Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Hourly Wage 8,720 Rin, Meals Provided (2)
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Looking back now, the game D/Z SAGA had a lot of weird quirks.
It wasn't a god-tier game, of course. But it wasn't trash either.
Just your average game? Nah, it had tons to do. Especially recruiting companions, clearing quests, and reaching the ending—that was pretty fun.
But beyond that, there were plenty of side quests and minigames.
One of the ones I called "total bullshit" was the "Bean Collector" title.
Talk about idiotic. Mix up the various beans in the game, and you fill entries in the collector compendium one by one. Collect them all, and you get the title.
Total combinations needed? Around 1,500, give or take. But the title's effects were solid. Boosts effects when using beans, plus some stat enhancements.
Anyway, back in the game days, you could stockpile beans and grind it out, but when I checked with Yggdrasil, turns out beans aren't that popular here—barely any stock.
So I tracked down the bean garden myself, whipped up a stamina-recovery combo with "Whipping Beans," and right then, a system window popped up before my eyes.
No stat boosts, no skills. Typical for starter titles, really. Like I said before, Jefrin's all about "rewards matching your effort."
This hidden piece is what I was gunning for. Collect all 1,500, and the real title effects are killer—not quite ending-tier, but close to penultimate.
Anyway, staring me down now: 1,500 combos of endless grind. And the payoff at the end.
"That's what made it fun, right? The thrill of the effort, and the joy of seeing it pay off."
I shrugged. Better than nothing, so I equipped the title. As I fiddled with the panel, another window popped up below.
And then:
"Huh?"
The Eastern Forest wasn't exactly high-risk anyway. No reason for anything major to go down.
I hadn't even hit the full count, just snagged one goblin on the way back and called it.
Took the corpse, naturally.
At the Mercenary Guild, Nefti and I settled up. Even though we went five minutes over, they paid us for a full hour, and Nefti's face lit up like crazy.
"Thank you."
"Good work."
"Yes! And thank you for the meal—it was just as you said, no shortages at all."
"Is that so."
"By the way, it's amazing. Beans can explode or poison you if mishandled, right? Such a dangerous crop."
"Yeah."
"Who knew they could be combined. First time I've seen that technique."
"Hold up. What'd you say?"
"Pardon? Oh, thank you for the meal."
"...No, not that. First time seeing the technique?"
"Yes. Truly mystical."
"One question. No one's properly classified beans yet?"
"Who'd bother? Hundreds of types, all look alike, grow everywhere. Just beans."
"..."
The subtle dissonance between game and reality clicked another notch.
Beans grow everywhere, sure, but with hundreds of species.
No clear classification means they're barely used for food in reality, while in-game, you get names and descriptions on pickup. That's the gap.
Explains why I snagged the first Bean Combiner title.
"But you ate what I gave you without hesitation?"
"..."
"That hungry, huh?"
"..."
Nefti never answered.
Just bowed her head and went her way.
Back at the convenience store, I pulled up my status window.
Imperial Bloodline
"...It really added the stat."
A dexterity point I can assign when needed.
Even better, it's not auto-applied—my choice.
Going from 6 to 7 is easy. 60 to 61? Whole different beast.
Save it for later.
"No immediate gains if I dump it in now, so hold off."
Next up: the 7-tier reward, Energy Beans.
Great effects, but mixing into Mix Beans needs high dexterity and knowledge—or boom, massive failure and explosion.
Can't use either yet.
But solid rewards paving the way for the future.
More importantly, though: the "first ever" intel.
"...This is weird. No matter how I slice it."
Nobody even thought to combine beans. That nagged hard.
A few days later.
Aila Trista showed up at the grocery store.
"Candy business doing well?"
"Not bad."
"I see. But still no customers. Why open a convenience store here?"
"...Isn't this your building?"
"Ugh."
Point out she bought it and it's flopping? Her eyes must be wonky. Aila's hands shook. Ambitious, but oddly naive.
"Heard rumors. You went on a stroll with that famous commoner from the Knight Division?"
"Yeah."
"Nepthelian. Westerner, trusted among commoners in Knights."
"That so."
