Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: The VIP Shop
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VIP Shop
My head was pounding from a hangover.
I’d seen the Guild Master drinking beer, so I assumed he was a lightweight, but I was dead wrong.
He drank five—no, seven—bottles of a potent spirit called Dragon’s Fury, not even the Dragon’s Tear I was having.
I can hold my liquor, but even I almost blacked out.
Since it was a meeting between a Guild Master and a WTuber, we mostly talked about streaming at first, but the conversation eventually drifted to him bragging about his daughter.
He claimed she was incredibly beautiful, which I couldn’t verify, but the Guild Master himself was a decent-looking man.
He said we should see each other often and that if I ever felt lonely, I was welcome to come live at the guild house anytime.
I had no intention of doing so, but I appreciated the sentiment.
When I told him I’d never played Elsia, he shared a lot of useful information about the game and the Kramis Labyrinth.
After a quick shower and a breakfast brought by Luke, I left Kabisa.
The Guild Master had said he’d introduce me to the Golden Lion Guild members this evening.
It felt a bit overwhelming, but he assured me it wouldn’t be everyone, just the officers.
Since he’d promised to support me in every way possible, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get to know their faces, so I agreed.
This morning, I planned to visit the Magic Tower to sell the troll blood and leather that the general store wouldn’t take.
I’d heard they had a lot of useful items, so I wanted to browse a little too.
Leaving Kabisa, I headed north toward the Magic Tower.
Enjoying the cool weather, I walked for about twenty minutes before a tall, pointed spire came into view in the distance.
The Kramis Magic Tower.
It was the only magic tower in Kramis, and I heard that people who chose the magician class came here for their class change.
In Elsia, you could choose a class a bit later than in other games, at level 30.
Warrior, Magician, Cleric, Archer, Assassin.
These were the five standard classes, but there were also hidden classes.
However, a hidden class wasn't necessarily better in every aspect.
The Guild Master’s class was a hidden one.
Maestro of the Battlefield, a support type that could cast all sorts of buffs far superior to a regular cleric’s.
In exchange, his own combat ability was supposedly lacking.
Honestly, I found the Guild Master’s trait more fascinating than his class.
Generous Patron.
He started the game with an amount of Jewels equivalent to the money he had spent on donations.
Curious, I asked him how much he got. It was 360,000 Jewels.
Excluding the money he’d transferred, he had donated about 10 million won to me, so that worked out to roughly 360 Jewels per 10,000 won.
He said it with such immense pride that I had to feign surprise, but it couldn't compare to my trait.
Setting aside the 100 million Jewels and everything else, my VIP attendance reward alone gave me 24,000 Jewels a week.
Ahem. He was curious about my trait too, so I just vaguely told him I got a lot of gold and gacha tickets.
I felt a little bad since he’d been so specific about his own numbers, but I couldn't just reveal all my secrets, not even to the Guild Master.
Lost in thought, I soon arrived at the entrance of the Magic Tower.
I’d heard there was often a line, but it was still early, so there weren't many people.
Inside, I saw a reception desk in the center.
A beautiful woman with blonde hair and blue eyes was dozing off… hmm.
“Excuse me?”
“Ah! What is it? So early in the morning.”
This young lady, who was blatantly showing her annoyance, was supposedly the greatest beauty in Kramis.
Was her name Ariel?
I heard she’d been the undisputed number one most popular NPC since the days of Elsia, but I honestly didn't see it.
She was pretty, but in my opinion, Hanna was much better.
For starters, her personality was…
“Just where are you looking?”
Ah, right. Her personality.
She was incredibly prickly and quick to scorn people, and that was supposed to be her charm?
It was similar to Rina in a way, but to think that was considered charming…
“Where else? I was looking at you. Are you allowed to sleep on the job?”
Already hardened by my experiences with Rina, I replied calmly.
“Uh… W-well, people don’t usually come this early… Who are you anyway?”
“My name is Oh Hyeon-ung. I’m here to sell some troll blood and leather, and maybe buy a few useful items.”
“The magic tool shop is on the second floor. I handle purchases, so take them out.”
I took out the troll leather and blood.
“The condition isn’t bad. I’ll give you 10 gold for the lot.”
10 gold?
I think I got less than 2 gold for everything else I sold at the general store.
Of course, it was a pittance compared to the money I had, but it was still a considerable sum.
Then again, trolls were treated as rare monsters in other games too.
And it was a floor boss.
When I nodded, she pulled a pouch from under the counter and took out a gold coin.
“Hand.”
“Hand?”
“You don’t want the money? Hold out your hand.”
As I extended my hand, she dropped a large gold coin onto it.
It seemed she didn’t even want our hands to touch. She must be some kind of germaphobe.
“What are you staring at? I told you, magic tools are sold on the second floor. Is your memory that of a goldfish?”
She was beyond prickly; she was downright rude. To think a woman like this was the greatest beauty… the people who played Elsia must have some peculiar tastes.
Without a word, I put the money in my pouch and went up the stairs to the second floor.
