Chapter 78
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Miracle, or Fortuitous Encounter (3)
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Where am I?
Why am I lying down in some unfamiliar place again?
“…….”
Lloyd blinked his eyes.
How long had he kept them closed?
His eyelids felt dry and stiff.
His neck and back ached.
He thought to himself.
‘Ah, it’d be nice if I could just possess a brand-new body. Like, poof, straight into a real nuclear gold spoon diamond spoon body. That’d be seriously amazing.’
Of course, that wasn’t the case right now.
And Lloyd knew that better than anyone.
The moment he opened his eyes, messages scrolled up in front of him.
Reading them, he could roughly grasp what had happened to him.
[Through your sacrifice, courage, and leading by example, you saved countless people from disaster. The citizens of the trading city Creemo are deeply moved by your noble achievements.]
[As a bonus for this massive societal contribution, a large amount of RP has been specially awarded.]
[You have acquired 1,000 RP.]
[Current RP held: 1,046]
‘What? Sacrifice and courage, leading by example? Saving countless people from disaster? Heh heh.’
Lloyd let out a hollow laugh as he stared at the messages floating before him.
Leading by example?
Courage and sacrifice?
He wanted no part of that.
He’d refuse even if they begged him.
Yet here he was, told he’d done exactly that outrageous deed(?).
But the messages didn’t stop there.
[The citizens of the trading city are praising you as the ‘Guardian of Creemo.’]
[The steadfast courage, ingenuity, and spirit of sacrifice you displayed have touched the hearts of many.]
[This is a trading city. Countless merchants and visitors will hear of your feats from the citizens’ mouths and be amazed.]
[Your heroic tale will spread throughout the kingdom via word of mouth among merchants.]
[Numerous artists inspired by your heroic story will create various works based on it.]
[For a while, songs, plays, and artworks depicting your achievements will spread like a trend.]
[You have become a national celebrity.]
[Your name and deeds will be briefly etched into the kingdom’s history books.]
[Bonus RP has been specially awarded for the rise in social prestige.]
[You have acquired 500 RP.]
[Current RP held: 1,546]
‘Whoa.’
He was totally screwed, totally.
A flood of messages scrolled up without respite, leaving him dazed.
At the same time, he realized.
‘I took down the Gigantitan, huh.’
A monster he hadn’t even dreamed of facing.
A beast that seemed utterly hopeless.
He’d planned to hole up while it rampaged.
Yet he, of all people, had slain that Gigantitan.
It didn’t feel real.
But it seemed to be true.
Suddenly, the last scene he’d seen before losing consciousness flashed in his mind.
Gigantitan.
Targeting the weak point.
Him preparing to use Blasting.
Then, out of nowhere, a barrage of flying rocks.
‘And then I got hit in the head.’
The sensation from back then was still vivid.
Something had smacked into his head with a thud.
The world had slowed to a crawl in his memory.
That was the process of passing out—no, blacking out.
In the midst of it, he...
‘I used Blasting. And in the most reckless way possible.’
Two to three.
The ideal rotation ratio for Mana Circles in Blasting.
Even as he was losing consciousness, he’d obsessively repeated that ratio in his mind.
And that’s how he’d pulled off the insane stunt.
‘I didn’t protect my heart.’
He’d thrown every circle meant for protection into the Blasting.
Colliding all three circles head-on.
The overwhelming shock that had shaken his entire body.
That shock was his final memory.
‘But I survived.’
He hadn’t died.
He was alive and well.
His heart was beating strong.
No, he even felt more vigorous than before.
But Lloyd didn’t feel dazed or flustered.
Instead, he checked the messages that had been floating there.
They kindly explained his current situation.
‘The Mana Heart skill has awakened?’
His eyebrows twitched.
Mana Heart.
He didn’t have one yet.
No, he’d thought he never would.
‘Training for it is too hard and takes too long. Even at the fastest, it’d take at least five years. That’s why I gave up on Mana Heart training altogether.’
It was true.
It required obsessive, consistent daily practice.
So he’d quit.
He figured it was better to spend that time on a single civil engineering project.
‘Plus, I’d acquired Mana Circles to substitute for a Mana Heart anyway.’
Thanks to that, he’d gained strength comparable to most knights.
He had Haviel by his side too.
So he thought he wouldn’t lack for swordsmanship, wouldn’t die to some random blade anywhere.
No, he’d compromised.
This was enough.
‘But now I’ve got a Mana Heart.’
It felt like receiving an unexpected surprise gift.
