Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Calypso's Nightmare
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The rain poured down in sheets—
It had been raining nonstop for days, as if the monsoon season had arrived early. They passed two castles and crossed the border out of Phloria, finally reaching the outskirts of Calypso, but there was no sign of the downpour letting up anytime soon. At least it was a heavy torrent rather than sticky drizzle, which offered some small comfort.
"Doesn't the rain seem unusually heavy? I can't even remember the last time I saw proper sunlight."
Jeanne grumbled as she peered out the window. Just as she said, the sky was blanketed in thick clouds, making broad daylight feel like dusk.
"Was this what you meant last time when you said we'd suffer?"
"No, not that. Looks like my words jinxed it, though. Even after we reach the village, I doubt it'll stop..."
Judah trailed off. He'd confirmed via the that they'd crossed into Calypso territory, so their destination was just ahead. After days crammed inside the carriage, the prospect of arriving at the village and stretching their stiff limbs was delightful—but having to wander outside in this deluge was a nightmare.
Judah pulled out a robe in advance and draped it over his coat. The leather armor underneath stayed pristine thanks to its code, requiring no upkeep, but the coat was another story. The carriage came to a halt. Through the window, he could see the castle walls—they'd arrived.
Soon, a robed soldier approached and knocked on the door. After stating their purpose, giving their names, and showing their adventurer badges, they were allowed inside the gates.
The coachman, who seemed familiar with the area, drove deeper into the castle town and stopped in front of a building. He approached and rapped on the rain-lashed window.
"We're here!"
Judah pressed the robe's hood firmly over his head, opened the door, and stepped out. Torrents of rain immediately hammered the fabric, while the coachman—drenched head to toe—stood nearby, sniffing from what looked like a cold caught from driving in the storm.
"Hah."
Inhaling the scent of rain, Judah sighed and turned to help Jeanne down more easily. Once she and Judah were out, the coachman shut the door and pointed to the building behind them.
"This is the best inn in the castle—head inside and rest up!"
He spoke as if he'd been here more than once or twice, then moved the carriage to a secluded spot, unhitched the horses, and vanished toward the inn's rear. He clearly planned to stay the night too.
"Staying here?"
"Yeah. No choice, right? Hope it stops by tonight. If not, we'll just have to wander around tomorrow. Come on, let's go in."
Jeanne nodded, glanced at the rainy sky once more, and followed Judah.
Pushing open the inn's door revealed a lively interior, contrasting the desolate streets outside. Even so, it was fewer than twenty people in a modest establishment.
"Welcome!"
A girl who seemed to have come from the kitchen called out while carrying four mugs of beer in her hands. She glanced at Judah and Jeanne, said "One moment," with a smile, swiftly delivered the mugs to a table, and approached.
"Staying the night? Of course you are. A double room, then?"
"No. Two singles. And food?"
"Of course! Dinner first?"
Judah glanced back at Jeanne. She'd removed her hood and nodded.
"Dinner first. We can just grab an empty seat, right?"
"Yes!"
Judah shrugged off his dripping robe and sat at an empty table. Perhaps due to the [Dignified Aura] skill from his Requiem leather coat, people's gazes flicked toward him. But when eyes met, most looked away. The girl arrived with a menu and water glasses, gasping in admiration at Judah's looks and attire.
"Wow, you're so handsome, sir. Like a noble. Oh—wait, you aren't actually nobility, are you?"
She eyed him suspiciously. Judah smiled, taking the menu she offered.
"Do I look it?"
Suddenly anxious, she nodded without answering.
"Don't worry. Just your average adventurer."
"Oh, really? Phew, good. Hehe, yeah, nobles wouldn't come to a place like this!"
Judah chuckled and opened the menu. It featured a variety of Western-style dishes: pork cutlets, french fries, salads, pizzas, and the like. Anything would do, so he passed it to Jeanne across the table.
"Should I order?"
"Yes, get whatever you want. I'm fine with anything."
