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– I willingly accede to your challenge to fight in the Garnav Plain, provided that the time of battle will be on Saturday evening, 15 days from now.

Lafaye and the Hermes Guild were extremely confused when they received Weed’s response.

‘So he’s going to have a head-on fight with all of his main troops against all of ours? Is he serious?”

“Is this really what Weed said?”

“It is. There are already videos of his interviews with the CTS and KMC Media.”

“Huh…”

The users in the inner circle of the Hermes Guild were just waiting for their chance to get revenge. Still, while they were all for crushing Weed and the Northern users, they hadn’t expected their enemies to accept their proposal so easily.

Everyone’s gaze fell on Lafaye.

“If we’re having a full frontal war, isn’t our side going to be at a huge advantage?”

“Absolutely. This means we can concentrate all of our forces into one place, without having to protect the rest of the vast territories of the Empire.”

“Then why did Weed agree to this battle so readily?”

“…”

Lafaye was a man who had a talent in connecting small clues to figure out other people’s intentions and set up his schemes accordingly. However, this time even he had no idea what to make of this sudden turn of event.

The Hermes Guild had received proposals from the broadcasting stations similar to what Weed had been offered, but the guild was not overly interested as it was already very rich thanks to the investments from various sources. In addition, Lafaye didn’t realize that Weed’s obsession with money went beyond the bounds of his common sense.

“I think… he is either playing a trick on everyone, thinking that he can afford to lose the fame he has gained so far…”

Lafaye continued making a conjecture that sounded the most probable to him, although he didn’t feel much assured of his deduction.

“…or he genuinely concluded that he can defeat us, yet again, in this battle.”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe Weed is putting too much confidence in his own popularity, or he might not have a clear idea of the exact military strength of the Hermes Guild.”

“But he has fought us so many times!”

“And we have lost a lot of times; let’s be fair.”

“…”

“However, he won’t be able to overcome the many challenges of this upcoming battle with the human-wave tactics alone. With our top elite troops, the Hermes Guild will be as strong as if it had both the spear that can pierce through anything and the shield that can resist any attack.” (Note: This (I think) refers to the old Chinese story that poses a question, “What happens when you try to block an all-piercing spear with an all-blocking shield?” which became the origin of the Chinese word for contradiction. Korean language uses the same word as well.)

Lafaye was convinced that there was no way their side would lose if they faced the Arpen Kingdom in an all-out war. The entire military force of the Hermes Guild was currently spread over the vast Central Continent, ruling the whole territory. The Northern users’ war strategy consisted almost solely of their signature human-wave tactics which was not unbeatable. Just considering the Empire’s Second Legion alone, it was certainly true that they had accomplished a remarkable feat until the middle of the battle although they had suffered big damage afterwards.

Arkhym spoke, his voice far from enthusiastic.

“What if he conjures up another guy like Bar Khan after making this agreement?”

The dreadful undead horde — something they hoped they would never have to face again.

“I do not think that is his intention. If he uses trickery, he normally uses it to avoid the fight altogether. Once the battle begins, the Grass Porridge Cult and other users supporting the Arpen Kingdom will assemble in the field.”

“So, because of those people Weed will be forced to make his appearance, and he won’t be able to summon some other monster like Bar Khan?”

“Exactly. Calling forth a being like Bar Khan will lead to the self-destruction of the Arpen Kingdom. It would be difficult for him to use his skills that cause disasters, too.”

“I just cannot understand why he would do this.”

“The Garnav Plain is also not the sort of terrain suitable for his usual tricks and deceptions.”

The solution Lafaye and the Hermes Guild users were looking for was just around the corner, yet it just didn’t register to them as a valid answer.

‘He knows to plan things from a long-term perspective, considering the fact that he was the one who founded the Arpen Kingdom. Not only that, he proved to be meticulous and full of clever tricks in every battle.’

‘Broadcasting rights? Money? Of course they don’t mean anything to him, a man of such reputation and influence…’

Although the answer never dawned on him however deeply he thought, Lafaye still concluded that the situation had become more favorable for the Haven Empire.

“We made the proposal and Weed has accepted it; the only thing remaining is preparation for the war.”

Calcus the Slayer asked a question.

“By the way, what would be the reason behind his suggestion to postpone the date of the battle? He said he will face us on the Saturday, 15 days later.”

“That I do not know. He might be devising a dangerous trap.”

***

Weed arrived in the Garnav Plain in advance using Yurin’s Picture Teleportation skill.

“There’s only grass here, brother.”

“Yes. Not a place for much trickery and deception.”

As this was the battlefield the Hermes Guild had chosen, he had done some preliminary research on the Internet. The Garnav Plain was a vast land with a wide-open view, so it would be difficult to set any traps in here. There were occasional gentle slopes here and there, but they were not enough to have any decisive influence on the battle.

“This is a good place for hosting a fair, large-scale battle between two great armies.”

The Hermes Guild wouldn’t have wanted to attract any unnecessary accusations from people when it proposed a showdown, apprehensive of the guild’s already widespread notoriety.

“But I’m not going to fight this fair and square.”

As Weed took in the view of the Garnav Plain, he became lost in thought for a moment. If he won this battle, he would gain an amount of wealth enough to ensure a luxurious life for his whole family for generations.

‘An owner of a building, a land, a house, or even a real estate speculator… I could be anything I want.’

He recalled how it felt when he had just lost his parents during his childhood: as if all happiness was slipping away through his fingers, and the world became a blur before his eyes. The feeling of deep despair that poured down buckets of icy water on his heart, lost and cast away.

‘…And I’ve come this far.’

