Episode 112
112. There Is a Man
“Th-then… the Archmage Astrid?”
At Geumson’s words, Jeong Harin looked confused—then let out a small laugh.
She already knew where Astrid currently stood.
“How could I possibly meet an NPC like that? Right now in Lepyon, players are going crazy just trying to see her once…”
Ever since the Defense of Airtoss, Astrid’s status had completely changed.
Some players even visited Airtoss solely on the off chance of encountering her by accident.
But Geumson spoke calmly to Jeong Harin.
“You know something called the connection bonus, right?”
“Connection… bonus?”
“You didn’t forget who I am, did you?”
Jeong Harin froze, her expression blank.
Geumson continued.
“When you reach your destination… Astrid will be in that cabin.
Show her this brooch, and she might accept you as her disciple.
Maybe your little brother too.”
Jeong Harin’s eyes went wide.
Just meeting the Archmage would draw enormous attention from players—
but becoming her disciple?
It was something she had never even imagined.
“R-really? Someone like me…?”
“What’s wrong with you? And besides, it’s because it’s you that this is possible. Hajun has talent too. Go and learn properly. You’ll have to help me later.”
Geumson placed the brooch into Jeong Harin’s hand.
Astrid would read the memories stored within it.
How Geumson viewed the siblings.
How outstanding their latent potential was.
And above all—
She would recover all memories related to golden hands himself.
If that happened, Astrid would not refuse.
“Ahem… then what about me?
Isn’t there something for me too?
There’s a lot I want to learn from Astrid as well…”
While Geumson was recalling memories of Astrid, Ma Jincheol cautiously cut in.
Geumson snorted and replied flatly.
“My master says she’s sick and tired of mazes.”
“That can’t be! There’s no way an Archmage wouldn’t recognize the true value of mazes! Mazes contain life itself—the ultimate—”
“Mister, just open the skyway already! Hurry!”
Ma Jincheol’s praise of mazes.
Tedious—yet strangely nostalgic.
In his previous life, I had heard those words until he was sick of them.
But right now, sending the Jeong Harin siblings away safely came first.
“Destination: the floating island of Airtoss.
Go, Griffin.”
When golden hand lightly tapped the griffin’s hindquarters, the beast spread its wings wide.
Fiiiiiiiii—!
The griffin launched powerfully into the air.
In an instant, it soared high into the sky.
Jeong Harin waved toward Geumson as he grew farther away.
“Wow! Big brother! We’re flying! Flying, flying!”
“Oppa! Thank you! Let’s 꼭 meet again later!”
“Big brooo! Byeee!”
golden hand waved back.
As their figures grew smaller and smaller, he felt a hollow ache settle in his chest.
But at the same time, he felt relief.
They were safe now.
And they would return—stronger.
“—Let’s play together next time!
By then, I’ll…”
Jeong Harin’s final shout lingered in his ears.
She understood.
Right now, she was too weak to stand beside golden hand.
Until now, it had been enough to just play with Jeong Hajun—but things were different now.
If she wanted to play alongside golden hands, looking in the same direction as him…
She needed to grow stronger.
At the very least—
Strong enough not to hold him back.
‘Yeah. I can wait as long as it takes.’
Geumson answered silently, watching until they completely vanished from sight.
Only then did he turn toward Ma Jincheol.
Ma Jincheol stood there with his arms crossed, watching him with clear interest.
“You look surprisingly good as a babysitter.”
“Babysitter, my ass. More importantly…”
“Share the quest with me.”
“Haha! So you really mean to do it?”
Ma Jincheol laughed heartily and nodded.
He didn’t doubt golden hand’s strength.
The combat power Geumson had shown on stream was proof enough.
The only thing he worried about was the despair golden hand would feel upon seeing the undead legion.
“Alright. Let’s give it a shot together!”
[Ma Jincheol has shared the quest ‘A Flower Blooming in the Cold.’]
A message appeared before Geumson’s eyes.
[Quest: A Flower Blooming in the Cold]
Description: Stop the ‘Witch Elmari,’ who has occupied Frellia and seeks to defy the natural order, and liberate the city.
Success Condition: Subdue the Witch of the West
Rewards:
Frozen Breath of the Full Moon [Mythic]
Skill Book: Maze Creation
Affinity with the Lord of Frellia: Maximum
???
