I needed to make money. It wasnβt a hopeful wish, but a necessity. When I looked at the bill that came to my room, I almost lost consciousness. I had a 300 million won debt. In other words, I had taken out all the loan a Cube cadet could get. It had to be Chundongβs doing.
The loan only had a low 1% yearly interest, but as I wasnβt making any money, I was simply losing money. Unfortunately, the bank account Chundong left behind only contained 3 million won. It was nowhere near the amount needed to live in this world, where power and money was everything.
Thankfully, there were multiple ways I could become rich.
First was the stock market. Towers and Dungeons were constantly being created in the world. I knew the names of guilds that would discover or conquer them. Guilds in this world were treated like companies, so one could buy stocks of public guilds from the guild stock market.
Today was March 2nd, 2025. My settings book should be full of juicy information.
I opened my laptop.
β·Settings List
[March 15th, 2025. Newly found guild, βPackhorse Master,β goes public. July 4th, 2025, they conquer the Dungeon, βSuwon Royal Devilβs Nest.]
In reality, the Packhorse Master guild was established by Djinns. Because they would play an important role in the story, I made sure to note them down in the settings book. Conquering Suwon Royal Devilβs Nest would skyrocket their stock prices by a 1000%. It wouldnβt be until three years later when they were discovered that they would be delisted.
[December 8th, 2025. Guild, βCreatorβs Sacred Grace,β announces its plan to conquer βTower of Miracle.β]
This incident would become the lowest point for the currently ranked 1 Creatorβs Sacred Grace. It was also the decisive event that made Yun Seung-Ah become its leader. This plan, which Yun Seung-Ah opposed, would bring their rank down to 7.
I had two opportunities to make money with this incident.
First was before the plan is announced, and second was before the plan failed.
Without having to know much information, with just these two β though, these two were the only early financial incidents written down in the settings book β I could make a fortune.
βThe problem isβ¦β
I didnβt have any money to work with.
βDo I need to go out to the Field?β
Field referred to danger zones where monsters appeared. Unlike Towers and Dungeons, the danger level of Fields was vastly dependent on their grade, so one didnβt need permits to enter the less dangerous ones.
I should be able to enter the Field in Gangwondo.
βWait.β
I remembered something about Gangwondo. There was a setting I arranged in Gangwondo. I wonder what it was.
Using CTRL+F, I searched for a specific word.
[Year 2026. Djinn, Tomer, discovers Aether from Gangwondoβs Gari Mountain Dungeon.]
Found it. Mystic grade formless weapon, Aether.
I wanted to take it for myself, but without Aether, Tomer would be left without a weapon. Not to mention, Tomer was an important antagonist in the story.
Of course, without a weapon, the story would become easier. But if I took Aether just for that reason, it might impact the future in an unknown way. I was afraid of that uncertaintyβ¦
βWell, whatever.β
Tomer was strong even without Aether. Once all of my stats grew to about 3 or 4, I should go take Aether.
Wiingβ
At that moment, I felt a vibration on my wrist. It was a message.
[Traveling Club Announcement]
βThere will be a short trip on Sunday to serve as a freshman orientation.
ββ¦ Oh right.β
That was a thing. Immediately after I recalled information about the traveling club, the smartwatch vibrated once more.
[Academic Club Announcement]
βThere will be an orientation on Friday for the freshmen.
βAnd there was this too. So annoying.β
I thought I could rest a bit in the weekend, but there were clubs over the weekend. Not to mention, the academic club was tomorrow.
**
Cubeβs combat training was on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. As such, I should have been able to relax on Mondays and Fridays, but on this precious Friday, I was walking towards a certain clubroom. Some distance ahead, Yoo Yeonha was showing off her elegant stride.
Academic clubβs clubroom was room 304.
When I entered, I saw many first years as I expected. There were about 30, and 23 of them were girls. Most should have been bewitched by the club president.
After sneaking a look around the clubroom, I turned towards Yoo Yeonhaβs direction and sat behind her. I could smell a flowery scent from her hair. After unavoidably smelling this scent for five minutesβ¦
The club president finally showed up.
βNice to meet you. Iβm Yun Hyuk. Welcome to our academic club, Veritas.β
The club president was βYun Hyukβ, a third year.
I didn’t enter this club just for Yoo Yeonha.
Yun Hyuk was a Djinn. Soon, several incidents would happen in Cube, including a monster invasion. Yun Hyuk would be the mastermind behind it.
Of course, I had no reason to trouble myself by shouting, βThat guy is a Djinnβ!β
Though, that would probably give me a decent amount of SP.
In any case, Yun Hyuk was contracted to the Devil of Enchantment, Lilith. In exchange for selling his soul to the devil, he obtained a beautiful appearance and an ability called βEnchantmentβ. Currently, he should have his eyes out for Yoo Yeonha. That was the reason why Lilith gave him a high-rank ability like Enchantment.
βSince todayβs just the orientation, weβll only briefly discuss what our club is about.β
Hearing his charming voice, the eyes of the female cadets were already shining.
βIn Veritas, we research and discuss classification, weaknesses, behaviors, and attributes of monsters. Topics include monster classification, how they behave, where their vital points are, what their attribute is, and how to deal with them efficiently.β
What Yun Hyuk mentioned was an important topic in modern society. βMonster analysisβ was one of the most competitive college majors, and there were even non-combatant Heroes who emphasized researching monsters. These Heroes, who didnβt have the Gift for combat, were still treated as Heroes because they had Gifts that aided in trans-human knowledge.
