Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Fool Is You (1)
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A series of events had crashed over me like waves.
All of them had been resolved without a hitch.
Saleos had backed off, promising to offer up another high-ranking demon as sacrifice himself.
Lumine's treatment was complete without her turning into an idiot.
And finally,
※ 'Shattenreich's Blessing' is currently active.
"Kya."
Look at this status window, sparkling like a Glock 19.
My base level was a whopping 149.
The Imperial 2nd Knight Order's average was around 120, and even Vice Captain Hilde was level 150, so...
'Am I on par with Blanc now?'
No, I might even be stronger than her soon.
Blanc's level was 193, if I recall.
But I'm packed tight relative to my level.
Just the Strength, Agility, and Magic Power bought from the shop amounted to about 24 levels' worth.
Plus the various blessings copied through sex...
[Overhaul Mod - 'Gunner' Applied]
'And this is what seals it.'
The core of my fighting style: the assault rifle.
With this absurd modern weapon that even Blanc, the War God incarnate, couldn't stop praising?
I could confidently say she wouldn't guarantee victory against me anymore.
Mods are gods and invincible.
That was why I was brimming with confidence on the way back, leaving the fainted Lumine behind.
Following me was the sage Minerva.
-Tap tap.
"Hey, how'd it go with Lumine?"
"You watched the whole thing. Why ask?"
"Oh, you noticed? Your ears are sharp..."
"A bit."
You even saw me fingering her pussy, you bitch.
I swallowed those rude words.
I'm a man who understands women's hearts, after all.
"More importantly, Lady Minerva, don't I seem a lot stronger now?"
"Huh?"
"I feel like I could beat Blanc now. What do you think? Could you check with your blessing?"
Instead, a question.
Me, Yi Hyun—could I beat Blanc in a fight?
Minerva's lips curled up.
She seemed to think it was ridiculous bravado.
"You're talking about 2nd Knight Order Captain Blanc Rosenthal, right?"
"Yes."
"No way. She's the one tipped to succeed our Hero..."
"Huh, Lady Minerva?"
"N-No way!!!"
But that lasted only a moment.
She froze, mouth agape.
Her gaze fixed in the air—she'd plainly used her blessing.
"Yi Hyun, I heard you were civilian-level just a few months ago?"
"Right? I nearly died to three goblins."
"And this makes sense? That Blanc only has a 50% win rate against you?"
"Kuuh, nice."
That confirmed it.
Yi Hyun, I've reached the level to claim a seat among the empire's top powerhouses.
My chest puffed out naturally.
Not because I thought no one in the empire could threaten me now,
-Halt.
'Come to think of it, the empire's number one is the Hero, right?'
A thought hit me.
How strong is the current benchmark for the empire's strongest, the Hero?
I stopped abruptly.
A busty statue of the Hero was right nearby.
"So, what about the Hero?"
"...The Hero?"
"If she and I fought, what're the odds?"
I asked confidently.
I didn't know how strong she was, but I could at least gauge it.
That baseless confidence in action.
The instant reply came.
"Unless she's holding back, it'd be impossible. Not even sure a fight would happen."
"...Really? Not just hyping her up as a comrade?"
"She's the type my blessing doesn't work well on, like you, but you don't always need to test long and short."
She paused.
Standing before the Hero's statue, she looked up.
My head followed upward.
The sky was almost completely blocked by those breasts.
"If you don't believe me, ask Blanc. She sparred with the Hero once, before becoming captain."
"How strong is she exactly?"
"Strong enough that onlookers think, 'Ah, she could save the world~'."
"......"
How strong is that exactly?
Power creep's gonna drive me insane.
'Keep bringing her up like this, and she feels like she'll pop up as the final boss later.'
Suddenly, unease crept in.
A webnovel cliché came to mind.
'The missing Hero's actually been turned into a demon! Empire's strongest turns enemy!'
What a hopeless plot.
Super dark fantasy vibes too.
I couldn't help feeling anxious.
I decided to swallow that anxiety inwardly.
'Can't talk about this in front of her statue.'
I silently looked up at the sky.
The sky obscured by the busty statue.
Still less than ten percent visible.
"We need to find her quick, Hero."
"What? Why so serious all of a sudden~?"
"Someone that strong on our side would be super reliable."
"Pffft. Yeah, she'd like a kid like you."
Minerva muttered softly too.
"Hope the day you two meet comes soon... if she's still alive."
"......"
'Why's this bitch raising flags again?'
No matter how I think about it, their party's wipeout was this motormouth's fault.
Anyway, after the Saleos air raid.
