Syl’s plan caught me off guard.
But in hindsight, it was surprisingly simple—just a clever shift in perspective.
Obvious once explained, but so out-of-the-box that no normal person would ever think of it.
We’d pose as NPCs.
Step one: using disguise gear to impersonate an NPC, we’d post a collection quest for Bat Claws and Bat Venom.
As long as the quest reward was higher than the NPC selling price, players would flock to it, never suspecting anything strange.
Step two: using a different disguise to appear as a regular player, we’d take the collected items and turn them in to the real hidden NPCs behind the quest.
Since there’s no link between the collecting “NPC” and the quest-givers, no one would suspect a thing.
Just like that, we become the middleman—buying low, selling high. And the profit margin? Not just healthy. Obscene.
“This is something I can take care of myself, Your Majesty,” Syl offered, ever-reliable. “You should focus on gathering advancement materials.”
I nodded.
Dividing tasks like this was efficient—but the plan still needed some polish.
Together, we quickly drafted the quest:
***
Quest: Request from Advanced Apothecary Syl (Repeatable)
Description: Apothecary Syl is researching a new potion but is short on ingredients. Adventurers who lend their aid will be rewarded for their efforts.
Objective:
Bat Claws (0/40)
Bat Venom (0/20)
Reward: 2 Copper Coins
***
Sounds generous, right? But compared to the real hidden quests that gave 1 copper per 10 claws or 5 venom sacs, we were raking in a tidy margin.
Of course, it wasn’t totally free—every 20 quest turn-ins drained about 0.2 Energy from the Heart of Herentis.
We could have used coins instead of Energy, but since I was broke, this method would have to do for now.
Still, just posting a quest wasn’t enough. We needed traffic.
So, I splurged a whole silver coin to rent a shop for one day.
Gave Syl a high-tier apothecary robe to boost her credibility and even used the Heart’s power to craft a golden nameplate that read “Advanced Apothecary.”
Since it was just cosmetic, the energy cost was minimal.
“Perfect,” I clapped my hands, admiring my work.
Syl looked every bit the elite NPC now.
“Your Majesty… apothecary ranks are denoted by robe color, not nameplates,” she murmured, trying to remove it.
“I know, but adventurers eat that stuff up,” I said, pushing her behind the counter. “Now get to work, Miss NPC. I’ll be back after soul shopping~”
…Why did this feel like dropping my daughter off at her first day of school?
After paying for setup and decorations, I had 6 silver and 50 copper left from our earlier auction sales.
Buying 300 monster souls with that amount would be tight, but since advancement didn’t require high-quality ones, grabbing cheap, trash-tier souls was totally doable.
To boost my alternate identity’s combat potential, I picked up a few Dark Verbal Mage skill books. Nothing amazing in the Auction House though—just basic skills.
“Tch. No one’s looted Death Ray or Dark Shackles yet?” I muttered. Understandable—those were high-tier drops, usually hoarded by guilds and parties.
“Where did I find Death Ray last time…?” I tilted my head, digging through old memories. “Right! There was a gold chest near Soma Town!”
I remembered it clearly—one of several chests scattered near low-level zones, most hidden behind trees, rocks, or in caves. One even dropped a top-tier Dark Verbal Mage skill.
Honestly, my memory for in-game loot was uncanny. I could probably write a whole guide on just Soma Town’s chest spawns.
And then it hit me.
A guide. That’s it!
We needed traffic for Syl’s fake quest anyway. Why not funnel it through a guide post?
I tabbed out of the game and logged into the Epoch Forums.
Post Title:
“[Irresponsible Guide Team] Alwyn Empire Walkthrough – Soma Town Edition (Includes Hidden Quest Clues!)”
I listed known equipment and skill drop spots around Soma Town, including several chest locations—only the ones with bronze or low-tier loot, or those hidden inside level 10 zones.
And at the very end, I added a subtle note:
“Advanced Apothecary Syl’s Research Request” is a repeatable quest rumored to yield good rewards. You can find her stall near the north plaza.
Before I posted, I added a cheeky monetization hook—detailed quest info locked behind a 50-credit paywall.
That way, I’d know how many players discovered our scheme and make a little extra on the side. Two birds, one stone.
Back in-game, I grabbed a few rogue skill books—Stealth, Lockpicking, and the basics—and created a new template: a white-haired chibi thief girl.
Then I slipped out of Soma Town, heading straight for the nearest chest.
Obviously, some chests were reserved for me. If players arrived and found them already looted, they’d just assume someone beat them to it.
Still, I left enough behind to maintain my “trustworthy poster” image.
───
Level 3 Fluffy Monster Grinding Zone
Though I could easily stomp the mobs here, I kept things stealthy. Slipping through the edge of the forest, I reached a secluded corner with large boulders.
Between two stones nestled a plain-looking chest, tucked just out of sight.
Glancing around, I confirmed the cotton-ball-like monsters were far enough, then crouched down and started unlocking the chest.
System: Unlocking Chest… Progress 10%… 20%…
Naturally, two cotton-ball monsters decided now was the time to stroll over.
I shifted my body slightly, praying they wouldn’t get too curious.
They did.
Not only did they spot me, but they squealed like angry marshmallows and summoned their friends.
Thankfully, the chest popped open in time.
No chance to check the loot—I sidestepped just as one lunged at me.
With a flick of my wrist, a pair of daggers appeared in my palms, and I drove them into the gut of the charging furball mid-air.
In my past life, as a squishy caster, I’d been ambushed by thieves countless times. After maining one of the weakest classes, you got real good at handling them—or becoming one.
But before I could catch my breath, two new shadows emerged from deeper in the woods…