Chapter 81

Zertinskaya, the nation of Belkaras, stands in stark contrast to Heness’s homeland, Delodran, which at least outwardly champions a centralized government. Zertinskaya is fiercely decentralized, partly due to its mostly desert or arid inland regions. It’s almost inexplicable how nomadic tribes, the masters of immense oases, and powerful lords controlling rich coastal resources manage to remain united within a single country. In this context, Sulas Harman, the lord of Belkaras, is a quintessential example of Zertinskaya’s rulers.

Upon hearing of the arrival of “foreigners” with an “urgent request,” Sulas Harman’s initial reaction was annoyance. He, like many rulers facing the unprecedented threat of the Army of Darkness, found the emergence of powerful outsiders to be a complex matter of weighing gains and losses. Assuming they merely sought gold, he casually dismissed them, instructing his steward to handle it.

However, his attendant, drenched in sweat, stood frozen, stammering about “Young Master Haran.” Haran, Sulas Harman’s son, had attempted to purchase a woman from the foreign party and was now being publicly whipped by her. Enraged by the news and the public humiliation, Sulas Harman hurled a bronze goblet at his attendant, then roared for all his soldiers, furious that anyone would dare touch his son within his own castle.

As the servants and concubines scattered, Gijan, a formidable middle-aged warrior clad in armor, entered. Sulas Harman, smirking, asked Gijan if he should tolerate this affront to his authority. Gijan, ever loyal, insisted that such an act must not be tolerated, or it would undoubtedly happen again. Sulas Harman agreed, and with his armor and sword donned, he set out to confront the audacious foreigners. He was informed there were only two—a man and a woman—and was assured that despite their unknown “firepower,” their lack of armor would make them easy to subdue, albeit with potential sacrifices. Sulas Harman, pleased, clapped Gijan on the shoulder. While he saw no reason to refuse their help against the undead, he would not tolerate a challenge to his power, especially within his own walls, and from a mere woman at that.

A Shocking Revelation

As Sulas Harman marched confidently into the central garden with his soldiers, an unsettling scene unfolded. His soldiers, sent to encircle the foreigners, were collapsed on the ground, clutching their chests. His son, Haran, lay prostrate, covered in a sticky substance, being relentlessly whipped by a brown-haired girl in a flowing crimson dress. The girl, sweating profusely, emitted a strange, shimmering aura, while behind her, a man with an utterly indifferent expression calmly watched.

Sulas Harman, bewildered, muttered to Gijan, “I must be getting old. I’m seeing things.” Gijan, quickly drawing his sword, lunged forward, shouting at the girl to stop, but his words caught in his throat. The moment his eyes met the indifferent gaze of the man behind the girl, Gijan froze. A sensation of his blood draining from his body, like an ebbing tide, swept over him. He staggered, unable to control his movements, yet the red light from the man’s eyes held him captive. Gijan’s face, once flushed, turned ashen, and he ultimately succumbed to the suffocating terror, collapsing to his knees on the garden floor.

The True Power Revealed

Sulas Harman immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. Gijan, one of his most skilled warriors, capable of single-handedly defeating ten assassins, had been brought to his knees by a mere gaze. This was incomprehensible. Realizing the danger, Sulas Harman slowly began to retreat.

But then, the girl’s voice pierced the air: “Perverted poop bug!”

“Cough!” Sulas Harman gasped, clutching his chest as he involuntarily collapsed. He wasn’t alone. His soldiers, who had arrived with murderous intent, also groaned and fell to their knees. “Wh-what on earth… is this…” Sulas Harman, sweating profusely, looked up to see the girl, still panting, as the man approached her, speaking calmly.

“That’s enough.” Jun-sang spoke, conjuring a gentle breeze to cool the air and a morning dew to wipe away Heness’s sweat.

“I-I’m sorry. But I was so angry…” Heness stammered.

“I understand, don’t worry about it,” Jun-sang replied.

“Yes…” Heness hesitantly offered Jun-sang two whips. “This… I used it well.” Jun-sang chuckled and told her to keep them, explaining that they could quickly heal wounds.

Jun-sang then turned to Haran, still writhing on the ground, and asked if his father was among those present. Haran, terrified, stammered, unable to speak, confirming Jun-sang’s suspicion that the lord was indeed nearby. “Who is the lord?” Jun-sang demanded, red light pulsing from his eyes. Sulas Harman, recognizing the profound mistake he had made, realized this man was beyond human comprehension; only such power could instill such paralyzing fear with a mere gaze. He was reminded of his own deceased father, whom he had poisoned out of similar terror from merely meeting his eyes.

Jun-sang scanned the soldiers and easily identified Sulas Harman by his elaborate armor. “Are you the lord?”

“Y-yes… I am,” Sulas Harman replied, quickly correcting his usual informal speech, an instinctual act to avoid being torn to shreds by the red-eyed demon.

Jun-sang nodded and turned to Heness. “It seems he’s the one, so speak well.”

“Yes, leave it to me.” Heness stepped forward and addressed Sulas Harman. “Lord.”