Whoa. The first floor looked no different from a general store, but the second floor definitely had the atmosphere of a Magic Tower.
For starters, the entrance was decorated with the taxidermied heads of various monsters.
Further inside, staffs and robes that magicians would use, as well as potions and crystal orbs, were neatly displayed.
All the products were inside what looked like transparent glass or acrylic cases, so I couldn't touch them to check their information directly.
Instead, there were descriptions nearby, so it wasn't a major inconvenience.
They’ve maintained it well.
I took a quick look around, but as expected, there was nothing worth buying.
While there were some exceptions, most of the items were just inferior versions of what was in the Summoner's Shop.
I walked over to the counter.
A man in a robe who looked to be about my age was standing there.
“Is there something you’re looking for?”
“I’d like to use the VIP Shop.”
“The VIP Shop is only available to customers who have spent over 1,000 gold at our store.”
It wasn't an impossible amount for me, but it was an absurd sum for anyone else.
A newcomer’s tax was only 3 gold, after all.
But the Guild Master had told me.
“I’m a Pioneer, you see.”
“Ah, I see. Could you please verify that for me?”
When I placed my hand on the transparent crystal orb the man held out, it turned black.
“Verification complete. I will guide you immediately.”
He had said that anyone with the Pioneer title could use the Magic Tower’s VIP Shop regardless of their spending amount.
It was information the system didn't provide, so I would have never known if I hadn't met the Guild Master.
“This way, please.”
I thought he would lead me back toward the stairs, but instead, he tapped the wall next to them a couple of times with a wooden staff, and the wall split open.
I was a little surprised.
What appeared within the parted wall was a very familiar silver door.
“Are you not familiar with an elevator?”
The magician tilted his head, seeing my surprised expression.
How could I not be?
“No. Why is this here…?”
“As expected of a Summoner, you know of it. This is an elevator operated by mana. It is one of the ancient relics owned by the Kramis Magic Tower.”
An elevator in a medieval setting. I had no idea what the world-building for Elsia was like.
The man pressed a button with practiced ease, and a moment later, the doors opened.
“Please step inside.”
The interior had mirrors and buttons for each floor, just like any other elevator I’d ever seen.
As I’d heard, it felt like we were descending. After about ten seconds, the doors opened.
“We have arrived.”
I stepped out and looked around. The place was similar to the shop upstairs, yet quite different.
For one, it was much smaller.
About the size of three studio apartments combined?
But every single item was emitting a faint, colorful glow.
Even consumable items like potions were glowing, unlike the ones I’d seen upstairs.
There were also a few empty spots, suggesting that products weren't restocked immediately.
“Since this is your first time in the VIP Shop, I can give you a brief explanation, if you’d like.”
I’d already gotten the gist of it from the Guild Master, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to listen, so I nodded.
The explanation lasted about three minutes, but there was nothing particularly special.
It could be summarized in two points.
1. While some items were sold by the Magic Tower, others were personal items put up for sale by affiliated magicians or influential figures like nobles.
When purchasing a personal item, there might be additional services from the seller, and things like after-sales service would be handled by them personally.
2. Absolutely no refunds.
“So, can I look around now?”
“Yes. Lastly, you may only use the VIP Shop for one hour per week.”
That was new. So there was a time limit.
There weren't that many items, but it still felt a bit tight.
“Is that all?”
“One more thing. As this is the VIP Shop, all the items are quite pricey.”
“Ah, right. Got it.”
He was stating the obvious.
That was just common sense.
“And one last, last thing. Everything has an anti-theft spell on it, so please let me know which items you wish to purchase.”
I nodded and moved toward the equipment on the far side.
There were one or two green-glowing items, but most were Rare or higher. There were even a few Unique items emitting a golden light.
[Gloves of Gluttony (Unique)
Gloves rumored to have sealed a demon full of greed.
STR +4, AGI +5, LUK +7, VIT +3, MP +4
Special Skill
Gluttony: Absorbs a portion of a monster’s stats every 100 kills of the same monster type.
Price: 15,000 Gold
※This item is protected by an anti-theft spell.]
I was taken aback.
“As I mentioned a moment ago, these are valuable pieces of equipment, so they are a bit expensive.”
…?
He seemed to have misunderstood, but since I only had an hour, I didn’t bother correcting him and continued to examine the items.
I gave the equipment a quick once-over and then moved to the scrolls. They were even selling the Blessed Weapon and Armor Enhancement Scrolls I already had.
The miscellaneous goods section seemed mostly useless, but they had nine Orbs of Traits.
At this point, I felt like I’d seen almost everything.
“Mr. Hyeon-ung, you have only ten minutes of access time remaining.”
Already?
It didn’t feel like that long. I must have lost track of time because I was enjoying myself so much.
“First, all the Orbs of Traits.”
“A-all of them? The Orbs of Traits are 100 gold each.”
The magician who guided me looked astonished.
It was too early to be surprised.
“So? And give me all of those Blessed Enhancement Scrolls over there, too.”
