Chapter 103

"Have a drink."

"... I distinctly recall requesting a meeting."

"Isn't that what we're having?"

Seated at a tavern table, Go Juncheol gave Director Han a disapproving look.

"I'm uncomfortable with informal gatherings."

"And I'm more uncomfortable with formal ones."

She pointed upward with a finger as she poured a drink.

"Too many eyes watching."

"Even you worry about what people think, Director Han?"

"Of course. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who treads more carefully than I do."

She raised her glass for a toast, but seeing Go Juncheol sitting there stone-faced, she drank alone.

"Are you aware of the uproar in the game lately?"

"Is that so? The board seems pleased. They say public interest has been at its highest since launch, starting with the Black Dragon's appearance."

"A game that had maintained its balance until now has fallen apart overnight."

"Why does it need balance?"

"... Pardon?"

Director Han smiled and refilled her glass.

"Taking corporate sponsorships to conquer the Labyrinth Tower, while monopolizing item production to rake in obscene profits... Is that what you call balance?"

She clinked her glass against Go Juncheol's empty one on the table.

"We made a game, not a business."

"... Surely that can't be helped. Evil Tale is already closely intertwined with the real world."

"Yes. That's why I'm looking forward to this. A player with nothing to his name is accomplishing things that even rankers with every kind of sponsorship couldn't manage."

"Looking forward to it? I'm worried one troublemaker will muddy the waters."

Go Juncheol poured himself a drink.

"Do you really believe he's playing honestly?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's using an item that wasn't supposed to appear until the third scenario, and he has the protagonist of the second scenario working as his mercenary. And on top of that, there's the Legendary class, Dragon Lord..."

CLACK!

Go Juncheol drained his glass in one gulp and spoke.

"No matter how lucky he is, doesn't that strike you as strange?"

"Are you suggesting he's using an illegal program? You needn't worry about hacks. Ethan keeps a very tight rein on that sort of thing."

"No. I'm saying it's Ethan I find suspicious."

"... Pardon?"

Director Han's expression stiffened slightly at his words.

"You must have read the reports. His information was lost after the Blackout. And everything he tells us about himself is a lie."

Go Juncheol addressed her directly.

"We have no way of knowing who he is."

"His personal information should become available once Ethan completes its self-repair."

BANG!

Go Juncheol slammed his hand on the table.

It was blatant insubordination, yet for some reason, Director Han did not reprimand him.

"That damned Ethan...! If we're leaving everything to an AI, what the hell are administrators and developers even here for?"

Silence fell for a moment.

Go Juncheol ran a hand back through his hair and lowered his head.

"... I apologize."

"It's all right. I understand how you feel, Team Leader. It must be frustrating. You never approved of using Ethan this way to begin with."

"..."

"Your wife was the one who developed Ethan, after all."

"I'd appreciate it if we refrained from discussing anything unrelated to work."

"What happened to her... I'm sorry about it too. But after the project fell through, I applied Ethan to the game as my own way of paying tribute to a senior colleague. I hope you'll see it that way."

"That isn't what I came to discuss."

"Then what can I do for you?"

"I'd like to request special authorization."

Director Han let out a quiet sigh, as though she had expected this.

"Administrators intervening directly in the game is against regulations."

"I have no intention of doing anything to the game. I want to investigate this Khan personally, rather than merely monitor him."

'Just as I thought...'

Since the Black Dragon's defeat, enthusiasm for Khan had swept through online communities and broadcasts.

The board had even suggested actively supporting him.

Unlike them, however, Go Juncheol harbored more suspicions about Khan than anyone.

"Special authorization isn't something I can grant at my own discretion. It requires a meeting, so it will take time."

"Then..."

"In the meantime, there's someone named Kim Hajun on the administration team, isn't there?"

"... You mean that clueless fellow?"

Director Han chuckled at his question.

"Yes. I personally pulled strings to place him on your team."

She lowered her voice.

"Evil Tale's first scenario is still underway, after all."

"... What do you mean?"

"When it comes to the first scenario, at least, he knows more than Ethan does. In fact, he even knows things Ethan doesn't."

"...?"

"I barely managed to stop him from quitting the company, so make good use of him."

TRICKLE.

She filled Go Juncheol's glass.

"Make good use of that young man."

* * *

"Boss!! I heard you're going hunting for Fenrir!!"

"Not hunting. We're going to look for Fenrir. I got lucky."

"Wow... A Primordial Sacred Spirit..."

Weden, who had come to Woojin's room, trailed off.

He apparently wanted to come along too.

"How's your training going?"

"Well, I'm being taught by the Red Knights' instructors. They say that after four more days, I can learn a Trait called Sword-and-Shield Combat and a skill called Battle Shout."

"A Trait and a skill for a week's training? That's a good deal. Keep at it."

He had put it indirectly, but it was a refusal all the same.

"Ruen won't be going either. She's training too."

House Balan's training was proving highly effective in helping his party members grow.

