Subscriber of the Gods

“Why are the taxes like this?”

Baroness Sephira of Pirenne couldn’t hide her surprise. The taxes that had come in this time were several times higher than the previous ones collected. It was an amount that would never be imposed on a small town.

“It’s because of the recently established workshop called ‘Weight Reduction Workshop’. They paid a tremendous amount of taxes.”

The advisor explained.

“Weight Reduction Workshop?”

Baroness Sephira had been away in another city for about a week, so she was unaware of the existence of the Weight Reduction Workshop.

She had simply been pleased by the bustling atmosphere upon her return to Pirenne.

“It’s……”

The advisor explained briefly.

“So, who is running this business?”

“It’s Ethan Whiskers, the eldest son of Count Whiskers.”

“Ethan Whiskers? The frail young master?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. It was Ethan who started the Weight Reduction workshop, and during that period, people flocked there in great numbers.”

“Goodness! Is that something to be pleased about? Immediately send a message to Young Master Ethan and arrange a meeting!”

“That… my apologies, Your Excellency, but he has already left.”

“What did you say?”

It had only been mentioned that the Weight Reduction workshop was recently established.

That he had already left, what did that mean?

“He, he left? Why!”

“He moved the business under the authority of Count Whiskers.”

The lord hastily scanned through the documents.

The presence of the Weight Reduction workshop in Pirenne had been brief.

Nevertheless, a significant amount of taxes had been paid.

During that period, the people who visited the territory had spent a considerable sum of money.

Furthermore, the taxes paid by the Weight Reduction Workshop were substantial.

“Is there nothing we can do about this?”

“It will likely be difficult.”

Baroness Sephira rubbed her temples.

“Persuading those prestigious mages would be challenging. And even if we bring in just anyone, they will never be able to replicate that business. We might just receive more criticism.”

“T-then what should we do?”

“It would be best to request Ethan Whiskers to establish a branch in Pirenne.”

Although the Baroness of Pirenne was a lord, she still operated a single territory. In contrast, Ethan had no official title yet.

However, the Baroness of Pirenne’s gaze was already fixated on the gold written on the parchment.

“I will go myself. If necessary, I will even kneel!”

The lord had her own ambitions.

And the thread that could fulfill those ambitions was Ethan.

“Prepare some gifts! Something good for his health, all of it!”

* * *

“There are so many people? What’s happening?”

“Our shop was also exceptionally busy today. Armor that hasn’t sold in five years was sold today.”

“Our swords were sold too. What’s suddenly going on?”

The merchants from the blacksmith and the weapons shop were bewildered.

“Haven’t you heard the news? It seems Young Master Ethan has started a new business.”

“Young Master Ethan?”

“What kind of business is it?”

“It seems to be a business that makes things lighter.”

“I’ve heard of it. But isn’t that something sought after by extraordinary knights? There would be few people capable of getting it.”

“No, that’s not the case. They say they can do it for anyone, especially for farmers.”

“Farmers?”

“They say that farming tools have become lighter, making it much easier to cultivate the land.”

“T-then…”

“What about hammers?”

“And scissors?”

“They should be possible!”

The residents of Count Whiskers’s territory also welcomed Ethan’s business with open arms.

It had a direct positive impact on their daily work, going beyond the benefits to the territory itself.

“The money is rolling in.”

Already, 3.5 million gold had been accumulated.

Ethan smiled contentedly as he looked at the growing pile of gold. Money was always good to have, especially in large amounts.

Furthermore, a letter arrived from Pirenne as well.

It was a letter personally written by the lord, expressing the desire to meet and discuss matters face to face.

“It’s only natural. The taxes they get must have been quite generous.”

Even in such a short period, there had been a considerable number of customers.

Moreover, by keeping the territory active, there were many benefits to be gained. Ethan wanted to take advantage of the opportunity with the weight reduction workshop.

However, Ethan had no intention of opening a branch in Pirenne.

‘I’ll open a branch in a bigger place.’

And the location had already been decided.

“The capital city. But for that, I’ll need to cooperate with the merchant guild.”

Ethan thought about the vicinity.

In truth, he didn’t know much about Whiskers County, but he was aware of the impact it had in this area.

David Guild.

There was a fairly capable merchant there.

