Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: The Legend of Hwikyung
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Ramin Solost spoke.
"It's because you're not faithful enough. A devout believer of Yacheon like me would naturally think that way."
Gorgota Palu spread his hands wide.
"Let's leave that talk there. ...For now, what was that swordsmanship?"
At the mention of "sword," Ramin jolted in surprise and dropped the sword he was holding.
"It's not mine. I just borrowed it for a bit."
"I wasn't talking about the sword. I've never seen anyone move like that in my entire life."
"Wouldn't a Parallel Affairs manager only see swordsmanship at plays or performances?"
Gorgota pulled something from his pocket.
It looked like a small leather notebook, but when he opened it, there was an embroidered pattern of a Lizardman face in white thread.
It symbolized Deanin, the Hunter God who was the origin of the Intelligence Agency.
"...The Intelligence Agency after all?"
"I was in the military before. Had to take rear duties because of an injury, and luckily, there was an opening in the Intelligence Agency. Thanks to that, I ended up working there instead of being discharged."
Ramin glanced at Gorgota.
It was just a rumor Ramin had heard, but the Intelligence Agency wasn't a place you could enter just because of a lucky opening.
"Then handling me isn't just an extension of your Parallel Affairs duties, is it."
"Yes. Of course, most vampires are just monitored through Parallel Affairs. But for Ramin Solost, the order came down to have the Intelligence Agency check on you. Until now, I didn't know the exact reason. The higher-ups just flagged you as a dangerous individual, and when I traced it back, it wasn't from the Imperial Secretariat—it oddly led to the Temple of All Gods. Looks like the gods have had their eye on you, Mr. Ramin."
Ramin shook his head.
"I doubt it. I'm not someone worth that much attention."
"Let's discuss the details back at the office."
"...I haven't done anything wrong."
Gorgota pointed at the corpses.
"You're joking, right?"
Ramin slumped his shoulders and followed Gorgota.
Ramin Solost's fight had been witnessed by Seong-un and all the other players.
Krampus said,
"...Where the hell did that thing pop out from?"
Then Jangwan checked Ramin's stats and history as he spoke.
"He really lived for 120 years. His Swordsmanship skill is level 4."
"Level 4? ...Isn't that Swordmaster level? Nebula, did you know vampires could live that long?"
Seong-un shook his head.
"I only saw it recently myself. Vampires usually die quick."
The current average lifespan of vampires was only about 4 years.
Some survived a dozen or so years, pulling up the average, but most died within a few years. The median was even lower than 4.
The world itself was hostile to vampires.
Outside the Empire, it was still customary to kill vampires and werewolves on sight.
It was confirmed that vampires didn't age, but whether they lived long hadn't been verified.
Races like elves and dwarves lived longer than humans or Lizardmen, but their average lifespan still hadn't reached 90. Partly due to the war, but medicine hadn't advanced that far either.
In Lost World, medical development in specific fields was inevitably slow.
The diseases afflicting each race varied greatly, as did their treatments.
"Just because a race can live long doesn't mean individuals do. He's a truly exceptional case."
Krampus examined the spear as he spoke.
"His other stats are evenly high too. At this level, he's great man tier. For a 4th-generation vampire, there should be stat penalties, but still."
"Means he didn't waste those 120 years."
Seong-un said,
"I only discovered it very recently too. The Empire's policy on vampires has shifted internally, and they've started coming out into the open."
Wisdom said,
"We have to acknowledge he's a unique specimen. Exceptional, even. But we already have so many individuals with great man-level stats and skills that we can barely manage them. Is there a special reason to look into him?"
Seong-un said,
"Pull up Ramin Solost's entire history to the top for everyone."
Exclamations of various sizes escaped everyone's mouths.
"...'Hwikyung,' you say?"
"Yes."
Ramin said,
"Hwikyung bit my neck. No regrets about it. I was dying at the time anyway."
In a conference room of the Baseniol Intelligence Agency.
Gorgota shook his head in disbelief as he spoke.
"So that Hwikyung is the one I know? The legendary tycoon and merchant from Rakrak's era?"
"That's right."
"The Hwikyung who was there when Yacheon first triumphed over the Wrathful One?"
"Yes. That's what I'm telling you."
"B-but... from what I know, Hwikyung died before that."
Ramin knew the legends about Hwikyung too.
Hwikyung had inherited Automat after Yacheon's victory and grown steadily with Heukrin's support.
Beyond the famous four waterwheels of Automat, there were stories of him winning bets against the great merchants of the time without a single loss, or forming a club only they could join, but the most famous was undoubtedly about Hwikyung's end.
It was well-known that Hwikyung fell ill at a young age.
It was lung disease, seemingly congenital from his maternal line.
