Light of Arad: The First to Walk - Chapter 61



Only Noblemtl

061

Jinseong was deep in thought, but he didn’t stop moving his feet.

And as if reading his thoughts, a voice rang in Jinseong’s head.

[Does the expression on the face of the woman who left a moment ago bother you?]

Jinseong flinched for a moment as he heard Deregi’s voice.

Currently, the set is not even worn.

If so, it means that it is possible to detect external activities while being within [inventory].

“It’s none of your business.”

Jinseong dismissed Direji’s words, but instead, the laughter continued to be low and long.

[Keukkeukkeuk… … . You can feel affection just by listening to my voice. Humans are really interesting.]

“Wh, what are you talking about? No, and to begin with, you may look like a woman, but in reality, that’s just the character-… No, what’s the point of talking about this?”

It was not easy to tell whether it was a joke or a misunderstanding on Direzier’s part.

Moreover, when it came to the point where Sunsoo said that she was a woman, Jinsung had to give up on responding.

‘It is possible to perceive external activities, but recognizing what you see with your eyes is the limit. If it was Lotus, you might not have known, but Diregie probably doesn’t have that level of telepathy. Even the main body in the dimensional rift didn’t know about me in the first place-. This guy, whose abilities are still lacking, and whose personality is different, can’t possibly understand that Pure’s true identity is a man?’

However, the reason for giving up like that was also a genuine misunderstanding.

From Jinseong’s perspective, having started with a male magician character, met a male swordsman character, and then a female magician character, ‘Pure’ could not help but be perceived as a male.

Even if we exclude the female wizard character, which is often raised by male users as a ‘sub-character’, it is natural to accept the ‘gender of the first character met’ as the user’s gender.

Moreover, if you think about the style of dialogue, not just the character, it is even more difficult to think of her as a woman.

‘Still, what Direji said was right. The expression on her face right before she left… … Should I say it was a look of suspicion? It wasn’t something like worry or curiosity. It wasn’t the kind of gaze that sparkled and showed interest in me like it always did.’

Of course, what was important to Jinseong was not the gender of the pure person.

The face that started to change as soon as he mentioned the second item that Jinseong had to take care of and said that he would buy dozens of them.

To be precise, the eyes.

It wasn’t the expression of frustration that always accompanied his pranks on Jinseong.

What do you think Jinseong might have thought about his own identity?

But Jinseong couldn’t give an easy answer.

‘What’s even scarier is that… … the expression on the has changed. If it had just been a bare face, I could have guessed something, but it’s because he’s wearing that kind of avatar!’

This is because it is not possible to know exactly what changed in the expression of the that exaggerated the face of each job character as if it were an SD character.

At least, it was a genuine conclusion that could not be thought of other than ‘His gaze changed, his speech became ordinary, and it did not feel friendly.’

Wheeeeeeee… … !

How long had it been since I left Pure and headed north past Elvengarde?

With the application of ‘Increased Town Movement Speed ​​+60%’, one of the set options of , Jinseong’s already fast movements have now become capable of reaching unspeakable speeds.

‘I think this must be near Storm Pass.’

So Jinseong had to be embarrassed when he saw the familiar terrain.

Storm Pass is a dungeon area located north of Elvengarde.

Normally, it would be a place where you would see many familiar NPCs, but now that Jinseong’s feet were starting to step on the snow-covered ground like ice, all he could see was a barren land.

‘Even if the NPCs aren’t visible, the totems of each tribe that makes up the Bantu alliance aren’t visible. Ultimately… … That means that no one has come down here yet.’

Jinseong had to stop for a moment.

Because at the point of visual confirmation, it is safe to say that the verification of what specific ‘contamination’ occurred has been completed.

Jinseong himself knows very well that there is nothing he can do if he goes any further north from here.

‘They won’t let me in anyway, and I can’t interfere with them and do anything with my words. The problem is that in order to solve this pollution, I have to go further north.’

Jinseong stopped walking and looked around.

The Bantu characters will not allow entry into Jinseong.

This isn’t something you can do because you’re a member of the Magician’s Guild or an important figure in the duchy.

Even if they are envoys sent by Queen Skadi of the Duchy of Bel Myre, it would be natural given their closed-minded nature of not allowing anyone in without permission.

