The Knight King Who Returned with Gods : Chapter 58
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
Episode 58: Move Aside, Woman
"Ugh...!"
Her bone felt like it was going to crack. The Golden Lion
Vice Guild Leader Hwang Yeon-ha sat up, clutching from the throbbing pain that
seemed to come from her bone.
“Damn, my bones are about to break.”
Her last memory was jumbled. Why was she down? She
remembered running away from that monstrous Field Boss.......
“You’re awake.”
“Who…huh!”
She was beautiful enough to make her blurry eyes dazzled.
She wore thin clothes made of natural fabrics, a necklace of amber and
accessories of bird feathers, which were unlike the ready-made products of
modern civilization.
Hwang Yeon-ha realized at once that the woman before her
must be a resident of the gate.
"Who... are you?"
"My name is Hildir, shaman of the Woodsling tribe, O Champion."
"C, champion?"
She looked dumbfounded at the unfamiliar title. But
Hildir knelt down and tended to her.
“Because you were trying to protect us from that cruel
kingdom army.”
"Ah......."
It was then that Yeon-ha realized that these were the
'massacred tribesmen', and just then, the tent opened and someone entered.
"My Sister~ you're not dead, you're alive!"
"What?"
Hwang Gum-cheol. The Guild Leader of the Golden Lion
Guild walked into the tent.
"You are back? Champion Hwang Gum-cheol."
"Yes, well... I think we’ve evaded the chase for
now.”
"Chase? Ugh, I can hardly remember."
Yeon-ha ruffled her hair, demanding an explanation.
“How much do you remember?”
"That... the ground was crushed, and that we ran
away......."
"You've lost a whole day's worth of memories, no
wonder."
Hwang Gum-cheol said, gently stroking his sister's head.
Yeon-ha, still in pain and unable to argue as usual, listened in silence as he
explained,
"After the magic failed, we made a dash out of
there. They only had infantry, so it was hard for them to track us,
but......."
Grail Knight Geobrick. He chased the Hunters with a
handful of others. He was not satisfied with already having taken a dozen
captives.
"And there, the warriors of the Woodsling tribe came
to our aid. We were able to break their pursuit with a trap, but when you were
fighting, you were hit with a hammer."
For two days afterward, Yeon-ha did not open her eyes.
"Be thankful. If it weren't for the Hildir shaman
here, you'd be dead."
"Where are the healers?"
"For some reason, they haven't recovered."
"The Grail Knight, Geobrick, also has the power of a
curse that prevents others from healing their wounds. It's a reversal of the
power of healing and regeneration."
Hildir pulled the younger woman's t-shirt off. She
blushed at the suddenness of the action, but then realized that something had
been inscribed on the underside of her navel.
"W- what is this!"
"It's a magic inscription I made to restore you to
health. This inscription was able to bring you back to health."
Such a magic? Yeon-ha looked at her brother and he
shrugged his shoulders.
"They say it's a power unique to the tribes in this
area, and the power granted varies depending on the inscription."
"Really?"
"By the way, can you get up, my Sister? I wanted to
take you to the meeting, if you would like it."
“I can do that much.”
Yeon-ha rose from her sickbed and headed for the tent that
was set up as an emergency meeting room. Hildir also followed the two.
“Oh, you’re awake?”
"Are you okay?"
Lee Yong-wan and Hayuri were there as well. It was a
gathering of all the main leaders of the raid team, and there were some
unfamiliar faces.
"You've awakened, Champion."
"Who......."
"My name is Beldi, Chief of the Woodsling
Tribe."
"I am Grisly, Chief of the Bearthorn Tribe."
"I am Urzon, Chief of the Balterhorn."
There were several other tribal chiefs who seemed to be
natives of the area.
'What the. When did they all gather like this?'
'This quest, I guess... It doesn't seem to be just a
raid.'
NPCs can be hostile or friendly. The goal of the quest
was to defeat the field boss, Majestic Geobrick, and stop the massacre.
One way to do that would be to gain the help of the
tribes on the receiving end of the massacre.
“Now that you’re awake, let’s start the strategy meeting
right away.”
Lee Yong-wan asked the Woodsling Shaman Hildir to explain
things to the dazed Hwang Yeon-ha.
"The Kingdom army has been slaughtering and
plundering us, calling us heretics, skinning us, and executing us
horribly."
The trigger was a show of force by a fed-up group of
united tribesmen.
They fought back and killed the knights and soldiers who
were slaughtering the elderly and the weak by setting them on fire. But it
invited greater force.
"The Grail Knight, Geobrick... that horrible monster
had already wiped out three tribes, claiming it was the price of killing the
men."
The remaining tribes either fled deeper into the land or
sought to defend their homes. The Woodsling, Bearthorn, and Balterhorn tribes
united to fight back.
"But that monster's power is too great. We called
upon our gods for help... and thus you, the champions, came to our rescue."
