Seo Jun-Ho tilted his head. Even for the dramatic Gong Ju-Ha, her reaction was unexpected.
“You did,” he responded.
“Are you sure that’s where they are? That’s weird, it’s not really a place where people live…”
“What do you mean by that?”
Gong Ju-Ha crossed her arms as she crunched on the ice. “Because Dustang is a place for criminals…”
“...A place for criminals?”
“Yes, it’s like Paradise, but for criminals. If they hide there, the empire won’t pursue them.”
“Why not?”
“You can think of it as a dumpster of sorts. If they stay in Dustang, there’s nowhere else for them to go.”
“I see…So they leave the criminals in a single area so they’re easier to take care of.”
“It’s a notoriously evil place. There are even rumors that fiends frequently go there.”
“I see,” he muttered. He didn’t know what Arthur was doing there, but he wasn’t really concerned.
‘Deok-Gu said that he’s strong enough to fend for himself.’
Since Shim Deok-Gu said it himself, it meant that Arthur should be pretty skilled. It didn’t seem like he would be the type to be intimidated by a few criminals.
“...You don’t seem very worried?”
“Well, he’s not a kid. He wouldn’t have gone there if he didn’t think that he could handle it.”
Gong Ju-Ha nodded slowly. “That makes sense.”
“So, is that all I should know?”
“Let’s see… I can’t think of anything else, so I should’ve told you all the important things.”
“I’ll repay you someday.”
“Don’t worry about it, and just focus on getting stronger. Go hunt monsters, join dungeon raids, and make sure to get Quests from the Adventurer Guild while you’re in Gilleon.”
“What should I do if I want to go to another city?”
“You can walk, hire a coachman, or use a Teleport Gate.”
Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes sparkled. He had heard about how convenient the Teleport Gates were in Frontier. They were set up in every city of the Ruben Empire.
“I’ve heard of those. Are they nice?”
“Besides the price, they’re amazing. Once you try it, there’s no going back.”
“Can I use them too?”
“Nope.” She made an ‘X’ with her arms over her head. “Teleport Gates are strictly regulated by the empire. If you want to use them, you need Rubenian citizenship.
“...Am I not a citizen?”
“Of course not. Check your status window.”
“Status window.”
[Seo Jun-Ho]
Level: 36
t.i.tle: Bringer of Spring (+2)
Status: Tourist
Strength: 140 Stamina: 153
Speed: 147 Magic: 182
The first thing he noticed was his stats.
‘Seems like the t.i.tle ‘Bringer of Spring’ effect is working properly…’
The 30 points of stat increase in all stats made him feel giddy.
“Hm?” He stared at his status window before blinking. He saw a new section. “Status?”
“It says you’re a tourist, right?”
“Yes…”
“The moment a Player enters Frontier, they are given tourist status for 90 days. If you do enough Quests during that time, the Adventurer Guild will give you a new identification card. Mm… you can think of it as a work visa.”
“How meticulous.”
“Well, it’s not as hard as it sounds. If you just stay out of trouble and stay active, you’ll easily be able to get it.”
“What happens after 90 days?”
“Your status will change to ‘illegal alien’ and you’ll be hunted down.”
“...You’re joking, right?”
“Do you think I am?” She was smiling, but she seemed serious. “And lastly… You really have to be careful of other Players.”
“Well, I’m not a pushover myself.”
“I know you’re strong, but I just wanted to warn you just in case.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“And…” She dug around in her inventory and pulled out two books and a map. “Here. This is a gift.”
“The reward for the bet is already more than enough.”
“I’m just giving this to you because I want to. You can think of this as a sunbae’s affection for a praiseworthy hubae.” She grinned. “This is a Skill Book. You’ll be able to read the Rubenian language if you use it. You’ll need it from now on.”
“Isn’t this expensive?”
“I can afford it, so just take it.”
The timing of this was perfect. He had been planning to buy a map of the empire. He thanked her and immediately activated the skill book before he turned to the next book.
“Is this also a skill book?”
“No, this is a guidebook of sorts. It’s only supposed to be used by Guild members, but I’m making a special exception just for you, Mr. Snake Head.”
“...Is it really okay to give this to an outsider?” Seo Jun-Ho doubted.
“Hey, I told you not to worry. When a sunbae gives you a present, you’re just supposed to say ‘thank you’ and accept it.” She smiled as she gave him presents that would be very helpful to him. “I hope you grow a lot.”
“Am I a tree or something?” He looked at her strangely, but he bowed his head. “Anyway, thank you. You’ve helped me out a lot.”
“Fufu.” She stood up. “Oh, right. This should be obvious, but Frontier doesn’t have communication satellites,” she said, tapping her bare left wrist.
“So I can’t text and call using my Vita?”
“Bingo~ But still, you should carry it around. The interpreter feature works perfectly fine.”
