Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: An Unwanted Promotion
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“…It’s all because of him!”
A shameless attempt to pass the buck!
Kilgeo blinked, unsure of what was happening.
He glanced back and forth between Lee Shin and Gillaim, who stood behind him, before speaking.
“You. What is this…”
“Insolence! How dare you speak to the king… to Lord Lee Shin!”
“And who are you…?”
“So you’re the one who dared to stain his noble hands with blood!”
“???”
Kilgeo’s eyes glazed over as the conversation grew more and more incomprehensible.
He looked at Lee Shin, his eyes pleading for help.
In response, Lee Shin discreetly shook his head so Gillaim wouldn't see.
Then, he tapped his temple with his finger and twirled it in a circle.
“Ah…”
*So he’s not well in the head!*
A look of pity filled Kilgeo’s eyes.
Understanding the difficult situation, Kilgeo watched Lee Shin’s expression and played along.
His high affinity was a major factor in his willingness to cooperate.
“Yes, I suppose I had some influence.”
“How dare you…!”
“But what of it? So I killed a few people. Is that a crime?”
Kilgeo said shamelessly, his expression nonchalant.
“Of course it… hmm??”
Gillaim started to reply but stopped short, blinking in surprise.
Kilgeo’s trashy words were delivered with such confidence that Gillaim experienced a moment of cognitive dissonance.
*Is it really not a big deal…?*
But that couldn’t be right.
A moment later, Gillaim snapped back to his senses and shouted.
“…Of course it’s a crime!”
“Why? All I did was teach them how to look after themselves.”
“Still, the aura of evil around you is too thick!”
At those words, Lee Shin found himself nodding unconsciously.
‘…He’s got a point there.’
His infamy was over a million.
It was a number Lee Shin had never managed to reach even in Avala Online 1.
And yet, he had achieved it in less than a month since starting the game!
Naturally, Gillaim must have felt like he was facing some legendary villain.
So, the fundamental issue for Gillaim wasn't that Lee Shin had killed people.
After all, he himself had just killed the knights who were chasing Lee Shin.
The problem was the sheer ‘degree’ of it all.
Claiming this was something that just couldn't be helped was far too unbelievable.
‘Hmm.’
Lee Shin fell into deep thought.
How was he going to explain this…?
“Ahem. But, you.”
“?”
Just then, Kilgeo, his curiosity getting the better of him, asked quietly.
He wanted to know what was going on.
It was understandable for him to be frustrated, having played along this whole time without a proper explanation.
Lee Shin whispered quietly so Gillaim wouldn’t hear, briefly explaining the situation.
“Actually…”
1. I accidentally killed the prince.
2. Gillaim was looking for the prince to stage a coup.
3. We met at the worst possible time.
4. To save myself, I handed over the prince's belongings and lied, claiming I was the prince.
5. So, this is where we are, and I'd appreciate your help.
“……???”
Kilgeo blinked, the heavily abbreviated explanation leaving him confused.
From the very first point about killing the prince, he wore a look of utter incomprehension.
It was a natural reaction for an adventurer who said he was just going to catch a thief to suddenly return having killed the 8th Prince, whose existence he hadn't even known about.
Lee Shin glanced at Gillaim and continued.
“…Anyway. That’s why my infamy got so high.”
“How high could it be… Whoa?! Come to think of it, you have a different aura about you.”
Kilgeo’s reaction was immediate!
There were also some secondary effects.
“As I said, it’s because I killed the prince…”
[Your Infamy is extremely high.]
[The target is an Evil-aligned NPC.]
[Kilgeo’s Affinity…]
[Is already at its maximum…]
[…]
[Kilgeo is overwhelmed by you!]
[Kilgeo believes your words completely!]
“…So that’s what happened!”
“Yes.”
Overwhelmed by his immense infamy, Kilgeo placed his trust in him without any further explanation.
Lee Shin asked.
