Since we’d finished the primary objective, it was time to actually talk about the game.
[Party]kk1234: Hey, I found a quest branch yesterday.
[Party]『rainfall』: Mot?
I guess 『rainfall』 had also done the [Ancient Temple] quest after reading the strategy board, because he already knew.
[Party]『rainfall』: I was going to bring that up anyway.
[Party]kk1234: Yeah?
[Party]『rainfall』: Mot is Ast’s underling.
[Party]kk1234: Ast is who again?
At my question, 『rainfall』 went silent. I could feel the “are you fucking serious” energy in that silence.
[Party]kk1234: Oh, that chancellor?
[Party]kk1234: The, uh…
[Party]『rainfall』: They’re the chancellor of the Kingdom of Riphart that Cecil is trying to accuse of treason.
[Party]kk1234: Ohhh.
So Cecil and Mot were on completely opposite sides. And both of them wanted the same item? The situation was obvious.
[Party]kk1234: Yeah, that’s definitely a quest branch.
[Party]kk1234: Which side are we clearing on?
This was (probably) the first time anyone had cleared this hidden quest, so there was no walkthrough from someone who’d gone first. Depending on our choice, the rewards could be wildly different.
I was weighing which side would give better loot when 『rainfall』 answered, flat and decisive.
[Party]『rainfall』: Cecil.
[Party]kk1234: Okay.
[Party]kk1234: But why?
[Party]『rainfall』: I don’t want to team up with a corrupt politician.
[Party]kk1234: Yeah, fair…
That was well within the expected range of answers. At this point, it didn’t even surprise me anymore. This bastard was born in the wrong era, wasn’t he? He should’ve been born in a time that needed a revolution…
Well, I wanted to side with Cecil too. Even if she was stuck out here, she was still a princess, right? In terms of potential rewards, royal blood had to beat a chancellor who could get kicked out any day.
[Party]『rainfall』: Let’s go to the princess first.
[Party]kk1234: Go go.
Of course, the princess was hiding in the middle of the Great Forest, so 『rainfall』 summoned a mount and let me hop on behind him. If we were married, one of us could just go and teleport the other over. Such a pain…
While we were traveling and there was nothing else to do, I asked 『rainfall』 something I’d been curious about.
[Party]kk1234: How do you know Guardian, anyway?
[Party]『rainfall』: Our parents know each other.
[Party]『rainfall』: To me they’re like an older brother.
I’d expected him to say “None of your business,” but he answered more easily than I thought.
[Party]kk1234: Then why didn’t you join the same guild as Guardian?
[Party]kk1234: Holy Guild’s nice.
At the very least, it had to be better than a guild that tried to kick 『rainfall』 out the moment something happened.
[Party]『rainfall』: I don’t really like big guilds.
[Party]kk1234: Why not?
[Party]『rainfall』: I’m a socially maladjusted misfit, so it’s hard to fit in.
Uh…
I froze with my hands over the keyboard, not sure what to say. Then 『rainfall』 cracked up with a string of “lol.”
[Party]『rainfall』: I’m joking. Does it sound like I’m serious?
[Party]kk1234: Haha; no, of course not, sir.
This guy has a really fucked-up sense of humor…
No, wait, what if he was serious?
[Party]『rainfall』: I just don’t like how big guilds have a lot of rules and strict requirements.
[Party]kk1234: It’s not like you’d fail any of the requirements.
[Party]『rainfall』: Ribulle probably would.
[Party]kk1234: If they’re a junior you know, they’d get lenient treatment.
[Party]『rainfall』: I don’t want to be an exception to rules that everyone has to follow.
Sure you don’t.
It was such a 『rainfall』-type thing to say. Freak…
We chatted like that until we reached the princess, and she gave us another quest.
[Cecil Riphart] …Thank you for finding Lloyd’s keepsake. I have no idea how I should repay this….
[Cecil Riphart] Lloyd was my guardian knight. Ast had him killed.
[Cecil Riphart] If we can prove that Ast had him killed, it will help expose Ast’s corruption.
Proof, huh. So in other words, the quest was still going.
[Cecil Riphart] There is a ritual that can call forth this sword’s memories. But we lack the materials…. Could you gather them for me?
[Cecil Riphart] Please bring me the core of [Giant Uz], which dwells in the deepest depths of [Fior’s Cave].
[Hidden Quest: Materials for the Ritual]
The dagger recovered from [Arsen’s Spring]. To read the memories bound to the dagger, you need the core of [Giant Uz], which inhabits [Fior’s Cave]. Bring the materials to Cecil.
Condition: Clear [Fior’s Cave] together with ‘『rainfall』’.
Reward: EXP
That was when it happened.
Brilliant fireworks exploded over my and 『rainfall』’s heads.
[All] An adventurer has discovered the new dungeon [Fior’s Cave]!
[All] The entrance to the new dungeon [Fior’s Cave] is now open.
Bright blue system-wide messages popped up. It was a broadcast to the entire server.
“Holy shit.”
Jackpot…
I hurriedly pulled up the window that had appeared in front of me to check the discovery rewards for [Fior’s Cave].
[System] You have obtained the title [Discoverer of Fior’s Cave].
