Chapter 74: Great Gacha Era (5)

Elena, momentarily startled by Kim Hyunwoo's gloomy appearance, cleared her throat naturally and then spoke,

"Hmm... But Lord, will the supply hold? It seems to me that the supply might be a bit insufficient."

"Ah, indeed, it is like that with the current state."

As soon as Kim Hyunwoo knew the stamp worked properly, he called Elena and Lani to help make the Explorer's Magnifying Glasses.

Thanks to that, the supply of Magnifying Glasses exceeded 1,000 in just one day, but naturally, from this moment on, it was difficult for Kim Hyunwoo to meet the mercenaries' demand no matter how many Magnifying Glasses he made.

In other words, a factory for producing Magnifying Glasses had to be set up, one way or another.

In fact, from Kim Hyunwoo's perspective, a factory for making Explorer's Magnifying Glasses could be set up quite quickly.

After all, with the stamp in his hand, he could produce thousands or even tens of thousands of Explorer's Magnifying Glasses at this very moment.

The materials needed for the Explorer's Magnifying Glasses were only wood, iron, Magic Stones, and Mana Water.

'And since only one low-grade Magic Stone is needed to make each Magnifying Glass, there's no worry of running out of materials.'

Thinking up to there, Kim Hyunwoo suddenly found himself pondering the cost of producing the Explorer's Magnifying Glasses.

'Given that one bottle of Mana Water can make about 1,500 Magnifying Glasses, and since only one low-grade Magic Stone is needed per Magnifying Glass, all things considered... the cost is roughly around 15 Silver Coins...?'

Kim Hyunwoo, recalling this, unwittingly marveled to himself.

'It's even more profitable than the restaurant business...?'

Admiring himself for creating a tremendous creative economy with a mere cost of 15 Silver Coins close to one Gold Coin, Kim Hyunwoo quickly returned to the main issue at hand.

'...In the end, making a factory or whatever isn't the issue, but the problem is the leakage of information.'

The disappearance of a few Magnifying Glasses wasn't a big issue, but the leakage of the manufacturing method was.

If the Explorer's Magnifying Glasses could be made elsewhere, then the situation would become a bit troublesome.

'...Of course, it would work if I, or other heroes, took charge of engraving the circuit inside the wooden block with the stamp.'

At least that way, it would be possible to prevent the leakage itself.

After all, the most important part of this simple manufacturing process was the circuit drawn by the stamp Kim Hyunwoo held inside the wooden block.

Moreover, since the already manufactured Explorer's Magnifying Glasses were treated as cash items, not being destructible unless destroyed, there wasn't much worry about them being dismantled after being made.

'But, the wooden blocks before completion aren't treated as cash items, so they can be dismantled.'

Ultimately, there was no solution if the materials were stolen before completion.

"Hmm..."

After pondering, Kim Hyunwoo soon came to a conclusion.

"Well, given the current unavoidable circumstances, I plan to make them myself for a while."

"You're not considering using workers?"

"It would be a big problem if the manufacturing method were leaked."

"Ah..."

"By the way, if it's okay with you, I would appreciate it if you both, Elena, and Lani, could help out a bit whenever you have time. I trust both of you."

Kim Hyunwoo's words.

Upon hearing this, Elena momentarily wore a blank expression, then cleared her throat again which she had cleared a moment before, and spoke,

"I'll help out after my work. As the Lord has said, in truth, I'm now in the same boat as you."

"I'll help too once I'm done with cooking! Lately, thanks to the Lord assigning chefs, I have a lot of free time besides the usual hours!"

"Thank you."

Upon their acceptance, Kim Hyunwoo nodded with a smile but thought,

'Even so, I can't keep making them forever, so I definitely need someone reliable to entrust this to... I need to think about this.'

With those thoughts, Kim Hyunwoo sighed lightly as if there was no other option,

"Then, could you help out a bit more today?"

With that, Elena, Lani, and Kim Hyunwoo continued making Magnifying Glasses until late at night.

That day, Kim Hyunwoo, Elena, and Lani were able to make about 4,000 Magnifying Glasses, including procuring additional materials.

In just a few days, the spread of the Lowest Grade Explorer's Magnifying Glasses from the Lartania territory had transformed the lives of mercenaries.

"Yessssssssssss!!!!"

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!"

...for better or for worse, that is.

"Damn it, how does this make sense! How does it not make sense!!! How can I not get even one after more than 100 tries!!"

"Fi-finally broke even! Hahahahahaha!"

Since the Lowest-grade Explorer's Magnifying Glasses began to be widely distributed, a variety of human dramas have emerged in the Lartania territory.

"Do you know what this is?"

"Th-that's Sela's Sword...!"

"It's worth as much as 310 Gold Coins...!"

"Yeah, exactly that. I got it with the Magnifying Glass in just five tries."

"Whooooah, this is crazy...!"

"Is, is it true? You got it in just five tries with the Magnifying Glass?"

"Yes."

Those who boast about the items they've obtained with just a few uses of the Magnifying Glass.

"Me, I'm going to do it too!"

"Honestly, wouldn't it be okay to try about ten times??"

"If that guy got one, there's no way I won't...!"

Those who rush to try it themselves after seeing others bragging about their items.

"Damn it!! How does this make sense!? How can one not even show up, not even one!!"

"I'm ruined... I've already spent 50 Gold Coins and got nothing...!"

"Oh heavens!!!! Why this trial upon me!!"

Those who, in a moment, gambled all their money away and became destitute, wearing a look of utter despair.

"I, I can't end it like this, I can't let it end like this!"

"Yeah, yeah, a guy I knew told me he got Ambala's Chain exactly on the 100th Magnifying Glass...!"

"Is, is that really true?"

