Chapter 57
Crack!
[Level Up! Bonus points awarded.]
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 30. A beginner skill pack x1 has been added to your inventory.]
“Phew. Already at 30?”
-“This leveling speed is unreal. This section is not supposed to progress so quickly!”
“Ha! It just goes to show—living honestly has its rewards.”
If he’d thrown a fit over the quest from the Elf Queen, he would’ve missed out on this sweet bounty.
“Yes, following the natural order pays off. As long as one stays on the right path, life cannot go astray.”
-“…I could say a lot, but I’ll hold back for now. Anyway, how many bugs are left?”
“Give me a second; I’ll check.”
Carpe opened the quest window to see his progress.
[Defeat the Sap Beetles (361/800)]
“Wow, is that all I’ve managed to kill?”
He felt like he’d been hunting in a trance for hours, yet he hadn’t even reached the halfway point.
-“What are you talking about? That’s incredibly fast. Even at one per minute, you’d only manage 60 an hour.”
Realistically, he’d been eliminating three or four per minute, putting him closer to 100 per hour. But that was only possible in the beginning when the area was teeming with mobs. Now, he’d cleared so many that hardly any beetles remained nearby.
The experience needed per level had also climbed sharply. At this rate, he’d have to hunt continuously for two hours just to level up once. His initial burst of progress was slowing down.
“So, it’s been about four hours? I thought I could finish this by today.”
-“There’s no way you can defeat 800 in one day. Any other player would take ten days.”
Only someone who could one-shot mobs could manage this pace. Other players at this level would have struggled just to penetrate the beetles’ tough shells.
Beep-beep!
After more than four hours of slaughtering beetles, an alert chimed, indicating his remaining playtime was running out.
“What? Already?”
-“After searching for Elder Trent and making it to the Elf village, you’ve been at this a while.”
“Tsk. Doesn’t feel like it. I wish I could lift this 10-hour playtime limit.”
-“You tried, remember? It didn’t work.”
“I know.”
-“Just the idea of breaking that limit is insane.”
“It’d be a game-changer if possible. Anyway, I guess I’ll wrap things up for today.”
As Carpe paused from his hunting, Saius, who had been observing from afar, approached him with a look of amazement.
“You’ve slain a great many creatures. Is it time for your rest?”
“Yes, you could say that.”
In truth, it wasn’t rest but logging out—how to explain that? Unlike regular NPCs who understood that players were “outsiders” from beyond the continent of Lase, he wasn’t sure how the secluded elves, isolated for centuries, might react.
However, Saius seemed to read his hesitation and chuckled knowingly.
“Ha ha, there’s no need to worry. We may live in seclusion, but we’re not oblivious to the world.”
“Oh, really?”
“Occasionally, we disguise ourselves with magic to gather information or acquire necessities from human settlements. It’s our way of avoiding stagnation.”
Apparently, the elves were aware that outsiders were “undying” beings chosen by the Celestial Spirits.
‘A conveniently flexible narrative.’
-“Well, it’s practical. If NPCs freaked out every time they saw a player revive, that would be awkward.”
‘True enough.’
At least he could log out without worrying about NPC reactions.
‘I’ll start tomorrow by opening the skill packs—Level 25 and Level 30 packs. I’ve already got two waiting.’
-“So you gained seven levels today? No wonder, you forgot all about those skill packs in your frenzy.”
After exchanging farewells with Saius, Carpe initiated his logout.
“Well, I’ll take my leave then. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes, you’ve done well, Successor.”
‘See you tomorrow, big brother. Pass along my regards to Hyang and Tina, too.’
-“Got it. Rest up, and remember to get some exercise.”
Shortly before Carpe logged out.
In a tranquil room filled with the scent of fine tea, two figures and a small animal conversed peacefully.
“Here, freshly brewed from carefully dried tea leaves. Take your time to savor it.”
“Thank you, Altair.”
Though she was a homunculus who didn’t need sustenance, sharing tea was more about enjoying the atmosphere than nourishment. Tina took the cup with gratitude.
Sip.
As she took a sip, Altair, watching with a satisfied smile, spoke up.
“How is it? Does it suit your taste?”
“Yes, though I’m no connoisseur, it’s calming and comforting.”
“That’s all I could hope for. I’ll pass on your compliment to the elf who harvested these leaves—they’ll be pleased.”
Altair sipped her own tea but then wrinkled her nose slightly.
“Truthfully, I’ve never really understood tea. Even after centuries of drinking it, it still tastes bitter. I prefer something sweet.”
“That surprises me. I always thought of you as someone who loved tea.”
“The passage of time brings change. Even I am not immune.”
“Yet you look exactly as you did before.”
“As do you, Tina.”
“That’s because I’m a homunculus. It’s different for me.”
Though elves aged slowly, Altair seemed nearly frozen in time, her appearance unchanged from 800 years prior.
