by Park Saenal
“Let’s leave.”
Grid said and was about to tear the scroll with both hands, only for Han Seokbong to stop him. Then he bowed his head and asked.
“I know that this is presumptuous. But I can’t leave my mother alone in Pangea. Before we leave, can I stop by Pangea and take my mother with us?”
In fact, Han Seokbong knew that this was a shameless request. It was suicide to delay time in a situation where the yangbans were pursuing them. But he couldn’t escape alone without his mother. If left alone, his mother would face the stigma of being a traitor and suffer terribly. Han Seokbong couldn’t leave his mother.
Grid’s heart was heavy. Grid also had a mother.
“I understand.”
“…!!”
Grid’s nod that contained no hesitation was different from what Han Seokbong expected. Han Seokbong thought Grid would reject or hesitate for a long time.
“Grid, you really… You’re really amazing.”
He was a person with a vessel that was hard to gauge the size of. He wasn’t just the king of a nation. Han Seokbong’s respect for Grid rose. Grid smiled.
“In fact, I was also thinking it would be better to stop by Pangea. I want to take the members of the Red Phoenix Group to my kingdom.”
The Red Phoenix Group hadn’t done a lot against the armored needles. But that didn’t mean their skills could be ignored. They were comparable to the Black Knights of the Saharan Empire and their level would be ranked at the top of the West Continent.
‘In particular, their stats will rise by 10% when Sua directs them. If I give the training of Sua and the Red Phoenix Group over to Asmophel, the Red Phoenix Group will be able to grow beyond imagination.’
Sua nodded.
“Certainly… I believe the Red Phoenix Group will follow us once they know the circumstances.”
“Gulp.”
Sua’s lips were fascinating. Grid gulped every time she opened her lips to talk. He wasn’t even aware of it.
“Hum hum, okay. Then let’s go to Pangea.”
Grid’s party immediately moved to Pangea. However, their movement speed wasn’t very fast. Idan and Yang Fei’s physical strength were low compared to the Han Seokbong father and daughter. They got tired along the way and the travelling speed of the party slowed down.
But nobody blamed Idan and Yang Fei. Why were the Han Seokbong father and daughter loved and respected by the people? It was because they were very generous. Han Seokbong and Sua encouraged Idan and Yang Fei, allowing them to concentrate on the march.
In the process, Idan and Yang Fei’s stamina stat increased slightly. Grid smiled warmly as he looked at them. He thought it was really good that he came to the East Continent.
***
“The execution date of Lord Han Seokbong was four days ago?”
“The great lord experienced something so terrible…”
“I don’t want to believe it…! This is a nightmare! Sob sob.”
“…The lord must’ve gone to a good place.”
“Lady Sua? What happened to Lady Sua?”
Pangea was one of the largest places in the Cho Kingdom. It was a port city always full of vitality. But that was only until recently. One month ago, Lord Han Seokbong was taken to the capital. Since then, a dark cloud hung over Pangea. Once the news of Han Seokbong’s execution was heard, the depressed atmosphere was completely established. The people mourned Han Seokbong and felt resentful.
“However… What about Mother Park?”
Mother Park was how the people called Han Seokbong’s mother, Park Jurim. Mother! It was a title that showed how high the virtue of Han Seokbong’s mother was.
“The lord was executed and Mother Park won’t be safe…”
“Unbelievable… My parents once used to serve Mother Park.”
“Mother Park tried hard for us when there was a famine after the evil daoist’s invasion. If it wasn’t for Mother Park, all of us would’ve starved.”
“We have to protect Mother Park! We should repay her grace!”
“Yes! We will defend Mother Park!”
The hearts of the Pangea people united over Mother Park. They all went to the castle, insisting on protecting Mother Park.
“Mother Park! Avoid it!”
“It isn’t the time to be staying in the castle! The capital will send soldiers to capture Mother Park!”
“We will raise our farming equipment so that Mother Park can run away! We’ll shield you from the royal army!”
“Run away!”
The outside of the castle was crowded with people. They held farming equipment while telling Mother Park to run away. Once she heard the noise, Park Jurim rushed outside.
“You dare to rebel against the royal family!?”
“…!!”
The voice was so loud it was hard to believe Park Jurim was over 80 years old. Her yell echoed throughout the whole castle. The people were startled by the unexpected reaction and fell silent. Then Park Jurim’s wrinkled face smiled sadly.
“My son was a great noble, lord, and child. But in the end, he was executed as a sinner. Protecting the mother of a sinner? All of you will become sinners? My husband! My son! The people I cherish will become sinners against the royal family? It isn’t right!”
“…”
“M-Mother…”
The hearts filled with rebellion against the royal family quickly calmed down. Mother Park should be the saddest and most fearful person in the world right now. Yet she was worrying about them instead. Conflicted emotions filled their hearts. They thought that they shouldn’t do anything foolish for her sake.
In the end.
Flop!
“Sob…! Sob sob!”
“Mother… Mother Park…!”
The people dropped their farming equipment and sat on the ground. They pounded against the innocent land and lamented. Then someone said something they shouldn’t have said.
