Chapter 380: Mev! Awakening!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 380: Mev! Awakening!
[ Hermit's Cloak ]
[ This cloak was always worn by an ancient, holy hermit. The guardian of a sanctuary, this hermit fought his entire life to protect the sacred place. No records remain of who he was or the life he lived, but the cloak he wore for a lifetime has survived. It has the ability to completely erase the wearer's presence, possesses outstanding magic resistance, and provides extremely high defense. It also has a subspace function, allowing a large volume of items to be stored and retrieved from within. ]
[ Additional Stat - Magic +10 ]
“Oh…”
An exclamation escaped my lips before I knew it. I had expected it to be good, but it was far more efficient than I’d imagined. I’d anticipated the defensive function, but the most eye-catching feature was…
‘A subspace.’
A subspace, of all things. For someone like me who carries a great many weapons, it was the perfect item. Could I perhaps launch weapons from the subspace? The thought occurred to me that I could gain a pretty decent attack pattern.
Launching stored weapons directly from the cloak was, in a way, the stuff of dreams.
“Nice, right? It's nice, isn't it? Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to get this thing? There were some arrogant bastards who opposed it, but I managed it in the end. Kek.”
Looking at Choi Seulgi, who was watching me with sparkling, expectant eyes, it was only natural that a feeling of gratitude welled up. I nodded and opened my mouth.
“Thank you.”
“It was a real pain. It was originally meant for our Queen, but she said it was cumbersome and didn't want it. Some other guy was about to snatch it up, but I thought of you and brought it. I figured it would be a fitting gift, too. The design is good; it'll definitely look great on you.”
“Doesn't it give off a rugged mercenary vibe?”
“That's what makes it cool. It has a certain dignified charm…”
Mev didn't seem to understand what Choi Seulgi was saying, but she kept nodding along anyway.
“Wait, this isn't the time for this. I'll go get Eunju-unni and Ye Ri. You should try sitting on the throne, too.”
“Alright.”
Jung Hayeon and Baek Ahyeon weren't here, but it had been quite a while since everyone else had gathered in one place. Soon, Choi Seulgi, who had vanished from sight, returned, opening a portal with Choi Eunju and Jang Ye Ri.
“My thanks. I recommend you try sitting on the throne after putting on the cloak.”
“Thank you, Seulgi. Oh my, it really does seem like it will suit you, darling. But I think the tent smells a little… We'll have to clean it again.”
“R-Really? I don't smell anything…”
Mev flinched at Choi Eunju's comment, but nothing more was said. It was likely an incident she didn't want to reveal, so it was only natural. But Mev, who fell silent after making her excuse, looked a little cute.
“Hurry up and try it on.”
I nodded and, the moment I put on the cloak, I felt it wrap around me. It seemed to be adjusting its size, a function I hadn't expected, which made me flinch slightly. The cloak, long enough to nearly touch the ground from below my chin, certainly covered my entire body. It felt like I had thrown on a robe, but it wasn't as cumbersome to move in as I'd thought.
A quick glance in the mirror confirmed that the reflection greeting me wasn't bad at all.
Just as Choi Seulgi had wanted, I had the look of a worn-out, seasoned adventurer or mercenary. Jang Ye Ri spoke, her voice filled with excitement.
“Now, sit on the throne. Quickly.”
[ Iron Throne of Weapons ]
[ Forged with desperate resolve by the artisans of the great eastern city, Garia. This is an iron throne constructed from a multitude of weapons. The weapons comprising the throne can be detached at the user's will. Despite its appearance, it is exceedingly comfortable. It recognizes only Blood Dagger as its user. ]
Unfortunately, there were no additional stats. I had no idea what kind of order she'd given for the artisans of Garia to have “forged it with desperate resolve,” but it was clear that a great deal of effort had gone into it.
When I reached out a hand, the throne instantly disassembled and began to float in the air. Just as the description said, all the weapons that made up the throne had separated and were awaiting my command.
- Hyung. Levatain-nuna is angry, saying she can't acknowledge a harem like that. She says she can't forgive you for consorting with weapons that have no pedigree…
‘What about the crazy bitch?’
- She's rampaging, screaming that she'll kill them all. World Tree-nuna is crying.
Come to think of it, I still hadn't released my integration. The penalty for Ridill wasn't severe, but maintaining this form was still a burden. I said my farewells to Ridill, released the integration, and reassembled the floating weapons into the throne before slowly taking a seat.
I felt like a dancer in a strip club. Choi Seulgi, Jang Ye Ri, Choi Eunju, and even Mev were watching me with shining eyes.
The moment I slowly sat down, an exclamation burst out from somewhere.
“Sh…Shit, you're so fucking cool. Our Taesung.”
“Hmm… Truly a sight befitting a king. I wish I could show this to Ratga.”
“Darling…”
“Chieftain! You look so cool! Really!”
Everyone seemed quite excited. I couldn't quite picture myself, but I figured I must look pretty cool. The iron throne itself was impressive, so I thought I might look something like a demon king from a fairy tale.
“It's comfortable.”
“I hope you appreciate how much trouble I went through to have that throne made.”
“Hah… so damn cool… fuck, for real. It makes me want to serve you.”
