Versatile: Alternate World

With the coins from the sold Copper Necklaces, my budget has increased significantly. It's not to the point of getting rich but enough to shop quite decently in a bazaar just like this.

Night time is often the liveliest time in the game as that is where shops of various kinds appear that usually are not available in the morning and regular shops. Not only that but if you are a gourmand playing the game, various food shops are also available during the nighttime. It is often the main time where some couples linger and mingle with each other due to the number of stalls that offer food, just like how some areas in real life work.

At the moment, the only vendors are NPCS but once the progression of some players especially those who have already progressed their Ex Jobs, they will be able to set up their own stands and businesses that will allow them to earn more money, and get by using business without trying to fight monsters in the game. That's how things work, enjoying the game while selling stuff, you can play the game your own way.

I am not a day one player in the past timeline so I was surprised to see so many players who already became merchants by taking the Merchant EX Job. In the past timeline, they run the economy, and sometimes, they even collaborate with NPCs, allowing them to increase their profits, and sometimes, they would be too big that they will become famous if their businesses gets really successful.

From what I can see, most [Merchant] players who usually run their own stores are not the adventurer type and do not have the talent in combat, therefore, they choose the easy alternative of earning money.  Of course, they don't get rich overnight, just like in real life, they need to know how to conduct proper business. I am not a businessman so being a business tycoon is not possible for me.

For anyone confused, Extra Jobs or mostly known as EX Job are the secondary professions a player can take. They aren't tied to what class you have and anyone can have multiple EX Jobs. They are good and they even have some things that would allow the player to enjoy other things aside from adventuring, questing, and killing monsters. In fact, it had some uses in adventuring that it is advisable to obtain one as soon as possible.

There are also unique EX Jobs that can be obtained by doing certain things, getting a task done by an NPC, and many more so it is advisable to explore things yourselves.

Ex Jobs can also level players who chose this kind of profession and did not do any questing or adventuring in the wilds. For the equality of all, you can choose two methods of leveling up, for non-combatant players, they will have to convert into [Ex Job Experience]. Not only do they gain experience on the particular Ex Job, but their level will also grow and they can also add stats. If they start to fight monsters, they will earn less experience if doing so to avoid leveling abuse.

For combatant players like me, even though I can get the Ex Job professions, my method of exp is always due to combat. You cannot change your choice once it is done which is why it is always necessary to think through whether they would rather have to earn experience by doing tasks in their EX jobs or by fighting monsters.

I looked around the stalls of every NPC and even players' stalls for merchandise to buy. I might manage to find something I wanted to get especially rare and beginner stuff that is very useful for later on. Who knows what treasure would be lying there for me to get.

As I was passing around stall by stall, I noticed a player arguing with an NPC stall owner. Based on the voice, there is no doubt about it. She might be facing her back to me but I know her very well that it is impossible that I don't know her.

"Why can't I buy this? It is said to be 200 copper but when I handed you 2 silver, you didn't even accept it. Didn't the conversion ratio is 100:1? 100 copper is equivalent to 1 silver right? So why can't I buy it in?!" the girl with violet hair waving and a pointy ear said while holding a bracelet. Based on how the bracelet looks, it is the [Shiny Copper Bracelet]. Cheap and useful for Magicians in the beginning. No wonder she is arguing with the stall owner. The stall is one of those stalls that only accept certain currencies.

"Although it was equivalent, I don't handle silvers in this stall. So if I say copper, then pay 100 copper, not 2 silver." the old man stubbornly said.

The girl still wanted to argue but was immediately cut off by my sudden appearance when I decided to intervene. This type of idiocy will only lead to a bigger problem if she continued doing on arguing. With her personality, it will not end even if the morning sun already rises up in the sky.

"Old man here is the 200 copper, give that to her. You guys can stop arguing, the customers will get scared from both of you making a scene."

Her back was facing me so she didn't notice my approach. She was extremely surprised when I suddenly spoke and handed the copper coins.

"Hmph, you should have asked your companion for coins so that things haven't escalated too much. Here, take it."

The store owner handed the bracelet to her.

She turned to look at me but she was genuinely surprised to see someone like me who has a wolf mask suddenly doing something.

"Man with a Mission?"

My face twitched. Although my style was indeed similar to that band, this wolf-headed mask is much different since it's pure white, unlike those masks that they wear which seem to be based on the Grey Wolf. Though she didn't know it was me yet, I know her in the game and in real life. She is one of my few friends in the real world.

Riko Akusabe.

In the past timeline, she died after a car crash a year later. A good player who is a Magician class that is very capable and dependable in battle. She is also one of the players in the game and in real life that I consider my friend and trusty buddy along with another guy. The only thing is her unprecedented death that happened after she had a fight with her parents in regards to marriage. If not for that, she wouldn't have met her unexpected and untimely demise.

Right now, I am facing her avatar in-game, Dolly. She looked at me with anger but a majority of her facial expressions is showing curiosity to me.

We went to the side of the stall and we started talking. I can already predict her reaction to me helping but yeah, I think it still is the same that I want to already say and predict what she was about to say.

"Hey, are you trying to hit on me? Unfortunately, I am not looking for any significant other while playing a game. I am here to enjoy life and escape reality, not bother with things like that."

"Uh... perhaps you are mistaken. I don't have any reason to ask you out and you guys are just being annoying, to be honest so I decided to intervene. Don't get the wrong idea of me hitting on you. I don't have any plans to have a significant other at the moment too."

"But the store owner is the one who started it, so it wasn't me who made the mess in the first place!" she pouted.

"Listen, in the Bazaar, there are some stalls that have the same policies like them so if they have this kind of policy, you either pay up or just go away from the stall completely. You don't want to get in an argument with them."

"Ugh, who the heck implemented that annoying feature? It is really unnecessary."

"Don't ask me, I am just a player, not a developer of the game. Ask the author if you wanted to know why," I shrugged.

After that, I moved back to the crowded street once again.

"W-wait! What about the payment?" Dolly asked.

I waved my hand and looked back at her coolly.

"You don't need to think too much about it. Enjoy the new equipment."

And after saying that, I disappeared into the sea of people. Of course, I mean it, since she is my friend and I don't want her to meet the same end she did in the past timeline, I would be trying my best to also alter her very death. And if I have done that, I will be saving two lives.