Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 46

Grim-Seeker.

An organization that, on the surface, engages in religious activities akin to proselytism, guiding the poor.

“A religious group, if you must call it that. But… perhaps it’s more accurate to say that they’re hiding their true beliefs.”

As for their true purpose and the actions they undertake to achieve it, players, as “Adventurers,” will sometimes cooperate with them, and other times clash.

And the place that marks the starting point of this complex relationship, the first place where an adventurer (i.e., the player) becomes aware of the existence of this group called Grim-Seeker.

That place is right here, Noyerpera.

“This is the part that gets confusing because they appear so ambiguously. Who are they? What do they do? Are they beneficial or harmful to me, the player? Are they allies or enemies? None of these questions are answered clearly, so it’s literally a part where you face Grim-Seeker head-on without any clear information.”

Jinseong therefore considered it as one of the parts that could potentially be subject to contamination.

Whether a member of Grim-Seeker would tell the adventurer (the player) everything they should.

Or whether they would say things they shouldn’t.

Such situations could be a clear detriment to the main storyline quest flow in the future, which is why Jinseong felt he needed to take some measures.

“But… it didn’t turn out that way. They just said exactly what they needed to say.”

And when he reflected on such circumstances, there were no points that Jinseong needed to be particularly mindful of.

They mentioned that the magic circle they had created was preventing Diregie’s plague from spreading further.

They also dropped a hint that they would eliminate those who posed a threat to the Apostle—in other words, protect the Apostle.

If you consider these two statements as key to understanding the main scenario quests to come, you could say there was no contamination at all!

*Growl.*

“Yeah, there’s no need for me to intervene.”

Watching the male Priest player and the Dark Elf NPC, Minette, who were already preparing to head back after suppressing Diregie’s illusion, Jinseong could only ready himself to return as well.

Jinseong scratched his head roughly.

“What is this? Does it just end like this? If it ends, that’s good for me, though.”

Compared to Sky Castle or Behemoth, there hadn’t been any significant hardship, so he was still enjoying himself for now.

Of course, this didn’t mean that the main storyline quest flow was entirely over.

“Later, a plague spreads to some region of the Duchy of Bell Meyer~ and the adventurer, realizing that it’s not just Diregie’s illusion but Diregie himself in that place, receives a request from the Queen to go defeat him. If you think of it that way, there’s still plenty of potential for contamination…”

However, at least in the Dark Elf nation, the Kingdom of Pennens, it could be seen that all quests were practically concluded.

Moreover, if there was no trouble with Diregie’s illusion, Jinseong couldn’t help but have expectations that dealing with the real Diregie would be relatively straightforward as well.

“Could it be that the has lost its power or can’t create contamination anymore?”

Jinseong had a reason for making such a guess.

He had already experienced the issue with Apostle Lotus.

There was no way the possessed limitless power.

If, compared to other contaminations, the one involving the Apostle consumed a considerable amount of resources, then maybe it couldn’t have a significant impact this time.

Jinseong cautiously followed behind the player as they returned to Underfoot.

From the moment they arrived back in the capital of the Kingdom of Pennens, Underfoot, everything went smoothly.

They confirmed the efficacy of the plague cure, and it was proven that humans did not spread the plague.

Minette, the NPC who was both a guide and a monitor, reported on the Diregie illusion she had seen with the player, and the Dark Elf elder, Saffron, believed her.

“Diregie… Fortune Singer, everything seems to align with what you’ve said.”

“I came solely to clear up misunderstandings with humans and to warn of the impending threat. I have no reason to deceive Elder Saffron.”

The one who offered words to Dark Elf elder Saffron was none other than Iris Fortune Singer.

Since Jinseong also recalled this part, he was able to take out a teleport potion with a satisfied expression.

“Okay, Iris has arrived as expected~ Now the Dark Elf Queen will urge the elder with a bit more authority to propose exchanges and cooperation with humans. The player and Klonter will deliver that letter of cooperation to the Queen of the Duchy of Bell Meyer…”

At the very least, it became clear that Jinseong had no role here.

