Chapter 60
In the past few months, Earl Steim thoroughly searched and demolished almost all the Yatan Temples in the north.
The Yatan Church was being punished for kidnapping a virgin to sacrifice her. But Earl Steim was especially fearful since his daughter Irene was kidnapped. It was fortunate that Irene was rescued, but he lost his most powerful shadow, Doran, in the process.
Earl Steim had a fierce desire to get rid of the Yatan Church. But the elders of Yatan were distributed in great numbers across the continent. It wasn't easy to kill those who bred endlessly like cockroaches. There was even a Yatan Temple on the outskirts of Winston.
“At the very least, there should be no more Yatan Temples in the north…"
Irene's hatred was just as strong as her father's. She couldn't tolerate the existence of the Yatan Church in Winston. She still hadn't forgotten the terrible fear she felt after being abducted by the believers of Yatan. She shook at the thought of being a victim again.
A few days ago, she sent out her army to destroy the Yatan Temple. But due to the heavy resistance of the believers, the army returned without any achievements. The number of casualties was 100 soldiers and three knights were seriously injured.
Irene proclaimed. “Reorganize the temple expedition. This time, make sure the temple burns to ashes!"
Irene showed great ambition by investing more troops. Irene touched the blue ring hanging from her necklace as she watched the troops.
“Doran…I will get revenge for you who sacrificed your life for me."
***
[Eighth Servant]
Difficulty Level: SS
You have become one of the most blessed beings of God Yatan. Head to the northern part of the Eternal Kingdom and save the believers who are being suppressed there!
If you spread the greatness of God Yatan to the pagans in the north, you will be given the position of the Eighth Servant.
Quest Clear Conditions: Earl Steim's army is constantly attacking the Yatan Temple in the north. Rescue at least 300 stranded temple believers.
Number of followers rescued so far: 0/300
Quest Clear Reward: The position of 'Eighth Servant.'
* Eighth Servant: The skill 'Infinite Faith' will be created. The skill 'Teaching Doctrines' will be generated.
The skill 'Divine Punishment' will be generated.
Quest Failure: Level -5. Faith -1,000
The soldiers in the north of the Eternal Kingdom were known for their strength. Obviously it would be a tough fight. But Yura didn't even hesitate to move towards Winston.
'I have to become stronger.'
Not long ago, Yura faced Agnus who was 7th on the unified rankings. Then she realized the greatness of an epic class. She felt helpless, just like when she confronted the mysterious man with the ID of Grid.
Now she had acquired an SS-grade quest. It was a golden opportunity. Yura was determined to use this quest as a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of being first in the rankings.
***
I received a level 160 sword production method from Khan. But the production method was quite burdensome. Based on the list of ingredients required, it would cost 950 gold to make this sword.
“Well… it can't be helped."
I currently had 6,710 gold. With this money, I could only make seven swords. In addition, the number of swords I could make in a week was just seven.
"Seven. Isn't it good that everything adds up to seven?"
In South Korea, the number seven was a symbol of good luck! I trusted the lucky number.
“I'll do it in one go~! An epic item is coming! Hehehehehe!"
I was caught up in the pleasant mood and hummed while spending 20 hours on the sword. And the completed work…
[Durable Longsword]
Rating: Normal
Durability: 250/250 Attack Power: 200
A sword made by a craftsman with great skill and potential but lacking in experience and reputation.
It won't be easily damaged after being tempered for a long time.
User Restriction: Level 160 or higher. More than 950 strength. Intermediate Sword Mastery.
Weight: 600
"…Who said that seven was a lucky number? Urgh, I want to kill them."
One attempt flew away. It was normal to feel like cursing the system. However, the value of the materials couldn't be returned. I barely moved my legs that were trembling from anger and approached Khan.
“How much will this sell for?"
Khan looked at the sword for a long time before replying cautiously. "It is around 800 gold."
"W-What?"
I almost grabbed Khan's collar. The materials I used were worth 950 gold, but the value was only 800 gold? Then what was this?
