Perhaps the fact that I didn't immediately blurt out, "What kind of bullshit is that?" and instead grasped his underlying meaning proves my brain isn't entirely beyond saving. Once again, I realized that this middle-aged man was far more intelligent than I was.
For the record, both my face and the Bard's face were customized avatars from the game. Even our voices had changed. Therefore, if we had met before, it had to have been within the game.
"I thought top rankers wouldn't pay attention to unranked, street-wandering users like me."
"A ranker isn't a king, you know."
The Bard and I were on the same server. The number one Bard across all servers resided on mine. Since he was somewhat of a celebrity, I had seen him around before. In fact, I actually remembered this handsome, middle-aged customized avatar.
However... the Bard remembering me was a completely different story.
"Due to my profession, I never forget someone I've had a conversation with."
It sounded like he was referring to his real-life job before being possessed into the game. I was curious, but now wasn't the time to ask.
Anyway, if I had to recall any in-game conversation between the Bard and me...
> -[scrteww]: Can you yield the area from here to that big tree over there?
> -[Singer]: Yes.
The only thing I could remember was negotiating our overlapping territories while gathering resources in a prime hunting ground. That was it...
That was probably a few months ago. I tried to pinpoint the exact time but gave up. I was rotting away day by day from corporate work around that time, so honestly, the specific details were a blur.
"What is your class?"
"...Farmer."
The Bard widened his eyes so much that the whites showed, looking genuinely surprised.
"Farmer isn't a combat class. Can you aim for the number one spot with that?"
"That's exactly why it's a headache for me too."
I cut him off because I didn't want to explain the finer details to someone who wasn't even on my side. The Bard, forgetting to even drink his beer, remained amazed. He seemed to believe me.
It made sense. Given how sharp he was, he must have quickly calculated the facts. The main condition for the people possessed into this world was being ranked 1st in their respective classes. However, the 'me' that the Bard remembered wasn't a combat ranker. So how was I possessed?
"You were ranked first in a life skill class."
Hearing someone else say it with what sounded like genuine reverence made me feel awkward. I lifted my water glass and took a sip.
The Bard pondered for a moment before asking.
"Then, what was your combat class back then?"
I fell into a quiet silence. Right now, I am strictly a Farmer. But a long time ago, back when I was actively playing the game, you had to choose a combat class to create an account before you could pick a lifestyle profession.
Which meant, in reality... I was also someone who had a combat class.
"...Druid."
Right, I was a Druid. I had neglected it so much that I couldn't even enter the easiest dungeons, but technically, I was a Druid. Even I had wiped it from my memory, having absolutely no proficiency or affection for my combat class.
"Can you use any Druid-related abilities right now?"
"Who knows."
I answered cryptically, unwilling to give him any more information. Crops growing exceptionally fast probably wasn't a Druid ability... The status window had previously labeled it as the 'Farmer's Dexterity'.
At this point, I was slowly starting to want to go home. I had left Belsus sleeping alone for too long. He might have already woken up and could be crouching by the doorway, waiting for my return. I remembered how startled I was when I came back from seeing the Archer and found him waiting for me in exactly that state.
"More importantly, Mr. Bard."
"Yes."
"Would you like to entrust your weapon enhancements to me?"
Feeling bothered by the small talk, I bluntly cut straight to the chase. The Bard, who was about to take a drink, abruptly put his beer down. Startled by my words once again, the smile on his face slightly faded.
"I'll upgrade your gear up to +6. Anything beyond that, you pay a commission fee."
I propped my elbows on the table and made the offer with confidence. As expected, the Bard quickly grasped the meaning of my words without needing any further explanation.
[Bard]: I've been failing since +4. It's not easy without a life skill level.
All the rankers were struggling with this anyway. But now, right in front of the Bard, an advantage that other rankers couldn't obtain had presented itself on a silver platter.
"...What is it that you want?"
I didn't bother beating around the bush and answered immediately.
"One Hunter's Token."
In the Demihaad Kingdom, hunters without a kingdom-issued token couldn't enter dungeons. But for a wanted criminal like Belsus to go to the royal palace to be granted a token was sheer madness...
