“I heard that Queen Evane had written a diary.”
“Where did you hear that… There were only a few people who knew she kept a diary…. Ah, did Elzase Unni tell you this?”
“Yes, she did.”
“I see, you were sent by Unni. Thinking about it, it’s been so long since I lost contact with her. Though, sorry to say, I don’t know what’s written inside the Queen’s diary.”
“Then do you know where I can find this diary?”
“I need to search my memories.”
Fabian closed her eyes seemingly viewing into distant memories.
Wagu Wagu.
The only sound reverberating inside the room was Weed munching on potatoes. After his fifth potato, Fabiane opened her eyes again.
“It’s been a long time so I can’t be sure, but the diary won’t be at the Star Palace where the Queen was staying. A month before she died, she went to her hometown. After that, I never saw that diary again. Perhaps she hid it someplace?”
Weed had a reasonable idea of the location of the diary. It was probably hidden at the hometown where the Queen used to play together with Zahab.
“Then, please take care.”
Weed really did take a basket full of potatoes with him and went over the mountain behind Serabourg Citadel. He arrived at the village Queen Evane used to live in and went to the big tree where Zahab used to make his sculptures.
“It’s probably this place.”
When Adventurers used the Detection skill they received a slithery feeling from places related to the quest objective. As Weed did not have such a skill, he had to actually dig the ground up to find out.
“Let’s get started.”
He took out a spade and began to dig the ground. Through the effect of his Mining skill, the ground was dug up quickly under his spadework! After digging 1 meter deep, he found a wooden chest.
Weed opened the wooden chest. Inside was a pair of rusted keys, a small hand mirror and a book.
Weed checked the keys first.
“Identify!”
It was the key to open the sealed palace of Queen Evane. Currently the rumors mentioned that after it was abandoned, monsters began to live in the palace.
“I never heard of anything suggesting the Star Palace is open. Then this must be the key that opens the palace. Onto the next item… Identify!”
This time, Weed placed the key to the secret room on the palm of his hand.
It is greatly damaged so it will be difficult to use this several times.
Option: After 4 uses, it will be destroyed.
“Identify!”
Reveals falsehoods and visions, leads one back to the way of truth.
Could be used at a particular place.
Restrictions: Cannot be used by murderers and evil men.
When dancers, bards or priests equip this item, the effect of this item doubles.
Option: Intelligence, Wisdom +7.
Charm +23.
Maximum value of mana increase by 11%.
Faith increase by 38.
In a specific place, it will lead you the way.
“This doesn’t look ordinary…”
Weed sniffed up the many satisfying scents coming from the quest items. Then he opened up the last item left, the diary, and began reading. The diary was not written consistently everyday. There was an entry every one or two months, written whenever it was necessary. There were some parts that were unreadable due to the tear marks, but overall they were not a hindrance.
With Zahab…
Like back then… The happy OO ti OO me…
The happiest m O ments in my life was seeing him making those sculptures.
If only I could return back to the time when I was young and innocent.
My heart will always follow him.
If only I was not OOO then I could be ha OO py OO with Zahab…
We are prepared to die.
Though I am queen, I will tie my fate with them.
I think I have rushed too much.
They figured out my involvement.
Assassins have been sent to kill me.
I want to se O Zahab one last time.
Reemergence of Embinyu Church!
Weed was still as he chewed over the content of the diary. But his brain spun faster than when he tried to scam for Yellowy’s feed. All his perception was in agreement.
‘Queen Evane and Zahab. This chain quest is connected to the Embinyu Church.’
Weed came here after meeting Zahab first. The friendship he had earned then was to be used for a situation like this.
‘It’s to fight the Embinyu Church with Zahab and bring them into account for the death of Queen Evane!’
Although the story was different, there was a time when he had fought with the Embinyu Church in the North. When the Queen’s death was all but forgotten, and when meeting the guy who loved her, it was all a scenario that pointed toward the sculptor gaining vengeance against the Embinyu Church!
‘This was a rushed action, it’s like going to a meat buffet and eating only 5 rolls of gimbap before the meat is ready.’
He was sorely regretting his past actions.