“Does it work with the people here?”
“Of course. It can translate Rubenian. So if you see someone with a Vita, they’re likely a Player.”
Technology was amazing. “I see. But if I can’t text or call, how do I contact people?”
“Your Community feature should’ve been updated.”
“Community?” As he said that, a hologram screen similar to his status window appeared before him. “So it’s like an open forum?”
“Correct. There are different kinds of boards too. Generally, you can only use it in a city. But if you’re in the same field as others, a regional channel will be created, so you should use that too. This is my username, so please contact me if something ever happens.”
Gong Ju-Ha put a small memo on the table. It read, “iluvac.”[1]
Seo Jun-Ho tucked it away and nodded. “I’ll contact you in the future.”
“I don’t have time today, but I hope you didn’t forget that you promised to treat me to something good.”
“Of course, I haven’t. It’s the promise I made in Las Vegas.”
“You better buy me something expensive.”
They walked out of the cafe together, and she waved at him as she stepped into the crowd.
“Work hard!”
“Yes! Thank you so much!”
The Frost Queen spoke as they watched her disappear. “How fun. She is like a fox.”
“A fox? If she were an animal, she’d be a dog or a cat or something.”
“Haaa, you are ignorant in the ways of women…” She sighed. “It will only be tiresome for me if I attempt to explain even further. So, what will you do now?”
“I think I’ll be in Gilleon for a while, so I need to find a place to stay.”
He began walking forward.
***
“Welcome to Hotel Shangri-La.” The doorman greeted him politely and bowed from the waist.
Seo Jun-Ho stepped into the extravagant lobby, looked around for a bit, and immediately left.
“Hm? Contractor, did you not say that you were looking for lodgings?”
“Yeah, but that place isn’t it.”
The Frost Queen sighed. She liked the elegance and luxuriousness of the hotel. “Well, I suppose you need to be wise with your spending.”
“Huh? It’s not about the price.” He shook his head. “I’m new to this city. I barely know anything. So the best place for me to stay would be somewhere where lots of different people come and go.”
“Ah, but did you not learn anything from the fox girl?”
“I want up-to-date information that’s not in a book written by a Guild.”
They soon arrived in front of an inn. It was much less flamboyant than the hotel, but it was similar in size.
Dewdrop Inn.
The skill book he had used earlier allowed him to read the sign.
The first floor was a restaurant, and it was noisy with people.
“Hahaha! I’m telling you, I ma.s.sacred those Kobolds with this mace!”
“Did you hear? The Red Sand Bandits have been causing a ruckus near Gilleon.”
“I feel bad for the lord. It’s a pity that the heir caught such a terrible plague…”
“Those f.u.c.king Players. They’re stealing all the Quests from the Adventurer Guild.”
“Have you heard about the disappearance of the adventurers and Players?”
As Seo Jun-Ho lingered near the entrance, a waiter approached him. “How many?”
“Just me.”
He was led to a table in the corner, and the waiter brought him a gla.s.s of water and a menu. Seo Jun-Ho didn’t bother reading it.
“Please get me the best dish and alcohol here, along with a cup of tea.”
“That would be mushroom soup with lamb steak and Hainal Mountain beer. Is black tea okay?”
“Yes, please.”
“That will be 51 copper.”
At the waiter’s soft response, Seo Jun-Ho dug through his inventory.
‘The Ruben Empire’s currency is made up of copper, silver, and gold.’
100 copper was equal to 1 silver, and 100 silver was equal to 1 gold.
‘Gong Ju-Ha told me that 1 copper was about 1,000 won.’
So 1 silver was about 100,000 won, and 1 gold was 10,000,000 won.
He had received 1,000 gold from Shim Deok-Gu, which meant that he had around 10 billion won.
“51, correct?”
Clatter.
He dropped 51 gold onto the table. The waiter’s jaw dropped, and the entire restaurant went silent. The waiter quickly pulled himself together and covered the gold with his ap.r.o.n.
“S-Sir, it’s 51 copper, not gold. You shouldn’t show off gold like this in public s.p.a.ces.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, nodding casually. He put away the gold into his inventory in a way that was not deliberately slow or fast.
“I-I’ll bring you the change.” As the waiter walked away with a single gold coin, Seo Jun-Ho closed his eyes. He could almost hear the people’s heads and eyes turning toward him.
“Contractor, were you trying to show off your wealth?”
“Of course not.” He smirked and shook his head. “Money attracts flies. Strong flies, at that.”
He slowly opened his eyes and looked up. Two large men were blocking the door. The bald man who had been drinking with them walked up to Seo Jun-Ho.
“It must be him.”
Seo Jun-Ho decided right there and then that the man would become his informant.
1. Shortened/slang version of “I love air conditioners.” ☜