TL Note: To avoid confusion the Hunters Leon recruited will be refered to as recruits while the students from the Academy will be known as cadets.
Like the trainees, the academy cadets were to eat, sleep, and train in the Ten Thousand Gods guild compound.
"Hmph, the cadets' faces must be a sight to behold."
"That's right."
The first batch of recruits at the Ten Thousand Gods Guild Koo Dae-sung and Kim Do-han, now enlisted as regular soldiers, imagined the looks on the cadets' faces when they saw their dinner.
During their training, they had become accustomed to the vicious diet of the Ten Thousand Gods Guild.
Massive amounts of salt and massive amounts of sugar, it was a diet of nothing but salt and calories.
Only the professional soldiers…the first recruits who had been promoted to Man-At-Arms, were able to eat well now, but the memories of those days…were as horrible as the sauce.
The cadets, on the other hand, weren't looking forward to dinner either. They're in the Naju Plains, which is to say, the countryside.
"I see the villagers walking around and they're eating what...."
"Corn and potatoes."
"Or canned herbs from the back mountains."
"Can you eat that?"
For the cadets, most of whom are natives of Seoul and the Seoul metropolitan area this is what it feels like to be rural.
Although there is a gap between the cadets and the recruits neither side thinks about the quality of the food but there is one common feeling: hunger.
The hunger pangs from the day's intense training were bubbling up to a growl.
"Mmm, I could eat all the rice they serve."
"...I agree."
Jae-hyuk and Soo-ho, who were ranked first in the group, had to endure Leon's harsh training while Ha-ri gave them a pitying gaze from the side.
"Well…you better not get your hopes up."
I'm starving, and all I can eat is salt and sugar water. Even in the orphanage, I'd never had a rumbling stomach.
"Hmm, I'm glad there's no shortage of places for everyone to sit."
Leon walked in.
There were a lot of people sitting in the courtyard on roughly laid out seats. It was the kind of scene you might see at a middle school dramatic arts retreat, but Leon didn't mind.
They would have to practice eating here in the rain, so they would have to get used to it.
"Bring the meal."
At Leon's command, the gate to the courtyard opened and the residents entered with dishes. The dish they were serving the second-grade recruits was… needless to say, sugar-salt water.
"Ah~ So this is it."
"I thought it would be different today."
"Let's have some sweet potatoes before bed."
The second-grade recruits, who had gotten used to the Ten Thousand Gods Guild drill, gulped down the sugar-salt water in front of them, and the cadets' expressions twisted as they watched.
"What is that?"
"Water? No, what's in the water?"
"Alas, it's called salt water."
"???"
The cadets' faces twist in disbelief as they realize that they're eating something like that.
"Nu, Nu, what is that?"
Soo-ho asks, wide-eyed, and Ha-ri replies with a dejected expression.
"Salt water. I added sugar."
"...Why?"
"Lord Yappy will explain that part to you in a 'logical' way...!"
At Ha-ri's comment, Yappy came over. The minimalist mechanical spider gives a logical explanation of the sugar-salt-water diet.
-Humans. Can survive on a minimum of nutrients and calories.
"?????"
-Reducing food costs. Increased 'venom' factor. Very efficient.
""?????""
The cadets were stunned by the vicious logic.
"Ooh, we have to eat that stuff too?"
"No way. How can you live on that?"
When the cadets' faces grew heavy, Koo Dae-sung spoke up.
"Hmph, don't get me wrong. After the training period is over, we will give them proper food."
True to his word, the first batch of cadets…now promoted to professional soldiers, are being served proper rice and side dishes.
Kimchi, a staple of the Korean diet, is served with the meal, and meat-based dishes are also distributed. The rice and local crops they are given are all "blessed" and rare.
Aside from the taste, the soldiers were very satisfied with the fact that they were getting stronger and less sick with each meal.
Just get through the training period. For the second-grade recruits, the diet of the first-grade recruits is a hopeful prospect, therefore, they can endure while the cadets now have to become aware of the salt and sugar water in front of them.
"...Do we really have to eat this?"
Even Han Soo-ho, who grew up as an orphan, was stunned by the salt water in front of him, let alone Chen So-yeon, the heir to the largest guild in the country.
He turned to his sister, the one he'd always counted on, but Ha-ri smirked and turned her head away.
"It's easier if you give up."
"...unbearable."
Having said that, this is only the second time Ha-ri has had salt and sugar water.
