Chapter 60: Quest (2)
“Wow! I didn’t expect anyone to actually accept my request. Oh my! Nikki, you’re here too!”
“Yes! I came with my oppa!”
Lady Shumia, appearing accustomed to Nikki’s antics, lifted her up from me and carried her in her arms. She then started guiding me.
“There are rats on the roof. They’ve made a nest, and I haven’t been able to go up there for days. Can you get rid of them?”
“Should I kill them?”
“Doesn’t matter. Just get rid of them.”
Nodding, I headed up to the roof. Lady Shumia, clearly repelled by the idea of rats, shivered and stayed downstairs.
Meanwhile, fearless little Nikki clung tightly to my pants and widened her eyes in anticipation.
“Let’s see, let’s see, where could these rats be?”
“Where~ where~ where could they be? Squeak-squeak, where are you?”
Chuckling at how Nikki mimicked me, I patted her head and activated Sun Eye, searching for any signs of life.
“There! They’re in that hole!”
“There! That hole! Squeak-squeak!”
“Alright, shall we catch those squeak-squeaks?”
“Yes!”
Normally, I’d have burned them all to ashes rather than handle rats directly.
However, showing such a gruesome scene to a young child wasn’t an option.
Instead, I opened my inventory and rummaged through it until I found something suitable.
“What’s that?”
“A secret box to catch the squeak-squeaks.”
The exact name was Rat Extermination Box [Advanced-F], a consumable item designed specifically to kill Rat-type Monsters.
Once set up, it emits an alluring scent that draws all rats in the area into the box within 10 minutes.
It’s practically instantaneous.
I opened the box’s entrance, imbued it with magic, and then carried Nikki to a corner, holding her close.
“Now, we just wait for the rats to enter the box.”
“Huh? Why?”
“That box is going to release a smell that rats love.”
“A smell they love? What kind of smell?”
“Candy smell?”
Hearing that, Nikki—still sucking on the candy I’d given her—brightened and eagerly looked toward the box.
She seemed ready to dash over and check for herself, so I quickly laughed and covered her eyes.
“It’s not candy Nikki can eat. That’s candy only for squeak-squeaks.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Here, you can eat the big candy I gave you instead.”
Chatting like this with Nikki, I kept an eye on the box.
In no time, around 30 rats were trapped inside, wriggling in confusion.
By the time 20 minutes had passed, I was confident all of them had been captured.
I set Nikki down and summoned the Sun’s Power using Arrogance’s Magic, incinerating the entire box and its contents.
“Thank you so much! Most players usually ignore requests like this because they don’t pay much, so we’ve always had to handle things ourselves. We’re lucky this time.”
“No need to thank me.”
“Come by around 7 p.m., and I’ll treat you to a delicious dinner. Nikki, you come along too!”
“Thank you. I’ll head off to my next request now.”
“Next request!”
By sunset, I had completed all 10 requests I’d accepted. Most of the residents expressed their gratitude and warmth toward me.
It was understandable.
While other players dismissed these trivial and unrewarding tasks, I stepped up to handle the inconvenient and bothersome chores.
Naturally, they were appreciative.
Aside from one drunkard who didn’t even bother to thank me, everyone else was kind and welcoming.
Their warmth made the work worthwhile.
The Favorability System seemed to be progressing well.
Having spent the whole day running around completing tasks, I eventually noticed Nikki had fallen asleep on my back.
Carrying her, I arrived at Lady Shumia’s house, where her husband greeted me.
“Ha ha ha! Look who’s here! Nice to meet you, young man. I’m Hatte, Shumia’s husband.”
With a hearty laugh and a firm pat on my shoulder, he welcomed me.
Judging by his large build and well-defined muscles, it wasn’t hard to guess his occupation.
“You’re with the city guards, aren’t you? You’re in excellent shape.”
Hearing my words, his eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint, like a fisherman spotting a prize catch.
Grinning slyly, he moved closer to me, and I instinctively took a step back.
Just then, Lady Shumia emerged from the house and smacked Hatte’s back.
“Stop messing around and show him inside already! Nikki’s asleep on his back, and you’re fooling around? What if she gets hurt? Should I report this to your captain?”
“Cough, cough. Come in, young man. There are some guests who’d like to meet you over dinner. Don’t worry; they’re friendly and hold you in high regard.”
“Thank you. I’ll come in, then.”
Following his lead, I entered and was guided to their dining area. Waiting at the table were a man and a woman.
‘The Guard Captain and Vice Captain?!’
The two individuals, who essentially represented the final goal of my quest, sat side by side and turned their gazes toward me as I entered.
Correction—they weren’t looking at me, but at Nikki, who was fast asleep on my back, drooling on my expensive outfit.
“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Braimoon, the Guard Captain of Teraium City.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Silian, the Vice Guard Captain of Teraium City.”
“Ah… It’s nice to meet you both. I’m Shin Juha, a player and Nikki’s adventure companion.”
Hearing my words, both of them smiled and welcomed me warmly.
Silian, the Vice Captain and Nikki’s mother, carefully lifted Nikki off my back and gently woke her up with practiced ease.
Nikki, still half-asleep, blinked groggily before her face lit up at the sight of her parents.
She immediately reached out to express her affection, hugging them both tightly.
It was a heartwarming scene—a family tightly bonded by love. It was a happiness I could never truly feel for myself.
I held back the tears that threatened to rise and smiled instead. Just witnessing that moment made all the time I spent with Nikki today worthwhile.
“Ah! You must be hungry. I heard you’ve been doing quests all day. Come, have a meal first.”
“Yes, let’s eat and talk afterward, Shin Juha.”
The meal was delicious. The table overflowed with dishes, the highlight being a whole roasted pork barbecue.
Lady Shumia’s culinary skills were exceptional, making it impossible not to enjoy the feast.
Feeling full and content, I excused myself to step outside for a breath of fresh air.
“What are you thinking about?”
Braimoon, the Guard Captain, had followed me out. Unlike Nikki’s adorable features, his face was stern and unyielding.
“Nothing much. I just felt happy seeing such a loving family.”
“…Do you not have a family? If that’s too personal, you don’t have to answer.”
“My parents were exiled to some unknown corner of the Abyss and disappeared. My younger sister has been unconscious for over five years due to some unknown reason.”
At my reply, he sighed deeply as if on my behalf.
Finding it somewhat amusing, I chuckled softly and shrugged.
“Well, I’m used to it. As long as I do well, everything will be fine in the end.”
Yes, as long as I keep improving, I can’t undo everything, but I can still change so much.
Seeing my resolve, the Guard Captain placed a firm hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t try to carry that burden all by yourself. Everyone believes their load is the heaviest, even the gods who reside in the depths. Sometimes, sharing the weight a little isn’t a bad thing.”
I nodded with a smile. That’s exactly why I’m building alliances.
I’ve shifted from trying to handle everything alone to forming what could be called companions—or something close to it.
“I heard you took care of Nikki all day today. Thank you. Both her mother and I are often too busy, and she ends up spending a lot of time alone. We’ve been worried about how isolated she’s been, not mingling well with other kids. Today, you gave her a happy day, and we could work with peace of mind.”
“I enjoyed it too. It’s been a while since I had this kind of fun.”
It was a different kind of joy—unlike the thrill of growing stronger or acquiring items, this was the simple happiness found in everyday life.
Hearing my response, he smiled, patted my shoulder, and turned to leave. But before he left, he added:
“Visit me tomorrow when you’re back in the city. I have a quest to ask of you. Since you’ve already won the heart of our mischievous little princess, I can trust you with it.”
At that moment, a message popped up before me.
〚Quest No. 478: Defeat the Sewer Monster (Advanced-E+) has been unlocked.〛
I was stunned. I thought it would take at least a few weeks to unlock this quest.
“Well, see you tomorrow.”
With that, he returned to the house, resuming his conversation with his wife and the Vice Guard Captain.
“This… turned out differently than I expected.”
I was dazed. All I did was spend a day with a lonely, adorable little girl…
“Maybe doing good deeds really does bring rewards.”
Suppressing the emotions rising in me, I smiled faintly and made my way to the hotel.
“One night in your best room, please.”
“That will be 3,000 purple coins.”
3,000 purple coins—roughly three million won in real-world currency. It was expensive, but the city’s finest hotel was worth every coin.
I entered a luxurious suite that resembled a top-tier hotel room, cleaned myself up, and changed into fresh clothes.
“Well, time to get ready for tomorrow.”
The process of unlocking the quest had been unexpectedly easy, but now it was time to prepare for the battle ahead.
‘Although it’s Advanced-E+ rank, the route I plan to take will greatly increase its difficulty.’
That’s likely why others who eventually acquired this job spent about half a year strengthening themselves here before attempting it.
I didn’t know exactly how dangerous it would be, but judging by an interview I’d read, the grade had remained the same, but the level had increased significantly—probably somewhere between A and S.
With proper preparation, I could handle it. It wouldn’t be easy, but unlike before, I had grown stronger.
I’d gained the Origin-level Stat: Arrogance, and my abilities had already reached F-70. At this point, I could likely spar with D-rank hunters and aim for victory.
“And finally, the last step.”
I opened my inventory and took out a ticket—the Zero-Grade Merchant Summon Ticket.
Knowing how even gods valued black and white coins and held only a few, I understood just how precious my 10,005 coins were.
It was more than enough to justify summoning a Zero-Grade Merchant. Without hesitation, I tore along the ticket’s perforated edge.
〚A Zero-Grade Merchant is being forcibly summoned!〛
〚One of the five Zero-Grade Merchants will be randomly selected!〛
〚The Zero-Grade Merchant must sell items to the ticket user at fixed prices.〛
A bright light filled my vision, and as it faded, a being appeared before me.
“Son of a…! Someone actually had a summon ticket? Damn it, and of all people, it’s me? Screw this Abyss! Just my luck… Bah!”
The being spat on the ground in irritation. Its appearance was a race I knew well—too well, in fact.
“A Golden Goblin?”
No, its color was too pale to be a true Golden Goblin. Was it a half-breed?
In any case, this Zero-Grade Merchant seemed like a rather peculiar individual.
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