5.
Following the NPC Irmi, Seong found himself headed toward what was supposedly a village.
Just in case, he decided to confirm something.
“Lord, if we continue in this direction, there is nothing ahead,” Noctrynnium reported.
When Noctrynnium spoke, it was almost certain to be true.
Yet, they were heading toward something—or at least Irmi claimed so.
This left only two possibilities.
A trap, or a hidden dungeon or field that Noctrynnium couldn’t detect.
Whether it was a trap or a hidden area didn’t matter to Seong.
He needed to level up anyway.
A hidden chain quest like this was always welcome, especially since quests were known for providing better experience rewards.
If he completed this, it might just push him to the next level.
As Seong pondered these possibilities, his subordinates spoke up.
“Command us at any time, my lord.”
“P-Please just give the word.”
“The same goes for me, my lord.”
Seong nodded, reassured by the reliability of his team.
He could handle most things alone, but having his subordinates around was always a comfort.
With that, they followed Irmi for what felt like a long time.
After some time, Irmi stopped walking and smiled.
“Haha, we’ve arrived at the village!”
Before Seong realized it, they were standing at what seemed to be the entrance of a village.
However, Seong and his three subordinates had all noticed the same thing.
At some point during their walk, the space around them had warped, as if they had passed through a portal.
This wasn’t like a hidden space such as the Knights’ Hall.
This was an outright spatial transfer.
The air shimmered like a mirage, and their surroundings gradually shifted from barren wasteland to a lively village.
Initially, the area felt eerie, but it soon transformed into a bustling and vibrant settlement.
It was clear that something unusual was happening.
Looking around at the lively scene, Seong couldn’t help but feel skeptical.
"Didn’t they say the village was in distress?"
A “village in distress” shouldn’t be this lively.
It was strange, but not entirely implausible, so Seong decided to reserve judgment for now.
As they entered the village, the residents began to take notice of Seong.
Since his three subordinates were still cloaked in invisibility thanks to Fiora, all eyes were on Seong.
But those gazes were anything but welcoming.
“How dare they... Their eyes deserve to be plucked out and ground into paste.”
“K-Kill them. Kill them now.”
“How dare they look at our lord so disrespectfully?”
The villagers stared at Seong as if he were prey.
To most players, these looks might have gone unnoticed, but Seong, with his absorbed memories from various experts, and his three subordinates, were not so easily fooled.
Amused, Seong examined the village carefully.
Irmi, unaware of Seong’s scrutiny, spoke with enthusiasm.
“Haha, everyone seems to be welcoming Sir Seong! What a relief. I don’t know what would have happened to our village without you.”
“I see. But what exactly is troubling your village? What monsters are you dealing with?”
“Oh, why the rush? You’ve just arrived! You should rest and recover from your journey. We were just preparing a feast for a hero such as yourself!”
“A feast?”
That was odd behavior.
Seong stared at Irmi suspiciously, but the NPC just laughed it off.
“Rest is essential before tackling great challenges, is it not? Come, come, follow me.”
Before he knew it, Seong was being ushered along, almost against his will.
To his surprise, the villagers seemed to have truly prepared a feast, complete with an abundance of food and a celebratory atmosphere.
To top it off, Irmi began to rally the crowd.
“Everyone! Here he is—the hero who will save our village! And he’s even a knight! Please, give him a warm welcome!”
Caught in the moment, Seong found himself surrounded by cheering villagers.
“Wow, a knight!”
“He’s come to save our village! Thank you so much!”
“Oh, how blessed we are to have a knight like you help us!”
“Hahaha! Truly, our village’s fortune has changed!”
Fireworks exploded, whistles echoed, and applause filled the air.
Most people might have been swept up in the celebration, but not Seong.
His suspicion only deepened.
Sensing his unease, the villagers shifted their focus.
“Sir Knight, please try this! It’s delicious!”
“This drink is simply divine!”
“Oh my, you must taste this too!”
Their behavior was so blatant it almost felt insulting.
It was hard to imagine anyone falling for such an obvious ruse.
Just as Seong thought that...
[Your high mental fortitude resists the charm effect.]
[The charm effect fails to take hold.]
"Oh?"
No wonder something had felt off.
They had been trying to charm him.
Had it been anyone else, they might have succumbed without even realizing it.
Even Seong hadn’t noticed until the notification appeared.
"What should I do about this?"
His three subordinates, still cloaked in invisibility, were ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.
But Seong felt like this wasn’t the end of the story.
[Conditions met.]
[Hidden Chain Quest: ‘A Village in Distress’ completed.]
[Rewards granted for quest completion.]
[Hidden Chain Quest: ‘The Suspicious and False Village’ generated.]
