The Queen's Suspicious Behavior
“Refuse?”
It was a quest window slightly different from anything he'd seen before.
In addition to the success and failure conditions, there was now a new section: “Quest Refusal.”
Quest Refusal: Acquire the second relic immediately. Affinity with the second relic fixed at minimum.
Hmm. Make your choice. Will you gamble for the perfect reward? Or take the safe but incomplete one?
If he accepted and succeeded, he'd get the second relic plus hefty extra rewards.
But if you fail, everything—including the second relic—goes poof.
Refusing, on the other hand, granted the second relic right away.
Of course, that came with major penalties—not just no extras, but a huge hit on the relic itself.
“Refuse, huh……”
Alteer flinched hard.
She seemed seriously troubled by the idea of refusal……but in the end, it was pointless worry.
“Of course I'll fight with you.”
You have accepted the quest.
Yeah. No way you'd pick safe there unless you're nuts. That enjoy-the-game DNA ain't goin' anywhere.
'Nah, even skipping the fun part, you'd have to accept this.'
Getting the relic was great.
But look at this:
Acquire second relic immediately. Affinity with second relic fixed at worst.
Tip: At worst affinity, the relic will heavily resist user commands.
Who'd pick refuse after seeing that?
Especially with that tip at the bottom.
It was refusal in name only—practically screaming accept.
“Phew. What a relief. Thank you for your aid, Carpe.”
Alteer sighed in relief, having fretted over the impossible scenario of Carpe refusing.
But it was understandable for her.
This was a dire matter that could doom her entire clan.
The World Tree's fruit grew by absorbing natural mana.
High-quality mana helped too—like that in the Magic King's relics.
Like fertilizer or nutrients.
So if the Magic King's heir reclaimed it, fruit growth would suffer massively. No wonder Alteer had to play nice.
'Worth giving up one of the clan's treasures!'
The bracelet she'd given as reward was way overkill for Carpe's bug-squashing.
Hell, Hero+ grade for a few hundred weak bugs? Other RaSe players would foam at the mouth.
'Humans are greedy as ever.'
Bribe accepted.
She'd overpaid to butter him up, and it worked! The heir took the bait.
……All in her head, of course.
Time until fruit fully ripens: 6 days, 17 hours.
Protect the fruit from Servinge's fragment during this time.
Quest accepted, and it kicked off proper.
But not quite as Carpe expected.
“Huh? Protect it? Not kill it?”
Chase off Servinge.
Guard the fruit.
No “kill Servinge” anywhere.
As if they hadn't even considered it possible.
“Sadly, our clan's forces can't exterminate it. Holding out is our limit—even with your help.”
But that was enough.
Once the seed took root, it'd be irreversible. Servinge would give up and leave.
Just endure until then.
“Hmm. Got it.”
Carpe's face fell flat. He said he understood, but his expression screamed otherwise. Cheonma sighed.
Got some disease where easy wins kill ya? Damn, should've won that bet back then.
A guy who needed invincible bosses to satisfy him wouldn't settle for defense.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hm?”
“Stalling's fine……but killing it wouldn't hurt, right?”
“……What?”
Alteer stared like he'd spouted nonsense, but Carpe just turned and headed out.
A man spoke with his back.
Hey, you really gonna kill it? That monster?
“If possible, yeah. Gotta see the situation first. If it's truly unkillable, oh well—give up.”
He'd said that to the elf queen on perfect timing for his favorite line—reflex, not ironclad intent.
Carpe chased fun, but not suicidal nonsense.
“I'm not that thoughtless.”
……Got a lot to say, but I'll hold it.
“Anyway, that mantis was on another level.”
Worlds apart from the fanatic priest event boss.
Recalling its Permafrost still chilled his spine.
“Didn't know 9-star actives were that broken. That's worth tanking 1-star Patron for on character creation, right?”
Patron + skill always summed to 10 stars. 1-star Patron meant auto 9-star skill.
Yeah, early days some tried it. Most flopped.
9-stars were all late-bloomers.
Insane MP costs—useless at level 1.
Some eat 1,000+ MP per cast. Seal 'em till second job change.
Plus crap job, crap Patron skills—all crap.
No potential anywhere.
