Fierce flames blazing around the magic barrier.
Screams and cries.
The sorrow of those who had lost.
Nebarche Greenhope watched it all blankly and thought,
'Just… where did it all go wrong?'
There was nothing more to see.
It all started with the Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
He had kidnapped the High Priest and used him like a slave, despite Noark's objections, and eventually, his evil deeds were revealed to the world, leading the royal family to draw their swords.
But…
'…Was it me?'
Nebarche didn't shift the blame, he accepted it.
What was the point of dwelling on the past to escape the present?
He would eventually have to hold even the previous Lord of Noark, who accepted Orculus, responsible.
So…
"So, how is it? Do you think it turned out the way you wanted?"
…accept it.
That he was the one who created this outcome.
"Stay close."
Nebarche continued walking, making sure he didn't fall behind and leave the magic barrier. There was an old man in front of him, effortlessly using Levitation magic.
'Belvev Ruinjenes.'
The old man who was called the 'Ruin Scholar' in his later years.
A mage who pursued knowledge his entire life, and a being who led countless people to ruin with that precious knowledge.
It was Nebarche who had sought him out, frustrated after hearing from Amelia that there was nothing they could do.
Back then, he had a firm belief.
'The greater good.'
The royal family was wrong.
They had to overthrow their power and create a new world where the surface and the underground were united.
That was the right thing to do.
It should have been…
"H, hot…"
"Please, spare me. I'll give you any amount of money…"
Lives were being burned alive and collapsing.
And his belief crumbled with every life lost.
Was this really the right thing to do?
To oppress those who didn't even have the power to protect themselves in the name of the greater good?
Was this truly the path to a new world?
"Stop…"
Nebarche couldn't hold back any longer and spoke.
The old man finally stopped and turned around.
With an expression as if he had heard something strange.
"Stop? I came here because I don't want the balance of power to shift, but you were the one who asked for my help. If we stop now, the army that went to Noark will never return."
He was right.
But…
"This isn't what I wanted."
"Really? Then what did you want?"
He was speechless.
What was he expecting when he sought out the villain of this era, the 'Ruin Scholar'?
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even I didn't expect him to appear. I don't understand what the problem is. We're safe as long as he's drawing attention at the royal palace."
"Do you think I'm saying this because I'm afraid of dying?! I just… I just…!"
Nebarche couldn't finish his sentence.
The old man then turned his back coldly and started walking again, as if he didn't have time for this.
"You seem a bit tired."
Even at that moment, hundreds of flames were flying from his hand, indiscriminately burning the city red.
"Discard your emotions and focus on the goal."
"...."
"It's better than losing both."
It was a calculating statement, typical of a mage.
Whoosh!
The heat grazed his skin as the magic barrier moved away, following the old man's steps.
Nebarche involuntarily started walking.
His steps were filled with questions.
"Mo, mom… I, I can't… bre, breathe…"
"It's okay, my child… Mommy will be here. Until the end."
What was at the end of this path?
________________________
It was raining.
It was the mages of the Magic Tower who made it happen.
Swaaaaa!
The guards who came from all over the city were also working hard.
A long line formed at the well.
They were passing buckets back and forth, throwing water at the flames.
And it wasn't just the guards.
"Don't be stubborn and come out if you're tired! It's only going to hurt you!"
There were explorers who lived nearby, and citizens who rolled up their sleeves to help after hearing the news.
People who gathered to overcome the disaster before them.
"Oh no, my house is going to burn down at this rate!"
"Hey, is that something to be saying now? There are people with families inside!"
"Both of you, carry buckets if you have the energy to fight!"
Of course, not everyone was helping out of a noble heart.
It was the same for me, who was standing here.
'Raven.'
I felt lost as soon as I arrived at Karnon.
It was a fire on a completely different scale from a few factories burning down in the modern world.
Was Raven okay?
No, maybe…
'Maybe, my ass.'
I punched myself in the jaw to wake myself up.
Thwack!
A healthy mind resides in a beaten body.
There was no time to be lost in thought.
First of all, Raven was a mage.
Knowing her personality, she would be enduring, even taking care of the people around her. Right, maybe she was even lucky enough to have stopped by the Magic Tower and avoid this situation.
"Hey, mage."
I approached a mage who was in the middle of putting out the fire and revealed my identity. He looked at me favorably, even though I interrupted him while he was busy.
"Hey, mage? It's been a while since I've been called that. Kekeke!"
It seemed like he had a good impression of me, regardless of my noble title.
"So what business does that Bjorn Yandel have with a mage?"
"Can you cast Cold Blood?"
"Is there even a mage who can't cast that?"
The mage chuckled and cast the spell at my request.
「Character's Fire Resistance is greatly increased.」
Phew, it's less hot now.
"Are you planning to go in there?"
"My companion is inside."
The mage who cast the spell on me nodded and then chuckled.
"But will that be enough?"
Huh? What? Is he making fun of me?
That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I was soon embarrassed.
Click.
The mage took out a message stone.
And…
"Ah, can you all hear me? I'm sorry to ask this while you're all busy, but I have a favor to ask. Bjorn Yandel, the one you all know, wants to go into that fire to save his companions."
He contacted someone and asked for a favor.
"If you have any artifacts or potions that can help with Fire Resistance, please send them to my personal lab's designated coordinates. I'll summon them here."
What, is it like a group chat for mages?
I decided to just wait and see since it was an unexpected stroke of luck.
Replies soon arrived.
[Bjorn Yandel, he has a noble title now, so there shouldn't be any problems with his credit. But if anything is damaged, I'll bill you, just so you know.]
A grumpy old man's voice.
[Okay. Most of my apprentices are in Karnon for support, but I'll send everything I can from the remaining ones.]
A young woman's voice.
[My precious apprentice returned alive thanks to him. I'll send a scroll, tell him he doesn't have to pay.]
A kind-sounding man's voice.
[Bjorn Yandel, it wouldn't be bad to have him owe us a favor. If he's not eavesdropping, tell him to remember that it was our 'Ioni' school who sent the 'Dragonfire Ring'.]
A calculating voice.
And…
[Aru? Don't tell me you're talking about that child?]
…a familiar voice.
'This voice… is it the old man?'
If I remember correctly, it was the voice of the so-called old man.
The master of the large Artemion school, and Raven's master.
"Hmm, it seems like it's him. He's nodding."
[I'll send everything I have right now.]
All the messages ended there.
Honestly, I was dumbfounded.
'What the hell is going on?'
I just talked to a mage who seemed the most approachable to get the 'Cold Blood' spell.
But now that I see it, this is no ordinary mage.
Everyone in the group chat sounded like they were the head of a school, and one of the members was even the old man, the master of Artemion.
And that meant…
'This guy is also not an ordinary mage.'
I asked out of pure curiosity,
"Who are you?"
He smiled and introduced himself, as if he had no intention of hiding it.
"Ah, come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Reven Arpegan."
It was a name I had never heard before.
But I knew the school he mentioned next.
It was a mid-ranking school in the Magic Tower.
But I can't believe the master of that school was this young.
"I'll definitely repay this debt someday."
"If that makes you feel better."
After a few minutes, replies arrived one after another, saying they had transferred the items, and Reven Arpegan summoned everything from the coordinates.
'It really is the Dragonfire Ring.'
It was full of rare items, starting with high-grade Numbered Items.
I felt a strange sensation as I examined them one by one.
"Luck is on our side."
Actually, it was more than just luck.
What were the chances of the mage I randomly talked to being the head of a school and being so favorable towards me that he even used his personal group chat to help—
"Luck? That's strange."
Huh?
"It's my first time seeing those people go to such lengths to help a complete stranger. Do you really think this was possible just because of luck?"
Reven smiled and continued as I tilted my head.
"I don't know what they saw in you that made them want to help. But…"
"...."
"…you earned this."
