The Knight of Pure Love
“I quit being a Royal Knight.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“No. I will become a knight who serves only one woman.”
“……”
What an insane editing job. The opening alone was shocking, and not a single scene felt skippable.
“He used to be a Royal Knight? That’s huge.”
Royal Knights held a status so lofty that even ordinary people knew about them. Their inherent strength was one thing, but the actual pay was said to be astronomical. To throw away that position just for content? That belonged in the realm of madness.
“He really is something.”
I didn’t think any true veteran was normal. Sure, some had rotted from being too deep in the game, but the ones who stayed pure veterans had latched onto something beyond the game itself. At least, everyone who made it to the end of the previous title had been like that. Including me.
“Andy. Hold on a moment. I heard long ago that you had taken a companion. However, I don’t believe that is reason enough to resign your post as a Royal Knight. You can remain loyal to His Majesty while also being devoted to your family.”
“Commander. I am a foreigner. You know that well.”
“I do. From the countless merits you have accumulated to becoming a role model for the Royal Knights despite being an outsider—I know it all.”
“Yes. That is precisely why I am resigning. A Royal Knight who swears loyalty only to His Majesty has developed feelings for another. I am unfit to remain a Royal Knight.”
“……This is a serious matter.”
“It is a serious matter for me as well. My loyalty—my devotion—belongs solely to her.”
From his grave expression to the smallest gestures, nothing about it looked like acting. This was the drama itself.
“I am no longer a Royal Knight. I am the Knight of Pure Love.”
Shaaaa! The declaration of pure love. It seemed to be one of the class-change conditions for the Knight of Pure Love. Once Andy finished his declaration, light enveloped him.
Clack. A pure-white helm that covered his entire face materialized. Clatter. His ordinary yet luxurious armor began to reshape itself. The silver plate transformed into sleek, agile armor—still pure white.
“You get job-exclusive armor just from class-changing? Insane.”
Its performance was obviously broken. It would become an endgame item, complete with growth options. Never having to worry about armor costs or durability again was an enormous advantage.
“……I’m starting to feel jealous.”
Being jealous meant losing, but I was jealous. The scene made the viewer feel defeated. The darker I got, the brighter this guy shone.
“Ah. So that’s it.”
I understood now. I finally knew why hidden classes sold for such high prices. They weren’t something you finished by pressing a single class-change button. A hidden class required immersing yourself in the game, building a unique narrative, and completing it.
“So that’s why he asked for the job name.”
What if the class had been Torture Technician? [Scandalous rumors about you spread throughout the kingdom.] Imagine a craftsman famous for leatherworking. His fame would spread more in the underworld, and he would likely get dragged into all sorts of dirty incidents. What would the class-change process look like? At the very least, since the talent was known in shady circles, the process itself probably wouldn’t be peaceful.
“……He’d probably make good money, but it would be a brutal job. Maybe selling it to Sung-chul hyung wouldn’t be a bad idea. Seogwang has plenty of rival factions anyway.”
While I was sorting through my thoughts, the video ended. No wonder it had tens of millions of views. The visuals were stunning, and the class itself was cool. Since the prerequisite was already being a Royal Knight, its raw power would be overwhelming.
“Which hidden class would suit me?”
If I only considered compatibility, almost any job would work. I had infinite permanent buffs, after all. Whether combat or production, I could set the right buffs and dominate any class in the same category.
“The quest reward is the key.”
The Golden Fox subjugation was definitely a hidden quest. The reward would probably depend on the training instructor’s discretion. I decided to leave that part for later.
“I won’t be able to watch the other videos in just a day or two. Hmm.”
I decided to check the game community instead.
* * *
“Good morning, Seo-jun.”
“……Good morning.”
Weekends always flew by, but this one had practically been deleted. I had stayed up all night browsing the Another Dimension community.
‘This game really is on another level.’
There was so much information it was overwhelming. Even narrowing the search to Liam alone produced an insane amount of data—far more than I could handle in just a day or two.
“Seo-jun? Want to grab lunch together?”
“Ah, sure.”
Whether during work hours or mealtimes, my mind was filled with nothing but the game. I finally understood why my former superior, Kim Sung-chul, had always walked around with dark circles and why he had transformed into such a passionate person after quitting the company.
-Seo-jun!!! Can you talk right now?
I had also left a message for Sung-chul hyung, mentioning that I had cleared a hidden quest and obtained a hidden class clue. Of course, I left out anything about being a beta tester or the Eternal stat.
-Yeah, I can. Right now.
The call came immediately.
