Episode 89
089: When That Time Comes
Her face was sunken. It was more sunken than when she first gave him the quest. He summarized the current situation for her.
“It’s a monster wave. Sigh… I’m worried if the city can hold out. I should go see for myself…”
Having heard the situation from Geumson, Astrid let out a deep sigh. The moment Geumson tried to speak at her strange demeanor, Astrid didn’t give Golden Hand the chance. Instead, she simply pulled out a book from her robe and handed it to him.
“This is the magic Engraving Art I promised you. It will help you.”
[You have obtained Astrid’s Special Skill Book ‘magic Engraving Art’.]
[Will you use it?]
The reward for the ‘Twisted Causality’ quest. Astrid was presenting it. As he accepted it, a message appeared. It was the description of ‘magic Engraving Art’.
[Magic Engraving Art Lv.1]
[Active Skill]
Content: An ancient magical technique that engraves one’s magic in a specific form onto a target to draw out latent power or grant new effects.
[Effects]
[Attribute Granting]: Can engrave onto a target to grant a permanent attribute effect.
[Ability Enhancement]: Can carve an enhancement engraving to temporarily amplify a specific stat of the target.
[Magic Engraving]: 10% chance to grant one of Astrid’s spells to an item, manifesting a unique special ability.
[Life Engraving]: Can engrave onto a living being to grant a temporary buff or induce specific actions.
The moment he read the message, one item vaguely came to mind. The ‘Whistle Competition’ that caused players to hasten the Age of Ruin. That object, the ‘Scroll of the Divine Whistle’.
‘Granting to a target, not just an item… like the Scroll of the Divine Whistle?’
Of course, the ‘effect’ itself was incomparable to the ‘Scroll of the Divine Whistle’. Golden Hand had used the ‘Scroll of the Divine Whistle’ on himself to obtain the legendary skill ‘Sun’s Right Hand’.
But in terms of versatility. In versatility alone, ‘magic Engraving Art’ seemed overwhelming.
‘If I develop this to its extreme… I might even be able to create a Scroll of the Divine Whisper.’
Golden Hand had only wanted an enchantment magic to use on items. But Astrid’s magic Engraving Art. It truly was a magic worthy of being called a Grand Archmage’s, with immense potential.
Normally, Geumson would have been itching to try it out immediately. Now was different. He had learned a skill brimming with possibilities, but he buried that in his memory and looked at Astrid.
“Master, earlier…”
Geumsom tried to ask Astrid about the previous situation. That strange situation where she gave the ‘Twisted Causality’ quest but didn’t remember it. But Astrid changed the subject and spoke to him.
“Ah! Now that I think of it… I made one more promise, didn’t I? Hmm, what would be good? What should I give you to help…”
Astrid was deliberately ignoring golden hand’s words. She seemed to ponder for a moment, then pointed at the cabin over there. The cabin where Astrid lived.
“That cabin. You can have everything inside it. Won’t that be a great help for the trials you must face?”
golden hand fell silent at Astrid’s words. This wasn’t a normal situation. The ‘Twisted Causality’ quest was indeed difficult. Geumson himself wouldn’t have noticed the cause of the monster wave if he hadn’t encountered the Arachne guild members.
But even so, this was excessive.
‘Give me everything in that cabin? This is too much….’
Grand Archmage Astrid. Her research materials, various herbs, magic tomes—everything that was her life’s work. It was no exaggeration to call it Astrid’s legacy. Offering that as a reward for a single quest didn’t make sense.
Thinking back, it had been like this from the beginning. Giving away skills too easily, even potion recipes. The rewards were excessive for simply being a ‘disciple’.
‘Don’t tell me….’
Just before golden hand reached some conclusion, Astrid spoke to him.
“Golden Hand, my disciple. If you achieve satisfactory results after taking everything in that cabin… then, will you grant me one request?”
“A request…?”
“Yes, when that time comes…”
Astrid hesitated for a moment. But then, with a gentle smile, she spoke softly.
“Will you… kill me?”
Geumson was speechless at Astrid’s unexpected request. He thought it might be due to some illness bringing her close to death, given her exceptional dedication to caring for the patients on the floating island.
But Astrid’s request to kill her—this he hadn’t anticipated. And at that moment, a quest appeared.
