Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Dreams on the Dusty Road
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There was a gate near the borderlands, but ordinary adventurers couldn't use it for military or security reasons.
With no other choice, we headed to the next closest gate, which meant we now had to ride horses for a full week—generously speaking, closer to two.
The biggest hurdle was boredom.
‘To be fair, I've been living the Korean "hurry up" lifestyle all this time.’
I'd kicked romance of adventure to the curb, zipping through gates and only dungeon-diving for the occasional gourmet food tour.
We'd taken breaks here and there, but those were just for gear checks or shaking off fatigue—nothing like a real vacation or healing getaway... right?
‘Am I some kind of exploitative boss?’
Clop, clop.
Bouncing along on horseback, lost in a train of thought, I flinched.
"What is it?"
"Did you say something, Young Master?"
―There are no lifeforms posing a threat nearby, Administrator.
"Are you hungry or something?"
I waved off the party members who were chiming in just because I'd shuddered a bit.
Even if I was the physically weakest among us, wasn't this treating me like a total weakling?
"It's nothing. Anyway, it's a long ride to get there, and right now there's nothing to do but ride, so let's chat to pass the time."
When I asked what they wanted to do in the future, everyone fell quiet, deep in thought.
"By 'future,' do you mean after you've accomplished what you set out to do, Lord Adelian?"
"Yeah, let's say that. Tell me."
Once I'd finished what I wanted to do, I probably wouldn't be around anymore, so it could be fun to hear their plans in advance.
"Then I want to gather with my kin in a small village and live there. They all crave a single, satisfying life."
Stealing someone's life was the fate and instinct of a doppelganger, but even they had ultimate dreams.
If they could take the place of someone lost to accident rather than murder, giving hope back to those grieving—and if they could beautifully complete the life of someone they'd fully consumed.
"After that, they wouldn't want another life, so if I don't revive them, it means one less doppelganger in the world."
And with that, she said she wanted to be the last doppelganger left in the world, living somewhere no one could find her. I let out a breath.
Come to think of it, the origin of doppelgangers started with a dragon's experiment after losing its lover.
What did it mean to create doppelgangers that perfectly replicated memories, emotions, and appearances for those grieving a loss?
Was that how they were born, and that's why it became their wish?
As I watched Zero, who planned to ensure every last doppelganger lived a fulfilling life before being left alone, Luna was gently stroking her head.
"If that's what you want, Zero..."
I spoke slowly, and Luna, trying to lighten the mood, smiled faintly and spoke up.
"As for me, I want to go back to Krueger Castle with you, Young Master, and live like we used to. And I'll work hard to become head maid for sure."
She clenched both fists like it was some grand ambition, and I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
"You can wield aura now, Luna, and you know so much— you're still planning to stay on as my maid?"
"Yes!"
As if to say, *I was originally your exclusive maid, you know?*—a rare haughty tilt to her nose—and I burst out laughing.
―I want to return to the aerial fortress with you, Administrator, awaken my other siblings, restore the fortress, and search for our origins.
I scratched my cheek at Leaf's words as she rode the pure white horse—said to have unicorn blood mixed in—that Bahadi had given her in the Spirit Forest.
The documents locked in the aerial fortress... even if unlocked, they came with conditions and would take time, plus I had to infuse mana into that sea-colored pearl, so I'd been putting it off.
"Alright. Once we've filled that sea-colored pearl with enough mana, we'll tackle it step by step."
At my words, Leaf smiled ever so faintly in delight, brushing her pale green hair behind her ear.
"And you?"
Everyone had shared, but Kane stayed silent, so I prompted him. He stared ahead with his impassive face and finally spoke.
"Then why haven't you said anything yourself?"
I laughed at Kane's question, as if wondering why he'd even ask.
"Me? I'm planning to turn you into the continent's greatest swordsman, then live leisurely while making full use of you."
No more assassination threats. No more meddling elders.
Kane turned his gaze as I exaggerated.
"After toppling the Church, I'll become your knight as per our contract."
"You say it so boringly."
Luna giggled at Kane and me bickering. It was a rare moment of leisure.
"I'm planning to split the party in two once we reach the borderlands."
At my words, Luna and Zero—who were picking a spot for tonight's camp and starting a fire—snapped their heads up.
"Split in two?"
"Who goes where...?"
I pulled a antique wooden chair from my subspace—utterly mismatched with the rough dirt ground—and plopped down, nodding toward Kane, who was felling a dead tree for firewood in a single stroke far off.
"Kane, and the rest of us."
―Does that mean Sir Kane goes off alone?
I nodded at Leaf's question as she fetched water by the nearby stream and filled the pot.
