Volume 2 Chapter 7

Nameless Statue of Lavias

Weed and Da’in.
Da’in’s Bless spell raised Weed’s abilities by an incredible amount, and at the same time weakened monsters. It was as if she had put wings on Weed, who was already incredible. Their teamwork increased their potential by near-impossible amounts.
Even so, Da’in did not kill monsters. This was no loss for Weed, since he could increase his skills in Swordsmanship when she did not take part in the fights.
Even so, I can’t trust a person I met in a place like this.’
Weed was constantly worried that she might betray him, even as he fought. Having spent so much time there, Da’in knew a lot of things about Lavias. According to her, until just recently she had been going around Lavias gathering information. She had gone into the dungeon just around the time Weed’s party arrived.
‘Pretty unbelievable story,’ Weed thought. But it was true that he had never encountered her in Lavias, so it must have also been true that she had stayed in the dungeon that long. Nevertheless, that was not reason enough to believe everything else she said.
“How about we change training grounds? I happen to know of a few undiscovered dungeons, though I haven’t been to them yet.” According to Da’in’s investigations, there were at least eight undiscovered dungeons.
“When you say undiscovered dungeons, do you mean nobody has entered them yet?”
“Yes.”
Weed cocked his head in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Da’in was a member of the first party to ever enter the City of Heaven, and yet there were dungeons they hadn’t visited? It was very hard to believe.
“There was no reason to, since everyone other than me was over level 200.”
“So they didn’t bother to enter the lower-level dungeons? Even so, I don’t think anyone would purposely ignore a dungeon.”
There were multiple benefits to discovering a dungeon, but the one that couldn’t be ignored was the increase in Fame. A considerable amount of Fame was gained for discovering a dungeon, and exploring the whole map of it awarded even more Fame, and even money. Even if their levels were so high that there was nothing worth hunting, who would pass on that Fame? Da’in was hiding something about the party she had been part of.
“If you don’t tell me, then I won’t move from here.”
“I can’t tell you what they did…”
“Is it a secret?”
“Yes, I promised not to tell anyone… It’s hard to explain, but I am telling the truth. You have to trust me.”
Weed decided to let it go. There was nothing he could do to convince her to reveal the secret. Words that seemed frail had a higher chance of being true. Plus, they had just left the Cave of Dead Warriors to explore other dungeons. So at least she was being truthful about that.

• Mirkan Tower.
• Secret Area of Pan Lake.
• Baravall Coal Mine.
• Segmail Vista.
• Gaet Altar.
• Parrot Nest.
• Barlog Ruins.
• Sealed Cave of Margres the Destroyer.

These areas had been left unexplored. Weed and Da’in arrived at the region, out of sight from the city. Mirkan Tower seemed as if it had risen up from the clouds. As expected, Weed and Da’in became the first to discover the place. They were mainly up against flying monsters. Weed had Archery as his long-range attack skill. He used a tough strung bow that made good use of his stats to deal heavy damage.
For just 10 gold coins, users could buy special feathers near the tower and use them to fly for a whole month. Plus, Dungeon discovery meant double the experience points and double the item drops! Weed and Da’in explored and trained in Mirkan Tower, the Secret Area of Pan Lake and Baravall Coal Mine one by one. At the Balrog Ruins, Gaet Altar and Segmail Vista, the weakest monsters were Death Knights. Nobody dared enter those areas and they had been sealed off. Nevertheless, with Da’in’s help Weed made good progress and gained incredible amount of experience and items.
‘Now, if I can just make this…’
Weed was glaring at two lobsters at that moment. Next to him, Da’in also stared down at the lobsters and gulped. Weed’s Cooking Skill was 99% to reaching level 10, so he chose a special dish for the final 1%. The best a Beginner level Cook could dish out was seafood, that is, the famous lobster!
Of course, Hyun had never eaten lobster in his whole life. It was simply too expensive. One of the reasons he was so diligent in practicing his Cooking Skills was so he could taste food such as these.
The lobsters struggled, but they were no match for Weed’s cold glare. Ultimately, they could only drop their antennae in defeat. Weed, however, was not trying to stare them down to death; he was trying to visualize that expensive lobster meat. Weed’s hands shivered. Even in the game lobsters were rare and expensive. In Lavias they could be purchased for the hefty price of one gold each. If he had not explored the dungeons with double the item drop rate, he wouldn’t have even have considered buying them.
‘After I cook these suckers, I will be at Intermediate level Cooking.’
Weed’s willful hands moved like lightning as he grabbed the lobsters’ heads with his left hand and used Zahab’s Engraving Knife in his right to slash them from head to tail. The lobsters’ bodies split in half and Weed quickly rinsed off the sand and took out the eggs. Right away, he began to stir-fry it in a frying pan, along with the sauces and spices he had previously prepared. Soon steam was seen rising and the lobster was cooked to perfection. Finally, the lobster dish was done!
*Ding!*

