A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 97

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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 97

If the Fountain was the merchants’ stage, then City Hall was the investors’ stage.
Moreover, the caliber of players gathered here was exceptional.
Most of them were high-level users equipped with dazzling gear.
‘It makes sense. People who understand money flows wouldn’t ignore this game.’
Some would earn additional wealth through the game, while others would simply enjoy it as entertainment.
All these people had returned to Liam.
Because this time acceleration change reeked of serious profit opportunities.
“Even double the price is acceptable. Just show me the available properties, yes?”
“I must repeat, customer. Real estate transactions for foreigners are currently restricted by royal decree. I made this clear.”
“…Really? There’s truly no way around this?”
“We will provide guidance later. Not now.”
In the midst of this, I easily obtained information that the Royal Court had prepared countermeasures.
This was the reason so many high-level users were stuck at City Hall.
The Royal Court had blocked real estate transactions for players.
The intention was roughly apparent.
I could sense the intent to use real estate as a leash for players.
For instance, by assigning important quests and granting trading rights as rewards.
‘But the royal decree has a loophole. And it feels like an intentionally exposed one.’
This City Hall had a separate VIP room.
A consultation chamber for high-value clients.
Brilliant light seeped through the gaps in the consultation room’s door intermittently.
I recognized this light.
‘The Knight of Pure Love is in there.’
The Knight of Pure Love, Andy.
A former Royal Court knight, he had become a named player as iconic as Liam itself.
He possessed the peculiarity of being married to an NPC baker.
In other words, through his wife, he could bypass the real estate transaction restrictions in Liam.
‘The prime real estate in Liam would fall into the Knight of Pure Love’s hands.’
And I too could exploit this loophole in the real estate restrictions.
The Merchant Guild led by Chung-geom—excluding Chung-geom himself, they were all NPCs.
Since I had even subjugated them, they were NPCs under my command.
Of course, the variable of my Belhard origin meant citizenship would come first.
‘Or I could go through the Training Instructor.’
I maintained good relations with Liam’s Training Instructor as well.
But I had decided to stay out of this transaction.
After all, Liam’s property values were at a level individuals couldn’t touch unless they were tycoons like Cha Eun-kyung.
‘It’s fine. I’ve already decided to invest in Ath Village rather than Liam anyway.’
If Liam was at its peak now, Ath was clearly at its lowest point.
When it came to Ath Village specifically, I could confidently say I was ahead of anyone else.
As I organized my thoughts, it was suddenly my turn.
“Welcome, customer.”
“I’m here to transfer funds. 40 gold to Chung-geom of the Belhard Kingdom. He should be in Kela Village.”
“A 20% fee applies for transfers to foreigners belonging to other nations. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes. Here’s 8 gold.”
Now that gold prices had risen, the fee alone amounted to 16 million won.
But it was a cost I had to bear for the bigger picture.
Of course, there was a method to put all the gold on debt, but since it was important that they all came to Liam first, I decided to handle it cleanly.
“The transfer is complete. You can collect the funds at Kela Village’s City Hall. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No, that’s all. You must be tired with so many people crowding in. Hang in there.”
“Thank you, customer. I hope to see you again.”
After completing the transfer, I sent a whisper directly to Chung-geom.

[Kael: Chung-geom. I sent 40 gold, so please collect it right away.]
[Chung-geom: Yes. I’m already at City Hall. I’ll get it right away. The City Hall is packed. Ugh!]
[Kael: Okay. Don’t get hurt. I’ll wait.]
[Chung-geom: Yes!]

Kela Village seemed to be in chaos too.
I wondered if the Belhard Kingdom was implementing separate regulations as well.
For now, I decided to join the line appropriately and buy an Americano to give as a gift to the group coming from Kela Village.

* * *

[Active Buffs]
[Watered-Down Coffee (Common)]
[Wisdom +2]
[Stamina Recovery Speed Slightly Increased]
[Duration: 3 hours]

The Americano’s performance was as follows.
This ordinary cup of coffee cost a whopping 90 Copper.
That was 18,000 won—more expensive than a bowl of soup.
So why did this watered-down coffee sell like hotcakes? Was it because of the options?
At least the Americano in reality didn’t boost Wisdom.
It was definitely a superior alternative to Fountain water.
‘Drinking an Americano inside a game. How amusing.’
Given the medieval setting, there weren’t any straws either.
Naturally, it wasn’t a plastic cup.
Paper prices had skyrocketed, so it wasn’t a paper cup either.
It was a leaf cup with African flair—made by folding and weaving together large leaves I’d never seen before.
‘I wish I could’ve added the owner as a friend.’
According to Bella, the Americano merchant’s true identity was the CEO of Demon King Coffee.
But it seemed the shift had changed quickly; when I got in line, a different employee was selling coffee.

[Chung-geom: I’ve arrived. Where should we go?]

A whisper came through that Chung-geom’s group had also arrived in Liam.
Teleportation was expensive, but its performance was overwhelming.
It was definitely the number-one facility I wished existed in reality.

