NOVEL NEXT Chapter 79: Tinnitus (1)
Several hours later.
Kim Hyunwoo, who was listening to the strategy report for the fourth tier from Elena, who seemed a bit somber, realized something he hadn’t thought of.
“Monsters revived?”
“Yes. Of course, in this case, the apprentice soldiers fought very well, so it wasn’t a big problem. However, if monsters continue to revive in the next tier like this-”
“We’ll definitely need to be careful when conquering the fifth tier. Thank you for letting me know.”
After Elena’s words, Kim Hyunwoo nodded and then thought to himself.
‘I forgot about this.’
Kim Hyunwoo’s Labyrinth, currently using the Experience Package, means that while the tier Bosses may not, normal monsters continue to revive even after being killed.
In other words, while the Package is a very necessary element for maintaining the Labyrinth city, it becomes a hindrance when conquering the Labyrinth.
‘It seems like we’ll have to give the Labyrinth a day’s rest before proceeding with the conquest next time.’Taking a day off entails a significant loss, but since they couldn’t just not conquer the Labyrinth, Kim Hyunwoo, who decided to conquer one or two tiers each time the Package ended, continued to listen to Elena’s report.
“…The apprentice soldiers fought that well?”
“Yes. To be honest, I couldn’t imagine they would fight so well…”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. There was a clear difference compared to the apprentice soldiers I’ve seen in other territories.”
After Elena’s continued words, Kim Hyunwoo nodded with a face full of curiosity.
“And, as you can see, the blue bone helped with hunting the Boss again this time.”
“As expected.”
Kim Hyunwoo looked at the shining blue bone in front of his office desk.
“And, this time, there were patterns engraved on the blue bone.”
“…Patterns?”
“Yes.”
Following Kim Hyunwoo’s question, Elena pointed to a small pattern drawn on a corner of the blue bone as she answered.
Indeed, Kim Hyunwoo could see the pattern engraved on the blue bone.
A very intricate pattern.
“…Do you have any idea what it might be?”
Elena asked as Kim Hyunwoo intently looked at the pattern, but he soon shook his head.
“To be honest, I’m not sure what that pattern means.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But seeing there are patterns unlike before, honestly, it does give something to ponder.”
After Kim Hyunwoo said that, he listened to Elena’s additional report.
“Then, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Yes. You’ve been conquering tiers today, so please rest easy.”
After confirming Elena had left, Kim Hyunwoo stopped even making the Magnifying Glass and quietly looked at the pattern on the blue bone.
“Hmm…”
Kim Hyunwoo, intently observing the geometric patterns made up of squares at various angles, said,
“Hmm?”
He then looked at the pattern at the very front.
He observed the thing that was more akin to a magic circle than a pattern, drawn with a complex pentagram within a square and small markings difficult to discern with the naked eye, and thought,
‘This, somehow it looks similar to the magic circle patterns used by the Necromancer of the Blue Forest…’
He stared intently at the pattern with that thought, but could only speculate to that extent, unable to discern the other patterns.
‘…Do I need to hire an archaeologist or something…’
The thought in Kim Hyunwoo’s mind.
Considering there were characters with archaeology-related skills when he played Arteil.
Remembering that, Kim Hyunwoo considered hiring a hero with talents related to archaeology from a tavern next time, before starting to make the Magnifying Glass again.
About a week later.
The Magnifying Glasses made in Lartania began to spread once more among the mercenaries, this time branded as the worst gambling machine in history and nicknamed ‘life-changing lottery roulette’.
In the underground of the Calan Kingdom.
“Master.”
“Yes. Has the task been handled well?”
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness was receiving a report from Loriel.
“Yes. As you instructed, we have taken measures to naturally remove the lords who have definite resentment towards you from their positions.”
“Are you sure you’ve confirmed it properly?”
“Just to be sure, we also separately investigated those who have received your help to check if they harbor any resentment, but as of now, none of those who received your help have any resentment towards you.”
“Hmm…”
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness, nodding at Loriel’s report, continued.
“So, how many lords have been replaced?”
“A total of eight places.”
“That’s more than I expected.”
“Yes. Upon cross-verification, it seems that Lord Raipellaoshin was secretly spreading information about you to his followers, preparing to push you out.”
