Ranker's Return

Chapter 879

“I heard that attacking the city has been sluggish, yet… a city was retaken in an instant. Did you gain a good opportunity?” the emperor questioned Hyeonu like he knew nothing.

“The biggest stumbling block to retaking the cities is that there is one strong undead guarding every city. I was fortunately able to find a city without such an undead and was able to retake it with a handful of adventurers,” Hyeonu answered the emperor’s question with sincerity.

‘I have to get him to give me the skill book, so it can’t be helped.’

It was natural. He had to speak well to get a reward from the emperor.

“A few adventurers? The number of undead must’ve been overwhelming, right?”

The emperor showed an expression of incomprehension. It was a reaction that anyone could see, a universal reaction.

“Fortunately, most of the adventurers are related to the temple. They have a compatibility advantage against the undead.”

“Even so... isn’t there a level difference?”

The emperor persisted in asking questions. The emperor’s eyes were as sharp as the eyes of a hawk aiming for its prey.

“The rest was taken care of by me. I threw myself into battle against the undead while only thinking that it was for the sake of the empire.”

Hyeonu used exaggerated words and actions to praise what he did. It was only then that the emperor would give him a reward.

“Duke, you threw yourself into battle? That means you fought hard, right? That is how you got this result.”

The sharpness that flowed from the emperor’s eyes disappeared.

“I’ll give you the reward as promised.”

A bright smile appeared on Hyeonu’s face at the emperor’s words. It was the promised reward.

‘Give me the skill book, come on.’

The emperor’s words continued, regardless of whether he knew Hyeonu’s excited heart or not, “Based on the fact that you came here, does this mean you will pull out of the war in the north?”

“The big fire has been put out, so I think I need to add support to our allies. I heard a lot of news that the war situation in the Yuxin Empire isn’t very good.”

Hyeonu used the Yuxin Empire in the East Continent as the reason for leaving the war with the undead army.

“The Yuxin Empire? Is the situation that bad?”

“I hear the front lines have been at a stalemate for a long time due to a lack of power,” Hyeonu told the emperor what he had recently heard.

‘He is jumping in on his own.’

The emperor had a pleased expression at Hyeonu’s words. It felt even better when he thought that Hyeonu really didn’t know anything.

‘I thought he might’ve noticed since he is so quick...’

Now the emperor was also nervous whenever a meeting with Hyeonu ensued. The plan was at its end. Therefore, he was only showing a good side to Hyeonu.

‘All obstacles have been removed.’

The opposition of the nobles couldn’t be ignored if he wanted to temporarily put Hyeonu on the throne. Therefore, he gave an order to Suped and got the consent of the nobles. It was to have Hyeonu as the interim emperor and lead the empire through meetings with the nobles. It was intended to create a type of republic.

The reaction of the nobles was good. Initially, they resisted. Then they thought about how Hyeonu’s status was temporary and that they could exert more influence over internal affairs than they did now. Thus, they immediately stamped the jointly sealed document.

Of course, the fact that Suped was the person who came with the emperor’s command had a great influence.

A duke and great magician of the Yusma Empire—he was only focusing on magic research right now, but at the height of his prime, he was no less a monster than Lebron. There weren’t only one or two territories that had their castles destroyed by Suped’s wide-area magic.

‘Stupid fools...’

The emperor had long anticipated the thoughts of the nobles. The situation of the nobles wouldn’t be much different from now even if the emperor became someone else.

‘This guy isn’t easy.’

The emperor knew—it was only in front of himself that this person bowed with a good smile. The emperor knew this absolutely wasn’t the case in front of others.

‘With a few words... they will work hard.’

If he added a bit of advice along with requesting to look after the empire well... the nobles would never come forward. It was because behind Hyeonu was Lebron, who would be watching with wide eyes.

‘There must be a big reason why he came back today.’

The emperor felt better when he thought of the very near future. He would be able to escape this difficult position and plunge into infinite freedom.

The emperor smiled and snapped his fingers. There was a light sound. Then in the distance, a servant appeared with a small box. The servant approached Hyeonu, not the emperor. The servant came close to Hyeonu and opened the box he was holding in his hand.

Just then, a message window appeared in front of Hyeonu.

[Emperor’s Trust has been cleared.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[78,136 imperial contributions have been acquired.]

[The emperor’s gift has been acquired.]

‘It came out!’

Hyeonu let out a silent shout. The skill book he really wanted appeared before his eyes.

“Take this,” the emperor said to Hyeonu, who was checking the message.

"Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Hyeonu bowed very deeply. Then he carefully took the skill book that the servant was holding.

“Are you planning to go to the East Continent right away?” the emperor asked Hyeonu, who had a big grin on his face upon receiving the skill book.

“I think I will spend a bit of time in my territory. It will take a day or two at the minimum and a week at the maximum,” Hyeonu thought for a moment before giving an answer. It was a vague answer. The date wasn’t properly specified.

‘I will go straight away if I don’t get the information... otherwise, it will be a long time.’

The reason for why his duration in Phinis wasn’t certain was Larenix’s legacy. Hyeonu thought the hint for the legacy must be in his territory, Phinis. However, there was a possibility that this wasn’t the case. Therefore, he set aside this time period.

