A little while after the Duchess of Tesnoka had left,

    [Trading Post]

    [Trade Partners]

    -Tesnoka Territory-

    Resources avable for exchange:

    [Wood] [Iron Ore] [Stone]

    [Leather] ─ [More]

    ※Please enter the trade price along with the trade request if you wish to trade

    ※Once the other party epts the trade, the delivery of the goods will start immediately, and the trade cannot be canceled from the moment the delivery starts

    “So this is how it works.”

    Kim Hyunwoo looked at the now properly activated trading post with a satisfied expression.

    Initially, he wondered if it was a mistake to create the trading post, but now that he could utilize it this way, he felt it was indeed a good decision.

    ‘I was nning to start development after officially operating the Labyrinth city, but this changes the story.’

    Kim Hyunwoo immediately clicked to see more of the trade goods avable from the Tesnoka territory.

    “Wow.”

    He was momentarily astonished by the extensive list that appeared as soon as he clicked to see more.

    Kim Hyunwoo swept up as much wood, iron ore, and stone as was immediately avable from the ducal house, proposing about 20,000 Gold Coins as the trade price before closing the trading post window.

    ‘This amount probably won’t be disappointing.’

    In reality, the price of the resources Kim Hyunwoo bought was actually slightly lower than 20,000 Gold Coins, but he was willing to pay more than that amount.

    He decided that putting in a bit more than the exact purchase amount without calcting every detail would have a positive effect on future trades with the ducal house.

    ‘Especially seeing that rare resources are also for sale among the resources, it would be best to maintain a good rtionship as much as possible. After all, basic resources will eventually have to be reced by production.’

    Thinking this, Kim Hyunwoo looked at the buildings outside the Lord’s castle.

    Each building consumed a considerable amount of resources, which could be managed through trade for now, but once the buildings’ levels began to rise significantly, it would be impossible to keep up with buying resources with money.

    Once the levels of the buildings start to exceed Level 5, the amount of resources they consume bes of apletely different magnitude.

    Is that all?

    Once all buildings start to exceed Level 5, they require rare resources corresponding to each building to level up.

    This means that at some point as the territory naturally grows, the difficulty will skyrocket.

    Of course, pouring resources and rare resources into raising building levels would indeed pay off, but it was an undeniable fact that it required an enormous amount of resources.

    “Hmm-”

    After thinking for a while, Kim Hyunwoo looked at the currency window.

    [Red Stones: 13,800]

    [Blue Stones: 17,885]

    [Gold Coins: 117,724]

    The currency window looked much more reassuring than when Kim Hyunwoo first arrived here.

    Of course, the Gold Coins and Red Stones were expected to decrease rapidly, but still looking at the currency window, he smiled proudly and soon called for Elena through a soldier.

    A little timeter.

    “…Hmm?”

    Kim Hyunwoo could see Elena, who seemed a bit ufortable,ing up to the office.

    “Is there something wrong?”

    Kim Hyunwoo asked.

    Elena slightly shook her head to deny his question, then spoke with a look of being somewhat cautious.

    “It’s not that, I heard something a bit strange.”

    “Something strange?”

    “Yes, I heard that the Duchess of Tesnoka proposed to you, Lord… Is it true?”

    Kim Hyunwoo answered Elena’s subtly probing question.

    “That’s true, but I declined.”

    “…Ah, is that so?”

    Ah, as Elena’s voice brightened for a moment before sheposed herself, Kim Hyunwoo nodded.

    “Yes. Well… there’s no need to get married right now.”

    “Right, I think so too. And it’s better to be cautious around such women.”

    “…Is that so?”

    “Usually, such women, aren’t they a bit cunning? Yes. Definitely.”

    “…Is that so…?”

    “If I had seen someone say that in front of me, I wouldn’t have just stayed quiet

    “……”

    As the conversation goes on, Kim Hyunwoo is losing words due to the increasingly ominous atmosphere.

    Her eyesck focus slightly, and her expression is chillingly cold as if she could kill someone.

    At that, Kim Hyunwoo awkwardlyughed and nodded.

    “Understood. I’ll be careful.”

