***
"I used it."
I told him the truth. I couldn't lie and say I hadn't used something that I clearly had.
At that, Hudson’s eyes began to shake like a leaf in the wind.
"Ah..."
A deep groan escaped Hudson’s mouth. His hope was crumbling down. It was only natural, as a Talisman was essential to reaching Level 10. In particular, a Talisman like the Tear of the Fairy Queen, which significantly lowered equipment requirements, was a treasure among treasures that one couldn't obtain even if they wanted to. It was the moment his dream of being 'carried by items' vanished into thin air.
Still, he couldn't rebuke me by asking why I had used it. From the beginning, the Tear of the Fairy Queen belonged to the Star-Awakened. The Star-Awakened had said he would show the way; he had never said he would give him the Tear of the Fairy Queen.
"A Talisman is not necessary to enter the path of a Holy Blood at Level 10. I am telling you this in advance so you do not harbor useless hope."
Of course, I could never bring myself to say I used it because I needed it to raid the Chid Mamba. But I wasn't exactly wrong. Solving the equipment requirement for a single piece of gear with the Tear of the Fairy Queen wouldn't solve Hudson’s problems. There were far too many issues piled up for that.
I stared intently at Hudson’s face. To be precise, I stared at the parchment floating in front of his face.
---------------------==
<< Hudson (Oliver) / Male / 29 years old / Neutral Good >>
· Class: [Great Merchant]
< Stats >
· Level: [9]
· Strength: [61]
· Stamina: [71]
· Agility: [54]
· Intelligence: [71]
· Mana: [55]
< Talents >
【Intelligence】【Senses】【Meticulousness】【Boldness】
【Leadership】【Golden Hand】【Business Acumen】【Water】
【Art】【Academics】【Observation】【Cooking】
< Skills >
· Observer’s Hand (Lv. 8)
· Cash Hammer (Lv. 5)
· Mercenary Art (Lv. 8)
· Protection of Water (Lv. 6)
· Summon Hermit’s Shop (Lv. 6)
---------------------==
...I could see Hudson’s status window. From the moment I heard his entire life story, his status window began appearing plainly before my eyes—his real name, Oliver, his gender, age, and even his alignment.
‘……This is pathetic.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly. Hudson’s state was disastrous, to the point I wondered if he was truly Level 9. The stat section, in particular, looked hopeless. Looking at the talents he had picked, it seemed he had invested at least 10,000 SP.
‘His Intelligence should be at least 80.’
Honestly, I felt like I could have raised a character better than this even if I used my toes. Intelligence, in particular, affected the growth engine of skills. It was a stat that allowed one to acquire and learn things faster. Additionally, many observation-related skills required high Intelligence. Given his Great Merchant class and the talents he had picked, his Intelligence should have been at least 80 by now. His skill levels should have also been one tier higher.
‘He hasn't even stepped forward to fight personally.’
His Mercenary Art was a staggering Level 8. While merchant-type classes usually took Mercenary Art as a base, this was excessive. His only combat-related skill was Cash Hammer (Lv. 5). If he was going to be like this, wouldn't it have been better to be a Commander or a Priest? I understood why he couldn't hunt due to low stats. It was likely a case similar to Jung Jinwoo’s. He might have been afraid to fight personally after being summoned, unlike in a game.
‘……The function to see another person's status window originally didn't exist in the game.’
Anyway, it was a strange thing. While there were observation skills that allowed one to grasp roughly and see a few pieces of information, the function to read everything in such detail did not exist within the game. Was it because Hudson had opened everything to me? It didn't seem to be for that reason alone. There was something further concretizing the knowledge.
‘Is it a function of one of my hidden traits... Great Sage?’
A function that showed levels, allowed me to grasp hidden things, and even let me know another's status window in detail could only be explained by a hidden trait. If it was related to knowledge, it was certainly related to 'Great Sage.' Because I gained deep knowledge about Hudson, this phenomenon appeared due to the Great Sage trait.
However, there was a question.
‘Then why can't I see Isabella’s status window?’
Wasn't Isabella the character I knew best? She was the character I had created and raised myself. Yet, what should have been visible was not. If so, it meant other conditions were necessary to see a status window.
‘Life background, information related to more detailed memories... Come to think of it, I don't know anything properly about Isabella.’