He examined the skill details like opening a gift box.
Ding-dong.
[Opening skill information.]
[Skill Name: Mana Heart]
[Level: Mana User Lv. 1]
[Artificially stores high-density mana inside the heart. The stored mana can be freely drawn out and used. This greatly enhances physical abilities, and as the level rises, mana storage and efficiency increase.]
[Physical ability enhancement: 150%]
[RP required for next level up: 50]
[Current RP held: 1,546]
‘Whoa. Insane. Totally insane.’
Lloyd stuck out his tongue.
It was a proper Mana Heart.
He’d wanted one deep down, but the time and effort were too much, so he’d given up.
And now it had spawned as a skill, right there.
Even the beating of his heart felt a bit different now.
Thump, thump.
With each beat, he could feel the lump of mana gathered inside.
It was the size of a plum.
But its power was like a four-cylinder car engine.
It was like his heart had an entire engine installed—overflowing with strength.
And that power felt naturally like part of his body.
If he willed it, he could send it freely to his limbs.
‘I’ve really become a Mana User.’
Mana User—the benchmark for surpassing ordinary people.
Link that with his triple circles and this power?
He could probably wield strength on par with mid-level Sword Experts.
If he played it right, he might even barely hold his own against an upper-level Expert knight.
And the gifts didn’t end there.
No, the real jackpot was still coming.
Ding-dong.
[The Mana Heart you possess was created not through standard training, but by the shock of Blasting.]
[This unique creation history grants your Mana Heart a distinctive trait.]
[A new skill option has been unlocked.]
[Skill Exclusive Option ①: Shock Nullification - Your Mana Heart can inherently nullify shocks from collisions between Mana Circles, even without specific protection. Thus, you take no damage from Blasting. This option greatly overcomes the limitation of dedicating one circle to heart protection when using Blasting.]
‘Insane.’
His eyes widened as he read.
An option so good it made him swallow dryly.
Lloyd’s mind raced.
‘Let me sort this out. So, the Mana Heart spawned as a skill, meaning I can invest RP to reach Sword Expert or beyond. Useful options can come with it too. And on top of that, a cheat-level option that frees me from Blasting’s shock is equipped by default.’
In a word, jackpot.
No, super jackpot.
It meant he didn’t need to protect his heart when using Blasting.
In other words, he could use the triple-circle collision he’d pulled off against the Gigantitan anytime.
‘That triple collision’s Blasting probably took down the Gigantitan. So, does Blasting’s power increase exponentially with collision count? If so, the power would skyrocket geometrically...’
Lloyd dove into calculations.
But then.
Messages filled his vision.
Through them, a familiar face peeked out.
And spoke to him.
“You wouldn’t happen to have come back to life, have you?”
“…….”
It was Haviel.
With his usual indifferent gaze.
His perennial listless expression.
His ever-cold voice.
He asked.
“You’re not planning to slip into a coma again, are you?”
“……Do you want me to?”
“Hmm, to be honest—”
The guy tilted his head thoughtfully.
“I kind of do.”
“…….”
“Taking care of you in a coma was pretty relaxing.”
“Relaxing?”
“Yes.”
Haviel replied calmly.
“I just had to stay by your sleeping side. No need to blast open the earth or shatter rocks. No need to hammer in piles. No need for all that tedious shoveling.”
“Ha. You were sucking on the honey, huh?”
“An accurate summary.”
“So now that I’m awake, you’re disappointed?”
“Yes.”
“Whoa. Not even denying it.”
“When the superior gets overly diligent, the subordinate gets exhausted.”
“So what’s with that right hand you’re holding up now?”
“…….”
“You’re not thinking of knocking me out with it, right? Like, ‘sleep,’ pow.”
“…….”
“Look at you subtly unclenching your fist now that I called you out.”
“Heavens no. How could I ever.”
Haviel reached out.
He firmly supported Lloyd’s neck and back.
And slowly helped him sit up.
Maybe from lying down too long.
“Ugh.”
A slight dizziness hit.
But his mood wasn’t bad.
Despite the snide words, seeing Haviel smile at him made it even better.
“I’m glad, Lord Lloyd.”
“Yeah. Lucky, huh. I get to torment you again.”
“Yes, lucky indeed. Your solo period won’t be extended.”
“Right. Super lucky. Now I can tattle to the Baron about your crawling behavior.”
“You wouldn’t, surely?”
“Depends on what you do.”
“So you won’t.”
“Whoa. Look at you jumping to conclusions.”
