Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Omen - 1
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Even in a game world, the moon sets and the sun rises. The dawn created by the sun rising in the east, as always, shone its grace indifferently on both the royal palace and the slums where beggars lived.
A new day was beginning.
Laborers dragged their heavy bodies out of bed for their endless toil, weary but dutiful.
The palace maids were no different. No, they began their day even more diligently than the sun chasing away the night sky.
Of course, I was the same.
"Sage? You're already awake?"
"Yes."
The building assigned to me was one within the palace for distinguished guests. Only the most honored visitors, acknowledged even by the royal family, could use it—and currently, I was the only one.
Thanks to that, I had been monopolizing this vast, ornate garden for several days now. Not that monopolizing it meant doing anything special.
I'd been too busy chasing achievements.
So, the only thing I did in this garden was something I'd grown accustomed to as the Sage in this world: morning meditation.
It wasn't that I particularly enjoyed sitting still. The reason I meditated every morning was simple.
To function as a Sage.
Being able to use all skills meant I had to perform the training required for other classes to improve my abilities.
Even if I was a veteran player, this game emphasized growth.
To survive without dying and return to reality safely, I couldn't stop training.
Meditation was great for boosting magic-based power, so I rose at dawn to train like this.
"How would you like your meal? If you'd like, with the Princess..."
The head maid asked politely, but I shook my head. Eating with the Princess to build rapport wasn't bad, but right now, something more important came first.
"I have business to attend to today, so I'll be heading out."
"I see... Then, may I ask where you're going? His Majesty and the Princess might wonder..."
"Just tell them I'm off to handle something important."
I recalled the moon I'd seen earlier when I came out for dawn meditation.
I'd noticed a slight change in the red moon that proved Hardcore Mode.
I'd put off preparing for the event as much as possible during the main story, but now I could delay no longer.
"The Princess will be disappointed... Understood."
I smiled at her.
No helping it if she was disappointed.
That event offered an achievement exclusive to the Sage, along with Sage-exclusive gear.
Ignoring it would lead to at least tens of thousands of deaths.
In Pursuit of the Eight Stars, battles primarily took place in fields and dungeons.
Of course, events sometimes allowed battles elsewhere, but most were in those two.
Fields had almost no party limits. Minimum was a party of two—or even solo if you could manage. If capable, you could hire mercenaries, gather an army, or assemble adventurer squads to tackle them.
Dungeons were different.
Dungeons strictly limited entry numbers. If the limit was three, only three could enter max.
And until they wiped or cleared it, no one else could enter.
In lore, it was divine protection or world rules, but really just for balance.
Regardless, now that I was in the game, I had to follow the rules too. This dungeon was no exception.
The Toad Dungeon, they called it.
Damn thing.
"Yaaah!"
The female warrior in bikini armor smashed her double-headed axe into the head of a toad-like monster with dozens of tentacles sprouting from its back.
*Splurchhh.* The grotesque sound, perfectly matched by that onomatopoeia, rang out as the monster collapsed. The lizardman archer in the rear drew his bowstring.
"Hah!"
With a shout, the arrow turned to light and pierced the green brain exposed in the monster's split skull.
"Grreeeeek!!"
Even with its head cracked and arrow lodged in its brain, the monster didn't die. It just converted its back tentacles to continue attacking.
The bikini-armored warrior glared and yelled.
"Living tentacles! This is paradise! How much do you think one of those fetches!!"
Her face flushed, she charged the tentacles. A hail of arrows rained down behind her. The lizardman archer's Multi-Shot severed them one by one, and each time one was destroyed, the warrior screamed.
"Nooo!!"
Despite her screams, arrows pierced every tentacle. With the dungeon's master fully silenced, the warrior rolled her eyes back and glared at the lizardman.
"You should've left one!"
"What're you on about."
The lizardman archer thumped the ground with his long tail, flicking his forked, snake-like tongue.
She aimed her axe at him.
"You damn lizard."
"What're you on about."
"Is 'what're you on about' all you know?"
"What're you on about."
"Hey! Sage! Say something to him!! You know how much one intact tentacle sells for in the back alleys!!"
I understood her rage, and the lizardman's scoff.
But I had something to say first.
"Stop stomping the floor, you rat-shit trash."
One of the monster's attacks cursed the ground. It was a persistent DoT debuff—any proper player avoided the floor during clears, but these idiots fought however they pleased, stomping away.
I'd nearly puked from all the healing.
It boosted my 'Master of Healing' achievement count, but it was exhausting.
"No way, Sage. Is it okay to say stuff that harsh?!"
Had I said something that harsh? Reflecting, I concluded.
"You can curse at people who step on the floor while you're healing them."
Be grateful I didn't smack your faces.
"Tch."
As we bickered, the lizardman began collecting tentacles.
He harvested the ones pierced by arrows and bagged them. The warrior pouted and grumbled.
"Ugh. There goes the bonus reward."
"The quest's complete anyway, right? Human woman. You're too greedy."
"What would a lizard like you know?"
She snorted at him. He thumped his tail in dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, I examined the wall past the monster.
"Sage. What're you looking at?"
"Checking something."
I had no interest in the quest-proof tentacles. Even without claiming rewards, the quest cleared, and achievement points accrued.
What mattered was this.
"Sage. What is this drawing that's got you staring?"
*Hiss hiss.* The lizardman slithered over, and we stared at the wall together.
It depicted a freakish monster with nine tentacles. The warrior, bag bulging from collected tentacles, slung it over her shoulder and approached.
"Ugh~ Let's go already. I'm beat. Hey. Lizard. Sage. Drinks tonight?"
Ignoring her temptation, I scrutinized the wall drawing and found the mark.
"What is that?"
Pressing a hidden switch, a mechanism activated, and a small gem hidden in the corner dropped out perfectly concealed.
The gem glowed blood-red, like the moon in the night sky.
"Huh? What's that?"
"A new discovery."
"As promised, that's mine."
Before entering, we'd negotiated with these party members. Rewards are yours. Extra finds are mine.
My goals were quest points and this—no regrets.
The warrior eyed her bulging bag and my red gem, then grinned.
"Eh... We said that then, but now..."
"Now?"
"To my gem appraiser eye, it looks worthless? Better take a couple more tentacles. Here, take these."
"...Nah. No need."
I'd prepped for a sneak attack but reconsidered. Didn't expect that response.
If it'd been betrayal for nothing, I'd have cursed and ambushed—but apparently not.
"What? That look? Thought I'd say take it all? Aww~ Sage. You're too much~. I'm not that greedy."
Giggling, she stepped closer. Whoosh—battle sweat carried her woman's scent, tickling my nose.
"Of course, in bed, I'm plenty greedy. Ahh. Seeing those tentacles earlier's got me all hot~ Wonder who's gonna cool me down tonight~."
I'd expected this. Last party, her nymphomania caused plenty of trouble. Even at the guild, she'd shamelessly seduce other adventurers and me...
"Foolish, lewd human. Go mate outside if you must."
The perfectly normal lizardman thumped the floor with his tail again.
He wanted out fast.
Dungeons built stress and anxiety just by being inside.
Physically strong but mentally fragile to psy-attacks, the lizardman vented.
At that, the nympho warrior—who'd been seducing me—scowled lasciviously.
"You've been pissing me off since earlier."
"Hmph. You've pissed me off since the start, wench."
"Oh? Yeah?"
She grinned cruelly, aiming her axe. He raised his bow.
A few words leading to drawn weapons? Probably the ominous red glow from the gem and the dungeon's nature.
Anyway, leaving them would just lead to bloodshed, so I grabbed the lute on my back.
*-Ting ring~*
The strings strummed a soft melody into their ears.
A Bard skill: Stress-Reduction Melody.
Left alone, it'd escalate to full brawl.
Not wanting to watch, I ended the tune. They lowered weapons and laughed.
"Ahaha! Sour note! You hit a sour note!"
"...Is this human music? Seems like a mistake, but it sounds good."
As they said, I'd flubbed with off notes, but the effect was decent.
Managing their stress piled up mine, but this was nothing to me.
"Let's go."
Strapping the lute back, I spoke. They nodded and exited obediently. I fell back, pocketing the red gem.
"Oh. But Sage, what's with the gem?"
"Prep for an incoming threat. Doesn't concern you much—don't worry. I'll handle it."
"Sage. If you ask, I'd help."
I just smiled at the lizardman's offer. He caught the refusal, flicking his tail. The warrior giggled.
I glanced at the gem pouch.
Yeah.
This is prep for an event that doesn't involve you.
Heading back from dungeon to guild, I heard various tales from the warrior and lizardman.
Battlefield updates, Leventia from the hero party going berserk.
Hero seems changed.
Elf archer Evangeline vanished from the front.
Useless info.
Guild chatter was the same, so I declined adventurers' offers to hang out and returned to the palace.
I finished the homework I'd assigned myself, strolled the garden chatting idly with waiting Lucille, taught her a few things—class done.
Glad she picked it up well.
Day ended, heading to my room to rest.
A knight rushed up, face urgent.
"S-Sa-Sage!"
"Hm?"
Lily Knight Order knight. Pale and panting, she whispered.
"Th-The hero's battlefield has an issue. General Leoden requests your wisdom..."
Her urgent report pinged my instincts—I fiddled with the gem unconsciously.
"Unprecedented new monsters appeared suddenly. They request you come to the front briefly for advice."
New monsters.
New dungeon.
Decent items and achievements from the
'Pale Moon' event—its omen spreading from the battlefield.
Author's Note
Hello ㅎㅎ Hope you enjoyed today's chapter.
See you tonight~
If you liked it, please give a recommendation ㅎ