The Game of the Greatest Black Mage-Chapter 168

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 168

He expected he would meet Beki upon coming here, but he didn't think it would be this soon.

Seonghyun had at least entertained the possibility of meeting Beki here.

Beki, however, had no such expectations.

The sight of Seonghyun left him speechless; his mouth dropped open, and his paws flew up to cover it in shock.

Was it really that surprising?

Even as Beki and Seonghyun acknowledged each other, the citizens of Ninyaru chattered amongst themselves as they stared at Seonghyun.

“Did he get lost in the labyrinth and wander into our city?”

“But his attire looks too good for that!?”

“He must be a pretty skilled person-nyan.”

“Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to entrust him with a difficult task if one comes up-ong?”

One by one, after forming a favorable impression of Seonghyun, they went back to their business.

It seemed his whistle and his title of Knight had subtly raised their affinity for him.

Right, it seemed the effect of his new titles was also at play.

He briefly checked their effects.

『Butler of Ninyaru』

→《Epic》

→ A title granted to the first user to reach Ninyaru, City of the Labyrinth Troupe.

→ Increases affinity with NPCs in the hidden city of Ninyaru.

→ Increases intimacy with all beastkin races by 20%.

→ Movement Speed +10%.

『One Who Set Foot into the Unknown』

→《Rare》

→ A title granted to the first user to discover a hidden city.

→ Increases effectiveness of actions in all hidden cities.

While he couldn't say the effects were definitively great, they seemed pretty good, at least here in Ninyaru.

In any case, it was a good thing that the NPCs in this city had a favorable impression of him.

After checking his title effects, Seonghyun looked up.

He could see Beki, still quiet with surprise.

“Nya-, nyanyan, a-ah, I haven't given you an invitation yet, so how did you get here-ong?”

“Ah.”

So the special effect on the whistle really was the invitation to this place.

He had basically predicted as much, but he had come because Helena knew the way.

Clearing the quest and the journey itself had been fun, so it all worked out.

“Nyanyan! Anyway, it's good to see you-ong! As expected from our skilled customer-nyan! I hope you have a wonderful time in Ninyaru-ong!”

After finishing his warm greeting, Beki turned to go about his business.

He hesitated for a moment.

Should he let Beki go and explore on their own, or should they stick with Beki, with whom he had a connection?

He thought about it for a moment, but the answer was simple.

‘In a game like this, it's probably better to stick together, right?’

Since he already knew an NPC here, wouldn't it be easier to get quests?

Just then, Helena spoke.

“Seonghyun, I think following that one would be fun.”

Seeing her say it with a mischievous smile, he was sure of it.

Seonghyun nodded and moved towards Beki, who was already walking down the street.

“Beki-nim?”

“Nyaang? What is it-ong?”

“May I ask where you're headed right now?”

It was a question that could have been rude, but…

“Nyaaaang? Of course-ong!!! We in Ninyaru always welcome our guests-nyan!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Nyao-ong! That's right-nyan! I was just on my way to see Pol-nim, so this is perfect-ong! I think he'll be very happy if I introduce you, Customer-nyan!”

Pol?

Who was that?

Judging by the nuance, it didn't seem to be the lord of the city.

Seeing him walk on so excitedly after saying that, it didn't seem like he would just volunteer the information.

“Who is this Pol-nim?”

Seonghyun couldn't hold back and asked.

“Nyaong!!? I-I forgot to explain-nyan…”

So he really had just forgotten.

He almost burst out laughing at the rookie mistake, but he barely managed to hold it in.

At Seonghyun's question, Beki crossed his short arms and slowly nodded his head, as if to say, 'Of course, you wouldn't know.'

“Pol-nim is the Merchant Manager-ong! He's a high-ranking person who manages all the merchants, including me, Beki-nyan.”

“Oh?”

‘Manager-level should be a pretty high position, right?’

With that thought, Seonghyun felt he had made the right choice in following Beki.

After all, it was true that meeting a high-ranking NPC was advantageous for getting quests.

While part of the reason for coming to Ninyaru was the NPC named Nyao that Helena used to know, his fundamental purpose was to do quests.

The more quests he went through, the better.

“He's usually in his office by the troupe portal, but I haven't seen him at all these past few days-ong.”

“Hm?”

He already had a strange feeling.

Hasn't seen him for a few days?

Wasn't that an ominous sign?

This smelled like a quest. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

And so, Seonghyun followed Beki, convinced that something must have happened.

He wondered what kind of quest awaited him.

2.

A dark and vast hall.

All around, various rare, luxurious, and outstanding items were lined up.

And lying atop those treasures, as if it were its own personal hoard, was a giant being.

Towards the giant being, which had curled its body into a ball and seemed to be sleeping, a knight with the appearance of a black puma entered—different from the cat merchants with their characteristically sleek and slender feline bodies.

Compared to the cat soldiers Seonghyun had seen at the entrance, this one was a skilled fighter beyond comparison.

He was so well-trained that even when he moved right next to you, he made almost no sound.

When the black puma knight reached the giant being, he immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

“While investigating the recent disappearances of the Merchant Managers, we discovered a peculiar point. I have come to report it.”

At the black puma's words, the giant being let out a snort of indifference.

He thought it was sleeping, but it seemed to be listening to everything.

The black puma paid it no mind and continued his report to the giant being.

“While searching for the whereabouts of the Merchant Managers, we discovered traces of Basilica.”

The giant being reacted instantly to the black puma's words.