The first time, she saw the first-grade recruits survive on it, so she tried it to see if it would hold up. But then she spit out the salt water with a yelp and had to listen to Leon's scolding.
'You can do it, Han Ha-ri! You're an orphan and you've suffered in the bottom 1% of South Korea!'
No, orphanages are better these days, so maybe 3%?
Ha-ri gulps down her drink, trying to channel her misfortune into willpower.
The moment the salted glass slid down her throat, the extreme saltiness burned her throat.
'Salty…!'
Salty. Too salty. So salty that it burned her throat.
She wondered if she was going to get esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) from this but the salty taste was quickly covered by another flavor, the sugar.
'Too sweet!
If the salt made her mouth burn, the sugar made her tongue burn. The problem is that the flavors are jumbled and painful, and the same goes for the other cadets.
Chen So-yeon, who has undergone a harsh training program, and Han Soo-ho, who knows from his orphanage life that to eat is to live drunk the water but Kim Jae-hyuk tilted his glass to the floor to throw it away.
-Cheating detected.
With a snap, the swung steel wire threatens to kill.
"Wee, it's dangerous!"
He protests, but the mechanical spider is relentless. The military commander of the Ten Thousand Gods Guild will not take no for an answer.
When the shocking brine meal is over, Leon stands up.
"Let's digest this and start training."
"What?"
Digesting something just because you ate it…Ha-ri was more curious about Leon's reaction, which was different from the way he was used to.
"…Didn't they receive time to rest after eating?"
It was the basic schedule for the recruits.
Morning training, then a meal. Rest, then training again. Then a meal and then bed.
In other words, after dinner, it was straight to rest and sleep. Unofficially, they were also fed potatoes and sweet potatoes.
"Tsk, tsk, you are not recruits, you are aspiring knights. How could you think that the training of a soldier and a knight is the same?"
"Is that so?"
Leon's gaze flicked to Chief Kim Jin-soo, who was also participating in the exercise as an observer, apparently unaware of the shocking visual of the salt and sugar water.
"I told you to be prepared, did you get it?"
"Uh, that's right, yes, I did! It'll be ready to strike sooner or later...."
"Not soon. Right now."
"...?"
"The second-grade recruits will rest and sleep as they are while Lord Spinner will supervise. Koo Dae-sung, Kim Do-han, and the rest of you will be ready to depart in ten minutes."
"Yes, yes! Understood!"
"As you order, Your Majesty!"
The first class recruits, clearly carrying military flags, ran straight to the weapons storage room and the cadets could only stare after them in bewilderment.
* * * *
To coincide with the cadets' visit, Leon bought a gate pass.
It was an Orc Gate pass that was easy to get since by its nature, the Orc Gate rewards little for the effort.
The most expensive item you can get is the Orc Warrior Heart, which is worth at least 400 million won. The problem is, it's a drop given by the tribe leaders.
There's nothing about him that isn't intimidating, whether it's his blood, his warrior sense, his strength, or his special abilities.
As such, it's usually reserved for A-rank raiders, and given their salaries, Heart of the Warrior isn't even on the expensive end of the spectrum.
The rest are a handful of elemental weapons, and even these are too scarce to be a viable option for killing orcs that are at least B-grade.
As a result, Orc Gates are often bought and sold at a premium.
Such a sale was difficult for the Association to handle, but when Leon stepped forward to buy it, the bidders handed it over.
"Orc Gate."
"Are you okay? Have any of you cleared an Orc Gate before?"
"Chen So-yeon, Kim Jae-hyuk, and Han Soo-ho are probably the only ones...."
The cadets couldn't believe that they had come to attack an Orc Gate.
After being tortured with such a flimsy meal, they had come to the Orc Gate to digest it.
[Quest: A civil war among the orcs is raging. You are a mercenary who has come to join the fray. Help one side to end the civil war and gain the recognition of the Great Chieftain.]
"Are we supposed to take sides?"
"At least one orc tribe is on our side."
The cadets breathe a sigh of relief. Normally, this is a quest that can be safely cleared by using friendly orcs as shields as possible. If you fight wisely, the gate won't be that hard──
"Hah...."
"This…is it?"
"Of course."
However, the soldiers' reactions were quite different. Koo Dae-sung, Kim Do-han, and the other first class recruits had predicted the future.
"????"
Soo-ho was about to ask Ha-ri when he realized something was wrong as a group of orcs approached from across the field.