“…Raipellaoshin?”
“Yes, I’m referring to Duke Raipellaoshin.”
“…Is that the fool who acted on his own and tried to send poison to him?”
“That’s correct.”
At Loriel’s words, Rin couldn’t help but scowl and clench her fist tightly.
The armrest shattered with a crack!
Just thinking about that moment made Rin feel dizzy, so she wore a face full of annoyance.
Honestly, at that time, Rin wanted to kill the duke on the spot, but regrettably, she was in the process of receiving necessary items through him, so she ended with a warning.
After all, the important item he was delivering to the Absolute Ruler of Darkness was a gift being collected to be sent to Kim Hyunwoo.
“So, what did you do?”
“I took the same measures with all of them. Measures will likely be taken soon against the lords who harbor resentment towards you.”
Rin nodded at Loriel’s report.
Once Loriel finished reporting everything she mentioned, it was as if all those who were bolstering her infamy within the Kingdom had been removed.
However, the sad part was that controlling the Kingdom was just one step.
In other words, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness still had many steps to go through before she could return to him.
“……”
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness glanced to the right, looked at the blue sphere placed there, and then grabbed it.
Whoosh-!
The sphere in her hand began to glow red as soon as she grabbed it.
What Rin held was an artifact that allowed one to visualize the infamy of the person holding the sphere.
The redder the sphere, the more infamous the holder; if the sphere turned blue, it indicated neutrality. If it turned white, it meant the holder had accumulated many good deeds. The Absolute Ruler of Darkness looked at the sphere that displayed the user’s moral alignment.
“……”
She put down the red-heated sphere and sighed.
Indeed, she felt her energy draining, knowing that there were too many steps to go through before she could return to Kim Hyunwoo.
‘I will never give up.’
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness clenched her teeth softly.
She had absolutely no intention of giving up on returning to him.
After all, he was essentially the source of life for Rin.
With a deep sigh, as Rin gathered her resolve, Loriel, who was watching, soon spoke.
“May I say something, Master?”
“Speak.”
“It’s about the territory I mentioned last time.”
“If it’s the territory you mentioned before… Ah, are you talking about the one engaging in those filthy acts?”
“Yes. Upon my investigation, the lord of this territory not only harbors resentment towards you but also, being a territory on the outskirts of the kingdom and poorly managed, is engaged in highly suspicious activities.”
“…Suspicious activities?”
“According to Ruin’s investigation, it seems they are not only enslaving ordinary citizens and vagrants but also engaging in human sacrifices.”
“…What? Human sacrifices?”
Loriel nodded at the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, who frowned at the mention of human sacrifices.
“Yes, so I thought it best to suggest that you execute that lord.”
“…Is there a particular reason I need to handle this personally?”
“As you know, Master, executing that lord directly would significantly reduce your infamy,”
Loriel worded.
“I am aware of that. But didn’t I say this isn’t a problem solved by merely reducing infamy?”
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness opened her mouth with a somewhat indifferent expression, but then she seemed to ponder and spoke.
“Master, may I share my thoughts?”
“What is it?”
“Honestly, my thought is that reducing your infamy, rather than managing relationships, might be enough for you to return to him.”
At Loriel’s words, she opened her eyes wide and then spoke.
“Go on, let’s hear it.”
“If you think calmly about the risks he takes by accepting you, it’s the numerous hostile territories and the obstruction to territory influx due to infamy.”
“That’s right.”
“But as you know, the power you possess is immense. If you wish, you could make the Calan Kingdom a supporter behind him. Meaning, if you explain well to him, the hostile territories pose no risk.”
“…Oh?”
“Of course, relations with a few great heroes worsened in the Rapengan territory, but about three of them could sufficiently restore relations through diplomacy. The Sword God belongs to Norba Kingdom, the Great Mage to the Mage Tower, and Snow Ghost Ram has much to protect.”
“Continue.”
“In short, if you can return most of the significant heroes’ relations to their original state, you can sufficiently persuade them about the hostile territories. If you place the Calan Kingdom behind you, no one can touch the Lartania territory.”
“At most, only the Empire could interfere, but Master has no ties with the Empire,”
Loriel murmured, continuing.