Krrrrrrr——.

A massive growl vibrated through the entire castle.

The black puma flinched and trembled at the sound.

Truly a tremendous being.

To think the castle shook from just a small expression of its anger.

Though he had reason to be afraid, the black puma continued to speak.

“Our knight order will take responsibility and find the traces of Basilica.”

Not long after the black puma spoke, in a spot that seemed to be empty air, a light shimmered and something materialized.

No, he thought it had materialized, but it had been there all along.

Two giant, sun-like yellow eyes flared to life, looking down at the black puma.

As the black puma trembled violently under that fierce, flame-like gaze, a voice spoke.

“A nuisance. See to it that the Black Knights resolve this.”

“Yes!!! We will obey the will of our liege!!!”

At just those few words, the black puma shouted with a will to pledge his full loyalty to the command.

Though he shouted loud enough to make the great hall ring, the being with eyes like two suns simply closed them again with an air of indifference and lay back down on its hoard.

And with that, the black puma exited the hall.

To catch the spies of Basilica and offer them to their king.

3.

They were able to reach the house of the Merchant Manager named Pol.

It was a rather impressive mansion.

A large, three-story mansion at the very least.

“Looks like Pol is a rich cat.”

“Yeah. Seems like it.”

You'd have to be quite wealthy to own a house like this in such a city.

As soon as Beki arrived at the house, he began knocking vigorously with the door knocker.

Tong-tong-tong-tong-tong!

While doing so, he yelled.

“Pol-nim-nyan! It's Beki-ong! Open the door-nyan!!!”

Unlike the formal language he consistently used with Seonghyun, Beki still used the honorific 'nim', but his speech had become less formal.

Though he shouted loudly while pounding on the knocker, there was no response from inside.

Seonghyun remained silent.

Beki tilted his head, finding the situation strange.

“Nyao-ong?? This is strange-nyan. I thought he was just sleeping at home since he hasn't been out for a few days, but there's no response-ong.”

“There are no signs of anyone inside.”

“Even if he was sleeping, this much noise should have woken him up. It's strange-nyan.”

At those words, Beki grabbed the doorknob just in case, and the door opened without any resistance.

Something was definitely wrong.

As Seonghyun gave the doorknob a half-lidded glare, Beki jumped in alarm and looked at him.

“Nya-, nyaong!? B-Beki is not a thief-nyan!”

“I know. It was already unlocked.”

“Y-You believe me-ong?!”

He gets moved by the strangest things.

Anyway, that wasn't what was important right now.

“Of course. Let's head inside for now.”

“Ah, understood-nyan.”

After calming Beki down, they went inside.

Kkiiiiiik.

The sound of old hinges creaking echoed as they entered the house.

The air was so thick with dust that you could see motes dancing in the air, a clear sign that no one had been around recently.

It was the kind of situation that would make you cough.

But more than that, he could smell a distinct, pungent scent that stung his nose.

Beki could also smell it, but he just looked around, unable to identify what it was.

Seonghyun, however, frowned, and Helena also frowned as she muttered,

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

Seonghyun agreed with Helena's words, her usual playfulness gone, and stepped further inside.

He motioned for Beki to stay behind him just in case, and took the lead.

From the entrance, he could see the living room, located immediately to the left.

It was filled with quaint furniture.

It was a rather impressive living room, with a rocking chair in place of a sofa.

A nice-looking living room with a fireplace.

However, the bad feeling Helena had mentioned materialized.

It was none other than a bloodstain on the rocking chair.

It wasn't a lot, but it was unmistakably a bloodstain.

He could tell that something had definitely happened here.

Seeing it, Beki's pupils dilated as he leaped back in fright.

“Nya-, nyanyaoooong!? Bl-blood-oooong!”

His fur was puffed up, a clear sign that he was terrified.

He was completely spooked.

Seonghyun scratched his cheek, looking a bit troubled.

“C-Customer-nim, d-did something happen to Pol-nim-nyan?”

“Hmm, it seems that way.”

“Nyaaong! W-We have to look for him, even if it's just us-nyan! Pol-nim is in danger-ong!”

Beki rambled on, completely agitated.

Just then, a message appeared before Seonghyun's eyes.

[Hidden Chain Quest, 『The Merchant Manager of Ninyaru』 has been generated.]

『The Merchant Manager of Ninyaru』

→《Hidden-Chain》

→ In Ninyaru, City of the Labyrinth Troupe, the majority of residents work as merchants.

They leave the labyrinth city to sell necessary items to users or NPCs wandering the labyrinth.

The Merchant Managers are the ones who manage these merchants.

They are responsible for collecting a portion of the monster materials that the merchants obtain from their sales.

Beyond that, they also help the merchants with various necessary tasks.

Beki, too, went to meet his manager.

But his residence, which Beki visited after finding it strange that he had been absent for several days, had nothing left but his bloodstains and clumps of fur.

It is clear that something has happened to the manager.

Help Beki find his Merchant Manager, Pol.

→ Restriction: Friendship with a cat merchant of Ninyaru, possessor of the Whistle of the Labyrinth Troupe.

→ Reward: A huge amount of experience, the next quest.

A hidden chain quest had been generated.

He should have been happy, but Seonghyun just scratched his head, looking troubled.

‘What do I do about this?’

The reason he was so troubled...

-Hohoho, it seems Beki has brought a noble guest.

It seemed he had already found the cat named Pol.

As a ghost.

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