The Paladin's Gamble
The looter is nothing before my diamond sword. Ah, not right now, but in about an hour.
This server has an enhancement system. Of course, it’s not free—you need materials. You can get enhancement materials from hunting, mining… or even through donations. Viewers have been donating quite a lot, so… I actually have a decent stockpile. If my luck holds, I might even make it onto the rankings.
“Weapons don’t drop on death?” That would be cheating. How are looters supposed to loot? It completely ruins the point of looting. “Guys, what about looting then? You can only loot if weapons actually drop, right? Is this really that kind of server?”
This is kind of disappointing. If it’s a looting server, looting should actually happen. Sure, it would suck if I got looted as a small streamer, but I’ve got Raming and Moddeok behind me. Plus, I’m planning to start a religion worshiping the goddess Maru, so I’ll be able to stand up to strong enemies. I’m not just going to sit back and take it.
Instead, I’ll place one restriction on myself. There was something that made me sad back when I was a small streamer—being completely powerless when someone bigger came along and took everything. That really hurt. So I’m on the side of the weak. I’ll become a paladin who protects people from getting robbed.
“In the name of the goddess, I’ll become someone who helps the weak. I’m a paladin. How’s that? Sounds good, right?”
I checked the chat reactions. Everyone keeps calling me a religion-game genius, but no. If I actually do a religion stream, nobody will watch. Literally nobody. They’ll all fall asleep. I can’t stand seeing the chat move at one message per minute anymore. I’m only doing stuff that’s actually fun.
“Religion streams are… hmm. I’ll just focus on Minecraft for now. Guys, I’m heading off to enhance my gear.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea? Weapons really don’t drop, right?” I asked again. The answer came back: check the notion doc. Everything’s written there. If I could understand it just by reading, I wouldn’t be asking! It basically means “just tell me already.” I’m a total ping-pong player. That’s why I’m asking directly. Still don’t know me? I’m asking because I’m too lazy to look it up!!
Fortunately, even though my brain protested, my body still opened the notion doc and checked. After reading carefully for over twenty minutes, I finally got it. There’s something called a Looting Protection Ticket. If you apply it, you won’t get looted. But it’s ridiculously expensive. Now the real question—where do I even get the money?
Another ten minutes of reading later, I understood why people say you have to study. This might be a looting server, but you can’t just fight anywhere. Looting is only possible in specific zones—RPG areas and the wild outside villages.
“Got it.” Learning new things is fun. I should’ve studied this earlier. There was also something I’d misheard. I thought this was a five-day server, but it’s actually five weeks. That’s basically a whole month plus an extra week. I can’t do that. I’ll probably only last about a week. Honestly, what’s the point of running it that long?
The biggest shock was that it’s a cross-platform integrated server. Everyone can play together. I could even see streamers from other platforms.
“Alright everyone, I’ve learned everything, so let me summarize. First, I’m going to enhance my gear. I’ll do some enhancements and then store it at home… Wait, what am I saying. I’ll hide it until I can buy a Looting Protection Ticket. Okay?”
I really want to enhance it. I want to test my luck. I should, right? Since I already studied, I feel ready. My hands are itching.
“With this many materials, it should be enough, right? I’ll just aim for +6 for now.”
From +6 onward, you need a Destruction Prevention Scroll. The success rate isn’t that high, and if it breaks without one, it’ll be heartbreaking.
Yeah, it fits. I’m definitely a +6 max kind of girl. Fine, I’ll stop at +6!!
A donation came with a new enhancement mission.
[Reach +10]
The first mission reward was 10,000 won, but it’s already surpassed 50,000. “If that’s the case, I have to do it. I’ll go for it. But I don’t have enough materials.” I’m short on materials. When am I supposed to gather them, and when am I supposed to make money…! This is bad. A 12-hour time limit is way too tight. If I can’t finish today, it’s over!! “I don’t have materials so it’ll take a while… Could you extend the time a bit…”
“Ah… I guess I have to.” Raming, help your friend just this once… sob… Friends are supposed to make money together. This is exactly when you should earn some, right? Even though it’s shameless, I whispered to Raming.
[Raming, it’s Seon-a. Can you spare some enhancement materials?]
Her reply came instantly.