"Kane will build up achievements to raise his fame, while we move separately to hunt dungeons."
At the word "dungeon," Zero and Luna's faces crumpled.
"It won't be that dangerous."
"Right? ...You're not saying it'll be dangerous or anything, are you, Bunny Senior?"
"Brace yourselves, at least, Zero..."
Was their trust in me really this low?
I stared at them intently, and they both averted their eyes.
―Why does Sir Kane have to move separately?
"There are a few reasons. First, he's strong enough to bolster the borderlands. Second, him drawing attention makes it easier for us to slip around unnoticed."
Even as I explained, Kane kept splitting logs barehanded into kindling, looking utterly uninterested. I held up another finger.
"Third, it's time for our gloomy Kane to gain some fame. Fourth, I need to stay unknown, on the contrary. Everyone's got those perception-distortion badges Gamur made, right?"
Everyone nodded lightly.
‘Not that it matters much with faces like ours.’
Our party's individual looks were already off the charts.
Honestly, even I—with my cocky expression that's a bit annoying—would fit right in anywhere.
Then Luna: petite build, cute compact face. Adorable and fresh charm, yet caring and sweet to boot.
Zero used to be average-looking, but after dying and reviving a few times, she was now the party's tallest, with slightly drooping eyes that made her look too innocently pretty—like a parasitic vine turned bombshell.
Leaf, being a golem, had perfectly sculpted proportions and long straight hair. Her expressionless face only amplified the doll-like vibe.
‘Kane... well, no need to go there.’
He annoyed me, so skip.
"We stuck to places where faces might get recognized early on, but this is different."
Krueger territory Laves aside, the rest were imperial but felt like free cities, or outright other countries.
The Monster Borderlands—this place was state-managed, so of course someone would recognize Adelian.
Some might butter me up as the infamous Krueger wastrel, others might scheme otherwise.
Either way, it'd be a hassle, so perception artifacts it was.
But if we all used them, the problem was Kane—he needed to build fame the opposite way.
‘Gotta level up that lord tree first.’
No game-like fame points, but he needed recognition, and at minimum, command over 100 subordinates.
This place made it easy to rack that up in one go, so with our situations clashing, splitting was inevitable.
‘Plus, finally got another Siren made.’
Hand that to Kane for a safety net.
"Won't Sir Kane be going alone then? What if he runs into a strong monster?"
I glanced at Kane mid-sip of tea as Zero stirred stew in the non-stick pot and self-stirring ladle I'd given her last time.
"That guy? Him? Kane? Your senior?"
"Ah, right."
You could imagine the military coveting his strength, the imperial family trying to void his divine contract with me—but Kane dying alone? That image never crossed my mind.
Zero meekly admitted her mistake and chopped herbs into the stew.
"So what exactly do I need to do?"
I paused mid-bite of the stew—tough veggies and chewy jerky boiled down to perfection—and answered Kane's question.
"Go wild."
Not the central frontlines, but the outskirts where monsters occasionally push down.
Here, raw power trumped bloodlines or status.
Kane's status as an Alkaid ex-slave was long freed, adventurer-registered, so commoner was fine.
Sprinkle some MSG and package him as Krueger-backed talent? Perfect.
His traits left no room for doubt. Noble houses often sponsored based on submitted traits anyway.
So rampage. If anyone blocks, drop my name and don't stop.
"They'll treat you well at first, use you right—but the more you rampage, climb higher, the more politics. Might send you to traps, who knows."
But Kane would never die. That one certainty brought us here.
"Learn everything worth learning. Filthy politics, map-reading, strategy, soldier command."
And surely, we'd see at least one massive monster here that our party alone couldn't handle.
If we could take it down with local forces...
‘Nothing but gains for Kane.’
Feats no ordinary person could. Achievements. Herculean.
Even the strongest normal couldn't easily topple the Demon King—worshipped as god by its church.
Different leagues. Power even dragons couldn't match one-on-one.
To face that, Kane had to become that.
Beyond his original story feats.
‘Start easy.’
Aura user in no time, mid-maze cleared, ruins raided—dragon encounter unplanned.
Now, inner border monsters.
"Yeah. If I just do that."
"Don't show your human hatred. Oh, and if you get soldiers under you, lead a unit—take good care of the kids."
"So how long do I have to act cute?"
As I nagged Kane, Luna swirled her spoon in her stew bowl, voice petulant.
Not parting forever, but attachments had grown.
"Up to Kane."
Till the day he slays that massive monster.
At my words, Luna, Zero, and Leaf looked at Kane—drawing a rare low sigh from him.