‘I should have guessed that the quest would not end with meeting him!’
There were many different thoughts in his head but it was pointless regretting it now.
Weed took the items and returned to the old handmaiden Elzase.
“The Queen’s diary! I could have never imagined it would be found again. Did you meet Fabiane?”
“Yes, I met with her. She was living in the alleyway behind the market district.”
“Oh, is that so. Even though she is living so close by, after I left the castle I never contacted her so I never knew. The reason was because somehow the handmaidens serving the Queen were dying one by one.”
DING!
The diary of Queen Evane was buried in the ground where she was happy with Zahab.
Seeing Weed’s level was so high, the easy quest did not even give experience worth mentioning.
The handmaiden opened the diary and read through it.
“My word, how could something like this…! So there was such a secret behind the Queen’s death. But I think it’s too late now.”
“What?”
“It would have been alright if you came 3 month ago… The royal knight Yiorlin died due to a monster attack.”
“…..”
“It’s too sad what happened to the Queen. Except for this diary there is absolutely no proof about the tragic death of the Queen… The relevant people are not even around now. There is only little old me and Sculptor-nim so I don’t know how we can avenge her.”
DING!
Suspension in the chain quest!
There was a great emptiness that came upon Weed.
‘I came too late.’
The Embinyu Church was already spread widely in Rosenheim Kingdom. Also the related incidents already occurred. Because he came too late, the quest disappeared halfway.
“But if it wasn’t for adventurer-nim, then this old lady would have always just brooded about what happened. Although the Queen and Zahab-nim loved each other, they couldn’t be together and in the end we couldn’t even avenge the Queen.”
“…….”
“Perhaps this was for the better. The Queen and Zahab-nim would not have wanted revenge. You must have experienced a lot of hardship because of my unreasonable request.”
Weed feebly left the old handmaiden’s house. He couldn’t even pack the poached potatoes this time.
*****
On the street, Seo Yoon asked.
“Will you return to Morata?”
“No. We came all the way here and also got the key, we should try going to the Star Palace.”
Weed went to the castle and with the key he opened Queen Evane’s Star Palace. While the castle in Rosenheim Kingdom had many players visiting to meet the nobles and officials, no one went close to the abandoned Star Palace.
Double experience and item drop rate for one week.
Monsters hunted for the first time will drop the best possible item that it can.
“Let’s hunt to our heart’s content.”
Inside the Star Palace, old artworks were hidden like treasures and there were rooms hidden with gold articles. This dungeon was luxurious!
Usually in dungeons where only low level monsters appeared, the whole place had to be searched to earn a piece of bronze but here it was filled with treasure. After the death of Queen Evane, the palace was left to rot and turned into a dungeon through a mysterious curse.
The Star Palace was littered with souls of maids, knights, and soldiers who died with regret. The reason was unknown but there was a lot of grotesque monsters called Burgle.
“This is quite a dangerous dungeon.”
At Weed and Seo Yoon’s level, the lingering souls were easy to handle. But the Burgle monsters charged with incredible speed and thrust themselves into battle, not only was their level mid 400, they were extremely dangerous. Fortunately the monsters didn’t rush them all at once, so compared to hunting in the Grapass region, it was considerably easier.
“Call: Death Knight Van Hawk, call: Vampire Lord Torido!”
Weed summoned Torido and Van Hawk and fought together with Seo Yoon. When Seo Yoon wasn’t with him, he cautiously hunted the outskirt of the dungeon with Death Knight Van Hawk using Radiant Sword.
“KIEEEEK!”
Radiant Sword was effective against curse type monsters, also the skill mastery increased easily but nothing new came out of the light yet. But still, the Burgles had great strength which made them difficult to deal with. Even if he used his skill, the Burgles bashed in with their shield and pushed in, whirling their great swords.
In the morning when the Radiant Sword became weaker, Weed went to the Square and made sculptures.
“Doing this reminds me of back then.”
Lost in his memories he started making sculptures of deer, foxes, and rabbits. Truthfully, these were the shapes he sculpted the most, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say these shapes laid the basis of his sculpting skill.
“Tsk tsk, you don’t make sculptures like that.”
