The few days I spent in the Lord's Castle felt like a dream.
Life here was a luxury I'd never experienced before. Every meal was a feast fit for a tycoon, and the beds were as soft as lying on clouds.
And if there was even the slightest discomfort, the maids would rush in with meticulous care to fix it. It was a perfect daily life, incomparable to my ordinary pre-possession days.
Today was the day I departed for my territory, Cheongam Fortress.
Cheongam Fortress was the largest territory in the mountainous region controlled by the Jin Gang Regiment, boasting a history of thousands of years.
"Now the real thing begins."
During my stay in the Lord's Castle, I'd planned relentlessly without rest.
From the perspective of a game veteran, the top priority right now was clear.
'Acquire a trait.'
Traits were like a lesser version of Supernatural Abilities.
In the game, every player started with at least a weak ability as a developer courtesy.
But in this world, Supernatural Abilities were innate talents determined at birth.
Most people in this world—precisely 80%—were born without them.
Ability users derogatorily called them "the powerless," but even they had a path to strength.
Creating traits.
The Fist King, one of Lunaria Empire's Five Kings, was a prime example. Born powerless, he honed basic martial arts to the extreme, earning the moniker Fist King.
His talent was extraordinary, of course, but his existence gave hope to all the powerless.
If Supernatural Abilities were innate gifts, traits were something anyone could earn through effort. And this world even had special-grade traits that surpassed abilities.
Conveniently, a mid-journey city on the way to Cheongam Fortress held exactly what I needed most.
A fateful encounter granting a special-grade trait.
Endless training in swordsmanship, spearmanship, or any field would yield traits like "Beginner Swordsmanship" or "Beginner Spearmanship."
But special-grade traits were on another level from those basic ones anyone could grind out.
They possessed destructive power rivaling abilities—truly transcendent traits.
"The problem is..."
Like in any fantasy tale, places with such fateful encounters were always danger zones, and this world was no exception.
I lacked the power to navigate that perilous path teeming with deadly creatures and traps.
The encounter I wanted required at least level 60 to challenge.
The lowest difficulty among special-grade trait encounters, but an impossible wall for level 1 me.
Level 60...
Apprentice knights in the Lord's Castle were level 40, formal knights level 50, escort knights level 60.
'So I need at least a mid-60s escort knight...'
If I were truly a regiment leader powerhouse, I wouldn't have these worries.
Regiment leaders were mostly early 90s powerhouses. Kain was late 80s. Balderic was probably late 90s. They had already transcended human limits.
But that didn't mean I could underestimate level 60s just because leaders were 90s.
Leaders were outliers to begin with, but level 60 was top-tier power in this world.
A single level 40 apprentice could overwhelm hundreds of civilians; a level 60 could crush hundreds of those level 40s in seconds.
The gap between levels was absolute.
'But will Balderic assign me an escort knight-level guard?'
She already saw me as regiment leader tier, so she probably wouldn't waste such high-end forces just to escort me to my territory.
'Hah, no point overthinking. That encounter is in a spot only I can find. If the escort's insufficient, I'll hire someone suitable once I reach the territory.'
I decided to take it easy.
The spot was undiscoverable by anyone but me anyway.
Assess the situation upon arrival, then act accordingly.
"Yeah, let's move on what I've already decided."
I rose from the bed and called for Ailin outside the room.
"I'm departing for my territory now."
"Understood. I'll inform Kain and let you know once preparations are complete."
'What preparations? Just assign an escort and send me off.'
Ailin bowed and swiftly left.
Moments later, Kain arrived personally.
Knock-knock.
"Lord Astra, preparations for your departure to the territory are complete."
"I'm coming out."
As I walked the corridors, maids and knights we passed bowed excessively, their eyes filled with fear.
Word of my clash with Kaiser at Tian Yi Hui must have spread.
'Haven really is Haven.'
The maids and knights came from incredibly diverse races.
Elves, beastkin, giants, even orcs. It was like a miniature continent.
Outside the castle, a single knight awaited politely.
A sleek elf knight.
"Lord Astra, I am Rowen, assigned to escort you to your territory."
"Looking forward to it."
A hidden perk of my ability: as long as they're within my Domain of the Absolute, I can perfectly gauge their strength, even if concealed.
'Around level 50.'
Balderic must have put some thought into it—sending a formal knight, not an apprentice.
Kain stepped forward.
"Lady Balderic conveys her regards."
"I see..."
I paused, surveying the Lord's Castle.
Scenery I'd only seen on monitors now unfolded before my eyes.
The situation was still grim, but as a gamer, part of me was thrilled.
"Kain, my time in Haven so far... has been intriguing."
Kain's face flickered with surprise before regaining his smile.
"I'm pleased to hear it. As I mentioned. Until we meet again at the next Tian Yi Hui."
I turned without another word and left the Lord's Castle behind.
"Let's go, Rowen."
"Yes."
'Next time, I'll return truly strong.'
I vowed inwardly as the Lord's Castle faded into the distance.
* * *
"Lady Balderic, it's Kain."
"Enter."
Clank.
As Kain entered, Balderic watched Astra's departure from the window.
"Jin Gang Regiment Leader Astra has departed for his territory."
"I can see that."
"..."
Balderic was his lord, the one he could devote everything to.
He didn't know why she gathered the strong or her ultimate goal. But he gave his all to fulfill her every desire.
In countless battlefields and victories, she'd never truly smiled—until her conversation with Astra at Tian Yi Hui, when she beamed for the first time.
Even Kain, ever at her side, had never seen such a genuine smile.
"Do you take a liking to Lord Astra?"
Balderic turned slowly from the window.
"I do. No better candidate exists."
She sat, gazing at Kain.
"Who'd have thought a powerhouse like Astra would be unattached."
Kain shared the sentiment.
How someone with such overwhelming power had remained unknown until now was the real mystery.
"He must have hidden it that well."
"Indeed... That's why you suggested it. Control so perfect even I couldn't sense it. Stronger than me, perhaps?"
Stronger than Balderic?
Having glimpsed a fragment of her power, Kain could answer confidently.
"Impossible. No one in this world surpasses Lady Balderic."
"That's what I think too."
The Lunaria Empire chimera incident had long faded from her mind. It was now filled solely with thoughts of Astra.
"Maybe he's a dragon in human guise. That would explain why I sensed no aura—they're living masses of mana, after all."
Silence fell briefly.
Kain gauged her expression before speaking cautiously.
"Lady Balderic... was there a special reason you spared Lord Astra at Tian Yi Hui?"
A question unthinkable under normal circumstances.
Balderic would never tolerate threats against Haven's leaders. Yet then, she had smiled genuinely—a first.
"Hm... Astra must truly be exceptional to make you act without orders and ask such things, Kain."
"My apologies."
Kain bowed his head.
"Astra... genuinely believed he could kill the leaders even with me there."
"Pardon? Even for Lord Astra..."
Disbelief colored Kain's voice.
"Yes, I agree. Killing a leader in my presence? Even all Five Kings together couldn't. No leader could."
Balderic's eyes deepened.
"But Astra believed it utterly. If it somehow happened... it'd be a massive loss for us. Moreover..."
A smile curved her lips again.
"His audacity was quite amusing."
Kain pondered his lord's words.
As one who knew her power best, Astra's boldness there had stunned him.
"Lady Balderic... do you have any guesses about Lord Astra's true nature?"
"Not yet..."
She gazed out the window, continuing.
"But one thing's clear: Astra is far more special than we realize."
"Special how...?"
"We'll watch slowly. See what path Astra treads... whether it aids or hinders my goals..."
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