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Chapter 233: To Baldur

Translator: Leyy3

Kang Chul-In was going to activate the penalty option of the Needle of the Empress. He planned to wipe out the entirety of Rothschild's territory.

Since he was bound to receive the penalty anyway, he wanted to release its effect in Baldur instead of in Laputa.

"Hehe... he must be scrambling to rebuild his infrastructures by now."

He was sure of it.

Rothschild's only saving grace was his wealth.

He would've invested a tremendous amount of gold to restore his land and boost his own specs.

"I shall ruin it all for you."

Kang Chul-In was a brutal man. He planned to stomp Rothschild, who was struggling to survive, without mercy.

It was nothing personal. To be clear, Kang Chul-In did wish to teach this annoying maggot a lesson, however,

A three-way race is a no go.

More importantly, he had already experienced how devastating a three-way race could be in the past. It was an opportunity to prevent such an occurrence from happening.

An alternative option would be to attack Vilhelm's Gullveig region, but Kang Chul-In knew how inefficient it could be.

Even if Kang Chul-In summoned lightning, storms and earthquakes upon Vilhelm and Ao Xin, how much damage could he inflict? Sure, there could be some damage, but it would barely be enough against these two powerful enemies.

However, it was different for Rothschild's case.

Summoning natural disasters upon him now would equate to a death sentence.

Therefore, Kang Chul-In decided to ravage the Baldur region, or Rothschild's territory to be specific. That also prevented the Baldur coalition from forming.

"Eeek...!"

Meanwhile, Kwak Jung was foaming at his mouth due to the electrocution.

"Y-your Majesty... w-what is this... Urgh...!"

"It's jealousy."

"...I beg your pardon?"

"The wife of the Emperor of Blood and Iron seems to be jealous."

"W-What do you mean..."

"Something along those lines."

Kwak Jung couldn't comprehend Kang Chul-In's explanation, which had some sense to it.

The Needle of the Empress seemed to view Kang Chul-In as the reincarnation of the Emperor of Blood and Iron. If not, why would it hinder his marriage?

Why are you being jealous?

Indeed, the empress is Arshelly's biological mother. But strictly speaking, she was the emperor's wife, not Kang Chul-In's.

Thus, he couldn't empathize with this item's jealousy.

Speaking of which, I can't even remember her face.

Despite having witnessed the emperor's memories, he could not fathom the empress' appearance.

Whenever she appeared in the memory, her face had always been blocked by either the Emperor of Blood and Iron or an obstacle.

Anyway, I'm no Emperor of Blood and Iron. Your jealousy is worthless to me. Stop hindering my marriage.

Kang Chul-In glared at the Needle of the Empress and gritted his teeth.

Pzzt, pzzt!

Immediately, a tremendous volt of electricity sparked from the item and flowed into Kang Chul-In's body.

"Kek...!"

Kang Chul-In groaned in agony.

He was a monster with physical attributes beyond a layman's, but even he could hardly bear through this pain.

"E-Eek?!"

Kwak Jung gulped as he watched Kang Chul-In suffer.

His hair was standing, and sparks were flying around his body. In Kwak Jung's eyes, Kang Chul-In appeared to be a character from the manga Dragon Ball.

"S-Saiyan?! It's a Saiyan!"

"...What are you saying?"

Kang Chul-In mumbled, as he stared at his pathetic subordinate.

***

Kang Chul-In headed immediately towards Rothschild's territory with Ninetails.

"Seems like someone is insulting me."

Kang Chul-In frowned and scratched his ears.

"Itchy?"

Ninetails replied.

"A bit. No actually, quite."

"Hmm... seems like it's time for you to clean your ears?"

"Indeed, it's been a while since my last cleaning."

"I-In that case!"

"...?"

"Husband, please lie here for a second!"

Ninetails hurriedly placed a mat under a tree. It only took her a second to do so.

"Come here!"

Ninetails tapped her lap and signaled to Kang Chul-In.

"Hmm?"

"I have an ear pick here too?"

Surprisingly, Ninetails had a small ear pick made of mithril in her hand. She was indeed a scrupulous woman.

"Why are you carrying that around?"

"I'm travelling with my husband, so isn't this basic?"

"I-Is that so?"

"Hurry, come lie on my lap!"

"Hmm..."

