Chapter 43

'These damn f**kers.’

I was arrested before the quest succeeded and dragged to Winston Castle. It had already been an hour since I was trapped in an interrogation room.

"Several people witnessed you talking to Huroi in front of Khan’s smithy. Did you already know that Huroi was planning to contact Earl Steim?”

"So what if I knew?”

"...It was a resident of Winston who entrusted Huroi to contact Earl Steim. Since you are close to the residents, don’t you know who that person is?”

“So what if I know?”

“Then aren’t you one of them?”

“No? Are you stupid?”

“...”

I made a much better dagger than that girl called Erina. In other words, the quest to make an item was going to end with my victory and I would’ve earned 600 gold. However, due to this unreasonable arrest, the quest had failed. Thanks to these bastards, my 720,000 won had flown away!

"I don’t think you know what position you’re in... If you continue to be so carefree, you will regret it.”

I talked back to the knight who was trying to intimidate me. "Shut up, you rotten bastard. Are you a comedian now? I want you to lose your heads immediately. I have no connection with Huroi. So let me out right now!”

I knew that I could be tortured and locked up in prison, or killed. But I was the incarnation of anger after losing my 720,000 won.

‘How many bowls of mackerel is 720,000 won?’

I was so angry that I spat curses at the knights. "You ridiculous jerk! I will remember all of this, Ugly! One day I will return to squeeze 600 gold out of you, so release me now."

“Look at this guy. He keeps talking nonsense!”

The youngest knight pulled out his sword. I flinched, but soon changed my attitude.

"Kill me, you motherfu*ker.”

“This rascal isn’t scared until the end!”

The knight couldn’t stand it anymore and rushed forward. I closed my eyes and accepted death. Why? In this situation, it was better to die.

‘If I die, I will be resurrected in the square. I can’t stay stuck here. It is better to die and resurrect, even if it means losing experience.'

I was concerned about Khan. In the worst case scenario, I wasn’t the presumed winner so the Mero Company would obtain the smithy. If so, Khan would die. The class quest I received would naturally be destroyed!

“Kill me quickly, you son of a b*tch!”

I couldn’t log out here. I had to die, resurrect and meet Khan. Then a quick-witted middle aged knight came forward and stopped the hasty young knight.

"Hey Leo, calm down. Aren’t you aware of it? He has an immortal body. Killing him will just release him into the field."

Dammit, this plan failed. I kept provoking the young knight, hoping he would lose his temper.

"Hey, you aren’t going to kill me? You can’t kill me? Are you scared? What type of knight are you?  You pathetic bastard, can’t you eat chili? You will die a bachelor! If you die, you will become a ghost. A ghost who peeps at girls taking a bath!”

“Ugh...y-you...”

The young knight called Leo’s hands shook as he held his sword. It wouldn’t be strange if he stabbed me right away. But Leo refrained from attacking me. He bit his lip so hard that blood emerged. It would work if I insulted him a bit more. 

"This... oof? Oof!”

I tried to provoke Leo further, but somebody shut me up.

‘These rotten, lousy bastards!’

I glared at the middle-aged knight who gagged me.

"You have no intention of admitting to the crime you are accused of. You also have no intention of telling us who commissioned Huroi?”

“Oof oof!!”

If you want me to answer, then take off the gag. The middle-aged knight nodded as he interpreted my answer.

“You really won’t answer? If so, I have no choice but to imprison you. But if you tell me who commissioned Huroi, you might be treated differently.”

I didn’t want to get stuck in prison. The imprisonment wouldn’t just last a few days. Until I was released, I would continue to be imprisoned, no matter how much I disconnected and reconnected.

‘I can tell them. If Khan gets arrested, I can find a way to rescue him.’

Khan was invaluable to me in Satisfy and reality, since he was a precious friend. He might be an NPC, but he was a friend. But a friend was just a friend! No matter how important a friend was, my life was more important.

I decided to give Khan up.

“Ooof! Oof!”

I will tell you who commissioned Huroi! So release me. The middle-aged knight nodded as he interpreted my answer.

“What a great guy. You have no intention of selling out your friend, even when you will be locked up in prison? You might be weak, but your sense of justice is admirable.”

“Oof oof! Oooooup!”

What was he saying? I will tell you who commissioned Huroi if you release this gag. The middle-aged knight nodded as he arbitrarily interpreted my reply and ordered the soldiers.

"Imprison him. Put him in solitary confinement.”

S-Solitary?! I couldn’t do anything if I was stuck in prison, but solitary confinement as well? I would be trapped alone without any other prisoners.

“Oof! Ooooof!”

I panicked and struggled to get rid of the gag. However, the knights ignored my calls. In the end, I was dragged underneath the castle.

‘Damn, what the hell is going on? I have to be imprisoned forever? And what happened with Khan’s smithy? Khan absolutely can’t die... No, that stupid Huroi, why did you fail your quest and damage me...?’

It happened while I was being dragged by the soldiers.

[The quest ‘Apostle of Justice’ has been created.]

[Apostle of Justice]

Difficulty: S

Huroi, who was trying to inform Earl Steim about the happenings in Winston, failed his mission and was caught.

He has been locked in solitary confinement for a long time.

You are the only one who knows Huroi’s circumstances, so you are the only one who can help!

