The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 8

“Thank you for the welcome, Mayor.”

Raul took steady steps forward and shook hands with Reynaldo.

‘He looks surprisingly solid.’

Raul’s appearance was entirely different from what Reynaldo had expected.

He had anticipated a small, frail figure with gaunt limbs and a pale face, but to his surprise, Raul was about as tall as him, with muscles aptly adorning his limbs, giving him a sleek look.

And above all, his face was incredibly handsome.

Reynaldo, who almost lost himself staring, quickly gathered his wits before speaking up.

“So, young master Raul, what brings you to our city?”

“I heard this place is good for training.”

Upon hearing Raul’s answer, a sense of disappointment washed over Reynaldo, as he had expected. However, as always, he had a response ready.

“Of course. If you’re looking for a place to train, you’ve come to the right place. Speaking of this place…”

Though he felt a dent in his pride having to explain this time and again, as if he were a guide, the need for money commanded respect.

‘He’ll probably just pretend to train, like the others, and leave when he’s had enough.’

The reasons nobles’ offspring came to this place were mostly twofold: either they caused trouble or were sent for reflection, or they were curious to see if the rumors about the training conditions were true.

The rumors weren’t false; this place was indeed blessed by the gods, making it impossible for anyone to take another’s life.

Status didn’t matter here. Anyone granted permission to stay was under absolute protection.

Injuries healed, and the dead were revived. It was truly divine protection.

Hence, using the city’s training grounds meant one could spar with real swords without risking death.

It was an excellent training opportunity for nobles’ offspring who lacked real combat experience!

Yet, they often shied away from training due to the ‘pain’ it involved.

While life was preserved, pain was not eradicated.

Spoiled as they were, it was no surprise they disliked such rigorous training.

Thus, Reynaldo thought Raul would be no different. Rumor had it he was exceedingly weak.

But Raul’s next words made Reynaldo doubt his ears.

“I would like permission to enter the Cursed Forest.”

“…!?”

Reynaldo stiffened and looked at Raul sharply.

‘Does he understand what he’s asking?’

But nothing in Raul’s expression gave anything away.

Breaking the momentary silence, Reynaldo spoke.

“That place cannot be opened. It’s too dangerous. There’s no point in going.”

The so-called Cursed Forest was a territory within Mira teeming with monsters. The problem was, while monsters could revive, humans could not.

Why risk life for monsters that yielded nothing upon defeat?

Many had entered out of curiosity in the past and never returned. Hence, since becoming mayor, Reynaldo had prohibited entry.

“I am well aware of the nature of the Cursed Forest. However, I would really like to enter for my training. I’m also considering investing in this city should you grant me access.”

Reynaldo was momentarily tempted. But then he shook his head.

‘He must have heard I’m short on money. But I can’t risk a young life for a mere sum. A mishap could cause trouble with the Count’s family.’

Moreover, considering Raul was the Count’s youngest son, how much could he possibly offer? Even for a wealthy family’s child, the sum wouldn’t exceed 5,000 gold, Reynaldo reckoned.

Though the amount was welcome given his current situation, it wasn’t enough to justify the risks of opening the Cursed Forest.

Deciding to decline politely, Reynaldo opened his mouth to respond.

“I appreciate the offer to invest, but opening the Cursed Forest is…”

“Five hundred thousand gold!!”

“… Possible! Of course, I intended to open it!! When would you like to enter?? Anytime is fine.”

Reynaldo sprang up, grabbed Raul’s hands, and said with an excited voice. His face, as he looked at the bag of gold coins placed on the table, was adorned with a beaming smile. The negotiation seemed to be going smoothly.

* * *

Raul and his party were accommodated in a residence provided by the mayor. It was a large three-story building that could host up to 50 people, with a spacious training ground in the backyard. It even had a personal gym, swimming pool, and bathhouse in the basement, showcasing how much care the mayor had put into it. Raul, seated on the terrace of the most lavishly decorated room, was lost in thought while watching the sunset.

‘The mayor has had it tough. I thought he was just a stern and taciturn person.’

Such development was unimaginable in his previous life. Back then, Mira was a bustling, prosperous, and dynamic place. Naturally, the power and authority of the mayor were overwhelming, rendering him nearly inaccessible unless an appointment was made a month in advance.

However, the current Mira was nothing but an undeveloped, imbalanced city. Too many accommodations for the number of visitors, a vast shopping district with few open stores, and excessive amenities and various guilds compared to the population. The city was designed considering the players would stay, making this situation inevitable.

Running such a city without going bankrupt thus far made the mayors of the Hart household seem incredibly remarkable. Yet, Raul had achieved everything he wanted. Gaining access to the Cursed Forest was merely a side quest; his real target was the undeveloped real estate of Mira.

