Chapter 166: A Story Only I Don't Know 1
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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The party members were completely exhausted after their lengthy adventure.
Despite having restful sleep in a sanctuary infused with divine energy, over ten days of relentless activity had taken a toll on their bodies.
Upon leaving the tower, they each staggered to their rooms, too tired to even consider celebrating their recent victories.
Han Se-ah didn't even bother to secretly attach a camerashowing just how tired everyone was.
The following morning, rejuvenated by hot baths, we gathered at the guild's table to look for requests on the 35th floor.
It was then that the guild's doors burst open.
Is Adventurer Roland, Sir Roland, here?!
A temple knight in shining white armor stood at the entrance.
Her armor was typical of her kind, but her voice, emanating from beneath her helmet, was unexpectedly gentle.
All eyes turned toward the knight, their attention captured by both her imposing presence and the feminine quality of her voice.
Some of the gazes then shifted to me, full of curiosity.
The high-level adventurers who recognized me seemed to silently question what I could have possibly done to warrant a temple knight's search.
I am Roland, but
Oh, Sir Roland! You are as tall and handsome as I heard.
The knight had come in search of someone, and upon spotting me, she spoke with a hint of caution.
I knew better than to foster bad relations with the temple, especially in a medieval fantasy world, so I responded carefully.
However, there was a noticeable excitement in her voice, free from any hostility or anger.
It seemed to be about the divine energy.
She was a temple knight, a person who lived according to the will of the Goddess.
Yet she seemed as excited as a child in front of a birthday gift.
As she enthusiastically grasped my wrists, the clanking of her white gauntlets filled the air.
I had thought that a common adventurer like me, using divine energy, might be shunned or looked down upon.
Was this a modern person's overly influenced by fantasy novels perspective?
Without realizing it, I channeled divine energy into my hands, which she held.
Her reaction was of pure astonishment.
"Wow, this energy is so pure!"
-What's going on here?
-I was looking forward to a possible event on the 35th floor, but is this turning into a temple-related event?
-That knight's eyes and voice... what's wrong with her?
-I thought we were going to go shopping and then make some troll bombs.
-So where did the bomb pouch go? There's only a chatty lady here.
[Troll Acne Specialist Han Se ah donated 10,000 won!]
If you pretend to slip and remove the knight's helmet, I'll donate 100,000 won.
"Hey, as the story progresses, and she'll probably take off the helmet herself. There's no need to rush and risk injury. Plus I'll look like a creep."
[Han Se-ah's Yuri Party donated 5,000 won!]
The temple knight will... take it off by herself...? What are you hinting...
The scene was surreal: the temple knight caressing my fists as if she were an otaku caressing a limited edition figure.
Han Se-ah captured the moment on camera while her chat buzzed with activity.
Even as a seasoned warrior who had seen it all in the last decade, I found the situation hard to navigate with my usual composure.
The others at the table shot curious glances at Irene, wondering what was happening.
Irene herself, our group's only connection to the temple, appeared just as bewildered by the temple knights' attitude.
I realized if nothing was done, we could spend the entire day fixated on my divine energy display.
So I dissipated the energy and addressed the knight with a question.
"May I ask why you're looking for me? Is there a request related to the contaminated marshlands you need help with?"
Caught up in her excitement, the temple knight seemed to snap back to reality.
"Oh, right! I got carried away and almost forgot my purpose."
She looked up, her face still hidden behind the helmet.
Unlike the stern and rigid temple knights I'd imagined and seen so far, this one exuded a carefree spirit.
Sensing my puzzled look, she released my arm and cleared her throat, bringing a fist to her mouth as if to steady her voice.
"Ahem, Sir Roland, companion to Sister Irene on her noble quest, I extend an invitation from the Goddess herself to visit the temple. And, of course, your fellow adventurers are welcome to accompany you."
She straightened up, offering her arm with a formal air.
Once these guys decide to treat you with respect, do they always address you as 'Sir' and treat you like a knight, just like how martial artists are addressed in wuxia novels?
With this thought in mind, I nodded in agreement, suspecting the invitation might be related to the Fragment of an Unknown Dimension I had received after completing the 30th-floor quest.
