The plan is as follows.
Using my affinity ability, I'll recruit a large rabbit squad to my side, load them into carts, and head to the tent.
Once night falls, we'll slip into Talia Village's farmlands, release the rabbits, have them raid a massive haul of corn, load it onto the carts, and leisurely exit the village.
It'll be a espionage op that puts the Trojan Horse to shame.
I could borrow more money from Jin-gyu and just buy a ton of corn outright, but the point is how much passion and effort I've poured into clearing this class change quest.
'How did upstanding citizen Kwon Ha-yul end up like this...'
With a hidden class change on the line, my eyes had rolled back in desperation.
All I could hope was that my sincere efforts with the food would fully reach Unggulatuseu.
Besides, animals foraging for food is just the law of nature.
For rabbits, raiding corn is practically their life's purpose.
Crime might be far from nature, but using rabbits to pilfer corn feels utterly druidic, doesn't it?
'That's what I'll believe.'
I rationalized it with logic that even a horse wouldn't buy.
But for this plan to succeed, one key prerequisite was needed.
"Namely, I need an accomplice."
I'd borrowed more cash from Jin-gyu to buy an extra cart.
The existing load was already hefty, and one cart wouldn't cut it for a massive corn haul.
"And you'll be the one pulling that extra cart."
"..."
"I'll pay you generously in three monthly installments. You look sharp enough to see my potential—just think of it as investing in me."
And that's how it happened.
I was proposing a joint operation in a shadowy alley.
To my target...
"...What exactly are you suggesting?"
The fellow slave to capitalism: Ellicia.
They say kindred spirits recognize each other.
She was the type who wouldn't shy from crime if the price was right.
"You're the only talent I can count on for this. For your info, I've got a quest for a hidden class change, and I'm on track to become a Silmaria ranker. This is your chance to score points with me!"
I earnestly persuaded Ellicia.
I had zilch to my name, so it was all about the silver tongue.
"I don't trust you one bit. I thought you were decent, but you're total trash."
Ellicia crossed her legs and arms.
For some reason, I could already guess her next line.
"I've recorded our entire conversation. One word to the guards, and you're off to jail."
"..."
It was within expectations, but damn if she didn't actually say it.
She was a monster born of capitalism, always squeezing profit from any situation. One tough cookie.
"One gold."
She threw out a price tag cold.
"Anything less, and I report you right now. Can you pay?"
So that's what this was about.
She was demanding one gold as her fee.
'One gold could buy ten truckloads of corn, you hag.'
One gold was 100,000 won in cash.
Way over my estimate.
I could swing it, but her haggling style was so infuriating I didn't want to.
"No, at our level, earning one gold would take..."
"No. That's without cash shop spending. This op alone must've cost a pretty penny, right? Not something lowbies like us could cover without it. So, pay up or nah? Just say it."
Ellicia cut me off, crisp and final.
No room for bargaining.
She was the only potential accomplice. Jin-gyu had shot me down flat, too busy hunting.
"Sigh... Fine. Deal."
"Hohoho, smart choice. So, what exactly do I do?"
I grudgingly accepted, and Ellicia hooked her arm in mine with a sly grin.
Crack!
'Hoo, hold it together. Patience brings blessings.'
I wanted to slap that smug face with a full swing, but I mentally carved 'endure' three times.
"Oh right! Contract first. One gold over three months: 33 silver first month, 33 second, 34 last. Send via mail on the 1st each month. Triple penalty for breach, obviously?"
"...Yeah. Deal."
"Hohoho. Wait here. I'll grab the contract."
Ellicia dashed off, returning from the makeshift bank with a Silmaria-exclusive contract form that held legal weight in-game.
I'd never known such a thing existed until today.
"...Wow, you're thorough. Lesson learned."
"Hoho, thanks. Now, let's sign."
Her eyes looked like dollar signs.
She had more talent for business than hunting.
With that cutthroat drive, she'd make a Silmaria tycoon someday.
"So, for the nitty-gritty of this 'corn raid' op..."
After signing, I briefed my new accomplice Ellicia in exhaustive detail on procedures and routes.
She listened intently, nodding along.
"Got it down?"
Even I thought it was a flawless briefing. Just confirming.
"Of course. Pay's secured, so I'll handle it clean. Shake on it."
Thump.
Our hands clasped.
She was a nine-tailed fox of a woman, annoying as hell, but rock-solid as an ally.
With gold on the line, no backstabbing via some bullshit moral code.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The sun had set.
Time for the corn raid.
"...Let's move."
"Got it."
Rumble rumble rumble.
Ellicia and I—decked in farmer garb, masks on, straw hats pulled low—slowly pushed our carts.
Inside each cart, the sixty rabbits I'd recruited earlier lay dead silent, waiting.
I'd petted their butts and heads till my hands were rags recruiting them.
'Earned two whole levels in affinity EXP from it, though.'
Rumble rumble rumble.
To avoid suspicion, we boldly crossed the main road toward the cornfields.
We looked every bit the diligent farmers—no side-eyes from villagers.
Just slip into the fields like this, and the op was 90% success!
"Hmm? You two, where you headed?"
But right before the field path, a middle-aged villager called out.
'Damn it.'
My lips went dry.
Heart pounding at the thought of exposure.
"Do something! Sh-should I kill him?!"
Panicked Ellicia poked my side, whispering, hand inching to her back-slung bow.
'This woman?!'
I inwardly screamed, stopping her hand.
