Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 14

Dungeon Journal-14

# 14

Dungeon Journal

Episode 15

#7. Black Merchant

The price of Down Gems was twice as high as Kim Jin-woo had expected. He thought the large and small Down Gems would be worth about 300 to 400 million won [Korean currency], but the appraised value came out to 90 million won per gem.

In addition, due to the limited quantity, he was able to sell three Down Gems at a price of about 100 million won each.

Originally, he hesitated to sell the Down Gems because of the situation, but he pushed himself somewhat to prepare for the future.

It was fortunate that Mr. Baek did not raise any major suspicions because he knew that he was a level 12 Dungeon Baby [a term for novice dungeon explorers].

The money he got from selling the Down Gems was 300 million won.

With that money, Kim Jin-woo first obtained a house somewhat far from the city center. He had to go in and out of Naga’s Labyrinth countless times in the future, so it was not appropriate in many ways to lock the door and live there.

He absolutely wanted to avoid his family opening the door and discovering the portal if he was away for a long time.

So, against his parents’ opposition, he had to leave home again.

“Cough.”

Kim Jin-woo coughed incessantly.

The condition of the house was not very good because he had searched for a place focusing on secrecy and security rather than comfort.

The previous tenant had used it as a warehouse, so it was full of dust.

He hadn’t even unpacked his luggage yet, but just getting rid of the dust was no easy task.

Eventually, he gave up, threw down the cleaning tools, and opened the portal.

‘Master.’

As always, Dominique greeted him. She looked puzzled, as if she knew that the scenery beyond the portal had changed.

“I moved.”

When he briefly explained the situation, Dominique suddenly pretended to roll up her non-existent sleeves.

‘Oh my, you should have called me sooner if something like this happened.’

After saying that, she asked for his permission and then took a few Naga workers across the portal.

He already knew from his experience in the underground that they had no restrictions on crossing the portal, so it was not surprising.

But the result was amazing.

Dominique finished cleaning the house in just 30 minutes, which he couldn’t finish even after struggling for two hours.

In addition, she showed him how to rearrange the positions of the bed and desk that had been left carelessly.

‘It’s very shabby for the master to stay in, but it’s perfect for coming and going comfortably.’

Dominique, who had tied up her long hair that had been hanging down, looked subtly feminine, as if it had been in the way of cleaning.

Kim Jin-woo smiled and told her she had done a good job, as she looked like she wanted to be praised.

She smiled brightly and subtly shifted her weight, then said as if she had just thought of it.

‘Master, the labyrinth upgrade will be finished soon.’

He had already poured a whopping three out of nine Down Gems into upgrading the labyrinth.

Kim Jin-woo, who had already realized the usefulness of the portal and the Nagas through the last battle, poured money into the labyrinth without hesitation.

“Ah, there are still about four hours left.”

When he opened the status window and checked the time, Dominique looked expectant.

It seems that the labyrinth is her whole world, unlike himself, who goes back and forth between the ground and the underground, so she has great expectations.

And he was just as excited.

Even the Naga warriors that could be summoned from the 3rd-grade labyrinth showed tremendous power against the Hell Spiders.

He couldn’t even imagine what kind of beings would be added to the 4th-grade labyrinth.

“More importantly, where is that guy?”

When Kim Jin-woo asked, Dominique quickly understood and answered.

‘Ah, I sent the Naga warrior out hunting. If you need him, I will send him to you as soon as he returns.’

“I don’t particularly need him.”

There was a Naga warrior who showed particularly brave behavior in the battle with the Hell Spiders.

Even though he was the same Naga warrior, the one who was bigger than the others looked different from ordinary Nagas at first glance. Perhaps there were individual differences even among the same summoned creatures.

‘Do you like that Naga warrior?’

“Because he’s strong.”

Being strong in the underground was good in itself. It meant that he had the power to survive in the brutal competition for survival where there was no morality or anything else.

‘If you want the Naga warrior to become stronger, you need to pay more attention to him. The labyrinth doesn’t grow on its own just by staying in the labyrinth for an hour or two like you do now.’

“Okay. I’ll pay attention. That’s why I left home.”

Kim Jin-woo nodded at Dominique’s words, which were direct.

“Can he become even stronger than that?”

‘He gets stronger as he gains combat experience. And if you’re very, very lucky, he might become a hero-class Naga.’

It seems that everything doesn’t end just by summoning summoned creatures.

‘Maybe later. But when the labyrinth is as small as it is now, it would be more efficient for you to move yourself.’

Feeling something in her words, Kim Jin-woo said with a determined face.

“Then I’ll make a plan as soon as the upgrade is finished.”

Growing the labyrinth and strengthening the Nagas. The goal that was far away felt like it was coming closer.

He felt sorry for the Naga soldiers he lost in the last battle. Perhaps they could have grown like the Naga warriors. But Dominique shook her head.

‘That Naga warrior is special. No matter how much you grow them, soldiers are just soldiers. Just like I’m still a maid even if I reach the hero class.’

