A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 31

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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 31

I had completed the Hidden Quest and claimed all the rewards.
It had taken only a single day.
If the reward collection process had been lengthy, that would have been problematic, but true to its status as a popular game, the convenience was undeniably well-designed.
Since the training itself had been quite fulfilling, I could say I was satisfied with everything from the Quest process through to the rewards.
“You look relieved. Are you leaving now?”
The Training Instructor asked with a mischievous expression, draping an arm across my shoulder.
My answer was already predetermined.
“Yes. Boa Village has transformed beautifully as well, so I must depart for the next village now.”
“It’s a shame—you were a fine outsider to meet after so long.”
“I cannot remain in any one place. I have resolved to become an ‘eternal adventurer.'”
“Tsk. An outsider chasing myths, no less. The path to becoming a Sword Demon—a hidden class—was open to you.”
The Instructor’s expression bore unmistakable regret.
Had I remained in Boa Village, the path to advancing into the hidden class of Sword Demon would indeed have remained available.
Or alternatively, marrying the Instructor’s daughter and becoming the Knight of Pure Love.
Regardless of which it might have been, I did not wish to exploit the other party.
“I understand. And precisely because I understand that, I cannot accept.”
“…Hmph.”
“We will surely meet again someday. At least in Liam, there were people like that.”
“Liam, you say. So it’s possible that such outsiders might emerge in city-class villages. Come to think of it, among those currently training, there is one with decent aptitude.”
It was about the three newbies I had planted at the Training Ground on my first day in Boa Village.
It seemed he had already marked one of them as a second candidate for Sword Demon.
“Exactly. Boa Village is only just beginning now.”
“I see.”
I deliberately did not ask the Training Instructor’s name.
The same applied to the Sword Guild Master.
A fleeting good connection was precisely what suited me best.
My purpose here had always been the Fountain’s water, after all.
Which meant I would have no reason to return to this village.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Where will you go next?”
“I will head to Lis, the nearest Beginner Village from here.”
Lis Village.
Unlike Boa Village, which had been relatively remote, Lis Village was located in the northern part of the continent.
It would take a month of travel by carriage to reach it.
“Lis, you say. Be sure to mention it to the newly dispatched Bureaucrat.”
“Yes?”
“Weren’t you planning to use the Teleport Gate? You did when you arrived here before.”
A single teleport costs 15 million won.
So naturally, I had intended to use a carriage instead.
I would spend a month focused on work, maintain my condition, and push through Lis Village on an accelerated schedule.
“Surely you’re not offering to help me use teleportation for free?”
“Of course. It’s only natural treatment for the benefactor who saved our village. The Royal Court is watching Boa Village so closely that the 3rd Knight Order was dispatched directly.”
“Wow.”
I had gained an insight.
The insight that causing a commotion meant free teleportation.
The precise truth was becoming a village hero, but judging by my actions alone, it certainly resembled stirring up trouble.
“I should keep a careful eye on the situation in Lis Village as well.”
“Right. It may not be as severe as here, but something is surely festering from within. Inland villages are far more deeply connected to the Six Heavens, after all.”
“I will certainly do whatever I can.”
“Good. That’s all I need.”
My travel schedule had been drastically shortened.
I had obtained a concrete lead to save on teleport costs, and I had mapped out a schedule to grow stronger even faster.
Everything was perfect.
“I’m distributing venison breast and belly! The taste won’t be much, but your belly will be full! Hungry beginners, come here!”
“I’m selling homemade cloudberry juice!”
“Buying frost berries! 50 copper each!”
On the way to City Hall, a rather heartwarming scene unfolded before the Fountain.
Users had begun buying and selling goods.
In particular, the user distributing venison for free was one of the Spirit Tamers.
I could recognize him immediately because a Nightmare Wolf lay sprawled beside him, its belly exposed.
“In just ten days, it’s come to this. Kael, it’s all thanks to you.”
“This is as it should be. A Beginner Village should be filled with the vitality of beginners. I find such a sight beautiful.”
“Whenever it may be, you’ll find yourself returning to Boa Village. By then, this place will have grown into a village as vast as Liam.”
“Yes.”
Thanks to the Training Instructor’s influence, the teleportation procedures inside City Hall were completed swiftly.
Yet I still found myself unable to escape the Bureaucrat NPC.
“Foreigner Kael. We formally request your allegiance to the Belhard Kingdom.”

[You have obtained a clue for the Hidden Class ‘Turncoat’.]
[First-time clue acquisition bonus!]
[Wisdom increases by 1.]
[Luck increases by 1.]

[Rumors about you spread throughout the Belhard Kingdom’s Royal Court.]
[You have obtained a clue to the Hidden Class ‘Double Agent’.]
[First clue acquisition bonus!]
[Agility increases by 1.]

[Rumors about you spread throughout the Meriam Kingdom’s Royal Court.]