Although it was a long-winded statement, as expected of a mage, I understood what he was trying to say.
It was embarrassing to hear it to my face.
Swoosh.
Reven patted my back with his skinny arm as I wiped my soot-covered nose, trying to hide my embarrassment.
"…You're as strong as steel."
He laughed awkwardly, looking at my unmoving body, and then made a request.
"Ah, come to think of it, I haven't said this yet. If you have any strength left after saving your companion, please save the others too."
It wasn't a difficult task.
Okay, I'll take it.
"I'll try my best."
"That's reassuring to hear. Anyway, I won't hold you back any longer, so go now."
I then finished all the preparations by activating the 'Orb of Fire' I had obtained before.
「Orb of Fire activated.」
「All fire damage taken within a 15-meter radius is reduced by 50%.」
It's the Barbarian Firefighter Mode.
"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"
Sortie.
-x-X-x-
I'm running through the flames.
"Huff, huff."
Breathing in the acrid smoke.
Thud! Thud!
Sprinting through the debris of collapsed buildings.
Ah, the reason why my footsteps sound like this is simple.
I activated [Gigantification] to increase my Fire Resistance.
'Just how far have I come?'
Although I tried to figure out my exact location while running, I didn't know.
After all, I couldn't even see the royal palace, which always gave me a sense of direction in this city, because of the smoke.
I had no choice but to keep running.
Whoosh!
Anyway, about an hour passed.
During that time, I learned two things.
First…
Whoosh!
…these flames engulfing me from all sides were definitely not from an ordinary fire.
Flames that weren't just spreading, but exploding at regular intervals?
'As expected, it must be mag—'
Kwaaang!
I quickly moved my shield towards the direction of the explosion, stopping my thoughts for a moment.
It was a red shield, different in price from the one I borrowed from the knights after hearing about the assassin.
「Lava Shield has absorbed the flames.」
「Character's Soul Power is recovered proportionally to the amount absorbed.」
No. 4819 Lava Shield.
I brought it because of its passive stat of +30 Fire Resistance, but it was the item I was using the most right now.
'Ha, I would have been screwed if I just entered without any preparation.'
Life is all about preparing for the unexpected.
I didn't think I would ever use the 'Soul Power recovery' option since it only activated when attacked by skills or magic.
If it weren't for this, I would have saved [Gigantification].
Then the second thing…
"...."
…it was quiet everywhere.
Although the sounds of buildings collapsing and flames burning filled my ears…
…I hadn't encountered a single survivor.
There weren't even any screams, let alone cries for help.
'…The good news is that there aren't that many corpses.'
For reference, most of the corpses I encountered were lying face down, facing away from me.
They had run towards the inner part of the city, trying to escape the fire that started from the outskirts.
And the royal palace was also there.
'I hope Raven made it there safely…'
I continued running through the flames, hoping that she had avoided this situation.
Because you never know.
According to the guard, the entire southern part of Karnon was engulfed in flames. And Raven's accommodation was in the very center of the south.
'It should be about time…'
Thud.
I stopped.
A stone structure was visible through the thick smoke.
Kwaaang!
Although it was in ruins from the constant explosions, I could still recognize it since it was such a large building.
The 3rd Public Transportation Platform of Karnon, the Imperial City.
I quickly scanned the surroundings and then froze.
'Damn it.'
The address Raven told me was right next to this place.
Of course, I didn't know the exact location.
But what did it matter?
There wasn't a single place that was intact.
"...."
I held my breath and focused on the sounds, but I could only hear the damn fire.
Then what happened to Raven?
Did she escape in time?
"Arrua Raven—!!!"
I shouted with all my might, just in case.
I judged that she might be nearby, hoping for rescue.
But there was no answer, even after several shouts.
Therefore, I was about to resume my journey towards the royal palace…
[…Mr. Yandel?]
…when I heard a voice in my head.
It was the 'Whisper' spell that all mages could use.
[What? Why are you here?]
…So she really was nearby.
I would have been screwed if I had just left.
I shouted hurriedly, feeling both relieved and panicked,
"Where are you?!"
[Come a little further along the road on the other side of the platform, you'll see me.]
I followed Raven's instructions and arrived at a plaza.
Raven was near the central fountain.
With fifteen survivors.
Swoosh.
I entered the magic barrier that was blocking the flames, and I saw Raven standing proudly, despite her small stature.
"What are you doing here?"
Hmm, can't she at least greet me?
As expected, reality is different from movies.
In movies, they would run and hug each other in this situation.
"Don't tell me… you came all the way here because of me? Through those flames?"
What is she talking about?
"I was on a walk."
I blurted out, feeling embarrassed.
I was truly relieved that she was safe.
_______________________
"By the way, why are you still here? You should have run away as soon as the fire started. Do you even have a brain?"
After reuniting with Raven, I first asked her what happened. Why was she still near our house, not even near the royal palace?
The reason was simple.
"That's…"
Raven was using the temporary lab she had set up in her accommodation to utilize the knowledge she had newly learned.
So she didn't hear about the fire in time.
"It's convenient that the accommodation is near the platform, but it's also noisy. I usually have noise cancellation activated, so…"
By the time Raven noticed the commotion, the surroundings were already engulfed in flames.
But it wasn't too late.
She could have escaped if she wanted to.
However…
"They would have all died if I had just left."
Raven decided to stay the moment she saw a woman collapsed on the street, holding a child.
After all, she was the type to stick to her morals as much as possible, even though she was rational.
She probably thought it would be fine back then.
That the fire would be put out soon.
She wouldn't have expected it to turn into such a serious situation.
"…I apologize. I never dreamed that you would come all the way here because of me, through those flames."
Geez, I told you I was on a walk.
"What apology?"
She's acting like an adult, even though she's so small.
"You did well."
"…Yes?"
I looked at the survivors who were looking at me with uneasy gazes and said,
"We have to save those we can save."
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't just see them as NPCs.
They were people, just like me.
Even if they called people like me 'evil spirits'.
'It seems like there are no nobles.'
I looked around and realized that most of them seemed to be ordinary citizens.
It wasn't strange.
Even though it was Karnon, the Imperial City, 90% of the population was commoners. Those who lived and worked here for the convenience of the nobles.
"Um, but where did you get that equipment?"
Raven expressed her curiosity about my firefighter edition, including the Lava Shield, as soon as things calmed down.
As expected of a mage.
Her curiosity came first, even in this situation.
I briefly explained the origin of the equipment.
And Raven's gaze changed slightly.
"That's amazing. I can understand my master, but the others aren't the type to do that."
"You know who they are, even though I didn't tell you?"
"I have a rough idea. The mage society is both wide and narrow, so we all know who's close to whom."
Hmm, I see.
But we couldn't just keep talking about this.
"So how's the barrier? Can you use it while we're moving?"
Raven answered seriously as I got to the point, and she also changed her expression.
"I can. Although it will be much weaker."
"So what do you think? Can we endure?"
"You're using the 'Orb of Fire', right? If I cast 'Cold Blood' too, I think we can somehow endure."
"Is your mana okay?"
"…I'll have to try and see."
As expected of a mage, Raven didn't give a definite answer.
In other words, it meant it was a close call.
But neither of us said we should abandon them and leave.
"Everyone, you heard, right? We're moving now, so if you have any objections, please speak up."
Raven then explained the plan again to the survivors, and of course, no one objected.
"Then let's go."
We left the flames as soon as Raven finished preparing to change the barrier to a mobile type.
"How are you all doing? Are you okay?"
"I, I can endure, Mage-nim."
Although the survivors were sweating profusely, it didn't seem like they were getting burned.
And although they seemed to be having trouble breathing because of the smoke, Raven used wind magic to clear the smoke and replenish oxygen from time to time.
"Don't fall behind."
The Orb of Fire's range was 15 meters.
I started jogging, adjusting our speed so that the survivors wouldn't fall behind.
Kwaaang!
