NOVEL WEB Chapter 28: lucky
The moment Arion nudged the pebble aside, the valve opened.
Fsssssssssshhhhhh…
A hidden stream of excess energy vented from the mountain into the sky. The deep groaning stopped. The rivers of mud slowed, then stopped completely. For a moment, the mountain's rocky face glowed with a warm, golden light—and from high above, it released a sound like a long, relieved sigh.
The entire valley fell silent.
Arion opened his eyes. "Good. Got rid of the pebble. Now, what's my excuse to run?"
He looked around to find everyone—from Valerius to the lowliest miner—staring at him with jaws dropped and eyes wide.
They had just witnessed the impossible. This man sat, meditated, and, without a single chant or spell, simply calmed the mountain's grief.
Valerius stepped forward, tears of joy shimmering in his old eyes. He placed a hand on Arion's shoulder.
"You didn't fight it… you didn't command it… you… you healed it." he whispered in a trembling voice. "You found the mountain's smallest pain… and with a single touch of compassion, you took it away. What… what are you?"
Before Arion could process this new, absurd tier of misunderstanding, the system window popped up to fan the flames.
Ding~
> [Emergency Quest Complete: Comfort the Crying Golem]
Description: You removed an annoying pebble, accidentally resolving an economic and spiritual crisis centuries old. Congratulations.
Reward: New Title, New Skill.
[New Title Acquired: Friend of the Earth]
[New Skill Acquired: Vibration Sense (Rank D)]
Description: You can sense fine vibrations in the ground around you, letting you detect nearby movement even if you can't see it.
Arion stared at his new reward. "A sensing skill?" he thought. "This… this is actually useful!"
For the first time, he felt a glimpse of real victory. Then he looked at the awestruck faces surrounding him—and realized his reputation had just reached heights he couldn't even imagine.
"Great," he thought as he stood slowly. "I started today trying to kill some spiders. Now I'm the 'Friend of the Earth' and healer of mountains. I don't even want to imagine what will happen if I try to wash my clothes tomorrow."
---
At the now-silent mountain's base, the mood was like a festival. Miners who'd been running for their lives an hour ago returned, cheering and weeping, looking at the mountain as if it had been reborn.
A few overly enthusiastic adventurers tried to lift Arion onto their shoulders in celebration.
But Arion, who hated surprise touching and loud attention, instinctively stepped back, his face cold as frost under his hood.
Hands froze mid-air.
"Stop!" someone yelled. "Don't you see? Lord Arion doesn't celebrate. To him, saving an entire city isn't a triumph to boast about—it's a burden he silently carries for us, the weak. Such humility… such silent suffering!"
Valerius nodded wisely, as if agreeing completely with this deep psychological analysis. Meanwhile, all Arion thought was: "Their hands are muddy. I really don't want them touching my clean cloak."
Valerius announced that the crisis was over and that the Miner's Guild and City Council would grant a huge reward to "Friend of the Earth, Lord Arion." Arion felt his debts grow—not in money, but in expectations.
---
Subtle Tremors on the Road Back
On the way back to Arcadia, Arion was given a luxurious carriage—after all, a hero's feet shouldn't be dirtied by the road. While other adventurers rode on horseback at a respectful distance, Arion sat alone inside the carriage. It was the perfect chance to test his shockingly useful new skill.
He closed his eyes, pretending to be deep in thought.
Ding~
> [Skill Activated: Vibration Sense]
[Mana Cost: 10 per minute]
In an instant, his perception of the world shifted. He didn't "hear"—he felt. He felt the carriage wheels bumping along the road, the heartbeats of the horses pulling it, the hoofbeats of the escorts. He felt tree roots drinking water in silence, and a burrow of rabbits scurrying underground. It was amazing.
"This… this is so much better than humming!" he thought with genuine excitement.
While enjoying his new power, he sensed something strange. A faint vibration, but unnaturally regular. It wasn't an animal—it wasn't natural. It was coming from deep underground, far off the main road.
Dum… dum… dum…
It was like the heartbeat of a massive machine—or a metal heart beating in the earth's core. He tried using [Detection Sight] in that direction but saw nothing.
A chill ran down his spine. "Whatever that is, it feels like real trouble. Trouble that has nothing to do with me."
He decided to ignore it completely. He already had enough unwanted problems.
---
The Legend Returns… and His Loyal Student
His return to Arcadia was legendary. Not loud cheers—but silent crowds lining the streets. People tossed flowers at his carriage. Some bowed as he passed. The atmosphere was like a mythical hero's homecoming.
Arion had drawn the carriage curtains, sitting in darkness, wishing he had a stealth skill.
At the guild's entrance, the scene grew even more surreal. His unwanted "student," the young man named Finn, was waiting. But he wasn't just waiting—he was sweeping the guild's steps with fervent dedication, as if the cleanliness of those stairs were the most sacred duty in the world.
When Arion's carriage stopped, Finn dropped the broom and fell to his knees at once.
"Welcome back, Master!" he shouted with pure emotion. "I've been purifying this entrance of negative energy diligently, awaiting your triumphant return!"
(The word "diligently" had never been in Finn's vocabulary before, but he'd read it in a book and thought it sounded like something devoted disciples would say.)
Arion looked at him, found no words, and simply walked past him into the guild.
Of course, Finn interpreted this as: "Good. You have completed your task. Now continue your path of growth." and picked up his broom again with blissful zeal.
---
The Reward He Couldn't Refuse… and a Desperate Plan
Inside Valerius' office, the mood was more formal.
"Lord Arion," Valerius began. "The entire city is yours. The Miner's Guild and City Council offer you this reward."
He set down a pouch heavier than the last. It contained ten gold coins.
"Ten thousand copper…" Arion murmured. "I could buy a small army with this."
"But we know you care nothing for worldly wealth, Lord," Valerius went on, smiling wisely.
Arion felt danger.
"Therefore," Valerius announced proudly, "instead of burdening you with this fleeting metal, we have decided, in your name, to found the 'Arion Fund for Orphans and the Needy.' This reward will be its first donation! You shall be the city's living symbol of hope and goodness!"
Arion stared at Valerius in horror. They had taken his money, turned it into a charity he never asked for, and made him its figurehead. He had been robbed—in the name of virtue. His legend now managed his finances for him.
"This… is very… generous of you," Arion said, feeling his soul leave his body.
He fled the guild in shock, back to his home—back to Leora and Calin, his only islands of sanity in this insane life.
He sat in his garden and looked at the sky. "It's over. I can't keep doing this. This legend is going to eat me alive. The more I try to live quietly, the bigger the catastrophes they drag me into."