Chapter 27 027

Jeong Seyeon, aka BunnyRabbit, was surprised by the scenery she saw right after entering the game.

'What the hell happened in that short time?'

Townspeople were all over Berne, swarming around wearing green bandanas.

"Berne will not fall! We will thrive!"

"With adventurer Seojin! It's not too late! We will revive our town with our hands!"

BunnyRabbit couldn't understand the sudden change of atmosphere as she had not been keeping track of his progress. She knew a large number of townspeople were following Seojin, but she didn't think they were this crazy about him.

'What the hell is this…?'

She had logged out to report back to Baek Chahyun on Seojin.

He told her to do whatever Seojin asked, i.e. play the game with him if he wishes to, and cosplay as a companion should he want one.

"He can sign the contract later, our priority is building a connection. Seyeon, your role is important."

Team leader Baek had told her with a serious tone that matched the graveness of the project.

'I don't like him but at least he has eyes for talent, I'll give him that. That's how he managed to climb the ladder.'

Seyeon also knew how tricky it was to revive a dying village. She had checked a post regarding it when she was tracking a private trade site.

There was a player who'd invested a huge amount of money and utilized all the connections he had to do so and barely succeeded.

And the reward? Only a few achievements.

Yet he talked about it proudly.

'And Seojin did it at only Level 10.'

Strictly speaking, he hadn't finished yet, but even to BunnyRabbit's untrained eyes, the quest was near its end.

The quest was not far from completion at this rate.

'Yes, Jeong Seyeon. Curb your ego already and walk the wide-open road to promotion.'

She repeated that mantra to herself. In fact, she even felt a little ashamed as she listened to her manager talking. She didn't join the corporation to please a man. Especially if the man was a gamer nerd with no life.

'Okay, Seyeon. You just have to hang in there a little bit longer. You won't have to take on these kinds of chores once you get promoted, just like the manager said. Yeah, I need to get promoted first.'

That put Seyeon's mind at ease. She wouldn't have to endure such things once she ranked up.

"BunnyRabbit!"

That's when a familiar face called out to her.

It was Mac Gray, Seojin's right-hand man.

Bunny immediately gave him a friendly look.

"Hello."

"Hello! Seojin wants to see you. He can't come right now, you'll just have to wait a minute at our store."

"Seojin is looking for me?"

"Yes."

Why would he want to meet with her?

"…I'll go now. I can wait on the first floor, right?"

"Can you go without a guide?"

"I'll be all right. I remember the way."

"Then I'll go and tell Seojin now."

Mac walked away.

BunnyRabbit stared at his back with a mixture of anxiety and expectation.

'I wonder what it's about'

She was curious, but she wouldn't know until she met him.

If there were two things that would never mix, they would be Seojin and common sense.

'There's nothing I can do. I have no choice but to wait.'

BunnyRabbit headed over to Mac's pub, her head full of worries.

* * *

Seojin arrived around twenty minutes later.

"Sorry, you've been waiting, haven't you?"

"Don't worry, that's my job."

"Glad you understand. Phew."

Seojin sat down, letting out an exhausted sigh.

It wasn't from fatigue, though. It was more like the satisfaction after a refreshing workout.

BunnyRabbit cautiously spoke first, "The town looks… different."

"Different? Oh, that's nothing. I just patted them on the back a little so they can start heading in the right direction."

"Direction?"

"People here almost lost their hometown. They want to go back to the past more than anyone, and I just provided a little opportunity for them."

A little opportunity.

'If he thinks he gave them a little opportunity, what would a big one be by his standards?'

Seojin kept talking, "Did you bring back your team leader's answer?"

"Oh, yes. He said he would accept whatever you wanted, no matter the terms."

"The contract, the companion… everything?"

"Yes, all of them."

BunnyRabbit nodded vigorously. From the moment the team leader gave her those specific instructions, Seojin became no different from her boss, and she had to react accordingly.

"You guys are so nice that it's almost too much for me."

"You don't have to feel pressured at all. We know you're worth it."

"You're pressing me even more. So… you're going to play Midgard, right?"

"Of course. The reason I chose the Warrior class was to be of help to you. Even like this, I think we can withstand any monster attacks."

"So you didn't choose your class because you like combat?

"That's right. If you want, I can just start anew with a different class."

"No, you don't have to go that far…"

Seojin seemed somewhat strange. BunnyRabbit stared at him. He looked as if he wanted something but was confused as to whether he could say it.

"I'm fine, a warrior won't help much, right?"

"Would you be okay working in production?"

"Of course!"

She gave a positive answer without hesitation

It was perfect.

Seojin looked relieved.

"How about a blacksmith?"

"A blacksmith… O-of course, that's okay!"

No, it wasn't okay at all. A blacksmith? She'd have to endure the heat in front of the bellows and swing the hammer until her arms felt like they were falling apart!

At least fighting monsters was fun. Blacksmithing was literally the last job on earth that she wanted to do.

"Are you sure?"

"We're companions, we have to watch each other's back. It just so happens to be my taste."

BunnyRabbit had to lie, as she was in this business now. She wasn't playing this game for fun. She had to lure this guy up her stairway to promotion.

That made her feel slightly better.

She smiled broadly, ignoring the flooding sense of shame.

"How can I change my class?"

"Normally, you'd have to make a new character, but you don't have to this time."

"Can't you just call me Jeong Seyeon?"

"I'd rather call you by your nickname. You know, immersion issues…"

"Oh, immersion! Yeah, that's important… Bunny it is, then."

'Why did I name my character that?'

The shame in her heart grew only bigger.

'I could really use some Soju right now.'

She'd gladly sell her soul for a shot of soju and some squid jerky.

But not right now.

"I'm a warrior, though… can I change my class mid-game?"

"You can't usually, but there's an exception."

"An exception?"

"Yes, when that specific class is a hidden class."

"…?"

That caught BunnyRabbit off guard. A hidden class was those that changed one's game life just by becoming one.

'Why would he mention that now?'

Understanding washed over her a beat late.

"Are we talking about a hidden class blacksmith?"

Bunny was surprised and Seojin nodded with a calm look on his face.

"I found it by chance. It'd be a waste to give it to someone else, and you're my only companion."

"Are you giving this to me just because I'm your companion…?"

BunnyRabbit was speechless.

A hidden class…

Even Seojin had hugely benefited from his class, "Silver Tongue."

Of course, he couldn't have achieved such a thing if he was any less capable.

Still, it was clear that the hidden class itself was a major advantage compared to any other ordinary class.

'And he's just giving it to me? We've only met like twice.'

Seojin said that she was his companion, but they had only exchanged a few words.

BunnyRabbit barely held back from facepalming.

'He's actually crazy. Crazy about games.'

"Well, then…"

"Do you not like the sound of it?"

"No way!"

"I can give you time to think."

"No, not at all. It's fine by me if we do it right away."

BunnyRabbit spoke quickly. Blacksmithing was not her thing, but things were different when hidden classes were involved. It was not about preference anymore.

'I might be able to earn more than my salary. I'm so lucky!'

Up until now, Seojin felt like nothing but a dead weight to her, but now he was starting to look like a cash cow.

"If you're busy, should I wait for a little bit? Any time is fine with me."

"I'm glad you're okay with it."

"Of course! I always wanted to do blacksmithing for fun."

"I'm going now… oh, before I go. Bunny, can you keep this a secret from your bosses?"

"About my class?"

Bunny had to hold back her laughter. She was not that much of an idiot that she'd tell Manager Kim or Team Leader Baek about it, she knew their characters very well.

"I'll keep it a secret between us, it's a secret become companions."

* * *

"This lass?"

"Yes, Redrix. She's quick with her hands and strong enough, being a former warrior."

"Okay, well there's no reason to reject her if you're recommending her."

The blacksmith NPC who'd been taught by Master Ferguson looked at BunnyRabbit with a pleased expression.

"The path of iron and fire is not so easy. Once you hold the hammer, you will never be able to use your strength as a warrior again. Is that all right?"

"Of course. I've already made up my mind."

"I like your eyes. All right, from this moment on, you, BunnyRabbit, will walk the path of iron and fire!" Redrix proclaimed.

He had temporarily become a passive NPC.

His actions and speech had to be controlled as he was involved in the quest.

He placed a hammer in Bunny's hand with a solemn look on his face, and she could see a message flash up right before her eyes.

Class Quest: Successor of a Master

* Master Ferguson wants to pass on his skills to a talented apprentice. Receive a reference letter from Redrix, the Blacksmith of Berne, and visit Ferguson.

* Default Reward: Class Quest chain (2)

'So, it was real…'

She thought it may have been a joke. A hidden class wasn't easily obtainable after all.

'This man is so gullible!'

A really competent, gullible man.

BunnyRabbit smiled to herself.

However, Seojin was thinking completely differently as he looked at her.

'She's so excited, alright.'

The hidden class still didn't fully belong to Bunny yet.

'Something that's almost just out of reach is the most desirable. If she is no longer thinking that this matter doesn't concern her life, and she gets a taste of what's to come, it'll be hard to give up.'

Ferguson said he still wanted to see Seojin. That meant he still remembered the world quest.

What if he strongly appealed that BunnyRabbit was not the right kind of person to be a blacksmith?

'He'll listen to me. I'm an adventurer who gave him the metal of the gods after all…'

This was a ruse to see BunnyRabbit's true self.

BunnyRabbit, oblivious to that, would show her true self to Seojin once she got the hidden class.

'I gotta check what she wants first. Money, status, or power.'

He had to react accordingly to what she truly desired.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course… I don't know how to thank you."

"Your words alone are enough. We're helping each other without reward, but appreciating each other still. "

After saying that, Seojin smiled purely.

"That's what companions are for, right?"