He had learned how malicious and terrible the world could be as he worked in factories and construction sites. Those who were weak and penniless were so easily trampled. The people he saw while walking past the department stores or coffee shops looked as if they were from a whole different planet. As he roamed about the busy streets of a town with his sister, he remembered feeling like they were the only derelicts and beggars in the crowd. He was often envious of people who got upset with their bad exam results or angry with their friends, knowing that their troubles and pain would fade away in but a few days.

‘Mastering sculpting skills and going through all those difficult quests… Maybe all of that has been to prepare myself for this battle.’

As soon as he was done with this little flashback about the past, he started to design plans to win the coming fight. The Grass Porridge Cult and the Hermes Guild… as it would be the battle in which the two most important forces in the Versailles Continent clash, there would be a variety of unpredictable factors in play.

‘Once the fight starts, lots of things are going to happen that will be beyond my control as well.’

As of now, he could not know what kind of strategy the Hermes Guild would use, nor exactly how much power the Grass Porridge Cult would be able to exert, until the actual battle began.

‘I’ll just have to do whatever I can. As a master sculptor, it is time to put every skill I’ve ever learned to use.’

Plenty of dirty and cheap tricks crossed Weed’s mind. Naturally, skills with heavy penalties such as Sculptural Life Bestowal or Sculpture Resurrection would have to be used if necessary. In case of Sculpture Resurrection especially, anything short of reviving a special figure who had made the greatest accomplishment in the history of Royal Road wouldn’t do.

“I cannot let the person just fool around for some time and disappear, either. I’ll need to make sure that they will help me no matter what.”

There was nothing so insincere as a half-hearted flattery; a truly professional sycophant put his soul into each compliment, and his flattery had the power to even cure the listener’s chronic constipation.

“To set things up for a big picture, I’ll have to use my Time Sculpting skill as well. It’s just for one time only, but I think I know where to use this skill for the best effect.”

Making predictions for the upcoming war in ordinary ways wouldn’t be enough; the Hermes Guild would already be doing that as well. Wits, flattery, and mooching off other people — using his most extraordinary talents, Weed was completing a grand plan that reached back even to the old history of the Versailles Continent.

***

Mapan!

A prominent merchant and the leader of Mapan’s Trading Company, he received a whisper from Weed.

– Weed: Notify every group of merchants in the Northern Continent: we need to concentrate supply lines to the Garnav Plain as much as possible. In addition to weapons and war supplies, make sure to bring enough provisions that people can eat and drink. All the food and wine must arrive within three days — this is the most important part.

Mapan never doubted Weed’s words; he had learned long ago that the guy had the Midas touch that turned everything into gold.

‘There’s a good reason why he’s become a sculptor. It’s a profession specialized in fumbling with a piece of wood found on the ground then ripping other people off by selling it at an outrageous price. It was in Weed-nim’s nature to become a sculptor.’

But while trusting in Weed’s judgment without question, Mapan was still curious about the reason behind his action.

“I will gather up all the weapons and war supplies we have, even if we have to empty the stock in every shop in the entire Morata region. But will we really need to bring all the food?”

There were still two weeks left until the battle in the Garnav Plain, and as each individual user would also carry their own food with them he was wondering if supplying additional provisions would really be necessary.

– Weed: *sigh*… You are too innocent for your own good.

The moment Mapan got this message from Weed, he realized that he was making some serious misjudgment. Namely, he was making the error of trying to understand Weed’s devious motive from a sensible, ordinary point of view.

– Weed: There will be many users who arrive in the Garnav Plain earlier than the actual date of battle.

“I’d assume so.”

It would take only two days for the Grass Porridge Cult members who had taken control of the Harpan Region to get down to the Garnav Plain. Geomchi and the Desert Warriors would not require a lot of time to reach the plain either. As both sides have already agreed to settle things once and for all in one fateful battle, there would be no reason to fight the Imperial Army before the promised time. By taking the route northwards left open by the Imperial Army and using the teleport gates, they would be able to arrive in the Garnav Plain very soon.

– Weed: So, we need to catch those early birds. With enough wine and food, this will be a perfect chance for us to empty their pockets, don’t you think so?

“A-ha! That is…!”

Mapan could picture the whole scene in his head. A crowd of a colossal size flocking to the Garnav Plain; not to mention all the Northern users, many users of the Central Continent would also rush to the place not to miss the chance to witness this grand event. With such a huge amount of people gathered in one place, plus the supply of food and wine… the outcome would be obvious.

“It will turn into a festival!”

– Weed: Correct. They will go on an absolute binge, quite oblivious to their pockets being emptied.

“Indeed…!”

– Weed: People tend to squander their money when they are dreading the unclear future. No matter what the outcome of the battle would be, we need to make a profit.

“Let me just say this: words cannot express my admiration for you. Your unshaken businessmanship moves me deeply.”

– Weed: I proposed to have this grace period for 15 days because I hoped the users of the Central Continent would also join in on the fun.

“I shall begin to make every necessary preparation. I’ll have to hold the best festival in the entire Versailles Continent, mobilizing every merchant group in the North.”

Weed didn’t mention it, but this little scheme of his was also one of the most important tricks for his victory in the coming battle. Among the entire user base of Royal Road, there were a surprisingly large number of people who did not care much about who gains the supremacy over the Versailles Continent. They were just not interested in such political matters, and having settled down in the corners of small towns and cities for a long time, the state of affairs in the entire continent had little to do with their lives. There were especially many users of the Central Continent with such a tendency, as they were getting tired of the long lasting war.

A lavish festival that would make even the ordinary users jump into the celebration with excitement; after those Central Continent users thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the feast, it was extremely likely that they would turn to Weed’s side with the slightest nudge.

‘This alone would be enough to increase our strength by tens of percent.’

Clink! Clink! Clink!

Herman and Fabio had been ceaselessly crafting swords even after they had become master blacksmiths, as if competing with each other.

