[Rescue the Han Seokbong Father and Daughter]

★ Hidden Quest ★

Han Seokbong has always been loyal to the Cho Kingdom, only to be branded a traitor.

It was because he refused to reveal your whereabouts to the king.

Rescue the Han Seokbong father and daughter who chose to be loyal to you rather than their country.

Quest Clear Conditions: Meet the Cho King. Or rescue the Han Seokbong father and daughter by force.

Class Quest Clear Reward: Unknown.

Quest Failure: Death of the Han Seokbong father and daughter.

Hidden quest. As the name suggested, it was a hidden quest. It absolutely wasn’t easy. In order to get a hidden quest, more diverse requirements needed to be met than general quests. He participated in the blacksmithing contest based on his connection with White, succeeded in making the Red Phoenix Bow, entered the castle’s dungeon, killed Arube, and saved Pangea from a crisis, etc. Without Grid’s choices and actions, the present hidden quest wouldn’t have happened.

‘The rewards for hidden quests are usually high.’

It was good to get a hidden quest. No, he should be running with joy. But Grid’s heart was heavy. He felt guilty because Han Seokbong and Sua were in danger.

'They will die if I can’t save them.’

It was a quest with the life of others on the line. It placed additional heavy pressure on him.

'In particular, the perverted Sua... Eh?’

Grid pondered for a moment before belatedly realizing and blushing. He realized he was holding Yang Fei in his arms.

“G-Grid...

Yang Fei was like a squirrel with her face buried in Grid’s chest. Small, soft, and cute. Grid turned red and hurriedly pulled away from her.

‘Unbelievable.’

Since when could he have such natural skin contact with women?

‘A-Amazing...’

Did his hidden qualities as a Casanova suddenly bloom?

‘If I maintain this momentum, I might escape being single in reality?’

Grid was filled with anticipation.

‘Now isn’t the time to be thinking about these things.’

It was urgent. Coincidentally, Grid didn’t have a long time to stay on the East Continent.

‘I need to rescue the Han Seokbong father and daughter as soon as possible and make them my allies.’

Grid decided and headed to Idan’s restaurant with Yang Fei.

***

“What? You want me to be your exclusive chef?”

A restaurant that didn’t have one guest, despite it being lunch time. Idan doubted his ears and questioned it. Grid disappeared and suddenly reappeared, asking Idan to become his own chef.

"Hrmm... You are the person who find my frying pan and one of the few gourmets who enjoys my food. I feel a great affection for you. But I can’t be your exclusive chef.”

"Why?"

"Why should I? I don’t know your true identity. How can I become your personal chef when I don’t even know what country you’re from? What do you believe?”

“Does that mean you will become my personal chef if I identify myself?”

“No, it isn’t just that. I have my own pride and goal as a chef. The reason I run a restaurant is because I want to show my dishes to more people. I want to see hundreds and thousands of guests enjoying my dishes every day. I’m sorry, but I can’t cook for just one person.”

“Hundreds and thousands of guests a day when you only get two visitors? Even those two were travelers and asked for a refund...”

Yang Fei refuted but Idan ignored her.

"Hum hum, well, in any case. I can't be your chef.”

The moment that Idan refused.

“I see. Then will you become a chef in my kingdom rather than my personal chef?”

Grid’s tone suddenly changed.

“Huh?”

A chef in a kingdom? It was also ‘my kingdom’?

"What... Eh? Ehh?”

Idan was confused only to become astonished. Yang Fei was also surprised. It was because Grid took out a silver crown.

“Y-You?”

Grid’s atmosphere changed. The look, tone and also atmosphere was also completely different. Idan and Yang Fei felt a sense of discomfort and hesitated. Grid truly faced the two people.

“I am a ruler on the West Continent, Overgeared King Grid. Idan, the best chef on the East Continent, I want you to feed my tens of thousands of soldiers. Will you agree to my wish?”

“Yes!”

Idan made his choice the moment Grid called him the best chef on the East Continent. Idan was so excited that he started to pack his things immediately. It was just some clothes and his frying pan.

"Let’s go to the West Continent!”

Idan yelled as soon as he finished. Unlike Idan, who was excited about his cooking skill being acknowledged, Yang Fei was quiet. She was sad when she realized that the man in front of her was off-limits.

‘He is in a completely different world.’

It was a person she couldn’t be with from the beginning. Now they would part. Yang Fei dropped her head. It was an attempt to hold back her tears. At that moment.

“Raise your head.”

Grid’s big hand touched Yang Fei’s small face. Yang Fei shook at the touch and was able to smile gently at Grid.

“I also want Yang Fei beside me. Don’t you have a family to support? Will you also go to my kingdom if I provide for your family?”

"H-Hik. I’m glad...”

Idan was a chef whose food had a certain probability of giving stats. In addition, Yang Fei was excellent at working, taking responsibility and detecting people. Later, the Overgeared soldiers would experience food poisoning... No, poison master Idan would thoroughly fill the empty stomachs of the Overgeared soldiers... No, the mysterious master, ‘Demon Maid Yang Fei’ was born today.

***

Yakumo’s Labyrinth.

