by Park Saenal
“I’m quickly becoming mad.” (TL: This is Chinese written in Korean. I guessed the meaning based on googling, but might not be completely accurate.)
A man emerged from the limousine and glared at the Chinese tourists with cold eyes. It was fearsome killing intent. His sharp look seemed to piece the hearts of the Chinese tourists like a dagger.
“H-Hao…!”
The Chinese tourists confirmed the identity of the man and were astonished. The miracle of the continent, Hao. Why was the best Chinese ranker in South Korea? The Chinese tourists wondered if this was a dream as Hao moved to protect Sehee.
“Making a fuss when visiting a foreign land… Don’t you know that your unreasonable behavior affects all of us? Get out of here before I call the embassy to get rid of you.”
“Ugh…”
Hao was someone who couldn’t be ignored in China. There was a rumor that even the president was Hao’s fan. Hao’s influence was enough to reach the embassy. The Chinese tourists started to run away. In addition, today’s event would be published as an article in China. It claimed that the Chinese should no longer disgrace their country when visiting other countries, which led to the disappearance of the noisy Chinese tourists in front of Youngwoo’s building.
“Are you okay? Miss Ruby?”
Hao asked in awkward Korean. Sehee nodded. Her big eyes made her look like a small and cute squirrel.
“Thanks to you.”
“It’s very fortunate.”
Hao looked at Sehee with a gentle expression. He might’ve met many beautiful women in China, but it was a rare experience to see a woman as beautiful as Sehee. It was inevitable that he would like her. Sehee thought he was gentle like her brother and felt comfortable with him.
“By the way, why are you in South Korea?”
“It’s because I want to talk to Grid about Kraugel.”
“Kraugel…”
The sky above the sky who her brother had a fierce struggle with twice. Sehee recalled his desperate desire to treat his mother’s illness and flushed. Like most women, Sehee was instinctively attracted to a charming man like Kraugel.
Hao asked, “Is Grid home right now?”
“Yes. Did you have an appointment?”
“Of course. But I arrived 1 hour and 15 minutes earlier than scheduled.”
“Oh my… Then you’ll have to wait until the promised time. My older brother is living on a strict schedule. He won’t log out of the game until the promised time, even if a knife is held to his neck. Well, there’s a lot to do since he became a king.”
“Yes…”
He visited on his own, but wasn’t he still the best ranker of China? Sehee laughed at the embarrassed Hao.
“When the mayor visited, he had to wait for three hours.”
“…Is the coffee at this cafe delicious?”
“I’m still a student and I don’t drink coffee, so I don’t know. But the sweet potato latte is delicious.”
“I see… I will wait while drinking the sweet potato latte.”
Indeed, Grid was now one of the busiest people in the world. Hao understood and decided to sacrifice some of his precious time today.
***
Earl Bruno’s mansion. It was the second largest building in Frontier. Grid confirmed the size of the mansion and realized Earl Bruno’s position in Frontier.
‘My father-in-law’s right hand man lives in such a stately place.’
Indeed, he was a great person, since he was favored by Duke Steim.
Grid greatly anticipated his encounter with Earl Bruno, one of the nobles who supported the Overgeared Kingdom. Earl Bruno was in charge of Frontier’s affairs and probably knew where Fatima were.
“Who?”
Guards stopped him as Grid approached the entrance of mansion. Unlike ordinary people, Grid wandered around without fur clothing, making him look odd.
‘What? Doesn’t he feel the cold?’
‘It might be a humanoid monster.’
The guards were alert! Grid confirmed the state of the spears they were pointing and felt proud.
‘The soldiers of the north are superior to soldiers of other kingdoms.’
There truly were many monster habitats in the area. It was clear that Duke Steim concentrated on training and arming his soldiers, making them a solid force of the Overgeared Kingdom.
“Who are you?”
Grid wasn’t cold and his face was covered by a wide brimmed hat. Rather than being afraid of the guards, he watched them closely. Now he smiled in the darkness, causing the guards to feel fear.
