novelVol. 2 - Ep. 19
| ← Ch.043 | Ch.045 → |
Of course, there was someone who made a fuss. Sir Todam ran into the print house and used his skill to break the rotary press.
A ball of fire burned the rotary press and all the books.
"What do you think you are doing!" Sir Lantern shouted with anger, but Sir Todam apologized as if it was not a big deal.
"Hmmm. Sorry. I just found out there were some misprints and spelling mistakes on my manuscript... I couldn't publish an incomplete book..."
"That doesn't mean you can destroy my property!"
"I will repay you handsomely."
He knew that a rotary press was much cheaper than the price he had to pay if his book was published. But next to him, Gunan was apologizing to the staff of the print house.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. This is some cheese bread from my town... I will never let this happen again..."
While apologizing obsequiously on the outside, he was swearing at Sir Todam in every language on the inside.
That's why I told you to work on it when we found out who the winner was! Why did you have to be so stupid to make this mess!
Gunan promised himself that he would never let Todam print his book before he was sure of the situation.
...
The heroes of the Kingdom of Sevrantina gathered to whisper and gossip.
"I'm glad I didn't try to work for the three kingdoms."
"Those two who went there are screwed."
"Yes, the difference in force didn't really matter with that guy."
"Shhh, that guy? watch your mouth."
"Oh... yeah. Hmm."
"Do you think... he... is really... going to unify... the four kingdoms?"
If so, he would have an even higher status than Queen Ereka or any other king from the four kingdoms. Moreover, he would create a new balance of power with Rupellion and Eldorado.
They started to think that maybe they should forget about their pride in being a hero and start being nice to him.
Of course, for them, Sungjin was a merciless tyrant who took away all the rights from the heroes while helping the extras.
But it was a better idea to be nice to him and try to keep some of their rights if they couldn't get rid of him.
No, but first... Should we wait and see?
The alliance of the three kingdoms was still much stronger. And since they made a mistake once, maybe they wouldn't make the same mistake again. Anyways, the military plans could not be re-used.
If we need to kiss ass, we should start now.
It was complicated for them. They didn't want to lose their pride against an extra, but Sungjin was abusing their rights. If they could be the first ones to gain his trust, that would make their lives easier.
Sungjin was becoming something much more than an extra.
...
Sungjin's team was in a festive mood, but they didn't start a festival right away.
"Let's take care of the lives of the extras from the new territories."
"I've been working on it. We will provide food and build up more hospitals. We are also working on the legal structure to protect them and the list of officials we are appointing for each part of the territories."
Ereka's answer made Sungjin smile.
"That was fast."
"No problem. While you were busy making a plan to win the battle, I was working on what I was able to do."
"No, you did a great job." Sungjin nodded.
It was clearly Sungjin who won the battle, and he had no plans to pretend to be modest. It was his intelligence that overcame their difference of strength.
With this victory, he could expand their territory and could try to become an Arc Master, but he couldn't build up a good country through this victory.
Since Ereka was playing her part and taking care of state affairs, this was truly helpful for Sungjin.
One last thing that could make this perfect would be Eustasia... but that won't be easy.
She was a loyal servant of the enemy king. Although her king was a tyrant, she was still trying to serve him right. And Sungjin understood that his argument to take care of the people wouldn't work for Eustasia, who was loyal to her king.
I can't make her understand a democracy with a few conversations. Making her admit my ability was the first step in persuading her.
While he was deep in thought, Jenna shook her knife tail.
"Sungjin Oppa. Let's stop talking about serious things and have fun! Let's celebrate our victory! Party, party! Let's have a party!"
Just like a cute little puppy asking for a little bone, her eyes were shining bright.
I will drug him and put him in the same room with the queen...
But her thoughts were not as cute as how she looked.
"Jenna. Don't bother Sungjin."
"No, It's okay. We need to celebrate a day like this, " said Sungjin, standing up.
"Let's declare the commencement of the festival."
"Yes, Sungjin. I will open the warehouse and get ready."
Ereka's smile was soft and warm.
* * *
At the party.
Drenched in wine and ambiance, Sungjin took Ereka to the terrace under the moonlight.
"We should celebrate."
"Yes. You look greater than ever."
Although you never looked less than great, she added silently.
"You look more beautiful tonight."
Then he held her in her arms and kissed her.
It was strong and passionate.
A red general opened a pink door and rushed in.
Ugh...
She was shivering with embarrassment, but soon, she started to loosen up.
"Ereka?"
"Huh. Yes, we should announce the details and pick the venue... give me a minute."
Ereka woke up from her fantasy. She knew that it was not true, but she couldn't help herself imagining it from time to time.
Ereka blushed and ran away while Sungjin was not sure what he did.
Is she exhausted? I should have asked someone else, not Ereka.
People were so wrong to think that he could read people's minds and was only pretending to be a level 0.
