Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Return Scroll Bubble
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Jaeyeon had no idea.
In Revenge, there were players known as resellers.
They didn't hunt.
They didn't participate in events.
They simply spent all day staring at the auction house, repeatedly buying and selling items. Players interested only in the profits from trading spreads.
They manipulated auction house prices or hoarded items to earn dia, then sold it cheap to [customers] who paid them in cash. They were the kind of players most gamers despised.
In truth, "reseller" was just what they called themselves. Regular players derisively dubbed them [hoarders] or [scum traders].
"Huh, someone's buying return scrolls."
It was only natural that these people, who monitored the auction house all day, would spot Jaeyeon's activity.
"Why the hell are they buying up all these rotting return scrolls?"
"No clue. For now, list our return scrolls at 20 dia."
"Got it."
And so, the resellers—who each operated a dozen or so accounts—raised prices and listed their return scrolls on the auction house.
-...Well, honestly, it's still pretty cheap.
Jaeyeon, who had been planning to teleport refugees outside the city, bought them up. For just 200 won to move a person hundreds of kilometers, it was a bargain, right?
It stung that the price had doubled, but there was no helping it.
"This is... kinda weird, right? Someone's snapping up return scrolls like crazy."
But the resellers, oblivious to Jaeyeon's circumstances,
"Something's up...?"
made the wrong call.
They weren't the only ones.
"Hey, what's friendship for? Do me a favor."
"You bastard... Fine, hang on... Found it. Killians. It's Killians."
Someone got internal info from a Nemesis employee. Info on a character buying from the auction house wasn't exactly top secret, so the employee's lips loosened easily.
"Killians... Killians? What is it? Why does that ID ring a bell?"
"Killians! Ninth Mythic!"
"This smells fishy. Hey! Buy up return scrolls as they come!"
"Whoa! It's already 50 dia for ten?"
"Buy!"
The price of return scrolls—which had once been so worthless they were discarded—began to surge.
Resellers and auction house whales.
A few guilds followed suit.
They moved cautiously, but word inevitably leaked.
The very fact that they were moving [cautiously] lent credibility to this absurd misconception.
And when Revenge was swept up in the [Mythic Age] frenzy,
the auction house got swept up in its own frenzy too.
[Return scrolls 240 dia, let's gooooo----!]
[Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!]
[Hit 270 dia on return scrolls!]
[Why the hell is this rising? Bubble? No reason?]
[Tsk tsk. Newbies. Haven't you seen all these mythics popping lately? They say using return scrolls boosts your summon odds!]
[Is that even legit?]
[Who cares, return scrolls 340 dia, let's gooooo------!]
It happens in the stock market sometimes too.
Not because the company has vision, new paths, or breakthrough tech driving the stock up.
But even when everyone asks [why?], the stock just keeps climbing.
[You idiots! Jump on the moving train! The castle lords are in on this one!]
[Ah screw it. Buying!]
[Heave-ho! Heave-ho!]
[440 dia, let's go!]
Return scrolls were exactly that case. With all the rumors and fake news flying around, no one could read the situation clearly.
They didn't know jack, but return scroll prices were rising! And they'd keep rising for a while!
Fueled by pure madness—with not even a speck of evidence—return scroll prices kept climbing.
And in that chaos, Jaeyeon sold 8,000 return scrolls.
He still had no idea.
But that was the needle that burst the bubble.
* * *
"Ah, for now..."
Just in case, I dumped every last dia I'd earned.
What if it was some glitch?
Better spend it all before they claw it back later.
[Purchased 4,800 Class Summon Tickets.]
My all-time highest dia balance vanished in an instant. Only after shipping those tickets off to Ardania did I breathe a sigh of relief.
'4,800 tickets, though.'
An insane amount. I'd poured in five straight months of nonstop 24/7 work.
"No, but seriously, what the hell?"
Spending it all calmed me down a bit.
No. Truth is, it didn't.
Thump. Thump.
My heart was pounding. I was kinda hyped up. The thrill of money, that demon.
"Sheesh. In Ardania, I lead thousands, yet here I am with a bird chest."
But no helping it. 48 million won meant more than money to me.
'With this... I can secure 5,000 elite troops!'
They'd be leagues beyond regular soldiers. Equip them, give them skills and levels, and they'd all become [players] with power beyond their potential.
I checked the auction house again.
"Gasp!"
Lowest price: 680 dia.
"No way it's climbing more!?"
I nearly bought return scrolls in shock.
But I'd already blown all my dia on class tickets, so I couldn't.
"No, no, what is this... Why's it still going up?"
In my bewilderment, the 680-dia scrolls sold out.
Lowest price hit 700 dia.
"...Insane."
I was stunned. I'd sold in a panic at rock-bottom prices, and now this?
"Ah! Just a bit! I should've waited to sell!"
