Chapter 51

RPA, let's work together too!

───I don't intend to regret the path I've run, but what is this emotion that wells up in my heart when I see someone who has something I don't? It's neither anger nor sadness... (Anonymous Fish)

───Stop being jealous (Anonymous Birdhead)

───Cultivate hatred... The muddier the emotion, the better it will make you a top-notch cannon fodder (Anonymous Stationery)

───What are those people who can only express themselves through their dirty emotions saying? (Fighter Fish)

───Alright, let's go out (Fighter Birdhead and Stationery)

◇

Pepper Cinnamon was in Third Rema. It seemed that the influence of the raid monster that was defeated just before she returned to Shangfro had made the inn in the lower level of the circular city feel even more crowded than usual. Pepper was thinking about her progress.

"Still, Kei was a combat class... Maybe I should boldly switch to a support class."

When Pepper told them about defeating the Exordinary Monster, Kei showed a level of sadness that would make someone lose their composure even if they lost a wallet with tens of thousands of yen. This confused Pepper, but it seemed that Kei had somehow dropped to a much lower level and was trying to level up to recover the lost levels. Kei managed to get Kei to join in the leveling process.

In any case, she would be playing privately with Kei in two days, and she needed to prepare at least enough not to hold her back.

Kei is the type of person who doesn't like to involve acquaintances in private matters. While they are not on bad terms, Kei is the type who prefers solo play unless there is a group. If the private friends who can hide their faces and names are enough, there would be no room for outsiders like us.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I can't fail...!!"

Then, what action should I take... Yes, it's logging out.

...

......

...........

The Shangfro Frontier strategy site has become an enormous database due to its vast amount of information and the enthusiastic updates by the [Library]. It's difficult to even switch pages on a mobile device, and it only becomes "heavy but functional" with a headset-type VR system. The members of the [Library], who are responsible for updating the information, are all required to have a chair-type VR system, which is essentially "professional-grade," and even that has become slightly heavy recently. However, Natsume Kei is a member of a professional gaming team with the strongest player in Japan, and Kei's own performance is consistently in the upper-middle range. In other words, as a top-tier professional gamer, Kei's financial and equipment resources are incomparable to those of ordinary "professional-grade" players.

"Well... Let's display three windows in multi-window mode."

For Kei, who has a room filled with gaming equipment that boasts dedicated lines and the fastest communication speeds, the Shangfro strategy site is nothing. Diving into the internet surfing mode, Kei browses the site's information with multiple windows displayed. Kei was looking for a support class job, but this one would allow her to contribute to damage while also supporting others.

"... Alchemist, a combat production class that specializes in item synthesis and production and uses the created items in battle... Hmm, I'm a bit interested."

The attached image showed that the "damage output" was sufficient for the effort required as a production class. Kei, who was looking for a support class job, found this appealing.

"... An alchemist, a branch of the magic class."

Kei would realize the "pitfall" hidden behind the appealing words a bit later. Switching from internet surfing mode to game play mode, Kei logged into Shangfro and headed to the guild to change her main job to a mage. Moving her swordsman to a sub-class, Kei followed the strategy site's instructions and entered a small general store in a corner of Third Rema.

"... Welcome, what are you looking for?"

"A pot, scrap iron, and wisdom."

"... Alright, let's conduct the test. Hold your passion and descend."

Following the strategy site, Pepper started the process. The top-tier job "Alchemist" is an advanced form of the "Pharmacist" class, which branches from the mage class. The key is that the quest giver for the Pharmacist job is a "mage." Holding the fire of one's passion and descending the stairs... It seems like a fantasy, but the procedure is to buy a lantern from the pharmacist guild's receptionist, who is disguised as a shopkeeper, and light it with one's own magic. Fortunately, the cost of the lantern, which is quite expensive, can be covered by selling the materials needed to dig through the mud to reach Third Rema.

"Can I have this?"

"Indeed, you have good taste. Shall I light the fire for you?"

"No, I can light the fire of passion myself."

The fire magic learned upon becoming a mage is part of the trick... Pepper lit the lantern and descended the stairs. The words "Welcome to the gathering place of wisdom..." thrown from behind indicated that she had successfully completed the job change event. Pepper carefully descended the dimly lit stairs with the lantern, and upon opening the large door, she found a spacious underground area that could accommodate dozens of people.

"Blue sky?"

"No, that's a ceiling made of the gem item 'Sky Blue Stone,' created by the essence of alchemy."

"Oh, I see... Wait, a player?"

Despite descending underground, Pepper, who thought the person answering her question about the sky-blue ceiling was an NPC, turned around to find a person with the name "Rack Pinion" displayed above their head. This meant the person was a player, not an NPC.

"Actually, I'm here on personal business in Third Rema. I thought I might as well make a big impression as a veteran."

"Hmm... Your equipment looks strong, are you level 99 or something?"

"Haha, I'm a returnee from the new continent... Level 114."

