Patron 62

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On the fifth day since departing for the royal capital, with about two days remaining until they reached Terea, the capital of Asteria, Alon was inside the carriage, reviewing a list.

“It might be best to take care of the others if possible.”

The list he was looking at was one he’d created over the past few days, detailing the villains from Psychedelia. 

They weren’t small-time criminals; these were the types that would cause real trouble if they started acting out.

“Thanks to Duke Altia and Count Zenonia conquering the underworld, a few of them have disappeared.”

Unfortunately, what Alon needed to be wary of in Psychedelia wasn’t so much the main underworld organizations, but the shadowy factions rooted within that world.

They wouldn’t show up at first, but once the player began acting, they’d suddenly appear and start causing chaos. 

These hidden organizations were strong, and there were several that posed a significant threat to his safety.

But it was unrealistic to deal with all of them just because they might be dangerous, so Alon decided to eliminate only the two most threatening groups.

“The Proxy and the Ghost Castle.”

In Alon’s experience playing, the Proxy and Ghost Castle weren’t particularly concerning when viewed from the player’s perspective in Psychedelia.

The Proxy, a small but elite group, was strong, but they only appeared if you followed a specific route.

As for Ghost Castle, it was similar—if you didn’t pursue the side quests in the Kingdom of Ashtalon, you wouldn’t encounter them.

However, the reason Alon considered these two groups to be the top priorities for elimination was that he was no longer a player but a noble of Asteria, and these organizations were plotting to overthrow the nation in the future.

Of course, Alon had never seen their plans succeed.

By the time those groups were diligently preparing their schemes, the Five Great Sins would appear, obliterating the kingdom, making any plan to overthrow it irrelevant.

But now, in this world where the Five Great Sins had already been eradicated, who knew what could happen?

Moreover, the Proxy and Ghost Castle were known to assassinate many nobles in pursuit of their goals, so Alon believed these two absolutely had to be dealt with.

“…….If you include the Empire, there’s also the Bone Eater.”

Alon glanced eastward, toward the Empire, then shrugged.

The Allied Kingdoms and the Empire were far apart, and most of the events happening in the Empire would be handled by the protagonist of that region.

“They said the in-game timeline is the same, so once the original story begins, the protagonist over in the Empire will start moving as well.”

While recalling faint memories from the past, Alon thought to himself unconsciously.

“The protagonist over there…………… was their name Palyan?”

The protagonist of the Empire.

To be precise, at the time when the original story of Psychedelia begins, a separate game by the same developers, ‘Calypsophobia’, would be progressing in the Empire.

In simple terms, ‘Psychedelia’ covers the events in the Allied Kingdoms, while ‘Calypsophobia’ focuses on the happenings in the vast neighboring Empire.

“Hmm…….”

Having thought this far, Alon stopped pondering any further.

He had only played the early part of ‘Calypsophobia’ before quitting, so he didn’t have much information. Besides, Alon didn’t need to concern himself with the Empire.

After all, the Empire and the Allied Kingdoms were strictly separated, and the only things they shared were a few items.

All the events in the Empire would be dealt with by Palyan, the protagonist of ‘Calypsophobia’, and their party.

Therefore, 

‘The Proxy and Ghost Castle…… How should I deal with these two?’

Alon sat in the carriage for a while, continuing to mull over the problem.

The next day arrived, and,

“Count, you can see Terea in the distance. We’re almost there.”

“Did we arrive a day early?”

“Yes, thankfully we made it with some time to spare.”

At Evan’s words, Alon glanced out the window at the scenery of Terea. 

Although he had seen it before, Terea’s landscape was still as grand as ever.

High, sturdy walls befitting the image of a nation’s capital.

As he gazed at it absentmindedly, Alon clicked his tongue.

If he had come to simply tour the capital, his heart would have felt rich and expansive, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

“I hope nothing major happens.”

As Alon gradually entered the inner part of Terea, he unknowingly wished that while watching the passing street scenes.

Of course, he wasn’t really expecting things to go smoothly.

After all, the fact that the Queen had specifically summoned Alon meant that there was something special he needed from him, and it was highly likely that it was related to Kalpha.

‘………..Will things flow as I want them to?

In fact, Alon had thought of a rather decent plan on his way to the capital this time.

‘If the Queen mentions expanding my power here, I could pretend to be swayed a bit, reduce Kalpha’s influence slightly… and then keep pulling strings, maintaining a balance of power between the factions…’

It was merely a fantasy of his, without any advice from others or consideration of the current situation, but it was still one of the better ideas he could come up with at the moment.

In the first place, no matter what, it wasn’t a situation where he could openly oppose the Queen, so if things went that way, there was a high chance that Alon’s moderate involvement in factional maneuvering could prove useful.

“Sigh.”

He let out a soft sigh as he saw the royal palace drawing closer.

***

Late at night.

Despite it being a night where the moon hung high in the sky, Radan had not yet gone to bed and was waiting in his office.

The reason was that tonight was the regular meeting of the Blue Moon.

Although the meeting was still 20 minutes away, most of the members of the Blue Moon, except for Deus, had already gathered.

It wasn’t because something special had happened.

It was just that all members of the Blue Moon were always required to gather 30 minutes before a meeting.

In fact, the fact that Deus hadn’t yet shown up with only 20 minutes left until the meeting was a bit unusual, but something even more peculiar was happening.

[We’re getting married!]

[I told you last time, no!]

[We’re getting married!]

[I said no!]

Unlike the usual silent meetings, Yutia and Seolrang had been arguing for over 10 minutes before the meeting even started.

[Why not! You don’t have the right to stop me!]

[Still, the answer is no!]

[This is unfair!]

Seolrang was adamantly insisting on getting married, while Yutia was desperately trying to stop her.

Radan, watching this, thought to himself, ‘If she’s that determined, wouldn’t it be better to just secretly get married and report it afterward?’

But then again, ‘That might be tough.’

Considering Yutia’s personality and her unique fanaticism, no one could predict how she would react afterward, so Radan remained silent.

Time passed quietly as they continued to argue.

[Rine! Yutia is being so unfair!]  

With about 5 minutes remaining until the meeting, Seolrang, looking extremely upset, sought help. Radan turned his gaze toward Rine, but…

She appeared deep in thought, as if she hadn’t even heard Seolrang’s plea.  

Seeing this, Radan shrugged his shoulders.  

He hadn’t expected Rine to respond to Seolrang’s complaint anyway.  

However…

[Don’t take it too personally, Seolrang. Yutia has been assisting the Great Moon for much longer than any of us.]  

Radan’s face showed surprise at Rine’s unexpected words. He knew well that during the previous meeting, she hadn’t intervened in their argument, deeming it unworthy of her involvement.  

[Eh~!]  

[See? Just listen quietly.]  

To be honest, Radan didn’t fully grasp how Yutia’s long service to the Great Moon related to the current situation.  

Nevertheless, seeing Rine show such a surprisingly fresh attitude, he relaxed a bit.

[Oh, now that I think of it, Yutia, I have a suggestion.]  

[Huh? What is it?]  

Perhaps feeling good about Rine taking her side, Yutia gave a pleasant smile, and Rine proposed an idea.  

[I was thinking of sending my own report soon, what do you think?]  

[Is that necessary? I’ve already summarized everything from your team and sent it.]  

[I know, but I wanted to report something regarding ‘Eye of the Tracker.'”]  

[If it’s about that, you could just tell me-]  

Yutia maintained her smile. However…

[Wouldn’t it be better if I delivered it directly rather than going through you?]  

As Rine continued, Yutia’s previously bright smile began to fade.  

[I’ve always handled the reports well so far, haven’t I?]  

[But this is about ‘Eye of the Tracker.’ I’d like to speak personally on that matter, as well as give my own report.]  

…..

[!]  

[!]  

Both Radan and Seolrang were shocked when they saw Rine smile slightly as she spoke.  

Despite spending over 8 years together since childhood, neither of them had ever seen Rine smile before.  

They were stunned for a moment.

[Eheh-!]  

[?]  

[?]  

[?]  

[Ah, excuse me, I just thought of something amusing.]  

As Rine suddenly smiled even wider, baring her fangs, everyone was left dumbfounded.

‘…………Could there be some sort of hypnotic artifact from the Great Moon at work?’ 

Seeing how drastically Rine had changed, Radan couldn’t help but think that.  

It was understandable—since meeting the Great Moon, both Seolrang and Rine had undergone significant changes, much like Deus had before them.  

Their reverence for the Great Moon had become almost as fervent as Yutia’s, leading Radan to seriously consider whether the Great Moon possessed some kind of hypnotic artifact.  

Just as everyone was still reeling from Rine’s unusual grin…  

[Sorry, I’m a bit late.]  

Deus entered, right on time for the Blue Moon’s regular meeting.  

He briefly looked confused by the sight of the other members, who all had blank expressions on their faces, but quickly gathered his thoughts.  

[I apologize, but I need to urgently share something before the meeting begins.]  

As he spoke, the rest of the members, snapping out of their daze, turned their full attention to him.  

[It seems that an organization called ‘The Proxy’ is targeting the Great Moon.]  

At his words…  

[Huh?]  

[What?]  

[What did you say?]  

[Excuse me, what?]  

Everyone’s eyes lit up with intensity, each reacting strongly to the revelation.

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Copy 35

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In an already bizarre situation, the masked person immediately flung open the window. Light poured into the dark, windowless room. As Aiden squinted and looked outside, judging by the view, it was undoubtedly a skyscraper, almost reminiscent of a tower.

Despite being at such a high place, the masked person, gazing down at the ground, let out a faint groan.

“…Lionheart?”

Even from afar, there was something unmistakable that caught the eye.

Amidst the low, dreary buildings, a single woman walked, emanating a dense, almost mist-like aura of pure white energy. There was no mistaking it — a unique ability, symbolized by the pure white aura of Lionheart.

And as she approached with each step, the size of the energy cloud spreading like mist continued to grow.

By now, the aura had spread so widely that it seemed to cover everything around her, exuding an overwhelming pressure just by its presence.

With each step, an entire city block trembled. The frameworks and exteriors of buildings, crushed under the force of her ability, groaned and shook.

“…Mom?”

Someone, almost unconsciously, muttered those words, struck by the overwhelming spectacle that left onlookers dizzy.

A walking powerhouse. A one-woman army. The Empire’s foremost initiator of battle, charging first into any battlefield.

Witnessing her in this state made it impossible not to understand why all these titles were attributed to one person.

“…You, just called her your wife after seeing that. Are you, by any chance, Lionheart’s husband?”

“Isn’t it obvious? So listen to me even now…”

“But.”

The masked person spoke with smug satisfaction.

“Even if she’s Lionheart, it won’t be easy for her to rescue you.”

While Aiden let out a sigh, close to despair, the masked person continued with another smug statement.

“This building is reinforced with every possible measure. Even a massive monster wouldn’t easily bring it down.”

There was a note of pride in his voice, suggesting he was genuinely confident in the building’s defenses. And it wasn’t just empty words; they wouldn’t have skimped on security, especially as people who, under the protection of the Emperor and the Chief Administrator, managed to pull all sorts of things into the capital.

It wouldn’t be strange if their headquarters were fully equipped with all sorts of defenses.

But.

“That’s because we’re talking about a massive monster.”

Aiden remained skeptical of their opinion.

And rightly so.

“That’s *Lionheart*, after all.”

And the ensuing events followed the exact flow one would expect from that statement.

In the original game, the character Noel Astria Simus was always portrayed as possessing a combat prowess that ranked at the highest level, regardless of the situation or environment.

In a world filled with monstrous figures, she couldn’t be declared the strongest outright, but it was undeniable that she was a fearsome force respected wherever she went.

And, that also meant—

It was evident that, in this situation, there was no way to stop her head-on.

“Hey, if a woman comes alone to a place like this…”

One thug, who was about to make a snide comment, clammed up in horror.

In the capital’s black market, various kinds of dangerous individuals were present, yet the moment they saw Noel walking slowly down the main street, they didn’t even think about provoking her; instead, they hurriedly ran away in terror. If one recalled how Katia had been treated when she came here before, this was a surprising sight. But upon seeing the aura that Noel was emitting, anyone would have a similar reaction.

It was like facing a massive, enraged beast. Even if they only encountered a fragment of that feeling, it would be enough.

Noel’s gaze was fixed on one of the highest buildings in the capital’s black market. It was the location Katia had told her about where Aiden was being held.

Noel came to a halt. And with that alone, a deep, booming sound, like a bomb exploding, resonated through the surroundings.

“Ugh…”

As she controlled her breathing, pure white energy infused her vocal cords. To those nearby, it might have sounded like she was whispering to someone, but to those inside the tower, it would echo louder than a megaphone.

Her mastery over her energy was remarkably refined.

“I don’t know who you are.”