I blocked the explosions that occurred in front of us, and Raven took care of the back.
"How's your mana?"
"It's still fine, don't worry."
It was a relatively stable journey, except for the fact that Raven's mana was constantly being consumed.
After some time…
"The flames are getting weaker."
"Does that mean we can get out of here soon?"
"If my prediction is correct."
It was good news after a long time.
Even the survivors, who were reaching their physical limits, started to show their tenacity, filled with hope.
But good news always comes with bad news.
"…There's mana ahead!"
Raven suddenly shouted.
I hurriedly looked ahead.
And at that moment…
'Damn it.'
…I saw a giant fireball.
I instinctively raised my shield to block it…
「Absorption limit exceeded.」
「Soul Power is greatly consumed proportionally to the amount absorbed.」
…but I felt my energy draining instead of recovering.
'Crazy.'
A fire attack that the Lava Shield couldn't block.
'Just who the hell…'
I looked up.
The first thing I saw was the debris of the surrounding buildings floating in the air.
Rustle.
The burning stones were gathering and transforming into the shape of a golem.
I heard Raven's dazed voice from behind.
"Mr. Yandel, this spell…"
"Stop, I already know."
The 5th-grade summon magic, Flame Giant.
It was a spell I had seen before.
'…No wonder the fire was so hot.'
I put strength into my hand holding the mace and continued to look ahead.
Thud, thud.
Although I couldn't hear his footsteps…
…an old man and another man behind him were appearing from beyond the flames.
"I didn't expect to see you here."
The old man stopped and spoke.
"You're lucky."
Right, there's no way it would be this easy.
_______________________
The Ruin Scholar, Belvev Ruinjenes.
'I can't believe I met him here.'
Although I felt a sense of dread…
…at least I learned one thing.
'As expected, it was those Noark bastards.'
They were the ones behind this fire.
Well, come to think of it, it was only natural.
Who else would cause this kind of chaos in the city?
"Raven."
I first gave an order, putting everything else aside.
"Take the people and get out of here. We're almost there, so you should be able to do it without me, right?"
"But…"
Geez, don't talk back.
"Listen to me. When did you ever lose by listening to me?"
An answer came after a moment of silence.
Through Whisper, not her voice.
[…I'll bring them back as soon as possible.]
Raven then used wind magic to clear a path through the flames and disappeared with the survivors.
Unexpectedly, the Ruin Scholar just watched them leave.
I was prepared to stop him if he tried anything…
'Right, it would be easier for you to deal with me if there's no mage on my side.'
I could roughly guess his thoughts.
Although I felt a sense of dissonance, I judged that there was no reason for him to let them go so easily otherwise…
"Since when?"
Huh?
"I heard you were at the royal palace. When did you come here?"
What the hell is he talking about?
Before I could even tilt my head in confusion, the answer appeared before my eyes.
"Just now."
A man in his twenties appeared from the flames, as if he had been there all along.
"Hey, wrong."
"…Wrong?"
"Who told you to set a fire? Without my permission."
Lee Baekho frowned, looking at the Ruin Scholar.
-x-X-x-
Explorers age much faster than ordinary people.
After all, the higher the floor they climb, the more time they spend in the labyrinth.
A single expedition could last for almost half a year.
'But why is he so young?'
I briefly wondered about the secret to his youthful appearance as I looked at the man with platinum blonde hair slicked back in a pomade style.
And then I gulped.
There were more important things to process than his youthful appearance.
[I heard you were at the royal palace. When did you come here?]
Lee Baekho was at the royal palace when the city was burning.
[Who told you to set a fire? Without my permission.]
It was the Ruin Scholar who set the fire…
"Do you want to die?"
…and Lee Baekho was angry about it.
Then what was the reason?
Even the Ruin Scholar, the target of his anger, frowned as if he didn't know.
"I don't understand at all. Why are you hostile towards me? You also benefited from my actions."
"Benefited, my ass. That King bastard isn't going to come out just because you burned this place down."
"Hoo, so the King really was your target?"
The Ruin Scholar's eyes sparkled at Lee Baekho's answer, as if he had thrown bait.
But…
"What? The King is your target?"
…Lee Baekho scoffed as if he was pathetic.
"You old man, you really don't know anything. Well, whatever. I'm too lazy to explain."
Lee Baekho waved his hand dismissively.
"…You're more ill-mannered than I heard."
The Ruin Scholar couldn't hide his displeasure, as if he had never been treated like this before.
Of course, Lee Baekho didn't even bat an eye.
"Yeah, you're the one who's ill-mannered, talking back and stinking like that. Ha, seriously, get some new dentures. The stench is reaching all the way over here."
"Wh, what…?"
The Ruin Scholar was hit below the belt after just one sentence.
"How dare you…"
The winner was already decided, judging by how he was trembling with anger.
Well, I couldn't even imagine that old man winning a verbal battle against Lee Baekho, who had inherited the spirit of a K-gamer.
"Alright, then let's get to the point."
Lee Baekho got to the point, ignoring the Ruin Scholar's anger.
"So how are you going to take responsibility? My gukbap restaurant burned down because of you."
That was the fundamental reason why he was angry.
"Gu, gukbap…?"
Although the Ruin Scholar didn't even seem to understand, Lee Baekho continued to vent his anger.
"He was an NPC, but he was the one who made it the most realistic after listening to my suggestions. Ha, he even said he would make kkakdugi for me later…"
"…Don't tell me there was an alchemy workshop in Karnon?"
"Alchemy, my ass."
Lee Baekho spat on the ground.
"This is why I can't talk to NPCs. Hansu hyung would have been angry with me."
I flinched at the sudden mention of my name, but he probably would have been angry. I can't believe there was a place in this city that could make gukbap.
'…He should have told me! I haven't even tried it yet!'
I felt anger towards both of them.
Of course, there was nothing I could do.
I just had to pretend to be a clueless barbarian and watch the situation unfold.
"So what do you want? I don't want to make an enemy of you. I'll compensate you if your workshop was damaged because of this incident."
The Ruin Scholar then tried to negotiate.
It was a bit of a surprising sight.
The madman who set fire to the entire southern part of Karnon was trying to resolve this peacefully through dialogue? Just how high was Lee Baekho's status for this old man to act like this?
Although I couldn't be sure yet, one thing was certain.
"Pull out your dentures."
"…?"
"You're saying you'll compensate me? If you're really sorry, pull out all your dentures with your own hands. Then I'll let it slide."
He was a troublesome enemy, but a reassuring ally.
That was Lee Baekho.
"…I don't know what you're misunderstanding, but this isn't some kind of denture—"
"Bullshit."
Lee Baekho took a step forward, signifying the breakdown of the negotiation.
And he said,
"Then what's this?"
It was a statement that no one here could understand.
But a brief moment was enough.
Tadat.
He lightly pushed off the ground.
Whoosh.
And his figure disappeared in an instant.
I could only see fragmented scenes, as his Agility stat was so high that even my dynamic vision couldn't keep up.
Lee Baekho clenching his fist.
The Ruin Scholar's flustered expression.
And…
Swaaa!
…a magic barrier blocking their path.
It was the combination of 'Danger Detection Support' and 'Barrier', a magic combo essential for mages to survive in a roguelike world.
Judging by its purple color, the mana density was almost at its maximum.
It could even withstand the Ogre's punch once.
But…
Kwagic!
…it couldn't withstand Lee Baekho's fist.
"...!"
The magic barrier shattered like glass.
And at the same time, the blue energy surrounding Lee Baekho's fist also disappeared.
It wasn't a meaningful achievement for the Ruin Scholar.
It was enough to prove it even with his bare fist.
Thwack!
The brief exchange ended, and Lee Baekho's fist landed on the Ruin Scholar's jaw.
Something white flew out along with blood.
"See, you were lying."
Lee Baekho caught it in midair and clicked his tongue.