Kang Chul-In's ears were really itchy by now. He pretended to succumb to Ninetails and placed his head on her lap.

"Alright then."

What was wrong? They were fiancées and it was in broad daylight.

"How's it?"

"How's what?

"My thighs."

"D-Do I need to comment on them?"

"Heeng..."

"They're good."

"R-Really?"

"They're comfortable."

"...!"

"Your tails too."

"Hohoho~!"

Kang Chul-In was speaking the truth.

Ninetails' lap was very soft and comfortable indeed.

In addition, her fluffy tails which blanketed Kang Chul-In were extremely soothing. Only her husband could enjoy this experience.

"Ah, I wanted to apologize to you regarding our marriage. This damn bastard is not letting me have it."

Kang Chul-In glared at the Needle of the Empress on his left hand.

He rarely apologized to anyone, but in this circumstance, he had too.

Marriage was the dream of all girls!

Furthermore, Ninetails was the queen of the Fox Valley who ruled over many demi-humans. She was not one to have her marriage in such an undisclosed

manner.

"Not at all."

Ninetails shook her head.

"This girl is blessed to have met you, husband."

"..."

"I was fated to live and die alone without a partner. Without you, I would've never experienced this thing called love."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

"In that case, that's a relief."

"Do you know what?"

"What?"

"Husband is surprisingly a caring person."

"...No way."

"I'm serious!"

"First time hearing that."

The two of them continued to converse for long afterwards.

Thanks to that, Kang Chul-In could enjoy a chill, relaxing break after so long.

To think this day would come.

Kang Chul-In smiled while staring at the blue sky.

"Heeng... husband doesn't even have a lot of earwax... where's your sign of human touch..."

Ninetail muttered as she continued to clean his ears.

***

Meanwhile.

"Argh!"

"Haiya!"

"Waah!"

Cyamodus' training ground.

Almost 20,000 soldiers were shouting relentlessly.

"Your Majesty, we've finalized our monster brigade arrangement."

A man in a pierrot costume, Alighieri, who was Rothschild's aide, reported to his master who was standing on a reviewing stand.

"How about the magic-engineering technology research laboratory?"

Rothschild asked.

His gaze still rested on the soldiers on the training ground. He did not even turn to face Alighieri.

"It shall be completed in 3 days."

"Regarding the recruitment of adventurers?"

"We successfully signed contracts with 1000 of them. They will join us latest by the end of this month."

"What about the core?"

Rothschild inquired.

The core.

It was an energy core to be specific, which was a concentration of monsters' mana in the form of a marble. An example would be something like a dragon heart. One could also view it as a kind of neidan [1].

"So far we have acquired one S-rank, one A-rank and 7 B-rank energy cores."

"Only one S-rank core?"

"Yes..."

"Any method to acquire more?"

"Unfortunately..."

"I guess not."

"Yes, your Majesty."

Alighieri bowed.

"Even the S-rank core we have now was extremely difficult to acquire. The seller only agreed after we doubled the suggested price. Moreover..."

"There's none in the market to begin with."

"Yes."

"Who would want to sell an energy core in times like this?"

"You are right, your Majesty."

"You've done well."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Any reply from Overlord Lee Chae-Rin?"

"About that..."

Alighieri's face stiffened.

"O-Overlord Lee Chae-Rin did reply..."

"Not a great reply I assume?"

"...Yes."

"Hand the message over."

"I-I can't do that, your Majesty!"

"Now!"

Rothschild stubbornly viewed Lee Chae-Rin's reply, despite Alighieri's dissuasion.

The reply was as follows:

Shame on you, Alex Rothschild.

You dare to try to purchase my Infinity Stones for Overlords, even after terrorizing Laputa and Dorado?

Get lost!

I won't sell them to you even for millions of gold!

And for your info, I'm pretty rich myself. Do you know that?

Are you trying to rub your wealth in my face?

You disgust me. Don't ever contact me again.

Actually, I'm blocking your channel from this point onwards!

"What a temper. According to adventurers who had passed by her territory, she was naïve and almost too nice of a person, though."

"I believe... Kang Chul-In may have influenced her."

"Maybe. Well, let it be. I didn't expect to purchase Infinity Stones from her in the first place."

"Your Majesty..."

