Chapter 4 : Quest
"Ahhhh!"
Lee Hyun, got out of the capsule and thrashed about in bitterness from having to die at at the very last moment.
Although he was prepared for death due to the difficulty of the mission, so he wasn't in the least concerned about having lost his life, but he wanted a chance to confirm the items that he had picked up.
"It definitely must have dropped something good!"
A boss-class monster.
A monster similar to the Lich Shire would probably never appear in front of him again. Even if another one was found, the monster would probably be well beyond the abilities of any group. After having killed such a monster, he hadn't even been able to confirm what it had dropped.
"If it was a robe that dropped, it would be big."
Lee Hyun paced nervously around the room.
Vine's Magic Robe.
It had only appeared once, and its price had not been announced. It hadn't appeared on any auction site, instead a buyer had appeared through the Dark Gamer's Union. Even if it was for auction, not many people could buy afford such an expensive item anyway. Therefore it was more common to procure elite items through the Dark Gamer's Union.
"Robe. Robe. Robe!" Lee Hyun desperately prayed that he had acquired the robe.
"I know I got a hold of something....Whew." Lee Hyun sighed deeply.
There had never been a time, in the game, where things had gone right for him.
Even if he had been hit by a massive scale attack, the fact that his boots and hat had been broken, even after having been maxed out in durability through his repair skill, was a symbol of his bad luck.
"It doesn't have to be a robe. Shoes! Yes, Kurdal's Shoes wouldn't be so bad either."
Lee Hyun lowered his expectations.
In fact, even if the Lich Shire had been dressed in those items, there was no guarantee that those were the items that would have dropped. The term 'japtem' didn't exist for nothing. Even if he had picked it up, he could have lost it when he had died.
"I wonder, what about the quest..."
Lee Hyun sighed.
There was no way to find anything out.
With him dead, it raised the question of how the war turned out, and whether he had completed the quest.
He would only be able to confirm everything after logging in again.
"I can't help it. I'll just rest for now."
Rather than having to wait anxiously for a day, he chose to put his mind at ease. No matter what he did, he wouldn't be able to find out anything until the suspension is lifted.
Since he had been preparing for the quest, he hadn't been able to sleep properly, so his accumulated sleep deprivation kicked in. It was better to just sleep with his mind at ease.
***
People who watched the Orc Quest from the Hall of Fame, were waiting the video results of the large-scale war.
Numerous posts were popping up.
- Why has the video not been uploaded?
- Considering the time the video had been uploaded the last time, the quest should've progressed by now.
- Aah. I'm curious about the result.
At first, there were a lot of people filled with hope.
They were content with simply watching the adventures of the legendary Weed. The user that had climbed to the zenith of the 'Continent of Magick'. A game that had reigned on top for twenty years.
Wizards were filled with hope of finally being able to advance to the Necromancer class.
The people were not only interested in the large scale war, but also in the prestigious A-class quest. Even C-class quests gave a sense of accomplishment when finished, so they were curious about what an A-class quest would be like. Therefore, the Hall of Fame was filled with millions of people. They were waiting to see the video as soon as it came up.
However, with the Orc's grand quest not progressing, and another video attracted the attention of the waiting people.
The Crimson Wing Guild
It was one of the top ten most prestigious guilds in the continent of Versailles. The leader Terose released a special video.
The video only spanned five minutes!
Although the video was too short to announce a quest or display a good fight, it still attracted people, simply because of Terose's name.
Since it would take a while to be able to watch the large-scale war of the Undead Legion, they had no problem watching a short video.
The video showed people entering ancient ruins.
"It's the Barbarian Warrior, Pline-nim."
"The Feared Assassin Dane is there, too!"
"The Magma Witch, Do-Gwang is there as well!"
All the strongest members of the Crimson Wing Guild were present.
Paladins, Priests, Thieves, Wizards, Adventurers, Assassins, Bards, Warriors, Summoners, Shamans, Rangers.
Beside these classes people commonly chose, there was also the witch class with reduced vitality but increased magic power!
The witch who fought with a single dagger without ever retreating, a man completely crazy with daggers, Do-Gwang! The man said to live in a fortress full of monsters, assassinating them every moonless night, Dane!
Even famous users and unique professions were members.
Needless to say, The Crimson Wing Guild was large and famous throughout the continent.
These rare, high level users had all gathered and were going into the ruins. Just this fact alone made other users excited.
Terose was clad in a crimson armor, spoke with his cold and unique voice to attract attention.