    “That’s good to hear. Anyway, why did you call me?”

    Seeing Elena asking as if all her curiosity had been resolved, Kim Hyunwoo said,

    “From now on, we’re going to build a Labyrinth city.”

    “…A Labyrinth city?”

    “Yes. There’s something you need to do before we build the city.”

    He looked at Elena and got to the point.

    A few days after Kim Hyunwoo officially dered the construction of the Labyrinth city,

    numerous people gathered at the grand auction house of themercial territory Rapengan.

    Moreover, unusually, a reallyrge crowd had gathered.

    This was truly an unusual event.

    Fundamentally, the grand auction house in Rapengan was not a ce where just anyone could enter, unlike other auction houses in the domain of Rapengan.

    Only those who had received permission from the Lord of Rapengan could enter this grand auction house.

    Those who had received the Lord of Rapengan’s permission were each capable of exerting a certain degree of influence on this Continent.

    And the reason so many people had flocked to such a grand auction house was because the ‘Execution Sword’, which hadpletely disappeared a few years ago, was being presented at this auction.

    Of course, not everyone present was there to purchase the Execution Sword.

    Immediately, four individuals had rushed here upon hearing the news of the Execution Sword being presented.

    Sword God Arwen.

    Snow Ghost Ram.

    Great Mage Laran.

    Earthquake King Cm.

    Each of these great heroes, capable of easily destroying a vast territory if provoked, had gathered in one ce, and the nobles had flocked here to foster connections with these great heroes, except for the Sword God, who had no significant affiliations yet.

    From the perspective of the nobles and lords, it was beneficial to establish a rtionship with at least one of the four great heroes present at the auction, as they were extraordinary individuals.

    No, the word ‘extraordinary’ was not enough to describe them.

    After all, each of the great heroes present was a living history in their own right.

    Sword God Arwen had single-handedly erased ‘Sm’, one of the vast territories with over ten thousand soldiers and heroes, from this Continent overnight a few years ago.

    Snow Ghost Ram had actually lifted Mount Tai in the North to crush a Dragon-level Disaster that had invaded his tribe, an unbelievable feat.

    Great Mage Laran had reached a level of magic unmatched on this Continent and was on the verge of the 8th circle, a realm that every magician dreams of and aspires to.

    Earthquake King Cm had single-handedly explored the 12th tier of the Labyrinth, killed the Tier Boss that no one imed could be killed alone, and reached the 13th tier.

    In other words, each of the great heroes present had achieved feats worthy of being called a living history, undeniably strong individuals recognized by all.

    The nobles and lords had crowded into the Rapengan auction house in hopes of forming even the smallest connection with them.

    Consequently, as nobles gathered, various merchant associations and guilds also gathered, each with their own objectives, targeting those nobles.

    Just as the nobles had gathered to see the great heroes, the merchants and guild leaders also knew that it was rare for so many nobles and lords to gather in one ce.

    Anyway, thanks to everyone, including the great heroes, flocking to the auction house for their respective purposes,

    the interior of the grand auction house was now filled with individuals capable of exerting a certain degree of influence on the Continent, except for the Empire, which was too far from the territory of Rapengan.

    However,

    “……”

    despite such a situation, the auction house, which should have been bustling, was eerily quiet.

    No, it was not just quiet; there was practically a silence enveloping the ce.

    The reason was,

    “…Huh?”

    “What did you say just now?”

    “Say it once more.”

    “This is absurd.”

    because the four heroes who hade to purchase the Execution Sword were emitting a murderous intent so intense that ordinary people would faint in moments.

    However,

    “Did you not hear? Then, I shall say it once more.”

    The woman who angered the four great heroes, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, spoke in a calm and cold voice.

    “I do not care about the other items. Give them all to me, but the Execution Sword shall be mine.”

    As if it were the most natural thing, she dered this to the four great heroes.

    “And if I refuse?”

    At the words of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, Snow Ghost Ram, with a fierce smile, spoke.

    “If so, it cannot be helped.”

    The Absolute Ruler of Darkness,

    “I shall have no choice but to kill you,”

    casually uttered these words, looking at him with an infinitely indifferent gaze.