Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: How the Rank 1 Hero Saves the World
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The castle gates were drawing closer.
Unlike the early stages of the battle, it was taking longer because my Nymph's Wind output had dropped significantly.
The silver lining was that taking down the lord once seemed to have thrown their chain of command into disarray. The closer we got to the castle—farther from their main base—the more the soldiers were milling about in confusion.
Even so, if the lord rallied the troops again, things would get sorted out soon. For better or worse, it seemed to be a major mental pillar for them.
Come to think of it, the castle lord must have had a huge influence on the castle folk too. With Lee Woo-yeon strutting around as the lord, maybe everyone's morale would get a boost.
"Hey, Lee Woo-yeon."
When we were almost at the castle, I called out to him. He turned to look at me.
Besides hunter gear, he was draped in an ornate cloak that didn't fit modern Korea at all. It had to be the lord's.
So, once we're back inside, do I have to call him "Lord" in front of others? I'm the knight captain, so...
"Wait, how did you recognize me?"
Until you properly identify someone, they just look like the possessed version. I spotted him from a hundred meters away because of the wings.
At my question, Lee Woo-yeon gave an exasperated look.
"Your sword. And the way you wield it. Anyone could tell it was you."
"Oh..."
Right, he'd seen my Apex Holy Sword. Of course he'd recognize it. But it irked me that he was looking at me like I was pathetic.
Lee Woo-yeon made a face like he was begrudgingly offering something and said,
"If you have more questions, spit 'em out now."
"...Fine."
It was annoying, sure, but since we both had to stay in character, once we entered the castle fully, talking to Lee Woo-yeon-as-lord might get restricted.
I had a few things I wanted to ask before that.
"Lee Seon aside, how'd you get in?"
That was my biggest curiosity. Did the dungeon's personnel limit lift when the boss showed up or something?
"A few dozen minutes after you went in? Someone else cleared a hidden condition and came out. That's how I got in."
"...What about the outside? What if a dungeon break happens?"
"There was a bit of an argument with Professor Kim, but... I figured you were making solid progress. The saturation level dropped in those few minutes. At that pace, I convinced her the best move was for me to go in and help."
He mumbled a bit on "convinced," which sounded suspicious.
They didn't seem on great terms. He didn't start a fight, did he?
Lee Woo-yeon frowned and added,
"Of course, I had no idea time flows differently inside the dungeon."
Fair enough. Time inside and outside dungeons doesn't match, so for him, it'd felt like just a few dozen minutes.
From their side, with saturation dropping fast, they thought it was endgame and sent in firepower support.
Not a bad call. Preventing a dungeon break is always best.
"The one who cleared the hidden condition okay?"
"Yeah, came out in pretty good shape this time. Said their condition was slicing ten enemy soldiers."
That kind of condition... Was it someone from the cavalry charge?
I clicked my tongue. Would've been nice to sense the other hunters in the dungeon.
Still, good they're safe. Told 'em to grab some chicken and popcorn, and they survived on their own.
Reading my face, Lee Woo-yeon added one last thing.
"At least a useful hunter. Though they probably didn't help with saturation at all."
"Is that something you say to a survivor? What's with your personality?"
"Why say something so lame? I'm just teasing you."
He winked.
Is constantly winking with one eye a medical condition...? I turned away and clicked my tongue at the approaching moat.
Focusing on each step forward left me with iffy remaining mana and runway distance.
Can I jump the moat in one go?
It'd be nice if they spotted my trouble from the castle and lowered the bridge, but the enemies were much closer now.
No risky moves.
Even if I belly-flopped into the moat, I wouldn't die, but moats often had corpses or poison for defense.
Didn't wanna splash into that filth.
"Hand-holding's fine, right?"
Suddenly, whoosh—one hand shot up. No, Lee Woo-yeon had grabbed mine.
Sure, floating midair, he was the only one who could, so I let it happen... but dangling like a monkey from Lee Woo-yeon as a pull-up bar, I raised my sword in my other hand.
"Explain what you're doing right now, or I'll shred those wing membranes."
"We're close enough to hold hands, aren't we?"
"No, you lunatic."
"You said no carrying."
"Obviously. Why would I let you carry me?"
"So endure a handhold. I saw you stressing over the distance."
I went quiet for a sec, then asked,
"What's your trait? You really a fox spirit?"
"I like spicy blood sausage, but that's not my trait. What do you take me for?"
What else? Sharp as hell and full of pretentious crap.
Anyway, I did need help crossing the moat. Saves mana too.
Rational decision made, I let him swing me along meekly.
Truth is, I'd hesitated on contact in case he had some trigger skill.
If my Rank 1 status got out and he turned hostile, trouble.
But it was already out, and no signs of hostility now. Still, no reason for him to like me, so stay vigilant.
I was grateful, and impressed by him right now... but something felt off too.
Ugh, I hate overthinking.
Ilias, I miss you. You're best at this crap. Help me brainstorm. Won't tease you as old man anymore.