“Weed and Bard Ray…hmm…”

Wars didn’t bring any harm to blacksmiths; no matter who takes control, they would not dare mistreat the blacksmiths with the best skills in Royal Road. Still, the prospect of the great battle that would possibly determine the strongest force of the entire continent piqued their curiosity.

“I guess I’ll set off, then.”

***

Miretas the farmer.

The farmers of Royal Road had to rely on manual labor through each and every stage of their farm work from cultivating a wasteland to harvesting the crops, as no agricultural machines exists in this world. Tilling the soil of the vast land by hands, they did not have the luxury of having even a single day off, as they had to look after various kinds of crops, tens of different fruits and ornamental trees.

“This is beautiful.”

Miretas watched his golden rice field that rolled in waves whenever a gust of wind swept the stalks.

“Farmer is a profession that is all about sowing seeds in nature and earning the fruits of hard and honest work. There is no regret in the life of handling earth and plants, not to mention the great pleasures it provides.”

His forehead was shining with sweat from the labor of farm work.

Ding!

< New plant variety developed!

You have created a new variety of rice. It is highly nutritious, top-grade rice which melts instantly in your mouth when cooked.

A First class food ingredient! >

“I’ll need to share this with other farmers.”

A farmer could be of big help to other people that shared the same profession by distributing rare seedlings or new varieties of plants they developed by themselves, as other farmers could increase their skill levels or fame just by growing them. Of course, Miretas could have chosen to raise those valuable plants all by himself if he had been greedier, but he did not do so. Increased average yield for the farmers would make Royal Road that much richer.

“So, the Garnav Plain…”

Miretas had just received the invitation from Weed, which was delivered by novice sparrows of the bird people race who were hired with the hourly wage of 2 silvers.

-Come and watch the fantastic battle in the Garnav Plain.

As we are always grateful for all the efforts you have made for the Arpen Kingdom, you will be provided with the seat on Wy-3’s broad back for your convenience in spectating.

-VIP invitation-

“Of course I should go. I need to have my revenge on those Hermes Guild fools who always looked down on us farmers.”

Miretas fully packed his backpack with the seeds used for combat purposes modified by himself. While farmers were not proficient in combat, they could still assist their allies in indirect ways such as creating a forest full of man-eating trees, or making a paralyzing plant grow all over the field.

***

Drago the tailor.

He received the invitation while doing the laundry that had been piling up.

“It’s a shame, but I don’t think I can make it because of all the work.”

He was doing everything he could to clear the quests for becoming the master tailor, but it was one big obstacle after another. He had been doing so much laundry that his delicate and graceful tailor’s hands were full of blisters. True, the laundry quests had the benefit of making it easier for him to handle fabrics—already the clothes were completely cleaned of old stains and became softer the moment his hands touched them.

“I’ll need to do some fancier quests after I’m done with this…It just can’t be all manual work until I make it to the master rank, can it?”

Drago lifted his head to check how much laundry was still left to be washed.

“…”

And there it was, the mountain of dirty clothes, looking as if it hadn’t been reduced in size at all.

“I…I need to escape.”

Thus he decided to run to the Garnav Plain immediately.

***

Elkgoon, the cook of the Grass Porridge Cult.

He was a chef of remarkable skills, capable of creating most delicious tastes with his hands, yet he felt humbled whenever he had a plate of grass porridge.

“It tastes so light…and there’s nothing to add or take out; it’s just right. This is a dish that only serves to fill one’s belly, yet there are those who starve because they don’t have even this. This is why we must not waste any ingredient.”

Elkgoon was also the very person who created actual dishes after the names of the various Porridge groups. Some variations of the Poisonous Mushroom Porridge were so difficult to cook that other chefs couldn’t even make them even if they knew the recipes. Only Elkgoon could prepare the perfect Poisonous Mushroom Porridge that gave off the strong, fragrant earthy smell.

“The people from the Central Continent have quite different palate to the Northern users. I must go there, if only to let more Central Continent users have a taste of this Poisonous Mushroom Porridge.”

***

Mibullo the architect—since he moved to the North, the style of architecture in the region had gone through a dramatic change. Large and sophisticated looking buildings gave a beautiful view to the cities. The transformation of many shantytowns in Morata was also his work.

“Old does not mean ugly. Just modifying it a little will reveal these buildings’ true worth.”

He changed the structure or color of each shabby house slightly, and created wonderful scenery in which, when watched from afar, the houses of Morata seemed to form a beautiful picture together. A great architect was both an artist and a sculptor, which made this kind of design possible.

The Dawn city, the construction of which Mibullo had participated in from the planning stage, represented the history of the North itself in addition to its neat districts scheme—The Road of Ice, the Road of Frontiers, the Road of Art, the Road of Culture, the Road of Trade, the Road of Adventure, and the Road of Production.

When constructing a city, the happiness of the future residents was an imperative factor.

“May all the people in this city always have good dreams and lead happy lives.”

It was his belief that a beautifully and conveniently designed city would make people who stayed in it happier; a city where the residents and tourists alike wanted to stay as long as possible, even for just a day more.

It was when he was building this Dawn city that he received the invitation from Weed.

“Well, I was already intending to go even if he hadn’t asked…hmm-mm.”

A decisive match between the Arpen Kingdom and the Haven Empire—this was an event that he simply had to attend, because if the Haven Empire won by any chance, those people from the empire would occupy and use the precious Earth Palace which he had built by the sweat of his brow. If worst came to worst, Mibullo was even prepared to break it all down by his own hands.

“All the better; Weed has saved my face by sending the invitation. It feels good to be acknowledged like this, ever since I moved to the Arpen Kingdom.”

The Arpen Kingdom treated the workers of the production industry very favorably, maybe because its own king was a sculptor himself. Mibullo was determined to return the favor to the best of his abilities.

