Chapter 507: The Adventurers’ Market

By the sixth morning after Greyfen’s opening, the road leading toward the dungeon had become considerably busier than anyone anticipated.

Wagons carrying weapons, armor, medicinal herbs, provisions, and construction materials arrived almost continuously.

Merchants argued over suitable locations for their stalls, traveling craftsmen offered equipment repairs, and several enterprising innkeepers had begun erecting temporary accommodations for Warriors unwilling to travel back to the Royal Capital every evening.

Unfortunately, commercial enthusiasm had developed considerably faster than common sense.

Sage discovered this shortly after arriving at Greyfen with Boren, who had accompanied him from the Royal Capital Headquarters to inspect the Guild’s expanding operations.

Boren surveyed the crowded roadside, his expression becoming increasingly troubled. "Guildmaster, I thought you said we were coming to inspect a dungeon settlement. This looks more like someone overturned a merchant district and allowed everyone to claim whichever pieces landed nearest the road."

Sage examined the disorder with considerable interest. "An impressively accurate description. Although I suspect the merchants would prefer to call it spontaneous commercial development."

A wagon driver shouted angrily as another merchant attempted to unload barrels directly across the road. Nearby, two potion sellers were arguing over a wooden platform that both apparently believed belonged to them.

Boren watched the confrontation before rubbing his forehead. "How much of this have you actually authorized?"

"Very little," Sage admitted. "Which is precisely why you’re here. Congratulations, Boren. You’ve arrived just in time to witness the consequences of allowing merchants to smell money."

Boren gave him an unimpressed look. "And I suppose you’re about to make those consequences my problem?"

Sage smiled. "Only temporarily. That’s the burden of being associated with the Pioneer."

---

Garen Holtweiss arrived shortly afterward, accompanied by two assistants carrying documents and a rolled parchment map.

The merchant had been working with the Guild to establish supply arrangements around Greyfen, and his expression suggested that the increasingly chaotic marketplace had become a personal embarrassment.

"Guildmaster Sage, Boren, I’m pleased you’ve both arrived," Garen greeted them. "We have a small difficulty concerning the merchants."

Boren gestured toward the crowded road. "A small difficulty? There’s a man selling healing potions beside an uncovered cooking fire, and another has tied his horses directly outside the emergency treatment station."

Garen winced. "Yes, those particular arrangements were not part of my proposal."

Sage accepted the parchment map from Garen and spread it across a nearby table. It depicted the area surrounding Greyfen’s entrance, including the existing Guild facilities, access roads, temporary camps, and several proposed commercial districts.

"We need to establish proper boundaries before someone builds an inn directly against the dungeon’s sealing formation," Sage remarked. "I imagine that would produce a rather unpleasant argument when the Guild eventually orders it demolished."

Garen pointed toward the eastern side of the road. "I’ve identified suitable locations for equipment merchants and material buyers. The western area could accommodate provisions, potion sellers, and temporary lodging. However, several merchants have already occupied land without permission."

"Then they’ll move," Sage answered simply. "Nobody gets to claim Guild-controlled commercial space because they arrived with a wagon and an unusually confident attitude."

Boren studied the map carefully. "We’ll also need a separate route for transporting injured Adventurers. If someone comes out of Greyfen half-dead, we cannot have healers fighting through a crowd of people selling sausages."

Sage nodded approvingly. "Exactly. The emergency passage remains clear at all times, and security will have authority to remove anyone obstructing it."

---

By midday, the Guild had summoned the merchants operating around Greyfen to a temporary assembly beneath a large pavilion.

More than sixty representatives attended, including equipment suppliers, alchemists, innkeepers, healers, food merchants, and traders interested in purchasing dungeon materials.

Sage stood before them with Boren and Garen at his side.

"Gentlemen and ladies, I’m delighted that Greyfen has inspired such extraordinary commercial enthusiasm," Sage began pleasantly. "However, enthusiasm does not grant anyone permission to establish a business wherever they please."

A broad-shouldered merchant wearing an expensive velvet coat raised his hand. "Guildmaster, some of us have already spent considerable money constructing stalls. Surely you cannot expect us to abandon those investments?"

Sage regarded him calmly. "Did you obtain permission before constructing them?"

The merchant hesitated. "There wasn’t an established procedure for requesting permission."

"Then you built first and hoped nobody would object," Sage replied. "An understandable gamble, but still a gamble."

Several merchants exchanged uncomfortable glances.

Boren stepped forward and unrolled the proposed commercial layout. "The Guild will designate approved trading areas. Equipment suppliers, potion merchants, food vendors, accommodation providers, and material buyers will receive separate sections according to their requirements. Applications for commercial leases will be reviewed before construction begins."

Garen added, "Merchants who already possess suitable structures may apply to relocate them into approved spaces. The Guild isn’t trying to prevent business. We’re trying to ensure the market remains functional."

That explanation considerably reduced the tension.

Then Sage continued.

"Furthermore, every licensed merchant will be required to display prices clearly. Fraudulent goods, deliberately misleading descriptions, unauthorized fees, and attempts to interfere with another merchant’s customers through intimidation will result in penalties."