While Weed was carving his sculptures, a player who looked the same age as him approached.
“Yes?”
“I am also a sculptor, shall I teach you some tricks?”
This player’s class was also a sculptor!
The place Weed was at was a good spot where people had to cross to reach the Square’s fountain. Blacksmith and seamstress were a given but especially, there were many sculptors sitting there and doing business. While players with other classes wouldn’t be interested, Serabourg Citadel in Rosenheim Kingdom was like a holy land to the sculptors! It was to the point that making and selling sculptures here was recommended in message boards as a way for sculptors to grow.
“My sculpting skill is beginner level 4 but my specialties lie in making deer, foxes, rabbits, and wolves. I have made over 10 thousand of them.”
“Why did you make so many of the same images?”
“This is a secret only the sculptors in Rosenheim Kingdom know, this secret is from the peerless hero birthed from Rosenheim Kingdom! The War God and the Great Sculptor Weed did the exact same thing.”
Weed’s eyes were bleak and for the first time he looked around his surroundings, observing the different sculptors all making foxes and such sculptures. These were the many unfortunate sacrificial lambs copying his growth method.
Truthfully, sculptures were sold as souvenirs in Serabourg Citadel so the sculptors financial situation became better. But compared to the sculptors, artists were still scraping by as they had to continually buy paint.
“While the public wouldn’t know, sculpting is a path that is harder than they can imagine.”
Weed nodded his head. Just continually making deer and foxes had truly no bottom or end, it was like walking perpetually to the same spot.
“Most people give up after only a few days, but to become like Weed-nim this is a phase that must be passed.”
“So after you make the basic sculptures in the city, what happens next?”
“After we gather 1,000 sculptors, we are planning to make a pyramid and a sphinx.”
The wrong path of suffering and hardship that Weed laid down, was now walked on and expanded without any change by the next generation.
*****
Park Jin Suk met with chairman Jeong Deuk Soo.
“I don’t think Seo Yoon even notices me. She is so indifferent it’s hard to talk with her. Is there any good method that I can try?”
When she came back from university, she did not go out again. There was no reason for Seo Yoon to accept his proposal for a date at a sudden notice. He had to try and get to know her gradually but Seo Yoon had no openings. Rather Park Jin Suk became more fretful.
“Then how about playing Royal Road?”
“Royal Road?”
“My daughter spends a lot of time in Royal Road, meeting her there might be more comfortable. Perhaps you haven’t played it yet?”
“I am already playing it. These days there is no one that hasn’t played Royal Road.”
Park Jin Suk thought this was a brilliant idea. His class in Royal Road was a hunter. While hunters could not wear heavy armor, they could use a variety of weapons, do archery, and install and dismantle traps. It was a versatile class with comparable strength and vitality.
“You could go hunting with my daughter at least.”
“Then we could easily become closer.”
Royal Road was a game that made and broke apart many a couple. In Park Jin Suk’s case, just getting to talk with Seo Yoon was all he could hope for.
“But there is one person my daughter frequents with…”
“I heard she had a man. But from my understanding, they aren’t deeply involved. I can understand that with Seo Yoon’s beauty many men would follow after her.
“Isn’t it? However she plays Royal Road often with that man.”
“Do you know who he is?”
“The character name is said to be Weed.”
“Weed? It’s really a common name.”
Weed was a name spread out and used so commonly in Royal Road, it wasn’t much of a help to Park Jin Suk. Truthfully, Park Jin Suk was an ardent fan of Weed. But he was a bit disappointed learning that this rival copied the name for his character.
“I think he was called the War God in Royal Road.”
“What?”
“He became quite famous after beating some monsters.”
Chairman Jeong Deuk Soo didn’t think it was important and spoke unassumingly, but Park Jin Suk was a diehard fan who liked all of Weed’s adventures so much he memorized them. The name highlighted in stations broadcasting Royal Road dozens of times per day was Weed, Orc Karichwi, Undead Legion and Morata.
*****
Park Jin Suk waited for Seo Yoon at her front door, arranging for the time she came back from university. Seo Yoon was approaching from afar and when she reached her door and tried to enter he spoke.
