9) The Return of the King

The place where Weed reappeared was the Earth Palace in the Arpen Kingdom.

The palace built high in the mountains in the form of a crown! The piled up stones were in various colours and large and small buildings around the palace had already been completed.

Ddiring!

The application of a time bonus!

This was evidence that Weed had left a larger trace on the world. If his forgotten glory returned then it would be great.

“There is still a deficit. A lot of effort was used to fully complete the quest. More cash would be better.”

The king could receive enormous privileges in the Earth Palace. The users without enough fame might be rejected or not be granted quests by residents but Weed’s treatment was completely different.

Weed murmured in a small voice.

“The world is really unfair. Well, it is okay since I can’t change it.”

Others received preferential treatment but they lived a proud life.

A lot of users were busy running around the Earth Palace. The users wanted to use the facilities and shops inside the palace. The merchants were also selling things at their stalls.

“How far have the Haven Empire come?”

“They have pa.s.sed the Nur Plains and the Gra.s.s Porridge Cult are protecting the area.”

“Then it will probably take about three days?”

“Yes. Once they break through the Nur Plains, they can quickly advance here.”

While Weed was busy making sculptures for 20 days, the Haven Empire was on a winning streak.

Players were flocking like bees to the front of the Earth Palace. The unstable hope of the northern users!

-Weed the G.o.d of War is our king.

-The situation will change once our king returns.

-The history of the world was changed by Weed. The dragon also lost its life. The Haven Empire isn’t his opponent.

The northern users talked like this. Naturally the Haven Empire wasn’t silent.

-Weed is a loser. He already fought us and lost his life. Bardray is unbeatable.

-It is just a coincidence that the dragon died on the quest. The Haven Empire is mighty enough to occupy an entire continent. This shall be proven with the devastated north.

Weed ignored the words of the northern users.

“My destiny means that something always happens. Let’s see, Stats Window!”

Level 419.

He had raised his level while hunting in the warring period with Seo-yoon. He was level 438 when he arrived at Boden village and was cursed by the Portu King.

But he gave life to sculptures in the desert and lost a lot of levels.

His adventures in the desert was an incredible success but that all disappeared after he returned to his original world.

“In the meantime, Bardray has been on many adventures and obtained levels, stats and equipment.”

In addition to Bardray, his Royal Guards and the guild have already become stronger.

‘Bardray is the leading person on the Versailles Continent so it wouldn’t be strange for him to be level 500. Or he might have found some good hunting grounds.’

Weed’s rapid hunting and stat gains during his adventure was so fast that it was rare to find a rival.

Gaining levels quickly from hunting was a big advantage for him. Other people suffered for 10 hours hunting monsters while Weed could gain the same levels in half the time.

But that was a story for the future. Right now, the damage received from the quest was too large.

‘Bardray would just run circles around me. I need to steadily hunt before I can have a one on one battle with him.’

The users around Weed were still chatting.

“The desert king Weed will appear and kill Bardray with one swing of his sword.”

“…….”

“Hey, that is unnecessary. It will be all over once he summons a meteor.”

“Isn’t it? The Haven Empire will lose if a meteor is summoned above their heads.”

Weed wanted to tell them the truth.

The meteor summon was like an allowance a child receives from their mother and he no longer had the scroll. Time Sculpting took a long down to learn so it was like he was broke right now. It was like losing all the goid parts in an apricot.

If he was still the Great Emperor of the desert then all the monsters would rush into their graves.

“Well, it’s not the worst thing. I have a lot of properties. Including cowardice, persistence and dirty tricks.”

Weed walked through the grounds of the Earth Palace. The Earth Palace spanned seven mountain peaks so important buildings were accessible.

The palace of the king was located on the highest mountain in the middle. Originally goblins and dwarves lived on this mountain but now people called it the mountain of adventure and prosperity.

Those who weren’t n.o.bles or people with significant achievements weren ‘t allow to enter so the palace was being protected by NPC knights. They were knights from Vent Castle that survived the fall of the Niflheim Empire. Morata’s knights grew to over 1,000 people.