If Ethan stirred things up like this, that merchant would surely catch wind of it and come looking.

‘They called her the Money Ghost. Whenever you engaged in a profitable venture, that person always came seeking you.’

And true to her name, when they worked together with her, they could earn a significant amount of money.

Ethan planned to make a contract with her and open a branch in the capital city.

‘That’s why I brought the mages from Magic Tower.’

They were already familiar with their tasks.

‘If we need more people, we can hire more.’

Of course, finding mages wouldn’t be easy, but with some effort, he could gather as many as he needed.

“Then I should be able to quickly gather enough funds for admission fees. Besides, with money, I can easily clear various quests.”

Having a foundational business like this was a key to growth.

Yerica, who had found Ethan during his break, approached him with an excited expression.

“Ethan, I didn’t expect the business to go so well. When I first saw those mages, I didn’t think they would perform so impressively. How did you know?”

“I did some research.”

“Wait, don’t tell me it was from books again?”

“Not at all. I simply observed their situation from various angles and made decisions. But rather than that, get ready. We have to go out.”

“What? We’re going out? It’s already dark. Are we going for a drink, perhaps?”

She had a hopeful look on her face.

“No.”

Ethan shook his head.

Ethan wasn’t focused on the success of the business. The business was bound to do well, given the circumstances.

He had infused the knowledge he obtained while clearing MePan.

Now was not the time to bask in success.

The dangers were not yet fully resolved.

“Today, I received a report from the knight who was assisting with crowd control. They mentioned that there was a suspicious person. Someone was discreetly trying to confirm you were here, Yerica. They will likely launch an attack soon.”

Yerica’s expression froze at those words.

Finally, the expected threat had arrived.

After all, he had willingly put her in the forefront, accepting the risks.

‘That’s why I got the class.’

Furthermore, there was something to gain from this situation.

‘Fame.’

Those who pursued Yerica were usually formidable individuals.

Knowing that Yerica possessed the knowledge of an Archmage, the ones tracking her would likely be skilled individuals.

“We should strike first since an attack is imminent, don’t you think?”

* * *

“Yes. It’s definitely her.”

“Are you sure you didn’t mistake her for someone else? I heard she can’t use magic.”

“Yes, I was aware that she couldn’t use magic due to some curse or something.”

“But she’s using weight reduction magic. Could it be someone else?”

“However, her appearance is identical, and above all, her unique eye color is the same.”

“Hmm, in that case, it’s undoubtedly that guy, Ethan Whiskers, who did something.”

“It seems likely. However, since she’s only using weight reduction magic, it seems she hasn’t fully lifted the curse.”

“Well, in that case, we shouldn’t hesitate.”

The two masked individuals moved in the darkness.

Their destination was the Weight Reduction Workshop. Over the past two days, they had been observing the workshop, tracking where the mages went after closing their business.

Once their route was known, it was an easy task to abduct them.

“But under no circumstances should we kill her. With the knowledge she possesses, our lives will be completely changed.”

“Yes!”

Their objective was the knowledge of an Archmage.

To obtain it, they must not kill her under any circumstances.

They swiftly made their way to the building, moving silently.

“Proceed.”

As they whispered, their bodies came to a halt at that very spot.

“Ugh!?”

“I-I can’t move!”

“You came to find me?”

Yerica appeared in the darkness.

Mana gathered in her outstretched hand.

“H-How…?”

“I’ve been running away all this time, surviving. That’s why I can sense you guys moving around like little rats.”

Yerica twisted her wrist, and the wrists and bodies of the masked individuals twisted in the same way.

“Keukk.”

“Keuuuuk.”

As trained individuals, their screams were barely audible.

“I don’t need to run anymore. The magic you were after, my grandfather’s magic, is no longer just in my head.”

Shaaaak-.

The more force Yerica exerted, the more the masked individuals writhed in agony.

Now there was no fear. She had confirmed her ability to fully control magic, so she could easily handle anyone who came after her.

“Now…”

At that moment, she sensed a presence. Yerica quickly turned her head, and there stood a man wielding a dagger.

“……!”

The attackers were not just those two.

Another masked individual emerged from the darkness, wielding a dagger in the shape of lightning, charging straight at Yerica.

