《24 Hearts》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

[Hello guys, this is the highest quality trantion on-site. {Higher budget = Higher quality} I¡¯m doing a test run to see if it is sustainable at 3x the cost per chapter if the premium chapters are 6 points rather than the usual 4. ] PROLOGUE In the first age, there existed seven monarchs within the demonic realm. Beings of utmost power, they were revered as gods, excepting one, for he was known to be a mutant. This was the Fourth Lord, Pernen, who was weaker than the other six tyrants. Many doubted whether the same pure blood flowed through his veins. Hecked the iron rule over his realm that came so naturally to the other monarchs. Following this, hecked great magical reserves, unable to curse the earth with natural cmities or assume a demonic form. His form appeared to be a fragile human body, yet he was still ancient beyond reckoning, his magical prowess taking forms that differed from his demonic kin. These regal beings ruled the demon realms, and in theory, their rule was absolute, none other able to take up their mantle of tyranny. Pernen was the sole exception, for great demon lords gleefully challenged his right to rule at every turn, wishing to devour him and subsume his pure blood. Yet, despite his obvious ws, he was still a monarch. He enforced this fact by his subtle mastery of magic, forming the elements to his will and replicating the powers of other beings. His real strengthy in his ability to analyze, and in so doing, understand the arcane arts. His power was not raw wrath to be unleashed upon worlds; no, it was a keen dagger of knowledge. Still, despite his subtle mind and mastery, his power would always be limited. This fact meant that he was constantly faced by the mortal coil, the threat of death: A phenomenon that the other monarchs had no understanding of, those beings of terrible power. In fact, had it not been for the intervention of another tyrant, Pernen would have been consumed and reced ages ago. So he persisted, but without pride, a miserly existence for one such as he. He had no choice but to consume the hearts of any devil he defeated, desperate for the smallest amplification of his magical reserves. For centuries he survived like this. Time was a cruel mistress, however, and with each tick of the clock, his influence over the realms waned. His kin expanded their dominions and control while he merely wandered from here to there, possessing only that which he brought with him. He was the beggar prince of the abyss, andless lord with no army to call his own. He despised his miserly existence, knowing that he could not maintain it for all eternity. The solution to his plight finally came to him: He had to increase the magical energies within his foes before consuming them. Quality over quantity, as the age-old adage went. This then was his new field of research, and he embraced it with all gusto. After many experiments, both failed and sessful; he had developed various spells and magical amplifications that none could imitate. Up until now, no concept of armor and armaments had existed within the realms, for the world was newly birthed from the void. His first creations were suits of armor fashioned from the raw hides of in demons and weapons fashioned from their razor-sharp ws. Pernen soon expanded upon these talents, hisboratories overflowing with the corpse matter of various high-ranking demons. He crafted his armor, weapons, and trinkets at a maddening pace, all the while engraving his artifacts with the runes of magic in thenguage that he himself hadposed. This was how his artifacts came into being, granting the previously weak monarch powers unlike any wielded by his kin. At first, his results were crude mockeries of hister masterwork creations. His fellow monarchs, as well as many demons, mocked him for tinkering with useless objects. They stated that no devil could be bested by rolling a stone down a cliff; no, true battle was a thing of w and jaw and me. Time is the ultimate arbiter; for his efforts and talents began reaping dividends. Pernen soon showed that he could craft the remains of in demons into lethal weapons and imprable armor. His ultimate apotheosis came when he mastered the ability to store and channel magic through the creations he had forged. Where previously he had been a magister of middling ability, he could now split the earth with a single gesture, summon piring spouts of me and, within the next instant, turn such terrible towering infernos into spires of ice. Even the heavens would open at hismand, lightning striking down upon his hated foes. Pernen, through wit and guile, had be as omnipotent as his fellow monarchs. No longer was he prey, and demons that still hunted for his heart found themselves torn to pieces and consumed in a matter of seconds. He imed his own portion of the realms, erecting magical barriers to ensure that none would pass within. He broke a great chunk of rock from the earth which he levitated into the air, carving out his castle with its walls and its reaching spires. All who dared invade his territory were bested. His peace did notst, for a vision of his future death came to him. He felt his body weaken day by day. He tried to deny this, even exploring the possibilities of a return from death, as he knew it was possible for some other beings. All these avenues of investigation availed him naught, and his eternal severance from the mortal coil became a given. For many years this situation haunted him, his entire existence threatened, and all hisbors proving to be futile. He still had many ages before death would strike, yet his death remained certain. It was during this time that many demons started copying his methods, crafting weapons from their own bodies, magically fueling them with slivers of their hearts. Their mimicry, ironically, gave him the answer he sought. He went to work at once, gathering all manner of materials from many strange and surreal spheres of the demonic realms. The weapons he had crafted by using demonic hearts were mighty indeed but were mere toyspared to the power he now sought to unleash into the worlds. After all his preparations had been made, he flew to the highest room in the highest spire within his heavenly castle. This would be his workshop, and perhaps his tomb. A dagger he plunged into his own breast, working it in hacking circles until finally, he held his still-beating heart within his hand. This organ could exist outside of him, and as long as a sliver of it existed, he could still draw breath. He then went about the task of cutting his own heart into twenty-four pieces, each of which was ced into a ss tube. Two of these pieces he magically infused into two swords that he had created some time ago. The next stage of his n now took full effect as he started forging items, infusing each of them with a remaining piece of his heart, a sliver of his true essence. It is in this tome that I now reference all twenty-four objects crafted by the Fourth Lord, Pernen: 1. Holy Sword Armenia [Bastard Sword] [Aspect of Light] 2. Demon Sword Karvenia [Bastard Sword] [Aspect of Darkness] Chiljido [Do]¡¸Attack / Magical Defense¡¹Argal [Long Sword] [Aspect of Death]Valentine [Ring] [Aspects of Honor and Destiny]Requiem [Long Sword] [Aspect of Fire]Frostde [Long Sword] [Aspect of Ice]Russen Ardahan [Golem] [Guardian]Izenster [Full Body te Armor] [Aspect of Glory]Altemia [Dagger] [Aspect of Blood]Silverion [Tachi] [Aspect of Speed]Gaia [Halberd] [Aspect of Land]Yakal [Great Sword] [Aspect of Wrath]Luquete [Staff] [Aspect of Lightning]Momentomori [Staff] [Aspect of Disease]Aylia [ Spear] [Aspect of the Phantom Realm]Starfish [Lance] [Aspect of Metal]Winter Wind [Bastard Sword] [Aspect of Wind]Moonlight [Shield] [Defense]Ginungagaf [Scythe] [Aspect of Darkness]Red petals [Spear] [Aspect of Severance]Ludmi [Chain] [Aspect of Binding]Silver Cross [Earring] [Aspect of Amplification]Carpe Diem [Ring] [Enchanted / Dependent] Uponpletion of his creations, the time of field-testing began. Each of his items, he tested on himself and then on his greatest foes. The results far exceeded his initial expectations, and his creations became the envy of the entire demonic realm, even awakening his fellow monarchs¡¯ greed. Still, even after the creation of such mighty treasures, emptiness once more entered his soul, for his death was still written in the strands of fate. Moreover, the shattering of his heart had brought his death even closer. His creations had robbed him of much, even if they were as mighty as they were. Pernen knew his death was certain and that a sessor had to be named to take his stead. Yet, he found none of the demons worthy of ascending his throne and iming his realm. After many centuries of meditation, the solution came to him: He would use the creations of his heart as the method by which his sessor would be chosen. He would introduce bnce, or discord, between the demonic and celestial realms. Between these realms, there existed the middle earth: A world of humans and other bipedal races. Twenty-four meteorites Pernen summoned to ferry his twenty-four creations onto the earth. They crashed into this world, each releasing their gift and forever changing and distorting countless fates. Following this arbitrary act, Pernen made his will known to this middle earth: ¡°Behold, you beings of weakness! I have sent from the heavens artifacts carved from my own breast. I am the fourth lord of my realm, and my power, my essence now resides within the twenty-four treasures that have struck the ground you crawl upon! The being who possesses all of my heart¡¯s creations shall be raised next to me, the fourth lord, whether this being be a demon, an angel or a mere mortal! You shall sit on my left-hand side, and, upon my death, shall be what I am! All realms and realities shall tremble at your feet!¡± This, then, is the tale of those twenty-four pieces of Pernen¡¯s heart. This tale begins with twenty-four meteors streaking across the sky. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My eyes fluttered open. At this moment of awakening, I felt my stomach churn like a sloshing ocean of acid. I sat up hurriedly, my entire body aching in a way that it had never ached before. Bile rose up in my throat as I almost puked, luckily gulping it down at thest moment. My hands rubbed against the fluffy nket upon which I had slept or passed out. I got out of the bed in a panic, though my legs were weak, and after a few wonky steps, I crashed to the floor. In desperation, I tried to stand once more, yet to no avail. My second attempt had only worsened the gut-wrenching turmoil that gripped my innards. Don¡¯t hold it in, throw it up! This thought raced through my mind as I started heaving dryly, even sticking my finger down my throat in a desperate attempt to end my suffering. My eyes teared up, and spittle drooled from my mouth as I tried time and time again to empty my stomach, yet nothing came out. At that moment, I became aware of a ringing in my ears. A chill raced up my spine, and my entire body started shaking. Was this what it felt like to die? At that moment, it sure felt like I was experiencing myst moments of life. Iy curled up there for a long time. Each moment passed in agony. It felt like hours had gone by when my nausea began to gradually fade. My body was no longer trembling, and the ringing in my ears had disappearedpletely. Thank God. I took a breath in and deeply exhaled, feeling a semnce of control returning to my body. What the hell had happened to me? I turned my head side to side, making a quick study of the room through my tear-filled eyes. I had never been here before, in this unrecognized room. Every piece of furniture was crafted from wood with not a single piece of modern technology to be found. There was a bright light shining from the wall opposite me. I forced myself to slowly crawl towards the light, feeling a wave of heat radiating from it as I came closer and closer. This light was not electrical in nature. There was no wiring connected to it, and what I had assumed to be a light bulb was some other thing entirely. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ The sensations, the pain¡­ This was all far too real to be a dream. I was awake. I was certain of this. Once more, I scanned the room, noticing the sizable pool my spittle had made as it had drooled from my mouth. Closer to the bed now, I shakily got to my feet and, in one hurried action, flopped down upon it. I came to believe that my location and the location of this room were the least of my concerns. No, what truly mattered was how I had gotten there as well as the reason for me being there in the first ce. As my body started to rx and my mind started to clear, memories slowly started to seep back into my consciousness. I had been sitting in front of my desk, doing a test run of the RPG I had created. Now, some may ask why I had chosen to create a game all on my own. The answer is this: The game that I wished to y has not been created by another human, so, if it does not exist, create it! That, at least, exins the philosophy behind my creation. Every year new technologies came into being, enabling the gaming industry to pump out titles that looked impressive, even if the storyline and the worlds were not that unique. No, yers wanted more than old titles re-recycled ad infinitum into shinier graphics: They wanted news things, fresh ideas, and they wanted them constantly. They wanted to row down an eternal river of novelty. Naturally, any gamingpany would struggle to keep up with such a never-ending and voracious demand. So things became almost stagnant, especially with yers like Yamche quickly finding every bug and exploit within a game and sharing it online for all to see and use. So that was the environment I had been used to, an environment where no game could evolve as fast as the expectations of its yer base. So it was a given that Company K¡¯s announcement caused tsunami-like ripples in the gaming world. They had stated boldly and bluntly that they were working on a new type of virtual reality game, something never seen before. Even if the release date was many years off, the project looked promising and went viral-wide within days. While all this was happening, another game developer had released their pride and joy, which in simple terms could be called a 3D RPG map and scenario creator. It was a game of vastplexity and gave the users much room in which to let their wildest dreams bloom into pixted reality. There was no multiyerponent to the game, but for those who loved roleying, whether it had a socialponent or not, it was not a problem in the slightest. The release of the editor and not an entire standalone game hade about due to budgetary restrictions, as the developers could not afford to make the game they wished to make. Their second reason for the release was to share with gamers how difficult it was to make a game. Their product surpassed all expectations and became a massive hit, sending their stock prices soaring overnight. Many yers worldwide took this opportunity to create the game they had always longed for. It was a bit messy in the beginning, with a lot of trial and error involved. Regr blog posts by the developers helped those who struggled, though, teaching them the basics and few hidden features. The yer had full control over their characters and could tweak the appearance and attributes of the non-yer characters as well. New types of monsters and weapons were showcased by thepany, and yers could both download and upload these when they logged onto the website. The yers felt like gods. Well, I had felt like a god when I created ¡®The Twenty-Four Hearts of Pernen¡¯. I started by crafting the basic geometries of my world. Soon I began adding environs and biomes as Iid down lush forests and jungles, vast arid deserts,kes ofva, and great mountain peaks were hidden entirely under the ocean¡¯s waves. I was over-ambitious from the start, with the world I had created bing so vast that it became difficult for me to work on it alone as well asprehensively beta-test it. Ultimately, I wished to y in this world, and for that happen, there had to be life. I started from one side, the n being to systematically fill the map with the life sector by sector. So my first steps in this regard were the creation of a vige and vigers, adding dialog and quest prompts as needed. The game became my life, and as I had started coding it when I was in high school, I knew I had plenty of time ahead of me to go wild with it. I never went out to bars to drink with my friends; no, ¡®The Twenty-Four Hearts of Pernen¡¯ consumed my free time. I then made my creation public, apanying it with a blog to keep anyone who liked my world up to date as to newer versions and possible tweaks. People yed it, some liked it and left positive reviews, and a few even went so far as donating money to me and my project. A year passed since my first upload, and by now, I could scarcely believe howplex everything had be. Had I truly created this on my own? Thepany had by now featured my game upon its main page, even paying me a stipend due to my dedication and frequent updates. By now, a great many people hade to like my work, their patronage freeing me from the need to get a temp job. All the people who were ying it also meant that bugs and glitches were found and fixed at an increased pace. The biggest part of my project that remained to be done was the creation of the central political force. Unfortunately, I had to pause development at that point to serve my mandatory military service. This disappointed many people, yet they remained patient because they knew it was worth the wait. So, finally, after four years in development, I finished my game. I had implemented everything that I had set out to implement. I had ceased all major updates, only adding a dungeon here or a quest there if the whim struck me. Achievements and titles were also added from time to time, as a form of fan service. I was content with this state of affairs. Moreover, I felt deeply honored by the gamingmunity, for my creation was within the official list of ten games that every human should y at least once. Then, many days after my ¡®retirement¡¯, Company K approached me with an offer. They had chanced upon the idea of converting my entire game into a VR experience. I jumped at this opportunity, knowing that no one made virtual reality games that could evene close to Company K¡¯s level. I scanned over their offer and promptly gave them every scrap of code, texture, and lore that they would require. Their estimated time-frame forpleting the project was between four and ten years, which was a long time to wait. I was not fazed, however, knowing that such things did take inordinate amounts of time to create. Therge, and I mean arge amount of money they had given me did not hurt either, so I left them to theirbors. When I finally had time for myself after all the signing of documents andpiling of data, I decided to take a break and do the one thing that I loved above all else: ying my game. I crafted my new character and¡­ That was thest thing that I remembered. Had someone kidnapped me? If that was the case, why lock me in such a spacious and luxurious room? I sat on the bed, chewing idly at my nails. Various scenarios shed through my mind. There was something that felt very, very wrong, yet I could not figure out exactly what it was. My gaze fell upon my legs. ¡°Why¡­ why are my legs so damned thin?¡± Suddenly the disparity in my surroundings and my rtive size became apparent: The room was not over-sized, no, it was I who was smaller, almost child-sized! How had I failed to notice this? With a mute sort of dread, I stared at my hands. They were not the hands that I knew, the hands that I had used since my birth. ¡°This isn¡¯t my body!¡± As I shouted this, I realized that even my voice was not my own. Horrified by what I had observed, I stumbled to the dresser. A mirror, I needed a mirror! I pulled the drawers out in haste, throwing out various objects in my frantic search. In the third drawer, I finally found a small gilded hand mirror. The face I saw upon that ss stared at me in horror. It was the face of a stranger. ¡°This¡­ This can¡¯t be!¡± There was no doubt. The visage I now wore was the face, the exact face, of one of the characters within my game. At that moment, something materialized into the air in front of me. I nearly crashed into the drawer; such was my fright. Floating before me was a translucent rectangr window consisting of some strange energy. It was lined with a neat green border, reminding me of the style of old text-based RPGs. A line of text floated in the exact center of this window. [Soul Sync Completed] The window shed out of existence, new ones soon taking up its ce. [We sincerely wee Master¡¯s participation!] [All systems are functional] [Authorization Granted: Initiate project ¡®Destruction of Destiny¡¯] ¡°Am I ying my own game? No¡­ No!¡± I briefly entertained the thought that Company K had kidnapped me and was using me as a test subject. Yet, this was an impossibility. I had handed my data over to Company K less than a day ago. It was not within the realm of possibility for them to have created a VR version of my work within such a short span of time. A few more system messages shed in and out of existence until they ceased to appear. This felt in no way or form like a dream, yet, the reality of the thing¡­ I had to be dreaming! What other conclusions could a rational man reach in such a situation? As these thoughts rushed through my mind, I felt the hairs on my neck prickle under the influence of some primal instinct. I spun around, and my heart almost leaped out of my ribcage. A man was seated in the chair, his fingers steeped as he stared directly at me. How he had entered the room was a mystery. Moment by moment, I felt as if I was losing grip on my sanity. ¡°How did¡­ you¡­¡± I stammered, the words failing to leave my tongue. This stranger had a very weird look about him, and yet I knew his name, this without ever having met him! Just the mere act of looking at him had nted his name into my mind. And that name terrified me beyond all sense. He smiled at me, maybe kindly, or perhaps like a vulture studying a carcass. I could not really tell. The man was handsome in an otherworldly, almost alien way. His voice, when he finally spoke, was quiet yet had a strange modtion to it, almost as if he inhabited another dimension entirely. ¡°It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Creator. I know that you now know my name, which is Xian, Xian the First Monarch. Xian, the second being forged by your very hands. I greet you, and long I have waited to do so.¡± He had bowed his head while he had spoken, perhaps in mockery or, and this possibility horrified me all the more, in worship. I knew Xian, as a toymaker knew every groove and splinter of a wooden doll. He was a mighty being, one of the seven monarchs that I had chosen to rule over theher realms of my world. There was only one being in ¡®The Twenty-Four Hearts of Pernen¡¯ that was mightier than the man who sat before me, and that was Lord Pernen himself. Suffice it to say; I was very confused upon reaching this point in time. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

¡°Am I truly in my own world?¡± It surprised me that I had asked such a question at all. Was I truly considering the possibility of existing within my own game? Xian remained seated, silent as he held a smile upon his face. At least his silence gave me some time to organize my thoughts. His very existence lent credence to my theory of having been sucked into the game. As to how and why such a thing could ur, I had no inkling. The person who could provide answers sat directly in front of me. Somehow, he had changed since the first moments I had seen him. No longer did he look handsome, no, now his body had branched out in weird tumorous growths, with decaying flesh stretched loosely over his frame. I bore through the horror that now threatened to swamp my mind as I asked my question: ¡°My Lord, this reality is¡­ is a game?¡± I was thankful that my voice did not tremble too much. Why had I called him Lord, though? I am generally a polite person, yet never before have I called someone else ¡®Lord¡¯. On the one hand, he had called me Creator, so perhaps I was returning the respect by using an honorific term. On the other hand, I could strongly sense an aura that surrounded him, an aura that felt as if it waspelling me to respect him. I was surprised when he gave a knowing nod, confirming that I had used his title correctly. ¡°Truly, it is a sign of you being the Creator, for you instinctively grasped and used my proper form of address. Now, in answer to your question, my first instinct would be to say yes, we are in your game, but the true answer is no, we are not.¡± ¡°I fail to understand this, Lord Xian.¡± His eyebrows arched in surprise when I once more showed him the courtesy of stating his proper title. ¡°You can talk to me normally. You have that right, being what you are. To be frank, all this pomp makes me ufortable,¡± he said as he made a cating gesture with his hands. ¡°Then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. Okay, so you¡¯re saying this isn¡¯t a game?¡± ¡°Hahaha, well, notpletely.¡± I did not understand why Xian wasughing. Was my current misery and confusion giving him pleasure? Was this, in fact, someplex and convoluted hidden camera show and I the fool who had been conned through it? I almost shouted these thoughts at him, yet managed to keep my cool. ¡°Do not give me that look, for I am merely speaking the truth. While this is a¡­ a game, it is also a reality. There are systems that a few can ess, and you are the only one who can ess them all. In essence, there is little difference between a game and this reality, yet those that live here do not know their reality is a game.¡± His exnation sent my head spinning. ¡°Why am I here and how did I get here?¡± ¡°Well, you are calmer about this situation than I had expected you to be. Perhaps you believe this to be an illusion or a dream? I cannot answer such questions yet. For now, the Creator must enjoy his world as if he was ying a game. He must collect all the scattered fragments. Quite simple, is it not?¡± He seemed quite certain as to what I had to do in this reality. I still reserved many doubts regarding his statement. ¡°Why would I want to collect the fragments, even if you say it¡¯s all so simple?¡± Xian threw his arms open as if he was orating from atop a stage. ¡°Oh, Creator! This game is for you, it is your duty and your destiny! To escape this ce, the game has to yed. You have to gather the fragments of Pernen¡¯s heart and im your ce as his heir. Only then can you leave, for such is the fate that you have created for yourself.¡± I was simply dumbstruck. ¡°I promise you one thing, oh Creator. If you seed here, you shall gain great power and wealth in your original reality. But know this: You have little say in this matter. I will force you to follow your destiny, even if this leads you to hold a grudge toward me.¡± ¡°And what happens if I die here, or if I fail to collect all the fragments? Will I be trapped here for all time?¡± ¡°Ah, if you die, the game restarts and you have to collect each and every fragment once again, regardless of your previous progress. While your status as Creator grants immense potential powers to the body you inhabit, my educated guess is that you shall die, and that you shall die countless times,¡± he stated with a smile. His gaze then turned to the ground as he muttered some words under his breath, finally nodding as if a decision had been reached. ¡°Very well, I shall bend realities and aid you in the following manner: If you collect a fragment, a save will be created from where you can continue after dying.¡± Xian reached into his pocket and took out a small bag. ¡°Secondly, I now grant you this pouch. You will not be able to open it, for it will only briefly open on the day of your fifteenth birthday. Do not lose this pouch.¡± He attempted to stand, wishing to give me what he held, yet somehow he could not muster enough strength to pull himself up. Incredulous, he gave a withering nce at his legs. ¡°Oh. It looks like there were unforeseenplications in transferring myself into this body.¡± Beneath his breath, he started to chant a few muttered words that meant nothing to me. When he attempted to stand once more, he did so with consummate ease. It was only then that I realized how tall he was and how young I was. Xian went down upon his knee,ing to my level as he handed me the pouch. As it touched my palm, I sensed immense power radiating from it. He then proceeded to hold his hand over me in benediction. ¡°Finally, I grant you my protection. Know this: you need to be stronger to be able to use this blessing to its full extent. I apologize for cing such restrictions upon it, yet I trust that you will understand when the time hase,¡± he said as an arcane power radiated from his hand. It flowed through me, and it felt amazing. A sudden sadness came to him then, and he struggled to look me in the eye. ¡°You can me me for everything. Once it is all done with, I will ce my life in your hands. Until that time, all that matters is collecting the fragments.¡± Once again, his words had struck me dumb as I tried to guess at the hidden meaning of his utterance. ¡°The journey will be tough and you will experience great pain, both physically and mentally. You might get worn down. Please, Creator, know that I wish only for you to enjoy the game. Until we meet again.¡± He motioned with his hand and simply faded into nothingness. Find joy in ying this game? Bullshit. How did this happen? I reached out with my hand to the spot where Xian had been mere seconds before, feeling nothing but air. I promptly proceeded to slump down on the bed with a sigh. It must have been hours ago that I had celebrated my newfound wealth after dealing with Company K. A nagging doubt that I would never return to the ne known as the earth started to grow inside my mind. My friends, my family¡­ myputer! The two years that I had spent in the army and the turmoil it had caused in my life¡­ had it all been for nothing? Comining about things never achieved anything. I knew this. This reality was, well, reality. The realization did not shock me that much anymore. I had expected to be utterly distraught, and yet for some reason, I was okay. With a sigh, I decided to explore the parameters of this world, starting with my body. There was no visible or tactile method by which I could inputmands, yet the mere thought of my status summoned the holographic window, which, in essence, was my character sheet. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸yer Status¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 1] [Specialization: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 0] [Strength: 20(D) / Potential A] [Health: 15(F) / Potential S] [Agility: 15(F) / Potential SS] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Luck: 75(B) / Potential A] ? Special] [Points remaining: 0] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ My mouth was agape as I read my new name. ¡°Judah Arche? Wait a fucking second¡­ Are you serious?¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs, still staring at the disy before me as I broke into hystericalughter. My god, I was Judah the Judas. I should have recognized his face the moment I had picked up the mirror. It seemed that, of all the great variety of characters I could have been, Xian had chosen Judah Arche as my path. I stared at the disy, wishing for the letters to change into some other name, yet this did not ur. I remained Judah, the rival of the protagonist in my game. He was skillful and had great attributes, and even had the looks, yet the thing that Judah Archecked most was luck. His femalepanions were all torn from him during the story, and in the end, the protagonist betrays him. The short of it was that Judah had collected fragments of Pernen¡¯s heart and had it sanctioned by the temple, a thing which the protagonist could never have done. In the end, the protagonist steals all the fragments from Judah. I made him as a way to keep the story interesting and to act as a stepping stone for the main character¡¯s rise to power. I had created Judah Arche as a foil. I had set him up to fail from the start. I am Judah Arche. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint 1: Traits and skills are given to all NPCs who start off with five slots. You canplete Quests and earn achievements to open additional slots for special NPCs. The maximum number of avable slots is 10. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸yer Status¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 1] [Specialization: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 0] [Strength: 20(D) / Potential A] [Health: 15(F) / Potential S] [Agility: 15(F) / Potential SS] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Luck: 75(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Points remaining: 0] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4

Chapter 4

¡°It can¡¯t be all that bad,¡± I muttered to myself. If I wanted to survive ¨C and escape ¨C this world, I had to understand Arche¡¯s strengths and exploit them for all that they were worth. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 1] [Specialization: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 0] [Strength: 20(D) / Potential A] [Health: 15(F) / Potential S] [Agility: 15(F) / Potential SS] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Luck: 75(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Points remaining: 0] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Ability Grade Table¡¹ 0-19 F 20-39 D 40-59 C 60-79 B 80-89 A 90-99 S 100-109 SS 110 SSS ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I decided that my stats were eptable for a level one character, with great potential for growth. The luck stat also caught my attention. I had somehow missed that it been upped to a potential of A where I knew that Arche had always had it capped at D. I suspected Xian¡¯s meddling but appreciated it nheless as it would be of great help against tougher enemies. Even if the First Lords had manipted my stats, the fact of the matter was that this was my reality now. Death was death, even if I could return to a save point. I would need to gain skills that staved off death in some manner or another. With this thought, I called up my skills screen. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Talents 3/10¡¹ [yer] ¨C Rank: S [Determination] ¨C Rank: S [The First Lord¡¯s Protection] ¨C Rank: C ¡¸Skills 2/10¡¹ [Shadow Justice]-Rank: A [Shadow Swordsmanship]-Rank: A ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Talent Descriptions] [yer]-Rank: S / Workmanship: Master Resist fear in emergency events and inbat. 100% resistance against curses such as mind maniption [Determination]-Rank: S / Workmanship: Master Gifts you with a natural aptitude for battle. The most effective offensive and defensive movements in battle are employed by instinct. Reaction speed and sight are buffed. Strength and Stamina increased by 10. Once your Stamina is exhausted, you gain a second wind, which enables you to fight on for a few seconds. [The First Lord¡¯s Protection (Growth)]-Rank: C You have gained the protection of Xian, First Lord of the demonic realm. Your experience gain rate and the speed at which knowledge is absorbed is increased. Due to your low level, the higher functions of this talent remain inactive. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Skill Descriptions] [Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship]-Rank: A / Workmanship: 3/10 Grants visions from the long-forgotten knights of the empire, ¡®The ck ws¡¯. Agility and Magical Resistance increased by 5. Shadow Justice (а·¨) ©¸Shadow Justice Form 1 ¨C Spreading Shadows ©¸Shadow Justice Form 2 ¨C Magic ©¸Shadow Justice Form 3 ¨C Remnant ©¸Shadow Justice Form 4 ¨C Lower ck Arms Manifestation ©¸Shadow Justice Form 5 ¨C Guard Young Wall Shadow Swordsmanship („¦·¨) ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 1 ¨C Potential Liberation ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 2 ¨C True ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 3 ¨C 1 point ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 4 ¨C Illusion Sword ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 5 ¨C Imitate ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It was I who had created Judah Arche. I pitied him now, despite being the architect of his fate. Hisrades betrayed him at every turn, the protagonist destroyed everything Judah had achieved, and he had even lost the one he had grown to love. Even if he was able and handsome, life had been an unfair thing for him. I swore then that if I ever returned to my world, I wouldpletely rewrite his character arc. Of course, I only felt this way because I was inhabiting his body. The way I had written my story, only the main character had truly had a chance of gathering all the fragments. In fact, my lore and story arcs had be soplex that I had to kill off a great many strong and able characters just to make the writing and coding manageable. I shook my head, resigned to my fate. I would deal with things as they develop. One thing that was advantageous about having Judah being the antagonist was that he possessed skills of stealth and subterfuge, namely the Shadow Sword and Shadow Justice paths. These were his ¨C and my ¨C strengths, and I nned to milk them for all that they were worth. The First Lord¡¯s Protection talent did not have any special abilities, yet its XP boost woulde in very handy, as experience points were the bread and butter of RPGs. I relished the opportunity of unlocking its hidden features, as any boon granted by one of the demonic monarchs had a massive effect on both the character and the world. I had never before encountered the yer talent, as I had not created it. I suspected it was another instance of Xian boosting me, and I could notin about that. Beingpletely resistant to mental maniption was a great talent to start the game off with. Shadow Justice and Shadow Swordsmanship, my two skills, each had up to fifteen sub-skills. For now, though, I could only ess five of these in each path. I knew these skills would help me in the beginning and mid-game but would be almost useless once the epic challenges of the endgame were faced. The challenge that faced me next was how to activate my skills. A sliver of understanding entered my brain as I spoke the words: ¡°Shadow Justice Form 2: Magic, activate!¡± At that very moment, a tingle spread through my brain as the general form of the skill was revealed to me. My eyes hurt for a few seconds, and as that pain faded away, something felt different inside of me. I had not directed the skill at an enemy, so the effects of the magic could not be observed. I thought about ending the skill, and that immediately happened. So whether I spoke it or thought it, I now knew how to use my skills. That had been the easy part. The hard part would be to activate them in an emergency situation, forming the images in my mind while my life was endangered. The very instant that I closed my skill screen, a new one popped into the air. I reeled my head back in shock, yet the screen¡¯s position rtive to my body never changed. Its message was quite clear. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Character: Judah] [Start Tutorial: Y/N] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡°Huh, Xian said this is a game and yet not a game, so I should have expected a damned tutorial. Ah well.¡± It was time to start my adventure. Did I dare to take this first step? Yes, start the tutorial, I thought. At that very moment, something struck at the door. I spun about, immediately seeing a bloody ax striking again and again at the nks until a man burst into the room. He wore leather armor that struggled to contain his muscled mass, and his face was harshly set. ¡°Hey there, little boy. Were you sleeping? I¡¯m sorry if I woke you, I¡¯m just taking a look around, see? You can go back to bed now.¡± Little boy? I almost scolded him for this insult, but the fact that I was indeed a child soon re-asserted itself into my mind. Terror at my own helplessness seized me as he stalked into the room. He nced at me, themand for me to be silent written in his eyes. He hastily searched through everything I had thrown to the ground, then started ripping out drawers, upending the bed, and even cutting open the mattress. What was he searching for? ¡°Damn it all, it ain¡¯t here either!¡± It was then that our eyes met. I was frozen with terror with not a single muscle so much as twitching. ¡°Huh, you have your father¡¯s eyes. That over there is your father, as you don¡¯t seem to know what¡¯s going on here,¡± he said, pointing at the hall he hade from. A bodyy slumped near the shattered doorway, pieces hacked from it with the very ax that this man now carried. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s your dad. Getting a feel for things now, boy?¡± Getting a feel for things? I could not figure out head nor tail of the situation as it was. The only instinct that coursed through me was the instinct to get out of this predicament. I haven¡¯t even gotten used to this reality, and already my parents were dead, and if I was not careful, I would soon be following them. My heart thudded in my breast, yet strangely I was not trembling with fear. Despite my nervousness, my thought processes remained clear. There was a conviction within me that everything was going to be all right. The fact that I was calm made me feel like an idiot, and I started to suspect that I had lost any sense of reality. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Hint:] [Considering your current attributes, being able to kill the enemy before you is very improbable] [Your best chance of survival lies in the use of your skills] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I read the words, knowing that it was easier said than done. How could I take the life of another being? I gulped down a sob, staring at the floor and avoiding the man¡¯s gaze. The axeman burst intoughter as he witnessed my timidity. ¡°Hey, Jacques! Did you find it?¡± Came a shout from downstairs. So this man had note here alone. ¡°Nah, not yet! Give me a few minutes, I¡¯lle down when I¡¯ve got it!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to wait here, man!¡± Jacques merely shrugged and turned to me once more. ¡°Did you hear that, boy? We don¡¯t have time. You might annoy uster, being alive and all. So, I have to kill you now. Don¡¯t take it personally, little guy,¡± Jacques said as he slowly started to walk towards me. The wooden floorboards creaked under his weight as the bloody ax was lifted above his head. This can¡¯t be real. My instincts told me to flee, to turn tail and run away. There was no way out of this. I would die here, and what happened then? I watched as he shed down toward me, closing my eyes at thest second. I heard¡­ Nothing. All was silent. My eyes opened, seeing the ceiling above me. I felt no pain. The events that had urred mere seconds ago rather felt like distant echoes in eternity. They did not feel real. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You have been resurrected] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Hint: ] [Talents can be fully developed at the start of the game, being a reflection of your innate abilities. They can also be improved through effort. There is no cap on the number of talents that you can have] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The system message floating in front of my eyes snapped me back into reality. Before I had time to gather my bearings fully, the door was splintered open. Jacques once more entered the room, bloody ax in hand. ¡°Hey there, little boy. Were you sleeping? I¡¯m sorry if I woke you, I¡¯m just taking a look around, see? You can go back to bed now.¡± The utter absurdity of the situation bought a bitter chuckle to my lips. As long as this man remained undefeated, the current scenario would y out in an endless loop. ¡°This is just too much for me, truly too much,¡± I muttered. You clicked a mouse and hit some keys to defeat foes in a game, but now I had to kill this man with my own hands. The truth was that if I did not y along, I would never be able to leave this room and this scenario. I had to do what I was supposed to do. I made a quick study of Jacques as he approached me. I knew that there was no space for thought; no, only action could bring about the desired result. It might turn out that I would hate myself for what I was about to do, but deep down, I knew that I should hate Xian for leaving me in my current predicament. The time for action was upon me, as I did not wish for my head to be cleaved in once again. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Combat Initiated] [Shadow Swordsmanship Activated] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The screen notified me of my activated skill tree as a near-uncontroble surge of energy coursed through my body. This gifted me with a semnce of confidence as I took a deep breath and prepared myself for action. Three of my skills became active simultaneously. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Skills Activated] [Shadow Justice (а·¨) Form 1 ¨C Spreading Shadows Form 2 ¨C Magic Form 4 ¨C Lower ck Arms Manifestation; Dagger] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I sensed as the shadows cast by me started to spread through the entire room. My sight became as sharp as a hawk¡¯s, and my tactile senses were greatly improved. A dagger appeared in my right hand, and, considering that I was a child, it felt like I was wielding a sword. The weapon had formed from ck particles, the stuff of shadow. Its weight was manageable. I¡¯ve never held this de before, yet it had a familiar quality to it. It was surprisingly cold. No excitement or panic existed within me at that moment. My mind was clear, and my goal was survival, preferably without getting wounded. My legs formed into a crouch as I pounced toward Jacques. The only skill from my previous life that could aid me was my practice of Taekwondo, so I had no idea how to handle a dagger effectively or, for that matter, wound someone mortally. Something, an instinct, came to me then, and my strategy became as clear as a summer¡¯s day. My foe¡¯s swing of the ax waszily done, as he obviously did not see me as a threat. This counted in my favor. I ducked the de just in time, feeling as steel touched my hair. I backpedaled, putting a few feet between Jacques and me. ¡°Hah! You dodged my axe, boy.¡± I started sweating, and the rate of my breathing had increased. I now knew that it was far too dangerous to engage this man in directbat. How could I defeat him, then? I chanced on an idea as I put my other hand upon the dagger, taking a step towards my foe. He seemed surprised at my stance and frowned. Taking a step backward, he once more swung his ax towards my head, and once more, I dodged his blow, retreating again, this time making sure that about six feet were between him and me. I threw my dagger at him, shadowy energies embracing it and molding it mid-air into ance of pure darkness that drove itself into his chest. He stared at the spear stuck into his torso, then stared at me, his face contorted in surprise and despair. Even though I had sensed what I was doing, the result had surprised me as well. He once more gazed at the de sticking out of him as his eyes started to lose focus. As I approached him, I once more shifted the weapon¡¯s form into a dagger that appeared within my hand. The sudden absence of the spear caused blood to spurt out of the hole in Jacques¡¯ chest, some of the hot liquid sshing onto my face. I stared at his shattered ribcage and the carnage that had once been his heart and lungs. Disgusting. His corpse slowly tilted backward until it hit the ground with a loud thump. I tried to wipe the blood off of my face but only managed to make more of a mess. I stared at my bloody hand and then at the remains of what had once been a living man. So, this is what it felt like to take a life. Staring at the corpse, a strange sense of excitement filled my being. Before I could analyze this emotion, the sound of footfalls upon the stairs entered my ears. ¡°Jacques, what¡¯s the hold up? You all right up here?¡± The moment the man¡¯s feet touched the shadowy tendrils I had sent out earlier, I became aware of both his rtive position and his rtive size. Right, so that was what Spreading Shadows did: It expanded my senses over arger area. This amazed me as I stared at the man who had just entered the room. He was smaller than his pal, but then again, most men would be. Jacques had been a meaty guy. As soon as he saw the corpse, he drew his sword into a two-handed grip, meeting my gaze. His eyes darted to my dagger and then to his dead partner. ¡°What happened here?¡± I held my tongue and stalked towards him in a confident manner. There was no doubt within my heart, I was the beast, and he was the prey. I was going to ram the dagger into his heart. Fear crept into him then, for he froze and stared into smoldering eyes. He finally snapped out of it, but toote, for I had already plunged my weapon into his chest and, as I had nned, his heart. His arm twitched as he tried to strike at me with his sword, and that was all it did: It just twitched. ¡°How did¡­¡± The man never finished his sentence as his legs gave in, and his body crumpled to the floor. I had fought and defeated two grown men while in the body of a child. I had taken two lives, yet I didn¡¯t feel bad about it. In fact, I felt nothing. The urge to rest came over me, yet I knew that there were things that had to be done. With some effort, I dragged my father¡¯s body down the stairs into the room below. His name was unknown to me, and I had never seen his face while he had been alive. As I finallyid him down upon a rug, I noticed the corpse of a woman slumped within the entrance. She had been stabbed through the throat the moment she had opened the door and now justy there, unseeing eyes staring at the ceiling. She had probably been my mother, considering her age. As I looked at her, a sharp spike of pain red through my heart. The problem of what to do with the bodies now faced me. I had considered calling for help, but the cottage we were in was isted from the rest of the settlement, and it was midnight. A bitter chuckle escaped my lips as I considered the situation. Finally, I decided to drag the two men¡¯s bodies down the stairs as well, then began to rifle through their pockets and bags. I found a few gold coins and, upon each, a silver disk that denoted their membership to the Mercenary Guild. The disk¡¯s face showed an elongated shield while the back was engraved with their names as well as the region in which they had been recruited. I dragged their bodies outside, knowing that someone woulde to investigate once they saw the corpses. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Quest Completed] [You passed the tutorial for Judah Arche] [Level 4 reached] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Character Status¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 4] [Specialization: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of Resurrections: 1] [Strength: 20(D) / Potential A] [Health: 15(F) / Potential S] [Agility: 15(F) / Potential SS] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Luck: 75(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Remaining points: 3] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I had leveled up, but right now, I did not want to deal with such things. I skimmed over the text and closed the screen. It could wait. I slumped into the living room chair with a sigh. Dried blood was caked all across my skin, and on top of that, the chair was far toorge for a child to sit infortably. As I stared at the corpses of my parents, a simple fact crossed my mind. A lot had changed in a short time. In my previous life, I had not been so cold, sofortable with death and suffering. I could never look at animals that had been killed on the road, and when I had gone fishing with my dad, I never looked at or touched the dead fish. The sight of blood had always made me nauseous, even if it was a perfectly normal biological phenomenon. Brutality seemed to be essential for survival in this world. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I can ept this.¡± What kind of person would I be once all of this was over? A memory came to me then. It was a memory of a dream wherein I had traveled with my parents all over the world, dining in many ces and having a great time. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Hint:] [ There are five types of Mercenary Disks: Bronze, Silver, White, Gold, and tinum] [Bronze Disks are carried by Novice Mercenaries] [Silver Disks are carried by Skilled Mercenaries] [Skilled Mercenary leaders, like Baek Eun, carry Gold Disks] [tinum Disks can only be granted to mercenaries who be the Spirit Sword Wielder] [Mercenaries who carry tinum Disks are recognized by the nobility and the knightly orders] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Character Status¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 4] [Specialization: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of Resurrections: 1] [Strength: 20(D) / Potential A] [Health: 15(F) / Potential S] [Agility: 15(F) / Potential SS] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Luck: 75(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Remaining points: 3] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Ability Grade Table¡¹ 0-19 F 20-39 D 40-59 C 60-79 B 80-89 A 90-99 S 100-109 SS 110 SSS ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Potential increased naturally by conducting certain actions or gaining achievements, As an example: If the potential is A, the stat can only be raised to 89. Points have to be spent to reach 90. Points can not improve stats beyond a 100; to bypass this cap, the character needs to earn special achievements. Stats that are designated as ¡®Special¡¯ can be improved using points. If you have enough potential, the stat increases without having to spend points. Once a stat reaches Grade A, it has reached its natural cap and can only be improved at a drastically slower pace.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Serenia: City of adventurers. ¡®Judas.¡¯ This name came from Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles hand-picked from countless thousands by Jesus Christ, as referenced within the New Testament. Then, out of base greed, this man epted a pouch of silver from the priesthood to betray the one person he had truly loved. Through his actions, he had abandoned any semnce of honor and was branded a traitor by his faithful brethren. It all ended when he threw his reward upon the ground and hung his wretched body from a branch, the silver he had so coveted of no use to a corpse. It was this tale that had been the inspiration for my character¡¯s name. Judah Arche. Judah was a nobleman, though one with little political influence upon the affairs of the world. He was a direct descendant of the Imperial family, a family that had lost their empire one hundred and fifty years ago. His parents had attempted to restore the great fortune of the family, yet they had failed in this endeavor due to simple ineptitude. They had lived their lives as ordinary adventurers, finally settling down within a house in Serenia. They had lived a normal life, with Judah being born within their home. This all changed when some old colleagues had snuck into their home and murdered them. The goal of these murders was to attain the family¡¯s heritage, -Vision of the ck ws-, which existed in its weaker form as Judah¡¯s parents did not possess the knowledge to fully unlock its powers. Some would say the Arche couple had died because they had trusted these friends of theirs, but the simple truth was that they had died due to weakness in the face of adversity. Had they been able to unlock the true power of their heritage, their deaths would havee at a greater cost, if at all. In the first draft of Judah¡¯s story arc, it had been his father who had killed the intruders. I had to change this detail and kill off his father, to facilitate a decentbat tutorial for the yer. Judah¡¯s loss of his parents was only the tip of the iceberg that was to be his rotten luck. After being orphaned, Judah was adopted by Kaseun Sabrak. This man was his grandfather. He was also the grandfather of the protagonist of my game, Kain. The adoption made Judah¡¯s childhood rtively bearable. As he grew into a man, he became Kain¡¯s rival. Over time he realized that it had been the greed of humanity which had killed his parents, nothing more and nothing less. This led him to the realization that without the attainment of power, a man could aplish nothing in life. He eventually departed from Serenia on a quest to attain the fragments of Pernen that had been seeded all across the world. He gained strength and afortable, contented existence throughout his journey. This happy life shattered all around him after he suffered multiple betrayals by those closest to him. This usurpation of his life drastically changed his motives as he sought to enact his revenge on humanity as a whole by wielding the powers of the Fourth Lord. I knew that any character who was not Kain himself did not have a clear-cut and predictable path in terms ofpleting the game. Judah Arche hade very close to attaining some of the fragments and had done so multiple times. On each asion, the powerful items had been stolen from under his nose by Kain and hisrades who had the knack of appearing at the right ce and at the right time. In the game itself, such hardships had bred sadistic tendencies within Judah¡¯s heart and mind, as he had once thought that he had found a kindred spirit in Kain, yet multiple betrayals disabused him of this notion. Those who yed my game relished it whenever Judah was betrayed, granting him the moniker of ¡®Judah the Eternal Sufferer.¡¯ In the end, Judah was a character filled with both great love and great hate. This made him interesting in so many ways. However, I inhabited his body now, so all of his coded personality traits had be a moot point. I was a man in the body of a boy, a being with far more life experience than my appearance would suggest. I knew well enough, however, that my experiences on Earth did not count for much in this universe. Even though I was the creator of this world, I was naive and incapable when the nature of this reality was considered. Staring at a three-dimensional city on a screen was not the same as walking its bustling streets and smelling the sewage flowing through its drainage canals. I had never been a fighter, as Earth in the 21st century was, for the most part, a peaceful ce. At least I knew how to cook, so I had that going for me. If I had been an expert martial artist in my real life, I would have had some edge in this world. s, all I truly possessed was a vast general knowledge of another reality. In a universe that did not even have toasters or wristwatches, my book-smarts were of little help. The child¡¯s body that I inhabited was seven years old. My level was still in the single digits, and I knew it would not be easy to gain experience and increase it, considering the fact that I was a few years shy from being a mere toddler! My parents had died, and for a young child tock that level of support was a harsh thing indeed. Would I be able to survive in this brutal world without the love and wisdom of my mother and father? At least I had a great asset in the form of my shadow magic and also possessed -Vision of the ck ws-. I had fairly high levels of Luck, Magic, and Magic Resistance, though thetter attribute couldn¡¯t be improved that much. The stat of most use to me would probably be Luck. In the game, it influenced the drop rate of loot as well as the chance ofnding a critical hit, yet I had no idea how it would function in this all too-real reality. ording to Xian, the only way to escape this universe was to im my ce as the heir of Pernen, Fourth Lord of the demonic realm. If I failed to aplish this, I would be trapped here, eternally reliving the same moments in an endless loop of toil and suffering, like when Jacques had killed me. Death was not painful here, but it sure as all hell was not a pleasant experience. A sigh escaped from my lips as I ruffled my hair with a small, pudgy hand. In that instant, I saw the doorknob slowly and silently turn as someone entered the room. I straightened my back as I studied this uninvited visitor, who had opened the door with a light kick and drawn his sword. He was an old man with a dignified cast to his features, and he wore the ck habit of a priest. He was well-muscled, which suggested that he was no ordinary type of holy man. I knew him to be Seron, a pdin who served the local temple. Soldiers followed him into the room, and I deduced that someone had seen the corpses outside and had alerted the pdin, who then mustered this squad of guards. The men did not say much as they took in the grim fact of my orphaning. Two of them dragged the bodies of my parents outside and loaded them onto a corpse-cart. I tried to talk to them, yet they had nothing to say to me. The pdin then led me out of the house by my hand and took me to his temple. I was promptly bathed, clothed, and fed. I was ravenously hungry and enjoyed my meal of bread and soup. Once I had finished supping, Seron came to the room that had been given to me. He sat himself down on the table and regarded me in silence. I knew that this was a difficult situation for him, as he obviously wondered whether a mere child really had killed two mercenaries. The silence stretched on between us, and I started to be restless, trying to guess what questions he was going to ask me. I knew him to be a kind and caring man ¨C a devout servant of Jopiel, the Second Holy Queen who represented peace and life. However, I knew that if I told him the absolute truth of who I was and what I was capable of, he would be quite perturbed and might take actions that would hinder my quest. What was I going to tell him? ¡°You are a child,¡± he finally said, studying me intently. ¡°My name is Judah.¡± ¡°I see. My name is Seron, Judah. Do you¡­ Do you remember what happenedst night?¡± he asked me in a gentle tone. ¡°No Seron, I don¡¯t know¡­ I just¡­ My parents¡­¡± I could see that he had be embarrassed after my emotional response. He clearly thought that I was in shock and had suppressed any memory of the murder of my kin. He seemed ashamed by the blunt way in which he had started his inquiry and sought to change the subject. ¡°I see you did not leave a single crumb on your te. Did you like the food, Judah?¡± he asked as he studied the dishes I had neatly stacked to one side. ¡°Yeah.¡± I bowed my head in appreciation. The soup truly had been delicious, and the bread softer than I had expected. It surprised me how closely the taste had resembled the modern fare I was used to. Spices were clearly readily avable here, and I recalled something about Serenia being a trade hub A brief silence was once more shared between the two us. ¡°Well Judah¡­ I share your sorrow at the loss of you parents. Are you sure you can¡¯t remember anything? Even the tiniest detail can help us understand what happened. I know it¡¯s painful, but you have to be strong for the sake of your family.¡± I had a total recall of the events. I did not see exactly how Judah¡¯s parents had died, but I knew that I had killed the two mercenaries. Slowly, tears began rolling down my face as I suppressed a sob. ¡°I just remember that¡­ That I dragged dead bodies outside,¡± I told him, almost whimpering in my show of grief. The fact that I was in the body of a child meant that emotions came more easily to me, for the tears were real. ¡°I am so sorry, Judah. It is all right, don¡¯t cry now,¡± Seron gently said as he ced his hand upon mine, his eyes showing nothing but kindness. ¡°There is good news, young one. A man came to temple, saying that he would act as your guardian until you havee of age.¡± I had a pretty good idea as to the identity of this guardian. In all likelihood, it would be Kaseun Sabrak, Judah¡¯s grandfather, on his mother¡¯s side. Judah¡¯s father had aided the Sabraks greatly when they had settled in Serenia, and Kaseun would dly help those of his own blood. ¡°This man is named Kaseun Sabrak, and he says that he is your grandfather. Do you know him?¡± Hearing the priest confirm my guess ddened me, for the simple reason that I had no idea what I would¡¯ve done in the body of a seven-year-old boy if I did not have the protagonist around to guard me until I could fend for myself. Still, I knew that I could not show joy at hearing this, having to act like a bereaved youth. ¡°Yes,¡± was all I said with a small nod. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint: There are beings who act like gods within this world. The demonic realm is ruled by the Lords while the heavenly ne itself is watched over by the Kings and Queens. These beings are worshiped by the races of the world, though it is the Kings and Queens who have a greater number of devout worshipers and dedicated temples. The demonic realm is infested with many fierce monstrosities. In contrast, the heavenly ne is filled with many beings of purity andpassion. Knowing this, would you rather worship a Lord, or a King? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I had only been in this world for a single day, though I knew Kaseun¡¯s back story, and knew his appearance from the graphical modeling I had done to create him. To say that I knew him was an understatement, for I had made him. I could not tell this to the pdin, though, whose earlier worries had dissipated once I had confirmed that Kaseun was indeed Judah¡¯s grandfather. He now smiled warmly at me. ¡°Excellent. He said he wille for you this afternoon. I know it might be frustrating for you, but you¡¯ll have to wait here for a while. You are free to explore the temple, of course,¡± Seron finished as he stood up and gathered the dishes, finally leaving me alone in the room. He had kept the door open, probably as a further invitation for me to explore the temple. He truly was a kind and caring man. I took a deep breath of relief and once more studied the room I was in. While it was quite small, it was tastefully decorated and meticulously clean. The walls and roof were painted in intertwined lines of brown and white, and the furniture, while modest, was well looked after. Giving everything a final nce, I stood up and left. Upon first entering the temple, I had been filled with admiration. It had seemed so small from outside, yet the interior soon disabused me of that notion. It was one of my favorite sites in Serenia, and I appreciated every detail of my creation as I strolled around it. The priests were acting very weing, nodding their greetings with warm smiles as they went about their daily tasks, not once preventing me from entering one area or another. This hospitality allowed me to explore every nook and cranny of the wonderful building. The main hall stretched about four standard stories towards a triangr roof, which was reinforced by two rows of pirs, which were each spaced about four meters from one another. The ce looked grand, and through the eyes of a child, this grandiosity increased tenfold. Each of the pirs had painstakingly been engraved with intricate and colorful patterns. Many corridors stretched from the main hall, with the second floor being reached by a spiral staircase. Despite the weing nature of the priests, I remained cautious. Thus far, I had found sleeping quarters, a mess hall, an ablution block, and a records room. The next room I explored was the chapel itself, which was reached by turning left at the main entrance. Two columns of benches stretched to either side, with each bench being able to seat six worshipers. On the far wall, there was a gigantic organ, its pipes stretching many meters into the air. In front of it stood arge statue of the goddess Jopiel. The floor was covered in crimson carpeting with crisscrossing golden embroidery. I now stood before the organ and appreciated its size more fully. The pipes that protruded from it counted in their hundreds, the thing having so many notes that more than one organist had to y it. The organ pipes themselves shimmered as the sunlight from the massive windows reflected from their silver metal surfaces. I had never seen such a thing in my life and decided that this was the king of all musical instruments. The desire to hear the organ being yed filled me, for the resultant sound would surely be divine. My attention now settled upon the statue, which was, without a doubt, the centerpiece of the chapel. Four pairs of elegant wings extended from Jopiel¡¯s back. Her face was framed by hair that reached all the way to her hips, and this face was without the most beautiful female visage I had ever beheld. Her slender arms were crossed over her chest, and her eyes were closed, gifting her an air of supreme peace. This detailed statue was truly worthy of Queen Jopiel, the second Seong Wang, also called heavenly rulers. Just as there were monarchs within the demonic realm, so did the beings that ruled on the celestial ne. Between these realms, great armies of demons and angels shed eternally, bearing the banners of their rulers upon the fields of battle. Mortals called this endless conflict the ¡®War of the Gods¡¯, or ¡®Godswar.¡¯ While I studied the statue, warm energy began to suffuse my entire body. It enveloped me from head to toe, and for the first time since my relocation to this universe, I rxed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You stand before the statue of Jopiel, goddess of peace and protection. It is a finely wrought piece of divine art, and worshipers pray for peace before it every morning] [You feel a warm energy flow from the statue, granting sor to your troubled mind and bringing fortune to your future endeavors] [Luck permanently increased by 2] [For a period of one week, you gain experience at a rapid rate and your stamina recovers much faster] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I had not expected this, somehow having forgotten coding this boon into any interactions with Jopiel¡¯s statue. The raising of my Luck stat greatly pleased me, and it also confirmed that some of my game mechanics functioned exactly the same in this universe. I suspected that other, non-experience rted methods of increasing my stats, such as consuming certain items, would also function here. I could also raise the stats through training, which would be the wise thing to do, seeing as I was a seven-year-old boy. At least now I knew that I could strengthen myself before adventure came knocking on my door. Xian¡¯s statement that this was both a game and absolute reality came to my mind, and I knew that if I ever wished to return to Earth, I had to understand all the systems of this world as fast as possible. I was staring intently at the statue, lost in an ocean of my own thoughts. This meant that I failed to hear the approaching footsteps until they came up directly behind me. ¡°Here you are, young Judah.¡± I turned towards the speaker, who turned out to be Pdin Seron. An older man stood by his side, and I was certain that I was looking at Kaseun Sabrak. The longer that I stared at him, the more I recognized him. In the flesh, he looked exactly like his in-game character portrait. His hair hung long and wild, down to his shoulders. He had a great bushy beard and the only word that could describe it was ¡®unkempt.¡¯ If I had not known who he was, I would have assumed him to be either a bandit chief or hermit monk. The feeling that washed over me was incredible; seeing a character that I had created standing before me in flesh and blood, drawing breath. I had never really understood why people liked to buy figurines of their favorite characters, but seeing this man before me; I started to understand that impulse. It was a craving to convert the imagined into the physical, and I was living through an entire world that has been converted in such a fashion. Seron noticed my intense study of the man next to him. ¡°This elder is Kaseun Sabrak,¡± the pdin said as he stepped to one side, introducing Kaseun to me in a formal manner. Kaseun gave a chuckle at having been called an elder. It seemed that in this world, the word elder did not denote a frail old man, but rather a warrior who was strong in both body and spirit. His presence was causing visible difort in Seron, though Kaseun gave this fact no heed as he walked toward me with a graceful stride that I would not have expected from someone with his muscr bulk. He knelt in front of me, his air of intimidation not wavering for a second. I already liked this man. ¡°It is nice to finally meet you. I am named Kaseun Sabrak,¡± he said with a winning smile as he extended his hand out towards me. ¡°I¡­ I am Judah Arche,¡± I said to his still-smiling face as I shook his hand. ¡°I know, Judah. You can call me grandpa. Have no fear, I will be your guardian until the day that you can be called a man. If there is any path in life that you wish to take, I will be there,ying the foundation so that you can journey toward your destiny. You need not worry about a single thing, Judah. Consider it a repayment for the many debts I owed your father.¡± He rustled my hair with his huge hand. Feeling the warmth of his fatherly touch brought a smile to my face. I felt so rxed in his presence. With a shock, I realized that Kaseun Sabrak was the most caring grandfather I had ever had, in both my lives. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 4] [Specialization: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of Resurrections: 1] [Strength: 20(D) / Potential A] [Health: 15(F) / Potential S] [Agility: 15(F) / Potential SS] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Luck: 77(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Points Remaining: 3] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 8

Chapter 8

8==================== Serenia: City of Adventurers. Kaseun had had a busy morning after the news of the Arche couple¡¯s murder reached his ears. He had hastened to the temple immediately upon receiving the grim report. After hearing Seron¡¯s exnation of events, Kaseun asked the aged pdin for advice. Seron¡¯s advice was simple: The best way to ensure the safety and the future of the child was for Kaseun himself to be Judah¡¯s guardian. In order to do so, Kaseun had to attain the blessing of the Lord of Serenia, as Judah was of a noble lineage and not a mere orphaned urchin of the streets. That procedure had thankfully not been overlyplicated, as the offices of the Lord had swiftly granted both permission and the necessary paperwork. After having concluded this officiation of his guardianship, Kaseun had visited the mercenary guild to discuss the tragedy that had urred. The guild was unusually cooperative, for they would normally protect their agents with tooth and nail even upon their demise. They had handed over the effects of the mercenaries and unveiled their identities, in the way of an ¡®apology.¡¯ The fact that Kaseun had achieved this spoke volumes of the political clout and general influence that he possessed. While he was retired, he had once been a Mercenary King, one of few who possessed a tinum disk as a -Spirit Sword Wielder-. So great had his renown been that he had even been appointed as an honorary noble of Baekje. Among mercenaries, Kaseun Sabrak was a living legend. He had also demandedpensation for the murder of Judah¡¯s parents, yet here the guild had drawn a line in the sand, stating that they could not afford to grant it. It was only uponpleting these necessary errands that he had made his way to the temple to meet Judah. He had been beset by an old sorrow when he once more gazed upon the statue of Queen Jopiel, yet had not shed a single tear. He had met with the child, introduced himself, and left the temple in short order. *** As we left the temple, I studied Kaseun, who held a strangely satisfied expression on his face. I was curious about what the exact favor was that Judah¡¯s father had done for the old man. What act could earn the eternal gratitude of a -Spirit Sword Wielder-, a legend among men? I knew from his written back-story that Judah¡¯s father had helped Kaseun ¡®gain a foothold in Serenia,¡¯ yet this was all that I had written, so the exact details remained shrouded in mystery. I knew that now was probably not the opportune moment to ask such things, so I held my tongue and reminded myself that patience was one of the things I needed to have to escape this universe. ¡°The street is so busy,¡± was all that I said as we made our way through the bustling thoroughfares, carts trundling by as hawkers loudly advertised their wares. Serenia was known as the city of adventurers. Many ages ago, the Magic Empire had called thisnd their own, and the ruins of that realm were scattered all across the region. Magic relics were to be found in these ruins, and such artifacts fetched quite hefty sums at the markets. This promise of wealth had lured many adventurers to the region. The days of the Magic Empire were long gone, and the countryside had be inhabited by frightful monsters rather than intelligent races of hardworking people. This fact did not stem the tide of adventurers, though, and so many hade here two centuries ago and got the bright idea of founding a settlement. This man was named Peerchen, and his title was recorded as -Wielder of the Sword-. He had called to his cause many mercenaries, merchants, and adventurers, who had aided him in erecting a fortress on the only pass that existed in the bulwark that was two mountain ranges. His entire fortune had been poured into the project, and those that had traveled with him worked hard to make their vision a reality. Through the support of -Knight¡¯s Land: Philora- and -Nation of Entertainment: Urun- as well as his myriad personal connections, Serenia Castle remained well provisioned, prospering for a full two-hundred-years. The aid from other nations hade out of practical necessity, for as long as Serenia Castle stood firm upon its foundations, the monsters could not invade the kingdoms beneath the mountains in their brutish hordes. The mutually beneficial strategic nature of the fortress, and the fact that the brave and mighty flocked to it in their quest for Magic relics, had resulted in Serenia bing an important Bastion. By mutual acim, it was decreed that Serenia would be a neutral city, unbound by thews of any other political entity. This decree suited Seongju Peerchen just fine, for the support of other regents meant that thews of Serenia applied to all who entered its walls. Peerchen had been granted sole jurisdiction over his domain, and even the higher nobles from visiting realms had to abide by hisw or face his judgment. Serenia had stood for fifty years when Pernen had scattered the fragments of his heart across the world by way of the twenty-four meteors. After this historical event, even more adventurers, mercenaries, and nobles had flocked to Serenia in search of fortune, glory, and power. This new influx of men and women had caused a considerable spike in Serenia¡¯s poption and a further bolstering of its fortunes. The city itself had expanded over a greater area, so much that, in its modern form, it was surrounded by three mighty walls that stretched high and wide. To this very day, the descendants of Seongju Peerchen hold the honorable title of -Wielder of the Sword- I knew for a fact that Serenia¡¯s poption would only continue to increase, despite how crowded the city already was. The reason for this was simple: While most fragments cast down by Pernen had already been imed, the one believed to have fallen near Serenia was yet to be discovered. The region was vast and mountainous, with no one even having a general idea as to where the meteor had fallen. Moreover, any expedition that wasunched had to consider the extreme danger posed by the horrible monstrosities that roamed thesends. The absolute power offered by the fragment continued to lure seekers here, giving them a reason to venture further into the region. Few ever returned. Nevertheless, despite the near absolute risk of the quest, new adventurers continued to flock to Serenia, for the one who imed the fragment would be showered in glory. They would be able to ask boons from royalty, whether in the form of coin,nds, titles, and even marriages. Considering such potential earthly rewards, it was no wonder that so many came to seek their fortune in the region. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? I sure am,¡± Kaseun suddenly asked, interrupting the train of my thoughts. I hadn¡¯t had a bite to eat after the soup and bread that had been my breakfast. Exploring the temple all morning had bolstered my appetite. ¡°Yes, a little.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s find a ce with good food.¡± The establishment Kaseun had settled upon was a bakery that specialized in making sandwiches. I was quite surprised when we entered through the door, for the bakery was cleaner than I would have thought possible, considering the level of technology that these people possessed. There was also a cool breeze that flowed through the room, quite at odds with the scorching heat of the street that we had just left behind. I had known that magic wasmon in my world, but to see it used in so normal and pedestrian a manner came as a great surprise, for it was through arcane means that the bakery was kept clean and cool. Kaseun had noticed my expression. ¡°You look surprised. Surely you¡¯ve been here before?¡± ¡°No, no¡­ I¡¯ve never been in here. It is so amazing! Outside, it¡¯s very hot but in here it¡¯s cool, almost all the time.¡± ¡°Ah, an excellent example of the powers of magic and money.¡± There was far more to this world than I had at first thought possible. While they did not have anything likeputers or satellites, they had the ability to replicate normal things like fridges, air conditioning, light-bulbs, and even floor buffers. I knew that such luxuries were dependent on possessing a certain material, though, and this material was money. A life of leisure was possible here, if only you had cash¡­ I nced at Kaseun. He was a former Mercenary King, possessing a tinum disk. Surely, until I reached adulthood, I would have no shortage of money. ¡°Go ahead, Judah. Choose something, pick whatever you want,¡± Kaseun instructed me. I nodded and then proceeded to pick six full sandwiches that were being kept cool in their disy case. He didn¡¯t ask if I could eat all of them, no, he rather stated that I could order more if they proved to be too few. Kaseun paid for our order, and we took our meal to a nearby table. Wow¡­ The sandwiches looked so delicious. Resting between the soft slices of bread was ofyers andyers of sweet jams, crispy cabbage, many species of fruit, and cuts of meat. I gulped one down in record time, reaching for the next. ¡°Slow down, boy. Drink some milk.¡± I eded to this suggestion and washed the sandwich down with a gulp of milk from a wooden tankard, then continued to wolf the next one down. As I reached the fourth sandwich, Kaseun joked that at least he would not have to worry about me not eating enough. Upon reaching number five, I started to chew more slowly. ¡°Your parents will be buried tomorrow. Will youe with me?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah,¡± I said after swallowing my food. ¡°Good. You know that I have been named your guardian. Do you know what that means?¡± I nodded. ¡°You will take care of me until I be a man.¡± Kaseunughed as he also nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s basically it.¡± I might have been in the body of a child, but having the soul of a twenty-four-year-old meant that I could easily understand things that most children would find confusing. ¡°How do you feel about living under my roof from now on? I don¡¯t live that far from where you had stayed with your parents. You can go visit your old home at any time.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I would like to keep staying in my old home,¡± I told him, trying to sound like a child. I appreciated his offer, yet I was not sure whether I wanted to live with him. ¡°Ah, and are you going to take care of yourself? On your own?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I can take care of myself,¡± I stated inly. On Earth, I had only lived on my own for two years, but it really wasn¡¯t so hard. I knew how to cook, well, using modern technology, but how hard could it be? Kaseun gave a hesitant nod at my statement, clearly not wishing to press the matter so soon after Judah¡¯s loss. ¡°That¡¯s all right, we won¡¯t worry about it now,¡± he said in a kind and warm tone. I stopped eating myst sandwich and looked directly into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not stubborn. I just figure that I will have to learn how to live alone, so I might as well do so sooner thanter.¡± He held his silence after I said this. I wondered what he was thinking, for what I had just said was not something that a seven-year-old was expected to say. Suspicions as to what his conclusion would be troubled me. ¡°I¡­ You are quite mature for one so young, Judah.¡± Of course, I was mature, though there was no way that I could exin this to him. The fact of the matter was, the sooner I figured out how to survive in this world on my own, the better. Kaseun seemed disappointed at my attitude, for he had clearly hoped that I would live with him. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Judah. You will live alone for now. If you feel you can¡¯t manage it, or if you need anything else, you will always be wee under my roof.¡± ¡°Thank you, grandfather.¡± ¡°I will take care of you to the best of my ability. Whenever you need help, freely ask me,¡± he said, once more smiling kindly and lovingly at me before focusing his attention on his half-eaten sandwich. I was wracked by doubts, however. A boy as young as I, living on his own? What had I been thinking? Well, I had to prepare myself for a tough childhood. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint: Sampling a great variety of meals is one of the greatest pleasures of life. However, despite themon presence of magic, delicious food stilles at reasonable, if not hefty, prices. Eating food can grant many positive (and negative) statuses to your character, so try out as great a variety of meals as possible. You won¡¯t regret it! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Q: Judah is going to have a very hard time collecting all 24 fragments. Their current owners aren¡¯t going to give them up so easily, are they? A: While that is true, he is still the creator of the game. He knows exactly what is going to happen next, so he has an inherent advantage. On top of that, there are three other things you have to consider: Pernen, the creator of the fragments, is still alive.Judah has very strong abilities.Even if he dies, he will only reset to hisst save point. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

9==================== Serenia: City of Adventurers. After our meal, Kaseun Sabrak and I finally reached my home, which had a brand new front door mounted on the hinges. Upon entering the foyer, I instantly noticed other changes. The blood which had covered the entire floor had been scrubbed clean. Even the visceral reek of it was no longer in the air. The broken furniture had been removed as well, and as I scanned the room, I saw no sign that two people had lost their lives here. I absent-mindedly ran my hand through my hair, deep in thought. ¡°Judah¡­ You can cry if you want. If¡­ if this doesn¡¯t make you cry, what will?¡± No tears flowed from my eyes, and this fact did little to improve my mood. I had existed in this universe for but a day, yet I still felt a deep bond with Judah¡¯s parents, for in so many ways, they were my own. Kaseun sighed deeply from where he stood next to me. ¡°Are you sure you want to remain here? Wouldn¡¯t you rathere with me?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s okay. Really, I want to live here.¡± ¡°Right, fine,¡± Kaseun said as muttered something under his breath that I couldn¡¯t make out. He then promised me that as long as I lived here, he would ensure that I was well provisioned with food. I thanked him as he set off to the market. Finally left alone, I continued my study of the house. In terms of itsyout, it was a simple home, yet my father had been a nobleman. This meant that there were all sorts of doodads and luxurious thingamajigs ced within the rooms. A deeper study of the contraptions and their functions somewhat broke the immersion I had expected to feel within such a low-tech fantasy world, though their existence would surely make my stay here more bearable. There was a cab with a ss fronting, and I could feel the cold air that circted through it by some magical means. A few old vegetables could be seen inside. Another contraption was clearly a gas stove or something akin to it, for I saw no obvious fuel source, yet its mes burned well all the same. There was even a toilet that functioned by using some sort of water or gravitational magic, which fed into its bowl through piping. ¡°Thank god,¡± I muttered, d that the presence of magic in this world at least enabled me to enjoy certain creatureforts. I knew that I would find no television here, yet how I could have survived without a fridge or a toilet, I didn¡¯t know. It would have been a nightmare. For the first time in a long while, I was able tough with a mind cleared of worries. Various books and maps were scattered around the house, a fact which pleased me greatly, especially as the number of maps surpassed the number of books. Kaseun would be gone for a while, I guessed, so I grabbed a map and headed upstairs. The door to my room had been reced as well. As I entered, I noticed that here the cleaning had not been so thorough. There was still the visible burgundy of dried blood in a few hard to reach corners. I smiled bitterly upon seeing this and then threw myself onto my bed. Despite my light weight, the bed still audibly creaked as Inded on it. Shoddy workmanship, I decided. No matter what position I tried toy in, none of them werefortable, so in the end, I sat upon the mattress with the map spread open on the nket. The map looked ancient, with tattered corners and the brownish coloration of aged paper. It was created entirely in ck ink, which stood out clearly on the aged surface it had been penned upon. All across it, markings had been made denoting the exact as well as rtive areas in which meteors had fallen. My world consisted of two continents, yet this map only showed the one, as well as the ind that was to be found between them. Portions of the map had been left nk. The map was iplete. Still, this old map was going to help me a great deal. I now used the chance to open my mini-map, which I had started to test when Kaseun had led me through the city. Whenever I focused on a name orndmark upon the map, further information of the area appeared in my mind. I studied that map for a while, seeingndmasses that I had seen hundreds of times before I had ever entered this world. A few small details might have slipped from my mind, yet the generaly of thend was burned into my memory, for was I not its creator? The next thing I needed was to have a ce to record my thoughts. ¡°It should be here,¡± I muttered as I started to cycle between my menu options. If Xian had not tampered with the game¡¯s UI, there should be a ¡°Notes¡± function somewhere. ¡¸Bag¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Status window¡¹? ¡­ ¡¸Skill window¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Map¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Quest¡¹?¡­ ¡¸Notes¡¹ So, it was here! I knew that the window would open if I said ¡°record¡± out loud. I hoped that merely thinking it would achieve the same result. Xian should really have included a user guide to better help me adapt. ¡°Record.¡± It opened, and I knew that only I could see it. It was a simple journal, originally added into my game with the intention that yers did not have to cycle out of the program to make notes in a text document. I proceeded to hastily write the most important things that needed to be kept in mind before my memory failed me. Though notpletely urate, I recorded the core aspects of the game in order of importance. It was quite easy, for I either thought of the words or summoned a screen that acted as a sort of holographic keyboard. Here was a quick summary of the general themes I inserted into the journal: ¨C The lore of the Demon Lords and Celestial Kings ¨C The bits of Pernen¡¯s story regarding the creation of the fragments that I could recall ¨C Where the fragments were at this stage of the game ¨C Useful items and their locations ¨C Simple cooking recipes ¨C A list ofpetent NPCs ¨C Quest details and anything else that could aid me Whenever I was unsure about something, I left a nk space. Recording all of this information went faster than I had expected, especially as I just had to remember something to record it. I had penned a rough outline, knowing many details had yet to be added. As I reviewed my writings, I could not help butugh at the absurdity of my situation. Who would¡¯ve thought that I would ever live inside the world that I had created? Surely, this must be every fantasy author¡¯s dream. ¡°Huh, if I had known what would happen, I would have buffed Judah¡¯s stats, even if only a little¡­¡± My life had been made needlessly difficult by the man who had created me, and I was that man. I gave a deep sigh and headed downstairs. Hearing someone ce something heavy in front of the door, I opened it. Kaseun came in carrying the shopping bags, which he heaped in a big pile. My strong grandfather gave a heartyugh as he saw the surprise on my face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure as to what you would need.¡± I continued gaping at all the food he had bought. There was a big bag of rice, as well as assorted fruits and vegetables. The various types of bread and meat already made my mouth water. He had even purchased some eggs and carried them all the way here. How could I eat all of this stuff by myself? ¡°Grandpa, didn¡¯t you buy a bit too much? How can I eat all of this before it spoils?¡± Kaseunughed at my words. ¡°You have a frigid cupboard, so what are you worried about? We¡¯ll just chuck all the old food out and make space for all of this,¡± he said as he gestured at the bags. Right, right¡­ I forgot about the fridge. ¡°I will cook us some dinner!¡± he heartily announced as he started to move the heavy bags to the kitchen. I helped as much as my small frame allowed me to. When I realized just how many different types of food he had purchased, I started to strongly suspect that he had strolled from store to store, grabbing whatever had taken his fancy. Fortunately, I was familiar with most of the food, as they were at least like their Earthly counterparts. The only thing thatcked was spices, and even the salt and pepper were in quite small bags. It seemed that all types of spices were expensive in Serenia. Kaseun Sabrak stocked the fridge and then started rummaging around in the cupboards until he had finally ced a cutting board and an assortment of utensils on the counter. He had found an apron in one of the drawers, and even if it was a bit small for his big frame, he donned it. ¡°Do you live alone?¡± I asked him as he started preparing the food, my curiosity piqued. ¡°No, I live with my grandson, his father, my daughter-inw, and our maid. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Because you seem to know what you are doing. I would have guessed that chefs prepared your food.¡± ¡°Oh, they do, they do,¡± he said, turning back to the task at hand. The meat he had sliced into thin cutlets looked like veal. I was fascinated as I saw him skillfully trimming the vegetables while the veal slices sizzled as they fried, with mes shooting almost over the pan, which he rhythmically moved all the time, the pieces of meat flipping under his exacting motions. I knew that what he was doing was not simple at all, yet he seemed to do it with graceful and consummate ease. He was putting on quite the show for me. The smell itself was divine as it filled the kitchen and made my mouth water in anticipatory delight. He finally answered my question: ¡°In my tenure as a mercenary, I had to cook my own food almost daily, for I had grown tired of the dry jerky which constituted our rations.¡± I empathized with his view on jerky, which I only ate if it was thest thing left in the cupboard. When I didn¡¯tment, he briefly turned his head away from hisbors with augh. ¡°Of course, now that I have retired from that life, I have even more time to cook! I¡¯ve be quite adept at it, even if I say so myself.¡± I really could not disagree with his assessment, for there was no way that something smelling so delicious could taste bad. Once he had finished the veal stew, he ced the entire pan upon the table. Freshly baked bread was soon removed from the oven and ced next to the stew. As I watched therge chunks of meat swimming in the soup, l had to employ every effort to keep my mouth closed as to not drool upon the table or into our meal. I near-shoveled the stew onto my te, taking my first spoonful as quickly as my pudgy hands allowed me to. Arge chunk of bread was soon torn off, and this I dipped in the soup, stuffing the still-dripping slice in my mouth. The meat was very vorful and so tender that it almost melted away upon my tongue. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± I managed topliment him between greedy mouthfuls of his fine fare. ¡°Hahaha, right? I told you I was a good cook!¡± After we were both sated, Kaseun Sabrak stated that the time hade for him to return to his own home. As I saw him off, standing on the porch, he asked me one more time whether I was sure that I did not want toe and stay with his family. I refused his request with a bitter smile. ¡°I see. You really are stubborn. Well, just call for me if you need anything, anything at all.¡± He turned around and walked off into the now emptier streets. Alone once more, I started creating ns for what I would do these next few days within my world. ====================================================== I cannot yet tell what will be the focus of my uing works. Based upon your reaction, I will decide whether it shall be a journal detailing the urrences within a harem, a recipe for rice cakes, or a love affair. Wouldn¡¯t you like to test the waters? If you want bread, I will bake bread. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

10==================== Serenia: City of Adventurers. My first goal was the attainment of knowledge. I had created this world and therefore knew the ins and outs of it better than anyone. However, knowing aputerized universe was not the same as the reality I faced now. The cultural the nature of the people who lived and breathed within them, and a whole slew of othermon elements of my world were unknown to me. Noputer on Earth would be able to hold that much data. The best way to learn of such things was to experience them first-hand, and it would be wise to travel the realms myself and learn their true nature. Seeing as I was still a child, though, long-distance travel was out of the question. My search for knowledge would have to be confined to reading for the time being. Serenia had a library which was free and open to any that called the city their home, a situation which I found to be fortuitous. Many of the books had been donated by those who had found them in ruins, and the merchant guild had also donated to the library from the texts that they held in their tower. Lord Peerchen, ever the pragmatist, had bought a great many volumes at bargain prices to further fortify the shelves with reading material. Reading thenguages of my world was quite easy, for most texts were written using Hanguel. The few times that I encountered Latin and Hanzi characters, I could unexpectedly interpret them. I wondered whether this had been one more of Xian¡¯s considerations toward my plight. Either way, I encountered no obstacles in my reading. I developed a schedule then. Each morning I woke up and jogged along the walls of the inner city. Upon returning home, I washed and prepared a quick breakfast. Then, I headed to the library and conducted my research until it closed for the evening. A week, a month, and then years passed in this fashion. My efforts at maintaining this schedule bore fruit, as the amount my stats had improved was considerable. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You have gained 1 Strength; 2 Agility and 4 Stamina due to constant exercise.] [You have gained 2 Knowledge after reading old books that are difficult for a child to understand.] [You have gained 2 Magic after reading an ancient arcane book dealing with low-ranking magic.] [You have gained 3 Knowledge through your voracious reading of 30% of the texts within Serenia Library.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It might have been the only thing that I could have done during that year, yet I was very satisfied with the result. To go out on quests and try to level up as a child of eight would have been very unwise. This meant that my level was capped, so I had to focus on gaining bonus stats wherever I could. This forced me to read even the books that were more difficult to understand, such as giant tomes filled with uninspired and very boring poems. Books that caught my attention, such as novels and treatises on magic, I read avidly and in one sitting. Those that handled more boring fields were a struggle to get through. I persisted in reading them, though, and my efforts paid dividends through my stat increases. After some time, the people of the castle came to regard me as a young schr and a quasi-librarian. Reading books all day gifted me with an existence without worry or hardship, especially as Kaseun Sabrak upheld his promise to support me in every way as my guardian. I also did not have to be concerned with thieves breaking into my house, as what thief would think that an orphaned child would hold something of value within his home? Time passed in a peaceable manner, and soon another year was marked off on the calendar. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You have gained 5 Strength; 8 Agility; 6 Stamina and 1 Luck due to constant exercise.] [You have gained 7 knowledge through your constant absorption of knowledge.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ So it came to be that two years had passed since I had entered my world, two years spent mainly penned up in a library. The increase in stats had reached a teau, for I could only raise them that much through reading and running. I was pondering this as I looked at thest page of thest book and then read it. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You have read every book to be found in Serenia Library.] [All your stats have increased by 1.] [Achievement gained: -Book Worm-> [-Book Worm-: As a lover of reading, you have read every single text within Serenia Library. Whenever you read a book from now on, you can enable speed reading. There¡¯s still empty space in that noggin of yours!] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ This day marked the end of an era. If I had been this well-read back on Earth, I would have attended the very best university on the. I hadn¡¯t only gained knowledge, but also a greater grasp of othernguages, for I had grown quite adept at interpreting and even using both Latin and Hanzi scripts. I considered these things as I sat in one of the libraries¡¯ many opulent armchairs. The only course of action that remained to me was the honing of my Shadow Magic and Swordsmanship. I had not given these facets of my character much thought, always putting them off. Mying-of-age ceremony was still five years away, so there was enough time to hone these skills. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± I muttered to myself as I stood up and reced the book. This then was farewell to the musty reek of old books, farewell to all these many shelves. ¡°It really is goodbye,¡± I said, with pride creeping into my tone. As I headed for the exit, the old librarian nodded at me with a smile. I went to his counter, standing on the tip of my toes to regard the man as he looked down at me. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going? You seem to be leaving early today.¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think I shall return here for quite some time.¡± ¡°Hoh! That means you¡¯ve read all these books, then?¡± ¡°It has been a great adventure. I still recall what you said to me when I first came here,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Oh, you remember?¡± When I had first entered this establishment, the old man had said that there were no books for children to read. I came here day after day, though, and he soon saw that I was sincere. He gave me snacks from time to time after that and helped me whenever I could not understand a word. Some of the more difficult books would have been impossible to read had he not been there to aid me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again.¡± ¡°Of course you will. Visit us any time that you are bored, the library is always open.¡± It was a new experience, seeing the midday sun hanging above me as I left the library. I normally came out just before dusk, when the suny low over the mountains. As I walked through the streets, I once more noticed a great many adventurers who did so as well. Pernen¡¯s fragment had not yet been found, and nations kept sending knights and mercenaries all the way here to scour the region for it. Making my way through the hustle and bustle of Serenia, I finally reached my home. As I inserted the key in the lock and made to turn the handle, I noticed that the door was already open. I knew that it had been locked, as it had been my habit to do so these past two years. Someone had clearly breached my home. Slowly, I turned the knob and ghosted inside. ¡°Ah?¡± Came a young, startled voice as I made my entrance,ing before four children who stood in my lounge. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± I demanded. Where they to be considered thieves? They stared at me in confusion, clearly having known my schedule and expecting me not to be home at this early hour. ¡°Ju¡­ Judah!¡± I was well known within the city, as the news of my orphaning and Kaseun Sabrak¡¯s subsequent adoption had be amon topic of gossip. No one bore any ill will toward me, for I was a polite and self-sufficient boy who never caused trouble, locked in my studies as I had been. The adults treated me well, and often scolded their children to imitate my example. This did little to foster friendship between me and many of the young ones, for the minds of children could be more pernicious and sadistic than many an adult scoundrel. Few of the children liked me, yet none had before been brazen enough to invade my property. I closed the door behind me, seeing that these urchins had not even removed their shoes before trespassing, tracking mud all over the floors that I kept clean by myself. I saw the four of them nervously start to shuffle in my direction, toward the door. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Uh¡­ Home!¡± The bravest of them sputtered. ¡°Youe into my house without permission, dirty my floors, and now you just want to waltz back to your mommies and daddies?¡± I asked them, chuckling harshly. They exchanged nervous nces at myughter. It was then that I recognized them, these four: They had mocked me before, calling me a poor little orphan. I had done nothing to them then, for their parents had been nearby. ¡°He¡­ He doesn¡¯t want to make way for us,¡± a nervous boy who looked like a weasel sputtered. ¡°Ha, we¡¯re getting out of here. I¡¯ll go first,¡± thergest of their number said as he strode up to me and grabbed my shoulder, trying to push me out of the way. I did not budge an inch, for the difference in our stats was considerable, Judah possessing far greater strength than this lout. My hand snapped out, grabbing him by the wrist and twisting it until I heard something snap. ¡°Oooh, it hurts¡­ It hurts!¡± He wailed, staggering back from me. I followed with a kick to his midsection, and he crumpled to the ground in submission. ¡°He¡¯s only one!¡± My next assant shouted. I mmed my palm into his face as he charged at me, stepping onto his right foot with my left and mming him to the ground in one fluid motion as I robbed him of his bnce. I drew my arm back, threatening to punch him, and he started to cry at this threat, clearly beaten. ¡°We were wrong! Don¡¯t hit me, don¡¯t hit me!¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± Another shouted, one of the remaining two had clearly seen the folly of fighting me. I had shown them what I was capable of. The boys I had beaten continued sobbing, staring at me with terrified eyes. I then proceeded to pat them down, wishing to know if they had stolen anything. They had not, so at least they were mere trespassers and not thieves. Their crying was starting to get on my nerves. ¡°Hey, you two, if you really want a reason to cry, I¡¯m going to hit you some more.¡± This threat worked wonders, and they shut up in quick order, nodding at me as their tears dried upon their cheeks. Satisfied, I locked the door behind me and went to fetch a mop, bucket, and some rags from the bathroom. This I threw down before them. ¡°Now take of your shoes and clean my floor, every inch where you guys have stepped. You know how to clean a floor, right? I¡¯m sure you help your mothers at home. If you don¡¯t know how, well, figure it out.¡± ¡°If we clean it all up, we can go, right?¡± An older girl asked. I nodded, seeing that she had more wits about her than the other three. ¡°Of course you can. Two of you take the mop and bucket and move up and down in straight lines. The other two can follow them, drying the floor with the cloth.¡± Such was their fright that they obeyed me to the letter. I followed them around, making sure that they didn¡¯t get brave and try to jump out of a window, all the while putting my hand on the floor to ensure it had been wiped dry. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You have defeated the little children who had snuck into your house] [You have gained 1 agility] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I was not very happy upon reading this message, even if I had gained a stat point. ¡°You don¡¯t have to reward me for doing something like this,¡± I muttered angrily. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Hint:] [Bonus stat points can be randomly earned in the world by doing certain tasks or aplishing certain deeds] [Repeating the same action, however, will not continue to grant you the same stat points] [Stats might also stop increasing once they have reached a cap] [Luck allows you to gain stats through random tasks unrted to quests] [Best of luck!] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 4] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 27(D) / Potential A] [Health: 26(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 27(D) / Potential SS] [Magic: 31(D) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 13(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 79(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Remaining points: 3] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ========================= ==================== ======== Oh, indeed, few are those who seek rice cakes, for ours has be a society that roams the streets seeking nothing but pizza and chicken. Yet, how scrumptious the humble rice cake is! Oh, you asked if I wish to go premium. I have no such desire. How can I, with my skills? At least I¡¯ll get a coupon for giving it my best, hah ha hah ha ha. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

11==================== Serenia: City of adventurers. If there was one thing that childrencked, it was patience. And if one child started bawling and throwing a tantrum, others would soon be swept up in this tide of emotion and start crying as well. They had cleaned most of their mess, yet when I had wanted them to start cleaning the upstairs rooms as well, their collective howling had begun. During all of this, I had been curious as to the stats of the kids, yet I soon found out that I could not summon the stat windows for any NPCs. I had to go by the average stats that I remembered upon having created the game. Was there a way in which I could gain the ability to see such things? I could finally bear their moaning no more and told them to get out of my house as I unlocked the door. They grabbed their shoes, and once outside, put them on while staring at me with resenting gazes. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell everything to my mom,¡± the weaselly-looking boy said petntly. ¡°Oh, okay then,¡± was all I said as I watched them scurry away into a nearby alley. Their tattling would bear no fruit, for they weremoners while I was of noble lineage. I had the support of Kaseun Sabrak and knew that their parents would not be foolish enough to press the matter. I locked the door after myself with a sigh and went about cleaning the spots that they had missed. I then left the mop and rag to dry by the window as I flopped down on the living room sofa. I stared at the ceiling then, my body rxing as if it was being hugged. My home had been filled with noise for the first time in two years, so I was once more reminded of how lonely it was. As Iy there, the house felt like a vast, empty cavern to me. ¡°What a bitter thing,¡± I mused sadly. On Earth, I could at least talk to my parents if I felt lonely. In this world, I did not even have a single friend to share my life with. I had never tried to make any, as I still wished to escape this reality. Well, I might settle down here and live my life as a noble¡­ but what of Earth, then? Even if I forgot about my previous life and lived to a ripe old age in Serenia, once I died, I would return to myst save. This rang true whether I died by de, pestilence, or the simple passage of time. This ability to start over did have its advantages, yet I had no desire to repeat the process ad infinitum. I knew that the moment I was an adult would be the moment that I set out on my quest for the fragments and im my ce as Pernen¡¯s heir. ¡°It can¡¯t be that hard to be the Fourth Lord¡¯s sessor,¡± I mused, cursing Xian¡¯s meddling ways as I stood up. There was one very real problem which faced me: To be the heir to a Demonic Lord was to sacrifice one¡¯s very humanity. These Lords stood in direct opposition to the Celestial Kings, who were the personification of all that was good in the world. The moment that other humans became aware of someone¡¯s desire to be a sessor, they would hunt you ceaselessly, fearing the malicious power inherent in one who would freely choose to be a Demonic Lord. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems that this fate has been chosen for me, not by me,¡± I said aloud as I allowed shadow magic to bloom from my palm, the ck tendrils reaching into the air. I decided that the problem of my ascension was still far off, so there was little to be gained from being worried and depressed. Now was the time for me to focus upon the honing of my swordsmanship, as well as the gaining of core survival skills that would aid me upon my quest. It might not be an easy task, yet I still had plenty of time. *** After a few days of trying to practice, I realized that, within this reality, I would get nowhere without a trainer, a teacher. Even by using the game elements I had by then mastered, any training I did on my own became nothing more than repetitivebor, which did little to improve my skills or stats. I knew with a firm conviction that I was wasting my time. Basic skills, like cooking, were easy to learn. Survival skills and the art of the sword took practice and regimented training. I had gained much knowledge of such things in my perusal of the library, yet reading about the tying of a rope or the employment of a perfect riposte after parrying a strike was not the same as physically doing it. The only way that theory and practice could be intertwined was by, well, practicing. I decided that I had to go on a little hunting expedition. I failed at it, though, and quickly too. Unlike normal sandbox RPGs, one could not merely exit a city as it pleased one. The guards would not let me, a mere boy, go outside the walls of Serenia on my own. I needed a qualified escort. It seemed that I had hit a brick wall in all my efforts. Someone had to help me if I wished to advance. One name immediately came to mind. ¡°Kaseun Sabrak.¡± It would be difficult to find a trainer better than he, for he held a tinum disk which he had earned when he had been a Mercenary King. I also considered going to Seron for training, yet I knew his manner would not be as leisurely and understanding as that of Kaseun. I made up my mind and went to visit the Sabrak household. It stood proudly near the inner wall, one of therger and more opulent mansions in Serenia. It had an iron fence around it, which stretched as tall as its roof, and more than one building stood in itspound. Their style was one of subtle elegance that few architects would be able to emte. After knocking on the door, I was greeted by a butler. I stated my purpose to him and entered the house, taking a seat in the foyer. The butler left to fetch his master, and I was greeted by Kaseun in short order. ¡°Oh, Judah! You have finally visited my home, I see. How amazing,¡± Kaseun said, for I had only been here once when he had shown me where he lived. After exchanging a few pleasantries, I got straight to point as to the reason for my visit. ¡°So, you want to be tutored in the art of the sword?¡± ¡°Yeah, grandpa.¡± ¡°And why have youe to me, then?¡± ¡°Well, you are an honorary noble of Baekje and possess a tinum disk, which means you know how to use a sword and train others. They even say that you are the best trainer in Serenia. You once said that I muste to you if I ever needed anything. Right now I need a trainer, so here I am.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling you that I was an honorary noble of Baekje¡­ Well, well, no matter. You are right, I am the most skilled man in this city,¡± Kaseunughed, clearly pleased upon hearing my request. ¡°I¡¯ll train you.¡± ¡°Okay, I think you¡¯ll be an excellent sparring partner, grandpa. Before we begin, I just have to check my stamina.¡± ¡°Check your¡­ check your stamina?¡± ¡°I mean, I just want to make sure I¡¯m not too tired for intense training.¡± He nodded at this, stroking his beard thoughtfully. ¡°If you are tired today, we can always start tomorrow,¡± he said as he started to noisily sip the tea his maid had ced before him. ¡°No, we can start now.¡± ¡°Yes? Excellent! Let¡¯s head to the training grounds,¡± he said as he emptied his cup and stood up. I followed him outside. Within the courtyard of hispound, there was a small field covered with sand. ¡°Now, I have decided to tutor you. I am telling you in advance: This will be proper, hard training, and you can¡¯t chicken out, not even now. A true man does what he said he would do,¡± Kaseun told me with his hand upon my shoulder. ¡°Yes grandpa, I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± ¡°You have answered well, Judah. I know through rumors that you have jogged along the city walls every morning. So, let¡¯s see what you have in you. Runps over the training ground until I say stop,¡± Kaseun said as he settled himself under the shade of the pagoda which had been erected nearby. Upon hearing hismand, I entered a jog, my steps and breathinging at regr intervals. I gave no thought as to how manyps I did; I just ran. Sweat soon began to pour from me like a salty rain, yet my stats held me on my feet. After I had run for a goodly while, Kaseun said that I could stop. He then proceeded to test me through push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. ¡°Excellent, very good!¡± he praised me. Well, I knew I could be better for this session of training had atst exhausted me. I had trained without rest for many hours by then. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Your body has reached its limit. Determination has been activated, granting you a brief second wind] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ When I saw this message and felt the brief boost in my Stamina, the exhaustion had finally be too much to bear. I looked toward Kaseun, who nodded in a satisfied manner. ¡°Is this enough, grandpa?¡± ¡°Uh huh, of course, it is! Your strength and stamina are superb, far better than I had expected. So, from now on, we will train for three hours each morning, starting at around nine on the clock.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, yeah,¡± I managed to say as Iy in the sand, taking deep gulps of breath. Kaseun had approached me and started to massage my thighs and calves. I tried to get up, but his grip upon my shoulder prevented me from doing so. ¡°Just stay down. You always have to release the tension and fatigue in your body after training, so just rx.¡± I hesitated, but then did as he had instructed, feeling his grip on my shoulder cken. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said as he finished hisbors, his massaging technique having removed much of the pain from my body, which now felt cooler than before. ¡°Yes, in this case, thanks is all I want from you, Judah, nothing else. So, why do you wish to wield a sword, then? I thought with all the days that you had spent in the library that you sought to be a schr, a bureaucrat or a mage.¡± I pondered his question and my response for a while. When I looked into his eyes, though, I noticed the deep and anxious concern within them. I knew I could not tell him the entire truth, but at least sketch a rough idea for him. ¡°I have no interest in bing a boring old schr or a bureaucrat. Being a mage is also not my goal. No, I¡¯m leaving Serenia.¡± ¡°When, Judah? And to where?¡± ¡°On the day that I be an adult, I will set out and travel the world. The knowledge from books have taught me about other realms. Now, knowing how to wield a sword will protect me on my journey, and allow me to protect others, not stand around as if my hands had been cut off.¡± Kaseun groaned upon hearing myst sentence. Perhaps I had been too blunt, speaking more like an adult than a child. But I could see that Kaseun was rather thinking about the murder of my parents and that this event had led me to take up the sword. ¡°You want to be strong to protect others? That is such a thought in one as young as you.¡± He had clearly misunderstood my intentions, which might have been for the best. My true goal was the collection of the fragments, and toward that goal, I had read all that there was to read in the library. I had to be prepared for the unknowns of the world I had created. Kaseun bumped my shoulder with his fist. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, surprised at Kaseun¡¯s reaction. He just gave me a thumbs up, his hand as thick as my head, and thenughed as he shoved his yellowed teeth. ¡°I will teach you. Nine is a good age to start, not toote and not too early. I will drill the art of the sword into your heart, but one requires talent for that. No¡­ Even if youck the talent, I will train you until no one can harm you, trust me,¡± he said as he thumped his fist into his chest. I was sweating as I watched him. Something was wrong¡­ Chapter 12

Chapter 12

[An editor has been messing up with Kaseun and Kain. To rify, Kaseun is the grandfather, while Kain is the MC of the original game. All instances in s have been fixed.] 12==================== Serenia: City of adventurers. Kaseun was a nice guy, a man of his word. Still, I don¡¯t know what the damned misunderstanding was because I felt as if I had joined the army all over again. Like a sergeant wearing a beret, Kaseun forced me through the training field day after day, proving to me that hell was not a far off ce. Had I not developed my strength before, I would have fallen to the sand with my tongue lolling out of my mouth. Kaseun trained me for three hours every day, and while this might sound like a short period, it felt long if one filled every second of it with physical exertion. The first hour consisted of warming-up exercises, mostly geared towards building up my strength. In the second hour, I was given a wooden sword. I started by repeating basic actions, such as striking, slicing, and parrying. After a few sessions of this, I understood his methodology. The path of the sword was not a clean or simple one to walk. Thinking in mere straight lines did not work; one had to consider many angles and employ them from a great variety of stances. The reality was far different from the game mechanics, as both the body and the mind had to act as one. It was an obvious fact, yet its application was indeed bitter. Still, the buffs I had gained from the statue of Jopiel, as well as [The First Lord¡¯s Protection] and [Determination], enabled me to grow my skills faster than a mere NPC. After two weeks, I had mastered the eight primary directions in which a sword would be employed. Upon seeing this, Kaseun was pleased, for he believed me to have natural talent. His tutoring was still beneficial, for I felt the difference between having a teacher and not having one. I was tired out, but I could feel my skills improve day by day. After three hours of intense training, I went home and caught a little rest. I then practiced the itto-ryu technique on the second floor of my house by summoning [Shadow Justice] weapons. A Shadow Magic Swordsman wields a dagger in his left hand and a bastard sword in his right hand. This technique was not that effective if onecked the requisite strength and agility, yet I had to train to be more effective in the skills. I surely was not practicing with such weapons to look cool; no, I had my long term goals in mind. I practiced like this whenever I had the time. Since I had little else to do with my time, I trained my body whenever I was bored. Interestingly enough, my stats had risen well beyond my expectations after a few sessions. [You have employed magic without rest day by day. Its nature is simple and crude, yet still effective. Magic increased by 6] [Through constant physical training, your Strength and Stamina have increased by 5. Further stat increases due to such basic training are unlikely.] So it came to be that I had trained for an entire year. My level never rose, but the boost in my stats satisfied me. Interestingly enough, though I knew this world to be real, I still felt as if I had won in a game upon seeing the notification of my stat increases. I found myself training once more on the second floor, if only to gain even a slight rise in my stats. One of the two rooms on the second floor waspletely vacant, and so I swung my sword around in there. I did not hesitate at all, as surely no one was watching me. I took a rest to calm my breathing, then activated a skill. [Shadow Justice Form 4 ¨C Lower ck Arms Manifestation Activated] As my magic was consumed, shadowy spheres arose from my hands. These magical energies flowed into one another, and as they united, they formed the dagger and the bastard sword into my hands. I imagined that an enemy stood before me, and I imagined him to be Jacques, the man I had killed on this very spot three years ago. It was the easiest opponent for my mind to conjure up. I took my stance and swung at him. ¡®Swooong!¡¯ I imagined him parrying my strike with his ax. My practice was focused upon my body¡¯s movements and how to counter-attack after an opponent¡¯s strike. ¡°It¡¯s just not enough,¡± I muttered. This type of training did not satisfy and challenge me. It has been a full month since any of my stats had risen. I knew that I could gain no more from these solitary bouts of mine. Even if I was sweating like a dockhand, I just did not like this form of training anymore and could no longer concentrate on my phantom foe. The mercenary before me faded away until he had finally disappeared. I gave a sad sigh as the pent-up frustration within me escaped. I had the knowledge of [Shadow Swordsmanship] and [Shadow Justice] within me, yet had no viable partner to spar against. I had to keep my skills secret from everyone, so not one person in Serenia could help me train my skills. ¡°I have to leave the castle walls,¡± I spoke into the empty room. To the South of Serenia, white and ck wolves fought each other over territory. To the west were all kinds of monsters. If one headed north, one would be upon the road to Philoria, the Land of the Knights. At this stage, I knew I had to head either south or west if I wanted to gain experience. I released my grip upon both the dagger and the bastard sword. With the magic that fed them being disrupted, these weapons dissipated into shadowy molecules, much like snow melting. I then decided to go and wash my body. As I headed down the stairs, I saw movement by one of the windows. ¡°Huh?¡± My blinds had been angled so that no one could see the inside of my house. In the lines of sunlight, though, I had seen a shadow pass by the window. There was a rustling sounding from the adjoining alleyway. Was it a thief? No, a thief wouldn¡¯t be so sloppy¡­ maybe the children who had bothered mest year? I neared the window and opened the blinds. The two scared faces that met mine plunged me into a state of momentary amazement. Two young children were hanging from the window sill. The boy was blond and handsome, while the girl had a mysterious pink hair color. The boy knocked smartly on the window as if he stood at a door. ¡°Kain Sabrak!?¡± The boy was a grandson of Kaseun and wouldter be chosen by the temple to be the Sword of Gabriel, a warrior fated to collect all the fragments of Pernen in this world. He was the protagonist of my game. I had seen him from afar a few times in the mansion. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± He looked at me with a bright smile and knocked once more upon the window. The girl next to him looked as if she would fall from the sill at any moment. I was worried, then, and swiped sweat from my forehead. Finally, I opened the window. Kain agilely jumped into the room and wiped his hands clean on his clothes. ¡°Wow, this is your house? It¡¯s clean. It definitely has a different feel to it than the mansion.¡± ¡°Help me, Kain!¡± The girl cried as she still clung to the window sill. Kain walked around the room as if he had not heard her. He was still wearing his shoes, and my eyes smoldered upon seeing this. Before scolding him, though, I helped the girl into the room. ¡°Thanks,¡± she sighed with relief as she entered the room, heading toward Kain with resentment in her eyes. I grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Take off your shoes. You too, Kain.¡± Both of them cocked their heads as they stared at my bare feet. They seemed confused for a moment, then nodded their head and removed their shoes. They took them to the front door, per my instructions. I went to fetch a rag and cleaned the spot where they had dirtied my floor. I stared at them, then. Even though we had seen one another for three years, they had never greeted me. Today was the first time that we spoke. ¡°What were you doing?¡± I wanted to know why they had hung from my window instead of knocking upon my door. ¡°Well, I wanted to see you,¡± Kain answered with a yfulugh. It was an unexpected answer, and it left me speechless. Havinge through idle curiosity or on an errand, I would have understood. ¡°My grandfather had told me that you¡¯re dealing with swords now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been interested in all that, but my grandfather has praised you a lot. So I thought, maybe we can fight a little.¡± I looked nkly at Kain. Unlike the girl, who was exploring the house, he stared straight into my eyes. Human eyes can be very honest, their intent absolutely clear if one met another¡¯s gaze. Was this the warrior that wouldter be chosen by the oracle? Or was he just a child with clear eyes? ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer me? Is the answer no?¡± Kain asked, his face puzzled by my silence. I knew that I did not want to be stuck here forever, and I had longed for a sparring partner mere minutes ago. I did not know whether I would train my [Shadow Swordsmanship] against Kain, yet a sparring partner would help me greatly. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s go to my house! Grandpa has left for a while, so we can secretly fight.¡± Kain ran to the window and jumped into the alley. I did not know why he didn¡¯t just use the door. The girl next to me sighed; she also thought Kain was weird. ¡°It¡¯s so stupid¡­ I should have known something like this would happen when he asked me toe.¡± I did not spare her any further attention, focused on Kain as I was. ¡°Riel, I¡¯m out here without shoes! I¡¯ll wait at the door!¡± Kain shouted through the window. ¡°If you do that, then why the hell did you jump out of the window?¡± The girl screeched in annoyance. She was a cute girl, light pink hair and all. If she grew up, she would surely be beautiful, even if her hair was not the country¡¯s normal color. I was surprised to sense the subtle flow of magic from her small and thin body. Was she a mage? Now that I thought about it, Kain had called her Riel. I now remembered who this girl was. She was the childhood friend of Kain, his first NPC friend. She was [Riel] from [Langritsa Matop]. Upon leaving Serenia, she would be a normal D-ss mage. In the second half of the game, though, she would be apetent A-ss tower lord. Riel turned her head as if sensing my gaze. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°So, you want to go out by the window?¡± ¡°Huh! Don¡¯t treat me like that idiot Kain! I was ashamed to climb through the window with my skirt.¡± I justughed as I took in her bloated cheeks and her general irritation. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Judah.¡± ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s Riel.¡± After our brief exchange, I heard Kain call from outside. ¡°We have to go, quickly,¡± Riel said as she tugged at my sleeve. ¡°But we go through the door, okay? Like normal people, we are going out through the door. Here we go, through the door! And¡­ We¡¯re finally through!¡± * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint: Enchantment means that new powers are applied to a weapon. It is as basic as strengthening the body of a warrior through magical means. Basic enchanted weapons have only their durability and efficacy improved. The magic itself is bound and cannot be unleashed in battle. The legendary enchanted sword is different. It does not sparkle faintly but instead shines with vivid color. It can destroy castle gates, cutting through rocks like a knife cuts through a slice of tofu. We are honored by those who wield such swords. Such wielders are called heroes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 4] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 32(D) / Potential A] [Health: 31(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 27(D) / Potential SS] [Magic: 37(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 51(B) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 13(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 79(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Remaining points: 3] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ======================================================= The wielder of the sword is but a mere swordmaster. Well, anyway, why do you do this to me? You seem to be misunderstanding, for I too am a new writer. Is this the first time that you have written in thisbined style? Yes. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

13==================== Serenia: City of adventurers. I empathized with Riel, for exiting through the window was not amon practice. Kain opened the front door, entered, grabbed his shoes, and went out again. All the while, he wasining, asking why we were taking so long toe out. Riel and I looked at one another with exasperated expressions, and we followed Kain as weughed. We opened the door to Kaseun¡¯s mansion and took the corridor that led to the training ground. It was afternoon, and even though the Sabraks were nobility, they did not keep a contingent of knights. Therefore, only I, Kaseun, and Kain ever trained here. Kain took two small wooden swords from the wall adjoining the grounds, where all the weapons hung. One, he gripped tight while he tossed the other to me. Riel saw the wooden sword flying through the air, and she stepped back with a groan. I reached out and grabbed the weapon by its hilt, swinging it lightly then. ¡°I don¡¯t have much energy,¡± I muttered, for I had trained with Kaseun in the morning and practiced in a personal capacity after that. I was fatigued, to put it bluntly. There had been a lot of sweat and groaning. Even if Kain and Riel had said nothing, I worried that my body stank rankly of sweat. In all honesty, the battle against Kain could be burdensome. Kaseun had tutored him for a long time, and I was tired. Still, along with Kaseun¡¯s training, sparring with Kain offered me an opportunity. I was a child without a source of ie. Kain would be selected as -Gabriel¡¯s Sword _ Pce Prosecutor (Hidden_S)- by the temple of Jopiel before he reached adulthood. It was a title with great potential, and many bonuses would be given to you once you retire from the position. It is, in fact, a deceptive job that quite suits the protagonist of my game. Still, that¡¯s the future, not the present. Right now, I had the advantage of being a -ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)- The thing that worried me was the experience gap between us. While I had only been training for a year, Kain had been tutored by Kaseun from a very young age. Our abilities to adapt and judge strikes would surely be different. ¡°Are we going to start?¡± I was wrenched from myplicated thoughts and was the first to move. Kain came at me, holding his sword in both hands. He swung at me then, and I lifted my wooden sword to block his. As our weapons shed, I knew I had the advantage of strength over my opponent. Kain looked a bit embarrassed, as he also realized this. I immediately swatted his sword to the side and made a short piercing thrust toward his chest. It was a counterattack that Kaseun had taught me, and it was a quick way to end an opponent whose heavy strike had failed. Still, Kain easily dodged backward, the tip of my sword missing him by mere inches. ¡°So, is it true that you learned from grandfather?¡± ¡°Of course. But I¡¯ve only been learning for a year, I mean,pared to you¡­¡± The two swords shed against each other again, with a dull thud resounding through the courtyard. Kain had a grin on his face as he twisted his sword, forcing mine downward. I tried to free my weapon in an upward sweep, but it was forced point-first into the sand. I jerked it back, wishing to prepare my defense, but the tip of Kain¡¯s sword was already touching my throat. I paused, looking at the other boy with amazement in my eyes. My body was twitching, and a thrill of excitement ran through it. Yes, this is it. I want this. You need to be experienced to master a de properly! I almost shouted this revtion aloud, yet repressed my urge at thest moment. ¡°Hmmm, you certainly don¡¯t seem to have much training experience,¡± Kain said as he stepped back from me, his face full of mischief. ¡°See, when Ibine my motions, I don¡¯t think about them. Thinking is too slow. I can¡¯t give you good advice, I¡¯m still learning too, but you get used to certain techniques if you train enough. That¡¯s why I can dance with grandpa like that!¡± ¡°Wow. Kain, you looked so great!¡± Kain merely shrugged when Riel pped her hands and shouted praise at him from where she sat. This situation would certainly hurt an average child¡¯s pride, yet I was no child, even if Judah was one. ¡°Once more, once more. Come on, let¡¯s continue,¡± I said, gesturing for Kain toe at me. ¡°Huh? Um, it¡¯s not very fun¡­ Okay! Fine then. Let¡¯s do it!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a sincere smile. I cared little for winning; all I wanted to do was spar with my new partner! Kain looked at me and readied his sword. And there I was, doing something that I had for my entire adult life only done in my thoughts and imaginings. I tried all sorts of ideas, moving in this manner to gauge how my opponent would react, and then realized that I could easily move into his nk. Ah, no, that didn¡¯t work, so how about trying this? I smiled with each swing of the wooden sword. Kain, living up to all my expectations, showed me no quarter. At times he easily blocked strikes I was sure wouldnd. Other times, he counterattacked and had his weapon pressing into one of my vital spots in the blink of an eye. I did not feel discouraged, even if I would already have died ten deaths if this were a true battle. In my life, I had never thought of being talented in martial arts. In retrospect, I had learned kendo for only a month, and even then, my body could not move perfectly. My mindset then was one of ¡®just learn this stuff because exercise is healthy.¡¯ Additionally, because I was not nning to be a warrior, I tended to lessen my strikes¡¯ power. I had figured that, even with the protective gear, I could still inadvertently injure my opponent. This situation was radically different. I pressed Kain as much as I could, trying to prevent him from regaining his strength after he blocked my first strike. I was adjusting to his style. Even though I failed every time, it was clear that victory was not far away. I had but to adapt and to learn. I judged the arc of Kain¡¯s sword urately in his next strike, batting it to the side as I bought the tip of my weapon to rest on his throat. ¡°What?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure whether I had caught him off guard or whether he had allowed me this small victory. Looking at the surprise written upon his face, I suspected the former to be the case. I was breathing deeply then, as I stared into his face. As I cooled off a bit, I saw that the tip of my sword still rested on the nape of Kain¡¯s neck. I slowly brought the weapon to my side once more. Having scored my first sess filled my heart with pride. And once I had eked out this victory, Riel jumped from her seat and cheered me on. ¡°Wow! Judah, you finally won? Are you guys done now?¡± At first, she had been interested in seeing the wooden swords bumping back and forth at such a pace. Later on, though, it all became so very boring for her. Still, the reason she had not fallen asleep was that seeing the two of them moving all the time while sweat poured from their bodies looked pretty cool. She had actually been watching Kain from start to finish, and this was what had kept her awake. I wiped the sweat from my brow as I watched Riel stretch out and yawn. [Through sparring, you have put into practice sword techniques that you had only known in theory] The system log shed before me, so I quickly checked it. It wasn¡¯t much, so I dismissed the window. At that time, I felt displeasure at the sweat flowing all over my body. Clothes that had already been soaked in sweat were soaked once more. My clothing now stuck to me like melted toffee. I frowned at the difort, yet a greet refreshing feeling that surged from the depths of my heart countered my dislike of the stickiness. It was the greatest emotion I had experienced sinceing into this reality. I was exhausted and fell to the ground, and Kain joined me. Riel rushed into the adjoining building. Soon enough, the scrawny girl groaned as she carried arge basin. Riel bore it all the way to us with her small body. She had filled it to the brim with cold water and had even brought several towels along. She held out a towel, and I, in my sweaty state, reached out for it. ¡°Thank you, Riel,¡± I said. ¡°Oh! Ooh. I wanted to hear that from Kain first. I didn¡¯t hold the towel out for you!¡± Her words were regrettable in a way, yet I justughed. I knew all too well that Riel liked Kain. It might be amon clich¨¦, yet I had always believed that childhood friends were the best romantic partners for a man. She was set to be a useful mage that could aid me in the game¡¯s mid-tote phases. She was but a D-ss mage now, though I knew well that she would be an A-ss tower lord. Riel stared at me with a pointed face. ¡°You know, Judah. I have a question for you,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, ask me,¡± I replied as I wiped the sweat from my body. ¡°Why did youugh so much, even if you lost so many times?¡± ¡°Because it was fun.¡± ¡°Hey! So are you happy? Even if you lost?¡± Kain also looked at me, obviously trying to gauge my reaction. I felt embarrassed under their stares, even if there was an admiring quality contained in them. I had said that even losing could be fun, and that was not false. ¡°Yes, I am happy even if I lost. Because, I lost today, but I will practice steadily and someday I will win. I have natural talent, so I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to beat Kain like I did thest round.¡± ¡°What? Kain was just unlucky. He will win tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after the day after tomorrow! You¡¯re not going to hurt him, right!?¡± At Riel¡¯s tirade, Kain just gave an awkwardugh and said nothing. I stood to return the sweaty towel to the basin, but my legs were wobbly, and I almost slumped to the ground. As I stood still, I could feel that both my legs and arms were very stiff and sore. I might have overdone it for the day and hoped that I did not injure something. ¡°You okay, Judah?¡± I just nodded at Kain¡¯s question. I found it to be absurd, for I had never been this tired. ¡°Yeah, I just have to take a break and then I¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just sleep here tonight? Grandpa can¡¯t object to that, and we have many empty rooms.¡± I wanted to tell him that I¡¯d be okay, yet I was tired and knew I would struggle to walk to my home. I sighed and told Kain that he should ask his grandfather. He ran into his home, and I justy next to the field as I watched him jog off. It was nice just toy down, I wanted to fall asleep as the cool breeze danced over my skin. As my eyes fell shut, I stopped myself at thest moment, instead choosing to stare at Riel. I had not spoken to many children during my time here. I had only been in the library, on my jogs and here, training my swordy. It was all I had really done in this reality. The few children who saw me promptly ran away, teasing me by calling me a cursed child. The kids that approached me did not do so with good intentions. I was used to being alone by now, as most people here were confused by me. Riel and Kain had visited and chatted with me today, and theirpanionship made me feel strange. Riel frowned as she finally noticed that I was staring at her. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? ¡°You like Kain.¡± Her reaction was instantaneous. Her face turned red, and she even gave a small, nervous hup. Riel was greatly embarrassed but finally came to me as she giggled andughed. ¡°You, you! So, uh, how did you know? Did Tina tell you?¡± ¡°No, Riel. I just know.¡± The mirthful surprise on her face turned into a wary mask at once. She shuddered like a cat guarding its meal, and she spoke to me in a low, threatening whisper. ¡°If you tell him, you die. Okay?¡± I just chuckled and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, I¡¯ll keep your secret.¡± Chapter 14

Chapter 14

[Good news! After a month-long break, we will begin uploading this series at full speed. For those that don¡¯t know, we paused this series to retrante 45 chapters of I Became the First Prince. The team has a capacity of 30 chapters a month. We will be splitting 50% of the effort between I Became the First Prince and this series. 15 chapters a week each. By increasing the per chapter cost to 5 points, we can sustainably move forward with this series.] [This series will begin its Premium release rate on Saturday, Nov. 28th. Expect 2 chapters this Saturday, and 2 next Wed in the meantime. (Nov. 20)] 14==================== Serenia: City of Adventurers. ¡°Really? Thank you, Judas!¡± There was no real reason for her to be grateful, so I justughed instead of answering. The truth of the matter was that I was exhausted and had little strength left for words. Did this little girl know it? Did she know that Kain would possess great beauty in the future, bing a handsome man indeed? This ce, this world, was somewhat unlike my game ¨C very much a reality in its own right, so I was unsure whether Kain would have an interest in only one woman or all of them. It was a bit sad, really, because Riel did not know the situation. Her unrequited feelings toward Kain would remain in her heart well into her adulthood, so she might still have hope, seeing as not everything here seemed to happen as it did in my game¡¯s original storyline. ¡°Whaaat, your expression is sooo weird! Why is that?¡± She was quick to notice things for a young one. I gave a little chuckle. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I turned my head to the house. Riel had tilted her head but did not ask me further questions. As Iy there, I turned my eyes to the heavens. The sun was setting in a gorgeous explosion of color as red light reflected off the clouds. It was all so beautiful, and I almost fell asleep, just staring at that wondrous sight. The cool breeze was drying the sticky sweat on my body. It felt as if I would surely fall asleep were I to stay in that position ¨C I waspletely tired, both mentally and physically. I knew that after a nice deep sleep, I would feel a bit better. And so, unheeding of my surroundings, Iy there in the training area and embraced sleep. When the distant echoes of my consciousness once more coalesced, I stared nkly at the sky. The sun had almostpletely set, and twilight, followed by darkness, was racing from the opposite side of the heavens. It seemed that time had passed. ¡°I slept.¡± It had been a sweet little doze, and yet my body still ached, as if begging for just a little more rest. It felt a bit creepy outside. It wasn¡¯t that cold, but I knew that if I spent the night outdoors, I might still catch a flu. Nope! I decided and awoke fully with a groan. Riel was sleeping, with her face buried between her knees and her arms thrown over them. What the hell are we still doing here? Why hasn¡¯t Kaine back? I thought about it and figured that Kaseun had not been home, which had kept Kain away longer. Or perhaps Kaseun had scolded Kain for the fact that we had secretlye here to spar against one another. I felt like telling the butler that I would rest here. Maybe Kain was still waiting for Kaseun to return, and because I didn¡¯t know whether the boy woulde, I had to wait where I was. ¡°Phaw,¡± I groaned as I stood with a sigh. My bones and muscles seemed to be screaming at me toy back down. ¡°Ugh!¡± It really hurt all over, and I just wanted to rest as soon as possible. As I considered this, I noticed Kaine running from afar. ¡°Judah! Grandpa said it¡¯s okay for you to sleep here!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll being soon¡­ Riel, get up, Kain is here.¡± I woke Riel up from her deep sleep. She raised her head as she heard me call her name. She then looked around and yawned as she nodded as if she understood the situation fully. Riel returned to her home, guided by the butler. Kain and I went to Kaseun, our faces tired, and both of us were then scolded. He said that if we did things like that, one of us could have been injured, and what must he do then? It felt as if he was preaching a sermon to us, yet his words didn¡¯t really enter my ears since I was so tired. We mumbled replies and blinked our weary eyes. This only made Kaseun sigh. He calmly exined that if we were going to fight again, we had to promise that we would do it only if he were watching and after he had given his permission. It wasn¡¯t all so bad then because the results were that I had gained his permission to spar against Kain as much I liked in the future. After sleeping in the mansion that night, morning came, and we enjoyed our breakfast. Kaseun set out our future training schedule. He reckoned that, since Kain and I would be sparring anyway, we would start training with him that morning. In the simplest of terms, I would now be faced with constantpetition. There was a difference in our skill with swords, but I kept silent and followed the n as it was. The most important thing for me was that I now had a sparring partner, even if it had to be under supervision. Kaseun didn¡¯t really give advice on the oue of our duel, and I felt no need to ask unnecessary questions. All I wanted was to develop myself and hone my skills, whether I experienced victory or defeat. My skills improved day by day. I learned a lot from Kaseun from the simple repetitive training regime that he had set up, from his exnations of the also from his vast wellspring of experience. There was a downside, though, for little by little, my rivalry with Kain began to grow. I knew all too well that someday, we would be enemies. However, it felt natural for me that we ate and trained together as we became acquainted with each other¡¯s swordy. There came a time when I was afraid, for we were given real swords and instructed to get used to wielding them in battle. It was so unlike facing off against each other with wooden swords, and it almost didn¡¯t feel as if we were training at all. I was afraid that it coulde to a point where we could start swinging at one another with murder in our hearts. It felt as if I held little affection for Kain, knowing what future was in store for us. We struggled to face one another safely with real des, so the exercise did not go as nned. Eventually, Kaseun postponed such bouts untilter, telling us to think about it in the meantime. ¡® Time passed little by little, and I decided to reveal a secret to Kaseun. I hadn¡¯t wanted anyone to know until I was able to leave Serenia, but I had reached a dead-end in my personal training sessions. Kaseun¡¯s help was needed, so I informed him of my Shadow Swordsmanship and asked his advice. I certainly did not call it Shadow Swordsmanship, but Kaseun was still amazed by my skill, and this from a man who had wandered the continents and held an honorable tinum disk. He did note that my skill was unique and simr to those once possessed by the Knights of the Ruin as well as the ck Lions. Nearly a hundred years had passed since the destruction of these orders, and most people have forgotten the name of the ruin itself. Some knew of that history and knew it well, and Kaseun was one of them. He inquired as to how I had learned such skills and who else knew of it. To his first question, I just said that I didn¡¯t know or couldn¡¯t remember; histter question, I answered by saying that only he knew of my skills. Kaseun remained silent after that, perhaps because I had reminded him of my ¡®memory loss¡¯ after the murder of my parents. As soon as he had heard of the murder, Kaseun had run to my house, but I had already been taken to the temple by then. The lord¡¯s soldiers had stationed themselves in the house, and the bodies had not yet been attended to. Kaseun was disgusted by the event, so he stormed off to the mercenary guild to demand an exnation and try to determine responsibility for the act. He then went to the lord of Serenia, stating that he would be my guardian, filling out all the requisite documents. Finally, he had visited me at the temple. The old pdin had told Kaseun that my memories had been lost after the event ¨C that I suffered from fragmentary amnesia. Kaseun had seemed to notice this himself upon his first nce at me, and since then has lived a good life and seemingly forgotten about mypse in memory. He asked whether I knew of anything else, testing me as if he was asking if I knew of Shadow Justice instead of just Justice. I shook my head, knowing that some things I had to keep hidden. Kaseun then sighed out loud and said that he was truly sorry about what happened to my parents. He went on to state that Justice was only half of the skillset that had been employed by the Knights of the Ruin and the ck Lions. However, Justice was still valued as superior tomon swordsmanship. Kaseun went on to tell me what he figured my Shadow Swordsmanship to be and started to correct my posture bit by bit. It seemed to me that, in some way or another, Kaseun had encountered Shadow Swordsmanship while he had traveled the continents. His advice was very helpful, and thanks to that, my Shadow Swordsmanship skill, which had never risen, suddenly started to rise at a rapid pace. Its workmanship, which hadn¡¯t increased even while I had practiced for nearly a year on my own, rose from a 1/20 to a 2/10 in just two months. Because of my new training in Shadow Swordsmanship, my training schedule with Kain was slightly altered. Excluding weekends, my regr training was done every two days instead of every day, which included the training with Kain. Our duels urred on Fridays. Because we now only trained once every two days, the sessionssted much longer. When I asked what Kaseun was nning to do during our breaks, he responded that he too needed his spare time. I agreed with him, though I had no enjoyable activities to fill this free time with. I was not truly Judah¡¯s age, and I was sure that I couldn¡¯t y even if I wanted to y. There were also no games here that one could y on their own, which was natural. Even though ¨C through immense leaps on magical theory ¨C this world possessed such amenities as fridges, gas stoves, and water purification systems, entertainment devices such asputers, TVs, and smartphones did not exist. The most prevalent form of entertainment in this world was the game of chess, and other than chess, the other games were simple things that required physical strength. The enlightened lords of Serenia had established their library, so the popce could freely read books. I knew that such a marvel was not to be found in the other, more backward regions of my world. It aided me little, though, for I had read all the books in the library. If it was a fun book, I could read it twice or thrice, but I really didn¡¯t want to be stuck in a library, reading all the books I had already read over and over again. I sorely wished that there existed another stimting activity. Every time that I was bored or inactive, Earth came to mind. I could do almost anything with just a singleputer in the corner of a room in that reality. I could create my games and chat with people, andugh while enjoying the society. I could order delicious food delivered to my door by using my phone. Right then, I was also thinking about food, and then the thought suddenly hit me: This world had a fortunate abundance of cuisine. Spices and many species of vegetables were widespread, perhaps because adventurers brought all kinds of food to the inns and taverns that they rested in. The range of mercantile activity, the range of traveling merchants, was also wide, which meant that tolerable food was to be found in most ces. I could eat pizza, sweet and sour pork, chicken, and jajangmyeon ¨C all of these existed here. I knew that kimchi was to be found on the second continent. It had been by the Creator¡¯s hands that all such modern food had been put in the inns, taverns, and restaurants in every vige and city so as to add a more in-depth dimension to the game. Thanks to such culinary bounty, the vague ambition that always scratched at the back of my mind, imploring me to return to my original reality, became a bit dulled. True enough, I wished for aputer and to lie on afy bed while enjoying the cold air from an AC unit. Sometimes such feelings of depression would rise within me when I felt a nice cool breeze, but if the depression became too serious, the personality of Judah became activated, and so my depression forcibly subsided. ¡°Haaah.¡± I ended my day with such thoughts, lying in bed earlier than I was used to, and I ended my day with a deep sigh. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

15==================== To live in this world. Time passes faster than we think it does. Even if you are conscious of the passage of time, it might feel as if it suddenly starts to walks slowly, almost taking a rest after it had run for minutes, hours, or ages. Yet, time never stops, and soon as you lose interest in it, it jumps and flies away from you as if it has merely been walking to gain momentum. Even if you try so hard to catch time and control it, you can never do so, and none has ever done it. Such a fact of physics counted for Judah, for me, as well. The winter came as the cold winds of the world blew through the streets of Serenia, and the winter quickly passed. The warm days of spring arrived, and I realized then that it had been four years since I had been thrusted into this reality. In the mind of a child, four years passed by so swiftly. I was tall now, and I had gained weight. My body was beginning to show some muscle mass, and I could see so clearly that my transition from a boy into a young man was starting. During that time, I continued to spar with Kain and increased my other skills after showing Kaseun my Shadow Swordsmanship. Unfortunately, there had been no increase in my stats. The sun dawned over Serenia, and the voices of people in the streets opened my eyes. The yawn that so naturally escaped from my wide mouth soon morphed into a sigh as I deeply exhaled. I was slowly waking up as I continued to lie on myrge bed. It wasn¡¯t a veryfortable bed, and that had me sulking. I slowly stood and made the bed, finally heading to the kitchen. In four years, I had adapted to this house and so expected the creaking sound as my heels hit upon the wooden floor. ¡°Breakfast,¡± I mumbled, the sleep not yet having disappeared from my face. I entered therge cupboard and took out some eggs. With a turn of a dial and a click of a mechanism, the stove¡¯s fire was lit. It used no gas to create its fire but rather had a pre-installed circr rune from which the magical energies flowed at a constant yet variable rate to produce the me. When I had made the game, I had never included such detailed systems in my world, for noputer or server farm would ever be able to handle that much detail, and no single human able to code it in. Yet, this world was functioning seamlessly, as if some unknownw of reality had generated such systems to make everything fit together. Fridges, gas stoves, spinning fans, and various other advanced devices that one would expect only on modern Earth existed here, all functioning through the application of magical energies. Of course, you could only possess such utilities if you had money, but I had a wealthy bank called Kaseun. Thanks to him, I was able to maintain a rich lifestyle. I broke the shell of an egg on the heated frying pan and dropped its contents into the pan. More eggs followed their brokenrade. All the whites and the yolks settled into a delicious-looking shape. I stared at the frying eggs for a moment and then sprinkled them with salt as seasoning. Finally, I took a bowl and transferred the contents of the pan into it to cool. I got the bread that I had been storing at room temperature and got some grape jam and milk from the fridge. I filled my stomach with such simple fare and summoned my holographic clock into my field of view. It was almost time to start heading there. I left my house and locked the door with my key. Kaseun¡¯s mansion stood in an area of Serenia where only the mansions of the nobility had been built. There were no guilds or markets, so it was a peculiarly quiet ce in the mornings, so much different from the rest of Serenia. Bare branches trembled in the wind, their leaves yet to sprout after the harshness of winter. As I walked along those secluded streets, I felt a strange presence behind me, a weird energy that caused me to tense up. ¡°Huh?¡± A man hastily walked by me, his face stricken with terror, and obviously too fearful to look behind him. And there she was: With a cigarette hanging from her mouth like a lollipop, the beauty elegantly stretched out her legs. She was wearing a woolly white turtleneck, a short skirt, and ck stockings ¨C bluntly put, she turned heads. She walked along while staring at me. She was truly a beautiful woman, and she possessed all the assets and confidence of maturity. ¡°Pretty¡­¡± I muttered. It was the first time in this world that I had trulye to admire a figure. Her long ears pricked up above her head, and she turned her head toward me as if she had somehow heard my softly spoken words. When our eyes met, I could only give up to her presence as I confusedly shut my mouth. Ears above her head!? It turned out that she was not human, as a tail also flicked about behind her. It was banded with ck stripes, and it was quite long and as thick as a thick rope. Still, her ears and her tail did nothing to sully her gorgeousness. The words that I had inadvertently spoken had seemed to spark her interest, but that selfsame interest in me swiftly dissipated, as if her curiosity had run out of steam. ¡°What is it, kid?¡± I think that I was a bit disappointed, then. ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± she said as her golden eyes and their ck pupils stared down at me in fascination as if they were coolly observing me. I saw her pair of fangs as she smiled ever so slightly. They looked sharp enough to be used as weapons, not the teeth of a human at all. As if she had uttered some nasty joke, she elegantly removed the cigarette from her mouth and blew smoke. Then she lightly walked to me and crouched down before me. I felt an unusual energy flow from her, and I felt as if I was standing stark-naked in front of a hungry predator. I almost took a step back, without realizing it. ¡°Hey, kid¡­ Am I really pretty?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Yes, you¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°Huh, really now? And I am I scary?¡± ¡°You seem dangerous, but I¡¯m not scared yet.¡± She stretched her eyes wide open and cocked her head to the side, a little surprised by what I had said. Her tail flicked a few times as it rose slightly, a sign of her amusement, I guessed ¡°Most children are scared of me, so your attitude is so fresh. How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eleven.¡± ¡°Oh my god. I said you¡¯re cute, but¡­.¡± She reached out and kissed me on my cheek. I almost gave a little yelp, and she smiled as she looked into my confused face. ¡°That was for telling me that I¡¯m pretty.¡± I blushed as I felt the soft touch of her fingers on my cheek. There came a faint scent from her body, and while she was smoking, it was definitely not the same as the smell of Earth cigarettes. It could be a type of medicinal herb, as it smelled dank and sweet. ¡°Who-hu-hu. Cute baby! See you again, then.¡± She stood up and casually waved at me. She then promptly walked away, nibbling on the cigarette that she smoked. I had beenpletely nk for a while and then touched my cheek with a grin. Perhaps today is a day of great luck, great luck indeed. I felt sorry that I wouldn¡¯t see her again that day, but my regret unexpectedly disappeared, for not long after she had left me, we met again. I entered Kaseun¡¯s mansion and headed to the training grounds, as I always did. I tilted my head when I saw others there, for it was usually only Kaseun who awaited me. Today, for some reason, Kain and Riel were there together. ¡°Oh?¡± I heard someone say, and then I saw her: The graceful, smoking beauty with dark hair and golden eyes who I had just seen a while ago. She looked slightly surprised when she saw me. ¡°Come in, Judah, hello!¡± Kaseun weed me. Unexpectedly, Kain and Riel said nothing. They looked at me and just gave slight waves, both of them sweating lightly. They seemed very timid, almost as if their voices had been yanked from them. What happened here? My focus was not on the pair of children but on the gorgeous being, I had met a little while ago. It was the first time in this world that I had seen such a beautiful woman. Even in my previous life, I saw celebrities and actresses onputer and television screens. In the flesh, I had only seen their outlines from afar during a university festival. She wasughing, and I bowed my head toward her. ¡°Hello, and nice to see you again!¡± I said with some confidence. ¡°Yeah, okay kid.¡± Kaseun looked surprised by the apparent fact that we knew each other. ¡°Gentia, do you know Judah?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, we met before I came here. A cute and brave kid.¡± Had she praised me for my intrepidity? I was confused by her conversation with Kaseun. I haven¡¯t done anything that I considered to be particrly courageous. If I had openly shouted that she was pretty, that might have been an intrepid act, but in our encounter, the courage had been all hers. I struggled to understand it, and Kaseun found it hard to grasp as well. He looked at her with an expression that wanted to know why she was talking such bullshit. ¡°Well, this bes a little easier for me, if you two know each other. Gentia here was a member of the mercenarypany that I had led in the past. As you can see from her ears, she¡¯s a bit mutated.¡± I nodded. Kaseun possessed a tinum disk, and he had been the first leader of the mercenary group known as -Brothers of the Battle-. Still, I had no recollection of ever having created an NPC named Gentia. In all likelihood, she was one of the denizens of this world that had been created by some strangew of reality or causality. So, she had been a member of thepany that Kaseun had led. I learned that she was more talented than most in hunting and reconnaissance. She had continued to work as a mercenary after retiring from the -Brothers of the Battle-, but had then contacted her formermander, Kaseun, and left her duties as a mercenary for a time toe and take a break in Serenia. ¡°Gentia will teach the three of you the basics of hunting and traveling in the wilds. Because the southern forest is dangerous, the hunt will take ce in the eastern forest. That is why I called her here.¡± ¡°But grandpa, can¡¯t you teach me?¡± Kain asked carefully after hearing what Kaseun had said. The boy seemed to be wary of Gentia. ¡°Hmm, your question is okay, but I¡¯m running out of time here. Besides, all I can teach you is how to train your body, I¡¯m really not so good at using my brain. So, Gentia here will teach you such stuff far better than I would ever be able.¡± ¡°No,¡± interrupted Gentia. As she regarded Kaseun¡¯s perplexed gaze, she smiled and looked down at me. ¡°I have decided,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± came Kaseun¡¯s gruff demand. ¡°The other kids, they just aren¡¯t interested. So,mander, either teach them yourself or let them do it themselves.¡± Gentia stepped up lightly and came to stand next to me. Kaseun just shook his head and sighed. ¡°What do you mean, Gentia? Have I not asked you to train all three of my charges?¡± ¡°You did, butmander, I must be confused. Did you order me, or ask me? Don¡¯t I have a choice?¡± ¡°You do.¡± ¡°Good! And if it¡¯s all too hard to understand, I¡¯ll show you.¡± She swiftly stepped in the direction of Riel and Kain. Riel cried out in fright as she hid behind Kain, and while he was not trembling as much as Riel, he had stiffened and clenched his teeth. Her appearance surely had a powerfully frightening effect on the children. ¡°Wait now, and hold onto this,¡± Gentia said as she entrusted me with the long cigarette that she had been smoking. I nodded as I took it from her fingers. And then, Gentia began to undress. She slowly removed her stockings, and once they were off, she promptly slid down her skirt and pulled off her turtleneck. She stood there,pletely naked, and she looked at us unashamed. I felt like a fool when I started to blush, staring at her sensuous form. As I stared, I saw hair starting to sprout out all over her skin, and her body changed so swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, she had turned into a beast. There she was: Gentia, the ck tiger, her pelt shimmering in the sun as that great tail twitched behind her. She growled, and it was an eerie sound so deep that it echoed into the streets, like a piece of wood being slowly sawed in half. ¡°Wow,¡± was all that I could say. Unlike me, who had admired the entire spectacle, Kain had entered a state of utter vignce while Riel had paused, opened her mouth, and screamed in terror. Gentia turned her feline gaze from the fearful Kain and Riel onto me. Those piercing golden eyes so fiercely red at me, but I kept a cool head, knowing that she would not hurt me. I knew that if she had such a close rtionship with Kaseun, she could be trusted to do no harm. As I watched her return to her bipedal form, I could only shake my head in wonderment. In response, Gentia paused and looked down at me with a happy face. ¡°You¡¯re cute,¡± was all she said, and for me, it was a very satisfactory statement. She hadn¡¯t put any special effort in her words, but in her eyes, I could see that she wanted to hug me, and probably would have, were it not for the presence of Kaseun. ¡°I like this little kid more and more,¡± she added, and then shrugged as she heard Kaseun clearing his throat. She started to dress. ¡°You saw it,mander?¡± Kaseun did not answer her. ¡°They are terrified of me. I¡¯m not here to volunteer,mander, I came here because you once led our group. I approached all three of them tentatively, to clear the air and establish their boundaries, so it¡¯s all okay,¡± Gentia said andughed brightly. ¡°I don¡¯t like their fear, it doesn¡¯t suit my temper at all. Even if I say I like children in principle, that doesn¡¯t mean I want to work with them, and if they view me with such terrified faces, why must I be close to them? I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± Gentia¡¯s head slightly swiveled as she shifted her gaze to me. She reached out and stroked my hair, and I felt so cute at that moment that I surely almost died. ¡°In such respects, this kid passed. He wasn¡¯t afraid at all, and even said that I was pretty!¡± Kaseun frowned. I understood why she had shown her true form, and it was natural that Kain and Riel had been fearful of her. I doubted whether the children had even been ready to train under someone with Gentia¡¯s level and type of skills. It was better if she had me as her single pupil. Besides, on hunting expeditions, it was difficult and annoying to teach many people at once. Kaseun had tried to change her mind, but she had just stuck out her tongue at him. He finally gave up. ¡°Tcha, yes then. Do whatever you want, Gentia.¡± ¡°Certainly,mander,¡± Gentia said with a smile as she toked on her cigarette. ===================================================== Chapter 16

Chapter 16

16==================== To live in this world. ¡®Then, does that mean I can teach this kid now?¡¯ Gentia asked Kaseun. ¡®Of course,¡¯ came his reply. ¡®But if you teach Judah, you have to do so properly.¡¯ Gentia gave a bright smile. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I will definitely teach you everything, kid.¡¯ Kaseun nodded. ¡®Okay, then. The matter that remains is this: Where are you staying? What are your ns in that regard? If you haven¡¯t found a house yet, it won¡¯t bother me if you stay here, in my mansion. There are a great many empty rooms.¡¯ Gentia put the unlit cigarette back in her mouth, looking as if she was bothered by something. ¡®Well¡­ It¡¯s a mansion. I don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s so ¡­ aristocratic. It will be hard for me to get used to the mercenary life again if I¡¯ve lived in a mansion.¡¯ ¡®I see. But as far as I know, there are no houses up for sale in the inner wall right now. I think you might find some near the outer wall, though. So what are you going to do, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡¯ ¡®Hahahah! Yes, sir, you can ask me. Even the houses on the outskirts of the city go for high prices, even if they are far from the castle.¡¯ I listened to the conversation between the two of them and realized that Gentia¡¯s amodation was indeed a problem. There were many empty rooms in Kaseun¡¯s mansion, but living here seemed to be a prospect that made her ufortable. Gentia seemed to want to live in a smaller house. After careful consideration, I decided to intervene in the discussion. ¡®Hey, then you can stay at my house. I have plenty of room.¡¯ ¡®Oh! Really? Will that be okay? I mean, won¡¯t your parents bother me?¡¯ Kaseun¡¯s face briefly grew hard at her words. Gentia was still unaware that I was a child that lived alone, without parents. I didn¡¯t have time to exin the situation to her, and I didn¡¯t really know what words I would use to tell her. Gentia didn¡¯t know that I had been orphaned, so she was stillughing. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s okay. Anyway, I¡¯m the only one living there.¡¯ ¡®Huh?¡¯ Gentia was confused when she saw a bitter smile on my face. She knew that something was awkward. Kain, Riel, and Kaseun weren¡¯t veryfortable either. It took her a moment to notice this, and she opened her mouth slightly in a silent ¡°Ah!¡± In that awkward silence, Kaseun gave a grave nod and broke the mood. ¡®Very well, then your ce of residence has been decided. You will be living with Judah.¡¯ ¡®Alright.¡¯ ¡®From now, Gentia will teach you a whole lot, Judah, just as I asked her to do. So, let¡¯s stop the morning training sessions and your sparring with Kain for the time being.¡¯ ¡®I know,¡¯ came my response. ¡®And let¡¯s discuss some other details. If you live with Gentia, the stipend I pay you might not be enough for your cost of living. So as always, if you need anything, feel free toe to me.¡¯ I nodded. I knew that it was better to have things in bounty instead ofcking them. That rang especially true where wealth was concerned. Kaseun had promised me his continued generous support, and I expressed my gratitude to him. Gentia put her hand under my chin and lightly tilted my head up. ¡®Okay then,mander. I¡¯ll live with this kid. By the way, I have something to talk with you about in the future.¡¯ ¡®Yes, certainly,¡¯ Kaseun said as he nodded happily. Kain and Riel had been watching the entire conversation. I saw that their faces had be bright, and I knew that they were happy that they wouldn¡¯t have to take lessons from Gentia. Even so, I could see that they considered it a terrible thing that we would now be living together. However, I was rather happy about it. True enough, my home was adequate as it was, and I didn¡¯t even have the urge to live with someone else. But the fact that Gentia would be moving in was quite a wee fact. However, the one thing that worried me was that I didn¡¯t know if she shared my good feelings on the matter. I wondered whether she had other intentions before I made my offer. Hmm, in cases such as this one, it would be handy to see something like a status screen. Until now, I had made every possible effort to view the status screens of those around me. Unfortunately, nothing had been disyed so far. I was unsure whether there existed requirements that I had to meet or whether the information was not viewable at all. Such thoughts mixed with my happiness and anxiety of being with Gentia from then on. All in all, the feelings inside of me were strange, indeed. As I stood there, I saw Gentia¡¯s hand stretching out to me, and she then stroked my hair. I couldn¡¯t believe that those thin, white fingers of hers had been the ws of a tiger minutes before. ¡®Shall we go then, kid?¡¯ ¡®Yes? Oh, okay,¡¯ I replied as I took her outstretched hand. It felt warm. As I held her hand, I kept thinking about how to ess people¡¯s information. Of course, having lived for over twenty years in my original reality, I was used to not seeing people¡¯s statuses disyed magically. I¡¯ve been here three years, though, and still hadn¡¯t figured out how to do it. I needed to know the stats of those around me, so I hoped that it would be possible and not too problematic to achieve it. I nodded to Gentia and said goodbye to Kaseun. I held her hand as we left the mansion grounds. Only after she came onto the street did she light the cigarette by tapping it with her finger. There was a spark of magic, and the cylinder that contained the crushed and rolled leaves started to smolder, with a thin cloud of smoke billowing from it. ¡®Tufooo,¡¯ came the sound as she sucked the smoked in and soon slowly exhaled. As the smoke of her cigarette spread into the air, I looked at her with a regretful expression. ¡®Tabo,¡¯ I said as we walked on. ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t that bad for your health?¡¯ Gentia stretched the cigarette out before her, looked at it for a moment, and took another puff. Her lips pursed as she sucked the smoke deep into her lungs, then exhaled, the smoke flowing out of her mouth. She answered my question as I looked at the dancing smoke. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s harmful. But this is not tobo leaf, it¡¯s a medicinal herb, so it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just has a strong smell. And ¡­ hah, even if it¡¯s harmful, I can just go and get healed by a wizard or a priest. So why worry?¡¯ Well¡­ she did have a point. There existed many ways to bring the dead back to life in this world, so with such healing magics, cigarettes were just like a type of food. As I nodded, convinced, Gentia looked at me, and she was having fun. ¡®Why, kid? Do you want a drag? Would you like to puff it?¡¯ I quickly shook my head as she gracefully tried to hand the cigarette to me. ¡®No, it¡¯s okay. I ¡­ um ¡­ I don¡¯t want to smoke that badly.¡¯ ¡®Is that so? The taste isn¡¯t bad¡­¡¯ I was naturally reluctant, especially as Gentia was offering a cigarette to a child. And the body of Judah, which had never smoked, had an instinctual aversion to it. Even if it was only herbs burning, I did not have much of a desire to smoke. Gentia didn¡¯t offer it again and gave a cruel littleugh without saying a word. We stopped conversing, and everything around us was quiet. Soon enough, we entered the busier quarters of the city. More people began to appear on the streets, and our surroundings became filled with many noises. Serenia was a ce with a particrlyrge poption, at least whenpared to cities like it. Many people of different professions were mulling and moving about: Merchants other folk who were going about their daily business. Gentia still held onto my hand as if she thought she might lose me and so get lost herself. In Serenia, this was possible. Her tightly grasping hand was warm and tender, but it had begun to sweat more and more as we walked. And while I led her on, she kept smoking. ¡®I,¡¯ she said, then paused. She had been the first one to speak, and as I looked at her, I saw that she was smiling. ¡®I¡¯m going to teach you many things, as themander has said. Hunting and herb gathering; first aid and how to survive in the wilds, make fire, set up camp, and many other things the traveler and adventurer must know. How about it then, kid, aren¡¯t you looking forward to learning?¡¯ ¡®Wshooo¡­¡¯ the white-gray smoke came out in a haze and melted away into the air. ¡®Well, I¡¯m not sure about everything. But I¡¯m looking forward to hunting, even if I don¡¯t know how to do the other stuff.¡¯ Gentia narrowed her eyes and gave a smirk as one corner of her mouth rose slightly. ¡®It will be fun. More fun than you can expect.¡¯ I had finally led Gentia to my home. The empty house was silent as I opened the door and took off my shoes. Gentia followed me in, and when she noticed me removing my shoes, she did so as well, smiling. ¡®This is fun! You¡¯re following the Baekje Empire¡¯s culture, right?¡¯ ¡®Not really¡­ it¡¯s justfortable. And my floors are clean, so don¡¯t worry.¡¯ It was hard to do chores and train every day, but at least every third day, I sweep and mop the floors and clean my entire house. Even the empty rooms that I never used were cleaned each and every time. I led Gentia to a room on the first floor, one which I guess my parents must have used. It had a bed, a dressing table, and a closet. There was even a circr mirror mounted into the wall, so it would be an excellent room for her. All the clothing that once had been in the dressing table and closet had been thrown away or burned. Regardless, it seemed that Gentia liked the room, for she smiled. ¡®When you told me you had unused rooms, I thought I would have to clean it. But it¡¯s already so clean! Can I really use this room?¡¯ ¡®Yes, I¡¯m the only one in this house anyway. There¡¯s nothing to worry about, so don¡¯t burden yourself uselessly.¡¯ She gave a little snort. It was clear that she liked the room even more than she let on. It was clean and spacious and had all the furniture that she needed. She could fill it with all her own stuff. Gentia remained quiet, and I knew that she did not have a single problem with her new lodgings. After showing her her room, I gave her a brief tour of the house. After she had snooped around and double-checked some of the rooms, Gentia stated that she was going out for a while to get the luggage that she had left at the mercenary guild. The instant that she left the house, a system message popped up in front of my eyes. When I read the holographic text within the neon-green frame, I was surprised. [¡ª] You have obtained your first [temporary]panion. Due to this, you can use the status screen function from here on out [¡ª] [¡ª]On the status screen, you can check the information of yourpanions. If you use this ability at the right times and in the right ces, it will be very helpful in your quest to collect the fragments [¡ª] ¡®Aha!¡¯ Finally- a screen where I could study the information of others. It would not be so helpful right now, but of immense aidter, once I truly left this ce and went out in the world to seek Pernen¡¯s fragments. I immediately called up Gentia¡¯s status screen, absolutely delighted at being able to do so. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Gentia] [Title: Tracker] [True Name: None] [Level: 49] [upation: Mercenary (C)] [Race: Suin _ Tiger] [Strength: 63(B) / Potential B] [Health: 69(B) / Potential B] [Agility: 79(B) / Potential A] [Magic: 50(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 51(C) / Potential B] [Knowledge: 49(C) / Potential C] ? Special [Luck: 55(C) / Potential B] ? Special [Favorability: 10 (normal)] [Reliability: 30 (faith)] ¡¸Talent 4/5¡¹ [Primary Instinct]-Rank: B [Dragon Tiger Squad]-Rank: B [Hunter]-Rank: C [Present form]-Rank: C ¡¸Skill 5/5¡¹ [Watermark]-Rank: B [Spear]-Rank: C [Mercenary-style left-handed dagger]-Rank: C [Concealment]-Rank: B [Surprise Attack]-Rank: C ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ So much of her true nature appeared before me. The insides of my mind started to feel a bit stuffy. I felt a sense of extreme excitement as I closely studied the status screen that had appeared before me. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint: The levels of reliability are 0 (normal) ¡ú 30 (faith) ¡ú 50 (friends) ¡ú 70 (trust) ¡ú 100 (friendship) and -30 (borderline) ¡ú -50 (danger) ¡ú -70 (distrust) ¡ú -100 ( betrayal). ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint: The levels of favorability are 0 (normal) ¡ú 30 (interest) ¡ú 50 (great interest) ¡ú 70 (lover) ¡ú 100 (spouse), and -30 (dislike) ¡ú -50 (hate) ¡ú -70 (hostility) ¡ú -100 ( abhorrence) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Hint: The alignment of reliability and favorability is very important. If it suddenly decreases rapidly and enters a negative phase, you should be wary of a sudden betrayal. Prepare yourself or be caught unawares. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17

Chapter 17

[Saturday is approaching¡­] 17==================== To live in this world. I had all of Gentia¡¯s information before me: Her stats, skills, and characteristics. More than that, the information I really desired to see was clearly marked: Her favorability and reliability. I wasn¡¯t nervous, yet the moment that the status screen appeared before me, it had felt like all of the energy had been sucked from my body due to pure joy. ¡®Haha¡­ Hahaha,¡¯ a spiritedugh flowed from my lips. Gentia¡¯s status screeny before me! It was real! And it was fun. It now felt as if I had truly entered my game. In this world, you be an adult at 15. My body at present was that of the 11-year old Judah, which meant I still had four years left. I had to use that time to learn more and more and train as much as I can so that I could prepare myself to recover Pernen¡¯s fragments from wherever they might be in this harsh world. It¡¯ll be impossible to do this alone. I knew that if I had obtained one of Lord Pernen¡¯s fragments, -Russen Ardahan-, a golem, an autonomous construct, that I would be less desperate to gain the aid ofpanions like Gentia. I looked at her status screen again. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Gentia] [Title: Tracker] [True Name: None] [Level: 49] [upation: Mercenary (C)] [Race: Suin _ Tiger] [Strength: 63(B) / Potential B] [Health: 69(B) / Potential B] [Agility: 79(B) / Potential A] [Magic: 50(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 51(C) / Potential B] [Knowledge: 49(C) / Potential C] ? Special [Luck: 55(C) / Potential B] ? Special [Favorability: 10 (normal)] [Reliability: 30 (faith)] ¡¸Talent 4/5¡¹ [Primary Instinct]-Rank: B [Dragon Tiger Squad]-Rank: B [Hunter]-Rank: C [Present form]-Rank: C ¡¸Skill 5/5¡¹ [Watermark]-Rank: B [Spear]-Rank: C [Mercenary-style left-handed dagger]-Rank: C [Concealment]-Rank: B [Surprise Attack]-Rank: C ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It was not difficult to distinguish between good and badpanions. I could check their characteristics and skills by looking at the status screen, but I could also see whether they possessed a true name or not. True names are unlike titles, which are a type of bonus trait gained whenever you obtain certain achievements or reach a set level of fame. At the outset, the difference between those possessing true names and those thatck them is not so great. It basically means that the true-name holders have a greater potential for their stats, as well as a high probability that they would gain an A-rank or higher in any of their characteristics or skills as they progress. The probability still remained somewhat low, and there was not such a great difference in their stats. Unfortunately, Gentia did not possess a real name. Her skills and characteristics were pretty basic and not highly ranked. Almost all of their potentials have already been reached, and her level points were pretty evenly distributed between her stats. She had achieved most of her potentials as they were capped quite low. In other words, she wasn¡¯t that powerful apanion. Still, I couldn¡¯t just grab anyone and tell them to go on an adventure with me. This reality was not like a game, where you waltzed into an inn and left your currentpanions by switching them out for others through two clicks of a mouse. No¡­ This was not a matter that should be decided through haste. It was far better to have a trusted person by your side than ept a traitor as yourpanion. I decided that I would consider these matters and make my conclusions four years from now when I could finally go out on adventures. I sighed as I dispelled the status screen that floated before my eyes. I went to sit on the living-room sofa and stared nkly at the ceiling. There wasn¡¯t even a pattern to follow on it, so I was totally bored. If you lounge about like that, you just feel awkward rather than sleepy. Why am I here? What should I do if my desire to return to Earth bes less and less? In fact, do I even have to go back? I¡¯m sure that I can have enough fun and a joy-filled life here. And even if I go back and have a few precious moments of reuniting with my family and friends, I will still be facing employment difficulties, working hard just to make ends meet in that ¡­ ce ¡­ wait, what? At that moment, a great many thoughts had passed so swiftly through my mind. There was no need for me to get an Earth job. I had received my initial payment for selling the rights to my game, and that payment had been enormous. If you see the number on an ATM screen, there might not be enough space for it to show. It¡¯s the kind of amount that can keep me fed for 10 years straight while I y around, and I would still be entitled to receive royalties. Still, I had to wipe myputer¡¯s hard drive as part of the deal. I have to go back. I stood up, somehow motivated by the need to return to all my useless things. I didn¡¯t stretch after standing, fearing that I¡¯d pull a muscle. I was quite hungry. I checked the time, and it was indeed time for lunch. The mercenary guild isn¡¯t so far from my house, so Gentia, if she hadn¡¯t gotten stuck somewhere, should soon return. I needed to prepare a meal for the two of us. I headed into the kitchen and took out some meat that I had stored in the fridge. The t and dense cut of meat was frozen. While I left it out to defrost, ingredients I needed. Once gathered, I started chopping and slicing and grinding and dicing. All the foodstuffs in my cupboards and fridge, including the meat, had been purchased by Kaseun. He visits the market every two weeks, purchasing it all and bringing it to me. And every time hees, he prepares his favorite dish: His beef stew. That had continued for near-on four years, so naturally, I had learned how to make stew. I was making one now because I figured that it would certainly be a treat for Gentia. And I must say, for a young boy of twelve, I could prepare my meals quite skillfully. It is an unusual sight, a young child wearing an apron and wielding a cleaver. ¡®I¡¯m here! Little boy?¡¯ I heard Gentia call to me as she opened the door. I checked that my stew was boiling well and then headed into the living room, still wearing my apron. Gentia had begun carrying her possessions into the house from outside. She seemed to have many things, and I wanted to help her, but I had food on the stove. ¡®What? What, are you cooking?¡¯ Gentia asked as she looked at me in my apron. Her face then pinched up, showing a little admiration as her mouth formed into a silent ¡®Oh.¡¯ Gentia covered her mouth with one hand and quietly muttered, ¡®It¡¯s cute.¡¯ I gave a wry smile. She had figured that I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear her, but I did. Whether it was cute or not, I was only 11 years old. So when she called me cute, she only meant that I was cute. ¡®Can I help?¡¯ I asked Gentia. ¡®Huh? Oh, no, no. Do what you have to do.¡¯ I nodded. Even though I really did want to help, I had to finish cooking. My question had just been out of courtesy. Gentia had brought along a man from the mercenary guild, and he helped her move all her luggage from the foyer to her room. All the while, I tended to my stew. When the stew was done, I cut the baguette that had been bought into suitably sized slices and ced them in a bowl. While the stew had boiled, I had also cooked the rice in the stew¡¯s steam. Now the vaporing from the pot showed that the rice was done. I already had bread on the table, so I wondered if there had actually been a need for rice. Still, I knew how delicious a beef stew was with a portion of rice, so I scooped it into a bowl. When the table-setting had been done, I headed to Gentia¡¯s room. Her unorganized possessions were either still packed or scattered about the room. ¡®Let¡¯s eat. You can fix this ceter.¡¯ ¡®Is that so? Then, where shall we be eating this dish, little one? Oh¡­ the scent has driven me to the point of starvation ¡­ Whoo.¡¯ Gentia was clearly excited, for the smell had drifted through the house and into her room, so she promptly followed me into the kitchen. Her eyes stretched as she took in the meal awaiting her on the table. ¡®Huh? This is a Yorin stew, the favorite meal of themander.¡¯ ¡®I learned it from him because he oftenes here and prepares it. Thanks to his example, and his shopping, I always have stew ingredients at the ready.¡¯ ¡®Huh, it¡¯s such a nostalgic meal, then.¡¯ As she sat down, she mumbled that she couldn¡¯t wait to taste it. She raised her spoon and said that she would eat well. And after her first bite, my cooking wad was greatly admired. ¡®What, is it delicious? Is it really delicious?¡¯ The stew¡¯s vor was just salty enough, and it went well with the rice and the mixed grains of the bread. I knew that there would be bread left, which couldter be eaten separately with jam ¨C or soup if I ran out of rice. Gentia savored her meal, almost gulping it down, but I guessed that she was hungry. When I told her that she should tell if it wasn¡¯t enough, she immediately demanded another bowl-full. Luckily, I had a lot of stew. Our meal went fast. I had been used to eating food quickly on Earth, and that habit had not gone away when I entered this world. In Gentia¡¯s case, her life of being a mercenary for so many years meant that it was only natural for her to eat as fast as possible. ¡®Wow, I ate really well. I haven¡¯t eaten such delicious food for a long time. Whoo,¡¯ Gentia said with a chuckle. ¡®I¡¯m d it was to your taste,¡¯ came my reply as I smiled. As she watched me smile, her face suddenly became wracked by doubt. ¡®Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡¯ I was momentarily embarrassed by such an absurd question, but the answer popped into my head swifter than expected. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ ¡®Okay¡­?¡¯ ¡®Why do you ask?¡¯ ¡®Just because. There¡¯s no other reason, just that you¡¯re the first kid I meet that isn¡¯t afraid of me from the start.¡¯ Gentia smiled, her eyes looking like upturned half-moons. I looked at her dumbly and blushed. She reached over the table and gave my cheek a pinch, as people tend to do when a child is cute. ¡®Now, should I do the dishes? I¡¯ll help you.¡¯ Gentia gathered her dishes up, and then mine. Later, I tried to help her unpack her luggage after the dishes were done, but she refused. She told me to rest while I can because once we started training, there would not be a single day for leisurely breaks. I hesitated as she said this, but when she insisted that it was okay, I headed to my room and took a break. And that was how I, a human, came to live with a member of the Suin race. Teacher and disciple, living together. ==================================== Fortunately, there are still many people who say that this is fun. In fact, beyond the initial mythology, I was worried whether people would be interested in my own worldview. Everyone seems to have simr tastes to me. Haha. Oh, of course, thank you very much for the coupon. I am a snob. Hahaha! By the way, what is the main character¡¯s physical age? His current physical age is 11 years. Doesn¡¯t the age appear in the status window, or did you forget to include it? I tried to put in the age, but I took it out because it became annoying, as some temporal skips urred at the beginning. Actually, it¡¯s not that important. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

