Chapter 45

 

The golden system window lit up the dark room and hung it in front of me.

 

Successful quest!

 

“What?”

 

Rewards will be paid.

 

+ 400 reputation!

 

(Current reputation: -1)

 

+ Title 

 

{ A cow that caught a mouse while walking backwards }

 

You’re going to get it!

 

+ Increases skill level.

 

[Intermediate alchemy has opened!]

 

[You can now use intermediate alchemy!]

 

[Intermediate collection is open!]

 

[You can now use intermediate collection!]

 

[Intermediate production has opened!]

 

[You can now use intermediate production!]

 

[Intermediate melting has opened!]

 

[You can now use intermediate melting!]

 

.

 

.

 

Without knowing what the situation was, I stared blankly at the state window that was rising like crazy.

 

Main Quest #1 CLEAR.

 

The system window shone brilliantly and announced the completion of the quest.

 

“Crazy, quest success! Then, is that what I think it is…….”

 

But that wasn’t the end of the quest. Without any surprises, the system window immediately proceeded with the linked quest.

 

Ring!

 

{ Main Quest }

 

#2. Find the Keeper of Hamal ^[1] Hamal, designated Alpha Arietis, is the brightest star in the northern zodiacal constellation of Aries. Its traditional name is derived from the Arabic word for “lamb” or “head of the ram” (ras al-hamal), which references Aries’s mythological background. ♈.

 

Difficulty level: A+

 

Time limit: 9 days 24 hours

 

Compensation: ??? skill recovery

 

Permanently delete the quest upon failure

 

※Can’t refuse

 

“Hamal? What’s that?”

 

As soon as I muttered, the system window rang.

 

You have met the criteria for achieving the quest.

 

Keeper of Hamal ♈ (1 of 1)

 

Successful Quest!

 

“What? A sudden success? What is this…….”

 

Rewards will be paid.

 

+ Rising reputation by 900!

 

(Current reputation: 899)

 

+ Title

 

{ Temporary guardian of Hamal ♈ }

 

You’re going to get it.

 

+ Increases skill level.

 

My ankle got hot, like it was burning again. When I looked at the blanket, a pattern as small as a nail was shining softly under my ankle bone.

 

♈. It appeared exactly as it did in the system window.

 

“What is this? Since when…….”

 

When my fingertips touched it, the lightly shining pattern flashed, and something that should not be here popped out.

 

“Hey, you……!”

 

“Miehhhhhhhh!”

 

Suddenly, the door was closed after I woke up in a hurry due to the sound of sheep crying throughout the fourth floor. The lamb followed me, crying as if I was going somewhere without it.

 

“Shh! Shh! Shut up!”

 

“Meihhhh…….”

 

Fortunately, the sheep stopped its voice and flapped its ears, as if it understood my words.

 

While alternating between the system window and the sheep, which were still floating in front of me, I asked, wondering.

 

“You……. Are you the Keeper of Hamal?”

 

“Meih.”

 

Damn, you need to know what Hamal is to understand it or not. Unlike the actual sheep, the sheep was a little smaller and had a subtle glow all over its body.

 

“Item information, monster information.”

 

I said it just in case, but nothing came up. The sheep stomped its feet, perhaps dissatisfied with me treating it as such.

 

“Huh? Don’t stamp your feet. Ye Seong-woo was looking for you, right? If we’re caught, we’re both done for.”

 

“Miehhhh.”

 

I had an uneasy feeling when I saw the sheep gently closing its mouth and tilting its head. I’m afraid it’s going to keep following me around…….

 

“Should I give you a name?”

 

My mutter raised the sheep’s head. The tail fluttered wide from side to side, as if it liked it.

 

“Because you’re a sheep……. Sheep brat ^[2] This was said in english. And 새끼 would mean bastard in the most vulgur way but it could also mean baby or brat. ?”

 

“Meihhhhhhhh.”

 

The sheep came running and banged my legs with its head. Compared to its small size, it had a pretty big hitting sense, so I jumped and avoided the lamb.

 

“Ah, ah! All right. How about just Hamal, what? You don’t like this either? Such a yangachi ^[3] 양아치 is a slang for someone who talks and acts in a vulgar manner. It’s also a pun because 양 means sheep. So it could technically be translated as sheep bastard. ……. Ouch, I got it! Cloud! How’s the cloud?”

 

The sheep’s attack stopped only then.

 

I sat on the bed and sighed. A sheep was wandering underfoot, and a system window floated overhead.

 

I thought I should put that amount in before I finish the quest, so I tapped my left leg and said,

 

“Hey, cloud. You can go back in, right? Go on in.”

 

“Meih.”

 

“Hurry up. You should never come out when there’s someone else. If no one else is here, I’ll get you out then.”

 

Sheep br……. No, cloud approached me, flinching. The body disappeared as if it were being sucked into the beat with a thump of the head where the pattern was.

 

I sighed and looked at the flashing system window, asking if I would get compensation.

 

It’s an unexpected harvest to pass two advanced-linked quests like this.

 

“Just reward me.”

 

When I accepted, the system window listed my previous skills in order of grade.

 

Please select a skill to activate.

 

► The touch of Medical God (醫神) (S)

 

► Golden Cauldron (SS)

 

►Born to be Star (S)

 

►The owner of the production (S)

 

►Current issue of flamel (S)

 

►Heaven Lake Handbook (S)

 

►Mental defense (S)

 

.

 

.

 

“Crazy!”

