his brothers.
Naturally, no normal person would believe such a fake religion.
Therefore, he targeted desperate patients suffering from 「Mana Core Erosion Disease」 whose faces had been destroyed.
He preached that they could be saved by believing in Love Church.
Eventually, quite a number of believers gathered.
But he had never taken their money or forced them to do anything bad.
It was a luxury possible because he was born wealthy.
In his own building,
without any actual religious activities,
the patients with 「Mana Core Erosion Disease」 simply gathered together, shared their pain, and comforted each other.
Rather than a religion……
It had become something closer to a care facility.
A house of love.
But—
“Pope! Has the day of salvation finally arrived? The day written in the doctrine when the Tower’s divine blessing descends!”
“……Yes. You could say it has begun.”
With the appearance of a cucumber.
A cucumber that could heal the aftereffects of 「Mana Core Erosion Disease」.
The situation began to move in a strange direction.
“Pope, how did you know that such a mysterious cucumber existed in the Free Market and guide believer Cha Seoyoon there?”
How would I know that?!
Kang Seongjun wanted to shout that.
But he calmly answered.
“That is because…… I am a man who received a divine revelation.”
A complete lie.
The reason he sent patients around using the excuse of divine revelation was simple.
If they stayed locked inside dark rooms,
their social anxiety would only worsen.
Going outside,
receiving sunlight,
breathing fresh air,
and seeing people might improve their mental health even slightly.
Cha Seoyoon was the same.
He only casually told her to visit the Free Market.
He never expected her to discover such a mysterious cucumber.
‘Rather…… is this actually a good thing?’
Whatever the case,
because of that cucumber,
Cha Seoyoon’s face had recovered to some extent,
and the believers here now had a possibility of being cured.
Therefore, Kang Seongjun spent 500 coins of his own money and ordered Cha Seoyoon to buy as many of those cucumbers as possible.
“……Everyone, pay attention.”
After organizing his thoughts,
Kang Seongjun gathered the believers’ attention.
Something seemed to be going terribly wrong.
But he still had to somehow handle it.
“As I predicted, the day of salvation has arrived. The Tower’s god has answered our requests and bestowed a mysterious cucumber upon us!”
“Waaaah!”
“We believe, Pope!”
After finishing his sermon with convincing words,
Kang Seongjun thought about how to end it.
Then—
“This is all thanks to the grace of the Tower’s god! Everyone, praise Him!”
He immediately knelt toward the direction of the Tower.
“Thank you! Tower’s god!”
The approximately 50 believers followed him and lowered their bodies in worship.
“Endless glory to the Tower’s god!”
“Endless glory!”
Toward a god somewhere inside the Tower.
A god whose face and name they did not know.
Come back safely. If something happens, return immediately.”
“Okay. Got it.”
After confirming that Elia moved to the Free Market,
Minhyuk looked at his Safe Zone and let out a quiet sigh.
“Ah…… there’s so much work to do.”
Just as he said,
the harvested fields were full of work.
He had to remove the overgrown cucumber vines.
He had to completely plow not only the sandy beach but also the hard ground with his wooden hoe.
He had to plant seeds one by one again.
And the Safe Zone had expanded by another 3 pyeong.
“Geez, when am I going to finish all this?”
While Minhyuk was muttering,
step—
step—
step—
A little wooden soldier approached with square, precise steps.
It stared at Minhyuk as if asking if something was wrong.
However, it was not alone.
A total of 10 little wooden soldiers approached in perfect two-line formation.
The result of investing 200 coins.
“No. You guys can’t do that anyway.”
Minhyuk smiled lightly and waved his hand.
The wooden soldiers were for protection.
They did not have a worker function.
The status window clearly said so.
They were for combat and protection.
In other words,
cleaning up the fields was entirely Minhyuk’s responsibility.
“Forget it~ I don’t know.”
But Minhyuk simply lay down on the ground.
He was tired now.
He would do it later.
First, he would recharge his energy with a nap.
Kuuurrr—
Soon, sleep overcame him.
How much time passed?
Poke— poke—
A rough wooden texture poked his cheek.
“……Uh, huh?”
When he opened his eyes,
one wooden soldier was standing right in front of him.
“Why? What happened…… huh?”
As Minhyuk slowly sat up,
he froze at the sight before him.
Kkurung…… Kkurung kkurung……
Kkurung was anxiously pacing around.
Salute—! Salute salute—!
The little wooden soldiers maintained their perfect formation.
And then.
Kkurung—!
Kkoro-rong—?
Kkuruk kkuruk—!
Kkurung—!
A group of unfamiliar meerkats was surrounded by the little wooden soldiers,
tied up with cucumber vines.
“……Huh?”
Minhyuk rubbed his eyes and stared blankly at the restrained meerkat group.
“Um…… who are you guys?”