Caught off guard as she was casting a spell, Yerica couldn’t react properly.

“Keohok.”

That’s when Ethan jumped out from the side. Ethan drew his own sword and slashed diagonally at the masked man.

Shaaaak-.

A chill emanated from the blue sword.

-You have defeated a renowned individual.

-Your reputation has increased!

Ethan successfully gained some reputation. Those who targeted Yerica would continue to appear, and slowly accumulating some reputation in this manner wasn’t a bad thing.

“Finish them off, Yerica.”

“Yes.”

Startled, Yerica refocused her attention on the two masked individuals.

“Keookkkk.”

“P-Please… spare us…”

“You’re not worth living.”

Yerica swiftly dealt with the two masked individuals.

“Phew…”

Yerica took a deep breath, her body trembling slightly.

It was something she had imagined countless times, but experiencing it firsthand wasn’t as easy as she had thought.

She had just dealt with the person who had been pursuing her. Her heart started racing.

Tap-.

At that moment, Ethan lightly tapped Yerica’s back.

Instantly, she regained a sense of calm.

“Well done.”

“…”

For some reason, Yerica felt that the area where Ethan had touched her back was incredibly warm.

* * *

“This is no small feat. I can’t believe someone managed to turn this into a business.”

The woman had impressive hair that reached down to her back. She appeared to be in her 40s. Pinned to her chest was a badge, a well-known emblem that anyone would recognize.

David Guild.

It was one of the Top 5 badges, which were always held by individuals from guilds in each continent.

“Who could have started such a lucrative venture? It must not have been easy to acquire the mages. And moreover…”

It was bold.

Not only were they offering weight reduction enchantments but also other types of magic.

“They have a perfect understanding of the psychology of those who would use their workshop.”

It wasn’t just about selling exceptional goods. Despite that, people kept flocking to this place.

“But that’s not all. This is the key. Who on earth can use such magic?”

Attribute-enhanced magic didn’t disappear naturally. It remained in the object unless it was broken. At least that was what she knew.

“Is there a time limit?”

However, this weight reduction enchantment had a time limit.

It was a kind of subscription system.

As someone like Ethan, who immediately used [New World], the seller knew very well how advantageous subscriptions could be. But for a top-tier merchant, it felt incredibly fresh.

“I never thought such a method existed. I’ve considered it, but to actually go through with it!”

She was deeply curious about the person who came up with this tremendous idea.

That was why she had come here in person.

“Are you a customer?”

After waiting in a long line and finally reaching the weight reduction enchantment mage, she showed her David Guild badge.

“I’m Etting Hunt, a sub-leader of David Guild. I noticed Count Whiskers’ emblem on the sign as I came in. Did Count Whiskers create this place?”

“David Guild?”

The mage looked surprised.

It was undoubtedly a David Guild badge. It could have been fake, but they could sense the merchant’s aura from the person holding the badge.

“The owner of this weight reduction enchantment workshop is Ethan Whiskers, the first son of the count.”

“Ethan Whiskers, Ethan Whiskers…”

This time, Etting was surprised.

Information was a weapon for merchants, and Ethan Whiskers was a name that could not be unknown.

The frail young master, Ethan Whiskers, was the count’s useless son.

“Is he fully recovered from his illness?”

“Illness?”

The mage looked puzzled.

Seeing that the employee didn’t know, it seemed that Ethan had either fully recovered from his illness or had recovered to the point where it was not noticeable.

“Thank you for the information.”

She first requested the weight reduction enchantment for her staff.

The weight reduction enchantment process was incredibly fast.

They handed over her staff, and in less than a minute, the weight reduction enchantment was complete.

“That was incredibly fast.”

“The basic duration is seven days. If you want an extension, we can extend it for an additional fee. Please come again.”

Etting moved her staff around in various directions. She had a keen sense. If the weight reduction enchantment process was poorly done, the weight distribution would be off.

“It’s balanced.”

Etting was convinced. This could turn into a lucrative business.

To think that the frail young master had built such a genius enterprise.

“I need to meet him.”

Just as she was about to send a messenger raven to find Ethan, someone called out to her from behind.

“Etting Hunt, right?”

When she turned around, there stood Ethan Whiskers as if he had been waiting for her.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Ethan Whiskers.”