And as she spoke, with a hostility that felt as if it could tear skin, there was something in her tone that went beyond simple fear, striking a different kind of emotion in the hearts of her listeners.

“I don’t know what your intentions are either.”

The air rumbled. Just from her words, a murderous pressure bore down from all sides, enough to make any faint-hearted person lose consciousness.

“But I do know who you’ve taken. Return my husband. Then…”

Then came the words,

“I’ll let you live.”

Her voice fell like frost.

The people inside the tower exchanged glances.

A rapid exchange of silent understanding followed, at least showing they weren’t slow to react.

“…Victory?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then, at least stall for time. Pour everything into it.”

Frankly speaking, given the aura Noel was emitting now, one would have to admit the courage it took to make such a response.

As if in response to her ultimatum, dozens of iron pillars flew toward her, landing near her body.

Suppression posts. The same items that had been used on Katia before. These items weaken the abilities of anyone within the boundary. They had proven effective against Katia, who wielded monstrous levels of power.

The problem was—

The Empire’s strongest knight standing before them was called the strongest for a reason.

!!

The aura hovering around her body condensed into a single point in an instant. And before the suppression posts could even begin to resonate, her pure white energy gathered around the iron pillars, taking form as if to wrap around them.

Then, with a forceful grip, Noel clenched her fist. Her pure white energy began to spin fiercely in sync with her gesture.

Immediately—

Those treasures, crafted and refined by top-tier sorcerers, splintered in a single instant.

Snap—as if twisting straw, she crushed them all.

Inside the tower, the people’s jaws dropped as they watched.

Despite having doubled the quantity they had used during the previous attack on Katia, seeing her nullify it all in a heartbeat left them speechless.

“How powerful must her output be…?”

Though energy, compared to other abilities, is advantageous for generating output, performing a similar feat would require an amount of physical force akin to uprooting an entire small house.

Doing that… without any vow to the gods or even any special movement?

“You… you’ve got to be kidding—”

“Stop gawking and pour everything into it!”

“But all of this equipment was specifically requested by the client…”

“If we can’t make it out of here, we’re dead anyway. Now isn’t the time to worry about the aftermath!”

“Even if we want to use it, we need time! Somehow, we have to stop that woman from getting closer…!”

Just the desperate screams alone made it clear how incredible her previous display of skill had been. Those who had remained calm suddenly fell into chaos.

And as always, people make the worst decisions in the midst of chaos.

“Then let’s use this. After all, her target is this guy, right?”

Someone pointed at Aiden and made the suggestion.

…No, no, wait. That’s really a terrible idea—!

“Do it! Tell her we’ll kill him if she gets any closer!”

But before Aiden could even protest, someone dragged him, still bound to his chair, over to the window.

“Damn it, come any closer and I’ll cut his throat right here and—”

However, before he could finish the sentence, Noel’s eyes locked onto the bloodied, disheveled Aiden.

‘Oh no.’ 

It was over.

Even from a distance, Aiden saw the murderous intent flare in Noel’s gaze and instinctively felt those words.

As if a crimson flame had ignited, a ferocious intensity burned in her eyes.

“律 (Ritual).”

Quietly, the vow of her code slipped from her lips.

The pure white aura, already radiating around her, grew even stronger.

Then—

The scene itself seemed to be crushed in an instant.

At least, that’s how it appeared. It was as if the entire visible world sank downward, overwhelmed by her presence.

Even though they weren’t her direct targets, the people nearby collapsed, screaming as their legs gave way.

“I swear.”

And the moment her words finished, the aura around her condensed into a single point. The pressure that felt as if it were crushing the world itself coalesced around the sword her hand rested on, creating a momentary vacuum.

“To instill fear in my enemies.”

Her sword was drawn, and with a light motion, Noel sliced the air, scattering sword energy.

—The very space twisted.

“Wh…what?”

Someone inside the tower uttered a dumbfounded sound as they watched the scene. Perhaps it was simply because they couldn’t grasp what was happening. They were probably wondering, ‘What on earth is she doing?’

It wasn’t their fault.

The following scene was something unimaginable for a human being.

In the next instant, the ceiling began to tilt. Dirt and debris trickled down from above.

Then—

“Ah.”

As someone uttered that final sound like a death rattle, panic broke out in the room.

“Ah, ah, ahhh—!”

People screamed, rolling in all directions as the entire room tilted.

At last, everyone began to understand what was happening.

—The entire tower.

It was twisting, collapsing.

The enormous spire, so tall that one had to crane their neck to see it, had been reinforced with every protective measure imaginable, just recently boasted about with pride. Yet, with a single light strike of her sword, as if chopping vegetables with a kitchen knife, it was cleanly sliced at a diagonal.

‘Who… just who am I engaged to?’

That thought crossed Aiden’s mind as chaos erupted around him. Given the dizzying height, people were screaming, scrambling not to fall outside. They clung to window frames, iron bars, and anything they could grab to avoid plummeting.

Amid this mayhem, the person responsible for it all leapt swiftly toward him.

When Noel landed on the still-unstable floor, the faces of those nearby turned pale. To them, she must have looked like the Grim Reaper incarnate.

And it wasn’t entirely an off-target impression.

With blazing red flames in her eyes, Noel scanned her surroundings, then lifted her sword again. A fierce killing intent, so strong it felt like it could tear skin, emanated from her.

Those who saw this likely found themselves reflecting on their lives, knowing that their arrogance had led them here…

“Lady Noel, Lady Noel! No, you can’t kill them!”

It was at this moment that someone unexpectedly ran forward and clung to her, stopping her from moving.

Having somehow freed himself from his bindings, Aiden lunged toward Noel, grabbing onto her like a piggyback.

As soon as Noel realized it was Aiden, she stiffened, turning to look at him.

“…Aiden?”

“Please, just calm down! I’m fine, really!”

The killing aura dissipated. The fiery blaze in her eyes vanished in an instant.

Instead, her expression softened dramatically, her face drained of any trace of that fierce intensity. Now, she looked more fragile and tender, almost as if she were a teenage girl witnessing her first love in distress.

“Are… are you alright?”

The realm of married life is indeed a strange one. The woman who had just been like a ferocious warrior transformed into someone so gentle that the masked men, who had just seen their lives flash before their eyes, couldn’t help but notice the drastic change.

“Oh, yes, I’m just a bit badly injured.”

At this, Noel’s gaze swept over Aiden’s face.

His face was caked in blood, with droplets trickling down, soaking his clothes.

“…”

A spark of red flame flickered in Noel’s eyes again, welling up as if about to ignite.

As she raised her sword once more, Aiden, horrified, clung to her with all his strength.

“I told you, I’m fine!”

It took several more minutes for Noel to fully calm down.

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Patron 61

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In ‘Somehow, I Became the Head of the Underworld’,

Alon, from ‘I Just Breathed and Became the King of the Underworld’, held onto his dizzy thoughts and pondered.

‘Did I really give that order…?… When on earth?’

While Duke Altia stood with her head bowed, Alon, deep in thought, finally let out a soft exclamation.

‘Ah.’

-Let’s start by cleaning up the underworld. 

He realized, recalling that he had indeed said something along those lines after giving it some thought.

‘Wait, isn’t it normal to take that statement as meaning we just get rid of a few unnecessary thugs? Not this level of cleanup…’

But what truly shocked him was not that Duke Altia misunderstood his words, but that they actually cleared out the entire underworld of the Asteria Kingdom.

‘Is this… even possible?’

Of course, Alon knew that Duke Altia and Count Zenonia would become major figures in the shadows of Asteria in the future. But still…

For them to completely dominate Asteria’s underworld like this was practically impossible.

In the game, the underworld of Asteria was recognized as one of the largest ‘dark forces’ alongside the Kingdom of Ashtalon in the United Kingdoms. Most of the underground organizations active in the United Kingdoms were rooted in these two areas.

In other words, Asteria’s underworld had countless organizations. For them to have taken control would mean they must have wiped out all those organizations, which seemed unimaginable.

‘Did they really wipe them all out?’

With a heart full of doubts, Alon asked cautiously.

“Yes,” came her response, her head nodding with such strong conviction that Alon momentarily fell silent before managing to speak again.

“You must have gone through a lot.”

“No, it was thanks to you, Count, for taking care of both the royalists and the nobles.”  

“The royalists and the nobles?”

“Yes, since you detained the heads of both factions, the cleanup went much more smoothly.”  

Alon wanted to say, ‘Wasn’t it you guys who handled that, not me?’, but that thought only lasted a moment.

“So, as you ordered, we have conquered the underworld. What should we do next?”  

Duke Altia’s words left Alon speechless. In truth, he had no plan whatsoever.

The only reason Alon suggested cleaning up the underworld in the first place was that it seemed the most plausible and something that would take a long time.

‘I never imagined it would be finished this quickly.’

As Alon pondered what to say next to Duke Altia, the duke spoke again.

“Perhaps next, the Queen…?”

“…The Queen?”

“Yes, now that our forces have grown, it’s time to move.”

After hearing that, Alon gave his next order.

“For now, let’s maintain the current state.”

With that command, the communication device was deactivated, and he quietly thought.

“At this point, it would indeed make sense for the Queen to start moving.”

Although Asteria was a kingdom where the nobles essentially controlled everything, it was still a monarchy, with a Queen at the helm.

Asteria’s 8th monarch, Cretinia Siyan. She was the 8th queen of Asteria, and despite the chaos caused by the nobles running rampant, she had held onto significant power without directly managing the kingdom’s affairs or participating in political games.

The reason was none other than the unique ability possessed by the royal bloodline of Asteria, and more precisely, by Cretinia Siyan herself: the ‘Golden Eye of History’ (금사안).

‘…Well, despite the name ‘Golden Eye’, it wasn’t actually a power related to vision.’

The ‘Golden Eye of History’ that Alon knew was simply named after the royal family’s naturally striking golden eyes, but the inherited power itself was quite simple. It allowed the wielder to pass on their strength across generations. Like transferring game data, this special power could be handed down to the next generation, and while its explanation was simple, it was an incredibly potent ability. 

The more generations the power passed through, the stronger it became, granting the royal family enough strength to maintain the monarchy without needing to engage in political schemes. Additionally, nobles naturally became more cautious and avoided crossing the line.

‘As far as I know, Cretinia Siyan simply doesn’t act because she finds it too bothersome,’ Alon thought, recalling the indifferent, almost emotionless expression she wore in the game’s illustrations. 

‘Considering how much has happened, there could be some resistance, but based on her personality, she might just let it slide.’

He recalled the way she behaved in the game, where she mostly only intervened when one of the ‘Five Great Sins’ descended on Asteria. During those times, she briefly joined the player’s party and displayed tremendous power. But aside from those rare moments, she showed little interest in the affairs of her kingdom. Her indifference was so extreme that players even had a running joke, treating her more like a guardian dragon than a monarch.

With that in mind, Alon decided to relax. However, the next day…

Ssshhh.

While continuing his magical research and pondering over a question he hadn’t been able to answer—’Who was the being that whispered to him during the battle against the Outer God?’—he was eating a sweet potato when Evan interrupted him.

“Count, are you eating sweet potatoes again?”

“Do you want one?”

“If there’s any left… Actually, no. You’ve received an important letter.”

Evan handed him the letter, lightly brushing the snow from his head. It was sealed with the royal family’s crest.

“This is…”

“It seems that one month from now… at the start of the new year, the royal palace will be holding its first ball in five years. And…”

“There’s more?”

“Yes. The messenger who delivered the letter said the Queen personally requested that Count Palatio attend.”

Hearing this, Alon let out a soft sigh, “Ah…”

And exactly one month later, after receiving the royal family’s letter and fully recovering from his five-month-long battle with mana addiction, Alon found himself once again contemplating how to make up for his lack of mana reserves.

“Count.”

“Yes.”

He boarded the carriage heading to the royal palace to attend the ball.

“I’ll stop by the royal family, visit the desert labyrinth, and then return.”

It was a long journey ahead, his first trip in quite a while.

***

In a dark cave near Caliban, three figures stood. One was a man wrapped head to toe in bandages, covered with strange markings. The second was a woman with a grotesque circuit tattoo covering half her face. And the last was a man carrying two kama on his back.

“Salgui, is everything ready for the spirit summoning?”  

the man asked, looking at the two.

“What’s there to prepare? It’s just the three of us. If we’re going, it’s already done,” replied the woman, Ju-ryeong, casually shrugging her shoulders with confidence.

“I’m the same. Do we really need to prepare?”  

The man called Salgui also responded in a relaxed tone.

“Just prepare, in case.”  

“Oh wow, I didn’t know you could be this cautious, boss. For someone who’s killed several royals and more than two Sword Masters, aren’t you being a bit too scared?”  Ju-ryeong snickered.

“Well, I did hear that Deus Macallian is somewhat special. It seems he defeated Reinhardt.”  

“So what? The three of us together could handle Reinhardt easily.”  

