Sharing a Room with 21-Year-Old Arthur After Sweating Out the Hot Summer
After the restaurant performance wrapped up, Geum Taeyang, Athena, and Arthur dove right back into drinking. Geum Taeyang’s sexual performance had clearly hit the mark. As night fell, the three naturally headed to the city’s finest hotel for lodging. Britannia, right next to Galatea, was a renowned resort destination packed with excellent hotels. Arthur had booked ahead, eager to show his senior and sister-in-law the best the place had to offer, but a problem arose. Suddenly, mixed-gender rooms were no longer allowed.
“But the reservation clearly stated that mixed lodging was permitted, Manager.”
The manager wore an awkward expression as he explained carefully. “Well, you see, Young Master… A few days ago, a barbarian couple stayed together and…”
Arthur used one of two identities when traveling outside: either Prince Arthur of Britannia or the young master of the Elias family. The Elias family was the predecessor to the royal house of Elias. He switched between them for procedural convenience. Even so, as the son of a duke, he could make anyone grovel, which was why he could lodge a complaint on the spot.
“Those two caused an absolute mess. Until countermeasures are in place, His Lordship has banned mixed-gender lodging. As you know, this city is famous as a resort, so they’re quite sensitive about such matters.”
It wasn’t the hotel’s own rule but an order from the city lord. That made it serious.
Hmm… Another barbarian incident here.
After listening to the detailed explanation, Geum Taeyang realized they weren’t Mohican barbarians. The Pieta continent had several barbarian tribes besides the Mohicans. Every barbarian tribe was obsessed with sex. The ones who came to the resort town of Britannia had gotten worked up and caused chaos, leading to this mess. As a Mohican barbarian himself, Geum Taeyang felt a sense of responsibility. After all, he had just caused a scene at the restaurant himself.
“I see. As you said, Manager, this is something worth taking seriously in this city. However, these two are extremely important guests to me, and I’ve already had sufficient prior communication with the hotel owner, Merchant Lord Mikael.”
“Hmm… In that case, I’ll contact the Merchant Lord and inquire with His Lordship again. Please wait a moment, Young Master.”
“Very well. Let’s do that.”
As the Prince of Britannia, Arthur could resolve this easily by stepping forward directly, but that would drag things out for other reasons. It also went against his usual principles. He wanted to handle matters through the proper system as much as possible. So Arthur decided to send a cushion and inquire with the city lord.
“Should I call this a blessing in disguise? Thanks to this, I get to cross swords with you, Senior.”
With time to kill, the three headed to the hotel’s training ground. Arthur had asked to see Geum Taeyang’s changed skills, and Geum Taeyang had readily agreed.
“The honor is mine. I get to face the top graduate and early completer of the Imperial Academy’s Knight Department in a proper match.”
“Haha! We’ve crossed swords plenty of times for practice, haven’t we?”
“Those were practice swords.”
“True. A knight’s real test comes when they cross their own swords.”
Geum Taeyang had taken knight department classes as a minor and learned swordsmanship there. That connection led him to Arthur, who entered the academy the following year. The two practiced swordsmanship together, and by graduation Arthur had reached A+ combat power while Geum Taeyang was at B+. Now, in less than half a year, that same Geum Taeyang had defeated the Mohican Overlord Conan Barbara. As a knight who revered strength, Arthur wanted to feel Geum Taeyang’s combat power firsthand.
“Then I’ll show you my heroic treasure first, Senior.”
Arthur had also heard about heroic treasures from Geum Taeyang. It was a well-known fact that the white-haired Mohican Overlord Conan Barbara possessed one. So it was only natural that Geum Taeyang, who had defeated him in single combat, would have something on the level of a heroic treasure or better. Geum Taeyang had mentioned it casually during their prior coordination. Naturally, this was news to Arthur. During their time at the Imperial Academy, Geum Taeyang hadn’t possessed any heroic treasure. Arthur wanted to see his respected senior’s new weapon with his own eyes.
Whoosh…!!!
A blue barrier formed in front of Arthur. If one wanted to see the other’s treasure, it was only polite to show one’s own first. Arthur began summoning her treasure, Eilias, the hereditary treasure of the Elias royal family.
Shwaaa…!!
Eilias, a blend of blue and white, appeared emitting blue mana. Arthur grasped its hilt with a firm thud.