The imperial capital regained its peace.
According to the rumors, it was thanks to me.
"Sir Yi Hyun the Great Knight gave them a stern warning, and even the demons fled in terror!"
"Adventurers still brag about it in taverns. Thought they'd die but made money and got lifelong drinking stories."
"A heroic tale befitting the Imperial Princess's consort..."
Rumors like that swirled in whispers.
Clara would come back flapping her ears, saying 'Amazing!' daily.
Of course, the truth was totally different.
'Those rumors were inflated by the palace on purpose.'
Saleos's betrayal was a secret.
Demons must never catch on.
Empress Luna wouldn't let it slide.
She buried it all under rumors.
Even if demons heard, they'd think Saleos just retreated and got cocky.
'They're hyping me up too.'
It was also image-building for me as Liriana's future husband, but anyway.
Thanks to that, the capital was quite peaceful.
...The Imperial 2nd Knight Order's atmosphere was the opposite, though.
-Murmurs.
"From now on, the 2nd Knight Order will handle peacetime duties alongside searching for the Hero."
"The Hero? We've searched forever and found nothing. Weren't we focusing on training Yi Hyun instead?"
"Imperial decree."
"......"
The air chilled the moment Blanc recited the decree.
Not just the regular knights like Silpi—even Hilde looked displeased.
"Just when our kids could walk tall thanks to Yi Hyun, now we chase some ghost across the empire?"
"Hilde."
"I know, imperial decree means we follow. But..."
-Glare—
Hilde shot a side-eye.
Minerva and Lumine stood there in robes.
"Sending overseers from the palace feels excessive. Like they don't trust us."
"Ah."
Right, that's their cover story.
Minerva aside, Lumine's survival was top secret.
Keeping it hidden meant a high demon spear-thrust once.
But to the uninformed, it looked like doubting their loyalty.
I got why Hilde was pissy.
'Even so, that's a bit rash, but it's Hilde.'
While everyone zipped it, she straight-balled it—classic Hilde.
Blanc stayed calm despite Hilde's outburst.
As the only one who knew their identities.
Deep breath, then her eyes gleamed.
"Hilde, everyone. You trust me, right?"
"We trust the captain."
"I stake my honor on this. They're not here to oversee—they're here to help with the imperial decree. No need to suspect."
"...Then nothing to say."
The mood settled thanks to that.
Even fuming Hilde shut up.
She even nodded apologetically to Minerva's side.
"Sorry, you two. Got heated."
"Nah~ Actually refreshing. I like dressing cool like you too."
"...Heh. That's a bit vulgar, but it's summer and you're beastkin. Can't help it."
They didn't seem bothered either.
Both subtly pleased.
Like kids abused by the palace were grateful for the clapback.
I smiled and spoke up.
"And Hilde, no worries. We won't need to scour the whole empire."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"One overseer is actually from the temple... And just days ago! The goddess gave a prophecy!!"
"Prophecy!?"
"Whoa, first in decades?"
The surroundings buzzed.
Gazes toward Lumine shifted dramatically.
Prophecies are a big deal...
"B-But, sorry to say to someone high priestess level or above, aren't prophecies useless...?"
"......?"
'Weird? Lumine and Minerva were bragging they'd basically found the Hero.'
What was this?
I just blinked.
Seeing my face, Minerva stepped in slyly.
"Prophecies are hard to interpret~ Even when deciphered, often vague clouds."
"Aha."
'The roundabout type, huh?'
That revealed the prophecy's nature,
"But don't worry! With me on it... one year! I can interpret perfectly in one year!"
And why Minerva was confident.
She'd interpret with her blessing.
Takes time, but better than rat-hunting the empire.
"Hmm."
'No, a year is still long.'
I rubbed my chin, deep in thought.
My engagement to Liriana was set in a year too.
A year was my limit for free movement.
'Wanna build my harem before then, ideally finding the Hero first.'
My endgame: harem with all the girls I've bedded.
Needed to become a great hero in a year.
How helpful the Hero would be? No need to say.
That was why I was racking my brain...
-Murmurs.
"Is that the prophecy? Looks weird."
"No clue. Captain get it?"
"No idea. I studied theology too, but..."
"......Huh!?"
'Not you again?'
——The parchment with the prophecy.
Seeing it, I realized.
No need for my worries.
"Wait, let me see that too!"
"Yi Hyun, you won't get it..."
[MOD - Korean Translation Applied]
"The Hero's in EisenGardt right now? Where's EisenGardt?"
"......What!!?"
Said a million times.
Mods are gods and invincible.