God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 19: Episode 4 _ A 0.00003_ Probability (2)

2.

“Thank you for everything, Your Highness.”

“Not at all. I also learned many things I was curious about by speaking with an adventurer. Let us meet again if the opportunity arises. And if it is about enhancement, you are welcome to visit anytime.”

“Yes, farewell.”

’You were a truly good man.’ If he had walked, he would be trudging along the lonely road, sighing deeply by now. Although he was a crazy prince who would offer up a sword that was practically the kingdom’s deed to a level 7 beginner, Simin offered a grateful farewell to the departing carriage.

“Sometimes, you can just be lucky.” He had been feeling that way a lot lately. From somehow learning the enhancement skill right from the start, to the Johnson party helping his enhancement and giving him presents before their heroic demise a few days ago, and now even getting a ride in a carriage to the capital, where the prime location was located.

‘The heavens are on my side!’ If not, this couldn’t be happening. Confidence surged within him. He began to walk through the capital of the Ain Kingdom, devoid of any other players. There was no need to worry about being attacked by monsters! As a final stroke of luck, the prime location was located inside the capital city’s castle. What a heartwarming conclusion.

“I’ll have to give that prince a discount later.” His good mood even made him generous. Though he figured he probably wouldn’t see him again for another year, if their paths ever crossed. The thought that he would soon be able to wield the first +15 dagger in Fantastic World made him hum a tune.

“Is that an adventurer?”

“Looks like it.”

“I thought they only appeared in a few castles.”

“He must be an adventurer who has already reached the capital.”

The capital’s NPCs watched him with curiosity.

* * *

He was getting closer. And he could feel it. The energy of the prime location, which he had barely felt as a single thread from Haran Castle, now pulsed with undeniable intensity. Just a little more! One more step!

‘+15...!’ How overpowered would it be? Even at +14, it showed enough power to kill monsters 15 levels higher than him without much trouble. The stats added to the weapon’s attack power were one thing, but he was also looking forward to the +15 aura.

“Hehehe.” With a sinister laugh, his confident steps were brought to a halt by an obstacle.

“Huh?” ’Who dares block my path?!’ Han Simin looked up to see a towering castle wall.

‘What? I’m already here?’ No way! No matter how lost in thought he was, he couldn’t have crossed the entire inner city. Besides, the energy he felt was coming from beyond the wall. That meant it wasn’t in the main castle area.

“Hmm.” He looked around and walked along the wall. It didn’t seem to be the outer wall surrounding the capital. If it were, it would have curved inward.

‘An inner castle wall!’ Then there was only one answer. It wasn’t strange for the capital of a kingdom to have a castle within a castle. However, Han Simin, intoxicated by the thought of +15, had only considered one thing and not the next.

“Who goes there?” a voice commanded.

“Huh?”

He found a gate leading into the inner wall. But the gate was guarded.

“I have some business inside...”

“May I see your identification?” Two knights in full armor walked toward him, “If you do not have any, please turn back.”

There was no way he had any. But he couldn’t turn back either.

“Is this by any chance the royal palace?”

“It is.”

Ah. So that’s what it was.

‘Shit!’ So that was it. ’I was a fool not to have predicted why a +15, with a 0.001% probability, would have its prime location designated in a safe castle.’ A sigh escaped him. Wouldn’t it have been easier to be told to enhance it in a territory filled with level 100 monsters? How was he supposed to get past knights who were on guard 24/7?

‘This is driving me crazy.’ He couldn’t go back and find another prime location. This was the only place he could sense. It was all or nothing. He had to think of a way. Then, suddenly, Simin remembered a man he had met just a few dozen minutes ago.

“I am here to see Prince Ian!” The words tumbled out of his desperate mouth without a second thought. What would be the consequences? ‘I don’t know. Let’s just get inside first.’ What’s the worst that could happen, death? The die was cast.

* * *

No sane person would lie about being friends with a noble, let alone a prince. If caught, it wouldn’t just be his own death, but the annihilation of his entire family for three generations. However, the person standing before the soldiers guarding the inner castle was an adventurer.

‘What? Is he for real?’

‘The first prince is friends with an adventurer?’

There were no adventurers in the capital, but according to rumors, they were people with no ties to this world who would come back to life soon after dying. Of course, they might sell their connection to the prince for their own benefit!

‘What should we do?’

‘Should we just chase him away?’

‘Judging by his clothes, he doesn’t seem like an ordinary adventurer...’

The two knights exchanged glances while maintaining their stern expressions. They had been through thick and thin, guarding the king, protecting the royal family, and defending the inner castle, but this was the first time they had encountered such a situation, so it took them some time to process.

‘Let’s report it.’

‘Right.’

They soon made a decision. Fortunately for Han Simin, their decision was, in many ways, favorable.

“Would it be alright if we go and confirm?”

“Go ahead.” Han Simin puffed out his chest, lifted his chin, and nodded. All he had to do was get inside. There was a high probability that the crazy prince would shove his family deed in his face again and ask him to tear it up, but Simin just had to talk him down, find the prime location for the +15 inside the inner castle, and strike it a few times. And after that... ‘It doesn’t matter what happens.’ As long as he succeeded.

