Chapter 29

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Main Quest Updated:

[Main Quest (2)]

Dragulia Count (In Progress)
You have met Dragulia Count, the master of Citadel. He finds the ringing of the bell from the bell tower highly disruptive to the stability of Citadel. The Count has tasked you with capturing the person ringing the bell, offering Horus’s Eye as a reward. However, the Count… let’s leave it at that.
Meeting the Old Jin Tribe Elder (In Progress)

[Side Quests (0)]

After confirming the updated quest details, Seong-Min left the Count with a slight bow. Meanwhile, the Count summoned one of his subordinates to oversee Seong-Min’s movements.

Tellin Orthus

Tellin Orthus, the captain of Citadel’s guard, was over two meters tall and known as the best warrior among the Count’s knights. Dressed in heavy steel armor, Tellin exuded an imposing presence.

With a grim expression, the Count spoke to him.

“Do you know the man I just had a private audience with?”

“You mean that grave robber? I’ve heard rumors. They say he stirs up trouble everywhere he goes and has even mocked the Church—a notorious heretic.”

“You’re well-informed. I just met him, and while he has guts, he’s outrageously rude. Dealing with him leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

“So, the rumors about him being ill-mannered were true.”

“But the audacity he showed in front of me… it could mean he’s somewhat capable. If he weren’t, he’d have been dead—multiple times over. That’s how brazen he is. Anyway, I assigned him the bell tower job because he might just be able to uncover the culprit behind the ringing.”

Recognizing that the Count must have had his reasons for entrusting such a task, Tellin asked, “Is there something you’d like me to do in relation to that?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Stick close to him and keep a watchful eye. Make sure he’s doing his job and not causing any mischief. Stick to him like a shadow and monitor his every move.”

The Count’s tone sharpened as he emphasized his next point.

“Most importantly, keep him out of the underground. The bell tower business has nothing to do with what’s down there. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The underground of the castle was a forbidden area, accessible only with the Count’s explicit permission.

Tellin nodded. “You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll make sure he doesn’t stray into the wrong places.”

“Good. Also, help him out when necessary. He doesn’t know his way around Citadel, and the priority is finding the culprit ringing the bell. If, as he claims, there’s a hidden passage inside the tower, then catching the culprit is only a matter of time.”

As Tellin was about to leave to carry out his orders, the Count stopped him with another question.

“Wait. What’s that wastrel up to these days?”

There was only one person in the kingdom who could be referred to as the wastrel. At the mention of this person, Tellin reported what he had heard from his subordinates.

“Last I heard, he’s holed up in a tavern, drowning himself in booze and women. Apparently, he can’t even sleep without them.”

“He hasn’t caused any trouble?”

“A while ago, he smashed a nobleman’s head with a bottle, but we managed to smooth it over without much issue. Still, the news probably reached the capital, and I’m sure His Majesty is disappointed again.”

“That’s nothing new. The boy’s been cast aside already.”

“Still, he’s your only child. Surely, you wouldn’t truly discard him? He’s the sole heir to the throne.”

“That’s precisely the problem. Damn it… why did I only have one son?”

With a scowl, the Count muttered, “Anyway, keep an eye on that wastrel as well. If anything happens, I’ll be the one dealing with the fallout.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. If there’s any issue with the wastrel or anything else, I’ll report it to you immediately.”

“Good. Oh, one more thing. What about Vivian? What’s she up to these days?”

“Lady Vivian? Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“She’s still my daughter, and I left her be, but she’s been… No, never mind. Forget I mentioned her.”

“I’ve only heard that she’s staying quietly in the castle. I’m not aware of any recent trouble. Was there something specific?”

“No, I was just asking out of curiosity. Forget it.”

“Understood, Count. If that’s all, I’ll take my leave.”

As Tellin departed, the Count furrowed his brow deeply.

“Vivian… that child is troublesome, too.”

Seong-Min stood near the castle’s entrance with Bell Gibson, waiting for the person the Count was supposed to assign to them.

“It’s him, all right. The Count’s loyal lapdog.”

Seong-Min had vivid memories of Tellin.

“They don’t call him the human ogre for nothing. That giant frame of his makes him an expert with his poleaxe. But seriously, what’s taking him so long? Making people wait like this…”

His idle waiting sparked complaints from the chat.

[Why isn’t he moving? Just standing there, doing nothing.]
[He’s probably waiting for the guy the Count mentioned earlier, right?]
[Oh yeah, the Count did say he’d assign someone. But can’t he just ignore them?]
[No way. This place is tricky. Wandering around solo will get him killed.]

As the chat pointed out, there was a reason Seong-Min wasn’t moving yet.

“Without someone from the Count, exploring Citadel would be reckless. Getting into a scuffle with the guards or causing a scene would lead to the Count dragging me back. If that happens repeatedly, he’ll lose faith in me and either kick me out of Citadel or have me executed.”

Not that being kicked out was the likeliest scenario after the way he had pushed the Count’s buttons.