“Excuse me, I have a request.”
“……”
Seo Yoon did not ignore him but also did not enter through her front door, she did not even turn to face him. It was because she already knew the reason why he approached her.
“Um, I heard that you hunt with Weed-nim in Royal Road. Is it possible that I can meet Weed-nim at least once?”
Rivalry was a rivalry but Park Jin Suk as a fan in Royal Road wanted to meet Weed at least once. However Seo Yoon shook her head in a negative manner. This could cause her inconvenience as nothing would expose Weed into the open as this.
“I really want to know what kind of person he is, I just want to meet him for a brief moment and chat with him.”
“…….”
“With my character level, I would definitely lose but I want to ask for a duel with Weed-nim and kinda learn some tricks from him as well.”
Park Jin Suk also wanted to sincerely date Seo Yoon. Through this he thought he could establish a connection with her. While the start would be rocky, afterwards he thought he would have a chance to become closer with her. It was a calculated proposal with a multistage plan.
When Seo Yoon heard it was for a duel, she gave a small nod.
“Rosenheim Kingdom…..”
“I need to go to Rosenheim Kingdom?”
Hearing Seo Yoon’s beautiful voice, Park Jin Suk’s happiness went through the roof.
“Come to the mountain behind Serabourg Citadel.”
“I am currently with some friends in Brent Kingdom. It’s not far from where I am. I will get there as fast as I can. ”
*****
“Robin, is it really true?”
“I am telling you, we are going to meet War God Weed right now.”
Hunter Robin. He brought a lot of his friends to the mountain behind Serabourg Citadel. Tingling with excitement at the prospect of meeting War God Weed! He was a figure that was harder to meet personally than the head’s of famous guilds.
After hearing that they could meet him personally, Robin, who wanted to see Morata, and his friends stopped their dungeon hunt and came immediately. When they arrived, Weed was no where in sight except for Seo Yoon who was standing in full armor.
Robin and his friends were grinning as they approached her.
“Weed-nim hasn’t arrived yet?”
They were tolerant of Weed’s lateness as they haven’t set an exact time,. And if they could talk to Seo Yoon while waiting for Weed, it would be even better.
However Seo Yoon hadn’t even told Weed someone was coming to see him.
As a rule, one should think deeply about the reason for a meeting behind the mountain!
SHIIIIING.
Berserker Seo Yoon unsheathed her sword.
*****
Weed was waiting at the entrance of the Star Palace for Seo Yoon.
“She’s a bit late today.”
She was someone who kept the exact time for a meeting, so he started making sculptures leisurely believinsg she wouldn’t be too late. Weed was making sculptures in the depth of the night but he did not feel any fear. Because if a ghost appeared he could hunt it in a instant!
Sabak Sabak.
He lifted his head as he could finally hear the footsteps of Seo Yoon approaching
“You are a bit late…..”
And when he saw Seo Yoon his heart skipped a beat in surprise. Seo Yoon’s name was indicated in red. It meant she was a murderer.
“Did you go somewhere to kill some people?”
Nod, nod.
“How many?”
“8 people.”
With one stroke, Seo Yoon killed Robin and his friends.
“Wow, you killed a lot. How did the fight start?”
“We had different opinions.”
“Was it a problem that couldn’t be solved by talking about it?”
“Ah…..”
Seo Yoo exclaimed in a subdued voice as if she realized something.
“You haven’t tried, have you?”
“…….”
A slight side effect that remained even if they talked about it! When a conflict in opinion arose between Seo Yoon and someone other than Weed, rather than persuading otherwise she went back to her previous habit. If Geomchi was here, he would praise her for such an attitude.
“If you want to remove the murderer status, you will have to do quests or give donations, hunt a lot of evil type of monsters. If you killed 8 people, it won’t be easy to remove the murderer status.”
With the murderer status, she could be attacked by players. They could only tread carefully as her death penalty became more serious.
“Well, let’s just think about how to remove your murderer status while hunting.”
As other players did not come to the Star Palace, he tried to enter and start hunting. But at that moment, something monumental was occurring in Rosenheim Kingdom.