18==================== To live in this world. Living together with Gentia did not mean anything special, just that I had someone to take care of. Certainly, I would take care of her in a good way, and she would appreciate it. But in fact, it proved to be an additional annoyance. I woke up in the morning, washed my face, and prepared breakfast. Instead of serving a single serving, as usual, it has be two. I became more bogged down bybors of nutrition. When the meal was ready, I went to wake Gentia. She was sleeping in a position that looked veryfortable, and she reached out her hand as she awoke with a dreamy face. She clearly wanted me to lead her, so I grabbed her hand and led her to the kitchen. Once there, she fell asleep, her head resting on the table. It took her exactly five minutes to wake again. When we finished eating breakfast, she awoke fully, and we headed to Kaseun¡¯s mansion. She used his training ground to confirm what skills I possessed. It seemed that she wanted to confirm what I could do and how far she could push me before we started training in earnest. Her level of 49 was overwhelming for me to face in training. She easily staved off my attacks one by one, whether by dodging or easily swatting them aside. Kaseun was observing it all and told me that it was okay to show her my dual-swordsmanship. To use it meant I had to activate my Shadow Swordsmanship. That meant that I would wield a one-handed sword, such as a bastardsword, as my main right-handed weapon, and a dagger in my left hand. When I disyed my Shadow Swordsmanship, Gentia was greatly impressed. She could not understand why I chose to use normal techniques in my swordy when I could be using it instead. She had studied my skills during our light sparring session, and she was clearly fascinated by the prospect of training me. That was how our bout ended. After our training on the grounds, she wanted to head out, having some things to do in town. When Kaseun grabbed her to have lunch, though, she pretended that she could not resist his offer. So- we had a nice conversation while eating a delicious and pretty high-end meal. After this, Gentia and I finally headed to the central square of Serenia. The great fountain was located on this za, and the za itself was surrounded by and led off Gentia already had a sense of the city¡¯syout, so she easily guided me there. She led me onto the eastern boulevard. We came to a general store and weapon dealer adventurers. Alongside side it stood a tower, I think it was called Langritsa. She led me into the weapon shop first. While it did not sell legendary armaments, they were still of above-average quality. She bought four daggers, a belt to sheath them in, and two longswords. She had not haggled over the price one bit, so I guessed that Kaseun must have funded the items. She handed the weapons to me, saying that they were her gift to me, and then stated she had to go somewhere. She disappeared into the throngs of Serenia¡¯s citizenry. So I returned home alone and went to sit on a living-room chair. I gently held the longsword and gave it a swing. Unlike a wooden sword, its sound split the air. ¡®It¡¯s heavier than I thought.¡¯ I had swung it with just one hand. However, it could be wielded with both my hands. The weight of it would lessen. After a few years, I would be taller and possess higher stats, so such a one-handed swing would not burden me this much. With my current body, daggers interested me more than longswords. Surely Gentia would teach me many left-handed dagger techniques as used by mercenaries. She returnedte in the evening, her entire body covered in dirt. ¡®Ah, that was hard. Did you wait for me long?¡¯ ¡®No, I haven¡¯t waited. Where have you been, your body-¡® ¡®I¡¯ve been to the East Forest. I am supposed to teach you how to hunt, so I¡¯ve been looking around, seeing what¡¯s there. I¡¯m looking forward to taking you there tomorrow, so we can start your lessons.¡¯ What? How did she get covered by dirt, then? Somehow, she had made me worry. Gentia entered the bathroom, shouting over her shoulder that she had to wash her muddy body first. After she had bathed for a long time, she came out, having put simple clothes over her slender figure. I decided then that we had wasted the day, not doing much. Gentia was thoughtful, though, and figured that she could teach me something during the night. She asked me to bring the daggers that she had gifted me. I did so, and she fetched a thick wooden board that she had used as a mercenary, as well as a throwing-dagger manual, written for mercs by mercs. The board looked like a dartboard, and the wood was pliable enough that daggers could be pulled out even if dug in deep. There were many ces in my house that I could hang it. When I had mounted it, she told me to throw the dagger with my left hand. She thenughed at my sloppy posture. Gentia shoved the textbook into my hands, told me to read, and then said no more. As soon as I received the book, I noticed a status message popping up before my eyes. [¡ª] Gentia wishes to teach you -Mercenary Left-Handed Dagger-Rank: C-[¡ª] [¡ª]Do you ept? Y/N[¡ª] Without a thought, I epted. If I got something betterter, I could change it out. The only things in my skill column right now are Shadow Swordsmanship and Shadow Justice, so I had a few empty slots that could be filled. [¡ª]You have learned -Mercenary Left-Handed Dagger-Rank: C-[¡ª] [¡ª]Workmanship of -Mercenary Left-Handed Dagger-Rank: C- is increased from 1 to 3[¡ª] [¡ª]-Mercenary Left-Handed Dagger-Rank: C/Workmanship: 3/10- I knew that only skilled mercenaries learned how to wield daggers in their off-hands. Each time that the skill¡¯s workmanship is raised, the uracy of the thrown dagger is increased, and the damage slightly increases. If the skill exceeds 5, the speed of drawing a dagger increases, and I would get a slight boost in agility after my throw. The nature of the skill was quite monotonous, and it can be learned without any special conditions. It was all about uracy adjustment and an increase in damage output. However, this was not the main aspect of learning a skill. The real magic happened in the manner in which you learned it, and the data flowed into my head: Detailed information on how to hold daggers, how to bnce their weight and how to snap your wrist on the throw. Although that sounded a bit simple, it was really as easy as that. Still, knowing how to do something is not the same as being experienced in doing it. This counted for my Shadow Swordsmanship and Shadow Justice as well. Still, I looked through the book as Gentia had instructed, and then made my throw, imitating everything she had taught me. After an hour or so, Gentia stood in awe. There was a high risk of injury for beginners who held the de, and she had just wanted me to get a feel for what it was like to throw a dagger. She wanted to teach me that once I trained a bit, it would not be as hard as it initially was. Yet, from her eyes, my posture and grippletely matched the mercenary technique, after only reading the textbook once. My technique was almost exactly the same as the textbook¡¯s. It was natural for someone to be inept on their first time, but so perfect was my posture that Gentia asked that I make a few more throws if I wanted to. The first few times, the dagger hit the board handle-first and bounced off. My hand became more stable after a number of repetitions, and then- the tip of the de urately embedded itself into the board. It¡¯s an amazing talent to have. Gentia tried to point out errors, pretending to be embarrassed by my disy and telling me to keep throwing. Yet, she was already telling me of advanced tips and tricks, without her even knowing it. I woke up from a daze, and it seemed that an hour had already passed. During that time, I had be quite skilled. My rate of learning was swift. Of course, I had not achieved a perfect hit ratio yet, but I guessed that I could perfect the techniques in a month at most or three weeks at least. ¡®This kid ¡­ Are you for real, genius?¡¯ It was beyond fast, the way in which I had learned this. Gentia told me of when she had first learned how to throw daggers. She had awkwardly grabbed the dagger in her right hand, imitating what Kaseun showed her. Starting with the right hand was the basic technique when training someone in the use of daggers. However, even throwing daggers with her trained right hand, it had still taken her two days to get used to the correct weight distribution, posture, and applied power. Hers had also been a swift grasping of the core principles. Many mercenaries had encouraged and praised her, saying that a talented genius of a girl was among them. Of course, there were many of them more highly skilled than she in the mercenarypany, so she had figured that they were teasing her. As she got used to the feel of basic daggers, she started training left-handed. It was hard to use her unfamiliar left hand, so it had taken her up to four days longer than with the right hand. And in all that time, she had thrown daggers without eating and barely sleeping. And now, a little boy named Judah had reached a level of proficiency in only an hour. Gentia clearly suspected that I had been learning left-handed dagger techniques with Kaseun, and had only pretended to be unskilled. Still, I could see that she recalled my sloppy posture on my first try, so she must have decided that that wasn¡¯t it. It was purely my talent, Gentia seemed to figure. She hadn¡¯t even shown signs of envy or jealousy ¨C she had just watched me throw dagger after dagger in amazement. I noticed that my left hand was shaking, the dagger still clutched in it. ¡®Stop.¡¯ I took a deep breath as I ceased all movement. ¡®Let¡¯s end it here. From tomorrow, you¡¯ll have to run through the forest. So you need your rest.¡¯ ¡® ¡­ Yeah,¡¯ I replied in a voice filled with regret. Throwing daggers was such fun! When I couldn¡¯t do it, I had be annoyed, but the more I threw, the more I got used to it. ¡®Come here with those.¡¯ I went to Gentia with the four daggers. She was holding a rectangr whetstone and was seated on the sofa. She patted the cushions next to her as if asking me to sit beside her. I took a single dagger, sat down next to Gentia, and ced the dagger on the table before her. ¡®Unless the weapon is forged from really good materials, using a weapon like this for a while quickly dulls its de.¡¯ She lifted the dagger and showed me the edges of its de. As she had said, after throwing it for an hour, its tip had be dulled, and its point blunted. ¡®If your weapon is not so good, all you can do is to consistently maintain it. For that purpose, a whetstone is an essential item to possess. So now, I¡¯ll teach you how to use one. You know the basics?¡¯ I nodded. ¡®But you don¡¯t know how to angle it, do you?¡¯ ¡®No.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not that difficult, just a little annoying. Now watch carefully.¡¯ As she went to work, I heard the sharp sound of metal on rock. In almost no time, Gentia had sharpened the dagger¡¯s de. I did, in fact, know how to use a whetstone, having sharpened my kitchen knives with them. Yet, I have never seen a de sharpened with such ease. Gentia asked for the remaining three daggers, and I handed one to her. As she started to sharpen the second de, a system message popped up in front of me. [¡ª]Because you have learned the correct method to sharpen a de using a whetstone, you have acquired the talent -Raise Me-[¡ª] [¡ª]Talents are developed by repeating certain actions or meeting special conditions[¡ª] [¡ª]Talents only give a bonus to your actions. You do not gain a bonus to stats like your skills or characteristics[¡ª] I already knew all that, so I turned it off and looked up. Anyway, talent was naturally acquired by repeating actions. Like skills and traits, there was no limit to the number of talents one could acquire. Even so, they were not abilities that you could hold great expectations of. Still, having some talents were better than having none. When I sharpened thest dagger myself, Gentia stroked my hair and said that I did well. Her touch felt good. ¡®Now then, shall we visit the forest tomorrow? Since I¡¯ve been sweating, I¡¯ll wash myself again and then head off to sleep,¡¯ she said as she stretched and stood up. Gentia said good night and waved at me as she left the room. I was also drowsy, so I ced the dagger on the table, washed my body, and went to bed. Whether it was because of the fact that I was not alone in my home, or because Gentia had stroked my hair, I could not sleepfortably that night. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

19==================== To live in this world. Gentia really loves her sleep in the morning. Some people can¡¯t wake up even if someone wakes them up. For them, it¡¯s normal to keep on sleeping even after the sun has risen. Gentia was like this. She also severely drooled as she slept, cuddling up to anything next to her as she kept on slumbering. However, if she has anything to do in the day, her eyes immediately flick open. If this was not the case, she would never have been able to work as a mercenary. She onlyzed and kept on sleeping if the day¡¯s schedule was rxed. Yesterday, she had taught the kid, Judah, the art of throwing daggers. From today onwards, they would begin their activities in the woods and only return by evening. They would be under the sky and in the wilds, and Gentia figured the training would go slow because Judah was still young. So this morning, she had woken up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, yawned, changed her clothes, and washed her face. Then she woke Judah up, just as the sun started peeking over the mountains. It seemed that Judah did not expect that he would get up so early. Still, he silently arose from bed, had breakfast with her, and then both of them set out for the forest. The eastern gate was already open. They passed through it, and on the road, they met drowsy herbalists and hunters who were slowly walking to the forest as well. If one leaves by the southern or western gate, one enters dangerous areas filled with monsters. So unless you are an adventurer or knight, you are not allowed to exit via those gates. Around Serenia itself, the only possible danger was the ck wolves that came up from the southern forest on asion. * * * I followed Gentia into the forest, and she soon started her ss. What she taught me was simple yet difficult. First off, she informed me of of the medicinal herbs thatmonly grew in the area. She also taught me which of them I should use in an emergency. By opening my notepad function, I managed to input everything that she taught me. I didn¡¯t have time to remember so much stuff all at once, so I rather kept my eyes peeled and observed everything that she showed me. I nodded to myself. I could learn all the skills at once, due to my status as a yer. Through the notepad, I could enter everything without the risk ofter forgetting it. My brain had not changed since I¡¯ve entered this reality. Although I would say that my memory had improved a little, it is difficult to remember what I have just seen and heard. After teaching me about herbs, Gentia taught me how to hunt. There wasn¡¯t anything special to the act of hunting. All I had to do was to apply dagger throwing techniques from a distance to get an insta-kill. I could also slow the animal down by crippling one of its legs and then chase it down and kill it. It helped that Gentia told me how to slit the beast¡¯s throat, and how to mask my scent when stalking it. There was also a lot of theory regarding the tracking down of beasts, how to see how recent their spoor was, and so on. As Gentia had said, hunting was fun. It was what happened afterward that was problematic. Butchering the carcass was a grimbor: Having to skin and quarter it, throwing the offal aside. It was a hard day, but I was able to return home in the evening with the meat of my prey. I hadn¡¯t figured that I would be doing all of this for two whole years. I had to gather herbs, learned about their efficacy, and regrly exined all the treatment methods in cases of emergency. I eventually mastered being proficient in Mercenary Left-Handed Dagger and had reached a point where I could hit moving prey from a distance. The skinning and butchering remained a pain, though. I had also gained some proficiency in erasing my tracks and signs, as Gentia¡¯s method of training these skills was to either stalk me, or have me stalk her. So I naturally developed these skills, up to a point where I could almostpletely erase any sign of my presence from the forest. Anyway, many busy days passed by in such a manner, yet the terrible fact was that my stats had barely risen. Even though most of these activities had not been done before, they had be repetitive actions, which meant that my stats had risen a bit, and not by much after that. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª] You have traveled east of Serenia, across the mountain, and into the Eastern Forest to hunt wild animals. You have certainly gained experience. Strength increased by 3, Agility increased by 3, Stamina increased by 4[¡ª] [¡ª]You have learned a variety of essential knowledge from Tracker Gentia, such as medicinal herbal lore, first aid, and which fruit and mushrooms are edible. Knowledge increased by 4[¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 9] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 35(D) / Potential A] [Health: 35(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 30(D) / Potential SS] [Magic: 37(D) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 79(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Remaining points: 8] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Still, I was truly proud of myself. While hunting beasts, my level had risen a little. I had umted points, but decided not to use them yet. Nowadays, Gentia didn¡¯t wake up early in the mornings anymore as she thought that she had nothing more to teach me. She always overslept and lived like a jobless bum. Thanks to this, I had started to head into the forest on my own. It soon became a routine. I hunted at least every two to three days, but strangely, the number of animals never seemed to decrease. I assumed that many other civilians also hunted here ¨C so the animals might be respawning over time. Still, there were not so many hunters in Serenia. Compared to the total poption, the amount of hunters was ridiculously small. Feral beasts, wild boars, and other animals are hunted and eaten, but the smell of their flesh was rank, and in some species, the meat was quite tough. It was difficult for a hunter to get proper payment after all their effort of going through forests and over hills to their game. Rather, killing ck and white wolves in the southern forest and then selling their hides and gems was where the real money is at. Compared to monsters and predators, wild game animals did not give any gems even if they died. And there were decisively fewer monsters and meat-eaters in the northern forest, which was why herders and ranchers grazed their sheep and cattle there. Foods such as rice, wheat, and chicken also regrly came via traders to Serenia, so the city had no shortage of food. So naturally, the job of the hunter had be a niche profession. The hunters that remained enjoyed hunting, and it was their only hobby. I opened my minimap. It appeared in one corner of my field-of-view and showed great detail from a top-down angle. The red circle was the yer¡¯s position, my position. Even if I lost my way in the forest, I could always find my bearings by opening the minimap and so head home. ¡®Hmm, this is¡­ Am I near the southern forest?¡¯ It seemed further off than I had thought. I didn¡¯t normallye here. The area before me was dark on the minimap, which meant that it was a region that I have never been to. I raised my head as I looked into the distance. I didn¡¯t see anything that could be said to be a distinct border. But on my minimap, lines were drawn, and the titles clearly stated that the southern foresty beyond. A closer look at the forest before me showed that darkness reigned within, even if the sun still rode high in the sky. The other name for the southern forest is the ck Forest, and it is where the fierce ck wolves fight with the white wolves over territory. If I entered the forest hastily and encountered a wolf, I might suffer injury or death. ¡®I have to go back.¡¯ I really wanted to kill a wolf, but I decided to walk the safe road rather than the highly risky one. I had no proper weapons and no armor. When I stretched my legs and started to lift my feet to head back, a creeping sensation ran from my toes to my scalp. My hairs stood upright as I got goosebumps. ¡®Crawooo!¡¯ A terrifying cry, like a loud and hoarse whisper, mmed into my ears. A wolf! I reflexively drew the longsword at my waist and pulled a dagger from my belt. The dagger shed sharply in the sunlight as it left its leather sheath. I slowly crouched down as I looked around, but nothing was visible. The lush forest was hiding the wolf. ¡®Saawhoooo!¡¯ Wow! It had filled its lungs with fresh air and howled again. I took a tentative step and started moving. Moments ago, only the pleasant sound of the wind rustling through leaves was heard. Now, the atmosphere in the once-quiet forest has changed. Once the wolf had made its presence known, the peace of the forest had changed into the eeriness of a haunted house. This was so different from the hunts that I had grown used to. Before, I had been the hunter. Now it felt as if I was truly in the position of the hunted. A new power has emerged, a predator that ate predators. I trembled in fear when I considered I would soon have to risk my life, but this fear quickly turned into excitement. And at that very moment, when I knew I was excited, the corners of my mouth started to rise. ¡®Hah, I¡¯m mad as well,¡¯ I muttered. The palpable excitement I felt had be a weird thing. In my original reality, I was no coward, but neither did I possess such cold bravery. I tried to resolve conflict through words if possible and avoided it if I could. I never crossed the line if the other person backed off. Here, it was different. Whether it was because my survival was at stake, or because of -yer- and -Determination-, my personality seemed to have bepletely reversed. ¡®Harooowoo!¡¯ Just in case I hadn¡¯t heard it the first two times, the wolf cried again. ¡®Saabsaak, stuk, sabsak,¡¯ came the sound of something prowling in the distance. The wolf must be circling me, checking me out. If I ran to it, it would probably kill me, so I stood firm, sword in hand, and remembered my training. I confidently waited for it toe out first. However, I could only seldom see signs of its presence. I took small steps, and the wolf would only briefly reveal its proximity with a cry. Even after ten whole minutes, the wolf did not appear. It was a prudent beast. My excitement subsided and my fear arose once more. The tensions made my body feel heavier, taught, for I did not know when the wolf would be behind me, and when it would leap. The sword in my grasp felt heavier, and I haven¡¯t even swung it. The dense forest remained unchanged. The cold wind blew in, and the branches started to sway as if in a dance. The shimmering sunlight pierced through the leaves and onto the ground. Being so excessively tense increases your fatigue and makes the body wear out in an instant. I only now realized something, so once more, I changed my mind. ¡®If I die here, Ie back to life.¡¯ Just like when Jacques the mercenary had killed me. I had nothing to worry about. I would simply return to the start. Wouldn¡¯t death be painful, though? Okay, granted, I had not felt pain thest time that I had died. I muttered inside of my mind, brainwashing myself to be brave. As I thought about all these things, the tension flowed from me. Tensing my body slightly, I decided to give my best when the enemy appeared. I looked around, and my body felt lighter, only for a moment. It wasn¡¯t easy to bear. The rustle of leaves, the sound of my heart pounding in my ears, the slight sounds of the approaching wolf- It was all so different from hunting beasts in the western forest. I was reminded that I had be the prey. ¡®Experience¡­¡¯ Yes, this was definitely an experience. An experience that Kaseun and Gentia had said was important. Still, I knew that I would someday have to fight a wolf in the South Forest. These types of events were things that I would have to go through in the future. The time for it has just arrived earlier than expected. I had hunted in the forest for two years. I had used the ground as my bed and tree-roots as my pillows. The leaves had been my nket. There had been nothing else, and I had learned that the forest is not my enemy. It¡¯s just a battlefield. As my mind pondered such things, it felt as if my vision had sharpened. My body was no longer so heavy. The wolf was still wandering around. At that moment I saw the red eyes through gaps in the bushes, I grasped my sword tightly. It was drenched in sweat, but the cloth around the hilt prevented it from slipping. There is nothing to worry about. There was no need for fear to exist. If I die, I start over from the beginning, and that¡¯s it. ¡®From the beginning¡­¡¯ It would be terrible to have to repeat the harsh boredom of all those days. Yet, it was a solid assurance ¨C that I could be revived even if I died. That certainty lent me courage. And just for a day like this had I sparred with Kain, and hit straw-dummies with wooden swords. For this very moment had I developed my physique and learned how to hunt with Gentia. And I knew that to survive in this world, I had no choice but to triumph over the strong and so be stronger. I slowed my breathing, and then I activated Shadow Justice. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

20==================== To live in this world. [¡ª¡ª] -Shadow Justice ©¸Shadow Justice Form 1 ¨C Spreading Shadows ©¸Shadow Justice Form 2 ¨C Magic [¡ª¡ª] The magical power that had so abundantly umted in my body emerged, with a portion of it being released. Practicing it was far different than employing it in an emergency. Shadows swam to the floor and began spreading out from me. In an instant, the shadows had enveloped the surrounding area and began to convey information to me. It felt as if my field of vision had been forcibly widened; as if I was forced to see more than humans are made to see. I had only practiced Spreading Shadows in a room before, where there existed no moving beings, so this felt far different. My shadows now showed me how many enemies were in the vicinity. ¡®A total of three.¡¯ The location of my foes was revealed as red blips on my minimap. I had thought there to be only one wolf; there were three. They hadpletely surrounded me and could attack at any time. Had I rushed toward the first one, the other two would have immediately attacked me from behind. I had also been wrong in thinking that a single wolf had circled me, constantly moving. They had not moved since they came here. Instead, they had made the asional furtive step so as to confuse me on their positions and number. ¡®Kreung!¡¯ Whether a signal of attack or not, I heard a growl from behind me and then sensed swift movement. A wolf leaped out from the bushes, and as it revealed itself, it growled in an even fiercer manner. ¡®Hwaaaar!¡¯ I swiveled about to face it. ¡®Ha, it¡¯s big!¡¯ The wolf was bigger than I had thought. It had great rows of sharp teeth, and it seemed as if it would sink them into my neck at any moment. In that instant, the other wolves came loping up from the other side, still hidden behind the thickets. I had already confirmed their position through Spreading Shadows, and in two spots, the bushes were shaking where the beasts moved. I threw my dagger toward one of those spots. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t need to worry that much about uracy. Due to my proficiency in Mercenary Left-Handed Dagger, my throw was true, and the dagger flew straight for the spot between its eyes. Still, the wolf had good reflexes, barely swerving out of the dagger¡¯s path, getting sliced across its scalp. It slunk back into the bushes, a bit more fearful now. In the meantime, I was thinking of how to deal with the beast before me. Although I was in the body of a young boy, my stats had already improved. Moreover, I had trained by constantly swinging swords, which was a neat ability to have in my current predicament. The wolf ran at me andunched its attack, and as it did, I sidestepped, gripping my longsword in both hands, and piercing it up toward the wolf. There was the sound of metal slicing through flesh, and then a pained, hideous roar. ¡®Wrohuuu!¡¯ The wolf¡¯s teeth snapped shut inches from my nose as it crashed to the ground. Out of fear, I had altered the direction of my initial thrust, cutting clean through one of the wolf¡¯s paws. Its heavy body rolled to the ground as it yipped and yelped. I drew one of my remaining daggers from the belt and threw it at the wolf¡¯s head as it tried to regain its footing while it whined and growled. The ck wolf¡¯s skin was tough, but the dagger was thrown from such a small distance that it urately pierced its hide and then its throat. I watched its spasming body convulse, and then droop into lifelessness. I wanted to catch my breath, but I held back the impulse, knowing that it was not yet time. ¡®Gruur!¡¯ There were still two wolves left. The one who had escaped my dagger was in the rear, but the other one had run out and was now behind me. Dodge, or attack? I had to do one of the two. I chose thetter action. The wolf who was charging at me leaped into the air. Through the shadows that suffused the area, the wolf¡¯s attack pattern flowed into my mind and I managed to avoid the attack as if possessing a magic eye. And while I dodged, I twisted my waist and performed a short, inward thrust with my sword. ¡®Uwhoo!¡¯ The wolf could not fully avoid my thrust, so I cut into its left shoulder, though its ws raked into my left shoulder in turn. The blood sttering onto my face caused a tingling sensation. I frowned but knew that if such pain began to bother me, I would really die. [¡ª¡ª] ©¤Shadow Swordsmanship ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 2 ¨C True [¡ª¡ª] Activation was confirmed as soon as ck particles began to cover my sword¡¯s de after I had spent some of my magical power. I had alreadynded a preemptive attack on the over-confident wolf. I drew my sword back from where it had pierced the beast, and blood sttered into the air like cherry blossoms upon a breeze. I was now covered in red hot blood and had to swivel around to correct my stance, getting no chance to wipe or brush the blood off. Right before me was thest wolf. I looked straight into its eyes as I studied its movement. It had seemed as if the beast would just rush me straight on, but it rather hunched its shoulders as it crouched and stalked toward me. I could see that it was preparing itself to leap at me. I brought the longsword¡¯s hilt to my chest and angled its tip to the sky. I extended my left hand before me, using it as a sight. It was as if I was aiming an arrow at a target, with my finger pointing in the same direction as my sword. ¡®Har-ahr-har!¡¯ The wolf¡¯s voice was fury-filled, and it resonated through the forest. I activated a facet of my skills. ¡®Shadow Swordsmanship, form three, one point!¡¯ As I shouted this, a screen also shed through my mind confirming its activation. ¡®Wheeeess,¡¯ sounded the wind, and alongside that sound came the sound of the ck energy that gathered into my de and thenunched itself into the air. The energy that had swirled above me formed itself into a singlence, and thatnce pierced through the air and stabbed into the wolf¡¯s chest. The wolf, its eyes having possessed such great bestial anger, now spasmed and kicked for a few moments. Its death was inevitable. I didn¡¯t really know. Perhaps it might have saved itself if it had some special abilities, but it was toote for it now. I had heard the air escape from the beast¡¯s lungs as thence pierced through its tough hide and muscles, smashed through bones, and pierced into its vital internal organs. Only when the magic that had created thence returned to its original ce, now shaped like a longsword, did blood gush from the great wound. My hair, face, and clothes: I was covered in blood from head to toe. The smell of the drying blood disgusted me. I gave my sword a swing, and the blood that had coated its surface was shaken off. ¡®Huhoo ¡­ choo ¡­ hoo.¡¯ The wolf with the great hole pierced into its side was still alive. I walked slowly to the struggling wolf and then struck into its head with my sword. After I confirmed its death, my hand started trembling. My hand pained, so hard was I gripping onto the sword¡¯s handle. ¡®Wooo!¡¯ It was dangerous! Such was my sudden thought. It wasn¡¯t that I had been feeling a threat to my life. Rather, I felt great joy the moment I had taken the first wolf¡¯s life, even if I had almost fainted. It was apletely different sensation from when you hunted animals such as deer or wild boars. I had survived, I had fought for my life, and I had won. My battles with Kain had been so that we could hone each other¡¯s skills and advance higher, not so that we could take each other¡¯s lives. One does not die in a duel, even if one is defeated. Also, I was convinced that Kain wouldn¡¯t try to kill me. The fights against the wolves had beenpletely different. It had been a struggle. Everything had happened as if in short bursts of time, and I had acted without knowing that I acted. ¡®Chack, chuck,¡¯ I tried to stop theughter from bursting from me. ¡®Ah¡­ hahahhahaa! Ahahaha, ahahahahahaha!¡¯ In the end, it burst out and Iughed like crazy. There were no more wolves around, and my entire body was crying with joy. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. After I hadughed for a while, I stopped. The warm blood on my body was being dried by the wind. I checked all the system messages that I had been unable to check during the battle. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You have obtained 1 silver coin] [You have obtained 1 silver coin] [Shadow Swordsmanship and Shadow Justice skill proficiency has increased by 1] [You have obtained 2 silver coins] [Your level has risen by 1] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ After starting hunting with Gentia, my level had risen to five while I did this and that. Now it had risen a lot after this fight. And as my level rose, the pain from my shoulder wound grew fainter. Still, the wound was notpletely healed. Even if this world was set up as a game, it still reflected reality to a great extent, so my wound did notpletely heal even when I gained a level. Only the regeneration rate of the healing wound had slightly increased. I stood there nkly for a while, and then breathed out loud, rechecking the system messages. There was something important there: A record of the coins I had gained. In contrast to hunting animals, a certain amount of money is deposited into your inventory every time you kill a wolf. ¡®Gentia, are you saying that materials, or items, don¡¯t drop if you kill animals?¡¯ I had once asked her. When I had made my game, I had coded it so that items dropped if you hunted something. Gentia hadn¡¯t seemed to understand what I meant by the question, and when I asked something about the codes, she had listened to me,ughed, and said that there was no such thing in animals. She said that you didn¡¯t get coins from killing wild boars and deer, and I had believed her. So when I got money from the wolves, I wondered whether I would get items as well. Maybe they just dropped money, but I would be sure to check it outter once I hunted more wolves. I pulled a cloth from my {bag} and used it to wipe clean my longsword. I then recovered my daggers. I nced at the ck wolves lying on the ground. Come to think of it, these animals belonged to the ones that a profit. Their leather was sold for hefty sums to general and clothing stores, and because they were a type of monster, they also had magic stones inside of them. I opened my inventory by selecting {bag} again and removed my butchering knife. It would be my first time ughtering a wolf, but I was able to do it, for my skills had be refined to some extent through my butchering of animals in East Forest. It couldn¡¯t get a pristine cut of hide for leather, but it had all gone satisfactorily. After I had removed the skin, I had to remove the gemstone. ording to Gentia¡¯s teachings, the gemstone was situated between the navel and the pit of the stomach. Following what she said, I was able to carve out two gemstones. In the case of thest wolf, the gemstone was impossible to find, considering the hole that had been gored through its chest. Instead, I got something even more precious. ¡°Is this a b code}?¡± The baseball-sized object was surrounded with a ss-like membrane, and inside it, blue characters were spinningzily, as if on a continuous conveyor belt. A faint white light emanated from the ssy membrane. And I knew that if it was white, it meant it was of a mon] grade. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Code: Sharpness of ~¡¹ ss: mon] weapons only Effect: Wound Worsening (3% Increase in blood loss|||1% decrease in regeneration) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ This game did not have hard stats to reinforce items: +1, +2, et cetera did not exist to increase damage here. Instead, it was possible to add prefix and suffix effects to a weapon by using a b code}. The higher the b code} rating, the more special options appear, and there are many ways in which to obtain codes. In my original game, a b code} was obtained through hunting, or when an NPC who met the conditions was killed. Of course, you could also get rewards forpleting quests, and you would get a higher level b code} or a different one of the same level if youbine codes of the same level by using the synthesis system of the game. But this world was now reality for me, no longer a game. From what Gentia had told me though, the way in which to get a {code} wasn¡¯t so different. She said that when monsters or influential persons such as saints and sages die, codes appear in their bodies. One difference from the game is that she said that a b code} ismonly found in areas where natural disasters or pestilence have struck, for example, after floods or some great gue. I had asked her how one would check the effectiveness of a b code}, and she told me that I could ask a mage, or perhaps peruse their wares. It seemed to have been a method of using the effects of the game system in the real world to a limited extent, but to me, for who all systems were open, it was possible to check by simply summoning the data. ¡®Hmmm.¡¯ I checked the effects of the {code} and used it on my longsword at once. Gentia had told me to visit the mage¡¯s tower if I wanted to know the effect of a {code}, but in my case, things worked a little differently. [¡ª]Would you like to give -Longsword- the effect of ¡¸Code: Sharpness of ~¡¹? Y/N[¡ª] A system message had appeared. When I chose to give it to the sword, the baseball-sized sphere and its blue characters prated the metal of the longsword. [¡ª]As the suffix {code} was sessfully added, the name of -Longsword- is changed to -Longsword-Sharpness-[¡ª] I said nothing as I studied it, for I could see nothing different, even when I swung it through the air. In the case of a {code} given only once, it was said that one could duplicate it by requesting one from a tower. So if that was the case, would it be possible to extract b code} once it had been used? And just as I had expected, there was a [code extraction] option in the item¡¯s info screen. After some time, I held a whitely-shining sphere in my hand. ¡°So the usage and extraction cost nothing¡­ that is fine.¡± I gave a gentleugh and realized that the sun would soon set, so I headed back to Serenia. I became relieved of tension along the way, for the strength of my legs was regained, and even if I had stumbled once, I had managed to walk out of the forest. Fortunately, no more ck wolves bothered me upon my journey. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª]Hint: 1 Gold Coin = 1 million Won | 1 silver coin = 10,000 Won | 1 fairy tale = 1,000 Won[¡ª] [¡ª]Hint: The grades of items are divided into: mon](white) | [rare](green) | [treasure](purple) | [unique](purple) | [ancient](orange) | [legendary](yellow)[¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 10] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 35(D) / Potential A] [Health: 35(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 30(D) / Potential SS] [Magic: 37(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 79(B) / Potential A] ? Special [Remaining points: 9] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 21

Chapter 21

21==================== To live in this world. I sighed as I neared Serenia two hourster. The forest quickly darkened, so there was no time to walk leisurely. Fortunately, the sun had not yet set and the gates had not closed. If I had arrived a bitte, I would have spent the night in the woods. ¡®Fwoo,¡¯ I sighed deeply as I struggled through some bushes, there existing no path at all. I finally stumbled onto the road that led to the east gate. ¡®Aaargh!¡¯ I flinched as I heard screams of terroring from the nearby woods. I was surprised and soon saw that there was a man who had suddenly sank down after he had screamed. He looked more surprised than me. The man was an old hunter that I often met face-to-face in the mornings. He had spent his whole life farming, only bing a hunter in his old age. ¡®Aha, hello.¡¯ Iughed awkwardly as I greeted him, seeing him in such a strange state. Suddenly the old hunter, who had not spoken a word, began to scream, leaping up and sprinting toward the city gate. He even dropped the sack that contained his prey for the day. I wondered why the man was so terrified, and then remembered that I was drenched in blood. I had been able to wash my face and body in a small spring on my way here, but I had not been able to clean my clothes. ¡®When I return to the forest, I¡¯ll have to make sure to pack some extra clothes and food in my inventory.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know whether the same events as today would ur again. I took out the wolf pelt and threw it over my shoulder and even put the gemstones in my pocket, in case the old hunter had spoken to the soldiers at the gate. I picked up the hunter¡¯s sack with my left hand. As I had expected, the gate was fully closed. I didn¡¯t know what exactly the hunter had said, but some armored knights and soldiers stood above the gate. ¡®What, is that Judah?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s wearing bloody clothes, but is he hurt?¡¯ Those soldiers with good eyesight talked with each other. The gate opened, and an armored knight descended the stairs. ¡®Judah.¡¯ The knight¡¯s voice was familiar. He was Charles, captain of the guard. Although he had been amoner, he had been recognized for his skills and had be a knight, serving the lord of Serenia. I smiled at him and showed that I was not seeking violence by raising my hands, and by putting the pelt on my shoulder and the hunter¡¯s sack on the ground. ¡®Yes, Charles, it¡¯s me.¡¯ The knight approached, not seeming to want trouble. Still, I held my hands up, because I was uncertain. He studied me from head to toe and then noticed the ck wolf¡¯s pelt that I had ced on the ground. ¡®Did you kill that?¡¯ ¡®Somehow, yes. I got lucky.¡¯ ¡®Huh. A ck wolf at your age? Are you injured?¡¯ I shook my head. ¡®It¡¯s all wolf blood. Oh, and hunter Hail left his sack behind.¡¯ ¡®Yeah. He just ran here to us screaming, saying that a killer has appeared from the woods, and then ran on into the city. How such a scared man can go out there and hunt¡­ Then, I¡¯ll give this bag to him tomorrow.¡¯ ¡®Yes. I¡¯ll appreciate it if you do. So, can I go in?¡¯ ¡®Yeah. Go home quickly and wash yourself. People will be shocked by your looks, so please borrow a hood from the guards.¡¯ The hood in question was rather a raincoat that the soldiers wore in inclement weather. As they figured I was a kid that had an adventure, there was no reason for them to reject my request. They knew a great many people would be surprised if they saw me walking around with bloody clothes. The cloak I got from the guardroom smelled fresh. For me, it was a fairlyrge piece of clothing, so it dragged on the ground. The soldiers who saw meughed, saying that I was still a kid even if I had killed a wolf. As I heard theirughter, I headed home bitterly. As I walked along the road, with the wolf pelt slung over my back, people stared and stared. The southern forest is home to many ck and white wolves, but adventurers don¡¯t visit Serenia to hunt wolves. The spot where the meteor and its fragment were estimated to have fallen was in the western forest, and there was far more forest to the west of the city than in any other direction. Naturally, there is less profitpared to the risk taken in the southern forest than the western one, so the amount of adventurers going there has decreased. Still, ck wolf pelts were expensive, so at times, adventurers teamed up to hunt ck wolves to earn some money. It was no wonder that I got people¡¯s attention. When I reached my house, I opened the door and stepped inside. ¡®I¡¯m here, Tia.¡¯ Tia is a nickname. After I had spent nearly two years with my teacher, Gentia, we became very close, and I was allowed to call her so. I had at first tried to call her Mistress, but she refused, disliking it. Only when I took off my leather shoes and stepped onto the floor did she greet me. ¡®Oh,e here-¡® Just as she started speaking, she stopped, and ferally jumped from the living room sofa andnded before me. It had been a very agile movement. ¡®Judas, you¡­ What happened?¡¯ *** Tia smelled the blood on Judah, and so forcibly removed the hooded coat that he was wearing. Seeing that it was old and torn, she figured that he must have borrowed it. Considering its age, it didn¡¯t seem a problem that it had gotten dirty. She was amazed at his appearance, with blood clogged up all over his clothes, and then understood why he had borrowed a cloak. Judah spoke quickly, in case Tia might misunderstand the situation. ¡®Ah, wait. It¡¯s not my blood, don¡¯t get me wrong.¡¯ She ignored Judah¡¯s words, shuddering as she reached out to him. She sighed in displeasure as she took in his bloodied state. Tia then opened his arms so that she could prod his body. Of course, she found no wounds. As Tia realized this, she gave a sigh of relief. ¡®What happened?¡¯ ¡®Uh- Well, can¡¯t we talk about it after I wash myself?¡¯ ¡®No. Talk now.¡¯ Judah wished to take off his clothes and wash his sweaty body right away, but Tia wanted an exnation, so he told her everything. ¡®I identally went very deep into the woods, and when I realized it, I tried to return, but I got unlucky and encountered ck wolves. I wanted to run away but then thought that I couldn¡¯t escape. So, I drew my weapons and fought. And I finally won.¡¯ He had given a brief exnation. The evidence of his adventure was the ck wolf pelts on the porch, so he wasn¡¯t lying; for they were there. ¡®¡­Okay, go wash.¡¯ ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Judah shrugged and then headed to the bathroom with tired steps. Tia studied the pelts that Judah had brought. There were only two skins, and she could see the traces of the battle upon them. On had a forepaw severed, and there was a gap where a dagger had pierced into its neck. The other hide had arge gash along its nk and a sword wound that ran across its brow. Judah¡¯s daggers and sword exactly matched the diameters of the wounds. The boy himself seemed to be uninjured, despite fighting ck wolves, an ugly type of monster. He had stated that the blood staining his clothes had onlye from the wolves. Surely, he would not say such words and lie. ¡®Hmmm.¡¯ Tia touched her lips as she thought deeply about something and then looked down at the gifted coat that she still held in her hand. She knew that it was the type of cloak that the guards on the walls wore when it rained. She neatly folded the coat and put it in a corner by the front door, and then sat down on the living room sofa. She had been lying there a while ago, so the cushions were still warm. ¡®They were ck wolves¡­ They were veryrge.¡¯ Now that she thought of it, two years have passed since she started living with Judah. Tia refreshed her memory as she recalled the past. When she had first met Judah, he had seen her and said that she was pretty. That had piqued her interest in him. As a member of the Suin race, children had always been afraid of her. It was frustrating for her, as she adored children, but they always ran from her, making her upset. It had been a fresh experience when Judah had weed her presence. The same held true when she started to train him at the behest of Kaseun. Judah possessed a talent for learning anything, and his diligence was as great as his talents. Sometimes he was a bitzy, but that was all right; he was still a kid. Judah was a mature child, acting like an adult, but he was still cute. When they had gone hunting for the first time, he looked so cute when he threw a dagger at a beast. It was also cute when he grew so shocked as she showed him how to butcher the animal he had hunted. Judah had remained nk all day after he had personally witnessed the dismantling of the carcass. The psychological aftermathsted for two to three days, and after that, Judah became bold, as if he had adapted to it. It became natural for him to kill an animal with a thrown dagger, and then slice open its belly and remove its intestines. It had taken a while for him to get used to skinning, but he certainly ended up doing it well. ¡®He was so cute back then.¡¯ Tia, who had been with him all that time, then told him to go hunting on his own; it had be hard for her to get up in the morning. After she had slept for a long time, and while the sun sat in the center of the sky, she woke up and remembered that she had sent Judah out on his own. She had hastily followed his trail through the forest. Judah had only been twelve at the time. Tia had watched from the trees, and she observed Judah search for prey as he made his way through the forest, all on his own. She had felt happy, then. Finally, he seeded in felling a wild boar. She had watched him skin it, watched him light a fire, and then roasting and eating his game. Since then, Judah went hunting alone. Tia felt a bit disappointed that Judah never asked her to go with him, but she knew she couldn¡¯t take care of him forever. So, she left him to rely on himself and started preparing rice for their meals and also began doing housework. Judah didn¡¯t spend his time in vain, and Tia took over the chores as she gave herself a break. She spent her time reading books for young people borrowed from the library founded by Perchen, the first Lord of Serenia. She also practiced her dagger-throwing. When she was stuck indoors, she meditated or trained on her own. Judah was an adult child, the reverse case of adults who acted as if they were children. He neverined, and even if she wondered if he longed for his parents at night, she never saw him shed tears in front of other people. He tried to do everything by himself, and only if he couldn¡¯t do something, did he ask her for help. Tia liked Judah. It was a little disappointing that there was no aegyo from Judah, but he was still cute and bold. After observing him consistently for two years, one thing Tia was sure about when it came to Judah was that he was a child of great sess. ¡®There is definitely talent in him.¡¯ Whether he would be an adventurer or a mercenary, he would be a great sess either way. He was also rted to Kaseun, who was said to be a noble, so he could be a knight. The problem that Tia had with Judah¡¯s purpose was that he did not seem to have realized a dream yet. She had not yet seen him express any ambition or greed for anything so far. He didn¡¯t even express any determination or desire to be somethingter in life. He just learned things like a boy thirsty for knowledge. One thing he did say was that he was thinking of leaving Serenia someday. ¡®I will probably leave here when I be an adult,¡¯ Judah had said. So, about two years remained. Maybe he would leave a little earlier or a littleter. Perhaps for the first time ever, Tia felt the need to have a serious conversation with Judah. She knew that it wasn¡¯t toote to have such a conversation, and she kept telling herself to do it before it became toote. Above all else, she was Judah¡¯s teacher. Recently, she hadn¡¯t been teaching him much, but once a teacher, always a teacher! Tia decided to talk with Judah about his purpose and what he nned to do in the future. While thinking many thoughts, Tia saw Judah walking out of the bathroom in simple attire after he had washed himself clean. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª¡ª]Hint: Clothes that are stained with blood can be cleaned by putting a spoonful of ¡®Debris Removal Detergent¡¯ (sold by Matap) into the washing machine. There are also sister products such asundry sprays, so be sure to buy them before you go on a journey![¡ª¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ==================================== The name is -Gentia-, but now I will call her -Tia-. Originally, when I created my name, I called it Tia when I described it, I wrote it as Gentia. Because of Zenyatta, I am going to change her name in case you wille to see Buddhism Shakyamuni. It was a name that I thought of myself. When you die, is that the day you first fell behind the bandits? Or was there a save? ^^ Answering your 3333 questions will leave me with nothing to writeter, so I will leave it for your questions. Ha ha ha ha ha! Chapter 22

Chapter 22

22==================== To live in this world. I had just washed, and stepping from the bathroom, brushed off my dampened hair, feeling refreshed. I figured that it was the perfect day to drink a ss of water while lying in bed. I went to the kitchen and pulled out a cheap, monochromatic porcin cup from the sink¡¯s shelf, filled it with water, and started to head to his room on the second floor. ¡°Judah,¡± Tia called to me from where she wasying on the three-seater sofa. She patted the armrests, calling me over. I didn¡¯t go at first, as she seemed sozy since I started hunting alone. I then walked slowly over, putting my arms behind my back, and looked down at her. I noticed that she held a small book in her hands, Hunter of the Wind. It was an interesting book, but I figured that she wasn¡¯t calling me over to discuss its contents. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tia? Would you like some water?¡± Tia just covered her mouth with the book and shook her head. ¡°You sure?¡± She threw the book she was holding to the floor as she stretched her arms out. I flinched and tried to avoid them, but she had stretched them out in an instant. Tia wrapped her arms around the nape of my neck, and she dragged me down with force. ¡°Ah, you cute guy. It would be perfect if you were cuter!¡± Huh!? It was hard to breathe in, and her fleshy scent prated my nose. I could feel the soft yet stic skin through her clothes. As Tia hugged me so close to her breasts, I felt my face getting flushed. I tried to escape, but she wouldn¡¯t let me go. I sighed a little when I realized the difference in our abilities was so big that I couldn¡¯t even escape by force. ¡°Why are you sighing while you¡¯refortable? Are there no girls who hug you like this?¡± ¡°Oh yes, but-¡° I looked up to her face, my chin on her chest. Her golden eyes were full of affection. The act of rubbing my face over her heart had raised her favorability. So, I checked it out. Her favorability, which had been 49, was now 50, on the level of great interest. [¡ª¡ª]Favorability rating: 50 (great interest)[¡ª¡ª] [¡ª¡ª]Reliability: 75 (trust)[¡ª¡ª] At first, I had been picking flowers in the forest and bringing them to her to increase her favorability. Surprisingly, only her reliability had risen. When a young child gives flowers to someone he likes, he just seems cute. That wasmon. I had given up on my attempts due to the favorability that did not rise. Of course, I wanted it to develop into a romantic rtionship, but my age and child¡¯s body hindered me. So, since half a year ago, Tia¡¯s favorability had not risen past 49. Today, it had reached 50, all of a sudden. It had actually happened when I had been washing, as I had turned the status screen on and saw that it had risen by 1. It was a good thing; after all, she was the first woman I thought of as beautiful in this world, and my thoughts on the matter had not changed, even now. However, it seemed like torture that I couldn¡¯t fall asleep on her chest. I repressed such impulses and looked at Tia with a smile. ¡°Oh, What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°I have to have a reason to hug you like this? You¡¯re cute, so I¡¯m hugging you.¡± I didn¡¯t know whether I looked could, but I couldn¡¯t argue with Tia. As I looked at her happy expression, Tia hugged me tighter. There was a moment of silence, and then she spoke. ¡°Are there really no injuries?¡± ¡°No, really. Why are you so worried?¡± ¡°Sure! It¡¯s not like my pupil almost went into the southern forest. How must I feel? I want to head to the south gate and kill a bunch of wolves right now!¡± Tia embraced me like a doll as she stroked my head. Who knew that ck wolves would appear in the southern forest after they had always remained in the western one? If Tia had known that, she probably would not have sent me out alone. ¡°I¡¯m so d I didn¡¯t get hurt. How was it when you killed a wolf? Did your training help?¡± ¡°Definitely. Throwing daggers helped me a lot. Thank you, Tia. The only reason that I came back alive was because of you, my teacher.¡± ¡°Woohoohoo!¡± she eximed. ¡°And the experience was important, as I was in the position of the hunted, not the hunter.¡± ¡°Surely? Then, shall we go hunting together after this long time? Going through the east forest and into the southern forest. We have to get some revenge on those wolves.¡± Already, I had imed two of their pelts. ¡°It would be nice if you coulde with me, Tia, but-¡° I paused for a moment. Tia sure was asking a lot of questions today. It seems as if she was trying to keep the flow of conversation going. There seemed to be something she really wanted to say. I didn¡¯t care and had tried and wait for her to speak. But- I was still on her body, and right now, a reaction was taking ce in a certain part of my body. Maybe she had noticed? I looked at Tia in agony, my heart pounding in my breast. Maybe she was even enjoying my awkward reaction! ¡°Tia.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Do you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°Uh- well, Judah, my cute disciple, do you know what I hate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± There were a lot of things I knew of that she didn¡¯t like, but I figured that none of them would be the answer in this situation. ¡°You¡¯re a quick-minded kid. I¡¯ve been having a long conversation with you now, but I¡¯ve only lit the candle; I haven¡¯t yet shown you the way. Your teacher feels a little hurt and betrayed.¡± Tia said she was in pain while gripping my head tightly in her arms, all the while subtly increasing the pressure on me. I groaned and unintentionally buried my face in her soft flesh. At this point, such acts of affection were almost torture. It was difficult to bear. ¡°Judah.¡± As I groaned, Tia rxed her grip and made me look into her eyes. With a small sigh, she said, ¡°Look into my eyes!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. ¡°What do you want to be in the future?¡± ¡°Are you asking what my dreams are?¡± She nodded. I, well, I was thinking. If you asked children of this reality what their dreams are, there was a set of careers to choose from. The children of Earth usually dreamt of bing police, firefighters, or teachers. In this world, they wanted to be mercenaries, adventurers, wizards, and knights. Of course, you didn¡¯t usually get the job you dreamed of getting, and the same counted for this world. Tia opened her mouth for a moment, obviously wondering whether I was hesitating, or thinking. ¡°I¡¯ve been with you for two years, but we have never talked about your dreams for the future. Have you ever thought about it?¡± ¡°No- That¡¯s not it.¡± My path, my dream, was set in stone. However, I could not easily give voice to it. How could I tell her that I wished to be the demon king!? Could I even speak such words with confidence? Not exactly the demon king, but a high lord of that realm. Neither sounded good. And in order to achieve my goals, I would naturally have to do some dubious deeds. ¡°Hey.¡± Tia must have decided that I didn¡¯t want to tell her my dreams because I was shy. ¡°Judah, I mean, originally, my dream wasn¡¯t to be a mercenary. I became one just to make a living. Now, you can spend your days without being poor because themander is your guardian. I didn¡¯t have a guardian.¡± Tia slowly rted her past, which she had never told me before. ¡°I was like you when I was young, but unfortunately, there was no one to take care of me. I learned how to survive in this harsh world alone. I wandered the streets, stealing from people. I lived a life no different from ordinary orphans. I hated it. Then, I happened to meet themander and was trained by him. Then, I became a mercenary after I had learned things under him and doing my part. I charged through bloody battlefields, slew monsters with swords, and epted contracts, with a lot of clients. I met different people, and my dreams developed a little by little until I finally left my fellow mercenaries.¡± She now screwed her eyes into a line. ¡°It¡¯s not a big dream. Once you hear it, you mightugh at me. My dream is very simple. It¡¯s to meet a man who loves me, and I want to live a calm and peaceful life with that man. It would be nice to have kids, but it doesn¡¯t matter if we don¡¯t. I just want to enjoy a life where we can be happy together.¡± ¡°It sounds like an easy but also difficult dream.¡± ¡°Right? Contrary to what you might think, it is a very difficult dream to achieve. Being ordinary is the most difficult thing. Like a fairy tale. I¡¯ve lived happily for a long time, but I know life does not unfold like fairy tales, Judah. Love can grow cold, and love can cheat you. You can get killed by someone because of your love. And money- Money can lead to a feud.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not a dream tough at, Tia. The dream you have is a beautiful dream, one worth fulfilling. If that¡¯s the dream you want the most, I¡¯ll cheer for you. If I can help, I¡¯ll help. If someoneughs at your dream, I¡¯ll be there for you. You don¡¯t have to listen to their ridicule, because they don¡¯t understand your dream.¡± *** Tia opened her eyes as she heard Judah¡¯s words. She was surprised that a young child would say such things. When she had shared her dream with her fellow mercenaries, they hadughed at her. Some said that she had to rece her dream with something bigger and grander. Only a few had nodded along in agreement. Tia felt better now. This child was bing more and more adorable. She wanted to hug him tightly to her boobs like a doll, but she refused to sumb to such an impulsive desire. ¡°How do you make your words so pretty!?¡± Tia pulled Judah up in a sh, her lips touching his cheeks and his forehead. She looked very satisfied. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what I want to say, Judah. Just as you want to help me, I want to help you. Even though we¡¯ve been together for two years, I don¡¯t know what you want to be. I don¡¯t know what you want to do. It seems like you have no dreams. Wouldn¡¯t you like to tell me more about your dreams?¡± ¡°Hahahaha,¡± Judah chuckled. ¡°I promise. No matter what dreams you tell me, I won¡¯tugh at you. I mean to seriously help you out.¡± *** Help- I was grateful for her words, but it was difficult for me to speak, as my true desire so directly contradicted hers. I decided to lie, with a little bit of truth. She wouldn¡¯t expect a child to so proficiently lie about his dreams. ¡°I don¡¯t have a big dream, either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, tell me.¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s just- I want to travel all over the continent. I want to visit Urun, the country of entertainment, and Philoria, and Calypso, which is said to have the most magic towers, as well as being the supreme power on the continent. I want to visit Byron and the Baekje Empire, who are at war. I want to visit all thends that desperate people have founded and lived in since ages past.¡± The fragments of Pernen are scattered all over thend. Unless my memory was in error, and this world is far different from what I remember, there were eleven out of twenty-four fragments on this continent alone. Three of them, a hundred years after the fall, are nowhere to be found. But I knew well where and how to collect the fragments. To get them, I had to visit every country and continent that I have spoken of, so my dream wasn¡¯t a lie¡ªonly a half-truth. ¡°And, that¡¯s what I want the most. When I return from the trip, it would be nice for someone to greet me. It¡¯s also my dream to have a home toe back to after I have traveled.¡± ¡®Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! I am ashamed, I am ashamed! I¡¯m gonna say this! I feel like I want to put on a nket and cook chicken with sprouts. Nothing brings peace of mind such as having a ce to go back to. If I collect all the fragments, I will return to the original world. If I don¡¯t, I will have to stay in this world forever. At that time, I would like to return to Serenia. It is not a ce where I have a lot of memories, but it is a ce where I can live undisturbed, a private life. If someone here sees you and wees you, they mean it.¡¯ ¡°Uuh?¡± Whether my honest feelings had touched her, or whether she was surprised by my serious words, Tia made a silly sound. As I looked at her, I continued. ¡°Gentia, no. Tia. I will be leaving here for my dream two years hence, on the day of my adulthood. If you would like, I could give this house to you then. So that you can quit being a mercenary and have a ce to rest. If you like this ce, you can stay here. Oh, it¡¯s not that- your luggage, uh, if you want, you can leave anytime. If you meet a man you love, you¡¯ll be a honeymooner-¡° ¡°Shh.¡± Tia put a finger over my mouth, her expression happy. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say more. I understand what you mean. Still, I don¡¯t think I have to worry.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll be here when youe back.¡± Maybe something had rung through her heart. Tia¡¯s actions had be so smooth, and I had given up trying to resist her tight hug. Then I noticed an info screen sh up on one side of my view. When I opened the screen and checked, I saw that her favorability had risen by 11, and her reliability by an additional 10. What, was this a characteristic that could be raised so easily? Chapter 23

Chapter 23

23==================== To live in this world. It was very pleasant to see her likeability had risen. I decided that our heartfelt talk was over, and I wanted to get up, but Tia wasn¡¯t about to let me go. ¡°Sorry, Tia, I¡¯m going to bed now. Won¡¯t you let me go?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± Tia shook her head slowly as she kept on hugging me. Her legs were crossed behind my waist, firmly gripping me. Sheughed. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together tonight.¡± She wanted me to sleep like this, without a nket? She kissed my forehead and closed her eyes. As she held onto my body, I opened and closed my eyes countless times. I thought that I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep at all, but strangely, as I listened to her regr breathing and faint heartbeat, I slowly dozed off. ¡­ ¡­. .. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­. . ¡­ ... From the depths of my slumber, I felt a slow return to consciousness. My eyes were closed, so I frowned and moved my hand. Something soft fell under my fingertips. I rubbed it reflexively, and so good was the texture of it, that I became addicted to the sensation. I wanted to see what it was, so I opened my eyes and awoke fully. I heard an unexpected sound. ¡°Aaaah.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± My eyes had slowly opened, but now they were open wide. I saw that Tia was lying right before me. No way, I was sleeping¡­? I noticed that her hands were resting across her chest. She smiled as she curled up her mouth as if she was a bit embarrassed. I didn¡¯t even think this would happen, so I was amazed and tried to get up, but for a precarious moment, that which had been supporting my body shifted, so I fell to the floor. A hand snatched out, catching me before I fell and pulling me to the couch. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± I sighed in relief, and only now fully awoke. Tia was making snorting noises as sheughed. I slowly recalled yesterday¡¯s memories. I had talked about my dreams with Tia, and she didn¡¯t let me go, so we slept together. I wondered whether I would stay up all night, with us hugging each other on the cramped sofa, but I fell asleep at the soft touch of Tia stroking my hair. That didn¡¯t matter much. I slowly looked at my hand, which had rubbed her chest in circles. I clearly remember the texture I had touched a while ago. It was¡­ really soft. After a while, my heart pounded in my chest, knowing that I had touched the breast of a woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tia,¡± I bowed my head and apologized. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t care if you touched me ¨C your reaction was cute.¡± Tia giggled andughed. As if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, she stood up and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I hastily followed her to help with the morning chores. In the mornings, there was no need to worry about side dishes like in Korea. You take the colew, mayonnaise, and fruit, and you make a sd. You then slice the bread into bite-sized portions. You ce everything into a single bowl. Each foodstuff has eight small portions. Once the meal was ready, I took the milk from the refrigerator and put it on the table. ¡°To travel the world, you will need more skills, or it will be difficult.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I paused after I had scraped fruit jam from a jar and smeared it onto a slice of bread. Tia was picking through the colew and fruit with a fork, all the while resting her chin on her other hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what you said to me yesterday? You said you want to travel the continent.¡± Ah, it was so. I applied even more jam, nodding as if remembering. ¡°Skilled mercenaries and adventurers are likely to get caught up in some trouble while traveling. Individuals not in groups are rare, so there are more cases of sudden disappearances among them. It¡¯s because of that risk that I warn you.¡± I was well aware that traveling the world without special abilities is ridiculously dangerous. This world was just as well-polished as my original one. Still, there were no embassies in each country. If something was beyond reason, you had to do it yourself. Even if your liberty was a little restrained by it, it was a good move to start work as a mercenary, wandering here and there. But if you did that, you wouldn¡¯t be able to go around collecting fragments. The purpose of my travels would be to collect Pernen¡¯s fragments. I had to do it. Besides, I wasn¡¯t so afraid of dying. If I did, I could start over. And once I collect a fragment, I could load back to where I got it if I died. The fact that I can resurrect from death has helped me to ovee my fears. ¡°I know. I¡¯m still going to go.¡± Tia giggled. ¡°So, let¡¯s have more experiences before you leave. As I said yesterday, we can go through the eastern forest to hunt wolves in the southern forest from today.¡± Serenia was a great ce for adventurers and mercenaries to gain experience. There were many dangerous monsters to the west, but the risk was lower to the south. Still, the reason that many people were afraid of entering the southern forest is that the number of wolves there can exhaust them, both the ck and white ones. You weren¡¯t likely to be disturbed by other people to the south, but also not likely to get help from anyone. As soon as our meal was done, Tia and I prepared to head for the forest. I stuck out my tongue when I saw her preparing for the trip, nning to camp. Adventure is less romantic than you think. We had to cram a lot of things into a backpack in case of an emergency. I had pondered this for a while as I saw Tia carrying her heavy backpack. Should I exin to her about my -bag- and inventory system? Her favorability was 60, and her reliability was close to 80. If I told her about it, she wouldn¡¯t have to carry so much. So, I asked her to take her backpack off, and I ced it in my -bag-. Surprised, she asked how I had gotten to own a subspace. Tia was very shocked, evincing an expression I had never seen before, and she even asked if I was a Bur. I was wondering how to exin it and finally said that a man had appeared and gifted me with it. She didn¡¯t seem to believe me but nodded as if convinced after a while. She then told me that I should never use it in front of others. She made a little more fuss after that, but after she thought more about my -bag-, she asked me to also bring tools that were too heavy and big to pack in a backpack. We put in a lot of things, such as bottles of water, cooking tools, and emergency rations. It was only untilte mid-morning that we passed through the east gate. + + + The southern forest, unlike the eastern one, was as dark as a jungle despite it being only noon. I had been on its edges yesterday, so I hadn¡¯t known just how dark it was. When I saw the area on my -map-, I could see the difference. It wasn¡¯t called the ck Forest without reason. As I walked on, I felt nervous, even at the rustling sounds of small animals. Compared to when I had been here alone, I felt less scared. ¡°There is no reason to stiffen your body like that,¡± Tia said as she tapped both my shoulders. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Unlike me, who was tense, Tia moved in her usual smooth and elegant manner. After all, the white-silver disk is given to those mercenaries who are more skilled and experienced than other mercenaries. It was just below the gold disk, and with Tia¡¯s current level and stats, I knew she could easily defeat the wolves here. And if we got lucky, we could even defeat -Requiem-, the leader of the ck wolves. Perhaps. I nced at Tia as we walked side-by-side. ¡°By the way, Tia.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡®Fwoosh.¡¯ ¡°You think those wolves woulde to us if you smoke?¡± As Tia puffed on her long cigarette, she opened her mouth slightly and exhaled the gray smoke. The flowing smoke slowly dissipated into the air. Even if she always says that she burns medicinal herbs, not tobo leaves, the smell was still dank and strong. It wasn¡¯t the smell of Earth cigarettes; rather, it was a pleasant scent once it entered your nose. The problem is that while it was an okay smell for humans, wolves, the forebears of dogs, would be able to smell it from miles away and so learn of our position. Tia had drawn in and exhaled smoke multiple times by now. She looked at me, curled up the corners of her mouth, and then started tough fiercely. It sounded the exact opposite of yesterday¡¯s loving and heartwarmingughter. ¡°Yes, they¡¯lle.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m smoking to attract them. It¡¯s no fun to face them one by one. So if we can¡¯t find them, we¡¯ll make theme to us.¡± ¡°What if their numbers are too great?¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. You can hide then, and I¡¯ll take care of them. Or we can both hide.¡± She meant that we could use stealth, but what about the smell of smoke that was now on our bodies? Since living together for two years, I haven¡¯t seen her stealth, so I couldn¡¯t get a sense of the skill¡¯s power at C-rank. ¡°Oh, did you ever see me hide? Look.¡± Tia¡¯s body faded and disappeared from view. However, the moment that she moved, the air shimmered as if in a haze, and I could see her faint outline. If she stayed still, no one would know that she was there. This was the C-rank stealth, and he wondered to what level her smell would be obscured. ¡®Rumffsh,¡¯ and she unveiled herself. ¡°Did you see? I¡¯ll run away like that, don¡¯t worry. Whoo! Of course, I¡¯ll try to fight before I run, or die.¡± I wondered whether I had to reveal Shadow Justice to her, which I had kept a secret. I was worried that Kain might find out about it. I had already told Kaseun, after all. ¡°So, when a wolfes, you can fight it yourself. Hahaha.¡± Tia was smiling. She didn¡¯t know what I was thinking about. It didn¡¯t matter. Rather, now was an opportunity, a chance to kill a wolf without having to rely on my Shadow skills. I was prepared to suffer some injuries. I couldn¡¯t stay in Serenia forever, and if I didn¡¯t take risks, my growth would be very slow. I took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. To kill a wolf, we have to enter a wolf¡¯s cave.¡± We traveled on like Hansel and Gretel, leaving cigarette ash as our breadcrumbs so that we would not get lost in the woods. The trees of the ck Forest shook in the wind as if they were weing me with great fanfare. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª]Hint: ¡°Demon¡± refers to the beings who came from the demon realm and settled in the middle realm. It¡¯s convenient to see them as a kind of alien species. They have a special substance called magic stones in their bodies, and they use it to strengthen their bodies, emit mes, radiate cold air, et cetera.[¡ª] [¡ª]Hint: As the demons settled in the middle world, the world was engulfed in chaos, but there are not only disadvantages to their presence. We used the gemstones in their bodies to forge a new civilization, and it enriched our lives. The demons and we are constantly opposed to each other, but we need them for our prosperous way of life.[¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24

Chapter 24

24==================== To live in this world. Tia¡¯s cigarette smoke did have the effect of attracting monsters, for the ck wolves appeared quite swiftly. Seeing the ck wolves stalking toward us, Tia patted my shoulders in encouragement, letting me know that she was about to hide. Her mastery of C-Rank stealth had awesome effects. Tia suddenly disappeared before the monsters¡¯ eyes, startling the ck wolves, who then vigntly sniffed the air as they prowled about. Time passed, and they found nothing. They looked around once more, tilting their heads and baring their gums at me, their teeth shing. In the midst of those hostile wolves, I held a longsword in my right hand and a dagger in my left, as in the style of Shadow Swordsmanship. The wolves were wary as they saw my stance. I hadn¡¯t activated any Shadow Justice skills, so the movement of the wolves felt very fast, faster than yesterday. I managed to dodge their attacks, yet their sharp ws tore through clothes, and their jaws missed me by mere inches. I reacted calmly as I moved, not screaming even as the ws tore through my clothes, and I managed to y them all. Tia, hiding in a tree, studied the wolves¡¯ attacks and studied my technique in turn. She nagged me instead of praising me. ¡°Attack first! Why did you stand still, waiting for a chance to counterattack?¡± If only that were as easy as it sounds. ¡°Move. Don¡¯t stay in ce. You don¡¯t even have a shield, so they can end you with one bite. You have to be fluid all the time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as if I can¡¯t fight!¡± ¡°It is a good move to break their momentum by throwing daggers. But if you miss your throws, it counts as a loss. You should always keep a headcount of the number of daggers you throw.¡± I took a rather rough breath, shook some of the blood from my des, and nodded at Tia¡¯s words. Not long afterward, the next group of ck wolves came, following the blood scent. This time there were four. The wolves surrounded me from all sides and rushed in simultaneously. I moved my body as Tia had instructed, throwing the dagger in my left hand. I had wiped the dagger clean earlier, and it now flew through the air as it aimed itself at a wolf¡¯s brow. This time, the wolf could not escape as the dagger pierced its skull, and it dropped to the forest floor. I swiveled my body to the side as I shifted my stance and raised my sword, shing out to my rear. Hot blood fountained in the air as I turned to face the wolf that hadnded behind me. It growled in pain, its teeth bared, so I raised my knee and mmed it into the beast¡¯s jaw. ¡®Kwa-duk!¡¯ and the wolf groaned, shattered bits of teeth flying out as its maw mmed shut under the force of my kneecap. I immediately pierced the wolf¡¯s head with the fresh dagger I had drawn into my left hand. The other two wolves rushed me from the side, one snapping its jaws at me and the other leaping, aiming to tumble me over with its forepaws. I chose to dodge rather than to counter. I leaped back as I kicked into a wolf¡¯s nk, aiming for its rear-left leg. My body might be that of a middle-school student, but my physical abilities are higher than those of a healthy adult, considering the influence of my stats. I kicked out with all my strength, and the surprised wolf was battered to the side by the unexpected strength of my kick. I almostughed. ¡®Keen!¡¯ I used -Shadow Justice Form 2 ¨C Magic- against the other wolf, which was so near to me now. It had once more leaped at me, and I ignored its growls. ck particles scattered into the air like snowkes. With a sharp sound, I cut into the wolf¡¯s nk as it snapped its jaws at me. A mortal wound was inflicted, and the wolf could not be saved. The one I had kicked now charged at me in full bestial fury. Would my dagger reach it before its jaws reached my throat? I decided that the safest thing to do was take a step back. The leaping wolfnded on the spot where I had been and immediately rushed at me. Perhaps because of its feral anger, did the teeth jutting from its gums look so exceptionally sharp. Still, I was in no danger. I gripped my sword and momentarily faced the wolf, thrusting my de into it and ending its life. After I had cut the gemstone from the fallen wolf, I moved to the other wolves. Wolf hide is worth a lot, but it takes time to collect, so I didn¡¯t skin the wolves. The purpose of this expedition was to gain experience, not money. The wolves came to us, little by little, smelling the blood of their own kin on the breeze. Every time I finished off a group of wolves, my stiff movements became more natural. I was getting used to wielding a sword; I could feel it in my bones. *** Is this possible? Tia thought, her ass sitting on a thick branch as she watched everything unfold below. Judah¡¯s sense of battle had changed. After working as a mercenary for a long time, she came to possess a white disk, also meeting numerous people. Some of them had been ipetents, only worthy of mockery andughter, while others had been capable enough to garner her admiration. Most of those she admired were those who had disks in the silver to gold range. Judah¡¯s fighting style was something she had only observed in experienced men, hardened warriors. He could judge the timing of offense and defense well. Tia had originally figured that she would kill off the majority of wolves, letting Judah gain experience by fighting in one-on-one bouts. He fought better than she had expected. No, it wasn¡¯t that he fought well; it rather seemed as if he was adjusting to his enemies. He had immediately epted her initial advice. Rather than losing stamina by moving excessively, he quickly learned how to mold the battle to suit his own needs and conform to his own movements. This was never a sense that a person experiencing battle for the first time should have; their tactical experience could never be on that level. Judah was building up experience at a terrifying pace. In addition, he defeated subsequent wolf packs faster and more effectively than those that came before. As Tia watched his battles so far, there were times when he slowed his reactions in the middle of an encounter, and she guessed this was due to exhaustion. Tia figured that Judah knew it without her having to tell him: Time and experience would solve this. *** My rapid growth was only possible thanks to the effects of the characteristics of -Determination- and -The First Lord¡¯s Protection-. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Determination]-Rank: S / Workmanship: Master Gifts you with a natural aptitude for battle. The most effective offensive and defensive movements in battle are employed by instinct. Reaction speed and sight are buffed. Strength and Stamina increased by 10. Once your Stamina is exhausted, you gain a second wind, which enables you to fight on for a few seconds. [The First Lord¡¯s Protection (Growth)]-Rank: C You have gained the protection of Xian, First Lord of the demonic realm. Your experience gain rate and the speed at which knowledge is absorbed is increased. Due to your low level, the higher functions of this talent remain inactive. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The two traits are synergistic and are growing faster than anything else. *** At this moment, Tia figured that Judah¡¯s skill level was that of a bronze-disk mercenary, but his battle-sense was surely that of a silver-disk. If she considered Judah¡¯s rate of development and natural talent¡ª tinum disk, I¡¯d bet coin on that, Tia thought. Her mortal eyes had never been wrong, at least thus far. In the book she had paged through, The Hunter of the Wind, there was this phrase: ¡°Perhaps I am seeing a future hero grow.¡± Why does this phrase enter my mind now? Tia watched Judah with a faint smile as she chewed on her unlit cigarette with her teeth. He was gaining experience through precise movements and urate attacks against the ck wolves¡ª¡ªmonsters which are known to hunt in packs and eat their prey without leaving a single sliver of flesh on the bones. + + + Celestial ne ¨C Third Tier: Gabriel¡¯s Sanctuary There was a temple where sacred energy blooms like a flower. To gain entrance to this temple, you had to cross a masterfully constructed arched bridge. A man made his way across this bridge, a bridge that none guarded. Set at regr intervals all along the railing were elongated, rectangr pots in which lilies grew. The moment the man stepped onto the bridge, a delicate floral scent caressed his nostrils. He crossed the bridge as he admired the calm surroundingndscape and then came to seventy-seven steps leading up to the temple. Every single step had a special meaning, but the man did not know what they were; he had just had heard it said that it was so. (Anyway, there was no one in the temple to tell him about it, so the man just had to think about it in vague terms. No, until I tell you, now one will know what the meaning of the staircase is.) After he had ascended all the stairs, the temple entrance finally appeared before him. Unpatterned white pirs nked the entrance, supporting the great roof. After the man had looked up at the magnificent pirs and the temple¡¯s roof, he stepped onto a marble floor, going inside. The floor was clean and dust-free, reflecting the man who walked as a mirror would. There was no one to be seen in the temple, and nothing: No ubiquitous assistant angels, and nomon furniture. All that was in the temple was a strong divine energy that flowed from somewhere and a silence that made all thought pleasant. As the man headed deeper inside, a light descended from the ceiling, a circr shape pierced by shining rays. There was a clear, circr spring, exactly the circumference of the column of light. A naked woman was floating four inches above the surface of the water. On her head were a sacred crown and a shining, golden halo: Hallmarks of only the high-ranking angels. Six wings grew from her back, and some of them were wrapped around her naked form. The two bottom wings subtly covered her waist and thighs; the central wings were red wide open, seeming to soak up the light, while the topmost wings were folded across her shoulders and over her chest, crossing beneath her stomach. If you looked at her from the side, you might see something through the gaps left by the wings. Facing her full-on, the man could see nothing but her exposed belly-button. Thanks to that, he couldn¡¯t truly see her nude body, but he was okay with it. This beautiful woman was named Gabriel, one of only three rulers of heaven. Her hair was of a lustrous green hue, and her eyes and mouth were shut as if she was sleeping. The man deliberately walked to her with hard footsteps so as to announce his presence. Gabriel¡¯s eyes remained closed. She didn¡¯t seem to be in the proper state to wee guests, so the man waited, as he had visited without prior notice. He kept waiting. Eventually, the man tired of it, so he broke the silence with a small sigh. ¡°Why don¡¯t you greet your guests, even if they do not tell of theiring?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not very nice to see you,¡± Gabriel answered without once opening her eyes. Hers was a pretty voice, yet it had some unknown element, some undefinable quality to it. The man looked at Gabriel, with his hands in his trouser pockets. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too ferocious a sight?¡± she continued. ¡°Still, you¡¯re almost the only friend whoes to this quiet and lonely temple.¡± Gabriel slowly opened her eyes to see how to man would respond to her words. Under her long eyshes, the pupils were as clear and transparent as the waters of the spring. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª]Hint: In this world, there are those who take on the role of Gods. They are called Lords in the demonic realm and the Monarchs of Heaven on the celestial ne. Each of them has a strong influence over the middle world. Belief in them sometimes grants special powers that reflect their individual dispositions.[¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25

Chapter 25

25==================== To live in this world. Gabriel¡¯s clear eyes were filled with sorrow instead of brightness. That same emotion was contained in her voice, which was filled with suffering and mourning. No one knew why this was, and could therefore not sympathize with her. Gabriel never shared such grief with anyone; she suffered alone. ¡°So¡­ what did youe to me for?¡± Oddly enough, the man remained silent. He just nkly stared at Gabriel as if thinking of something else. ¡°Me-¡° ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry,¡± the man said before Gabriel spoke his full name, letting her know that he was awake. She tried to say something, then shut her mouth. The man gave a soft chuckle and then nodded in apology. ¡°How are you? Even now, it is said that there is only you in this temple.¡± ¡°Yes, because there¡¯s no ce like here to organize my thoughts and meditate. I like this tranquility, you know?¡± The manughed, but Gabriel didn¡¯t. It seemed that she wanted to stop talking about such private things and discuss the reason for the man¡¯s visit. In the past, they have had many intimate conversations, but Gabriel seemed to have changed. ¡°You asked what was going on? Well, I came here to tell you a somewhat important story. I thought you were the right person among the three of us to know.¡± ¡°Is it about the Fourth Lord Pernen¡¯s fragments?¡± The man was startled. How did she know? There had been no talk of the fragments for decades now. There must be a number of issues on her mind, so was it a coincidence that she had brought up the subject of the fragments? No, the man was convinced by her voice that she had said it by coincidence. Still, he quivered, feeling as if she had read his thoughts. He had nned to surprise Gabriel, but she instead had surprised him. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. Yes, if you know, it bes easier to talk.¡± Gabriel said nothing. ¡°Gabriel, as you know, this is the first time in thousands of years that a Lord of the demon world has be weakened.¡± Pernen, born as the weakest of the seven lords, was in jeopardy from the get-go, but not as much as now. He did a foolish thing. His heart, which could be said to be the source of his power, being an enormous magical crystal, was fragmented by his own hand, and so the bnce of the worlds broke. Pernen was now, perhaps, the most dangerous of the Lords. The man judged it to be so. Until only a few hundred years ago, Pernen had been the weakest of the seven, and no one cared about him. Everything changed with the use of weapons made from pieces of his very heart. Perhaps he was determined to rectify the sorrows of his past, so he opened a portal into heaven and entered it. He appeared alone, and an innumerable number of angels were torn apart by his hand. Only then did the apostles under themand of King Seong force him to withdraw. The man knew that the same thing happened in the demonic realm after Pernen was forced from heaven. Still, after such great events, Pernen had been quiet. It would have been nice if he remained silent and inactive for all eternity, but Pernen suddenly dropped his twenty-four forged items onto the middle-earth, and then something else urred. In all the ces where the fragments had been cast, a great illusory image of Pernen appeared in the sky. Anyone on the continent who looked up could see him. His was a god-like authority, greater than that of any king in any castle. Pernen did what he had never done before. He boldly spoke as everyone watched him. ¡°Behold, you beings of weakness! I have sent from the heavens artifacts carved from my own breast. I am the fourth lord of my realm, and my power, my essence, now resides within the twenty-four treasures that have struck the ground you crawl upon! The being who possesses all of my heart¡¯s creations shall be raised next to me, the Fourth Lord. You shall sit on my left-hand side, and, upon my death, shall be what I am! All realms and realities shall tremble at your feet!¡± Pernen said that it didn¡¯t matter if you were a demon or an angel. You could be elven or a tacky-looking dwarf. It mattered not if you are an orc who was true to your nature. Even the weak and short-lived humans could im his power. Anyone who collected the fragments would be his heir. ¡°He said that he would hand over his power. That means he¡¯s going to leave a sessor.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Gabriel said and nodded. ¡°Appointing a sessor is an act of those who are facing death or preparing for death. A lot of high-ranking demons do it, as well as many other races. We angels are no different.¡± The man gulped down the saliva that had dammed up in his mouth and spoke on. ¡°In other words, this means that nothing less than a Lord is about to die! One of the things that have fought against us for millennia is about to disappear!¡± Gabriel said as if she knew what the man was thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to say. But if we leave things as they are, Pernen will be destroyed on his own. Upon his death, the fragments will be the cause of conflict and great vignce, and none would be able to gather them all, as things stand now.¡± ¡°Sure, that could happen. But that¡¯s the ideal scenario. Gabriel, do you really think it will turn out like that?¡± The manughed. He has seen many things over the years, and while Gabriel had also lived for a long time, he didn¡¯t agree with her. He believed that Pernen would not be so susceptible to death. ¡°Do you think that if Pernen disappears, his great power will also disappear? Like a snowke melting in the sun? Unfortunately, we have to be concerned. Even if it was a small handful of snow, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it. Yet Pernen¡¯s magical power is like a behemoth snowball. It won¡¯t melt even if the warm sun shines upon it all day long.¡± Gabriel remained silent. ¡°Are the greedy demons just going to sit around and watch? No, no. Someone could still absorb his power. Or perhaps, in the moments before his demise, Pernen could just change his mind and hand it all over to someone. We have to assume the worst.¡± Once more, Gabriel said nothing. ¡°It¡¯s the same with Pernen¡¯s fragments. It would be hard to get another one after someone got their first. Two to three would be easier, and three to four even more so. Those who tip the bnce early ande close to collecting all the fragments will exist in the near future. They will appear ¨C I judge it to be so. There wille a time when the locations of all twenty-four fragments be known.¡± Gabriel was still staring at the man with her sad eyes. ¡°Gabriel, even if a thousand yearse to pass, we will never have the same opportunity as now.¡± ¡°You want to recover all the fragments.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man looked at Gabriel, who had fixed him with her steady eyes. ¡°At least one or more of them could be retrieved and kept on our behalf.¡± The man once thought that they could ensure that no sessors appeared while Pernen still lived, but it was a dangerous n, once he had considered it further. ¡°Other Lords are not unaware of the situation, and they wouldn¡¯t be passively watching things y out. They could aid the sessor in starting a new war with the celestial ne. We could, of course, go out and say that Pernen is intentionally interfering in reality, and so hope that the holders of the fragments might abandon them. It might be worth it. After all, that madman possesses terrible potential.¡± The man now stopped talking after he had demeaned Pernen. He then went on. ¡°Anyway, if we are to recover one or more of the fragments, we might just as well im all of them at once. Being an angle doesn¡¯t mean that you can¡¯t use the powers of a fragment. We might also aid a talented and good-hearted person. It could be one way to bring Pernern¡¯s sessor to our side. If Pernen keeps his promise to an heir who is on our side, then that Lord will inherit his power and be our ally. That would be perfect.¡± ¡°The ideal situation rarely urs ¨C unless the Creator intervenes. We, who are called Gods, have no power over our own destiny,¡± Gabriel said in a sincere voice. However, the man continued to argue his point of view, regardless of whether he had felt Gabriel¡¯s sentiment. ¡°Of course, it will be difficult to bring about such an ideal situation. But if the heir turns to us and collects the fragments, I would be willing to give them a seat as a new King.¡± It would be an opportunity to damage the power of the demonic realm and so greaten the might of the celestial ne. If such a situation came to be, then the bnce that had been broken when Pernen had created his fragments would be reversed. There might be harmony once more, but that was unlikely. Gabriel slowly nodded. ¡°I know what you want to say.¡± ¡°What am I trying to say, then?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find someone who will gather all the fragments for us, and give them a -qualification-.¡± At Gabriel¡¯s reply, the man nodded, smiling, satisfied. ¡°You thought about it as well. There is a child I have noticed. I now rmend him. He possesses great talent and potential,parable to our apostles. He will even be adequate for our purposes after we grant him a -qualification-. There is a child named Kain in Serenia. He visits Jopiel¡¯s temple every Sunday.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Gabriel replied as she nodded, seemingly indifferent. ¡°Oh- and be careful when you visit Serenia. Xian was there.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes have only shown one emotion so far, yet now they widened considerably. She seemed very surprised. ¡°Xian¡­ He was there?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was weird. I mean, I noticed his presence, and I don¡¯t think it was a coincidence. But I¡¯m sure about it. He showed up for a while and then disappeared again. I¡¯ll stick to the role of a bystander for now, as I have done, but attention has to be paid. There can onlye bad things from it.¡± The man shrugged. Gabriel seemed shaken and was silent for a moment but soon nodded. ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll find out about it as soon as possible. Now, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be seeing you off,¡± came Gabriel¡¯s cold words as she gave a bloodyugh. ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that. I didn¡¯t even expect a goodbye in the first ce.¡± The man turned about and left by the way he came. ¡­ ¡­. ¡­ ¡­. ¡­ ¡­. Gabriel once more closed her eyes in the silence of her temple. After some time, light entwined with her naked body, and it clothed her in silky-soft fabrics. A transparent piece of cloth was draped over her neck and shoulders, covering her upper arms. The tips of her toes now touched the spring¡¯s water, causing small ripples. She muttered a little as she spread her wings and opened her eyes as she enjoyed the touch of water upon her toes. ¡°Xian.¡± The first Lord and ruler of the demonic realm. He possesses powers different than those of the other Lords; he rules space. He is a true supreme being with a body worthy of it. His power is greater than that of all six Lordsbined and stronger than thebined power of the three Kings and all the apostles serving under them. He was truly close to being God. As if he was acutely aware of how great and dangerous his power was, he always guarded himself, rarely letting his presence known. Thus far, he has maintained a neutral position, never intervening in the war against the celestial ne. Xian is never found or met unless he first reveals himself. But that he was discovered by someone else? I couldn¡¯t believe it. Gabriel smiled, and she smiled for a long time. Her heart had been quiet, but in now started to awaken, beating lively, bit by bit. This time, something is different than before. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Setting 1: Xian Xian was a great name and is the name of the First Lord, the true ruler of the demonic realm. He was a supreme being with great power that can control space, and his strong body was worthy of his status. He had three heads and tails, three pairs of wings, and a gigantic yet agile body. He almost resembled a dragon at first nce. Perhaps because of this, there exists the theory that was the origin of all the Bur, but most of the Burs deny this. Unlike other monarchs, Xian was supported by all beings in the demonic realm in a truly divine sense. His presence was so powerful that he did not leave his realm when in his true form. He knew how powerful and dangerous he was, so he sealed his body¡ªa portion of his being-into space and lives by borrowing weak human bodies. Nheless, no one dared challenge him. Some say that Xian¡¯s existence was the decisive reason why beings from other dimensions, including the celestial ne, couldn¡¯t easily join forces to attack the demonic realm. However, even with such immense powers, he lived a rather ordinary life. Unlike other Lords and Kings, he loves freedom and often travels to the middle-earth, disguised as an ordinary adventurer. He goes to restaurants famous for their delicious foods and enjoys fine meals. When he got bored with eating, he appeared before lovers of chess and often yed games against them. When the game was done, he suddenly disappeared without a trace, as if he had been but a momentary dream. He was sometimes called the -God of Chess-. Whether true or not, people believed that their chess skills advanced a step after ying a game against Xian. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26

Chapter 26

26==================== To live in this world. + + + The City of Serenia ¨C East Gate I entered the city through the gate, exhausted. The clouds over the distant mountains were tinged by the glow of sunset. It was a beautiful sight, but unfortunately, I was too tired to appreciate it. As my level rose, some fatigue disappeared, and all the magic I had consumed was restored. Still, my mental exhaustion remained. I sighed due to the tiredness of my mind, and Gentia giggled next to me, thenughed as she patted my shoulder. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Hah, I know.¡± I didn¡¯t deny that I did a good job. I couldn¡¯t even remember how many wolf packs I had defeated. Once I passed the count of forty wolves, I could no longer keep track of the number of kills. I could always check the number of gemstones in my -bag-, but it would be a schlep to load and go through my inventory screen. As we headed home from the hunt, I became worried that I would be refused entry through the city gate because of my blood-covered body and clothes. So, Tia squirted something like a spray over my body. The blood, which had hardened on my clothes, face, and hair, turned into a jelly-like substance and sshed to the ground. It was said to have been created by Ahman¡¯s alchemists, and it was a very strange substance. The blood had flowed from me, but it didn¡¯t mean that I stopped sweating like a sailor. We headed straight home without going anywhere else, and the first thing I did was to wash. As I washed the sweat away under cold water, refreshment came. After I was clean, I wiped myself off with a thick towel and felt great satisfaction. [¡ª]The effect of the statue of -Second Queen Jopiel- has expired[¡ª] ¡®Has it been a week already?¡¯ The time hade to visit the temple. I didn¡¯t know if this was an error in the world¡¯s code or a true blessing, but by simply looking at the statue of the Goddess Jopiel in the chapel, I gained a useful buff. The buff, whichsts only a week, makes me gain experience at a greater rate and also helps me recover from fatigue. I never forgot to visit the temple every week, because I kept gaining the same buff every time. Thanks to that, I was treated as a devout believer. Religion here, as on modern Earth, is not subject to coercion. You can trust in it or choose not to. However, in this ugly monster-filled world, you have to believe in the King and his apostles to receive help from the temple. So, many people visited the temples and prayed for safety. I did not have much faith in the gods, knowing that no matter how hard I believed in the Holy Kings, only I could save myself. I was just cosying as a believer, mumbling the words. I immediately changed my clothes and decided to go to the temple, but as I thought about it, I realized that many people would be gathered in the chapel at this time of day. So I rather took a moment to catch my breath as Iy on my bed. It wasn¡¯t fluffy, but it was a sensation I had gotten used to, so I closed my eyes for a moment. Perhaps I was more tired than I had figured because my consciousness quickly slipped from me. After a while, I jumped from my bed, startled, and looked through the window. The sky, which had been lighted by the setting sun, had suddenly be dark. I checked the holographic clock in the corner of my field of view. I had been asleep for an hour, and dusk had turned into dark night. I had just wanted to catch a break but had almost fallen asleep for the night. I scratched my head and inhaled, then changed my clothes and slowly descended the stairs to the first floor. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Tia asked as she tilted her head,ing out of the bathroom with water still steaming from her body. Her eyes showed curiosity as to where I was going at such a time of night. ¡°I¡¯m going to the temple for a while.¡± Tia¡¯s curiosity disappeared at once as she heard the word ¡®temple.¡¯ ¡°Ah- Has a week passed already? You are a very sincere believer. Yeah, juste back home. What about some rice? You must be hungry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eatter. I wille back soon.¡± She nodded as if she wasn¡¯t having fun. ¡°Then, as youe back, buy some extra stuff from the bakery if they¡¯re open. Something with plenty of cream or chocte in it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like their sandwiches?¡± ¡°Buy my sweet stuff first. The other breads are a bonus.¡± Tia pulled five silver coins from her wallet, which she fetched from the sofa, and threw them at me. I reached out and grabbed every coin as they arced irregrly through the air. ¡°Nice catch,¡± Tia mumbled, and Iughed at her. I closed the door and walked for a short distance,ing out of the alleyway onto the avenue. The streets were still crowded. Most of these people were adventurers or mercenaries, and most of them had gone out to search the western forest, returningte. Streetlights donated and installed by the mage tower lighted the road for such nightwalkers, and few stores were closed; business was in full flow. Serenia was a special ce for adventurers. The territory of the ancient Magic Empire, upon which Serenia was built, is 50% forest. In the past, the Magic Empire was a great magical realm that ruled over thisnd, but it was destroyed for some reason. Some say that it perished after bing a battleground in the Godswar between the celestial ne and the demonic realm. Others say that the magical empire was destroyed in the aftermath of some great experiment¡¯s failure. Both theories are wrong, and I knew the truth. As I created the game and developed this area, it was none other than the Fourth Lord, -Pernen-, who had destroyed the Magic Empire. He hade to the middle-earth to test his weapons, and also because the only road to heaven was through the middle world. At that time, the Magic Empire had been a realm which believed in the Second Queen -Jopiel-, and they had desperately fought against the advent of the Fourth Lord. They were destroyed by the twenty-four armaments that he wielded. In order to punish their arrogance and ignorance of daring to attack him without fear, Pernen opened thousands of small portals that connected to the demonic realm. The powerless popce was ughtered by the monstrosities that poured from the portals. It would sound like a problem that so many monsters entered this vastnd at regr intervals. On the contrary, adventurers and mercenaries were able to obtain gemstones by defeating them and soid the foundation for a decent mode of living. Also, those who find relics of the ancient magical empire by getting lucky can get paid hefty sums, depending on the item¡¯s worth. However, the reason that mercenaries and adventurers continued to flock to this ce, more than 150 years after the Magic empire fell, was because of the fragment dropped by -Pernen-. Even a hundred years after the fragment fell upon the world, no one has found it. It was thanks to this that so many people visited Serenia to join the search. ¡°But you can¡¯t find it,¡± I muttered as I nced at the adventurers passing me by, the smell of blood on them like a perfume. ¡®Of the twenty-four fragments, the one that fell here is the twenty-fourth, -Carpe Diem-. They won¡¯t find it because it is already¡­ No¡­ perhaps, it is already with me. In the leather pouch that Xian handed to me when I first came here.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t open the pouch, but by touching the leather and by going off of what Xian had said, it was a decent guess that the gift I held in my pocket was -Carpe Diem-, which was a ring worn on the finger, just like the third fragment. Each of the twenty-four fragments had different powers, and the abilities of -Carpe Diem- were -Enchantment- and -Subordination-. I hadn¡¯t been able to confirm how the abilities I had set out for the fragments in my game will manifest in reality and how they will be applied. What was clear was that the fragments belonged to their owners, and there existed no fear of them being stolen by someone else. On mying-of-age ceremony, I would acquire a fragment. I was now sure of it. Those who did not know what I carried wandered around here in vain, chasing the dead dream that one day they might be the owners of such a fragment. ¡°Ah.¡± As I thought about it, I arrived at the temple. I always felt that the stairs to the temple were too many. It wasn¡¯t a temple built on the slopes of a mountain, and yet you have to climb a hundred steps to get inside. If it was not for the statue of Jopiel, I wouldn¡¯t have taken the trouble to visit the here. ¡°Woo.¡± I wasn¡¯t tired much, but I still exhaled as I reached the top. When I opened the door to enter, an old couple came out, stopping in their tracks as if a bit surprised. I held the door open for them so that they could pass me by. ¡°Thank you.¡± Perhaps they were thest people from the service. They bowed their kind faces to me and then walked past. I watched their backs as they supported each other on their slow descent down the stairs and then stepped inside. I saw that the priests were cleaning the temple floors under the bright illumination of magicmps. The priestsughed as they met my gaze and bowed their heads, then silently returning to their jobs at hand. Isn¡¯t Seron here? I had thought of saying hello to the pdin, but I didn¡¯t see him. So, I headed to the chapel, as Seron¡¯s rooms weren¡¯t close enough for a quick visit. I didn¡¯t know all the many paths that ran through this great temple, but I knew how to get to the chapel. Still, strangely, I felt that I shouldn¡¯t head to the chapel. ¡®?¡¯ Chapter 27

Chapter 27

27==================== To live in this world. I feel ufortable. Is there any reason to feel like this? As soon as I began to have such doubts, the feeling of ¡®I think I shouldn¡¯t go to the chapel¡¯ disappeared, and it felt like it had been but a lie. My head was nk for a moment, confused. What was it? I slowly looked around. Strangely, no one was looking at me, nor was there anyone around the chapel. No one was conscious of this area, as if it had been blocked off by an invisible wall. That was not all that was odd, for it looked as if the area had not been recently cleaned. I also felt that there was no moisture in the air once I had passed what must be an invisible wall. ¡®Snfff.¡¯ The moment I sniffed and inhaled, I smelled a subtle fragrance, much like perfume. Come to think of it; it was the same floral fragrance that I had smelled upon entering the temple. Back then, I had been in a good mood and didn¡¯t really notice it. Now I knew that something was off. As I walked closer to the chapel, the flowery scent intensified. My head felt woozy, so I frowned. There was something- As an experiment, I took a few steps back, and the fragrance of flowers started to fade. I was certain now: Someone had done something to prevent people froming to the chapel. No way, is this magic? But this was a temple. I could get a blessing here, but no one used magic such as this. Moreover, the temple priests did not seem to notice the presence of magic. Then, this can only be seen as an event. I pondered it. I opened b Notes} and went to the events I had written down sinceing to this world. No? Jopiel¡¯s temple yed no role in any scenario. It only had some features that yers could ess. They sell expensive potions in small doses, but they have excellent effects. If the yer dies, the priest can resurrect you and give you a blessing so that the temple bes your save point. Once you donate a certain amount to the temple and increase the favorability or reliability with certain NPCs, you could gain a priest as apanion. Later in the game, you could also marry an NPC with a high favorability in the temple as a sub-event. However, all such business takes ce during public hours, and I never coded an event that closes off the chapel. At that moment, I saw a priest sweeping away some dust not too far away. I approached him and asked, ¡°How are you, priest?¡± I gently greeted him, and the priest bowed at the waist, then looked at me andughed. ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you brother Judah? You havee to worship?¡± ¡°Yes. But the door of the chapel is closed. Did you close it early today?¡± The priest looked surprised by my words and nced at the hallway leading to the chapel. Then heughed, cing his hand on my head and rubbing my hair. ¡°Don¡¯t y around. The door is open, and several brothers and sisters areing and going through it.¡± As I heard this, I looked back at the door. It was closed, and the people the priest saw were nowhere in sight. Unlike usual, all I saw was an empty hallway and a closed door. The scene he saw was different from the one I saw. ¡°And, as you know, our chapel is open day and night. It is only closed on special days. Of course, even if the temple is not open for twenty-four hours, the chapel always is. If wee to find that we cannot sleep, we ease our troubles through prayer.¡± The priest gave anotherugh and then resumed his cleaning. I was thinking of asking other priests as well, but I guessed that their answer would be the same. I nodded at the priest as he vigorously swept the floor, and returned to the hallway. I have no choice but to enter and see for myself. Nothing monstrous could jump out and attack me in the temple of peace-loving Jopiel, and it was unlikely that a situation would arise wherein my life was threatened if I opened the door. I walked down the hallway, half-tense and half-curious, then grabbed onto the doorknob. My mind felt like bursting at that moment as memories shed through my head. Something was awry. ¡®Cheolkup.¡¯ I had turned the knob, but the door was locked. I had been here for nearly five years, and this was the first time I had found the chapel¡¯s main door locked. There was a side door about sixteen feet away, so I walked to it and grabbed its knob. As I half-turned it, I felt the sensation of a lock giving way. Before I opened the door, I stopped in my tracks. What? Hold on¡­ Isn¡¯t there one more aspect of the temple? Obviously! Why did I forget this? When you start the game {24 Hearts of Pernen}, an exnation of the setting appears. After that, this chapel is shown, and then the game begins. It had nothing to do with Judah, so I had forgotten about it. I now turned the doorknob all the way and opened the door. The lock was well-oiled and had silently opened, and it seemed weingpared to the front door. As I entered, the door closed by itself. As always, the chapel looked reverently maintained. Candles were mounted upon ornate candbras that hung from the walls, and they flickered away in the empty chapel. The huge stained-ss window was illuminated by moonlight, and in that light, I saw the huge pipe organ, appearing as majestic as ever. But nothing there couldpare to the statue of the goddess that I now saw. The reason the chapel always felts so sacred was that Jopiel¡¯s visage looked upon it. Candles alone were not enough to illuminate the huge chapel, so several magic lights were installed into the ceiling. Their softly radiating light brightly illuminated the chapel¡¯s interior. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [You stand before the statue of Jopiel, goddess of peace and protection. It is a finely wrought piece of divine art, and worshipers pray for peace before it every morning] [You feel a warm energy flow from the statue, granting sor to your troubled mind and bringing fortune to your future endeavors] [For a period of one week, you gain experience at a rapid rate and your stamina recovers much faster] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The moment I stared at the statue, the same phrase as always appeared, and the buff was activated. Nothing other than that happened. The chapel was quiet as if my earlier premonitions were wrong. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is here,¡± I mused to myself. But there was someone. As I had entered from the side, the other person had been hidden by the pews. Some distance away, a boy was kneeling before the statue. From my position in the back, I quickly realized that it was Kain. I had not time to think about anything else ¡ª A great light started shining, descending. The dazzling, brilliant, and divine light lowered unto the statue of Jopiel. I covered my eyes with my arm as the light suddenly red up. It did not lessen in intensity, but as my eyes adjusted to the dazzling radiance, I lowered my arm. The light remained, shining in a great column over the statue. As soon as I saw that light, my heart leaped in my chest; it felt as the faith that had never existed in my heart had now red into it. It almost felt as if my heart was being tickled. I felt tears flowing from my eyes, and I knew that if there was a real god, it probably used such halo lights. ¡°Kain Sabrak,¡± a beautiful, otherworldly voice echoed through the chapel. In the center of the advent of that light, the blurred figure of a six-winged angel appeared. Because of the intense radiance, I could only make out its outlines, yet I thought that it was a beautiful and warm angel. ¡°No, I¡¯m not Jopiel,¡± the angel said as if answering Kain. The dazzling light slowly began glowing softer and softer until I could see her: Green hair, three pairs of wings, and a golden crown, the symbol of an archangel. I knew who she was. Gabriel. Without a word, I admired the first appearance of an angel in my world. Gabriel spoke only to Kian, whether she had noticed my existence or not. ¡°I have inevitably appeared in the temple of Jopiel, but I am the Third Queen, Gabriel. Everything is okay. I came here to ask you something, Kain.¡± ¡°I am all right. I came here because I believe in you.¡± ¡°Yes, I am d that you say that. After all, you are brave and good. From now on, I, the Third Holy Monarch, has chosen you. You are now ¡®Gabriel¡¯s Sword,¡¯ and I hope you will take responsibility for your position and spread righteous justice through the world. ¡°What you need to do in the future is prevent a great conflict that is spreading into this world. All of Pernen¡¯s fragments have to be recovered. It will be difficult, and you will face more trials than you can think of. But have no fear, I will always be by your side.¡± After those words, light from the radiating column gathered into a shining sphere in Gabriel¡¯s hand, and this sphere became a concentrated bead of light that slowly drifted down. Kain, still kneeling, politely reached out his hand. The moment that the bead touched Kain¡¯s palm, it was absorbed into his body. I quickly checked Kain¡¯s status. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Kain Sabrak] [Title: The Chosen One] [True Name: Apostle of Light] [Level: 1] [upation: Gabriel¡¯s Sword (Hidden_S)] [Race: Half-Human Body] [Strength: 30(D) / Potential SS] [Health: 25(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 35(D) / Potential S] [Magic: 30(D) / Potential A] [Magical Resistance: 25(D) / Potential B] [Knowledge: 10(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 55(C) / Potential A] ? Special [Divine Power: 50(C) / Potential SS] ? Special [Likeability: 0 (normal)] [Reliability: 72 (trust)] ¡¸Talent 4/6¡¹ [Gabriel¡¯s Sword]-Rank: S [Half-Human Body]-Rank: A [Chosen One]-Rank: A [Action of Favor]-Rank: B ¡¸Skill 2/6¡¹ [Light Swordsmanship]-Rank: S [Mercenary-style Martial Arts]-Rank: A ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I was surprised to see Kain¡¯s changed stats. His race had turned half-human from human, and a title and a true name have been created for him. Title, True Name, and Race didn¡¯t really matter, but his stats had risen crazily. All his potentials had risen by one level. His strength had been S-Grade before; it was now of an SS-Grade. Only now, after five years here, did I remember what had slipped my mind. When I made the game, I figured, ¡®The protagonist should be on a high level, so the yer can enjoy the game easily!¡¯ I now muttered as I remembered all the character options I had tweaked. Oh my God. If I had known I would being into the game as Judah, I would never have set such crazy stats for Kain. At that time, the lore was a bit fluffy; I just wanted to let Kain progress on his story arc. I hadn¡¯t known that he had gained his powers by absorbing a bead of light. In the next instant, Gabriel disappeared from before the statue, yet the column of light remained. Where is she? As I looked around, I felt a presence above me and so slowly raised my head. ¡°!¡± Gabriel had her six wings unfurled as she looked down upon me. I had not even noticed her moving. She slowly descended to me. I hesitated, then stepped back. I tried to check her status screen. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Gabriel] [Title: Third Queen] [True Name: The One Seated Left of the Throne] [Level: 100] [upation: Holy Monarch (SSS)] [Race: Angel] [Unknown] [Unknown] [Unknown] [Unknown] [¡­ .] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Almost nothing came into my mind, as if everything was locked. Most of the information about her appeared as [Unknown]. As Gabriel approached, she narrowed her eyes as she met mine. Then she muttered as if to herself. ¡°That¡¯s weird. There was definitely nobody here.¡± The moment she spoke, there came the scent of flowers. This scent¡­? It smelled like lilies; it was a lily¡¯s scent. It was the same fragrance I had smelled upon entering the temple a while ago. Was it Gabriel that had made it so that priests and others were not gathered in the chapel? That mystery was solved. However, resolving such questions was not important now. The important thing was that Gabriel was right in front of me. She came down and folded her wings, and then knelt down on one knee as she came to my eye level. Her eyes looked somewhat sad. Gabriel reached over and stroked my hair. Her hand was warm, and it felt simr to Tia¡¯s touch. I felt my alertness naturally fade away. Why should I be alert in the first ce? She sits in the seat of an archangel and is also a Holy Monarch, and as an angel, she could be said to be the manifestation of all that is good. Even in the game, she was more concerned about Kain than anyone else, even helping him out in dangerous situations. ¡°I can feel a special power in you. No, more familiar than it is special. It¡¯s as if I had felt it somewhere¡­ Where? Ah. Would you like to give me your name?¡± The moment that I was about to say my name, the lily fragrance lingered in my nostrils again. I felt dizzy; something was weird. My vision became hazy, the world blurred. I clenched my teeth and screwed my eyes shut, and shook my head. The normal world returned when I reopened my eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, I felt ufortable about her reason for asking. I shook away Gabriel¡¯s hand and stepped back, thinking that she was dangerous. The vignce that had disappeared from me now rose as if horribly forcing itself back into my mind. As I looked at Gabriel, I opened the system screen. There was a system message: [¡ª]You are resisting magical effect {Thick Lily Scent}[¡ª] I knew that it was impossible to resist Gabriel¡¯s magic with my current level of Magical Resistance. However, if the magical effect is mental, I have total immunity due to my b yer} talent. Gabriel tilted her head as if she was looking at something strange, and the floral scent once more reached my nostrils. I hastily covered my nose with my sleeve, increasing the distance between Gabriel and me. I bumped into the door with my back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked. Gabriel did not answer my question as she looked nkly at her hand, which had stroked my hair. *** Why didn¡¯t my power work? Anyone drugged by the fragrance of the lily enters a state of hypnosis where they must truthfully answer Gabriel¡¯s questions. Yet, it didn¡¯t work. She was well aware that it does not work on does who have powers above the apostolic ss, and this dark-haired boy was just a child! As she studied his features, it seemed that he had an overall dark atmosphere; perhaps that was just due to the color of his hair and clothes. There was nothing else special about him. Gabriel slowly took the boy in with her eyes. An image passed through her head, for the briefest of instants. ¡°It seems like I saw him when¡­¡± Once more, Gabriel groped through her memories. When she felt a tingling, burning, momentary headache, she frowned. ¡°Well, yes. Obviously- Judah, Judah Arche. That is your name, right?¡± ¡°!¡± From his reaction, Gabriel figured that she was correct. Her memory still seemed functional. ¡°Hm, yes. Judah, it was you. I was stuck with you until the end.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing your young figure. It¡¯s cuter than I would have thought.¡± Gabriel nodded as if she remembered it well. She raised her knee, no longer kneeling to meet Judah¡¯s gaze. Her eyes, though still sad, looked puzzled. ¡°But- I don¡¯t understand. Why are you here? Unless my memory is wrong, you¡¯ve never been here. Could you be twisting things without me knowing?¡± What is she talking about? Judah could notprehend her words. Gabriel talked as if they had already met! She knows my name. She might know other things¡­ It¡¯s just confusing. Both Judah and Gabriel were confused, but unlike him, she quickly cleared her head. She now smiled a smile that did not fit her sad eyes. ¡°It¡¯s better this way. I¡¯ve thought about not having you at all. I¡¯ve thought about it a lot. So, let me take this opportunity to take your soul myself. If this is the wrong way, I¡¯ll go back. Like I¡¯ve done so before.¡± Gabriel pointed at Judas with her index finger, and an extraordinary force gathered on the tip of her slender finger. Unlike the warm light of the column, it was a terrifying force that could easily take the life of a young child. *** I should avoid it! If I don¡¯t, I die! I was sweating; my eyes were shut¡ªdeath, and then back to that first day. I have never made a save between then and now. My eyes were wide open as my heart thumped wildly in my breast. I tried to resist Gabriel¡¯s power, but my body did not move when I willed it to move. It felt as if my body was bound by invisible fetters. When I opened my eyes and lowered my eyes, I could see a transparent thing, like the stem of a nt, coiling around my body. The scent of lilies from before now seeped into my nose. It felt as if my consciousness was falling apart from that thick scent. At the same time, the light sprang from Gabriel¡¯s finger. I clenched my teeth as I saw the light sh, forming into a cross. Frustration, helplessness, and anger engulfed my body, but nothing could be done. Such an absurd death! The moment I thought that, I heard someone whisper into my ear. ¡°You¡¯re in trouble.¡± Chapter 28

Chapter 28

28==================== To live in this world. At the same moment when Judah heard the whisper, the world turned gray. The gray flowed from some unknown space, like rain, and drained all color from the world. The candles that flickered brightly; the moonlight that shone through the stained-ss window; the light of Gabriel: All was swallowed up in the grayness. Time itself stopped: The candle mes froze mid-flicker, and the sh of light that was flying to Judah¡¯s heart paused in mid-air. It felt as if Judah was watching an old monochrome film in a movie theater. He took in this new unknown situation with his eyes wide open. However, even if time had stopped, the supernatural urrences in Judah¡¯s body had not gone away. He was still breathing, but his body felt immobile, and his consciousness was still on the cusp of fading away. In that haze of his mind, Judah saw a stranger approach him. Who is it? Judah lost consciousness as his sight had been consumed by darkness. The man reached out his palm to block the light directed at Judah¡¯s heart. At the same instant, time began flowing again, and the world regained its color. The light tickled the man¡¯s palm, and as he retrieved his outstretched hand, he saw that the light was still shining upon it. Then the bright light lost its radiance as it started to fade away. The man brushed over his palm with his other hand, as if shaking off dust, then looked at Gabriel with a slight smirk. The man then beganughing, and hisughter was mighty. ¡°Gabriel, in vain are you trying to meddle in my long-established ns. Even if it was unintended, you must now be afraid. Should I say that you had no luck?¡± the man said in a friendly tone as he looked at Gabriel. She stared at him as if she couldn¡¯t believe that he was there. Her lips were trembling, and her blue eyes shook, her feelings bared. The man who had saved Judah¡¯s life giggled as if it was all great fun. ¡°You? The First Lord, Xian, appears here?¡± Gabriel said in a tight voice. Xian stoppedughing as his expression turned cold. His eyes now squirmed as he looked at Gabriel. ¡°You know that I have never permitted you to utter my name.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gabriel blurted out. She didn¡¯t unleash any magical power, but her expression did change. She held onto her power, generating it within herself, and her reaction was not at all subtle. Gabriel reacted so because it was impossible to predict what action Xian would take. No matter how powerful she was as a celestial Queen, on her own, she was no match for Xian. In order to fight him properly, all three Holy Monarchs mustbine their powers, and all the apostles must support them from behind. Even then, it would only be enough to resist, not to ovee, him. Of course, Gabriel could not so easily resist now, so her death was near. Xianughed as if he found Gabriel¡¯s reaction pleasing. As if but a shifting mask, Xian¡¯s expression changed rapidly. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s not like you, sitting on your celestial throne all day, is it? Thanks to seeing you, I am happy. So why are you so afraid of me? Still, I am a Lord, and you are a Holy Monarch.¡± ¡°Yes! I don¡¯t know why the Creator gave you such great might. You are a wicked being. I resent you.¡± ¡°Resentment? Did I hear you wrong?¡± Xian tilted his head. The tone of Gabriel¡¯s voice was indeed hate-filled as it pierced his ears, and she even med the Creator. ¡°Do you jest with me, or not? This is amazing.¡± ¡°Why would you think it¡¯s a joke? Is there any reason that I shouldn¡¯t me him? He doesn¡¯t even care about this world anyway. It¡¯s like he¡¯s abandoned us.¡± Xian¡¯s face now hardened. ¡°I have heard that you have lost your fear. Do you think it makes sense to resent the Creator if you are a Holy Monarch? You dare judge him on the subject of creation? And you dare do it in front of me!?¡± Inconceivable magic power flowed from Xian as he grabbed Gabriel. ¡°Hah! Isn¡¯t this a good ce to die, Gabriel?¡± In that magnificent temple, with the moonlight flowing through stained ss. Candles and magicmps brightened the interior of the huge, empty chapel. That was the temple of Jopiel, which had a small w in the theme, but still, it wasn¡¯t a bad ce for a Queen to die. ¡°Is that so?¡± was all Gabriel said. In Gabriel¡¯s sad eyes, Xian could see a faint emotion of simultaneous joy and resignation. Xian tilted his head as he studied such contradictory emotions. Was it resignation? It might be, or it might be pleasure. Gabrielughed as she banished Xian¡¯s magic from her. ¡°Xian, you are mistaken. I thought I¡¯d be afraid of death. I was once. Not now. I keep on going back. I¡¯m all twisted in that way,¡± Gabriel said, chuckling in a self-deprecating manner. Xian blinked. He wasn¡¯t annoyed by Gabriel¡¯s words, and they didn¡¯t move him one way or another. Still, what she had said was important. ¡°You are twisted, and you want to go back,¡± Xian repeated her words, then nced back at Judah, who was still unconscious and bound by the power of Gabriel. Xian saw nothing happening, so he gestured with his hand. The magical power that flowed from him like an endless spring exploded out into the surrounding area. The magic was instantaneously converted into energy. ¡®Cruugkgakgarugk!¡¯ The world shook, as if by an earthquake, and reality turned gray once more. It that unmoving and colorless world, time and space had be reigned in. This was the absolute power of Xian, a being who reigned over time itself. Xian, Judah, and Gabriel were the only things in this gray world that had their color. ¡°!¡± Gabriel was amazed by the ominous magic. She leapt from under Xian¡¯s feet, spread her six wings, and soared into the air of the monochrome world. A golden and divine energy flowed from her body, tearing through Xian¡¯s magic. Xian almost snored as he shredded through the gold-hued aura, as if it was a thin rag. ¡°It is unpleasant, but don¡¯t be afraid. Come down, Gabriel. How dare you look down upon me from above!?¡± When Gabriel met Xian¡¯s shining eyes, she felt an irresistible pressure. It was because of Xian¡¯s tolerance that she had been able to shake off his magic a while ago. Xian now captured her body with his magical power and dragged it to the ground. The regrly-spaced pews of the chapel splintered and copsed under the shock of the impact. There was no sawdust, and not a single sound was heard from the breaking benches. After she fell, Gabriel attempted to get up and attack Xian, but the golden light flowing from her body immediately faded into gray and disappeared. The overwhelming difference in power was now well established. It was Xian who possessed a power that far outssed that of other Lords and Monarchs. Gabriel was resigned as she lowered her empty hand, which had reached toward Xian. She was unable to do anything and felt helpless. Still, she admired Xian¡¯s power, and she was not afraid. ¡°Yes, I know. It¡¯s enormous. Even after hundreds of thousands of years, I will always be stronger. I only gain might. I never weaken.¡± Xian slowly strolled toward Gabriel, who kept a wary eye on him. ¡°No. There is no possibility that I will ever be weakened. Even if the hardest timese to pass endlessly, my might will never decrease. Even now, it increases, and I am so used to it that I don¡¯t even feel it anymore.¡± ¡°So? Are you leaving me alive to have a nice chat? If you don¡¯t want to hurt me, let me go. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯m sorry for touching the boy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xian stared at Gabriel, musing upon her impertinence. It was clear that the Queen didn¡¯t want to talk with him, so he considered leaving. He knew he would have to cut off a wing or an arm first, though. Would she stay calm then? However, Gabriel seemed to be expecting such a response. Xian gestured once more. The broken remnants of the pews flowed back in time as they reassembled themselves. Xian approached Gabriel, who was standing before one of the benches. ¡°Sit down at once. Don¡¯t test my patience needlessly.¡± Xian did not consider Gabriel¡¯s will in the matter. He dominated the surrounding space, so he forced her to sit on the pew as he pushed her down by the shoulder, taking a seat beside her. Gabriel frowned in displeasure. ¡°What do we need to talk about? I think this is a waste of time.¡± ¡°No, we need to talk. You said before that you go back.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with you. You can¡¯t understand,¡± Gabriel said, clearly not wanting to talk. Xian exhaled as he calmed himself, trying to control the urge to separate Gabriel¡¯s limbs from her body. He knew that this would really be a test of his patience. ¡°You won¡¯t care, Gabriel, even if I understand you. And does that matter? Does it truly matter? I don¡¯t think so. Still, it seems like you and I are going through the same phenomenon.¡± ¡°What!? You lie!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s real. Why would you deny it? You angels can judge if someone is lying or being honest. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already confirmed my words with that brilliant ability of yours.¡± Gabriel stayed silent. ¡°Regression: A phenomenon of going back to the past, with memories of the process. The problem is that even if we go back to the past, we cannot change the future. A certain force judges when the time hase for us to regress. We think our fate is twisted. Regardless, that power always brings us back to a certain point in time.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know it at first, but when I repeated it twice, three times- I realized: I¡¯ve experienced this before,¡± Gabriel said, nodding instinctively. ¡°And it didn¡¯t take long to realize that it was a real experience. You might not have realized it at once, but I did. The moment I realized that it was a repetitive fate, I kept trying to twist it. It didn¡¯t matter if I did or said something different, and I could move freely. But the moment we intervene in certain events, the moment we kill certain people, the moment we get rid of something ¡ª We regress. It seemed to be an alterable fate, but in fact, it¡¯s impossible to twist at all.¡± ¡°So¡­ What do you want to say?¡± ¡°How long have you lived through this repetition of time? Years? Decades? Centuries?¡± ¡°¡­Two-hundred years.¡± Xianughed, an insincere one at that. Did Gabriel already look like this after repeating so a few centuries? ¡°I¡¯ve been repeating my life for nearly a thousand years. While being conscious of every single second.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It would be nice if we could go crazy. It would even be good if we could destroy ourselves. But the destiny set out by the Creator never lets us go. We cannot be insane, and we cannotmit suicide. The moment you end your life, you go back and repeat it all. Endlessly.¡± Xian looked at Gabriel. The reason for the sorrow in her eyes was that she had repeated countless lives, like him. That was why he had seen both joy and resignation in her gaze. Perhaps this meeting had gone differently than she had expected, but she still looked so tired of it all. ¡°But this time it¡¯s different. Our destinies will change, little by little. It will start heading in an unknown direction, and reality will be more different every time we regress to the past. And above all else, there wille an end to this eternal recurrence.¡± Xian, even if he was a demon, gave Gabriel hope. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How do we do it? Wait¡­ you say you have made ns earlier so- No way! Is it that the boy behind you can do it?¡± ¡°Yes. You understand well, even if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, and while being so impertinent. Gabriel, ah, I have closed my eyes to your rudeness several times now. I feel like I want to tear your limbs and wings from you and hide them like a relic in this temple. Do you know why I don¡¯t do so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Simple. It¡¯s because you suffer the same phenomenon as me. I force myself to watch over you, for we are both frustrated by repetitive lives and a predestined fate. Behind me, though still a little boy, lies the key to breaking through the repetition. You will soon realize that he is a person of great power, and his destruction will be of no use to you.¡± Xian stood up and looked down at Gabriel. ¡°No, there is nothing to fear since this moment has already changed.¡± Xian uttered an eldritch word and disappeared on the spot as if he was never there. The gray world returned to normalcy, and time passed once more. ¡°Oh my God, I didn¡¯t go back,¡± Gabriel muttered, bing enlightened as to what Xian¡¯s final words meant. Fate had been twisted so much, and yet she still existed, even after some time had passed. Gabriel¡¯s eyes now trembled more in their sockets, even more than when she had gazed upon Xian. She shifted her gaze to Judah. As she watched him in his dazed state, she remained silent. Judah¡¯s eyes seemed worried about something. ¡°Judah Arche.¡± In the recurring fate that Gabriel kept experiencing, Judah Arche was a desperate man. He was a person with the opposite temperament to Kain Sabrak. He was cursed by bad luck and betrayals, yet all always remained a man of great faith who did not give up to the very end. She was not sure what to say about it all, so Gabriel merely said, ¡°Good.¡± She knew it wouldn¡¯t matter if she left immediately, but as Xian had, she decided to take a gamble. A bright sphere of warmly glowing light arose from her hand, dancing to Judah and finally entering his body. As with Kain, it would provide him with protection. ¡°I¡¯ll watch you, too,¡± Gabriel said, then spread her six wings wide and flew into the air. Despite her jarring confrontation with the Lord, she returned to the celestial ne, capturing the appearance of that majestic chapel in her mind. ¡°Please, Judah, do not turn my expectations into disappointment.¡± Chapter 29

Chapter 29

29==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Serenia: Kaseun¡¯s Mansion ¡°No¡­¡± As I opened my eyes with a slight groan, I shut them at once under the dazzling light. When I slowly opened them again, my vision was blurred. The first thing I saw was a strange ceiling. It was not the ceiling I was used to; it was a luxurious ceiling with beautiful moldings and patterns. The nket covering me also felt different than the one in my home. It was of a very soft material. Where am I? As I looked around, I thought that I could recognize some features of the ce. Is this Kaseun¡¯s mansion? I thought about why I would be here, and then sighed a little. Myst memory was that I had met Gabriel in the temple. She then tried to kill me, saying things that I did not understand after reacting in an unexpected manner. Then someone appeared and saved me. I hadn¡¯t seen the man¡¯s face, but how many people could have saved me from a Holy Monarch? I figured that it could have been Xian. ¡°¡­I should be d that I didn¡¯t die.¡± If I had died at that moment, I would have had to start over. It was terrible, just imagining it. I felt dizzy at the thought that everything I had built up so far could have been reset: My rtionships, training, and all my stat and skill proficiency gains. The saves I could make depended on me getting fragments, with me gaining one save for every fragment in my possession. Xian didn¡¯t say that the gain would be cumtive, so getting two fragments wouldn¡¯t grant me two saves and so on. I figured that I should try saving at this point. [¡ª]Your resurrection save has been set to the current location and time[¡ª] Shortly thereafter, a message popped up saying that the save waspleted, just like in a game. I loaded the system message log. In its holographic screen, brief information gets recorded about important past events. If something special happened while I had been unconscious, it might be recorded there. [¡ª]21:20-You met b Holy Monarch Gabriel}, whom even high-ranking priests have not met. You saw Kain Sabrak being chosen as b Gabriel¡¯s Sword}. Witnessing it was a great fortune and honor. Your Magic increases by 2 for having witnessed that wonderful scene[¡ª] [¡ª]21:25:Queen Gabriel gave you the trait of b The Chosen One: Rank_A}[¡ª] Something seemed to have been omitted from the log. It was obvious that I had been attacked by Gabriel. So why did she give me a characteristic all of a sudden? There was no attack or anything else recorded in the log, as only special urrences are recorded. ¡°Ha, really. It¡¯s useless.¡± I stared at the screen for a while as I chewed on my lip and then confirmed the characteristics of {The Chosen One}. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [The Chosen One]: Rank_A / Workmanship: Master Today was a lucky day. You have been chosen as one among many. It seems that luckes from unexpected ces. Luck increased by 5 Luck potential increased by 1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It was no different from how I remembered the trait to be; it was the same as the one I had created. However, I couldn¡¯t understand why Gabriel had given it to me. It was a trait that Kain had, for he was chosen as Gabriel¡¯s Sword. I was feeling confused, so I flipped the nket from me, sat up on the bed, and began loosening my joints, back and forth. ¡®Kuddeok,¡¯ I heard the sounds of my bones setting, and my body felt more refreshed, but I quickly felt like a fool. I had chanced to look out of the window and realized that the morning sun had already risen, shining brightly over the world. I stumbled from the bed. ¡°Oh, I said I would buy bread.¡± I only then remembered Tia¡¯s bread-fetching errand. I had told her that I would go to the temple for a bit, but a day had already passed. I had gone out on a moonlit night, yet now the morning sun has already risen. Thanks to this, I could buy the bread that was baked fresh in the mornings. Still, I was worried about what Tia was thinking, with me being absent from homest night without a word. I was now fully awake and figured that I had to go home quickly. Then, ¡®thump thump thump,¡¯ I heard someone run down the hallway. It was utterly annoying! Who the hell was running through the halls in such a loud and uncultured manner in a noble¡¯s mansion? No, I didn¡¯t even have to question who it was. ¡®Quaang!¡¯ the door was flung open and Kain hustled into the room. ¡°Judah!¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Sa¡­!¡± At the same time that the door banged against the wall, I heard someone shout. I endured it all, trying not to swear and show my irritation. I took a deep breath as I saw Kain entering. ¡°You woke up! Are you okay? So you were in the chapel too? Laying there?¡± Kain came up to me with a pure look, asking whether I was okay. I closed my eyes and swallowed my annoyance as I looked at him. At the same time, however, my heart beat faster, and it beat with murder in mind. Kain had gained a higher ss of upation called {Gabriel¡¯s Sword}. It was as if he had be a b ck w}, which was a higher ss of {Magic Swordsman}. As I became conscious of this, I was engulfed by an inner conflict. ¡°¡­¡± With my eyes closed, Kain¡¯s information came into my mind. Now that he had be Gabriel¡¯s Sword, Kain would leave Serenia on his fifteenth birthday, the day of hising-of-age ceremony, to collect fragments. He would im several fragments with the help of his outstandingpanions, eventually bing Pernen¡¯s sessor. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t thought much about Kain until now, yet now the situation had changed. It has be a real problem. Kain¡­ He was a dangerous guy. Shall I kill him? I could easily kill him. My current strength was a little higher, and Kain had a poor understanding of the job of b Gabriel¡¯s Sword}. If I fight him, it would be a guaranteed victory. In the first ce, b Gabriel¡¯s Sword} was a job for an apostle of the Holy Monarchs. As time goes on, Kain would be stronger. Of course, if Kain was alone, it would not be that difficult to crush him even if he was strong unless there were certain variables on his side. My upation of b ck w} was the exact counter of an upation like b Gabriel¡¯s Sword}. Defeating Kain would not be that difficult, as long as this reality followed the rules of my game. But I can¡¯t kill you here. This ce was Kaseun¡¯s mansion. If I killed Kain here, Kaseun would surely kill me. With my current stats, I would not be able to escape Kaseun¡¯s wrath. I suppressed the murder that had crept into my heart. In return for all the graces I had received for Kaseun, I decided I would not kill Kain while in Serenia. There would still be many opportunities in the future. In the original game, Judah has hising-of-age ceremony before Kain and so leaves Serenia first. I was now thinking about the game for a moment instead of the events of this reality. Judah left Serenia before Kain to gain experience, and he identally imed a fragment. After that, Judah became fascinated by such power and set out to collect other fragments as well, and in the process, he bumped into Kain. At first, they only talk and then split, but after that, Judah bumps into Kain every time he tries to get a fragment and ends up facing him. At that point, Judah¡¯s level differs from the yer¡¯s (Kain¡¯s) by about 5 to 10 on average. The yer defeats Judah with the help ofpanions, and so ims fragments, but the process is not easy. Along with the difference in level, Judah¡¯s skills also counter Kain¡¯s, so the total damage dealt by Judah is terrifying. Thanks to this, many yers die at this stage due to poorbos or mistakes in controlling the character. Even if you get Judah down to very low health, he can still catch you off-guard and easily annihte your team with amazing damage and temporary invincibility. Thanks to this, yers always saved before fighting Judah. However, Judah, who tends to be annoying and draws out anger, bes a rtively easy opponent once you patiently collect fragments one by one. Even if his level is so high in the second arc, you can close the power gap by using the effects of the fragments. Of course, if you fail to get the fragments or if they get stolen, you will suffer, even if you havepanions. Still, what was important was that this was not a game, but a true world; reality. The story won¡¯t unfold like a game¡¯s, I guessed vaguely. All I knew was that my trails in this reality would not be along the lines of my game¡¯s storyline. Because I am Judah, not Kain. It would proceed along the basic path as I remembered them to be at first, butter, things will deviate from the storyline depending on what choices I make. There will be I remember from the game might be proved wrong. Contrarily, if I just leave Serenia and do exactly what Kain did in the game, the deviations from the storyline could be significantly reduced. Then, even the menacing Kain might end up living a sedentary, happily-married life while only possessing a special upation called b Gabriel¡¯s Sword}. However, this problem I could only experience and ponder onter. It was not something to take so seriously now. It would beter, not now, that I would have to decide on killing Kain or not. I didn¡¯t have to waste time pondering the impossible in the here-and-now. At the end of such a long thought, I fully faced my thoughts and worries. What was I thinking? That he will be a dangerous guyter, so I have to kill him right now? Wasn¡¯t I once reluctant to kill people? My values are changing, heading in surprising directions. I felt myself changing. ¡°Judah!¡± I suddenly opened my eyes as I heard someone calling my name out loud. There stood Kain, the distance between us so very, very small. ¡°Judah? Are you still sick? Shall I call my grandfather?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m okay, so please don¡¯t stand so close to me.¡± Why would I want to be so close to a boy? I wouldn¡¯t have cared if he was a woman, but I was reluctant to have contact with the same sex. I sighed as I watched Kain move away a fraction. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°No, I came here because you had fainted in the temple yesterday, so we couldn¡¯t talk. I haven¡¯t told anyone yet, in case they don¡¯t believe me, but I¡¯m going to tell you first. So, yesterday,¡± and Kain looked up at the ceiling, blinking as he recalled events, ¡°I saw an angel! Really, it was a beautiful, friendly angel! I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful person. Did you see it? You were there too.¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t see it. I just fell asleep because I was exhausted.¡± Kain looked sad. The angel Kain saw was probably a reference to Queen Gabriel; to her. I then asked Kain something. He was still gloomy after hearing I hadn¡¯t seen the angel. ¡°Anyway, you say an angel appeared? Did you talk with it?¡± ¡°She came down from the sky because she had something she wanted to ask me!¡± Kain told me of the conversation the angel had held with him after that. It was an unnecessary story that I did not need to hear. All that mattered was that Kain had be Gabriel¡¯s Sword and that he would be hostile to me in the future. Someday, we will have to fight one another for the fragments. And I¡¯ll have to take his life. At that time, thinking of such things did not make me feel good. If I could have easily removed myself emotionally and approached the situation with a detached mind, it would have been more bearable. ¡°She told me to be brave. Don¡¯t you believe me, Judah?¡± ¡°No, I believe you, but I think I should go now. I told Gentia I¡¯ll be home soon, but that wasst night already. She¡¯s probably worried.¡± ¡°Ugh, that tiger auntie?¡± As I heard Kain speak, I stood andughed. ¡°Excuse me, Kain, but she¡¯s pretty. Just like when you called the angel pretty ¨C she¡¯s that pretty.¡± At least to me, Tia was as beautiful as an angel. Had Tia been there, she might have been angry at Kain for calling her an aunt. No, she would smack Kain off his feet. As I left the room, I was surprised to see someone next to me, leaning against the wall. ¡°Hello, my pretty and lovely Judah. And¡­ Kain, you little dog.¡± * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª]Hint: When yers eat, their stamina recovery rate increases, making them recover from fatigue faster. If it¡¯s expensive, greasy, and tasty, it¡¯s even more effective! So, you can feel free to eat anything. If you enjoy it, remember: It has 0 calories![¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 12] [upation: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 35(D) / Potential A] [Health: 35(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 30(D) / Potential SS] [Magic: 41(C) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 11] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30

Chapter 30

30==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem It was Gentia who was leaning against the wall. She smiled sharply when she looked at Kain, as if she had heard our entire conversation. Her fangs shed through her smiling lips. Kain¡¯s face turned pale, and he hesitated before speaking. ¡°Ah¡­ Uh¡­ well, I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Toote. And why are you stuttering?¡± Tia struck Kain hard over his head. The thumping sound was loud. The pain seemed great, and Kain sat down, touching his head as he started to tear up. Tia turned her head as if she had no regrets, approached me, and lifted me up. She was handling me in exactly the opposite way than Kain. ¡°Oh my, our pretty Judah. Do you know how worried I was when I heard that you fell in the temple? No pain anywhere? Are you okay now?¡± It felt so good when she said that I was pretty. I nodded as I felt the texture of her puffy chest. ¡°Not enough that you have to worry.¡± ¡°Themander says it¡¯s been a while since he prepared a skillful meal for us, so let¡¯s eat here. It¡¯ll be bothersome to have to go home and chew on a pillow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind, not at all.¡± Tia smiled lightly and kissed me on the cheek, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Tia embraced me as we headed for the dining room, leaving Kain behind. Kaseun¡¯s cooking was as excellent as ever. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t lying when he said he wanted to try out his skills because so much food was prepared for breakfast that the butler¡¯s legs almost bent as he carried it all in. Thanks to Kaseun, Tia and I were able to eat a very tasty meal until we were chock-full. My body felt less taught, and my exhaustion disappeared as I started eating. After being satisfied with the feeling of satiety, I was still able to finish the meal off with fruit and dessert. We had a pleasant conversation throughout the meal, a run-off-the-mill conversation where we talked about nothing special. I could eat no more; I was full, so it seemed to be time to head home. The sumptuous breakfast was over. Tia nced at me first, then told Kaseun that we had to go. Kaseun asked if we weren¡¯t leaving too early, but Tia politely refused his invitation. It was an unnned visit. Tia said that we didn¡¯t want to impose on him anymore and that the meal was sufficient. We left the mansion and walked along the well-polished road. The streets of the noble quarter were always quiet. We walked on without a word until Tia finally spoke to me. ¡°Why are you so nervous?¡± ¡°Yes? Um¡­ did you enjoy Kaseun¡¯s tea?¡± Tia nodded. ¡°It was amazing. How long can a boy hide his facial expressions, Judah?¡± The situation was difficult. If Tia had noticed my anxiety, then Kaseun knew of it also. I guessed that my face showed that I seemed to have done something rude. I was thinking all the time about Kain¡¯s level of vignce and his future schedule, and such thoughts seemed to have expressed themselves on the outside. ¡°There¡¯s no special reason for me being nervous, Tia. It¡¯s just because I want to go hunting soon.¡± Two years remained before mying-of-age ceremony. Within that time, I had to widen the power gap between Kain and me. And to do that, nothing was more important than gaining practical experience. ¡°Oh, yeah. It¡¯s hard to stop once you¡¯ve gotten a taste for hunting,¡± Tia replied as ifpletely believing me. She then ced her long-stemmed pipe into her mouth, biting down upon it. She brought her chin to her chest slightly and generated a spark of magic with her right hand. A me spontaneously ignited over the bowl of her pipe. A lot of smoke came out of her mouth as she continuously puffed to get the fire going. ¡®Woosh,¡¯ the smoke whirled from her mouth as she exhaled. ¡°Of course, you still have the money I gave you yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, five silver coins,¡± I replied, putting my hand in my pocket and touching the coins I had caught. It wouldn¡¯t matter if I lost them, as the money in my b bag} was a substantial amount. ¡°My Judah, then can I ask you to run that errand that this pretty sister asked you to run?¡± ¡°You mean the bread run?¡± Tia took another puff, then pointed at the sandwich shop with her pipe. ¡°Go and buy it.¡± ¡°Are you going to wait here? Or are you going first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going first. I¡¯ll wait for you at the fountain in the central square. Do you know what I like? Please ask for something sweet and delicious.¡± I whipped the five silver coins from my pocket and looked at the store. At that moment, several people were entering or exiting it. There are more famous shops, but this one offered good vor and quantity at a decent price, so it is most often visited by mercenaries and adventurers. I hurried to the store as I left Tia behind. She strolled leisurely on. The entrance stood wide open. As I was about to walk through the door, someone else came up to it at the same time. One of us had to get out of the way so that the other could enter through the narrow door. I looked up at my door-entering opponent. She was a slender woman wearingfortable clothes ideal for physical activity. When our eyes met, the blue-haired woman smiled as if waking up, and she stepped back. ¡°Would you like to pass first?¡± she asked in a chic voice, but the tone it held was very polite. She was showing honor, even though I was younger than her. I bowed my head slightly to thank her, and the moment I started to step inside by passing her, a ne that hung from her neck caught my eye. That¡¯s a peculiar ne. Hanging at its center was, uniquely, ance: A joustingnce with a sapphire embedded into it. It was an essory that I¡¯ve seen before. I halted when the memory entered my mind after I had taken a step into the shop. I looked back at the woman who had followed me in, and she now gazed at me in puzzlement. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, no. Thank you.¡± I hastily stepped all the way into the shop as I saw her tilting her head. It must be¡­ She¡¯s a Blue Lancer! Blue Lance Knights was the name of one of the elite knightly orders representing the Byron Empire. On the battlefield, they wear tes of armor imbued with all sorts of magic. Blue cloaks flutter behind them as they wield their thick cone-shapednces in one hand and rectangr tower shields in the other. They block their foes¡¯ attacks with their sturdy defense and then push back at the enemy formations, destroying them. When the Byron Empire was established, several kingdoms fought against them, but they were all destroyed when their troops were annihted by the Blue Spear Knights. That was how the Blue Lance Knights built their reputation. They always fought at the forefront of any war, even after the empire had be solidly established. They charged out ahead of everyone, and when a retreat is called, they guarded the rear so that their allies can safely withdraw. A Blue Lance Knight does not care about status; they prioritize their talent above all else. If one of them wants to be a talented Blue Lancer, they need to survive severe training before they can even be called trainees. Trainees can not yet be official personnel of the Blue Lancers. They are first given three years to wander across the world and behave as they see fit. So for three years, they wander from ce to ce and then return. They could head into the mountains and train by striking waterfalls to improve their skills. A trainee could defeat monsters for the people of the Byron empire. They could even register as mercenaries or adventurers and so gain their reputation. Once they returned after three years, they would be given the opportunity of exams and interviews. Once they passed that phase, they escaped probation and be intermediate Blue Lancers. From the moment they be intermediate, the Blue Lance Knights performed their given duties with dignity, honor, and great aplomb. She must havee here toplete her apprenticeship. I was already convinced that she was a Blue Lance Knight. She didn¡¯t have any armor or a shield or weapon, which can be said to be the symbol of a knight, but that was natural. It was because she was a Blue Lance Knight. In this world, magic wasmon. Like most knights representing their kingdom or empire, the arms, armor, and shields supplied to Blue Lancers are engraved with magic runes so that they can be easily stored in a sub-space. Just by channeling magic into her body, particles would gather into the air, and the lightly-dressed woman would be fully armed and armored. That being said, there was a single reason that I was convinced that she was a blue knight: Thence-shaped pendant that she wore around her neck. That was the most telling piece of evidence. I nced at the woman who had followed me into the store and muttered, ¡°Status Screen.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Jeanne Art Loire] [Title: None] [True Name: Blue Moon Wolf] [Level: 16] [upation: Blue Lance Knight (B)] [Race: Human] [Strength: 30(D) / Potential A] [Health: 33(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 27(D) / Potential B] [Magic: 37(D) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 5(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 18(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 56(C) / Potential C] ? Special [Likeability: 0 (normal)] [Reliability: 0 (normal)] ¡¸Trait 3/5¡¹ [Blue Moon]-Rank: A [Wolf¡¯s Protection]-Rank: A [Apprentice Blue Lance Knight]-Rank: D ¡¸Skill 4/5¡¹ [Horror Spirit]-Rank: A [Knight]-Rank: B [Imperial Shieldcraft-Blue Lance Knight]-Rank: B [Imperial Spearmanship-Blue Lance Knight]-Rank: B ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I was astonished as I studied the status screen that appeared before me, as it was a familiar name. It was definitely a name that I remembered. In b Notes}, she was the first woman whose name I had written down under *Recruit if you can*. Upon realizing that she was a Blue Lance Knight, I had wondered whether she was Jeanne. I nced at her while she was picking out a sandwich. Jeanne seemed to be thinking about what to choose from the sandwiches that had been sliced to taste. I double-checked her information as I ced the sandwiches I wanted to buy onto a wooden tray with tongs. Jeanne Art Loire. It felt bad topare her to Tia, but she had much higher potential, and her skill and trait ranks were also higher. I wanted her as apanion; I wanted to recruit her, yet that was impossible right now. If it was the game, I could greet her and talk to her as apanion after performing the quests set out in advance. Unfortunately, this is reality. There could be a misunderstanding if I approached her recklessly when both her likeability and reliability are zero and when we have had no prior contact. And when a childes out of nowhere and says, ¡®Be mypanion¡¯ ¡­ What would she think if I said that!? The fact that she had appeared at Serenia meant that her fate was flowing along the lines of my game, ording to the information I remembered. So two yearster, I would be able toplete the hidden quest and get her to leave with me after mying-of-age ceremony. When that timees, I will be able to naturally wee her as apanion. I went to the counter and paid for the bread. After paying, my five silver coins turned into five copper coins. I was still worried as I took a look at Jeanne¡¯s back. She casually left the store. If we are to bepanions, I will need to meet her again before the quest. ==================== Author Note ============================= Yes, everyone: Just trust and follow me. Even if the road is over a cliff, even if it is through a desert where it is hard to find a sip of water: We will arrive at our destination. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

31==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem +++ Serenia: The Central Fountain Gentia was sitting on a bench while looking at the central fountain with her pipe in her mouth. A stone statue of a beautiful woman holding a jar aloft stood above the fountain. From the jar flowed a stream of cool water, and lovers passing by the fountainughed. Couples and families were on the square, and mercenaries and adventurers took rxing walks. Merchants were opening their stalls so that they could sell their wares. They were all merchants who had gained permission from the lord to trade upon the square, so their stands were unified and neat, and none of them noisily hawked their goods to try and solicit customers. The merchants dealt only with those customers who came to them out of their own volition. Armed soldiers regrly patrolled due to therge crowds and to make sure no one operated illegal stalls. The security was good. The central square was a peaceful scene, and it was seldom empty; only if it rained was it empty. Gentia inhaled the smoke as she waited for Judah and watched the people who passed her by. She noticed two men walking toward her. They looked like skilled adventurers or at least men who had trained their bodies and were properly armed. When she met one of the men¡¯s gaze, he skillfully winked at her. Gentia turned her head away with a frown, her expression showing her disgust. However, the man didn¡¯t know when to quit. ¡°How are you? I guess you¡¯re of the Suin race! I saw you from a distance, and you¡¯re so beautiful¡­ So in the next moment, I decided toe to you because I want to talk to you. See, I¡¯m trying to ask permission, but I¡¯m already going to sit on the bench.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t sit down. Get off,¡± Gentia replied without a second¡¯s hesitation, still frowning. The man with the lively attitude had been about to sit down but stopped moving, then quickly sat down anyway. His smile was more of a smirk as he spoke again. ¡°Ah, this bench doesn¡¯t have an owner, does it? It was installed so that anyone can sit here.¡± ¡°Yes? Let me stand up, then. You can sit here.¡± Gentia stood up, saying no more, and her bodynguage expressed the fact that she would hear no more, either. She had worked for countless men as a mercenary. Their reaction to her was the result of the rare peculiarity and beautiful appearance of the Suin race. At first, it had been difficult to rebuff them, for she had been ignorant. By now, she could do it skillfully. She just didn¡¯t give them any gaps. If she hesitated even a little, the men often dug into the gaps in her defenses. Of course, it was afort if they so easily gave up, like the man who had so rudely sat down. The persistent ones which she could not deter by talking understood only a show of force. Fortunately, most of them naturally fell apart as if they were but sandcastles. The bench had been pleasant to sit upon, but Gentia figured that she could find another empty seat. She didn¡¯t see one, though. ¡®Where do I go? I have to wait here until Judahes.¡¯ Gentia walked around the central square. She noticed some people crowding around a bulletin board. There had been nothing special on it earlier, but she headed closer out of curiosity. Because of the many people gathered, she couldn¡¯t see the notice that has been posted. Instead, she listened to the conversation of those nearest the board who read the notice. ¡°Wow, my God. The wolves are trying to expand their territory into the eastern forest.¡± ¡°Is it at least the white wolves? Or not?¡± ¡°No wolf is a good wolf, whether ck or white. By the way, the price of drugs will rise for the time being.¡± Gentia prickled her ears as she listened to the murmuring around her. She could now roughly guess the contents of the notice: ck Wolves had appeared in the eastern forest. She would have to squeeze past people to go and read, so she thought about it for a moment. It took her a short time to decide it wasn¡¯t worth the hassle, so she decided to patiently wait whilst smoking. People chatted with each other as they left their spots, creating space for those behind them. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ By Decree of Lord Chapelin Peerchen Recent eyewitness ounts report ck wolves moving into the East Wood from the South Wood It is through fortune that none have fallen victim to them, yet the future remains unclear Citizens encountering the belligerent ck wolves might lose their lives Please refrain from entering the East Wood for the time being if possible The East Gate will not bepletely shut and ess remains free The city of Serenia will not be held ountable for your actions Note that we shall provide woodcutters and herbalists with escorts of soldiers in the interim All such persons must please gather at the time and location announced below Meeting Time: 09:00 Escort Time: 09:00 to 15:00 Meeting ce: In front of the East Gate guardhouse after 8:30 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Gentia had held a vague suspicion that such an official notice would be posted eventually. Still, she knew that there were exceptionally many ck wolves heading into the eastern forest from the southern forest. Those who encountered such wolves and survived to report to Lord Peerchen were lucky indeed. Wasn¡¯t Judah nning to go hunting ck wolves in a few days? After Gentia had read the post, she left the bulletin board so that others could see it, just as those before her had done. She sighted an empty bench nearby. Gentia walked toward it with long strides and sat down. It was far morefortable to be seated. As she smoked, she thought about the notice. ¡®Hmm, what would drive the ck wolves out of their territory?¡¯ ck wolves should be viewed as monsters rather than animals, but even so, they would not be fleeing from their old territory without reason. Usually, the only time when a predator departs its hunting grounds is if it is pushed out after a power struggle with its own species or if a stronger predator of another species appears. The wolves are the apex predators of the forest, so Gentia had no choice but to assume that the ck wolves had been forced out after losing a battle over territory with the white wolves. ¡®It looks like it will be dangerous. ¡® If all of the ck wolves were moving to the eastern woods, hunting them there would be suicide. It would be the same as heading straight into the southern forest through the south gate. Both areas were now dangerous. As Gentia thought about it for a moment, someone silently sat down next to her. Her sharp tiger eyes moved sideways. ¡®You dare sit next to me without a word?¡¯ With a mixture of displeasure and irritation, she quickly looked at the person seated next to her. It was Judah: A cute-looking boy with dark hair. Just before she met his gaze Tia¡¯s demonic visage shifted into an angelic face. Her change of expression was instantaneous. It had taken Gentia less than a second to turn her flesh-tearing eyes into eyes warm with affection. She now spoke softly. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yes, I called from afar, but you were silent.¡± ¡°I was thinking for a moment. Did you buy all the bread?¡± Judah opened the packet that was in his hand and showed Gentia its contents. All her favorite sandwiches had been packed inside. Gentia pulled one out to eat right away. She stopped smoking as she started unfolding the wrapping. ¡°But what were you thinking about?¡± ¡°There is an official letter on the bulletin board.¡± ¡°An official letter? Oh, that¡¯s why people are gathering. Wait a minute. I¡¯ll go see it.¡± Judah got up from the bench, but Gentia grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into his seat. She seemed to have no intention of letting him go. ¡°Don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll exin.¡± Judah remained seated, and Gentia gestured that he should take a sandwich for himself. ¡°It looks like the ck wolves from the southern forest are beginning to move into the eastern forest. Hunters other than us seem to have witnessed the ck wolves, and so the officials are asking everyone to refrain from entering the forest. Other than that, there is nothing particrly relevant to us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Huh? Why? What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m gaining experience by hunting ck wolves, so don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s a good thing? It¡¯s dangerous, but it doesn¡¯t seem like that big a problem.¡± Judah had a positive attitude. Gentia stared at the fearless boy who had begun to chew on a sandwich of his own. Well, stressing about going into danger is a useless worry. Judah¡¯s going to hunt ck wolves anyway, but what if their numbers are too great? Then I can take him and flee. Others might say it¡¯s impossible, but Gentia was confident. Judah could be saved as long as hundreds of wolves didn¡¯t attack at once. ¡°Then, shall we hunt wolves while camping in the eastern forest for a few days?¡± ¡°ck wolf skins are sold at high prices. I want to earn money this time.¡± As Judah said, ck and white wolf pelts fetch good prices. It possesses goodpatibility with magic, so it can be sold to the Tower. It also has a fairly excellent texture, provides good thermal instion, and has high durability. Furthermore, Judah also has a {bag}, which Gentia knows as a subspace. Once the wolves are skinned, there would be no difficulty in transporting their pelts. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a good idea. The killing ratio will be four to six, okay? Of course, I take the six.¡± Judah immediately nodded at Gentia¡¯s words; it didn¡¯t matter much to him. ¡°Okay, then¡ªShall we do some shopping today?¡± ¡°Is it a date?¡± Judah asked. Hearing such mischievous words, Tia stroked Judah¡¯s hair; he seemed so cute. She smiled and replied, ¡°Of course. Why- Do you hate dating your teacher?¡± ¡°What, do you hate it?¡± Judah asked after a moment¡¯s silence, acting as if he was somewhat offended. ¡°I asked first.¡± Hearing those words, Judah wiped his mouth. A piece of sd from the sandwich was on his finger, so he ate it. Then he gave his reply with a wide smile. ¡°There¡¯s no way I hate it, is there? I might not like it if it was with someone else, but I do like it if it is with TiA.¡± Tia felt her heart beat faster as she heard those words. There is an expression ¡®fluttering of the heart.¡¯ Is this it? ¡°I thought you were just a kid, so where did you learn to say such things?¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t a kid say that?¡± Tia said, ¡°Well,¡± and looked at Judah meaningfully, ¡°it wasn¡¯t bad.¡± =============================================== ======== That¡¯s right: Blessed are the believers. Oh, and some of you said that I have excellent writing skills. I feel very good, but please don¡¯t do anything like that. I¡¯ll be arrogant. Haha. And even if you praise me like this, nothinges out. Still, I feel good, so I put it up and go to bed. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

32==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Date. It is a word that describes going out to a ce or event with a potential or current love interest. However, considering the current situation between Tia and me, it cannot be called a true date. In order to hunt ck wolves, we were going to camp in the forest, so I bought all the needed items: A small and expensive yet effective healing potion; a long coat with heat instion sold only in the Tower; an insect repellent sold at general stores; a spray to remove blood from clothing and an emergency survival and healing kit. Even extra weapons; I bought so many things. Of course, to honor the date, we ate a lot and went to see many things, but Tia and I have lived together for several years. There was nothing truly interesting that happened. When I think about it, we did things as we always did. I spent more money than usual as I bought things and as we yed and ate. Still, I was able to cover the expenses with the money Kaseun gave me. After all, having money is good. There is no hesitation to buys things, and there is no need to haggle over the price. It was difficult to carry it all home. Still, when I leave tomorrow, almost all of these items will be going into the b bag}, so weight was not a consideration. Upon returning home, I arranged the items I had purchased on the floor and re-checked them to make sure nothing was missing. I asked Tia when and how to use some of the items, and she kindly informed me, as if it was no big deal. Her instruction would prove helpfulter, so I made sure to forget nothing. When we were done, I put everything in the b bag}. Everything was ready. We were going to stay in the woods for four days or up to a week, so I decided to go to bed early. Tia and I got up before the sun rose. We washed and armed ourselves, and then left the house, heading for the east gate. The gate was open, but unlike usual, there was no sign of the hunters and herbalists who tended to also depart at this time. It seemed that all of them had been intimidated after reading the official notice posted in the central square. They had decided to take a break for a while. Tia and I were greeted by Charles as we passed through the gate and set out upon the familiar path. After a couple of hours without stopping, we came to the edge of the ck Forest. Contrary to public concern, there had been no ck wolves in the eastern forest. However, not only the ck wolves were absent: We saw no animals such as deers or wild boars, and the normal songs of birds were not heard. Thanks to that, the forest was silent. Only the sound of branches swaying in the wind was heard. ¡°Aren¡¯t you smoking today?¡± I asked Tia as I looked at her, staying on my guard as we entered the ck Forest. She had a cigarette in her mouth, but it remained unlit. I guessed it was because of her usual habit of smoking that she still had it in her mouth. At times when Tia exhaled, it seemed as if she really wanted to smoke. My question made her eyes narrow a bit. ¡°I want to smoke, but I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll put my pupil in danger. I can¡¯t do that.¡± Tia worried that there might be too many ck wolves in this forest, so she couldn¡¯t risk smoking. I kept walking, and I saw Tia shrug her shoulders out of anxiety. The ck Forest wasn¡¯t as scary now as it had been on that first day. I rolled my eyes and then looked around. Suddenly I heard a howl in the distance and then a growl in the low foliage near us. We stopped. ¡°The official letter was not in vain,¡± Tia stated. ¡°Okay, we found a ck wolf after only five minutes into the forest.¡± Tia also blinked, as if surprised. The wolf pack that came into view numbered five, and they might be a challenge. ¡°Would you like me to kill one?¡± Tia asked. I shook my head and drew my sword. A shining dagger was drawn from its sheath with my left hand. Five wolves were worth trying to take on. Tia entered concealment, as usual, and climbed a tree to watch me fight. *** From where Gentia lightly perched on a branch, she could see the five wolves encircling and approaching Judah. And then, the battle began in an instant. One of the rabid ck wolves rushed at him, and in the next second, it crashed to the ground, breathing frothy blood. ¡®I mean, you have real talent. Not only talent, but also ability.¡¯ Despite being surrounded by five wolves, Judah was not afraid to deal with them one after the other, step by step. Two daggers had arced through the air, one piercing a wolf¡¯s nk and the other its neck. The remaining three wolves were neatly culled. Tia came down from the tree the moment Judah took thest wolf¡¯s life. ¡°What, why are you fighting so well?¡± ¡°Well, well, maybe it is because Mistress¡¯s lessons are so excellent?¡± ¡°Yes? Where did you learn such lip service? You¡¯ve been very good at talkingtely.¡± But Tia chuckled, clearly not in a bad mood. Obviously, Judah was the perfect pupil. *** I thought that I would struggle a little, but I was able to handle them easily. I had been roughly able to predict the wolves¡¯ actions by noticing their behavior. I opened my {bag} and handed Tia a butchering knife. She took it from me and skinned one of the dead wolves in no time. While she had skinned three, I had barely managed to cut the pelts from two of them. We treated the hides with a chemical, and I put them back into the b bag}. Once I had dragged the yed wolves into a single spot to dispose of their corpses, I looked real grisly. I gave a bloody chuckle as I wiped the blood from my daggers and longsword, and then Tia and I moved on to find our next target without a backward nce. The number of ck wolves was considerable. It was as if they had been respawning. After we killed a pack, we moved on for a bit until a new one appeared. The experience was quite thrilling, and a quick level-up soon followed. Still, I started to feel mentally exhausted. I wiped the blood from the tip of my dulled de, and only then did I notice that I was wounded. ¡°Uh, how many did you kill?¡± I asked Gentia. Even if a significant number of wolves had been killed, their numbers seemed to have increased rather than decreased. We haven¡¯t even gone far into the ck Forest and there were already so many; their great numbers were truly surprising. I felt lucky that they only attacked us one pack at a time. ¡°Well¡­ I already got my six groups. I counted seven for you. Do you think these ones are really fleeing from a territorial fight?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s getting dark now. Should we rest here?¡± We had reached the spot just in time; it was a good ce to light a campfire. It was rare to find such ideal spots in the forest. It was a clearing. Its disadvantage was that there was no ce for us to hide, but it also meant that we would be better prepared if the wolves tried a surprise attack. Above all, I could lie downfortably and rx. Tia looked up at the sky, looked at the forest around us, and immediately nodded. ¡°So, take off your clothes first. Let me look at the wound.¡± As Tia said this, I took off my jacket without a word. Even if I levelled up, I couldn¡¯t fully heal. In that instant of gaining a level, my regeneration rate increases, and only a small amount of stamina is restored. Even if the intervals between gaining levels seem so long, there is still no total recovery ability. Tia took a ss vial filled with a potion into her hand and seated herself behind my back. She popped the cap from the vial, poured an appropriate amount of the gel-like potion from it, and started applying it to my wound. White smoke flowed from the wound, and I felt a tingling sensation as the damage began to heal rapidly. ¡°Huh.¡± It was a pleasant sensation. I would say that it was the kind of feeling you get when you slide into a hot bath. After Tia had applied the potion to all my wounds, it felt as if my body was drooping in relief. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it! Now go and gather up some wood and make the fire.¡± ¡°By the way, Tia, you stopped smoking so that it wouldn¡¯t attract the wolves. Is it okay if we light a campfire?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s far better to have light at night than to suffer a surprise attack in the darkness. Why do you ask me? Everything is like our other camping trips.¡± ¡°Hey, okay. I¡¯ll go get some wood and thene back.¡± Tia nodded and gave me a slight wave. There was a stack of firewood in my {bag}, but I went and gathered some from the forest without saying anything. In the meantime, Tia had gathered up some stones and packed them into a circle, then scuffled the dirt in the center of it. I took some firewood from my b bag} and stacked them in the center, and then packed some of the wood I had gathered in a tepee-like structure over the central stack. The rest I put to the side. Tia struck a match and lighted the fire, and then lit the cigarette in her mouth. ¡°Now, shall I take a look at the virtues of my good pupil?¡± If we were at home, Tia would¡¯ve cooked on her own, but when we camped, she left everything concerning our meal to me. Fortunately, her tastes weren¡¯t picky, so it was okay to cook roughly. It was not a bothersome chore at all. I took out the pot and started boiling the stew I had bought from a restaurant. I also fried the wolf meat I had prepared in advance in a pan. Tia looked surprised as she watched me pull out all the needed items from my b bag}. She watched and watched and still seemed amazed until she finallypsed into a state of admiration. ¡°How on earth did youe to have a subspace?¡± ¡°I just got it¡­ It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Do you have any other secrets?¡± ¡°There are small things that all boys of my age keep secret.¡± ¡®Like being transported into a world they created.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t say that aloud, so I justughed as I met Tia¡¯s envious gaze. She didn¡¯t ask any more questions about the subspace. The preparation of the meal proceeded step by step. It seemed to be a very luxurious meal to be eating in the middle of a forest, and the delicious, vorful scent spread through the clearing. When the meal was done, with us both being full, Tia and I began to sharpen the des of my longsword and daggers, which I had wielded throughout the day. All the while, the campfire continued flickering. After that, I just stared at the mes and no words passed between us. Tia looked up at the night sky, smoking and smoking as if she was going to smoke all the cigarettes that she couldn¡¯t smoke through the day. I started dozing off as I hugged my torn jacket. ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°Yes, Tia?¡± ¡°How about lying down and sleeping instead of dozing off so ufortably? You can sleep a little.¡± As I lifted my head in amazement, I saw Tia¡¯s kind smile. It was an attractive offer, but I hesitated. Tia repeated her offer, insisting upon it. I pretending to be unable to ovee her insistence, so I took my sleeping bag from the b bag} andy down. Tia still gently smiled as she threw a few branches into the campfire. As I positioned myself in the sleeping bag, I listened to the crackling and fizzing sounds of the campfire, and my fatigue seemed to disappear quickly. I was looking up at the starry sky, so sleep quickly came. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [¡ª]Hint: The ears and tail of the Suin race are very sensitive. If you touch them carelessly, your life cannot be guaranteed[¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 13] [upation: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 35(D) / Potential A] [Health: 35(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 30(D) / Potential SS] [Magic: 41(C) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 12] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33

