The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage

Chapter 14

“Huff, huff… I-I almost died!”

Thanks to the players’ quick actions and Seonghyeon’s intervention, Marlene had regained consciousness.

She trembled, muttering how close it was to being a disaster.

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen an NPC collapse.”

“Right? Wasn’t that super risky?”

“Pfft, seriously though, who dies just from seeing a mountain of meat and leather?”

The players joked and laughed, making light of the situation.

It was unthinkable in a game for an NPC to die from simply witnessing a large stockpile of goods.

That’s likely why they dismissed the incident so lightly.

But.

‘It really was dangerous.’

Marlene’s soul had been halfway out of her body. She’d been genuinely close to death.

Of course, no one else could see that—only Seonghyeon was aware of the truth.

Once the commotion settled, Marlene stood up and once again stared at the massive piles of leather and meat in awe.

‘Unbelievable…’

It wasn’t uncommon for travelers to hunt plenty of rabbits and sell them before leaving the village.

But to amass a mountain like this?
Never in her life had she seen such a sight.

Even more impressive was that the haul included green deer and a tiger.

This wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

‘I need to inform the village chief.’

A remarkable visitor had appeared in Hindel Village.

As Marlene marveled, a peculiar thought crossed her mind.

‘Wait a minute. How did that mage unlock the Hunter’s Forest so quickly?’

The Hunter’s Forest was a hidden dungeon that could only be accessed after forming a strong bond with Hindel’s sole mage.
Seonghyeon, however, had bypassed the process entirely, learning of its existence from the ghost and going there directly.

In effect, he had skipped the formalities and claimed the result.
Given how meticulous the mage was, there was no way she would have granted access in just one day.

Still, the method didn’t matter.
What was important was that Seonghyeon had succeeded in retrieving this bounty.

Looking again at the towering pile of meat and leather, Marlene felt overwhelmed.

‘He did seem unusual, but…’

She’d thought he was an exceptional outsider, but this was beyond anything she could’ve imagined.
The sheer amount was staggering, even for her.

Still, Marlene quickly assessed the stockpile with a butcher’s practiced eye.

“One hundred… thirty-two rabbits. Ten green deer and one tiger. Since Seonghyeon’s a regular, I’ll price the rabbits at 10 silver each, the green deer meat at 100 silver per animal, their leather at 300 silver, and lastly, the tiger’s leather at 3,000 silver.”

The total came out to 9,640 silver.
Since 100 silver equaled 1 gold, that meant 96 gold and 40 silver in total.

But Marlene decided to be generous.

“Here! 100 gold! No other place would pay you this much!!!”

“Oh!”

“Whoa, seriously?”

Seonghyeon was visibly surprised, which made Marlene laugh heartily.
She’d added an extra 4 gold to the total—a gesture of genuine appreciation.

It wasn’t something she would’ve done if the quality of the goods hadn’t impressed her.

Seonghyeon felt grateful.

“Thank you very much.”

“Bwahaha! No need! I should be thanking you!!! Even with the bonus, this quality is worth every coin!!! I’m not losing anything here!!!”

[You sold goods at the butcher’s shop and earned 100 gold.]

Marlene remained as bold and fiery as ever.
Despite her rough exterior, it was clear to Seonghyeon that she had a warm and generous heart.

While he reflected on her kindness, the players gathered nearby were in uproar.

“What the heck?! Did you hear that? 100 gold?!”

“Wow… I’ve seen people struggling with 50-gold challenges in the starter village, but 100 gold? That’s insane.”

“Wait, is that even possible? Isn’t that way too much money to earn?”

“Even if you hunted over 100 rabbits, you wouldn’t make that. Where’d he even get deer and tiger?!”

“More importantly, how’d he hunt them? At level 1?!”

They were baffled. The feats Seonghyeon had accomplished seemed utterly unattainable for ordinary players.

This was genius-level talent—a realm beyond the comprehension of the average person.

Instead of jealousy, all they could feel was awe.

The crowd parted to let him pass.
Faced with such an overwhelming gap, envy didn’t even enter their minds.

The players at the butcher shop murmured among themselves.

“Wow, he already got a Steel Sword and took down a training dummy in one hit…”

“He’s incredible.”

“It’s like watching a future top-ranked player.”

“Exactly!”

The fuss was more than Seonghyeon could handle. Embarrassed, he hurriedly left the butcher shop, much like before.

Though he understood they meant it as praise, hearing it directly made him feel awkward.

It was no surprise he wanted to avoid the attention.

Watching his retreating back, Marlene chuckled softly. His combination of extraordinary skill and bashful demeanor was charming in its own way.

Still, there was more pressing business to attend to.

Before accepting the next customer, Marlene turned to Hans, another butcher shop employee.

“Hans, deliver this to the village chief.”

“Right away.”

Hans nodded and left with the goods, understanding from Marlene’s tone that it was important.
He reasoned it must involve something significant.

Since Hans would reach the village chief before Seonghyeon, that settled Marlene’s concerns for now.

Returning to her usual boisterous self, she called out loudly.

“Next!”

