Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Honorary Baronets
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"Then I shall grant you the titles of Honorary Baron."
"Duke Kalmus!"
Count Bukaku jumped in shock at Duke Kalmus's declaration.
Honorary titles were given to outsiders who had performed great service for the kingdom.
They were a form of honorary position.
There were no obligations attached.
Yet, they allowed one to receive treatment equal to that of Muran Kingdom nobles in Muran or foreign lands.
In a way, it was a title that offered rights without duties.
And if someone with an honorary title caused trouble abroad?
The Muran Kingdom would bear partial responsibility.
From the giver's perspective, honorary titles brought no gains, only potential losses.
"While it's true they rendered great service, isn't this a bit excessive?"
From Count Bukaku's standpoint, the contributions of Kang Hyun-soo and his group were far from insignificant.
But they didn't warrant honorary baronies.
"Excessive? Without them, we would have lost Baran. And Baran is your territory, is it not?"
At Duke Kalmus's rebuke, Count Bukaku quietly shut his mouth.
"What say you? Will you accept this?"
For Kang Hyun-soo, it was a title he could take or leave.
'But refusing this would be awkward.'
Even as an honorary title, having nobility opened up subtle opportunities.
Decisively.
'There are no obligations.'
Kang Hyun-soo had nothing to lose.
"We accept."
"Hahaha, thank you."
Duke Kalmus burst into booming laughter, visibly delighted.
Anyone watching might mistake it for Kang Hyun-soo gifting something to the duke rather than receiving.
"And what of you two?"
"We accept."
"We accept."
With Kang Hyun-soo accepting, Song Ha-na and Tu-hwang had no reason to refuse.
"And take these as well."
Duke Kalmus removed three rings from his own fingers and handed one each to Kang Hyun-soo, Song Ha-na, and Tu-hwang.
'SSS-Rank items.'
Kang Hyun-soo's eyes lit up.
As Muran Kingdom's top player, the duke thought big, and the value of the items he carried was extraordinarily high.
'Beast's Heart.'
Kang Hyun-soo immediately checked the info on the SSS-Rank item, Beast's Heart.
[Beast's Heart – SSS-Rank]
- Vitality stat increases by 200%.
For an SSS-Rank, the option was incredibly simple.
But simplicity aside.
'The effect is killer.'
A full 200% boost to vitality stat.
It was as good as possessing a beast's heart.
'No wonder he gave it away.'
To Duke Kalmus currently, Beast's Heart was an item of little use.
'His base vitality is already rock-solid, so unless it's a three-day nonstop ultra-marathon battle, it's not that useful.'
If the dragonkin monsters had pressed relentlessly, maybe.
But now it was a lull.
For Duke Kalmus, with just over two days of lifespan left.
It was an item he could take or leave.
'But that doesn't erase its value as an SSS-Rank item.'
Especially for a tank, it was a lifeline.
A treasure whose worth couldn't be measured in gold.
Decisively.
'If it becomes useless, I can just feed it to Gluttony Sword.'
He couldn't eat it now due to the rank difference.
But once it matched SSS-Rank, it would devour it in seconds.
-What'd you get?
Kang Hyun-soo asked Song Ha-na and Tu-hwang via telepathy.
-Got an S-Rank ring. Perfect options for a magic swordsman.
-Got an S-Rank ring. Boosts attack and defense—suits me perfectly.
'Only mine is SSS-Rank?'
He'd thought all three were SSS-Rank items.
Apparently not.
'Well, makes sense.'
Kang Hyun-soo looked the youngest of the trio outwardly.
Which implied the highest growth potential ahead.
Plus, he'd subtly taken the leader role.
If he refused, Song Ha-na and Tu-hwang would too.
If he accepted, they followed.
Naturally, his gift package had to be the thickest.
'SSS-Rank items aren't that common anyway.'
Even Duke Kalmus apparently didn't walk around with three SSS-Rank rings.
"From this day, you are proud citizens of the great Muran Kingdom. I hope you conduct yourselves accordingly henceforth."
After granting honorary titles.
'He's slyly switched our nationality.'
To be precise, Kang Hyun-soo now held dual citizenship.
His identification seal would read: Free citizen of the Rokto Empire and Honorary Baron of Muran Kingdom.
'Technically, honorary titles are for foreigners, so calling us Muran citizens is a stretch.'
But with honorary titles in hand, denying Muran citizenship felt awkward too.
'Whatever, good is good.'
With an SSS-Rank ring thrown in, he'd let it slide.
Kang Hyun-soo also knew why Duke Kalmus was treating him so generously.
'He doesn't want me poached by the Rokto Empire.'
Though Rokto Empire was Muran's suzerain.
They were still distinct nations.
Especially amid a massive Demon King Army invasion like now.
'National interests come first.'
The reason support forces from Rokto Empire and its vassals—overdue by far—hadn't arrived yet.
'Politics must be involved.'
The Demon King's minion lurked in Rokto Empire.
Decisively.
'The damage has been minimized too much.'
