Chapter 13:Lord Jackperr Reveng

"Attack, sweep away the accursed monsters!"

"Ooohhaaaahhh!"

Over 50 Sylphid Knights stampeded and bravely swung swords and maces.

The Gargoyles and Goblins obstructing their way jumped out, explosively. Then, in the hands of the Magicians, flames burst out and turned the passageway into an inferno. The Goblins swallowed in the path of fire let out horrible shrieks and crawled out, but what was waiting for them was a baptism of swords and maces.

Clearing scores of monsters didn't even take 10 minutes.

Reaper was watching the battle with surprised eyes.

'Strong.'

Two days had passed since they had entered the ruin.

The insides of the ruin were tangled with complicated, maze-like paths, so it was impossible to distinguish the path or be aware of the direction. And every time they went around a corner, an incredible number of monsters charged at them. However, they were no match for the Sylphid Knights.

They were knights that the lord had personally led here. Even their equipment was on a different level from ordinary soldiers. They were Knights armed with shining armor and weapons. And their related skills must be at an extremely high level because they were able to defend every attack with their shields, and whenever they swung their swords, fatal blows were dealt.

It was the first time he'd seen an NPC's battle — the high level was to the point where he went and lost his confidence.

After finishing a bout of fighting, a cross mark appeared above the heads of the Knights. It was a sign that indicated their level up.

'Just how much of a level do those guys have?'

Levels existed for NPCs, too. Of course, if they won many fights, their level would go up. However, the NPCs themselves didn't know about the concept of levels. If you asked them what their level was, they would return the question, asking what that was. And if you tried to explain it in detail, they would suddenly get mad.

In Desmond Online, the vocabulary level, skill, and stats were foreign to them; in other words, those were just users' terms.

Even magic or skills that let them peek at someone's information window didn't get through to the NPCs. Therefore, there was no way to confirm it, but it was definite that they were at a much higher level than Reaper.

'Anyways, if I stay with them there should be no risk of death.'

The updated Secret of the key quest's difficulty was a staggering +E.

It was a quest at a level where it'd be impossible to solve it by himself, no matter what he did. But if he did it with the Sylphid Knights, it didn't even look like it'd be that difficult.

It was a quest at a level where it'd be impossible to solve it by himself, no matter what he did. But if he did it with the Sylphid Knights, it didn't even look like it'd be that difficult.

The problem was the condition of Jackperr's survival.

After they entered the ruin, Jackperr's health become increasingly weak. Reaper, who had learned the Caregiving skill, could tell that he didn't have much life left. If by any chance, Jackperr died before the completion of the quest, the quest would end in a failure and the Sylphid Knights would return to Jackperr Castle.

That was the reason why a quest where he didn't even need to personally fight had a difficulty of +E.

'No matter what happens, I have to save him until the quest is resolved. Tch, what a pain."

The sight of Jackperr coughing beside him filled him with annoyance.

If the quest didn't have such a condition, he wouldn't give a damn if Jackperr died or not. More importantly, he had to participate in the fight and hit the monsters that looked like crammed-up wads of experience at least once.

Even those strong Knights were leveling up without rest. At his level, if he was fortunate enough to defeat one or two of the monsters, he'd probably be able to garner quite a lot of experience. However, he couldn't afford to do that. If he didn't stand by and watch over Jackperr, who was deteriorating by the minute, there was no knowing what sudden result might occur.

"Cough, cough!"

"You are okay. Illness comes first from the mind. If you firmly steel your heart, you can overcome any disease. Have courage. You can't lose hope."

As he prattled on about things he didn't even believe in, he spewed the Caregiving skill and Jackperr face became a little brighter.

"You have my thanks. If I listen to your words, my strength rises as if it's easing the disease. However, I am aware. That no matter how much I steel my mind, there's no hope for my life."

"What are you saying...."

"No, it's the truth. Because my disease did not come first from the mind."

"Are you saying that you know about the disease?"

"Do you know why I've come here leading the Knights with a body like this?"

Jackperr's clouded gaze swept across the dreary ruin.

"Because it's here, the cursed old one killed my father and planted the disease in me."

"Old one? Can you please tell me in more detail?"

"I may as well. Since you've already stepped foot in this place, knowing this won't be bad. Truthfully, a long time ago there was a terrible calamity that befell Jackson Castle. It buried the land in disease and famine."

"Are you saying that was the old ones doing?"

"Yes. It was the doing of this malicious old one that came from a faraway continent. My ancestors of the Jackperr family, which came to know of this truth, naturally rallied soldiers and fought with the old one. But with only the final blow remaining, the old one escaped, and since then the Jackperr family has suffered from the curse of the old one. All the descendants of the Jackperr family eventually die of a curse that brought about a terminal illness once they turn twenty."

"What? But the Lord is…"

"That my life is still bound to me is thanks to Father."

Jackperr tightly clutched the silver necklace that fell to his chest.

"As the other ancestors did, Father also strove to release the family's curse. And then in the same year when I was born, he finally found out. That the old one that had fled that time was hiding in this ruin. If that old one is killed, then the curse will end. But the place where that old one was hiding was firmly locked by an ancient force. The slate that you brought is precisely the key to opening that room."

