Episode 586. Surprise (2)

Antonium, capital of the Empire.

“You’re thinking of leaving already, Commander-in-Chief?”

Harkon asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

I nodded slowly.

As I said, what I’m doing is not leaving the Empire.

‘I’m supporting the Empire.’

[Imperial Capital: Antonium]

[Current Status: Stable]

[Reputation: 36,272,658].

Good.

My [Authority] will be intact.

Antonium is restoring its former prestige, too.

I turned away from the flickering vision.

“I think we’ve had enough of this, Harkon.”

“The people of the Empire would like to see you, Commander-in-Chief.”

Harkon added before I could say anything.

“You have saved the Empire time and time again, and the people know it above all else. That at this moment, Antonium is intact from the onslaught of evil because of commander-in-chief’s care.”

My care.

‘You mean our big shots.’

The Red-Eyed Dune clan, the Descendants of Twilight, the Diamond Merchant, who are said to hold the greatest wealth in Arcana. One might ask, don’t they all stay in Antonium because it’s the safest place to be, after all?

‘Of course not.’

As I said, the big shot.

Even the Shadow Mercenaries, the masters of the underworld, have their own lair in the Valley of the Forgotten, far removed from the threat of the Arcana continent.

All of our big shots had something to say about it.

-“I, Shaheen Dune, according to Claudi’s command, the main army is stationed at the ‘Shaheen’s Eye’. Landing in Antonium at the head of an elite force.”

-“At Claudi’s command, I have temporarily lifted the manifestation of the Barrier Magic. We will accept with infinite honor the rest you have granted our Twilight Descendants.”

Most impressive of all is the Diamond Merchant.

Garmond Phil’s bluff was not a bluff.

It’s such an absurd statement that no matter who hears it, it can’t help but sound like a bluff.

-”Antonium. Huhu, that’s going to be fun to develop.”

What is Antonium?

The capital of the empire that united the Arcana continent?

I don’t know if it means restoring its past glory.

What is left to develop further?

‘Even I thought so.’

[Wealth] that shines especially brightly in the [Authority] function.

After confirming that information, I couldn’t help but swallow hard. You didn’t tell me you had the riches of the Arcana continent for nothing, Garmond Phil.

The snout opens at an inopportune moment.

“You have nothing to be thankful for.”

… No, Grandfell.

If I say something like that at a time like this, it feels like I’m being petty and not acknowledging Garmond’s abilities, right? Of course, you won’t be able to hear my true feelings.

I quickly added to Harkon.

“In the end, it was the people of Antonium who won the victory.”

Yes, with or without my help.

It was the people of Antonium who were undeterred by the advance of the rebels, by the onslaught of the demons, and even when the secret of the Imperial House Sericrose enveloped the city.

‘If the people of Antonium had given up, it would all have been meaningless.’

I said sincerely.

“They could have done it without me.”

It was looking like a system that didn’t lie.

[Currently applied effect: Victory in all battles]

[Victory in all battles: Morale in the territory soars. Crop production increases dramatically. The combat power of soldiers increases significantly. People can choose their basic class…….]

I can’t think of one or two lands that I have [Authority] enabled.

This is the most deceptive buff I’ve ever seen, and if I could figure out how to activate it, I’d activate it on all my other lands.

“……!”

Naturally, Harkon couldn’t understand my extremely player-oriented perspective.

Harkon looked at me with a very serious expression.

“I feel like I have finally been recognized by the Commander-in-Chief. I feel like I have been able to share the Commander-in-Chief’s burden even a little bit…….Sorry for me, Harkon, I was deeply moved.”

He bowed his head.

Really?

Well, I’m glad you felt that way.

‘What should I really do with this way of speaking?’

Seriously.

I’d like to dismiss it, but I can’t because it feels like I’m throwing cold water on it.

When he’s fully recovered from his emotions and regrets, Harkon places a hand on his chest.

“To repay the Commander-in-Chief’s faith. We, the Knights of the Lionheart, will never cease our endeavors, and we will always be at your command wherever and whenever you call.”

Eventually, I manifested a portal in Antonium, seeing off Harkon. If you ask me where my destination is, since I’m on the mainland, shouldn’t I stop by my house?

‘Not my home, but yours.’

What does it matter between us, Grandfell.

“Let’s just call it our house.”

Why, you see my sisters and you call them sisters.

That’s a horrible, horrible name to call them.

Anyway, I was just about to set the target coordinates for the portal.

“!”

Suddenly, my vision flashed.

ttogag.

First, the Arcana.

I stopped walking.

It’s not often that my vision flashes so suddenly.

Indeed, something has happened to stop me in my tracks?

[The Big Shot of the Underworld, ‘Oak Auction’ has resumed business.]

[Event, ‘Mercy of the Oak Auction’ begins].

[Visit the Oak Auction with rare items.]

[Win even more wealth at the Oak Auction.]

Oak Auction.

I had heard all about it from Kichi, the leader of the mercenaries, and it was Ulrich, the leader of the Oak Auction, who had been guarding Grandfell’s sister’s hair for so many years.