Golden Hand’s eyes widened as he checked the details.
The rewards were blatantly outrageous.
‘A Mythic-grade material… Frozen Breath of the Full Moon?’
Just the name alone screamed rarity.
Extreme cold—
and unmistakably, the power of the moon itself.
‘This… could be used when hunting the Serpent of the Lunar Eclipse.’
The Serpent of the Lunar Eclipse—
a target he would have to defeat after reaching level 100.
Parakel had said that to slay it, one needed a blade forged from lunar essence and infused with supreme venom.
This material could very well be that key.
But what caught golden hand’s attention even more was the second reward.
‘Maze Creation…’
He glanced at Ma Jincheol.
Ma Jincheol was smacking his lips as he stared at the reward list.
‘So this was it.’
golden hand realized.
In the past, Ma Jincheol had failed this quest.
That Ma Jincheol had never possessed such a skill.
‘The crown prince’s interference must have caused the quest to be judged a failure.’
Throughout the Age of Destruction, Ma Jincheol had built ice walls to form mazes.
Not through a skill—but through pure ability and endless labor.
If he had possessed Maze Creation back then?
‘A wall-less maze… a perfect fortress…
He might have been able to build it even in reality.’
If so—
Perhaps countless shelters wouldn’t have fallen.
Perhaps countless lives could have been saved.
‘This quest… must succeed.’
Resolve hardened in golden hand’s eyes.
This wasn’t just about killing a witch.
Giving this skill to Ma Jincheol—
That, too, was a vital move for the future.
“This quest is insane. A Mythic-grade material…”
“Right? Just selling that alone would make you rich.”
“True. And if we sell the Maze Creation skill book, that’d be another fortune.”
A subtle exchange of glances passed between them.
They wanted different things.
Which meant a long negotiation was unnecessary.
“Alright! Fine! I get it!
If we succeed, you take the material.
But—!”
“Don’t worry. I don’t need the skill book anyway.”
“…Feels like I’m the one losing out.”
Ma Jincheol grumbled, but he didn’t seem displeased.
With no combat ability, the quest was nothing more than a burden to him.
Attempting it—and succeeding—was already a gain.
“Let’s go, mister.”
“I told you not to call me mister! Call me Brother Jincheol!
But wait—are we really going like this?”
“Yes, Mister Jincheol.”
Ma Jincheol opened his mouth to protest, then simply sighed.
Still, concern crept into his voice.
golden hand seemed to be rushing in without any preparation.
“Hey, shouldn’t we prepare something… anything?
At least some mental preparation?”
“We’re fighting undead. What preparation do we need?”
“…Ha. You’re the first guy I’ve ever seen look down on undead like this.
Whatever—just don’t run away when things go south, alright?
If you do, I’m uploading everything to Repinet!”
Ma Jincheol hesitated, as if about to start recording.
But golden hand upped the ante.
“No need, Mister Jincheol.
I’ll just start a broadcast myself.”
“…Huh? Seriously? Are you sure?”
“Yes. Check Repinet.”
Ma Jincheol was dumbfounded.
He hadn’t actually intended to record.
It was just to scare golden hand into being cautious.
But Geumson starting a broadcast himself?
That told him golden hands was serious.
If anything, Ma Jincheol began to worry.
‘Seriously… what if he embarrasses himself?’
golden hand’s popularity was at its peak after the Defense of Airtoss.
But Frellia was different.
The city had already fallen to the undead.
If Geumson fled on stream, his image would take a hit.
Just as Ma Jincheol was worrying—
He saw the broadcast title.
[Broadcast Title]
Hero Theater! The Hidden Hero of Airtoss!
The ULTIMATE Jincheol Choi!
Meeting Him at Last!
His Lepione nickname was plastered across the title in massive letters.
“Hidden hero,” “ultimate”—
blatant clickbait.
Ma Jincheol grimaced.
But golden hand’s didn’t even flinch.
With an even more serious expression, he began the broadcast.
“Here stands a man who desires nothing but peace.
A man who never sought rewards—
only the peace of Airtoss.
This man is none other than…
Choi. Kang. Jin. Cheol!”
Ma Jincheol’s face flushed.
The chat window exploded with messages.
Viewers were stunned by his sudden appearance.
After all—
This was the first time Geumson had ever personally introduced another player on his stream.