- Finally, we have reached the tomb of the Scorpion King, after tracking down the tiniest clue, we have, at last, found it.
Even while Terose was speaking, guild members were entering the ruins.
Terose paused for a brief moment, after which he opened his mouth again.
- No matter how harsh the road or the obstacle lying before us may be, we will definitely overcome it. I will put my life on the line to solve this quest. Only those that do not lose hope may prevail. Let us depart, the A-Class quest is waiting. Scorpion King's Tomb, I will beat you.
Another A-Class quest!
It was more than enough to make people enthusiastic.
Terose, after saying one more line, disappeared into the ruins along with his guild members.
- Behold our unyielding courage and honor. From now on, watch our fight, our spilled blood and our honorable victory.
The video ended there.
The meaning of his message remained unclear. There were many questions left unanswered about the nature of the A-Class quest, but soon it was answered.
Ten minutes after the video had been uploaded into the Hall of Fame, users discovered that CTS Media was broadcasting the quest of the Crimson Wing guild. On top of that, it was a live coverage of the Crimson Wing Guild exploring the ruins.
***
'We're managing well.'
Terose was showed a fully satisfied smile.
In fact, they had already started exploring the ruins some time ago. On their first attempt they had lost some men, but together with their losses they had found out the way to the door leading to the stone chamber. However, due to not having the necessary sacrifice for the altar, they had to return.
'It's time to complete this quest.'
Terose pretended to survey the ruins along with this guild members. The thieves and assassins opened up the path, while warriors and paladins prepared for danger with shields raised.
"Kuaak!"
"Watch out. It's a trap!"
The guild fought dangerous monsters and destroyed deadly traps. Sometimes they had to face large monsters, which resulted in a few deaths.
"Don't give up. The real danger isn't even here yet"
"Keep going. Something of this degree cannot stop us, the Crimson Wings."
"The blood we've spilled will help us reach our goal"
"Don't let your comrades die in vain. Don't give up here!"
All around, high level users exclaimed frivolously.
Terose had mobilized over a thousand high-level users of the Crimson Wing Guild, four times the number of people in the last expedition. Therefore the average level was lower than usual. Still, they mobilized as much users with a level of over 310 as possible.
'We can't afford to miss this opportunity.'
Terose took full advantage of the quest to promote his guild.
Broadcasting a difficult expedition 24/7 would greatly increase the guild's fame. Additionally, by completing an A-class quest, they would be able to establish themselves as a strong guild to spectators.
'If this quest turns out well, the guild would be able to spread their influence on a larger scale. First, raise funds to increase our size. If the newcomers level up high enough, the title as the strongest guild can be seized from the Hermes. We, the Crimson Wing, will dominate the continent.'
Terose puffed up his chest.
His ambition knew no bounds.
"Aaaaah!"
"Put more strength into it! Priests, heal our injured colleagues!"
The Crimson Wing Guild pierced through the hard way.
In reality, they had already advanced a great deal during the last expedition, but they acted as if they knew nothing of the dungeon, and faked their hardships in order to gain more viewership.
The guild members worked hard on their act. They had died knowing that it was coming. They had deliberately placed less men than needed to clear the paths; of course, they had already promised a substantial compensation to those that died.
"Even if I die, the expedition must continue."
"Yeah, trust us"
Terose purposely took his guild members deeper into the dungeon while the Dark Gamers, positioned at the rear of the expedition, could do nothing but smile cynically.
"They're doing such useless stuff"
"Just increasing the number of people will only increase the losses."
"That's all just wisdom of life. You can't do such a thing with being just a little crafty."
"It doesn't concern us since we just have to receive what we worked for. But the fact that we can't fight is a bit unsatisfying."
The Dark Gamers followed while complaining.
***
The Crimson Wing Guild finally arrived at the altar after having gotten lost numerous times. It was the entryway to the deeper parts of the ruin, the tomb of King Belsos.
"We have finally arrived."
Terose trembled with excitement.
The quest they had received required them to retrieve the horn flute of King Belsos. But the tomb's interior was also said to have been filled with rare swords and magical items.
Terose took a look around.
A thousand users had entered, but only about 650 remained. Almost 350 had died while coming here. Compared to the last expedition, in which they had kept to the correct path, it was a rather high number. Even at that time they had lost 45 men near the entrance, and the number grew until reaching 130 deaths by the time they had reached the altar.
Since this time the number of weaker users had increased, it resulted in receiving higher damage. However, this was an A-Class quest, so the extent of the damage taken was to be expected, hence, their expressions did not falter.