“An equipment like this with the original conditions won't trade well. This is why…"
Khan elaborated.
Here was a brief summary:
A level 160 item would have a better basic performance than a level 120 item. Normal rated items had no options, while rare items had a small option attached. Depending on how the options were set up, a level 120 rare item often outperformed a normal level 160 item. Therefore, the prices of the two items didn't vary greatly.
People with money were more likely to buy the level 120 rare item than the level 160 normal item.
“In other words, get rid of the normal items…"
Khan comforted me. “But your equipment is good even with a low rating, so you won't see a big loss. Please be comforted by that."
'Comfort… Hah, this is really messed up.'
In the future, I could make six more swords. Based on the two-thirds probability of getting an epic item, I had a chance to clear the quest.
“Damn, this time it will surely work!"
I became extremely focused. Then I tried to make the best possible sword.
20 hours later.
The second sword was complete.
[Durable Longsword]
Rating: Normal
Durability: 250/250 Attack Power: 200
A sword made by a craftsman with great skill and potential, but lacking in experience and reputation.
It won't be easily damaged after being tempered for a long time.
User Restriction: Level 160 or higher. More than 950 strength. Intermediate Sword Mastery.
Weight: 600
"Hey, this #@!$%~! The operators @#$:) Bastards! They are manipulating this #! No, why are you doing this?"
Khan brought me a cup of warm tea. "Have strength. Trials will come to everyone. If you overcome this trial…"
“Ah, don't talk to me! I am too annoyed right now."
"……"
I ran out of Khan's smithy and yelled towards the sky, "These damn operators! If you manipulated the probabilities, I will accuse you to the Consumer Rights Center! You #!#!!"
I used the best materials. I did my best during the production. If the operators had a minimum of conscience, a normal result wouldn't come out. I believed so and started making the third sword.
Ttang! Ttang! Ttang!
I barely slept for the past few days as I kept hammering. My shoulders were tired by I didn't stop hammering. It was a matter of pride. I had the title of the legendary blacksmith, so I couldn't keep making normal rated items. I would escape the manipulations of the operators and create an epic item.
… Not long ago, my goal was to create a unique or legendary item, but now, I was only aiming for epic. But what could I do? Reality wasn't kind so I had to settle for epic items.
It was dinner time. I had no appetite. I didn't know if the rice entered my mouth or my nose.
My mother was worried about me and asked with a bemused expression. "Hey Youngwoo, did something bad happen? I worked on those braised short ribs for a long time, so why are you sucking on bone for five minutes?"
“A pathetic person like me isn't qualified to eat meat…"
One and a half days had passed in reality, while 6 days passed in Satisfy. In the meantime, I made six swords and the result was three normal, one rare and two epic swords. Now I could make one more sword before the time limit was over, but I only had two epic rated items.
'I'm ruined… Ruined…'
When investing 20 hours to create an item, the probability of making an epic item was close to one third. In other words, the possibility of my remaining sword being an epic item was very low.
My quest 'Business with the Administrator' would soon be destroyed.
'I have a legendary class but I can't even make an epic item… I am a truly pathetic person who doesn't deserve food.'
The frustrated Sehee placed a braised rib on top of my rice bowl.
"What's new? Oppa, haven't you always been pathetic? Why do you need to look so weak now? I don't know what type of adversity Oppa is going through these days, but the only good thing about you is that you don't know how to give up. Right? When Oppa was in 6th grade in elementary school, you were able to memorize everyone from the 1st grade to 6th grade, so don't be frustrated this time and be patient. Oppa will surely be able to overcome these difficulties."
“S-Sehee… did you eat something bad?" I got goose bumps at the words that Sehee normally didn't say and asked my mother, "Mother, maybe there's something wrong with the braised ribs. Are these beef short ribs? Is this beef from cows with the mad cow disease?"
"These are pork ribs!"
Ppak!
Sehee picked up the piece of rib she gave me and threw it at me. The rib slid down the side of my face as I seriously wondered. Why was I being hit every time I sat down for a meal? Why was I being treated worse than a dog by my family members?
