Chapter 74 - Crimson Marble (1/2)
“Now?”
“Yes. He also has the map after all.”
Kaian fell in thought after replying to Roa.
‘How should I say it?’
How would he explain this situation?
‘Okay.’
Steeling himself, Kaian sent a message to Soo Hyuk.
-Kaian: Soo Hyuk-nim!
-Soo Hyuk: Yes?
Soo Hyuk’s reply a few moments later, and Kaian started to carefully construct his story.
* * *
[Romian’s Request.]
One of the three temples of Hadrac, Copine Temple. As its head, Romian had been plagued with a worry recently, however, the topic was too sensitive to expose easily. Solve Romian’s worry.
[Romain’s mission confirmation: 0 / 1 ]
[Quest Reward: 2500 gold, Romian’s Recommendation]
Soo Hyuk looked at the quest as he strolled towards the Copine Temple
‘I hope the request doesn’t take a long time…’
The quest ‘Romian’s Request’ was a promotion quest, and it was one of the mystery request types. Originally, he didn’t have any plans to attempt this kind of request quests, but for some reason, these were the only kind of quest in the mission catalogue. So left without choice, Soo Hyuk had ended up picking ‘Romian’s Request’.
At that moment.
-Kaian: Soo Hyuk-nim!
He received a message from Kaian.
-Soo Hyuk: Yes?
Soo Hyuk closed his quest window after replying to Kaian. Then not long after, Kaian sent another message.
Kaian: I have a proposition that I hope you can listen to.
-Soo Hyuk: A proposition?
It hadn’t been long since they separated, and they had finished all their business. But then a sudden proposition out of nowhere?
-Kaian: Yes.
-Soo Hyuk: You can tell me.
-Kaian: We received a mission from the agency about the underground sewers. It’s not a solo quest, it’s a guild quest.
‘Underground sewers…’
Soo Hyuk opened his inventory. He then took out item no.4, the ‘Secret Map of Hadrac’s Underground’. Shown on the map, was Hadrac’s underground sewers.
‘Is he telling me to give back the map?’
Perhaps he was asking for the map.
‘No, he just said that I could keep it.’
During his talk with Kaian, Soo Hyuk decided to return the map. So, he told them that he would return it, but Kaian had refused. In other words, unless they were going back on their words, this suggestion was not about the map.
-Kaian: But the difficulty is too high, so it’s impossible for us to complete it. We still have some time left, but it’s not enough to get stronger. However, I believe that the quest will be possible with Soo Hyuk-nim’s help, so I ended up contacting you like this.
Soo Hyuk figured out Kaian’s intentions from this text. He wanted his help in a raid on the underground sewers. However…
-Soo Hyuk: I’m sorry.
He didn’t accept the proposition.
-Soo Hyuk: I have something urgent on right now.
His plan was too climb to A-rank without rest. Of course, if someone like Yeon Jung had needed his help, then he would’ve gladly helped. But it hadn’t even been a day since he met Kaian, so he wasn’t familiar enough with him yet
-Kaian: Ah, I see.
-Soo Hyuk: I’m sorry.
Kaian: No, it’s nothing! Rather, it’s you who’s been inconvenienced by us, so I should be the one who’s sorry.
-Kaian: If you want to reconsider the offer, then please contact me!
-Soo Hyuk: Of course.
-Kaian: Have fun!
-Soo Hyuk: You too!
And as he ended his chat with Kaian, he arrived at the Copine Temple.
“Hello.”
Soo Hyuk approached and greeted the guard guarding the entrance.
“Welcome!”
The guard replied with a booming voice. After exchanging greetings, Soo Hyuk cut straight to the point.
“I’m here to see Romian-nim.”
“Do you mean the head?”
“Yes, could you please tell him that I was sent from the Mercenary Agency?”
“Ah, I see. I will, so could you please wait at the reception room?”
“Of course.”
Soo Hyuk entered the reception room after his conversation. As expected of a temple, many people were waiting around in the reception or waiting for someone. [TL: Like churches in the western society.]
Creak.
A few minutes later, the previous guard and an unfamiliar person entered the room. They then both approached where Soo Hyuk was sitting.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Romian.”
As expected, the man was Romian.
“I heard that you came from the Mercenary Agency, is that right?”
At Romian’s question, Soo Hyuk opened his inventory and took out his certification sent by the Mercenary Agency.
“Yes, here.”
“Ah, so you are.”
When he received the certification, Romian cautiously looked around him, then faced Soo Hyuk again.
“First, shall we go to my room? My matter is a bit too sensitive to tell here…”
“Of course.”
Soo Hyuk stood up from his seat and followed Romain outside the reception to his room.
“I have 2 requests.”
Romian spoke the moment he stepped in the room.
‘2 requests?’
Soo Hyuk couldn’t believe his ears. 2 requests? The mission had clearly stated that the was only 1 request.
“My first request is this.”
Romian continued as he held out a scroll of paper.
“There is a person called Ketan on the first peak of the Kamian Mountains. Send this to him.”
[Romian’s First Request]
On the first peak of the Kamian Mountains, lives a person. Climb to the peak and give him the scroll!
[Quest Reward: ??? ]
When the quest appeared, Soo Hyuk thought to himself.
‘Ah, how annoying.’
The main reason Soo Hyuk had chosen ‘Romian’s Request’ over other missions, was because it said a ‘worry’, not ‘worries’ or ‘requests’.
‘I have to wait 3 days if I cancel.’
But he had already started the quest, so if he gave up, he wouldn’t be able to receive missions from the agency for 3 days. In other words, he had to choose.
‘If it looks like the quest would take over 3 days, then I’ll cancel.’
Of course, he could be able to complete Romian’s requests within 3 days. Deciding to first wait and see, Soo Hyuk replied,