God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 89: Episode 17 _ My Father-In-Law’s Money Is Basically Mine(4)
6.
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
He didn’t answer immediately.
’Exactly. What are YOU doing here?’
The Specialists, hit with the question they should have been asking, hesitated for a moment.
’What were we doing?’
"Hunting... no, were we clearing the Main Quest?"
It was all the same.
Living to eat or eating to live.
Han Simin nodded.
"I see. Want to come along?"
"...No, wait, Simin! Why is the person who said he was going to get items fitted here?"
"Ah. I went and came back. Yesterday."
"You went and came back fast."
Kang Yeseul, who had spoken boldly, had nothing more to say.
If he said so, what could she do?
And it wasn’t exactly fast. It had taken over a week round-trip.
"Who are those people next to you?"
"Ah! They’re the Imperial Knights. I got free armor from the Emperor, so I’m giving them a power-leveling session."
They were speechless.
No matter how they looked at it, it was a picture of Han Simin getting power-leveled.
Realizing this, the knights’ expressions crumpled.
’This son of a bitch. He works us like dogs and then claims the credit for himself?’
"What! Huh! You got a problem?"
"No, sir."
However, the sorrow of the subordinate could only be swallowed internally, as always. If they rebelled for no reason and their already meager training time was reduced, they might spend the rest of their lives regretting this last training session, unsure when it would come again—even if they never wanted to be with him again.
’Since we started, let’s finish it even if it’s hard!’
This was the knights’ thought, and seeing this, the Specialists clicked their tongues.
’They’re properly caught.’
’So he was cleaning up the area around the territory with the knights.’
’Vicious guy.’
Even if it was his own territory.
Could anyone care for it this diligently without even taking care of their own body in reality, like Han Simin?
The three of them weren’t much different, but regardless, the meeting in this unexpected situation dissolved the tension of the hunt.
"What are you going to do, Ms. Seolah? We’re thinking of going further north."
"It’s too much for us to go further up, so we plan to wander around looking for the Ruler of the Forest."
"It would be nice if we could go together. That’s a shame."
’If the three of them joined, an even cooler picture would emerge!’
Han Simin smacked his lips in regret, but he didn’t linger on it.
Didn’t he have the knights, whose levels were overwhelmingly higher than theirs, and excellent collection assistants, the rabbits?
"Then see you next time."
"Yes, be careful."
"You too, Ms. Seolah."
Han Simin headed north.
A hunting ground that unfolded into an even gloomier place past the forest covered entirely in ash!
The rabbits followed behind him.
His unhesitating steps became a stimulus for the Specialists.
"It seems like he’s always playing around, but he’s already grown that much?"
She fell into silence.
For Jeong Seolah, especially, there was no greater motivation.
She was one of the few players who had watched Han Simin almost from the beginning.
’At first...’
She thought he was just a clumsy player who got lucky and completed a +13 weapon.
His control was so bad back then that he even entrusted the weapon to her.
Then, gradually, his weapons improved, he started enhancing armor, raked in money with rings that popped out of nowhere, and now he had reached a level where he commanded one hundred combat assistants and even the Imperial Knights—the core of the Empire that players hadn’t even set foot in yet.
If anyone else had seen this series of processes, they wouldn’t have believed it.
Or they might have denied what they saw with their own eyes, asking if he was writing a game fantasy novel.
That’s how fraudulent and absurd it was.
Fantastic World.
To put it coldly, this world was one where the rules of the game stood out when realism was needed, and realism stood out when the rules of the game were needed.
For instance, reality!
Reality is too harsh to gaze at a distant ideal.
"Phew."
However, Jeong Seolah wasn’t exactly a failed character either.
She maintained 3rd place in the current level rankings, her guild’s power was solid enough not to be looked down upon anywhere, and she was progressing through the Main Quest, the foundation of the game, faster than anyone else.
She decided to take comfort in that.
She decided to wait.
If you look too high, you get exhausted and slip.
The root of Han Simin’s growth began with enhancement, which no one else could touch.
She just had to proceed by utilizing her own strengths.
’The end is similar anyway.’
Someday, they would reach the max level, and the grade limit of items was clear.
When that time came, the day her control would shine....
’...Will it ever come?’
Han Simin’s max level would have twice as many stat points as others, and while item grades had limits, the limit of enhancement levels was practically something only he could control.
If he started controlling the quantity of +15 items, or hell, even just +13 items, the players of Fantastic World might never be able to surpass him in specs for the rest of their lives.
She pondered silently.
Jeong Seolah’s cool-headed brain spun quickly.
And a conclusion was reached.
"Let’s hunt."
There were more profound results, but she erased them.
Because life is unpredictable.
With a determined expression to change things, she turned her steps toward hunting.
"Sigh. Seolah has that look on her face again. Simin, this is a green light, right?"
"Looks like hell is about to start again."
7.
A modest breakfast was prepared in the Imperial Palace.
A simple morning table shared by the Emperor, the current Master of the Magic Tower, and the former knight commander!
"Your Majesty, it has been a long time."
"Has the knight commander been well?"
"Yes, I apologize for not visiting often."
It was truly a gathering of the heavyweights who moved the continent!
There was no one who didn’t know that every single word spoken here, even in jest, could have a massive impact on the continent’s political situation.
The problem, however, was that the parties involved didn’t seem to care much.
"How is the Magic Tower these days?"
"Hoho. The Magic Tower is spending its time exploring the truth as always."
"A wind is slowly beginning to blow across the continent. How about making preparations?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We will be ready."