“W-what… is it?” Sulas Harman stammered. Heness frowned, placing her hands on her hips as Sulas Harman’s tone reverted to informal speech. “Are you stupid? Can’t you see the situation?”

“Cough!” Sulas Harman clutched his chest again as the word “stupid” escaped Heness’s lips. He realized, with a sinking heart, that this woman, too, was a demon. “P-please speak.” Only when Sulas Harman’s words became respectful did Heness nod. “It would have been easier if we had respected each other from the start, wouldn’t it?”

“I’m sorry…” Sulas Harman stammered, profusely sweating and bowing his head. Heness, seeing his abject fear, felt her anger subside. “First, please stand up.”

“Thank you,” Sulas Harman murmured, hesitantly rising.

Heness then explained her predicament: “Actually, I left home in a hurry and couldn’t contact anyone properly. I’m sorry, but would it be possible to send a letter to my home?”

“O-of course. But… where to?”

“Ibelua, Delodran. My father is Jester Balan Brea there.” Sulas Harman quickly memorized the names.

“Oh… I haven’t even written the letter yet. I wasted so much time because of that pervert…”

“Cough!” The word “pervert” from Heness’s mouth sent another jolt through the recovering onlookers. Heness then stuck out her tongue playfully at Jun-sang. “Jun-sang, I want to write a letter. Can I borrow some paper and a pen?”

Jun-sang silently produced a cabinet from his inventory, then retrieved a notebook and a ballpoint pen. With telekinesis, he brought a small table and chairs from a corner of the garden for her comfort. Heness beamed at his small kindnesses. “Thank you.”

“I merely did what was necessary.” For Jun-sang and Heness, these actions were routine, but for the bewildered onlookers, it was utterly shocking, their eyes wide and mouths agape. Magically conjuring an iron chest from thin air and moving furniture without touching it was something out of ancient tales of sorcerers.

Quests and Departure

Heness, oblivious to the awe-struck crowd, opened the notebook Jun-sang provided and began diligently writing a letter to her parents and siblings. Time passed, about enough to drink two or three cups of hot tea, before Heness finished writing and stood up. “Whew… I’m sorry. It took a long time because I had a lot to write.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jun-sang carefully placed her letter into a Ziploc bag to protect it from moisture, then turned to Sulas Harman. “Lord.”

“Yes!” Sulas Harman stood at attention like a new recruit.

“Where is it to be sent?” Jun-sang asked quietly.

“Ibelua, Delodran! To Jester Balan Brea!” Sulas Harman replied loudly, still in a rigid stance.

“You remember well.” Jun-sang nodded, handing him the Ziploc bag. Sulas Harman received it with both hands, astonished by its material—transparent like the finest glass, yet soft and pliable, unlike anything he had ever seen, even in Belkaras, a hub of wealth.

“Guard it with your life.”

“Y-yes, of course!”

Jun-sang nodded again and continued, “Now, gather the people I call here.”

“Huh?”

“Gute, Gila, Zdas…” Jun-sang rattled off about a dozen names. Sulas Harman, sweating profusely, memorized each name and quickly ordered his soldiers to fetch them.

Heness approached Jun-sang, quietly asking, “Are you going to accept their requests?”

“Of course.” Jun-sang retrieved his cabinet again, taking out a teapot, teacups, and a portable burner. “It might take a while, so let’s have some tea.”

“Yes!” The two sat down at the small table that had been brought for writing, ignoring the gaping soldiers, and enjoyed their private tea time. Soon, the soldiers returned with a group of terrified people. Heness immediately gestured to them. “Bring them all here.”

“Yes.” Heness offered a gentle, reassuring smile to the frightened individuals. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Do you have any troubles? Please ask us. Then it will come true.”

Though initially disoriented by the bizarre situation, the people were drawn in by Heness’s gentle demeanor and began to recount their difficulties as if spellbound. Heness calmly listened to each story, summarizing them for Jun-sang.

“No big deal,” Jun-sang remarked, checking the updated sub-quests. He swiftly completed all the side quests within the castle. While these quests were optional for Jun-sang, Heness immediately leveled up and gained a special skill, Negotiation, which reached level 3.

“Oh?” Heness was surprised when white light erupted from her body but quickly recognized it as a phenomenon she’d seen from Jun-sang before. She was thrilled not only by the physical lightness of leveling up but also by the feeling of being a little closer to Jun-sang.

With all sub-quests complete, Jun-sang and Heness finally departed Belkaras. Sulas Harman, who had been anxiously trailing them, breathed a sigh of relief as they vanished into the dark forest. “Whew… I truly lost ten years off my life.”

“Fortunately, they didn’t seem to be truly evil people. They didn’t even demand any compensation,” Gijan noted. Sulas Harman nodded in agreement. “Indeed. And to resolve people’s troubles even while in such a hurry… I never knew such people existed in this world.”

Unbeknownst to them, as they left the castle, a squirrel with its mouth covered in iron and stone dust had leaped onto Jun-sang’s shoulder. This squirrel, incidentally, possessed the abilities of Appraisal Level 3 and Storage Level 2.