Your Cooking Skill has reached Level 10, Intermediate You can now cook a greater variety of entrees, and while satiated, various abilities are raised depending on the type of entree and ingredients used. (Example: Drake’s egg, various herbs). All Stats have increased by 5. Your Fame has increased by 10. You have learned Craft Skill: Wine-brewing. Your Affinity with Earth has increased by 30. Earth-based magic resistance has increased by +20%. Fire and Water-based magic resistance has increased by +10%.

His desire to reach Intermediate level Cooking Skill finally came true and the rewards were very satisfying. Equipment for raising magic resistance was quite expensive, but he could raise his magic resistance through his Cooking Skill.
“Wow that looks delicious.”
Da’in, who had been waiting patiently for the food to be cooked, rolled back her sleeves and rushed towards it. Weed also hurried to eat his portion of the lobster.
Weed fought while Da’in assisted. The two dominated the dungeons. Da’in worked so hard at healing and casting buffs that Weed didn’t regret forming a party with her. Da’in was a woman who became more mysterious the better he got to know her. When she spotted a monster, she cursed them multiple times all while looking at them with sorrowful eyes. Plus she was not careless with money or items. Whenever Weed tried to get a few more silvers, or even coppers, she noticed and pointed it out.
Near the Secret Area of Pan Lake, there were many places where herbs bloomed. There she bent down with no hesitation and dug up the herbs. A formidable survival instinct! Sometimes she would write a poem or sing a song. Her clear, refreshing voice rang out beautifully. Thanks to that, Weed could hunt joyfully.
‘To think that it could be this much fun not being alone…’
No one else visited Lavias. Pale and Surka messaged him, saying they had settled in a hunting ground at the Citadel of Serabourg. Since their parents were still new players, it was hard for them to leave.
At all times they were alone together. Plus, she was a woman who looked like the one in his dreams. As a man, it would be a lie to say his eyes never strayed toward her. At first, Da’in was all smiles, but sometimes a shadow crossed her face. However, it lit up again as she hunted and had her meals with Weed.
One day, Weed decided he wanted to become her friend. “Um… Do you want to hunt together from now on?” he asked.
But Da’in fell silent.
“I’m sorry, Weed-nim,”
She said after a while, with a serious expression on her face.
“What do you mean?”
“Once, I made a bad decision. I thought nobody loved me… I couldn’t trust anybody.”
“… Is that, by any chance, why you were left alone in Lavias?”
“It’s hard to explain the whole story, but yes, it’s somewhat related. Anyway, I was encouraged by spending time with you, Weed-nim. Perhaps, I might find my place once again…”
“So?”
Weed was a bit frustrated.
It was good to hear that spending time with him helped her regain her courage, but hearing that she would go back made him feel like he had been used.
No one liked being used.
“I didn’t mean it like that. After meeting you, I feel as if I can live on.”
“No way. Do you…”
“Yes, I…am ill. Even though I can get an operation, it’s not certain that it will make me better. I was postponing the surgery, but it’s time to take the chance.”
“…..”
“Please don’t look at me like that. I’ll be fine. Destiny and coincidence are so similar it’s sometimes hard to decide which it is. I don’t want our meeting to be a coincidence. If it was destiny for us to meet, then we will meet again. I really hope I can meet Weed-nim again.”
Da’in logged out. Weed felt empty after Da’in left him. He hadn’t really spent much time with her because he was suspicious of her and concentrated on hunting. Maybe she never tried to hide her sickness. Weed was always busy. As soon as she logged on, he would drag her somewhere to hunt.
For over a month, they had barely conversed and just hunted. He felt regret. Maybe Da’in could never come back.
‘If she never comes back, there won’t be many people who would remember her. She was in Lavias alone and nobody came to look for her. I guess that’s the reason why she spent her time cursing and buffing monsters.’
Loneliness and fear of death can only be understood by those who had experienced it.
Weed hunted, waiting for Da’in, but she did not come back even after three months passed in the game. In the real world, it had been three weeks. If it was a life-threatening surgery, it might take her months to recover.
‘She will come back even if it takes her a year or two years. She promised me.’
Weed began to sculpt deep inside the dungeon.
‘Even if she never returns, I will leave my memory here. To show that at least one person remembers her…’
After his Sculpting Skill had reached Intermediate level, he could use Zahab’s Engraving Knife to cut boulders. Of course, that was only possible using Sculpting Blade. The engraving knife danced and two human figures were etched onto the rocky walls.
Weed moved boulders to the places where they had shared their meals and rested, and made pairs of sculptures out of them. Sometimes he etched drawings on the walls. Monsters would occasionally pester him, but Weed sculpted persistently.
His last piece was in the Cave of Dead Warriors where they had met each other for the first time: the cavern with the underground river flowing through it. The sleeping Da’in, and Weed finding her. A sculpture of them stood where they had shared their first memories.

