Join! Join!!
"Join! Join!!"
"Count me in!"
It didn't even take a second for the players to shout their participation! Tae-hyun watched them with a pleased expression and spoke.
"Are you glad to receive such a splendid quest?"
"Yes!"
"You'd want to share this wonderful quest with others too, wouldn't you?"
"No!"
"?"
Tae-hyun was flustered. Wait, why?
"We want to keep it to ourselves and hog all the sweet rewards!"
They were the very definition of shameless! Cain watched the mages and couldn't help but admire them. Look at these brutally honest bastards.
"...It's too much for just you guys to handle, so go spread the word to other players."
"Aww. We wanted to keep it to ourselves..."
The mages grumbled in disappointment. Still, they didn't persist. Honestly, trying to clear a Legendary Quest with just this handful of people felt reckless. Usually, these things required brute-forcing with sheer numbers to get any results.
"And let's drag in the Magic Tower NPCs too."
"Huh? That would be great, but how do we drag them in?"
"Easy. Just go and tell them."
"???"
Ugh. This isn't easy.
Crawford grimaced. Sitting in front of him was Archmage Fleming, the Master of the Fire Magic School in the Magic Tower.
"Crawford. I've heard of your exploits lately. You've been doing well."
"Th-thank you."
Crawford bowed his head. Fleming was a high-ranking NPC of the Magic Tower whom Crawford had been indebted to since his newbie days. The boss of bosses! Crawford still had a lot to get from Fleming—quests, skills, and items. Naturally, his attitude had to be careful.
NPCs who were masters of organizations or mentors required extreme caution. One wrong word could drop affinity and ruin everything. Someone like Tae-hyun, who spoke casually relying on his skills, was the weird one.
"So, what brings you to see me today? I am quite busy..."
"Ahem. Well, you see..."
Your current Kingdom Magic Tower Contribution Points: 17,832
You cannot make requests that exceed your Contribution Points.
Your current affinity with Fleming is Slightly Favorable. Fleming views you as an outstanding Fire Mage.
Ah, damn it. I did everything he asked, and it's still only 'Slightly Favorable'? How do I get it to 'Highly Favorable'?
Fleming was a strict old man, so raising his affinity was no easy task.
"Well, um, I heard some rumors floating around the Black Magic School..."
Your affinity with Fleming has decreased.
Are you fucking kidding me?!
Just bringing it up dropped his affinity! How many quests and errands did he run to raise that affinity?!
"Listening to rumors from the Black Magic School? I am disappointed that a talent like you would do such a thing."
"N-no, that's not it! I didn't believe them! I didn't believe them!"
Crawford felt his lips dry up. How could he persuade him when he reacted like this?
—Join!
"?"
—Join! Join!
"???"
"What is that noise?"
A faint shouting could be heard from outside the door. Fleming frowned. "Open it."
The servant opened the door, and the sound became clear.
—Fire School mages, join the effort to stop Nevuchadnezzar's resurrection! Join!
—We are also members of the Kingdom! Members!
—We must protect the continent from danger! Protect it!
"..."
"..."
Mage players waving their staffs in protest! They filled the wide plaza.
How did he bring all these people here? Crawford was shocked. It wasn't this many when he glanced earlier... But the important thing wasn't how they gathered. What on earth are they doing with this crowd?!
"Light up your staffs. Make it look more threatening."
"Ah, yes."
"Wear this red headband. It looks more effective and intense."
"Thank you!"
Members of the Power Warrior Guild walked around, helping the mage players.
Seeing these insolent players protesting instead of studying magic, Fleming clutched the back of his neck and roars.
"You insolent fools! Instead of studying the secret arts of fire, where did you hear such false rumors?!"
"Boooo! Fleming, step down! Fleming, step down!"
"And leave your spellbooks behind when you go!"
Normally, these players wouldn't even dare to make eye contact with the Master, but they were fearless. Why? Because... Tae-hyun was backing them up!
"Guards! Show these fools a taste of hot fire!"
Fleming commanded in rage. The gap between Fleming and the players was massive. A single Fire Wave would burn them and make them reflect!
"Stop, Fleming! How could you! The Master of the Fire School trying to attack his own mages!"
Tae-hyun cried out in a sorrowful, dramatic voice. Fleming froze in confusion.
"Y-Your Majesty?"
When Chesia brought him over last time to watch everyone summon demons, he seemed relatively easy to deal with, but now he was a Hero of the Continent. He couldn't be treated lightly! If he did, the royals would react like: "Oh, so you look down on royalty now? Wow, the Master is so grand, maybe we should bow down to you instead~"
No matter how powerful a Magic Tower Master was, the royals valued their own status higher. If the King (Tae-hyun) and the Master clashed, they would side with Tae-hyun!
"Can you not see this burning passion!"
Indeed, it was literally burning. Everyone was lighting their staffs to create a dramatic effect.
"Do you intend to block the passion of these heroes! Ah! How tragic!"
"N-no, but the false rumors of the black mages..."
"The will of the people is the will of heaven! As a Master, how can you not know this!"
"No, but still..."
"Boooo—"
The mages booed excitedly.
"Just because you're the Master doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"
"You always make us collect junk items! You don't even show your face!"
"Honestly, we have a lot of built-up resentment against you!"
