Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 229
Chapter Title: Prepare Thoroughly, Travel Lightly
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Hippolyte spoke.
“No training today. Instead, starting tomorrow, we’re closing the Abyssal Rift.”
What’s the Abyssal Rift?
While I wondered about it, the biggest reaction came from Antiope, who was huddled under the bedcovers, groaning.
“That means going down to the lowest level of the valley, right? Are you insane?”
“Insane? It’s something that had to be done by someone eventually. We kept putting it off, and now it’s finally burst open.”
“What burst open?”
At Antiope’s question, Hippolyte seemed to gaze out the window at the scenery beyond.
“A Silver Tier adventurer party went missing. I’ve taken on the job of searching for them. I’m their party leader.”
A missing adventurer party.
I thought of Delphina and the other members of the White Rose Guild. Honestly, I could barely remember anyone besides Delphina and Elfride.
So they ended up vanishing into the Abyss.
The realization left me with a strange feeling in my gut.
Delphina’s gone missing.
People going missing wasn’t unusual in this world, but it was impossible not to be shaken when it was someone I knew.
That must’ve been why Elfride came looking for Hippolyte.
I didn’t know why Elfride hadn’t been with them, but it felt like I understood why she’d asked Luna to find Hippolyte.
She’d commissioned the Gold Tier adventurer Hippolyte to rescue her party from the Abyss. And Hippolyte had accepted.
But Antiope couldn’t comprehend it, asking as if she refused to accept the fact.
“Isn’t that place off-limits, a forbidden zone no one can enter? Did you report it to the Minerva Guild?”
“No, if we’d reported it, we never would’ve gotten permission to enter. They went in without telling anyone.”
“They must’ve been desperate for Contribution Points. It happens all the time. Adventurer parties go missing constantly, don’t they? Why not just leave them be?”
Antiope’s words were brutally pragmatic.
She probably didn’t want to see her own sister, Hippolyte, risking her life to save some adventurers who’d recklessly entered a forbidden area.
But Hippolyte shook her head.
“If it were just any adventurer party, I would’ve left them. But with Calcutta and Sodomora trying to build ties, the disappearance of an adventurer team summoned from afar is a bit…”
“I know you don’t move for stuff like that, sis. They paid you, didn’t they? How much?”
“120 gold.”
Silence fell over the small room at Hippolyte’s answer.
“Whoa, damn. That’s impressive. How much did they pay you?”
“The client said it was their entire fortune. With their life savings, we’ll save their lives.”
120 gold.
I couldn’t even fathom how many bowls of 5-copper gukbap that could buy. Roughly converting gold to tens of millions of won, it was over a billion won in Korean currency.
For Hippolyte, who was always strapped for cash, it must’ve been a life-changing sum.
Of course, Elfride was the one who’d paid it—her entire fortune of 120 gold to save her party.
“Well, good luck then. Someone like you won’t die down there.”
“You’re coming too, Antiope. You’re going with us. You don’t have anything else to do anyway.”
“Why the hell would I go there?”
“If you think about it, this is partly your fault. Because you surrendered those Pluto priests, they all got shipped off to Prison City, leaving no one to manage the rift.”
“I—I was just doing my job! The only good cultist is a jailed cultist…!”
“Anyway, it’ll be you and me, plus Hassam of Samaria. And one more to make a four-person party. Honestly, just the two of us would be enough, but…”
Hippolyte glanced at me with narrowed eyes. Her gaze seemed fixed on Pluto’s eyeball dangling from my neck.
“A Samaritan has resistance to infernal mana, so he’ll be helpful if the Abyss starts corroding us.”
“Hmm, yeah, that could work. Resistance to infernal mana. Very strong resistance.”
Antiope nodded in agreement.
“So who’s the last one? We’re doing the classic four-person party, right?”
“Yes. I’ll decide on the last member by the end of today. Anyway, this is an official Gold Tier quest from the Mars Guild—more like a mission, really. Everyone needs to prepare thoroughly.”
Forming a party with the Hippolyte sisters.
For me, it’d be like hitching a free ride on a bus. But I couldn’t see what I’d gain from tagging along on something so dangerous.
“Do I have to go?”
“You can refuse. It’s an open spot; we’ll fill it with someone else. But the Contribution Points for this are substantial. According to Daphne’s calculations, completing this quest will max out your contribution for sure, Hassam.”
“If my contribution maxes out, that means I can promote to Silver Tier?”
“Yes, as long as your Karma Value exceeds 30.”
Oh.
Just level up and boom—Silver Tier promotion. Not a bad deal for me.
“You probably won’t die in the dark anyway. No need to play weak now.”
That’s when Antiope turned to me. Her brown eyes glinted slyly beneath her ash-gray hair.
“Play weak? What are you talking about, Antiope?”
“Hmm, you know exactly what I mean.”
* * *
“Hassam, you’re going into the Abyss?”
Back at the cabin, I explained the situation to Luna.
The disappearance of the adventurer party from Calcatta.
And the Mars Guild mission to rescue them.
Something like that.
“It comes with 120 gold.”
“Whoa, shit, that’s huge. 120 gold is probably more than I could earn in a lifetime!”
Actually, the quest reward was 120 gold plus extras.
For a four-person party, that meant at least 30 gold per person minimum.