You have completed Nameless Sculptures of Lavias. Mysterious sculptures have appeared in Lavias! These sculptures of treasured memories will become sanctuaries and guides in these dangerous dungeons. The mysterious statues were made by an anonymous sculptor. Artistic value: 300 Effect: The calm aura around these sculptures will increase players’ vitality and mana by 25%, movement speed by 10%. Monsters’ attacks have a 5% penalty. The effects do not stack. Number of Fine Pieces created: 2 Your Sculpting Skill has reached level 2. Your sculptures will become more detailed and delicate. Your Fame has increased by 20 Art Stat has increased by 20 Endurance has increased by 20 Stamina has increased by 10

Volume 1 Chapter 3

The Instructor’s Request

Weed first walked to the fountain and filled his canteen with water, and then he headed for the sculpture shop. It was Weed’s first trip down the street, and it was crammed with users and NPCs.
“We need a cleric at level 17 or above.”
“Hey, guy! We’re going to raid on Cave Lasok. Anyone want to join us?”
Plenty of users were on the street, but none of them gave a passing glance at Weed. He didn’t mind it though. Wandering around in a traveler’s outfit, deprived of even a breastplate, revealed that he has yet to meet the minimum requirement of four week’ game play before he could leave the Citadel.
Among the innumerable stores that operate in the capital of Rosenheim Kingdom, the sculpture shop holds a special position.
Most ordinary adventurers can barely recall where the sculpture shop is located because if was meaningless to them. Only an extremely small number of users who learned the Sculpture Art visit periodically. But the sculpture shop stands right next to the jewelry store on Central Avenue, and is one of the few frequently visited shops by the noblewomen.
*Chime*
Weed entered the sculpture shop.
“Welcome to…what brings you here, stranger?”
The shopkeeper was receiving a new customer with a gentle smile, until he saw Weed’s outfit at that point, he suddenly changed the tone of his voice. Weed looked around the shop, only to find that there was no other customer except for him. A blacksmith’s workshop or a grocery store is always full to the limit of occupancy, but the sculpture shop only entertains a few customers a day, if any.
If comparing daily revenues, however, the sculpture shop does lag behind the blacksmith’s workshop. In other words, the sculpture shop sells pretty expensive merchandises. Weed adjusted his collar and asked politely:
“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.”
“I am busy right now, please leave.”
The shopkeeper rejected him right away, sounding very annoyed. As Weed’s fame was zero, and they were unacquainted, the shopkeeper had every right to chase him out of the shop.
“Yes, sir. I will see you later.”
“Goodbye” said the shopkeeper.
Weed was taking his time to retreat to the doorway. Then, he casually shot a glance at the statues that were on display.
“How grand!” Weed exclaimed
“The grandeur of this statue fascinates my soul. Do you supply this to the Rosenheim Court?”
The shopkeeper could not help but lend an ear to Weed.
“Which one are you talking about, stranger?”
“This two-headed eagle made of pure gold. I dare not guess which master carved this, but I can sense the excellence of his workmanship. It is dignified beyond dispute. It is so full of life that I almost mistook it for a real eagle, and I am blessed in visiting the place. This store deserves this class of item. They have opened my humble eyes to a heavenly beauty descended to Earth.”
