God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 123: Episode 24 _ How Much Will You Give Me_(4)

After all, it was a barometer indicating the people’s awareness of and trust in the princess, the future Emperor.

For Count Haines, who stood on the opposing side, this was a disaster.

Above all, there was no telling what Han Simin—her husband and a loose cannon liable to fly off in any direction—might say to her.

"Princess, it has been a while."

"You as well, Count."

That was why he had stepped forward in such a hurry.

Han Simin’s one-sided assault had also paused the moment the princess arrived.

"Is something wrong?"

"There was a brief dispute between that noble and the princess’s husband, and I was in the middle of resolving it."

He boldly stated what was necessary and cut ties where needed.

Viscount Hatata looked on the verge of tears at suddenly being treated like a stranger by his ally, but there was no mercy.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I tried to mediate, but since he requested a knight’s duel..."

"...Ah! If it is a knight’s duel."

The Princess’s gaze turned toward Han Simin.

She saw the man waving his hand, looking refreshed after relieving his stress by loosening up his body.

A radiant smile instantly bloomed on her face.

There was not a shred of worry in her expression.

Naturally, this was bad news for Count Haines, who had tried to subtly shift the responsibility onto the wildly rampaging Han Simin.

’Wasn’t this a political marriage?’

’He saved the princess, so make him the son-in-law!’

For anyone who knew the Emperor’s temperament, it was a gamble one wouldn’t dare attempt. However, judging by what he had seen of Han Simin, he seemed like the type of guy who would do that and more.

That was what the Count had guessed, but the look in the princess’s eyes suggested otherwise.

Was she not looking at him with the eyes of a maiden in love?

"Princess. It is dangerous, so please step ba—"

"You were here?"

"Huh? Why did you come here?"

Ignoring the Count, who tried to separate her from Han Simin out of anxiety, the princess approached the scene of the duel!

"Princess, over there is..."

The Imperial Knights following her thoroughly blocked Count Haines’s approach.

It was an act of rudeness, showing they were ready to draw their swords if necessary.

It was incredibly unpleasant, but there was nothing he could do.

Imperial Knights were different from regular knights. Unlike knights who had high pride but no titles, the Imperial Knights had the Emperor backing them.

They were the Emperor’s shadow.

Shouting at them was no different from shouting at the Emperor himself.

"The Imperial Palace was too stuffy, so I came out for a bit. I wanted to look around, too."

"Ah. Really?"

"Yes. It’s been a while since I’ve been out, so it’s really nice."

With the person blocking them gone, the two naturally faced each other.

Warm conversation flowed back and forth.

Kang Yeseul, who had been watching with interest, scowled as if she didn’t like this development at all, but the couple paid no attention and focused solely on being lovey-dovey.

"Shall we look around together?"

"Yes!"

He extended his hand.

The Princess took it without hesitation.

Seeing this, Viscount Hatata discovered hope.

’I’m saved!’

What did the sound of Count Haines’s frustration matter now?

He was going to be abandoned anyway, and if he was going to be discarded, it was better to save his life first.

He remained silent.

He didn’t even breathe, acting as if he were dead.

’Please, just get lost with the princess.’

’If he’s a man, surely he wouldn’t pay attention to someone like me with such a beauty in front of him in a situation like this!’

Believing that, he didn’t even lift his eyelids.

If he stayed like this, everything would be over.

"Then just stand next to my friends over there for a moment. I have a bit of conversation left to finish with a friend who still owes me a debt."

He could not find the words.

Yeah, right.

’Dammit.’

Before he could even spit out a curse, the sound of footsteps drew near.

At this rate, he would die.

He would be beaten to death.

Could there be anything more humiliating than this?

Viscount Hatata quickly opened his eyes and crawled toward the princess with all his might.

"P-Please save me. Princess! Please save me just this once!"

A desperate cry.

"Uh-uh. Who said I’m killing you? We’re just settling the remaining debt between us. Come here. You won’t die."

It was undoubtedly a low-quality knight’s duel, but the newly arrived Imperial Knights turned their heads, ignoring it.

Raise an objection?

Say not to tarnish a knight’s duel like this?