‘The Suspicious and False Village’
→ Hidden-Linked Quest
→ After following the suspicious NPC Irmi Ups, you find yourself in an odd village that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The villagers seem genuinely delighted by your presence, celebrating you as a hero and a knight who has come to save them.
But beneath the surface of this festive atmosphere lies something sinister.
The villagers are emitting an aura of charm meant to ensnare you, but you have resisted it with your strong mental fortitude.
Even so, the villagers’ attention on you feels unnervingly intense.
Should you play along with their ruse or confront them head-on?
Restrictions: Players who resist the charm aura of the village.
Reward: Continuation of the questline. Quest experience will be granted upon completing the final chain.
‘Interesting.’
Seong contemplated the new quest that had appeared.
He had to make a decision: either attack the villagers now or continue to play along.
His instincts told him that acting rashly here would likely result in a significant loss.
As someone who relied heavily on his spiritual sensitivity, Seong wasn’t one to dismiss these feelings lightly.
So, with a calm smile, he raised the drink handed to him by one of the villagers.
“Thank you all for your warm hospitality,” he said, taking a sip.
[Your high mental fortitude resists the charm effect.]
[The charm effect fails to take hold.]
Yet, Seong’s appearance subtly changed—his eyes became slightly unfocused, and his demeanor slackened.
He wasn’t under the charm’s influence, but he was pretending to be.
The villagers visibly relaxed, smirking wickedly as if their trap had finally worked.
“It worked!” Irmi exclaimed with glee.
The three cloaked subordinates were ready to strike and eliminate the entire village at that very moment.
But through the spiritual link, Seong’s voice echoed in Leonic and Fiora’s minds.
"Relax, I’m fine. Just wait."
“Understood, my lord.”
“Got it...”
They relayed the message to Noctrynnium, though all three were visibly displeased.
Even if it was just an act, watching Seong pretend to be affected was difficult for them.
As Seong maintained his charade, Irmi finally dropped his facade.
“Haha, you finally fell for it. Even a knight is powerless against the charm of our master.”
Gone was the groveling demeanor from earlier, replaced with smug arrogance.
A woman who had been preparing food nearby approached, her voice dripping with mockery.
“At first, I thought he might resist, but no one can withstand the charm once they drink.”
“Exactly. The charm woven into the drink is too strong.”
“Hahaha! We’ve secured a fine sacrifice for our master!”
As Irmi and the villagers gloated, Seong caught onto a crucial piece of information.
“How much time is left until the master’s cave opens?”
“Our master will be ready in about 30 minutes.”
“Better to be early than late.”
“Indeed. I just hope our master is pleased.”
“Oh, they’ll be delighted! Capturing a knight of this caliber will surely earn us a great reward!”
The conversation was laden with suspicion, but it only fueled Seong’s amusement.
"A master, huh?"
It seemed the village truly was in distress—only, it was due to a monstrous overlord.
As Seong pieced this together, a system notification appeared before him.
[Conditions met.]
[Hidden Chain Quest: ‘The Suspicious and False Village’ completed.]
[Rewards granted for quest completion.]
[Hidden Chain Quest: ‘The Master of Enchantment’ generated.]
‘The Master of Enchantment’
→ Hidden-Linked Quest
→ You’ve discovered that the village is under the control of a monster!
The villagers revere a being they call their “master” and plan to offer you as a sacrifice.
You have 30 minutes before they deliver you to their master’s cave.
Use this time to escape the village, gather allies, and prepare to raid the master.
The Master of Enchantment will not be an easy opponent!
Restrictions: Players who chose to pretend to be charmed by the village.
Reward: Continuation of the questline. Quest experience will be granted upon completing the final chain.
This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.
Warning: If you are sacrificed, you will have to face the raid solo.
Reading the quest description, Seong tilted his head, amused.
“Allies? Is that really necessary?”
In other words, if he stayed put for 30 minutes, he’d be given the chance to fight the raid boss alone.
This was a golden opportunity.
Finally, a chance to test his new sword.
"Perfect. I can put it to the test since Narak was too easy to handle."
Excited by the prospect, Seong decided to bide his time, continuing to feign being charmed.
Meanwhile, his three hidden subordinates watched from a distance, their expressions filled with concern.
“Sigh, it seems our lord, like the previous one, enjoys walking into danger on purpose...”
“I-I know... This lord is no different...”
“It’s as if they delight in courting peril.”
Despite their frustration, a sense of nostalgia washed over them.
Unbidden, memories of Helena came to mind.
Their previous master had exhibited the exact same reckless behavior.
Though it gave them headaches, they couldn’t help but feel a strange warmth in recalling those times.
As they waited, an ethereal turquoise glow shimmered faintly on Seong’s chest.
Amid the glow, a lock of crimson hair became visible.
At the same time, a sultry voice echoed softly.
“Hmm... just a little longer. Let me sleep a bit more before I step out.”