Cling to that one skill and grind forever.
Even if you grind to use it……still meh.
Skills need support: matching job, stats, gear, complementary skills.
Half-baked 9-star? Trash hunt efficiency.
Cast once, rest hour for MP……rinse, repeat, quit. Unless rare 9-star passive.
Like Extreme Yin Body or Sun Moon Star Physique—body-altering passives.
Those had long-term ranker potential……
But betting on that slim chance? Insane. Better grab 5-star Patron.
“……So how do you get 9-stars?”
Advanced packs didn't have 'em, right?
Above advanced: special packs, slim chance. Or skill card combos. Or……
“Or?”
Hidden quest rewards.
“Question.”
I know what you're gonna say, but shoot.
“Hidden quests for 9-stars in Cheonma's manual?”
Wouldn't ask if not.
“Kuh.”
“Impressive. Even past Magic Kings had few 9-stars.”
“Chyu-chyu!”
Chest swelling at Cheonma's boast.
Had to chant.
“Cheonma bloodline! Heaven-demon prosperity! Onward, brothers!”
“Chyu-chyu-chyuu! Chyuu-chyu!”
“Good job! Tina next!”
“……Ch-Cheonma blood……kuh. Hea……ven…… Sorry, my lord.”
Tina bowed, defeated.
Needed more anti-demon training.
……Enough already. Please. Ain't ya embarrassed?
“Just us here. So what? Bro embarrassed by us?”
Yeah. Big time. Specifically you. Others fine.
“My lord……I'm a bit embarrassed too……”
“Chyu?”
Cheonma cult unity: distant future.
“Anyway, let's hunt elf village quests first?”
Days till ripeness: plenty.
Alteer predicted fragment at peak mana in a week. Carpe planned max levels by then.
Can't recommend like before. First time here for me too.
“Wandering'll find something.”
Elves distrusted humans passively, but Carpe was exception.
Queen's endorsement + old Magic King favors helped.
“Short-handed……could you help? Need new fence, but quality wood scarce. Generous reward.”
“Ooh, first human. Heard you're diligent? Mind gathering herbs in the woods?”
Basic gathering quests.
“Hunt deep-forest wild monsters. Servinge might mind-control an army.”
Hunting quests.
“Alteer? Fine queen. Probably most diligent ever. Heard she was lazy young……oh, favor:”
“Queen lost again? Find her? What, no biggie? Haha, usual. She's directionally challenged. Shh, don't tell her I said.”
Even bizarre Alteer-related quests.
……They were waiting for you? Quest backlog city.
“Yeah. Clear all this EXP……”
No shortage worries—quests poured.
High affinity? Rewards outscaled difficulty.
Spirit Elixir: +3 all stats 30min.
Attribute stones, forest-exclusive crafts.
Elf-made dexterity gloves (no level req, to Tina).
Rare city stuff flooded in.
Carpe roamed, cleared quests daily.
Rewards and EXP granted.
“Kuh. This is gaming! God game!”
Bliss.
Minimal grind, max rewards.
“RaSe fits busy modern tastes perfectly.”
Other players: infinite PK warrant.
……Not anxious? This giveaway screams how brutal that fragment is.
“That's then!”
Sigh.
“Enjoying now. Next quest……ah, this again.”
Queen search repeat.
'Carpe, Find Alteer!'
“Weird. Queen lost in her village?”
Who cares? Grab EXP, rewards.
“True.”
First time: prank?
Then saw her wander 30m for 2 hours. Nodded.
Elf scouting prowess: myth.
Directionally-challenged elves exist.
“Where lost this time.”
30min searching village.
“Ah, there.”
Easy find again.
As Carpe called—
Hold. Hide.
“Huh?”
Reflex hide behind tree.
“Why sudden?”
Look. Something off from usual?
Found her near World Tree.
North outskirts, low traffic……
“Yeah. Why glancing around like that?”
Pacing trunk, scanning surroundings.
Like checking for tails.
“Huh?”
Confirmed alone, slipped under root-exposed trunk base.
“……”
Suspicious. Very.
What now?
“……Follow quest. Escort to office.”
Goal unmet. One choice.
“Going in.”
Carpe followed into World Tree.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw