Chapter 21: Pavel's Quest
Pavel’s Diary.
“……”
People shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Soo Hyuk carried ‘Pavel’s Diary’ and the other five books and returned to his desk. When he reached the desk, Soo Hyuk placed the books neatly on the desk and picked up a book to read.
It was the book that glowed a blue colour. Soo Hyuk held ‘Pavel’s Diary’ in his hands and flipped to the first page.
* * *
The Earth Pagoda.
“What?! Immeasurable talent?”
Spire Lord Kako exclaimed with a disbelieving expression.“For real? Are you sure? An SSS was assessed with my Wisdom Balls?”
A man stood next to Kako, who was spitting questions one after another. He was the Vice Spire Lord of Kako, Leto. Leto was calmly answering all the questions that Kako threw at him.
“Yes. It was confirmed.”
Kako thought after hearing his reply,
“Wow, they’re improving quickly over the years.”
Levels at which talent could be measured had improved tremendously after the emergence of Kako’s new invention. Kako didn’t think she would witness another SSS appear again. But another one appeared just one or two decades after the Wisdom Balls were introduced?
“How much talent does that guy have?”
Kako couldn’t imagine it. After all, no one knew her inventions better than she did.
“I want to see him.”
She wanted to see exactly who could surpass her Wisdom Balls.
“The gathering?”
“As you know, the time for this gathering must not be chosen hastily……”
Leto was correct. This gathering was not like the normal ones where only half the people would turn up, so they had to fit everyone’s schedule by asking every one of the Spire Lords first.
“Of course, it looks like everyone will still participate this time.”
“Right, since it’s an immeasurable SSS talent.”
Kako thought the same as Leto. Of course every Spire Lord had to participate. Wasn’t it the strongest talent to appear in history?
“Although the age does bother me somewhat.”
Kako had one thing that was troubling her. It was Soo Hyuk’s age. Kako received a SSS grade with the old system 30 years ago along with Berenice who also received it 31 years ago at the age of 5.
But this time the talent was 20 years old. 20 years old could be considered having a late start as it was well into the golden age of youth.
“But it probably won’t matter since he has an immeasurable level of talent.”
Although he was old for a beginner, he was still worth all the ruckus that was occurring everywhere. After all, the difference between the new Wisdom Balls and the old measuring device was so large that age wasn’t a major concern.
“When would you prefer it to be?”
“Hmm, not today. Match up the other schedules from tomorrow onwards. As soon as possible.”
“Okay, I’ll try to arrange it as soon as possible.”,
Leto replied to Kako.
“But……”
Leto asked Kako again after his reply,
Do you want him?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm……”
Kako stuck out her chin as she thought. After arriving at a conclusion, she replied.
“It would be good if he came to our tower.”
If the strongest talent in history came to the Earth Pagoda? The pagoda’s influence would experience a massive boom and exceed the others by far. How could Kako not have any greed for him?
“But the thing is……”
There was just one problem.
“The competition will be fierce. It would be bigger than the ones I’ve seen so far.”
It was a competition. The Spire Lords would all compete for him. Kako could still remember the fierce competition over her when her talent was deemed as immeasurable.
Every lord would want to take the new talent as a disciple. No, as a successor.
“I don’t have full confidence in winning over my seniors.”
The central Spire was still without a lord. Excluding the Matab Spire, there were 10 Spire Lords including her.
Kako was the weakest in terms of seniority and foundation. Kako’s age was also the youngest. She didn’t have confidence in triumphing over her seniors and roping over the new talent.
“I see.”
Leto nodded.
“What do you think, Leto?”
Kako asked Leto. Different from other pagodas and towers, Kako and Leto treated each other more casually despite their positions.
It was to the point where if Vice Spire Lord Leto seriously wanted Kako’s position, Kako would give it to him. After all Leto was the one originally eligible for the position and despite that, helped Kako get to where she is today and gave up his position. For this reason, Kako highly respected Leto.
