Chapter 51
WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
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Trantor/Editor: Ryuu
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
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? Everyone Else is a Regressor (51)
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After storing all the rewards from the secret space, including the sofa and bed, in the inventory and returning to Turris with the Orcs, KiJun distributed a fair amount of the gold coins he had obtained from the secret space to them and advised them to hide for the time being.
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“The lord might not hold me ountable, but one can never be sure about people’s hearts. It’s not just me; they might me you guys for Tolchi’s death, so better stay hidden for now.”
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“You want us to leave you alone in danger!?”
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“I have the ability to get myself out of any situation. Trust me.”
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“Jun......”
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Naturally, the Orcs were reluctant, but KiJun easily persuaded them with his assurance.
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“If things take a turn for the worse, I’ll message you, so wait.”
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As he said this, KiJun suddenly asked Charbanbesh.
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“Do you have a RetaPhone?”
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“Haha… don’t be surprised, Jun. For summoners like us who live a mercenary life, gathering information and keeping in touch is vital. We scraped together all our points a year ago to get a [RetaPhone6] formunal use!”
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Charbanbesh proudly showed off a somewhat shabby-looking rectangr device, clearly an older model than KiJun''s.
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RetaPhone6, obviously a discontinued model by now.
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KiJun couldn’t bring himself toment and simply exchanged Retalk IDs with Charbanbesh, whose ID was [MightiestOrcFiveBrothers].
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“Oh, so Jun is [Teacher''sPet]? It’s always good to remember and respect the teacher who taught you.”
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“Yeah……”
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Of course, it wasn’t the ID KiJun had set.
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But he had to keep using it, fearing Bice would get angry if he changed it.
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Meanwhile, the bald Orc Kipuz eximed excitedly, seeing KiJun’s sleek RetaPhone15.
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“Jun’s RetaPhone must be the gship model RetaPhone15, secretly released targeting top civilization summoners from the Reta Continent! I heard even second-year summons don''t have ess to it. How did you get it?”
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KiJun was more concerned about Kipuz''s surprisingly rich vocabry, but he kindly answered his question.
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“My teacher bought it for me.”
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“Jun’s teacher must be a really good person.”
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“Now I understand why Jun’s ID is what it is.”
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“I wish I could be taught by Jun’s teacher too…”
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Deeply impressed by KiJun’s confession, the Orcs nodded repeatedly and headed to the inn.
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Recalling Bice’s smile, KiJun stroked his RetaPhone once, took a deep breath as if bracing himself, and then set his face grimly as he headed to the lord’s mansion.
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―Is it really a good idea to go to the lord like this, Contractor?
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‘I think so. At least for the quests we’re facing in the future, this is much better.’
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―But what if the lord tries to bind you in Tolchi’s ce since he lost his strongest knight? Haha...
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―Why are youughing creepily at a time like this!? What are you nning to do with the lord!?
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Even though he had returned after clearing the dungeon, it was still evening. The guards at the mansion, wearing a smile, briskly approached KiJun and saluted without hesitation.
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The salute, simr to the Korean military, was a bitical, but recalling his days as a soldier more than 25 years ago, KiJun returned their salute, to their delight.
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“We got a salute from him!”
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“His hand angle was perfect! Just as I said, he must have been active in various ces beforeing to Turris?”
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“Of course, a hero like our mage can tell from just a salute!”
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The soldiers seemed to have started another weird misunderstanding about KiJun''s salute, but he couldn’t bother to correct them and just let it be.
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“I want to see the lord.”
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“He has been waiting for you. The lord said you woulde.”
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“…Is that so?”
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It seemed they roughly understood the situation with Tolchi.
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With an even heavier heart, KiJun sighed inwardly and entered the mansion.
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Walking alone in the garden where the ceremony had been held yesterday, he suddenly saw someone waiting for him in the center.
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“Wee, Mr. Jun.”
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A white-haired woman with neatly trimmed hair at the nape, dressed in a crisp butler’s uniform, greeted him with a bow.
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“The lord is waiting for you.”
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KiJun nodded lightly, and the woman led him inside the mansion.
