NOVEL WEB Chapter 72: Quest Completed.
Inside the house...
John sat at the old wooden table, his usual bottle untouched for once. His expression was serious, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Arthur.
"What's wrong this time?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.
Arthur smirked, leaning casually against the wall. "Why are you always assuming something is wrong?"
John rolled his eyes. "Because every time you drag me inside, it's to hit me with bad news. Like telling me you're increasing your reward or that the Serpent had evolved into some impossible beast."
Arthur chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Alright, relax, old man. This time, it's good news."
Reaching into his backpack, Arthur pulled out a sharp-looking object wrapped in cloth. He placed it on the table, unwrapping it with care.
"Here," Arthur said, sliding it toward John. "This is what you wanted."
John froze, his eyes glued to the item as if it were a mirage. Slowly, he reached out, his fingers trembling slightly as they wrapped around the object.
Sylvaris's razor-sharp fangs, unmistakable to his eyes, rested in his hands. The very thing that had haunted him for years was now within his grasp.
"This…" John's voice wavered, and he swallowed hard, his eyes misting as tears threatened to drop.
He turned the fangs over in his hands as if studying every detail, every curve, and every edge to ensure it was real.
For a long moment, he didn't say a word, his fingers tightening around the fangs. Then, a single tear rolled down his cheek, landing silently on the table. His shoulders trembled slightly as he let out a deep, shuddering breath.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "I have finally avenged my daughter."
Arthur remained quiet, his smirk softening into a small smile.
He crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, watching as John's emotions unfolded in front of him.
John's grip on the fangs tightened, his knuckles turning white. "You don't know what this means to me," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "I've waited so long... so many years. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was that damn Serpent."
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John's watery gaze flicked up to Arthur. "It took everything from me. My daughter... my family... my place in this world. I lost it all because I was too weak to stop it. But now…"
Arthur interrupted with a smirk. "Now, you don't have to wallow in self-pity anymore. Consider it a free service—well, not entirely free. You're still paying me."
John let out a small, shaky laugh, his tears still flowing. "I don't care how much you want, Fateless. This... this is worth everything."
Arthur pushed off the wall, his tone light. "Good to hear. Let's make the reward 10x instead of just a 3x." He grinned.
John paused, his mouth twitching slightly.
"I would have given you that but unfortunately for you, I'm not that rich," John said before he went to a small cabinet next to the bed and pulled out three normal, unassuming books and a medium-sized pouch.
"Here, this is your reward," John said, as he handed out the three skill books to Arthur
[Ding! You have Completed the A-Level hidden village #420 quest: Help John Kill the Silver Serpent that killed his young daughter. Quest duration: Four days. Reward: 3 Rare Skill books & 15 Gold Coins. Failure: You will lose -80 reputation points in the village, and most villagers will despise you greatly.]
Taking the reward from John, and looking at the system notification, Arthur's smile widened.
"Thank you very much, it was a pleasure."
John nodded, gripping the fangs close to his chest as if they were the most precious thing in the world. For the first time in years, a flicker of peace crossed his face.
Arthur turned toward the door, but before stepping out, he hesitated. He glanced back at John, who was still clutching the fangs tightly.
"You've got closure now," Arthur said, his tone softer than usual. "Use it to build something new. Don't just throw yourself into destruction with that alcohol. You owe it to her memory to actually live a good and meaningful life."
John blinked, his eyes snapping to Arthur with a look of bewilderment.
For a moment, he didn't respond, as if absorbing Arthur's words. Then, his expression softened, and a small genuine smile formed on his face.
"I didn't think you cared about what I did with my life," John said, a faint hint of humour breaking through the raw emotion in his voice.
Arthur smirked, his hand resting on the doorframe. "I don't. But I also don't want to see your sorry face again crying over what you could've done." He turned his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "Besides, a guy like you might surprise me. Who knows? You could actually turn out to be useful to this village."
John chuckled, the sound light and unburdened. "Thanks... I think."
Arthur didn't reply, merely lifting a hand in a casual wave as he stepped out of the house.
The sun shines greeted him with a welcoming hug as he let the door swing shut behind him, leaving John to his bittersweet moment of victory over the past.
"Guess not everyone's a lost cause," he muttered to himself. Then, his smirk turned into a full grin as another thought crossed his mind. "Time to find out just how good those rare skills are. But first, let me go to a place where no one can see me."
Inside the inn...
The inn was no different than usual with lively conversations and the clinking of utensils as people ate. Arthur ignored it all and headed straight to the stairs leading to Jasmine's room.
Arriving at the door where he'd left Jasmine earlier, he knocked once. No response. He knocked again, louder this time, a frown forming on his face.
"Really? Is she asleep or something?" he muttered.
Frustrated, he knocked harder, the sound echoing through the hall.
Finally, the door opened.
"Finally, you opened the damn doo—" Arthur's words caught in his throat as his eyes widened.