"It would have been great if I could, but what to do? The Infinity Stones for Overlords aren't particularly effective anyway.

Despite his remarks, Rothschild had a bitter smile across his face.

He knew that he could never purchase any Infinity Stones from Lee Chae-Rin.

Regardless, he was desperate enough to send her the message.

At this rate, he could forget about conquering the whole of Pangaea. He would instead be a fugitive for life, running away from Kang Chul-In's grasp.

Think about it.

At the rate Kang Chul-In was advancing now, nobody could stop him in 2 or 3 years.

Even Rothschild could easily bounce a bullet off his body in his current state.

What would Kang Chul-In be capable of?

If the day Kang Chul-In ruled over Pangaea came, Rothschild was guaranteed to die even if he lived in an underground bunker.

"Hu..."

Rothschild sighed and began speaking again.

"I plan to add at least 10,000 men to our army before the 2nd Lord Meeting."

"Y-your Majesty! In this short time frame..."

"Doesn't matter."

Alighieri was shocked, but Rothschild remained staunch.

"Money's not an issue."

"...!"

"In about a week, a massive amount of gold will be sent from my main family. Therefore, don't worry about the cost, just continue to purchase food and construct infrastructures. Same goes for the supplies."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Ah, and also..."

Rothschild faced Alighieri.

"Can you take care of this territory until the 2nd Lord Meeting?"

"I beg your pardon, your Majesty?! If you leave this territory empty..."

"I'm not leaving. I'm just going to strengthen myself. I don't have the luxury to handle domestic affairs while absorbing the energy cores."

"Ah...!"

"I plan to train in my secret chamber, so I hope you take care of this land in the meanwhile. Don't look for me unless it's something urgent. Moreover, I will relay instructions every week."

"I will do you proud, your Majesty!"

Alighieri bowed his head down.

I sincerely hope you do.

Alighieri couldn't fathom his master's true feelings.

Rothschild's gaze on his subordinate was nothing but cold and indifferent. He did not trust Alighieri's abilities at all.

Lee Gong-Myung... I miss you very much... Lee Gong-Myung...

Rothschild had a longing expression on his face.

A schoolmate.

A bud.

And a loyal subordinate.

To Rothschild, Lee Gong-Myung was more than just a tool. He was a life-long companion across all of the Earth and Pangaea.

I will become stronger, Lee Gong-Myung.

Rothschild clenched his teeth.

I swear to take revenge on your behalf! I will place Kang Chul-In's head on your altar, in an oriental fashion!

He made a solemn vow.

That was why he wished to absorb the energy cores through his secret training.

To become a formidable foe for Kang Chul-In!

What he did not know was that his nemesis was now heading towards his territory.

***

A week later.

Kang Chul-In and Ninetails arrived at Baldur, close to Rothschild's Cyamodus territory.

"Heung... how many times are you planning to marry, husband?"

Kang Chul-In nearly spit out his rice ball upon hearing this unexpected question.

"What do you mean by how many times?"

He gave a puzzled expression.

"Isn't it normal?"

"Normal?"

"My dear husband is an Overlord, and soon-to-be the king. Nobody would criticize you for having even three wives and four concubines."

"..."

"I am jealous, but I'm a queen myself! Even if my husband has many women around him, I can handle it!"

She was basically telling him to gather a harem.

"Moreover, when you become the king, there would be situations in which marriage would help politically..."

Ninetails was about to continue.

Chulkuk!

Kang Chul-In whipped out Kaiforce.

"H-Husband?"

Ninetails's eyes widened in surprise.

"Reveal yourselves before I kill you all."

Kang Chul-In commanded in a chilling, death-reaper like voice.

[1] Something interesting to read about Neidan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neidan Although, this is different form the neidan being mentioned here. In this case, it simply refers to the "core" of a living being. This is commonly seen in many xianxia novels.

Chapter 234: A Humble Wedding

Translator: Leyy3

Kang Chul-In's gaze scanned the thick forest and ground 50 meters away from him.

Let's take a look.

He activated the Oraclomind to amplify his brain power.

The trembling ground.

The swaying of leaves.

The scent.

The flow of wind.

All kinds of information diffused into Kang Chul-In's brain, allowing him to visualize the camouflaged enemies. This was the power of Oraclomind, which maximized its user's five senses.

It's not just one or two enemies...