If it were anyone else, they might have.

But Han Simin was their instructor, their benefactor, and the boss who sold them the power to become stronger.

’He must have done something pretty wrong.’

’Seriously, why mess with him?’

’I still get goosebumps thinking about how he dragged in those crazy rabbits just to win at the Festival of Knights.’

No one helped Viscount Hatata.

The only one left was the princess, who looked pure and kind enough to save the world!

"Finish it quickly and come back. I’ll be waiting."

"Okay."

Even she turned her back.

The duel resumed. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

And leaving the drooping Viscount Hatata behind, Simin waved his hand at Count Haines.

Once again, it was the hand wearing the ring with the sparkling jet-black gem.

He stood frozen.

The Count’s trembling body was visible to the naked eye.

’I do feel a little sorry.’

Although he felt a shred of guilt while teasing him, that didn’t mean Simin would slow down or stop his actions.

Stealing the item from Count Haines, who was standing still, was the act of Baron Karan, who had wanted to save his own life. Simin had confirmed in-game that it was stolen goods, so thinking he should return it just because the original owner appeared would be the stranger thing to do.

Because of this, quests continued, and he became more deeply involved with the people of the continent.

What a proper attitude for enjoying the game!

Thanks to getting entangled with the Emperor and the princess right away, he became a Viscount and even obtained a territory.

Just as noise marketing was still marketing, he would entangle himself with countless NPCs in this manner to generate money.

In one way or another.

For that purpose, he grinned and held onto the princess.

Then, he knelt.

At the same time, he reached into his pocket, took out the remaining ring, and placed it on the ring finger of the princess’s left hand.

"Oh my!"

The Princess was touched!

"...Y-You!"

Count Haines clutched the back of his neck.

Having killed two birds with one stone, Han Simin stood up and pulled the princess into a tight embrace.

Gazes of envy and jealousy poured down on them.

* * *

5.

They gasped.

"Oh my!"

People began to murmur, and soon, silence followed.

A consideration so deep they even refrained from breathing too loudly!

A romantic hush settled over the streets of the Imperial Capital, where the noise of the festival had been ceaseless.

Needless to say, the excitement of the princess standing at the center of it all was immense!

"This is..."

"I was originally going to give it to you at the coming-of-age ceremony, but since many other people will give you good gifts then, I’ll give it to you now."

"...Thank you."

Even though it was a ring on her left ring finger, practically a mark claiming her as his, the princess showed no sign of displeasure.

Rather, she rejoiced.

Happiness bloomed on a face that seemed born with everything in the world.

Although the Emperor wasn’t the type to raise his daughter with strict, suffocating discipline, the burden she carried as the only child born in the Imperial Palace was simply indescribable.

Even if there were no restrictions on meeting and marrying the man she wanted, there was no opportunity to meet a man she liked within the palace, nor was there anyone who could handle the life she had lived.

Then she was cursed, and she met Han Simin.

Although he was a man who moved by values she couldn’t understand within her common sense, and although she knew his saving her was purely for his own benefit, she was strangely attracted to him.

He saved her and blatantly expected a reward.

His reaction when seeing her hideous form and when she returned to her original appearance wasn’t much different.

Of course, like other men, he showed interest in her appearance, but the moment money was presented, he would turn his steps toward that instead.

Charm!

The Princess felt charm in Han Simin.

Of course, the "rose-colored glasses" effect of him being her life savior and a prince on a white horse helped a lot.

Anyway, a sudden proposal and even a wedding ring.

For her, who had made an excuse to blindly follow Han Simin out to the festival streets, could there be a happier moment than this?

"It’s pretty, right?"

"Yes, it’s totally pretty."

Above all, the ring she would wear for the rest of her life suited her taste perfectly.

Since Han Simin was obsessed with money, she hadn’t expected much, but where did he find such a gem?

A gem that even she, knowledgeable about all sorts of things, was seeing for the first time!

"What kind of gem is this? I think it’s my first time seeing it."

"Ah. That? Of course. It’s incredibly expensive."

"Really?"

"Yup, you can’t get that even with money. They say it’s made by gathering dust from the gems of the Demon World that flowed out of the gates when the demons invaded a long time ago, collecting them from all over the continent."