Chapter 33

33==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem + + + It was now the fourth day since we started hunting ck wolves in the edges of the southern forest. I had wanted to head further into the woods, but we found no suitable camping spot, so we used the clearing where we had spent our first night as a base. Thanks to this, the surrounding area, which had been undiscovered on the -map-, could now clearly be seen, and we were able to determine they of thend yet found nothing special. The only thing of note was a stream that flowed nearby. When we awoke in the mornings, we went looking for wolves, killed them, ate food at a suitable spot, and then returned to our clearing. I had repeated four days in this manner. On the fourth moonlit night, I suggested that Tia go to sleep first. I was concerned, as she had been caring for me for three days by going to sleepte and getting up early. Tia didn¡¯t say anything, but I could see she was thankful and very tired, so she prepared for bed. It didn¡¯t take Tia long to enter her sleeping bag. She fell asleep, her breath wheezing. As I watched Tia toss and turn in her sleep, I fed wood into the fire. The fire engulfed the fresh fuel and burned brighter and harsher. As I heard the ¡®crackle, crack, crack,¡¯ I checked my status screen. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?Calcting? [¡ª] You hunted a group of ck wolves and showed amazing fighting power. Strength and agility have risen by 1[¡ª] [¡ª]You tested your limits by winning the battle with a wounded body. Stamina has increased by 2[¡ª] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 15] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 36(D) / Potential A] [Health: 37(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 31(D) / Potential SS] [Magic 41(C) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 14] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ In the end, nothing seemed as important as waging actual battles. It was worth it for me to enter risky fights. After several months of training and hunting animals, I didn¡¯t even gain a single point properly. Now that I had risked my life by killing ck wolves for four days, my points have risen by a total of 4. I was proud as I looked at my status screen. The fact that I had 14 points avable made meugh. Unfortunately, Tia had watched my fights, so I could not use Shadow Justice. Thanks to that, my Magic hasn¡¯t risen, but my strength did due to the severe strain I was putting my body through. My other stats had also risen by appropriate amounts, and I was looking forward to the gains I¡¯d make in the future. ¡®I think it would be pretty good if I just went on like this.¡¯ At age thirteen, no one would have stats as high as mine. The moment I thought this, some characters dide to mind, but I immediately stopped thinking about them. Meeting them was something for the distant future. Anyway, I felt somewhat satisfied, but I hadn¡¯t reached my ideal level yet. If I imed some fragments, I could naturally have stats like Strength and Agility rise to 100, but for now, I had to do things the hard way. ¡®Just like you¡¯ve done before.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know why the ck wolves were flocking to the eastern woods, but their movement benefited me quite a bit. We had already removed 120 pelts by skinning the wolves, and if I added all the gemstones I had cut from them, then my profit would be a few gold coins at least. If it wasn¡¯t for Tia¡¯s training from the very beginning, I would have never been able toe so far. I now had the need to evenly raise all my stats, except Knowledge and Luck. No matter how high my Strength and Agility, if my Stamina is low, it was probable that I would not be able to endure through a battle thatsted long. ¡®In the end, it means I have to improve them evenly.¡¯ It¡¯s usually a waste to distribute points early on when the yer¡¯s potentials are still low. However, to dy the distribution of points indefinitely can only lead to ruin. It is not for nothing that some say, ¡°If you save them, your character bes shit.¡± If I distributed them now, I would only see the resultster. Personally, I wanted to spend them when it was appropriate. I turned off my status screen and put another log onto the campfire. I then opened -Notes-. While others could not see it, I clearly saw the holographic notepad appear before me. At the top of the notepad, I had scribbled down a memo with only the title ¡®The 24 Hearts of Pernen¡¯ in red and no content beneath. It was the title of my game, the world which I had entered. It was a memo that I had written so I would not forget the fact that I was in the game or a world like it. Whenever I opened -Notes-, what I wrote down in the most visible space naturally caught my eyes first. I still didn¡¯t understand how I had entered into my own game. I stared nkly at the note with only a title, then shifted my gaze elsewhere. I wrote down important things that should not be forgotten into -Notes- all night long. Whenever I had spare time like this, I would also read through my notes and correct things that I thought I transcribed wrongly, or just write down anything else that suddenly entered my mind. Time gradually passed. After I had been in the same posture for a while, my body began to stiffen. I shifted only a fraction, but the sound of crackling joints still came. As I stretched my neck to relieve my stiff body, I saw the stars shining so beautifully in the night sky. Arge full-moon floated beneath the stars and lit up the ck Forest. However, the trees and shrubs grew thick, so the moonlight rarely reached the forest floor. At that instant, I heard a faint rustling sounding from some distance away. I hadn¡¯t heard it wrong, even if I had heard it by chance: It was the sound of footfalls. The direction remained unknown, but something wasing out of the forest. I looked to Tia to wake her, then saw that her eyes were already open as shey in her sleeping bag. She put her index finger to her mouth and shaped an ¡®Shhh.¡¯ A faint, rust-colored glow emanated from her eyes. I had seen her slowly raise her finger to her mouth and knew that I had to stay still, so I sat down again. I pretended to look at the campfire, scanning the area all the while. The forest was dark enough to do the name ¡®ck Forest¡¯ justice, but there were a few gaps where the moonlight poured into the undergrowth. The red glow of eyes appeared in such an area, then quickly vanished. ¡®ck wolves¡­ but they¡¯ve nevere to us at night like this.¡¯ With my next nce, the number of eyes I saw seemed great. Going by the soundsing from everywhere, it seemed as if at least four of five packs were stalking toward us. Tia also seemed nervous, clearly also guessing that this was an unusual situation. She unzipped her sleeping bag silently and was ready to jump up at any time. ¡®Shall I use Justice?¡¯ I could find out the exact number of enemies and their locations by activating Spreading Shadows. I couldn¡¯t share my minimap with Tia, but I could at least give her an approximation of the number of wolves and their locations. It would help her. Still, I figured that I should rather hide my Shadow skills from Tia, even in this dire situation. [¡ª] Shadow Justice ©¸Form 1 ¨C Spreading Shadows [¡ª] The moment I quietly whispered the words and activated the skill, the shadows that seemed to dance with the zing bonfire suddenly scattered, spreading wide out into the forest. Tia stared at the shadows that rapidly ckened the ground, and she almost jumped away in surprise. As the shadows spread, they conveyed information about the wolves in the area to me. On my minimap, which was a circr screen bisected by radial lines, there appeared red marks, marks which confirmed that my suspicions as to the extent of the assault were correct. My mouth was agape. That¡¯s a huge number of wolves! At most, I had figured them to be four or five packs, but that was a mistaken estimation. ¡®They¡¯re crazy! Did theye for revenge?¡¯ The rough number of wolves seemed to be a hundred. Tia alone would be able to flee, but I doubted that she would be able to get me out of there safely. Tia was also feeling the pressure, and her expression seemed harsher than I had ever seen it before. My hands started to sweat. All I could think was: When are all of them going to charge in at us? Suddenly, one of the ck wolves entered the clearing and approached us. I had locked its location on my minimap and drew my sword as I stood up. ¡®Shusasak,¡¯ came the sound as Tia swiftly jumped from her sleeping bag and moved to my side, all the while shifting her stance as she scanned her surroundings. Then Tia saw it too: The ck wolf that slowly walked out of the darkness and into the light of the campfire. Why did they all choose to attack us while we could clearly see them? Why not at another time? ¡°Get behind me,¡± Tia said as she took up a stance before me. In her hand, she held a dagger smaller yet sharper than mine. It seemed she was going throw it at any moment, but the approaching wolf took turns to look at Tia and me and then turned its back on us. ¡®Hroh, horoh,¡¯ it shook its head at us as if telling us to follow it. ¡°¡­?¡± It was the first time either of us had seen such behavior, and we were both vainly trying to grasp the portent of such an action. ¡°Tia, it says what I think it¡¯s saying, right?¡± ¡°Well, this is also my first time seeing this.¡± It was unlikely that the beast was trying to offend us, but would it lead us into a trap? My mind swirled with these troubling thoughts. ¡®Will I follow the wolf, or run away from it?¡¯ ¡°At a quick nce, there about a hundred wolves around us. Will we be able to escape?¡± I could see that Tia wondered how I could have guessed that. I was sure that she had connected it to the shadows she had seen crawling across the ground earlier. She would probably be asking me about itter. ¡°Do you want an honest answer?¡± Tia asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be hard. When I figured them to be forty or so, it seemed possible. If there are a hundred¡ªI can¡¯t escape with you.¡± When Tia enters concealment, the smells, sights, and sounds of her body are hidden. She moves very silently, but if she was carrying me, the smallest of sounds could be heard without her knowing about it. If she was alone, it would have been easier. She would escape while mocking the wolves¡¯ attempt at a siege and then start killing them off one by one while hiding in the dark. With me with her, it all became so difficult, almost near-impossible to carry me while fighting to defend me at the same time. I knew that truth all too well. If Tia had thought on it for a while, I would have figured that we had a chance. She had answered immediately, though, so there now only seemed one option left to us. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t great,¡± Tia grumbled. ¡°Shall we fight?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s follow it along. Just wait a bit.¡± The ck wolf had kindly not paced away yet; it merely sat there and waited. The surrounding wolves did not move, as if observing the situation. I knew that if we didn¡¯t follow, we would be attacked, and the wolf before us would attack first. ¡°¡­¡± Tia had a thoughtful face as she looked at the wolf. She took a deep breath and then suddenly sheathed her dagger and began taking her clothes off. ¡°Tia?¡± ¡°We can talkter.¡± She handed her clothes to me. As I stored them and our other tools in the -Bag-, hair sprouted from all over Tia¡¯s body, and she morphed into a ck tiger, about the same size as a small horse. The wolves on the edges of the shadow became agitated as they witnessed Tia¡¯s transformation. ¡®Crushkl,¡¯ the wolf closest to us also sprang from its haunches, no longer looking so arrogantly in our direction. I was now fully alert. Tia had turned into a ck tiger, and this had made the ck wolves yip and yowl as if they were talking among themselves. After a while, Tiaughed as she looked at me. ¡°Judah. It sounds like these guys want a duel. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°A duel?¡± ¡°Hah. If you win the duel, you will be able to leave safely. If you lose, they cannot guarantee your life.¡± Then Tia mumbled, ¡°Cheeky things.¡± At that instant, a quest screen simr to the tutorial screen I had first seen when I entered this world popped up. [¡ª]An unexpected quest begins.[¡ª] [¡ª]The ck wolves have realized that there is an entity that has been hunting them in the forest for some time. They have found many corpses of their own people yed.[¡ª] [¡ª]When only one or two packs disappeared at first, they didn¡¯t care. When they found the cooling bodies of arge number of their fellow wolves, they reported it to the alpha wolf -Korkan-.[¡ª] [¡ª] Alpha Wolf Korkan led a group to kill you, for you have killed his own people. He then noticed through his senses that you had killed wolves while facing them alone, so he decided to challenge you to a 1:1 duel.[¡ª] [¡ª]This was reported to -Requiem-, the king of all ck wolves, and his permission was obtained.[¡ª] [¡ª]You can decide whether to follow the wolves and ept the duel against the alpha wolf -Korkan-, or whether to fight desperately here.[¡ª] [¡ª]If you win the duel, you will be able to survive. If you lose, your life is not guaranteed.[¡ª] Chapter 34

Chapter 34

34==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem It was a long quest message that appeared. No matter if I had sought it out or not, a quest was initiated. It didn¡¯t tell me what the reward was, but it would be a shame not to ept it and move on. I was very excited about my first quest since the tutorial. ¡®Yes, this is crazy! Why haven¡¯t more random quests like this appeared yet?¡¯ I had to clear it. I might not know what rewards it would give, but even if it¡¯s a sudden quest, it could give me bonus stats. I was willing to take risks. ¡®Because I will resurrect if I die, anyway.¡¯ Fortunately, I made a save just four days ago. That meant that, if I died now, I wouldn¡¯t be starting from scratch; I would just return four days into the past. I decided quickly. ¡°I want to duel.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Tia ¡°Yes, it would be much easier than fighting 100 wolves.¡± *** Tia looked at Judah out and stuck out her tongue. Is this really a 13-year-old child? He¡¯s much braver than most mercenaries. The ck wolf also turned, as if having understood that Judah had epted the quest. ¡°Alright then, get on my back.¡± ¡°Oh, can I do that?¡± ¡°Many things can be done.¡± *** I came to try out a strange new experience. I¡¯ve often seen Tia turn into her tiger form as a Suin, but this was the first time I ever climbed onto her back. She hunched down to make it easier for me to get on. I lightly climbed onto her back, and it felt warm and cozy. ¡°Oh! Wait! Where did you touch me?¡± ¡°?¡± Tia had crouched down onto her front and hind legs and had reacted to me with some anger. ¡®I don¡¯t know where I touched her, but I guess it must be a sensitive spot.¡¯ When I asked Tia where I must hold her, she growled at me to put my arm around her neck. I quietly obeyed her. The wolf seemed ready, and it trotted off without a backward nce. Tia and I followed closely behind it. We were going very fast. The sense of speed was the same as that of riding a motorcycle, and the world shed by me. The moon did light the forest path here and there, so it looked amazing to run through this dark forest and be able to see things as if it was noon. When I nced back, I could see the glowing eyes of a significant number of wolves as they followed us. ¡®Shall I distribute my stats now?¡¯ I checked the description of the quest again. It was a one-on-one duel with the alpha wolf Korkan. In terms of my game, it was a fight with a monster. Of course, it would certainly be stronger than normal ck wolves. I was locked into my thoughts for a moment and then brought up my status screen to distribute the stats points I had saved. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 15] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 40(C) / Potential A] [Health: 38(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 40(C) / Potential SS] [Magic: 41(C) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 51(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Points remaining: 0] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I distributed all 14 points: 4 into Strength, 1 into Health, and the remaining 9 I used to boost my Agility. As soon as the distribution wasplete, my heart started beating faster as my pulse rate increased. I felt dizzy for a moment and closed my eyes. I breathed slowly and deeply and checked the condition of my body. I could clearly feel that something had changed. ¡®Will this be enough?¡¯ I did not know how strong Korkan would be, but I would try my best to take care of him. We hadn¡¯t arrived at our destination yet, despite traveling for half an hour. I checked my map and saw that the wolves and we were continuing to head deep into the southern forest. The ck wolf running ahead of us showed no signs of slowing down. In the next moment, Tia asked me to hold on tight and then made a light leap as we crossed over a fallen tree stump. It felt as if I was taking a ride at an amusement park as my body hopped and bounced into the air. Suddenly, the trees thinned out, and the forest opened up as a vast in appeared before us. Up to now, the moonlight had not properly reached the ground due to the trees in the forest. On this in, though, the moon shone brightly. ¡°Ah!¡± As I took in the scene, I could not help but exim in wonderment. To think that there was a ce like this¡ª It looked so wide that I wanted to explore it right away. and I could see that a narrow river flowed across the center of the in, weaving through the outcrops of rock. Above all else, the number of wolves upon the in surprised me the most. Hundreds of them were roaming around or sitting on their haunches. Those that had followed us now slowed down and followed us no more. As we moved to the center, I sighted a wolf with scars etched across his body. He was lying atop the tallest rock, his face resting upon his forepaws. ¡®Requiem!¡¯ The moment I saw him, I knew that it was the king of the ck wolves I had created for my game. He was one of the two main bosses in the forest south of Serenia. I remembered creating him with great care in so many ways, as he was the first monster boss the yer would face, so he had to be intimidating. Thanks to that, there were quite a lot of patterns that existed for the defeat of the early boss. The problem was¡­ ¡®This is not a game.¡¯ The probability of Requiem acting ording to the patterns I had set up was very low. The battleground wasrge enough, but I didn¡¯t want to experiment with Requiem just to see whether he would follow the patterns coded to him or not. If I died, I woulde back alive, but I did not want to repeat the time I had already experienced. And the first thing I now had to consider was my duel with Korkan, not Requiem. The wolves had already cleared a wide area under the central lock upon which Requiem was. The ck wolves were sitting along the edges of the empty area like spectators at a stadium, waiting and watching. After a while, a wolf approached from among them. He growled from the start, baring his gums. ¡°Are you okay without me? Shall I duel instead?¡± Tia asked me. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tia.¡± If I used Shadow Swordsmanship and Shadow Justice, I had a chance. Tia stared at me as if displeased. I tried to make eye contact with her andugh, but as I stared into her shing tiger eyes, a subtle feeling of pressure made me avert my gaze. As if she found this funny, Tia grinned and chuckled as she wandered in behind me. As if a tiger was a greater predator than wolves, or to avoid unnecessary conflict, some of the wolves retreated from where they sat as Tia approached. I sharpened my mind as I stared into Korkan¡¯s face. ¡®Gyaugyugra!¡¯ Korkan suddenly bizarrely chuckled as we met one another¡¯s gaze as if he was shouting: ¡°Come on, draw your weapon!¡± ¡°Fwoo,¡± I took a deep breath and slowly drew my sword. Its de shimmered in the moonlight as I drew it. Korkan sniffed as he smelled the stench of blood on the de, and his visage immediately took on an unpleasant mien. Compared to amon ck wolf, Korkan was about one and a half timesrger in size and possessed greater momentum. Just by looking at him, certain people would tremble in fear. Korkan looked at me and saw that I was not scared, and he growled in a whimpering manner as if slightly admiring my fearlessness. He then slowly began to circle around me. ¡®Saahskak,¡¯ came the sound of his deliberate pawfalls. I looked at the wolf and thenpleted my activation of Spreading Shadows. The entire area was covered with shadows, and I looked at Korkan through magical sight. The wolf once more exposed his gums, looking more vicious than ever. Spittle drooled from his fangs. As we faced off and stared at each other, I took the first strike. I stretched my left hand behind my waist and drew a sharpened dagger from the belt, and swiftly threw it. I only had three daggers, so I had to make sure to predict the ideal moment to throw them. The dagger flew straight and true for the spot between Korkan¡¯s neck and torso. ¡®Grurg!¡¯ Korkan growled in a chuckle as he jumped lightly back, avoiding my throw as the dagger stuck into the ground before his paws. I was moving even before the dagger had pierced the earth. I charged forward as I readied my sword. Korkan crouched to the ground as he bent his legs and avoided the agile cutting edge of my de despite his massive girth. For all my efforts of throwing the dagger and charging at him with my sword, I could only cut a few strands of hair from his pelt. I began to fall back, my teeth clenched, and Korkan raised his upper body from his crouching position. The shadows had warned me, so I understood the intent of his attack. That was why I had stepped back as soon as I had swung my de. Korkan lifted his body as he supported himself with his hind legs and tail,shing out at me with his forepaws indiscriminately. I dodged back two steps just in time as his sharp ws cleaved through the air several times. When I felt the air rushing by so close to my nose, I shivered as goosebumps ran along my back. After he had wed the air several times, Korkan stuck his head out and loped toward me. I held my hand against the face of my de as I blocked Korkan¡¯s charge. I was forced into a near-crouch as the wolf mmed into the de, but I was able to force the beast to bounce back. Fortunately, Korkan hadn¡¯t charged at me with speed from a distance, so I could counter his close-range rush without taking much damage. Korkan had been forced back about three steps and closed the gap again as he attacked me. ¡®Shhhi, shhhi,¡¯ came the sound of ws cutting through the air as Korkan pawed at me furiously, but I could avoid most of his attacks due to Spreading Shadows. Every strike the wolf believed was an inevitable hit was blocked by my sword. While fighting, I came to admire Korkan¡¯s battle sense; it was excellent. He did not hesitate to employ his tail and hind-paws in his attacks. I was even punched across the cheek once when he used his tail, which I hadn¡¯t thought could be used as a weapon. As I was struck by the tail, my face held an unpleasant expression, and Korkan grinned as he gave a whispering growl. His attack patterns themselves were different from those of themon ck wolves. Korkan seemed to possess a very skilledbat repertoire, and his attacks were beyond my expectations. ¡°Hfoo, hfoo,¡± I stared at Korkan, my breathing out slightly rough. My temperature had risen as if my body had secreted a significant amount of adrenaline after the brief close-quarters fight. My beating heart seemed to be thudding directly in my skull. However, unlike my excited body, my mind was very stable even in such a frantic situation. I stayed calm and did not dare take my eyes off Korkan. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

35==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Korkan was definitely a leader among wolves, a true alpha. Not only were his attack patterns different, but his Strength and Agility were much higher than the average stats of ordinary wolves. However, due to the stat points I had spent beforeing to the in, I was fast enough to move in a blur and strong enough to meet Korkan¡¯s attacks head-on. In fact, I was feeling a little dominant in the duel. The one problem was that the durability of the longsword I was wielding had a limit. When I had met Korkan¡¯s rush full-on with my de earlier, a red notification had suddenly appeared in the corner of my field-of-view. When there was a gap in the wolf¡¯s attacks, I checked it and saw that it was a message warning me that my longsword only had 2/10 durability. Since I had cut down nearly a hundred ck wolves in just four days, the sword¡¯s durability had reached its limit. ¡®Grarrng!¡¯ Korkan was giving me no time to rest. He dug his hind legs into the dirt and jumped at me. I tracked his movement and hurriedly swung my sword to the right. ¡®Scap!¡¯ blood sttered from both our bodies at the same time. My sword cut into Korkan¡¯s right shoulder while his ws dug into my thigh. The leather clothes I was wearing were torn apart along with my flesh; the leather had not provided a lot of defense. ¡°Argh,¡± I gave a slight groan as I stepped back. The cuts didn¡¯t seem that deep, but the pain sure was annoying. Blood flowed through the sliced and torn leather. The feeling of dripping blood felt dirty as if I had pissed my pants. The wolves all around me were sniffing the air, seemingly stimted by the smell of fresh blood. ¡®Greung, Grooh!¡¯ the same counted for Korkan. Even though he was hurt, it was a rtively minor wound. That¡¯s why he chuckled as he bared his gums and fangs as if he had been seized by the blood-scent. There remained plenty of room for movement by both of us. His wound was minor, but it was still a decent cut. Whether he felt a lot of pain or not, he still attacked me again in a fluid motion. It was difficult to beat him back. Korkan repeatedly attacked me, focusing solely on my wounded thigh. ¡®Damn it, he¡¯s a smart guy! God damn!¡¯ It was a difficult situation, but it could¡¯ve been worse. The moment I had beaten Korkan back, I activated the technique I had kept in reserve. [¡ª] -Shadow Swordsmanship ©¸Form 2 ¨C True [¡ª] My de, which had reached the limit of its durability, keened as I lowered it. It became covered in darkness. I sliced it through the air, and the energy seemed as if it could cut through anything. I could see a ck trail of shadows drawn in the moonlight where I had shed my de. At that moment, Korkan¡¯s eyes sparkled, and he swung a forepaw toward the darkyer of magic that had been created across my de. Red energy raged from Korkan¡¯s ws. ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± I eximed before w and sword collided. The moment that the wolf¡¯s paw touched the shadow de, there came a ¡®ang!¡¯ and sparks scattered into the air along with that harsh reverberation. Both of us could not withstand the magical force and we were thrown back. Korkan momentarily retreated as he regained his bnce by hopping back with his hind legs and tail. He stared at me, and I was still disorganized. I held back the activation of another skill, and the next thing I felt was Korkan¡¯s head mming into my abdomen. It felt as if he was shaking me around, and I was struck by an intense shock. Before I could order my mind, I felt my body soar through the air. I thudded to the ground and followed the reflexes that had been trained into me as I managed to gain my footing by moving along with the roll. One of my eyes itched like hell after getting some grit into it. I blinked a few times, and although tears flowed from my eyes, my vision remained blurry. I focused on using my remaining good eye as I kept Korkan in sight. He was chuckling as if he found my struggles to be a pretty sight. ¡®You mean this leader can so easily counter my magic? What about the boss wolf then!?¡¯ I was annoyed enough that I felt like swearing, but in all honesty, it was amazing. With his fangs bared, Korkan rushed in at me again. I knew that if I was crushed under his heavy weight, then it was all over. Once more, I blocked the attack by nting my forefoot firmly to the ground and readying my longsword, but at that moment, my sword¡¯s durability failed. ¡®kauung!¡¯ the blunt de broke in half, and the sundered piece flew away like a boomerang, sticking into the ground not far off. The situation was now one of great concern. I urgently blocked the follow-up attack with my left arm, which proved to be a bad judgment. I should rather have dodged, or I could even have tried to draw a dagger and block it. Korkan¡¯s ws pierced into my forearm, and as he drew his paw back, he tore off a handful of my flesh. Fortunately, nothing broke or shattered, but I could see that the bleeding was serious. If this had been my original reality, I would have fainted under the extreme pain. Things worked differently here, and thanks to my remarkably elevated physical abilities, I could tolerate the pain. The rate of blood loss also stabilized due to my rtively high regenerative power. If I left the wound like this, it would certainly be a serious problem, but it was not enough to make me sit down and admit defeat. ¡°Hawoor,¡± Korkan gave a soft howl as if he was convinced that he had already won. Many thoughts shed through my mind, but chief among them was my annoyance at beingughed at by the wolf. I had frowned during the battle, but now my eyes were wide open. From Korkan¡¯s point of view, I was standing there with a wounded arm and leg whilst holding a broken sword. It was natural for him to think that I had be easy prey. I breathlessly fended of his repeated attacks with the broken de. In the cold night air, a warm mist appeared and disappeared from my mouth as I breathed in and out. Even if this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll make sure toe back again and kill this wolf! I had poison in my eyes as I stared at Korkan. I ced both hands on the hilt and sliced out before me, and Korkan dodged back at my sudden action. He quickly realized I would not have reached him with my de, so he bared his teeth, ashamed at having faltered, and roared as he leaped at me. [¡ª] Shadow Justice ©¸Form 4 ¨C Lower ck Arms Manifestation [¡ª] ck smoke erupted from my body, and a dark human figure of my exact shape appeared. At the same time, I dodged away from Korkan. The phantom exactly stood where I had been moments ago, and he replicated what I had done. He also shed out with his de. However, instead of slicing through the air, as I had, the sh was true and neatly aimed at Korkan. ¡®Kryaha!¡¯ as if he thought it to be a true threat, Korkan struck at the sword swinging toward him with his forepaws, also biting toward the phantom¡¯s neck. After that single attack, the illusion lost its shape and scattered into nothingness like fog. The skill didn¡¯t have much power, but it wasn¡¯t meant as an attack in the first ce. It was a skill for evading the enemy so that a counterattack could beunched. Later, once I be a {Sword Wielder}, such a shadowy illusion could look exactly like me and even mimic my exact actions, confusing the foe and easing an escape or counterattack. For now, this was the skill¡¯s limit, yet the illusion alone had proved its worth. ¡°Look again, motherfucker! Hey! Fuck you!¡± I charged toward Korkan just as he finished his attack andnded on the ground. I neared him as I wielded my broken sword. [¡ª] ©¤Shadow swordsmanship ©¸Shadow Swordsmanship Form 3 ¨C 1 point [¡ª] A cknce was created in the air and pierced at Korkan¡¯s surprised head. However, it cut through his ears instead of piercing into his skull, so swiftly had had he ducked the magicalnce. Two lupine ears scattered into the air in a shower of fur. With a painful growl of ¡®Grawooo,¡¯ Korkan tripped up and fell forwards, at my feet. ¡®Don¡¯t miss this chance.¡¯ I threw my broken sword to the side and drew a dagger from my waist into a reverse grip, thrusting it down with force. At that moment, a dagger would work better than a broken de. ¡®Schluck!¡¯ the dagger stabbed into Korkan¡¯s crown, breaking through his skull and piercing into his brain. Korkan wriggled and spasmed in a mortal seizure, then grew still. ¡®It¡¯s dead.¡¯ I enjoyed the feeling of victory for only a while, for the wolves surrounding me all stood up at once. ¡°!¡± Tia had watched me fight breathlessly, without a word. She now also stood, wary of the wolves around her. It was then that I felt heavy energy suddenly re up. Requiem, the king of the ck wolves, had been lying prostrate on the huge rock all this time. He now arose, like a megalithic symbol of some ancient faith. Requiem¡¯s gaze came to rest on Korkan¡¯s remains. At that very instant, Korkan¡¯s carcass turned into an ashen powder and was blown away on the breeze. His body disappeared? While I was trying to figure out the reason for it, messages popped into my mind. [¡ª]Your level has risen[¡ª] [¡ª]You have sessfullypleted the random quest[¡ª] [¡ª]ck wolves will not attack you while you traverse the ck Forest to return to Serenia. But if you do attack them, well: They cannot be guaranteed to just stand still and watch[¡ª] [¡ª]Reward:b Battle Ticket} for Wolf Boss {Requiem}, and your highest stat, excluding special stats, is increased by 1[¡ª] [¡ª]Requiem, the king of the ck wolves, will remember you. You have been recognized as an excellent warrior by the ck Wolves. Agility increased by 1[¡ª] The reward was fine. However, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, as Requiem was still looking down at me, and countless wolves had surrounded me. It was clearly stated on the quest screen that the wolves wouldn¡¯t attack, but the atmosphere¡­ It still didn¡¯t feel safe. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: None] [Level: 16] [upation: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 40(C) / Potential A] [Health: 38(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 41(C) / Potential SS] [Magic: 41(C) / Potential B] [Magical Resistance: 52(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 1] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36

Chapter 36

36==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Requiem looked arrogantly down at me from his rock for a long time, as if etching the memory of my face into his mind. He theny down upon his stomach once more, his head resting on his forelegs. It seemed like he was going to sleep, and the energy I had felt faded away. Once their king no longer paid me any attention, the other ck wolves rose and went on their way, as if there was nothing for them to see anymore. Some wolves did nce at Tia and me while sniffing the air, but most of them were indifferent to our presence. ¡°Are you okay with those injuries?¡± Tia asked me in an anxious voice as she approached, on her guard as she scanned her surroundings. It did hurt, but it was bearable due to the temporary increase in regeneration after I had leveled up. My wounds were healing at a greater pace, so I could take the pain. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Then be patient. Once we get out of here, I¡¯ll tend to your wounds.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded. I didn¡¯t want to show weakness in front of the wolves by being healed here. Tia hunched down to make it easier for me to climb onto her. As I grabbed onto fur, about to mount her as one climbs onto a motorcycle, I saw something shimmering on the spot where Korkan had died. ¡°Code?¡± I reached out and picked it up. I had defeated a named monster, and it was a bit disappointing when I couldn¡¯t skin him and get a gemstone, also called a manastone. This b code} was left as the reward for my kill, though. The wolves seemed to show no interest in whether I took the b code} or not. This one¡¯s cord shown faintly green, which meant it was [rare], just above mon] grade. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Code: The sneaky one who aims only at the enemy¡¯s wounds ¡¹ ss: [rare] weapons only Effect: 5% increase in blood loss¨²mage 10+3% increase % increase in Durability Decrease Rate ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Korkan had been a mean beast, and the {code} gained from him reflected his nature. I ced the b code} and my broken sword into the {Bag} and then climbed onto the impatient Tia. The wolves surrounding us remained indifferent. It even seemed as if they wouldn¡¯t care if we went to sleep here, but Tia moved quickly, and we escaped from the in of wolves. Not one of them followed us, but Tia did not slow down, and we quickly returned to the clearing where we had made our base. Tia carefully dropped me next to the campfire. The embers still glowed among the ash, so it was easy to rekindle it. As I watched the roaring fire, I then realized that Tia stood beside me, naked. She had changed back. I hurriedly pulled her clothes from the b Bag} and handed them to her. Tia frowned at me as she took the clothes, then ced them on the ground near the fire. ¡°Are clothes really important now? Take out the healing potion. No, wait, it¡¯s in my pocket.¡± Tia hastily searched through the clothes I had handed her. I felt rather embarrassed because it seemed strange to me that Tia was not ashamed to be naked. She approached me proudly and, like a beast, tore the clothing around my wound off with tremendous force. Tia then applied a medicinal poultice to the dried blood on the wound, wiped it clean, and finally applied the healing potion. ¡®Shii-ik,¡¯ a sharp sound was followed by white smoke which wafted from the wound, creating a tingling feeling in my body. Once this simple treatment was over, I sighed. Tia had used up the bottle of expensive healing potion. She handed the empty ss vial to me and stroked my hair. ¡°Wow, what a wonderful guy. You fought well.¡± Iughed weakly at her praise. I had fought with all my strength, and my body had run out of energy. All the magic I had consumed was recovered as my level rose, yet I still questioned why there was noplete generation of health and healing of wounds upon gaining a level. Is Tia not ashamed to be seen by others? Tia finally dressed in the clothes she had left near the campfire. Once clothed, she looked at me with a smile. ¡°I had a hard time of it, Tia. Thanks to you, it wasfortable to go there and get back again. Will you give me another rideter?¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± Tia¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Yeah, look at this stupid guy. It was only because today was a special case. Don¡¯t get used to it. And you¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tia spoke no more and then pulled out a cigarette from her pocket and put it in her mouth. I could see that she was thinking carefully, and instead of speaking, she lit the cigarette and inhaled the smoke. ¡®Fwooo¡¯ The bitter scent of medicinal herbs came to my nose, so unlike the unique smell of tobo. It was a scent that I could never adapt to, no matter how much I smelled it. When I didn¡¯t say anything, Tia finally spoke. ¡°Those shadows on the ground, and that figure that appeared which looked like you. What was it? Isn¡¯t there far too much that you¡¯re hiding from your teacher?¡± I felt embarrassed when I heard Tia speak in a sad tone, and with a depressed expression. Was there a lot of things I was hiding from her? She had asked me questions, but only two things came to mind: {Bag}, my inventory, which Tia knew as a subspace, but I had already shown it to her. And Shadow Justice, which made out half of my skills as a b ck w}. There was nothing other than this that Tia could¡¯ve known, yet she thought that I was hiding more from her. I knew that, depending on my answer, the credibility of my exnation would increase or decrease. I pondered things for a moment and then decided that it was unlikely that anything would change for the better if I kept hiding certain things from her. She already knew about Shadow Justice, anyway. I looked at her and smiled. ¡°Are you sad, Tia?¡± ¡°What? No, why would I be sad about something like this?¡± Perhaps because she thought that I had noticed her emotions, her face turned slightly red, and she spoke in a louder tone. She had always acted as if she was my big sister, so these emotions were different from her normal behavior. I also thought that it was somewhat cute for Tia to act like this. ¡°It¡¯s not that big a deal.¡± ¡°Even if you say it doesn¡¯t mean much, I¡¯m curious because you¡¯re my student and¡­ you¡¯re like family. So, tell me. But if it¡¯s something you can¡¯t really talk about¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to.¡± I was rather embarrassed to think that I had been making fun of Tia a little. My heart pounded when I heard her say she considered me to be like her family. As Tia had never lied to me before, I could feel the sincerity of her words. It didn¡¯t matter if she told Kain, anyway. One day, Kain would find out about it, but I had hoped to keep it from him until we faced one another as enemies. ¡°It¡¯s Justice.¡± ¡°Justice?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m learning is the Swordsmanship of the Forgotten Kingdom, you know?¡± Tia would know. She must have heard it from Kaseun on that first day when she had evaluated my skills. Of course, I had told Kaseun a half-truth, only about my Swordsmanship. It seemed that Tia now recalled something like that; she seemed nervous. ¡°I remember. But that must only be half of it, Judah. How can you only know Swordsmanship but not Justice? No, wait! Then you lied about not knowing?¡± ¡°Yes, I lied. Only you and Kaseun know. I¡¯ve hidden it from everyone else.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I didn¡¯t want the information getting to Kain, who wouldter be my enemy, and in the case of Shadow Justice, I could practice it alone, unlike Shadow Swordsmanship. And above all, I hadn¡¯t gotten many chances to use it. Most people knew about Swordsmanship, while Justice was not a natural thing to use, and there was no way to earn experience by using it in training. ¡°Because it¡¯s not good if people know about it. Tia, have you heard about how my parents died?¡± ¡°Huh? Um, no. Why bring it up all of a sudden?¡± Tia hadn¡¯t heard it from me in person, but I knew that Kaseun had told her how I had lost my parents. What everyone knew was that they had been killed by mercenaries who had adventured with them in the past. What was unknown was why they had visited my parents and killed them. I had been the only witness at the scene, and I had stated that I couldn¡¯t remember anything. ¡°It didn¡¯t happen all of a sudden. This is the beginning of my exnation. You probably know¡­ Didn¡¯t my grandpa tell you? In the middle of the night, mercenaries came to the house and murdered my parents. I was sleeping.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When the mercenaries couldn¡¯t find what they were looking for, they tried to kill me so that I couldn¡¯t tell anyone. One of them came in with a huge ax, but by using the Justice technique I had learned, I managed to kill him. Oh, no one knows this Tia, so please don¡¯t tell anyone. Okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t say a word.¡± I could see my story had her worried. Tia looked ufortable as she continued smoking. I could also see that she thought she had hurt me by asking useless questions; it even seemed as if she was regretting it. But I continued talking, embarrassed. Even if they had not been my real parents, they had died without the chance of defending themselves. It made me feel sorrow in the pit of my heart. ¡°Actually, it turned out the mercenaries were searching for these exact Swordsmanship and Justice techniques that I am now learning. So I didn¡¯t know how powerful such shadow skills were, but I guessed it would be dangerous to walk around and let everyone know about them. It turned out that it wasn¡¯t a half-technique, as ismon, but rather thepletely forgotten Swordsmanship of a fallen kingdom. If someone hears about this level of Justice and Swordsmanship, they might also appear and try to take it, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°And in the case of my subspace¡­ I don¡¯t know quite how I got it. It seems to be a side-effect of the process of learning Justice. I could just naturally ess it after a certain point in time.¡± *** Tia nodded. She had encountered many people who used magical powers in a simr manner, but there were also people who possessed special abilities that were not tied to the use of magic. Of course, depending on the development of such talents, they are people who possess tremendous abilities. She knew that there were those who were touched by magic without having studied it, but she had only heard tales and never seen such things in person. It was perhaps Judah¡¯s natural ability to be able to use the strange forms of swordsmanship and justice that he possessed. Tia was silent, and during that silence, she only inhaled and blew out smoke. Judah sighed as he watched her smoke, not even trying to make eye contact with her. *** When I called up Tia¡¯s status screen, I knew that she had felt true sympathy for me. Her likeability had risen a little, while her reliability stood on 90. ¡°¡­Well, it wasn¡¯t that I was trying to hide it from you, Tia. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t exin it¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No, I understand what you mean. Thank you for telling me, even if it must be difficult after what you saw, at such a young age.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ Have I answered your questions?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. I really don¡¯t want to be hated by Tia, so you can know even if others don¡¯t.¡± *** As Judah smiled and talked, Tia felt her heart ache as it beat faster and faster. Even though he was still a boy, Tia thought that he was smiling in quite a charming manner. She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking by noticing such things, so she hurriedly changed the topic. ¡°Ah. Are you tired? Come on, let¡¯s go to sleep. We have to head back as soon as the sun rises.¡± *** Am I sorry? I have nothing to be sorry about. I smiled bitterly and fell asleep, just as Tia had suggested. As soon as morning came, I went back to Serenia with her. We halted at a spot where the guards wouldn¡¯t see us. We then tied the pelts of a hundred-and-fifty ck wolves with leather straps into piles and then into rows, and we dragged them toward the city gate. Charles the knight and the other guards gave one look at us and then came down and opened the gates. It wasn¡¯t time for the gates to be open, but Tia and I were thought to be dead after not returning for four days, so the guards were happy and surprised that we had returned with so many ck wolf pelts. I sold the hides and gemstones to clothing stores, and to the Tower. I earned a tremendous amount of money for four day¡¯s work. Once we returned home, we both entered our respective rooms and fell asleep in our beds. We awoke in the evening after sleeping nonstop. I was used to getting up in the mornings as the sun rose. When I opened my eyes, the sun was setting¡ªwhat a ridiculous situation. I gave an absurd chuckle, and once in the kitchen, I took out the lunch box filled with luxurious foodstuffs that I had ced in my b Bag} and shared them with Tia. We had originally nned to stay in the forest for about a week, but we had no choice but to return after the appearance of the countless wolves who had watched me fight with Korkan, an alpha wolf. I then asked Tia what I should do with all the food I had ced in my b Bag}. ¡°Leave it alone! It functions like a subspace anyway, even if you aren¡¯t sure what it is, so no food will rot or spoil even if you store it in there for a long time.¡± I simply nodded, having learned that I could eat it at any time once I put it into my inventory. However, even if we were eating such a nice dinner this night, we would be back to eating rice the following morning. All that was left in the house were five eggs and some vegetables. I have to go to the grocery store. Even though Kaseun visited the market on the first day of every month and brought me food, there still remained some time before the first. Meanwhile, we needed something to eat, so I figured Tia and I would go grocery shopping the following morning. I also had to leave my broken sword and low-durability daggers at a forge. ¡°Juudaaah!¡± I heard Tia calling me from the living room. It sounded as if she was in a good mood; her voice was filled with excitement. ¡°Come quickly!¡± she urged me. ¡°Yes! I¡¯ming!¡± I replied. We shared the house as a teacher and her student, almost like a sister and her younger brother. However, after calling me so hastily, I saw that Tia was lying rxed on the sofa. Her arms were reaching toward the ceiling. ¡°Are you exercising?¡± ¡°No,e and hug me, quickly¡­ What are you doing?¡± I was looking at something, anything that was far away from Tia, but she kept staring at me. I really tried to escape, to avoid gazing into her eyes, but then Tia started speaking in a low voice. ¡°Judah¡­ Aren¡¯t youing?¡± You want to die? That was the tone she spoke in. I hesitantly approached Tia, but she was less than hesitant. She reached out and grabbed me. Her stern expression became soft and caring as she hugged me. ¡°On days like today, we have to take a break. What were you doing in there, anyway?¡± ¡°We have to go grocery shopping tomorrow. We¡¯ll have nothing to eat for breakfast.¡± ¡°Yes, you can go. But that¡¯s something that has to be done tomorrow, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s nothing to do today, right?¡± Tia shifted me to the side of the sofa like a girl sleeping with her doll, and she had no intention of letting me go. It wasn¡¯t that cramped, for the sofa was generously sized. Yet, I couldn¡¯t escape, so tightly was I being hugged. ¡°Yes, nothing to do today. So don¡¯tin. Sleep now.¡± When I didn¡¯t speak, Tia looked down at me with a frown. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Good night.¡± I had wriggled around in her arms countless times, but in fact, despite my sullen expression, it felt really good. Tia felt really good. ========================================= ======== Oh, I saw a movie. After seeing Now You See Me 2, I did a paid preview for Train to Busan, so I saw that too. I enjoyed both quite a bit. Of course, in the case of Now You See Me 2, I wondered why China was the background. In the case of Busan, it was surprisingly fun for Korean zombies. It was a fun day. All of you are happy, too¡­ Have a nice weekend! Chapter 37

Chapter 37

37==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem I awoke from sleep, slowly opening my eyes. Thanks to sleeping next to Tia all night long, my body felt warm. It felt just right, but I had been a bit upset when I couldn¡¯t move freely. Still, I hadn¡¯t touched her chest, likest time. I slowly rose from the sofa, careful not to wake her. Tia continued to sleep as if she was going to catch up on all the sleep she had missed out on these past few nights. I had raised my body carefully, and Tia continued to breathe consistently, as if not having noticed my absence. As I stood from the sofa, my mind still felt hazy and half-asleep. I walked slowly to the bathroom and roughly washed my hair and body. I had promised myself that as soon as I awoke, I would go shopping. We had just enough food to somehow scrabble together a breakfast, but I had to go buy ingredients for lunch and dinner. After I had washed, Tia woke up. She seemed a bit tired, sitting on the sofa and dozing. ¡°Tia, if you feel sleepy, you can sleep some more.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered me immediately from her half-conscious state. She then fell back on the sofa to see if she needed more sleep: She fell asleep at once. Judging by her energy levels, I guessed she would sleep until lunchtime. She didn¡¯t have a nket, but the weather wasn¡¯t that cold, and her body was warm, so I figured that she wouldn¡¯t catch a cold and get sick. I watched her sleep for a moment and then headed into the kitchen. After I had eaten breakfast, I prepared another meal with the remaining ingredients for Tia. ¡°When you wake up, I¡¯ve made some rice, so eat it.¡± ¡°Yeah~¡± ¡°I¡¯m going out to the markets.¡± ¡°Wow~¡± Tia¡¯s answers sounded hazy. She must¡¯ve been talking in her sleep. I took out some of the money I had received from selling pelts and gemstones the day before, put it in my pocket, and headed out, heading south along the street. Serenia was divided by boulevards that head east, west, north, and south. There were many guilds and inns in the northern section, and that area was encircled by a low castle wall. Many adventurers and mercenaries came and went in the western quarter, while almost anything could be found along the the Tower, and general stores, cksmiths¡¯ forges, clothing stores, and restaurants. shopspeted for business, selling all kinds of things, groceries included. Thanks to this, it was the quarter most visited by the citizens of Serenia. Serenia was densely popted for a city of its size, so the consumption of goods was significant. Therefore, there were many merchants who formed caravans and head here. They came along the road every week to supply all the goods consumed within the city walls, and that was how the people living in the Serenian province were able to buy fresh vegetables and high-grade meat from all corners of the continent. As soon as I came upon the southern saw the great crowds of people. The road itself was a wide, a fourne one, so it was easy to get around peacefully even when it was crowded. If the road had been narrow, things would have beenplicated and messy. There were a lot of things I had to buy, so I had to get busy if I wanted to be back by lunch. After I had skillfully bargained with merchants and shopped for goods at bargain prices, both my arms soon began to bear the weight of my purchases. I had roughly bought everything that I needed. I began heading home with all the things I had purchased, a weight that should by rights not be carried by a child. If no one had watched, I could have put everything into my {Bag}, but there were eyes everywhere, so it could not be helped. Thest thing I had to buy was at the far end of South Avenue, so I had to go back all the way I came. I carried tworge paper bags and one carton box, which was a lot of baggage for a small child. I was going to carry all of these home, walking on the road that headed away from the markets, when I heard murmurs around me. These were the people who had some idle time on their hands, heading to the southern quarter to buy ingredients for their midday meals. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Judah?¡± ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know a bookworm would turn out to be a hunter. Yes, just like his grandfather.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªA true noble child. I want to make him my grandson-inw, but I don¡¯t have a granddaughter! Einghaha-haha.¡± I heard the two talk. They were having a strangely pleasant conversation. I figured it was because I was usually friendly and well-mannered and that those two always sat there and talked about people, but I soon realized I had to change my thoughts on their exchange. Not one or two, but rather many people who passed me by stopped, looked at me and started talking about something that had happened. Is something weird going on? At first, I thought, ¡°It¡¯s not about me,¡± but the same name kept cropping up, the name that was by now so familiar to my ears. Judah. It was an unusual name, and it was okay for me to guess that not many folks on this continent would have it. Hans and Charles: These weremon names that many people shared, but thus far, I had never encountered anyone else named Judah. I turned my head to those who spoke, wanting to know what was going on. Those who met my gaze became flustered, but they soon nodded, greeting me with happy smiles. ¡°?¡± What, why is everyone so kind? I held the packets and box in both my hands, so I couldn¡¯t greet them properly. I just nodded my greetings. It might seem spoiled, arrogant, but it was better than not saying hello at all. After greeting them, I hurriedly walked on and left them behind. Something strange is going on with the citizens of Serenia today. Some people would pass me by as if not knowing me, but the moment that there was some distance between us, they would swing around, p their hands, and whistle while looking straight at me. Is this a new type of bullying or some trick? As I didn¡¯t know the reason, I figured that I should just be grateful for the praise and apuse that they gave me. When I arrived at my house, I put the groceries down and opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m back, Tia.¡± I heard no answer. When I entered quietly, thinking she was asleep, I noticed something strange. ¡°Uh?¡± There was a pair of shoes by the front door which had not been there when I had left. They were fairlyrge shoes, maybe a 280, also called a size 9. Was Kaseun visiting? Since no one else came here, it was fairly easy for me to figure out the owner of the shoes. I first ced the packets and box inside, next to the front door. As I closed the door and began to take off my shoes, I heard footsteps behind me. ¡°Ah, are you here?¡± Tia yawned and scratched her head. Her silky hair was tangled after she had slept. ¡°Yes. Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°No. I couldn¡¯t sleep. I really couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked as I removed my shoes and ced them neatly on their spot. Tia approached me with a greedy expression and opened the grocery box, rummaging through it. Meat, fruit, and vegetables: There were no snacks. ¡°Because themander came. He rushed here first thing in the morning and knocked on the door. It¡¯s annoying. Whye here so early when I¡¯m sleeping so fucking damn good?¡± This wasn¡¯t like Tia. She was a mercenary, so it was natural for her to swear, but when she was with me, she was always as patient as possible. Now that she had unconsciously sworn so, I felt a bit bad. As she continued to rummage through the groceries, she smacked her tongue when she atst found nothing to eat. I took a bag of dried fruit from the {Bag]. It had been intended to be eaten in the forest, but we didn¡¯t get the chance. When I handed it to Tia, she cried, ¡°Oh!¡± Her ears wriggled above her head, and her tail flicked and then wrapped around her hips. Tia seemed sincerely happy, and she smiled as she looked at me. ¡°Oh, you must have had a hard time shopping. Take it to the kitchen and thene to the living room. I¡¯ll pack it all awayter.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Tia went to the living room with her bag of dried fruit. While I carried the groceries, I nced at the living room and saw Kaseun sleeping on the sofa, sitting upright with his neck hanging. He was snoring loudly. I put everything on the kitchen table and went into the living room. Tia was sitting on a single-seater couch and groaned in delight as she ate the fruit, kicking one of the sofas with her tiptoes. ¡°Commander, wake up. Judah is here.¡± ¡°Kuuhhupmgh!¡± Kaseun awoke, inhaling a rush of air. A memory of my real father shed through my mind. Kaseun nced at me, blinked a few times, and then seemed fully awake. ¡°Well¡­ Yes. Judah. It¡¯s been a while. Heo-huh,¡± he said, then cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s been a while? It¡¯s been less than a week. Are you senile,mander? You are getting older, you know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk so harshly with me, Gentia. I¡¯m sorry for having woken you.¡± Tia continued to chew the dried fruit. I could tell that she really wanted to talk kindly with Kaseun, but she still felt angry because of him bothering her in the morning. ¡°But what¡¯s going on?¡± Tia asked. ¡°It¡¯s important. Do you think I¡¯ll bother you if I didn¡¯t have a good reason? Huh, huh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Tia said as she saw Kaseun¡¯s eyes, closing her mouth as she avoided his gaze. ¡°Why the hell are you so crooked?¡± ¡°Yeah- Yeah- Because of someone bothering me and pretending not to know, I¡¯m so crooked!¡± Kaseun groaned and then ignored Tia. ¡°Anyway. Judah, if you went shopping, you should have headed along South Avenue, yes?¡± ¡°Yes, there were a lot of people there this morning.¡± ¡°Certainly, a whole lot. But didn¡¯t you notice anything strange when you headed home?¡± I had, but I was ashamed to answer Kaseun. He already seemed to know what was going on. His face didn¡¯t look so different from all the people who had so warmly greeted me as I returned home. ¡°You seem to know something. People looked at me strangely¡­ But I don¡¯t know why.¡± ¡°Huh huh huh. It¡¯s your right! It¡¯s only natural for people to look at you. Lord Peerchen has directly praised you, Judah. Everyone who looked at you has probably read the bulletin board.¡± ¡°The notice board?¡± When I came to think of it, I did see a lot of people around the board in the central square. Some of them had even pped their hands. But why would the lord praise me? I was so curious that I wanted to head to the square, but then rethought the impulse. I didn¡¯t know if I could face such an embarrassing amount of public attention. I was far from being used to this and so nervous. It was the first time in my life that so many people had paid direct attention to me. ¡°Okay, Judah, here¡¯s a letter. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about, but it¡¯s a letter written by the lord and sent to you. Since I am your guardian, someone delivered it at the mansion.¡± Kaseun handed me the envelope which had been on the table, the one I had nced at. The envelope was sealed with wax and was of normal size, and it had no writing on its cover. As I unsealed it and took out the folded letter, Tia stood up from across me,ing to lean in behind my back, curious to read it as well. Her chin rested on my shoulder. I nced at her fruity mouth. ¡°What? Go ahead and open it. Read what it¡¯s about.¡± I unfolded the letter. The lengthy letter was written in a neat and easy to read script. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ To Judah Arche, Chapelin Peerchen, Lord of Serenia, sends you this letter. I received a reportst night of hunters returning from ughtering ck wolves in the eastern forest. It was said that a child had gone there with a white-silver disk mercenary. Truly, the news that this brave boy, still only thirteen years of age, had faced and hunted ferocious ck wolves was unbelievable. Forgive me for my doubts, but I had to be sure. Therefore I asked a person in my employ to trace the pelts that had been sold to the clothiers and the Tower. I learned that the mercenary from the Baekje Empire, who had been with you in the forest, has praised you for killing many wolves by yourself. It was then that I knew that it must be true: A boy of thirteen had killed so many ck wolves while traveling through the woods with a white-silver mercenary. And so, I apud and praise the young boy for his bravery and exceptional skill at hunting. The citizens of Serenia have grown concerned by the recent migration of ck wolves into the eastern forest. Your diligence surely helps the citizens of this fine city to gain peace of mind. As Lord of Serenia, I will disy this letter on the bulletin board of the central za to give you credit for your deeds. As a sign of my gratitude for your actions, it is with joy that I invite you to dine and converse with me tonight. If you have the time, please visit infortable clothes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ It was an invitation. Usually, if a boy went out with a mercenary, wouldn¡¯t it be right to think of him as a porter? Obviously, when people had seen Tia with the wolf skins, she had told them that I had killed them, but¡­ I had figured people would think she was joking. I could see that Tia, who had read the letter with me, thought along the same lines. She looked at the letter with a disgruntled frown and then went to fall back into her couch. ¡°Well, I also killed wolves, but why do I only get mentioned in three sentences? Does everyone think I didn¡¯t hunt at all? Of course, I didn¡¯t kill so many, but I still did!¡± Kaseun smiled. ¡°I have yours, too. Here you go.¡± Kaseun put his hand behind his back and pulled out the slightly crumpled envelope that he had kept hidden. Unlike my letter, this one was in a pink envelope. Tia gave a yelp as she saw Kaseun pull it out and immediately stole it from his hand. ¡°You¡¯re mad! You¡¯re all dressed up and sweaty, and you hide it there!? Oh, I really don¡¯t like today at all!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be annoyed so much, at least show some respect to an old man.¡± ¡°Honor is for dogs¡ªEveryone else knows that. And mymander can never grow old.¡± Tia looked up when she heard Kaseun chuckling. She raised her middle finger before opening up her own letter. [I¡¯m falling asleep amd making extra mistakes¡­ I¡¯m going to try to wake myself up brb.] Chapter 38

Chapter 38

38==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem The letter was wrinkled, but it could still be read. Tia read it and handed it over to Judah, who was curious. There wasn¡¯t much difference between the letters, both were written along the same lines, and both included an invitation to dinner. ¡°Are you going?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a lord¡¯s dinner. Judah, you don¡¯t know this yet, but if lords use the word ¡®dinner,¡¯ then it really is a dinner. The food will be more delicious and high-ss than any you can eat at themander¡¯s mansion. You simply have to go there and eat it all.¡± Tia had been invited to dine with lords a few times, and every time she did, she enjoyed food of the highest quality. ¡°In this case, let¡¯s skip today¡¯s lunch. We should go to dinner with empty stomachs and eat a lot.¡± Tia gave a single nce at Kaseun and then left the room with a snort. ¡°Hmm. Grandpa, are you going, too?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited that we¡¯ll be going to something together? I am your guardian, Judah. I will apany you to the castle, and luckily, someone ising to pick us up.¡± Judah nodded and re-read the letter. At seven o¡¯clock in the evening, a carriage will pick them up from the front of the house. It was written that casual, everyday clothes were eptable ¨C There was no need for formal dress. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know anything about etiquette. Would it matter?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t care. Whether you value etiquette or not, you are still well-mannered, Judah, and you are still young.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good thing then.¡± Kaseun nodded as he looked at Judah. ¡°But if I want to enter the wider world, shouldn¡¯t I know basic etiquette?¡± Judah asked Kaseun, who replied that he would teach him if he wanted. ¡°Etiquette can be handy, and the day will surelye when you will use it. But it differs from country to country. You just need to be polite. Well, it¡¯s okay to see what others do and then to imitate them.¡± ¡°Please teach me only the basics. You don¡¯t have to go into all the details.¡± Fortunately, there remained a lot of time before Lord Peerchen sent his carriage. However, after Judah heard the basic manners, there was nothing much to it. When you say hello, you must politely lower your head and then look right under the lord¡¯s eyes. If you shake hands, make eye contact. When you eat food, don¡¯t eat it out loud, and when you drink water, don¡¯t slurp it up or make any other noises. If you need something, don¡¯t shout at the maid; raise your hand. They were all simple things. While Judah learned about etiquette from Kaseun, Tia was choosing which clothes to wear. Although she had been a mercenary for a long time, she was also a woman. So, she had a lot of clothes to choose from. She even had a dress or two that she had bought at high prices. Kaseun nced at Tia as she headed in and out of the bathroom trying on clothes, and then asked, ¡°Judah, what are you going to wear?¡± ¡°My clothes? Well, the letter said I coulde infortable clothes, so I¡¯m thinking of wearing what I wear every day. I¡¯m a child anyway, so I don¡¯t need to put much emphasis on etiquette when ites to clothes, right?¡± Even when Judah bought clothes, he didn¡¯t buy stuff that was fancy. Since he was growing, he wouldn¡¯t be able to wear them after a year anyway, so he tended to refrain from unnecessary spending. asionally, Tia took him to buy clothes for fun, but he didn¡¯t buy neat clothes except on such asions. Kaseun thought that he should buy Judah some clothes, but when he saw the boy¡¯s annoyed expression, he relented. He had already told Judah that there was no reason to enforce etiquette on young children, nor was it necessary to force them to wear fancy clothes. Kaseun sincerely taught Judah a bit more about etiquette as he understood it, and as time passed, hey down on the sofa and fell asleep. Kaseun¡¯sst thought was that the sofa could be slept upon surprisinglyfortably. ¡°Judah,e here for a bit.¡± Judah sighed as he heard the call from Tia¡¯s room and then headed into it. Tia was sitting and wearing a white dress, a beautiful and revealing dress. However, the back of it was wide open, and Judah saw that the zipper had not been lifted because Tia struggled to reach it properly. ¡°Come to my back and pull up this zipper.¡± Tia¡¯s healthy, smooth skin and her white underwear were very much visible. She didn¡¯t seem to use anything like a corset. No, Judah decided, her slim body did not require one. ¡°Quickly.¡± Even though she only showed her bare back to him, Judah was still a bit sad that she did not seem ashamed in hispany at all. Judah still seemed to be just a child to her, even though her [favorability] had risen. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too brash, too exposed? Remember, I¡¯m a man too,¡± Judahined as he pulled up the zipper. He saw her ears wriggling above her dark silky hair. ¡°Huh, what? Exposed? Man?¡± Tia asked as she turned her head and looked down at Judah. There was some mirth in her expression. ¡°Well, well. My Judah is a man. I want to eat him.¡± Tia licked her lips and smiled. Usually, children grow afraid if she says this to them. Even though Tia had said it, Judah blushed rather than looking surprised. Of course, Judah was not thirteen years old, but rather a young man in his mid-twenties. There was no way that he didn¡¯t know what she meant. When Judah gulped in surprise, Tiaughed. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Now, how does your mistress look? Beautiful?¡± Tia stood from her seat and turned in a full circle. The white dress clung to her body, showing her curves and the lines of her legs, and it suited her well. ¡°Pretty,¡± Judah said as he looked at her and nodded. He thought that she looked okay with her hair loose, yet if it was properly done, Tia would look really good with it tied back. He told her this. As he wondered about it, he mused that his tastes had changed. ¡°It¡¯s so nice when our Judah says I¡¯m pretty, huh?¡± Her tail flicked, and she seemed very happy. Suddenly, Tia¡¯s gaze roved over Judah¡¯s clothes. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re not going to wear that, right?¡± She told Judah that he looked uneptable, so she grabbed him and headed straight for his closet on the second floor. They passed Kaseun, but he didn¡¯t notice as he snored away on the living room sofa, taking his nap. Tia started taking all of Judah¡¯s clothes from the closet and dressed him in them. Judah was repeatedly dressed and undressed like a doll for a long while. He finally came to wear ck trousers, a white shirt, and the ck coat that he usually wore when going out hunting. ¡°I have to buy you some clothes. I bought some, and you only wore them a few times. And now there is a whole lot of them that don¡¯t fit you anymore,¡± Tia said in a regretful manner as she looked at all the clothes she had thrown onto a separate pile on the bed. The preparations were finally done. Tia returned to her room and sat before the mirror, following Judah¡¯s advice that she would look prettier with her hair tied up. After about two hours, a knock was heard on the door. ¡°Are you there!?¡± ¡®Dufk dufk dufk!¡¯ It seemed as if the person was politely knocking, but the sound resonated loudly through the house. When Tia and Judah went out, there stood a middle-aged gentleman dressed as a butler. He put his right hand over his heart, and politely made a deep bow as he greeted them. ¡°The Lord has invited Judah Arche and Gentia to dinner. I think you know this, but I have to ask: Are you ready?¡± + + + Serenia Castle ¨C Lord Peerchen¡¯s Office Chapelin Peerchen. It was the name of the current head of the Peerchen family, a family that had been protecting and developing Serenia for three generations. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Chapelin had maintained the title of b Wielder of the Sword}, and even though the Peerchens were called lords, they were, in fact, more like the kings of thisnd. True enough, when Chapelin visited other countries, he was treated just like a king. This was also because he was a man of honor. He had an especial admiration for those who practiced the martial arts ¨C He always went out of his way to treat them well. Just like the two trainees who now sat before him. The knight with the red hair in leather armor was Ea, a probationary Flying Fighter from the Baekje empire. The blue-haired knight on the other side wore ordinary clothes and was named Jeanne, a Blue Lancer from the Byron Empire. As knights that belonged to states which shed with each other like fire and water, the two of them had naturally shown hostility toward one another. However, because Lord Peerchen was present, Jeanne had closed her eyes and ignored Ea¡¯s deadly nces so as to not offend her host. If Lord Peerchen had been absent, they would have drawn their swords and fought without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Peerchen was reading the documents handed to him by the two knights. Each one was stamped by the emperors of the Byron Empire and the Baekje Empire, respectively, yet their contents were simr. I would like you to inform my Imperial Knight about any new developments rted to the fragment, and I would like you to attach a mercenary to them who is familiar with the geography of the surrounding area¡­ Well, that was all they said. And this was a request that Peerchen had received several times before. He didn¡¯t need to read a sentence more. Peerchen nced at the documents and threw them down on his desk. Jeanne now opened her eyes when she heard the sound, and Ea, who had been staring at her, looked away. ¡°¡­!¡± The two knights became flustered when they saw the documents discarded to the desk. Peerchen¡¯s actions were rude, in and simple. He throws down documents with the personal seals of the two emperors who are fighting for supremacy of the first continent, and he had not even polite when he had done it. There was no hesitation in Peerchen¡¯s actions, even though two knights who had pledged allegiance to the emperor were in front of him. Of course, even though they had seen it, they couldn¡¯t say anything. They couldn¡¯t shout at a man for being rude while they sat in his castle. ¡°Every time the Baekje Empire and the Byron Empire dispatch their knights here, the contents of these documents are exactly the same.¡± There sat the Flying Fighter, Ea, and the Blue Lancer, Jeanne. They didn¡¯t know anything, so they couldn¡¯t say anything. Peerchen¡¯s gaze was indifferent, as he had not been expecting an answer in the first ce. ¡°However, when my father and grandfather reigned, it was elite or advanced knights who came to bring me pieces of paper. But this time, it¡¯s two apprentices¡­ It seems that the empires have almost given up. Even after one-hundred-and-fifty years, they have achieved nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you ever find all the fragments?¡± Peerchen asked in a mocking voice. Not only his eyes but also his words were dismissing those before him. ¡°If they start sending me trainees, it means that they are about done.¡± In the past, elite and senior knights, far superior to these two, had been dispatched at regr intervals to find the fragment that Pernen had dropped near Serenia. But they couldn¡¯t find it at all and so went back to their empires. Not only they but many other people flocked here to find the fragment, yet none did. What shape it has or what it looks like; what powers and characteristics it has, and where it could be found: No one had the slightest clue. In addition, there are many ruins of the Magic Empire from ages past, which made it doubly difficult to distinguish a relic from a fragment. ¡°Even if you assemble the most professional of teams, you¡¯re unlikely to find it. So what can two barely-trained knights from the empires hope to achieve?¡± ¡°It will be hard, but I can find it,¡± Ea stated. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible at all,¡± came Jeanne¡¯s response. Peerchen just shrugged andy back in his chair. ¡°Well, okay, if you can find it, then go look for it. It¡¯s been a hundred and fifty years, so it¡¯s high time for it to appear. If you¡¯re lucky, you¡¯ll find it.¡± ¡°Then what about the support the emperor asked for?¡± Blue Lancer Jeanne asked Peerchen politely as she looked at him. ¡°No. Why would I grant his request?¡± All the knights dispatched by the Byron Empire had brought their emperor¡¯s letter, yet the request therein had never been granted. Moreover, it was not possible to send an assassin against the Peerchen family, as they have been b Wielders of the Sword} for generations. Economic sanctions were meaningless against Serenia, for it was so geographically distant from the empire. It was a very useless territory overall, and to invade it, the empire would have to march its armies through several other countries. Peerchen did not have to be afraid because he was in a position of strength, thus his confidence. ¡®Duk Duk.¡¯ Just as he was about to let the two silent knights go, there came a knock on the door, and then someone entered as they opened it. It was a maid in a ssic maid¡¯s uniform. She looked down at the knights as if they were nothing much and then delivered a message to Peerchen. ¡°My lord, your guests have arrived. Where shall I guide them?¡± Peerchen¡¯s face suddenly became bright, an expression that he had not shown to the two knights until now. ¡°Oh, yes? Then politely guide them to the dining room. Let¡¯s go right away.¡± Chapter 39

Chapter 39

39==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Lord Peerchen cleaned up his desk. The two knights were confused. What manner of guest visits that Chapelin Peerchen, who had handled them so coldly, would suddenly moving around with a bright expression on his face? There wasn¡¯t much clutter, so he quickly finished tidying up and stood from his chair. ¡°I think that our business is done, so can you go?¡± ¡°I have one question. Is that okay?¡± Ea asked. ¡°Does it matter that much? Can¡¯t you hold onto your questions for longer?¡± Peerchen looked at Ea, and she held a hard expression as if dissatisfied. ¡°Who the hell are these guests to suddenly make you smile so brightly?¡± After having talked with that damned blue spear knight, Peerchen had ignored Ea, even looked down on her. They were also his guests; the treatment they were receiving was very different. Ea was dissatisfied with it. ¡°Curious about that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well, what can I say, Ea? I can say that he is a young hero who has helped me get rid of the anxiety that was festering in the hearts of my people.¡± ¡®A young hero? A hero is a hero, calling him young is a waste of words.¡¯ Peerchenughed when he saw Ea¡¯s expression. ¡°I¡¯d like to exin, but I can¡¯t make my guests wait. Come and see for yourself. Then you¡¯ll understand what I mean.¡± Peerchen had stood near the door and now left the office, with the two knights following him. The two nced at each other and said nothing. While walking through the corridor, Ea walked past the window and absentmindedly looked outside. Two maids of the castle were waiting; a soon enough, a carriage came trundling through the wide-open gates of Serenia Castle. The luxurious carriage was led by four white horses and was definitely a carriage fit for lords. My God, was he such an important person that he is brought here in the lord¡¯s personal carriage? The carriage came to a gentle halt. One of the maids approached it, politely opened the door, and bowed her head. ¡®Who the hell is this hero?¡¯ Contrary to Ea¡¯s expectations, it wasn¡¯t a young man who stepped out. It was a very young-looking boy, and her expectations copsed. ¡°It¡¯s a child,¡± Ea said as she stopped descending the flight of stairs. Upon hearing her voice, Jeanne, the Blue Lancer, also looked out the window. There was a ck-haired boy, a pretty Suin woman, and a sturdy old man with white hair: A total of three people had exited the carriage. It was certainly a stretch to call such a boy a hero. ¡°Oh. They came faster than I thought. Hurry up.¡± Peerchen moved quickly, clearly happy, and his long strides were still somehow taken leisurely. He really wanted to go down those stairs to meet his guests. Jeanne followed behind the jolly Peerchen, as if she was content, and Ea bit her lips in resentment when she noticed this. + + + ¡°We are here,¡± Kaseun said while looking at the surroundingndscape from where he sat by the window. I stayed silent, nodding. I hadn¡¯t visited Serenia Castle from the northern idea what the distance between here and my house would be via carriage. We arrived almost immediately at the gates, after only twenty minutes in the carriage. If I had known it was so fast, then they wouldn¡¯t have had to send the carriage out for us. Of course, it was a new experience for me to ride in the grand and gorgeous mode of transport used by lords. Still, it was a bother to look out of the window, because all the citizens we passed by figured us for the lord, so they kept waving and staring. I looked at Tia, who sat across from me in the carriage. She had dozed off for a while, and Kaseun was looking at the scenery with his arms hanging out of the window. The carriage soon stopped, and I saw two women dressed as maids waiting with their hands neatly folded. One of them opened the door of the carriage. I got out first because I sat by the door. After that, Kaseun and Tia followed me out, one after the other. I admired the fortress-like appearance of the lord¡¯s residence. I had always looked at it from a distance, but now that I was so near to its walls, it lookedpletely different than it did from afar. Serenia Castle was truly a unique structure. There was a single wall surrounding the castle, but the double wall that ran to the east, west, north, and south reached all the way here, so it was possible to set up a first and second line of defense. If you included the castle itself, there was a third line of defense as well, but the truth was that once the second line was breached, the third line became meaningless, near-indefensible. The fortress would stand, but it would then be only a matter of time for it to fall by siege. Anyway, the walls of Serenia Castle had been erected by the people who had settled here first, so they a stronger symbolic meaning than their purpose as a means of defense. Like a tourist on a trip, I looked at the castle grounds with admiration. Tia was watching me, and I caught her smiling at me as if I was cute. ¡°I guess you haven¡¯te here yet?¡± Kaseun asked as he looked around. The maid next to him bowed and said, ¡°Lord Peerchen is talking with solicitors right now, so he told me to guide you to the dining room at once. He said he¡¯d being soon, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you wait a moment. Then he-¡° ¡°No, we¡¯ll wait,¡± Kaseun said as he interrupted the maid, smiling and nodding. He was looking toward a closed door. ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to go first. If he¡¯sing down, we¡¯ll all go together.¡± Just as Kaseun said this, the door was flung open and crashed into the wall with a loud banging noise. The noise was enough to draw everyone¡¯s attention. Tia and I had been appreciating the castle¡¯s scenery, so we looked around in amazement. A middle-aged man walked out with a bright expression, followed by two women, one red-haired and the other blue-haired. I made eye contact with the blue-haired girl behind the man, who I presumed to be Chapelin Peerchen. ¡®That¡¯s Jeanne.¡¯ It was the girl I had seenst week before I went out to hunt ck wolves. Jeanne Art Loire. I didn¡¯t know why she, a Blue Lancer, would be here. When our eyes met, hers stretched wide, and she looked surprised as if remembering me. I naturally shifted my gaze to the red-haired woman next to Jeanne. If Jeanne, a Blue Lancer, is here, and there is a woman of opposing colors next to her¡­ She would be the Flying Fighter, ¡®Ea.¡¯ And my prediction proved correct. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Ea] [Title: None] [True name: The Proud Rose] [Level: 18] [upation: Fighter (B)] [Race: Human] [Strength: 33(D) / Potential A] [Health: 28(D) / Potential B] [Agility: 34(D) / Potential S] [Magic: 46(D) / Potential A] [Magical Resistance: 41(C) / Potential A] [Charisma: 55(C) / Potential A] ? Special [Knowledge: 25(D) / Potential C] ? Special [Luck: 62(C) / Potential B] ? Special [Likeability: -30 (dislike)] [Reliability: -35 (boundary)] ¡¸Talent 4/5¡¹ [Rose Flower Thorns]-Rank: A [Unyielding Spirit]-Rank: A [Unstoppable Attack]-Rank: B [Master Fighter]-Rank: D ¡¸Skill 3/5¡¹ [Battle Stance]-Rank: B [Ready to Counterattack]-B [Imperial Swordsmanship-Fighter 3333]-Rank: B ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I knew it. When I saw a Blue Lance Knight here, I had a hunch that the other woman was a Flying Fighter, and I was right. There was a hidden quest in my game with simr conditions. Flying Fighters were the elite knights of the Baekje empire, just as the Blue Lancers were the elite knights of the Byron Empire. The Flying Fighters wield swords in both their hands and deal with their enemies with their immense offensive powers. Their ability to evade attacks is high, and they are able to spot most iing attacks and avoid them. I knew that, like Jeann, Ea¡¯s progress through the game bes quite smooth once the yer meets her. The Blue Lance Knights of the Byron Empire, and the Flying Fighters of the Baekje empire: The two orders are diametrically opposed. You can say that their values, inclinations, andbat methods are the exact opposite. Since the founding of the two empires, these two knightly orders have faced each other countless times. If a Blue Lancer is an imprable shield, then the Flying Fighter can be likened to a spear that can pierce through anything. They have shed in numerous wars to prove whose methodology is correct. The spear has pierced through the shield, and the shield has shattered the spear. The two knights might have entered the meeting together, but they had been raised to believe that they were sworn enemies, and the one had to defeat the other if they met. Of course, when they meet in another country, it ismon for them not to duel lest they tarnish one another¡¯s honor. These two, I knew, were different. They would fightter; that¡¯s what happens in the hidden quest. The Blue Lancer and the Flying Fighter both came here to find the fragment, and they will meet in a specific ce, where they will wage a deadly battle. Of course, since it is a hidden quest, certain conditions are to be met for it to happen, but it isn¡¯t that difficult to trigger them. I quietly looked down at Ea¡¯s status screen and then saw something that made me feel ashamed. ¡®Her likability and reliability¡­ Why are they running into the negative?¡¯ It was an unexpected development, and it made me feel embarrassed. This was the first time I¡¯ve ever met her, so if her personality sliders were in the negative, then it meant that something was wrong. Some of Ea¡¯s background settings came into my memory. ¡¸¡­ She is proud of her nobility. However, Ea is cold and harsh to those who are not aristocrats. She regards mercenaries and adventurers as insignificant and thinks that she can control them with money. But¡­ ¡¹ Was she currently following that setting? ¡®I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ If her likability and favorability were this low from the beginning, then it would be difficult to raise them. So as things stood, I now had no choice but to choose the Blue Lancer as mypanion. Just as I was about to check his stats, skills, and characteristics, I made eye contact with the lord. I shut the status screen when I saw him approach with a bright smile. ¡°Oh, wee young hero, and beautiful-¡° ¡°Lord Peerchen!¡± Ea shouted just as he was about to greet Tia. I chuckled when I saw the lord stop trying to speak. His bright expression slowly hardened. His nice smile disappeared. Even if you spoke with a voice filled with kindness, if someone else shouted out in irritation or anger, then the polite voice will be overpowered by the rude pig¡¯s shouting. No one wanted to hear someone shout like that unless they happened to have rather peculiar tastes. Fortunately, there seemed to be no such rare exceptions among all those gathered. As I saw the lord¡¯s stern face, I thought that I might have to pray for the Flying Fighter¡¯s silence. Still, whether it was because he figured that he was with his guests, or whether merely due to his lordly nature, Peerchen remained patient. I was right, though: Chapelin Peerchen had suffered a rapid deterioration in his mood when he heard the voice of Ea, who had interfered with his attempt to great his guests in a pleasurable manner. I took a breath and closed my eyes as I felt emotions starting to re up. ¡°Yes, do you have anything else to say?¡± came Peerchen¡¯s deadpan reply. ¡°Yes, I do. A lot, in fact.¡± If you are in the position of a lord, you will have doubtless experienced a lot of things. Ea was still blue in the face and young, so she probably didn¡¯t know proper manners yet. ¡®But she¡¯s a noble, aren¡¯t manners supposed to be second nature to her?¡¯ Even if a person doesn¡¯t know anything about etiquette, they must surely understand that it¡¯s not polite to interrupt someone else and that certain things should only be said at certain times. Peerchen gave us a wink and stuck out his tongue, and he then turned and looked at Ea. ¡°Tell me. What did you shout at me for? If you are on your way and just wanted to say goodbye, go well. It was nice to meet you.¡± ¡®So please leave my presence right away: of course, he didn¡¯t say this aloud, but I saw it in his bearing.¡¯ Ea wasn¡¯t foolish enough to misinterpret the true intent of Peerchen¡¯s words. She was rather intelligent, so she understood all too well. She knew her behavior was rude, but she groaned and moaned inwardly at the feeling of being ignored. I could see all of this from studying her face. ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Not at all! Does it make sense to treat us like this if we came here with letters from empires? Not from some two-bit kingdom, but a letter handwritten by the emperor himself? This is an obvious act of disregarding the empire! It¡¯s rude!¡± ¡°¡­¡¯ ¡°So, we¡¯re to be handled worse than some little kid? I wasn¡¯t hoping to be treated, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s written in the letter, and it doesn¡¯t even matter if you refused it! If that kid is your guest, then we¡¯re also guests. I was hoping for proper courtesy and conduct when I came here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A kid? A mercenary? Some old guy? It¡¯s ridiculous! What kind of hero can a kid be? And it¡¯s natural for the peasants to do things for their lord. It is definitely wise to praise them now and again to boost their morale, but to do thi-¡° ¡°Stop,¡± Peerchen interrupted Ea. He looked to her side and met Jeanne¡¯s eyes, and the Blue Lancer held his gaze. He then asked, ¡°Jeanne, do you think I¡¯m being harsh?¡± Chapter 40

Chapter 40

40==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Jeanne responded without hesitation to Peerchen¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t like that I¡¯m thinking the same thing as this Flying Fighter, so while not an officialint, I have to admit that I do not understand your actions, Lord Peerchen.¡± And Jeanne could not understand them, for he had told her nothing. Even after he had read the emperor¡¯s handwritten letter and clearly refused the request, he had remained silent on the matter. Jeanne had rather expected him to refuse and would have been greatly surprised had he epted it. ¡°You feel that way then?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Jeanne responded modestly and said no more. Peerchen sighed in front of his guests, thinking that they must not be finding this exchange a pleasant sight. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t have the time, so I¡¯ll simply tell you this, Sir Ea: I¡¯m sorry to have united you two, who hate each other, on this matter, but I¡¯m annoyed by the emperors. They are annoying.¡± ¡°!¡± Ea took a deep breath. Her flushed face showed that she would be questioning his statement at any moment, but Peerchen held up his palm, showing that she had to wait before speaking. He spoke on. ¡°I¡¯m not wrong, so keep listening. Of course, I am sorry not to have treated knights as proper guests. Honestly, I am to me, so I politely ask for your forgiveness. Since you brought the letter here, am I correct in assuming that you came to me acting on behalf of the Baekje Empire?¡± Ea looked rattled. There seemed to be something to Peerchen¡¯s words, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what. And she couldn¡¯t deny his statement. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she breathed. ¡°Ah! Then I am able to justify my actions, and to you as well, Sir Jeanne. I don¡¯t treat robbers as guests.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Peerchen had just likened their empires to robbers. ¡°Thisnd is a neutral country where anyone cane and go freely. No one dares to do evil in mynd by using their positions in their home country as justification. It is the same even for those thate from empires. ¡°The fragments will only appear to those who are led by fate itself, to the true master. No one has found it up till now, a hundred-and-fifty years after its fall, because there has been none who are worthy. Yet, for the longest time, the two empires have dispatched knights carrying only letters, who asked my family for cooperation on their quests. ¡°I heard from my grandfather that, at first, we cooperated. But as time passed, the imperial demands became greater and greater, until, at longst, my grandfather refused the requests outright. There were a lot of the lords of that time saying: ¡®Lord Peerchen rejects the empires and is not afraid to face them.¡¯ My grandfather, well, he was also a Wielder of the Sword, so he stood firm and remained silent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since then, the two empires have be annoyances to us Peerchens, not allies or overlords. So please, don¡¯t feel too dissatisfied that you didn¡¯t receive the proper treatment in my halls. Your seniors have also been shown away from here with the same treatment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ea didn¡¯t argue anymore, but she was still dissatisfied. It would have been understandable if Lord Peerchen treated all his guests in this manner, but why was she being treated worse than a little kid? Peerchen seemed to notice her brooding thoughts, so he added, ¡°If you still can¡¯t understand, then try bing a person who I will dly and politely host as a guest. Do something for my people like the young hero behind me, or be the Wielder of the Sword, like Sir Kaseun next to him¡­¡± As Ea heard the lord¡¯s words, she looked at the old man, and her face looked a bit surprised. Even though he was old, she hadn¡¯t figured him to be an ordinary man due to his bulging, trained muscles, and the subtle auraing from him. But she would never have guessed him to be a Wielder of the Sword. And when her mind linked the terms ¡®Wielder of the Sword¡¯ and ¡®Kaseun¡¯, she recalled that he was one of the honorary nobles of Baekje, a man whose name was legendary. ¡°¡­so if you find any fragments, I will dly host you.¡± Peerchen stopped talking, figuring that he had wasted enough of his time with polite conversation. He turned his back on the knights as if he was done with them. He then apologized to Judah, Tia, and Kaseun and directed them to the dining room. As Ea watched their retreating backs, she snapped awake a bit toote and then ground her teeth in resentment. + + + Lord Peerchen guided us to the dining room after he had spoken to the knights. He remained silent until we entered the castle. It seemed to me that he wanted to get out of sight of the Flying Fighter and the Blue Lancer, who had looked ready to tear each other to shreds. ¡°I apologize, Sir Kaseun.¡± ¡°No, my lord, there is no need. I understandpletely.¡± Lord Peerchen and Kaseun conducted small talk as if they knew each other. It was like seeing two close friends talk. The age difference did seem great, so I think it was due to theirmon positions as {Wielder of the Sword}. As the lord conversed with Kaseun, it meant that he was too distracted to realize he had not yet spoken with me. Thanks to that, I was able to study every corner of the castle without being burdened by social obligations. It felt as if I was in a museum. I¡¯ve only been on a foreign trip once on Earth, and it felt a bit like this. The best thing to do is to wander around on your own and get a feel for the ce. ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°?¡± As I looked at the castle, Tia called softly to me while walking by my side. She turned her head to me and suddenly stretched out her hand. Is she asking me to hold hands with her? ¡°Do not fall over anything ¨C Just hold onto me,¡± she said with a smile after hesitating for a moment. I willingly grabbed her hand and was grateful for her consideration. Soon after, we arrived at the dining room, and she let go of my hand. The door was open, so we stepped inside. I was a bit surprised by what I saw. ¡°A round table?¡± I had figured that we would be dining on an elongated, rectangr table, like the one in Leonardo da Vinci¡¯s ¡®The Last Supper,¡® but the table before me was unexpectedly round. Peerchen encouraged us to take our seats, but when he heard me ask that question, he looked back at me. ¡°Oh, young hero? Why is it strange?¡± he asked me, his bright expression the pr opposite of the one he had held whilst dealing with Ea. It was easy to speak with a man who had a smile on his lips. ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s different from the table I had been expecting.¡± ¡°I think I know what table you had in mind. You mean those elongated ones?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I chose this table because it¡¯s morefortable. If I¡¯m not hosting that many people, we always eat at my round table. Now, let¡¯s sit down and talk.¡± Peerchen invited me to sit, so we all pulled out our chairs and took our seats. There was no head of the table, for a round table has no senior seat. Therefore, we had chosen our positions with ease. Kaseun and Tia sat at 3 and 9 o¡¯clock, respectively, while Peerchen and I faced each other. Once we were all seated, the maids who had been waiting appeared like ghosts and began to set dish after dish of the first course before us. There were also wetted warm towels. I wiped my hands with one of them and then folded it into a square. As Iid it down, I made eye contact with Lord Peerchen. ¡°Young hero, I¡¯m sorry that I greet you sote. I¡¯m known as Chapelin Peerchen, the lord of Serenia, and this castle. While my name is Chapelin, my family uses the family name for the head of the family. So, feel free to call me Peerchen.¡± While he had asked me to call him Peerchen, I knew I wouldn¡¯t call him by that name alone. He had a title, so I would call him a lord like everyone else. ¡°Oh yes, thank you for inviting me. I¡¯m Judah Arche,¡± I said, straight to the point and polite as I bowed my head in greeting. Lord Peerchen nodded happily and looked to his side. ¡°And thedy over here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Gentia. I was a mercenary under themand of Commander Kaseun, and now I¡¯m teaching this kid.¡± Peerchen nodded as if he already knew this. ¡°Ah, you were the woman who went hunting with our young hero.¡± ¡°Yes, but when we hunted the ck wolves, I only assisted him from the rear. It was Judah who hunted most, and by himself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t lie in front of a lord.¡± I knew that he already knew it was true. Peerchen had ordered his servants to investigate whether a certain Judah had hunted so many ck wolves, and in the process of their investigations, they found it to be true. In particr, I knew that the cksmith who was hired to repair my broken sword and temper my daggers had also spoken to Peerchen¡¯s people. But still, as Peerchen looked back and forth between our faces, he acted as if we were all lying to him, and then he burst intoughter. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it even as I look at you myself. I mean, a boy who hunts ck wolves? As a fact, I received one report justst week: A young boy had killed three ck wolves. My idea at the time was that he must¡¯ve gotten really lucky, but I now know it wasn¡¯t the result of coincidence.¡± I justughed, not knowing what to say. ¡°It is rather the result of great effort and training instead of chance. Even if this guy looks like this, he¡¯s quite dangerous. Heo-huh-huh,¡± said Kaseun with a chuckle. ¡°He¡¯s very talented as well, Commander,¡± Tia added. Tia usually talked inly, but she now used Kaseun¡¯s honorific title due to the presence of a lord. ¡°You seem to have been taught very well, Judah. Kaseun, how would you like another pupil? My son is also training, and I don¡¯t think hecks talent.¡± Kaseun smiled awkwardly at Peerchen¡¯s words, his expression a bit troubled. ¡°Oh, sorry, but I¡¯m overwhelmed by each one of my grandchildren. I could ask Gentia if she wishes to be entrusted with another pupil. But, if it is my lord¡¯s request¡­¡± ¡°No, no. Then it can¡¯t be helped. I thought he might have been a good rival for our young hero.¡± As if it was unfortunate but done with, Peerchen began relishing his meal and said no more as he stabbed up food with his fork. I drank a sip of water from my ss. It seemed that their conversation had ended, so I figured that if I wanted to ask questions, now was the time. ¡°Lord Peerchen, ever since I had read your letter, I¡¯ve had a question. Why are you calling me a hero? I don¡¯t think I did a very great deed.¡± ¡°Well?¡± Peerchen smiled. I didn¡¯t think I did anything grand enough to be called heroic. At best, I only killed some ck wolves. ¡°Why, is it burdensome if we call you a hero?¡± I said yes, so Peerchen replied, ¡°You¡¯re still young, so you don¡¯t know¡­ But there is something that lives with us people like a constantpanion. What do you think it is?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± came my reply. ¡°It¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°Excuse me,¡± said a maid as she pulled in a food trolley. Peerchen nced at her and continued to speak. ¡°Fate can be a wicked thing, and some people get the idea in their heads to inte acts that are inherently meaningless. You being called a hero has nothing to do with my will. Even if you didn¡¯t intend it at all, being fated to be someone can have great consequences. Oih! No one can tell whether fate will offer them opportunities or an endless ordeal.¡± He was right, it was I who was shaping my own destiny in this world, but I did not know in which direction my fatey. Wasn¡¯t my present location the perfect example of the unknowability of fate? I had set out to hunt ck wolves, and this led to me being invited to the lord¡¯s castle to dine with him. The maid ced tes of steaming food before us as she took them in ones or twos from her cart. As the vorful scents spread out, they seduced my senses and drew my eyes to the food. However, Peerchen was not done talking just yet. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The original Korean text uses skillname/location/game terms in this ¡°[¡± format and I¡¯ve been made aware that the terms have been omitted due to WordPress thinking it¡¯s an HTML tag or something. Coming up with a fix or manually changing all of the chapters in the next day or two. 41==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem ¡°This is a sudden question, but do you know that the ck and white wolves once were the inhabitants of Serenia?¡± Lord Peerchen asked. ¡°Well, I only know it a little,¡± came my reply. I had read it in a book Serenia Library. This narrow strip ofnd was the only inhabited area of the vast realm upon which the Magic Empire was built. Other than here, everywhere else was infested by monsters. Few people had lived here before. When the first lord of the Peerchen family gathered people to settle here, they tried tirelessly to take thend upied by ck and white wolves. It did not turn out to be easy. The area of Serenia was exactly split in two between the white and ck wolves, and when those pioneers tried to remove them from the area, there were naturally heavy casualties on both sides. The settlers were talented people, but this had been like a kingdom of the wolves. A great number of wolves were often moving in at night, feeding on livestock and killing people. Even the powerful were often killed by the numerical superiority of the wolves. Naturally, the fear of wolves had settled into people¡¯s minds, and some gave up on settling thisnd, leaving to settle in other ces. The situation improved when the castle was built and then the city walls, but the ck wolves and the white wolves, who had been deprived of their homes, joined forces to attack the settlers. Despite heavy losses, the first Peerchen pushed through the forest and set up a final wall for the future. That was the process by which Serenia had gained a triple wall. The ck and white wolves were pushed to the south in the process, and so developed a grudge against people. Afterwards, hunters and herbalists who were caught by the wolves were brutally killed. Their corpses were dragged to the walls, and such images seeped into people¡¯s hearts and minds, breeding only fear. And in the process, themon belief was formed that encountering a ck wolf meant death. But I had said that I only roughly knew, and these words puzzled Peerchen. Young children grew up listening to old stories from their parents and grandparents. In the process, fear came into their heads, as if being brainwashed. But I seemed to not know such folktales of horror. ¡°Ah, yes¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± Peerchen had tilted his head befuddlement at my words, but his face soon cleared up. I knew that the story of Judah¡¯s parents was well known to Peerchen. As Kaseun had stepped up to be my guardian, Peerchen had to remember. I had been an orphan since a young age, so there had been no parents to instill fear of the wolves into me. Rather, I was curious about their history. ¡°Well, if you know, it bes easier to talk. There are many newly settled inhabitants in Serenia who feel differently. Yet, the fear of the ck wolves is far greater than even I thought among the older pioneer families, like my own Peerchen family. Ugly rumors mingled with truth have naturally put fear into all of our minds.¡± I understood: It was the same as when we had been afraid of tigers in the past. However, unlike roaming tigers numbering one or two, we had killed over a hundred wolves, and yet hundreds of them had gathered around Requiem at the time of my duel with Korkan. If you were to make a tally of all the wolves roaming around the southern forest, I¡¯d think there were probably thousands of them. It wasn¡¯t strange at all that people were afraid of such wolves. Peerchen spoke on. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether the ck wolves or the white wolves won the battle. All that matters is that wolves showed up in the eastern forest. People ¨C adventurers and mercenaries included ¨C were anxious. There are some who will leave here regardless of your actions. Yet the residents shouldn¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As a lord, it is my duty to defeat the anxieties and fears of those who inhabit mynd. I have a lot of thoughts on the matter. Should I ask Sir Kaseun here to lead a military campaign to subdue the wolves in the eastern forest? Maybe I should go to the mercenary guild or ask some adventurers. As I thought of such methods, you all of a sudden went out and hunted the ck wolves.¡± Peerchenughed lightly. ¡°Haha, do you know how surprised I was at first? A little boy, thirteen years old, has killed ck wolves in a forest that even soldiers were reluctant to enter! And not just two or three, but more than a hundred of the beasts. It doesn¡¯t matter what your intentions were in killing them, and that is exactly what I¡¯ve told you earlier.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You may merely have been hunting wolves, but through your actions, you have given the inhabitants of Serenia courage and stability. If you continue to hunt ck wolves, the terror surrounding them will also fade away. People will think that they were stupid, and so be brave. The hunters will unite into bands and enter the eastern forest as before, while the mercenaries and adventurers will hunt once more, once they see that children can do it. Fortunately, a lot of money is to be made hunting ck and white wolves.¡± I noticed that the food the maids had ced on the round table was cooling off. Kaseun and Tia waited reluctantly, as the lord was not holding cutlery. I continued to nod at Peerchen¡¯s words while catching nces at the food. ¡®Thank you forplimenting me, but I¡¯m hungry.¡¯ ¡°So there is no need to be overwhelmed by the word hero. If you gave people hope and courage, then everyone can call you a hero, regardless of age, gender, status, or ability. I think it quite suits you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Peerchen looked happy. ¡°Oh my god, we have talked so long while the food is before us. You must all be hungry. I apologize.¡± Peerchen lifted his wine ss into the air. A while after bringing the food, the maid had poured us wine. There was a ss before me as well, and I hesitated because of my age. Anyway, when I saw Kaseun and Tia also lift their sses, I followed suit. ¡°I hope it suits your taste, and I hope you enjoy it.¡± I lightly bumped my ss with the person next to me and then finally began with the meal I had been waiting for. Beforeing here, I had been a bit worried that it would be an ufortable affair despite the delicious food, but I had been wrong. Peerchen was so charming and weing that his personality barely suited the position of a lord. He was a man of skill that made peopleugh with his calmness. The meal was ending so quickly that I felt a little disappointed. ¡°So now, it turns out that you are a young hero. What are you nning to do in the future?¡± Peerchen asked me. It was a sudden question, but I replied as lightly as I could. ¡°Hmm, I think I will continue hunting until I leave Serenia.¡± ¡°Leave the city?¡± Peerchen retorted, seemingly puzzled. I nodded. For him, it might be a sensitive matter for his residents to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave Serenia after my age ceremony and visit ces all over the world. By reading books in the library, I discovered that there are so many countries.¡± ¡°Hoh- So we have you until youring-of-age ceremony?¡± ¡°Yes. As I just said, I think I¡¯ll continue hunting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. I will be grateful if a young hero reduces the number of ck wolves.¡± A holographic notification popped up before my eyes. [->Quest has been initiated[-> [->Lord Peerchen¡¯s Request[-> [->The lord is very annoyed by the ck wolves expanding into the eastern woods. He hopes you will cull these wolves[-> [¡ª]It¡¯s not amon quest for an individual, so this is an opportunity. If you can hunt the wolves and even defeat their boss, you will be weed by the inhabitants of the city as well as the lord[¡ª] [->This quest is based on the number of wolves you hunt, and it ends when you go to the lord and ask for a reward[-> A very favorable quest has popped up. It wasn¡¯tpulsory, but I figured I had no choice but to ept it. I was going to hunt in the forest until theing-of-age ceremony anyway, so it¡¯s rather good. There is not a specific period ofpletion time there, so it isn¡¯t too much of a hassle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will definitely reduce the number of wolves until I leave Serenia.¡± Peerchen smiled as if satisfied with my words. He told me to wait a moment and soon brought a box to me, saying it was a gift. What was contained in the elongated wooden chest was a luxurious bastard sword. ¡°It was given to me by one of the merchant guilds, and it is a special sword. I¡¯ll give it to you, young hero. It¡¯llst you quite a while.¡± I looked at the sword in the box and then immediately closed the lid. I hadn¡¯t checked its stats yet, but I figured it would be a nice de if the rich merchants had given it to the lord. ¡°Do not spare the de. I hope you will use it well without hesitation.¡± I was more than willing to. Afterward, Peerchen stated that the meal was over, and asked if we could not simply talk. Kaseun and Tia¡¯s eyes twinkled when Peerchen said he would be willing to bring out the expensive liquors. Needless to say, I waited as they talked about it. Peerchen called a maid waiting outside and ordered her to bring something, and soon afterward, she brought the expensive liquor and a generous fruit snack. The scent of the liquor was very sweet, even to me. I also wanted to try it after some time, but they said it wasn¡¯t possible because I was young, so I could only take a sip. It was pretty strong, and their faces soon turned red. They started telling funny stories as if they were drunk, and these tales of heroism were fun to hear. Thanks to that, I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, and the day had turned into night. Peerchen said it would be morefortable for us to rest at home than at his castle, so he said we could take the carriage and go. It was a generous offer. Tia had kept drinking because she said the liquor was delicious. I was worried about her, as her tongue had be all twisted and strangely pronounced words kept popping up, but she seemed able to leavefortably. I could see she knew she was drunk, so she spoke little. When it was time to go, she seemed to snap awake and stumbled from the table. I hurriedly went to support her when I saw her staggering about. When we left the dining room, and as we breathed in the cold night air, Tia exhaled in a deep sigh, as if out of breath. Kaseun told us that we could take the carriage first as if he wanted to drink more and talk with Peerchen. I shook hands with Peerchen and climbed into the carriage, saying that I would see him again when I got the chance. Tia groaned as she sank onto the soft chair. ¡°Eeh.¡± ¡°Are you okay, Tia? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d drink so much.¡± I have seen her drinking at times, yet I had never seen her drunk or overdo it. She seemed to have drunk a lot on this night. Her eyes lit up when she looked at me. ¡°The cute little one doesn¡¯t know how expensive that shawl is. Ah. There¡¯s that shawl! It¡¯s awesome!¡± ¡®Oh, cute?¡¯ Chapter 42

Chapter 42

42==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Cute¡­ I chuckled as I thought of Tia calling me this. Perhaps due to the alcohol, a reddish blush has appeared on her cheeks, and her eyes were dull, not containing their usual sharpness. Her tongue was twisted, and she garbled her words. The drink that Chapelin Peerchen offered her wasn¡¯t just delicious, but strong as well. I hadn¡¯t been thirsting for it. I had never been a drinker on Earth, but I do like sweet cocktails and the asional drink. Especially when I am with people, liquor and beer ¨C which I didn¡¯t usually imbibe ¨C goes over well. When I thought about drinking more, I figured that it was a thirst that could not be quenched by water alone. I sighed as I looked over at Tia. ¡°If it was so delicious, you should have given me some.¡± ¡°Ah, our Judah! We are still having fun! And you are so young¡­ Are you all right?¡± Tia seemed younger. Her eyebrows were raised all the way, and she wasughing andughing as she looked at the horses pulling the carriage as if she found the sight of them charming. She looked so innocent, and I chuckled as I shook my head. ¡°Hey, what is it? Why are youughing! I¡¯m your teacher! You can¡¯tugh at me like this! Come on ¨C I¡¯ll give you a hug!¡± Tia opened her arms wide and raised her head, really wanting me toe into her arms. I decided that I had to humor her so that she would stop shouting out of the carriage. Tia firmly embraced me. Rather than smelling warm and fluffy, the sweet smell of liquor was on her body. She drank a whole lot. Tia hugged me tightly and groaned. Her soft chest felt the same as ever. As I became self-conscious, she didn¡¯t seem to notice it. Rather, Tia hugged me even more intensely. I gave a bitter smile, feeling a bit of guilt. ¡°Ah, my pretty Judah! How can you be so pretty and so cute? This Suin says that she likes our Judah. Huh, Judah?¡± My heart pounded at those words. I wanted to tell Tia I loved her, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡°I like you too,¡± I timidly whispered into her ear, so soft that she surely could have barely heard my words. I thought it good that I had revealed my feelings to her. The moment Tia heard my answer, she kissed me all over my face. ¡®S!¡¯ a sound resonated as the carriage went over arge cobblestone. Iughed when I saw Tia¡¯s surprised face. When she wakes upter, will she remember this? Maybe she saw that my face was full of lipstick stains, so she paused for a bit, as if worried. Then Tia smiled, and because she was so mature, it was a truly enchanting smile. ¡°Weee! Judah, sooo, you said you wanted to drink, right?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± At that moment, I felt pain as Tia crushed my cheeks between her palms. Inevitably, I looked ridiculous once my tongue stuck out of my mouth. Huh? ¡°Soohooo! We¡¯ll give this young Judah a taste- Whoohoo!¡± I was amazed ¨C my eyes wide ¨C at what Tia did next. As she kept hugging me, she kissed me full on the mouth. In that single moment of amazement, I could feel my heart pounding and raging at the touch of Tia¡¯s soft lips. And my heart wasn¡¯t merely pounding ¨C it was jumping up and down like crazy. Tia was the first woman that I had thought beautiful since I came to this world. I had given her my heart, but she had never responded because I was so young. The love that I had thought to be folded away and out of my reach now arose in my breast. By instinct, I closed my eyes and stretched my arms around Tia¡¯s neck. Tia skillfully bit my lower lip, suckling on it with the slightest of movements from her own lips. And in no time, she pushed her tongue into my mouth. Tia¡¯s tongue felt soft, and the kiss I had imagined to be sweet did, of course, taste like liquor. It was nice, though. Tia was leading, greedy, as she vited my mouth. ¡°Hah, hah? Oooh-¡° Tia slurped all the saliva from my mouth and licked every corner of it as her tongue roved over my teeth. Every time it moved on, it left sensory traces of its presence. ¡°Haah. Aaeup. Tswooo!¡± Both Tia and me broke from the intense kiss as we caught our breaths. A silvery line of spittle ran between our lips, connecting us. Tia was silent, while it felt as if I was gasping and gasping. ¡°How was it? Drinking?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, um- Yes, it was very¡­ delicious,¡± I replied with some regret, still immersed in the rapture of our kiss. ¡°See? Delicious after all!¡± Tia said happily. The ears protruding above her hair twitched. While still in Tia¡¯s arms, I reached out and touched an ear. ¡°Hoowa!?¡± It was a very sensitive area, so the moment I touched her ear, a sharp burst of breath escaped from her mouth. Shivering, Tia slowly pushed me from her. Her expression seemed as if she was holding something in. ¡°Ya! Judah, we of the Suin race are¡­ sensitive creatures. You will be scolded if you touch my ears.¡± ¡°It was because I found it cute.¡± Tia tilted her head and paused for a while as if worrying. Then she blushed and gave a brightugh. ¡°Because you found it cute? Then, oh, it can¡¯t be helped. Your mistress gives you permission!¡± I reached out when I saw her twist her head so I couldfortably touch her. When both of my hands stroked over her ears, I saw her tail twitching in delight behind her back. ¡°Hmm, that feels nice.¡± ¡°Oh yes.¡± As I saw Tia¡¯s body trembling, I realized that I was breathing harshly. And then the carriage slowed. It seemed that we were approaching the front of my house. Couldn¡¯t the journey have been longer? I just wanted the carriage to be soundproofed. When I lifted my hands from Tia¡¯s ears, she looked sad, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. We had to get off now. ¡°Juuuudaaah.¡± ¡°Tia?¡± As she leaned her head on my shoulder, Tia¡¯s head drooped, and she passed out. ¡®Tuk-tuk,¡¯ I poked her, but there was no reaction. She just groaned and wriggled her hands as if annoyed. As I watched Tia, I smiled. ¡°What- Really?¡± Iy her back and pinched her cheek. I turned around, giving up a little, and then swung back and grabbed her wrist, saying, ¡°Look at me, Tia!¡± She showed no reaction. I had thought that I had seen all her charms, but this was a new aspect of her nature that she now bared to me. As I contemted the situation, I moved her sleeping face back and forth until the carriage came to aplete halt. And after it stopped, the carriage door was opened by the coachman. He greeted me with a friendly face as if he had heard nothing. I asked him to take the box that was next to me and ce it by my front door. Then I looked at Tia, lifting her up with care, and stepped out of the carriage. The coachman drove away, back to the castle. Tia¡¯s breath on my neck tickled my ears. The night air was cool. I took out my key and unlocked the door, opening it. I figured that I had to move her to her room before closing the front door, so I took off my shoes and dragged her on. Her drunk and unconscious body was heavy, and due to the differences in our physiques, her dress dragged on the floor until I couldy her down on her bed. Tia slept as if lost to the world. I could onlyugh as I saw her tail flick, with her mumbling something. What had happened in the carriage felt like a dream. I sighed as I removed the heeled shoes that Tia wore. Should I change her clothes? Tia had said that she loved the dress that she was wearing, so if she slept in it, it might be wrinkled. It must also have caught a bit of dirt when I dragged her in, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. I thought about changing her clothes, but I knew that if I took off her clothes to change them, I might lose all reason. She was sleeping unprotected, very drunk, so no matter what happened, she would not awake. I shook my head, banishing such devilish temptations, and then thought for a moment. I didn¡¯t want to twist my rtionship with Tia for momentary pleasure, so I tucked her into a warm nket and closed the door. I don¡¯t know if she willin about her dress being wrinkled tomorrow, but that would be her problem. I had told Tia from the beginning to drink moderately, but she kept drinking because she had found the liquor to be delicious. I moved the box containing Lord Chapelin Peerchen¡¯s gift into the house and closed the front door. Even though I wasn¡¯t that sweaty, I still went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. I then sat down on the living room sofa, and while shaking the water from my hair, I opened the wooden chest I had ced on the small table. The Bastard Sword, which looked almost too shy to carry, boasted a graceful form. It was an object given by a lord, so the experience of taking it from its box was pleasurable, as the chest has been lined with a luxurious, soft cloth. It felt as if I had received some great treasure. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Bastard Sword] [Rating: rare _ ordinary sword] [Equipment ss: Long sword] [Durability: 30/30] [Attack Power: 40] [Effect] Strength + 1 [Description] One of the merchant guilds, ¡®Mami¡¯,missioned the cksmith¡¯s guild to forge a long sword, a true de to curry favor with the lord. It was intended as a sword for practice, as it is not great enough for the 7b Wielder of the Sword} to use it. Still, its center of gravity and the quality of its steel is excellent, so it is an adequate weapon to be used by those with lesser skills. -Previous maintenance (Passive): Because organic matter (blood, fat) does not adhere well to this de, sharpness is maintained, and its durability decrease rate is low. -Renown (Passive): This is a sword forged for 7b The Wielder of the Sword} Of course, the wielder of a spirit sword cannot use a sword like this in battle, but your renown is enhanced by owning it. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡­Okay. As I lifted it and stirred it slightly through the air, I felt that its bnce was indeed excellent, as its description stated. It was quite goodpared to conventional swords. I didn¡¯t think that the normal weapons sold in the forge were that good the more I used them. This sword was definitely different. If the attack power is 40¡­ The grade is subdivided along the value and quality of the weapon and its attack power. If the weapon¡¯s attack is 40, then it has the stat grade of [Ordinary], the lowest stat grade. The description¡¯s statement that this sword was forged for practice was not in error. Compared to the mon] swords I used, its attack power was about double, but I still felt that it was insufficient. The stat grade was a little low for a sword given to the 7b Wielder of the Sword}, but as I thought about it for a moment, I figured that there was a way to increase the attack power. The 7b code} I had gained after killing Alpha Wolf Korkan and the 7b code} I had used and then removed from the longsword after was broken were removed from my 7b Bag}, and applied to the Bastard Sword. [¡ª]Would you like to give ?Bastard Sword? the effect of ?Code Suffix: The sneaky one who aims only at the enemy¡¯s wounds?? Y/N] [Would you like to give ?Bastard Sword? the effect of?Code Prefix: Sharpness of ~?? Y/N] [¡ª]As the prefix and suffix {codes} were sessfully added, the name of ?Bastard Sword? is changed to ?The sharpness of the sneaky Bastard Sword that aims only at the opponent¡¯s wounds?[¡ª] And so, a strange name was born. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: The sharpness of the sneaky Bastard Sword that aims only at the opponent¡¯s wounds] [Rating: rare _ worthy sword] [Equipment ss: Long sword] [Durability: 30/30] [Attack Power: 51.5] [Effect] Strength + 1 [Description] One of the merchant guilds, ¡®Mami¡¯,missioned the cksmith¡¯s guild to forge a long sword, a true de to curry favor with the lord. It was intended as a sword for practice, as it is not great enough for the 7b Wielder of the Sword} to use it. Still, its center of gravity and the quality of its steel is excellent, so it is an adequate weapon to be used by those with lesser skill. -Previous maintenance (Passive): Because organic matter (blood, fat) does not adhere well to this de, sharpness is maintained, and its durability decrease rate is low. -Renown (Passive): This is a sword forged for 7b The Wielder of the Sword}. Of course, a wielder of a spirit sword cannot use a sword like this in battle, but your renown is enhanced by owning it. -Code Suffix: The sneaky one who aims only at the enemy¡¯s wound ©¸5% increase in blood lossDamage 10+3% increase2% increase in Durability Decrease Rate -Code Prefix: sharpness of~ ©¸Wound Worsening(3% Increase in blood loss1 % decrease in regeneration) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡°Good.¡± With this, the attack power exceeded 50 and escaped from the lowest level of [Ordinary] to [Worthy]. I gazed at the sword, satisfied, then put it into my 7b Bag}. When I stretched out, with nothing to do, tiredness came over me. It would be too troublesome to head up to the second floor and lie down on my bed. I just decided that I would sleep on the sofa when I smelled something. It was the scent that had been on Tia¡¯s body. I rolled around the couch as I thought of how Tia smelled. And as I thought of her, my face flushed as I recalled what had happened in the carriage a while ago. Perhaps she had pretended to be drunk? Maybe she was just thirsty as well and¡­ But I soon thought that there was no possibility of her having been sober. I shook my head to erase such wacky thoughts from entering my mind, and yet, I still couldn¡¯t sleep properly. All I could feel was my rapid heartbeat. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [-> Hint: In the case of items, the grade is subdivided ording to the number of skills and attack power. In the case ofmon [white], the number of skills granted to the weapon is 1 or less. In the case of rare [green], the number of skills granted to the weapon is 3 or less. In the case of unique [purple], the number of skills granted to the weapon is 5 or less. In the case of ancient [orange], the number of skills granted to a weapon is 7 or less. In the case of legend [yellow], the number of skills granted to the weapon is 10 or less. The number of skills a depending on your weapon¡¯s stats grade. Of course, this isn¡¯t always the case, but even though a weapon is of a legendary ss, it might still only have one skill. The weapon¡¯s stats grade, which is subdivided ording to its attack power or defense power, is ssed into ?ordinary¡ú worthy ¡ú luxury ¡ú treasure ¡ú myth? For example, to exin this with a sword possessing attack power: If the attack power of the sword is 10 or higher, it is ssified as an [Ordinary Sword] If the attack power of the sword is 50 or higher, it is ssified as an [Worthy Sword] If the attack power of the sword is more than 100, it is ssified as an [Luxury Sword] If the attack power of the sword is over 150, it is ssified as an [Treasure Sword] If the attack power of the sword is 200 or higher, it is ssified as an [Mythical Sword] [-> ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ========================================= ======== Don¡¯t worry, everyone. I will not betray you. Within 10 chapters¡­ You will see it. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

[This is the work of the new trantor working on this series.] 43==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Judah, who was riddled with thoughts all night long, finally managed to fall asleep deep into the night. As the day dawned, Judah woke up, and as soon as he opened his eyes, what had urred the night before flooded into his mind. Tia had kissed him, and the very thought of it formed a smile into his lips that stretched from ear to ear. Judah coughed in an attempt to suppress theughter working its way out of his chest. Now was not the time tough like this. ¡°In a little while, she¡¯ll get up too. I should boil some Haejangguk while I have the time.¡± Judah headed to the kitchen, recalling a recipe for a simple hammock soup. He put on an apron, took out the ingredients, and started cooking. As he focused on his task, the sound of a door opening and closing reached his ears, followed by the sound of footfalls approaching. Judah turned his head attentively, and there stood Tia, her hand brushing through her messy hair as she rubbed away the drowsiness in her eyes with the back of her other hand. Hungover fromst night¡¯s drinking, she staggered and walked into the kitchen like a zombie. ¡°Just woke up?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Did you sleep well?¡± Judah didn¡¯t sleep well, but it affected him naught. He felt ted. However, Tia greeted Judah casually, which led him to believe that the Suin had no recollection ofst night. Choosing to keep it a secret, he answered her with a tinge of regret. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Tia grabbed a cup to pour herself a ss of cold water. With each gulp, her hangover slowly eased into sobriety. Upon emptying its contents, she looked back at Judah as she filled the silence between them. ¡°By the way, on our way home¡­? Uh¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Judah paused, turning to face thedy who had fallen silent. The moment their eyes met, Tia¡¯s gaze fell onto everything but Judah. Her face twisted in confusion as her cheeks flushed with a furious red hue. Her mouth sat open, but no words came from them. ¡°Tia?¡± ¡°Ju¡ªJudah¡­ Uh, yesterday I¡­ Did I¡­ Did I kiss you? That was a dream, right?¡± Judah, who had been silent for a moment, broke into outrageousughter. ¡°Did you think it was a dream? Unfortunately not.¡± Judah scooped the boiling soup with adle, looked at its simmering contents, all while answering without hesitation. If she remembered everything anyway, he figured it was best to give her total honesty. Tia¡¯s expression as she stared down at Judah while having a taste of the soup, was on the verge of bursting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was drunk. I¡­ I guess my reason can¡¯t justify that. So for what I did, I¡¯m sorry. Really. Oh, I¡¯m not that kind of person¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I thought it was cute. And I liked it because it was you. Because I like you, Tia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± No answer came. The silence between them stretched on. Judah, who had been whisking the soup back and forth, turned to look up at her. The gap in their height was small, and he was sure that he could catch up with her in two years or so. And undoubtedly, after five years, he would grow way taller than her. However, right now, Tia could only look down at Judah, dazed and confused with herself and everything that had happened. ¡®What is this guy talking about?¡¯ It was absolute madness to kiss the young boy, but her face couldn¡¯t stop its raging blush when Judah proimed how much he had liked it. She knew it was wrong, and it shouldn¡¯t be that way. They shared a rtionship akin to that of a teacher and a student, and because of that, he was considered family. However, in recent years, she couldn¡¯t help but care about Judah. ¡®Am I in heat?¡¯ No, it was still too early. Amidst the smorgasbord of chaos inside Tia¡¯s head, it was the only thing her dazzled mind coulde up with. She still had a long way to go before the period of heat came. However, Tia had long since withdrawn from her nature and endured it for several years, which could be why her body now craved after Judah. Certainly, he was young, but he was of age to be able to conceive with women. Judah had grown admirably as the days have gone by, and soon, the boy would be one dashing adult. Tia remembered seeing his erection during that one ident in the bathroom, and there was no denying that he was beyond the average for his age. She buried her musing as fast as she thought of it, pulling herself back to the issue before her. ¡°Wait a minute. What did you say to me a while ago?¡± ¡°I said I like you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, the matured Tiapletely lost herposure. If only she had forgotten the drunken mistake fromst night, she could be spared from such a meltdown. But to her embarrassment, every detail of it had been carved vividly into her memory. What she did and all the things they said, including Judah and his confession, shed before her eyes until her mind could take no longer. Tia felt unable to withstand being there. In a blink, she stormed out of the room faster than light itself. ¡°Well then¡­¡± Judah blinked at Tia, or at least where she used to be before fleeing, leaving him bowing his head to nothing but the air. He felt shame, but when he said he liked her, it had taken all his courage to say it. Evenst night, as they sat in the carriage, he debated whether to say it or not, but her reaction was not bad as he thought it would be. In an even bigger sigh of relief, she did not seem to hate it. Curiosity urged Judah to peak at her information window. Her likeability and favorability hung at 70 and 69, respectively, with just a single point away from entering the lover stage. Should it reach 70, they could be lovers, but given their circumstances, could they truly share the intimacy needed between real lovers? The question lingered in him before the sound of boiling snapped him out of his musing. Turning off Tia¡¯s information window, Judah tended to their Haejangguk. Its bubbling sound warned him that it would soon overflow, so he lowered the heat and removed the bubbles that had erupted from it. Today, instead of bread and soup, their meal consisted of rice and herbs alongside the Haejangguk. Tia was carnivorous, and wishing not to iste her, Judah hurriedly took out sausages and cut them into the shapes of an octopus. He tossed them to the frying pan, cooking it gleefully as it roasted golden until the sound of cluttering cut through his moment of solitude. ¡°Huh?¡± -Excuse me? Is anybody there? Judah heard a voice. Someone hade to their house. The sound of knocking echoed through their quiet home, and Judah, stepping out of the kitchen, attempted to ask Tia to check the door for him. However, Tia remained hidden in embarrassment, something Judah couldn¡¯t understand. If she felt guilty, there was no need for it. Knock knock knock! Judah was happy to have her first kiss, and when he said he liked it, he meant it sincerely. The thought of his age being why Tia reacted like so sent a wave of disappointment over him. Knock knock knock! ¡®They¡¯re still knocking.¡¯ Judah headed back to the kitchen, transferring the octopus sausage from the frying pan into a bowl. -Is anybody home? Along with the knocking, a soft voice constantly called out for an audience. Judah tried thinking of whoever could visit him in the morning, to no avail. He headed for the door, still wearing his apron, ready to yell at whoever was beyond it. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± He couldn¡¯t even yell, for as he opened the door, his voice died at the sight of the person standing in front of him. -Blue Spear Knight, Jeanne Art Loire.- There she stood in casual clothing, greeting him with a polite bow of her head. Judah knew that he was a child. So when passing people met him, such gestures were cast aside. However, the blue spear knight in front of him was a little different. Even when she saw him as a child, she regarded him with respect. ¡°Good day. My name is Jeanne Art Loire. Can we speak?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, hello. But what is it about? No, wait, before that, how did you get here?¡± Jeanne was of no familiarity for her to know his house. Also, their location was not something that strangers stumble upon so easily. Perhaps Jeanne understood his suspicion, for she smiled at him before easing his question. ¡°The inhabitants of Serenia are more kind than I thought. I merely told them that I was looking for you, and they told me how to find you, which isn¡¯t difficult.¡± She said, nodding behind her. From a distance, an elderly man waved his hand at Judah before going on his way. ¡°¡­ I see. Then, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I know I said I came to speak, but it is more than that. Allow me to correct myself¡­ I would like to propose a request.¡± ¡°Really? A request?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Puzzled, Judah looked at the blue spear knight incredulously. This request is sure to be of great help in recruiting her as apanion, and surely, her reliability and favorability will increase. But how dire was this request that she needed to show up in his very home? The suspicion within Judah was set intrigued. ¡°I will pay for it. And it¡¯s not difficult.¡± Jeanne hurriedly mentioned the reward, wishing to ease the distress she read in his expression. However, Judah remained suspicious of her. ¡°Yourpensation is not the problem, but the request itself. I am no mercenary or an adventurer and¡­ Can we continue this inside? Did you have breakfast?¡± ¡°¡­You mean what I¡¯m doing right now?¡± Jeanne¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she paid him better attention. He had been standing there with an apron all this time, and not a second did she notice it. It was only then that she smelled the scent of newly cooked breakfast, and it was enough to answer her question. She believed her timing was right, but she was earlier than expected. With respect, Jeanne bowed in apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I came by too early. I¡¯ll return a littleter. When can Ie?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m asking if you¡¯ve eaten. I¡¯m not telling you toe backter.¡± She felt like she had been intruding. Still, Jeanne shook her head in response, trying to cast away her guilt. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s eat it together. Come in. After that, we can talk over tea.¡± With that, Judah retreated inside, leaving her in front of the wide-open porch. Jeanne could only blink around the space with her embarrassment growing by the second, at a loss of what to do. This was a first for her. It was very unfamiliar to her to be served meals without being invited or scheduled. The thought of excusing herself was hard to resist, but it would also be rude to insist on it. Coming to a reluctant resolve, Jeanne stepped into the house with no other choice. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Chapter 44

Chapter 44

44==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Upon entering, the first thing Jeanne noticed were the shoes neatlyid on the floor. She hesitated, unsure, debating for her next move. Was she to remove her footwear before stepping in further? It seemed so. Her bewilderment grew at no sight of any slippers to wear indoors. ¡®Do you have any slippers?¡¯ The floor looked shiny and clean, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel estranged from the thought of walking without any footwear. ¡°Oh, take off your shoes ande in barefoot. It¡¯s clean, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Judah said this matter-of-factly, sticking his head out from the presumed kitchen. His exact reply was the one she hoped not to receive. ¡°¡­¡± The culture of taking off your shoes within one¡¯s abode existed in only two countries. The rest wore their shoes. If not, at least they had slippers to wear around. Despite being such a rare practice, this etiquette was known well, for the countries that carried it were great empires. The first empire was Gauri in the second continent, which was an empire unified by three countries. And atst, there was the other empire. Baekje of the first continent. Following the country¡¯s culture in hostile terms with the Byron Empire, to which she belonged, was, to say the least, ufortable. But any human with any sense of respect knew, ¡®If you visit another country, you must follow the culture andws of that country.¡¯ And to follow the way of this house was the noble thing to do. Jeanne did what she was told, leaving her footwear and taking her next steps with her bare feet. The consciousness brought by her naked soles sent her to scramble and sniff for any unpleasant musk, only for her senses to flood with such appetizing smell pouring from the kitchen. Slowly, Jeanne made her way to the dining room, eyeing the surrounding with a careful gaze. On the table for four, Judah served one or more dishes, all warm and weing as its steam sprang up in the air. ¡°Did you cook this yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, I know how to cook basic meals except for really difficult ones.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awesome. At a young age, you¡¯re courageous, skillful, and good at cooking.¡± Jeanne said, admiring the dishes before her. Judah told her to take her seat, but as if something dawned on him, Judah pulled out the chair for her and urged her to sit. ¡°Oh, wait. You haven¡¯t washed your hands. The bathroom is over there. Wash them before taking a seat.¡± After blinking down at her hands, she promptly headed for the bathroom. Judah, on the other hand, went for Tia¡¯s room and knocked on her door. ¡°Tia, are you sleeping?¡± His question was met with silence. Judah leaned forward, listening to the empty static, and in the silence, he managed to pick up such a tiny response he could barely hear it. Turning the doorknob and finding it unlocked, Judah spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m going to open your door,¡± and he did even without receiving a response. And there was Tia, sitting with an unkempt appearance so unlike her that Judah couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he approached. Looking at her tame ears and tail, he could see how truly bad she had been feeling. He lowered his head and tried to meet her gaze, but Tia refused to look at him. ¡°What is it, Tia?¡± ¡°¡­Just, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Judah found himselfughing aloud again. He had hoped Tia wouldn¡¯t be so hard on herself, but as Judah expected, she was still wallowing in and ming herself. Judah sat beside the Suin. ¡°I¡¯ve said this quite a few times already, but there¡¯s nothing to be sorry for.¡± ¡°But, I think I did something terrible. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Gentia replied as she watched Judah cautiously. ¡°Are you bad? No. I can¡¯t understand at all what you¡¯re apologizing for, but one thing is for sure. I know this behavior isn¡¯t the behavior of the Tia I know.¡± As he uttered those words, Tia¡¯s eyes seemed to gleam. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is it? This isn¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like Tia. Why is Tia, who is confident, can talk as if she can do anything and can indeed do anything; acting so timid? Would you prefer it if I forget about yesterday? If you want to, I will.¡± The gleam in Tia¡¯s eyes shone into her all familiar confidence. With that, she shook her head. ¡°No, don¡¯t forget. You don¡¯t need to forget it. Rather, I want my student to remember it. For now, it¡¯s time for breakfast! Can we eat yet?¡± Tia swept Judah from the bed, the tip of his toe hanging far from the ground. Their faces met, just inches away from each other¡¯s lips. Embarrassed by the feeling of being held in the air, he leaned in to kiss her first. Their lips brushed softly, and as their kiss ended, a blush ran across Tia¡¯s face. ¡°Huh, okay. You can certainly eat me. Wait, what am I thinking about?¡± She rambled mindlessly to herself, but Judah heard every word of it and knew exactly what it meant. He had to admit, the boost of ego made him feel powerful and manly. Unbeknownst to him, something had already changed in her info window. The favorability that sat at 69 had risen to a 70. At this moment, they had reached the lover stage. ¡°Tia, can you put me down?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Judah sighed, doing his best to put on a happy face. ¡°Because a guest is here. In the kitchen.¡± His warning came a little toote. Tia had already carried him into the kitchen where Jeanne had been sitting alone in the silence. After a moment of exchanging awkward stares, Tia walked over to the dining table nonchntly. ¡°What does it matter? It¡¯s okay.¡± All Judah wanted at that moment was to hide in shame at her confident disy of childish behavior. With one hand, Tia drew a chair, propped Judah on it, then sat down on the seat next to him. As they settled, Jeanne dragged the rice and utensils over to his side. ¡°¡­You looked like you couldn¡¯t reach it. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± His gratitude made Jeanne smile briefly. ¡°Anyway, who is she? Is she staying here?¡± Tia cut in, asking Judah directly while fiddling with her spoon. Before Judah could reply, Jeanne pushed her chair back then stood, her hand outstretched to Tia. Although reluctant to return the niceties, the other stood up as well to shake her hand firmly. ¡°I apologize for introducing myselfte; that was quite embarrassing of me¡­ Nice to meet you anyway. I¡¯m Jeanne Art Loire, an apprentice blue spear knight of the Byron Empire.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Gentia.¡± Jeanne sat down and then proceeded to speak. ¡°I came here because I had a request, but instead, I got an invitation to eat. I hope you can excuse me for a moment.¡± When Tia turned to look at Judah, his only reply was a shrug. His offer might¡¯ve felt like it came out of nowhere, and it did, as inviting her in came naturally to him. After all, Jeanne showed up at the right moment and even offered kindly to return at a better time. A quick look at her told Judah that she hadn¡¯t eaten yet, so he figured it was fine to invite her for breakfast. Judah nudged Jeanne, snapping her attention away from Tia, ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± With his wishes, their breakfast began¡­ But only Judah and Tia enjoyed their meals. Tia took a spoonful of Haejangguk, drinking it with a big gulp. Jeanne found herself idly fiddling with her chopsticks, watching the others eat their meal so heartily. To her surprise, Judah had been waving his fork to get her attention. ¡°Please try this, too.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Jeanne had only been eating the served vegetables, but Judah sat down a few octopus sausages on her rice. She bowed her head in gratitude, studying the sausage before trying it together with the rice. She chewed, and her eyes widened as the taste settled on her tongue. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve eaten rice¡­ And with sausage, it¡¯s very delicious. I never had much to afford rice.¡± Jeanne¡¯s praise made Judah feel humbled. The glower in his face didn¡¯t go unnoticed in Tia¡¯s keen eyes. She demanded his attention, and Judahplied, sessfully appeasing her by personally feeding her mouth. Breakfast ended, and when the meal was over, Judah stood back and relished at its sess. Their tes and pots were emptied. All of their dishes were devoured, leaving not a single leftover. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°I ate well.¡± Judah nodded in appreciation of Jeanne¡¯s statement. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if it suited your taste.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I found it very delicious. You could say it was¡­ Quite a healthy breakfast.¡± Herment was quite humorous, as their breakfast indeed had quite more vegetables than the usual portion. Gathering every cutlery and ware, Jeanne helped set them at the sink while the others cleaned the table. After cleaning up, Judah brought out the apples he had bought the day before, washing them thoroughly before serving them to hispany. Tia imed her piece with a fork, even offering Jeanne to try it. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s this request you¡¯ve been talking about?¡± Jeanne inadvertently swallowed the apple Tia had offered her. She had been taking her time leisurely and was now even munching on dessert. After a second piece, she finally had the moment to exin. ¡°My request is actually one imposed by someone else¡­¡± ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± ¡°I heard that you are hunting ck wolves in the eastern forest. I hope that you will join me in this hunt. However, this is based on an area directed by the client.¡± Tia, as she chewed her apple, watched Jeanne through narrowed eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why..?¡± ¡°Why? Do you really need us to hunt ck wolves in the eastern forest? Even if it¡¯s probationary, many people would like to join an adventure guild right now. This rather expensive quest is a good opportunity for people in need of money. If you want to serve the castle because its people are afraid of the ck wolves, you can always gather people of great skill from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and act together. Of course, it¡¯s no walk in the park if that¡¯s your goal, unless it isn¡¯t.¡± Tia¡¯s thorough and analytical spiel had Jeanne watching her sharply. Faced with such fierce eyes, had Tia seen Jeanne¡¯s possible fa?ade? Was she hitting the right spot? With a smirk, Tia continued. ¡°For example¡­ A fragment. But isn¡¯t it known that the debris fell in the western forest? What are we to do in the eastern forest, then? Tell us the truth, and once we know your true purpose, only then will we decide we should ept the request or not. So now, the question is this: Will you?¡± Chapter 45

Chapter 45

45==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Jeanne was dumbstruck at Tia¡¯s ability to see right through her. Indeed, like a true mercenary of Baek Eun-pae, there was more to her than what met the eye. ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­ You¡¯re right. With your help, I wish to find the fragment that was said to have fallen here.¡± Jeanne answered truthfully. Judah, simply listening all this time while cutting their apples into the figures of rabbits, only tilted his head at their exchange. Carpe Diem, the twenty-fourth fragment that fell on Serenia Castle, was already in his possession. However, it was a fact that no one knew except Xian and himself. Of course, it was correct to think that it will be in the western forest, but why head to the eastern forest? Judah couldn¡¯t grasp why, and Tia thought the same. ¡°It¡¯s been said that the fragment fell in the western woods, but why would you want us with you in the eastern and southern woods?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to think differently. I wonder if the word of the fragment¡¯s whereabouts is false. Maybe it isn¡¯t in the western forest, but rather, itys in the eastern forest or on the other side?¡± Not a hint of it was discovered for nearly 150 years, so to think of such a possibility was not unreasonable. Jeanne used to believe the old whispers, but overtime, her trust in it had changed. And in a way, she was right. It was in the east woods. The only detail she missed was that it already had an owner. Tia sat back deep in thought, looking at Judah, who was as absorbed as he. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I get to decide?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯d be the one to handle the wolves anyway.¡± She didn¡¯t need to say it, but basically, Jeanne was only to watch him from behind. And considering her level, she could hinder their sess rather than help. Judah checked her status, confirming her level that sat at 16, missing just a single point. Despite this, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad to hunt with her. ¡°And if you can¡¯t find the fragment? What then?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t find it. It doesn¡¯t matter since we can¡¯t expect it in the first ce. Try thinking bigger. These fragments, as the Lord said yesterday, will show themselves to those who led by fate. Don¡¯t worry, finding it is of no pressure.¡± ¡°¡­If you say so. Well, then, we¡¯ll go with you.¡± Judah nodded to her request that made Jeanne lit up at his eptance. ¡°Thank you.¡± [Apprentice Blue Spear Knight ¡°Jeanne Art Loire¡± is shifted as a temporarypanion.] [You can check the status of her while she is a colleague.] [Jeanne Art Loire¡¯s credibility has increased by 5.] As Judah scanned the holographic message in front of his eyes, Tia tapped him from the side. ¡°Go wash the dishes. As for you, Miss Jeanne, shall we talk briefly about themission and future work?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, go right ahead.¡± Judah stared at thedies as they left the kitchen to discuss affairs in the living room. After washing the dishes thoroughly, he stumbled upon them, alreadying to an agreement. It was decided; they were to receive advanced pay, and they were to meet in front of the east gate at 7 am every morning, excluding the weekends. Judah discussed the n of action to be followed when they entered the forest and decided to give away some of their proceeds from hunting ck wolves. + + + The next day, Judah and Tia headed for the east gate before 7 am. They were a little earlier than the promised time, but Jeanne was already there when they arrived. To their confusion, all she had worn was a simple outfit and a backpack. Although underdressed for hunting, Judah and Tia made no mention of it. It wasn¡¯t a requirement, and being the bluencer that she was, they figured she could simply use her magic should she need it. As they entered the forest away from civilization, Judas asked Jeanne for the backpack she had been carrying. She handed it over to him despite her hesitation. Judah, on the other hand, simply put it in his -bag-. Just like Tia the first time she saw it, Jeanne was as bewildered with Judah and his talk of subspaces. They reached the southern forest by taking the path through the eastern forest. As soon as a group of ck wolves appeared, silver particles appeared on Jeanne¡¯s body that wrapped her entire figure. Judah could not help but stare, as it was a transformation straight out of a cartoon that he used to watch as a child. The silver particles engulfing her frame became a shining full-length armor and helmet, and in her grasp, brandished a bluish cone-shaped jousting spear and a rectangr tower shield. ording to n, theyunched into action; Tia hid through invisibility while Jeanne acted as a distraction for the wolves. Her shiny silver armor sessfully snatched their attention, most going for her, and only two out of the five galloped for Judah. They weren¡¯t spared from the prowess of a Blue Spear Knight. She stopped the first wolf with her shield without difficulty, striking with her jousting spear like a blunt g. The wolf was beaten like meat, and soon it found itself paralyzed as if its bones were broken and strangled. When Judah dealt with the ones that attacked him, they received the same excruciating fate. Before Judah turned, Jeanne stabbed her spear at thest remaining ck wolf. The spear pierced the ck wolf¡¯s body with ease. Theirbat method proved to work in their favor. After skinning and collecting the gemstones, their hunt continued in the same way. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just hunting. As Jeanne requested, they were to look around, and on the next day, she dragged them somewhere even farther away. Deep into the woods, packs of ck wolves beyond their capacity appeared, that Tia had to join the battle to defeat them. After a week, they got used to hunting with Jeanne to some extent. On weekdays, they hunted. On weekends, Judah and Tia rxed at home and goofed around. When her favorability exceeded 70, her showing of affection became even more daring. There were many times when her gaze appeared to be seductive, and there were times she would take a shower ande out without a towel to cover her. There were instances where Judah would take a bath, and Tia woulde waltzing into the shower with him. Her statements, ¡°I¡¯ll eat you once you¡¯ve grown,¡± seemed real as she kept watching Judah like a ripened fruit. He liked her affection, but it had started to unsettle him. As if she had read this atmosphere, Tia picked up that he was burdened, so she gave them a reasonable distance. What was she to do? Was she rushing in too much? The air of uncertainty between them continued. And just like that, a year passed by, with nothing special happening between them. There was still no news that the fragment had been found, and Jeanne, who wandered through the eastern and southern woods searching for it, was unsessful either. Whether the number of ck wolves had decreased, they couldn¡¯t tell. They hunted two to three or more groups every day, and if that number was kept steady, it could be considered strange. Hunting a certain amount of ck wolves every day and selling leather and gemstones to Serenia Castle soon made the leather price a little cheaper. On the brighter side, the anxiety within the inhabitants of the castle squandered away. Just a year ago, the crowd in the square would talk about the ck wolves, but now its mention has halted. The restriction on ess to the woods was also lifted. However, the possibility of ck wolves roaming around continued, so the hunters would go in groups and take the path northward. The herbalists and herb-diggers were still going out with the soldiers. However, none had seen a ck wolf for several months already, so people began to roam loosely like before after a little more time. For Judah, they carried on with their routine of hunting ck wolves. As usual, he sold leather, sold gemstones, and handed out the money. Tia, who was in charge of their finances, distributed bags of the payment to Judah and Jeanne. ¡°You had a hard time today.¡± ¡°Indeed, but thank you.¡± Jeanne seemed to stall. Her mouth hung open as to say something. For a year, working with her has proved that she was a true knight. If she had anything to say straight, Judah hoped she could say it as it is, without hiding it throughyers of metaphors. But seeing her hesitate, it felt like she had something important to discuss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jeanne? Do you have anything to say?¡± Jeanne could only stutter in surprise as she was confronted. In a moment, her head dropped. ¡°Well¡­ I wished to end our quest today. I¡¯ve been grateful for this. I couldn¡¯t find any fragments, and it seems like the time hase for us to go in separate ways.¡± Tia and Judas nced at each other, then back again to Jeanne. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She found it hard to exin her story. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find it now, but maybe it¡¯s going to happen in the future. You know I¡¯m an apprentice, yes?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The Blue Spear Knight is given two to three years of free time during the probationary period. We are free to roam during that time, whether to work for the Empire, go on an adventure, or train. My free time is now. When it¡¯s all over, I go back to my home country and take the test to be an intermediate knight. The time hase for me to return to my home country, and I¡¯d like to explore the western forest a little while I still have my time.¡± Judah and Tia nodded in understanding. It was so sudden, but they couldn¡¯t help it because this was hers to deal with. ¡°Then, should we have a drink today before we go our ways?¡± ¡°You mean like, drink alcohol?¡± Jeanne rolled her eyes in thought. The offer was tempting. While she debated, Tia threw the bait. ¡°It¡¯s on me. I¡¯ll treat you somewhere fancy.¡± ¡°That sounds like a great offer. Shall we go now?¡± ¡°Once we¡¯ve washed and gathered ourselves!¡± Their conversation continued without Judah. ¡°Wait a minute. Tia, am I going for a drink too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy you something delicious when I leave~ You can go wait for me at home.¡± Tiaughed at Judah as she bid him farewell, leading the young boy home. Jeanne, just as amused, also couldn¡¯t help butugh as he watched Judah being dragged by his wrist. She bowed her head at him as her goodbye. Before they could leave, Judah followed after them. ¡°Wait a minute, are you really leaving me alone?¡± Tia¡¯s mischievous eyes watched him from underneath her eyshes. Thinking about alcohol had always brought a cheeky smile to her face. ¡°You can¡¯t help it. You haven¡¯t held aing-of-age ceremony yet. But you see, even if you drink alcohol, no one will say anything, but people will be watching. Why, can¡¯t it without your teacher?¡± Judah could only sigh as a reply to her teasing remark. ¡°Okay. Just¡­ Drink moderately ande home early.¡± Tia smiled and didn¡¯t answer. Saying that to a grown-up adult like her was nothing more than pointless nagging. Judahid on the living room sofa while Tia headed for the bathroom to fix herself up. ¡®Damn it. That¡¯s sad. I wanted to drink too.¡¯ The liquor they had at home was not very tasty. He remembered drinking it as much as he wanted to before, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d wish to drink it again this time around. As he sat there waiting for Tia, sleep began to crawl into his senses. Judah opened his status window, checking the stats he had gathered over time. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

46==================== The twenty-fourth Fragment, Carpe Diem ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ *Progress [You defeated five leaders leading the ck wolves. Stamina has increased by 2.] [Shadow swordsmanship/justice techniques have been honed and can be used more efficiently. Magic has increased by 2.] [You were surrounded by many wolves, but did not give up and fought with yourpanions to achieve a new record. Strength and Agility rose by 1 each.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ *Style [You got -ck Wolf yer-.] -ck Wolf yer- It is a title given to those who have hunted hundreds of ck wolves. -When hitting a ck wolf, additional damage is reduced by 3%, the wolf¡¯s howling effect and duration are reduced by 20%. -When hunting all kinds of wolves, you will emit an aura of intimidation. However, leaders and bosses are not affected. ©¸Passive: Movement speed and attack speed decreased by 5%. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: ck Wolf yer (1)] [Level: 19] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 1] [Strength: 41(C) / Potential A] [Health: 40(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 42(C) / Potential SS] [Magic: 43(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistence: 52(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Good Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 4] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Despite hunting wolves for over a year and eight months, Judah found his results unsatisfactory. Although his level and stats have risen, its increase was less than expected. Yes, he received a title, but joining Jeanne hunting the wolves proved to him how it had grown easily to do. At that point, his slow progress was natural. He wished to milk the opportunity as much as he could, but there was nothing left to squeeze. ¡®Woo. Is it time to go?¡¯ Judah thought to himself, believing it so. When he watched Jeanne, his temporarypanion, end their quest for noble reasons, he felt even more certain that the time hade. When he thought about it, he was almost 15 years old. March was here, all with its fresh spring breeze blowing in the wind. And after three more months, his birthday woulde. This birthday had a special meaning. Celebrating his birth and eating delicious food was always a part of birthdays, but on the fifteenth year, aing-of-age ceremony was held unlike any other. On that special day, he would be the very time he could open the pouch bestowed to him by the first monarch Xian. That would be his real start. If he acquired a fragment, his save would proceed automatically. So from that point on, it was just a matter of following the story as intended in the original game. After getting the fragments, the first thing he thought to do was to search the western forest for the Blue Spear Knight Jeanne. And after recruiting her as an official partner, he was set to leave Serenia Castle in search of the next Fragment¡­ Leaving Tia behind. The choice to leave her was painful, but there was nothing to be done. Ignoring their bond of many years was nothing easy to do, and Judah wished he could take her. However, the most rational decision was to move forward without her. Even if her potential grew higher, Tia would disregard the implications ahead. Taking her as she was now was not only dangerous, but also unwise. Her current level was quite high so that the story progression could go smoothly in its early stages, but its limits wille soon. Even if she could fight for a fragment, she may die in the process. Gathering the fragments were harsh, the next even harder than the previous. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if I die.¡¯ Judah could already hear her saying, but he wished not to see her die. ¡®If I die by mistake¡­ ¡® Such an idea brought Judah tremendous grief. He may not react so strongly due to the nature of -yer-, but the shock could cause him to lose motivation in everything. Its possibility made his heartache. There was nothing Judah wouldn¡¯t do to bring her back, even if it meant killing himself to go back in time. His eyebrows furrowed, thinking of any event that might lead to such a thing happening. It wasn¡¯t just about Tia. How many suicides can he stomach to revive hispanions every time they died? What would he do if he had grown used to the death of hispanion at some point? If he had grown tired and numb to the death of a friend, it would be painful as it is. The only thing he could wish was that Tia was not the one he would mourn. While he mused, the bathroom door opened. Tia stepped out, nced at Judah on her way to her room, then came out wearing casual clothing. Judas dropped his thoughts, conjuring a smile for her. ¡°You better buy me something delicious when you return.¡± ¡°Okay~ I¡¯ll buy, so don¡¯t fall asleep and wait for me!¡± Tia went over to Judah, brushed her hair aside, then leaned in to kiss him on the forehead. The scent of soap from her freshly washed body whipped in the air. Judah was distracted by it, but as he nced at her face, he saw the pause in her expression. ¡°Are you going yet?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Not yet. That wasn¡¯t enough.¡± This time, she cupped his face and kissed him lightly on the lips. The idle look on her face grew into a smile. The Suin stepped back, waved him goodbye, then throttled happily out of the door. Judah was left on his seat, caressing his lips where Tia¡¯s used to be. The feeling of her lips lingered on his. Just then, he remembered just a moment ago how he had nned to leave her. A pang of guilt hit him as he grew even more distressed. With a sigh, he checked her status window. The favorability, which was now over 90, stood out among the rest. He still felt a little sheepish being in the lover stage with her, and even before they could reach the spouse stage, she had already shown him skinship and affection. Judah was very much tempted to give in to her a few times, but he always found himself hesitating at thest minute, and they never had a proper rtionship. Thanks to this, Judah felt on edge every day, and the only thing that put him to sleep was reciting the national anthem in his head. Because of Tia, he could remember the national anthem without forgetting it, years aftering here. Judas watched as the door mmed, his body burying deeper into the sofa as he sighed. ¡®If this were a game, I wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about this.¡¯ In his game, he could bring up to fivepanions with him. He could take Tia at the start and then leave her in the inn when his teammates were full. And when the game progressed smoothly to some extent, you could always go back to yourpanions and grew yours with affection for them. The problem was that this world was not a game with such a system. It might be a game, but to everybody, this was all real. All NPCs lived, breathed, thought, and act in their own free will. There was no such function in the inn where you could change yourpanions as you wish. Judah shook his head, trying to shake away the migraine creeping within his brain. He had made a decision. He wouldn¡¯t be taking her. He figured he could leave this house to Tia, as he said in the past. He wanted her to wait for him here. If she were to fall in love with another man, it would be painful, but he was willing to bless her. It seemed too selfish to tell her to keep waiting without knowing when he woulde back. But in truth, he wanted to be selfish. Judah hoped Tia could wait for him. ¡®¡­No. Stop it. Think about something else for once.¡¯ He feels a weight on his shoulder at the thought of leaving her. Judah shoved away from his thoughts and focused on his ns for the future instead. While checking his status window, skills, and items, Judah remembered the quest he had received from Lord Peerchen. ¡¸Lord¡¯s Request¡¹ [The lord is very annoyed by the ck wolves expanding into the eastern woods, hoping you will reduce the number of these wolves.] [It¡¯s not worth risking alone, but this is an opportunity. Should you hunt the wolves and defeat their bosses, you will be celebrated by the inhabitants of the castle as well as the lord.] [This quest depends on the number of wolves you hunted, and it ends when you go to the lord and ask for a reward.] He had almost forgotten the quest given to him two years ago during their dinner. Judah hadn¡¯t paid attention to it, as it needed time before obtaining the reward. Scrolling further down the list, he found the kill count he had for the quest. [The number of ck wolves currently hunted] [Normal Wolf: 698] [Leader Wolf: 5] ¡°I caught a lot¡­¡± He may have defeated enough, but there were still many ck wolves alive. The eastern forest had been cleared of the beasts, but in the southern forest, the ck wolves continued to roam. He hunted so many wolves, but Requiem, the alpha of the ck wolves, has not emerged since Judah¡¯s duel with Korkan. Even if they met, he didn¡¯t have the confidence to face the alpha on a one on one duel. Looking smart at the request again and its ambiguous reward, he had already expected what it might be. Good armor, good weapons. Most of all, it was even better if money was among it. After -The 24th Fragment, Carpe Diem- that he obtained from Serenia Castle, the next Fragment obtained was -The 10th Fragment, Altemia-. And this Fragment was said to be easy to obtain. All he needed was money. With money, he could buy it from the owner of the Fragment¡­ But no one in this world knew that. In real life, rich coders would try to hack the game to get the fragments, but they all failed in their schemes. ¡®What will the lord offer me as a reward¡­?¡¯ Perhaps he should get everything over with already and then visit Yeongju. Judah stifled augh. He stretched with a yawn, mind wandering off about Tia again. How long was he going to wait for her? Should he stay awake or take a nap for the moment? He sighed again, body sliding down into slumber. Be it an hour or so before Tia could return, he decided to rest while he had nothing to do. + + + Bang bang! ¡°Hey! Open up! Helloooo?¡± Judah, asleep on the sofa, jerked awake to the banging on the door. The voice was undoubtedly Tia¡¯s, and she sounded very much drunk. He stood up, sighing at the constant banging strong enough it felt like the house could crumble at its force. The time read 22:47:32 when Judah checked it. ¡®She came earlier than I thought.¡¯ He reached for the doorknob, surprised that it wasn¡¯t locked when he turned it. Tia must have forgotten to lock it on her way out. He shrugged it off, letting the door loose because tending to it wasn¡¯t something he enjoyed. ¡­? Then why hadn¡¯t she stepped in? He opened the door and found Tia copsed on the wall. She reeked of too much alcohol, and all she could do was turn her head at him and smile. ¡°Judah! Master, look what I brought!¡± Giggling uncontrobly, she raised her hand, holding a well-wrapped paper box. The name of the shop they used to dine in was engraved on the box. Pretending not to know, Judah asked what it was. ¡°Is that chicken?¡± ¡°Jungdaap!¡± Tia jumped, pouncing on Judah with a hug. Surprisingly, he managed to carry her weight. She straightened back up, protecting the chicken box within her grasp. ¡°Is this good? Isn¡¯t this sweet? Are you happy? I had a good feeling I should get chicken!¡± She pounced on him again, her hands caressing every nook of his, touching his lips to his cheeks. Judah blushed and told her she was tickling him; all she responded with was a giggle. She was drunk in all shape and form, looking so defenseless before Judah, who was very much happy to assist her in her sweet and drunken staggering. ¡®Over there, over there!¡¯ Tia pointed at the sofa as she purred. Getting closer to it, she flung herself to its soft bedding while the box of chicken found itself discarded on the table. ¡°I wanted you to eat something delicious!¡± With such a proud face, Tia opened her arms in the air. She was calling for a hug, but Judah was hungry and eating while cuddling was impossible. Judah sat beside her, picking up the take out to check on it. Inside, there was a fried chicken that remained warm and steaming. His first bite was delectable, and soon he found the order was boneless, and maybe Tia was right. She¡¯s good for getting this chicken. ¡°This is great!¡± Tia watched him as he munched away like she was hungry too. Judah was too distracted to see, but thedy beside her didn¡¯t tear away from her longing gaze. It was the gaze of a woman looking at a man she loves. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°Yes! Would you like some, Tia?¡± ¡°Will you feed me?¡± Tia opened her mouth like a baby bird, looking at Judas with her tempting, steamy eyes. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

47==================== The Twenty-fourth Fragment, Carpe Diem Judah held out the chicken for Tia, but the moment he caught the look upon her eyes, his arm froze. His senses heightened under her gaze, one so intense it felt like a predator¡¯s watch. With her mouth open like a baby bird, Tia watched as Judah froze in ce, and then she grabbed his wrist and pulled it close. She ate the chicken between Judah¡¯s fingers, moving away an inch as she chewed. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Wow¡­¡± When Judah tried to pull back his hand from her grasp, Tia frowned and held on even tighter. It made him groan and plead, but she had no ns of letting him go. Tia was hungry, and for the longest time, that whisper in her head wouldn¡¯t go away. It was like an unquenchable thirst. A thirst not perishable by any sort of water, she thought, as she continued watching Judah from under hershes. Swallowing the meat in her mouth, she stuck out her tongue and licked her lips. ¡®I¡¯m not hungry.¡¯ Celebrating the end of their one-year quest with Jeanne throughvish wining and dining was given for the asion. And the chicken, given to her by Judah, she ate despite her disinterest. ¡®Then what is it?¡¯ She looked at Judah with a tilt of her head. Trying to find the answer to a question she could never answer. Then, unconsciously, she found herself sucking the finger of the boy in her grasp. The taste of the chicken¡¯s salty seasoning hit her tongue in a rush. She was beyond pleased. ¡°Wait-¡± In the shock of the feeling of her tongue, Judah tried to jolt away again, but he was weak against Tia¡¯s strength. Her tongue ventured his fingers, dancing around like it was her prey. ¡®Ah¡­ It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the seasoning. No, the taste of Judah¡¯s very finger was delectable. Bringing her the ecstasy of something beyond appetite, she felt her breathing deepen that surprised even herself. Sigh¡­ Sigh! It was like a drug. Tia¡¯s ears twitched as she kept licking, and soon her tail grew stiff. Her body was heating up. After licking countlessly, reason soon left her mind, and finally, Tia freed Judah¡¯s hand. Her saliva hung between her lips and the tip of his fingers. Seeing it made her want to apologize, but truly, she felt pride in marking him. Judah frowned, took back his hand, and wiped it on his pants. Her gaze never left his hand. All she wanted was to lick the young boy some more. She craved to mark him as her domain, but she had to be patient. ¡®Why?¡¯ Tia wanted him. Why did she need to resist? ¡®Because I don¡¯t want to be hated.¡¯ She wanted to raise and to eat with him. However, every time she dared to try, fear got the best of her. Back when he said he liked her, she believed it was merely Judah being naive. It was easy to say he liked her back, especially for a child who might not know anything. But it waste to let go of him; Judah had already taken over her heart. ¡®Judah said he also liked me.¡¯ Tia yearned to be his first woman. She wanted to birth his offspring. She needed to make love with Judah. At that moment, all she wanted was him. The obsessive thoughts flooded her mind, and all she could do was drown in them. ¡°Tia?¡± Judah called out to her, staring at him still. In a sh, she jumped up, and their world turned upside down. Tia, who had been looking up at Judah, was now the one looking down at him. It took him a moment to realize; he was now the oneying on the sofa, switching ces with Tia. A chuckle escaped his lips. ¡®What?¡¯ Tia sat on Judah¡¯s waist, staring him down. Her hazy eyes beheld every part of him. The air between them felt weird. It could be the alcohol, but the wagging tail sticking out of her ass told otherwise. ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°Ye- Yes?¡± Tia was no longer slurring her words. She would most of the time stutter his name whenever she was drunk, but she managed to say it fluently. ¡°I have something I want to eat, can I eat it? I¡¯ve thought about it. I think I¡¯ve been patient for a long time.¡± She wanted to taste him even if she couldn¡¯t. After revealing her desires, Tia dove down and kissed him. Everything she had done in the past second sent Judah¡¯s head in a daze. Were they moving too fast? Recalling the night, no, they weren¡¯t rushing. This was normal, right? Just a moment ago by the door, she was already touchy upon her return. ¡°Mmhm-¡± Their lips shed, and their tongues hooked like snakes. Tia yearned after Judah, like everything she had been enduring was about to burst. Tia felt nothing but bliss as she explored his mouth, sucking all of Judah¡¯s saliva. The Suin pulled back, their kiss ending with a loud smack of their lips. ¡°Judah. I¡¯m okay with this, so are you. I think I¡¯ve been patient for a long time. How can you settle with just something like this? And by the way, this is the first time I¡¯ve tasted any person¡¯s finger!¡± Tia stabbed her fingertips on Judah¡¯s chest. ¡°So, can you teach me something good?¡± Tia¡¯s eyes grew heavier by the second as her lips puckered. Without even giving him a chance to answer, she leaned over again and struck Judah¡¯s lips. She bit them, pulled it, and did everything slowly to taste his every inch. Swoop! Their soft kiss quickly grew into something much sloppier. Judah, caught in the pull that seemed to flow out of their bodies, was simply led by her. Although it tasted like the chicken, she made no move to flinch as she harassed Judah¡¯s mouth. Her pink tongue swept through his teeth, traced the gaps between, and wrestled his tongue with hers. ¡°Ha¡­ Judah¡­¡± Their salivas tugged when Tia whimpered. Judah felt his head empty. Nothing else mattered. All that mattered was that they were kissing, and he had Tia¡¯s body between his hands. Oh, God. Breaking apart for air, Tia copsed onto Judah¡¯s chest, looking up at him with eyes filled with ecstasy. She was irresistibly cute. It did not help that she stared at him with such soft and droopy eyes, arousing the sadistic side within Judah. ¡°What do we do¡­?¡± Tia grew hotter and more impatient. With a grunt, she rolled up Judah¡¯s coat. She gasped, taking in the view of his body. ¡°You¡¯re so cute¡­ Are you ready?¡± Tia spoke up, audibly and without a hint of intoxication. It was so clear in his ears, and his body shivered as he listened. Her hands crawled under his clothes, taking them off of him slowly. A gasp escaped Tia¡¯s lips when her fingers felt his naked body. ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± Tia eximed, pretending to be surprised. Her eyes lit up at the wonderful sight. She studied his muscles, fine and perfect from where they sat. If he continued to stay this way as he grew, he would be one fine man. But for now, her hands caressed his body in every nook and cranny. Her fingertips felt right as if they fit perfectly to his curves, and the feeling of his tight muscles made her heart race. ¡°Oh¡­ Your body is amazing¡­¡± Tia¡¯s hot breathing and crawling fingers kept Judah on the very edge of excitement. But it wasn¡¯t just him, and Tia felt the same. The look of euphoria on her face was beyond erotic. Judah knew that the simple voice or a simple nce at a person¡¯s face was effective for stimtion. So he took the chance; he reached out and grabbed Tia¡¯s chest over her underwear. ¡°Ah!¡± Her eyes twinkled, and she spat out her dogma. Her golden eyes nced down at Judah¡¯s fingertips, groping her over her clothes. The more he grasped and fondled her supple breasts; the more her bra came closer to being loose. ¡°What is this? You usually act like an adult¡­ Now, why are you looking at my breasts like a baby? Do you want to suck it?¡± Judah was now breathing heavily, unable to process what he just heard. It sounded like a question, so he nodded on reflex. She wanted his body just as much as he wanted hers. However, it was impossible to do anything with her, thanks to her body weight and strong waist. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll give you a chance to do whatever, to your heart¡¯s content. Go on.¡± She pushed away his hand softly to take off her bra, heat spreading throughout her body to an unbearable degree. The moment she took off her bra, her beautiful and supple breasts fluttered and unveiled. ¡°Touch it.¡± ¡°Amazing¡­¡± ¡°Right? I¡¯m pretty proud of my chest.¡± Judah reached out again, seeing Tia smile as he did. Touching her over her clothes felt good, but it wasn¡¯t the same. It was now his hand against her bare skin; it was soft beyond his belief. Judah hadn¡¯t been tempted by many, but now he couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Oh¡­ Yeah, like that.¡± He continued feeling her, Tia grinning at its motions with her eyes furrowing along. He rummaged her breasts enough to leave a handprint. In his grasp, it felt much softer and suppler than kneading dough. Then suddenly, he felt her nipples perk up underneath his palms. Judah dropped his hands, and staring back at him were pink nipples sitting among Tia¡¯s prints. It looked like an oasis in the middle of a desert. Reading Judah¡¯s lustful gaze, she gathered her breasts with both hands and pushed them over his face. A brief inhale was all he could do before he found himself buried between her breasts. Everything was soft against his face. ¡°Hehe, how do you feel? That¡¯s a man¡¯s dream. It must be nice for my pretty student to experience a dreame true.¡± Instead of answering, Judah stuck out her tongue and licked the bone between her chest. ¡°Hey?!¡± Caught off guard, Tia trembled at the touch. The moment Judah¡¯s tongue flicked between her breasts, shivers ran down her spine. The most puzzling thing to her was, she had never felt this way before, and she tried her best to hide it now. ¡°Ah¡­ Just like that, yes¡­.¡± Every time his tongue licked her breasts, her body fluttered and twitched. Instinctively, Judah reached out and grabbed her ass. It wasn¡¯t just Tia who felt the rush of pleasure; he felt it as well. Both had lived quite an ascetic life for a long time. In his twenties, a young man suddenly woke up in the body of a child and was forced to live in secrecy, while Tia was forced to endure while meeting and teaching Judah. Then, after a year or two, Judas gradually entered her heart and waited for the time to grow a little more, so it was natural for both to feel excitement and pleasure with only the simple act of touch. While licking her chest, a hard bump suddenly caught in his mouth. Judah, instinctively, sucked it and bit it with his teeth. Tia trembled at the sudden pleasure, the sensation shooting from her spine then straight to her brain. ¡°He- Hey, do it softly¡­ Could you please?¡± She endured the heat bubbling in her lower regions, looking straight at Judah with aforting smile. Judah bit the nipple again, and the pleasure ravaging within them was more than they expected. Their libido was at its peak, umted over their years of abstinence. The momentum inside her rose like water on the edge of spiling, and then it did, leaving her feeling awkward. ¡®Damn. I think I finished?¡¯ Chapter 48

Chapter 48

48==================== The Twenty-fourth Fragment, Carpe Diem However, the idea of ??the danger she took wasn¡¯t a big deal. After all, Judah was a pure child who knew nothing. What he had been doing with her chest was nothing but instinct. The catharsis she felt was only because his actions took her by surprise, but she was the one who leads anyway. So if what they were doing was risky, the best she could do was control the speed. ¡°Woah, slowly.¡± Judah was a very good listener. His rough nipple sucking slowed down. Tia chuckled as he repeatedly shuddered and murmured beneath her. ¡®By the way¡­ You¡¯re surprisingly good.¡¯ With her maternal love, she raised thepliment for a little bit of pleasure. Sucking breasts and biting them seemed natural to him. Judah seemed to have had a prior experience but looking at him now, distracted and all, perhaps he hadn¡¯t. If he learned from no one, was he doing this out of love? ¡®Is this also a talent?¡¯ Tia giggled to herself. It felt light, easing up her body, but not enough to rx the burning of it. ¡°Now stop.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Judas looked at her with regret, and she sputtered a giggle. After all, it was cute. There was no way she could turn away a child with such a cute face. He sat there, restless, and she felt her heart pound. It was hard for her to endure his pure expression. What was she to do? Her eyes were stained with her contrasting desires while looking at its very manifestation, breathing so heavily like an animal. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re so lovely!¡± Tia hugged Judas, sped his face, and poured kisses all over it. Forehead, nose, cheeks, lips, chin, nape of neck, vicle¡­ As she gradually descended, she hissed at his clothes, and Judas raised his arms to help her take them off. Something seemed to have changed a lot, but nothing was strange. This could¡¯ve been hotter if she only had lipstick on, but despite leaving no marks, this felt great for her. Sitting on Judah¡¯s waist, she slipped back. The sofa was wide enough. With her buttocks dropping at Judah¡¯s ankles, she soared her buttocks high and put her mouth against Judah¡¯s pants. ¡°Tia, there.¡± ¡°Oh, this is the most important ce. Oh my, look at this bulge.¡± Tia snapped her mouth onto his pants. Something hard and elongated emerged through the fabric. She pushed it with her lips, and it went down with a little resistance; when she pulled back, the bulge sprung up with a tiny bounce. ¡®Oh, this is Judah¡¯s-¡® Full of anticipation, Tia slowly took off Judah¡¯s pants. What was she going to see? She expected that in a few months, his penis would be surrounded with hair, like the sign of his growth into adulthood. ¡°Oh!¡± The moment his pants came off, all she could do was stare in surprise at his size. Judah was fully erect and bigger than what she had expected. Its body that rose toward the ceiling even curved. ¡®This is amazing. It¡¯s this size despite this age. Ah¡­¡¯ Tia, who had been hungry for a long time, had drooled in her mouth. Of course, Judah had her heart, but she wanted the satisfaction of all of this for now. ¡°Tia. I¡­!¡± ¡°I know, I know. Is it sick? Don¡¯t worry, your Master will make you feel better.¡± Judah tried to say he couldn¡¯t take it, but stopped before he could even speak out. It didn¡¯t take long before he nodded in agreement and quietly fell into her touch. Tia grabbed the tall pir of fire within her grasp. Holding it in her palms, it throbbed like a fish out of water. Tia¡¯s lips curled into a smile, then began to rub up and down his shaft lightly. Judas looked down at Tia. Her buttocks rose above her legs, holding his penis in her hand, and her eyes peered at him strongly enough to stop the beating of his heart. The warm, soft touch of her hands felt so good, but his head needed more. Tia knew what to do. Her lips touched his sensitive area. Judah¡¯s groan rang loud into the air and a smirk curved in Tia¡¯s lips as she flicked her tongue out. She then licked him entirely, twoop, the following sound came. Her hand rested on his belly for support. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Watching her make such a nasally sound told him Tia was well experienced. She knew how to relieve him. His erection felt so hard to the point of dying from its pain, and now he could almost feel burst. Her actions were like throwing firewood into a burning me. Choop- Choop- Tia switched from licking and kissing his penis, going down a little further to lick his testicles. Judah was worried that it might smell, but she just licked it carefully as if it was delicious. ¡°How¡­¡± Judas bit his lips, groaning one after the other. It was unbearable to hold back from the avnche of stimtion, senses of sight, and hearing following the sense of touch. The cherry on top, the body he was in, had never experienced such pleasure. Her golden eyes and ck pupil were watching Judah¡¯s reaction. Tia thought that it was time to end his suffering, biting his penis on a whim. ¡°Ugh!¡± It was something far beyond his experience with just her lips and tongue. The sensation washing over him was warmer and softer. Judah grabbed the seat of the sofa as she continued to move her head up and down his penis. All he could do was watch. Tia hummed at his blissful expression before closing her mouth. His head enteredTia¡¯s mouth as she sucked and pulled him simultaneously. Judah had no choice but to ground himself. ¡°You look good. You look so cute¡­¡± Churp- Chuk, grunts, and every sound began to mix. That wasn¡¯t all that hit his senses. How he wished to concentrate on one, but her gently stroking of his belly, his stomach, and the teasing shake of her ass rendered him weak. Even her breasts gently touched her thighs, as if it wasn¡¯t already hard to hold on. Spree- Like licking ice cream, she stuck out her tongue and licked up the slick dripping down his testicles from his head. Judah kept groaning, unable to hold back any longer. Even if he was doing good, good could only go so far. After several minutes of constant stimtion, Judah was no longer able to bear it. And as if Tia could already sense it, her fingers busy around his shaft quickly shot up to his tip. ¡°No. Be patient!¡± She barely grabbed it with her thumb and forefinger, but the semen, spewing out wildly, slowly held back. It trickled beforeing to a halt. It looked like liquor glistening on his penis. Tia gazed at it before kissing it. ¡°Woohoohoo.¡± There was no taste, of course, but the satisfaction felt great. Tia felt proud that she had taken the beginning of Judah as an adult. Tia exhaled deeply, looking like Judas, who scrambled to make up to her. She took off her skirt and dropped off her underwear. Tia came a little closer to him. ¡°What about it? Isn¡¯t this your first time to look closely at this?¡± Shy and red from blushing, Tia spread her open her pussy for him, an obscene sticky sound following it. Love liquid dripped from the open hole. It fell just above the penis, pointing at the ceiling, then flowed down slowly to the surface. As she said, it was his first time to see her skin in this detail. Hers had no thick ck hairs; her open flesh was pinkish like a nipple. She looked so fresh and untouched, the skin around sitting very fine. Feeling Judah¡¯s unmoving gaze, sheughed and spoke. ¡°This is just a taste.¡± Judah didn¡¯t reply. He just looked at her eyes with pleading eyes. Whether it was a test or the main menu, he already knew this from that, and all he wanted was to get this quickly. ¡°Because of the rtionship between a woman and a man starts from now on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about it.¡± ¡°From now on, you are an adult. Your Master will teach you one by one.¡± She slowly lowered her waist. Her wet flesh slowly began eating Judah¡¯s erect penis. ¡°Ah!¡± Tia stuck out her tongue and groaned. This was it. It felt like a rock pushing into her vagina. Lowering her waist further, she pushed with all her might, remembering the taste she had already forgotten. At once, his penis squeezed into her body. ¡°Wow! Wow¡­ I think it¡¯s inside.¡± There were more to take in, but her body didn¡¯t listen. Regardless of her will, the walls of her flesh stuck together like this was her first time. Lust shot through their bodies; both Judah and Tiana looked at each other in ecstasy, faces twisted lewdly. ¡°No way. Ah¡­ This is so good¡­? Amazing¡­¡± Tia blurted out, thinking it was all in her head, but her awareness was out of her control. All she could think of was Judah being inside of her, filling her tummy with so much warmth. How could he fit inside her so well? Such a thought could be a hasty judgment on their first try, but she was sure. The innerpatibility was good, and it felt amazing too. Judah¡¯s size was surprisingly enough to meet her uterus lightly. Tia sat on her knees, unable to swallow his entirety. So to insert it all the way¡­ ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ She drooled in anticipation. ¡°T-Tia, wait. What¡¯re you doing?¡± Judah tried to move her waist, but she was already on the move, slowly raising herself. He grabbed her waist in support. But Tia already knew what to do without his help. She stuck out her tongue, wetted her lips, then shed a bewitching stare down at him. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