OG:
Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.
Chapter 61
After the meal ended, I headed straight back to my room and entered the capsule to connect to Satisfy.
Khan greeted me, "Did you have a good night's sleep? Are your worries relieved now?"
"Old Man Khan, I've decided to just drop everything."
"Huh? Drop everything?"
"I will clear my mind and abandon my obsession. Anyway, the goods made with my poor skills aren't worthy of being delivered to the castle. It is no use, no matter how hard I try."
"No, what are you saying? How can Pagma's Descendant say something so weak?"
Khan was truly angry. It might be acceptable for other blacksmiths, but it was unacceptable for someone as talented as me. I ignored him and stood in front of the furnace. Then I started on the seventh and last sword.
'I won't be obsessed with the result anymore.'
No matter how I tried, the result would be randomly decided anyway. Even though I knew this fact, I was still foolish enough to select the best materials and devote a lot of effort. I steadied my heart. Unlike before, I just worked silently without worrying about the result. I used my accumulated knowledge and experience to let my body flow while making the item.
The sword started to shine as dawn arrived. Morning was coming soon. I was entirely focused on the task and didn't realize the time.
Then a notification window popped up.
[The deadline for the 'Business with the Administrator (1)' quest is in two hours. Please complete the quest within two hours.]
I would see a 'quest failed!' after two hours. It was like this notification window was mocking me. I entered the last stage of the sword production. After a while, the sword was completed.
[Sword of Self-transcendence]
Rating: Legendary
Durability: 365/365 Attack Power: 356 Attack Speed: +6% Accuracy: +10% Attack and Defense Rate: +10%
* Will do an additional +200 damage during each attack.
* The skill 'Perfect State of Self-transcendence' will be generated.
A sword made by a craftsman with great skill and potential but lacking in experience and reputation. He has abandoned all thoughts and desires while only concentrating on his skills.
The craftsman doesn't realize it himself, but he has completed a sword that has never existed in this world before.
User Restriction: Level 160 or higher. More than 950 strength. Advanced Sword Mastery level 2 or higher.
Weight: 400
[An legendary rated item was produced, so all stats have permanently risen by +25 and reputation throughout the continent has risen by +1,000.
[The title 'Only Legendary Item Maker' has been acquired.]
The title I got when I made the unique dagger was the 'First Unique Item Maker.' But the title for the legendary item had the word 'only' compared to 'first.' The creation of a legendary item in Satisfy reminded me that I was the only Pagma's Descendant.
"……"
I confirmed that Khan was squatting in a corner of the smithy. I had been angry at Khan every time I couldn't make the desired item in the past week. Despite my cold treatment, he kept giving me advice and encouragement.
Khan must be feeling a great deal of sorrow. Look. How lonely did he look now? I must be a bad guy to Khan. He might be seriously questioning his decision to hand me this smithy.
I slowly went up to him. I rubbed his shoulders that were tense from the daily repetition of hard labor.
"Old Man Khan, I'm sorry for the past week. Didn't you go through a lot of trouble because of me? I will no longer let you be lonely."
"G-Grid…?" Khan was very confused when I said these strange words. "Surely you aren't…? Are you planning to jump into the river after making a low rated sword? Huh?"
Was it because he already lost a son? I stopped his desperate shouting by showing him the sword.
“How can I do that? Now take a look at this."
“Heok!" Khan trembled. "This… this is a masterpiece…! C-Cough!"
"H-Hey! Old Man Khan! Old Man Khan!!"
He was too surprised! Khan collapsed in pain as he struggled to breathe.
"No! Don't die! You can't die!!"
Khan was the one who gave me my class quest. I hadn't even started the quest yet. It would probably take me a very long time to clear this quest. Until then, Khan needed to be alive.
"Shit!"
I lifted Khan. Then I rushed him towards the clinic. After a while, the doctor finished the examination and laughed. "You don't have to worry. It is just a symptom of temporary shock, and he will have no problems in the future."
"R-Really?"
"Yes. You can rest assured and stop crying."
"W-What? Who is crying?"
