Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Hardworking Pay-to-Win Knight
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That's right. That tall, handsome young man.
Was a ten-year-old kid.
"Jisung's here!"
Hayes lit up with joy and rushed over to hug Jisung.
"Gr-Grand Aunt. Pl-please let go..."
"Oh, come on, what's there to be shy about? My little kiddo~!"
Jisung squirmed, his face turning beet red from Hayes's skinship. He looked just like a high school boy who didn't know what to do with an affectionate, curvaceous older sister.
But he was ten years old.
'That guy's ten?'
Named Jisung—hoping for a wise and intelligent child, as per Flower's wish—the kid had grown that much in just ten years. It wasn't just his size; he'd become a being with intellectual capabilities matching—or perhaps surpassing—his stature.
"So, what's up?"
At my question, he straightened his posture and spoke.
"Ah, about the Bright Kingdom..."
I raised my hand to cut him off.
"If it's about that, it'll take a while, so let's talk over dinner."
I'd scarfed something down hastily on the way to the training grounds, but the recoil from near-light speed hadn't fully worn off.
"Sounds good! I'll wash up and head right over."
Hayes headed into a door on one side of the training grounds.
Flower approached Jisung and asked.
"How were your lessons?"
"Yes, Mother. The teacher explained everything so well that it was easy to understand."
Jisung was growing up in a way completely different from what I'd expected.
'I thought he'd turn into a combat machine, obviously.'
How could I not think that? He'd stood on two legs right after birth. With physical talents incomparable to a normal human, I figured he'd naturally train in martial arts.
But the fields Jisung showed talent and interest in were politics and administration.
'He's got a sturdy build and Hard Qi Gong, so his internal energy is building smoothly... but he lacks fighting spirit. Could be because he's still young.'
Given the situation, it didn't seem like I could raise him as a force to take into mythic dungeons. Even if it were possible, it'd take decades more, so it was a ridiculous notion from the start.
"Ah, Your Majesty."
Edward, who'd been lost in thought for a moment, spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"My sister says she's finished organizing the songs."
"Ah, always working hard. Tell her thanks."
"She'd be even happier if you told her in person."
"Yeah, I'll drop by sometime."
Edward's sister, Harmony, was humanity's empire's top singer and producer, thriving in her career. Her genius talent and ripe beauty in her late twenties had made her famous across the continent.
'Right. Time to log out soon... so she had to organize the songs.'
Thinking that, I started walking.
Ding-dong!
We returned to the guild tower and headed to the restaurant.
The restaurant, which occupied an entire floor solely for me and my family, was already laden with a feast.
Steamed wild boar hind legs in a spicy-sweet sauce, thinly sliced beef tongue lightly grilled with salt, pepper, and various spices, fish steamed in sweet fruit juice after deboning, pasta with al dente noodles drowned in cream sauce and topped with garlic flakes, steaming hot udon broth, and more—dishes that could pass for Earth's cuisine.
Each one was a delicacy to savor, but I devoured them like a vacuum.
Crunch.
Naturally, the portions were enormous.
In a typical medieval Ardenia, even an emperor couldn't eat this much without issues. But in humanity's empire, where food poured out from dungeons, food shortages were someone else's problem.
For the past five years, we'd been running large farms in the southern regions, producing grains in abundance, and the catches from all seas were plentiful too.
"So."
With my stomach somewhat filled, I turned to Jisung, who was eating slowly.
"Why the Bright Kingdom?"
Humanity's empire encompassed all humans on the continent. The Ming Empire, which called itself central and looked down on other nations; the Holy Empire, which periodically hunted witches and burned people alive; the Pal Kingdom, which combined the worst of both; and the Crystal Federation, which terrified all humans—they had all melted into humanity's empire.
However, humanity's empire wasn't the only power on Ardenia.
Not other human factions fending off monster attacks, but factions made up of non-humans.
'The Bright Rebels.'
There was a monster group by that name. Like the Holy Army led by zealot Edward, they were marked as [Enemies] and classified as monsters.
"It might be premature, but... we need to increase the number of guilds entering the Bright Rebels' castle."
"Why?"
Even the same monsters could sometimes communicate.
Cyclops ascetics with high intelligence who cared for nothing but their own cultivation.
Angelkin who used holy power.
Omni Fairies with high magical abilities.
Divine Beastkin, each with unique powers.
Unlike demons with endless malice despite high intelligence, or berserk ogre mages too violent to reason with, we compromised with them to some extent, acknowledging their territories instead of regular cleanups.
But the most reasonable were, of course, those who looked human.
Over five years of mutual recognition, the Bright Rebels had declared themselves the Bright Kingdom and even started trading with humanity's empire.
"Here's the trade record with the Bright Kingdom."
I took the paper Jisung handed me.
"...Wood imports have increased?"
"Precisely, wood for making charcoal. From what I gathered, they're melting down weapons to make farming tools."
"Strange."
"Yes, very strange."
Because their essence was monsters. Monsters refreshed their status just by visiting the pillars of light—their home bases. They didn't need to eat, so why melt weapons for farming tools?
"You see them as a threat?"
"Not exactly. They're clearly submissive to Your Majesty. But it's never good that we're in the dark about their policies. If we maintain relations..."
He laid out his argument logically. As we ate, I listened to his analysis of the current situation, several hypotheses he'd come up with, and corresponding responses.
"What's humanity's empire's current population?"
At my question, Jisung answered without hesitation.
"As of the 1st of last month, the Human Resources Development Bureau announced 12.47 million for humanity's empire's population. Of that, 8.7 million have received citizenship."