The man sighed lightly as he listened to their conversation.

If anyone else had made such a remark, he might have laughed at them. But knowing the history of these two, he didn’t think they were being arrogant. Everyone present had taken down at least one Master Knight on their own, making them formidable in their own right.

Nevertheless, he warned them against underestimating their enemy. 

“Don’t be too complacent. Defeating Reinhardt means he’s stronger than that.”

His words made Salgui and Ju-ryeong pause, wiping away the playful smirks they had worn just moments before.

“Well, if you say so.”  

“Let’s finish this as quickly as possible.”  

“Since it’s not a frontal assault but an ambush, we can probably deal with him without even needing to fight.”  

As Ju-ryeong and Salgui discussed their plan seriously, the man quietly infiltrated the central district of Kirdam, the capital of Caliban, where Deus was located.

It wasn’t long before the three agents made their way into Deus Macallian’s mansion.

And then—

“Who are you?”  

Upon entering the mansion, they immediately saw Deus Macallian standing against the backdrop of the blue moon. 

All three agents frowned in unison, as none of them had sensed his presence.

The fact that they hadn’t noticed him meant that they could have been ambushed at any moment. Yet, instead of attacking, Deus had calmly appeared before them. This suggested that as a Master Knight, he had already gauged their strength and was confident enough to face them head-on.

“Do you really think it’s wise to reveal yourself so easily? That might have been your last chance to live,”  Ju-ryeong asked, frowning slightly.

“An assassin?”  Deus asked indifferently.

“And if I am?”  

“I see.”   Ju-ryeong smiled fiercely as tension filled the air, but Deus remained unbothered.

“In that case, I’ll just kill you.”  

He declared flatly, swinging his sword with a calm, expressionless face.

Exactly five minutes later…

“Damn it…”  

The three agents stood frozen, staring at Deus in shock.

Despite expecting to take down a single Master Knight without much trouble, the battle had gone entirely differently. Even though it was three against one, they had only managed to fight Deus to a draw. In fact, they were starting to be pushed back little by little.

‘What kind of monster is he?’  

The man looked at Deus in disbelief. Based on what he knew, Deus Macallian had become a Master Knight only two or three years ago, and his rank wasn’t particularly high. When rumors spread recently that he had defeated Reinhardt, the man assumed luck had played a part.

But now, in this moment, he realized how foolish that assumption had been.

“I propose we negotiate,”  the man offered.

“Negotiate?”  

“Yes, our original target wasn’t you, but Count Palatio.”  

Of course, they were well aware that Deus had a strong relationship with Count Palatio. However, given the current situation, the man decided to reveal this fact.

‘No matter how much of a monster he is, if the three of us fight him to the death, even he must realize he would have to gamble with his life.’

The man subtly examined Deus’s body. Although there were no major injuries, he could see small cuts scattered across him, indicating that Deus was not entirely unscathed and couldn’t afford to remain complacent.

‘No matter how loyal someone is, if their own life is at stake, they’ll change their tune.’

“If you give us the information we want about Count Palatio, we’ll withdraw immediately. We won’t come after you again. But if you refuse…”

The man added in a voice as low as a whisper,  “Our comrades will come after you, day or night.”  

It was a blatant threat, but the man said nothing more. He knew there was no need to explain further to someone who could perceive strength as clearly as Deus could.  

And then, it happened.  

“…?”  

The man stared ahead in confusion. The scene before him hadn’t changed much. Yet, one thing was different.  

‘…!?’  

Beneath the blue moonlight, he suddenly saw thin, violet threads glowing brightly, now visible in his line of sight. These threads, like a spider’s web, had enveloped the entire mansion—or more precisely, filled his entire field of vision. They were coiled around not only him but also around Salgui and Ju-ryeong.

At that moment,  

“What—!”  

“What is this—!!”  

Everyone there began to move.  

Salgui gripped his axe, Ju-ryeong clutched the kama in her right hand, and the man raised the sword in his left hand—each one pointing their weapons toward their own necks.  

“This is… damned!!”  

“Stop, STOP!!”  

“Aaaargh—!!”  

The intruders, all with horrified expressions, desperately struggled to move their bodies, trying to resist the uncontrollable force.  

But it was too late. Ensnared by the violet threads, they moved like puppets, controlled by an unseen puppeteer, as their weapons were slowly pressed against their own throats, regardless of their will.  

“No, NO! Please, no!!!”  

“Please, pleaaseee!!!”  

Their terror-filled screams echoed briefly—until…  

Squelch!

In the end, they each severed their own lives with their own hands. Red blood trickled down the violet threads.  

And the last thing the man saw, as he too drove his sword into his neck, marking the end of his life, was…  

“Don’t ever say such things in my presence again.”  

A pair of eerie, glowing violet eyes.

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Round 187

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Today was finally the day Ara was shooting her commercial. 

Time seemed to be flying by these days. 

The location was the same as last time—Yeouido. 

After a brief meeting, they were planning to move to a nearby studio. 

“Vroom vroom!” 

As soon as they parked, Ara jumped out with an excited look on her face. 

Seeing Ara like this, Seon-ah smiled warmly. 

“The concept for this commercial is a mukbang, right?” 

“It’s what Ara does best.” 

This commercial was for Iron Blood Food’s Seolleongtang meal kit. 

The shoot was simple—just eating Seolleongtang with Seo Ye-eun. 

‘Is this really okay?’ 

Honestly, I thought there would be some acting or action involved, but they just said to eat, and they would take care of the rest, which made me wonder. 

They know what they’re doing, right? 

They’re professionals, so my doubts wouldn’t change anything. 

As we went up through the underground parking lot, we saw Seo Ye-eun’s manager waiting for us. 

“Welcome. Please follow me.” 

“Yes.” 

As we followed, a small conference room came into view, where Seo Ye-eun was already there, eating something. 

“Hello?” 

“Oh, you’re here? Hi, Ara!” 

Unlike when she greeted us, Seo Ye-eun directed a high-pitched dolphin-like squeal at Ara. 

It seemed Seo Ye-eun had also become a fan of Ara. 

“I’ve been enjoying your videos lately. I wish you would post more often.” 

“Oh, I’ve been a bit busy lately, so the videos have been less frequent. I’m thinking of hiring an editor.” 

Given that Seon-ah spends every day researching monsters in our dungeon, it made sense she had little time. 

Still, she managed to edit videos on her laptop in her spare time—such a diligent Seon-ah. 

“Right. You’re busy enough as it is, so hire an editor. You’ve got plenty of footage anyway, right?” 

“What about the money?” 

“Huh?” 

“The money to hire an editor?” 

“Why are you asking me? Don’t you earn money from YouTube?” 

As the sibling argument threatened to start up again, Seo Ye-eun and her manager broke into a cold sweat. 

“Ahem! Ahem! Everyone, focus. Today, I’m shooting a commercial.” 

“Yes, yes, our Ara needs to shoot her commercial! Aww, so cute.” 

Thankfully, Ara’s intervention brought about a temporary truce. 

It was amusing to see Seon-ah’s face quickly soften. 

“We’ll talk with the advertiser here for a bit, and then we’ll head to the studio. I think everything is set up, so we just need to go.” 

No sooner had the manager finished speaking than someone opened the door and walked in. 

The man, who appeared to be in his early forties, checked our faces before greeting us with a bright expression. 

“Hello? I’m Kim Jung-hyun, Marketing Manager at Iron Blood Food.” 

“Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Lee Kyu-seong, Ara’s guardian. This is my sister, Lee Seon-ah, who manages Ara’s YouTube channel.” 

“Hello.” 

He briefly greeted Seo Ye-eun and her manager, who seemed to already know him, and then took a seat. 

“The commercial we’ll be filming today will be a 30-second clip of eating Seolleongtang. No acting, sound effects, or editing—just eating.” 

“Is that really okay?” 

“That’s the concept for this commercial. In fact, our internal planning team gave it a positive response. Let’s head to the studio and take a look.” 

We got up immediately and headed to the studio. 

The studio building wasn’t far away, and as the manager said, everything was already prepared.

“Each of you will shoot about one minute of eating separately, and then we’ll shoot another minute of you eating together.”

“That sounds simple.”

“Not really. Since there’s no acting involved, we might need to shoot more eating scenes. By the way, how much can Ara eat?”

Kim Jung-hyun glanced at Ara with slight concern. Seeing his worry, Seon-ah and I exchanged looks.

“Our Ara eats very well.”

“I eat a lot!”

“There’s no need to worry. She can easily eat the amount for almost ten adults… no, even thirty.”

“I can eat a lot!”

Hearing me and Ara, Kim Jung-hyun looked confused and then glanced at Seon-ah for confirmation. Seon-ah smiled and nodded.

“I’m not kidding; she really does eat well. Our Ara is a physical type, after all…”

“Ah! That’s right! Ara is a physical-type awakener.”

She was known to the public as a physical-type awakener. Of course, the guild and the Awakening Headquarters were aware that Ara was actually a somewhat unique slime and my familiar.

“Then there’s no need to worry!”

“Shouldn’t we be more concerned about Ms. Ye-eun?”

“Ms. Ye-eun will be fine, haha.”

At Kim Jung-hyun’s words, Seon-ah and I both looked over at Seo Ye-eun. She blushed and scratched her head with a shy smile.

“Well, I eat quite a bit too, hehe.”

“Is that so…”

She didn’t seem like it, but if Kim Jung-hyun wasn’t concerned, she must be quite the unexpected big eater.

At that moment, a savory and mild scent wafted through the air.

“Seolleongtang.”

“Ooooh! Delicious!”

Come to think of it, Ara had never tried seolleongtang before. She had tasted dishes like soybean paste soup and kimchi stew, thanks to Mom, but this was her first time with soup rice dishes.

“Ara, this is your first time having seolleongtang, right?”

“Yep!”

“Let’s make sure you try all the foods you haven’t eaten yet.”

Even though my cooking is delicious, I wanted her to experience a variety of foods.

Looking back, it didn’t make sense that I hadn’t introduced her to soup rice dishes like seolleongtang yet. I felt a bit guilty.

“Shall we head to the set? Let’s do a quick rehearsal.”

A table and chairs, stark against the red background symbolizing Iron Blood, were set up, with empty bowls placed on the table.

“You just need to sit here and eat deliciously.”

“Okay!”

Ara quickly sat down and nodded eagerly, picking up her spoon with eyes full of anticipation.

“When can I start eating?”

“Haha, you’re really enthusiastic! Should we start with Ara? Originally, we planned to have Ms. Ye-eun do a demonstration first, but what do you think?”

“We’re fine with that.”

We could wait and see how Seo Ye-eun did first, but I had faith in Ara. I believed that she could handle this mukbang with ease!

“Okay, let’s get the seolleongtang ready!”

People began moving busily, preparing for the shoot. The freshly heated seolleongtang was soon placed in front of Ara.

“Ooooh!!”

Seon-ah and I watched from a bit of a distance. I worried that Ara might get nervous, but it seemed like that concern was unnecessary. Ara’s eyes were glued to the seolleongtang, and she seemed focused solely on eating.

“Let’s start. Cameras rolling!”

As the filming began and the director gave the signal, Ara firmly gripped her spoon and started eating the seolleongtang.

With a deliberate yet efficient posture, she quickly finished off the bowl of seolleongtang.

“Cut! Cut! Hold on, you’re eating faster than I expected.”

“Please prepare more seolleongtang!”

It only took Ara about 10 seconds to finish the bowl, which was far too short for the minute-long scene.

“Ara, can you eat a bit slower?”

“Sure!”

“That’s our Ara. Go for it!”

I cheered her on with a small fist pump, and Ara responded enthusiastically with a cheer of her own.

The seolleongtang was quickly refilled, and the shoot resumed.

Slurp! 

A sip of broth first.

Then, she scooped a large spoonful of rice and took a big bite.

Her firm, chewing mouth and plump cheeks.

Gulp.

Watching her swallow, it made everyone else’s mouth water.

Gulp.

Huh? That last sound wasn’t from Ara, though.

Looking around, I noticed that everyone had started licking their lips.

“The response is already great!”

And when I looked to the side, the next one up for filming, Seo Ye-eun, was staring blankly at Ara while repeatedly swallowing her saliva.

Scratch, scratch.

The sound of an empty bowl being scraped was heard.

Ara then showed her empty bowl and asked,  

“Can I have another bowl?!”

“Cut! Cut! Oh, I was so engrossed in watching.”

The director finally shouted in a hurry.

Ara’s shoot was repeated once more, and then yet again.

“We’ll pick the best one out of these, and although they said there wouldn’t be much editing, they’ll likely do some cutting and piecing together.”

The manager explained next to us.

After about eight takes, it was Seo Ye-eun’s turn.

“That was delicious. I want to eat more.”

“There will be more chances to eat during the next shoot.”

“Okay!”