Rescue Huroi for the sake of justice.

Quest Clear Conditions: After being trapped in the deepest dungeon, rescue Huroi within seven hours.

Quest Reward: The title ‘Apostle of Justice.’ Affinity with the Winston residents will rise to the peak. Reputation in Winston will rise to the peak. Create a linked quest with Huroi.

*Apostle of Justice: The ‘Courage’ stat will be opened. All stats +10. The skill ‘Unbreakable Justice’ will be generated.

Quest Failure: Level -2. The title ‘Coward’ will be generated.

* Coward: Affinity with NPCs will decline. The probability of acquiring quests will decline. 

You will be despised by NPCs with a positive inclination. 

‘The contents of the reward are familiar? Ah!’

This was the same compensation when Huroi shared the information of the ‘For the Residents of Winston’ with me. A linked quest with Huroi was generated.

'I am greedy for a new title.’

B.U.T.  

‘I have no intention of accepting the quest!’

I was going to be stuck in solitary confinement, yet I was expected to rescue Huroi? In addition, it had to be within seven hours! It was an unconditional quest failure. ‘What fool would be stupid enough to accept this quest?

‘The penalty if I fail the quest... I have goosebumps. My level would drop and I would receive the Coward title? It is a junk title.

The ‘Coward’ title was just as bad as ‘Noble Killer.’ I could never accept this quest. But...

[You can’t refuse this quest. Quest is in progress.]

Why? Why me?

“Oof! Ohh! Ohhhhhh! Ohhhh!”

I was going nuts. I couldn’t help cursing despite the gag in my mouth, almost choking me. I drooled and coughed through the gag in my mouth, causing the soldiers escorting me to hit me on the back.

“This bastard! Can’t you be quiet?”

“Bah! Solitary confinement is scary. Stupid guy, you should’ve talked when the knights gave you a chance. Why are you pretending to be cool when you’re just afraid?”

“Oof! Ooof!”

I thought it wasn’t fair. It was frustrating to see the soldiers misunderstand and talk so arbitrarily.

“Ouch!”

I was brought deep underground and pushed by the soldiers into the solitary confinement cell. But they didn’t release my gag. The soldiers talked amongst themselves.

“Hey, should we release the gag?”

"Leo told me to only release it at meals. Apparently he has quite a mouth, so Leo will be tempted to kill him if his mouth is free.”

"I see.”

What was this?

“Oof! Ooof!”

Release the gag! Eh? The soldiers looked at me with terrified expressions.

"Wow, he is so desperate to talk that saliva is dripping down. If we keep him gagged all day, his blood pressure might rise.”

“This is really a punishment for him.”

“Ooof! Ooooof!”

Then release this rope! The rope was pressing against my body, making it difficult to move my fingers.

Kwang!

The soldiers ignored me and walked away.

‘They really are leaving.’

My body was tied up and my was mouth gagged. Would I be trapped in this smelly place forever? Furthermore, time was running out. The Huroi rescue quest would fail even if I just stood still.

‘What about my level?’

And why did I have to get the ‘Coward’ title? I had to be called a coward because I couldn’t rescue Huroi?

“Ooof! Ooooof!”

I started shouting again. Please help me. But there was no answer. My moaning echoed in the deep and dismal basement. 

Time passed with nothing happening. At the top of the screen, there was a window showing that I had four hours left in my quest time limit. I had been trapped in jail for three hours already.

‘Shit.. this rotten...’

Somehow, both good luck and bad luck followed me recently. All that luck was a precursor to my misfortune today.

‘I forgot how unlucky I am and wasn’t vigilant...’

I was someone who had never found a 10 won coin on the side of the road in my 26 years of life! Then I managed to obtain a legendary class!

'I want to hit Lady Luck...’

Just as I was cursing at Lady Luck,

“Grid! Grid!”

I heard a woman’s voice from upstairs.

‘This voice?’

It was familiar? Where had I heard it recently?

‘Ah!’

Erina. Her voice was as pretty as her face. This damn unfair world! Why was one person born with so many advantages? No, now wasn’t the time to lament at the world.

'Why is that kid here? No, it doesn’t even need questioning.’

A very surprising person had come but she was my only hope. I had to accept her help. I started shouting.

“Ooof! Ooooof! Oof! Oof!”

Here! I am here! No matter how I shouted, it was hard to make a loud noise with the gag. 

Erina was still looking for me upstairs. “Grid! Where are you? Where is this man?”

“Ooooof!”

A hoarse cry emerged from my mouth. But Erina couldn’t find me easily. At the top of the screen, the quest display window was pointed at two hours. In the next two hours, I had to escape and rescue Huroi. 

What could I do? Dammit, I don’t know! I had to do something!

“Ooof! Oof!”

“Grid!”

Ah, finally...

Erina, who came downstairs, barely heard my voice and ran. Ahh! That unlucky girl seemed like an angel at this moment. My appreciation towards Erina rose significantly as she confirmed the situation through the bars and said.

“I’ll save you. Not just that. I’ll give you this dagger.”

“Oof! Ooof!”

Erina held a sheath made of a minotaur horn. It was the dagger I made when I competed with her.

Glossary of Common Korean Terms.

OG: Glossary Link. 

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