49==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough? It¡¯s not enough. I¡¯m not satisfied with this. Come on, make me a mess.¡± Tia¡¯s hands stroked Judah¡¯s cheeks. Slowly descending downwards, she ced them on his sturdy chest for support. Then, slowly, her hips started to thrust. Tch- His penis began leaking inside her sweet pink hole. Her flesh stuck to his penis and refused to let go. Since herst time, it had been a while, so her love juice spilled out like a flood. ¡°Ahh¡­ I think I¡¯ming.¡± Tia lifted her ass and lowered it again. With a smacking sound, her buttocks and Judah¡¯s thighs collided. A tingling sensation climbed up their spine to the tip of their head. Tia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in bliss. ¡®I can¡¯t stop my waist!¡¯ Whoa! Tia thrust her hips, breathing hot and heavy. Her arms met at Judah¡¯s arms, squeeze in between were her breasts bouncing to their rhythm. Judah watched them sway before grabbing her ample breasts. As he rubbed to leave his prints all over her breasts, Judas grabbed the tip of her nipples and pulled it. ¡°Ah! Okay, like that. Pull it!¡± Tia¡¯s body bounced into the air while pressure traveled through her nipples. The pricking and paining from the nipple grew into pleasure. ¡°Tia, I¡­ I think I¡¯ming!¡± ¡°No-no! Just be patient!¡± But this time, Judah didn¡¯t listen to her. He couldn¡¯t stay patient with all the pleasure shooting through. It was impossible to endure her as she went up and down on him. ¡°Oh, ah- I can¡¯t do it! Just a little more. Be patient!¡± Tia thrust rode him faster and faster. She hadn¡¯t experienced this in a long time, and she wanted to make itst. The love liquid from her vagina spewed out of the pubic area in a drop. ¡°Go, go. Judah, I- I think I¡¯ming too¡­! So¡­! So¡­ A little, more!¡± Tia hit herst thrust, swallowing Judah¡¯s penis as deep as possible; she felt their climax rising and bursting with semen. ¡°Hah!¡± Her back bent backward. Tia felt as his semen traced inside her stomach. She looked down at her belly with an ecstatic expression at the amount of semen that was spewing out. ¡®Ah, Judah¡¯s seed ising in so fast!¡¯ Tia felt like her womb was swallowing all of Judah¡¯s semen, and the feeling of having him fill inside her felt heavenly. Her thighs began to tingle on the verge of copse. She looked at Judah¡¯s face for pleasure, chewing on her lips. And surely, Judah had the look of a pleasured man on his face. However, Tia may have felt that the pleasure a moment ago was too strong to the point that it was hard to bear. They came, but her climax was not over. ¡®That was great¡­ And amazing¡­ And lovely!¡¯ Perhaps to squeeze thest drop, her vaginal wall contracted and squeezed Judah¡¯s penis. It wasn¡¯t long, but she felt a little satisfied. However, it was not enough. She looked down at Judah. She wanted to do more. Could he handle more? Feeling the hard texture of his belly, she believed he could handle it one more time. ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah?¡± Judah mumbled with a dazed expression, feeling up the lingering pleasure he hasn¡¯t felt after years. Tia looked down at Judah as she caressed his chest. ¡°One more time¡­ Can you do it?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Upon hearing Judah¡¯s confident answer, Tia raised her ass while giving him a gentle smile. His penis slowly came out, making a groaning sound, and her liquid mixed with semen webbed through the gaps. ¡°Ah?¡± Tia turned her back and got on all fours like a dog. She nced back, wagging her tail like it was saying what she wanted to say. ¡°Try it yourself this time.¡± At that, Judah took hold of her buttocks that wiggled teasingly. He couldn¡¯t forget the pleasure he tasted a while ago. Judah aimed his penis into the hole where he had just ejacted. ¡°Yeah, there. You can put it there. Come on,e on.¡± At her rush, Judas moved her waist. When he pushed his penis into the wall of the vagina that was closing, it stuck to his member. In that buttery texture, Judah stretched her buttocks apart. When he felt something touch the tip of his nds, he started thrusting and thrusting. ¡°Oh!¡± Tia moaned at the pressure she felt in her belly. From behind, Judah grabbed her ass and began to shake her waist. ¡°Ah! You¡¯re good. Yeah, oh! Like that. With love, please. Shake your back. Oh!¡± The sounds of their bodies colliding followed in rhythm. When Judah¡¯s penis slipped out, Tia pushed her ass back to m it back in. They smashed, and it swallowed his penis deeper as her pussy squeezed. Tia gasped and buried her head on the sofa. ¡®Ha, as expected. It¡¯s working. This is good¡­¡¯ Unlike Tia, who enjoyed taking Judas¡¯s penis leisurely, Judah had been losing it at the back. He felt so good that he couldn¡¯t think properly. He was in a rtionship with Tia, who was much older, which gave him physical pleasure and mental satisfaction. ¡°Yeah, yes!¡± Seeing Judah moan, Tia moved her back harder, her tail wagging like before. All was good, but the tail¡¯s movement kept blocking his view of Tia¡¯s wonderful porcin back. ¡®It¡¯s annoying.¡¯ Judas reached out one hand and grabbed the tail. ¡°Huh?! Come on, wait. Judah?¡± Confused why she was caught by her tail, she called out, but Judas only bit the tail with his mouth. The gray-striped ck tail was fluffy but fleshy. The moment he bit her tail, her body trembled. ¡°Hah, hah. Tail. Do not bite my tail, no, no. I don¡¯t allow it. Screw it. Do it!¡± He would¡¯ve given up, as she said, but her change of mind caused him to bite even harder. ¡°Hah!¡± A sharp dogma bursted out. As Tia tried to get up, she mmed her head back on the sofa. Judas grabbed her ass with his right hand and grasped the tail¡¯s base with his remaining hand. The story that the Suin tribe¡¯s tails were sensitive seemed to be true. Whenever he bit into her tail, her walls tightened and tightened. Her ass shook softly, and saliva spilled from her mouth. ¡®Oh, no. My tail!¡¯ Every time her tail was chewed, a feeling of pleasure swept through her body in waves. She wanted to see him, but her body didn¡¯t have any strength for Tia to look sideways at Judas. Only her buttocks were close, unaware of the shame, taking in Judah¡¯s penis. The penis that poked in was swollen as if it on the brink ofing once again. ¡°Huh, huh¡­! Yeah! Oh! Ju- Judah¡­ Are you sure?¡± Instead of answering, Judas held her tail in his mouth and grabbed her ass with both hands. The speed of their bodies wouldn¡¯t stop; they were addicted. Pat pat pat, like runningps on the streets they went. As his erection stabbed her insides, her eyes started to haze. ¡°Ah, no¡­ I¡¯m..! Judah¡­! Stop!¡± There was no way he would stop just because she said so. Tia endured the pleasure by chewing her lips amidst Judah¡¯s continuous thrusting, but eventually, she urinated, and her waist managed to rx. The pleasure was too much to endure after years of never having it. Regardless of her will, she rushed and felt the water flowing out. The sofa soaked in her warm fluids. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Tia could feel their distance with the help of her tail. Her tail was wet with Judah¡¯s saliva. And soon, after reaching his pleasure, Judah let go. ¡°Wow!¡± Her tail twitched and wagged on Judah¡¯s body. ¡°Ha, ha, ah-!¡± ¡°Tia, I think I¡¯ming!¡± He was near, and he seemed to be asking for permission, but he was already ejacting in her vagina. Her ears were pricking and trembling as his semen came pouring roughly. Hearing Judah¡¯s breathing behind her back, Tia remained silent in the aftermath of pleasure. After five minutes, Judah, who had copsed, came to and turned on his back with Tia waking up right beside him. ¡°How was it, Judah? Did you feel good?¡± ¡°Yes. It was¡­ It was really awesome.¡± At that, she reached out her lips and kissed Judah on the cheek. Outside, the sound of the street rang into the room like a luby. At the sight of her beloved Judah, Tia took him into her arms and stroked his head. ¡°Hahaha, really? You say such lovely things.¡± Perhaps because of having sex while drinking, she quickly fell asleep. Judah shuffled in her embrace, buried his face in her chest, then closed his eyes to sleep as well. The lovers were enough with each other¡¯s body temperature. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

50==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Judah opened his eyes to the feeling of someone stroking his hair. All was a blur except for Tia, who was watching him dearly as shey with him, naked. Of course, it was her who had been caressing him. ¡°Good morning.¡± Judah nodded in response. What happenedst night wasn¡¯t a dream. It started when she tackled him by the door until they ended up talking on the sofa. Judah told her what he wanted to say, and she also epted Judas. The roles were reversed, yet the result satisfied them both. He wondered if she was drunk the whole time, but seeing her in good shape now, it seemed like she wasn¡¯t. She was very different fromst year, all confused and remorseful about their kiss in the carriage. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Judah¡¯s question that Tia could interpret in so many ways her into a fit ofughter. Was he asking about her hangover or the mess they madest night? Maybe both. And for that, the answer was no. It was not okay at all. Tiaughed, but her head ached thanks to her hangover. And inside, guilt lulled in her mind for having made love with her student after drinking. However, the guilt soon turned into pride. In the first ce, she was a beast. She had a human form, but she was a predator. She did it because she wanted to do it, so would that be a problem? Rather, she was happy that she was able to relieve the lust that had been suppressed by her useless heart. She even heard Judas say he loved her in a sweet, tender voice. That was enough. ¡®No, perhaps it¡¯s not enough?¡¯ Tia stroked Judah¡¯s head, watching him under yearning eyes. Judah¡¯s voice that was struggled with pleasure, his face of ecstasy and his change from being a boy into a wild beast all reyed in her head. She wanted to do it again. She was in a mood to wrap Judah around her with her slender legs, but she held back. It was morning, and she can always wait for the night. Tia pushed away from her desires with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s okay, everything¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That was amazing. I never thought that Tia, who is always struggling to get up every morning, would get up first and watch me.¡± Tia teased him, sticking her tongue out before bursting intoughter. She did wake up before Judah could, and this was the day she first realized that mornings weren¡¯t bad either. This was very special for her, waking up by herself and stroking Judah¡¯s face first thing in the morning. A sounding from outside snapped her out of her musings. ¡°Are you hungry? Wash and tidy up. I¡¯ll make something delicious.¡± Tia got up from where theyid, coaching him with a soft voice before disappearing out of the room. ¡®Get some clothes on.¡¯ She walked off with no clothes on, and Judah could only tilt his head at such a picturesque way to start his day. Everything felt like straight out of a movie. As he came to, it dawned on him that he was lying in bed and not the sofa. ¡®Weird. I¡¯m sure I fell asleep on the sofast night.¡¯ Judah smiled briefly at the thought of Tia bringing him to bed. He then yawned before getting out of bed and into their living room. As soon as he stepped out, a bold smell hit his senses. He approached the sofa, constantly sniffing to find its source. ¡°Oh.¡± On the sofa were traces of their lovemaking from yesterday night. The furniture was covered with love juice and semen, and to his recollection, Tia had even soiled herself. Given everything, the scent was no surprise. However, this wasn¡¯t something he could fix with a simple damp cloth. He needed to clean it thoroughly. With a small sigh, Judah first went to the bathroom to wash. He bathed and dressed up before getting to work with the sofa while Tia prepared their breakfast in the kitchen. Judah opened the windows to ventte the air, changed the sofa¡¯s sheets and cushion, and cleaned the floors to get rid of any other marks. The mopped floors were so clean they shone, the sofa¡¯s seat was brand new, and Judah¡¯s cherry on top was the air freshener he sprayed into the air. He was finally able to breathe. After his chore, Tia called for him in the kitchen. He went and found her taking a break from cooking, sitting on a chair. ¡°What are you looking at? Come on and sit down.¡± Tia cooed, her face smug, with her hands resting by her sides. Judah grew flustered the moment he saw her, still naked. ¡°Tia, wear clothes before that.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Tia looked down at herself. An apron was the only thing covering her up. As she smiled and tried to approach Judas, she pondered for a moment and nodded. Well, there was still a lot of time left, and she didn¡¯t need to seduce Judas in the morning. She let out a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Go, eat ahead! I¡¯ll get dressed!¡± Judas hummed happily as he saw Tia running for her room. She gave him a sight he would never forget. The surreal sight of her just wearing an apron while cooking. Something that he knew might not happen again. ¡®Don¡¯t forget and remember that.¡¯ Making a useless pledge to himself, Judah took his seat and waited for Tia. On the table were tomato pasta mixed with sausage, which was a bit heavy to eat in the morning, grilled meats, and rice. Spaghetti and rice was abination he hasn¡¯t tried, but it could be delicious, although too big for breakfast. His musings were cut sharply when a loud thump erupted, and suddenly Tia, finally clothed, jumped right in front of him. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re not eating yet?¡± ¡°I have to wait. How can I eat without you?¡± Moved by his remark, she took her seat and began their breakfast. They fed each other as they shared their lovely meal inughter. Ever since he came to this realm, he can finally say this was his first time being truly happy. It wasn¡¯t just one day. Before hising-of-age ceremony, the three of them spent three months in love. We strolled together, shopped together, slept together, and went hunting together. Everything they did, they did together. From the outside, people who saw the teacher and the student often said that they were lovers. Every night, love poured from each other¡¯s mouths. They would exchange their profession of love in hushed voices,ughing at themselves afterward. When Tia asked him what it was like to be young, he replied that love was the only thing he liked and how they were always together. For a moment, Tia would pause in shock. Before, her lips would grow into a big grin as she hugged him in her arms. How could he say such precious things? It was truly a happy time. They were so happy their days felt like a dream. In the blink of an eye, their days passed by. The time came as quickly as it was sweet. Today was no exception. Judah sat on the sofa, leaning against her. Tia had him in her embrace as they talked. ¡°Judah, it¡¯s youring-of-age ceremony tomorrow. Do you want anything?¡± ¡°Well, anything Tia gives is good for me.¡± ¡°Anything? What if I give you something you don¡¯t like?¡± Judas nodded, heaving a dreadfulugh. ¡°You still gave it, so I have to cherish it.¡± ¡°Really? Then, shall I give you a present tonight?¡± Her hands began to roam his body. Tia¡¯s fingers caressed him like one would y the piano, tracing over his body that had grown stronger from their recent hunts. ¡°Sorry, but not today.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Judah jumped off the sofa as she retaliated. Looking back, he was met with her disappointed re. Sometimes, Tia was a great teacher. Sometimes, she was a mature woman. But of course, she had moments, like this, where she felt like a cute child. He could onlyugh as sheined. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep alone today. I¡¯m thinking of having an emotional night-¡± Tia¡¯s face darkened. Then Judah leaned in, cradled her face with his hands, and ced a kiss on her lips. As their lips touched, he felt his heart fall. It was a short kiss, but its sound was strong in his ears. Judah went up the stairs saying good night, facing her tearful eye for thest time. It was time for him to spend time alone in his room. Judah opened the window, the outside breezing pouring in. It was cold and mellow. Echoing into the night was the far offughter of drunken passers-by. He raised his head to look up at the night sky. Countless clusters of stars twinkled to form the Milky Way. The night sky in this world was clean like a secluded countryside, free from any sort of pollution. ¡°If tomorrow¡­¡± June 25th was right around the corner, theing-of-age ceremony waiting for him. It was all Judah waiting for. The special day. Because of this, he had to decline her offer to sleep together. He opened the -bag- and took out the lucky pouch Xian gave him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Unknown Pouch] [Rating: Legend] [Effect] Experience gained + 20%, physical growth rate + 15% [Exnation] It is a strange pouch given by Xian. It looks like a lucky bag, but¡­ How exactly is it lucky? There seems to be something valuable inside, but it is sealed with strong power and cannot be opened. -Passive: The seal is released on the day of youring of age ceremony. -You are in me! (Passive): This is the object you desperately desire. ©¸??? (Passive): Part of the power of the sealed object flows out and affects you. Faster than anyone, more superior than others (Passive): This pouch containing Xian¡¯s power is special. Just what you own will be affected by that power. Your ability to acquire is improved as you learn, and you receive a bonus for developing talent. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It was a magic pouch he couldn¡¯t open no matter what force he used, nor can he tear it with Anything at all. The pocket, small enough to fit in the palm, still refused to open. Judah looked out the window another time before he turned his back andy down toward the bed. He stared off into the ceiling, a feeling of nostalgia running through him. It had been a very long time. He was called out to this world by Xian and had to kill the first thing when he came to, and he had to live alone without knowing the things he needed for his journey. He had no friends to rely on or talk to, so the library books became his aid. Knowing that only power and strength can protect him, he trained his physical strength little by little every day, and after that, went to Kaseun for training. He tried to win while being wary of Kain. After spending such a long time, he met her¡­ Gentia. Tia. He could still remember his first meeting with her. He remembered her looking down at him like he was interested in her golden eyes, which felt like the gaze of a tiger. The first time they met, he already found her beautiful, and he couldn¡¯t have been more frustrated to have the body of a child. After a long time, he finally made love with her, and it became a deep rtionship between whispering love to each other. For the first time in this world, he felt happy, and he valued their time together. However, it was also nearing its end. Ten days at the very least, and as soon as possible, he had to leave Serenity Castle within five days. He felt bitter that he had to leave this ce full of wonderful memories, but he couldn¡¯t help it because he had to collect all the twenty-four fragments to see the end. He didn¡¯t want just to sit around, grow old, then die. It would be okay to settle down and live in one ce, but it was unlikely that he would be able to return to the original world or see the end just because he was immortal. Probably, if he died of old age, he could go back to the day when he obtained a fragment, or wherever it is, that would take him. His life would be a never-ending loop. Given his chance, it was best to see it through the end. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was left staring at the ceiling as his thoughts ceased. He couldn¡¯t even sleep because he remembered all the things he could be missing out on in his real life. The pathetic feeling bubbled inside him as he tossed and turned. The noise from his window had died down. The silence around him thickened, leaving him and the open sky staring at each other in utter solitude. Pak! A sh of light, then the unmoving string of the pouch in his grasp came loose. Judah freaked out, watching as the string fell from his hand. [The seal of the unknown pouch has been lifted.] A pouch, untouchable by any force, finally opened itself after several years of waiting. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

51==================== The Twenty-fourth Fragment, Carpe Diem The seal was released. Judah flipped the open pouch to shake out whatever it contained. Something fell out. ¡®It¡¯s a ring!¡¯ The moment he emptied the pouch, he found a ring that looked like a whole piece of the obsidian mineral. It was made of protruding pieces like scales and no other adornments, but the more he looked at it, the more he found its beauty. It was smooth and sized like a normal ring, and as he gazed at it, he found uninterpretable letters engraved inside its surface. Suddenly, a holographic message appeared in front of Judas just as he picked up the ring. It stated that his progress was saved as the current point in time. [The twenty-fourth fragment-Carpe Diem, has been acquired.] [Resurrection time is saved based on the current location and current time.] [The save points used have been restored.] Judah looked at the autosave message, turned it off, and focused on the ring again. He felt intimate energy pulling him into the ink-colored ring as if it was seducing him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: The 24th Fragment-Carpe Diem] [Rating: Legend] [Equipment: Ring] [effect] Health +3, Magic Resistance +3, Charm +3 HP and Magic Recovery Speed ??+250% [Exnation] This is thest fragment of Pernern¡¯s heart. It looks like it was carved out of minerals, but this is the heart itself. After processing a piece of heart with magical treatment, it was shaved to give it its shape. The ring has the power to seduce others and can also dominate the object. The powers granted are ¡°fascination¡± and ¡°domination.¡± ¡®If you don¡¯t want to die, it would be better to break it in moderation, Artemia.¡¯ ¡®Oh, you? Me? It won¡¯t happen. If we did, we would only kill each other. Stupid.¡¯ -During the conversation between the 4th and 7th monarchs. -Active: A defeated enemy can be permanently recruited into your five allies. ©¸Absolute obedience: The subordinate cannot do anything that harms the person who became the master. ©¸Conditions of use 1-You must inflict a wound equivalent to non-resistance or fight in a battle to win. It can also be used when the opponent admits defeat. ©¸Condition 2-If the sum of all stats is higher than the opponent¡¯s; the probability of sess increases. ©¸Condition 3-However, there are certain characteristics or skills and items where subordination is impossible, and if you die and resurrect, all subordination and hypnosis are canceled. -Hypnosis (Active): Once the enemy is defeated, this ring can change their way of thinking and even make them do specific things. However, it may be canceled if the opponent¡¯s magical resistance power is high or the hypnotized target realizes its power and manages to resist. -Doppelganger (Active): You can summon dependent NPCs by unlocking the power of the fragment. The summoned NPC has the best-armed state and acts as an alter ego. It disappears when it is far away from the yer or when it receives immediate death damage. When it disappears, the alter ego¡¯s memories, and experiences are absorbed by the body, but if the body is within a certain distance, it cannot be summoned. (Maximum number of summons is 1, shares a certain amount of magic power after summoning) -Passive: You can be likable in the eyes of others. Of course, this depends on the individual¡¯s preferences and may not work. -Magical Defense (Passive): The mystical power in the heart reduces the damage of magic inflicted on the user. -Increased resistance (Passive): Increases resistance to various attributes such as me, cold, poison, and curse. -Among the twenty-four hearts of Pernern, the twenty-fourth (Passive): Thest of the twenty-four hearts has the powers of ¡°domination¡± and ¡°fascination.¡± -Passive: If you collect all 24 fragments made of Pernern¡¯s heart, you can inherit the power of the Demon King Pernern. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Wow. He knew it. Judah but his tongue as he studied the ring. The hologram window floating in front of him was showing the stats of the fragment. A total of 9 points increased his stats by simply wearing it. Considering that there are three essories out of the 24 fragments¡­ he gawked at the huge number. The maximum ability that an item can reach was up to 99 (S), but some special items can be raised to 100 (SS). And included in some of those items were fragments. In other words, if he could collect them in time, raising the stats thatcked potential than most was of big help to him. ¡°?¡± Something piqued his vision as he moved his gaze toward the skill and its details. The tremendous ability to increase the stat of 9 points was no different from what he remembered, but some of the skill effects turned out to bepletely different. He didn¡¯t know if the game changed as it became his reality. Perhaps Xian had written this himself. He remembered putting in the skill -domination-. However, he had no memory of adding the imposing effects of -hypnosis- and -absolute obedience- under it. It was a side effect that could be harmful if abused, but these were still good conditions. It was worth using once the conditions were met. It was worth more than that. This meant that if Judah used domination, he could make fivepletely loyalpanions in this world. It was essential for him, someone who had dealt with issues of betrayal. ¡®Well, a lot has changed when I became Judah, so that I won¡¯t be betrayed this time.¡¯ Still, it was better to make affiliations sincerely than to force them out of their will. Since -hypnosis- and -absolute obedience- were added, the likelihood of making sincere connections could be easily set aside. Just seeing the word hypnosis already gave him a lot of wicked ns. Although it was limited to one person, it was tempting to make another person do whatever he wanted. ¡®I don¡¯t know if I can do it with my conscience, but¡­ ¡® And -Doppelganger- below it was a technique he had in his game that could summon apanion from your inn if your current one is to ever die in battle. In this world, it could be the same method of summoning allies but with fewer conditions. Judah sighed with relief to find that it was the same as he remembered it. He kept it on his left index finger without much concern, then sat up to admire its beauty in the moonlight pouring inside his room. It was time to leave Serenia Castle. + + + He woke up in the morning and went for a walk after having a usual breakfast with Tia. As he stepped out, he found a carriage right outside theirwn. He approached it and met a butler sent by Kaseun. He was told to get in the carriage, as he was summoned into the mansion instantly. Tia had noticed what was going on, and she urged Judah with a smile. He dreaded that they might have prepared something for hising-of-age ceremony. When the carriage pulled into the mansion, he saw the crowd gathered in the garden. Librarian Assum, Alumni Guard Captain Charles, and other soldiers, Pdin Seron from the temple¡­ All those he knew came, and he couldn¡¯t believe it. Even Lord Chapelin Peerchen was there holding a drink. They all celebrated Judah¡¯s fifteenth birthday, and now that they had aing-of-age ceremony, he was now an adult and could wine and dine with them. The first drink he had in this world tasted super sweet and striking. Everyone took their drinks as well, but whether it was the ring¡¯s effect or because of the yer¡¯s characteristics, he couldn¡¯t get himself drunk, nor could the crowd. People were amused by him, who remained sober, saying it was a natural drinker. He thought there was something else special about aing-of-age ceremony, but there wasn¡¯t much. It was just a day and its meaning. Judah thanked Kaseun. He thought there would be no tears, but when he faced him and talked, tears fell from his eyes instantaneously. Without his help, he was sure to have lived through really difficult and miserable days. No one could do anything to him because Kaseun looked after him, and he lived with getting what he wanted. Since he became his mentor and taught him many things, he could have the strength he had now and met Tia in the process. With his help, many things that could not be easily obtained by himself were blessed upon him. Kaseun hugged Judah in tears. Until sunset, people were merry in drinking and eating delicious food. As the people returned to their homes one by one, the lord and Kaseun called Judah and gave him a present. The gift that the two had prepared together was a suit made of ck wolf skin. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: The dignity of ¡°ck Wolf¡¯s Leather Clothes Set¡± with the magic of regeneration and bnce] [Rating: precious _ luxury] [Equipment: top, bottom, shoes, belt] [Durability: 20/20] [Defense: 45] [effect] Agility +2, Charm +2 [Exnation] Clothes weremissioned by the swords ¡°Kaseun Sabrak¡± and ¡°Chapelin Peerchen¡± to celebrate Judah Arche¡¯sing-of-age ceremony. Top, bottom, and shoes are one set. -ck Wolf Skin (Passive): Made of ck wolf skin that resists physical and magic attacks. The quality is very good, and the effect is a little stronger because it was created with magic. -Craftsman¡¯s touch (Passive): A master craftsman and a talented mage made it with power. You will not look like a clunky adventurer or a mercenary, but a ssy scion. The craftsman¡¯s secret and the magical knowledge of the mage arebined, so it is cool in summer and warm in winter. -Passive: When walking or running in a forest or battlefield that is not in a safe zone, the probability of being detected by others is reduced, and the sound of the footsteps decreases. -Before Code: Infused with the magic of regeneration and bnce ©¸Recovers durability per hour +1, adjusts the size of clothes to fit the body. -Code áá: the dignity of(?) ©¸Purification-No smell and no dirt. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Judah gawked at the unexpected gift. After receiving it, they talked a little more before returning home. It felt like the time Tia came home all drunk and soggy. He threw himself on the sofa. Judah and Tia started to make out. Even when their moment ended, Tia refused to leave Judah for a moment. When he used the bathroom, even as he changed clothes, and even in the morning as he cooked, she was there. Judah wanted to go out early in the morning. Yet he sat there on the couch with her. He held Judas tightly in her arms and did not think of letting go. ¡°Tia, I want to go out.¡± ¡°Where are you going? You¡¯re leaving now?¡± Like saying, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go,¡± she used her legs and arms to keep Judah¡¯s restrained. Judas smiled bitterly. How did she be so cute like this? ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving yet. Just wait for me. I have a business to do in the Western Forest.¡± ¡°Western Forest? Why are we going there?¡± Judah thought about her for a moment, but he shook his head afterward. ¡°I¡¯m going alone. I¡¯ll be back within 3-4 days. And I¡¯m an adult now, and I¡¯m going toe and go there for thest time, before I really leave. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Judah.¡± She kept calling his name dearly. Judas couldn¡¯t get mad at her. Every time she called his name, regrets began to guilt him. ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening, Tia.¡± ¡°If you go¡­ Can Ie with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just heading to the Western Forest¡­¡± ¡°No, I know. You¡¯re leaving. You¡¯re going to the western forest, but you¡¯re leaving this ce in the next few days, right?¡± Judas was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can we go together? Why can¡¯t Ie?¡± Her fragile voice made him want to say, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± And he almost said it. Facing this in person was heavier than he thought. He envied those who can draw the line as easy as it was to draw a sword. Judah always had problems in maintaining boundaries. He was afraid that the other person will be hurt or that the other person will suffer. He didn¡¯t wish to do that to Tia, but he needed to be strong. ¡°Tia, do you remember the story we talked about here years ago?¡± Tia had no answer. She just hugged him tightly from behind. Judah felt weak in her warm embrace, but he continued. ¡°At that time, you said you would wait for me, remember?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t remember.¡± Tia replied quickly. She had remembered. Judah didn¡¯t react. He simply held her hand around his heart. They were pretty, long, thin fingers. As Judah remained silent, she mumbled in a whimpering little voice, with her head buried under Judah¡¯s nape. ¡°¡­I actually remember. But perhaps it¡¯s because I love you that I want to follow and be with you rather than waiting for you here.¡± ¡°I love you too, so much.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± ¡°Why? I need an exnation. I can understand.¡± Judah¡¯s expression darkened at her words. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Tip19. yers can use level-up points to distribute stats up to 99(S) beyond their potential. It is also possible to increase to 99 through an item¡¯s effect, and for some special items, it is possible to increase it to 100 (SS). However, from 101 to 109 (SS) and 110 (SSS) are special areas, and this area can be distributed only with special points that can be earned through achievements. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Stockpiling for the increased upload rate! I apologize for the lower rate today; we¡¯re in mid-orientation- just double checking everything is on-point.] Chapter 52

Chapter 52

52==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Judah slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Tia, I have to change. I want to be numb to murder. I don¡¯t want to be cowardly in the face of threats. I want to defeat injustice. I¡¯m going to travel to different countries and meet so many people, and I¡¯m going to be very different from now.¡± It was inevitable because that was what growth was. Tia tried to question what it had to do with her, but Judah continued his speech. ¡°And even if I changed into someone like that, I cane back to my innocent days like this one. If Tia waits for me here¡­ I will do my best to ovee the trials, thinking that I have someone to go back to. When Ie back, I¡¯lle back as the same me that you know, no matter what happens to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a coward. I don¡¯t want to show you how I¡¯m changing, and I don¡¯t want to lose you in front of my eyes, just like my parents because of myck of power. I love you the most in the world right now. You are the one I cherish the most. I¡¯m not going to ask you to wait for me in the only ce I¡¯lle back to¡­ I just want you to be here. Hearing everything, Tia closed her eyes. If Judah was concerned, Tia was worried. Say that Judah didn¡¯t die, but what if he was seriously injured ¡ª or even betrayed by someone? She wanted to argue these, but to do so would be to ignore the sincerity that Judah had given her. This boy was mature. There were times when he felt more mature than the people Tia knew. In a whimper, she replied. ¡°¡­You are a coward.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s a perilous journey.¡± ¡°I know that, too.¡± ¡°But I understand. Judah, your heart might be struggling too.¡± Tia released Judah from her arms. Judah, free from her embrace, sighed before rising from the sofa. He wasn¡¯t leaving yet ¡ª but her broken state guilted him. He hugged her, frowning to see the drooping ears on her head. He patted her back, wishing to erase the thought of their imminent separation. ¡°Do you love me, Judah?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her ears perked up. ¡°Even though I¡¯m older? Even though others know I¡¯m your teacher?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Because Tia is my first love, and my teacher is right. I¡¯m Tia¡¯s and Tia is mine. If someone says anything about our rtionship, we just have to show them: we love this way. As an adult, I love what I love. What is so important about people¡¯s opinions when you make your own decisions? We love each other, that¡¯s enough.¡± A smile curved on Tia¡¯s lips, and her tail wagged in delight. ¡°Really? You¡¯re so confident about this.¡± She then sighed. ¡°Okay. Promise me this instead.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not leaving yet¡­ But what is it?¡± ¡°You muste back. You can sleep with another woman, be a coward, or whatever else. Juste back here. I¡¯ll wait. You don¡¯t need to bring any fortune. The Master will take care of everything. Juste back, alive. Promise me, okay?¡± It was an easy promise. After all, Judah never really had a choice. If he died, he woulde back to life either way. Judah nodded, kissing her forehead down to her nose and then her lips. When their lips met, her eyes gleamed with a sultry gaze as she responded to his kiss. They moved apart, and the string of saliva shared between them hung on the air before breaking. ¡°I will be back.¡± Judah whispered an ¡®I love you¡¯ to Tia. He couldn¡¯t believe that love, a word that used to make him flinch, woulde out so sweetly. ¡°But I¡¯m not leaving right now, so don¡¯t be so sad. You look like you¡¯re already letting me go.¡± Tia blushed and looked away. ¡°What am I supposed to do? Someone wanted to leave without telling me.¡± Ashamed, Tia¡¯s tail fluttered. Sometimes, she could be repressive of her feelings. But a lovely thing about her was that her tails and ears were the least subtle, and you could tell what she really felt just by looking at them. Right now, she was trying her best to keep her heart strong, and Judah doubted her facade but trusted her anyway. ¡°Just believe me. I haven¡¯t broken my promises so far, haven¡¯t I?¡± Tia broke into giggles. ¡°Right? I haven¡¯t broken any promises, so can you trust me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± + + + Judah, who had arrived at the threshold, brushed past the crowd with a watchful gaze. Unlike the secluded Eastern Boulevard, mercenaries and adventurers scattered around the road, and the solicitors and merchants hollered as they paraded their goods. It was a lively ce, one Judah felt unfamiliar with, as there was nothing much in West Boulevard during this time. He expected a great deal of them to whisper about his presence, but not much paid attention. asionally, some who recognized Judah would murmur in each other¡¯s ears, but they were quickly buried in the noise. The way of passing through the threshold was much easier than that of the east gate. All he needed to do was to show his hand to prove his identity and then pass. After walking through, he hurried down through less crowded paths. People wandered about, scouring for relics that others might have missed or fragments near but remaining unfound. When he came to a somewhat secluded ce, he opened -Record- and brought up what he had written before. ¡°1151.6.28: A Blue Lancer and a Flying Fighter will fight in the ruins in the northwest direction of Serenia.¡± The event was noted for June 28th. He had two days left. When he first came to this world, it was a godly move to record everything he remembered. He had forgotten many things over a long time, so there were many things that he wouldn¡¯t even remember if he didn¡¯t check what he wrote down in advance. Lucky enough to have the yer¡¯s privileges, Judahpared his -Map- and another map he had bought from a general store with the geography of the surrounding area. ¡®I just need to find the ancient ruins before 3 o¡¯clock.¡¯ After 3 o¡¯clock, whatever might happen would wins as his life hanged in the bnce, or the Blue Lancer is triumphant in a dying state, or both may have died. He needed the Blue Lancer to win the fight, but the oue was uncertain, so he had to arrive and watch before jumping into their battle if possible. With a small sigh, he spent the night in a suitable ce, and as soon as the day was bright, he was back up on his feet. The forest blocked the road ahead like a maze, but Judah had two types of maps, and he had no problem at all. The map purchased at the general store could roughlyyout the surrounding geography, and the yer¡¯s dedicated -map- was marked with directions, so it was possible to know east, west, north, and south. His current location was marked as well, and getting lost was the least of his worries. . ¡®Hopefully, I think I can arrive this evening or tomorrow morning.¡¯ If he had any doubts, hepared his maps to estimate his journey. As he read his maps, the metallic sound of something hitting the trees came from a distance. ¡°?¡± He looked for its source ¡ª Boom! An explosion rippled through the forest, followed by a ck smoke soaring in the air. Judah hurried to its direction as silently as he could while the screams of monsters grew closer and closer. Another explosion rang, and something flew towards Judah. He evaded, hiding behind a tree. Kyareuk! Kyah! When he looked out from the tree, a monster stricken by the explosion sprawled on the ground, the figure cried in pain with a charred body, and Judah studied it as he pulled the dagger sheathed on its waist. ¡®Hmm, is it a goblin?¡¯ There was no doubt with its green skin and child-like physique. Judah studied the first goblin he encountered in this world, but that interest did notst long. There were more to see of it down the line. With cunning eyes and cruel personality, these guys were famous for biting their opponents until they died. And despite being tanned in mes, the goblin before him sneered while iling with hostility. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else you can do¡­¡± The gaze in its eye that bore no fear of death impressed him. Still, he chuckled as it growled at him. Judah threw a dagger the size of a hand down at the goblin¡¯s neck with a flick of his wrist. The creature spewed out ck blood, wriggled, then, atst, it rested. As the goblin took itsst breath, Judah looked around to find where it could¡¯vee from and saw the ck smoke again as it peaked from afar. The towering trees and bushed blocked his view; what more was the mes ahead, making it harder to see what was going on. As Judah approached closer, he figured themotion was most likely just the goblins being their usual. He repeated these monsters¡¯ characteristics in the case of an ambush. They may be skimpy, but they were cunning and ruthless. They devour their enemies through bites until there was nothing left of them. He hoped that his prior knowledge was enough. But even though what he remembered could be wrong, what was the bacsh in dying by their hands? Judah held his thought. He couldn¡¯t afford to think so highly of himself. After all, it needed four adventurers to defeat an average hoard of twenty goblins. ¡®¡­¡¯ The raging mes and their enormous smoke suddenly vanished into thin air. Then before Judah, an adventurer shed against a crowd of goblins. Ah. As soon as he saw the adventurer¡¯s face, Judah felt himself freeze. A blond boy, covered with silver armor, wielded his sword and slew the goblins. The form of that armor was given only to those who qualified as pdins. Assuming that most pdins were in their twenties, that boy in armor was too young. And he was also a boy he knew too well. Kain Sabnak. This was the Western Forest. He expected the ce to be a challenging one, but he could only sigh when he saw the boy in front of him. He didn¡¯t even think he¡¯d run into him. Judah smiled bitterly before he approached the group ahead. No one noticed him. Not Kain¡¯s party, nor the ten goblins wearing a -ck Wolf Skin Set-. Kain¡¯s party consisted of a priest and a wizard. The sorcerer was Riel, with her pink hair and slender body. The two must have decided to go on an adventure together and hunted goblins in this forest to gain experience. He paused, realizing there was another one. Who was it? Kain¡¯s party had four members. But right now, only the three of them fought the goblins. Two of the creatures ran towards Riel and the priest, as one of their melee members ran off. ¡®This looks dangerous.¡¯ Riel was prepared; a mammoth manifested at the end of her staff, but it was impossible to kill two goblins at once. These sly creatures had survived several explosions already, and evading her attack came easy to them. Riel struggled with them for a moment, throwing another mammoth by swinging her staff. The manifestation darted like an arrow towards the goblins, and then it swelled into an explosion. The goblins, wrapped in the mes, bounced off and hit a tree. Before she could even conjure her next magic, a goblin already had her at arm¡¯s length. Riel¡¯s eyes widened, only able to watch as the goblin brandished its dagger. ¡°Riel!¡± Kain, who had just beheaded a goblin, could only shriek as it happened. Judah saw the fear churning in Riel¡¯s face. He frowned¡­ Then he threw the dagger he was holding in his hand. Pluck! The moment his dagger flew, almost simultaneously, in the same direction, precisely behind Judah, a spear flew at the same time. ¡°!¡± His dagger struck the goblin¡¯s head as the spear hit its body. Before his attack had evennded, Judah¡¯s hand already rushed to the bastard sword sheathed on his waist. And at that moment, Judah, seeing the spear flung in the air, hurriedly pulled out his sword. ng! He managed to draw his sword just enough to block. Sparks bounced right in front of my nose, and the sh rang through the open field. Judah was surprised to find out who had attacked him by surprise. ¡®I¡¯m not here to fight!¡¯ Seeing the shock upon Judah¡¯s face, a smirk curled on her lips. ¡°I knew there was a rat scattering about, and it was a person!¡± Chapter 53

Chapter 53

53==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem The missing adventurer was none other than the Flying Fighter, Ea. He didn¡¯t know what the hell she was doing with Kain for, but it must be somethingplicated if it included her. Judah feigned a smile, ring straight at Ea¡¯s red eyes. ¡°Me, a rat? Is that the way to talk to someone who helped you?¡± ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t show up, we wouldn¡¯t need the help.¡± ¡°Ha, that¡¯s funny.¡± He helped them, and it was not for nothing to say shit about it. Judah lifted his right foot to weight on the tree behind him, then, with all his might, pushed Ea away from him. ¡°Huh! How dare you!¡± Ea sneered, back groaning at the force upon her. She spurred her heels on the ground for support as she brandished another spear. Seeing the path of his opponent¡¯s swording for his neck, Judah ducked and retreated to Ea¡¯s side in a blink of an eye. She missed and chopped down the tree behind him instead, her de swinging out of her grasp. Ea hissed at the broken bark, retrieved her astray sword, then turned around. But the feeling of a cool, sharp de had already met with the back of her neck. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The feeling of its cold mercy made her halt, but her neck grazed the de further, and a trickle of blood seeped down her nape. She squinted at the buzzing sensation. ncing down at the de pointed at her neck, she looked annoyed rather than concerned. ¡°Hah, that¡¯s pretty good. You better end this quickly, little boy.¡± ¡°Where does your confidence evene from?¡± Judahughed sarcastically. He knew how difficult it was to maintain a good affiliation with the Flying Fighter. Given this, he didn¡¯t feel the need to end it on a good note. ¡°If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll die. Would you like to test me?¡± Ea tried to move, daring to hold his sword, but Judah stopped her quickly. The de, aimed at her neck, dug into her skin a little more. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t move. If you move a little more, you¡¯ll be watching your neck and body move separately.¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m scared. If you can, go ahead and try it. You can do it, right, young hero?¡± Ea taunted Judah, replying with the same sarcasm the boy had before. Facing her made him remember a repressed memory, back when he worked at Yeongjuseong a couple of years ago. And he felt, perhaps, the reason for her hostility was due to an inferiorityplex. With an urge to use the power of his new fragment, he took the opportunity to use hypnosis on her¡­. but failed. He needed to follow its conditions. Once this was the case, then she would have no choice but to follow his every word. ¡°As expected, you can¡¯t do anything.¡± She was wrong, and he snapped. Judah¡¯s name was called¡ªjust at the perfect time when he was about to end Ea¡¯s life by thrusting the de into her neck with a confident smile stered onto his face. ¡°Judah! No!¡± Riel charged at them with the unknown priest behind her that barely caught up with her pace, possibly due to old age. The distance between both parties wasn¡¯t that vast, and the former made it there on time. In a swift move, Judah pointed a dagger at the father¡¯s neck. He side-eyed Riel, with signs of restlessness on his face, and the blood of goblins on his clothing served as a hint. He wanted to dry it, but it was hard to do while both of them were going for each other¡¯s throats with such murderous intent. As their tension dragged on, Kain went up to them as he killed the remaining goblins. ¡°Judah, please. Put the sword away.¡± Joining Riel, Kain demanded Judah to stop. ¡°Your friends are asking you to stop and let me go. Do you have any intentions listening to them?¡± Ea teased. ¡°Ea, stop.¡± Kain took no favors for Ea, ncing at her. She only shrugged, yet winced when her cut brushed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you go. But I¡¯ll ask one question. Did you ever meet the Blue Lancer around here?¡± ¡°The Blue Lancer¡­? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve been here for 12 months. But I know about your questst year. I heard you¡¯ve been roaming around the Eastern Forest, but since you¡¯re here, I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t get what you wanted.¡± The edges of Ea¡¯s mouth curled up as if their predicament was merely amusement. By now, Judah had grown used to her snarky remarks. He didn¡¯t know, but he hoped that Ea being in Kain¡¯s party was purely coincidental, which meant that, thankfully, Jeanne was alone in the ruins. If so, Judah had to up and leave as soon as possible. ¡°Is that good enough? Great. You know, if we ever meet after my quest, take no doubts that I¡¯ll put an end to your life. So why don¡¯t you get rid of this puny sword of yours right now? Or can I take it in the sense that you truly wish to take it with me right now?¡± Judah retreated his sword, and with no fear, Ea pushed the tip of his de with her fingers. The rest watched for any sudden attacks, but Kain took a step between them, blocking anybody who tried to dare. Judah walked off to retrieve the dagger he used to save Riel. ¡°Judah!¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± He thought Kain would talk first, but it was Riel who came up to him. She greeted him with a radiant smile, holding her staff firmly in both hands. ¡°Thank you very much! Thanks to you, I managed to live.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be grateful. Even if I didn¡¯t help, you had the Flying Fighter to help you.¡± Judah replied, ncing at the spear stuck in the goblin¡¯s body. Looking back at it, Ea¡¯s attack would have missed if Judah didn¡¯t strike the monster first. And if Judah attacked Riel rather than saving her, then both of them were dead meat. As well, if Ea weren¡¯t distracted with Riel, Judah wouldn¡¯t have noticed her surprise attack. ¡®I almost died three days after starting this quest¡­¡¯ He wiped the blood off the dagger and shoved it into his belt. ¡°By the way, what brought you here?¡± Riel asked. ¡°I¡¯m only here because I¡¯m looking for someone.¡± ¡°Who? Is it the Blue Lancer you mentioned?¡± ¡°Yes, do you know her?¡± Riel groaned and shook her head. A brief silence followed. ¡°¡­Be careful next time. I saw it happen by ident, so I helped you. You would have been hurt.¡± It was possible that it could¡¯ve ended with no one getting hurt. Judah believed that Riel wasn¡¯t at fault but rather Ea¡¯s when she left her post, giving the enemies a free opening. When Judah nced back at the Flying Fighter, her wounds were already being tended to by the priest. When Judah and Ea¡¯s eyes met, she looked very eager to jump at his throat right away. Judah averted his gaze to avoid another possible argument that could lead to god knows what. ¡°Judah, if you¡¯re off to look for that person, won¡¯t it be better if you went with us? It would be a lot safer than going alone. Kain would love yourpany, too.¡± ¡°And someone will hate it if I were here.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Ea¡­¡± Riel looked apologetic. Just a moment ago, she watched them draw their weapons out to murder each other. The tension still lingered, and her invitation was probably too early. Judah chuckled at how concerned Riel was, then reached out to straighten her crooked hat. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯m thinking of going alone. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°That would be dangerous¡­ Do you know where the person you¡¯re looking for is?¡± ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s within the vicinity. If she¡¯s not around, then I¡¯ll keep looking.¡± He was thinking of waiting in the ruins and going back to the castle if Jeanne didn¡¯t show up. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t met the crow to battle, she wouldn¡¯t have died yet, and if nothing special came up, she woulde back to the inn where she stayed. Judah¡¯s steadfast reply was enough to ease Riel¡¯s worries. ¡°Oh, yeah. Then I can¡¯t help it.¡± Judah nodded. The longer he stood there, the more their silence grew much too ufortable, so he hurried his farewell. ¡°I¡¯ll be going, then.¡± He waved her goodbye like they were merely parting ways after a day in the vige. On the way, he gave onest look at Kain and watched as he waved at him. Judah waved back and disappeared into the bushes. + + + Riel sighed as she watched his silhouette disappear into the woods. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gone. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Riel turned to the cold voice she heard. Ea rose to her side, pulling out the spear stuck in the goblin¡¯s body. She looked at its des nonchntly. ¡°Ah, Ms. Ea. Is your wound alright?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not a serious injury. There¡¯s no need to be worried about it.¡± She needed not to worry further; the priest¡¯s healing magic treated Ea¡¯s wound much sooner. Riel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at how Ea¡¯s voice softened. Unlike the cold voice she heard a while ago, it was a lot better to hear Ea speak softly. Riel bowed her head. ¡°This is a bitte, but thanks for your help.¡± ¡°It was only natural. If it weren¡¯t for that young hero in the first ce, it wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Ea was the one who should¡¯ve killed it in the first ce, and her honesty made Riel, although terrified, realize how lucky she was that Judah had been there. Ea¡¯s averted eyes managed to gaze back at Riel, who managed to muster her usual gentle smile. For a moment, she rolled her eyes before looking back longingly at Ea. It seemed that she felt Riel¡¯s eyes on her as she wiped off the goblin¡¯s blood from her de. ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to say?¡± ¡°Would it be alright to ask you a question?¡± ¡°What is it? Tell me.¡± Riel hesitated at first but mustered up the courage to speak, ¡°Why do you hate Judah?¡± Ea tilted her head. The question wasn¡¯t particrly difficult, but Ea didn¡¯t know how to formte her answer. And maybe, that¡¯s why she hated him. A menacingugh slipped from her lips. ¡°Do I need a reason to dislike him? I just do. I dislike him so much that I want to kill him.¡± Ea simply stated that there was nothing else but pure hatred. Riel couldn¡¯t say anything to Ea¡¯s answer, as it was something that was beyond herprehension. ¡°It looks like you can¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to think about. You were born and raised here in Serenia, am I right?¡± Riel nodded. ¡°Do you know why the ck and white wolves hate each other and fight?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°You can say it¡¯s the same as that. I don¡¯t know. I guess it¡¯s just natural for me to hate him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ea passed by the speechless Riel and made her way to Kain. He was pulling out gemstones from the corpses of goblins that attacked them a while ago. He was known to be good at breaking their hearts using only the tip of his sword and pulling out the hidden gemstones. ¡°That was childish of you, back there.¡± Ea recalled the previous week with Kain. It had been two years ago since Lord Peerchen brushed her off, and it wasforting to see the Blue Lancer receiving the same treatment, but she wasn¡¯t able to forget the insults he did. Afterward, she wandered through the Western Forest for two years to find the fragment, but blindly seeking for it made her feel like she was wasting her time looking for it. Ea gave it some thought before visiting the honorary nobleman of Baekje and the Wielder of the Sword, Kaseun Sabnak, and asked for help. But unfortunately, Kaseun Sabnak didn¡¯t have any information either. Once again, she had wasted her time and returned to her empire, empty-handed. She thought she had to bring something, anything, with her before she returned, so Ea asked Kaseun Sabnak to train her, and in return, she apanied Kain to the Western Forest. She didn¡¯t like the idea of having to carry Kain, who felt very much inexperienced, but she was a person who was willing to give as much as she received. But then, she had nothing to teach him. Kain was already a jewelpletely crafted by Kaseun. Even before the third holy king chose him, Gabriel, he was already given a pdin¡¯s qualification, omitting the whole process. He was truly a boy with a bright future. But of course, she had her own responsibilities. All she had to do was to take Kain with her with the experience of going through the Western Forest for two years and teach him about the area¡¯s geography. Being a guardian of the boy who was toe of age this year had been a daunting task, but she couldn¡¯t help it¡­ And today, the thought of taking a short break from their guardianship sparked in her mind. ¡°Kain.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Kain, busy removing the gemstone from the goblin¡¯s heart, turned his head to her. Most importantly, the pdin, who valued intelligence and maturity, seemed to be breaking the image she had of him when he held the magic stone in his hand, a symbol of money. Every time Ea saw this, she felt an unexinable difort. She sighed as she looked at Kain¡¯s gauntlets covered with goblin blood. ¡°Do you know the way back?¡± ¡°Yes, I have to know¡­ Wee here every time.¡± Kain nodded with a strange expression. ¡°Head back, the lot of you. Back to your mansion, even.¡± ¡°But¡­ Didn¡¯t we decide to explore more today?¡± ¡°I changed my mind. Does it matter? I have time tomorrow and the day after.¡± ¡°If we go back together, what about you?¡± Ea offered a smile but an empty one. There was beauty in it, but deep within was something much deeper. As she faced him, she turned her head away. She looked back in the direction where Judah disappeared into. ¡°Me? I¡¯m letting you lead the way. I don¡¯t want to help you unless your life¡¯s at stake. So go by yourself for once. How are you supposed to learn if you keep depending on me all the time?¡± Kain had no choice but to nod. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

54==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Ea. That was her name. As a member of the Flying Fighters and the honorable knights of the imperial Baekje, she was sent alone to recover the fragment known to have fallen in Serenia Castle. Many years before, the fighters dispatched to Serenia Castle were either advanced or intermediate. However, they were sent out every three years, but each time, they returned without much sess, and soon Serenia became a ce that no one desired to visit. Lord Peerchen didn¡¯t consider talking to the trainees who had to put a lot of effort into being recognized as an intermediate. Everyone knew the case. Ea didn¡¯t even have a clue about the fragment, but she knew that going to Serenia was a waste of time. Time will pass, and your skills will fall. Her ssmates built up their balls and improved their skills on the battlefield or through multiple missions, only to roam in search of fragments that might not exist. All the Flying Fighters that returned from Serenia Castle had only one thing to say, ¡°If possible, do not go.¡± There came the point where sending dispatch became a doubt for the empire, but giving up was not one of their ns. However, the loyalty of the Flying Fighters was religious to the empire. Since no group in the empire paralleled their loyalty to the emperor and the country, it was quite possible that even if she didn¡¯t take Serenia Castle, she was instead to be sent to a different country. The empire promised high pay and sufficientpensation, but there were still no applicants. Ea was the only one who took the challenge. Well, the results were exactly what many expected them to be. Far from finding any fragments, she couldn¡¯t even find anything equivalent to it. As others said, time only passed. It was a shame because she learned from Kaseun, the Wielder of the Sword, and received advice. If not for this, she might have returned to the empire in tears. Soon after her dispatch period was over, she did not desire to apply for an extension, as did the senior Flying Fighters. She wanted to leave Serenia as soon as possible. She never wanted to waste another second of her life there. Not only was her time wasted, but she also came out with nothing to gain, nor did she foster any rtionship. ¡®No, there¡¯s one fucking rtionship.¡¯ There was Judah, the young hero of Serenia Castle. Their connection wasplicated and unpleasant. Their first meeting and first impression were the worst, and what happened today was a great humiliation. If it weren¡¯t for Kain or Riel, Judah would¡¯ve offed with her head. The humiliation of having his de upon her neck was uneptable beyond words. For the Flying Fighters, defeat and humiliation were nothing more than a stepping stone towards victory. So, even in the empire, they were not held ountable if they were defeated in war. In the case of other knights, severe punishment could not be avoided, but their knights tolerated defeat as much as the fighters. If you lost a battle, you survived even shamefully. If you had been humiliated, bite your teeth and endure it. As long as you didn¡¯t betray your empire, you could survive by begging for your life. But toe back alive, you must surely win your next battle. Repay your shame and return from humiliation as many times as you can. It was okay to suffer several failures and defeats. If you don¡¯t have enough skills, you have to step back and always try again. In the end, you have to be able to endure such hardships to smile and look down at your opponent in the winner¡¯s seat. It was the role of the Flying Fighters of the empire to keep on fighting. And for Ea, she had to turn the humiliation she endured under Judah¡¯s de. She knew every nook and cranny of this forest. Ea had been scrambling around here for two years, and there¡¯s no way she could be estranged here. As she sent her party back home, Ea pretended to follow them from behind before blending into the byway between the bushes. Ea turned, watching them walk among themselves without noticing her disappearance. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s go after that cheeky little boy.¡± She pulled out a portable map from her backpack and headed to where Judah had just disappeared to. Faint footprints traced on the moist soil. The precise way of pursuing someone and performing stealth was basic survival skills, both of which she used to track him down. But something was quite off. Judah seemed to stray from the path. ¡®Where is this heading?¡¯ As the trail cut off abruptly, Ea scanned wherever it had brought her to. She ducked for the hills up ahead and, with a knife, cut down the bushes that blocked her way. This was the only way he could¡¯ve slipped through. EA remained puzzled, checking the map in her grasp. Going this way led towards a ruin he could not possibly know. These ruins were forgotten by time, and only the rubble of brick walls and skeletons of other buildings stood within this aged field. Ea estimated the time it would take to travel the ruins. No matter how big or fast your stride was, he would have no other choice but to spend the night in the wastnd. Sheughed as she continued to hunt the boy. ¡°Hah, this kid is fast.¡± She had been pursuing him on a whim, and Judah was still nowhere to be seen. Ea sighed, already preparing for homelessness. As the day got darker, tracking him down began to feel impossible. She knew the way to the ruins, so it didn¡¯t matter wherever she went, but at that point, she had to take a torch to get through the darkness. And in such a dark forest, holding a torch stood out too much. So Ea stopped the chase and spent the night in the woods. In the first break of dawn, she continued down the path to the ruins. A castle could¡¯ve stood there in the past, leaving only traces of fallen walls and crumbled buildings. Even the path that she followed began to smear from age, and sooner, it was no longer possible to follow the footsteps blending into the ground. With a sigh, she raised her head and scanned the area. Warm sunlight cascaded into the ruins of the old building, and vines of unknown nts stretched along its decaying walls. At night, she could feel the ruins¡¯ timeless beauty bute the day; it felt like a mystery waiting to be solved. And because of the abandoned houses, it was dangerous at it was beautiful, for monsters who came to escape from the rain built their nests within these walls. These treacherous beings could jump at her anytime, so she put her hands on her weapons¡ªcold and guarded for any sign of movement. Thankfully, even the tiniest sound of stepping on a stone or the rolling of crumbs over asbestos was loud enough to echo through the ruins. ¡®Where the hell is that little kid?¡¯ The ruins, she remembered, was quiterge. Something as small as the boy might take quite some time to find in these vast sanctuaries. Maybe they had crossed paths, and she had missed him. And if she wished to kill him, she needed to leave no trace of it. The challenge made her nervous. Then out of nowhere, a question intruded her thoughts. ¡®Have you ever noticed that the little boy seemed to drag his weight?¡¯ Did he? Well, Ea wasn¡¯t sure. Was it relevant information? Whatever. All she cared about was to see him face to face. But soon, her anticipation quickly burned down. Judah was nowhere to be found, and it was even more impossible to do in these ruins. All Ea could find were the discarded dolls sticking their faces among the piles of stones and shredded pieces of old clothes. Finding afortable ce, Ea sighed as she rxed for a break. She came out here for revenge, but all she looked like right now was a fool. She took out a packaged jerky from her backpack to relieve hunger and then bit it into it diligently. Chewing the salty jerky in peace, her silence was interrupted with noise from afar. Kieek! A monster shrieked. From the pitch of the scream, it was most likely to be a goblinmonly seen here. The pattern of the sound was not a call for help but rather a fearful scream. Its screaming stopped immediately, but it was enough for her to pinpoint exactly where it came from. ¡°¡­!¡± She spat out the jerky she was chewing, then bolted for its direction. The cry was near, and by following the ruins ording to its echo, she knew just where to go. As she ran through the ground with tremendous speed, she heard the unmistakablemotion of a battle. Kung, Kuung! A harsh beat whipped into the air like something huge had rolled over, followed by a goblin¡¯s scream. Over a corner, someone was fighting a hoard of green creatures. Victory poured over Ea as finally, she found him. She was bored to death, and after days of it, a smile had managed to appear across her face. Ea hid behind a wall, stopping herself from ascending until the time was right, anticipating the sight of the blood of her enemy. Kuung! Kieth! A goblin flew by her with the momentum of a cannonball, hitting the wall with a st, before copsing to the ground. Even if it was just one beatte, it almost hit her. The goblin wriggled with its broken rib¡­ while nothing remained for the other half of its body. ¡°What?¡± Was it fighting an ogre to end up like this? Ea peaked from behind the wall she hid from. About ten goblins were scattered here and there with one side of their body twisted¡­ And among the goblins stood a knight with a spear and shield. From head to toe, the Knight was protected with gleaming, silver armor. The armor was made to fit its wearer perfectly, and the Knight¡¯s beautiful curve told Ea this warrior was female. However, their gender didn¡¯t matter to her. That Knight was a Blue Lancer. A knight of Byron, the eternal enemy of the Flying Fighters and the enemy of her empire. ¡°Who knew¡­¡± After a while, Ea emerged from the shadows with her spears in her grasp. ¡°Who knew I¡¯d find a chicken instead of the peasant¡­ Or I found a peasant instead of a chicken?¡± She came here for Judah, but her priorities had changed. Other opponents would have just stepped back, but the story was different if that opponent was a Blue Lancer. The Knight snapped her head to the sound of her footsteps. She couldn¡¯t see beyond the helmet of the Lancer, but she noticed the flinch of her spear. ¡°You¡­?¡± Ea smiled and tilted her head slightly, ¡°Hello, Blue Lancer. It¡¯s been a while since we met. Do you remember me?¡± ¡°¡­Of course. It¡¯s not something to forget.¡± ¡°Wow, how delightful. Thest we met was in the East Forest, correct? What¡¯s wrong with the West Forest? Didn¡¯t find what you were looking for?¡± Still smiling, Ea replied while ying with the weapon in her hand. Jeanne, the Blue Lancer, narrowed her eyes at the approaching Fighter. Her soothing voice wasparable to a rose, famous for its beauty. However, as a rose had thorns, her soothing voice managed to send its listeners on edge. In the first ce, what was she to do about someone approaching her with a knife? Jeanne hoped the tension between them had been buried by history, but it was wishful thinking. Jeanne strengthened her hold at the shield on her left arm, facing it at Ea to guard herself against the Knight. ¡°Yes, I thought there might be fragments in the Eastern Woods, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t find any. It looks the same for you if you¡¯re here?¡± Ea¡¯s eyes red as she walked closer. ¡°That¡¯s right. I have invested two years into this too, but there was nothing for me to gain. I could grow old here, and for what?¡± Jeanne sympathized, reminiscing at the beginning of their journey. ¡°Do you remember what Lord Peerchen said? He told us that fragments would appear to those who were led by fate. Unfortunately, it seems that we were not one of the lucky ones.¡± ¡°Ha! Curse that! Fragments appear to those who are led by fate? Damn such belief. If I found the fragments, I would have asked the Lord if he could shout at me such disgraceful words again.¡± Ea, walking towards Jeanne with her spears tracing the ground, stopped in her tracks as her head dropped with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m annoyed. Really.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Ea closed her eyes, clearing out the mess swimming in her head. She snapped her eyes open, brandishing her spears tightly in her hands. The soother hanging from their handles swayed wildly from her powerful stance. ¡°You and I have been eating away two years of our lives, and being here gave me no retribution from my regrets. Should I go back from my empire in a state like this, I would be nothing but ridiculed.¡± ¡°¡­You mean to have a duel?¡± Jeanne asked, reading Ea¡¯s intentions. ¡°Yes, because the most honorable thing a Flying Fighter could do would be to have a Blue Lancer¡¯s pendant. And as a fighter, I will stop at nothing to bring pride to my empire. I think this ce is fit for a duel. This is still within Serenia Castle¡¯s borders. The Lord¡¯sw of neutrality should apply here, so nothing should be prohibited.¡± ¡°¡­Certainly. And if the both of us perished, it would be enough to look as if monsters killed us. Blue Lancers don¡¯t use force as much as possible, but the story is different if the target was a Flying Fighter.¡± ¡°Oh, is this a coincidence? It seems like we¡¯re meant to fight.¡± Ea smirked, bracing down to position. It was a stance unique to Flying Fighters, and Jeanne, who knew it well, also raised hernce with a shield in front. Their fateful lives have reached what could be the climax of their journey. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time to stop talking. Mouths are of no importance to battle. I hope you can quietly give me your throat.¡± ¡°If you can take it, please try. But of course, it will be impossible.¡± ¡°Woohoo!¡± Ea¡¯sughter for her banter rang in Jeanne¡¯s ears as the two of them charged head-on. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

55==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Their duel began. The ancient ruins served as their stage, and even with no one to witness their magnificent dance, the two knights fought with nobility to their deaths. The Flying Fighter charged at her enemy with her spears, while the Blue Lancer, equipped with agile movement, aimed to meet the spears head-on. There was no breaking through her imprable wall of shield and armor. However, a precise movement allowed the Fighter to pierce through an opening. Avoiding the thicknce swinging at her in full force, she lunged her spear at the shield, its tip getting caught into a hole somewhere on it. It collided with the iron te powered by magic, and its friction sent sparks of light into the air. Ea was lucky, but the attack barely sufficed, and Jeanne¡¯s shield instead, hooked her from the hole her spear was stuck in. Sacrificing the potential damage she could exploit, Ea kicked the shield and used it to fly herself and her spear away from her opponent. If she hadn¡¯t decided, Ea was sure to end up like the goblin she saw before the fight. The Blue Lancer stood firmly like a fortress, meeting every attack from the offensive Ea. Without any breaks, she blocked every single attack the Knight sent her way. Jeanne concentrated on her defense, and as soon as she saw a gap between her opponent¡¯s attacks, she charged at Ea with her Lancer. A shrill noise screeched into the air. Ea stepped back in surprise, but Jeanne followed closely. There was no way to escape. She clenched her teeth, and as ast resort, she crossed her spears to block the attack. The pointed edge of Jeanne¡¯sncended exactly at the middle of the spears. Shhh! Ea used the momentum to jump back with a sharp inhale and had to roll the floor a fewps. In the middle of her escape, her body collided with a Goblin¡¯s corpse, sending her up into the air. She turned around andnded safely on the floor. She frowned, and despite being covered in grime from head to toe, her red eyes were alive and beaming. Shhhng! Her spears rang as it gleamed, red magic cascading faintly over it. In a beat, Ea was back in attacking Jeanne. With the help of magic, her spears managed to strike Jeanne¡¯s armor, shield, andnce, shed with the power within them, and began to cut through the materialsyer byyer. In the battle of the spear that pierced through the shield and the shield that shattered the spear ¡ª the shield had begun to waver. As if getting rid of a shell, a thin portion of the thick, cone-shapednce shredded into the air sending anxiety straight through Jeanne¡¯s bones. ¡°!¡± Jeanne stiffened at the turn of events, fighting to straighten her defense like the fortress she was meant to be. All this time, she waited for Jeanne to grow tired, but to her surprise, it was herself who grew frail as their rally dragged on. Ea¡¯s attacks grew more powerful. While it wasn¡¯t powerful enough to break Jeanne¡¯s defense, it was strong enough to damage her equipment¡¯s durability. On the other hand, Jeanne¡¯s attackscked the agility to breakthrough. In the first ce, the Blue Lancers were particrly strong in groups. On the contrary, the Flying Fighters were stronger in one-on-one melee battles, so Jeanne had to put in more effort. ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡± Thement didn¡¯te from Ea, nor did ite from Jeanne. Deep in a battle where a simple mistake could lead to defeat, the knights found no space for any casual talk. But there was Judah, watching the heat of their battle from the very top of a three-story building. The moment he arrived at the ruins yesterday and checked on his map, Judah recalled his old memories. The map created for this quest using hisputer was the same as the terrain shown in his -Map-. To ensure his safety, he entered the building and spent the entire night waiting here, and when the expected time arrived, the Blue Lancer appeared as scripted, followed by the Flying Fighter, which engaged the battle. Judah knew this was no coincidence. ¡®You¡¯re following the script.¡¯ Judah took a deep breath, watching them fight at the exact time and date as it said in his notes. Their battle flowed smoothly, and he wished for it to continue the way it was, not desiring for it to grow more destructive. Before Judah can even intervene to help Jeanne, the hologram window for the quest appeared before his eyes. [Hidden Quest!] [You are watching a duel between two proud empires.] [Baekje Empire¡¯s -Flying Fighter-, Byron Empire¡¯s -Blue Lancer-.] [Who will you side with in the battle between these two knights?] [Depending on the actions and words you choose, they can be yourpanions or enemies.] [Flying Fighter ¡°Ea¡±- uses double spears and approaches opponents with agile movements. She quickly eliminates opponents with her unique, fast attack speed and high attack power. However, she has a rough personality and acts badly towards adventurers and othermoners. However, if you could open her mind¡­ Well, what could happen?] [Blue Lancer ¡°Jeanne¡±- she wears a silver full body armor and holds a shield in her left hand and ance with the other to protect her allies from the front lines. She practices chivalry with an upright personality. Because of her brutal honesty, her words can be quite hurtful to others.] Looking at the options that emerged in his vision, he reminisced once again of the life outside this reality. Flying Fighter was a fairly useful member. Her skill was defense pration matched with bleeding boosts, so the damage she can inflict was quite great. Due to low stamina and defense, she often died quickly, but topensate for such shorings, she could get better at evading attacks directed to her. This would have been enough, but he wanted the yers to maximize her survival power by spreading the code that increased her evasion ability. ording to his statistics, the item was used mostly during the second half of the game because it grew more useful to sub-tankers that showed tremendous efficiency in boss battles. Of course, to match the evasion code setting, it was necessary to invest as much effort as you had to in the setting of your other characters, so he deducted no points for the use of that item. In Blue Lancer¡¯s case, she had a higher defense and stamina than any other characters that can be obtained initially, and having her in your game guaranteed the yer¡¯s stability. Unlike Flying Fighter, she could grow wonderfully without the need for investing much in money and skills. Good growth, excellent defense and stamina, sturdy range-type attacks, and excellent skills, everything was perfect, but of course, there was one drawback. Her attack power paled inparison. She was helpful in hunting basic hoards of monsters, but she couldn¡¯t inflict toxic damage on bosses. It can be seen as a disadvantage, but if you look at the other strengths¡­ You can just forget that drawback. [Flying Fighter] [Blue Lancer] ¡°Ah¡­¡± Urging for him to decide quickly, the hologram in front of his eyes flickered. Without hesitation, he chose the Blue Lancer. There was no changing it, and his decision was made a long time ago. Judah and Flying Fighter spent two years in quiet bad blood. He could never consider her over the Blue Lancer. Blue Lancer was the most ideal for a realpanion. They trusted each other, and he didn¡¯t need to use subordination on her. The moment Judah chose the Blue Lancer, the hologram in front of him disappeared. As he watched closely at the fight below, what changed was that the Flying Fighter had gained the upper hand. The Blue Lancer aimed at her head, and Ea gently bowed her upper body to avoid it. The two of them breathed so heavily, exhausted and worn. Ea shed a smirk. Shhhng! The spear in her right hand screeched. The red magic covering the de instantly boosted its power but consumed the de¡¯s durability in return. Ea thrust her gleaming de, going straight for the Blue Lancer. ¡°!¡± Jeanne panicked as she tried to draw hernce, but Ea¡¯s spear was faster than that. Lance¡¯s durability, which had already reached the limit, could no longer withstand Ea¡¯s attack, and hisnce broke right before her eyes. Of course, the Flying Fighter¡¯s spear had been blunted by her previous attacks, but it didn¡¯t matter at all. She had two of them, and giving up one of them was no big deal to her. Ea managed to break thence, and in a victorious final blow, she sliced her dull de at Jeanne one more time, through the gaps in the armor of her right hand. Jeanne sucked up the pain with clenched teeth, swinging what was left of hernce before staggering. However, Ea stepped back and evaded,unching back at her with a heavy kick to her shield. The Blue Lancer tripped out of bnce, stumbling a few steps back until her back mmed to the wall. The loud nking of her armor rang in the air as she met the concrete. ¡°I think I won? Blue Lancer, what do you think?¡± Eaughed through her clenched teeth, catching all her breath. And as she proimed, Jeanne had lost. Jeanne nced at hernce through her facete, heart dropping at the sight of its blunt edge. Her eyes dropped to her arm, where Ea had tried to slice through the gaps of her armor, feeling the heat of the attempt cutting her skin ever so slightly. ¡°¡­¡± The Blue Lancer took a deep breath and paused for a moment, letting the battle sink in. This was a chance to swing her shield, but her pride stopped the sly attack in their moment of vulnerability. ¡®Are you still there?¡¯ ¡°¡­I see. I lost.¡± Jeanne responded softly, admitting her defeat. epting her fate, she slowly bowed her head and lowered her shield. Completely defenseless, if the Fighter stabbed her should she choose, she would die. The Flying Fighter burst into another boisterousughter as she reveled her moment of victory. Slowly, Ea¡¯sughter began to sing like music in her ears. Jeanne closed her eyes. But before she could, something moved under her feet, covered by the shield. She wished not to worry about what happened in her resting ce, but it nheless caught her attention. ¡®The floor?¡¯ The floor covered with white asbestos was full of rubble and dirt, just as it did before. But another look at it, Jeanne spotted hazy, ck energy slithering the floor. It was a shadow, dying the floor around her like an ink dissolved in water. She blinked in disbelief until she knew she was not hallucinating. Sooner, her blue eyes calmed at the sight of it. ¡®Is this the death that they spoke of?¡¯ She felt like she hung at the end of her life, and the shadow was deathing to take her home. Born as a nobleman in the Byron Empire, she lived a life far from poverty. She reached great efforts to learn the responsibilities and duties that nobles had and put them into practice. She wanted to live a righteous life, and she worked tirelessly to achieve my dreams. For her dedication, her talents were unyielding. Eventually, she joined the Blue Lancers, one of the empire¡¯s most honored ranks. Many young people have obtained the admirable job they hoped for. And for Jeanne, she joined with the promise of making her family¡¯s name a legend, but it seemed that her very dream was the cause of her demise. A ruthless Baekje Flying Fighter defeated her, and her skills, which she thought were outstanding, proved to be insufficient. Jeanne fought with what she had, and for that, she epted her death humbly. She had no regrets. ¡®No. I might have regrets.¡¯ Jeanne stopped herself before her mind could go astray. She felt like her like was soon to sh before her eyes. And to not leave any regrets, the noble Lancer decided toply with her imminent death. Theughter of her opponent died down. ¡°Your voice sounds pleasant,¡± Jeanne mumbled through her daze. ¡°Oh, are you daring to be sarcastic right now?¡± ¡°I had no intentions of that. I was honest. It sounded like music.¡± Ea watched Jeanne nkly for a moment before offering a smile. ¡°Thank you for that. But I have to finish this now. It was pretty fun.¡± Ea approached her slowly. The tip of her spear dragged on the concrete floor. Preparing for death toe, Jeanne closed her eyes shut. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ However, her time of death was yet toe. The ck shade patiently waiting beneath her frame shot out from behind her shield like the surge of power came from Jeanne herself. ¡°What?!¡± As Ea approached with her the intent to kill, the shadow sent her tumbling back, only to find herself standing on a ground covered by the darkness underneath. Despite the strange phenomenon, nothing happened beyond it. The shadow stayed on the ground, and Ea merely red at Jeanne. This was a skill she had never heard of. ¡°What did you do?¡± Chapter 56

Chapter 56

56==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Jeanne¡¯s eyes fluttered awake upon hearing Ea¡¯s voice. The Flying Fighter stumbled back, her face tinted with confusion. ¡°?¡± It hit her just then, the Fighter asked her for what she had done, but she knew nothing of the answer. She did absolutely nothing but close her eyes and wait for death through Ea¡¯s final blow. But, what brought Ea to such a shock? Jeanne shook herself awake to get a grip of reality before asking the other what was wrong. Then she saw it. The ground they stood on was covered in shadows despite the sun peaking overhead. Jeanne was sure the shadows were nothing but a nket beneath her, but now¡­ ¡°What is this¡­!¡± What she thought was death¡­ Wasn¡¯t her reaper? The shadow flooded the entire floor but did nothing beyond that but brood. Ea, unfazed by the puzzled look on Jeanne¡¯s face, punted a nearby brick to strike at her. As soon as its rubble fell to the floor, the darkened asphalt drained away back to its original color. Jeanne, distracted by the shadow sprawling on the ground, failed to see the chunks of rock flying towards her. Ea had expected the pitch ck shadow to rise and return them to her, but something else hit the flying rock ricocheted it to the ground. Three beams of light shot at the Flying Fighter, whose reflexes reacted in a blink. ¡°!¡± It was a surprise attack, but Ea already had her gaze up the moment its sound broke through the wind, evading the threat immediately. Pababat! Countless daggers rained down at her, who skipped back at each hit. The dagger had the same shade as the ink swallowing the floor, and before she could even get a good look at the weapons, they vanished like melted snow. ¡°You dodge well. Like a squirrel.¡± As a voice taunted the Fighter, its ownernded right in front of Jeanne. Seeing himnd precisely, Jeanne believed he came from the building she had her back pushed against. But that wasn¡¯t the problem. Jeanne¡¯s head¡¯s biggest concern was the familiarity of the voice and the back that stood before her. Where had she heard his voice? Where had she seen his figure? Jeanne, trying to peek through her helmet, breathed out. ¡°¡­Judah, is that you?¡± ¡°You got that right, Lady Jeanne. How did you recognize me? How are you? Oh, sorry, I mean, looking at your state right now, I guess not much¡­.¡± Jeanne wanted to ask him so many things, but before she could, he turned back to Ea and greeted her with a smile. Jeanne grew flustered at its sight. His smile seemed so pure, but there was something underneath its curves. To her embarrassment, the boy hade to her aid. But how the hell was he there? ¡°How did you know about this?¡± The puzzled Lancer asked. ¡°Shh. I¡¯ll talk about thatter. First, get rid of that olddy.¡± Before she could even reply, the boy lifted his finger to her mouth to silence her. Judah smiled before turning her, then leaving her with her mouth shut. Jeanne wanted to tell him he needed to run, but it was unlikely he would listen simply because she said so. She could only look at him incredulously. ¡°Hello. Flying Fighter, aren¡¯t we in bad luck? To meet again in a situation like this.¡± Ea gritted her teeth. She thought she would be happy to kill Judah when they met again, but now she was just upset to have their Knightly duel interrupted. Seriously, on so many possible levels, she disliked the boy. Ea red at Judah, and her face twisted grimly. ¡°Yeah¡­ Do you really want to die? How dare you intervene in a duel over the pride between two knights? You have lost your cowardice, very much so!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you mean to kill me anyway? But I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, you can¡¯t kill Jeanne, and I don¡¯t mean to die either. How about you go off knowing you achieved victory and just never return here again?¡± ¡°You bitch!¡± Ea sneered, and her agitation pushed Jeanne to at least do something to intervene. The Lancer struggled to sit straight up. Seeing her try earned a sharp inhale from Ea that busted out in such harshughter. ¡°I don¡¯t have to follow a damn thing you say. I know I dominated that battle, but I still have a debt to pay back¡­ So, I¡¯ll kill both of you here. Lift your swords.¡± Judah obliged with a shrug, pulling out the bastard sword and dagger from his waist. Ea¡¯s lips curled as he held his sword in both hands and braced forbat. ¡°Hah, you¡­ Aren¡¯t you funny in many ways? Daring to fight a Flying Fighter with the use of two des.¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of -ck w-?¡± The silence told him they had no clue about what he had mentioned. Judahughed, charging at Ea without hesitation. In an instant, they shed and exchanged blows and swings in masterful swordsmanship. Jeanne stood back, watching in absolute amazement. She thought he was a pretty good boy when hunting ck wolves, but he didn¡¯t think he could swing his sword so neatly and without hesitation against humans. ¡°You¡¯re cheating!¡± The Flying Fighter barked augh at Judah as they dueled. Their weapons shed with the loud scratching of solid metal, spraying fireworks into the air. Both of them brandished their dual weapons, and she didn¡¯t know who exactly to watch between them. Their duel was brilliant, Jeanne¡¯s eyes hanging for every block and attack. The Lancer, surprised, gasped as soon as she realized Judah was matching her speed. Not only was he blocking her attacks, but he was also digging for an entrance to attack. Shadow Swordsmanship. A magical power gathered around the de of Judah¡¯s Bastard Sword. Ea flinched as the ck particles emerged and gathered around his weapon. Ea hopped back, but Judah had followed right along with her. ¡®Form 3 ¨C 1 point.¡¯ He opened his eyes as he activated the skill. The ck energy gathered around the de wrapped around his sword before it transformed into a thicknce. ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Ea freaked at the magic she just witnessed. His sword became ance. What sort of magic was it? Whatever it was, she had to avoid or prevent it from working. Her sword once again echoed as red magic conjured from it. He lowered his posture to avoid his vital spots, then lifted his sword to block. The moment the red magic hit his cknce, its power wrapped around his weapon in a burst of sparks and melted away hisnce like a peeled fruit. The magical power forming thence dissipated, and the original sword underneath emerged. Thanks to this, there was a gap. Ea did not miss that opportunity and plunged her weapon at Judah. But Judah knew her next move before she could even do it. This was one of the effects of -Shadow Justice- and -Shadow Swordsmanship- that he had cast upon the clearing they were fighting on. Judah ducked so naturally, evaded her attacks, raised her body, and danced along to her rhythm, following whatever prediction his skill gave him next. ¡®Form 2 ¨C True!¡¯ His silver de turned ck once again. ¡°Oh my god, damn it!¡± Ea spat out a harsh whine, her head throwing back in irritation. Can they stop? Can she stop it? Was there even a way to stop it? Ea wanted to break his sword away from his grasp, but it was toote to separate them. His feet stopped moving, but Judah¡¯s sword reached for her in slow motion. Ea¡¯s eyes glued to Judah¡¯s sword. Time slowed as his de approached. All she could do was swear. Then before Judah knew it, she had copsed to the floor. He blinked in surprise. The Flying Fighter wasn¡¯t tired. She had slipped down on purpose. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Judah plunged his sword into the empty air, ncing down at Ea¡¯s shadow as she fell. Ea kneeled on the floor, evading his sword, with the spears in her grasp swinging up into the air. Their red magic hugged the des of her weapon as she brandished them overhead, its red rays cutting into the air. Judah, out of his reflexes, tried to defend himself with the dagger in his left hand, but his doom was imminent. No simple dagger could go face to face against the de of a Flying Fighter. Judah may be able to withstand her attacks with strength, but his dagger cannot. Judah watched as the red rays of her spear slowly cut through his metal dagger neatly. ¡®Am I going to die?¡¯ Time around him slowed. Their tables have turned with his one wrong move. Judah reflexively made a -Save- before thinking about what to do. [Saves the resurrection time based on the current location and current time.] [Save isplete.] The time seemed to stop for a while, but the saving soonpleted. The daggersted about 3 seconds frozen in time before the world wounded back to normal, and its metal body broke apart into countless pieces. At the same time, blood spurted everywhere as his body buzzed all over. He could only stare nkly as his blood rained everywhere his eyes fell on. ¡°Judah!¡± Judah heard Jeanne shriek in horror. But he couldn¡¯t turn his body to her, and all he could do was look down. His cut was beyond words. His body was breaking apart. Embarrassment boiled within him, experiencing such excruciating injury for the first time in his entire life. His blood spurted instantaneously, soaking Ea, who was standing in front of him. She showed no emotion, and no amount of disgust or remorse could be seen in her eyes. ¡°Oh, he had skills, but that¡¯s the limit of your guy.¡± Judah fought to stand up, but strength drained quickly from his body. He stumbled, and eventually, his knees copsed to the ground. The impact shot unimaginable pain throughout his body, and he gritted his teeth to endure the pain. Soon, he didn¡¯t need to endure the pain any further. His body grew numb, and any hint of pain or ache had gone away. Judah smirked as he looked up at Ea. He had studied her deadly move, and now he knew what to do. ¡°¡­That¡­ was¡­ Hell¡­¡± ¡°?!¡± Hearing those words from the boy set fire ame in Ea¡¯s eyes. She wanted to retort but couldn¡¯t say anything to him. With hisst breaths, Judah cursed Ea in pure and raging spite. ¡°You are dead¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ea looked down at the boy, who wavered on his knees. She offered him a bow before watching his body copse to the floor in a resounding thud. Judah had fallen. He knew about Hell. ¡°How do you know about hell?¡± Perhaps, if he were a Blue Lancer, he would understand. He would have to witness and experience what it was like to fight countless battles in the name of one¡¯s empire. Ea thought he might have learned about the skill from Kaseun Sabnak, but it could have been exined to him in easier terms one in his age would understand. Or maybe, he had heard of it from other means, like technology? Ea¡¯s mind was riddled with questions, but the only one who could answer ity lifeless before her. ¡°Tsk.¡± Ea turned around, flicking her tongue. The moment he cursed her to hell, the feeling of victory, she felt flipped into resentment. Ea red back at the Blue Lancer, swaying her spears soaked in Judah¡¯s fresh blood. All Ea had to do was kill Jeanne, and finally, she was free to leave that ce. But then, she saw the world turn to gray. And then¡ª The world stopped. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Chapter 57

Chapter 57

57==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem [You are resurrected.] Judah¡¯s vision grew bright, and his consciousness rewound before his demise. Before he could process the message window that hovered before him, it took his all to suppress the blinding rage burning inside of him. Judah watched Ea draw her spear right in front of his eyes and trigger the Flying Fighters¡¯ Hellish skill. This time around, Judah stopped himself from using a dagger to cast a skill in its ce. ©¤Shadow Swordsmanship Form 4 ©¤©¤Illusion Sword With a slight consumption of magic, a shadow emerged from Judah¡¯s body that sent his actual body into a backward stumble. This body double took his ce, facing what was his bloody death in the hands of Ea¡¯s spear. ¡°What is this?!¡± Ea hissed, her special attack wasted, much like her expectations. Ea¡¯s eyes met Judah¡¯s as he rolled off and raised to his feet without a sweat. The look on his face a moment ago was nothing like it was now. The boy staring back at her had all the intent to see her dead. In all of her life, this was the first time she felt fear when looking at an enemy. In denial, Ea shoved away her fear with a re. ¡°What are you waiting for?!¡± She taunted to mask what she truly felt, but her words died the moment Judah charged, ducked to the ground with strides faster than her eyes could see. ¡®What?¡¯ Judah moved like a predatoring for its prey. Her eyes could only chase his after images, leaving her with her spear just hoping for the best. ng! ¡°Fuck!¡± His sword against her spear was heavier than she remembered. ¡®He¡¯s overpowering me!¡¯ Ea gritted her teeth, shoving away his sword to retreat far away from him. She felt her strength waver, believing her battle with the Blue Lancer strained her energy. Fffftt! All she did was tilt her head, and a dagger had already cut through her cheek. A sharp pain shot through her senses, her vision filling with the ssh of her blood. Ea squinted, turning to where she guessed Judah could be. She followed the sounds around her, chuckling to herself nervously. The Flying Fighter drew a dagger as she fell back, tossing them blindly to cast out as much distance as she could. Ea believed that she had a good idea of their surroundings, but when she swung her spear to attack, all it hit was the empty air. Shaak! As she continued to stumble backward, the adrenaline brought by her desire to see Judah in pain gave her the strength to keep on swinging, this time sharper than before. But her attack was useless, just like the rest. Judah ducked, evading her spear, before digging his soles to the ground to flip himself high up into the air. His spontaneous jump dodged another one of Ea¡¯s spears, then ever so casually, he stepped on her shoulders to runch his momentum. ¡°Huh?¡± Lost in the blur, Ea was only able to gasp in a dumbfounded manner as her eyes tried to focus on reality. Judah was already on his feet, swording straight for the Flying Fighter. ng©¤©¤! In an ear-piercing shatter, their weapons shed with sparks of light spraying into every direction. Ea¡¯sst resort to save herself was to step back, bracing herself for an oing attack, but none came. Judah stepped back just as she did. ¡®What?¡¯ This was an excellent opportunity to attack, but Ea stood there waiting for Judah to seize the opportunity. The boy, standing in ce, whipped his sword up in the air as if Ea was anywhere near. ¡°Hah! What¡¯s wrong? Scared?¡± The Flying Fighter charged at Judah with a smirk. Just as her spear swayed toward Judah, a ck shadow erupted from the boy¡¯s body. It was the same shadow as before, a simple punching bag that did absolutely nothing special. But this time, it had a little trick up its sleeves. His silhouette swung its shadowed weapon, making the same gesture Judah did a second ago. But it was still nothing, disappearing the moment Ea¡¯s spear pierced through its body. She caught a glimpse of Judah as he faded into the background. ¡°!¡± ck particles covered Judah¡¯s bastard sword, turning it again into a cone-shapednce. Ea, on the other hand, had her weapons dropped, still recovering from attacking the doppelganger Judah conjured. A frown crossed her mouth. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that©¤©¤!¡± Judah proimed as he saw the red glow emanating from Ea¡¯s spears, one he remembered very well. It was a swordsmanship skill used by Flying Fighters, one where they crossed their spears together as their uracy grew to higher levels. How could Judah forget it? This was the skill that took his life a moment ago. Shit! Her -Hell- skill not only destroyed Judah¡¯s -Shadow Swordsmanship-One Point- but also shattered his bastard sword the moment they shed. Her skill carried tremendous power that it overpowered Judah¡¯s progress, even with his use of Magic Power. ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ The sword given to him by Lord Peerchen shattered, but his spirits remained unyielding. He stuck out his tongue and released the Bastard Sword from his hand, immediately casting another skill. ©¤Shadow Justice Form 4 ©¤©¤Lower ck Arms Manifestation Magic particles grew from the palms of his hand, two swords manifesting within his grasp. Judah dropped his arms, copying the stance Ea used for -Hell-. If he were to do this, he could only do it once, so he needed to hit her sessfully. ¡°Is that it?¡± Judah¡¯s eyes met Ea¡¯s, who was too busy smiling to herself after shattering his sword. The moment she saw how Judah had recovered, the shock on her face was priceless. ©¤Shadow Swordsmanship Form 5 ©¤©¤Imitate-Hell ck magic swarmed at the very tip of his weapons. Casting onest nce at his opponent, Judah raised his sword into the air. Shaak! ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± Her leather armor was not enough to defend her life. What Judah suffered at the hands of the skill, she too endured ©¤ bleeding, mutted, and her organs shred to pieces. This was the second time Judah had killed a person. The adrenaline of ying beasts was nothing to the drumming of his heart now, which was taking forever to ease. While he grounded himself, the Flying Fighter he had in fell to her knees, her vision losing its grip from reality. ¡°How¡­ Oh my God¡­ Did a kid defeat¡­¡± Ea¡¯sst words faded into the air as her body mmed on the ground,ying in the pool of her blood. The shadowed weapons in Judah¡¯s grasp melted into the air, and the silhouette sprawled all over the floor crawled back into Judah¡¯s natural shadow. In the wake of their battle, only the stench of death lingered in the air, only this time, it wasn¡¯t Judah¡¯s blood that had been spilled. [Your level has risen!] Judah, who had been staring silently at the lifeless body of his opponent, snapped out of his daze as the message popped up right in front of him. He leveled up, but theughter that escaped from his mouth tasted bitter. There was no joy in wasting a save point for such a dull encounter. ¡®I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ Judah found himself clenching his fists aimlessly. ¡°Woo¡­.¡± He won, but he wasn¡¯t happy. After a brief second of staring at the Flying Fighter¡¯s corpse, he bent down to im one of her spears and the single ring in one of her fingers. [You have earned the Longsword of the Flying Fighter (Apprentice).] [You acquired the ring of the Chae-ya family.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Longsword of the FLying Fighter (Apprentice) for the glory of the family] [Rating: precious _ excellent sword] [Equipment: Long sword] [Durability: 26/40] [Attack power: 60] [effect] Strength +1, Agility +1 [Exnation] This is the spear used by the apprentice knights of the Imperial Knights of the Baekje Empire. The Flying Fighters are divided into probationary/intermediate/advanced/first grades, and the materials used for long swords grade. An imperial cksmith makes it, ensuring its good quality. The spears form a pair. The sword of the Flying Fighters itself is worth a fortune, and rewards are given to those who can acquire it and return it to its empire. Fighter (Passive): When using the Fighter Swordsmanship, a skill¡¯s activation speed is increased by 10%. -Craftsmanship (Passive): Made by an excellent craftsman, it adds points to durability and attack power. -Code Previous: For the glory of the family ©¸Recovery speed of health and magic power +10%, attack power +15, and equipment durability consumption reduction by 50% when using a skill. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Chae-ya Family Ring] [Rating: Only] [Equipment: Ring] [effect] Magic Defense/Resist 10% increase [Exnation] It is a ring that proves you are a member of the Chae-ya family from the Baekje Empire, a sort of identification card. It is made of silver, and the pattern is less intricate, indicating the wearer must not be directly rted. -Chae-ya Family (Passive): A daily of warriors who are famous for their swordsmanship and has produced Flying Fighters from generation to generation. Receives a bonus for sword skill proficiency. -Passive: Purifies the poison that has entered the body. If a toxin is ingested, the color of the ring changes first, indicating the infliction. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Judah remembered there to be a code in the spears. He checked both of them, even Ea¡¯s shattered one, but he found nothing. He stashed the loot in his -Bag- before facing Jeanne, who had been silent throughout the fight. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable. You fought a Flying Fighter and won.¡± Jeanne praised despite the careful tone within her words. Before Judah could ept herpliment, he found the blood dripping through the cracks in Jeanne¡¯s right arm armor. He couldn¡¯t measure the severity of her wound, but it seemed dangerous if it kept bleeding as much. ¡°Lady Jeanne, let¡¯s talk about thister. We should heal that wound first. Can you take off your armor?¡± Jeanne watched Judah through the gap of her facete. She tried to nod, but ended up closing her eyes as even the tiny gesture caused her vision to double. She had been standing there for far too long that her open wound had drained much of her energy. Doing her best to stay conscious, Jeanne finally released the magic power holding together her armor. Everything conjured by her magic turned into silver dust flying with the wind. When the pressure upon her body disappeared, her legs wavered at the brink of copse. Finally, her body fell back to the wall to rest. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

58==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Judah waited for her patiently. The moment her helmet vanished away, her blue hair damp with sweat cascaded down to her shoulders, like the moonlight shining on a river. His moment of beholding her beauty was cut short as soon as his eyes caught sight of her bleeding wound. The entirety of her joint bled, and the mere sight of it made Judah wince. He hastily pulled water out of his -Bag- to pour at her open wound. ¡°Ouch¡­!¡± Jeanne¡¯s eyes winced in pain. After roughly washing away the blood, Judah frowned at the condition of her wound. Holding that heavyncer of hers certainly strained her injury to open further. Washing the wound only did so much, as blood continued to grumble out of her open flesh. It was only a matter of time before she could pass out from blood loss, so he took his potion and pulled the lid out with his teeth. Jeanne, watching him heal her wound, nced at the ring on his finger. It was unlike she had ever seen, one carved out of a whole mineral. Jeanne knew he wore none before they parted ways because an attractive ring wasn¡¯t easy to miss. And looking at Judah now, she also found herself drawn to him. Can a person look so different by merely wearing one ring? Or was she attracted to him all of a sudden because of his heroic act of saving her life? Surprised by her very own train of thought, Jeanne did her best to stay focused on their current predicament. ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Despite her efforts, Jeanne couldn¡¯t stop herself from talking out loud, looking visibly puzzled. Judah was as confused as she was, but he figured Jeanne talked about the potion in his hands. He poured it generously into her wound, regenerating its cells and healing her in no time. To make sure she was utterly patched up, Judah even bandaged her arm. When Judah tried patting it, Jeanne no longer hissed, but she still seemed to wince because of it. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s all done. But who knows, I think it¡¯s best to drop by the temple before you go back to the castle.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help, Judah.¡± Jeanne bowed her head to her savior. Judah smiled in response. She grasped her wound, trying to apply pressure, and although the potion¡¯s effect did a great deal, a bit of pain continued to linger in its sidelines. But it was nothing she couldn¡¯t handle, and she can even survive without checking herself into the temple. ¡°But how about you, Judah? Are you well?¡± ¡°Yes? I didn¡¯t get hurt.¡± Judah replied, emptying the rest of the potion to Jeanne¡¯s other gashes. It was true. Judah had little to no scratches. The blood covering his body was Ea¡¯s. Still, Jeanne shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not asking about the wounds of your body.¡± Jeanne lifted her injured right arm then poked Judah on the chest, ¡°I¡¯m asking about the wounds of your heart. Isn¡¯t this the first time you¡¯ve killed a person? The act of killing another human being is far different from ying a wild beast. That is my question, Judah.¡± Judah expected anything but that. Her fingers, creasing through his leather clothes, seemed to dig deep into his heart. Judah looked down at her hand, trying to smile through his struggling voice. ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t expect to hear anything like that from anybody¡­ But yes, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not the first time anyway.¡± ¡°Are you for certain that you¡¯re well? Then, what happened the first time?¡± Judah couldn¡¯t say no to the sincere curiosity in her face, so he sat next to her. Giving Jeanne empty words did no right, mostly when the view in front of them was the very body of the Flying Fighter he had just killed. Judah slowly recounted to her what had happened in the past. There was nothing to hide because he had already shown her Shadow Swordsmanship and Justice anyway. ¡°That¡¯s what happened¡­¡± When Jeanne heard everything, she responded with a big sigh. ¡°I answered your question. Can I ask you one?¡± ¡°Yes. Ask whatever you wish.¡± ¡°What do you feel about the Flying Fighter? You don¡¯t seem to care much about her.¡± The two of them stared at Ea¡¯s lifeless body, still as the puddle of blood itid on. Jeanne was silent for a while. ¡°How don¡¯t I care? I believe it¡¯s because the opponent is already dead, and I survived. That¡¯s all I see myself invested in. If she didn¡¯t die, the fact that she defeated me does not change, and the fact that she defeated me does not change even if she died. Both of us faced defeat, and I will carry that with me for my entire lifetime.¡± ¡°I guess¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I must have been interrupting, right?¡± ¡°Judah, what do you have to apologize for? All you did was save me from dying at the hands of the Flying Fighter. Didn¡¯t you even win your duel with her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There is nothing you have to apologize for. Rather, I should be the one repaying your grace, yet I am in no ce to offer you anything good in return. For that, I wish to ask you another question while I have this moment.¡± Judah expected Jeanne to endow him with rewards for the grace he had done. The Blue Lancers never forgot grace. This was the tradition embedded in the Byron Empire¡¯s Blue Lancers. For them, the lifesaver must be rewarded with grace. They were to listen to whatever their savior should ask for. Unless it was an unreasonable or impossible request like asking for the killing of others, betrayal of the empire, or to be taught thence and shield techniques of the Blue Lancers, otherwise, everything was epted. And this took precedence over the emperor¡¯s order, and even the emperor acknowledged it. Should the emperor order the Blue Lancer to kill someone, their savior could refuse it. In some cases, others would ept a simple thank you. The noble Blue Lancers had never been abused for this, and their emperor epted this tradition wholeheartedly. In their case right now, Judah was Jeanne¡¯s benefactor, for just before her death, he swooped in to save her life. ¡°Do you have any wishes? You are my lifesaver, so I will listen to anything you wish.¡± ¡°¡­Anything?¡± ¡°Yes, anything. But anything usible, if you may. I¡¯m afraid I cannot kill someone on your behalf or acquire an item impossible to find, such as a fragment, for example.¡± There was only one option in the game. There, Jeanne was meant to be his colleague, but there were more of her that he could ask at that very moment. His eyes darted down to her curvy body glistening with sweat, and his mind couldn¡¯t help the dirty thoughts lingering at the back of his mind. He could ask her to be his wife or even ask her to give up her body for him, but Judah had no intentions of saying those things to her. ¡°That¡¯s a wild bargain. What would you do if I asked for money and food enough for a lifetime?¡± ¡°I can give you that. I must tell you; however, I am only a nobleman, and It won¡¯t be easy to provide such a request. I cannot provide any amount of riches right now, but I will do my best to fulfill it.¡± ¡°What if I asked for your body?¡± ¡°¡­If the benefactor wants it, then¡­¡± ¡°What if I asked you to be my wife?¡± Jeanne¡¯s face turned red instantly. Her heart skipped a beat when he asked for her body, but the moment she heard the question that followed, she found herself unable to speak. ¡°¡­I do not appreciate your teasing.¡± Jeanne admitted, hesitating to speak again, ¡°But if that¡¯s what you want¡­ And if you want it, then I will do it.¡± Judah shed her a smile, ¡°So, how about being mypanion?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Be mypanion! I n to leave Serenia Castle soon. I thought it would be nice if there were someone I could trust to be with. Would you like to join me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re finding it amusing to tease me. I¡¯m curious about when will you grow out of it?¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the answer?¡± Jeanne sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to be your colleague. But I¡­ I can only be with you for a year at the most.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± Judah thought it would be easy to get her as apanion, but the conditionsing with it was a surprise. ¡°I¡¯m still an apprentice. Before bing an intermediate Blue Lancer, an apprentice is given three years of freedom. During those three years, I wander around and do whatever I wish. I can be a mercenary and subdue monsters, be an adventurer, search for treasures, or be yourpanion and wander around various ces. I have done all of those things, but in the next year or so, my independence is set to end.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± If so, it can¡¯t be helped. He never really thought that such an obstacle would be ahead. In the game, regardless of the period, the yer could go to the Byron Empire and approach the Blue Spear Knight NPC to be promoted to intermediate level. Although she continued to belong to the empire, she was avable as the yer¡¯spanion, but it seemed impossible to achieve in this reality. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Should he ask for something else instead? He could go and look for otherpanions to invite. In Judah¡¯s head, he recited all the names and information of other NPCs obtainable in Serenia Castle. However, there was no substitute for her. Although Mage Riel was the strongest candidate, there was no way to take her away, considering that she was already affiliated with Kain as he encountered them yesterday. He could settle for a subordinate, but he didn¡¯t want to resort to that. ¡°One year?¡± ¡°Yes, one year. Of course, I don¡¯t know what will happen if I manage to reach the advanced level beyond intermediate¡­¡± One year, Judah nodded, thinking little by little about his ns for the future. A year or so would be enough. Coming to a decision, Judah jumped up and reached out to her. ¡°Okay. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s only for a year. Are youing, Lady Jeanne?¡± But she didn¡¯t hold onto the outstretched hand. She only stared at it. When Judah began to think of retreating his hand, that was when she grabbed him. Judah tried to pull her up, but she sat still and didn¡¯t barge. She remained unmoving, staring right through Judah¡¯s eyes. ¡°But are you okay with that? You could ask for something else. Money is possible, and the marriage you spoke of¡­ It¡¯s also possible.¡± Her blue eyes continued to look at Judah¡¯s, who responded with strainedughter. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m okay with that. Companionship with a good foundation of trust? I want it. One year is enough. I need a colleague I can trust more than anyone else. That¡¯s the grace you will pay me back, and that¡¯s what I want, Blue Lancer Jeanne. ¡± Jeanne closed her eyes for a moment before finally standing up, and as she held Judah¡¯s hand, she gave him a soft smile. ¡°Very well. If that¡¯s what you really want, my spear and shield will protect you, Judah.¡± [Blue Lancer ¡°Jeanne Art Loire¡± became apanion.] Chapter 59

Chapter 59

[Hey guys, this novel is doing really badly on NU, however, site stats say that it is actually doing quite well. I¡¯ve released 10 free chapters this week so far to promote this series. Please add this series to your reading list on NU and/or an honest review. Either would go a long way to support and create awareness for this series. Premium now is being uploaded at 25-40 chapters a week.] 59==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem After shaking hands, Jeanne stumbled back down to her seat. Her bleeding wound condition may have gotten better, but its effect continued to linger, keeping the Lancer in a dizzy state. Should they pursue their journey, Judah decided it was best for them to spend the night and rest. He had already experienced spending a night in ruins, so it was nothing to him. But before they could settle in, they had to take care of the Flying Fighter¡¯s body. They made her tomb with roughly stacked stones as a funeral, as leaving her out in the open felt difficult for them both. There was an urge to leave her as a meal for the monsters, but he had no choice, or else his conscience would pester him endlessly. Her burial mound was of stones in varying masses, some pebbles rolling around roughly. It was far from a tomb, but it was enough for Judah as his heartfelt much lighter after the attempt. He came up with Jeanne to the abandoned building¡¯s third floor, where he stayed the night before. Although a part of its walls copsed and a hole in the ceiling showed the night sky above, it was suitable for shelter. The Lancer hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet, so Judah offered Jeanne what he had. He gave her his stocked jerky and dried fruits, and while it served her well, Judah thought it wasn¡¯t enough. To make up for her the blood she lost, he took out some herbs and ck wolf meat he had collected hidden in the depths of his -Bag-. Despite their stay in it, they came out as very fresh meat and herbs. His -Bag- betrayed the constraints of time, and anything put within it remained as it was when it was collected or ughtered. Taking out his pot and pouring water in it, Judah prepared stew to feed his newpanion. ¡°Wow¡­ This is very delicious. You certainly have amazing cooking skills.¡± ¡°Want me to teach you?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve told you this before, but to my shame, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t season my cooking because I don¡¯t have the expertise for such a task.¡± Jeanne groaned, avoiding his gaze. Judahughed, ¡°That¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll bepanions in the future, so I¡¯ll cook what I always do. Of course, sometimes I might have to eat jerky.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. I am grateful enough to eat this delicious and hot food outdoors, no matter how often or not it is.¡± Jeanne ate the stew-like she hadn¡¯t eaten in days. In no time, she emptied her bowl by downing its leftovers, as if there were even some left before getting seconds. They ate in silence the whole dinner time, with not a single word exchanged between them. ¡®¡­Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t there one ce around here where I can find a treasure chest?¡¯ In the game, around those parts, there was supposed to be a treasure chest. Anyone familiar with these sorts of games, there was always something to find in the corners of castles and private houses or hidden ces. These little boxes contain small items such as recovery items or even money. In this reality, of course, entering someone¡¯s house or castle and scavenging through their things was stealing. However, much like these ruins in the opennds, items were free to im by whoever found them first. But these ruins had already been robbed of all things worthy by both adventurers and monsters. If he looked through the rubble of a copsed building or walked through a blocked street, well, he might be lucky enough to stumble upon something to use but nothing that can be exchanged for money. Even if he tried looking for something like a weapon, h would probably find a rusty and useless scrap of metal. The quality of the weapons sold at the forge in Serenia Castle would be much better. Unbeknownst to the citizens of this game, there was one treasure chest for only its yers beyond the reach of adventurers or monsters. ¡®I didn¡¯t put anything useful.¡¯ He took a spoonful of his stew as his musings continued. Recruiting the Fighter or the Lancer aspanions was a hidden feature in itself, and those who did not know could not proceed. To find the secret quest, yers had to experiment with theirpanions¡¯ performance. Naturally, they go around to catch the monsters located in ruins and go around thinking that there were hidden items. Then, the yers had to enter an old mansion in the north. Inside, goblins built a nest and became a dungeon. After killing all of them, the yer can get an old box inside as a reward. It contained three or four gold coins collected by the goblins and a weapon used at the beginning of the yer¡¯s journey. They can get the code for it with a low probability, but that option wasn¡¯t gratifying at all. ¡®Do I have to get it?¡¯ If it were money, he wouldn¡¯t need it so much because Judah has been hunting ck wolves consistently and selling their skins and gemstones, blessing him enough riches. Of course, the more money, the better, but there are other ways to get it anyway. Right now, Judah had a wolf hunting quest given by the lord, and if he crossed Serenia Castle and went to the knight¡¯s country -Philoria-, he could participate in a martial arts contest and get a generous reward. The items that can be obtained by opening the box were not very important to Judah now. If he chose to get it, will the experience reward him well? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°What?¡± Judah raised his head then blurted in response. He saw Jeanne¡¯s bowl was already empty while his bowl still sat half full. He took a spoonful of what he expected to be lukewarm stew, only for it to end up cold. He had been sitting there long enough while Jeanne watched him with concern. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking down at your stew without a word¡­ Are there any problems?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not a big deal. I just wondered if Tia is doing well.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t she be joining us? It might be awkward without her.¡± In those two years, Jeanne was with Judah, Tia, and the boy wasn¡¯t together yet. Like twins, wherever they went, they were together and acted together. Despite this, the energy around the two of them always felt stranger and deeper. Judah nodded as he ate her, stew, ¡°You know what? I think I¡¯ll be leaving Serenia Castle now.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going together?¡± Judah smiled bitterly with the stew in his mouth. Jeanne couldn¡¯t understand why he had such a reaction. ¡°Why? If you were looking for a trustedpanion, she would have been more suitable than I am.¡± It was because of the stats. It was simple, but how can he say that? Just as Judah judged a person by their appearance, Judah had to judge hispanions by their stats. He had no choice but to collect fragments in this world. Jeanne said that Judah couldn¡¯t evade her question, and she couldn¡¯t be fooled. He had to tell her the truth, or this could be another trust issue. ¡°?¡± When he was just about to open his mouth, Jeanne waved a gesture to silence him. Both of them fell silent as they stared at each other, trying to listen to the air around them. Judah moved to the open wall as he carefully put down the bowl and spoon in his hand. Kirk! ¡®Goblins.¡¯ Roughly twenty or so goblins were approaching, guarding the grounds. They found the bodies of their people piled up on one side before booking around into the dark. The other ten goblins approached the stone grave Judah built for the Flying Fighter, and the moment their noses caught the scent of blood, they thrashed the stone away to pull the corpse within. Judah frowned. They ruined everything he worked hard for in two hours, and all it took was less than ten minutes to break apart just from the monsters to get their meal. After rejoicing, they grabbed the body of the Flying Fighter as well as the remains of their kin before taking onest nce around, then retreating the way they hade. Judah sighed, looking down from above the building. ¡®Are they from the dungeon with the treasure chest?¡¯ He already nned to skip the treasure chest, but Judah feltpelled to go as soon as they showed up. And there was Ea¡¯s body that he hid under stones to keep it away from monsters, and yet they snatched her away nheless. Jeanne walked up to his side, watching the goblins move in groups just as he did. Herke-like eyes stared at him, asking what to do. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a storyter. But your body, how is it? Can you move?¡± ¡°I have more energy now that I¡¯ve eaten good food. It¡¯s in perfect condition for a post-meal exercise.¡± Judah nodded his head. ¡°All right. Shall we go? I even made a grave, but we can¡¯t let them go like that, right?¡± Jeanne nodded her head as if she sympathized with him. Her eyes then nced up at the sky intently. The open sky, tinted intricately by the sunset, seemed to be soon covered with darkness. Goblins were nocturnal, so they saw well in the dark, but she and Judah couldn¡¯t. Can they kill all the goblins before the light waspletely gone? ¡°But the sun is going t set soon. Would you still like to continue?¡± As if waiting for that very question, Judah pulled out three ss bottles of ominous fluorescent liquid from the -Bag- then handed them over to her. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A liquid that emits bright light when it¡¯s hit. If it¡¯s dark once the sun goes down, you throw it on the floor. If you can¡¯t, it can still light up for about 10 minutes.¡± Jeanne had never bought it, but she used to hear of it from general stores, offering them at a low price. Looking at the boy who gave her the items, Jeanne was curious to know what and how many Judah could carry in his sub-space. Jeanneughed at the thought that his sub-space might be a convenient magic portal that gave him everything he wanted. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry!¡± Judah gazed at her suspiciously, but he soon moved on down the steps without saying much about it. Jeanne chuckled to herself again before following after him. The goblins hopped around in excitement, unaware of the hunters tailing behind. And soon, the creatures entered a mansion. ¡®Of course, here it is.¡¯ It matched up to the location on the map. In the north stood a mansion infested by a goblin¡¯s nest. Judah nced at Jeanne as thest reddish sunlight illuminated the dimming night sky. The light was shining on her face as well, and the face looking back at his was void of fear nor joy. ¡°Jeanne, uh, are you okay with your arms? Can you fight?¡± ¡°Of course, Judah. The Blue Lancers are not weak for you to be so worried.¡± Silver particles bloomed around her body, then her magnificent armor and helmet peculiar to a Blue Lancer manifested into physicality. All but her shield andnce were in good condition, and even her right arm stained with blood again. Judah¡¯s gaze turned to her wound. Jeanne knew she looked out of shape, so as Judah studied her, the Lancer reassured herpanion. ¡°¡­Even if I look like this, you don¡¯t have to worry about the goblins.¡± Chapter 60

Chapter 60

60==================== The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem Judah took out the Flying Father¡¯s spear instead of his broken bastard sword. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Judah had to admit, the grip and bnce of this weapon truly felt much better than the sword given by the lord. Judah felt wrong by wielding a dead person¡¯s weapon, much less the weapon used to kill him once, but it felt wasteful to leave it alone for that same reason. The outside of the mansion stood guardless, and the two of them approached the entrance warily. The walls surrounding the mansion was surprisingly intact despite the destion of the ruins. It did its role as a wall, but the rest of its upper mantles seemed to have face the wear and tear of time. By the entrance, Judah initiated his -Shadow Justice-. Judah¡¯s shadow, then cast by the setting sun, grew to cover the entire area. Because of the creeping evening sky that cast heavy shadows of the night, the goblins didn¡¯t notice his shadow that engulfed the whole ground. The number and location of each goblin across the area shed on his -Map-. ¡®There¡¯s quite a lot of them¡­¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure if they were the only ones in the building, but as far as he can see, twenty enemies lurked in the distance. About five or seven of them, he could take down in an instant, but for the rest of them, he had no choice but to ask for hispanion¡¯s help. Despite his concern, he had to stop worrying too much for Jeanne and her heavy armor. ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Judah nodded his head inmand. He took the lead, with Jeanne in the back putting on a brave face. He went a few steps ahead, focused on the -Map- to check the location of the goblins around. Judah activated a skill on his left hand, and as he did, a shadow emerged from his hand, conjuring a hefty dagger. The moment Jeanne stepped beyond the entrance, the nking of her heavy armor echoed in the open air. The Goblins gathered around the fire, who were too busy pulling apart the corpses of their kin to eat for dinner, snapped their heads at the two of them. Judah, with a final squeeze of his dagger¡¯s grip, threw it at the goblins ahead. Kiek! A goblin about to stand up froze in ce as Judah¡¯s dagger shot straight for his head. In a moment, his body fell to the ground. Judah conjured another de and whipped it towards another goblin. Whenever he conjured them, it decreased energy out of his Magic Power. With the help of -mercenary-style left-handed dagger-, every dagger went to no waste as they all hit his target perfectly. The rest of the goblins charged at him, but they had to go through Jeanne before reaching him. The goblin squeezed its feeble spear as it pounced at the Blue Lancer, and Jeanne could only smile at its attempt to break through her shield. Unless an opponent was as swift as a Flying Fighter, there was no way anybody could win head-on against a Blue Lancer, especially not a goblin that possessed no threatening ability. She stomped her left foot forward and braced her shield into her arms. ¡°I will never let you through,¡± she said. Quaang! The shield in her left hand struck the goblin sending it back to air. Every goblin that dared to attack ended up as nothing but bodies rolling on the floor as they collided with her shield. There was nothing they can do. Even if they yed dead, the man behind her would strike them precisely with his daggers. The Goblins, who thought they had no choice but to defeat the preceding knight, attempted to charge again as they screamed. After taking down seven goblins with his Shadow Justice alone, Judah grabbed daggers in the stack hanging on his belt. One by one, he knocked down the goblins with a strike of his daggers as Jeanne wielded her shield in front of him, brandishing hernce in the other hand. Kieh! The goblins spending their peaceful day just like any other day found themselves cowering in fear at the mercy of their uninvited visitors. Even with just a tiny twitch of their muscles, a dagger would rain down at them and anybody near them. Those brave enough to continue attacking them were beaten down by the Blue Lancer, standing like an iron wall protecting the young man. The goblins were peculiar, and while some were fearful, some continued charging at them despite the blow they¡¯ve already taken. Despite their attempts, not a single one had reached the boy behind the Blue Lancer. They either shrieked as his des pierced through their skulls, or their bodies ricocheted in waves as they were left groaning on the ground. Jeanne walked over to the fallen and wriggling goblins, bursting their heads with thence for a final and deadly blow. ¡°Judah! I can¡¯t find the body of the Flying Fighter. It must be inside.¡± Jeanne cried out as she checked around the campfire. If her body was nowhere in the garden, then it was indeed inside the mansion. The turmoil they caused should¡¯ve been enough to draw out the other goblins, but their disappearance felt like a conspiracy. Goblins were cunning, so there must be something waiting ahead of them. As they descended further in, Jeanne decided to take the lead. She walked up to the threshold of the secured mansion and then struck the door with her shield. g! The ancient sted and scattered all over the floor like it had been beaten to death by an axe. ¡°It¡¯s dark.¡± Concealed behind her shield, they took a single step inside, and as it met the darkness within, something pierced through the airing straight at them. ¡°Move back!¡± Jeanne fell closer to Judah to protect him, lifting her shield at the flying threat. It rolled onto the floor and squinting through the darkness, and they could see it was a simple rock. Judah opened his -Bag-, grabbing more bottles of the fluorescent liquid he had given Jeanne. He threw them all over the floor, and in a sh, its light radiated through every nook and cranny, chasing away the shadows of the mansion. The goblins gawked at the light dancing in the air, and while they sat there mesmerized, Judah hid behind Jeanne again to check their enemy count. ¡°Four on the first floor and three on the second floor.¡± He instructed her. Judah headed to the second floor. The goblins had gathered a pile of stones to throw at him as he came up, but none of them could hit him. He walked up to them with no ease and killed them off one by one with a swing of his spear, even without the aid of his Shadow Justice or Shadow Swordsmanship. Fighting them in the dark wasn¡¯t hard; it merely annoyed him, but the creatures were just as weak as the ones he had killed outside. The goblins on the first floor all faced the same situation, with Jeanne walking up to them and then striking them all down. Judah continued his killing spree, unaware of the door that opened behind him. When he turned around the moment he felt the threat approach, Jeanne was already there to attack the enemy. He didn¡¯t know how she saw it first, but hernce had already struck the goblining out of the door. Hernce passed by in front of his face, faster than a baseball flying through the air. Hearing a thump, it seemed thatnce had pierced the goblin¡¯s body and send it stuck on the wall. ¡°¡­¡± Judah looked at Jeanne incredulously, who shed him a thumbs-up as she stood there covered in green goblin goo. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Judah. It¡¯s my job to protect you.¡± He wanted to tell her no, but Judah bowed his head as a form of gratitude nheless. He praised her the same, telling her that she had worked hard. Afterward, they continued to look for Ea¡¯s body. Judah wondered if there were no treasure chests, but he managed to find a wooden chest hidden underneath a fairly neat piece of cloth to his luck. When he opened it, he saw two gold coins and a sapphire. ¡®I remember that I also put in essories. Well, whatever. This isn¡¯t a game, and perhaps there¡¯s really none.¡± Brushing it off, Judah settled for the gold coins, then gave the sapphire to Jeanne. As they scavenged the mansion further, they finally found the Flying Fighter¡¯s body. Her clothes were ravaged like they tried to take them off, but she remained untouched. In the end, they decided to burn her body along with the mansion for good. The mansion was far and isted from other buildings, and burning it wouldn¡¯t cause any chain reaction. After ransacking the ce anding out empty handed, both burned the entire area down to the ground. Jeanne and Judah watched as the fire devoured the entire mansion before making their escape. The mansion burned all night long, and there was nothing left of it by the break of dawn. The two of them came out of their shelter, feeling a bit of weight lift off of their shoulders. ¡°Should we go back to the castle now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I think so.¡± Jeanne, still regretful of the fragments, still nodded in response. Judah walked off, the BLue Lancer following after him. ¡°What do you n to do now?¡± she asked in the middle of the dull silence. Judah rolled his eyes, dreading the question. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to register as an adventurer first.¡± ¡°Oh, haven¡¯t you done it yet?¡± Judahughed as he nodded his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to register.¡± After hising-of-age ceremony, Judah took off right away to find Jeanne, giving him no time to register for it. ¡°But I¡¯m still thinking about it if I should register as a mercenary or an adventurer.¡± To register as a mercenary or an adventurer had no significant difference. Both roles received guild missions of the same nature. The difference was the team¡¯s size and whether or not they stayed in one area for a long time. The ss system for evaluating their skills was the same. ¡°I think adventurers are better than mercenaries.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ Yeah. I¡¯m going to several ces anyway. After my registration, I¡¯ll be leaving Serenia Castle within three days. Do you need more time for yourself?¡± ¡°No, three days is enough.¡± ¡°Good. When you arrive at the castle, take all the free time you need and thene to my home after three days. I will be ready to leave.¡± Jeanne nodded her head. After leaving the ruins, they followed his map on the way back to Serenia Castle. On their second day, they found themselves back in the kingdom. Judah made an appointment to meet the Lord before going home. And once he stood by the threshold of their home, he exhaled the breath he had been holding, before knocking on the door. Inside, followed by a rough sound, the door opened. ¡°Judah!¡± Tia stared at him in heartily bewilderment. Her Judah greeted her back with a wholesome smile. ¡°I¡¯m back, Tia.¡± Chapter 61

Chapter 61

61==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf Tia weed Judah warmly once he returned from the many days of his absence. Perhaps because she knew he was leaving soon, she tried to stay attached to him all the time. Judah took out the Bastard Sword given to him by the Lord. The Flying Fighter did a significant amount of damage to it, but the cksmith of Serenia Castle was excellent, and if he left it with him, he would be able to restore it to its original state. However, the attack power of the spear he obtained from the Flying Fighter was slightly higher. He intended to leave his bastard sword as it got its repairs, but not before taking away its codes that he had kept in his -bag-. He retrieved two of its assigned prefixes and suffix codes and then gave the spear the -Sharpness of- code. Afterwards, he stopped by the smith to leave him the Bastard Sword, purchased two new daggers identical to his current ones, and headed to the Adventurers Guild on the North Boulevard to register as an adventurer. Being known for hunting the ck wolves, his registration process went more easily than expected, and he even received a bronze medal for it. After registering, Judah and Tia ate somewhere nearby and visited the Lord¡¯s castle for the appointment he scheduled a day prior. But unexpectedly, Lord Peerchen was already waiting for the young hero and would be happy to meet him. Judah and Tia received his sentiments from the guards, who immediately guided them to the reception room. The two of them sat in the guest room, taken aback by the privilege of meeting the Lord much earlier. The butler brought snacks and drinks along with the news that the Lord was toe shortly after dealing with a bit of work. While eating the confectionaries as they chatted in hushed voices, the door opened, and the Lord came in. Judah and Tia got up from their seats to greet him. ¡°Ah! No need for greetings. Please, sit down.¡± He tried to smile, but its crook felt strained. The Lord gestured them back down to their seats as he took his at the other side of the table. A maid came in quickly, ced a new teacup in front of the Lord, and poured him tea. ¡°I¡¯m sorry foringte. Did you wait for long?¡± He said with a pretty dull face. Did they? They did, having sat there to wait for 20 minutes. As much as Judah wanted to say it, he didn¡¯t dare to talk back. Before Judah could answer no, Tia spoke up before him. ¡°I waited about 20 minutes, so I guess I did, Lord Peerchen.¡± ¡°Tia!¡± ¡°Hm, why? That¡¯s the truth.¡± Judah sighed, but her honesty made the Lord burst intoughter. ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sorry, Lady Gentia. Your honesty, I like it very much.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take it personally. I am not one to talk around matters.¡± Tia replied. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Being honest is not a sin.¡± Tia bowed her head to thank him for his patience. Although the Lord received her honesty well, few people can say such a thing to a Wielder of the Sword. Anyone who is a Wielder of the Sword will only say good things to make their audience feel good, and her honesty was a sure win to gain his favor. After the rousey pleasantries, their conversation turned to the young hero and his ns. ¡°Now, our young hero¡ªNo, now that you are an adult, should we just call you a hero?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can call me whatever you like.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll call you Judah like Sir Kaseun. I was envious of the friendliness in the way he referred to you. As I was saying, I thought you¡¯d visit right after youring-of-age ceremony, but it has been a while. I take it that you are leaving now?¡± Judah nodded, ¡°Yes, I wanted to say hello before I go.¡± The young hero smiled in reply. Serenia Castle was a free country epting of all, evenmoners. Those with money can leave anytime. If one obtained the status of an adventurer or mercenary, they were allowed to roam freely. However, most of them have been living here for a long time and have felt a sense of belonging, and they knew it was challenging to find a good ce to live, so no one left. However, not everyone coulde up to the Lord and meet him directly. Even if they could, to meet him as a young hero wouldn¡¯t give them the same ess to leisure as Judah could. ¡°Even if you didn¡¯te within this week, I was going to go find you myself. But here, you¡¯vee.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Judah asked. He knew what the Lord meant. After all, he came to collect his reward, but he tried to suppress his anticipation humbly. Judah swung his eyes to check his quest window. ¡¸ Lord¡¯s Request¡¹ [The number of ck wolves currently hunted] [Normal Wolf: 698] [Leader Wolf: 5] His hunt count seemed to be a considerable amount. Judah hoped to receive enough rewards, and if he could choose, he wanted gold coins. The Lord rose from his seat, chuckling at Judah¡¯s feigned innocence. ¡°You seem to know what it is. Wait here a little bit longer, we¡¯ll bring the reward for our hero¡¯s hard work.¡± As if he was going to bring it himself, he left the reception room. And he did get it himself; walking with his hands hidden behind his back, the Lordid down the reward in front of Judah. The bag swelled with, undoubtedly, money. To Judah¡¯s delight, it was undoubtedly a fair amount too! ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what to give. It seems like there¡¯s nothing like money. If you need anything while traveling, this is very much useful. You¡¯re an excellent hero, and surely you won¡¯t be robbed even if you carry such arge amount of money?¡± Judah opened the bag with a brief smile. Even in the low light of the room, the gold coins inside glistened like a river of colors. His nce counted 20 gold coins, and after finding it sufficient for him, Judah bowed his head in gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Lord Peerchen.¡± ¡°There is no need to thank us for rewarding you after such a service. Oh, but I have one thing I would like to say.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Have I told you I tried visiting you a while ago?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, you have¡±, Judah replied with a wary look in his eyes. ¡°Did you stop hunting ck wolves these past few months?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m not trying to ask or criticize your reason for that. Don¡¯t fret. But Judah, it¡¯s because of your absence that the ck wolves have shown up again. Hunters have seen them lurking, and some, unfortunately, did not live to tell the tale.¡± Hunters had been dying? The feeling of anxiety in Serenia Castle was gone; however, the Lord was direct, and Judah felt no lies in his words. The mention of the castle¡¯s loss ignited the fury within the Lord, and his powers rushed through his body with just the mere thought of the ck Wolves. His face remained soft, but the air around him was heavier than it was before. ¡°So I¡¯m going to take this opportunity to get rid of these creatures once and for all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get rid of them?¡± Judah eximed. The Lord smirked as he stroked his chin, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to subdue them. Now is as good a time as any. The number of ck wolves had declined considerably over the past two years, and the fact that they keep moving down the southern woods could only mean they lost the power fight. We will be handling them, and you do not need to worry about these ck Wolves further.¡± ¡°Um, may I ask how many people are joining this?¡± The Lord thought of his answer for a moment, ¡°200 East Guard, 200 North Guard. A total of 400 soldiers and ten knights will participate, and Lord Kaseun will be one of them.¡± Judah knew that they could subdue the ck wolves even without his help. He believed there was no need for soldiers or knights of the Lord. As long as Kaseun, a Wielder of the Spirit Sword, joined the fight, then he could single-handedly y all the ck wolves in the forest. This was a subjugation quest that they had no other choice but to win. In the game, however, Judah remembered the quest to happen differently. It was meant to be a bounty posted on the vige bulletin board saying, ¡°Deal with Requiem in the East Forest. 0/1¡±. ¡®This should be fun.¡¯ He was amused to find how this world went about differently from what he knew it to be. It had its transformations, and this one felt natural more than anything. ¡°How about you, Judah? Do you have any ns to join us?¡± And for him, this was an opportunity¡ªan opportunity not to be missed. ¡°Yes. If Grandpa Kaseun participates, I would love to. But maybe I¡¯m just putting my spoon into this.¡± ¡°What spoon are you talking about?¡± The Lord hovered around whatever Judah just said, but not long did the realization hit him as he burst intoughter. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a funny expression, but it¡¯s not true. You won¡¯t be intruding. If you ever join us, it is sure to boost the morale of the soldiers. That being said, I thank you for expressing your intentions to fight by our side. The subjugation shall begin at 7 am tomorrow day. You need not worry. I shall deliver someone to your home at that time.¡± ¡°Lord Peerchen.¡± Tia, who had been sitting at the side, finally spoke up after quite some time. The Lord nced at her with a gasp before he nodded in understanding, ¡°Of course, Lady Gentia, if you also wish, you can participate. I understand Judah going alone is a concern of yours.¡± Tia bowed her head, grateful for what he had said, even though she didn¡¯t say what she wanted. Lord Peerchen then stood up from his seat to extend his hand down at the young hero. Judah willingly returned the gesture, shaking hands with him. ¡°Then, if you may excuse me, I have to prepare for the subjugation.¡± The Lord bid them farewell before leaving the chamber. And as soon as he came out, a new quest appeared in front of Judah¡¯s eyes. ¡¸ Lord¡¯s Request 2¡¹ [The ck wolf attempted to move the group to the eastern forest while being pushed against the white wolf in the southern forest.] [However, your sword defeated them, and they have not entered the eastern woods at all in the past two years.] [Although the monsters cannot speak, they recognized the treaty made in the one on one duel you won. These wolves respected the strong, and so they respected your victory against them.] [However, the ck wolves also faced defeat against white wolves and now have nowhere to withdraw to.] [Requiem, the head of the injured ck wolves, is about to lead the rest of the group, excluding the lost ones, into the eastern forest.] [The Lord -Chapelin Peerchen-, who is threatened by the appearance of their leader, is preparing to defeat the ck wolf.] [You can now participate in this glorious subjugation operation alongside 400 Soldiers, 10 Knights, and 1 Spirit Sword Wielder. Participate in this glorious operation and defeat the ck wolves.] [But, be careful with one thing.] [Their respect for the strong is the pride of the ck wolves, but at this time where the survival of their pack is more important, the ck wolves other than the boss will not respond to the treaty made between you and them.] [ck Wolf Boss-Requiem 0/1] [ck Wolf Leader 0/80] [ck Wolf 0/800] Chapter 62

Chapter 62

62==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf Serenia Castle ¨C in front of the East Gate The day of the subjugation had finally arrived. Before this day, Judah met Jeanne, exined the change of ns, and asked her to join. He was willing to do so, visiting Judah once she had repaired her equipment. Tia was d to see Jeanne¡¯s return but looked a little ufortable, especially after hearing that she would join Judah in his quest away from Serenia Castle. However, that gaze didn¡¯tst that long. Tia recognized how jealousy served them no purpose, so instead, he expressed her support for Judah and his future endeavors. They woke up early in the morning and waited for someone toe from Serenia Castle, ready to participate in the subjugation war. At about half-past six, a rider came. It was knight Charles, the captain of the alumni guard. As usual, he greeted them with grace before leading them to the caravan. Outside the gate, the promised 400 soldiers and ten knights prepared for battle. On the other side, porters carried on their backs their food and cooking utensils. To bring a wagon was ideal, but due to the forest¡¯s nature, there was no way to do it other than manual manpower. Judah studied the soldiers¡¯ armors, many of which seemed to be of the same material as his. It seemed that the castle had purchased many of the ck wolf skins sold in the market and clothing stores. Knights, of course, wore their signature te armor. It was a sight to see the soldiers brief in an orderly manner. Of course, the parties may see their disposition as quaint, but this was gratifying for a bystander. And many residents came up to see them off. Among them were the families of soldiers, and there were also lovers. Perhaps because Judah ughtered the ck wolves for two years, the castle¡¯s inhabitants were quite optimistic about the ck wolf¡¯s subjugation. The trained soldiersughed and reveled at the mention ofing home soon as if they were off to a mere pic. ¡®Hmm. They¡¯re armed enough. I think we won¡¯t suffer much damage.¡¯ Judah thought, moving behind the soldiers, guided by Charles. Kaseun himself told him that the training given to these soldiers was of high standards. And looking at the shields and long swords given to each individual there, it seemed that they wouldn¡¯t falter easily. The Lord came upon a small tform in front of the gate and gave a speech for morale. The speaker was no mere school principal; this was a Lord with a voice full of strength and cause that can ignite a fire inside anybody who listened. But the speech was like any other. ¡®There¡¯s Kain and Riel.¡¯ Beyond Judah¡¯s party stood a group of armed forces separated from his cluster of soldiers, and peering through them, stood Kain¡¯s party. He didn¡¯t make eye contact with them, and instead, he watched the Lord on the podium, pretending to be impressed by his speech. ¡®I can¡¯t use my spear.¡¯ Judah, who was using his spear, would rm them if they recognized it to belong to the Flying Fighter. He could say that he had picked it up, but they were unlikely to believe it after they just tried killing each other. He switched to his Bastard Sword instead to avoid suspicion. ¡°-Over. Good night.¡± It seemed that the speech was over. The knights watched the Lord as he descended off the stage, following after him while the soldiers cheered and thumped their feet. Judah stood among them, cringing at the noise. There were 400 soldiers, 40 were divided into ten groups. As expected, Kaseun left with Kain and his party. On the other hand, the ten remaining groups entered the forest at regr intervals. While they stood there watching everyone proceed, Guard Captain Charles approached and told them to follow. ¡°Judah, you¡¯re with us.¡± The familiar forty soldiers he met were alumni guards. They weed them dly, but Judah had no time to express his greetings as they entered the forest shortly. Charles took the lead as they proceeded. Their caravan entered the forest in a crescent formation, with Charles¡¯Charles¡¯s leading at the very curve. To Judah¡¯s left, another fleet ventured within a certain distance. Because of Kaseun Sabnak¡¯s presence within them, the soldiers advancing through the forest strolledfortably. They were still within the gate entrance, so they have yet to encounter their enemy until several hours down the line. But in no time, a shriek had already rung out into the air at a distance. By the time the sound ceased, Judah had spotted a ck wolf running away, covered in blood. Its eyes scanned the area until his eyes met Judah¡¯s. He watched the wolf gallop away, flinching and stopping on his way, then running off again. ¡®I don¡¯t think it should be spared.¡¯ However, the wolf was already far away and impossible to hit with his daggers. Some of their archers tried to get it, only for their arrows to miss. The ck wolf eventually disappeared, hiding from the pouring arrows between trees and bushes. When three more hours passed, they decided to take a break. The porters prepared simple meals, nothing delicious or exquisite, just enough for a hungry belly. ¡°It¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jeanne whispered to him. Judahughed and nodded his head, taking a liking to her bluntness reminiscent of Tia. If it weren¡¯t for the eyes around them, he would be able to take out ingredients from -Bag- and cook better and nutritious dishes than the regrettable porridge in their hand. After eating, the caravan moved onward once again. They believed that the wolf that escaped had told its kin about their arrival, but to their surprise, not a single wolf was still in sight. By the time the sun began to set, the assembly had started building their camp. Since there was no decent vacant space for all ten groups to gather in one ce, they had to build their camps separately. And as the soldiers cut down the bushes and lit a fire¡­ ¡°Wolf! A wolf has appeared!¡± A cry rang from ahead. Soldiers on standby drew out their weapons as those deep in their dishes jumped to do the same. Judah heard a bang, followed by another, both familiar like Riel¡¯s magic. He didn¡¯t have to worry about it anyway, as there were Kaseun and Kain and everybody else over there. Their concern was their group. Tia quickly climbed a tree to scan the area. Jeanne, sitting on a makeshift chair cut from a tree trunk, nced around warily. ¡°The enemy is here.¡± As she spoke, in the woods where the darkness began to settle down, red eyes shed and attacked in a blink. Khaaang! The galloping of several wolves echoed through the woods, their howls and criesing from all directions. The subjugation groups began to call out for each other, throwing instructions to every soldier and porter. ¡°Make a group of 4 people! Porters, hide inside the clusters for protection!¡± Charles quicklymanded the troops. Following his orders, each individual wielded their shields for protection, ready for any signs of an attack. All were armed, and looking at it now, they might finish this ambush with little to no damages. The moment Jeanne saw a wolf running, she conjured her armor and weapons ready forbat. A few soldiers couldn¡¯t help but stare as silver particles shed out of nowhere, turning into Jeanne¡¯s full body armor. Jeanne paid them no mind, only brandishing her shield at the pouncing wolf ahead. Kuuung! The wolf collided with her shield head-on, rolling back in a daze as it shook its head in confusion. That was the end of the wolf. Judah behind the Lancer grabbed his bastard sword with both hands and swung it with all his strength to cut the wolf. After the first wolf, countless ck wolves came at them like a tsunami. ¡®Wait, how many are these?¡¯ Judah sneered, throwing dagger after dagger at the wolves. His des shot straight at their brows, their paws going into a seizure as they fell to the ground. ng! ¡°Oh my God?¡± His next target hit the dagger. His hand froze from pulling another one, ceasing with his attackspletely. Throwing another one wasn¡¯t the best idea. ¡°Huddle closer! Prepare your shields!¡± At the order of Charles, the soldiers of four heaved their shield. The ck wolf, jumping over a bush and running straight at them, looked at it and revealed his gums as if he was smiling. It bent its knees, and in a blink, it jumped on the air with a tremendous leap toward a soldier. Judah didn¡¯t stand still. He spurred the ground and moved in front of the ck wolf before it couldnd. The moment his eyes met the snickering wolf, Judah checked his body to see if his -ck Wolf yer- effect was applied. His moment missed him the perfect time to attack, but he managed to swing his bastard sword with all his strength. One of the wolf¡¯s forefoot flew right on a newly-sharpened de that proceeded to cut its chest, sttering its blood everywhere. ¡°Judah! Good job!¡± One of the soldiers shouted. However, there was no time to react. Iing wolves charged at the soldiers and struck their heads against the shields. Bang! The wolves bounced off with a blunt sound, and the soldiers with shields retreated a few steps back. The wolves left them no time to attack; when one of them bounced away, the next wolf charged and rammed at them. The soldiers were being pushed back. As they were cornered, a soldier lost his bnce and fell backward when his foot caught a stone beak. A wolf missed no chance to pounce at him. ¡®Not good.¡¯ Judah dashed, swinging his sword at it, cutting its head clean off. He quickly turned around, leaving behind the soldier praising him. There were more wolves than he expected. As he moved to help the other soldiers, a ghastly energy swept through the woods. Kwakakakakak©¤©¤©¤! At a distance of about 10m, an intense wind pressure whipped through them, slicing the trees, bushes, and everything in ce. ¡°What was that?¡± Was it Kaseun¡¯s doing? Nothing could exin this phenomenon except for his power, the Wielder of the Spirit Sword. Judah wasn¡¯t the only one who gawked before this great power. Even the ck wolves, relentlessly ramming the soldier, stopped in their tracks. And soon after, a long howl came from inside the forest. Awoo! Hearing the sound, the ck wolves stepped back and retreated without looking back. The wolves outnumbered them, and if they continued their offense, they would have suffered considerable damage, but seeing such a threatening attack made them retreat in fear. As they did, another group of soldiers came to Judah¡¯s group to support. They all sighed in relief to watch the enemies disappear into the darkness. The attack may have taken them by surprise, but itsted for not too long, and they sustained no damages thanks to Judah, Tia, and Jeanne. A few soldiers were scratched, but nothing so severe. Judah sheathed his sword down and brought up the quest window. ¡¸ Lord¡¯s Request 2¡¹ [ck Wolf Boss-Requiem 0/1] [ck Wolf Leader 1/80] [ck Wolf 38/800] Looking around, there were only eight wolves killed on their side. However, looking at the quest window, it seems 30 wolves were swept away by the blow a while ago, including a leader wolf. When Judah saw the soldiers stashing away the corpses to prepare for camp again, he went to the core of the ghastly blow from before. Guard Captain Charles and several other soldiers were among the crowd. Jeanne saw him approach, and with excitement written all over her face, she grabbed Judah¡¯s hand and led him. ¡°Look. Judah, isn¡¯t it amazing? This is the power of the Wielder of the Spirit Sword. I didn¡¯t know that I would witness this sight with my very eyes. I think my connection with you is a blessing by the skies!¡± For someone indebted to the sword like Jeanne, seeing the blows of the Wielder of the Sword was a great honor. Judah was amazed just like her, but he showed little emotion. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± His gaze turned to Tia. Tia, who followed after him, saw their interaction and avoided Judah¡¯s eye as her face soured. Judah spoke again, ¡°Did I mention Tia was in the corps of Lord Kaseun? You must envy her. She would have been able to witness this incredible power often.¡± ¡°No, not that often. Sometimes.¡± Tia answered briefly. ¡°What was the case then? If it¡¯s okay with you, would you tell me your story?¡± Jeanne perked toward Tia. ¡°Well¡­¡± Tia nced over to Judah as if asking for help on how to deal with the Lancer. Judah replied with a frown, unable to help her. As Judah listened to their conversation, he looked down at the crater below them. He doubted whether this was caused simply by the Wielder of the Sword. Shadow Swordsmanship and Justice had the potential to be as powerful as this, maybe even beyond it. However, being the Wielder of the Sword seemed to be much more powerful than he thought. Those brandishing the power of Fragments will have this power. ¡®I don¡¯t know if it will be easy to collect the fragments.¡¯ Judah sighed. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

63==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf One night passed without anything special. The ck wolves did not ambush in the middle of the night, threatened by Kaseun¡¯s attack. Thanks to this, they were able to greet the morning without any turmoil. After breakfast, the soldiers prepared to move ording to the knight¡¯s orders. Kaseun, who led the Knightsst night, decided that it was best to tie two groups together. Although they were out to hunt the ck wolves, there was no way to subjugate them immediately. If the forest were a mountain, it would be possible for a sheep to hunt the wolf, but this was not their case. There were so many troops, but their numbers weren¡¯t even possible to surround the entire forest. Four hundred soldiers were one-fifth of the Serenia Castle, but it was only a handful of sandpared to this vast forest¡¯s size. And a faster siege would be possible if their count was greater than their opponent. But afterst night, Judah doubted it. ¡®I thought we could win if we had Kaseun.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t as easy as he thought. Above all, he couldn¡¯t set aside the feeling that he was wasting his time. They were chasing the wolves¡¯ tails, but when were they going to win over them? He thought it would be much better to separate. Sticking together wouldn¡¯t invite them, but they can lure any spectating enemy if they scattered around. Judah wondered how they could win this subjugation. What if the ck wolves just kept running away? What if, because of Kaseun¡¯s attack, they decided to retreat from fighting? After all, the ck wolves, known for their aggressiveness, seemed to be avoiding the battle. And as for Kaseun, this didn¡¯t seem to serve him any special purpose. This could very well be a waste of time. There was something to lose but nothing to gain. If Kaseun could chase them all away so simply, what was the point? Sending out these soldiers felt silly. There was no need to give it the grand name of subjugation. They might have thought sending out these soldiers were helpful, but there was the problem with sustainability. To feed an army of 400 soldiers wasn¡¯t easy. While they brought their own emergency food and the porters brought several days worth of it, it was already their second day. Food was sure to run out in an instant. It felt like they were bound to return to the castle with no victory. The citizens wouldn¡¯t be willing to ept the failure of their conquest. ¡®I think it would be better to create a base.¡¯ There were several problems, but this was the best Judah could think for the moment. There was a small creek by the sea near their vicinity, and if they found a suitable ce to fix andy the ground, they could build a good barrack. ¡®Ah? Hold on.¡¯ Something that came to his mind, so he activated and expanded the -Map-. The ce where he had his duel with the ck wolf leader Korkan was half a day away. There was a fairlyrge in in the way, and he remembered that many wolves gathered there. Maybe the ck wolves they have encountered retreated to that open field. Eventually, their day ended after chasing nothing. As the night came, the troops went to take a break and prepared to spend the night, keeping the distance between them like yesterday. Meanwhile, Judah went to Kaseun with a torch. He was in Group 5 in the middle and was with Kain¡¯s party. Kain and Riel waved their hands, greeting him with much joy, and he told them he wanted to talk to Kaseun for a moment. Even if he was the Wielder of the Sword, he was a little tired and could not be fooled by his age, but made no mention of it. Since they gathered by an open area, Judah led Kaseun somewhere where nobody could hear them. ¡°Judah, is there any problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. I came here because I have a suggestion.¡± ¡°Suggestion?¡± Judah nodded his head. Luckily, he seemed to listen to him, and he didn¡¯t say much. ¡°You don¡¯t think we can chase after the wolves in this state, right? When food runs out, we have to go back to the castle whether we like it or not.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how to attract wolves?¡± Kaseun shook his head. He had the experience of sessfully subjugating viges of orcs and goblins while leading the mercenary corps. However, their situation was different then and now. Goblins and Orcs had a ce to stay, and when mercenaries appeared, they fought back. Unlike the ck wolves, they did not run away at a speed that was difficult to follow. In fact, who would have known that the fearsome ck wolves would flee at their very sight? ¡°Since you¡¯re asking me about such things, that could only mean you havee up with something.¡± ¡°Yes, there are two.¡± ¡°Two? Then let¡¯s hear it.¡± Judah gathered his thoughts before speaking, ¡°My first thought was to create a base. There is a river that flows into the sea near here. We can find a suitable ce in the area and settle. Naturally, we can cut down trees, so we¡¯ll have enough materials to build a house or a wall. We can expand on that thoughtter. We can also ask more help from the castle to help build the ce into something more secured.¡± Judah took a breath. Kaseun nodded word after word. He hadn¡¯t thought about it, and now, hearing it from Judah, it was too tempting to ignore. But the n had its problems¡ªbuilding and maintaining base costs a lot of money. Soldiers had to be dispatched to protect the base, and food had to be transported regrly. They needed time, manpower, money, and effort. They could do it themselves, but it will be a burden to the Lord. ¡°More than anything else, if we can¡¯t defeat the ck wolves and we had to retreat, the base could serve us well.¡± Kaseun closed his eyes for a moment before looking back at him again, ¡°And your second suggestion?¡± ¡°This is a bit of a gamble. I have an idea where the ck wolves could be.¡± ¡°What?! Really? Why are you talking about this now?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know they would run away like this. But as I said, it¡¯s a gamble. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re still there. We have to consider that I saw them gathered in that ce¡­ two years ago.¡± Judah shrugged. It seemed that hisst revtion was more appealing for Kaseun. ¡°And another problem is that the ce is not close.¡± ¡°Where is it? Is it in the Eastern Forest?¡± ¡°We have to go into the Southern Forest. But there is a risk of meeting the white wolves. And if we do reach the ce I¡¯m thinking about, but the ck wolves aren¡¯t there, we will end up empty-handed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And there¡¯s a chance we might have to carry the battle into the night. Even if we carried torches or used potions made by alchemists, I don¡¯t know if the soldiers can fight properly.¡± Although Kaseun himself told Judah that their training intensity was high, seeing their performance in yesterday¡¯s attack showed how little experience they had in real life. It would be better than having no experience at all, but it would be challenging to engage inbat at night. In the game, regardless of that, they could fight well day or night even if the level was high. But in this reality, there was so much to consider Kaseun had no answer, deep in thought about what Judah had just spilled. He sighed again and again, scratching his chin. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Your second suggestion is growing on me as you and I share the same sentiments.¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°But let me ask one question before that.¡± ¡°Yes? Please tell me.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t these ck wolves supposed to be feisty? Am I wrong?¡± Judah drew a bitter smile. ¡°They are. I¡¯ve never seen them avoiding fights like this. This is definitely a first. I think they were scared away by my grandfather¡¯s attack yesterday.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Kaseun¡¯s face turned grim. Then he seemed to think deeply, looking back at Judah, ¡°By the way, no matter how scared they are, do you think they¡¯ll keep avoiding us?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Tell me this, Judah. Shall we watch these humans, who just attacked the wolves, go and build houses in thisnd they came in to conquer? What if it was you, Judah? Say you bought a house, and someone threatening had the gall to live in your house without permission. And you¡¯re going to find another house, or if they hurt you, will you fight back and drive them away? Is my analogy a little bit odd?¡± He rambled, but Judah understood well what he meant. ¡°I¡¯ll fight back¡­?¡± Judah replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t that something? I think it¡¯s funny that I see them as humans¡­ But, how about we lure them out by pretending to build a base. What do you say?¡± Kaseun ruffled Judah¡¯s hair, thanking him for his suggestions. But things wouldn¡¯t seem to go smoothly as he thought. ¡°Oh?¡± Kaseun¡¯s smile fell as his head snapped in a particr direction, eyes scanning through the darkness. From quite a distance, red eyes in the dark dashed through the bushes. After seeing it, Kaseun quickly pulled his sword out of his waist. His weapon was unlike any other, vibrating with a sound that felt like a strong force. He looked back at Judah, grasping his sword, ready forbat. ¡°I guess we need to take the trouble of creating a base after all.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Judah answered, trying to focus onbat as well. The n was to surround the wolves, but now, they found themselves surrounded by them. Chun! The wolf ran, drooling without fear, and opened his mouth towards Kaseun. Without a sound, his sword shed in the air, and everything that was nearby, including the wolf, severed in half. His power was overwhelming, and while it scared them like before, rather than fleeing, the pack ahead ran after the soldiers instead of Kaseun. Whether it was their enemy¡¯s time to die or it was theirs, Kaseun squinted his eyes with an intensity that looked forward to the ending of this battle. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Judah followed Kaseun¡¯s trail, pulling out the bastard sword that was on his waist. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

64==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf The wolves seemed to have gotten back up on their feet from their defeat the night before. They could take on Kaseun¡¯s allies, but there was no way they would face the Wielder of the Sword like this again. It was unreasonable to act like this unless there was something up their sleeves this time around. Chun! A ck wolf emerged in front of Judah, drooling with its fangs out. He paid the wolf no mind, still running after Kaseun, Judah only kicked off the wolf as it got closer. His teeth were shattered the moment its snout mmed on the barren ground. Judah stopped in his tracks, pulled out his sword, and impaled it straight between the wolf¡¯s brow until it ceased breathing. Judah looked back at the ce where Kaseun fought in the distance, continuing to face the wolves that emerged instantaneously. The soldiers¡¯ shouts and the howling of the wolves tangled into chaos, growing unbearable for his ears. ¡®It will be okay.¡¯ He was anxious, but he tried to push away the worry. He was at a high level, and these wolves would not harm him. And it didn¡¯t matter if he got attacked or even if others were injured or perished, and they were not his priority. He wanted to go off in another direction, but the darkness of the forest felt too ambiguous for him to face blindly. ¡°Wow, these crazy things! My sword is useless!¡± cried a soldier as it attempted to sh at a ck wolf. Although their des were sharp, their weapons did not fall into the ranks of excellent swords. It was not easy to cut the skin of a ck wolf with such a weapon. To stab them would be more efficient than to cut them. The soldier faced the consequence of his fault. The ck wolf they attempted to y stood firmly on the ground with its four legs ready to pounce. It drooled, fangs snarled in anger. The soldier stepped back in fear but covered himself with his shield right away. Judah ran there and drew his sword up without hesitation. He felt his de as it sliced through the wolf¡¯s skin and every muscle and bone in its body. Hshhhh Blood sttered after his sword. It was a distinct difference from when the soldier swung his sword. ¡°If you don¡¯t have enough strength, don¡¯t try to cut it! Stabbing it is a lot better!¡± The nameless soldier nodded his head, face still frozen in shock. At Judah¡¯s words, the soldier nodded. Other soldiers who heard his advice adapted it, stabbing the wolves instead of trying to sh them, and of course, it worked. There was the risk of moving closer to them tond an effective attack, but it was better than trying to cut them and ending up getting beaten by the wolves instead. The soldiers cheered as they stepped on the wolves they managed to y. ¡°Combine! You there, don¡¯t move ahead, fall back!¡± Turning to themanding voice, Judah saw the knight leading the soldiers. They might be able to reduce the numbers of their enemy despite their current situation. The Knights were beyond the league of the soldiers. Even though they were covered with heavy armor, they showed faster movement than the soldiers and were ying the ck wolves with stronger power. It wasn¡¯t just the ck wolves facing casualties. They outnumbered the soldiers as they bit them to shreds. The soldier being ripped apart cursed and bellowed for help. Judah reached for his pockets, but he had no more daggers left. ¡®I have to use Shadow Justice!¡¯ Judah hesitated to trigger -Lower ck Arms Manifestation-, but soon he used it to make a dagger appear right within his grasp. As he was about to throw a dagger, golden swords flew past Judah¡¯s face, hitting a ck wolf from a distance. This. This was deja vu. It came to his mind like a far-off memory. It was one of the skills of the Pdin -Gabriel¡¯s Sword-. And there was only one person who had that job. ¡®Kain!¡¯ He turned his head, and as expected, there was Kain in his pdin armor, standing alone without Riel by his side. He couldn¡¯t read the expression on his face, but Kain ran and pulled the soldier trapped under the ck wolf. ¡°Are you okay!?¡± ¡°Argh! Damn it. It bit my leg!¡± The soldier cursed as blood traced from the bite mark of the ck wolf. But ironically, it was his ck wolf skin armor that prevented the wolf bite from digging deeper. Kain came to aid the other immobilized soldiers while Judah watched him nkly like a fool. Kung! ¡°¡­¡± A wolf chased at Kain as he tried to pull up a fallen soldier. Judah saw it, then silently threw the Shadow Justice dagger in his hand. With its sound cutting through the wind, the de stuck deep into one of the wolf¡¯s legs. As it fell, he approached the wolf and swung his sword. Its blood scattered in the air as it traced the drawn de. A few of its blood sttered to his cheeks, trailing down his face. Judah¡¯s gaze turned from the ck wolf back to Kain. ¡®What a guy.¡¯ Kain was a good guy. He helped others and always acted in the name of justice. That action aroused any person¡¯s liking and brought favor. It was the same in the game, and so it was here. Even though he thought that Kain was the foolish guy who resembled a typical noble warrior in an RPG game, he envied that he could act like that. I have to kill him. He will be a dangerous guy. Later, he will block the road ahead. We will duel for the fragments. He always thought about it that way, but when he sees Kain the way he was, his heart ached. Judah was ashamed of himself, who thought it nothing of death or injury except Tia and Jeanne. He was considered odd for distancing himself from Kain, trying to dismiss him, saying he was an opponent to kill someday. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ He felt like a disgrace just by thinking about it. Judah turned his head. Being alone lured in the wolves, and they ran for him instead without attacking other soldiers. Judah¡¯s eyes spotted the ck wolves jumping ahead. Their dark eyes began to appear faintly red. + + + Kain put down the soldier he had been carrying. He put him down as light as possible but given their urgent situation; he slipped him down more carelessly than he thought. He tried to apologize to him, but rather, the soldier shook his hand firmly with such a bright smile upon his face. ¡°Thank you!¡± Soon after, several porters ran and began to heal the soldier¡¯s wounds. Beforeing here, since the lord provided plenty of potions, the damage could be healed quickly unless the flesh was severely torn off or cut off. The Knights¡¯ leadership and the presence of Kaseun overcame the wolves that outnumbered them, but it was also thanks to the potion that kept them up in the battle. ¡°Block!¡± Kung! Whether the ck wolf hit the shield, the nearby soldiers flinched back. ¡°Stab!¡± In just one word, the soldiers simultaneously stabbed their swords through the gaps between their shields. Kain heard screaming along with the sound of des cutting through the flesh. A wolf managed to jump over the soldiers andnded behind them, spurring around the ground to run back at the soldiers. Two of these soldiers faced the beast, the four of them forming a circle with their shields held together as barricades. When Kain saw the wolf pounce, he used his magic power in a sh. The -The Third King-Gabriel- skill manifested into existence with a little magic power. Four ck arrows shot through the air, their tails trailing a golden light. Each of them struck the wolf before it could even move. The soldiers, who nodded to him in gratitude, paid attention to the front again. At that time, Kain recalled that he had left Judah alone among the wolves. He turned, running to where he should be, hearing conversations of the soldiers he passed by. ¡°Wow! That guy, is he the real thing?¡± ¡°I feel bad for those wolves¡­¡± Unlike the soldiers on the other side fighting fiercely against the wolves, the soldiers on this side stared at something ahead like they weren¡¯t standing on battlegrounds. ¡®That¡¯s where Judah is.¡¯ His running fell to a walk. The soldiers nced ar hum as they heard the sound of his nking armor. Through the gaps of his facete, he saw Judah swinging his sword like he was dancing in the dark. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Now he knew what got the soldiers¡¯ eyes. Peering through the dark, he made out nine wolves fighting against Judah. Instead of running over to help him, Kain found himself simply wonderstruck at the sight of him. He was besieged and outnumbered, but Judah slew the wolves in turn, moving back and forth between them masterfully. In one hand, Judah brandished his bastard sword with ease, while his left hand threw daggers at the wolves. The strange thing was that even after throwing a de, a new dagger continued to appear on his left hand. He seemed to be using magic. Kain might have seen it wrong, but as he squinted harder to see more clearly, there was nothing there. He threw those daggers one after the other, leaving no room for the wolves toe close to him. After a short time, the wolves staggered and bled as they died on the ground. It was a battle that left everybody agape. Nine. That was the number of wolves Judah fought and the number of wolves dead on the floor. And not one made a single scratch on his body. Judah scanned the aftermath of his ughter, breathing through his enemies¡¯ blood covering every inch of him. Judah¡¯s gaze turned their way. His eyes boiled with madness. The soldiers who met his eyes held their breaths. ¡°¡­¡± Kain realized that Judah was looking at him. It was a look he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Ju¡ª¡± AWOOOO¡ª¡ª! Before Kain could call out his name, a great howling whipped through the entire forest. It pulsated through every standing entity, shaking them down to their very bones. It was only a howl, but it felt like it had its grasp around their beating hearts. The ck wolves, who were upied with the humans, ran away without looking back when their ears picked up the cry. Simultaneously, the bodies of the wolves lying on the floor turned into dust that danced away with the wind. The soldiers stood dumbfounded. Kain heard the sound of running, and when he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of Judah¡¯s shadow as he ran off into the unknown, leaving his torch fallen on the ground. No, he wasn¡¯t off into the unknown. He ran straight after the howl¡¯s direction. ¡°Judah!¡± As he tried to follow him, the soldier next to him reached out and caught his arms. ¡°Wait, Kain! Where are you going? It¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°I have to go after Judah! I¡¯m sorry, sir! Please tell Grandpa!¡± Kain shook away his arm, grabbed a nearby torch, and started running after Judah. Kain was already out of the soldier¡¯s reach. ¡°Kain! Judah! Reckless kids, what the hell are you two doing! You idiots!¡± They screamed, but Judah and Kain didn¡¯t flinch as if they had not heard them. The soldiers watched them scurry away before turning in a hurry to find Kaseun. Meanwhile, Kain and Judah disappeared into the depths of the dark forest. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Tip19. Boss monsters have special skills and certain patterns. If you want to attack, start with patterns and skills! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 65

