Chapter: 11
Stranded Day 30
Trickle, trickle
After watering the cucumber field first,
Minhyuk was about to water the potato field next when he suddenly shouted in joy.
“Oh!”
No way.
From the potato sprouts that had been growing vigorously—
Shara-rang—!
A beautiful flower had bloomed.
The potato flower, with its round white petals, swayed gently in the sea breeze.
He brought his nose close and smelled its fragrance.
“Huuuum—”
Oh.
This refreshing flower scent.
It felt like spring had fully bloomed inside his nose.
‘It kind of smells like an expensive diffuser too?’
Anyway.
Since the flowers had bloomed, it meant harvesting would be possible soon.
Even without that, except for the portion he had left aside to give Elia, he had already run out of potatoes, so he had been disappointed.
Just thinking about it made his food storage feel much more secure.
‘Speaking of which, Elia is a little late, isn’t she?’
Minhyuk looked toward one side of the sandy beach.
“……”
The place where Elia was always summoned with a pure white glow.
But right now, only piles of sand remained.
Even though three days had already passed, there was still no news from Elia.
‘Since she took all 150 cucumbers at once…… I guess it would naturally take quite a while.’
That was why he told her to take them in batches of 50.
He wondered if she was unnecessarily struggling somewhere.
Kkurung!
What?
There was no need to worry?
Kkurung kkurung!
Kkurung vigorously nodded its small head.
“That’s right. You’re right, Kkurung. I’m probably worrying for nothing, aren’t I?”
Kkurung! Kku-kkurung!
“Alright. Let’s exercise then.”
Minhyuk lightly shrugged his shoulders and started stretching with Kkurung while feeling the cool sea breeze.
A newly added routine this time.
“One, two, one, two!”
Kku, kku, kkurung, kkurung!
The national exercise routine he often did in the military.
After being taught once, Kkurung also stretched diligently with its short arms and legs.
Of course.
Since the purpose of exercise was to stay healthy, avoiding injuries was important.
“Alright, do 15 repetitions per set. Got it?”
Kkurung!
After warming up his body, it was time for the main exercise.
Minhyuk used the wooden dumbbell he made himself, while Kkurung used a thin branch it found in the jungle.
“One! Two! Three! Four! Five……”
Following Minhyuk’s counting, they began arm exercises.
“Last one! Just one more! Uuuugh—!”
Kku, kkuruuung!
After finishing their final set, Minhyuk and Kkurung collapsed onto the sandy beach at the same time.
Hoo— hoo—
After sweating and finishing their workout, a pleasant dopamine rush gently flowed together with the feeling of exhaustion.
Ding—!
And then……
[The Trait ‘Versatility (S)’ activates.]
[You have acquired the skill ‘Strength Training (LV.1)’.]
A new skill.
[Strength Training]
The efficiency of strength training slightly increases.
There is a certain probability of acquiring the ‘Strength’ stat.
“Nice…… haaahm……”
Minhyuk opened his mouth wide and yawned.
Obtaining a new skill was good.
But right now, it was time to enjoy a sweet nap.
Stranded Day 33
[The cucumber has entered a harvestable state!]
[The potato has entered a harvestable state!]
A pleasant message window appeared before Minhyuk’s eyes.
Cucumbers and potatoes.
Both crops had reached a state where they could be harvested.
‘Can I harvest cucumbers once every week and potatoes once every two weeks?’
If the cycles matched up like this,
he would not have to work twice.
He could finish everything in one go.
Minhyuk looked at the crops with satisfaction.
“Let’s check the results.”
The cucumbers were clearly a great harvest just by looking at them.
That plump appearance.
They looked delicious just from sight.
Next were the potatoes.
Scrape— scrape— scrape—
Using the wooden hoe, he carefully brushed away the soil, revealing the plump potatoes hidden underground.
“One, two, three, four……”
A total of 40.
The potatoes were also a great harvest.
“Keu— amazing!”
Furthermore, the effect of 「Fertile Territory」 activated once again.
[Deserted Island Potato]
-Grade → F
-Effect → When consumed, ‘Strength’ permanently increases by 0.01.
└Special Effects → Health recovery speed +20% for 30 minutes, physical resistance +10% for 10 minutes, stomach lining reinforcement ++boost.
-Description → A potato grown under the blessing of special land. It is quite salty.
A new special effect had been added following the cucumber.
“Oh……”
Minhyuk quietly admired while looking at the description.
He was not sure about the first two.
But the last effect.
‘Stomach lining reinforcement……’
Like any modern person who lived on caffeine, Minhyuk also did not have good stomach health.
Especially because his acid reflux was severe, even a little stress would cause acid to rise.
Of course, there was no reason to be stressed here.
Still, improving his condition was a good thing.
“Hmm. Nice. Very nice.”
Minhyuk nodded with satisfaction.
Now he only had to harvest crops,
gain experience,
and sell them at the store to collect plenty of coins.
But—
“……Why hasn’t she come back yet?”
Elia still had not returned.
At this point, it had gone beyond curiosity and had become genuine concern.
Had something really happened to her?
Kkurung……?
Kkurung also tilted its head with worried eyes.
“This is troublesome…… I can’t exactly go out to look for her.”
Where did that girl really go?
Several days earlier.
When there were only two cucumbers left to sell.
An unexpected visitor arrived at Elia’s stall.
“……Princess.”
“Hmm?”
The royal guard of the elf race.
After Elia responded to another merchant summon, the elite knights who had been searching the entire Tower managed to find her.
“Please come with us. His Majesty the Emperor is looking for you.”
“No! I still have two left!”
“Then…… please forgive me.”
“Uwaaang!”
