Hidden Quest Rewards Secured
After completing the hidden quest and claiming every last reward, the whole process had taken just a single day. If claiming the rewards had dragged on, that would have been its own headache, but as expected from a hit title, the game prioritized convenience. The training itself had been genuinely rewarding, so I could honestly say I was satisfied from start to finish.
“You look refreshed. Ready to leave already?” the training instructor asked, draping an arm over my shoulder with a mischievous grin.
The answer was obvious. “Yes. Boa Village looks much better now, so it’s time to move on to the next village.”
“Shame. You were a good outsider while you were here.”
“I can’t stay in one place. I’ve decided to become an Eternal Adventurer.”
“Tsk. Chasing myths, are you? You could have walked the path of the Sword Demon instead.”
Clear regret showed on the instructor’s face. If I stayed in Boa Village, the hidden class Sword Demon would have been within reach. Or I could have married his daughter and become a knight of pure love. Either way, I had no intention of using him.
“I know. That’s exactly why I can’t.”
“……Hmph.”
“You’ll meet again someday. At least you know someone like that existed in Liam.”
“Liam, huh. So city-class villages can produce outsiders like you. Now that I think about it, one of the current trainees has decent talent.”
He was talking about the three newbies I had planted in the training grounds on my first day in Boa Village. Apparently, he had already marked one of them as the next Sword Demon candidate.
“You’re right. Boa Village is only just beginning.”
“Is that so.”
I deliberately never asked the training instructor’s name. The same went for the Swordsmanship Guild Master. A passing, pleasant connection was enough. After all, my real goal had only been the fountain water. That meant I had no reason to visit this village again.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Where are you headed next?”
“Lis Village, the closest beginner village from here.”
Lis Village. Unlike the relatively remote Boa Village, it sat in the northern part of the continent. It would take a full month by carriage.
“Lis, is it. I’ll put in a word with the newly dispatched official.”
“Pardon?”
“Weren’t you planning to use the teleport gate? You did the same when you arrived here.”
A single teleport cost fifteen million won. Naturally, I had intended to travel by carriage instead, focusing on company work for a month while keeping my condition in check and clearing Lis Village quickly.
“Are you offering to let me use the teleport for free?”
“Of course. It’s only proper treatment for the benefactor who saved the village. The royal family is watching Boa Village closely—enough to dispatch the Third Knight Order directly.”
“Wow.”
I had gained a new realization. Causing trouble meant free teleports. The true essence was becoming a village hero, but on the surface, my actions had looked a lot like stirring up chaos.
“I suppose I should keep a close eye on Lis Village’s problems as well.”
“Yes. It may not be as bad as here, but something is definitely festering from within. Inland villages are more closely tied to the Six Great Heavens.”
“I’ll definitely do something about it.”
“Good. That’s enough.”
My travel schedule had been drastically shortened. I had secured a clear lead on saving teleport costs and could grow stronger even faster. Everything was perfect.
“Deer breast and belly meat will be distributed! It won’t taste great, but it’ll fill your stomach! Hungry beginners, come this way!”
“Freshly made lingonberry juice for sale!”
“Frost strawberries for sale! Fifty coppers each!”
On the way to the town hall, a rather heartwarming scene unfolded in front of the fountain. Players buying and selling goods had appeared. The player handing out free deer meat was one of the spirit tamers. I recognized him immediately because of the nightmare wolf lying belly-up beside him.
“It’s only been ten days, yet it’s already like this. Kael, this is all thanks to you.”
“This is how it should be. Beginner villages ought to be full of beginner energy. I like seeing scenes like this.”
“Come back to Boa Village someday. By then, it’ll have grown into a town as big as Liam.”
“Yes.”
Thanks to the training instructor’s influence, the teleport procedures inside the town hall were handled quickly. Even so, I still couldn’t escape the officials.
“Outsider Kael. I formally request that you switch your affiliation to the Belhard Kingdom.”
Hidden Class ‘Turncoat’ clue acquired.
First Discovery Bonus!
Wisdom increased by 1.
Luck increased by 1.
Rumors about you have spread through the Belhard Royal Court.
Hidden Class ‘Double Agent’ clue acquired.
First Discovery Bonus!
Agility increased by 1.
Rumors about you have spread through the Meriam Royal Court.
I had obtained hidden class clues. Two job clues had appeared at once, and both were tied to the Belhard and Meriam royal families. The class change conditions were strict, especially the requirement to save a village in crisis. Still, being connected to the royal family guaranteed guild-level growth and carried high potential.