“This is all due to that blacksmith…! The blacksmith who made the Red Phoenix Bow! He…! Lord Han Seokbong wouldn’t have been executed if he hadn’t made the Red Phoenix Bow!”
“…”
In fact, everyone knew. Han Seokbong was dragged to the capital and executed because he didn’t tell the yangbans where the maker of the Red Phoenix Bow was. However, the blacksmith who made the Red Phoenix Bow shouldn’t be blamed. If he hadn’t restored the lost Red Phoenix Bow, the yangbans would’ve been angry at all of Pangea. Pangea as a whole would’ve been eliminated.
“I know. All of us know.”
“He shouldn’t be blamed for restoring the Red Phoenix Bow… I know that we should be thankful!”
But what could they do? The situation was so sad and desperate that it would seem unfair if they didn’t grumble.
Kwarururung!
Did the tears of thousands of people move the heart of Heaven? A thunderstorm suddenly appeared in the clear sky.
Swaaaaah.
Rain poured down on the people and cooled their hearts. The ground and the subjects were wet. Park Jurim was worried when she saw the people became wet.
“Geez, they will all get a cold.”
She thought of the people like her children. It was a motto that had been passed down through the Han family for ages. It was natural that Park Jurim would worry about the people since she married into the Han family.
“What are you doing? Send them all home!”
Park Jurim shouted towards the Red Phoenix Group. It was at that moment. A familiar voice was heard from the tile roof of the palace.
“No. Leave them. A large audience is better.”
“…!!!”
Park Yurim and the Red Phoenix members were shocked. Then their eyes widened. There was a black-haired young man with sharp eyes and an unusual physique.
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
The maker of the Red Phoenix Bow!
Chapter 646
Chapter 646
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
“W-Why are you here?”
The whereabouts of Pangea’s Duke of Virtue were unknown to everyone. The reason for Han Seokbong’s execution was because he didn’t know where Pangea’s Duke of Virtue was. Now he showed up in Pangea?
Someone shouted courageously. “Why…? Why did you come back? I would rather you not appear than show up at the end!”
He shouldn’t have left the Cho Kingdom. If he was going to come back anyway, it would’ve been nice for him to come before Han Seokbong was executed.
“Why…? Why now?”
The people knew rationally that Pangea’s Duke of Virtue wasn’t at fault and that they shouldn’t blame him. But there was a nasty feeling since he came back just after Han Seokbong’s execution. The moment people booed and started to blame Grid.
“Everybody shut up!”
Blacksmiths came forward. They were blacksmiths from the Black Anvil Smithy, Red Tongs Smithy, the Blue Flames Smithy, and naturally the White Hammer Smithy.
“Why are you blaming Pangea’s Duke of Virtue?”
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue is willing to cooperate with the yangbans! He didn’t know he was called, but he isn’t afraid of the yangbans!”
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue is a human like us! Why are you only placing the blame on Pangea’s Duke of Virtue?”
Blacksmith White, who once lacked confidence and was passive, started shouting in the loudest voice. It was the roar of a man who had changed thanks to Grid.
“…”
White and the blacksmiths’ words were correct. The people scolded by them turned as quiet as a dead rat. They couldn’t complain at Grid anymore. The sense of reason started to rule over their emotions.
“Hrmm.”
Standing on wet tiles, Grid looked like an elegant leopard lying in a tree as he looked at the ground. He looked at White and the blacksmiths with pleasure.
‘Putting aside White, I didn’t expect the blacksmiths of the other smithies to defend me. Blacksmiths have their own sense of pride. I have to take them with me.’
The level of the East Continent blacksmiths were very high. In particular, the masters of the four smithies had the potential to reach the craftsman level. It would be much easier to produce the Grid set if he could take them to the Overgeared Kingdom.
Then the voice of Park Jurim entered Grid’s ears.
“You should leave. You will experience their pain and resentment if you stay here.”
An elderly person in the castle. Grid heard she was 10 years older than Khan, but her waist was straight and her eyes sharp. Grid admired Park Jurim’s healthy appearance and asked her.
“Are you blaming me too?”
“How can that be?” Park Jurim immediately denied it, despite her son being executed. She lost her son, but was still capable of normal thinking. She had tremendous mental strength. “I’m just grateful to you. It will continue in the future.”
“…Good.”
Grid grasped Park Jurim’s character and smiled widely. He was happy about being able to take many good people from the East Continent. The people who witnessed his smile recoiled.
‘Smiling?’
‘What is so funny that he is smiling?’
Everyone was mourning, while Grid was smiling alone? The people couldn’t understand Grid and became suspicious. The barely suppressed anger and resentment of the people started to spring up again. But it was only for a moment. It was soon suppressed.
Ttaak!
Grid snapped his fingers.
“N-No…!”
“Lord Han Seokbong?”
“Lady Sua?”
Everyone doubted their eyes. It was because four golden hands appeared behind Grid holding Han Seokbong and Sua. The people who were dead showed up alive? What was going on? Grid shouted at everyone who was feeling confused. The heavy rain that buried the misery of the people couldn’t stop Grid’s voice. It was an additional quality of the high dignity stat. Everyone in this place was gripped by Grid’s voice.