She pondered briefly before starting.
"There's pizza. Can we get that?"
"Sure!"
"Then one of those, and two hot cream soups, please."
"Toppings can be added—want any?"
Jeanne nodded matter-of-factly, holding up two fingers.
"Double the veggies, meat, and cheese."
"Got it~ Just a moment!"
The girl dashed back to the kitchen with a cheerful trot.
"Energetic kid."
"She looks about your age, Judah."
"Hm. Does she?"
Jeanne's comment drew a smirk from Judah. True, he'd undergone his coming-of-age rite, but he was only fifteen. An age recognized as adult, yet one that still looked young to others.
The door jingled open, and the coachman from earlier entered. He scanned around, seemingly looking for the girl, then spotted Judah and gave a slight bow. He received a room key from her shortly after and hurried up to the second floor. Heavy footsteps thudded up the stairs. Judah watched the stairs thoughtfully before turning back to the window. The rain seemed lighter, but far from stopping. Bored while waiting for food, Jeanne fiddled with her glass and spoke.
"Think it'll clear up tomorrow?"
"No."
Staring out the window, Judah answered without hesitation, letting out a small sigh.
"I'd love for it to stop too, but those clouds aren't budging, and besides..."
Judah turned his gaze. The inn's patrons were drinking beer and complaining—could it really rain like this for a whole week?
"Doesn't seem like ordinary rain."
"Any flood risk?"
"Hmm. Hard to say."
He wasn't sure about that. The conversation lapsed again. With nothing to do, Judah eavesdropped on nearby tables while gazing out the window.
—Ugh, this sucks. Rain pouring like crazy, and now missing people popping up left and right. Something bad's gonna happen at this rate.
—Idiot. The rain's why people are going missing. Only lunatics head into the forest in this weather. They're not right in the head.
—Still, adventurers and mercenaries vanishing? Come on.
—They're human too. Two eyes, two noses—no, one.
—You're drunk.
—Am not!
Missing people confirmed the dungeon had opened, as expected. These folks had no clue. If they knew what that dungeon really was, they wouldn't be casually sipping beer here—they'd have packed up and fled through the rain by now.
'Missing people nearby means the local villages are already done for.'
Judah tapped the table with his fingers. In the game, players arrived after several nearby villages lay in ruins. He'd rushed here right after the quest, expecting the village to still be intact, but apparently not.
"Pizza! Coming right up!"
The inn girl set down a steaming thick-crust pizza in one hand, tangy vinegar-pickled pickles, an iced drink, hot cream soup—and even a side salad, perhaps complimentary.
"Enjoy~!"
"Ah, wait."
"Yes?"
She turned back, tilting her head as she headed to the kitchen.
"Any adventurer guild nearby?"
"Yes, there is. Mercenary guild too, though it's small. From here, that street out the window—see it?"
She pointed outside. Judah nodded to show he understood.
"Follow it straight, and you'll see the sign. You're an adventurer, so no need to describe it, right?"
"Of course. Thanks."
"Hehehe. No problem."
Blushing slightly at Judah's smile, she hurried off to take more orders.
"Definitely, give Judah a few more years, and he'll have girls crying everywhere."
"Haha. A compliment?"
Jeanne shrugged and reached for the pizza. With double toppings, the cheese oozed thickly. It looked mouthwatering, so Judah took a slice too. True to Calypso's magitech prowess, the vegetables and meat were exceptionally fresh. Not too surprising, given that even remote Serenia Castle had magestone-powered refrigerators and air conditioners keeping food fresh. They exchanged "looks delicious" remarks and dug in. After eating, they retired to their rooms for rest. He hoped the rain would stop, but sadly, the next day brought more of the same.
"Want me to go alone? Just a quick guild trip."
"...No, it's fine."
Her stiff expression betrayed her words—she clearly hated trudging through rain. Still, she pulled up her hood to come along. But as they reached the inn door, she let out a deep sigh.
'We had an umbrella, right?'
