The collapse of Nordic.
It was one of the most significant events in the history of the kingdom and the first since the notorious usurper king who wielded immense power. The shockwaves it sent through the Kingdom of Argon’s citizens were equally massive.
It created a bridgehead for monsters to invade the kingdom at any time. The central, southern, and northern regions were no longer safe from the threats of monsters. Many with keen ears had already fled to the east.
“Of course, it’s a natural reaction. The kingdom’s coastal stronghold has fallen for the first time in hundreds of years. The problem is… It should have ended there.”
“Father.”
“Lucia, it’s not unprecedented for the Royal Guard to get embroiled in the battles for succession and die. If they had died fighting the Hydra in Nordic, it could have been seen as an honorable death. But this…”
The Black Wing Duke tossed the documents detailing the events in Nordic onto his desk with a sigh.
“This was a meaningless death. To die by the hand of the very prince they loyally supported, breaking the unspoken rules of the Royal Guard? How am I supposed to accept that?”
“They were…”
“Moreover, many citizens witnessed the mad prince’s rampage. No matter how much we try to control the information, it won’t be long before everyone in Argon knows that a crazed prince killed the Royal Guard.”
Lucia bit her lip as she watched her father groan.
Though the Black Wing Duke didn’t say it outright, Lucia understood. The fact that a prince of the kingdom went mad and was ultimately executed by an outsider barbarian was the gravest issue of all.
‘Given royal law, he too should be held accountable.’
He, the barbarian warrior known as a hero in the north, an ogre slayer in the east, and now as the prince slayer in the west.
After the prince was killed by his hand, the remaining Royal Guards clashed with him, insisting that no outsider could execute royal blood as he pleased.
‘Their reasoning was correct… but still.’
This wasn’t just an issue in Argon. The Imperial dynasty would react similarly, using all resources to uphold royal law, regardless of the opponent. Any country on the continent would do the same. But the opponent was formidable.
A monster who toyed with the Hydra and easily subdued the rampaging prince. How could they capture and bring such a being to trial? Furthermore, reports indicated that his companions who finished off the Hydra were equally formidable.
‘If it weren’t for the princess, even more of the Royal Guard might have been lost… such foolish people.’
In the conflict between the Royal Guards, who sought to uphold royal law, and Khan’s party, who had no intention of being captured quietly, Delphina chose to side with the Royal Guards—outwardly, at least.
It was clear that a military clash would have catastrophic consequences. The princess decided to postpone the judgment for later.
“This matter is incredibly complex. While it’s proper to detain him to uphold the royal order, we cannot ignore his merits. Had he not intervened, Nordic and the entire kingdom might have been destroyed at Alan’s hands.”
Though lacking in pure royal blood, Delphina was renowned for her wisdom and prudence. To appease the dissatisfaction of the Royal Guards, she invoked the authority of the Black Wing Duke, the godfather of the royal bloodline.
“First, we must stabilize the situation. One of you should report this to the Black Wing Duke and bring him here. As the godfather of the royal family and the only duke in the kingdom, he can act in place of His Majesty now that Prince Alan is gone. His judgment on this matter will be final.”
Delphina knew of the dealings between Khan and the Black Wing Duke. She also had her own agreement with Khan, which involved opening the royal treasury. With the Duke’s involvement, she was confident Khan would comply, and he did indeed follow her direction.
Presently, “Refill my drink. It’s too bland; doesn’t even feel like I’ve had a drink.”
“Haha… I understand the Duke’s remarkable capacity for alcohol, but if you continue, we might run out of his stock.”
“Let it be. If I’m keeping company like this, the least they can do is keep the drink flowing.”
Khan and his party were in the underground dungeon of Negraas Castle—more specifically, in a secret training ground built by the Negraas family to pass down their martial arts. They were enjoying the luxurious amenities intended for extended, secluded training.
“Glutton.”
“Look at these muscles and still call me a glutton?”
“You’ve got a belly.”
You don’t know what a real beer belly looks like.
Khan, a former chubby glutton, chuckled at Aries’ nagging about drinking all day and replied smugly,
“Just admit you’re jealous. If you want to drink like me, I can teach you the secret.”
“Doesn’t taste good.”
“That’s because you’re still young. When I was your age, alcohol tasted bitter too. But as you grow older, you start to appreciate its sweetness.”
“You sound just like Cardinal Sion. Like an old man.”
“Ah, a man who knows his drink. You must introduce us someday.”
“There will be a fight.”
“Hmm. That’s a good point.”
“My lord, here’s the last one.”
Almost having to endure an uncomfortable drinking session with a cardinal from the Pantheon Church, Khan placed the bottle Maya handed him down on the floor.
‘This is getting boring.’
Even a luxurious vacation gets old after a few days.