"Let's get started. Everybody get ready"
Terose placed 7 scorpion sculptures on the altar. At that moment, the large door carved with a crimson scorpion, started opening with a loud sound.
*Kruuuguuung!*
Nervously, the guild members held their weapons closed to their bodies. In the ruins, the use of magic was impossible, so the users had to rely on their physical strength.
It was full of beasts unheard of in normal monster books.
"Monsters."
"Everyone prepare for battle!"
"Let's fight 'till death."
"We can't go back after coming this far!"
Terose entered the battle and commanded his guild members.
The Dark Gamers weren't there for show, either. They formed a circle to defend themselves, Priests in the middle and combat specialized classes protecting them.
Even though the formation was completed very quickly, some of the demon beasts managed to reach them.
*Kuuhuung!*
The beasts cried.
Due to their ferocious attack, the expedition continuously lost more of its members. If they had stayed near the narrow door, instead of taking their circle formation, they would have achieved much better result. Because they relied on what they had always done, they lost more lives than necessary.
But because the Crimson Wing Guild mobilized all their power, the warriors, paladins, and swordsmen led the battle on the front lines.
"We won!"
Only about 480 remained after winning the battle. Many had fallen yet again, but they were able to come out victorious.
"Let's go in"
Terose hurried inside. The opened door had been shining with a brilliant light.
The members of the expedition that had entered the demon beast's lair could do nothing but gape in wonder.
"Iyaaahh!"
"Treasure."
In the depths of the room was a gigantic golden scorpion statue, and various treasures were piled on or near it, forming a mountain.
"It's gotta be at least a half a million gold."
"Half a million? This has got to be at least a million."
Money wasn't the only thing that had made the expeditioners excited. There were items scattered everywhere. Scattered treasures that were piled up shone brightly.
Terose easily found the horn flute lying in front of the golden scorpion statue.
"This is it."
Terose raised the horn flute. Their mission was to bring the flute back to Count Grace.
'With this, the quest will be complete.'
It had been pretty difficult, but they had safely reached their goal.
Terose's future looked bright.
The CTS media was broadcasting this right now. At least a million people were watching, perhaps even ten million.
Once the A-class quest is finished, people's minds will be imprinted with an unforgettable scene. The video shown by media would be watched repeatedly, creating a glorious image.
The Crimson Wing's supremacy would only be a matter of time.
Then a pure white sword caught Terose's eye. The sword's hilt was engraved with flame-shaped patterns. Although there was countless of treasures in there, among it was something particularly refined.
'That's unique. Maybe it's the king's sword, but I'm not quite sure.'
Terose's eyes glinted with greed.
No warrior should be too greedy when getting a better sword, but they held great pride in improving their maximum damage output rather than focusing on their defence.
Every sword is significantly different in terms of their damage output. Naturally, an excellent sword couldn't be compared to a normal sword. Depending on the job, alignment or even the monster's characteristic, swords would vary even further. Against monsters of the fire attribute you should use ice-type weapons and against dark-attributed monsters, a holy weapon was the way to go. Therefore, warriors would normally possess up to three or four different types of swords.
'For the Crimson Wing to reign over the entire Versailles Continent, it is necessary to possess an excellent sword. A sword of this prestige will greatly increase my reputation.'
Terose silently fixed his eyes on the sword. Being the head of the guild, he desired to possess an excellent sword. The beautiful sword appeared to be a work of art. With his dignity and prestige, only a perfect sword was worthy of him.
Then the guild saw Terose and the sword.
"Terose go ahead, take it."
"Sir Terose, you have suffered a great deal, so you deserve the sword."
Terose's guild officers encouraged him to take the sword. Underneath the sword, they discovered an signboard.
After looking at the sword for a long time, it gave off an intense sensation.
"Hey, there's something written on it!"
Sabron deciphered the characters.
Take the sword
"It says take the sword."
"Me, take the sword?"
Terose didn't look enthusiastic on the surface, but he was secretly excited as he reached for the sword.
If Weed had been there, he would have been suspicious five times over already! With such easy battles, they should have been suspicious of their surroundings. Considering how smoothly everything went, this A-class quest was too easy. They had only encountered a few dangerous battles.
In contrast to Weed, who had commanded his troops and led them into battle; that in itself, was an achievement. However, neither the Orcs nor the Dark Elves were able to use their full potential.