"......."
Oh, so that's the type of the task. Hwang Yeon-ha was
somewhat enlightened. In short, they would act as heroes and receive support to
repel the Kingdom's forces.
This seemed to be the focus of this new Jeju Island Red
Gate.
"That guy... he's mighty strong."
The 150 elite raiders were helplessly defeated. Even with
four S-class hunters.
Hildir chimed in,
"Geobrick has a defense that can block even a giant
bull's charge, and a regeneration that can repair even a burned body. Some say
he can survive the destruction of his heart, and as long as he lives, his army
is similarly blessed."
Yeah, that was the problem. Besides Geobrick himself who
was ridiculously tough, the men under his command also received powerful buffs.
"The only attack that worked was Yeon-ha's weapon.
Was it the MF-07 series from Supreme Heimer, the one that converts your mana
into energy?"
"Well, yeah."
Yeon-ha looked at the logs of her weapon. Defense
penetration up to 65%. It had been the only effective hit.
"I think we should look around for bystand
items......."
"What's a bystand item?"
Hildir asked as one of the tribesmen who hadn't caught on
to the hunters' words,
"Oh, um... something that ignores armor to some
degree... something like that"
In short, it was the impact. No matter how hard the
defense, it wouldn't mean zero damage to the inside.
As she explained it in logical terms, Hildir nodded as if
realizing something,
"I see. I think the Majo's molar imprint of my
tribe... would have a similar effect."
"Majo's molar imprint?"
"Yes. It's an imprint that amplifies a fighter's
strength and enhances their fierceness. It's what allowed our tribes to stand
up to the Kingdom's soldiers."
Hildir said she would try the imprint on one of the hunters
as a demonstration.
She had him undress and imprint his skin, and the effect
of the imprint was immediately noted in a system message,
[Majo's molar imprint]
-Defense penetration increases by 35%.
-Strength and endurance increases by 20%.
"Awesome!"
This was equivalent to using another specialized item.
Naturally, the Hunters requested to have it inscribed on them as well.
"Great... With this, we'll be able to take on that
monster."
"Champions."
The tribal leaders bowed.
"Please save us. We will help in any way we
can."
For the sake of the slaughtered tribesmen. Hwang Yeonhan
clenched her fists and vowed to save them.
* * * *
Yuwol Ranch, a horse ranch on Jeju Island. This was the
largest horse ranch in Korea, supplying one-third of the horses for the
country's racetracks.
The peaceful ranch, which was usually only occupied by
trainers and tradesmen, was bustling with people for some reason.
"Wow, real horses."
"My first time seeing a horse."
This was a large field trip from the Hunter Academy, and
the leader was Leon Dragonia Lionheart of the sensational Pantheon Guild.
"Ah, you have arrived, Your Majesty."
Rancher Park Soon, who had been warned in advance by the
Association staff, greeted Leon with as much politeness as he could muster.
"Hmm, thank you for your hospitality on such short
notice."
Leon patted him on the shoulder, a rare gesture for
treating a commoner. In the knightly Lionheart Kingdom, the profession of
horse-raising was a noble one.
“You may have heard in advance, but I came here to look
for horses to use as my warhorses.”
"Yes, yes...! Our Yuwol Ranch is the largest ranch
in the country, and we supply the largest number of horses for racing! We also
have famous Japanese racehorse pedigrees, so our selection is excellent!"
"Hmm, yes, the pedigree of a horse is important.
Let's take a look at the horses."
Leon turned away from the horse rancher and spoke to the
cadets,
"To a knight, a horse is a lifelong companion. It is
important to be able to communicate with them and connect with them. Get close
to them, interact with them, and try riding them."
Leon walked over to the trainers and other ranch staff
and patted them on the shoulder.
“Please take care of me today. I will reward you
separately.”
Ordinarily, they would have thought of passing the work
off on a busy day, but Leon was known as a king of another world, and when he
asked for a favor with a benevolent smile, not many commoners could refuse.
There was something about his natural elegance and
uncommon aura that made even being asked to do something seemed like an honor.
"Ah, of course!"
"I'll do my best to serve you!"
And a special bonus. Knowing that the amount of money delivered
through Yappy was not small, the workers were determined to do their best.
"There's a lot of horses."
Just then, a woman walked by with a graceful gait,
protected by a parasol held by Hari.
Dressed in a black dress and a veil covering her face. It
was an awkward combination of colors that would be considered cosplay in modern
civilization, but the garments were noble, as if they existed just for her.
Even with the veil, the workers and cadets were
mesmerized by the sight of Queen Beatrice.
“Thank you for accommodating my sudden schedule, Queen.”
"His Majesty has invited me, how could I
refuse?"
Queen Beatrice replied politely, casually offering the
back of her hand. Leon willingly bent down slightly on one knee and kissed the
back of the Queen's hand.
