Chapter 28
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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
nThe early morning sun rose on the eastern side of the desert.
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nThe temperature gradually rose. Despite not having been freed of the chill of dawn just yet, the morning sun still brought warmth to the place.
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nIt was a new day.
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nAt the same time, it was also a new week for everyone at the Oasis Lookout.
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nSunlight shone on the wooden window of the Council Hall. Several birds of unknown names chirped and flapped their wings. They were seemingly happy at the arrival of dawn as well.
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nEverything looked peaceful.
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n“It’s morning, eh?” Kant woke up.
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nHe rubbed his face a little, gradually clearing his head of the dazed state of being half-asleep.
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nHe lifted the woolen blanket. He grabbed the clothes at the top of his bed and put them on. He was no longer able to continue sleeping.
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nThe system had given him a prompt.
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nDing… As the morning sun rises, a new week begins.
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nIncome: Your Drondheim (village) collected 50 Denars in taxes.
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nExpenditure: You have paid 360 Denars to your forces as salary.
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nAll the sleepiness he had was immediately dispelled.
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nThis really is a heavy blow. Kant was dumbfounded.
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nThe System closed the account once a week. Kant did not have villages or regular forces before, so he had no taxes to collect or payments of any kind to settle.
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nAs such, he had forgotten all about it.
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nHe looked at the expenditure column. He frowned at the high amount of 360 Denars.
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nThis isn’t just paying a lot…
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nIt’s paying a hell of a lot!
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nKant looked troubled and gritted his teeth. “This is terrible.”
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nThen again, there was nothing he could have done about it.
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nAccording to the size of his current forces, the weekly expenditure was important and hefty. It was so much so that it far exceeded the amount he had spent building the village’s buildings.
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nSwadian Recruit, one Denar per week.
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nSwadian Militia, four Denars per week.
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nDesert Bandit, 12 Denars per week.
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nThose were the weekly individual payouts.
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nWith the number of troops thrown in, it had grown to be:
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n30 Denars for 30 Swadian Recruits
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n140 Denars for 35 Swadian Militias
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n192 Denars for 16 Desert Bandits
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nThe total was 360 Denars.
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nThe expenditure incurred by the weekly maintenance of his forces gave Kant quite a headache.
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nThe numbers looked almost terrifying.
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n“System.” Kant sighed. “Display the remaining amount.”
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nCapital: 20 Denars
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nThe system plainly listed the requested data.
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nKant was unable to do anything but allow a bitter smirk to form. “I knew it.”
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nA week ago, Kant, who just arrived at the Oasis Lookout, had acquired 1000 Denars as a reward.
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nSeven days had quickly passed.
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nNow, 20 Denars were left in his account.
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nThat bit of money left in the game in his previous life would have meant bankruptcy. Worse still, Kant was in a real world. Without Denars, the currency recognized by the system, getting around in the world was nearly impossible.
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nHe was not able to maintain his forces, let alone develop the village.
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nAt present, he sorely lacked the 360 Denars required to pay his forces for the upcoming week.
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nThere was an option to disband his forces.
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nHowever, that meant digging his own grave.
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nThe threat of the Jackalans loomed over him like the Sword of Damocles hanging over one’s head. If he disbanded his forces, the next time the ferocious primitive race hit, the Oasis Lookout would likely end up razed altogether.
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nThe end of the line, eh.
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nKant shook his head. He felt a surge of exhaustion overwhelm him.
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nHe walked out of his room and went downstairs. He headed outside the Council Hall.
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nMany peasants were working by the side of the pond. They were digging up sand and mud.
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n“Good morning, My Lord.
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n“Good morning, Our Revered Lord.”
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n“My Lord, good morning.”
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nWhen they saw him, all of them greeted Kant.
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nKant nodded and said, “Morning.”
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nHe turned around and looked at the side of the Council Hall. The 26-foot-tall watchtower was finished.
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nThe tower was completed the day before. The builders from Suno had all left the Oasis Lookout through the system.
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nThere was little to nitpick about their construction skills.
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nThe base was constructed from stone. The main body was constructed with wooden materials nailed together. The roof looked like that of a small house. All aspects of the structure looked as sturdy and reliable as they could have been. It looked finer than the usual workmanship of watchtowers found in common villages.
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nThere was one Swadian Militia currently standing guard above. Holding his hunting crossbow, he was on high alert.
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nFour Swadian Recruits, who were armed with spears, stood at the base of the watchtower. They served as messengers. They relayed any news received from the tower to every corner of the oasis.
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nThe 26-foot-tall watchtower had a great view.
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nEven if the Jackalans gathered and attacked again, the Swadian Militia was prepared. As long as there was ample light in their surroundings, their good view from the watchtower allowed them to detect anything before an attack.
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nIt provided them enough time to get their defenses ready and give the Jackalans a run for their money.
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n“My Lord, good morning.”
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nThe Desert Bandits had returned. They were still on their horses.
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nThey currently served as scouts. They patrolled around the Oasis Lookout. They had found nothing unusual during their patrol.
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nThat was good news.
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nHowever, the leading Desert Bandit frowned and looked at Kant before saying, “Please forgive the forthcoming tone, My Lord, but I seem to find you looking rather displeased.”
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nIt was more than just being displeased. Everyone throughout the oasis noted Kant’s upset face.
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nIt was all due to problems with capital.
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nKant nodded slightly and did not bother denying. “Yeah, I’m not quite in the mood.”
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nThe Desert Bandits were unable to do anything to solve that.
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nIt was such that in that world. Solutions for certain problems were few and far between.
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nAt the very least, Kant still had no idea of how to use the world’s currencies to exchange for the Denars required by the system.
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nCurrencies like Great Silver and Gold did not elicit any reaction from the system. Kant experimented back in the Dukedom of Leo. He had asked the system if the exchange was possible.
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nThe system had given him a short, concise answer. “It is not possible.”
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nThe acquisition of Denars was only possibly by finishing quests from the system.
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nOh well. Kant sighed. It’s like I have System Quests to do every day.
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nIt seemed as if the system realized what Kant was thinking.
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nA dialog box immediately appeared on his retina.
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nDing… Main Quest Assigned
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nMain Quest: Value of Denar
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nReward: grocery store x 1
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nIntroduction: Denar is the only currency, but it is not something that cannot be exchanged. Find an area and deposit all of your current Denars. You will acquire the only building that can solve your current predicament.
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nHuh? Kant read the message on the retina and frowned.
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nThis is a main quest…
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nIt looks rather simple.
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nNo. It isn’t just simple. It looks almost free!
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nA grocery store?
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nKant gulped. He was reminded of the game from his previous life. There were four types of shops in the markets of cities and towns.
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nA grocery store was one of them.
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nHe turned his eyes toward the Council Hall.
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nTo the east, there was the watchtower and Desert Bandit Lair, but there was nothing to the west.
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n“System, build the place there.”
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nKant had made a quick decision.
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nData streams instantly surged. On the western side of the Council Hall, where he had just had his eyes on, a typical Swadian building of stone and wood appeared within mere seconds.
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