Chapter 55: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

"With great power comes great responsibility."

He'd heard or read that phrase countless times in life, and Carpe had always thought it rang true.

But now that the situation had actually arrived... it felt profoundly unfair.

'Why does this "great responsibility" mean cleaning up my predecessor's trolling mess...?'

Hero. You have received ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my power, so you must stand against the encroaching darkness soon!

Something like that would at least be cool. Not this—picking up after the King of Nuisance's disasters...

-Even in real life, inheriting a legacy comes with debts attached. It's probably the same thing.

'I just wanted the pleasure without the responsibility.'

No helping it.

Things had come to this, so all he could do was follow the quest prompt and figure out how to soothe her rage.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty."

"Yes?"

"I heard the previous Magic King once greatly helped the village. How about calling it even with that?"

"No. We already paid more than enough for that 800 years ago. He swept up every last tear from the elves in the village to make his 'final homunculus' or whatever. That year was a terrible harvest because of it. Ugh, that bastard. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

"……."

Carpe regretted bringing it up, ending up worse off than before, and fell silent.

"Magic King's Heir, Carpe, was it?"

"Yes. That's right."

"Very well, Carpe. Do you find my anger unjust?"

"……No."

He was already being magnanimous for not smashing the relic right there on the spot.

"Understood. I'll take responsibility for my predecessor. What must I do to get the relic back?"

"Ho ho. Unlike that shameless Drech, his heir knows shame. No wonder Tina follows you so faithfully."

"……Tina does?"

The phrasing—"follows faithfully"—felt off.

Didn't that imply she hadn't always been that way?

"Tina has been the picture of a loyal knight from the start... though."

"Huh? Living this long, I hear all sorts of nonsense. Among ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the homunculi, Tina was the prickliest toward the Magic King..."

"Ah, Alteer! Enough. That's not important right now!"

Tina's obvious fluster was refreshingly novel.

Her reaction didn't seem fabricated...

'How wild-tempered must someone be to make that loyal Tina prickly?'

-Just look at what she's done to the elf village already. You can gauge the size. A total nuisance character—brutally strong ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and does whatever she wants.

The fact that such a person had unified the continent made Carpe feel sympathy for Akram's people 800 years ago.

"Hmm. Well, anyway. I like your attitude of taking responsibility. So, what to do..."

Alteer rested her pale white hand on her chin, lost in thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Common sense says I should charge a storage fee."

"……Storage fee?"

It was such a sensible statement that it surprised him instead. Cold sweat trickled down at the same time.

...800 years' worth. He couldn't even fathom the amount.

"You don't mean... with money?"

"What use would human currency have for us? Our diets and culture differ, so goods hold no meaning either."

Among what Carpe could offer now, only one thing would be useful to elves.

"Labor, then."

-As expected?

'Ugh... yeah, makes sense. It's a game, after all.'

The only thing a user could do for an NPC was quests.

This was just backstory about the Magic King's rampage—the quests ahead wouldn't differ much from what he'd been diligently pursuing.

But considering 800 years of resentment, what insane quests might appear...

"No need to tense up. At most, help with our manpower shortage. Unlike Drech, I am a sensible elf. For now, go exterminate the bugs tormenting the trees in the nearby forest."

"Bug extermination?"

"Yes. Sap Beetles. They've been swarming lately, quite the headache."

According to her, these Sap Beetles were fairly large but not particularly strong monsters.

"As the Magic King's Heir, you should manage fine."

'Oh, just a simple subjugation quest. Got scared for nothing.'

-Well, first quest and all. Won't be ridiculous from the start.

But their guesses shattered completely at Alteer's next words.

"Let me see. Around 800 should put out the urgent fire."

"……Pardon? 800?"

"Hee hee. No need to be so impressed. As I said, I'm sensible. I'd love to demand 80,000, but I'll hold back."

"……."

Normal subjugation quests topped out at 20—30 at most. 800?

And she was proud of halving it...

'This is griefing, right? Total griefing?'

-Ambiguous. Overkill, but doable if you grind.

'Ugh. Pure grind fest.'

800 wasn't much in PC games, mindlessly clicking or key-mashing. But in VR, demanding full focus, it was grueling labor.

Tina spoke up, seeing Carpe's dumbfounded look.

"My lord. Elves' sense of numbers differs greatly from humans'. To those living over 1,000 years, 800 is truly nothing."

"Ah."

Was that how it worked?

Carpe let out a short sigh and nodded.

"Got it. I'll hunt the bugs."

"Wise choice."