The enemies were far too weak. The difficulty of this quest couldn't even compare to the Undead Legion's quest. Furthermore, this quest stated nothing about acquiring a sword.
That moment Terose just grabbed the sword.
*Flash!*
The place was filled with treasures made out of gold.
"What's going on?"
"The area is getting brighter."
The people could not find where the light came from. After looking up, they found the source.
The Golden Scorpion had awakened.
"Fearlessly entering the tomb of Belsos - the great emperor of fire - with greedy intentions. The king is fed up with you fools. Those who trespass shall not be forgiven. A Fiery Retribution shall consume every one of you!"
*Hwareureuk!*
While holding onto the sword, Terose's body burst into flames. Within moments, he turned to ashes and died.
Another disaster befell on the expedition.
Fire spirits!
Countless fire spirits appeared and attacked them all at once.
The expedition party failed to respond to the sudden situation and its battle formation became disorderly, until it finally collapsed. While observing the expedition turning to ashes, the Golden scorpion said:
"Foolish mortals! You have aroused the wrath of King Belsos and have brought a curse of fire upon the continent."
***
CTS media was broadcasting their adventure to millions of people.
The Crimson Wing guild crumbled at that moment. Greed caused the Crimson Wing guild to fail the quest and led them to their downfall.
At first, they didn't understand what the golden scorpion statue was saying. Then they realized that they had failed the quest.
People on Royal Road began to start posting furiously.
- Humidity is on the rise.
- The rays of sunlight suddenly intensified.
- It seems like the temperature rose by about 5 degrees.
The curse of King Belsos!
It created a heat wave.
The continent was hit by a sweltering heat wave all year long, turning it into a place of death.
Albeit briefly, it was a good moment for those who controlled the Elements of Fire, because the fire magic became powerful and prosperous. Even if they liked the fire element, that only lasted until the sweat ran down their spine. Before leaving on a hunt with colleagues, it was great to breathe in the cold air of dawn, which is now impossible because of the heat.
There was a tremendous outcry from users!
Accusations were made that the Crimson Wing guild caused this situation. The Crimson Wing guild, who was affiliated with the A-Class quest were punished for their pride and arrogance. The guild became stigmatized by their failure, so they were recognized anywhere they went.
Merchants and Traders alike refused to sell any of their merchandise to them, and players refused to party with them.
Allied guilds left one after another, turning their backs on them.
The once high reputed guild had now collapsed.
***
With his spare time, Lee Hyun washed his face and took long baths.
"I like summer."
It was quite difficult to take a bath in the winter. First of all, the boiler had to use more power to heat up the water. With extra cost added to the electricity bills, he would never get rich. In contrast, the summer was really nice. He had the option of taking a cool bath.
After he finished taking a bath, he went onto the auction site.
Orc's Glaive, loads of Elven headbands, rare herbs that can be used as a special poison, and japtem.
With his tailoring and blacksmithing skills, he intended to use the ores and leathers he had accumulated during his journey throughout the Yuroki Mountains and Plains of Despair, so he didn't post them on the auction site. Rather than selling an unprocessed ore, he wanted to sell the items he made to players, as it was easier to find buyers for them.
He took a short rest and then he sent his sister to school.
Lee Hyun spent almost 24 hours daily, exploring Royal Road.
To gain experience and items in order to make money!
"Can I finally login to check what I got?"
It had been exactly 24 hours since he died.
***
The Director of KMC Media had been trying to contact Weed by making phone calls, and sending dozens of e-mails and private messages.
But to his distress, he had not gotten a single reply.
"Please read your damn e-mail!"
The KMC media director was a man of little patience. He was using every method available to him.
Then in the car, his eyes widened as he saw items from the Lich Shire available on the trading site.
"This is it, That's what I'm talking about"
Weapons from Dark Elves and Orcs, leathers from Giant Monsters.
There's no doubt about it.
The director immediately made a bid on the items.
He bidded as much as 30 million won for just one Minotaurus' claw japtem.
***
Because Weed had died, he respawned in the nearest human village which was called The Village of Exiles.
The residents were busy, moving around with purpose and bright and vibrant expressions on their faces.
Hunter Kokundo was maintaining a shield.
"Hey, Weed. You're back"
"How did the war against the Undead Legion go?"
"We won, the Lich is dead."
"And then?"
"After the battle ended we returned here, the villagers who once were slaves, came back as well. For now, the Orcs and humans can get along without conflict. Although it's only a temporary truce. Right now the Orcs are looking for their hero; Karichwi, and the necromancers are looking for you. They hope to depart for the world as soon as they are able to gather."