All their accumulated grudges! Crawford was high enough to face Fleming directly, but most of the other players had never even seen his face. They only did trash quests to build contribution points without ever seeing him!
Fleming was flustered. He had never experienced anything like this in his life.
Crawford nodded. I understand your confusion.
"?"
Tae-hyun's whisper snapped Crawford back to reality. Ah, right!
"Wait! Master Fleming only said that to warn us against acting rashly. He has absolutely no intention of interfering with the quest!"
Your affinity with Fleming has increased slightly.
Ah. It only rises slightly even now, Crawford grumbled. He stepped up like this, and it only rose a little?
"Master Fleming's true intention was for us to act calmly and coolly, not that he wouldn't participate."
"Wait, hold on. If you say it like that, it sounds like I'm participating."
"You're not?" Tae-hyun quickly cut in.
Fleming waved his hands in panic. "Well... whew, if Your Majesty guarantees it... then it must be trustworthy..."
Fleming finally gave up.
The Fire Mages of the Magic Tower have a strong grievance against the black mages. If conflicts with the black mages persist, they may abandon the quest.
"Waaaaah!"
"Fleming! Fleming! Fleming!"
Phew. Thank goodness.
Your affinity with Fleming has increased slightly.
Crawford sighed in relief at the message window. He was grumbling about wasting his contribution points, but Tae-hyun had rewarded him like this.
That guy, he actually looks out for people even if he doesn't seem like it. Well, I guess that's why someone like Alcott keeps following him around.
If Alcott heard that, he'd scream: "What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bastard! I'm not following him!"
"Your Majesty. Excuse me, but do you happen to possess Sadiq's Authority?"
"Ah, no. You must have mistaken it."
Tae-hyun denied it first!
"I feel an extraordinary aura of flame from Your Majesty. A very intense one..."
"Don't you hate Sadiq?"
"Of course we despise evil god cults like the Sadiq Order, but Sadiq's Authority is a powerful authority of flame. Just as poison can be used as medicine, even evil power can become one's own strength if handled well."
You possess Sadiq's Authority!
You are the legitimate successor of the Sadiq Order!
The Fire School Master, Fleming, feels favorable toward you!
Sadiq-related quests may be added.
Your affinity with Fleming has increased significantly!
With his existing King title, reputation, and now Sadiq-related traits, Fleming became extremely friendly to Tae-hyun.
Crawford watched this and changed his mind again.
That, that obnoxious bastard!
It took Crawford years to build his affinity, and Tae-hyun got it all at once...!
"By the way, Fleming, do you have any interest in believing in Sadiq?"
"Sadiq is a bit... at my old age, if I join an evil god cult, people will laugh at me, Your Majesty."
"No. There's a great way. You just have to join the Archisus Church."
"???"
"What people don't know is that the Archisus Church actually has a Sadiq worship branch. Just put your name down on the Archisus Church roster first..."
"...!!"
Identity fraud! Fleming was horrified by this novel form of faith he had never heard of.
Tae-hyun went around the Magic Tower, dragging in players.
When they reached the Lightning School, the mage NPCs came out to stop them.
"Your Majesty! We will participate, so please stop leading the apprentice mages in protests! We beg of you!"
"Whew. If you say so, I have no choice."
The terrified mage NPCs. Considering what had just happened, it was only natural.
Tae-hyun had visited the Ice School before coming here. And what happened at the Ice School was far more aggressive than at the Fire School. Since Crawford wasn't there to mediate, Tae-hyun had to use more extreme methods.
—Guys! Pelt the door with ice until the Master comes out!
—Is, is it really okay to do that?
—Don't worry! I'll take responsibility! Block the door with ice!
—Do not approach! If you approach, we will subdue you!
—Oh? Are you trying to hit me right now? Do you know who I am? You're trying to strike a king! And the very king who just saved your king not too long ago!
—...Ugh, why on earth are you doing this! Your Majesty! Please maintain your dignity!
—Ah, I don't give a damn about that!
Tae-hyun stood at the very front, acting completely shameless. The Ice School mages had no choice but to step aside in tears.
It was so dirty and petty that they couldn't even bring themselves to fight back!
"Kim Tae-hyun is recruiting for a quest at the Magic Tower?"
"Yes. And it's a Legendary Quest."
"Oh..."
"No, is that guy some kind of Legendary Quest collector? How long has it been since he cleared the last one, and he's already doing another?"
The rumors from the Magic Tower quickly reached the Midas Guild. It was only natural, since the guild was primarily composed of high-level mages. Besides, a Legendary Quest was information they couldn't ignore!
"We're already annoyed about losing the King's quest... This is irritating. Why are those mages helping him? As mages, they should be helping us."
The guild members grumbled. They were jealous of Tae-hyun's soaring popularity.
"Then should we interfere?"
"Interfere? Aren't we currently trying to persuade Kim Tae-hyun's blacksmiths? There's no need to pick a fight for nothing..."
"To be precise, it's not interference, it's competition. Kim Tae-hyun joined the quest we were doing too. Can't we also join the quest he's doing?"
"Ah...!"
Indeed, this wasn't interference. Strictly speaking, it was, but few people would get mad just because someone joined a quest late. It wasn't openly sabotaging what someone else was doing; if they just wanted to do the quest too, what right did anyone have to get mad?
"Besides, if we join, the mage players will probably waver too."
"Is... is that so?"
"...They'll have to agree then."