Effect: +10% to all attack power in the [Fior’s Cave] dungeon, and +10% EXP gained by all party members.
[System] You have obtained the achievement [Discoverer of Fior’s Cave].
Effect: +1% physical critical chance, +1% magic critical chance.
“Fuck, an achievement….”
The numbers might look small on their own, but achievements just sit there and stack up, so this was a huge reward.
[Shout]RyuAaang: Who found it?
[Shout]MilkasZero: Holy shit, insane.
[Party]『rainfall』: Nice rewards.
[Party]kk1234: Didn’t expect there to be a dungeon discovery quest.
[Party]kk1234: This is free money.
Looked like we’d picked the right side at the branch. I walked over to 『rainfall』 and sent him a [Hug] emote request. 『rainfall』 accepted surprisingly quickly, so for a while my kk1234 and 『rainfall』’s avatar just clung to each other in a tight hug.
[Party]『rainfall』: We don’t have time to waste.
[Party]『rainfall』: Let’s go right away.
[Party]kk1234: Yeah yeah.
As the dungeon discoverers, we could see the dungeon’s location as part of our reward. When I opened the map, one specific spot was blinking.
When a player discovers a hidden dungeon, the dungeon entrance appears at the moment the quest is found. In other words, from this point on, anyone could enter the dungeon.
Which meant someone else could steal the first clear.
Of course, there was no special reward for the first dungeon clear. You got a title, but unlike the first discoverers, it didn’t come with any extra options.
But if you’re a ranker, isn’t it obvious you go for the first clear whether it gives you anything or not?
『rainfall』 and I made it to [Fior’s Cave] faster than anyone.
[Party]kk1234: No entry restriction.
[Party]『rainfall』: We should probably bring a healer.
[Party]kk1234: Yeah.
[Party]『rainfall』: Wanna recruit?
[Party]kk1234: Nah, mind if I call a guildmate?
[Party]『rainfall』: Go ahead.
『rainfall』 agreed more easily than I expected. I whispered the one person who would definitely be playing solo at this hour.
[Whisper]kk1234: I’m at Fior’s Cave.
[Whisper]kk1234: Get over here as healer.
[Whisper]SignalOnAndGoStraight: Wait, you’re the first discoverer?
[Whisper]kk1234: Yep.
[Whisper]SignalOnAndGoStraight: Just you two?
[Whisper]kk1234: I’m with 『rainfall』.
[Whisper]SignalOnAndGoStraight: Holy shit.
[Whisper]SignalOnAndGoStraight: On my way, sir.
I gave Straight the coordinates, and he practically teleported over. I invited him to the party, and he came rushing in, making a huge fuss.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Oh wow, 『rainfall』 sir.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: It’s an honor to meet you like this.
There he goes, overdoing it again. I was expecting 『rainfall』 to shut him down cold. But…
[Party]『rainfall』: Hello.
[Party]『rainfall』: You’re Straight, right? I’ve watched your YouTube.
Even though he was on an alt, 『rainfall』 recognized Straight. And he was being way more sociable than I’d imagined. Not just me—Straight sounded stunned too.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: For real??
[Party]『rainfall』: Your videos helped me a lot.
[Party]kk1234: Wow, betrayal, nice.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Ahaha
Well, if he’d studied me, of course he’d have watched Straight’s videos. I was the idiot who appeared in Straight’s videos just because he tossed me some items. If I ever show up in one of his videos again, I’m a fucking lunatic, seriously.
Whether I was dumbfounded or not, their conversation kept flowing along all warm and friendly.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Did you just watch K’s videos?
[Party]『rainfall』: No, a few others too.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: LOL, that alone means a lot, thanks.
[Party]『rainfall』: Dungeon guides.
[Party]『rainfall』: And the food tour near Jamsil.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: LOL you really did watch, guess you’re a local then.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: You watched the food videos too?
[Party]『rainfall』: I live nearby.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Those places were good, right?
[Party]『rainfall』: I haven’t actually gone.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Wanna go together sometime? lol
This was complete bullshit.
[Party]kk1234: We came to run a dungeon, so how about we actually run the dungeon.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: K’s jealous.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: lol
At the dungeon entrance, once he’d thrown up the initial buffs, Straight didn’t have much to heal, so he just kept talking.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Didn’t expect you to have watched that much, 『rainfall』.
[Party]『rainfall』: I’m probably younger than you.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: All viewers are big bros in my book. ^^
[Party]kk1234: Your capitalist smile makes me sick.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: lol
Where did the crazy bastard who cuts people down go, and who swapped him out for this docile version?
[Party]kk1234: Straight PKs too, you know.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Hey now;
I leaked premium intel about my lunatic stalker. Knowing exactly how insane 『rainfall』 could get when it came to PK, Straight panicked.
But 『rainfall』’s answer betrayed my expectations.
[Party]『rainfall』: It’s a system feature. It’s allowed.
[Party]kk1234: ?
[Party]『rainfall』: As long as you don’t indiscriminately target everyone like you do, it’s fine.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: LMAO
[Party]『rainfall』: Just don’t overdo it.
[Party]LeftSignalRightTurn: Of course. ^^
Why the double standard?
My feelings were kind of hurt.