The doctor just smiled silently after hearing my words.
"Kuk…!"
I exited the clinic in shame and ran towards the castle.
"Dammit! What nonsense was he saying? I was crying? Hah. Crazy! Who would cry because of an NPC!”
I was filled with confidence because my inventory contained two epic-rated swords and one legendary-rated sword.
***
Winston Castle.
The 1,000 soldiers and 8 knights were defeated by the Yatan Temple and returned. There were close to 400 casualties. Irene couldn't believe it. "How did this happen? I heard that there are only 150 enemies. The followers of Yatan are strong, but isn't this defeat nonsense?"
Irene's knight captain, Phoenix explained with a sad expression. “According to the report, there is a great person among the Yatan followers. Even the knights weren't a match…"
"Don't tell me…?"
Phoenix read the question in Irene's eyes and nodded.
"That's correct. Perhaps he…no, she is one of the rumored 'Seven Servants.'
It was said that the Yatan Church had seven servants. They were those who received the favor of God Yatan and were powerful being that transcended humans.
“How could such a great person be here…?"
The nobles at the meeting were frightened and scared.
“If one of the Seven Servants is present, Winston might turn to hell!"
“We should reach out to Earl Steim right now…!"
In contrast, Irene was calm. She ignored the nobles and spoke to Phoenix.
“Many the rumors about the Seven Servants are exaggerated. Isn’t it? If the Seven Servants are really as strong as rumored, the temples wouldn't have been wiped out."
Phoenix agreed.
"Yes. The Seven Servants aren't as strong as everyone thinks."
Irene touched the blue ring. “It would be a massive blow to the Yatan Church if we kill one of the Seven Servants with our own hands. It will also honor Doran's soul."
"What…?"
The nobles tried to protest Irene's decision to fight against one of the Seven Species. At that time, the door of the conference room opened and the butler ran into the room.
"Administrator! Lady! There is something that both of you should look at!"
How urgent would it be to interrupt the meeting between the lady and the nobles? Everyone in the conference room hurriedly got up from their seats. Then they followed the butler.
The castle's garden. There was a black haired youth standing in front of the glittering fountain. He was looking at the fountain with very serious eyes. Then he suddenly dived into the fountain, like a cat pouncing.
"…Who is that? What is he doing?"
The administrator replied to Irene's question, “That young man is the blacksmith Grid, who created the best works displayed at the auction. However, I don't know what he is doing now. Why is he swimming in the fountain?"
The administrator turned towards the butler, who looked perplexed. “I tried to guide him to the reception room, but he stayed here because he wanted to see more of the garden. That is all I know. I don't know why he's swimming in the fountain."
Then the young man emerged from the water.
“Puah! It really is money!" He was holding a one gold coin in his hand. He joyfully kissed the gold coin without worrying about his wet body. Then he became tearful. “I never thought I would ever pick up money…! Kuuack! This is my first lucky experience in my 26 years of living!"
Phoenix watched him and frowned. “That… I think it is the gold coin I lost a few days ago…"
"……"
Irene ignored Phoenix and asked the butler, “So why did you bring us so urgently?"
The butler took a deep breath. Then he opened his mouth carefully.
“He said he came to deliver three swords to the administrator. But… the level of the swords is unbelievable, even to the eyes of a lowly person like me. My Lady, you should check it yourself… Cough, I'm sorry. I became so excited that I rudely broke into the meeting. I will accept any punishment."
"Hrmm…"
The butler said he was a lowly person, but he needed to be versatile to become the butler of this castle. His eyes were superb. In addition, he was always calm. How great were the three swords to make a person like him so excited?
Everyone walked up to Grid with great expectations. Grid discovered the party and greeted the administrator. "Good afternoon."
The administrator greeted Grid. "It is polite to greet the lady first."
"Lady?" Grid looked at the party and found Irene.
'I heard that the new lady was a young and pretty virgin.'
Then Grid bowed to Irene and said, "It is an honor to meet you."
"It is nice to meet you."