“Do you have any good ideas?”
“Can’t we just kill him?”
Kilgeo said it without a hint of hesitation!
Now that he understood the situation, elimination seemed much easier than persuasion.
But there was a reason why Lee Shin, who thought much like Kilgeo, hadn't done that already.
If it were that simple, Lee Shin wouldn't be agonizing over it like this.
“Can you do it? He slaughtered an entire knight order by himself.”
“…Then it would be difficult.”
Although Kilgeo was a legendary assassin in the past, that was all in the past.
He had more than enough experience, but his age prevented him from performing at his previous peak.
Moreover, assassins were inherently at a disadvantage in direct confrontations like this.
But there was a method that only an assassin like him could use.
A surprise attack.
And escape.
While knights would grimace at such dishonorable tactics, neither of them had any qualms about choosing this path.
“……”
Lee Shin and Kilgeo’s eyes met.
A nod.
Lee Shin moved away from Gillaim, and Kilgeo reached into his pocket.
It was possible only because their similar mindsets allowed them to read each other’s thoughts so clearly!
“Lord Lee Shin?”
Sensing a change in the air, Gillaim turned his head.
But Lee Shin and Kilgeo had already finished their preparations.
Ditch him and run!
Lee Shin pointed at an empty spot and shouted.
“Look! The knight order is catching up!”
“What!? I will block them!”
Gillaim reflexively whipped his head around.
Kilgeo quickly detonated the smoke bomb from his pocket.
*Poof!*
“Lord Lee Shin?!”
“…It’s an enemy attack! They’re right beside us! Be careful!”
“Is that so?! I didn’t notice at all…”
[Skill, Deception, is activated.]
[Gillaim is thrown into confusion!]
‘Did it work?!’
It did not.
He had been deceived, but the confused Gillaim began to rampage.
“In any case, I will handle it!”
[Gillaim unleashes his secret sword arts…]
[Gillaim condenses his mana…]
[Gillaim…]
[…]
[…Gillaim attacks in all directions!]
*CRASH! BOOM!!*
*KRA-KA-KA-BOOM!!!*
‘…This madman?!’
Falling for Lee Shin’s lie that the enemy was right beside him, Gillaim unleashed a barrage of indiscriminate attacks!
After reading the long string of messages, Lee Shin hurriedly ducked his head.
At the same time, something hot and fast grazed past his head.
*SHWIIIIIIING!!!!!*
[You have been grazed by Sword Aura.]
[Your level is low.]
[Your resistance is low…]
[…]
[Your health has been greatly reduced!]
“…!”
Lee Shin instinctively clapped a hand over his mouth as his health dropped below half.
A mere graze was a critical hit!
Sensing his life was in danger, Lee Shin desperately shouted at the rampaging Gillaim.
“…Be careful!”
“Where… Ah! My apologies.”
Gillaim apologized, startled.
But then he realized something and muttered in a puzzled voice.
“But why can’t I sense any enemy presence…”
“Th-That is the enemy’s ploy to make us confused! They must be hiding somewhere, watching us!”
“I see…!”
[Skill, Deception, is activated.]
[You have completely deceived the target!]
“So hold your position.”
“Yes!”
With a quick response, Lee Shin dispelled Gillaim’s suspicion.
Then, he gave Kilgeo a meaningful look.
Kilgeo detonated a few more smoke bombs from his pocket and whispered to Lee Shin.
‘Let’s go.’
Lee Shin nodded and activated his skills.
[Using Skill, Stealth.]
[Using Skill, Flee.]
[Mana will be consumed over time…]
While Gillaim was exhausting himself against a non-existent enemy.
The two of them took off without a backward glance.
“Lord Lee Shin? Are you still beside me?”
“……”
“Lord Lee Shin?!”
Gillaim was left desperately calling out for Lee Shin, who was already long gone!
The escape was a success.
But at that moment, Lee Shin had no idea how this would come back to haunt him later.
