The Territory War of Day 2

DAY 2 — The name of the quest was “Territory War.”

The rules of DAY 2 were extremely simple and clear.

The more land you claimed for yourself, the greater the rewards, and if at any point one person occupied more than 30% of the land, the quest would end early.

“This is unfair!”

Hearing someone’s complaint, I agreed.

This quest was an openly unfair game.

[R: A game advantageous only to those who possess a certain attribute seal.]

More precisely, advantageous only to Seolya.

A modified script has been detected, revising.

[N/S: But is that really all?]

In any case, the leading candidates were more or less the same.

Excluding the five known outside as the Five Stars, the remaining candidates were merely their close aides.

[N/S: Seolya and Jeog-o, Imokgun and OZ, Benchel. Among them, only Seolya possesses the Water-Ice attribute seal.]

As advantageous as this was for Seolya, it was obvious the other four would harbor ill feelings toward her.

Even if Seolya realized it, she wouldn’t hold back.

She couldn’t afford to.

[N/S: Since it has come to this, Seolya must secure the most advantageous position possible here.]

Otherwise, she might not only fail to become king but even be eliminated miserably in the very next stage.

[N/S: Of course, the other four will struggle desperately to prevent Seolya from ending the quest early.]

There was a reason they had set the condition at 30% of the land.

[N/S: …That’s what everyone would think, right?]

Even to me, who knew the entire progression, it looked plausible, so to others it would look even more so.

I intended to make use of that.

Applying the Half-White Half-Black Hide, protecting the wearer from the ‘Cold Wave’ status.

Current durability: 98%.

Applying the Tail of the Thousand-Year Snow Leopard.

In synergy with the Half-White Half-Black Hide, the ‘Cold Wave’ status barely affects you.

From the beginning, I had no ambition to take first place.

The efficiency was far too low for that.

Applying Pearl-Seeking Circle, the “Jewel that Brings Wealth” begins to guide you.

Since this was a quest tailored for a specific individual, if I stubbornly tried to follow along, I would only waste my limited points and end up asking, “Okay, Google, what’s the temperature of the Han River today?”

Within the blizzard, where it was hard to see even an inch ahead, something flickered intermittently.

It was the light emitted by the seals whenever power was used.

After the Ruin, those who wielded “special” powers were chosen by “special” beings.

Thus, all the royal candidates gathered here were Seal-Bearers.

Except for me.

‘Still, that’s actually fortunate.’

I didn’t know how the “player” character had entered Bran without even possessing a seal, but it didn’t matter to me now.

Reward points obtained from successfully completing DAY 1 quest exist.

You may use the Shop.

Because I could do things like this.

‘Now then.’

Wrapping myself in bear hide and biting down on the tail of the Thousand-Year Snow Leopard to block the freezing cold, I followed the luminous pearl floating in midair.

In reality it wasn’t a luminous pearl but a post-Ruin creature.

Resembling exactly the strange orb recorded in Pilwonjapgi, it had been given the same name.

Like a true Pearl-Seeking Circle, this “post-Ruin creature” guided its owner to wealth and never lost its light anywhere.

Opening the Shop.

Here you may purchase items or weapons you have previously obtained using points.

Even within the blizzard.

Acquired “Battlefield Visage.”

“Battlefield Visage: First edited edition of Sokjabrok. When small insects gather, from afar they appear like soldiers or generals tangled in combat.”

I scattered the shapes of people swinging swords and spears, of archers drawing bows.

A shallow trick that ordinarily wouldn’t work, but this was inside a blizzard.

Thus disturbing the surroundings, I ran after the Pearl-Seeking Circle.

Acquired two Horseshoes of Georu.

“Georu: The divine steed of the Great Martial King. Even if it loses its way on the battlefield, it returns.”

My heavy steps grew light.

[R: To occupy land, one must step on or possess the ‘Territory Core’ of that location.]

I had known that from the start.

‘Others might vaguely know there’s some indicator granting ownership, but not what it is or where it lies.’

The Pearl-Seeking Circle paused briefly.

I collected the Territory Cores one by one from the piled snow.

‘There’s a huge difference in efficiency between playing land-grab without knowing the indicator and knowing exactly what it is and where it lies.’

The Pearl-Seeking Circle began moving again.

To guide its master to “wealth,” as promised.

Candidate “Seolya” has occupied over 22% of the total territory.

Now all that remained was to wait for the fruit to ripen.

Candidate “Seolya” has occupied over 29%.

Candidate “Imokgun” over 16%.

Candidate “Benchel” over 17%.

Candidate “OZ” over 15%.

Candidate “Jeog-o” over 11%.

As the quest has reached its midpoint, if one individual occupies over 30%, the quest will end.

A little more.

Just a little more.

Candidate “Seolya” has occupied over 28%.

Over 29%.

Over 28%.

Until everyone grew more impatient.

Candidate “Seolya” has occupied over 29%……

The moment it felt right, I burst the collected Territory Cores.

Like fruit splitting open, they exploded, and butterflies made purely of light rose into the air.

‘The Territory Cores I gathered amount to exactly 13%.’

Meaning total territory occupation: 100%.

Quest completion conditions satisfied.

Ending quest. 🙂

Seolya failed to achieve her goal of ending the quest early by surpassing 30%.

And then.

“I’m selling my 13%. Conditions negotiable.”

I had achieved my plan.

“Imokgun’s final occupation rate is 16%. Benchel 17%, OZ 15%, Jeog-o 11%. If you acquire my 13%, the first three among you can win this quest.”