Kang Chul-In let out a grin.

In fact, about a hundred of them were in stealth mode.

One could only assume that they had planned meticulously to kill him.

"Ah!"

At this moment, Ninetails suddenly exclaimed.

"Husband! These people are not enemies!"

"Not enemies?"

"They are my subordinates!"

"...?"

"They are members of the Fox Valley Intelligence Agency."

Ninetails shouted over to where Kang Chul-In's gaze rested on.

"The Queen of the Fox Valley commands you:"

A firm voice.

A stark contrast to her tone with Kang Chul-In.

It had a charismatic tone of a queen, indeed.

"Show yourselves!"

Immediately, those 'enemies' revealed themselves.

Crack, crack!

The ground split into half.

Swish, swish!

The leaves swayed.

And,

"Your humble servant... Aluko... greets... her Majesty..."

A demi-human with an owl head bowed in front of Ninetails.

"Yes, thank you for all your effort. Greet my husband, too."

"Y-Your... Majesty..."

Aluko didn't look too well.

"Did I... surprise you... your Majesty... Kang Chul-In..."

"..."

"You don't... have to... worry... we are... her Majesty's... bodyguards..."

Aluko's voice trailed off and his eyes were half-closed, almost as if he were about to fall asleep.

"...Is he sleepy or something?"

Kang Chul-In mumbled to himself in absurdity.

"You are right, dear husband."

"...?"

"An owl-human is nocturnal, so he tends to doze off during the day. However, he is more agile than any other being at night."

"I-I see..."

In fact, the 49 owl-humans that appeared with Aluko were dozing off as well. Some of them were even drooling.

"Take a rest, Aluko."

At that moment, a demi-human with a rat-head appeared in front of Ninetails.

"Schröder, your humble servant, greets her Majesty! And also his Majesty, Kang Chul-In!"

He greeted both sovereigns in sequence.

Behind him, 49 rat-humans were lined up.

"I apologize for not telling you in advance, as this bodyguarding mission was to be done in secret."

"I see."

Kang Chul-In withdrew his Kaiforce and nodded.

"Keep up the good work."

"Not at all! For her and his Majesties' safety, this is nothing!"

Schröder was a staunch man indeed.

"The rat-humans are experts at burrowing. Thanks to that, they rarely get detected by the enemy radar. If it wasn't for you husband, nobody would have noticed."

Ninetails explained.

"Oh-hoh."

Kang Chul-In nodded his head and gave a satisfied expression.

Rat-humans that were capable of burrowing.

Owl-humans that were agile at night.

They couldn't have asked for better bodyguards in these foreign terrains.

"You flatter us!"

Schröder shouted loudly.

"Not at all."

Kang Chul-In shook his head.

"I didn't notice your presence for the past few days, as well. Amazing stealth abilities you have."

"Thank you for your compliment!"

"We'll leave it to you, then. Don't worry about me, focus your manpower on protecting Ninetails instead."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Well then, you may continue with your task."

"Aye!"

The members of the Fox Valley Intelligence Agency returned to stealth mode.

"Fantastic talents."

Kang Chul-In turned around to face Ninetails.

"Right? They will all become your loyal subjects, too!"

"Is that so?"

"My body and soul, and all my possessions belong to you!"

"Hmm..."

"You don't have to feel burdened by that. They say God joins a husband and wife together!"

Ninetails smiled as she spoke.

"R-Right."

Her everlasting devotion for Kang Chul-In moved him a little.

And,

You are a good woman, Ninetails.

He began to develop feelings towards the queen.

Was it just because she was like the Giving Tree?

...No way!

Ninetails not only displayed traits of a good wife, but she also revealed the innocence of a young girl.

In addition, she was sometimes a femme fatale, who even had the cold-hearted Kang Chul-In on

her fingertips.

Last but not least, they were fiancées. It was natural for them to gradually develop feelings for each other.

Pzzt!

At that instant, the Needle of the Empress detected Kang Chul-In's feelings and emitted a strong volt of electricity.

Keuk!

He could barely hold his groan back.

Damn it!

He really had to unlock the penalty option soon.

***

A few days later, in the afternoon, Kang Chul-In and Ninetails infiltrated deep into the Baldur region and would reach Cyamodus soon afterwards.

