Knock, knock.

Once again, the sound of a knock echoed through the room. For an assassin, it was excessively polite behavior. No, perhaps such confidence might even be more frightening.

Come in.

Jinhyuk gripped his dagger tightly as he watched the door.

Creak.

As the door opened

an unexpected figure appeared.

Gosh, the hospitality here is quite lacking. Ive been to a variety of homes, but this is the first time someone greets me with a blade.

A handsome man with golden hair and clear blue eyes. It was Abraham, one of the Dukes close associates.

The sight of him, grinning with a half-empty bottle of wine, made him look like a friend of ten years.

Dont you have any basic manners? Why are you barging into someones room at this ungodly hour?

Come on, dont be so stiff. How about we have a light drink? Theres plenty of time to spare anyway.

Abraham strode into the room without an invitation. Alice, who had been in the living room, quickly put on her mask, startled, and darted toward her room.

Patter, patter.

The sight of her scurrying away was like that of a hamster fleeing from a cat.

Whats with her?

Leave her be. Shes very shy.

Is that so? Hmm. Well, magicians are a bit quirky. And if someones among the ranks of the archmages, theyre probably more peculiar.

Archmage?

Alice?

Didnt you know? The magic she displayed atop the city walls was enough to make the Empires Chief Magician, Pilgrim, click his tongue. He first thought a dragon had appeared and turned white as a sheet.

Well, considering how unimpressive shes been lately, its easy to forget.

Alice is indeed a formidable entity. If things had been as they originally were, the Empires magicians and knights would have struggled to face Alice head-on.

But how did she become such a fool

Jinhyuk clicked his tongue as he glimpsed Alice peeking through the door gap.

So, you came all the way here just to see her?

No, I came to see you. Honestly, I prefer swordsmen to magicians. I believe one must face battles head-on.

Why are all you swordsmen so obsessed with fighting?

Hmm?

Never mind. I remember someone similar to you.

Cha Yuseong, who becomes a ravenous swordsman hungry for blood the moment he picks up his blade.

To be precise, that was before.

By now, he must have switched sides to the martial artists formation.

I was tired from editing, but lets follow your suggestion and have a drink. As it happens, I also have something Id like to ask you.

Jinhyuk sat at the table.

I like your straightforwardness. Very pleasing.

Abraham poured a red liquid into a clear glass with a gulp, gulp, gulp. The table had been cleared by Alice, leaving barely any appetizers except a few pieces of cheese, which would be enough.

If youre curious about something, go ahead and ask. If I can answer, I will.

Why did you join the Dukes side? You must understand what it means for a Grand Swordmaster to side with a Duke over an Emperor?

Abrahams fingertips twitched at Jinhyuks question.

Hmm. Thats a tough question to start with.

Our night is short as it is; Id rather not spend it all with you.

Ha! Well, we men cant spend all night chatting over trivial matters.

Whats the reason? You must realize what it signifies for a Grand Swordmaster to side with the Duke.

You seem to know a lot about the Empires internal affairs, so Ill speak freely. Sure enough, youre aware of how unstable the imperial authority is?

Emperor Reinhardt is merely a puppet, a lame duck without hands or feet.

For the future of the Empire, a new star is neededit means the princes must prove their own worth.

However

The first prince, although of age, was not fit to be an Emperor.

A perfect fit for an incompetent tyrant.

He was cruel and ruthless, preferring immediate pleasures and power to establishing his rule.

The second prince, reasonably clever, died under mysterious circumstances while hunting.

Its likely that the nobles had a hand in that.

Lastly, the third prince possessed all the qualities of a great ruler but was far too young.

Itd take too long for him to become a threat, and even if he tried, the nobles would tear his wings before he could soar, especially if they had already dealt with the second.

The one thing for certain is that before the third prince could fully establish himself and rise, the nobles would surely tear him apart.

So you sided with the nobility?

For the sake of the Empires future. The moniker Iron-blooded has long since vanished, with each kingdom eying the Empire greedily. Furthermore, with the Martial Realm and a third force in play, I had to make a choice.

Hmm.

So, its more important to worry about the fate of millions of imperial citizens than one Emperor?

So you approached me for what reason?

Abraham looked Jinhyuk straight in the eye.

The hope that you might be able to change everything.

Are you serious?

I may have drunk somewhat, but not enough to be speaking nonsense.

I thought he was joking, but the laughing lines disappeared from his once grinning face.

Hes serious.

