Again, I only proofread this myself. I will repost the proofread version later.

And check out my new side project Emperor Saga : Slaves Covenant

Thank you for reading ^_^

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Chapter 52 : Money

Just after the chaotics subjugation, in the city of Mafoso. Like usual, the ‘Blessed Tavern’ was packed with customers. It was the most popular tavern in Mafoso especially among the merchants.

The merchant was especially fond of the tavern as they were gathering news about the markets prices, stocks prices and various rumors that would benefit them here.

Beside the merchants as the tavern’s number one customer, other classes do hang out here just to have fun and chatting with their buddies.

As the early sun rose up, everyone started to leave the tavern. The merchants heading to their shops, bards and dancers wrapping up their performances. And the other classes continuing their usual activities whether it was grinding level or doing quests.

The tavern started to get empty. Somnia, the tavern owner begun his daily routine of tidying up things. His workload were lessened by his workers and slaves. Still, tidying up the three stories tavern took some time to complete.

Some customers remained, but one person attracted Somnia’s attention. Unlike the others, the lone user only sat at the table bar for the whole night.

He was an elf with a round figure, wearing glasses and pretty short for someone from elf race. As if he was waiting for something, his gaze was fixed on something hanging on the right wall of the tavern.

It was a broadcast screen used to broadcast the games’ news and announcement, the in game television. Every users also had this function but the one used in the taverns had a bigger screen and video quality.

Besides of broadcasting announcement from the game developer, it had one more function after the update. It was the very reason Somnia bought it and put it on his tavern.

The functioned was, it could also broadcasted reporting news from amatuer in-game reporters. Reporters was not an official job, but after the update it became huge trends among the users.

These reporters equipped themselves with video camera and microphone, items that could only be bought with real money.

As they were relaying the news, the in game television across the world would broadcasted it live by switching to the right channel.

It was fun doing it as a hobby, but the real reason it was super popular among the users because of the money that may come with it.

For every in game television that tune in a channel, a copper coin would be automatically deposit to the user owning the channel for every five minutes.

It brought great opportunity to the users. While in the field, while in the city, and while in the dungeon, everyone could become reporter as long they had a camera and microphone.

Cameras and microphones sold like a hot cakes. As these items bought with real money, Emperor Saga’s owner, DT Entertainment profit a lot from this.

After the update, users registering as reporters number in millions and that is still increasing. And it also means that the in game television had millions of channels.

Back to the tavern, the short elf only focused on the television screen without budging. He was specifically interested on Egil city’s news channel.

Somnia just smile as he saw the elf, he knew that expression. The expression of someone longing for something. He went into the kitchen and brewed some coffee before he served it to the elf.

*tap*

“Here you go, have some coffee.”

“Y-Yes, thank you.”

“How was it? Brewing coffee wasn’t my specialty, after I owned this tavern I left the skill to rot.”

“Hmm..It’s good enough.”

As the silence fell again, Somnia Looked at the elf intently. The elf eyes still focus on the television screen.

“Waiting for some news in Egil City?”

“Y-Yes, my daughter follow the caravan for the merchant class upgrade quest.She never goes out of this town, so I’m worried.”

“Is that it? Heh, you love her that much, huh.”

As the elf heard Somnia’s remark he could only smile wryly. Just before he could spoke again, the television broadcasted the much awaited news.

“Breaking news! There was an attempted raid at the caravans last night. The incident began late last night at the ‘Starhill Checkpoint’.

Instead of defending the checkpoint until help arrived, the caravan, led by a merchant named Gilbert made a daring move.

The caravan breakaway from ‘Starhill Checkpoint’ moving along the north path toward Egil City. Luckily, the caravan managed to defend against the raid as the reinforcement managed to arrived on time.

But it was not without casualties, three merchants died and their wagons were robbed. And ninety percent of the caravan’s troops died in action.

Err...how to end this? Thank you for watching! I am Lina Trail from the news team, ‘The Train’. “

As he watched the news, he had cold sweat running through his body. His eyes widened as if the news was something to be taken seriously.

With haste, he opened his users interface and choose ‘private chat’. It was the setting work like a phone call.

Gotika : Esca! I heard the news, are you okay?

Esca : F-Father? I’m fine, don’t worry about it.

Gotika : I don’t think this is a good idea, how about going back here and…

Esca : What?! No, please. Even if it just this once, please let me complete this trip.

Gotika : Esca……

Esca : I know this is selfish of me, but I hope you understand. Sorry, and please don’t worry.

*********

Egil City

The merchants flooded the city’s entrance as they were busy checking their goods and preparing their wagon to be placed at the local warehouse.

After everything set in stone, most of the merchants logged out as they were tired from the long day. Some were staying chatting away with their friend about the recent raid.