In the past ten years, humanity's empire had developed dazzlingly. Population exploded, society stabilized, knowledge expanded, technology advanced, and above all, average human capability had risen incomparably to the past.
Anyone without disqualifications could become a player by choosing a general-class just upon adulthood—that was the citizenship process. In other words, humanity's empire had 8.7 million players.
Gigases produced from continuously supplied materials. Dwarves starting to make cars and firearms through endless reverse-engineering in just ten years. Fifth-class mages beginning to emerge.
Humanity's empire's total power still fell short of me alone... but it had reached a meaningfully significant level.
'Hmm. Maybe having a kid like this isn't so bad.'
But it still blew my mind.
'This guy's ten?'
I turned to look at Flower.
And signaled with my eyes.
'You didn't plan this?'
Flower smiled warmly and signaled back.
'No idea?'
Her eyes dripped with honey as she looked at her son. Unlike my gruffness toward kids, her affection was on another level.
"Hmm. Good. I'll set up a position in the administration. Do as you like."
"Thank you!"
His eyes sparkled with joy.
'Do normal ten-year-olds like this stuff?'
The family meal—or was it a briefing?—ended, and we left the restaurant. Flower went off somewhere laughing with Jisung.
'Flower, that kid... he used to stick to me all the time.'
Feeling some indescribable mix of emotions, Hayes sidled up beside me.
She looked serious for some reason.
"Hey, Jaeyeon."
"Yeah?"
"I never thought I'd be thinking this."
Hayes spoke with a strange expression.
"Should I have a kid too?"
As I'd grown accustomed to my body, the forced biofactor extraction like before no longer happened. Now I could decide whether to pass on biofactors, and like other bioforce practitioners, produce [Basic] biofactors, even spreading bioforce in Ardenia.
'Popular among talentless soldiers. With enough supply, it's stronger than equivalent abilities.'
But I no longer spread [Unique] versions. Simple reason: too costly.
Making one burned 20kg of muscle, taking months to recover, so no spamming.
"Jealous?"
I pulled her waist close, and Hayes's face flushed red.
"Urgh... Ah! I don't know! I'll tell you later!"
I chuckled at Hayes fleeing.
'...Peaceful.'
Ten years had passed before I knew it.
All of humanity's empire sang of prosperity. Legendary monsters still roamed beyond the walls, but no one felt crisis. Towering walls and players climbing them—paying fees for gold and EXP—handled that.
And above all, I was there.
The great and mighty emperor.
'Yeah. I could... live here forever.'
Ten years here, and real time hadn't passed. I didn't even age here... If I wanted, I could reign as Ardenia's eternal emperor.
Respected, loved, no crises—an eternal life.
Past Ardenia was barbaric compared to real Earth, but now? Mythic castle facilities rivaled reality's, culture and arts flourished unlike the boring past, and food was delicious.
"...Ha."
I laughed. I reined in my loosening mind.
Ridiculous.
Complacent thinking.
If I were content with mediocrity, why couldn't I adapt to 34th Earth and suffered? Wasn't it called paradise?
"Yeah. Been a long stay."
I arrived at my office and looked down. My city, my empire.
Beautiful and precious, but I couldn't be bound to it.
So I said.
"Log out."
Flash!
My vast city. My not-flashy-but-luxurious office vanished, replaced by a tiny studio apartment.
"Heh. Long time no see."
Logging out after a full ten years felt impulsive, but not bad.
I recalled.
'Right, what was the situation?'
First up: the showdown with Chief Cheon Hyun-il. Unforgettable. Actually one reason my login stretched so long.
'And besides... my transcendent status got out. Scandal with Flower blew up the news... shot ads... oh yeah, Survival Island broadcast too?'
Ten years gone.
Big events stuck, but details fuzzy. Nemesis stock price? Serial novels? No clue.
Then.
The Cheda beside me spoke.
[Alert! Alert! This is a real situation. All citizens, please evacuate to safe locations per the program. Repeating: This is a real situation. Citizens, evacuate to safe locations per the program!]
"Huh?"
Sudden situation, brain lagged.
"What's this? Real situation? Wait, is Cheda hacked?"
But it wasn't just Cheda blaring alerts.
[Alert! Alert! This is a real situation. All citizens, please evacuate to safe locations per the program. Repeating: This is a real situation. Citizens, evacuate to safe locations per the program!]
Warnings echoed everywhere. Not just PC— the room tower's broadcasts too.
[Level 22 Psychic Disaster Alert! Level 22 Psychic Disaster Alert! All citizens...]
[Level 22 Psychic Disaster Alert! Level 22 Psychic Disaster Alert! All citizens...]
"Level 22!?"
I bolted up and looked out the window.
"Ugh!? Wh-what!? What's happening!?"
"Another transcendent?"
"No, what's with this water!? Where's it rising from!?"
Water rose from the city's streets. Impossible in 34th Earth's urban design!
But the real issue wasn't the water.
-Suffocating! The deep sea, the deep sea's pulling me...
-Waves! Waves! Waves crashing in!
-All kneel! The terror of the deep sea shall dominate souls!
"...Narration?"
A clear voice unlike any reality.
From the pooled water, a dark blue-skinned giant rose.
[Level 22]
Chaos of the Deep Sea. Shimgon
"...What?"
I freaked. But that wasn't all.
-I saw my end! I'm going to die... the world will be destroyed!
-It knows! It knows too!
-It's watching! Disaster sweeps this place!
The sky split. A massive eye emerged. Far from Shimgon—kilometers away—yet clearly visible.
[Level 22]
Eye of Prophecy. Deep Eye
In South Korea.
No, worldwide.
No, perhaps across the universe...
Monsters were overflowing.