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Raei Translations
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Under normal circumstances, we would've sold the mana stones, picked up a new quest, purchased ingredients for stew and soup from the market, filled Han Se-ah's inventory, and taken time to replenish supplies like Graces enchanted arrows.
"Please follow us this way."
The Temple Knights instructed us with impeccable manners.
Instead of our routine, we found ourselves being courteously surrounded by the Temple Knights in their immaculate white armor.
As we accepted their escort, they formed a protective circle around us, shielding us from the curious eyes of the public.
Their presence naturally drew a crowd.
The sight of a dozen knights in shining armor, bearing the emblem of the Goddess Faith, caught the attention of everyoneadventurers heading to the tower, busy merchants, and residents cleaning their storefronts or organizing their stands.
-Are they going to publicly execute Han Se-ah
-The party of the genius mage, Hanna, is coming out!
-Look, it's the Crown Princess herself!
-I think these guys have a screw loose.
- So, what exactly is happening here?
"Looks like Roland's personal quest is tied to the temple. We all thought only Irene would be involved, but now the temple knights are here for Roland. Maybe it's due to his Paladin title?"
Grace and Irene seemed uncomfortable with the attention, while Han Se-ah and Katie, no strangers to the spotlight, appeared unaffected.
The knight's attitude towards Han Se-ah shifted slightly; maybe they were starting to believe she was indeed a genius mage.
We arrived at the temple, enveloped by the temple knights in a formation.
They guided us beyond the areas typically open to the public, such as the prayer hall and the orphanage's playroom.
We entered sections that weren't even displayed on the minimap.
"This place isn't on the minimap. It seems you can only access it as part of the storyline. Given the game's open-ended nature, I'd wager access depends on more than just story progression. Like a high level affiliation with the temple."
As we reached a majestic hallway flanked by towering white pillars, it felt like stepping from a cathedral into a space inspired by an ancient Greek temple.
Even Irene, who, as a Saint Candidate, might have been expected to be familiar with such a place, gazed around in awe.
We were ushered into a grand hall lined with white pillars.
The temple knights stood motionless, almost blending into the architecture.
The lead knight gestured for me to step forward into the center of the hall.
"Roland, Sir Roland of Lombardo. You have heeded the Goddess's summons, harnessed divine energy, and embarked upon a treacherous journey."
'Where is Lombardo?'
I wondered this as I stood there, listening to a voice addressing me.
It wasn't coming from any particular direction; it filled the space, perhaps amplified by magic or divine energy.
The problem was, I couldn't understand the gentle female voice enveloping the hall.
Since I fell into Roland's body in its adult form, I was clueless about his past or his place of origin.
As I stood there in silence, grappling with my own ignorance about Roland's past and his connection to Lombardo, I realized that my lack of knowledge was partly due to how I had entered this world.
I had posted a lengthy message on the community forum and spammed macros without reading Roland's character bio.
I'd been living in this world for ten years, yet new things like this pop out of nowhere, like the addition of the Northern Duke to the world's setting.
Perhaps, as a side effect of hearing Han Se-ah's direct conversations with her viewers, I was oblivious to the 'patch notes' that NPCs seemed aware of.
Caught off guard by the conversation, I simply bowed my head, staying quiet.
"......"
When in doubt, fitting in with the current atmosphere is half the battle.
"You could settle for an ordinary life of wealth and honor. You could avoid the darkness for a comfortable, peaceful existence. Yet, you've chosen to climb the blasphemous tower. Who could question your determination? Isn't that so, Sister Irene?"
"Yes, yes!"
I bowed my head silently, thinking I have to complete the quest, anyway when suddenly a voice came from nearby.
Startled, I realized they were from Irene, who, clearly nervous, had stepped trembling into the center of the hall.
Suddenly, I received a notification:
[Detected a Fragment of an Unknown Dimension]
[The Blessing of an Unknown God Descends Upon Your Body]
Unlike last time, no illusions showed up, nor did a system message asking for confirmation pop up.
Yet a system message popped up as if I had confirmed something.
What had I agreed to?
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