A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13

“I’ll cut this much for you.”
I separated twenty percent of the fur.
With this amount, I could craft a high-quality item—whether a muffler or shawl—that balanced both aesthetics and design perfectly.
Besides, since I belonged to Seoguang, I’d create something even more masterful than what I could make alone.
“…Mm.”
Cha Eun-kyung’s gaze followed the fur as if enchanted.
Her composure had completely crumbled.
Now was the time to teach her the terror of getting something free.
“However, there is a condition.”
“How much?”
“Friend request. Would that be possible?”
The friend request feature, unlike the photography function, existed in Dimension Gate II as well.
Since everyone I’d interacted with so far was an NPC, my friend list remained completely empty.
The previous game wasn’t much different.
I’d focused on solo play, and there were no users around me anyway.
It was easier to seek out veterans from other nations directly.
Besides, none of them had normal ways of thinking.
But this time was an exception.
The person before me was a VIP customer capable of casually transacting even 100 million won.
The 100 million I received wasn’t shiny gold, silver, and copper coins—it was hard cash, making its impact outside the game overwhelmingly powerful.
“…Is that enough?”
“Yes.”
That wasn’t all.
Unlike Sung-chul (Elder), who was relatively new, she likely had a solid standing in Seoguang backed by overwhelming financial resources.
She probably wouldn’t even be bound to Seoguang.
There was no better customer to maintain a long-term relationship with.
“I doubt my requests will be unreasonable. I’d appreciate it if you could view my favors as equivalent to this fur, or perhaps slightly more, with generosity.”
“Understood.”
Twenty percent of the fur found its new owner.
And now, the moment of truth—the friend request.
“…Don’t tease me.”
“Pardon?”
At that moment, a notification appeared in the corner of my status window.
“I’m serious. Don’t tease me.”
An ambiguous warning I couldn’t readily confirm.
I checked the notification while maintaining the most expressionless face possible.

[New friend request: ‘Eun-nyang E’]

Only then did I grasp the true intent behind the warning.
There was nothing for it but to accept with a composed expression and utmost seriousness.

[Friend List]
[Online: Eun-nyang E]

I’d gained a friend—a customer with quite an unusual nickname.
The business had concluded successfully, so now I truly had to sleep.
For work tomorrow.
“Then I shall see you again at this same hour tomorrow.”
“Sure.”

* * *

My body felt heavy.
I’d managed perhaps two hours of sleep.

-You don’t have to go to work.

Her words had struck with considerable impact.
A resignation letter flickered before my eyes like a status window.
I wondered if there would ever come a day at this company when I’d receive a bonus worth a hundred million won.
“Seo-jun, are you feeling unwell?”
“…Good morning.”
In mere days, I’d become like Kim Sung-chul.
Was this truly acceptable?
I’d even resolved never to belong anywhere.

* * *

The fur muffler for Cha Eun-kyung was complete.
Though calling it a muffler amounted to little more than cutting leather into a long strip and finishing the edges, the form was unmistakably there.
The material itself was luxurious to begin with.

[Golden Fox Fur Muffler]
[Defense: 13]
[Cold Immunity]
[Heat Immunity]
[Contempt of the Weak]
[Physical Attack Immunity against Strength Stat below 10]
[Magic Attack Immunity against Wisdom Stat below 10]
[Increased Level Penalty when Level Difference exceeds 10]
[Physical and Magic Attack Immunity against targets with Stat Difference of 50 or more]

I hadn’t overlooked any of the material’s inherent options either.
Because of that, this muffler could confidently be used as a negotiating tool.
“I’ll take it.”
“….”
Was she examining the muffler’s options?
Cha Eun-kyung’s lips, which had been staring blankly at the muffler, began to curve upward ever so slightly.
This was a good sign.
“Thank you.”
A passing signal, no less.
Now it was time to resume the lesson and earn my keep.
“Alright. Let’s try skinning again. Today, we’re aiming for a perfect ten in a row.”
Cha Eun-kyung extended her hand.
I thought she was asking me to inspect the skinning knife, but I soon realized this was a review from yesterday.
“We’ll start together.”
“Understood.”
I guided her small hand, showing her the perfect technique once more.
Her hidden class advancement was drawing near.

