Overgeared

by Park Saenal

  ‘I will soon become an intermediate blacksmith thanks to Grid’s help.’

  ‘It’s the best honor to do odd jobs for him.’

  The Reidan blacksmiths understood the topic and no longer questioned Grid’s orders.

  “Father, fighting!”

  Lord held Irene’s hand and came to the smithy. He spoke the cheer he learned from Aunt Ruby and pulled out a small hammer. Then he watched his father’s movements.

  Ttang! Ttang!

  Tatang! Tang!

  The sight of the father and son next to each other was peaceful and joyful. There was a happy smile on Irene’s beautiful face.

  ***

  “I want to see Grid look bewildered and scared.”

  Baron Kons was excited as the carriage moved. He wondered how surprised and frustrated Grid would be when he heard that he had to offer a tribute to 15 kingdoms, including Gauss.

  “It isn’t that simple to build up a kingdom.”

  If it was that easy to set up and maintain a kingdom, there would be hundreds of kingdoms on the continent by now. Baron Kons laughed as he imagined the look on Grid’s face.

  “We’ve arrived.”

  Baron Kon’s carriage stopped in front of Reinhardt Palace.

  “Hrmm…”

  Baron Kons was surprised as he got out of the carriage. Unlike what he expected, there were no traces of war anywhere in Reinhardt.

  ‘The damage from the war was repaired so soon? Did he work the people as slaves?’

  That bastard called Grid was stupid. It was only a matter of time before the people’s hostility would grow and the Overgeared Kingdom would self-destruct much faster than expected.

  “Tsk tsk, abusing the people when you aren’t fully established yet. As expected, not just anyone can become a king.”

  “Excuse me.”

  A knight approached Baron Kons. The knights were wearing sturdy black armor.

  “Are you Baron Kons of the Gauss Kingdom?”

  “Yes.”

  It was hard to imagine that these excellent knights had just gone through a war. Baron Kons gulped nervously while the knights scratched their heads.

  “You don’t need to be polite to soldiers like us.”

  “Relax your manner of speaking.”

  “…???”

  Baron Kons was stunned. It was absurd that they were calling themselves soldiers when they were wearing such excellent armor.

  ‘Who are they trying to fool?’

  Why were these knights pretending to be soldiers and tricking him? Baron Kons soon became angry.

  ‘That’s right. Overgeared is trying to tell me not to look down on then because their soldiers are as well trained as the knights.’

  Yes, it was acting.

  ‘Who would be deceived by this?’

  Baron Kons shook his head as he was entering the palace garden.

  ‘There will be no well-known person.’

  Which famous person would attend the founding ceremony of a kingdom established by a traitor? Baron Kons predicted that it would be filled with random people or the event site would be empty. However…

  “Oh, Your Holiness. Look at that wonderful statue. Brother Grid’s appearance is really reproduced well.”

  “Wouldn’t it be nice to put a statue of Goddess Rebecca next to it?”

  “Grid wouldn’t want to pay for it.”

  “Huhu, Your Holiness is too much. Brother Grid has contributed so much to the Rebecca Church. How can he oppose the creation of a statue of Goddess Rebecca? A statue will be built at all costs.”

  “Heok.”

  Baron Kons became breathless as he walked through the garden. 15 middle-aged men dressed in the clothing of the elders of the Rebecca Church were calling a young man the ‘pope?’

  ‘This is ridiculous!’

  The pope and elders of the Rebecca Church. They didn’t even come when the emperor of the empire called, yet they were attending the founding of the Overgeared Kingdom? Baron Kons had to deny it.

  ‘It’s a scam. It can’t be true! It’s obvious that Grid dressed up his own men as the Rebecca Church’s pope and elders!’

  The pope was so dominant that no one dared judge him, but the Rebecca elders were famous for their heavy hips. In order to meet them, the great King Cactus himself had to visit the Vatican. Yet they were attending the founding of the Overgeared Kingdom?

  “Excuse me.”

  A group brushed past Baron Kons as he was denying it.