"Wow!"

The Princess was amazed!

She knew that Count Haines’s treasure was in Han Simin’s hands, but she didn’t know exactly what that object was.

After all, it was a treasure passed down through the family for generations, and its existence wasn’t publicly known.

The Emperor knew, but he hadn’t told the princess about sensitive issues that could cause conflict with the Dukes.

"How is it? Do you like it?"

"Yes! I think this one gift is enough for my coming-of-age ceremony."

"Ayy. Thanks for saying that, even if it’s just lip service."

"No, really. I feel like I don’t need to bother receiving other gifts."

"No way, even so. There will be a pile of expensive gifts; you have to accept them even if it’s bothersome. If it’s really too much trouble, shall I accept them for you?"

Thanks to this, the heartwarming atmosphere spread to everyone except Count Haines’s group.

It was a sweetness that would have made Viscount Hatata faint again from injustice had he seen it.

"Ugh. Unni, Simin Oppa must really be cut out for games."

"Seeing that guy rip off other people’s money, it’s obvious."

Add to that the three players maintaining a certain line within the game world.

It had to be surprising.

Even in reality, doing something like that would be impossible without summoning great courage.

"I guess it’s possible because it’s a game."

Perhaps it was possible because, although it was him, it wasn’t him—it didn’t matter how he appeared in other people’s eyes.

But if the subject was Han Simin, one would tilt their head in doubt.

He was a human who seemed capable of doing such things in reality as long as he was paid!

"Then let’s go. To play!"

"Yes."

Han Simin, having successfully stolen the princess’s heart while simultaneously driving a dagger into Count Haines’s heart, finally left the spot.

As they overlapped the rings on their left hands, laughing and chatting over trivial things, the citizens of the Empire cheered and followed them.

"Ah. You’re giving this for free? Oh my. Our Princess will love this."

"Whoa! This expensive-looking hairpin? Well, our Princess should wear at least something like this."

"Oh my. You’re giving me all this? I actually needed this."

To anyone watching, the commotion that occurred on the streets of the Imperial Capital resulted in Han Simin filling his own belly to the brim.

* * *

It was already far too late, but Count Haines returned home to lie low.

He wanted to run wild and seek revenge immediately, but the situation wasn’t at a level that could be solved so easily.

Since the princess had intervened, he could no longer end things by simply doing something to Han Simin.

Even if he quietly disposed of Han Simin and retrieved the ring, wasn’t the other matching ring on the princess’s finger?

The Princess was in the Imperial Palace, and taking the ring from her finger through the Imperial Knights guarding her would be difficult enough that starting a rebellion might be easier.

While his cold reason belatedly kicked in to ponder how to clean up the mess, the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony began.

"We shall gradually teach the princess how to run the Empire and care for its subjects..."

Various official events proceeded according to procedure.

And then, the festival began!

The atmosphere, already heated up by Han Simin’s proposal since the eve of the festival, reached its peak.

Alcohol and meat were provided indefinitely, and on this day when people drunk on the atmosphere became one and played joyfully regardless of past grievances, all wars and disputes were forbidden.

"Princess, congratulations on coming of age."

"Thank you."

At the same time, countless valuables were offered as tribute.

The Princess truly felt that the single ring she received from Han Simin yesterday was enough, but having seen him openly reveal his desire to possess these things, she smiled and showed a fake laugh to the nobles who were trying to make eye contact with her by any means necessary.

This seat was uncomfortable, and she wanted to hurry up and wander around with Han Simin, but certainly, as he said, the piling items were all treasures difficult to see anywhere else.

Whether expensive or rare, if she brought them to Han Simin, he would surely be delighted!

’Since the Viscount prepared a precious treasure for me, I must support my husband too.’

The feeling of being materialistic wasn’t a problem for the princess at all.

She had learned and seen that such things were natural.

"Thank you. This is really expensive."

’Simin will like it.’

"Huh? Isn’t this an artifact that’s popular among adventurers? Thank you so much."

’This too.’

Without exception, the gifts offered to the princess were evaluated solely based on Han Simin, and her reactions varied accordingly.