"Are you mercenaries from the outside world? I am an orc warrior from the proud Tusker Clan-"
-Thud!
The orc warrior didn't even finish his sentence before his head was blown off.
A lance that had flown in from nowhere had taken the orc's chin right off the top.
"Huh?"
The cadets couldn't react as they saw the orc's head blown off before their eyes, and neither could the orcs.
In disbelief, they look for the source of the spear. No, they didn't need to look since it had come from the Lionheart King who spewed insults on his pure white steed.
"By whose permission does this filthy beast open its stinking mouth?"
The overwhelming sense of disgust, contempt, and hatred made their skin crawl and the cadets weren't even the targets.
"Stop!"
A voice rings out snapping them out of their reverie as the soldiers reflexively stack their shields and stab their swords.
"Thud!"
"Yi, you cowards!"
The orcs, caught by surprise, fell back, but the cadets were unable to keep up in the rush.
"Now, wait a minute, isn't this a quest where you don't have to kill them?"
"Why, why are they attacking them, someone tell me why!"
But the soldiers didn't hesitate a moment.
"To kill orcs."
"That's a given."
""?????""
[The Greatest Orc Slayer]
◆Effects:
Deal 50% more damage against Orcs.
Fills orcs with fear, confusion, and despair.
Spreads undeserved hatred of Orcs.
Then it happened. The system message flashed before the cadets' eyes but it did not end there.
[Aura of the Lionheart]
◆Effects:
Grants Legion Hardened Assault Defense.
Grants Legion Fortification.
Grants Legion-strengthened Battalion Reinforcement.
Grants Legion Strengthened Valor.
Grants Legion Upgrade Light Armor.
Grants Legion Upgrade Tough Skin.
Grants Legion Upgrade Heavy Strike.
Grants Legion-Enhanced Archaic Empowerment.
Grants Legion Upgrade Ranged Resistance.
Grants Legion Upgrade Keen Gaze.
Grants Legion Improved Anti-Infantry Slaughter.
Grants Legion-enhanced Corruption Resistance.
[Living Demigod]
[War Knight's Favor]
[Grail Guardian]
[Dragon Slayer's Honor]
[Terror of the Evil Species]
[Demon Lord Slayer]
[Greatest Demon Slayer]
[Ranged Abomination]
[Strongest Charger]
"Crazy. What is this?"
As the cadets were shocked by the traits that appeared, Leon spoke up.
"Draw your weapons! Take up positions to the left and right of the soldiers! We'll flank them!"
A few of the cadets fumbled with their horses as Leon barked orders menacingly while he orcs clashed with the soldiers in a fury and their flanks hollowed out.
"Charge!"
Leon ordered the charge while the soldiers as anvils held their ground, the cadets as hammers became shock troops and crashed into the orcs.
The cadets' combat strength might be higher than the soldiers', but they didn't know how to charge as a single mass.
"Ugh…! These guys!"
"Ouch!"
The cadets dug into the flanks, but their breakthrough power was lower than expected. They didn't have enough strength to break through the orcs' massive size and heavy defense.
"We're through!"
The cadets' formation was about to collapse and crumble under the onslaught of orcs but flames scorched the air and swung through the air, dispersing the horde of orcs.
"Ha, Ha-ri!"
Ha-ri grinned awkwardly, having slashed two orcs and burned a third in a single blow.
"Careful, kids, take them down calmly."
At least Ha-ri is used to this insane orc hatred, and she makes up for her lack of impact with her abilities.
'The problem is the cadets on the other side.'
The cadets, flanking the soldiers, have split in two and surrounded the orcs.
There were less than fifty orcs, so they can easily surround them, but unlike this side, where Ha-ri is present on the other side are only cadets.
'His Majesty will not help us, and....'
It was then that from the other side of the orcs Ha-ri was burning, a series of eerie voices rang out.
"You, you little wench!"
"I'll cut you in half with my axe!"
Even in the midst of the bustling clump fight, a single cadet pierced through the space, thrusting her three swords.
Chen So-yeon, the granddaughter of Berserker Chen Jin-soo and the strongest cadet in the academy, was piercing through the orcs' throats.
She's not the only one, Han Soo-ho, a swordsman, and Kim Jae-hyuk, a spearman were also coping with the orcs' momentum.
As graduating seniors in the academy's top class, this was not their first time facing orcs.
"Hmm...."
Leon watched their performance while summoning the Holy Grail to heal the frontline soldiers.