  ‘Fishy smell?’

  Baron Kon blocked his nose and frowned, then he looked at the group passing by. He recoiled like he had seen a ghost.

  ‘T-The water clan!’

  Water clan. A species that lived in Siren deep below the sea. They were famous for their excellent magic. Many kingdoms, including the Gauss Kingdom, wanted to ally with them. But they didn’t like humans. Humans were turned away, even during their most difficult times. Yet they were attending the Overgeared’s founding ceremony!

  ‘No, this is impossible.’

  The water clan were here for the Overgeared Kingdom’s founding ceremony? He wasn’t convinced. They must’ve come for other reasons.

  ‘Maybe Grid needs to repay the water clan somehow?’

  Baron Kons constantly tried to deny reality, but it became hard to deny it anymore.

  “King Maxong of the water clan is entering!”

  “?!?!?!?!”

  The water clan’s king? Baron Kons’ eyes widened as he turned towards the entrance of the garden. The existence who entered was much larger than the water clan people he saw earlier and give off a majestic and overwhelming presence.

  ‘R-Really. It really is the king!’

  While Baron Kons was feeling shocked, King Maxong approached the group pretending to be the Rebecca Church’s pope and elders.

  “Hello King Maxong.”

  “Oh, Your Holiness. It has been a while. Have you met Grid yet?”

  “I couldn’t see him yet.”

  “…”

  In this atmosphere, the pope and elders seemed to be the real deal. Baron Kons’ eyes trembled.

  ‘Is it true that a great demon descended to Reinhardt and that Grid and the pope united their strength to defeat it?’

  Rumors had spread throughout the continent that Grid had destroyed a great demon. But hardly anyone believed this rumor. The great demons existed to annihilate the human race. It didn’t make sense, even if Grid was a legend. The people in the world thought Grid had spread false rumors to increase his reputation.

  Now Baron Kons thought the rumor might not be false after all.

  ‘King Cactus… I… I can’t…’

  In an event where the greatest figures such as the pope and water clan king were attending, he needed to demand that Grid give them a tribute? It was too much for Baron Kons to do such a crazy thing.

  Chapter 599

  Chapter 599

  “All 15 kingdoms except the empire dispatched an envoy?”

  They refused the founding ceremony invitation, but now they sent representatives? The members of Overgeared reacted strongly when they heard the news.

  “Why are they acting as they please? Why are they acting like we are pushovers?”

  “It’s obnoxious, but the situation isn’t that bad. The fact that they sent representatives means they’re willing to deal with us.”

  “Isn’t that too unbelievable? Those bastards are accepting Overgeared as a kingdom?”

  “Why did they suddenly change their position?”

  “Overgeared will become as big as the empire in the future and they are trying to suck up to us! Puhuhu!”

  “Now they have realized the dignity of God Grid! Puhahahat!”

  The more the conversation progressed, the more excited the atmosphere became. The positive energy generated by Peak Sword and Vantner caused unfounded confidence.

  Lauel sighed and poured cold water on them. “That’s impossible. They will deny us until the en
d.”

  “Eh? So why are they sending representatives?”

  “Hut, isn’t it obvious? My reincarnation has already detected 100% of their intentions. Well, there won’t be too much trouble no matter how we act. Huhuhut, this is a very good opportunity.”

  “…”

  Lauel was very happy. He was like a snake looking at his prey: the representatives from 15 kingdoms.

  ***

  It was around an hour after the Gauss Kingdom representative arrived. The rest of the 14 representatives gathered in Reinhardt. Baron Cudan of the Murrary Kingdom was surprised.

  “There are a lot more people than I thought?”

  Reinhardt Palace, where the founding ceremony would take place, was really packed. No matter where he turned his gaze, he could only see people. Why was it so crowded, despite being a kingdom without a foundation? It was completely unexpected. The representative of the Ultana Kingdom shrugged at the confused Baron Cudan.

  “Aren’t they just pretending? Take a good look at their faces. There isn’t a single celebrity.”