“With the way I’ve been acting, he wouldn’t exile me. He’d just have me executed outright. Things are progressing smoothly so far, but one misstep, and it’s all over.”

Count Dragulia.

As the viewers continuously expressed concern, it became clear that the Count was no easy opponent.

“His Evil Eye ability is an issue, and even if I find a way to deal with it, there’s no chance of going up against him at my current level.”

Seong-Min knew exactly how much he needed to grow before he could even begin to stand up to the Count.

‘I need to level up while taking down other targets along the way and secure the Boneless trait to have any shot at him. Without that, I won’t even scratch his skin.’

The Boneless trait was especially critical.

‘If I get Boneless, I’ll lose the ability to generate mana, but my physical power will skyrocket. Like most traits, it has its pros and cons, but for someone like me, it’s essentially a special perk. I absolutely have to get it.’

Not long after, Seong-Min spotted a hulking knight emerging from the castle gates.

‘Finally, that monster of a man shows up. I thought I was going to die of boredom waiting for him.’

Activating Observer’s Eye

[Tellin Orthus (Male, 36)]

◇ Perks: [Human Ogre], [Enhanced Human]
◇ Traits: [Heavy Body], [Unwavering Loyalty], [Unrefined Iron Stomach]
◇ Equipment: [Reinforced Steel Polearm], [Reinforced Steel Full Plate Armor]

There was little deviation from what Seong-Min had expected. Even so, recalling past encounters with him almost made Seong-Min click his tongue.

‘Man, this guy just refuses to die. Those perks and traits alone are terrifying.’

Tellin’s towering figure dwarfed the soldiers trailing behind him, who looked like children in comparison. The knight stopped in front of Seong-Min and stood motionless.

[Whoa, what’s with that size? He’s huge!]
[Ogre Grump has arrived.]
[Ogre Grump? Is that his nickname?]
[Yeah, he’s famous for being the Count’s lackey.]

Despite the overwhelming difference in size, Seong-Min remained unfazed, looking up at the larger man with a casual expression.

“Are you the one the Count sent?”

Tellin looked down at Seong-Min with an unpleasant glare and coldly replied, “As I’ve heard, you’re remarkably rude. Then again, if you weren’t, the Count wouldn’t have spoken about you like that.”

While he found Seong-Min’s attitude distasteful, he didn’t reprimand him harshly. Like the Count, he needed Seong-Min right now.

“My name is Tellin. I’m the captain of the Citadel’s guard.”

Tellin couldn’t help but find it odd that Seong-Min showed no signs of intimidation. Most people would stutter or show at least a hint of fear when faced with his massive frame. Yet, Seong-Min displayed none of that.

Seong-Min introduced himself casually.

“I’m Seong-Min, and this guy here is Bell Gibson. We’ve been traveling together since Kolhen Castle.”

Tellin nodded, then stated, “The Count has personally assigned me to assist you. I’ll help where I can, but I won’t let you roam around as you please.”

As expected, Seong-Min responded indifferently.

“Suit yourself.”

“I hope you’re not too upset about it. For someone like you, being treated this well is practically first-class treatment.”

At that moment, a drizzle began to fall from the overcast sky. Seong-Min glanced up at the dreary heavens, lost in thought.

“The rain will stop eventually, and when it does, a rainbow will appear. But that won’t happen just yet. If I remember correctly, it’ll keep raining until this quest is nearly complete. By the time I head for the Nox Base, the rain will stop, and the rainbow will appear.”

After introductions, the trio naturally began walking toward the bell tower.

Tellin glanced at Bell Gibson, who walked quietly beside Seong-Min, and broke the silence.

“That guy next to you is awfully quiet. Is he the type to let others speak for him?”

Seong-Min explained Bell Gibson’s vow of silence. Tellin scoffed, his expression incredulous.

“What a pointless undertaking. So, does that mean God’s going to help him out? Doesn’t look like it to me.”

Bell Gibson said nothing, and Tellin’s gaze shifted back to Seong-Min.

“More importantly, where are you planning to start? My men and I have already searched everywhere connected to the bell tower. There’s no entrance, no hidden mechanisms, nothing. Even the mages we brought in couldn’t make sense of the structure—it’s made of a material that resists mana.”

Seong-Min already knew the culprit behind the bell ringing.

But knowing didn’t mean he could go straight to them.

“If I go straight to the culprit, the whole quest derails. It’s the same every time. As annoying as it is, I have to follow the proper sequence.”

“I’ll start with the underground sewer beneath the Citadel. I’ve got a feeling I’ll find something there.”

Tellin frowned at the unexpected response.

“The sewers? Why the sewers? What do they have to do with the bell tower?”

“You’re aware of the old sewer system beneath the Citadel, aren’t you?”

“Well, yes… but what does that have to do with the bell tower?”

“You said there’s no way to climb the bell tower from the surface. So, there must be a way up from underground.”

“But there’s no open access point in the sewers. We checked.”

“Then you missed it.”

“…”