‘Ulrich and we are on the same page again.’

I’d encountered him on a top-level spacetime quest, so I shouldn’t have been surprised if it was a world message.

‘Are they paying a high price to commemorate the reopening?’

They say it’s an event that most players can’t help but fall in love with.

This guy’s integrity and innocence……!

Because to me, there has never been an event as meaningless as that.

But the blinking didn’t stop there.

[Hidden Quest: If you want to know the true value].

Indeed, the Oak Auction.

It is a scale that fits the rumor that it divides the sunny and shaded areas of the Arcana Continent with the Diamond Grand Caravan. No matter how innocent I am, I can’t help but think of the quest.

Still, it’s probably a good idea to read it once.

[Hidden Quest: If You Want to Know the True Value].

The Big Shot of the Underworld, the gates of the Oak Auction have opened. The Arcana continent has become a wasteland. If you wish to know the true value of loot that no one else can properly appraise, visit the Oak Auction. You will be confronted with a truth you never expected.

I shook my head inwardly.

‘It’s definitely a necessary system.’

A place that performed the role of appraising the loot of the Arcana Continent?

The beacon of the Arcana continent, Light and Salt.

Now it was an updated version of the Magic Tower in Seoul.

‘Because we will be able to fill the void in the Magic Tower in this area.’

In that sense, it’s understandable that this quest came to me.

Why, when a new system is introduced, isn’t it a system that makes it right to advise players rather than recommend them?

I don’t think Grandfell could fail to understand that.

“How arrogant.”

Still, the reason the words slipped from his lips was simple.

Yes, the quest objective had spoken.

This was not a quest that came to mind for every player.

-Get the Six Sight Brooch appraised. (Ongoing)

Once again, my attention is drawn to the last sentence.

[For you, too, will be confronted with the unexpected truth].

The Six Sight Brooch.

It’s a subject Grandfell has remained silent on, no matter how persistent I’ve been about it. In other words, it’s ‘something’ he wants to keep from me.

‘If I fulfill the quest.’

At the Oak Auction, I might be able to face the truth about the Six Sight Brooch. The old me might have said yes, and rushed straight to the Oak Auction.

But this time, I speak with my will, not the snout.

“There’s a procedure for everything.”

What do you think of our relationship?

I’m just curious about the truth behind this item.

Do you think I’m going to do something to Grandfell that will make him hate me?

‘Wouldn’t it be better if we were torn apart and we wouldn’t know each other?’

It’s a body that I can’t move at will?!

If Grandfell has a grudge against me, take revenge. Imagine, for example, if I went to my sisters, and declared to them that from now on I will treat them with the utmost respect from now on……!!!

‘ ……I’m going crazy and going to the Oak Auction.’

I shook my head.

I shook my head furiously inwardly.

This was an event that other players would be excited about.

An event I wasn’t excited about.

‘Forget it, let’s get back to Claudi Territory.’

ttogag.

We walked on, and before we knew it, we were in the office of the head of the Claudi family.

A slight vibration.

Sure enough, an urgent update.

Given the time difference between reality and the Arcana Continent.

It was as if the players who had checked the Oak Auction update had traveled straight to the Arcana continent through the portal in the Magic Tower.

‘Wait a minute.’

But why did they come to Claudi instead of Antonium?

Claudi territory was a safe haven of sorts.

Before Antonium’s walls were as thick as they are now.

It was just a fence for players.

“What a disturbance.”

See, even Grandfell doesn’t like it.

They say that if the favor continues, it is a right.

A violation of the code of silence.

Thinking about the back end of Grandfell.

I guess the Claudi territory tourism is over.

It was a moment of thought.

“Wow. It’s beautiful.”

“It’s brightened up a bit, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah. Does it feel like spring has come?”

I could hear the players’ voices from downstairs in the mansion. I thought to myself, What are they talking about? They’re talking about how it’s gotten brighter and spring has come.

“Keuhum, there’s more than one stab in the back.’

Claudi’s mansion is so luxurious.

No matter how innocent you are, you can’t hide what’s overflowing. To put it bluntly, the wealth of the imperfect Claudy territory was greater than that of Antonium, which was seen through the [Authority] function.

ttogag.

You should really change these shoes. With each step I take, the chatter dies down, and my shoes seem to squeak even louder.

“No.”

And even the spirits, trained by Hiel, line up to greet me.

As the head of a mansion where spirits reside as vassals, I wonder when I will be able to enjoy this kind of luxury, but my mind always wanders.

“It’s still a burden.”

Of course, my complaining didn’t last long.

Eventually, it caught my eye.

The scenery of Claudi Territory spread beyond the open door of the mansion.

Sseuseuseu.

It was like that.

What everyone was looking at and admiring.

It was ‘The Red Flower’.

“……!”

And so it was.

Grandfell’s past.

Sprawled behind little Grandfell.

‘Blood Grown Lycoris Flower.’

It was.

Grandfell’s past that I didn’t know.

It was gradually flooding into reality.