-For real? You cleared a hidden quest and got a hidden class clue on your very first day?
“Yes. I actually wanted to consult you about that. I listed the hidden class on the official site, but people kept saying they didn’t need it after hearing just the name.”
-Ah, there are quite a few people like that. They already have more money than they know what to do with, so they won’t class-change until they find a job they actually like.
As expected, CoolDeal was backed by overflowing capital.
“Do you know anyone in your guild who needs a hidden class? The job name seemed like it would fit an organization or group.”
-Huh? Really? Then how about you class-change into that job and join our guild?
“It doesn’t really match my style. I’m also thinking of moving to another beginner village soon.”
-Oho. So there’s more to it?
“It’s still just personal interest for now. I’m also used to playing alone.”
-Got it. Then I’ll at least help you sell the hidden class. Can I ask what the job name is?
“Yes. It’s ‘Torture Technician.’”
-That name sounds pretty brutal. If it’s torture-related, it’d be great for getting confessions out of hostile NPCs. Definitely looks useful.
“Right?”
-Perfect timing. I just thought of someone in the guild. Want me to introduce you?
“I’d really appreciate that. How much do you think I should sell it for?”
-Just going by the name, maybe five thousand or more? It could go even higher if you look further ahead. But it doesn’t feel like a pure combat class, so reaching the hundred-million range seems tough.
Sung-chul hyung valued Torture Technician at a solid five thousand. I had thought the person who paid over ten million won after hearing only the job name was being cool, but apparently that buyer had been the exception.
“……Really?”
If I had handed over the hidden clue and closed the deal back then, it would have been a massive loss. Just how warped were these players’ senses of money?
I clutched my pounding chest and asked another question.
“Hyung, what if the class-change process requires a skill? For example, leather processing.”
-Oh, then the price would drop a bit. Leatherworking is pretty niche. Does it require a high skill level?
I hesitated for a moment about how much to reveal, but Sung-chul hyung was clearly in the role of middleman. Since he could sell it for more than the official site, I decided to tell him honestly.
“Yes. You have to skin animal hides with a perfect rating. Dozens of times or more.”
-Whoa…… That’s trickier than I thought. Perfect ratings are expert territory.
It was a dilemma. Even if the class was worth five thousand or more, without the right buyer it could sell for a pittance. Now that I understood the true value of hidden classes, I realized a single job could fetch anywhere from thousands to hundreds of millions. And I was the seller who had to protect that value.
“Hyung, what if I personally teach the skill?”
-Huh? Would that be okay?
“I’m self-taught, but I can definitely pull off perfect ratings. To be precise, I got thirty consecutive perfect ratings.”
-No way. Is that for real? Without any skill correction?
“Yes. You know I played Primal Dimension for a long time. Most long-time players from the previous game can probably do it.”
-Whoa, damn. You were at that level? You never told me the details before. With a skill like that, why were you even working at the company? I seriously don’t get it.
“……I didn’t know the skill was worth this much.”
-Seo-jun. Just making use of that ability alone would let you earn way more than what you got at the company. Hell, you’ve always had more talent than you needed. Don’t cling to the company.
“Haha……”
-I’m not joking. And you mentioned teaching the skill, right? You should charge for that too. If you include personal instruction, I’ll negotiate up to a hundred million with that woman.
Apparently the client was a woman. She was probably affiliated with Seogwang Guild, same as Sung-chul hyung. So there was no need to worry about her financial power.
“……A hundred million, huh.”
-Of course we should ask for a high price. There’s no guarantee she’ll become a useful connection for you either. She’s a bit of an odd one. This isn’t pocket change.
For the first time, the unit of “hundred million” had been presented to me. And it had happened only one day after starting the game.
“I’ll do it no matter what.”
There would be risks involved in meeting her, but I trusted the time I had spent with Sung-chul hyung. He had shown me far too much consideration, both now and in the past. All I could do was repay him.
-Okay. I’ll contact you again in the evening. Your character is still in Liam, right?
“Yes. I think I’ll stay there for about a week. I’ve got quite a bit to do myself.”
-Of course. Then we can probably settle on three days for the skill instruction.
“Got it. I’ll call you again after work.”
-Alright. Good luck, and hurry up and submit that resignation letter.
“……Haha.”
* * *
11:40 p.m.
I had successfully completed today’s daily quest. I had made it home safely before midnight.
-Did you talk to that woman? I gave her your number while we were eating.
“No, I just got home. I’ll check now.”
When I opened my messages, there was one new text.
-Account number.
Once again, it smelled like a CoolDeal transaction.