An Unnecessary Quest?
Carpe left the city and headed to Ruana's beach.
His target went without saying: mermen!
Lightning Arrow
"Gyaagagagak!"
Just like his first time visiting the beach, Carpe swiftly took down mermen one after another.
About 40 minutes later.
You have defeated a merman.
You have acquired Merman Scales. (20/20)
"That was faster than I thought."
Yeah, scales are...
"...Right."
Regrettably, he hadn't gotten a single Sea Essence while collecting all the merman scales.
Cheonma had said the drop rate was low, so he'd expected as much, but...
"The drop rate's pretty bad, huh?"
Eh, I don't remember the exact rate—it's just junk. It's low, but you'll probably get one within two hours or so.
"Tch. That's too long."
He opened the system window to check his remaining login time: about five hours left.
"Wonder if I can recover the relic within that."
That's not like you, sounding weak. With your luck, you'll snag it quick.
"Yeah, you're right!"
Yesterday and today.
No exaggeration—these were the luckiest days of his life.
Two hours? No way. He'd get it in 10 minutes flat!
"I don't have to hunt mermen specifically for Sea Essence, right?"
Nah, any sea monster has a low chance to drop it. Just hunt whatever.
"On it."
Carpe dove back into hunting.
An hour later.
Carpe still hadn't gotten the Sea Essence.
"Argh, why won't it drop?!"
It's kinda refreshing that it isn't dropping for once.
Countless monsters faded to gray, his inventory overflowed with junk, and he'd even leveled up once—but just one thing.
He hadn't gotten the Sea Essence.
I thought you were some luck leech ghost... Turns out you're human after all.
"I won't fail even if I use up all my login time today, right?"
No way.
Everything was primed for explosive growth, but getting stalled by one item was frustrating.
"I'll hunt a bit more, and if not, check the auction house."
Higher chance there's nothing there.
"Can't be helped then."
Thinking back, how many games had he slaved away for days over a single quest item?
With all his gaming experience piled up, whining after just two hours of grinding was beneath him.
"Gotta ditch the impatience and take it easy. The quest isn't going anywhere."
Sometimes they do.
"Huh? What do you...?"
Before Carpe could question the cryptic remark—
"Kyu-uu!"
Mukhyang trotted up to the impatient Carpe and nuzzled him affectionately.
"Kyu-kyuu!"
"Yeah, only you think of me, Hyang... Huh? What's up with your cheeks?"
"Kyuuung!"
Mukhyang's cheeks were puffed out like a squirrel hoarding winter nuts.
When Carpe poked one, it went 'Kyu!' and a blue bead-like orb popped out of his mouth.
◈ A magical material rarely found in beach terrain. It contains a faint mana aura.
"Ooh!"
Carpe snatched up the orb with a gasp of delight.
Collection Instinct Lv. 1 – 6-star
- Grants familiars a 3×3 inventory.
- Can probabilistically collect items within 20m radius of the summoner.
- What items to prioritize is entirely up to the familiar's judgment.
- Higher familiar grade and intelligence prioritize higher-value items.
*Due to racial trait of skill-holding familiar, top priority collection target is fixed to 'acorns'.
*Inventory size and collection range increase with skill level.
*Acquisition Limit: Beast-type familiars
This was the first time Mukhyang's Collection Instinct skill had activated.
"Whoa. Unreal."
Pet steps up when the owner's slacking. Good job, Kyu-kyu.
"Kyu!"
"You get mad when I call you Kyu-kyu. But hey, problem solved."
Right when he was getting antsy, he'd gotten the essence from the last place he expected.
The thrill rivaled looting it straight from a monster!
He'd buy a ton of acorns in town later as he petted Mukhyang.
Collection Instinct is the top skill every beast-pet owner dreams of.
Everyone loves freebies.
And Collection Instinct straight-up auto-loots for you once learned, so it was insanely popular.
That's why auction listings get sniped instantly.
"My lucky charm, my lucky charm. From now on, you're God-hyang."
With that, his beach business was done.
Carpe swung by town, sold all his junk at the shop, and hurried to Geas's hut.
Creeeak.
As he entered, a fresh lemon scent assaulted his nose, just like the first time.
Carpe swallowed involuntarily and addressed Geas.
"Here—got everything you asked for."
"Oho, perfect. As expected of the heir. Must not have been easy."
"Just got lucky."
No exaggeration—he'd been way too lucky.
But Geas took it as modesty and nodded with a pleased smile.
"Then I'll craft the artifact right away. Should take about 30 minutes."
"Huh? 30 whole minutes?"