[Where? I’ll give you everything]
[Ah, can you wait a bit? I’ll finish this real quick and send it]
She really is my only true friend. What would I do without Raming!! I told her where the enhancement NPC was.
Before Raming arrived, I kept spamming the enhance button.
What did I do wrong!! I’m a victim here too. Is the probability rigged? How does 60% fail three times in a row? It’s way too much.
“Seriously, investigate… Investigate Bana…” I didn’t want to say something like that, but this is too much. “Whoa!!! +9, nice!!!” I heard Geunja’s voice from beside me. Ah… I almost cried. +9 actually triggers a server-wide announcement, and the chat exploded so hard it lagged. What the hell. Other people are already at +9 and +10 while I’m stuck at +5. We really need to investigate Bana. She definitely lowered my rates. I’m sure of it.
“She lowered only my rates, right? You guys feel that too, don’t you?”
“What skill is there in enhancing? It’s just bad luck.”
These guys are pouring salt on my wounds. Seriously… are they happy? Enjoying this? I’m the one suffering here. Are they actually happy? Ugh… they must be. The chat is flying by. Well, as long as they’re happy, fine. If sacrificing myself makes them laugh, then so be it. I had to win mentally like this. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to endure it. Because this place was full of vicious teasing the moment I joined.
“Ah!!!! I got eight successes in a row, so I’m at +8. Is that good, guys?”
“No. That’s actually trash, just throw it away.”
“Ah. Then I guess I’ll toss it in the trash can.”
“Throw it to me.”
“It’s fine~ I’ll sort the recycling properly.”
“Kyaaaaah +9!!!”
Not only did Geunja start bragging about her vicious teasing, but Koja next to her also started screaming at the top of her lungs. I was seriously losing it. Why only me? Before I could develop any malice toward the world… my savior appeared.
“Seon-a. Seon-a.”
“My friend Raming!!” I called out desperately. She came. Raming!! “Raming, thank you. Thanks to you, all my malice has disappeared.”
“Huh? What, what? Why?”
“I’m at +5. I failed the enhancement. It feels like they rigged the rates just for me. We need to start an investigation right now.”
“Ah… bad luck, huh?”
“Yeah. What about the materials?”
Raming looked happy, but I knew I’d be even happier once I saw how many materials she brought.
“I brought a lot. Here, take them.”
Raming dumped an enormous amount of materials. I gobbled them up while reacting excitedly.
“Thanks, my friend Raming. I’ll definitely repay you with a +10. You’ve made it big, my friend Raming. Mwahahahaha.”
Thank you, my friend. Thanks to you… I can try enhancing again!! I immediately started enhancing. I succeeded to +6 in just two tries. Destruction chance is only 1%. Honestly, using a Destruction Prevention Scroll on something like this feels wasteful. I kept spamming like crazy. Then +7. +8… Wait. Wait, stop. Going from +8 to +9 has a 10% destruction chance. This one actually makes me nervous. I looked around. Thank goodness!! “Raming, do you have money?”
“Money? Why?”
“I need to buy a destruction prevention scroll now.”
“I don’t have any money though, what do I do?”
“Ah… really? How much do you have? Do you at least have enough for a Looting Protection Ticket?”
“Looting Protection Ticket? I have that.”
“Huh…? Why?”
“It dropped from a donation box.”
“Can you give it to me?” I asked carefully. A brilliant idea had just come to me. Once I apply the Looting Protection Ticket, I’ll wander around the looting zones and collect “offerings.” I’ll take donations from my followers. If they don’t donate, they’re heretics. If they do, they’re good people. That’s how it should be. I have no choice if I want to get stronger, right? To protect our church, I need to become strong. At +8 I’ll lose to anyone at +9 or +10. I need to gather money fast and push to +10, +11… I have to get stronger quickly. If I get stronger, everyone will be happy.
“Here.”
“Thanks. From now on, Raming, you’re officially the saintess of the Maru Church.”
“Huh?”
“I’m the paladin.”
“What, what? What are you talking about?”
“You’re the saintess. I’m the paladin.”
“Huh…? What happened to the angel? Maru Church? What? What are you saying.”
That’s just how it works. You don’t become a saintess just because you want to. You receive a divine revelation. Just accept your fate. I already accepted my fate as a paladin, after all.