Chapter 4

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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– Where did that dragon that called it a scam go?

– You’ll have to dance, right?

– Pink Day let’s go.

– I’m craving twerking.

As the quest window appeared properly, the chat started its attack.

Han-bit’s eyebrows were deeply furrowed.

‘Giving such a lie as a quest?’

He let out a sigh.

Julio was trying to frame someone with fabricated evidence.

The target was his rival general merchant, Atsbel.

To Han-bit, she was a true magic teacher and benefactor.

Han-bit turned his head and looked at Yeon-woo.

“They really give you a magic book if you clear the quests consecutively?”

“There are about 3 interconnected quests. If you clear just 2 more covering achievements, you can get the magic book.”

“What about the thief? What happens?”

“She appears briefly in a cutscene, and it looked like she gets caught and thrown into prison?”

– Stay twisted, ugly dragon.

– Even if you change the topic, you still have to dance~

– Newbie dance goes perfectly with a bowl of rice.

Ignoring the ascending chat, Han-bit recalled his memories.

On his first regression in the other world, he was framed as a thief and locked in prison.

The cause was that he was working under Atsbel, the rival general merchant.

That was the single reason.

‘Did you only learn how to steal after becoming Atsbel’s dog?’

Han-bit, who had stopped by Julio’s store for a delivery task, was suddenly cornered as a thief.

Fabricated criminal evidence and soldiers bought with money.

He defended himself using his hands and feet to the fullest, but naturally, it had no effect.

‘Your crime will also be questioned to Atsbel. The shop’s future… won’t it be obvious?’

Julio’s words, flowing with mockery, made him angry enough for his blood to boil backwards.

However, his self back then was far too foolish and powerless, so he ultimately ended up dragged away and confined in prison.

‘Even thinking about it again makes me feel like f*ck.’

His anger didn’t subside even when he immediately took revenge on his next regression.

Despite being in the same trade, Julio always felt an inferiority complex from being pushed back by Atsbel.

Since he was a guy without true ability to begin with, he stubbornly held out by running scams.

Furthermore, in this place where Han-bit didn’t exist, they were pushing Atsbel herself as the culprit.

Recalling his filthy past, Han-bit walked to the display rack.

“Will you do me the favor?”

“Shut up for a bit, you scammer bastard.”

“… Did you just call me a scammer?”

At the word scammer, Julio’s expression changed sharply.

At that moment while observing his face.

Ding.

A hologram window popped up with an alarm.

[Quest]

Find the money bag that Julio hid.

Reward: 500 gold, open quest.

– Huh?

– Excuse me?

– He was really a scammer?

“Huh?”

The flustered viewers’ chats and Yeon-woo opening his eyes wide.

Han-bit walked further inside.

Thump.

Rattle.

Han-bit began kicking through the piled-up luggage.

At that sight, Julio approached as if he were flustered.

“Ugh, you shouldn’t do that! Do not make a mess of the store!”

Even while he was clinging on, Han-bit didn’t stop his feet.

And gradually, when he reached the inner corner, something caught on his foot.

Thump.

‘It’s so identical I’m losing my mind.’

The money bag under the box he had hidden when he cornered him as a thief.

Even the location and size were so totally identical that a hollow laugh leaked out.

Probably, the same item was hidden in Atsbel’s shop, who he pointed out as the thief.

Bending his waist, he ripped out the bag from under the dizzyingly stacked boxes.

“I thought you said it was stolen?”

“…”

When asked toward Julio, his expression stiffened.

Then, he grimaced deeply and said.

“You were a quick-witted fellow.”

– F*ccccck.

– This bastard really was a scammer? Then what did I even get?

– Can we reset the quests?

– Ttl possible if I get hit by a truck to regress.

– Ah, I’m genuinely screwed.

The viewers were appalled at the shocking truth.

They probably never thought they’d be fooled by an NPC.

Julio raised his voice while pointing his finger.