"Yes! It's clear that the chances of finding something good increase by the 100th try!"

Those who, in an attempt to recoup their sunk costs, invest even more money into the Magnifying Glass, and start believing in facts that didn't even exist before.

In addition, after finally breaking even after much effort, thinking that just breaking even was unreasonable, some went on to gamble more and ended up completely ruined, along with many other human dramas spreading among the mercenaries of Lartania.

"Seriously..."

Allen, leading a mercenary band in Lartania, was also embodying one of those many human dramas.

"Why won't it show up...!!"

As Allen beat the floor of the Labyrinth in a grip of despair, the entire mercenary band wore gloomy expressions.

No wonder, since Allen had used about 80 Magnifying Glasses today, and all those 80 Magnifying Glasses were bought with the Gold Coins collected to be distributed to the mercenary members.

In other words, Allen's entire mercenary band had invested in the Magnifying Glass gacha, and since they had squandered all the money they had collected over several weeks due to the Magnifying Glasses, the mood in the mercenary band couldn't possibly be good.

So, the gloom was only momentary.

"...I knew this would happen."

Harel, a member of Allen's mercenary band, who had always opposed the use of Magnifying Glasses and who effectively served as the group's guide, sighed and said,

"I told you, this is too risky..."

"Sorry... if only I had drawn better."

Allen murmured with an endlessly gloomy expression.

Realizing there was something peculiar in his murmuring, Harel checked the mood of the mercenary members and then spoke,

"No, what's done is done. As you know, money doesn't come back. But being gloomy about it won't change anything. You all know that, right?"

After looking around, Harel patted Allen's shoulder and said,

"So, let's all shake it off and get up. After all, we've already paid the inn for more than a week in advance... and Lartania will buy the random stuff that came out. If we sell all this, we can salvage about ten Gold Coins."

With Harel's words calmly turning the gloomy atmosphere around, including Allen's shattered mentality, the mercenary band's mood began to improve gradually.

"Yeah, you're right. Being gloomy won't change anything anyway."

"Yeah, that's right! Don't be too gloomy, Allen! After all, we all agreed to it...!"

After comforting Allen in unison, the mercenary band's atmosphere returned to its former state.

"Indeed, we shouldn't have started this in the first place. As you all know, this is like gambling, right? If you draw, you're lucky, but if you don't, you fall into a trap."

Immediately after, as if to say that escape is in order of intelligence, Harel began to list the terrifying aspects of the Magnifying Glass one by one.

"...That's true, just because it happened to that guy doesn't guarantee it'll happen for us."

"Definitely, there are way more people who've lost than those who've profited from buying it. Right around here, you can see several people who've been ruined."

The members of the mercenary band nodded in agreement one by one, slowly extricating themselves from the quagmire of gacha they had momentarily fallen into.

Thus, about six hours passed.

Allen's mercenary band agreed not to get caught up in Magnifying Glasses and to work as usual, collecting money in the ordinary way, and they hunted diligently.

"Indeed, earning money through hard work is the right way, rather than hoping for a windfall."

"Right, right."

As the mercenaries were making these comments while exiting the Labyrinth.

"This is crazy...!"

"Jackpot!"

"Oh heavens!!!!! Why me!!!"

As soon as they emerged from the Labyrinth and heard the clamorous voices, Allen's mercenary band all wore puzzled expressions.

Seeing a familiar mercenary making a fuss, Allen approached him and asked,

"What's all the fuss about?"

"Who...? Ah, is that you? You've come at the right time! It's chaos because of the Magnifying Glass right now."

"Because of the Magnifying Glass...?"

"Yes! Guess what, someone drew Kamalan's Necklace!!!"

"Kamalan's Necklace...? Huh, don't tell me that... the artifact from the Labyrinth that was traded for 5,000 Gold Coins at the Rapengan auction house?"

"Yes, that's the one! It's causing quite a stir right now because of that!"

"This is insane..."

Upon hearing that, Allen's impulses began to be fanned.

Though he had lost 80 Gold Coins right away, what if he drew the necklace and gained 5,000 Gold Coins?

It would be a profit.

Not just any profit, but enough money to retire from mercenary work right away...!

Thus, Allen felt the urges within him bubbling up, but.

"Ah, no... I must resist...!"

He tried his best to resist the urge.

After all, he had just lost 80 Gold Coins that morning.

So, despite Allen's gritted teeth.

"One Gold coin... for 5,000 Gold Coins..."

"...Harel?"

Seeing Harel starting to ponder something, Allen wore a perplexed expression, but.

"...Shall we try once?"

"Huh? But you definitely said earlier that this was an inescapable marketing ploy..."

"...If it's for an item worth 5,000 Gold Coins, it's a different story."

Upon hearing Harel's follow-up, Allen suddenly remembered his dream.

"...Indeed, he always wanted to retire. Certainly, even divided among eight people, 5,000 Gold Coins would be 625 Gold Coins each... With that amount, one could settle down and open the tavern he always wanted..."

The moment he thought of that.

"...Since we've already spent 80 Gold Coins... how about we only spend 20 more to make it an even 100 Gold Coins?"

With those words, seeing the ambition and the symbol of money seemingly filling her eyes, Allen began to slowly unleash the desire he had been quietly suppressing.

Six hours after their minds were defeated by the Magnifying Glass.

"Should, should we?"

The Allen Mercenary Band fell into desire once again.

And at that moment.

When the Magnifying Glasses had practically all sold out, to the point where selling them became nearly impossible due to the depleted stock.

In various places around Lartania, where heated debates about the Magnifying Glasses took place, along with a mixture of hope and despair.

"...Is it... really that significant?"

Elena, with a face full of curiosity, held the Magnifying Glass as she headed towards the Labyrinth.