[Chapter 178]
[A Cup of Poison (2)]
The Pandora Clan Lord's intention was clear.
The clan lords and players they brought saw Noh Eunha, who entered the meeting room late, and were certain.
It meant don't act up.
To put it simply, that's what it was.
It was to clearly imprint who was above and who was below, telling them not to even think of putting themselves on the same level.
Until now, some clans had subtly tried to speak casually to Noh Eunha, but it seemed he didn't want that.
Yes, even if he's young, he's still nominally in charge of representing the region.
He's asking to be treated formally. No, is he saying he won't stand for it if they don't treat him formally?
The clan lords quietly observed the momentum of the Pandora Clan members in the room.
""""..."
They weren't directly threatening by emitting internal mana.
But the fame of those guarding the meeting room couldn't be overlooked.
These five people had each made achievements in this calamity.
Just by them standing there quietly, the clan lords had no choice but to give up thoughts of slightly revealing their momentum to pressure.
Meanwhile─.
"─Next, let's move on to the topic of clan jurisdiction fees."
The meeting proceeded step by step and.
After unimportant discussions passed, the topic the clan lords had been waiting for finally came.
They looked at each other's reactions to Administrative Officer Han Seohyun's words.
We need to lower the tax rate.
Because the damage from this calamity was so great, we should advise the Pandora Clan Lord to lower the tax rate.
Downward adjustment of clan jurisdiction fees.
It was one of the purposes for which the clan lords attended the meeting even while bowing their heads.
They were in agreement on lowering the jurisdiction fee rate.
"Due to this calamity, many people suffered property losses. As a result, Pandora Clan has decided to lower the jurisdiction fee collected from local residents from the existing 10% to 5% for the next 3 years."
"I agree. Given the current situation, we can't force the existing tax rate on local residents."
"You've thought well. The local residents will welcome it."
"Thank you. I was going to speak on behalf of the Itaewon residents anyway."
Hansung Clan Lord, DM Clan Lord.
And
Including these three, the clan lords expressed agreement.
On the other hand, the DM and Hansung Clan Lords harbored other thoughts.
Pandora Clan lowered the tax rate to ease the burden on residents.
Doesn't that mean they'll naturally lower the tax rate for clans too?
They inwardly hoped.
Clans that suffered damage from this calamity would take a long time to regain their strength.
They would have to reduce unnecessary expenditures and tighten their belts until then.
So they were hoping Pandora Clan would lower the clan jurisdiction fees.
But contrary to their hopes─.
"─Therefore, Pandora Clan is seeking much help from those who have worked hard for regional development in order to ease the burden on residents."
""""...?""""
"5% of the jurisdiction fees you pay to Pandora Clan will be used for regional development. Therefore, from now on, you can pay 10% jurisdiction fees, a 5% increase from the existing clan jurisdiction fees."
Han Seohyun says with a smile.
The clan lords were at a loss for words.
10%?
Generally, the jurisdiction fee that a regional representative clan demands from clans located in that region is 10% of the tax paid to the Mana Management Organization.
So what Pandora Clan demanded was neither too much nor too little.
However, in Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu where clan representatives changed frequently, they would take 10% from residents while taking 5% from clans, worried about possible retaliation later.
But Pandora Clan said to pay out 10%, twice that, even in a situation where clans are financially struggling.
"That's a bit... I think it's a bit much."
"Pandora Clan Lord. We hope you'll consider our circumstances."
They can't just sit by and be robbed.
The DM and Hansung Clan Lords, who came to their senses, negatively responded passively.
They groveled and asked Noh Eunha for leniency.
Other clan lords nodded along with them.
The answer came from elsewhere.
"─It's unavoidable for regional development. Pandora Clan hopes Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu will regain their original appearance within 3 years. We think that can happen if we all work together while we enter fiscal austerity for 3 years."
""""..."
Han Seohyun answered abruptly.
She appealed for regional development.
It was an excellent justification.
It could have backfired, but fiscal austerity wasn't much of a problem for Pandora Clan receiving sponsorship from five groups.
As a result, the clans struggling financially would be themselves, not Pandora Clan.
Moreover, Pandora Clan was in the position of receiving jurisdiction fees.
The word "together" was inappropriate.
