by Park Saenal
It wasn’t possible to supply the current food made by Idan to the Overgeared members and soldiers. If all of them received food poisoning, it would be an unprecedented situation where the government was paralyzed.
‘I have to constantly eat in order to improve Idan’s cooking skills.’
Grid was determined to sacrifice himself.
Throughout the journey, he had Idan constantly make him food. It wasn’t something that could be done with ordinary mental power.
Grid was placing himself in the abyss of hell for the sake of Overgeared.
“Grid, have some tea.”
Grid wanted to vomit while suffering from food poisoning.
Yang Fei made a sad expression and approached with tea.
“T-Thank you…”
[You have drunk Berenas tea.]
[Your mind and body have become calm. Health recovery rate has increased by 10% for 1 minute.]
His rotten taste buds were healed thanks to Yang Fei.
Intelligent and versatile, Yang Fei was also a tea master. The grass, flowers, leaves and twigs she gathered along the way were made into tea that showed amazing effects.
“Where did you learn this technique?”
“It is a skill I learnt from working in Idan’s restaurant for several years. Sometimes the customers suffer from food poisoning and fall into a crisis…”
“…”
It was indeed an absurd answer.
However, Grid was pleased that learn that Yang Fei was kind-hearted.
‘She is good at spotting talent but this child also knows that people’s lives are precious.’
But it was a misunderstanding.
This impression didn’t last long.
“It was only a matter of time until a customer was killed by Idan. If the restaurant closes, won’t I lose my job? There are many unpaid salaries.”
“…I see.”
The more he looked, the better Yang Fei’s compatibility with Rabbit seemed.
‘If I hand Yang Fei to Rabbit, she will support him properly and his work efficiency will increase.’
First and foremost, he couldn’t give Yang Fei to Lord.
‘That great guy will make any girl his lover, irrespective of appearance or age.’
Of course, the young Lord still didn’t know about it. He thought lover was the same as friend. The problem was that women didn’t accept it.
‘The maidens dream about someday becoming a prince… Wait?’
Grid suddenly imagined something when he thought about Lord.
‘If the 12 year old Lord is taken to the empire as a hostage…’
Wouldn’t all the women in the empire become his lover?
‘My Lord is wonderful!’
Hedgehogs also said that their young were beautiful.
It was natural for Grid to praise Lord, who was the best genius of the continent.
Grid’s confidence in Lord was greater than a mountain.
‘In the empire, there is a lot of room for Lord to play… No, Lord can’t be taken hostage.’
Clang.
Grid caressed the necklace he received from Lord.
‘For Lord’s sake, I need the power to resist the empire. i can’t let Lord have any painful experiences.’
He could bear eating Idan’s dishes if he thought of this.
Grid braced himself as Idan cooked food using the meat of a newly hunted monster.
***
“It isn’t as easy as I thought.”
Mute operated a small to medium-sized business with a monthly trading volume of nearly 10,000 gold.
He was currently the third ranked merchant and pioneering the East Continent.
He had a dream to explore the East Continent and increase his customers.
However, the East Continent was too difficult compared to the West Continent. Trading with most NPCs wasn’t easy, regardless of their status. In addition, the level of the monsters in the field was so high that it wasn’t easy to navigate between towns and villages.
‘The reputation I built on the West Continent isn’t applied here so I feel like a complete rookie.’
If he increased his number of customers on the East Continent, he would gain many special products and become more competitive.
Once his trading volume and profits increased considerably, he would rise to the top of the merchant rankings.
Muto dreamt of a brilliant future but he now became nervous. He didn’t have any customers for 10 days already so his enthusiasm started to decline.
‘If the people of the East Continent believe that I can move freely between the East and West Continents, I will be able to easily expand my business.’
The East Continent people didn’t believe in intercontinental movement. It was believed that Muto was pulled to the east from the west due to an accident.
“Ugh, how frustrating.”
In the past, Muto was someone who mainly focused on exchanges Earl Butin of the Saharan Empire. Earl Butin’s territory was considered a resort for nobles and Muto often sold valuables there.
But one day, his relationship with Earl Butin was ruined. It was when the sands of Reidan started to be sold as a longevity remedy.
As the ridiculous formula of ‘Earl Butin=luxury longevity remedy’ started to be established, the interest of the nobles in Muto’s valuables decreased. After that, Muto became insignificant.
Muto needed the East Continent to recover. If he didn’t increase the account here, he could no longer be able to cope with his company’s trading volume decreasing.
‘Looking at the trends these days, I might end up falling to the 7th rank.’
If he lost his rank, he was likely to lose sponsors. His pride as a merchant was smashed.
‘Once I arrive in Kars, I must see the Cho King. If I show the king the culture of the West Continent… Eh?’
Muto moved across the East Continent with the mercenaries he employed, only to stop in place.
A spectacular sight was unfolding in the mountain valley in the distance.
“This is the secret technique that has been passed down in my family for generations! Filleting! My skills have been trained in order to prepare today’s lunch!”