Whether or not the shopkeeper realizes, his mouth was forming a horizontal crescent.
“Are you interested in sculptural art, traveler?”
“I daresay I am—I am only wishing to feel peace of mind at the sight of outstanding statues, and my soul craves to be even a small part of the magnificent spirit embodied in them.”
“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?”
“Only if you’re kind enough of offer me cold honeyed water. I will be satisfied with a cup of cold water.”
“Sure! Of course I have it.”
Weed drank the honeyed water blended by the shopkeeper, which soothed the exhaustion that he had accumulated over the last three weeks.
“Now tell me what has been troubling you so much.” The shopkeeper said.
“Yes, sir. But can you please forgive me for asking for a brief tour of these statues on display before everything else? I have business that demands your guidance, yet it is less urgent that comforting my poor soul that wants to have a good look at these masterpieces of art.”
“You may look at them for as long as you wish. Isn’t it the raison d’être of fine statues to please those who appreciate their value?”
The shopkeeper consented with a content smile. Weed felt that it had won his goodwill, one scarcely disturbed by visitors and away from public attention. Suppose that you asked to look at various items in a grocery store—the next second you would be kicked out. Weed relished the statues on display at leisure. But he had his own agenda.
‘I doubt sculpture mastery will make a pile of money.’
The most expensive statue that is currently present is worth 30 silvers. The quality statues are made of stones or rare wood, and in spite of the impressive workmanship, the materials themselves were not costly in the first place. They were nothing more than wooden carvings, or engraved stones.
Weed knew that there would be money if he could create a gigantic lion statue or bronze status, but he wasn’t fooled by the possibility that was so far off. What kind of nobleman with so much money would order a new statue every year? He needed to reach the top of the ladder in order to do really well as a sculptor. Little competition guaranteed that it wouldn’t need too much effort to become the best in the industry.
Still, it was a niche market, too small to count on. The guaranteed way to make a fortune was to target other users as potential consumers. They were always leveling up and demanding better equipment, so on and so forth. Fire weapons, strong equipment enchanted bracelets and rings were popular among users, but statues were valueless to them except in rare instances.
‘Waste of time, waste of money.’
Weed’s primary purpose for starting this game was to make money, with a capital M. He looked around the display for the last time and passed his verdict on sculpture mastery.
‘The skill is worth a dime in a dozen.’
Weed sat down across from the shopkeeper.
“Now, what are you looking for?” The shopkeeper asked
“I am interested in a past event. I was told that someone had carved the moonlight in the Royal Palace fifty years ago. I would like to know if there’s any truth of that event.”
“Oh that event! It is legendary tale that has been passed down among the sculptors. I also heard it from some trustworthy patrons from the Royal Court.”
Weed had thought that carving the moonlight was impossible, another urban legend, but the owner of the sculptor shop also knew the rumor that the instructor at the Training Hall had claimed to have heard.

