It was only after all the investigations were over that Evan’s party was able to leave the Holy Temple. As expected, everyone was cleared of all charges. Afterward, they returned to the branch office of the Ignis Guild in the Southern Region to rest.
Currently, Ayra was in the middle of creating copies of Mars’s research logs that she had seen. Since she was making identical copies, it would take a considerable amount of time. She mentioned it would take about three days.
Evan marveled at her genius talent.
‘Looking at it this way, that talent is almost terrifying.’
It meant that if she set her mind to it, she could steal any kind of information. Evan opened his inventory.
‘I should meet the Mediator before I move.’
He still intended to stay in the Southern Region for a while. Once he finished the task requested by the Sacred Maiden and concluded the business with Rosie, he would leave immediately.
Evan used a Soul Stone. A cluster of light enveloped his entire body. The moment a blinding light flashed before his eyes, Evan was instantly transported to the Celestial Realm, where the Mediator resided.
It had been a while since he last visited this place. Evan turned his head to inspect the Celestial Castle.
‘No matter how I look at it, it’s identical.’
The Holy Temple in Bellium and the Celestial Castle were exactly the same. Of course, only the outer walls were identical, and he didn’t know what the interior would look like. In fact, the interior of the Holy Temple was exactly like the ruins he had seen in his previous world.
‘Is there a connection?’
Leaving behind several questions, Evan walked slowly toward where the Mediator was.
“It has been a while,” the Mediator said briefly, staring at Evan. Rather than a warm welcome, his expression was the usual one of annoyance.
Evan got straight to the point. “I’ve completed the quest. Hurry up and give me the reward.”
At those words, the Mediator raised one hand and made a light gesture. In that moment, message windows popped up before Lee Han’s eyes.
**[Main Quest: Path of Shadows I has been completed!]**
**[500,000 Merit Points have been rewarded.]**
**[You have leveled up!]**
**[You have leveled up!]**
With the completion of the quest, he had gone up five levels. Then, new messages popped up one after another.
**[Calculating achievement progress…]**
**[You have achieved the hidden achievement ‘Secrets of the World’.]**
**[You have reached 20% progress in the Main Quest.]**
‘Main Quest progress?’
Evan tilted his head. Nothing like this had ever happened in his previous world.
‘Main Quest progress… Is it telling me how much I’ve completed?’
It seemed that the Main Quest progress had appeared as a reward for the hidden achievement. Evan knew very well how significant this information was. Being informed of the Main Quest’s progress meant he could know how close he was to the end of the quests he had to achieve in this world.
For Evan, this was likely the most important piece of information.
‘This will make it easier to prepare. I should probably start gathering Merit Points when the progress hits around 50%.’
He reminded himself once again that he was moving in this world for the sake of a Resurrection Scroll. Of course, there was something new he had to do here as well. His next goal after the Resurrection Scroll was to take revenge on those who had made his life a mess.
‘The Administrators of the World.’
He didn’t have information on them yet, but they were definitely the ones who had plotted everything. And there was a possibility that the aftermath had affected his previous world as well.
“Mediator. Can you tell me about the Administrators of the World now?”
Evan saw the Mediator’s eyebrows twitch for a moment. It seemed to be an uncomfortable topic for him as well.
“You’ve already found out that much?”
When Evan nodded, the Mediator crossed his arms and fell into deep thought. After a while, he slowly began to speak.
“As you might expect, the Administrators of the World are beings created to manage the world. I’ve heard they possess special powers to maintain the world. Other than that, it’s not under my jurisdiction, so even I don’t know. Only the One Above knows.”
The Mediator finished his story simply. Evan clicked his tongue. He had expected more detailed information, but the Mediator hadn’t said much else. It was impossible to tell whether he was holding back or truly didn’t know.
“Are the Administrators of the World the beings called gods in this world?”
This was the conclusion Evan had reached. The goddess he witnessed in the battle against the Nervan Cult and in Abaddon’s memories, and the beings currently moving the cult—there was a high probability that they were all Administrators of the World.
The Mediator shook his head. “Such worlds often exist, but it cannot be concluded definitively. It differs for every world.”
It was an ambiguous answer, but for Evan, this was enough.
‘If that’s the case, there’s a high probability that the true identities of the gods are those guys.’
The Mediator asked Evan, “Will you proceed with the next quest immediately?”
Evan nodded. Then, the Mediator made another light gesture.
**[Searching for quests…]**
**[Upgrading difficulty level.]**
This time, it seemed to take a bit longer. The Mediator added, “It seems you’ve been poking around quite a bit. The level of the quest has jumped significantly.”
Hearing his words, Evan thought back on the things that had happened. There were many things that came to mind. However, since he had grown just as much, he wasn’t particularly worried.
**[Path of Shadows II]**
**Description: You have obtained a surprising amount of information about the world. The evil forces threatening the kingdom have expanded beyond the kingdom level. Thwart their plans. Three sub-quests will be assigned.**
**Category: Main Quest**
**Difficulty: A**
**Goal: Sub-quests 0/3**
**Recommended Level: 400**
**Recommended Personnel: None**
**Rewards: 55,500,000 Merit Points, Experience (Large), High-grade Chest**
This was the Main Quest that followed the previous one. However, in this case, it seemed there was a list of sub-quests. In such cases, quests are assigned sequentially.
