Episode 289
“Welcome! There are precious herbs that only grow in the southern mountains!”
“We have seafood from Calon that just arrived! With cold magic and salt! It’s very fresh!”
“We also have silk from McLane!!”
Was silk among the specialties of our kingdom?
Victor crossed the noisy market and looked around.
I suddenly realized that I was in an unfamiliar place. The face reflected in the mirror of the general store I saw in passing was equally unfamiliar.
Tanned skin, brown hair, blue eyes.
It was a face I could hardly get used to.
Unfamiliar environment.
Unfamiliar mission.
An unfamiliar face.
Over the past week, here in Tahinan, the capital of the Principality of Tahiti, there was only one thing I felt while comparing information and reality.
‘Whether you’re a spy or a secret agent, it’s not something everyone can do.’
Everything was just awkward.
The good news is that 90% of the abilities required for this mission are military.
If it weren’t for the setting that he was a wealthy foreign aristocrat traveling to the Principality of Tahiti, he would have quickly attracted people’s attention as a strange person.
‘Well, even now it doesn’t seem like it’s there at all.’
As Victor turned around the alley, he checked the man who followed him about 20 meters behind.
He naturally looked away and walked calmly again.
‘not good.’
A person I met a few days ago as a merchant at the market.
He was someone I had a long conversation with as he recommended various items.
Although he was wearing a different disguise than before, it only made it more awkward for Viktor, who can judge people by their senses rather than their impressions.
A guy who disguises himself and follows you.
‘There’s no guarantee that it’s just one person.’
It was because he had unintentionally been in contact with me for a long time that he remembered the feeling.
And when I decided to do that and looked around, I also became suspicious of the two guys I always see near my dorm.
Is this a city with active transit trade and a tourist city so wary of outsiders?
‘That can’t be possible.’
So was the information leaked?
The only people in McLane who knew about this were the lord and himself, Damien Dwayne.
In addition, there is at least one helper who is currently staying in the dormitory.
There was no way the information had leaked.
Tria, which is said to have handed over national treasures as collateral, would not even know who acted as the executor of the request.
There was no information leaked from there.
After excluding these and other unlikely guesses, there was only one thing left.
“A bunch of bastards trying to rob Hanryang who came to play? Huh…”
I had heard that there were quite a few people like that in Tahinan, so I deliberately chose to be a nobleman.
‘Didn’t you say you wouldn’t touch nobles? Write. If I do this wrong, I think things will get messy for no reason.’
Victor entered the lodgings he had become accustomed to for the past week with his heart growing heavier.
As expected of an aristocrat visiting a tourist, inside the spacious and luxurious lodgings, an unfamiliar face was waving at him.
“Hey. So, did you see the King Kong with your own eyes?”
Jang Han is in his thirties with blond hair and a pockmarked face.
He was originally the wizard Greek, with brown hair, a thin body, and a tired face, but he had been transformed.
Victor responded half a beat slower as he still wasn’t used to it.
“As far as what you can see with your eyes.”
“…I don’t know how far that refers, but anyway, it’s been confirmed, right?”
“yes.”
“Are you familiar with the royal family structure and security guard levels?”
“yes.”
Despite Viktor’s firm answer, Greek was unable to erase his worried expression.
What was the reason why he, the great disciple of the mage golem master Clayton, had followed him to this place?
It was to maintain the state of the transformation magic, but wasn’t it also to help this loyal young knight prepare for his mission well?
And during the preparation period of just a few weeks, Grick realized something while analyzing the information provided by ‘Eye of Flame’, an information organization created by Damian. The security and guard posture of the Gongwangseong Fortress, which was disparaged as it was at the level of a large territory in the kingdom, was not easy enough to be broken through alone.
Even if Victor was a top-class knight or a genius of the century, I couldn’t help but worry.
“I’m saying this out of old age, but wouldn’t it be better to ask for aid now?”
“it’s okay.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
Despite Greek’s words showing great concern, Victor simply nodded with a calm expression.
“Grick, you can go back now.”
“what?”
“It seems like the flies have become entangled.”
“Flies?”
When Viktor told me that he had been following me recently, Greek’s expression instantly changed unfavorably.
“Surely you have a plan…?”
“Probably not. They were poor armed guys. I can’t feel any force or mana at all.”
“Hmm…” Only
then did Grick, who knew how excellent the senses of the genius knight in front of him were, accept Viktor’s explanation.
“But wouldn’t it be better for me to stay to prepare for an emergency?”
However, I did not want to accept his opinion.
however.
“If something goes wrong, it’s easier for me to run away alone.”
“I guess so.”
Greek had no choice but to agree with Victor’s cold words.
“Didn’t you say that transformation magic lasts for a week?”
“…are you really going to do it alone?”
“But that doesn’t mean we can’t use Mr. Greek’s golem.”
As the nagging continued, a look of irritation appeared on Viktor’s expressionless face.
Greek’s voice became more and more strained due to the harsh look in his eyes along with the change in expression for the first time in almost a week.
“That’s right… I’m just worried…”
“I’ll give you good news. Please go back first.”
Looking at Viktor with a determined face, Greek just nodded his head helplessly.
Three days later, Victor, concerned about possible interference from gangsters, moved immediately.
* * * ‘I’ve done all the research I can here.’
Victor wore a dark blue stealth suit that matched the dark night sky and quietly hid in the shadows.