I tore at my hair and rolled on the bed. 700 dia! 700 freaking dia! It started at 10!
"No, is there something to it...?"
The thought crossed my mind, but I'd already sold everything. Jump back in now?
No way. The stock—no, return scroll prices—had already peaked!
"Ah!"
I sighed in regret. Sold something worth 100 won for 6,000, and I'm still bummed? Human greed knows no bounds.
"Fine! This is still a massive win. Log in!"
I shook off the distractions and entered my office.
I picked up the massive ledger on one side.
[Roster]
A luxurious leather-bound tome, enchanted by Smile at my request.
"1,647 people."
It listed the names of my subordinates I'd granted classes to. Steelstone at the top, naturally.
1. Steelstone
Imperial Knight (Hero) Level: 37
[Granted]
Class: Imperial Knight (Hero)
Skills: Shield Aura, Battle Cry (Advanced), Shield Stun (Advanced), Strike (Advanced)
Equipment: Elemental Blade (Rare)+6, Full Plate Armor (Rare)+6...
[Offered]
12,000 Honor Coins.
170,000 Gold
It recorded their basic info, items I'd granted them, and what they'd offered in return: honor coins and gold.
'Basically an account book.'
That's what I thought, but my subordinates didn't see it that way. For the thousands of new recruits, getting a class and their name on this roster was the dream.
"First... recruit 1,400 more to bring elites to 3,000."
No rush, though. Hurling out classes willy-nilly would waste summon cards, no matter how many I had.
Knock knock.
Flower entered after the knock.
"Orders relayed. They'll be mobilized and ready at the west gate in an hour."
"No need to stop here—head straight to the west gate. Keep a safe distance from Voxy's army and stand by."
"Yes, my lord."
After sending Flower off, I continued my work.
Unlike the troops, I'd fly on Sky, so I could leave a bit later.
"Oh, before that, first things first."
Ding!
I drew classes.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I flung them out wildly. Packs of ten for bulk draws, so 4,800 was still labor.
The results?
"Better than the odds suggest...?"
Of 4,800 Class Summon Tickets: 4,254 common classes, 481 advanced, 60 rare, 5 hero.
"Commons and advanced for new elites... Rares and heroes are the issue."
I checked my rare and hero class cards.
"Total 78 rares, heroes... 6."
I pondered.
The problem: no one had earned enough merit for rare or hero classes!
I'm no Santa—rewards and punishments need justification.
"Need to set standards first. Ranks it is."
As an ex-soldier, I naturally modeled it after modern military ranks. We had centurions, captains, and commanders now, but those were positions, not ranks.
"Privates: regular soldiers, no class. But once they gain experience, seniority, and hit sergeant, grant a class to make them elites."
I jotted notes furiously.
Private → Regular Soldier. Fitness test.
Sergeant → Level 30+ + NCO exam
Lieutenant → Level 35+ + Mana Awakening + Officer exam
Major → Level 40+ + 3rd-class Mage or Aura Expert + Field Officer exam
Brigadier General → Level 45+ + 4th-class or Advanced Aura Expert + General exam
Entry criteria by rank. Promotions within ranks based on seniority and merits.
" Sergeants and NCOs get common classes, lieutenants advanced, field officers rare, generals hero."
Rough framework only. No one had the merits yet, as I said.
"..."
I paused. So what about these existing rares and heroes? Save for later?
I made up my mind.
"Combine them."
Ding!
The synthesized card flew into the air.
Rumble!
"Huh?"
A shocked goddess statue face flashed by, eyes wide.
"No way?"
-Seeking the world's truths, counting the stars.
-Now, I become the law itself.
Collection complete!
Star Mage (Star Seeker, Meteor Mage, Rune Caster, Enchanter) Magic Attack +1% Mana +5
"I haven't even combined rares yet..."
Dumbfounded, I checked the class effects.
[Star Seeker (Legendary)]
Mana +100, Mana Power +180, Mana Recovery +100, Vitality +60, Magic Resistance +60
Mana Recovery Speed +50%.
[Memorize]
[Thousand Enchant]
Legendary class acquired!
Should've been jumping for joy, but mixed feelings.
My worst fear had come true.
"Star Seeker... a mage class..."
As a long-time Revenge player, I knew now.
How stupid I'd been early on, pulling for Sword Saint.
"No way it'd hit exactly what I need."
Legendary classes number nearly triple digits. Landing one is rare enough; getting the exact job needed? Unrealistic.
"Ah, but in-game I got Sword God exactly! Why not a mage there, but here...!"
No use griping—reality didn't budge.
Star Seeker: sealed.
Legendary or not, useless for a noob who couldn't even master 1st-class spells. Sure, buy skills and force it, but couldn't beat Sword King with its bought skills like inner power injection, sword aura, etc.
"Sigh... a legendary, wasted."
Grumbling, I left the office. Bitter taste lingered.