“N-No, this isn’t a carp but a mermaid…”
“It is still half fish. What is wrong?”
“…?”
It was a rare sight.
The level 300 mermaid monster in the valley trembled as a kitchen knife held by a middle-aged man neared them.
The most impressive thing was the black-haired man trying to hold the middle-aged man back from from the mermaid.
‘Grid…?’
The first legendary class and first king.
The most famous man in the world who achieved countless feats.
‘Why is he here?’
Was this a coincidence?
A smile appeared on the face of the bewildered Muto.
‘This might be a fated relationship.’
In fact, Muto was a person who hated Grid.
It was because Grid was the one who started to sell the remedy from Reidan.
Strictly speaking, Muto’s fall was due to Grid. It was natural to feel resentment.
But at this moment, Muto’s feelings for Grid were washed away.
It was because he thought that he was bound to Grid by strings of fate.
“I was going to rest in that valley but a guest has arrived there first.”
“Do you mind?”
A mercenary asked.
Muto shook his head.
“All your heads will be cut off if you ask him to leave.”
“…?”
The mercenaries frowned.
They were the strongest warriors of Zentu. Muto hired them because he acknowledged this fact.
Yet that black-haired man would kill all of them?
“I can’t accept it.”
Zentu.
It was a village near the queen rat community that had been destroyed
by someone a few months ago.
In order to survive the rats, the inhabitants of Zentu endlessly trained and gained the title of warrior. They had great pride in their skills.
“Shall we see if he is really stronger than us?”
The mercenaries were unable to hide their uncomfortable feelings.
“Oh, don’t eat mermaids. It is like human flesh.”
Peeng!
Pepepepeok!
“…?”
An explosion took place in the valley.
It was a phenomenon that occurred when the black-haired man used swordsmanship and magic.
“T-This is impossible.”
The mercenaries were at a loss for words.
They could barely repel the mermaids of Jam Valley one-on-one. The mermaids were strong enough to be compared to the poisonous rats.
But the black-haired man took out dozens of mermaids in the blink of an eye. The dimension was different.
“How about it? Isn’t he on a different class? I heard that the warriors of Zentu admire strong people. Isn’t he strong?”
“Gulp.”
The mercenaries didn’t respond to Muto. They could only gulp. They got goosebumps.
‘If we had come across him unaware…’
‘By now we would be like the mermaids.’
They got goosebumps just imagining it.
‘Huh?’
All of the mercenaries shook their head.
Suddenly, the black-haired man took out a needle and thread and started sewing.
“W-What?”
The mercenaries were surprised.
Muto was more surprised than them.
‘Sewing cloth? How can Grid, a blacksmith, deal with cloth?’
He really wasn’t just a celebrity.
They kept meeting by chance and Grid was a constant source of interest.
Muto was convinced.
‘This is my chance.’
Today’s accidental encounter would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Okay… Let’s go. First of all, let’s greet him.”
Muto took a deep breath to get rid of his tension and excitement before walking up to Grid with his mercenaries.
He could smell food waste as he neared but he didn’t care.
Chapter 635
Chapter 635
“Yes, what was the reaction of the Overgeared King?”
The Saharan Empire, the castle of Sword Duke Limit.
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
The four swords that Limit deployed in the air devastated the field. It was the swordsmanship that he trained. Limit was confident that his swordsmanship transcended great swordsman Piaro and even Sword Saint Muller. But due to a lack of achievements, he couldn’t claim to be a legend or a sword saint. Mercedes kneeled in the rising dust and answered his question.
“He accepted.”
“Hah… He bowed?” Limit shook his head with surprise. He gazed with hollow eyes at the kneeling Mercedes. “The rebel who faced a force of 100,000 troops alone accepted the imperious demands of the empire without protesting? He didn’t run wild?”
“Yes, he followed it very quietly. On the surface.”
“Is it different?”
“That’s right. Grid is like a beast who can’t be tamed. He was kneeling, but couldn’t hide his sharp eyes.”
“Asmophel’s Eyes.”
‘Asmophel’s Eyes’ was widely used among the imperial knights. It meant the eyes were filled with enthusiasm for the future without being frustrated by the trials of the moment. It was the eyes of the eternal No. 2, Asmophel, when he looked at Piaro.
“Hrmm, that’s good. Yes, that’s the Overgeared King.”
Limit was one of the six dukes of the Saharan Empire. From a general point of view, he was the most loyal person to the empire. He wasn’t angry when he heard that Grid didn’t truly yield? If someone witnessed this scene, they wouldn’t understand it.
But Mercedes was tranquil.
The Red Knights were a group rebuilt by Empress Marie, not Emperor Juander. On the surface, they were knights under the direct control of the empire. However, reality was different. They were no different from the limbs of the empress. Limit, chief of the Red Knights, moved according to the will of the empress.
In fact, it wasn’t like this from the beginning. Limit dedicated his loyalty to the emperor when he was first appointed as chief of the Red Knights. But the emperor betrayed him.
The five pillars. Emperor Juander called them talents to support the empire and preferred them more than the Red Knights. The Red Knights were forced to feel deprived and this led to Limit turning completely away from the emperor.
