[Your relationship level with Hairtoe dropped from Strangers to Ruffian!]
"Huh?" Leonel was confused. He did know about the relationship level of NPCs because Ren explained it to him before, but he didn't know nor care about the gravity of such things.
"Ruffian?" Leonel muttered.
Leonel tilted his head toward Ren, a flower sprouting comically over it as a wolfish grin spread across his lips. "Ren, I think the ugly gnome doesn't like me."
Ren dragged a hand down his face in exasperation. The moment Hairtoe bristled and looked ready to wrestle Leonel to the ground, Ren shoved his friend back toward the Fairy before things could explode.
"Leo, why don't you look at the items here while I speak with Hairtoe? I need to have my subclass first."
"Fine. Fine," Leonel said without a care and went over to the Fairy. Rubbing his hands together, he said, "Show me what you've got."
The Fairy beamed, cheeks full and lips pouty. "Here you go!"
‖ C L A S S L E S S M E R C H A N T ‖
❶ I T E M S
● Elixir (100 000 gil)
–– the highly sought-after Miracle Elixir!
–– restore HP and MP to full
● Full HP Potion (5 000 gil)
–– restore HP to full
● Full MP Potion (10 000 gil)
–– restore MP to full
● Panacea (5 000 gil)
–– heals all status effect
❷ W E A P O N
● Excalibur (4 700 000 gil)
–– a one-handed sword that only true knights may wield.
–– STR +47
❸ A R M O R (4 000 000 gil)
● Platinum Armor
–– a silvery armor that is a sight to behold
–– DEF +40
❹ S H I E L D
● Platinum Shield (2 000 000 gil)
–– a silvery shield that is a sight to behold.
–– HP + 20 000, DEF +20
❺ A C C E S S O R I E S
● Fairy Shoes (2 000 000 gil)
–– this set of winged shoes will fly you wherever you want to go
–– ignore terrain restrictions
–– DEF +4, AGI +10
● Platinum Gauntlets (500 000 gil)
–– its silvery shine is a sight to behold
–– HP +10 000, DEF +10
● Queen Fairies Plume (40 000 000 gil)
–– a fallen feather from the Queen of Fairies.
–– SUMMON, Titania, the Queen of Fairies
‖ E N D ‖
"Whoa! What the heck?! What's up with all these zeros? They're all fucking expensive!" Leonel checked his 2 435 gil before looking at the Fairy with a gaping mouth. "Who the heck could afford this?"
No one. Ren thought.
The items sold by the Classless Merchant were meant for mid- to late-game, and naturally carried a ludicrous price tag. Their stock even shifted to match the race and class of whoever was browsing.
Still, getting your hands on those items early could easily catapult a player straight to the top.
Unfortunately, by the time in-game currency was officially introduced, the Classless Merchant would already be roaming across all of ARCADIA, making another encounter dependent on sheer LCK.
Even Ren, head of the information-gathering department in his past life, had no idea where they would appear next.
In the past, when the in-game currency was taking effect, those who did encounter them early in the game suffered hair loss from frustration. Because they met at random, most didn't bring enough money for their items, and it was forever the regret of their lives.
If they only acquired those items, they'd surely be one of the top in rankings in the middle and later part of the game.
Ren left Leonel with the Fairy and walked towards Hairtoe.
"Is that ugly dwarf your friend?" Hairtoe asked the moment he saw Ren in his line of sight.
Ren could say 'no' because he was afraid his relationship level with Hairtoe would plummet to Ruffian, and he wouldn't give him the Arcanist Subclass.
But . . .
"Yes," answered Ren without a hint of regret. He owed too much to Leonel to ignore him again.
He'd rather take the strenuous quest to become an Arcanist than pretend that he and Leonel didn't know each other all for the sake of a game.
Hairtoe's face wrinkled into a frown. "Tell him never to set foot in front of me, or I'll cut his beard with my 'large pointy nose.' HMP!"
Augh . . . Ren was glad that there wasn't a drop in his relationship level, but Hairtoe was like Leonel. They're both immature and short!
"Hmm . . . I see that you're still a mortal." Hairtoe rubbed his pointy chin and looked at Ren up and down.
Finally, Ren thought.
Hairtoe's face grew solemn as he sat straight on the driver's seat and leaned towards Ren before speaking with a grating voice.
"Allow me to tell a tale, adventurer."
Here were go. Ren didn't want to skip and risk his relationship dropping and lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the Arcanist Subclass this early game.
Actually, if a player with an already existing subclass approached Hairtoe, the latter would just snob the former and pretend to sleep in the driver's seat of his wagon.
"My name is Hairtoe, and I was a gnome adventure myself, like you lad. One day I stumbled across an interesting magical item during my career as a mercenary."
"Didn't you say you're an adventurer?" Ren cut in.
"Shush! Let me finish first."
Ren pursed his lips tight.
Hairtoe coughed before he continued, "As I was saying. I was a gnome treasure hunter. Finding lost forgotten relics was my game."
Augh . . .
"Behold, this is the Lost Necklace of the Gods!" Hairtoe said and showed Ren the necklace on his neck.
"This would allow ordinary mortals like you into the path of Godhood!"
I doubt it. Ren thought, though his face was still listening to Hairtoe's nonsense seriously.
"I had traveled across villages, towns, cities, kingdoms, realms and had aided many beings like you into the path of Gods. Now . . . it's your turn, adventurer. Are you ready to become a God?"
Augh . . . that line was so cheesy, but Ren still managed to nod his head with a serious face. He couldn't even speak from the hives erupting on his skin, and it wasn't brought about by his soon-to-be subclass, that was for sure.
Hairtoe nodded." Hmm . . . very good. Then place your hand over the crystal and call upon your heart's desire!"
My desire is money. Ren thought and placed his palms over Hairtoe's necklace.
–– others fear the unknown, but you embraced it. Death is your ally, and everything rots are within your grasp.
–– time is but a number, and you mold it in the palm of your hands.
–– past, present, future. None of that matters in your eyes of all-knowing.
–– the brain is your weapon, and knowledge is your power.