"Why would it come out if it's not a denture?"
Even I thought he was crazy.
_____________________
"Are you really determined to see this through?"
Unexpectedly, the Ruin Scholar quickly got up after being punched. And he looked at Lee Baekho with an emotionless gaze.
"I won't dodge if you attack again."
"Wow, it's my first time seeing a mage say that in close combat."
Lee Baekho laughed as if he couldn't believe it, but he didn't seem to be underestimating his opponent.
After all, Lee Baekho was also injured.
'Why is he injured?'
I still didn't understand.
The Ruin Scholar cast another barrier after 'Danger Detection Barrier' was broken, and Lee Baekho broke through that too with his bare fist and punched him in the face.
And that was all the exchange I saw.
"Tsk."
Lee Baekho spat blood on the ground and asked,
"What was that at the end?"
"Just a simple curse spell."
"There's no way I would be affected by a curse."
"You should know this, at your level, right? Your body was temporarily immobile. I used that opportunity to complete the spell using your body as a medium."
"Ah, so that's why my Magic Resistance didn't work."
Lee Baekho nodded in understanding.
It seemed like it was a technique that most veteran mages in this world could use.
Ha, there was no such OP application in the game.
"But this doesn't make sense. You did that in that short amount of time? It takes other mages at least a few seconds just to connect."
"I'm the one who created this application, so I should at least be able to do this much."
"Wow, so you were the one who created this damn technique?"
Lee Baekho glared at the Ruin Scholar as if acknowledging him as an opponent.
It was the same for the Ruin Scholar.
"I know about your situation. And I have a guess as to why you left the royal family."
"So?"
"I'll make you a tempting offer since we've met."
"What is it? Tell me."
Lee Baekho asked back, as if he was also curious.
It seemed like he was more interested in this than the revenge of the gukbap NPC.
I subtly stepped back, feeling a strange tension in the air.
That's when…
"How about we finish him off first and then talk?"
…the Ruin Scholar spoke, turning his gaze towards me.
Ha, I didn't expect this kind of development.
'Damn it.'
My heart pounded.
My life was already on the line with just the Ruin Scholar, and if Lee Baekho joined in, there was nothing I could do.
Except for revealing that I was 'Lee Hansu' and appealing to his emotions.
"You can't."
Fortunately, Lee Baekho refused the Ruin Scholar's offer, even though I was considering the worst-case scenario.
Because he knew I was a player.
It wasn't because he couldn't bear to watch me die.
"Then it would be like I'm doing what you want."
It was just about taking the lead.
But could it be that the Ruin Scholar felt frustrated?
He spoke as if persuading a difficult child.
"He's a noble now."
"So?"
"He's a potential enemy since you've turned against the royal family."
It was a rational statement, even to me.
But fortunately, Lee Baekho didn't even listen.
"So what? I'm confident that I can control him, so mind your own business."
The source of his confidence was obvious.
He knew I was a player.
He was confident that he could screw me over whenever he wanted, no matter how close I became to the royal family.
'So it's actually a good thing that he knows my identity…?'
"Then… I'll have to move."
The Ruin Scholar finally gave up on his desire to take me down, unable to break Lee Baekho's stubbornness.
Well, I was probably less important to him than Lee Baekho.
"Ah, just so you know, I'm not teleporting."
"Teleport…?"
"Teleportation. You go first. I'll follow you. You can do whatever you want, but be prepared to die if you try anything stupid."
"…Then I'll be going."
The Ruin Scholar then floated into the air with the man who seemed to be his servant.
It was Levitation magic.
"What are you looking at? Go first, I'll follow."
The Ruin Scholar stared at Lee Baekho for a few seconds and then disappeared beyond the flames.
I had overcome one crisis.
But it was too early to relax.
One of Lee Baekho's characteristics was that he was unpredictable.
"Hey."
"…What."
I didn't bother hiding my fear as I spoke.
Lee Baekho chuckled and then…
"I saved your life once, you know?"
…left after those words.
I was momentarily dazed.
'Was he really just trying to take the lead when he told me not to die?'
Well, I still didn't know.
But if it was true…
'It's a bit touching.'
I wiped my soot-covered nose with my hand.
"Tsk."
Geez, this bastard.
He said he didn't build relationships.
___________________
Raven arrived soon after Lee Baekho and the Ruin Scholar left.
"Mr. Yandel!"
Thanks to the Ruin Scholar's reputation, there were many knights and military mages mixed in with the people behind Raven.
"We came to save… Huh? Why is no one…?"
Raven looked confused as she didn't see the Ruin Scholar anywhere. The royal forces behind her also had similar expressions.
I quickly explained the situation before they misunderstood.
"So you're saying that 'that person' who appeared during the assassination attempt came and started fighting the Ruin Scholar?"
"Yes, they suddenly started fighting and then disappeared."
"Do you know why he was hostile towards the Ruin Scholar?"
"Well! I don't know either!"
There was one reason why I simplified the story as much as possible.
I judged that someone might think Lee Baekho helped me based on this situation.
"You were really lucky."
The knights didn't doubt my statement since it was an incident involving such big shots.
"Then we'll be going now."
The royal forces stayed behind to investigate the area, and Raven and I left after watching them for a while.
The first to greet us were the survivors who were already outside.
The fifteen lives that Raven and I worked hard to save.
They all bowed repeatedly, their faces covered in soot.
Of course, it didn't last long.
After all, they wouldn't die just because I didn't accept their gratitude.
"Huh? Where are you going?"
Raven asked as I turned around.
Honestly, I wanted to rest after that incident, but…
"I made a promise."
"…Promise?"
I had told the mage, Reven Arpegan, that I would try my best if I had the strength after saving my companion, when I received the fire-attribute equipment and consumables.
Raven looked dazed for a moment, but she didn't stop me or scold me for doing something meaningless.
"Go ahead. I'll be helping the people here."
Well, I guess it's something like 'let's each do our best in our respective positions'?
I looked down at Raven as if she was a good girl and then stepped back into the flames.
And about 12 hours later, until the fire was finally put out by a downpour…
Swaaaaaaaaa!
…I saved 17 more lives.
It was a paltry number, not even enough to be a main episode in a movie or cartoon…
「Character's fame has increased by +1.」
「Character's fame has increased by +1.」
「Character's fame has increased by +1....」
「....」
「....」
…but it was my best.
-x-X-x-
The Ruin Scholar's signature fire magic was as vicious as his notoriety.
Even with countless people gathered from all over the city, it was all they could do to prevent the flames from spreading further.
In the end, the fire was only extinguished after seven school masters joined forces and cast a spell.
Swaaaaaaaaa!
Rain poured down as if the sky had opened up.
"Waaaaaaaaaa!"
Some cheered as they saw the flames dying down, some sighed in relief, and some just collapsed to the ground as if they didn't even have the energy to shout.
For reference, I was the last case.
"…Damn it."
It's finally over.
My heated body cooled down quickly, and my tension also dissipated.
I collapsed to the ground and lay down.
And I immediately regretted it.
"Ha."
The lukewarm ground.
The ashes that had been flying all night were mixed with rainwater, making it sticky.
It was an environment that would make anyone feel uncomfortable.
But I was too tired to get up again.
After some time…
"Oh my god! I thought you were hurt!"
…I opened my eyes, and Raven was looking down at me.
"…But you're not really hurt, right?"
"I'm just resting because I'm tired, so leave me alone."
"If you're going to rest, you should go back and wash up proper—"
"Later."
"Okay. You worked hard…"
I got up after lying down for a few more minutes.
Because the water had reached my ears.
The drainage here wasn't very good.
"…You also look like a mess."
"You're one to talk."
We walked towards the undamaged part of the city, covered in black soot.
We saw people everywhere.
Some were desperately searching for someone they had lost, and some were rummaging through the debris, hoping to find survivors.
They all looked like us.
"By the way, what time is it?"
