34. Struggle.

34. Desperate Measures.

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After a long hunt, Aoki’s group… no, Kaku’s group, dragged their weary bodies out of the dungeon.

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There was a mugging gang in the middle, but Kaku’s group wasn’t exactly lacking in skill by local standards, and they had a good number of people, so they were able to defeat them easily.

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In fact, the profit from this was greater than what they had earned in the previous dungeon.

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The amount they got from selling byproducts to the company was about $40,000, but the amount they got from robbing the muggers easily exceeded $1 million. Of course, that includes the cost of equipment.

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“Let’s do a major overhaul once the equipment is sold.”

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Kaku gathered his team and said.

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A party of seven, including him, the leader.

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Originally, there were five people: Aoki, Karen, Haruna, Ooku, and Kaku, but with the addition of the two women Aoki rescued, the number increased to seven.

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Both were ranged classes, and one was a rare healer, so hunting was much smoother than before, but they were just accepting the situation as it was; only Aoki seemed to be happy about it.

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“We’re still very weak, and when I think about ‘that woman,’ I can’t relax at all.”

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Kaku nags like a mother even while eating.

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They left Japan to avoid Im Ha-yan, a Harem Palace maid who wanted to eliminate Aoki and his party members.

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They haven’t encountered her yet, but if the Palace tries to find them properly, they’ll be exposed immediately.

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To prepare for this, all team members had to run with the goal of becoming stronger with all their might. I don’t know how meaningful that is, though…

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Currently, they were running D-rank dungeons in Germany.

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“And after the equipment sales and other maintenance are done, we’re moving to the Czech Republic this time. There’s a little-known dungeon there.”

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“Haa….”

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Haruna sighed at his words.

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She barely managed to settle down in Germany, but now they’re moving to the Czech Republic.

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Before coming to Germany, they hunted in France, and now they’re moving again in just one month.

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“How long do we have to do this?”

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“Probably….”

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Kaku started with a dark face at her whining.

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“For life…?”

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“Shit….”

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“Y-You just need to get stronger….”

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Aoki said in an unsure tone, but no one listened except for the duo he rescued.

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Even the leader, Kaku, ignored his opinion. He’s almost treated like a criminal.

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“I can’t even use my cell phone properly, no email, limited internet. And moving every month. Is this how people live?”

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“We can’t help it. And you’re just not supposed to answer unknown numbers on your cell phone. It shouldn’t be that difficult, right?”

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“Still!!”

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Haruna screamed and shoved a large piece of bread into her mouth.

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It was almost like a rage-eating session.

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“Hey, did you hear?”

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“Hear what?”

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“The D10 President is coming soon.”

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“Agnes? Why?”

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“She used to be the head of the European branch. She built up her power here too. Isn’t it because of that? She has to clean up her house, you know.”

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A group eating at a diagonal table was overheard.

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President Agnes. Association President Agnes.

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Anyway, it refers to Agnes Isabella, the current head of D10.

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‘Agnes Isabella…?’

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Kaku’s mind started to race.

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Outwardly, Agnes, or rather the Dungeon Cooperation Organization, is in an antagonistic relationship with the Harem Palace. Of course, they cooperate on certain matters, but they are still one of the two major powers dividing the world’s dungeon hegemony.

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And according to rumors subtly circulating in the dungeon world, Agnes’s family was driven to ruin because of Yu-eun.

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Then, could I use that?

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‘Agnes will want information. And a Palace maid is chasing us. If I use this, there might be a way to live safely under the protection of a large organization.’

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It’s not a certainty.

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It’s rather an uneasy and ambiguous plan.

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But it was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

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After the meal, Kaku called the group to his room.

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He even lowered his voice to have a more private conversation.

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“Agnes Isabella, the president of the Dungeon Cooperation Organization, is coming to Germany in a few days.”

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“That’s what they were talking about at the table across from us, right? Why is that?”

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“….”

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Kaku paused for a moment at Karen’s words.

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“…I’m going to contact her.”

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“What? Are you seriously going to beg her to protect us because of these and these circumstances? As if she’d listen!”

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Haruna said coldly, but Kaku raised his hand to stop her and looked her straight in the eye.

