Chapter 9

008. Hourly wage 8,720 rin, meals provided (1)

If you become a character in a game, there's one thing you have to do.

I took a few deep breaths and uttered those words.

"Status window."

【Wolfram von Loen格林】

【?T】

【Status:

Strength: 4

Dexterity: 6

Health: 2

Magic: 3

Willpower: 4】

【Skills:

Royal Bloodline.】

Indeed, if you're a game character, the status window is a rule.

I slowly examined my status window. Considering that the average human's stats are 5, Wolfram really has... really a pathetic stat line. How did this guy even get into Jefrin?

Even if he's a prince, the faculty at Jefrin must have been blind. What was the royal family thinking, putting this kid in charge of the student council? There must be a reason.

Looking down at the skills, it's even more frustrating. It's not a bad skill, but it's useless on its own.

【Royal Bloodline (1T): The owner of this skill cannot use vulgar language when speaking to others. At the same time, it calculates the 'bloodline dignity' of both parties, and if the other party's dignity is lower, it has a high probability of triggering the status effect 'Intimidation'.】

Most of the rank distribution in Jefrin is divided by tiers.

Tier 9 is trash, and Tier 1 is a god.

This skill is a Tier 1 skill, but there's no place to use it.

So, I'm trying to use a trump card.

There must be a reason I was brought into this game.

And usually, when this happens, I have my real stats, or an editor, or a cheat tool.

Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense, right?

To throw me into this game with such a pathetic stat line, how could anyone do that?

"If there is a god, he must have given me a surefire tip."

So.

There must be a tip, a surefire cheat, just for me.

I clenched my fist and spoke the magic words.

"...Open source code."

And.

Nothing happened, to my great surprise.

"Open hidden status. Activate editor tool. Open creation mode."

Nothing, nothing, nothing happened.

God is dead.

***

I may be a veteran of this game, but I'm not crazy enough to fight monsters with just my bare hands.

Yeah, monsters. Surprisingly, there are monsters in Jefrin. Quite a lot, actually, a lot.

As I mentioned before, except for the 'Academy Area' where students come to learn, the rest is nature. There are volcanoes, deserts, seas, and jungles.

Why are there monsters in an academy on an artificial island created by the first emperor? They were brought in to form the ecosystem. There's a story that the first chancellor stabbed the emperor with a meteor.

But the emperor believed that the students of Jefrin, who would be immediately deployed into the field after graduation and might return to their hometowns as canyons, forests, or volcanic zones, should be trained in as realistic an environment as possible.

To what extent? There's a Blue Dragon in the desert area. Really.

Anyway, the Academy Area is protected by the defensive barrier of the first chancellor, a great mage, and the emperor, known as the God of Magic.

So, unless you take the anti-monster combat curriculum, you won't encounter monsters while attending this academy. But there are always eccentrics.

Students venture outside the Academy Area to meet monsters or gain combat experience, and as a result, a few students 'unfortunately go missing' each year.

And, I, Wolfram von Loen格林, also have to face the great nature outside Jefrin.

But with these trash stats, if I go out bare-handed, by this time tomorrow, goblins will be making bags out of my skin and using my skull as a helmet.

So, I need to hire a mercenary.

I found the Knight Corps and called the responsible staff.

"...Mr. Wolfram von Loen格林, what is your request?"

"I'm here on behalf of the 8th Magic Cube Grocery Store. I'm looking for a Knight Corps student to escort me in the early part of the Eastern Forest."

"...I see."

The staff looked at me with a face like he had eaten something bitter.

If I had come in Wolfram's name, he would have refused, right? Well, well, well, if you're upset, just follow the rules.

"Do you know the cost?"

"The meals will be paid for, and the hourly rate is 8,720 rin. Is that correct?"

"...Yes. Do you know the danger fee?"

"In exchange, I will provide up to two low-level healing potions."

"...G, Got it."

Oh, this guy is going to get his teeth knocked out and need implants. I smiled and extended my hand, signaling for him to hand over the documents. The staff threw the papers in front of me.

"...Then, these are the students who can be dispatched from the Knight Corps."

"Alright. I'll check and write down their names. Send them to work."

I elegantly checked the list. I didn't forget to give the staff a look that said, "If you're upset, just put a knife in me."