30 gold.
A pouch full of gold coins.
A massive sum.
And beyond the money, it’d put Elfride in my debt, which was a nice bonus.
With Antiope and Hippolyte along, I wouldn’t be in any real danger.
“Can I come too?”
“Luna, you?”
“I’ve been into the Abyss before. There are tons of Erebos rifts back in Ideope. I—I can help!”
But when Hippolyte heard Luna’s pitch, she responded coldly.
In the fully built Mars Guild office.
As she gathered her gear, Hippolyte said,
“Noxdoti coming along? No. Five is too risky. This mission prioritizes speed and efficiency over monster extermination.”
“B-but I can help! I’ve even taken you down before, Hippolyte!”
“Noxdoti. Know your place. Yes, you have strong power, but it’s limited to me specifically. Adding unnecessary members is just baggage. Travel light.”
“Baggage…”
Luna fell silent, stunned by Hippolyte’s assessment. Her words had been utterly merciless.
“I could be helpful too…”
“No. This isn’t a leisurely escort to Erebos. The missing party entered the Abyss three days ago. Humans can hold onto their sanity for five days max. We have to get them out within two.”
Hippolyte was planning a speed run.
A speed run.
The hallmark of veterans—stripping it down to the bare essentials.
“…”
Understanding that, Luna said nothing more.
She just alternated glances between Hippolyte’s face and mine before nodding helplessly.
“Got it… Then at least let me help you prepare.”
“Noxdoti, I hope you know this isn’t personal dislike. This is a mission. No room for sentiment.”
Hippolyte softened slightly, comforting the dejected Luna. Luna responded in kind, a bit subdued.
“No, I get it. Sorry for asking too much, Hippolyte.”
Luna had been getting stronger lately, but she wasn’t ready for a Gold Tier quest.
I didn’t want her following us into the deep darkness either.
Not for routine goblin hunts, anyway.
I didn’t want to drag her into a place crawling with manticores and wyverns and put her in danger.
And so, we toured the market to prepare for tomorrow’s Abyss dive.
Even with an S-rank mission issued, the market buzzed as lively as ever.
“The rumor hasn’t spread, and it’s a top-secret emergency job anyway.”
According to Hippolyte, publicizing the quest wouldn’t help matters.
Of course—word of an out-of-town adventurer team vanishing and draining the city’s key personnel would only cause panic.
Like an embargo in this world?
“Hassam, here—stock up on these!”
Luna, who’d been browsing separately, approached me and placed a hefty pouch in my palm.
Peering inside, I saw it packed with small, acorn-like fruits rattling around.
“What are these?”
“Lightning hazels! Bite one, and the bitter shock wakes you right up. Perfect for chewing in the dark when you’re sleepy or tired!”
Like caffeine gum for long drives?
“And these are rations, plus the wildling potions I made…”
She handed over a large shoe-bag slung on her back. It felt heavy with all sorts of stuff.
Hippolyte commented on the sight.
“In the Abyss, carry only the bare minimum. Torches, firewood kindling, first aid, and holy water—that’s ideal.”
“B-but…”
Luna hesitated, her face full of worry at our load for such a dangerous place.
I spoke up.
“I’ll carry it all. With Antiope and you there, Hippolyte, I won’t have much to do anyway.”
I’d already hauled enough dungeon porter loads to be numb to it. Luna’s face brightened at my words.
“Carry it all! You’ll be a big help!”
After that, it was nonstop shopping.
High-grade holy water for purifying rifts or curses—ten vials at 60 silver each.
Blessed pitch and sap that burned brighter and longer than regular torches—2 gold per bottle.
Over 20 gold vanished in half a day, numbing my sense of money.
But neither Antiope nor Hippolyte batted an eye, scrutinizing only the quality.
This was how Gold Tier adventurers prepped.
Impressive earnings came with equally massive upfront investments.
* * *
That night, we huddled in the tent behind the Mars Guild—Hippolyte’s office—to quickly discuss the plan.
“I’ll take point. Antiope, you’ve got rear guard. In emergencies, rotate with the Samaritan—”
Seeing high-level adventurers and temple knights in a strategy session was a first, and pretty informative.
Back when I’d dungeoned with Bronze Tiers in Pluto’s lair, it was just charge in and wreck everything.
Hippolyte had positions assigned from the start, even predetermining actions for surprises.
A bit nitpicky, but that caution had clearly kept her alive this long.
“Samaritan, what’s your role again?”
“Left flank watch. And in emergencies, check Lady Hippolyte’s mental state up front. Keep the torches lit, report monster sightings in a low, quiet stance…”
Why did it feel like basic training memories?
On second thought, not much difference.
“Good, that covers it. More time would be nice, but emergency missions are always rushed. Expect the unexpected.”
“But with you and me, it’s overkill anyway. Loaded lineup. With the Samaritan, nothing major should go wrong. Who’s the last one?”
“Meeting at the north gate tomorrow. Alright, everyone get some rest.”
And so, before dawn broke.
Still pitch-black, with the already quiet north gate street utterly deserted, we donned thick robes and slipped out unseen.
“Hassam—”
Waiting to link up with the last party member at the north gate, I spotted Luna already there.
“Luna, what brings you all the way here?”