“If you really want, why not give up on the new talent for now and get other benefits?”
Because the value of Soo Hyuk was so high, there were other benefits that could be acquired if one was willing to gave up and reached an agreement with another tower.
“You could demand for the 10,000 year-old Ice Crystal Essence that you’ve always wanted from the Ocean Tower, or the Black Dragon’s Core from the Tower of Poison. There’s a lot of options.”
“……!”
Leto’s suggestion made Kako reconsider the situation.
“Then should I give up?”
The value of a SSS grade individual was no doubt extremely high. But was it worth risking getting nothing, or should she just rake in the other benefits while giving up?
“But you might not see another person with immeasurable talent again in you life.”
Leto added to Kako’s thoughts with a smile.
“I personally think that the value of this new talent exceeds both the 10,000 year-old Ice Crystal Essence and the Black Dragon’s Core combined.”
A person with talent that can’t be measured by Kako’s Wisdom Balls, or the 10,000 year-old Ice Crystal Essence and a Black Dragon’s Core. Leto thought the former was absolutely more valuable. No, he was sure of it.
* * *
The book that sparkled with a blue light, ‘Pavel’s Diary’. Soo Hyuk was reading the last parts of the book.
.
.
.
The end of my life is approaching.
What have I got left? My massive wealth? My wide connections?
No, all I have left is regret.
If I only hadn’t turned my back then…….
Soo Hyuk closed the book after reading the last page and the lights started to disappear. But when the book turned back into a normal book, a message suddenly appeared.
[Special Quest ‘Pavel’s Inheritance’ has been created.]
[Wisdom has increased by 1.]
[Wisdom has increased by 1.]
“……?”
A quest?
“Ahhh……”
Soo Hyuk nodded in understanding.
“So this was why this book looked different.”
Soo Hyuk had wondered why this book was glowing blue. So the reason was because it gave out special quests.
“My wisdom’s also increased more.”
That wasn’t the only difference. Unlike other books, which only increased his wisdom by 1, the blue books also gave 1 additional point.
“What’s this special quest?”
Soo Hyuk opened his quest tab to check out ‘Pavel’s Inheritance’.
His quest tab only had 2 quests in it. The ‘Immeasurable Talent’ and ‘Pavel’s Inheritance’. Soo Hyuk tapped on ‘Pavel’s Inheritance’.
[Special Quest – Pavel’s Inheritance]
[Pavel, who made it to the top of the world, was regretting his past actions even as he died. Find the place of Pavel’s regret!]
[Quest Reward: ??? ]
“……?”
Soo Hyuk was even more confused than before after he finished reading the quest.
“The place of Pavel’s regret?”
This condition was what baffled Soo Hyuk.
“But it wasn’t in the book.”
The book didn’t say where ‘the place of Pavel’s regret’ was, so how was he supposed to find it? After all, it only said that Pavel had regretted, not where he regretted.
“Do I have to spend time searching for it based on the clues in the book?”
But at the same time, it wouldn’t be a special quest he could only get after reading the book if the book already said where it was.
“Let’s not do this now.”
Soo Hyuk closed the quest tab. What he wanted to do now was to read books, not complete quests.
Soo Hyuk could take it slow on the special quest as it had no time limit. He put aside the no longer sparkling ‘Pavel’s Diary’ and picked up a normal glowing book.
“But……”
Soo Hyuk couldn’t help but stop and wonder as he opened the book.
“Aren’t there other special books?”
Aren’t there other books like ‘Pavel’s Diary’? Or colours other than white and blue?
“Should I check?”
Translator and Editor Notes:
Kako’s gender is not clarified for the next couple of chapters in the raw so don’t take it seriously until confirmed. I suspect she’s female because I came up with a Japanese princess when I search the name up in Korean and English. Will have to edit as soon as I find out. Those are some hella advanced NPCs btw. ~ ManicFishCat
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