Eight bowls weren’t nearly enough to fill our Ara’s stomach. But since there was still a scene where they’d be eating together, she could fill up more.

“Oh, nice, very nice.”

Despite her appearance, Seo Ye-eun also ate with great relish. 

And having just watched Ara’s shoot, she seemed even hungrier.

Thanks to this, the shoot moved smoothly to the next scene.

“Ms. Ye-eun only needed three takes. Professionals really are different.”

“Oh! It’s not that Ara needed many takes because she wasn’t doing well. It’s just that so many good scenes kept coming out that the director got greedy.”

“That’s a relief.”

The next scene had them sitting side by side, eating seolleongtang together. But still, no lines or acting—just eating.

Slurp!

Gulp, gulp.

Nom, nom.

Watching the two of them empty their bowls so deliciously made me hungry just by watching.

I mean, is it even possible for seolleongtang to look this delicious? It looked like it was an even tastier dish than the seolleongtang I knew.

After about four takes of them eating together, the shoot finally wrapped up.

“Not to downplay Ara, but Ms. Ye-eun also eats really well.”

“Thank you. Hehe.”

Honestly, I thought they would just pretend to eat or take breaks while eating.

But when I saw Seo Ye-eun emptying five or six bowls, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

“If it’s alright with you, how about we have a meal together sometime? I think Ara would really enjoy it.”

“Oh! Of course! I’m always available when I have free time.”

As we casually made plans and chatted, the filming crew called us over.

“It turned out really well. We captured a lot of great footage, even better than we originally planned.”

We reviewed the filmed footage.

Ara eating the seolleongtang deliciously, then Seo Ye-eun, and finally both of them together.

So, this will be on TV soon?

Honestly, it still didn’t feel real.

“In fact, this already meets the concept we had in mind, so there won’t be much editing.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Director.”

“No, no. I think we need to go get something to eat ourselves. Watching these two eat so deliciously made me hungry. Haha.”

After reviewing the footage, we returned to the small meeting room.

Kim Jung-hyun was in a great mood, clearly pleased with the results, even better than he had anticipated.

“Ara might get more food-related commercial offers in the future.”

“Thank you for thinking so highly of her.”

“I eat well! I’m ready whenever!”

It was a relief that everything went well.

At that moment, Seo Ye-eun suddenly brought up something unexpected.

“How about we actually shoot a mukbang? I think it would attract a lot of attention.”

“A mukbang?”

“Yes, we could do a live stream with me as a guest on Ara’s YouTube channel.”

“Really?! Ms. Ye-eun as a guest…!”

With Seon-ah’s surprised exclamation, I also became excited.

A live mukbang with Ara and Seo Ye-eun using my cooking…

That sounds like a great idea!

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Patron 60

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Although Yutia had repeatedly made similar statements, Rine had long been aware that the Great Moon was fundamentally different from them. He was a friend of the Great Palaon, who existed during the forgotten age of gods. He freely used phrases and sentences from that forgotten era, which could only be used through understanding. When he realized she possessed a “library,” he bestowed upon her the “Eye of the Tracker.” 

But more than anything else, what made Rine feel the Great Moon was different was the eye on his back. That eye, which distorted perception just by being seen, was not even recorded in the library. It was this that made Rine clearly realize that the Great Moon was an entirely different being. 

For that reason, Rine had faith in the Great Moon, and she didn’t think it was strange. After all, it wasn’t strange at all to offer faith to someone so fundamentally different. 

Because of that belief, Rine never doubted for a moment that the Great Moon would win this battle. In her heart, he was merely wearing the guise of a human, a being who would fulfill her one and only wish. 

Rine gazed out toward the lord’s castle of the Labyrinth City from beyond her office, continuing her thoughts. 

“Family, huh?” 

In truth, the moment the Outer God used magic on her, she had sensed her own death. There was no avoiding it at that moment—the Outer God’s magic was inescapable. She had survived thanks to the Great Moon, who had saved her by creating the conditions for the Outer God’s defeat, even in the face of death. However, she couldn’t quite understand the Great Moon’s actions. 

She didn’t believe her life was worth risking a scenario where the Great Moon could lose. At least, her own perception of herself was that she was nothing more or less than a useful tool raised by the Great Moon to deal with the black ones. So, she didn’t understand it. Even though she hadn’t yet completed the Eye of the Tracker and still had some usefulness, the Great Moon’s actions seemed endlessly irrational to her. 

So, after much contemplation on her own, Rine finally asked him the question. And that’s when she heard the word “family.” 

“Family…” 

Rine muttered bluntly. To her, the word “family” didn’t carry much meaning. From the beginning, she was born into this world with a library and had never had a family. 

“Family… huh.” 

But even so, at least right now, things were different. Not that she attached great significance to the idea of “family” itself, as she still didn’t feel anything philosophically or emotionally from the mere word. However, the definition of “family” had changed for Rine simply because the Great Moon was the one who had said it. 

To her, who admired and revered the Great Moon so much that she kept a respectful distance, the word “family” uttered by him sounded incredibly sweet. 

Was it because the Great Moon had called her family? No. Was it because she was now tied to the Great Moon by the title of family? That wasn’t it either. 

The sweetness Rine felt from the word “family” came from the fact that the Great Moon had acknowledged a rational path for her to grow closer to him. 

“A little closer, or rather… as close as possible, closer than anyone else,” she thought. 

Thus, if the Great Moon—no, her “godfather”—needed her more than anyone else, even more than Red Moon… 

At some point, as she reflected on this new personal goal, Rine shifted her gaze from the lord’s estate of the Labyrinth City and looked toward something else. There, a full-length mirror reflected Rine’s image. 

The reflection of herself was smiling. It wasn’t a shallow smile. She was smiling brightly, showing her fangs clearly, with a slight blush on her cheeks. It was a smile she had never shown even in front of the members of the Blue Moon. 

It was a smile even Rine herself found unfamiliar. 

As she stared at it absentmindedly, Rine grinned even wider and murmured, “Godfather…” 

At first, it was just a hastily made-up word to address the Great Moon with reverence. But now, that hastily crafted word had become the most precious word to Rine.

That word had already become the very embodiment of her relationship with the Great Moon. 

Thus, after murmuring that word several times, she muttered, “I like it.” Then, she closed her eyes and opened them again. When Rine’s eyes opened once more, they were filled with fanatical faith. Anyone who saw her would recognize a distinct and intense fanaticism. 

***

In the forest path that must be crossed when traveling from the Kingdom of Asteria to the desert city of Colony, there was a man. On his back, he carried a pair of large kama, and he was looking down at the corpse of a man. The dead man held a quill in his right hand and had died without fully understanding what had killed him. His neck had been twisted twice, leaving behind a gruesome corpse. 

Despite having been dead for a month, the body showed no signs of decay, perhaps due to a preservation spell. 

“Heh,” the man who was watching this scene—no, the ‘Agent’ who was like the corpse itself—let out a dry laugh as he crouched down and touched the dead body. 

As soon as he did, he sensed the residual traces of magic. The agent realized that the body had indeed been enchanted with preservation magic, and he unconsciously licked his lips. 

There was only one real reason to cast a decay-prevention spell on a corpse that had already been dead for some time: intimidation. 

“To send a warning,” he thought. It was practically a threat, saying, ‘Don’t come looking for us, or this will be your fate.’ 

“Was he trying to deal with Count Palatio and ended up like this?” 

The man recalled the request the dead man had received about two months ago and began to ponder for a while about when and how he would exact revenge. Agents didn’t have much camaraderie among themselves, but the man was driven to avenge this death for the sake of the ‘Agent’ name. Their identity, the 100% mission success rate, had to be maintained at all costs. 

However, the agent wasn’t planning to immediately attack Count Palatio. 

“…He must be strong, then.” 

The agent thought of the rumors surrounding Count Palatio. Over the past few years, Palatio had been wandering outside the Kingdom of Asteria, building a reputation that, while sounding far-fetched, was nonetheless impressive. 

At first, there were rumors that he had contributed greatly to dealing with the northern Outer God. Then came rumors that he had helped deal with two Baba Yagas in Colony. Finally, there were rumors that he had handled an Outer God in the Labyrinth City. 

“So, it wasn’t just idle talk after all.” 

To be honest, the agent had thought that Count Palatio’s fame was somewhat exaggerated. After all, nobles often inflated their reputations with trivial tricks. But now, seeing that one of the agents had been killed without even putting up a fight, it seemed that Palatio’s strength wasn’t just based on rumor. 

“A man who can easily kill a Master Knight and handle an Outer God from the texts…” 

The agent considered what it would take to defeat him. “At least five people, I’d say… but I only have three right now, and we don’t even know his exact abilities.” 

As he continued to weigh his options regarding Count Palatio’s strength, the agent made a decision. “Since I can’t gather my full forces right now, I’ll just find someone who knows Palatio’s abilities in detail and ask them.” 

With a wicked grin, the agent looked toward Caliban. His target was Deus Macallian, one of the Master Knights and someone who maintained a connection with Count Palatio. 

“Besides, it’ll give me a chance to show Palatio just who he’s crossed.” 

If someone had been able to read the agent’s thoughts, they might have wondered if he was simply insane. But the agent smiled confidently. After all, every agent was as strong as a Master Knight. 

“Killing one Master Knight won’t be difficult.” 

With that, the man disappeared from the scene. 

***

Just over a week later, Alon leisurely returned to the count’s manor and took an extended rest there for more than three months. In truth, he had wanted to resume his activities immediately after dealing with the Outer God, but unfortunately, his body had yet to recover from the magic poisoning.

Although he had recovered to a certain extent, enough that he could use magic, it still took him three months to fully regain his ability to harness magic properly. By the time the sweltering summer had passed and the chilly winds of winter had arrived, he could finally say that his body had somewhat recovered.

During those long yet brief three months, Alon focused on three things. One was handling the internal affairs of the estate that had been delayed. Another was exchanging letters with Yutia, who had sent a backlog of correspondence. And the last was delving into magic. 

For about three months, he hadn’t been able to use magic properly, so his approach had been mostly academic. However, for him, exploring magic wasn’t so much about studying as it was about enjoyment. Especially the brief moment of “self-manifestation” he had achieved while dealing with the Outer God had piqued his interest even more.

“…Since I’ve recovered, I should probably head back to Colony soon… But maybe I should activate the ring Heinkel gave me first… Or should I rest a bit longer?” 

The truth was that Alon’s body hadn’t fully recovered. While his magic poisoning had been significantly treated, he still wasn’t completely healed. 

That’s why he thought to himself, “I need to figure out a way to increase my magic power somehow.”

Just as Alon was contemplating this, someone called out to him.

“Count, sir.”

“What is it?”

“A letter arrived—from Duke Altia.”

“Ah.”

Alon took the letter from Evan, who had snow piled high on his head. 

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t considered this because of his poor health, but upon receiving the letter, Alon was reminded that he was the leader of the faction ‘Kalpha,’ created by those in the shadows. 

When he opened the letter, he found a small crystal orb inside. 

The moment he picked it up, *buzz~!* magic power vibrated slightly. 

This allowed him to quickly realize that the crystal orb was for communication. 

Shortly after, the face of Duke Altia appeared through the crystal orb.

[It’s been a while, Count.]

Despite being a duke, Altia bowed his head with great politeness, which left Alon briefly pondering how to respond. 

“It’s been a while,” he said, nodding slightly.

[I’m contacting you because it’s time for a report.]

“A report?”

Before Alon could ask what it was about, Duke Altia started giving an earnest and literal “report” right in front of him.

[Ah, I’ve heard the news. The word is that you played a significant role in handling the Outer God in Labyrinth City Lartania.]

Before getting to the actual report, Duke Altia spent about 20 minutes praising Alon’s achievements in Lartania.

[Ah.]

Realizing her mistake, Altia cleared her throat and got to the main point. There weren’t any major issues in the Kalpha’s current situation—except for the last report.

[Ah, and as you requested, all matters have been handled.]

“…Handled?”

[Yes, the underworld of Asteria is now under the complete control of our Kalpha as of yesterday.]

“?”

[No one in Asteria’s underworld can stop us now. Congratulations, Count.]

“…???”

For a moment, Alon stared blankly in confusion at Altia’s words. 

He had barely done anything, yet he had become the king of the underworld.

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Round 186

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A waterfall with water crashing down powerfully. 

Surprisingly, the source of the water was a huge rock floating in the air. It was a sight straight out of a fantasy world. Below it, three small figures were neatly lined up. 

Hiccup. 

Ara, and Headbutt, along with Drunkard. They were undergoing intense training beneath the waterfall. Of course, they weren’t directly under the waterfall; they were just sitting a little distance away, meditating while listening to the sound of the falling water.

“Mm.”

Ara looked more serious than ever as she focused on her training, trying to clear her mind of distractions.

‘Stir-fried vegetables, sweet potatoes, strawberry tanghulu, curry, fries, pizza, fish…?’