"It's almost noon."
Noon on June 2nd…
It was a bit funny.
Until now, only explorers would be in this state at this time.
"The rain has stopped."
The dark clouds that had filled the sky dispersed, and warm sunlight started to shine through, as if the mages had deactivated their magic.
And at the same time…
"Bjorn!!"
…I saw Misha in the distance.
Ainar and Erwen were also next to her.
So they had also come after hearing the news last night.
Judging by their appearance, which was no different from ours, they must have also struggled to put out the fire all night.
"…Are you hurt anywhere?"
Although I was worried she might nag me, Misha didn't say anything.
It was because of the people around us.
"Mr, Mr. Viscount Yandel…!"
The few survivors I had rescued last night.
Well, she couldn't ask me why I did that in front of them.
"Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be resting?"
The survivors hesitated and expressed their gratitude as I spoke as if I didn't understand.
And then they left.
What, they waited all this time just to say that?
'Then they shouldn't have been so afraid of me just because I'm a noble.'
I chuckled and continued walking.
The undamaged eastern district soon appeared.
We first found a place to stay nearby.
We couldn't take a carriage home in this state.
And in the first place, it would take several hours to get home, and I wanted to rest now.
'I wonder how much it costs per night in Karnon…'
It was expected to be much more expensive than the commercial district, Commelby, since it was the Imperial City, but I couldn't find out the price today.
Because it was free.
"The manager ordered us not to charge anyone today."
All the accommodations nearby were offering rooms for free to the citizens and explorers who had come to help put out the fire.
"Please fill out this form before you go up… Viscount Bjorn Yandel?!"
"Yes."
"I've heard a lot about you. They said you worked the hardest today… On behalf of the city, thank you."
I don't know if it was because of my noble title or my fame.
But the employee at the counter gave me the largest room they had left.
The others were sharing a room with fourteen people?
It had a living room, three bedrooms, and even two bathrooms, so it was more than enough for the five of us.
"You use one of the bathrooms, Bjorn. We'll take turns using the other one."
"Thank you."
I entered the bathroom and washed up, not refusing my companions' consideration. It took about an hour, even though I tried to wash up quickly.
'I'll wash the borrowed equipment and return it later…'
I just put the equipment I took off in a corner of the room and lay down on the bed, closing my eyes.
It was a soft bed, as expected of a room in Karnon, the Imperial City.
Fatigue washed over me.
'By the way, I wonder what happened in the labyrinth? Did the army win? I'm curious…'
Well, I could find out tomorrow.
That was my last thought before sleepiness took over, and when I opened my eyes the next morning…
"…It's the army!!"
…the royal army that went underground had returned.
My heart sank.
'What the hell happened down there?'
I couldn't find any traces of battle on them as they headed towards the royal palace on the road.
_____________________
A dark underground passage, devoid of light.
Tens of thousands of people were walking in a line, relying on torches.
They were all from Noark…
"This way."
…and an unknown old man was leading the way at the forefront. The Lord of the city was following right behind him.
"Lord, we don't even know his identity. We should head somewhere else…"
"Watch your words. He's the only one we can trust now."
"But he knows these hidden paths that even we don't know. It's too suspicious. Maybe the royal family is trying to trick—"
"Stop."
The Lord firmly cut off his subordinate's words.
He understood why they were suspicious of the old man.
And why they were so anxious.
But the royal family trying to trick them?
That was too much of a stretch.
They would have already been wiped out along with the city of Noark if it weren't for that old man.
"We have no choice. Trust him."
The Lord muttered helplessly, recalling what had happened earlier.
[Lord, the royal army has invaded!]
The army had arrived right after midnight.
It was the time when all the city's forces were in the labyrinth.
The royal army started their advance, shattering the barrier that had been protecting the city.
[We'll take all the citizens to the shelter.]
Although he was momentarily stunned, the Lord led everyone who remained in the city to the shelter beneath the fortress.
It was a shelter that could accommodate thousands of people, built by the royal family in the distant past.
After all, the fortress city of Noark had once been a royal palace.
Around the time when the Witch's curse destroyed the world.
Humanity, gathered from all over the continent, built a city underground and lived there for a long time, expanding the protective barrier until they could finally go to the surface.
That's why the labyrinth portals existed.
[Yes, they're stationed at the plaza and aren't moving. It seems like they're waiting for the portal to open.]
Fortunately, or unfortunately, the royal family didn't seem interested in them, who were hiding in the shelter.
The reason was simple.
The explorers would come out when the portal opened.
The royal family's priority was to eliminate the explorers.
They could just destroy the shelter later.
[Contact the surface.]
The Lord eventually requested support from the surface, and the Ruin Scholar drew their attention by burning down the Imperial City.
But…
[Those bastards.]
…the army didn't return to the city.
And even the Ruin Scholar, their last hope, had suddenly stopped responding.
Time passed…
[11:41]
…and only 20 minutes were left until the portal opened and the explorers who had been spending their time in the labyrinth returned.
[Listen to me.]
The Lord gave orders to the remaining forces, feeling desperate.
It was the best he could do at the time.
He chose the only path he judged to have even a slight chance of survival, even though he didn't know how many would die.
[Open the gate!!]
Right before the hour hand reached noon, the Lord led the remaining forces out of the shelter. And they desperately tried to break through the army that was waiting for them and head towards the plaza.
The sight was even more despairing when he saw it with his own eyes.
[....]
There were thousands of knights, and even more soldiers.
Mages and priests were also stationed everywhere.
But it was too late to turn back.
[The portal is opening!!]
[Get ready!!]
A blue light gathered in the center of the plaza, and the portal opened, spewing out explorers.
[What, what?!]
[It's the royal family! The royal army!]
[Damn it! No wonder there was no one inside!]
The explorers were flustered to see the army waiting for them as soon as they returned to the city, but they quickly understood, as they had already sensed something was off in the labyrinth.
[What are you doing! Are we just going to die here?]
[Draw your swords, you bastards!]
The explorers immediately took out their weapons and got ready to fight, and the Lord also led his forces and tried to draw their attention from the outskirts.
And he only gave one order.
[Run away! To the surface!]
The best plan he could choose.
Every man for himself.
To somehow survive and fight another day.
But did that catch his eye?
[So this is the face of the leader of the rebels. I'm surprised you look so normal.]
A knight soon arrived in front of him.
The dazzling Aura emanating from his sword told him who he was.
[The Knight of Light…!]
Jerome Saintred, the captain of the 1st Royal Knight Order.
A powerful figure who held great significance in this kingdom, even having the title of 'Protector of the Royal Family'.
[Don't worry. You won't die here. I'll just cut off your limbs and take you alive, just in case.]
The Knight of Light swung his sword.
The Lord, who had only explored up to the 5th floor for a few years in his twenties, couldn't even see it.
Whoosh!
A flash of light blinded him, following the trajectory of the sword.
But…
Flash!
…when the fleeting flash faded and he opened his eyes…
"…?"
…he was fine.
His arms moved, and his legs were still attached to his body.
What the hell happened?
That's when, as he was wondering…
[You still have a role to fulfill.]
…the old man appeared, dozens of meters above ground.
The battle around them had stopped.
It wasn't voluntary.
Just like how the Knight of Light was trembling, his sword pointed at the Lord's neck, no one here could move to harm another.
As if it were a rule of this space.
[Well, now that everyone's here, let's go.]
A giant magic circle started glowing on the city floor as the old man gestured.
It was an overwhelming magical energy he had never felt before.
[Fortunately, this is still working.]
His vision blurred at the old man's mutter.
And…
Flash!
…when he came to his senses, the Lord was in a dark underground passage.
And it wasn't just him.
Everyone from Noark was there…
[Wh, what did you do?!]
[Mass Teleportation? No, there's no way you can transport this many people…]
…and there were even a few knights who were dragged along.