“I have no items to sell to you, so get the hell out!”

“What bullshit.”

Smack!

“Argh!”

Han-bit kicked Julio in the chest.

The guy, sent flying from the impact, collapsed while destroying the display stand.

“What’s going on!”

A voice came from behind right then.

Turning his head, a soldier holding a spear was standing there.

[Moving to cutscene.]

Swoosh.

As the message surfaced, the sight in front of him changed.

In a slightly more distant gaze, there was Julio bound by both hands.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Shut up! Witnesses and evidence regarding your scamming circumstances have already all come out!”

He disappeared outside while dragged by the soldier.

When the screen flashed again, the sight of Julio trapped in prison appeared.

Swoosh.

Concluding with that scene, the screen returned to normal again.

Julio, who was in front of him, had completely disappeared.

‘So there are cutscenes too.’

Normally, he would’ve had to break through the bribed guards and hand him over to someone trustworthy.

But suddenly shifting to a cutscene, the soldier he was trying to find just appeared.

If he was taken away, the situation would definitely be sorted out.

It was a fascinating device that made him realize anew that this was a game.

Ding.

The screen renewed along with the alarm that echoed next.

Various other messages had popped up straight away.

[The quest has been completed.]

[You received 500 gold.]

[The quest has been opened.]

[Upon moving to Atsbel’s general store, a quest will be granted.]

– No, f*ck

– Why is this real;

– I’m telling you to reset it, you sons of *es!

– This trap is too much.

As the truth came to light, the chat window fell into chaos.

Han-bit, who already knew the inside story, also felt complicated.

‘… They seamlessly linked it up like this.’

Putting Julio in prison, it now directly guided him to go to Atsbel.

A flow that seemed to have been waiting for this development.

Was it right to consider this a mere coincidence?

“Hyung!”

Watching the broadcast screen, Yeon-woo approached with his eyes wide open.

He asked, almost shouting in a very small voice.

“What is this? How did you seriously know?”

“That’s…”

About to open his mouth, Han-bit paused for a moment.

Come to think of it, how could he explain this?

Such knowledge in a game he was playing for the first time made no sense.

‘Ah.’

Wrapping his brain around it, Han-bit came up with a piece of sophistry.

If they didn’t believe it, it couldn’t be helped, but he could just tell them the truth later on anyway.

Having made his decision, he spoke to Yeon-woo.

“There’s this web novel I used to read in the past, right? It’s completely gone now, but it feels like the setting is similar to that.”

“A web novel?”

– A web novel?

– Suddenly what?

– Stop whispering already.

The viewers also reacted to the slightly louder voice.

Since it was a necessary process anyway, Han-bit scratched his head and said.

“You might not believe me, but I used to look up a lot of fantasy books in the past. You really might not believe me, but I’m quite well-versed in that field…”

“Ah, I understand.”

Even before his words were finished, Yeon-woo concurred.

All sorts of fantasy knowledge shown during his military service.

Considering that origin, things like books or cartoons were a natural story.

“You really believe this? Why are you believing me?”

“It’s not strange to make a game based on an original IP, right? That author might even be the story writer for RP. But what was the title?”

“… I think it was Erport?”

“Wow, that’s the title? The story goal of RP is finding Erport, though.”

– How is the title Erport;

– Black Dragon, do you like that kind of stuff?

– Shall we talk about it more?

– But it’s my first time hearing that title.

– Probably some utterly ruined piece of trash novel. I could probably write it better. Lol.

– Thus thinking of such a delusion.

Yeon-woo and the viewers completely accepted it.

He somewhat had complicated feelings, but it couldn’t be helped for now.

Ding.

[ㅇㅇ has supported 10,000 won.]

[To think this actually works;]

“Oh! Thank you for the ten thousand won donation!”

Yeon-woo’s voice resounded loudly.

The reward for winning the bet definitely came in.