“I, Overgeared King Grid of the West Continent, will make a declaration.”
‘West Continent?’
‘Overgeared King?’
‘Grid?’
Grid’s origin and identity. The people learned new facts about Grid and thought it was ridiculous.
“I will kidnap Lord Han Seokbong and his family to my kingdom.”
“…!!!”
“Tell your king! The Cho Kingdom will forever regret losing such a loyal family to Overgeared King Grid!”
“…”
The atmosphere subsided. Grid had a vicious expression on his face, but nobody believed his words. If Han Seokbong and his daughter were really ‘kidnapped,’ they wouldn’t be acting so calm. In the first place, Han Seokbong was on death row. But he was alive. The people weren’t idiots and could guess what happened.
Tears flowed down from the eyes of the people wet from rain. The reason why the Han Seokbong father and daughter were alive and why Grid had ‘kidnapped’ them. Everyone was aware of it.
‘Grid rescued Lord Han Seokbong and Lady Sua.’
‘He’s taking away Lord Han Seokbong, who lost his place.’
‘Saying that they were kidnapped…’
‘If Han Seokbong flees the country of his own will, the Cho Kingdom will recognize him as a real rebel. In order to prevent this, Pangea’s Duke of Virtue needs to be the reason behind it.’
‘It isn’t enough that he saved Lord Han Seokbong’s life, his honor was also protected… Is there anyone else in the world like this?’
That’s right. The people correctly grasped Grid’s intentions. Grid was supposed to return to Pangea someday and devour the East Continent. The Han Seokbong family was necessary for this, so the people couldn’t resent them. He thought about it during the few times travelling back to Pangea.
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
“Thank you!”
“Thank you for saving the young lady!”
“Hooray Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
“Hooray Overgeared King!”
“Hooray Grid!”
The hundreds of thousands of people cheered on Grid. It was just like the procession of yangbans. At that moment, notification windows popped up in Grid’s vision.
[The inhabitants of Pangea have started to deify you!]
[As a special reward, your deity stat has increased by 1.]
“…”
A dog profit! Grid barely suppressed the cry that wanted to emerge. It was to try and protect his dignity.
“Hum hum.”
Grid coughed while Park Jurim moved to Han Seokbong’s side. Then he took out the scroll to return to the West Continent.
“Now, let’s start the kidnapping. Gather all those who want to leave for my kingdom!”
Grid winked at the Red Phoenix Group and the blacksmiths. He hoped for as many Red Phoenix Group members and blacksmiths to join as possible. However.
“Waaahhhhhhhh!”
“Eh?”
“Here! I want to come!”
“My family will follow you!”
“Ehh?”
“I will go to hell if I can serve Pangea’s Duke of Virtue and Lord Han Seokbong!”
“Ehhhhh?”
It wasn’t only the Red Phoenix members and blacksmiths who gathered around Grid. Most of the hundreds of thousands of Pangea people cheering for Grid gathered together. Grid was no longer able to think.
“D-Dog profit…”
***
The capital of the Overgeared Kingdom, Reinhardt.
“Hurry! I’m busy!”
“Don’t rest! There’s no time!”
People were running around everywhere. Agriculture, industry, education, magic, the military, etc. All areas of Reinha
rdt were suffering from a shortage in manpower. No, it wasn’t just Reinhardt. It was all the territories in the Overgeared Kingdom. If it wasn’t for the funds and manpower supplied by Duke Steim, the Overgeared Kingdom would’ve become paralyzed.
“People. More people are required.”
The influx of players was steadily increasing thanks to the linked quests that awarded the mass produced Grid set. Thanks to them, the market economy was revitalized. But what was this? They didn’t have anything to sell!
‘However, real estate transactions are brisk due to a surplus of land.’
More workers were needed in many areas. But it wasn’t easy for NPCs to carry out the role of workers. Lauel once again thought that Grid was great. It was hard to obtain professional NPCs, yet Grid was able to gather a lot of named NPCs. Common sense said that it wasn’t easy for players to build up favor with NPCs and make them a player’s own person.
‘In the first place, there are only a few users with NPCs by their side.’
Lauel was the same. During the time when he was playing solo, Lauel only cared about his growth. He didn’t consider his relationship with NPCs at all. He only accumulated a moderate favorability with NPCs by raising his level, clearing quests, and enhancing items.
‘Normally, I focused on exchanging with players until I needed to talk to NPCs.’
But common sense always went away when it came to Grid. Lauel rose from his seat. It was time to visit the smithy.
‘I need to give more strength to the blacksmiths.’
The Overgeared Kingdom was a blacksmith kingdom and was putting great effort in their blacksmithing business. A lot of money was invested. The problem was that just like other areas, the smithies were lacking manpower. They weren’t able to meet the players’ demands.
‘I have to tell Khan to reduce the rest time a bit more.’
They hadn’t been able to rest lately, and now it would be reduced again? Lauel knew there would be a backlash from the blacksmiths. But it couldn’t be helped since they were lacking people.
“Sigh. Huh?”
Lauel left the castle with a deep sigh and stopped on the way. Suddenly, a huge pillar of light appeared in the palace’s garden.