Chapter 27

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 27

Chapter Title: Black Card Camping Gear

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The store where the princess had vanished fell into a long silence.

1 second.

2 seconds.

3 seconds.

...

And then.

It exploded.

"What the hell was that just now?!"

"The princess and the young master?!"

"What exactly is their relationship?!"

"I didn't just imagine that, right?"

Shouts erupted from all directions.

"..."

I just stood there in a daze.

I looked down at what I was holding.

In my hands were camping supplies paid for with an imperial card.

And not just any ordinary imperial card, either.

These were items the princess herself had graciously paid for with her personal Imperial Black Card.

Ha...

And right in front of me...

A camera.

Shit.

"..."

The camera was zoomed right on my face.

The red light blinked.

Recording.

Shit.

This is going to air. Nationwide.

The clerk approached cautiously.

"Young master... This is the imperial certified receipt."

My hands trembled.

I took the receipt.

Imperial certified receipt.

My head throbbed.

'What would my brother think if he saw this?'

His little brother getting camping gear as a gift from the princess.

"..."

I looked at the tent in my hand.

It was as light as a feather.

But... it didn't feel light at all.

If anything, it felt like an unbreakable shackle.

...

I was reading those posts from a corner of the store.

'My man?'

Whose man is whose?

I just wanted to go camping.

A sigh escaped me.

Now, as I tried to leave the store.

Someone blocked my path.

"Hello? Young master?"

A familiar voice.

I looked up.

Black hair and sharp eyes.

'Lirian.'

Lady of the Goldwin Merchant Guild.

Why is she here?

Lirian scanned the items in my hands.

The shopping basket.

The imperial receipt stuck on top.

"Hmm..."

She observed intently. For a good while.

"Young master."

She tilted her head slightly.

"I could have provided those, you know."

"..."

"It wasn't... like I called her or anything..."

"I know."

Lirian chuckled softly.

"Just kidding."

It didn't sound like a joke.

Lirian glanced around the store.

The customers still buzzing.

Then she looked back at me.

"How's Stargram going?"

"Yeah... it's, uh... doing well."

I pulled out the crystal orb and showed her briefly.

Followers.

102,847.

Lirian's eyes widened slightly.

"...Over 100k?"

"Yes."

"..."

Lirian looked me up and down.

Top to bottom.

Bottom to top.

"Impressive."

"Thank you."

"With just that face."

"..."

"To achieve that much."

"..."

Lirian nodded.

She looked convinced of something.

"Well... in a way, that might be your greatest asset."

"..."

Lirian looked at me.

For a moment.

"Me too."

"Pardon?"

"If I were just ten years younger."

"I would have fallen for you at first sight."

"..."

"For real."

"..."

"Seriously."

She blinked.

She was serious.

Her expression was dead serious.

"..."

'Better to say cats hate fish.'

A merchant swayed by emotions over profit?

That would be more believable.

"...Thank you."

I accepted it for now.

Lirian chuckled again.

The next day.

Unmanned Island Survival day.

Participants gathered in the Arcana Magic Tower's central plaza.

A massive magic circle was etched into the ground.

Woooong—

Spatial transfer magic circle.

Cameras swept over the participants.

One by one.

Kael had a 2-meter greatsword and steel armor.

All his gear gleamed.

"Today is the true prelude to battle!"

He clenched his fist.

The camera panned over the other participants.

Mana-amplifying staff.

Emergency artifact dagger.

Everyone was fully geared.

"This is nerve-wracking..."

"Got all your gear?"

"Of course. Stocked up on survival potions too."

And then.

The camera turned to me.

Folding chair strapped to my backpack.

Rolled-up mat.

Icebox slung over my shoulder.

The crowd murmured.

"Isn't that... a fishing rod?"

"Why bring an icebox?"

"Is he nuts?"

"Is he going on a solo vacation?"

"Aren't those steak ingredients...?"

Gazes poured in.

I ignored them.

"Alright, everyone."

The PD stepped forward.

"We're now heading to the Magic Tower's 12th Lab—Abandoned Island."

"See you in 7 days."

"Survive."

I opened my eyes.

Blue sky.

Salty breeze.

Sound of waves.

I pulled out my sunglasses and put them on.

The wind blew.

"Sssup—"

I took a deep breath.