Pepper nodded in understanding but felt a slight surprise. When she was Garam Masala Jūzō, the level cap was still 99. She had recently learned that the conditions for raising the level cap had spread, but it seemed that players on the front lines had already reached the triple-digit mark. Pepper, who had thought that if the player was just lingering in a beginner area, they wouldn't be that great, revised her evaluation of Rack Pinion.

"So? Is this senior going to give me some guidance?"

"The registration counter is over there, and I have a secret and useful piece of information not on the strategy site."

The words "not on the strategy site" were hard to ignore for Pepper, who had just read the strategy site to get here. Pepper, who had already placed a swordsman as a sub-class and planned the fastest route to become an alchemist, pretended to be uninterested in the player with the strange monocle but couldn't completely ignore the intriguing words. She sat down at the table where the alchemist with a mischievous smile was sitting.

"Well, since you're a senior, I should at least listen."

"Yeah... You seem like the type who prefers to get straight to the point."

"I don't have that much free time in real life or in the game, so it would help if you could be quick."

"Do you know about player quests?"

"Only a little."

Player quests.

These are different from the usual quests given by NPCs or triggered by situations. They are quests where players request tasks from other players or NPCs. In Shangfro, NPCs do not have the game-like omnipotence. For example, if a blacksmith receives 100 requests, the completion time will stretch out, or if an NPC who gives delivery quests receives a certain number of deliveries, another NPC will start giving out the same quests... In other words, there are times when you need to rely on other players even if you try to play solo.

This is where player quests come in handy. Party recruitment and similar activities might also fall under this category. For example, if there is something you can't get with your combat skills, you can post a quest through the guild to have a player with the necessary skills, in this case a production class, make and deliver the item for you.

"... In simple terms, I'm like a subcontractor for a certain player, or maybe a middle manager."

"Involved in player quests?"

"Yeah, something like that. The origin of this matter is the recent defeat of the Wandering Great Plague."

The single large invasion that approached the throat of Third Rema significantly drained the city's resources. However, a player noticed this. Let's call this player A. A, who had connections with one of the top guilds in the old continent, approached the Duke of Third Rema with a plan to have production class players deliver recovery potions and other items to compensate for the losses.

"... I see. So you're the hand that helps beginners participate in this plan."

"Calling me a hand makes me sound like a villain... But there are benefits for me too, so I'm helping."

"Specifically?"

"Well, I want land in the upper levels of Third Rema. I want to build an atelier and a house, but it takes a lot of time and money to do it normally."

Rack Pinion's words didn't seem entirely true, but they didn't seem entirely false either. Pepper didn't have the ability to discern the truth, so she could only rely on her intuition. It seemed that this A was trying to run a pyramid scheme in Shangfro. However, it didn't seem like A was trying to scam players. The "reward" offered by Rack Pinion was a significantly higher price than what could be obtained by selling items to guilds or general stores. A must really want the land, Pepper thought, but everyone has their own way of enjoying the game.

"By the way, what's the rate?"

"For this Explosive Reaction Potion, it's about 1.5 times the usual rate... And this is a special piece of information I'm only telling you. Actually, a certain percentage is taken by middlemen like me, so if you deliver it directly to the mansion in Third Rema, you can get about 1.8 times the rate..."

As Rack Pinion continued the "negotiation" while giving advice on small tricks for becoming an alchemist, Pepper, who had been leaning forward, suddenly noticed a strange pattern embroidered on her robe. It was a strangely realistic pattern for a fantasy setting, and Pepper couldn't help but ask.

"Sorry to ask, but what's that mark?"

"This? Well, it's a logo that players who are involved in A's plan have put on their own. It's called the RPA mark."

"Hmm? The mark of the 'Red Pencil'...?"

At this, Rack Pinion didn't say anything. However, the smile he showed, with his strange monocle that looked like a lens in a gear, was one Pepper had never seen before... but she felt a familiar aura from him.

◇

"Hey Meg, I mean Pepper. You look different... Isn't your equipment not for beginners?"

"Huh? This!? Well, I found a good way to earn money and got a bit carried away... Hahaha."

"A good way to earn money?"

"There's a player quest for production classes, and I got some funding... from Mr. A? And the RPA, the people with the red pencil mark, are organizing it... What's wrong? You look pale."

"Red pencil mark... Red pencil... That bastard..."

Red Pencil Agency

The pencil gang from the national battle, Arthur Pencilgon's excellent pawn, a group to be wary of as they have little resistance to fraudulent activities

No, no, I'm not lying. I really want the land, but I won't explain what the items delivered to Third Rema are used for. The information manipulation by the agents who have infiltrated the Library and information providers like Zenith Guevara keeps this "two-faced operation" under wraps.

By the way, it seems that Natsume, who was tricked by her comrade Haglmann... I mean, Rack Pinion, used the money she earned to buy items needed for alchemy, thus becoming a hamster running the pulley of the Third Rema economy.