Vol. 1 - Chapter 6 - Starting Quests Sequence
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Mathias, who was prepared to move toward the Cathedral and thank the priest, suddenly had a new notification appearing in his eyes, but this one was with a red writing and a big exclamation mark that instantly gave him a scare.
[You have impressed The Absolute with your story, and he will be watching your progress. This will transfer other people's unwanted attention and hatred for The Absolute to your own person.]
[Affinity with The Absolute has risen by 10]
[Reputation inside Saharan Empire raised by 1000]
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"What? But how? I was only writing and minding my own business, since when did I participate in an event? Ahh, damn it, an important person has read the page that drifted away. This is so embarrassing."
He tightened his grip on the bundle of paper he worked on and still thought to himself while reading the notification.
"This is really unexpected, but having an increased affinity with this person means he liked that chapter. Yet, it seems his attention will stir up some problems for me in the future. Haha, who cares. I am just a level 1 newbie. I can't lose anything anyway."
Moving toward the closed Cathedral door, he knocked it and waited for someone to come up. After one minute, the priest who helped him with the paper opened the small door, and with a confused expression, he asked.
"Do you want something else, young man?"
Mathias, who by now learned the priest's name, Gabrils, looked straight in his eyes and said with a humble and especially thankful tone.
"Father, thank you a lot for the paper. If you need my help in any shape or form, please tell me. Cleaning the entrance of the church, inside the church, trimming the weeds and trees. I can do all of them."
The priest's confusion ended with Mathias' proposal for help, and following that, he began laughing a bit, finding what Mathias said hilarious and also something he hadn't heard since becoming a priest and paladin of Light's Cathedral.
'Huh, it is clearly these cursed ones have other standards compared to the citizens of Saharan who view themselves as a superior race. If he knew that we priests are required by the Archbishop to clean the church and surroundings, I wonder how he would react?' thought the priest Gabrils while looking at Mathias's young face with two small scars around his eyes as if he suffered from being hit in the face.
"There's no need for that young man. However, if you are still looking for paper and ink. I think it should be right for you to fulfill some tasks, isn't this right young man?"
"Father, my name is Mathias. Use it if it's awkward for you to address me. So there's no problem if I come to you when I need paper to write on my story?"
"No, the Archbishop probably wouldn't even care or be bothered by your presence. There's at the lower ground next to the church, the place where the priests would rest before climbing toward the Cathedral and starting our days. You can find me there at night while during the day I will be here."
"Ohh, those shacks before climbing toward the Cathedral were for the priests. These guys sure are cheap to build you such shacks, but I guess you have a warm place to sleep. Once again, thank you for everything, Father Gabrils. Now I will go around Titan, maybe explore the outside a bit and grow in strenght."
Father Gabrils, who was wearing the standard clothing of a priest, faintly smiled at Mathias before touching his head and blessing him, which made him shine in a gentle white light.
"May your journey be smooth, young Mathias. Be blessed by Goddess Rebecca."
[High Paladin Gabrils has used his divine power to boost your health by 20% for a week]
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Seeing the notification appearing in his eyes, Mathias looked at the priest, who looked to be in his late forties touching his head and showering him with a wave of warm light, that was in fact, a blessing.
"Father Gabrils, there was no need for that. Wouldn't this use of your powers so casually affect you?"
"Don't worry, young Mathias, I might look like a normal priest, but I am, in fact, a Paladin and on top of that very close to reaching the rank of Bishop. Now you are ready to journey out of the city, but you shouldn't forget to go to a trainer and have him teach you some basics." replied the priest while removing his hand from Mathias's head and casually reminding him of those things.
"A trainer? Does Titan have people willing to train amateurs like me? Wouldn't they ask for money that I don't have?" asked Mathias back, with a pondering expression, while also not forgetting to check on the priest.
Gabrils scratched his long beard with some white hairs on it as if showing that he was thinking about the problem. After a few seconds, his stern expression turned back to normal, and he said to Mathias
"I got some guys who I healed when they were close to death. They are still indebted to me, never paying their treatment that consumed almost half a year of my divine power. What weapon do you think fits you on your journey?"
"Father, no need to do this for me. I can take care of this minor problem by myself."
"No problem, young Mathias. It's not like I would even have a use for those indebted people, but debts should be fully paid. Now, go on, say what weapon you want to use."
"Hah, fine. I am thinking about using a spear since it is the strongest weapon since ancient times." Stopping to look a Gabrils, who only smiled kindly, he continued and asked him. "However, besides the spear, I also want to learn magic. Do you think it is possible?"
