Where to Go Next?
“Haa.”
He lay in the plaza, feeling the breeze whispering past his ear. The blue sky was as clear as the sea, with white clouds bubbling up here and there like foam—you could almost reach out and feel their cool touch. Sung-tae gazed up at the heavens through his hazy eyes, letting out a sigh at the noisy clamor drifting in on the wind.
“Heave-ho! Heave-ho!”
“We need more struts over here. Hurry and bring 'em!”
“Got it. Be right back.”
[Kirik!]
Whatever it was they were so busy with, the monsters of Demon King Castle hadn't stopped working even after Sung-tae returned. He'd heard it was remodeling work on the castle, but the structure itself hadn't changed a bit, and all their efforts seemed focused on the exterior and the ground beneath it. The castle floated in the air, bound by iron chains. They were working on the land holding those chains steady.
Whatever the project is, they're really going at it.
“My lord, are you all right?”
Garba approached Sung-tae as he lounged in idle leisure. It had been over a week since their return from Yuglatsil, yet her liege had done nothing but lie there all day. The loyal retainer sat beside him, her face etched with worry.
“If something's troubling you, please tell me. I, Garba, will devote every ounce of my strength to resolving it.”
“No worries at all. I'm just lying here.”
Her concern lifted his spirits, and Sung-tae turned his head with a twitch of a smirk.
He had plenty weighing on him since discovering that first White Tower lord. Someone from Earth—or at least connected to it. If that didn't gnaw at him, he'd be some oblivious sociopath who only cared about himself. Who could it be? Were they still alive? If so, were they as ridiculously strong as him? If reincarnated from this world, probably not... Nah, they might've gotten some special power like me.
The questions swirled like a typhoon, numbing his mind. He hated tangled thoughts, so all he could do was stare blankly at the sky and try to empty his head.
“...Thanks, Garba.”
He turned back to the heavens and murmured his quiet gratitude. Amid all the monsters, she was the only one who truly cared.
“Not at all, my lord. If you're troubled, perhaps trying something new might help?”
“Try something?”
“Yes. When I have worries, I train. Sweating it out, feeling myself grow stronger—it makes those petty concerns vanish, along with any memory of why they mattered.”
“Hmm.”
Sung-tae rose, stretching his waist and loosening up. She was right. Rest the body, and the mind stirs. Idleness breeds stray thoughts that knot into worries. Better to adventure and live a little than rot here in Demon King Castle.
“Alright, how about we head out on an adventure?”
“Yes, my lord!”
“But... where to...”
He'd visited the mages' city, partied with a hero and toppled the Demon King. No proper elves yet, but he'd seen the high elf forest and the Saint Country too.
Feels like I took it easy, but damn, I've been busy.
Sung-tae plopped back down, drawing a blank on destinations.
“Somewhere worth... Wait. High elves? Oh, right!”
He pulled the bow slung across his back. He'd barely used it lately and nearly forgotten—but it wasn't just any bow.
“You still sleeping?”
No response. The World Tree bow, gathering strength to regrow, slumbered while awaiting reburial in the earth. Close call on forgetting entirely. Cursing his own forgetfulness for a moment, Sung-tae locked in a goal and turned to Garba.
“Regular elves—not high elves—live in the Ramian Mountains, right? How about there?”
“Elves... Intriguing indeed. But whether they'd accept us is doubtful.”
“Huh?”
Garba dredged up her elf knowledge at his question.
“Elves are a reclusive race. They never allow outsiders. The moment one approaches, they attack. Their abilities far surpass humans, slaying intruders in an instant.”
“Really? Classic elves, huh.”
“Of course, they couldn't even scratch you, my lord. But you wish to observe them and adventure, not fight...”
“Yeah. No fighting.”
Sung-tae pictured the elves from the book. Just a face shown, but it sparked visions of their figures, tails wagging in his mind.
“So what do we do? Do they let no one but elves in?”
“Not quite, my lord.”
“Gah! You scared me!”
“Ahem. It's always such a delight seeing you startle like this. Heh heh.”
Gepelt appeared behind Sung-tae with a fake cough and a blooming grin. He hadn't chatted with his lord lately, so this chance to flaunt his knowledge thrilled him.
“True, elves bar outsiders—but there are exceptions.”
“Exceptions? What kind?”
“Becoming their friend. They offer friendship to those they deem worthy and give a leaf infused with elven magic as a token.”
“Got it. Friends... Wait, so we gotta find some random elf and befriend them first?”
“Not necessarily. There's an exception to the exception—one that includes you, my lord. Do you still have your adventurer's license?”
Sung-tae fished it from his pocket. The bold C rank crumpled his brow like paper.
“Yeah.”
“That's enough. Long ago, in the ancient past before the world unified like today, a great peril struck the elves' mountains.”
Gepelt delved into distant history, from before even Ignis captured him.
“A mighty Demon King appeared, too strong even for elves. It shattered mountains; their powers failed. Humans came to their aid, banding together to drive it off. In gratitude, the elves gave them friendship tokens. Those humans made a proposal.”
He paused dramatically, voice grave.
“'We are humans; we won't live as long as you. One day, danger may strike you again, and we might not be there. As friends, we want to help even from afar. May we pass these tokens to trustworthy successors?'”
“Succession, huh.”
“They were extraordinary folk, balancing self-interest with aid. The elves agreed.”
“No way...”
Sung-tae caught Gepelt's intent in pulling out the license.