I had acquired clues to Hidden Classes, after all.
Two job clues had surfaced simultaneously, no less.
Moreover, I was entangled with both the Belhard and Meriam Royal Courts.
But the advancement conditions were demanding.
Especially the requirement to save a village in crisis.
Still, being connected to the Royal Court meant it possessed considerable potential to guarantee guild-level growth.
‘I wonder if I should get Sung-chul to broker this. I could sell it for a hefty price.’
The situation was unfolding favorably for me.
In the confrontation between the Seoguang Guild and the Six Heavens, the Royal Court’s support would fundamentally shift the balance of power itself.
“I apologize. This is a matter I find difficult to answer immediately.”
“Should you defect, you will be able to use teleportation within the Belhard Kingdom permanently at a 50% reduced rate. Additionally, we will provide 30 Gold as settlement support.”
“Is the settlement support fixed at 30 Gold?”
“No. The basic support is 20 Gold, and we provide 20 Gold for foreigners level 50 and above, and 50 Gold for those level 70 and above. You are a special case, so despite being below level 50, you have been set at 30 Gold.”
“What about the teleportation benefit?”
“Of course, that is a benefit applied only to you, Kael, who has rendered great service to the Royal Court.”
The price of the Hidden Class began to soar.
It meant I could add 30 million won to the base price.
Moreover, since high-level users receive 50 Gold, I could sell it with 75 million won added and it wouldn’t be a loss for the buyer.
“…At this rate, even a riverside apartment overlooking the Han River isn’t a dream.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, just thinking aloud. Would it be possible to broker defections through my recommendation?”
“That is a question I find difficult to answer at my level. It seems to depend on what kind of foreigner the referral target is.”
I glanced around briefly, confirmed no one was present besides the instructor, and whispered quietly.
“What if they’re from Seoguang?”
“Ah, if they’re a foreigner from Seoguang, I could answer that. A considerably substantial bounty would be paid.”
“Excellent. One last question—could this be handled through a bureaucrat from another village?”
“Yes. You are a foreigner the Belhard Royal Court watches carefully. It is entirely possible.”
“Thank you. I will provide answers on this topic through another City Hall.”
My conversation with the bureaucrat ended.
This Hidden Class seemed capable of fetching figures in the hundreds of millions.
Since Double Agent and Defector are Hidden Classes belonging to different Royal Courts respectively, the valuation became even more concrete.
Should a single guild monopolize both classes, they would possess an extraordinary informational advantage.
In a world where information about Another Dimension had become currency itself.
“Tsk. I didn’t expect you to reject even the Royal Court’s invitation.”
“How could I resist adventure? Right now, I want to experience Beginner Villages across the entire world.”
“You’re quite the eccentric, aren’t you?”
I could never reveal my beta tester privileges to anyone.
It would remain an eternal secret known only to me.
After all, I’d already made an enormous fortune exploiting this advantage.
Following the Dispatch Mage’s guidance, I stepped into the newly renovated teleport gate.
And I bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to the Training Instructor.
“Thank you for everything, Instructor.”
“Very well.”
Light poured from the teleport gate.
And I noticed tears glistening at the corners of the Training Instructor’s eyes beyond the luminescence.
“To the very end, you never once asked my name. I am Krag. Former Sword Master of Belhard Kingdom, and I was also known as the Mad Crocodile of the North. Use it freely.”
“Ah.”
The moment I tried to respond, I was engulfed in light.
It felt like being struck by something massive.
The Training Instructor’s name was Krag.

* * *

I arrived at the Lis Village City Hall teleport gate.
Far more stable than Boa Village.
The facilities were well-maintained, and a mage on duty stood watch at the gate.
It gave the impression of functioning smoothly as a Beginner Village.
“Welcome to Lis Village, traveler.”
“Hello.”
“Due to recent disturbances within the Kingdom, teleport gate users must undergo special entry procedures. Your cooperation is appreciated.”
“Understood.”
The disturbance was undoubtedly the incident that occurred in Boa Village.
The incident where the Chinese had consumed an entire village from another nation.
I proceeded to the reception desk and received entry procedure guidance from the Bureaucrat NPC.
“Identity confirmed. Traveler Kael, affiliated with Meriam Kingdom. Thank you for visiting Lis Village.”
“Ah, yes.”
The fact that the village was functioning well was certainly good news.
Yet I felt disappointed.
Now I’d have to travel to the next village by carriage like everyone else.
First, I left City Hall and decided to drink from the Fountain.
“Hmm.”
A fountain spraying water vigorously, and a rainbow.
And newbies who had just created their characters.
A satisfying scene unfolded before me.
Though the air was considerably colder than in Boa Village, so the players here wore noticeably thicker clothing.
It didn’t matter to me, of course—I was immune to cold.
“Come, come! The must-see tourist attraction of Lis Village! Witness the aurora and gain 30 to Strength, Agility, and Stamina!”
“Wow! I can’t resist the aurora! Let’s go see it!”
“Me too! Me too!”
Near the Fountain, there were touts recommending the aurora tour.
At first glance, it appeared to be a buff, but the stats were absurdly generous.
Here lay the problem: when I investigated the Chinese Beginner Villages, there was no information about an aurora.
Something smelled suspicious.

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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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