I knew Isabella, but I didn't know her. I didn't even know why she suddenly came to be called the Snake Princess. Only then did I realize I knew nothing about Isabella other than the fact that she longed for the world outside the desert and sought to find her roots. On the other hand, hadn't Hudson spilled everything to me, even things I didn't need to know?
"……Star-Awakened. Then are you saying another path exists for me?"
"It exists."
I was confident. There were countless paths to Level 10. Even if he didn't rely on a Talisman due to low stats, there were ways to reach Level 10. Since I was likely the person who had reached Level 10 the most times in this world of Pangenia, he could trust me. However, I couldn't just tell that to Hudson.
Hudson bowed his head with an even more desperate expression.
"Please show me the way."
"First, liquidate the casino."
"……Pardon?"
His desperate expression was instantly filled with bewilderment. To liquidate a casino that was running perfectly fine? He’d have to be insane.
"To ascend to the path of a Holy Blood, focusing your entire mind is not enough. If you operate a business of this scale, your mind will inevitably be occupied, so I am telling you to liquidate it."
"T-that is a matter that can be solved by entrusting the operation to a deputy."
"Do you think the Council will leave the casino alone when the owner is absent?"
"……."
Hudson remained silent. The three major casinos of Arcana, the Golden City. There were many who coveted them. If Hudson vacated his position, the Council would not leave it alone either. They were materialistic people crazed for money.
But how on earth was the Star-Awakened seeing through these facts? Facts that he, who had lived in Arcana for over a year and operated a business, had only just realized.
‘Do the stars really tell him everything?’
Listening to the Star-Awakened gave him goosebumps. He truly knew everything. When he mentioned that Serengeti and he had a secret engagement, it felt like being hit over the head with a hammer. It was his first time seeing a Star-Awakened in person, and since the rumors about them were all different, he couldn't be certain of anything, but the man knew everything. Since he, who knew everything, said 'there is a way,' all that remained was his own faith.
‘Right. The casino is not important.’
Hudson bit his lip. Operating the casino was all for the sake of entering the Council. Becoming a Councilor and proposing to the House of the Marquis was the most important thing. However, the Council had given no opportunity to Hudson, who had not reached Level 10. On the contrary, they had only ignored him, used him, and then tried to consume him.
"……Even if I liquidate it as quickly as possible, it will take three days."
"I will give you two days. We will depart after that."
"Where are we going?"
"Masterpiece."
"Master... piece?"
I smiled slightly. Masterpiece was the starting point of Main Quest 3 and the thing that would solve all problems at once. And to reach that place, I needed Hudson.
‘Hudson is a walking potion and a shop.’
From Protection of Water to Hermit’s Shop! Although his direct combat ability was low, Hudson was the best supporter who performed the roles of both a merchant and a priest simultaneously. I couldn't let such talent go to waste. I clearly spoke the destination we had to head toward.
"We are going to the Tower of Spirits."
"……? The Tower of Spirits? Did such a thing actually exist?"
Hudson tilted his head. Rumors about the Tower of Spirits were rampant, but there was no one who had actually entered it. However, there was.
‘I’ve been there.’
I had entered. Spirits. The most mysterious beings in this world. However, ascending the Tower of Spirits was only possible for those who were chosen. Only for those chosen by the spirits. It was an extremely rare case. One could only obtain that opportunity by completing numerous quests and related talents, along with good luck. Among gamers, the number of people who had entered the Tower of Spirits could be counted on one hand. They were literally people who had been 'selected' with a miracle-like probability.
And to enter the Tower of Spirits meant one had to break through that miracle-like probability again. However, there was no need to worry. I didn't need to be selected by the spirits in the first place.
‘Druid’s Affinity with Nature.’
As long as I possessed the hidden trait of a Druid who commanded spirits, there might be cases where I chose a spirit, but there would be no case where a spirit had to choose me.
✺✺✺
I didn't have time to play around even for a bit. It was wise in many ways to do waypoint work in advance whenever there was time. However, exploring the entirety of Arcana would be a mad act.
"Are you asking me to open the sewers?"
Hudson asked, aghast. He didn't seem to welcome the request to head toward the dungeon located in the sewers, the very bottom of Arcana.
"The number of monster rats is not to be underestimated. If you enter without any preparation, no matter if you are a Star-Awakened..."
