Chapter 8 | Quest Being!
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- [ Notice ] -
Quest Details
[https://i.imgur.com/h5lCr1d.png]
Quests Progress Rewards Within the depths of the Alacryan Forest lies a shrine. Defeat the demon of the shrine to complete the quest. 0/1
4000 experience.
4 skill points.
The rewards were rather simple, but 4000 experience?! That's a massive jump from what I had gotten for the Forest Phantom. Not to mention that the 4 skill points would be a nice addition to my arsenal.
"Let's give it a go," I said, accepting the quest. "But west of Alacrya, eh? I need to find Lyra, or else I'll probably get lost."
I wandered through the busy streets, searching for the girl. Luckily, I managed to spot her standing in front of a two-story wooden building. It had a slanted roof and a small porch in the front. There were a few windows, all shuttered tightly. Outside, it read 'Alacrya Guild Hall' in big, bold letters.
"What are you doing?" I asked, startling her.
"Ah! Don't do that," Lyra yelped, jumping away. "Don't sneak up on people like that."
"I didn't. You were too engrossed in staring at the building."
"Well, anyway. The guild hall's open, and they have a quest board, but we have to register to earn any rewards at all. I'll have to work my way up if I want enough money for a house."
"Sounds troublesome."
"It is, but that's the price of living in luxury," she grinned.
"In the meantime, could you help me find something in the forest?"
"Hm? Did you lose something?"
"No. Someone gave me a task. I'll show you the details later."
"Only if you return the favor someday."
"Go command me arou..." Noticing her stern gaze, I corrected myself. "Alright, alright, I'll return the favor eventually."
"That's what I thought. So, where do we go?"
"West of Alacrya, apparently."
"I'm sure we'll find a map inside," she said, leading me into the hall.
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The entrance was narrow and dim, with only a couple of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The wooden floor creaked beneath our feet, and the walls were lined with old paintings. There were a few tables scattered around the room, and a group of people sat around one, drinking and laughing.
The smell of smoke and alcohol permeated the air, along with a faint hint of sweat. And the sounds of voices filled the room, rising and falling as people conversed. It was a far cry from the bustling city outside, and I was a little surprised by how cozy it was despite the rustic surroundings.
Lyra walked up to the counter, where a portly, middle-aged man stood, reading a book.
"Good evening," she greeted.
"Ah, good evening, miss. Excuse me, I was a bit distracted. How can I assist you?"
"Do you have a map of Alacrya? Including the nearby regions? We're heading out for a little trip."
"Certainly. Here you are," the man replied, scrambling around before handing her a rolled-up parchment. "We've had a lot of people getting lost, which was a huge nuisance for rescue teams, so we've been giving out maps for free recently."
"That's kind of you," Lyra praised, handing me the map.
"So, what else would you like? Perhaps a quest or a job?"
"Just the map, thank you. We might come back for a quest later."
"Well, come back any time. We'll be happy to help."
With that, we left the guild hall and headed out.
"Let's see," I mused, studying the map. I pointed at the dotted trees in the west. "It should be around here somewhere."
"It's not a tiny forest," Lyra frowned, crossing her arms. "I'll help you search, but it's gonna take a while. Don't you have any more hints?"
"Nope. The dumbass grandpa just said he wouldn't say another word. I think he might be senile or something."
"Haha, that's a possibility."
"It doesn't matter, anyway. Let's go."
"Without preparations? What are we even doing in the forest?" Lyra asked, shaking her head. "We just got out of one."
"We're hunting a demon."
She blinked. "Eh? What?! No, no, no no," she blurted, waving her hands. "Are you sure?"
"It's 4000 experience," I stated, shrugging. "That means urgent business."
"4000 experience for any demon is a total scam! We can just kill slimes for a few days and get the same amount. Besides, if the system only grants you 4000 for a quest of that caliber, then you can't be higher level than me. We'll definitely be killed!"
"That's not really an issue."
"Yes, it is! It's a huge issue! Do you know what the average level it takes to defeat a demon?"
"No, and I don't care."
"At least 40! Maybe even 50. And if it's a higher class demon—"
"Yap, yap, yap, can you just be quiet?" I interrupted, covering my ears. "Just lead me to the forest then and you can go do your own thing. You don't have to come."
"No, it's not like I don't want to fight anything ever. I just... don't feel comfortable going to an unknown place to fight a demon. I don't know you that well, but not everyone can just mindlessly throw their lives away. Even if you are confident, it's still dangerous."
"I'll be fine," I assured, patting her head.
"Don't pat my head like that," she whined, smacking my hand away. "Look, let's just go back. There's nothing good there."
"Nah, I'll just go by myself. See ya later."
"Wait—"
Before she could finish her sentence, I took off. I couldn't force her to put her life at risk for a quest she had nothing to do with. The least I could do was keep her safe. Besides, I was getting tired of her constant chattering.
"Whatever. Let's just see what this demon is about."
I rushed through the streets, heading toward the western gate. As soon as I arrived, I stopped and surveyed my surroundings. To my left, a wide dirt road led to the forest. A group of wagons was parked alongside the road, and a handful of merchants were loading and unloading goods.
But not even as a full minute had passed, a panting Lyra appeared from behind me.
"Stop... running..." she huffed, clutching her knees.
"I thought you didn't want to?"
"And leave you alone? In your dreams." She straightened up, catching her breath. "We're partners, you know. If you're going into danger, then so am I."
"Suit yourself."