al_squad
patreon
The Mist Vol 2 Chapter 28
🕑 Added 2024-08-13 09:05:51 +0000 UTCVol 2 Chapter 28
Zagreb truly lived up to its reputation as the central city. Tall buildings lined up under roofs painted in various colors, decorated with flowers, orderly roads paved with pebbles like tiles forming patterns, people swarming beyond arched gates guarded by sentries. Feeling his spirits lift at the majestic atmosphere incomparable to any other major city he had visited so far, Kapros turned his head towards his companions who had just arrived beside him.
"Did that bastard go in first?"
Kion-hyung, his face completely covered, asked while cautiously surveying the surroundings. Well, it couldn't be helped since his face had been so clearly captured in the video.
"Yeah."
"Hmm... The grand temple isn't far from here, so we can go a bit slower now. Alright, let's all go."
In Zagreb, there were noticeably more users wearing priestly robes compared to other cities. Kion-hyung explained that this was probably due to the grand temple of the healing god located here.
"It's an enormous place. I guess more people are becoming priests because it's so eye-catching."
On their way to find Kran there, Kapros turned his head to see people wearing the same clothes as Kion-hyung. He was inwardly surprised as he had never seen anyone wearing clothes with the same pattern as Kion-hyung before, but then he remembered seeing an information post about a new temple of Skaga being built in Zagreb. Kion-hyung walked past them nonchalantly with long strides.
"Hmm. Was the shortcut here...?"
"Wait a moment. This is near our guild, can I just go there first?"
While Kion-hyung paused briefly as if trying to gauge the way, Palton suddenly raised his hand and spoke indifferently.
"I don't really need to go with you, right?"
As Kapros was puzzled by the mention of "our guild," Kion-hyung nodded and waved his hand.
"Then I'll find that guy and go there."
"Sure. Be careful not to tear off your face covering again when you get angry."
"Whatever. It's my business. If you're going to leave, just leave quickly."
"Hahahahaha."
Palton's laughter at the cold insult drew attention from around, but Kion-hyung didn't care and snorted before starting to walk ahead again. Kapros and Yu-wan looked at each other once and followed Kion-hyung.
"We're here. This is it."
The grand temple of the healing god was indeed built in a very conspicuous location. Although Kapros wondered how they would find someone in such a large place, fortunately, Kran was quickly spotted near the main entrance. Just as Kapros was about to call out to Kran, he stopped in his tracks, seeing Kran's slumped shoulders and blank expression like a lost child.
'Did he fail the quest?'
The old lady NPC was nowhere to be seen either.
"Kran..."
Just as Kapros was about to call his name cautiously, something surprising happened. Yu-wan stepped forward and waved at Kran. Kran turned his head like the wind and then came running like a puppy.
"I finally did it!"
"Huh?"
Kran, his face brighter than the sun in the sky, ran up and hugged Kapros tightly.
"...Ugh!"
"Hahaha!"
A groan escaped Kapros as he wasn't prepared at all, but seeing Kran's extremely happy face, he suppressed the urge to use magic on him as he would have normally done. He had thought Kran was acting a bit more calmly lately, but seeing those sparkling eyes, he had a belated realization that it might not have been calmness but rather a lack of energy.
"So... what exactly did you do?"
"Ah, that's... Hey! What are you doing?"
Kran, who was about to answer, was pulled away by Yu-wan's hand on his shoulder.
"You're getting dust on him."
"What, are you treating me like a germ?"
As Kapros was happily watching their bickering after a long time, Kion-hyung approached.
"Are they always like this?"
"Yeah."
As Kapros nodded, Kion-hyung looked at the two with a strange gaze.
"I see... They're both quite pitiful guys."
"What do you mean?"
Kapros questioned the sudden remark, but Kion-hyung just chuckled without saying anything more. After a while, Kran, who had stopped his futile argument with Yu-wan and come back to his senses, shouted again with a bright smile, spreading both arms wide.
"I! I think I've finally found a proper clue for the quest!"
"What?"
Unlike Kapros, who was startled, Yu-wan, who had been arguing with Kran until just now, silently patted Kran's shoulder as if he had expected it.
"Yeah. Congratulations."
"What, keck!"
Although it didn't seem like a hard pat, Kran stumbled forward greatly and almost fell. Seeing this, Kapros felt conflicted as he remembered when he had been lightly hit on the back by Yu-wan before, falling face-first on the ground, losing health points, and feeling embarrassed.
'That guy must have raised his strength stat.'
As Kapros was drawing this tentative conclusion, Kran suddenly shouted.
"You bastard, are you jealous that I got this first?"
With those words, Kran held up something. It was a transparently glowing yellow gem pendant. Kapros intuitively recognized what it was and widened his eyes.
"Don't tell me that's..."
"Yes, this is the 500-year-old Shine Kni... Whoa!"
Just as Kran was about to answer proudly, Kion-hyung, his face changing color, roughly grabbed the back of Kran's neck.
"Wait...! Why are you doing this?"
"Hyung?"
"Put that thing in your hand away right now and shut your mouth. Kap and you dark guy, you two follow me too. Quickly!"
Before they could ask why, Kion-hyung immediately dragged Kran towards an alley. Kapros followed with Yu-wan. It wasn't easy to keep up with Kion-hyung, who was running while constantly changing directions through narrow alleys. As it wasn't a suitable place to use Blink, Kapros was falling further and further behind when suddenly Yu-wan, who had been running beside him matching his speed, held out his hand.
"...Why?"
"I'm a bit faster."
A quiet but firm answer came back. After hesitating for a moment, Kapros took that hand, and Yu-wan gripped it tightly and started running at a speed incomparable to before. For a moment, Kapros's body lurched forward and his hood came off, but there was no time to put it back on.
"Come quickly!"