 

My eyes were wide open. I didn’t expect there to be a rating limit on rewards! It was a great opportunity as it wasn’t all ordinary skills. It was a shame that I could only choose one.

 

“This is it. Of course…….”

 

If I had to choose one, it was natural to choose the “golden cauldron,” which was the basis of potion manufacturing and made it possible to rise to the position of master. By the way…….

 

I was going to choose the golden cauldron right away, but I hesitated. When I reached to the bottom of the list, lower-level skills for which I had never been so desperate began to appear.

 

‘What I need right now is…….’

 

If I got the golden cauldron, an SS-class skill, at the center, I’ll get caught and sign a life contract with the country. My first priority right now is to run away from here.

 

What stopped my hand was a skill that I didn’t usually look at because it was a B-class that had nothing to see and the risk was high.

 

“The skill I want is…….”

 

The system window says the quest has been cleared. The third linked quest that followed immediately was what I was expecting to come out.

 

“As expected.”

 

{ Main Quest }

 

#3. Take back your free body

 

***

 

The plan to move to Han Seo-jin’s room naturally fell through. This is because Ye Seong-woo visited me every night, pretending to sleep after taking medicine. When he went, I fell asleep helplessly and met Ryu Su-yoon in my dream.

 

‘Ho-hyun ah.’

 

‘Let’s be comfortable with each other…….’

 

I had seen Ryu Su-yoon’s face so much that I could draw it with my eyes closed now. The wallet that Joo Ho-hyun had was also a gift from Ryu Su-yoon. I almost followed Joo Ho-hyun in my dream.

 

But what I was mistaken about was that it should never work on the monster. On the second day, I already experienced it once in my dream, and I wanted to wake up quickly, so I tried it…….

 

– I can do it! I almost succeeded. I can make it please…….

 

– People are treated according to their abilities.

 

– Open the door! Please open the door!

 

I shuddered at the stupid memory. Fortunately, the sheep popped out and ran around a few times, and it disappeared quickly.

 

Since then, whenever Ryu Su-yoon showed signs of becoming a monster, I summoned the sheep brat easily and hurriedly eliminated it.

 

“Go! Sheep……. Cloud!”

 

“Miehhhh.”

 

That was not the only problem. While peeking into Joo Ho-hyun’s memories through his dreams, I realized that he and Ryu Soo-yoon were not just special.

 

While lying down, knowing that the scene in the dream was changing, I felt something moist and soft on my cheeks. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see Ryu Su-yoon’s face, which was right in front of me, and pulled back.

 

“Woah, damn it!! You, you. Just now! What, what…….”

 

‘I’m glad you feel the same way as me.’

 

Joo Ho-hyun, you gay punk!!

 

***

 

“This is our team’s schedule and information for the coming months. I want you all to be fully aware.”

 

Thick booklets were distributed to each. Information on the geography and monster characteristics of the dungeon, which they will be going next month, was written in detail.

 

When am I going to read all of this……. Swiping through it with a bothered look, I stopped my hand at one place.

 

“Wait, this is…….”

 

“What?”

 

“No. Nothing.”

 

Shaking my head casually, I lowered my gaze to the booklet. Intermediate dungeons at Oido’s abandoned dock were places I’ve been to.

 

‘If it’s here…… I can run away.’

 

Finally, the long-awaited opportunity came.

 

I snooped around the kitchen after the team meeting. As always, Ye Seong-woo, who came out of the team leader’s room to drink water, stopped when he found me.

 

“Oh, Ho-hyun ah?”

 

“Hyung. I met you just in time.”

 

Ye Seong-woo opened his eyes wide at the mention of the word ‘hyung.’

 

“Why? What brings you…….”

 

“Do you happen to have more medicine?”

 

“What do you mean medicine? What medicine are you talking about…….”

 

“You know the supplements you gave me then. I’m almost done eating, but I don’t know where to get it. I can’t remember.”

 

“Ah. Supplements……. Did you finish eating already? It wouldn’t have been enough.”

 

It was funny how he pretended to have no idea about the topic of sneaking in every day and checking whether I was taking medicine and how much I had left. It’s a relief that I’ve emptied several of them quickly these past few days.

 

I bit my lips and lowered my eyes to hide my expression of disapproval.

 

“To be honest, I……. I haven’t been sleeping well.”

 

It wasn’t enough to look away, so I ended up covering my face with my hands to hide my expression.

 

“When I take supplements, I feel a little comfortable……. I know it’s not for that, but I couldn’t help it.”

 

“Ho-hyun ah…….”

 

“Is it hard to get? Then I’ll just try to find it. I might ask Han Seo-jin to do it….”

 

When I muttered and glanced at the living room, Ye Sung-woo jumped up and shook his hand.

 

“No, I’ll save you! You don’t have to ask Seo-jin to do it.”

 

“Really? Thank you. Hyung.”

 

I smiled at the shadow of Woo Han-se, who was hiding behind the kitchen door and listening to us with an unreadable expression.

• 1. Hamal, designated Alpha Arietis, is the brightest star in the northern zodiacal constellation of Aries. Its traditional name is derived from the Arabic word for “lamb” or “head of the ram” (ras al-hamal), which references Aries’s mythological background.
• 2. This was said in english. And 새끼 would mean bastard in the most vulgur way but it could also mean baby or brat.
• 3. 양아치 is a slang for someone who talks and acts in a vulgar manner. It’s also a pun because 양 means sheep. So it could technically be translated as sheep bastard.