Later That Night
Thalen's Room
The door clicked shut behind him with a dull thud. He turned the lock.
Not that anyone ever came looking for a porter after hours.
The room was small—narrow bed, cracked desk, basin with old water—but to Thalen, it was a sanctum. No eyes. No suspicion. No questions.
He slipped off his outer gear, set his pack gently on the bed, and pulled the curtain tight.
Silence.
[Skill: Quest Architect – Rank B]
[You can assign quest to B-rank hunter and below. Maximum number of quest (20)
Ongoing quest(0) penalty section unlocked( you can now assign penalty in case mission failure]
"Bravo! Finally I can use this god damn skill"
Thalen shouted with smile all over his face
"Even the name changed"
"I wonder what's the limit for penalty"
"Well i just have to test it"
Thalen started laughing like a maiac alone in his room
South Guild Outpost — Side Alley near the Merchant Row
The crowd bustled in the midday sun—hunters bartering, vendors shouting prices, porters running errands.
Thalen sat on a crate near the edge of a stall, hood low, polishing a dagger with a scrap of cloth. Beside him, a little boy—maybe ten—darted between legs, eating ice cream like there's no tomorrow.
Target Identified: "Jalen – Civilian, Age 10"
Thalen's eyes gleamed.
He used[ eye of desire] on the kid
[Wants money to buy more ice cream]
[Quest Architect – Active]
Quest Title:[ sacrifice for the greater good]
Quest description:[throw your ice cream]
Reward [100 won]
Penalty [The ice cream will disappear]
Duration [30 sec]
He pressed Confirm.
A heartbeat later, the boy froze mid-step, blinking. He stared at something unseen—eyes wide.
Thalen watched from the alley's edge. Silent. Smiling.
He stared at his ice cream, blinking.
Then looked down at the cobblestones.
"...Okay," he said softly, as if someone had whispered in hisear.
A beat later, he turned his little hand—and dropped the entire cone.
It hit the ground with a sad splatter.
A beat later, the system pinged:
[Quest Completed ]
[Reward Delivered: 100 won]
Thalen didn't walk out this time.
He melted forward, shadows clinging to his frame like silk. [Stealth Master – Active] whispered through his system, muffling his presence to nothing.
The boy was still staring at the fallen cone. Still waiting, as if something might reverse itself.
Thalen's footsteps didn't echo. His breath didn't stir the air. Even the breeze ignored him.
He slipped behind the boy, close enough to touch.
The 100 won note peeked out from the kid's pocket—fresh, crisp, barely folded. Just sitting there. So easy.
Thalen's fingers moved like ghosts.
A brush. A flick.
The note vanished into Thalen's hand.
He was gone before the boy shifted his weight, never knowing he'd been lighter than before.
At the alley's edge, Thalen flicked the stolen note once between his fingers and smiled.
"Full circle," he whispered, grinning. "Economy maintained."
"This prove that I can steal the rewards back"
....
Thalen crouched atop a building ledge, eyes scanning the afternoon crowd below. Market stalls bustled, children laughed, merchants haggled. It was a perfect day for divine mischief.
He grinned.
[Eye of Desire – Active]
Targets lit up beneath him—desires flaring like lanterns.
Teen girl: [Wants her crush to notice her.]
Old man: [Wants someone to carry his groceries]
Merchant:[ Wants to take a bathroom break.]
Thalen's fingers danced midair.
[Quest Architect – Active]
Quest Title: [The Bold Shall Be Seen]
Description: [Shout "LOOK AT ME, I'M FABULOUS" in front of the fountain.]
Reward: [A pink hairpin (junk item).]
Penalty: [ Crush affection -30.]
Duration:1 minute.
He confirmed it. A second later, the girl's eyes widened as the invisible prompt filled her vision. She looked toward the fountain. Looked at the crowd.
And then—
"LOOK AT ME, I'M FABULOUS!!"
Gasps. Laughter. Her cheeks flared red even as the system pinged:
[Quest Complete]
[Reward Delivered: Pink Hairpin]
Thalen nearly fell off the roof laughing.
He moved on.
Next:
[Quest Title: The Weight of Kindness]
[Description:Ask a stranger to carry your
groceries for exactly 17 steps.]
[Reward:3 copper.]
[Penalty:Mysterious groin pain.]
Target:Old man.
And so it continued.
By now, he'd found the sweet spot: small stakes, public places, just enough weirdness to confuse but not enrage.
He perched on a bench this time, hood low, sipping from a borrowed drink while weaving mischief with invisible threads.
Target:Grumpy-looking rich woman, late 30s
Desire: wants people to respect her status
[Quest Architect – Active]
Quest Title:Prove Your Nobility
Description:Announce, "I am descended from dragons!" to everyone nearby.
Reward:Polished stone (shiny enough to look magical).
Penalty:You will trip in front of someone important within 24 hours.
Duration:45 seconds.
She was adjusting her gloves when it happened:
[New Quest Received]
Title: Prove Your Nobility
Description: Announce, "I am descended from dragons!" to everyone nearby.
Reward: Polished Stone (Artifact?)
Penalty: You will trip in front of someone important within 24 hours.
Time Remaining: 45s
Her eyes widened.
A quest? Me?
Is this a test of pride? Or courage?
The penalty... humiliating. The reward... perhaps symbolic?
Her mind raced.
No one nearby is truly important. If I trip in front of a merchant, it hardly matters.
She cleared her throat. Straightened her back.
If the gods were watching, she'd pass with dignity.
"I… AM DESCENDED FROM DRAGONS!"
A child clapped. A baker gawked.
She flushed slightly, but held her ground.
When the reward landed in her pocket—smooth, luminous, almost magical—her confidence surged.
Thalen's streak continued.
symphony of petty chaos—quests falling like unseen raindrops, each one ridiculous, divine, and impossible to trace back to him.
A god of nonsense.
A phantom prankster.
And not a single coin lost this time.
...