I know about your relationship with Penheimer. That old man never gives up. So, I looked a little deeper. The player from outside the tower, whom everyone in the Empire considered insignificant in fact, how extraordinary his skills were and the extent of his accomplishments. All of it.

Abraham sipped his wine.

Frankly, I dont believe that one man can change the fate of a great nation, even if that man is a Grand Swordmaster who has vastly surpassed the limits of humanity.

Thats why he sided with the Duke.

If the best choice isnt available, then one must make the second-best choice.

However, after seeing you, I began to think differently. Perhaps, just maybe, one man could truly alter the fate of the Empire.

You mean youd switch sides back to the Emperor? Betray the Duke?

Thats not up to me to decide.

Its determined by my actions.

Thats right.

[Lv10 Eye of Gluttony is analyzing the truthfulness of the subjects words.]

[Abrahams words are truth.]

At least hes not lying.

This is getting interesting.

A major variable has emerged due to Abrahams capriciousness.

A hidden card that could deal a fatal blow to the Duke if used correctly.

The problem is utilizing it well enough

Jinhyuks mind began to race.

How do you plan on joining our side?

Follow through with your words: attack and secure a stronghold from the giants body without the Empires help. Proving your strength is the ultimate prerequisite for everything.

Well, this was already part of the plan, so the condition is no big deal.

Secondly, I heard you have a friend in the Martial Realm.

Hes not so much a friend as a leech-like enemy

I dont know what circumstances there are, but having an ally on the inside is an incredible stroke of luck.

Hes not an ally now.

That person should provide internal information from the Martial Realm. Clearly, this information must be helpful to the overall situation.

Damn.

Hes not even considering my words.

I have to succeed in both if Im going to move that heavy backside of his.

Of course, this is already an unexpected gain.

A spectacular return for being disturbed in the middle of the night.

It seems weve talked enough. Then, I wish you luck. Ill take my leave first.

Abraham slowly rose from his seat.

With a little worry and anticipation, Jinhyuk stopped him as something crossed his mind.

By the way, just in case things go wrong and your betrayal is exposed, try not to worry too much.

What do you mean?

Nothing much. Just saying that if things do go south, I could always look out for at least one person like you.

A piece of paper appeared in front of Abraham.

The Deep-Rooted Corporation?

A very respectable company. A place that recognizes talent, you see?

Jinhyuk didnt forget to pitch one last business proposition as a company representative.

A skilled new recruit is always welcome.

Time flew by as I busied myself preparing to assault the giants stronghold.

We had to move in small numbers, and even the fastest route to the giants territory would take over a week, so there was no shortage of things to do.

How dare you command me to carry a load?

Alice frowned upon seeing the mountain of items.

But it only lasted a moment.

Sigh

With a bulge forming on her head, Alice put on a backpack bigger than herself.

Next, T-Bone stood proudly next to Jinhyuk, honing his weapon.

Though he had been ordered to focus on leveling up and growing in the bug den with the potatoes and other spirit waters

He was summoned again for this occasion.

Since the other creatures couldnt come, it was possible to bring T-Bone, who had become an undead monster.

Clank. T-Bone. Stronger. Protect. Master.

T-Bone puffed up his gaunt bones.

Hmm.

Maybe I should give him an ogre milk bath at some point.

Its clear hes lacking calcium when you see holes in his bones.

Feeling oddly guilty at the thought of making him fight an opponent at least 30 times his size, we continued.

So its just the three of us going, all the way there?

Thats right. Excited? Ah, to be one with nature

Gathering mushrooms along the way, catching crayfish, really immersing ourselves in the camping spirit.

Alice looked like she might cry, but she didnt know any better.

Was there ever such a thing as a comfortable and cozy trip during the medieval times?

If youre late, youll be left behind.

Jinhyuk hurried along.

Wa-wait.

Clank.

And Alice and T-Bone followed behind.

Hours passed, and as they left the capital of the Empire behind, a quiet mountain path stretched out before them.

The warm sunlight, the fragrance of green grass, and the fresh air were a striking contrast to Seouls spring, filled with fine dust and yellow sand.

Of course, in Seoul, you wouldnt find yourself followed by a group of armed pursuers on a simple daytime journey.

Have you confirmed it?

Alice whispered quietly, her ability to sense magic with a glance proving to be reliable.

Yes. I noticed just a while ago.

At first, I thought they might be bandits, but the ones were about to confront are from a completely different league.

Im unable to accurately count their numbers, which is saying something.