Since it was a viewer who kept their promise, Han-bit also opened his mouth.

“You really gave it? Thank you.”

– But how did you honestly know?

– His account is brand new though;

– Is the web novel fact real?

– I’m going to go find it.

Plunged into confusion, the viewers started their own speculations.

The account creation date shown on Han-bit’s character info window was exactly today.

Another account that couldn’t exist unless he cloned his body.

In other words, except for the name Black Dragon and automatic customization, it meant the system itself was completely new.

Of course, it was probably a result touched up by a goddess or some sort of lackey.

“This hyung is inherently full of doubts and quite unique, you see.”

Stepping forward, Yeon-woo began his defense.

“If Julio wasn’t a scammer, he probably would’ve just made him one?”

“What? Made him into what?”

“Do you see this fist? The culprit can also be physically fabricated, you see?”

– The Culprit (Custom)

– Physical therapy is acknowledged.

– I won’t mess with him.

Despite the absurd turn of events, the chat window reacted as if it was fun.

‘… Is this what broadcasting is?’

It was still not easy adjusting to the streaming world.

He could just leave the difficult parts to Yeon-woo.

Han-bit was a person who focused on what he was good at.

“Let’s head to Atsbel now.”

“So she’s not… a thief, now. Is that NPC seriously a magic teacher?”

“Yeah. Although I don’t know how it’ll turn out here.”

Yeon-woo quickly followed behind Han-bit, who started walking.

Re-adjusting the camera angle, he said.

“I didn’t know Atsbel would link up like that. I hadn’t seen her ever since the catching the thief part.”

“What? She’s not on your map?”

“Of course not. Like I said, she went to prison after she was caught?”

– Come to think of it, she’s missing for me too.

– I poked around at all the skill quests, though.

– For real, it was a sweet quest so I just did it.

– I have her. Lol. It was magic so I skipped it.

– Yeah, I have her too.

Only a handful of viewers still had her.

Apart from focusing on a single skill, there were no restrictions whatsoever on challenges themselves.

Considering the rewards, trying out simple quests was also natural.

‘Atsbel wouldn’t be able to live with the unfairness.’

At this ridiculous situation, her obvious reaction sprang to mind.

Which means, just as Han-bit eliminated Julio.

Countless players had progressed through the game in a state where Atsbel was absent.

Tap.

Han-bit’s feet stopped as he advanced back through the alleys again.

A slightly shabbier impression than Julio’s store.

However, the atmosphere was a lot more stable.

“Phew.”

Han-bit felt quite nervous.

Unlike Julio, a close acquaintance he truly spent time near.

She was such a benefactor that no amount of gratitude expressed would be enough.

‘What? Why are you asking me for work? Get lost.’

Their first meeting was nothing short of prickly.

However, each time the number of times he showed his face increased, her reaction softened.

‘… Just try moving those goods over there for now. Freeloading is out of the question.’

‘Combative skills? Who are you to… Hah. Instead, at least learn magic from me.’

‘Didn’t I tell you to be careful? Don’t you know it’s your own loss if you get hurt?’

‘Unless you plan to move goods for your entire life, study. You should know the basics, shouldn’t you?’

It was to the point where her initial exclusion felt put to shame, considering how well she took care of him.

Employment and magic education naturally, and even taking the necessary information for the other world, he had received so much.

Even in the situation where the atmosphere turned strange because of the false charge he was framed for.

Atsbel was the exact same.

‘It’s your fault? Stop saying nonsense that doesn’t even sound like speech. I won’t let Julio, that rat-like bastard, go undisturbed.’

She left a firm statement and departed when she came finding him at the prison.

The story heard at the prison a few days later was the news that Atsbel had been burned to death.

Creak.

Opening the door cautiously, Han-bit walked inside.

[General Merchant Atsbel]

At the counter rested a young blonde woman supporting her chin.

Han-bit quietly murmured her name on his lips.

“Atsbel.”