The residents of Winston said that Grid worked hard for the people. Irene was scheduled to give Grid a reward. However, she postponed it after discovering the Yatan Temple. Irene wanted to finish it well. Therefore, she planned to give him the reward when she saw him today.
But she completely forgot about rewarding Grid when she saw his swords. She was so surprised that she couldn't think about small things. Why was she surprised? It was…
“These are the three swords I made."
“…Heok!"
Everyone was surprised when Grid pulled out three swords. The butler was still surprised, despite checking it first.
The swords created by Grid were that great. Two of the three swords were unusual. But the remaining sword was at a level that couldn't be compared.
Phoenix shouted. "This is a sword that will come out once in 100 years!"
OG:
Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.
Chapter 62
While all of them were murmuring with amazement, Grid approached the administrator and asked, “How much will this be worth? Didn't you say it before? If I make good items then you will pay a higher price!"
"U-Ummm… That…that…"
The administrator couldn't answer, the value of this work was just too high! He would have to decide on purchasing and pricing decisions only after discussing it with the lady.
However, Irene had already made up her mind.
"Sir Phoenix."
"Yes, My Liege."
“If you have this sword, will you be able to take care of one of the Seven Servants?"
Phoenix compared the testimonies from the defeated soldiers and compared it to his ability. He thought carefully before answering.
“I think I can fight. No, I am a little bit stronger. Of course, that is if I am using this sword."
This wasn't overconfidence. Phoenix was one of the strongest knights in the north, and among the top 10 in the entire Eternal Kingdom. Irene smiled at his dependable answer.
"Okay. Administrator! Buy this sword! I will leave the price up to you."
“Yes, My Lady."
Grid liked Irene.
‘Her words are big. As expected, a noble is different.'
How much would he get for it? Grid was filled with expectations.
"Let's go to my office."
"Yes. Then, My Lady, I will be leaving first."
"I'll see you again, Grid."
Irene held out a held to Grid. It meant to kiss the back of her hand, which was the highest honor a noblewoman could bestow on someone. Irene felt respect towards Grid after witnessing his blacksmithing skills.
'Huh?' Grid noticed a blue ring on Irene's necklace as he kissed her hand. 'Where have I seen it before?'
Grid tried to remember but he couldn't think of anything.
'It must just be the ring design.'
After Irene's party left, Grid heading towards the administrator's office.
"Sit down for a moment while I figure out the purchase price. It might take some time, so please understand."
"Yes, please take your time."
The administrator sat on one side of Grid and started to move the abacus. It seemed like the calculations were fairly complicated as he had a troubled expression on his face. Grid had drunk exactly eight cups of warm tea and was feeling sleepy by the time the administrator finished the calculations. He announced the price,
"Um… the 'Anticipated Sword' will be bought for 7,000 gold, and I will buy the 'Sword of Self-transcendence' for 200,000 gold."
The sleepy Grid was sincerely offended,
"Are you kidding me? You want to buy the Sword of Self-transcendence for 20 gold? No, the other swords are 7,000 gold, so why is the Sword of Self-transcendence 20 gold? This is really ridiculous… I used 950 gold worth of materials to make this sword!"
The administrator was embarrassed as he said, “No, I think you heard me incorrectly.. I said 200,000 gold, not 20 gold."
"200,000 gold?"
“That’s right."
"……?"
Grid's heart stopped for a moment. After a few moments, he exclaimed, “Huu…huuk…huuuck! … 200,000 gold? Are you serious?"
Grid could barely breathe as he asked the question.
The administrator asked him carefully.
“Do you think the amount is too low…? This is the highest value, even more than the heirlooms passed on in Earl Steim's family for generations… Do you still think it is too little? Uhh… I am willing to pay 20,000 gold more but any more than that is impossible because it will cause a serious blow to our financial situation. Please understand."
Winston currently boasted a population of 330,000 and a growth rate of 22% a year, with an operating budget of 170,000 gold. The value of the Sword of Self-transcendence was so higher that it exceeded Winston's annual operating budget.