“This is the treasure of the Elias royal family, Eilias, Senior.”
Shwaaaak…!!
She drew it. “This is the first time I’ve shown it to you directly.”
Arthur then took up a light combat stance. No matter how close they were, one couldn’t simply show a heroic treasure. It was only proper to reveal one’s treasure either after fighting a life-or-death battle together or when both parties displayed their treasures like this.
It looks even more dazzling than it did in the graphics.
Geum Taeyang had already seen Eilias while playing World Conquest Record. “The king of heroic items, Eilias. No wonder Arthur isn’t the main protagonist character.”
Despite being a mid-sized kingdom, Britannia under Arthur’s leadership had formidable early military power. That came from both vision and Eilias, the king of heroic items. The heroic treasure Eilias possessed considerable stats. “Even Luciena’s subordination domination doesn’t work on it.”
It was especially resistant to various debuffs. That was why Eilias was called the king of heroic items. It ignored even the subordination domination of the absolute demonic sword Luciena, and it mostly shrugged off subordination magic from same-tier magic treasures or debuff magic attacks from black magic treasures. It was the type that had to be overpowered through raw physical ability. “That means it’s a heroic treasure close to holy power. That’s why Arthur, chosen by this treasure, can draw the holy sword Excalibur.”
Eilias didn’t possess such abilities for no reason. Most heroic treasures were rooted in ordinary mana. Leona’s heroic short sword used black magic, but it was still mana-based. In contrast, the energy within Eilias was holy mana mixed with holy power. That was why it showed particularly strong immunity to debuff-type attacks.
“Now it’s my turn to show you my treasure, Arthur.”
I wonder how he’ll react. When this mana-based Luciena meets Eilias… will it be just like in the game?
Whoosh…!!!
Yet Luciena, Geum Taeyang’s treasure, was a demonic sword rooted in demonic energy. Demonic energy and holy power were polar opposites. Geum Taeyang summoned the weapon inventory barrier to draw Luciena.
“Ooooh…!!”
The hilt emerged. He gripped the sword and drew it. Arthur couldn’t hide his astonishment at Geum Taeyang’s fluid sequence of movements.
“Allow me to introduce her. My heroic treasure, Luciena.”
Geum Taeyang held Luciena horizontally so the still-stunned Arthur could see it properly.
“What a beautifully crafted friend…!!”
Arthur’s shock wasn’t simply from seeing a heroic treasure. Everyone who saw the absolute demonic sword Luciena for the first time had the same reaction: a beautiful sword, a captivating sword. Arthur was no exception.
“But this is the first time I’ve seen this one. I pride myself on knowing quite a bit about heroic treasures.”
The difference lay in what came after. The Elias royal family, an elite among elites even among knightly houses, possessed a compendium of heroic treasures. While it didn’t list every single one, it contained a considerable amount of information. Geum Taeyang had clearly stated beforehand that what he carried was a heroic treasure, yet according to Arthur it wasn’t recorded in the Elias royal family’s heroic treasure compendium.
“Right? I looked through every record I could find, but I still don’t know this friend’s true identity. Still, since it resonated with me and works well, I plan to stick with it to the end.”
“Of course. In the end, treasures are about fate.”
Geum Taeyang spun a smooth lie. “Judging from what I know, it seems to have absorbed some demonic energy. The color of the barrier suggests as much.”
“I thought the same. That’s probably why it suits me as a barbarian.”
Just as a sword wasn’t holy simply because it contained holy power, a sword wasn’t demonic simply because it contained demonic energy. However, some factions viewed demonic swords as ominous and even turned hostile toward their owners. Hmm, Luciena really isn’t in her complete state, so there’s no reaction. Normally Eilias should be humming loudly.
Geum Taeyang, drenched in dopamine, felt a slight pang of disappointment. Eilias, whose foundation was relatively lower-tier holy mana, should have activated its alarm in front of a demonic sword. He had wanted to see that once, but because he himself was still weak, the chance had slipped away.
“Now that I’ve seen the sword, I’d like to experience your swordsmanship, Senior.”
Thud…!!
Arthur, wearing a thoroughly satisfied expression, took up a proper attacking stance. It wasn’t the royal secret technique of Eilias but the sword style she normally used in formal situations.
“Gladly.”
Shhhk…!