"Nice air."

I slowly looked around.

Coastal cliff.

Giant trees formed a natural canopy.

Cool shade.

Below, emerald ocean stretched out.

Waves crashed beautifully against the cliff.

The wind brushed my face.

Refreshing.

'Perfect.'

Felt like Hawaii.

Behind me, a jungle sprawled.

Something glinted between the trees. A blood-red glow like a beast's eye.

I marked an X on the map.

Never going there.

First things first.

"Time to build a house."

I unpacked my gear.

Unrolled the tent.

The moment the one-person tent touched the ground.

Woooong—

Mana spread out.

I felt the interior space expand.

I unzipped and peered inside.

30 pyeong.

4-meter ceiling.

'Heh heh heh.'

Laid out the sleeping bag. Set up the table. Got the burner ready.

Finally, brewed some coffee.

Sat at the cliff's edge.

One sip.

"Ahhh..."

A moan escaped.

Good.

Blue ocean below the coastal cliff.

Waves crashing.

Cool breeze.

Warm sunlight.

Perfect.

Then.

A sound from afar.

"Kraaaack!"

A scream.

"Beast! Beast!"

"Triple team it!"

"No! Too strong!"

Boom—!

Explosion.

Clang—!

Swords clashing.

"Arghhh!"

"Run!"

"My leg! My leg!"

...

I took a sip of coffee.

This blend's decent.

A bit bitter?

More screams from behind.

"Help!"

"Request rescue! Rescue!"

...

I gazed at the sea.

Waves crashing.

Beautiful.

Another sip.

'Ah.'

This is the taste.

Not raining, but.

Cliffside coffee ain't bad.

Romantic.

Then.

Something felt off.

A strange sensation.

Holy mana quivered faintly.

"...?"

I turned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my head.

Far off, at the jungle entrance, someone staggered.

A bespectacled mage. He dropped his luggage.

"Ugh... so heavy..."

He fumbled for his glasses and put them on.

Looked pretty pitiful.

"Cain, was it? Be more careful."

Another participant clicked his tongue.

"S-Sorry... I'm just really bad at sports..."

Cain bowed apologetically.

Good-natured heh heh as he repacked.

Perfect weakling.

Round 1 dropout candidate, obvious to anyone.

Everyone thought so.

I almost overlooked him too.

But looking at him made the holy mana tremble oddly.

Intensely.

'What the...'

I rubbed my eyes.

Looked again.

That glasses mage.

Something was off.

Holy mana revealed it.

The 'truth' beneath the disguise.

"..."

My breath caught.

Behind that nerd, something loomed.

A massive shadow rippled.

Thousands of enormous serpents writhed.

"Sorry..."

Cain bowed his head.

That instant.

The shadow grinned.

Mimed slitting a throat.

'......Shit.'

Memories flashed.

Dormant Valley.

Those who fled north from my brother's blade.

A tiny fraction survived—'the brothers who lived.'

They hide themselves, living in shadows.

Survival itself proves their skill.

And among them... that guy especially...

'Cain.'

Strongest in Dormant Valley.

Only because Raon brother is too OP.

That guy's a monster.

A real monster.

Disguise was flawless.

Voice different.

Build altered.

No one would know.

Ever.

But holy mana pierced it.

The truth behind the mask.

'Shit.'

Why.

Why is that guy here?

Doing that idiotic act?

Cold sweat down my spine.

Cain doesn't know.

That he's been made.

That perfect disguise is seen through.

Clueless.

Then.

"Hey."

Someone approached Cain.

A burly participant.

Two more followed.

"What are you?"

Cain flinched.

"P-Pardon...?"

"You look pathetically weak."

"Can't even carry your stuff—why enter survival?"

"Fallen baron's kid? Family's broke too."

Cain stepped back.

"I-I just..."

He stammered.

Acting.

Perfect acting.

The big guy grabbed Cain's collar.

"Hey, glasses. Carry this."

That instant.

I saw it.

Cain's finger.

Twitching faintly.

Into his sleeve.

"......!"

Hidden weapon... or poison.

Once that finger moves fully.

Those bastards die.

3 seconds.

No, 2.

'Shit!'

I shot to my feet.

Coffee spilled.

Full sprint.

"Hey!!"