***

Oberon—one of the users who had played Royal Road from the very beginning, and the founder of the Frozen Rose Guild. Once he had led many a fantastic adventures, and currently he was the lord of the Vent Castle in the Arpen Kingdom. Even when the enormous number of the Grass Porridge Cult members were marching towards the south he had left behind and kept his place as the lord of the castle to secure the region’s safety and support other users, but now he received the invitation from Weed.

“So there’s going to be a showdown between the two sides? Then of course I must go and help.”

Thus he also set off towards the south, bringing the entire troops of the Vent Castle.

On his way, Oberon made the most of his influence to rally others, and in the town square of Morata he even left a very impressive speech.

“What is the reason for our fight, and what is the reason for our struggle? I do not know many things about life, yet I do know that we will spend the rest of ours in shame and regret if we don’t raise our swords right now. Let us march on with dignity. We are the Grass Porridge!”

***

Pavo and Gaston, the leaders of the architects from the North, were moving along with the main force of the Grass Porridge Cult.

“Let’s build the road. This will become a major trade route for the Arpen Kingdom to advance its economic influence towards the south.”

Since they had been assigned as the heads of construction department for the Arpen Kingdom, they had an ability to create new quests.

This is a nation quest for the Arpen Kingdom.

Build a road that leads to the plains in the southern regions. The workers who participate in the construction project will have their contributions acknowledged.

Difficulty Level: D

Reward: Nation Contribution points

Quest Restriction: for the residents of the Arpen Kingdom only.>

In places where the architects moved past, a new road was created in their wake. Their devotion was what enabled the swift advance of the Grass Porridge’s main army, as well as the securing of the transport route on which the carriages could rush up and down at extreme speeds.

“Let’s Run! Tssssskk.”

The orc army was also marching along the same road, their numbers without end.

***

Chaser the adventurer.

“Seeking out even the tiniest clue and beating about the entire continent to find out where it leads, that’s the job of an adventurer. The thrill of discovery is what we live for, even if we know it only lasts for a second.”

He was the one who uncovered the old relics of the Niflheim Empire and brought them to the Arpen Kingdom. The effect of those relics brought about the rapid growth of the kingdom’s economic and technological power as well as its commercial progress. As one of the key contributors to the development of the Arpen Kingdom, the name Chaser became widely known among the users of the Northern regions.

And naturally, he would be present in the upcoming battle as well.

***

Daymond—he was the Guild Master of the Predator of the land, and the first user ever to have received a S-class level quest. He had once been a Priest of Resurrection, too, and invaded the Central Continent with the army of demonic spirits of the Embinyu Church. But after his forces had been suppressed by the Haven Empire, his player character itself was deleted by permanent death as the penalty of failing the quest.

Since then the members of the Predator of the land started anew in Royal Road, and currently they had barely reached level 100. The once mighty power of the guild only existed in their memory now, but still the members were working hard to grow their strength, crawling the dungeons in Morata.

“This place is a paradise.”

“Prices are so low here, and the products have high quality.”

“It’s quite surprising that the merchants are willing to repair or exchange any faulty items. Those merchants groups of the Hermes Guild would have never done that.”

Quite unlike the days when they stayed in the Central Continent, they were enjoying their lives even as novices.

“Hey boss, shouldn’t we be there too?”

“Of course. Let’s go!”

***

Hegel, Bella, Rumi and Nide.

The students from the Department of Virtual Reality in Korea University were also presently staying in Morata.

“You know, shouldn’t we…go to see this battle?”

“Hmph, there’s no point. It is simply impossible to defeat the Hermes Guild. Even that mighty Black Lion Guild was no match for them.”

“Why are you being so pessimistic about all this, Hegel?”

“Just take one look and it’s so obvious how this fight will turn out. It’s not wise to live with a meaningless illusion that clouds your eyes to the real world.”

“It’s so frustrating how you just don’t see which way the wind is blowing. No wonder you don’t have any friends.”

“…Ouch.”

At this moment, Nide the thief quietly rose from his seat. Rumi noticed this and her eyes twinkled.

“Where are you going?”

“The Garnav Plain.”

“It’s quite far.”

“Still, I want to go and watch the battle. It feels like I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life if I miss this.”

“Let’s go together, then.”

The other students of Korea University also got up from their seats.

Hegel refused to go for some more time and tried to hold his ground, but even he had to admit that the normally busy streets of Morata had become very quiet and rather empty. The castle gates were crowded with carriages and flocks of cows heading southwards.

“Bah. Okay, okay, I’ll go…but it’s not like I’m interested or anything.”

***

“My big brother is having a fight against the Hermes Guild?”

Petrov, the aqualight painter, were painting graffiti in the sewers of the Castle of Aren. His graffiti had an effect of disturbing public order and even lowering the loyalty of the resident users.

“That means ‘she’ would be there, too…”

Petrov thought of Yurin, and decided that he could not just sit there doing nothing.

“I need to get there at once, using Picture Teleportation.”

He rushed to finish the painting he had been working on—a depiction of Bard Ray the Emperor cooking a packet of Red Crab Ramyun, and having it all by himself without sharing with anyone.

***

Halma, Margo, Rewis, and Gran.

There were not many users in this world who knew of their existence, but those who that had been victims of them quivered with rage at the mere mention of them; a quartet of backstabbing muggers!

“Weed-nim, the God of War himself, will fight against Bard Ray, the one called the God of War…!”

“I must say, even having beaten by him is a great honor.”

“Hey, if he wins this time, doesn’t that mean he will unite the whole continent?”

“Don’t be silly. They’re not going to lose all their lands in the Central Continent just by losing one battle.”

“Still, winning the largest and the most critical battle would eventually lead to conquering the entire continent. How would the Hermes Guild stop him after they get defeated in this fight?”