Though my face was hidden beneath bear hide, I smiled brightly at our leading candidates.

“I’ll transfer it to whoever offers the most tempting terms.”

Naturally, protests erupted.

From Seolya’s camp, currently in first place.

“Lord Arbiter! Is this even allowed?”

“Haha, why wouldn’t it be?”

Caliburn replied with a grin, legs still crossed.

“If no candidate has ended the quest by exceeding 30%, then settlement occurs only after all shareholders agree. Until then, I do not intervene.”

Resting his chin lazily on his hand, he watched.

“Lord Arbiter!”

I cut in.

“Of course, the Jade Qilin’s side may also purchase my share.”

Jade Qilin was Seolya’s nickname.

The protests quieted at once.

I was glad I wore the bear hide.

If I laughed here it would surely look like mockery.

“Should you not first reveal your identity?”

That was said by a tall man in his early thirties — Imokgun’s closest aide, if I remembered correctly.

“Is that truly necessary?”

I conveyed, ‘That won’t do.’

Why else would I be wearing this smelly bear hide?

“A deal with an untrustworthy merchant may bring great disaster.”

“Good goods need no lengthy explanation.”

It’s a limited edition, after all.

“If I show my face and sell my shares, what then? Should I earn the resentment of the other four for no reason?”

“Then shall we promise protection?”

“You’d graciously protect a nobody who dared sell shares to a lofty candidate?”

I added with a smile.

“That’s exactly the look on your faces.”

“I…….”

“Not you, strategist. The people behind you.”

His expression stiffened.

I shrugged conspicuously.

I keep copying Caliburn.

‘Maybe because my face is hidden.’

Then my gaze met Caliburn’s as he looked down at me.

He seemed to grin, and I grew embarrassed.

Like being caught imitating last night’s drama.

“Anyway.”

I cleared my throat.

“I cannot reveal who I am, but one thing is certain. I will transfer my shares to whoever offers the best terms. I will first transfer them to Lord Arbiter, who will then pass them along.”

Caliburn added.

“If you wish.”

“Myself may be suspicious, but the shares aren’t. Numbers don’t lie.”

No one had more to say.

“…I’ll give the hide of the Shallow-Fur Tiger. It blocks any arrow or bullet.”

“I’ll give the fin of the Sea Loach! With it you can raise great waves or tsunamis!”

“I’ll give the feather of the Tiger-Patterned Hawk. Throw it and you can hear distant sounds as if beside you. And if you wish, we’ll grant you a position in our camp.”

“Us too—!”

If so, this was the natural course.

Ah, the taste of rising bids is sweet.

‘If this were real life, forget Gangnam land — I’d own a building in London.’

Which made it rather regrettable.

“Young Master…!”

It was my first time playing the tyrant, yet I had to stop here and run.

I suddenly switched tone, calling out “Young Master!” while looking at Jeog-o.

He, who had silently glared at me until now, flinched.

‘Me?’ his face said.

All eyes turned to him.

I did not stop.

“My heart’s pounding, I can’t do this anymore! I quit!”

“What on earth—?”

Mid-sentence, Jeog-o seemed to realize who was inside the bear hide.

“You! I wondered where you slipped off to!”

Jeog-o, the young master of our Western City, was sharp-minded but even quicker-tempered.

True to a Fire Seal bearer.

Only after exploding did he realize.

‘He’s screwed.’

“Damn it, that’s not it!”

Too late.

It now looked exactly as if Jeog-o had orchestrated everything.

If I removed the hide now it would be worse.

Even if I’m nobody, surely someone would recognize I’m from the Western City.

“Lord Arbiter.”

Seizing Jeog-o’s predicament, I called Caliburn.

“Hahaha, how polite.”

That damn mouth.

“I transfer my shares to Young Master Seo. Is that possible?”

“To transfer, there must be exchange.”

So I stated what I wanted.

“I’ll take a bamboo tube from Young Master Seo.”

“A bamboo tube? Why such a useless thing—?”

Someone muttered incredulously.

Fair enough.

Bamboo tubes dropped frequently from post-Ruin creatures, even weak ones.

“Young Master Seo?”

Caliburn prompted.

Cornered further, Jeog-o replied hastily.

“Yes, speak up, Lord Arbiter! Surely you can judge right from wrong—!”

He was in a hurry.

Last time he used honorifics; now he’d dropped them.

“Haha, you answered. Deal sealed.”

“Wait, that’s not what I meant!”

Final Score of the “Territory War” Quest 🙂

Seolya 28%.

Imokgun 16%.

Benchel 17%.

OZ 15%.

Jeog-o 24%.

Total 100%.

[R: The winner of DAY 2 was Seolya. Perhaps an inevitable result.]

Good.

It hasn’t changed.

Better not twist the main flow too much.

[R: Having occupied 45%, Seolya received the rank of Duke. The quest was not merely a game. The land obtained became their base. Thus Seolya, who gained nearly half—.]

A modified script has been detected, revising.

[N/S: Below 30% receives the rank of Count. Below 20%, Viscount. Below 15%, Baron. Those below must serve as Knights or Retainers. In this quest, none of the Five Stars fell below 15%.]

[N/S: The five pillars did not collapse.]

Candidate “Seolya” final title: Count.

Candidate “Jeog-o” final title: Count.

Candidate “Imokgun” final title: Viscount.

Candidate “Benchel” final title: Viscount.

Candidate “OZ” final title: Viscount.

Caliburn’s lips curved.

“Haha.”

Two strong, three middling.

In truth, not much difference between them.

“It’s getting interesting.”

No one agreed with Caliburn.