(Grid has risen seven rankings in one day...!)
(Grid’s level stagnated after the kingdom’s founding. Now it has risen by four levels in one night!)
(Overgeared King Grid, it is estimated that he cleared a SSS difficulty quest.)
(The SSS difficulty quest that ordinary players will never experience... Did Grid only obtain four levels as a quest reward?)
Grid once again caused a great stir. The world was flipped over by the four levels he gained from clearing successive class quests. But Grid himself wasn’t pleased.
‘I have to finish the quests to complete the class and open up the true power.’
The problem was he couldn’t see the end of the class quests. Grid’s class quests were still in progress. In other words, mastering the advanced Tailoring Technique was just a process.
‘It might take years to master the tailoring technique. Then when will my class quest finish?’
Dammit! Why did a blacksmith have to learn tailoring skills?
‘Of course, I know that it’s better to have a variety of skills in the long run.’
However, it had been several years since he became Pagma’s Descendant. The fact that he hadn’t completed the class quests and opened the true power of the class made Grid feel frustrated.
“Sigh, well... The tailoring skill will rise if I keep making underwear for the Overgeared members and soldiers.”
It would be nice to maximize the concept of a kingdom ‘armed with items.’ Grid controlled his heart.
“You have worked hard, Oppa.”
Grid logged out of Satisfy. Shin Youngwoo was met with his sister’s face as soon as he raised his body from the Comet Group’s diamond capsule. He returned from a busy day of working as the Overgeared King and received water from Sehee.
“Thank you.”
Indeed, his sister was the best. Grid was able to calm his tired heart with Sehee’s pretty face and kind heart, making him smile.
“Gulp gulp. Puhwaaah!!”
Youngwoo gulped down the water, only to spit it out of his nose and mouth. He thought it was bottled water, only for it to be carbonated water.
“Kek...! This isn’t delicious!”
Shin Youngwoo shed tears from the pain. Sehee looked at him with a grim expression.
"Weren’t you thinking about drinking soda anyway? Drink some carbonated water before you drink Coke, which is bad for you.”
“S-Shit...”
Five year old children enjoyed carbonated water. Humanity had become accustomed to it. But Youngwoo was someone who aged backwards! He lived at his own pace, like he was an outsider. He still wasn’t used to carbonated water.
Grrrr! Sehee spoke to him as he ran to the bathroom and gargled water.
"Hao is waiting for you on the first floor cafe.”
"Yes, I think the appointment for when it would be an access restriction. He told me there was something to discuss.”
“That... You don’t have a great relationship with Hao. Is it okay to meet him so easily in real life?”
Sehee was worried about her weak brother meeting someone who might hurt him. However, Youngwoo was worried about Sehee.
"Anyone looking at you will think you are my mother. Worrying about carbonated water, you’re completely a mother.”
“....”
“You’re still young, but men don’t like nagging women. If you want to marry, stop worrying about me.”
"A person who doesn’t know love is saying this...”
"I'm married!"
“That’s just a story in the game! You have never held hands with a woman in reality!”
“No! I held hands with Yura and Jishuka when drunk in the past! I am familiar with skinship!”
"W-What? How unscrupulous!!”
Youngwoo was seriously arguing with Sehee who was nine years younger than him. In the end, he was beaten up by Sehee.
***
“Ugh... What’s with that girl’s strength? I feel sorry for her future husband.”
Shin Youngwoo entered his family’s private elevator. Youngwoo headed to the first floor while tearfully touching his pained back. But he was also proud.
"Indeed, it’s better to be strong than weak. Sehee is different from me. Right? Isn’t my sister really reassuring?"
“R-Really...”
Beast man Toon. He used to be part of the Italian mafia and was a high ranker. He also lived in the Youngwoo Building and boarded the elevator alongside Youngwoo. It was for Youngwoo’s protection. Toon was worried about him meeting someone casually, just like Sehee. Hao was famous for being a master of martial arts in reality, so Toon accompanied Youngwoo just in case.
“How are things in Bairan?”
Toon was in charge of the territory of Bairan. It was hard to meet in game, so Youngwoo was used to getting reports about the situation in reality.
"After Smith went to Reinhardt, the tax revenue lowered slightly. But this is just a temporary phenomenon. Apart from that, there are no apparent problems. The damage from the war has already been restored. The inflow rate of users is high thanks to the Guardian of the Forest.”
"What about the progress of the soldiers?”
Among the soldiers deployed to Bairan, not one of them was from Reidan. Bairan’s soldiers were conscripted and trained. It was because Bairan was a territory in a safe position from outside threats and it wasn’t necessary to deploy elite troops there.
“The average level is over 100.”
“Already? Isn’t it unbelievably fast?”
“It’s thanks to including Bairan in the Grid set quests. The users go to Bairan for the linked quest and perform the quest with the soldiers, making the level of the soldiers go up.”
"Well, how many Grid set items have been given as compensation so far?”
"There are 23 weapons and 5 gauntlets.”
The Grid set could be obtained as a reward from the kingdom quests. The reward for stage three was a weapon and stage six was a gauntlet. In other words, only five people had reached the sixth stage of the kingdom quest.
“Really small. Is the difficulty level too high?”
“No, it’s appropriate. The Grid set shouldn’t be obtained so easily. Rather, the users have become more enthusiastic to collect all of the Grid set. The linked kingdom quest created by you and Lauel is having a positive effect on both the users and the Overgeared Kingdom.”
“Hrmm...”
The elevator arrived on the first floor. Before the door opened, Toon patted Youngwoo’s shoulder.
"You’re doing better than everyone expected, so don’t be anxious.”
"...Is it good for me to make underwear?”
"...???"
