Chapter 73
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Two Days Off (1)
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Yu Wolha was not in a good mood.
Racking his brain, he couldn't recall feeling this terrible in recent years.
The banquet hall.
This was the only business achievement he had managed to squeeze out.
A stepping stone to formally inheriting the guild and, further, getting involved in the group.
And his father, Yu Geonha.
The man who treated him like an invisible, abandoned child simply because he lacked ability.
A way to gain recognition from that old man, who had not a single humane bone in his body.
Furthermore.
It was also an opening for him, someone unchosen by any god, to contract with 'certain Divine Seats'.
But now, that sole opening was slowly being destroyed.
By an outsider named Kim Woohyun, who had suddenly barged into his world.
A creeping anxiety washed over him.
He felt a sense of crisis, as if everything he had built was about to crumble right before his eyes.
“Ah, you’re here.”
Thus, despite the surging impulse to beat the masked man before him to death right this instant.
Yu Wolha had to once again suppress his fiery temper and maintain his hypocrisy.
“Congratulations on your five consecutive wins, Mr. Kim Woohyun. I never imagined you would win the tournament with a goblin slave... It was very impressive.”
Kim Woohyun didn't take his outstretched hand, only replying in a low voice.
“What’s so impressive about it? It was just a boring, one-trick pony.”
*Insolent bastard.*
Yu Wolha withdrew his awkwardly extended hand and asked with a smile.
“Winning a tournament with a low-level monster like a goblin is unprecedented. May I ask what you’ve been feeding it? Ah, I have no intention of penalizing you for it. It’s permitted, I’m just curious.”
“I haven’t fed it anything special. It’s an ordinary goblin.”
“Then how…”
“I wonder. Perhaps the level of the participating Hunters was just low.”
“...I see. It’s true, the level wasn’t particularly high today.”
Yu Wolha controlled his writhing bloodlust and replied calmly.
If he had his way, he'd tear this chaebol heir or whatever he was to shreds and feed him to the monsters.
But there was a major obstacle preventing that.
“…”
It was the presence of Jeong Sowon, watching him silently.
*'If it weren't for Sanarae, that damn bitch.'*
Sanarae’s guardian. That was the problem.
He had heard about it, but the Sanarae Guild's protection was more thorough than he'd expected.
Thanks to that, his attempts to investigate the unfamiliar visitor's background over the past three days had failed every time.
“I hope the level is higher next time.”
That’s why this piece of trash was acting so arrogantly.
“Ah, do you plan to participate in the next banquet as well? Usually, after a tournament, the tamed monster is given a break for the next round.”
“Didn’t you see it too?”
“Pardon?”
“It was just a series of low-level fights that weren't even a proper warm-up. What is there to rest from?”
“...Come to think of it, you have a point.”
At this point, he couldn't take it anymore.
Yu Wolha stared at Kim Woohyun, his eyes filled with killing intent.
[Surging Fear]
It wasn't a simple glare, but a type of mental brainwashing skill.
Effective not only on monsters but on humans as well.
When hit by this skill, not only ordinary people but even low-level Hunters would wet themselves and collapse.
“...!”
But, it was Yu Wolha who was surprised.
“…”
Kim Woohyun was staring right back at him, completely unfazed.
There was no sign of fear in the eyes behind the mask.
As the surprised Yu Wolha stood frozen, Kim Woohyun quietly spoke.
“What are you staring at so intently?”
“No, ah, it’s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
Yu Wolha waved his hand and this time, glared at the goblin standing next to Kim Woohyun.
“Kiruk.”
*'No...?'*
And once again, he sucked in a sharp breath.
The goblin was looking up at him, grinning.
*'It doesn't even work on a goblin?'*
Surging Fear was a skill that could subdue even B-rank monsters, depending on his focus.
Thanks to it, he could easily tame powerful monsters.
But now, it wasn't working at all.
“If you have nothing else to say, I’ll be on my way. I look forward to the next banquet.”
“Ah…”
Kim Woohyun turned his back on the dazed Yu Wolha.
Yu Wolha silently watched him, Jeong Sowon, and the goblin leave.
And the moment they disappeared from sight.
*CRACK!*
He slammed his fist on his desk.
“That son of a bitch... dares to ignore me?”
His rage swelled to the point of suffocation.
His narrow, slit-like eyes twitched with malice.
“Relying on some bitch named Sanarae, that fucking cripple dares to ignore me—!”
He had never been humiliated like this before.
Moreover, the eyes staring at him from behind the mask strangely reminded him of a certain bug from seven years ago.
Yu Wolha gritted his teeth.
“You there.”
His gaze fell upon a man huddled in a corner.
