Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: A Hero's Reward
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A pleasant scent filled the air.
It was like peaches. A sweet fragrance, for sure.
“Are you awake? Do you hurt anywhere?”
Kang-seok opened his eyes. No, they were already open, but it was only upon hearing the voice that he truly came to his senses.
Seong Yu-jin's face was right in front of him. Her long, platinum-blonde hair tickled his chest and arms.
He blinked. His groggy mind couldn't immediately grasp her words.
Fortunately, others were there to help him.
“Kang-seok, you're awake?”
Just as he heard Choi Yu-ra's voice, her face appeared next to Seong Yu-jin's.
Kang-seok blinked again. His throat was dry, and he couldn't seem to find his voice.
Just then, as if reading his mind, a cup of water was offered to him. He took it and saw it was Yang Jun-gyu.
“Ah, thanks.”
“Hehe.”
A sip of water cleared his head instantly.
The room was lavish, from the ceiling and walls to the floor. The bed he was lying on was no ordinary piece of furniture either.
Once Kang-seok's eyes regained some clarity, Abigail gently pushed Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra aside and sat by the bed.
“Do you remember what happened?”
“Uh... I guess I caused some trouble.”
Kang-seok gave an awkward laugh.
The duel with Edward Price, the Captain of the Knights Templar from the Order of Gawain.
The original plan was to lose, but he had won. And spectacularly at that, using all his strength.
Choi Yu-ra, who had already repositioned herself next to Abigail, tapped the back of Kang-seok's hand.
“So what if you did? It was so satisfying to watch. You did great. Our Kang-seok is the best.”
“That's right, it was so cool!”
Yang Jun-gyu's voice chimed in like a chorus.
Seong Yu-jin patted Kang-seok's shoulder with a gentle expression.
“I'm just glad it ended without you getting seriously hurt.”
His shoulder was slightly cut, but other than that, there were no noticeable external injuries.
Kang-seok smiled back at Seong Yu-jin and glanced around the room. It was clearly a magnificent guest room.
“Still... the fact that I'm lying in such a nice room means things didn't get too out of hand, right?”
“Did we commit a crime or something? Of course not. We were invited here as guests.”
Choi Yu-ra grumbled, as if annoyed that he even had to worry about such a thing. Seong Yu-jin added her thoughts.
“I think the situation is much better than we feared. I only saw him for a moment, so I can't be sure, but His Majesty the King seemed very pleased with the outcome of the duel.”
Come to think of it, he remembered hearing a loud round of applause before he lost consciousness. Could that have been the king's applause?
As he quietly wracked his brain, Abigail suddenly let out a short laugh. He crossed his arms, gazed at Kang-seok, and spoke.
“You weren't showing your full strength when you fought Andras. No, perhaps it's more accurate to say you're specialized in fighting people? In any case, it was truly impressive.”
Kang-seok hadn't used 'Overdrive' when fighting Andras.
Moreover, it was Kang-seok's fight. Abigail hadn't earned his title as a five-star adventurer for nothing. He could discern where Kang-seok's specializations lay.
“I thought you were about on par with the stronger five-star adventurers, but I was wrong. You're six-star. Definitely six-star.”
Stronger than Abigail himself.
Though it was clearly high praise, Choi Yu-ra pouted. She spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction.
“You said that Edward guy was six-star, right? Since Kang-seok crushed him, doesn't that make him even stronger?”
Yang Jun-gyu nodded enthusiastically at Choi Yu-ra's words.
Abigail clicked his tongue at the naive words of the two.
“The Edward of yesterday was not at his full potential. He barely used the divine artifacts that make the Captain of the Knights Templar what he truly is.”
“Divine... artifacts?”
Seong Yu-jin tilted her head, asking about the unfamiliar term. Abigail explained.
“It's easier to think of them as magic armaments. Sacred items imbued with the power of a god.”
Sacred treasures passed down in each religious order.
The armaments belonging to the 'Thirty-Seven Holy Swords' designated by the Order of the White God also fell under the broader category of divine artifacts.
Only when fully equipped with these divine artifacts does one become the true Captain of the Knights Templar.
Seong Yu-jin immediately understood the meaning.
“So Edward Price is a six-star powerhouse only when he's in a 'fully armed state'?”
“Exactly. I'm sure you all know the power of magic armaments. The 'real Edward' is at least two—no, three times stronger than he was yesterday.”
Yesterday, Edward had used an ordinary sword and wore plain martial arts attire. It was only natural that he would be weaker than when using his sword, shield, and armor imbued with divine power.
“Hmph, even if he were three times stronger, Kang-seok still would have won.”
Choi Yu-ra grumbled again. Abigail chuckled at her strangely cute display.