Because of that, I desperately needed someone like him. A foreigner who could easily obtain a Hunter's Token through their own country's methods.
'The reason I agreed to meet the Bard.'
First, I had something I needed to get from him.
Second, by establishing a secret deal with the Bard, who I suspected had figured out my existence, I could prevent him from exposing me to the other rankers.
The Bard accepted my proposal. He reached out a hand, and for this one time, I didn't refuse it either.
"Let's get along well from now on."
After shaking hands with the Bard, I stood up first.
'Get along well, my ass. You shady old man.'
I checked the time; it was 10:30 PM. It was earlier than I thought. In that case, there was one thing left to do.
Instead of returning to the farm, I sneaked into the theater troupe's building next door.
---
Caseria, the homeland of the Bard and Persephone. It was known as the country of magic and art.
A small island nation located on the western side of the continent, it was a hub where the magical energy of the land and sea gathered vigorously. As a result, the Magic Tower was built there.
'Naturally, the Wizard belongs to Caseria as well.'
That was why Caseria was a powerhouse. Despite being a small island, it was wealthier and boasted a higher standard of living than the Demihaad Kingdom. Furthermore, since society revolved primarily around mages, fields like architecture and culinary arts flourished to satisfy their sensitive and picky tastes.
Among the troupe actors here who hailed from Caseria, some were notoriously picky eaters and couldn't stomach foreign food. For them, a dedicated chef had tagged along with the troupe.
I wanted that chef's private pantry. Specifically, the precious Caserian spices stockpiled inside.
'Because they're incredibly hard to come by around here. You might only find a pinch of them in grand, high-end restaurants where commoners like Belsus and I can't even step foot.'
The troupe's building didn't seem to have any guards. Was it always like this...? I slipped past the temporary tents and glided into the pitch-black inner building.
The place the troupe had rented was so dark and dreary it might as well have been an abandoned building. Turning on a light would get me caught, so I had no choice but to wait for my eyes to adjust and take it one step at a time in the dark.
'I saw this in a game story cutscene... It should be right about here...'
The corridor, devoid of even a single rat, let out a very faint creak with every step I took. It was so dark that navigating was difficult, and the sheer blackness coupled with being entirely alone made the place feel desolate. But even in such adverse conditions, I had something I could rely on.
'The smell.'
The fragrant scent of mugwort, the bitter aroma of angelica root, and the smell of spices like saffron wafted through the air. These familiar ingredients, established as Caserian spices in the game's lore, guided me through the darkness.
Following the scent, I finally located the chef's pantry. I groped around the heavily piled sacks, grabbing whatever I could reach.
'This is... a truffle.'
My eyes practically rolled back in my head upon encountering a delicacy that sold for its weight in gold even in reality. I packed away bits of this and that, taking just a tiny amount so the chef wouldn't notice.
'I'm not stealing. I'm borrowing.'
If I took them back and cultivated them well, I could yield a bountiful harvest in just a few weeks. With a firm resolve to return double the amount when that time came, I 'borrowed' a chunk of truffle mycelium and various seeds from the troupe chef's pantry.
'If I enter my subspace right here, the door's last location will be set to this spot, meaning I'll drop right back here when I exit.'
So, I had to physically escape on my own two feet. It was great that I achieved my desired goal, but the thought of navigating that dark corridor back alone was daunting. First, I straightened my legs, which had been crouching for a while.
Right at that moment.
I felt a chilling gaze near the side of my face, as if something was watching me.
'...Did I get caught?'
I couldn't hear a single sound. Suddenly, I felt an anxiety far deeper than the simple fear of being discovered. For some reason, the temperature in the room seemed to have plummeted. I could feel the chill seeping straight into my skin.
I slowly raised my head.
In the corner of the room stood a figure with blue skin. Their pale, washed-out eyes stared blankly at me, without making even the slightest movement.
As we locked eyes, all the strength drained from my body. White goosebumps erupted all over my skin.
I was absolutely certain, that thing was dead.
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