‘Whoops.’
Grid realized that the guards were terrified and took off his hat. His black hair was revealed and shone in the moonlight.
“…King Grid?”
The guards lost their souls. It was surprising and absurd that the king who was their master’s target would appear here.
“Open the gate.”
“Heok…! Y-Yes!”
The king exercised unconditional influence in his own territory. Overgeared King Grid used his absolute power and the guards opened the gate to the mansion.
***
The torture room underneath Earl Bruno’s residence.
“Ugh… S-Stop… Please stop…”
Had it already been a few days? After a few days and nights of torture, Fatima’s mental strength reached its limit. Fatima couldn’t withstand the pain anymore. He wanted to put an end to this suffering. Earl Bruno smiled after recognizing that Fatima was waving the white flag.
“Have you finally decided to hand over your underwear making method?”
“I will hand it over. But…”
“But what?”
“Outstanding skills are required in order to make functional underwear. Not just anyone can acquire the production method.”
“There are good tailors all over the continent. Sir Fatima, don’t think that you are special.”
“Kuoh…”
Fatima was Frontier’s best tailor. He was proud, since he couldn’t find a better tailor than himself in the Overgeared Kingdom. Fatima’s pride as a tailor was enormous. Yet Earl Bruno damaged Fatima’s pride. This was an incalculable wound that was incomparable to the physical suffering felt when being whipped.
“Hoh, what is with that rebellious look? You still haven’t had enough?”
Earl Bruno once again raised the whip.
“E-Earl Bruno!”
At that time, the basement door opened without permission and the butler ran in. He looked like he had seen a ghost and Earl Bruno frowned.
“What’s the fuss? Don’t tell me that Grid came to my house?”
“T-That’s right!”
“Eh? Haha, what a funny joke.”
“R-Really! King Grid has arrived!”
“What?”
Earl Bruno got goosebumps.
‘Grid…! He acquired information that I’m the head of the Anti Grid Alliance and came to take care of me!’
Grid’s intelligence network was beyond imagination. No matter how Earl Bruno hated Grid, he had to acknowledge Grid.
‘He’s a king for a reason. A great figure that far exceeds my imagination.’
Kwaduduk!
Earl Bruno didn’t think his tail would be caught so quickly by Grid. He left the basement with a sour expression.
“Gather the entire army. If I have to die, I will die with Grid.”
On the other hand, Fatima was left alone and felt infinite affection and respect for Grid whom he had never met.
“I didn’t think the king would come to rescue me… If I survive today, I will be loyal to him for the rest of my life.”
Chapter 627
Chapter 627
‘This is the king right now.’
Earl Bruno stopped as he entered the living room. The center of the living room. He stiffened as he found Grid leaning against the railings.
‘Indeed, there’s no sense of dignity.’
Eark Bruno’s ideal king
wasn’t a capable person. It was a person who was always dignified, even if he was incompetent. He believed that was a true king.
‘No matter how capable, how can I look up to a man who looks like a peasant?’
Earl Bruno was certain that the commoner Grid would show his humble birth forever.
‘A king should be born from a noble lineage…’
“Are you Earl Bruno?”
Grid’s question interrupted Earl Bruno’s thoughts. Grid kept leaning against the stairs and Earl Bruno’s heart thumped.
‘This look in his eyes…’
Did he send a fierce gaze because he guessed Earl Bruno was the head of the Anti Grid Alliance? Earl Bruno couldn’t tell. Grid was a terrible human. A chill went down Earl Bruno’s spine.
‘The intelligence that allowed him to plan to conquer the throne before the golem invasion of Reinhardt a few years ago, the power to stand alone against 100,000 troops, his public speaking ability, the boldness that doesn’t shrink back in front of the 15 representatives…’
In fact, many nicknames weren’t needed. A few words were sufficient to describe Grid. A hero who destroyed a great demon. Yes, Grid was far beyond the human category of a legend. Earl Bruno acknowledge Grid’s capabilities. But as mentioned earlier, the virtue for a king that Earl Bruno valued was elegance, not power. It was because the king was a symbolic being. He needed to rule the kingdom and the people in it.
