Chapter 41

[You have discovered a quest.]

[Quest Name: A Deal with Charlson]

▶ Grade: B

▶ Charlson, head of the Azen Trading Company, is in trouble.

▶ Discover the problem and solve it.

▶ Failure to discover the problem may instead result in a disadvantage.

A system window appeared before Woojin with the notification. As he read the quest details, he could not quite hide his surprise.

'A quest from the Dark Forest, and it's B-grade?'

A B-grade quest concerned an event significant enough that its outcome could affect the continent's history. Nothing so momentous had ever happened in the Dark Forest, a beginner region.

"Anything, as long as it happened in the Dark Forest? You're certainly a confident one."

Woojin looked up from the quest window at Charlson's words.

"What level are you?"

"Forty. Why?"

Charlson burst into incredulous laughter.

"Hahaha! You crossed the snowfields at that level? You really are something. But never mind. This isn't something someone at your level can solve."

Charlson waved a dismissive hand as he continued.

"Just tell me what you need. It was an entertaining conversation, at least, so I'll give you a good price, as I promised."

Despite his words, disappointment was written all over his face.

'This isn't good.'

Woojin needed to turn the conversation around. This was no simple hunting quest handed out by the Adventurers' Alliance.

In [Evil Tale], players had to obtain every quest of C-grade or higher through their own efforts.

NPCs and players. Quests were born from the countless relationships that formed as their lives intertwined. The quests forged by countless players would come together to become the building blocks of changes to the continent's history.

Absolute freedom.

That was the defining feature the virtual reality of [Evil Tale] boasted, made possible by the AI [Ethan], rather than a human.

'A world created by artificial intelligence.'

That was why, Woojin realized, he must not view NPCs as mere programs.

'Treat them exactly like people with feelings.'

"Level isn't everything."

CLINK.

Woojin took a small coin from inside his clothes and tossed it toward Charlson.

"What's this?"

The instant Charlson saw the [Dead Soul's Fare] lying on the floor, his expression stiffened.

"You travel back and forth to the central continent. You must have heard of it."

"Don't tell me... you're connected to the Genesis Corps?"

"I am. Very much so."

Charlson's gaze wavered.

'The quest triggered by Dead Soul's Fare is B-grade.'

By showing a high-grade quest, he could demonstrate his abilities.

"A man named Gareth arrived here a little while ago. He told me he'd lowered his level to deal with something that happened in the Dark Forest."

"And?"

"Why would he do that?"

Woojin stepped closer to Charlson.

"It means being active on the central continent can actually get in the way of solving problems in the Dark Forest."

If he could demonstrate his value along with his abilities...

"Can you... really solve this?"

Charlson's voice trembled. Watching him wait for an answer, Woojin knew instinctively.

The tide had turned.

'If they're just like people, rather than programs...'

Ironically, looked at another way, that also meant they were imperfect.

DING.

[You have gained Charlson's favor.]

[You have discovered a chain quest.]

[A Deal with Charlson → Charlson's Request]

[Would you like to continue the quest?]

"Of course."

As Woojin answered, new details began appearing in the quest window.

* * *

"I have two sons."

With their battle of wills over, Charlson leaned back in his chair, looking somehow weary.

"I've led this trading company for forty years now. I'm old, and I'd begun thinking about who should inherit it."

"Hmm. And?"

"My eldest is cautious, but lacks a sense of adventure. My younger son is bold, but far too hasty."

"Parents always worry about their children."

Charlson's words brought Woojin's own family to mind unbidden.

"Yes. As a result, the two boys have been growing through competition, each trying to rise above the other. Then, for the first time, I entrusted my eldest with company business on his own."

Charlson pressed a finger against his forehead as though his head ached.

"That seems to have made my younger son impatient... A dungeon was recently discovered in the Dark Forest."

"The Ice Cave?"

"Well, well. You even know about that? Hardly anyone in the Dark Forest should know about it yet."

Woojin had merely happened to hear about it from Gareth, but Charlson had no way of knowing that. Instead, he nodded with an exclamation of admiration.

"One of our employees discovered it while searching for a medicinal herb called snowgrass."

Woojin nodded.

"We hadn't even investigated it yet... but my younger son went in alone."

Charlson let out a low sigh.

"It's already been two days. I've been trying to put together an investigation team, but it hasn't been easy."

"Why?"

"Last night, monsters suddenly began gathering around the Ice Cave."

Charlson took a map out of a drawer.

"This is where the Ice Cave appeared."

He pointed to a spot.

'What? This is...'

Woojin's eyebrows twitched in a sudden flinch.

'Isn't that where Lake Darin was?'

"The ice trolls that had been hiding deep in the forest suddenly began establishing a base around here. Then ogres appeared as well."

Ice trolls were estimated to be level forty-seven. Though they formed groups, those groups numbered fewer than three at most, so they were not a major threat. They were not difficult to hunt, but their scarcity made hunting them inefficient, leaving them unpopular with players.

"Ice trolls establishing a base? I didn't think they were that sort of monster..."

"That's what makes it strange. According to the investigation team's report, there are more than a hundred ice trolls alone gathered around the Ice Cave."