The administrator tried to persuade Grid. "Once again, this is the highest value I can offer, and it will become an heirloom of Earl Steim's family. It is very difficult if you aren't satisfied with this amount. It would be hard to find a noble or merchant offering a higher price."
"……"
Grid couldn't say anything. The administrator was deeply concerned. He thought that Grid didn't like the amount he presented. However, he was mistaken. Grid was thrilled beyond satisfaction.
'The many misfortunes I suffered in my 26 years of life is all for this one lucky moment!'
220,000 gold was 264 million won.
'After paying back my debt, I will have 254 million won left!'
Grid wanted to complete the transaction and log out right away. Then I would go to Mother’s Heart is Happy and pay off my 10 million won debt. He wanted to yell.
"That's it! Is this okay? I paid back the money so don't call me anymore! You money-grubbing jerks!"
This was what he wanted to yell. Then he would buy a foreign car and luxury clothes. In a month, he would attend his high school reunion.
'I will appear in luxury clothes and a foreign car.'
Grid, who was just a debt-ridden game lover, had always been disregarded by the other alumni. Whenever he attended a reunion, he was always ashamed by their ridiculing words. So he didn't attend the last reunion, despite it being the only place he could meet his first love, Ahyoung.
But now everything had changed. Grid would confidently attend the reunion and show that 'I am a competent person.'
'They won't be able to ignore me anymore. Then I can confess to Ahyoung!'
In fact, Grid had worried about it before coming here.
Should he sell the Sword of Self-transcendence on the item trading sites? Wouldn't the first legendary item sell for a huge price? With that in mind, Grid would've abandoned the administrator's quest and register the sword on the item trading sites.
But he didn't think about it for long. At the present time, no users existed who could meet the terms of use for the Sword of Self-transcendence. If he put it on the item trading sites, it was likely that only merchants who wanted to buy it for the future would be interested, rather than pure buyers.
In other words, Grid didn't sell the Sword of Self-transcendence for the same reason why he didn't sell the Ideal Dagger. In the first place, the administrator stated that he would buy it at a high price. He judged that it was better to sell it to the administrator since he wouldn't have to pay a separate fee.
As a result, Grid got his hands on 264 million won. Grid was very satisfied with this transaction.
"Okay. I will sell it at that price."
"Ohh, that is a wise decision. Now this trade is completed."
[The deal has been completed.]
[Quest success!]
[234,000 gold has been acquired.]
[3 pieces of blue orichalcum has been acquired.]
[Obtained the status of 'Winston's Person of Distinction']
[Affinity with the administrator has risen to the maximum.]
'Blue orichalcum!'
Grid opened the production method for Failure.
[Failure]
Rating: Unique ~ Legendary
Unique Rating Information:
Durability: 699/699 Attack Power: 733~1,621 Defense: 50
* Agility +30
* There is a low probability of blocking the enemy's attacks.
* There is a certain probability of activating the '5 Joint Attacks' skill.
* There is a high probability of activating the 'Cutting' skill.
* There will be a fear effect if the enemy is more than 20 levels lower than the user.
* Attack power +20% in dark places.
Legendary Rating Information:
Durability: 1,090/1,090 Attack Power: 874~1,820 Defense: 80
* Agility +50
* There is a low probability of blocking the enemy's attacks.
* There is a certain probability of activating the '5 Joint Attacks' skill.
* There is a high probability of activating the 'Cutting' skill.
* The skill 'Bisect' will be created.
* There will be a fear effect if the enemy is more than 20 levels lower than the user.
* Attack power +20% in dark places.
It is designed by a legendary blacksmith. It is a greatsword, but its cutting ability is excellent because of its unique shape. It resembles the predator of the sea, a shark, and gives fear to the enemies. The small blades spiking from the sword will increase the defense.
Blue orichalcum is used as a material. Its lightness means the attack speed doesn't fall. Due to the nature of the blue orichalcum, it becomes stronger in the dark.
User Restriction: Level 300 or higher. More than 5,000 strength.
Advanced Sword Mastery level 8 or higher.