In his previous regression, Rokto Empire and vassals had barely held back the dragonkin monster legion at full force.
'Muran Kingdom stopped them alone.'
Thus, Rokto and vassals didn't seem to view this crisis as severe.
'Or maybe they're angling to extract something from Muran.'
Politics were beyond Kang Hyun-soo's control now.
'All I can do is hope the Muran royals handle it well.'
Fortunately.
'They're not incompetent.'
In the previous regression, amid half the kingdom burning from Demon Dragon Karas and the dragonkin horde, Muran royals had maximized political leverage to summon aid fastest.
Rokto's emperor wasn't incompetent either, mobilizing support swiftly.
Post-subjugation of Demon Dragon Karas and the horde, Muran royals' diplomacy shone, extracting massive aid from Rokto and vassals.
'They'll figure it out.'
Not his concern.
Kang Hyun-soo had done his utmost.
Minimizing Muran Kingdom's damage.
Maintaining that minimization?
Not his call.
'Muran's problem to solve.'
The ones with fire on their feet were Muran, not him.
* * *
Less than a day later.
Muran Kingdom secured troop support from Rokto Empire and its vassals.
At the cost of emptying their once-flush treasury.
Better than national ruin.
'As expected, not incompetent.'
Demon Dragon Karas was due to strike again soon.
'If things go well, we can end it at Baran.'
Then?
Humanity's overall damage would plummet compared to before regression.
'Side benefit: I get stronger too.'
Powerhouses gathering from Rokto Empire and vassals.
Demon Dragon Karas and dragonkin monster legion.
Their clash?
Massive casualties.
Previously, they'd just die and fade.
'This time's different.'
Starting with Demon Dragon Karas, countless named players would revive as Kang Hyun-soo's summons, fighting for humanity.
'Need to stockpile stats for that.'
Dragonkin monsters ensured no leveling issues.
'But more interest in Dark Knight than expected.'
Thanks to Dao King's warning via Kang Hyun-soo, Muran averted disaster.
Sparking explosive curiosity in Dao King and the summons.
Dark Knight was now official nomenclature.
Not just Muran—Rokto and vassal support forces were frantically gathering intel on Dark Knight.
'Can't blame 'em.'
Future foresight.
Monster disruption.
Numerous named players and ranker-level powerhouses.
'They'll want to recruit them to their nations by any means.'
And control them to their tastes.
'The summons' identities stay hidden.'
Why?
Kang Hyun-soo had no plans to step forward.
'Not a bad outcome.'
Dark Knight had become a famously secretive organization.
Meaning?
'Warnings will be easier from now on.'
Demon King Army incursions like Demon Dragon Karas and dragonkin horde would persist.
Continuous warnings under Dark Knight's name, minimizing damage?
'Massive fame incoming.'
Then?
'Stopping Demon King Army incursions becomes far simpler.'
Same for hunting the Demon King's minions.
Fame cuts both ways.
A great asset sometimes, a heavy chain others.
'As long as identities stay hidden.'
Pure profit, no risk.
But first.
Kyaaauuuung!
'Block those guys first.'
Numbers had thinned, but nearly 40,000 dragonkin monsters remained.
'Pick 'em off one by one.'
Best to send Dao King to coordinate.
* * *
"Is that the Demon Dragon?"
"Impressively strong."
Fist Emperor and Martial Sovereign—named players dispatched from Rokto Empire—eyed Demon Dragon Karas.
These two were the top among Muran support players.
"It's just a mana-bloated blowhard. Didn't Duke Kalmus lead his kingdom's players to drive it off?"
"True enough."
Fist Emperor and Martial Sovereign didn't rank Muran's Guardian Star, Duke Kalmus, as their peer.
They viewed him far lower.
Naturally so.
Called Muran's Guardian Star domestically, but Muran's Guardian abroad—Duke Kalmus.
Versus Fist Emperor and Martial Sovereign, known across Atlantis dimension-wide.
Worlds apart.
In truth, they were powerhouses a cut above Duke Kalmus.
They'd heard he used Desperate Trade skill, burning lifespan to boost stats and skill ranks.
But.
'Even so, just a king-level at best.'
'Demon Dragon, huh. Wonder what items it'll drop?'
Fist Emperor and Martial Sovereign undervalued Duke Kalmus's prowess.
More focused on the spoils.
They'd received hefty rewards from Muran royals already.
But good was good, right?
Catching the Demon Dragon?
High chance of multiple EX-Rank or SSS-Rank items.
The meeting began.
And a Dark Knight representative—heretofore reclusive—attended.
'Dark Knight this, Dark Knight that.'
'Even lower level than Duke Kalmus.'
Fist Emperor and Martial Sovereign dismissed Dark Knight.
Rokto imperial orders urged recruitment.
But that was for underlings.
Not for named players titled Emperor and Sovereign.
The meeting flowed toward defending major city Baran stably, whittling down dragonkin monster numbers maximally.
Then Fist Emperor Grand Duke Chartosha spoke up.
Fist Emperor and Martial Sovereign (2)