Chapter 65

65==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf It must be. Judah had never heard of it, but the mighty howl could only be of Requiem¡¯s. As if his torch was soon to die, Judah dashed at the direction from which the sound came, his way lit by the torch. He almost bumped into a tree that came out of the dark and nearly tripped over a tree root, but he didn¡¯t slow down. After a few minutes of running at full speed, sweat began to trace the curves of his face. Kung! Feeling the figure chasing after them, the ck wolves running ahead deemed to nce back. They saw the light of Judah¡¯s eyes even in the darkness. The moonlight shining faintly through the leaves of the lush trees gave away the wolves turning in his direction. It didn¡¯t take long to deal with the two wolves before him. He just killed them the same way he had been fighting everything else. However, the feeling of power in the code assigned to his bastard sword was not the same as before. Their battle took ce in an instant, and it ended in an instant. Judah looked down at the blood dripping from his de as he looked behind him. Light from far away was running his way. ¡°Judah!¡± Was it Kain? Their distance grew closer. Embers began to form, and the light turned into a torch that showed him a boy¡¯s figure. His torch was bright enough for him to see who it was, but even with its intensity, the darkness of the forest felt more powerful than it. ¡°Judah©¤©¤!¡± He heard much clearly. However, Judah took his breath, standing there without a nudge. As he watched Kain, his mind began to wander. ¡°¡­¡± What was he chasing him for? Was he worried? Judah wanted to apud himself for running into the darkness in pursuit of Requiem, but he felt his stomach twist. And the more he thought about the situation, the more his emotions swayed and wavered. He told himself repeatedly that it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from caring all of a sudden. Still, he turned his back and ran into the darkness again, trying with all his might to ignore the voice calling after his name. The wolves running ahead of him did not seem to care about Judah chasing after them and also did what he had to do to stay out of sight. Judah initiated -Shadow Justice-Form 1 Spreading Shadows-. The shadows that fluttered ording to the light cast by the torch spread out the ground. Using the skill with a minimal light source was fine. And with the shadows cast by the faint moonlight, he had no problems blending his shadows in the darkness. His spreading shadows delivered him the information he needed, showing him the ck wolves¡¯ traces in the distance. Red dots emerged and disappeared on the -map- repeatedly. Judah had to keep up his pace as the direction of the wolves was continually changing. On their way, he thought he had explored enough of the Eastern Forest, but the wolves he chased after ran toward an area he had never seen before. Then, numerous red spots began to appear on the map. It was a considerable number. It seemed that all the remaining ck wolves had gathered, but it didn¡¯t slow him down. There was one dot at the very end of the forest. Judah felt the ck wolves on the ins staring as if they knew Judah was chasing them. And fearlessly, Judah emerged from the woods, whistling at the sea of ck wolves. ¡°How do you guys keep on finding ins like this? I haven¡¯t been able to find anything like it even though I¡¯ve been in the woods for several years.¡± Grrrr! A shiver ran down his spine as he felt the eyes of a hundred wolves bore into his very bones. After his difort from seeing Kain, he could also feel the disgust these wolves had for him. And for him, this was much better. It was much better to handle this tension than feel that rollercoaster of emotion he had earlier. Death was right behind his back. Of course, it was nothing more than a temporary end, and knowing that fact, he was able to do this reckless behavior without hesitation¡ªknowing that even if he died, he would be revived. The wolves approached Judah one step at a time, and he did the same toward them. Laughter escaped his lips. If someone could see him right now, they would think he was crazy, and they were right. It didn¡¯t matter to him. Because even for him, he was mad now. The wolves didn¡¯t charge at him. They pranced within his vicinity with their gnarly fangs out in the open as they snarled. But Judah was not interested in them. The only thing he wanted was Requiem, the biggest wolf among the pack. Judah¡¯s actions aroused his curiosity as Requiem¡¯s ??gaze shot directly back at him. The intensity between them was stronger than the watchful eyes of the hundred wolves around him. ¡°¡­¡± Requiem only nced at him. Two years ago, when he defeated Korkan, Judah felt the same heavy gaze shooting straight through him. He may be nothing more than a monster, but Requiem was one coated in elegance and regality. ¡°Yes, I came to see you, Requiem.¡± Under the moonlight, the scars throughout the Alpha¡¯s body reflected like medals of war. His tight mouth shut heavily, and his eyes fixed with intellect. This was Requiem, the pack leader, who led the ck wolves against the southern forest¡¯s white wolves. Compared to this kingly beast, Judah felt nothing but resentment within himself. Judah was overwhelmed with self-loathing at the sight of Kain, who was different from him on all levels, willing to save others without hesitation. For Judah, it didn¡¯t matter if other people died. The lives he only cared for were Tia¡¯s, who shared a deep rtionship with him, and Jeanne, whom he needed for his future journey. When did he start second-guessing himself? Earlier, when he faced a soldier at the brink of death, he didn¡¯t acknowledge it, but he questioned how people would perceive his actions. He wished to gain a little more advantage against Kain, who would one day be an enemy. But Kain didn¡¯t hide his abilities. He did not hesitate to save others. The moment witnessed it; he felt guilty. Even if he became an enemyter, why was he afraid of such heroism right now? He didn¡¯t know why, but anger grew within him. He needed to release it somewhere, and the wolves all around him stood there conveniently for him. He swung his bastard sword to the nearest ck wolf and then whipped a dagger to the next beast he saw. Still, the anger within him did not disappear. The vision of Kain shed before his eyes as he watched the blood of his enemies drip down from his hands. At that time, he heard the howl of Requiem. It took him a while to process the Alpha¡¯s as he was too deep in his thoughts. But the moment he heard it and saw the other ck wolves flee from his vicinity, Judah felt the need to chase after them all. If he met Requiem, he believed he would ease the difort he was feeling inside. With that resolve, Judah dashed through the dark forest. As he ran, a smile unknowingly made its way to his lips. He emerged from the forest and out into the ins, and the moment he saw Requiem in the middle of the pack of ck wolves, Judah felt his heart pounding. This was the answer he was looking for. Judah gazed at Requiem, and the disgust that fueled unreasonable anger in the corner of his heart began to disappear. ¡°I wanted to see you again at least once.¡± Since defeating Korkan, he never saw the Alpha again. The only trace Requiem left of him was the memory of those intense eyes studying him from above the peak. But here they were today, and Judah couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. In all honesty, the self-loathing he felt at the sight of Kain wasn¡¯t as intense as he thought it was. To be selfish and to be lost in their thoughts was human nature. But Judah didn¡¯t wish to ept his feelings. He still needed something to rece that feeling of disgrace. He wanted to feel anything at all, even the tension of death. This was reckless and foolish, but he didn¡¯t regret it. If he were to die there, he would be brought back to life again, and he coulde back colder than before. It was okay if these wolves ran and crushed and tore his flesh apart right now. He may be unable to fight Requiem at his very best, but at least he would be able to get rid of the self-loathing gnawing at him, which was what he wanted anyway. He could always think of his next move after all his recklessness. ¡°¡­¡± Requiem was still unresponsive, his eyes darting to the side. The moonlight shone down at the countless ck wolves awaiting their Alpha¡¯smands. All of them sat on their ces even as Judah continued to move further into the in. ¡°You must remember me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no answer. He didn¡¯t even expect the wolf to reply, but surely he must have understood it. ck wolves were smart. He didn¡¯t need to speak to disy his intellect. After all, this was Requiem, the leader of the ck wolves. ¡°Judah!¡± Then Kain, who followed suit, called out Judah¡¯s name. Looking back, he saw Kain as he slumped down, catching his breath roughly. Judah stared at him dumbfoundedly. Stupid Kain. Foolish Kain. He ran after him all this time. Why did he go after him? For what? He wasn¡¯t the Wielder of the Sword; what was he nning to do when he got here? Was there even anything he could do now that he was here? Judah felt a wave of admiration at Kain¡¯s reckless courage. He could die. Judah can be as irresponsible as he wanted because he knew he could be revived, but Kain didn¡¯t know that, nor can he do the same thing. If he died, his time was over. He can¡¯t go back to the past, nor can hee back to life, yet he still came. Was he not afraid of death? Judah wanted to curse Kain if the boy came under the faith that King Gabriel and his sword protected him. If he went there with an easy-going thought that things will work out well somehow, he wanted to swear Kain for being an asshole. The longer he stared at Kain; the more his mind ran with unpleasant thoughts. He turned back to Requiem to forget everything running in his mind. No wolves attacked him nor Kain, still waiting for themand of their Alpha. As he stood among them, Judah spoke up proudly. ¡°Requiem! I¡¯m asking you for a duel!¡± Among his rewards for defeating Korkan was the right to confront Requiem. It didn¡¯t exist as an item, but if it was given as a quest reward, and it was sure to work. ¡°¡­¡± Requiem, who had his mouth closed the entire time, snarled his snout as he took a deep breath, and then, he howled. The ck wolves who heard the sound opened a path for Judah to Requiem, splitting from side to side like the sea separated by Moses. They closed their eyes and bowed as Judah walked down the trail. They were no longer growling nor threatening him when he passed by. To help Judah, Kain gathered his courage to follow him. He ran after the boy with his sword in his hands, ready to battle at will, calling after Judah through the dark. But the sight before him left him agape. Judah walked down the path opened up by a hundred ck wolves. ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± He knew it was a duel, and all Kain could do was mumble in disbelief. As he stood there in bewilderment, Judah continued his stride, inching ever closer to Requiem. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

66==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf [You have requested a duel with -Requiem-, the boss of the ck Wolf.] [He has yet to heal the injuries he suffered in the duel with the white wolf boss, but he is willing to ept your challenge.] [If you defeat Requiem, the quest Lord¡¯s Request 2 is automaticallypleted.] [The 1:1 match ticket given as a quest reward is consumed.] As he walked through the path opened by the ck wolves, he read the message that came to his eyes. ¡®He¡¯s injured¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the extent of the Alpha¡¯s injuries, but surely, some of his stats should have dropped. Judah¡¯s eyes turned to Requiem. Like his duel with Korkan, the ck wolves left their seats around the Requiem to make way for a battleground. Requiem stood proudly at the center of the expanse, and he looked so majestic that it was hard to believe he was hurt. Suspense gleamed within Requiem¡¯s dark eyes waiting patiently for Judah to approach. He was an enticing opponent, and Judah felt drawn towards the Alpha. ¡®Information window.¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Requiem] [Title: Noble One] [Role: One who leads the crowd] [Level: 38] [upation: King] [Race: ck Wolf] [Strength: 61(-11) (C) / Potential A] [Health: 53(-10) (C) / Potential B] [Agility: 63(-12) (B) / Potential A] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 53(C) / Potential B] [Charisma: 66(B) / Potential A] ¡¸Talent 3/5¡¹ [Primary Instinct]-Rank: B [Leader]-Rank: B [Under the moonlight]-Rank: B ¡¸Skill 5/5¡¹ [Concealment]-Rank: C [Surprise Attack]-Rank: C [Howling]-Rank: B [Magic release] -Rank: C [Weapon Destruction] -Rank: C ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ It was a more significant injury than expected that his muscle strength, agility, and stamina, decreased by about 20%. But despite the reduction he endured, his level and stats remained outstanding. ¡®I knew he was level 30.¡¯ Requiem was even eight levels higher. In the game, he boosted Requiem¡¯s stats to keep him from dying quickly, so much so that the Alpha woulde back twice even after being beaten down by the yer¡¯s party. Fortunately, the reduction Requiem sustained was beyond helpful for him. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, Judah had no ns on retreating. He ventured past the bowing wolves, realizing he was still holding a torch in his hand. He watched as its mes roared wildly. Its oiled cloth must be of high quality for it to burn brightly for such a long time. It was a good thing to have the light in this darkness, but it would be annoying in a fight. ¡®The moonlight¡­¡¯ When he looked up, the moon was at its phase before bing a full moon. Indeed, he was lucky. To fight against Requiem under its fullest phase would be beyond difficult. Inside the forest, the lush leaves of the trees nearly shaded the light of the moon but standing in the in with the waning moon above their heads blessed them with a bright light enough to chase the dark. Judah kicked the ground with the tip of his shoe. It dug a spot in the wet, fertile soil, and Judah put his torch in it. Then he kicked more dirt at it, Weakening the fire that once burned brightly. The moment the light grew weaker, the darkness came even closer. For a moment, all Judah could see was the darkness, but soon his eyes adjusted to the void. He triggered -Shadow Justice 2-Magic-, and his sight for his surroundings cleared even better. Requiem waited patiently for him as Judah prepared for the duel. He unsheathed his bastard sword, pulled out the daggers in his waist, and twirled them in his grasp. When he was ready, Requiem stood from where he sat. Judah gave the Alpha a faint smile. ¡°Thank you for waiting.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Still, Requiem was silent. The Alpha stalked around casually, his eyes squinting in what felt like amusement. Judah felt shivers ran down his body, the same feeling he had in this scene when he yed the game. Then, Requiem¡¯s ??body melted into the background and disappeared before his very eyes. ¡®Concealment?¡¯ Then a sharp whip broke through the wind, and something distorted before him. Judah ducked and lunged forward, feeling something past his head. He immediately turned to his back and looked into the empty air. There was nothing in front of him, but he looked down at the lush grasses and saw patches tten one after the other. Scratch! In a blink, his leather clothes made of ck Wolf skin was torn to shreds by something unseen. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Judah swung his bastard sword into the air, and it caught something, but his hit didn¡¯t feel concrete. Seeing no blood on his de, he bet he managed only to cut the hidden Alpha¡¯s fur or skin. And as Judah cut through his enemy, Requiem emerged from his concealment. Before the wolf blended into the background once again, Judah swore he saw a glimpse of shock sh through Requiem¡¯s eyes. Judah frowned as he stepped back, triggering his -Shadow Swordsmanship Form 1- Potential Liberation-. This was a skill he rarely used. It worked while holding a sword and didn¡¯t consume much magic power, boosting his reaction speed and sword skills as well as bonuses. Although its effect wasn¡¯t as prominent as his other skills, he activated it nheless, making his swinging motion smoother and faster. But still, his attacks on Requiem didn¡¯t seem to faze the Alpha, who remained hidden. There was a big space between them, and if Judah wanted tond a sessful attack, he needed to close that gap. ¡®His concealment skill is taking longer than I expected.¡¯ Of course, even in the game, the hiding skill had higher efficiency than the general buff skills. It raised his evasion rate and added bonuses to his attack power so that he could hide from the enemy. And its efficiency was the same in this world. Just when he thought that Tia¡¯s Rank B concealment was quite intimidating, but even Requiem¡¯s Rank C concealment was just as threatening. However, the difference in rank didn¡¯t matter. Judah can still pinpoint where his opponent was ording to the fluttering air in whichever direction Requiem dashed to. And every time Requiem stood on Judah¡¯s shadow; his location blinked in a red spot in Judah¡¯s -map-. Knowing where the wolf was wasn¡¯t enough. Judah didn¡¯t know the right way to attack the Alpha. He relied mainly on his intuition, boosted by his skill -True-. And since Requiem¡¯s concealment was at its lowest rank, it faltered and revealed him whenever Judah sessfullynded an attack. For those with Rank B concealment, this disadvantage wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡®Thank God for that.¡¯ Judah evaded Requiem¡¯s ??attack and threw the dagger at him. As he struck the de with his hind paws, Judah saw an opportunity. Instead of a dagger, Judah opened his -Bag- and took out three small ss bottles of fluorescent material. It was the item given to him by Tia, and finding how useful it was, he bought a lot of it. With one hand, he threw the three of them toward Requiem. ¡­! Thinking it was a dagger, it was toote for Requiem to process the fluorescent bottles glistening in the moonlight. His heavy paws smashed the iing trajectories and all of its contents, sttering it all over the ground and, especially, his very paws. After defending himself, Requiem blended into the background again with concealment, but his feet drenched with the fluorescent liquid shone brightly in the dark. In shock, Requiem looked down at his forefeet and the entire ground covered in fluorescent light. If the light were just any liquid, his concealment would take it with him into camouge, but the fluorescent light was created with the magic of alchemists. It would fade after some time, but right now, concealment won¡¯t do anything against it. Judah grinned at the sess of his n. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s a big difference between the two of us. Surely you wouldn¡¯t think this is a foul move?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Judah casually uttered as he charged at the Alpha wolf, glowing like a firefly in the dark. Requiem had continuously been on the defense, but soon he finally dropped his concealment and spurred the ground as heunched into battle. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The wolf ducked its head to brace, and then he drew his sharp ws up into the air. To face his immense power without blocking would cause one¡¯s flesh to fall and their bones to crumble at impact. Sweat trickled Judah¡¯s figure as the fearsome Requiem watched him with his dark and heavy gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like we¡¯re dancing?¡± It was an atmospheric night. Under the moonlight, lovers would dance within each other¡¯s arms with the whispers of affection. But their night was of beasts and humans fighting for blood, and their swings and blows felt like the dance of death. And Judah and Requiem did theirs in this vast field. ¡°¡­¡± Requiem, reticent, replied with nothing but his usual snarl. Then he lunged, snapping his jaws right for Judah¡¯s neck. The boy spurred the ground,unching himself away from the beast. He chuckled as he heard the crackling sound snapping in the air. He nced at an opening and didn¡¯t waste a single second of it. Judah pulled the sword into his arms and activated -Shadow Swordsmanship Form 3 ¨C One Point-. ck particles generated by Judah¡¯s magical power gather along the de of his bastard sword then transform into a giant jousting spear. As he stepped on his feet, Judah plunged the de. Chun! At the same time, Requiem¡¯s ??eyes shed, and mysterious magic began to flow throughout his body. Judah¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Magic release!¡¯ It was a skill used to push enemies within proximity in the game. Its effect radius was about 2m from Requiem¡¯s ??body, and if it hit him, he would be temporarily stunned. Judahughed as he watched Requiem, recognizing the motion needed to trigger that very skill. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Judah retreated his shadow swordsmanship and quickly evaded. Just before -Magic Release- sted out of Requiem¡¯s body, Judah had already crossed 2m. Krrrrr! Ethereal magical power was released from Requiem¡¯s ??body and stretched out in all directions, but it did no damage to Judah, who managed to escape its effect radius. It was bloody. It was fierce. The fight between beasts and humans was even iparable to dancing. Having fought countless ck wolves helped Judah in skillfully avoiding Requiem¡¯s ??attacks. However, Requiem didn¡¯t even flinch at his attacks. He couldn¡¯t inflict a critical hit on Requiem by only wielding a bastard sword. He had to use shadow swordsmanship to impose a good blow and work decently with his movements. Judah wasted no time in waiting for an opening. And even if such an opportunity came, he could onlynd an attack briefly as Requiem triggered -Magic Release- consistently. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s wearing off.¡¯ The light of the fluorescent material on Requiem¡¯s ??forefoot faded. He dug his hand into -Bag- again to take another ss. ¡°!¡± Before he could, Judah had to duck and escape Requiem¡¯s front paws swinging at him. Just when he thought that was it, Requiem¡¯s body recoiled, turning and attacking with his hind feet. Then Judah remembered it, and this was the same attack that Korkan used two years ago. Even if Judah avoided it, his enemy¡¯s tail would whip right afterward. Judah swung his bastard sword to block. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! Requiem¡¯s ??hind feet hit his de and a sound shattered in the air. In shock, Judah¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he managed to withstand the blow that sted right at him. Judah groaned, shock buzzing throughout his entire body. His physical strength must have reached its limit. When he looked up to swing his sword again, his bastard sword rang with a sound that made him freeze in ce. Quazzik! ¡°Huh?¡± The sword in his grasp cracked and broke. Requiem triggered his -Weapon Destruction-. Judah retreated, the wolf tailing right behind him. When their eyes met, newfound spite simmered within their gazes. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

67==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf ¡°Tsk!¡± Judah flicked his tongue. He frowned at the broken shards of his sword scattered on the ground. Requiem triggered -weapon destruction-, and he did so at the perfect timing. The Alpha did it so masterfully Judah didn¡¯t even have the room to curse him for it. And even though Requiem¡¯s skill for that was at its lowest, it was still unfair that his sword had gotten broken so easily. Hoowook! Judah lowered his posture as he watched Requiem jump. Kwaduk¡ªa harsh sound flew right above his head. Requiem was still passing overhead. Judah conjured magic into his broken sword, and ck magic manifested into a temporary sword. ¡®Bend!¡¯ His body moved at the very thought. Judah¡¯s back bent and his arms swung at the wolf above. And a sensation he had never felt before passed through his fingertips and sword. Seeing the gushing blood, Judah straightened back up. Afternding, Requiem red at Judah, ncing at the damage on his side. Finally, the cut he made bled through. As Requiem turned, blood sputtered out along the cut his sword had made. The wolf staggered, bracing itself on the ground as it red at Judah with blinding rage. Judah relished at the sight of his enemy struggling in pain. Then, the wolf snarled its snout and howled. AWOOO©¤©¤©¤! But because of Judah¡¯s title, the effect of his howl was nothing to him. After howling, Requiem charged at him with the power of a raging bull. Facing the enormous beast head-on was dangerous, but Judah did not budge in his ce. Instead, he prepared tounch his skill, grasping the sword in his hand harder than before. Requiem¡¯s eyes were fixed upon him while he focused on creating a long spear with his ck magic. The Alpha unfurled his mouth wide open, shing his razor-sharp des. ¡®What are you gonna do, chew, and eat my de?¡¯ Judahughed, switching -One Point- to use -Shadow Swordsmanship Form 4 ¨C Illusion Sword- to escape from behind. His replica emerged, going into Requiem¡¯s ??mouth instead. The moment he snapped his mouth close, the shadow was torn apart. Judah stretched out his right hand and kicked himself off the ground, sessfully evading Requiem as he shook away the remnants of Judah¡¯s replica. Judah grabbed Requiem¡¯s snout with his bare hands, and up into the air, he leaped,nding on the wolf¡¯s back like an acrobat. Kreung! Requiem snarled. Hearing the anger in his growl was satisfying to Judah. Unlike other ck wolves, Requiem managed to maintain his dignity. A smile curved on Judah¡¯s lips. He stood on Requiem, bncing masterfully as the wolf mored on the ground. Before Requiem could regain hisposure, Judah wanted to deliver a lethal blow. He smirked, dug his hand in his -Bag-, and raised the Flying Fighter¡¯s spear. As he grabbed it, he remembered that Kain was watching him from afar. Judah grasped the spear in his right hand with utter confidence and his sword in the other, as ck magic furled through the des. He felt Requiem slow down. ¡®I¡¯m faster.¡¯ Judah lowered his sword into an all too familiar stance. He joined the two swords into a cross, and then with a heave, he pulled them up into the air with all his might. It was imperial swordsmanship that the Flying Fighter used, and it was a very powerful technique. Powerful enough to cut through the tough leather of Requiem. As soon his des were fully drawn, Requiem suddenly stopped as he stepped on a brake, and Judah hopped off. The attack he cast traced Requiem down from his hips and up to his sides. As he flew in the air, Judah watched Requiem¡¯s red blood scattering over the dazzling moonlight. It felt like a movie on the big screen, and the protagonist was himself. Judah couldn¡¯t hide his smirk as he saw Requiem¡¯s ??face mangle, his flesh and skin falling apart, with blood spurting in all directions. ¡°That will hurt quite a bit.¡± The moment he spoke, his world that slowed down went back to normal. Judahnded on the ground, staggering in ce before falling to his feet. He wasn¡¯t tired, but his body fell to the ground as if all his strength was extinguished. He looked up at the beautiful waning moon, dreaming of falling asleep staring at such a sight to behold, but their fight wasn¡¯t over yet, and he had to get up. ¡°¡­¡± Judah¡¯s eyes fell on Requiem the moment he got back up to his feet. Requiem¡¯s ??eyes, fixed on the ground, seemed to ept his defeat. Judah wondered whether this was a trick, as wolves were intelligent creatures. But he doubted that the noble Requiem would pull such a cunning trick against him. And looking at the injuries he inflicted on the Alpha, there was no way he could recover from it even if he had the power of regeneration. He couldn¡¯t see the extent of the blow now, but from what he saw a moment earlier, the cuts he made were deep. If those wounds healed right away, Requiem would be one unbelievable monster. ¡®?¡¯ But this beast was not a monster with the power of regeneration. Not wanting to give Requiem a vain death, he walked up to him, still vignt against the Alpha. ¡°I won, Requiem.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He remained silent, staring back at Judah with a face distorted in pain. As if admitting defeat, Requiem closed his eyes. ¡°Ha.¡± Judah heaved a tiny snicker. Requiem was a resilient enemy, and wishing not to prolong his suffering any longer, Judah walked up to the wolf with the intent to end its life for good. As soon as he took a step closer, the spectating ck wolves shot up to their feet, growling aggressively at him. The tension in his pack grew by the second. Requiem opened his closed eyes before reacting to it. Ooh ooh ooh ooh©¤©¤©¤! ¡°!¡± Judah blinked as Requiem howled again. The sound reverberated beyond the ins and into the forest deep. And the ck wolves, who had risen and red at Judah with the intent to kill, heard their leader¡¯s howl and began to hesitate. Then, Requiem let out another howl. To this, the ck wolves began to scatter in all directions. Requiem sighed, exhausted from howling one after the other. After confirming that all the wolves around him had disappeared, he vomited another breath and fell to his hind legs. A puddle of blood began to form around him. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Do you wish me to end you now?¡± Requiem nced at Judah silently and nodded. He closed his eyes, epting his demise. His rigor was truly impressive to behold, and it was impossible to believe that this creature was a monster. ¡®Shall I use domination?¡¯ No, Judah stopped his urge. Pernern¡¯s fragments worked on monsters. However, to use it upon a noble beast like Requiem would be a disgrace. He didn¡¯t mind if it were some other monster, but he wanted to give Requiem a graceful death. And since there were no ways to cure the injuries the Alpha had sustained, he would soon die even if he used domination. Such a miserable death did not suit the beast. ¡°I hope this means your ck wolves will no longer walk through the forests of this Castle.¡± The spear covered in ck magic twisted and turned into a jousting spear. Then, after a deep breath, Judah plunged the de into Requiem¡¯s heart. Under the moonlight, the leader of the ck Wolves exhaled hisst breath. [You defeated the ck Wolf -Requiem-.] [Lord¡¯s Request 2, ck Wolf Subjugation has beenpleted] [As the ck wolves under Requiem¡¯smand ran off, the subjugation operation will be continued as a sweeping operation.] ck smoke began to emit from Requiem¡¯s corpse. Then inch by inch, all his organs, muscles, and bones withered away into nothing but dust. Judah watched his ashes as they bustled away with the wind. All that was left of him was his teeth, ws, and skin. A faint light leaked beyond his leather skin, and Judah walked closer to inspect it. As he bent to retrieve the loot, he heard footsteps approach from behind. Just when he thought his struggles were over, he remembered his other problem. Judah grew aware of the Flying Fighter¡¯s spear he held within his grasp. It was toote to put it in the -Bag-, but it was too heavy for him to keep on saving, so he put it back in regardless of the consequences. As he turned his back, he saw Kain holding his helmet in one hand and a torch in the other. ¡°Judah¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± Judah croaked, his exhaustion evident. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you have anything to say, say it quickly. I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kain remained silent. His lips hung open as to say something, but he couldn¡¯t figure out the right words to say. Judah felt glorious after his win, but seeing Kain right now made him wish he had died instead. The moment he tried to yell out the annoyance he felt inside, Judah saw a torch emerging from the forest. ¡°Judah! Kain! Are you okay?!¡± Kaseun dashed toward them at lightning speed, followed by Tia and Jeanne. Judah red at Kain, who was still silent, as the anxious crowd approached them with many worries. It seemed that his mood was going to get dirty once again. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

68==================== Requiem, the boss of the ck wolf Serenia Castle, the house of Judah There were people that you can dislike just by simply looking at them. In life, you can often meet such people. First impressions were the worst. Either the wordsing out of their mouth didn¡¯t match the way they looked, or would find that the other person was much better than you, or theplete opposite where they can¡¯t do anything right at all. Aside from those, of reasons why someone would repulse another person. To be honest, Judah hated Kain. When he was a child, learning how to use the sword under Kaseun¡¯s supervision, he felt no such thing as dislike for the boy. But now, he can¡¯t say the same. If asked how much he hated him, he could only answer vaguely. He didn¡¯t hate him enough to find the desire to kill him, but he hated him enough to stay away from him. But there was the strong urge to battle the boy right then and there. Had Kaseun appeared a littleter at that time, or if Kain continued to stare at him silently after the battle with Requiem, his irritation might grow unbearable for him, and soon his sword could go swinging at him. And he wished he did just that. Judah stared nkly at the sky, biting his mouth absentmindedly. Since Kaseun¡¯s appeared, things had been a breeze. He was scolded heavily for chasing after the wolves on his own, but he was praised for defeating Requiem. Unfortunately, all of the loot of Requiem was confiscated. Kaseun turned it over to the Lord, and he said that he would return it, but Judah didn¡¯t know if he would ever see it again. ¡®But Kaseun can¡¯t lie, so I¡¯ll get it back.¡¯ If Kaseun said he would return it, he would return it at any cost. Kaseun was a man who stayed true to his words. Nothing much happened after that. He had no memory of anything else. He fell into a deep sleep and refused to wake up even after the sun rose. He woke up to the sound of giggling around him, and the first thing he saw was Tia¡¯s back. Before her was Jeanne, and beside her were a few alumni guards. Judah blinked at them as he grasped the situation. He didn¡¯t know when and how he moved, but seeing that they arrived at the castle shortly after, he felt like he slept for quite a while. As soon as they got home, Judah came to the second floor to sleep in his bed a little more. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± He took a deep and long sigh. When he entered the house, the fatigue he felt outside disappeared. Somehow growing restless, Judah flipped on the bed and brought up the system log. Immediately after subduing Requiem, an additional message came to the system besidespleting the quest. [Bastard Sword¡¯s durability has reached its limit.] [You won a duel against Requiem, the boss of the ck Wolf. Stamina and agility increase by 1.] [The title -ck Wolf yer- has been changed to -ck Wolf Weaver-.] -ck Wolf yer- It is a title given to those who have hunted hundreds of ck wolves. -When hitting a ck wolf, additional damage is reduced by 3%, the wolf¡¯s howling effect and duration are reduced by 20%. -When hunting all kinds of wolves, you emit an aura of intimidation. However, the boss is not affected. ©¸Passive: Movement speed and attack speed decreased by 5%. ¡ý ¡ý ¡ý -ck Wolf¡¯s Weaver- This is the title achieved upon defeating the ck Wolf boss in a one on one duel. The wolves will instinctively feel intimidated the moment they see you. -When ying all wolves, additional damage is reduced by 5%, wolves¡¯ howling effect and duration are reduced by 40%. -When hunting all kinds of wolves, you emit an aura of intimidation. However, the boss is not affected ©¸Passive: Movement speed and attack speed decrease by 6%, attack power decrease by 3%. ©¸Passive: Preemptive attack probability decreases by 20%. [The level has risen.] [The level has risen.] [The level has risen.] [You have earned two gold coins.] Finally, Judah leveled up, and he jumped three levels at once. He nodded in glory, looking back at how much he struggled to increase his level. Two gold coins were okay, and he was content with how his stats had increased by two. And while his title changed into something better, it was centered around wolves, which was something he wouldn¡¯t need in the long run when he¡¯s bound to meet other enemies on the road. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: ck Wolf¡¯s Weaver (1)] [Level: 23] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 41(C) / Potential A] [Health: 41(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 43(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 43(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 52(C) / Potential S] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Good Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 8] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Judah chuckled as he studied his stats. ¡®I¡¯ve grown quite a bit too.¡¯ This was his most significant milestone ever since he came to this world. But this was just the beginning, and he couldn¡¯t be satisfied with just this. It was easy because Requiem was too gentle for him, but the enemies he will meet in the future were not. Some would attack cowardly, some who used poison, and some with different powers. There wasn¡¯t one easy opponent with his current skills. ¡®I have to get back Requiem¡¯s skin and leave quickly.¡¯ Initially, he was nning to leave as soon as he got Jeanne after hising-of-age ceremony, but it was toote. Judah closed his eyes, vowing that he would take back the leather and that he would finally leave the ce. It was after three days that Requiem¡¯s ??leather was returned to him. Meanwhile, gloom befell on the castle and its inhabitants. Although there were few things the soldiers did in the subjugation battle, there were still casualties in the two surprise attacks they endured. The Lord prepared a funeral for the fallen soldiers, rewarding the bereaved families with what the castle could provide. The Lord posted a lengthy message on the bulletin board to enlighten the castle, which reiterated the report he heard from Kaseun. ¡¸¡­ It is reported that Judah, resentful at the death of the soldier who fought alongside him, defeated the ck wolves and chased after those who dared to flee. When the soldiers arrived after him, Requiem was already dead, and Judah was holding a broken sword in his grasp. The ck wolves who lost the head of their pack ran away, with our soldiers tracking and wiping them all out¡­ ¡¹ One surprising thing is that the soldiers could have announced they had taken it down, but they didn¡¯t. Maybe Cassewoon ran alone and knocked Requiem down, but he said it honestly. Afterward, Judah, who was invited to eat again at the Lord¡¯s Castle, was given back the spoils that had been confiscated, and he received a title that was not very useless. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ -Little Hero of Serenia Castle- You have protected the Eastern Forest from the ck wolves, the cause of fear within the castle¡¯s citizens. The residents, including the Lord, apud your outstanding achievements. -Increased favorability of those living in Serenia Castle +10. -Get a discount or get a bonus when purchasing an item. -A stone statue of you was built at the entrance of the east gate. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Judah choked upon reading about the stone statue. Still, he was very proud of the fact that he left a trace in the castle. Later, Judah went to a clothing store and asked for a long coat out of Requiem¡¯s ??leather. The leather was so big that he received three pieces out of it. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Leader of the group ¡°Long coat made of Requiem¡¯s ??leather¡±] [Rating: Unique _ Luxury] [Equipment: Coat] [Durability: 50/50] [Defense: 70] [effect] Physical Defense +15%, Magic RES +10%, Movement Speed ??+3% Charisma+3 [Exnation] A long coat made from the leather of ¡°Requiem,¡± the leader of the ck wolf. As a result of the weaver¡¯s dedication to the young hero of Serenia, a high-quality luxury product was born. In particr, the buttons made from the mane hair and toenails around the neck raises its dignity even further. -Physical Resistance (Passive): Part of the damage is reduced when hit by a sh, stabbing, or hitting type of attack. -Magic resistance (Passive): Part of the damage when hit by magic attacks decreases. -Previous maintenance (Passive): Foreign matter (blood, fat) does not adhere well, and durability decrease rate is low. -Passive: You can feel the dignity that only a group of bosses can have through this outfit. Others do not easily ignore you. -Passive of the moonlight: On the night the moon rises, you receive a bonus of movement speed and improve your awareness of your surroundings. -Code Previous: Leader of the group ©¸Acquisition of Charisma, Charisma +10 ©¸Compression-Receives correction of charisma stats and pressures the opponent with an intangible energy. This is more effective for targets at a lower level than you and less effective for higher-level targets. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The product was indeed worth the wait. Judah could not hide his satisfaction after receiving the goods, so he gave the clothing store owner one more gold coin, which was several times the advance payment. Judah gave his coat the code he had obtained from Requiem, and then he gave the other two of his coats to Tia and Jeanne. As a gift to Kaseun, Judah gave him the remaining ws of the buttons, and the remaining skin from Requiem¡¯s ??head was presented to the Lord. After returning home after his day off, Judah wandered around the market to buy the extra items he needed before leaving Serenia. Whether it was the effect of his title -Little Hero of the Serenia Castle-, he found the townsfolk very friendly to him. Their favor was overwhelming. Unbeknownst to them, Judah did not y Requiem for them. At that time, he was only looking to vent out his frustrations at Kain and impulsively took it out on Requiem. Other than that, he killed Requiem for his loot. His desires were selfish, but the townsfolk thought otherwise. He decided to go with it. Judahughed and gratefully epted their favor, which allowed him to buy many things at a much lower price than he thought. He thought it was a pleasant day, but on his way back home, his luck had dropped. In the square, he ran into Kain. Kain was next to Riel, who waved her hand, greeting him with a gleeful smile. ¡°Judah! Hi! Are you on your way to the grocery store?¡± Judah nced at Kain and nodded with a bitter smile, ¡°Yes. Where are you going?¡± Riel shook her head, still smiling at him brightly, ¡°Actually, Kain said he had something to say to you? So we went looking for you. You¡¯re a celebrity now, so we thought we could easily find you. What happened when you went around?¡± ¡°I just went to buy some things. But Kain, you¡¯re looking for me? Ah, are you going to tell me what you were supposed to say a few days ago?¡± Judah responded to Riel softly, and then his smile fell when he turned to Kain. Surprisingly, unlike thest time, Kain did not avoid his gaze and did not hesitate to speak up. ¡°Yes, I have something I want to ask.¡± ¡°What? Tell me.¡± Riel watched as the two boys talked, her eyebrows furrowing at the heavy tension between them. She was hoping either of them would fill her in, but no one did. ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That day, the spear you summoned when you defeated the ck wolf. I couldn¡¯t see well because of the faint moonlight, but it must have been Ea¡¯s, right?¡± Judah, as if surprised, widened his eyes in response. But he wasn¡¯t surprised. He knew Kain would be suspicious, and he can tell exactly what the other boy was thinking. A smirk curled up on Judah¡¯s lips. In the past, he would be riddled with anxiety at the possibility of Kain being suspicious of him, but now he found it amusing. ¡°So? Tell me what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯ll answer you.¡± ¡°¡­How do you have Ea¡¯s weapon?¡± Judah took a step toward Kain, closing the distance between them. ¡°How? You know.¡± Hearing his response sent shivers down Kain¡¯s body. After seeing Judah with her spear, Kain consulted with the guards about Ea¡¯s whereabouts. Many people recognized her, especially her beauty and particr title as a Flying Fighter, just by looking at her identity card. After the day she broke up with Kain, she never returned to the castle again. But there Judah was, holding her spear. Did he witness her death and picked up her weapon? if not¡­ As Kain thought of the answers for himself, Judah whispered to him as if he could hear his thoughts, ¡°Yes, I killed her. And I got her spear. Why, do you want her to be alive?¡± ¡°What? Wait. Judah!¡± ¡°I think this is the end of your question? I think you want an exnation, but I don¡¯t want to tell you. You can think of it however you like.¡± Kain¡¯s face stiffened, and next to him, Riel grew even more confused. They fell silent before Judah broke the silence with hisughter. ¡°If you have nothing more to say, would you move away?¡± Judah walked ahead, shoving Kain¡¯s shoulder aside. He passed by, not even looking back to see what shock he left them with. He sighed and looked up at the sky. It was clear and blue. ¡®I have to leave this ce tomorrow.¡¯ He was all done with everything. He gave his farewell to Kaseun and the Lord, bought the supplies he needed, hired Jeanne as hispanion, and then defeated Requiem. There was nothing more to see in this castle. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 23] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 41(C) / Potential A] [Health: 41(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 43(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 43(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 52(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 5(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Good Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 8] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡ª Chapter 69

Chapter 69

69==================== Side Story 1, Gentia-If I stay here for you¡­ ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù This part is a side story that shows a what-if scenario and has nothing to do with the main part. Please be informed that there is no rtion to this content to the main story. It¡¯s just a simple entry assuming what would happen if Judah decided to live here with Gentia without leaving Serenia in pursuit of the fragments. ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù -Side Story 1, Gentia-If I stay here for you¡­ After a few years ofing here, he finally got a fragment. It was a ring named -24th Fragment, Carpe Diem-. Judah inspected the ring resting on his palm. He was initially supposed to leave Serenia Castle after he got this fragment. He was thinking about it. He was nning to do that. He tried to y with Xian¡¯s intentions to recover all the fragments so he could return to his original world. However, it was not easy to leave this ce hastily after being with someone for the past few years and giving them his heart. Judah wore the ring on his finger. He could acquire all the fragments but leave with no inspiration in his heart. He would only regret leaving this ce. ¡®Shall I just stay here?¡¯ The temptation lingered in his mind. Judah went down to the first floor and entered Tia¡¯s room, resting on her bed. ¡°Judah?¡± She cooed his name. Her tired eyes blinked, then it lit up at the sight of him. As shey in her bed, Tia stretched out her arms with a warm smile. ¡°Come, let¡¯s sleep together.¡± Judah went into her arms without saying anything. ¡°Have you changed your mind about sleeping alone?¡± Closing her eyes again, Tia asked. She was happy enough to cuddle with him. Her voice was sleepy but bright enough. ¡°I tried to sleep by myself, but I want to be with Tia.¡± ¡°Hey. As expected.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tia opened her eyes, her eyes squinting as she smiled. ¡°If it¡¯s not your Master¡¯s arms, you can¡¯t sleep, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t like that, but it didn¡¯t matter what she thought. She embraced Judah, then hummed before going back to sleep. He intended to leave. No, his departure was absolute. To return to his original world. But leaving Tia behind was a big regret. Was there apromise for her? Would it be okay to bring her with him? If he did get her, will she be able to handle the hardships along the way? And even if Judah collected all the fragments, will Xian truly bring him back to his world? Judah had many questions and doubts. He stared at the sleeping Tia, her tail wagging softly from behind. Did he really need to return to the real world? He had several reasons to return. He wanted to see his family and friends. His motivation was always thinking about those special rtionships waiting for him back in the real world. However, his connection with them wasn¡¯t the only thing important to him. In this world, he also had a rtionship he deeply treasured. He loved Tia more than anything else. His love for her hamade him stupid and had him in strong shackles. Judah closed his eyes, dreaming of staying there a little longer. But the next day was hising-of-age ceremony. Nothing happened for the rest of the day until dinnertime. Kaseun held his ceremony, consisting of eating and drinking with guests that ended briefly, and soon he was back home again. Tia grabbed Judah¡¯s hand, telling him they needed to take a quick wash. Judah panicked, but he followed after her into the bathroomter on. Perhaps because they were drunk, but they couldn¡¯t stop their bodies from pushing against each other the moment their eyes met. After coveting after each other¡¯s bodies, they soon made love again. He had already shared love with her once, so there was no hesitation this time around. No one bothered their time alone. After making love, Tia and Judah fell asleep in the same bedroom looking at the same ceiling. He didn¡¯t know when he had fallen asleep, but Judah opened his eyes in the middle of the night. Moonlight was leaking through the window. He turned his head to the woman sleeping next to him. There she was, sleeping with such a peaceful face. Judah continued gazing at her, and then suddenly, a wave of emotions hit him. His heart ached as he frowned, reaching out his hand to brush her hair aside. As he felt her soft hair on his fingertips, doubts about his ns came rushing in. ¡®Wait¡­ You have four ears.¡¯ He paused, looking at the human-like ears on both sides of her face then at the animal ears twitching above her head. At a moment of curiosity, Judah traced her ears as he stared at their structure in bewilderment. However, his second of wonder did notst long before he fell depressed again. ¡°¡­¡± Tia opened her eyes when she felt his touch. Her drowsy eyes gleamed as she smiled at him. ¡°Why are you awake?¡± ¡°Tia¡­¡± As he called her name, Tia¡¯s animal ears perked up. ¡°Hm?¡± Judah looked at her without a word. He caressed her cheeks, nose, and ears, then intertwined his fingers through her soft hair. Judah couldn¡¯t help the frown growing on his face. ¡°Why are you making that face? Are you hurt?¡± Judah shook his head. He swallowed the lump in his throat along with the ache in his chest. ¡°I love you. I love you very much. I don¡¯t know what to do. I have to leave, but I can¡¯t do it.¡± Judah choked on his words, on the brink of tears. Tia¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing him, but she sighed as she closed her eyes with a smile. She held Judah¡¯s hands as they rested on her cheeks. Her hands on him were as warm as it always had been. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Judah nodded his head. ¡°Do you really intend to leave?¡± Tia murmured, her eyes still closed. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t go. I¡¯m not going to let you go. You can¡¯t just barge into my heart and then leave just like that.¡± Judah tried, but he couldn¡¯t. If he left, he knew he would suffer from all the pain and regret. ¡°I love you too. I love you. It would be very painful for me to spend a day, tomorrow, and every day without you. Don¡¯t go. Let¡¯s live together. I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t regret it. This woman, this master, will love you. I can be good for you, so¡­ Don¡¯t go.¡± Tia¡¯s eyes began to water beyond her eyshes. The moment Judah saw it, his heart ached once more. At that moment, his decision was made. He decided to choose her rather than having to return to his original world. Judah beamed, ¡°But, isn¡¯t that what a man usually says to a woman?¡± ¡°Huh, who said that?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Judah chuckled. Hisughter made Tia feel butterflies in her stomach. ¡°Come here, Judah.¡± Unable to control her feelings, Tia hugged Judah. Their bare bodies hugged, feeling each other¡¯s body temperature as they kissed. The sound of their kiss filled the room. After sharing such an intimate moment, the lovers fell back to sleep. In the morning, Judah opened his eyes. Their bodies stayed cuddled together, and he could already feel their sweat building up. The air was hot thanks to the summer weather, and Judah didn¡¯t like being sweaty at all. Tia opened her eyes, blinking at Judah. ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m embarrassed you have to see me like this.¡± ¡°Is there anything Tia is ashamed of?¡± When they made love or even outside of it, it was a rare sight to see Tia embarrassed. As if she could read his thoughts, Tia put a finger over Judah¡¯s lips and spoke before him. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯m going to go back to being a little girl. Can I be shy now?¡± It would be impossible to pretend to be a little girl given her mature body. Judah could only smile at her, shaking his head lovingly. ¡°Why? What¡¯s with the reaction? You don¡¯t want me to do that, is that it?¡± ¡°Well, to put it simply, I like it when you¡¯re proud and confident.¡± ¡°Okay. If you really want to, I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°What? Wait¨C!¡± Suddenly, Tia threw away their nket, climbed on top of Judah, and lowered her hand down to touch his penis. ¡°If you prefer a mature woman, she¡¯ll show you how it works.¡± Then she caressed it with simple hand movements before taking it into her mouth as she moaned. She seemed like she was desperate to go back to being a little girl. + + + After making hot love with Tia early in the morning, the two took a bath together with pleasant, cold water. Ever since they poured out their hearts to each other, each action and gesture between them were full of love. Their minds and hearts were filled with something much more profound than before. Judahpletely canceled all his ns after hising-of-age ceremony. He was supposed to go to the western woods to meet the Blue Lancer and make her hispanion, but there was no longer any need for it. After confessing their love, Judah and Tia got closer. They continued to hunt together for money, but it made their hunting time shorter than usual and their time alone even longer. After two months, the Blue Lancer was never heard from again. It was said she disappeared in the Western Forest. But perhaps, she was defeated by the Flying Fighter in their duel. After Kain¡¯sing-of-age ceremony, he, Riel, and the Flying Fighter headed for Philoria, the country of knights, searching for the fragments. Judah was unsure whether they would find the fragments as intended in the original game story, but he bid them good luck. About a year has passed. Rumors were spreading around, so Judah married Tia to end them once and for all. Kaseun said that Gentia was a thief, and she did not deny this. Peerchen, the lord, also congratted and sent them many blessings. It was said that getting married might turn their rtionship sourly, but these rumors did nothing to them. It was instead the opposite. The two of them grew even more considerate with one another and never fought together. They had everything. Theymunicated well, their food was as good as always, and it was fun to go hunting together. Most of all, theirpatibility with each other was amazing. Perhaps because of the nature of her character, her mood changed a lot. One moment she felt very bewitching with a calm atmosphere. Usually, Judah could feel her aura, but that soon disappeared. Instead, at night, Tia would be insufferable. After a few more months, she suddenly went into swings. She was pregnant. Her shift over the months was enough proof of it. He was thrilled to be a dad, something he couldn¡¯t do in the original world. Her Judah took care of her and did everything not to stress her, but Tia insisted on doing what she usually did around the house. She was all perfect, but there was one thing bothering her. Tia felt annoyed that they could no longer make love everyday, which was something she enjoyed. She said Judah shouldn¡¯t have an affair with another woman because of it. She looked a little obsessed, but she was fine. The human pregnancy cycle was around 40 weeks, but Tia was already at full term when she was close to 15 weeks. Soon, Tia delivered their baby safely. One daughter and one son. It was twins. Judah was overjoyed, and most of all, Tia was happy. As she expressed her joy, Tia kissed Judah and said thank you. But Judah told her that it was herself she should be grateful for. Another year passed. Judah became a recognizable hunter in the castle, and he made his fame by knocking down Requiem, the ck wolf chief. Lord Peerchen praised him highly. Judah did it for the money, but to defeat Requiem was to extinguish the fear that ruled the citizens of Serenia Castle, and because of his deeds, the townsfolk fell endeared to him. And although his children were mixed with human blood, the influence of the Suin tribe overpowered his children¡¯s veins. They were fast to walk around and talk. Humans and their growth rate was nothingpared to them. Judah, after a hunt, would alwayse running home to see his children. He dashed past everyndscape and would go even faster when he sees the city gates. He sold leathers and gemstones, as usual, bought something delicious, and then headed home. With joy, he turned the doorknob, opened the door, and entered the front door. Before he could make his presence known, he heard a luby in the room. ¡°Hush~Hush~ Our baby¡­¡± It was a pretty voice, and when he heard Judah taking off his shoes, Tia stopped briefly before continuing her luby. On the other side, Judah paused from taking off his shoes to stand there and listen to her voice as it echoed from the other room. Her singing soon ended when their babies fell asleep. Slowly, Tia stepped out of the room on the tip of her toes. ¡°Are you home yet, Nanggun?¡± She called Judah two different things. Sometimes she called him by his name, and she called him Nanggun, just like before. Tia walked up to him, dark eyes glowing with an alluring sparkle, ¡°I want to have more children. What do you think?¡± She whispered into his ear. It would be terrifying in the ears of other people, but not for Judah. He smiled and lifted her. With her arms around his neck, Judah carried her to the second floor. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll enchant you, Nanggun.¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Many years have passed. Judah was human, and Tia was a Suin. And although he had one fragment in possession, it was nothing down the line. Tia¡¯s life span was longer than that of humans, and Judah had lost his youth, grew ording to his age, and was about to die. Many of the people by his side had passed away. Kaseun Sabanak, the Wielder of the Sword, as well as his old friend, the librarian. The Captain of the Alumni Guards as well. Even the uncle who sold fruits by the street. Countless people left first. And now Judah¡¯s turn wasing. Knowing that Tia was with Judah, who would never know when she would leave, and there she sat as she held his frail hands. Soon, he met his death by the side of Tia he dearly loved. He was happy to be together. It was fun to be together. And he didn¡¯t regret being together. He was fortunate to be able to say that he loved her. It was still a regret that he could not return to the original world, but when he looked back at his time with her, he did not regret his decision at all. At the death of her Judah, Tia burst into tears. Her cries were heartbreaking. There was someone who watched all of this from start to finish. He appeared from a hidden space. At that moment, the world turned gray, and time stopped. The first monarch, Xian. His feet touched the ground. His face looked messy, carrying a gaze that was wrapped in guilt. He sighed a little, then sat in a chair beside Judah, who had faced his natural death. ¡°One destiny ended in this way, Creator. But I can¡¯t be satisfied with just one end. I won¡¯t ask for forgiveness. I know you can¡¯t forgive me.¡± Xian reached out his hand toward Judah¡¯s body. ¡°Please resent me, and use that resentment as a force to go reach the right end. If you achieve that end, I will give you everything without hesitation.¡± In his next life, Xian gave him all the memories he shared with the woman who made love and ended up with him. Along with it was everything he cherished and aplished. ¡°So please, do not give in, and go fulfill your destiny.¡± ¡­ .. . .. ¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± Judah gasped for air, and his eyes widened at everything around him. As his surprise settled, he soon understood the situation. ¡®Where is this?¡¯ It was a room on the second floor. ¡®I¡¯m not dead?¡¯ He was. He remembered closing his eyes after telling all the things he wanted to say to his beloved Tia. But why was he standing here? ¡®No way.¡¯ Judah looked down slowly, thinking about it. His wrinkled hands were now the clenched fists of a healthy young man. Something was inside his grasp, so he slowly opened it. The twenty-fourth ring, Carpe Diem, stared back at him. His world was not over yet. ©¤Side Story 1, Gentia-If I stay here for you¡­ ©¤©¤Ending ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù This part is a side story that shows a what-if scenario and has nothing to do with the main part. Please be informed that there is no rtion to this content to the main story. It¡¯s just a simple entry assuming what would happen if Judah decided to live here with Gentia without leaving Serenia in pursuit of the fragments. ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù ¡ù Chapter 70

Chapter 70

[We have stockpiled 40+ chapters (CH 160), 30 Premium chapters per week will begin shortly. (1/20/21)] [There¡¯s actually a good amount of you guys reading this. However, the NU page is dead. The better a novel performs, the higher the budget, and in turn, I can increase the upload rate (for free chapters since we¡¯ve already capped the Premium to almost 5 per day) and quality of future chapters.] 70==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia He was all ready to leave. Judah had put all that he would need in his -Bag-, so he had nothing else to carry except a belt to carry a small amount of money and a few daggers. He picked up the Requiem leather coat he had ced on the bed and shrugged it on. It felt heavy because of the weight of the fur. He exhaled as it settled on him. Then, his eyes studied the room. This was the house he had been living in for about eight years. However, it was now time to leave. ording to the time, he promised Jeanne, Judah descended from the second floor. ¡°Do you have everything?¡± On the first floor, Tia greeted him with a smile. Judah nodded in reply as he descended the stairs. Behind Tia, he could see so many side dishes that Judah had to wonder how long she had been preparing things for. She had been cooking since the morning, but why were there so many side dishes? ¡°I¡¯ve prepared quite a bit for you to take on your way, so you have something to eat. You have your subspace, so I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have a problem carrying it around?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Tia. You must be tired of preparing so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for my beloved disciple. It wasn¡¯t hard at all.¡± However, contrary to her words, her face looked tired. To her, it was worth it. Yesterday, Judah had told her he would be leaving the next day, and although it took her by surprise, she listened to him intently. Time passed quickly as he told her of his ns. He hugged her Judah, and both of them made love to each other again. It was an intense and passionate night. It wasn¡¯t until dawn that Judah could sleep. He slept for merely an hour or two and then got up before the sun had risen to prepare their breakfast. When he returned to the kitchen again to spend breakfast together, he was surprised to see the side dishes that Tia had prepared. It was hearty and delicious. Judah carefully put all the side dishes into his -Bag-. ¡°I¡¯ll eat them well.¡± ¡°Save it. You have to eat them alone without giving them to anyone else. Okay?¡± Judahughed, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll eat them myself. Now, will you see me off?¡± ¡°Of course. Shall we go to the North Gate then?¡± Tia watched him as he put on his shoes. And before Judah could open the door, Tia grabbed his wrist from behind and dragged him into her arms. He felt the warmth of her body and chest, and in herfort, Judah closed his eyes and hugged her back. ¡°You have to go back safely. Don¡¯t forget your promise toe back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Tia, I told you, this is the only ce I will return to.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Tia smiled bitterly before pushing Judah out the door. Their lips brushed, and soon Tia pressed a kiss on his forehead. They closed their eyes as they reveled at the moment they shared. Judah did not rush her. He appreciated her disy of affection and waited until she was satisfied and ready to let go. ¡°Go.¡± After a while, Tia retreated from him. Just in time, Jeanne emerged from the distance. When she saw them by the door, Jeanne ran up to them. Tia sighed at the sight of Jeanne wearing the same coat as Judah, making her hold his hand out of jealousy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I¡¯mte.¡± Jeanne told them as she came close. ¡°No, it¡¯s not time yet, so don¡¯t worry. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, I have bought my necessities and have packed them.¡± Jeanne turned to show them her backpack, sitting heavily on her shoulders. Judah would propose to put it in his -Bag-, but he wouldn¡¯t want to pry on whatever personal belongings she had in it, so he decided to sit on the decision. They proceeded on to the North Gate, where guards recorded the identities of those passing through the gate. It lookedpletely different from the west gate and the east gate, with lesser security. He would prefer to venture through there, but the North Gate was the only way to other countries. Only through this ce could he go to Urun, the country of entertainment, or Philoria, the Knight¡¯s country. People¡¯s eyes naturally flocked to Judah. Their murmuring grew, recognizing the little hero of Serenia and the very figure of the new statue by the East Gate. ¡°Please take good care of Judah.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gentia, I¡¯ll be sure to protect him,¡± Jeanne replied eagerly, dedicated to following her promise. Putting trust in her, Tia couldn¡¯t help but smile as they shook hands. She then turned to Judah and gave him a big hug. ¡°Then, venture well, Judah.¡± They moved apart, and as he took his first steps away, Tia bid him farewell with a smile and a wave, but her tail and ears drooped in mellow. Judah knew of all the countless eyes watching them, but without hesitation, Judah ran back to Tia, held her in an embrace, and then kissed her on the lips. He could feel every eye and hear every gasp, but he didn¡¯t care. Their kiss was short, but pulling apart, she saw the shock in Tia¡¯s face for being kissed in public for the very first time. ¡°I¡¯lle back. I¡¯ll do well, Tia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tia was tongue-tied, at a loss for words. Instead, her drooping ears and tail had perked up. Judah waved his hand again before pushing through the entrance. He heard Tia screaming well wishes for him, and if he kept looking, he knew he might tear up, so he turned away before his eyes swelled. The queue was long, but soon his turn came. ¡°Oh, Judah, you¡¯re leaving?¡± The guard acted as he knew him. He looked up, realizing it was the soldier from the subjugation, the one he advised to stab his sword instead. The world was small. Judahughed at what the guard said, but he didn¡¯t reply. When Judah didn¡¯t answer, he shrugged, then wrote down Judah¡¯s name on the paper he had in his hand. ¡°Judah Arche¡­and this one?¡± ¡°This is Jeanne Art Loire.¡± ¡°Jeanne Art Loi¡­re. Okay, I¡¯ve filled it in. Have a good trip.¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s it? There must be more to write.¡± He knew it wasn¡¯t that simple. The guard just wrote down his name. But when he asked, he merely shrugged. ¡°Because the Lord told me to pass you through. It¡¯s an instruction that was given a few days ago. It¡¯s so that you don¡¯t have much to think about.¡± Judah nodded in understanding, ¡°Oh, the Lord. Well, then, that¡¯s good for me. Then, see you.¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re going, but be well. Be healthy.¡± The guard waved his hand lightly, then announced Judah¡¯s right to passing. It went much easier than he thought. They went through the gate and found a carriage standing on the side of the wall. Serenia Castle¡¯s distance to Philoria was quite long, and it was much easier to travel by carriage. The roads were made for trading and importing with various countries, and they were very suitable for wagons. It was also quite spacious so that several carriages could travel side by side. Two healthy horses thrashed as Judah approached. The coachman, who was sitting on the seat, opened his eyes from his little nap. Then he looked at Judah and hurried down toe down. ¡°Are you Judah Arche?¡± ¡°Yes, here is my ID.¡± Judah showed the bronze medal issued by the Adventurers Guild. The coachman, who confirmed the name engraved on the copper te, smiled and opened the carriage door. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to Philoria safely.¡± Jeanne and Judah got into the wagon, and soon the wagon began to move with the sound of hooves meeting the ground. It was a little worn than the carriage that the Lord had lent in the past, but it was not so bad. Jeanne turned to Judah, who was looking out the window of their swaying carriage, ¡°You¡¯re going to Philoria.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Judah remembered he had yet to fill in Jeanne about his ns. All he did was ask her to be apanion but never got her into the details of it. It seemed like he threw her into the fire without telling her why. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s nothing different from what I told youst time¡­ So far.¡± Philoria was a neutral country in the northeast of Serenia Castle. Thend was as good as Serenity; their officials were fair, the people were kind, and thend was abundant. It was indeed a paradise. However, as it was an excellent ce to live, it was also a ce foreign enemies took a liking to invade. And this was where it got its name, as many knights rallied to save it from invasion, thus the nickname of ¨C Knight¡¯s Country-. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to Philoria at this time, are you going to participate in the -Green gstaff- contest?¡± The Green gstaff was a martial artspetition, tradition, and event held in Philoria. Numerous beginners and mercenaries would participate, and only those who use close-range weapons such as swords and spears were eligible topete. There were severalpetitions, but only beginners who have never participated in -Green gstaff- could join. In the game, thispetition level was not that difficult if the yer raised their level well at the beginning. That¡¯s why it was a must-go event, and the winning funds to gain from this tournament were pretty good. With this money, it was possible to fix a fellow character¡¯s equipment, but it could be destroyed the moment it is used. Along with that, the winning money could be of good use in pursuit of the fragments. Therefore, Judah nned to participate in the -Green gstaff- to raise the funds necessary to obtain the fragments. But then, he already received a fair amount of money from Chapelin Peerchen¡¯s quest called ¡°The Lord¡¯s Request.¡± Even the incidental ie he earned from hunting the ck wolf was plentiful, so they weren¡¯t scarce with money, and in fact, they were overflowing with it. Of course, if he participated in thepetition and won, he could get more money and buy a full te armor enchanted with green magic, but Judah didn¡¯t need it right now. Jeanne had the Blue Lancer exclusive armor, so even he got her an armor instead, it will be just for decoration. Judah shook his head to Jeanne¡¯s question and answered, ¡°No, I won¡¯t join. The Green gstaff is apetition held every four months, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s July, there¡¯s less than a month left for thepetition to take ce. There¡¯s nothing to do in Philoria during that time. We¡¯re not here for sightseeing. We¡¯re just stopping by in the capital, An. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°You mean to pass on it? What a shame, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity.¡± He said he was going to Philoria, and he seemed to take an interest in -The Green gstaff- contest. Seeing her disappointed, Judah thought of rethinking his ns. ¡°It¡¯s impossible right now, but in December, I¡¯ll join the Green gstaff.¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. But that¡¯s for December. For now, I have something to do.¡± Jeanne nodded her head. The leader was Judah, so she had to follow his schedule and ns. And he did say he would join, so she just had to wait for that day. Satisfied, Jeanne dropped the conversation. Judah didn¡¯t say anything either, but he felt that Jeanne was interested in it after bringing it up. The wagon continued moving quietly along the road. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ #Setting 2. ¡¸ Knight¡¯s Country-Philoria¡¹ Philoria was a neutral country with knights who value humility, honor, and belief. Officials were fair, people were friendly, and thend was abundant, and they faced no shortage of food and other important resources. Since it was and that everyone wants to live in, there were naturally many attempts to invade thend, but they repelled their enemies without much damage with their excellent force and wisdom. Despite their abilities, the people of Philoria, including the knights, did not neglect training. They were vignt for any attacks, and in preparation for this, they had to maintain the strength that always drew out their enemies. However, as peace continued, these efforts strained them, and their leaders realized they needed a solution to this problem. Aftering up with a multitude of ns, they decided to hold a martial arts contest that suited their skills in the capital of An. This will soon be a tradition of Philoria, and it became an honorable match for all knights on the continent. This martial artspetition, called the Green gstaffpetition, is divided into five. First, -Green gstaff-. This is apetition for those who are to join for the first time. Next, -Blue gstaff-, for those who have joined the Green gstaff in the past. Winners of the Green and Blue gstaff can participate in the Red gstaff, and those who have made an exceptional reputation can join in the Red gstaff without going through the Blue gstaff. However, it is possible only with a reputation that anyone deemed highly. The winners of the Red gstaff can participate in the -ck gstaff-. All contests were yed in a tournament format. Green is held every four months, Blue is held every half year, the Red gstaff is held annually, and the ck gstaff is held every two years. The rewards given to eachpetition¡¯s winners were all great, but there is one special reward for the ck gstaff. As most of the winners are the Wielders of the Sword, the prize was elite. It was the -Glory Medal-. Those who held this medal will eventually be eligible to participate in the Golden gstaff. Held every eight years, this Golden gstaff ranked participants in order of the winners, which bes a pride battle between nations. However, those who have participated in the contest do not care about this ranking at all. The Wielders of the Spirit Swords were satisfied that they can fight purely with those of simr skills or superiors to test each other¡¯s strength. Those who weren¡¯t the Wielders were satisfied enough to meet with the Wielders of the Sword. That was why those who held the Medal of Glory would not forget their soon visit to An, on the day this Golden gstaff opens. A truce was implemented between all countries on the continent in the name of thepetition. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 71

Chapter 71

71==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia It was boring to ride a carriage. In the game, if Judah traveled to the area with a carriage or a horse, he could arrive at his destination in no time. However, time was real here. When horses were tired from moving, they had to rest, stop to eat, and at night they had to rest again because it had grown dark and dangerous. Expectantly, this dyed their time to arrive at Philoria. ¡®I remember having to go through two castles to get to An.¡¯ One was -Hirod-, which served as a checkpoint with an often overlooked castle, and the remaining one was -Dempa-, which yed an important role for Philoria¡¯s southern defense line. Several castles, such as Hirod, were merely early defenses. Thick castles like Dempa were in charge ofplete defense along the main road. Judah thought of Dempa, where they would arrive soon. The carriage would drop them off Dempa and then go back to Serenia Castle, giving them free time in the area. ¡®¡­ Are there any quests worth breaking in Dempa?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember. Judah nced at Jeanne before opening his -Record-. She was dozing off with her hands together. They were in a carriage worse off than the lord¡¯s wagon, but this world had quite developed alchemy and magical skills. Thanks to this, even if it was an old-fashioned carriage, the carriage¡¯s trembling was of no issue. It was all thanks to the soft cushions of the seatsfortably. There was nothing to do, so heid his back down and rested his body. Judah opened his -Record-, pretending to look out of the window, thinking that Jeanne might wake up and see him doing whatever. A holographic window appeared in front of his eyes. Notes rted to Serenia Castle fell down the list of priorities, and the system had reduced its file size to the minimum. Among the memo nestled a roughly hand-drawn map, and Judah zoomed it into the area of ??Philoria. ¡®No.¡¯ Although there was an important story quest in Dempa, this was a quest limited to the mage Riel, who was supposed to be with Kain. Judah slowly read down what he had written down in the past. Philoria was known as a country of knights, and many recruited knights here as theirpanions. Like Jeanne, righteous people lived within thesends who could be trusted aspanions. One of thepanions who didn¡¯t betray Judah in the original game was a Philorian heretic. They were particrly reliable in escort missions, so many kingdoms and nobles paid a lot of money to entrust them in their quests. However, Judah already had a Blue Lancer, so he didn¡¯t have to recruit further. At the corner of his eyes, he spotted Jeanne sleeping. Her head tilted to the side, and then she wavered before her head violently hit the wall. ¡°Seoup!¡± With the sound of her saliva being sucked back in, Jeanne opened her sleepy eyes, but then she fell back to sleep with her head leaned back. Judah turned off his -Record- as he tried his best not to wake her up as he stifled hisughter. There was nothing more to read. ¡®It would be better just to pass by.¡¯ He didn¡¯t need to stay in Dempa either way. If they arrived in Dempa, the n was to eat their meals and then go straight to the capital, then take a wagon from Dempa to An. Judah, resting his chin on his hands raised against the window sill, stared nkly out of the window. The scenery from the outside with the cool breeze was so peaceful. However, the speed of the running carriage gradually decreased, and then it stopped altogether. Judah, as he was gazing outside the scenery, furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Why did they stop so suddenly? It wasn¡¯t mealtime, and their horses were well rested. Given everything, they were still there waiting on the road. Judah somehow anticipated that a monster or a bandit might have appeared, but when he remembered that this ce was Philoria, it was highly unlikely to be any of those. ¡°¡­Have we arrived?¡± Jeanne mumbled as she woke up at the sudden halt of the carriage. Judah shook his head. ¡°No. There seems to be something in front. Just keep on sleeping a little more. I¡¯ll check it out.¡± The moment he opened the carriage door and stepped on the ground, Judah¡¯s eyes widened. As he lifted his shoes from the cushion-like soil, traces of it stuck to the soles of his shoes. ¡®Did it rain?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know when it came, but the ground was a little damp. He tilted his head and walked toward the coachman¡¯s seat, who heard him as he approached. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal, so don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°Yeah, I trust you. You¡¯re the driver, after all. I just wanted to see things for myself because I was curious. Can I sit here for a minute?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. Please sit here.¡± The old coachman willingly gave Judah a seat next to him. He wondered why the wagon stopped, and when he looked ahead, a wagon stopped in the distance. ¡°Hmm-¡± Judah knew the roads of Dempa were not only linked to Hirod but also by several checkpoints. He wasn¡¯t sure about the checkpoints until he passed them by and saw them for himself. And naturally, the wagon traffic in this trail was big, but right now, the only carriage on the road was Judah¡¯s wagons. As they moved slowly, they saw a clearer view of the wagon ahead. ¡°Oh, no. It looks like their wheel fell out of the mud.¡± The coachman sitting next to him sighed. It was a colorful and big wagon, but its wheels were stuck. The coach over there spotted Judah¡¯s carriage, and then he started waving his arms for help. ¡°What should I do?¡± His coachman asked. ¡°Um, yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re from Serenia, of course you¡¯ll help¡­ But there¡¯s not much of a good thing about being tied to a nobleman from another country. If we passed by them, they wouldn¡¯t be able toin to us. We have a busy road ahead of us.¡± Upon hearing that, Judah paused for a moment and looked at the carriage standing on the side. The coachman¡¯s eyes were enough to plead for help. His trousers were muddy, and he indeed had a hard time getting their wagon out of the mud. ¡°Let¡¯s help them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The coachman nodded his head, obeying his instructions. Their wagon stopped by the road as the other coachman ran and bowed his head. He was a pretty young man. ¡°Oh, thank you very much! Please excuse me, but first, do you have any seats in the carriage?¡± ¡°I have a seat¡­but¡­¡± ¡°Are you willing to go to Dempa? I¡¯ll pay you for it if only you could bring the passenger of my carriage to Dempa.¡± ¡°What would you like to do?¡± The coachman couldn¡¯t care less, so he turned to Judah for his opinions instead. It didn¡¯t matter much to Judah either. However, the question was, what the nobleman riding in that fancy carriage thought. Judah had made up his mind to help anyway, so he agreed. The young coachman lit up, took out ten silver coins from his pocket, handed them over to the coachman and Judah, and then walked over to his carriage. Ten silver coins were enough money as the distance to Dempa was short. Soon after, the ornate carriage door opened, and a middle-aged man in a monocle and neat suit got off. He was holding a staff with jewels in his hand, and he was pretty cool, like a nobleman straight out of a novel. He looked at the young coachman with a dreadful look, listened to the story, touched his shoulder lightly, and then approached Judah, who was down from the coachman¡¯s seat. ¡°Even though it is our first time meeting, I¡¯m so d to meet you already. Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I have to help when others are in a difficult situation.¡± ¡°Oh. Are you from Philoria?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened at what Judah had said. The Philorians did not easily ignore the plight of others. It was here in Philoria that even if you be a beggar, you will not starve. Judah smiled and shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just amon adventurer. Could we get on with the story and keep going?¡± ¡°Very well, then, if you may excuse me.¡± The man opened Judah¡¯s wagon door, bowing his head, before stepping into the carriage. Jeanne, waiting inside, jumped as the man entered but settled down when Judah came after him. The horse cried after a whipping sound, and the carriage began to move again. ¡°We have a short way to go. If it¡¯s okay, I¡¯d like to talk a little bit.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Judah nodded his head, happy to entertain their guest. ¡°Hmm, thank you. What is your business in Dempa?¡± ¡°We have no other purpose in Dempa. We¡¯re heading to An.¡± ¡°An? Then you are going to participate in the Green gstaff!¡± He eximed as if he knew his answer was right. ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to join, but I don¡¯t intend to do that this time. There¡¯s a ce in An that I¡¯m going to visit¡­ But perhaps I might go see it.¡± ¡°Hmm. The Green gstaff only happens once in a while, so it would be better to participate when you have certain skills. Do you truly have intentions of participating?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes. I don¡¯t intend to participate, but I think mypanion wants to.¡± ¡°Hoh.¡± He looked up at Jeanne, who was sitting next to Judah, and then grinned, ¡°My daughter is supposed to participate in the gpole contest, but not me.¡± ¡°Do you have children?¡± The nobleman sighed, ¡°Yes. I have a child, one that doesn¡¯t listen to me very much. She left the house to join the Green gstaff. I¡¯m on my way to meet her¡­¡± As Judah talked with him, a strange feeling caught in his mind. He felt like he had seen him somewhere. Where? He forced himself to think, but his mind offered him no answers. As he lingered around the strange familiarity, Judah paused, realizing they had yet to introduce themselves to each other. Chapter 72

Chapter 72

72==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia To go through the process of introduction felt out of ce. During their conversation, there was plenty of room for the nobleman to introduce himself. With the way he carried the conversation, he may be deliberately keeping his identity to himself. After all, revealing a part of themselves might shift the air between them, and while Judah appreciated the sense of privacy that it gave, it made it difficult to deduce who the gentleman was. He wanted to use the Information Window function that listed a character¡¯s identity, ability, title, truth, characteristics, and skills, but to do so; he had to know the other person¡¯s name. A surname wasn¡¯t needed, but a pseudonym would be enough. Judah just needed anything that would point to his identity, but so far, the man had yet to mention a single hint about his name and how he wished the information system would tell him the other person¡¯s information. ¡®Looking at his appearance doesn¡¯t help either¡­¡¯ The clothes he was wearing were too ordinary. Aristocrats often used the monocle and chain, and the suit he wore was just asmon. The fabric of his luxurious clothes could give him a hint, but distinguishing him through those means was difficult. Judah couldn¡¯t spot any ring because his other hand was hidden underneath the other, as they both grasped a studded staff. The nobleman wore no distinguishable pendant either, just like the Blue Lancer. ¡®Is this guy even an important NPC, or have I met him before? Oh,e on, this is crazy. If he was, I should be able to remember his name at least.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t ramble out loud, so Judah could only grunt as he rocked his head for answers. Later on, he gave up his attempt to remember the man, chatting with him instead, and soon he was able to arrive at Dempa. They got off the wagon, said goodbye to the coachman, and entered the castle together. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to arrive herefortably.¡± ¡°No worries. Are you going to meet your daughter now?¡± Judah asked, recalling the conversation he had with him in the carriage. He said he had promised to meet his daughter, who ran away from here in Dempa. They talked about many things, but this was the most he could remember. ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a little time left for our appointment, but she¡¯s probably waiting for me already. Would you like toe to join us? It¡¯s not worth much, but I¡¯d love to have a meal with you.¡± If he was a nobleman, he could take them to an expensive and delicious restaurant, but Judah politely refused. Being in a carriage for days had bored him to death, and all he wanted was to wash and sleep as soon as he could. When he nced at Jeanne, she looked back at him with an expression he couldn¡¯t decipher. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can we pass on that for now? We¡¯re thinking of taking a break and going straight to An.¡± ¡°Oh, you must really be in a hurry. It can¡¯t be helped then. Still, it¡¯s a bit unfortunate to part ways like this¡­ Is there any chance you cane to Urunter?¡± ¡°Urun? Yes, I have errands to run in Urun. Even if I don¡¯t have business there, it¡¯s still a country I wish to visit.¡± Urun was famous for its spectacr scenery and entertainment culture. It was also the ce where one of the owners of the fragments was located. Other than his initial n, he had been longing to see the country for himself. Since the nobleman had mentioned Urun, it seemed that he was not a nobleman from Philoria, but a nobleman of Urun. His daughter ran away from home to participate in the Green gstaff, and at the mention of Urun, Judah finally had a wild guess as to who the man was. He was a nobleman from a foreign country and had the guts to wander around alone without an attendant, which meant he was confident in his skills. The clues were enough for Judah. The man let out a heartyugh, ¡°Very well. if you visit Urunter, pleasee to Count Lava in the capital.¡± ¡°Count Lava?¡± After being silent the whole time, Jeanne blurted out with her head tilted in thought. Then, her eyes widened like a deer caught in the headlights. Her hands frantically grabbed Judah, who had never seen her look as embarrassed as she was now. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jeanne¡¯s mouth hung open, staring at their guest. The nobleman put a finger up to his lips. Even when the nobleman gestured her to stay silent, Jeanne couldn¡¯t hold back her stuttering, ¡°Judah¡­ That¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, wait. I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet. I¡¯m Genuine de Lava, the Count of the Kingdom of Urun.¡± He reached out his right hand, asking for a handshake. Judah stared at the nobleman¡¯s hand as his name sank in. ¡®Genuine?¡¯ Judah¡¯s gaze turned to his right hand. As their hands shook, the nobleman¡¯s hand tilted slightly. An old fashioned ring glinted in the light, in an alluring red tint. The moment Judah saw it, his mind leaped in shock. Like a wave, memories he had forgotten came shing by. Count Genuine. It was the name of the man who owned the fifth fragment, the Valentine of Glory. With the power of the ring, he ascended the post of a great mage at a rtively young age of thirty-five and was famous for turning many of those who coveted his ring into a block of charcoal. ¡®He¡¯s so different in the game!¡¯ The Count was a stubborn nobleman with fierce eyes in the game, but the Count in front of him was a middle-aged man with apletely different atmosphere. He even had a daughter, one with a desire to join the Green gstaff, and all of which was almost a forgotten memory to Judah until now. That was why he couldn¡¯t recognize Count Genuine. The manughed at him, ¡°Oh, why are you so surprised? I stopped talking a while ago¡­ Are you not going to shake my hand? Don¡¯t worry, l won¡¯t turn you into charcoal, unlike what I¡¯m known for. I promise. I won¡¯t cast magic upon you, well, of course, unless you do me harm.¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me.¡± Judah shook his hand, forgetting to return the gesture. Jiiing! However, when their hands touched, the two of them were forced to take their hands off quickly. Their hands brushed naturally before the Count¡¯s vibrated upon contact. The two of them stood stunned by whatever had happened. ¡®Is it possible for the fragments to react to each other?¡¯ Fortunately, however, Carpe Diem, worn by Judah in his left index finger, showed no reaction. The only thing that reacted abnormally was the Count¡¯s Ring. The vibration quickly stopped, but the shock in the Count¡¯s eyes remained. He stared at his ring, then to Judah, and back to his ring again in absolute wonder. ¡°There¡¯s never been a reaction like this in thest decade¡­¡± He muttered to himself, but Judah heard it clearly. He seemed to have experienced this for the first time in a long time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can you give me your hand again?¡± Judah dly obliged, shaking his hand again. The fifth fragment reacted the same way as before the moment Judah and his hand touched. The Count paused for a moment, then sighed a little. ¡°Strange. I don¡¯t know why this is happening. But as I said, when youe to the Kingdom of Urun, make sure toe to Count Lava. I will remember you. If youe, I will treat you very well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. I won¡¯t forget to visit you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking too much of your time. If you have time, I will see you in An again. I am looking forward to that. Good day.¡± The Count greeted Judah and Jeanne, then turned around and went on his way. Judah watched him go, as everything made sense to him. It was true that his daughter took part in the Green gstaff after running away. However, it seemed very strange that he, a nobleman, roamed Philoria alone without an attendant, but he was Valentine¡¯s owner and it was understandable. Genuine scoured many ces as an adventurer to raise his low-ie family before getting his fragment. Judah remembered that he was already famous as a white silver adventurer even before he got the fragment, and after he got it, he ascended to tinum at once. Considering his career as an adventurer, it must have been a long time since he went on his own, but why was he alone now? Judah figured the Count was struck by nostalgia and decided to go alone for this trip. ¡®After all that, I didn¡¯t even think of taking his fragment.¡¯ If he tried to take it anyway, he could not have taken it. His current skills would not be able to break through his shield. He didn¡¯t even realize that Jeanne was still holding onto his clothes until she finally let go. ¡°Judah.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°How could you be so insensitive? He is a man with a fragment! There are only twenty-four fragments in this world!¡± Judah also had a fragment, and he could only smirk at Jeanne¡¯s excited reaction. It was natural for her to have such a reaction. After all, anybody would be excited. Judah met a Chinese yer once, who had collected all twenty-four fragments. The yer even met with Bill Gates to ask for help, and Bill Gates said she wanted to eat together, but he refused. Judah found himselfughing as he remembered the memory. ¡°What a sadugh¡­ Were you thinking of taking his fragment?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Judah stuttered, ¡°If we wanted to take it, we¡¯d be a block of charcoal in no time. We can¡¯t go against that with the skills we have now. It¡¯s also stupid to have such vain hopes and expectations. If you¡¯re a Wielder of the Spirit Sword¡­ it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°¡­It is.¡± ¡°Now, though, Count Genuine owes us a dinner, right? I¡¯ll meet himter when I visit the Kingdom of Urun. At that time, if we have any questions, we can ask him everything. It will be a pretty thrilling experience.¡± Jeanne blinked at Judah. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± He tilted his head, staring back at her. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s¡­ uh, you¡¯ve matured, Judah.¡± ¡°I hear that very often. Now, we should go and look for a ce to stay in. We have to go to An quickly.¡± Judah shed a smile before going on his way. There was nothing to see in Dempa, so he nned to get enough rest and leave for An right away. On their way to find an inn, Jeanne spoke up. ¡°By the way, Judah.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Remember when you saved me in the ruins?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°At that time, didn¡¯t you say that you want to visit many countries and explore?¡± Judah nodded slowly, trying to look upied by looking around. He didn¡¯t tell her his ns of collecting the fragments, merely telling her that he wanted to explore. When he looked back at Jeanne, her eyes were fixated on him with such a fierce gaze, like she knew something he didn¡¯t. ¡°But Judah, that contradicts what you told me in the carriage.¡± ¡°I made a contradiction?¡± ¡°Yes! You told me we weren¡¯t out here for sightseeing.¡± Oops. Judah didn¡¯t expect her to remember a slip of the tongue, ¡°Yeah, and? There¡¯s little to see in Philoria except for the martial artspetitions and castles, but nothing¡¯s different in their tourism, culture, and country¡¯s life. Why, do you have anything to suggest? We can do one, I guess.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Jeanne stopped in her tracks, eyes averting to an alley by her side. Judah was a few steps ahead of the Blue Lancer, walking over back to her to see what caught her attention. There was a market. ¡°There is no ce as good as the market to experience the wonders of another country. If I may, I would strongly suggest you explore that ce tonight or tomorrow!¡± * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ #Setting 3. ¡¸Fifth Fragment-Valentine of Glory¡¹ The ring is known by the name of Valentine, coveted by many of those who desire Pernen¡¯s fragments. While this ring may be of great value for its entric appearance, it had the power to reverse the lives of those who owned it. For non-standard beings such as Perrnern, it only increases their amount of magical power, magical talent, and manifestation speed. When an entity below a certain level has the ring, the owner gains wealth, honor, and an outstanding talent for magic. If a talented person got the ring, he would be able to ascend his powers. But without luck, even if you get the ring, you¡¯ll either remain the same way you are or die before living a sessful life. Rest assured. At least so far, those who owned the ring have not only sat in high positions but have gained fame through adventure and a spouse blessed with charm and skills. However, no matter how sessful their life was, the path of those who wore the ring was incredibly miserable. Of the many fragments, it was this fifth fragment that frequently changed owners. The one who turned this fate around and now owned the ring is known to be Genuine, the Count of the Kingdom of Urun, but no one knew if this was true. The belief came from his and his family¡¯s sudden rise to fortune one day, and soon he was given a gorgeous wife and became a high-ranking mage at the young age of thirty-five. His life kept getting better and better. Those who wanted to live longer coveted this ring and attacked Count Genuine, but they all turned into charcoal at the mercy of the Count¡¯s me magic. How about you? Are you ready to challenge him and take away the fragments? If you fail, there will be nothing left but your charred remains, but seeding will lead you to an unimaginable future. If you¡¯re not afraid to risk your life, you may try to challenge Count Genuine. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ===================================================== [Name: Chae-ya Family Ring] [Rating: Only] [Equipment: Ring] [effect] Magic Defense/Resist 10% increase [Exnation] It is a ring that proves you are a member of the Chae-ya family from the Baekje Empire, a sort of identification card. It is made of silver, and the pattern is less intricate, indicating the wearer must not be directly rted. -Chae-ya Family (Passive): A family of warriors famous for their swordsmanship and has produced Flying Fighters from generation to generation. Receives a bonus for sword skill proficiency. -Passive: Purifies the poison that has entered the body. If a toxin is ingested, the color of the ring changes first, indicating the infliction. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I don¡¯t know if this is importantter, but in the Chae-ya family of the Baekje Empire, Ea was not a very loved child. That¡¯s why I came up with that little bit of trait. She¡¯s dead anyway, so what I set was useless. Chapter 73

Chapter 73

73==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia Jeanne¡¯s eyes had grown heavy. It was a gaze that pierced straight through him that he couldn¡¯t reject. Judah sighed, avoiding her gaze. He would be okay to wander around the market, as he said, but he wanted to get to An as quickly as possible. They had already met Count Genuine unexpectedly, and he was anxious at the thought that someone might get to An before them and steal the fragment he was nning to take. If someone managed to get the upper hand, he had to go after them with the intention to kill the other person. ¡°Judah, are you listening to me?¡± Jeanne snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°Okay, okay. But why don¡¯t we go to An and see the market there instead? We can meet more people there, and since it¡¯s the capital, the market will be much more developed than here.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± This time, it was Jeanne who fell deep in thought. After a brief second, she nodded happily. Her smile faltered when taking onest look at the market. Eventually, they found an inn near the market. When they went inside, the interior decoration was as neat as it was from the outside, and the price was reasonable. Sharing a room was a cheaper option, but he rented separate rooms for them anyway. ¡°Take a rest today, wash, and I¡¯ll see you again tomorrow morning. If you want to go to the market, you can go.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Judah handed her the keys to her room. Upon receiving them, she paused for a moment to think. Then she pocketed the keys before waving her hands. ¡°Then, I will go back.¡± Judahughed at her as she left the inn in no time. It was expected of her, though. ¡°Are you okay with letting her go alone?¡± The innkeeper, who was watching, turned to Judah. It was a word of concern in many ways. Although Philoria is said to have excellent security, it does not interfere with personal love affairs. It meant that men could be hanging around to find her alone and avable. Judahughed, having worries for her at all. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± There was no point in worrying for Jeanne. After all, she was a skilled woman who could probably handle herself out there. ¡°I want to take a bath first, is there water avable here?¡± ¡°Yeah, the room over there has everything you need.¡± When he walked in the direction the innkeeper pointed, there was a bathhouse. Several people were washing, but all they did was wash silently or soak in the warm water without caring about each other. After being in the bath enough to stretch as the ce grew unupied, Judah came out, washed his body thoroughly, changed intofortable clothes, and finally headed to his room. Inside the neat room was his fluffy bed waiting for him, and as soon as heid eyes on it, Judahunched himself to itsforts. The bed softly epted Judah. He felt like he couldn¡¯t rest because he was in a foreign area, but his eyes closed from traveling fatigue. His body fell asleep all sprawled out on the soft mattress. Knock knock- Judah awakened to the sound of knocking. It didn¡¯t feel good for him to wake up at a time like that. Knock knock- Judah, taking all his might in getting himself out of her bed, slowly walked toward his door. ¡°Yeah?¡± He yawned and opened her door, and there was Jeanne in front of him, holding something in her arms. She said, ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t eat, so would you like to try this? I bought it from the market. I happened to buy a lot.¡± Judah could onlyugh at her as she held out the paper bags. A the paper bags to the brim, such as greasy chicken drumsticks and french fries. Their enticing scent shook him awake, filling his stomach with hunger. ¡°I¡¯ll eat them well. But didn¡¯t you buy them so you can eat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Of course, we¡¯ll eat it together.¡± After her remark, Jeanne went downstairs and ordered a beer from the maid, then went back up to Judah¡¯s room. Jeanne bought everything she could have wanted, but perhaps she bought too much to eat them all by herself. Even in a single room, there were two chairs avable for the singr table inside. ¡°You bought a lot,¡± Judah remarked. The paper bags weren¡¯t small, and Judah could see how heavy it was just by looking at them. The table was small, and Jeanne felt embarrassed that her purchases managed to fill it, leaving no room for the rest of her buys. ¡°I¡¯ve bought everything I want to eat. If you could, please wait a moment.¡± Jeanne brought over the table from her room for their beer sses. They clinked their drinks, its contents trickling down the ss. Judah gulped his beer, remembering what it felt like back in his old life. He couldn¡¯t understand what this beer tasted like for him, but it had been a while since he felt that good. ¡°Hah!¡± Judah exhaled, put down the ss, and reached out to the snacks Jeanne had brought from the market. One of the chicken sticks made his mouth water. Unwrapping it from the paper, Judah took a bite of it as its sauce bubbled in his taste buds. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As he chewed, Judah nced at hispanion, who was just holding her beer and staring nkly back at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°No, I already did.¡± Jeanne watched Judah as he helped himself with the food and beer. Had he ever drank before? Jeanne remembered well when she first parted ways with Judah and Gentia. She shared a drink with the Suin, who told her many stories about the boy. One of them was that she forbid Judah from drinking and that she would only let him drink after hising-of-age ceremony. Jeanne expected Judah to be curious about the beer like a normal kid would, but his reaction was of those who had consumed it often could. The child who had just grown up acted so casually with the beer like he had drunk them before, but her questions died afterward. Jeanne blinked at Judah, who was eating away at the snacks faster than she thought he could. ¡°So, how was the market?¡± Judah suddenly remembered to ask after being so upied by eating the french fries. With the hunger gone, he finally had the room to pay attention to the other side. ¡°Oh, the market¡­ it was very neat, surprisingly. The imperial market wasn¡¯t all that much, but it was still admirable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the market, isn¡¯t it the same wherever you go?¡± In Judah¡¯s head, the definition of a market was a ce crowded with people and opportunistic pickpockets,pensated of things to see. Jeanne chuckled at Judah¡¯s question, emptying what was left of the beer in her ss. She exhaled at thest drop, then reached out for something to eat. ¡°I thought so too, but Philoria is so different. It¡¯s surprising how different it is¡­¡± Jeanne trailed off before bursting intoughter. ¡°Okay. Then, when we go to An, why don¡¯t we drop by the market? If I do, maybe I¡¯ll be surprised as well. Until that timees, I won¡¯t be believing your words.¡± Jeanne grinned at Judah¡¯s resort before continuing to munch on the food before them. For a moment, Judah only stared back at her in frustration, but he let it go eventually with a sigh. ¡®Looking at me talking. We¡¯ll just have to see if I¡¯ve been looking down at the markets in such normal regard.¡¯ Judah wondered if meeting the Count of Urun had done anything to him, but he uttered no word about it. After they finished eating, Jeanne reminded him of his promise about going to An¡¯s markets and said that she would not forget it. + + + They left the inn when the sun rose around dawn as they recovered from their fatigue. It wasn¡¯t difficult to find the carriages going between An and Dempa, there were coaches all around and arge number of carriages waiting for passengers. If it were the day of the gstaffpetition, it would not be easy to find a carriage, but since it was an easy day, the two of them could find a coachman and a wagon. With plenty of money to spare, Judah rented a better carriage than the one they hired from Serenia Castle. They were able to get to An, the capital of Philoria, much morefortably than before. ¡°¡­Amazing.¡± As soon as she got off the wagon, Jeanne gaped at the view of An in front of her. Her voice trembled in excitement, and Judah could understand why. The walls before them were magnificent as it was sturdy. The coachman bid them a pleasant trip before turning away back to his carriage. Judah bid him farewell in return before looking back at An. The walls and castles of Dempa were great, but An was of a different ss. Despite looking at it from a distance, it made them feel like ants. ¡®That is cool.¡¯ It was all he thought of as heid eyes on An. There was no other way to exin it. Like Serenia, it was surrounded by two or three walls, but the height of the walls was all different. The outermost wall was not low, and the size of the seeding walls was greater than those that came before it. As they peered at the buildings inside, it seemed like arge mountain was built and carved into a castle, like an underground castle. Trying to imagine himself as a general with the ns of invading An, Judah tried to think of ways to win such a war, but the only n he could think of was if a rebellion or a siege would arise from the very inside. If not, to attack it from the outside would be futile. Even if invaders managed to get past the lowest outermost wall, the next wall behind it was mightier and far harder to take over. ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± As they gawked at the castle, Jeanne began to speak. Judah turned his head to her, but Jeanne didn¡¯t take her eyes off at the sight before them. She beheld the view of An, engraving it into her memory as to remember it for the rest of her life. ¡°Philoria has never allowed enemy invasion into the capital city. But they always assumed the worst situation and thoroughly defended the capital and the ce where no enemies came. That is what makes the Kingdom of Philoria an untouchable country. Isn¡¯t it great? Isn¡¯t it great? They live in peace, but they don¡¯t let their guards down, even preparing for any ordeal that maye.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The instructor who taught me¡­ told us, apprentices, to go to the capital of Philoria, if possible. My empire rallied against several kingdoms and was not afraid of even Baekje, our biggest enemy, but there was an exception. It was Philoria. I didn¡¯t understand why he urged us to see An, but now, I think I know why.¡± For Judah, it was just a nice view, but it seemed to have a different meaning for Jeanne. After all, out of all hispanions, Jeanne was the brightest. With anticipation in her eyes, she grumbled before grabbing Judah¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Judah. What can we do by just looking?¡± Jeanne then dragged Judah straight for the castle¡¯s checkpoint. Chapter 74

Chapter 74

74==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia It wasn¡¯t that difficult to get through An¡¯s checkpoint. Whether someone was a noble or an adventurer, they could pass if the guards could identify their identity. They entered through the passage of the gate that was as long as a massive wall. Jeanne and Judah admired the calm, open streets, unlike what they had seen from outside. They thought that the buildings towering far above the gate would be intimidating but looking at the city before them, everything was spacious andfortable. As a country¡¯s capital, Serenia was an iparable crowd. Still, evenmon trash was hard to see on the road, and housents neatly arranged by the entrance made the threshold feel far more warm and weing. It was like a textbook rich country. ¡°The road is one-way, unlike Dempa.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing? It feels neat.¡± Jeanne muttered, earning a nod of agreement from Judah. The road was divided into two sides, allowing people to walk to their right ording to whichever way they were heading to not bump into each other. The two of them blended into the crowd on their right. They didn¡¯t need to avoid the iing people who followed the same rules on their side, and no shoulders were bumping into each other. At this point, other countries felt like awless zone. When he was making the game, he couldn¡¯t remember making such detailed rules. If this world appeared in the game, it would be an iplete world with missing details, but magically, this ce wasplete. In the game, if youpared Serenia and Philoria, there would be no difference even if you went into a different country. ¡®Ah. That¡­¡¯ While walking along the street with Jeanne, Judah stopped. His vision caught a glimpse of a colossal structure inside the second wall. It was a circr tower, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. ¡®Hall of Fame.¡¯ It was amon name, but it was the name of that tower. Hall of Fame ¡ª there was no other name that suited it. That circr tower honored the ck gstaff winners and stored the items they used in their battles. ¡®That¡¯s awesome. Really¡­¡¯ Judah gazed at the streets before him, a euphoric smile curling on his lips. Suddenly, the memories of making a game in the distant paste to his mind. For the 2nd continent, some people helped him design and build it, so he didn¡¯t spend so much time creating buildings or terrain. But in the first continent, he made everything on his own. After nning the area and setting the terrain, the buildings wereid out using various tools in his editor. After modeling the key locations of each country, the building was given a particr name and function. Serenia¡¯s -The Temple- and An¡¯s -Hall of Fame- were prominent examples. To put it into perspective, everything on this street was made by Judah, with his own hands. But to be honest, it wasn¡¯t as detailed as it was now. There were empty spaces everywhere, and itcked so many details. To keep the yer from straying off the map if it was too intricate, the yer could only see the private houses outside and could not enter them. But now, he was free to roam like somebody had filled the holes he left. It felt like whatever he made was remade from the ground up into something much better and higher in quality. Looking at the capital city before him, he had almost forgotten that he made it. However, the moment he remembered that he made the very base and idea of everything around him, he couldn¡¯t contain the pride swelling in his heart. ¡°Judah?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He didn¡¯t know how long he had been gaping, but Jeanne snapped him out of it. Jeanne was staring at him, and Judah waste to realize that hispanion had been giggling at him. ¡°What are you looking so happy for?¡± Jeanne continued. ¡°Ah-¡± Judah paused, unaware that his glee had been showing up on his face. Looking back on old memories filled him with so much joy he couldn¡¯t hide it. But just in time, a child passed by, holding her mother¡¯s hand. The little girl licked away at her lollipop happily, and the adorable sight made him smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just¡­ lots of good things to look at.¡± ¡°Is that so? You weren¡¯t looking at the child?¡± Jeanne figured she could be wrong, but instead of answering her question, Judah only smiled as he continued walking. Jeanne watched the mother and child pass by before following after Judah again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we have to stop by somewhere here in An? Do you know where it is?¡± ¡°Um, roughly? Maybe, we¡¯ll find it until the sun sets.¡± ¡°Roughly?¡± After seeing Jeanne mutter in disappointment, Judah pulled up his -Map-. Usually, the general field would be obscured unless the yer can explore the field, but in a safe zone like a castle or vige, he could check all the information about the area without going around. If he remembered correctly, the store that sold the fragment was located on the second wall. The game made it impossible to walk towards private properties. It did not have any special features and was made to keep the yer from going astray. However, there was a store located in a corner that people failed to find. Judah led Jeanne, taking their time diligently. After getting used to the surroundingndscape, Judah went to the food stalls by the street. Jeanne promised not toin about Judah leading their way, but Judah bought her something to eat to make things even sure. From sweet to soft bread, Jeanne munched down whatever they had bought. Thanks to this, Jeanne¡¯s mouth watered even more than before. ¡°By the way, Judah, you find your way very well foring here, like you¡¯ve been here before.¡± Of course, it was easy. Looking at the map helped. Now and then, Judah pretended to stop on his tracks to avoid suspicions and even asked around the food stalls for directions. ¡°I tend to find my way just fine. I¡¯ve never been lost in the woods. And if I get lost, will it be a problem? Because my path is the right path, and whichever way I go, I arrive somewhere. Wandering around the marketce is nice. Don¡¯t you find it pleasant to just go about?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I like what you just said, ¡®whichever way you go, you arrive somewhere.¡¯ But can you tell me where we are headed exactly?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you¡¯re curious about? The ce we¡¯re going to right now is a cksmith shop. Specifically, the weapon shop.¡± ¡°?¡± Jeanne¡¯s eyes widened. There were weapons and cksmith shops all around. Daang! nk! The sound of hammers bashing on iron echoed faintly through the streets, but it was a sound mostmonly found in An. ¡°Is it something special?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s special.¡± The cksmiths and weapons shops around were bright and colorful. The materials in Serenia were not evenparable to theirs, just like the taste of their rice cakes. And in here, he was able to get a good weapon at a rtively cheap pricepared to buying it elsewhere. Perhaps because of that, people visited An to purchase weapons. But contrary to the rest, the store Judah was going to was a shabby one. ¡°¡­Is it really here?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jeanne looked back and forth at Judah and the store incredulously. Compared to the tremendous number of peopleing and going to the capital An, this street was less crowded than most. And contrary to the weapon shops that they¡¯ve seen before, the one in front of them looked unkempt. The signboard was also faded, and the building before them looked unweing than the surrounding establishments. One of the weapons on disy through the window certainly looked good to Jeanne, but there was no one inside, so she doubted that the shop was open. In short, Jeanne found the store to be unreliable. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t say this, but this store looks weird and beaten down. No, wait a minute. Is it special because it¡¯s meant to look as strange as it is?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Are you out of money? So you went here to buy a good weapon at the lowest possible price?¡± ¡°No, not really. Jeanne, if you walk in, you¡¯ll see why I went for this nice little store.¡± ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t have enough money anytime, please tell me. I have money too, so if you don¡¯t have enough travel expenses, I can give you.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer.¡± Judahughed, knowing well why Jeanne would react in such a way about the store. It may not look impressive, but this was precisely the store Judah went for. It was old, shabby, and famous only for those who knew of it. It was far more special than any other ce where the other twenty-four fragments were, and the fragment here was much easier to obtain as well. People like the word -hidden-. It was an Easter Egg Judah felt satisfied with, and the short story he added with it. Just finding something -hidden- gave the yers a great sense of aplishment. And it was the same with Judah. He aimed just for that, and he built this store and let the fragment sit and be avable for purchase. When making the game, he tried to keep the movement of yers as little as possible so that they couldn¡¯t go to private houses. However, this was the one ce they could go to. Most yers gave up around the area after realizing there wasn¡¯t much for them to explore. It can be seen as a kind of prejudice. They thought that if they couldn¡¯t go to the other properties, why would they wish to visit this shabby store as well? Since it was a single-yer game, not an online game, there were only three cases where yers thought it was a bug in the game because nobody else had stumbled upon it. When you hear about thement from other people who enjoyed the game, read an article posted by other people on the game website, or identally enter an alleyway, those who came into the store like that are wondering but were surprised to see what the store owner sells. Of course, the item sold at this store was one of the twenty-four fragments. It was -10th Fragment, Altemia-. ¡°We should stop standing and go inside.¡± Judah smiled and opened the door of the store. It jiggled as the bell at the top of the door rang through the room. Unlike the old facade seen from the outside, the interior was rtively neat. Not a single dust could be seen on any surface. ¡°Wee.¡± The moment she heard the bell, an olddy appeared before them. Chapter 75

Chapter 75

75==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia Slowly, the olddy approached Judah. ¡°If you have something you¡¯re looking for, can I help you? Or, do you wish to browse and bring it forward?¡± ¡°I will choose and take it myself, please.¡± The olddy looked sick and unfit to walk around, so Judah politely declined. She told Judah to take his time before retreating to the counter to take her seat, then Judah began to look around her things. ¡°Are you sure this is the ce?¡± Jeanne whispered, watching the sickly store owner. Was it okay to buy things here? Sure, the weapons around them seemed well-maintained, but Jeanne still had her doubts. Judah went over to the nearest sack and pulled out a longsword, handing it over to Jeanne, ¡°Look at it for yourself. The quality of the weapon is not bad.¡± ¡°Well¡­ You are right.¡± When Judah handed the sword to her, its sharp edges took her by surprise. It was different from what she expected. The store looked old, but it felt like the store was cleaned spotless every day on the inside. ¡°If you need anything, I buy it at Lee Cham. I heard that the store¡¯s quality is excellent.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± She replied right away. The Blue Lancer didn¡¯t need any special weapons. She was able to summon spears and shields, including full te armor. She didn¡¯t need to buy or use anything else. Judah left the bastard and longsword section, moving further into the store for the daggers. Despite being a small store, the shop offered a wide of weapons. The daggers sat by the corner. ¡®Hmm. In the game, the store owner just sold it.¡¯ In the game, NPCs show you a list of their items, sparing you the bother of looking for what you wanted. They sold the dagger with the highest price at the bottom of the list, which was the Altemia. In detail, Altemia was hidden inside a dagger, like a traditional Russian doll, Matryoshka. The shopkeeper believed that the item was merely their heirloom and nothing else. If you tried purchasing it with insufficient funds, the storekeeper would tell you, ¡®This dagger is a product made by our great grandfather. It¡¯s not for sale, but¡­ If you really want this, I¡¯ll sell it for a reasonable price. Since it¡¯s an heirloom, I cannot lower or change its price.¡± and willter urge you to return once you have enough money to pay for it. Perhaps, right now, he could just go up to the storekeeper and ask for an heirloom, but he didn¡¯t wish to bother the olddy who seemed to keep on sighing now and then. So instead, Judah kept on picking up the daggers before him, then checked his information window to see if it was the fragment he was looking for. ¡®Hmm? Why is¡­¡¯ Judah had checked most of the daggers one by one, but nothing special deserved to be called an heirloom. The information window could not lie to him either, nor were there other daggers on disy. ¡®Is it hidden?¡¯ Or perhaps someone had already bought it. No, it can¡¯t be. Judah believed so. However, he couldn¡¯t stop but feel anxious by the thought of it. ¡°Why does the store owner look so ill? There must be a temple here.¡± Jeanne mumbled, waiting for Judah as he scavenged the daggers. She watched the olddy sighing at the counter over and over again. Jeanne was too worried about the storekeeper that she missed the grim frown upon Judah¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± In truth, he knew, and it was no illness that made the olddy look so beaten down. Her daughter had a rare disease, and she could not be cured with priestly remedies or any alchemist medicines, all that was to improve her condition. But even that required a lot of money. That¡¯s why they were blessed with a hidden fragment that they could sell at a high price. And after purchasing the dagger, you can get a new quest from the store owner, which gives you the option to ept or not. It wasn¡¯t essential. However, taking this quest will be of tremendous help when visiting the Elven Landter. ¡®Even then, I can only get that quest if I get Altemia or not¡­¡¯ Judah racked his brain on what they could do, juggling a dagger into the air and catching it as he was lost in thoughts. He could simply go and ask the storekeeper for the fragment¡­ But in the game, she had no idea about the fragment in this very room. Judah rechecked the daggers, but nothing stood out enough to fit the heirloom he looked for. He sighed, putting down thest dagger he inspected. If he thought about it, who would even mix an heirloom within their regr merchandise? They walked over to the counter, with Judah raising his hand politely to get the attention of the gloomy olddy. She looked back at them with woeful eyes, ones that made Jeanne¡¯s heart swell with sympathies. ¡°Are these all the daggers you have here?¡± ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t find anything you like?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. It didn¡¯t have what I¡¯m looking for¡­¡± He paused. Judah¡¯s eyes turned to the showcase behind the counter. There was a curtain hiding a showcase, and down at the lowermostpartment peeked a weapon draped with a small cloth. It was a dagger. Its gorgeous gleam told him it was an expensive item. There were other weapons in the showcase, but his interests weren¡¯t for any of them. ¡®No way.¡¯ Judah checked his information system about the dagger. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: A dagger in which the craftsman has hidden something] [Rating: Legendary _ Ordinary Sword] [Equipment: Dagger] [Durability: 5/5] [Attack power: 30] [Exnation] It looks like a dagger made by an excellent cksmith on the outside, but it has a deep secret. There is something special in it. -Passive: A special secret is hidden within the dagger. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ He found it! That was it! Inside that dagger was Altemia. Judah, trying his best to calm his beating heart, pointed at the dagger in the showcase. ¡°May I please see that dagger?¡± ¡°The weapons in the showcase belong to the house. My apologies, but I cannot show them to you.¡± The storekeeper wouldn¡¯t sell it. Usually, he would have turned around here, but he needed to buy that dagger. Things weren¡¯t this tricky in the game. ¡°I¡¯ll give you any amount you want. I want you to sell that dagger to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A troubled look came across the olddy¡¯s face. If she were to ept the bargain, she needed to decide and give the amount she wanted for it. ¡°15 gold coins. I¡¯ll give you 15 gold coins.¡± ¡°15 gold coins, really?¡± ¡°Yes. Even if you decline my offer, you won¡¯t have a good chance to sell something at this price. What do you think?¡± The dagger was avable for ten gold coins in the game, but Judah added five more to it. Thedy¡¯s eyes widened, and her fists clenched. She bit her lip, and Judah could tell the turmoil she was in. ¡°Could you please give me a minute? I¡¯ll talk to my husband ande back.¡± She jumped up from her seat and walked to the back of her shop. Jeanne grabbed Judah by the shoulder. ¡°Are you insane, Judah? What is it with that dagger for you to pay such huge sums for it? 15 gold coins¡­ You can get an excellent weapon with such! A waste of money, this is! Absolutely crazy!¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, Jeanne. I¡¯m insane. But for now, just¡ª I¡¯ll exinter. Let me take a look at it, and you¡¯ll be surprisedter.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Jeanne huffed, face churned in disbelief. Judah tried talking to her again, but she only closed her lips, but sighed a momentter, ¡°Okay. I¡¯d like you to give me a proper exnation that I can understand. Whoo¡ª But give me a moment, for now, I¡¯d like to go out for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll be done with this soon¡­¡± Jeanne left the shop without looking back, grumbling to herself as she stormed off. Judah watched her go with a bitter smile on his face. Shortly after that, the storekeeper returned with a middle-aged man who seemed to struggle with his movements. He looked back at thedy before wringing his hands. The man walked over to the counter and looked down at Judah. ¡°You want to buy our heirloom?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll give you 15 gold coins.¡± The man stared at him in disbelief. How could a young thing like him pay a big sum of 15 gold coins? Instead of speaking further, Judah opened his coat and pulled out the bag inside. He dropped the coins on the table, and they shimmered brightly despite the low light of the store. As a cksmith who touched metal on a daily dose, the older man knew right away that they were real gold. He quickly took the gold coins Judah had presented. ¡°My great grandfather made the dagger, and it¡¯s not a great weapon. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth 15 gold coins. Wouldn¡¯t you regret this? I would rather sell you a different weapon.¡± ¡¯15 Gold coins weren¡¯t worth it?¡¯ Judah barely endured how much he wanted tough at the remark. Whatever continent he was in, there was no other ce for him to get a fragment for the price of 15 gold coins. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. All I want is that dagger.¡± ¡°I see¡­ If you say so. Then, give me a second.¡± He walked through the curtain of the showcase and took out the dagger from inside. The dagger, without a speck of dust, shed sharply when it met the light. Judah took in the sight of it. The system was yet to tell him that he had acquired the fragment. ¡°Thank you. Thank you very much.¡± Suddenly, thedy next to the man bowed to Judah and thanked him. Her voice wavered as she cried. The man approached the woman and hugged her, and soon he was crying as well. ¡°I think I bought it at a fair price. You shouldn¡¯t thank me for it. But what are you thanking me for? Is there a story I should know?¡± Judah asked. The man debated what to say, only sighing at the end, ¡°No big deal. We just needed the money.¡± ¡°How is it not a big deal?!¡± While crying in his arms, thedy raised her head and eximed to her husband. Taken aback by her outburst, he grabbed his wife¡¯s shoulder and replied with a firm voice, ¡°Honey, you know I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! How can you easily say that it¡¯s no big deal when we have to see her suffer every day!¡± Judah had no choice but to wait for them to calm down, not daring to intervene in their conversation. Chapter 76

Chapter 76

76==================== The Tenth Fragment, Altemia ¡°Judah! What¡¯s going on?¡± After hearing the voices from inside the store, Jeanne went back inside, sending the bell hanging above the door into a frenzy. The emotional couple froze the moment she entered. Under the impression that Judah and the storekeeper were fighting, Jeanne stood by the threshold in confusion. Thanks to her entrance, the couple stopped fighting and realized an audience was waiting for them. Jeanne approached Judah, testing the atmosphere. ¡°Was my timing unfortunate?¡± ¡°No, you just came in just in time. I was just waiting for them.¡± Judah was wondering whether he should console them or not. Then, thedy went into the back of their shop in tears, while the older man stayed with them with an embarrassed sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You didn¡¯t have to see that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. It seems like something heavy is going on with you.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very long story. Whoo ¡ª I would like to confess it to you, that is if you have the time. Would you like to listen to the story?¡± This was the quest. And despite knowing the full story, Judah nodded eagerly to his question. ¡°Well, thank you. There¡¯s nowhere here for us to talk properly, why don¡¯t we go outside? It¡¯s frustrating here.¡± Outside the store, there was a bench where they could simply sit back and rx. Judah and Jeanne sat on the bench, while the man sat on the flower bed under arge tree¡¯s shade. They sat there by the corner, far from any peopleing and going, and it was a perfect ce for the conversation. A cool breeze brushed past the three of them. ¡°My name is Edsen. I¡¯m a cksmith and a weapon dealer. The woman inside is my wife.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Judah. This girl beside me is Jeanne. She¡¯s an adventurer. A bronze adventurer.¡± ¡°I will get a silver que soon.¡± Jeanne corrected him, but Judah didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t know precisely when she would ascend to silver, but she was still a bronze right now. Edsenughed, ¡°A copper and a silver te, huh? For adventurers, yourpany is pretty small. Usually, four or five people go on adventures together.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a suitablepanion. I haven¡¯t found a teammate who can give me the same skill and trust as Jeanne. I think we¡¯re doing quite well, either way. Even though we¡¯re quite a match, I think we¡¯re okay. The money you got for the dagger was the fruit of multiple quests.¡± The quest was from the lord and not the adventurer¡¯s guild, but he didn¡¯t tell the cksmith about it. He didn¡¯t have to. The man was already impressed by their feat. ¡°That¡¯s pretty good. It¡¯s even more surprising because you don¡¯t seem to be lying about it.¡± Judah shrugged, and for a moment, there was a silence between them. It was a natural one, shared between people who had just met each other. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to begin. Let¡¯s see. I have a daughter and a son.¡± Heughed awkwardly as he began his speech. ¡°My daughter resembles my wife, and my son resembles me. Thinking about them makes me happy. Even though the kids had troubles, they were never spoiled. They were usually happy. They were satisfied with our shabby store passed to me by my great grandfathers. I took over, and we didn¡¯t run out of ie because many people came through word of mouth. But one day, my daughter fell ill.¡± ¡°Your daughter got sick?¡± Jeanne mumbled, shocked and sympathetic. Edsen nodded as his shoulder sunk, ¡°Yes. A rare disease. Even if we healed her, her body grew weaker, and she even got all sorts of small illnesses afterwards. We didn¡¯t know at first. We just went to get her medicines or brought her to the priest to get her treated. It was peculiar. No matter how weak you are, you can¡¯t get three or four diseases all at once in a month, right?¡± There was nothing wrong with it. Magic Power Deficit was the name of the disease Judah set when making this quest. Just as blood flowed through everyone¡¯s body, people lived with basic magical powers. Magic power was used to strengthen the body to use magic or activate a certain level of swordsmanship. Still, it was usually used to increase the body¡¯s immunity to prevent disease. However, when you suffer from this magical deficiency, the magic power stored in one¡¯s body is like a dam with a hole that will leak and dry out. Naturally, the person¡¯s immunity decreases, and it is easy to get sick, andter, several diseases attack all at once, and the person can die ofplications. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe the priest of the temple. So, I went to the famous mage and alchemist who visited An and asked for their help. They saw my daughter and said that the magic power in her body was leaking out.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°What should I do? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of this case, so I don¡¯t know anything. They said they couldn¡¯t help, but I said that feeding her a gemstone might work. The gemstones that came out of demons¡¯ bodies had magical power. I thought it made sense. So I bought her a gemstone. Fortunately, it worked. My daughter always gasped like she was on the edge of death, but after eating the gemstone, she was able to live like before.¡± ¡°Good thing.¡± Jeanne sighed, yet Edsenughed at her. ¡°Thank you? I thought it was fortunate too. She had a way to live even at the cost of a small fortune. But that wasn¡¯t it. It was only for temporary measures. The amount of magic power she needed increased as well as the number of gemstones she needed to consume, which made her suffer greatly. In turn, the couple where we got her gemstones were also strained. Soon, the money I saved ran out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, I went to -Calypso-, thend of Magic, where my son heard about¡­ Che¡­ che, what was it?¡± ¡°Cherserian.¡± Instead of Edsen, Judah finished the sentence, ¡°It¡¯s the name of the magic power nt. It looks like you went there to get her some?¡± ¡°!¡± Edsen¡¯s eyes widened, startled by Judah¡¯s reply. The boy was only looking down on the ground, shaking his legs. He continued speaking, unbothered by the gazes upon him, ¡°I don¡¯t know where he heard it, but I guess your son was lucky. Your daughter¡¯s disease is ¡®Magic Power Deficit.¡¯ It¡¯s a disease in which the bnce of the body is disrupted because of the body¡¯sck of magic power. It needs medicinal herbs, essential for her healing. Calypso is and full of magic enough to sustain mages since ancient times, so you can find magical herbs there that are rare elsewhere.¡± ¡°Oh my God. Her illness had a name? Even the skilled mage didn¡¯t know?¡± Not much was known about this disease. It wasn¡¯t famous and was a very rare disease, so only the Burs or the tower lords of -Langritsa¡¯s Atop- in Calypso knew of it. Of course, not everyone knew everything about this world, so there may be more people who knew it more than Judah thought. Judah replied, ¡°I just happened to know. Do you know about Serenia?¡± ¡°I do. There are fragments in that area that are yet to be discovered, so adventurers and mercenaries headed there for a chance to find them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s where Ie from. The lord made a library for everyone, and if you go there, there are quite a few books of the old Magic Empire. I know the disease because of their books.¡± ¡°Well, then! Do you know any cure?¡± Judah looked at Edsen. The older man¡¯s eyes were squeezing him for answers. ¡°Yes. But I don¡¯t know if I canpletely cure it. It¡¯s just what I saw in the book. If the book is real, then I can cure it. No, even if I can¡¯t cure it, she¡¯ll get better somehow.¡± Edsen stood up, walked in front of Judah, then copsed to his feet as he grabbed the boy¡¯s hands. He bowed his head, ¡°Please, help me. I¡¯ll pay as much as you want. If you need to go, I¡¯ll give you more. Please, would you treat my daughter?!¡± ¡°Edsen¡¯s request.¡± [Edsen, the owner of a shabby weapon shop in An, the capital of Philoria, is eagerly asking you.] [If you make a medication for his daughter who suffers from Magic Power Deficit, he will see you as a lifelong benefactor.] [Of course, no reputation will be made out of this, and the rewards may be less than what you struggled with.] [However, you have given him hope. Since you said you know the cure, how would you like to help him?] [You don¡¯t know. As you help Edsen¡­] Carefully, Judah read the contents of the quest at the hologram window that appeared before his eyes. He blinked, confused to see the message fade off like an error before it disappeared into the background. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, so get up.¡± ¡°?¡± It was Jeanne who answered him instead. Judah blinked, then he snapped his head at her. Their eyes met, and her very gaze told him, ¡®What? Wouldn¡¯t you like to help anyway?¡¯ Judah huffed, and Edsel bit his lip as his body trembled in absolute gratitude. ¡°Oh, thank you. Really. Thank you!¡± And a new window appeared before his eyes. [You have epted the quest.] Chapter 77

Chapter 77

77==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare ¡¸ Calypso¡¯s Nightmare¡¹ He pursued a forbidden power for the victory of his empire. He used Bel-Therja, the Lord of the dead, and used his ghosts to lead the empire to victory in the war, and that he certainly did. He killed many of his enemies, the enemy of the empire, and did it to bring them back to life. Over and over again, he fought. For this, he gained fame, honor, and wealth. To the empire, he was a hero, and to the enemy, he was the devil. However, no matter how many enemies he killed in the name of his empire¡­ No matter how much honor and wealth he gained¡­ His wife, his son, and his allies who died during the war did not return. Hesitation did not cross his mind in diminishing his enemies. Using Bel-Therja¡¯s power to control the ghosts rid him of the guilt of the bloodbath he ensued. His heart was nothing but a void of sadness and vain, rendering him numb from feeling anything. He killed his enemies, revived them, and continued with his cycle as the memories of the past chewed on him. One day, he could no longer bear the loneliness he endured. With the help of Bel-Therja¡¯s power, they dug up the tomb of his beloved family, uncovering what was left of the bones of his wife and son. Their bones were nothing like the remains of those he had seen on the battlefield. The moment he saw it, his stomach churned, and nausea overcame his senses. What was he trying to do? The thought of reviving them disappeared from his desires. After this heartbreaking resolution, the honor and wealth he had gained lost their worth in his eyes. Wandering with no sense of purpose, he left the battle. The empire did not force him to stay either. Rather, they said that he had suffered enough and gave him a lot of recognition for it. Just a few days ago, he stood on the battlefield where screams of agony and cries for mercy mixed in his ears. Now, he sat leisurely as he listened to the mellow blowing of the wind. He drowned himself in booze, thinking about everything he had gone through. He spent every day doing nothing. In the eyes of others, they were meaningless hours but to him, having the silence was important. But then, his peace broke down. Bel-Therja¡¯s power, the ghosts, who acted as his ve in his many battles, broke through his mental barrier and began to invade it. At first, the ghosts could only mumble through the tiny hole they made, but as time passed, they came into his house and made themselves known louder and clearer than before. Every second of every day. In reality, in his dreams¡­ they haunted him relentlessly. Everything started to get out of control. He was certain that he held the power of Lord Bel-Therja to control the ghosts, but now he wasn¡¯t sure whether he controlled the ghosts or they controlled him. The worst was yet toe, as every day he grew more dangerous as he hung on a thin thread. Eventually, he lost control and killed the workers in his mansion. When he woke up, he wandered the empty hallways of his mansion stained with the blood of his victims. Unfortunately, no one survived. He then hired someone to clean the mansion. Nobody said anything to him about it, and no one dared to. However, it was dangerous for him to keep living in this manner. He used to control the ghosts with his own will. But now, he didn¡¯t know how to move away from them. He lost his purpose and no longer knew the meaning of life. There was nothing left within him but regret. For this reason, he decided to leave his mansion. It was thend he swore to protect before his wife and son¡¯s death and the ce he promised to preserve while giving victory to the empire. And although he tried, he just couldn¡¯t find it within himself to take down the mansion with his own hands. After tidying everything up little by little, he left the empire and moved to Calypso, where Langritsa¡¯s tower was located. Although he was a warlock seeking forbidden power, the members of the tower could not dare to touch him, who was being treated as an empire¡¯s count and hero. He purchased a remotend from them and moved there once more. He didn¡¯t want to stand out. Since his purchasednd included a small mountain, craftsmen were called on the hillside to construct buildings and caves to make tunnels and rooms. There, he built an altar for Bel-Therja, much like a priest would for a god. However, at that moment, the ghosts used him to pige the country against his conscious will. He moved their corpses from an unknown vige¡¯s cemetery, and soon he attracted adventurers and then killed them to resurrect their beings into ghosts. What made him do such a thing? Did his actions have any meaning? Right or wrong, the ghosts whispered to him that it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®This is the first stage into reviving your wife and son that your heart so greatly desired. If they are revived sessfully, you will once again find the purpose and meaning of life you once lost.¡¯ The ghosts continued to seduce him. Was it really like that? ¡®Your dead wife and son are only waiting for the day that you can resurrect them.¡¯ He almost fell for the temptation the ghosts whispered into his ear. But how would he be able to revive his wife and son if they were rotten beyond saving? It made no sense to kill adventurers and gather their bodies. Even if he made new bones and tried to put them into what was left of his family, would they reallye back as his wife and son? Wouldn¡¯t that be just another entity taking over their appearance? Was he doing anything meaningful at all? Of course, the ghosts whispered to him again as if they can read his thoughts. ¡®Yes¡­ This might hold no profound meaning. But¡­ if you wish to do something meaningful, you might be able to bring our eternal Lord Bel-Therja forth into this world. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible somehow?¡¯ Bel-Therja? Surely it would be possible with him, but¡­ it would take too much blood and soul to summon him into thisnd. He was unsure if he could do such a thing. They weren¡¯t on a battlefield. They stood in a remote area. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, then you have no other choice but to find yourself knee-deep in bodies.¡¯ They are innocent. ¡®Oh? Since when did you decide who deserves to die, and who does not? When you killed those men from the Byron Empire, did you not murder them for the sole reason that they belonged to the Byron empire and swore to be their soldiers? We are grieving¡­ Because it turns out, there are citizens of the Byron Empire among us!¡¯ The ghosts giggled. Even with his ears covered, he could hear their voices loud and clear, like they came from his very head instead. ¡®The same goes for those who lived here! And those who live in nearby towns, castles, and towers. You killed them all just because they lived in their ces. Still, they¡¯re much better than the men of the Byron Empire. And killing them all would be a noble sacrifice if it is to summon Lord Bel-Therja.¡¯ ¡­ ¡®What¡¯s the problem? If hees to this earth, he will bring the dead back to life. The same goes for your wife and your son. Our Lord will open the way to what we want. You need not think too critical of it. He will give you, and us, the answers that we want. He will. Trust us.¡¯ ¡­ The warlock fell into the whispers of the ghosts, and with him fell the strangend. A quiet nightmare brewed in the remotend of Calypso. +++ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Judah.¡± Jeanne¡¯s apology was heard loud in clear inside the carriage. Knowing she had done something wrong, Jeanne ducked her head, and her eyes fell to the floor. Judah looked out of the window, pretending not to hear her. Leaving the capital An behind them, Judah and Jeanne turned to head for Calypso. Judah sighed as he watched the passer-by outside the carriage. Pretending to be angry eventually bored him, so Judah turned to Jeanne to talk. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jeanne cowered as the wagon rattled. Soon, it became quiet. It wasn¡¯t wrong that she epted the quest. He was willing to help anyway. After sharing his knowledge with them, he took a moment to decide regarding the quest. Of course, Judah thought of persuading Jeanne if she ever refused. However, the problem was that she did not ask Judah for his opinion and epted without consulting him. Because of that, Judah found it right to act angry and bothered. Surprisingly, it affected Jeanne greatly. She saw that Judah was really angry and had apologized over and over again. ¡°Look, Jeanne. We don¡¯t have a parent-child rtionship, but we¡¯re in the same party. Even if we felt sympathy, we have to ask about each other¡¯s opinions, agree, and then ept it together. If you were the leader, we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation. And even though I¡¯m the leader, I wouldn¡¯t normally behave like this. I ask my party members for their opinions and coordinate with them regarding quests.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know how to make the medicine, but what if the ingredients weren¡¯t avable? For example, if it¡¯s an item that can only be found in the Dragon Valley, located in the far southeast region? Or if the material is insanely expensive? Maybe you should pay for it, hm?¡± ¡°What I did was unfair. I¡¯ll be careful next time.¡± Judah nodded at Jeanne¡¯s respectful response. That was more than enough for him. ¡°Jeanne, raise your head.¡± ¡°Am I forgiven?¡± She carefully lifted her head and looked back at Judah. Although his facial expressions were hard, Jeanne felt relieved to find it not as cold as before. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m still a little angry, but what can I do? We¡¯re colleagues. Please, just pay attention next time.¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be doing this again¡­ With that aside, do we really have to go to Calypso to get magic power?¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying, but I can¡¯t help it if I want to get to Cherserian. It¡¯s very tricky to keep it. The moment it leaves its native ce, it will stop producing magic power and crumble as it is. It¡¯s rare, and storing it will be hard. I have to do it, and I can¡¯t simply hand it over. It¡¯s much faster to go to Calypso to get it, then process it, and then bring it back.¡± If they had the money, it wasn¡¯t difficult to get a Cherserian. But Judah wanted to head for Calypso. Making a cure for magic power deficit was the main focus of this quest, but there was another important thing to do. Edsen¡¯s son left for Calypso to retrieve the magic herb andter went missing. He wasst seen near a dungeon named ¨C Calypso¡¯s Nightmare-. This dungeon was Judah¡¯s real purpose in taking this quest. To break it, Judah headed to Calypso on the excuse of digging up the magic herb and finding the missing son. But the heartbreaking truth was, the dungeon had already killed Edsel¡¯s missing son. There was nothing else he could do. The quest was simply following the story of the game. However, he couldn¡¯t tell him that his son was dead, especially with the sight of Edsel brought to tears of gratitude. He wouldn¡¯t believe him, anyway. ¡®I guess I have no choice but to go and find a memento.¡¯ It would be nice if he could find one in the dungeon, but Judah sighed, knowing it was a little toote for that already. ¡°And we decided to find Edsen¡¯s son too, right? We have no choice but to go.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, just a reminder, when we arrive at Calypso, you¡¯ll have a hard time. Be prepared in advance.¡± Jeanne tilted her head at his warning, but Judah said nothing more. When they arrive, Jeanne would realize why in no time. Jeanne slowly lifted her head and looked up at the distant mountain outside the window. As if foretelling the future, dark clouds began to brew in the distance. Chapter 78

Chapter 78

78==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Curse it. It had been a few days since the rainy season came, and it had been raining ever since. They managed to pass by two castles and leave the border of Philoria to reach the outskirts of Calypso, but it seemed like the rain was unlikely to stop anytime soon. The rain poured hard, not even a drizzle to spare them. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? It¡¯s raining all of a sudden. I¡¯m starting to feel like I have yet to see the sunlight again for a very long time.¡± Jeanne grumbled, looking out of the window. It was midday, and yet there was nothing to be seen outside but the unending growling of dark clouds, ¡°Is this why you said our journey would be hard?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m talking about the magic herb. But this weather¡­ It feels like it won¡¯t be stopping anytime soon even if we reached the vige.¡± With a quick glimpse in the -Map-, Judah confirmed they had crossed Calypso¡¯s border and was soon to reach their destination. He could almost feel the joy of reaching the vige after being cramped inside their wagon for a long time, but there was the dread of traveling under such weather. Judah took out his raincoat and wore it over his leather clothes. His leather clothes had a code that kept them clean without the need for external maintenance, but his coat had none. He wore it nheless. Then, the carriage stopped. Seeing the city wall out of the window, it seemed that they had arrived. Soon after, a soldier in a robe approached and knocked on the door. After showing the purpose of their visit, their names, and adventurer que, they were able to enter the castle. The coachman continued, stopping outside a well-known inn. The coachman hopped off and knocked on the door, fighting against the raging storm. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Judah tugged the hood of his coat close before stepping out of the carriage. The sky rained down at his coat, and the coachman soaked by the rain began to sneeze. He seemed to catch a cold after those long hours of driving in the rain. ¡°Sigh.¡± Judah sighed as he turned around to help Jeanne get off. The coachman closed the carriage as soon as his passengers stepped out and then pointed at the building behind him, ¡°This is the best inn in this castle, so get in there and stay for the night!¡± The coachman advertised like he had been there himself countless times. Judah and Jeanne watched him as he brought the carriage to a corner, settling the horse somewhere safe, before disappearing at the back of the inn to stay there for the night. ¡°Are we going to stay here?¡± ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s just hope this rain stops today. If ites tomorrow, we¡¯ll just have to go around. Quick, we should head inside.¡± Jeanne nodded, looking at the raining sky once, before following Judah. Unlike the busy street outside, the inn was more rxed, with only a few patrons inside. There were less than 20 people inside, despite the vast inn. ¡°Wee!¡± greeted a girl, who was carrying four beer sses in both hands. She nced at them, settled the sses down a nearby table before approaching them, ¡°Are you going to stay in? Of course, you will. Would you like a double room, then?¡± ¡°No. Two single rooms. And can we have a meal?¡± ¡°Of course! Would you like to eat first?¡± Judah looked back at Jeanne. She took off the hood of her robe and nodded her head. ¡°We¡¯ll eat first. Can we take a seat?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Judah took off his dripping coat and sat down in an empty seat. Requiem¡¯s ??leather coat skill -ssy atmosphere- made people nce his way. But when their eyes met, most of them avoided his gaze. The girl who hade to their table with a menu and their sses of water also couldn¡¯t hide her admiration for Judah and his outfit. ¡°Wow, you are one fine guest. You look like a noble! Oh, are you not a noble?¡± The girl gasped as she rambled on. Judah smiled at her as he received his menu, ¡°Do I look like it?¡± The girl nodded her head without uttering a word. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just amon adventurer.¡± ¡°Ah. Is that so? Good luck on your journey then! Hehe, nobles don¡¯t reallye into our inn.¡± Judah smiled at her again before opening the menu. There was a wide variety of meals for them to eat; most of them were western foods such as pork cutlets, french fries, sds, or pizza. It didn¡¯t matter what he ate, so he handed the menu over to Jeanne instead, who was sitting right next to him. ¡°Do I order?¡± ¡°Yes, order what you want to eat. I don¡¯t mind whatever I get to eat.¡± Jeanne paused for a moment, thinking, before ordering, ¡°You have pizza. Can we have that?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°And then, this one, and two warm cream soups, please.¡± ¡°You can add toppings. Would you like some?¡± Jeanne nodded in a sh, running her finger down the menu, ¡°Double all vegetables, meat, and cheese.¡± ¡°Noted~ Please wait a bit!¡± The girl replied before running to the kitchen. ¡°She¡¯s a lively kid.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the same age as you are.¡± ¡°Hmm, really?¡± Judahughed out loud at what Jeanne said. She knew he was fifteen after hising-of-age ceremony, and while he was fifteen externally, he was much older inside. The door of the inn opened, and there stood their coachman. Looking around for the girl, he met Judah¡¯s eyes instead, and he greeted him with a nod. Soon after, he got a room key from the girl and hastily went up to the second floor. He heard the rough thumping of his feet as he went upstairs. When he disappeared out of view, Judah¡¯s eyes fell to the window ahead. The rain outside subsided, and yet it didn¡¯t seem like it would stop anytime soon. Boredom started to bother them as they waited for their food, and while Judah fiddled with his ss of water, Jeanne filled in the silence. ¡°Do you think the rain will stop tomorrow?¡± ¡°No.¡± Judah, still looking out of the window, didn¡¯t even need to think of his answer. ¡°I hope the rain stops soon, but the sky doesn¡¯t seem to clear up¡­¡± Judah turned his gaze. People in the inn were chatting while drinking beer,ining about whether it would rain the same all week. ¡°This looks like no ordinary rain.¡± ¡°Is there a risk of flooding?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± At that, their conversation ended again. With nothing to do, Judah looked at the window again and overheard the conversations of those sitting at the nearby tables. -Is it true? It¡¯s been raining so much, and the number of missing persons is increasingtely. Does that have anything to do with each other? -You idiot, of course. As it rains, the number of missing people increases. Those who enter the forest in this weather are crazy. Insane, I tell you. -Still. Does it make sense that adventurers and mercenaries disappear just because of that? -Yeah? They are human too. Two eyes like us. Two noses. No, one. -You¡¯re drunk. -I¡¯m not drunk! The number of missing persons was enough indication that the dungeon had opened, but these people didn¡¯t know that. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t be taking their sweet time drinking beer. They would¡¯ve packed their bags and escaped the pouring rain. ¡®If a person had been reported missing nearby, that meant the neighboring vige is already gone.¡¯ Judah tapped the table with his fingers. Even in the game, the yer would arrive at the dungeon with several viges already in ruins. Judah thought that he could still reach the viges upon receiving the quest before they were attacked, but it didn¡¯t seem like it anymore. ¡°Pizza! It¡¯s here!¡± The attendant put down their order, a steaming thick pizza, a refreshing pickle marinated in vinegar, their drinks filled with ice, and their warm cream soup. There was even a sd for a side dish. ¡°Please enjoy your meal!¡± ¡°Ah, wait a minute.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The girl, on her way back to her kitchen, tilted her head and looked back at them. ¡°Do you have any adventurers guild around here?¡± ¡°Yes, there is. There is also a mercenary guild. It¡¯s small. It¡¯s not far from here. Can you see the road over there?¡± The girl said, pointing her hand out of the window. Judah nodded like he knew what she was talking about. The girl continued, ¡°If you follow that road, you will see a signboard. You¡¯re an adventurer, so I don¡¯t think I have to exin what kind of signboard it is?¡± ¡°Of course, thank you.¡± ¡°Hehehehe, that¡¯s nice of you to say.¡± She blushed before turning away and going back to work. ¡°When you grow up, you will surely captivate a lot of women,¡± Jeanne said the moment the girl left. ¡°Haha, is that apliment?¡± Jeanne shrugged her shoulders and reached for the pizza. The toppings were doubled, so the cheese left a trail as she pulled apart a slice. Judah did the same. The ce was rich with vegetables and meat, as Calypso possessed a magical engineering technology. Judah wasn¡¯t surprised, however. Thanks to a refrigerator and air conditioner running on a hearthstone back in his home in Serenia Castle, he grew ustomed to eating fresh food. Judah and Jeanne enjoyed every bite, and after their meal was over, they went up to their respective rooms and took their rest. They prayed for the rain to stop, but unfortunately, the rain continued to pour down the next day. ¡°I can go alone if you¡¯d like? I¡¯m only heading to the guild anyway.¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯lle.¡± Contrary to her words of affirmation, Jeanne¡¯s face said otherwise. The rain was a menace to her. She put on her hood like she was ready to fight against the rain, but as they opened the door of the inn, she sighed deeply. Her sigh said, ¡®I wish I had an umbre.¡¯ Seeing her like that, Judah had no choice but to open his -Bag- and pull out arge umbre that he had bought at the general store. ¡°Now you can grumble less.¡± Jeanne¡¯s face, shaded by her hood, perked up. She took the umbre, sprang it open, and smiled at it marvelously. ¡°What about you, Judah?¡± ¡°I can just wear my coat and go. I like the rain.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so annoying. Come here. The umbre is big, and it¡¯s enough for us together.¡± She grabbed Judah by the arm without hesitation and put the umbre over him. They walked together, looking for the guild silently pitter-patter of the rain hit their umbre. Following the road that the girl pointed at, they eventually found a signboard. Judah first opened the door and stepped inside while Jeanne folded the umbre and dried it off. A man, who was eagerly cleaning the floor with a mop, heard the bell hanging from the door and greeted them with a bow. ¡°Wee to Kaora¡¯s Adventurers Guild.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± He set aside the mop and walked to the counter right next to the entrance in order to amodate them formally. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m carrying out a quest. I was wondering if I could get information on Edron since thest quest he epted here?¡± Judah handed him the request, which he had received from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in An. As the man read his request, he nodded his head. ¡°I need identification. Can you show me yours?¡± Judah handed him what he asked for, and Jeanne, who just entered, did the same. ¡°Judah Arche, Jeanne Art Loire¡­ Okay, confirmed.¡± He scratched his head as he returned their I.D and their request form. ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°No, ah, I want to exin this the best way possible. Um, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard it from the client, but Edron was an adventurer at the same age as you. He was a diligent friend who wandered around the forest while carrying out misceneous quests here in Kaora Castle to find a magic herb. But about three weeks ago, news about his whereabouts was cut off after he headed to the vige of ¡®Cherryu¡¯, two days away from here.¡± He sighed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a very difficult quest. Goblins from the forest kepting down to the vige, so I asked him to defeat the monsters. He¡¯s a goodd, so I thought he¡¯de back after solving it, but there was no contact after a week. Someone from An regrly sent letters out of concern, so I decided to send out a letter. It seemed like something had happened. Then, a request to find him came from that branch. So I sent out a search party a few days ago, but even I lost contact with them. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of this rain that had been going on for ten days, but that¡¯s all that our branch knows.¡± ¡°Is that so? I guess there¡¯s no other choice I have to go directly to the vige. Could I get a map?¡± ¡°Yes, here it is. That¡¯s 2 silver coins.¡± ¡°¡­Are we getting paid for this quest?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Judah handed the money to him as he nodded. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ #Setting 5. ¡¸The Land of Magic, Calypso¡¹ Calypso is famous as thend of magic because it is exceptionally more magical than other countries. Curiously, there is no king in thisnd. Instead, the ¡®Langritsa Tower¡¯ recognized by many mages, protected and cultivated thend. However, two hundred years ago, Calypso did not have a significant impact on the continent. Of course, it wasn¡¯t ignored because of the tremendous power of the tower owners. However, as the fragments of Pernern scattered around the world, the monsters bearing the gemstones appeared ces, and the world entered into a new phase. Those who have developed semi-permanent magic using magic stones coborated with engineering technology in the neighboring country, Mantium, to for life, including refrigerators that revolutionized the distribution of ingredients such as vegetables and meat¡ªhelping them build enormous wealth. Naturally, Calypso¡¯s position strengthened, but they were not interested in foreignnds or politics, unlike other empires. In addition to this, Calypso had many more dungeons whenpared to other countries. This is also due to the individualism of the mages. Many mages visit deep mountains or valleys that humans cannot easily reach to conduct their research without being disturbed by others. They dig burrows in suitable ces and kept them under control with traps, guards, or monsters to protect themselves, and then they studied alone. Then, when they die, that ce bes a dungeon. There were no gold nor silver treasures to be found, but one could receive money ording to the research materials and magic books one could collect and sell to the towers. Of course, not all mages are aiming for this grotesque life. There are examples of some who allied with empires or kingdoms to gain wealth and fame, and some traveled as mercenaries or adventurers. And when they have the skills, they live as holy lords in thend of Calypso. Calypso¡¯s tower owners respected a mage¡¯s will. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 79

Chapter 79

79==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare After purchasing a map from the guild, Judah and Jeanne headed straight to the vige two days away. They thought they couldn¡¯t get out because the gate was closed, but he opened the door when they called a soldier to talk. They passed through, and they couldn¡¯t forget how the gatekeepers stared at them like the two of them were mad. In this weather, it was not insane to move by carriage and to walk on foot. The people of Calypso tend to respect the autonomous will of others like wizards, so they stopped gazing soon enough and said nothing after that. The two of them ventured into the rainy world ahead, squinting in the vain attempt to see what was beyond. It would have been foolish for them to wait out the rain. Thanks to the dungeon, the rain that had been raging for ten days was unlikely to cease anytime soon. Judah peeked from his raincoat and looked at the sky. He would be so pleased if the dark clouds rolled and poured rain into other areas, but the storm stayed and relentlessly rained down at them. ¡°I really hate rainy days,¡± Jeanne grumbled, following behind him. ¡°Me too.¡± Judah sighed, frowning at the trail they walked on as the rain rendered it into mud. Ssh! Judah tried to avoid puddles, but even that, he couldn¡¯t escape. Mud and grass clung to the soles of his shoes. He didn¡¯t worry about it, though. Judah¡¯s code allowed him to stay free from foreign matter, smells, and water after a certain time, while Jeanne did not. Still, she gave him an umbre to keep his head from getting soaked by the rain. ¡°When do you think we will get there?¡± ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s more of a problem of how we¡¯re going to sleep, and not when we¡¯ll arrive. We can set up a tent or something, but the rain¡¯s going to be a tough one to deal with.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± To sleep under the pouring rain, on the wet ground more so, was doable but undesirable. The -Bag- contained dry things. With the help of it, they could make a good enough campfire, but Jeanne frowned at the very thought of their possible set up. ¡°Please hope for an abandoned building on the way, so we could at least have a ce to avoid the rain.¡± The thought of it was indeed nice. And like magic, a faraway silhouette emerged from a distance. Despite the pouring rain, they could see that it was an old house. Was it real? Or did their desperate hearts deceive them? It was like finding an oasis in a never-ending desert. Judah turned his head and called Jeanne. ¡°Jeanne, can you see that house or is it just me?¡± ¡°No, I can see it too!¡± Her voice brightened a little, but soon her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, ¡°But, isn¡¯t it suspicious that there is a house in a ce like this?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not so strange. Just like when we camped in the eastern woods, it could have been made for the vigers to rest in when going to and from the castle.¡± However, as Judah watched the house, he felt a chill run through his body. It wasn¡¯t the rain nor the cold; it was the peculiar chill one would feel when discussing scary stories in the dark. ¡®Ah, wait. Come to think of it¡­ It was ghosts that escaped the dungeons and ravaged the viges, right?¡¯ If so, the chill he felt made sense. His senses ever since he came to this world never failed. There was a ghost in that house. ¡®There¡¯s something in there.¡¯ However, the temptation of afortable sleep was too great not to stop by that house. If they went for it, they would have to fight the ghost. Judah went straight for the old house, confident with his experience with it from the game, but as soon as they reached its vicinity, Judah¡¯s heart began to rage. ¡®Wow, fuck.¡¯ A figure smiled down at them from the roof. Not one, but many. He was as nervous as he was when he first encountered a ck wolf. The fright of seeing them with his own eyes was iparable from watching them in the movies or cartoon, and it took a while before the pounding of his heart eased. This was the first time he was ever so grateful for being the -yer- with a -save- option. After holding eye contact with him, the ghost rattled and disappeared into the building. Judah stopped in his tracks. ¡°Uh, why did you stop?¡± ¡°Jeanne.¡± ¡°Yes, Judah?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen a ghost?¡± ¡°I have not.¡± Jeanne shook her head, looking down at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of them?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not afraid. But why the hell are you asking that?¡± Her eyes showed no signs of fear. Judah pointed her finger at her house, ¡°Look at the roof. Can you see anything through the rain?¡± A few of them went inside the house a while ago, but a few remained on the roof. The moment her eyes saw the ghosts, she frowned. ¡°Yes, I see them, and they¡¯reughing. That¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ghost. They are those who carry a grudge against the living. What do you want to do? Do you want to do anything about them?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s crazy to sleep outside in this weather. It¡¯s just as crazy to walk up to this haunted house, but I want to sleepfortably away from the rain.¡± Judah nodded at her response. She was crazy enough toe up to a haunted house but not crazy enough to sleep on the muddy ground. ¡°Ghosts are not physical beings. How do you n on dealing with them?¡± ¡°It would be nice if we had a priest, but it doesn¡¯t matter if we don¡¯t have one. If I put a spell on a weapon, I can beat it up enough.¡± In addition, his magic resistance was quite highpared to the others at the same level as Judah and Jeanne. He didn¡¯t have to worry much about the ghost¡¯s attacks. This reckless self-confidence will sometimese as poison, but he could save and go back in time in case he died. ¡®And I have fragments too.¡¯ He remembered the time he faced Ea, the Flying Fighter. He died in her hands once, but because of his save points, he could revive himself. Having to make eye contact with an opponent he thought he would never encounter was a terrible thing, but he didn¡¯t need to worry much about it, thanks to the dagger he managed to buy in An. They made not much progress regarding the fragments, but there was still about half a year before hispanion would return to the Byron Empire. While she was around, Judah decided to get two more fragments to make the best of their journey. It was difficult to keep hiding it. Judahunched and scrolled through her information window. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Jeanne Art Loire] [Title: None] [True name: Blue Moon Wolf] [Level: 20] [upation: Blue Lancer (B)] [Race: Human] [Strength: 30(D) / Potential A] [Health: 37(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 27(D) / Potential B] [Magic Power: 37(D) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 52(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 8(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 18(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 56(C) / Potential C] ? Special [Favorability: 33 (interesting)] [Reliability: 62(Friends)] ¡¸Talent 3/5¡¹ [Blue Moon]-Rank: A [Wolf¡¯s Protection]-Rank: A [Apprentice Lancer]-Rank: D ¡¸Skill 4/5¡¹ [Horror Spirit]-Rank: A [Knight]-Rank: B [Imperial Shield Craft-Blue Lancer]-Rank: B [Imperial Spearmanship-Blue Lancer]-Rank: B ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡®She¡¯s more reliable than I thought.¡¯ But this was Jeanne, and he didn¡¯t have to worry about her reliability. With a strong conviction, Jeanne Art Loire did not betray Kain even though he had several chances to get fragments in the game. Many things followed her in-game settings as they were, so even if he told her about the fragments, she wouldn¡¯t say anything. As he walked towards the house, Judah kept his pace slow to match Jeanne¡¯s. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Jeanne. Remember this?¡± He pulled out the dagger he had put in the -bag- and showed it. Jeanne nodded. On the outside, it was a sharp and colorful dagger. It looked more like a decoration than a weapon, and in many ways, it was insufficient for use in practice. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand it, Judah. What kind of weapon is it that you bought it at such a price?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see it¡¯s worth now.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry if this sounds negative, but is that a piece of something? Or is it effective against a ghost?¡± Judah gasped yfully, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Judahughed at her reaction, ¡°That¡¯s right! This is both a fragment and a threatening weapon against ghosts. You might die if you touched it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡± He nced at her before using -Shadow Justice Form 4 ¨C Lower ck Arms Manifestation- in his left hand. He conjured a blunt weapon to destroy the dagger. ¡°Wait, what are you trying to do? Judah!¡± Judah, just about to strike the dagger, stopped, ¡°As you can see, I want to break the dagger.¡± ¡°Out of nowhere? Why? Are you possessed by a ghost right now?¡± Judah burst intoughter. No way. As long as he was the -yer-, he had absolute immunity to mental attacks. However, Jeanne knew nothing of such a thing and could only think that a ghost possessed Judah. Moreover, as the rain continued to pour down, the stronger her beliefs grew. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, none of them has evene close yet.¡± With a cautious gaze, Jeanne stepped back from Judah. It must have been a shocking sight for her to see, witnessing him buy a weapon for 15 gold coins only to break itter. Judah lifted the blunt weapon over his head and struck the dagger with force. Pang! In a single blow, the durability of 5 disappeared, shattering the dagger-like ss. It was just a delicate coating made to look like metal. Judah destroyed the dagger, and a strange magical wave rippled out, unlike the time he obtained -Carpe Diem-. [The tenth fragment-Altemia is acquired.] [Saves the resurrection time based on the current location and current time.] [The save points used have been restored.] [Collected two fragments. People in the world don¡¯t know that you have fragments yet, but those with fragments may instinctively notice you. Strength, stamina, agility, magic power, and magic resistance all increase by 1.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Tenth Fragment-Altemia] [Rating: Legendary _ Sword] [Equipment: Dagger] [ATK: 125] [Effect] Strength +2, Agility +3, Charisma +2 HP Recovery Speed ??+300% [Exnation] It is the tenth piece of Pernern¡¯s heart fragments. A sharp dagger with a red de. Of all the seven monarchs, who couldn¡¯t speak magenguage, he experienced several diseases because of his weak body, and he made this dagger, recalling his memories of that time. He absorbed the vitality of others and used that power to have immunity to disease and the power of immortality, but achieved about 70% of the results. With the help of the third monarch Ibn Haiyan, he put in the power of ¡°splitting,¡± whichter became the basic base for the twenty-second fragment ¡°Red Petals.¡± The sixth monarch coveted this fragment, attracted by the idea of using his life force to battle inbat. The power granted is ¡°blood¡±, but it also contains very little power of ¡°disruption.¡± ¡®Oh, I like this. Won¡¯t you give it to me?¡¯ ¡®Where would the dead use a weapon that absorbs life and uses it? No. I won¡¯t. Go away.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s too much.¡¯ -During the conversation between the 4th and 6th monarchs. -Liberation (Active): Consumes 5% of the wielder¡¯s health and releases blood from Altemia¡¯s de. The released blood ripples and damages the whole area and can It has strong power. -One, but ten, Altemia (Active): Consumes 1% of the health and summons the same dagger in the hand of whoever wielded Altemia. The shape, size, weight, and attack are all the same. When all ten bags are used, the fake Altemia disappears, and the real Altemia is summoned into the hand. -Dominance (Active): Gaining control over blood without a master. You can attack by using the blood that has flowed from someone else¡¯s wound. -Immortality (Active): Not in the sense that you will be resurrected from death. However, your body¡¯s resilience will rise like a monster. This is proportional to the level of the ¡®store¡¯. -Lifeforce absorption (Passive): This allows you to absorb the life force of the stabbed or defeated target to recover your physical strength or body. ©¸Bleeding (Passive): Reduces regeneration from the other¡¯s wounds and increases bleeding. -Increased dagger proficiency (Passive): Increases the throwing uracy, critical strike probability, and dagger-rted skills damage. ©¸Dagger attack power increase (Passive): Attack power increases ording to the level of storage. -Passive: After the start of the battle, the storage level increases depending on how much or how good the blood was absorbed. -Disease and infection immunity (Passive): Absolute immunity against diseases and infections that may ur in the process of absorbing life force. However, absolute immunity is reduced to 60% for the 6th Lord Bel-Therja. -The tenth of Pernern¡¯s twenty-four hearts (Passive): The tenth of the twenty-four hearts has the power of ¡°blood¡±. -Passive: If you collect all 24 fragments made from Pernern¡¯s heart, you can inherit the power of the Demon King Pernern. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 23] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 42(C) / Potential A] [Health: 42(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 44(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 53(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 5(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 8] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ============================================== ======== How old is Jeanne? Is she about 20 years old?You got that right. She is 20 years old. Chapter 80

Chapter 80

80==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Judah¡¯s body shot up the moment the long message shed before his eyes. After realizing what was going on, he turned off a few of the pop-up messages. Some were unimportant, while the rest were messages that would appear whenever a fragment was obtained. He grinned upon finding that his muscle strength, physical strength, agility, magic power, and magic resistance increased by one making most, if not all, of his stats better. Even a quick nce at Altemia¡¯s properties surprised him. Not anywhere else could he obtain such a weapon for 15 gold coins. ¡®Okay, whates next?¡¯ This was just a small step towards collecting all 24 fragments, but he felt proud for making this move. He knew the heirloom dagger acted like a Matryoshka, a Russian doll that contained more dolls inside and would reveal the true dagger beneath. With a slight touch from Judah¡¯s hand, the broken dagger shattered to the floor to reveal a new one. The de gleamed in a deep red hue the same as fresh blood, and its deadly tip shot straight and clean. The fragment sat in the rain, tempting the eyes of those who beheld it. ¡°Hah.¡± Just like Carpe Diem, it seemed that each fragment had a strange power to move people¡¯s hearts. Judah threw out the old dagger and picked up -The Tenth Fragment-Altemia-. As soon as it settled within his grip, the ways on how to use it ran inside his mind. Judah felt a prick of pain tingling within, but he found himselfughing from its sensation. ¡°Judah, are you okay?¡± Jeanne, still agape from the wave of power that rippled from the dagger, asked Judah in confusion. ¡°Yes. I feel very good. Why? Do I look weird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but you suddenly look so¡­ confident.¡± That was one way to put it. The moment he got the fragments, the moment he saw the message telling him his progress was saved, any fear that settled in him a few minutes ago disappeared into thin air. If the fragment didn¡¯t save his progress, he might just go way back in time at his battle with Ea. The thought that if he died anytime soon, he could return to this safe point now and that reassurance was enough to bring up his confidence. Judah merely smiled. ¡°Because we now have a weapon against the ghosts. Now, shall we go?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t stay armed. If you don¡¯t know what to do, just summon your shield and protect me. If the ghostse near, swing at them with your shield along with your magic power.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jeanne responded as silver particles blossomed around her left arm, revealing her enormous shield. Judah switched the de from his right hand to his left hand. While he could throw daggers just fine with his right hand, it was less awkward to do so with his left hand. And he didn¡¯t want to risk it, wishing to make the best out of the dagger¡¯s skills. They walked up to the door, and Judah held the doorknob. The moment his fingertips touched the steel, a chill ran through his hand, then it felt like every hair in his body stood up. He chuckled in nervousness, feeling the same way he felt when he first encountered a ck wolf. In games and novels, he could fight against new monsters or enemies without the feeling of fear. Judah felt every drop of raining down at his robe and down to his face, holding his breath as his hand lingered around the doorknob. Finally, he flipped it and pushed the door open. The door swung open, and the first thing their eyes found were dead bodies hanging from the ceiling. In their peripheral vision, the shadows cackled andughed, as if it was entertaining for them. The corpses rattled, their teeth ttering along with them. One of them couldn¡¯t bear the weight, and the body fell from where it hung,nding with a deafening thump. Something detached from its body and rolled through the floor. They didn¡¯t know if it was a coincidence or the ghosts yed a part in it, but the object met Judah¡¯s feet, revealing that it was a bronze que issued by the Adventurers Guild. Judah remembered what the guide in the guild had told them regarding the adventurers he sent out in search of Edron, whom he never heard from as well. It urred to him; these were the adventurers. He bent down and picked up the que. The ghosts murmured and cackled as they stood over the fallen body. Judah red at them as he pocketed the que. Then, he drew back his hood. ¡°These ghosts are too noisy.¡± Judah shot the Altemia he held in his hand. He didn¡¯t need to use magic for it. Fragments were objects that can damage a spiritual being just by itself. The dagger flew through the air like a bullet and hit the ghost. It sent the ck figure onto a wall, and soon it began to scream as the dagger absorbed its entire being. ©¤©¤©¤! The screams grew more annoying by the minute. As soon as the other ghosts realized what he had done, they charged at Judah without any fear. Judah activated Shadow Justice Form 2-Magic and quickly spotted the number and location of each ghost in their vicinity. ¡°Block the front, Jeanne.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± She switched from behind him to the front, brandishing her magical silver shield. While Jeanne blocked, Judah opened up his palm. Red energy gathered in his hand, forming into an Altemia in the same shape as the one he had thrown. The weight and fit of it in his grasp was exactly the same. With a snap of his wrist, Judah threw the dagger straight at the forehead of a ghost that sprouted quickly from the corner. Since he didn¡¯t need to pull out the Altemia from his belt like his normal daggers, Judah¡¯s attacks were quicker than before. He threw two or more of his conjured daggers at any ghost who dared to creep closer. He kept attacking, never running out of des and never missing a target, either. Hah! Chia! Hah! Outside was an entirely different world. The rain continued pouring like a peaceful white noise, while the house¡¯s interiors were enveloped in the shrieking of ghosts that shook the walls of the building. The spirits had already experienced death once, and so seeing the death of their allies did not faze them. Instead, they charged at Judah without hesitation. Jeanne¡¯s shield, infused with her magic power, blocked any ghosts that shed with her, sending them flying off. ¡°?¡± Jeanne was not used to this kind of battle. The Blue Lancer was used to the sound of nking and shing against the face of her shield. But when their enemies met her shield, Jeanne heard not a single sound. She could only feel the push of the ghosts when they bumped against her. As she watched the ghosts fall to the floor then rise back up, she caught a glimpse of a ghosting from the side with their mouth wide open and their hand going straight at them. Just when she was about to turn her shield to the enemy, a red light shed through the air and went straight into its mouth. Just as how fast the enemy was from attacking, the same way it fell back onto the wall behind it. ¡°Jeanne, to the right!¡± Jeanne¡¯s eyes snapped to the direction Judah pointed at. The ghosts from that side came back up again. ¡°I know!¡± Jeanne swung her shield to beat the ghosts away like a ball. One ghost passed through the wall and disappeared out of the house as if they had overpowered it. ¡®I caught four of them. Seven are currently hiding, including the one that just showed up¡­ Are twelve left?¡¯ Judah suddenly looked down at his feet. In the dark, a red eye hazily blinked back at him. Without thinking twice, Judah created a new Altemia in his right hand and shot it down. The enemy screamed as the Altemia tore through it before it coulde up from the ground. Cutting and stabbing ghosts was an odd and mysterious experience. It felt like cutting through wet tissue paper. The sensation was barely there, but the feeling that it left in his fingertips was hard to put into words. Judah pulled out the dagger from the floor and found himself flinging it to the back. His instincts were right as it hit another ghost, and soon the Altemia sucked those within its vicinity. The Altemia sucked whatever mystical enemy that came into contact with its sharp red de. ¡®Was this five or six?¡¯ To try another attack, Judah summoned daggers in both hands and threw them at the same time. The one from his right hand missed, but the ghost flying in the air lost its sense of direction and staggered. ¡®Seven. Eight!¡¯ But with every dagger he threw, Judah found himself growing tired. He remembered that it consumed a percent of his stamina every time he activated the skill -Ten in One Altemia-. He grew tired from each attack heunched. However, it seemed that the recovery rate was as fast as it can consume. ¡®Jeez, these guys are relentless.¡¯ The ghosts kept cackling and murmuring, never retreating for a second. Soon, there were two ghosts left. They were either destroyed by Jeanne¡¯s shield or were struck so hard by Judah¡¯s attacks. Their screams pierced through the house before disappearing into the air. The Altemias stuck on the walls, ceiling, and floor, vaporized into the air until the only one left was the one within Judah¡¯s grasp. Slowly, it melted and disappeared into his open palm. ¡®This is reallyfortable.¡¯ It was a great advantage topletely hide weapons and summon them at will, especially in an emergency. ¡°Good job, Jeanne. Thanks to you, we got them easily.¡± Her skills and senses were excellent. Her ability to block the oing enemies allowed him to hunt and attack better. His only worry in the battle was the ghosts that sprung out of nowhere from the walls, ceiling, and floorboards. Their teamwork in the battle cemented how excellent a choice it was to choose Jeanne as hispanion. When Jeanne cleared the area for any remaining ghosts, she put down her shield and sighed with a smile. ¡°You did good as well. That dagger works. I think I believe you now, about it being a fragment.¡± She didn¡¯t believe him that it was a fragment until now. ¡®I would feel the same way. If someone told me this was a fragment, I wouldn¡¯t believe them!¡¯ It was natural for her to be skeptical of the authenticity of objects because, unlike Judah, she didn¡¯t have a system to tell her otherwise. The ghosts in the house were already taken care of, so all that was left for them to think of were the corpses hanging from above. ¡°Do you think we should leave them alone?¡± The battle with the ck wolves made Judah unfazed from seeing mangled and injured bodies, but to touch the ones before them felt like a wrong thing to do. The bodies were decaying, almost at the brink of falling off from their very limbs. And while Jeanne wished to help, she listened to Judah¡¯s musing. She was determined to do nothing about them. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have enough time because of the rain. I think we should let them rest. We can¡¯t bring them out because of the rain, so maybe we can settle them into a corner somewhere?¡± ¡°¡­Huh. That¡¯s it then.¡± Judah sighed, frowning as he approached the bodies that were hung by their necks. His hand hung in the air, hesitating, before reaching out at the rotting flesh and its horrifying smell. Jeanne watched him while he paused. Judah was too young to deal with such a thing, so even if it disgusted Jeanne, he stopped his hands from reaching the corpse. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, Judah. I¡¯ll get them down, and you can just take their adventurer ques.¡± She cut off the ropes from the ceiling, carefully brought them to the ground thenid them neatly in a corner. All Judah did was search their bodies to retrieve their bronze tes. It was unsightly to see their bodies the way they were, so Judah took out a cloth from his bag and covered them with it. Later, Jeanne ripped off a copsed wooden panel and covered their carcasses with the wooden nks. ¡°Judah¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten anything since we left the castle¡­ And I¡¯m hungry. Do you have anything to eat?¡± Judah nodded with a small smile at her request for a meal. It looked like the rain would continue to rage until he had defeated the dungeon. The smartest move was to take their meals away from the rain, even if this was the shelter they had. Judah opened the -Bag- and took out the food Tia had wrapped up when he left Serenia Castle. ¡®I told her I would eat these alone¡­ But I¡¯m sorry, Tia, I have to share them with Jeanne.¡¯ In his heart, Judah asked Tia for forgiveness as he poured the food into an empty bowl. They were supposed to feel safe, but they felt anything but that as they sat in a haunted house filled with ghosts, as corpsesy just right around the corner, all underneath a raging storm. Chapter 81