Han Ha-ri was by far the dominant force, she was practically covering half the damage of the right flank by herself.
She's been criticized for her lack of finesse, but in a skirmish like this, she's an absolute force to be reckoned with.
"Now! Take care of the burned orcs!"
She's got talent, after all. If taught well the God of War and Flame will be pleased.
On the other side, Chen So-yeon, Kim Jae-hyuk, and Han Soo-ho were the big guns.
The three of them have experience hunting orcs, and they're good at it. Han Soo-ho uses his shield to deflect the orcs' attacks, while Kim Jae-hyuk mows them down with his weapon advantage that makes up for their height difference.
"The others, on the other hand, are ordinary."
Those four were exceptional, and the rest could not be said to be good enough.
The soldiers, barely C-rank, were holding the orcs' attention and couldn't make a single flanking attack.
If it weren't for their natural physical prowess and a few standouts along with Leon massive buffs, the flankers would have been crushed by the besieging troops.
The battle ended in an easy victory and Leon ordered the already exhausted cadets to rest and prepare for the next battle.
"Your Majesty...."
Chen So-yeon approached, breathing evenly, as if she hadn't broken a sweat in the single battle.
"I allow questions."
"Why… Why did you attack the orcs? The quest is clearly to help one of their sides."
"We do not spare orcs. Not a single one."
"What?"
Leon decided it was better to declare it in front of everyone than to explain it to just one person.
"Remember. Orcs are green-skinned beasts.
These beasts may speak the language of men, discussing honor and glory, but their honor and glory are nothing more than the violence of vain beasts.
Have you seen them build a civilization, have you seen them choose conversation over savage violence?"
In the thousands of years of history of the Lionheart Kingdom Leon has learned one truth.
Orcs are talking beasts.
"They are just beasts that have taken on the guise of a man and covet the honor of warriors."
Despicable. These trashy beasts dare to discuss honor and glory that only an honorable race can discuss.
"You must be resolute in your resolve, these beasts are not worthy of existence. They're just filthy parasites who should not live."
On modern Earth, orcs are not treated well, to say the least since their brutality and violence make them unacceptable to civilized society.
But in a world where political correctness guarantees the human rights of orcs, no one has ever expressed such extreme disgust as Leon.
"Smash those disgusting molars and stinking spatulas. There should be no hesitation in slaughtering the beasts!
The only good orc is a dead orc.
There is no need for cowardice in hunting beasts. All that is needed is killing and righteous indignation. Only murderous intent to destroy them!"
[Greatest Orc Slayer] spreads righteous hatred of orcs.
* * * *
Under the overwhelming charisma of Leon, the orcs at the Orc Gate were slaughtered, one by one.
He slaughtered them nonstop until there were no more orcs left at the gate, and the profits were far greater than the original expectations.
"Wow, three Warrior Hearts and a Spirit Weapon…How much for the Spirit Stones?"
The profit was close to 1.2 billion units and while the individual earnings would be unreasonable for an A-rank raider, the Hunters here are C-rank and cadets who haven't even graduated from the Academy.
Kim Jae-hyuk looked at the pile of loot and calculated his share.
"There are 96 Hunters, so even if we're being conservative, we're looking at six million won per head."
"I've never caught so many orcs before...."
"Soo-ho, you've made some money. Are you going to send it to the orphanage?"
"Half."
The heart of an orc warrior is an item that can fetch half a billion won at auction so the profit would be even higher.
With that, the cadets were told to clear the orc gate and collect their allowances, and they approached Yappy, the financial controller, with excited faces.
They weren't used to having an AI machine calculate their earnings, but they figured that a machine would be honest.
-Deposit completed.
"Oh, that's fast, did you calculate it in advance?"
"The Orc Warrior's Heart hasn't even been sold yet… eh?"
After checking their accounts on their smartphones, the two were dumbfounded by the amount of money they had received.
"Excuse me, Mr. Yappy, I think you made a mistake in my deposit."
-No mistake about my math skills.
"No, no, why is there only 700,000 won in the account? Shouldn't there be at least 6 million won?!"
-Kim Jae-hyuk. Battle video analysis. 700,000 won.
"Uh… You set the bar a little high. No, but why is only 700,000 won in my account!"
-Taxes
"What?"
The cadets who had received their allowances came to ask, and they got the same answer from Yappy.
-We took it in advance to save you the trouble.
The cadets were stunned by the vicious tax structure.
thank you very much to all the Readers who followed me !!