**[The first sub-quest has been assigned.]**
**[Salvation of the World Tree has begun.]**
Evan’s eyes flashed as he looked at the sub-quest.
‘Salvation of the World Tree.’
It was a quest that contradicted the cult’s oracle. The flow began to move exactly as Evan had predicted. If stopping them appeared as a Main Quest, he could be certain now.
‘So it ends up like this? They will be the ones I eventually have to take down.’
After checking the quest, Evan asked the Mediator several more questions. He had many doubts about the information he had learned through various events.
“I have no authority whatsoever. I’ve already told you a lot today.”
The Mediator showed a firm attitude and turned his back. It seemed there was no more information to be gained from him.
***
The Adela Guild Plaza.
An unprecedented crowd had gathered here. The news that Adela’s Main Transmission Tower had collapsed but was being rebuilt at a rapid pace was a hot topic. Most of the conversations in the plaza were like this.
“I’m telling you, I heard the people who bought in when it collapsed this time made a lot of money.”
“I know that! Dammit. I should have bought then. I hesitated for nothing…”
“No, even now might not be too late. I think it’ll easily go up to the 4,500th floor.”
“What? It’s going that much higher?”
“Don’t you know what the Adela Guild announced this time?”
“What is it? Is there some good news?”
“Of course. Because of the listing of the Rosie Coin, even more money has gathered now. To seize the opportunity, they say Adela is showcasing a new technology for transmission tower construction.”
“New technology?”
“It seems to be a new technology that can double the speed of tower construction while strengthening stability.”
“Heh! Double the speed? That’s insane. No, why do they announce something like that when I don’t have any money?”
The rumors spread with uncontrollable speed, drawing many people’s attention. Even those who hadn’t bought the Adela Guild’s currency yet couldn’t let it pass this time. Thanks to the tower’s collapse, the current market price had dropped. Those who were interested in Adela currency but hadn’t bought it were waiting, seeing this as their chance.
Furthermore, thanks to the Rosie Guild, that interest had been fueled even more lately. Unlike other guilds, it was a newly established guild. Everyone wanted to have the currency of a guild that was just starting out. Of course, because the risk was high, most people usually passed.
However, this time was very different. Anyone could find out the news that Count Rosie and Evan were involved. And Evan had announced his intention to purchase Rosie Coins and praised them highly.
“They say Rosie Coins are given to you if you hold Adela currency. This is a chance for preoccupation.”
“The price is going to skyrocket.”
“Exactly. I’ve already obtained twenty Rosie Coins myself.”
Hearing such things around them, those who were just watching without buying Adela currency became anxious.
“Yeah. Also, they say the Rosie Guild is going to adopt that new technology for their Main Transmission Tower, so it’ll be a lot different from the existing towers. You’re a fool if you don’t preoccupy these Rosie Coins.”
“I know! I was planning to buy when it got a bit cheaper.”
Those checking the market posting board cheered and went wild.
“Wow! The tower construction speed is really fast! It’ll be at the 4,300th floor in no time.”
“I heard it was still dangerous… Why is it rising like that?”
Thanks to this scene, even at this very moment, Adela Guild currency was being purchased.
At the Adela Guild currency exchange, many people were standing in a long line to purchase the guild currency.
“Dammit! The 4,225th floor supply is already closed. It feels like a rip-off to buy at the 4,226th floor.”
“If you don’t like it, get out of the way quickly. Don’t you see the people behind you?”
He looked back once and saw that the line stretched endlessly. Without hesitation, he purchased Adela Guild currency with all the money he had.
It was then. Someone from the guild hall shouted as if surprised.
“W-Wait! I heard that during today’s temple ritual, the Sacred Maiden was holding a Rosie Coin?”
This rumor spread quickly, its source unknown. It was unclear whose doing it was, but if they could relay the events of the Holy Temple in real-time like this, their information network must be considerable.
“T-That’s crazy!”
Hearing that story, the people in the guild hall who were staring intently at the posting board began to flock to the exchange. Of course, a swarm of people from the plaza outside the guild also began to pour in, having heard the rumor somewhere.
The entire Southern Region began to boil that day as people rushed to purchase Adela Guild currency.
From a high observation deck of the Adela Guild, there were those looking down at the crowds.
“Master. This plan is truly effective,” Serum said to Barennes with a slimy smile.
Barennes swirled his wine glass. “Isn’t this all thanks to Count Rosie and Evan? Make sure to treat them as our top VIPs.”
“Yes, Master. But…” Serum asked him curiously, “When are you going to destroy the tower this time? Money is pouring in at an all-time record high even now.”
Barennes savored his wine and then slowly spoke. “When the Rosie Guild is listed and their transmission tower is being built at its peak, that’s when I will destroy Adela’s transmission tower.”
“Haha, that’s a timing no one will be able to escape.”
“We’ll drop it down to about the 3,500th floor. If we raise it back up to a maximum of 4,000 floors, they’ll flock to us once more.”
The corners of his mouth curled up as he looked down at the crowd.