chapter 19: The Instructor Request

Reaper first walked to the fountain and filled his canteen with water, and then he headed for the graveyard. the street was crammed with users and NPCs.

When reaper entered the graveyard.

"Welcome to—what brings you here?"

"I have come here to find an answer to the question which troubles me so dearly, sir."

"So you want to ask me a question, stranger?"

"Yes, sir. If you could spare me a second".

"Come over and sit down. You may be good company to arouse me from boredom"

"Thank you, sir"

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

Reaper drank the honeyed water blended by the gravekeeper, which soothed the exhaustion that he had accumulated over the last three weeks.

"Now tell me what has been troubling you so much." The grave keeper said.

"I am interested in a past event. I was told that someone had gave a soul physical body in Jackperr Castle fifty years ago. I would like to know if there's any truth of that event" Reaper said.

"Oh that event! It is a legendary tale that has been passed down among the grave keepers. I also heard it from some trustworthy patrons from the Court".

Reaper had thought that giving a soul physical form was impossible, another urban legend, but the owner of the grave keeper also knew the rumor that the instructor at the Training Hall had claimed to have heard.

[Quest Complete!

A Mystery man who is rumored to have visited the Jackperr Castle.

The rumor that had reached the instructor's ear really took place. A man giving a soul a body, and it was widely, yet secretly, known amongst the people, though it remained an enigma how he gave a soul physical form.

Reward: Return to the instructor to claim it.]

Reaper grinned broadly. This was, after all, a simple quest with the lowest difficulty level E. At the same time, if he was not friends with the people here, it could have turned out tricky.

Now that he was done with the quest, the next move was to return to the Training Hall and earn a reward from the instructor. As Reaper was looking for the right moment to say his farewells and leave, the grave keeper, absorbed in thought, finally spoke out.

"I have not heard how he gave the soul a body"

"Did the patrons from the Court not tell you about it?"

"Hmm, they always omitted it in their tale. They refused to tell me about it. They said Lady Elizabeth, O may her soul rest in peace, was involved in the event. Can you do me a favor and look into this, so that my curiosity shall be gratified?"

[The man's Past

The rumor has it that Lady Elizabeth was involved in the event when the man presented himself in the Jackperr Castle and gave the soul a body. The gave keeper wondered what link existed between the two of them.

Difficulty Level: E

Warning: If you are found to be investigating the rumor in question, you will be exposed to hostility from Sylphid Knights.]

Reaper's clenched fists were shaking in excitement. "This, it's a serial quest"

Even when the difficulty level of a quest is awfully low, the level of rewards shoots up in the case of serial quests. The more stages you complete, the more difficult the quest becomes, and so most serial quests are likely to make it highly difficult for Reaper at his current level to solve.

The only quests that Reaper is focusing on right now are the ones that are inside the citadel, asking around and gathering information from people.

"I am still incompetent. I am afraid I may not be worthy of your request" Reaper said.

"I am certain you are up to this task. Your prudence shall lead the way to safety" The gravekeeper replied.

"If you say so, I will take it willingly," Reaper said.

You have accepted the quest.

"Thank you, traveler. A bard with knowledge in ancient tales and street gossip is the one whom you should ask about Lady Elizabeth. Beware! This matter is very sensitive, so you should not cause trouble that might lead to any defamation of the Jacperr Family"

* * *

Keeping down a sudden impulse to hum a tune, Reaper headed straight to a pub across the street.

"Good afternoon" Returning the greeting from a waitress, Reaper looked around in search of a bard. There were a few conditions to meet. First, he counted the bard users out when he looked for the right man. It was a long shot that any user had ever heard of an event that had happened in the Jackperr Castle half a century before. Reaper would be better off to find a native person, possibly an elderly

Whether he could sing ballads favorably or not, an old bard was reliable when it comes to worldly gossip. Reaper stopped by several pubs until he found a bard who lived up to his expectations. It was a middle-aged bard in his forties, experience buys both charm and youth. Clapping both hands, Reaper approached the bard.