“In the end, all that remains is to reduce infamy. The Kingdom you’ve nurtured has prospered enough that your presence won’t hinder influx, but the Lartania territory is still a small, developing territory.”
“So, that means if we first significantly reduce infamy.”
“I think that creates a logical argument to sufficiently persuade him.”
At Loriel’s words, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness unknowingly smiled.
If what her disciple said was true, then her tasks would be significantly reduced.
“Let’s go execute that lord right away…!”
“I’ll prepare.”
As the Absolute Ruler of Darkness spoke with an excited expression, Loriel immediately responded with a bowed head.
A day later.
“By the way, what is the name of that territory?”
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness, walking towards the outskirts of the Calan Kingdom, asked as she glimpsed the territory in the distance.
“It’s the Trikram territory.”
“Trikram…”
Hearing Loriel’s continuation, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness nodded and unknowingly smiled.
That territory was actually where a despicable lord who engaged in human sacrifices resided, but to the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, it was an important place to reduce her infamy.
Thus, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, wearing a deep smile,
“…?”
“…??”
Upon entering the Trikram territory, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness couldn’t help but wear a dazed expression.
For good reason, as all the Absolute Ruler of Darkness saw upon entering the Trikram territory was an empty lot.
Besides, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness saw phrases like ‘Liberated!’ and ‘Freedom!’ written all over the ruined buildings.
“…Eh? My Infamy Potion…?”
She murmured sincerely, looking at Loriel, who wore an equally puzzled expression.
Likewise filled with questions, she briefly bowed to the Absolute Ruler of Darkness and then disappeared.
A moment later.
“…Master, it seems… the territory has been attacked.”
“It was attacked?”
“Yes… It seems someone attacked the territory and released the slaves…”
“……”
“Ah, but it’s okay! There are still two more lords in this vicinity who have offered human sacrifices to demons, just like that lord…!”
Loriel hastily spoke to her master, who slightly frowned.
At that, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness sighed as if she had no other choice.
Honestly, she wasn’t pleased that a lord who could have helped clear her infamy was suddenly attacked, but it wasn’t her disciple’s fault.
Above all.
‘Even if one is gone, there are still two left, so it’s alright.’
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness, with such thoughts, nodded her head weakly.
“I will guide you immediately.”
Loriel, with such thoughts, immediately bowed her head in response to Rin’s words and promptly led the Absolute Ruler of Darkness to the next territory.
“Even though we’ve lost one place, there are about two more, so killing all those lords will surely help spread our favorability!”
While listening to Loriel’s deliberately brighter words, they soon arrived at the next territory, Silverwarden.
“……”
“…???”
Loriel once again looked at the already raided territory with a blank expression.
Silverwarden, known for human sacrifices like Trikram, was similarly devastated just like Trikram territory.
“Who in the world?”
Therefore, Loriel wore an expression of incomprehension, but soon spoke while looking at the Absolute Ruler of Darkness.
“Master? It seems like this place too… eek…!”
She involuntarily let out a startled moan at the sight of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness starting to emanate a murderous aura.
In fact, under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have cared about a single territory being attacked, but now the situation was different.
As the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, who always looked forward to returning, the current events felt as if someone was deliberately delaying her return.
‘Who the hell…!’
Therefore, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, scattering a murderous intent, soon spoke through clenched teeth.
“…Send someone to find out who attacked this place.”
“Understood. And- there’s still one more territory left.”
“Let’s go immediately.”
With Loriel’s cautious words, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness immediately headed towards Stonehive, the last territory she mentioned.
And then, a few hours later.
When the sun was setting, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness and Loriel, having arrived at Stonehive, could see that the territory seemed untouched by any incident.
“…!! This time, the territory is intact!”
Loriel, letting out a sigh of relief and smiling slightly as if she had aged ten years, said,
“Finally…!!”
With that, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness, sighing with relief and smiling, drew her sword from the darkness, ready to take a great first step towards Him.
The moment the Absolute Ruler of Darkness was about to leap powerfully.
Boom!!!
With a massive explosion, the lord’s castle burst open.
She could see it. The red eyes bursting from the devastated castle.
And then, just from seeing the red eyes for a brief moment, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness instantly understood all the causes.
“You bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
She had no choice but to throw away her dignity and show off her face.