"Ugh…!"
A bone cracked as Golden Lion Vice Guild Leader Huang Yeon-ha stood up, holding her throbbing skull.
"Damn, my bones are going to break."
Her last memory was confusing, why was she down? She remembers running away from that monster Field Boss....
"You're up."
"Who…whoop!"
She was beautiful enough to make her blurry eyes flash. The thin clothes woven from natural fabrics, the necklace with amber and the bird feathers were far from the ready-made products of civilization.
Huang Yeon-ha realized at once that the woman before her was a resident of the gate.
"Who…?"
"My name is Hildir, shaman of the Woodsling tribe. A warrior."
"What, a warrior?"
Huang Yeon-ha looks dumbfounded at the unfamiliar title. But Hildir knelt down and nursed her back to health.
"Because you tried to protect us from those cruel kingdom soldiers."
"Ah...."
It was then that Yeonha realized that these were the "slaughtered tribesmen." And just then, the tent opened and someone entered.
"My Sister~ You're alive!"
"What?"
Golden Chul, the guild leader of the Golden Lion Guild walked into the tent.
"What happened?"
"We ran away…I think I've avoided being tracked."
"Tracked? Eh, I don't remember."
Yeon-ha ruffles her hair and demands an explanation.
"What do you remember?"
"That…the ground was crushed and that I ran away...."
"A whole day's worth of memories, no wonder."
Golden Chul said, gently stroking his sister's head while Yeon-ha, who was still in pain and unable to speak up as usual, listened in silence as he explained.
"After the spell failed, we made a beeline for it. They only had light infantry, so it was hard to track us, but...."
Holy Knight Georgic chased the Hunters with a handful of knights since he was not satisfied with the dozens of prisoners they had already taken.
"From there, the warriors of the Woodsling tribe here helped. We were able to stop them with a trap, but when you fought one of them, you were hit with a hammer."
For two days afterward, Yeon-ha did not open her eyes.
"Be thankful. If it weren't for shaman Hildir here, you'd be dead."
"Where are the healers?"
"For some reason, they couldn't heal you."
"Holy Knight, Georgic, has a curse that prevents people from healing others' wounds. It's a reversal of the power of healing and regeneration."
Hildir pulled her t-shirt off and Yeon-ha blushed at the suddenness of the action, but then realized that something had been imprinted on the underside of her navel.
"What is this!"
"It's a spell imprint I made to restore you to health. It has restored your body."
Yeon-ha looked at her brother and he shrugged.
"They say it's a power unique to the tribes in this area, and the power granted varies depending on the imprint."
"Really?"
"By the way, can you get up, so I can take you to the meeting, if you don't mind?"
"I can do that."
Yeon-ha rose from her sickbed and headed for the tent set up as an emergency meeting room as Hildir followed them.
"Oh, you're awake, aren't you?"
"Are you okay?"
Yong-wan and Ha Yuri were there as well. All the main leaders of the raid were there, along with some unfamiliar faces.
"You've awakened, warrior."
"Who...."
"My name is Beldi, chieftain of the Woodsling tribe."
"I am Grisly, Chief of the Bearsun tribe."
"I am Urzon, Chief of the Balterhorn tribe."
There were several other tribal chiefs there, all of whom appeared to be natives of the area.
'What the hell. When did they get together like this?'
'This quest, apparently, it's not just a raid.'
NPCs can be hostile or friendly but the goal of the quest is to defeat the field boss, Majestic Georgic, and stop the massacre.
One way to do this is to enlist the help of the tribes on the receiving end of the massacre.
"Since everyone is here, let's start the tactical meeting right away."
Lee Yong-wan asked Woodsling Shaman Hildir to explain for the stunned Huang Yeon-ha.
"The king's army has been slaughtering and plundering us, calling us heretics, skinning us and executing us in horrible ways."
The trigger was a show of force by a fed-up tribe.
They fought back and killed the knights and soldiers who were executing and setting fire to the elderly and infirm but that only invited more force.
"The Holy Knight Georgic…that horrible monster had already wiped out three tribes."
The remaining tribes either fled deeper into the woods or defended their homes. The Woodsling, Bearsun, and Balterhorn tribes united to fight back.
"But the creature's power is too great. We called upon our gods for help… and this is how the warriors came to save us."
"...."
Huang Yeon-ha was somewhat convinced. In short, they would act as heroes and receive support to repel the kingdom's forces.