Weight: 550
Once again, it had an overwhelming performance and to produce such a fraudulent item, he needed 15 pieces of blue orichalcum. It was a rare material dropped by the Guardian of the Forest, but he managed to obtain three of this precious material.
The administrator smiled at Grid, who was stunned by the blue mineral.
“Indeed… you are a great blacksmith so you can see the value of that mineral. It is a gift I received in the past for helping others. I have been using it as a decoration due to its mysterious color, but you can use it more appropriately than me."
Grid felt joy at the unexpected profit of blue orichalcum, then became interested in another reward.
‘Winston's Person of Distinction? What is this?'
Grid looked for more information about the new status.
[Winston's Person of Distinction]
This is a status given to technicians that Winston's ruler acknowledges.
Works produced by Winston's Person of Distinction will have a higher value in Winston and will be exempt from all taxes there.
‘Ohh…Khan has to pay various taxes when he runs the business. Once I become the owner of the smithy, I won't have to pay taxes?'
Grid's expression brightened. He once again thought that the deal with the administrator was good.
But what was the truth? Grid actually suffered a huge loss in this deal.
Why?
Grid and most users didn't know this, but the current top 20 rankers were close to mastering the intermediate level skills. In a few months, there would be a number of rankers with advanced level skills.
If Grid registered the item at the item trading site, the price could rise to billions of won due to fierce competition between the top rankers. This wasn't an exaggerated amount. There were at least two billion users in Satisfy. Many of them earned money and they invested cash to acquire better items. On the other hand, the item supply rate was very low.
The prices would skyrocket if a legendary item was placed for auction. In other words, Grid was in the position to trade with some of the richest people in the world. Grid lost his original intention to make a legendary item and rip off the people around the world!
Grid would be able to amass a huge fortune just from selling one legendary item. But he ended up selling it to an NPC and only got 264 million won, a ridiculous amount. The only comforting thing was the status of Winston's Person of Distinction. Grid would get steady gains in the long run from selling the Sword of Self-transcendence for a cheap price.
"Mother! Father! Sehee!"
I exited the capsule and ran straight to the living room. I wanted to share the good news that their disappointing son had made a big amount of money.
However, the living room was empty.
"Eh?"
The dark living room. I felt something bad.
"D-Did something happen to my family while I was in the capsule…?"
I was overwhelmed with an unknown anxiety.
“This, I should try calling…" At first, I wanted to call my parents but I couldn't find my phone. “No, where is my phone? I should just use the home phone… Now, stay calm. Calm."
I stood in front of the phone. I eagerly prayed for my family to be safe as I listened to the ringing sound. Then I checked the electronic clock next to the phone and was surprised.
“…It is 3 in the morning?"
I had logged into Satisfy for so long that my sense of reality had dulled. I didn't even know that it was almost dawn. I opened the doors to the bedrooms and found Sehee and my parents sleeping peacefully.
"Phew…I'm glad."
I called myself a stupid bastard and returned to bed. I would give my family the happy news once it was morning. And in the morning. I opened my eyes and figured out the source of the anxiety.
“Youngwoo… Sehee… this isn't a joke so listen carefully. Your father made a big mistake.”
"……"
My mother was crying while my father was smoking, despite quitting 10 years ago.
“Actually, your father became a guarantor for a friend’s loan… and that friend has been out of contact for a long time… Oh my~~ !! What should we do now?"
T-This…
My father, who divided one chicken over three meals, acted as a guarantor for a friend! The father that I admired was actually so stupid! As I was feeling shock and disappointment, Sehee asked our parents calmly,
“So, how much is the debt?"
“800 million… If I sell the store, this house and use the money we've saved, I can pay back 400 million. But I'm sorry Sehee, the money that we saved to send you to university and your marriage…"
Didn't something seem to be missing?
“Father…if you collected money for Sehee's university, then surely you collected my marriage funds as well?"
"No?"
“N-No? How come? I am the eldest son! Why are you saving money for Sehee's marriage first? In the first place, why does a woman need marriage funds? The cost of purchasing a home, the wedding, and honeymoon are all paid for by the groom!"