Pandora Clan would simply present the results of transparently managing their funds while directing regional development.
And─.
─We pay the money, and Pandora Clan uses that money to pursue regional development and gain residents' support.
We don't gain anything.
The clan lords kept their mouths shut.
There was nothing good about it.
They tried to find appropriate justifications to counter the justification somehow.
As they racked their brains─.
"─The tax rate is very low. We can pay that much in jurisdiction fees."
""""...!!""""
He laughed "huh" as he leaned back in his chair with folded arms.
Then he narrowed his eyes and watched the Yongsan-gu clan lords.
"Until now, Itaewon had to unfairly pay 20% jurisdiction fees. Of course, we weren't recognized as a legal force."
At this, the Yongsan-gu clan lords' faces soured.
Until now, they had demanded high levels of jurisdiction fees in exchange for recognizing Itaewon as an independent force.
"Then that's fortunate. I was worried it might be set too high since you all suffered damage in this calamity."
"I know 10% is a normal figure. The jurisdiction fees collected in Yongsan-gu until now were on the high side. Compared to that, it feels very cheap."
"Thank you."
The clan lords lost even more justification to refuse.
At the same time, regional conflict arose.
Anyway... The Yongsan-gu guys are the problem. They should take excessive profits in moderation, charging 20% to Itaewon?
The Jung-gu clans gave displeased looks to the Yongsan-gu clans.
The Yongsan-gu clans were displeased but couldn't refute them.
And then─.
"─10%."
""""..."
"You all work hard a bit. Aren't clans here to protect and develop the region?"
He suddenly opened his mouth.
Noh Eunha's words were the final nail and.
The clan lords who were looking for justification had no choice but to resign in the end.
☆
At the current point, 10% jurisdiction fees would be a burden on the clans.
Nevertheless, Eunha and Han Seohyun went ahead with 10%.
We're still small in scale. So we need to inflate our size while they're struggling financially.
The purpose of going with 10% from the start was simply to burden the clans.
That's why they said 5% of the 10% would be used for regional development.
In reality, the profit Pandora Clan gained was only 5%, like other regional representative clans.
By the way, it was good to invite Teacher
Meanwhile, Eunha glanced at
He was lending his strength to Eunha after attending the meeting.
Thanks to that, the clan lords lost justification and had to be led by
Dominic, just turn your head away.
Your gaze is burdensome.
Meanwhile, because Eunha gave
Eunha's eyes also met Dominic standing behind
He was looking at Eunha with sparkling eyes.
Eunha turned his head away, feeling burdened by his gaze.
"─With this, we'll end the regional assembly."
""""..."
In the meantime, the regional assembly ended.
The clan lords' faces were not bright.
Because they didn't achieve any of what they wanted.
They all knew.
In 3 years the region would stabilize, and then Pandora Clan would completely rule Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu.
And then they would maintain the 10% jurisdiction fee and take all of the 5% that was being used for residents.
With this, the Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu clans won't be able to go against our clan.
For at least 3 years they'll have to bark if we tell them to bark, and for the remaining 7 years they'll spend time enduring while building up strength in earnest.
They were potential competitors.
Eunha was quite satisfied with the situation where he would take away their power and they wouldn't be able to properly go against them for the next 10 years.
However, he couldn't treat them too harshly.
They were competitors but also allies.
"I hear the clan members prepared a dinner gathering downstairs, so let's go down. Seniors, I'll treat you."
He had to improve their mood.
Eunha, who stood up, spoke warmly to them.
The clan lords looked at him with uncomfortable expressions.
But they also knew there was nothing good about making relations worse here.
"Let's do that. Pandora Clan Lord, can you drink?"
Starting with the Hansung Clan Lord.
Some clan lords responded to Eunha's proposal.
Since they showed favorable reactions, even the dissatisfied clan lords had no choice but to reluctantly go along.
"Please sit comfortably. Enjoy the food. Seniors, I'm really sorry for being late earlier."
"Hmm, people can be late sometimes. But let's not do that from now on. Pandora Clan Lord, have a drink."
"Yes, thank you."
Pandora Clan headquarters 3rd floor cafeteria.
Alcohol and food were laid out on tables arranged in a row.
They enjoyed the dinner gathering.
Eunha didn't refuse.