"Can't help it—needs magical engraving."
Carpe was a bit thrown.
Don't most games craft it on the spot once you hand over mats? Realistic in a weird way.
Sometimes they do. Probably a side quest pops for those 30 minutes.
As if on cue, Geas offered a new quest.
"While I work on the artifact, could you check around the pit for anything suspicious? It's not far."
Magic King's Relic (2)-2
📍 Head to Ruana's Pit and check for anything suspicious.
📍 Check Ruana's Pit (0/1)
📍 Defeat undead monsters (0/5)
🎁 Success: Fragment of the Purifying Orb
💀 Failure: Linked quest difficulty increases
"Got it."
You have accepted the quest.
Carpe accepted without hesitation and stepped out.
The moment he did, a timer window popped up: [30:00].
"Oh yeah, he didn't tell me the location."
Carpe pushed the door to head back in.
But—
"Huh? Won't open?"
The door that had just worked fine wouldn't budge. It wasn't locked—it was actively repelling him.
Geas is concentrating. Cannot enter.
"Damn."
Check the minimap. They often mark it there.
"Good call."
Sure enough, coordinates appeared on the minimap.
Not far—10 minutes even walking slow. Carpe headed straight there.
"Fire Arrow!"
Fwoosh!
Carpe's magic arrow shattered a skeleton's skull.
One-shot, just like the mermen!
"Undead are easy too."
Just field mobs for now. The dungeon'll be different.
Mythic main questline dungeon—difficulty would be insane, obviously.
You can handle it, but don't get cocky or you're done.
"Got it."
Ten minutes in, he reached the spot.
It was like a cemetery hub, with a deep, ominous pit at the center.
"Like a super-sized sinkhole. Can't see the bottom."
Bottomless pit fit perfectly.
As Carpe poked around and took down the fifth skeleton—
Investigation complete. Quest completed.
"Huh, that's it? Super easy."
He double-checked the quest window—yep, done. Carpe shrugged.
"Perfect time-filler."
Heading back now would hit exactly 30 minutes.
On the way, he hunted a few more skeletons and leveled up again.
"Level 14 now! One more and I can open a skill pack. Should I grind one more level, learn a new skill, then hit the dungeon?"
Maybe invest those saved stat points?
"What do you th—hey, what's with the serious face?"
That quest just now.
"The time-filler? Yeah?"
Feels way too contrived. Like pointless busywork.
"Hmm?"
Carpe reviewed the quest at Cheonma's words.
Yeah, it didn't feel super important.
"Just scouting and cleanup before the dungeon, right? Not totally meaningless."
Could see it that way... but it bugs me.
Quest was done anyway, and heading back was the only path.
"Gotta head ba—huh? A person?"
On the way, he spotted a woman.
Young, with a ditzy air and an innocent beauty.
Her tight white dress hugged her figure, topped with a pure white hat bearing a cross.
And the long golden staff in her hand screamed one class.
"Priestess?"
She must've heard his mutter—smiling, she approached.
"Hi there!"
"Oh, hi."
"I'm hunting undead around here. Seen any nearby?"
"Yeah, tons that way."
Carpe pointed, and she thanked him and left.
He watched her go, head tilted.
Sneaky bastard. Playing it cool, but you're a guy after all. Gotta admit, she's a looker.
"Nah, it's a sense of wrongness."
Wrongness? What wrongness?
"Can't put my finger on it..."
Tsk tsk. No need to make excuses, man. Happens to the best of us. I get it.
"For real."
Spit on your lips before saying that. Gulping like a fish while talking to her... Embarrassing even for me.
"...Gulping?"
That clicked—the source of the unease. Carpe whipped around, but the priestess was gone.
"Damn it!"
He bolted full speed.
Not after her—toward the hut.
What the—why the rush?
"The smell."
Huh?
"That's what felt off—the smell."
Sad but true: Carpe had been a total solo player IRL. His life was mostly games.
So he got a bit tense talking to women. Especially beauties.
But he wasn't that oblivious to gulp loudly right in her face!
"Lemon scent."
Her body carried that irresistible lemon aroma.
Plus one more thing.
He hadn't noticed the lemon right away because it mixed with something else.
"Blood! Damn it!"
Carpe burst into the hut.
"Groooan."
Geas writhed in a pool of blood.
Cheonma sighed at the sight.
Now I get it.
Why that pointless time-filler quest.
Simple: he had to kill time.
For the scenario to progress!
Scenario Event – Geas's death has progressed.
Attacks from those who resent Arkram's existence have begun.