Jinseong grinned, downing the potion with a smile.

“Hehe, maybe, just maybe… I might get to take it easy and rest for a bit?”

*Rumble, rumble.*

Even Tako was flailing its tendrils, as if to indicate it knew that was too good to be true.

* * *

The first place Jinseong visited was, of course, the Wizard Guild in West Coast.

“I’m back~!”

He called out cheerfully as he walked in, but the NPCs, who Jinseong himself had never known or seen when he was a player belonging to the Wizard Guild, only gave a slight nod and stepped aside.

There was no sign of Sharan, who would instantly notice whenever Jinseong set foot in the Wizard Guild.

“Is Sharan… still in the Kingdom of Pennens? Or maybe stationed at Alfraira or something—well, that makes sense. She’s probably still busy.”

As the two nations were working to lift their antagonistic stance and return to peaceful exchanges, Sharan’s role would not be insignificant.

Considering her significant contribution in developing the plague cure, there was no way she would have returned already.

Jinseong slyly glanced around at the NPCs before heading to his office.

[Emergency Response Committee for Anomalous Phenomena], a still awkwardly unfamiliar nameplate, but Jinseong’s mood was not bad at all.

“Hehe, now… my vault, my lovely vault.”

Despite having a rough idea of where to go and what to do next, the reason Jinseong first came to the Wizard Guild was solely for one thing!

*Clatter, clatter, clatter…*

Gold coins poured into Jinseong’s vault.

The vault seemed to function similarly to an [Inventory], accepting an overwhelming amount of gold compared to its physical space.

“Good, good. Be my solid foundation for the future.”

For now, with a million gold, or even ten million gold, there was no lack.

However, thinking about the tasks ahead, it felt as though no amount of gold would ever be enough.

In this regard, Jinseong found himself contemplating as he watched the gold being sucked into the vault.

“This, for me… is basically Serah. In a way, it’s a form of microtransactions that my possessed self can use.”

In the game Dungeon & Fighter, players could use real money to buy in-game items through the Serah Shop, and the special currency used in that shop was Serah.

Since Jinseong could neither buy nor use Serah, and not even browse the Serah Shop items, the gold amassed from the dwarves’ hoards was like a lifeline.

“No, it’s even better than Serah. There’s no such thing as a salary cap for me!”

More specifically, it was like a ladder or an elevator to salvation!

Knowing this, Jinseong could wear a content smile.

“Hehe, isn’t it a great sight, Tako?”

*Growl!*

“I honestly don’t understand a word you’re saying, but I do get that you’re agreeing.”

Jinseong stroked the temple-like structure on Tako’s head with a smile.

“But this isn’t really stroking Tako, is it? Although it looks happy, I’m not sure what to make of it.”

Even though he was patting the rounded architectural part of the GBL Church’s temple rather than the shrunken form of Apostle Lotus, Tako was smiling happily.

Right now, even such quirks simply brought joy to Jinseong.

“Lock’s in place… Alright, okay!”

Only after completing the storage process did Jinseong stretch, feeling the satisfaction of having wrapped up his tasks in the Kingdom of Pennens.

Of course, that wasn’t everything.

As Jinseong had already thought and knew, matters related to the 6th Apostle, Diregie of the Black Plague, were far from over.

“Next is the Duchy of Bell Meyer, specifically the provincial town of Northmyre.”

A commercial city located northwest of the capital, Hendon Myre.

However, after Diregie transferred to Northmyre, most residents either died or mutated, and those who barely survived had already fled, turning the place into a complete wasteland.

“……I’m sure the Queen has already heard the news of Northmyre’s sudden downfall. That’s probably why, as soon as the adventurer returns from the Kingdom of Pennens, she urgently summons them to ask for help.”

The problem was that Jinseong himself had to go there.