Elia was immediately taken to the royal palace.
She was carried under the knight’s arm and presented before the Emperor.
“Elia! Why do you refuse to listen! I told you a princess cannot become a merchant!”
“No! I’m going! I like being a merchant!”
“Enough! I said no! Are you making a mockery of your father’s words?!”
Even against the Emperor’s warning,
Elia continued to resist.
Her stubbornness showed no signs of weakening.
Rather, she had become even more stubborn than before receiving her first merchant summon.
The Emperor even suspected whether those evil demons(?) had placed some kind of curse on Elia.
“Test results?”
“That…… we brought the greatest mage of the royal family and conducted every possible examination…… but we found no curse or mind-control magic. And, as a side note……”
“Speak.”
“The princess’s mental health has actually improved. It would be more accurate to say that she has become more energetic both mentally and physically.”
“What?”
No mind-control magic.
No curse.
Nothing external was influencing her.
It was purely 100% Elia’s own will.
Furthermore, 「Summon」 was an absolute authority of merchants.
Because it operated through the Tower’s own system, once Elia accepted the summon, there was no way to prevent her from being summoned to the Tower.
The best they could do was release the royal guards and search for Elia somewhere inside the Tower.
In other words.
Stopping Elia from merchant activities was impossible from the beginning.
“Haah…… Fine, Elia. I will allow your merchant activities.”
Therefore, the Emperor reluctantly allowed Elia’s dream.
However, with several conditions.
“First. Traveling merchant activities are forbidden. You may only conduct merchant activities at a designated location in the Free Market, and you must report that location to the royal family.”
The most important thing was Elia’s safety.
There was no way he would leave a six-year-old princess alone in such a dangerous Tower.
Even though the Free Market was a neutral area,
it was still the Tower.
Therefore, without Elia knowing, the Emperor planned to assign the elite royal guards as her personal protection.
“Okay. I understand.”
Fortunately, Elia accepted obediently.
Now for the next step.
“Elia, then how much payment are you receiving for your activities?”
“Payment……? What is that?”
“Money. The reward you receive for acting as a merchant.”
“Umm…… money? I never received any.”
The Emperor’s expression darkened.
“You are working as a merchant…… and receiving no money?”
“Yes. But I get to eat delicious things. A lot!”
For reference, this was only Elia’s second summon.
“……Your Majesty, I apologize for saying this……”
A nearby official explained that normally the first summon was free, and official contracts began from the second activity onward.
The Emperor’s expression calmed again.
However, the important issue remained.
“What amount of payment would be appropriate for the princess?”
“According to custom, 10% would be appropriate, Your Majesty.”
The actual payments merchants received were like this.
Beginner merchants received 10%.
Intermediate merchants received 20%.
Experienced veteran merchants received up to 30% of sales.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At that moment.
“That is unacceptable, Your Majesty.”
Knight Commander Kellia spoke.
“How can the princess receive the same treatment as ordinary merchants?”
10%, 20%, 30%.
Other merchants could receive those amounts.
But Elia was the princess of the royal family.
For a noble bloodline that would one day lead the elf race to become mere merchants serving demons was already an insult to their pride.
But receiving equal treatment as ordinary merchants?
That was impossible.
It would be no different from mocking the royal family itself.
“The contract should be 50:50 to preserve the dignity of the royal family.”
“That is correct, Your Majesty.”
The other officials all agreed.
“Then……”
The Emperor lightly nodded and glanced at Elia.
After all, at this moment, Elia was the only person possessing an EX-grade merchant certificate.
The demons could not refuse.
‘Even if they refuse……’
Then Elia would no longer be able to work as a merchant.
That was also an acceptable result.
“Second condition. The profit distribution will be 50 to 50.”
“Huh? Why? I don’t need money.”
Elia only wanted to play with Kkurung on the deserted island and eat delicious cucumbers and potatoes.
But—
“It is an imperial order, Elia. If you refuse, I will use the full power of the royal family to stop your merchant activities.”
“Umm…… okay.”
Facing the Emperor’s serious pressure for the first time in her six years of life,
Elia could only nod.
She was not happy about it.
But at least he was allowing her to continue being a merchant.
[EX-grade Merchant Elia is returning.]
And so,
Elia was able to return to the deserted island.
……Meanwhile.
“So you’re saying you want 5 out of the merchant payment?”
Minhyuk asked while looking at Elia, who was demanding half of the profit.
“Yeah…… they said I have to……”
Elia awkwardly nodded with a gloomy expression.
Even without hearing the explanation,
Minhyuk could guess what had happened.
‘Someone is obviously controlling things from behind.’
Using this child.
To take someone else’s money.
Some bad adults must have attached themselves to her.
Otherwise, there was no way Elia would suddenly make such an unreasonable demand.
Why did similar situations always appear in modern dramas?
Making poor children sell newspapers for 10 won while only giving them 1 won.
Those kinds of bad people.
Elia’s situation was probably similar.
‘I expected it…… but she really wasn’t a princess.’
A princess would never become a merchant.
Elia was clearly a child suffering through a difficult situation.
Poor thing.
“Do you really have to take 5?”
“Yeah…… otherwise they said I can’t……”
Then.
There was nothing he could do.
Minhyuk smiled kindly and said.
“Okay. Then you take 5.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Instead, I’ll take 95.”
“Wow! Sajang is the best!”
After all, if the money was going into the hands of bad people,
it was better to give them as little money as possible and feed Elia plenty of crops instead.
[The Tower contract has been created.]
[The settlement ratio has been set to ‘95 : 5’.]
He did not know who the people behind this were, trying to manipulate an innocent child.
But
They would not get what they wanted.