Now, who will be my escort?

The Knight Corps, while not as expensive as the Magic Corps, still costs a lot of money.

Weapons aren't free, right? What about repair costs? Wooden swords used during training? Torn sportswear? It all costs money.

Of course, if you have a merchant guild backing you or are from a noble family, the burden is less, but there are more commoners who came to Jefrin after discovering their martial talent while playing in the mountains and fields as children.

So, I'm looking for someone special among them, someone I can trust and who is good at their job... not a slave, but a Knight Corps member.

The list only has their year, what they can do, and what weapon they use, but I'm a veteran of this game, and I found the name I was looking for.

"Is this guy here?"

If I hire an unreliable student as my escort, I'll get stabbed and 'unfortunately go missing' in the forest, but this name... this name is trustworthy.

"Nefte."

A knight whose defensive skills are among the best.

And at the same time, the queen of the underprivileged, no matter where you go in Jefrin.

Her name caught my eye.

***

Nefte, short for Nefterian.

Her characteristics: underprivileged, ordinary, decent sword skills, average shield skills, and again, underprivileged.

When I designated her as my escort, the staff's expression changed. A mocking smile. A smile that said, "Are you really going to designate this kid? This game noob." It was strangely annoying.

Anyway, the noob is on their side, and soon the interview room door opened, and a girl armed with a sword and light armor looked at me.

"Hello, I'm Nefterian. You can call me Nefte."

"Good. Come and sit down."

"No, I'm more comfortable standing and listening to your instructions, as you will be my employer."

Her determined eyes made me smile involuntarily.

She is supposed to have a lot of debt at home. Her mother is raising two younger siblings alone.

But since she came to Jefrin, she had to incur debt.

I heard that her mother invested in a 'coin pancake' and put all her savings into it.

But she had to incur debt. In Jefrin, even sleeping and waking up costs money.

But with her upright character and refusal to do dirty work, she is trying to pay off her debt and live in Jefrin through honest mercenary work. As a result, she can only barely pay the interest.

Anyway, this knight among knights looked at me and urged me to give orders, and I nodded.

"I plan to explore the early part of the Eastern Forest. The hourly rate is 8,720 rin."

"Minimum wage, I see."

"Are you dissatisfied?"

"No."

"In case of injury, I will provide up to two low-level healing potions."

"Understood."

...You don't seem to like it.

"Meals will be provided. I won't serve bad food."

"Good. Excellent. I swear by the code of chivalry to fully perform this escort duty."

"..."

By the way, this girl.

There's a rumor that if she has nothing to eat, she will tear up the grass and eat it with resin.

Nah, that can't be true.

"How will you handle the count and run?"

As I was lost in thought, Nefte cut in with an important setting.

Count and run.

This is a fairly important setting in the game.

When hiring a mercenary, you specify a number, and when the mercenary encounters that many monsters, they say, "I'm out of here," and go home.

This setting also exists in reality. This game is realistic in a way.

"Five times. When we encounter five monsters, we will retreat. In exchange, I will pay 5,000 rin per additional count."

"Yes, understood. In exchange, I have one request."

"What is it?"

"If the exploration goes against the code of chivalry, I will turn my back and return without hesitation."

As if this is something she cannot compromise on, she looked at me, and I nodded.

I am Wolfram, a third-rate villain, so you thought I might be going to do something bad, right?

"Hmph. If you have time to talk nonsense, let's get started. Time is precious."

"Yes."

***

We leisurely headed to the Eastern Forest, and Nefte's steps were light.

The Eastern Forest is a tutorial or beginner's hunting ground, accessible from level 1.

Mainly squirrels and rabbits run around, and the strongest are slimes or mini-goblins.

There is a boss monster, but we won't encounter it, so let's skip it.

It's actually a very safe place.

But don't forget that Wolfram can die from a squirrel in Jefrin.

So, the first monster we encountered was a slime. With Wolfram's 2 health, it was a weak monster that could be killed with a dagger.

A transparent slime shivered in front of us, with a core in the middle, which can be killed with a stick.

"...If I kill this, will it count?"

"Yes, according to the rules."

Hmm, can't help it.

"In exchange, I'll take the body. Is that okay?"

