A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 15

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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 15

I arrived at the Lumière Guild Headquarters.
It was a two-story building of modest proportions—smaller than I’d anticipated.
“Excuse me.”
“Welcome.”
The only person visible was a single Guild NPC.
I sensed no other presence in the building.
“Who are you looking for?”
“Bella.”
“May I have your name?”
“Kael.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Moments later, I watched Bella hurry down the stairs with urgency.
“It’s been a while.”
“You’re late!”
“Pardon?”
I searched my memory for any specific appointment we’d made, but found none.
All we’d agreed to was that I would visit her.
Still, until I received the buff, Bella held the advantage, so I resolved to do my best for customer satisfaction.
“Ah, I was delayed by work.”
“That’s fine. But have you given any thought to switching to a Supporter class?”
“…No. I obtained a clue to a Hidden Class instead.”
“Really? Is it the first discovery?”
“It’s not the first.”
The “Adventurer” class that the Training Instructor had originally intended didn’t count as a first-discovery profession.
Adding “Eternal” before it would only complicate the conversation.
So I answered naturally that it wasn’t the first.
“I see. Most Hidden Classes obtainable in Liam aren’t first discoveries anyway.”
The “Torturer” class I’d first obtained came to mind.
I simply didn’t advertise it.
“That’s unfortunate. You were the first person I’ve met with such passion for buffs.”
“My interest in buffs remains unchanged.”
“Really?”
“Yes. That’s why I’ve come to see you again.”
This was a moment that called for action rather than words.
I handed Bella the Golden Fox fur I’d prepared in advance.
“This is my thanks from before.”
“Hmm? The fur is golden?”
First came bewilderment.
Then curiosity.
Finally, astonishment.
“…Is this really a unique-grade item? Why are the options like this?”
“Does it not suit your taste?”
“No, quite the opposite. Wait, you said you were going to the Eastern Forest…?”
“Yes. This is the fur I harvested after defeating the Golden Fox.”
“…A hidden boss was defeated? I thought we concluded it was an impossible boss to subjugate?”
“It somehow became possible. It’s partly thanks to Bella.”
Bella stared at me with a bewildered expression.
“Me? I only demonstrated a buff…”
“Because you experienced that buff firsthand, I adapted my body to the suddenly changed stats. The sensation I felt at that moment played a crucial role in defeating the boss.”
Of course, it was complete nonsense.
There was no reason to confess I was a beta tester.
“Ah, so that’s why you wanted the buff? That explains why you were muttering to yourself suddenly!”
Fortunately, my sophistry worked.
It was all because the results were good.
Perhaps a perfect example of ‘all roads lead to Rome.’
“Yes. When I received a hidden quest to subjugate the Golden Fox, I obtained several strategy items.”
“Oh? A hidden quest too?”
Some of it was true.
Especially the wooden sword from Mauro—that certainly matched the truth.
I decided to package the truth through it.
“You showed interest in this wooden sword too, didn’t you, Bella?”
“That’s right. I’ve never seen a wooden sword like this before.”
“Want to see the options?”
Bella’s expression changed repeatedly as she received the wooden sword.
“What? These options? No matter how unrepairable it is, does this durability with this attack power make sense? And it’s from decades ago? And it’s unique?”
“The Golden Fox wasn’t an impossible boss to subjugate—it was a boss that couldn’t be defeated unless you were high level. That’s why we needed a wooden sword like this or a buff that could unleash explosive power momentarily.”
I took the wooden sword back.
Bella’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
“This is the first subjugation! Kael, this is an enormous event! This is a major incident that would make headline news!”
“Ah, about that… I’d prefer if my name didn’t become known.”
“I see. That type?”
“I’m not sure what type that is, but let’s say it’s that.”
“Okay. I like it. I’ll keep it secret.”
“So this fur becomes hush money, then.”
“…Then I suppose I should offer compensation separately?”
“Uh. That would be difficult.”
For some reason, Bella began circling around me with a delighted expression on her face.
It was a tense situation—if her demands were too high, I’d be in trouble.
“You’re still a low level, right? You said Golden Fox can only hunt low-level monsters.”
“Yes.”
“I’m over level 80. I can hunt monsters around Liam with my bare hands.”
“Huh? Level 80?”
In this game, level 80 was considered quite high even by in-game standards.
It was the threshold where you could submit applications to the Four Major Guilds.
Sung-chul, who had already joined Seoguang, was still stuck in the mid-70s, and his hidden class had been the decisive factor in his progression.
I’d suspected she wasn’t an ordinary buffer, but I hadn’t anticipated she’d be at this level.
“So, Kael. Let’s be friends.”
“Really?”
This kind of request was actually welcome.
Bella, like Cha Eun-kyung, qualified as a heavyweight connection.
The reality was that high-level buffers were impossible to find.
I didn’t know why such a heavyweight player was staying in the Beginner Village of Liam, but adding her as a friend came first.
“I’ve sent a friend request.”
“Yes, I’ve accepted it.”