* * *
Chapter 14
Where there was light, there were shadows, and just like this, the people against Sungjin's victory made their move.
It was a place where the strong light was filling up the space.
There was a golden stream flowing like water, and there were so many treasures shining like stars.
On the way, there were secret treasures with legends and mythology lining up just like a reviewing stand of knights.
The air was vibrating by an invisible force.
Count Satirus walked in carefully.
This is truly a fearful place...
He was able to sweet talk to the mad King Seyzo II, but he was terrified of this place.
And that was natural.
The king sitting at the end of the path overshadowed everything; he looked like the one true person with authority.
"Count Satirus is here to report, Your Majesty, " said Count Satirus as he bowed.
All he was able to see was a stream of water and the silhouette of a person. In front of the silhouette, there were numerous chess pieces with mystical colors tangled up with each other.
"Report."
It was not a loud voice, but the voice echoed in his head, and Count Satirus felt his soul shrinking due to it.
"As you ordered, I provoked the mad king by telling him that the extra was trying to kill him and start a war. And also, I tried to lead him to kill everyone who was related or working with the extra after the war to weaken the forces of the four kingdoms."
Count Satirus tried hard to emphasize that he was trying his best to follow the order.
"And I also encouraged the tyranny of the mad king to worsen his relationship with Eustasia."
He did everything to follow the order.
"But... but... I didn't know that the extra would win on all three battlefields. Please show me mercy."
"I don't need a useless man."
Count Satirus felt a huge pressure pushing him down.
Ugh...
He was suffocated, and it was not just his feelings. It was an amplified feeling of gravity that made a 60-kg weight a 6-ton weight.
That was a miraculous act by the silhouette without a sound.
He was way too strong.
Count Satirus was just like an ant crushed by a man. He felt his bones breaking, but there was nothing he could do but ask for mercy.
"But you started a war among the four kingdoms. So I will let you live this time."
Count Satirus was able to breathe again, and happy that he saved his life, he asked the silhouette, "Then, what should I do?"
"So he won all three battles."
The silhouette became pensive as if that was not what he expected.
The chess pieces in front him moved by themselves to rearrange themselves. White pieces pushed away the black ones to expand the board.
"I should think differently. Now the strongest of the four kingdoms is the Kingdom of Sevrantina."
"Then..."
"I should give a present to the weak. Take this."
The "thing" dropped in front of Count Satirus, and it startled him.
The bad omen coming from "the thing" made him suffer just by looking at it, and knowing what that was, he didn't dare to pick it up.
"Can I give it to them?"
"I should invest this for a bigger profit."
"But would they... use it... ?"
"Anyone with a sound mind wouldn't, and even a mad man would not easily use it. But when a mad man is cornered, he has no choice but to use it."
Black chess pieces started to jump madly, and they broke the chessboard made of wood. But still, they were cornered and had no choice but to keep jumping madly. They looked like they would rather go crazy than give in to the power of the white pieces.
"Ah..."
Count Satirus bowed down. Although the extra was using various gimmicks, his master had next-level insight. He thought that at the end of the day, his master had everything within his grasp.
Sungjin was able to win once or twice, but he would just be a piece on his master's chessboard.
"Understood, master."
* * *
The heroes of the three kingdoms were in a panic. There was no other word to describe the situation.
The lost a war that they never thought they would. That also meant that they might lose again. They were thinking of dividing up the Kingdom of Sevrantina, but now, they were living in fear of being conquered by the extra.
In the castle of the kingdom of Carania, Seyzo II, who lost one-third of its territory, threw his glass at Eustasia who was kneeling in front of him.
The glass shattered into pieces, and red wine covered her face. It looked like blood.
"You brought shame to me! It's all your fault!"
"Forgive me."
Eustasia didn't even try to clean her face up.
Frankly speaking, it was clear that they would have won if Seyzo II followed Eustasia's advice.
She was the only one who defeated Rittier and fought against Sungjin. If Seyzo II didn't jump into the trap, it would have been possible for them to win.
It was the king who ignored her advice and failed, but yet it was Eustasia who was apologizing.
Knowing the king, I should have taken care of him rather than just concentrate on defeating Rittier. Or I should have known that Sungjin was trying to destroy my sword.
She thought it was her fault for not being able to read through Sungjin's plan.
"What will you do!?" the king roared.
"I don't want to make an excuse as a defeated general, but we still have two-thirds of our land. I will find a way to keep it."
"How can I trust you!?"
"I understand that you can't trust a defeated general. But Sungjin is not really that strong; he just has plans to defend by creating traps. I will find a plan to stop him when we are on the defensive side. Please give me a chance."
"Shut up! Leave now!"
"I will come back with a plan for victory."
After taking all the anger from the king, Eustasia went back to her place.
| ← Ch. 043 | Ch. 045 → |