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Unlike the elder’s, her lustrous white hair fluttered in front of him, making KiJun wonder if the lord''s white hair wasn''t due to aging.
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Walking ahead without looking back, the woman asked in a calm voice.
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“May I ask you a question?”
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“Of course.”
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She led him through a wide hall on the first floor, choosing one of the grand staircases, reminiscent of a Western-style mansion.
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Maids cleaning the corridors were startled to see her, bowed quickly, and stepped aside.
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Ascending to the second floor, then to an inner staircase leading to the third floor, she spoke again.
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“What do you think about a summon bing a subordinate to a Retan... or in your terms, an NPC?”
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“I respect each individual''s choice. But personally, I have no intention of bing anyone’s subordinate.”
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“Is that so.”
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Expecting more words, KiJun was surprised when she fell silent.
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Soon, they arrived at the lord’s private office on the third floor. She knocked twice on the door, nodded at a quiet voice from inside, and stepped back.
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It seemed she didn’t intend to go inside.
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“Then――”
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“The lord doesn’t favor drastic changes.”
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Just as KiJun was about to turn the doorknob, she spoke again.
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KiJun turned around―the woman was now looking straight at him.
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“Please don’t be too harsh on him.”
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“Me? On him?”
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“He didn’t just neglect Sir Tolchi. He feared that intervening hastily would cause greater chaos... I’m truly sorry that it led to you having to dirty your hands.”
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KiJun realized what she meant and couldn’t hide his flustered expression.
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He was d he was wearing a mask.
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“Do you think I came to me him for his direct knight’s fault?”
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“Isn’t that the case?”
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Only then did KiJun wonder if both the lord of this small city and the woman in front of him overestimated his capabilities.
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A direct knight of the lord is a top human resource of the domain, yet here they are, asking KiJun not to be too hard on him for killing such a person, even if the faulty with him. Aren’t they a bit too easy-going?
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Perhaps this was thanks to his Legendary-grade charisma.
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Though his growth process was a mystery, KiJun wasn''t feeling too bad about reaping such benefits.
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"Don''t worry. The issue with him has already been resolved. I came to the lord to exin how and why his knight died, and at the same time――"
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"At the same time?"
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The woman, slightly tense and fiddling with the horn on her forehead, waited for KiJun''s next words. KiJun, feeling a bit yful, smirked and said,
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"The lord doesn’t like drastic changes, right?"
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"That’s true, but..."
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"Then he might end up disliking me a lot."
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"What do you mean... Ah?!"
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KiJun turned the doorknob and opened the door.
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Unable to say anything more, the woman grunted and watched him go.
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The door closed behind him.
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"People can be so mischievous."
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The lord, shaking his head as if he had heard their conversation outside,mented.
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Sitting on the sofa in front of his desk, the lord held a ss filled with ice and a pumpkin-colored liquor. On the table, there was a half-empty whiskey bottle, an ice bucket, and another ss.
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KiJun chuckled and settled into the sofa opposite him.
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―Our sofa is much better, Contractor!
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Ignoring Lucy''s pridefulment, KiJun reached for the ss, but the lord stopped him and poured the drink himself, adding ice.
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"It’s a pretty good drink. A bit strong, but you''ll like it straight once you get used to it."
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"Thanks."
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The drink was excellent, so much so that KiJun regretted diluting it with ice.
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Not particrly interested in the drink itself, the lord smirked at KiJun’s bold drinking.
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A mix of incredulity and admiration was evident in his expression.
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"Did you really drink Tolchi’s poison willingly?"
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"Do you know what he was trying to do to me?"
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"I had a reliable source investigate his movements. They were quite tant. It’s not easy to find a sedative strong enough to knock out someone as powerful as you."
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"I suppose so. It didn’t work, anyway."
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Surely, the lord must have given up on Tolchi''s life the moment he knew he was acquiring poison, certain that KiJun would not forgive him.
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KiJun nodded in understanding and took another sip of his drink.
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Tolchi handling a sedative waspletely separate from whether KiJun would drink the lord’s wine. Of course, his confidence in his resistance also yed a part.
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Absolute self-confidence to stick to one''s standards, regardless of the opponent or situation.