Growl.

Instead, Ara’s thoughts were becoming more cluttered. But she continued her training, suppressing her distractions.

‘I must become a cool slime! A dignified slime! A serious slime!’

Shuffle shuffle.

Seven minutes into the waterfall (beside) training, Ara’s body was shaking. The Forest of Pururuk was always mysterious, no matter how many times you visited it.

‘I’d like to set up a base here too.’

Would calling it a base be too grand? Maybe just a small cabin to rest in wouldn’t be a bad idea. Now that I think of it, I should try designing a cabin.

Bark!

“Huh? Brother!”

Seon-ah, who was surrounded by Pururuks, waved cheerfully. The Pururuks had also become accustomed to her and Woofy, no longer fleeing at their approach.

“Didn’t you bring the kids?”

“Ara went to train with the slimes, and the others are taking a nap.”

“Training?”

“Well… I’m not sure what kind of training it is, but let’s go check it out together later.”

When I checked the minimap, I saw Ara’s icon at the spot near the bamboo forest where she had been before. There was a terrain feature they had named the Sky Waterfall nearby.

‘She’s already made it there?’

Ara must have been running fast to have already arrived. It would take at least 20 minutes even if she rode Woofy, so her pace was impressive.

“How’s Kongkong?”

“Nothing unusual. Everything’s fine. And since I’m spending time with them almost every day, I feel like I can tell how the kids are doing just by looking at them.”

“Oh, really?”

It’s easy to say, but who would really spend the night and observe the monsters’ habits firsthand? I could understand why she was improving so quickly.

“I’m expecting great things from you, Seon-ah.”

“What?”

“The day you go study abroad at the Skyscraper.”

“That’s still a long way off.”

Seon-ah smiled and waved her hand dismissively. To me, she seemed already quite accomplished, though she didn’t think so herself.

To be honest, I’d been busy with personal matters, but Seon-ah had surprisingly achieved a lot in the dungeon. She had conducted health check-ups on all the kids in the dungeon. Although she didn’t use any professional equipment, she managed to document their general condition as well as the specific characteristics of each child.

‘She found out that every Kkumuri has slightly different physical traits and memorized them all. Not just Kkumuris, but also the fairies and goblins.’

She had memorized all their main dietary habits, nutritional supplements, sleep patterns, and daily routines. It was clear she had a systematic and meticulous side, unlike me.

What surprised me the most recently was that she had started to communicate with the kids to some extent. While I could roughly understand the slimes’ gestures, I needed a translator for the other kids. However, Seon-ah seemed to intuitively understand what they were saying.

“What are you doing now?”

“Just checking Kongkong’s condition and investigating the insects that the Pururuks eat this time. Turns out they don’t just eat plants; they also eat insects. So I’m collecting some to analyze.”

“You’re amazing, really.”

“You’re working hard too, aren’t you? This is nothing.”

Me, working hard? Ahem! Of course! I’m working hard too. Wow, my siblings are amazing. They’re all doing great on their own!

“Oh, Seon-ah. Since you come here every day, should I build you a cabin?”

“Huh? Really? That would be great! It’s been a bit inconvenient to write or collect things without a proper place. It’d be nice to have a storage and resting area.”

I’m glad she liked the idea. Then I should get started on it right away.

“What we need are World Tree lumber, clay, and… Kkumuri?”

If there was any hard work to be done, I could handle it, and Kkumuri could take care of the design and construction.

I immediately rode back to the village on Purr and kidnapped one of the Kkumuris.

While I was gathering the building materials for the cabin with the help of Bokkeum, Gomgom and Soo approached with curious expressions.

-Kwoong.

-Sooo.

“You’re awake. Do you want to come with us?”

I asked, but they didn’t really have a choice. 

Let’s go together.

“This should be enough, right? If we need more, we can always come back.”

After gathering all the materials, I held Gomgom, Soo, and Kkumuri in my arms and headed to the Pururuk Forest, where Seon-ah greeted the kids with a bright face.

“Oh my, my babies!”

“She reacts just like my mom.”

“They’re my babies, after all.”

Gomgom and Soo were full of energy, having just woken up from a nap. 

They waddled around, playing tag with the Pururuks.

Leaving that peaceful scene behind, Kkumuri and I began the construction in earnest.

“Ooo.”

Kkumuri had improved quite a bit in construction, and the most noticeable change was in the design.

Before, it used to build structures haphazardly, but now, it drew lines on the ground, just like my father used to do.

-Heheng.

“Should we dig here?”

Following the lines Kkumuri drew, I started digging the ground. 

It seemed like we were laying the foundation here. 

Soon, Gomgom confidently joined us and began digging beside us.

“Good job, our Gomgom.”

Gomgom, digging enthusiastically, was definitely more skilled than Kkumuri and me, befitting an expert in harvesting World Tree mushrooms.

Thanks to that, we quickly prepared the ground for the foundation, leveled it, and set up the frame.

Although the plan was to build a simple wooden cabin, it was turning into something quite serious.

-Thud, thud.

“Brother? What are you making?”

Seon-ah, who had finished collecting insects with the kids and returned, asked me with wide eyes.

“Building a cabin.”

“……It’s a bit grander than I imagined.”

“I think so too. But it turned out this way as we went along.”

The structure wasn’t overly large or extravagant, but we had put a lot of effort into the foundation. 

It’s better to be sturdy, after all.

While building, we ran out of materials and had to return to the village. 

I also kidnapped a few more Kkumuris, and with the addition of more workers, the construction speed picked up significantly.

-Heheng.

“It’s done!”

We completed the cabin in just a few hours. 

However, despite the short construction time, it had a cozy and charming feel that blended beautifully with the surrounding landscape.

As expected, Kkumuri’s sense was unmatched, despite its appearance.

“Wow.”

Seon-ah seemed to like it, as she walked around the cabin several times before opening the door.

“Amazing.”

“Hehe.”

Seon-ah was left speechless with her mouth wide open. 

She soon looked at me with a deeply moved expression.

“Can I really use this?”

“Of course. Who else would use it?”

The cabin wasn’t just impressive on the outside. 

The interior was also filled with Kkumuri’s aesthetic sense, making it perfectly harmonize with the mystical Pururuk Forest.

It was a bit bare since there was no furniture, but the interior design, handled entirely by Kkumuri, was perfect.

“It would have been nice if Ara could see this too.”

“I think I’ll go check on her now. She seems to be playing longer than I thought.”

Oh, right, it’s not playing; it’s training, isn’t it? 

I got a bit confused there.

Just then, Seon-ah mentioned that she had finished everything she had planned for the day, so we took the kids and returned to the village.

“Do you know where Ara is?”

“Yes, I can see her on the minimap.”

“Minimap?”

“Since I’m the dungeon master, I can see where Ara and Mammon are.”

It would be nice if I could also track the other familiars, but that’s a bit disappointing. 

Who knows? Maybe after completing more dungeon quests, I’ll be able to track them all.

We each rode Purr and Woofy and headed in the direction where Ara was.

Soon, we could see a sight resembling a floating island, and the refreshing sound of a waterfall began to reach our ears.

“Was this place always here?!”

Although her voice was drowned out by the wind, I could clearly hear Seon-ah’s shocked exclamation in my ears.

As I slowly reduced speed and approached the waterfall, I saw our cute little ones sitting together in a cozy group.

I couldn’t bring myself to speak, nor could Seon-ah.

We had expected Ara to be playing joyfully, but instead, she was sitting with her eyes closed, meditating with a serene expression.

She looked so cute, but at the same time, she appeared so serious that I silently let out a surprised gasp.

‘So, so cute!’

How could such a tiny creature meditate so earnestly! This moment needed to be captured in a photo immediately.

It seemed that Seon-ah had the same thought, as she pulled out her camera without saying a word.

We quietly took pictures of Ara and the slimes for a while. Is she going to ascend and become a celestial being like this?

Nod.

“Hmm?”

Did I just see that wrong?

I felt like I just saw Ara’s head drop as if she couldn’t resist the pull of gravity, only for it to lift back up.

No way.

She’s meditating so seriously that I must have imagined it.

But then, before I could finish that thought, Ara’s head nodded again as if she were greeting someone.

“Pfft.”

Seon-ah couldn’t hold back and let out a small laugh.

Regardless, Ara continued to doze off, and soon her head dropped completely as she entered deep sleep mode.

“Our Ara must have been training really hard.”

“Ara, let’s go back and sleep comfortably. Come to your sister.”

Hearing our voices, Ara jolted awake, startled.

But her eyes were still dazed and unfocused.

“Is, is it Kyu-seong Kyu-seong? Seon-ah Seon-ah?!”

“Did you train hard?”

“Y-Yes! I was meditating diligently!”

Drool was running from her mouth.

And now that I looked closer, it seemed that even the slimes had fallen asleep at some point, only now coming to their senses.

Ggumul!

It was a very beneficial training session! I feel refreshed!

Hiccup.

That’s my disciple. It was an excellent training session.

I wonder what kind of training they actually did.

Sleeping training?

“As long as you’re satisfied.”

When Seon-ah cradled the sleepy Ara in her arms, Ara’s body immediately went limp as she let herself be held.

Then she murmured softly.

“Next time, I’ll do a different kind of training. There was too much distraction this time.”

“Distraction? Where did you learn that word?”

“From the Grand Lord.”

Father… What on earth are you discussing with Ara while fishing together?

I chuckled and patted Ara’s head. She promptly dozed off in my arms.

It seemed like we would have to show her the new cabin in the Pururuk Forest next time.

“You worked hard on your training, Ara.”

She must be very hungry after all that training, so I should prepare some food before she wakes up.

Sleep well, Ara.

Have sweet dreams.

Prev | TOC | Next


Copy 34

Prev | TOC I Next

“-Hmph.”

Noel let out a quiet breath through her nose, staring intently at the documents on her desk. For someone known for never getting distracted during work, this was certainly unusual behavior.

…

With narrowed eyes, Noel scanned the seal on the envelope, taking in the words inscribed in elegant handwriting, delivering a concise message:

[This contains the requested personal information from the Central Intelligence Bureau for Lady Noel.]

It was the personal profile of Aiden Kellermain, whom she had assigned for investigation shortly after he mentioned they had a “past connection.”

Silently, Noel rose from her seat and circled her office, her gaze somber as she surveyed the room’s corners in a pensive manner. After a while, she returned to the desk.

“Hmmm…”

Letting out a long sigh, she fixed her gaze on the envelope again. She had lost track of how many times she’d done this already.

“-Lady Noel, are you feeling unwell?”

Stella, who had been observing her quietly, couldn’t help but ask. It was the first time she’d seen Noel, who usually dedicated herself to work so earnestly, in such a state.

“Isn’t this the information you personally requested? I recall you were quite eager for it.”

“…Yes, that’s true.”

Noel replied with difficulty as she picked up the envelope. Stella’s question was completely valid; shortly after their first encounter, Noel had been intensely curious about Aiden’s background. However, now… now their relationship had… perhaps… evolved a little.

In her heart, Noel could no longer see Aiden Kellermain as just a “contracted partner.” Her feelings about him were far more complicated. Amid these mixed emotions, she was aware of one thing for certain.

Inside this envelope was Aiden Kellermain’s past—an undoubtedly unknown territory.

The Central Intelligence Bureau had meticulously dug up even the smallest details. This investigation was on a whole different level than her personal inquiries.

In other words, if something in here went wrong…

…then, there’d be no going back.

What if… what if Aiden had a dark past intertwined with hers? What if this envelope contained something she could never overlook? And what if that meant she could no longer continue this relationship with him?

Her hand, reaching to open the document, hesitated.

“-Why?”

She recalled a similar feeling once before—watching from afar as Aiden faced the prince, thinking he might call off their engagement. It felt very much like this.

If he were ever to be distanced from her…

The thought scared her. Why she felt that fear, she didn’t understand.

‘…From the start…’

Noel’s eyes softened. What was her relationship with him, truly? She’d heard him say he liked her, but she’d never given him any reply. And here she was, secretly digging into his past.

Truly, even if it’s necessary, this is certainly something one shouldn’t do.

Noel’s eyes slowly closed. But after a deep breath, she opened them wide, tore open the envelope with a determined gesture.

‘…At the very least.’

If she’s going to do something questionable, she might as well do it without leaving any regrets. If she finds out something he wanted to keep hidden, she’ll apologize honestly. If there’s any fault on her part for not confiding in him, she’ll shoulder it with him. Isn’t that the path of being honest with the other person’s heart?

With resolute eyes, Noel picked up the document and began reading it thoroughly, her gaze almost glowing. She spent a long time reviewing it several times, and finally, without a word, she set it down on her desk.

“Stella.”

At the sound of Noel’s heavy tone, Stella turned to her, tense with curiosity about Aiden’s true identity.

“Yes?”