He opened his <Bag> and pulled out the large one from the general store.
"Here. Less miserable at least."
Jeanne's shadowed face brightened noticeably under the hood. With a pop, she unfurled the umbrella and smiled brightly.
"But don't you have one?"
"Hood's fine for me. I kinda like the rain."
"Still sticky—come here. It's big enough for two."
Without hesitation, she grabbed Judah's arm, pulled him under, and shared the shelter. Walking together under it felt unexpectedly ordinary. They listened to the rain pattering on the fabric in silence as they sought the guild. Just as the girl described, the sign appeared. While Jeanne folded and shook off the umbrella, Judah opened the door first.
A man mopping the floor vigorously with a mop straightened at the bell's chime and greeted them.
"Welcome. This is the Kaora Adventurer Guild."
"Hello."
Holding the mop, he walked to the counter beside the entrance, returning the greeting.
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"I'm on a commission. Heard Edrun took his last one here, so I wanted any related info."
Judah handed over the commission paper from Aslan's guild. The man read it and nodded.
"Need ID—your badges, please."
Judah passed his adventurer badge from his pocket. Jeanne, entering behind, did the same.
"Judah Arsher, Jeanne Atroar... Yes, verified."
He returned the badges and paper, scratching his head.
"Any issues?"
"No, uh, just... where to start. Hmm, you hear from the client? Edrun was an East Badge adventurer. Busy guy, taking odd jobs around Kaora Castle to hunt glowcap mushrooms in the forest. But three weeks ago, he headed to 'Cheriu' village—two days from here—for a commission, and poof, no word since."
He sighed softly, catching his breath.
"Not a tough job. Goblins kept coming down from the forest into the village—catch 'em. He was skilled, so I figured he'd handle it easy. But a week passed, no contact. Worried, I wrote to his regular contact in Aslan on his behalf, saying something big went wrong. That's when the search request flew in from their branch. Sent a few adventurers a few days back, but even they're MIA. Maybe the ten-day rain's to blame—no clue. That's all we've got."
"I see. No choice—I'll check the village myself. Got a map?"
"Yes. Two silver."
"...You charge for it?"
"Naturally."
Judah paid up, nodding at the man's earnest demeanor.
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#Setting 5. 「The Land of Magitech, Calypso」
Calypso is renowned as the land of magitechs, overflowing with mana more than anywhere else. Strangely, it has no king. Instead, tower lords like those of the revered 'Langritsa Tower'—acknowledged by countless magitechs—protect and nurture the land.
Yet just two hundred years ago, Calypso barely influenced the continent. The tower lords' immense power prevented disdain, but that was it. Then, Perlnirn's fragments scattered across the world, birthing magestone-bearing monsters everywhere and ushering a new era.
Harnessing magestones for near-permanent magic circuits, they collaborated with neighboring <Mantium>'s engineering on revolutionary inventions like refrigerators—transforming food distribution for veggies and meats—and countless daily conveniences, selling them far and wide to amass vast wealth. Calypso's standing naturally rose, but unlike the Empire, they cared little for foreign lands or politics, so their strengthened influence changed little in behavior.
Calypso also boasts more dungeons than elsewhere, thanks to magitechs' individualism. To research undisturbed, many retreat to remote mountains or valleys. They dig lairs, set traps and guardians—or mind-control monsters—for protection, then live in isolation.
Upon death, those become dungeons. No piles of gold or jewels like in tales, but recovering their research notes and magitech tomes for the towers fetches cash based on value—treasure enough.
Not all magitechs chase such eccentric lives, of course. Some naturalize in empires or kingdoms for wealth and fame, become mercenaries or adventurers traveling the world, or rule castles as lords if skilled.
After all, Calypso's tower lords respect each magitech's personal will.
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========== Afterword ==========
Nordic? Did I ever mention that word on the phone, folks?
Hmm. Can't recall.
Ah, Son Yeon-jae's competing.
I'm off to watch the fairies.
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