Indeed, the people who replied first to the invitation are showing quite favorable reactions.
The dinner atmosphere was lively.
Especially the people sitting around Eunha chatted and laughed as if they had never fought.
It was all Han Seohyun's arrangement.
She had seated people near Eunha in the order they responded to Pandora Clan's invitation.
The seating arrangement from the meeting room continued at the dinner gathering.
Meanwhile─.
"─Since the mood is so good, I can't help but tell you all some good news."
""""...!!""""
While Pandora Clan members and sub-lords went around the dinner venue matching people's moods.
Eunha, who noticed the signal Han Seohyun sent, opened his mouth.
Their gazes turned to Eunha.
"What is it, Pandora Clan Lord?"
"Yes, please tell us."
The Hansung Clan Lord's eyes sparkled.
Others around Eunha leaned their heads over the table.
"I hear guidelines will come down soon, giving the right to organize conquest of some newly appeared dungeons to the clan managing that district."
""""...!!""""
"But as you know, Pandora Clan is currently short on personnel... So as soon as the official document comes down, we'd like help from some clans..."
""""Let us do it!!""""
The clan lords reacted immediately.
Eunha smiled triumphantly.
Then he continued speaking.
"That's not all, I hear Donghae Construction won a large-scale construction bid in Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu this time. So to prepare for any contingencies during the construction period, they say they need our clan's help... As you know, we don't have many people, so we need seniors' help..."
""""Let us do it!!""""
They took the bait perfectly.
Eunha smiled seeing the clan lords dripping with desire.
They were groveling to Eunha, forgetting what happened at the meeting.
I need to engrave this in them clearly.
That there's nothing good about going against me, and if they just follow my words well, I'll take care of them moderately like this.
Nurture clans that are favorable to Pandora Clan.
And make them become allies.
Eunha was satisfied seeing the clan lords so happy when he dropped a few benefits.
At that moment─
─Bang!
The sound of someone slamming a glass hard on the table was heard.
People's gazes turned.
""""..."
At the very end of the table.
Once the head of Yongsan-gu but.
The DM Clan Lord, who was pushed to the last seat after responding latest to Eunha's invitation, was shaking his shoulders.
"Pandora Clan Lord. Now that I look at it, it seems it wasn't just your skill in threatening me with a sword that was excellent. You know how to sweet-talk too..."
The DM Clan Lord laughs hoarsely.
He poured alcohol into a glass.
After downing high-proof alcohol in one gulp, he slammed the glass down again with a bang.
"Yes, I guess I'm just a mere dog too. What the Pandora Clan Lord just offered is very tempting."
""""..."
"But sitting in this seat, it doesn't seem like there will be any rice cakes for DM Clan..."
The DM Clan Lord stood up and walked to Eunha.
He suddenly splashed the alcohol in Eunha's glass on the floor.
Then he poured the baijiu he had just poured earlier.
He held out the glass.
"Drink first. I just wanted to pour a drink for the Pandora Clan Lord who became Yongsan-gu's representative. Don't think I'm being too rude."
""""..."
The DM Clan Lord grins.
Eunha looked at him for a while, then downed the baijiu.
He clapped saying he drank such high-proof alcohol well.
But no one laughed.
Then─.
"─You drink alcohol so well without even manifesting internal mana, would you like to play a game with me?"
"A game?"
"Yes, a game. Yongsan-gu clans used to use this to discuss many decisions at one time. Hey, sub-lord! Quickly go bring that!"
"Yes, understood!"
The DM Clan Lord pointed at the DM sub-lord and shouted.
A man who suddenly stood up soon disappeared somewhere.
"You, surely not..."
"Yes, that's right. You've done this with me before too, right?"
"Isn't it a game Gil Seongjun, who was Changhae Clan Lord, quite enjoyed? You were still doing that?"
"There's no law saying not to do it."
The Hansung Clan Lord frowned.
The DM Clan Lord laughed while shrugging his shoulders.
Soon the DM sub-lord brought a large box.
The DM Clan Lord set the box down in front of Eunha with a thud.
"Let's say the clan jurisdiction fee is settled. Instead, let's all play this game, and the winners take the jobs the Pandora Clan Lord subcontracts. How about it?"
""""...!!""""
The DM Clan Lord grinned and.
The clan lords' eyes widened.