“This way, please. I will guide you.” After a wait, the soldier who had gone inside returned and guided Han Simin with an intrigued look. Thankfully, the first prince must have told them to let him in. Suppressing the twitching corners of his mouth, he entered the inner castle with a dignified air. Maintain your composure! Even though he was just a penniless adventurer, for now, he was entering as an acquaintance of the first prince.

“Wow.” But that composure shattered the moment he entered the inner castle and saw the royal palace. A magnificent royal palace built in the middle of the vast inner castle grounds! And flowers, grass, a lake, and a pond spread out around it!

Is this really a game? No, is it because it’s a game that this is possible? His jaw dropped. Could the players who were currently swarming around in the plains just to catch a single rabbit even imagine such a place? The top-ranking players who skipped sleeping and broke their savings just to get one more point of experience might even give up their precious sleep for the sake of living here.

‘At this rate, it would be worth going crazy and starting a rebellion.’ If a player became king, they could live in such a luxurious place. Even if it was virtual reality, it was an undeniable second reality, which made it even more valuable. Han Simin acknowledged Betago. It was amazing. The first virtual reality. There must be many errors and a lot of trial and error, but the AI had created a world more certain and perfect than any other game. At the same time, a bigger picture unfolded before his eyes.

‘Wow. If the king of a kingdom lives like this, then the Empire...’ How much would an emperor make? If he became a tyrant and ordered all the gold coins to be collected, then sold them and ran, wouldn’t he have enough money to live off for the rest of his life?

“Here we are.”

“Thank you.”

While Simin was dreaming, they arrived in front of a detached palace. Since he had come to see the first prince, this must be where the first prince lived. He calmly opened the huge door and saw an interior even more splendid than the exterior. And then.

“You’ve come? You found me sooner than I expected.”

“Hello.”

Ian approached, his eyes shining.

His gaze was full of expectation. Han Simin, knowing what that expectation meant, sighed.

* * *

He just told him the truth. The prince was an NPC, and a crazy royal at that; if Simin didn’t set him straight, he felt the prince would just keep pestering him to enhance his sword.

“So that’s what it was. I have heard that adventurers have a strange ability to grow the power they possess. You are still lacking, I see.”

“That’s why I came here. To grow quickly and surpass my master to enhance that sword, I first need to succeed in getting this dagger to +15.”

“But isn’t the probability of +15 low?”

“A legendary enhancement master must be able to break through even such probabilities.”

‘Your sword is a no-go, but I have to get my dagger to +15!’

“It might be hard to believe, but please help me. Don’t you want to see the first +15 enhanced weapon right before your eyes?” Simin begged, pouring out his heart.

Ian thought for a long time before nodding, “I certainly would like to see it.

How a descendant of a legendary enhancement master differs from other enhancement masters. If there truly is a possibility of surpassing the symbol of the Empire. As long as you don’t cause a disturbance within the palace grounds or enter places you are not allowed, I will help you.”

“Thank you!”

’Oh!’ Han Simin grabbed the prince’s hands and shook them. He never thought it would be resolved so easily. Meeting this prince was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.

‘The heavens are truly helping me.’ Without hesitation, he left the prince’s palace and started walking, leading him along. Strike while the iron is hot; he wanted to get the enhancement over with quickly.

‘As long as it’s not some underground labyrinth...’ Though it was unlikely for a royal palace to have such a thing. His confident steps headed toward the largest palace within the inner castle.

“That is the palace where my father resides. Is it inside there?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. Can we not go in?”

“We can go in. But my father’s bedchamber is off-limits.”

“I see.”

Unless Betago was trying to screw with him, it wouldn’t be there, right? He was about to laugh it off when a shiver ran down his spine.

‘No, wait a minute.’

At the same time, his journey so far flashed before his eyes. Not a den of dangerous monsters, but the capital of a kingdom. In that vast capital, of all places, the inner castle. And within the inner castle, of all the damn places, the royal palace!

At this point, Simin felt like he could see a glimpse of his future.

‘No!’

But he tried to ignore it. He shook his head and walked quickly toward where the feeling was leading him. It couldn’t be.

“Where is this? It doesn’t look like a bedchamber.”

Fortunately, Han Simin’s ominous premonition was wrong. The prime location was some distance from the king’s bedchamber. However...

“This is the Great Conference Hall. It is where His Majesty, the King, attends to his duties.”

“Ah. Then that chair at the end is...”

“Naturally, it is His Majesty’s throne.”

Of course. It was never going to be easy. Simin’s eyes started to get misty.

“I suppose I can’t just put my anvil on it and hammer my dagger, can I?”

“What’s stopping you?”

Simin was surprised.

“It would be possible if you could get past the Royal Guard. Or if His Majesty the King were to grant you permission.”

‘So you’re saying it’s impossible, you bastard!’

“Haa," Simin sighed.

“Don’t tell me the prime location is over there?”

’Yes, it is.’

A deep silence fell, but it was broken before long.

“What brings you here?”

“...Father!”

An outside arrival broke the silence.

* * *