What nonsense was he suddenly saying? Toon didn’t understand and entered the cafe with Youngwoo.
***
“Wow, what? Is this a sweet potato latte mania?”
Youngwoo and Toon received the enthusiastic hospitality of the employees as they entered the cafe. Their eyes widened as they saw Hao sitting in a window seat. There were three sweet potato latte cups in front of Hao. The bottom of two cups was exposed.
“Are you a gourmet?”
Having a common point was one of the factors involved in forming relationships with people. Youngwoo, a sweet potato maniac, felt liking towards Hao. On the other hand, Hao was watching Youngwoo like he was a ghost.
‘How can he drink this sweet drink every day?’
Hao came from Sichuan and liked spicy or sour foods. This sweet food was honestly unappealing. It was very painful to drink three sweet potato lattes out of his desire to resemble Youngwoo. He once again vowed not to drink the sweet potato latte again. But this vow didn’t last long.
"Two sweet potato lattes.”
“...”
Drinks were placed in front of Youngwoo and Toon. Hao’s mind was shaken.
‘Apart from Grid, Toon also drinks the sweet potato latte? It seems that the sweet potato latte is important. It’s painful, but it can’t be helped. I will drink sweet potato latte every morning in the future.’
Hao closed his eyes and picked up his remaining cup of sweet potato latte. His head was dizzy from an excessive consumption of sugar. However, he could endure this much pain if Youngwoo drank the sweet potato latte every day. Youngwoo handed his sweet potato latte to Hao.
"Do you really like this? Have another. I can order one more.”
"...No, I’m fine.”
Hao’s face was pale. In order to facilitate a smooth conversation, he decided to wear a translator instead of relying on his Korean speaking ability. Youngwoo and Toon were also wearing translators. It was a diamond class translator produced by the Comet Group. It was received as a sponsorship item, but the performance was amazing.
"First of all, welcome to my house. It must be hard coming such a long way.” Youngwoo belatedly spoke a polite greeting.
"Thank you for letting me take some of your valuable time and allowing me to visit.”
"Have you tried Korean food?”
"Not yet."
"Do you want to go to a Chinese restaurant eat jjampong? It is one of my favourite foods and is really good. (Jjampong= sweet and spicy soup. Along with jajangmyeong, it is a popular Korean dish developed from Chinese cuisine)
“...?”
He asked if Hao had eaten Korean food and then wanted to go to a Chinese restaurant? Why did the conversation proceed this way? Hao started questioning the translator. On the other hand, Toon spoke to Youngwoo.
"Grid, the conversation is straying too much.”
"Oh, excuse me. I was so hungry that I forgot myself.”
“...”
"So what is the purpose of your visit?”
Hao realized that the translator wasn’t broken and explained his reason.
"I want you to persuade Kraugel not to move to the United States.”
“...What? Kraugel is moving to the United States?”
“That’s right.”
Youngwoo was startled by the words before replying like he understood.
“Indeed, it would be strange if he stayed in Russia, a vicious country that held his sick mother hostage. It is natural to immigrate.”
“But isn’t there a problem if he goes to the United States? If he has to move, isn’t it better to move to South Korea or China?”
Hao cried out but Youngwoo didn’t agree.
“Why?”
Grid blinked with confusion and Hao replied like it was natural.
"Kraugel is a Korean person. Isn’t it normal for him to come to an Asian country like Korea or China rather than the west?”
"Let's see? I don’t know. Does race play a role when deciding what country to move to? Isn’t it right to find a place where you can be happy?
“...”
Hao was speechless. Grid’s attitude was completely different from what he imagined. Hao had a strong sense of nationalism and couldn’t understand Grid’s reaction. Toon explained to him.
"Grid isn’t tied to the concept of a country.”
He didn’t think that ‘South Korea is right’ just because he was Korean. It was the complete opposite from Peak Sword. Of course, he loved South Korea. It was why he was willing to go to the army. However, he had no intention of forcing his patriotism on Kraugel.
"Hao, this is a problem that Kraugel will take care. It is meaningless if we talk about it.”
Hao stood up.
“Think about it! If Kraugel moves to the United States, the first place in the National Competition will go to the United States!"
The most influential country in the world. The United States had that title for hundreds of years. It was a big barrier to China, and Hao felt hostile to the United States from a patriotic point of view. Now the United States was trying to conquer Satisfy as well. Hao hated it.
"Then is it okay for South Korea or China to dominate the first place if Kraugel comes here?’
"China is my homeland and South Korea is a country that I acknowledge... No, it’s better than Kraugel being taken by the United States. I can’t understand why Kraugel is trying to move to the United States...”
Hao suddenly stopped talking. It was because he thought about Youngwoo’s words about Kraugel finding a place where he would be happy.
‘It doesn’t make sense for my personal selfishness to hinder Kraugel’s happiness.’
Crooked patriotism was a poison. Hao calmed down and sat back in his chair.
"I didn’t have to come to South Korea at all.”
Hao murmured with a laugh. Youngwoo sucked up the sweet potato latte with a straw and said casually.
“Really? I’m glad that you came. It is more pleasant than I thought.”
“...”
"Then let’s go to the Chinese restaurant.”
"...No, why should I come to South Korea and eat Chinese food? Originally I was planning to eat pork belly and kimchi stew.”
"Can’t you eat such famous foods in China? Let’s go to a Chinese restaurant.”
“...”
What type of person was this? Hao thought it was absurd. But he couldn’t help laughing. On the other hand, Toon was sending a message to Peak Sword.
-As everyone expects, Hao seems to like Grid. It’s better to maintain a good relationship with Hao. I want to eat pork belly and kimchi stew, so please treat me to dinner.
The reply came quickly.
-Do you know kimchi stew?