“Wow. The emperor of the Versailles Continent…!”

“And we tried to rob the person who would become just that.”

The quartet of muggers was usually lurking about in the Rosenheim Kingdom. Despite being located in a remote region to the east, the Rosenheim Kingdom boasted a vast territory; there were a great number of villages, cities and castles along with hunting grounds still untouched by anyone and mysterious quests yet to be uncovered. Becoming the ruler of just one kingdom was already a remarkable accomplishment; so needless to say, the Emperor of the united Versailles Continent would be the position of glory beyond imagination.

“What do you say, shall we take this little trip?”

“Absolutely!”

“And we can search for some easy targets on our way there.”

“Sure, we shouldn’t miss any chance to strike people on the back of their heads.”

***

Eunling, Ben and Elix.

They had met Weed during the time he came to the Desert.

“You are the adventurers of the Shadow of the Earth party, correct? I have heard a lot about your great exploits before I started playing Royal Road.”

“It’s an honor that you recognize us.”

Elix shook hands with Weed on behalf of the rest of the party.

“I believe you have also sent me a challenge once.”

“Well, that’s…*ahem*, indeed we have, as we were somewhat…overenthusiastic during those days.”

Eunling and Ben avoided Weed’s eyes. The incident in which they had got themselves involved in the affairs of the Embinyu Church had become something of an embarrassing past to them, as it was Weed who actually managed to defeat the order in the end while they were wasting their time.

“Nowadays we are working on the quest of founding the Palos Empire. It is about building an empire in the Desert Region.”

Elix said proudly, not having fully abandoned his competitive nature. Uniting the entire vast Desert Region, raising warriors and establishing a nation—he was confident that the value of this quest would not pale in comparison to that of founding the Arpen Kingdom itself.

Weed smiled broadly, as if he was a neighbor who had just purchased a big land.

“Ah. THAT quest.”

“You already know about it? I assume you have heard the story from Geomchi and his pupils-“

“I’m working on that same quest myself.”

“…What?”

“As a matter of fact, there’s currently only one last step left until the foundation of the Palos Empire. That last step shouldn’t be overly difficult, either, I expect.”

“…”

“I believe you have saved us a lot of trouble for the next quest, considering the fact that you have done all the cumbersome work and got it out of the way for us.”

Thus the Shadows of the Earth party once again witnessed the fruit of their hard work snatched right under their noses, by a competitor who had intervened in the middle of the quest for which they had been making gradual progress through effort and ordeal. If it had been any ordinary competitor, they wouldn’t even come close to a match for the Shadows of the Earth, but the problem, of course, was that it turned out to be Weed of all people.

Weed, with his skills in every obscure profession, stats he had built through countless hours of manual work, fame, experiences in quests, combat capabilities and social connections. Once he had wedged himself into the picture, it was just in the course of nature that the rest of the people would be squeezed out to the background. Even worse was the fact that they were not exactly in a position to complain, as it was mainly thanks to Weed that the Shadows of the Earth party had been able to come to the Desert to carry out the quest in the first place. The quest itself wouldn’t have been able to make so much progress if Weed hadn’t laid a firm foundation for it during his times as the Great King of the Desert.

“Since he’s waging a war against the Hermes Guild, I guess we’ll have to go and join him. *sigh*”

“Yeah, we shouldn’t miss the chance to witness the moment that will determine the future course of history.”

“Do you think we should help Weed?”

“Well, we cannot just let the Hermes Guild win, can we? Though I admit, I’m not feeling too eager myself…”

***

Robin had been burning with revengeful thoughts towards the Arpen Kingdom.

“Taking away all of my lands…all the time and efforts I’d put to develop my territories, and they just took them for nothing!”

When the Haven Empire lost its control over the regions in the North, the local lords who had been assigned by the Hermes Guild suddenly found themselves in a very awkward position. They tried to protect their status and interests through negotiations with Weed, but the outcome was the worst they could have imagined. The failure lay in the fact that they had thought him to be a na?ve young man, which was a complete and thorough mistake. The seven lords who burned down their towns and left in opposition to the terms of the negotiation were branded as the worst villains, never to step into the Versailles Continent again. Now the rest of the local lords who remained in the North were forced to offer 70 percent of the total tax revenue collected from the cities on which they had been spending tens of millions of gold for their growth.

“I’m not denying that there are still certain pleasures to be had in managing the city, but…”

Robin had not given up on his feelings for Seoyoon yet, which was why he chose not to return to the Central Continent.

‘There is no person who is both as beautiful and intelligent as her. Most importantly, I fell for her the moment I first looked at her and I cannot get over my feelings now.’

With his wealth and good looks, there had been a lot of women approaching him or requesting for blind dates. For some time, when the distance between him and Seoyoon was not showing any hope of closing, he tried meeting other ladies, more than ten of them a week, but that only resulted in his longings for her getting even deeper. In his eyes, no other women could match her, not only because of her appearance, but also because of the unique aura about her.

‘She wouldn’t continue going out with a guy like Weed forever. Yes. Royal Road…the problem is Royal Road.’

Robin’s thoughts had taken a direction towards a rather wild speculation, although it was not entirely baseless.

‘Like many others, she has also lost herself in Royal Road; understandable, of course, there is a lot to enjoy in this world. To a person like her who had had such a lonely life…it must have felt like paradise. That’s why she started to date Weed, a man of strength and fame in this game world.’

The conclusion drawn from that speculation also felt quite reasonable to him, as he just couldn’t imagine how else he would lose to a rival like Weed, except for the fact that Weed was better at Royal Road than him.

‘So, I just need to become a successful man in Royal Road. Then there will be no reason for her to stick to a nobody like him.’

Thus Robin had been desperately investing great amounts of money on his city, Aath.