For the leaders of the caravan, they were busy discussing with each other to prepare their reports. GIlbert needed to send the report to the ‘merchant guild’ while the mercenary leaders sent their reports to the ‘mercenary guild’.

Their reports needed to be in essay form about the raid turned of event.They also needed to submit the casualties in details and the name lists of the caravan’s members.

The officials from both guilds would read the reports and decide how many guild points would be awarded to each member.

Because they successfully defended against the raid, every guild member received quite huge bonus guild points.

Needless to say, the surviving members earned more points. The leaders gained bonus points just from being a leader.

All of the contributors mentioned in the reports would received the greatest guild points award. All of the caravan’s leaders agreed that Gilbert was the main contributor because of the courage he showed at the battle of the hill.

Chrono, Esca, Jason and James were runner up as their information was one of the reason the caravan was saved.

Regardless of the guild, the reports of all of the caravan leaders should be the same. It was to avoid the leader from abusing the guild points rewarded.

As they were finished preparing the reports, Gilbert headed to the ‘merchant guild’ while the other mercenary leader headed to the ‘mercenary guild’ to submit their reports.

Both merchant and mercenary guild would prepare their copy of the reports after it was submitted. It was to be sent to other guild for users under different guild such as ‘bounty hunter’, ‘hunter’, ‘magic guild’ and any other to receive their guild points rewarded.

******

His telephone line was cut off. His house was dark due to the outstanding electrical bill. His stomach was buzzing for food but nothing in the kitchen he could eat. The $ 6.47 from his bank account, he couldn’t withdrew it from the atm machine.

He was in the red. He was dead poor. And he was too tired to care. As he arrived at his home, he lean on the sofa he used to cut into two with the sword he bought.

Everything went well in the game, but nothing good happen in his real life. As he fell asleep on the sofa, he wished for a good dream. And he wished for a better tomorrow.

****

bang! bang!

“HEY! Open the door!”

Early in the morning, just after Daniel finished dressing up to go somewhere. A loud sound coming from the door accompanied with a man’s voice.

Daniel open the door to see what was up and he saw a big man in black suit with a scar on his face . Behind the man, there were around ten other man, all wearing black suits.

Daniel particularly knew the man wearing sunglasses with cigarette on his mouth just behind the big man. He was their leader. Daniel quickly knew what was up, but he remained indifferent.

“I’m not in the mood today, just go away.”

As he said that, Daniel step out from his house and locked the door before his nonchalantly walked away.

“W-What with that attitude, HEY! You didn’t pay your loan for four month now, did you take us for a joke?”

The big man loud voice made it the whole apartment could heard him. Some of the neighbour started looking at them as the situation looked tense.

Daniel stopped as he heard the big man. He turned his head sideway and stared at the big man with his eyes.

“So what, WHAT you gonna do?”

“Y-You, how dare you! Do you know who we are?!”

“No idea.”

Daniel continued to walk away after his last remarked. The big man lift his fist as he was prepared for a fight, but the man wearing the black sunglasses stopped him.

“Just stop it newbie, we don’t have a chance.”

“B-But we don’t know until we try!”

“We tried, and failed miserably. And it was thirty people .”

“So what? We should just let him go? Just like that?”

The man with the black sunglasses just pat on the big man as he explained.

“Normally, we don’t just stop if the debtor just strong.But…”

The leader tried to speak more but stop midway. He made a deep sigh before he continued to speak.

“Forget it, if it was him, everyone in this business will understand, no one will look down on us. Beside, he is an honourable man, he will pay when he have the money. With interest, of course.”

*****

With thin clothes, his whole body trembled in the cold weather. He had no money for public transport, not a penny left in his wallet.

He could only walked in the heavy snow. With clothing only match in the summer and stomach screaming to be filled, he walked a five kilometers distance.

His destination was the bank. He couldn’t withdraw his last $ 6.47 from the atm machine. He could only withdraw the money by cancelling his account at the bank’s counter.

As he finish withdrawing his last money, he went to the nearest stall for a meal. A proper meal after two days made him felt like crying, he barely stopped his tears as he didn’t want to draw everyone attentions.

Once he finishes his meal, he searched for a public phones. It took him several hours to find one as the new era made the public phone almost went extinct.

With the white snow surrounding the area, he saw the lone phone booth at the side of the street like a precious treasure chest.

He ran to the phone booth before he stood still in front of the public phone. It took him quite a while to muster his courage, pick the phone, put the coin and dial the number.

*beep* *beep*

“Hello?”

As the other side picking up, Daniel felt reluctant to speak. But his current situation didn’t allowed him with any other choice but to turn to-

“....Mother, I need some money.”

his family.

***