Lee Woo-yeon lightly scaled the wall and landed gracefully inside.
Touching solid ground brought relief, but losing the floating sensation left a bit of emptiness.
"Captain!"
Cheers erupted from all around.
The knights rushed out first to greet us, of course. Elisa May from the highest wall spot and Damon O'Neil, who'd been getting treated, bolted over fastest.
"Uwaaaah, Captain!"
"Captain, you're safe—thank goodness!"
Damon clasped his hands, eyes tearing up as he stared at me. Elisa said her piece, then knelt on one knee before Lee Woo-yeon—no, the lord—hand over heart.
"I greet the lord."
Lee Woo-yeon, wings folded and on the ground now, nodded in acknowledgment.
"Yes, Lady May."
Elisa's bow instantly caused a stir. They'd watched from the walls but couldn't see details with normal eyes.
So now they realized the man beside me—Lee Woo-yeon—was their lord.
"Gasp! Greetings, L-Lord!"
"The lord's here!"
Like ripples on water, knights at the gate and all soldiers bowed or knelt in awe one by one.
Even the civilians.
Should I kneel too? Gotta act the part.
Before the message popped, as I started to bow—
"Raise your heads and stand."
Lee Woo-yeon—no, the lord's voice boomed everywhere. Not normal volume—magical amplification.
As people lifted their heads to look, he declared solemnly to the crowd,
"You have no need to bow or kneel before anyone."
The voice and words fit the speech perfectly, but that casual tone had my jaw dropping.
That bastard... he's nailing it? Modern guy for sure? Or did he grind in another world like me?
Lee Woo-yeon scanned the crowd slowly, gauging reactions, then flashed a bright smile, corners of his mouth upturned.
"I will make it so."
"Oh, my god."
"Lord! We follow you!"
Gasps burst from knights and soldiers. Someone even sniffled, wiping tears and snot. I glanced over in disgust—yep, Damon.
Whispering through tears, Damon said,
"The lord's not well... yet he came down for us... must be tough."
To me, Lee Woo-yeon's smile screamed untrustworthy on that face, but to others, as lord, it landed great.
Guess the lord has a trustworthy face?
The lord I saw wore a mask; Lee Woo-yeon was unmasked now... now I'm curious about the real one's face.
The castle folk's reaction was solid.
No, better than solid.
Some clasped hands in prayer, faces moved; others wept harder than Damon.
Normally, if the lord's sick and doesn't show in a crisis, resentment brews first, right? Must have real popularity.
Or they know how bad his health is.
Yeah, without Lee Woo-yeon possessing him, the lord could've died today.
Nah, stop thinking.
I shook my head to clear it.
With Lee Woo-yeon acing the lord role, we succeed in the siege, resolve grudges and the dungeon break, I get stats.
That's plenty.
No matter how curious I am.
"The system blocks all info anyway..."
- Player: Wandering Pilgrim's request acknowledged.
A white system window visible only to me appeared.
- Upon successful dungeon clear, some blocked info will be provided.
- The System cheers on the player's dungeon clear.
The moment it popped, I reflexively looked at Lee Woo-yeon.
Did he get it too?
No, no way.
I was sure.
He was calmly reassuring the folk and knights. Even a great actor couldn't stay that chill with this in front of him.
So the system heard my mutter and showed me only.
"What the hell."
I muttered low; Elisa gave me a puzzled look. No bandwidth to care.
Sure, the system reacted fast to me before.
Like opening inventory when I said I'd die after returning, or dropping rankings when I wanted peace.
But this message felt different.
Cheering the clear?
"Someone really there?"
This one made it clear: something willful behind the system.
"What are you?"
"Captain, you okay? You're sweating cold."
Elisa reached to support me, but I shook my head and stepped back.
My head throbbed.
Are systems and dungeons really divine trials like Tartarus priests say? That message divine will?
Chills hit; my sword-grip hand clenched unconsciously.
Okay, suppose something's behind the system. What does it want from me?
Cheers success? Then why block me pre-final blow with stabilization crap.
And all the crap I've endured—what was it?
Start over.
Suddenly yanked to another world, then yanked back to Korea outta nowhere, saved world destroyed, all that... someone's will?
Why the hell?
I don't care about me.
Why them?
A hazy Ariadne image surfaced—stabbed, pushing me away.
Thinking of it stabbed my temple like a migraine.
- Warning! System error occurred.
- Excessive interference causes temporary overload on player's body.
"Ugh!"
Pain too sharp to ignore. Blackout-level; I bit my tongue hard to stay conscious.
"Captain!"
Startled Elisa and Damon grabbed my arms from both sides, supporting me.
Without them, I'd have collapsed.
"Kang Ye-na!"
- Speech from player with unlocked vision is not blocked.
- However, it sounds restricted to nearby characters. Beware suspicion of identity.
In blurring vision, only the message's golden text was sharp.
You bastard.
That last thought, and I blacked out.
- Sixth Day Phase ended.
- Wait time until Sixth Night Phase.
- 01:00:00