Through negotiations with Mayor Reynaldo, Raul managed to purchase undeveloped prime lands and several well-located stores in the outer city. Plans were made to build luxury residences for nobles, guildhouses for player guilds, communal housing for regular players, and even a ten-story luxury hotel on the acquired land. The land, currently worth almost nothing, would soon turn into gold mines worth hundreds of times more.

As players influx and war breaks out on the continent, this place, shielded under divine blessing from the threats to life, would become the ultimate refuge, priceless even with money.

‘In my previous life, I never sold the land to anyone. Just leasing it made me a fortune. Sorry, but this time I’ll have to take my share.’

Fortunately, the budget was ample. The 4.5 million gold earned from tournament betting, combined with the 500,000 gold borrowed from the count, totaled 5 million gold. This sum was half the annual budget of the entire Count’s territory.

With one gold roughly equivalent to 100,000 won, it amounted to an astounding 500 billion won in Earth’s currency. The stakes were simply on a different level.

The population of the Count’s territory alone numbered in the millions, including dozens of vassal families and neighboring territories. Not to mention the big-spending nobles, knights, and professional gamblers that were attracted to the mix.

‘I thought I had handled a decent amount of money becoming a ranker in my previous life. But playing in these waters, the scale of the figures are just in another dimension. However…’

Considering the upcoming war and the potential enemies he would face, this amount of money was far from enough. Whatever it took, he needed to amass as much money and resources as possible before the turmoil began.

Mira, the free city, was just the beginning. Raul planned to stake a claim in as many free cities as possible before other players arrived. Based on this, he intended to expand his business and steer the players in the direction he wanted.

Last time, he was crushed by the financial power of the large guilds, but this time would be different.

‘They will surely throw their money around carelessly, right? But it won’t be as easy for them this time. That splendid money of yours! I will suck it dry like a leech.’

Raul clenched the bundle of gold coins in his pocket, resolutely promising to himself.

* * *

The next day, Raul visited the administrative office early in the morning to register his guild. Given that the system had introduced a guild feature, there was no reason to delay any longer.

The name of the guild was “First.”

It was a name chosen with the meaning of being the first guild and the one that would lead the way.

Naturally, Raul was the guild master, and the guild members were….

“So, you’re saying I just need to sign here?”

Jake asked with a slightly puzzled look.

“Yes. The others have all signed already. How long are you planning to drag this out!?”

Raul raised his voice slightly, prompting Jake to reluctantly sign the document while scratching his head.

“My mother told me not to just sign anything….”

‘I explained everything to him just last night. This sly one!’

Raul glared at Jake once more before collecting the document containing his signature.

With this, the 50 followers that came with him were all now members of his guild.

By tomorrow, when the registration was complete, they would likely see a new world.

In Connect, residents could also participate in player guilds. Not only that, but upon joining a guild, they could receive assistance from the system as quasi-players.

Although they faced some restrictions, they could level up quickly through hunting, just like players.

However, it was rare for residents to actually participate in player guilds.

From a player’s perspective, there was no reason to fill the limited guild slots with residents. It was enough to hire mercenaries if needed.

‘Besides, once a resident dies, it’s over. There’s no need to invest in having them as guild members. But my case is different.’

It was natural for him to accept his followers as guild members rather than unreliable players. They shared the same roots as Raul and had the same objective of protecting their territory.

After collecting the signatures, Raul submitted the documents to the government office and headed to his next destination.

Now that the guild application was complete, the next step was to equip it with new weapons for growth.

[Warrior Association Mira Branch]

Raul glanced at the sign before stepping inside the building with his followers.

“Welcome. How can I assist you?”

A female clerk, startled by the sudden influx of visitors, stuttered slightly.

“We came to look at skill books. Up to which rank do you sell here?”

“Oh, you’re here to purchase skill books? Our branch sells up to C-rank skills.”

“C-rank?”

Raul, who had expected at most D-rank skill books, was pleased.

However, the clerk quickly added,

“Um, we only sell up to D-rank to regular customers. C-rank skill books require VIP membership.”

Raul’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“What are the requirements for VIP?”

“To become a VIP, you need to increase your contribution through our association’s quests. Otherwise, a purchase record is needed, but the amount is quite substantial. So, it’s best to start by increasing your contribution….”

“Forget that. How much do I need?”

The clerk, seemingly embarrassed to say, glanced around before whispering,

“Ten thousand gold. It’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

Raul smirked.

“That’s not much. Okay, let’s start with D-rank then.”

“Which type of skill books shall I show you? Sword, spear, axe, blunt weapons, shields. Just tell me!”

“Give me everything.”

“Excuse me??”

“I’ll buy one of each type, from F-Grade to D-rank.”

The clerk stood motionless for a moment as Raul pointed from the left end of the shelf to the right, indicating he wanted everything.

(To be continued)