Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Choosing a Mount
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"Yes. We caught it. But I really, literally almost died. No, I seriously almost died. It was by a razor-thin margin that I barely survived! The potions and emergency meds make it look like I'm fine, but really... I really almost bit the dust."
"As expected...!"
"So, I never want to fight something like that again. Whew~ Seriously, I only survived because I got insanely lucky. Otherwise, I'd be on my way to the afterlife. So let me make this clear upfront. If something like that happens again, I'm running for the hills. No question."
Yeah, once a human gets a taste of something sweet, they always come back for more.
So, to avoid any 'next time' talks or them calling me every time she's in danger, I need to draw a hard line now.
I'm not some tuxedo-wearing superhero who shows up to save the day every time danger strikes!
"Got it. Anyway, thank you so much for saving Ayoung."
"Then tell her to get stronger fast or level up or something. Sigh~ Now I can finally relax and sleep. Should I stay in the hospital for a few days?"
"Your Vitality stat is ridiculously high, so you'll recover super fast, but just in case there are delayed side effects, it's best to take it easy for 3-4 days."
"Nah. Just give me a ton of potions and meds, and I'll rest at home. If word gets out I took down an S-rank monster, don't you think they'll start investigating everyone with serious injuries?"
"You're right. I'll update the records right away."
My body still ached all over, but since the treatment was done and there were no major issues, all that was left was to go rest.
'I need to stock up on potions and take them with me.' With that thought, I left the Baekya Guild and headed straight to the Hunter Market near the Academia.
'Time to buy some meds. Phew~ That was intense.'
The battle with Leghorn had destroyed the Golden Guardian Beast Armor, but since it had an auto-repair function, it should fix itself over time.
The issue was that this was the first time it had been shattered like this, so I had no idea how long it would take.
'...I'll lay low and rest until the repair issue is sorted.'
My petty bourgeois mindset was showing again, but this was perfect for me, so I bought a ton of potions and medicine and returned to my lodging.
It wasn't my house, but now I could finally relax without worry.
And I summoned my knights, whom I hadn't called out in public.
"Hmm, I might look like this, but what about you guys? Need potions? I bought a bunch."
Yeah, I bought all those potions not just for myself, but also for my knights who fought alongside me.
They had held off A- and B-rank monsters even if they were weaker than S-rank, so they must have taken some damage.
[Some of my parts are damaged, but my self-repair system can handle it. If it's severe, just get me some metal alloy and materials, and I can process them myself for repairs.]
"I can recover fully with the Captain's mana."
[I need booze. Heh heh. Booze drunk while feeling the burn of wounds is on another level. And Sir Krokbane says meat will do.]
They're all so different... or rather, these aren't recovery methods—they're just what they want.
But since they helped me survive big time, I figured I'd reward them, so I immediately ordered what they asked for via delivery.
The delivery system these days is so good; I can just bulk order from a big mart.
"Krokbane—fish or land meat? Tuna for fish, beef for land meat? Go ask him."
[He says he'll eat whatever the master orders, Contractor.]
"...Then two big tunas it is."
Of course, it was because tuna was a bit cheaper than beef, not his preference.
I added some hard liquor, wine, sides, and meals, paid up, and that was that.
Seeing my bank balance plummet from all the spending made me feel a bit drained.
I'd scrimped and saved every penny while working diligently at the Academia for nine years, but ever since awakening, my spending had gotten way out of hand.
"...At this rate, maybe I should seriously consider becoming a full-time Hunter. Haah~ Oh, right! I need to check the rewards and items from Leghorn."
Since I'd been tumbling around everywhere, I hadn't looked at the rewards or loot yet, so I opened my inventory and status window.
"Level up by 4? Nice! Level 43! Half because the Beast's power isn't applying."
[Lv.43 Yoo Seongwon]
Stat Growth: 21/21/21/21
Str:910 Dex:909 Vit:910 Mag:903
[Held Skills]
Path of the Great Knight (SSS)
(Unique) Myeong's Knight Grandel's Martial Talent
(Unique) Spirit Knight 'Silleion Forest Blade' Secret Art
(Unique) KMG TECH Master Device
(Unique) Tyrant Knight 'Yucheon’s' Lost Legacy, Tyrant Heaven Sword Style
(Legendary) Dimensional Gate to the Sanctuary of the Nameless Knight Order
The Golden Guardian Beast Armor was shattered, so the Beast's power was gone, leaving my stats at half—but still near S-rank at almost 1,000.
Oh, but at this Strength, I can't use the Titan's Stake anymore.
"And the rewards... what’s this?"
[You've reached level 40. Choose your reward.]
[Reward - Knight Summon or Skill Point +1 or Weapon Grant.]
[You braved danger to fight a powerful foe and rescue the lady! You embody the pinnacle of chivalry!]
[Reward - Knight Summon or Skill Point +1 or Weapon Grant.]
[You've defeated an invincible rival! That great victory becomes a star. Congratulations on etching your name in the annals of knighthood!]
[Reward - Symbol of Honor.]
Whoa! What's this? Three rewards?
The level 40 one was inevitable since I jumped from 39 to 43 by taking down an S-rank at once, and I can get up to 3 Skill Points.
No idea what the Symbol of Honor is, but it's probably a special reward for beating the S-rank Leghorn.
"Hmm, at this point... should I just go Healer?"
Instead of gambling on the uncertain 'Knight Summon,' maybe I should get Heal or some recovery skill.
I used to think it was useless if I was critically injured, but this incident changed my mind completely.
As long as I survive, I can heal myself!