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That''s the essence of the übermensch.
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At least, that''s what KiJun liked to think.
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"I’ve said this to your butler as well――"
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"She’s my daughter. My sessor. Isn’t she lovely? She looks a lot like my wife who passed away."
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"I guessed from the horn on her forehead. But using your daughter and sessor as a butler?"
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"It''s part of her education as a sessor."
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KiJun shrugged and finished his drink, then set down the ss.
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"Anyway, like I told her, I didn''te here to me you. If you don’t me me――"
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"Not at all."
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"Is that so."
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KiJun had braced himself for being unable to set foot in Turris or even the entire Gratia Kingdom. Things resolved much easier than expected.
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He quickly messaged Charbanbesh that everything was settled and faced the lord again.
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"Shall I describe his end?"
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"......I have a request about that."
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The lord''s voice turned serious, and KiJun, anticipating his words, poured more drink.
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What followed was somewhat predictable.
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Despite sessfully averting it, the Overflow had left significant damage. Revealing Tolchi''s attempt to murder KiJun would cause unimaginable chaos and crush the spirits of the people.
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So, the lord''s request was to wait until the damage from the Overflow was repaired, and the city''s spirits lifted before revealing the truth.
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KiJun''s response was brief.
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"Just bury itpletely."
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"No, that’s not――"
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"Not for him. For the soldiers who believed and followed him, thinking he was a knight."
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KiJun firmly stated this, recalling the deeply shocked faces of the MightiestOrcFiveBrothers upon facing Tolchi''s reality.
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They had ovee the shock and were willing to move forward, but could everyone do the same?
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KiJun had no intention of tarnishing the city''s atmosphere just to satisfy his feelings, unless Tolchi''s dead body could somehow bring achievements or rewards.
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"Hmm, you really are..."
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"Fine, then let’s end the discussion about Tolchi here. He died while cleaning up after the Overflow when attacked by vampires. Agreed?"
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"I can''t look up to you... wait, vampires?"
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The lord, looking at him with an indescribable expression and bowing his head, suddenly sprang up in rm at KiJun’s words.
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Finally, the ''main topic'' had been reached.
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As KiJun presented all the documents he had acquired from the dungeon''s secret space, the lord scanned them in disbelief, groaning.
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"You really are..."
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The same words as before, but with a distinctly different nuance, made KiJun chuckle unintentionally.
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"Will the royal family believe this data?"
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"Regrettably, as much as I appreciate you sharing this, it''s a long shot."
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Of course, it would be.
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The more critical the information, the harder it is to be trusted.
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Moreover, Turris is a small city on the fringe of Gratia. To say that he had stopped an Overflow there and found documents about a vampire invasion nned for the entire kingdom in a year’s time? Even KiJun would find it hard to believe.
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"So, we start slowly from now."
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The lord’s following words perked up KiJun’s ears.
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"If we rush, it’ll end in disaster. That’s how it is with everything in life."
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"True enough."
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The lord, not fond of drastic changes, seemed to show that trait here. Agreeing with him, KiJun nodded, and the lord, slightly relieved, continued.
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"So first, we gather reliable allies, increase our size and voice. It''ll seem like we have something to rely on, and others will start paying attention. When we form a group with the right people, the kingdom will have to listen."
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"Sounds easy."
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"Of course, the execution is difficult. You''ll have your work cut out for you."
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Here we go.
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Catching on to KiJun’s sarcasm, the lord now smiled at him.
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"Let''s start by raising your fame. Let’s build our size around you. Chasing the other traces left by the vampire bruteses next."
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He waved the documents in his hand, almost teasing KiJun, as if saying he had brought them here only to step back from the whole thing.
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Of course, KiJun had no intention of just "breathing" for a year, as Bice had mentioned… but the thought of getting deeply involved gave him chills.
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"So you’re asking me to start rolling down from the top of a snow-covered hill."
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"An apt metaphor. A unique experience for a me Human like you, isn’t it?"
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The lord extended his hand to KiJun with a gentle smile.
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"For the next year, I’m counting on you."
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KiJun shrugged and shook his hand.
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Somehow, the first step seemed to have been sessfully taken.
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