A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 80
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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 80
“You’ve already secured the basic necessities, so now you’ll need something with superior performance and convenience, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“In fact, those necessities were prepared to establish trade with the Lumiere Guild, who became heroes of Liam.”
What exactly was Silverpenn trying to showcase that he’d built up such anticipation?
I now understood Bella’s true nature.
Satisfying her standards would be difficult with ordinary goods.
“It’s this.”
The item Silverpenn produced with the reverence of handling a sacred relic was an opaque jar.
I could feel its substantial weight, and the liquid inside sloshed gently.
“Would you like to examine it?”
Since there were many types of necessities, I decided to check the options directly rather than ask.
[Jar of Refreshment (Relic)]
[A jar imbued with a lesser water spirit. It assists the user according to an ancient covenant.]
[Luck +10]
[Water Attribute Resistance Slightly Increased]
I encountered a grade I’d never seen before.
I hadn’t even known whether a Relic grade existed.
However, I had my suspicions.
‘Is this also related to the World Quest?’
The World Quest that the Lumiere Guild resolved was related to time.
More precisely, the past.
And relics are products of the past.
‘Could the staffs the Lumiere Guild members were carrying also be Relic grade? This way, Relic-grade items would be discovered in various places.’
This was a game without patch notes.
Everything was something users had to discover through direct experience.
Because of that, this kind of deduction held credibility.
“A vessel imbued with a water spirit, then.”
“Precisely. Beyond maintaining cleanliness, the water it generates—though in small quantities—is produced infinitely, which proves invaluable for extended journeys. This was the cornerstone product of this trading venture.”
Silverpenn had good reason to build up such expectations.
If the opportunity came, it was something I absolutely had to secure.
After all, modern people hadn’t yet gained access to automatic bathing.
“How much would it cost?”
“Originally, we planned to sell it for 20,000 gold or more, or create equivalent value in exchange.”
20,000 gold.
At market value, that would be 300 million won.
Its functions include automatic bathing and hygiene management, as well as water supply.
Incredibly convenient, certainly, but it qualifies as an utterly extravagant luxury item.
“It’s difficult right now, but I can procure 20,000 gold within a week.”
“20,000 gold would be difficult even for Kael… Pardon?”
“I can purchase it.”
Normally, this would be something I couldn’t afford.
However, through my dealings with Seoguang, I’ve secured over 1 billion won in funds.
Moreover, relic-grade items have excellent prospects.
The demand will be overwhelming.
Since mythic-grade items trade for tens of billions, it means I can generally sell for more than the purchase price.
“Ah… Then wouldn’t you consider negotiating further? To be honest, I’ve been valuing Chae-rim’s future works at more than 20,000 gold.”
“Mm.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Chae-rim’s talent was exceptional even among geniuses.
“You’re hoping for exclusive trading rights?”
“…Yes. I understand that young foreigners—minors from your world—cannot leave Beginner Village. You’re planning to keep her in Liam, aren’t you?”
I’d only recently learned about the minor residency restrictions.
Both Cha Eun-kyung and Baek Seo-hyun had mentioned it.
So naturally, my plan centered on Liam.
With this month’s World Quest clear, Liam had gained a unique standing even among Beginner Villages.
It meant the village would become increasingly vibrant and desirable to live in.
“That’s right. I was thinking of finding a decent house too.”
“Really? Then our Merchant Guild has reason to settle in Liam! We’ll establish a Liam branch! Hahaha!”
For Silverpenn, it was as if gold veins and oil deposits had been discovered simultaneously at his workplace.
And with exclusive mining rights on the horizon, his excitement was entirely justified.
“If you take good care of Chae-rim, it seems like it’ll be a beneficial arrangement for both of us.”
“Of course! I plan to spare no effort in providing full support until Chae-rim comes of age!”
Among NPC patrons, I’d been considering both Silverpenn and the Training Instructor, but this settled it—Silverpenn was the clear choice.
“Excellent. Then how much should I pay for this jar?”
“Kael. This jar is a necessity. It’s pricey, but its performance makes every gold worthwhile.”
The price Silverpenn quoted was 1 gold.
A staggering reduction of 20,000 times the original price.
“Of course, since it’s merchandise traded in gold, I’ll include a certificate of authenticity as well.”
“Are you truly satisfied with just that?”
“Absolutely! Furthermore, I swear to provide full support for Chae-rim. I happen to have a magical contract purchased from the Black Magic Tower.”
Silverpenn withdrew an elegant piece of parchment from his breast pocket.
“This contract is the Black Magic Tower’s flagship product. If the contract is violated, the signatory dies. Residents here would never use it against a foreigner. But I will.”
This contract was presumably one that would normally have been drawn up by Lumiere Guild or Seoguang.
But Silverpenn took it upon himself to sign the contract.
This was his unwavering resolve.