  “Certainly…”

  There were no big people gathered at the venue. The majority of them were anchors and staff members of the broadcasting companies. There were also users with low or medium reputation. In the eyes of the NPC nobles, they were only flies.

  “Where is Baron Kons of the Gauss Kingdom who arrived earlier?”

  A knight dressed in black armor approached the representatives and explained.

  “He suddenly moved to a restroom because he felt sick. Can I help you?”

  “Um…? No, it’s okay.”

  The knight’s equipment was unusual. The armor and weapons were all exceptional.

  “I thought they wouldn’t have enough money because they need to invest in the founding ceremony…”

  “Overgeared Kingdom… It surprisingly has significant capital.”

  “How can that be? It’s just bravado. The knights are only wearing good armor in front of the guests.”

  “But there are too many knights wearing the same thing…”

  “…”

  The gazes of the representatives shifted. The number of black knights scattered throughout the venue seemed to be around 1,000. The representatives were stunned.

  ‘What? Even the empire doesn’t have such a large number of knights?’

  There was a stir among the representatives. There was silence until Baron Briton of the Arc Kingdom trembled.

  “Grid… He’s a wicked man.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Think about it. How can a new nation have so many knights unless it‘s exploiting the people? These 1,000 knights were raised by squeezing out the blood of the people. It proves that Grid treats people as less than cattle.”

  “Hrmmm…”

  Treating the people as less than cattle? Some representatives didn’t agree with each other. On the other hand, Baron Cudan was furious.

  “What a demon!”

  A person who betrayed his kingdom and his king. A vicious demon. A kingdom ruled by such a person? It couldn’t happen. Baron Cudan touched the sheath at his waist.

  ‘For the peace of the continent, isn’t it better to kill him?’

  Baron Cudan’s momentum was fearsome as he thought about it. It was enough to make the people around him shrink back. The other representatives admired it.

  ‘What a fearsome energy. Murray’s Lion isn’t an empty name.’

  Baron Cudan was famous for fighting one against two with the empire’s Black Knights. He was a very upright person which didn’t allow him to gain a high position. But Baron Cudan’s swordsmanship was well known throughout the continent. He wasn’t called Murray’s Lion for nothing. The moment everyone was feeling amazed by Baron Cudan.

  “Put away your sword energy.”

  “…?”

  One soldier approached Baron Cudan.

  “Why are you emitting sword energy? If you’re a representative, you should b e aware of the basic courtesies. Don’t you know the basic courtesies?”

  The blond soldier took a step forward. He was wearing shabby armor. As he scratched it with his fingers, the old leather armor seemed to tear. Overgeared Kingdom. The soldiers were treated so insignificantly compared to the elite knights?

  ‘It’s the soldiers at the forefront of the battlefield, not the knights… Grid is just bluffing.’

  The representatives laughed at Grid. On the other hand, Baron Cudan was white.

  ‘What is this soldier?’

  The blond soldier in shabby leather. The soldier looked just like a soldier. Compared to the black armored knights he witnessed before, the soldier seemed like a trivial existence. However, it was difficult to gauge his status when actually facing him. The sword energy that Baron Cudan was proud of shrunk back in front of the soldier.

  ‘Eh… How can a lowly soldier seem so profound?’

  Goosebumps appeared on Baron Cudan’s body. If one soldier was so strong, what about the 1,000 knights scattered around the venue?

  Gulp!

  Baron Cudan stood like a stone statue and gulped.

  “How dare you say such ridiculous things?”

  “We’re soldiers of the great Murray Kingdom!”

  Baron Cudan’s knights were angry and drew their swords. The moment they were about to strike at the blond soldier. Baron Cudan hastily stopped them.

  “S-Stop!”

  If they attacked in this place, it would mean all their deaths. It was also from a soldier! Baron Cudan suddenly held his stomach and fell.

  “U-Ugh? No? Why does my stomach suddenly hurt? Oh my? I’m too sick too move?”

  “M-My Lord?”