“Convert and put in 80 million gold. There will be another investment of 100 million next week.”

Even to him those amounts were considerable, but he did not stint on any expenses. He believed that he would be able to prove his competence by achieving a rapid growth of the city of Aath through these enormous investments. His passion for the city development enterprise became even stronger when he received the news that Seoyoon would effectively assume full charge of all the administrative matters of the Arpen Kingdom.

‘She is somewhere close to me. I will make this city into the most prominent place in the North, nay, in the entire Versailles Continent.’

Robin spent the wealth he had been given in advance from his parents and sold the real estate he owned to invest on Royal Road. As he himself was the lord of the city all that money was not exactly wasted into thin air, but the fact remained that a colossal amount of capital had been consumed by him, despite his status as the successor of a major conglomerate.

– A free 1,000 gold reward for any user who registers their place of residence in the city of Aath.

– For all the novice users; a prize of 500 gold will be given whenever you complete a quest.

– Enjoy some welfare benefit! When purchasing any item, 20 percent of the price will be returned.

– An event for visiting users; every user visiting the city of Aath will be given free travel goods.

– Free meals for everyone! Every restaurant in the city of Aath will provide food for free from 8 to 10 in the morning!

From building brick houses and distributing them to the residents free of charge to opening up a whole new guild for a group of no more than three pirates, he was making a range of blind investments that would normally be strongly discouraged unless one is setting up an extremely far-sighted plan for about a hundred years in the future.

‘It’s better to be excessive than deficient. I shall create a city so magnificent that it overwhelms anyone who beholds it.’

The construction of the lord’s castle was also underway, slowly revealing the shape of the extravagant palace. The estate was divided into a total of 52 sections, and each section was to be completed in order starting from the first; once the construction is finished, the entire area of the castle would surpass even that of the Earth Palace. In addition, a famous architectural firm from a foreign country had been commissioned to design the palace.

While such astronomical expenses were put into the development of the city of Aath, its streets were becoming ever more boisterous day by day as Northern users came streaming into the city.

“This is a very good place to live.”

“Yeah. Well, it’s the Arpen Kingdom.”

“The city is really clean, too.”

“As I said, that’s because it belongs to the Arpen Kingdom.”

“It’s all thanks to Weed-nim that such a great city can be created.”

“We should really be grateful for Weed-nim.”

This felt as if he had been dealt a huge blow from the opponent with his eyes fully open—but while Robin was trying to swallow his anger, he spotted a familiar face; among the crowd of merchants visiting the city for trade was Bart, Seoyoon’s father.

“Chairman Jeong!”

“Haha. I have long resigned from that position. Well, it was taken from me, to speak frankly. So just call me whatever you like.”

“I wouldn’t dream of addressing you in such an impolite way. What brings you to this city, by the way?”

“I’ve brought some olives and beer.”

Bart pointed at the carriage he was riding in, as well as the wagons standing in a line at the back.

“I didn’t know you are on Royal Road. I assume you are playing as a merchant?”

“Yes. It’s a simple living and I joined the trend only recently, but I’m quite enjoying myself.”

“Well, I shouldn’t keep you outside like this; please allow me to show you into the castle.”

As Robin ushered Bart to the lord’s castle he couldn’t hide his delight.

‘It was worth spending all that money on this city. He would be so impressed when he sees what magnificent job I’ve done with the lord’s castle.’

Looking around at the luxurious streets and the great palace at the pinnacle of the city’s extravagance, Bart nodded.

‘When this guy takes over the H group…I’m afraid it won’t be able to last long. This fellow would squander the whole company’s fortune in a day.’

From that day on, Robin had treated Bart with utmost devotion. Whenever Bart brought some goods to the city he purchased all of them, naturally with great prices, on top of all the necessary service he provided Bart with during every visit.

“I have arranged to build a house for you, Chairman Jeong.”

“A house? Just for me?”

“Yes. Just think of it as your vacation home and feel free to stay in it whenever you come to visit here.”

He had also obtained top-quality equipment and gears for a merchant by staying up all night to search the auction site for equipment for different skills and levels, and purchasing the best possible pieces.

“This is a small token of my respect.”

“Why, thank you.”

Whenever he saw Bart happy, Robin’s delight became even greater.

‘I’m making a good impression to her father. All that remains is for Seoyoon to come to her senses, and all the conditions will be perfectly to my favor.’

Waiting patiently was a long and difficult task, but he was happy knowing that the person he was waiting for was Seoyoon. Meanwhile, he received the news of Weed planning to fight against the Hermes Guild in the Garnav Plain.

‘Haha. Here is the solution. After he gets defeated by Bard Ray, she will finally return to me.’

Robin offered Bart to go and watch the battle in the Garnav Plain together.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

“By the way, sir, who do you think will be victorious this time?”

Even as he asked, he was confident that the Hermes Guild would win the battle. It would be another fantastic outcome if the Haven Empire gains control over the city of Aath once again.

Bart answered right away, as if it was quite obvious.

“Weed, of course.”

“Yes, Weed…Pardon?”

“I believe he will win. He is the man who knows how to create a miracle.”

“…”

Robin could not stop his face from crumpling into an ugly grimace.

‘Is Mr. Jeong…no way, he can’t, can he?’

He tried to restrain himself, but another question was forming in his mind, and this time he was genuinely anxious to hear the answer.

‘Guess I’ll just have to be a man and ask him directly.’

Robin came to a firm resolution, and opened his mouth.

“About Seoyoon…Well, with all things considered, the most ideal partner for her would be…me, wouldn’t you think so?”

“Weed will be a good match.”

“…What?”

“The lad is the real deal. The more you come to know about him, the more you find out what a fine and honest young man he is.”

“…”

“I’m glad my daughter met him. They will make such a happy couple.”