Weed had given a command before going to the warring period of the army of the Arpen Kingdom didn’t partic.i.p.ate in combat at all.

Normally the king would leave command of the military to n.o.bles but as it was a fledgling kingdom, n.o.bles didn’t exist at all. The king had appointed key positions to his sculptural lifeforms.

“Stop! You can’t pa.s.s through here. The only ones permitted into the palace of the Arpen Kingdom is….heok! Welcome!”

The knights wearing armour hurriedly got out of the way in order to let Weed pa.s.s.

“Thank you.”

“It is an unspeakable honour to meet you.”

Weed walked towards the Royal Palace.

The main gateways and knights were arranged at 10 metre intervals. They placed their swords on their chest as Weed got closer.

“Come see the holy person.”

“Wors.h.i.+p the person who brought this land to us!”

The att.i.tude of the knights were extremely polite. All the knights had sworn fealty to the king. Many knights were betrayed, insulted, criticized or treated badly by kings who didn’t care about fame and honour.

But in Weed’s case, the northern users highly respected him and showed him absolute loyalty. Even the free knights voluntarily migrated here. Users who were knights and belonged to the Arpen Kingdom would benefit from high fame and honour with soldiers.

The knights that Weed encountered on the way to the Royal Palace all walked behind him. Once there were 30 knights, the users started looking at it with strange eyes.

“What, another event?”

“I don’t know. Did an adventurer discover treasure somewhere?”

In the north, adventure was actively encouraged and there were always new things happening in the city. Those who returned to the kingdom with a huge treasure would be escorted by knights.

Even those that killed monsters worsening the peace would be appointed as a knight or a minor barony. They would be appointed to rule small villages or have their intimacy with knights raised. Those that returned to the palace with glorious actions would have the knights come running.

However, this time every knight was greeting the person with extreme respect. Once that number went over 50, the users became larger and more excitement spread.

“That reminds me, those mediocre starter clothing….”

“Weed the G.o.d of War made that type of attire popular. And that popularity has pa.s.sed so people haven’t been wearing common clothing recently.”

“I also feel like it is time for him to come back. Is this really the return of the king?”

“I will tell me friends. This is really the jackpot!”

“Look at his appearance. The immaculate skin, clear eyes and commonplace face.”

Charm was a stat that was obtained during his adventures and it made small changes to his skin. Those that wore expensive clothes and ate pork belly at the market would have a faint feeling of oiliness from their face.

“Look at the att.i.tude of the knights. It is certain. In addition, he is being sandwiched among them.”

“Ah, I see.”

The users followed behind Weed like the knights. The number of people grew larger like a s...o...b..ll rolling as they notified their friends and word quickly spread through the northern continent.

It even spread to people hunting in the dungeons, exploring unusual terrain or those protecting the north from the Haven Empire.

“I’m sorry, I have to stop hunting and return to the village.”

“Why? What will happen to the people remaining if the warrior leaves? A complete nuisance.”

“If there isn’t a convincing reason then you won’t be accepted on the next hunt.”

“That….Weed-nim is back. I want to see Weed-nim.”

“Really?”

“Is that true?”

“I heard it from my friend. He is quite a reputable merchant and dealt with Weed-nim in the past. His eyes confirmed it from the Earth Palace directly.”

“You should’ve told us earlier. Let’s all go see Weed-nim at the Earth Palace.”

“What about the hunt?”

“What are you talking about? Do you think hunting is important now?”

It only took 3~4 minutes to spread the news among all the northern users. People talked to their friends who told their other friends.

It also hit the Gra.s.s Porridge Cult members who were fighting against the Haven Empire on the Nur Plains.

“Waaaaaah!”

“Hooray!”

“He has come!”

The Haven Empire was puzzled by their sudden shout.

“What are those guys playing at?”

“They are cheering. I don’t know why they are rejoicing before the ma.s.sacre.”

“Breaking news. Weed the G.o.d of War is back.”

“What?”

Weed’s return was quickly announced in the Hermes Guild’s information network. Lafaye and the leaders of the guild rushed to meet after hearing news about Weed.