* * *

The weekend had arrived.
Today was the day I would attempt to obtain the hidden class clue for Cha Eun-kyung.
The conditions were spectators and thirty rabbits.
For once, I’d gathered the rabbits myself.
While leveling up, I made sure to collect only the ones in the best condition.
Silverpenn, bewildered by the unexpected hide-skinning exhibition unfolding before him, quietly asks me a question.
“Lord Kael. Is this a new disciple you’ve taken?”
“It’s a bit ambiguous to call them a disciple. Let’s observe for now.”
This time, the audience was far larger than before.
With this many spectators, I would certainly obtain the hidden class clue as long as the conditions were met.
Ssswick. Swish.
Cha Eun-kyung’s hands moved without hesitation.
Since she belonged to the Seoguang Guild, her level would be high, making it possible for her to deliver an even more spectacular performance than I could with her overwhelming stats.
“Ooh! Ooooh!”
“The hide peels off so smoothly!”
“And it’s rabbit hide! That’s even possible?”
“Didn’t you say it was a man before? Seeing it myself, it’s unbelievable!”
The atmosphere was excellent.
From my perspective, Cha Eun-kyung continued to achieve perfect ratings.
Sssswish!
‘Twenty-nine.’
Swish. Swish swish.
‘Thirty.’
Cha Eun-kyung’s eyebrows began to twitch.
Her eyes moved busily as if messages were cascading before her vision.
Success.
Thunk.
Cha Eun-kyung put away the knife she’d been using and walked toward me.
“Alright! That concludes the hide-skinning demonstration! Everyone, disperse!”
While Silverpenn organized the situation, we quickly retreated to the private tannery.
“Did the clue drop?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank goodness. So our deal is finished then.”
Thump.
For some reason, Cha Eun-kyung struck her own chest.
Though the blow appeared light, it carried considerable impact.
Since she also belonged to Seoguang, the destructive force came from the level difference between us.
“It’s not over yet. The deal.”
I pointed to the muffler she was wearing.
With a solid foundation, she had the kind of appearance that suited anything she wore.
“I’m glad you’re pleased with it.”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Silverpenn arrived, his expression grave.
“Apologies for the interruption, but you may need to step outside for a moment!”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Someone from the Royal Court! Someone has arrived!”
I had a sense of what this might be about.

[Rumors about you spread secretly throughout the Kingdom.]

The leather-stripping exhibition had generated word-of-mouth buzz, and this was the second time now.
But I hadn’t anticipated the Royal Court sending someone directly.
“Sounds like a quest from my previous life. You should go.”
“…Yes.”
After Cha Eun-kyung left, I arranged a casual conversation with Silverpenn.
It was to dispose of the byproducts aside from the Golden Fox’s fur.
“I’ll sell all the byproducts except the fur to the Russell Trading Company.”
“Ooh…!”
This would be sufficient.
Silverpenn understood the value of the other byproducts far better than I did.
“How much would you offer?”
I didn’t know the price estimate.
But given the favor I’d received, I was prepared to accept any offer as long as it wasn’t in Copper.
“How about 20 Gold?”
“20 Gold?”
It was an unexpectedly substantial sum.
I’d thought nothing among the byproducts held greater value than the fur itself.
Therefore, my own estimate had hovered around 10 Gold.
“It’s a generous price for a merchant to offer, but since the trading partner is Kael, it’s hardly a loss. The guild master thinks similarly.”
“Excellent. Such generosity is something I’m grateful for.”
“Here are 20 Gold. With this transaction, the Russell Trading Company’s name will spread even further. Hehe.”
I now had 20 Gold.
This meant there was no longer any reason to purchase in-game currency through cash transactions.