[Sudden Hidden Chain Quest: The Overturned Hourglass]
Content: The hourglass of Grand Archmage Astrid flows backward. Due to the side effects of ancient magic, Astrid is losing her memory. Her extremely advanced magic does not even allow her own death. Gift Astrid the noble death she desires.
Prepaid & Success Reward:
Astrid’s Legacy
System Rewards:
Class Change: Grand Archmage
[Title] Mage-Slayer
.
.
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A cascade of rewards appeared. It seemed Astrid’s significance in 《Lepyon》 was immense. So much so that the system would grant rewards just for killing her. But golden hand didn’t even read further. There was no need. The conclusion was already decided.
“I refuse, Master.”
The moment golden hand refused, a message immediately appeared.
[You have rejected the sudden hidden chain quest: The Overturned Hourglass.]
A quest promising considerable rewards. Not even difficult. Just fulfill the request of Astrid, a Grand Archmage, and it’s over. That alone would yield immense rewards.
The legacy of a Grand Archmage, something he couldn’t even dream of in the past, didn’t even know existed—a golden opportunity to acquire it whole. Immeasurable tangible and intangible value. It would surely help prepare for the Age of Ruin, as Astrid said. That much was certain.
But golden hand refused.
‘Because I am not a wizard.’
He had obtained the mage class, but golden hand knew himself well. He was a golden hand who had keenly felt it through the experience of the Age of Ruin.
golden hand is not a wizard. The Grand Archmage who would stand through the Age of Ruin—that is not golden hand role.
‘Jung Ha-rin. If Astrid dies, Jung Ha-rin cannot become the Grand Archmage!’
The legendary Grand Archmage Jung Ha-rin. The countless battlefields where she shone. And the countless people who survived and found hope thanks to her. He couldn’t take Jung Ha-rin’s place. That role belonged only to Jung Ha-rin. Only she could do it.
‘Jung Ha-rin hasn’t even met Astrid, and now this request… Things are tangled up tight.’
For the first time, Geumson was faced with a situation where causality was completely twisted. Perhaps this entire situation was something he himself had caused. Meeting Astrid at a time that shouldn’t exist. In a place where he shouldn’t be. That was the beginning.
“Golden hand, my disciple. It’s alright.”
Golden hand eyes wavered. Because he had too many thoughts. But Astrid stroked his head and said.
“My hourglass has already been overturned. I forget what I want to remember, and remember too vividly what I want to forget. Perhaps… I wished to paint a miracle that should not be painted.”
Astrid was trying to persuade golden hand instead. Her voice gently enveloped him. As if it weren’t golden hand’s fault. As if it soothed his troubled heart.
“Bit by bit, my memories scatter like sand. I hoped to endure a little longer… But still, in the end, I painted the miracle of meeting you, so I am content.”
Before forgetting everything. Before the happy memories disappear, Astrid wished for an end. She spoke to Geumson once more.
“So that I can preserve this moment where I am remembered as having existed… can you kill me?”
Astrid’s earnest request. At that moment, his first meeting with Astrid came to mind. Astrid, who couldn’t remember Callise. The woman who hurried, saying there was no time. The woman who couldn’t even find the potions she had prepared for the patients on the floating island.
golden hand clenched his fist. So tight his nails dug into his palm, drawing blood.
Whatever about Jung Ha-rin, whatever about the quest. Whatever about the future, whatever about the legacy. Various excuses rising in his mind. golden hand knew too. They were just excuses, not important.
He just didn’t want to. Astrid, who thought of him first and comforted him even in such a moment. He didn’t want to lose her. That’s why Geumson shook his head firmly.
“Master, I am not satisfied.”
“But…”
“Not yet.”
Not yet. He couldn’t let Astrid go like this. Moreover.
“Master, you haven’t yet seen the miracle I paint, the miracle I wish for.”
A phrase Astrid often said. Magic must paint miracles. Astrid hadn’t yet seen the miracle golden hand painted.
“I want to show you the miracle I paint!”
At golden hand’s words, Astrid smiled faintly. Because it looked like a child throwing a tantrum. Still, Astrid nodded.
“Alright, will you show me your miracle?”
As Astrid’s words ended, a message appeared. Even for Geumson, who had played 《Lepione》 for a long time, it was a message he was seeing for the first time.
