Chapter 102: The End of the Circle

“……Soo Hyuk?”

Not hearing any response from the man in front of him, Alex carefully called out.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Got distracted for a moment.”

Soo Hyuk, who was smiling as he looked at the messages, came back to his senses and answered.

“Just as you suspected, there were summoning circles. Actually, six of them and we destroyed them all.”

At Soo Hyuk’s explanation, Alex couldn’t help but mumble under his own breath.

“How the hell…?”

He was sure there was no way a magic circle could make itself, someone was clearly behind this scheme. But who created those magic circles within the Underground Waterways? Why were the chimeras created there and caused havoc?

“Would you mind telling me?”

Soo Hyuk already had some speculations on who might be behind the magic circles. According to Pavian, Ramos was the culprit.

“I don’t think I…”

There was nothing to talk about; the quest had already been completed.

‘If I tell you, you’ll give me a linked quest, right?’

If he said the culprit was Ramos, then what? There was a huge possibility that his words might get tangled with a linked quest. Most likely, to find out who is the person behind the havoc.

‘It’s not worth it…’

It was this reason that Soo Hyuk didn’t voice out his suspicions about the suspect.

“I don’t think I have anything with me.”

Soo Hyuk didn’t want such a burden because he had a lot to do. He had to stop by to meet Pavien and prepare for Roman’s quest, after which, there was a year-long dungeon expedition.

‘There are also a lot more books to read.’

And most importantly, the books that were waiting to be explored in the libraries.

‘Ah, well, I’ll investigate it myself.’

After coming to a conclusion, Soo Hyuk decided not to speak.

‘But…’

Soo Hyuk, who just made his decision, seriously looked at Alex who was lost in his thoughts.

‘Is this the end of the reward?’

Just as the quest was completed, he was compensated with several ‘level ups’. Was experience the rest of the reward?

‘Let’s see.’

He thought if he kept on waiting for Alex to snap out of his thoughts, he might be told something good. But, he had waited too long.

“I’ll be going.”

Soo Hyuk, who felt like he wasted his time, looked at Alex and got up. If there were more quest rewards, Alex might compensate someday or if there isn’t, he would say it.

“Oh, right! Thank you for your hard work.”

Alex, following Soo Hyuk’s courtesy, got up from his seat.

“And thank you.”

Saying that, Alex bowed his head and thanked Soo Hyuk.

‘That’s it?!’

I think it was the end of the experience.

“Goodbye.”

Following suit, Soo Hyuk said his last words and exited the room soon after. Seeing an NPC waiting for him outside, he followed it back and returned to the second floor.

“Keep up the work.”

As he arrived on the second floor, Soo Hyuk nodded toward the NPC who guided him and left the Mercenary Office. As soon as he left the office, he turned around looking at it.

‘This is the real end.’

He won an S-grade mercenary token and no more quests need to be carried out. So, he had no reason to visit the Mercenary office anytime soon.

Soo Hyuk looked at the building for a little longer, then finally, turned around to leave.

‘Next towards the Branch office.’

Then he began to move toward the Hadrac’s Branch office of The Poison Spire.

“Mage?”

Ian narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Yes, a mage.”

Alex confirmed.

“Did you find out who?”

Ian asked.

“No.”

Alex shook his head.

“I went there to check, but there were no clues.”

It was Alex who spoke, he had already visited the underground waterways, but he couldn’t find any evidence to take the next step. All it remained was the traces that proved the battles that took place.

“Hmm…”

Ian spoke out, listening to Alex’s reasoning. Then after a while, he asked Alex.

“What are you going to do?”

The chimeras, which were once a headache, were now destroyed, and along with them the magic circles that summoned them, both problems were destroyed simultaneously. It could be guessed that this incident was completely over.

But now, another glaring problem was staring at them. Which organisation set up those magic circles and summoned those chimeras?

“From now, just in case, I’m going to keep track of the underground waterway. I might find some clues that I may have missed before.” Alex replied to the question.

Though he went there himself, there was no guarantee that he found all the traces. There must have been something he missed, no, he was sure that he missed something.

“Oh, I’m getting ready for major exploration.”

“An exploration?”

“Ah, we might see the mages in other areas than the underground waterways.”

Seeing the people behind the incident, there might be mages hidden in other places than the underground waterways. There might be more of those magic circles, creating new dens for the chimeras, just like the underground waterway.

“If there is, we should take care of it quickly.”

What if what they guessed is right? Then they would have to deal with it before it gets any bigger.

“What do you think?”

After placing all his possibilities, Alex asked Ian. The massive search was not something Alex could decide alone. He needed a mutual agreement.

“If you hadn’t asked, I would have.”

Ian smiled as he replied. Seems that both of them had the same thought.

“Then let’s do the search…”

Hearing the positive reply, Alex spoke up before the course of the conversation changed.

***

“What kind of reward shall I present to you? I don’t think I’ll be of much help.”

“Yeah, what would you like?”

“Should I ask Rhino?”

“…I mean.”

Pavian looked at Soo Hyuk with his mouth open and a puzzled look plastered across his face.

“Were you working on getting authorised to use the library?”

“Yes.”

Soo Hyuk nodded at Pavian’s question.

“Haha!”

Pavian laughed out loud at Soo Hyuk’s answer, not entirely believing.

“You really like books, don’t you?”

Just to use the library? He knew, Soo Hyuk liked books way too much, but didn’t expect it was to this extent.

Soo Hyuk couldn’t help but smile at Pavian’s remark. Then checked the time. It was getting pretty late…

Pavian wanted to meet Soo Hyuk not to talk about any important topic but rather to catch up on their lives.

‘I thought it wouldn’t take much time.’

It hadn’t been very long since they last parted, so Soo Hyuk thought that their meetup would take a short time. However, in opposition to these thoughts, the conversation had been going on for some time now.

It was just then.

“Oh, right!”

Pavian exclaimed, as something came to his mind.

“Wait a minute.”

Then suddenly he pulled something out of thin air.

‘Subspace magic!’

That was supposed to be the inventory for the NPCs.

‘What’s in the box?’

Pavian had pulled out a box from his inventory and gave it to Soo Hyuk. But why did he pull out a box?

“Here.”

“…?”

Seeing the box in front of him, Soo Hyuk looked back and forth between the box and Pavian.

Looking at his questioning eyes and understanding the question, Pavian opened the box saying.

“Later, when I have time.”

At his words, Soo Hyuk lowered his head confirming the contents in the box.

There were only two items inside, a scroll and a token.

“Take this and go to the Fire Spire.”

Hearing this, Soo Hyuk figured that these items must have some connection with the Fire Spire.

“What about the Fire Spire?”

Even though Soo Hyuk asked without any expectations for an answer, he still asked as he glanced at the items left for him.

“Well, that’s…”

Pavian dragged the end of his words.

‘Should I tell him the truth?’

Pavian was debating whether or not he should tell the truth about him getting help from the Fire Spire’s Spiremaster, Brynes. Which led to him arranging a meeting.

‘Hmm, it’s nothing bad.’

Pavian didn’t have any underhand motives, so there was no reason not to tell Soo Hyuk the truth. After coming to a conclusion, Pavian said.

“The Spiremaster of the Fire Spire wants to meet you.”

“Meet me?”

“Yes, maybe the journey might turn fruitful.”

Just as Pavian finished speaking, a quest appeared.

〈Brynes of the Fire Spire〉

[Brynes, the Spiremaster of Fire, wants to talk to you. Head to the Fire Spire and meet Brynes!]

[Quest Rewards: ????]

It was a quest to meet the Spiremaster of Fire.

‘Hmm, there is no time limit.’

Soo Hyuk, who was about to ask if there was a set time period, got his answer without having to ask. Just by carefully looking at the quest.There was no time limit, meaning he could visit the Fire Spire at any time.

“Okay.”

Since it didn’t have any time limit, there was no need to take care of it now. He could visit whenever he had time. So, Soo Hyuk, in no hurry, answered Pavian, resulting in him accepting the quest. Then he opened his inventory and put the scroll and the badge from the box in it.

[Accepted the quest ]

[Obtained Pavian’s letter.]

[Obtained the token of Brynes, the Spiremaster of Fire.]

After the three notification windows, he looked at Pavian and smiled as the Spiremaster bid his farewell.

“I’d better get going.”

Finally, their meeting was over.

Pavian stood up and continued.

“Next time, if this happens, use your connection and use the power of the Branch office. They won’t be able to refuse if you show them what I have given you previously.”

“Okay.”

Soo Hyuk too, mirroring the older man, stood up and answered. He had no reason to stay at the branch office any longer, and he had another destination to visit.

Following Pavian out, Soo Hyuk exited the branch office and disappeared within his subspace. He headed to the library before he got caught by the branch manager, Rhino.

As soon as he arrived at the library, Soo Hyuk started to look around. He wondered if any of the books changed their colour as the conditions were met.

‘None.’

Meaning, he hadn’t met any of their conditions. Soo Hyuk took the five books out of the first line of the bookshelf and returned to his seat. Then proceeded to read.

I have met with Parville, the one who resides at the top. Honestly, I never expected to see this famous business mogul in such a shabby inn. Does he have a connection here?

‘…’

‘Parville?’

As he read the book, Soo Hyuk couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment.

He hesitated because the book continued with the story of ‘Parville’. So, he turned his focus towards the story and continued to read.

After debating with myself, I sat in front of him. Parville’s face was full of regret. In curiosity, I asked him.

‘What are you thinking?’

As if to answer my question, Parville gave out a bitter smile. Saying how much he regrets his past mistakes.

‘Regret?’

Seeing the word, Soo Hyuk stopped reading for a moment. Then he opened his quest window, checked his special quest. There it was .

〈Special Quest- Parville’s Legacy〉

[Parville, the man who stood at the top, regretted his past mistakes all his life, even before he died. Find the place where Parville still possessed with his lifelong regrets!

Quest Rewards: ????]

The condition was to find the place Parville was still attached to his lifelong regrets.

‘Looking at the book…’

He confirmed the quest and closed the window and continued reading the book. Then later he went back to the first few pages of the book.

‘I think this shabby inn might be a clue.’

Most probably, the whole area where the inn was located.

‘Never expected to find a clue in such a way.’ Soo Hyuk, who was still dazed with the sudden discovery, tried to get more information. So, he checked the title of the book over and over again.

‘This title seems to be the most irrelevant I have ever seen.’

‘Karon the Wanderer’ that was the name. It seems to have no relation with Parville, but still, he found a clue.

Grabbing the book, he made a resolve to read his books more thoroughly. So, he started to give his undivided attention to his books, vowing to read them carefully in the future.