“Aiden has never dated anyone in his life.”

“…And his favorite food is spicy noodles cooked in a Far Eastern style.”

When Stella looked at her, unsure how to respond, Noel tossed the document back on the desk and ran her hand over her face.

“…That’s the most useful information in there. Out of everything.”

“Pardon?”

“Come over and read it yourself.”

At Noel’s words, Stella tilted her head, approached, and picked up the document. After reading it all the way through, she had no choice but to agree with Noel.

“This… it’s really just the record of an ordinary citizen, isn’t it?”

“Exactly.”

“There’s not a single noteworthy detail—”

“There is, actually.”

Noel rubbed her forehead as if nursing a headache.

“He’s a war orphan.”

“Pardon?”

“The people he calls family now are those he met after the age of fifteen. They’re not blood-related, and he was never formally adopted.”

Stella blinked in surprise.

“I assumed they must be blood-related since he cherishes them so deeply.”

“So did I.”

Though unexpected, she naturally assumed they were close relatives given how fiercely he protected them, even at the risk of his life. On paper, though, they were essentially strangers—remarkably similar to Noel’s own relationship with him. It was a curious coincidence.

Considering how he throws himself into anything related to Noel as if it were a matter involving his own kin, the irony felt even sharper.

“Besides, if he’s a war orphan… it explains why there are no records from his early childhood.”

“Exactly, right?”

Indeed, the records were blank prior to the time he met his ‘family.’ Logically, it’s impossible for even the Central Intelligence Bureau to trace the past of a war orphan. The circumstances under which he arrived in the Empire are countless and difficult to specify. Expecting clarity was unrealistic, almost unreasonable.

However, the issue this time lay in a particular detail.

…Of all things.

The period where Aiden’s history is blank precisely aligns with the period when Noel suffered from her own “memory loss,” which she’s never shared with anyone around her.

Of all things, the one piece of information she most wanted was from a period even the Central Intelligence Bureau couldn’t uncover.

There was only one lead. And to follow it, there was only one path.

“Stella.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll need to meet with Aiden’s family at least once.”

“For an ordinary citizen, just facing you would likely make them faint.”

That may be true, but to delve deeper into Aiden’s history, there’s no one else to turn to. As Noel was seriously considering this, the office door suddenly swung open.

It was Katia, looking highly displeased.

“Your Highness? What brings you here?”

Noel tilted her head in curiosity. Since their last argument, they had managed to exchange apologies, but while Noel acted as if nothing had happened, Katia still seemed uncomfortable around her. Since mutual awkwardness wouldn’t help in maintaining a peaceful relationship, Noel usually took the initiative to lighten the atmosphere.

“Listen calmly.”

…Yet it was clear that the next topic would make remaining calm impossible.

“That guy’s been kidnapped.”

“…Who?”

“Your fiancé.”

Sparks practically flew from Noel’s eyes.

***

Having a bag pulled over one’s head is, in fact, more physically exhausting than one might think. And being tightly bound with ropes only adds to the strain. When someone abruptly yanked the covering off his head, Aiden was already quite worn out.

‘I need to train more.’

He had never thought he lacked stamina, but ever since being thrown into the main scenario with all sorts of monstrous encounters, he had been experiencing things he never anticipated. It would only get more intense from here, he thought, as he noted the person who had removed his mask now pressing a gun to his forehead.

Their entire outfit was distinctive: a mask, black gloves, and a coat. It practically screamed “I do shady work.”

“This him?”

“Yes. We found him lurking near the building and brought him in.”

“Caught him easily, huh? Isn’t he the one who’s been nosing around us all day?”

Hearing this, Aiden smirked to himself. It was true; he had been captured easily. After all, he had made no effort to resist.

As he pondered this, the man aiming the gun at his forehead lifted it slightly.

Ah.

There was no need to ask why. The pistol swung down forcefully, landing squarely on Aiden’s face. After several strikes, blood trickled down his face, coloring his vision red.

“This one’s tough…not even showing pain.”

It wasn’t exactly toughness; rather, it was cautious planning. He had taken painkillers in advance, knowing that once kidnapped, he wouldn’t likely come out unscathed.

‘No holy aura, either.’

Aiden smirked inwardly at the lack of a holy aura that would usually alert him to danger, indicating he didn’t see this as a “crisis” at all.

“Well, enough introductions. I don’t like wasting time, so let’s get to it. Who sent you?”

“Since I don’t like wasting time either, I’ll answer directly: if you don’t want to die, make sure you leave behind any important data or materials.”

The reason no holy aura appeared was likely because Aiden didn’t consider this a “threat.”

The masked man faltered at Aiden’s calm reply.

“…What?”

“You know you can’t dispose of everything in time, right? Just leave something that shows your connection to the prince or the administrative minister. That way, I won’t come after you.”

The masked man let out a dry chuckle and aimed the gun closer to Aiden’s forehead again.

“Hey, seems you still don’t get the situation—”

“I know you’re not going to kill me.”

“There’s still plenty left to dispose of, isn’t there? If you add a corpse to the mix, there’s no way you’ll manage a ‘clean’ getaway without being traced, right?”

“……”

“Wouldn’t you prefer not to waste time here if you value your lives?”

Aiden continued speaking calmly, leaving the masked man silent.

‘What’s with this guy?’

He must be wondering, as Aiden’s demeanor seemed almost as if he had willingly come here. He was reading their situation as if he knew it inside and out. Even though they had him tied up and at gunpoint, it felt like they were the ones under pressure.

“My aim isn’t to kill you all either, so if you cooperate, we can—”

Aiden paused mid-sentence as his vision adjusted to the darkness, letting him finally take in his surroundings and grasp the situation fully.

It turned out that the people surrounding him were far more than he expected…

“…Haven’t they all pulled back yet?”

…there were a lot of them.

Aiden’s face turned pale in an instant, his sudden change of expression so dramatic that even the masked man aiming the gun was taken aback. For someone who had just been calmly threatening them moments ago, this sudden shift seemed bizarre.

“No, aren’t you guys supposed to be highly skilled individuals, entrusted directly by the prince or the administrative minister? What have you been doing until now?!”

And suddenly, Aiden began scolding them.

“What?”

“I thought you’d nearly all have pulled back with maybe one or two people left. If it’s like this, I can’t even protect all of you! Someone’s definitely going to get killed!”

They had no idea what he was talking about. Here he was, a captive, threatening them, and now, he was claiming to protect them.

“Stay calm and listen carefully to me.”

Aiden spoke urgently, almost as if he could barely breathe.

“There’s still time. Heal me first.”

They were understanding him less and less by the minute.

…Is he mentally unstable?

As the group silently mulled this over, Aiden pressed on, his urgency apparent.

“There’s got to be some kind of elixir or something, right? You don’t have to actually heal me; just make me look somewhat okay! If she sees me injured like this, you’re all dead!”

“What the hell is this lunatic talking about—”

One of them finally snapped and spoke up, but even that sentence trailed off.

They could feel it, too—something wasn’t right.

The air trembled.

Despite the considerable distance, something… something *terrifying* was approaching them, step by step. With each heavy footfall, the vibrations in the air intensified, as though a massive creature was drawing near.

“She’s coming.”

Aiden spoke to the stunned group, his voice laced with resignation.

“My fiancée.”

And with Aiden’s voice filled with sheer dread…

…the world seemed to flip upside down.

Prev | TOC I Next


Round 185

Prev | TOC | Next

“I don’t think it was such a bad outcome.”

The European Union, which had visited Korea, returned to their respective countries after a lengthy meeting. 

This place was Paris, France.

Armand, an awakened being belonging to the same guild as Michael, continued speaking.

“A mass-produced buff item with better performance than expected. It’s easy to consume, doesn’t stack, but also has no cooldown. Considering the negative first impression, I’d say it was worth its value.”

Even as the person beside him spoke, Michael remained lost in thought. 

Seeing this, Armand gestured to someone.

With a nod, the person who saw the gesture soon appeared, holding something in their hand.

It was none other than Kyu-seong’s crop.

“Especially this strawberry, it has a better healing effect than expected, and the supply volume is large. Also, it’s easy to eat…”

“Tastes good.”

Michael finally spoke, snatching the strawberry Armand was holding and bringing it to his mouth.

Pop.

As soon as he bit into it, the sweet, refreshing juice of the strawberry burst out. Even though he had eaten it several times on the way, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting more.

“How much would it cost?”

“The delivery price of this strawberry per unit is…?”

“No, I’m not talking about the item.”

Michael’s pace quickened as he headed toward the guild. 

The guild members and attendants hurriedly followed him.

“I’m talking about Lee Kyu-seong. How much would he cost?”

“Ah!”

Armand nodded and started calculating.

Suddenly, he remembered the other guilds that had swarmed in because of this incident.

“We might not be the only ones targeting the awakened Lee Kyu-seong. Recruitment might be more challenging than we expect.”

“I’m aware it will be difficult. But that’s not what I’m asking.”

Michael abruptly stopped and turned to Armand. 

Seeing Michael’s gaze, Armand shuddered.

“How much will it cost? That’s what I want to know.”

Gulp.

“I-I’ll find out.”

“First, approach with anger, then offer Lee Kyu-seong the best treatment and the highest amount ever. Make sure no one else can even consider it.”

“But if we do that, the other guild members and the Union might resist…”

“Resist? If they feel Lee Kyu-seong is being treated unfairly, they can prove their own abilities.”

“Considering the recent incident, it’s likely that other countries within the Union are also targeting Lee Kyu-seong.”

“Armand, just say what you want to say clearly.”

“…I-I’ll do my best.”

“Good.”

Michael decisively turned and started walking again. 

Even as he walked, he continued speaking.

“Since we’ve decided to recruit him, we should pay extra attention to this matter. He wanted to get his passage permit quickly, didn’t he?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Along with the passage permit, issue an unlimited visa that allows free movement across the EU member states.”

“Ah! That’s a great idea. Other countries won’t find it burdensome to agree.”

“Of course. This is for Lee Kyu-seong. They’d want to recruit him too.”

Michael ended the conversation with a slight smile. 

Watching his back, Armand let out a deep sigh internally.

‘Once he sets his sights on something, he’s determined to get it no matter what…’

While most things were understandable, this case was particularly complicated. Moreover, they had made the worst first impression by greeting Kyu-seong with an attack.

Not only Korea, where Kyu-seong was based, but also China, Japan, and most EU member states were involved.

Though it wasn’t mentioned, if word spread, even the U.S. and Middle Eastern countries might take notice.

“Sigh.”

A dirty fight to recruit Kyu-seong seemed inevitable. 

***

[When summoning a slime, there is a chance to summon a level 2 slime.]

The quest reward was simple.

The ability that previously only summoned rookies was now upgraded to possibly summon level 2 slimes.

It wasn’t a huge change, but it was a good improvement in terms of saving liquid synthesis attempts.

[Awakening Quest: Hunt]

[Use slimes to hunt 100 random low-level monsters]

[Low-level monsters: 0/100]

At the same time, a new quest was added.

It seemed similar to the goblin hunting quest I received before.

The difference was that, unlike the previous quest where I only needed to hunt 10 monsters, this one required hunting 100—ten times as many.

“Haha.”

But for me, it was practically a free quest. I was planning to go to the Dungeon of Wrath anyway.

There, I could put Ara in the front and turn the trolls into familiars, making it an easy task.

“It’s Gomgom’s turn!”

As I watched Ara playing with Gomgom, I decided to perform another slime synthesis. I still had two uses of liquid synthesis left.

‘If I make Mark2 level 6 with this…’

I combined the level 4 slimes I had gathered again. This time, I synthesized a slime with the ability “Bouncy Ball” and another with “Drunken Fist.”

…I wonder where the Drunken Fist ability even came from. Did I leave that in until it reached level 4?

[Please choose the ability to inherit.]

[Bouncy Ball] [Drunken Fist]

Both were unique and good, but I was more drawn to Drunken Fist. Even though the ability would disappear when combined with Mark2,

‘Hmm, I guess this is how it survived all this time.’

Seeing the ability selection process, I understood why Drunken Fist had kept surviving. I had been choosing it all along.

Ting!

[Drunkard (Slime) LV.5]

[A peculiar slime] 

[This is Lee Kyu-seong’s familiar]

[Liquid synthesis available.]

[Abilities: Drunken Fist LV.4, Martial Arts LV.1]

“Eh?”

Look at this guy.

The synthesized Drunken Fist slime even learned martial arts. How did it acquire such a perfect matching ability?

Thanks to this, I was in a dilemma.

Of all things, with Drunken Fist and martial arts, if I raised it well, it seemed like it could become an amazing slime. It felt too risky to combine it thoughtlessly.

“In that case, let’s put it on hold!”

Hiccup!

This guy even made a hiccup sound. It really was a drunkard through and through.

Seeing this slime reminded me of Headbutt, so I decided to use the remaining liquid synthesis on Headbutt, following my stream of consciousness.