The number exceeded Woojin's expectations, and his expression tightened a little.

"The ice trolls are a problem, but the ogres are an even bigger one. They certainly aren't creatures that live in groups either... yet five have been sighted around the cave alone."

Their estimated level was fifty-five. They truly were considered the strongest monsters in the Dark Forest.

"Most of the investigators I sent died. Only a few barely escaped with their lives."

"With that many monsters, the people in the Dark Forest would have a hard time... Haven't you asked for help from the central continent? Even if they couldn't earn experience, they'd hunt the monsters for a reward."

"Of course I have. But the thing is..."

Charlson could not hide his troubled expression.

"Anyone level fifty or higher can't enter the area around the Ice Cave."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Some unknown barrier prevents people from the central continent from entering. The Red Tower did say they would send an investigator to determine the cause, but..."

Charlson had no time. He could not simply wait while his son remained in the cave, liable to die at any moment.

"Did the investigators go inside the cave too? Was there perhaps a passage leading underground?"

"Underground?"

Charlson tilted his head.

"I haven't heard any such report. Do you... know something?"

"How would I know about a cave that appeared three days ago? I only asked because I'll have to go there."

"Hmm... Yes, I suppose so."

For a moment, Charlson had looked hopeful, but he shook his head at Woojin's answer.

"I sent an official notice to the alliances on the central continent. Even if their members can't do it themselves, they must have people they're training."

"Have people gathered, then?"

"Not yet. I'm still waiting, but it isn't easy."

It might be a beginner region, but this was still its highest-level area. Hunting that many ice trolls and ogres at once would require at least thirty players of level forty-five or above.

'Thirty people...'

Only now did Woojin think he understood why Charlson's quest was B-grade.

'So it was a raid quest.'

"Have you personally asked anyone besides me for help?"

"No. You're the first. I need every person I can get, but... well, it's hardly something to go boasting about."

Charlson shrugged.

"That's a relief."

'Gareth probably came after seeing the alliance's official notice.'

A raid quest could only proceed once a certain minimum number of people had gathered.

'Then I'm the only one who can advance the quest right now.'

He held the key. This was an opportunity.

"All right. Shall we make a deal, then?"

TAP. TAP.

Woojin flicked the Ice Cave marked on the map with his finger as he spoke to Charlson.

"I want the Scales of the Earth as an advance payment."

Charlson looked at him.

"The Scales of the Earth? Do you have any idea how much that costs?"

THUD.

Woojin set a money pouch down in front of him.

"I have enough money to buy it. This isn't about money. It's about trust."

The heavy sound alone told Charlson how much money was inside.

"I want to see whether you trust me enough to give me that much."

Woojin pressed on without pause.

"In exchange, I'll accept the reward for success after I bring your son back, no matter what you choose to give me."

"Really? I might give you something completely useless."

"I told you. It's about trust."

Charlson stared at him for a long moment, then took something from inside his clothes, as though he had reached a decision.

"Take this."

It was a small key.

"It's the key to my private storehouse. There are things in there you couldn't find even on the central continent. Go take a look while I prepare the Scales of the Earth."

Charlson addressed Woojin.

"If I'm going to show trust, I should do it properly. If there's something you want, I'll give you one item. Just one."

It was an offer Woojin had never expected.

JINGLE.

The key on its ring made a pleasantly bright sound.

* * *

"Wow..."

At the sight of the enormous storehouse behind the building, Ruen let out an involuntary gasp of admiration.

"This is his private storehouse? The head of Azen really is in a league of his own."

CLICK.

Woojin unlocked it with the key.

HUM...

The key looked simple, but the storehouse door apparently had a magical mechanism. As the lock released, dozens of barriers appeared and vanished.

"Let's go in."

The open door revealed a place so full of dazzling riches and treasures that it deserved to be called a treasury rather than a storehouse. Armor lined one wall, while all manner of weapons stood along the other. Every piece of equipment was enough to make one's mouth water.

Name: Slicing Sword

Grade: A

Description: The favored sword of Mac, known as the Butcher.

▶ From the moment blood touches the blade, cutting power increases by 1.5 times for one minute. Stacks up to 50 times.

Woojin drew one of the swords on display. Studded with spikes like a wild beast's fangs, the sword trembled as though thirsting for blood that very instant.

"... Incredible."

Ruen seemed to feel the sword's keen presence too, giving a slight shiver as she spoke to Woojin.

"Yes. Everything here is certainly impressive."

CLACK.

Unlike Ruen, Woojin set the sword back in its place after examining it, seemingly uninterested.

"But it's all useless."

"... What?"

"All of this is smuggled goods. Carry it straight over to the central continent, and you'll get stabbed to fucking death."

"Huh...?"

Woojin understood why Charlson had shown him his treasury.

"To use smuggled goods, you need an additional permit issued by Azen."

In the end, the magnificent equipment was a shackle Charlson intended to fasten around him. He undoubtedly planned to use the permit as leverage for another deal.

'Trust, my ass. That sly old gnome.'

"So that's how you want to play it?"

The corners of Woojin's mouth lifted.