“Am I wrong?”
“You’d better hope so. Maybe fetch me water every night if you can.”
He laughed for real.
It really was fortunate.
Both he and the guy had survived.
Thinking it a true blessing, Lloyd grinned.
Haviel, in turn, deliberately hardened his expression coldly.
That made Lloyd laugh again.
Finally, it sank in.
Everything had passed safely.
Now it was time to enjoy the rewards in peace.
♣
The rewards were more persistent, extravagant, and swift than expected.
Word of his awakening spread.
Visitors lined up immediately after.
The first to rush into the sickroom was none other than the Creemo Count.
“How about becoming my son-in-law?”
“……Pardon?”
The Count burst in and immediately proposed an unexpected marriage(?) out of nowhere.
Along with a grand bouquet wishing him a speedy recovery.
“Um, what do you mean by that?”
“What do I mean? Shall I say it again?”
“…….”
“Be my son-in-law.”
“…….”
Lloyd shut his mouth.
At first, he thought the man had eaten something bad.
But his eyes and voice showed it was no joke or prank.
If Lloyd nodded, the guy looked ready to summon his only daughter right there for the wedding.
So Lloyd firmly shook his head.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“Your kindness and proposal are truly something I’m deeply grateful for, but...”
“But?”
“I don’t think I can handle it.”
It was true.
A sudden marriage?
To the Count’s family only daughter, no less.
On the surface, it might seem like a golden opportunity.
But Lloyd thought reality was different.
‘Marriage right now? Worst timing. Money flows out matching the powerful in-laws’ standards, more for the wedding, then diapers, formula, education when kids come—money shattered. When do I pay off the territory’s debts?’
Sure, the Count’s family might cover the debts.
But that wouldn’t be free.
It’d just create a new intangible debt.
Lloyd didn’t want to get his nose pierced by the Count’s family.
His goal was repaying the usurers’ debts and living freely, leisurely, sucking honey. A modest, peaceful life without lacks, smoothly and ordinarily.
Jumping into the big pond of a Count’s family wasn’t wise for that.
Lloyd bowed his head again.
“I’m sorry.”
“Tch. Is that so.”
“Yes. I’ll gratefully accept your feelings.”
“If only you’d accept the proposal too.”
“I’m truly sorry.”
“No helping it then.”
The Creemo Count smacked his lips regretfully.
After that, quite a few others visited the sickroom.
Esteemed merchant families of the city.
Tycoons based in shipbuilding.
Families rolling in money from private escort ship services.
All influential figures in the city. They came to the sickroom and spouted the same line.
“Care to form a good connection with our family?”
Marriage proposals disguised as visits kept coming.
Of course, Lloyd shook his head each time.
He’d already turned down the Count.
No reason to accept theirs.
Instead, he politely declined while maintaining ties.
“Phew. Another proposal this time. Feels like I’ve suddenly become the city’s hottest bachelor.”
Every day, the visitors’ purposes were eerily identical.
Still, it meant his value had skyrocketed. He was being treated as the top marriage prospect in the city.
That thought made him feel pretty good.
Back in Korea, it was something impossible even in fantasy.
Haviel, nursing him, chuckled.
“Hottest bachelor. Congratulations.”
“……Tsk. Sounds like mockery?”
“Absolutely not.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Then what’s that?”
“Pardon?”
“The bundle of letter envelopes in your hand.”
“Ah.”
“No way, those?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“For real?”
“Yes.”
“Confession letters received while I was down?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
“Shall we count them?”
“No, don’t.”
“Five... seven... eleven... twenty...”
“I said don’t.”
“Thirty-nine in total.”
“Damn.”
“Oh, and you got proposals from twelve places, right?”
“…….”
“Heh.”
“…….”
Never mess with a pretty boy. Lloyd shuddered, realizing it full well.
Then.
Knock knock knock.
“Visitors here. Opening the door.”
A maid from the Count’s family announced from outside.
The door opened.
Up to then, Lloyd figured it was another unknown VIP.
Probably here with a proposal disguised as a visit, like the others. He turned to the door expecting that.
And flinched without realizing.
“You rascal!”
A sudden shout flying at him.
Striding right up.
Pulled into an embrace before he could brace.
“You rascal, what did your father tell you? Don’t do dangerous things, I begged you.”
Whoosh!
“……Huh?”
Lloyd’s eyes widened.
Baron Frontera and his wife, whom he hadn’t expected at all. The teary-eyed pair were suddenly in the sickroom, hugging him tightly.