“He finally showed up.”

“This is the end of the war but resistance is growing again.”

“Prepare the military. In particular, we can never know what Weed’s plan is so be careful of a strike.”

“Should we double the escort troops?”

“Increase it by 3 times when the supply troops depart.”

The leaders of the Hermes Guild weren’t negligent at all. No matter how overwhelming their army was, Weed could never be ignored.

In the early days, Lafaye had thought only two or three rounds of combat would be needed to conquer the north.

‘Once they feel the difference in strength a few times, they will be easily defeated and trampled on. There is no one on the Versailles Continent that can rival the power of the Haven Empire.’

But the north kept fighting against the dominance of the Haven Empire. Their plans already went sour.

The dramatic scenes of Weed struggling on the battlefield was constantly being played on the television. His actions gave the people of the Versailles Continent hope and courage. Therefore the resistance in the north became increasingly heavier and now Weed had returned.

The leaders of the Hermes Guild couldn’t ignored the power of Weed and the north.

Bardray who was preparing to fight Abyss Knight Van Hawk also heard the news.

“Weed has appeared.”

‘Of course he would come back.’

Bardray quietly pulled out his sword.

The best equipment and hunting grounds of the Haven Empire was provided to him. All the best weapons, armour and accessories.

In the past he had been lacking a lot but he learned from watching Weed. Hunting through the one point attack or risking his life with a drastic thrust towards a large monster.

‘I am certain to win the fight and he won’t win even if he uses his tricks.’

Bardray’s heart had fallen when he saw Weed succeed in his quest. He was afraid of the final secret sculpting technique received as a reward for the quest.

‘I hope it is a pure art skill.’

He could no longer boast about his win in the past. Bardray decided to kill Weed again in order to demonstrate the difference.

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Weed walked forward without any hesitation while the users and knights followed. If he took a step back then the shouts of the users could be heard.

“Weed the G.o.d of War!”

“Weed-nim, is it really you? Please nod once if it is correct!”

“I wanted to see you. You must remember me, the adventurer Redul!”

“Welcome back. The Merchants Guild is gathering in Bingryong Square.”

“Weed-nim, the other day Goldman borrowed 2 gold from me and still hasn’t returned it!”

The cheers of the users! Almost all the users in the vicinity of the Earth Palace was making a fuss. The escort knights blocked their access but the amount of people was enough for him to feel it.

‘This building is robust and meticulously built.’

This was the first time Weed visited the Earth Palace so his eyes scanned every nook and cranny. He was looking for problems like cracks, leaks, wide joints or any inferior workmans.h.i.+p!

The architects had voluntarily partic.i.p.ated in building the palace so such a thing couldn’t happen. Usually the architects were given a certain amount of money to build it in a quick period so complaints would build up.

The architects in the north had a relatively low level but advanced technical skills. Once their construction skills increased, benefits could be obtained such as minimizing the area of the pillars or creating materials that would decrease the weight.

The palace was built based on their wealth of construction experience. The architects with low skills placed stones on the road and even created flower beds. This work was under his name so no mistakes would be tolerated.

The Arpen Kingdom’s Royal Palace was started with 2 million gold but was completed due to the contribution and partic.i.p.ation of the users.

Weed stood in front of the stairs going up to the Royal Palace. Hundreds of Royal Knights wearing gold and silver plated armour standing on their stairs pulled out their swords.

“Your Majesty.”

Cheok!

The swords were placed at their chest and they bowed.

“It is really Weed-nim!”

“Amazing! Really amazing!”

The power of the kingdom’s knights was enough that monsters would turn and flee. Due to the culture and commerce of the kingdom, he had committed to expanding the military to police the border and secure peace.

When it wasn’t in a war with other kingdoms, the knights would sweep up monsters and bandits. They ensured security from thieves and fought alongside users to save villages threatened by monsters. The population explosion in the frontier villages made it difficult for the knights and soldiers to combat.

Therefore his army wasn’t at an embarra.s.sing level. There were multiple kingdoms on the Versailles Continent but it had proudly established itself. However, it was still unstable and in danger of disappearing in front of the Haven Empire’s invasion.