Choi Seulgi's gaze was particularly intense. I didn't know what kind of “service” she was talking about, but I did my best to avoid her eyes. After all, we weren't alone. It was only natural that a sigh of disappointment escaped them when I made a move to stand up. Seeing this, Jang Ye Ri spoke.
“You may remain seated a while longer. I wish to keep this gallant image of you in my sight.”
“Rather than that, let's have a drink together. It's a gathering for all of us, after all. It feels uncomfortable for me to be the only one sitting up high…”
I had received congratulations from many humans, but what I really wanted was to spend time with my family. Understanding my meaning, they all nodded. Mev slowly nodded and quickly began to set out the food and drinks she had prepared. This role was usually handled by Choi Eunju, but perhaps because she still thought of herself as the “Mother of Green Skin,” her movements were quite swift and efficient.
She was probably also trying to make up for her earlier mistake. The atmosphere, with us talking as a family rather than as a host and guests sitting far apart like before, was quite warm and friendly.
We didn't talk about anything particularly meaningful, but it was a pleasant conversation, the first in a long time. As time passed, Jang Ye Ri spoke to me.
“By the way, that woman came to visit earlier today.”
“Hmm?”
“That bitch. I expected it, but she's faster than I thought.”
Choi Seulgi grumbled, Jeong Jina's last words apparently still lingering in her mind.
“It just means she's that smart. She came with an apology and a deal. She offered to provide information on the West Continent in exchange for a visa allowing her to stay in the East Continent long-term. I told her I'd think about it, but I wanted to hear your opinion, as you're the one who actually manages that place.”
“It's probably because she feels her growth is stagnating. For people who have just arrived or are in their prime growth period, it's hard to grow steadily on this continent.”
Choi Eunju was right. It wasn't that there were no hidden dungeons left, but our continent was clearly saturated. Jeong Jina had approached us a bit hastily and intensely, but she wasn't wrong. After organizing my thoughts, I slowly began to speak.
“The West Continent, huh. I don't know what she knows, but I'm curious. I'm also curious where they made an item like this… Could it be the dwarves Ha Yuri mentioned?”
I immediately swapped the dagger in my hand for the object called a magic gun, and a small firearm appeared in my palm. I tried channeling magic into it, but there was a limit.
“It's not a particularly great item. It might be helpful for those of a lower level, but for those who have reached a certain stage, it would be more of a hindrance. The concept of turning magic into a bullet is excellent… but that's all there is to it.”
Jang Ye Ri's assessment was perfectly correct.
It wasn't a good weapon. It would be an insult to even compare the other weapons I possessed to this magic gun.
“If anything, an item like that would just get in the way of becoming stronger.”
Mev nodded in agreement. It was a very obvious thing to say, but it was surprising that she was able to follow this conversation. I wanted to ask if she was suffering from her “biological phenomenon” again, but I held my tongue, not wanting to bring up bad memories.
“If we can make contact with them, I see no reason to stop it. It's not a bad deal, and in the long run, it's actually a good thing. There are a few things that need to be confirmed, but… it's been a while since I've been to the East Continent, so it might not be a bad idea for me to go and check things out myself.”
“Then the answer is clear. I will deal with Jeong Jina myself. And we will add our own conditions to the deal.”
“Mm.”
“That aside… who will accompany you to the East Continent?”
When I glanced around, everyone except Jang Ye Ri had sparkling eyes.
“Kim Taesung, I have plenty of time.”
“I suppose I’ll have to go with you, darling.”
“Chieftain?”
Their gazes were, of course, incredibly pressuring. But in truth, the selection was already decided. It wouldn't take long to visit the East Continent, but it was obviously impossible for both Mev and me to be away at the same time.
“It'll be a light trip, so you can come along if you want. Are you okay with that?”
“Of course.”
“Yes, I'm fine with it.”
As Choi Seulgi and Choi Eunju nodded, Mev also looked at me with a shining expression.
“Mev is excluded.”
“........................”
The crowned queen lowered her head in an instant. However, she didn't ask why she couldn't go. Mev, too, knew she couldn't leave her post.
“What about you, Ye Ri?”
“I am not in a position to be away for so long. However, I would like to ask you to take my son. I have already heard that you did not take my son on the path to the Land of Glory. Of course, you must have had your reasons, but as a mother, it is heartbreaking to see one's children discriminated against. Ratga is not as weak as you think.”
“I wasn't exactly discriminating against him… I'll take him to the East Continent. It will be a good experience for him. Mev, I need you to look after Laveua and Lapura.”
“Uh-huh! Leave it to me.”
Previously, I would have been a little worried about entrusting something to Mev, but asking this much of the Mev who had shown a somewhat impressive side to herself, whatever the reason, didn't seem so bad. The important thing was that she was showing the will to change.
Come to think of it, I realized I hadn't properly praised her for today's events, so I stroked Mev's head.
“And you did a great job today.”
“Hehe…”
“You were impressive. And I will reward you separately for today's work.”
“You worked hard.”
It wasn't just me; everyone thanked Mev for her hard work, and her eyes quickly filled with tears. This wasn't the reaction I'd been hoping for, but if Mev was happy, that was enough.
“E-Everyone… hic…”
Unlike a card game, she might have realized that in reality, effort pays off. As I stroked her head once more, Mev looked at everyone and smiled.