"She said you're decent. Maybe we're misunderstanding you."
"Unneeded praise."
"And another: You use mystical techniques, worth guarding you. Especially your meals—they're special."
"..."
She spread that around?
"So, can you treat me to that special meal too?"
"Not hard."
"Looking forward to it, chef."
Her long black hair and black-crystal eyes gleamed as she asked. I set yesterday's Whipping Beans in front of her.
"...This?"
"Try it. Only black bread to spread it on."
"...Hah. Black bread? What do you take Aila Trista for."
"Just eat. It's decent."
She slathered cream thick on the black bread, hesitated, then chomped a big bite.
"Mm, mmmph?!?!"
Eyes wide, flailing—Aila. I nodded.
"That's the next seller. Bread's plain black, but the cream's my handmade specialty."
Whatever I said, she demolished it. Nom nom. Chomp chomp. Elegantly, voraciously gone.
"Not bad. Tasty for black bread."
She primly dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief.
"So where'd you get this cream? You keep surprising me."
"Secret."
"...If unlimited supply, Trista Trading could buy it. Flavor's unique—should sell okay. I'll cover costs."
"Don't have that much."
"Why?"
"Don't."
"Why not?"
Why not? I'd collapse from making it.
"Anyway, marketable. Can sell to grad students starting tomorrow."
"Such a waste! Sell it all to me."
"...Wasn't it just 'decent'?"
"Hmph. Unique flavor's impressive. I'll buy it all."
"No."
"Why!"
She tried wheedling the Whipping Beans with "it's meh but I'll take it" vibes. I held firm; she cracked first.
"...Fine. I'll retreat today. But I'll get it. I never give up."
Classic third-rate villain line.
"Good luck."
"...Grr!"
Aila glared, fists clenched in fury.
Glare all you want.
"That cream's pricey anyway."
"Fine. How much? A million rin?"
No, too much.
Money's not the issue. Worst case, dump candy on Eve.
"Got questions. Market intel, cross-verification."
"...Okay. Everything I know."
"...Jefrin students adventuring? Beyond academy district, whole artificial island—marshes, deserts, plains, canyons?"
"Some. For curriculum. Jefrin's combat-focused."
Got it.
"Rephrase: How many go adventuring by choice?"
Aila's eyes widened, then she grinned brightly.
"Weird question. Want the obvious answer?"
"Obvious is fine."
"None. No one volunteers outside."
"..."
"Wolfram. Who'd risk their life? Stick to classes, graduate, secure a spot back home."
After Aila left, I pulled out my notebook, jotting what I'd seen and felt in Jefrin. A solid theory emerged.
"Potions cost 100x what I knew. Good gear 10x. ...Mix Beans un-researched; I'm the first researcher."
Why the inconsistency? Hypotheses flew, but Aila's words nailed one.
"World terrified of adventure. ...Can't adventure. Accurate. Reason: lives too precious."
Jefrin's honest.
Rewards match effort exactly.
"Fair effort, fair reward... means no risk, no reward. But this is reality, not a game."
Say a hero party braves dangers, brings back something for humanity.
In game: "Heroes faced peril but overcame wisely, healed by priest's magic, back to battle." Beautiful.
Reality? Arm lopped off—panic hits. Can't just reattach. Phantom pains even intact, madness or shock death possible.
One life, pain sucks. Adventure terrifies.
Once basic infrastructure's up, focus shifts from conquest to defense and maintenance over monster hunts or exploration.
Jefrin's for students, especially.
Hence potions 100x pricier, gear 10x. Phil said stock's fine.
Of course, it's an "under-researched world" too.
"Sets my policy clear."
I scribbled my plan.
1. Run convenience store, make ends meet.
2. Learn at least one skill before graduation.
3. Avoid main story entanglements, live quietly.
"3's key."
Unresearched means unprepared.
But main protag Kelters and his merry crew? How many near-deaths?
Act 1 demands life-risking; one death, bad end.
So.
I'll play total coward, graduate quietly!
"They've got stats and tiers. I'm one-shot dead."
Kelters, you do you. I'll survive my way.
I swore to the night sky: no story tangles.