"...Yes, yes. That's the rule."

With that, Nefte stabbed the slime with her dagger, and I collected it in a prepared bag.

We leisurely entered Jefrin. Wolfram has no health, and Nefte has no money, so it's good for both of us to take our time.

Of course, my money will be spent, but if I run out, I can just force Eve to buy me candy. Eve will laugh, but it will be truly unpleasant and I don't want to see it... but if I can somehow sell the textbook with my brother's genes, it will be fine.

We walked at a pace slower than a stroll, almost like a rehabilitation exercise, and finally reached our destination.

"...What is this?"

"The Garden of Beans. Don't you know?"

"...No, I know. But why are we here?"

"Can't you see? We're here to harvest beans."

"Beans? The royal family is doing it personally?"

The Garden of Beans.

A garden where various colored beans grow. But they are different from the soybeans, peas, or mung beans we know.

For example, Pop Beans. When you put them in your mouth, they make a popping sound. If you coat them with edible slime mixed with sugar, they become Jelly Pop Beans.

There are also various beans with different effects, and it's a good place to farm items early on.

As I was harvesting beans, Nefte was looking at me in shock from behind.

Even if a whale flew in the sky, it wouldn't be as surprising as this.

"What are you staring at? Focus on your escort duty."

"Yes? Yes!"

Even so, no monsters appear in the Bean Forest. This is a rule known to all new students in Jefrin.

"If you have nothing to do, help me harvest beans."

"That's not my job."

"I'll make it 10,000 rin per hour."

"Then I will have more work to do. Thank you."

Look at that quick shift in attitude.

Anyway, we started harvesting beans for a while.

"Hey."

"Yes, yes?"

"When harvesting Aqua Beans, if you damage them, their quality drops significantly. Be more careful."

"Yes, yes..."

Nefte nodded in surprise and became more careful in her harvesting.

When we filled two baskets, I sighed.

It's not heavy lifting, just harvesting beans from nature, but I'm already tired. I'm really worried about the future.

But we've achieved our goal.

"It's time for lunch."

"Yes? Yes!"

We moved to a corner of the garden and started our prepared lunch.

"Black bread...?"

"Are you dissatisfied?"

"......No."

...No, I happily followed, thinking it wouldn't be bad food, but you're giving me black bread and glaring.

Hey, you just glanced at your dagger and looked at me. Damn.

"Hmm. Then I'll show you something special. Be happy."

"......?"

I said that, washed the beans I just picked, and put three of them in the water bottle, shaking it until the beans mixed and became thick.

"Vanilla Beans, Milk Beans, and Bubble Beans. Do you know what happens when you mix them in the right proportions and mash them?"

"Eh? Eh?"

The three beans in the water bottle mixed and came out as excellent whipped cream.

I scooped a large spoonful and placed it on Nefte's black bread.

"Try it."

"......Yes."

Nefte followed my order and put the bread in her mouth, and immediately made a face I had never seen before.

I don't know, but even Helen Keller probably wasn't as surprised when she first understood the word 'water'.

Her eyes widened so much. Her expression changed as if the whole concept of the world had changed. Tears streamed down her eyes.

Is it that good? I put cream on my bread and took a bite, nodding.

Ah.

This is it.

The bread is a bit different, but it tastes like the private crescent moon cream bread.

The convenience store cream bread with a rabbit drawn on it.

It's a bread that often goes to waste due to its short shelf life, but I don't often eat it.

Just that taste.

But in this world, it must be an unbelievable luxury.

Or maybe she's just weird.

"Like this, black bread is quite edible."

"......Black. Sniff."

Nefte sniffled and put the bread in her mouth. I handed her the water bottle with cream and a spoon, and she hugged it as if it were precious.

After finishing the meal, Nefte looked at me, hesitated, and asked.

"Um, how did you know about this harmony?"

"It's the wisdom of life. Even if the bread is tasteless, when the blessings and wisdom of nature come together, it becomes a wonderful meal."

"......Ah, black. Sniff. I see. Such wisdom. Such happiness was right in front of me. I... I...!"

Nefte, as if frustrated, clenched her fists and hit the ground, sobbing.

"Sniff... If I could eat this instead of grass and resin, I...!"

"......"

It was true. That rumor.