Of course, despite his illness, Hwikyung performed his duties better than anyone.
He brought unprecedented wealth to Automat.
However, once his illness became known, people within Automat started viewing him poorly.
Because he still had no children at that point.
Especially the four great houses and the branches of House Hwi opposed him fiercely.
If Automat's master Hwikyung suddenly died, control would fall not to House Hwi, but to someone else within Automat.
Power always demands stability.
Hwikyung had his reasons.
He had someone he loved.
Her name was Sairan Muel, another famous figure.
This outstanding warrior, scholar, and chosen one had one problem: she was a Lizardman.
Naturally, humans and Lizardmen couldn't have children together.
It was a headache for Heukrin too.
The alliance had begun with Hwikyung and Sairan's meeting, but by then, Heukrin held a significant stake in Automat.
They weren't aiming for the heir position specifically, but Automat was where the most foreigners from Heukrin passed through. If Hwikyung died and control somehow passed to someone else, it would be a big problem.
Rakrak indifferently said he should just take a second wife, but Hwikyung refused.
There was pressure, but it wasn't enough to sway him.
Though a lung patient, Hwikyung was at his peak then, grown adept at handling any intrigue or plot.
All the four houses, branches, and Heukrin wanted was for Hwikyung to endure his lung disease as long as possible.
Then, the unexpected happened.
Sairan Muel left Hwikyung.
The exact details weren't well-known, but there were speculations.
Stories of disappointment in Hwikyung's greed for power, Rakrak ordering Sairan to leave for Heukrin's future, or simply a change of heart like in any common love story.
Of course, the tale people loved most, and seemed most plausible, was this:
Sairan knew Automat was shaking and that all the attacks on Hwikyung from the other houses were because of her.
Sairan wanted Hwikyung to take a second wife and live happily without worry.
For that, she had to leave him.
Hwikyung tried every means to find Sairan but failed.
There were rumors she had died.
It was an era where wandering the wilderness made you unfindable.
Hwikyung gave up and took a second wife.
He was from the Church, an old friend of Hwikyung's.
One of the few who could comfort and understand him.
A child was soon born, and Hwikyung added "Muel" to the child's name.
Only then did the four houses pledge loyalty to Hwikyung again.
Hwikyung appeared fine on the outside, but he was rotting within.
Because Sairan never returned.
The other reason—perhaps the true one—for Sairan leaving Hwikyung came to light belatedly, after her body was found.
Sairan had secluded herself, written several books, left a will, and taken her own life.
The will was mostly apologies to Hwikyung, but contained hints.
"As per the will of the god."
It meant Yacheon had demanded Sairan leave.
However, she specified that Yacheon had only told her to leave, not to die. But like other devotees of Yacheon, Sairan had tried to fulfill the divine will more thoroughly than asked.
She thought if she died, Hwikyung would never seek her.
But that underestimated Hwikyung.
Whatever emotions he felt, Hwikyung devised a plan to overturn everything that had happened.
By becoming a vampire.
There were old legends about vampires: they didn't die from disease or age.
Then Automat would be his forever.
Hwikyung became a vampire.
Of course, no one tolerated it.
Even as a tool for stabilizing power, leaving an heir was different from eternal rule.
The four houses and branches rebelled against Hwikyung.
No one aided vampires back then.
Only a very few who had long cherished Hwikyung, goblins who vowed their lives to him, his second husband from the Church, and finally Automat's mud soldiers.
The fight was as brutal as the previous succession struggle, and its end horrific.
In the end, Hwikyung died cursing Yacheon, it was said.
This tale became the famous anecdote that love can't endure between different races.
Ramin shook his head.
"At least he didn't die then. He probably cursed, though. Hwikyung survived and bit my neck."
Gorgota wore a suspicious expression, perhaps because he hadn't expected an old legend to interfere with his mission.
Ramin added,
"That's why my real name is Ramin Solost Muel. He said you were his true child."
Runda said,
"You knew he was alive?"
"I saw him flee."
"You could have killed him."
Seong-un shook his head.
"Yeah. He could have. I don't know why he didn't."
Seong-un continued,
"After that, Hwikyung hid in one of your territories. But even after unification, he wasn't found. Which means..."
"He crossed the continent?"
"Right. Ramin's a human from the Second Continent too."
Runda clapped lightly.
"Ah, I get it."
"What?"
"The reason he didn't kill Hwikyung."
"What do you think?"
Runda grinned mischievously and leaned toward Seong-un's mask.
"Because Hwikyung cursing sounded like he'd abandoned his faith, right?"
"...?"
"If a faithless Hwikyung dies, he can't reunite with Sairan. So he couldn't kill him? We don't know where soulless spirits go."
Seong-un nodded slowly.
"...That might be it."