This seems to be the core of this Jeju Island Red Gate.
"That guy… he's damn strong."
The 150 elite raiders were helplessly defeated even with four S-class Hunters.
"Georgic has a defense that can block the charge of a giant bull, and a recovery that can regenerate even a burned body. Some say he can survive the destruction of his heart, and as long as he lives, his army is similarly blessed."
Yeah, that's the problem. Georgic himself is ridiculously tough, but even the men under his command receive powerful buffs.
"The only attack that worked was a soft-shelled weapon. Was it the MF-07 series from Supreme Heimer, with the ability to channel that magic into energy?"
"Well, yeah."
Yeon-ha looked at her weapon's abilities: Armor penetration up to 65%. That had been the only effective hit.
"I think I'll have to look around for a vanguard item...."
"What's a Vanguard item?"
Hildir asked, one of the tribesmen who hadn't caught on to what the Hunters were saying.
"Oh, a…something that ignores armor to some degree."
In short, impact power. No matter how hard the armor is, it doesn't mean that it will do zero damage to the inside.
After explaining it logically, Hildir nodded as if realizing something.
"I see. The tusk imprint of my tribe's Mazer…it would have a similar effect."
"Mazer's tusk imprint?"
"Yes. It's an imprint that amplifies a warrior's strength and strengthens their resilience. It's what allowed our tribes to stand up to the kingdom's soldiers."
Hildir said she would try the imprint on one of the hunters as a demonstration.
She removed his clothes and imprinted the mark on his skin, and the effect was summarized in a system message.
[Mazer's tusk imprint]
-Increases defense penetration by 35%.
-Muscle strength and endurance increase by 20%.
"Awesome!"
The Hunters asked to get themselves engraved as well.
"Great… With this, we'll be able to take on that monster."
"Warriors."
The tribal leaders bowed.
"Please save us. We will help in any way we can."
For the sake of the slaughtered tribes, Huang Yeon-ha clenched her fists and vowed to save them.
* * * *
Jeju Island Yewol Farm is the largest horse ranch in Korea, supplying one-third of the horses for the country's racetracks.
The peaceful ranch, which usually has only trainers and jockeys, is bustling with people for some reason.
"Wow, real horses."
"My first time on a horse."
It was a large field trip from the Hunter Academy, and the leader is Leon Dragonia Lionheart of the popular Ten Thousand Gods Guild.
"Oh, welcome, Your Majesty."
Rancher Park Soon, who had been warned in advance by the Association staff, greeted Leon with as much humility as he could muster.
"Hmm, thank you for your hospitality on such short notice."
Leon patted him on the shoulder, a rare gesture for a commoner but in the knightly kingdom of Lionheart, the profession of horse breeding is a noble one.
"As I'm sure you've heard, I've come to ask for steeds for my cavalry."
"Yes, yes, yes…! Our Yewol Ranch is the largest ranch in the country, and we supply the most horses for racing! We have some of Japan's most famous racehorse bloodlines, so our horses are very good from the seed!"
"Hmm, yes, the sire of the horse is important. Let's take a look at the horses."
Leon left the rancher behind and approached the cadets.
"To a knight, a horse is a lifelong companion. It is important to be able to communicate with them and become one with them. Get close to them, interact with them, and ride them."
Leon walked over to the trainers and other ranch staff and patted them on the shoulder.
"Be good to them for the day."
Ordinarily, people would have thought he was passing the buck, but Leon was a known king of the Otherworld, and when he asks for a favor with a benevolent smile, few commoners can refuse.
There's something about his natural charm and uncharacteristic aura that makes you feel flattered to be asked.
"Ah, of course!"
"I'll do my best to serve you!"
Knowing that the amount of money delivered by Yappy was not small, the employees were determined to do their best.
"That's a lot of talking."
Just then, a woman walked by with a graceful gait, protected by a parasol held by Ha-ri.
She wore a black dress and a veil covered her face. It's an awkward combination of colors that would be considered cosplay in modern civilization, but there's something noble about the clothes, as if they existed just for her.
Even beyond the veil, the staff and cadets were mesmerized by the sight of Queen Beatrice.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Queen."
"His Majesty has invited me, how could I refuse?"
Queen Beatrice replied politely, casually offering the back of her hand. Leon gladly bent down slightly on one knee and kissed the back of the Queen's hand.
"Will you allow me the honor of serving you?"
"With pleasure."