Being cooped up inside, without access to something as simple as a computer or TV, in this medieval fantasy world was bound to get dull. Delicious food, cold beer, and even raiding the Black Wing Duke’s prized liquor were growing tiresome.
‘I need to check out the royal treasury… and level up some more.’
After hunting Prince Alan and the Hydra, Khan had reached level 29. With a little over 30% experience remaining, leveling up again could be achieved by taking down a few decent bosses.
However, finding such worthy prey wasn’t easy, which made him even more restless. In the ‘Midland Quest’ system, reaching level 30 held significant importance. Though the exact terminology varied, players referred to the associated quest as the ‘Class Advancement Quest.’
Depending on the character’s history, these quests varied greatly. For instance, if one had trained under an imperial swordsman, the quest might involve earning a swordsman’s license. If specializing in assassin skills, it might entail assassinating a designated tough target.
‘In my case… as a barbarian, I should probably aim for a great warrior status or something.’
Without access to the quest screen, theorizing and deducing the direction to take was the only option.
The problem was that he didn’t know if new races added via DLC also triggered ‘Class Advancement Quests’. There was a possibility that the game’s design might not include them for balance reasons.
‘If that’s the case, it would be a disaster…’
While class advancement quests didn’t necessarily grant terminal-tier items or additional stats, they often rewarded A-rank skills for free, making them worth completing. Particularly, the barbarian class’s racial bonus offered an enhancement to the tier of combat skills earned through such quests.
If that held true, acquiring an S-rank skill at level 30 was highly desirable.
‘For now, focusing on acquiring artifacts seems sound. If necessary, I can intercept quests and take down bosses. Hitting level 30 is a priority.’
This ultimately required gaining access to the royal treasury.
Regardless, the Black Wing Duke and Delphina wouldn’t dare break their promise. They wouldn’t risk testing the wrath of a crazed barbarian.
***
The next morning, the Black Wing Duke and Delphina summoned Khan.
“You look quite haggard. Didn’t have a good meal?”
“Thanks to someone, I ate so much I nearly puked. Gotta have a full stomach to get any work done.”
“That’s true.”
Responding to the Duke’s jab with a calm retort, Khan took a seat, casting his gaze towards Delphina seated beside the Duke.
“So, have you decided on my future? Princess.”
“If we hadn’t, you wouldn’t be here. Things have become quite complicated, but starting today, you no longer need to stay confined in the underground chamber.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I was seriously considering taking a walk out of sheer boredom.”
“Th-Thank goodness.”
“May I ask one thing?”
“What is it…?”
“Prince Alan.”
Gasp.
Delphina’s smile faltered. She hadn’t expected Khan to bring up the prince he had killed.
“You must have some idea why he transformed like that. Prince Alan himself seemed to know something. Isn’t that right?”
“…Of course I know. I am part of the royal family, after all. But telling you is another matter entirely.”
“Because it’s a royal disgrace?”
“Whether it’s a disgrace or a mark of honor, I’m not sure anymore…. But I can tell you it’s the most important secret of the Argon royal family.”
It was a polite refusal, indicating she could not disclose the exact details. Khan crossed his arms, understandingly.
“Well, in that case, I won’t pry. Let’s move on to the next topic…”
“There’s no reason we can’t share.”
“G-Godfather?!”
Ignoring Delphina’s shocked reaction, the Black Wing Duke, with a serious tone, began to speak.
“From the look in your eye, I can see you already have some idea. Given that you hunted ogres with Loren’s witch in the East, it’s not surprising if you heard something from her. Why you, a warrior from Hoarfrost Gorge, would take an interest, I do not know.”
The moment you hear this, you won’t be able to walk away easily. The Black Wing Duke’s declaration was both a warning and an offer. He was willing to share the royal secret, but in return, Khan would have to help resolve the matter.
“If you accept, I’ll allow you to take one more item from the royal treasury.”
“G-Godfather! Only His Majesty can authorize that…!”
“Don’t worry. I’m simply passing along an opportunity that was originally mine.”
Delphina’s eyes widened; she hadn’t known the Black Wing Duke had access to the treasury.
“And that red sword you have… I’ve heard it’s especially potent against dragons. It’s a dragon-slaying weapon, and I’m curious how you came into possession of such a thing. In many ways, there’s no one more suited for this task than you.”
“So, what is this task you’re being so secretive about?”
“You need to kill someone.”
“That’s my specialty.”
The Black Wing Duke nodded as if he had expected that response.
“Good. Let’s move quickly then. The timeline is rather tight.”
“The target must be far away.”
“Indeed. Far away and in a particularly difficult place. So first…”
Click—.
Drawing a longsword from the wall and aiming it at Khan, the Black Wing Duke smiled.
“You’ll let yourself be captured quietly and come with me to the royal court.”