"This is rare, but it's not impossible. I know of some guys who specialize in combining spear arts and magic, but they are not indebted to me and also are people who wouldn't even put me in their eyes. But for starters, let's do this, Mathias, wait for a bit. I need to fetch something."
As the priest said this, he entered the Cathedral and left Mathias standing there with a surprised expression.
'He probably has a lot to clean inside the church. This is most likely a trick to have me under his hand so I would be worked to death. No, I doubt it. He really seems genuine about helping me.' thought Mathias while standing and looking around the Cathedral and the surroundings from the side.
Gabrils swiftly exited the church with a troubled expression. "Here, take this Mathias, I also left you a note where to find someone who knows the spear at an advanced stage and a magician lady who I treated for a nasty curse. Check on them, and be sure to hand this seal to them. This is my unique seal."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
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[Start of a Road]
Difficulty: Unique
Paladin Gabrils has taken notice of you and saw inside you and found out about Goddess Rebecca's Blessing, and now after learning of your hardships inside Titan, extends his hand to help you.
Go to Corvus, a person healed from close death by Gabrils, and hand him the seal and state your request. Also, understanding your wish for your future Gabrils gives you the location of Fayrene.
Quest Clear Conditions: Deliver Gabrils's Seal to Corvus and Fayrene.
Quest Reward: A high chance of finding your own trainers to guide you forward.
Quest Failure: Depending on your performance before the receivers of the seal and in the scenario of failing, unknown side-effects.
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This quest notification appeared in Mathias's eyes when receiving the small coins from Gabrils hands, along with that letter that contained a guide and two locations.
"Here you go, young Mathias. Now I wish you good luck and don't forget to meet me again. I might need your help after a month."
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[Meet Gabrils again]
Difficulty: B
Paladin Gabrils asks for you to meet him after one month so he could task you with something still unknown.
Quest Clear Conditions: Meet Gabrils after one month of time
Quest Rewards: ???
Quest Failure: ???
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Mathias barely got used to the notification alert and the feeling of reading the quests, and this one was something he would for sure do without feeling forced.
Then before Gabrils could continue with his speech, Mathias heard a strong old voice that seemed to be slightly annoyed.
"Gabrils, you little brat, get your ass to me. I got a job for you. Duchess Basara requires your help in her Duchy. Some sort of undead appeared from nowhere, also from what she said, there's also a Lich controlling things from the shadows."
Gabrils face turned serious, and while patting Mathias's head, he moved to the Cathedral before saying to him.
"Do you see, young Mathias? That old man doesn't even know when to give me a break."
"I heard you little shit. Do you still want to be Archbishop after I go to Goddess Rebecca's embrace? Then execute yourself, stop chatting with the cursed one, even though he is an interesting young man." said the old voice targeting Gabrils and Mathias.
"Take care of yourself, Father. I heard that Liches are powerful mages or necromancers who turned themselves undead in their search for more power. They are scary for sure."
Gabrils only gave a slight smile before turning toward the Cathedral, leaving Mathias alone.
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He didn't linger too much around the Cathedral and began walking down to the location indicated on the note he received from Garbils. However, when opening the "MAP" interface, he could only see the places explored by himself thus far, which looked almost like an L from the square he spawned.
'I need to ask the people here for guidance. Raven's Tavern and Night Jewels Tailor Shop. After I get some skills, I might check the combat system and how fluid it goes.' thought Mathias while checking the other game interfaces, besides the "Status Window".
He began checking the Ranking Ledger with half focus on the road, and he could see it was already filled with lots of people.
[1. Hurent - Lv. 25
2. Chris - Lv. 24
3. Kraugel - Lv. 24
4. Red - Lv. 21
6. Mihara - Lv. 20
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There was a notification when he entered the Global Ranking window of the interface that was asking.
[Do you wish to disclose your level to be registered in the rankings?] – [(Yes/No)]
'I mean, do I need to disclose my level to others? I think there's no need. It is up to each player and their preferences.' thought Mathias while pressing on the interface response [No]
[Your answer has been registered. Whenever you decide to disclose your status and level, make sure to check on the option again.]
'Yeah, sure. As if I would spend my time like those guys who already reached that high level in about two-three hours. Just look at them starting to push in levels. Wouldn't they be suffering when the server resets? I bet they would do for sure.'
'I would rather play the game casually, for now, explore things in Titan, and it seems my approach is good. Thanks to NPC's like Gabrils who are willing to help me out at the start, I might be just fine level-wise.'