Geum Taeyang was the same. When it came to swordsmanship, he had perfectly absorbed his previous Imperial Academy self. —Flash! Arthur Lucien Elias charged in using Mana Step. —Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! The luxurious training ground of the hotel began to ring with the fierce sound of clashing swords. Two A+ combat power fighters were engaged in a proper sparring match.
Taeyang’s junior is truly impressive. She’s not yielding an inch even against the powerful Taeyang. As expected of the Imperial Academy’s top graduate.
Even Athena Barbara, an A-rank combatant, watched in a daze. “Excellent sword and outstanding swordsmanship! Your growth is dazzling, Senior! You’re like a completely different person from six months ago!”
Arthur’s astonishment was no less. Before graduation, Arthur and Geum Taeyang had sparred with practice swords. Even in a light match, an A+ could read everything about their opponent through the smallest movements. By Arthur’s standards, the Geum Taeyang from back then and the current Geum Taeyang might as well have been different people.
“You’re even reading my mana! And you’re not yielding even to a properly swung sword!”
Of course, Geum Taeyang’s swordsmanship skill itself had already been at an ultra-high level back then. However, the gap in ability and physical stats between the two had been enormous. But now Geum Taeyang possessed A+ physical stats, True Mana Detection, and Mana Step.
“Thanks for the praise, junior.”
Grin!
Geum Taeyang smiled leisurely. Being praised by the game’s main protagonist felt quite good, even if his growth came from cheat traits. Besides his spirit… even the mental aspect I arrogantly pointed out has been perfectly supplemented by Senior.
Another area where Geum Taeyang had developed rapidly existed. Yet Arthur made no direct mention of it. His spirit is different, isn’t it? There’s no trauma left, no fragile heart.
Still, Geum Taeyang knew. Because the scene Arthur had pointed out remained in his memories. After the Memphis massacre, Geum Taeyang had developed trauma toward swords and had taken knight studies as a minor to overcome it. Yet he hadn’t been able to overcome that trauma even by graduation. So every time they crossed swords, a tiny hesitation appeared that the ultra-high-level Arthur could see. In contrast, no such hesitation existed in the current Geum Taeyang. He must have overcome it through his barbarian identity. Meanwhile, I… I still haven’t moved past what Senior pointed out.
Geum Taeyang had possessed tremendous talent for swordsmanship, so even to the ultra-high-level Arthur, weaknesses in his swordsmanship were visible. You’re still imitating men’s movements, Arthur. That isn’t your sword.
Having decided to become a man, Arthur had learned sword techniques and movements modeled after men. But her body, hidden only by elven magic, was purely female, and the mana system flowing through her was also female. At an ambiguous level there wouldn’t be much difference, but at ultra-high levels it would become a major obstacle to breaking through the ceiling. Back then, Geum Taeyang had indirectly advised that a softer sword style might suit her better than a strong one. That’s exactly the Arthur story in World Conquest Record. At some point, to become stronger, Arthur abandons the man’s sword and returns to the woman’s sword. Then, as her female identity gradually blooms, she gives up on drawing Excalibur, only to draw it instead.
In this worldview, that realization would come much later, along with her conquest journey. But in the current worldview, thanks to her connection with Geum Taeyang, she had obtained the hint much faster. Rather, I… I wasn’t seeking Excalibur and masculinity to become stronger… I was bound by Excalibur and masculinity…?
At the time, Arthur had only accepted Geum Taeyang’s advice on the surface and hadn’t truly acknowledged it inwardly. After all, there were women who had reached S-rank with powerful sword techniques. She firmly believed she could do the same. But watching Geum Taeyang, who had overcome his trauma, she suddenly felt that her conviction was not belief but stubbornness. Heh heh…! That’s a good expression. This warm-hearted senior will help you break out of your shell soon.
Geum Taeyang, who had already devoured three women and was currently riding an island with another, caught Arthur’s troubled face with perfect timing even amid the dazzling sword clashes. He might have expected this all along.
“I’m sorry, Young Master. Due to protocol, we cannot lift His Lordship’s order right away. You’ll need to find another solution for tonight.”
The temporary ban on mixed-gender lodging would not be lifted. “Th-then…”
Arthur’s face was filled with embarrassment. What else? You and I will just share a room.
Grin…!
Geum Taeyang smiled in triumph from behind.