With that last bit of information, Weed knew what to do in order to finish the quest.
"I see. I'll go see them."
"Thank you for protecting our village. It may not be much, but you will find open doors welcoming you in the Plains of Despair. We owe you a favor."
Kokundo went back to polishing his shield.
Weed decided to pay the Necromancers a visit first.
"Stat Window!"
Character Name
Weed
Alignment
Neutral
Level
286
Profession
The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor
Title
Artisan With Exceptional Dexterity
Reputation
13645
Life
19230
Mana
9760
Strength
715+65
Agility
575+65
Stamina
134+65
Wisdom
136+65
Intellect
154+65
Fighting Spirit
323+65
Endurance
180+65
Fortitude
374+65
Art
447+145
Charisma
212+65
Leadership
492+65
Luck
5+65
Faith
96+435
Charm
39+65
Attack
2211
Defense
640
Magic Resistance
Fire
13%
Water
15%
Earth
25%
Black Magic
50%
He had gained 7 levels.
Even though he had not personally killed the Lich Shire, Weed had played a fairly decisive role. Thanks to that, he leveled up simultaneously. Even after dying his level had still been 286. However, contrary to his level, several other things had fallen.
Combat classes receive a rapid increase in strength, dexterity, or wisdom stat during their second job advancement. But sculptors didn't have such benefits, they had their craftsmanship instead.
A Sculptor is a class based mainly on art production. The fastest way to develop craftsmanship is to learn the different production skills, and then utilize their respective abilities and talents to create a variety of products.
Thanks to this, their physical and mental capabilities could be improved to be equal to those of the combat classes.
If one invested enough time, he could become strong enough to overpower any other players of the same level. However, the sculptor class had a downside: the skill levels.
When you die, the hard earned production skill experience would drop:
Advanced sculpting 13%, Cooking 10%, craftsmanship 16%. Sewing, blacksmithing, herbalism, fishing, sword grinding, armor polishing, bandaging, Ironing. These skills had all dropped by 5 to 7%. In terms of levels, it was comparable to losing two or three.
"Euu."
Weed trembled with sadness.
How could the skills he had earned through all his grinding fall so much! But for now, it was time to confirm the most important thing. The items he had acquired from killing the Lich Shire!
He had to confirm what he got.
In silence, Weed stuck his hand inside his backpack.
One staff!
One jewel!
One Magic Tome!
It would have been an impossible task without nimbleness that allowed him to loot items in any situation.
Weed also lost a few things due to his death.
A small brazier used by Blacksmiths, and threads and needles used for sewing.
In terms of money, it hadn't been that big of a loss.
"There is no Vine's Robe. I'm guessing the magic book is a quest item..."
Weed was still anxious.
Even if there were a lot of dropped items, if they were useless, then he would have done all that for nothing.
"Identify!"
Weed decided to check the magic book to calm himself down.
*Ttiring!*
Balkan's handwritten Necromancer's Tome of Magic:
Durability:30/30
A book of Black Magic that allows you to gain the ability to summon the Undead. It contains methods of summoning the Undead, from the easiest ones to the most advanced.
Since it was written by the genius magician Balkan Demoph himself, it isn't too difficult to understand. However, to create and control the Undead, large amounts of mana were necessary, so use the skill with caution.
Restrictions:
Magic related profession.
Level: 300
Wisdom: 500
Mana: 8000
Able to advance to the Necromancer class.
Option:
Black Magic Resistance +25.
Ability to create undead +2.
With high intelligence, you will be able to create Undead Boss-level monsters. Improves the Undead's vitality and increases resistance to holy magic.
It was an item worthy to be called the greatest in creating and training the Undead.
'I can get a lot of money from this.'
Weed returned the tome to his bag, as it would be difficult to sell until there were more necromancers.
Although he had gained an elite item for the Necromancer class, in reality, the interest in the class was still minimal.
Even if the interest is small, it would still take time for people to advance to the Necromancer class, and no one would be able to use the tome for a while.
Once the advantages of being a Necromancer became known to the public, a large amount of people would change their class. However the physical weakness of the class was a serious issue.
Necromancers were unable to receive blessings or healings from holy magic. This was a big problem because of the low vitality most magic based classes possessed, which resulted in increasing their chances of dying by three to four times. Therefore the typical mage wouldn't be able to successfully become a necromancer.