“I shall bear all responsibility. That is how sincere I am about this transaction. As the contractor, I, Silverpenn, seek priority trading rights for all goods produced by Chae-rim, and I promise that all transactions shall occur at reasonable prices. Furthermore, I pledge to cause no harm to Chae-rim, whether direct or indirect. Should this contract be violated, I, Silverpenn, shall accept death without hesitation.”
Light began to emanate from the contract.
Now only my answer remained.
There was no need for deliberation over this contract from the start.
I was particularly pleased that it posed no risk to Chae-rim.
I handed over the 1 gold coin from my possession to Silverpenn.
“Thank you, Kael.”
Silverpenn bit his finger to draw blood, then fed it to the contract.
Shhhhh—
The contract scattered into the air, seeping toward the direction of Silverpenn’s heart.
The contract itself was magic, it seemed.
“With this, the contract is established. The Jar of Refreshment now belongs to you, Kael.”
“It is an honor.”
A relic-grade artifact, no less.
And the Jar of Refreshment that Silverpenn had prepared as his final gambit was now mine.
“Would you like to test it immediately? Simply hold the jar and wish for the function you desire.”
“Yes.”
My first command was naturally cleansing.
It was the function I had anticipated most.
‘Wash away the dust from my body.’
Then an otherworldly energy, distinct from the flow of mana, poured forth from the jar, and simultaneously water began to surge.
“Oh.”
The water from the jar enveloped my body at a pleasantly warm temperature.
Whoooosh!
The water pressure was equally exquisite.
A moderately refreshing and delightful pressure continued unabated.
It was the kind of experience one could enjoy mindlessly for tens of minutes.
Glug, glug, glug!
Once the cleansing was complete, the water coalesced into a single mass and floated gently before my eyes.
The water mass continued to hover within my field of vision, then scattered with a soft pop and seeped into the ground.
For some reason, the water spirit dwelling in the jar seemed remarkably playful.
“…I feel incredibly refreshed.”
“Indeed. I understand that even most water spirit summoners cannot make such requests of their spirits. It is only possible because this spirit is bound by covenant.”
“I see.”
Now that I thought about it, I had never encountered a spirit summoner before.
Thanks to this, it was certainly worth researching spirit summoners on the community forum.
“I have received a truly precious item. Thank you, Silverpenn.”
“Hehe. I myself consider this an excellent transaction. I judged it to be a turning point that would greatly change not only the Merchant Guild but my entire life.”
After that, Silverpenn continued to provide me with various items.
“Please take this as well.”
“Mm.”
Once again, Silverpenn handed me a jar.
The contents were in powder form.
Naturally, I checked the options first.
[Mopren Powder (Superior)]
[A powder made by grinding and drying Mopren leaves. When sprinkled on cloth or leather, contamination disappears. With prolonged use on cloth or leather armor, defense power increases permanently.]
“It’s a powder used when maintaining cloth or leather. I prepared it thinking it would sell well to outsiders, but I’ve judged that it would be more beneficial if Chae-rim takes charge of managing it.”
That was certainly true.
If I reasoned it through the logic that bonus defense power was attached to the armor Chae-rim created, then Mopren Powder also held value.
Even more so if that defense power was permanent.
“Oh. This would be useful for maintaining cloth or leather equipment.”
“It should be effective on the clothes you’re wearing, and even on the Golden Fox fur.”
“Then this powder deserves its proper price. It’s something I’d like to use personally as well.”
Mopren Powder was a consumable that could aim for permanent increases in defense power.
Since there was already the Jar of Freshness for cleansing purposes, it had to be used solely for maintenance.
This meant it would definitely sell if it went on the shelves.
And if competition arose, the price would keep climbing.
“If that’s what you say, then selling it would be the right choice. Originally, I planned to package it separately and sell it at 1 gold per bundle. The Mopren Powder in this jar is roughly enough for about 30 bundles.”
“Then let’s make it 50 gold.”
Indeed, money and business sense are what matter.
Items I would have trembled to purchase originally now felt cheap.
“Haha. I’m simply grateful.”
Before I could change my mind, I withdrew 50 gold from my subspace and handed it to Silverpenn.
“I’ve received the 50 gold properly.”
“That was a good trade.”
“It was for me too.”
Dawn was beginning to break.
The Merchant Guild workers who had woken up were each beginning their tasks.
And users with disheveled hair from camping in the forest began crossing paths with users stretching and yawning.
It was a lively yet picturesque sight.
“When I first came to Liam, there were times when I found it troubling, thinking everyone was strange.”
Perhaps it was the influence of the morning dew.
Silverpenn too was lost in sentiment.
“It wasn’t strange—it was simply different. In the end, they were all the same people. Just a small realization.”
Though I spoke in passing, I too found myself reflecting on reality.
Either way, I’ve bet everything on this game as well.
“Indeed. Would you care to join me for breakfast? By now, Chae-rim should have finished her work.”
“I’m fine with that.”
The morning sun was bright, and I found myself craving a refreshing bowl of potato soup.
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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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