Chapter 81

81==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Jeanne munched down her food with much joy that Judah found himself doing the same, caring less about their surrounding area. He stretched his body after their meal quenched his hunger, and soon fatigue washed over him. It rained like hell all day, but it brought him so muchfort he couldn¡¯t resist taking a rxing break. There was just one thing missing. ¡®A bonfire.¡¯ Alchemists tended to use fluorescent liquids, but those could only provide light and not heat. Judah knew he needed to dry their wet coats and leather shoes, or else it could be ruined soon, and he didn¡¯t want to waste money like that. ¡®Yes. I really need a bonfire.¡¯ However, to make a bonfire on the wooden floor was also a perfect way to burn down the entire house. Judah sat there and nned what to do. He idly opened his palm and summoned Altemia, held it in reverse, then threw it down into the wooden floor. Its strong attack power allowed him to stab it in without any special force. The de was so sharp he could cut a tree with it however he wanted, as easy as cutting a piece of paper. ¡°Do you need help?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m just resting.¡± Jeanne offered him help, but Judah shook his head. Judah carved out a square from the wooden floor. Then he brought out a shovel from his -Bag-, scooped up mud from outside the house to fill the hole he made, and packed it in nicely with a few stomps of his feet. Getting the dirt might have been annoying, but it didn¡¯t take long. He fitted the mud into the square space, crushed and stacked the exposed wooden nks, and ced dry firewood on top to light it up. ¡°And¡­ done!¡± It caught fire as the crackle of burning wood lit up the dark room with a light iparable to a fluorescent liquid. Most of all, they relished in the warmth it heated into their bodies. Judah almost pped over his sessful hard work. While Jeanne stared at the fire, knowing well that she couldn¡¯t light a fire the same way he did it indoors. ¡°We should be good to wash and rest, then?¡± Judah said proudly, whipping out soaps and towels for them to use. Thanks to his reward from finishing the ck wolf quest, Judah could fill his -Bag- with many essentials he bought from general stores the day before they left Serenia Castle. He packed lots of items enough for him to survive even if he was thrown out into the middle of a desert. When Jeanne was handed a towel and soap, she blinked at Judah. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but can you take my luggage out as well?¡± Judah nodded and took out her personal backpack, which he had been holding for a while. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead then.¡± Jeanne turned to the blind spot beyond Judah¡¯s gaze. The old house was tattered. Parts of the walls were open, and because of the wooden panel they used to cover the deceased adventures, there were many ins and outs that Judah could go through. Judah found himself a spot outside and simply washed his feet and hair. Just then, he heard the sound of clothes ruffling, realizing that Jeanne must¡¯ve taken off her clothes to bathe in the rain. ¡®That¡¯s bold of her to do.¡¯ He was a bit worried to do the same. All he could do was take off his wet socks. The rainwater here was far cleaner than the real world. Above all, it was as natural as it can get because there were no cars nor chemical nts in this reality. ¡®Should I shower?¡¯ Judah had sweat a little from the battle, and he figured he could shower to rx for a bit. It took him a while before he could take off his clothes, feeling the creeps like someone was watching him get undressed. Heter on peeled off every clothing, even his underwear, then soaked in the rain as he used soap all over. Sinceing to this world, Judah found himself countless things he would¡¯ve never done in the real world. He felt like an ancient man, naked and bathing in the rain in a dark forest. ¡°Woo.¡± His hand reached every spot in his body where it needed cleaning. The rain continued to pour. Eventually, the fresh scent of his soap began to cling and radiate from his body, and he found himself humming in glee. After taking his shower, Judah returned to their bonfire, and Jeanne was nowhere to be found. He dried himself with a towel as heid his clothes near the fire. He wore his underwear and socks, and then he threw away the rest of his clothes into the bonfire. The mes rampaged, engulfing the fabric he had thrown into it. It made the fire stronger than before. Standing there in his new underwear and pants, Jeanne walked in perfectly as Judah took care of his new clothes. ¡°¡­!¡± She flinched, jumping back to the corner where she came from, hiding behind a wall, ¡°Um, excuse me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You cane out now.¡± Judah put on his jacket and told Jeanne there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Judah then tied a string between two walls and hung their wet raincoats on it as it kept on dripping water. Finally, he took out a clean cloth andid it down on the dusty floor. ¡®There¡¯s nothing more to do.¡¯ They had a plentiful meal, and his boots were sittingfortably by the bonfire. All he needed to do now was to get enough sleep. Judah took out his extra firewood, put it into the mes, andid it down on the floor. Not a pip was shared between the two of them. The sound of pouring rain and the sound of burning firewood mixed into a sweet luby in Judah¡¯s ears. The cold air flowing through the holes of the house even chased away the unpleasant smell that lingered inside. If Judah were alone, to sleep in such conditions would have him vignt and always on his feet, but with Jeanne and the Altemia in his possession, he felt safe. He was off to a sweet slumber¡­ or so he thought. His eyes slowly opened the moment he felt himself being shaken. Shhhh! Through the sound of the pouring rain, a pleasant voice stood out. ¡°Get up, Judah.¡± It was Jeanne. He didn¡¯t know when it happened, but she was wearing her clothes and shoes and even her raincoat. The bonfire was weaker than he remembered, and Judah figured he must¡¯ve managed to nap, but he still felt hazy. ¡°You have to get up and get ready. Something ising.¡± ¡°?¡± As much as he dreaded to hear it, and although he wanted to sleep a little more, Judah had no choice but to gear up. He did everything at the speed of a second-ss soldier in the army. When he finally put on his clothes and raincoat, he could hear the screams buried by the rain. ¡°?!¡± -Help me! Please, save me! Anybody! ¡°It¡¯s a person. What would you like to do?¡± Just when Judah thought she would go headfirst into the situation, she consulted Judah for his opinion,pletely different from how she acted back in An. Judah sighed, unhappy with how he was woken up during such a rxing moment under the rain. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Judah tugged the hood of his coat further before walking over to the door. Seeing the pouring rain and muddy trail made Judah hesitate in stepping out. Jeanne, who was standing behind him, sighed in sympathy. ¡°This is terrible. We have to walk through the rain again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more terrible to think that we have to go and we can¡¯t go back again.¡± Despite his bitter smile, Judah went out into the rain. He stepped out of the house, trying to figure out where the scream came from. The static sound of the rain made it hard for him to hear the voice. Worried, Judah resorted to using -Shadow Justice Form 1-Spreading Shadows-. The shadows cast by the bonfire stretched out of the old house and quickly covered the whole area. It was much better to use it than to look for the source of the voice on their own. His shadow managed to spread out at a maximum of 1 km with enough magic power, giving him instant results. Red dots started to appear one after another on the -map-. They didn¡¯t need to go and find whoever had been screaming, as its source was running towards them as if to follow Judah¡¯s shadows. Judah opened his palm and summoned red energy on his palm, conjuring the Altemia into his grip. ¡°Save me! Whoever is out there, please!¡± A man ran through the woods. He tripped, and his body fell down the ground covering his entire body with mud. ck figures dashed rapidly behind the man. It was obvious that they waited for the man to copse from exhaustion, chasing after him as theyughed at his demise wickedly. ¡°Come, Jeanne. Protect the man. I¡¯ll take care of the ghosts.¡± ¡°Okay. Be careful!¡± Judah charged at the enemies. His heavy footsteps sshed into the puddles, staining his clothes and robe. He nced at the man who had fallen into the ground, seeing relief wash over him. ¡®It¡¯s not time for you to be relieved just yet.¡¯ A ghost behind him shrieked, its arms reaching for the man. Judah threw Altemia from his left hand. It traced the air with a red trajectory, hitting the ghost straight on its chest as the de struck a tree. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! With an ear-piercing scream, Altemia sucked the ghost straight into its de. When the other spirits saw it, they ran at Judah in a snap. ¡®That¡¯s right. Come to me.¡¯ They made it easier for him. Judah threw a dagger at the ghosts. Despite their distance and the pouring rain, his uracy was at 100% thanks to the correction of the skill and the amplification caused by Altemia¡¯s power. It didn¡¯t take them long to defeat the small group of ghosts. Jeanne took care of the other spirits that pursued the man. In an instant, Judah cleared up the situation and walked over to Jeanne. ¡°You good?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Judah turned to the man who was still trembling on the muddy soil. ¡°How are you? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Wow. Wow! Yes, I¡¯m okay! Thank you, really! Thank you so much. You saved my life!¡± He looked up at Judah and expressed his gratitude. Judah needed to hear what happened. They helped up the man and returned to the old house with him. Judah put the remaining firewood into the burning bonfire, and the fire was set aze again. They settled the man in front of the campfire and took off his coat. He was running around for a while, and so his robe and clothes were covered in mud. ¡°Here, dry yourself, and tell me where you came from.¡± The man nodded as he epted the clean towel that Judah handed him over. He took a deep breath before speaking up. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m a hunter from Cherryu Vige.¡± Jeanne¡¯s gaze turned to Judah. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°From the forest¡­ These ghosts emerged and haunted the vige. Everyone asleep woke up screaming. The ghosts attacked the people inside their houses. Those who escaped from them ran outside and into the vige¡¯s center hall. Fortunately, they toyed with us and didn¡¯t kill us right away.¡± He was shaking the first second he started his story, but eventually, he finally calmed down. ¡°We were lucky that a priest and a few adventurers were in the hall with us. With the priest¡¯s divine power, we were able to stay safe for a while. Hah! But¡­ it was impossible for him to protect several people for more than ten days by himself. What¡¯s more, there wasn¡¯t much food in the hall, and we thought we had to ask Kaora for help before it was toote, so a few others, including me, ran out of the hall. The ghosts followed us. We got separated. In a panic, we ran in different directions¡­ As you can see, I was helped by you.¡± He bowed his head. He looked at Judah, who was drying his hands and arms with his towel. ¡°You defeated those ghosts so easily. I hope you don¡¯t mind, but can you help our vige?¡± Chapter 82

Chapter 82

82==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare ¡°Save Cherryu Vige.¡± [ording to the man¡¯s words, the vige of Cherryu is in a dangerous situation due to the attacks of ghosts.] [However, it is also reckless to head to a vige without knowing how many ghosts are in it.] [While it is a wise option to go back to the castle, ask for assistance, and go together, it might waste too much time and risk the lives of those in need.] [The choice you make is up to you.] Judah reassured the anxious man with a nod, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll help. But it¡¯s definitely difficult for us to do this alone.¡± ¡°What do we do then?¡± ¡°You go straight to Kaora Castle and ask for help. Oh, but I don¡¯t know if they wille through this rain and help.¡± ¡°I hope they help us. Wait, does that mean you¡¯re going to town?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t help it. We don¡¯t know if the vige can survive if we go to Kaora together. It¡¯s best if we split up.¡± As Judah spoke, he took out the bronze ques he kept in his pockets and handed them to the man. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the ques I found on the bodies of the adventurers who died in this house.¡± The man held the ques as he studied the house. Ropes hung from the ceiling, and in the corner was an unknown pile covered with a cloth and wooden nks. Of course, he didn¡¯t have the courage to check nor question what was inside of it. ¡°What should I do with these¡­?¡± ¡°Please give it to the Adventurers Guild of Kaora Castle. If you show it, they may be willing toe and help. If they asked who gave it to you, give the name ¡®Judah Arche¡¯. Hopefully, they will remember my name.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, but¡­ Could there be ghosts on the way to the castle? I think that would be dangerous¡­¡± Judah shrugged. ¡°If you think so, it doesn¡¯t matter if you go to the vige with us. It¡¯s just difficult for all of us to go back to Kaora Castle because it will be a risk for those in your vige.¡± The man thought of it for a moment before nodding. ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll go to the castle and ask for help. Please, please, please just help my¡ªAh! I chewed my tongue¡­ Ah¡­ Okay, I should go. Be careful!¡± He packed the te in his pocket and ran through the rain. ¡°Are we leaving as well?¡± ¡°No.¡± Judah shook his head as he watched the man running away, being chased by another ghost. ¡°But didn¡¯t you just say you were helping his vige?¡± Jeanne tilted her head, her eyebrows furrowing. ¡°I¡¯ll help. But let¡¯s have breakfast first and leave after some time. Take it easy. If we rushed in without preparing, it wouldn¡¯t do any good.¡± His answer didn¡¯t satisfy Jeanne, but it made sense to her nheless. It would take them hours to reach the vige, and as soon as they arrive, they would need to jump intobat immediately. They could enjoy a leisure meal after saving the vigers. ¡°That makes sense. All right, let¡¯s get ready.¡± She replied, and the two of them ate their breakfast as fast as they could. Two hours into their departure from the old house, Judah and Jeanne were ambushed by the ghosts. Judah attacked them the same way he had always done, with Jeanneing to his aid with her shield, allowing Judah to end their enemies fast. And as time passed, the raids of the ghosts became more frequent. Jeanne sighed as she dealt with thest ghost. The surprise attacks of the spirit didn¡¯t tire her as much as they should. Her defense mixed with Judah¡¯s melee showed how much in sync they were. Being able to fight and trust each other was a gratifying moment. After the battle was over, Jeanne took a rough breath before summoning the rest of her weapons, which was herncer. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re getting closer to the vige. The ghosts are appearing more often and in bigger groups too.¡± ¡°Yeah. There will be more of them in town.¡± ¡°Do you want to turn away?¡± ¡°Why would you want to do that?¡± Judahughed at Jeanne¡¯s remark. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I believe in us. It¡¯s going to be a tough battle, but if we keep on fighting against these ghosts, I think we can do it.¡± Jeanne didn¡¯t express it in naive confidence. During the battle, she missed a ghost and got hit by it. However, because of her high magic resistance, she didn¡¯t sustain too much damage. More surprisingly, she was able to bear it even though she had no armor on. ¡°Thank you for trusting me. We should go. I¡¯ve gathered my breath.¡± They nodded in agreement and pushed through the rain. The vige of Cherryu was closer to the old house than they thought. The ghosts that ambushed them may have dyed their arrival, but the town sat just down the hill. The dark sky obscured their vision, but it didn¡¯t hide the vige ahead. ¡°Look. The priest is holding up well.¡± Hundreds of ghosts crowded around a lone building in the center of the vige. The structure, covered with green curtains, blocked every ghost there were, even those who could pass through walls or windows. In a vain attempt, the spirits gnawed on the curtains aggressively. ¡¸Save the Cherryu vige 2.¡¹ [You and yourpanion arrived at the vige of Cherryu, where people are under attack by numerous ghosts.] [Fortunately, it¡¯s not toote.] [The priest staying over the vige hall is skillful, protecting the town for a long period of nearly ten days.] [But he is now reaching his limit. The protective veil defending the hall will soon be broken.] [As it weakens, the ghosts who are waiting for the moment the veil will crumble will enter the hall and devour the vigers who are trembling in fear.] [Hurry, it is not long until the veil is broken.] While Judah read the message, Jeanne prepared for battle. She took off her raincoat and summoned her silver armor for better protection. Following Judah¡¯s instructions, Jeanne wore the raincoat over her armor. ¡°Judah, I¡¯m ready. I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± She said as she took the lead, bringing down her facete. The Blue Lancer looked very much dignified as they came down to the vige, ready forbat. Judah was calm and collected, but Jeanne had her game face on, face heavy and serious as she stared ahead. ¡°It¡¯ll be over sooner than you think, so don¡¯t worry about it, Jeanne.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Judah patted her shoulder to calm her down, which worked as she softened under his touch. And from inside her helmet, Judah heard herugh. The rain continued to rage, but it didn¡¯t hide the nking of Jeanne¡¯s armor as they approached. One of the ghosts saw them and screamed as the two of them came, with Jeanne leading the charge. Its shrieking attracted the ghosts that wandered away from the hall, and all their eyes snapped in one ce. In the darkness, the hovering shadows began to fly towards Judah and Jeanne. ¡°Iing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be over really soon.¡± Soon? The thought of his carefree response made Jeanneugh. She tugged down her facete and assessed the area. So far, it took them about ten minutes to defeat ten ghosts. And looking at the dozen enemies ahead, it would be a dream to finish them sooner than expected. It might be a joke, but she continued to hope. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s send them to a good ce.¡± Altemia appeared in Judah¡¯s grasp. Coming this far, using Altemia had somehow drained his energy. Even though he fought ghosts without any physical bodies, using Altemia consumed his stamina. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! The moring of ghosts sent shivers down Judah¡¯s spine. He threw the Altemia, feeling his sweat build upon his palm. Pak! The Altemia missed the ghosts, falling to a muddy puddle dug by the pouring rain. Judah¡¯s attack was light, but Altemia stuck on the mud itnded on because of the soft ground. ¡°?¡± Jeanne, holding her spear and shield tight, stared in shock at Judah¡¯s attack. Although her shield narrowed her vision, Jeanne knew something was wrong. Judah¡¯s dagger, which never missed, had fallen to the ground. ¡®Was that a mistake? Is he nervous?¡¯ The moment she questioned it, her eyes widened at what came next. The rainwater Altemia fell in turned red. In a blink, dozens of thorns erupted like an awl from the gooey blood, piercing every ghost within its reach. Even Jeanne had no time to react. The ghosts scratched and crawled, wailing as the blood began to devour their shadowed bodies. ¡°Ju- Judah¡­? What is this?¡± Jeanne thought Judah¡¯s attack had missed, but whatever it unleashed brought a newfound hope at the perfect moment. Chapter 83

Chapter 83

83==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare In one attack, dozens of ghosts disappeared without a trace, leaving the streets empty and clean. The bloody thorns glistened and melted down to the Altemia impaled on the muddy ground. Jeanne¡¯s baffled eyes turned to Judah, waiting for an exnation. But he doesn¡¯t say anything. She wished Judah would exin what just happened. Wondering why he wouldn¡¯t speak, Jeanne shifted her focus back to the new cluster of ghostsing at them. The Blue Lancer gripped her shield andnce and braced for their attack. However, it seemed that she didn¡¯t have to. The moment their enemies came close, the arms that disappeared sprouted from the Altemia once more. Papapat! Thorns shot straight at the ghosts that passed over it. More enemies emerged from all directions, and Jeanne braced forbat again, but she didn¡¯t have to. Once more, the dagger sucked in whatever enemy ittched onto. The thorns disappeared again, melting back into the dagger on the ground. All it took was a blink. Hundreds of ghosts disappeared from Jeanne¡¯s sight. Of course, more enemies came their way. Finally, it was Jeanne¡¯s turn to fight. Judah coughed, ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the rest.¡± ¡°Okay. Uh, Judah?¡± As Jeanne stepped forward to charge at their enemies, a rough sigh seeped through the sound of the pouring rain. Looking back at herpanion, she saw Judah heaving, putting his hands on his knees as if he was tired. He reached out his hand and shed her a thumbs up, trying to convince her that he was okay. His face told a different story. Judah grew pale. There was no way he can continue using his power. ¡°I will take care of the remaining enemy. Please take a break.¡± Jeanne went a few steps ahead, put her shield in front, and dug the soles of her feet deep into the earth. Then in a loud sh, magic power exploded from her body, sending mud and water in all directions. Blue magic erupted from her body like a pir of light, stealing the attention of the remaining ghosts. They were only a few left, and she could handle them by herself. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! She stabbed hernce to the closest ghost. No sound came from the attack, but the spirit was blown away by the magic of hernce. Jeanne lifted her feet, and with a heavy stomp, she crushed the ghost into thin air. The rest of their enemies followed afterward. She might have defeated them slower than Judah, but it didn¡¯t take her long to clear out the street. All that was left for them to face were the ghosts destroying the vige hall¡¯s green veil. They were pouring all their nerves into the veil, unaware of the demise of the rest of their allies. ¡°Are you okay, Judah?¡± Jeanne turned and checked on him. Judah nodded, looking much better than before. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I did what I could. It was more difficult to handle than I thought.¡± Altemia¡¯s -Liberation- skill required more stamina than expected. He used it to see how much he could absorb with it. The waves of ghostsing at them were too many to count, and since the veil was near its end, Judah had no choice but to sacrifice himself to trigger -Liberation-. Its power was certain, but he could die if he used it recklessly. ¡°That is truly a powerful fragment¡­ Ah, don¡¯t mind what I said.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± Twenty ghosts were ganging up on the veil. The vulnerable spirits had their back turned, making it easier for Judah and Jeanne to kill them. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± As soon as Judah said that, the veil copsed. A ghost cackled, escaping into the building through the roof. It was toote now. Judah grabbed Jeanne before she could run and pointed at the vige hall¡¯s wall. ¡°Jeanne. Break it!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± They didn¡¯t know the number of people inside the hall, but they were likely to be hauled up in the center of the room. If Jeanne broke the wall, no one would get hurt by the impact. Quaang! Jeanne¡¯snce struck the wall with her magic power, and the wall broke down with a loud bang. Different voices and screams rang into the air, but thankfully no one had gotten hurt. Before they could step inside, the sounds of sword unsheathing swung at them. ¡°Move back!¡± Jeanne stepped forward with her shield up. Her wet armor crushed the broken wood below her feet, firmly supporting Jeanne¡¯s body. A man swung his sword at her, but his attack bounced off like nothing. ¡°A ghost with a shield? A person? Who-who are you! If you wish to live, go in! If you want to die, get out!¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s bullshit¡±, Judah mumbled as the two of them stepped into the hall. Who would even break down a wall and note in? Why even were they asking such a thing? ¡®And why is it quiet?¡¯ The people inside might have missed the ghost that went in through the roof, but looking at everybody ahead, they looked more afraid of Judah and Jeanne. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. The only thing that happened was adventurers pointing their weapons at the two of them. ¡®Is the priest among them? I can¡¯t find him¡­¡¯ Or did he die already? It could be. While Judah took off his coat, Jeanne lowered her shield andncer and asked the adventurers to do the same. ¡°We missed a ghost outside. Has anyone seen it?¡± ¡°You missed one? We didn¡¯t see it. But you! Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer with a quest in this town. I met a hunter on the way, and he asked for help, so we came in a hurry. We took care of all but one of the ghosts outside, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Jeanne replied politely, shocking the people inside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not sure. Could you please tell me which direction it came in? We were sitting by the right wing.¡± ¡°I saw it going through the roof.¡± ¡°The roof?!¡± Their widened eyes shot up at the ceiling. The eyes of those who overheard the conversation did the same. Something magical hung from the ceiling, emitting light upon them. Looking closely, the building had another floor. ¡°Is there no one on the second floor?¡± Jeanne interrogated the foolish citizens. ¡°Ah, the priest!¡± An adventurer stuttered. ¡°You guys are crazy.¡± Judah grumbled as he looked around, finding the stairs and going straight at them. Judah ran up two steps at a time, hearing banging at the floor above. The door to the room from where it came was shut tight, and its knob was locked as well. Judah was about to kick the door down, but as Jeanne appeared right behind him, he stepped out of the way. He didn¡¯t need to say anything for Jeanne to break down the door with her mightynce. Khwaja! The door ttered into a million pieces. The sight before them came as quite a shock. In the room, a priest in a nun¡¯s uniformid down a girl onto the floor. ¡°Oh my god. Hello strangers. You¡¯re not possessed by ghosts, as far as I can see.¡± She squeezed the girl¡¯s head, who made no sound, as her body shriveled like a cigarette being extinguished. The priest was a woman with a fascinating atmosphere, unlike the traditional priest. She wore a white garter belt and a veil over her short skirt that revealed her legs like a makeshift nun outfit. She tilted her head at them. ¡°Oh my god. I hope they are people without malice.¡± Judah approached and caught the priest, who was about to fall. The adventurers and people who followed them cried out to the fallen priest. ¡¸Save the Cherryu Vige 2.¡¹ [You missed thest ghost, putting the priest in danger, but the fact that you saved this vige does not change.] [The people are currently unaware of the situation, but soon they will realize that you were their savior and will thank you.] [Level increased by 1. Magic resistance increased by 1 (includingpanion).] [There is an opportunity to recruit the priest as apanion.] Judah sighed in relief as he read the quest¡¯spletion message. The ghost they missed was thest. He handed the priest over to an adventurer who seemed to be herpanion. When the adventurer carried the priest, he looked around, unaware of what to do. The crowd huddled around them as he frowned at the priest¡¯s disgruntled appearance. Thepanion looked like a naive guy. ¡®Why do you go with such people?¡¯ The woman must be an intermediate or higher priest, capable of holding a veil to protect her body for ten days. And even in that state, she was still able to defend herself from someone who was possessed. ¡®Apanion¡­¡¯ As a reward for the quest, he was given a chance to invite the priest, but will he recruit her as hispanion? A priest¡¯s healing abilities and other skills would be useful for him. Once she wakes up, Judah would decide. ¡°You had a hard time, Judah. The town seems to be safe now.¡± ¡°You also had a rough time. We shouldy low.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Jeanne smiled gently, conjuring away hernce and armor. As he descended the stairs with her, Judah checked his status window. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 25] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 42(C) / Potential A] [Health: 42(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 44(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 54(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 5(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 10] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ While hunting ghosts earlier, his level rose by 1. And as a reward for this quest, his level rose by 1 more. ¡®My level is now 25.¡¯ Was this enough to break -Calypso¡¯s Nightmare-? He had two fragments, so it was possible, but he was unsure. And despite winning the quest, Judah grew anxious by the eyes of the people that watched them as they descended the first floor. Chapter 84

Chapter 84

84==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Judah tilted his head at the gazes upon him. Why were they looking at him that way? He nced at the wall they had broken down a moment ago, the sound of the rain sshing from it. No way, was it because of that? Did they want them to take responsibility? ¡°Do you have any problems? If you have anything to say, you can tell me. Anyone?¡± Judah broke the silence. Among the crowd emerged an older man, who might be the vige chief. Judah didn¡¯t know why, but his gaze was filled with fear. ¡°Is it true that you defeated all those ghosts outside?¡± ¡°Yes. Why? Have you seen another ghost?¡± ¡°No. We haven¡¯t. I¡¯m just worried the ghosts were hiding around the corners, or maybe even in the houses.¡± He said, looking up at Judah, before ncing around carefully. Judah couldn¡¯t show them the quest notification to reassure them. Looking at the crowd, he could see the fear in every man and woman. They¡¯ve been haunted for ten days, and their fear had grown into trauma. Judah scratched his head, ¡°Then, I can¡¯t help it. We¡¯ll stay here and stay on guard for a few days. Rest assured, the ghosts are gone and won¡¯te alive again. Would it be okay for you to trust me this one time? Go home and rx.¡± If Judah and Jeanne failed to arrive when they did, the vigers would¡¯ve been the ghosts¡¯ dinner by now. Did they know that? ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. Please don¡¯t take it the wrong way. We know that the priest was unable to hold up any more, and we know that you are the one who saved us. I said my words out of worry. I don¡¯t know what I would do if another ghost appears.¡± He bowed and replied politely. Judah wasn¡¯t used to seeing an older man, who was far older than he was, regard him so highly. Usually, the elderly tend to let go of the conversation when the other person was young, but this man didn¡¯t. ¡°I apologize for introducing myselfte. I am the mayor of Cherryu Vige.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Judah Arche, and this¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jeanne Art Loire.¡± Thencer who had been silent the entire time introduced herself, bowing her head lightly, ¡°We are adventurers.¡± ¡°Thank you again for your help. If you have the time, we would like to seek more of it. Why don¡¯t you stay in our vige and watch over us?¡± ¡°I want to do it out of the goodness of our hearts, but we are also adventurers, so we have to fulfill our mission. There¡¯s nothing more that we can do. It would be better to ask other adventurers out there.¡± ¡°Oh, I understand. Was my mindless rambling disrespectful? Did I bother you, our savior, with it? I¡¯m worried..¡± Judah smiled as gently as possible as if it didn¡¯t matter, ¡°It¡¯s okay. But if you¡¯re really sorry, I have something I¡¯d like to ask. Can you enlighten me?¡± ¡°If we know of it, we will answer as much as we can.¡± ¡°I know that an adventurer the same age as I am named Edron stayed here. Can you tell where hest headed?¡± A viger who overheard Judah¡¯s question raised her hand. Her sudden movement caught Judah¡¯s attention, and when he turned to the woman, she flinched. She wasn¡¯t cold, but why was she shivering? ¡°Hey¡­ I know.¡± She stood up from her seat, gulping loudly, ¡°Because that boy stayed in the inn I run. My inn is also the only one in this town, so¡­ I know him.¡± ¡°Oh, thank God. When was thest time you saw him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to look at the lodging log at the inn to know the exact time, but roughly, it was a day before the rain started. About 11 days ago.¡± ¡°Where did he say he was going?¡± ¡°He helped my vige in running errands, and that day was thest day of his contract. We tried to hold a party to thank him for solving the vige¡¯s troubles, but he said he had to go somewhere in the morning. He headed to the north woods. He said he¡¯d be back in the evening. He left his luggage in my inn.¡± When the older woman¡¯s story finished, the vigers who had been listening all groaned. ¡°Did he say he was looking for ¡®Cherserian¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That would be around the northern woods.¡± Judah nodded and thanked her for letting them know. Although Judah already knew this story. He only asked it so Jeanne would know about it. But if he thought about it, the vigers should be dead. In the game, they were meant to end up as a ruin destroyed by the ghosts. But there were some that he didn¡¯t know the fates of, like the priest and foolish adventurers. He didn¡¯t want people to die, but now he doesn¡¯t know how this would change the future. ¡°Then, we have to go to the north woods.¡± Jeanne nodded, ¡°Yes. He might still be alive in the woods, so we should go. If we can¡¯t find him, we should take the luggage he left at the inn.¡± ¡°Is that all you¡¯re curious about?¡± The chief asked. ¡°Yes, I have nothing else to ask.¡± Judah and Jeanne wore their coats again, but before heading to the north forest, Judah turned to them once more. ¡°Ah, wait. What¡¯s the name of the priest?¡± ¡°The priest? She calls herself ¡®Arhil.¡¯ I don¡¯t know much about her nor her full name.¡± Arhil? At first, Judah was puzzled at the mention of her name, but then it sank in, and his eyes widened. Arhil. ¡®How is she here?¡± As far as Judah can remember, that name belonged to an apostle of Asmodeus, a symbol of lust among the seven sins of the monarch. But she was here, in a human form, and even as a priest. ¡®But if I think about it, Arhil was a corrupt priest.¡¯ His memory had faded. Even though he wrote the story and made the settings, he had forgotten about a few of the characters. It would be amazing if he could remember every little detail about it after all his years of being in this world. Of course, there were some things that he shouldn¡¯t forget, and I certainly remember the case of the monarchs, the kings, and other important characters who had fragments or are closely rted to the story. He couldn¡¯t even remember -Count Genuine de Lava-, but that was a problem because his appearance waspletely different from the illustrations in the game. Even his aura was different. In the case of Arhil, she was a sub-character that had little to do with the game¡¯s story. Even the sub-characters that appeared in Continent 2 were merely a copy of the previous ones because he left the plot to those who helped him build the game. He modified some of the skills, characteristics, and stats to adjust the bnce, but the sub-characters didn¡¯t affect the story much. ¡®This is crazy. I didn¡¯t remember her.¡¯ It was natural. He knew some that he couldn¡¯t recruit as apanion, but he can¡¯t even remember this character¡¯s settings. ¡®I didn¡¯t make her.¡¯ He sighed. He truly could not remember the story setting for this, but perhaps if he looked at her harder, he would remember her skills and abilities. She was a priest with excellent skills, so he thought about recruiting her as a teammate, but should he do it when she¡¯s an apostle of Asmodeus? Asmodeus was under themand of the seventh monarch -Artemia-. In addition to that, Artemia was a monarch who had a bad rtionship with Pernen. ¡®But she¡¯s a human right now, so this might be before she became an apostle. She wouldn¡¯t be protecting humans in this world if she was an apostle of the High Devil.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t Asmodeus sealed in abyrinth somewhere? Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem if he recruited her as apanion. No, shouldn¡¯t he be considered lucky? This character had the potential to be an apostle and can be seen as a hidden character like Jeanne. If he led her with the power of fragments, then Asmodeus won¡¯t be able to take her away as an apostle. He would also gain another trustedpanion, like getting two sets of stones. ¡®If I went to the dungeon and returned to the vige, I¡¯ll have to invite her.¡¯ As Judah cleared his face and nodded his head, the chief who had been watching him asked, ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just surprised. She has the same name as another person I know. Then, we¡¯ll go to the northern woods for a while before it gets dark. There¡¯s no more danger, but if you¡¯re anxious, Jeanne could stay with you. All of you should stay until Ie back or the priest recovers to some extent. You¡¯ve been waiting for more than ten days, but it¡¯s not difficult to wait for one more day. Support wille from Kaora Castle as well.¡± The vigers sighed in relief. Judah and Jeanne asked for directions for the northern forest and then came out through the wall they had broken down. Chapter 85

Chapter 85

85==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Rumble! As soon as they stepped out, the thunder stopped them in their tracks. Even the pouring rain roared stronger than before. Jeanne groaned, dreading the idea of going back into the shower. The rain may be loud, but Judah heard her growl clearly. His conscience whispered to him that he was forcing Jeanne into this mission. Once they entered the dungeon, they wouldn¡¯t be able to take a single break. Jeanne continued to hesitate, staring at Judah with a pitiful frown as she cooed his name. ¡°Judah¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± He knew what she was going to say, and he stopped her from even continuing it. Of course, he wanted to stay in town and leave tomorrow instead, but he was a little bit nervous about doing so. A lot had twisted. The vige they were in should be empty, with not a single survivor, and yet here they were alive and well. On top of that, Ahril, whom he never even expected to meet, was right here¡­ And this gave him hope that Edron might be alive. Above all, he thought that the owner of -Calypso¡¯s Nightmare- might have seeded already in the ritual he should be doing. ¡°Do you want to rest today? If you took a break today, you still have to go into the rain tomorrow. Isn¡¯t going now much better?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She replied, out of anything to say. Despite looking discouraged, Jeanne still followed him. Fortunately, the road in the northern forest had thick branches and leaves, covering them from the pouring rain. They traversed the forest silently, with Judah checking the -Map- often on their way to the dungeon. The forest grew darker as they came closer. It wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon, but the doing of artificial magic. Whether he was aware of such facts or not, Judah watched every step he made. ¡°Are we not getting too deep into the forest? I¡¯ve been told you learned your hunting skills from Gentia, but in this situation¡­ I don¡¯t think there will be any traces of him.¡± It was her way of saying they should go back. They had been walking for two hours with no sign of sess, and Judah was aware it seemed like they were wasting their time. It was natural to worry; Judah would feel the same way since their surroundings grew darker by the second. However, the timing of her worries couldn¡¯t be more ironic, as Judah spotted a trace in the distance. ¡°Look over there.¡± In the direction Judah pointed, a sword was impaled on a tree trunk as if someone had thrown it at it. If it were simply pinned on the floor, it wouldn¡¯t be so rming. Judah and Jeanne walked up to it cautiously before pulling it out. The de was sharp, free from bents and chipping as if it had been well maintained. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Jeanne said as she picked up a sheath that was sticking its head up from a bush. She looked down at the scabbard and back to the sword before nodding to herself. ¡°This seems to be Edron¡¯s alright. Take a look at this.¡± She handed everything to Judah. He noticed that the letters ¡®An ¨C Edsen¡¯ were engraved on the edge of the sword. The grip of the sword fitted perfectly in his hands. ¡°That¡¯s right. Edsen¡¯s sword can¡¯t end up here by chance, so it¡¯s okay to assume this belongs to Edron.¡± Judah¡¯s voice seemed like a facade, but Jeanne didn¡¯t care much. ¡°Then, if his sword is dumped here¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably dead, right?¡± Judah replied, unfazed, as he put everything they found into the -Bag-. He thought to return it when they went back to An. She turned to Jeanne, seeing her standing with eyes wide open. Judah figured that he shocked her by how calm he was in thinking Edron might be dead. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you think so too?¡± ¡°I do, but¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. She didn¡¯t have to say it because it was obvious at this point. She was shocked by how easy it was for Judah to speak of death. Judah, of course, didn¡¯t say anything more about it. ¡®Well, he could be alive.¡¯ The vige survived, and seeing that the priest named Ahril was here, Edron could be alive as well, twisting the future like a butterfly effect. If that happened, going into the dungeon with Jeanne might end up differently as he knew. The enemies might even be using Edron¡¯s death as bait, but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Since we found his sword, maybe we can go around and look further? Then, we can go back.¡± Judah decided to follow the yer¡¯s path in the game. After finding Edron¡¯s sword, they should see his body, and there was a high probability that it could be somewhere near. ¡°Ah! There.¡± As they went farther into the woods, Jeanne reached out her finger and shouted as if she had found something. A white skeleton was lying on the wet ground, dressed. Perhaps because of the rain, the white bones were halfway buried by the mud. The moment they approached, the skeleton broke down. The dust was washed away by the rainwater, not even giving them the chance to get a hold of it. ¡°¡­¡± Only its leather clothes remained. He pulled out the buried clothes, rummaged through its pockets, and soon found a bronze que. The name -Edron- was engraved on the front of the copper te. It was the name of the person they were looking for, and this was what¡¯s left of his remains. Jeanne, who came to his side before he could even say anything, sighed and scanned the area. ¡°Judah, something is strange.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hot, but he decayed so fast his skeleton was the only thing that was left of him. Rather, his body should be swollen because of the rain. It would make more sense if a beast or a monster ate him, but if so, there¡¯s no way he could stay propped up like that. Also, I have never heard of a death like this; turning into dust, and then being washed away by rain only to disappear without a trace.¡± She touched the tree right in front of her. As soon as she felt the bark, something like powder melted in the rain and fell into her hand. She squeezed her hand and watched it bloom and wash away. There was no life to the bark, nor was the tree any special, but everything around them was. ¡°And it¡¯s raining like this, but the nts are dying. Isn¡¯t it very suspicious?¡± She read the situation perfectly, despite the little clues they had. Her gaze intensified as she took off her coat before summoning her armor, shield, andnce. Her silver armor gleamed brightly in the darkness of the forest. ¡°We should look around a little more.¡± Jeanne, who had been eager to go back in town, nodded vigorously at Judah¡¯s instruction. As they went further down the road, they could see the leaves turning purple. It was exactly a sign of dying. Jeanne led the way while Judah checked the -Map- for the exact location of the dungeon. Jeanne led them into invisible pathways, and Judah began to suspect that she knew of the dungeon¡¯s existence. Then finally, they arrived. Before them was a lone building, an antique mansion. Looking at it from afar showed them nothing, but the house appeared out of thin air the moment they got closer. ¡°That is beyond suspicious,¡± Jeanne muttered as she looked up at the mansion. What she said was true to life. Despite having it in front of them, a purple veil protected the entire mansion, much like the veil the priest had conjured back in the vige. But here, every nt and tree was dead. ¡°In Calypso, the wizards seek refuge in hidden ces such as mountains and valleys to conduct peculiar experiments¡­ What should we do, Judah? Should we go back to the vige ande backter? Or should we go in now?¡± Judah thought for a moment. Should they go back to the vige and bring the priest named Ahril? His original n was to go into the dungeon with Jeanne without thinking about anything else, but as they stood at the entrance of the dungeon, Judah figured three was better than two. He was worried because the monstersing out of the inside were ghouls and ghosts, an undead race. But soon, his worries died. ¡°No, let¡¯s go in now.¡± Judah walked up to the barrier. He watched as the rain collided off of the purple veil, blocking any external force from getting inside. He summoned Altemia and struck the veil a few times, causing it to crack and copse instantly. The rain fell onto the once drynd in a quick sh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little anxious? I¡¯m worried about what the mage might have done¡­¡± Jeanne muttered, thinking about the possible traps or enchantment that the mage might¡¯ve ced in the mansion. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take the lead. And if we need to battle, you can be the front.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll take the lead. I have a shield, so it¡¯s safer. Even if we trigger some sort of trap, I can stop it.¡± Before Judah can even retort, Jeanne already opened the door and stepped inside. A magic light illuminated the interiors, so it wasn¡¯t as dark as they expected it to be. ¡°Are these¡­ footprints?¡± As soon as they stepped inside, what they first thought as scattered mud were actually footprints leading further into the mansion. Seeing that the mud had solidified, it could mean that a group of people had stumbled into the mansion not long ago. However, seeing that the footsteps only led inside and not a single one went out, Judah believed they might have died inside. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡± They figured to follow the footprints instead of scouting the mansion in its entirety. Following the shoe prints on the floor, they turned to a corridor and found a staircase leading to the basement. They checked for traps and whatnot, and to their relief, they found nothing. The stairs were wide, and the ceiling was high enough, giving Jeanne and her weapons enough space to descend. The magicmp embedded in the ceiling gave them enough light as they went down to the basement. As they descended, a spacious room connected to the threshold appeared. It was a study room, with luxurious carpets and bright lights, far cozier than the first floor. ¡®What is that smell?¡¯ Judah sniffed, tilting his head as he tried to figure out the scent. ¡°Coffee?¡± As soon as Judah blurted out his guess, the door on the left opened, and a scruffy man emerged. He had a shabby face and a shaggy beard that seemed a shave was long overdue. From behind his square sses, he looked up at Jeanne and Judah, who were standing on the stairs. He stood there with a white mug of steaming coffee. Jeanne, fully armed, put up her shield. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± He mumbled over a sip of coffee. His sses fogged before the fumes evaporated into the air. Despite the presence of intruders, he didn¡¯t seem to be surprised. Rather, it was Judah who found himself gaping. ¡®Count Jinmu!¡¯ He was the owner of this dungeon named -Calypso¡¯s Nightmare-. Chapter 86

Chapter 86

86==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare ¡°Hoh? That armor,nce, and shield¡­ Don¡¯t they belong to the Blue Lancers of the Byron Empire? This is the first time I¡¯ve met one somewhere other than the battlefield.¡± He said, as his eyes lingered on Jeanne. Jeanne flinched when the title of Blue Lancer came out of the other person¡¯s mouth. He sounded like he spoke to her on a battlefield. The Count continued to talk as he took a sip of coffee leisurely. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing to be wary about¡­ For now.¡± ¡°For now?¡± ¡°Yes. For now. You are very lucky.¡± Heughed. ¡°Want to know why? As far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re lucky that you met me. If you came at a different time, you would be attacked by ghosts by now. You broke the veil I set up and entered my mansion unauthorized. But, I will forgive you for breaking in. If you want to live, I suggest you leave my mansion quickly¡­ No, leave this area entirely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult to do that.¡± ¡°How is it difficult?¡± ¡°We were looking for a missing person¡­ and then we found this ce. There were ghosts before we got here, and the footsteps by your entrance are suspicious. Is it because of you that the ghosts attacked the vige? ¡° When Judah finished his sentence, the man¡¯s eyes widened before he burst intoughter. ¡°Haha! That is true. It¡¯s nice to see a smart kid here who gets everything right too! Even though I was possessed when I did whatever you may be speaking of, it¡¯s still me at the end of the day.¡± He tapped his finger. At that moment, a ghost was summoned by his side. ¡°Can you see it?¡± The ghost was a ck shadow that emitted such a foul aura. It disappeared into the wall with an eerie chuckle. After showing them his power over the ghosts, heughed and headed into a hallway in front of the room. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Theughter in Jinmu¡¯s face grew into something dark. Why did he do it? ¡°Why? ¡­There are many reasons, but you can see it as a necromancer¡¯s miserable decision. I don¡¯t want to talk too much. So make sure you go back the way you came from. I don¡¯t know when the ghosts will take over me again.¡± ¡°What happens if they possess you?¡± ¡°Well, first of all, they¡¯ll devour you. I don¡¯t know how you came by here, but I believe you came from a vige nearby. Maybe they¡¯ll attack another vige? It¡¯s terrible beyond terrible. If you were adventurers and not children, I¡¯d even ask you to kill me.¡± ¡°You want us to kill you? Can¡¯t you just stop?¡± Jeanne frowned at the thought of it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I wouldn¡¯t be talking to you like this. I can¡¯t die right now, and I can¡¯t bring my body to its death either. Whoo, I¡¯ve said enough. I¡¯m a person who has a lot to think about. This is useless. Don¡¯t bother me and just get out of here. Oh, if you need anything, you can take things from the mansion. I don¡¯t need to use things anymore. Farewell then.¡± He waved his hand, turned his back, and walked down the hall. They heard the man mutter about the good taste of his coffee. Judah looked at him and nced at his system window. Since he knew the man¡¯s name, he could read his information. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Jinmu] [Title: Reaper of Battle] [True Name: Calypso¡¯s Nightmare] [Level: 78(-38)] [upation: Necromancer (B+)] [Race: Human] [Strength: 78(-33) (B) / Potential B] [Health: 79(-33) (B) / Potential B] [Agility: 59(-17) (C) / Potential C] [Magic Power: 92(-37) (S) / Potential S] [Magic Resistance: 89(-36) (A) / Potential A] [Charisma: 65(-19) (B) / Potential A] [Charm: 60(-18) (B) / Potential B] ? Special [Knowledge: 78(-23) (B) / Potential A] ? Special [Luck: 59(-17) (C) / Potential C] ? Special [Favorability: 0 (normal)] [Reliability: 0 (normal)] ¡¸Talent 7/7¡¹ [Bel-Therja Bell]-Rank: A [Necromancy]-Rank: B [Baekje¡¯s Hero]-Rank: B [One Man Corps]-Rank: B [Possession]-Rank: A [Grudge]-Rank: B ¡¸Skill 6/6¡¹ [ck magic-necromancy]-Rank: A [ck Magic-Magic Circle]-Rank: B [Positive]-Rank: B [Horse Boost] -Rank: B [Imperial Melee Combat Skills-B]-Rank: B [Imperial Swordsmanship-B]-B ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ His high level was crazy, and it fitted the man well. Judah and Jeanne¡¯s skills had nothing against him. However, those were his stats as himself, not when ghosts possessed him. And due to his deteriorating physical condition, a significant number of his stats were reduced. ¡®However, his level is still higher than expected.¡¯ If Judah came to him a littleter, time would have reduced Jinmu¡¯s level, and his stats could decrease into something they would be able to fight. However, the Count was still in a diminished state, and Judah thought it was worth trying. He summoned Altemia in his left hand and threw it at Jinmu¡¯s back. But the Count¡¯s magic power emerged from his body as if expecting the weaponing at him. Swoop! Dark purple energy cascaded over his entire body, blocking Altemia from hitting him. However, his level 70, characteristics, and skills were not entirely enough to stop Altemia. His shield tore as Altemia¡¯s de struck, scarping his cor before it hit the floor. The Count froze in his tracks while Judah¡¯s lips curled up in anticipation. ¡°Did I say I¡¯m leaving? If you need someone to kill you, well, I can do just that.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The man faced them again. He squeezed his mug tightly before sticking his tongue out. ¡°Why are you sticking out your tongue?¡± ¡°I¡¯m drinking something hot.¡± He nced at Judah, and in a blink, he threw away his mug. Even though it hit the wall and fell to the floor, the mug rolled down the hall without breaking. Whoever made it did a solid job. ¡°You¡¯re one brave and fearless kid. You¡¯re quite capable. Do you think you¡¯ll be able to kill me, Count Jinmu? I¡¯ve been on the battlefield for 20 years. There will be bloodshed. I am not trying to send you back for no reason!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Judah knew. He knew Count Jinmu, amander of the Baekje Empire, a man who inflicted great damage whenever there was a war against the Byron Empire. The Byron sent out an assassin to kill him. However, the killer failed to assassinate the Count and ended up burning his family and his estate instead. This further fueled the anger he had for the enemy, tormenting the Byron Empire even more on the battlefield. But Judah couldn¡¯t say that, so he stayed quiet. ¡°Count¡­ Jinmu?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Your Blue Lancer knows me. What do you think? Can you kill me? Do you have what it takes to vanquish the thousands of ghosts that are tied to my soul?!¡± Jeanne swallowed the lump in her throat. She thanked the heavens that she had her helmet on, or else they would see the fear in her eyes. She covered herself with her shield, whispering to Judah. ¡°Judah, ??If he¡¯s the real Count Jinmu, we must run while we still can.¡± Judah felt that she was trembling, despite her efforts to keep her voice from showing it. She probably heard the stories about the Count because of other Blue Lancers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not as strong as he used to be.¡± He whispered back, but Jinmu nodded as if he overheard the conversation. He took off his sses, took a small cloth out of his pocket, and wiped its lenses. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a lot weaker than I used to be. But I¡¯m not weaker than you. I think it¡¯s wise to listen to her. I¡¯m giving you a chance right now. A chance to live. I don¡¯t want to kill anyone right now, especially if they don¡¯t have the skills to kill me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to kill?¡± There was silence before the Count replied. ¡°There are things that adventurers, mercenaries, and soldiers have to consider; whether your opponent is stronger or weaker than you, it should tell you when to fight and when to get out.¡± He put on her sses again and looked at Judah dead in the eyes, ¡°I¡¯m a good guy, but that¡¯s not enough. Just because you tore through my magic, do you think that¡¯s worth testing me?¡± Judah nodded confidently, ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know what you were like in the past as the greatmander and necromancer you once were, but now I see how weak you¡¯ve be.¡± Jinmu bowed his head, peering at Judah¡¯s legs. He expected the boy to be trembling in his shoes, but he stayed true to his words. Then Judah stepped out behind Jeanne, threw Altemia at him, and drew his bastard sword from his waist. ¡°A decent trick¡­¡± Jinmu¡¯s eyes narrowed as he spread his arms open. The purple magic circling him gathered in his hand before spiraling upward, creating a sword. ng! He swung his sword and struck the dagger. It bounced back, but it damaged his magic sword severely. His swing was on perfect timing, and yet the de did enough damage. There was no reason for the dagger to have such power. No, there was one way. There must be a reason why his dagger managed to stand against him. ¡°What a great weapon that is¡­¡± He used magic to restore the form of his sword, staring at the dagger lodged on the floor. Then he nced back at his opponents, jumping backward as Jeanne charged at him. She spurred the ground before thrusting hernce at him. Quaang! A loud ring buzzed through his entire body as its shockwave shattered the bricks of the hallway, sending debris flying into the air. Jeanne pulled out hernce from the ground then rushed straight to Jinmu with her shield. ¡°The reason a Blue Lancer is scary is because of their defense and speed. If I tied your feet, you are nothing!¡± Jinmu shouted, generating magic. ck figures stood up from the floor, grabbing Jeanne by her feet. ¡°!¡± Jeanne tried to lift her feet as the foul creatures broke through the cracks of her iron shoes. She didn¡¯t budge as if a rope bounded her legs. ©¤©¤©¤©¤! As evilughter echoed through the hallway, ghosts began to appear through the walls, ceiling, and floor. In a blink, Judah threw a dagger at Jinmu and the spirits on the wall. The Count avoided the daggering at him as he held his sword tightly. The ghosts, on the other hand, screamed as the de extinguished their existence. Jinmu¡¯s eyes widened in curiosity, watching Altemia as it absorbed the spirits. ¡°Hoh? What? It¡¯s no ordinary weapon! Absorbing a ghost¡ªNo, is it absorbing life? That¡¯s amazing.¡± He underestimated the Altemia as nothing but an object of mere magic. Judah smiled to see the Count with his guard down. This was his chance. While the Count stayed bewildered, Judah had to finish the fight while he could. He triggered Altemia¡¯s skill. Rather than activating -One in Ten Altemia-, he activated the same skill he used when his dagger was buried in the mud earlier. ¡°What?¡± With his years of experience on the battlefield, Jinmu felt a shift in power. He saw an aura of blood flowing out of Altemia, rising out like thorns. Then he found himself lifted in the air by something piercing through his back, leaving him no chance to react. ¡°What¡­ is this?!¡± Altemia began to suck up his life force. His hands mored to grapple on whatever had struck him. When Judah tried to activate the other daggers stuck around them, a ck figure began to emerge from his body. ¡°AAAAAAHHHH¡ª¡° He screamed. The ck figures in his bodies freed him from Altemia¡¯s grasp. Judah tried to activate the skills of the rest of the daggers, but the ghostsing from the Count blocked the attacks. Then slowly, countless spirits continued to emerge from his body. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤!!! With an ear-piercing screech, the ghosts came down at Judah and Jeanne. Judah summoned Altemia quickly and threw it in front of him, triggering -Liberation- for the first time. Sacrificing 5% of his stamina, drops of blood spew out from Altemia¡¯s de, whirring around the dagger like a whirlwind. The ghosts that fell into its sharp edges looked like fruits shredded inside a blender. Hundreds of ghosts burst into pieces, filling the hallway with their remains. Judah¡¯s stamina began to decrease further, but as Altemia absorbed the remains of the spirits, he recovered in an instant. Despite killing countless spirits, the ghosts Jinmu used as his limbs continued to surge. He could continue using Liberation, but not before freeing Jeanne from the ghost that held her hostage. Then he looked back up to observe the situation. The ghosts chattered while wandering around Jinmu¡¯s body. -Look at him. Do you think he can handle them without our help? -Wouldn¡¯t the dead find it unfair to suffer and die again, but by the hands of a mere child? Oh, of course, that includes me too. -You know what? You¡¯ve been on the battlefield for a very long time¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re about to die now? Or do you wish to die on purpose? So you can rest? Oh, you can¡¯t. You¡¯re in trouble. You don¡¯t think we¡¯re just simply let your soul go, right? Jinmu looked at Judah with bloodshot eyes, ignoring the voices of the ghosts around him. ¡°Damn it, kid, run! If you don¡¯t want to die, go away! Run¡­ this instant!¡± One of the ghosts whispered in his ear, putting his hand on Jinmu¡¯s shoulder. -Wow! That¡¯s so cool. Why the hell are you thinking about letting him go? Don¡¯t let him get to you. Do you remember your son in him? Well. If you think about it, the vigers and the adventurers of the viges we attacked saved the boys at the same age as your son. Unfortunately for them, we still chased and killed them. Hahaha! ¡°You¡¯re all too loud. I am your owner. I¡¯m the one who controls you! Don¡¯t you dare go against my word!¡± -Oh. Did you forget that everything changed a long time ago? There was a time where you controlled us. But now¡­ The ghosts that spoke to Jinmu rushed straight into his body. The Count staggered as he cackled, and then he froze. Slowly, he lifted his head, a smirk forming on his lips. ¡°Now, we control you.¡± From Jinmu¡¯s mouth, the sound of a hundred voices thundered all at once. Chapter 87

Chapter 87

[We¡¯re already starting to stock pile chapters today. We just didn¡¯t get a chance to get them edited. However, the release rate for this series will increase significantly very soon. We will either match or surpass RIM¡¯s upload rate in the future.] 87==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Jinmu, under the control of a hundred ghosts, moved happily as they looked at Judah. The Count¡¯s aura turned into something sinister like he was a different person entirely. This wasn¡¯t him anymore. ¡°Thank you, kid. Thanks to you, I got my body back.¡± ¡°You say that like the body belongs to you originally.¡± Possessed by the ghosts, Jinmu erupted intoughter. ¡°Kahaha! That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not my body! But see, this guy took our bodies¡ª Ah, let me correct that. This guy controlled us too for such a long time. Isn¡¯t it justified that we can control him as well?¡± ¡°How many people are inside his body? The voices are ovepping. It¡¯s hard to understand you.¡± ¡°Well, well, how many people, you ask? 200¡­ 300¡­ 400? 472 people. That¡¯s a lot of people in one tiny body.¡± He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Thank you again. For now, I have a job to do.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Yes, something important for our great king and eternal monarch. We are preparing for a ceremony to summon Bel-Therja into thisnd! We¡¯re almost at the end. All preparations are almost finished, but this Jinmu guy just had to push us out of his body.¡± ¡°Bel-Therja? That name¡­ Isn¡¯t that the sixth lord of the demon world? Wait, are you saying you¡¯re going to summon such a dangerous creature into thisnd?¡± When Jeanne stepped in, Jinmu cackled. ¡°You know him well, but you are to address him ording to his honorific name. He¡¯s a different person from you.¡± At that time, Jinmu¡¯s body spat out blood. He looked down at the pit spilling on the floor and grumbled. ¡°Oh, dear¡­ You can¡¯t die right now. We know you¡¯re dying, and you¡¯re fragile. In this state, it¡¯s difficult if Jinmu pushes us back, so we have to go.¡± ¡°We just heard a ridiculous story about summoning a monarch. Do you think we¡¯ll just let you go?¡± He smirked, ¡°Oh, but we¡¯re letting you go too. If you¡¯re going to follow, then follow us. That is, if you can survive. I wonder if that¡¯s possible. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be able to see usplete the ritual.¡± He waved his hand lightly as a goodbye and then turned his back. The ghosts that had been hovering from behind blocked the way as Jinmu left. They looked down at Judah and Jeanne, drooling. With a loud screech, they rushed toward them. They seemed to be conscious of Altemia¡¯s liberation skill, and in an attempt to avoid it, the ghosts kept a distance from each other. However, even if hundreds of ghosts kept their distance, their withdrawal did nothing in the narrow area. Judah threw Altemia to the front, in the middle of the crowd of ghosts. He activated Liberation, and the blood energy cut the spirits into pieces. They cried out an ear-piercing scream as they fell under the mercy of Altemia. But as they vanished, another cluster of ghosts began to appear through the ceiling, walls, and the floor. ¡°Jeanne, we have to go.¡± Jeanne couldn¡¯t answer him right away. Instead, she continued fighting with hernce and shield. It wasn¡¯t that that she didn¡¯t hear him through all the sounds of their fighting. However, Jinmu¡¯s name held weight for her as a Blue Lancer. Jeanne took a deep breath after facing countless ghosts. Judah guarded their surroundings in case there were any ghosts left so that she could catch her breath. Unlike her, Judah didn¡¯t move too much due to Altemia¡¯s power. Still, she had no answer for Judah, and her conflict was clear in her eyes. But she needed to do this for Judah. ¡¸Save the Cherryu vige 3.¡¹ [You have entered the mansion of the honorablemander of the Baekje Empire -Count Jinmu-, and I met him.] [You were lucky to meet the real Count Jinmu, who has had control of his consciousness, and had a little conversation with him.] [Whether it was your fault or not, you inflicted an attack on him that triggered the ghosts to control his body.] [He was weak, and his mental barrier was even more weakened by the Altemia, allowing the ghosts who had resentment against him to control his body again.] [They are almost finished with their ritual for the great Lord of the dead, -Bel- Therja-, by sending ghosts to a nearby vige to possess many people and bring back their bodies alive.] [Of course, one does not simply summon one of the seven lords of the demon world.] [It was unknown if he will respond to the summoning. However, Count Jinmu¡¯s soul will be torn to pieces in the aftermath of the failure, and the remaining ghosts will run away and scatter in all directions. Furthermore, A small passage connected to the demon world will open, which will bring forth an overwhelming amount of monsters into thisnd.] [There will be a lot of sacrifices to close it. You can decide here.] [Will you risk your life to stop Count Jinmu, despite gaining nothing in return?] [Or will you retreat to safety?] [Either way, nobody can dictate to you what to do.] [Because you stumbled upon this scene on ident.] [But if you defeat Count Jinmu in this mansion, you willpletely save the vige of Cherryu.] That alone was enough reason for him to pursue the quest, and this was the reason he came here anyway. So he waited patiently for Jeanne to respond. Then suddenly, they heard several footstepsing toward them. A staggering body emerged from the end of the corridor. The magicmps hanging on the ceiling began to falter. ¡°Ghouls¡­¡± Jeanne muttered, eyes fixated on the figures. The bodies continued to stagger. Their bodies withered like everything had been drained from them. It walked slowly, its mouth hanging open as if its soul had left the body. They wore clothes that of a normal viger, and their muddy feet told them that these were the owners of the footprints on the entrance. The ghosts didn¡¯t care if they were a man or a woman, nor did they spare the children or the elderly. The spirits attacked them and left them there to die, and now they came up to Judah and Jeanne without even getting a peaceful rest. ¡®After the ghost, we get these zombies.¡¯ They weren¡¯t zombies; they were ghouls. But the idea of them being zombies made him smile, remembering the zombie movies he watched back in the real world. Oh well. Jeanne watched him silently with her shield out front. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for thete answer. I¡¯m conflicted. I don¡¯t know why I worry about this¡­ I could die, but I don¡¯t know if I qualify as a knight after running away when I know the disaster I turned my back on. So¡­ I¡¯ll be with you, Judah.¡± Finally, when the ghouls recognized the living beings before them, they jerked into a hunch, then they started running. And before Judah could throw Altemia, Jeanne ran forward and heaved the ghouls with her shield. The shield protected with magical power exploded into a bang the moment it hit the ghouls. The running ghouls mmed onto her shield and bounced away, and what a spectacr sight it was. Lifting herncer, she swung the blunt weapon and stomped forward, trampling the head of the ghoul wriggling under her feet. Quazzik! The sound hissed, but no blood came from the corpse. The only thing that came from it was the terrible sound of broken bones. Jeanne was going to defeat them by herself. Judah stood there, blinking at her as she continued to attack. Jeanne atoned for the minutes she stood there when she hesitated for an answer. She lifted hernce over her head and struck it towards the ghoul in front. After being squashed, the ghoul crumpled to the ground. Then Jeanne quickly turned to her left, pushing a ghoul straight to a wall with her shield, and shoved it heavily to the concrete. The ghoul, whose whole body was crushed into grains, had no chance to budge. All Judah had to do was just stick behind her and deal with the other ghouls she left. Suddenly, the remains began to move together. The detached limbs and cut ghouls wiggled on the floor, but they crawled too slow to reach Judah and Jeanne. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them back. Do you want that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Are you okay?¡± ¡°This is nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± Pretending not to worry about her, Judah went ahead. But, unlike what she said, Jeanne seemed to be quite exhausted as she took her breath. Exhausting her magic power on her armor, weapon, and shield had worn her down. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break and go. I think you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°No. If we rest, they could be done with the ritual.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± She seemed to think of it for a moment, but she nodded softly. The corridor Jinmu walked down to was longer than expected, with ghosts and ghouls emerging from its end. They defeated what felt like a hundred ghouls, but theck of blood felt like they faced off against monsters rather than human remains. They stood there in confusion, staring nkly at the empty end of the corridor. ¡°Is this done by magic?¡± ¡°Probably, but there must be a way to go down to the basement. The mage couldn¡¯t have made a room like this by himself.¡± Judah racked his memories of the game. ¡®This goes down to the third basement level.¡¯ There were several steps to getting to the second basement level, but the way down to the first basement level should be simple. He walked up to the wall, pushed his mass against it, and then walked back and forth, searching for something. At some point, a ripple broke out from the wall, swallowing Judah¡¯s hand. As Jeanne stood there with her eyes wide open, Judah pushed himself further and poked his head inside before turning back to Jeanne. ¡°This way. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jeanne could only stare at him for finding the way so easily. They found a staircase leading to the second basement level, and when they came down, they found several tools and books they had to deal with but did not know what to use. Judah felt embarrassed, absolutely at a loss of what to do. ¡®It can¡¯t be like this.¡¯ Just as there were ghouls and ghosts on the floor above, there should have been a semi-boss fight with a monster and a few more ghosts and ghouls in this level¡­ But everything was too quiet. There weren¡¯t any traps either, but it was odd that not a single monster wasing at them like they hadn¡¯t eaten in days. ¡®Why is nothing happening?¡¯ He was confused and couldn¡¯t figure out a reason why. Judah walked down the quiet hallway, and as if he realized something, he stopped in his tracks. It was simpler than he thought. ¡®This is crazy¡­ It¡¯s because I arrived early!¡¯ He wasn¡¯t Kain, the main character. He possessed the body of Judah! And Kain had yet toe to the mansion, at least after a few dozen days. He would go slowly, but eventually, his quest would lead him here, so he was yet to arrive. If Kain came here, he would, of course, follow the game¡¯s story and timeline. The vige would be ruined, and he wouldn¡¯t encounter the priest named Ahril, and there was no way he could chat leisurely with the conscious Count Jinmu. That was how the story went, and he felt like a fool for not realizing it sooner. Chapter 88

Chapter 88

88==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare ¡®Ah, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Judas thought to himself as they traversed the second basement floor. He felt like something had been eating away his mind. Ever since they came down to this level, a weird feeling began to creep into him, but he only managed to notice it now. ¡®Will I even receive properpensation for this?¡¯ The reason he tried toe this far and perform the quest on purpose was to stop Count Jinmu and get stats as a reward. It had the potential to give him a much more valuable reward than the natural flow of the story because this quest had something to do with the other world. ¡®It should be about here.¡¯ Not a single monster interfered with him, so he proceeded without hesitation. He scratched his head before pressing a certain brick. His hand pushed the brick further. At the same time, they heard a rumbling from beneath like something was moving, and the surroundings shook as if an earthquake had urred. Not too far away, another sound of rumbling followed. And just like that, the road to the third basement floor opened. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Did you learn this from Gentia?¡± Jeanne asked, watching from behind in pure admiration. ¡°No. I learn this from, uh, novels. There are a lot of these things.¡± ¡°You learned that from such things¡­?¡± Jeanne was quick to follow-up with another question. He wanted to exin it, but when he tried toe up with something rational, Judah just gave up because it didn¡¯t sound convincing even to him. ¡°That was a coincidence? Um, it¡¯s like something you can foresee?¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°Hm. When you fight against an enemy, you feel like you can see the enemy¡¯s attack path, right?¡± Judah tilted his head, uneasy about what he said. But surprisingly, Jeanne nodded slowly, as if she understood it. ¡°Sure. I understand.¡± In a sense, she did, and Judah wanted to ask, but he could only muster an awkwardugh. They entered the doorway, and he felt frustrated to see only a bricked hallway, an empty room, and the high ceiling. It seemed like everything was blocked. Was he experiencing ustrophobia? He sighed, following the low rumble beneath the ground, and finally found a staircase leading to the lower basement. ¡°It smells like blood.¡± ¡°I can hear the scream of the ghosts.¡± The moment they descended, they could already feel the presence of their enemies. Jeanne led the way, going down two steps ahead of him. Her back looked very reliable. Their footsteps echoed alternatively, sometimes resonating in sync. The stairs were longer than the previous ones they¡¯ve taken. By the time they reached the end, they had understood why it was so long. They found themselves standing inside a huge cave, with a high ceiling stretching far above their eyes could see. The ustrophobic floor they came from had nothing against this enormous area. The first thing they saw was the red magic circle drawn on the neat floor, like ttened asphalt. There was a triangle inside it, and three other magic circles were engraved within the triangle. In the center of each circle, a bead hovered about 1m from the floor, absorbing the red aura leaking out of the magic circle. Just the mere sight of it felt dangerous right away. And at the center of the magic circle, where the three circles ovepped, there was an altar, where Count Jinmu was sitting. He waited without uttering a word until his eyes looked straight at Judah. When their eyes met, he waved his hand as if they were close friends. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°That voice is terrible even after hearing it a few times. Not like that¡¯ll change in a few hours¡­.¡± It was quite painful to hear hundreds of people talking at the same time. Their thick voices dominated one another, leaving no room for harmony. ¡°Kyahaha! What a very proud kid. If we met you while we were alive, we¡¯d sound pretty well. Sorry. Are you dissatisfied with our voices?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, how about this?¡± Suddenly, a beautiful voice came from his mouth. Judah frowned. Hearing a voice reminiscent of a beautiful woman¡¯s face but seeing ite out of a shaggy man¡¯s body gave him goosebumps. ¡°I prefer the voice before¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Howe you¡¯re stillining?¡± He didn¡¯t know who he was talking to. Was it another soul in the body? Then suddenly, the Count rose from where he sat. He cracked his head from side to side in a stretch to loosen up his body. ¡°Let me ask you this¡­ Did you have any difficulties in getting this far?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a clue, so I struggled a lot. Your hospitability as the host is terrible.¡± Jinmu erupted intoughter, stepping away from the circle. ¡°So you really wished toe here. We gave you enough chances to go back, but seeing that you didn¡¯t leave, that means you¡¯re going to stop us. It¡¯s obvious that you have no regrets when you die?¡± He snapped his finger and jumped. Wherever they were hiding, ghosts sprang from the floor and started leaving behind foul traces of energy like perfume. It filled their heads with an unpleasant afterthought. ¡°Since the summoning ceremony is in progress, let¡¯s just y with each other in the meantime? Look! There is a Blue Lancer among us.¡± Purple magical power emerged and wrapped around Jinmu¡¯s body. In a sh, an armor, shield, andnce appeared on the Count built much grander than Jeanne¡¯s. ¡®How did they conjure that¡­?¡¯ Even if the Count¡¯s high level caused it, something was different from it. Although the decline in level and stats led to a great deal, it wasn¡¯t surprising that his characteristics and skills were far from weak. Still, it startled Jeanne, as she stood there frozen in shock. ¡°How should I test the skill of my junior? If you survive, you¡¯ll learn a great lesson.¡± -What do mean lesson? You have to kill it. ¡°Quiet. Isn¡¯t it ¡®my¡¯ turn now? No matter what I say, don¡¯t interfere.¡± -Oh, good, good. After you, you have to follow our opinion silently. So we won¡¯t be saying anything for now. ¡°As it should be.¡± Unlike hundreds of people speaking at the same time, suddenly, the voice was alone. Jeanne braced as she walked, and Jinmu took the same posture. Their shields were held out, and theirncers were drawn. They looked the same, even the way their helmet hid their faces. ¡°Let¡¯s begin. And it would be better if the kid over there doesn¡¯t do anything funny. Join us.¡± Judah paused as he tried to take his step and head towards the magic circle that the ghosts were protecting. Jinmu rushed at them with his shield. Judah came out to the side and threw Altemia out of impulse as he stood on his ground firmly. The dagger, thrown from his left hand, shot straight between the gaps of Jinmu¡¯s helmet, but he blocked with his shield sending it bouncing to the ground. ¡®It bounced?¡¯ It was natural for them to be wary of Altemia. After all, it had struck Jinmu before. But how much magic power did they use against the dagger that they managed to defend against it? In embarrassment, he didn¡¯t throw another dagger, but Jeanne was there to collide against Jinmu. Quaang©¤! Jeanne¡¯s body was pushed back, her heels skidding through the ground. ¡°Haha, youck power, junior!¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± The spirit in possession of Jinmu¡¯s body cackled and stabbed hisnce. He faltered, allowing Jeanne to step back and lift hernce to stop his. However, Jinmu¡¯s weapon managed to push Jeanne¡¯snce outward, bend like a snake, poking her arm and aiming at her heart. Jeanne couldn¡¯t stand still, so Judah ran, and she triggered -Shadow Justice- and -Shadow Swordsmanship- at the same time. As his magic activated together, ck magic wrapped around his bastard sword, forming a thick, cone-shapednce. Jinmu turned and used his shield to block Judah¡¯s shadow swordsmanship. Some of the magical power that made up the shield scattered at first but swarmed back together instantly. Judah¡¯snce, however, melted into the air. Swiftly, he drew out his arms and attempted to conjure Altemia, but at the moment he tried to throw it, Jinmu¡¯snce came to his side in a blink. Should he stop it or avoid it? His choice was thetter. Judah¡¯snce disappeared to the ground, as he avoided by jumping to his left. His opponent turned his body around, spurring the ground with his heel to charge at him. Judah dug his soles on the floor to lean back, knowing that if Jinmu hit him, he might fly across the room. Judah¡¯s heavy left foot sent him away from the Count. As soon as he got out of the spot, Jeanne attacked Jinmu from behind. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Cold sweat ran down his back. Magic, Spreading Shadows, and Potential Liberation ©¤ Even though he had three skills activated, they could not fight against Jinmu¡¯s attacks. If he thought about it, it felt like they would lose even if he had fragments. The Count swung at Judah again before confronting Jeanne in a blink, and the result was the same. He was so skillful that he countered their attacks easily. It was given that the battle would be different, but this was far too different. The shield andnce techniques that only a Blue Lancer could use threatened their every move. It was hard. Hard enough to lead them to their deaths. -Wow, you¡¯re pretty good? How did you lose to Jinmu while having this level of skill? ¡°He was also skillful. Now he¡¯s weak enough to be eaten by us.¡± The ghosts even had the gall to chat. He effortlessly struck Jeanne and Judah, pushing them away. ¡°Both of you are more talented than I expected. I would say your courageous act of facing us is worth it. But if that¡¯s all you can do, unfortunately, it¡¯ll end here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Judah threw Altemia at Jinmu and triggered Liberation. The moment the dagger reached his shield, the skill that ground ghosts and ghouls like a blender activated. There was no time for him to say anything. The magic power holding up his shield crushed at the sharp edges of Altemia. ¡°Jeanne, take care of him for a second.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± She didn¡¯t ask why. He didn¡¯t even think that Judah would run away, but she continued blocking Jinmu as Judah dashed to the magic circle. In the game, defeating Jinmu was simple. All he had to do was destroy the magic circle that summoned Bel-Therja. He summoned three Altemias in between the fingers of his left hand. -Stop him! The ghosts possessing Jinmu shouted from behind, and the spirits who were only watching by the magic circle finally moved. Although frightened by the crowd of ghosts, Judah heaved augh and threw the daggers in his hand. Altemia¡¯s de cut through the air in a blinding blood-red re. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ #Setting 6. ¡¸Bel-Therja¡¹ The sixth monarch -Bel-Therja- is the figure of death. The king of demons, the eternal monarch, the one who chews on solitude©¤He titles, and living creatures cower in fear at the mention of his name. Of course, other monarchs were not afraid of him. For them, death was a strange thing and a force to ovee. Unless you cut your own heart like Pernen. However, he recognized the power of those who had higher ranks, such as monarchs and kings, but he was absurdly strong and terrifying to those weaker than him. Everyone is reluctant to enter his realm. Even demons and monsters who were unable to feel fear feared him. And no devil ever dared to covet the power that he had. He lived in a body made of bones, which was an eternal form, and it took away the vitality around him little by little, no matter how much he controlled his strength. In the beginning, thend of the demon world where he was located was a lively ce overflowing with life, but now it had be a wastnd. As a way to seal his strength, he ceased to absorb the life force of others, but his barrennd became an environment where life was difficult to exist. He wanted to see life overflowing once more within his realm, and it was said that he tried experimenting by making fake flowers and trees, nting dolls, and putting souls in them. The dolls he made were so precise that they lived as if they were truly alive unless you looked closely at them. Some of these solid foundations were things that he learned from Pernen, but after investing more than a few decades in this hobby, he naturally reached a level of craftsmanship. Humans, elves, monsters¡­ There was nothing he couldn¡¯t make. ording to the rumors, he saw the fragments that Pernen made from his heart and asked for one of its pieces, but he was tly rejected. Chapter 89

Chapter 89

89==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! Of the hundreds of ghosts pouring out from the front, most of them crumbled by the bloody energy of the three Altemias. The spirits possessing Count Jinmu were at a loss for words as the front of the magic circle opened wide. When Judah nced behind him, Jeanne continued to fight against Count Jinmu, but she was being pushed back because of therge difference in their stats. He had to hurry, stepping into the circle as fast as he could. As his feet met the foreign letters engraved on the ground, ghastly figures emerged and grabbed his ankles. -Where are you going? -Don¡¯t go. Are you saying we can¡¯t see him after all the sacrifices we made here?! It felt like they could drag him down into the very ground. But they weren¡¯t physical beings, and with enough strength, Judah managed to drag them too. Judah trotted on the ground with the ghosts wrapped around his feet. He stomped his feet with a bang, sending magic to spread out and the bodies of shapeless ghosts to distort and fall apart. ¡®They¡¯re strong.¡¯ His eyes narrowed when he saw the number of ghosts that had fallen and tried to hang onto him again. Not only from the floor but in all directions, theytched onto him as they mumbled thenguage of a curse. Although he managed to brandish his bastard sword and Altemia into the air to cut off the ghosts, it felt like he went against a tidal wave at the number of ghosts holding him back. One of the ghosts that came from behind put a hand on his shoulder and sent a chill through his body. One became two, and soon three of them crushed his shoulder. Holding Altemia in his left hand, he triggered Liberation and severed the ghosts nearby. But the ones in his shoulder stayed. The curse they whispered did not affect the nature of the yer, so it merely annoyed him. ¡®That¡¯s just a pearl ne around a pig¡¯s neck.¡¯ Each fragment¡¯s power was tremendous, but the strength of that power increased and decreased depending on the user¡¯s ability. Of course, they were not suitable for use in these situations. The twenty-fourth fragment was all about the power to seduce the opposite sex, arouse the opponent¡¯s favor, and further subjugate. On the other hand, the tenth fragment had limited control regarding blood. He wasn¡¯t even a Wielder of the Swordpared to those who owned fragments and made achievements enough to be a myth. However, it was just an excuse. It was ridiculous to see that he had two fragments and was still caught by the ankle in a ce like this. If he stayed like that, he might not be chosen by the fragments with their own will. The fragments had owners. And among some of the objects, they could choose their owners themselves. If he wasn¡¯t chosen, then he cannot obtain that fragment. It was a simple proposition. Having earned two fragments so far, Judah knew exactly how to use them, even if he was special or whether they picked their owners. ¡®If I don¡¯t have blood anywhere, I can use my blood.¡¯ Bleeding caused quick stamina consumption, but he could restore it by killing the ghosts. Judah frowned at them and stumbled forward. ¨C Crush him to the ground. ¨C You dare try to disturb our cause! ¨C You will die too. Let¡¯s offer his blood and soul so he can join us. Judah paused. The number of ghosts that crushed his back increased quickly. One or two? No, they exceeded dozens. They were weak on their own, but together, they were strong enough. Behind Judah¡¯s bent back, ghosts climbed and crushed him. Judah tried to cut himself by the wrist with Altemia as a hundred ghosts whispered into his ear. Offer his blood and soul? As the question repeated in his head, the circle below him caught his eyes. A red liquid that looked like sticky blood flowed along the magic circle engraved deeply on the floor. Judah¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°What? Now, this is a pearl ne around a real pig¡¯s neck.¡± There was a solution in the sitch he was in, but he had to get to this hard ce to realize it. Judahughed bitterly and activated -Dominance-. It followed his will, and as the fragment¡¯s power triggered, the blood flowing through the crevices of the floor shot up into the air. -Ah? -Huh? The blood that rose silently became thorns and pierced the ghosts surrounding Judah. As long as they were stuck in the straw-like limbs, they were destined to be eaten. Altemia began to suck their existence. One of the ghosts caved in pain, yelling out whatever. -Oh, oh, oh! He¡­ ising to thisnd! -This sacrifice is for Him! -We are the dedicated souls that can call him up! ¡®It became lighter.¡¯ Judah stretched his back, feeling the power that had crushed his entire body lift away. As he tilted his head up, the ghosts, brought into the air by the red thorns, were finally extinguished. The spirits felt no fear, so the ghosts that hid sprung up in a disy of power, only to end up in the same position as the rest. ¡°You¡¯re all like a cult. Your ns failed¡­ And I don¡¯t feel anything for you if you died believing in something like this.¡± His stamina restored as the life force absorbed from the ghosts channeled into him. Quaang! Something flew in his direction. Judah felt it before it hit and tried to avoid it out of reflex, but when his eyes found out that it was Jeanne, he couldn¡¯t evade it. The sight of her soaring in the air terrified him, with her heavy armor, shield, andnce increasing the weight of her trajectory. Judah turned the blood around him into a, weakening the shock of her impact as he picked her up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Wow. I¡¯m okay.¡± Jeanne stood up, her body churning. Her facete was bent and cracked. ¡°And you did well. This is enough.¡± ¡°Is it enough¡­?¡± Jeanne asked in a strange coo, but Judah did not answer while he carried her up as he looked at the approaching Count Jinmu. He wore a helmet, so he couldn¡¯t read his expression, but Judah could tell he had grown sinister. ¡°What did you do?¡± Hundreds of voices growled at the same time. Within their voices was furious anger. ¡°If you saw it, then you know? I haven¡¯t done anything yet. But¡­¡± He was going to do it now. Judah¡¯s eyes flickered to the three magic beads in the circle. They were the orbs they needed to summon Lord Bel-Therja. Unfortunately, he had control over the blood on the floor. ¡°How dare you!¡± Along with the thundering screams of a hundred voices, purple magic covered the beads, forming a powerful barrier of protection. Judah remembered his memories of ying the game,ughing as it shed in his mind. Originally, the pattern would start when one of the three marbles was broken. The marble¡¯s defense and stamina increased, and it would raise even more when thest marble remained. He had to break the marbles while avoiding the attacks and skills of Count Jinmu. But now, he didn¡¯t have to. The blood flowing along the floor turned into hundreds of thorns, pounding the barriers, breaking them, and piercing the beads inside them. Altemia absorbed its life force much stronger than it had ever done before. The overflowing energy struck straight through Judah¡¯s body, and Altemia¡¯s de gleamed into an even more vivid hue of red. ¡°Don¡¯t get in our way of summoning him!¡± Count Jinmu ran to Judah with hernce. Jeanne, who was behind, hurried up and tried to move forward. But Judah ran first and confronted Count Jinmu. His magic power wrapped around his bastard sword that turned into ance. ¡°Are you attacking me with such ance without fear?¡± His voice, presumed to be the Blue Lancer, shouted. He knew it wouldn¡¯t work. The moment their weapons met, Judah¡¯s right arm blew. ¡°Judah!¡± Jeanne eximed, looking at the blood spurting in the air and his other arm holding the cknce. As she tried to rush to Judah, her body only managed a step before she fell with a groan. ¡°How could you try despite knowing what would happen!¡± Count Jinmu tried tough, but as they grew closer, his eyes widened at the sight before him. The arm he had pierced went through hisnce in a bloody charade, but the ripped limb wriggled like a haze. Then, his entire arm melted into blood before disappearing into thin air. ¡®A hallucination?¡¯ The Blue Lancer in Count Jinmu¡¯s body gasped, but the rest of the ghosts shouted that it was nonsense. However, he found no answer other than a hallucination. Suddenly, Judah¡¯s arm regenerated. Even his hem was intact. ¡°Yes, it was obvious what would happen.¡± He heard Judah¡¯s voice. The next thing he knew, Judah¡¯s left hand that grasp the red dagger had swung at him. He felt as it tore his armor to pieces, but not enough to smash his shield. Barely repairing the armor with magical power, he stumbled backward and fell to the floor. He hurriedly kicked off the ground and tried to stand. Pachinggg! In time, a loud crack echoed through the cavern as the blood consumed everyst energy within it, breaking it into pieces. The ceremony failed. The ceremony was meant to fail in the first ce. Count Jinmu, who was just about to get up, made a whistling sound and bowed his head. Blood flew out of his helmet in a snap. It crawled throughout his body, and soon the armor he was wearing gave in and disappeared, melting into the blood. Count Jinmu¡¯s disheveled face emerged, spitting blood out of his mouth. ¡°Excellent¡­ Excellent.¡± The smorgasbord of voice had disappeared. There was only a voice talking. It was the same voice they heard the first time they met Count Jinmu. -No way! -The ritual we prepared for so long failed! It cannot be! This shouldn¡¯t happen! -Jinmu, you have to kill him! If I had a little more time, I would have been able to summon Him! ck figures emerged around his body and began to point and swear at Judah. But even when the ghostsmanded Jinmu to get up and attack Judah, the Count did not budge. He didn¡¯t stand up. Rather, he sat there and answered the ghosts. ¡°He did a good job. What¡¯s gotten you all hot?¡± Chapter 90

Chapter 90

90==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare -Good job? The ghosts thrashed around Count Jinmu, speaking with a cheery voice, but anger was within it. One of the spirits leaned in front of his face. -He¡¯s the one who broke the long-standing n we¡¯ve been preparing for! ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®us.¡¯ This is all yours.¡± -Didn¡¯t you start this to revive your wife and son? ¡°I was foolish enough to be deceived. Even if I thought about it a little bit rationally, I should have known it was impossible.¡± -Are you saying you¡¯re going toe this far and give up?¡± Count Jinmu smirked at the words of the ghosts. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve been thinking of falling out for a long time. But didn¡¯t you drag me further by controlling my body?¡± -This doesn¡¯t make you sinless. Do you think you can atone for what you¡¯ve done? ¡°Atonement? No way. It¡¯s just that, as a necromancer, I felt like a disgrace for falling into the hands of those that I controlled.¡± Words didn¡¯t work. The ghosts tried to push their shapeless souls back into Jinmu¡¯s body, but they simply bounced back. Panicking, the spirits thrashed and cursed. The circle continued to consume Jinmu¡¯s magic power. But thanks to Judah, they broke the ritual by destroying the orbs. The magical powers that gave them the power to control Jinmu loosened. Thanks to that, the ghosts were pushed out, and Jinmu gained control of his body again, but even that simple action felt impossible for him. Jinmuughed in the face of the moring ghosts. ¡°Hey, try again in a hundred days. You won¡¯t be able to get into this body again until the moment I die¡­ This is wonderful. I don¡¯t know how long it has been since Ist saw you all enraged like this.¡± As he spoke, he froze all of a sudden and spat out a handful of blood. It dampened his clothes with its sticky, dark red hue, oozing down his shaggy beard. It looked exhausting and painful, but he remained calm, just like his collected eyes. ¡°Now, kid. Now is your chance. Kill me.¡± Judah walked to him, with his bastard sword hanging down. The ghosts threatened him not toe close, but they didn¡¯t dare toe close. Rather, he shooed them away with a simple twitch of his dagger. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any regrets?¡± He tried to talk to the Count as he sat there defenseless, with both eyes closed, ready to ept his end. He may think his question was out of uselesspassion, but Judah was curious. Was he not afraid of death? Did he have any regrets in his life? Jinmu opened his closed eyes and stared up at Judah. ¡°Are you curious about that? If it¡¯s regrets¡­ Then there is. I have big and countless regrets. I want to turn back a lot of things. I want to go back and change what I was doing. But I¡¯vee too far for that.¡± He spat out blood as heughed, ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to live. Death is all that¡¯s left for me. My destiny is here.¡± Staring into his eyes, it told him to stop the chatter and just end it. Judah wanted to ask more, but out of respect, he couldn¡¯t. He walked in front of him and shook his sword. With the sound of the de cutting through the wind, he severed his neck. He blew his neck in one blow. His face rolled on the floor, a tranquil look resting upon his face. Judah stepped away from the pooling blood, looked down at his hand, and frowned. Cutting a person¡¯s neck didn¡¯t even feel very good. Upon his death, the ghosts who had been bound to his soul began to scream and wriggle. -Aah! Damn it! Without him, this won¡¯t be easy! If we had been killed in vain like this, we would rather hand over ourselves to Him! This is painful! He was weak! -I will be able to bring him to thisnd! Bel-Therja wille to thisnd! Tens and thousands of specters emerged from thin air. Each of the ghosts yelled, and their noise was growing into the same chaos as a marketce. The noise began to hurt their ears. Judah blinked ahead, spotting a ghost eat another one of its kind. -It can¡¯t end like this. I¡¯ll devour you all! I will eat you and sacrifice myself to Him! What the hell were they praying to Bel-Therja for? It was all useless. Even if hundreds of thousands of blood and souls were offered in his name, whether or not he would be summoned, the Lord would do nothing. Thousands of souls in this ce won¡¯t even move his hips. Even in the game, Bel-Therja appeared halfway to the end. In the first ce, the monarchs were highly beings who found no interest in the middle ground. Judah could onlyugh at the ghosts and their pathetic attempts. As other ghosts began to eat each other, their numbers declined rapidly. Only those who grew in size survived. ¨C It will be a sublime sacrifice to bring him here! They hollered as they threw themselves into the magic circle. He didn¡¯t know why the hell they desired to call Bel-Therja so much. Was it because they wanted to be revived? It would be much better to live in possession of a healthy human being. Curious about their intentions in summoning Bel-Therja to the point of offering their own soul as a sacrifice, Judah focused himself on getting Jeanne away from the circle instead. Thousands of ghosts ate each other and offered themselves as sacrifices, but of course, nothing happened. The magic circle absorbed their souls before shing a blinding light, but that was all there was to it. ¡°¡­Is it over?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Count Jinmu was dead, and the ghosts were gone. In the game, the fight would¡¯ve been over with loads of items and loots hovering within the area. ¡¸Calypso¡¯s Nightmare¡¹ [You defeated Count Jinmu.] [As a necromancer, he did something that should not be done by letting the ghosts consume and control him.] [Several viges were ruined by ghosts that lost control, and the inhabitants of these viges became ritual sacrifices to summon Bel-Therja.] [If you arrivedter, if you hadn¡¯t defeated Count Jinmu, the ritual to summon Bel-Therja would bepleted.] [The summoning ceremony was bound to fail, but it would still open a passage connected to the demon world.] [If that were the case, Calypso¡¯s nightmare wouldn¡¯t end in the vige you saved, but a part of Calypso¡¯snd would have be and of death overtaken by ghosts and monsters.] [What you and yourpanion had done must be a great achievement, but unfortunately, no witnesses saw the phenomenon so that no one will recognize your feat.] [But don¡¯t worry. If you report this to the Adventurers Guild, Calypso¡¯s mage might regard you to some degree.] [You and your teammate¡¯s level rose by 5.] [The lowest stats among strength, stamina, agility, magic power, and magic resistance increased by three and the highest stats by 2.] [Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship proficiency increased by 2.] He confirmed each reward mentioned in the notifications. Their rewards may not be tangible, but it was a much more satisfying reward. Not only did his level rise by 5 points, but even his stats also increased, and so did his shadow justice and swordsmanship proficiency. Jeanne received simr rewards as well. The only thing left to do was to leave the dungeon and look around. Before leaving, he nned to check the dungeon for anything useful he could take. Then, on the altar of the magic circle, something caught his eyes. ¡°Judah? Where are you going?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. There seems to be something on the altar. I¡¯ll get it. You should rest for now.¡± Jeanne nodded and disarmed. She was reluctant to sit still beside Count Jinmu¡¯s decapitated head, but her fatigue was too strong to ignore. She didn¡¯t even expect to fight against a senior Blue Lancer in a ce like this. Jeanne took a couple of steps away before sitting down, cupping her chin as Judah made his way to the altar. On the ground were the shards of the reddish beads Judah absorbed using Altemia. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Magical orb containing numerous souls] [Rating: Rare] [effect] When ingested, recovers physical strength, magic power, diseases, and injuries [Exnation] The power source used in the evil ck magic ritual. It is made only through blood and soul sacrifice. It is a rare object, and if conjured perfectly, its value is enormous. However, this is only a shard, so it is ineffective to use for magic. When eaten, it could act as a healing item because it is made out of life force. But before using it, you must remember, you will be at risk of getting reported should they discover you have such an item in possession, as they will be under the impression that you have done numerous blood and soul sacrifices to obtain it. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡®Is this also a quest reward?¡¯ After reading the item¡¯s description for a moment, Judah thought that he could give it to Edsen¡¯s daughter. All they had to do was return to the -An- and finish the quest swiftly. Finally, everything went well. After scavenging for useful items in this dungeon, they could retreat to Cherryu vige and rest. But as soon as he ced the shards in his -Bag-, the magic circle began to glow. ¡°?!¡± What was happening? The magic circle should have failed. There was no time for him to leave the altar. A dark aura whipped from the ground just as a shadowed giant rose from its smoke. Judah¡¯s mind emptied. There was nothing he could do. Crrreak! Judah stumbled and fell to his feet as the figure towered over him. Despite his best efforts to get up, his entire body had frozen. His eyes turned to Jeanne. She sat by the stairs, trembling the moment her eyes saw the figure. It took all of her courage to stand and attempt to approach Judah. Her legs trembled. ¡°Judah,e this way quickly!¡± She yelled, her voice shaking as fear settled in. In a sh, a strong surge of magic exploded from the circle, sting a big shockwave that mmed Jeanne onto a wall knocking her out cold. Judah couldn¡¯t even warn her. He turned his back and tried to flee. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± A booming voice pounded from behind. Despite the simple question, the voice struck fear in his every word. As soon as he heard it, every hair in his body stood up as chills ran down his spine. However, it was nothingpared to the fear that made his heartbeat pound in his ears like drums. If he didn¡¯t have the characteristics of the -yer-, his fear would have turned him crazy in an instant. Even though he knew that he shouldn¡¯t look back, Judah¡¯s body turned around on its own, regardless of Judah¡¯s will. Before him stood a gigantic skeleton cloaked in a ck cloth. Although the presence was translucent, as if it were an illusion rather than a physical being, the sight carved itself into Judah¡¯s mind. It was the -Sixth Monarch Bel-Therja-. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 30] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 42(C) / Potential A] [Health: 45(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 46(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 54(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 5(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 15] ¡¸Talent 4/10¡¹ [yer]-Rank: S [Determination]-Rank: S [Guardian of the First Lord]-Rank: C [Selected One]-Rank: A ¡¸Skill 3/10¡¹ [Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship]-Rank: A [Mercenary-style left-handed dagger]-Rank: C ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Jeanne Art Loire] [Title: None] [True name: Blue Moon Wolf] [Level: 26] [upation: Blue Lancer (B)] [Race: Human] [Strength: 34(D) / Potential A] [Health: 38(D) / Potential S] [Agility: 30(D) / Potential B] [Magic Power: 37(D) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 55(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 8(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 18(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 56(C) / Potential C] ? Special [Favorability: 35 (interesting)] [Reliability: 70 (trustworthy)] ¡¸Talent 3/5¡¹ [Blue Moon]-Rank: A [Wolf¡¯s Protection]-Rank: A [Apprentice Blue Lancer]-Rank: D ¡¸Skill 4/5¡¹ [Horror Spirit]-Rank: A [Knight]-Rank: B [Imperial Shield Craft-Blue Lancer]-Rank: B [Imperial Spearmanship-Blue Lancer]-Rank: B ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ============================ ==================== ======== If you collect fragments, does the limit of your innate talent also increase?Natural talent does not rise. If youck innate talent, you can raise its limit instead. For example, if you say you can only reach up to 89 because your talent is A, you can increase it to 99 (S) through stat points or the effect of some items. However, you can¡¯t go higher than 99 unless you get a special achievement. By the way, if you have fragments, it is possible to raise it beyond 99. Chapter 91

Chapter 91

91==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Bel-Therja. A creature representing death that any living creature will fear¡­ was right there in front of him. Those who had summoned him were gone, but Judah couldn¡¯t tell him that. He made eye contact with the monarch, despite his wishes against it. Jeanne fainted, and the creature¡¯s focus was on him, as he was the only conscious being in the cavern. From the holes of his eye socket, a faint blue light flickered alive. ¡°I will ask you again. Where did you intend to go?¡± He spoke faster than before, and his voice grew more demanding. Judah remained silent. He had to say something, but his brain didn¡¯t help. Just like an empty paper, nothing came out of his mouth. Judah forced himself to say anything, feeling the silence weighing on him. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I have nothing else to do¡­¡± Talking to Xian had little to no tension in the air. He could even feel how much the monarch cared about him. But right now, uttering out even a single word felt like he had to battle this heavy pressure throughout his body. He couldn¡¯t even speak right away. All his attention stayed on Bel-Therja. His immense power overpowered any strong emotion within Judah. If it weren¡¯t for the monarch¡¯s overwhelming presence, Judah figured the amount of anger he could muster. ¡°¡­¡± The heavy silence choked him. Bel-Therja, who only looked down at him deep in thought, stroked his chin with a bare bone hand. Judah had no choice but to flinch as he looked at it. Yes, this was the monarch. And he was an ant against him. He was an ant that could barely move and would die in a single pinch. He didn¡¯t know when the monarch would kill him, and his mind red all warning sirens in his head. He had been telling himself to get out of that position and run, but he couldn¡¯t evene up with where to go and how to do that. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Judah hesitated. He couldn¡¯t exin how much he knew and how to hide it. Judah contemted saying that he didn¡¯t know him, but it felt like that would lead him to his death. He just couldn¡¯t wrap his head around how Bel-Therja, someone who never appeared in the game at that point in time, was right there right now. If he died, should he just give up the dungeon on his next try? Was it a big mistake to just watch the ghosts at the very end? He had so many questions but so little time to think of them all. He felt his hands tremble in a cold sweat. Suddenly, Bel-Therja crouched and leveled his sight to Judah¡¯s eyes. ¡°You are nervous, I can tell. But there is nothing to fear. I did not surface into this world to kill you. So tell me, do you know who I am?¡± He offered words of consolidation. Judah¡¯s mind was eased to hear that the monarch did not intend to kill him. Maybe if his answers upset the monarch, he would break his promise, but that wouldn¡¯t happen unless Judah confidently flipped off Bel-Therja straight to the face. Judah gulped to get his dry throat going before replying. ¡°¡­I know you as Bel-Therja, the monarch of death.¡± ¡°Not bad for an answer. Good. Very well, let me ask you my next question. Why do you think brought me into this world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Why? Was it because of his fragments? Or because he knew someone was intercepting the ritual done in his name? As he hesitated for an answer, the monarch¡¯s blue eyes stared deeper into his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know? I came here because I felt the power of two monarchs residing in your body.¡± Judah gaped. His words confused him. There was not one, but two? It was possible that he felt Pernen¡¯s power because of the fragments he owned. But who was the other one that he spoke of? Judah recalled any possible encounter with the seven monarchs¡­ ¡®Xian.¡¯ For a moment he forgot, but there was -Xian, the First Monarch-. A sh of power made Judah blink, and then ck magic swirled around Bel-Therja¡¯s projected being. The surge swept up his crouched image flying into the air, and as the whirl subsided, a skeleton of two meters in height appeared wearing a colorful robe. Startled, Judah stepped back, but his heart skipped a beat when his foot slipped off the edge of the cavern. His body fell back as his toes stepped on air, his hands wed for something to hold on to, but his entire body had already tilted backward. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Bel-Therja grabbed and pulled Judah¡¯s hand as it churned in the air. Bringing him back to safety, the monarch freed his wrist. The moment Judah tried to thank him, he felt pain around his wrists. He looked down, seeing the bruises on himself in the form of Bel-Therja¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There is nothing to be thankful for. I was merely interested in you, and I wanted to hear the answer.¡± ¡°Which is¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but Xian protects you, and you also possess Pernen¡¯s fragments. You have two of them, do I have that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Judah¡¯s voice quivered. He could feel the desire in Bel-Therja¡¯s voice. ¡°I would like to propose a bargain.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°As far as I know, no one has ever collected not more than one of Pernen¡¯s fragments. And those who had acquired one had never been blessed by a single monarch.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Artemia and Ib Haiyan had given protection to humans a few times, but Xian always remained as a neutral figure. On one hand, I could count the very few he trusted, including a few of his loyal servants, naming Lucifer as one. I can¡¯t predict your destiny, but my judgment tells me that it is you who will seed Pernen. Of course, in the distant future.¡± Was he supposed to thank him for his prediction? Should he even answer? The monarch continued to speak. ¡°I intend to save you.¡± ¡°You just said you didn¡¯t intend to kill me.¡± ¡°Yes. You have nothing to worry about. If you believe that I am provoked by your hindrance in the attempts to summon me into this world, you are mistaken. Listen well. I will help you in the future, but only once. By this, I mean that I will aid you as soon as death approaches you.¡± Judah grew confused. What he was saying went straight into his head, but he couldn¡¯t understand its gist. He will help him the moment his death approaches? Did this mean that he will resurrect him when he dies, but only once? Judah had expected something else. Under Xian¡¯s protection, he was already able to do such a thing, to resurrect back to a point in time when he had collected a fragment. To be resurrected from the dead was certainly an awesome thing¡­ but the feeling that came with it was different. Then, a holographic window appeared in front of Judah¡¯s eyes. [You have acquired the one-time skill -Sixth Lord, Bel-Therja Advent-.] [The moment you activate the skill, the skill is deleted.] [This is the favor he gives you.] [If you summon him at a time you wish, Bel-Therja will help you no matter what the situation is.] [But you will have to be very careful to use this skill. The celestial world has a stronger influence on the middle realm than the demonic world, and their caution for the dead is at a high.] [If you bring him into the humannd, well, it would beparable to being the enemy of all living being.] [Sixth Lord, Bel-Therja Advent] Rank: SSS / Workmanship: Master The sixth lord of the demon world, Bel-Therja, will heed your call, but only once. He will help you in any situation. When you activate a skill, the skill is deleted. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ insane.¡± This was an extraordinary gift. Judah then understood the meaning of what he meant by his help. Although he could only do it once, Bel-Therja was still one of the demon realm¡¯s seven lords. It was a tremendous feat to be able to summon a monarch as he wished. It was unexpected, but it was not the end of the bargain. ¡°As well, I will give you protection, just like Xian did.¡± From the fingertips of Bel-Therja, a ck current struck straight into Judah¡¯s heart. He felt his heart pounding. [Acquired the trait -The 6th Lord¡¯s Protection-.] [The 6th Lord¡¯s Protection]-Rank: S / Workmanship: Master You are protected by Bel-Therja, the 6th monarch of the demon realm, the lord of death. Even if deathes to you, you can be resurrected again. Heals all injuries and instantly recovers strength and magical power by 50%. However, since this power goes against rationality, it takes a long time of 30 days to activate again after being activated. Oh, My God. What the hell did he need that he became so giving? He spoke once again as if he could read the anxiety in Judah¡¯s eyes. ¡°You seem to know what my protection meant. My bargain is simple. If you be the heir to Pernen, hand me the tenth fragment. That is my proposition. My gift can be viewed as an investment when that timees.¡± There it was. Judah thought it was fitting. Bel-Therja did yearn after Pernen¡¯s fragments. Among them, he showed great interest in Altemia, with the Aspect of Blood, but couldn¡¯t acquire it due to Pernen¡¯s rejection. In the item information, the conversation he had with Pernen was recorded. ¡®Oh, I like this. Won¡¯t you give it to me?¡¯ ¡®Where would the dead use a weapon that absorbs life and uses it? No. I won¡¯t. Go away.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s too much.¡¯ -During the conversation between the 4th and 6th monarchs. There was something that beings like the monarchs wanted to have but can¡¯t, or else he would have done it already. It was a waste to hand over Altemia to him, but he wasn¡¯t asking him to hand it over right now. To bargain as its sessor was no problem. Judah nodded slowly and epted his offer. ¡°Thank you so much for the kindness you¡¯ve given me. I promise you, if I be the sessor, I will hand over the tenth fragment unconditionally.¡± Still, he found it hard to talk in his presence. He could do it much better now, after knowing the reason why he came for him. The monarch nodded dly after hearing what he needed. ¡°Good. Never forget our bargain.¡± Chapter 92

Chapter 92

92==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Bel-Therja disappeared after leaving him a reminder to remember their bargain. Unlike his threatening entrance, he disappeared rather instantly. Finally free from his overwhelming presence, Judah copsed to the floor with a sigh. He felt the cold sweat of his body loosen. ¡®Everything¡¯s twisted.¡¯ Bel-Therja, who he thought would never be summoned, stood there in the actual flesh, leaving him at a loss for words. This was a much different experiencepared to hisst dungeon. He received the monarch¡¯s blessing and advent in exchange for a fragment, for a distant future that he didn¡¯t know when woulde. It was a one-sided deal he couldn¡¯t reject, but with this, Judah won the favor of two of the seven monarchs. ¡®Wait¡­ When can I unseal the 1st monarch¡¯s protection?¡¯ He was yet to receive a message about it, even after reaching level 30. He began to question when the hell it would show up, so he checked the skill, and the ranks were raised without his knowledge. [The First Lord¡¯s Protection (Growth)]-Rank: B You have gained the protection of Xian, First Lord of the demonic realm. Due to your low level, the higher functions of this talent remain inactive. -Rank. C. Your experience gain rate and the speed at which knowledge is absorbed is increased. -Rank. B. attack, speed, agility, recovery speed increased by 10%, magic power consumption decreased by 20%. [The 6th Lord¡¯s Protection]-Rank: S / Workmanship: Master You are protected by Bel-Therja, the 6th monarch of the demon realm, the lord of death. Even if deathes to you, you can be resurrected again. Heals all injuries and instantly recovers strength and magical power by 50%. However, since this power goes against rationality, it takes a long time of 30 days to activate again after being activated. [Sixth Lord, Bel-Therja Advent] Rank: SSS / Workmanship: Master The sixth lord of the demon world, Bel-Therja, will heed your call, but only once. He will help you in any situation. When you activate a skill, the skill is deleted. Xian¡¯s protection paled inparison to Bel-Therja¡¯s protection, but there were two seals left, and he looked forward to seeing its full potential once it was released. The 20% reduction in magic power consumption didn¡¯t affect him much, but if he became a Wielder of the Spirit Sword, the tides would change for him. Judah stood from his seat, recovering enough of the energy drained from him in his interaction with the monarch. ¡®Wait. Jeanne!¡¯ He had forgotten her because of Bel-Therja¡¯s overwhelming presence. He remembered how a m to the wall knocked her unconscious. Judah ran to hispanion, staggering and trembling, his legs giving up the moment he reached her. ¡°Jeanne, are you okay?¡± He raised her, checking her vitals. Her head hit the wall, feeling the blood trickling from her head. Startled with the blood in his hand, he scrambled to check her information window, only to read nothing but her stats, skills, and traits. ¡°Jeanne?¡± He shook her shoulders as he called out her name, but Jeanne could only groan, nothing more. Judah frantically pulled out a potion from the -Bag-, the one sold at the temple of Serenia Castle with quite an effect. He opened the lid and applied it to her wounds. Thinking it might not be enough, he took one out of the two shards he got from the altar and fed it to her. The dark crystallized ss melted into a red force as it slipped through her lips. Herplexion seemed to be brighter. Judah couldn¡¯t keep her in that state, so he slung her on his back and ran out of the basement. It was very easy for him to go back through the path they took. As soon as they exited the basement, he scoured the mansion for a bedroom. Climbing a set of stairs, he finally found a decent room. He dusted the nket to get rid of any dust. Heid Jeanne on it, took a clean cloth out of his -bag- and tended her with it. He walked to the window and lifted the curtains to find the rain had stopped outside. He was a bit concerned about the other dust in the room, but he had no time to clean it given their situation. Judah ended up watching over Jeanne for a bit before leaving the room. The mansion¡¯s magical lights continued to burn brightly, so it wasn¡¯t as dark as Judah thought. He had taken care of Count Jinmu, the owner of the mansion, and the ghosts of the ce had also perished. He began his search. He started by going back to the basement to search Count Jinmu¡¯s body. Unfortunately, there was nothing left to find in his decapitated body. As for his clothes and essories, it carried a heavy amount of curses from the dead that he couldn¡¯t use it unless he were a necromancer. He checked the second basement level, but the tools in it were nothing that money can¡¯t buy somewhere else. ¡®Why isn¡¯t there anything useful?¡¯ After checking each basement floor, all he could find useful were the books on the first level. Judah sighed and decided to step out of the basement to investigate the rest of the mansion. In a turn of luck, he was able to find rewards inside a study room on the ground floor. There were a few jewels and about twenty gold coins in a desk drawer, and atop the desk was a luxurious fountain pen that was made by a craftsman, although dust covered it in. Thest drawer was locked. The possible contents of the drawer piqued his interest, so he tried budging it by force. The chest of drawers broke open. Inside was a notebook with a leather cover, and a pendant with a peculiar shape sat next to it. The red ruby was carved into a rhombus shape, framed by silver twisted into a Mobius strip. He gazed upon it, put it down on the desk, and checked the notebook first. Seeing that there was no such thing as a title, it seemed to be just an ordinary notebook. ¡°It¡¯s a journal.¡± [xx.06.25] [The days are starting to get hotter. The ghosts are groaning like they¡¯re tired.] [They are already dead, but I want to kill them one more time.] [xx.07.21] [I felt the need to find a secret ce to revive my wife and son.] [Is it right to believe in the ghosts and their whispers?] [xx.11.11] [Once again, I called the craftsmen of the Mantium Kingdom who hadpleted this mansion. I asked them to make a third basement level.] [They were in distress but soon agreed and decided to start construction next week.] [xx.11.17] [The ghosts are rushing me. They want me to move fast and conduct the ritual to summon Bel-Therja.] [For a moment, I almost lost my body to them.] [They saw me writing that. Someone next to meughed.] [If I continue fighting, they can never take over me.] After reading the first few passages, he was sure that Count Jinmu had written it. A part of the date was omitted, but the content was quite long as if he wrote in it almost every day. In it was the story of how the ghosts had taken over him and ughtered the personnel in his old mansion, his departure from the Baekje Empire to settle in the Calypso kingdom, thepletion of this mansion, and his dreams of meeting his deceased wife and son. All of it was written on it. It was something he already knew. He looked through it and found a long entry. [xx.04.21] [I do not know how long time has passed since the ghosts controlled my body.] [Then suddenly the ghosts fled and gave me back my body, and when I woke up, a woman stood in front of me.] [It was a beautiful woman. Her rare violet hair was fascinating.] [Her gaze upon me was powerful, and the ghosts refused to appear, terrified of what she used against them.] [She imed to be a ¡°collector of fragments¡± and told me she would help me against the ghosts using my body, that was, if I worked for her.] [But I¡¯m already old and exhausted to ept her offer, and I had no intention of moving forward.] [I declined her offer. She then threw a pendant at me if I ever changed my mind in joining this group named -Collector of Fragments-, before disappearing without telling me the ways to find her.] [What is the organization for? An organization with the aims of recovering the famous fragments, as the name suggests?] [¡­This is a thing of the past. I have no business worrying about it anymore.] Collector of fragments? He rocked his memory, but it was the first time he heard it. His eyebrows furrowed. He had no recollection of writing about such a group, just like how he had no memories of Arhil. This group was never in the story. Judah¡¯s gaze turned to the pendant. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Collector of Fragments] [Rating: Only] [Equipment: Pendant] [Durability: 30/30] [effect] Unknown. [Exnation] An object that acts as a symbol of a member of a group named ¡°Collector of Fragments.¡± -Passive: It is a special item. However, it is only a normal pendant because it is sealed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ He hoped to get hints by reading its information window, but it showed little to no options. All he got was the basic idea of the pendant. He kept it in mind before keeping it in his -bag-. He came here to defeat the dungeon, but a lot had burdened him since then. He searched the mansion a little more, but unfortunately, Judah could obtain nothing more. It would have been nice if he received some code, but leaving behind the regrets; he headed back to the bedroom where Jeanne was sleeping. She was still in slumber. As he watched her sleep quietly with her steady breathing, Judah took a chair and sat down by the bed. He looked out the window and realized that it had gotten dark already. Judah continued watching hispanion with his arms crossed. Eventually, he lowered his head and fell asleep without knowing it. Chapter 93

Chapter 93

93==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare He woke up in the morning, feeling absolutefort. There was the sunlight seeping through the window, the clear sound of birds chirping, the fluffy bed, and a warm feeling on his back. Everything was perfect. He thought to sleep a little more, but when he saw the chair in front of his eyes, his feeling of bliss was washed away as he came to consciousness. ¡®I¡¯m on the bed¡­?¡¯ Hisst memory was of him sitting at that chair with his arms crossed, watching Jeanne. Why was he lying on the bed? And what was that warmthing from behind him¡­ ? He looked at his back and saw Jeanne right beside him. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Did he crawl onto the bed because he was ufortable while sleeping? He sat up carefully. ¡°Is it okay if you don¡¯t sleep more?¡± Jeanne turned as soon as she felt the movement. Judah jumped after hearing her voice out of nowhere. He stood up and sat back to the chair by the bed. ¡°You weren¡¯t sleeping?¡± ¡°While you were sleeping, I put you on the bed and slept again. Why did you sleep ufortably on that chair?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was going to fall asleep. That aside, are you feeling fine? You hit your head on a wall.¡± At Judah¡¯s question, Jeanne tilted her head and touched it. Her hair was messy after sleeping, but that was it. She had no idea why, but she felt not a hint of pain. Why did she hit the wall? She felt fine when she woke up at dawn. She found Judah sleeping on the chair and thought toy him down on the bed, and then she went back to sleep. Everything was a blur to her. Suddenly there she was, resting on the bed after such an injury. ¡°¡­I was scared when the altar lit up. And I remember walking up to you and then¡­ I don¡¯t remember anything else after that. What the hell happened?¡± ¡°Ah- That.¡± Judah couldn¡¯t say anything about the monarch, so Judah thought of what else to say. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Literally nothing appeared. The random surge also frightened me, but the light disappeared after a while, like something about it failed. That¡¯s it really, nothing else happened.¡± Jeanne nodded slowly. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m really fortunate then. Had that ritual seeded, we wouldn¡¯t be able toy in bed like this to see the sun.¡± ¡°Shall we head out now?¡± ¡°In a while.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°I want to check something. Is Count Jinmu really dead?¡± ¡°Yes, why?¡± ¡°Did you take any evidence? If you submit this to the Adventurers Guild, you may be upgraded to a silver que right away.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then we should head back.¡± After a while, they headed back to the basement. She took his robe and ring that Judah didn¡¯t take because of the curses tangled with it and a ck magic book in the study. She was very meticulous, and after looking through all the books in the library, she said they could head back to town. She said, ¡°We spend thest couple of days going through the rain. Strolling with the sunlight like this is a wonderful feeling.¡± Both of them chatted a lot, unlike usual. Thanks to her, Judah didn¡¯t grow bored with heading back to town. When they returned to the vige, the people were still anxious, staying in the town hall. When he entered the hall, each gaze fell on them. The mayor stood up and approached, weing him. ¡°Oh, you made it back safely. Did you find that young man?¡± ¡°I found him, but he was already dead by the hands of a ghost. I only brought memento.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? How unfortunate.¡± ¡°And we¡¯ve gotten rid of the ghosts and their nest. There¡¯s no more need to fear. You can go home and rest.¡± The vige chief¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that real? What was it?¡± The vige chief did not immediately believe him. Judah pulled out a robe trifled with a ghost¡¯s curse. As soon he pulled the cold fabric, the vige chief and the rest gasped. ¡°There was a mansion inside the forest. The man named Count Jinmu, who lived in that mansion, was its host. If you can¡¯t believe me, you can go and see it for yourself.¡± Upon the challenge, the manughed awkwardly and waved his hand. ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m relieved to hear you¡¯ve dealt with the same source. I was thinking of waiting for the priest to get up. Do you think of staying for a while?¡± ¡°Well, I have matters to discuss with the priest, so perhaps I will. Go home, and if you feel like there is a ghost left, pleasee to me. I will guard you.¡± The vige chief hurried to rush the people gathered in the hall. The people who came out of the hall gazed at the clear skies above and was eager to return to their homes. A few people were afraid to return, so Judah and Jeanne checked for them and found nothing as expected. They had to amodate them several times until there was no one left in the hall. Judah felt very hungry and asked the vige chief if he could use the hall¡¯s kitchen, and he dly allowed him to use it freely. He took out the ramen from -Bag-, cooked it with green onions, and boiled it with Jeanne. Adventurers who were hiding somewhere came to the kitchen, attracted by the delicious smell. ¡°Oh, you were cooking.¡± They hesitated toe forward. They sat there gulping like they wished to ask for a bite, but it wasn¡¯t for free. Judah handed them a meal in exchange for washing dishes like a price on the market. They seemed dissatisfied with the exchange, but he didn¡¯t care. Judah had no ns of gaining their favorability and reliability. However, when his ramen started to boil, their retorts quickly subsided. ¡°The priest hasn¡¯t got up yet?¡± ¡°Yes. She hadn¡¯t slept for ten days, so if I were her, I¡¯d be sleeping all the way through as well. The vigers are taking care of her, so if you¡¯re curious, you can go visit her.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He thought of the residents who hadn¡¯t eaten. Judah took out one of his pots, boiled one more of the ramen, transferred it into a bowl, and went to her room. Jeanne politely knocked on the door instead, while Judah held the ramen. They heard a rustling sounding from the room, and then a woman came out. ¡°What happened? Oh my god.¡± ¡°You hadn¡¯t eaten yet, we presume? Please have some.¡± ¡°Thank you. Did youe to see the priest? Please,e in.¡± She took her bowl and greeted Judah and Jeanne brightly. The room was quite spacious. She took her bowl of ramen and sat down on a chair in one corner, chowing down the meal in no time. Hearing a whirring sound, he gazed at the priest lying down in slumber. ¡°Do I have to keep on watching her sleep?¡± ¡°¡­Well¡­ If you want, you can try shaking her to wake her up.¡± He felt embarrassed, but he didn¡¯t intend to look after the woman. Judah looked down at her and brought up her status window. Luckily, the name Arhil, which the vige chief told him, was correct, and her information appeared in front of him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Arhil] [Title: Savior] [True name: The Faithful] [Level: 30] [upation: Intermediate Priest (B)] [Race: Human] [Strength: 25(D) / Potential C] [Health: 24(D) / Potential B] [Agility: 20(D) / Potential C] [Magic Power: 62(B) / Potential S] [Magic Resistance: 50(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 64(B) / Potential S]? Special [Knowledge: 40(C) / Potential A] ? Special [Luck: 59(C) / Potential C] ? Special [Favorability: 50 (interesting)] [Reliability: 30 (faithful)] ¡¸Talent 5/6¡¹ [Quality of the Saint]-Rank: A [Savior]-Rank: A [Holy Amplification]-Rank: B [Uncontroble Temptation]-Rank: B(A) [For You]-Rank: S ¡¸Skill 4/5¡¹ [Sacred Magic-Blessing]-Rank: B [Holy Magic-Defense]-Rank: B [Holy Martial Arts] -Rank: C [Self-defense]-Rank: C ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡®Huh.¡¯ Her information provided different kinds of things. Looking through her name, skills, stats, and traits, Judah realized that he was right. She was supposed to be an apostle of Asmodeus, the subordinate of Artemia, the seventh monarch. ¡®She hasn¡¯t turned into an apostle yet, so if I take her as apanion, there¡¯s no way I can bump into Asmodeus, right?¡¯ Despite never connecting to her deeply, Judah contemted. There was anxiety in the offer, but if he ever came across Asmodeus, there was Bel-Therja¡¯s Advent that could aid him. He felt more reassured with that insurance. Judah read through her stats again. Her abilities were low in strength and agility, but it was natural because she was a priest. However, she had a higher potential than ordinary priests. Her characteristics that had the best potential were her magic power, defense, and recovery abilities. The only things that took him a while to understand were -For You- and -Uncontroble Temptation-. What the hell were these characteristics that she had such a high rank on them? [Uncontroble Temptation]-Rank: B(A) / Workmanship: 3/10 Her natural body, appearance, and voice, and free-spirited nature are good for seduction. This decreases a rank for her upation while increasing stamina and agility by 5 and increasing movement and reflexes by 15%. [For You]-Rank: D(S) / Workmanship: Master She is ready to love, and to love allows her to grow. Although she is free-spirited, no man had yet toe into her life that stayed in her kind. If you meet despite her tricky conditions and she falls in love with you, her rank will increase every certain stage. If she bes an S rank, she will be a dedicated, foolish woman who looks only at you and lives only for you. Each time her rank increases by one level, her stamina and faith stats increase by 2. When she ends up with someone she loves, all her stats will increase by an additional 1. Judah bit her mouth, at a loss for words. Before he could examine her skills again, Jeanne nudged his thigh. She whispered, ¡°She¡¯s waking up.¡± As Jeanne warned him, Arhil squeezed her eyes and slowly fluttered her eyelids. Then she turned her gaze, looked at Judah, all the while speaking with intent. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Chapter 94

Chapter 94

94==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare As soon as she opened her eyes, she muttered that she was hungry, and the woman who had been eating ramen in the corner stared at her. She covered her mouth to hide the ramen she was consuming. Meanwhile, Priest Arhil stretched out her hand and struggled to sit up, so Judah unconsciously held her hand and boosted her up. ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± Judah nodded, his gaze fixated on her pitiful eyes. ¡°Wait, what should I cook for you?¡± ¡°¡­Ramen.¡± He was more than ready to amodate the priest¡¯s hunger, who had been deprived of both sleep and food for ten consecutive days, so upon hearing her request, Judah hurried to the kitchen and cooked ramen with plenty of eggs and vegetables, right in front of the adventurers washing dishes. ¡°You¡¯re cooking a lot. Are you still hungry?¡± ¡°The priest woke up. I came to cook for her because she said she was hungry.¡± ¡°Arhil?¡± Adventurers rushed to her room, leaving Judah like the ramen was no longer important. With an empty bowl and a whole pot of ramen, he slowly headed to the room. Jeanne opened the door when he knocked on the door with his tiptoe. He heard someone gulp and saw Arhil¡¯s gaze water at the scent of the freshly cooked ramen. ¡°Everyone, please leave. Except for the boy with the ramen.¡± Arhil ordered. Did she want to discuss matters with him alone, or did she wish to eat in private? Either way, Jeanne and her caretaker stepped out, and soon the adventurers followed after casting onest nce at her. ¡°Come on. Please give me my reward for living through that menace.¡± Judah sat on a chair and used adle to pour her ramen and broth into the bowl. She sped her hands together in prayer before picking up the chopsticks and inhaling the smoke deeply. She went straight at it. Her hunger strike of ten days showed as she ate. Without a care for Judah¡¯s presence, she devoured the noodles and broth aggressively, unlikely of the manner of a priest. She returned the empty bowl to Judah, who filled it up instantly. Judah felt awkward to think that the priest won¡¯t be able to finish everything he prepared. After finishing another bowl, she looked at Judah again, like it still wasn¡¯t enough. Judah showed her the empty bowl, to which she replied by sticking her tongue out and rubbing her belly. ¡°Would you like some fruit?¡± ¡°You have some? Yes!¡± Her voice had more energy after gaining it back by eating. Judah nodded before opening his -bag- to give her the fruits. ¡°Wow! Oh my god, oh my god. That¡¯s a subspace, right? Did you buy it from a mage?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just a natural ability.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you precious?¡± ¡°Do you see it?¡± As he pulled out the fruits and another bowl, she rolled her eyes as if thinking for a moment before nodding with a smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± She was out of her nun attire, and because of the effects of her characteristics, Judah felt tempted by the mere sight of her. ¡°This iste but thank you. I ate well. I am a priest serving Jopiel. My name is Arhil.¡± She said as she bit into the apple with a loud crunch. ¡°I¡¯m Judah Arche. I¡¯m just an ordinary adventurer.¡± ¡°Oh my god, you don¡¯t look normal.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m just a young adventurer.¡± ¡°Okay, but you¡¯re a bronze adventurer with a subspace¡­¡± Her voice slurred. She reached out the apple to brush it against Judah¡¯s lips. Judah bit into it in a trance, watching Arhil tilt her face closer to his. ¡°You even own fragments.¡± She whispered, knowing how easy it was for the outsiders to hear them. ¡°What are you talking about? Fragments?¡± Arhil grinned, her eyes squinted. ¡°Shh. They might hear you from outside. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m the only one who knows.¡± Judah¡¯s eyes narrowed at her attempt to reassure him. Blue eyes stared at him intently, smiling along. ¡°Oh, I see you¡¯re thinking about how to react. If you¡¯re going to attack me, don¡¯t do it. I know I¡¯ll lose anyway. I¡¯ll surrender in advance. Really. So don¡¯t do it, please?¡± [She ¡°¡­How did you know?¡± you.] ¡°Oh! I knew it. Even though I am a nun, as you can see, I saw how people stared at you from head to toe.¡± He didn¡¯t expect thepliment. Judah let it sink in and sighed a little. ¡°Do you know how I knew about your fragments¡­?¡± Her eyes flickered to the door when she asked. She had no choice but to be cautious because she knew the room wasn¡¯t soundproof. ¡°Do you know about the veil? It¡¯s used by empires like Baekje or Gauri in the upper continent.¡± ¡°?¡± Out of nowhere, she changed the topic. ¡°It¡¯s the shield that I conjured for ten days to protect the town hall. At first, it was just that, but it became my eyes and ears six to seven dayster. It was the first time I experienced it, but I got the hang of it quickly. Because of it, I knew exactly where the shield was weak and where the ghosts would go to attack, so I was prepared. But it wasn¡¯t good either. I could hear everything the ghosts were saying. They were the only ones around me for days.¡± She took her breath for a second before continuing. ¡°Then you came. You might have thought that no one would see it¡­ but unfortunately, I saw it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I saw all the thorns of blood that came from your dagger wipe out all those ghosts. I even heard the Lancer call it a fragment. To be honest, I didn¡¯t believe it, but your reaction just confirmed it. I¡¯m sorry if I sort of confused you. I wanted the truth, you know?¡± Judah sighed again, shaking his head. Maybe he reacted too hastily. He did, and he regretted it, but he already gave her the answer. Like spilled water, he couldn¡¯t take everything back anymore. ¡°As long as this stays between us, then there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°No way, you n to kill and silence me?¡± ¡°Fortunately, I don¡¯t have that mind yet.¡± Arhil frowned at him. ¡°Still¡­ I hope you don¡¯t want to do that in the future. If I pray to Jopiel, will you listen?¡± ¡°Hmm. Sorry, I¡¯m not going to listen to it. What¡¯s the reason for bringing that up anyway?¡± ¡°Uh, I didn¡¯t mean much. I just thought I had to talk to you, so I brought up whatever for conversation¡¯s sake. Now, I have a reason. You don¡¯t have a priest on your team yet?¡± ¡°I take that you want to join our team?¡± Her only intention was to ask if there was a priest in his group. And whether his reply was correct, she pped her hands and nodded in delight. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s it! You¡¯re fast at picking up. I¡¯m a pretty capable priest even though I look like this. Don¡¯t you want someone like me in your team?¡± Certainly, the story would go smoother with a priest around. He was nning if recruiting her anyway, but it felt like they were rushing. ¡°What about the adventurers you teamed up with?¡± She shrugged simply. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not because I wanted to join them. They invited me to go with them, temporarily, and that I could leave whenever I wanted. And¡­ I was a little disappointed with it.¡± She didn¡¯t tell him what she was disappointed with. However, it was enough to confirm that her existing team had no heart. It didn¡¯t matter if she was pretending or not. Judah nodded his head eagerly anyway. ¡°Okay. Jeanne and I have no choice but to ept if a capable priestes to our team. But you¡¯re suspicious, and you know too much. Can I trust you?¡± ¡°Of course. But how can I show you my loyalty? Should I do it in the name of Jopiel? Or do I swear before God?¡± He had a way to gain her loyalty without all the hassle she proposed. Judah took her hand. Arhil flinched and jumped at the sudden contact, but she didn¡¯t pull back her hand. ¡°Uh¡­ Holding my hand like that is weird. I¡¯m¡­ My trust in you and my faith in my decision is rapidly falling.¡± ¡°You said you want to join my team, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, yes, but¡­ You see, if you want my body, that¡¯s difficult. Of course, it¡¯s not a bad carnal desire. Yes, if a man and a woman agree, you can have sex together. Uh¡­¡± Judah erupted intoughter while she stuttered. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, don¡¯t worry. This is just a magic trick..¡± She knew he had one fragment, but Judah had two. He triggered Carpe Diem¡¯s ??Subordination, the twenty-fourth fragment, that he obtained first. Its condition was met, as her statement of surrender a moment ago counted as a defeat. His obsidian ring shimmered, her eyes turned hazy, and her loud mouth fell silent. As soon as he saw her head droop, several windows appeared. [You subordinated Priest Arhil.] [She will obey you.] cannot do anything to harm [She will grow to endear your words and will act on your signal if possible.] [Her subordinationsts until she dies and is dismissed if she dies and then resurrects.] [Unless otherwise stated, she is unaware of the subordination spell.] [Reliability is fixed at 100 until the dependent is revoked, but the favorability decreases by 10.] [Priest Arhil¡¯s¡­] There were several other windows, but they weren¡¯t important, so Judah turned off all the other windows. Judah paused, opening the windows again to read them one more time. [As Priest Arhil is subordinated to you, you can only hypnotize her once.] [You can change what she knows and lead her to specific actions.] ¡°¡­¡± As long as he used subordination, he can now trust herpletely. Since she couldn¡¯t harm him, he didn¡¯t have to worry about her betraying him, so he set aside his suspicions of her for the time being. She became a trustedpanion. With a flick of his finger, Arhil came to her sense. Getting out of the hypnosis, her thoughts became hazy. It was a little disappointing if he let the chance slip. Judah recalled the daydreams he had had at least once as a man back in the real world. This was his first time using the fragment, but there was no doubt that he now had the power to achieve the different fantasies he dreamed of. His heart pounded at the dark desire, but soon Gentia¡¯s face came into his eyes, and his heart weakened. However, the opportunity was too precious to skip. With his conscience guilting him, Judah called her name. ¡°Arhil.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± She responded softly to the call. Judah thought for a moment before triggering the hypnosis. Whatever he tells her will be inscribed in her soul, mind, and body. But when he tried to speak out, his mouth hung open in hesitation, unable to say anything. After a moment, he sighed deeply. ¡°Good thing for you, I still have a conscience. But isn¡¯t this unfortunate in a way? Anyway¡­ Arhil, remember what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°You will find me more interesting in the future than you do now. And if you like what I¡¯m doing to you, it will make your heartbeat. ¡­If you¡¯re like that, we¡¯ll get along. You will love me the moment you feel like you want to. Of course, when you¡¯re unhappy, it¡¯s okay to get it out of your mind. That¡¯s all. End.¡± Judah snapped his finger. It was only at that moment that he debated whether it was right to y with someone¡¯s heart¡­ but Judah had already done it. He pledged not to do anything like this in the future, and at the same time, felt that it was unavoidable. Yes, it can¡¯t be helped. He knew what he said was bullshit, but for her to receive the effect of her S rank trait in -For You-, she had to fall in love. He stared at hispanion that he had just hypnotized for the sake of her superior abilities. Her head sat there hanging. ¡®Isn¡¯t this okay? It¡¯s not like I forced her to love me. I just made it a little easier.¡¯ As he bit his lips, he felt the beating of his heart pound throughout his body. He felt embarrassed and guilty. He seemed to have crossed the line that should not be crossed. Chapter 95

Chapter 95

95==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Arhil rocked her head and touched her forehead. She had no recollection of what had just happened, but she frowned at Judah after feeling some difort sink in. With her doubts about what had happened, she nced at him and began to grumble. ¡°Ugh, what did you do?¡± Herst memory was the moment Judah¡¯s palm covered her hands. When she blinked and opened her eyes again, she realized she had been bowing her head. She knew a part of her memory had then been cut off. Arhil conjured her magic and checked herself for any injuries and whatnot, but found nothing. Judah looked at her and did his best to sound sympathetic. He then spoke, ¡°I put a spell on you so you can¡¯t betray me. It¡¯s like a one-sided contract rather than a two-way deal, but understand that I couldn¡¯t help it to keep the fragment a secret.¡± ¡°No matter how it is, isn¡¯t it too unfair to make me betray myself¡­?¡± Arhilined, but he pretended not to hear it. She had no choice anyway. The deed had already been done. Instead of answering, Judah studied her with a nce. He stared at her forehead, pupils, lips, and tongue. From there, he went down further to the nape of her neck and the tips of her hand. On the outside, she showed no signs of being under subordination. Did it work on her, or not? He wanted to be sure, but if the trusted system of this world told him that she was under subordination, he just needed to believe it and not investigate further. ¡°We¡¯ll know in the future, Arhil. I¡¯ll introduce you to Jeaer.¡± ¡°Is this Jeanne the person beside you from earlier?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Judah got up from his seat and grabbed the empty bowls. ¡°How would you like me to call you? Leader? Sir Judah? Judah?¡± ¡°You can call me whatever you¡¯refortable with. I don¡¯t really care about honorifics.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± As long as he had the body of a fifteen-year-old boy, his titles were limited. She seemed to think for a moment, and then she nodded her head as if she had made up her mind. ¡°How about my owner?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Judah¡¯s fingertips shuddered at what she said. Arhil chuckled at his reaction. ¡°I¡¯m kidding! Are you surprised, Judah?¡± ¡°If other people heard you, they would misunderstand it, so please refrain from joking around.¡± ¡°Ah. You¡¯re blunt. That¡¯s no fun. Okay. Don¡¯t worry about that. As a leader, I will respect you.¡± Judah gathered all the dinnerware she used for her ramen and fruits and then stood up from his chair. ¡°Well, I¡¯lle backter. In the meantime, you should inform your formerpanions about this.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. But how can you ept me as apanion so easily? It¡¯s been less than an hour since we met and talked.¡± Judah, heading to the closed door, stopped and looked behind him. There was curiosity in her expression, waiting for an answer. ¡°When I saw you protect this hall for more than ten days, I didn¡¯t need to see anything else. That alone proves everything.¡± He couldn¡¯t say that he saw her capabilities through the info window. That was the best he coulde up with. ¡°Oh.¡± Taken aback by his answer, she stuck out her tongue yfully, ¡°Thank you for appreciating that. It¡¯s nothing, really.¡± Her potential was an S in the most important stats for a priest, but it still needed more work. Judah no longer answered, and with one hand holding the tray, the other opened the door. Outside stood Jeanne like a gatekeeper, while the adventurers stalled from a distance. ¡°Jeanne? Why are you standing here?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back. I¡¯m just giving you some privacy because they tried to eavesdrop on you two.¡± She was truly a sensible woman. He wondered why, despite the room¡¯s poor soundproofing, no one reacted when Arhil said she would be leaving her team. All thanks to Jeanne, no one stepped into their conversation. If so, they wouldn¡¯t have heard the moment they talked about the fragments. Judah looked at Jeanne and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Jeanne. Our conversation went smoothly because of you. Now that that¡¯s all over, we should go. I think they need to have a long chat.¡± ¡°Oh? Okay.¡± She followed him, responding like a loyal servant. Passing by the adventurers, Judah nced at them. ¡°She¡¯s still up, so go in and talk to her.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, thank you.¡± Thank you? Can they say thank you even after talking to Arhil? In a way, he robbed them of a team member. He shrugged and walked past them, heading for the kitchen. He started washing the dishes as if nothing happened. He turned on the water, Jeanne walking over to him. ¡°I can help.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. These are just a few. You should take a seat and rest. You must be tired from standing in front of the door.¡± Jeanne nced at the pile of dishes. There was a set of chopsticks and spoons, a te, a bowl, a pot. That was all. There was nothing else to wash. As Jeanne tried to stretch out her hand awkwardly, they heard footsteps running from behind. ¡°Hey, you bastard!¡± ¡°Wait! Mark!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Mark!¡± Their heads turned to the sound, and a man ran into the kitchen like an angry bison with another man behind him. It was the adventurers. Judah, who was cleaning the pot with a scrubber drenched in detergent made by alchemists, stared at them. ¡°What is it?¡± He already knew what it was, but he asked anyway. They named Mark exhaled slowly as he stepped closer, cackling at him. He looked down at Judah, trying to intimidate him. ¡°Hah, what¡¯s going on? You¡¯re really asking like you don¡¯t know! Is your job as an adventurer to ckmail someone else¡¯spanion to steal them?¡± ¡°¡­ckmail? People might get the wrong idea if you say it like that. Did you have a good conversation with Arhil?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then why use such a strong word against me? Why are you upset with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Embarrassed, his words trailed off. The man frowned, ¡°Even so, why would you take her away from us without even consulting with us! She¡¯s not the leader. This man behind me, Lien, is!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not my leader, nor is he Arhil¡¯s. But I understand, it¡¯s also my fault I didn¡¯t tell your team beforehand. I apologize for that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard she could leave anytime she wants, as a condition of joining your team. Either way, the result would have been the same. Oh, let me correct one thing. She wanted to join my team first. You should be telling all of this to Miss Arhil. You¡¯re angry at the wrong person.¡± Mark couldn¡¯t say anything in return. His face flushed red in anger. In a blink, he growled and raised his fist. The man was big because of his muscles, and as his fist trembled, he charged at Judah threateningly. ¡°Let¡¯s listen here, you cheeky kid!¡± ¡°Mark!¡± The man he referred to as the leader called out in surprise, but Mark¡¯s fist was already going straight for Judah¡¯s face. Judah raised his hand, still holding the scrubber, and tried to block it, but Jeanne was faster. Smack! Mark¡¯s fistnded. However, instead of punching Judah, his fist met Jeanne¡¯s palm. Her body and hands were smallpared to him, but she didn¡¯t budge against his strength. Her hand was too small to hold enough of the fist he swung roughly, but she managed to stop it. ¡°I understand you are mad, but acting out like this is uneptable. I haven¡¯t heard the details yet, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I know you have to calm down.¡± She said bluntly, throwing away his fist. It looked like a simple act, but Mark was taken aback, stumbling out in a few steps. His eyes switched between Judah and Jeanne, resentment adamant in his gaze. ¡°Wait a minute, wait a minute. Mark, you have to calm down.¡± Lien, who was only watching from behind, stepped forward. Mark bit his teeth as he stepped back behind Lien. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. If Lien weren¡¯t there, my ax would¡¯ve gone through your head already.¡± ¡°Mark!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Surprisingly, he seemed to listen well to his leader, shutting his mouth at the call of his name. ¡°I won¡¯t let this go easily. I almost got beaten.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He¡¯s not one to do something like that¡­ I think he¡¯s just very upset this time about Miss Arhil leaving. That guy liked her.¡± In the background, the man cried out, asking what bullshit he was talking about. ¡®He likes her¡­¡¯ Even so, he can¡¯t justify the confrontation and his attempt to beat him up. ¡°I see. Does she know about it?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ I think she knows. He used to show favor to Miss Arhil from time to time, although she seemed to disregard it.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing else to speak about. Instead of arguing with me about useless things, why don¡¯t you leave her your regrets and confess before she leaves?¡± Judah looked at Mark and gave his heart some vain hope, ¡°Maybe if you touched her heart, she might stay in your team?¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± It was foolish to hope, but he seemed genuine. With a heavy heart, he scratched his chin deep in thought. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, yes.¡± ¡°Then, will you take that man out? I¡¯m going to do the dishes. I don¡¯t like him around.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lien left the kitchen while leading Mark. Judah finished washing the dishes as if nothing had happened, and Jeanne sat down, looking at Judah¡¯s back. He finished the dishes quickly, wiping them off and putting them in the bag. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Good job, Judah.¡± ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t much. I want to take a break now, but I have something to tell you before Iy off. I tried to surprise you, but that man ruined it.¡± ¡°Is that priest acting with us in the future?¡± ¡°Yes, we can discuss this and see if that guy really confesses. Shall we go?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She looked tired. Nevertheless, she nodded. Chapter 96

Chapter 96

96==================== Calypso¡¯s Nightmare Slowly, they headed to the room where Arhil had been resting. It was a room in the hall, not too far from where they came from. After walking for a while, they reached the room. As they stepped closer, they saw the door hang open a crack. He heard their conversation continue meaning no one had heard of them yet. Judah raised his index finger to his lips and looked back at Jeanne to silence her. Understanding the meaning of the gesture, she nodded her head. It was a bit rude to eavesdrop, but the conversation from inside had been too good to pass. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mark. Could you repeat that again?¡± ¡°I meant¡­ I like you!¡± Wow. Judah had to stop himself from whistling. He was joking, but the man really took his advice and confessed. ¡°Sigh.¡± A sigh echoed from the crack of the door. Oh my. If she sighed, then Arhil had obviously rejected the confession. If she felt the same way, she wouldn¡¯t sigh like that. She would be cheering in glee. Even without looking, Judah could feel the tension inside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t ept your feelings.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She had decided. The silence was her trying toe up with a way to reject him. And, of course, Mark asked why. ¡°As I said before, I¡¯m leaving this team. I made up my mind.¡± ¡°Why do you have to leave? I can¡¯t understand why you suddenly made that decision.¡± ¡°Lien. I¡¯m sorry to say this to you as a leader, but do I have to exin? ¡­It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just, I¡¯m disappointed with you.¡± ¡°Disappointed? We¡¯ve been caring for you, Miss Arhil.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m grateful for that. You¡¯ve been taking care of me so far.¡± ¡°But why? No way, is it because of Mark¡¯s feelings?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. When the ghosts attacked here, can you remember what you said to me?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t help.¡± ¡°I know, but to tell me that we should just sacrifice the vigers so we can escape was a disgrace for me, a priest of Jopiel.¡± Now he knew what she meant earlier. When the ghosts attacked the vige, the adventurers tried to persuade her, who had been struggling with the enemies for days. They might have urged her to use the people as bait so they can run away. They probably did it so the priest could live. It was easy to cave into that kind of thinking. They were human. But it was disrespectful to even n on using other people as a scapegoat. She didn¡¯t want to neglect them, and instead, she put herself in danger to save everybody else, which probably scared the adventurers. However, it was amazing that she used herself as the bait instead. ¡°Wait a minute, Lien. I¡¯m sorry, but the story between Arhil and I is not over. I asked why, but I haven¡¯t heard your answer. Tell me. What am Icking?¡± Arhil looked at him from head to toe before saying anything. ¡°Mark. There is nothing that youck. You¡¯re kind, gentle, strong, good-looking, and considerate. The downside is that once you¡¯re angry, you¡¯ll¡­ Never mind.¡± ¡°Come on. Tell me why.¡± ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s simple. Because you¡¯re not my taste, you¡¯re overwhelming, and because I¡¯m leaving this team soon. Oh, don¡¯t get hurt. My biggest reason is thest one.¡± ¡°¡­is it.¡± The room became quiet again. Their conversation stopped as everyone lingered about their issues. It was the perfect moment to step in, so Judah knocked on the door, pushing the door open with a creak. He smiled as he stepped in, everyone¡¯s gaze snapping up at him. ¡°Everyone looks so serious. What happened?¡± Judah heard enough, but he pretended not to know a thing. They looked at each other¡¯s faces and stood there quietly. However, the big man named Mark stalled as his face swelled with tears that looked unfitting for him. Judah couldn¡¯t make fun of it. Mark moved past Judah and Jeanne and left the room as if he had been embarrassed. ¡°I want Miss Arhil to remain on our team. If there¡¯s anything wrong, please point it out like before. Then we can fix it, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but it¡¯s toote. I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯m going to join Judah¡¯s team, and my heart has already left.¡± She said firmly. The two remaining adventurers, who seemed to realize that she could not be persuaded, exchanging nces nervously. It wasn¡¯t easy to find a priest with the skills of Arhil, so it was natural that they tried to hold onto her like this. ¡°¡­That¡¯s all you want to say, right? Why don¡¯t we leave it at that? I haven¡¯t been up for a while, but I¡¯m already tired of all the talking. That¡¯s all.¡± It was an obvious statement. Eventually, they couldn¡¯t say anything and had to leave the room. Judah saw them out and shut the door tight. ¡°Sigh.¡± When the door closed, Arhil sighed. She pressed her forehead with her thumb like soothing a headache. ¡°I guess I came here at a bad time.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t expect he would profess his love for me¡­ so you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Oh, I think I know why you came. You want to introduce this person to me?¡± Judah nodded his head. He reached out her hand as Jeanne took her step toward her. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jeanne Art Loire.¡± ¡°I am not a patient, but it¡¯s not polite of me to introduce myself with me lying down like this. I hope you can understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You haven¡¯t slept for over ten days to protect the townspeople, and you had to keep up a veil. So I can understand.¡± Jeanne¡¯s polite understanding eased Arhil, making her smile. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m d. I¡¯m Arhil. I¡¯m a priest serving King Jopiel. Did you hear the story from Mr. Judah?¡± ¡°I only heard it a little bit. I wouldn¡¯t have known it until the angry man confronted us a while ago. He tried to threaten us, but I didn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I told him not to do anything rude, and then he did. Whoo.¡± There was no time for Judah to intervene in the flow of their conversation. So he took a step back and gave them time to growfortable with each other. It was the right decision. Jeanne and Arhil quickly became friends, exchanging questions and answers about each other. The conversation soon came to an end,sting for about thirty minutes. Judah had to lean against a wall and wait for their chatting to end, but it didn¡¯t bore him. His name was dropped into the conversation every now and then, so listening to what they had to say was a bit entertaining to him. As the conversation died, Judah filled in the silence before it became awkward. ¡°Did you guys get along? Is it okay if we talk then, Jeanne?¡± ¡°Yes, definitely¡­¡± Arhil blinked at them and realized it was her time to be evaluated. ¡°Oh. Wait, what is it? Are you going to evaluate my participation in your team? Can I listen? Should I cover my ears?¡± Jeanneughed at Arhil¡¯s cute rambling. ¡°Unlike Judah, you¡¯re a cute and lively girl. I don¡¯t know what will happen, but I won¡¯t get bored when walking down the street if you¡¯re with us. I don¡¯t know how good a priest you have to be, but you have a kind heart for protecting these people. There¡¯s nothing else for me to know.¡± ¡°Of course! Believe me; if your arm is cut off, I can heal you. Oh, you can cut off your fingers right now. I can put it back again. I¡¯ve done it once, so I¡¯m sure. Of course, you won¡¯t get hurt. But it¡¯s best not to do it, actually.¡± She rambled like this was her real personality, ¡°So, did I pass? Can I join Judah¡¯s team?¡± ¡°If Jeanne objected, the decision might change, but you¡¯re good. I¡¯ll give you a passing score. It would be great to work with you in the future, Arhil.¡± ¡°Thank you. The King and God will bless our meeting.¡± Judah stopped at her words. The god she just spoke of was the Creator who made this world. Arhil closed her eyes and sped her fingers together for a short prayer. It was ironic. She had high faith in her holy king, yet she would be the apostle of Asmodeus, a monarch¡¯s servant. Judah thought, watching her reverence in prayer. ¡°I don¡¯t know the King, but God will listen to you. He will bless and watch you.¡± God, the creator of this world, was not far away. He was right in front of her, watching and listening to her prayer. He had no power to give blessings like God, and he was a god who could only give her gratitude. Arhil chuckled at what Judah uttered as she continued to pray. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Tip 20. Has any of your team members been injured? Then try recruiting priests! He or she can immediately heal injured wounds, cast a blessing that can amplify some of your abilities, and even conjure a barrier that can protect their allies! Priests¡¯ divine magic is perfect. Of course, she is a priest. Some people don¡¯t look like priests. ¡­You shouldn¡¯t judge people by their appearance, right? Chapter 97

Chapter 97

97==================== Side Story 2, Arhil-If you hadn¡¯te in time. ¡ù !! Caution!! This side story would be the case ¡°if the vige of Cherryu were turned into ruins by ghosts.¡± So this is what would happen if Judah did not arrive in the vige earlier than expected, and as the normal story content of the game, Arhil bes the apostle of Asmodeus, a monarch¡¯s servant. Asmodeus: Among the seven sins, there was a story that he was the demon that symbolized lust and was originally a head of the celestial angels. His appearance was vaguely described and was also introduced in Solomon¡¯s 72 Demon. When you encountered Asmodeus, it was said that if you were not afraid of him and politely respect him, he would give you wealth such as a ring that he wore, and could teach you studies and secrets. ¡ù ¡°Holy King¡­¡± With a weary voice, she muttered through her praying hands. In the enclosed room, the only light was the magical spell embedded on the ceiling. The light was enough. It pushed her to get in focus. A warm, powerful green light cascaded out of her palms, which seemed to give her peace of mind. Depending on her concentration, the light flickered darker or lighter. This light symbolized the shield surrounding the hall. Due to the constant rain, they were forced to stay in the vige of Cherryu. Then the ghosts appeared. Their invasion shook the town awake, sending them to take refuge in the hall where the priest stayed. Their evil presence awakened the priest. She woke up herpanions and took care of the ghosts that followed the people. She had to cast the veil urgently. The holy shield surrounding the hall prevented the ess of ghosts as the people ran in. This led every spirit to gather outside the hall. The ghosts were too many for herpanions to deal with. She was desperately forced to maintain the shield. That was the only thing she could do to protect the people. Two dayster, she couldn¡¯t concentrate due to the people¡¯s growing anxiety, so she went up to the second floor¡¯s attic. She didn¡¯t even sleep. All she thought about was to keep these people safe. Lien came up with something to drink. He said she would die if she stayed like that, so he offered to leave the vigers alone and run away. The moment she heard it, she felt disappointed with Lien. Of course, it¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t understand what he said. As a living human being, death is inevitable. Even as a leader leading the team, he wouldn¡¯t want to lose her life in vain. Perhaps that was the best way he thought of it. However, she was a priest of Jopiel, the third holy king who loved peace and protected life. Although she did not have great faith in the will of the King, her conscience couldn¡¯t push her to abandon the vigers and run away so that she could live. So she persuaded her colleague. She said she would hold on for a little more. Time began to blur for her. She did not sleep, never ceasing her prayers, drawing out her divine powers, and maintaining the shield. Fortunately, the green light gathered in her hand did not weaken, whether it was because of her desperation. But at some point, the whispering of ghosts came to her ears like hallucinations. -What can you get by doing this? Do you need to struggle for so long? -Stop this, and you can be saved. We are not interested in your divine power. We just need the people in that town. Hand them over, and you can live. You can see the light of this world, smell the scent of flowers, and continue living. -Oh, what about yourpanions? Let¡¯s see. I will save up to three people just for you. How about that? Isn¡¯t that a good exchange? The ghosts grew impatient. -This damn bitch! How long do you think you willst? -If you don¡¯t move there and wait, I¡¯ll break this shield and go in and make you wish you were dead instead! They swore and threatened her. -Are you tired now? I think you¡¯ve done enough toe this far, but no one can curse you. You are making a heroic sacrifice. -Now, close your eyes and count three. Rx. Getfortable. Aren¡¯t you tired? How about sighing softly into slumber. Sleep for a second, wake up, and just do it again. What can happen at that moment? They tried tempting her. -Ah, that¡¯s a shame. Do you think they will listen to you even if you pray to your king so earnestly? -A few days have passed, and yet we¡¯re still here. How unfortunate, your prayers don¡¯t seem to reach them. We did the same! If they heard our prayers, do you think they cared about us when we died? -Your faith is useless. Even if they gave you divine power, it¡¯s not infinite. Give up. -Stay neutral to God. Castle kings are giving you strength in exchange for faith, but they won¡¯t guide you directly. No matter how much you pray like this, no matter how much I endure, a miracle won¡¯t happen. They even dared to taint her beliefs. But she did not give in. She knew better than to listen to foolish things like the whispers of ghosts. She knows that King Jopiel will not help. She also knew that God wouldn¡¯t help her because she was neutral. There is only one reason she endured was her hope for a miracle. That¡¯s how she endured and endured¡ªall for the vigers who were riddled with anxiety downstairs. The talk of helping from Kaora Castle passed through the crowd. However, nothing came even after ten days. Kaora was only two days away, even if the rain was constantly pouring, and she felt despair at the fact that no one wasing at all. Several hunters left the hall without fear, saying they would go to the castle themselves. She had to keep the shield, so she knew they were leaving, but she couldn¡¯t help. Many ghosts follow the people who ran out. Thanks to this, the pressureing down the protective veil and the whispering of ghosts reduced, giving her room to breathe. As the door opened, a little girl came in, holding on to something. It was an angelic little girl who wiped her sweat off with a towel and brought water and food. She handed back the towel to the girl after taking off the sweat of her body, then went back to work. You cannot give up on protecting such a child. You can¡¯t let your mind give in. I have to endure as much as possible and wait for support from the castle. But can hunters get to the castle and avoid all those ghosts? Anxiety swarmed her mind, but she fought to think positively. She said, ¡®I just need to hold on a little.¡¯ Even if she can¡¯t, two or three more days would be enough. By then, about one of the several hunters who ran out will arrive at Kaora Castle and ask for assistance. Since thisnd was Calypso, the kingdom of the mages, there will certainly be mages with the skills to deal with these ghosts. Priests, adventurers, and mercenaries wille as a team and save the vige. She believed that and endured. Quietly, silently, she endured, forcing her body to withstand. She endured with faith. Jopiel is watching. Jopiel will help. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ But even after a long time, no one came to the vige. The rain continued to pour, and the ghost gnawed on her mind. Finally, her limit came. ¡®No! I can¡¯t keep this any longer¡­!¡± She thought she had reached her limit several times, but this was her real limit. She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. The moment they felt the shield weakened, the ghosts plundered it more vigorously. And what she endured for so long fell apart. The green light pouring out of her hands faded to thin air. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ She screamed. The moment the light disappeared from her hands, she tried to conjure it again, but there was no divine power left in her body as much as a handful of sand. This was it. The light never came back, and the ghosts began to enter the building without hesitation. She could no longer hear and see through the veil. Soon, she hears the giggling of the spirits as they invaded the building. -Here you are. Wait for us. We¡¯lle and get you. A ghost poked its head from the ceiling, spoke, and then disappeared. She gaped at the ceiling with her hands still together. People screamed through the closed door. ¡°Jopiel¡­ what should I do? God, why would you do this¡­¡± Click! The lock of the door clicked, and the doorknob rotated. A girl entered. The innocent child. It was the angelic little girl who brought her water and food and wiped her sweat for her as she suffered in that room to pray. ¡®You haven¡¯t been attacked by a ghost yet!¡¯ She rose from the ground and reached for the girl to protect her. In a blink, the girl¡¯s neck snapped with a loud crack. Arhil froze. The lite girl smirked. Arhil felt that this was no longer the innocent girl she knew. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I would being soon?¡± The girl rushed to her. Even though a ghost possessed her, her body was still that of a child¡¯s. ¡®I have to expel the ghost from this child¡¯s body!¡¯ She had no divine power, so the best way now was to take out her consciousness. Arhil lowered her posture and stretched out her right hand, keeping her eye level with the child. The little face of the child came into her open palm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She mumbled as she gathered her strength. Although she was weaker than her peers, having mastered her divine martial arts skills, she was somewhat skilled in close-quarterbat. The girl who rested her face on Arhil¡¯s palm began to stand back. ¡°Huh?¡± she said as if the ghost in the girl¡¯s mind was embarrassed. In a heartbeat, Arhil put the girl down to the ground. Thud! The girl¡¯s body dropped with a groan. She quickly approached the door, locked it, and pushed every piece of furniture in the attic against it. Footsteps came running to her door. There weren¡¯t one or two; there were many. Her face turned pale to the sound of footsteps as if an army was passing by. -Kill her. Kill her. It¡¯s very sad to see you doing useless things like this. s. What will King Jopiel say seeing you in a crisis like this? She said as the ghost from the child¡¯s body wandered through the room. The doorknob rotated and made a sound. It was locked and cannot be opened. The moment of silence continued, and suddenly the locked doorknob opened by itself. Her eyes widened as she looked at it. The ghostughed at her face. The door didn¡¯t open because of the barricade she made, but soon, the furniture was pushed away as shoulders shoved at the door. She moved the girl to the back and got into position ording to the sacred martial arts. ¡®My body is heavy.¡¯ It was worth it. She had spent over ten days kneeling and praying in this little attic, and she had neither eaten nor slept properly. Hse couldn¡¯t tell how many of them were there, but she could try to knock out a few. But when the door opened with a bang followed by a groan, she realized what stood behind it. Despair sat in her eyes. ¡®Holy King, why¡­¡¯ Why did he not help her? Was this also a trial? ¡°Arhil.¡± ¡°Arhil.¡± At the door, herpanions stood smiling, their eyes nothing but white. And after that, the vigers began to shout her name. Her name, Arhil, echoed loudly in the hall. Chapter 98

Chapter 98

98==================== Side Story 2, Arhil-If you hadn¡¯te in time. Herpanions and the townspeople shouting Arhil¡¯s name, pushed into the attic at once. She clenched her teeth and stretched out her fist. She thought she had held up with great vigor, but herpanions had grabbed her fist so easily. She punched and tried to pull out her clenched fist, but her hand did not budge. Herpanion, possessed by a ghost, smirked and thenughed. ¡°You¡¯re tough.¡± Her vision tumbled, and a rough blow hit her body. Her weakened body struggled to withstand even that small shock. As she groaned, she felt her consciousness falter. ¡°You¡¯re very cute.¡± As the eerie voice mumbled, thest thing she saw was the wicked fingers tearing her clothes off. ¡°God, that¡¯s a great body.¡± The ghosts looked down at Arhil as they drooled in admiration. As the veil she wore on her head fell off, her light brown, rich hair cascaded out, and her torn nun suit hid her ample breasts. Though, it carved through the white garter, making her chest pronounced. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anybody with such a beautiful body in my lifetime. I¡¯m d I died and can possess people now. Heh.¡± A ghost controlling a person¡¯s body chuckled as he took off his pants. Everyone behind him did the same and flexed their shoulders. Arhil couldn¡¯t move her body as she wishes, and her consciousness wanted to forget the nasty sight in front of her. She felt dirty. Arhil tried to tell them to get rid of her right away, but she could only drool out of her mouth and not say anything else. Her body froze, and she couldn¡¯t speak. All she could do was wriggle and groan. ¡®Why is my body not moving?!¡¯ A ghost in possession of herpanion¡¯s body pulled up the cloth covering Arhil¡¯s thigh. Shame ran through her body when she felt their gazes on her white stocking and underwear. The tips of his thick fingers stroked over the fabric. ¡°Hah, you¡¯re trembling. Are you a priest and a virgin? I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯ve been living without knowing the good feeling of pleasure. We¡¯ll give you a big present today.¡± His fingers pricked and poked over her cloth and tucked a little inside her body. The unpleasant feeling sickened her as the foreign object came in with the fabric. He giggled and rubbed his stiff fingers over his panties. Tears ran down Arhil¡¯s eyes. All she could do was wriggle her body while looking at them nkly. ¡°No¡­¡± Het voice managed to speak, but her body still refused to move. Arhil felt that all of her days of protecting the hall broke her down as much. She felt like a cracked ss that would break at the slightest touch. The panties, acting like herst protection, were taken off of her. The ghost took it to his nose and smelled it. Around him, other men approached, viting her and teasing her with lustful words. ¡°¡­King. Why?¡± Why did he give her this despair? Why didn¡¯t he save her? Why didn¡¯t he answer her plead? Was it foolish to pray and protect them from the ghosts and not abandoning them? Should she have abandoned them and ran away? ¡°Calling for your king won¡¯t save you. You are destined to be miserable and die.¡± Ghosts vited and mocked her. The ghosts ignored her beliefs. The ghosts mocked even the Castle King. But why didn¡¯t he punish them? She knew. She knew that there weren¡¯t one or two people asking for his attention. She knew he wouldn¡¯t answer them all. She knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet all of their needs. She didn¡¯t think she was special. But couldn¡¯t he help her during this desperate second? She had been calling him for over ten days. ¡°I¡¯m going in!¡± The man¡¯ tried to push his tip on the opening of her vagina. When she felt it thrust in a little, the man suddenly panicked. He pulled his waist out, groaned, and ejacted with a whip. Dirty white turbid fluid scattered all over her body. ¡°Kyahaha, what are you doing? He came way too early! How embarrassing, you barely touched her!¡± ¡°Hah. Step aside. You wasted your chance. Let me try her!¡± ¡°Idiot. That¡¯s not it!¡± The man shouted as if it was a misunderstanding. And like a contagious disease, other men nearby suddenly shrieked, trembled, and spattered out semen. Their ejaction started without any stimtion, but they kept spewing out their semen as they tingled. At first, they were confused, but soon their concern began to grow. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t it stop?! It keepsing out!¡± The ghosts who controlled the bodies hollered. Their semen didn¡¯t stop even if they held their shaft and covered its head. ¡°Kuhah! It¡¯s painful!¡± As the ejaction continued, their pleasure turned into pain. Every time they came, their body dried out, and their energy depleted. The embarrassed ghosts tried to get out of the bodies, but they couldn¡¯t get out as something held them down. They screamed, struggled with pain, and soon died with no answers as to why. Their semen scattered across the walls, floors, and ceilings, and they copsed with their mummified corpses. The smell of chestnut flowers began to flutter in the air. Arhil muttered, staring nkly in the air, despite the chaos that just went down. ¡°Huh, it smells good.¡± A woman appeared in front of the room with the sound of high heels meeting the floor. She was a very bewitching and beautiful woman. Her clothes exposed her figure, so her big breasts, narrow waist, and greedy hips caught Arhil¡¯s nce. However, it was clear that she was not human, with the tail on her ass, wings on the back, and the horns protruding between her hair. Even if it wasn¡¯t like that, she had a charm that couldn¡¯t be considered human. No man was around to behold her, but if there were, they would drool through their open mouths, just looking at her walk. She saw Arhil lying on her floor, and with her red hair flying in the wind, she walked up close to her and looked down with a smile. ¡°Oh, you poor thing.¡± She sat on her knees and reached out her hand to Arhil. As her white, delicate hands touched and stroked her cheeks, Arhil jerked her back. ¡°Hey! Wait!¡± She reached her peak. Arhil felt a rush of pleasure, and then her lower body cramped as her body showered out her love fluids. She was embarrassed and confused, but soon her it disappeared with the pleasure she had never felt since birth. She gasped her breath wildly. A smile curved on the lips of the woman watching her. It was a natural reaction. There was no way a human can endure being in front of Asmodeus, the woman who reigned lust. Asmodeus slowly lowered her hand, stroking her cheeks again. Arhil¡¯s body that trembled from the pleasure calmed down at her touch. Her ragged breathing eased with it. ¡°I thought about it from the moment I saw you. You have qualities that are too precious to be broken like this. I was on my way to watch Jinmu under Altemia¡¯s orders¡­ But then, I saw you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Yes. I think you¡¯d be better. Lost little baby. Abandon the castle king who lost your faith. He won¡¯t remember nor care about you anyway. It was me who saved you. How about believing in me rather than a holy king who had forsaken your loyalty? I can be your faith.¡± Arhil did not answer. No, she couldn¡¯t answer. The moment she put her hand on her cheek, pleasure enchanted her being. Like the feeling of someone, you love hugging your body tightly, filling you with joy. And as her hand descended on her body, the frustration and pain she felt seemed to be washed away. She felt bliss. She felt a sense of euphoria that could not be exined by any words. And, sweetly into her ears, she whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t abandon you, unlike the king. I won¡¯t watch you suffer. I¡¯ll save you. I¡¯ll take you out of this dirty ce. Trust me. Follow me.¡± The voice resounded in her mind, engraving into her soul. Who was she? Arhil wanted to ask, but no sound came from her mouth. But the answer came as if she heard her. ¡°I am Asmodeus, in the seat of lust among the seven deadly sins and the defender of Artemia, the seventh lord of the demon world.¡± Devil¡­? ¡°Yes, a devil. But is that important? I saved you, who was forgotten by your king. I¡¯m different from him. Come on. Will you not go with me?¡± Her voice cooed like a strange magic spell. Arhil wondered if this was what it felt like to be possessed, and even though she thought that she shouldn¡¯t, her head nodded by itself at Asmodeus¡¯ pleas. Yes, she saved me. Jopiel didn¡¯t answer, but she did. ¡°It¡¯s Asmodeus.¡± Mistress Asmodeus herself had appeared to save her. This person was different from King Jopiel. She wouldn¡¯t just forsake her faith. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t betray your loyalty.¡± Asmodeus smirked. She didn¡¯t need to persuade her after she rescued her right before her sanity broke. Arhil fell fascinated by the magic of Asmodeus and was changed like a puppet. Her object of faith switched from Jopiel to Asmodeus. Her faith in Jopiel turned into hostility, and her boundary with Asmodeus turned into faith. ¡°Come on, take my hand. You will be my apostle, believe in me, and move for me.¡± Her fine hand reached out in front of Arhil¡¯s hazy eyes. Her body, which she thought would not move, moved. Arhil replied, holding her hand. ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯ll be happy to do that.¡± It was the moment that Jopiel¡¯s priest, Arhil, became an apostle of the demon Asmodeus. The vige of Cherryu turned fell into ruins without a single survivor, with only the rain filling out the void. ©¤ Side Story 2, Arhil-If you hadn¡¯te on time. ©¤©¤Ending Chapter 99

