Chapter 98: Going Back To The Village

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Going Back To The Village

"Mayor Cedric, there’s another matter we need to discuss before my team begins its investigation." Kyle placed the letter on the desk between them. "The city lord has received instructions from the kingdom’s capital regarding the dungeon. According to these orders, Lufast City will be responsible for managing it from now on. This letter contains the official details, so I believe you should read it yourself."

Cedric’s expression changed slightly.

He had expected Lufast City to become involved in the dungeon’s affairs sooner or later. The dungeon was no longer an insignificant threat that could be ignored, and the steady stream of adventurers traveling to Hetin Town had made it increasingly difficult for the local authorities to manage the situation on their own. Nevertheless, hearing that the kingdom’s capital had already issued an official order made him feel uneasy.

He took the letter and carefully broke the seal before unfolding the document. His eyes moved across the lines, and the more he read, the heavier his expression became.

The letter stated that Lufast City would assume responsibility for managing the dungeon and regulating access to it. Under the new arrangement, adventurers would be required to pay ten silver coins each time they entered. The revenue would then be divided among the kingdom, Lufast City, and Hetin Town.

Fifty percent of the revenue would be sent directly to the kingdom’s treasury, while Lufast City would receive forty percent for overseeing the dungeon’s management, maintaining the necessary personnel, and handling matters related to adventurer registration and security. Hetin Town, despite being the settlement closest to the dungeon, would receive only ten percent.

After reading the document twice, Cedric slowly lowered it onto his desk.

"So, Lufast City will take control of the dungeon, and Hetin Town will receive only ten percent of the revenue..." he muttered, rubbing his forehead with a tired expression. "I suppose I should have expected something like this. Once a dungeon becomes valuable enough, it is only natural for the kingdom to take an interest in it. Still, it’s rather disappointing that the town closest to the dungeon will receive such a small share."

He leaned back in his chair and released a long sigh.

Until now, entering the dungeon had been free. Adventurers could come and go as they pleased, provided they were willing to accept the risks involved.

The town had benefited indirectly from their visits, as those adventurers needed food, equipment, lodging, and other supplies. Some merchants had even begun traveling to Hetin Town because they saw an opportunity to profit from the growing number of visitors.

However, the new arrangement would change everything.

Ten silver coins might not seem like an excessive amount to an experienced adventurer, especially one who regularly earned money from hunting monsters and selling materials. Nevertheless, it could be a considerable expense for beginners or adventurers who wanted to explore the dungeon repeatedly.

A group of ten adventurers would have to pay one hundred silver coins just to enter once, and the cost would increase further if they decided to return after resting or replenishing their supplies.

More importantly, Cedric understood that the person responsible for managing the dungeon would possess considerable influence over everyone who wished to enter it.

"At present, the dungeon is free for everyone," Cedric continued, looking at Kyle. "We haven’t charged an entrance fee because we don’t have the manpower or resources to manage the place properly. We can barely gather reliable information about its deeper areas, let alone establish a system for regulating every adventurer who enters. But if Lufast City takes over, I imagine the situation will change very quickly."

----

Their discussion continued for some time, covering the preparations Hetin Town would need to make and the information Kyle’s team intended to collect during their investigation.

By the time they had finished, Kyle had a much clearer understanding of the situation. He thanked Cedric for his cooperation and left the town hall with the reports his team would need.

However, rather than immediately returning to the inn, Kyle decided to make another arrangement.

He gathered his nine companions and explained that they would remain in Hetin Town for the next three days. They would also be responsible for gathering additional information from the local adventurers, especially those who had entered the dungeon and survived.

"As for me, I have something important to take care of before we begin our investigation," Kyle explained as he looked around the table at his companions. "I’ll be returning to my village for a few days. I haven’t visited my family in quite some time."

His companions exchanged glances before nodding in understanding.

"Then go ahead, boss" one of them said with a grin. "We’ll take care of things here. Just make sure you return before the three days are up. I don’t want to be the one explaining to the city lord why our leader decided to abandon the mission to visit his family."

Kyle chuckled at the remark. "Don’t worry. I’ll be back on time. In the meantime, make sure you don’t spend all your money on food and drinks. We still have a dungeon to investigate."

After giving them a few more instructions, Kyle left the inn and prepared for his journey.

As he rode toward his village, Kyle found himself thinking about the last time he had seen his family. It had been some time since he had left home to pursue a life as an adventurer, and even longer since he had been able to spend more than a few days with them.

After traveling for several hours, he eventually reached the village where he had grown up.

The moment he approached the settlement, Kyle noticed that it had changed considerably since his departure.

The village was still surrounded by fields and patches of woodland, and many of its original houses remained standing. However, there were now several new buildings near the main road, including a few inns, small shops, and storage facilities that had not existed before. Some of the older houses had been repaired or expanded, while the main road had been widened in certain places to accommodate the steady flow of travelers.