'Ruen said she'd learn a skill when she finishes training too...'

Acquiring skills in [Evil Tale] was quite difficult.

Woojin intended to get everything he could out of this opportunity.

"I'm going!"

Setsuna, seated on the bedside table, flashed Weden a V sign.

"I don't need training!"

"Ugh... I'm jealous."

Even the knights couldn't train a Phantasmal Spirit, so she had decided to join Woojin in searching for Fenrir.

"There's no need to be jealous. You'll get experience when you finish training too. No reason to take unnecessary risks."

"Okay, I understand. But when you get back, we're running a dungeon together, all right? Promise? The knights told me there's a level-50 dungeon near the kingdom."

He was probably thinking of a time attack.

"Sure. Let's do that. Is Kerga at the top of that board too?"

"No. I looked it up, and it's someone called 'Baal.'"

"... Baal?"

Woojin tilted his head at the unfamiliar name.

"Yes. According to the community posts I found, he was one of the early players, but it looks like he's quit now."

"Hmm... Really?"

Perhaps Woojin had been too set in his assumptions.

He had taken it for granted that Kerga would hold first place on the Dungeon Board. Hearing an unfamiliar name piqued his curiosity.

"It isn't Kerga's record, and it still hasn't been broken? Interesting."

"Yes. Kerga's record is in second place. Strange, isn't it? Normally he'd try again. Why would he leave it like that?"

"Who knows? Maybe his pride wouldn't let him try again... or maybe he tried, couldn't do it, and gave up."

"Then make sure you go with me when you get back!"

"All right, I will. Take good care of Lea while I'm away."

Weden nodded.

He honestly didn't understand why Woojin treated an NPC with such care, but Woojin had helped him so much that he tried not to question the request.

* * *

"You're here."

When Woojin stepped out of the manor, Aswell was waiting in the clearing.

"These are the members of our mission. Introduce yourselves, everyone. This is Khan."

"A pleasure to meet you."

Contrary to Woojin's expectations, it was a small group for an expedition to meet one of the most powerful beings in existence.

There were only four of them, including Aswell and Woojin.

"A pleasure. I'm Ider, a court mage."

"I am Bellan, a court priest."

Judging by their stony expressions, neither seemed pleased to have an Outlander joining such an important mission to find Fenrir.

"You should introduce the little one as well."

At Aswell's prompting, Setsuna poked her head out from inside Woojin's clothes.

"...!"

"...!"

Their expressions changed at the sight of her.

"Is this... Could she be a Phantasmal Spirit?"

The court mage recognized what Setsuna was at once.

"That's right."

"Incredible. How... M-may I touch her?"

Woojin looked at Setsuna. She nodded, then flew over to Ider.

"Oh..."

He examined her as she stood on his palm, handling her as though she were a precious treasure.

"We're short on time. We can talk on the way."

Ider looked as though he had plenty of questions for Woojin, but at Aswell's words, he smacked his lips in disappointment and nodded.

* * *

"There is a legend that Kala, the first king and founder of the Kingdom of Tekan, had the power to command wolves."

Aswell spoke to Woojin as they rode.

"In fact, the Kingdom of Tekan has a vast mountain range called the Gray Curtain, on the opposite side from the Great Forest in the center."

"Isn't it famous as a wolf habitat? That's why leather and fur are among Tekan's specialties."

"Indeed. I'd thought the rumors had simply sprung up because there were so many wolves... But recently, we found a passage in the royal storehouse."

"What did it say?"

"That the first king, Kala, commanded an enormous white wolf with a horn on its forehead that emitted blue lightning."

"Fenrir."

"Exactly. Of course, many royal legends are fabrications, so I dismissed it at first... But five days ago, a patrol reported seeing a white wolf in the Gray Curtain."

"A week..."

"Curious, isn't it? That was around the time the Black Dragon appeared in Thorn Bach."

Aswell looked at Woojin.

"The Black Dragon's appearance has brought quite a few changes."

"Indeed. And yet... Looking at you, I have the strangest feeling that the Black Dragon wasn't necessarily the reason Fenrir appeared."

"What do you mean?"

"If it were because of the Black Dragon, it would have appeared as soon as the Monster Wave began. But the fact that it was discovered afterward..."

He was suggesting that Fenrir's appearance was due to Woojin.

"Haha, surely not. Who am I to make even a Primordial Sacred Spirit appear?"

"Who knows? To be honest, I have my hopes."

Aswell smiled enigmatically.

[AWOOOO...!!]

It happened then.

A wolf's howl sounded in the distance, as though warning them off.

[GRRRR...]

[GRRR...]

At the same time, red eyes gleamed between the trees.

Dozens—no, hundreds of wolves watched them, as though they had been waiting.

"It seems we've come to the right place."

Aswell took hold of his sword.

"Did you know? They say Fenrir can recognize those destined to become kings."

"... Pardon?"

"Prepare for battle!!"

Aswell charged forward.