"I'll assign a guide. Saiers."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The male elf standing rigidly to the queen's right stepped forward in response.

"Escort the Magic King's Heir to the forest. Inform him of any precautions."

"As you command."

The real quest began. Carpe steeled himself.

Sure, 800 was a lot, but with Tina and Mukhyang, it might end quicker than expected...

"Oh, and Carpe. While you exterminate bugs, I'll borrow Tina briefly. It's been 800 years—time to catch up."

"……Pardon?"

Carpe glanced at Tina with a sinking feeling. She met his eyes, nodded, and replied firmly.

"Alteer. I'd love to talk, but I can't accept that. I am my lord's knight. As long as I live, he will never enter battle alone!"

"……Bug extermination a 'battle'? Still needlessly serious after 800 years."

"Anyway, no. Catch up later."

"Hmmm... fine. A knight follows her master—that's natural. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Then, what does the master say?"

"Me?"

Did he need to ask?

Obviously, hunting with Tina was way easier...

Ding.

"......I'm not so oblivious as to interrupt your 800-year reunion. Have a good time."

"There you have it. Come, Tina."

"My lord?!"

"You've worked hard too, Tina. Take a break. Unless you want me labeled a retainer-abusing lord."

"Kuh... I suppose."

Tina looked dissatisfied but relented at the "bad lord" mention.

Alteer nodded approvingly at the scene.

"Oh, and that magic squirrel of yours."

"Kyuu?"

"You come too. As Tina's friend, you'll be an honored guest."

"Kyu! Kyuu!"

But Mukhyang whipped his head away in refusal.

Loyal only to Hiang, huh. Carpe felt a touch moved.

"Is that so?"

Alteer smiled as if finding it cute and snapped her fingers.

Snap!

Saiers, waiting nearby, vanished somewhere and reappeared.

In his hand was a small box.

"Among our elf specialties..."

Saiers clicked the box open at her words.

"Kyuu?!"

On plush red cloth sat two acorn-sized nuts.

Alteer picked them up, rolling them in her palm. Mukhyang's eyes followed, rolling too.

"Special acorns from this forest only. Still not coming?"

"Kyuuu..."

Mukhyang's whimper mixed with drool. His earlier resolve vanished.

Carpe chuckled at the conflicted squirrel.

"Hiang, it's fine. You rest too. This time, I'll go alone..."

Pat pat pat!

Before he finished, Mukhyang scampered onto Alteer's lap.

"……."

Guess that's why they say raising kids is pointless.

Carpe felt a bit sad.

* * *

"Here it is."

The spot the male elf Saiers guided him to was the opposite direction from the village entrance.

"Ah, those the Sap Beetles?"

"Yes. Exterminate them from now on."

The bugs were obvious—no explanation needed.

Giant beetles like huge dung beetles clung thwack to trees.

Not normal size—the smallest matched an adult man's head.

"Breeding season, so they need lots of nutrients. Trees are drained, can't bear fruit."

"I see."

Carpe understood. No reason to delay, he reached for Fire Arrow—then stopped.

"This is to save the trees, right?"

"Yes. A problem?"

"No. Just thought no magic then. Risk of damaging trees."

"Hoo..."

Seemed Carpe's judgment was spot-on.

"Correct. But Sap Beetles have thick shells—resistant to blows. Much harder than magic."

"We'll see."

Hoo.

Carpe took stance, deep breath.

"Hup!"

Short shout, fist smashed tree-clinging Sap Beetle.

Kwachik!

"O-One hit? A skill?"

"No? Just punched."

"Hah..."

Saiers was genuinely impressed. As expected of the Magic King's Heir!

"Perfect. No need for more guidance. Just like this."

"Got it."

Carpe nodded and resumed bug hunting.

Kwachik!

One-shot, one-kill as expected.

About twenty down—then.

Ding.

"Huh? Level up?"

-What? Already? How long since 25?

"Quest update gave EXP?"

Last Savior hid EXP to next level, so vague guesswork.

But after another forty or so.

Something was off.

"Hyung. These guys' EXP..."

-Yeah. Insanely high. More than Treants.

But crucial difference from Treants.

Unlike Sea Forest, only Carpe here in Forgotten Forest.

No mob competition with other users.

Plus, unlike sparse Treants, one-shot monsters everywhere.

"......Wow. This is."

-Unbelievable. 'The capable pick up money even falling down,' they say.

No room for griping about predecessor's mess.

Forgotten Forest.

Its true nature: the ultimate leveling spot worth paying for.

The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw