Chapter 17:

Chapter 17:

Chapter 17

If someone asked me what was the most important thing for a collector, most people or tellers would probably talk about the collector’s power.

A collector had to be strong.

That way, they could easily defeat the phantasms and collect stories without any difficulty.

I agreed with that too.

But then, if someone asked me what was the second most important thing for a collector, the answer would vary.

The suitability to accept and assimilate stories as one’s own.

The insight to grasp the core of the story and clear the worldviews.

The excellent leadership to guide others.

Well, things like these.

However, I would confidently shout this out.

The second most important thing for a collector was ‘style’.

“Uh, um. Do I look okay?”

And as I expected.

Kang Hye-rim’s appearance was enough to surprise the spirits for sure.

Kang Hye-rim seemed unsure and asked me, but I just nodded my head as an answer.

Contrary to her worries, Kang Hye-rim’s changed appearance was so amazing that even I, who had watched the whole process from the side, was astonished.

‘I knew she was pretty from the start. The problem was that she didn’t dress up.’

But, Kang Hye-rim’s appearance after she decided to dress up was exactly like the beautiful and noble swordmaster that I had seen in the past.

She wore a white martial arts uniform that fit her body perfectly and tied her hair neatly like black ebony.

Her light makeup enhanced her beauty by several times.

She stood straight with a sword on her waist, looking confident and dignified.

She was the swordmaster that I had admired in the distant past.

Not only the spirits, but even some people who passed by nearby, regardless of their gender, looked at her.

Kang Hye-rim was so attractive that she might become a popular star if she went on TV in this state.

“Are you sure I’m really okay?”

She still didn’t seem convinced and asked me in an anxious tone.

“Hey. Straighten your back! And keep your mouth shut!”

“Yes.”

When I scolded her, she followed my instructions.

She looked like the swordmaster from before, but her personality was still her personality.

If she made a mistake, she could ruin her image.

So I warned her several times to be careful with her words and actions.

Kang Hye-rim knew that too, so she kept her mouth shut.

This way, she definitely looked mysterious and beautiful like a swordmaster.

She was a perfect woman as long as she didn’t open her mouth.

Still, to ease her anxiety, I took a picture of her and showed it to her.

Kang Hye-rim looked at herself on the screen and widened her eyes.

Then she twitched her lips.

She almost burst into laughter, but she seemed to have some sense and tried to hold back her smile.

This was a minor thing that she had to be careful about later, but for now, let’s leave it alone.

Anyway, my plan to dress up Kang Hye-rim worked perfectly.

Ding. Ding.

[The leader of Shaldralla has sponsored 100TP to Kang Hye-rim.]

[You have acquired 21TP.]

[A drunkard from the tavern has sponsored 100TP to Kang Hye-rim.]

[You have acquired 21TP.]

As expected, the spirits were fascinated by her outward change and generously threw points at her.

Kang Hye-rim didn’t expect this to happen and looked flustered, but thanks to my stern warning that she should accept it naturally no matter what happened, she didn’t react like a bumpkin.

That’s how the story became yours.

“For now, you only need to get the basic [stories]. You might get some skills later, but those are usually expensive in the [dimensional shop], so it’s better to aim for them as clear rewards for the worldviews.”

Anyway, I had given her everything she needed at this point.

Kang Hye-rim seemed touched by how much I cared for her, and her eyes changed when she looked at me.

I spoke first, as if to preempt her.

“I appreciate your gratitude, but that’s enough. I’ve opened the library for you, so you have to show your perfect self to the spirits.”

The role of Geomhu that she would play from now on might not suit her original personality, but I believed she could do well.

“Yes. Trust me and leave it to me.”

“Alright. Then let’s go in.”

She might be calm now because she was overwhelmed by emotion, but if she remembered how many points I spent to buy this, she might have a fit.

To prevent that from happening, I dragged her into the worldview that was our goal for today.

The scenery changed in an instant.

It was a closed corridor that did not show the sky, similar to the cobalt mine we first went to.

But unlike the crude mine made by carving rocks, this place was more like a labyrinth made with precision.

“Where is this? I can tell it’s a secluded place that people don’t visit often.”

Kang Hye-rim asked in a serious tone.

She looked like she had written strictness, solemnity, and seriousness on her face.

I told her to act, but seeing her like that made me smile involuntarily.

Why did I feel like laughing when I saw her subtle acting?

I quickly answered before I burst out laughing.

“This is the Labyrinth of Crete.”

To be precise, it was the Labyrinth of Knossos (Λαβύρινθος) in the palace of Crete.

“It’s also a worldview that collectors don’t visit often.”

“Isn’t that from Greek mythology? Why is it here...”

“The appearance of worldviews does not depend on countries. A story imbued with Korean folklore can be realized as a worldview on the other side of the earth. Stories are much more free than we think.”

But that wasn’t the important thing.

“This Labyrinth of Knossos has been raided by several teams, but it still remains uncleared.”

“Why?”

“They couldn’t find the clear condition. And also because the labyrinth itself is very tricky.”

At my words, Kang Hye-rim looked around once.

It was a bit dark, but she had acquired a skill called [Bright Eyes] in the mine, so she could easily see through the darkness.

The surroundings were definitely complex like a maze, with paths opening in all directions.

“The labyrinth itself is too complicated to navigate without a map. And according to legend, there is a fearsome fantasy creature roaming inside.”

“...Minotaur.”

She knew it because it was such a famous story.

As if answering her call,

Woohoo!

A loud roar of a giant beast came from the dark depths of the labyrinth, carried by the wind.

“This is different from the cobalt mine. The paths are complex, it’s dark because there’s not much light. And there are no other fantasy creatures, only that Minotaur bastard.”

It was practically a place where there was nothing to farm.

Moreover, this fantasy creature was not an ordinary one, but a boss-level one.

It was a terrifying creature that most collectors would avoid confronting.

I wasn’t sure if Kang Hye-rim could handle it at this point.

‘The only good thing is that this bull-headed creature is stuck in the labyrinth.’

That’s why there was no need to raid it periodically, and this Labyrinth of Knossos worldview was left alone.

This was a relatively peaceful worldview that didn’t have any ‘erosion’.

So, it was perfect.

The goal for today was one thing.

To clear this labyrinth.