With their faults, Necromancers might not fit into the typical party setting. Because Necromancers would summon many undead, the undead would be doing most of the killing. As safe as it may be, the experience gained would be lesser than normal. The Necromancer population would slowly bleed out, and eventually only Mages who enjoyed that play style would choose it.
Weed slowly took a deep breath and identified the staff.
"Identify!"
Saint's Staff:
Durability: 90/90
Attack: 15-20
The staff said to have been used by the Great Saint Gorian whenever he'd have a bad leg. It was crafted using light but sturdy Elf tree wood, but because of the thick layers of dirt, the engravings had become unrecognizable. It is imbued with the force of life.
Restrictions:
Holy type professions.
Also available to criminals and warlocks
Options:
If used by Priests +150 Faith.
Charm +30
Endurance +20
Reduced stamina consumption in rugged terrain.
Improve fame by 30% more when making donations.
Able to use devotion or sacrificial magic.
When used by a villain, the staff increases the power of darkness.
Devotion:
Consume all but 1% of life and mana.
Gives all members of the party a level higher tier blessing and protection magic.
Sacrifice:
By sacrificing your own life, up to 50 party members can be completely healed.
The staff that held the highest expectations!
"As I thought!"
The item was enough to make Weed release a sad sigh.
"Where am I suppose to sell this thing?"
A weapon even more evil than the bone-staves the Necromancers cast magic with. Before he had identified it, he had thought that it could be a good weapon for Priests. Because of their low strength, Priests were unable to use mace type weapons. They usually carried staves or holy items that increased their faith.
Who would want this staff?!
If it had been a sword, then its damage would have been increased, but this staff didn't do anything other than augmenting personal stats.
"In this selfish world, things like values, devotion or sacrifice don't exist."
Weed punched the ground out of anguish.
"I'd have rather not picked it up."
Even so, the thought of throwing it away never crossed his mind.
He didn't have to sell it to a priest. Since it increased black magic as well, he could sell it to a villain or a warlock.
"Tools are tools. It's not the knife that's in the wrong, it's the person behind the knife."
Finally, he looked at the gems he looted. When creating weapons or armor, gems enhanced their power!
They were tier 1 gems.
Tailoring, like blacksmithing, could recycle a variety of leathers. Depending on your skill mastery, the difference could be big. As for the value of the metal he had found, it required a lot of effort to be melted, even for an expert.
"With this I barely break even"
Weed's mind was set to some extent.
Although the quest was complete, he had to invest 20 levels, 100 art stat, 70,000 gold. Quests were different from hunting, since performance had to be taken into consideration.
"If this was a chain quest, I'll have to go to the necromancers to get it."
Weed left the village and headed to the Yuroki mountains. Scattered debris and dug up dirt lay where the battle had been fought.
The ground showed obvious signs of struggle from the Orcs, dark elves, and paladins.
The rhino horns had been looted, and the witches were gone by now.
After Weed had died, he had disappeared for 4 days, so all of the loot had already been taken.
"Still, I'm glad."
He would be able to get his hands on special herbs. Higher quality herbs could be sold for a better price.
"I'll be able to make more profit"
Weed's eyes lit up when he found the herbs.
Deep in the mountains where herbs grew well, he will carefully harvest them all without missing a single one.
*Pabababag!*
With a knife, he dug the soil around the herb until its the root was uncovered. Then with a swipe of his hand, he pulled out the herb with a clump of soil still attached to it.
In the past, he would've found this job to be too tedious. The money made from herbs was marginal and it wasn't necessary to put in so much effort. However, Weed had used up almost all of his money, so he was more covetous than usual.
"Money, money, money."
Weed diligently inserted the herbs into bottles. Soon, his backpack was filled with bottles of herbs that needs to be fermented.
In the Yuroki Mountains, liquor was hard to come by.
The soldiers of Rosenheim and the Orcs were drinking together. Exploiting the Helaine Cup by mixing Holy water and fruit juice to create an artificial liquor.
Using the Sacred relic of the Church of Freya for personal pleasure!
The holy water combined with herbs, produced a sweet aroma and flavor. When drunk, it went down well.
Since the quest had progressed well, gaining a lucrative income became a possibility. The mastering of various kinds of production skills had always helped, no matter which environment Weed had treaded upon.
"Sculptors live on the edge, if you don't make money on the side or sell your sculptures then you'll starve to death."
This was why he dug out herbs so diligently.
- Weed!
Mapan whispered him.
Perhaps he survived the war after all and since then, he had been trying to whisper Weed.
-Yes, go ahead.