Soon, Cyamodus came into their sight.

"Pardon this brief inspection."

The guards at the west gate of Cyamodus stopped Kang Chul-In and Ninetails.

"Who are you and where are you from?"

"We are Smith and Helena from one of the free cities. We happened to pass by during our honeymoon trip across the continent."

"Your ID?"

"Here you go."

Kang Chul-In was a proficient liar. He handed over a fake ID to the guard.

"Hmm..."

The guard inspected the ID for quite some time but,

"You may enter."

He fell for the trick in the end.

"Please get your visa from the immigration office by today evening, elsewise you will be deported for espionage."

"Certainly, will do. Thank you."

"Thank you for your hard work!"

Fortunately, the two of them could pass through the gate without any friction with the guards.

"Hold on!"

At that instant.

"Hey, was your name Smith?"

An officer of the west gate garrison narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"What's the problem?"

Kang Chul-In replied casually.

"You look familiar..."

"How can that be? I am..."

"No, I'm positive."

The officer dug through his pockets and whipped out a paper scroll.

Damn it.

Kang Chul-In's face twitched. What was drawn on the paper scroll was none other than his own face.

"Hmm...without this moustache, you look almost identical to Kang Chul-In."

The officer's voice carried a hint of skepticism.

Damn it, if only I had an item for disguise.

Kang Chul-In was flustered inwardly.

He carried many items, but none of them let him hide his identity. Wearing a mask would only stir more suspicion.

"Oh-ho, Mr. Officer! Are you telling me that my dear husband looks like that evil and cruel Overlord?"

Ninetails smiled and distracted the Officer.

And,

'Mesmerize'!

Ninetails' eyes flashed with a pink beam of light.

"Really? My handsome officer?"

"T-That's not...!"

"I'm disappointed..."

Ninetails dropped her head.

"N-No, not at all! Mrs. Helena, that is not true!"

Suddenly, the officer's attitude changed 180 degrees.

"Righttttt?"

"Of course!"

Not everyone agreed with the officer, however.

"Major Wilson! That man's moustache is still very suspicious!"

"That's right! We should inspect him further...!"

"What if that man is really the cruel Overlord Kang Chul-In!"

The remaining soldiers persuaded their superior to review his decision.

"Oh-ho, my dears?"

However, Ninetails easily mesmerized them all.

"Do you really think so? Heung..."

Ninetails' voice had a hint of mana of seduction.

"W-We must have been mistaken..."

"Please feel free to enter!"

"I love you..."

Over twenty soldiers were seduced by Ninetails, becoming mindless idiots.

"Husband, did I do well?"

Ninetails smiled brightly.

"That was excellent."

Kang Chul-In nodded and praised her.

***

After that brief crisis, Kang Chul-In and Ninetails continued heading towards the heart of Rothschild's territory.

A day passed.

"Groom Smith, do you solemnly swear to love bride Helena for eternity?"

Kang Chul-In and Ninetails held a humble wedding in the temple of Kestos, the goddess of love, located in the outskirts of the city. Considering their status, it was really an unpretentious wedding.

"I do."

Kang Chul-In replied.

Marriage system activated!

Do you accept Ninetails as your wife? (Yes/No)

Yes!

The system notification popped up.

"Bride Helena, do you solemnly swear to love groom Smith for eternity?"

"Certainly!"

Ninetails replied.

"Now, you may kiss the bride!"

The priest, who was notorious for his greed, instructed Kang Chul-In and Ninetails to kiss.

"Here I go."

"Huh? Heub...!"

Ninetails gasped as Kang Chul-In advanced towards her without warning.

H-Husband...! H-Heung...!

Ninetails could hardly contain herself during her first ever kiss. It was extremely sweet and delightful.

"Heung..."

Ninetails moaned throughout the kiss.

H-Husband... you are too good at this!

It was because Kang Chul-In's kissing technique was fantastic!

T-These two!

The priest stood there in shock as he witnessed the passionate kiss between the couple.

H-How are they even kissing like that...!?

He had never seen anything like that before.

After some time, the kiss finally ended.

"D-Don't look at me!"

Ninetails whined cutely and covered her blushing face.

Pfft!

Kang Chul-In smiled.

He could still remember how she was about to pounce on him during their first encounter. Now, she was just a girl who puffed up her cheeks in embarrassment.