“But the Blessed Enhancement Scrolls are 200 gold each…”
“There are five of each, so that’s only 2,000 gold, isn’t it?”
“W-well, yes.”
I didn’t know why he was making such a fuss over pocket change.
“As for the equipment, leave out the green ones. I’ll take everything from here to there.”
“F-from here to there? Wait, that’s… almost all of it? Hold on, then the price would be…”
He pulled out a notepad and pen and started calculating frantically. I worried he might run out of time.
“The total is 58,410 gold. Even for a Pioneer, installment payments are not allowed. Are you sure you have this amount…?”
I was worried, but being a magician, he was quick with his calculations.
“Come on, why would I pay for such a small amount in installments? Just hurry up and get me my change.”
As I spoke, I took twelve pouches of gold from my inventory.
“We don’t accept trade-ins… Huh?”
The magician’s eyes widened as he inspected the pouches.
“Each one has 5,000 gold, so just take out 1,590 gold from that.”
It was less than I expected.
Then again, a Unique item costing only 15,000 gold was a steal.
Honestly, I didn’t need all this equipment for myself, but I planned to give the rest to the Guild Master.
An opportunity like this was perfect for helping him look good.
****
At the Golden Lion Guild House.
More than ten men and women were seated in the master’s office.
“What’s going on? Why did you call all the officers at this hour?”
“Ah, I should have said something earlier, but my head was pounding from a hangover this morning, and I forgot. I just thought we should have a team dinner for a change.”
Most of the officers looked dumbfounded at Lee Tae-soo’s nonchalant explanation.
It was only natural, as they had all been told it was an emergency and that their attendance was mandatory.
“Well… it’s not just a simple dinner. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Lee Tae-soo added sheepishly, looking a little guilty.
“You mean the guy we allied with, Hyeon-ung, right?”
“Right. Chil-seong and I met him yesterday, but the rest of you don’t even know what he looks like.”
“Is it true he defeated Yoo Cheol-yong with his own skill?”
“Of course. Chil-seong, he’s a good guy, right?”
“I don’t know about anything else, but he’s straightforward and I like that.”
Hearing praise from the fastidious Yoon Chil-seong, everyone seemed intrigued.
Everyone except for one person.
“If you were planning a team dinner, don’t you think you should have told me in advance?”
The finance manager, Lee Seol-hwa, felt her head throb.
She had a mountain of paperwork to get through, and it was all for a mere team dinner…
“Well, it’s not even ten of us…”
Seeing her brother-in-law stammer, she felt a pang of pity… not a chance.
How much money had he wasted in the sky trying to find that Pioneer?
She’d nearly lost her mind when he said he was going to screen every single Summoner again at the next labyrinth entrance.
Fortunately, she had confirmed today that he wouldn't be doing that, but it didn’t change the fact that their reserve funds were gone and their financial situation was dire.
They were at a point where even austerity measures wouldn't be enough, and he wanted a team dinner?
“Where is this dinner? No, wherever it is, let’s just keep it to one round.”
“R-right. Everyone has things to do tomorrow. We’ll just do one round.”
Tae-soo couldn't withstand the glare from his finance manager and sister-in-law.
“A team dinner is always good. Big bro Tae-soo, where are we going tonight? Ventis? Zelda’s?”
“The beer at Ventis is no good. The steak at Zelda’s is to die for, though.”
“If you haven’t decided, how about Orut?”
“Chil-seong already made a reservation.”
At Tae-soo’s words, all eyes turned to Yoon Chil-seong.
Yoon Chil-seong looked aggrieved, as if asking why he was being thrown under the bus.
“Where is it?”
“Well… today’s dinner is at Kabisa…”
As Yoon Chil-seong blurted it out as if he had no other choice, a sudden silence fell over the once-noisy office.
“Vice Master? Kabisa is incredibly expen—”
“You. Are. Having. A. Team. Dinner. At. Ka. Bi. Sa?”
An icy chill emanated from Lee Seol-hwa’s clipped words.
It was enough to bring to mind the Ice Witch, the floor boss of the 41st floor’s Land of Extreme Cold.
Lee Tae-soo felt a wave of regret.
He should have taken the 50,000 gold from Hyeon-ung yesterday.
Of course, he hadn't refused it outright; he’d just thought it would create a better image if Hyeon-ung gave it to him in front of the other officers, so he’d told him to give it to him today…
“Well, we need a day like this every once in a while. We already paid a deposit, and we’ll have to pay a cancellation fee if we don’t go. Let’s go!”
“Wow, Big bro Tae-soo, you’re the man!”
“Yeah! I heard Silver Wolf goes once a quarter. Let’s go to Kabisa too!”
Amid the cheering officers, Lee Seol-hwa glared daggers at him, but Lee Tae-soo deliberately ignored her.
Once they got to Kabisa and met Hyeon-ung, everything would be resolved.
****
“What? Guild Master, if you mean that money from yesterday, I’ve already spent it all.”