"Thank you for a fine ballad, sir. Forgive me for interrupting you, but I want to ask you a few questions... Do you know what happened fifty years ago?"

The bard's thrust his palm out and Reaper could not miss what this gesture implied. He frowned immediately, his mouth twitching with a grave sense of responsibility that he would not waste a penny.

"You sure have a charming voice. I appreciate your talent in writing both the lyrics and the music for that ballad. Also, your skills in the instrument were more than impressive..."

"..."

"I bet you broke the hearts of many lady's hearts back when you were a young ray of sunshine at the peak of your career. Of course, I do not doubt that you are still stealing ladies' hearts... For a bard, adventure and romance is everything. I also love romance"

The palm didn't go away, and the bard snapped, "I'm sick and tired of cheap compliments from the likes of you, a foreigner. Show me the money, or get lost"

Reaper was momentarily lost.

"Do I just give up the quest in the middle? Anyway, the quest doesn't penalize me even if I decide to drop out. But maybe it would give me sweet rewards later, and I would hate to miss out on them"

Reaper's hand slipped into his pocket and fished out a coin before he realized his mistake. Two silvers! There were two silver coins in his pocket. That was everything that the instructor had given him as a retaining fee for the previous quest.

The bard seized the silver coin from Reaper's palm.

It was a basic mistake that he had forgotten to exchange his money into smaller coins in advance.

"I can't believe I made such a silly mistake!" Reaper's body shook in distress and grief.

Hmph, this is a secret, so you must keep it to yourself" The bard said under his breath "Lady Elizabeth and the man had been on intimate terms since they were children"

"What do you mean by intimate terms...?" Reaper asked

"You fool! I know nothing else for intimate terms between a man and a woman—they loved each other"

"Point taken" Reaper now realized why poking his nose into the rumor had to remain a secret from the Court.

Given that the former Ladys sacred name was mentioned in that scandalous matter. Sylphid Knights would be willing to silence anyone at any cost to keep her honor intact.

The bard glanced around the pub and added cautiously "They were born in the same village and grew up bearing each other dearly in mind. The boy's name was Zach. The girl was always carrying ornaments carved and given by him when she was a child, with a dream that she would become his wife someday. But Destiny played tricks on them! The girl was chosen to be the Maid and the boy left her. But in the end, there was a promise between them"

"What promise, if I may ask?" Reaper asked, now curious.

"Zach promised to show the girl the most beautiful spirit under heaven"

"I guess it was not kept, then. The Lady must have a great number of beautiful, magnificent spirit in her place".

No, he kept it. Many years later, Zach presented himself as a quest to the Court. It was said that, at the sight of his work, she was most touched, saying it was the most beautiful creature under heaven"

"Then, what spirit, for god sake, did he present to Lady Elizabeth? A Lady doesn't easily cherish ordinary things."

"True. Pay a visit to a lady's maid who witnessed the day, and hear the rest of the story. This is as far as I can tell you because I also heard it from someone else"

"Is she still alive?"

"Yes," The bard told Reaper the way to the house of the lady's maid.

Reaper went to visit her. She had retired, and when he mentioned Lady Elizabeth and the man, she gave him a joyous welcome.

"Her lady was very virtuous and gracious. So do you want to hear about what happened back then?

"Yes, ma'am"

"You have found the right person to ask. I personally served Her Lady. She first resented Zach when he visited the palace.

"Why so, if I may ask?"

"It was his promise. When they were young, they made a promise, a promise that Zach would present Her Lady with the most beautiful creation under heaven. But when he appeared in the palace, he was carrying a sword, not an engineering device. To the eyes of everyone, he looked like a fine swordsman who was proficient in the sword. You should have seen how heartbroken Her Highness was. It was indescribable! Her Highness so believed in Zach that even if the world turned upside down, he would be the same eternally, and likewise, the promise between them was divine"

"..."