The ghostly shadow’s method of movement has now become familiar. Even if I thought about it, my movements were very stealthy and quick.
Suddenly, the voice of the master who taught me this method played in my head again.
– If it seems difficult, back off immediately. To put it to the extreme, it’s something I can do myself. All you have to do is maintain your disguise well.
– To the public, I am recuperating from a serious injury. If I make up my mind and become an assassin, I’ll be next to my teacher. Oh, except for those ghosts.
Eat.
The king of a country says he will become an assassin himself.
The unconventional actions seemed to be regardless of policy or war.
‘No matter how much it’s a joke.’
There is no shame in even having the lord personally do something like this.
No matter how right the words are, if there is a chance that something goes wrong, it is something a king should never do.
With a small sigh, Victor strengthened his resolve and moved into the shadows of the alley.
Optimal movement routes collected over 10 days.
Of course, after entering the King Kong, he would have to rely on the information provided by the Flame Eye, but he had one more secret weapon.
The clothes he is wearing right now.
This stealth suit, which even had a cognitive impairment spell, was the clothing worn by those ‘ghosts’.
Of course, there were drawbacks.
– For some reason, the magic power has been slowly dissipating since the original owner died. I didn’t know something like this was possible. The reason this is so difficult is because of magical patterns… Ah, you’re not interested. I’m sorry. Sometimes, when I look at you, I mistake you for Lia…
– It’s an amazing artifact, so I need to research it, but there are ten samples, so at least one… It will remain effective for at least a month. Take it.
According to Clayton’s explanation, its efficacy had an expiration date, but fortunately, it still had sufficient effectiveness.
‘It might not be as dangerous as you think.’
As these complacent thoughts came to mind, my fighting spirit became even stronger.
It was due to personal greed, apart from loyalty.
A limit that was encountered at some point.
The new world I happened to catch a glimpse of beyond gave me a serious thirst.
It’s only for a moment, but it feels like I’ve overcome my limitations and become infinitely free.
An overwhelming feeling as if the soul had escaped the body and embraced the whole world.
A feeling of omnipotence, as if you can do anything.
The sensations he experienced in an extremely brief moment left him with an enormous longing.
Moreover, after seeing the queen, who was at a similar level, overcome the limit before him, he couldn’t help but become more desperate.
‘I can do it too.’
And at the end of that longing, Victor remembered the teachings of his lord, who could actually be said to be his teacher.
– The life and beliefs that permeate one’s life are reflected in one’s characteristics. If you just want to become stronger like most knights, you just gain general traits.
– Of course, looking at my teacher, he is not bad either, but he also agrees that the more unique the trait, the more potential it has to become stronger.
– Moreover, you have lived a life more unique than anyone else, so focus on understanding what you want for yourself. Only by doing this first can you design the characteristics you desire.
– What if I don’t become a superhuman? Hahaha. You will definitely become a superhuman. I guarantee it.
Following those teachings, Victor was able to clearly grasp the main thread that runs through his beliefs and past.
– The time and type of characteristics can be selected and expressed by oneself. After seeing Her Majesty, I thought that was possible for everyone. I was sure I had developed the theory of the century.
– But when I thought about it again, it was so strange. How on earth do you control the manifestation of the unconscious? Those questions started to arise. Having completely mastered the art of generating auras, you can control when you exceed your limits? For feature design? Do you think that would be self-control? No way!
– We evolved from bugs to humans, but bugs can control the timing? I heard you’ve experienced it a bit too? right? Isn’t it strange? If you could, would you want to do it right away? okay. Your Majesty is really strange.
I also deeply sympathized with the words of Corps Commander Luther Kyle, the creator of the concept of characteristic design mentioned by my master and teacher.
furthermore.
– At the point when that is possible, it has already gone beyond human limitations. But through my theory and Your Majesty’s reality, I can be sure of one thing.
– Understanding your own life and beliefs properly and wishing for them more strongly. That desire becomes the driving force to overcome human limitations.
– And the more accurate your understanding, the more you will be able to specify the direction to go beyond that limit. Even if you can’t create your own characteristics like His Majesty, it will be possible to further strengthen the characteristics you will acquire anyway. It clearly teaches you the path you should take anyway. I think that is the greatest value of that theory.
According to the explanation added by Luther Kyle, the person who most closely fit the theory was Victor himself.
‘Ronian would have just wanted to become stronger. He must have hoped to surpass his lord. But I…’
There is a dream I have wanted since I was young.
And I also have a dream that I currently wish for.
There is a feeling of gratitude towards the person who made it all happen and there is someone who wants to protect it at all costs.
Victor was able to completely understand the beliefs that run through his life, and because he did so, he also knew the path he should follow.
So what was needed now was clear.
‘A battle so dangerous that life is at stake. If I somehow fail… no, no. ‘I won’t fail.’
Viktor bit his lip to erase the ominous thoughts.
If it weren’t for this mission, I would have had to jump into a battlefield or a demonic world somewhere. Only then would I be able to face danger that would allow me to break through my limits.
Maybe he wasn’t a crazy person who died because he couldn’t fight in his past life.
‘Or he was a crazy killer.’
As I continued to fling my body around while imagining things like that, I saw Gongwang in the distance.
From now on, if you make a mistake, you could die.
As he shook away the distracting thoughts and tightened his senses, an alien sensation that sent a chill down his spine came over him.
