Chapter 298
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 298
Chapter Title: Moras's Book
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Delphos: You have completed the hidden episode.
The hidden episode has been added to your collection.
Episode completion increases by an additional 10.
Perfect.
Now I had four hidden episodes registered in my collection.
Memory
-You can view memories of episodes registered in your collection.
Currently viewable episodes: 'Edenhark', 'Liandorf', 'Hixmion', 'Delphos'.
It wouldn't be long before my episode completion hit 100.
'Of course, I need to get even stronger before that.'
Under the Grand Duke of Delphos's guidance, Jeong Hoon entered the castle.
His eyes were filled with trust, now mingled with awe.
"I have something to give you, hero."
He requested a private audience with Jeong Hoon and handed over an old, worn book.
"What's this?"
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
"It's the treasure of us Delphos folk."
"...Is it really okay to hand a treasure over to me?"
"Of course. But you can only take it if you become its owner."
"Owner?"
"Yes. The book is sealed so only its owner can read it."
"Hmm, I see."
Jeong Hoon took the book.
Just as the man said, even flipping it open revealed nothing to read.
More precisely, the pages were blank, devoid of any text.
??? Book
-Currently unreadable.
It seemed true that only the recognized owner could read it.
"If you become its owner, I'll hand over the treasure without delay."
"So if I'm not chosen as owner, I can't take it."
"...Yes. It's a treasure, after allI can't just give it away."
"Got it. Then I'll try to get chosen before I leave."
It looked like he had one more task to tackle.
Jeong Hoon stowed the book in his inventory for now and returned to his room.
Ha-jin and Deok-gu were resting inside.
"Hoon!"
"Bro!"
They jumped up at the sight of him, welcoming him warmly.
"Got some good rest?"
"Yeah. You just left a note and ditched us."
"You're too much! We came all this way togetherwhy go off alone?"
They didn't hide their sulkiness.
"But you got to rest up thanks to it."
"You're gonna brush it off like that again?"
Ha-jin narrowed his eyes.
"No choice. It was something I had to do solo."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Just like Deok-gu said, fully dismantling the barrier completed the hidden episode."
Dismantling the barrier.
Ha-jin nodded, while Deok-gu puffed up with pride.
"It's all thanks to me, right?"
"Yeah. If you hadn't told me, it wouldn't have wrapped up this quick."
Jeong Hoon readily acknowledged his contribution.
That one tip had given him the key clue.
"What's this? Actually praising me straight up?"
Ha-jin asked, looking surprised.
"Who'd think I only ever crack the whip?"
How many carrots had he dangled so far?
"So, what's the next plan?"
They'd rested plenty long.
With Jeong Hoon's personality, he'd rush into the next move any second.
But Jeong Hoon shook his head.
"Nothing yet."
"Nothing?"
"Yeah."
Of course, he had plans, but a new task had cropped up.
He intended to stick around the Grand Duchy until that was sorted.
Plus, there was the reinforcement stone extraction he'd entrusted to Raigriner.
"So we can keep chilling here?!"
Deok-gu asked, unable to hide his glee.
Jeong Hoon chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah. Let's rest up here for a bit."
"Yes!"
He seemed to love castle life.
Jeong Hoon lay on the bed and pulled out the book from his inventory.
"What's that?"
Ha-jin eyed the worn tome curiously.
"Book from the Grand Duke."
"You got it just like that?"
"Yeah. Said I need to be chosen as owner to read inside."
"...Weird book."
"Tell me about it."
Jeong Hoon flipped it open again.
Even channeling mana yielded no change.
When he came to, he stood in an unfamiliar space.
'Where's this?'
Jeong Hoon looked around, tilting his head.
He'd definitely been lying in bed, pondering the book.
'Ah, a dream.'
Usually, you don't realize it's a dream, but this time he knew right away.
Yet it felt incredibly vivid for one.
As he clenched and unclenched his fist, an old man appeared before him.
The elder scanned Jeong Hoon up and down, muttering softly.
"Hmm, better than expected."
"Who are you?"
The old man burst into hearty laughter at the question.
"Thought you were decent, but no eye for this."
No eye?
Jeong Hoon furrowed his brow.
He looked totally unfamiliar.
But the old man eyed him like he knew exactly who he was.
"The book?"
"Oh! Finally caught on."
Right on the money.
"You approaching to choose me as owner?"
"No way. I'm not that easy."
"Yeah?"
Jeong Hoon's lip twitched.
Not choosing him as owner, yet approaching like this?
Nonsense.
This meant he'd cleared the first hurdle.
Fail that, and there'd be no reaction at all.
