“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
The person who restored the Red Phoenix Bow, killed Arube, and wiped out the armored needles. On the other hand, he was the one who drove Han Seokbong to death. The appearance of Pangea’s Duke of Virtue, Grid, confused everyone.
“W-Why are you here?”
The whereabouts of Pangea’s Duke of Virtue were unknown to everyone. The reason for Han Seokbong’s execution was because he didn’t know where Pangea’s Duke of Virtue was. Now he showed up in Pangea?
Someone shouted courageously. “Why...? Why did you come back? I would rather you not appear than show up at the end!”
He shouldn’t have left the Cho Kingdom. If he was going to come back anyway, it would’ve been nice for him to come before Han Seokbong was executed.
“Why...? Why now?”
The people knew rationally that Pangea’s Duke of Virtue wasn’t at fault and that they shouldn’t blame him. But there was a nasty feeling since he came back just after Han Seokbong’s execution. The moment people booed and started to blame Grid.
"Everybody shut up!”
Blacksmiths came forward. They were blacksmiths from the Black Anvil Smithy, Red Tongs Smithy, the Blue Flames Smithy, and naturally the White Hammer Smithy.
"Why are you blaming Pangea’s Duke of Virtue?”
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue is willing to cooperate with the yangbans! He didn’t know he was called, but he isn’t afraid of the yangbans!”
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue is a human like us! Why are you only placing the blame on Pangea’s Duke of Virtue?”
Blacksmith White, who once lacked confidence and was passive, started shouting in the loudest voice. It was the roar of a man who had changed thanks to Grid.
“...”
White and the blacksmiths’ words were correct. The people scolded by them turned as quiet as a dead rat. They couldn’t complain at Grid anymore. The sense of reason started to rule over their emotions.
"Hrmm."
Standing on wet tiles, Grid looked like an elegant leopard lying in a tree as he looked at the ground. He looked at White and the blacksmiths with pleasure.
‘Putting aside White, I didn’t expect the blacksmiths of the other smithies to defend me. Blacksmiths have their own sense of pride. I have to take them with me.’
The level of the East Continent blacksmiths were very high. In particular, the masters of the four smithies had the potential to reach the craftsman level. It would be much easier to produce the Grid set if he could take them to the Overgeared Kingdom.
Then the voice of Park Jurim entered Grid’s ears.
"You should leave. You will experience their pain and resentment if you stay here.”
An elderly person in the castle. Grid heard she was 10 years older than Khan, but her waist was straight and her eyes sharp. Grid admired Park Jurim’s healthy appearance and asked her.
"Are you blaming me too?”
“How can that be?” Park Jurim immediately denied it, despite her son being executed. She lost her son, but was still capable of normal thinking. She had tremendous mental strength. "I’m just grateful to you. It will continue in the future.”
“...Good.”
Grid grasped Park Jurim’s character and smiled widely. He was happy about being able to take many good people from the East Continent. The people who witnessed his smile recoiled.
‘Smiling?’
‘What is so funny that he is smiling?’
Everyone was mourning, while Grid was smiling alone? The people couldn’t understand Grid and became suspicious. The barely suppressed anger and resentment of the people started to spring up again. But it was only for a moment. It was soon suppressed.
Ttaak!
Grid snapped his fingers.
“N-No...!”
"Lord Han Seokbong?”
“Lady Sua?”
Everyone doubted their eyes. It was because four golden hands appeared behind Grid holding Han Seokbong and Sua. The people who were dead showed up alive? What was going on? Grid shouted at everyone who was feeling confused. The heavy rain that buried the misery of the people couldn’t stop Grid’s voice. It was an additional quality of the high dignity stat. Everyone in this place was gripped by Grid’s voice.
"I, Overgeared King Grid of the West Continent, will make a declaration.”
‘West Continent?’
‘Overgeared King?’
‘Grid?’
Grid’s origin and identity. The people learned new facts about Grid and thought it was ridiculous.
"I will kidnap Lord Han Seokbong and his family to my kingdom.”
“...!!!”
"Tell your king! The Cho Kingdom will forever regret losing such a loyal family to Overgeared King Grid!”
“...”
The atmosphere subsided. Grid had a vicious expression on his face, but nobody believed his words. If Han Seokbong and his daughter were really ‘kidnapped,’ they wouldn’t be acting so calm. In the first place, Han Seokbong was on death row. But he was alive. The people weren’t idiots and could guess what happened.
Tears flowed down from the eyes of the people wet from rain. The reason why the Han Seokbong father and daughter were alive and why Grid had ‘kidnapped’ them. Everyone was aware of it.
‘Grid rescued Lord Han Seokbong and Lady Sua.'