The man he had ordered to manipulate the tournament bracket to humiliate Kim Woohyun.
“H-Hic! Y-Yes, Administrator...!”
Yu Wolha stared at him and cast his skill.
Pouring all of his mana into it.
[Surging Fear]
The man’s eyes, meeting his gaze, glazed over.
“H-Hurgk! Hwaaak! H-Help... Gack...”
Naturally, the man couldn't withstand it.
He drooled, then began to choke himself with his own hands, collapsing while wetting his pants.
Only after his twitching movements had completely ceased.
Yu Wolha muttered quietly.
“The skill works just fine.”
In that case, it was highly likely that Jeong Sowon, who was behind him, had blocked the skill.
If that was the case, the story was simple.
All he had to do was set a trap to isolate Kim Woohyun and deal with him personally.
“Go take care of it. It’s your meal.”
Yu Wolha kicked the wolf that was lying under his desk.
When it showed no sign of getting up, he started viciously stomping on its belly with his dress shoe.
“I told you to go eat, you bastard!”
The wolf hesitated for a moment, but then staggered to its feet and approached the dead man's corpse.
*Crunch, crack.*
While the gruesome sounds echoed.
Yu Wolha sat in his chair, swiveled, and turned his gaze to the aquarium.
“You won’t be leaving in one piece, Kim Woohyun.”
His eyes were curved upward like a crescent moon.
* * *
By the time I returned to my officetel, it was already dawn.
“Still a piece of trash, that guy.”
I muttered while lying on my bed.
I had deliberately chosen words to provoke Yu Wolha.
But I never expected him to use a mental interference skill so openly right in front of me.
[The Sage sighs in relief, saying you would have been in big trouble without the Divine Seat’s protection!]
Right, it could have been a little dangerous.
If I had been the same E-rank Awakened Being I was seven years ago.
[The Divine Seat, Gardener of the Mother Goddess, twirls his mustache and shrugs smugly.]
“I know, Your Majesty. How many times have I thanked you already?”
Before the fear resistance authority bestowed by the Divine Seat, ‘Emperor’s Protection’, a skill like Yu Wolha’s was completely useless.
Gono, who was wearing the Bloodstone Brooch, was also fine.
And so, this great emperor, who had visited me after a long time, was gloating.
Still, I never thought he'd stick around even after hearing me say "thank you" ten times.
“Your Majesty, could you please go back now? I’d like to get some sleep.”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess says he has another reason for visiting you.]
“What reason?”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess crosses his arms and shrugs, asking if you're curious.]
“I am, but I’m tired... I’ll ask you again after I get some sleep.”
As I said that and buried my face in the pillow, this damn Divine Seat started making a fuss again.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess jumps up and down with a tearful face!]
“...Alright. Exactly five minutes. If it goes over five minutes, I’m just going to ignore whatever you say.”
[He whimpers that you are a truly heartless incarnation.]
At the same time.
*Vwoom.*
A small rift opened right next to the bed.
The blue rift tossed something onto the bed with a thud and vanished.
I shot up with a surprised look on my face.
“This is…?”
Lying on the bed was an item.
A dagger with a blade that curved like a snake.
Huh, this.
I think I've seen this in MonMonMak.
On a hunch, I quickly picked up the dagger and had the Sage analyze it.
A moment later, when I confirmed the dagger’s identity.
“Y-Your Majesty.”
I couldn't help but call out to the Divine Seat in a trembling voice.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess emphasizes that he had previously declared he would prepare a gift for you.]
That’s right. It was right after I contracted with the Imperfect Secret Bird.
Provoked by her, this Emperor had left, saying he would give me a gift soon.
But still. For the timing to be this perfect? By coincidence?
“Be honest with me, Your Majesty. You too, Sage.”
I couldn't help but have my suspicions.
As I spoke, both the Divine Seat and the Sage reacted simultaneously.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess whistles and looks away.]
[The Sage informs you that he is always honest ♪(´ε｀*)]
“You’ve been spying on me through the Sage, haven’t you.”
That's how you brought something like this at the perfect time.
[!!!]
*Prrng.*
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I grabbed the Sage as it tried to sneak under the bed and said, looking at the ceiling.
“If you don’t talk, I’m putting a blindfold on the Sage.”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess shakes his head, asking what kind of cruel act that is!]
“Did you watch me or not?”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess hangs his head, admitting he peeked just a little.]
Geez, an incarnation contracted to a Divine Seat usually has no privacy, but my relationship with the First Emperor is a provisional contract. Still, well.
“I’ll let it slide this once.”
Honestly, the timing was killer this time.