“Yes, that's why I said Kang-seok is six-star.”
He said it casually, but 'six-star' was by no means an easy level to reach. Six-star adventurers were almost unheard of within the Kingdom of Britannia.
In fact, Edward Price was the strongest man in the Order of Gawain. A six-star powerhouse was someone of that caliber.
Seong Yu-jin suddenly sighed.
“The Eight Superhumans of the World... The seven-stars must be truly powerful.”
While it was silly to apply a 'multiplier' concept to strength in the first place, if Edward really became three times stronger than yesterday, could Kang-seok win?
She didn't think he would lose easily, but she wasn't confident he would win either.
And a seven-star was a being even greater than such an Edward.
Abigail nodded gravely.
“Those people truly deserve the title of 'superhuman'. I saw the Mercenary King, Alvaro, fight once a few years ago. I wondered if he was even the same species as me. It was no exaggeration to call him a being capable of changing the tide of war single-handedly.”
Overwhelming strength.
He couldn't even think of words to describe it.
“Anyway, back to the main point, I don't think the situation is that bad. There were surely those who felt threatened by your power, Kang-seok, but I think there were more who thought, 'I want him as an ally.'”
“Because Players don't have any particular affiliation yet?”
Choi Yu-ra added quickly, and Abigail's eyes widened. He replied in an admiring tone.
“You're all quick on the uptake. That's exactly it. That's what makes you appealing.”
Seong Yu-jin and Kang-seok also understood what Choi Yu-ra and Abigail were talking about. Only Yang Jun-gyu struggled, not understanding what they meant.
Choi Yu-ra pinched his cheek and explained.
“He's strong enough to defeat even the Captain of the Knights Templar. Would anyone want to make an enemy of someone like that? What if Kang-seok were to side with their political rivals?”
“Oh, so... if they treat Kang-seok badly, he might go to their enemies, which would be a problem... so they'll be nice to him?”
“Something like that.”
Choi Yu-ra gently patted the cheek she had just been pinching.
Abigail spoke to Kang-seok again.
“As Yu-jin mentioned earlier, His Majesty the King seems to have taken quite an interest in you. Getting too deeply involved might be a problem, but this atmosphere itself isn't bad.”
The first person to applaud when Kang-seok defeated Edward was King Galahad himself.
Abigail glanced around and lowered his voice.
“The Kingdom of Britannia has always had a strong nobility. This isn't something to be said openly, but the royal authority is weak compared to other nations. However, things have been slowly changing since the current king, His Majesty Galahad, ascended the throne. It's no exaggeration to say the Royalists have effectively seized control of the east.”
The Royalists controlled the central and eastern regions. Most of the nobles who attended today's event also belonged to the Royalist faction.
“On the other hand, the nobles' power remains strong in the west. Although His Majesty has brought the east under his control, the power of the Royalist and Aristocratic factions is nearly equal. This is the result of the western nobles banding together after seeing the king consolidate his power in the east.”
The two factions were evenly matched. It was in times like these that a delicate balance was usually struck.
Kang-seok looked troubled.
“It seems like staying out of it would be best for our peace of mind.”
He had no desire to get caught in the crossfire.
Abigail smiled and nodded.
“You Players are not people of this world, after all. I also think it's best to remain neutral if possible.”
It had only been about three months since Players began to appear in this world.
The period was far too short for Players to get involved in the world's politics.
Furthermore, the goal of Kang-seok's party was to clear the World Quest.
They had no intention of awkwardly meddling in politics.
“It's highly likely he'll summon you separately tomorrow. You'll receive praise and a reward for defeating Andras, which was originally supposed to happen today.”
And that reward was likely to be even better than what was initially planned.
Kang-seok let out a long sigh. He asked Seong Yu-jin.
“By the way, how long was I out?”
“Uh... about six hours have passed.”
Seong Yu-jin answered immediately after checking her remaining survival time, which served as a clock.
This time, Choi Yu-ra asked.
“More importantly, Kang-seok, aren't you hungry?”
“Uh... a little?”
He had expended an enormous amount of stamina in the duel, and when he thought about it, he hadn't eaten anything all day except for breakfast.
If they were at an inn, they could just go out to eat or request a meal, but since this was the royal palace, he wondered if that was even possible.
Park Han-yeong had been envious of the group going to the palace, thinking they would eat well, but now that he thought about it, Park Han-yeong and Kim Kang-san, who were likely sightseeing in the capital outside the palace, were probably eating much better.
Abigail reassured Kang-seok.
“You can just ask the palace staff for something to eat, so don't worry about dinner. For today, just focus on resting comfortably.”
Contrary to his initial thoughts, it seemed he didn't need to worry too much about the king and the nobles.