Since it is a place you have never been to, you cannot use a teleportation potion. It is closer to a concept that you can only use if you at least know ‘where to go’.

“But that doesn’t mean I can fly into the sky…….”

This is something that even Jinseong, who has no special knowledge, can figure out.

It is extremely dangerous to travel by airship over the northern skies where the weather is unstable, and if you are noticed by the Bantu people, there is a possibility that they will chase you to the end.

[Kukuk… … Is that snow?]

“Huh? Oh, you don’t know my eyes? I’ve only been in the Demon World the whole time… … . Hehe, isn’t it strange? Isn’t it cold?”

Jinseong took out one of the sets from [Inventory].

Then he took a handful of the snow piled on the ground and buried it in it.

[K, keu-keu-keu, shi, it’s not that it’s strange. It’s just cold… ]

Should I say that it is the voice of the set that is laughing differently than usual?

“Hehehe, do you feel the cold? If you keep rubbing it, it’ll be painful-.”

[Stop! Kkul, don’t test my patience.]

The voice that stopped Jinseong from playing around more also felt a little different from his usual seriousness.

I don’t know if I should call it joy or the embarrassment of experiencing something for the first time.

Jinseong stopped playing around and said.

“Okay, anyway, if you stay with me, you’ll be able to see many more new and interesting places in the future… … So please cooperate with me. I wonder if there’s a way to go without being noticed.”

He wondered if Direji’s other self and fragment would cooperate with him just because he said something like that, but such thoughts were quickly erased.

[… … Then how about using the dimensional gap? Where no one can see, where no one’s sight reaches.]

Rather, was speaking in a more troubled voice than ever.

However, the problem was that it was an answer that made Jinseong sigh.

“I can’t do it. If I had known how I did it, I would have done it sooner-… Ah.”

It was at that moment that something popped into Jinseong’s head as he was talking about his ability to do something that he couldn’t do even if he wanted to.

[You remembered something? Click, click, then open it-.]

“No, that’s not it. Yeah, anyway… there is a way. Yes~ I’ve heard of something like that before.”

[-What are you talking about-.]

“fizzle.”

If Direji, whose entire body was torn to pieces by the dimensional rift, had seen this situation, how would he have reacted?

He had to keep his mouth shut as he suffered repeated humiliations of being ignored by the Direji, who was his other self and the energy he had finally shed.

And in the meantime, Jinseong was already swallowing the teleportation potion.

He disappeared as he reached Storm Pass, and when he reappeared, he was somewhere in the principality.

A place that somehow makes Jinseong’s heart flutter as soon as you see the old swing door.

Squeak… Jinseong entered the Moonlight Tavern in the back alley of Hendonmeyer.

* * *

Shusia recognized Jinseong in an instant and greeted him.

“What would you like? Milk today too?”

“Haha, hello. Yes, then today too, I’d like a glass of milk… please.”

Jinseong answered awkwardly and headed towards the counter where Shusia was.

There was another reason why I didn’t sit down.

Because sitting at the counter is the best way to get a good look at the people inside the Moonlight Tavern.

Jinseong quickly looked over the other people.

A middle-aged man in a white coat sitting at a table near Shusia’s counter, and a middle-aged man with his hood pulled over his head sitting in front of a round table in the far corner of the Moonlight Tavern.

‘Schmidt and Aganzo.’

Schmidt, an NPC related to the male General Inspector character.

And the NPC Great Sword Aganjo, whom Jinseong himself had met during the Sky Castle era.

At that time, didn’t Aganjo show considerable interest in Jinseong, who was recognized as a disciple of GSD by the public?

‘But now… … is not the time to talk to Aganzo. He’s turned his back on me anyway, so it doesn’t seem like he’s even looking in my direction-.’

Besides that, there were many people at the Moonlight Tavern.

When Jinseong visited the tavern as a user of the game Dungeon & Fighter, he couldn’t even see the residents who were actually living in Hendon Myer.

From people just coming to eat to people who are already drunk in broad daylight and look a bit like troublemakers.

They were all enough to catch Jinseong’s attention, but there was one person he had been watching from the beginning.

A leisurely way of spinning a wine glass around while holding the stem.

