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chapter 36
“…What?”
Ria stopped and turned her head slightly.
After glaring at Hanbit for a moment, she frowned and asked,
“Is that really true?”
“If you don’t believe me, you can go your own way. You won’t find her even if you search all day.”
“…….”
At his shrug-as-you-like attitude, Ria fell into thought.
She wanted to find Ruby on her own, but reality was bleak.
The area outside the slums was far too vast.
Because she knew cats so well, the difficulty weighed on her even more.
“Ugh, seriously!”
With no answer in sight, Ria ruffled her hair in frustration.
Then she sighed and walked back over.
“Lead the way. Ruby’s fast—she’ll be gone somewhere else soon.”
“No need to rush. I saw her go into the underground waterway.”
“The waterway? Ruby went there?”
Ria’s eyes widened in shock.
The waterways that ran long beneath Edlen.
They were no longer in use, and the high water level made them dangerous.
“Damn it! Why didn’t you say that earlier!”
Panicking, Ria kicked off without hesitation.
Hanbit started running as well, and Yeonwoo, who was following late, shouted from afar,
“Hyung! Are we really going to the underground waterway?”
-Was there even a cat there?
-Nope, nothing’s there.
-Just a useless map.
The existence of the underground waterway was well-known among players.
But compared to the trouble of exploring it, there was nothing to gain.
That was the very brief description in the guidebook.
“Have you been to the waterway?”
“I’ve been there, but the map itself has zero value. The stench is so detailed I don’t even want to go near it.”
Yeonwoo answered with a grimace.
If even the smell was vividly simulated, it was understandable.
But calling it worthless was completely wrong.
If someone had realized the waterway’s importance, the entire strategy would have changed.
Tap—!
After a short run while talking.
They arrived at terrain that dipped deeply below the outskirts.
Ria was already out of sight.
“Looks like she went inside.”
Yeonwoo said, looking at a half-open iron grate.
After scanning the surroundings, Hanbit pulled the gate open.
“Let’s go in too.”
***
Drip— drip—
Inside the dim underground waterway, reeking with damp stench.
The two followed a path lit sporadically by candles.
“Hyung, how far are we going? This really isn’t a place for a cat.”
Walking behind, Yeonwoo asked while pinching his nose.
He wanted to show him what true stench was like, but it was too soon.
“Since you’re so sure, you must’ve searched everywhere already?”
“Even if not me, plenty of people have been here. If anyone had found something, word would’ve spread.”
“At best, wasn’t it just guidebook-level exploration?”
“That’s normal. The underground waterway is just a small appendix in the corner of a page. Who would painstakingly check it unless they’re a hardcore nerd like you?”
-Hey now.
-Fighting dirty with facts.
-Guess he’s about to show the real thing.
-Teachers, please come out.
[설명충 has donated 5,000 won.]
[Edlen’s underground waterway: According to architect Irtelloger, who designed the waterways 100 years ago…….]
-Yes, we’ve heard enough~
-Long text cut.
-He really does it when told. LOL
The chat alone showed how the waterway was perceived.
At this point, explaining more would only hurt.
Giving up on explanations, Hanbit increased his pace.
“Haa.”
Following the winding paths, they arrived at a dead end.
There, Ria was standing with her hands on her hips.
“Did you find anything?”
Hanbit stood beside her.
Staring ahead, Ria lowered her gaze and answered,
“Ruby was here.”
In her hand was a bright red string.
The ribbon that had been tied around Ruby’s leg.
“We need to find another trace.”
With a serious face, Ria turned to go back.
But Hanbit moved first, blocking her path.
“What?”
“Look up there.”
“Up?”
As he pointed upward, Ria followed his finger.
Frowning in concentration, she quickly noticed something.
“Ah!”
A faint hole near the top of the wall.
It felt smaller due to the lack of light, but easily big enough for a cat.
“She went that way! But the path doesn’t connect to anything…….”
Unlike a flexible cat, humans couldn’t pass through.
The problem was that even Ria, who knew the waterway’s layout well, couldn’t think of a connecting route.
“Wait a second.”
Knowing her thoughts, Hanbit passed her and knelt in front of the dead wall.
‘Just like I remember.’
A long crack stretching from the gap between the wall and floor.
The area below looked even worse.
“Come over here for a moment.”
Standing up, Hanbit grabbed Ria’s arm and stepped back.
“What? What are you trying to do?”
Sensing something off, Ria asked.
But Hanbit had already reached out, chanting.
“Fire Burst.”
Boom—!
The launched fireball exploded, and the floor collapsed with a roar.
The lower part of the blocked wall had turned into an unstable passage.
“Are you crazy?”
Ria stared in disbelief at the overly simple and violent solution.
This was, after all, a public area of Edlen.
If someone took issue with it, punishment would be easy.
“As long as we keep quiet. Let’s find Ruby first.”
“…You’re unbelievable.”