1.

After leaving the butcher shop and jogging for a while, Seonghyeon’s flushed face began to cool.

‘Have I ever received this much praise in my life?’

Between the training ground and the butcher shop, he’d heard more compliments today than he could ever remember. Yet he still couldn’t get used to it.

If only he’d been focused on something else, he might’ve been able to ignore it. But in moments like these…

‘It’s a little overwhelming.’

Though not unpleasant, the embarrassment was hard to shake.

At least he had finished selling the leather and meat at the starter village for an incredible sum.

100 gold.

‘How much is that again?’

He vaguely recalled checking the exchange rate last night but couldn’t remember exactly.
Was it 10 silver per dollar?

That would mean 1 gold was nearly 10,000 won. Doing the math…

‘This is worth around 1 million won?’

100 gold in the starter village.
Even with their higher-than-average payouts for meat and leather, it was an astonishing amount.
Most players didn’t earn even 10 gold before moving on, making this ten times the norm.

Seonghyeon swallowed nervously at the realization.

‘This is huge.’

While he hadn’t initially considered the financial potential of gaming, this kind of money was hard to ignore.

‘Hmm.’

The game was enjoyable, and it paid well.
There was no reason not to pursue it seriously.

Especially since his sister seemed to be supporting him.
And above all…

‘I’ve got the Almighty class.’

If that were all, he might not have taken things so seriously.
But combined with the memories and experiences of the Demon King—the world’s most powerful antagonist—it was a no-brainer.

Although he regretted Helena’s soul moving on, leaving behind only her memories, he could still make full use of her knowledge.

Not taking advantage of it would be foolish.

Seonghyeon had already made up his mind.

Who would’ve thought he’d decide to pursue gaming full-time on his very first day?

‘Mom and Dad don’t seem too concerned, either.’

Both parents were already aware of his sister’s success in gaming, so they hadn’t said much about it.

For many, choosing gaming as a career could seem reckless.
Even with Eternal World’s massive popularity, it was still hard for older generations to see it as a legitimate job.

Yet his parents supported him unconditionally.
That kind of acceptance deserved respect.

‘I’ll have to repay them.’

And maybe even scold his sister a little while he was at it.

Lost in thought, Seonghyeon soon found himself in front of the village chief’s house.

Compared to the other houses, it was larger and guarded by soldiers at the entrance.

Ordinarily, players would need to complete several fetch quests to gain entry.
But for Seonghyeon, that wasn’t necessary.

He had a trump card: Gruger’s Recommendation Letter.

As he approached, the guards eyed him warily. Just then, the door to the chief’s house opened, and someone stepped out.

The NPC looked vaguely familiar.

‘Wait, isn’t that…?’

It clicked.
The man was an employee from the butcher shop—one of Marlene’s workers.

Why was he coming out of the chief’s house?
Seonghyeon didn’t dwell on it for long, deciding it wasn’t his business.

“Hans, try getting her to lower the price on the next delivery.”

“Pfft, you know Marlene’s personality. No chance.”

“True enough. Haha! Take care.”

“You too.”

The guards laughed as Hans departed, waving him off.

Hans exchanged friendly banter with the guards and sprinted back toward the butcher shop.

On his way, he noticed Seonghyeon standing outside the village chief’s house and greeted him warmly.

“Oh! If it isn’t Seonghyeon! Wow, you’re already here to meet the chief? You really are something else! May your path be forever bright! Well then!”

“Uh, thank you?”

Before Seonghyeon could finish replying, Hans had already dashed off at full speed.
Seeing how fast he moved, it was no wonder Hans had arrived later than Seonghyeon despite leaving first.

That, however, wasn’t what mattered now.

After Hans disappeared, the two guards at the chief’s house turned their attention to Seonghyeon.

“We can’t just let any outsider in here.”

“You’ll need to help us with some tasks before you can gain entry.”

The guards spoke with an air of authority, but Seonghyeon was prepared. He pulled out Gruger’s Recommendation Letter and handed it to them.

“What!?? T-That’s the instructor’s recommendation!?”

“So you’re that outsider! Apologies for the delay! Please, go right in!”

“To think you’ve been acknowledged by Gruger himself! My apologies for not recognizing you sooner!”

“Haha! Anyone recognized by Instructor Gruger must be remarkable!”

“Uh, t-thank you….”

Overwhelmed by their nonstop praise, Seonghyeon flushed with embarrassment. The guards opened the door to the chief’s house with great deference.

One of the guards knocked lightly and called out, “Chief! An outsider with Instructor Gruger’s recommendation wishes to enter.”

No response came from within, but the guard seemed to interpret the silence as approval. He kindly opened the door wide.

“Go on in. Haha. It’s an honor to meet someone like you!”

“You’ll be the pride of our village!”

“Thank… you.”

Blushing, Seonghyeon stepped inside the chief’s house.

In the sitting room, an elderly man reclined in a rocking chair. His wrinkled face was framed by long eyebrows that twitched slightly as he regarded Seonghyeon.

Though the chief’s eyes were buried in folds of skin, Seonghyeon felt as though their gazes met.

