Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Holy Kingdom (4)
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"Now we just need to prepare the Anti-Flag Ritual, right!?"
"What are you talking about, Hyeji..."
"To bring the Saintess over, the Holy Kingdom has to fall!"
Whoa...
Hyeji had nailed the absolute core of it.
The core that everyone already knew, but no one wanted to poke at.
"That makes us sound like the bad guys. If it succeeds, we get a more peaceful world, which is great. If it fails, we can snatch the Saintess on the side, which is also great. We can't openly root for failure, though."
"Sure, but... Yujun, between the two, which do you prefer? It can't be exactly 50-50!"
"...If I had to pick, failure... I guess."
It wasn't some selfish desire to absolutely recruit the Saintess into my guild.
The Holy Kingdom's S-rank gate raid was being pushed forward despite opposition from the entire world.
They'd even withdrawn from the World Hunter Association's affiliated guilds, so they weren't exactly enemies... but definitely not allies anymore.
Imagine if a nation like that succeeded in conquering an S-rank gate that no guild worldwide had ever cleared.
Just thinking about it made me sickeningly envious.
We couldn't play the fool in a situation this juicy, where they were showboating against global backlash.
"Nope, can't have that. Anti-Flag Ritual... should we start it now?"
"Ehehe... I'd love for the Saintess to join our guild too!"
Plus, it was a clear fact that they were locking her up and treating her poorly.
If we took her in, we'd hand her an A-rank Light Staff someday (even if we didn't have one yet) and make sure she lacked for nothing, living happily ever after.
So obviously, she'd prefer life in our guild!
Regrettably(?), the Anti-Flag Ritual wishing for the Holy Kingdom's raid failure never actually happened.
From the moment they entered the S-rank gate until they emerged, we'd agreed to real-time communication via the Saintess and the [VIP Service] function.
If my impure thoughts accidentally leaked to her, we might lose our shot at recruiting her, raid outcome be damned.
Beyond that, the Holy Kingdom collapsing meant massive loss of life—nobody could sincerely wish for that.
It was just our usual WWE banter with Hyeji.
Anyway, we were on standby, ready to activate VIP Service the instant a note from Holy Piss arrived.
The vanguard had gone in first, and they'd start the raid proper once they returned—clearly, they had some ace up their sleeve.
"What gives them that confidence...?"
"The Holy Kingdom's Guild Master is a survivor of that incident, so he knows the dangers of an S-rank gate better than anyone. He must have something solid prepared."
Truly, educated folks think differently.
What was the Holy Kingdom Guild Master scheming?
No matter how hard I pondered, all I came up with was "maybe he's just super confident?"—and I felt ashamed of myself.
'No gear for becoming super smart anytime soon, huh.'
I'd heard there's a time for everything, even studying, so cramming knowledge now was off the table.
If I kept praying diligently and poured artisan spirit into my blacksmithing like always, maybe smart gear would drop eventually.
Not that I avoided studying entirely.
Just lurking on the Gallery naturally picked up tons of info—wasn't that studying too?
[Vanguard totally wiped???]
It's been over three hours already lolololol when are they coming out
Gate hasn't closed so they're probably still alive
Getting kinda frustrating lololol they’re playing it way too safe
Do they think this is a game?? It's an S-rank gate, being this cautious is right
?: Alright, we've sent in the vanguard and done what we can~ Should we wrap it up here~?
But seriously, how long is this guy gonna keep job hunting? lolololol How picky are you to still not have a B-rank guild after all this? Lower your standards, join some decent place to build experience, job-hop step by step, and you'll land in a major guild eventually dude
OP: Uh, suddenly? Landed a spot in a major guild lololol
lololololololol why no nick change I thought you still hadn't landed one lolol
OP: Told you I did
B-Rank Swordsman Seeking Guild actually got in?? lolololololol
C-rank bro's cracking open soju tonight lololol
[Raid process secret too and now they're fucked for real;;]
[Fuck just run the damn gate]
[Wasted my daily pay and cam's secret plus 3 hours of ritual lol...]
[At this point it's not that they won't go in, they can't lololol vanguard stuck somewhere?]
