Chapter 27

The moment Carpe entered the auction house building, Cheonma asked,

"First, let's confirm—do you have space at home to put the capsule? Do you need your parents' permission to bring it in?"

"There's plenty of space. And it's fine; my parents aren't around."

"Ah..."

Cheonma swallowed his words.

I always thought this bright kid had grown up happily without any major hardships, but he had his own pain.

"I was lacking in consideration. I'm sorry..."

"Africa or East Timor? They were dispatched somewhere, right? About two years ago?"

"This kid?"

"Since I was in middle school, I think. They often went abroad for volunteer work. Both of them did it as a hobby."

"Middle school? It's funny for a third party to comment, but aren't your parents a bit too cool?"

Actually, Cheonma wanted to say, "Aren't they a bit irresponsible?" but he couldn't bring himself to say such a thing about someone else's parents, so he phrased it carefully.

"It's fine. Since it's for a good cause, not some other matter. Besides, I'm not the type to feel lonely, and they send me a steady allowance... Most importantly, I could play games to my heart's content. It was a win-win."

"Alright. If you're fine with it."

Cheonma was certain. The reckless attitude this kid sometimes showed was 100% genetic, no doubt about it.

"Anyway, it's good. Let's go register your account at the auction house first."

"I've been wondering, what does buying a capsule have to do with the auction house?"

"Since you're buying it, you might as well get the best model, right?"

"Huh?"

"You'll see soon enough."

The auction house building was very large and spacious.

While not as big as a real-world large department store, it was still about half the size.

Naturally, the building was bustling with numerous users and NPCs.

"See that?"

In that vast space, Cheonma pointed to an area that looked like a real-world bank counter.

At the partitioned desks, attractive NPC clerks were smiling and serving customers.

"It's similar to a bank. Just like you need to open an account to do bank transactions, you need something similar to use the auction house."

"Ah, I see."

Understanding the situation, Carpe took a number and waited.

Ding.

"Customer number 137. How may I assist you?"

There were many waiting users, but there were also many counters, so the turn came quickly.

Carpe sat down in front of the counter, and a female NPC greeted him with a smile.

"Welcome, customer. This is where you register your account information to use the auction house. Would you like to proceed with the registration?"

"Yes, please."

"Please place your hand on the orb in front of you. The registration process may take some time."

"Ah, so this is the registration device."

As soon as he sat down, he saw a crystal ball in front of him and wondered what it was.

When he placed his hand on the crystal ball as instructed, it began to emit a faint light.

"It's reading your information. Account details, fingerprints, linked accounts, and so on."

'Wow, it has to go that far?'

"Rase operates the current trading platform directly, so it's necessary."

As long as there's a user trading system in online games, a real-money trading platform is inevitable.

Especially after the Supreme Court ruled that in-game assets are personal property, real-money trading became even more active.

However, real-money trading in online games has always had a chronic problem.

Scammers.

If you deposit money and the other party disappears?

It's hard to catch them due to the anonymity of the internet, and even if you do, it takes a long time.

That's why 'item auction' sites, which act as intermediaries for real-money trading, emerged.

"Rase operates these directly within the game, with a flat 1% fee."

'Ah, I see.'

I thought the server fees were maintained by selling skins, but they were making money this way.

No wonder people say, "The world's wealth is flowing to Rase."

"Compared to other intermediary sites, which charge over 30% in fees, this is a huge deal."

'Now that I think about it, I remember reading an article about how most real-money trading sites went bankrupt because of Rase.'

The auction house intermediary system and the channel Rase. Existing platforms didn't just sit by and watch Rase make money.

"Since we made the game, why should you, who don't even play, make the money?"

"Since it's annoying, we'll make our own streaming platform and trading intermediary. Exclusively!"

Rase may seem indifferent to in-game operations, but they are thorough in these external aspects.

'But, bro.'

"What?"

"I get it, but what does this have to do with buying a capsule?"

"That's..."

At that moment,

"Your information registration is complete. You can now list items on the auction house."

"Is that it, then?"

"Not quite. The final step is to measure your account level."

"Account level?"

"Yes. The higher your account level, the more benefits you receive."

"I see."

I get the feeling.

On item intermediary sites, the more transaction history you have, the higher your account level, and the more benefits you receive, such as reduced fees. It seems Rase has a similar system.

"That's why."

"Huh?"

"Because of the account level measurement, that's why we came to the auction house."

"Does it matter? I'll probably get the lowest level, right?"

After all, he had no transaction history.

"Generally, you're right."

As Cheonma said this, the light from the crystal ball disappeared.

"The measurement is complete. Your level is... Oh my."

The female NPC, who had maintained a professional demeanor, showed a human reaction for the first time.

Seeing this, Cheonma smiled.

"But, Rase isn't a typical game, in many ways."

The NPC, who had been momentarily flustered, smiled brightly.

"Your level is 'Black,' the highest level offered by the company. You will receive the best benefits from all the company's institutions."

"Really?"

Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Black.

Among the six account levels, the Black level was special.

Like a real-world black card, it was a special level that only a select few could obtain.

'How did this happen?'

"Rase's account levels are determined by a comprehensive evaluation of various factors."

It wasn't a level you could get just by having a lot of money.

Of course, as Carpe mentioned, transaction history was an important factor in determining the level.

However, the most significant factor in level determination was something else.

"How much of a significant footprint you've left in the game Rase."

A user's play information is stored in their account.

And this crystal ball reads the stored play information.

The moment Carpe placed his hand on it, the crystal ball discovered something.

A massive footprint hidden in the play record, a 'mythical' one.

"At this point, is there a bigger footprint than a mythic-class promotion? Among the Black levels, this is undoubtedly the most outstanding."

'So, there must be very few Black-level users, right?'

"Of course. Ordinary users might not even know the Black level exists. Let's see, at this point... maybe five in Korea?"

"Five?!"

Surprised, the words slipped out.

Carpe looked around nervously. Fortunately, the soundproofing of the partition was good, and no one paid attention to his sudden outburst.

"Customer?"

"Yes."

"All registration is complete. You can now enjoy the Black benefits from all the company's subsidiaries. Do you need any further assistance?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you."

"Understood. I will send you an email detailing the specific benefits of the Black level. Is that okay?"

"Yes, please."

"I've sent it. If you have any questions, feel free to come back. Thank you."

The female NPC stood up, placed her hands on her stomach, and bowed deeply.

It was a perfect greeting, making one wonder if it could be any more polite.

"It was an infinite honor to be part of Rase's history. We hope you enjoy our games for a long time."

Carpe looked at the NPC's greeting with a dazed expression.

An NPC that could distinguish between reality and the game—how could this be a program? He wondered if it might be a real Rase employee playing a character.

'Another world.'

Thinking about the NPC, who seemed human, Carpe suddenly remembered Rase's catchphrase and understood a bit more.

He nodded slightly to the NPC and immediately left the auction house.

* * *

After leaving the auction house, Carpe logged out.

Of course, before logging out, he had received instructions from Cheonma on how to buy the capsule. He still didn't fully understand, though.

'Bro, even with the Black level, they won't give the capsule for free, right?'

"Of course not. They'll give it to you at cost, but you still have to pay."

'I don't have any money.'

"I'll tell you about a treasure map. Take out as much as you need. You can use it all if you want."

Cheonma then gave Carpe some information.

Based on that information, Carpe arrived at a gym not far from Gangnam Station.

'Neon Fitness Club. This is the place.'

After confirming the sign, Carpe entered the gym without hesitation.

Jingle.

"Hello, welcome