'He’s taking away Lord Han Seokbong, who lost his place.’
‘Saying that they were kidnapped...’
‘If Han Seokbong flees the country of his own will, the Cho Kingdom will recognize him as a real rebel. In order to prevent this, Pangea’s Duke of Virtue needs to be the reason behind it.’
‘It isn’t enough that he saved Lord Han Seokbong’s life, his honor was also protected... Is there anyone else in the world like this?’
That’s right. The people correctly grasped Grid’s intentions. Grid was supposed to return to Pangea someday and devour the East Continent. The Han Seokbong family was necessary for this, so the people couldn’t resent them. He thought about it during the few times travelling back to Pangea.
“Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
"Thank you!”
“Thank you for saving the young lady!”
“Hooray Pangea’s Duke of Virtue!”
“Hooray Overgeared King!”
“Hooray Grid!”
The hundreds of thousands of people cheered on Grid. It was just like the procession of yangbans. At that moment, notification windows popped up in Grid’s vision.
[The inhabitants of Pangea have started to deify you!]
[As a special reward, your deity stat has increased by 1.]
“...”
A dog profit! Grid barely suppressed the cry that wanted to emerge. It was to try and protect his dignity.
“Hum hum.”
Grid coughed while Park Jurim moved to Han Seokbong’s side. Then he took out the scroll to return to the West Continent.
“Now, let’s start the kidnapping. Gather all those who want to leave for my kingdom!”
Grid winked at the Red Phoenix Group and the blacksmiths. He hoped for as many Red Phoenix Group members and blacksmiths to join as possible. However.
"Waaahhhhhhhh!"
"Eh?”
“Here! I want to come!”
“My family will follow you!”
"Ehh?”
"I will go to hell if I can serve Pangea’s Duke of Virtue and Lord Han Seokbong!”
“Ehhhhh?”
It wasn’t only the Red Phoenix members and blacksmiths who gathered around Grid. Most of the hundreds of thousands of Pangea people cheering for Grid gathered together. Grid was no longer able to think.
“D-Dog profit...”
***
The capital of the Overgeared Kingdom, Reinhardt.
“Hurry! I’m busy!”
“Don’t rest! There’s no time!”
People were running around everywhere. Agriculture, industry, education, magic, the military, etc. All areas of Reinhardt were suffering from a shortage in manpower. No, it wasn’t just Reinhardt. It was all the territories in the Overgeared Kingdom. If it wasn’t for the funds and manpower supplied by Duke Steim, the Overgeared Kingdom would’ve become paralyzed.
“People. More people are required.”
The influx of players was steadily increasing thanks to the linked quests that awarded the mass produced Grid set. Thanks to them, the market economy was revitalized. But what was this? They didn’t have anything to sell!
‘However, real estate transactions are brisk due to a surplus of land.’
More workers were needed in many areas. But it wasn’t easy for NPCs to carry out the role of workers. Lauel once again thought that Grid was great. It was hard to obtain professional NPCs, yet Grid was able to gather a lot of named NPCs. Common sense said that it wasn’t easy for players to build up favor with NPCs and make them a player’s own person.
‘In the first place, there are only a few users with NPCs by their side.’
Lauel was the same. During the time when he was playing solo, Lauel only cared about his growth. He didn’t consider his relationship with NPCs at all. He only accumulated a moderate favorability with NPCs by raising his level, clearing quests, and enhancing items.
‘Normally, I focused on exchanging with players until I needed to talk to NPCs.’
But common sense always went away when it came to Grid. Lauel rose from his seat. It was time to visit the smithy.
‘I need to give more strength to the blacksmiths.’
The Overgeared Kingdom was a blacksmith kingdom and was putting great effort in their blacksmithing business. A lot of money was invested. The problem was that just like other areas, the smithies were lacking manpower. They weren’t able to meet the players’ demands.
‘I have to tell Khan to reduce the rest time a bit more.’
They hadn’t been able to rest lately, and now it would be reduced again? Lauel knew there would be a backlash from the blacksmiths. But it couldn’t be helped since they were lacking people.
“Sigh. Huh?”
Lauel left the castle with a deep sigh and stopped on the way. Suddenly, a huge pillar of light appeared in the palace’s garden.
"U-Uh?”
Lauel closed and opened his eyes several times. He also rubbed it. He pinched his cheeks. He couldn’t tell if the sight that unfolded in front of him was a dream or not. Grid waved to Lauel who was making a stupid expression.
“You came.”
“Haha... Is this true?”
Lauel realized it was reality and laughed. Grid arrived in a pillar of light. It was because the areas near him were filled with NPCs.
‘Was Grid a trafficker in his past life?’