Four hours since the vanguard entered.
Posts with increasingly negative vibes started popping up.
Of course, S-rank gates—or any gate—required thorough prep and scouting. That was fact and standard procedure.
But with the world's eyes on them...
Reactions poured in like people watching a frustrating game or story drag on.
And surprisingly, as if sensing it, the Holy Kingdom's vanguard emerged from the gate.
At the same moment, a note arrived from the Saintess.
I was about to close the Gallery to activate VIP Service first, but the first line of her note hooked me—I ended up reading the whole thing.
[Holy Piss]
They say entry soon. Boastful Blacksmith, I've thought it over, and I don't think we need real-time comms right now.
As a member of the Holy Kingdom Guild and as the Saintess, I need to focus solely on the S-rank raid. Thank you for caring and for the Ring of Protection. If we succeed, I'll return it and repay the favor.
"Haha... Makes total sense."
"What went wrong?"
"Saintess says no connection for now. Wants to focus purely on the raid."
"Hmm... She's right. She's still with the Holy Kingdom, after all."
I'd made one solid miscalculation.
The Saintess was a member of the Holy Kingdom Guild.
More than just a member—she was a symbol greater than Guild Master Gregorio himself.
So even if she'd opposed the S-rank raid, even if she'd been dragged along by the Guild Master's insistence...
Once they entered and started, giving her all was only natural.
Maybe my push for constant VIP Service felt like I was dead certain they'd fail—could've rubbed her the wrong way.
"So what now? Can't snag the Saintess?"
"Not that, but... Hyeji, you a big Saintess fan? You sound super bummed."
"Having a healer in the guild means zero healing costs! I've got tons of gate experience, so I know how scary those bills are!!"
"Yeah... Impressive..."
Seems Hyeji, who'd gone weeks without profit after a raid due to healing fees, was still traumatized by them.
She'd been hoping for a Saintess-shaped company clinic, basically.
Honestly, I wasn't innocent of the thought either, so no judging.
Anyway, regardless of her clinic/potion/nurse/holy water blanket fantasies, the situation sucked now.
In that case...
'What the hell can I even do?'
[Boastful Blacksmith]
Got it. If you need help, message anytime, no hesitation.
Make good use of the ring's shield and skills.
I replied casually, as if nothing was up.
Now, nothing to do but twiddle thumbs until her next note.
"More synthesis while we wait??"
"Yujun..."
"Sigh... I really hope this is okay..."
The Saintess, on the verge of entering the S-rank gate, still felt unease and doubt about the situation.
With no choice, she'd muttered to herself alone.
"I will protect you without fail, so have no fears."
A response came for the first time.
Beyond a response—it was the first time she'd even heard him speak.
"...All this surveillance so far was to protect me?"
"..."
The man who'd monitored her—practically imprisoned her at home—was now saying he'd protect her without fail...
He had a massive build that made her wonder if he was even human.
In a world of gates, Awakeners, and unreal events, non-human intelligences weren't shocking anymore.
...
"That voice just now..."
Until now, one-way surveillance from outside the door, plus his priestly robes pulled low over his hooded face, hid his age.
Awakeners were typically 20s to early 30s anyway—no reason to dwell on it.
But that voice was clearly older.
No, it screamed "grandpa" instantly.
"You don't mean..."
"Entering the gate!!! Everyone to pre-assigned formation!!!"
Her sudden curiosity—no, anxiety—about to burst was cut off by the entry order.
Swoosh—
The man who'd restrained her until now, now stirring worry, bowed his head slightly and moved out.
In that instant as he bowed and rose.
She glimpsed inside the priestly robes.
Hair gone naturally white with age, skin etched deep with time's marks.
She knew this raid was off in many small ways.
But if her guess was right, the Holy Kingdom had committed a sin too vast for "small" to cover.
What were they thinking, dragging a non-Awakener into an S-rank hell where even A-ranks struggled to survive...?
She had to confront them right then.
"Entering!!!"
Too late.
Not five or ten minutes late. Not a day or two.
She couldn't even guess where the Holy Kingdom had first veered wrong.
'Far, far too late...'