Answering lightly, Hanbit moved ahead first.
Lowering his body, he passed under the broken wall and looked back.
“You coming?”
“…Who said I wasn’t?”
At Hanbit’s carefree attitude, Ria scratched her head and followed.
The moment she bent down and entered—
Crack—!
A strong spark burst from her bag.
“Ugh!”
Startled, Ria quickly threw her bag to the ground.
Something rolled out through the opening.
Thud—
On the floor lay a ring set with a red gem.
A family crest-like emblem was engraved on the gold band.
Flash—!
Light flared from the gem.
Seeing it, Ria’s face showed a mix of confusion and fear.
“Ugh…….”
Whoosh—!
As if to shield her frozen body, wind gathered around her like a barrier.
Then an alarm sounded.
Ding—
[The wind spirit Sylph expresses anger.]
-Huh?
-Wasn’t Sylph playing with Plona?
-Why is it angry?
-Who did this?
The viewers questioned Sylph’s appearance.
Sylph, who should have been playing with Plona, was also active here.
That was true anywhere in the world.
‘A spirit’s anger…….’
Normally childlike, a spirit’s anger was not something to take lightly.
Depending on the situation, it could overturn heaven and earth.
That was how great and terrifying spirits were.
“…Wind?”
Feeling the warm sensation around her, Ria spoke in confusion.
But only briefly.
She quickly picked up the ring and her bag, then looked down the dark passage.
After a short silence, she said to Hanbit,
“I have a bad feeling.”
“A feeling? Because of that ring?”
“…I don’t know. But whatever’s further in is dangerous.”
Without taking a single step forward, Ria warned him.
This wasn’t a lie—it was pure instinct.
‘Of course your intuition’s sharp.’
The ability to sense danger from minimal information.
There was only one reason to develop such talent at a young age.
Constant exposure to life-threatening situations.
Like a survivor of a traitor family living in hiding.
Whoosh—
While they talked, the spirit’s wind spread through the space.
“I’m going in first.”
“No, wait—!”
As Hanbit stepped inward, Ria grabbed his sleeve.
Avoiding his gaze, she spoke awkwardly,
“Don’t go. If you die, my sister and Plona will be sad.”
-Cute.
-Affection level skyrocketed.
-God Artsvel.
Ria had heard in detail how Artsvel’s mother had been freed from suffering.
Having seen how desperately important that was, her evaluation of Hanbit had long since changed.
Her sister’s benefactor was her own benefactor.
And there was no way she would let someone who had even saved Plona die.
“It’s fine. I won’t die.”
“…People who say that always die.”
“Not that. Look over there.”
Hanbit pointed down the passage.
From the darkness, a small silhouette approached.
Meow—
“Ruby?”
At the calm cat’s cry, Ria looked puzzled.
Every time she searched, the cat had only hidden deeper.
Whoosh—
The spirit’s wind, not yet returned, fluttered faintly around.
No one would realize Sylph had helped lure the cat.
“Why did you run so far?”
Ria sighed in relief as she picked Ruby up.
The troublesome cat had never gone beyond the slum district before.
“Huh?”
Examining the cat up close, Ria noticed something.
Bringing Ruby close, she slowly pulled out a piece of white cloth from its mouth.
“…Holy Nation?”
A fabric of an unfamiliar material, unseen in Edlen.
At the edge was the flag of the Holy Nation.
The moment she saw it, Ria’s expression darkened.
-Holy Nation?
-Why is a Holy Nation clue appearing here?
-Does this really connect to the main story?
-Since it’s a sub, we need to see the conclusion.
-Yeah, tons of stuff end up meaningless.
The mention of the Holy Nation sparked debate in the chat.
Sub-quests that enriched the main story.
Naturally, their impact depended on process and outcome.
“Let me take a look.”
Hanbit reached out and took the cloth.
At that moment, an alarm rang and a message appeared.
Ding—
[Sub-Quest #2 completed.]
[Sub-Quest #3 unlocked.]
[Sub-Quest #3]
The cat Ruby found in the underground waterway was carrying a strange item.
Why would a cloth bearing the Holy Nation’s flag exist here?
You may need information.
Objective: Report the trace to the guild master.
Reward: Sub-Quest resolution
-Guild master already?
-Is this really opening a new route?
-How many years has it been? LOL
-No idea.
-Yeah, Cowen won’t be easy.
The guild master was one of Edlen’s key figures.
And at the timing when a Holy Nation clue appeared, the objective to meet him emerged.
Since both elements tied directly into the main quest, viewers grew expectant and suspicious of a new story route.
“Ria, take Ruby back to Plona.”
“…What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to see the guild master. It’s strange that something from the Holy Nation turned up here.”
“…….”
At Hanbit’s answer, Ria pressed her lips together.
After thinking briefly, she spoke quietly,
“Alright. I’ll go to Plona first.”