"Anyway, called you here to test you a bit."
"Test?"
"Yeah. To see if you're worthy of taking my personal tome."
"Must be something good in there?"
"Of course! My whole life story's recorded."
"Fine. What's the test?"
Jeong Hoon assumed combat stance.
These trials usually meant a spar.
But the old man, Moras, had no intention of fighting.
"Hey, this is a dream. Think I'd come for a lame spar?"
"Then?"
"Gather the ingredients I mention, mix 'em up. Sprinkle on the book, and you'll read the text."
Moras handed over a recipe as he spoke.
-Special Diamond
-Knight's Soul
-Dragon Heart
-Fusion Potion
"Where do I get these?"
Aside from the fusion potion, they'd all been total strangers to him.
"The special diamond's in the Nahal Mine here in the Grand Duchy."
Moras kindly explained each source.
First, special diamond.
Unlike regular ones, it held a unique energy.
Next, knight's soul.
Low drop chance from a dungeon at the far east edge of Darvis.
Finally, dragon heart.
A hidden strip somewhere in Darvis.
Find that strip, hunt the dragon inside, get the heart.
Gather all three, brew with fusion potion, and he'd read Moras's book.
"Hmm, not easy."
"Nope. Made it so only my special antidote works."
"I'll pass."
"...What?"
"I'm passing."
If it were just owner selection, he'd be tempted.
But hunting these would eat up tons of time.
'Finding a hidden strip's like chasing stars.'
Like hidden themes, but search difficulty was worlds apart.
Better to stick to original plans for faster growth than waste time on one strip.
Moras clearly hadn't expected Jeong Hoon to bail so cleanly; bewilderment showed on his face.
"W-Wait! You know what this is and you're quitting easy? It's my life's work!"
"I know. Gotta be super important."
"Then why quit?!"
"Yeah. Soon as I wake, I'll return the book to the Grand Duke. No regrets, I'll bounce."
Not a shred of reluctance in Jeong Hoon's eyes.
"Wait!"
Moras grabbed him desperately.
"What now."
Jeong Hoon narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"F-Fine. No need to gather ingredients."
"No need?"
"Yeah. Head to where I used to liveantidote's stashed there. Use that."
"There was an antidote...?"
"Yeah."
"Then why make me hunt ingredients?"
"Didn't wanna hand it over easy."
Moras, that old coot.
Must really like me.
Why else cling when I'm set to leave?
"Then tell me the spot."
"Sigh... Never thought it'd go down this easy."
Moras's head throbbed.
After ages, a guy he liked finally showed.
Felt okay letting him have the book, so he intervened.
But no freebies planned.
Meant to make him sweat first.
Didn't expect the instant quit.
'No way another like him comes along.'
Couldn't let pride kick away luck that fell in his lap.
In the end, Moras revealed the antidote's hiding spot to Jeong Hoon.
Jeong Hoon woke.
By then, everyone had risen and left.
Check showed he'd slept a solid 11 hours.
"Slept long..."
Body stiff from lying so long.
He stretched, got out of bed, washed up, dressed, and slung Muk-ho over his shoulder.
Master, why sleep so long?
'Wouldn't wake no matter what.'
Ha-jin had shaken him for breakfast, he heard.
But Jeong Hoon slept like a rock.
The door burst open then, Ha-jin and Deok-gu returning.
"Hoon, you're up?"
"Yeah. Shake you guys much?"
"Yeah. Wouldn't budge."
"Was having a good dream."
"Dream?"
"Yeah. So, mind if I step out quick?"
"Again?"
"Just half a day this time."
"Found a lead on that book, huh?"
"Bingo."
Jeong Hoon grinned and headed out fast.
Destination: the ruins Moras mentioned.
An ancient site no one visited anymore, where Moras had hidden the antidote.
Ruins sat on a small mountain a bit from the Grand Duchy.
Barely deserved the nametiny scale.
Without close inspection, even the entrance was invisible; totally neglected.
'Basically abandoned.'
Searched out, nothing left, so left to rot.
Jeong Hoon pushed through brush to the entrance.
Narrow mouth, but interior surprisingly spacious.
'Entrance deeper in, right?'
Followed Moras's directions.
But a wall blocked further.
Looked like a plain dead end, but wasn't.
Jeong Hoon punched the wall.
Thud!
Overwhelming strength shook the whole ruin with each hit.
Still, he kept punching.
Thud!
Rumble
The blocking wall suddenly crumbled to dirt piles, pouring to the floor.
"It was real?"
Designed to open only after set damage, huh.
Jeong Hoon shoved the dirt aside and pressed forward.