<h4>Chapter 54: Businessman Rank 1</h4>


    "10,000 gold," the Weaponsmith said, without even looking at the gear over the counter.


    "What?! The other day you said that it would be better to buy a kitchen knife than to repair this crap!" n yelled, tapping the rusty sword.


    "I have spoken!" the chubby bearded man said, folding his arms. "That''s what it''ll cost you for me to restore each piece."


    "10,000 gold each?!" n''s face turned red. "Just because I didn''t agree to sell you this stuff?!"


    <i>It''s so obvious what''s happening here! He surely got wind of how rare this gear is.</i>


    "You know I could just go to another town and have them repaired there, right?"


    "Sure, go ahead," the shop owner sneered. "But will other towns be able to teach you Smithing?"


    <i>Oh, right... Before we started arguing, I asked him too if he could teach me the profession.</i>


    "You can''t be the only one that can teach me that!"


    "Yeah, there are others, but you have to start with Smithing Rank 1, which can only be taught by my wife here." The man pointed at the female NPC, grinning innocently by his side. "Go to another town, but they can only teach Smithing Rank 2 and 3, which will be inessible to you."


    <i>I have to think fast! There has to be another way that doesn''t involve getting ripped off by this asshole.</i>


    n opened his Friend List Tab, and tapped on Amelia''s name. <i>I know I said that she has helped me enough, but she''s the only one I can rely on.</i>


    He initiated a video call, and toggle the visibility on.


    As Jared, the weaponsmith peeped at n''s system window from behind the counter, Amelia''s voice filled the room, loud and clear.


    [ <i>Yes, what is it? Hey, how about Chinese food for dinner?</i> ]


    "Sounds great, can''t wait," n replied, ncing at Jared for a second. "But there''s one problem. I''ve been thinking about our previous talk, and you were right, this town won''t cut it."


    Amelia remained silent for a couple of seconds, and noticed Jared in n''s video feed. She then sneered. [ <i>Should I level the entire town then, and start anew somewhere else? Where are you now? I could start from there.</i> ]


    "H-Hold on!" Jared cried, reaching out his hand to n.


    "We''ll talkter," n said, smirking. "Love ya!"


    [ W-What did you--?! ]


    "Yes?" n said softly to a flustered Jared, who seemed as if steam was going to puff out of his ears at any second.


    "I have to make a living too, you know?! " Jared cried, changing his posture from rigid to curved. "Let''s make a deal. I''ll restore all of your items for 5000 gold, and if you want to learn Smithing from my wife, it will cost you 50,000 more!"


    <i>I should have asked him first how much it would cost me to learn the profession. That mistake is on me.</i>


    n ced every single piece of the Beginner''s Set over the counter. "50k gold for everything. The Smithing sses and the restoration."


    Jared wrinkled his nose, looking like a pig for a brief second. "F-Fine! But I''ll take a 5000 gold upfront payment to restore all this first!"


    "Sure. Make them shine."


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    "Do you know why monsters aren''t respawning nearby?" n asked a busy Kristoff, who was examining each restored piece of gear.


    "Because the mobs around this area had no purpose anymore? Who knows? The Administrators rarely exin why they do the things they do. Isn''t that right, dear?"


    "The only thing I know is that they could enve us all and there''s nothing we could do," a snickering Gaby said, handing a couple of white shirts and a dress to her husband. "Here are the Beginner''s clothes, fully restored, dear."


    "Wow, do you really think that?" n asked the woman, who only shrugged.


    "You''ve only been living here for a short amount of time, so you don''t know, but I''ve always felt as if I''m being watched 24/7."


    <i>Hearing that brought back memories of the mysterious pale girl that watched n being tortured by the now Ex-Shooting Stars and did nothing.</i>


    "I... I kind of get what you mean."


    "This is a ce for business, you two, so stop with that crap," Kristoff said gruffly, prompting his wife to get close and kiss him on the cheek.


    "Sorry, I forgot you''re king of this tiny room you call a castle."


    "I am. Very well, n Warden. Here''s your gold and the nk Files stating that you''re now the owner of those two. It was a pleasure doing business with you."


    n nced at his status info. <i>285,000 gold remaining, huh? </i>As he bitterly grinned, his new femalepanions stepped outside of the disying human-sized disy cases and did a curtsy.


