The God of Liar

While others had a hard time keeping up with the sudden change of mood, Seojin was racking his brain.

’Good timing, but I gotta go soft this time.’

He’d used his threatening stance earlier. It looked like his charisma was also effective on the townspeople. Even the guy who had charged at him in anger succumbed to the pressure and kneeled.

Thanks to that, he’d managed to get through to the residents without too many objections.

Petty Liar: 9min 38sec

Now it was time to give them the carrot.

”You’ll get your hometown back. I’ll make it happen.”

Overwhelming stat difference, effect increased dramatically!

It worked flawlessly. Seojin couldn’t see any lingering hostility in their eyes.

Even Mac Gray, who was kneeling before him.

’Redrix told me this guy is the most important.’

He advised Seojin beforehand that if he could convince Mac, the others won’t be too much of a problem.

”Mac Gray, am I right?”

”Yeah… yes.”

”Get up. The floor is cold.”

Mac grabbed Seojin’s hand and stood up. Seojin waited until Mac went and sat back down quickly, and then moved in. He stood where all twenty men would be able to see him.

”I know I won’t be able to gain your trust using only my words.”

The bar was silent. Seojin gave everyone a firm look before opening his inventory.

He took out something he had prepared in advance.

Clank!

A heavy bag fell on the bar table.

”Mister Gray?”

”…Yes, yes.”

”Try opening it.”

Mac stood up and approached carefully.

He opened a bag while staring at Seojin, then he was shocked.

”It’s… money! Tons of it!”

”Please show it to everyone else.”

Mac walked through the crowd and showed them what was inside the bag one by one.

Their reactions were varied. Some were surprised, and some glared at the money out of instinctive greed. Some looked at Seojin in disbelief.

Seojin, the center of attention, retrieved the bag. All this time, he didn’t break eye contact.

”It’s a total of 1,000 Gold. I’m going to invest this money in Berne.”

”…My God.”

Someone let out a sigh and it seemed to trigger everyone else’s reactions.

”Do you mean it?”

”A thousand… thousand gold… my God, with that money….”

”He must be messing with us. How could this be real?”

The explosive chain reaction was almost frightening.

It wouldn’t be taken seriously under any other circumstances.

However, thanks to his skills, Seojin had the power to make everyone waver.

”I mean it, but only if appropriate conditions are met.”

”What do you mean by that?”

”As we move forward, my opinion should take precedence no matter what the situation is.”

”I hope you aren’t going to make us do something ridiculous, sir.”

Mac Gray started to speak politely.

Seojin made it clear.

”Everything I’m doing is for the sake of Berne. I’ll supply you with the money, and you must use it to revive Bern.”

”I see the direction is in your hands.”

”Only an adventurer knows how to deal with another adventurer. You’ve already been through it, right? You’ve seen how indifferent they are toward you.”

Mac knew that Seojin was right.

It was the same for the others, too.

Seojin kept up his momentum.

”Do your part, and I’ll do my part. You can take your leave if you don’t agree.”

Seojin sat on a nearby chair with his arms crossed. He seemed like he couldn’t care less about how many people would remain.

There was a brief stir among the residents, but it soon subsided.

Silence.

All twenty people stayed in their seats.

”I’ll take it that you all agree?”

”…”

There was no answer.

Seojin didn’t care and stared straight at Mac.

”Gray. I want you to be the people’s representative from now on. Twenty, no twenty-one people including Redrix, all agree with me. Am I right?”

”…That’s right.”

”Splendid. Redrix?”

”Uh, uh, go on…” The blacksmith scurried closer with a nervous look on his face.

Seojin handed him a bundle of papers. ”It’s a contract that has a magical effect. Please hand it out to them so that they may read it all and sign.”

”Sure.”

”Gray?”

”Say it.”

”Who owns this place?”

”…It’s my building.”

It was an unrealistic world where even the owner of the building could be forced out of the village. Seojin spoke with a smile.

”Let me rent a room on the second floor. I’ll pay rent.”

”You don’t need to…”

”I said I’d pay. Please fill out the contract and come upstairs. I’ll be waiting.”

Mac nodded with mixed feelings.

As he climbed the old, wooden stairs, Seojin smiled happily at the notifications that rolled out rapidly.

Residents Supporting You: 2

Residents Supporting You: 3

…

Residents Supporting You: 21

Main Quest sees large progress!

The Tree of Life beats vigorously!

Life Remaining: 20%

Main Quest: Seed of Hope

* Twenty-one residents are rooting for you!

* The town’s remaining life will decrease 21% slower.

* The townspeople’s fondness towards you increased by 21%

* Quest Progress: 42%

’Perfect.’

Threats and lies.

He played good cop and bad cop unintentionally using the two stances.

Now, there was only one left.

’I have to face the reality…’

Mac Gray.

He had to take the lead in fulfilling Seojin’s instructions.

’This is what bureaucracy is for. Give an order to only one man and the rest will follow.’

This time, Seojin was the one to give the orders.

Sitting on a bed that looked as old as the stairs, Seojin began to laugh.

* * *

Seojin prepared two things before meeting the townsfolk.

1,000 Gold.

He combined his existing 500 Gold with another 500 Gold he’d bought for 50,000,000 won.