What would be more relaxed would be to put your legs on the table.

Even though he was in a position that was perfect for picking a fight, there was a reason why even drunken thugs would sneakily avoid him.

Gulp, gulp, Jinseong knew the reason, so he got up from his seat and headed towards him after drinking all the remaining milk.

“Are you from Caracas?”

The one Jinseong came to visit was Caracas.

Nicknamed ‘Sigh’ Caracas, he is actually the leader of the Adventurer’s Guild.

“……What is the matter?”

The heavy voice of a 50-year-old man rang out.

Jinseong smiled brightly as he looked at the wary Caracas.

“I’ve only heard stories about your adventures as Lord Caracas through hearsay. I never thought I’d actually meet you… Would it be okay if I joined you?”

“Come join us-.”

“It’s a bit much to call it a gift, but first of all, this……”

Before Caracas could even frown, Jinseong took something out of [Inventory].

The thing placed on the table was a dusty bottle, the very thing that Jinseong had once gifted to NPC Shinda.

“This is Underfoot’s special dark tequila. I heard you like alcohol. Oh, then shall we join you…?”

“Hashige. You’re a big friend. You gave me this nice thing as a gift. I’ll accept it well.”

He is one of the most popular characters in the game Dungeon & Fighter.

For Jinseong, who already knew that Caracas was a man who couldn’t stand alcohol, it was not a big deal to create an opportunity to sit down with him.

However, since Shusia was giving him a sharp glare, Jinseong had to ignore her gaze for now.

“Okay, what kind of story do you want to hear?”

“Stories about Caracas’ adventures. Where he usually goes, what he does… and what he should be careful of.”

Caracas was not fazed by the comprehensive questions asked of it.

He popped the cap of the dark tequila from the Black Elves that Jinseong had handed him and poured it into his own glass, saying:

“When you go on an adventure, there are many cases where strange things happen and things get messy. In those times, what you need more than any powerful weapon is improvisation.”

“Hmm, hmmm, improvisation. I see.”

“If you lose your weapon, you can just grab it again. But if you misjudge and lose the situation… it’s my head that’s going to fly.”

He said, taking a sip of dark tequila.

Jinseong nodded his head sharply and pulled his chair a little closer to Caracas.

“That’s right. So I’d like to ask you one thing.”

Caracas’s brow furrowed for a moment at the word “please.”

He said, stirring the drink in his glass.

“First, let me hear what you have to say.”

He made it clear that although he received a gift from Jinseong, receiving a favor was another story.

Above all, it would not be easy for Caracas, who still knows nothing about Jinseong, to accept the request.

Nevertheless, Jinseong spoke confidently.

“Would you help me go to the northern region… to the region with the eternal snow-capped mountains?”

Because Caracas had what Jinseong needed most at this point.

Of course, Caracas still did not fully understand Jinseong’s request.

“Why don’t you just go? Do you mean to become a link with the Bantu people?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just want to go to the Bantu people in secret if possible.”

“That won’t be easy. It won’t be easy to get through their borders, in their homeland. I have friends from the northern tribes, but their personalities aren’t ordinary.”

“Yes, yes. So, as I was thinking about it carefully… I remembered a story I heard before. I thought that if it were ‘true’, I could ask for help from Lord Caracas, so I came.”

Caracas tried to say no indirectly, but Jinseong persisted.

Above all, what bothers Caracas the most is the rumor that all his adventures are lies and tall tales, so isn’t he more obsessed with ‘facts’ than anyone else?

“What…is this story?”

Caracas asked.

Jinseong looked at him and smiled.

You must go to the Bantu dwelling. You must not be seen by the Bantu.

It can’t be done by land or by air.

Dimensional gap? Of course, that can’t happen.

So what is the remaining path?

[Keep clicking… … I see. You got a hint from me.]

Jinseong had obtained a clue from Direji, who was buried in .

How to move without being noticed, in the end there is only one way left.

underground.

“Have you ever ridden a mole’s back and dug through the ground?”

A line of script that suddenly pops up when you try to talk to the NPC Karakas in the game Dungeon & Fighter.

And a paragraph briefly mentioned in the past [Story Book].

That was exactly what Jinseong remembered.