Weed climbed the stairs of the palace through the path that the knights had opened. The users shouts became louder every time he climbed the stairs.

‘What the h.e.l.l…am I a person deserving of that much respect?’

“Weed-nim!”

‘I’m pleased that they are acting like this. The Arpen Kingdom is mine and they are my people.’

“Waaaaaah!”

‘It should be fine to raise the taxes. What time would be better, how about the day after tomorrow?’

The spirit of a dictator that connected the cheers with a tax increase!

“Welcome Your Majesty.”

The knights opened the front door once Weed arrived at the entrance of the palace.

The interior view of the palace! The Arpen Kingdom couldn’t be called frugal but the inside was filled with colourful decorations, gold and precious jewels.

It was a huge s.p.a.ce for the king made from the enormous tax income of local cities. Of course, this wasn’t a luxury but necessary to deal with users.

Users with production skills made jewellery with gems and as adventurers spread out, relics of the Niflheim Empire continued to be discovered. There were also quality products that had gathered dust for many years in the warehouse of high end stores.

Weed walked in the centre of the red carpet that had been spread out.

Beads of light were floating like living organisms. ‘The Eyes of the Niflheim Empire’ had been excavated by adventurers in the north. They flew around the palace in high places like birds and seeing them would increase governance of his territory by 4%.

At the minimum, a king was required to use it so the general users donated it.

Ddiring!

“I will allow it.”

Royal Knights came along with him. They shouted on one knee.

“Your Majesty, many people will rejoice that you returned after a long time. The people suffering from an invasion from the outside are feeling anxious. Can we light the beacon to inform people that Your Majesty is alive?”

Ddiring!

There were numerous decisions he needed to make as king that were simple. Weed easily gave permission without worrying about it.

“Light the beacon to announce that I am here.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Soon red, blue and yellow smoke started rising from the peaks of the Earth Palace into the sky. And then smoke could be seen from other mountain peaks.

On the wide plains, messengers rose horses to mountains that weren’t in the line of sight and they lit their beacons. By the time it was evening, smoke was blowing across the entire Arpen Kingdom.

The news that Weed arrived spread all over the Arpen Kingdom.

The broadcasting stations quickly informed those in Royal Road who didn’t know about it.

The armed forces of the Haven Empire were marching towards the Earth Palace. And King Weed of the Arpen Kingdom had arrived on the premises of the Earth Palace.

On the brink of a crisis! The Haven Empire that had taken over the entire Central Continent were moving a colossal amount of troops into the north.

Despite Weed’s adventures being like a myth, the majority of users had the opinion that his wings would be broken.

Once Weed arrived at the Royal Palace, there were users who requested discussions with him. They were local lords and well known users in the Gra.s.s Porridge Cult.

But the architect called Pavo was the one most urgent to contact him.

Pavo was different from the time he wore several layers of thick clothes to protect against the freezing cold during the Northern Expedition. Since the time Pavo had been registered as his friend, he had become a great architect in the north.

-We need to meet in order to discuss how to stop the Haven Empire.

“I understand. Come here.”

Several architects including Pavo arrived through a magician’s teleportation. They hadn’t changed clothes and were still wearing dusty overalls.

“You came back safely.”

Pavo grabbed Weed’s hand. The other architects were thrilled to meet a celebrity and greet Weed with wide eyes.

“You have really suffered a lot for the north.”

The architects had dedicated themselves to acting for the north. They repaired fortressed and made the walls higher. Despite it not having a big effect, they placed a large role in dragging out the advance of the Haven Empire.

If it wasn’t for them, the Earth Palace might have already been captured.

“There is no time so I will explain it simply. Can you defeat them if you fight the Haven Empire?”

Pavo asked with penetrating eyes. The 30 architects that came along with him were also showing signs of curiosity.

In fact, every northern user and even the Hermes Guild wanted to know this answer.

If they just looked at the power then it was natural for the Haven Empire to win. But Weed had reversed adverse fights every time. He overcame absolute quests that most people would collapse at just thinking about it.