Marriage established!

Ninetails is registered as your spouse!

The status notification finally announced their successful marriage.

God damn it!

Kang Chul-In's face stiffened suddenly.

The notification... was a bit disturbing.

[Spouses]

Wife 1: (Locked!)

Wife 2: Ninetails

Wife 3: Empty

Concubine 1: Empty / Concubine 2: Empty

Concubine 3: Empty / Concubine 4: Empty

Concubine 5: Empty / Concubine 6: Empty

Concubine 7: Empty

What is this nonsense...!

It was a humble wedding indeed, but it was his first one nonetheless. But now the system was saying that she was his second wife? Kang Chul-In could hardly comprehend this bullshit.

Pzzt, pzztt!

At that instant, the Needle of the Empress emitted a strong volt of electricity.

Flash!

It sparked violently.

-Warning, warning!

-Penalty option activating!

The catastrophe was finally about to begin!

Chapter 235: Screwed, Really Screwed!

Translator: Leyy3

I'm against this marriage!

Dialogue seemingly from a drama popped up in the notification.

Warning, warning!

Due to the wearer's cheating, the penalty has changed from AOE to single target! (Wearer tried to use the penalty option for his own benefit)

Another notification popped up which flustered Kang Chul-In.

"...!"

He originally planned to activate the penalty and escape, but that no longer seemed viable.

Selecting target!

Aura of Jealousy activated!

With an ominous alarm,

Summoning 'heavenly punishment' from the sky!

9... 8... 7... 6...

The countdown began.

"H-Husband?"

Ninetails shouted in surprise.

"Below you!"

"Below?"

Kang Chul-In looked down at his feet.

Ssss...!

A red circle had formed around him.

In the middle of it, there was a cross which marked Kang Chul-In as the target.

Shit, we are screwed.

Kang Chul-In let out a bitter smile.

His attempts to game the system had called a bigger catastrophe upon the two of them.

5... 4... 3...

Meanwhile, the countdown continued and it was already approaching 3.

"Ninetails."

Kang Chul-In spoke.

"Yes?"

"Run. As far as you can."

"W-What are you talking about!? As your wife, I have a responsibility to stay..."

Ninetails was interrupted.

"Kyaa~!"

Kang Chul-In grabbed Ninetails by her waist and threw her as hard as he could. Ninetails disappeared from sight.

I hope you are fine.

Ninetails, being a demi-human, wouldn't be badly injured from being thrown a few hundred meters. Still, Kang Chul-In couldn't help but be worried.

Penalty option, adjusted!

Squall, not activated!

Earthquake, not activated!

Lightning, activated!

The last notification appeared and,

3... 2... 1!

The countdown came to an end.

A flash of lightning struck across the pitch-black sky.

Crack!

The roar of thunder vibrated the entire area.

***

Detecting magic energy!

Danger, danger! Energy level is too high!

Expected spell absorption rate: 5%!

Damage reduction: 40%!

Expected damage still too high! Please dodge!

Kang Chul-In's spell thirst ability warned him of danger.

Not only was the magic energy absorption rate low, but even the damage reduction rate fell from its usual 100% to 40%.

Moreover, for his spell thirst ability to warn him of the expected damage meant that he could die if hit.

I absolutely have to dodge this!

It was a moment of crisis.

Kang Chul-In did not want to die a dog's death.

Ooongggg!

His mana shot up the moment he recognized danger, activating the Oraclomind.

And,

Banggg!

A bolt of lightning struck towards Kang Chul-In's head. It was incomparable to the measly lightning Lee Gong-Myung had conjured in the past.

God damn it!

Kang Chul-In flung his body.

***

Cyamodus operated on a scale comparable to other large territories.

Wasn't that to be expected?

Rothschild's specialty, 'Show Me The Money', granted him many citizens and infrastructures.

It was similar to how Mansour bought Manchester City FC over and remodeled the entire region!

Crack.

Bang!

However... a catastrophe was about to land on Cyamodus.

Kang Chul-In had begun to race towards the Cyamodus territory, with an impending lightning bolt on his back.

Pang-!

The sound of tearing through space!

Kang Chul-In's sonic boom echoed in the surroundings.

"W-What?"

"Not a carriage... but a m-man?!"