‘Grid shouldn’t be a king. His role should be a minister, not a king.’
As a noble, Earl Bruno would never be able to serve such a king! Bruno clenched his fists before speaking politely to Grid. Why was he polite? It was because he didn’t want to drop his standards. He didn’t have to behave like a commoner and have his own dignity fall.
“I’m ashamed to receive Your Majesty in such a shabby mansion.”
“How is it shabby? This place is comparable to a palace.”
‘He’s comparing it to a palace…?’
Earl Bruno got goosebumps. Grid was smiling and talking. He was showing favorability on the surface, but sharp thorns was hidden underneath.
‘…Amazing. Grid really does know everything. He already received information that my mansion holds thousands of troops. He compared my residence to a palace because there’s no situation where thousands of soldiers would be gathered in a common residence.’
Grid really did know that Earl Bruno was head of the Anti Grid Alliance.
‘How did he find out my identity, when even Duke Steim didn’t know despite me being beside him?’
Wasn’t this intelligence network beyond the emperor of the empire? What should he do?
“Kukuk…”
Laughter emerged. Earl Bruno laughed and asked Grid.
“Can I ask how you knew?”
It was a question that asked if his identity was noticed because he made a mistake. But Grid thought about it differently.
‘Indeed, Earl Bruno knows Fatima’s actions. He wondered how I knew.’
Grid explained.
“I received information that Fatima was last witnessed near your mansion.”
“…!!”
Earl Bruno’s eyes widened. He was so surprised that he couldn’t speak.
‘He realized that I kidnapped Fatima in order to raise money for the rebellion and this one clue allowed him to know that I’m the head of the alliance?’
Ah, Grid really was clever.
‘You… If you were born into royalty, I would’ve been an ardent follower who admires your actions.’
Regret swept over him like a tsunami. He couldn’t get rid of his knowledge and hatred of Grid’s common birth.
“…”
Earl Bruno couldn’t say anything and Grid asked.
“So where is Fatima?”
Earl Bruno was once again surprised by the contents of the question.
‘He’s worried about Fatima…? A king is caring for one tailor? Kukuk, this is crazy. The more I know, the more of an ideal person he becomes. Grid’s people would surely be happy.’
Earl Bruno realized. The future of the Overgeared Kingdom led by Grid would be more unique and brilliant than Eternal. But it wasn’t a happy future for the nobles of Eternal. A commoner king making a better kingdom than a traditional king. This overturned all of Earl Bruno’s beliefs about the royal family. Earl Bruno gritted his teeth at the unclear future and replied.
“Sir Fatima is underground.”
“Underground… Is there an underwear workshop there?”
“Huhut, I will tell you exactly what I had planned.”
“Really? Then I’m sorry.”
Grid thought that he was interrupting Fatima, who was commissioned by Earl Bruno to make underwear.
“But don’t think it is too unfair. It won’t take a long time. I will finish everything quickly.”
Grid was a legendary blacksmith. He believed that with his high dexterity state, he would quickly acquire the underwear production method no matter how difficult. Earl Bruno frowned.
“You can finish it in an instant?”
The 3,000 soldiers, 20 knights outside the mansion and himself, who fought for years by Duke Steim’s side, were going to be killed in an instant by a single man?
‘Your pride is bad. But you aren’t arrogant.’
Grid had confronted 100,000 troops and destroyed a great demon. Earl Bruno and his soldiers wouldn’t be able to stop him. It was common sense. But.
‘There are always variables in battle.’
When the battle actually started, he might be able to kill Grid. That was life.
Clink.
Earl Bruno touched the sheath at his waist.
Step.
Grid came down the stairs. At this moment, the majesty that Grid emitted overwhelmed Earl Bruno. But Earl Bruno didn’t give in.
“I have the blood of a noble family that has existed for hundreds of years. Only an authentic king can make me bow…!”
Right as Earl Bruno was about to pull out his sword!