This time the comparison wasn’t simple because it wasn’t just a difference in power between users. But they still wondered if Weed had alternative methods to reverse the situation.

Weed energetically replied.

“I can defeat them.”

“Really?”

“Well, maybe.”

“…….”

A mild att.i.tude!

The architects were disappointed but they soon interpreted it in a positive manner.

‘Yes, it is hard to be sure. The situation is so disadvantageous but he confidently replied that there was a chance. It isn’t arrogance or greed.’

‘He isn’t giving up at all. That is a good thing.’

Pavo hesitated before nodding reluctantly.

“If the Haven Empire continues to march like this then it will arrive in two days. The northern users have already tied them up for three days. They have been reinforced so they might buy an extra half day.”

“I expected that.”

Weed’s return meant that the quality of the northern users would change greatly. The mid and high level users that had been waiting now started to move against the Haven Empire. If Weed led the northern users directly then it was rare to find users not willing to fight.

But when looking at the power of both sides, Weed’s magic over the northern users still couldn’t overcome the disadvantage.

“The architects can stop them for at least three days.”

“Really?”

“In addition, we can give them significant damage.”

“Then the reason you came to see me….”

Weed quickly notice it.

“This means there will be some damage to the north.”

“That’s correct. Do you know about the Alkazar Bridge that the Stone Hammer Guild built?”

“The bridge that connects both sides of the Pes.h.i.+l River. The river is quite deep so boats were used to cross it. The creation of the bridge means that travellers and merchants can easily cross.”

Alkazar’s Bridge was a source of great pride for the architects.

The landscape around it made construction difficult and the stones used to build the bridge were demanding materials.

If someone stood on the Alkazar Bridge on a dark night, they would see the beautiful sight of Yusellin village and the stars reflected in the water.

It was a highly recommended place to visit for travellers.

“The Haven Empire will definitely cross the Alkazar Bridge.”

It would take a significant amount of time if the army had to build rafts or small boats to cross the river. Pavo said he could stop them for three days but Weed was well versed in s.h.i.+pbuilding and thought it would be at least five days.

The siege weapons and supplies were quite heavy. In fact, any type of disruption wouldn’t stop them from crossing the river.

Weed already guessed what the architects were trying to say.

“If we do this on purpose then there is no going back.”

“Once they cross the bridge, you want to break the bridge.”

“Ohhhhh!”

Weed’s face was surprised like he was a child that dropped candy on the ground. It was awkward because he hadn’t expected such excessive reactions!

Pavo’s eyebrows twitched.

“You…you knew what I was trying to say.”

“It is okay as long as we live. Breaking a Grand Building must be stressful.”

“That’s correct. It is something that we pa.s.sionately built and now we have to tear it down with our hands. Especially since people enjoyed the convenience and everyone became happier.”

“Kuhuhuk, the stone pillar that I built in the river.”

“I ate fish and almost died.”

The architects couldn’t help shedding tears!

Weed had been stuck in the desert but he could understand this scene. The feeling of his sculptures being broken.

‘Of course, breaking it is worth it. Time and money was spent on it. But it is better than being ripped off by a customer.’

This was the tough aspect of Weed’s mentality.

“As King of the Arpen Kingdom, I have made a decision. Break it!”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Thus, it was easily decided that Alkazar Bridge would be broken.

“Just be careful. The Hermes Guild will notice quickly.”

“Hoho, this is the skill of an architect. We might not be able to hunt well but architects can play a role in a war. Our role is comparable to second place.”

“It is certainly an excellent way to stop them. Go ahead.”

“We are ready to start immediately.”

Weed was feeling refreshed at this point. But the architects’ next words caused him heartburn.

“As expected. He really isn’t an ordinary person.”

“It seems so. A lot of money went into the Alkazar Bridge.”

“Probably most of the Arpen Kingdom’s budget flew into it.”

“I don’t know the exact amount but it was probably beyond 2 million gold.”

Burururu!

Weed’s eyes started shaking fiercely like he was watching a sad movie.