The problem, then, was the Order of Gawain and Edward Price, but he decided to think positively about that for now as well.
‘There's also what Iris said.’
She said Edward Price was a man who would look for the cause of his defeat within himself rather than holding a grudge against his opponent. Such a man wouldn't harbor ill will toward Kang-seok.
And come to think of it, he had the excuse of 'not being fully armed'.
Although the Order of Gawain had a strong martial nature, it was still a religious group that worshiped a god. The chances of them reacting aggressively were not very high.
Of course, he might have been thinking too optimistically, but Kang-seok decided to believe it for now.
It was something he wouldn't know until it happened, so worrying in advance was just a waste.
‘I gained quite a lot from this fight.’
Leaving aside the political implications, focusing solely on himself, the duel had more benefits than drawbacks.
He had experienced the strength of this world's powerhouses.
He was able to get a sense of how he should fight and what he should focus on to become stronger.
Earning a decent amount of Kron as a reward for the quest to subdue Edward was another gain.
“What are you grinning about all by yourself?”
Choi Yu-ra asked, and Kang-seok smiled again. He got out of bed, feeling good.
* * *
The next morning, Kang-seok's party was summoned by the king.
It was a summons to the central main palace, not the eastern annex.
The 'Audience Chamber', where the king met his subjects and people, was so large and magnificent that it made one doubt Abigail's words that 'the royal authority has been weak for generations'.
‘Still, the layout itself is similar to what I've seen in many games.’
A long, soft red carpet was laid out in the center of the room, and at its end, a throne sat upon a high dais.
To the left and right of the throne were slightly smaller chairs for other royalty or dignitaries, and lining the sides of the room were royal guards in gleaming armor.
Guided by a palace official, Kang-seok entered the room and swallowed nervously. Seeing the king on his throne and the nobles on either side, a tension different from that of battle gripped his entire body.
King Galahad rested his chin on his hand, observing Kang-seok from a slightly slouched position.
Unlike the king, whose face was filled with curiosity and amusement, Vivian, the Witch of the Lake, who sat in the chair meant for the queen, maintained a blank expression. The same was true for Tristan, the Captain of the Royal Guard, who stood like a statue by the king's side.
The party stood in a diamond formation, with Kang-seok at the front, followed by Seong Yu-jin, Choi Yu-ra, and Abigail. Yang Jun-gyu stood alone behind the four, as if hiding.
With slightly stiff steps, the group advanced to the spot they had been instructed to stop at several times by the palace official before the audience, and then paid their respects to the king.
They knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.
After waiting quietly, they soon heard King Galahad's voice.
“Raise your heads.”
Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra were beauties who stood out even by the standards of this world.
However, contrary to his public reputation as a lecher, Galahad did not spare a glance for the two women's beauty.
His gaze, like that of someone admiring a jewel, was focused solely on Kang-seok.
“Dark Destiny Lord. I heard that is your title.”
Choi Yu-ra bit her lip to suppress a laugh, while Kang-seok inwardly chanted for patience. He recited the lines he had prepared with Seong Yu-jin the night before.
“It is an undeserved title. Simply calling me Choi Kang-seok is enough.”
With a king clearly present, it was a great discourtesy for someone in his country to use a title signifying 'king' or 'lord'.
The case of Alvaro, the 'Mercenary King', one of the Eight Superhumans of the World, was a very rare exception.
Kang-seok's honest feeling was that he wanted to use this opportunity to shed the name Dark Destiny Lord for good.
But Galahad shook his head.
“No, Players are not beings of this world, so there's nothing wrong with the term 'Lord'. You may continue to use that splendid title. The ruler of dark destiny... Truly magnificent.”
From behind him, he could hear Choi Yu-ra making small choking sounds as she tried to hold back her laughter. Judging by the different tone mixed in, it seemed Seong Yu-jin was in a similar state.
As Kang-seok despaired, Galahad continued to speak.
“I heard you performed a great service in defeating Andras. Watching yesterday's battle, I couldn't help but be impressed. Indeed, a great reputation is never unearned.”
Galahad clapped again. Though he was clapping alone, it seemed to echo throughout the entire Audience Chamber.
Having not been instructed on how to respond in such a situation, Kang-seok simply bowed his head once more.
Galahad stopped clapping and rose from his seat. He looked down at Kang-seok's party and spoke.
“A hero must be given a reward befitting his deeds.”
The reward for defeating Andras.
Frankly, it was a heart-pounding prospect. This was a reward from none other than the king.
Kang-seok carefully raised his head. Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra did the same, and Yang Jun-gyu's eyes sparkled brightly.
Gazing at the party with a pleased expression, Galahad slowly opened his mouth to speak.