Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Changes
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The next day.
Yoon Young stretched grandly the moment he woke up.
'Morning comes without fail today too.'
Who did the sun rise for this time?
After a light breakfast at the inn, Yoon Young stepped outside.
Flap! Flap!
At that moment, the sound of wings flapping rang emphatically in his ears.
Sensing the presence, he looked up to see a white pigeon circling overhead just like last time.
Whoosh.
A scroll dropped naturally onto his hand.
This time, there were two.
Yoon Young unfurled them immediately and read the contents.
"Don't get cocky just because you've become a knight, got it? Training never ends. I'll toughen you up, so come find me."
"Hm."
Post-job-change training quests were pretty much a given.
'Wonder what the second one is.'
"I hear you've been recognized by the knight job instructor and become a knight. In light of your achievements so far, we've decided to raise your rank to 'Iron.' Head to the receptionist to receive your iron badge."
"Oh ho."
Did that mean he could take on new missions now?
Yoon Young headed to Claire first.
The busty, perpetually drunk knight job instructor greeted him in her usual state.
[Talk]
Even so, as soon as he spoke to her, a spark of focus returned to her previously glazed eyes.
"Oh, you came? What's up?"
She was the one who'd called him.
Instead of answering, Yoon Young grabbed her prominent, hefty twin peaks with both hands.
'The stuff of legends.'
He was tempted to try an H command, but it was obviously not going to fly out in the open.
For now, he'd settle for oblivious sexual harassment and get to business.
[Quest]
[You called for me?]
"Yeah. I personally acknowledged you, so it'd be embarrassing if you slacked off. Figured I should at least train you up a bit."
Squish squish.
Despite being thoroughly groped, Claire giggled.
"Nothing beats real combat as a teacher, right? Go hunt down 30 forest slimes and come back. It'll definitely toughen you up."
Knight job instructor Claire wants to make you stronger through real combat.
📍 Hunt: Forest Slimes (any type) x30
[Accept]
"I believe in you—you'll knock it out quick~."
30 slimes? Piece of cake.
Thinking that, Yoon Young left the job change hall and headed to the Adventurer's Guild.
But something felt off about the atmosphere.
'Huh. Not my imagination.'
There were way more varied types of NPCs than yesterday.
Until now, he'd only occasionally seen classic adventurers like knights or mages, with most being newbies.
But now, hardly any beginners in sight.
Archers, assassins, martial artists, and more...
People dressed true to their professions, looking every bit the adventurer, were standing around or walking about.
'Only two things changed.'
He'd job-changed, and his guild rank went up.
Was the surrounding environment adjusting accordingly?
In games, it was common for new NPCs to appear or village vibes to shift based on player progress.
Anyway, it was a welcome change for Yoon Young.
More NPCs to touch, taste, and enjoy.
'Woo-hoo.'
He lifted the skirt of a new female mage NPC, stripped a female assassin's clothes and posed her lewdly...
Midway, he got worked up and blew a load on a short-haired female fighter NPC...
He even tried an H command on some easy-looking ones.
Player's combat power must overwhelm the NPC, or the NPC must be incapacitated to force a command.
However, a 'Force' penalty applies: NPC affinity drops sharply, and reputation in hubs may fall based on NPC fame and disposition.
Low reputation may make some NPCs hostile; failure to raise it via donations etc. risks imprisonment.
High player fame offsets drops; commands like Intimidate can raise submission to prevent rumor-spreading and reputation loss.
"Whoa."
You could force it, huh.
Well, it was a game.
But the penalties were huge.
Hostile NPCs meant enemies in this peaceful town.
He wanted at least this place to be a safe haven.
And jail? No death, but no fun either.
'Still, there are ways to do it without tanking rep.'
A bit psychopathic, sure.
Not useful right now anyway.
Yoon Young headed to the receptionist for his new badge.
"Congratulations, Adventurer! You really look the part now, hehe. Here's your iron badge. Keep pushing to the next rank without slacking!"
Lost: Adventurer's Guild Badge (Wood)
Gained: Adventurer's Guild Badge (Iron)
He gripped the badge in his hand again.
Definitely colder and heavier—felt like a clear upgrade over wood.
Unlike the wooden one, it even boosted fame a bit.
So that's how you build it up.
'Why does this make me so proud?'
Time to check the new missions.
As he turned toward the board,
he spotted Amael and felt puzzled.
'Hm? Isn't today an Amael-off day at the guild?'
Amael alternated between the Adventurer's Guild and El Church every other day.
She was at the guild yesterday, so church today.
Why was she here?
He went straight over and talked to her.
"Ah, hello, Adventurer."
[Amael seems in a good mood...]
In a good mood? Why?
First time for this.
Lots of firsts today.
[What's up?]