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Dung dang dung dang!

The architects working on the Alkazar Bridge wore black cloaks around their bodies while working.

“Smash it in moderation. The bridge should crumble with as much of the enemy on the bridge as possible.”

“Of course!”

“We will leave the outside and only work on the inside. Only the important pillars acting as support will be cut…”

“I made the calculations so I know better than anyone. Don’t worry about it.”

Alkazar Bridge was teeming with users but thanks to the Haven Empire, the tourists couldn’t be seen at all.

In fact, there were many users on the bridge that were indifferent to the world. Some of those on holiday from their companies would eat and sleep on the bridge. But they had all flocked to the Earth Palace after Weed’s return.

The group of architects were able to work discreetly.

“We need to show those fellows a clear example.”

“But to break a building like this, I can’t help shedding tears.”

The architects weren’t the only ones being active in the north.

The continent’s leading architect, Mibullo.

He had taken part in the construction of the Haven Empire’s Imperial Palace. However, he didn’t like it and sneaked into the north.

The Haven Empire’s Imperial Palace was great but it was the prime example of poor construction!

If there was an event where many people gathered in the building then it would come cras.h.i.+ng down. If there was heavy rain that soaked the ground then the foundation would sink down. The splendid building spread over a vast area would fall to pieces.

Mibullo had only heard rumours of the north and this was his first time seeing it.

“It is amazing. Breathtaking. How can the city look so disordered yet lively?”

Morata had a distinctly different flavour from the Central Continent. It was uncomfortable to move through the entrance of the city due to so many merchants.

“Seeling good, expensive products.”

“A premium merchant in Morata offers you greetings. Right now I am selling luxurious products for level 200 users. Come and see. Looking only costs 2 silver!”

It was more common to see merchants sitting lazily in the Central Continent. Players put up shops and hired employees to take care of everything.

However, the northern users were actively engaged in soliciting customers.

But that wasn’t all. After disposing of his horse, Mibullo went to be replenish his supplies. And there was so many merchants that it was difficult to see individual users.

Fruit, fish, iron ore, food, hunting tools, crockery, weapons, armour, magic items, and items needed for quests.

There were many people walking in and out of Bingryong Square. The remains of the small village Morata was developed from still remained.

The Grand Buildings erected as landmarks of the city, the Tower of Light, G.o.ddess of Freya Statue and the Art Centre were all attractions.

A city filled with art, culture, commercial development and the laughter of its people! In spite of the Haven Empire’s invasion, Morata was still bustling with people.

“I am a novice just starting. Where can I go work to earn money?”

“There is a part time job polis.h.i.+ng apples at the market.”

“Hit the scarecrow. Patience and hard work are the basics! You will be able to grow in the future.”

The beginners continued arriving. Hundreds of people that showed up in the square during their first time in Royal Road had the same reaction.

“Uwak! My body is moving!”

“Omomomo, the city is so beautiful.”

“Ohhh, there is even a smell. Where is this fragrance coming from? My backpack…let’s see, there are 10 barley breads. I’ll eat is sparingly.”

Beginners started to meet friends of family they knew in the city or ran around it alone. After a bunch of beginners left, more users would appear. It was hard not to find beginners in Morata. The Haven Empire’s invasion meant that the north might be destroyed so the wanted to hurriedly start.

“Amazing. This is what living in a city should be like.”

The architect Mibullo absorbed the atmosphere of the city and its people.

Morata didn’t have a long history so many users had been here since it developed. This pride meant that they didn’t know how to give up. They gathered to fight against the Haven Empire and this also raised Morata’s development.

“I have to aid the military!”

He was sick of the lords in the Central Continent. He wanted to see all the Grand Buildings in the north.

In order to do that, he needed to block the Haven Empire.

“I can look around the city later…. There is no time.”

Mibullo left Morata and headed to the place where the Haven Empire was advancing. He was one of the best architects and had special skills.

Landslide!

Ground Collapse!

Mibullo decided to use the skills he gained in the pursuit of art, convenience and design as an architect against the Haven Empire.

TO BE CONTINUED

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