"Alright. I'll take both Skill Points for 2! Healing! I'm gonna heal myself!"
[Contractor, I don't think that's a good idea.]
"Hm? What's the problem?"
[You can't learn magic in the first place.]
That's when Gaulf piped up and started objecting to my choice.
I'm just filling in what I need right now, aren't I? It's not just magic—healing arts or something would work too! Knight Summons are random, so I might not get who I want. Why's he against it?
[And it's not about getting the skill. You've already proven your valor by felling an S-rank monster—Leghorn. I just think straying from the path you've chosen isn't wise. If you've started down the path of valor, you should see it through to the end.]
"What're you talking about?"
[I agree, Master. One ultimate skill is better than several mediocre ones. Even after today's ordeal, investing those precious Skill Points in your strength will let you take down S-ranks even easier next time. Do you want to go through near-death again?]
Ah, damn... I was all set to learn a healing skill, but now Akaron's saying the same thing, and it’s messing with my head.
This time, I glanced at Seom-myeol, and she nodded in agreement.
"I respect the Captain's choice, but personally, I don't think you need to learn healing magic or Heal. The Tyrant Heaven Sword Style already drains a ton of mana. It'd be better to hire a dedicated healer or party member."
Ah, these guys feel like they're selling me something... But their arguments aren't without merit, and it's tempting.
If I get even stronger, I won't need healing at all.
And if I face another S-rank without powering up, this time I might be the one dying by a hair's breadth—and a freshly learned healing skill won't help then.
"Hmm, looks like I'm too scared from the pain of battle. My judgment got cloudy for a sec."
With that, I started browsing the skill lists for ones that would boost my stats and combat.
But it wasn't easy—the Tyrant Heaven Sword Style had taken ages of agonizing deliberation, and this skill pool was packed with nothing but top-tier stuff.
"Took forever for one... now two."
"Captain, how about the Holy Heaven Knight Order skills this time? They pursue lightning-fast speed, perfect for exorcising demons and unclean foes. You'd rack up huge results against devils."
[Something fitting for the Contractor isn't the mad warrior arts of lunatics. It's about not overconfidence, burying yourself in the deep abyss to stay hidden from the world—so naturally, the Abyss Knight's martial arts suit you best.]
[Objection. Galactic Knight's discipline is superior. So Master should learn the Galactic Knight's techniques. Hm? Sir Krokbane sends his opinion: 'Master... Dragon-Human Swordsmanship... also good.']
These guys are sneakily pushing their own faction's skills on me.
Well, they're all knights legendary enough for the constellations' records, so they're proud of their affiliations and abilities.
But picking one would just piss off the others, so best to exclude all four of theirs.
'What to pick? So many knights, always agonizing over choices. Sigh~ Too many options. Should I just go all-in on one?'
The sheer variety made my head hurt every time, so I considered collecting a series from Tyrant Knight Yucheon or another Unique skill knight to simplify.
But that felt like becoming someone's copycat, which turned me off.
"Oh, right. Riding. I wanna learn Riding. Isn't it weird calling yourself a knight when you don't ride anything? And yeah, you guys don't ride either but insist you're knights!"
"There are such things as foot knights."
[As I said before, Contractor, a knight is one who swears an oath. You might ride something, or circumstances might prevent it.]
But once the idea sparked, my craving for riding skills wouldn't fade.
Wanting your own ride, like 'My-car,' is it instinct etched into a man's genes?
Cavalry has always been a knightly privilege.
Horses were absurdly expensive back then and still are, and that dominating view from above—whatever, I'm deciding on riding.
"But there's a ton of these too."
[Skill List][Search: Riding]
(Heroic) Wyvern Knight Order Wyvern Riding
(Legendary) One Acknowledged by the Holy Beast
(Heroic) Ulpen Knight Order Fenrir Riding
(Rare) Keshik Legion Riding
(Heroic) Lord Rapalsion's Mounted Combat
......
......
......
So many types, no limits on what you can ride, and since most knights charge across battlefields on mounts, this would take forever to choose too.
What kind of license system is this? Can't they consolidate? I wanted to complain, but these were all records, so no dice.
"Hmm~ Choice paralysis on riding too. You guys got any recommendations? Personally, I wanna ride a dragon. Can't I just stick it in the sanctuary?"
Dragon knight. The ultimate fantasy in knight media.
If you're gonna dream, dream big—pick the coolest if you can. Human psychology.
Like imagining a luxury foreign sports car even if you can't afford any.
"Hmm, I don't recommend dragons, Captain. They look cool, but the upkeep is over ten times what Sir Krokbane eats. Eastern dragons float in the air, so the ride's bumpy, and Western ones are hard to tame due to their physiology."
[Sure, powerful and great charge power, but foul-tempered and arrogant, so gaining loyalty is extremely tough. I don't recommend it either, Contractor. Plus, the 'Sanctuary' is strictly for the knight order—non-knights can't enter.]
Wait, even mounts like horses are part of a knight, but they can't enter?
The criteria's too vague. Anyway, issues galore.
[Also, as reptiles, they're extremely vulnerable to cold climates. Mana-clad dragons can mitigate that, but as Sir Gaulf said, their temperaments are filthy and sensitive, so without loyalty...]
Yeah, judging purely by looks, 'dragons' have a ton of problems.
A knight's mount is their identity, half their being, so they were all seriously pondering.
I nodded, thinking I should give up on dragons.
"But there is a way, Captain."
You're the planner type!
At those words, I looked at Seom-myeol with shining eyes.