At the end of a long effort, his father had finally laid hands on the key. Then, as Jackperr was doing now, he had led soldiers and searched for the old one.

Jackperr stared blankly at the Sylphid Knights as if meaning to see his father's appearance from that time among them.

"First, I listened to the soldiers who were on the verge of death. They said a lengthy fight had occurred. In the end, it resulted in Father's defeat. But Father, using the last of his strength, gave the old one a large wound. Thanks to that the curse has weakened, and I was able to live to this age."

"So that means that the Lord is suffering from the disease because that malicious old one has regained its strength."

"You're right. And since a few years ago, traces of the curse have even appeared on my now fifteen-year-old son. The old one's strength has become stronger. But the key had already disappeared with my father's death. For the last 3 years, I tried to find the key but to no avail. In that time my body has become exhausted and thin, like this. Having lost the time to wait any longer, I went to battle to destroy the door with sheer force and punish the old one."

"If the old one is killed, will the Lord's disease also be cured?"

Jackperr shook his head.

"No, it's already too late for me. Now, even if I killed the old one I cannot live on. However, I cannot allow my son to meet the same fate as I. After all, my father was also in the same situation as I and fought the old one for my sake. This time, it is my turn to do for my son, as my Father has done for me. And I believe that I can succeed. That you brought the slate here, is without a doubt, a revelation from God."

Reaper was moved to tears.

A father for the sake of his son, and the son for the sake of his son, was burning away the last of his life.

Of course, they were NPCs. Though they looked like people, they weren't.

Within that too-realistic face, there was electricity that flowed along electric wires.

Despite that, the light with which Jackperr looked at Reaper was sincere. That he was dying, and for his son, he would throw away his life — he truly thought that way.

Most NPCs are similar in that sense. Although there were bad people and good people here in this world as there are in the real world, at the very least, people here don't play with others' sincere feelings through cunning lies.

That was the difference between an NPC and a user.

"The Lord's wish will come true."

"Thank you."

Jackperr fell asleep with a more comforting face.

After that Reaper took care of Jackperr with all his sincerity.

A father who would throw down everything for the sake of his son.

Though it was incredibly embarrassing, Reaper could feel the presence of his father in Jackperr.

Meanwhile, heartfelt sympathy formed towards Reaper. He had to help Jackperr with the quest anyways. If it was a done deal, wouldn't it be better to do it sincerely?

When a day had passed like that, Reaper received a message he hadn't even imagined.

Of the skills Reaper had learned, Caregiving had the slowest growth. Although he'd used Caregiving on Johansson about ten times, the skill points had been at a mere 20. Even after the Caregiving, he'd done for Jackperr up until now, it was at 30.

But then it suddenly started swiftly going up, and in a moment it had reached Intermediate level.

[Through care imbued with sincerity, the Caregiving skill level has gone up.

Caregiving(Intermediate, Active): Can instill life by making the patient's body and soul more comfortable with Increasingly proficient skillfulness.

Used on a patient, vigor, and courage are increased by 40%.

Mana consumption: 10

* Intermediate Caregiving bonus effect(Caregiving Soul): Can sincerely pray for the patient and grant the effect of a minor blessing. All stats are slightly increased, and through devout piety, resistance to curses related to the mind will form.]

Reaper's mouth fell open.

It wasn't because the skill went up, but because of the reason.

'Does that mean it knows that I treated Lord Jackperr with sincerity?'

The sudden, rapid growth of the skill had happened since Reaper had started to sincerely worry about Jackperr. Then didn't that mean that Reaper's change in attitude influenced the growth of the skill?

Of course, it wasn't something that was physically impossible.

Of course, it wasn't something that was physically impossible.

Desmond Online was a system that scanned the brain and controlled the character with the user's brainwaves. Emotion was, in the end, a brain wave. It was possible for the system to understand changes in emotion. But for even that part to influence the growth of skill…

Stating that was simple.

'Whether it's interaction with an NPC or learning a skill, the effect is maximized if you pour your sincerity.'

It was a principle that was so natural in reality. But who would have thought to apply such a principle even in a game?

It was shocking technological prowess and a shocking discovery.

By the mistake in Haruka Village, Reaper was still in a state that fell far short of the other player. Even though he'd received a bonus of 12 points thanks to his special title, making up for half a month of difference in progress was difficult.

Though it'd be nice if they would take a nap like the story of the rabbit and turtle, it was best not to expect that. But now it seemed like he could find the way to narrow that difference.

'There are still many unidentified systems in Desmond Online. If I find out about all of them, catching up to them isn't just a long-shot dream! That's right, the answer was right in front of me all along! Anyways the difference between users that started at the same time is that and only that. If I'm to get ahead of the others, then I can't just follow what the others are doing.'

He had found new hope. Afterward, Jackperr vomited blood more frequently.

As his spark of life continued to flicker out, his health deteriorated to the point where he could not recognize anyone. Every time that happened Reaper used his Intermediate Caregiving skill and forcefully held his life in place.

For the completion of the quest, for the growth of the skill, and this unfortunate NPC's small wish…