He also brought fifty contract papers that would magically enforce the deal.

Fortunately, the plan worked and Mac Gray was sitting in front of Seojin as a result.

”I’m saying you have to lead them, Mac. I didn’t give you that title for no reason. Do you understand what I mean?”

”…Okay.”

”You don’t look okay, though. Any complaints?”

”It’s just, I don’t understand.”

”I get what you mean. An adventurer pops out of thin air, and suddenly pours money into the dying village…”

Mac nodded.

Seojin took a step further. ”You’re unsettled. ’What if he’s up to something?’ ’It’ll be nice if he’s purely helping us, but if it’s not…’ Right?”

”You’re unsettled. You’re wondering if I’m up to something. You think it’d be nice if I was purely helping you all out, but if not… right?”

”Yes.”

Mac politely, but firmly agreed.

This was because the effects of his skill had worn off.

He’d agreed like he was possessed earlier, but it must have felt suspicious thinking about it again.

”Gray. I’m not a philanthropist.”

”Of course…”

”It’s only an investment. The details must have been in the contract.”

”I saw that, too.”

”It still doesn’t make sense?”

”I love my hometown, but I’m not delusional. There’s no way to make a profit out of this place.”

The contract was simple.

Seojin would invest 1,000 Gold in Berne, and when Berne’s total profit exceeded 3,000 Gold, he takes 2,000 Gold back. In other words, triple my money, and I’ll take double my investment back.

They wouldn’t risk anything even if they failed.

”Do you think it’s impossible?

”Of course…”

Mac stopped talking seeing Seojin smile. His face was full of confidence, he believed in his success.

’Does he have someone supporting him?’

Mac couldn’t understand. Berne was on the brink of collapse. Take one step forward and the town would be gone.

So what was up with that smile? How did that smile still give him hope?

”You said your Lord abandoned you.”

”…Yes.”

”The adventurers and the townspeople too, right?”

Seojin wasn’t asking for an answer, so Mac just listened.

”At least one adventurer and twenty-one residents did not abandon Berne.”

Unlike that irresponsible Lord.

At that moment, Seojin’s outfit changed.

He changed into violet-colored, elegant attire.

Mac recognized the value of it and his eyes almost popped out of his head.

Seojin’s firm voice rang in his ears like a revelation.

”Our King will not abandon this place.”

* * *

”Move fast, lads! This is a once-in-a-lifetime change we’re talking about!”

Seojin smirked as he heard the yelling from the inside.

Mac Gray, aka the backbone of Berne took the lead, so he didn’t seem to have to worry.

’As expected, exclusive gear works wonders.’

Mac had been doubting him until the end. However, it took two simple secrets to change his attitude. One, the High Noble-like Attire, and two, the mention of the King.

These two were enough to make Mac trust Seojin as an authoritative figure.

It was somewhat natural that he was so enthusiastic with such a big cause on his side.

’Who would want to leave their hometown, after all?’

Seojin thought the other residents wouldn’t be so different.

”Next.”

He then checked the report Mac Gray brought him. It was a list of townspeople of Berne, with each individual’s specialties and occupations written by their name. Seojin scanned the report and nodded satisfactorily.

’Good. They’re relatively well-distributed in terms of specialties.’

Various kinds of manpower would be needed to revive Bern since the towns of Midgard were like tourist attractions. Lots of benefits would be needed to win the hearts of adventurers.

’We could use more soldiers. Even if I mobilize all of our guards, it’ll be difficult to clear the area.’

Seojin couldn’t do it by himself as he didn’t specialize in combat.

But there was a way. If he didn’t have any forces, he could borrow some.

’It’s about time, huh?’

Seojin opened the door and left his new room. He could see people leaving the bar as Mac ushered them out.

Through the window, he could see that the townsfolk were divided into two groups.

The group on the left would leave for Ilynea to get supplies, and the group on the right were tasked with persuading people to join Seojin’s side.

”It’s only a matter of time before the townspeople support me fully.”

1,000 Gold and a connection to the King.

No one would be able to say no to that, especially when the purpose was to protect their hometown.

Seojin moved on to the next step.

”Gray.”

”Oh, sir. Have you been watching?”

The way Mac stared at Seojin was almost like he admired him.

”I just came out. You’re finished, right?”

”Yes, I’ve done exactly as you instructed.”

”You did a great job. What about the other thing? Did he know anything?”

Seojin ordered Mac to personally do something else.

Thankfully, one of the twenty townsfolk was close to the town chief, so Seojin asked him to find out anything related to Baron Bolton.

To Seojin’s surprise, Mac actually had something.

”There was one thing. Our chief said the Lord seemed scared.”

”Did he also mention an adventurer named Robert?”

”He spoke of an adventurer but didn’t know the name. And he said…”

Mac said, tilting his head.

”He said the adventurer threatened the Lord with a weapon named ’The Sea of Information.’ That he could blow up this estate in the blink of an eye.”

”The Sea of Information?”

”Yes, I’m sure it was… why?”

Seojin let out a snort upon hearing the unexpected story.

He finally knew how Robert had controlled the Baron.

”No, no… I was just speechless.”

”…?”

Seojin gave Mac, who looked confused, some good news.

”I, too, happen to know how to use that weapon.”