[There seems to be a slight error since I transported so many people at once. Ah, I didn't bring them on purpose, so just kill them.]
The Lord, as if possessed, followed the old man's instructions and had his men kill the knights. And he followed the old man, who started walking with a meaningful smile, as he asked where they were.
After some time…
"Have you figured out who he is?"
…the Lord snapped out of his thoughts at a man's voice.
Surprisingly, the captain of Orculus was speaking to the old man with respect.
"Well, there's no answer if there's no question."
"So you're saying to figure it out myself. Okay."
The captain, who had been at odds with the Lord in many aspects, dividing Noark's power, obediently bowed and stepped back.
Although it was a strange sight…
…the Lord's curiosity about the old man grew even further.
'Just who is he?'
He thought about asking the captain.
After all, he was the one who told his members to stay put and not act rashly as soon as they were teleported.
He must have known something.
But…
'He wouldn't tell me.'
Instead of asking the captain, the Lord approached the old man. And he actively tried to have a conversation that he couldn't before because of a strange sense of unease.
Unexpectedly, the old man was very friendly.
"Ah, you're talking about the teleportation? I just borrowed the power of the ancient magic circle in the city, so don't think too much of it. It's the same for being able to temporarily stop the battle. Noark is a well-designed city."
"I didn't even know something like that existed…"
"Kekeke, it's strange that you would know. Don't be discouraged. So is that all you're curious about?"
The Lord asked the old man various questions, and the old man answered most of them, except for the question about their destination.
After some time…
"Well, we're here."
The narrow passage widened, and a sloped path appeared.
And…
"What is this place…?"
…they came out to the surface after climbing the hill.
The Lord could confidently say that it was a sight he had never seen before.
Sunlight, a forest, a flowing stream, chirping birds, and a worm wriggling on the damp ground.
And most importantly…
"There are no walls…?"
No matter where he looked, there were no walls.
In other words, it meant that they weren't in Lafdonia, the last bastion.
"Wh, where is this…?"
The Lord muttered blankly and turned towards the old man. He could see the old man smiling beneath his hood.
"Congratulations. You'll be recorded as the first people to leave the city in thousands of years."
June 2nd, 154th year of the Change Era.
The era of being trapped behind walls had finally come to an end, and a new world had opened up.
-x-X-x-
After the royal army returned, people learned that the army did exist and the reason they weren't visible at the Dimensional Plaza was because they had gone underground to raid an empty house.
However…
'What happened?'
…no one knew the outcome.
Therefore, all sorts of speculation began to run rampant.
From whether they won or lost, to groundless conspiracy theories that the royal family was only pretending to fight the underground city.
New hypotheses arose among gossipmongers every morning, and eventually, a few days later, the royal family officially posted notices throughout the city.
To briefly summarize the content:
We, the awesome royal family, won, and even conquered Noark. So stop worrying.
I couldn't know how much of it was true.
But assuming that the notice was based on some truth, let's supplement a few missing points.
'There was definitely no battle.'
I couldn't find any traces of battle on the knights who were returning to the royal palace.
'They probably ran away.'
Then where did they escape to?
It was a world surrounded by walls.
It didn't make sense for them to hide on the surface.
After all, there would inevitably be traces if that many people came above ground.
'Then they're still down here…'
"Bjorn! Stop slacking off and come carry this!"
Right, I should just move luggage.
Would I find an answer by worrying all day?
It was wise to wait for the Round Table with Clown to open.
Therefore, I ended my thoughts and moved my body.
"Ah, can you put the bed over here?"
I was currently at an orphanage run by the Leathlas Church, acting like a moving company employee and taking out luggage from a building that was scheduled for demolition.
It was time to start accumulating achievement points.
Whenever there were requests from the church, those of us with free time would go and complete them.
"Ainar! Did you think you wouldn't get caught slacking off?!"
"I, I wasn't slacking off, I was playing with the kids!"
"Waaaaaaaaah! This lady broke my doll!! She's a doll murderer!"
"That's… I was trying to teach her about vital points, and it couldn't be helped…!"
Although there were various incidents today…
…we finished moving all the luggage after an hour or two.
Therefore, today's request also ended here.
We then had a simple meal at a restaurant near the church, and I heard something interesting from Misha.
"You know? That orphanage we went to today, it's that place."
"That place?"
"You know, the old building that was scheduled for demolition, the one Dwarkey said he lived in for a while when he was young. That was it."
"…I see."
"Anyway, just saying! I'm going now! Ah, and I'll be late today, so take care of dinner yourselves."
We disbanded after the meal.
Misha left, saying she had an appointment with a former companion, and Ainar headed towards the sanctuary.
And…
"Huhu, it's just the two of us now?"
"I have somewhere to go, so go home first."
"…Huh?"
I sent Erwen home since she didn't have anything scheduled and headed towards the guild alone. I didn't have the escort knights who used to follow me everywhere.
Because they had all left last month.
They said they received orders to return.
'I just accepted it back then, but they probably called them back because of the Noark operation.'
I wondered if they would send knights again if those Noark bastards had all escaped safely and were hiding somewhere underground…
But I didn't get my hopes up.
One of the knights even told me before leaving, as if he felt a sense of camaraderie after spending a month with us.
[Please be careful. If assassins come again, the higher-ups judge that it's more likely to be the work of a large clan than Noark.]
It seemed like 'Antler', who assigned me bodyguards, thought that the 'assassination' Clown mentioned referred to a large clan.
Well, it had already been almost a month since he said the assassin would come 'soon'.
[But then shouldn't you protect me even more? The large clans' target is the royal family.]
[…You don't have to worry about that.]
And judging by his tone, it seemed like the royal family was fully prepared to block the large clans' attempts to influence public opinion.
So they didn't need to protect me anymore.
'Well, it's more convenient for me too without them.'
I reached the Explorer's Guild while organizing my thoughts. But I didn't have to draw a number and wait like before.
There weren't many explorers in the first place…
"Viscount Bjorn Yandel, your identity has been confirmed. I'll escort you to the branch manager's office."
…and I had to enjoy the benefits of my hard-earned noble title.
"Not the branch manager's office, but the regional manager's office."
The employee asked if I had an appointment, but I just used my noble authority to crush that trivial matter.
"Are you rebelling?"
It was the Barbarian Noble Mode, a combination of a barbarian who didn't understand words and a noble who didn't intend to listen.
"…I'll escort you right away."
We went up to the 4th floor, and the employee knocked on the door and announced my arrival. I heard a deep sigh from inside, and then the door opened.
I immediately entered and sat down on the sofa.
And I put my feet on the table and said arrogantly,
"Greet me."
"...."
"Aren't you going to?"
The regional manager, who was working at his desk, got up and bowed as soon as I finished speaking.
"Vis… count Yandel… welcome…"
Geez, isn't he used to it yet?
"Right, sit down."
The regional manager sat down across from me after I allowed him to. It had already happened several times, but it was still thrilling.
Is this the true taste of power?
"…What brings you here today?"
Nile Urbans, the regional manager of the 7th district of the Explorer's Guild.
He, who had a history with me, spoke to me politely, unlike in the past.
Of course, it wasn't like this from the beginning.
He originally tried to talk to me as equals, but he started using this tone after I exploded in anger, asking if he was insulting a noble.
"I'm here to check if there are any explorers who applied for the recruitment notice."
"You can do that at the branch manager's office…"
What the hell is this guy talking about?
The reason I came all the way to the 7th district headquarters was because of him.
"Talking back… to a noble?"
"…I'll check right away."
"Just in case there's a mistake like before, do it yourself. Don't send someone else."
"Yes…"
The regional manager then went downstairs to do what I told him, and I waited, munching on the snacks on his desk.
After some time…
"Here it is."
…he came back up with a few documents.
I snatched them from him without even thanking him for his hard work and read them, and there wasn't much difference from two days ago.
"There's only one more applicant, and even he's not very good."