Quest Complete!

A Mystery Sculptor who is rumored to have visited the Royal Palace. The rumor that had reached the instructor’s ear really took place. A sculptor carved the moonlight, and it was widely, yet secretly, known amongst the Serebourgians, though it remained an enigma how he carved the moonlight. Reward: Return to the instructor to claim it.

Weed grinned broadly. This was, after all, a simple quest with the lowest difficulty level E. At the same time, unless he had succeeded in making friends with the shopkeeper, it could have turned out tricky.
How 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 Weed was looking for the right moment to say his farewells and leave, the shopkeeper, absorbed in thought, finally spoke out.
“I have not heard how he carved the moonlight.”
“Did the patrons from the Royal Court not tell you about it?”
“Hmm, they always omitted it in their tale. They refused to tell me about it. They said Queen Evane of Rosenheim, O may her soul rest in peace, was involve in the event. Can you do me a favor and look into this, so that my curiosity shall be gratified?”
Weed’s clenched fists were shaking in excitement.
‘This, it’s a serial quest.’

The Sculptor’s Past The rumor has it that Queen Evane was involved in the event when the sculptor presented himself in the Royal Palace and carved the moonlight. The shopkeeper of the sculpture shop 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 Royal Knights.

Even when the difficulty level of a quest is awfully low, the level of rewards shoots up in 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 Weed at his current level to solve. The only quests that Weed could complete 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.”
“I am certain you are up to this task. You prudence shall lead the way to safety.”
“If you say so, I will take it willingly.”

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 Queen Evane. Beware! This matter is very sensitive, so you should not cause trouble that might lead to any defamation of the Royal Family.”

