Roots of Power
Joe crossed his arms and smiled with that arrogance that was so typical of him.
"Alright, rookies, follow me. Today I'll help you get at least two evolutions. But of course, the drop will be mine. Consider it the natural fee for my help."
His gaze locked onto the luminous spirits floating before him. They were nothing more than motes of colorful smoke drifting in the air, yet Joe seemed amused by the sight.
"Stop making so much noise and just help us level," Evan replied with clear annoyance.
Joe let out a short laugh. "So the grumpy brat came along. You really need to change that attitude or no girl will ever like you—even if you're rich and, well, somewhat handsome."
"Ha, I told him the same thing," Derek chimed in, floating around what was supposed to be Clara. His tone was overly dramatic. "Oh, my wife, even in this ethereal form I can still feel your beauty. We could unite and become nothing more than a single mote of smoke in the wind."
"Of course, darling," Clara answered sweetly, fully indulging in the roleplay.
"Even I'm getting tired of this," Raven growled impatiently. "Let's just get it over with."
Meanwhile, Charles seemed completely unfazed by the group's antics. He was absorbed in his surroundings, his eyes wandering thoughtfully.
"What a wonderful place. The air is so pure, the environment so clean… fascinating. A world like this deserves to have its own story," he said calmly.
Miranda, on the other hand, fixed her gaze on Joe, curling her lips into an intrigued smile.
"Mmm… Joe, you look… bigger. And those horns make you look even more demonic. How about a little date later, and you show me around?"
"Sure," he answered, puffing out his chest arrogantly, as if it were a given.
"Can you fish here?" Harlan suddenly asked, breaking the tone.
Joe shrugged as he started walking, with the group trailing after him.
"There's a river nearby. A few players tried fishing there… but ended up devoured by enormous fish. They never tried again. There's also the sea, but that's far more dangerous if you stray from the beach. Although, well, we have one idiot who keeps trying to dive every now and then."
His firm steps set the pace as his tone shifted to something more serious.
"First, I'll take you to get your first form. You only need to kill a couple of rabbits for that. Then, we'll head to the mine; there you'll fight ants and be able to evolve. Sig asked me to leave you on your own afterward, so you'll have to focus on gathering mana stones to bring your men here."
Charles nodded calmly. "That's quite a bit of help, honestly. If you could give us some advice, it would be very welcome."
Joe smirked as if he had been waiting for that question.
"In the village there are two main shops: little Liora's and Sig's. In Liora's, you'll find lamps that can be used for nighttime hunting. These weaken mobs at night, which makes them stronger, sure, but they also give double the experience and better drops. Sig's shop, on the other hand, offers food, liquor, and talismans. Food grants stat boosts that last between two and five hours. Liquor increases the experience you gain in professions or leveling. And talismans… well, they're useful if you don't have good gear: they can let you deal more damage or even set traps. With those, you can farm faster and more safely."
The group listened intently, and Joe continued like a true professional.
"As for earning more stones, the main way is hunting mobs that drop them. Then you can sell the materials to Liora's shop, or sell entire corpses to Sig's. She buys materials because they're what she needs most for crafting, while he uses the meat for the cooks and the blood for talismans. You can also gather materials while hunting, but if you don't know what to look for, those two options are your best bet."
"Which one's better?" Evan asked, still skeptical.
"Honestly, both are equally good, and they don't interfere with each other," Joe explained. "Both shops usually post what they need most on the mission board, which they rented from Lua. Every day it updates with what's most in demand and the prices. You just need to decide which you prefer. And lastly, there are the town quests: improving infrastructure, cleaning, that sort of thing. They pay well, but new players fight over them the moment they pop up, finishing them instantly before going off to grind."
Charles frowned thoughtfully. "Seems like a lot of people have already put down roots here. We'll have to hurry and bring our men before we fall too far behind… especially once more people start discovering this world."
The others nodded in silence, fully understanding the urgency.
…
A few streets away, the small bell of Liora's shop rang.
"H-hello… I saw the posting about hiring another mana engineer," Natasha said as she entered, her voice hesitant.
Behind the counter, Linda welcomed her with a radiant smile. Her beauty was unchanged, though now it was accentuated by a delicate crown of flowers—a mark of her new race, Dryad Queen.
Natasha, for her part, had also changed. She had evolved from a pixie into a Queen Bee. Her humanoid figure retained a feminine appearance, though with bee-like traits. Two small bees buzzed around her constantly, serving as her permanent summons.
"Oh, Natasha! You actually got the recipe? It's very hard to find. We've had that notice up since the start, and even Sig hasn't managed to get it," Linda commented warmly.