- I finally got through! Where are you now?
- The place where we fought the Lich.
- Oh, that great. I'll be there soon. Let's form a party when we get there.
- Party?
- Pale and the others are riding to Plains of Despair in order to see you. Let's meet up. I'll be there soon.
Weed was deeply touched.
'Too bad I didn't live up to the world'
The party traveling across the plains show their friendship and loyalty towards each other!
***
"Phew, this is hard."
Pale wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Riding and changing horses, Pale wanted to watch at least a part of the war against the Undead Legion.
The Priests came and gave them their blessings. Their exhausted stamina recovered, and as a result, they were able to continue riding.
When the going gets tough, smile.
"It's just like what was shown in the video, this must be the right place."
"This is east of Rosenheim Kingdom. Explorers have yet to venture to this land."
"We'll be the first ones to see the result."
Romuna and Surka felt overwhelmed, as they had never set foot outside of Rosenheim Kingdom. In search of adventure, you'll find yourself in the midst of various civilizations on the Versailles continent, and experience the depth of their culture.
When royal road first opened, many people were worried about others entering the game just to indulge in selfish desires. After the game became well known, people got to it completely addicted. Young gamers were at risk of becoming shut-ins, narrow-minded, and timid of the real world. Such a result would have become a huge issue. However Unicorn Corp. was able to placate people with such concerns.
A player's experience varies with the continent they initially chose. From cultures of different places, to events you'd never see in real life. Such as cultivating a land and running its government. So instead of become weak minded, people appeared more human. And strong ties of friendship could be built while battling with your companions.
Surka said.
"Hehe, let's ask Weed to cook for us."
Hwaryeong smiled and nodded
"I'll have him make me a delicious dish."
The Geomchis were also in the party.
"I want to drink."
"I'll get you a cup, master."
Geomchi2 quickly complied with enthusiasm.
The Geomchis 1 to 5 immediately followed the party! They had originally decided to scatter throughout the continent in order to hone their swordsmanship, but Pale and the others were going to see Weed, and they decided to tag along.
For the sake of food and drinks!
***
"Weed-nim!"
"We're here!"
Weed was harvesting herbs on a cliff overlooking the bottom of the mountain, when people came rushing in.
The crowd rushed up the desolate mountain.
Pale, Surka, Irene, Romuna, Hwaryeong, Zephyr!
Unexpectedly, the Geomchis also arrived.
Weed welcomed them and a multitudes of conversations seemed to sweep over him, demanding his attention. Only now, that he was done fighting the Undead Legion, was he ready to talk.
In the middle of the plains, Mapan waited impatiently, as he felt no different from the parties that just arrived. He wanted to hear what had happened.
Mapan immediately came running to hear the story.
"And, so..."
Weed leisurely gathered herbs as he explained.
Just listening to the story about the war against the Undead Legion was exciting. Pale felt like he was on an adventure.
Mapan, having seen the battle first hand, was the envy of all.
"Was the quest successful?"
Pale cautiously asked.
Likewise, Mapan was unsure of the results of the quest since he had seen Weed and Lich Shire dying together.
If the Lich Shire had died even a second before Weed, the quest would have been a success, otherwise, it would have resulted in failure.
"Well..."
Weed's expression conveyed endless depression.
Loneliness and solitude!
Deep sadness exuded throughout his body.
Even a lovestruck man dumped by his girlfriend wouldn't look so crestfallen.
"I thought it was okay to ask" Pale apologetically said.
Weed dug into the earth, pulling out herbs, and spoke.
"The items..."
"Yes?"
"I lost my chance obtain the all items dropped by the Lich Shire"
"Keoeog!"
Eventhough he had successfully completed an A-rank quest, Weed was a man who would grieve over the inferior Items he hadn't looted!
'Weed's the same as always'
Hwaryeong grinned.
Despite not having seen his friends for such a long time, he diligently harvested herbs in order to make even just one more penny, rather than catch up with them. But that was Weed's mindset. Even if he acted differently now, he would never change his lifestyle.
Pale and Zephyr quickly jumped into the herbal field.
"Weed, we would like to help."
However, Weed modestly shook his head.
"No. It is not your job to do this tedious job, it's mine"
"But still..."
"Just sit there comfortably and watch me."
The usual Weed would never hesitate to take advantage of other people!
Pale obediently sat down on a large rock after Weed declined his offer to help.
Nevertheless, Hwaryeong and Surka rolled up their sleeves to try and help Weed, but they were stopped.
