Reincarnated Maid – Volume 1 Chapter 4

Translator: Mary    Editor: Arocks141

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Chapter 4: A big wave of players arrive

 

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

That night.

One of the measurements of a game’s popularity is the level of activity on its player forums. Most game forums would inevitably be filled with chat unrelated to the game itself, but when something new happens in-game, the forums would still be the go-to place for relevant discussion.

The official countdown for the public release of the game mechanic to capture Exclusive NPC Anastasia had already started. In order to prevent anarchy, the forum moderators temporarily stickied a thread for discussion.

【ExplosionsEnthusiast: Why aren’t many people discussing this? Has Goddess Anna died?】

【OnlyBaronsRename: The guilds are all preparing tactics to capture Anna – the only one in existence. Once captured there’ll be no further opportunity, whoever publishes anything has a deathwish. You won’t see the usual information leaks.】

【PoisonMilkMaster: Gaining affection requires tactics???】

【YourFather: you can only gift presents to garner affection once a day, of course there’s strategy】

Favourability rating was the only way to acquire exclusive NPC Anastasia according to the official announcement. The sole criteria for capturing Anastasia was stipulated as needing to completely fill one’s rating. In other words, the usual method of obtaining servants – subjugation in battle – did not apply to Anastasia at all.

Players are no strangers to favorability as this is not their first exposure to this concept. There’s an analogous game mechanic between player and servant: support ranking. Support ranking had a probability of increasing whenever a player and servant collaborated in battle. Various other daily activities and special events could also increase it. The simplest and crudest method would be presenting the servant with small gifts, which can result in rapid growth in support ranking.

Another similar game mechanic similar to favourability is the relationship between players and NPCs, normally called [Reputation]. There’s both reputation associated with a location, and reputation with an individual NPC. The flavor of a player’s interaction with an NPC depends on their relationship with that NPC. If the player has a good relationship with them, they would be more likely to give favorable prices for goods and more likely to receive hidden information or hidden quests, etc. Conversely, if a player garners notoriety in an area, not only will commoners raise the alarm to guards on sight, but merchants are likely to cease any business transactions, or they can refuse to give quests, or other such sanctions.

How to raise favourability is a branch of science in itself. Players have collected and collated information about how one’s relationship with particular NPCs can be affected by the NPC’s temperament.  For example, if an NPC is a money-grubber, giving them a little money would massively raise favourability with them. On the other hand, if they were an incorruptible and upright NPC, there would be a possibility of worsening one’s relationship with them.

Considering Anastasia’s capture method, the general consensus among the players was that the linchpin to a strategy would be understanding Anna’s temperament, followed by finding the fastest method to send Anna gifts which she approves of.

【TheMagicMaster: This damn game, let’s go let’s gooo】

【IsMB2OutYet: Exclusive NPC basically belong to the guilds, it has nothing to do with us】

【EternallyLovesLadySaintess: tbh, yesterday I had a dream, and in it I got a hold of Anna】

【TouhouFan: Don’t abandon your dream! Keep on sleeping.】

【Drrrrrr: No, someone should wake him up, he’s about to get diabetes from all the sweetness he’s tasting】

【PickingANameIsSoAnnoying: with an ID like that dreaming of Anna is a serious offense】

【Trafalgar: Does anyone know about Anna’s preferences?】

【Scarborough: no idea】

【CorruptDemonKing: in the book, Anna most loves master’s c***】

【CloudWhite: rofl (insulting)】

【CorruptDemonKing: in doujins, Anna just the same, she’s like a juice presser】

【TouhouFan：Doujins are fine too】

【CaliforniaLight: In TEP’s harem doujins, Anna usually takes the lead, I haven’t seen a book requiring any capturing strategy】

【DefeatedBeCannotDGL: ah, yes, the legendary maid who won the hearts of all doujin protagonists】

【TheLargeUniverse：Maid = Maximum Loyalty = Offer up your all = Completely in Vain】

【ChiefBloodhoof: Actually I want to know, after capturing Anna, whether we would be able to further increase her favourability, in that case, I have a very bold suggestion】

【3000Worlds: Hm? You’re a proponent of slavery?】

【ExtraBrother: Pro-slaverists should leave】

【UnexpectedComet: pure love society will never do slavery】

【D3Bomb: It’s only because Anna’s in a master-less state is her favourability publicly accessible】

【AnnaIsMyWife: I come in here once again to see all of you otaku slandering my wife】

【AcuteDisease: lmao, bastard otaku, talk about yourself】

【TheMagicMaster: You do know tomorrow your wife will become public property】

【NedStark: please just go back to talking about capturing anna again, even if it’s not serious talk】

【AnonymousInvestigator: which guild do y’all think will get Anna?】

【ExplosionsAreArt: Guild accumulates +favourability gifts and hands all of them to the guild leader. The guild leader increases then favourability with Anna. In summary none of the rest of us have a chance】

【AnnaIsMyWife: then what if all of them fail】

【Quake: you should just dream on】

……

Guilds are the term used for organized teams of players in-game. Unlike casual players, the overwhelming majority of guilds clear goals and objectives. For them, playing games was more than just simple leisure and relaxation.

“Guild” was not an in-game term in «The Eternal Pacificus», it was just a customary term the game community used. The player guilds could broadly be divided into three categories: [Aristrocrats] who possessed managerial responsibility over territory, [Merchants] who traveled between the major kingdoms and races to trade, and [Mercenaries] who were battle-oriented players taking advantage of one’s ability to resurrect after death. There were actually far more minor guilds, such as the knights who had earned the recognition of various kingdoms and the priests who had accepted baptism and preached their teachings. Some players even went out into the wild to become bandits.

The attention paid to role and status is one of the charms of «The Eternal Pacificus». For example, an old man fishing in the outskirts could also be just another player. This is something not commonly seen in most other virtual games. As the game officials do not place restrictions on playstyle, middle-aged people have used it as a massively multiplayer online casual game for passing time. One can go on scenic journeys in-game when one has nothing else to do, and should one have the interest in doing so one can work the land and sell their own crops. Some people called «The Eternal Pacificus» the world’s largest social game for retirees.

Casual and social players in «The Eternal Pacificus» were not a minority. However, members of a guild tended to hoard gear – players who desired such high-level servants like exclusive NPCs essentially had to be members of a guild.

Ordinary players are well aware that it is meaningless to try and compete for the resources that guilds want. Despite the public opening up of Anastasia for acquisition, in practice, it would result in simply the addition of yet another powerful servant to a guild. It’s just as if Tsinghua University¹ opened up one more new place for admission. Although this looks like a good opportunity on paper, in reality you wouldn’t be able to work hard enough as qualified people are already fighting their hearts out for those places; joining in on the fight would just result in you being one more unnecessary bystander.

“Let’s wait and see which guild would obtain this beauty” —— this was the general feeling among most of the player base.

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 🙁

1. top Taiwanese university