Pale had had no intention to set off to the Garnav Plain on the day of the battle.

‘I am willing to go if Weed-nim calls me, but not before he makes a polite request first.’

He had heard the rumor that was widely spread among the users. There was also the matter of a certain extremely popular video posted In Royal Road’s Hall of Fame.

– Pale: Weed’s battle slave!

The video was an edited compilation of Pale’s appearance in every battlefield Weed had fought in, showing his actions in combat. It also included the clips which had been taken during the days the two of them were hunting together as novices, and it scored a staggering 370 million views—a number that surpassed any moderate-sized nation’s population count by several times, which had been possible due to the popularity of Weed and Royal Road.

– This video pretty much certifies that he is officially a battle slave for Weed. There’s no way he can deny it.

– I’m not sure if he can even be called a slave. He’s closer to a worker bee than to a human.

– You sure he doesn’t make ‘moo’ sound when he speaks?

– By the way, the length of this video is just DISGUSTING. With all that editing it’s still 19 hours long!

– There’s a part where the whole day’s fighting was cut into a 3-seconds scene; this is as compressed as it can get and yet it’s still a marathon.

– 4:29:43. It’s just so sad when he stoops down to pick up the loots on the ground under the moonlight.

– I have always thought there must be some sort of trick behind Weed-nim’s strength, but this video proves that I was mistaken. If a mere slave of his is that powerful, then I cannot even imagine how strong Weed-nim himself would be…

– Haven’t you seen him carving those gigantic sculptures while hanging on a wire in the air for days? I felt sick just by looking at it…

– I’m a Northern user and a Grass Porridge fundamentalist. People say we are having a hard life, but we really cannot complain when we see Weed-nim at work. Guy’s just obsessed with farming.

– If a man could be reborn as a god when he dies, then the seat of the God of Farming would be reserved just for him.

– I’m head of a labor brokerage company for construction workers. Pale-nim, please contact me. I’m offering a special recruitment. Payment will be double the usual daily wage, guaranteed.

– I’m tearing up watching this video. I just realized what a happy life I’m having, just sitting here and munching an apple…

– Slave’s trying hard.

This video in question caused Pale to rethink his relation with Weed.

‘So, during all that time I have been exploited by him like this? I never realized…’

Exploitation did not only mean refusing to give a person booty and experience points that they earned; depriving a person of their freedom and spare time was also one type of exploitation.

Pale the battle slave was slowly beginning to become aware of his own self.

‘I’ll have to fight to death once again when I go to the Garnav Plain, to protect the Arpen Kingdom. And going there voluntarily without even being asked by Weed-nim is exactly what a slave would do.’

He was a person with his own free will, and he was determined to firmly refuse any unreasonable requests or calls to hunting.

‘I’m going to live like a human being from now on!’

Pale sent a whisper message to his father.

“How’s it going with you? Do you need anything?”

His parents, brothers and even cousins were all deeply addicted to Royal Road now, and Pale sent them private messages from time to time as they occasionally needed something or requested for his aid.

-Zentor: No. Don’t worry about us, son. You have a great mission ahead.

“What?”

-Zentor: We are all looking forward to seeing you have an epic fight in the Garnav Plain. Your mother’s so proud she’s talked all about you to the other women friends in the monthly meeting.

“…What, what did she tell them, exactly?”

-Zentor: Why, that our son is none other than famous Pale himself!

Pale gulped. That monthly gye-meeting was very large in size, and most of the residents in his neighborhood were members of it. Now that his identity in the game had been revealed to all of them, he wouldn’t even be able to have a quick trip to the nearby supermarket without drawing attention from people.

“And how did those ladies respond?”

-Zentor: They were all really envious, of course. There isn’t a single player of Royal Road who hasn’t heard of Pale the Archer, you know. There’re even statues of you in Morata and the Earth Palace.

…And those statues, Pale thought, were part of the problem. The sight of him drawing his bow while standing right beside Weed was exactly a portrayal of a slave in arms.

“Aren’t you even angry when your son is called a ‘battle slave’ by people?”

-Zentor: Hey, don’t talk like that! Why on earth would I be angry? You are the closest associate of Weed-nim; it’s like a king’s minister in the old days. I reckon that’s equivalent to the Chief Secretary of the president.

“I don’t think that’s the case for me here…”

-Zentor: That’s exactly the case. And have you any idea how much our family benefit from your status while living in this Arpen Kingdom? You see, your older brother is a merchant.”

“Yeah, I know that.”

-Zentor: So when he goes to the town square to do some business, he hangs a flag that says he is the real brother of Pale the battle slave, and his whole inventory is gone within ten minutes with all the customers swarming in!

Pale was finding it difficult to stop his face from burning with humiliation.

‘My honor and dignity…no…’

-Zentor: I was intending to keep this to myself, but let me tell you something else: Weed-nim as good as paid for your university study, too.

“What? Now what is THAT all about?”

-Zentor: You know, Weed-nim and that goddess lady of Grass Porridge came to visit our restaurant a few months ago.

“They did?”

Pale’s parents had retired from their teaching profession and were now running a small restaurant that sold gomtang (beef-bone soup). As they were generally friendly with the local residents and there were quite a lot of public officers visiting frequently, the restaurant had been doing a reasonably good business.

-Zentor: They came and had a bowl of soup each, and the next thing I know our restaurant was on TV, and has been bursting with customers since. Did you know that we are now having as many as 150 orders in the evening?

“No…I had no idea…”

Pale realized that there was no hope of him escaping from the giant net that Weed had cast.

Free will? Why would he need it, when he was already a loyal and faithful thrall of Weed?

Then a thought suddenly occurred to him which sent a chill down his back.

“By the way, dad, did Weed-nim pay for the meal he ordered?”