"On that day, Haruka which bordered on the long dark kingdom dispatched a band of assassins. They revealed a treacherous ambition to seize our Kingdom, and God only knows how shocked I was when assassins stormed in and assaulted Her and His lady in the garden"

"Those wicked scoundrels!"

"Yes, young traveler, you can say that again. A couple of Sylphid Knights were trapped, thus incapable of holding them in check—and we were left to face death. At that very moment, Zach walked into the garden. As you can see, right in the middle of fighting, Her Lady warned him and ordered him to leave. But Zach only smiled—"

"He smiled in the middle of such a dangerous situation?"

"—and he said he would show her the most beautiful spirit body that he had ever created under the heaven. To everyone's surprise, the moonlight shattered into pieces at Zach's sword then started to form into a shape of a little girl. Its beauty was really striking. He was singing a song while he inscribed the moonlight. I cannot remember the lyrics word by word, but the title was A makers Heart. Listening to the song, Her lady was overflowing with tears. It was really the most beautiful spirit body Milady had ever seen. But I tell you, the sight he was creating with the moonlight was literally heavenly. The assassins scattered at the inconceivable sight, and Zach kept his promise. Many years have since gone, but I still cherish that moving memory."

[Quest Complete!]

[The mand Past

The promise between the boy and the girl was honored. The bluish moonlight shattered into pieces, which in turn defeated the assassins. His corporealization mastery has reached the stage of a Master. Presenting the most beautiful spirit body to his childhood friend.

You have leveled up!

You have leveled up!]

"It was a wonderful story. Thank you very much, ma'am"

"You're welcome. It's my pleasure to tell you their story like this. So, young adventurer, I want to give you a small present. Will you please take it?"

Wouldn't it be unkind to reject a present out of goodwill? Weed was not so cruel as to decline anything offered to him. A man should accept any present with gratitude.

"I will gladly take it, ma'am"

The old lady's maid took something bundled up from deep inside a drawer. It resembled an ancient book.

"This book used to belong to Zach. He left it to Her Lady, and I happened to keep it now. And this Crystal was made Zach. Please take these" The lady's maid said.

"I shall long treasure your present," Reaper said.

He received two items from her.

You have received an aged book.

You have received Zach Legacy.

Reaper thought that these items were uncommon as they were left by one of the Masters of soul healing. Even the crystal looked cultivated at a casual glance.

"Please keep Zach's book with great care"

"Yes, ma'am"

Reaper calculated that this might sell and make a good profit.

"The wooden statue will show you where Zach's resting place is located. I hope his sculpture mastery will not be buried forever"

"I hope so too, ma'am"

"If only I could hear the song of that day again... Everything about corporealization mastery is concealed in that book."

"Excuse me?"

"In Zach's book".

That moment Repeat looked at the book. He had a gut feeling that an irresistible destiny was drawing Zach's.

[Follow Zach's Last Wish

Zach did not die that day. He left for a faraway continent to test his corporealization Mastery. Once you advance in corporealization Master, you should find Zach to learn the song A makers Heart from him. Then, you should come back here and sing it to this old lady's maid. The tradition runs that Zach was last seen heading North.

Difficulty: A

Quest Requirement:

You must complete the quest before the old lady's maid passes away.

Cancellation is not permitted.

Reward:

You can learn corporealization Mastery, Repair Skill.]

He bid farewell to the old lady's maid and went back to the Graveyard.

"O Reaper, I appreciate your hard work to bring me results so soon. I am once again assured that it was the right decision to entrust you with this quest" The gravekeeper said.

The grave keeper paid Reaper as a reward for the request.

Weed received 2 silver coins, recovering the silver coin that had been virtually robbed by the bard.

When he returned to the Training Hall, he received another silver coin, along with a word of commendation from the instructor. Therefore, it was a total of 5 silvers that Reaper had earned so far.