“Mercedes, I want you to tell His Majesty the Emperor your thoughts about the Overgeared King. Try to convince the angry emperor to dispatch troops to the Overgeared Kingdom. In that gap, Empress Marie will have time to reorganize the political factions.”
“I understand.”
Mercedes responded politely and left. She struggled as she rode her white horse towards the imperial palace.
‘I don’t know what is best for the empire.’
Was it really right to deceive His Majesty the Emperor? The struggle between factions increased over who should become crown prince. Mercedes was worried that the empire would be torn apart. There was a person who was watching her closely.
‘Ha, my goddess.’
It was Mercedes’ retainer, Sky. An unofficial ranker, he had been acting in the empire ever since Satisfy opened. He joined the Black Knights and was recently admitted as a reserve in the Red Knights. His talent was enough to become a retainer of the 1st knight.
‘I will stand by the goddess forever.’
A huge smile. Mercedes was a beautiful woman who made him smile just looking at her. Sky’s love for her was very deep. It was equal to Damian’s love for Isabel. However, it wasn’t pure.
‘My goddess Mercedes, I will surely make you my slave.’
***
“Hello, Grid?”
“Hmm?”
This was the East continent. Since the entry rate of players was still low, more than 99.9% of the population were NPCs. Unlike the West Continent, people rarely recognized Grid. No, it didn’t exist at all. Yet this person recognized him with one glance. Grid turned towards the man approaching and confirmed the name above his head.
‘Muto.’
A player.
‘…He must be considerably skilled to be on the East Continent.’
Grid was alert. Muto came close without hesitation. It was even a nice expression! ‘The expression is so good that it’s ridiculous. Usually these are bad people.’ It was a prejudice. But he was right to be wary. The world of Satisfy wasn’t an easy place where all strangers in unfamiliar areas were friendly. In particular, Grid was concerned about the eight people accompanying Muto.
[Legendary Blacksmith’s Eyes]
It was a skill that allowed him to peek at item information when observing it for more than three seconds. Based on this skill, the eight people with Muto were at least level 280.
‘A person who has such tough subordinates won’t be ordinary.’
Muto spoke as Grid became increasingly alert.
“I don’t have any combat power. I was able to cross to the East Continent purely due to my speaking ability. I’m a merchant. I ran the Muto Company, which is named after me.”
“A man with acumen.”
Grid spoke without letting down his guard. Muto scratched his head.
“Unlike Grid, I’m not at the level to be on the unified rankings. But you’ll be able to find me if you check the merchant rankings.”
“Oh…”
Grid immediately checked the rankings and was surprised. Muto was the third ranked merchant.
‘It isn’t a bluff that he runs a company. Come to think about it, Lauel said repeatedly that the market must grow in order to boost the economy.’
Lauel spoke of the need to attract a large influx of mercha
nts. However, it was difficult because most merchants were active in the empire. In particular, the Overgeared Kingdom had a clear limit on the population. From a merchant’s point of view, it was a kingdom with little value.
‘For the sake of the kingdom, it’s better to build a relationship with a merchant.’
Grid controlled his expression. He didn’t completely get rid of his vigilance and shook Muto’s hand.
“Grid.”
“Ohh! It’s an honor to shake hands with the prestigious King Grid of the Overgeared Kingdom!”
Indeed, he was a merchant. The cheerful Grid asked Muto a question.
“Who are these people?”
“They’re mercenaries I hired on the East Continent. As you know, the monsters here are really strong, so mercenaries from the West Continent are useless. I’m currently moving to Kars. Is it the same for Grid?”
“That’s right. What are you going to Kars for?”
“My goal is to meet the Cho King and make a commercial exchange with him.”
“Cho King…”
Grid’s expression became uncomfortable. Grid had to rescue the Han Seokbong father and daughter, so the king might become an enemy. Muto read Grid’s expression, roughly noticed the situation and laughed.
“Maybe there’s a bad relationship between you and the Cho King? It’s surprising. I thought Grid was going to Kars to form a diplomatic relationship with the Cho Kingdom.”
“I would be glad if I could, but the situation isn’t simple.”
Maybe he would need to harm the Cho King. Grid couldn’t reveal his purpose when Muto still couldn’t be trusted. Muto retreated. The conversation turned to Idan and Yang Fei.
“Who are they? They’re unusual colleagues.”
Rather than strong warriors, he was crossing the East Continent with a middle-aged man and a young woman? It was only possible because it was Grid. Muto watched on with admiration as Grid explained.
“They are my exclusive chef and tea master.”
“Wow.”
How many players in this world had a dedicated chef and tea master for adventures? A rich person would be able to hire a chef for gourmet meals. But Grid was the only one with a tea master.
‘He’s a king for a reason. The scale is different.’
It was a famous fact that the Overgeared Kingdom was poor. But just because the kingdom was poor didn’t mean that Grid had to be poor. Grid was rumored to be quite wealthy and came up with the money to construct the kingdom himself.