βIβll give a quick example. Letβs take a look at this monster. As Iβm sure you know, it is a totem scallop.β
A hologram image popped up. Just like its name suggested, the totem scallop was a scallop that produced a totem. Having high intelligence and capable of using magic, totem scallops were high-intermediate rank grade 3 monsters. Thankfully, they were gentle natured and didnβt attack as long as one stayed out of their territory.
But just like pearls produced by ordinary scallops, the totem scallopsβ totems had an incredible value, making them the target of guilds everywhere.
βAs you know, totem scallops are extremely hard to kill. But careful analysis shows that theyβre classified no differently than an ordinary scallop. But because no other monsters share similarities with them, it is hard to guess where their vital point is.β
Yun Hyukβs explanation continued. But because it was everything I already knew, I couldnβt help but yawn.
βHuaaaamβ¦β
Immediately, Yun Hyukβs eyebrows furrowed, and other female cadets sent me attacking glares. I wouldnβt be surprised if they attacked me for real if I yawned one more time. Only Yoo Yeonha kept her eyes on the screen.
βKuhum.β
Yun Hyuk let out a dry cough before continuing his explanation.
βBecause of its ambiguous attribute and behavior, the totem scallopβs vital point hasnβt been discovered. But for other monsters like the βThousand-Mile Horseββ¦β
**
The orientation ended 40 minutes later. This time, I got up yawning inwardly as I didnβt want to get attacked.
I was about to leave when I saw Yun Hyuk approaching Yoo Yeonha. I paused.
βYeonha cadet-nim.β
βYes?β
βYou forgot this.β
Yun Hyuk handed Yoo Yeonha a paper she left behind. This wasnβt something I wrote in my novel, so I didnβt know much about the paper. But I knew he was scheming somehow. Rather than Yoo Yeonha forgetting the paper, Yun Hyuk probably pulled it out with his magic power.
βAh, yes, thank you.β
Yoo Yeonha took the paper with a smile. That seemed to be the end of their encounter.
After leaving the clubroom, I went to a nearby vending machine and pulled out a Coke and a Sprite. Looking at their names, I couldnβt help but laugh. I named them Coin Cola and Spring Sprite to avoid trademark problems, and that was exactly how the names appeared on the cans.
Meanwhile, Yoo Yeonha left the clubroom.
With the Coke and Sprite cans in hand, I stood in front of her as though to block her path. Then, I handed the Coke to her.
βHere.β
ββ¦?β
Yoo Yeonhaβs face was full of question marks.
βIβm in the same club. Same team and now the same club. Funny coincidence, right?β
This was a test. Even working out as though my life depended on it only gave me 4 SP. Then how much SP could I get by talking to a leading character?
ββ¦Do you think Iβll drink something like this?β
Yoo Yeonhaβs eyebrows furrowed and her lips protruded out as though she was furious. But since it was the reaction I expected, I hit it off casually.
βI just got it from the vending machine.β
Yoo Yeonha was likely attracted to bad boys. Of course, being βhandsomeβ was a requirement as well.
βTouch it. Itβs cold.β
βIβm fine. You can have it. Alsoβ¦β
I could feel hostility from the glare she gave me. But that was as much of her true feelings the false mask she wore revealed.
βDonβt talk to me so casually. This is the first warning.β
That was it. Yoo Yeonha walked past me without waiting for my reply. Seeing her perfect figure walking away, I popped the Sprite can open.
Pssshβ Gulp, gulp.
Yoo Yeonhaβs shoulders twitched at the sound. According to my setting, Yoo Yeonha loved unhealthy food like carbonated drinks, hamburgers, fried chicken, and ramen. But she couldnβt buy them to save face, so she made her trusted butler or attendant buy it for her. Even then, she could only enjoy it once a week.
The reason was simple. Not only did she hate showing such side of her to others, but her mother also detested unhealthy commoner food.
To make up for the pitiful setting I gave her, I threw the Coke can into her luxurious brand bag. Drawing a clean arc, the Coke can landed inside.
βCarry me next time too.β
At these words, Yoo Yeonha glanced back. Then, she walked away muttering quietly to herself. However, I could hear her voice just fine.
βWho is this crazy guy?
*
Yoo Yeonhaβs keen senses soon noticed the slight change in her bag. The water from the Coke canβs surface was making the textbook in her bag wet.
ββ¦That nutjob.β
Yoo Yeonha took out the Coke can with a frown.
Just when did he put it in? That little rat.
βHuu.β
After a deep sigh, Yoo Yeonha released her magic power. Seeping into the paper, her magic power separated the moisture from the textbook and sent it into the air. When she retracted her magic power, the collected moisture fell down to the ground.
βEhew.β
With a sigh, Yoo Yeonha broke out in a cold sweat. At the same time, she felt proud. The application of magic power she just showed was hard for even Heroes to accomplish. It was seemingly simple but was actually a mysterious and highly difficult technique.
βWhen I see him againβ¦β
After the sense of pride came anger. Yoo Yeonha thought as she twisted her lips, βThat talkative bum, Iβll need to ask the guys to educate himβ¦β
But that thought only lasted for a moment. Fiddling with the Coke can in her bag, she looked around. There was no one nearby.
Kuhum. With a dry cough, she took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wrapped the Coke can with it before putting it back in the bag.
βHmm.β
Then, as if nothing happened, she quickened her pace.
If you find any errors ( Ads popup, ads redirect, broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Comments for chapter "Chapter 10"
MANGA DISCUSSION