“Hello, I’m Seonghyeon,” he greeted politely.

“Welcome. I am Palm, the chief of Hindel Village,” the old man replied.

Despite his frail appearance, Chief Palm’s voice carried a surprising strength. The contrast left Seonghyeon mildly impressed.

‘For someone so old to speak with such vigor…’

Seeing Seonghyeon’s reaction, Palm gestured toward a chair opposite his.

“Sit.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Seonghyeon took the offered seat.

The moment he settled in, Palm spoke. “I hear you’ve dealt with the Hunter’s Forest?”

“Yes, I did.”

Seonghyeon didn’t bother asking how Palm knew. He assumed it was simply part of the game’s system.

‘If this conversation ends here, I’ll be moving on to the next village soon.’

Seonghyeon allowed himself a small smile, but Palm’s next words took him by surprise.

“It’s been our village’s tradition to reward adventurers who resolve the troubles of the Hunter’s Forest. You, an outsider, deserve nothing less than a family heirloom.”

“A family… heirloom?”

The word rang a bell, sparking an unsettling suspicion in Seonghyeon’s mind.

‘It couldn’t be… could it?’

As he mulled over the thought, Palm elaborated.

“One piece of the Forest Hunter Set that cannot be found in the Hunter’s Forest: the Green Deer Leather Gloves. I’ll tell you where they are.”

“Oh.”

Seonghyeon held back from saying, I already have them, but the realization left him in an awkward spot.

The ghost he’d encountered before was apparently the former village chief.

‘Should I ask for a different reward?’

As Seonghyeon wrestled with the situation, Palm’s bushy eyebrows twitched again, and his eyelids lifted ever so slightly.

Then came the question.

“Those gloves on your hands… they look awfully familiar.”

A cold sweat trickled down Seonghyeon’s back.

Gulp.

What was he supposed to say?

Summoning all his focus, Seonghyeon’s mind raced for a solution.

In that instant, he recalled the memories of Helena, the Demon King. Helena had been a master at evading accusations.

Drawing on her expertise, Seonghyeon responded smoothly.

“I would feel uncomfortable accepting such a precious heirloom from your family.”

“Hmm.”

Palm seemed to take the indirect refusal in stride, nodding thoughtfully.

“Very well. If you feel that way, I understand.”

“Phew.”

“You’re wearing something similar, anyway.”

“…”

So he’d noticed after all.

Still, the fact that Palm let it slide was a relief.

While Seonghyeon felt a twinge of disappointment about the missed opportunity, he chose to let it go.

That’s when Palm made an unexpected offer.

“In that case, I’ll give you something else as a reward.”

“Huh?”

“What? Surprised?”

“…A little, yes.”

“It wouldn’t be right to withhold a reward after I’ve already promised one. Our family believes in proper etiquette.”

Seonghyeon found himself impressed by the chief’s integrity.

Palm got up from his rocking chair, moving with surprising vitality for someone so old.

‘Should I help him?’ Seonghyeon wondered, but Palm seemed perfectly fine on his own.

Walking to a chest near the fireplace, Palm opened it with a decisive motion. It appeared he’d already chosen what to give.

What he retrieved was a staff—a mage’s staff imbued with a strange energy.

“Looking at you, this staff seems to suit you perfectly,” Palm said with a chuckle, handing it to Seonghyeon.

The moment he touched it, a system notification appeared.

[You have obtained the Forgotten One’s Staff from Chief Palm of Hindel Village.]

‘The Forgotten One?’

Intrigued, Seonghyeon checked the item’s details.

Forgotten One’s Staff
→ Rare+
→ A staff whose original owner has been forgotten.
→ Though its wielder’s identity is unknown, faint traces of power suggest they were a formidable dark mage.
→ Slightly increases mana regeneration after using dark magic skills.
→ Slightly enhances the power of dark magic skills.

‘Wow.’

It was the perfect staff for Seonghyeon, who had become the Overlord.

Though the boosts were only minor and not percentage-based, the Rare+ grade made it more than satisfactory.

‘I thought I’d already claimed all the rewards from the Hunter’s Forest.’

It felt like receiving an unexpected gift from Santa Claus.

But how did Palm know this staff was exactly what he needed?

‘Does he know I’m a dark mage?’

Before Seonghyeon could dwell on the thought, Palm asked another question.

“Where are you headed next?”

“Pardon?”

Momentarily distracted, Seonghyeon hadn’t caught the question. When he realized, he quickly answered.

“I’m planning to go to Persville.”

Persville was one of the villages players often visited after leaving Hindel. Not only did it have many advantages, but Seonghyeon’s sister had strongly recommended it.

The village was known for its skilled trainers who taught valuable skills.

Palm nodded slowly, as if expecting the answer.

Then, with a cryptic expression, he offered a final piece of advice.

“Seek out the gravekeeper, Garik.”

[You have obtained a clue about Gravekeeper Garik.]

Palm’s words triggered a new system message.

Though brief, they provided a crucial hint.

‘A hidden piece clue?’

It almost felt like the game was being too generous.