[Kael: I need to issue citizenship documents anyway, so I’ll head over there. Is naturalization into the Meriam Kingdom acceptable?]
[Chung-geom: Of course. I’ll work diligently on whatever you ask, so there’s no need to ask.]
[Kael: Understood. Please wait a moment.]

I headed back into City Hall and made my way to the Teleport Mage’s room.
After exchanging greetings with the Bureaucrat NPC I’d become acquainted with, I finally managed to meet up with Chung-geom and his group.
“Kael! It’s been so long!”
“Indeed. I hope you’ve been well?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, our circumstances have improved greatly, and we’re doing wonderfully.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
And I reunited with the NPCs after such a long time.
“We greet the Great Bandit Chief!”
“Great Bandit Chief! We’ve missed you!”
Compared to the users dressed in splendid attire, Chung-geom’s group looked like nothing short of a band of beggars.
And I had become the master of these beggars.
Passing users regarded me with peculiar looks.
“First, let’s unify our form of address. My name is Kael, so please call me by my name.”
“Yes! Kael!”
Perhaps thanks to their merchant training, the former bandits quickly grasped my meaning.
“Now then, I was thinking of having Chung-geom go through the naturalization procedures first, in order…”
“Wait.”
At that moment, a familiar Teleport Mage interrupted me.
He was the mage who had warned me when I teleported to Belhard Kingdom previously.
Now we recognized each other and exchanged pleasantries whenever we met.
“What is it, Teleport Mage?”
“I couldn’t help but overhear, but are all these people naturalizing into our kingdom?”
“That’s correct.”
“Since it’s my shift change, I could help. It would save you some time.”
“Really? That would be wonderful.”
“Follow me then.”
The place I arrived at following the Teleport Mage resembled the room where the Knight of Pure Love had been.
The only difference was that this space was larger.
“You’re the one in charge, then?”
“Yes, I am.”
The fact that he was looking for someone in charge suggested this wasn’t a standard naturalization procedure.
Moreover, since I’d made a good impression on the Teleport Mage, the process wouldn’t proceed negatively either.
“Just sit here and wait a moment.”
“Understood.”
Shortly after, a middle-aged NPC who appeared worn by fatigue arrived at this place.
“…I never expected Marco to introduce foreigners to me.”
Surprisingly, the Teleport Mage who had escorted us turned out to be a nobleman.
Though he held the rank of sub-marquis, which wasn’t the highest among nobility, it was a class distinctly separated from commoners.
From what I understood, a sub-marquis ranked above a knight but below a marquis.
“My name is Kael.”
“Yes, I’m aware. Golden Fox fur on the cloak ornament. I understand that Loin holds this foreigner in quite high regard. I wasn’t aware you had connections with Marco as well.”
Loin.
Like the Knight of Pure Love, he was a former Royal Court knight and currently served as the Training Instructor of Liam Village.
“It just happened to work out this way. Since you seem busy, I’ll get straight to the point. I’d like to naturalize a total of 38 people, including Chung-geom, as citizens of the Meriam Kingdom.”
“Hmm.”
The middle-aged man’s expression darkened.
His terseness was evident even in how he skipped introducing himself.
This was definitely not someone to be underestimated.
“May I ask your reason? Mass naturalization is not a matter to be taken lightly.”
“All of them have completed merchant training courses in Kela Village, Belhard. We’re requesting naturalization to facilitate smoother commercial activities.”
“If they’re going to operate in Liam, naturalization wouldn’t be necessary, would it? As you know, merchants are already oversaturated here.”
Perhaps I should be more forthcoming.
I was well aware that Liam was saturated with merchants and players alike, and it seemed persuasion was needed now.
“We’re planning to focus our efforts on Ath Village.”
At that, the man’s eyebrows rose slightly.
Thanks to Cha Eun-kyung, I’d become quite adept at detecting such shifts in expression.
This was a reaction showing slight interest.
“Ath Village? Isn’t that where the Shamans live? The residents there are quite conservative as well.”
“Yes, that’s correct. I have connections with the Village Chief there.”
“Whether it’s because you’re a foreigner or an adventurer, Kael, you certainly have far-reaching connections.”
This man even knew my profession already.
What was his intention in all this?
Did he have some grievance against me?
“It just happened to turn out this way.”
“I understand for now. Activities in Ath Village are worth considering positively. Liam has experienced unprecedented turmoil lately, after all.”
His phrase “I understand for now” bothered me.
Sensing he had more to say, I decided to wait and listen.
“As for the foreigner here, our common sense differs, so we’ll overlook that. The others will undergo a simple interrogation process.”
“An interrogation process?”
“Yes. Spies from the Belhard Kingdom continue to be uncovered. Naturally, the innocent will survive.”
Now I understood what this man’s intention was.
He suspected them of being spies.
“Should anything come to light during the interrogation, you’ll bear equal responsibility, Kael.”
“….”
The corners of the man’s mouth began to rise.
Marco had clearly guided me here out of goodwill, but this man was suspicious of us.
“As it happens, Liam’s representative interrogation specialist has just returned. So please answer the questions sincerely.”
The man whispered something to his secretary, and shortly after, a familiar face appeared in the reception room.
It was Cha Eun-kyung.

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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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