“Then you will leave for the East Continent after that, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will join the front line of the East Continent.”

The emperor smiled with satisfaction at Hyeonu’s answer.

“Lebron will like it a lot.”

“Are you talking about Teacher?”

“He said that he is very bored. Since he went alone... It wouldn’t be the same as usual.”

“Is that so? Then... I’ll have to go as soon as possible. Thank you for letting me know, Your Majesty.”

Hyeonu bowed once more and carefully exited the great hall.

“It should be 100 days at the most...” the emperor murmured as he looked at the place where Hyeonu had disappeared.

There was only a short amount of time left until his plan came true.

“It is just a little bit more effort.”

***

‘Return.’

The moment Hyeonu left the great hall, he used the lord’s unique authority to move to Phinis. He wanted to leave the imperial palace as soon as possible. It was in order to leisurely check the skill book that the emperor had given him in his own space. It was without being disturbed by anyone.

“Is there nobody here?”

Hyeonu appeared in the internal affairs room that existed deep in the territory’s castle. He turned his head and looked around. The area was quiet. Hyeonu carefully took out the skill book from his inventory. It was the skill book that Hyeonu wanted so much.

‘Item Information.’

Hyeonu checked the information of the skill book without hesitation. No, he tried to check it—if only someone hadn’t knocked on the door of the internal affairs room.

Knock knock knock!

A loud sound echoed through the room.

‘Who is it?’

Hyeonu couldn’t even think about looking at the item information window in front of him and had to hastily erase it. Then his mind quickly spun.

‘How did this person know I came to the internal affairs room?’

Then was followed by another question. Who was it? How did this person know?

‘I have goosebumps.’

It didn’t make sense. The internal affairs room was Hyeonu’s own space. Even the emperor couldn’t figure it out.

“Who is it?” Hyeonu shouted toward the door of the internal affairs room.

“My Lord, it is Kalui.”

An unexpected name came from beyond the door. No, perhaps it was the obvious answer.

Kalui—the leader of the descendants of the Luos Empire whom Hyeonu rescued from the demon world. He was now one of the commanders of the knights of Phinis.

“Kalui?”

Hyeonu quickly opened the door of the internal affairs office and walked outside.

“Oh... You’re finally back.”

Kalui looked thrilled when he saw Hyeonu’s face.

“How did you know I was here?”

Hyeonu wanted to resolve his doubts first rather than responding to Kalui.

“I stopped by every day. I didn’t know when My Lord would return...”

Kalui didn’t knock on the door of the internal affairs room because he knew that Hyeonu had arrived. He just repeated what he was doing every day.

“Every day? Were you looking for me?” Hyeonu’s eyes widened as he asked. Hyeonu thought there was no reason for Kalui to look for him.

‘On the contrary, I am the one looking for him.’

The reason why Hyeonu returned to Phinis included Kalui.

“Yes, My Lord.” Kalui nodded.

“What brings you here?”

“It is because I have something I wanted to say.”

“You have something you want to say?”

“Yes, My Lord.” Kalui nodded again.

‘He has something he wants to say to me?’

Hyeonu’s mind quickly spun. What did Kalui have to say?

‘There is nothing? I can’t think of anything.’

Nothing came to mind.

‘There is nothing he can’t do and there is no way he is uncomfortable...’

The support was generous because Phinis was wealthy. Additionally, there were no quarrels. Everything in Phinis moved according to Hyeonu’s will. The NPCs and players just had to follow.

“Tell me. What do you want to say?” Hyeonu made eye contact with Kalui and asked.

Kalui gulped after making eye contact with Hyeonu. Then he opened his mouth very carefully, “Your Majesty, the empire... I hope you will continue it.”

“Empire...? The Luos Empire? Me?” Hyeonu wondered with a frown.

Continue the Luos Empire—it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Additionally...

‘What can I do to revive the empire? It can’t be revived.’

The West Continent had already fallen to the ridiculously great power of the Yusma Empire. Raising the flag of the Luos Empire in that place was impossible.

‘How can I beat the emperor and Lebron? What about Suped?’

It was impossible no matter how many times he thought about it.

“No. It is impossible.”

Hyeonu shook his head. It was nice to have a goal, but there needed to be a limit. A vain delusion was just a shortcut to destruction.

“I know it isn’t possible right now. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t built again. I just hope that the name of the Luos Empire will be engraved on My Lord’s heart.”

Kalui knew it as well. He also had eyes and ears. He had been diligently collecting information ever since coming to Phinis with Hyeonu. It was the situation of the present continent as well as the history of the Yusma Empire. It was also about the current emperor.

‘He is an emperor that rules by force.’

The current emperor, Alexander, was credited with raising the originally powerful imperial authority so that it pierced the sky. There were also numerous loyalists supporting such an emperor.

“I already have such a mindset. I won’t hesitate if the opportunity comes, but... I don’t know if that opportunity will come.”

Hyeonu came up with a bittersweet answer.

The emperor’s position—it was in his head, but not in reality.

“This time, I will ask you for one thing.”

“Say it, My Lord.”

“Larenix’s legacy... where is it?”

Kalui’s eyes widened when he heard Hyeonu’s question.