A potion seller frowned. "Guildmaster, prices change depending on supply. Surely you’re not suggesting that we must sell everything at fixed rates?"

"Of course not," Sage answered. "You’re free to determine your prices. You’re simply required to tell customers what those prices are before taking their money."

Boren folded his arms. "And anyone selling counterfeit healing potions will discover that the Guild’s Security Department takes a particularly dim view of poisoning its Adventurers."

The potion seller immediately stopped arguing.

---

The most heated discussion began when Sage introduced regulations concerning monster materials.

Several established trading companies had already attempted to secure exclusive purchasing agreements with inexperienced Adventurers, offering immediate payments in exchange for materials whose actual value remained uncertain.

One merchant protested when Sage announced that such agreements would require transparent terms.

"Guildmaster, negotiating favorable contracts is ordinary business," the man argued. "Surely you don’t intend to interfere whenever an Adventurer accepts a poor bargain?"

Sage leaned against the table, studying him. "If an Adventurer knowingly accepts a low price because he wants immediate payment, that’s his decision. But if you deliberately misrepresent the quality of his materials, forge an appraisal, or conceal conditions that surrender his future earnings, that becomes a different matter."

Garen nodded. "A reputable market benefits everyone. Merchants need dependable suppliers, and Adventurers need confidence that they’re not being cheated whenever they return from a dangerous expedition."

"Exactly," Sage agreed. "The Guild will provide access to independent appraisal services, but Adventurers remain free to sell their materials to whichever buyers they prefer."

Boren glanced toward the assembled merchants. "And before anyone asks, no, purchasing a commercial lease doesn’t grant exclusive rights to everything coming out of Greyfen."

Several disappointed expressions suggested that he had anticipated the question correctly.

Sage smiled inwardly.

The Guild would earn money through commercial leases, storage services, appraisal fees, and its existing Dungeon Pass operations.

There was no need to seize the Adventurers’ profits when creating a functioning marketplace could generate sustainable income on its own.

---

The afternoon was spent inspecting the proposed commercial grounds.

Tobias Merrow, the Acting Head of Guild Logistics, had sent a small team to assess wagon access, storage requirements, and the movement of supplies between Greyfen and the Royal Capital Headquarters.

Sage approved the construction of temporary warehouses near the merchant district, while Boren insisted that firebreaks and clear passageways be incorporated into the layout.

Garen proposed a covered trading hall where material buyers could inspect merchandise without crowding the dungeon entrance.

"Once exploration increases, we’ll need somewhere suitable for larger transactions," Garen explained. "Rare monster materials shouldn’t be auctioned in the middle of a muddy road."

Sage nodded. "A sensible proposal. Although I suspect certain merchants would happily conduct an auction in a swamp if they thought the profit was sufficient."

Boren examined the plans before pointing toward another section. "What about accommodation? Half these Warriors are sleeping in tents, and the existing inns along the road are already raising their prices."

"Temporary lodging first," Sage answered. "Proper inns can follow once we know how quickly the settlement will grow. The Guild’s Grand Adventurer Hotel will continue serving visitors in the Capital, but Greyfen needs accommodations of its own."

Garen smiled. "Several innkeepers have already expressed interest in leasing suitable plots."

"Then they’ll be welcome to apply," Sage replied. "Provided they understand that renting a bed doesn’t entitle them to charge separately for the roof above it."

Boren laughed despite himself.

---

By evening, the first changes were already visible.

Security guards cleared the emergency passage, merchants began relocating their stalls, and Guild employees marked the boundaries of the approved trading districts.

A temporary notice board displayed the initial commercial regulations, while clerks accepted applications for trading permits and future leases.

The marketplace remained noisy, crowded, and somewhat disorganized.

But it was beginning to resemble an actual settlement rather than an accidental gathering of opportunists.

Sage stood beside Boren and Garen, watching several wagons move toward their newly assigned locations.

"There’s something rather satisfying about this," Garen remarked. "A week ago, this valley had almost no commercial activity. Now merchants are competing for the privilege of establishing permanent businesses here."

Boren shook his head. "And a week from now, they’ll probably be complaining about rent, regulations, and the price of warehouse storage."

Sage chuckled. "Naturally. If merchants ever stop complaining about expenses, I’ll assume someone has replaced them with impostors."

Garen laughed before turning toward the dungeon entrance. "Still, Guildmaster, I believe we’re witnessing the beginning of something extraordinary."

Sage followed his gaze.

Beyond the market stood Greyfen’s enormous stone pillars, their glowing runes silently guarding the entrance to an S-Rank Dungeon whose depths remained almost entirely unexplored.

Every expedition entering that passage required equipment, supplies, and preparation.

Every successful expedition brought back materials that someone wanted to purchase.

And every returning Adventurer needed somewhere to eat, rest, recover, and spend the wealth earned through danger.

Sage smiled as he surveyed the growing marketplace.

He had claimed a dungeon. But without conquering a single additional floor, he was already building an economy around it.

And judging by the number of merchants still arriving along the road, that economy was only beginning to grow.