'Right, something I noticed that I need to look up at the forums, the colors on their name bars, why do they differ? The guard I talked to had a green name, Reid had a silver name, while Father Gabrils had his name golden. Probably it means they are stronger. The weakest is green and strongest is gold?'
Moving on from the ranking interface, he checked out the bustling road with people, who mostly had green names, which proved to Mathias that his theory was correct.
After getting close to the square, he moved to a guard and asked him for guidance about the locations he was looking for.
"You want to reach Raven's Tavern and the Night Jewel Tailorshop? You took the wrong route. Hah, you cursed ones sure get lost a lot around Titan and cause a great deal of mess in the city.
There's already 32 of you placed on trial and soon to be executed for assaulting the citizens of Saharan."
"Ahem, sir guard. I know it must suck being you right now, but I can't change anything in that regard. If those braindead fools like to behave like that, just imprison them, you'll see how much they would suffer like this." replied Mathias with an evil smirk, thinking about the time those guys would have to waste after being imprisoned while the guard nodded his head.
"Indeed, this is also something my superior told me, to not kill them but capture them. Here, let me tell you where to go for Raven's Tavern and the Night's Tailor Shop."
Mathias waited patiently for the NPC to tell him the route he had to take, which needed him to move to the periphery of Titan, in a zone that was infamous because many bandits, thieves, and assassins liked to room around there.
Thanking the guard, he began his new journey that took about 20 minutes of walking and constant stares from the curious citizen. He arrived at the periphery who had a slightly not maintained appearance.
The alley of this zone of the city was still bustling. The only change in scenery was that most people here were wearing simple clothing and even rugs.
Keeping everything to himself and not disturbing anyone, Mathias spotted a two stories high building that had a crow's head on the building's front placard, along with the nameplate of "Raven's Tavern".
"Finally, I got to the right place."
When he was done checking on the placard, Mathias received a notification from the quest and the map that was filled on the zones he explored with shops included, yet restricted for those he got the name of.
Entering the tavern, he was assaulted by the smell of alcohol, just like in the real world, and a loud atmosphere that buzzed in his ears. All the tables of the pub, with the counter of the bar included, were occupied.
"Boss, do you by chance know someone called Corvus?" asked Mathias after arriving at the counter where a middle-aged man with a big black beard and bald head served the people with alcohol.
The middle-aged man turned his attention to Mathias and, only after checking on him for a bit, did he point toward the direction of some tables in the backside.
"You can find him there. I think he should still be awake by now."
Nodding his head at the tavern server, he still seemed a bit confused.
'Awake? You think? Don't tell me Gabrils wants to introduce me to some drunk guy?' thought Mathias in a confused manner until he turned his head and noticed a middle-aged man that seemed to be in his mid-30s. He had short jet-black hair and an unkempt beard filled with bread crumbs.
Yet what was the most striking to Mathias when he approached this guy, aside from that he looked a bit drunk, was that his nameplate was golden, just like in Gabrils case.
"Ahem, sir, can I bother you for a second?"
The person called Corvus didn't even bother to look at Mathias, who got next to his seat by the table and continued to drink, undisturbed.
"Sir, I got a recommendation from Gabrils. He told me you can help me with the spear." said Mathias calmly without feeling offended by this treatment.
"The fuck do you want, kid? Can't you see I am drinking? Huh, Gabrils, where did I heard that name?" said Corvus, a bit slow and in the end asking himself that.
"Right, I think I remember."
As he ended saying that, he quickly turned to look at Mathias and said with a bit of clarity.
"Kid, what did you just say? That cheap bastard Gabrils pointed you toward me? How the fuck? After I paid him fully for his treatment, having to sell a part of my belongings on the black market, he still wants more from me? Damned priests and their stupid requests.
"That's right, sir Corvus. It was Gabrils who pointed me toward this location to find you. You shouldn't hit me for whatever past you had with Gabrils."
"Screw you little shit, I don't want to fight that monster. Damn it, can you prove it?" asked Corvus while picking some of the bread crumbs from his beard and starting to eat them along with drinking from his mug of beer.
Mathias nodded his head and took out the required quest item from his item's interface, [Gabrils Seal].
Corvus took the sigil, looked at the circular coin size sigil, and began checking the authenticity until it shined a bit in a golden light.
"Tsk, this is real stuff. Hey kid, how are you called?" asked Corvus after tossing the coin sigil back to Mathias.
"You can call me Mathias, sir."
"Aha, I get it, kid. You'll follow me after I finish this mug of beer, okay? I'll teach you something, and you can scram and tell Gabrils that the debt was fully repaid this time."