Chapter 6: Caged Dreams

Chapter 6: Caged Dreams

Sage was utterly taken aback by the greed of the nobles and royal families. It was outrageous that after successfully raiding a dungeon, adventurers were forced to give up ninety percent of their loot.

This felt like nothing less than daylight robbery, especially considering the potential casualties involved,yet these nobles seemed completely indifferent to that.

Their sole focus appeared to be draining every last bit from those who dared to venture into the dungeons.

He shook his head in disbelief; in his eyes, the world was fundamentally broken.

"Yeah, you’re kind of right," Pax said, taking another gulp of beer and letting out a sigh. "But for them to get stronger, they need to enter these dungeons to find resources. That’s just how this world operates. It’s like a massive prison for anyone wanting to grow stronger!"

Sage watched Pax as he continued downing his beer, clearly lost in thought.

"But dungeons aren’t the only source of power, right? There are other ways for people to grow stronger,like hunting magical beasts outside of dungeons. Besides, not all resources are exclusive to dungeons!" Sage interjected.

Pax wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and burped before nodding at Sage, his cheeks flushed and eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

"You’re right about that! People can hunt magical beasts for their cores and there are other resources scattered around too!"

He paused briefly before continuing. "But those magical beasts are far more powerful, brutal, and intelligent than dungeon monsters. Hunting them is no easy task! Plus, the resources found in dungeons are ten times better than what you’d find outside; dungeon monsters drop valuable parts and can respawn. That makes dungeons incredibly lucrative!"

Sage rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he began piecing together how this world operated.

Dungeons seemed to be the primary source of strength but were controlled by the powerful elite; ordinary people had no real share in it.

To enter a dungeon required paying a hefty fee upfront and then surrendering most of any loot obtained afterward.

Essentially, nobles and royal families treated these dungeons like businesses,they hoarded all the best resources while requiring minimal manpower for raids since they dictated access based on payment terms.

It was a perfect scam: they simply had to sit back while guards watched over dungeon entrances.

Adventurers paid for entry only to hand over nearly everything they earned afterward,the ones truly suffering were those who ventured inside.

"Damn! What kind of greedy beings are these people? They’re just like vampires sucking the life out of ordinary individuals!" Sage exclaimed in shock after contemplating it all.

These nobles and royal families were truly twisted in their greed. He shook his head again before looking at Pax, who was now finishing off his last mug of beer with large gulps.

"But can people really protest? Can’t they just decide not to enter these dungeons and stop working themselves to the bone for those nobles? At this point, they’re practically slaves," Sage asked.

"Hehe Hehe!" Pax chuckled softly, looking at Sage as if he were a naive child.

"My young friend, do you really think it’s that easy to stand up against those powerful nobles and royal families? Let me put it simply: they own the resources in this world, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Try to protest, and you’ll find yourself dead before you know it!" Pax replied.

He glanced at his empty mug, shook it lightly, and continued, "Do you think no one has ever thought of rebellion over all these years? It has happened before,only for the next day to see that person’s corpse hanging alongside their loved ones on the walls of city gates!"

As Pax spoke, he looked at Sage with a soft smile, his dreamy eyes glinting with unspoken thoughts.

Sage fell silent upon hearing Pax’s words. It became clear that these nobles and royal families would never allow anyone to challenge them.

They held all the power in this world; as long as someone came from a wealthy background and owned even a single dungeon, they could sit back while money flowed into their pockets endlessly.

Why? Because nobody wants to remain weak. As long as there’s even a slight chance to grow stronger, people will seize it.

No one desires stagnation; everyone wants progress and venturing into dungeons is the only way to acquire resources for that growth.

The nobles and royals understood this mentality well, making it easier for them to maintain control.

"What a messed-up world! Why did I even end up here?" Sage couldn’t help but lament silently.

He wished he had been dropped into a different fantasy realm where such struggles didn’t exist.

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts away, he smiled at Pax and asked, "Can an ordinary person,someone without a powerful background,ever possess a dungeon?"

"Yes..." Pax nodded thoughtfully. "But it’s quite rare; in fact, it might not happen for another thousand years!"

Sage raised an eyebrow but remained silent, encouraging Pax to continue.

"For someone without significant connections or power to claim ownership of a dungeon is nearly impossible,it’s as difficult as climbing a mountain. First off, you need strong manpower,soldiers and experts by your side.

Remember when I mentioned that dungeons appear randomly and often involve bloodshed? Without sufficient strength backing you up in the fight for a dungeon, you’re essentially throwing yourself into boiling water with no chance of survival whatsoever.

Plus, those nobles won’t let any commoner participate in their battles!" Pax explained patiently while Sage listened intently.

"But..." Pax’s dreamy eyes cleared, focusing on Sage with unusual intensity"...there was one ordinary person who managed to fight for and win,a dungeon!"

Sage’s eyes lit up with curiosity as he leaned closer to hear more. "Who?".

"The founder of this kingdom!" Pax said softly, a gleam of fanaticism and admiration lighting up his eyes.

"Huh?" Sage was momentarily taken aback, clearly shocked by the revelation.

"You mean to say the founder of this kingdom was just an ordinary person with no powerful background?!" Sage asked, disbelief coloring his tone.

"Yes!" Pax nodded enthusiastically. "He was the very first commoner to win countless battles against those greedy nobles.He amassed an incredible number of dungeons and even managed to subdue those arrogant nobles, forcing them to serve him!" Pax’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he spoke about the kingdom’s founder.

"Wow! This guy must have been incredibly strong to bend those arrogant nobles to his will!" Sage muttered under his breath.

After all, from his years spent reading online novels and watching isekai anime, he knew that nobles tended to be arrogant and greedy, often refusing to bow their heads to anyone.

Some were even more powerful than kings and emperors. So it was astonishing to think how powerful this founder must have been to defeat such formidable opponents.

"My young friend, is that all the questions you have for me?" Pax’s voice pulled Sage out of his deep thoughts.

Sage looked up, scratching his head while smiling at Pax. "Yes, that’s it! Thank you for clearing up my doubts; you’ve really helped me a lot!"

Pax waved his hand dismissively. "No need for thanks! It’s been ages since I’ve had a conversation like this. I should be thanking you for buying me beer!"

Sage didn’t dwell on that and simply smiled as he stood up from his chair, which creaked loudly beneath him.

"Well then, I’ll be heading out now; it’s getting late. See you around!" Sage waved at Pax as he made his way toward the tavern door.

"Goodbye! Come back anytime you want to chat!" Pax called out as he waved back.

"I’ll remember!" Sage’s voice echoed from the entrance just before the bell above the door chimed loudly as it swung shut behind him.

Pax glanced at the mugs of beer on the table and then at the spot where Sage had been sitting.

He shook his head with a warm smile. "What an unusual fellow," he murmured softly.

Outside, Sage stood in front of the tavern, gazing at the sun that had already set, leaving only a faint outline of the moon in its wake.

Lanterns flickered on various buildings around him; despite it being evening, Greyvale City buzzed with life,clearly not ready for sleep yet.

Sage sighed and shifted his gaze downwards. "I better find a place to sleep so I can continue planning tomorrow."

With that thought in mind, he walked away, casting a long shadow behind him as he ventured into the lively night.