"I apologize."
"It's not your fault."
I showed my generosity as a superior and then read the documents again. There were exactly 31 explorers who applied for the companion recruitment notice I posted a few days ago.
There weren't many applicants, contrary to my expectations.
It was because there weren't many explorers who wanted to enter the labyrinth in the current situation.
'But I thought there would be more applicants since the clans were all destroyed.'
I dismissed my disappointment and put the documents down.
There weren't any explorers who were worth interviewing, at least on paper.
I still couldn't find the 'special class' I was looking for.
So I had no choice but to wait.
"Um, but…"
"Just say it."
"Is there a specific class you're looking for?"
"Not really, I just need someone competent. But why?"
"Because there's a famous name among the applicants."
The regional manager then started talking about how competent, trustworthy, and promising that explorer was.
It seemed like he wanted to find me a companion quickly and not have me visit him anymore.
But…
"Stop!!"
I threw the documents on the ground and stormed out of the regional manager's office.
No matter how good his specs were…
"Just do what I tell you!"
…was he crazy to suggest adding Hans to the team?
____________________
Almost two weeks had passed since the fire. I could summarize the things I had done during that time into a few categories.
Grinding achievement points at the temple.
Sparring with the chieftain at the sanctuary.
Checking prices in Commelby, the commercial city.
And relieving stress by bullying the regional manager at the guild every three days.
Although I had a productive schedule, there weren't any significant results yet.
The value of currency would continue to rise for a while, so I decided to hold onto it for now.
'It seems like it will take at least two or three months for the priest to reach the minimum achievement points…'
And it was the same for recruiting companions.
There was no sign of the special class I needed for the 6th floor, and I couldn't find suitable candidates for the two remaining spots to fill the 10-person limit.
'So we have no choice but to go up with just six people if the labyrinth opens before then.'
It was a bit disappointing.
Usually, when you split into two or more teams, you would meet up on the 5th floor.
It's because you would lose a lot of time if you had more than five people and had to go through the 4th floor.
It was a painful loss for explorers, whose time was gold.
'…But we're still not ready to split into two teams of three. It's better to meet on the 2nd floor and go up safely.'
Of course, it was a bit of a premature worry.
If the labyrinth's opening was postponed for a few more months, it would all be meaningless. The important thing was when the situation would stabilize.
'Maybe I'll know today.'
The 15th, the day Ghostbusters opened.
I prepared to enter the community from the morning and headed towards the sanctuary.
Because I couldn't just enter this time.
'GM.'
The GM suspected me of being an evil spirit.
He would probably target today.
If I were him, I would have done the same.
12 hours in the community.
In other words, 12 seconds in reality.
This short period of time was a huge weakness for community users.
Because they were cut off from reality for 12 seconds.
Since they couldn't even get up if their neck was stabbed with a knife, it was possible to distinguish between players and non-players if you used this time well.
But…
'It's still a bad move to not enter.'
I decided to enter the community.
I judged that there would be a lot of information since there was a major incident between the royal family and Noark.
And besides, the GM's right-hand man, 'SoulQueens', had joined the Round Table as a new member last time.
If 'Lion' didn't participate, she might even be able to connect me with Lion later.
'…Is that a bit of a stretch?'
Anyway, the point was this.
Life is all about preparing for the unexpected.
I didn't know if the GM would try to confirm my identity during those 12 seconds, but there was no reason not to prepare.
"Bjorn, you called for me?"
"Ah, I have a favor to ask."
"Favor?"
"Can you try wearing this on your face?"
I arrived at the sanctuary and summoned Karon, then handed him the 'Golden Mask', a hidden item I obtained from the Crimson Fortress.
"What's this? I like it because it's shiny…"
"It's a magic tool that changes your face for 30 days."
"Huh? But why are you giving it to me?"
"Because you have the most similar build to me."
I then asked Karon to drink in the city while wearing my face until tomorrow morning.
"It's not a difficult request, but why are you doing something so troublesome?"
"I have somewhere to go secretly tonight, without my companions knowing."
"…It seems like that beastman isn't very understanding."
Huh? Why is 'beastman' suddenly being mentioned?
I didn't understand what he meant…
…but I immediately understood after his next words.
"It's a warrior's instinct to have children. Is that why you came to the sanctuary today?"
I hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
I judged that this excuse would be better for keeping secrets than the one I had prepared.
"Anyway, don't worry about this! I'll make sure that beastman woman doesn't suspect anything!"
No, she'll definitely find out if she comes.
That's why I told him to just drink outside all night.
"I'll trust you. You're the second wisest warrior after me."
"Re, really?! You think of me like that?! I'm happy!"
After explaining the precautions and the route, I sent Karon, who was now disguised as me, to the city, wearing my equipment.
And…
「Character has used 'Golden Mask'.」
「Character's appearance changes for 30 days.」
…I put on the mask and then took it off, changing my face to Karon's.
I had to hide my face in the sanctuary.
If there were sightings in two places, everything I had done today would be meaningless.
'I should also go back to the city.'
I quickly put on Karon's equipment and left the forest, heading towards the city, in case someone who knew Karon recognized me.
And I got a room at a random inn and stayed there.
After some time…
「The character's soul resonates and is drawn to a specific world.」
-x-X-x-
Lee Hansu's room.
It felt like I was returning home every time I came here now.
It was a familiar and comfortable space, yet it also felt unfamiliar.
This room, which was once my home…
Click.
I first turned on the computer.
And I waited for posts to appear.
There was nothing else to do until 3:00, when the Round Table opened.
[Long Live Korean Independence] - 0 members online.
Lee Baekho wasn't here again.
Phew, judging by how he threatened the GM to unban him, it seemed like he was trying to find a way to return, but he wasn't here yet.
'His ultimate goal was to return…'
I thought about the GM as I recalled Lee Baekho's ambition.
What was the GM's goal?
Was it also to return?
'…But then why did he ban Lee Baekho?'
Hmm… I don't know.
Something was constantly happening that I didn't know about.
'Anyway, I hope it wasn't a wasted effort.'
I hoped that the plan of using Karon as a stand-in would work and clear his suspicion as I organized what I knew about the GM.
It wasn't much.
First, he was a mage.
And he was a fan of 'Elfnunna', judging by how he used the nickname 'Elfnunalove' in the community.
Wait a minute.
'…What would he do if he found out I was that person? Would he help me?'
I briefly had the thought that I might be able to gain a strong patron by using this.
But my hopes were dashed in the end.
'No way.'
It was similar to why I didn't reveal my identity to Lee Baekho.
I didn't know the GM's intentions.
And besides, the GM had already sent 'Bjorn Yandel' a community entry pill once.
In short, it meant he didn't approach me to invite me to the community because I was a player.
Therefore, I had to hide my identity.
Even if I found out that his intentions were good.
After all, you never know how human relationships will turn out.
Revealing to someone that I was an evil spirit was practically the same as handing them my leash.
And I had seen a bad example firsthand.
[Fine, if that's what you want, I'll make sure you have nowhere to go. Hans Krisen is an evil spirit!]
What choice would I make if I was in the same situation as Hans G?
Could I refuse a forced choice?
Click, click.
I dismissed my thoughts and moved the mouse.
Quite a bit of time had passed, and various posts were appearing on the forums.
I spent time browsing the web.
That's when, about 30 minutes after the community opened…
[I'm from Noark, and I have something to tell you.]
…that post appeared.
_______________________
The content of the post began like this:
-I hesitated for a long time, wondering if you would ban me for being from Noark, but I'm leaving this post because I think everyone should know, regardless of whether they're from the surface or the underground.
-We're outside now.
-I'm talking about the real outside world, not inside the walls.
It was shocking content that denied the foundation of the world setting.
-You're probably wondering if this even makes sense, right? But it's true. We left for the outside world to escape the royal family, and we're still alive.