The difficulty of this dungeon was the worst since it was impossible to enter in a party. The structure of the labyrinth and the boss’ patterns changed every time someone entered. The success rate of breaking through this labyrinth was 11.6% for third advancement classes. It meant that nine out of 10 challengers failed.

However.

[You have succeeding in breaking through Yakumo’s Labyrinth!]

[The time it took you to break through the labyrinth is 39 hours, 32 minutes and 27 seconds!]

[The record has been updated! You have acquired Yakumo’s Ring (6) as a reward!]

"It isn’t the fourth ring.”

Sword Saint Kraugel. He hadn’t reached level 300, but he set a new record in Yakumo’s Labyrinth. The surprising thing was that he already acquired Yakumo’s fifth ring. Yakumo’s Ring was given every time a new record was set. There were a total of eight different types and the options were different for each type.

‘According to the information, the option I need most is attached to the fourth ring. I have to challenge it again.’

“Kraugel.”

Someone called out to Kraugel as he was about to enter the labyrinth again. It was Hao. Kraugel laughed.

"I'm sorry, but my mind is determined. No matter how you object, I will eventually move to the United States."

The United States government presented a vision of his mother’s health and happiness. It was different from other countries who simply discussed money and honor. This attitude caught Kraugel’s heart.

"I can’t respond to your wish to move to South Korea or China.”

Hao nodded at Kraugel’s firm opinion. "I won’t argue anymore. I will respect and cheer on your choice. I came to say this.”

“...?”

Kraugel knew Hao’s nature. He didn’t have a nature that was easy to bend. His attitude had shifted overnight?

Hao explained to the puzzled Kraugel. "I went to South Korea to meet Grid.”

"Grid?”

"Yes, I wanted to ask him to stop you from moving to the United States. Then he refused. He said I shouldn’t argue against a choice that will make you happy.”

“...”

"Honestly, I couldn’t understand. I was convinced that you would be happier moving to South Korea or China. Then Grid took me to a Chinese restaurant.”

"...Chinese restaurant?”

"Yes, isn’t it funny? I was honestly displeased about eating Chinese food in South Korea. But I realized the moment I ate the dish called jjampong.” There was a warm smile on Hao’s face as he remembered. "The charm of Chinese cuisine is reinterpreted in other countries... It’s a wonderful thing.”

“...?”

"I thought. The dishes called jajangmyeon and jjampong are happy in South Korea. And...”

"...??"

"Yes, like food, people don’t have to be tied to nationality. You should pursue happiness in a place where you can be recognized and loved.”

“...”

"Kraugel, now I fully understand and respect your choice. It’s thanks to Grid giving me great enlightenment with food.”

“...”

Did Grid have such a deep meaning behind treating Hao to jjampong? Kraugel was familiar with Grid’s nature and could only laugh. No one knew. Grid was the decisive reason behind him not moving to South Korea.

‘Grid, I’m dreaming of the day when I can compete with you again.’

Until now, the total was 1 to 1. What about the third round?

***

The Cho Kingdom’s capital, Kars. The Lava Prison where sinners were confined was busy today. The guards was suffering due to a visit from the Cho King.

"Why is His Majesty visiting this nasty prison?”

"Well, it’s because of the Han Seokbong father and daughter? Han Seokbong was famous for how he used to have the king’s favor.”

Hundreds of years ago, a volcano erupted and caused this lava prison. It was virtually impossible to clean this place, since their bodies would melt if they made a mistake. However, the guards had to clean as much as possible because the king was coming. They did their best to sweep the floor with a broom, wipe the dried blood in the torture room and put up fans to try and alleviate the heat from the lava.

After a moment.

"Presenting His Majesty!”

A prison created from the result of a volcanic eruption. The cry of the king’s entry echoed everywhere in the huge prison created by nature. The Cho King moved through the hot heat and approached Han Seokbong.

"Seokbong, do you still have no intention of telling me Grid’s whereabouts?’

“You... I can’t tell you... I don’t know his whereabouts...”

“Choosing to deny to the end... It makes me sadder, Seokbong. There has always been a sense of loyalty between you and I. We were childhood friends before we were servant and king.”

"It's not that. I really don’t know his whereabouts...”

"Yes, Seokbong. I understand your intentions. But I honestly think it’s too much. I’m looking for the blacksmith purely for the Cho Kingdom’s future. Yet you choose righteousness over your kingdom in crisis. Your noble heart is now cold.”

“No, Your Majesty. I don’t know his whereabouts...”

“You don’t need to say anything else. I’ll give up. I am well aware of your nature. Sigh... This is your charm, I suppose. Together, let’s watch the destruction of the Cho Kingdom.”

“...I don’t know.”

It was enough to drive Han Seokbong crazy. At first, he didn’t reveal Grid’s whereabouts due to concerns about his safety. But now Han Seokbong knew why the king was looking for Grid. Han Seokbong wanted to tell his king where Grid was. But how could he answer when he didn’t know Grid’s whereabouts? How could he tell what he didn’t know?

‘Is Heaven abandoning me as well as the Cho Kingdom? I want to cry.’

Han Seokbong shed tears as he lamented.