I’ll make Mark2 level 6 tomorrow. I still have plenty of level 4 slimes.

“Woofy, can you bring Headbutt over here?”

-Woof!

Woofy, who had been wagging its tail like a propeller, quickly dashed towards the direction of the mine. Headbutt was still training in the mine.

I’m curious what will happen if I combine the drunkard and Headbutt.

Soon, Woofy returned carrying Headbutt on its back. As soon as Headbutt saw me, it puffed up its body with pride.

“Great Lord! Long time no see! I’m still aiming to become the world’s strongest slime! Haha!”

…That’s the vibe it gave off.

I could somewhat understand what the other slimes were trying to say, but Headbutt’s body language was much clearer.

“You’ve been doing well, right? Today’s the day our Headbutt becomes level 3.”

Ggumul!?

Headbutt was shocked.

Then, trembling with emotion, it shivered. Maybe I should have done this earlier.

Suddenly, Headbutt crawled somewhere and headbutted a pile of firewood.

“Thank you, headbutt! Attack!”

Once again, I couldn’t help but marvel at how readable Headbutt’s actions were.

Hiccup.

The drunkard slime, watching this, hiccupped as if mocking Headbutt and approached. Headbutt then looked at the drunkard with a wary expression.

Hic! Cup!

Thud!

The drunkard slime suddenly hiccupped violently and launched its body, splitting a small piece of firewood in two. Well, it was more like a thin branch than actual firewood, so calling it that was a bit of a stretch!

Ggumul!!!

Headbutt froze in shock, while the drunkard shrugged as if it was no big deal and hiccupped again.

Seeing them play together like that left me speechless.

“Oho! Is that Headbutt?!”

Just then, Ara, who had been playing with Gomgom, came running over with the look of someone who had found a new toy.

Headbutt, however, slunk over to the drunkard and eventually bowed its head.

Ggumul–!!

“I’ve lost! Please, take me as your disciple!”

Hiccup.

“I don’t take disciples. Why don’t you go and do more training instead?”

Ara, not understanding the situation, widened her eyes and approached me, tugging at my sleeve.

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong, what’s going on?”

“The newly level 5 Drunkard just demonstrated a smashing technique. Headbutt saw it and reacted like that.”

“Ooo…”

Ara nodded as if she fully understood the situation, her expression saying, “I see how it is.”

“It’s amazing. Headbutt should keep training hard!”

Headbutt, encouraged by Ara’s cheer, responded energetically, feeling like the protagonist of the movie *Rocky*.

“…Shall we do the synthesis now, Headbutt?”

Ggumul!

Please do! I want to become a slime that won’t bring shame to my master!

Even though he was rejected by the Drunkard, Headbutt shamelessly called him master. But seriously, why can I understand this slime so well?

Anyway, I brought another level 2 slime for our level 2 Headbutt.

“Liquid synthesis!”

Ting!

The slimes merged into one.

And with a tada! Headbutt appeared at level 3.

[Headbutt (Slime) LV.3]

[A normal? slime]

[Liquid synthesis available]

[Ability: Headbutt LV.4]

“Wow. You’re level 3, but your Headbutt ability is already level 4. Let’s see you do a headbutt.”

The newly level 3 Headbutt looked like he was wearing a bandana on his head, giving him the appearance of a martial artist.

The Drunkard, who had been pretending not to be interested, was now closely watching Headbutt.

Ggu! Mul!

Headbutt straightened his stance.

He then attempted to break the firewood he had failed to break earlier.

…Why did he pick an even thinner stick this time?

Well, anyway.

The stick was similar in size to the one the Drunkard had tried to break earlier. To be honest, it was so thin that Ara could probably snap it just by stepping on it lightly.

Ggumul~!!

With a strong shout, Headbutt charged at the stick.

Snap.

With a disappointing sound, the thin stick broke.

But the reaction from those watching was enthusiastic.

“Wow! Headbutt did it!”

Hiccup.

Hmm, not bad. As expected of my disciple. My teachings have paid off.

Ggumul!

I finally did it! Thank you, Great Lord!!

They all hugged each other in joy.

Their innocent happiness was too much for me to join in.

I guess I’ve become too worldly.

“Well, that’s great. Haha. Ha…”

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong! I’m going to train hard too! Can I train with Headbutt?”

“Of course. Just be careful not to get hurt.”

“Okay!”

Ara immediately hugged Headbutt and the Drunkard and ran off somewhere. 

I was a bit worried since it was so sudden, but knowing Ara, who is more thoughtful than she appears, I figured everything would be fine.

“…Maybe I should go check on Pururuk.”

Seon-ah had already gone to take care of Kongkong, who was pregnant. 

Unlike when I first saw her, Kongkong’s belly was now noticeably rounder, and according to Seon-ah, the babies were expected to arrive soon.

I remember how excited Ara and I were when we heard that we were going to have new family members.

‘Should I start preparing?’

Even though Kongkong is gentle, she’s still a monster, so there are bound to be differences from the animals we’re used to.

I felt a bit uneasy due to the lack of knowledge and information, so I decided I should look into it the next time I go out.

“Woofy, to the Pururuk Forest!”

-Woof!

First, I’ll check on the forest and then get Seon-ah’s opinion. She probably knows more about this kind of thing than I do.

Swoosh-.

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Patron 59

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As soon as Alon cast the ‘Frozen Crystal Spear’, he could grasp the effects of the spell. 

Though the area was only about a 10-meter radius—not particularly large—the space’s effect was the immediate conversion of a fundamental law. 

Just as water naturally flows downward, a law so obvious it is rarely questioned, in this space, such rules no longer applied. 

The law of the ‘Frozen Crystal Spear’ was simple: everything within the space would freeze. 

No exceptions. The spell was an absolute law, enacted by the caster’s will. 

However, Alon’s spell barely lasted six seconds before vanishing. 

From the beginning, this magic was not something that should have been permitted to him, neither in terms of magical power nor knowledge. 

But even with just six seconds of manifestation, Alon achieved what he desired. 

He felt a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth as he looked ahead. 

There, an Outer God stood. 

Kailas, frozen blue and crumbling into small pieces. 

“…How pitifully weak this body is,” he muttered. 

His body was far from normal. His arms were already shattered, and his legs were crumbling to pieces. 

“Hah… you got me good.”

Yet, despite his condition, Kailas was smiling. 

The stern expression he’d worn just moments earlier seemed like a lie as he beamed at Alon. 

“If I had been in my true form, able to fully manifest and use magic properly, your clumsy spell would have been no match for me. But…” 

He said it with a tinge of regret, then added: 

“Speculation means nothing.” 

Just as he was about to respond to Alon’s next remark, 

“You’re right, insignificant one. Or rather…” 

With a chuckle, 

“…Magician. I admit defeat.” 

With those final words, he completely disintegrated, leaving only his clothes behind. 

And then— 

“Hoo—” 

Letting out a small breath that turned white in the lingering cold air, the mercenaries stared blankly at the Count Palatio, who had defeated the Outer God with nothing but a human body. 

A feeling they couldn’t suppress began to spread among them. 

***

Shortly after Kailas’s destruction, the mercenaries, who had been looking at Alon with eyes full of awe, briefly celebrated their survival. Then, they quickly got to work, organizing the situation. 

As for Alon, he collapsed on the spot. 

A day passed like that. 

When Alon, who had fallen unconscious as if a switch had been flipped, woke up, he received some moderately good news. 

It was that both Myaon and Argonia were still alive. 

Myaon had vomited blood, but with the help of a potion, she could move around to some extent. The bigger issue was Argonia. 

Though he had survived the direct hit of the Outer God’s magic, even with the characteristic toughness and regenerative ability of a half-dragon, he was barely clinging to life, little more than a half-dead shell. 

It was practically impossible to carry him out of the labyrinth in that condition. 

Of course, Alon wasn’t in any shape to walk out of the labyrinth either. 

“Hoo…” 

Forcing himself to calm his trembling breath, Alon looked at his left hand. 

His entire left arm had turned a sickly blue, as though frostbitten. 

From the looks of it, he wondered if it would need to be amputated. 

However, it wasn’t just his arm. While his left arm was worse off, various parts of his body were already turning a bluish color, as though covered in bruises. Fortunately, this was not due to frostbite but a symptom of mana poisoning.

‘No strength at all,’ Alon thought, letting out a small sigh as he looked at his arm, which remained completely motionless as though devoid of sensation. He soon lay back on the makeshift bed. This situation had been predictable, considering how much mana potion he had consumed.

‘I’m lucky it ended at this,’ he thought. Among the effects of mana poisoning, nerve paralysis due to mana overload was relatively mild. It would take some time, but it would heal naturally.

However, if he had suffered permanent damage to his mana core or if mana had flooded his heart, causing heart mana sclerosis, he could have died on the spot.

“Hoo…” Alon exhaled, grateful to be alive, just as the temporary tent opened and Rine entered with her usual stern expression.

“Are you alright, Godfather?” she asked.

“It’s just a little difficult because of the poisoning,” Alon replied.

“That’s a relief,” Rine said. 

A brief silence followed. Alon glanced at her. She still wore her usual stern look, but Alon sensed a slight awkwardness about her.

‘Before, even though she was blunt, we could still have a natural conversation…’ 

Today, however, she seemed disinclined to speak. Just as Alon considered breaking the silence himself, Rine spoke up.

“Godfather.”

“What is it?”

“Forgive me, but may I ask you something?”

“Feel free to ask.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, she asked, “Why did you save me?”

“Why?”

“Yes, why did you save me?”

“…Why are you suddenly asking this?”

“Back then, in that situation, I wasn’t particularly useful.”

At her words, Alon looked at her. Despite her impassive face, her eyes clearly held the question, as if she truly didn’t understand why he had acted as he did. 

Alon suddenly remembered that Seolrang had asked him a similar question, and a feeling of injustice welled up inside him. 

‘How do people see me? Do I really look like a villain? Why does everyone think I saved them just to use them somehow?’

Although he had saved them as part of his larger goal to eliminate the Five Deadly Sins, Alon had never expected anything in return. At most, he had hoped for a little good fortune or perhaps a slightly fancier birthday present. 

Feeling wronged, Alon forced himself to sit up on the makeshift bed and began to speak.

“Rine.”

“Yes, Godfather.”

“I don’t know what you think of me, but I didn’t take you in to use you.”

“Is that so?” Rine answered, her voice slightly wavering. 

Seeing her response, Alon couldn’t help but feel that she had indeed thought that way. He continued.

“I think of you as family.”

“Family…?”

“Yes. A family that helps each other in times of need. Our relationship isn’t based on profit or necessity. So saving you doesn’t hold any special meaning. I did it because—”

He sighed and added, “—it’s simply the natural thing to do. Just as you saved me.”

“Oh,” Rine murmured, her eyes widening slightly at Alon’s words. Though she remained as expressionless as ever, her eyes clearly conveyed that his sincerity had gotten through to her. 

“Remember this, Rine. We are not in a one-sided relationship. If you really want to do something for me, just remember my birthday or something.”

After adding that little bit of selfishness, Alon looked at her. Rine, who had been staring at him blankly, finally smiled, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips for the first time.

“…Understood, Godfather.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Feeling that he had finally gotten through to her, Alon nodded slightly. After a brief conversation, Rine left, and Alon closed his eyes. 

He had only been awake for about an hour, but his frail body, not yet fully recovered, craved rest. 

Five days later.

In the Fifth Level, where only a blue sky existed and night and day were indistinguishable, Alon had finally recovered enough to move again.

“Can you move?” he asked.

“To some extent,” came the reply.

“…Impressive,” Alon thought, as Argonia, who had made a remarkable recovery with his monstrous resilience, got ready to leave the labyrinth.

After two more days of climbing through the dark abyss, they finally reached the exit.

“We made it!” Argonia exclaimed, unusually animated.

At last, they had returned to the outside of the labyrinth.

***

Three days had passed since they returned to the labyrinth city of Lartania.

Alon couldn’t leave because he was still recovering, but as rumors and praise for the task force that defeated the Outer God spread throughout Lartania, the story slowly began to reach beyond the city. 

By the time Alon finished his much-needed rest at the building Rine owned, Merde, he had confirmed that his mana poisoning symptoms had greatly improved. He promptly began preparing to leave. In truth, he wanted to stay and relax a bit longer, but staying too long in Merde would surely be a burden.

So, before heading back with Evan, Alon had one last meal with Rine.

“Godfather,” she said.

“Yes, what is it?”

“When is your birthday?”

Alon paused for a moment, then answered after some thought.

“My birthday… it’s September 25th.”

“September 25th… I see,” Rine replied.

After finishing that conversation, they wrapped up their final lunch.

“Well then, I suppose we’ll meet again when the time comes,” Alon said.

“Yes, Godfather. I’ll see you again,” Rine responded.