  Baron Cudan’s knights were embarrassed. Baron Cudan’s innate health was so great that they couldn’t help feeling like this once Baron Cudan complained of stomach pain. Baron Cudan urged them not to worry about the rude soldier anymore.

  “We need to go back to the kingdom. Let’s go back. Oh my, it burns. It must be the beef jerky I ate on the way here.”

  “B-But the king’s request…”

  “It burns! Go back!”

  “Heok! Yes, yes!!”

  Baron Cudan’s knights hastily took him away. The moment that the Murray Kingdom’s delegation left Reinhardt.

  “Look over here! Baron Cudan!”

  “Hah… What is this…?”

  The representatives were stunned. Baron Cudan left before fulfilling his duties as a representative.

  ‘It’s different from the usual discipline of the Murray Kingdom.’

  The representatives thought it was ridiculous as they watched Baron Cudan leaving this place. All of them didn’t recognize the Murray Kingdom anymore.

  On the other hand, Baron Cudan made a resolute expression as he left Reinhardt.

  ‘I must speak to the king about making peace with the Overgeared Kingdom.’

  How could the person called Grid be more vicious than the emperor of the empire? He might be a rebel, but his power seemed to transcend imagination. He was the trend.

  ***

  “What? The Gauss Kingdom’s representative has also left?”

  Two of the 15 representatives were gone. The remaining 13 representatives thought it was ridiculous.

  “What representative would return before completing his mission?”

  “Baron Kons and Baron Cudan are both incompetent.”

  “It’s proof that their kings aren’t dignified.”

  Baron Vedika was the representative of the Ultana Kingdom. His nickname was ‘vampire baron’ because he hunted the intermediate vampires that appeared in his territory and acquired the vampire rings as loot. He had a reputation for his great sustainability in combat, since he restored his health by taking his enemy’s. It was rumored that he was almost immortal when he fought. He was a brave man and disappeared the runaway Baron Kons and Baron Cudan as cowards.

  ‘They ran out of fear after seeing the 1,000 knights.’

  T
hey thought they would be struck by the knights the moment they demanded that Overgeared pay tribute to their kingdoms.

  ‘Truly pathetic. Anyone who represents their kingdom should put their honor of the kingdom above their fear. Tsk tsk tsk…’

  To be honest, Baron Vedika was also tense. He could gain honor as soon as he accomplished the mission, but he could be executed by the 1,000 knights that surrounded them. However, he had the power to overcome this fear.

  ‘I have the vampire ring.’

  It was a ring obtained by hunting the intermediate vampires in his territory along with all his knights. Baron Vedika believed that with the vampire ring, he could survive in a 1 vs 1,000 fight.

  “Huhuhut… Huh?”

  Baron Vedika was looking at the ring on his finger when he suddenly became aghast.

  “Will there be group activities after the founding ceremony? What is it?”

  “A group will be organized to hunt in the vampire cities.”

  “Ah, what? The vampires are too weak to be fun anymore, and they don’t give much experience.”

  “But isn’t it a good day today? We’ll be able to raise the level of the guild members in the second group.”

  “Well… Yes, if I have to go, then I should do my best.”

  “It would be fun to try a city we haven’t cleared yet.”

  “…”

  Organizing a group to hunt in the vampire cities? The vampires are too weak?

  ‘What are they saying?’

  Baron Vedika laughed as he heard the words of the group passing by. He believed they were just bluffing. This lasted until he spotted a ring on one of their fingers.

  “Pant… Pant?”

  Baron Vedika doubted his eyes. The dozens of people, including a bald man, were wearing vampire rings on their fingers. The rings also contained better magic power than the ring that Baron Vedika wore. Baron Vedika made a disbelieving expression, before gathering his courage and approaching the bald man.

  “If I’m not being impolite… Can I ask what you’re doing here?

  Gulp.

  Baron Vedika swallowed his saliva as he asked the question. Then the bald man replied.

  “We are King Grid’s subordinates. Why are you asking?”

  “…U-Urgh? Why am I suddenly feeling anemic? Isn’t it weird?”