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“Listen carefully. D10 is in an antagonistic relationship with the Harem Palace. There are even rumors that Agnes lost her family because of Yu-eun. So, I’m going to use that.”

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“That’s just a rumor.”

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“Anyway, the fact that they’re in an antagonistic relationship is true, so she’ll need information.”

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Kaku explained the plan.

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First, visit the European branch when Agnes arrives.

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Then, arrange a meeting with her by saying that you have important information related to the Harem Palace.

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“That’s it.”

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“…Are you kidding me?”

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“This is a bit….”

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“Kaku, you need to rest.”

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After explaining it very briefly, the team members all looked dumbfounded.

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A plan that’s only two lines long. You can’t even call this a plan.

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“Do you think someone who’s the president would meet us just because we said, ‘I have information!’? Even if she does meet us, what’s next? What are you going to do? You don’t have any information!”

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“That’s right. But the maid who’s chasing us will know something.”

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“……Are you saying we should be bait?”

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“Before that, we’ll first request protection from the Dungeon Cooperation Organization headquarters. That way, they’ll have a reason to catch the maid.”

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“Ah….”

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They barely understood with the subsequent explanation.

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There were still many shortcomings, and the part about ‘meeting the president’ seemed very 허술, but there was no other way.

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A few days later,

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Kaku was staring straight ahead, very nervous, inside a spacious elevator.

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‘I can’t believe it actually worked….’

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Behind him stood expressionless women wearing black suits, and behind them were the current head of the European branch and President Agnes Isabella.

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The 허접 plan to meet Agnes had succeeded.

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First, he obtained information that she was visiting this place through a phone call, and then he and his team members took turns lying in wait. They were misunderstood by the employees several times, but fortunately, they were able to meet Agnes and her group entering the building from outside.

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Like a noblewoman in a movie.

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He was momentarily lost in her beauty, but Kaku soon regained his senses and approached her, saying that he had important information about the Harem Palace.

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Of course, he was stopped by the attendants and guards, but Agnes showed interest.

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Thus, the elevator.

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This is how he will be guided to her room… or rather, to the room of the ‘current head of the European branch.’

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It seemed that the head of the European branch followed her very closely, so if he made a good impression on Agnes, he might be protected here.

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“Please clear the room.”

“Yes. Please make yourself comfortable.”

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When they arrived at the head of the branch’s room, Agnes sent the head of the branch away.

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The feeling of being dismissed from one’s own room must have been quite shitty, but she nodded obediently and stepped back.

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“Come in.”

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“Y-Yes….”

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Perhaps considering that it was important information about the Palace, she had all the attendants stay outside and brought only Kaku into the room.

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As soon as he entered, he was greeted by a panoramic view of Berlin.

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One entire wall was made of glass, which made him exclaim in admiration.

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“So, you have important information about the Harem Palace?”

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Agnes sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, staring at Kaku as if glaring at him.

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“Yes, I do.”

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Kaku cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

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“About two months ago, my team members and I were hunting in a dungeon in Japan.”

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“….”

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His old story(?) began.

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Agnes tilted her head but listened anyway.

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One of the attendants knocked, came in, served tea, and left.

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“At that time, I met ‘her.’ She isㅡ,”

“Wait a minute.”

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In the middle of the ongoing story, Agnes finally intervened.

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She had a slightly dumbfounded look on her face.

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“I’m trying to hear information about the Palace, not your old stories.”

“Ah, of course.”

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“Tell me the information first. Right now. Or do you want something else? How much?”

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“That’s….”

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Kaku thought for a moment.

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When he vaguely thought about the plan, he thought he could use the maid who was chasing them, but now that he was actually faced with the situation, it was very difficult to bring it up.

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She is the president of the Dungeon Cooperation Organization, with more power than the president of a country. If he took up her precious time and said, ‘Actually, I don’t have any information right now. The maid who’s chasing us has the information,’ would she not get angry?

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But it’s not desirable to vaguely drag out the time either.

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In the first place, dragging out the time won’t solve anything. Because he doesn’t have any information.

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In the end, he has no choice but to be honest…

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He opened his mouth with a face of great determination.

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“Actually, I don’t have any information right now.”

“….”

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