‘Ah, that’s right. In order to quickly get Fatima’s liking, I should raise my charm and dignity stat as high as possible.’
Grid suddenly had a thought and equipped himself with the Holy Light Crown and Great Lord’s Sword.
“Heok!”
Earl Bruno was shocked and his hand fell off his sword. Grid’s dignity stat rapidly rose.
‘W-What is this?’
Bruno was a special NPC. He was a noble NPC who only recognized a person as royalty when they had at least 2,000 points in the dignity stat. He hadn’t been affected by Grid’s high dignity stat. But now he became shocked once Grid’s stat skyrocketed due to the Holy Light Crown and the Great Lord’s Sword.
‘A dignified king…! He wasn’t born, but created…!’
Flop!
Earl Bruno fell to his knees. He became blank because he recognized Grid’s dignity. Earl Bruno could no longer deny Grid and lost his qualification to be head of the Anti Grid Alliance.
“Dare… I don’t dare defile Your Majesty’s hands.”
“Huh?”
Grid noticed one step late that Earl Bruno drew his sword and fell to his knees.
Then Earl Bruno spoke words that didn’t make sense.
“My knights and soldiers never once hated Your Majesty. Those who have to absolutely obey orders simply followed my irrational commands. I know that it’s shameless to beg you, but I believe you will show leniency. I will hand over a list of the Anti Grid Alliance members. Please spare my knights and soldiers. Take care of them.”
“???”
What nonsense was he suddenly talking? Question marks constantly appeared over Grid’s head, but Earl Bruno felt relieved.
“Your silence is a tacit agreement. Your Majesty! May you live long!”
“No, what do you keep…”
Before Grid could ask the question…
Puok!
Earl Bruno stabbed himself in the heart. At the same time.
[Y
ou have found and killed Earl Bruno, head of the Anti Grid Alliance!]
[You have obtained a list of Anti Grid Alliance members.]
[The Old-fashioned Noble’s Ring has been acquired.]
[The Old-fashioned Noble’s Whip has been acquired.]
[1,390 of 3,017 soldiers have decided to follow you after Earl Bruno’s death.]
[28 of 30 knights have decided to follow you after Earl Bruno’s death. They truly admire your amazing work for defeated Earl Bruno without getting blood on your hands.]
[Duke Steim has come running after hearing the news!]
“Your Majestyyyy!”
“…”
“I’m ashamed! I never imagined an enemy would be hiding among my subordinates! This is the result of my own vanity!”
“…”
Grid felt intense fatigue. It was an incomprehensible situation that his cognitive ability couldn’t follow, causing him mental fatigue.
“First… First start with Fatima…”
Grid thought about cooling his head while learning how to make underwear.
***
“What do you think about this?”
S.A. Group’s headquarters. Grid just accidentally got a chance to suppress the Anti Grid Alliance. As Lim Cheolho laughed while monitoring Grid, Yoon Nahee interpreted it.
“The variable is Grid raising his affinity with Sage Sticks to the maximum. Originally, if Grid visited Frontier after his blacksmithing skill reached a certain level, he would’ve ‘accidentally’ received the Fatima quest. Due to Sticks, it overlapped with the Overgeared Kingdom’s founding episode.”
“Right. If Grid hadn’t been able to maximize his affinity with Sticks, he wouldn’t have visited Frontier at this time. In addition, if Grid hadn’t become king, the Anti Grid Alliance wouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s correct. It’s a coincidence that the Fatima quest, the Anti Grid Alliance, and Earl Bruno all overlapped… It wouldn’t have happened without one of Grid’s actions.”
“Then it isn’t a coincidence.”
“…?”
“Thanks to the influence Grid built with Piaro, he became friends with Kraugel. He became friends with Kraugel and learned about the Behen Archipelago, where he met Sticks. It isn’t a coincidence that all of Grid’s actions are inevitably tied together.”
The peak of causality. This was how Lim Cheolho defined Grid. It was natural that the supercomputer Morpheus couldn’t predict him.