The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 6

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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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Episode 6
Episode 6
4.
“How many times must I say it!!! This is not meat!!!”
“Aaahhh!”
Marlen’s Butcher Shop was, as always, bustling with customers.
Yet every user who came found themselves on the receiving end of her fierce rebukes.
Even those rare users who had acquired the butchering skill were no exception.
“What good is butchering if you don’t pay attention!? Look at how it’s been hacked away in chunks!!!”
“Ah, no, but it’s still, it’s still done properly, isn’t it!?”
“Properly?”
“Eeeek!”
“Phew, take this payment and get out!”
She thrust the coins at the user and drove them away.
What good was acquiring a butchering skill when it only served as a supplement at best?
Every single one of them relied solely on the skill, showing no real understanding or care in their work.
The meat they brought was all the same.
They didn’t understand the value of meat.
Some even beat the animals with clubs, leaving the meat in terrible condition.
I don’t know who started the nonsense about tenderizing meat by striking it, but rabbit meat beaten with blunt force or clubs while still alive is ruined beyond redemption.
With nothing but such inferior meat coming through, how could Marlen be satisfied?
Today, her voice had grown hoarse from all the shouting.
Then, a face she had pushed to the back of her mind returned.
It was Sung-hyun.
“Huh? What!?”
That peculiar outsider.
But seeing him return so soon, he was probably just like all the others, wasn’t he?
Marlen glared at Sung-hyun with fierce eyes, already preparing to scold him the moment he produced his meat.
Sung-hyun, unbothered, laid out the meat and hides from twenty rabbits before Marlen.
“Now look here!!! The meat is….”
Marlen began to speak, but as she examined the meat, something seemed off, and she stopped her tirade mid-sentence.
And there stood Sung-hyun, regarding Marlen with an impassive expression.
Marlen paused for a moment, then looked at the meat and hides again, and cried out.
“You, you’re absolutely excellent!?!?”
The other users were even more shocked by Marlen’s reaction.
“M, Marlen gave praise!?”
“Wh, what!? M, Marlen…!”
“Ah! My Marlen praised someone else!?”
“Who do you think you are!?”
The users watched from a distance, stirring with commotion.
I had visited Marlen’s Butcher Shop many times, but this was the first time I’d heard her offer praise.
And she was praising the meat, no less.
“This… this… how could it be so magnificent…”
Her mouth hung open in astonishment, her eyes glistening with emotion.
Marlen was so moved that she actually pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away tears.
I felt somewhat bewildered watching her reaction.
‘Is it really that impressive?’
After all the terrible butchering work she’d endured from other players, Marlen couldn’t help but be moved by meat that had been processed so beautifully and cleanly.
How long had it been since she’d received such pristine meat?
Her initial emotion subsiding, Marlen lifted one of the cuts and shouted to the other players.
“All of you, look at this and learn! See how mercifully and beautifully this meat has been butchered!!! The animal was killed instantly to minimize suffering, the blood was drained, and the organs were removed immediately afterward to preserve the meat quality—this is what proper butchering looks like!!!”
I thought her reaction was a bit over the top, but the other players’ responses were even more dramatic.
“My goodness! Meat like this can actually exist!?”
“Even with a butchering skill, I could never achieve this!?”
“Wow, I’m genuinely jealous.”
“Sob sob, my Marlen! My Marlen!”
“What exactly are you?”
“Wouldn’t you get a title for this?”
I felt a bit embarrassed, but I paid attention to that last comment.
A title? For this?
I’d received titles in similar situations before, but would I get one this time too?
Marlen looked at me with an emotional expression and nodded.
“Truly magnificent meat. Real meat, the way meat should be! I’m genuinely moved, I am.”
[You have moved the Butcher Shop owner with your expertly butchered meat.]
[You have obtained the title 『Butcher Shop Regular』.]
[You have achieved an Achievement at the Butcher Shop.]
[You have obtained an Achievement reward.]
[Butcher Shop Quest rewards have been enhanced.]
[Enhanced Quest rewards can be claimed from the Butcher Shop owner, Marlen.]
“Oh.”
I actually got it.
Just as that last player said, I’d obtained a title.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
I’d also gained enhanced Quest rewards.
Looking at the other players’ reactions, I saw expressions ranging from admiration to envy.
But beneath each expression lay the same emotion—longing.
Longing directed at someone who had accomplished what they could not.
There was something ticklish about the feeling.
Was this what being recognized felt like?
“I can’t just leave it at this. Let me reward you generously.”
[You receive the Butcher Shop Quest reward.]
[Your existing reward has been enhanced.]
[You obtain 4 Gold and the 『Excellent Butchering Set』.]
Marlen handed over a heavy pouch of coins and a leather bundle containing various tools as she spoke.
The moment I received them, they entered my inventory.
It was undoubtedly a generous reward.
Compared to the usual 1 Silver I’d receive when other users handed over meat or hides, I was getting 4 Gold.
Since 100 Silver equaled 1 Gold.
I’d been receiving 10 Silver per rabbit meat and hide.
She’d just given me a tenfold increase in compensation.
I wondered if it was really something to be so moved about, but since she was offering it, I was pleased as well.
‘This game really does hand out rewards generously.’
If others had heard such a remark, they might have thrown stones, but I accepted it without hesitation, bowed gratefully to Marlen, and made my exit.
“Ahahaha! Come by anytime! You’re always welcome!!! I’ll buy everything you bring at premium prices!!!”
“Th-thank you very much.”
Receiving Marlen’s boisterous farewell, I felt embarrassed and hurried away as if fleeing.
There were many users around, and such a fuss was simply too mortifying.