If the nobles who had put their sincerity into obtaining these gifts knew her inner thoughts, their hands might tremble at the thought that they were working hard just for someone else to benefit. But unaware of this, they rejoiced at a single word of praise as if they had caught a rope lowered from the heavens.

There was another person who misunderstood this sight.

The Emperor, watching with a pleased expression from the throne!

He was incredibly proud to see the princess rejoicing as she received the gifts.

"As expected of the princess. She already knows how to manage her connections."

The biggest victim, dreaming not even in his wildest dreams that his only daughter was flashing such bright smiles for the sake of that headache-inducing, reckless adventurer who saved her life!

’If only that damn son-in-law wouldn’t cause trouble, everything would be fine...’

Because of this incident, the Duke kept applying pressure.

Normally, he would firmly tell them to just give up, but that item was a gift given by one of the Five Legends to the Count Haines family, to whom the Legend owed a life debt.

For whatever reason, unless Count Haines, the head of the family, decided to sell it through a family meeting and handed it over, it was correct to retrieve and return it.

"Phew."

But to take their side and tell Han Simin to hand it over would lend them power.

It might be a trivial and obvious matter, but it felt like losing in a subtle tug-of-war for power.

The Emperor hated such things considerably.

Of course, they were coming on this strong because they knew he had no choice but to grant their request despite everything.

What should he do?

While he was worrying, the culprit of the problem appeared.

"Your Majesty, is there something putting you in a bad mood? Why the long face? On the happy day of our Princess’s birth."

He did not reply immediately.

’Should I smack him once?’

He ignored him, but undeterred, Han Simin brought up the main topic.

"It’s nothing much, but I gave the princess a tremendous treasure yesterday."

He listened in silence.

"She seemed to like it very much."

"Her expression has been good all day."

The Emperor had no choice but to respond to the mention of the princess.

Because he was curious.

Why was her expression so good?

He knew she enjoyed a date outside the palace with Han Simin, but her expression was too bright for just that.

Even now, it was the same.

It certainly wasn’t because she was happy about the gifts the nobles were giving her for her birthday.

"Shall I tell you?"

He waited for the answer.

"Actually, I gave her a wedding ring yesterday."

At the words spoken secretly without hiding anything, the Emperor’s gaze naturally turned to his left ring finger.

Since wedding rings were usually matched as a pair, what was on Han Simin’s hand would also be on the princess’s hand.

However, the Emperor, who looked inadvertently, frowned.

He looked without much thought, but the object he saw yesterday was hanging there.

"Don’t tell me that is..."

"It’s a jackpot, right? A ring made of gems from the Demon World. Honestly, if I took this and sold it, I could earn enough to never play games again for the rest of my life, but since I gave it for the princess’s dignity, please grant me just one favor."

"Haah."

He finally did it.

The Emperor’s contemplation on how to handle this issue, which had been going on for a while, ended.

There was no need to worry anymore.

Han Simin had driven a wedge in, eliminating any way to resolve it.

There was no way this cunning guy gave it to the princess purely as a gift with an innocent heart; it was definitely intentional.

Seeing the Emperor with a complicated mind, Han Simin took it as a positive sign and spat out his demand.

"It’s called give and take. Since I gave the princess a treasure, give me just four noble seats. No more, no less, just four Baron seats. Got it? Then I’ll take that as a yes and go."

He was stunned into silence.

He left the spot without giving a moment to think of an answer.

In fact, it was closer to a unilateral notification than a request.

It was an incredibly rude act, but he thought he was entitled to it.

’Because I gave something really expensive.’

In the process, he cleanly erased from his mind the fact that he had slapped it onto the princess’s finger simply because he didn’t want to be bothered by getting entangled with Count Haines’s faction alone.

Not only was it a disadvantageous memory for him, but it was true that he brought the ring for the princess anyway.

"Then, shall I get going?"

Now that he had secured the goods to sell, only the task of finding a customer remained.

Since the Specialists had already given a definite answer that they would buy, only one remained!

Han Simin’s steps headed toward the lodging where the Kenji Guild was staying.

* * *