– Zentor: After he had the soup he even ordered another set of boiled beef slices for takeaway, saying that he enjoyed the meal and he would recommend our restaurant to people. Oh, and he added that we needn’t worry about your future from now on.

“So, the payment?”

– Zentor: Yes, of course, I wasn’t going to accept it, but he insisted on paying us for the food, almost forced the notes into my hand before leaving.

Pale felt his face going red once again, although this time it was because he was ashamed of himself. Even after all the time he had been with Weed, for a short moment he doubted him.

‘I forgot…he is not that sort of guy.’

Weed might be a penny pincher, but he would never bilk a restaurant. It was easy to see him as a person who mistreats others around him, but Weed always showed great consideration for people in need.

‘He’s always looking to minimize small spending, but never hesitates to pay a great sum when necessary.’

After all, he was the guy who invested his entire fortune in Morata, and built the Puhol Water Park. Pale thought that Weed was a kind of person who really knew how to spend his money.

***

Mandol was heading to the Garnav Plain together with the users who had died while fighting in the battle of Shelgium.

“Gee. What a pointless fight it has been.”

“I can tolerate having my level drop, but all those skill proficiency points…Uggh…”

“I’ve even lost my equipment.”

Those who had been slaughtered in Shelgium grumbled with discontent. Although it had been for a good cause, they couldn’t help but regret their decision after they lost their lives.

“I hope we are not going there just to die again?”

“No way…Think about the number of people who will gather in that place. Some won’t even get a chance to fight.”

“Hmm. I’m certainly curious to see how they’ll fight…but I feel afraid too.”

“Well, it’s just their loss if they died.”

These users had been harboring certain bitterness, thinking that one could act as sanctimoniously as they liked and still no one would acknowledge their effort. They had fought, desperately and to their last breath, in Shelgium, yet all that was left of that fight was regret.

It was when they arrived in the Garnav Plain that an unexpected event changed their attitude.

Already there was a huge number of the Grass Porridge Cult users congregating; what had been a secluded flatland with nothing but grass just a day ago was now a makeshift business zone set up by the merchants, and there was even a tent village that had been built for the users to sleep in. At least one million people were already making preparations to eat and play in the Garnav Plain.

“Wow. I must say, the size of the Grass Porridge Cult is sure great.”

“Yeah. Just look at the scale of it. It’s incredible.”

The users from Shelgium were finding a place to quietly settle in, when several users who had spotted them yelled, “Wooow…The heroes are here!”

“Heroes?”

“Haven’t you seen the broadcast? They are the ones who fought in Shelgium. I watched the rerun of that battle several times.”

“You’re right. It’s them!”

“Hey, let’s all applaud for them. Applaud!”

Clap, clap, clap!

The applause that had been initiated by a few users near them was soon joined by other users, who were all rising from their seats on the ground. The sound of the people clapping spread in all directions, until finally everyone in the Garnav Plain was welcoming them with an ovation.

“Welcome, heroes!”

“Such brave souls. You have all done so well!”

“You must be exhausted. Anyone who wants to have some food, please come over here. We will cook anything you like. Money? What money? For you it’s all free!”

“We mustn’t forget to give them a cold draft of beer; they’ll need it after such a hard day. I’ll serve your drinks first before everyone else.”

The users who gave their lives in Shelgium were treated like absolute heroes in this place.

“Wha, what’s this? What’s going on?”

“Are they really all welcoming us?”

The users who had just arrived in the Garnav Plain with their body limp and their mind dejected could not repress their bewilderment. The enormous clapping sound alone that was resonating throughout the place was enough to make them feel dazed. Many of the users even stood up to give them a salute, and they had never experienced something quite like this.

Mapan, who had been conducting preparations for the festival, came rushing when he got the news of their arrival, his great belly swaying as usual.

“The soldiers from Shelgium, I assume?”

“*Gasp*. It’s Mapan-nim!”

The users of Shelgium were startled to see that even a person as famous as Mapan had come over to greet them. Mandol also looked quite flustered, as he had not expected this kind of special reception even when he had fought for Weed.

“Ah…Yes, we are.”

“I was wondering if any of you have any appointments for the evening.”

“Well…nothing really…”

Mandol and the other users looked at one another. Most of them did not have any previous engagements; they were just planning to enjoy the festival and watch the world go by. A few of them had promised to meet their friends or family who had started the game in the North, but they were too overwhelmed by the whole atmosphere to say anything.

Mapan continued, his chubby cheeks wobbling up and down as he spoke.

“In that case, would you join us for dinner? Weed-nim is going to gut a boar for cooking.”

“Weed-nim himself is going to do that for us?”

“Yes. In addition to the boar, he said that he will arrange for a special banquet with various other top-class ingredients. There’s some fresh seafood we have urgently obtained from the Ritten Region, too.”

“…”

The users of Shelgium were simply lost for words. Not only was every nearby user in the Garnav Plain watching this heartwarming sight, but it was also being relayed through broadcast.

“There will also be a gold medal award ceremony after the feast.”

“A gold medal-what’s that about?”

“Weed-nim will present each of you with a gold medal which he had carved by himself for the heroes of the Arpen Kingdom. The ceremony will take place in front of everyone, of course.”

The face of every user from Shelgium turned red. They wanted to forever erase from their life the short moment of feeling regret after experiencing death. Instead, a great pride filled their minds for having fought for the Arpen Kingdom.

“I…I haven’t been acknowledged like this by anyone before, not even by my family.”

“*Sob*. This is the first time I received a compliment since my elementary school days.”

“So this is how it feels. I can see why…it is worth dying for the Arpen Kingdom.”

The ten thousand users who had once lived in Shelgium felt that they would willingly give their lives again if it was for the Arpen Kingdom. And that feeling they had was spread across the whole Garnav Plain, through broadcast and through word-of-mouth.

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