Chapter 99

99==================== Judah looked down through the window on the second floor of the vige inn. A crowd gathered outside that made the vige feel small. Calypso¡¯s mages, adventurers teaming up with priests, mercenaries, and more peoplee to the town as time went by. In the end, there were few ces left to stay in the vige, so people began to retreat. Since this vige had first been built, this was probably the first time many outsiders visited the town. The wizards scattered to investigate and watched the vigers by visiting their homes. Cherishing this time to enjoy a ss of water, Judah sat leisurely in his room¡¯s rocking chair. A knock then came from the door. ¡°Are you up?¡± It was the owner of the inn house. Judah sighed with his eyes closed and opened only one to nce at the closed door. He refused to answer and pretended to sleep. But, as if it were a little urgent, Judah had to get up because she kept knocking and calling for his name. ¡°Excuse me!¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m awake!¡± Judah opened the door with a scowl. The hostess looked relieved. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, were you sleeping and I woke you up?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Well, the official from the tower and the adventurer branch manager came to me. They told me to send you down.¡± ¡°The official and the branch manager?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Why did theye here? When she told him that they were waiting on the ground floor, Judah stepped out. His feet met the creaking, rustling wooden floor before he shut his door and descended. He thought it would be crowded because many people were outside, but only two men were on the first floor. One of them made eye contact with him. ¡°Ah, it looks like he¡¯sing down now. You¡¯re the adventurer that was said to protect this town from ghosts, right? Let¡¯s sit here.¡± A stubborn-looking man stood up and greeted Judah politely. He didn¡¯t know how they found him, but he sat down without an utter. He didn¡¯t know which of the two was the branch manager or the official, but both of them looked uptight. He wanted to take a rest a little more, but they bothered him. Judahughed hard, following with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re looking at him. Can I ask you to introduce who you are first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Poga, the head of the Adventurers Guild branch of Kaora Castle. This is Jerian Andria from the Langrisa Tower. I need to confirm a few things about this. You see, the vigers said you were an adventurer. Could you please tell me your name and grade?¡± ¡°Judah Arche, I¡¯m bronze.¡± Did he not check in with the Adventurer Guild of the town? Judah thought, then remembered that the town had none. So, they probably had no data on it. The moment he heard that he was bronze, the man made a confused expression andughed. ¡°Bronze? Hmm. Maybe there¡¯s a mistake somewhere. The chieftain must¡¯ve lied.¡± The official nced at the branch manager in dispute. ¡°The vige chief would not dare to tell a lie so boldly. And when you went to the mansion, did you not see him? Count Jinmu and his body. He did a crazy thing. He decided to stop him. If he hadn¡¯t, we couldn¡¯t even be stepping on this ground right now.¡± Judah understood why they came. Were they looking for the person who killed Count Jinmu? The official looked at Judah smugly with his arms folded. ¡°I want to make some things clear, Adventurer.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I want you to tell the truth. This is very important. Did you take care of the ghosts that appeared in this town? Did you really need to visit this town despite the heavy rain?¡± There was a reason why he came. He received a quest from An and heard from the Adventurers Guild of Kaora Castle that the subject was here. And on his way to this vige, he met a hunter who was chased by a ghost and saved him. Judah exined it down to every detail. ¡°I know that bronze adventurers are merely beginners, but you dealt with the ghost? Really? I heard that your team had no priest. Do you have any silver weapons?¡± ¡°No, a priest¡¯s divine power or a silver weapon are not the only things that can strike a ghost. Do you not know how to inflict direct damage to intangible enemies?¡± The official¡¯s eyes widened with interest. ¡°Did you use magic power?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. But is this why you came here? You seem to be interrogating me like Imitted a crime.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was just checking whether you¡¯re the one who really killed Count Jinmu, who was called Baekje¡¯s war hero and whatnot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right that I killed him, but is there a need to go through this bothersome interrogation? I¡¯ll just show you the evidence.¡± The officialughed. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him. Maybe someone else did it. Do you know the saying ¡®Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get ughtered¡¯?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking down at me because I¡¯m a bronze adventurer. You shouldn¡¯t treat me like the rest.¡± ¡°Are you so confident in your skills?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The official stared right through him and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re confident.¡± Then, they heard footsteps, and someone came down from the second floor. When Judah turned his head, it was Jeanne. She wore breathable clothes and stomped her feet as she descended. ¡°Are you apanion of Judah Arche? I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like you toe over here and talk to you.¡± Said the branch manager, who was sitting still. When he said that, Jeanne, halfway down her steps, turned to see Judah sitting and nodded her head to approach. The official¡¯s eyes blinked, and he stared at Jeanne. He looked at the pendant that was hanging around her neck. The moment he saw the silver pendant made in the form of a horseshoe, the branch manager gaped. ¡°Oh, are you a member of the Blue Lancers¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still an apprentice, but I am. I¡¯m Jeanne Art Loire.¡± She replied, pulling out a chair next to Judah and sitting down. It seemed that the official¡¯s attitude changed. With his arms crossed and looking out of suspicion, he nodded repeatedly and squinted. Judah almostughed at his change of attitude. It was doubtful that the position of the Blue Lancers was influential in Calypso, like in the Byron Empire. But Judah thought otherwise. He knew how it looked; after all, Count Jinmu was a man who was hailed as a hero by the Baekje Empire. But as expected, their attitude changed the moment they met the Blue Lancer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but could you summon yournce?¡± Jeanne looked at Judah, tilting her head in confusion. Judah nodded to give his permission. When Jeanne reached out her left arm, silver particles gathered in his hand and summoned hernce. He noticed that she had cleaned her weapon as she shed her spear. The spectators gazed at it, and the branch manager made a sound with his eyes wide open. ¡°Did you use this to defeat the ghosts? How?¡± ¡°Yes, it was thisnce. I believe this alone can exin that.¡± The official seemed convinced but puzzled. He frowned and tilted his head. ¡°But Count Jinmu was a famous war hero, and he was defeated by adventurers at your age. I can¡¯t believe it. Is he too old?¡± The official rubbed his chin. ¡°I want you to exin everything. It won¡¯t be a waste of time. I¡¯m going to express my gratitude to you on behalf of the Langrisa Tower once I¡¯m sure that you defeated Count Jinmu.¡± Were they going to get rewards they didn¡¯t get in the dungeon? Judah exined to him again, in more detail, from the very beginning. He received a request from An, how he came to this ce, met a hunter, found a mansion, met Count Jinmu, talked to him, and even told him that he was doing a ritual while the ghosts possessed his body. Of course, he couldn¡¯t say he had used a fragment, so he mixed up his lies in moderation. He struggled to go to the underground to fight him, and at thest moment, he thought he would die. But at thest moment, the Count regained consciousness, stopped the ghosts, and asked Judah to kill him to end it all. ¡°Huh¡­ The one who was praised for being a war hero was a broken human being. What a terrible death.¡± He nodded his head, muttering in defeat as if he was bitten by a dog he had raised. And finally, he asked Judah and Jeanne to show him the items they recovered. It was in the -Bag-, but Judah had gone up to the second floor, telling him that he left it upstairs because he did not want to show it. When they saw the item riddled with a ghost¡¯s curse, they frowned. Then they nodded, after confirming that Jeanne¡¯s Ring of Count Jinmu was also a genuine item. ¡°I have no choice but to believe this much.¡± He opened the backpack he had brought and gave Judah a heavy pocket from it. ¡°Take this. This is the reward for the one who killed Count Jinmu and the ghosts, so this belongs to you. The mercenaries might rebel, so we¡¯ll have to tell them you¡¯re the one we hired. I¡¯ll tell them it came from a higher power.¡± Judah nodded dly and opened the pocket. Something glistened inside. There were as many gold coins in the pocket as it weighed. The man wasn¡¯t finished, pulling out another pocket. ¡°And.. I¡¯ll give it to you if you¡¯re sure to give it to us everything, including a book that you haven¡¯t recovered from the mansion.¡± Judah couldn¡¯t hide his surprise when he said that he would give him another pocket of gold coins, even though he left a magical boom that seemed useless to him. The magic book might have a considerably high value. ¡®Were his books and tools that valuable?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m surprised. Even without that condition, a powerless adventurer will be satisfied with just this reward.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford to neglect the one who killed the war hero who almost endangered Calypso. I think I can give you a big jobter, but consider this a payment of our debt in advance.¡± The official said, ¡°I haven¡¯tughed at all until now, but I¡¯m smiling.¡± ¡°You can do that. I won¡¯t im ownership of any items left in the mansion.¡± ¡°Then sign here.¡± The official took a piece of paper from the bag and handed it over to Judah with a pen. Wasn¡¯t it just a verbal promise? Admiring their meticulousness, Judah signed it only after confirming nothing was strange in the paper. And the reward didn¡¯t end there. The head of the Adventurer Guild had nothing to give, but he wrote a certificate stating that he decided to use his privileges to promote him from bronze to silver te, which was unusual. Still, it was all for his efforts to save several other viges from turning into ruins. He told them to show it when they visit an Adventurer Guild to be promoted to a silver que. It was a good enough deal. The branch manager didn¡¯t really make any other fuss. They offered their farewells, got up from their seats, and left with some of the visitors outside, leaving only a few behind. Chapter 100

Chapter 100

100==================== Later, Judah went to Arhil to check her condition, and when he confirmed that she had fully recovered, they decided to return to Kaora Castle with Jeanne. Before they left the vige, the vige chief and other people visited them and gave them food for their journey. After thanking the townspeople, they packed the food. Among them were the hunters Judah and Jeanne saved from the ghosts. Shortly before leaving the vige with a send-off crowd, an oldpanion of Arhil came to see if she would change her mind, but she didn¡¯t. They had to watch Arhil¡¯s departure in despair. ¡°Ah, honestly¡­ I don¡¯t know why they keep sticking to me like that.¡± When the vige was finally out of sight, Arhil groaned, kicking a stone on the side of the road. ¡°Keep? Did they keep on doing that?¡± Jeanne asked. She nodded her head eagerly and replied. ¡°That¡¯s right! Even after I said, I was going to leave. They kepting by every few hours and asked that I should think again. They keep pretending not to hear me even after I said no again and again.¡± ¡°Oh no. Why didn¡¯t you tell them off?¡± ¡°Maybe I should. I¡¯ll be annoyed if Mr. Judah makes us return, but I¡¯ll do that if it ever happens.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When Judah turned his head to see herughing and speaking to Jeanne, Arhil skillfully controlled her expression. With a cheeky smile, Judah took the lead and moved his pace. They felt even more secured after bringing the priest as theirpanion. In addition, their mood was different because she was energetic. ¡°You can stay without paying attention to us. Just tell us what you want to say. We want to see more of that side of yours!¡± ¡°Hey, really?¡± ¡°Yes. You are so serious for your age. In fact, you haven¡¯t been very fun until now.¡± Hearing that he wasn¡¯t so much fun, Judah dropped his shoulders a little, as if Jeanne¡¯s words had hurt him. Arhil, who did not miss the gesture, approached and encouraged him with a pat on the shoulder and a slow nod. ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t look at me like that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here now, don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯ll have fun without getting bored on the way.¡± Arhil hummed confidently. He didn¡¯t know why, but she looked pleased. + + + It wasn¡¯t raining, so they arrived at Kaora Castle much faster than when I headed to the vige of Cherryu. The adventurers and mercenaries who had previously been hired by the Langrisa Tower, were staying in the castle. More people wereing and going than when they hade before. Without switching for another way, they headed straight to the Adventurer Guild. The guild looked as secluded as it was when it rained. Judah went to the counter and presented their bronze medal along with the certificate from the branch manager. It took a while to make the silver te, so they decided to wait inside the guild. When they sat at a table that had been cleaned, they bought something to drink. Jeanne and Arhil talked to each other, and Judah fell into his thoughts about his ns. He had already obtained two fragments in a short time, less than two months after he went through hising-of-age ceremony and left Serenia castle. -The Tenth Fragment, Altemia- -The 24th Fragment, Carpe Diem- However, these two fragments were rtively easy to obtain because they had no owners, and all the fragments to be obtained were held by an owner or unattainable with his current skills. When he nced at Arhil and Jeanne, they were busy talking to each other. Pretending to look out of the window, he opened -Notes- and checked the information on the next fragment. ¡®The next ce to go to¡­ Is it Regen?¡¯ Although the area had not yet been revealed in -Map-, it was not difficult to confirm its location and all rted data as there was a picture attached. Regen was a country surrounded by the country of knights, Philoria; the country of entertainment, Urun; the magical kingdom of Calypso, and the ve kingdom of Sn. Regen was famous as a tribal nation or thend of mercenaries. In particr, Regen¡¯s mercenaries were famous for their excellent skills, and there was a reason for that. Regen was not rich in minerals, unlike Philoria, and there weren¡¯t any knights with a high value in skill and fame. Nor was it a magicalnd blessed with magic powers unlike Calypso, nor did they have mages present in their country. Thend filled with mountain ranges,rge and small, and the food was all fruits and animals from the mountains. ins were scarce for farming, so harvesting provided them little. Their poption wasrger than in other countries. That was all they had. Born and raised from the mountains, they fought monsters andpeted for survival. They lived in a barren environment where they never know when they will die. Naturally, they did not know when they would die, so they thought that they had to keep their bloodline alive by having descendants, so they enjoyed sex a lot. Whether men or women, it was possible to have multiple spouses if you had the ability and skills. Of course, there were not many cases where women were stronger due to physical differences unless they were born in power. Children born in the mountains grew up running around the mountains and fighting monsters and vicious beasts at an early age. Children died, but many survived as well. Those that survived grew stronger and learned a lot. So they lived hundreds of years beyond decades. One day, several tribes in Regen united into one and became an alliance. When it was difficult to cope with the growing poption, they sent talented warriors to nearby countries to work in mercenary guilds. Mercenaries from Regen had superior stamina andbat skillspared to other mercenaries, and they performed their missions well to increase their value. When they signed a contract, they worked hard to keep their promises and carry out their duties unless they were treated unfairly. And death did not scare them. Naturally, Regen became famous as a country of mercenaries. As they became famous, hiring them grew expensive, but everyone who had hired them raised their thumbs and praised them. They were sent to harsh environments, but it didn¡¯t cause a problem. Once they¡¯ve signed a contract, even if it¡¯s dangerous enough that would lead to their deaths, they didn¡¯t withdraw. None of the mercenaries from Regen had ever been told that they had vited a contract during a quest. They were enthusiastic about life-threatening battles, unafraid of death, and considered sex to be their hobby. They had to go where they lived. He needed to get the fragment there. ¡®¡­Yakal.¡¯ The Thirteenth Fragment, the Great Sword of Wrath. It was a sword made by processing minerals extracted from meteorites that had fallen from the sky. Pernen took it and cut down countless beasts, monsters, and demons. It could absorb blood and souls, just like Altemia. The more it injured an opponent, the more it can restore the user¡¯s energy. The spirits of the souls killed by the sword resided within the de and had the power to strengthen the user. It made its wielded extremely powerful. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ The owner of the fragment was in Regen. Judah closed his eyes as he sighed. As he rested his eyes, he clicked his tongue. The owner of Yakal was a warrior and a -Wielder of the Spirit Sword- with tremendous skills. How could he take the fragment from him? Judah felt his head hurt. In the case of Count Jinmu, there was a reason his difficulty was reduced when they fought. But it was impossible to kill and take away this fragment because he couldn¡¯t tip the scales against enemies who can handle themselves very well. ¡®And with Arhil or Jeanne around, it would be even more difficult to do that¡­¡¯ But if that was what his -Notes- told him, then there was no way around it. But he wasn¡¯t sure if it was really possible. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too unfair?¡± Judah turned his head in surprise as a voice spoke to him. He looked at Jeanne with his eyes wide open. ¡°Yes? What?¡± He couldn¡¯t get any sense of what she was saying because he wasn¡¯t listening to any of their conversations. ¡°You¡¯re not listening to me at all.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s because you¡¯re already talking happily with Arhil. What¡¯s unfair?¡± Jeanne pointed her finger at the counter. There was no one and nothing there. ¡°I¡¯m talking about being promoted from bronze to silver. I carried out numerous small missions to meet the conditions of bing a silver te, and I thought I¡¯dpleted it by now. But then Judah bes a silver te with only a few missions?¡± Jeanne puffed her cheeks. ¡°I think he was lucky. Why would you even say that? Maybe he was meant to be the one.¡± ¡°The one?¡± Jeanne looked up at Arhil, and sheughed at her when she saw the look of confusion on her face. ¡°It¡¯s a simple phrase. Maybe that¡¯s how it was meant to happen. Like taking a shortcut. That¡¯s what happened to you, Mr. Judah.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I hate it even more. I was just thinking of making fun of Judah a little more because he got his sooner.¡± Judah smiled as he watched her grumble. After having his train of thought intervened by their conversation, he decided to think about the thirteenth fragment at Regenter. Judah and Jeanne soon ascended into a silver te. An X was engraved on the back of their bronze que, but it seemed like it was given as amemorative que. Jeanne, Judah, and Arhil, who were issued their silver ques, sought a carriage heading for An and left Kaora Castle on that day. * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Tip 21. The methods and conditions for a mercenary or adventurer to be promoted from bronze to silver, silver to white silver, and white silver to gold are all different. To be a silver te, you must perform various missions such as escort work, errands, and monster kills a certain number of times. For a silver te to be a white silver te, you must handle magical power and have the same skills. It¡¯s also a bonus to perform one or two heavy missions. When you achieve this, you will now have the words ¡®Advanced¡¯ in the title of ¡®Skilled¡¯ in front of your name. Advanced adventurer, advanced mercenary, and the likes. A lot of conditions are required for a silver que to be a gold que. Gold ques are among the best. When ites to adventurers, the number or type of missions doesn¡¯t really matter. They must practice quite a lot. If the silver que owner has been active for more than ten years, the guild will judge them. Leadership, personality, honor, number of missions, mission performance, and many more are checked and reviewed to confirm their ascension to a gold medal, and then take the test. Only those who pass the exam can be the holders of the gold te and qualify to create a mercenary corps. The way from gold to tinum was indeed very simple. If you could be a -Wielder of the Sword-, whether you were in an Adventurer Guild or a Mercenary Guild, they would give you a tinum que as a gift. How about that? Wasn¡¯t it really easy? Chapter 101

Chapter 101

101==================== Capital An, In Front of the Outer Wall. ¡°That was a rough ride.¡± As Arhil got out of the wagon and huffed, Judah, who had followed after her, simply nodded. Just like she said, the way back to An was really difficult. They thought they would arrive at afortable pace of a week, but it took them a whopping two weeks. It would¡¯ve been okay if monsters appeared and interfered with the journey. At least they could feel something like annoyance, but all they felt was boredom. It was far from what they wished would happen. Instead, the road was blocked by crowds. People gathered from nearby kingdoms and empires to watch or participate in the uing gstaffpetition, so they had to wait in line to rent a wagon. The number of wagons going to and fro the capital and the castle was muchrger than usual, andpared to demand, the supply was quite short, so it was not easy to rent a wagon. When they sat around about a few days ago, Arhil healed a noble son who fell down the road, and in return, she was able to borrow a carriage and ride it. Arriving wasn¡¯t that easy. Compared to so many wagons going back and forth, the road was narrow, so the horses couldn¡¯t go at a proper pace. They would¡¯ve had a better time if only the horses could run instead of walking. Judah gave his thanks to their coachman and saw him off. Judah found himselfughing at Arhil, who panicked the moment the carriage went away. And just like when Judah and Jeanne found themselves in awe when they first saw An, Arhil had the same gaze at the capital¡¯s breathtaking structure, a mountain carved into an unyielding fortress. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it awesome? It¡¯s really incredible how humans were able to make this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s my first time in An, but I didn¡¯t even think it¡¯s such a wonderful ce. I heard stories about it, and now that I¡¯ve seen it for myself¡­ I am very impressed. It¡¯s so wonderful and magnificent.¡± Arhil was awed. Definitely. If you are a human, or even if you are not human, if you had intellect, you won¡¯t be able to hide your admiration when you see An. At least that was what Judah thought. ¡°Now, don¡¯t just look around, get in line.¡± Many people were lining up at the checkpoint to enter An. In preparation for any incident, heavily armed knights were running around and ushered the crowd. He didn¡¯t know if that was the case, but the order was well maintained, and the number of lines quickly shrunk because of the three checkpoints in front of the gate. ¡°Judah, I believe you will remember your promise.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± As they waited in line, Judah turned his head after hearing Jeanne¡¯s words, a puzzled look on his face. What did he promise? He didn¡¯t remember making any special promises. With his confused expression, she seemed disappointed. ¡°Did you not promise to watch the gstaffpetition?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not it. I can¡¯t participate this time, so I said I¡¯d participate in December, right?¡± Oh, was that it? Jeanne¡¯s eyes widened. When she heard it, she began to remember how the conversation went. But Jeanne seemed disappointed that she couldn¡¯t see the gstaff than to feel shame that she was wrong for what she remembered. ¡°Huh? So you¡¯re not going to see the gstaffpetition? Then why are you here?¡± ¡°We went here to buy a weapon andplete a quest. We won¡¯t go to watch the gstaffpetition. I don¡¯t know why we even came here if you think about it now. What should we do? Only our leader can tell.¡± ¡°Okay, so whatever the leader says¡­ we¡¯re just supposed to follow helplessly?¡± Talking in such a sorrowful voice, they secretly put pressure on Judah to see the gstaff. He wasn¡¯t interested in seeing much. Even when he was in the real world, when there were university festivals or concerts held nearby for free, he hated the crowds, only visiting as an experience and didn¡¯t even enjoy it. He couldn¡¯t even sit in the front seat nor watch it on arge screen, so he couldn¡¯t figure out why people were enthusiastic. He thought it would be the same for the gstaffpetition, so he didn¡¯t rte to why they felt that way about it. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to see.¡¯ Judah nced up at the wall. Green and red gpoles waved in the air. The poles hanging on the wall told the kind ofpetition to be held at the time. It was natural to see the green gpole, held every four months, but the red gpole was unexpected. It was apetition held once a year, and it will not be easy to see it on the next date¡­ So maybe it wouldn¡¯t be bad to experience what it was like. ¡®Kain will participate in thispetition anyway, so I need to see how much his skills have improved.¡¯ Judah thought of it for a moment before looking at Jeanne and Arhil from behind as they continued to patronize him. ¡°Okay. Hopefully, there are Wielders of the Sword in the crowd. Let¡¯s take a look.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Wow! This is great!¡± Jeanne was really happy. It had brought her a great deal of joy that a message popped up, indicating that her favorability had risen. Judah immediately turned off the obstructing message. She waited for the checkpoint with a smile, rejoicing like a child. It wasn¡¯t difficult to get through, and they were processed very quickly. As soon as they entered An, the first thing they did was to book for lodging. Judah, who thought it was difficult to find a ce because there were so many people, wandered searching for the most expensive amodation. When he looked for a luxury lodge close to where the gstaffpetition was held, he certainly had a seat. It was an expensive ce that no ordinary adventurer or mercenary could rent, but Judah had a fair amount of gold coins obtained from dealing with Count Jinmu, so he had no worries about payment at all. Hispanions felt like getting two rooms would be too expensive, so they told him to rent a room with three beds. Those who stayed in the lodge were high profile and obscured. Although the manager at the counter did not originally ept adventurers or mercenaries, she felt that Judah and Jeanne looked dignified and would ept them. In the meantime, she said they should avoid causing a racket, and if they did, they would be shown the way out. Judah nodded and paid, promising that he had no intention of causing any chaos. He wore clothes made of ck wolf skin and a coat made from Requiem¡¯s ??leather, so he looks quite luxurious. Judah told Jeanne and Arhil to wait in their quarters, taking their luggage out of the -Bag- and putting it in their respective rooms. If they wanted to look outside, they could visit as many ces as much as they wanted, but he told them to let him know where they nned to go. Then, Judah took Edron¡¯s items and headed to the cksmith and his weapon shop in An¡¯s Alley. It was a small and shabby store in a small pathway, but as so many people flocked to An to watch the gstaffpetition, several people were inside. Looking through the window, Judah sat on a bench outside, waiting for all the shoppers toe out. He waited, though it was unlikely that the store would be empty, with one person leaving but twoing in. And if they heard the news of the death of their child, they would not be able to do business normally, so he stayed away for now in consideration. Finally, seeing that everyone in the store had gone, Judah entered the store. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Wee!¡± Thedy, who was sitting at the counter, stood up and greeted when the doorbell rang. Despite the look of exhaustion, she greeted Judah with a hurried smile, but the moment she saw his face, her eyes widened. She remembered him. ¡°Honey!¡± She rushed to the back of the store. The shopkeeper ran so quick as if she had seen a robber. After watching her disappear inside, Judah flipped the card that said OPEN and faced the CLOSED part outside. Soon, a muscr man came running to the store. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Edsen. How are you?¡± ¡°¡­Why did youe alone? Have you found my son?¡± He asked Judah with furrowed eyebrows, his anticipation and anxiety adamant in his gaze, as the news about his son was his priority rather than exchanging greetings. Judah handed over his son¡¯s sword that was in his grasp. They took the sword silently, looking down at it in disbelief. He sputtered a sigh. His wife, who was next to him, plunged to the ground. ¡°Uh, can you tell me what happened?¡± At Edsen¡¯s request, Judah told him all about what had happened in the vige of Cherryu. Hearing the story, the parents cried, and Judah had no choice but to sympathize with their loss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. But¡­ I¡¯ve been looking for a medicine to treat your daughter. First of all, can you guide me to her?¡± With tears rolling down his face, Edsen nodded his head, hesitantly nced at his fallen wife, and took Judah with him. At the back of the store, there was a separate house connected to a forge. Inside a room, there was a girl on the bed, wheezing and gasping for air. Judah pulled out a -magical orb containing numerous souls- he got from the altar and put it in the girl¡¯s mouth. This orb, made by mixing countless blood and souls with powerful magic, had the same effect as an elixir, called a panacea. In a way, this can also be seen as a sage stone that was the main ingredient of an elixir. The small pieces turned into liquid the moment they touched the child¡¯s lips and flowed in. There were no shy effects, but its medicinal effect circted quickly. As if the child¡¯s body healed at a tremendous rate, her breathing calmed down in a heartbeat, and the girl opened her eyes. ¡°Dad?¡± The girl raised her fragile small hand. Edsen, still grieving his son, forced himself tough and respond, slowly raising his child¡¯s body. ¡°Why are you crying? And who is this boy?¡± ¡°Is there anything that hurts?¡± Judah asked the girl to confirm. The girl frowned and opened her mouth like a reflex. ¡°A lot. It¡¯s hard to breathe¡­ Huh? Why doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± The girl looked down on her own body, panicking. And gradually, she realized the state of her body. Her breathing was stable, and she had no power to move her body, but she moved naturally. ¡°Huh¡­ Dad? This isn¡¯t a dream, is it? Is it?¡± The girl gasped at Edsen, and he hugged his daughter in tears at the sight of her. Realizing it was reality, the girl soon burst into tears, and their house was filled with the sound of their weeping. Judah was forced to watch them as they cried silently. Chapter 102

Chapter 102

102==================== While performing quests in the game, he had rarely felt an attachment to the daily lives of NPCs. It wasmon and obvious for non-yable characters to die. Of course, there were times when he felt sorry when the NPCs he encountered died and disappeared. However, when he saw them crying like this, Judah could not say anything. He stepped away as soon as he felt tears prick his eyes. When he went out, the wife also rushed up and entered the room. The crying grew louder. [Edsen¡¯s request has beenpleted.] [You thought it would have been a simple quest, but it was much more difficult than you thought.] [But after your efforts, his son, even if he died, was found and mourned, and his daughter was able to regain her health.] [It was bittersweet, but you couldn¡¯t help it.] [The lowest stats increased by 3 points, and the next time you visit him, you can get equipment for free or leave yours for free repairs.] The lowest ability¡­ Was it his charisma? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 30] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 42(C) / Potential A] [Health: 45(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 46(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 54(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 8(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 15] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ When I checked it, it was what he had expected. ¡®It is difficult to increase the lowest stats in this way¡­¡¯ It was much better than nothing, but he still didn¡¯t feel the need for it. Rather than that, it would have been better if it were the things that he could feel the change, like strength, stamina, or agility. Although he did not receive any rewards forpleting the request, Judah just left the store. Thanks to this store anyway, he got his fragment and even a huge amount of gold coins, so he ducked away without thinking of getting a separate reward and headed back to the lodge. He was almost near the lodge, but someone from behind quickly approached and patted him on the shoulder. A person brushed his shoulders and walked, so he did not respond, but when he looked back when someone tapped his shoulder, there stood someone he didn¡¯t expect. His eyes widened as a smile curled on his lips. ¡°I was right. How are you?¡± Genuine de Lava. The Count of Urun, who owned the fifth fragment, Valentine, the Ring of Honor and Destiny, was there in front of him. They broke up at Dempa, and he never thought he would meet him again in An. Judah blinked at him, nodding. ¡°Ah, hello. I¡¯m good. I¡¯m doing well.¡± ¡°Haha! I never thought I¡¯d see you here again.¡± ¡°I thought the same thing.¡± ¡°Will you also participate in the gstaffpetition? Oh, did you say you won¡¯t participate in this month¡¯s festivities?¡± He touched his chin as if he had no recollection of their old conversation. ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯ll just watch it. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but at that time, mypanion was very interested in the gstaffpetition.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I understand what¡¯s going on.¡± He put his hand on Judah¡¯s shoulder in a friendly manner and repeatedly nodded his head with a small sigh. His eyes were full of sympathy. ¡°I know that feeling very well. My daughter did that. Eventually, I came to An and cheered. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a ck gstaff or a Golden gstaff because I didn¡¯te here to find what else there is to see. But thanks to her, I watched a Green gstaff that I didn¡¯t even care about.¡± Judah smiled bitterly as the man let out a self-deprecatingugh. Then, a random man passing by bumped his shoulder. The man immediately bowed his head, apologized, then left. Judah nced at himself. He didn¡¯t seem to steal any of his belongings, just identally brushed with him. ¡°Oops. There are too many people around for us to talk here. My amodation is near. Would you like to go with me? The food there is pretty good. You¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± Count Genuine invited him as his eyes glinted. Judah was puzzled with his favor, but he thought it would be nice to chat a little more, so he decided to follow him. ¡°Let¡¯s go then, shall we? It¡¯s not too far from here.¡± The Count took the lead and walked. As he followed him, he realized that they went down the same path he had intended to take beforehand. He began to wonder if they stayed in the same ce. When they arrived, it was really the same lodge. ¡°Look here. It¡¯s the best ce around here. Listen¡­ Huh? Why the expression?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m staying here too.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Count Genuine blinked. With a rather proud name of ¡®Glory Hall¡¯, this lodging was a ce where one could stay at a high price. Even nobles couldn¡¯te easily if they didn¡¯t have a lot of spare money. The Count did not intend to do so, but in his surprise, he ended up staring at Judah from head to toe. He didn¡¯t know what kind of leather it was, but his clothing gave off the feeling of dignity, and his youthful and handsome face certainly gave the feeling of wealth. His skills were difficult to grasp just by judging from the outside. The Count apologized with a slight bow of his head, thinking he had made a mistake. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I did not mean to ignore you. I was taken aback by that surprising revtion. I hope you can spare me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can make up for it with the good food you told me.¡± ¡°Yes. I will let you eat without a worry.¡± Judah opened the door and stepped inside. They entered through the empty, luxurious hall. As they sat down at an empty table, the manager at the counter called someone¡¯s name, and immediately, someone attended to them with a menu. Count Genuine handed it over to Judah.¡± ¡°Choose whatever you want. I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°Can I order more than enough?¡± ¡°If you want to test my financial power, you can do that as much as you want. If you have leftovers, you can wrap and carry them with you.¡± Judah nced at his confident face and saw the price on the menu. The numbers were outrageous, but he told him not to worry about the price, so he ordered all the food with names that sounded good. The clerk who took the order felt astounded because of his many orders, but the Count shook his hand, telling him just to go and bring the dishes. The clerk bowed his head and tried to return to the counter but was immediately caught by Judah. When asked if the party that came with him was upstairs, the clerk tilted his head and said that he would check it, and returned to bring the news that they had left when Judah left the lodge. He didn¡¯t know where Jeanne and Arhil went, but as long as they were away, Judah atefortably with Count Genuine. ¡°Can you believe what a great coincidence this is? Meeting in Dempa, meeting in An, and even having the same hotel. If such coincidence happened after three times, it is said that this is destiny. It really looks like that.¡± Destiny was destiny¡­ because they were connected through the fragments. Judah faced him again. ¡°By the way, if you treat me like this now, what about my visit to Urun.¡± ¡°Oh, did you really intend toe to Urun?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re almost done here. I¡¯m thinking of going to Urun after watching the martial arts contest here in An, after stopping at the Regen Kingdom for a while.¡± ¡°Regen Kingdom? I wouldn¡¯t rmend that. It¡¯s a dangerous ce. What are you nning?¡± As an experienced man, he said that Regen was not a ce he would rmend, but Judah shook his head. ¡°My goal is to travel around the world. I can¡¯t give up because it¡¯s a difficult and dangerous ce to go.¡± ¡°Travel around the world? Huh. Then you want to explore the continents?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had to collect the fragments. Genuineughed but said nothing else. After their conversation, the food he ordered began to arrive one after another. It was as luxurious as its high price, and it tasted so good even the rice cake was enough to fill his belly. ¡°How is it? Is it delicious?¡± Judah murmured in his mouth and nodded. He couldn¡¯t stop eating. Never in his years of being in this world, or even in the original world, was he able to eat such luxurious food to the fullest. ¡°Try this too. I don¡¯t know how these guys got it, but they said it was deer meat from the Elven Forest in the north of the Sn Kingdom.¡± ¡°Ah. Let¡¯s taste this too. This parfait is a lobster that is said to have been caught in the maritime kingdom.¡± ¡°This eel is amazing as well. You¡¯re still young, so I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯ll think of it. It¡¯s a very valuable food for an adult man.¡± Judah nodded and, like a father, Genuine took the dishes and served it in Judah¡¯s empty bowl. Surprisingly, he even provided a background for the meals like he knew much about cooking. After eating, he felt full. There was still a lot of leftover food, but he could eat all kinds of dishes food he provided. He couldn¡¯t even digest the rambling he heard for each meal. ¡°I¡¯m okay now. I can¡¯t eat anymore because I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll tell them to wrap the leftovers well and bring them upstairs. Can yourpanions eat them?¡± ¡°Thank you for that.¡± Count Genuine immediately called the clerk and asked for the food to be packed and served. Then they got up and went up to the second floor. He first said his goodbye to Judah, who was about to enter his room. ¡°Thank you for having a pleasant chat with me. We should leave it for today. You look tired! You should get some rest.¡± Judah realized how long of a day it had been. ¡°It would be very difficult to get a seat for the grandstand. Did you get a great spot?¡± Judah replied, with a small sigh, because he wanted to. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good! If you¡¯re okay, I¡¯d like to see the Green gstaff with you. How about it? I got a pretty good seat. If you want, I can get you and yourpanions some seats. What do you say?¡± ¡°I am grateful for your favor. But I think I¡¯m getting too much just for offering you a carriage ride.¡± ¡°Haha, there¡¯s nothing to be burdened with. It¡¯s not enough to watch it alone. Besides, you just have to listen to my many ramblings.¡± Judah dly epted his offer. If all it took to get a great seat was to listen to him talk, he was ready. The Countughed and gave him onest smile before expressing his excitement for tomorrow. Then, he waved his hand and entered his room. ¡°¡­¡± Judah, who remained there, nced at the empty corridor for a moment before going to his own room. Chapter 103

Chapter 103

103==================== Judah opened the door and entered his room. He didn¡¯t know which of the three beds to use because, before he left, he only left Jeanne and Arhil¡¯s luggage. Looking at the room now, it looked like Jeanne was in the center and Arhil had the right. Judah took off his coat and top, went to bed on the far left side, and flung himself to it. ¡°The fancy hotel is different in every way possible.¡± The bed gently received Judah¡¯s weight with the spring¡¯s recoil. Thefort as the mattress bounced felt like the best bed he had ever experienced. ¡®No, grandfather¡¯s mansion was nice too.¡¯ He never stayed in Kaseun¡¯s mansion often, but he wouldn¡¯t want toe back home if he stayed there for one night. The fact that his body wasfortable also meant that his fatigue gradually eased. He remained on the bed as his eyes began to drift to slumber until someone knocked on the door. ¡°I brought the packaged food. Can I go in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± The clerk, who opened the door and entered inside, packed the leftovers in a new bowl and put it on the table. Judah closed his eyes as he bowed his head to watch the cashier go out. When his eyes began to rest, he immediately recalled the face of the man wearing a monocle. ¡®Count Genuine de Lava¡­¡¯ Judah remembereding up with his back story. He raised his poor family back to life and was one of the great nobles within the Urun Empire with as much influence as the Duke family. Power, strength, wealth, a beautiful wife, and good looks¡­ He had everything. He was famous for being one of the perfect men on earth. However, it was either because of his talent and efforts or the fifth fragment¡¯s power, Valentine, that he managed to re-establish his family¡¯s status and lead a sessful life. Whatever it was that helped him, it remained unchanged that he was one of the most influential men in Urun, and it will be a great opportunity to get acquainted with such a person. But Judah was troubled with it. ¡®I don¡¯t like it, but there¡¯s nothing I can do¡­¡¯ As long as he had the fragment, he had to be killed one day and find a way to take away the ring. It was an inevitable choice to collect all the twenty-four fragments. Maybe it would be best to take the fragment from him, but which idiot would just hand over a treasure like that. If anybody would do such a thing, they might be unaware that it was a fragment or the fragment had no owner, like how he obtained Altemia. Judah sighed as his mind mudded. He figured he shouldn¡¯t push through with him if he felt unhappy, but after meeting Count Genuine several times, they had naturally built up a friendship. Like Kain, it was impossible to distance himself. It caused him a great deal of pain, just thinking of the events yet to happen. ¡®¡­ Let¡¯s think about thatter.¡¯ Now that he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t decide what to do. As heid down on his face with his eyes closed, he felt someoneing up to the second floor, growing closer by the minute. There were two footsteps, and he didn¡¯t know what they were talking about, but he heard chatting voices. Hearing the faint voices reminded him of Jeanne and Arhil. As the doorknob rotated smoothly and opened silently, Jeanne and Arhil came in as expected. ¡°You were sleeping, Mr. Judah?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t sleeping.¡± Arhil smiled gently. ¡°If so, thy are there are traces on your forehead¡­?¡± ¡°I was lying down, but I didn¡¯t sleep. Really.¡± ¡°Ah. There are clear arm marks on your forehead, and you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t sleep?¡± Judah touched his forehead, but his hand couldn¡¯t confirm it. Sheughed at him. He didn¡¯t sleep, did he? Judah reiterated that he wasn¡¯t sleeping, just lying down. He watched them as they took off their coats, and Jeanne, putting hers on a hanger, saw the food served on the table. ¡°What is this, Judah? Did you eat alone without us?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a lot. Let¡¯s eat together! We didn¡¯t eat anything with you!¡± Arhil puffed her cheeks and quickly sat in front of the table. ¡°That¡¯s what Count Genuine bought, so if you¡¯re hungry, eat it.¡± ¡°Count Genuine? Him? Really, is he here?¡± Jeanne asked, turning her body around as if the food wasn¡¯t important right now. Arhil didn¡¯t really care. Even if she wasn¡¯t interested or didn¡¯t know, she simply grabbed a tableware, peeled off the stic covering the bowl, and ate her food indifferently. She chewed the exquisite dish and cooed, relishing the taste, and tried to rmend it to Jeanne as well. Jeanne was sitting on the bed in the middle, looking at Judah. ¡°Yes, we met by chance. We talked and ate.¡± Judah couldn¡¯t look back while lying, so he sat and leaned against the wall as he replied. He almost fell asleep, but now he sat awake with still a little bit of fatigue in his system. ¡°He said he had a good spot, so we can just go with the Count tomorrow.¡± Jeanne¡¯s face brightened, and Arhil, who was eating her food, was watching them both. ¡°Oh, but who is the Count, and why is he doing good favor for us? I went out to see the market with Jeanne and tried to get a seat for the game the day after tomorrow, but it was sold out, so I couldn¡¯t get it. I was worried about having to get left out¡­ so that¡¯s fortunate.¡± There were also VIP tickets, but it was too expensive, she added. There seem to be VIP tickets in this world as well. Judah tried to exin to her who Count Genuine was, but Jeanne was ahead of him. Sitting across the bed, she got up and walked towards the table, briefly telling the story. Arhil, listening to her, nced at Judah and Jeanne. ¡°So¡­ Will you kill him and take away his fragment?¡± Judah was embarrassed by her bluntness, and Jeanne, who had stabbed her fork on the food, widened her eyes. Arhil, who saw their reaction, realized what she just said. She dropped a bomb like it was okay. Judah was as shocked as she was. ¡°Someone could¡¯ve heard you. That¡¯s too bold.¡± As a result of using Shadow Justice, no one could listen to the conversation, but it was necessary to be careful about talking about it in a ce like this. Like the saying that a bird listens at the end of the day and a mouse listens at the end of the night, no one knows where and who could overhear things. Seeing Judah using his magic, Arhil spoke with her tableware in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. That¡¯s a normal reaction. But I didn¡¯t know that the intention of killing others woulde out so easily from a priest¡¯s mouth.¡± Arhil reached for the food again and tilted her head. ¡°Well- that¡¯s because I¡¯m a bit weird. Other priests say that people under the Holy King, whether humans or intelligent beings, should be valued and protected, but I don¡¯t think so. In my case, you only do that for the weak. I think it¡¯s okay. Because the powerful have already killed many people before and have established their positions. Is there a need to have a reluctance to kill such people? If you killed others, you should be prepared for yourself to die.¡± Unexpectedly, Judah and Jeanne stared at Arhil nkly. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± She shook her head as she asked, tilting her head as she looked at them innocently. However, her idea of life and death was appropriate in modern times. In a world where assassinations ur frequently, killing others is natural to save one¡¯s life. He liked it because she was different from other priests. Judah shrugged. ¡°No. But I would like you to be as careful or metaphorical as possible when saying that you are killing someone because no one knows who could hear it in a ce like this. And our skills right now are not enough to kill him. Before we can even step closer and raise our swords, we¡¯ll die by his magic in a heartbeat.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± At least for now, it was all she could say. Later into the story, it was set that Count Genuine would be abandoned by his fragment so that his magic cannot be activated, and his level falls to something just a little higher than the yer. At that time, the yer will attack Count Genuine with Kain and other high magic-resistancepanions, and for nearly 200 years, as all owners of -Valentine- did, he will face a miserable death. However, Kain won¡¯t be the one to take the fragment, but Judah will, who will appear out of nowhere. That was how the story should go. The point is that Count Genuine was now being chosen by the fragment but will be abandoned in the future. Arhil turned to him as the sound of her eating filled in the awkward silence. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right. Did you go to the market?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s all go out tomorrow! The tournament starts the day after tomorrow anyway, right?¡± Jeanne chimed into the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s go to the parts we haven¡¯t gotten to. What do you say, Judah?¡± To see the market¡­ That would be great too. When Judah eagerly replied, they were happy to talk about what they saw and what happened in the market today. And as soon as the day was over, Judah, Jeanne, and Arhil left the lodge early in the morning when the market opened. They went out almost every morning until the Green gstaff contest was held and returned in the evening to see An. An looked like a fortress carved out of a mountain, but thend was t. It felt like one big building. The stairs connected to the castle gates were used only when going up from the first floor to the second floor. Many people came to see the gstaff, so the market was selling more than usual, and visiting merchants from other ces sold their goods. They enjoy shopping. Whether they were people-watching, or just walking around and eating, Jeanne and Arhil¡¯s favorability rose a little. It was a good time. He was lucky to get the chance to enter the tower named -Hall of Fame-, where statues and paintings of the winners of the ck gstaff and objects they used were disyed. Admission was expensive, so there were no adventurers or mercenaries, and most of them were nobles from other countries. Inside the tower, knights were standing upright like golems in heavy armor standing exactly 3m away from each other, monitoring without moving. They had to guard the winners¡¯ items being kept as treasures. One might feel ufortable as they felt them watch their every move, but none of the viewers hadined about it. Arhil felt a little bored, but she adored that Jeanne and Judah couldn¡¯t hide their awe as they checked the items¡¯ information. Most of them were of the only grade, some of them were of ancient grade, and even legendary items were stored on the top floor of the tower. Just reading the description of the items and checking their stories brought them joy. Like a field trip, their time in An was splendid. They ate delicious food, enjoyed great sights,ughed, and chatted as if they were on dates. The gold coins they achieved from Count Jinmu¡¯s story gave them a chance to livevishly. And finally, the day for the Green gstaff opened. Chapter 104

Chapter 104

104==================== They were busy walking around An until the day of the gstaffpetition that he found it quite difficult to get up in the morning. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Judah, who had been procrastinating in bed, opened his eyes with a groan at the sound of watering from the shower room. He wanted to sleep more, but the constant sound of the water drew him away from sleep. He put his pillow over his head to cover his ears, but to no avail. Judah had no choice but to wake himself up with a frown. With a small sigh, Judah looked to his side, scratching his head. Jeanne was in the shower with her bed already done, and on the bed next to hers was Arhil snoring with her belly out. Judah sat up on his bed and leaned against the wall, staring up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. His hazy consciousness became clearer as time passed, eventually opening his eyes and then stretching his arms. ¡°Ugh!¡± Judah moved his head from side to side several times to rx, then got up from the bed and approached Arhil. Sleeping peacefully as she scratched her stomach, he tapped her shoulder and called her name. ¡°Arhil.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Her eyes flinched a bit as she drooled, but she didn¡¯t wake up. Judah didn¡¯t know when Jeanne got in the bathroom, but she sounded close to stepping out. ¡°Wake up, Arhil.¡± After waking her up consistently, she finally opened her eyes. She grabbed and pulled the nket under her thigh, still silent like she was still asleep. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll sleep a little more¡­ I¡¯ll sleep¡­!¡± ¡°Can you take a bath now?¡± She didn¡¯t reply, so Judah tried to turn her body to him with a little sigh. She immediately reached her hand out of the nket, holding onto Judah as he sat her up. ¡°No¡­ooh¡­! Noooo!¡± She groaned, frowning at him, like sitting up, made her body ache. Her hand grasping Judah¡¯s wrist fell. They had been going around An without a break, so it looked like her body was indeed aching. She summoned her divine power into her hands and ced them under her thighs and the soles of her feet. Her expression cleared as her body healed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take a bath yet¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But, if I sleep a little longer, I will¡­ Can I do that? Hehe¡­¡± ¡°Do that, then.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Judah nodded his head. It didn¡¯t matter because he can go down first and eat breakfast. She thanked him, drooping down like a horse and flopping back down on her nket. Jeanne was still inside the shower, so it was fine for her to sleep until Jeanne came out. Judah just stepped out the door and came down to the first floor. On the first floor, Count Genuine was already sitting and having his breakfast of bread and milk. He looked at Judah and waved his hands. ¡°Oh, what happened?¡± ¡°I got up early.¡± As he naturally joined him, he asked Judah to ask the clerk for a sd. When he ate greasy foodst night, his stomach was full. Judah looked around, watching the Count munch on his soft bread. As if unaware that he was Count Genuine, the nearby nobles only paid attention to their food and had no interest in others. Soon, a sd and a ss of water were served for Judah. The clerk left ament telling him to enjoy his meal before retreating after Judah took a fork. ¡°Don¡¯t you wish to have breakfast with your party? Why did youe down without them?¡± Judah, chewing crispy, fresh lettuce,ughed lightly at the Count¡¯s question. ¡°I thought they would take a long time to get ready, so I came down first. But what about you? Why are you eating without your daughter?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, my daughter went to the tournament first. She said she had to go and rx. Really. It would be nice to have a meal with her father for a day or so.¡± He tore the bread inment. His child was a girl who wanted to be a knight despiteing from a family of mages, so even if he tried to teach her his ways, she would have only been able to practice for the possibility of fighting against a mage. ¡°Is it not good to be passionate about it?¡± ¡°Woohoo. That¡¯s not true. That¡¯s why I¡¯m cheering for her today. I¡¯ve already booked a good seat at the venue where my daughter participates. I don¡¯t know if the participating beginners for Green gstaff will be any fun¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be fighting with wooden swords or something, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Of course. However, they have to fight using the weapons provided there. They provide decent equipment for evaluating skills. Armor is optional. You can wear it or not.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that bad. If they used sharp weapons, blood would be shed. And if you¡¯re unlucky, you can die.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got your daughter out for such a dangerous contest.¡± ¡°What can I do? She said she wanted to go. If she started with the equipment, she brought¡­ Whoo. My daughter¡¯s victory would be solid.¡± Was he thinking of putting magic on his daughter¡¯s equipment? Judah didn¡¯t say anything about it, but he just noticed what he was thinking. After having their quick chat, Jeanne and Arhil came down from the upper floor. He saw theming down and left a word to the Count that had to wash up and wille down soon. Judah washed down as quickly as he could and came back down. As soon as their meal was over, the Count, Judah, and hispanions went out. ¡°Wow, there are so many people.¡± After arriving, they were swept away by the crowd and almost lost his party. Arhil followed behind, holding Jeanne¡¯s hand tightly. Judah nced over to see them, smiling at the sight, as he chatted with the Count. When An¡¯s gstaffpetition became famous, what started in one venue grew beyond ten venues. Some of them were veryrge and colorful that opened only during certain gstaffpetitions. However, this didn¡¯t mean that the building for the Green gstaff had been less cared for. A huge circr structure that of a colosseum towered in the distance and crowds swarmed through its dozen doors. The spot booked by the Count was a ce where you could sit at a table and watch while eating something, like a private room in an amphitheater. ¡°How is it? Is it okay?¡± He opened his arms wide andughed heartily. Arhil cheered for not having to join people, and Jeanne couldn¡¯t hide her awe for being able to see the games up close. They never thought that Judah could ever book a seat this good. ¡®This is the power of being a nobility of Urun.¡¯ Even if it were just the Green gstaff, to rent a spot like this would be no joke. Thanks to him, they were grateful to see itfortably. As they sat, they were brought drinks and snacks to eat. Not long aftering in, all of the spectators sat down, and a person presumed to be the moderator appeared at the center of the venue. He wore heavy ck armor. -Thank you to all participants of An¡¯s Green gstaff! I am Gino, and I am your mediator for the games, and with me are the ¡®Loa¡¯. He announced, sending the watchers into a cheer without the need for special magical effects. People roared in anticipation for thepetition, then focused on his voice. -You don¡¯t need to remember my name. It¡¯s amon name, and it doesn¡¯t matter in this contest. What you need to remember is the young people who will stand on this stage and prove their skills, not me. They need to make a bloody effort for this Green gstaff, which they could only participate in once in their lives. Otherwise, they would fall and met their doom here. He didn¡¯t make a long speech. Short and concise, that was all he said. He ended the announcement and immediately called the participants of the first contest. In therge stage, eight groups of two people would duel at once. Seven additional knights, including those who introduced themselves as loa, stepped in to moderate the situation. ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± ¡°If they drag this on, it will do no good. I¡¯m still skeptical. In the case of the ck and Golden gstaff, duels are exhrating right off the bat. Fun, if I were to put it.¡± The Count muttered, stroking his chin. Judah also agreed with that. What surprised them were the sharp weapons they used in this duel. They could hurt themselves and even lose their life with those des. Judah watched the duelmence, shaking the ss of drink in his grasp. After greeting the other, the participants braced their weapons. Their sword glinted at the sunlight, and soon, they began their duel. If this were the game, it wouldn¡¯t take long, and he could see thebos they did while activating their skills, but unfortunately, for now, not many people had talents, and they battled with pure brawn. In the middle of their duel, blood began to scatter while the audience just watched in anticipation. ¡®Is this supposed to be fun?¡¯ But Judah couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment when he saw the skills of the Green gstaff participants. It was an easy difficulty for the yer to win, but wasn¡¯t this a bit severe? No one could participate under the age of 20, but they were still young, and some of them were afraid of getting hurt, cowering despite their suit of armor. Judah thought as he watched the eight groups of duellers. The Count did the same, holding his chin in disappointment. Judah sighed, boredom beginning to grow. It was Arhil and Jeanne who stared at the edge of their toes in interest. They stood in front of a railing installed for safety, looking down, exchanging opinions, and observing each battle. When the five duels were in progress, the bored Count got up from his seat, his eyes twinkling, tapping Judah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Look, there. There¡¯s my daughter out there. Haha!¡± He smiled brightly as he looked on. He thought he would wave his hand as he spotted his daughter, but he didn¡¯t, watching with his arms crossed. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Judah had never seen his daughter before. Their timing never met, and he never saw her glimpse on the hotel, whether it was day or night. He wondered if the Count was lying to him. In the area that the Count was looking at, there was a girl with a two-handed sword wearing armor for her chest. She looked a little mature to be a young child, but at the same time, she was looked young to be an adult. ¡®¡­ at first nce, she must be 19 years old, but she might just look young.¡¯ The host immediately initiated her duel, and the girl bowed her head, grasped her sword, and ran at her opponent without hesitation. She looked skinny on the surface, but she lifted her de with ease and struck at her opponent, showing how high her strength was. Her opponent stepped back, watched as the girl¡¯s greatsword hit the ground, and then moved closer again. The girl wasn¡¯t rmed. Rather than retrieving her sword, she approached her opponent and smashed their abdomen with the handle of her great sword. The opponent had no armor, so he slumped into ce and grabbed his abdomen. In a duel that ended in a sh, the host immediately dered her victory to the girl. ¡°Excellent, Sarah!¡± The Count hollered as if he had endured it until now. The girl in the arena flinched and turned her gaze to their side. She evaded her gaze, blushing in shame. Chapter 105

Chapter 105

105==================== ¡®She¡¯s cute.¡¯ Looking at the Count¡¯s daughter reminded him of a tomboyish, stubborn girl, but she was more than that. Her brown hair was tied up into a ponytail by strings, and her beauty showed her parents and their excellent genes. Despite the Count¡¯s embarrassing call, the girl waved her hand slightly while blushing, looking at other people instead. ¡°Isn¡¯t she really pretty?¡± Satisfied with just the wave of her hand, the Count sat down with a joyous grin before nodding. What answer should he give? He wasn¡¯t trying to match them, but the girl was actually cute and beautiful. Once she got older, she would surely steal the hearts of many men. The Count furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°You just have to say she¡¯s pretty¡­ Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Judahughed awkwardly. ¡°She¡¯s truly our child. My wife resembles her beauty.¡± ¡°And her personality?¡± ¡°Personality? Um, her personality resembles mine¡­ She¡¯s kind of like me. I mean, she¡¯s cute but also stubborn. That¡¯s the problem. Except for that, everything is perfect. But she¡¯s yet to mature. She¡¯s still a child.¡± Despite admitting his daughter¡¯s shorings, he didn¡¯t stop pouring outpliments for her. The girl, Sarah, went down the stage to wait for her next match. Unsurprisingly, they paid no attention to the games after that. Cupping his chin, he couldn¡¯t hide the boredom in his eyes that stared down at the stage as they ate. ¡°Are they holding just preliminaries all day today?¡± ¡°Maybe? But looking at this pace, it will end in the morning.¡± ¡°You seem bored. Do you n on seeing it until the end?¡± Not knowing which venue Kain was in for the preliminary round, he asked the Count if they could leave. ¡°Look! This will be quick. The Red gstaff qualifier won¡¯t be so boring, and they won¡¯t hold the battle in groups just like this.¡± ¡°Will the Red gstaff happen here?¡± ¡°Yes. So I guess I¡¯m staying here. We¡¯ll just watch the awards ceremony, including the finals, in this venue, and then we can watch it. Don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s not here, we won¡¯t die just because of it. Let¡¯s stay here and leave right away if that happens.¡± He replied, chewing his cookies out loud. Judah wondered why so many people watched the Green gstaff contest, which could be said was less interesting than other games. Red gstaff should be anticipated more. Judah was bored but tried his best to watch thepetition. ¡®¡­Kain isn¡¯t here.¡¯ Judah tried to keep his eyes open, with Count Genuine, Jeanne, and Arhil fought their boredom. Kain was nowhere to be seen in their venue, even until the Green gstaff ended. Judah sighed, sipping his drink, thinking he could be at another venue since he couldn¡¯t have missed the preliminary round. + + + Calypso Kingdom, the mansion of Count Jinmu. Quazzik! The moment the man¡¯s head met the sharp heel of her high heels, it burst out. She stepped on him just lightly, but his skull broke, and all its innards scattered through the floor. It was terrible to see his exploded eyeballs as it rolled on the floor. But the woman whomitted the nder continued to move further into the mansion, with a small smile on her mouth as if she liked it. The echo of her footsteps stole the attention of mages standing in the library under the stairs. Their eyes snapped to the staircase at the unexpected sound. The moment they did, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion. A beautiful woman was standing there. Purple hair, pure white skin, and the face of the word ¡®fascinating¡¯ itself. Her clothes were so erotic that it took all the attention of everybody. The front part of her chest was hollow, barely covering only her nipples and showing the rest of her lower flesh. From behind, the line of her back was exposed, and the lower skin of her ass was visible. It wasn¡¯t just that it was too erotic. None of the mages could open their mouth until she went down all of her steps, whispering. She chuckled, and the mages, as if half-awake, could only gape and gulp. ¡°Who, who¡­¡± ¡°Are you curious about that? Aren¡¯t you curious about the blood on my body?¡± It was only then that his eyes realized what was before him. The bloodstains on her body cleared into his vision. The beaut shook her hand, and before he could even react, the man¡¯s neck was cut off by something sharp whipping in the wind. Other mages nearby had no other options. Their throat was cut off before they could even open their mouths and scream. Along with the faltering sound of screaming, blood spurted out like a fountain, and their bodies dried out. ¡°Huh.¡± As if she was satisfied with the fishy scent of blood in the room, she kept moving. She smiled, humming, and enjoying herself. As if she knew the way, she passed and opened the secret device leading to the second and third basement levels. There it was! A sound like a stone being pushed rumbled from far away. As she descended to the third basement floor, she saw a magic circle filling the basement cavity. She nced at the mages and adventurers standing around below. They all looked toward the stairs when they heard the way open. She did not care about such gazes and came down the stairs like a model on a runway. They looked at her with ecstatic and lustful gazes, fully fascinated by her. ¡°Who are you?¡± A man, guarded by hostility despite his longing stare, opened his mouth. She floated to the circle, pping her hands lightly. That very little movement made her chest shake, and the hem covering it seemed to be peeling off. She looked at the man with a cunning face. ¡°Do you like that?¡± Her voice had the power to seduce others. The moment he heard the strum of her voice, he grew flustered and bit his lips. He bit so hard, his teeth prated his skin, causing blood to trickle from the mark. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what bullshit you¡¯re talking about. Everyone! Prepare to attack!¡± Waking up from the pain from his lips, he shouted with magical power in his voice as he pulled out his sword. His voice boomed to shake awake all the other men, freeing them from the haze she had them in. Still, they hesitated. At the sight, she fluttered her eyshes and grinned. ¡°Although my seal looks like this¡­ you humans overcame my beauty. Is your potential superior, or am I weakened?¡± ¡°Seal?¡± ¡°Oh, hold on.¡± Her eyes turned ck, and her iris turned golden. Horns sprouted on her head, and wings unfurled on her back. Her evil aura radiated out of her body. ¡°A demon?!¡± Devil, demon¡­ Inhabitants of the demon world were called was was a question, but her ck eyes were enough to know her nature. The moment they saw her true form, they snapped out of daydreams like a brainwashed kid. She attacked first before theypletely came to their senses and acted on their leader¡¯smand. First, themander. She had appeared in front of the man who first resisted her temptation. He lifted his sword, panicking when she rushed in front of his nose. He didn¡¯t see her move. He just raised his sword containing magical power ording to his intuition. That movement saved him. Caaang! Using the sword to prevent her invisible attack, he could not resist the force that pushed back. ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡± On that remark, she rushed to the other adventurers. Kaora Castle¡¯s adventurer branch manager, Poga, couldn¡¯t think of getting up from the fall. The moment she hit the sword, he felt the overwhelming difference in power. And the moment he was attacked, his body ran out of strength for reasons unknown. Only he, who owned a white silver que, barely resisted the temptation. The other adventurers with a silver te couldn¡¯t handle her. ¡°Restraint!¡± Jerian Andria, who was dispatched from the tower of Langrisa, triggered the magic as he memorized all the spells. She appeared in front of an adventurer but froze. Just to capture thedy moving at an impossible speed, he triggered his range-type magic, even making other adventurers nearby frozen. Subsequently, the mages were preparing thin magic to target her. The magics that slowed her movements paralyzed the muscles of her body and restrained her limbs that flew ceaselessly. But despite all the magic they threw, her body continued to resist and move along. Although her real body was sealed in an undergroundbyrinth, it was not so weak that her body could be bound by such low-level magic. Shaking off the magictching onto her body like a ghost passing through the walls, she cut off the body of the adventurer right in front of her and took turns dealing with the wizards. Even a skilled mage dispatched from the Langrisa tower could not do anything. His ankle was cut off, then his arms when he tried to get up from the floor. His neck, wriggling like an earthworm, fellst. The smell of his blood filled their noses. Only the branch manager and the official survived. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Are you still talking about that? You should know just by looking at me. You see and talk to me, and you¡¯re still clueless? Okay, who are you?¡± She squatted in front of him, knowing well she could kill him in one swift gesture. Her sensual body filled his eyes. He turned to her chest as his male instinct took over. ¡°I¡­ I am Poga, the branch manager of Kaora Castle.¡± ¡°Okay, Poga. That¡¯s a weird name. Whoo. You introduced yourself, so shall I introduce myself?¡± She knelt on her knees and climbed like a snake over his frozen body. It should smell of blood, but a sweet smell lingered in his nose instead. Her soft body tempted him with just a brush of their skin. Then her face grew closer to his ears. Softly, she opened her mouth, biting his earlobe as she chuckled. ¡°I am Asmodeus, one of the seven deadly sins.¡± The moment he heard the name, his breathing hitched. Chapter 106

Chapter 106

106==================== Poga looked at Asmodeus on top of him, all at a loss for words. With herrge, bent horns and the wings protruding behind her back, she resembled a bat. He saw her tail slithering at the back. Typical devil. However, she did not appear to be as dangerous as the Great Devil. But the demons pride themselves on their names and never impersonated others. The act of borrowing the prestige of others was the most contempt and shame of demons. In other words, this demon in front of his eyes was really one of the seven deadly sins. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­¡± ¡°What? How? Does it matter?¡± Sheughed. She didn¡¯t know what didn¡¯t make sense, but she had no ns on listening to him anyway. In the dark sea of her eyes, her golden eyes stared straight through Poga¡¯s eyes. Then, the magic power radiating from her body wrapped around him. ¡°Ahhh!¡± He groaned. Not pain or anything like that. His heart tingled, and he felt like he could do anything for her. Asmodeus caressed his cheek, and the light touch of her finger made his body shudder. A feeling of ecstasy shot from her fingertips to his cheek. His focus began to blur, and his head went into a haze. ¡°Woohoohoo.¡± Now, the man was her prisoner. If she asked him to give her his hand like a dog, he would; and if she asked him to sacrifice himself, he will. ¡°It¡¯s easy to y with the human mind. You have a great mentality and have endured my temptation, but that¡¯s only against a part of my strength. Poga, right?¡± He nodded his head. Asmodeus had a lot of questions. She nced at Count Jinmu¡¯s dead body as her new pet followed her gaze. She needed information as to why he died and how he failed his n. ¡°Tell me everything you know.¡± Everything she wanted woulde from the man¡¯s mouth. He was a more capable man than she thought. After finding out all the information, when there was no longer any useful detail, Asmodeus stood away from above his body and stabbed his forehead with the tip of her finger. Then, red energy flowed from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, going straight into her fingertips. The man dried up instantly and twisted. When she stood up, the man fell and then disintegrated into powder. All he left was his clothes, sword, and other belongings. ¡°¡­Was Count Jinmu a weak man? No matter how weak he was, if they were much younger, there would have been no way the opponent would win.¡± It would not be easy to deal with him unless they were a Wielder of the Sword. Hearing the story, there were two adventurers, and the thought of them made her excited. She muttered the name the man had spoken. ¡°Judah and Jeanne¡­?¡± Of course, this was the first time she had heard their names. She also learned that Judah was an adventurer who had just ascended to a silver te. It would have been much better if she had seen it in person, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have the magic to see into the past. With this, she looked around. The significant magic circlepletely lost its power, and there was no trace of where the blood and soul that would have been used as a sacrifice had gone. Some powerful magical powerpletely destroyed the altar for the ritual. ¡°Whew. I can¡¯t use it.¡± If only a few blood and souls remained enough to activate the magic circle, it would have been possible to create a connection passage to the demon world by modifying it a little. It was possible to reactivate this magic circle by pouring in a great amount of magical power. However, since her body was sealed in abyrinth, there was a risk that her body would copse if she did such work with her current body, which was like a fragment. ¡°What on earth did you do to destroy the magic circle so neatly? I can¡¯t help it.¡± She exhaled before exiting the basement, filled with the smell of blood. When she left the mansion, it was very nice to see the sun shining down at her. Looking at the open sky made her feel relieved. She liked this world because it was different from the sky of the demon world. Well then¡­ What should she do now? Originally, she was working to recruit members of a group called -Collector of Fragments- created by her monarch Artemia. Count Jinmu was just one of them. However, as the Count criticized her and said that he didn¡¯t want to join, things ended up like this when her eyes left him for a moment. Finding a new one was difficult. The Count was a great candidate, and yet there he was, dead in his mansion. And all those who had already qualified to be recruited were sent off to search for other candidates. A feeling grew in her heart. There was a great desire to spend a rxing night drinking somewhere pleasurable. ¡°Ah~ I want to have sex. Sex!¡± She looked at the sky and rambled, then sighed once more, thinking of all the other work she had to do. ¡°Shall I recruit those¡­ Judah and Jeanne?¡± That might be better. Since they killed Count Jinmu, their skills must be guaranteed, and if they were adventurers at a young age, it would be easy to make them prisoner with her magical power. With her arms folded, she thought for a moment and then lifted her head. Something fell before her eyes, screeching. It was her gargoyle in the form of a man like it was a gift from her god tofort her, who had just mumbled about wanting to have sex. She sat down to face it as it froze like a stone statue. The gargoyle hurriedly crossed his legs at Asmodeus¡¯s gaze. ¡°I have no intention of doing anything with you. You can cover it¡­¡± -¡­ ¡°So. Did you find the person I asked you to search for?¡± -Yes, we found the human who owned the fifth fragment you mentioned, Valentine. Her expression grew a little brighter. ¡°Oh! Where? Didn¡¯t you say he wasn¡¯t in Urun?¡± -He is in the capital of An. We are constantly checking his current location, and maybe because of this festival called the gstaff, he doesn¡¯t seem to have noticed us yet. What should I do? Do you want this opportunity and deal with it? At the words of her loyal gargoyle, Asmodeus tilted her head and thought. The gargoyle¡¯s body was made of minerals and had high resistance to physical attacks and magic. Most humans had a hard time dealing with these guys. She could send him off for a battle, but it didn¡¯t feel like a good idea. ¡°Wait. An¡­ Isn¡¯t that the country of knights?¡± -Yes. ¡°Some of the Wielder of the Spirit Sword would be there, and some with magical powers too. It will be difficult for you. There is no good in underestimating the owner of the fragment. I don¡¯t know about anything else, but that is made out of the heart of a monarch. The owner may not be so weak.¡± -Then what would you do? Asmodeus said to wait for her order, and Asmodeus pondered for a moment. She was already very cautious about dealing with fragments after she, herself, was once badly damned by another fragment. She wouldn¡¯t have hesitated like this if he had been in Urun instead. She was not interested in the other fragments, but to unravel her seal on her own; she needed the fifth fragment or great skill. When she was first sealed, she asked Artemia¡¯s help. But Artemia said it was difficult to help her as she was sealed by the fragments. It would be harder if Pernen didn¡¯t die, because if the monarch were alive and could intervene, it would be impossible to predict what he would do¡­ It was difficult to do things quickly because the other seven deadly sins or equivalent demons have not yet found a gap to pass over into this world, and the lower demons cannot break her seal nor risk doing useless things. Even the fierce devil guarding her ce like a watchman said he would kill all her human subjects in her sealedbyrinth. ¡°Ha, this hurts.¡± However, her hesitation did notst long. ¡°I have to go myself. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s a little dangerous, and it¡¯ll be difficult if I fail, but what can I do?¡± -Okay. Then, I will convene my people around An. ¡°Yeah. You shouldn¡¯t be caught, so meet discretely.¡± The moment her gargoyle was about to fly, she reached out and called him. ¡°Hold on.¡± -Yes? ¡°How many will be there?¡± -100 or so¡­ It¡¯s possible. ¡°Then, do not gather them all in one ce, but have them meet in all different directions. The rest of you and I will go and collect the fragments together.¡± -Okay. She fluttered her finger at the gargoyle who tried to fly again, gestured for him toe, and then climbed on his solid back. The gargoyle¡¯s height was close to 2m, but it was enough to climb onto him because they crouched. ¡°What are you doing? Move.¡± -Are you going to ride me? ¡°Yes. Flying is annoying. It¡¯s a ce I¡¯ve never been to. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± With a rigid heave, the gargoyle flew carefully. On cue, twenty gargoyles emerged from the forest at once and soon blended into the clouds and disappeared. Watching them go, she straddled into a better position while humming, admiring the view of thend below. Chapter 107

Chapter 107

107==================== Capital An, Loa Arena. The Red gstaff qualifier was much more fun and exciting than the Green gstaff. It wasn¡¯t like what Count Genuine bragged about. Their duel was to get a deration of defeat without stopping until they overpowered their opponent. They were so courageous that they didn¡¯t blink even if they struck their opponent¡¯s sword and sparked it up into the air, unafraid to shed the blood of the other as they cut their des through the armors of their enemy. Not everyone did it, but in general, it indeed seemed to be that way. There was one reason why they could fight like a berserk with no care, and that was because there were elixirs of priests, doctors, and alchemists in case of emergency prepared in the arena. If it wasn¡¯t a fatal injury such as a cut in the neck or a stab to the heart, it could be properly treated within a short time and set for the next game. There was, after all, a reason for the high admission fee andpetition fee. Finally, he had a lot of fun watching. Watching them fight evoked a feeling in him, and he thought it would be okay to participate even once. Those that participated in the Red gstaff were the winners of the Green and Blue gstaff. The higher the gstaff was, the stronger the opponents were, so if someone had the skills and luck, they might be able to level up through these duels. Rnnng! A shout rang out throughout the stadium. A shout that could not be heard on the Green gstaff resonated during the preliminary round of the Red gstaff. The winner hade out. It was a pretty fierce game with blood smeared all over the stage. The man with a sword aimed at his neck dered his defeat, and he was immediately carried away with a stretcher. On one side of the stadium, the winners and losers were quickly healed by a priest and a doctor. How the divine light shed and healed their wounds quickly could be seen from afar. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun? This is iparable to the Green gstaff.¡± ¡°Yes, it certainly is. The Green gstaff was boring enough to make me wonder why the hell I came to see it. The Red gstaff is really exciting.¡± ¡°As a mage, I¡¯m not sure, but I heard that those who fight with melee weapons, whether it be a swordsman or a spearman, learn a lot when they watch this game.¡± Judah nodded at what the Count said. Watching the game was worth all the money it cost. It was understandable why An¡¯s martial artspetition became so famous on the continent and became a world-ss festival. When the morning game was over around 1 PM, the games were put on hold to make way for lunch and a brief break. Watchers got up from their seats to head to the restaurants near the arena. ¡°We should go and eat something too. We only ate breakfast and I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°No, you can eat here. Even in a country that values ??honor, there are things that money can do. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s perfectly legal.¡± He then rang the bell on the table. Soon, a man came in. When he said he wanted to order food, the man handed over the menu he was holding. They opened it, and it should be said that its contents were not cheap at all. ¡°It¡¯s expensive.¡± ¡°It is expensive. But if you think of it, you can¡¯t order food in other stands right now, so it¡¯s not a bad price. Get what you want to eat.¡± Arhil quickly approached Judah¡¯s side to get him to buy something for her, and pressed her body against his. Judah flinched at the sudden soft touch. Arhil nced at the menu board and pointed at one with her finger. ¡°I want this! Jeanne, what do you want?¡± ¡°Haha. There you go, choose what you want to eat. Don¡¯t mind the price.¡± ¡°Thank you. If so, I¡¯ll ask for this.¡± The prices made it hard to choose like usual, but Judah chose what he wanted to try because it wasn¡¯t polite to refuse such favors from the nobles. The Count also chose what to eat. Soon after, a loaf of hot steaming bread and soup came out first, and they started serving food in turns. ¡°Dad! Me too!¡± Then, the door flew open, and a girl came in. The girl who had brown hair, a small body, and who would definitely be a beautiful woman, was the daughter of the Count, who they watched duel in the Green gstaff. Judah, Jeanne, and Arhil all nced at the girl, who came in briskly. She paused from where she stood, adjusted and brushed off the dust that seemed to be on her clothes, and lifted the hem of her dress. Count Genuine greeted gracefully, acting casually. ¡°How are you? I didn¡¯t know there were visitors.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless to pretend to be so modest. They already know all about you.¡± The Count got up from his seat and walked to his daughter with open arms. At his honest confession, his daughter¡¯s eyes narrowed, clutching her fists and pping the Count¡¯s arm. It was quite painful, making him take a step back as he rubbed his arm. ¡°Dad! Why would you do that?! I told you not to!¡± ¡°Haha, I have no choice but to boast about my daughter as your father, so why not? I said a lot of good things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because one bad word is worse than ten good words!¡± Their rtionship was really good, showing a close familial bond without hiding anything. The daughter had people watching her, so she seemed to be unable to say anything more, and she walked past the Count to sit down on an empty chair. She pointed at the clerk who served the food from the cart, then pointed to Arhil¡¯s order with her finger. ¡°Please bring me one more of the same thing as this one. Hmm? Why? You heard everything about me from my dad, don¡¯t be shy. Why are you holding up such hard manners rather thanughing out loud? Isn¡¯t it better to share?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m Arhil. Nice to meet you, Sarah!¡± ¡°Oh, I guess you heard my name from my dad. You canfortably call me ¡®Sarah¡¯. That makes it easier for me, then!¡± Arhil greeted her first, followed by Jeanne and Judah slowly introducing themselves. The Count sat down next to her, watching his daughter¡¯s eyes. ¡°You said you¡¯d eat outside?¡± ¡°I did. But if you got me my lunch, I¡¯ll be saving money.¡± Shrugging her shoulders, she stretched out a fork and ate the food in front of the Count. She muttered that it was delicious, but as if she only wanted to taste it, she immediately stopped touching it. ¡°By the way, Dad, how do you have guests when you said you don¡¯t know anyone in An?¡± ¡°These are the people who helped me. They¡¯re a party.¡± ¡°Dad?¡± Sarah looked like she didn¡¯t understand. It was very unfamiliar that her father, who had money, power, and everything, was helped by others. That said, she didn¡¯t dare ask. In the arena, except for the VIP seats, it was very quiet as if everyone went out to eat. ¡°You said you¡¯re a Blue Lancer? Lady Jeanne. Oh, can I call you Lady Jeanne?¡± ¡°Yes, you can refer to me as that.¡± ¡°If you can excuse me, would it be okay to know how old Sir Jeanne is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 19 this year.¡± ¡°Hey. Are you not participating in the Green gstaffpetition?¡± Jeanne smiled bitterly and nced into Judah¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want to do it. But¡­ I couldn¡¯t participate this time because of certain circumstances. I will definitely participate in the nextpetition, or next year.¡± ¡°Sorry. If you joined this time, I would¡¯ve wanted to duel with you. I heard that the Blue Lancers and Flying Fighters are so powerful! But the two empires do not seem to get along well.¡± As they ate, they gently continued the topic of conversation. The two chatted andughed, while Judah shared food with Arhil. To not alienate the Count who was eating silently by himself, Judah talked to him as well. Soon after, the Count quietlyid down the dishes and wiped his mouth with the napkin on hisp. ¡°Dad, have you finished eating already? There¡¯s still a lot left?¡± ¡°No, an uninvited visitor came. When you eat, don¡¯t touch my meal¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± No one understood the Count¡¯s words, but Judah did. He felt an ominous energy, some magical power that he could not normally feel. The magical power that became stronger and stronger was the opposite of the divine power used by Arhil. ¡®Is this a devil?¡¯ He didn¡¯t believe it, but only demonic beings used this evil magic. When Judah opened the subspace and took out his bastard sword, the Count looked at him in admiration. ¡°By your reaction, you must have felt it too. Sarah, get ready.¡± ¡°Yes? What?¡± ¡°Prepare to greet uninvited guests.¡± Their harmonious meal turned sour. Despite being at a loss, Jeanne summoned her gear as Judah did the same. At that moment, Arhil trembled. ¡°This¡­ This energy! Ah, it¡¯s a demon! A demon¡­! No, a monster? How?¡± ¡°Wait a minute! Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t understand? What are you talking about? A devil?¡± He knew it when he saw it. Judah lifted his head. Something fell from the sky like a meteorite through the open ceiling overlooking the arena. Immediately, the Count shook his hand to activate a magic barrier, and something like a stone bumped into it. Kwa-ang! However, not one or two simply fell from the sky. The building shook with a huge impact, and dust fell from the ceiling. Half of their meals were left unattended, and the screams from those who stayed in the arena echoed through the building. ¡°Do we have to run away? Dad?¡± ¡°It would be much safer to be here.¡± Even if the building copsed, the Count had no problems, so they didn¡¯t need to worry. The Count reassured them as something hit the magical wall he had unfolded, then he looked down at the stone that fell into the arena. Evil magic radiated from that stone. Upon closer inspection, it was no ordinary stone. It looked like a stone statue crouching. And in fact, the statue opened its eyes, stood up, and stared at the side of the Count. -Nice to meet you, the owner of the fifth fragment! What? Why was there a gargoyle here? Gargoyles, which can only be seen in abyrinth of the two continents, appeared in the peaceful capital of Philoria, An. Judah found himselfughing as anxiety grew within. He never wrote or heard of such a thing happening. He didn¡¯t know whether Xian enforced this, or whether destiny was so twisted that heunched something like a butterfly effect. If he twisted the story too much, he wouldn¡¯t be able to guess about the future story. Judah looked at the gargoyle carefully, feeling that everything he had written down was useless. There were more than two gargoyles fluttering their wings. 50 of them flew, grouped together like bats. He didn¡¯t know if it was correct; a rough estimation of them proved to be so. -Count, hand over the fragment. If so, we will retreat without causing any damage. ¡°These days, thieves have a bigger audacity. They covet something that unfit for their lives.¡± The Count snorted as he stepped forward. As magic power radiated from his body, he summoned huge fireballs in both his hands. Judah grabbed Sarah¡¯s wrist as she approached the Count and pulled it back. ¡°Let me go! Dad!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll only interfere. You are with us.¡± Sarah tried to shake Judah¡¯s hand, but to no avail. He was stronger. The girl red at Judah sharply, but she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to fight against his eyes. Chapter 108

Chapter 108

108==================== Judah then lifted his head. Prior to the battle, his senses felt that something fell from the ceiling. At the same time, he pulled Sarah, who was stubborn, into his arms, while he conjured magical power around his bastard sword. Now, he triggered Shadow Swordsmanship Form 3 ¨C 1 point. As the ceiling copsed and a gargoyle emerged from it, Judah¡¯s ck magic wrapped around his de and turned it into ance. The monster¡¯s sharp, carven hands reached for Judah and Sarah. ¡®I¡¯m faster!¡¯ A gargoyle¡¯s average level was 50, but Judah raised hisnce without fear. Made with magical power, thence had a guaranteed high pration power even at the slightest hit. The stats improved by the fragments corrected Judah¡¯s movement, strength, and posture. -Kyaaah! Bang! ¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯ It had a body made out of stone. As if Judah had been electrocuted, his hands trembled, and when he pushed his weight with thence, he released his magical power, before pulling out his weapon to step back. The gargoyle wriggled and stretched out but didn¡¯t seem to die, and as soon as itnded on the ground, it rushed to Judah. He tried to swing his weapon again, but the girl in his arms managed to break free. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± There was nothing to worry about, so Judah twisted his body slightly and threw the girl back. Sarah fell to the ground before she was able to bnce properly, and Judah immediately struck the bastard sword in his grasp. ¡®What¡­?!¡± However, the moment the gargoyle¡¯s hand and the sword collided, his weapon bounced off without even causing damage. No way. He nced at the de, but then he noticed the gargoyle¡¯s fangs sh ahead. Judah¡¯s eyes widened. -Die, human! Judah stretched out his left hand with his eyes widened at the gargoyle¡¯s right hand that was reaching out to his heart. A ball of red light rushed out of his palm and created a dagger. He held Altemia in his hand as he swung his right foot, striking down his dagger to the ground. The moment he grabbed Altemia, his stats were applied, making him move a little faster and pushing his strength a little higher. In an instant, he drew his attack faster than the gargoyle¡¯s hand could move, and its stone-hard wrist wascerated neatly. Judah drew Altemia a few more times while the gargoyle screamed. Its body was diced like a ham, and Judah kicked him to the ground as a final blow. However, he had no time to breathe. Gargoyles kept emerging, breaking through the ceiling and floor. Judah frowned, activating buffs such as Guard Young Wall, Potential Liberation, and Spreading Shadows. He fell to the floor to grab Sarah¡¯s cor who was frozen in ce, to retreat to Jeanne¡¯s side. ¡°Ah, let me go! Let me go!¡± ¡°Then get up if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± Judah grew impatient of Sarah as sheined. Sudden messages shed before his eyes. [Genuine de Lava is temporarily transferred as apanion.] [Sarah de Lava is temporarily transferred as apanion.] [The level has risen.] He only killed one, but his level had increased? The moment the gargoyles rushed while he was unupied, Judah ran forward and quickly attacked one. Judah used the sword in his right hand as a main attack and a distraction, making way for Altemia in his left hand. When his sword wrapped in ck magic attacked from above, the gargoyle would cross its arms and try to block it. He twisted the path of his sword to strike down, then to his enemy¡¯s surprise, Judah would stab them with Altemia from the other side. Hearing that a gargoyle¡¯s magical core was located in their right chest, Judah mainly aimed at it, and confirmed that it was the right answer when the gargoyle fell to the ground. The moment he defeated one, he would check the experience points he gained, and it was surreal. When he thought about sharing it with his colleagues, he realized he could level up if he did it alone. If he thought about it, the average level of gargoyles was between 4 and 50. It was natural to have a rough encounter with them. He didn¡¯t know why the demons raided Count Genuine, but despite being a hindrance, this was an opportunity. At first nce, the number of gargoyles exceeded fifty, and it seemed that if he couldn¡¯t defeat all of them, he could still get about 10 of them. As he tried to move towards the next gargoyle, which was about to run straight to Jeanne, dozens of his ice spearsshed down like the rain. Despite the high magic resistance of gargoyles, the ice spears struck their backs and smashed them into pieces helplessly. ¡°He turned them down without a sweat¡­!¡± It was the magic of the Count who was simply watching the enemies. Even if he owned a fragment, he had a huge amount of magic power. The Count made eye contact with Judah, as if asking him to continue watching Sarah, before he stepped on the railing and flew up into the air. Count Genuine shook his hand. The moment his hand swept through the air, he conjured spears of mes one by one. The scorching heat of the spears of ember whipped into the air. -Give us the fragment, human. The gargoyle still said the same thing. At their demand, the Count replied with a roar. He didn¡¯t like how they acted like the fragment was theirs. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your demands. Don¡¯t you know how impolite it is to ask for somebody else¡¯s property? If you want to have it, take it with your skills.¡± The ming spears in front of the Count shot out like arrows. These gargoyles were different from the ones that attacked them earlier, moving with agility to avoid the ming spears. Not even one could hit them. The Count apuded the gargoyles and gazed at them in amusement. ¡°What a great move. But how would you do if I rained it down tightly from the sky?¡± And with his words, he conjured pirs of fire from hundreds of magical portals in the sky. Just like what the Count said, there was no space to avoid the fire pirsing down at them. It was spectacr. The gargoyles, hit by the mes, squirmed in the fire, and soon their bodies melted. In a blink, dozens of gargoyles in front of the Count were gone. -Human! In the hot mes, a gargoyle ran out with its body intact ¡°Hoh, their boss is different?! But, who gave you the permission to approach me?¡± Sigils surrounded the gargoyle as he reached out with his stone ws. With a sh of magic, the magical circle spat out mes. But before it could even reach the enemy, the gargoyle¡¯s body exploded into pieces. The gargoyle¡¯s body scattered debris and dust like a grenade because he hadbusted from within. The Count was fine thanks to his reflexes triggering defensive magic. ¡°¡­Self-destruct?¡± Was there a reason the attacking gargoyle would cause himself to self-destruct out of nowhere? When the Count tried to release the defensive magic and create a wind to blow away the aftermath of the battle, a sensual damsel appeared in front of him through the dust. He tried to conjure magic out of reflex, but his judgment was momentarily slowed down at the surprise before him. It was a mistake that he stopped attacking more than anything else because the beauty before him had the ability to capture him in an instant. The dust and the unpleasant smell from the battle disappeared, and the pleasant smell of flowers misted through the air. The Count felt the tension relieve unconsciously. But the tension skyrocketed again after the following words that the woman uttered. ¡°Oh, it did not self-destruct. I made it explode.¡± He was a secondte to reply, but before the Count could even respond, thedy clung her body around his. With her bouncy, smooth thighs, she bent her waist and slung her arms around his neck. The moment she rubbed her big breasts and touched his lips with her fingertips, the Count¡¯s magic stopped instantly. ¡®My body¡­ isn¡¯t moving?¡¯ His consciousness was fine, but his body did not listen. His body felt hot and ted as his heart pounded wildly. The Count felt his vision sway. ¡°Hoo-hu-hu. Come on, Count. If you were a woman, I wouldn¡¯t know if¡­ Wait, no, even if you were a woman, nothing would have changed. No one can elude my charm.¡± Nonsense. The Count was in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t do anything, even though his right hand wearing the ring stretched out. His magic power didn¡¯t move as intended. His heart rattled at the thought of his fragment being taken away. ¡°I¡¯ll take the ring.¡± As she touched her ring with a grin, a boy with dark hair and reddish eyes emerged through the dust and smoke that settled around them. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯ take it.¡± The moment she heard that, Asmodeus, the beauty, straightened up, but soon smiled and turned her hand to Judah as she tried to take the ring out. The height from the ground to the air was high. She didn¡¯t know if he could get up to where they were, but what could a boy do? ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but you¡¯re brave to go out here to save the Count. Come here.¡± Her magical power stretched out through her palms and embraced Judah warmly. If a man were exposed to her power, he would be forced to be a ve. There may be men who managed to resist her powers likest time, but she purposely lowered her magic to make her bodyst. But in order to fascinate the Count, a man who could not be tempted because of all the powers of this body, she had nothing to waste. His expression stiffened as she grabbed him up into the air by his throat. Asmodeus smirked. ¡°!¡± But then, he brandished his sword. His bastard sword, surrounded with a dense magical power, was swung at her as she sat on top of the Count. Oh! Unfortunately, her body turned hazy like a mist, disappeared from the Count¡¯s body, only to reappear in the air farther away. Only then that the Count¡¯s mouth, who didn¡¯t budge, moved. ¡°Judah!¡± ¡°Count, bring me up in the air! If I fall, I die.¡± Judah began to fall to the ground immediately after he swung his sword at Asmodeus. In a hurry, the Count brought out his magic and floated Judah into the air. Asmodeus, dismayed by the fact that her powers couldn¡¯t work from a distance, frowned upon hearing the name the Count had just cried out. Chapter 109

Chapter 109

109==================== Judah. Judah Arche. Asmodeus muttered the name. It wasn¡¯t that difficult for her to remember where she had heard it. In the first ce, the name itself was notmon. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the kid who killed Count Jinmu?¡¯ But was ¡®t he too young for that? Although she was a demon who could live hundreds or thousands of years if her magic power and prey were sufficient, she was aware of the human concept of time. Rather, she knew it well. Byparing Count Genuine and the child¡¯s appearance, he looked too young. By her standards, he was just a boy who looked too bold. ¡°¡­¡± Even though he overcame her temptation and wielded his sword, it was hard to believe that the boy had killed Count Jinmu. He was so talented that he was called a hero by humans. He was old and overtaken by ghosts. His body and spirit were weakened, but in her eyes, he could still beat highly skilled individuals. Asmodeus stared at Judah. While she stood there bbergasted, his eyes, with a reddish glow, did not miss her gaze. ¡®There¡¯s no way they can have the same name by chance.¡¯ Asmodeus nced at the Count as he looked at himself and prepared his magic. Whether her control was still in his body, the Count shuddered when their eyes met. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s too bad it went like this.¡¯ She bit her tongue. It was a great opportunity to easily obtain the fragments by sacrificing her minions, but she had failed because of that little boy. Even if the effect of her temptation lingered for the Count, it wouldn¡¯t help. She nned to captivate his might with the thought of her and all the nasty things she could think of. She judged that it was time for her to withdraw. ¡°Who are you? Why were you with the monsters?¡± When asked by the Count, Asmodeus paused her musings and replied with a tilted head. ¡°Well, who do you think it is? It would be nice for you to just remember me as a woman who needs your fragment.¡± ¡°Do you have any intention of telling me who you are?¡± She put her index finger on the tip of her chin, tilting as if to think for a moment, and then slowly nodding her head. ¡°First of all¡­ I think it would be better not to inform you. I mean nothing to you, nor you to me.¡± ¡°¡­Then I have no choice but to defeat you and find out.¡± The Count shook his hand. In an instant, sigils formed all around, and dozens of chains stretched out and headed to her. It seemed like she wouldn¡¯t be able to move if one of the chains managed totch onto her. She watched the chains flying at her,ughing at them leisurely. ¡°Hoohoo! This is fun, Count. But no matter how powerful your magic is, you can¡¯t hold onto me~¡± Sticking out her tongue, she evaded the same way she escaped Judah¡¯s sword. The chains passed through her as she misted like a fog. she reappeared on top of the chains, bncing on her high heels. ¡°Wow~!¡± Ironically, she smiled yfully as she stuck out her tongue. ¡°Do you see? We can fight like this. I think it¡¯s worth trying, but I¡¯m not so confident with this body right now. I¡¯ll just go back. It¡¯s good to thank that boy.¡± The Count nced at Judah, who stared back at her with anxious eyes. Looking at his gaze, Asmodeus drew a smile. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for that boy, the boy named Judah Arche¡­ By now, your fragment would have been shining beautifully on my hand, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I hope you hold your fragment well. I¡¯lle back to find it soon. Then there won¡¯t be an interruption like today. Bye.¡± Like a pic, Asmodeus disappeared without leaving a trace. They couldn¡¯t feel her strong magic anymore. The Count exhaled, confirming that she had disappearedpletely. He presumed her to be a subus, but she seemed to be more than an ordinary subus. Her figure lingered in his head, and his heart jerked like he was an innocent young man with an unrequited crush. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± In a voice that seemed a little regretful, he muttered without knowing it. Then Judah, who was next to him, reached out and grabbed his cor. The Count groaned, and Judah noticed the feelings contained in his voice. ¡°Can¡¯t you get us down now?¡± ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡± Judah nodded his head with a hardened face. ¡°You don¡¯t know how terrible it would be to not be able to move unless you say so.¡± They were far off the ground. He could kick himself off a wall andnd, but if he did that, he wouldn¡¯t die, but he would get hurt. Watching the anxious Judah, the Count slowly descended the both of them. Just a few meters off the ground, the Count paused and stroked his chin. ¡°It would be unpleasant to leave the arena as it is.¡± When he summoned the pirs of fire to deal with the gargoyles, the duel turned their surroundings into dust. It would take the arena a year to recover. If he charged himself for the cost of restoring the stadium, it would be difficult. He didn¡¯t know what he was trying to do, but Judah felt a tremendous amount of magic flowing out of the Count¡¯s body. His magic formed arge sigil above the sky, and Judah watched as the severely damaged arena began to recover as if time rewound back into the past. This was the true power of Count Genuine. Judahughed in vain as he witnessed with his own eyes a miracle that could not be performed with any magical power. ¡®You¡¯re a monster.¡¯ It didn¡¯t bring the dead back to life, but to be able topletely restore a destroyed building of this size was breathtaking. The grounds of the stadium, which had been dusted, returned to their original state, and the building rebuilt as if it was never attacked by the gargoyles at all. The Count didn¡¯t forget Judah and brought him back to the VIP seats where they had been. ¡°Dad!¡± The Count saw his daughter running out of Jeanne¡¯s arms and opened his arms happily. The girl grinned and fell into the arms of Count Genuine, and soon burst into her tears. ¡°Wow.¡± Afternding back, Judah looked at Jeanne and Arhil. He said back then to Jeanne and Arhil that he would help the Count before running right out, but fortunately, the two of them seemed to have taken care of the remaining gargoyles. ¡°Is anybody injured?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard to deal with them as I thought. They all died, and no one was hurt. But Judah, what were you thinking just jumping up to help the Count?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We were even more surprised when you flew! You can fly?¡± Judah couldn¡¯t keep up with their rambling of both worry and me. He couldn¡¯t help it. He had to do that because it looked like the Count would be robbed of his fragment. The Count, who stood among the dust, was incapacitated for a moment and tried to give his ring to the beaut. Had he stayed still, he would have been staring at the robbery of the fragment he had his eyes on. Judah gave them an apologetic look as he smiled awkwardly. ¡°Don¡¯tugh! Even if you¡¯re our leader, I want you to take care of your own safety. Really! Jeanne tried to jump to get you! If we didn¡¯t see the Count help you up¡­ You would¡¯ve been¡­¡± Watching Arhill shake her head, Judah apologized and expressed gratitude to Jeanne. He scratched his cheek with his index finger, leaving a dusty mark. As heughed and chatted with them, a message window appeared in front of Judah¡¯s eyes. [The attack of Asmodeus, one of the seven deadly sins, was prevented.] [If you didn¡¯t help the Count, Asmodeus would have taken the fifth fragment, ¡®Valentine¡¯, from him.] [If the fragment had been stolen, her seal, which kept her trapped in thebyrinth, would have been released, and the two fragments would have been passed on to the -Collector of Fragments-.] [By blocking the attack of Asmodeus, strength and stamina increase by 1 each.] [Shadow Justice / Swordsmanship proficiency increases by 1.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 36] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 43(C) / Potential A] [Health: 46(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 46(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 54(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 8(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Points remaining: 21] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The status window was automatically updated and appeared in front of him. Although only a few gargoyles were handled by Judah¡¯s party, his level was raised by a whopping 6 levels because he shared the experience when the Count killed the gargoyles. It seemed like he did something hard, but it was still disappointing that all of his stats except for luck were below the C ss. ¡®By the way¡­¡¯ His gaze was distracted by the updated status window, and Judah, reading the message again, felt his mind fall into confusion. ¡®Asmodeus, the Avatar of Lust, one of the seven deadly sins¡­¡¯ It was her. He remembered her appearance, body, and color. Of course, the Count fell under her enchantment after she held him in her hands, and even almost gave her the fragment. However, he wondered how she was going around just fine when she should have been sealed in thebyrinth. ¡®Hold on¡­¡¯ Judah looked at Arhil cautiously. He didn¡¯t know how long Asmodeus wandered out of thebyrinth, but if he hade a littleter in when the ghosts attacked Cherryu Vige, Asmodeus might have discovered Arhil and made her an apostle. The diary he found in Count Jinmu¡¯s mansion mentioned the -Collector of Fragments- and the pendant given to him must have something to do with her. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been a message stating that by acquiring Valentine, two fragments could easily fall into the hand of the unknown collectors. It had been long since he helped the Count, but their encounter truly benefitted him. Chapter 110

Chapter 110

110==================== The knights had arrivedte ¨C only after the Count had managed to take care of the demon and had restored the copsed building. They then quickly checked the grounds and healed the injured, altogether showing quite a quick response. Upon grasping the situation, they immediately visited the Count and expressed their gratitude. Although the demons attacked him because they coveted the fragment he possessed, it was not intended, and that the Count was merely a tourist who came to see the g contest. Thinking that it was better to show a friendly attitude rather than making the Count an enemy, the knights apologized and admitted their mistake. Shortly after, they judged no more demons left, and the Red gstaff qualifier, scheduled for the afternoon, quickly resumed. The game had been fun. It would have been more enjoyable if it weren¡¯t for the nobles who remained in the building, or those who came and brought over their food. Fortunately, the preliminary round was over before the day had gotten very dark. In the evening, they returned to their hotel. They rambled about the things they saw while watching the Red gstaff qualifying round; the Count¡¯s daughter, Sarah, dropped by to ask for a parry with Jeanne. Compared to the troubled Judah, Jeanne dly nodded her head, making Judah decide to help anyway. As if he was going to work every day, they would drop by the stadium in the morning and return to the hotel in the evening to digest what they saw and learned that day. It was a rewarding day after all the hassle they¡¯ve dealt with sinceing to this neighborhood. The Green gstaff bored them all the same, but the Red gstaffpetition had a newfound thrill as the qualifiers ascended to the finals. Judah understood little why the Romans built the Colosseum for diators back in the Middle Ages, but now as he heard the crowd whenever a yer fell and bled, Judah grew excited, even though he was sitting still. And the Green gstaff, which progressed much faster than the Red gstaff, was ahead of its finals. Sarah won a dramatic victory every night thanks to her sparring matches with Judah and Jeanne. When Sarah, who had received a deration of surrender from her opponent, lifted her greatsword high in the sky, the Count screamed with excitement. Then, his daughterunched a splendid firecracker magic in the air drawing everyone¡¯s attention. Judah, watching the remaining Red gstaffpetition while drinking a beverage, suddenly felt strange. Jeanne and Arhil, the Count and his daughter Sarah¡­ As these five people were having a good timeughing and making noise, it reminded him of what he had forgotten. ¡®What about Kain?¡¯ Jeanne requested it, but he watched the Green gstaff from start to finish not to score points from the Count but to see Kain¡¯s abilities as he joined or won the tournament. However, even when the final 16 members remained, Kain was still nowhere to be seen. The final opponent who fought Sarah was also the wrong man. Although there were many talented yers whopeted in the Green gstaffpetition, none of them would beat Kain. If he had a particr job using his Gabriel¡¯s Sword, and if he hadn¡¯t participated in the games to level up in Serenia Castle, he would stay there until he was 16. ¡®Are you not in the gstaffpetition?¡¯ He could only think so. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Judahughed, but a frown dawned on him. Something was wrong. Indeed, when he left Serenia Castle, there was a strong feeling that everything was going ording to n, but after stepping in Calypso, everything became strange. ¡®If he didn¡¯t join the Green gstaff, where would he go?¡¯ Where did he go? Was there any ce to go? An¡¯s gstaffpetition was also a great opportunity to confirm his skills and recruit his outstandingpanions. Kain, who had an excellent chance of winning, couldn¡¯t just overlook this. Judah crunched his lips in anxiety. ¡®I don¡¯t think Gabriel gave her full trust to Kain yet, right?¡¯ There was also a possibility. In the original game, Gabriel gave him information indirectly instead of giving direct help. Besides, it was not his job to spy on someone from a high ce. It made sense that if he saw Judah recover the fragment and gave Kain an oracle to go elsewhere, it would be possible that he did not participate in the Green gstaffpetition. ¡®Even so, Kain would still have a long time left to be the Wielder of the Sword¡­¡¯ Judah recovered all unowned fragments within the vicinity. All of the remaining fragments had their owners, and the masters of the said fragments had immense skills. He would either go for Count Genuine, who was right next to him, or the Hagen of Regen, the mercenary kingdom. Was he also nning to get those fragments from those skilled men? Even with the help of the Holy Monarch Gabriel¡­ Even with her guidance¡­ ¡®¡­Is it possible?¡¯ It was crazy. Judah felt dismayed with his rising epiphanies. With Gabriel¡¯s help, it was possible to obtain the fragment from Hagen, an owner in the mercenary kingdom, even if Kain was yet to be the Wielder of the Sword. Judah, feeling a headache from his racing thoughts, which he hadn¡¯t thought of until then, pressed his forehead with his finger and clenched his teeth. Knowing the story of the game was rather poisonous. Kain, at hising-of-age ceremony, thought that he woulde to An and participate in the Green gstaff. He thought that the quest to Calypso would happen after the gstaff contest even if something changed because he made this world and the plotline, but maybe the gstaff had been omitted from the conversation. Because of it, he wanted to head to the mercenary kingdom right away, but seeing Jeanne and Arhil having such a wonderful time enjoying themselves made it difficult for him to leave and sleep through all this. ¡®If I said we¡¯ll be leaving all of a sudden, the Count would be suspicious.¡¯ If it were the game, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he acted as he pleased, without having to worry about all of it. Since this was a reality, acting like he didn¡¯t care for them could lead to division. Judah exhaled and leaned over, hoping that his wishes were wrong along with his predictions. ¡°Hm? Are you bored?¡± Arhil, who was sitting next to him, saw Judah like that and asked. Judah smiled bitterly at her question, tilting his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just tired.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­I know, right.¡± ¡°Do you want me to cast some recovery magic?¡± It was a wholesome suggestion, but he didn¡¯t think it was going to change anything just by the simple casting of divine magic. Judah shook his head. He felt like he should stay here until the end of the Red gstaffpetition, so he thought he would continue being tired until they left for Regen. And her expectations depended on their goodbye. He felt as if Kain had assumed that he gained Gabriel¡¯s trust, and that he might have left for Regen. His anxiety wore out his mental health as opposed to the exhaustion he felt in his body. That evening, as soon as the Count returned to their quarters to celebrate Sarah¡¯s victory in the Green gstaffpetition, he told everyone in the ground floor hall that he would treat everyone inside, and if there was anything they wanted to eat, he told them to eat as much as possible. People cheered at the Count and immediately ordered alcohol and food. Even if they were nobles, it was the same that they became rowdy with alcohol. Judah, who enjoyed food amidst the noisy hall, sighed for a moment, stepping outside and into an alley. The dark alley was surprisingly neat and there was a bench on the wall to sit and rx. He sat on a bench, bending his head back. He breathed in the night breeze, his mind easing a little. He didn¡¯t know why he was so nervous. ¡°¡­¡± There was no pressure in taking the fragments. Whether it took years or decades, one day, he¡¯ll collect everything for himself. Even if Kain took one of them, the result wouldn¡¯t change. But he didn¡¯t know what made him so nervous. He couldn¡¯t understand. At that time, the window that was closed next to him opened, and a loud noise poured out. As he turned his head, the Count popped out his face. What¡­? The Count smiled as he looked at Judah, his body leaned against the window sill. Then, the moment he snapped his finger, the noise they heard disappeared. ¡°You seem to have some troubles.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You also seemed to be pretty anxious, am I correct?¡± Judah sighed at the words of the Count, who seemed to see right through him. Was there a lot of strain on his face? ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ve lived a few years longer than you, even though I look like this. Would it be okay if I told you a little bit of a helpful story?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hesitating for an answer, the Count waved his hand withughter. A stream of magic misted from his fingertips, shining blue, swimming in front of Judah like a dragon. ¡°Can you see this stream?¡± He wasn¡¯t blind, so of course he did. Judah simply nodded in reply. ¡°Think of it as a river. The river flows from high to low. It doesn¡¯t flow backward without the power of magic or machinery. It just flows. It flows and flows, and it is supposed to arrive somewhere someday. It could be the moat that protects the castle, or it could be a farnd, it could be ake, or even to the sea. I don¡¯t know what makes you nervous, but I can see that you are worried and afraid.¡± He wasn¡¯t afraid. He thought so, but the moment he listened to him, he felt a bit off. He felt unpleasant as the Count seemed to have caught his heart. He could feel his eyebrows furrowing. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. There¡¯s nothing to be nervous about. If your ordeal approaches, isn¡¯t it okay to face it? Will you change because of fear? The flowing river will bump into a rock, and it will fall off if there is a cliff ahead. But it will continue to swim and it will arrive somewhere. If you are a river and there¡¯s a rock in the distance, would you avoid going somewhere else? If there was a cliff? You should be able to avoid it, but there¡¯s no stopping after that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s something you have to face anyway, instead of fearing it, take your time to confront it. If you¡¯ve been through it, it won¡¯t be too much for you to be nervous and afraid. Well, if you¡¯re your age, it might be more helpful to feel anxious and fearful. Who knows if it will be your driving force?¡± Judah¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This old man had been thinking about you, so here you go. You might be annoyed. You might be tired of dealing with me all day, but I would like to just say it.¡± ¡°¡­Not really.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand enough. Who can answer ¡®yes¡¯ to the other person¡¯s face? I don¡¯t normally talk like this, but I can¡¯t stand it when I¡¯m looking at you.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± The Count went back inside silently and closed the window. The loud background noise came back as if he had released the magic he put on. ¡°It won¡¯t be a big deal anymore after passing through it¡­¡± And it did. Before he left the army, the world seemed to copse, but when he had gotten discharged, the world was still the same as usual. Right before he took the exam, his palms sweat with tension, but after the exam, his anxiety was nothing but that. At the Count¡¯s words, Judah erupted intoughter. Surprisingly, his words made him feel considerably lighter. Chapter 111

Chapter 111

111==================== After hearing the Count¡¯s advice, Judah went on about as usual. If Kain had really gotten Gabriel¡¯s revtion and left for Regen, it would be toote to follow him. He took his time watching the Red gstaff to even think about what would be different from beingte anyway. After seeing everything until the finals, he called Arhil and Jeanne and asked them to go to Regen now. ¡°Where?¡± Arhil asked back as if she had heard it wrong. ¡°Regen.¡± Upon hearing that they would go to the kingdom of mercenaries, Arhil¡¯s eyes shook in disbelief. ¡°Are we really going there? When?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± It was now toote, but there was nothing else to see in An anymore, so he decided to move on to Regen quickly. Arhil¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem to look very good. She even seemed depressed. On the other hand, when he told Jeanne about it, she began to eat the food that had been in front of her while sobbing. She looked different from before while she savored the meal. ¡°But I like this city¡­ Why do we have to go to Regen? Aah. God, why does it have to be Regen?¡± Judah felt embarrassed by her as she pretended to shed tears. What about Regen? Was it that bad that it was a tribal country located in the mountains? Still, he made it okay when he set it up, but it seemed that its reputation hadn¡¯t been well received. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°No wagons are heading for Regen, so shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Judahughed. Frustrated by the fact that she was really going to Regen, Arhil bowed her head, whipping the food in the bowl in front of him with a fork. ¡°Okay, I have to follow the leader¡¯s opinion. Oh¡­ Jeanne, can¡¯t you tell him something?¡± ¡°This opportunity will train us. So please eat more than that. If we go to Regen, you won¡¯t even dream of having this luxury again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Jeanne murmured with food in her mouth, like a squirrel storing winter food or like a hamster eating until his stomach burst, making her cheeks puff. Of course, Judah himself knew what Regen was like in the game, so he ordered additional food while asking them to eat as much as possible. Then, after their meal was over, hispanions left the hotel to go to the general store. ¡°Is your next destination Regen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Count, who was sitting at the table next to him,ughed. He didn¡¯t speak, but hisughter came as if he were saying that he could see the troubles ahead. ¡°You¡¯ll hate it there.¡± The Count, who was sitting at the table next to him, said with a smile. ¡°Have you been there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­If I asked you to visit one more time, will youe and go?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re joking, don¡¯t say that.¡± The Count shook his hand, gawking at the question. However, he scratched his cheek and tilted his head, and muttered that he could drop by sometime. Judah believed in his magic power, but after seeing his reaction, he began doubting it. Then, Sarah, quietly drinking a beverage, nced at Judah. ¡°Once we head to the grocery store, we¡¯ll get the goods we need. We just need to prepare enough water and jerky stuff. Oh, and if we have enough money, we can stop by the tower. That¡¯s a good way to begin, I think.¡± ¡°What about a Hearthstone?¡± It turned out that there was something as a Hearthstone. However, contrary to what Sarah said, it was not something he can only get with money. It was an item that can be purchased only at a high level of favorability with the tower and at a fairly high price. Sarah seemed to think that Judah was not an ordinary adventurer because he shared the same lodge and hung out with the Count. Of course, it was true that he is not an everyday adventurer since he had fragments, but in reality, he was only a little rich silver adventurer. ¡°Daughter, Hearthstone is not something that can be obtained with only money.¡± ¡°You said you could get it if you gave them money?¡± At the Count¡¯s words, Sarah asked back, puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s possible because I¡¯m your dad. Would you sell any gemstone exclusively imported to the capital of this kingdom? Unless you¡¯re a mage, you would not know. But since we¡¯re parting ways tomorrow, perhaps we can give it to them a gift?¡± He didn¡¯t care about other people¡¯s gazes. He reached out and stirred his hand to open his subspace and took out a gemstone from within. It was a long, hexagonal crystal that he seemed to hold in his hand easily. Unknown letters were engraved on the surface of the translucent crystal. ¡°I made it. It¡¯s a magic stone imported from my mansion in Urun. It activates when magic power is transferred into the crystal. It moves the creatures within a 5m radius around the user. I believe this will be of use to you.¡± ¡°Can you give me such a valuable thing?¡± ¡°Because I can make it again, it¡¯s not precious from my point of view. It may sound like I¡¯m bragging, but things from person to person.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be grateful.¡± The Count nodded as Judah kept the crystal. Sarah sighed as she looked at it, and she looked sad. Her lips frowned, and she looked like a cute little girl. ¡°But it¡¯s a pity to see you leaving tomorrow. It was nice to be close to Jeanne, and Arhil like friends do¡­¡± ¡°Would you like to go with me?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m fit for Regen. I don¡¯t know¡­ And I don¡¯t want to go there. You got a gemstone from my dad anyway. Maybe I could go to Regen and thene to Urun? I¡¯ll think about it.¡± It was just a joke, but he heard an unexpected answer that she might consider it. But Judah had no intention of taking her as herpanion, so he justughed. Soon, the Count and Sarah went away, saying they would go up and rest for the day because they were also bound to leave tomorrow morning. Judah, who was left alone at the table, thought for a moment. He then went to the counter and gave some gold coins, ordering ten days¡¯ worth of lunch and water. Upon returning to their room, Judah sat alone on his bed, brought up his status window. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenita Castle (2)] [Level: 36] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 43(C) / Potential A] [Health: 46(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 46(C) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 54(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 8(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Points remaining: 21] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡®Is it better to save 21 points without using them?¡¯ His current stats were not so low. It can be said that it was quite high despite his rare use of his points. However, it was wasteful if he kept saving them without ever using them. It wasn¡¯t it bad that he saved them, but it would be much easier to use it now. ¡®I¡¯ll collect points againter anyway.¡¯ Since the highest level was 100, the other stats will rise considerably by that time, and he would even collect even more points. Troubled for a moment, Judah immediately invested 7 in his strength and 14 in his agility. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenita Castle (2)] [Level: 36] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 50(C) / Potential A] [Health: 46(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 60(B) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistancr: 54(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 8(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 17(F) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Points remaining: 0] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The moment his points were distributed, the change immediately shot through his body. He felt much lighter and full of strength. He squeezed his hand, feeling like he could do anything. He was a bit disappointed that he had used all his remaining points, but he feltfortable thinking that he should use it someday. Then Arhil and Jeanne arrived in time, and the waitress whom he ordered from came in with a cart full of lunch and water. The things they had bought and what Judah ordered were stacked in one side of the room, a considerable amount of goods. ¡°Wow. You bought quite a lot?¡± As he picked it up one by one to put in his subspace, Arhil nodded with her arms folded. ¡°Of course. This is not enough, but I know that Judah has subspace, so we bought with confidence. Hehe.¡± Arhil sat next to Judah and exined, handing them one by one. ¡°This is sprayed on clothes, but it¡¯s a medicine that keeps bugs out of ess. This is an antidote. I can treat you all with my divine magic, but¡­ I don¡¯t know what will happen, so I thought it would be better to be sure, so I bought it.¡± ¡°This is cheap?¡± ¡°Ehem, it¡¯s basic.¡± Not only did they buy things from the general store, but they also purchased a reminder-type manastone to install at bedtime. Judah asked her how much it cost her and took out some of the gold coins he had. She said it was okay, but she epted it anyway, saying that she would not refuse and she would ept. ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s useless if we go to Regen anyway.¡± ¡°Have you been to Regen?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How about you, Jeanne?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been there, but its notoriety is nailed to my ears.¡± It had an evil reputation? As she straddled the bed, she slowly told her part. ¡°It¡¯s notorious, but there¡¯s no right way to go to Regen. That¡¯s the main reason travelers and adventurers don¡¯t go to Regen. Nheless, those who were eager to visit Regen¡¯s tribes always say they want toe back again. Their bushes grow up to knee high, so you can¡¯t see what¡¯s in front of you, and there are a lot of bugs, so it¡¯s hard without a priest. Some tribes are even said to kidnap beautiful women and handsome men among adventurers and travelers to make them their spouses.¡± ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be worth going at least once?¡± ¡°If possible, I¡¯d rmend not going, but if you want to go, I can¡¯t help it. I think this will be an experience as well.¡± ¡°What about Arhil?¡± ¡°Oh, do I have a choice?¡± Judah grinned. ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much. Why ask in the first ce! If we still have to go, I¡¯ll go. This is also God¡¯s will.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to bed early. We¡¯re going to leave tomorrow morning.¡± Judah, with all their luggage in the bag, stood up. They agreed and went to bed. That was how theirst night in An passed. ============================ ==================== ======== Please upload your stat rating table! ¡¸Ability Grade Table¡¹ 0-19 F 20-39 D 40-59 C 60-79 B 80-89 A 90-99 S 100-109 SS 110 SSS Chapter 112

Chapter 112

112==================== + + + As the day dawned, Judah¡¯s party prepared to leave An. Judah, who had gotten up first, washed his body, woke up Jeanne, and then went out to the ground floor hall. It was still early in the morning, but a lot of nobles already had their breakfast and were already preparing to leave. There were no further reasons to remain in An after the Red gstaff event. When he went to order a healthy meal, Jeanne and Arhil came down one after the other. As they were eating, Count Genuine and Sarah also came down. They joined them, but there was no conversation shared at the table. After their quiet breakfast, they said their farewell to Count Genuine and Sarah and went ahead to An¡¯s northern city gate. Unlike other gates, not many people headed north. After passing through the checkpoint of the city gate, feelingfortable, Judah¡¯s party headed north. While walking casually, they were lucky enough to get a wagon, and they were able to reach the defensive point in the northwest of Philoria easily. It wasn¡¯t until about two days after leaving An that they could get on the road to Regen. ¡®Two weeks. It¡¯s for two weeks. It won¡¯t take so long.¡¯ If you just diligently moved the mouse in the game, you could get there in 10 minutes, but it took a considerable amount of time due to excessive reality correction. If only there were trains like KTX or buses here, it wouldn¡¯t have taken so long. They had been walking along the open road admiring the scenery around. Still, if he didn¡¯t want to waste their time like this, the only way to pass the time was to learn magic, or he could recruit apanion who knew how to use space movement magic or even build a rapport with a tower to get a gemstone. There were only three options, but one could say that either one was not easy. ¡°Huh?¡± He couldn¡¯t hear Jeanne¡¯s and Arhil¡¯s footsteps, so he looked behind him, and they were right behind him. It might be because of Arhil, but Jeanne might have been doing the same purposely. The mountains of Regen were so dense that it was hard topare them with the forests to the east and west of Serenia Castle. He paused and waited for them. Even though they moved slowly, they quickly came to the side of Judah, who was still standing. He felt sorry as he saw their faces of loathing the experience of going into the woods. He would rather go alone than thinking of this. Then, Arhil took her backpack to pull out her longer clothes to wear over her priest¡¯s uniform. She also took out the coats and robed Judah and Jeanne. The skin made from Requiem¡¯s leather, the leader of the ck wolves, was supreme when it came to defense. But in such a jungle, clothes could quickly get worn out, so it was better to wear a cheap robe. ¡°Judah. Please take some medicine to repel those bugs. Oh, and you too, Jeanne. I¡¯ll spray it on you.¡± Arhil meticulously sprayed it on Judah, leaving the scent of pesticide in the air. After putting the medicine around his body like perfume, Judah managed to breathe again. ¡°Okay, from now on, things are going to get rough.¡± ¡°Do you regret that you decided to be with me?¡± Arhil was silent, only looking at Judah as he spoke. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t answer. She was merely ncing in thought. What would she be doing now if she did not follow him back in the vige or Cherryu, and instead, she went with her formerpanions? Perhaps she was on a much morefortable yet boring mission right now. Compared to that, she watched An¡¯s martial arts contest, which she could only hope to see. Because of having him as apanion, she met a man with a fragment, watched the games from the VIP seats, and would soon find herself at the entrance of Regen, which she never thought she¡¯d step foot in. But even so, she still didn¡¯t like the idea of going to Regen. ¡°Well, a little bit? But what can I do? I¡¯vee all the way here. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll let us wait for you here, right?¡± He tried to say that he would go alone if anything, but Arhil took the lead with a grumble. However, shortly after she took the lead, she immediately retreated from Judah¡¯s back. There was a clear path through which people traveled, but vine stems and weeds riddled the way from here and there because it was unmaintained. The vines stuck to their ankles like traps, and the unpleasant, thorny stems caught in the fabric of their robes, making them annoyed. Judah reached for his leather belt and pulled out a dagger to swing it ahead. ¡®This is an absolute jungle.¡¯ Initially, when he had been in the real world, he went through this path by cutting it down. It wasn¡¯t tame, but the road was rough, and the bushes showed the footsteps of their enemies so they could determine what they were, all while being chased down by bugs. He felt like he wanted to burn the forest¡­ Burn all of it down. Feeling the natural flow of his consciousness, Judah¡¯s hand moved in a trance. His sharp de hissed, cutting everything that was in front of him. ¡°Judah, you¡¯re walking really fast.¡± ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re making this bearable, but this is no good at all. If it¡¯s possible, it would be best to go back now.¡± ¡°Yeah. I think so too.¡± Arhilughed thatter on grew into a sigh. She knew now why people didn¡¯t want to go to Regen. Not long ago, when they left An, she understood why Count Genuine pounded their shoulders with strength with a wide grin, and why Sarah spared thempassionate nces. Although she had a different experience, she didn¡¯t want to suffer from going down in this direction. ¡°Hey, Jeanne. I have a question, what is the purpose of our party?¡± ¡°The purpose¡­¡± Jeanne seemed to think for a moment, then stumbled when her feet caught in a vine. As she stepped forward with her feet, the ground cracked. She brushed her feet off once, then looked at Arhil to reply ¡°Well, to explore the world?¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I know as true. He said he wanted to go to various countries and gain various experiences. I owe Judah, and I also want to do that, so I¡¯m following him in this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pure.¡± It was the dream of a true example of an adventurer. Since she wanted to go around the world and she managed to join this party, perhaps it wasn¡¯t a bad dream. She just didn¡¯t want to end up in such a grassynd. Arhil grieved with a grumble. ¡°But unfortunately, we can¡¯t end it together.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Because I have to go back to my empire for my dreams as well. I have to pass my apprenticeship.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± Arhil replied, disappointment clear in her voice. Jeanneforted her, saying that there was still a year left. While walking through the dense forest of Regen, Jeanne grabbed Arhil¡¯s shoulder and pulled it back as she stepped forward. ¡°Ah?¡± Jeanne summoned her shield the moment she gasped, and Judah threw the dagger in his hand, looking behind them. Something flew at Jeanne¡¯s shield, making a dull sound crashing into it, and the sound of Judah¡¯s dagger piercing something. ¡°Arhil, step back!¡± Jeanne was fully armed with her shield and spear. Then, a green-skinned and muscr monster emerged from the bushes with a loud cry. ¡°An orc?¡± She heard that Regen was a ce where monsters, humans, and different races lived together and fought, but no one thought that they would meet orcs near the entrance like this. Five orcs emerged from the forest, looking at Arhil and Jeanne with lustful gazes, revealing their fangs. The crude clothes that of the skin of an animal were bulky against their terrible frames. ¡°Hey!¡± Arhil stepped back in disgust, and at the same time, Jeanne braced her body. As Jeanne wielded her heavynce, the orcs lifted their weapons. It was an ax made of iron, whether they had something to weld it. Roar! The Orcs roared with their mouths wide open to the point where they can see their throats before running straight towards Jeanne. They stood on the hillside, and they ran down at them at high speed. However, a red line drew through the airing from their side, and a bloody dagger was struck in the orc¡¯s knee. The orc descending the hill stumbled over the pain he felt in his knees, then fell over and rolled over the ground helplessly. The orc nced at his suffering ally, eyes widening when Judah appeared in front of him. He swung the ax in his grasp. Judah avoided it easily, lowering his posture, then dashed behind the orc, kicking its back with his feet. Like the first Orc, it went forward and hit the tree head-on. Judah struck Altemia at its end that made the orc¡¯s body convulse. He had taken down two orcs, leaving three to deal with. The three almost reached Jeanne. Judah threw an additional Altemia at the orc farthest from him. Whether his agility reached a B grade due to the points he used or his added strength, Altemia pierced the orc¡¯s body and sucked its blood. ¡°Hah!¡± And Jeanne, who was in her ce to protect Arhil, spat out toward the orcs that quickly shrunk from a count of five to two. She red at the one with a shield and stabbed hernce at the orc closest to her. With his momentum, the Orc went straight into hernce and died. Its green alien blood trickled down her weapon. The orc groaned briefly, dropping his weapon, and after iling his hands at Jeanne, the life drained from his eyes. Jeanne, who stepped on the orc¡¯s body with her feet and pulled out thence, turned right away and stomped down the orc¡¯s head, causing its body to burst. It was a sudden attack, but the situation was quickly cleared up. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I was a little surprised, but I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. Jeanne protected me.¡± At their answer, Judah sighed with relief, ring down at the dead orcs below. There was no way an orc ambush could happen in a ce like this. He was vignt, but their green skin turned into good camouge, and they hid their faces well, so he didn¡¯t notice until they threw something at Arhil. ¡°¡­I have to pay more attention.¡± ¡°In case anything happens, I will stay armed.¡± Was she really going to walk around wearing armor in a forest like this? Judah shook his head right away. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to waste your stamina. If I use my shadows, we won¡¯t be ambushed like this, so we¡¯ll have to walk in withfortable clothes like before.¡± Using his magical power, he triggered Shadow Justice. It wasn¡¯t visible through all the bush, but his shadow went all around to bring back information to Judah. Checking the details injected directly into his head, they continued ahead. Regen¡¯s forest was more dangerous than they thought. ===================================================== Can anyone with an SSS grade take out Kain?Kain has only a ss rating.Judah¡¯s agility potential level is SS level. Does this mean that he can go to SS through training and actualbat? If so, can he raise SS too through training and practice and then raise stats? For example, Judah¡¯s agility SS (100 ~ 109) potential grade threshold is 100. Then, he raises to 100 through training and can invest 10 stat points to climb the SSS grade. The limit of stats that can be increased by distributing points is up to 99. Starting from 100, you can use points earned through special achievements or increase if you need to reach potential. 1- Tip5. Bonus stats randomly rise to the limit your potential allows when you perform a special action or aplish something. However, if you repeat the same action or get more than a certain stat, it will not climb well after that. Of course, if your luck helps you, you can get stats even in mundane actions. Because this game is also based on luck like any other game. Good luck! 2- From Chapters 1-3 The maximum ability that can be raised with an item is up to 99 (S), but for some special items, it is possible to raise it up to 100 (SS). And included in some of the items are just fragments. In other words, if the remaining fragments could be collected in time, raising the stats thatcked potential can happen. However, even if you exceed 99¡¯s S talent through items such as fragments, 100 is the limit. It literally just allows you to enter the SS from S. Above that, you can only raise through talent or achievements. This is a question I want to ask because of the unrequited love story. Isn¡¯t Judah¡¯s unrequited love the wizard kid next to Kain at the beginning? Or is it not out yet?Ah, this unrequited love has not yete out. For reference, Riel is not Judah¡¯s unrequited love. Riel¡¯s unrequited love is for Kain. Chapter 113

Chapter 113

113==================== Four days had passed ever since they had started along the road after entering thend of Regen without a guide. Judah wandered through the forest with his party, feeling like they had been going through the Amazon itself by how vast the woods were. Luckily, they hadn¡¯t gotten lost in their journey. They should be able to hear any signs of the kingdom by now, given the rtivelyrge number of tribes that lived on thisnd, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why he hadn¡¯t seen a single human shadow yet. Instead, the Orcs and other monsters had all been showing up more frequently and violently. They had even made the futile spection that the tribes might have already perished a long time ago. ¡®As long as the fragment is there, they can¡¯t be.¡¯ With an owner of a fragment among them, what could these orcs do to destroy them? If so, then where were they? ¡°We¡¯re going the right way, right? Please tell me that this is right.¡± ¡°Ummm¡­¡± They continued walking with still no sign of any other living being. All they¡¯ve been doing was keeping an eye out for different races and monsters jumping at them. Judah felt sorry for hispanions, but he could only say yes to reassure them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯re not going around in circles, at least. And we¡¯re following a road, so our path is right.¡± Even if it was covered in bushes, the road didn¡¯t magically appear in a day or two. With these facts alone, they kept their mouth shut. Well, Judah himself was also very annoyed, but they were different. Judah led as well as he could, still feeling sorry for them. ¡°Ah!¡± Judah made a sound of hope for the first time. His shadow managed to detect a human, or maybe, an orc with a human skeleton. But the information that the shadow conveyed to him was human. As Judah quickly approached it, Arhil and Jeanne followed closely after seeing him walk briskly. Whether the person heard them going through the bushes, they lowered their stance and hid. Despite it hiding in secret, Judah knew where they were. Judah looked for an opportunity as he hid behind the bush in front of the person, and when he emerged without thinking. At that moment, the person raised their head and reached out their hand. There was a sharp dagger in its grasp. ¡°Hey! Stop!¡± Those hiding nearby shouted, but it was toote. The boy in front of Judah¡¯s eyes wielded his dagger, aiming at Judah¡¯s neck precisely. The shouting didn¡¯t even get into his ears. Despite the sudden surprise attack, Judah took a step without panicking. The dagger broke through the air and then came straight at Judah¡¯s body. It was like a snake. With no intention of stopping, Judah attacked the boy with the dagger. Groan! Their strengths shed. With overwhelming power, Judah struck away the dagger, sending it bouncing away from them. He then jabbed him with an elbow that sent him falling to his bosom, and then he grabbed him by the neck and lifted him into the air. In tears, the boy grabbed his wrist to try and free himself, but he wasn¡¯t powerful against Judah. Those hidden beneath the bushes emerged with fearful gazes in their eyes. They werepletely different. Boys and girls wore crude clothes made of leather covering their private parts, but in the case of adults, they wore animal skins of wild boars, wolves, and bears. Their tanned skin glistened by the sun seemed to make their fine muscles shine even more. However,pared to their skin, the color of their hair was uniquely colorful. They looked at Judah and pointed at his arms vaguely. If possible, they didn¡¯t want to fight. ¡°Calm down. We do not wish to fight.¡± Since they had asked so nicely, he obliged peacefully. Judahughed and put the boy down as he clutched him by the neck. The boy was barely breathing, drooling, and snarling in tears. Then one of the crowd approached the boy, and the others bowed to Judah, kneeling on one knee and bowing. ¡°Huh?¡± Was it so great that he spared the boy? He felt embarrassed by their manners, which seemed a little overkill. Suspicion grew within him. While the heightened his guard, a man wearing a bearskin, as if leading the group, spoke politely to Judah. ¡°Thank you for your mercy, spirit. Please forgive our rudeness.¡± Spirit? Insolence? Judah blinked and looked back at his party. Jeanne and Arhil were also blinking as if they didn¡¯t understand English. ¡°I¡¯m a spirit¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, maybe. I¡¯m really sorry if you were going to hide the fact that you were a spirit.¡± The spirit they referred to was taken from shamanism, and it could be seen as an independent god. The problem was that they saw Judah as a spirit. ¡®I don¡¯t remember this ever happening.¡¯ He knew they believed in a spirit, but he didn¡¯t understand the specific setting or nature of spirits. During the creation of quests, he had the NPCs say ¡®The spirit is angry!¡¯ or even say something along the lines of ¡®The spirit will be with you.¡¯ But the spirit itself was never clearly presented, like what kind of form the spirit was and what kind of existence it was. He found no content of it either while reading the books of the library in Serenia Castle. Not much was known about tribes in Regen, and of course, there was no book to organize them. ¡°¡­¡± It seemed that they, bowing their heads, were not trying to deceive Judah. Judah scratched the nape of his neck because he couldn¡¯t stay this way. ¡°Will you get up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They carefully watched Judah¡¯s eyes as they raised themselves. ¡°Why did you see me as a spirit?¡± The man stared at Judah as if to wonder why he was asking such a natural thing. He hurriedly lowered his head. ¡°Pure ck hair and eyes are a token of our ¡®ck Tree¡¯ spirit.¡± ck Tree Tribe! Judah¡¯s face brightened. There were numerous tribes in Regen, and several of them dominated the majority. One of those few tribes was ck Tree. Humble people who were good at handling bows and daggers and cannot tell lies. One of the tribes that Judah set up, and they were trusted allies. Originally, they were careful in showing favor, but spirits were revered as gods, so they did not use them to tell lies. ¡®But in any case, I should be careful about what could happen.¡¯ Judah put his dagger back in his leather belt. ¡°How do I do this¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not a spirit, you know, I¡¯m just a normal adventurer visiting.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­? Oh, yes, that¡¯s okay. I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like that at all. Judah thought he did not understand what he was saying. Judah said that he wished to visit their tribe, and so he was willing to follow them. Jeanne and Arhil seemed to be wary of them, aware that some citizens of Regen were cannibals, so they walked cautiously with Judah. They strolled for an hour, and finally, Regen unexpectedly showed them something they did not expect from the country. A clean river flowed through a bank, a wooden fence was erected, and a site with antique wooden buildings stood from a distance. Upon entering the vige, their houses were quite unique. The house was built on a board supported by four thick logs. They were elevated one meter from the ground, so they had to climb the stairs to get inside. And the vigers were also very clean, unlike Judah thought. The hunters who were guiding them were covered with animal skin and had unknown patterns tattooed on their skin. They had a strange smell, but their skin was clean and shiny. But the vigers kept looking at Judah, kneeling politely to express their courtesy as the murmurs of him being called a spirit echoed everywhere. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like being treated like a king? Whoo.¡± Arhil, who followed Judah from behind, teased in a whisper. Hospitality, as she said. They stopped and regarded Judah as if their king hade. Their guide stopped them in front of arge house, asked them to wait for a while, and then went into the building alone. ¡°Is this the chief¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Maybe. In a ce like this, the size of a house shows the person¡¯s authority or wealth.¡± Arhil asked, and Jeanne answered. Since meeting the hunter, her voice brightened they began talking again. Overhearing their conversation, Judah felt relieved. And soon after, the hunter wearing the bearskin who had entered the building came out. ¡°The chieftain wishes the spirit¡­ No, I mean, he wants to meet you, guests. Would you like toe inside?¡± There was no option. Judah nodded his head, taking Jeanne and Arhil with him up the stairs and into the building, thinking that it would not be bad for them to meet the chief early on, as they would be helpful to some degree in the future. As soon as they entered the building, his eyes widened. ¡®The door is made of paper? Are they trading with the Baekje empire?¡¯ Since they would not have the technology and materials to make Korean paper on their own, it was probably something sent in by a mercenary. He thought they lived an utterly remote life, but it turned out they were a lot different. As he stepped on the wooden floor and followed the hunter inside, the people inside saw Judah and hurriedly bowed their heads. ¡®If the chief is here¡­ What are they like?¡± Judah tilted his head, opened -Notes-, and found information about Regen. The chieftain of the ck Tree tribe, as he remembered, was a beauty named Isabel, who led the great tribe with her tough personality and excellent bow skills. She was also a popr NPC by giving yers several quests. The fact that she could not be recruited as apanion was enough for the many people who supported her to protest against it. As he read the information about the chieftain, they arrived in front of the room where the chieftain was staying. ¡°Chief. The spirit, I mean, I have the stranger¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I brought the strangers.¡± ¡°Yes? Come in. I¡¯ll look at them in the face.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The hunter stepped back, telling Judah to go inside. Judah, who understood the gesture, grabbed the closed window paper door and opened it from side to side. ==================Author Note==================================== If you can only score up to 100 points, Is the most effective way to distribute points, even if it is a littlete, is to fill in the S-ss potential stats, potential B-ss or A-ss stats to the limit, and then make 100 with points? -That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the most efficient distribution. However, even if the potential is SS, the limit of 99 can be raised with the usual points given each time you level up. It¡¯s a way to get the lowest stats to the limit, but it¡¯s also effective to raise the highest potential.I have a question about stats. If wepare the stats differently from the previous works, would you say that this is simr to Memorise? How is it simr to Memorise? (Even if the stat is about 1 point higher, the character with the higher skill wins if the skill or skill level is inferior) -I only saw Memorise before I went to the army, I should see it again after that, but I kept up with it after 3333 episodes. How can I answer this? Let¡¯s see. If you give a knife to a child against an unknowing adult, an adult can still win. Chapter 114

Chapter 114

114==================== The appearance of the room through the open door waspletely different from what he had initially thought. Speaking of the chieftain, he had always thought her room would be full of objects with unidentified magical totems, but he couldn¡¯t see that at all. Rather, it looked presentable and almost a parallel to Baekje interiors. Arge seat wasid on the floor, and a sitting desk, folding screen, and ceramics were on disy. However, it was the one woman in the room that drew much more attention than that. ¡°What are you looking around for, stranger?¡± It was the chieftain. Her long reddish-brown hair was curled up with her hairpin, and her cool, arched eyebrows and shiny eyes seemed to catch the eye of the beholder. ¡®Isabel.¡¯ The moment he saw her, Judah thought of her two things. Her charisma reminded him of Peerchen, the lord of Serenia Castle, and the way she spoke was reminiscent of Gentia. Judah remembered the chief had talked to him, and then he bowed his head to reply. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t toote. ¡°Excuse me. This room is just different from what I expected. Can I go in?¡± ¡°Huh, of course. Take off your shoes ande in.¡± She gave him permission with a soft chuckle. Before entering the room, there was a separate ce to put his shoes off, like a front door. It took a little while because he had to untie theces of his shoes, but the three of them took off their footwear. Fortunately, no off-putting scent came from their bare feet. Seeing a cushion in one corner, Judah went at it and sat down, even if the chief didn¡¯t say anything. Judah sat in front, facing the chieftain, with Jeanne and Arhil sitting behind. ¡°This is a littlete, but wee to thend of the ck Tree. I¡¯m the Chief, Isabel.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Judah Arche.¡± In turn, he revealed his name. She looked at Arhil and Jeanne. ¡°Are these your wives?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arhil gasped when Judah answered without hesitation. ¡°Looking at their reaction, it looks like they¡¯re not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re shy.¡± ¡°They¡¯re ashamed? How interesting, stranger. No, you said it was Judah?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see. Looking at you, I understand why they would call you a spirit.¡± Chief Isabel, dressed in what could be a bikini, leaned forward with squinted eyes, with her chest on her desk. There seemed to be an unreasonable favor in her gaze, staring straight into Judah¡¯s eyes. ¡°Even if you say you¡¯re not a spirit, you have its qualities. Pure crystal-like ck hair, and look at your eyes¡­¡± ¡°¡­Well, I am human.¡± ¡°Hoho, I know. I am too. Unlike my tribal people, I don¡¯t believe that you are a spirit. Above all else, I won¡¯t argue about it. But¡­ I¡¯m interested in you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I ept you as my husband, I think our ck Tree tribe will be able to have much superioritypared to other tribes. We can be hailed as a tribe that had been chosen by the spirits.¡± Her gaze seemed to pierce through Judah. If Arhil and Jeanne weren¡¯t there behind them, she wouldn¡¯t take back such a statement. Feeling the caution in Judah, she pulled back. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. No need to look at me like that¡­ or do you not like me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Then, do you like me?¡± Watching the chief tease him in such a yful voice, Judah had a dilemma. Whatever answer he gave will lead to another conversation. Judah, who had been having trouble for a moment, eventually nodded. ¡°Yes, the chief¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Isabel.¡± ¡°¡­Isabel is a beautiful woman. As a man, I have no choice but to like her.¡± A satisfactory smirk curled up in her lips, and then she burst intoughter with excitement. ¡°Hahaha! Okay. I like you because you¡¯re honest. Now, I like you too, stranger. We like each other. How about spending one night together?¡± Jeanne and Arhil, too at a loss for words, grew flustered. It went without saying that Judah also blushed, looking at the chief¡¯s chest framed tightly by her leather clothes, almost as if tempting him. He paused for a moment. The chieftain spoke again. ¡°It looks like you need more time. Well, I¡¯m being serious, so think about it seriously.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°So, is it your turn to talk about why you came here? What is your purpose, stranger?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on a trip.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? You¡¯re traveling?¡± Isabel made a look as if she had received a very unexpected answer. Traveling to see a ce like this? She stared at Judah as if it was iprehensible. If their words were false, what would this boy want to get for him toe here? She squinted her eyes and looked at the stranger, but she could not see any further purpose. His ck eyes showed purity, so she had no choice but to dismiss her doubts. She said that Judah seemed too young to say that he came from the forest, and all of the demons who came before him arrived with a purpose. Many visited her tribe from the empire and other kingdoms. There were times they came with a dirty purpose, and others came to find a mercenary who could shoot the bow of the ck Tree tribe. She was stupid, and she almost fell into cowardice at first, but by beingpetent and smart, she could chat with them and grasp their intentions. But she could not feel any suspicion from Judah. ¡°It¡¯s a trip¡­¡± She tilted her head and seemed to think slowly, thenughed in vain. ¡°Say, stranger, are you an adventurer or someone with an upation? Many say they do a lot of useless things.¡± ¡°You seem to know about adventurers. That¡¯s right. We¡¯re adventurers. But adventurers are just a means of making my dreamse true, chief.¡± ¡°Call me Isabel, not the chief.¡± Stubborn, she corrected his words. Judah nodded and said once more that it was Isabel. When he called her name, her stiff expression softened. ¡°Are you merely curious at what kind ofnd our tribe is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as dangerous as we expected it, so for now, yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fun. Okay then, stay here as long as you want. Watch and experience as much as you want. Don¡¯t do anything dangerous. I don¡¯t need to warn you, do I?¡± ¡°Thank you for allowing me, Isabel.¡± Sheughed at Judah¡¯s words. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not free. You have to pay the price?¡± ¡°The price?¡± ¡°Well, in this harsh and dangerous forest, where do you think can you spend the night without worrying about food or water? Where to wash? The ck Tree tribe thinks of Judah as a spirit so that we might favor you, but we can¡¯t say the same for other tribes.¡± Just like she said, they were treated better here. If he thought about it, people politely bowed down to Judah the moment they entered the vige. He would befortable while staying in this vige, although it may be a little burdensome.h If the people of Regen saw a beautiful woman or a handsome man, they might kidnap them to make them their wife or husband. Jeanne and Arhil were beautiful enough to be targets of kidnapping. However, if they revealed that they were Judah¡¯s wives, whom they believed was a spirit, they wouldn¡¯t touch them. Judah thought about it for a moment, then nodded his head. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll be staying here, and we¡¯re happy to help if it¡¯s something that my wives and I can help with. But I hope you don¡¯t waste our time with too many requests.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Then let me guide you where to stay. Anyone outside?¡± She called out, and the man in bearskin, who had just brought Judah¡¯s party into the vige, came in. ¡°Did you call me, Chief?¡± ¡°Yeah. Guide them to their room. There¡¯s a building that was built for people from that empire to stay.¡± ¡°Would you like me to take them there?¡± Isabel blinked at the words of the anxious hunter. ¡°Since when did you question my words, Arek?¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll guide them right away.¡± ¡°Arek.¡± Isabel once again called the name of the hunter who guided Judah¡¯s party. The hunter then responded in a cold sweat. ¡°Be careful next time.¡± ¡°I shall remember that deep in my heart.¡± Jeanne and Arhil got out first, and Judah, finally leaving her room, went to close the door. Isabel and his eyes met through the cracks of the door. She, who seemed so charming a moment ago, frowned and waved her hand. Judah bowed his head at her little sign of favor and shut the door loudly. He felt so threatened that he had no chance to think over everything. ¡®I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ He never thought his ck hair and ck eyes would benefit him from this kind of thing. But he was being real. He wouldn¡¯t lie and would ept the request of spending the night together if it weren¡¯t for hispanions listening in the same room. Her voice and dress were tempting. He had already experienced sharing the same bed with a woman, and that thought of it made him grow hard, making it difficult to walk. Thanks to his robe, he was able to hide it while walking. ¡°Why do you keep looking down?¡± Arhil, walking ahead, asked as she looked back at him. Judah was puzzled by her sudden question and shook his hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Come on.¡± ¡°?¡± Arhil tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows at him. Chapter 115

Chapter 115

115==================== They followed the hunter and eventually arrived at arge wooden house, just a short distance away from the town¡¯s buildings. The wood¡¯s material seen from the outside looked quite high quality, unlike the houses they passed by. ¡°Here it is.¡± The hunter, Arek, responded with a strong voice and stopped walking. It looked like he didn¡¯t want to bring them here, but following the chief¡¯s orders proved to be inevitable. Jeanne took the lead, walked up the stairs, and opened the door, checking for anything suspicious. The door revealed the inside, and Jeanne eximed in surprise. Judah followed her as she stared nkly into the house. The interior, seen over her shoulder, was surprisingly neat. ¡®¡­Everything is in Baekje¡¯s style?¡¯ He thought this immediately at first nce. Starting from the entrance where the shoes were taken off, all the furniture that filled the house were items that you would see if you went to the Hanok Vige. The folding screen was necessary, and even ceramics were ced on top of a jade cab. As they stepped inside, a subtle scent hovering around their nose weed them like a pleasant perfume. He thought that it was better than the room of Chief Isabel. ¡°The room¡­ It¡¯s very luxurious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a building built by the empire¡¯s ambassadors for amodation here. They said they would build their own house. Every time they came, they brought things they left it here.¡± By the ambassador of the empire, Arek referred to someone from the Baekje empire. ¡°Does the empire send people often?¡± ¡°They oftene to hire our tribe¡¯s mercenaries, but since they came and went a while ago, they won¡¯t be around while the spirit is here. ¡°The chief gave us a nice house. Don¡¯t worry too much. We will take good care of it. They won¡¯t even know it when the empire¡¯s envoyse again.¡± ¡°¡­Please getfortable.¡± What were they to do if the ambassador of the empire acted in disgrace against this? Hesitating to know the answer, Arek offered them to rest and just went out. Regardless of whether Arek went out or not, Jeanne and Arhil took a break right away to finally enjoy that they can rest as humans do. Jeanne seemed a little reluctant to know that this house was made and lived in by the Baekje people, but that didn¡¯t mean that she wanted to rest elsewhere. They looked inside the house, opened the closet, took out a neatly arranged nket and mat, andid it straight on the floor. They set up the bed quite skillfully before she went to the bathroom. It seemed that the Baekje people who came to this ce built the house perfectly. The bathroom and toilet, the kitchen and the living room, and other spaces were well separated, and the window was positioned by grasping the location of the wind and sunlight. Suddenly, Arhil and Jeanne took off their clothes, went into the bathroom, and piled their robes on the floor like trash. Reflexively, Judah remembered living in his house in Serenia Castle, so he almost cleaned it but stopped himself before he could pick up their robes and looked around the house instead, thinking that it would be necessary. It was built for a short stay, so he couldn¡¯t find anything special. To take a brief look outside, Judah left the house, leaving a word to them in the bathroom that he would take a short walk around. He wanted to take a look around the tribe, but when he remembered that they would bow down when they see him, he decided to retreat to the wooden fence. It wasn¡¯tparable to a wall, but it was high enough that no one could leap over it. ¡®Shall I try?¡¯ It was all just harmless fun. Judah checked around, making sure no one was spying. It may be because the people of the tribe were good. Judah, running lightly on top of his toes, ran at top speed, stepped on the wooden fence, and quickly climbed up. It wasn¡¯t that difficult for him to cross the fence, perhaps thanks to his B-rank agility. The difference between the fence and the inside was the jungle. The forest was so dense to try and guess what could linger in it, and yet he stepped into it alone. He turned on the -Map- and looked around. ¡°There¡¯s no big difference from where we came from.¡± He didn¡¯t know where this was, but there was a flowing river and nothing else. He took a quick look around, and on the way back, he saw vige children swimming and ying in the river. He started questioning what pushed him to cross the fence. There seemed to be a separate entrance, and it would have been the perfect situation to be misunderstood if someone saw him. It was natural for them to be vignt if he went anywhere without permission. Judah, watching the children y in the water and swim, sat under a suitable tree, and observed without thinking of looking elsewhere. ¡°This ce looks good.¡± It was near the river, the breeze flying by with a cold wind. Again, civilization didn¡¯t start near the river for nothing. He suddenly felt like a father as he watched the children swim. He dozed off for a while and couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed. Suddenly he heard a rattling sound, and the children screamed, trying to return to the vige. When he turned his head reflexively, he saw two Orcs charging at them with a roar from the upstream side where the river came from. Their bare hands held nothing, but their built was enough as a weapon. The children who escaped from the water seemed to think that they would not be in danger because they were near the tribe, having no weapons or adult around them on stand-by. A regrettable situation to be called a coincidence. Judah, without a long thought, pulled out his dagger from his leather belt. The first dagger was quite dull due to cutting down the bushes and branches earlier, but that was just it. It may be blunt for cutting, but it could work well for stabbing and throwing. He threw the dagger he held with his left hand and snapped it with his wrist. The de flew fiercely as if ignoring the wind¡¯s resistance, and hit an orc exactly in between its forehead as it jumped over the river. He wondered what other parts of their bodies were full muscles when even his dull de thrown with power could strike it. As soon as it fell onto the water, the Orc slowly wriggled and didn¡¯t get up again. Its red blood oozed through the water. ¡°Ah?¡± The children were shocked, and the Orcs who were running halted at the unexpected attack. Judah moved toward the children and immediately took out his second dagger. His sharp dagger cut through the air. Grrrr! The orc shrieked and avoided. Looking at the dagger passing through his shoulders, the orc eximed and then ran to Judah. Judahughed at his nimble running, contrary to its bulky appearance. But he didn¡¯t stop at two daggers. ¡°There is still one left.¡± Of course, except for Altemia. He threw one more dagger to deal with the remaining Orcs easily. The children merely looked at him nkly with their eyes wide open but soon stumbled toward Judah. ¡°Spirit, thank you very much!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Their gratitude was cute, but the actions they did were not. He ordered them to stop bowing, to which they obliged before they ran back into the vige. Seeing their figure disappear, Judah retrieved his daggers, which had pierced the orcs right at their brows. If this were the game, he would¡¯ve gotten a critical hit for hitting a vital spot like that! It might look like a little damage now, but the reality was these were Orcs with a lot of physical strength, and he managed to kill them easily. While he was thinking about whether or not to shake off the blood from his dagger, from afar, he could see more orcsing down than he thought. Did he see wrong, or did he just want to see what he wanted to? Or was there really a group of orc emerging from the river? ¡®Is there a crowd?¡¯ He quickly rolled his eyes and checked the number of orcs on his -Map-. They seem to be roughly around thirty, but before counting the numberpletely, he saw something shot toward the sky. It was an arrow that fell toward Judah. As he stepped back from the ground, he saw the gpole of an arrow dropping on the ground. ¡®It¡¯s a bow¡­ ¡® They knew how to smelt iron, so of course, they could make weapons like bows. Unlike the two preceding Orcs, each of them had weapons. Judah thought for a moment, watching from where they had drawn the arrow, then unfolded his shadow and activated his buff skills. Without hesitation, he ran recklessly toward the orc pack. He threw two daggers from his hand and immediately picked up the spear in his -Bag- that he had gained from the Flying Fighter he fought before. Using Altemia¡¯s abilities, he can easily kill this orc group. He was excited to face the crowd with his improved stats. Rather than rushing to the center, he ran first to the orc at the far right. The orcs saw him and stared at him in disbelief, thinking he would run away. The Orcs swung their clubs with confused faces. However, they were too hasty, and Judah countered with a more potent attack before they could even approach him. The orc¡¯s eyes widened. Judahughed, digging into the arms of the orc. ¡°Peekaboo.¡± Chapter 116

Chapter 116

116==================== Shrkkk! The magical spear had managed to cut off the Orc¡¯s hard muscles. Blood sttered from the stab that ran from its belly to its right shoulder, but Judah moved back before the blood even got on his body. Altemia, which appeared from his hand like magic, pierced the Orc¡¯s belly with its sharp de and sucked out its blood. Feeling that something was sucking his energy, the Orc threw the weapon in his hand, grabbed Altemia, and tried to pull it out, but it didn¡¯t budge as it dug into his flesh. Roar! The orcs howled as Judah moved ceaselessly. By dealing with the group of ck wolves alone in Serenia, he avoided their attacks with less difficulty than expected. Rather, he felt like this was even morefortable than when he faced the wolves. With Potential Liberation, Magic, and Spreading Shadows activated, he had no problems in evading their attack, and with the help of Altemia, Judah was able to perform counter-attacks correctly. Despite there being thirty of them, they couldn¡¯t even touch Judah. He even managed to kill several orcs with one attack. However, Judah, who had been moving quickly like a squirrel amongst orcs, glimpsed the wounds on their bodies. If one guy had it, he might¡¯ve thought it was his doing, but a whole lot of them had scars. ¡®Who hurt these guys?¡¯ Although their wound¡¯s depth was thin and was healing because of their unique high regeneration power, they had countlesscerations. Some cuts looked like it came from a sword, and some wounds looked like they were scratched or swamped. There was even dark, dried blood in the leather clothes they were wearing. ¡°Wait.¡± It had distracted him, almost allowing the enemies to strike him. The moment he was about to hit his dagger at the nape of an orc¡¯s neck, a sound dashed into the air, and his enemy jerked. An arrow stuck to its head. Starting with that, arrows rained down all around Judah. Surprised, he ought to get out, but he couldn¡¯t move because of the Orcs nearby. And Magic cautioned him that it was dangerous to move. Whenever he tried to attack, an arrow would fall, so he stood still, and the arrows and fall would strike the orcs around him. After the shower of arrows, there were only three orcs left standing. The orcs were dumbfounded. Blood sttered on his face. Judah wiped it with the back of his hand and looked in the direction the arrows came from. The ck Tree chief stood alone in the direction. She walked leisurely with a bow, like a model strutting with power. Judah grew flustered when he didn¡¯t know how to look, his eyes falling on her buttocks instead. She was in good shape, making him unable to tear away from his gaze as a man. Turning his head, Judah pretended to look around him to see if anybody survived the shower of arrows. Then he suddenly felt strange. ¡®Did she shoot all of this alone?¡¯ There were certainly dozens of arrows that fell upon them. The hands came at them at a simultaneous speed, and he had to think that several shots were drawn. But there was only one person that could have fired the bow. ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Studying the arrows at the head, heart, and vital spots of the Orc, the tip of the arrows were dyed red. He hadn¡¯t seen any other arrows topare it to, so he didn¡¯t know if it was the sign of the chieftain, but she must have shot it alone. Being the chieftain, this would be possible. After all, her tribe was one of the four great tribes. Judah bowed his head when she approached him. He then said, ¡°Thank you for helping.¡± Whether she thought it was polite, she then replied with a pleasant expression. ¡°What? It¡¯s nothingpared to helping our children.¡± ¡°Did the kids tell you that?¡± It wasn¡¯t long since they ran into the tribe, but it was enough to reach the chieftain¡¯s ear. The vige was quiterge, but their ability to transmit information was quite fast. However, she shrugged her shoulders at his question. ¡°You can just say that my ears are sensitive. I heard an orc screaming. I just ran out with my bow and arrows. I met the kids in the middle, and they said you helped them. So I took my time. Who thought you were willing to fight alone a horde of orcs?¡± Chief Isabel looked at Judah¡¯s body from head to toe with approval. It was covered in blood orc. He didn¡¯t have injuries, and he fought them well. She didn¡¯t know how old he was, but none of the tribesmen possessed that skill at his age. ¡®You¡¯re not the kind of kid I want to simply hug.¡¯ She gulped. The strong can take everything in Regen, a world of lean meat. It was possible to have multiple wives or husbands, regardless of gender, as long as they were capable. However, she, who had been in the chieftain position until now, could not find her favorite. But looking at Judah now, she finally felt something for the first time. He had pure ck hair and eyes that matched the spirits passed down through the legend of their tribe and had excellentbat skills necessary for survival. She liked his guts in fighting against a number of Orcs alone. Even if she hadn¡¯t helped, which took a while, he still wouldn¡¯t have much trouble in dealing with the orcs. ¡°Miss Isabel?¡± At Judah¡¯s polite call, she returned to earth by blinking her eyes. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Anyway, I¡¯m d you¡¯re not injured. Maybe I helped you for nothing? Whoo.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Because of your help, we¡¯re able to have a peaceful conversation like this.¡± As they spoke, a few tribesmen ran in, armed butte to thebat. Isabel ordered them to retrieve the arrows. They kindly brought back two of Judah¡¯s daggers. epting the dagger they handed over, Judah brushed off the blood and tucked it back into the belt on his waist. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of the bodies. Do you want to stay here and smell their blood?¡± He was asked if he wanted to stand still and watch. ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°No. Why? Do you want to help?¡± Judah pondered for a moment before shaking his head in no time. He didn¡¯t want to touch their bodies with a mixture of blood and stench. In response to Judah¡¯s reaction, Isabel took the lead and walked. She turned her head, not fond of how he walked behind her. ¡°?¡± ¡°Why are you following from behind? Come to my side.¡± He followed her without saying anything. As he moved to walk with her side by side, awkwardness came in. Judah filled in the silence. ¡°Do the orcs usually appear near the tribe?¡± ¡°Of course. Probably the most fierce realm fights in Regen are between the orcs and us. Other tribes are the same.¡± She snapped like it was a stupid question. Since Judah was silent for about three seconds, she continued talking as if terrified of the silence. ¡°But it¡¯s a little weird. The orcs are dumb, and there¡¯s no way they would dare attack our tribe in such a small pack and without proper armor and weaponry.¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just wandering around?¡± ¡°They may be. But if so, they wouldn¡¯t target us. The orcs in the vicinity do not attack our tribe.¡± She said proudly. Listening to her gave Judah shbacks of the past. It was like one of the NPCs he could talk to in their town. ¡°Be prepared to get a hole in your head if you dare oppose the ck Tree tribe in Regen!¡± ¡°Orcs? They don¡¯t meddle with our tribe. They can¡¯t touch us. No one could survive our arrows. Why? Can¡¯t believe it? I can demonstrate it to you if you want.¡± The NPCs spoke of their tribe in such a manner. The ck Tree tribe was skilled in assassinating enemies from a distance because of their excellent bow skills. The orcs also feared them for it. ¡°They might havee from other ces.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird. Orcs from other ces?¡± ¡°¡­The orcs had scratches on their bodies. It didn¡¯t seem like it came from a fight; rather, it looked like scratches from trees or falling from a great height. Maybe it has something to do with the orcsing from the upstream of the river?¡± Not much information about this ce was known, so he tried to specte. Unsurprisingly, Judah¡¯s words caused her to erupt intoughter. ¡°Silly. There¡¯s a tribe upstream of the river with a red greatsword. They must¡¯ve driven away the orcs. That¡¯s crazy. We¡¯ll be attacked from both sides.¡± Red greatsword. That would mean the fragment. Judah confirmed in his -Notes-. A crude map that outlined Regen appeared. Like a clock, the ck Tree tribe was located at 5 o¡¯clock, and the tribe with the red greatsword was the Red Bear tribe at 1 o¡¯clock. And Judah remembered that there were small tribes in between. ¡°Then is there a space between the two tribes?¡± ¡°No, there are a few small tribes¡­¡± This realization made her voice tremble. ¡°The orcs came down from the river. And like you said, chief, these orcs wouldn¡¯t dare touch your tribe.¡± ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Judah couldn¡¯t be sure of his thoughts, so he thought he was rambling aimlessly. In the in-game story, he knew there was an event in which the ck Tree tribe attacked the orcs, but that didn¡¯t happen here. However, he had already witnessed reality as it missed a couple of in-game events. He had thought of what was meant to happen, so now he tried to think of what could happen in their case now. ¡°What if¡­ What if the Orcs attacked the little tribes and came down?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I may be mistaken because I don¡¯t know the location of the orc packs around here¡­ but I think it doesn¡¯t make sense for them just to wander upstream of the river. The children were ying around the river, so that means it¡¯s been a safe zone for a long time, and then suddenly, these orcs appeared. That might mean something, right?¡± Wasn¡¯t his spection good? At his theory, Isabel bit her lip. Chapter 117