“Will you grant me the honor of serving the noble Lady?”
"With pleasure."
He examined the horses with the Queen. Naturally, Hari,
who played the role of a handmaiden holding a parasol, also joined them.
"Your Majesty, these are the finest horses in our
ranch."
The horses prepared for Leon and the Queen were indeed
considered to be the very best at the ranch. Among them, there was a champion
horse that won several times in domestic horse racing competitions.
"Hmm, not bad."
The condition of the horses was not bad. The horses were
all proven in domestic races. They had been bred with the most high-grade
horses, so their bloodlines were the best.
"Not bad."
"Would you like to take a ride?"
"Sure. Would His Majesty recommend one?"
"Hmm, in that case... how about that black
one?"
Leon pointed to a horse named Black Comet, the previous
year's race winner. The rancher beamed, but also nervously nodded.
"Black Comet is a fine horse, but... I think he's a
little too rough for a delicate lady to ride. He's also a large horse."
"You needn't worry."
At the Queen's gentle dismissal, the horse rancher, Park
Soon-ssi, stepped back with a worried expression.
"Pick one for yourself, too."
"Me too? Hmm~"
Hari looked at the horses with excitement, especially at
the white horse with the most beautiful, silky mane.
"How about that white horse......."
“That yellow horse is tall and has a lot of muscles. Take
that one.”
"......Okay."
Hari meekly complied and walked over to mount the horse.
"Umm, how do I ride this?"
Of course, Han Har was a Seoul native. All she knew about
horses was what she saw on TV and Leon's horse, Stallion.
She doesn't know how to ride a horse.
"Ah, uh, can you get down, please?"
As Hari fidgeted and held the horse's reins carefully,
Leon shooed her away.
"Move aside, commoner (woman)."
Leon held out his hand to Beatrice, ignoring Hari.
"Take my hand, Lady."
"Oh my, thank you."
Taking Leon's hand, Beatrice easily mounted the black
horse.
"May I lead the way?"
"Your Majesty would offer to serve as coachman
himself? I fear that would be unseemly."
"It is a knight's virtue and honor to serve such a
noble lady as yourself."
"Huhu, thank you, then I will take up the
honor."
Leon took hold of the reins and gently guided the horse.
The fierce, wild steed was surprisingly calm under Leon's
leadership.
But Hari, who hadn't even been able to get on the horse
until then, was appalled at the sight of the two.
"This is so discriminatory......."
The difference in his attitude toward her and the Queen
was worlds apart. Sighing, Hari leapt up to mount the horse that had no
intention of offering her a ride.
"Hunter-nim, that spook the horse!"
"I- I'm sorry."
The horse grunted a little in surprise, but she managed
to get on anyway. Hari hurried after the Queen's black steed.
"Ms. Hari, I hope you had a good ride?"
"Ah, yes! Thi- this one is a good kid."
Even though it was his first time horseback riding,
Hari's riding skills were not bad. This was a little different from beginner's
luck.
"You have a good compatibility with the horse. It's
good-natured and easy to handle."
"Is that so? Wow, Horse, you should be flattered.
That lady is an amazing person, and she praised you?"
-Neigh!
As a beginner, Hari wasn't allowed to run, but she seemed
to get the hang of it quickly.
While Leon was picking out the cadets' horses, Chief Kim Jin-soo,
who had managed to ride one of the horses by following him, answered his phone
and approached,
"Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"It's an urgent call from the Association Chairman,
and he wants me to tell you that he'd appreciate it if you could take it."
"I give my permission."
With Leon's permission, Kim Jin-soo switched his phone to
speaker mode so that Oh Kang-hyuk's voice could be heard.
"May peace be with you, Your Majesty. It's Oh
Kang-hyuk."
“What happened?”
Association Chairman Oh Kang-hyuk told Leon his business
in elegant and formal language. In short, simple sentences,
The conclusion was──
[Please assist us in capturing the Jeju Island Gate. If a
dungeon break occurs, it will be a big problem.]
It had already been five days since the joint raid team
of the Phoenix Guild and the Golden Lion Guild entered the gate. The deadline
for the Dungeon Break was approaching.
According to one of the raiders who managed to escape,
there was a ridiculously strong boss.
“Am I obligated to help with that? I am not your janitor
who should clean up after you."
[Of course, I am contacting you at the risk of being rude
because it is something that His Majesty would be interested in. Here is what a
survivor of the gate said.]
"A survivor?"
[Yes. We're assuming it has something to do with Your
Majesty.]
Oh Kang-hyuk paused for a moment before relaying the
survivor's testimony.
[The Goddess of Life and Fertility. The one who can claim
to be her knight is the Field Boss of the Gate.]
A person who can call themselves a knight of God.
There was only one case.
[A Holy Grail Knight. We don't know if it's real or fake,
but we thought it was worthy of His Majesty's confirmation.]
***
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