I jumped up in agitation, but Sehee pulled me back and declared, "I won't go to university. I'll get a part-time job and help pay off the debt."
"W-What is this…!"
Unlike me, Sehee had a good appearance and a smart head. She never missed being first rank since her elementary school days. The fact that she intended to give up her university education made my parents angry.
“You don't have to worry about this, so just live normally! You just have to study. By the time you graduate high school, I'll have paid back the debt and will surely provide you with the university tuition. So don't say such things!"
“Oh my, I am so sorry towards Sehee…"
A melodrama involving three family members. As I was remained alone on the outside, I belatedly became aware of reality.
'Yes… right now, my family is in a crisis. Now is my chance. It is time for me to be the eldest son.'
I stood up and shouted. “I will make money, so you don't have to worry! Father! There's no need to sell the store or house. Mother! You don't have to worry. It will be okay. Sehee! As Father said, you just need to think about studying."
“Sigh… I have to look for work tomorrow…"
“I'll go to the restaurant and do the dishes…"
“Father, Mother, I'll get a part-time job for the weekends."
"……"
This wasn't merely the reaction to a barking dog, my family was treating me like I was invisible! I was both an incompetent son and brother who couldn't instill any sense of trust in my family.
I calmed down first before sitting in front of my family, straightened my posture, and stared into the eyes of my family.
“In fact, I was going to tell you this. 10 days ago, I quit the labor job."
"W-What…? You haven't been working?"
I stared straight into my father's eyes and said. "In the past 10 days, I made over 200 million won in the game. In the future I…I will be the eldest son of this family! I will be responsible for both of you and Sehee!"
It was the first time I felt a sense of responsibility since I was born. A foreign car? Luxury clothes? I couldn't afford to worry about such things. My first love, Ahyoung? There was no room in my head for unrequited love.
Until the crisis was overcome, I had to take care of my family. Then I had to change my way of playing Satisfy to be more cautious.
TL Note: Don’t worry. The story doesn’t drag out the debt after this one, and he doesn’t spend the whole novel in debt and unlucky. For those wondering about the character growth, I translate a brief overview of Overgeared that I found:
The basis of this novel is a virtual reality game called Satisfy, developed by the world's top genius scientist Lim Cheolho and world-class scientists.
The main character is timid, flaky, selfish, cares about money and easily feels jealous of others. Because the author set up the character in this way, the story was difficult for the readers to read.
But as the main character encounters various people and geniuses, he internally matures and his personality changes. If the main character is described as cancerous early on, at present he can be called a mature adult. However, those who don't read beyond the early parts of the 5th volume (~ chapter 90) find it hard to believe.
The basic settings and story line are similar to other VR novels, but the praiseworthy thing is the content development. The early parts aren't much different from rival novels, but the novel rating has exceeded the market average in recent years due to the writer's growth.
Like other novels, it contains a munchkin element, but it is different from typical munchkins. In the early stages, the game progresses with the main character using is class of a legendary blacksmith. The main character expands the game content and the level of the existing users dramatically increase. Hidden talents, new players in the official rankings, classes that could break the balance, all of this makes the main character's one-man show impossible. The main character grows internally and externally while competing with others.
In fact, if you compare the simple and ignorant battle method in the beginning to his abilities in the present time, it is possible to feel such a sense of distance that he doesn't seem like the same character.
As for the evaluation of the work, the criticism was severe in the beginning, but the popularity increased rapidly after that. As described above, the improvement in the author's writing and the growth of the main character led to rapid changes in the comments. However, the main character's selfish and frustrating behaviour caused many readers to stop reading in the beginning. For the readers who have gone beyond the beginning, it is a tragedy that seems really pitiful.
Currently, its popularity is increasing and a webtoon was recently released. However, there are many criticisms of the webtoon due to the various changes made.
~TLDR. Koreans believe that the story truly becomes good from volume 5, which is around chapter 90 in my raws. For those curious about the webtoon, , although only the first 3 chapters are free.
OG:
Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.