[Name: Kael]
[Level: 8]
[Unused Points: 5]
[Strength: 18 Agility: 17 Stamina: 20 Wisdom: 14 Luck: 19]
[Eternity: 2]

I was merely level 8, after all.
With this much money, I could freely equip myself with gear appropriate to my level.
“That was a good trade.”
“Yes. Please use our services again next time.”
I gathered the remaining furs and left the Russell Merchant Company.
I looked around, but Cha Eun-kyung was nowhere to be seen.
I wasn’t particularly worried.
I simply assumed she, like the “Pure-hearted Knight,” was writing her own story in her own way.
Perhaps one day, when we grew closer, I could hear about it.
“Let me focus on my own Quest.”
The Golden Fox subjugation had been a hidden Quest from the start.
Selling the byproducts was merely supplementary income.
Since there was no time limit, I’d been able to sell even the hidden class clue and comfortably pocket 100 million.
And now it was time to receive the main reward.
“Where is the Instructor, sir?”
“Oh! I’ll guide you right away!”
For some reason, the soldiers recognized me.
Even with respectful language.
“Ha-up!”
Crack!
The scene that followed was unfamiliar.
For some reason, the Training Ground was filled with quite a few newbies swinging wooden swords.
Since it had nothing to do with me, I simply found it curious.
“The guidance ends here! Thank you for your hard work!”
“Ah, yes.”
I reunited with the Training Instructor.
He looked me over once, then his eyes showed slight disappointment.
“…Did the subjugation fail?”
“That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
One piece of evidence was more effective than a hundred words.
I had no intention of missing this moment.
I pulled out the heavy fur that had been in my backpack.
“I have a use for some of it, so I can’t give you all of it. How much do you need?”
“Hm. May I hold it for a moment?”
“Of course.”
The Training Instructor’s expression as he took the fox fur was difficult to read.
I could only tell that it was endlessly complex.
“…So it really was that damned fox.”
I decided to watch in silence.
The more his emotions intensified, the greater the reward might become—or so I hoped.
“I thought you’d come back empty-handed, so I assumed you’d made no progress. I apologize for doubting your abilities.”
“It’s quite alright.”
As long as the compensation was generous, I truly didn’t mind.
I hadn’t felt offended in the first place, anyway.
“Would it be acceptable if I took just a small amount of fur? I’ll need it for my friend’s grave. I’ll pay you for it, of course.”
“That’s fine. Would this much suffice?”
I cut out a palm-sized piece of fur and handed it to the Training Instructor.
He protested that it was too much, but knowing it would serve a noble purpose, I had no reason to hesitate.
“…Thank you.”
The Training Instructor accepted the fur fragment solemnly and tucked it into his garment.
The sentiment had been exchanged, and now it was time to discuss the reward.
“I’ll do whatever lies within my authority. If you wish to become a Royal Court Knight, you shall become one. If you aspire to greater heights, I’ll use my influence to grant you entry into the Empire.”
I’d heard about the Empire in passing from Sung-chul.
It was supposedly the strongest nation in the game world’s lore—a sacred realm no player had yet set foot in.
I’d also heard that the Seoguang Guild was making every effort to gain entry into the Empire.
“What is it that you desire?”
“…”
Royal Court Knight, and entry into the Empire.
Both would constitute remarkable Achievements and attract media attention.
However, I had no desire to become known to the masses.
Besides, my destination wasn’t some lofty place—it was a Beginner Village like Liam.
Surely there was a more practical reward available.
“It seems neither option appeals to you.”
“To be honest, they don’t.”
“That’s a fitting answer—and one only you could give.”
A moment of silence fell between us.
The Training Instructor waited patiently for my response.
As I pondered, a single reward came to mind.
It was thanks to thinking of Eun-nyang E—no, Cha Eun-kyung.
“Is there perhaps a special class that would suit me?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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