"I finally became an official priest! It means my efforts paid off. Thanks to you, Adventurer!"
Joy radiated from Amael as she spoke.
Made him wonder if she really lacked ego.
'Did my job change make her an official priest too?'
Might be coincidence, but likely.
Which meant...
'Amael might be a key NPC in this area.'
Game NPCs usually fell into two categories:
Those pivotal to main story or epic quests.
And decorative ones or minor quest givers unrelated to the main plot.
Amael stood out from mob NPCs with her pretty, vibrant looks and rich dialogue.
No wonder Yoon Young treated her like a comfort doll.
She might tie into the story later...
'Whatever.'
Yoon Young selected from the options before him.
[Congratulations]
"Thank you, Adventurer!"
NPC Amael's affinity for you has risen to Level 3.
"Oh."
That must've pushed her affinity over 40 to level 3.
Did NPC reactions change at level 3?
Yoon Young finished talking to Amael, then spoke to her again.
"Ah, Adventurer! Nice to see you! What a great day, huh?"
Amael beamed at him.
Her higher affinity made her seem less businesslike, more like a personal friend.
"Ugh."
Facing that smile was incredibly healing.
Yoon Young pulled her into a hug and buried his face in her chest.
The soft, warm sensation gently caressed his cheeks.
Aah, he wanted sloppy legal sex with Amael using H commands instead of oblivious sex.
...Time to grind that affinity.
He handed her a slime core as usual.
"Ah... Hehe, thanks for the gift, Adventurer."
But her reaction was off.
Not genuine joy—forced smile.
Dialogue shorter, half-hearted.
[This gift won't raise Amael's affinity.]
"Ah..."
Level 3 blocked basic gifts.
Higher levels needed more valuable ones.
Affinity harder to raise, but logical—no anger.
'Maybe loot from higher monsters?'
Try a mutated slime core next.
[Available Missions]
[Leton Herb Gathering]
[Mutated Forest Slime Subjugation]
[Additional Mutated Core Collection for Research]
Nothing special added.
Just forest slimes to mutated.
'Changes with my level or story progress?'
Check mission details first.
Why are slimes mutating like this?
Researcher Fredrick was onto something when a mutated core dropped, causing issues.
Please collect more mutated cores with a blue glow—different from normal ones.
About 30 should suffice.
—Monster Scholar Fredrick
*Completing this mission gives a chance for 'Blue-Glowing Mutated Core' drops from Mutated Forest Slimes.
Steady story quest progress.
Today's goals were set: Claire's task and mission completion.
First training meant a second one coming.
30 slimes were easy; finish quick, grab next quest.
'Alright, let's go.'
Feeling confident from recent gains, Yoon Young skipped recruiting party members and headed solo to the hunting ground.
Slime-Infested Forest 2.
'Aura Sword.'
Hum hum hum.
Buff activated, shiitake shield raised.
He dashed around, massacring slimes.
Slash! Splat.
Slash! Splat.
The grind of silent monster-slaying began.
[Forest Slimes (any type): 30/30]
As expected, Claire's quest wrapped up fast.
"Hoo."
Back quick to complete it.
"You did it? Well, duh—I acknowledged you, so this much should be easy."
[Gained EXP]
Just EXP as reward, but a hefty amount.
'Damn, that's sweet.'
At this rate, level 9 soon?
Level-ups inherently strengthened you, and knight passives added extra stats per level—super juicy.
"Next, the second one. Observe enemy patterns closely. You know each monster has specific ones. Watch their patterns in action and figure out how to counter them."
Knight job instructor Claire wants to make you stronger through real combat.
📍 Confirm enemy patterns: 100 times
📍 Counter enemy patterns: 100 times
"Pattern counters, huh."
Yoon Young had seen plenty.
Mushrooms' body slams.
Slimes sharpening their bodies to stab.
Mutated slimes sharpening parts and launching them.
Spotting patterns wasn't hard.
But countering—what did that mean?
'Just dodging enough?'
Head to the hunting ground to test.
Squirm squirm!
A mutated slime, toyed with too long instead of killed quick, jiggled and started its pattern.
Thwack!
It fired a spiky mass.
"Hep."
Would sting if it hit, so he jerked his head aside.
And then...
[Enemy pattern confirmed: 1/100]
[Enemy pattern countered: 1/100]
"Ooh."
Dodging alone counted as counter!
What if he took it?
Squirm squirm!
Thud!
"Ow, stingy."
[Enemy pattern confirmed: 2/100]
No counter, as expected.
'What about blocking?'
Thung!
Yoon Young's shiitake shield deflected the mutated slime's ranged attack.
[Enemy pattern confirmed: 3/100]
[Enemy pattern countered: 2/100]
"Ah~ gotcha."
Not hard at all.
He'd aim for two patterns per monster while hunting casually.