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

A historic moment.
My circle of friends had expanded to two.
And both were heavyweights.
One could provide financial assistance, while the other offered substantial buffs—both invaluable allies.
“Kael, would you perhaps be interested in joining a guild?”
“Oh.”
Was this another recruitment pitch?
For some reason, Cha Eun-kyung’s image began to overlap in my mind.
“If you’re interested in guilds, come join ours. We operate as a select elite unit, and while I can’t divulge all the details, we’re currently undertaking a massive hidden quest here in Liam.”
“A massive hidden quest?”
“Yes. I’m certain you could play a pivotal role, given that you’ve even defeated the Golden Fox.”
Naturally, I had no intention of joining a guild, but the hidden quest intrigued me.
Not just any hidden quest—a massive one at that.
The difficulty and scale of rewards would be on an entirely different level.
“I have no intention of joining a guild.”
“What? Kael, do you not realize how renowned our guild is? We haven’t recruited regular members due to security concerns, but our core team could stand toe-to-toe with the Four Major Guilds! And I haven’t even explained our benefits yet!”
No matter what benefits were offered, I wouldn’t regret this decision.
After all, with only two infinite buffs and a measly level eight, I doubted I could meaningfully contribute to guild-scale quests anyway.
“I appreciate the invitation, but I truly have no interest at the moment. Besides, I’m planning to leave Liam within this week.”
“Already? You’re graduating?”
“Not graduating. I’ll need to return to Liam eventually.”
I had to meet with Bella several more times.
Every time I accumulated enough Eternity points, I’d need to replenish my buffs.
“Did you accept an expedition quest?”
“No. I have personal business to attend to in other beginner villages. I’m planning to tour the Chinese Beginner Villages.”
“…You’re not getting involved in anything illegal, are you?”
She’d always had a peculiar way of worrying—her concerns were invariably misplaced.
“No. It’s genuinely personal business.”
“Hmm. It would be difficult to follow along because of quests.”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, no! Never mind!”
“You’ll still accept the fur, won’t you?”
“Are you sure? The quality is exceptionally high.”
“Yes. I’ve already set aside fur for my own use, and truthfully, I’m giving this to you because I wanted to ask Bella for a favor.”
“A favor? What kind?”
Her eyes gleamed with enthusiasm.
The atmosphere was perfect for making a request.
“Next time, I’d like to experience all of Bella’s buffs.”
So I resubmitted my application for the buff world cup.
“All… of them?”
“Yes.”
“That’s quite a lot, isn’t it?”
“I prefer it, actually.”
“…Right. I might need a few mana recovery potions.”
“Mana potions? I’ll buy all of them. How much?”
“No! The fur is more than enough!”
I wondered how many rounds the next Buff World Cup would have.
128 teams? 256 teams?
Regardless, the result would be disappointing.
Maximizing my Eternal count was the best I could hope for.
“Then for now, let’s discuss the cost issue again after we return.”
“Understood.”
Ultimately, how many Eternals I successfully acquired was the most critical factor.
If I lost to another Beginner Village, that would be the end of it.
“Yes. Then I should get going.”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“Where are you going?”
“To prepare equipment. I need to process the fur too. Since this is an expedition to another country, there’s a lot to prepare.”
For some reason, Bella stood blocking the doorway, lost in thought about something.
Was she unwilling to let me go?
Or perhaps…
“I’ll help you.”
“Really? Truly?”
“It seems only fair. Do you realize the value of this fur? It should be worth at least dozens of gold, no less.”
The price didn’t deviate much from what Silverpenn had assessed.
Assuming the Golden Fox fur entered the market, Bella’s prediction would be accurate.
“That’s right. It’s quite rare fur.”
“You understand? You’ve essentially transferred dozens of gold to me, Kael. I have a conscience too.”
“…I gave it to you because I have a conscience as well.”
This conscience competition would probably never end.
I’d continue to be indebted to Bella in the future anyway.
“Listen to me on this. Which armor piece should I craft the fur into?”
I decided not to refuse kindness.
Without skill or stat bonuses, I’d only end up with crude armor that retained the basic fur properties.
“Shoulder guards.”
“Understood. I’ll entrust the fur directly to our Guild Craftsman. I’ll mark the request as top priority plus emergency. You’ll be amazed when you see the result.”
“Thank you.”
Thanks to Bella, the fur now had a clear purpose.
I thought I could entrust all the remaining fur to her without worry.
“I’ll make shoulder guards with this, and please use the rest however you’d like, Bella.”
“Oh! Really! I couldn’t possibly accept more—I’d be too embarrassed! I’ll have all the remaining fur made into a cloak instead! It should look wonderful.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll summon the Guild Craftsman right now, so just wait. Would you like something to drink?”
Somehow, I’d managed to secure a complete defensive armor set, including a cloak.
Without even having to stand up.

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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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