Kim Jin-woo nodded at Dominique’s appearance, who didn’t seem to be pessimistic about her situation, unlike what she said.

It was a stroke of luck to summon Dominique. Without her, he would still be wandering around without knowing which way to go.

Feeling grateful for her existence, he sent her a look of trust, and she blushed for no reason.

Although her lower body was in the form of a snake, her upper body alone was as beautiful as any other beauty. He smiled again, feeling inexplicably pleased.

Dominique hurried out of the owner’s room as if she was embarrassed. But she soon came back not long after she left.

‘Master, I think you should come out to the gate for a moment.’

When he asked her why, Dominique answered with a somewhat stiff face.

‘The Naga warriors brought a guest.’

“A guest?”

Kim Jin-woo looked embarrassed at the unexpected words. He couldn’t understand how a guest could come to this secret labyrinth under the ground, of all places.

‘A black merchant has come.’

***

The large head, red skin, and small hands and feet like those of a newborn baby were familiar. Except for the fact that the face with the hood down looked more sly than the imp he had met before, the black merchant was a spitting image of the imp.

“Nice to meet you, new master of the labyrinth.”

The black merchant’s greeting, with a dignified voice that didn’t match his childlike appearance, was so artificial that it was ridiculous, but Kim Jin-woo didn’t laugh.

Rather, his face was as hard as a stone.

“How did you know about this place?”

He had already heard from Dominique that rumors about the last battle were spreading in the underground. He didn’t understand how rumors were spreading in a battle where not even a single survivor was left, but the black merchant actually came to the labyrinth.

“The rumors about the master of the labyrinth, who led the brave Nagas and punished the Hell Spiders, and who is even braver than them, are already widespread in the underground.”

‘That’s a lie. Black merchants are always monitoring the big and small things that happen in the underground. It seems that the black merchant was lucky enough to preempt the master’s information.’

He flinched at Dominique’s advice, but soon put on a nonchalant face. Her voice was not a live voice but something close to telepathy that was directly transmitted to his head, so he couldn’t hear it even if the person was in front of him.

“Oh, really? What’s your business?”

He felt like the current situation was like a comedy, but Kim Jin-woo tried to speak with dignity.

According to what Dominique said, black merchants were very dangerous beings. There was a precedent for them to come as guests and swallow up the labyrinth, so if he took them lightly, things would get complicated.

“The fact that a new master of the labyrinth has been born is a celebration for the entire underground. And the fact that the master is a warrior who is so brave that there has never been one like him in the underground is a great blessing.”

The Naga warriors standing on both sides of the black merchant raised their voices in response to his words. Kim Jin-woo had a headache because they seemed to be acting arrogantly.

“Just get to the point.”

The black merchant, who had been talking for a long time, pretended to be surprised at his words.

“It seems that I have taken too much of your precious time. Please forgive me.”

The sight of him bowing his large head looked more skillful than humble. He was ready to bow a thousand or ten thousand times if necessary.

“Congratulations on becoming the new master of the labyrinth. Although the world under the ground is not what it used to be, it is still something to be congratulated on that you have become the king of a labyrinth. Therefore, our Black Merchants have come to this place to strengthen our relationship with the new master of the labyrinth and to remain on good terms in the future.”

When Kim Jin-woo frowned again, the black merchant quickly added.

“In short, I’m here to sell things.”

Kim Jin-woo’s eyes flashed at the black merchant’s words.

***

‘Master, black merchants are definitely dangerous beings.’

“Shouldn’t we kick him out?”

Dominique shook her head.

‘If our relationship with the black merchant goes wrong here, he will definitely spread the location of our labyrinth throughout the underground. So it’s better to give him what he wants here and get what we need.’

Kim Jin-woo frowned and sighed.

“They’re a headache.”

‘You must never underestimate them. Rather than being seen as an easy target, you should be recognized as a picky and eccentric being.’

“I will.”

‘They’re definitely not easy to deal with. But master, black merchants can be very useful if you use them well.’

It was a contradictory statement, but he soon understood. He had already heard that there were many useful things among the items sold by black merchants.

Since the black merchant had come all the way to the labyrinth, it would be better to buy what he needed from their items.

‘And if they show you something, you must buy the first thing they show you.’

“Why?”

He asked the reason because it was a random suggestion. Then Dominique urged him.

‘I’ll explain the reason later, so please follow my words.’

She closed her mouth because she was about to arrive at the gate of the labyrinth where the black merchant was waiting.

He accepted the advice that it would not be good for the black merchant to stay in the labyrinth for a long time, so he didn’t ask any further.

***

“Then let’s take a look at the items first.”

“Of course.”

With a fuss, the black merchant quickly waved his short arms and pretended to rummage through his pockets.

He didn’t have any pockets on his cloak, but every time the black merchant moved, there was a clanging sound and a rattling sound, as if there were so many things.

“Oh, here it is.”

And after rummaging through his pockets for a long time, the black merchant took something out and suddenly held it out.