After exchanging simple pleasantries, the meal was served.
Then, the old Tower Master asked, "Your Majesty, I heard the princess’s marriage has been decided."
It was a fact that most people within the Imperial Palace knew, but it was also a fact that everyone knew about it yet kept quiet.
The Emperor had acknowledged it, but how could he be at ease?
He was just an adventurer, a nobody!
But the Tower Master was a Great Archmage who had received the trust of the previous Emperor as well!
He had no hesitation in asking such a thing.
"Ahem. Yes. He took the Imperial Knights and went hunting."
"Hoho. I heard he was an immature adventurer, but the Imperial Knights? Did those prideful men agree to follow him?"
"He wasn’t completely without talent. He knows how to handle people, too."
The corners of the Emperor’s mouth twitched as he sliced his meat.
’Right, that damn son-in-law.’
’The problem is he handles people too well.’
’He’s even trying to handle me, the Emperor.’
Except for that, the more he peeled back the layers, the more he actually liked him.
From the audacity of calling the Emperor "Mister" to casually spouting crazy nonsense about asking for his only daughter—it meant there was something he valued more than his own life.
"To think the person Your Majesty trusts so much is an adventurer. I would like to see him once."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I would also like to see him."
The Tower Master and the former knight commander showed interest.
Sincerely!
’Just who is he that His Majesty...’
’Is the man in front of us truly the Iron-Blooded Monarch?’
The only reason the Emperor used polite language and treated them with respect was that they were his father’s, the previous Emperor’s, closest aides.
In front of the master of the continent, what did age matter?
An adventurer acknowledged by an Emperor who would severely punish anyone, regardless of who they were, if they did wrong, and who wouldn’t blink an eye at slaughtering for the sake of the continent.
Seeing their anticipation, the Emperor smiled slyly.
"I plan to invite that fellow to the Festival of Knights soon anyway, so come and see him then."
They gasped.
"If you say the Festival of Knights!"
A laugh containing a strange intent.
And a sly smile.
The two were surprised by his firm determination to screw him over this time.
Even though both were veterans among veterans who had experienced all sorts of hardships, the reason they were surprised was that the target was an adventurer.
"Wouldn’t that be too dangerous?"
"Adventurers come back to life even if they die anyway, so what problem would there be?"
"Ah! I heard that was the case. Still, doesn’t the fact that Your Majesty is inviting him mean he has skill worthy of it?"
"Yes, he seems to have a talent for rolling with the punches, so I intend to see it for myself."
The corners of the Emperor’s mouth, where his heart and words diverged, showed no sign of coming down.
An opportunity was coming to take revenge on the brazen fellow who had dared to take precious treasures from the warehouse—not just one set of armor, but two sets, including undergarments—this time as well.
It wouldn’t be easy, but he was the Emperor to whom nothing was impossible!
’I will make sure you go up.’
He was getting worked up over nothing.
That was how annoyed he was.
He didn’t like his slyness, and lately, he increasingly felt like his princess had been stolen too.
’No matter how high-flying an adventurer he is, he won’t be able to beat the Imperial Knights.’
Was that all?
Since he went to help the knights grow with his own hands, he was digging his own grave!
’I’ll feel a bit better if he gets beaten to a pulp.’
He trusted his knights.
The wine naturally tasted sweet.
8.
"What? Festival of Knights? What’s that?"
"It is a knight tournament held once a year in the Empire."
"Ah. The blacksmiths have one, too."
"Yes, that is correct. We are aiming to sweep the top rankings in this year’s festival."
Han Simin nodded at the knight commander’s words.
"Right, you need at least that much ambition for me to work hard at this volunteer service. Very excellent."
They were at a loss for words.
It was a definite goal for them, but unfortunately, the words didn’t resonate with Han Simin!
Because there was nothing in it for him.
"By the way, if we do that, do all the knights of the continent come?"
"Yes, participation is voluntary, but at some point, the Festival of Knights became an important yardstick for ranking the military power of the kingdoms, including the Empire. So, places that don’t participate naturally fall behind in the rankings, making it impossible not to participate."
"Ho-oh."
With no war and no demons, this was how they competed.
It seemed like a pretty decent idea.
In a world devoid of firearms, knights would naturally play the pivotal role in any outbreak of war. Therefore, their military strength could be seen as directly proportional to the nation’s power.
"If we lose, the Emperor will have our heads, won’t he?"
"We have never lost. Not once."
"Eh. Still, a genius might appear every once in a while."
"To a knight, the word genius is reserved for those who possess talent yet still put in the effort. In that sense, every single member of the Imperial Knights is a genius."
"Yeah, yeah."
There was no reason to deny it, nor was there a need to.
In Simin’s eyes, the level of the Imperial Knights certainly appeared extremely high.
"In that sense, let’s push ahead a bit faster. You need to raise even just one more level quickly so you can sweep the tournament and win, right?"
He wanted only one thing.
Money!
Looking at the knight commander, who had spoken excitedly but now wore an expression as though he were chewing on shit, an idea struck him.
"Ah! Do a lot of nobles come to that event?"
"...Yes. Since the Festival of Knights includes betting on the knights’ duels, many nobles attend. The Empire itself hosts a festival for three days as well."
"I see. I should go too."
Now that he had replacement armor, a brilliant idea came to mind: sell off his old leather armor set at a high price to the nobles, since it had lost its purpose for him!
"Heh heh. I’m looking forward to this."
As he struck down with his hammer to enhance the new armor, he began to ponder how he could squeeze every last penny out of the leather armor sale.
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