“Hmph. I carry the noble blood of the High Elves. But that’s beside the point.”
Setting her cup down on the table, Altair continued.
“You came here seeking the relic of Dretsch, intending to challenge the Celestials again?”
“Yes. It’s my purpose.”
“To be honest, the elves have no desire to interfere with either the Celestials or Arklam. We are content with our present life.”
“Yes, I understand. I simply wish to reclaim what the Mage King left behind.”
“That can be arranged soon enough. However…”
Altair paused.
“Altair?”
“Oh, nothing. Just a passing thought.”
She redirected the conversation.
“By the way, I’m glad you and your young friend have found a worthy master.”
Altair gestured to Tina’s lap, where a small creature, nestled around an acorn, had drifted into a peaceful slumber.
“Ku… kyu.”
Perhaps it was dreaming sweet dreams. Tina gently stroked the sleeping Mukhyang, smiling softly.
“Yes, our lord and his aides are good people. I find joy in each day.”
“To think the day would come when I’d hear such words from you. Living long indeed brings surprises.”
The Tina she remembered had once been almost devoid of emotion, an unchanging doll who only occasionally furrowed her brow when the Mage King did something eccentric. Seeing this new, vibrant Tina filled Altair with quiet joy.
“It’s a lovely sight. I wish you a wonderful second life.”
“Thank you… Oh!”
“Hm? What is it?”
“My lord has returned to his original world. I’m about to be summoned back to the room as well…”
With a gentle shimmer, Tina and Mukhyang vanished from the spot. Altair blinked in mild surprise but soon nodded, understanding the situation from Tina’s final words.
“Curious powers these outsiders wield. But really, they could at least give us time for a proper farewell.”
Altair sipped her now-cold tea again, frowning slightly at the unfamiliar bitterness, a sensation like wearing an ill-fitting garment.
“Ah, the second relic…”
She would have to give it up eventually, but not quite yet.
Looking out the window, Altair’s gaze fell upon the distant, massive tree that towered over all else.
The Sacred Tree, Rudram.
This immense tree, cherished by all elves, symbolized abundance and prosperity. Protecting it was the traditional duty of the “Woodguard” line—the guardians of the tree.
“Not yet…”
Beneath that sacred tree, the Mage King’s second relic, the Mirage of Illusions, lay dormant.
Knock, knock.
“Pardon me, Your Majesty. It’s Saius.”
“Come in.”
With the queen’s permission, Saius entered.
“So, has the Mage King’s Successor departed?”
“Yes, he left after hunting sap beetles. I expect he’ll return tomorrow.”
“I see. And what are your impressions of him?”
“Benevolent and strong. I do not believe he poses any threat to our kin.”
Altair had assigned Saius to accompany Carpe not only as a guide but also to determine if the Mage King’s successor was worthy of the relic.
“I feel the same.”
Initially, she had reservations, but her conversation with Tina had dispelled them.
“He drank tea brewed from Rudram leaves without reaction, which suggests he’s acting of his own will.”
The sacred leaves of Rudram, carefully dried in sunlight, possessed the ability to dispel all forms of mind control or enchantment.
Altair had even considered the faint possibility that an evil successor had brainwashed Tina into submission.
“Fortunately, it seems the Mage King’s heir is a man of good character.”
Altair’s memories of the Radiant Knight assured her that he would not serve anyone evil—even if that person was the sole heir to the Mage King.
“I think it’s safe to entrust him with the relic. Now, let’s see… He has to defeat 800 sap beetles, so perhaps in a week or so…”
-“A week, Your Majesty? He should complete it by tomorrow.”
-“…Excuse me? Tomorrow?”
Altair could scarcely believe it, but Saius nodded calmly.
-“Yes, he’s already slain over 300 beetles. Although his pace has slowed slightly, he should finish by investing a full day tomorrow.”
-“No, that’s impossible!”
Alarmed, Altair’s voice rose. This kind of rapid pace was definitely not part of the plan!
-“He needs to be delayed by at least a week!”
-“Is there a reason for that? Does it really matter whether it’s a day or a week…? Ah, is it perhaps…?”
-“Perhaps what?”
-“Are you holding a grudge because the Mage King rejected your proposal 800 years ago? Really, Your Majesty, it’s time to let go. You’re nearly 1,700 years old.”
-“What? Who proposed to that brute!?”
-“It’s common knowledge… Oops.”
Whoosh!
Saius deftly caught the cup Altair had hurled, setting it back on the table.
-“Please, refrain from tormenting him too much.”
-“Out! Leave at once!”
-“As you command, Guardian of the Sacred Tree.”
With a respectful bow, Saius quietly left the room.
-“He doesn’t understand me at all… sigh.”
Altair gazed out the window, releasing a long, deep breath. Her eyes settled on the most prominent branch of the Sacred Tree, where a single, vividly red fruit gleamed in the sunlight.
-“Not yet…”
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