***

Keeping down a sudden impulse to hum a tune, Weed headed straight to a pub across the street.
“Good afternoon.”
Returning the greeting from a waitress, Weed 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 Royal Palace half a century before. Weed would be better off to find a Serabourgian native, possibly an elderly.
Whether he could sing ballads favorably or not, an old bard was reliable when it comes to worldly gossip. Weed 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 buy with both charm and youth. Clapping both hands, Weed 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 in the Royal Court of Rosenheim?”
The bard’s thrust his palm out and Weed 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 Serabourgian ladies 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, foreigner. Show me the money, or get lost.”
Weed was momentarily lost. Just giving up the quest in the middle? Anyway, the quest won’t penalize even if he decide to drop out. But maybe it would give me sweet rewards later, and he would hate to miss out on them.
Weed’s hand slipped into his pocket and fished out a coin before he realized his mistake.
’2 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 Weed’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!’
Weed’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.
“Queen Evan and the sculptor had been on intimate terms since they were children.”
“What do you mean by intimate terms…?” Weed asked.
“There is only one describing such a close relationship between a man and a woman. It means that they were lovers.”
“I see.”
Weed now realized why poking his nose into the rumor had to remain a secret from the Royal Court. Given that the former Queen’s sacred name was mentioned in that scandalous matter. Royal 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. They boy’s name was Zahab. 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 Royal Maid and the boy left her. But in the end, there was a promise between them.”
“What promise, if I may ask?” Weed asked, now curious.
“Zahab promised to show the girl the most beautiful statue under heaven.”
“I guess it was not kept, then. The Queen must have a great number of beautiful, magnificent statues in her place.”
“No, he kept it. Many years later, Zahab presented himself as a quest to the Royal 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 statue, for Freya’s sake, did he present to Queen Evane? A Queen doesn’t easily cherish an ordinary piece.”
“True. Pay a visit to a lady’s maid who witness 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 Weed the way to the house of the lady’s maid. Weed went to visit her. She had retired, and when he mentioned Queen Evane and the sculptor, she gave him a joyous welcome.
“Her Highness was very virtuous and gracious lady. 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 Highness. She first resented Zahab-nim 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 Zahab-nim would present Her Highness with the most beautiful statue under heaven. But when he appeared in the palace, he was carrying a sword, not an engraving knife. 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 Zahab-nim 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, Brent Kingdom, which bordered on Rosenheim, dispatched a band of assassins. They revealed a treacherous ambition to seize our Kingdom, and Freya only knows how shocked I was when assassins stormed in and assaulted Her and His Highness in the garden.”
“Those wicked scoundrels!”
“Yes, young traveler, you can say that again. A couple of Royal Knights were trapped, thus incapable of holding them in check—and we were left to face death. At that very moment, Zahab-nim walked into the garden. As you can see, right in the middle of fighting, Her Highness warned him and ordered him to leave. But Zahab-nim only smiled.”
“He smiled in the middle of such a dangerous situation?”
“He said he would show her the most beautiful statue that he had ever carved under heaven. To everyone’s surprise, the moonlight shattered into pieces at Zahab-nim’s sword. Its beauty was really striking. He was singing a song while he carved the moonlight. I cannot remember the lyrics word by word, but the title was A Sculptor’s Heart. Listening to the song, Her Highness was overflowing with tears. It was really the most beautiful statue Milady had ever seen. Had Zahab-nim only inscribed his name on a crude plank, but Her Highness would have taken it for the most beautiful sculpture in the world, but I tell you, the sight he was carving with the moonlight was literally heavenly. The assassins scattered at the inconceivable sight, and Zahab-nim kept his promised. Many years since gone, but I still cherish that moving memory.”
Then, a mysterious flashback flitted before Weed’s eyes.
*Crunch*
A boy is holding a tiny engraving knife in his hands. As the engraving knife slides up and down, a piece of wood is shaping into a form. It seems he is carving a maiden. A little, lovely maiden. Through his craftsmanship, the piece of wood is endowed with life. A girl, blushing up to her ears, is watching him. The boy’s hand moving the engraving knife, and his serious look. The girl loves him, everything about him. Soon, the boy hands her the complete statue. It looks so much like the girl.
“For now, all I can do is carve a piece of wood. But someday, I will give you the most beautiful statue in the world.”
“Thank you Zahab. I’m looking forward to that day/”
The boy and girl make a promise with each other, hand in hand. As the girl grows up, she blossoms in beauty. She caught the eyes of the King. She eventually became Queen. But the girl is not happy at all. Her Highness is still unhappy the day Zahab comes back to see her. Zahab carried a sword, not the engraving knife. Talking a walk alone in the garden, Her Highness gives way to fit of passion and clutches a thorny rose. Her palm bleeds with ruby red blood.
“Why did you forget our promise? Your promise was everything to me…”
Her Highness grieved over the broken promise. That evening, the assassins raid the palace. Brent Kingdom, a hostile neighbor as always, has sent assassins. Knights of Rosenheim Kingdom collapse one after another. She and His Highness are fearful of their imminent and inevitable death. Zahab clutches his sword, and the moonlight begins to dance.

Quest Complete!

The Sculptor’s Past The promise between the boy and the girl was honored. The bluish moonlight shattered into pieces, which in turn defeated the assassins. Moonlight Sculptor Zahab. His Sculpture mastery has reached the stage of a Master. Presenting the most beautiful statue to his childhood friend.

You have leveled up!

You have leveled up!

To Weed’ surprise, two levels went up for a single quest, and that wasn’t the end of it. A message window popped up. To his surprise once again, it was a class conversion window.

Class Change! You can convert to a secret class Moonlight Sculptor. If you accept it, you can learn exclusive skills for the class that are withheld from the primary classes. Do you want to convert to Moonlight Sculptor?

An infinite number of users are bustling about to discover secret classes in Royal Road, but fewer than one out of a thousand actually discovers one.
“I refuse.”

Please confirm your decision again. You can convert to a secret class Moonlight Sculptor. Do you want to convert to Moonlight Sculptor?

