Chapter 49
The two village chiefs didn’t know how to respond to the lord’s question, and only opened their mouths slightly.
No matter how much they thought, it was impossible to come up with something sellable from a village that had nothing. They had been poor since the earliest memories they could recall, always hungry. That they had survived until now was already remarkable—let alone finding something to sell.
Although the Black Forest stood like a wall, the cold air always descended onto the snowfields, making the temperature low and unsuitable for farming. There were no mines with coal or iron ore that could bring in money either.
“Think of what the village has the most of.”
The two men’s expressions became even more serious. Donghee’s anticipation rose along with theirs.
“Umm… beggars?”
The chief of Enol Village muttered first, almost to himself.
“Our village also has a lot of widows.”
Not wanting to be outdone, the chief of Morta Village added,
“Oh? We have plenty too.”
They looked at each other and chuckled.
Donghee was so dumbfounded that he wasn’t even angry.
“Not that… something productive.”
Just as he was about to tell them to think of something practical,
Ding!
A blue status window flashed between Donghee and the chiefs.
-Ding!
Comeback! Basic Quest!
It seems 2% short now, but please name the chiefs of Morta and Enol Village, who will serve as the cornerstone for reviving this impoverished territory. Completing the quest will expand the active area.
Wow!
A basic quest appeared, allowing him to expand the active area after a long time. But was it really only 2% short? Not 52%?
Donghee sighed as he watched the two men happily bond over another dismal commonality.
‘So… what should I do? What should I name them?’
His heart raced with excitement at this sudden windfall.
Donghee looked at the two chiefs alternately, trying to come up with fitting names.
He focused first on the chief of Morta Village.
Small and thin, half bald, with a perpetually worried expression, he thought it would be best to give him a name that would hopefully bring positive change. Whispering to himself, wishing for a hopeful future instead of the grim reality of beggars and widows, he murmured,
“Hope!”
-Morta Village Chief’s name has been registered. Pronunciation is a bit off.
Yes!
Unlike last time, it registered in one go without bouncing. Donghee didn’t care about the pronunciation and was thrilled. He bit his lips to stop a smile from forming. Now that it was settled, it actually felt like a pretty good name.
It did have a little “Hope House” vibe, but the meaning was good, so that was enough.
Morta, thinking he was being called, lifted his head from his conversation with Enol Village’s chief.
“Yes, my lord.”
Morta was slightly touched; he hadn’t expected the lord to know his name.
-Territory resident’s affection for you has increased by 10.
Donghee, warmed by the affection points he had earned, decided to give them a hint.
“How about developing food using dural? Something like dural bread. Oh! And the needle trees along the way to Morta Village—people say their sap can be used on wounds.”
Hop, having tasted dural-based foods before, understood immediately. But the needle tree was different.
“Yes, but the smell is so bad it stings the eyes.”
“You should also find a way to remove the smell. As soon as you return to the village, hold a meeting. And tell them the person who solves the task will get a big reward.”
“A reward… sir?”
Hop’s eyes went wide.
“I’ll decide later whether one person or ten people get the reward based on the results. If the outcomes are great, many people can benefit.”
“Yes! I’ll do my best to achieve good results!”
Hop’s face turned red as if he had just guzzled beer. He looked very happy to be able to bring good news to the villagers.
Donghee’s gaze now turned to the chief of Enol Village, who was watching with an expectant look.
Taller, with a sturdy frame, not handsome but decent-looking—more like a mature, dignified man. Compared to the first meeting, his expression was more relaxed and friendly.
His short, black, tightly curled hair stuck to his scalp, his angular jaw and slightly hooked nose giving him a stubborn look when his mouth was closed. He was trusted by all the villagers and had treated Donghee kindly during her visit.
“Kind?”
It was a simple idea, but it sounded fitting and matched Enol’s chief. Plus, the affection points increased, so Kind would definitely like his name.
-Enol Village Chief’s name has been registered. Naming sense…
Better than Builder or Handsome, anyway. And “Patrasche”? What is that, a dog? Why not Snow White or Cinderella?
-!
What was that exclamation? Could it mean someone else had that name?
-The names of the two chiefs, who will be the cornerstone for the territory’s revival, have been successfully registered. Congratulations! Despite completing the basic quest halfheartedly, your self-generous satisfaction grants you the chance to choose one of the following active areas to expand.
Donghee wanted to peek at the status window immediately, but he couldn’t just stare blankly while the two chiefs watched.
He decided to close the window for now, savoring it like a piece of cake.
Though the status window seemed to rush him, he didn’t care.
Cinderella or Kkongjwi Patjwi—what did it matter?
Hop and Kind. Maybe he should have named Kind “Kas,” he thought, but the window might complain about copying or lack of effort, so he quickly shook his head. Kind was perfect.
“Yes, my lord.”
Kind answered quickly, hearing Chloe’s voice,
“What is Enol Village most known for? Excluding beggars and widows. That’s too sad.”
Kind, expecting to respond quickly like Morta’s chief, looked startled.
But he returned to his usual careful expression, paused, and then answered hesitantly,
“Enol Village has a lot of mud. So people use it as the main building material.”
“Mud?”
Donghee thought of clay houses or pottery but had no related knowledge or experience. “And?”
After a moment, Kind’s eyes lit up.
“Mushrooms! Mud mushrooms grow here.”
A mushroom that grew in mud?
“Mud mushrooms?”
“Yes, they only grow in mud, are chewy, have a great aroma, and taste nutty.”
“Really? So people would use mud mushrooms for meals?”
Donghee assumed maybe, since grains were scarce.
Kind shook his head.
“Mud mushrooms grow in the middle of muddy fields, and you could die if you go in carelessly. People only pick those near the edges occasionally. But…”
“The quantity isn’t large?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Do you have any at home? I want to taste them.”
“You want to eat them, my lord?”
Even if they were delicious, these were commoners’ food, grown in dirty mud—not something a noble would eat.
“Yes, I like mushrooms.”
Since they were chewy and had good texture, Donghee was curious. Besides, he wondered if they could have commercial value.
Even if one had to go into the muddy field, there should be ways to manage it.
As soon as the chiefs returned with the tasks from the lord, Donghee immediately opened the status window.
Curiosity over the newly unlocked active areas was unbearable.
He sent off the chiefs quickly to stop them from asking more questions.
“Status window, which areas can I expand?”
-Despite completing the basic quest halfheartedly, your self-generous satisfaction grants you the chance to choose one of the following active areas to expand. Choose one only. No duplicates.
- The barbecue restaurant where you spent all day cleaning grease.
- The car wash where you worked until your arms fell off.
- The supermarket where you secretly ate more than you worked at the tasting corner.
- The Daiso where you broke dishes and got fired in one day.
Donghee couldn’t help but wonder if this status window was stalking him. All the areas listed were places he had worked part-time. This meant the expansion areas probably came from his past part-time jobs.
He recalled all the stores he had worked at. Too many to list, but it meant he had plenty of options.
He examined the four options carefully and didn’t take long to decide.
Since he was getting tired of convenience store food, the perfect choice appeared!
With joy, Donghee chose Option 3: Supermarket!
The supermarket he had worked at was a large three-floor store. Even if it wasn’t a jewelry store, it would be a highly useful place. There was nothing it didn’t have!
