Ch. 208

[Hidden Quest 'Restore Peace to the Merfolk Kingdom' has occurred!]

[Hidden Quest Triggered!]

[Hidden Quest <Restore Peace to the Merfolk Kingdom>

Content: This place was originally the Merfolk Kingdom ruled by a strong and beautiful Merfolk Queen. However, it is currently infected and eroded by Black Arc. Please dispel the Merfolk Queen's brainwashing and restore peace to the Merfolk Kingdom.

Objective: Dispel the Merfolk Queen's brainwashing (However, all Merfolk must survive)

Upon Success: The Merfolk's eternal trust

Upon Failure: -]

[Will you accept?]

[Yes/No]

I carefully read the quest message that appeared along with the hidden dungeon and accepted the quest.

This quest was different in nature from the hidden dungeon ones I had seen before.

Not only was the Merfolk Queen brainwashed by the 'Black Arc,' but I couldn't kill even one of the merfolk, the main 'monsters' inside the dungeon.

I had to knock out the merfolk guarding inside the Merfolk Kingdom appropriately, and remove the Black Arc embedded in the Merfolk Queen's forehead.

'In this dungeon, the merfolk are set as being brainwashed along with the queen.'

Because the power of the real Black Arc had reached even the merfolk. So I shouldn't act rashly, but carefully approach where the Merfolk Queen was and just remove the Black Arc that would be embedded in the queen's forehead...

'Ah, damn.'

Only then did I realize who I had come with. I quickly spoke to Terdius who was blankly looking at me from beside me.

"Brother."

Since I had taken an item that enabled communication even underwater, my words would have been clearly heard by Terdius too.

"What's wrong?"

Terdius looked at me and responded. I spoke to him with earnest, serious eyes.

"In this matter... we must not kill even one merfolk we encounter."

"...What?"

Terdius's eyes looked dumbfounded at my words. I added again.

"They'll probably try to attack us, but you absolutely must not kill them. You must finish by knocking them out appropriately."

"...Why?"

As if feeling resistance to my words, Terdius's brows narrowed. Because of him looking somewhat rebellious, I had to inwardly sigh.

"This time we came to the deep sea to form an alliance with the merfolk. But the merfolk have strong bonds with each other as their population is small. So if we harm even one merfolk, we could be hated by all, so we must be careful."

"...Understood. If that is the Church Leader's order, I will naturally obey it."

Only after hearing an answer from Terdius did my heart ease a bit. Only then did Terdius's expression also seem to relax.

'Really...'

Somehow I felt like I was traveling with a time bomb rather than my escort. Though Terdius mostly listened well to what I said, it felt like he could go astray at any time.

'Is it because he was someone who rose to Diego Church's apostle...'

It was completely difficult to treat him as comfortably as Zain and Troy. At least Rawin was comfortable because he was weaker than me, but Terdius was stronger than me...

'When he's with Grandmother, it's at least okay.'

Well, I knew well that Terdius wouldn't do anything to me. It's just that when and how this guy would act was unknown to me.

'It's probably more so because his personality I saw in the original is too different from his current personality.'

In the original, he was a purely bright, sunshine-like guy, but the current Terdius... even though he wasn't Diego Church currently, he still felt as dark as back then.

'Still, should I say it's fortunate the kid is good-natured?'

Just unpredictable.

'If only I could get stronger as quickly as possible and subdue Terdius... no. At least if I could just become equal, I wouldn't feel this way.'

Hoping for that while advancing through the dark sea.

"...Something seems to have happened to the merfolk."

Terdius whispered quietly. I nodded to him and slowed my swimming speed. Then Terdius also followed me and reduced speed. I told such Terdius.

"Yes. As you must have felt, brother... the energy of the real 'Black Arc' is currently felt from the Merfolk Kingdom."

"So that's why. That's why you told me in advance not to kill the merfolk."

"Yes. The real Black Arc is probably with the Merfolk Queen. The other merfolk were likely brainwashed by Diego's energy contained in the Black Arc."

Though I spoke as if I was speculating, this was the truth. A fact I had seen in the original.

"Right. Understood."

After a brief conversation with Terdius, we entered even deeper.

'If only hidden route variables don't occur, clearing the dungeon will be easy.'

If it proceeded exactly like the original flow, Diego Church's apostle who embedded the 'Black Arc' in the Merfolk Queen wouldn't exist inside this hidden dungeon.

'Even if an apostle is still here...'

Since I was with Terdius, there wouldn't be any major problems. Hoping for that as I entered further inside, the darkness lifted somewhat.

The reason was that the Merfolk Kingdom revealed itself at a not-far distance.

'Wow...'