Nor did he know what chaos his killing of the prince would unleash upon the kingdom!
* * *
[You have left Dudeureom.]
[The skill proficiency buff effect has disappeared.]
While the smoke screen lasted, Lee Shin and Kilgeo ran along deserted paths.
They fled the city entirely.
And not content with that, they only stopped running when they reached the entrance of the next city.
Given who their opponent was, they needed to be absolutely sure they had escaped to feel safe.
[Your fatigue has reached its maximum.]
[Please rest.]
“Hah, hah…”
The message popped up the moment he stopped.
Lee Shin collapsed to the ground, trying to catch his ragged breath.
Only after his breathing had calmed did he look around.
His surroundings were quiet.
‘This should be far enough, right?’
He couldn’t believe how tense he’d been, worried that Gillaim might follow.
Fortunately, Gillaim had completely fallen for his lie and hadn't pursued them.
Lee Shin opened his status window to check Gillaim’s information.
Haipen Gillaim (Vassal)
• Loyalty: 5
• Current Status: Confused
‘Can’t I just reject the quest?’
[To reject the quest, <The Revival of the Eteun Kingdom>, you must find Gillaim.]
[Gillaim’s location can be found via NPC Information.]
‘……’
Well, it wasn't a problem to have it taking up a slot in his quest log.
He figured if he just waited until Gillaim's loyalty dropped to zero, it would probably cancel on its own.
Lee Shin closed the quest window.
He then approached Kilgeo and spoke.
“About what we were discussing earlier.”
“Hm?”
“Regarding the job change…”
[You have completed all of Kilgeo’s tests.]
[You can now change to the Unique job, <Shadow Assassin>!]
[The job branches into 4 specialized paths depending on your growth.]
[Each path…]
[…]
[…You can currently change to the higher-grade job, <Salseong>!]
[Do you really wish to change your job?]
‘Hmm.’
Legendary versus Unique.
Normally, it wouldn't even be a choice.
The gap between the grades was undeniable.
But the reason for Lee Shin’s hesitation was simple.
[The previous Salseong did not name a successor before his death.]
[Most of the secret skills have been lost.]
[A complete job change is impossible.]
[To achieve a complete job change, you must follow the trail of the previous Salseong and collect his secret skills!]
‘……’
It just seemed like too much of a hassle!
He didn't know the exact details, but the skills were scattered all across the continent.
So, rather than traveling to every corner of the continent to find them all…
Wouldn’t it be better to just finish the job change quickly?
That’s what Lee Shin, who preferred the easy and fast route, thought.
‘Well, even a Unique class is pretty good.’
In fact, its immediate performance would undoubtedly be superior.
The number of available skills was completely different from the Salseong, which was missing most of its skills.
That’s why he had been pondering this and decided to ask, but…
“…What! Nonsense!”
“?”
Kilgeo vehemently objected, as if Lee Shin had said something outrageous.
“You have the chance to become a Salseong, and you want to change to a mere Shadow Assassin?!”
“Isn’t that your job…?”
And it wasn't just words.
The side effect of an Evil-aligned NPC!
His eyes crazed at the mention of Salseong, he did something that horrified Lee Shin.
[Kilgeo cancels the quest.]
[The job change has been canceled!]
He actually canceled the quest!
“…!?!??!?!?”
It was a blow that struck Lee Shin from out of nowhere.
“Now, you must become a Salseong!”
“…You mad old man!?”
Lee Shin screamed in shock, but Kilgeo just laughed like a madman, a look of accomplishment on his face.
“Khahaha! Hahahaha!!!”
“Give it back! You crazy…!”
It was truly a maniacal laugh!
He was in no state to be reasoned with.
“Hehe, to think I’d get to witness the birth of a Salseong with my own eyes…!”
Finally, Lee Shin gave up and thought to himself.
‘I should have left him behind with Gillaim…!’