"I know."
"The sewer dungeon is something even the City Council gave up on. Will you really be alright?"
Even the high-ranking officials of the City Council had given up on purifying the sewers. The level of ordinary monster rats was 5. However, because their numbers were so vast and the underground drainage system was as complex as a maze, it was impossible to wipe them out all at once. Furthermore, the dungeon boss of the sewers was a Level 8 monster. It was a dungeon raid boss that could only be cleared with at least six Level 8 individuals.
"It's fine."
"……I will go with you."
Hudson spoke with a worried expression. Opening the dungeon was possible with his own authority, but if by some chance something went wrong with the Star-Awakened, the dream and hope he had finally obtained would vanish.
"Do as you wish."
I shrugged my shoulders. There was no need to refuse when a healer was offering to help for free.
✺✺✺
Thud!
A giant mutant rat of the sewers was laid out on the floor. The culprit that had tormented the residents of Arcana. The leader of the monster rats that had gone uncaught while moving through the underground drainage system had finally been caught.
<< You have defeated the ‘Mutant Giant Rat of the Sewers (Lv. 8).’ >>
<< You have fully explored the ‘Sewers of Arcana.’ >>
<< Exploration Rate: 100% >>
<< A waypoint for the ‘Sewers of Arcana’ has been created in the ‘Teleport Book.’ >>
With this, I obtained the waypoints for the desert city, Paisalmer, and the Golden City, Arcana. Although the location was a bit questionable.
"Y-you defeated a mutant giant rat alone...?"
Hudson stared with a look of disbelief, not at me, but at Isabella. Isabella quietly tucked her dagger into her breast pocket and approached my side as if it were no big deal. The mutant giant rat was quick and good at escaping, but it was a natural enemy to Isabella, who possessed an Assassin class.
‘As expected, there’s no comparison.’
And although I said I created her half as a challenge, Isabella was still a character I had raised with great care. It was just that I had given up because I couldn't see any way to lift the Queen’s curse. She couldn't be compared to Hudson, who had been raised solely through 'power-leveling.'
Hudson muttered as if he couldn't believe it.
"It’s amazing. The fighting is one thing, but the judgment to block the retreat route in advance was also outstanding. To think you even calculated the time the water comes in..."
Just as Hudson said, I had blocked all the retreat routes for the mutant giant rat in advance. Of course, it was common-sensically difficult to block all the passages of the intricately entangled sewers. However, the time the water came in was different for each sewer, and thanks to calculating all those times and moving meticulously, I was able to corner the monster rat and hunt it easily.
"Even a powerful monster can be easily caught if you use your head."
"It’s not just at the level of using one's head..."
To have calculated all this with his head? Hudson couldn't believe it. Hundreds and thousands of underground waterways in Arcana were entangled. The time the water came in was different for each waterway, so was it even plausible to calculate all of that? If the calculation of the water path had been off by even a single second, the mutant giant rat would have noticed and escaped in an instant. It was a task that wouldn't be easy even with a high-performance computer.
Gulp!
‘He’s a monster.’
That woman who hunted the mutant giant rat alone was a monster, but the real monster was that Star-Awakened. There were many people who were good at fighting. There were many people with high levels. But he could guarantee that no one fought like the Star-Awakened. Furthermore, because Hudson was a Great Merchant, he possessed the talent to grasp the characteristics of numerous people as he met them. And the Star-Awakened was the type of person who should never be turned into an enemy.
‘Oho.’
Regardless, ignoring Hudson’s gaze, I looked at the messages that appeared.
《 You have completed the exploration of the dungeon, and a reward is given. 》
《 The ‘Constellation of Adventure’ slaps its forehead at your ingenuity! The reward content is upgraded even further. 》
《 Rolling the dice. 》
《 You can select one item from a list of four rewards. 》
《 You possess ‘Lucky Dice.’ 》
《 Roll the dice once more to obtain a reward list one tier higher. 》
Lucky Dice. It was the item I obtained after killing the Chid Mamba. It was something I had never seen while playing Pangenia. I thought it would be a one-time use, but could it be a possession effect? On top of that, the Constellation of Adventure slapped its forehead. A reward a total of two tiers higher. After slowly checking the reward list, I nodded with a satisfied face.
‘I’m lucky.’