“I refuse.”
To Weed, being stuck in the corner of a closet and making unwanted statues wasn’t considerable. He had to admit that being a sculptor could make quite an amusing class if properly trained. But he needed a financially lucrative class for his personal gain. When Weed came to his senses, the old lady’s maid was watching.
“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 scalpel.
“This engraving knife used to belong to Zahab-nim. He left it to Her Highness, and I happened to keep it now. And this wooden statue is carved by Zahab-nim. Please take these.”
“I shall long treasure your present.”
He received two items from her and something happened.

You have received Engraving Knife

You have received Zahab’s Legacy.

Weed thought that these items were uncommon as they were left by one of the Masters of Sculptural Art. Even the wooden statue looked classy at a casual glance.
“Please keep Zahab-nim’s engraving knife with great care.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Weed calculated that this might sell and make good profit.
“The wooden statue will show you where Zahab-nim’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 sculpture mastery is concealed in that engraving knife.”
“Excuse me?”
“In Zahab-nim’s engraving knife.”
That moment Weed looked at the engraving knife. He had a gut feeling that an irresistible destiny was drawing near.

Follow Zahab’s Last Wish Zahab did not die that day. He left for a faraway continent to test his Sculpture Mastery. Once you graduate in Sculpture Master, you should find Zahab to learn the song A Sculpture’s Heart from him. Then, you should come back here and sing it to this old lady’s maid. The tradition runs that Zahab’s was last seen heading for the Gray Pass Region. Difficulty: A Quest Requirement: You must complete the quest before the old lady’s maid passes away. Irrevocable.

Skill: You learned Item Identification.

Skill: You learned Sculpture Mastery.

Skill: You learned how to repair.

Passive skill: Handcraft is generated.

A serial quest with a difficulty level of A and rewarding four skills. Weed couldn’t tell if he’s lucky or not.
For one thing, he knew that it was extremely difficult to acquire skills unrelated to his own class. Those skills, such as Item Identification and Repair Skill, which he had learned without converting to the sculpture class, could come in handy in numerous ways, but an A level quest was far beyond his ability for a long time, possibly many years.
The average level for Royal Road users is currently 100 or so. The highest ladder is in the early 300s. The difficulty of a quest that requires a balanced party of power rankers a level 300 to finish is known to be B-level. That means Weed had just accepted a quest that requires him to be above level 400 to be able to cope with the quest, let alone finish it.
As if it were not bad enough, the Gray Pass region is the most perilous of the perilous areas, inhabited by the most forceful monsters. It is one of the top Ten Forbidden Areas on the continent, where you are absolutely guaranteed to be chopped to pieces the moment you stepped in the area.
‘How troublesome.’
The number of quest that a user can store at a time is only three. Now that one of them was taken by the quest Zahab’s Last Wish, Weed was left with only two spaces for new quests. But in case of serial quest, it is unpredictable what rewards await the user in the end. This serial quest introduced a secret class at the second stage. Even after he refused to convert to the class, he was given four practical skills. Imagine what rewards in the final stage would be like.
Weed wasn’t stupid to say no to a good opportunity. Yet, it remained unknown when and how this would work out. He bid farewell to the old lady’s maid, and went back to the sculpture stop.
“Oh, I know it now thank you for returning so soon. Giving you this quest earlier was definitely the right choice.”
The shopkeeper paid Weed 3 silvers as a reward for the request. He recovering the silver coin that had been robbed by the bard and even earned 2 more silvers. When he returned to the Training Hall, he received another silver coin, along with a word of commendation from the instructor.
Receiving the money, Weed thus earned a total of 5 silvers!
He also leveled up twice, to level 3. He distributed those earned stat bonus points equally to agility and strength.
‘Should I take another quest?’
Weed wrestled with a sudden temptation, but picked up the wooden sword again. A quest that was undisclosed to the public similar to the quest he just undertook, was rare. That was why Weed earned generous rewards for his level.