-Honestly, I still don't know if the Witch's curse has disappeared over time, or if it never existed in the first place.
-But one thing is clear.
-The outside is perfectly fine. Plants are growing, and I can see bugs eating leaves if I get close. And wild animals too.
The writer then wrote a long description of what the outside world was like, and then he wrote about what had happened in the form of a journal.
I slowly read through the long post.
And my first impression was this:
'No matter how I look at it, it doesn't seem like he's just trying to get attention…'
It didn't seem like a simple prank.
Well, in the first place, it wouldn't make sense for a post that risked getting banned to be a prank.
But even so, the comment section was in chaos.
[Brutalizer X: Here's some attention.]
[arolf5205: I came here thinking it was something, but I just scrolled down after looking at the top comment. There's no idiot here who actually believes this, right?]
Starting with the top comments that dismissed it as a lie made up by an attention seeker…
[ryanzeus31: But if this is true, isn't the royal family screwed? If there's really a world outside where we can live without magic stones, there's no way this shitty city can be maintained.]
[└furryking1955: Maybe that's why they hid it? There's no way they didn't know about this.]
…to those who somewhat believed the content and were worried about the future.
And…
[Gareth: Wow, so that old man appeared and took everyone somewhere, and it was the outside world?]
…those who left comments as if they knew something.
[└NIKAMOTO: Old man? What's that? Please share the information politely.]
[└Gareth: I was waiting in front of the portal to kill those Noark bastards when they came out, and an old man suddenly appeared and teleported them all away.]
[└Kni8htofroom: If you're going to lie, at least put some effort into it. How can you teleport that many people with Mass Teleport?]
[└Gareth: I don't know, and I don't even want to explain. Anyway, what am I supposed to do now? Ha, I chose the knight path because I thought the royal family would be better off. Is the royal family collapsing now?]
For reference, public opinion started to shift towards believing the post after this comment.
Because the royal forces who participated in the subjugation started appearing and testifying.
[└amulet: It's hard to believe, but it's true that they escaped through teleportation. I can say this for sure because I was there.]
[└kongkong2: This person has only been posting about the knights for years, right? Then this is all real?]
Testimonials from the royal family poured out as the post became a hot topic, and then people from Noark also started appearing.
[EXBlunt: Ah, the outside air is nice. So we're the winners after all, having gone down there?]
[xxfblz: Yeah, we're living well without magic stones. You guys can suffer while paying taxes.]
I also started to get confused.
I thought it was possible for the outside world to be fine. After all, I had also felt a sense of dissonance while watching the guards on the walls.
But there was one thing I couldn't understand.
'Why are they telling us this?'
It wasn't strange for there to be people from Noark in the community.
But why were they sharing their situation?
Because they thought it was their duty to help their fellow players?
'No, there's no way.'
If that were the case, I wouldn't have had to suffer and clear the path while trapped on the 1st floor.
They were completely silent back then.
They didn't even mention their ambush plan, even jokingly, and as a result, most of the explorers on the surface were wiped out.
And of course, many players were among them.
'…Then it's safe to assume that Noark ordered them to do this.'
They had a motive.
If they lied and said they had escaped to the outside world, it would help them avoid the royal family's pursuit—
'But if the outside world isn't fine, wouldn't the royal family find out anyway?'
I let out a deep sigh as I quickly encountered a contradiction.
"Ha, what the hell is going on?"
I couldn't hold back and left a comment.
[Elfnunna: I have one question for the people from Noark. If the outside world is really fine, and if you're really there, why are you telling us this now? You've been quiet until now.]
A notification soon popped up, indicating that a reply had been posted.
However…
[└FIREWORK: Wow, is that really Elfnunna? I'm raising a Fire Archer, can you give me some advice?]
[└bigfisher: He's not Elfnunna, he's Elfnuna.]
[└Bling0_0: But he might actually be the real one. I heard the original nickname can't be used anymore because someone took it and died.]
…there weren't any useful comments.
Geez, why are they only posting these kinds of things when I asked the Noark people?
'Tsk.'
I clicked my tongue and checked the time.
Surprisingly, only 10 minutes were left until the Round Table opened.
I had completely lost track of time while reading the comments that were being updated in real time.
'Right, I'll definitely get some useful information here.'
I stopped reading the comments and lay down on the bed to rest.
And I entered the Round Table as soon as it was time.
'Don't tell me he's not coming?'
I was worried that the Clown, who had been beaten up throughout the last gathering, might not attend…
…but fortunately, he was a persistent one.
"Mr. Lion, you're here too, pfft."
He's acting friendly again.
I casually acknowledged his greeting and sat down in my usual seat. The current participants were Goblin, Antler, Clown, and SoulQueens. For some reason, Fox wasn't there.
"That's strange. She's usually the first to arrive."
Goblin looked at me, expressing his doubt.
Well, I was the one who left with Fox and had a private conversation last time.
He must have thought something was going on.
"...."
But I also didn't know why Fox wasn't here yet, so I just kept my mouth shut.
After some time…
…it was almost time for the meeting to begin, and Fox still hadn't appeared.
But instead…
"Hoo?"
"So Crescent Moon wasn't dead?"
…Crescent Moon, who had caused much speculation by not attending the last gathering, appeared.
Thanks to that, the attention that was focused on Fox shifted to him.
"You're new. Nice to meet you. I came for the first time last time, so I still have a lot to learn."
SoulQueens, as expected of a natural social butterfly, approached him first and greeted him.
But Crescent Moon's condition was strange.
"...."
He should be interested in SoulQueens, who was new…
…but he just sat down without saying anything.
Was he always like this?
"Pfft, stop acting all serious. Just tell us what happened. Can't you see everyone is curious?"
The Clown then asked, and the other members didn't say anything about his rude behavior.
They were also curious.
What had happened to Crescent Moon.
"…I wasn't in the mood back then."
Crescent Moon briefly explained, as if the attention was uncomfortable. Although he didn't give any details, it wasn't difficult to understand what he meant.
After all, considering the situation…
And his subdued voice.
"It seems like you lost someone."
Antler clicked his tongue and muttered, and Crescent Moon didn't refute him.
Goblin then looked back and forth between the Clown and Crescent Moon, looking restless.
The reason was simple.
"Then it's a good thing you came. Maybe your enemy is here."
"What do you mean…?"
Crescent Moon didn't know since he wasn't at the last gathering.
What the Clown's identity was.
"Clown is the Corpse Collector."
Crescent Moon flinched as Antler revealed the information that was revealed back then, not hiding his hostility.
A brief silence followed.
"I see. Clown… so it was you…"
Crescent Moon then stared at the Clown.
But did he really lose someone because of Noark?
I could feel a chilling killing intent from his gaze.
However, the Clown just laughed as usual, having experienced worse.
"Pfft, so who are you going to kill?"
Crescent Moon stared at the Clown for a moment and then unclenched his fist.
His killing intent had also disappeared.
He knew.
That there was nothing he could do here, even though his enemy was right in front of him.
"I'll come find you someday."
His voice was calm and controlled.
The Clown scoffed after a brief pause.
"…Pfft, I'll be waiting."
Anyway, their personal conversation ended there.
"Well, the door is closed, so shouldn't we start now? I've been looking forward to this for a month!"
SoulQueens then forcefully raised the tension and led the meeting.
And so, the time to decide on the order began.
"Well, then I'll go first."
The Clown volunteered to go first.
Although they didn't say it out loud, I could feel that they were all looking forward to what he would say more than ever.
"This might be… exciting?"
The Clown said so, looking at us, and then fixed his gaze on Crescent Moon.
"You said you would come find me, but how are you planning to do that?"
"...."
"Everyone saw the forum, right? About how the outside world is fine, and how everyone from Noark went there."
The Clown then placed his hand on the jewel.
And he muttered briefly,
"That's all true."
The jewel on the round table emitted a green light as if to prove his words.