Chapter 117

117==================== ¡°Ha. What useless musing.¡± She spoke as if to ignore his theory, but her expression grew stiff, and her pace slowed. She didn¡¯t seem to care at all, but she looked as if she had more stuff to say than she actually did. Isabel nced down at Judah and stopped walking. ¡°?¡± ¡°If you go along the river, you¡¯ll see the vige. It was nice to take you along with me. Now, go back and have a good rest with your wives.¡± She didn¡¯t give him a chance to answer, turning around and then going back her way. He tried to follow, but Judah couldn¡¯t take a few steps ahead because her stride had grown wider and faster, leaving no choice for Judah but to stop. The difference in her strides was constant, and he felt as if she was using the Chukji method. ¡°Well, I probably didn¡¯t say anything useless.¡± He thought he had to follow her, but his body didn¡¯t move as he intended. Judah, left standing nkly in the spot for a moment, said the chief would be fine, and so he returned to the vige. Meanwhile, Isabel, anxious from Judah¡¯s words, returned to the river where she had just killed the orc pack. Two of her tribesmen wandered in front of her, frustrated by the heavy atmosphere she gave off. After arranging the arrows, she walked to the ce where the corpses were piled up, then swung around with the tip of her bow, looking for something. The two tribesmen followed her. Isabel, who was still silent, stretched out her hand without looking behind her. ¡°Do you have a dagger? Give it to me.¡± They gave her the dagger they had without a word. Isabel took whatever she grabbed first. ¡°I have to visit somece for a while. Go back to the tribe. If you need me, I¡¯lle by tomorrow.¡± Isabel didn¡¯t hear their reply. She used her magic power and ran as fast as before. She climbed the river toward the Red Bear tribe and the small tribe between her vige. After her half-day rush, she spent the night in the woods and wasn¡¯t able to reach her destination until the sun dawned. As she lurked secretly, the wooden wall that was supposed to surround the nearby tribe had copsed. Her left hand stretched out to her bow, which she wore on her waist, and picked up one of her arrows. ¡®What happened?¡¯ The 2M-high barrier had copsed, and she couldn¡¯t feel the presence of the vigers. She entered the town, vignt around her. When she saw the copsed wall, she loomed, and inside the vige were destroyed housings, as if a giant monster came in and started a riot. She also saw a body that seemed to have died for quite a while now. Even if she didn¡¯t get close, she could smell the horrid stench in the wind. Her eyes frowned. ¡®That stranger was right.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know if orcs attacked it, but it was certainly true that something attacked this tribe. Isabel looked around, keeping her guard up. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t find a survivor. She also didn¡¯t see any live orc, who she assumed had attacked the tribe. After looking around, she put her arrow back into her barrel. Confirming that no one was left, Isabel looked around, stretching her back and rxing herself. She didn¡¯t get caught up in her keen feelings. All she could see were dead bodies. There was a dead orc too. Looking closely at them, she realized something peculiar. She said, ¡°There¡¯s a dead woman.¡± Orcs rarely killed women, even for reproduction. When plundering a tribe, it wasmon for them to kill men and rape women. They also weren¡¯t known for cutting their enemies neatly into two clean halves. Some possible monsters could¡¯ve done this, but the town wouldn¡¯t be like this if they had appeared. The building should have turned into ashes, and the bodies would¡¯ve been their meal, leaving no traces like this behind. ¡®Then, is it a human?¡¯ Who the hell would do this? It had been a long time since the war between Several neighboring tribes came to mind, but the rtionship with them was not bad. There had never been a conflict of opinion for a long time, and there was no conflict now. There was no reason to fight. Moreover, she didn¡¯t know enough warriors who could do such a thing. Isabel wandered around the town a little more to find any clues, but nothing was saved. She said, ¡°The properties and riches are untouched, and there are no orc bodies nearby¡­ Damn it. I don¡¯t know what you did this for.¡± Annoyed, she scratched her head. With no resolution, she tried to return, but a frown fell on her face as she quickly pulled out an arrow and shot it with her bow. The arrow hit the forehead of the person who peeked from a wall and looked at her. ¡°Ha. Really.¡± It was an orc that slowly passed back and fell. What she started grew, and she felt orcs gather under her senses. An orc pack emerged. It¡¯s as if they had just reached the vige. Confused, she pulled out an arrow and lifted it up. ¡°Okay, whatever you all are, I¡¯ll knock you down.¡± She kicked the ground and climbed onto a building. Landing on the roof, she saw arge number of orcs watching her as they drooled. ¡°Look at you lust over me.¡± She aimed her bow. Her arrow flew through the air and struck right at an orc¡¯s genitals. Starting with it, she began shooting at a pace the eyes could not see. The number of arrows she had was 50. For sure, she took out the lives of the orcs for each of them. She left only ten arrows, and after destroying the orcs, she exited the vige without survivors and returned to her tribe. Returning to the ck Tree tribe, she immediately summoned her warriors. ¡°Increase the number of guards to a group of 3 people. Strengthen your vignce and report anything to me immediately.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let the kids go out of town. Do you have a lot of arrows left? How many? Not enough. Make more and stockpile.¡± ¡°Send people to the tribe below us. Go and find out if their town is fine or if there¡¯s been anything suspicious recently. Right now!¡± Her orders were fulfilled immediately. All the people in the vige started to get busy. All but one, Judah¡¯s party in the Baekje Empire lodge at the northern entrance of the town. Isabel went to the flowing river and washed her body thoroughly, thinking of him. She said, ¡®It¡¯s like what you said, Judah.¡¯ The boy. The stranger. A child with the characteristics of a spirit that descended as a legend. She would not have known that one of the tribes had been exterminated for quite some time if it were not for the child¡¯s words. He was even fearless against the orcs he faced. Isabel squeezed her hair as she came out of the river and wiped her body with a towel. The cold wind caressed her mind. Resting a little and muttering, she changed her mind and went to find Judah. It was the first time she went directly to the building given to the envoys from Baekje. Without warning that she would visit, she walked in and opened the door. ¡°Kaaah!¡± The moment she opened the door, a brown-haired, frail woman hurriedly covered her body with a startled scream. The warm steam was faintlying out of her body as if it had just walked out of the shower. Arhil, flustered, puffed her lips and looked at Isabel. ¡°Why are you so surprised? I didn¡¯te to see you, so I¡¯ll do what I came for.¡± She shook her hands, slid her leather shoes off the porch, and found Judah. When she looked for the person she visited, he found Judah sleeping on the floor as he snored. He didn¡¯t even move, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Arhil screaming. Lucky. It seemed like there were at least four rooms, but she found him easily. Isabel approached Judah, squatted, and stabbed him on the cheek. ¡°Wake up. I have something to say.¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± She squinted and looked at Judah, opening his eyes, chuckling at the sight of him as if she found it cute. ¡°I need to sleep a little more¡­¡± The woman who the boy introduced as one of his two wives came into the roomte. Isabel stared at Jeanne, the woman with blue hair, as she continued stabbing Judah on the cheek with her finger. She made the gesture to wake him up. Jeanne didn¡¯t understand the meaning of her actions. Hesitating slightly, she spoke up. ¡°Do not do that.¡± Judah narrowed his eyes and shook his head at the feeling of pricking on his cheeks. But Isabel couldn¡¯t stop her hand. It was soft, and it was a fresh experience since she had never seen such a reaction. ¡°Judah, the Chief is here. We¡¯re not the ones stabbing you like that.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As if grasping the situation, Judah closed his eyes and stopped moving. Isabel quickly removed her hand and beganughing. ¡°Did you sleep well? I¡¯m very sorry that I bothered you while you¡¯re sleeping well.¡± Chulp- Judah nced at Isabel and gulped, trying to understand what was happening again. She gave him enough time. He seemed to have sobered up after a minute or so,ughing awkwardly as he greeted her. ¡°Well, good morning?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s dinner.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Did you take a break from the town tour?¡± At Isabel¡¯s question, Judah nodded his head. ¡°Good. Then can I ask you a favor now?¡± ¡°I hope it isn¡¯t hard.¡± ¡°Well. Depending on the situation and your skill, it may be difficult or easy for you. Would you like to listen?¡± ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± ¡°Of course. You see, what you told me had made things quite a bit bigger.¡± Isabel informed him that a tribe had been annihted. When Judah heard that, he looked startled. ¡°Did you juste back from there?¡± ¡°Yeah. I came back to confirm that your assumption was true. Maybe, stranger, you are truly a spirit for us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 118

Chapter 118

118==================== He didn¡¯t know what to say about being called their spirit, so Judah could onlyugh at it bitterly. Isabel, too, had a bittersweet smile on her face. It didn¡¯t seem like a short story, so when he flipped his nket and got up. He picked up his nket, took two steps ahead, and politely asked her. ¡°Can you wait a minute? We can¡¯t lie down here to talk so, please wait in the living room. I¡¯ll get ready soon.¡± Isabel looked at Judah silently and nodded her head. All Judah was wearing now was not the leather armor that fitted his body as she had seen before, but a thin dress for resting. Isabel stood up and went outside, and Judah unfolded his nket wide, tidying up and changing his clothes. Because of the code¡¯s effect, it could cleanse, so his -ck Wolf¡¯s Leather Clothes Set-, which he sat down in a corner, waited for him like a brand new set. ¡®Um¡­ It feels like a school uniform.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if he felt that way because he wore the same clothes, but it was a good thing that he didn¡¯t have to worry about what to wear. He noticed that one of his pockets for his three daggers was empty. He threw one to catch an orc and remembered that he couldn¡¯t retrieve his body because it had fallen into the river. He opened the -bag- and pulled out a spare dagger, and stuffed it in. When he was ready to go, Judah came out into the living room to see Isabel, Jeanne, and Arhil sitting awkwardly at the table. ¡°You¡¯rete.¡± ¡°Well, I came out quickly¡­¡± She nced at his clothing. The tribesmen here tend to wear leather clothes roughly, so they might not understand that changing clothes took time. ¡°¡­I¡¯lle out faster in the future.¡± ¡°Woohoo, good. Hahaha!¡± She suddenly burst intoughter, satisfied with Judah¡¯s answer. When Judah put his hand in the air and pulled his item out of thin air, she gasped in admiration. He took out a fruit smoothie bought from An and a special sandwich sold in Serenia Castle, looking as scrumptious as ever. He brought plenty of local goods in his -Bag-, so it wasn¡¯t a burden to entertain the guest. ¡°You have a special ability. Are you really not a spirit?¡± Judah smiled and gave her smoothie in a cup, looking at her with vignt eyes. It was just dinner, so he took out plenty of meals, so she wouldn¡¯tck even if she had enough. ¡°Is it outside food? These are the first things I¡¯ve tried. It looks unique.¡± She paused as she reached out, looking down at the bowls and cups Judah pushed to her. She only picked up her portion after Arhil and Jeanne took their sandwiches. She observed them, not knowing how to eat them. She forgot her purpose in visiting Judah as she took a bite, her eyes widening. ¡°Delicious¡­!¡± After the softness of chewing, the crunchiness of fresh lettuce, and the taste of the sd in it spread throughout her mouth. The first food she ate startled her. It was a great shock to her, who thought that all food didn¡¯t taste the same. She wasn¡¯t always eating meat and fruit. She pushed a piece of her sandwich straight into her mouth. Chewing with her eyes closed like epting God¡¯s blessing. ¡°This is awesome. Is this what the outsiders eat?¡± She really seemed to have forgotten her purpose ofing here. After one question, she continued with making a sandwich, what ingredients were in it, how much it cost, is it readily avable, and can they make this sandwich or something simr in their tribe? And after hearing the answers, she contemted deeply. Judah, which was the main reason for her visit, suddenly dishes, including sandwiches. Isabel may be from a tribe hired by empires and elsewhere for mercenaries, but she did not seem to receive food from them. She knew just how to make jam from fruits, so she exchanged with Judah some exnations to the best of her knowledge. ¡°Right. That¡¯s good information. Next time the empire¡¯s envoyes, I¡¯ll have to ask the chef and some cooking ingredients. I thought it was no different, whether outside or here, but this changed my mind. To strengthen trade with the outside world would be a good start. What do you think? What do you think?¡± She seemed to seriously consider ways to interact with the outside world through cooking, and he didn¡¯t know how to answer because of it. Judah was cautiously speechless, as he chose to return to the point rather than answer her questions. ¡°Sure, but¡­ Did youe to talk about food?¡± ¡°Huh? My bad. Right. Come to think of it, that wasn¡¯t the purpose why I came here. This sandwich is so delicious that I got distracted without knowing it. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, there is nothing to apologize for.¡± She smiled naturally and reached out for the sandwiches in her bowl, but, contrary to her belief, her hand grabbed her empty air. She had eaten it all. When she nced at Arhil and Jeanne¡¯s bowls, she could see that they had all eaten theirs as well. Seeing that the only sandwiches left were in Judah¡¯s bowl, she looked sad and tried to tell her story about her quest. Judah noticed her reaction, so he pushed his bowl to her. After leaving Regen anyway, they could always get more sandwiches. ¡°Thank you. Um- Did I say that the orcs annihted the vige?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But it may not have been annihted by the orcs.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He looked at her in confusion. ¡°When I got to the vige, I didn¡¯t find any live orcs. Of course, there were orc corpses, and there were also bodies of tribesmen. But there was one thing inmon with their bodies. They were cut into pieces. Sharply. Neatly. I mean, exactly by the waist. Not just the waist. Some were beheaded, some were cut by the waist, and some were cut diagonally.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It was done by humans. Some monsters could make such a sharp attack, but if they did this, they wouldn¡¯t have left a body. They would have eaten them all. It¡¯s suspicious that the women were also killed if we assumed that the orcs did it. Do you know? Why do you think it is weird for orcs to y a woman?¡± Judah nodded in reply. ¡°Orcs needed human women or women of different races to reproduce.¡± ¡°Right. It is rare for them to kill women who are usually unable to resist. And even weirder¡­ While I was there, another group of orcs appearedter.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know that. It could be the orc that killed the tribe! Or maybe they were there to be framed. Or maybe they were greater orcs that somehow appeared. Either way, it¡¯s not a good thing. Even if it was a small tribe, a tribe had been driven extinct.¡± Her eyes opened sharply. ¡°This is a threat to the ck Tree tribe. It¡¯s uneptable. If another tribe were trying toe for us apart from the Red Bear tribe, that would be uneptable, and if one of the orcs appeared to have a talent for sword handling, that would be impossible.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± This was a big headache and big trouble. Judah looked embarrassed because he had a rough estimate of what she would ask for. Although he knew that her quest wouldn¡¯t give him a bad reward, the real reason he came to Regen was the Thirteenth Fragment in the Red Bear Tribe. It was to check whether the Yakal of Wrath was in the owner¡¯s hands or if Kain came here and took it. If Kain didn¡¯t take it, he was also aiming to retrieve the fragment at any cost. He watched the gstaffpetition in An, the capital of Philoria, and he made up his mind not to be impatient, but he came here so he could check it out as soon as possible. ¡®Shall I do the favor and ask something in return?¡¯ She seemed to favor him, so he thought it would be okay to use the opportunity. ¡°Then, can I hear exactly what you¡¯re asking us to do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to do this in the first ce. Remembering how you dealt with the orcs yesterday, I think you have a great strategy, so can I ask you to scout the orcs? Of course, you don¡¯t know much about geography here¡­ Among our tribesmen, I¡¯ll send with you someone knowledgeable of it. Can you do it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s more difficult than I thought if it¡¯s just scouting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny to ask such a request to you strangers. It¡¯s our job originally, so I shouldn¡¯t be asking for this. But isn¡¯t it fun to have someone who can face a horde of orcs alone and fearlessly?¡± If someone like that was avable, why not put it to good use, right? Judah nodded his head, admiring her frank answer. ¡°Okay. Then I¡¯ll be happy to help.¡± And the moment he epted her request, the quest appeared. ¡¸Chief Isabel¡¯s Request 1-Scouting the Orc Vige¡¹ [The ck Tree tribe¡¯s chieftain, Chief Isabel, is suspicious of a tribe¡¯s extinction overnight.] [It didn¡¯t seem to be the doing of a monster¡­ There aren¡¯t just one or two things that didn¡¯t fit in if the orcs did it.] [She thinks a third party is trying to segregate the Red Bear and ck Tree tribes.] [But first, a group of orcs came down to the vige, so you should investigate the orcs first.] [Make sure there are no unique orcs in the nearby orc tribe.] The only information provided was the same things they talked about in their conversation. He looked at the quest content with his eyes and turned the window off. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll send someone tomorrow morning. Excuse me foring this evening, and for the delicious meal. If you¡¯re going to eat this sandwich tomorrow morning, I¡¯d like you to have more.¡± She revealed her personal wishes. After she left, Judah thought that he had changed into her leather clothes for no reason, so he returned to hisfortable outfit and spent the night talking briefly with Jeanne and Arhil. Chapter 119

Chapter 119

119==================== Perhaps it was because he slept a littlest night, and even though it was still dark, his eyes opened. When he looked out the window with his faintly open eyes, he saw the dark blue dawn sky. ¡®I think I got up too early.¡¯ It seemed that there were at least two or three hours left for the sun to rise fully and the day to brighten. He wanted to sleep better, but he decided to get up because he didn¡¯t know when Isabel would send someone. He got up but fell back down to sit still as if his drowsiness came over and stalled on him. He stayed nk for about five minutes, then snapped awake again, bending his neck from side to side before reallying to his senses. After tidying up his duvet and changing his clothes, Judah saw Jeanne and Arhil still sleeping, so he went out briefly. As he took a deep breath, cold air entered his body. He felt his drowsiness thoroughly wash away. ¡®It would be nice if there was a ce to sit and rest¡­ Wait, there¡¯s a chair.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know who had brought it, but there was a chair to sit and rest on. As he sat on the chair, cold energy crept through his clothes. His body trembled once as he looked on at the scenery of the vige. It was too early, so he didn¡¯t see anyone wandering around the town. ¡°Huh?¡± He thought he should have a cup of tea, and while he thought of opening the -Bag- to take out the hot water, he saw a man walking from afar. He was wearing a bearskin, and he noticed who he was. It was Arek, who he had already spoken to several times. He raised his head as he walked, breathing out when he found his gaze. When their eyes met, he stopped. ¡®Why did you stop?¡¯ Judah tilted his head as he sat on his chair and watched him as he walked. Even though he was far away, he might be the person that Isabel sentst night, seeing his fixed gaze. Maybe they brought this chair just for him. Judah beckoned toe over toward him, as he stood still while thinking. He yelled out for him, not really bothered if Jeanne and Arhil would hear him, who was still sleeping at home. After seeing his gesture, Arek walked again. ¡°Did the chief send you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s because I had the most conversations with the spirit. Oh, you don¡¯t have to leave your seat.¡± As he was an elderly man, he naturally tried to give up his seat, shaking his hand. Judah, standing in an awkward posture, sat back on the chair. ¡°You came very early.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know when you would get up to leave. I was thinking of waiting.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t eat?¡± He nodded. ¡°Thenter, my brother¡­ No, when my wives wake up, we can eat together.¡± ¡°Can I do that? It would be ufortable.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll need to prepare one more serving of food, that¡¯s it.¡± Judah shrugged his shoulders. He was a bit excited to see if he would have the same funny reaction as Isabel, who ate a sandwich yesterday. He leaned against the wall, staring at the vigendscape like Judah, and when the awkwardness became rather ufortable, he decided to ask about the orc tribe he was going to scout today. ¡°You mean the orc tribe? We¡¯re um¡­ We¡¯ll be departing from the east side of town.¡± While he contemted how to exin, Judah opened the -Bag- and took out a paper and a pen to give to him. He nced at it as if to ask what it was. When Judah demonstrated it, he eximed and drew a circle in the center of the white piece of paper to try it. He looked at the pen, surprised by its smooth lines, and then drew again. He drew a triangle not far from the circle. Perhaps this tribe was the orc pack or the habitat of the dangerous monsters equivalent to it. ¡°There are many dangerous things out there¡­¡± ¡°Yes, all orcs live in groups or form tribes. This is what we¡¯ve figured out, but maybe there¡¯s a lot more.¡± There were many ces to scout, but he would have to think about fighting the orcs if there were a lot of them. As they talked about their path of movement, they heard the sound of shuffling from inside the house. Judah went inside for a while and asked Jeanne, who got up first, to know if they had taken a bath yet, and then came out again to chat with Arek. After a reasonable amount of time, Arhil apologized for beingte and asked them toe in. Judah prepared rice with the thought of having a heavy breakfast. Because they were in a building for the Baekje empire¡¯s people, there was also a rice cooker avable, so all he had to do was take out some rice. He took out the side dishes that Gentia gave him and made fried eggs. The side dish Tia made was very new to Arek¡¯s eyes even though they¡¯ve had fried eggs before. They also had chickens here, so they ate it quite often. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, so try it.¡± Eating new food required courage, and he tried the food with unfamiliar chopsticks as he watched Jeanne and Arhil eat. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± He muttered sheepishly, but he eventually ate faster than before. Not quite as much as Isabel, but he had a pretty fresh response, and it was fun to see him enjoy his meal. As the morning dawned, they left with a full stomach and withughter. He knew the road best, so Arek took the lead, followed by Jeanne, Arhil, and then Judah. Whether it was Isabel¡¯s consideration or whether Arek knew the way well, the path to visit the orc tribe was not as difficult as he thought. No branches were blocking their view, and no vines held their feet. He walked through the woods with a light footstep, and when Arek stopped walking and lowered his posture, Judah¡¯s party followed his gesture the same way. In the distance, he saw two orcs wandering in search of food. Arek held two arrows on the bow in his hand and shot them at the same time. Surprisingly, the two arrows urately pierced the orc¡¯s head and killed them instantly. Without a scream or a single pip, the orc¡¯s body doubled on their feet and fell with a thumping sound. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a simple reconnaissance mission?¡± At Jeanne¡¯s innocent question, Arek looked back andughed. ¡°You can¡¯t abandon the opportunity to reduce their number. It¡¯s better to reduce their number in advance forter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do not worry. They will kiss the ground first before theye to us.¡± He was a hunter that took pride in his bow skills. After recovering the arrow that pierced the orc¡¯s head, Arek kept moving forward, shooting an arrow at each orc he saw, defending what he said. There was no need for Judah¡¯s party to use their hands. The arrows he shot were spot on and struck the vital ces of orcs and killed them. Perhaps because of Arek, walking around the orc¡¯s realm made them feel like they were taking a walk. Strangely, however, as the orc tribe got closer, the number of orcs decreased, and the orcs seemed to be angry with something. ¡°I think they¡¯re angry, but what happened to them?¡± ¡°I do not know. Maybe so. It doesn¡¯t seem like this is because of starvation.¡± Arek responded in spection and asked to go first. The orc tribe was located under a rocky hill. Arek, looking down carefully with his head out, was astonished. ¡°Unbelievable¡­ Who the hell?¡± Someone had already swept the orc tribe before they came. Their bodies scattered with blood. This was the reason why the nearby orcs seemed to be looking for something with great anger. The party went down the rocky hill and frowned at the bodies of the orcs who mangled terribly. They didn¡¯t know who did it, but they killed them pretty brutally. Some had their organs trail out of their bodies. Someid face down on a rock with their neck cut off. Seeing this, Arhil groaned and covered her mouth, nausea creeping up her throat before vomiting all that she had eaten in the morning. Judah patted Arhil on the back and spoke to Arek. ¡°Arek, were there other tribesmen other than us who decided to scout this area?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was only me who was ordered by the chieftain to watch the nearby packs.¡± ¡°Then someone else¡­ I have no choice but to say somebody else could only do something like this.¡± It was a good thing for the orcs to die, but the fact that someone they didn¡¯t know was doing something like this made them feel cautious. In particr, Judah recalled from Isabel yesterday that the bodies she found were surprisinglycerated neatly into pieces back in the ruined vige. If they looked closely at the corpses before them, the cuts were neat as well. ¡®If you have a spirit sword¡­ This is not impossible.¡¯ Who the hell did this? Judah cracked a nearby branch and stabbed the orc¡¯s body into pieces. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been since they died, but it doesn¡¯t seem that old. The others might not even know about it yet, and if he thought about the orcs wandering around in anger, this could have happened within the day. ¡°Where is the next orc n? Let¡¯s go there.¡± He hurried Arek to lead, who nodded his head. Chapter 120

Chapter 120

[There will be a mass release Sat to make up for missing chapters. We will hit 35 chapters this week. (Jan 20.)] 120==================== After the first orc n, the second n was already dead. The blood from the dead orc¡¯s corpse was yet to harden as if it hadn¡¯t been long since they went there. Unsurprisingly, no orc survived, and their bodies were all shredded. A little while ago, Arhil, who vomited, looked around in astonishment. ¡°God¡­ ¡°She muttered with her eyes closed. ¡°Who¡­ Who the hell did this? Would you like to go to the next tribe?¡± At Arek¡¯s words, Judah pondered for a moment and looked back at Arhil. She had been moving around at her breaking point. Although there had been no battle at all thanks to Arek¡¯s archery, it seemed that they had to take a break because of Arhil, who appeared to be quite exhausted. Judah shook his head. ¡°I understand the urgency, but let¡¯s take a break and go to a clean ce.¡± ¡°Well. Okay.¡± They moved to a ce without the scent of blood and took a break. As the sun rose in the middle of the sky, they grew hungry, so Judah took out the lunch box and water he had from their hotel in An. Arhil refused her lunch box because she wasn¡¯t feeling well, and Judah took out honey and poured it in warm water for her. ¡°That ability is amazing. Anything seems toe out of nowhere?¡± ¡°I have everything except what I don¡¯t have. There are a lot more here.¡± Judah had the -Bag- or a subspace in their terms, but he didn¡¯t say more. They bought plenty of food in Serenia and An and many other items from general stores, food outlets, and restaurants. He made considerable money by selling ck wolf skins and gemstones, and thanks to the bounty he received from Langrisa¡¯s official for defeating Count Jinmu, he had no shortage of funds to purchase such items. Judah, who smiled proudly from Arek¡¯s words of admiration, gave him honey too. After drinking the warm and sweet honey water, Arhil¡¯s expression grew brighter and a little bit better. ¡°Ha¡­ Please, I would like them to kill the next tribe better.¡± ¡°If they have enough skill to do that, they will be able to kill them neatly. That person seemed to do that on purpose.¡± ¡°Ugh. Does it have to be like this? But that person¡­ No, what if it¡¯s not a person? Even if we are humans, what if they run into us? This is a problem, and they are a problem.¡± Arhil worried with a sigh. No matter how hard he tried to think, it seemed unlikely. She spoke tirelessly to forget about her anxiety and the images of the orcs that kept popping up in her head. Judah was worried that their chatter would crowd the orcs, but if it happened, Judah and Jeanne would step up and stop it. No one silenced Arhil as Arek guided their way. They ratherughed and nodded their heads. ¡°Oh, smoke ising from over there!¡± They could see the gray smoke rising into the sky through the lush trees of the forest. Arhil saw that while Arek and Judah, who were focused more on their peripheral vision, missed it. Arek looked at the location and cried out with a frown on her. ¡°I guess they¡¯re attacking even the third tribe! It¡¯s not toote to see the battle! I will speed up a bit.¡± Arek did not hear their answer and rushed out. The screams of the orcs rang out in the forest. While running, they looked to the side and saw an orc lying down as if they came from this way. The orc, neatly cut in half, had its eyes wide open. They passed through corpses that were scattered around like a totem and reached the ce where smoke erupted. A burning tribe was seen down the hill. They didn¡¯t know how long it had passed since they engaged in the battle, but the fresh smell of blood mixed with the smell of burning. Orc corpses were already piled up. The Orcs, angry at the death of theirpanions, screamed and ran to their attacker. ¡°¡­¡± Judah¡¯s eyes hardened as he watched the sight before him. In the middle of the tribe, there was a knight with a great red sword with the same hue as his Altemia. He was wearing a full-body armor stained with blood, but the armor¡¯s appearance was very familiar. Hoowook! The knight, breathing wildly with a groan, brandished his sword with all his might toward the running orcs. Surprisingly, the orc swung around a proper weapon, but before it could even react, part of his upper body flew into the air. The red great sword was so sharp that it cut off even the weapon the orc was holding. The knight covered in the orc¡¯s blood that soared like a fountain burst intoughter when he saw his lower body falling with his legs twisted. ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± Arhil, watching his heartfelt joy in his murderous spree, raised her hands to her chest. The knight easily dealt with the rest of the orcs running at him. He shredded the orc¡¯s corpse at the end of one attack, leaving their headless bodies before him. Seeing the incredulous sight, anyone could tell that he was the knight who destroyed the two orc tribes they had seen so far. ¡°Oh my gosh¡­¡± Arhil trembled. The manughed and shook his body, and looked around. A dangerous nce shed through the gap in the facete of his pressed helmet. Judah looked at it and observed the knight with very cold eyes. The sound ofughter echoed in the air, the armor that was stained with blood looked familiar, and the red greatsword in his hand gleamed in Judah¡¯s eyes. Judah clinched his knowledge of the knight. ¡°¡­Kain.¡± He expected him to be here. And in the end, he even saw the fragment in person. ¡°Ha-!¡± The strength goes into both eyes and captures Kain¡¯s appearance. He wielded the great sword and watched every enemy silently as he ughtered the Orcs. Then, whether he felt Judah¡¯s intense gaze, Kain¡¯s head swung up, and he turned to his group on the hill. He cut one orc before him and then began running. He charged at them with his armor, like a running tank. Thud! Thud! He cut through the orc in front of him and ran at a tremendous speed. He seemed to slide several meters at a time. They gawked at him as he ascended the hill, and then Arek, btedlying to his senses, shot an arrow. Kain reacted at the arrow flying at him at a very close range. He lowered his posture with a step to dodge, all the while cutting the arrow with his greatsword, then he grabbed the third arrow shot at him with his hand. ¡°What?¡± Confusion hit Arek, shooting arrows in a row, that Kain crushed with a swing of his sword with great magic power. The magical power wrapped around his de was reddish and left a mark like a gently curved crescent moon. ¡®Bloody Wind!¡¯ It was one of the skills that can be learned when obtaining the thirteenth fragment, the Yakal of Wrath. Judah hastily grabbed Arek¡¯s cor and pulled him back. Bloody Wind whipped through the hill and disappeared into the sky. Then Judah jumped down the hill with his de and Altemia in his hands. Kain, who wasing up, did not think that Judah would jump suddenly, cringed, and held his great sword one beatte. But Judah¡¯s feet were faster. He stepped on Kain at the same speed as he jumped off the hill, jumped up the air as he used him as a footstool, andnded on the hill again. He had almost tripped, yet he stayed in ce by pushing himself off the ground using his hands. On the other hand, Kain, who was kicked by Judah, went back and rolled down the hill worn down by his armor, and fell to the ground with a thud. ¡®Are you dead?¡¯ His armor was ten kilos or more and even if the armor had lightening magic, it wasn¡¯t negligible. Even if one of his arms was scathed, there was nothing wrong with it, and Kain jumped up as if he had not been hit. Oh, oh, oh, oh! And the orcs who watched at a standstill started running like a horde of zombies. At first nce, the orcs, who were not small in number, seemed to consider Judah and Kain to be on the same side. When he tried to kill all of them by throwing Altemia, Kain, who had arisen, rushed in at him. ¡°!¡± Looking at his attacking sword, he reflexively crossed his de and Altemia to stop him, but he changed his mind and turned his body in a hurry. He tried to counterattack, but he had no choice but to spread the distance before Kain could get his shoulder. Potential Liberation, Magic, and Spreading Shadow ¡ª Judah stared at Kain, activating his skills. Kain stared back at him with a bizarre look, smacked the edge of his de to the ground, then swung it off at an orc approaching behind. In a blink, he had cut the orc¡¯s throat in half. It was unexpected that he met Kain here¡­ ¡®It¡¯s rather good.¡¯ He could kill him here and take away the fragment as well. It didn¡¯t matter if Kain had a job called -Gabriel¡¯s Sword- and had enormous potential. He would not have been a Wielder of the Sword yet. The wrath of the thirteenth fragment would not have eaten him if he had enough skills to be a Wielder of the Sword in the first ce or had the same mental power. Judah turned his head to the left to avoid the rushing orcs¡¯ attack, then swung his de, cutting their necks. It wasn¡¯t the level of cutting as Kain did, but seeing the blood spurt through the wound of their neck, they would die soon. Judah, who took his gaze away from the orc grasping his neck with a grunt, threw Altemia that he had been fiddling with his left hand, toward Kain. nk! Chapter 121

Chapter 121

121==================== He had killed two mercenaries who threatened him for the first time he stepped into this world. To gain experience, he killed the ck wolves of the realm. He killed the Flying Fighter to fight for his life. He killed the ghosts who had died once, killing them twice. He killed Count Jinmu, who was overtaken by the ghosts. He killed the orcs who took the lives of many living beings. ¡®So I can take your life too.¡¯ The reason why he kept touching Altemia a while ago was because of hesitation. Even if he was determined within his heart, it was not easy to act on it. He hesitated and threw a dagger but moved, thinking that he threw it with both hesitation and regret. The dagger, slicing through the air, urately cut the orc through its neck and turned to Kain, who was trying to put it down on the ground. Kain felt that the dagger, blocking it using the orc he was holding as a shield. The fragment¡¯s rage swallowed up Kain, so it should be considered irrational, but it was not right to see him as a normal berserk. It was the ck fragment that he had. The power of Pernen that it contained! Even without reason, it moved to find the best method and efficiency inbat. However, the efficiency also depended on how good the user¡¯s intuitive sense was. The orc wriggling at his neck held by Kain, struggled harder as Altemia on his back sucked his blood. Whether it was bothersome or it bothered him to hold it, Kain threw the orc and ran toward Judah. In the vicinity, orcs, who had lost their temper, rushed into the craziness as Kain approached in front. Judah prepared to meet Kain by evading attacks and counterattacking while checking the information sent into his head through his B-rank agility, Spreading Shadows, and Magic. In no time, he struck Altemia into the bodies of the orcs surrounding them and summoned another fifth Altemia. Whooong! He bowed his head to avoid the great sword that swung at him with the sound ofughter following it. The great sword, swayed with force, passed overhead with incredulous force and speed, and his hair was shaken wildly by the wind pressure. Judah, evading Kain¡¯s attack, drew his spear diagonally from his left hand. ck magic covered the sharp de, and -Shadow Swordsmanship Form 2-Magic- was activated. His de dug into the thick armor that Kain was wearing. The te armor of the Temple Knights, the armor made by refining the mineral with divine power, was much harder to prate than expected. The code was given, and its matching spear received a bonus in attack power due to the skill embedded in it. It didn¡¯t feel like Judah had cut through his flesh, more like he grazed Kain¡¯s fingertips. That¡¯s why Kain took on the assault and swung his great sword. Just before the great sword fell over his head, he stepped back. Kwaaang! A loud burst shook the earth, hollowing the ground as stones and grass flew into the air. Judah frowned, bounced away with his spear, and had to turn his body to throw a dagger immediately. His de hit an approaching orc¡¯s forehead, sending it to the ground. The orcs continued to rush at them. Kain and Judah didn¡¯t set a target. They just need a ce to release their anger. Kain must have seen enough people dying and had no fear, clenching his fists and swinging his sword like a blunt. However, Judah couldn¡¯t find a chance to evade him anymore by pushing his body away from the chain attacks. Kain¡¯s skills were mainly against one person, not range skills. Countless times Judah freed Altemia¡¯s power from his left hand. Red energy exploded around the de, and when it touched the bodies of nearby orcs, a solid line was formed, and blood was cut from their bodies as their life forces were sucked away. In a blink, the orcs shriveled into a slimmer figure. Even the orcs, unaware of fear, grew aware of the unrealistic phenomena sweeping through their n and fell far from Judah. Thud! Even as the red line sucked their life forces out and knocked them down, they continued to reach for Judah. Surprised, Judah hurriedly pushed Altemia out. The red line emanating from Altemia¡¯s de collided with their weapons and blocked it, and slowly they were pushed away. With confused faces, the orcs in the river looked at Judah while they flew into the air and fell on the ground, without grasping the situation. When he pushed his hand holding the dagger with a little more strength, their swords crumbled into pieces like broken ss and melted like snow into the air. The blood emanating from their lower body made them lose their sense of direction and then staggered, being sucked into the red line that Altemia released. Judah nced at Kain¡¯s figure beyond it. His body was filled with blood from all the orcs he had killed with the great sword. Tuk! The tip of Kain¡¯s great sword fell to the ground. Kain approached Judah, stepping on the orc corpses, as he breathed out and charged. Like Judah¡¯s Altemia, Kain¡¯s fragment, the Yakal, had its power freed. Like electrons revolving around an atom, Kain crushed the red line emanating from Altemia without affecting Judah at all, and Judah avoided it with agile movements as Kain crushed it with a great sword. It was admirable to see him attacking restlessly with a great sword that seemed to reach over his own height, but it worked only for orcs, unable to hit Judah with a single attack. Judah¡¯s spear and Altemia¡¯s red line that he couldn¡¯t prevent were sharpening Kain¡¯s armor like a pencil. The blood-stained armor may have endured the Flying Fighter¡¯s spear¡¯s attack power, but it was helpless to Altemia. But it wasn¡¯t easy. Judah blinked in amazement as Kain attacked while ignoring his physical condition, and he had to stop attacking with Altemia. Kicking Kain¡¯s body down with his feet, he felt that the pressure was too hard to bear with his one hand. Kain stumbled and staggered a couple of steps backward and then swung his sword at Judah again. Then, in time, he threw his Altemia and wielded his spear from top to bottom. His ck magical power cut his armor, and without any defense left, the chains that protected Kain¡¯s shoulders and arms as well. His muscles were cut off, and Judah felt the sensation of cutting through his bones. Judah¡¯s heart drummed wildly. Kain raised his hand as his legs tried to stand firmly on the ground. The muscles in his thighs swelled and prepared for the shock. Judah¡¯s spear faced Kain¡¯s attack on Altemia. Kaaang! ¡°Hah!¡± He felt Kain¡¯s left arm shrivel. Judah felt like he wanted to step back. However, thanks to the effect of Yakal, even though his one arm was cut off, Kain did not shed a painful groan and only gave more strength to his right hand holding his great sword. One of Judah¡¯s knees felt bent, unable to withstand the evasion he had to do from Kain¡¯s previous attacks. He remembered Yakal¡¯s characteristics, which gave the user higher strength value as the battle continued. Judah, who took his sword, nced down while gritting his teeth. He saw Kain¡¯s left arm on the floor, which fell to the orc corpses, as his shoulder spurted out blood. As he watched the pool of blood, he pulled his spear in his right hand. As his left arm had been cut off, Kain faced Judah eye to eye. It was an opportunity. And the moment he tried to stab him with his spear, Kaseun came to his mind, but without hesitation, he stabbed his spear. Kaaang! Although the armor had already suffered serious damage, it was not easy to prate with the spear. Knights didn¡¯t wear expensive armor for nothing. Judah threw it away, summoning Altemia in his right hand and stabbing him again, judging that his spear would not be able to break through Kain¡¯s armor. Thud! Unlike the spear, his dagger gently dug in. He didn¡¯t stop with one dagger. He summoned a second and third one and stabbed him again. Thud! Thud! Kain shriveled and grunted, but he wasn¡¯t dead. The power of the Yakal fragment seemed to be blocking Altemia from absorbing his life force. Judah felt sorry for Kaseun for what he was about to do, but as he tried to liberate the Altemias stuck on Kain¡¯s body, he confirmed the movement of a third party over his Spreading Shadow. ¡®Someone is approaching!¡¯ The moment he was about to snap his gaze toward them, he heard an unfamiliar voice whispering into his ear before he could even see the other person. ¡°Let¡¯s go. If we do anything more than this, you might really die.¡± ¡°?!¡± And with a strong shock, Kain¡¯s body bounced back. The power of the thirteenth fragment, Yakal, not only explosively amplified the user¡¯s muscle power but could also give tremendous regeneration power like Altemia. He cut off his left arm at best, but it can grow back to a normal shape if he missed it. As soon as Judah stepped back, he triggered Altemia like a remote bomb, but when hended on the ground and looked forward, thorns from Altemia were stabbing in the air. ¡°¡­¡± They felt like a ghost. Kain and the stranger¡¯s presence in his shadows disappeared like a lie, and Kain¡¯s left arm that he cut off, was not gone before his very eyes. All that remained was a piece of the armor that Kain was wearing. Who was it? The other person? Judah gritted his teeth. He clearly felt it approaching. But he didn¡¯t get a chance to see them nor respond. ¡®Is it Quake?¡¯ Quake, a Wielder of the Spirit Sword and the chief of the Red Bear tribe. The owner of the thirteenth fragment Yakal. He could have attacked him? He was the only one who could take Kain and disappear in an instant. Of course, he may be a demon like Asmodeus, but the magical power he felt from him was clearly human. ¡®Fuck it.¡¯ There was no way Kain could have stolen the fragment from Quake, a Wielder of the Sword. He couldn¡¯t have taken it. He won¡¯t be able to do that, so he must have voluntarily given it over to Kain. When Judah picked up the spear he threw on the ground, an orc rolled down the hill. Jeanne called after him. ¡°Judah! Are you okay?!¡± It seemed that the orcs that had climbed up the hill were dealt with by his party. Well, his battle with Kain was so instantaneous that it didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay! How about you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine. No injuries! We¡¯ll be down soon, so please wait!¡± At Jeanne¡¯s words, Judah immediately cried out. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go up, so wait there!¡± He didn¡¯t want to stay here anyway, with nothing to bring from the orc tribe but their bloody stench. Judah, who came back up the hill, confirmed that Arhil, Jeanne, and Arek were safe, and then they returned to the vige. And when Arek told Isabel what had happened there, she invited Judah to her residence. Chapter 122

Chapter 122

122==================== Judah sat face-to-face with Isabel in her room of exotic taste, which could not be considered under Regen¡¯s style at all. The table made in Baekje intricacies was entirely covered with food. The sses were filled with an unspecified beverage of either water or alcohol. There was nowhere else to put it, so they poured it inside that ss. From whole-grilled meat with thick thighs like straight out of a cartoon, there were also boiled meats and fruits that stood out nicely atop a huge leaf. ¡°This won¡¯t taste better than the food you brought, but we did our best to prepare them. Eat a lot.¡± It looked good enough. He was secretly ignoring the food here, but he felt the smell of the meals managed to convince him enough. ¡°I¡¯ll eat well. But, um- do we eat with our hands?¡± Isabel showed him a demonstration after Judah didn¡¯t know how to begin. He didn¡¯t know what kind of beast¡¯s leg it was, but he still grasped it and tore it apart roughly. Oil filled his mouth, but he was more surprised by the flesh in his mouth. It had excellent taste and chewy consistency. ¡®It would have been nice if Jeanne and Arhil also came.¡¯ As soon as he ate the meat in his mouth, Isabel looked puzzled and lowered her head to look at his expression. ¡°Why? Is it tasteless?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s surprising. The taste is very good, but I remembered Jeanne and Arhil.¡± ¡°Ah, your wives? You seem to love your wives very much.¡± They weren¡¯t in love, but it wouldn¡¯t be bad to let her think that way. It was true that thedies joined the scouting quest, and she would favor them like Judah, but she was yet to feel fond of them, so she only said what she thought. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve sent them food to not disappoint them. They¡¯ll be full by now, so don¡¯t worry too much and enjoy your meal to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Then thank you¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know why she was suddenly treating him like this, but Judah ate his food without hesitation. They munched on their meal without much conversation. She poured liquor every time Judah¡¯s ss was empty. The scent was sweet, but the moment it entered his mouth, it wasn¡¯t very strong at all. After receiving his shot and drinking it, his eating slowed as he grew somewhat fuller. ¡°You drink well. Would you like more?¡± Judah carefully rejected her offer. She only had one bottle, and he couldn¡¯t empty it all. The chief poured the bottle into her sterling silvers, but while she emptied it, there were still some left for Judah. He felt that his face was burning, perhaps because he had been drinking for quite a while, saying, ¡®I think I¡¯m good now?¡¯ Isabel nodded. ¡°A bummer, but I can¡¯t help it.¡± Regrettably, Judah was also disappointed. Oily food and alcohol went well together, so he didn¡¯t get tired of eating without rest. His stomach wasn¡¯t as full, which pointed to the matter of whether his digestion had improved. He was greedy about drinking, but he needed to hear why she was doing this, so he tried to restrain himself as much as possible. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°I guess. I¡¯m full, and I¡¯ve had alcohol, so where should I begin?¡± ¡°Is this a long story?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that long of a story.¡± He shrugged while Isabelughed as she slipped a fruit into her mouth. ¡°I want to say thank you first. I heard from Arek. You stopped the berserker who killed the orcs with this sword as big as his height?¡± Was she talking about Kain? ¡°Well done. If it weren¡¯t for you, Arek wouldn¡¯t havee back. And if you were any simple stranger, you would¡¯ve probably died on the spot.¡± Right. Judah listened silently to her, but he could survive because he was Judah, and he was himself. It was a skillful berserker with a fragment. If Kain had a party with him, it would be no wonder if Judah was annihted. And if Quake, who appeared there at the time, had the heart to kill Judah, he might have been sent back to the moment he acquired his Altemia and started all over. ¡°And to that¡­¡± Isabel bit her lips, looking down at the liquor left in her ss. She had something to say, but it didn¡¯t seem easy. As he waited silently, she emptied her ss at once and closed her eyes tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words that came out a whileter was an apology. ¡°What?¡± What was she sorry for? As he ate his food, Judah greased his hands with the oil and looked at her with doubt. Having dropped her tough and unyielding demeanor, she blushed and gazed at the ground as if it was difficult and embarrassing for her to apologize. He didn¡¯t know if she was red because of the alcohol, but it was true that she was shy. She said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we almost bring you to your death?¡± ¡°¡­Ha? Hahaha!¡± Judah erupted intoughter after hearing her excuse. Even though it wasn¡¯t that funny of an exnation, heughed andughed due to the alcohol¡¯s influence. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± She puffed her cheeks and asked bluntly with disgruntled eyes. Judah¡¯s cheerfulughter died down eventually, then nced at her. ¡°No, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re apologizing for, then so what? The world is full of dangerous things. I came to the Regen with the fear that I could die. I have prepared countermeasures for that. You don¡¯t have to apologize. Just say, ¡°You did a great job. Thank you for living.¡± That¡¯s enough.¡± This world was nothing like the real world where living was as safe. One day, while climbing a mountain, a hungry mercenary may be robbed, die of hunger, or be eaten by wild animals. In this world, you can enter a vicious lord¡¯s castle and die by their hands or by the hands of a mistaken nobleman. This was the world they lived in. If they didn¡¯t have the skill or luck, they could die. And die so brutally. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you to apologize.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± She knew, replying with a small voice. She looked down at her ss to see if she had something to drink, but nothing was left after herst gulp. ¡°Here you go.¡± When Judah held the bottle to her, she stretched out her hand to receive it, hesitantly holding out her cup. The drink filled the ss with a clear sound. However, after reaching a little over half, there was no more alcohol left. Sheughed at the tiny amount it filled. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t drink everything?¡± ¡°The bottle is empty, but I still have some in my cup.¡± He lifted the bottle and tried to pour it into his cup. The remaining drops emptied out of the bottle. He drank half of his ss. ¡°You seemed to enjoy drinking. Why don¡¯t you drink more? There¡¯s food left, and we can talk a little more.¡± There was no option. She shouted outside to bring some more of their liquor before Judah could even speak, and somebody outside the door soon brought two more bottles of alcohol. A new bottle was ced in front of each of them. They filled each other¡¯s sses, lightly bumped them, and then drank it all in one shot. They gulped and exhaled, and the taste of the drink passed down their throats. ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Fragments.¡± It felt like the alcohol in his body suddenly came away. It was as if his test report came, and he hid it, but his parents had been asking for it. Isabel stayed silent for a bit, ncing at Judah as she poured liquor into her cup. ¡°The story goes like this. One day, the fragments fell from the sky. Surprisingly, one of the only twenty-four fragments fell on the hills of Regen. And then, a god appeared from the sky.¡± God? He thought she might be talking about Pernen, but she was calling the lord of the demon world a god. ¡°God said that he would give everything to the one who could collect all the fragments he dropped. At that time, Regen was not a united system ofrge tribes, but a time when many of us were fighting against each other to find the fragment sent by God. Many tribes moved, and among them, the chieftain of the Red Bear tribe picked up a fragment. He destroyed most of the tribes that were there, and the survivors swore allegiance to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This fragment was a huge, reddish greatsword.¡± When he didn¡¯t respond, she kept talking. ¡°The chieftain of the Red Bear tribe passed it on to his children from generation to generation. And each time he passed it on, there was a great war or ughter. Those who inherited the fragments were tried, and every time they lost their temper and went crazy. They killed their family, they killed their same tribe, and they also killed the troublesome monsters. If they could withstand that ordeal for days or even months, they can finally deal with the fragment.¡± Isabel paused for a moment and poured more liquor into her ss. ¡°And Quake, the chief of the Red Bear tribe of this age, has no children because it died of a disease when it was a child. That means that there is no one to inherit the fragment. From the standpoint of the tribe, fragments are a powerful thing but a kind of curse. It¡¯s treated as something they must deal with because if a non-owner took the fragment, it would go out of control. Who would want such a thing? Of course, I don¡¯t mind, althoughck of talent to ovee the sword¡¯s ordeal is a factor as to why we avoid it.¡± Watching Judah quietly listening to her story, sheughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why I¡¯m talking about this?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Isabel seemed to be intoxicated. She propped her chin on her hands, with her red cheeks and loose eyes glistening. She bent and bowed in front of him, and he was astonished at her face as she approached. Their noses were close to each other. ¡°Would you like to trust me and do a job together?¡± ¡°Job?¡± ¡°You remember the knight with the great sword who fought you?¡± Whether Arek exined it in detail, she knew the knight¡¯s appearance,bat method, and the great sword¡¯s appearance and technique. No, it may be the result ofbining the information she already knew. At that time, Arek was dealing with the orcs with Jeanne and Arhil. She sat back upright and extended her index finger as she held her wine ss. ¡°That greatsword, that¡¯s the fragment of the Red Bear tribe. The knight in the armor is not of Regen descent. He¡¯s a stranger like you, and Quake probably intended to hand over the fragment to him. Let¡¯s take it away. The two of us.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Chapter 123

Chapter 123

123==================== Isabel looked at Judah as he sat there, unresponsive. Eventually, she shrugged at him and then emptied her ss. She didn¡¯t say anything more, whether she thought it would be somewhat overwhelming to continue. He said, ¡°Do you have any reason why you want me? And why you want the fragment?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there aren¡¯t as many talents like you in the tribe. There are a lot of people who have skills simr to those of Arek, but all of them are stronger at long distances than melee fights. Unless they were a Wielder of the Sword like me, they¡¯d be able to fight opponents without arrows. There¡¯s no one like you. They can only run away.¡± Just like she exined, there was no way an arrow can defeat Kain. It was unlikely that it would be different if they shot at him from a distance. He was a guy who could cut down even arrows flying from close range. He was able to ravage the armor he wore, but they had a cksmith in the Red Bear tribe, and they could repair it. He may even have a new armor done. Isabel filled in his silence. ¡°But aren¡¯t you different? You survived the knight with the fragment. I heard you fought against him equally with your strange dagger emitting a red line?¡± How long did Arek see that? Judah closed his eyes. He can feel the nasty sensation of intoxication. She didn¡¯t seem to think that Judah¡¯s special weapon was a fragment. ¡­ If he thought about it, she was the most reliable of the many tribes in Regen. She was the only chieftain who wouldn¡¯t say anything else and gave the rewards she promised while progressing the quest in the game. At least that¡¯s the case with the person he made. No matter how much he thought of the information set for her, he couldn¡¯t think of her shorings. In other words, she wasn¡¯t a person who could hit him at the back of the head. He didn¡¯t know what would happen once they¡¯re in the face of the fragment, but will she prevent him from dying? ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it alone? It doesn¡¯t seem impossible since you¡¯re a Wielder of the Sword.¡± ¡°Do you wanna know why I need the two of us?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Because I have to stop Quake. Didn¡¯t I say that the person who inherits the fragment turns crazy? The only thing that can control those guys is the original owner. We can¡¯t watch him do whatever he pleases. So, it needs to be us. It means he is nning to attack other tribes but tried to disguise it using orcs.¡± She bit her teeth. ¡°So, Lady Isabel will stop the Red Bear chief, and in the meantime, you¡¯re telling me to kill Kain, the one with the fragment? I mean, the knight? ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Will you give me the fragment then?¡± At Judah¡¯s words, Isabel had no answer. ¡°It¡¯s a fragment¡­ I was going to seal it, but if you can get rid of the knight, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t give. However, if another hit of damage urs in the process, I have no choice but to kill you.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen, so don¡¯t worry. If I got the fragment, I wouldn¡¯t stay here, so I¡¯d like to ask if that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°¡­If you can take it, I¡¯ll hand it over. Anyway, there¡¯s nothing in Regen that can go against it. Hmm. Well, even if you take it, many people covet the fragment, so it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re taking it for deranging reasons? And if it¡¯s in your keepsake, you can put it inside that subspace of yours. If you didn¡¯t show it off, they wouldn¡¯t even know it¡¯s lost.¡± She tilted her head in question. The fragment was yearned for by many, and if she took it, she¡¯d have a problem in dealing with itsplications. It would be useless in her hands, and her primary weapon of choice was a bow. Still, it was stupid to hand over the sword to the tribe who had been dealing with it for centuries. Isabel happily nodded her head once again after she pondered. ¡°Okay, if you believe in me and act with me, and if you have the confidence that you can get rid of the fragment wielder, I will be willing to hand it over.¡± And with that, they closed the deal. Isabel lifted the bottle she hadid down on the floor and held it in front of her. Judah lifted his cup, making Isabel wonder if it meant he wanted her to pour him some, but he silently shook his head. She couldn¡¯t understand what he meant, so for a moment, she looked at the bottle she brought up, and then, without a doubt, she raised the bottle to Judah. As if that was precisely what he meant, their cup and bottle clinked, and she giggled joyfully. Judah waspelled to drink again. Taking his bottle, he took several gulps down his neck and pushed a full amount of alcohol. His drunken state elevated. Feeling a fever on his face, Judah ate the food left in haste. It was delicious. The taste began to lessen, and if he cooked it, he would have adjusted it a little bit, but the exotic cuisine and taste excited him. ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re a great drinker. Bring some more drinks here!¡± He tried to be moderate and get out of it, but he ended up drinking more, the fever of being drunk heightening the room. They even brought in even more food than they ate before it could cool down. As more came in, their hot steam rose into the air. His memory became hazy after toasting with her several times, chatting and eating the food before them. ¡®¡­This is crazy.¡¯ When he woke up, Judah realized that he and Isabel were sleeping and hugging each other like lovers. He couldn¡¯t remember how many bottles he drank, but hisst memory was of them sharing a bottle with their shoulders together. Even in his real life, he had never drunk enough to lose his memory, and suddenly, there he was, drinking that way. He made sure that he was wearing clothes, thinking that they might have done something in an ident. His top was off, but she, fortunately, was fully clothed underneath. He tried to stand up with a small sigh of relief, and he noticed that one of Isabel¡¯s leg was on top of him to keep him from running away. He had to get up, but found that he couldn¡¯t. Judah took her breath deep as he watched her hug him, sleeping like he was a doll. Her sweet scent filled the air. As well as alcohol from the empty bottles they drankst night. Her scented candle also clung to their bodies. He felt like the scent would bring his intoxication back once again. Her red-brown hair curtained down her sleeping face. Judah stretched out her hand, and then sheughed out. He thought, ¡®There was a time when Tia was like this, too.¡¯ When they slept together, he often found her like this. He recalled his memories of Tia, and he naturally recalled his memories of Serenia. Pink-haired Riel, Kain, who was taught by Kaseun, and the old librarian at the library¡­ Judah shook his head and prepared to get up. He grabbed her trained yet soft thighs and pushed them away, and despite her light force, she naturally turned her body against him. Thanks to this, Judah, who easily slipped out of her arms, properly covered her with a nket as he got up. ¡°Wow¡­ I drank a lot.¡± The moment he got up, his head stiffened, and his hangover rushed. It seemed to be better than he thought for drinking a lot, but heughed at the scent of alcohol from his body. After stretching, Judah carefully opened the window of her room. A fresh morning breeze came in and took out the heavy air inside. ¡®Can I go like this?¡¯ Or maybe Judah, looking down at her messed up room, should do some cleaning for her? Looking around for a moment, he sighed at the appearance of the room that he couldn¡¯t clean without making any noise. He was bothered to walk between them, sitting countless times with his back leaning against the wall near the window. He sat still as if he stillcked sleep, and eventually fell asleep. ¡°Wake up. Why are you sleeping here?¡± At the call of Isabel, Judah opened his eyes, questioning the racket. He blinked, seeing that she got up. Rubbing his eyes, he opened his eyes and yawned. ¡°Okay, I actually got up first, but¡­ I think I fell asleep when I took a short break.¡± Isabel fled,ughed, kicked a bottle of alcohol rolling on her feet, and stepped outside. Judah followed after her. She must have sweated a lot from the liquor, so she dragged Judah to go and wash. Packed with clothes for changing and a bar of soap or something from Baekje, she hummed along as she moved. She went to the back of her room as she mumbled something about washing, with Judah sneaking up from behind. As expected, the ce she headed to was the downstream side of the river. There were no people nearby, and no one could peak at it from a distance. As if she waspletely conscious of Judah¡¯s attention, she took off her clothes and entered the river without shame. The river flowed to her waist and drifted ever so slowly, so there was no need to worry about being swept down. ¡°Come on,e in and wash. We won¡¯t have the time to go around looking for them in the afternoon.¡± She wasn¡¯t ashamed of Judah, but he was. She seemed to take it for granted, taking off her clothes and entering the river. She felt the alcohol wash away with the water. ¡°Woo.¡± Sheughed a little as her teeth gritted, dipping water to her head andthering her body with hee soap. Judah admired her hygiene. She meticulously soaped the inside of her thighs, as well as every nook and cranny, and then her hair. If he thought about it, he didn¡¯t know if she was like this because of their rtions with Baekje, but it was so hygienic that it was nothing strangepared to the normal. As he thought about it, she finished washing and stepped out of the river. Judah offered her breakfast, and Isabel dly epted it. Judah took out ingredients from the -Bag- and boiled bean sprouts soup with red pepper powder to relieve their hangover. Isabel, seeing the soup floating around, felt overwhelmed. She was expecting something like a sandwich, but their breakfast was bean sprouts soup. As she drank it with a disappointed expression, her expression changed from moment to moment, and in the end, she drank it like alcohol. And at the end of their breakfast, Judah told Jeanne and Arhil about Isabel¡¯s offer. When the story of the fragment came out, they said that it was reckless to go together and said they would do it with them. He wanted to talk to them, but it wasn¡¯t something that he could hide from them. And Jeanne and Arhil would be helpful in any way. Isabel warned them that they might be in danger, but it didn¡¯t stop them. She temporarily joined his associates, and they began to spend timeless days at Regen. Chapter 124

Chapter 124

124==================== + + + A rocky mountain where no grass grew, like and carved into a barren stone by God himself¡­ This was indeed the sacred ce of the Red Bear tribe. On one side of the rocky mountain was a boy bound by chains on both ankles, right hand, waist, and neck. His body smelled like he hadn¡¯t washed for a long time. He drooped with his head bowed as if he was dead. Someone hade up the rocky mountain. The boy raised his head as he heard the sound. The boy was Kain, the owner of the worn-out face. Kain Sabrak. He was the grandson of Kaseun Sabrak, the Wielder of the Sword in Serenia Castle, and a talented boy who was chosen by the third Holy Monarch Gabriel and had an apostolic profession. Vibrant and driven by justice, the boy stared nkly at the man as he ascended the rocky mountain with his unfocused eyes and with one arm cut off. ¡°Oh?¡± When he saw Quake, the chief of the Red Bear tribe, his face brightened. Not long ago, his left arm was cut off in a confrontation with an unknown boy while he annihted a pack of orcs using the fragment. Quake asked with a joyful voice and anticipation. ¡°Did you find the spirit?¡± But Kain had no answer. All he knew was his eyes set on the Yakal and its red aura, like a mist. Quake sighed with a confused look at his doll-like appearance. ¡°This is frustrating.¡± He put the fragment he was holding in his hand down to the floor. The sharp de cut through the hard rock and gently stuck through it. When he lifted his hand, he felt the overflowing force radiating from the fragment cease. Quake gazed at the boy in front of him, recalling his memories a month ago. In Regen, it was possible for those with the power to have multiple wives. He had that ability enough for him. However, he only loved one wife, so he refused to ept another. Behaving like a tyrant, he was the softest when he was with his wife. He liked the golden locks of his wife, and she gave birth to several children, but when they were all mature, they were tried by the fragment, and all of them died. He had been cursed by the fragment. The said fragment had been passed down from generation to generation, yet he also received his strength from it. The fragment stole the children that his beloved wife had given birth to. When his wife recently got sick, her body began to weaken. He always climbed the rocky mountain and prayed for the spirits. He prayed for the spirits to get rid of the cursed fragment and heal his wife¡¯s illness. He prayed earnestly. And what appeared was a woman with white wings called Gabriel, and not a spirit. She had a power utterly different from the unpleasant aura of the Yakal and emitted a divine light that he would not dare to look up to. Gabriel, who appeared on the rocky mountain with divine light from heaven, opened his eyes to a new faith. Gabriel once said she would grant him a wish. She first healed his wife¡¯s illness. She was able to smile as brightly as before and weed Quake with a brighter face. Even though it was quitete, she even showed morning sickness as if she was pregnant. Filled with joy, he next asked her to get rid of the fragment. However, she said that he could not get rid of it himself and instead offered to send a boy to collect the fragment. While walking through the forest by chance, he met a boy named Kain, with him was a pink-haired girl named Riel and an unnamed priest and warrior. As soon as he saw their tired faces, he knew Gabriel sent them. He invited them to the tribe and treated them with great care. Quakeughed happily with them, talking about Gabriel and handing over the fragment to them. He handed over the debris he had long felt resentment for. The fragment was based on the power of wrath. Quake no longer wanted to bear the weight of the fragment. It always felt like it crushed his shoulders with a heavyweight. So, he asked him to take the fragment because he wanted to throw it off as soon as possible. The Godsmissioned the child to collect all the fragments. The child with straight eyes was very pleased, perhaps because he had collected one. And when he received the fragment, he looked fine, lifting the Yakal with ease. Indeed, this was the child Gabriel had told him. He felt so relieved. The child¡¯spanions looked at it and approached with joy. At that moment, the child he believed would be something special plunged into chaos. The moment he grabbed the handle of Yakal, he swung the sword wide and cut down all of his ownpanions nearby. It was a mistake. Even though he was a child protected by the Holy Monarch Gabriel, he was a child and not a Wielder of the Sword. It was a mistake that he passed on the burden much too early and gave it to him in a rush. He should have waited. He was fine, and it was a mistake that he wasn¡¯t cautious enough. He was not terribly out of his mind. He looked down at hispanions, who fell and trembled at what he had just done. Whether such a sigh was enjoyable, Yakal made him giggle. In addition to that¡­ Yakal swallowed up the boy¡¯s body full of potential. He screamed as it overpowered the boy on the edge of insanity. For some reason, Gabriel did not appear then. Was this the child¡¯s trial? Quake looked down at Kain for a long time and had no choice but to let Yakal do its own thing. To get used to Yakal¡¯s anger, it was best to deal with it a lot, even if it meant shedding blood in the process. He released it at the orc packs and several times in a nearby small town. And while doing so, he identally ran into a dark-haired boy. The boy was awesome. It was not a lot for Kain to hold the Yakal while battling numerous orcs, so as the battle continued, his strength became more robust, but the boy even overpowered Kain. His left arm was cut off, and Quake came out to rescue and returned him before the daggers with the same energy as Yakal could do the boy harm. It was the first time that Kain, who had not been able to get a good sense of his mind, spoke for the first time after holding the Yakal. ¡®¡­ Hmm.¡¯ He wanted to try to fight the dark-haired kid once more. Quake burned medicinal herbs he had brought up while climbing the rocky mountain using a stone with the power of me and gave it to Kain. It was a medicinal herb that forced him to sleep. The moment he smelled the incense, Kain groaned as if he resisted the rush of drowsiness but soon fell again. ¡®Is he a guest of that tribe, since he was with the ck Tree tribe?¡¯ Thinking differently, Quake put back Yakal in Kain¡¯s hand. Before he climbed the rocky mountain, he destroyed three orc tribes. The Yakal, which decimated several orcs, had significantly amplified its power. Because of this, Kain¡¯s body began to regenerate due to the power of Yakal. The chopped flesh that had been burnt over the fire boiled up and grew in an unpleasant shape. Kain shriveled in pain. The light from the Yakal disappeared, and Kain¡¯s left arm was fully regenerated. The dirt of his body fell off. ¡®I haven¡¯t touched the ck Tree tribe so far. I have to see them at least once.¡¯ Quake nned for the future schedule, retrieved the Yakal, released the chains that bounded Kain, and descended the rocky mountain. + + + ¡°Hah, this is a vain attempt.¡± Arhil said as if she was sick of it. As she said, the orc tribe had already been attacked a long time ago, and the corpses were rotted and full of bites from a beast. They frowned upon smelling the terrible stench. No matter how many times they smelled it, they couldn¡¯t get used to the scent. Isabel looked around and exhaled, stepping on the thick bones of an orc with rotten flesh. ¡°Stop. Go back. We won¡¯t find any traces in a ce like this.¡± At hermand, Judah, Jeanne, and Arhil nodded and turned their backs without a word. They didn¡¯t know how many days had passed. It had been over a month since they¡¯ve been wandering around with Isabel in the forest like they¡¯ve been chasing the ghost of the Red Bear tribe¡¯s chief Quake and Kain here in Regen. At first, under Isabel¡¯s guidance, they tried to tired of the forced marching, but now they were used to it. ¡°I just want them to show up in front of me. We can¡¯t go around the forest like this forever.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we can¡¯t!¡± Jeanne¡¯s words reached Arhil. It wasn¡¯t enjoyable to walk through such a jungle anymore. The path wasn¡¯t neat, nor were there any vehicles such as wagons or horses. Even traditional grocery stores could not be found here, and there was no ce to buy delicious food. Because Judah had a subspace -Bag-, where they could always have fresh vegetables and supplies for life, but they were desperate. Arhil shouted in a voice full of resentment, shivering her body as if she was getting sick from it all. ¡°I just wish they would suddenly show up at the bottom of the hill¡­?¡± Arhil¡¯s words trailed off as her eyes spotted something unbelievable. They climbed down the high hills, and a knight was standing on the way down like a lie. He waited with a red great sword pierced on the ground, his hands resting at the end of its handle. The part of the armor that was crushed by Judah was covered in metal that he had tinkered with and did not match the rest of the armor at all. ¡°¡­¡± Judah, Jeanne, and Isabel looked at Arhil in disbelief. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t summon him. That was just a coincidence!¡± ¡°Of course, but whatever it was, it finally appeared, so we don¡¯t have to chase him anymore.¡± Isabel grabbed the bow from her shoulder and took out her arrow as she spoke. Unusual energy came out of her body. With hostility, she hung the arrow at her protest and sent it to a space. With a bang, the arrow stretched out and prated the tree in an instant. It was a thick tree that had been rooted in its ce for decades, perhaps over a hundred years, but it was in no time a hole on the ground. ¡°You don¡¯t think you can hide just by hiding behind a tree, do you, Quake?¡± ¡°Oops. The chief of the ck Tree tribe is quite rough. As soon as we met, she shot with her bow.¡± A man with a muscr and sturdy build simr to Kaseun walked out from behind the tree. In his hand was the arrow Isabel just shot. He looked up at the hill, bleeding andughing, and broke the arrow he held in his hand using his bare hands. ¡°I thought he was a pretty valuable guest because he had ck hair and eyes, but¡­ I didn¡¯t know the chief was guiding him directly.¡± ¡°The spirit? Who knew you were a fool? But¡­ I don¡¯t know. He might be the spirit who will collect the fragment from your tribe, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting. You¡¯re going to take the fragment from the apostle that I chose, no- the Holy Monarch chose? The child you believe to be a spirit will be the apostle¡¯s sacrifice and fully inherit the fragment from me. He¡¯s nothing but a sacrifice.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Isabel pulled out two of the numerous arrows in her quiver and fired her magical power. The arrows swooped into a whirlpool, and with powerful momentum, they rained down Quake and Kain. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Quake, so you can take care of the fragment on your own, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Judah said, nodding his head, looking away from Kain. Arhil braced and blessed Isabel, who was about to leave. In a duel between the two Wielder of the Sword, the small buffs were surprisingly helpful. She wouldn¡¯t know what buff she applied, but Isabel ran forward, saying thanks to her for feeling a little lighter. Chapter 125

Chapter 125

125==================== Standing silently under the hill, Kain pulled out the great sword he had in ce and then ran as he swung it wildly. The red energy from the de radiated like an aura and then came out to take form and mass. The magical power emanating from it struck the arrows shot by Isabel. The two energies ate at each other and extinguished at the same time, whether they had simr strength. Kain screamed at Isabel on the run. ¡°I¡¯m not your opponent!¡± Isabel leaped into the air, lightly evading her Kain¡¯s scorching greatsword and trampling at his shoulders. When Kain staggered and almost fell on the floor, he looked behind to see Isabel was already approaching Quake. Quake, who calmly watched with his arms folded,ughed when he saw it. ¡°Are you going to attack me, the chieftain of the Red Bear tribe, in closebat? Isabel!¡± He took out a great sword from his back that had the same shape and weight as Yakal. Even if they had the same sword, they had different specialized abilities. Quake had spent his entire life engaged in closebat with his sword, while Isabel had been in hiding and had her bow all her life. However, to his advantage, she felt that Quake was petty as she got closer. She shot off arrows to the broad side of his greatsword. The arrows with magical power struck him like heavy giant rocks. And when he cleared his sword, Isabel was right in front of his nose. ¡°Isn¡¯t this something you¡¯re good at?¡± Quake smirked as she swung her bow like a blunt g. As he wielded the sword he was holding down, her body leaped away. ¡®She¡¯s stronger than I thought?¡¯ With her escape, Isabel aimed her bow at him. Interesting. Fun. Was this the sensation when fighting without giving into the wrath of Yl? Quake couldn¡¯t hide his excitement from the joy that soon came. Defenseless, he saw the arrows floating in the air, and he swung his greatsword at them. His de, covered in magical power, split the arrows in half. Arrows slipped through his attack andnded treacherously on the ground, and Quake realized what Isabel was aiming for. ¡°Haha! Will our fight end first? Will those children¡¯s battle end first? Either way, you¡¯re at a disadvantage, Isabel!¡± ¡°¡­Where is the confidenceing from?¡± Isabel looked absurdly at Quake, jumping her at a stronger momentum. She was displeased with how sure he was that she was going to lose. Isabel shot an arrow. It looked like he was holding back, but her attacks were doing enough force so far. She conjured more magic power into her arrows than before. Their whistle broke through the wind heavily, and their rotational power was unparalleled. Kwakakakaka! Quake, trying to avoid the attack by lowering his posture, widened and stepped backward. He quickly spurred the ground and jumped into the air. The range of the arrows hit only a small point. That was its limits. However, the arrow she just shot did not hit a point but attacked a certain area itself. ¡°Huh?¡± When he dodged the second arrow thatnded on the ground, it pushed him and his greatsword away with the impact radius. He felt the giant sword push back his weight, and his back hit a tree. It seemed that he was being forced into the tree. When he felt the attack subside, he pushed himself off the tree, but the same attack as before was already flying at him. ¡°Huh, hahaha!¡± Quake grabbed the greatsword¡¯s handle and swung it with might as if swinging a baseball bat. A harsh wind pressure urred from the edge of the de, turning the ground upside down and picking up the flying arrows. While Isabel was pushing against Quake like that, Judah¡¯s party was fighting Kain. Kain, dressed in armor with a color scheme that cannot be found anywhere else, ran and dragged his sword to the floor. Red eyes pierced through the facete of his helmet. They couldn¡¯t see it, but they could feel his gaze. ¡®Kain!¡¯ Judah shouted his name in his head as he saw the knight wearing the full te armor. His speed as he kicked off the ground to run uphill was tremendous. Seeing Kain approach in an instant, he spread his left hand to summon Altemia and brandished the Flying Fighter¡¯s spear at the same time. He ran down the hill with magic power. ¡®?!¡¯ However, Kain evaded Judah¡¯s attack. No, to be precise, he just passed him. In a blink, Kain was charging at the Arhil behind Judah. ¡®Are you aiming for Arhil?¡¯ Attack the weakest first, or was he aware that if Judah remained alone, he would be in danger? Judah, in shock at whatever the reason was, looked back in haste. It was toote to run around. Judah saw Jeanne next to Arhil. ¡°Jeanne, stop him!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Jeanne, dressed in a beautiful silver armor that contrasted Kain¡¯s, brandished her shield with a dignified appearance, triggering her own Blue Lancer skill. It was a skill she learned by hunting orcs and fighting monsters while walking around Regen. A technique used by experienced Blue Lancers affected the shield¡¯s durability and defense by two or three times and repairing it over time. Qwaaang! An explosion rang out rather than a simple bump. There was a blue curtain on top of her shield, and it broke as the fragment held by Kain crushed through it and grazed the shield within, but it was able to withstand the attack power of the Yakal. ¡°Quick!¡± Jeanne knelt on one knee to brace against his power. They heard his footsteps against the ground. Kain crept closer as he swung his greatsword one after the other. Arhil¡¯s blessing was given priority to Jeanne. She held her shield roughly to hold back Kain, who was approaching close, as she stabbed hernce roughly. Hernce hit the air, then she retrieved it back and aimed again at other areas. Kain, eaten by anger, judged the attack as threatening, looked at the gap, and paid attention to her shield rather than her attacks. Altemia flew just like his Bloody Wind skill, its de wrapped in red magic. Jeanne kept Kain upied and allowed Judah to catch up with Kain. ¡°Kain!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unsurprisingly, Kain did not respond to Judah¡¯s call. He stepped back silently and then approached again. His eyes narrowed as he swung his sword. Something was weird. Gabriel. He came to this ce with her help, yet he seemed to have been eaten by Yakal. Was she not helping more than this? Or was she watching Kain believing that he will ovee his powers? So, if ever Kain died, would Gabriel appear? What happened to Riel? She must have gone on an adventure with Kain, but where the hell was she, and what were hispanions doing? No one answered. Kain, who was controlled by wrath, knew the answer, but he couldn¡¯t answer even if he asked aloud. ¡°Ha!¡± Heughed at Kain, holding his dagger, and saw Kain wielding his sword to cut his throat. He was far more demanding and menacing than their previous battle in the orc tribe. Judah, holding the Altemia in his left hand, brandished his spear in the other. His de gently dug into a cold area and cut off Kain¡¯s flesh. Whether he got an artery, blood spewed out through the cracks of the armor. Angry at the pain, Kain screamed and iled his greatsword. With Bloody Wind, a red sh whipped out from the sword. Judah avoided it reflexively, but it flew toward Arhil again. Jeanne, who anticipated it, moved in front of him and blocked it. Kain¡¯s eyes sharpened as he saw the attack bounce off her shield and cut through the trunk of a tree. Then Judah threw Altemia at Kain. Caaang! His first attack was blocked by Kain¡¯s greatsword and bounced off a tree, and then he avoided the second attack. Third, fourth, fifth. He kept summoning daggers and throwing them at him repeatedly, and finally, Judah struck Kain with the eighth dagger. Kain¡¯s strength amplified as the battle continued, but with Arhil¡¯s divine power and strength higher than his level, he pushed Kain into a ce where Altemia would hit. Kain, who couldn¡¯t respond appropriately to Judah, stumbled and retreated, and at that moment, Judah liberated every Altemia that he had summoned. Altemias buried on the floor, tree posts and branches spewed out bloody energy like a mine and stabbed up into the air. Rather than avoiding the des rising from all directions, Kain wielded his greatsword to smash it. In the meantime, several strands of red lines slithered out from thest Altemia de in Judah¡¯s hand. Kain, who had already been hit once, was wary of it and stepped back, but unfortunately, it waspletely different from before. As he threw Altemia with the snap of his wrist, the red lines extending from the des settled in a spiral shape, then rotated like a drill and turned to Kain. ¡°!¡± Surprisingly, rather than looking at it to block or evade, Kain held his Yakal in a stabbing position, then stabbing the great sword at the flying Altemia. ©¤©¤©¤©¤! urately hitting with the edge of the great sword, Kain broke through it with force. Judah gaped when he saw Altemia bounced back into the air, unable to cope with that force. This was indeed, Yakal¡¯s power. He thought that the more the battle continued, the more powerful it grew. Jeanne¡¯snce flew toward Kain from behind. Judah, seeing thence flying with heavy momentum, immediately spurred the ground and followed. When Kain swung his sword from the inside out to strike the iingnce, Judah plunged into Kain¡¯s arms with the spear he held in his right hand, lowering it into Kain¡¯s body. Foook! He aimed at the heart, but in a rough movement, it stuck to his shoulder. Kain¡¯s body reacted and tried to put his knee against Judah¡¯s abdomen. Taking a step back, he twisted his body to avoid it and grabbed Kain¡¯s right wrist with his left hand. Along with the cold metal touch, the force that cannot be ignored was felt at his fingertips. Through the Yakal, he could see that tremendous power was given to Kain. He quickly summoned Altemia in his right hand. The Altemias stuck on the floor disappeared, and a new one appeared. He stabbed down the one he held firmly. Kain tried to fall back as if knowing that his arm would be cut off if he stayed still. Since he grabbed Kain¡¯s left hand, his palm was cut by the armor¡¯s metal material. Still, Judah did not let go. ¡®Cut it!¡¯ It was an instant moment. A little faster than Kain¡¯s retreat, Altemia cut off Kain¡¯s right arm, holding the Yakal. The Flying Fighter¡¯s spear was deeply embedded in his left shoulder, and as he retreated, he spurted blood from his severed right arm. Kain coughed and red at Judah silently. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 126

Chapter 126

126==================== Last time he had his left arm cut off, and now it was his right arm. Blood fell from his open wound, and Kain shook his body as if he had escaped Yakal¡¯s influence. But he was still staring through the facetes of his helmet. Hrrrr! The thirteenth fragment, Yakal, had begun to cry roughly. It seemed as if the Yl, who had lost its master, was calling for Kain. Each time the sword burst into tears, Kain staggered with a headache. He looked like he was trying to resist the call of the sword. Judah stared nkly at him. ¡°¡­¡± Despite the apparent chance to kill Kain, he didn¡¯t move. With blood dripping from Kain¡¯s shoulders, Judah only kept staring at Kain. A red haze rose from Kain¡¯s staggering body. It looked like a zing fire. ¡°Aaah!¡± His groaning and shaking seemed like a sign of his reason returning, but Kain screamed like a monster, whether he could not ovee Yakal¡¯s control in the end. Looking at him, Judah was shocked as if a blunt force had hit him to the head. With eyes wide open, he watched Kain with his cluttering helmet and armor. He didn¡¯t know what kind of expression he was making. However, despite the spear in his left arm, he moved his left hand to his arm to grab and pull it out. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking of you like this, Kain.¡± He was a hero. He was a boy who helped others without hesitation and ran alone to help those in danger. But that boy was now nowhere to be found. It was a pity. He may have heard Judah mutter bitterly, but Kain had no answer. No, it was because of Yakal taking over his reason that made him unable to reply. Bad ending. That was Kain¡¯sst word. On the one hand, he thought of helping him somehow to wake her up, but it was because of herpassion. Still, his intention to kill the guy from Serenia Castle remained unchanged. Judah took his position as he watched Kain screaming and scream, holding the spear awkwardly from his left hand. He then summoned Altemia and stopped him from the front. Caaang! In some cases, Altemia¡¯s sharpness could cut him, but Kain rebelled. He did not wholly lose Yakal¡¯s power yet, but it felt quite heavy. As his body staggered despite his sword striking the intended ce, Kain believed in his armor and pushed on with his shoulders head-on. Seeing his bull-like posture, Judah turned his to the left. The hem of his coat fluttered like a bullfighter¡¯s red cloth. Upon seeing Kain¡¯s back, Judah threw Altemia. Frrrk ©¤ the bloody de soared with a sound pierced Kain¡¯s body. In slow motion, Kain was stitched by his daggers. Judah restrained Altemia from sucking up Kain¡¯s blood and life and then took Kain¡¯s hand, still holding the handle of the Yakal, just to throw it into the grass. Tshhhh! Judah¡¯s scathed palm recovered quickly. Even Yakal, who cried without rest after Kain, became quiet as if it knew that its owner was dying. ¡°Hmm.¡± The moment he grabbed the handle of Yakal, strange magic came from the sword. The magical power forced into his body through his fingertips caused difort. At the same time, a red curtain appeared in front of his eyes, staining his view. The world had turned red. The figure of Kain pierced right in front of him and the figures of Jeanne and Arhil. In a blink, they turned into terrible monsters. Judah frowned at their appearance, disgusted just by the sight of them. ¡®What?¡¯ It was Yakal¡¯s job. As soon as he decided to let go, the curtain was torn apart. Their form, which turned into monsters, also returned to their original state. ¡°What was that¡­?¡± He sighed and looked down at the heavy sword. Judah fought against its magic power, and the de trembled as if it panicked, but it sent out a magic power again. However, unlike the beginning, the red veil tried to cover his field of view but continued to disappear. Judah ignored it again and walked toward Kain. Either he was unfortunate or fortunate, but Kain had not yet died. He was calm as he groaned and vomited blood. Judah didn¡¯t know what to say, seeing the blood dripping from the inside of his helmet. He put the Yakal on her floor, reached out his hand, grabbed the top of his helmet, and lifted it. Sweaty blond hair, tired gold eyes with heavy dark circles, and blood flowing down the corner of his mouth was the sight that faced him. Kain was right ©¤ it can¡¯t be. As Judah dropped his helmet on the floor, the sound of his voice echoed. He looked down at Kain with a mncholy gaze. Judah focused on his eyes, faintly reddish. His mouth opened as to say something, but no sound came, just a trickle of blood. ¡°Ju¡­¡± As his name seemed toe out of Kain¡¯s mouth, which had been coughing for a long time, Judah hesitated, reaching out his left hand to stop him from speaking. The warm blood and the texture of his lips grazed Judah¡¯s fingertips, but he did not take his hand off. Judah apologized to Kain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kain. I don¡¯t want to hear what you want to say¡­ I don¡¯t dare to hear it, to be exact.¡± What to say? This was hisst minutes, but what was he to say? What was the meaning of those shaking eyes? Curse? Anger? If not¡­ Confessions of what happened? Perhaps he wanted to share his story. There must be something he wanted hispanions to know. He was curious, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the courage to listen. Kain drooped his head, understanding Judah¡¯s words. Because of his hand¡¯s obstruction, the blood that Kain vomited out trickled slowly and eventually ceased. He still had his arm cut off, and Judah¡¯s spear was still in him. Given the amount of blood he had shed so far, there was nothing unusual about his death, and Judah decided to relieve Kain¡¯s pain. He would show Kain mercy this way, which would be thest. ¡°Grandpa will receive your memento. I don¡¯t know when it will be¡­ but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m entitled to deliver your remembrance to him.¡± Judah, who had created a new Altemia in his right hand, put it exactly in Kain¡¯s heart. After a while, Kain¡¯s body fell, and there was no further reaction. When he summoned Altemia again back to his hand, Kain¡¯s body fell on Judah with no support. He dly epted his dead body. Judah, carefullyying his body on the floor, closed his eyes, and looked down at the dead Kain. He killed Kain. It was a lot worse than she thought. He didn¡¯t think of their memories, but he remembered his time with Kain. ¡®That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to be friends.¡¯ He closed his eyes with regret. When he closed his eyes, it all shed into his mind. The first time Kain went through Judah¡¯s house window and challenged him into a battle, then Riel took up a wooden sword against them. They were all scolded by Kaseun Sabrak together¡­ Then they were taught together¡­ Then he watched him receive Gabriel¡¯s protection in the temple¡­ There was the time he felt self-loathing when Kain saved another person during the ck Wolf subjugation¡­ He said he was going to kill Kain after¡­ And after hising-of-age ceremony, he even encountered him on his way to find Jeanne in her battle with the Flying Fighter. ¡®Hah. I remember everything, even the useless details.¡± Judahughed in vain. Eventually, recalling that Kain died with his own hands, Judah opened his eyes. Thest look on Kain¡¯s face was heavy. It was truly a bad ending. ¡®Sometimes I remember more¡­¡¯ Judah spoke silently to Kain, who had struggled to die with a troubled heart. Arhil and Jeanne approached Judah in vain. They just watched without saying anything. Kwakakakak! ¡°Ah.¡± At that time, he turned his head at a sounding from a ce not far away and saw that several trees fell down at the same time, causing a tremendous amount of dust. Were Isabel and Quake still fighting? ¡®¡­Shall I give Quake a try and strike thest blow?¡¯ He could learn any swordsmanship or master of any sword skill at level 50. It was a privilege only avable to yers regardless of their talent. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ Now, I¡¯m level 36. No. 37.¡¯ His level had risen after defeating Kain. And there was also a system message as if he got a stat bonus. He didn¡¯t really want to read it, but he couldn¡¯t pass it over, so he checked. [Kain Sabrak, who was chosen as an apostle, was defeated. Although Gabriel protected him, he couldn¡¯t ovee the trials of Yakal, and he couldn¡¯t exert any abilities he had as the wielder of -Gabriel¡¯s Sword-, but the matter of the fact is that you defeated the apostle who was meant to be your future enemy. The lowest and second-lowest stats increased by 3 points each, and the third-highest stat increased by 3 points.] [Charisma, knowledge, and magic resistance have increased by 3 each.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 38] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 2] [Strength: 50(C) / Potential A] [Health: 46(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 60(B) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 44(C) / Potential B] [Magic resistance: 57(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 11(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 20(D) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 84(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 2] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ After reading the message¡¯s contents roughly and confirming that his stats had risen, Judah rejoiced as he checked his skill window. He was checking his conditions for bing the Wielder of the Sword, not the reward he got from defeating Kain. He thought it was better to focus on it. [Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship]-Rank: A / Workmanship: 7/10 His swordsmanship was at level 7. Judah sighed. He picked up Kain¡¯s helmet, which he dropped on the floor earlier, and put it in his -Bag- before standing up. When he pulled out the Yakal he rested on the floor, a message he could see whenever he acquired a fragment appeared as if it recognized him as the owner. [Saves the resurrection time based on the current location and current time.] ¡®If I can¡¯t kill Quake, I¡¯ll at least get 3 levels up.¡¯ Quake was a Wielder of the Sword. The amount of experience he could get would be enormous. Depending on his contribution, there may be a slight difference in the amount that he might receive. Still, Isabel was now his temporarypanion, so he would be able to gain experience nheless. ¡°Now, shall we go?¡± * * * ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Tip 22. One is not called the Wielder of the Sword because they handled the sword well. Spear, bow, sword, dagger, or any weapon, can be referred to as that for those who could take a weapon beyond a particr area. These are people beyond humanity. How do you be such a person? It¡¯s simple. You can do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and 10km runs every day, as well as any kind of swordsmanship, archery, or spear. Anyone can be a spirit sword owner if they master the proficiency level and score 50 levels. Hahaha. Of course, assuming you are the yer. Chapter 127

Chapter 127

127==================== ¡°Are you going over there? Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I have to go.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a bad decision¡­¡± ¡°?¡± Jeanne replied in a gloomy voice. Judah, who kept looking down at Kain¡¯s body, looked down at her. Unnatural sounds echoed through the air as the sound of the wind whipped through them one beatte. Kwaang! The ground cracked along like the explosion of a bomb. The trees fell, and dirt soared high. Kwakakakak! As if a shark came upon the surface of the water, a st of magical power whipped through the forest, like fins cutting through the sea. The battle of the two Wielder of the Sword had been a natural disaster. They saw the whole area turn into ruins before their eyes. ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± Indeed, it was crazy to see things like that and go in without fear. Rumors said that people could die after intervening in a duel between two Wielder of the Sword. Jeanne¡¯s stamina and magic resistance could withstand the attack of the Wielder of the Sword to some extent, but Arhil was a problem. Although her body had been trained for a priest, she was nothing by herself and without Jeanne. He thought, ¡®Arhil might not handle it well. Without Jeanne, she can¡¯t protect herself on her own.¡¯ He was different. He received stat bonuses from his fragments. Even the quality of the Blue Lancer¡¯s armor differed by rank. That wasn¡¯t a bad thing, but despite the apprentice Blue Lancer¡¯s armor, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed protection in a battle with two Wielder of the Sword. Judah happily nodded his head and replied lightly. ¡°Okay. Then, I have no choice but to go alone.¡± ¡°What?! It¡¯s dangerous, Judah. I wasn¡¯t stopping you because I was worried about our safety. I said it because I was concerned about your safety.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. No matter how strong you are, going in there and helping is suicidal!¡± Arhil followed Jeanne¡¯s defense. What difference did they cause about being there? As he kept Kain¡¯s body near him, his thoughts continued to linger in his mind. He thought it would be better to go to the battlefield and learn through it and deal with thest blow. After all, his progress was saved when he got the thirteenth fragment, the Yakal of Wrath. ¡®I could die then?¡¯ If he died, he woulde back to life and go back to this very moment. What was there to fear? If he thought about it, this was an opportunity ¡ª an opportunity to gain practical experience and face against the Wielder of the Sword Quake. Maybe even give the final blow and get an adventure out of it. It¡¯s like whenever a new fight urs in any game, and he had to take on the challenge and fail several times just to find out the winning pattern or strategy. It¡¯s unpleasant to experience dying a few times, but such an opportunity seldom came. Judah pulled up the Yakal despite the wishes of Arhil and Jeanne, who were holding him back. Perhaps the weapon wasn¡¯t nning to give up. Even though Yakal¡¯s magic came to him by surprise, summoning a red curtain over him, it began to falter. His -yer- characteristic tries to demand it back. ¡®Even if I got the Yakal, the skills I should get for it isn¡¯t working.¡¯ The sword was not submitting. This was a problem that time would solve, but it seemed that he couldn¡¯t borrow this fragment¡¯s power right away. Judah then confirmed Yakal¡¯s information. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Name: Thirteenth Fragment-Yakal] [Rating: Legend_Sword] [Equipment: Great Sword] [Attack power: 135] [effect] Strength+4, Stamina+3, Knowledge-5, Luck-5 Attack and movement speed increased by 10%. Reflexes and movement vision increased by 5%. 50% increase in health recovery speed and recovery amount. [Exnation] This is the great sword made from the thirteenth fragment of Pernen¡¯s heart. It was forged from minerals extracted from meteorites that fell from the sky and had the power to absorb magical energy. Initially, it had a pitch-ck color, but through all the bloodshed by ying many beasts and people, it soaked it in blood. The power engraved to its heart shard is ¡°wrath.¡± ¡®Kill it, kill it! Kill them! Kill it! Kill them! Kill them all!¡¯ -Swordsmanship acquisition (Passive)-You cannot win by merely getting angry. You must have skill. (First time skill acquisition) ©¸Poke, one point (Active): Momentarily rushes and concentrates all the power at the de¡¯s tip to pierce it. ©¸Linkage, Ascension (Active): An attack is blocked with a linkage that can be used after stabbing or after an attack is sessful. This also sends the enemy into the air due to the strong force. ©¸shing bells, wind (Active): m attack. If it cannot cut the target, the de can be used for crushing. ©¸Linkage, Blood Wind (Active): A disastrous and long-range attack and shoots a reddish sh. -Restore(Active): Absorbing the fragment¡¯s power will instantly increase thebat ability. -Equivalent Exchange (Passive): Reduces knowledge by 30% and increases strength by 30%. -Stronger Power (Passive): From the moment you enter a battle, your strength increases by 1 each time a certain amount of time passes. It grows to a maximum of 10 and does not affect beyond 100. When the health falls below 30%, it is temporary and stops the user from being tired. -Fast regeneration (Passive): The ability to recover the body increases and minor wounds heal in an instant. However, it takes time if you suffer a severe injury, such as losing a body part. -Sword Correction (Passive): Increases the attack power by 15 and amplifies the power of the technique used two times. -Magic Defense (Passive): You can block magic below a certain level. -The thirteenth of Pernen¡¯s twenty-four hearts (Passive): The thirteenth of the twenty-four hearts has the power of ¡°wrath.¡± -Passive: If you collect all 24 fragments made from Pernern¡¯s heart, you can inherit the power of the Demon King Pernern. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Yakal¡­ It was indeed a good weapon. It was made from a rare mineral obtained from meteorites. It had the power of absorbing magical power as much as possible to say that it had infinite capabilities, and Pernen himself made it. The center of gravity, bnce, and length was perfect. And it had been set up as a weapon for Kain. That was why it didn¡¯t suit Judah¡¯s body. In the first ce, it was set to be used with both hands rather than with one hand, so holding it in one hand also felt awkward for him. However, if he passed the swordsmanship level to match its higher attack powerpared to the Flying Fighter¡¯s spear that he used now, he could immediately use the fragment¡¯s skills. ¡®The thing is¡­ the Yakal is not admitting me.¡¯ Perhaps because their situation was different, the Yakal refused to lend him any strength. Thanks to this, he only received its effects, but he couldn¡¯t use its skills at all. If he tried to activate a skill like he usually does with Altemia, there was no response. It was a weapon that he needed to deal with, but since it didn¡¯t listen to him, he could only sigh. ¡®There¡¯s still a long time left before I can get Winter Wind or Silver Cross¡­¡¯ There were even the owners of those two weapons, making it even more challenging to obtain. Judah sighed. Arhil and Jeanne waited for Judah¡¯s judgment as he remained silent, hoping they would listen to their pleas. They were very goodpanions. None of the game yers would have thought that Judah, who was meant to be betrayed, would get such reliablepanions. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Judah!¡¯ Jeanne called his name as he ran off to do what he nned. ¡°You may really die. I know you have fragments; even then, you can¡¯te out alive from there!¡± ¡°Of course, yes, but if Miss Isabel loses, then we¡¯re all dead.¡± They could run away from here before that happened. However, if they used the space moving manastone given by Count Genuine in An, they can move directly from here to -Urun Kingdom-. They could get out of there without having to struggle. However, he thought it was a waste to give up this opportunity to face the Wielder of the Sword without fear of losing anything. His stats, skills, and items would be lost if he returned to his save point after death, but at least he could experience and remember it. That was his most important asset. ¡°Then I will go too.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why? Do you mean I¡¯m not as good as you are? I can protect you with my skills. If Arhil blesses you, it is enough for you to endure against the Wielder of the Sword!¡± ¡°To be precise, you¡¯ll only be able to withstand him a few times. Your body may withstand it, but it will be difficult with that equipment.¡± Jeanne¡¯s face hardened. Judah thought of what he wanted to do with a dissatisfied look and stretched out the Yakal he had in his right hand. ¡°But if you can use this, let¡¯s go together.¡± Even though it was an offense to her pride, Jeanne putnce in the ground and received the Yakal he handed over. And, as if it had gotten a new host, Yakal, who had no response when in Judah¡¯s grasp, began to tremble. Seeing Jeanne¡¯s eyes turn red, Judah quickly grabbed the Yakal. ¡°¡­!¡¯ Jeanne gasped, taking all the breath she could get after everything she just saw in that brief second. Judah apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jeanne. I know what you want to say and what you¡¯re worried about, but I have to go.¡± He didn¡¯t know what would happen, even debating to hand over the space moving manastone to Arhil. Judah ran into the battle. And in a blink¡­ [You are resurrected.] Quake chopped him with his greatsword. Chapter 128

Chapter 128

128==================== The message in front of him disappeared automatically after a certain period. Judah¡¯s gaze, who was still staring at Quake, fainted. Judah sighed, returning to the point where he had his eyes on Kain. ¡®Hah, that¡¯s crazy.¡¯ His moment of death came to his mind. He thought he stepped into the scene at a good time as Isabel and Quake faced off quickly. Instead, his timing was perfect, that he wanted topliment himself for it. He struck a surprise attack on Quake, avoiding the arrows from Isabel¡¯s shot and hitting them with force, as he wielded Yakal and triggered Altemia. ¡ª! He was astonished to see Judah approaching rapidly, not expecting he would get into their fight. With him holding the Yakal meant that Kain, whom he believed would win, was dead. Judah¡¯s unexpected appearance astounded him. Still, he stepped back from Judah¡¯s attack, but Isabel¡¯s arrow, the one he missed,nded in his forearm. He hurriedly pulled out the arrow while Judah attacked again, all the while dealing with Isabel¡¯s arrows flying precisely from his blind spot. They could do it. Or so he thought, foolishly. Quake¡¯s skills were never easy to deal with. Although he missed Isabel¡¯s arrow once, his skill was too high for Judah to face it head-on. His strength, stamina, and skills were allcking. Isabel was the only one who was able to face him with agility, but thanks to his high luck, he was able to face an almost fatal attack. -You¡¯re good. Surprisingly, you killed the King¡¯s Apostle¡­ But do you think that I, who had been ying with swords all my life, will be defeated by you as if you lived for tens of years?! When his sword hit the Yakal, Judah was set to fail. At that significant impact, Judah lost the sword within his grasp. The sword bounced off into the air, and as if he epted it, Quake stretched out his arm and took it away. The moment its original master caught it, the sword gave him power that Judah couldn¡¯t have. He summoned Altemia to fight against the great sword, but he couldn¡¯t ovee its power, and his arm was cut off. In terrible suffering, Judah activated Altemia¡¯s ¡®Immortality¡¯ ability and used up all the vitality he had umted. With a monster-like regenerative power, his arms grew back, and he tried to fight him again, but in no time, Quakecerated him again. He could see him. He even predicted what kind of attack he would do with his Spreading Shadows skill. But, despite knowing, he couldn¡¯t stop it. -Die. Just as Kain died vomiting blood, Judah suffered the same by coughing up blood as well. He was cut off and killed in the attack that followed. ¡®I died brutally¡­ Should I go and try again?¡¯ One death could change his mind. Judah thought about it for a while and then concluded that he should try it again, and so he had the same conversation with Jeanne and Arhil as before and went back into the battle. And he died with ease. [You are resurrected.] The message displeased him. [You are resurrected.] He really didn¡¯t want to see it. However, even though he didn¡¯t want to see the message, he had to see it. While moving against Quake and his sword, in an ident, he was hit by Isabel¡¯s arrow and died like the first time due to the difference in strength. His neck was cut and broken, his body was cut in two, and he died in various ways. People could die in ways. And with death, there was a mental illness or trauma. But to him, it was nothing strange. Because of the characteristics of -yer-, after death, he was just numb. But it wasn¡¯t just dying. Over and over again, he learned something little by little, and he got a sense of how to fight. He used a shadow sword to dodge Quake¡¯s attacks and counterattacks, and was resurrected under the protection of the 6th Lord and could even inflict fatal injuries. When he returned to his point of resurrection, the cooldown of the 6th Lord¡¯s protection was also reset, so he approached his attack ways. Knowing Quake¡¯s skill in the game, if only he could control himself like a character in a game, he would clear the battle smoothly. His number of resurrections reached a number of 15 times. It was one of the biggest fights so far, and Isabel¡¯s support attack hit Quake precisely, giving him a chance. From Altemia, which Judah left on the grounds, its thorns rose, and arrows from Isabel would make Quakeg and stagger as Judah attempted to hold the man. It was a situation that he judged to be an opportunity, but he did not approach it lightly because there have been several things that he had encountered so far. He could almost get to thest minute, but in a moment¡¯s mistake, Quake would get him and send him to the ground. He died with a sword in his heart, and soon his consciousness would clear and return to his checkpoint. [You are resurrected.] Like a printed message, it felt like shit to have it thrown and fisted into his face. Quake always won, but he was so close to killing him in thatst round! With that thought, he bit his teeth and faced the challenge again. And it was after about ten deaths that such an opportunity came again. When he tried to save at that moment by thinking that he didn¡¯t want to experience death anymore, Isabel¡¯s arrow straight at Quake¡¯s eyebrows. It was when he defeated Altemia, thrown by Judah, and picked up the Yakal he just snatched from the boy. An arrow flew past Judah¡¯s face from behind and hit Quake¡¯s forehead. ¡°Get back!¡± As soon as he heard and recognized the voiceing from his back, Judah stepped back. At that moment, exactly when his feet hit the ground from stepping back, arrows made of magical power rained down from the sky like a shower. From the very second her arrow pierced his forehead, Quake¡¯s death was already sealed in fate. He tried to cover his face with the great sword. And yet, the rest of his body was exposed. There were his hand, shoulders, chest, abdomen, and thighs. His body was full of arrows. ¡°Yes¡­ you¡­.¡± Struggling to breathe, he red at Judah with bright, bloodshot eyes. He didn¡¯t know what he was trying to say as his lips quivered. He didn¡¯t want to hear his dying voice. ¡°Shut your mouth and just go to hell.¡± Judah, exhausted and gasping for breath, said so. He approached him, shook the Yakal away from him with both hands, and cut off his neck. The unpleasant sensation he felt in his fingertips turned into excitement at that moment. Quake¡¯s neck detached as if his neck had been cut off quickly. Judah felt glorified when his enemy¡¯s blood-stained on him. Twenty-two times. If he added all the times he died, he died precisely forty-four times. After all the times he struggled with death, they finally struck Quake. Without Isabel, it would have been almost impossible. ¡°AAAAAAH!¡± Judah shouted in the middle of the ruin of countless fallen trees, surrounded by dust in the air. From the bottom of his heart, he mustered every feeling to scream. And, to congratte him on his victory, the message window was quickly updated in Judah¡¯s sight. [You defeated the chieftain of the Red Bear tribe, Quake. It is an outstanding achievement to beat the Wielder of the Spirit Sword despite his overwhelming skills, experience, and abilities.] [Although there was help from ¡®Isabel¡¯ of the ck Tree tribe, it cannot be said that your abilities did not contribute at all.] [Level is increased by 4, and all stats are increased by 1.] [Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship proficiency increases by 2.] [Shadow Justice: Part of the spirit of Quake, the Wielder of the Sword, is the 9-style dancing ghost knight, and it is absorbed.] [Because of your currentck of skills and qualifications for the Shadow Justice, the characteristics of the 9-style dancing ghost knight are hidden.] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡¸Status Window¡¹ [Name: Judah Arche] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 42] [Job: ck w _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden_A)] [Number of resurrections: 25] [Strength: 51(C) / Potential A] [Health: 47(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 61(B) / Potential SS] [Magic Power: 45(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 58(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 12(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 21(D) / Potential B] ? Special [Luck: 85(A) / Potential S] ? Special [Remaining points: 6] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Shadow Justice/Swordsmanship]-Rank: A / Workmanship: 9/10 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Judahughed, looking down at Quake¡¯s slumped, dying body with his chest shaking. Judah was killed in every attempt, growing determined to kill him next time. He thought, should he quit in the middle? But he couldn¡¯t do that, even though it was unfair that he needed to suffer for it. And since he finally won after all that, he didn¡¯t even have the time to read everything that popped up before his eyes. ¡°Good work.¡± Isabel came to Judah¡¯s side, looking down at Quake¡¯s body, pping his shoulder and patting him on the head. Her whole body was covered with sweat, whether she suffered quite a bit too. Her wet hair was full of dirt and dust. Judah saw a purple color leaking over Quake¡¯s body. The light, which soon tookplete form, was the code for his ss. ¡°Go.¡± Isabel picked it up and handed it over to Judah. Even if she lived in a ce like this, it didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t know that it was a code, but Judah was amazed at her knowledge. ¡°I think this is not enough of a price to be given to you for fighting at the risk of your life, but will you take this?¡± She gently stroked his hair as if praising a child. Judah did not shake away her hand. He pretended to be shy, and although it was acting, he still didn¡¯t feel the feeling of victory in his heart. Chapter 129

Chapter 129

129==================== Heaven, the thirdyer. Gabriel¡¯s Sanctuary A beautiful temple filled with the scent of lilies. A ce made of pure white marble. Tranquil like an entire field of snow. Clean, fragrant, quiet. The temple matching these depictions was of the third holy monarch, Gabriel. Her symbol, the lily flower, was always in full bloom, waiting silently for a visitor. No one had visited Gabriel¡¯s temple since thest visit of the first Queen Jopiel. The main reason was that she herself did not want to invite someone to talk with her. As she quietly observed her middle ground with her wings floating over the spring at the innermost part of the temple, she felt that someone had entered the temple. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®What now¡­¡¯ It was a critical time. She mumbled and tilted her head for a moment. She didn¡¯t know who came to her, but she thought of kicking them out after finding out. She could only hear their footsteps, feeling nothing from it. Thump! Thump! The sound of walking on the marble floor was heavy, so it seemed like it could be a single man. Then there came a sound that she shouldn¡¯t hear. Ringggg¡­ It felt like her whole temple was ringing. Gabriel¡¯s eyes widened. He was closing the door of the temple, which he shouldn¡¯t be able to do without Gabriel¡¯s help. Nor was there any possibility that the first and second holy monarchs would close the door without asking for her permission. Anxiety began to slither in as she spread her wings, covering her, and then wearing a dress over her body. Her divine powers gathered, and then she draped on a white cloth of purity. Woosh! The divine power that was spreading in the temple gathered around her body and shone. The sound of the footsteps gradually approached, and she prepared to attack. It was ridiculous that she felt anxious and vignt in her celestial chamber, but she believed in her intuition. The sound of the footsteps paused, and her unfamiliar visitor rose to the fountain where she was. The moment her opponent¡¯s face came up from the bottom as they ascended the stairs, she immediately attacked without hesitation. Dozens of beads with her condensed divine power emitted rays with a dazzling light. The streak of light that shot out was powerful, but with a shake of the hand from the man who appeared, the chastity temple around him turned to gray. The ray of light that reached for him was no exception. Everything that entered his realm was frozen in time. ¡°What a harsh wee. I came from the entrance of your temple for your consideration.¡± ¡°¡­Why did youe here?¡± Gabriel said, staring at him with displeasure. It was Xian, the 1st monarch. Like her¡­ No, this was an influential person who had gone through the repeated fate of this world much earlier than her. He could be seen as a colleague because he knew the world¡¯s contradictions, but she wasn¡¯t happy with his appearance. Xian walked as if he hadn¡¯t heard Gabriel, removing all the rays of light that were blocking him. In his world stained with gray, the attacks made by her divine power were wiped out in vain with one flick of Xian¡¯s fingers. She had no choice but to watch it helplessly. Having erased all her rays of light, he sauntered and looked up at Gabriel in front of her, as there were no more obstructions to face her. ¡°I don¡¯t like that someone is looking down at me, but oh well, it is my fault that I came without notice, so I¡¯ll understand you this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rude.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said I would give you a pass this time.¡± As Xian tried to sit in the empty space, then, he popped out a simple chair to rest on. He sat down and snapped his fingers, and the gray world returned to its original state. Xian looked up at her, crossing one leg and sping his hands together with a friendly smile. Of course, he wasughing at her, but he continued to speak. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. I believe our casual first encounter was at a temple?¡± ¡°Yes. Naturally, we don¡¯t cross paths often, and we have no reason to see each other either. So, what purpose did youe to me for?¡± ¡°Straight to the point. How cold. Discussing ourmon goals¡­ Maybe as friends, we could share a cup of tea and talk about chess.¡± Gabrielughed astonished. ¡°Hah! That¡¯s ridiculous even to the ears of a passer-by. Friends? Tea? Chess? That¡¯s absurd. Do you think a demon lord and a celestial monarch would do that in a good way? Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± It was a remark that might feel insulting depending on who would hear it. Gabrielle told Xian how absurd she found his statement to be. Xian nodded his head as if it was not a big deal, and he replied eloquently. ¡°Well, you can think like so, but it¡¯s not impossible. Our case is very special. That¡¯s not strange, is it? Since we have the same purpose, we can be regarded as co-workers in terms of cooperation. You are a queen, and I am a monarch. Is a cup of tea bad?¡± Chess was nothing wrong. It was a peaceful game. Xian muttered as if there was no problem with it at all. Then he looked up at her and smiled. ¡°However, if you don¡¯t ept that we are equals, our rtionship will have no choice but to be that of a king and a servant. A superior and an inferior.¡± At the moment, Gabriel red at Xian¡¯s smile. The pressure over her skin made her body tremble. ¡°You see, do you think you can beat me with strength? Or experience? What can you do if I have risen above the line of repeating fate? Do you believe the other monarch of the heavens can equal me? There¡¯s Metatron. He is indeed a great monarch. But, by my standards, he¡¯s not strong enough. Or¡­ Jopiel?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. Either way, whether you bring Metatron in front of me or Jopiel, no one in this world can beat me. I am chosen by Him. I am the most powerful in this dimension. I don¡¯t know, but maybe if you can bring together the lords, you will kill this avatar. Ah, would you like to hear something good?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°He¡¯s tough to deal with, but you could try to get the 6th monarch, Bel-Therja, to get rid of me. He can easily kill my avatar.¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes widened. He held no regard for the monarchs of the celestial realm. He was nasty, but she couldn¡¯t argue. She deserved it, and he had the power to justify such remarks. She couldn¡¯t evenpare with Queen Jopiel¡¯s power, so what else did she need to say? In the heavy atmosphere, Xianughed gently and pped his hands. Suddenly, a table and a chair appeared in front of him. ¡°Now. If you understand,e down and sit here. You know how to y chess, right?¡± On the table were ck and white horses carved out of jewels, a chessboard, and refreshments to enjoy. When she looked down at the empty teacup, it began filling up with cocoa, steaming lightly. There was no option. She slowly descended from the fountain, folded her wings, and sat in front of him. ¡°Okay, you made a good choice. Let me use ck and Gabriel, you are white to suit each other¡¯s disposition.¡± At Xian¡¯smand, Gabriel sighed and reluctantly moved her pawn. As always, the first start was quick without any hesitation. The white knight moved, and the ck pawn moved forward. Their pace grew faster. The knight caught the bishop, and then the pawn took revenge on the knight. ¡°You¡¯re very belligerent. It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°Are you here to y chess?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Xian sipped a cup of cocoa, picked up his pawn, and sat it in front of her. A knight immediately executed the major who ate the pawn. Oops, he muttered bitterly. ¡°I just came to stop you.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Pretending you don¡¯t know, I see. Didn¡¯t you know that your destiny wouldn¡¯t change? Do you think I am unaware that you pushed a boy named Kain ording to your own wishes?¡± Gabriel¡¯s fingertips holding the knight shook slightly. Xian smiled a little while looking at it. She picked up a cookie, chewing loudly. ¡°No matter how it goes, you¡¯re here trying to get fragments under the expectations that you are going differently from the fate you know. It¡¯s funny. It¡¯s also useless. Did you think I didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do I mean? Why did I appear at this moment? Why don¡¯t you think about it first?¡± Withughter, Gabriel rubbed her fingers and spilled crumbs on the floor. She saw the dirty marble floor, flickering her fingers to clean away the crumbs into nowhere. Gabriel didn¡¯t know what he spoke of, so she closed her eyes. Her vision crossed the celestial world and fell into the middle world. Quake, the owner of the fragment she had her eyes on, tried to hand it over to Kain. ¡°The boy will soon be stained with the madness of the fragment, unfortunately.¡± Gabriel tried to get up from her seat to prevent the future, but she couldn¡¯t move because of the invisible pressure on her shoulder. Even her divine power didn¡¯t work ording to her will. ¡°Oh no.¡± She muttered unconsciously. She saw a terrible vision that would soon take her by surprise. Kain, who received the fragment, attacked hispanions that came to congratte him. ¡°How?! This is horrible!¡± Seeing her reaction, Xian sat back and rxed as he ate their snacks. Gabriel held her knight chest piece, and at a moment of shock, she unconsciously turned the jewel into dust. The moment it was done, she opened her eyes and stared at Xian. ¡°What was that¡­? What was that?¡± Chapter 130

Chapter 130

130==================== ¡°What did you do?! Stop it from happening!¡± Even when faced with Gabriel¡¯s threats, Xian spoke nonchntly. The knight she turned into powder suddenly returned into shape in the hands of Xian. The sound of horses that neighed on the chessboard was so cheerful, disrupting the heavy atmosphere. ¡°Keep ying chess. If you beat me, I will let you go. But of course, I don¡¯t have any mind to return time and change the past.¡± Still, he could stop the boy from going crazy. At Xian¡¯s words, Gabriel sighed. Hooh. She was forced to y chess. She opened her eyes sharply and red at him. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s begin.¡± She answered confidently, but the results were revealed in no time. It was terrible. Her experience and skill were insufficient for her to beat his proposal. She was surrounded, each of her moves was countered. Like a butterfly stuck on a spider web, her situation was hopeless. Plus, it didn¡¯t work out because she grew impatient. 17 matches. 0 wins. 2 draws. 15 losses. Even though she did her best to focus, she couldn¡¯t win the bout. Xian, who wasughing at her, made a mistake, and she had an opportunity to win, but it ended in a draw. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Gabriel nced at Xian as heughed at her. Annoyed, she caressed her forehead. ¡°Sigh.¡± Her head felt stiff. A considerable amount of time had passed. They only had seventeen chess pieces, but Xian took a break for an hour or two, saying that he was tired every time the game was over. Meanwhile, she tried to call another holy monarch, but she couldn¡¯t do anything with Xian¡¯s power holding her down. She was helpless. She wanted the others to see her, but of course, they were so calm that they wouldn¡¯t even notice her. Even if an angel came by, they might turn away after seeing the temple¡¯s iron gate closed firmly. Even though the first lord of the demon world was in the celestial world¡¯s deepestyers, no one could feel it. She felt a headacheing, which she only felt a few times in her life. ¡°Oh no. Are you sick? If Gabriel is sick, all the holy monarchs would be worried.¡± The magical power covering her body brought her to her best condition. Gabriel took a deep breath as the fatigue in her body disappeared, starting with the headache in her head. It was like medicine. She felt sick because of Xian, who patronized her by pretending to be concerned. She didn¡¯t say anything because his power was too strong. All she could do was just exhale a long sigh. She sought the figures of the middle world again. Quake became her servant and took care of Kain. Still, the boy was eaten by the power of the fragment. He needed to face those battles to defeat the fragment¡¯s control. Sooner orter, he would have gotten used to the power of the fragment, and he could control the madness on his own. It only needed time. ¡°!¡± But at the moment, she gasped. She was faced with a boy who shouldn¡¯t be there in the first ce. How? No. As far as she knew, that dark-haired boy, Judah, owned two fragments. She didn¡¯t know his abilities, but a question came to her mind when she saw him. With her arms folded, she turned to Xian, who seemed to be meditating. Gabriel opened her eyes. Xian¡¯s fierce eyes squinted inughter. ¡°Should we y again?¡± ¡°Did you make up all of this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± As she confronted him, he tilted his head, seeing the ce in her vision. And his lips, which were tightly shut, gently smirked. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong. I didn¡¯t do anything to Him. Unlike you, I¡¯m a mere bystander. I¡¯ve been observing them all this time.¡± At Xian¡¯s blunt words, Gabrielughed. She had nothing to say. That¡¯s what he said, but what would¡¯ve been different if he was lying? Gabriel whistled as he watched Kain and Judah fighting. Kain was stained with the madness of the fragment and was unable to use the power of being an apostle at all, but he was seen cutting down the orcs that flocked around him with tremendous power and drawing the great sword against Judah. The fragments obtained by Judah and the fragment obtained by Kain collided, sending sparks up into the air. But the fight ended with Kain defeated. Gabriel sighed as he watched Quake appear and push Judah away to evacuate Kain somewhere. However, something felt wrong. No, there was something she couldn¡¯t understand exactly. What was it? She questioned herself, but no answer came. Then they returned to ying chess with Xian putting back the pawn to the board. This time she was ck. She began to ask him questions about how long they were to y chess. She studied the board to her best before her eyes fell on Xian. She felt disturbed with a problem in her mind. ¡®What is it with that boy? Who is Judah Arche?¡¯ It was certainly not something she had heard wrong. Nor was her memory mistaken. He certainly said so. Why did Xian call the boy ¡®Him¡¯? Judah Arche¡­ He was special. At least this time, -Judah Arche- was like a different person and not the original Judah she knew. What Kain had to go through, he worked it out himself, and everything in the future that she knew around the boy was changing. It changed before her very eyes. She couldn¡¯t say exactly what happened, but she could see the flow changed. If she asked Xian, who must know something, will he be honest with her? Gabriel narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why are you staring so much?¡± He seemed to be focusing on the chessboard, but he raised his head. He was one to notice things quickly. ¡°Judah Arch. Who is that boy?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you interested?¡± ¡°Tell me. This Judah Arche, and the Judah Arche that I¡¯ve known for a million times, are different.¡± ¡°That is true. Are you saying that you know him well, even though you were indifferent to him all this time?¡± At Xian¡¯s words, Gabriel flinched. If she asked what was different, she didn¡¯t know exactly how to phrase it. -Judah Arche- was outside her interest. She was a little interested in him after Xian told him to watch him, but she had no idea before that. She thought that he was just one of the humans around Kain. However, his mood, values, personality, and behavior all seemed different from the Judah Arche in her memory, unlike anyone else. He wasn¡¯t like that before, so why did he be like that this time? What does Xian know? Gabriel did not take her eyes off Xian, waiting for his answer. ¡°Who do you think it is?¡± ¡°If I knew that, would I ask you? I don¡¯t know.¡± Her straightforward answer made Xian smile wickedly. ¡°Please tell me your guess, at least once. It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s not the correct answer. I¡¯ll tell you the right answer, whether you get it or not. Even if you know, it doesn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Is it another person who repeats fate like us?¡± ¡°Of course. If he weren¡¯t like that, I wouldn¡¯t even tell you to watch him.¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t do that to anyone. Is there anyone in this world that is worth your courtesy? To you, who look at the rest of the world as nothing but ants?¡± ¡°There is. Believe it or not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the silent Gabriel, Xian got up from his seat. Then, magical power flowed out of his body and forcibly took Gabriel and moved somewhere. Taken aback by the sudden change of their surroundings, Gabriel unfurled her folded wings. They found themselves in Regen, and full of lush jungles. ¡®Oh, my God.¡¯ To pass from Heaven to Middle Earth or from the Demon world to Middle Earth, they must cross a dimensional barrier. Crossing that barrier would constrain their powers, yet when Xian moved her, her vessel remained intact. She spread her wings. Xian wore a suit that fitted his body, looking down at her with his hands in his pockets. When she looked up at him with her eyes wide open, he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not fun to keep winning in chess. Ah, but don¡¯t get me wrong, I can¡¯t help Kain. Now then, let¡¯s watch it together. What¡¯s going on? I¡¯ll tell you the answer after that.¡± The moment Xian flicked his hand, a gray curtain spread and wrapped around them. As soon as she was trapped inside the spherical curtain, time outside went by fast. Darkness overcame the blue sky, the full moon set, and the sun rose. In a moment, days passed. Xian¡¯s eyes moved rapidly as if watching and confirming something without a word. ¡°Ah. I think it¡¯s done now.¡± The curtain dispersed with a dull sound. For them, only a few minutes passed, but she didn¡¯t know how much time had passed in real-time. Confused as to what was going on, Xian looked back at her. l ¡°The things you¡¯ll see from now¡­ That is why I honor and watch him. Don¡¯t be disturbed. You¡¯ll know everything.¡± And once again, the surrounding environment changed. She came to her senses, and there was the fallen Kain, with Judah Arche and his third fragment. Kain, chosen by the sword, had died. There stood Judah, looking down at the boy he had defeated. After a while, he talked to hispanions and ran into the battlefield that felt like a natural disaster. Judah Arche appeared in various angles in the air, perhaps through the power of Xian. Soon afterward, he died as his body is split into two. This was a natural result. Judah Arche, whocked both skill and experience in all aspects, had no choice but to beat the Wielder of the Sword. As she yed chess against Xian, it was difficult for the results to change unless they yed the match repeatedly. ¡°Maybe this will be your first time seeing this.¡± ¡°!¡± It happened before she even understood what Xian said. The world turned gray. Everything stopped. Quake¡¯s fierce stance as he spurred the ground after killing Judah Arche. The arrows that pierced the air. The fallen trees. And the whirlwind of dust and the rage of wind. Everything. There was no single exception. The gray color passed Gabriel¡¯s, but she was fine. To be precise, Xian¡¯s magic and its power protected them from it. ¡°Is this your job?¡± ¡°No way. If that were the case, it would have been better.¡± ¡°Then, what is this?¡± ¡°The wheel of destiny. It¡¯s the absolute power that keeps a person in the same ne.¡± Ah. She opened her mouth like an idiot and stared at what was happening around her. The world stopped as Xian muttered bitterly. And then, time began to turn backward. It happened instantly. In a blink, she realized that they hade back to the scene she watched before. Judah Arche was looking down at Kain¡¯s body. What he said was different than before when he ran back to the battlefield. A recurring phenomenon, but he died differently each time. He avoided the face of death against the Wielder of the Sword by performing differently each time. Xian spoke up as she watched him continue without being broken down by death, over and over again. ¡°You can see it change, right? We can¡¯t change our fate, even if we have our old memories, but he can.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°For us, destiny is a wheel. It¡¯s like a wagon that we have to repeat over and over again. But for him, destiny is a river. We have a will that allows us to live however we want, not just along the road,pared to him.¡± Gabriel felt her heart beating. ¡°No matter how many times we repeat, we can only stay in the same ce, but the fate he repeated bes another option and creates a new branch. As we face each other, it also creates a branch. This is the aftermath. This is all possible because he exists.¡± ¡°¡­Who the hell is he to make this possible?¡± Xianughed at Gabriel¡¯s trembling eyes. ¡°Our Creator, our one God, whom you so longed for and eagerly sought.¡± Chapter 131

Chapter 131

131==================== ¡°The only god¡­?¡± Gabriel blinked at Xian¡¯s shocking remarks. It was unbelievable. In her eyes, Judah Arche was but a normal human being. Her eyes narrowed. Sometimes, even if the other person told the truth, it was difficult to know whether it was true or false if it was such absurd information. Creator. One god. She looked at Xian with augh. However, Xian¡¯s expression was so serious that it felt too heavy to ask its authenticity. He didn¡¯t seem to be fooling her. However, she couldn¡¯t say that she knew him that well. This was the first time they had a conversation like this, so it was difficult to say anything. He opened his mouth, looking into her eyes as if he knew what Gabriel wanted to say. ¡°At his fingertips, we were made, and with his fingertips, our destiny was set. Even though he may seem mentally and physically inadequate, it does not change that he is our God.¡± Was it that hard to believe? Xian added that. And Gabriel nodded her head. Gabriel turned to Judah. Her eyebrows furrowed. Her heart pounded. ¡°?¡± Despite her external reaction, her heart was honest. From the moment she heard the story of him being their only god and the one creator, her heart did not stop running. She put her hand on her chest and held it. Gabriel bit her lower lip. She let go of the pain she felt. ¡°That said¡­ Do you swear this is not a lie?¡± ¡°With my name.¡± ¡°What about any evidence?¡± ¡°I already bet you my existence. What more do you need? What more evidence do you need after witnessing him control fate that even supreme beings in this world cannot do?¡± Tears rattled down from Gabriel¡¯s eyes. It seemed that her heart broke down. She had never shed tears in front of anyone nor show any sign of weakness in any situation. She bit her lips tightly and endured her crying. The god she yearned for was now before her very eyes. She wished to stop her tears but couldn¡¯t. She wanted to walk right in front of God, get down on her knees and shout his name, hug him, and ask him why only now did he appear. ¡°Cry. No one will say anything. No one willugh at your crying. Anyone would cry after knowing that he existed, especially to those who lived through their destiny again and again like us. Anyone would shout out the name of God from their very throats. I am overwhelmed as well, but I¡¯m not one to do such a thing, Gabriel.¡± The existence of the demon world opposed the celestial world. But now, the monarch showed the same disposition as the queen. When she heard such words from Xian, the first monarch, which can be called absolute evil, she continued to erupt into cries as if she had been indulged. Her wings covered her body as she looked at Judah and cried out loud. Pressing her chest firmly, she shed her tears. Kain¡¯s death, whom she blessed with the powers of an apostle, quickly became an afterthought. Kain¡¯s presence in the face of absolute priority did not matter. It was only after she cried that Gabriel managed to speak, looking down at Judah with bloodshot eyes. There was no such thing as shame. She felt no shame that another figure saw her shed tears for him. ¡°But¡­ why are you leaving him alone? If we can help him¡­¡± ¡°No. That is no good.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If we do that, various destinies will not be born. Toplete an imperfect world with only one destiny, countless branches are required. To do that, there is not much that we must do. I have never assisted him further in his journey. And I am here to prevent you from giving useless help in the future.¡± However, Gabriel found it difficult to understand. ¡°Why are you making him walk the path of suffering? Facing countless deaths with such a weak body, repeating fate the same way?¡± Xian was silent for a brief moment at her retort. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s inevitable, even if this is disrespect for God. But you must know, whatever he does, is still the work of our Creator. Because what he does is something only God can do.¡± ¡°But what are youpelling him to do? This is¡­ No matter how much this is for him¡­¡± She trailed off, but heughed. He knew well what Gabriel felt like. She understood it with her head, but her heart couldn¡¯t bear it. Xian looked at Judah like Gabriel did and spoke silently. ¡°Do you know what?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°My limitless power made me see the truth of this world, out of my will. In front of that truth, I felt helpless. I couldn¡¯t do anything. Even I, who can be called the Absolute in this world, had nothing to do against it. It astounded me. It wasn¡¯t until after hundreds of years that I mustered all the strength to face that truth. There was something I could do.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°I was able to find his existence and bring him here! I have the power to destroy the world with one finger, but that was the only thing that I could do. Surprisingly, it was a heavy task.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m unforgivable for doing this to him. But if I hadn¡¯t forced it, no one would be able to break this wheel of fate.¡± Gabriel was silent. ¡°I am proud and sinful that I brought him to this world. I want to ask him for forgiveness for making him walk the path of suffering, but I can¡¯t. Someone had to do it: you and I. One of us should have done it, but¡­ If you had seen the truth of this world, you would have copsed on the spot, and you would not have been able to bring him to this world with your strength. Am I correct?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t. No! No one could do it. Only me! It was something only I could do! So even though I may feel guilty, I have no regrets for my actions!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°¡­God, only He can hate me. I have no choice but to be hated. Do you understand?¡± Her eyes turned to Xian. Xian listened to Gabriel, then closed her eyes and replied quietly. ¡°Okay.¡± They both looked down at Judah silently. *** Unnamed Road Back to the ck Tree Tribe After defeating Quake, the head of the belligerent Red Bear tribe, Isabel told Judah that Quake and Kain¡¯s bodies had to be dealt with. When asked why, she said that the other tribes would not be convinced. ¡°Quake¡¯s personality and behavior are not important to them. But¡­ He is one of the best people in Regen, and also, he¡¯s a Wielder of the Sword. Above all, he held a fragment, so his presence is also a symbol of Regen¡¯s power. Do it. What would other tribes think if he was killed like that?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ They would think that I¡¯m powerful?¡± At Judah¡¯s words, Isabel erupted intoughter as if what he said was absurd. ¡°Haha, you might think so, but they would think that you coveted the power of the fragment and killed them. No matter what you think, it won¡¯t be positive.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. The power of fragments is such a dangerous thing. I wouldn¡¯t have handed over the fragment to you so easily if I handled a great sword rather than a bow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, we better make sure there are no traces of the bodies. There is and nearby full of hungry beasts and monsters, so you can dispose of the bodies there.¡± Isabel said that, pulled out a dagger with a gentle de from her waist, and tore Quake¡¯s leather suit. His hard body had a huge scar across it. And, without any hesitation, she began to shred his body by covering her dagger with magic power. ¡°Eek!¡± Arhil, who was behind her, looked at it and covered her mouth with her hands. Isabel, who had just cut off her arm on one side of her, heard the sound and looked behind her, tilting her head. Arhil took a step backward when the chief looked back at her. ¡°Are you unfamiliar with this? It¡¯s not that different between people and animals. If you don¡¯t like what you see then, stay away. I¡¯ll finish it quickly.¡± Disgusted, Jeanne took Arhil back to the hill where Kain¡¯s body was. Isabel asked as she looked at Judah, who watched Arhil and Jeanne as they climbed away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going with them?¡± ¡°You gave me the code, so I think I should help. Of course, I¡¯ve already dismantled a lot of animals, but I¡¯m not very good when it¡¯s with human beings¡­¡± It didn¡¯t hurt him, but orcs and beasts being cut into pieces were iparable to the sight of a person being mutted. It was because he lived in a much more peaceful modern time than here, and he lived with the values, ethics, and morals he got there. Even if he brought the final blow on Kain¡¯s arm and Quake¡¯s neck, he felt turned off by this. It was ironic. He opened his bag, took out a sack, and picked up Quake¡¯s body parts that Isabel had cut off. The blood dripped through the fabric, and its bottom stained with red. ¡°Give me that bag. I¡¯ll take care of it ande back. Wait here.¡± Judah did not know where she was headed, but he nodded his head and handed her the sack. Even though it was cut into pieces, she still carried a sack that contained arge person. Unexpectedly, she flung it on her back nonchntly and ran into the forest with agile movements. Judah sighed as he watched her disappear. His body wasn¡¯t tired, and after he died dozens of times, his mental exhaustion was hard to describe in words. After dealing with Quake, he went up the hill heavily. ¡®Am I going to deal with Kain¡¯s body now?¡¯ How should he do it? There was nothing in his -bag- that could fit his body. And while his death was not a heroic one, if Kaseun knew he died after being influenced by the evil of the fragment, he would understand. It was more honorable than to die at the simple mercy of a mere de. ¡®Should I cut him to pieces too¡­? Maybe I can just set up a fire.¡¯ He took away the armor he wore to return to Kaseun. As he climbed the hill, Judah nced at Jeanne and Arhil sitting on one side. He cut the fallen trees and piled them up to the shape of a well. Using the Yakal, he could cut a huge tree like a cutter slicing a piece of paper. He didn¡¯t know how much he needed to burn, but after stacking up quite a high pile, heid Kain on it to set it all on fire. He was about to burn some trees, so he didn¡¯t know if it would ignite well, but when he sprinkled some oil for cooking, the fire clung to the wood, and it began to burn roughly. He watched the ck smoke rising to the sky like the smoke from a cigarette. Chapter 132

Chapter 132

132==================== Isabel came back sooner than expected because of the ck smoke that reached high up in the sky. She puffed her breath and rushed. Her forehead creased, confused as to what was going on. She reacted differently from what he thought. She looked irritated, even, with power in her eyes. Judah flinched at the sight of her. ¡°What is this? I thought it was a big deal, so I ran. Why are you ying with fire?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ying with fire.¡± ¡°What is this, then?¡± Her eyes widened at Judah, right in the middle of the forest. They sat in a field turned into ruins after the vicious fight between the two Wielder of the Sword, and yet here he was ying with fire. The mes soared two or three meters high up to the sky, just like a festival or ritual emitting ck smoke. He didn¡¯t seem to fear as the fire and smoke went up into the air, but it was enough to attract the attention of both monsters and humans. ¡°I¡¯m sending off a friend.¡± ¡°¡­friend?¡± Unable to understand what he meant, she looked at the burning stack of firewood. The mes ate away greedily what was inside it. Faintly, she saw bones through the fire. The women he imed as his wives, Jeanne and Arhil, stood still with him. If so, was it someone else¡¯s body? Was there anyone here who could be called his friend? She tilted her head, puzzled. Suddenly, she realized that there was only one body to burn here. He received the fragment from Quake, and he was a knight that wore armor. ¡®Was that knight, your friend?¡¯ Huh. She found it quite curious for them to see each other in thisrge andplexnd of Regen. That was his friend. It was incredible, like a story being told. ¡°Did you know only after killing him?¡± Judah shook his head. His head turned as he answered. He then looked up at the mes with empty eyes. ¡°From the beginning.¡± When Judah answered without hesitation, she rolled her eyes. She didn¡¯t know how to react to such an answer. The knight was crazy, and they faced off each other in a fight to the death. It was a pity, but if he didn¡¯t kill him, he would have died. Isabel put her hand on Judah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You showed respect, even if they were your enemy or your friend. You did all that, but the dead would have already crossed the sea of ??clouds from the top of Youngsan, so it¡¯s nothing to feel heavy about.¡± ¡°Youngsan?¡± Arhil muttered in curiosity. Isabel, who heard that, pointed to the highest mountain in Regen, which they can see visibly from where they stood. ¡°Can you see that mountain over there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arhil turned her head and to where she pointed. There were mountains wherever she looked. ¡°That mountain is called Youngsan. It is said that the dead climb to the top of the mountain and cross it into the sea of clouds.¡± ¡°Where are they going?¡± ¡°Where they want. We believe so.¡± Arhil¡¯s curiosity seemed to stem from her religious background. She wanted to ask more, but Isabel chose to leave it at that. ¡°We should stop talking and go. There¡¯s nothing good about staying here for a long time. We¡¯ll attract attention.¡± Before leaving, she collected all her arrows and removed her traces as much as possible. However, she didn¡¯t take away everything and even deliberately left some traces to be found. It was unlikely, but if the other tribes sent someone to investigate the scene, they could see the traces she left behind. She thought of an borate script to say: that the Red Bear tribe¡¯s chief fought with her before running away. Quake¡¯s body was already rotting inside a monster¡¯s belly, and all his traces were gone, so if she mixed the truth and the lie properly, they wouldn¡¯t be able to know the lie between the truth. As soon as possible, she took Judah¡¯s party and headed for her tribe. It was two dayster that they returned to her tribe. They rested as soon as the woods grew dark, but he was too disturbed to sleep properly because of the aftermath of the battle. His fatigue wasn¡¯t appropriately resolved, and going back felt difficult. He died dozens of times in the battle with Quake, the Wielder of the Sword, so it was natural. He wasn¡¯t exhausted physically, but his mental health weighed him down. He sighed as they walked on. Isabel, who had been walking ahead, slowed down and came to Judah¡¯s side. ¡°?¡± ¡°Why did you say you were here again?¡± ¡°I said it before, and it¡¯s nothing special. My dream is to travel around the world, so Regen is one of my goals. I was curious about events and people¡¯s way of living.¡± He aimed for the fragments, and he got it, but he couldn¡¯t answer that, so he changed his answer instead. It was an excuse, but it came out as if it was true. ¡°To see and experience life, I see¡­ Then, shall we celebrate for today?¡± ¡°Is it my reward for killing Quake?¡± Isabel smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Absolutely. As well, our festivals are a lot of fun. We haven¡¯t held one recently, so it would be nice to take this opportunity. Hmm, yes¡­ Should it be a wee ceremony for the Spirit?¡± ¡°Ah, haha.¡± A wee ceremony. Judahughed awkwardly. People of the ck Tree tribe innocently believed that he was the Spirit, looking at Judah¡¯s pure ck hair and eyes. When he wandered around the tribe and watched them, even the little children of the vige ran to see Judah and acted like they¡¯ve seen the Spirit. Considering their unreasonable favor for him, they truly believed that he was the Spirit. Their innocence was overwhelming but a little bit bothersome. No way could he exhibit the power of a Spirit. He wouldn¡¯t do something like that. As they returned to the tribe with his lingering thoughts, they were told to take a break first. Judah returned to the ce he used to stay in with Jeanne and Arhil, wherein a short time, he took a proper meal out of his bag and settled it as they took their break. Thanks to the house made by the envoys of Baekje, who traded with the ck Tree tribe, he was able to spend timeying on a silky and soft nket. He was rxed. When the sunlight burned in the horizon in the afternoon, the outside grew to be noisy, waking him up. He stepped out, and many tribesmen were moving logs and preparing errands. ¡°Huh?¡± Looking closely, Jeanne was among those carrying the trees. As Arhil was not in the house, Jeanne seemed to help them prepare for the festival. If this was the case, he didn¡¯t think that he could just rest. Judah stretched to loosen his body, then rolled up his sleeves. Even though he looked like that, he could still help around the vige. Of course, there were exceptions that he wasn¡¯t allowed to do, but he helped with easy tasks such as picking up objects or following instructions. He started helping, and there was a lot to do, whether it was to bring more firewood for the campfire or to help hunters ughter beasts. While working hard, Judah felt someone standing in front of him. People came and went on the street, so he thought it was simply passing by, but it stood there. ¡®I can¡¯t even move properly because of my senses.¡¯ Judah lifted his head and stretched his bent waist to wipe off the sweat flowing down his forehead. He saw the unexpected person before him. ¡°Huh?¡± It was Isabel. What was she doing here? ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She looked down at him, confused. ¡°Why is Isabel here?¡± ¡°Did you forget that I am the chieftain?¡± Oh, right. It was right for her to oversee the festival preparations and make sure it was going well. But usually, didn¡¯t they usually let subordinates do that? He didn¡¯t expect her to go around in person. As Judah thought that, he realized he hadn¡¯t replied to her question. ¡°As you can see, I was helping.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Was I supposed to just watch?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry? Hahaha. You don¡¯t need to do any sort of this because you are the main reason for this festival.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to help each other out. I felt ufortable just watching back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ufortable. Haha. You¡¯re not used to being treated?¡± Judah smiled bitterly at her words. She was right. Even beforeing to this world, he wasn¡¯t used to being shown consideration or favor. They said they held this festival for him. Jeanne and Arhil left to help them out, but he couldn¡¯t just watch. It was a fun and fresh experience to be held up as a spirit, but helping them prepare wasn¡¯t anything bad as well. ¡°I like doing this anyway. It¡¯s easy.¡± ¡°¡­Okay then. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll force you to stop. Now, why don¡¯t you make that sandwich? People can ughter without your help anyway.¡± She blushed as she said so, moving closer with a whisper, ncing around her. ¡°And if you make a sandwich, speak of it only to me. Myst taste of it was truly delicious.¡± He bought it from a store with money. It was a franchise concept from a top shop that can be found in bigger cities. He took it out. The sandwiches they atest time was splendid, so he brought out a different kind this time around. Judah suddenly realized that it was not enough to eat for the whole of the tribe. ¡°I can¡¯t. That sounds a little hard to do.¡± Judah replied. He watched as Isabel¡¯s face fell. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It seems like a good idea to serve sandwiches, but there are not enough materials to make it right now, and it would take a long time to make. And I might be unable to prepare enough for everybody?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°I can only serve sandwiches for you.¡± Chapter 133

Chapter 133

133==================== Isabel¡¯s eyes grew just as wide as her smile. She held up two of her fingers. ¡°Will you give me two?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you four.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be grateful. Then, I look forward to itter. I hope we can remind you that Regen¡¯s ck Tree tribe was a worthy ce to visit as you traveled the world.¡± Isabel left with that remark. Tribesmen near her bowed to greet her. After they helped and eventually ran out of things to do, the tribesmen sent Judah, Jeanne, and Arhil back to their lodge, where they prepared what he had promised for Chief Isabel. The celebration was to begin at sunset, so it was okay for them to rest. Judah had been preparing tea for Arhil, whoid face down on the living room table, while Jeanne sat next to her with her eyes closed to meditate. Arhil was worn out, but Jeanne¡¯s stamina helped her avoid being overly exhausted. When he served the tea made with herbs, she smelled the scent, and Arhil woke up. Holding the teacup with her hands, she sighed as she felt the warmth, and then exhaled. ¡°Oh, this tea is really good.¡± ¡°I mixed in medicinal herbs. It has a good scent and relieves fatigue. I also added a little honey.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Arhil gave Judah a thumbs up, and then she sipped her cup. The world was based on the game, so the effects of herbs and potions were swift. As she sipped her tea, she rxed and began ranting herints about what had happened today. ¡°I feel like I deserve a reward for helping. I¡¯m so tired.¡± ¡°I was supposed to cook. Did you learn a lot today?¡± He smiled as he looked at Jeanne and Arhil. Jeanne knew she wasn¡¯t good at cooking, so she helped around in building things instead. When questioned, Arhil¡¯s body stiffened as she flicked her hands. ¡°Oh, I got praised and whatnot.¡± ¡°What for? What did you do?¡± ¡°¡­Okay, listen.¡± Arhil cried out. She told them about the moment she lifted a sword to help them prepare for the festival, but she ended up cutting her finger a few times and almost hurt a random person. Although she immediately healed her hand with her divine power, she ended up doing simplebor like grouping together chopped meat and vegetables on skewers. Jeanne and Judah couldn¡¯t contain theirughter at her grim storytelling, but they had no choice but to hold back. Arhil nced at them and saw Judah and Jeanne¡¯s cheeks full of air, making her sigh in defeat. ¡°Justugh. I have nothing to say even if you tease me.¡± She said, and finding her cute, they ended up letting go of theirughter. She sipped her tea, and they began talking about their expectations for the festival until someone knocked on the door. At the sound of a polite knocking, Arhil stood up and walked to the front door. ¡°Oh!¡± The moment she opened the door, Arhil screamed and stumbled backward. People in elongated masks beckoned them. The three of them stood in bewilderment for a while before following them outside. The masked men brandished torches, and pnquins were ced in front of the house, three of them to be exact. As they carefully sat in the pnquins, the men lifted them. Sitting in the pnquins anxiously, stallions moved in line with Judah, Jeanne, and Arhil. In the middle of the tribe, they took them to the firewood stacked high up from thend near the river. Judah, Arhil, and Jeanne were given the best seats in advance. Making them feel at home, their food was prepared, steamed hot, and cold liquor waited on the table. ¡°You¡¯re not saying anything. Are you scared?¡± ¡°This is their festival, so it¡¯s best if we watched it quietly.¡± Judah replied in a whisper to Arhil¡¯s question. Everyone was quiet, from those who wore masks, held the torches, and to those who carried food. There was no fuss even though more tribesmen were gathered in one ce than expected. Even the children spoke not an utter. When everything began to settle down¡­ Boom! They heard the drumming sound as it reverberated through their bodies. The festival began with that sound. The campfire stretching up to the sky lit up to the sound of drumming, and soon, it burned violently. The mes lit up the dark surroundings at once, and even though they sat quite far away, they could feel the heat. Torchlights rose from all sides, shining light in every corner. Among the lights shining brightly like broad daylight, women in clothes made of leaves and flowers, presumed to be the ck Tree tribe¡¯s traditional costumes, gathered in front of the firewood stacked like a tower in the center. The traditional costumes and masks they wore were colorful and enchanting to gaze at. But was it enough to call it a costume? Barely covering their bodies, it was ambiguous enough to be called underwear. Their skirt was short enough to reveal the folds between their hips and thighs, and their short tops barely hid their chests. It was lewd. And when they stopped in line, the music started. There were only percussion instruments, but they danced with the upbeat music heard to the sound of firewood and torches burning. The buttocks shook with each movement, showing their flesh. He grew embarrassed at the possibility of the wind exposing the chest of thedies. He thought about what to do if Jeanne and Arhil noticed it, but he forgot about his worry when the dance started. ¡®What?¡¯ His eyes widened as he watched them dance. The dance performed to the sound of percussion instruments was unique and beautiful. Of course, there were movements that felt lewd that his face turned red, but such movements were only a few. When the dance was over, Judah pped. And the one who danced in the center walked up to Judah. Huh? Looking at her, someone handed a big bowl to the unnameddy. Then, she poured liquor into it. No way. Judah¡¯s thoughts began to ran. She gave Judah the bowl full of liquor. As everyone was watched, Judah lowered his head for a moment and began to drink. As he moved his neck, he emptied the bowl, and a strong scent came up his throat. He saw the empty bowl above his head. They cheered loudly and watched from the side as Arhil, who had been silent until now, set off golden firecrackers in the sky using her divine power. Everyone pped at the beautiful golden embroidery in the sky. They sang unknown songs, danced, shared alcohol and food, and looked at the dancers who continued their dance. In a moment, the samedy with a mask sighed and then lifted her mask. ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t notice. You don¡¯t even know it¡¯s me.¡± He was shocked to find Isabel under the mask. She drank the bottle of wine in front of Judah, making her throat burn. Only after emptying the whole bottle of alcohol did she sit in front of Judah and smiled. ¡°How was my dance, Spirit?¡± ¡°It was beautiful.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t fascinating?¡± Judah hesitated at her question as if she expected the answer. Her words meant a lot of things. However, he soon nodded at Isabel, who moved her face even closer, and he was forced to admit to her words. Isabelughed at Judah¡¯s cute expression. ¡°Haha, you and your wives are so adorable! How are you two?¡± Jeanne and Arhil, of course, praised her beauty. ¡°Come on! This festival is for you. Let¡¯s dance with everyone, eat food, sing, and let us all burn tonight. Together. Passionately, like that burning firewood! We have the light of the moon cascading upon us from the night sky!¡± Several bottles of alcohol were delivered to their side. She grabbed a bottle of wine in one hand and gave a bunch to Judah with the other hand. In other words, they were to drink to their heart¡¯s content. Of course, there was a strange boundary and awkwardness between them and Isabel, so getting rid of this was her first priority. Isabel yed games to get acquainted with the awkward people in her tribe, suggesting a game of alcohol. Jeanne, Arhil, and Judah, who couldn¡¯t reject, of course, epted, and soon they yed a game they had never heard of. Fortunately, Judah, who was familiar with drinking games in the original world, quickly adapted, but Jeanne and Arhil had to get the hang of it. In an instant, three or four bottles were empty. Several tribesmen also participated, saying that it would be fun, and as a penalty, they danced with them, sang songs, performed talent shows as the night grew deeper. But as they yed happily, Judah realized something. The tribesmen who participated in the game with Chief Isabel were deliberately getting Jeanne and Arhil drunk. Even after the drinking game was over and they were intoxicated enough, they continued to pour alcohol every time their sses were empty. Unsurprisingly, Jeanne and Arhil were thrashed as the moon rose higher into the night sky. ¡°Come on, open your mouth. Ah-¡° As soon as he came to his senses, Isabel was next to him with her shoulders embracing him, keeping his body tightly, and opening her mouth. Judah was putting a small sandwich in her mouth. ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ Arhil and Jeanne were stretched out drunk while Isabel fed him, and in turn, Judah fed her. Perhaps because of the alcohol, the heat came as their bodies touched. She bit the sandwich that Judah stretched out and puckering her lips. Savoring and swallowing the taste of the sandwich, she smiled and kissed Judah¡¯s cheek. Along with the sound of the chime, her soft touch remained on his cheek. It was a situation where anyone could see that she was seducing him. Even though he was oblivious, he understood the situation. Seducing him with clothes that she barely wore, his body reacted to her as she kept touching him. He felt his entire body stiffen. Judah turned his head to ask her to keep a bit of distance, but as he did, his mouth met hers. ¡°!¡± Amazed at the texture of her soft lips, his eyes widened, and Isabel whispered. ¡°Hey¡­ I hunted, ughtered, cooked for you, and fed you like this, but why are you reacting like that? Can¡¯t you notice it? Are you insensitive or stupid? Or am I unattractive¡­? Can you tell me?¡± Chapter 134

Chapter 134

134==================== Her long, reddish-brown hair curled up to her sides, and her drunken eyes drooped, giving an onlooker a soft impression of her. However, when he looked into her pupils, he could find the intensity hidden from deep within. ¡°Answer me.¡± Judah stayed silent, and Isabel rushed him as she tilted his head. Despite living in the jungle¡¯s harsh environment, she had beautiful, wless skin that wasted her potential for being here. Like liquor inside candy, she was a sweet smell that had managed to fight through the strong scent. Judah shut his mouth firmly as she smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer me? Do you hate me? If you do, then so what?¡± At this, sheughed, her lips curving in the process. Herughter was one that was full of temptation, and it felt like a snake crawling up his feet with the intention of tying him. ¡°You have no choice, anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°The fact that I, as the chieftain, danced at the festival means that I finally have the heart to find a mate.¡± A mate? In response to Judah¡¯s embarrassed expression, Isabel¡¯s hand rushed to her breasts. When she grabbed his hand to lead him in doing the same, Judah flinched, feeling its warm and soft touch, but he couldn¡¯t dare to shake it off. ¡°Finally, the chieftain¡­!¡± ¡°Of course, even if he is no spirit, he has no choice. If he is the chief¡¯s choice, then there¡¯s nothing he can do about it. If you¡¯re a spirit, you still can¡¯t say no, because the chief has chosen you.¡± The sound of secret nces and whispers crept into Judah¡¯s ears. In this situation, he tried to resist the temptation, but she proved to be sessful in keeping his attention on her. Before him stood Isabel, ady of great beauty. He was a man, and he couldn¡¯t help but respond to her temptations. Judah didn¡¯t like her, nor had they ever had sex. But he already knew the taste of it, so his expectations had gone higher. However, he was not used to having sex in public ces. He remembered Serenia Castle and Gentia¡¯s face along with it. They would be too exposed if they did it here. He tried his best to resist the temptation. However, it was likely to copse soon. Judah, who couldn¡¯t shake off Isabel, breathed the scent of her in as she continued caressing him, her desires growing in her heart. Even if he tried to persevere, he could feel his heart pounding loudly. Judah acted upon the drunken temptation and finally epted her. The impatient Judah reached out his hand to Isabel¡¯s thighs and back, lifted her up, and carried her elsewhere. ¡°Oh?¡± One beatte, she pretended to be surprised. With her eyes widened, she seemed to clear up to the situation. Then her eyes squinted to a grin as if to understand it, waving her hand to the tribesmen seen trailing behind Judah¡¯s back. He strengthened his legs with her magical power and quickly moved to the outskirts of the tribe beyond the reach of people. ¡°You¡¯re moving pretty fast? I¡¯m not even nning on running anywhere.¡± Isabel, who embraced her princess-like position in Judah¡¯s arms, remarked as she leisurely looked around their surroundings. ¡°After tempting me like that, you shouldn¡¯t back out now.¡± ¡°Woohoo. Is that so? I finally found a man to be with for the first time. I have no intention of running away.¡± ¡°¡­? First time?¡± Judah, trying to move as fast as he can, died on his tracks at her answer. He didn¡¯t think he had gotten it wrong. She blushed shyly in response, averting her eyes. ¡°Well, is there anything weird with that? There was no man that I liked, so it¡¯s only natural to be a virgin until now.¡± She got off Judah¡¯s arms delicately. Stepping on the ground at his shocked reaction, she twirled her body round and round in a breeze and came back into Judah¡¯s arms. ¡°I heard that outsiders are interested in virgin women. That¡¯s what they said. Are you?¡± Judah was forced tough awkwardly at her words, pricking her in front of her chest. He wasn¡¯t really concerned about that, but¡­ The thought of it made him feel quite possessive, that he was this woman¡¯s first man. In response to Judah¡¯s reaction, Isabel kissed him. She didn¡¯t have to stand on her toes nor bow her head. They were about the same height, and with a simple tilt of their heads, they kissed. ¡ª Their lips, which had been in contact a while ago, gently ovepped in pleasure. No sound could be heard. They had nothing to say to each other, as if simply feeling the texture of their lips and their body temperature. However, that simple kiss alone proved to be a satisfaction for Isabel. ¡®This¡­ It¡¯s better than I thought.¡¯ She thought about meeting another guy she liked if this time didn¡¯t work out, but when she tried to kiss him with the thought of spending the night together, her heart pounded. Isabelughed at the tickling feeling that was different from what she experienced during battles. ¡®Is this called love?¡¯ Even though she had no experience, she had heard and learned something about that. They said she could work on it some other time, and her mother, her former chieftain, and other experienced women taught her a lot. Thanks to this, she, who had a lot of knowledge, felt that it might be something like the love she thought of whenever her loneliness got to her. Judah¡¯s tongue crossed over as they groaned, rubbing her lips. ¡°Yes.¡± A nasal sound escaped from her mouth without her knowledge. Surprised by the sound of her breath, she stepped away and covered her lips with her hand. She felt as her face burned red. Her drunkenness suddenly became a fever running through her body fiercely. ¡°Are you shy?¡± ¡°¡­No, I was just surprised because that was my first time.¡± She answered honestly rather embarrassingly as well. Judah came back to her and gently fitted their lips together. The light of the torches was almost crazy, but no one was watching around. Only the moonlight shone on them like protagonists on a stage. Isabel responded to Judah¡¯s kiss, returning her tongue this time. The difference between what she believed in doing and what she actually did was big, leading to a very poor kiss. But she had Judah, who had some experience, and little by little, he guided Isabel. ¡°Huh.¡± The nasal sound from her mouth still felt awkward. However, their entangled tongues taking and giving saliva made a lustful noise that was very irritating to her ears. ¡®I want to have it.¡¯ Surprisingly, as they shared kisses, she began to want more and more of Judah. ck hair and ck eyes ¨C she saw the tribe people who believed him to be a Spirit and only thought that having his child would help her lead the tribe. Of course, afterward, she found him likable for helping her by intervening without fear in her fight with Quake. And as their friendship grew, she thought about wanting to own him more and more. As the queen of this tribe with ownership for all that was in it¡­ She wanted to have the stranger named Judah. ¡°Hah¡­ Judah.¡± Her lips broke off the kiss as she mumbled his name. The silver lines radiating from the moonlight ran between their lips. Isabel bowed her head and exhaled her breath, her hand on Judah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Huh¡­ Huh¡­ Hah!¡± The kiss wasn¡¯t that intense either. However, it was her attempt to calm down a little because it was difficult to control the desire that boiled in her body. Had she ever felt her heart jump so intensely? The strong alcohol and their encounter that she had never experienced before shook her body and mind. She tried to use her magic power to ease her feelings. It was possible. Even if she found it difficult to bring back her cold judgment, it wasn¡¯t that hard to restore her reason. However, she didn¡¯t want to do that. The feelings of this moment¡­ She honestly wanted to keep it for a long time. And she wanted to express it. ¡®No, I don¡¯t have to calm down.¡¯ She spoke this to herself as she gasped and exhaled for a long time. She felt her mouth full of saliva, her multitude of thoughts drowning hermon sense. Isabel lifted her head and looked around her. They were near the house built by the Baekje envoys that were given to Judah by the tribe. She grabbed Judah¡¯s hand and pulled it forcefully. ¡°Huh?¡± Judah stared dumbly and was quickly led by Isabel. The strong grip that grabbed his wrist slightly proved to be surprising. Feeling as if something had changed, Judah thumped and hit her back against the wall of the building. ¡°Is this love or lust? I¡¯ve never experienced either, so it¡¯s hard to find an answer. Do you know?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be something to experience?¡± Theymunicated at each other¡¯s will. Not only did Isabel find it irresistible. Judah did so too, so he reached out his hands and hugged her, shing their mouth again. The warmth of her soft lips didn¡¯t get tired of feeling it several times. He took her mouth full of the scent of liquor, but this wasn¡¯t bad, either. Her pink tongue awkwardly entangled with his, making them both hum, and Judah¡¯s hand grasped her skirt made of leaves and flowers. He could feel her hips fill up in his palm. At that moment, everything was now forgotten in Judah¡¯s mind. As their bodies sumbed to their feelings of pure desire, he forgot Arhil and Jeanne. He forgot Kain, the one he saw as both his friend and rival. The pressure of his goals to collect the fragments. His resolution to return to the original word¡­ He forgot everything about himself and just focused on Isabel in front of his eyes. Her fragrance, her desire, her body. It didn¡¯t matter if this was a deviant act. Now was the time to let go of everything. He squeezed her ass with his palm. It was just a piece of flesh, but knowing that it was such a sensitive area made her feel something different. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± The experience of another person rubbing her ass was, of course, unfamiliar, so her voice escaped through her lips. It was unexpected to see Isabel¡¯s blushing face, clearly startled. Isabel and Judah made eye contact,ughed, and then continued to kiss each other in the moonlight. Chapter 135

Chapter 135

135==================== Isabel felt Judah hesitating about something from earlier. The hands that once rubbed her hips also lost strength, then he tried to pull his hands out, and their kiss became dull. She wanted to see him for some reason, and when she opened her eyes, she saw him thinking of another girl. Instinctively, a corner of her heart wandered. She had no psychic ability to read his thoughts, but she had dealt with so many people as a leader, and reading other people¡¯s feelings wasn¡¯t very difficult. She wasn¡¯t perfect, but she could get a rough idea of ??what he was thinking right now. Sheughed. She said, ¡°Do you dare stand in front of me and think of another woman?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Judah avoided her eyes at her sphemous words. Tia¡¯s face and voice instantly shed with guilt when he lifted her up earlier and when he grabbed her ass a little while ago. Before he left Serenia Castle, Tia said she didn¡¯t care who he slept with, but that couldn¡¯t be his indulgence. Although he had lost his mind to alcohol and her temptations, he was slowly trying to get his consciousness back. But what if he came back? She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you intend to do, but if you¡¯re here, look at me. Forget everything. That¡¯s the least you could do to respect me.¡± Judah moaned and nodded his head. She was right. He eventually crossed the line. The only one in front of him was her. Unable to ovee the temptation, he let it pass ande and recounted his guilt to make Isabel the focus of his pleasure. He couldn¡¯t withdraw. Isabelughed and called out his name. Judah felt like the apostle who had forsaken his faith in Jesus, whom he was named after. But for him, he felt like he had forsaken Tia himself. ¡°I can¡¯t handle this anymore.¡± Isabel shook her head, staring nkly at Judah as he stood there like a fool. To his surprise, Isabel sat down with her clothes on. And with agile hand movements, she unwrapped Judah¡¯s pants and ran her hands through the fabric. It wasn¡¯t difficult. The penis in his pants bulged hard and pushed through the fabric of his underwear. Even though she was inexperienced, she was rtively skilled because she was provided with ample knowledge, and had more than simple teachings using wooden roots. As she lowered his underwear, sheined the frustrations that she felt so far, about how he held back when he felt like this after all. She watched as his penis protruded strongly. ¡°!¡± It was big. Isabel was amazed at the sight of his penis as it poked her nose. ¡°Oh¡­ Do you think you are bigger than a wooden penis?¡± Her hand gently grasped Judah¡¯s penis. Sheughed happily as she looked at his erect that remained that length, even though she held it with one hand. He fluttered his body at her touch, but his reaction was still lukewarm. ¡°You haven¡¯t made up your mind yet? Your body is so honest¡­ but you¡¯re stupid! If you think of a different woman even with me right in front of you, then just stay still. I just need this.¡± Deep inside, she thought that his pride hurt. ¡®Let¡¯s see where and how long you can think of her.¡¯ Isabel, who was determined to do so, stuck out her tongue. Her long pink tongue stretched out and licked her Judah¡¯s head. To her surprise, he made no resistance. ¡°Zeup-¡° Judah¡¯s penis fluttered to the unfamiliar sensation as she licked his nd with her tongue, striking like a cat. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ cute?¡¯ When practicing with a wooden penis, she couldn¡¯t feel anything like this at all. Married women in the vige said that she should learn the essential knowledge of holding a man at night, and now she knew it. Certainly, her knowledge was not useless. Isabel drew a cat-like grin and bit his penis with her mouth open. The moment she swallowed the front part of his thick head, she frowned at its weird taste and scent, but she soon thought it wasn¡¯t bad. She was even surprised that her mouth began to water. ¡®And¡­ it¡¯s big. It¡¯s big.¡¯ When practicing with her wooden penis, she didn¡¯t have to open her mouth that way, only opening it quite stiffly. She slowly pushed his penis into her mouth while lowering her hand. The texture that went through her tongue to the inside of her neck felt like a fresh sensation. There was so much heat; she thought it would be warm rather than hot. Her saliva wet his penis. With the penis in her mouth, Isabel aroused Judah quite skillfully for her first time. ¡°Huh. Ugh, huh.¡± Judah groaned a little at the pleasure rising from his lower body. Whether that stimted him, little by little, Isabel¡¯s movements were getting faster. She exhaled her breath every time her mouth and hand swept his penis. He couldn¡¯t keep his body still. Zeup! Zup, chum! Judah felt the feeling of his ejaction elevate, but he held back as she continued to obscenely bite his penis, swallow him whole and then pull out halfway again. As she enjoyed his reaction, she sucked him in as he touched her uv and then spat out his penis with the sound of her ragged breathing. A gruesome web of saliva stretched between his penis and her lips, like mischief. ¡°Haha-¡° As she exhaled lightly, Isabel licked her lips with her tongue. Her cheeks were red, looking up at Judah from under him. As he stared at her face, his heart pounded. When Tia¡¯s face shed before his eyes again and began to take away his focus, Isabel spoke up. ¡°I know how to do this, so can we do this earnestly?¡± As she said so, Judah brought his waist a little forward. His ns pressed firmly against her lips, which was still closed. Her tight, bright red lips were pressed, and his penis could feel her hard teeth inside her mouth. She nced at Judah withughter as if he had done anything absurd and then opened her mouth and swallowed his penis. Wow- She teased his penis to keep her cheeks and her teeth from hurting. Isabel¡¯s eyebrows and eyes curled bewitchingly, looking at Judah, tickling the underside of his ns with her sensitive tongue, and savored the taste. She had seen numerous pornography in the world and had seen 3333 images of the act, but when she saw such a lewd appearance at him under the moonlight, she felt strongly turned on. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears until it was all she could hear. ¡°Hmmm!¡± Judah bit his lips. As he watched Isabel, it was hard to bear his feelings and temptation. Feeling the same, he let Isabel stop stimting him. She let go of his penis. ¡°Ooh¡­ Ah¡­ How is it? Can¡¯t stand it? I¡¯ve learned a lot about how to tease.¡± Isabelughed at him, biting her lips and looking at Judah with pleasure as he tried to hold back his. A little more tormenting. She muttered and tormented Judah by swallowing his penis again. Judah, thinking he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, ejacted, his back clenched and his hand trying to clutch the wall behind him. ¡°Huh?!¡± Isabel, who was pulling and swallowing with her mouth, suddenly felt something sticky in her mouth. Her eyes widened. Crumbling and rumbling, semen sprinkled intensely in her mouth. It was a lot more than he thought. Isabel was amazed at the cum that showered in her throat, and she swallowed it without any time to deal with it. Isabel, who stopped his ejaction, briefly took out his penis from her mouth. She leaned her head down with her mouth closed. ¡®¡­What is this?¡¯ Was this a man¡¯s ejaction? Like an innocent virgin, Isabel was paralyzed for a moment. What was she to do with the cum in her mouth? Was it right to swallow it? She didn¡¯t care at all that he dared to ejacte in her mouth without her permission. No, she couldn¡¯t afford to care about it. She was just wondering what to do with the semen that she had settled on her tongue. The semen mixed with her saliva began to increase as each moment passed. ¡®Huh¡­ It¡¯s sticky.¡¯ It seemed to swell as her tongue moved back and forth. As she opened her mouth slightly to breathe, bubbles formed in her sight. She hurriedly closed her mouth with her hand, squeezed her eyes tightly, then gulped to swallow it all. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Taking a breath lightly, the moment she swallowed his semen, she felt a strange warmth in her body. She was hot before, but now she felt something different. Something was missing. Isabel knew that a man letting out semen meant satisfaction, and while she felt a sense of aplishment, she also felt that this was not enough. Her stomach began to throb and craved for the next stage. Inside her undressed skirt, she felt her pussy grow excited. Her hand traveled down her body, and her fingers crept between the tightly closed cracks of her pussy that no one had ever entered. Squeak- It was as sticky as the semen she swallowed in her mouth. Even if it was a natural physiological phenomenon, it was strange. ¡®Is it because of the alcohol? I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Did she really have this stranger stuck in her mind? Isabel felt embarrassed by her weird , beating heart. She did. She questioned why but she couldn¡¯te up with the answer. The fact that Judah had the same spirit characteristics as the story that had been passed down to her tribe contributed to her crush on Judah, but what she didn¡¯t know was the twenty-fourth fragment in his possession. The main reason was Carpe Diem¡¯s ??-Fascination- effect. All of that was just synergies. ¡®I want to¡­ have sex¡­ I want it.¡¯ Isabel lightly rubbed her fingers as they touched her pussy. Thrilling pleasure rose from her underside, riding up her spinal cord. Her waist perked up. Her sexual desires, which had been suppressed for decades, were erupting. She could see that she was incredibly excited without having to put her fingers inside like she was in heat like an animal. She used her index and middle fingers to open her pussy from side to side. The love juice that settled within it dripped like a stream of water. The day was dark, and the moonlight cast a shadow on her, so it was hard to see. ¡®Sex.¡¯ Isabel knew. If the semen she swallowed a little while ago entered her bottom, she will be pregnant, just like the women she had seen so far. Her stomach would grow and give birth to children. Isabelughed at the mix of strange anticipation and fear. ¡°¡­¡± She looked at the penis throbbing in front of her eyes. She saw its momentum waning a little while ago, and she seduced his erection again harder than before. At the end of his ns, his semen hung. Isabel lifted her head slightly, stuck her tongue out, licked it, and puckered her lips. She then licked her cheeks to clean the semen that remained in it and sucked up whatever remained in his urethra. ¡°It would be difficult to bear it, right? Come here¡­ Don¡¯t say you can¡¯t.¡± Isabel grabbed Judah¡¯s shoulder and pushed him behind her. She let out a whine, and Judah turned back to look at her. Isabel put her hand on her wall and propped her hips behind her. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!