Joining the queen in inspecting the horses was Ha-ri, naturally dressed as a handmaiden and holding a parasol.
"Your Majesty, these are the finest horses in our ranch."
The horses prepared for Leon and the Queen were among the finest in Yewol Ranch. Some of them were winners of domestic races time and time again.
"Hmm, not bad."
The condition of the horses was not bad. They were proven horses in domestic races and had been bred to the finest stallions, so their bloodlines were the best.
"Not bad."
"Would you like to take a ride?"
"Sure. Would His Majesty recommend one?"
"Hmm, in that case…how about that black one?"
Leon pointed to the previous year's winner, a horse named Black Comet and the rancher nodded, but awkwardly.
"He's a great horse, but…I think he's a little too fierce for a slender lady to ride. He's also a large horse."
"You needn't worry."
At the queen's gentle refusal, the rancher, Mr. Park Soon, stepped back with a worried expression.
"Pick one for you, too."
"Me, too, hmm~"
Ha-ri looked at the horses with anticipation, especially the white horse with the most beautiful, cool mane.
"How about that white horse...."
"That yellow horse has a nice mane and lots of muscle. Take that one."
"...Yes."
Ha-ri meekly complied and walked over to mount the horse.
"Umm, how do I ride this?"
Of course, Ha-ri is a Seoul native and all she knows about horses is what she's seen on TV and Leon's horse, Stallion.
She doesn't know how to ride a horse.
"Why don't you just get on?"
As Ha-ri fidgeted and held the horse's reins carefully, Leon nudged her.
"Move over, commoner (woman)."
Leon held out his hand to Beatrice, ignoring Ha-ri.
"Take my hand, Lady."
"Oh, thank you."
Taking Leon's hand, Beatrice easily climbed on the black horse.
"May this king lead the way?"
"Your Majesty would act as a coachman himself? That would be undeserved."
"It is a knight's virtue and honor to serve such a noble lady as you."
"Ho-ho-ho, thank you, I will accept your favor."
Leon took hold of the reins and gently guided the horse.
The fierce, wild stallion was surprisingly calm under Leon's leadership. But Ha-ri, who hadn't been able to get on the horse until then, is appalled at the pair's behavior.
"This is so discriminatory...."
The difference in their attitudes toward her and the queen is worlds apart. Sighing, Ha-ri jumps up to get on the horse that has no intention of letting her ride.
"Hunter, that will spook the horse!"
"I'm sorry."
The horse whinnied, a little surprised, but Ha-ri managed to get on anyway and hurried after the queen's black steed.
"Miss Ha-ri, I hope you had a good ride?"
"Yes."
For a first-time rider, Ha-ri's riding wasn't bad. This wasn't exactly beginner's luck.
"You have good compatibility with horses. They are gentle and easy to handle."
"Is that so?"
As a beginner, Ha-ri wasn't allowed to run, but he seemed to get the hang of it quickly.
While he was picking out the cadets' horses Chief Kim Jin-soo, who had received a phone call approached Leon.
"Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"It's an urgent call from the chairman of the Association, and he wants me to tell you that he'd appreciate it if you could take it."
"Of course."
With Leon's permission, Kim Jin-soo switched his phone to speakerphone mode and let Oh Kang-hyuk's voice come through.
"Peace be with you, Your Majesty. It's Oh Kang-hyuk."
"What's going on?"
Oh Kang-hyuk told Leon what he wanted to do, using a beautiful, formal, mass-like language. The short, simple sentences were not a matter of etiquette, but of hearing.
The conclusion of this was──
[Please help me capture the Jeju Island Gate, it's a big deal if the dungeon breaks]
It's already been five days since the combined Firebird Guild and Golden Lion Guild raid entered the gate so the deadline for the Dungeon Break was approaching.
According to one of the raiders who managed to escape, there was a ridiculously strong boss.
"This king will be obliged to help you with it. This king is not a janitor to clean up after you."
[I'm only being rude, of course, because I think it might be of interest to your majesty. I have news from a survivor of that gate]
"A survivor?"
[Yes. We're assuming it has something to do with Your Majesty]
Oh Kang-hyuk paused for a moment before relaying the survivor's testimony.
[The Field Boss of the Gate claims to be a Knight of the Goddess of Life and Abundance.]
A knight of the gods, in that case…
[We don't know if it's real or fake, but we thought it was worthy of Your Majesty's attention.]
thank you very much to all the Readers who followed me !!
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