I couldn't help but admire. Though I knew through pictures I had seen in the original, the Merfolk Kingdom I encountered with both eyes in reality was more beautiful than imagination.

Deep under the sea where ordinary humans could hardly enter. The Merfolk Kingdom existing inside was full of unique buildings that seemed to have houses made from large shells.

Was it because there were no higher lifeforms besides the Merfolk Kingdom under the sea? Their kingdom had no high castle walls. Only the royal palace where the Merfolk Queen lived had some walls.

And here and there around were kelp and seaweed that looked beautifully decorated. However...

"I don't see any fish or other creatures at all."

At Terdius's words, I nodded in agreement.

"Yes. It's probably... because of the merfolk."

Originally, the Merfolk Kingdom was peaceful enough to be said that all sea creatures lived together in harmony, but since the merfolk were brainwashed by Black Arc, no other creatures could be seen.

'More than half of them probably lost their lives to the merfolk...'

Because of that, dead fish and such were also visible around the palace.

"Let's approach carefully for now. Don't forget what I said earlier."

I spoke to Terdius again and recommended approaching closer. Then one of Terdius's eyebrows raised.

"What exactly do you see me as?"

"...I'm just saying just in case."

When I spoke with effort at smiling, only then did Terdius's expression relax a bit. Like that, we headed inside.

The moment we approached close to the Merfolk Kingdom.

"Grrrrk—"

Whether they had been hiding until now, three merfolk who hadn't been visible at all greeted us.

Two males and one female. They had beautiful appearances as seen in fairy tales, but was it because they were brainwashed by Black Arc?

Unlike having human forms, they growled at us like monsters. Moreover, while pointing trident-shaped weapons held in their hands at us.

"What will you do?"

"Their condition is like that... we have no choice but to fight. Instead, will you refrain from using weapons?"

"Fight barehanded?"

"Because they too were just struck by Black Arc. As I said earlier, our purpose is also alliance with the merfolk."

"...If that is your intention."

I considered taking out my mace but decided to just fight them with my body.

And it seemed the same for Terdius. Because it would be more convenient this way to deal with them without killing.

After exchanging glances with Terdius once, I rushed toward the merfolk.

Pow—!

And I quickly began knocking out the merfolk.

†

Deep in the Merfolk Kingdom, the royal palace where the Merfolk Queen and princes resided.

In the Queen's Hall sat the strongest and most beautiful Merfolk Queen in the kingdom.

The Merfolk Queen with blue-green hair similar to seawater and beautiful silver eyes was called Selvias.

However, currently on her forehead was embedded a black orb, the real 'Black Arc.'

'Someone please...'

But even though her body was brainwashed by Black Arc, Queen Selvias's mind at least wasn't in a completely brainwashed state.

The Merfolk Queen was an existence that had lived long in the deep sea, and was a lifeform with tremendous power no different from a spirit. Just because Black Arc was implanted in her body didn't mean her reason was completely taken away.

Of course, though a considerable part was already dominated, even holding out this much against the real 'Black Arc' was remarkable.

'Help me...'

Selvias clearly remembered the face of the purple-haired lunatic who had embedded this damned black orb in her head not long ago.

And she resented herself for belatedly realizing he was Diego Church's apostle.

Because with her own hands, she had stained the children she bore and the merfolk with this power of darkness.

'Please... may someone end this suffering.'

But Selvias couldn't even end her own life due to the Black Arc eroding her. She could only wait for someone to help herself and the entire merfolk.

'Please, may someone help...'

It was when a stream of tears flowed from her eyes.

Boom—

The door of the Queen's Hall opened roughly. And two men entered.

"Didn't you say there's definitely air in the Merfolk Palace?"

The taller one with black hair among the two men spoke gruffly toward the other.

And the other, a handsome man with golden hair, shrugged and answered.

"That's what I knew. The magic probably isn't activating because the Queen over there is in that condition."

"...I see."

Unfortunately, Selvias couldn't understand what the two men were chattering about from the distance.

"Anyway, once we remove that thing over there, it'll be over."

"Yes. So let's hurry."

The two men, Revelof and Terdius, immediately rushed toward the Merfolk Queen eroded by Black Arc.

Watching that, Queen Selvias unconsciously attacked them. But she instinctively sensed.

'...Thank you.'

That these two people would remove the brainwashing on her.

'Heroes of the merfolk.'

She resolved to make the two people eternal friends of the merfolk once the brainwashing was lifted.

And before long.

The Merfolk Queen faced the moment she had so desired.

Crack—!

The Black Arc embedded in her forehead was shattered to pieces by Revelof's mace.

Simultaneously, Selvias lost consciousness. But the corners of her lips were subtly raised.

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