‘I should ask Sung-chul hyung to broker this. It feels like it could sell for a high price.’
The situation was working in my favor. In the standoff between the Seogwang Guild and the Six Great Heavens, royal assistance could flip the entire balance of power.
“I’m sorry. This is a difficult question to answer right away.”
“If you switch allegiance, you will receive a permanent 50% discount on teleportation within the Belhard Kingdom. You will also receive 30 gold as a settlement subsidy.”
“Is the settlement subsidy fixed at 30 gold?”
“No. The base subsidy is 20 gold. Outsiders level 50 and above receive 20 gold, while those level 70 and above receive 50 gold. Because you are a special case, you have been granted 30 gold despite being below level 50.”
“What about the teleportation benefit?”
“It applies only to you, Kael, for the great service you rendered to the royal family.”
The hidden class’s value was skyrocketing. That meant I could add another thirty million won on top of the base price. Even high-level players received 50 gold, so selling it for seventy-five million won would still be a good deal for the buyer.
“……At this rate, a riverside apartment might not be just a dream.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, just talking to myself. Would it be possible to recommend someone else for the switch?”
“That is difficult for me to answer at my level. It depends on what kind of outsider the recommended person is.”
I glanced around, confirmed no one else was nearby except the instructor, and lowered my voice. “What if they belong to Seogwang?”
“Ah, if they are a Seogwang outsider, I can answer. A considerably large reward will be paid.”
“Understood. One last question—can this be handled through officials in other villages as well?”
“Yes. You are an outsider the Belhard royal family is watching closely. It is entirely possible.”
“Thank you. I will give my answer regarding this matter at another town hall.”
The conversation with the official ended. This hidden class might actually fetch a nine-figure sum. Because Turncoat and Double Agent belonged to different royal families, the valuation was even more solid. If a single guild monopolized both classes, they would gain an enormous information advantage. In this world, information from Another Dimension meant money.
“Tch. I didn’t expect you to turn down even a royal offer.”
“How could I refuse adventure? Right now I want to experience beginner villages all over the world.”
“You really are an odd one.”
The beta-tester perk was something I could never tell anyone. It would remain my eternal secret. I had already made an enormous amount of money by using it.
Following the dispatched mage’s guidance, I stepped into the newly maintained teleport gate. Before entering, I bowed ninety degrees to the instructor.
“Thank you for everything until now, Instructor.”
“Aye.”
Light poured from the teleport gate. For some reason, I noticed tears welling in the training instructor’s eyes beyond the glow.
“You never asked for my name even at the very end. My name is Krag. I was the previous Sword Demon of the Belhard Kingdom, and I also went by the nickname Mad Crocodile of the North. Use it well.”
“Ah.”
Before I could reply, the light swallowed me whole. It felt like I had been had. The training instructor’s name was Krag.
* * *
I arrived at the teleport gate inside Lis Village’s town hall. The atmosphere was far more stable than in Boa Village. The facilities were well maintained, and a mage stood on duty at the gate. For now, it seemed to be functioning smoothly as a beginner village.
“Welcome to Lis Village, outsider.”
“Hello.”
“Due to recent unrest within the kingdom, anyone using the teleport gate must go through a separate entry procedure. Your cooperation is appreciated.”
“Understood.”
The unrest obviously referred to what had happened in Boa Village—the incident where Chinese players had swallowed an entire foreign village whole. I moved to the reception desk and received entry instructions from the official.
“Identity confirmed. Outsider Kael of the Meriam Kingdom. Thank you for visiting Lis Village.”
“Ah, yes.”
The fact that the village was functioning well was good news. Still, it was a shame. It meant I would have to travel to the next village by ordinary carriage. For now, I decided to leave the town hall and drink from the fountain first.
“Oh?”
A fountain gushing powerful streams of water, a rainbow, and brand-new beginners who had just created their characters. It was a satisfying sight. However, the air felt much colder than in Boa Village, so the players’ outfits were noticeably thicker. Not that it mattered to me, thanks to cold immunity.
“Come one, come all! Lis Village’s must-see tourist course! Experience the aurora before you go! It raises Strength, Agility, and Stamina by 30 each!”
“Whoa! Can’t miss the aurora! I’m going to see it!”
“Me too! Me too!”
Near the fountain, a tout was promoting an aurora tour. It looked like a buff, but the performance numbers were absurdly high. The real problem was that when I had investigated the Chinese beginner villages, there had been no information about any aurora. Something smelled suspicious.