    "Greetings, n Warden, my new master." The fox-eared NPC said in an expressionless tone of voice, reminding him of Ashley.


    "Greetings, n Warden, my new master," the second NPC of cat ears repeated beside her ''sister''.


    <i>I don''t think I like being called that...</i>


    "Hi, girls. What are your names?"


    <i>"My name is ''nk'' for now,"</i> the two said in unison. <i>"But you can call me whatever you would prefer."</i>


    Confused, n nced back at Kristoff, who chuckled.


    "Told ya that they were nk."


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    That night, Amelia quickly grimaced at the sight of n stepping into the house with two cute female NPCs following him.


    "Y-Yeah..." he muttered, unable to look her in the eye.


    "What—the—fuck?" Amelia intoned disgusted, crossing her arms. "Someone has read too many harem light novels, huh?"


    "What? No! <i>A few.</i> But I wasn''t thinking about that! Look..." n grabbed the cat-eared NPC by the shoulders. "She could help you run your future fashion shop!"


    "What are their names?" Ashley asked from the couch, Sloochie resting on herp.


    "A literal nk te! I''ve been begging them to tell me their old names, but they refused. Any suggestions?"


    "Anastasia and Be," Ashley blurted out almost immediately.


    "Nickname epted," the two NPCs said at the same time, and their new names appeared above their heads.


    "J-Jackpot!" n beamed, looking relieved. "On a different matter, here is the gold I got for your dress, Ashley."


    A pop-up window appeared in front of the artificial girl. She only had to tap it to ept its contents. "30,000 gold," she said aloud.


    "What?" Amelia frowned before a simr window popped up in front of her, for 65k gold. "What''s this?"


    "The 20,000 gold you lent me, and half the cost of the house. You bought it for 90,000, correct?"


    "Yes, but how did you get all this money?"


    "By selling my old, rare gear, of course."


    "What rare gear?" Amelia frowned notoriously before shaking her head. "Whatever, more importantly, what the hell is your problem, n? Just a few days ago you were upset about people using NPCs as servants, and now you buy two of them?"


    "I liberated them, I didn''t buy them. You should have seen them. They were locked inside a disy case, Amelia. Like dolls!"


    "Because they''re toys, n! For people like us! What are you going to do once we have to get out of the system?! You won''t be able to bring them with us outside! Look at these clothes, this house, that Slime over there! This fake reality is just a distraction until--!"


    "Let me be, dammit!" he yelled, startling her. "This is the only thing I won''t argue with you about! <i>Jeezus!</i> It''s like working in Kintech all over again!"


    The disconcerted Amelia could only raise her eyebrows. She turned to Ashley looking for answers, but the brte girl remained awfully quiet.


    "Listen," n continued, grabbing Amelia''s hand and making her hold the Be NPC by her wrist. "I''m not against them working, okay? Here, you''ll be in charge of Be, so be nice to her."


    "Fine, whatever," Amelia said, looking away. "I could find her useful."


    "Thanks." He nodded softly, turning back, and for a brief second Amelia saw a spark in his eyes.


    <i>The same as when he stormed out of the Townhall,</i> she thought, pursing her lips.


    "Where are you going now?"


    "It''s not dinner time yet, so I''ll train for a couple of hours. Come with me, Anastasia."


    "Yes, Master."


    n could still be heard after closing the door. <i>"And stop calling me that! Call me, n."</i>


    <i>"Understood, Master n."</i>


    "That was definitely unlike him," Amelia muttered, before looking at Be, who smiled at her. "Go sit there, I''ll tell you what to doter."


    "Understood. And nice to meet you, Miss Amelia."


    "I really don''t get that guy..." Amelia said aloud, sitting beside Ashley. "Maybe you could tell me what''s going on with him."


    "This time you will not be able to change his mind," Ashley said while caressing Sloochie''s gtinous body. "This is rted to his old work as an Assistant Engineer in Kintech."


    "Is it something he told you, or is it something you read from his profile, <i>Isabe?"</i>


    Ashley stared nkly at her. "Both. The reason I chose n for the repair of the ship and this mission, was because he fit a certain profile. It''s rted to an incident that urred back when he used to work at Kintech, and the rtionship he has with Automatons..."