"Soul Oath Document?"

"Soul Oath Document?"

He had asked for money, but out of nowhere, they handed him a soul oath document? It was an item type he'd never even heard of before, and the very nuance of its name felt burdensome.

"I've already signed it. Once you sign, Vulcan, it will take effect."

"No, wait... why the hell are we doing this...?"

Vulcan took it with a baffled expression, but Tiran and the high priests all stared at him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

'Any demand?'

The description was just as absurd. It was essentially a wish ticket. He could request anything, and since Tiran had sworn on her soul to a god, she couldn't refuse.

'It's good, sure...'

This granted control over a High Temple Knight, no less. The right to command someone over level 300 was priceless, beyond any gold value. But Vulcan couldn't help grimacing.

Tiran, with her massive build dwarfing his own, was flexing her muscles menacingly.

"Our order doesn't have much money. Even if we converted your contributions into gold based on our own assessment, we couldn't pay it. So, per doctrine, we'll repay with our bodies."

"W-with your bodies...?"

Vulcan flinched at the implication, shuddering as Tiran hammered it home. He instinctively stepped back, waving his hands frantically.

It was a chance to skyrocket his levels in one go with her help, but something about it felt off.

"N-no, it's fine. Just give me some modest reward..."

"No, we can't do that. Please accept it. But... I have one request."

"A request?"

"Could you delay enforcing the oath for a while?"

"Hm?"

He'd planned to just grind solo, return it, and pocket some cash instead. But then Tiran dropped something unexpected.

"I still have unfinished business. Give me a chance to reclaim Sharon and punish those who corrupted her. After that, do with me as you will."

"No, I don't even plan to—"

"I beg you!"

Thud!!

Before Vulcan could stop her, it happened. Tiran slammed her forehead to the ground in prostration, pleading.

'No need for that!'

Baffled, Vulcan tried to pull her up, but the strength gap was too vast—she didn't budge.

"Fine, I get it! Just get up!"

"...Thank you."

Only then did she lift her head. She'd headbutted so hard the floor was shattered into dust, though ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her forehead was unscratched, of course.

It meant he couldn't cash in on the oath right away, but that was fine. Her level 300+ aid would be invaluable later. Sure, his overwhelming gear power made monsters easy now, but at 200 or 300, it'd get tough—better to call her then.

Just regrettable that the fat stack of gold slipped away.

"Ahem, so we're good?"

By now, Vulcan just wanted to bolt. The mood felt weirdly off.

"If it's alright, may I ask one more favor?"

"Huh? What...?"

"Could you spread word of this to the other orders? We'd do it ourselves, but circumstances prevent us."

"Oh! Sure, of course."

He startled at her follow-up but quickly agreed—it wasn't what he'd feared.

And as expected, it linked to the main scenario quest. After Rezina Village, it branched to other villages and figures.

With ties to the Demon World, temples seemed central to the scenario.

'No lord branch? Well, Alter's around.'

He briefly wondered about lord-led main quests but shrugged it off— he'd already secured the noble route via Hainel. They might clash someday, but for now, he could chase both rabbits cautiously.

'Gotta milk everything I can.'

Thus, he'd squeezed all he could from Roona Temple. Tiran said she'd leave Rezina the moment he did, hunting Sharon and her backers.

"Huh, hope she doesn't kick the bucket somewhere."

- Why, worried?Kekeke! With the voucher—no, oath document—in hand, she won't die before we meet again, right?

Tud teased his concern, but Vulcan wasn't truly worried. Clearing her death-prevention main quest meant she'd live till they reunited.

"Welcome."

Trusting that, he headed to the lord. The man was swamped cleaning up the village carnage but carved out time for Vulcan—thanks to the statues and swords he'd made, plus saving Tiran, averting worse disaster.

He had rewards ready anyway, and wouldn't free up soon, so he'd scheduled ahead.

"Bring them!"

It didn't take long. Chaos aside, rewards were set.

"What's this?"

Soldiers ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hauled three chests at the lord's order. Gold piles? Vulcan's mouth watered, clown cheeks twitching, but he played cool.

"Choose. One is yours."

Not all three—pity—but as expected, pick one blind.

No keys like dungeons; luck ruled.

Usually.

'But I've got this.'

Vulcan differed. Dragon Eye scanned the chests, revealing glows: white, blue, orange.

'Wow, no conscience.'

Common, Uncommon, Unique. He frowned—Unique was fine, but the rest? For his feats?

No tip-off, though; revealing his sight might spark drama.

"This one."

"Hm, really okay with that?"

Feigning ignorance, he picked Unique. Eyes wide against swaps or taunts, he stood firm.

"Yes. Definitely this."

"Very well. Open them!"

Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!

Soldiers pried them open at his nod.

"Huh?"

First: Common—pure gold coins, gleaming mockingly. Untold sum, but 'gold' was Common-tier.

"Huh??

Second: Uncommon—blue iron ingots, pristine purity. Sellable for a fortune; Vulcan's gut twisted.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Gah?!"

Last: Unique, yes—but not what he'd hoped.

"Congratulations. Born for the forge, eh? Haha!"

A mortar. For alchemy—pocket-sized, preserving material potency while grinding.

The lord praised his 'artisan fate,' but Vulcan just wanted to cry.

Self-sufficient potions via legendary alchemy were nice, but wasting Unique on this? Armor would've fetched bank.

Blacksmiths aside, alchemists rarely went Unique early—shop stuff sufficed till high levels, so auctions flopped or lowballed.

'Damn...'

Gut churning. Should've picked another. Too late now.

Clutching his bile, he took the unwanted Unique mortar and left the castle. No extra contributions either—just that.

He'd probed for more quests, but "I'll investigate" was all—nothing to hope for.

"Hm. Where to."

Pushed out, Vulcan prepped to leave Rezina. No more easy levels or quests here—next village.

Tiran was gone; no meetup set, but main scenario would cross paths eventually.

'Teleport gates are in big cities...'

Purely quest priority? Rush to Alter County, deliver Hainel's letter. Main rewards were huge; with his power, he'd crush plots early.

But impossible now. Teleport cost a fortune; carriage took a month+.

Gates only in metros, needing village hops.

Not the fee scaring him.

'Even with intro, he might snub me. Alter County's 300s hunting ground?'

Hainel's letter or not, level-gated quests abounded. Alter was notoriously prickly.

Rushing might flop; maybe needed strength for his turf quests.

Vulcan calmed his impatience, prioritizing doable tasks.

- Hmm. Nearby? Schnell Village. Go there.

Rezina linked to three villages, branching paths by noble, terrain. Choices shaped quests reflecting lord traits; monsters suited classes/styles.

"Schnell? Tough hunting there, I recall..."

But Vulcan hesitated. Tud barged in, pushing one.

- There's my old workshop.

"...Long trip, but blacksmiths don't care! Heh heh. Planned to head there anyway."

- Hmm, doubtful.

"Nah, must be your imagination! I really wanna go!!"

Pre-Tud, he'd pondered. Post? No brainer. Tud's long-awaited secret workshop awaited.