When Sharan returns, he plans to acquire a large supply of the plague cure from her, but even that wouldn’t be sufficient.

“Even the cure becomes ineffective when you get too close to Diregie. So… I need to raise stats related to poison and magic defense. This time, potions bought from Kanna won’t be enough for recovery either—.”

Fortunately, Jinseong’s thinking had no barriers.

He immediately took out a teleport potion.

“The materials are prepared. What’s left is…”

With a click, he quickly drank the potion.

The place he tele

ported to was a back alley of Hendon Myre, near the Moonlight Tavern, which also served as a route leading to Northmyre.

In front of one of the buildings stood a wooden bench.

An elderly figure leisurely sitting on the bench with a tea set in front seemed to sense something.

“…It’s you.”

As expected of him, he could tell without even looking.

Jinseong grinned and bowed slightly to him.

“A disciple has come to pay his respects, G.S.D.”

The person Jinseong sought was G.S.D, an NPC he had met in Sky Castle, and one of the strongest swordsmen in Arad at the current point in time.

* * *

G.S.D’s lips twitched, as if he found Jinseong’s claim of being his disciple amusing.

“I thought that little disciple game was all over.”

“Even so, once a bond is formed, you can’t just sever it so easily. Hehe.”

*Growl.*

“…Interesting. It’s not like it’s been that long since we parted in Sky Castle, but your aura as a ghost wielder isn’t the same as it used to be. And that thing beside you too.”

“I made an effort. I’m a little embarrassed that you noticed so quickly.”

Jinseong slid closer, shamelessly claiming a spot on the bench where G.S.D sat. Though his cheeky attitude fit Jinseong’s sly personality, it wasn’t just that.

And that wasn’t something that could be hidden from G.S.D, who could perceive everything through his senses.

“It doesn’t seem like you’ve come to see me… nor do you appear to be here seeking my teachings. Just get to the point.”

G.S.D knew Jinseong had a special reason for coming, and Jinseong gave an awkward smile as he glanced around.

Not far from where G.S.D and Jinseong were sitting, heat was rising from a building.

And amidst feeling that heat, there was another elderly man present.

“…I’ve come to see Shinda.”

The person Jinseong was looking for was NPC Shinda Philip, who operated a weapon and armor shop.

G.S.D stood up and began walking towards Shinda. As Jinseong watched G.S.D’s back, he couldn’t help but be impressed again.

“Impressive. He already figured out my intentions.”

If he needed to speak with Shinda, he could have gone to him directly.

“Not coming?”

Even so, G.S.D, sitting beside Jinseong who called himself his ‘disciple,’ knew he had to say something to Shinda on his behalf, so he was already walking toward him.

“I’m coming, yes, I’ll go, hehe.”

Jinseong quickly got up and followed him.

Shinda looked at the approaching G.S.D and Jinseong and chuckled.

“Come in.”

“Shinda, my disciple has something to say to you.”

“Disciple? You have a disciple?”

Shinda asked in feigned surprise, but G.S.D simply smiled and said nothing more.

Seeing no further reaction from him, Shinda turned his gaze to Jinseong.

“You don’t seem ordinary, but you don’t look like a distinguished adventurer either…”

“Yes, that’s correct, Shinda. I’m not an adventurer. As Master G.S.D’s disciple, I’ve come with something to discuss with the famed blacksmith Shinda Philip.”

Despite Shinda’s blunt evaluation, Jinseong spoke without hesitation.

Confidently and with a hearty demeanor.

“I want to commission you to craft something.”

That was why Jinseong had come all this way.

Shinda stroked the hair protruding from his nose and said.

“I can’t craft anything.”

It was a blunt answer.

But Jinseong’s smile did not fade.

“Of course. I anticipated this much.”

He had already confirmed through Linus that simply asking NPCs for something wouldn’t be enough.

In other words, the real challenge of dealing with blacksmith NPC Shinda Philip was just beginning.