Only after putting some distance between myself and the Butcher Shop did I catch my breath and examine the title I’d just received.
Just from the name, I could already guess its effects to some degree.
『Regular at the Butcher Shop』
→《Normal》
→A title granted to users who have earned some recognition for their butchering skills at the Butcher Shop.
→When selling meat and hides you’ve butchered directly, prices increase by 10%.
‘Not bad at all.’
They’d said butchering was one of the skills I’d use throughout my lifetime in this Eternal World.
Having a title like this would be quite helpful.
So, shall I take a look at the Excellent Butchering Set?
I pulled the item from my inventory.
The second item I’d obtained since the Steel Sword—I wondered what it would be like.
『Excellent Butchering Set』
→《Rare》
→A butchering set containing various butchering tools.
→The quality is far superior to ordinary butchering tools.
→Butchering speed increased by 10%.
→Quality of butchered items improved by 10%.
‘Wow!’
Unlike the title, it was a Rare item.
Since the Steel Sword was only Normal+, this was my first Rare item.
To think she’d give out items and titles so generously.
‘Is it really okay to be this generous?’
Unaware that the warmth of the Eternal World was something only I could feel, I was moved to tears.
I could certainly sense my steady growth, and the NPCs were kind and wonderful.
Though Marlen was a bit loud.
Most of all.
‘This sensation is going to be addictive.’
The feeling of sharing the memories and experiences of ghosts was beyond exhilarating—it was extraordinary.
I hadn’t absorbed every memory and experience, but my talents had definitely increased.
When I obtained the memories and experiences of the Former Instructor Ghost, I was able to learn the swordsmanship he had trained in, and when I met the hunter Apik’s ghost, I could feel my dexterity and hunting skills had noticeably improved.
To think I could gain talents just by receiving help from ghosts.
The game is fun too.
What could be more enjoyable than this?
As I reveled in my joy.
I could see the form of a ghost in the distance.
So they wander around the village too.
The moment I thought nothing of it, an elderly-looking ghost approached me with a movement like something from a horror film—teleporting in an instant.
A newcomer might have been startled, but for me it was a familiar sight.
‘My sister would have loved seeing this.’
It was exactly the kind of production my sister, who loved supernatural phenomena and ghost stories, would have adored.
Since the ghost was doing it directly, should I call it a technique rather than a production?
Anyway, why was the ghost approaching me so urgently?
Did it have something to tell me?
I waited a moment and watched as the ghost suddenly appeared before me.
Its expression was extremely urgent and shocked.
-Y-you can really see me!?
“Yes, I can see you.”
-Gasp! Y-you can even talk to me!!!?
As I answered calmly, the ghost cried out as if about to collapse, throwing its head back.
This was quite burdensome.
But didn’t it come here for a reason?
Usually in cases like this, there was only one explanation.
-Oh my! Look at me, losing my mind.
“Is there perhaps something you need from me?”
I asked politely, and the elderly-looking ghost nodded vigorously.
It was nodding so hard I worried its head might fall off.
I tilted my head, wondering what could be so urgent.
Usually they reacted like this when they wanted to give something good.
Thinking this might be another such case, I looked at the Old Man Ghost.
-Say, do you know of the Hunter’s Forest?
“The Hunter’s Forest?”
-Ah! You haven’t heard of it then! The Hunter’s Forest refers to a forest created by the hunters of our Hindel Village! However, I’ve heard that not just any outsider can enter it.
“Oho?”
As I listened to the old man’s tale, my interest grew with each word.
Not everyone could enter?
A familiar story.
‘A hidden dungeon, perhaps?’
Hidden dungeons that only a rare few ever discovered.
Hearing the name, it certainly seemed to fit.
Hunter’s Forest.
I listened intently to the old man’s words.
Where it was located.
What kind of place it was.
-Ever since the foreigners arrived, the hunters have all departed for other villages, so the beasts in Hunter’s Forest have multiplied terribly. Most of the villagers have forgotten about it entirely, and many don’t even know where it is anymore. I’d like to tell you, but in this condition, how could I possibly guide you there?
“I understand your predicament.”
-But then you appeared, just like that! The hunter Apik told me about you, and it was true! I never thought that boastful fellow would be right.
It seemed the Old Man Ghost had heard about me from Apik, the hunter ghost I’d met before.
The Old Man Ghost spoke to me with barely contained excitement.
-There are many rare beasts there, so their hides and meat fetch high prices. Only someone like you—with a steel sword and exceptional butchering skills—could accomplish this. I beg of you.
Truth be told, I would have agreed even without his request.
It was a hidden dungeon, after all.
A hidden dungeon in a beginner village where I couldn’t even gain levels.
At first glance, it seemed worthless, but it was anything but.
Especially since the beginner village’s hidden dungeon supposedly contained extraordinary treasures.
It was precisely why Hindel Village, where a hero was born and raised to defeat the Demon King, attracted so many people.
A hero and a Demon King—the village certainly seemed like it would have hidden pieces.
Yet I heard everyone had come up empty-handed, and now I was obtaining this opportunity.
Some still hadn’t given up, but no one had ever discovered this hidden dungeon.
Naturally, I was intrigued.
‘Besides, I’m curious about how effective my current abilities are.’
Now that I possessed the talents of the Former Instructor Ghost and the hunter Apik.
I wanted to know just how strong I had become.
There was no reason to refuse.
Just as I was about to accept, the Old Man Ghost spoke again.
-If you’ll do this for us, I’ll tell you where our family heirloom is buried!
“Excellent.”
The rewards kept rolling in.
This was pure generosity.

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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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