The people who liked this idea were those who had to sit at the back like the DM Clan Lord and suck their thumbs.
They raised their voices in agreement.
And Noh Eunha─
"─Let's decide after hearing what kind of game it is first."
"Good. I'll explain."
Noh Eunha took the bait.
The DM Clan Lord was certain Noh Eunha would have no choice but to participate in the game.
☆
This shouldn't be done.
The DM Clan Lord thought he could lose all the influence he had if he made a mistake.
That's not all.
Through Pandora Clan placing his seat at the very end, he thought he might even be pushed back by other clans if he made a mistake.
That shouldn't happen.
It's unavoidable for DM Clan to bow their heads to Pandora Clan, but they can't compete on the same level as these nobodies.
The DM Clan Lord was impatient and.
He deeply regretted having thrown Pandora Clan's invitation in the trash at first.
Courtesy to former officials.
It was a mistake to think Pandora Clan would treat him, who was once Yongsan-gu's representative, with respect.
He had to make up for his blunder somehow.
"─You drink alcohol so well without even manifesting internal mana, there's a game that suits you perfectly."
So he chose to take a risk.
At this rate, all the Yongsan-gu clans would stick to Noh Eunha.
Before that happened, he needed to exert his influence to some extent.
Fortunately, most of them were still following him.
And he needed to show Noh Eunha that he wasn't such an easy person.
That was why the DM Clan Lord overturned the dinner atmosphere with a rebellious attitude and proposed a game to Eunha.
No, it could be called a bet.
"─Inside this box are poisons DM Clan has collected over time. There are quite rare poisons too."
The DM Clan Lord opened the box.
Small bottles were lined up inside.
The liquids inside the bottles were all poisons.
He's quite an impressive person.
Not even flinching at seeing poison.
The DM Clan Lord waved a bottle of poison in front of Noh Eunha's eyes.
He showed no reaction.
Rather, the clan lords who had been interested in the game contents were shocked to hear it was poison.
He's quite bold.
The DM Clan Lord put down the poison he was holding and moved his hand to a bottle labeled 9th tier.
"This poison was extracted from a 9th tier dust snail. You must know the effects of dust snail poison. Just one drop of this bastard's poison causes respiratory distress. Well, you won't die. You'll just cough a lot and at worst lose your voice or get pneumonia."
""""..."
While explaining the poison in detail.
The DM Clan Lord ordered glasses to be prepared for as many clan lords as were participating in the game.
Not a single clan lord wasn't participating.
They knew they wouldn't get the crumbs Pandora Clan dropped if they didn't participate.
The DM Clan Lord giggled and dropped one or two drops of poison in the glasses.
Then he poured alcohol.
He held out a glass to Eunha.
"It's a game that's been passed down traditionally since Changhae Clan was the representative. We used this to settle agendas that just couldn't be concluded."
"How do you settle it?"
"It's simple. You just drink alcohol with poison without using mana. After going around once like that, we put in poison from a monster one tier higher, and drink alcohol again. It's a game of drinking poisoned alcohol until a winner emerges. Very easy, right?"
""""..."
The Yongsan-gu clan lords blanched.
Some Jung-gu clan lords also shuddered, perhaps having experienced the game before.
Nevertheless, the DM Clan Lord offered him the poisoned glass.
"A hegemon who has two regions shouldn't avoid a game like this. Who would follow a hegemon without dignity? Don't you agree?"
The DM Clan Lord provoked.
In reality, from the moment the game was explained, there was no corner for Noh Eunha to escape to.
If he avoided it, he'd become known as a coward, and if he accepted the challenge, he'd get poisoned and make a disgraceful scene in front of the clan lords.
You fool.
Do you think you, who haven't experienced the ups and downs of life, can withstand these poisons?
The DM Clan Lord snickered.
It was obvious he would be the winner.
He had somewhat adapted to it, having matched drinks with poisoned glasses with former Changhae Clan Lord Gil Seongjun.
Hadn't he even taken antidotes in advance?
So he was certain of victory and─.
"─Alright. Let's see how many tiers of poison I can endure safely."
""""..."
When Noh Eunha took the bait.
He smiled triumphantly.
He only felt pity for Noh Eunha who would soon be poisoned and make a disgraceful scene.