"This is my job, and I'll finish it"
Seeing is wanting!
Weed was more worried about the women than the men.
Theoretically, herbs were more coveted by women as it enhances vigor.
"Wow."
"The wind feels great, Master"
"There's an available spot on this side"
With the stamina enhancing herbs completely cleared out, the Geomchis took a seat on some rocks.
After a while, Weed's bag was filled with bottles of herbs
"Whew, I'm finished. Thanks for waiting for me to finish gathering herbs. I'll start cooking some rabbit meat stew."
"Wow!"
The news that Weed was going to cook led to cheers.
"Ahem!" Geomchi cleared his throat.
"My throat is parched."
"As if a knife was shoved down my throat," Geomchi2 quickly added.
"Weed, we'll catch a rabbit for the Stew. In the meantime, I hope you can make us something cold to drink with the herbs you harvested."
"Yes. In fact, I'm going to brew a drink good enough to die for"
"Why don't you?"
If it'll makes you feel better, I'll let you drink as much as you want!
"There are dishes to eat and wine to drink beyond the valley."
"Won't our travel be in vain? Wouldn't it be faster if you start preparing now?"
"Enough said. Alcohol is better drunk cold. Depending on the atmosphere, the original aroma and taste varies greatly. So if you drank it in a relaxed atmosphere from high up in the valley, how much do you think the flavor will differ?"
"Yeah?" Geomchi thought to himself, 'even just one cup would've be fine...'
Weed decided to head to the other side of the valley together with his companions. A far distance from the decimated battlefield was a clear, flowing stream, full of fish.
"This will slightly increase my cooking proficiency. Anyway, let me fill the pot up with water from the river"
"Ha, go on then."
Within sight of his companions, Weed took out a pot and filled it with water from the creek. Then he added the rabbit meat to the pot, and brought it to a boil. Finally he took out a few herbs and seasonings, to create a rich stew.
The food revitalized their tired bodies!
"Great!"
"It's really delicious."
The dish Weed cooked was a success.
The rabbit meat stew disappeared as soon as it was ready. The entire group literally waged a war for for the remainder of the soup. The Geomchi's appetite was merciless! Surprisingly the combined efforts of Pale's party was overcome. In the end, their master won, and everyone else was fended off.
Weed gave them generous servings
Of course, none of this would be free.
'One way or another. I will have you guys return the favor.'
In the case of livestock, pigs are raised as an investment and then slaughtered for profit!
"It burns my throat a little."
He handed Geomchi a cup of alcohol to drink.
*Gulp!*
Some swallowed their saliva in anticipation.
Geomchi wasn't the only one who wanted a taste of Weed's brewed alcohol.
"Now, I'll let everyone have a taste of my drink"
Weed used Zahab's engraving knife and made mugs out of the surrounding trees and handed them to everybody.
*Spliiish*
Clear emerald liquor filled the cups. Any sane person wouldn't be able to withstand the sweet aroma that filled the air.
The Geomchis drank a sip and were ecstatic.
"Kyaah! this is nice."
It's better to drink something cool when your body is warm. Your body will feel refreshed after a good drink.
"This liquor is priceless and it's worth every penny."
Geomchi said, and Mapan agreed.
"This liquor is so good, I feel bad taking it without paying. It must have been hard making it. Here we are, spending Weed's hard earned quest money."
"Everytime I drink a sip, I feel like I owe you an apology, we'll pay for the liquor. I'll buy two bottles"
After Pale tasted the drink, he decided to buy some too.
"Yeah, I live for this this kind of drink. I'll buy ten bottles."
Since the Geomchis were no longer beginners, they were able to pay for their drinks. Weed will finally able to make money from selling alcohol.
But modesty in his words must not be forgotten.
"Really, you don't have to."
"We're out. Would you bring us four more bottles of your famous alcohol. Sorry to say this but we've run dry, can we have another round of drinks?"
"Yes, right away master."
Weed enthusiastically brought out more liquor.
The Geomchis and the others happily drank the alcohol made from the cold valley water.
Irene and Romuna decided to get up and help and said.
"Weed-nim, we'll help."
"No. Please allow me to make it. Alcohol tastes different depending on the skill of the person who brewed it. This way the drink will deliver the most delicious taste."
Weed had his own reasons for doing so and continued to bring out the alcohol.
Therefore, the Geomchis and the others drank Weed's delicious liquor like water. They deliberately conversed since the reason they travelled with Weed in the valley was to drink. They talked until the liquor was completely drained away.