"Y-yes… when we defeated the komodos, in the part of the loot I got, there was the recipe. My brother got one for cooking and now he's working at Sig's shop. But they are… mmm… a lot of people," Natasha explained nervously.
Linda let out a soft chuckle. "You're still a little antisocial, aren't you?"
Natasha averted her gaze but followed when Linda invited her toward the back of the shop.
"What recipe did you get?" Linda asked as she pulled out an employment contract, as if the answer were just a formality. After all, the Mana Engineer profession was difficult to obtain, but thanks to Liora, the recipes for the first levels up to Skilled 1 were already known.
"Lamps," Natasha said shyly.
Linda raised her brows, visibly pleased.
"Oh, that's excellent. Until now, Liora has been the only one able to make them, but with so many players, she's been overloaded with work. I'd like her to get some more rest—after all, she's still just a little girl."
Her tone softened, though she quickly slipped back into a professional demeanor.
"Well then, I assume you know the types of labor contracts we offer?"
"Eh… no," Natasha replied honestly.
Linda nodded and settled behind the counter.
"It's simple. Payment is a percentage of the items you sell in the shop, and that percentage depends on the contract you choose. There are two options: internal worker and external worker.
As an internal worker, you'd receive all the benefits: food, liquor, a dedicated workspace designed just for you, and even a room to live in. Of course, the direct earnings are smaller, but it's the most beneficial path for advancing your profession. We provide the materials, and all you have to do is deliver the finished items.
As an external worker, you'd only receive specific orders along with the required materials, nothing more. You'd have to find your own place and tools. However, if you produce items on your own and gather the materials yourself, we can also buy them from you at near-market prices, charging only a tax fee. Especially since we urgently need more lamps."
Linda smiled professionally while waiting for her answer.
"If I become an internal worker, do I also get a place to live?" Natasha asked, surprised. The thought lingered in her mind. As far as she knew, the best plots of land had already been sold, and only distant ones were left. Construction itself was expensive—not just one demon beast core, but several. In real life, that was worth more than five high-quality mana flasks, something very few could afford except powerful groups like Sig's.
"Yes," Linda replied naturally. "Liora makes so much money every day that she bought some nearby land. I suggested she build an apartment for workers, and she agreed immediately. It's already finished, and three people live there: two tailors and an alchemist. There's still one space left if you want it. After all, you know the buffs you get from sleeping in your own place here."
Linda's voice grew persuasive, gently nudging Natasha toward the decision.
The truth was that Liora had become the most cunning—or perhaps the smartest—player in all of Drunai. She didn't just profit from her shop: she also took a percentage of mana stones whenever she was invited to parties to use her luck buff, or when she was asked to secure an important drop. All of it was charged following Linda's recommendations.
On top of that, the earnings Sally, Linda, and Peter had made since arriving were handed over to Liora as repayment for an initial loan, with added interest. Even so, the shop alone generated at least two or three demon beast cores per day. And that wasn't even counting the players who paid her for her luck buff or her assistance in farming.
Even more attractive to customers was the fact that everything Lua normally sold—enchantments, upgrades, and rare items she had obtained during her outings—also ended up in Liora's shop. And since Lua had little real interest in money, she left most of the profits in the girl's hands. To make matters even more lucrative, Lua's enchantments were the most powerful and expensive in the entire village. Now that she couldn't go into the forest, she spent nearly all day enchanting items, turning the shop into a magnet for customers and generating even greater income.
"Mm… but if I'm an internal worker, do I have to spend the whole day crafting?" Natasha asked hesitantly.
Linda shook her head, laughing softly.
"No, of course not. We're not exploiters. You're free to set your own pace. We only ask for a minimum of ten units a day, which would take you about two or three hours. After that, you can do whatever you like. Naturally, the more you make, the more you earn. But we also have a rule: no employee works more than eight hours. Most of them finish their quota in the morning and then go hunting with friends at night."
Natasha relaxed upon hearing that. "I see… in that case, the first contract seems more profitable. I'd prefer a quiet, comfortable place. And in my free time, I could visit my brother."
"Perfect. Then I'll prepare the contract," Linda said, pulling out the specific document from the stack of papers.
As they signed, one truth became clearer than ever: the governors of Sig's city didn't really have to compete with him for influence in Drunai. Their true rival was, in reality, a five-year-old girl who controlled most of the land and the economic power of the place.
After all, Sig had needed to bring his entire group to build something stable. Liora, on the other hand, had simply gone out to play with Lua… and without even realizing it, had become the true ruler of the village.