“Alright,” Alon said, offering his final farewell before getting into the carriage to return to the Count’s estate.

As the carriage started moving, Evan turned to him.

“Count?”

“Yes?”

“You must be looking forward to next year.”

“Looking forward to what? Ah, my birthday?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not expecting much. After all, I get plenty already.”

“Oh, come on—formal gifts from well-wishers are different from what the kids will give you.”

“…Well, I still don’t expect too much,” Alon replied, but contrary to his words, he was actually a little excited. 

In fact, he had been anticipating it since the moment Rine asked about his birthday.

…Wine, maybe? No, Rine deals with artifacts, so perhaps she’ll give me something useful? Though that might be a bit expensive, so maybe she’ll compromise on something more reasonable…?

With these thoughts in mind, Alon hid his growing excitement behind a calm expression, imagining what gifts might come in a year.

Meanwhile, shortly after Alon had left, Rine sat in her office inside Merde. She gazed out at Alon’s carriage as it moved off into the distance.

‘Gift… A gift for the one who acknowledged me as family…’

Her eyes shifted to focus on one particular place. 

In her view stood a single building—Lartania’s castle, home to Lord Lucimore Grace, the ruler of Lartania and the only one allowed to reside there.

“There’s something… there.”

A smile spread across Rine’s face.

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Copy 33

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The black market in the capital attracts all kinds of people. Thieves, swindlers, fences, thugs… the abandoned, the forgotten, or those who left society by choice—the outcasts. Among the many dark pits here, if one were to ask which place holds the worst reputation, ‘The Nest’ would undoubtedly be among everyone’s top picks.

It is one of the three most notorious dens, along with ‘The Valley,’ known for its drug trade, and ‘The Forge,’ a gathering of arms dealers. Only those who have stained their hands with blood can enter this employment office. It’s a place where serial killers, hitmen, illegal mercenaries, and assassins—anyone whose trade involves killing—gather. The dim lighting is suffused with the stench of drugs, cigarette smoke, stale alcohol, and the metallic scent of blood emanating from uncleaned, rusted weapons.

In short, it’s not a place for a well-dressed ‘lady’ to be wandering into. So, it’s no surprise that every gaze in the room turned toward the door as it swung open. The young woman, dressed in an expensive-looking robe, stood out like a sore thumb in this bleak setting. With an enthusiastic gait, she trotted in, glancing around with a beaming smile. To an onlooker, she might as well have been a child on a picnic.

“Who’s the worst criminal here? Raise your hand if you’re confident,” she declared suddenly, stealing everyone’s attention with her unexpected question.

The bizarre sight left the occupants of The Nest blinking in confusion. The woman, dissatisfied with the lack of response, scanned the room again, frowning slightly.

“No one?”  

“Is this place really that weak? Weaker than the last two spots?”

No one knew what she meant by the ‘last two spots,’ but her words were enough to scratch someone’s pride. At the sound of a weapon slamming on the table, everyone’s eyes shifted to the source.

“If you’re rushing your death, I won’t stop you,” a rough voice called out. The man who spoke was well-known in the area—a notorious hitman with a bare, scar-covered chest. It was rumored that he carved a scar for every person he killed. His menacing presence made everyone uneasy, save for one person.

The woman who had initiated the questioning cocked her head slightly and took a few steps toward him.  

“Are you the baddest one here?”  

“You certainly don’t seem like you’d win a Citizen of the Year award.”

“Yeah?” he sneered. “Why, do you need proof? I can give you some if you’d like.”  

The woman nodded, as if she had confirmed something.  

“Your words tell me you’re the real deal.”

She gently placed her small hand atop the man’s large hand.  

“What’s this? Are you offering yourself as proof—”  

But before he could finish, a knife plunged mercilessly down, piercing through the woman’s hand and into his own, pinning both to the wooden table.

Blood splattered everywhere, and as the man let out a blood-curdling scream, those nearby sprang to their feet, drawing their weapons.

“……You, bastard!”  

“I have a few questions to ask. I’d like you to answer them honestly, if you don’t mind. A friend asked me to look into this.”  

The woman who had committed such an act remained seated, her chin resting on her hand atop the table, still smiling. It was safe to say she looked rather relaxed.  

“What the hell are you saying, you—”  

“Claiming you’ve done a lot of bad things probably means you’ve been busy here, right? It also means you know a lot, doesn’t it?”  

But none of the people in The Nest dared to rush at her.  

That’s because they recognized the blazing, searing-hot flames that suddenly erupted around the woman, heating up the room like the middle of hell itself.  

“…Divine power?”  

If someone could control such an ability, they were at least a paladin—at most, a royal from the Holy Kingdom. It was more than enough reason to reconsider attacking.  

Meanwhile, the woman who had created this oppressive atmosphere showed not the slightest hesitation as she continued speaking.  

“Recently, there’s been some folks poking around the black market. I’d like to know where they are.”  

“Gasp, haah—”  

“Hellfire bombs, Suppression Syringes, and Ritual Root. I heard someone’s been handling all of them. They’re not ordinary goods, so there must be rumors. Do you know anything about them? Tell me everything, and I’ll pull out the knife and let you go.”  

“Shut up…! I’ll kill you, you damnable—!”  

“Hmm, yeah, yeah. That’s what they said at the last two places, too.”  

“…What?”  

“Yeah… The Valley? The Forge? Something with cutesy names like that.”  

“The guys there reacted just the same when I did this.”  

The names of the two most infamous gangs in the capital’s black market slipped out of the woman’s mouth, leaving the others stunned.  

It was clear just by her words that she had confronted them in the exact same way.  

Those who had drawn their weapons awkwardly exchanged glances.  

Honestly, they figured she was probably bluffing.  

The three dens of crime were certainly not friendly toward one another, but at the very least, they would’ve heard rumors if one of them had been taken down. Within half a day, word would’ve spread like wildfire.  

In other words, if what she claimed was true…  

It meant that this woman had annihilated all three of the black market’s dens within less than half a day.  

‘…Is that even possible?’  

Everyone in the room shared that thought.  

However, it was the woman’s demeanor that made the situation even more unsettling.  

“Don’t worry. In the end, they all talked.”  

Calmly.  

Without any sign of bravado or intimidation, she spoke as if she were simply stating a fact.  

Still smiling brightly, she continued cheerfully.  

“Usually, they start talking when I burn them from the hands up to the arms.”  

She then moved the flames that had risen around her.  

The man’s face, who had been impaled through his hand, turned pale. Despite the black-and-white flames that seemed to absorb all light, casting shadows on her face, she continued to smile.  

Of course, by now, that smile was starting to look different.  

It wouldn’t be wrong to call her a demon at this point.  

“You damn—!”  

But everyone here was someone who lived by killing, meaning that being cornered this far guaranteed at least some resistance.  

The man swung a curved sword from his free hand in a broad arc. In the blink of an eye, it slashed across the woman’s neck.  

And then.  

The woman simply scoffed.  

No scream, no bloodshed, not even any reaction.  

It was as if the blade had cut through thin air.  

“Hmm.”  

As the sliced surface fused back together seamlessly, the onlookers recoiled in horror.  

Like a clay doll being molded back into shape, the cut instantly sealed itself—a sight undeniably grotesque.  

Still, she kept smiling.  

“If you wanted to cut me, you should’ve aimed for your own wrist instead.”  

Then.  

She lightly tapped the back of the hand that had been pinned by the knife as she continued.  

“I’m not pulling this out until I hear everything I want, you know?”  

“…You won’t talk?”  

“Then I’ll start burning you now. Speak up if you can’t take it.”  

At that moment, everyone in the room seemed to come to the same sudden realization.

-This woman.  

She wasn’t bluffing when she said she’d gone through all three black market dens.  

This woman is a monster, fully capable of pulling it off…!  

“I-I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”  

The man, drenched in a cold sweat as flames slowly crept toward him, finally broke down. But the moment she heard his answer, disappointment flashed across the woman’s face.  

“You’re really the weakest so far.”  

The man paled even further, realizing she was serious when she said she’d actually burned people at the previous places. 

Reluctantly, he began answering her questions obediently. As the tense interrogation continued, the door suddenly swung open once more.  

All eyes, unable to move under the woman’s oppressive aura, shifted to the entrance.  

Was it another one of her comrades? What if it was someone even more terrifying than her…?  

“Is it over?”  

Contrary to their fears, a perfectly ordinary man stepped inside.  

The problem was…  

“Oh, just now—!”  

It was the woman’s reaction upon seeing the man.  

The woman, who had been exerting an overwhelming presence moments ago, lost all of that terrifying energy the moment the man’s face appeared.  

The man frowned slightly as he surveyed the room.  

“You didn’t get hurt, did you?”  

“Oh, I just stabbed my own hand!”  

“And why exactly are you hurting yourself like that?”  

“Well, it makes them more scared of me!”  

They continued their conversation casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It seemed like they were close, and that this monstrous woman considered the man her equal.  

“Well, if you’re done, let’s go. This is the last one, right?”  

“Aww, are there really no more…?”  

“Unfortunately, these were the only three bad ones around.”  

The woman smacked her lips as if genuinely disappointed, and the man bowed slightly to those around him.  

“Have a nice day.”  

With that farewell, the man wrapped an arm around the woman, who clung to him, and they walked out of the building.  

“What the hell are those two…?”  

It was likely that everyone there shared a similar sentiment.  

The crazy woman was insane enough on her own, but any man who could befriend such a woman was certainly not normal either.  

Aiden sighed as he crossed the last name off his notebook.  

“…That’s the last den.”  

If you’re looking for a needle in a haystack, the best way is to use heavy machinery to sift through all the hay.  

Proven by their efficiency, they’d swept through the most dangerous and filthy places in the capital in less than half a day.  

Normally, it would’ve taken weeks or even months to carefully gather information, but this aggressive approach had made the identities of the ‘informants’ almost clear.  

This method wouldn’t have been possible without Katia, who loved to act recklessly. He’d already lost count of how many people she’d sent to the hospital in such a short time.  

…This is why Noel couldn’t be brought along.  

As Aiden pondered this, he noticed Katia staring at him intently.  

“What are you looking at?”  

“Nothing, I was just thinking that when you decide to cause trouble, you’re really ruthless about it.”  

“You look meek most of the time, but when you act, you really go all out.”  

…Of all people, hearing this from her brought about a mix of complex emotions.  

Sadly, he couldn’t deny it.  

“When necessary, you have to act. Catching those kinds of people is all about speed.”  

The reason for such an aggressive approach was to prevent the targets from going into hiding once word spread.  

Not that this explanation was entirely accurate.  

“Hm?”  

“They’re probably already preparing to vanish. Those who receive direct orders from high-ranking officials wouldn’t be lacking in information.”  

Even though they acted quickly, they had still dismantled three organizations. By now, word must have spread, meaning the opposition would have begun taking action.  

Aiden wasn’t inexperienced in crime, so he understood how such organizations operated.  

They’d be erasing evidence, scattering, and preparing to disappear.  

“From that perspective, the job’s not quite done yet. Are you okay with that?”  

“Of course. This is the best part.”  

“Nobody complains when you mess with bad guys. It’s a win-win for my hobby and for helping a friend.”  

As Katia said this with a cheerful smile, Aiden found himself at a loss for words—until a system window suddenly popped up in front of him.  

-System Message:  

The mood of ‘Katia’ has significantly improved!  

▶ This action has been identified as the optimal way to increase her ‘Affection.’ Related information has been added to the compendium! Repeating this action will have a high probability of further increasing her affection!  

Well.  

People really don’t change easily.  

Even though she was as tame as a pet when she was around him, her violent tendencies and habit of smashing things whenever she got the chance hadn’t diminished at all.  

Still, it was fortunate that this notice appeared at just the right time.  

What he was about to say to Katia had a high chance of upsetting her.  

If she was in a good mood, she might at least listen.  

“Well then, Katia.”  

Aiden scratched his head and spoke up.  

“I’ll need Noel’s help from this point on.”  

Sure enough, Katia’s beaming smile disappeared instantly.  

It was a sudden shift from heaven to hell.  

“…Why her?”  

“Come on. I told you to get along with Noel.”  

“……”

“Katia. You have to answer.”  

“Fine,” Katia replied, pouting her lips.  

Aiden couldn’t help but chuckle internally. It felt like he was a father trying to reason with his rebellious teenage daughter.  

“But still, explain it to me. Why do we really need her?”  

“Oh, that.”  

Now that they had the location, this part was crucial.  

The whole point of capturing the informants was to expose the prince and the minister.  

To do that, they needed ‘evidence’ connecting those officials to the suspects.  

And to gather that evidence, direct confrontation with their people was inevitable.  

The method he had chosen for this was…  

“Noel needs to get really angry.”  

Though it was unclear why, Katia seemed visibly pleased at the mere mention of Noel getting mad.

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