We weren't killing over corn.
'Want to flick her forehead raw.'
This damn Ellicia hadn't absorbed a word of my briefing.
I'd explicitly said if agro pulled from villagers, I'd play laborer to deflect suspicion.
"Pardon? Oh, we're day laborers Izabella hired. Forgot to fertilize before packing up. Heh heh."
"Ha! Diligent folk. Careful in the dark."
The man laughed heartily and left.
Only after he vanished did Ellicia and I exhale in relief.
"Phew... Thought my soul left me."
"Haa... Figured the guards had us. Who's Izabella?"
"Who else? Cornfield owner."
"Whoa... How'd you snag that intel?"
"Asked around beforehand. Can't plan a raid without basics. Enough chit-chat."
Rumble rumble. Thud.
We parked deep in the fields.
Tall cornstalks hid us perfectly.
"Troops, raid corn and load the carts—fast! No replies."
Crash. Stampede.
Rabbits poured from the carts on my command.
Obeying my no-'kkwi' order to the letter.
"Whoa... Unreal. They listen so well. Gotta be a tamer..."
"Shh! Quiet!"
I hushed the chattering Ellicia.
Just shut up already.
Kkwi-kku, per prior agreement, stayed cloaked in prayer stealth, watching for people.
Pat pat pat.
Thud thud thud.
Pat pat.
Rabbits hauled corn by the mouthful; carts filled in seconds.
Enough for heaps of corn soup.
"To Beast Forest now. Kids, you're up."
Sixty rabbits nodded in unison.
They'd pull guard agro; we'd slip out of Talia Village—mission success.
"See you all alive! Go!"
Rumble rumble rumble.
Ellicia and I headed village-side.
And soon.
Kkwi kkwi kkwi kkwi kkwi!
Kkwi kkwi kkwi kkwi kkwi!
Kkwi kkwi kkwi kkwi kkwi!
From afar, rabbits wailed.
Villagers and guards fixated on the 'crop ruiners.'
"R-rabbits!"
"Grab 'em!"
"When'd they sneak in?!"
"Herd 'em one way first!"
Guards rushed off en masse.
Perfect for cart escape.
"Let's go."
Rumble rumble.
Ellicia and I steadily pushed toward Beast Forest.
Carts so heavy, we paced to manage stamina.
Rabbits nailed the agro—no tails on us.
"Heh heh heh, op success."
"Hohoho, brilliant plan, partner."
Clink.
Our fists bumped.
[⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙]
[SUCCESS: Corn raid complete. Gained 500 EXP. ]
'Kuh, stealing gives EXP too.'
Guess that's why folks commit crimes.
The cash gain was nice, but the thrill of nailing the op filled my chest.
Sure, crime's bad—but it's a game. Whatever.
Crop raiding's just content.
"...Hm?"
But as tension eased.
Glancing back just in case, a distant black silhouette seemed to watch us.
'Eek!'
Chills up my spine.
"F-faster!"
"Huh? Why? Someone tailing?!"
"Yeah!"
Dash dash dash!
I hauled ass on the carts.
Forest was close.
Inside, 'Moonlit Path' would get us out of this jam!
"Uwaaaaa!"
Dash dash dash dash!
Ding—
[⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙]
[Acquired skill Dash.]
"Wha?!"
Legs pumping hard, I nabbed a skill.
All those escape EXP piled up into this 'Dash' skill.
Heaven-sent timing.
I sneaked another peek back.
'Shit!'
Black silhouette closing fast.
Too dark for face, but definitely a suspicious guard.
"Huff...! Haah! Haah!"
Low-stamina Ellicia gasped raggedly.
She'd dumped stats in agility; my affinity EXP growth left a big level gap.
I could escape, but she'd get nabbed.
Her safety? Meh. But her cart? No way.
"Gimme!"
Thwack!
I snatched Ellicia's lagging cart, now pulling both.
"Haah... haah... You okay?!"
Ellicia fake-worried with a relieved smirk.
But the silhouette was nearly on us.
"Halt! You thieves!"
Why so fast? Voice gave it away: Guard Captain Hans.
'Caught, we're done!'
No breaking free by force.
He's too strong.
"Remember my last briefing line?!"
"Hah... haah... Huh?!"
Even handing off her cart, crap-stamina Ellicia frowned, matching my pace.
"Think future! Tank this once, I'll make it up big!"
"With what?!"
Playing dumb.
I'd said in briefing: if caught, I'd bail solo. She was a merc hired for one gold.
'Earn that pay.'
Risk scales with fee.
For my solo escape, her sacrifice was safest.
"Dash!"
I gripped my bursting heart and activated.
[⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ ]
[Dash]
Running speed +25%.
Stamina unchanged for 10 seconds.
Dash was prime escape fodder.
I'd sprint 10 seconds without tiring.
Dash dash!
Tiger-momentum, I overtook Ellicia, braced on the cart with arms, then dropkicked her with both legs.
"Eat this!"
Splat!
"Kyaaak!?"
Ellicia's eyes bugged rabbit-wide in shock.
She flew back.
"Guhk!"
Crash!
Flung Ellicia tangled with charging Hans.
Direct hit.
'Serves you right.'
Payback for her overpriced fee.
Imagining her jailed was sorry yet satisfying.
"Won't forget ya!"
Bid Ellicia adieu.
I dragged both carts into Beast Forest.
"Moonlit Path!"
Vwooom—fwoooooosh——!
A white world swallowed me.
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