Plus, the gift the Gardener of the Mother Goddess brought was killer too.
“But next time, please ask for my permission beforehand. If not, I’ll tell the other Divine Seats and make the Sage wear a blindfold.”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess’s eyes sparkle as he nods his head!]
After the Emperor left, I silently stared at the dagger in my hand.
With this, my plan became much clearer.
The plan to drag Yu Wolha down to the very depths of the abyss.
* * *
The next day, I checked on the Lord’s Castle for the first time in a while.
The Demidragon and Undead Obelisks of Malevolence were still inactive.
This meant there were at least ten days left until the next wave’s invasion.
“I’m starting to get anxious.”
The interval is unusually long.
Plus, there was that message that appeared after blocking the 703rd wave.
- Everyone has begun to watch the lonely castle on the frontier.
This is practically a death flag.
*'After I rescue Raum, I’ll need to focus on finding monsters that can serve as troops.'*
It seems I’ll have to prepare thoroughly this time.
As part of that, I started by constructing a blacksmith next to the barracks.
If everything goes according to plan, the blacksmith will surely be mine.
*Tiring!*
“Hm?”
As soon as I started building the blacksmith, a sound effect played and an exclamation mark appeared above the Lord’s head.
The Dream Lord was requesting a conversation for the first time in a while.
[You waved your hand in greeting.]
[Hello. It’s been a while, Lord of the Present World.]
The choice window followed.
[What topic shall we discuss?]
1. Blacksmith Construction
It seemed he wanted to talk about the blacksmith.
As I tapped the option, a speech bubble immediately appeared above the Lord’s head.
[Have you found a monster suitable to be a blacksmith?]
*I have.*
Tapping the dots according to the subsequent choices, the answer was automatically assembled.
[You explained that you found a suitable monster, an earth spirit named Raum.]
[Raum, a child called a gnome in this world. You’ve found a good friend, my Lord. But there is one thing I must tell you.]
Soon, an option titled ‘Information about Gnomes’ appeared.
[You decided to hear the information about gnomes.]
[Gnomes are the most skilled spirits when it comes to item processing and smithing. However, their nature is free-spirited and full of curiosity. So, if you forcibly subjugate them, they will refuse to work and become listless. Conversely, if you don’t subjugate them, they will not stay in one place.]
“Ah.”
There was a reason Yu Wolha used him as a simple punching bag for events.
He didn't even know what kind of abilities the monster possessed in the first place.
“But... that’s a problem for me too.”
If I rescue the gnome now, he’ll disappear without even speaking to me.
I could forcibly send him to the Lord’s Castle.
But even then, the gnome would remain listless.
So what should I do?
The answer was hidden in the Lord’s next speech bubble.
[Lord of the Present World, you must first make the gnome open its heart to you.]
“Open its heart?”
[Spirits are soft-hearted and are pure monsters that readily follow those who cherish them. This is also true for gnomes. Therefore, it is important to first imprint a good image of yourself. After that, it will follow you on its own.]
After finishing the conversation with the Lord, I was lost in thought.
Hmm, imprinting an image.
* * *
“I’ve brought the information you requested about Raum, Mr. Kim Hanul.”
A cafe in Gangnam.
Jeong Sowon placed a few documents in front of me and spoke.
Perhaps because I wasn't wearing a mask, she called me by my real name for the first time in a while.
“Thank you.”
I took the documents, checked their contents, and then asked.
“So Raum isn’t kept by Yu Wolha directly, but by someone else who manages him?”
“That’s correct. Behind the banquet hall, there’s a breeding ground where monsters deemed useless, like Raum, are gathered. A C-rank Hunter from the Samwol Guild is in charge of it.”
After confirming there was no one around, I asked in a low voice.
“Is this person bribable?”
“Bribable, you say.”
“I’m thinking of taking Raum from there for a day or two. I want to know if that’s possible.”
“Ah.”
Jeong Sowon nodded at once.
“It’s possible. Unless it’s for a banquet event, Yu Wolha pays no attention to the worthless monsters. If Kim Woohyun... I apologize. If you, Mr. Kim Hanul, had shown blatant interest in Raum, the story might have been different.”
“I see, thank you.”
“Shall we leave right away?”
“Pardon?”
Jeong Sowon stared intently at me.
“Actually, when you ordered me to gather information on Raum, I took the liberty of bribing the Hunter in charge as well. It seems he was demoted within the guild to that position, as a few hundred thousand won was enough to make his eyes go wide. If it’s just for two days, it’s possible to do it right now.”
As expected of the second-in-command of the Sanarae Guild.
I felt it during the betting last time, but her drive is extraordinary.