“Yes. They were the first adventurers. Informal ones existed before, but they pioneered guilds and structured quests.”
“So how do we get one? Adventurer's the baseline, sure—but they don't hand 'em to just anyone, right?”
“Heh heh. Easy for you, my lord. The way to earn it is...”
Gepelt's eyes gleamed at Sung-tae.
“...to become a Special-rank adventurer.”
“Special?”
Wasn't S the top? He'd assumed so. No detailed rank explanations from the receptionist—just Garba getting S, so he figured that was it. Hero Leo hadn't bothered with ranks.
“Yes. Common adventurers top at S or A, but the elite earn Special title—beyond guild execs, akin to the head. They rival heroes in strength. You'd claim it effortlessly.”
“Hmm. But handing elf tokens just for strength? What if some jerk abuses it?”
“Of course. Strength alone isn't enough. From what I know, guilds must fully trust you too.”
“So power without trust won't cut it.”
Earn guild trust via quests? Massive donations?
“Guess I'll dive in headfirst.”
“Once they see your might and character, it'll be swift.”
“Cool. Where to? Guild branches everywhere, right?”
“Heh heh. Prepared that too. Other cities have branches; there's only one true Adventurer's Guild.”
A teleportation circle bloomed between them. Gepelt, coordinates set, announced proudly.
“Adventurer's City: Leblanc! Home to the main guild, where Special-ranks are named. Quests there dwarf others—A-ranks below dare not approach!”
“Got it. Thanks, Gepelt—calm down a bit.”
“Shall we depart? Think short, act fast!”
“...”
Why the fuss? Like a puberty-struck kid whining, “Mom, aren't you going shopping?” to snag alone time.
“Well, prep's done. Let's go.”
“Yes, my lord. I'll follow anywhere.”
“See ya, Gepelt.”
“Safe travels, my lord.”
Gepelt waved brightly as the pair stepped into the circle. Once gone, he sighed in relief, face hardening.
“Finally. Climax time, and they've been stalling progress.”
Not just him—the working monsters sighed too, ditching tools into pits and nameless sculptures. All that labor? A ruse to fool Sung-tae. The real work started now.
“Alright, final phase. Let's shock the lord!”
“Hell yeah! The real fun begins!”
“What face'll he make when he returns?”
[Kirik!]
Monsters bustled. Gepelt glanced at the circle, then headed to his lab.
“Heh heh. Wait for it, my lord. You left me the castle—I'll honor that.”
What makes a great worker? Blind obedience? Amateur stuff. True excellence foresees needs, preps ahead, exceeds expectations. Gepelt aimed to be that—Sung-tae's prized subordinate.
“An impregnable, unprecedented Demon King Castle. For you.”
＊＊＊
“So this is Leblanc.”
Steel armor. Towering shields too heavy for one hand. Massive greatswords cleaving ogres in half. Adventurers in top-tier gear—unseen elsewhere—strode the streets.
“Name fits.”
Sung-tae gawked at the spectacle unique to Adventurer's City Leblanc, drinking in the new sights.
Other cities had adventurers, but these matched Gepelt's intel: elite, minimum A-rank. S-ranks rare? This was basically all A-ranks. High ranks meant fat paychecks and risky quests, so they knew gear mattered.
“Cheap, cheap! Troll blood for just 10 gold!”
“Legendary mithril blade, Ruberian—500 gold! Buy now, get a healing-enchanted necklace free!”
Merchants hawked to them at ear-splitting volumes, blurring lines between adventurer hub and bazaar. Their voices, honed over years, rivaled the adventurers' caliber.
“Real adventurer city. Leagues above the rest.”
Sung-tae nodded at the high-caliber crowd. Like a game zone for max-levels only, it stirred excitement. No adventurer here could beat him. They admired strength—how would they look at me?
“...Rank update first.”
He clenched the license he'd been toying with, recalling the guild. He'd shattered the Black Oriharcon ore himself, but “incomplete destruction” violated rules, sticking him with a laughable C. What if tested here, not some backwater? They might skip red tape and judge fairly.
“Alright, Garba. Let's find the guild.”
“Yes, my lord. Path memorized.”
Garba, map in hand from who-knows-where, guided him. En route, Sung-tae felt a prickling on his neck.
Hm? What’s that?
Glancing back, adventurers staring at him whipped their heads away. Some averted eyes, others awkwardly shuffled off; the rest eyed him with budding admiration.
The armor? Ignis made it stylish, sure.
Heh. Already drawing eyes.
Who hates admiration? He pictured jealous awe at his future Special-rank self.
“H-Hey, look over there...”
“Wait. Isn't that guy...?”
Huh? Not the armor—they know me?
Two whispering adventurers sparked memories of toppling the Demon King with Leo. She'd probably reported it; tales spread.
They recognize the adventurer who felled the Demon King with the hero?
He didn't know Leo had ghosted without reporting. The pair—female adventurers—gazed with curiosity and fear. Female eyes? Mood boost.
Nice.
Sung-tae sidled toward them, mind racing: Autograph request? Dinner invite?
Up close...
“H-He's coming this way!”
“R-Run!”
They paled like facing a monster and bolted. Sung-tae watched them go, consoling himself: Bound to happen. Rumors twisted from what I know.
Hero's ally became “merciless warrior who one-shots Demon Kings and outclasses heroes”? Fear before awe—makes sense. He'd roll with that.
Eh, happens.
But he didn't know. This was tame. Bigger reactions—despairing shock—awaited.