The citizens of Cyamodus gasped as they witnessed Kang Chul-In dash at the speed of sound.

It was truly an astonishing speed.

A layman could only visualize Kang Chul-In's faint silhouette.

The problem was... this man was bringing a whole disaster along with him.

Bang!

With a blinding flash, lightning struck.

"...!"

Passersby turned to smoke and ashes in an instant. They were dead before they could even let out a scream.

Damn it, god damn it!

Of course, Kang Chul-In had it rough too.

...Almost died there.

Chills ran down his spine.

It was no easy task to predict when the lightning would strike, not to mention how to dodge it.

Without Oraclomind and his inhumane muscle strength and reaction speed,

he would have succumbed long ago.

Might as well...

Suddenly, Kang Chul-In thought of a good idea.

It was peculiar how good ideas only popped up in these kinds of situations, but whatever.

Let's destroy the army.

He switched his target to the army.

Killing innocent people only landed him notoriety and bad karma.

Some of these people would indeed become Rothschild's human resource and soldiers sooner or later, but that would mean that Kang Chul-In had to roam around the whole Cyamodus with Oraclomind to identify them.

He would be struck by lightning long before that.

A more efficient course of action would be to damage the army and the essential infrastructures!

Panggg!

Kang Chul-In raised his speed.

Quick judgments, quicker actions!

That was one of Kang Chul-In's numerous fortes.

Bang,

Bangggg!

Behind him, lightning came crashing down relentlessly.

***

In a secret chamber hidden in the depths of Cyamodus,

"Huk, huk...!"

Rothschild gasped for air.

Every muscle in his body screamed in pain.

Sweat flowed out constantly through his sweat pores.

His brilliant blond hair was now drenched in sweat and matted down.

"Absorbing an A-rank energy core alone is so tiring... I can never challenge Kang Chul-In at this rate. Never."

He bit his lower lips tightly.

An A-rank energy core was indeed a concentrate of an enormous amount of mana, but it could barely satisfy Rothschild.

It was not enough.

By a huge margin.

He didn't just want to just challenge Kang Chul-In; he wanted to defeat Kang Chul-In. That was impossible as of now.

"I have to get stronger. In this room..."

The training was agonizing, but he pledged to emerge stronger from it.

Your Majesty!

Alighieri's voice rang out from a communication device installed on the corner of the room's ceiling.

The device was the only bridge between the room and the outside world.

Your Majestyyyy!

Alighieri's voice had a hint of desperation.

"What is it? How urgent can it be for you to disrupt my..."

There's big trouble!

Alighieri mutinied by interrupting his superior's sentence but,

E-Emergency!

His following report was just too shocking.

"What!? What emergency..."

He has appeared!

"...?"

Overlord Kang Chul-In is now causing havoc in Cyamodus!

"What! How can that be!? Explain yourself! Now!"

Rothschild had never expected this, even in his wildest dreams. His expression stiffened upon hearing his nemesis' name.

Kang Chul-In suddenly appeared and he's now summoning lightning everywhere!

"...!"

Because of that, our barracks, weapon factories and the almost-complete magic-engineering technology laboratory have been completely demolished! Your Majesty, there's nothing that can stop that man!"

"K-Kang Chul-In!"

Finally, Rothschild let out a cry of despair and rage.

"The enemy forces... how many men did he bring!?"

Kang Chul-In's alone!

"...!"

Your Majesty, you should come immediately!

"Alright, I'm on my way!"

Rothschild exited his secret chamber immediately.

Kang Chul-In... you fucker... underestimating me... you dare to come here alone... damn bastard... damn fucker...

Rothschild's eyes were gleaming with murderous intent.

Your arrogance will end you... do you think you can leave my territory unscathed, Kang Chul-In?

Rothschild viewed Kang Chul-In's solo intrusion act as a potential opportunity.

He had twenty thousand soldiers in his training grounds and another twenty thousand patrolling the north and west.

With a total of forty thousand men and the giant turtle Cyamodus, Rothschild could possibly capture Kang Chul-In!

***

Faster... more, more, and more!

Kang Chul-In ran and ran as he dodged the lightning strikes.

He had achieved good results.

He intentionally ran towards Rothschild's barracks, buildings in construction, food storage, and more, inflicting massive damage on his essential infrastructures.

"Arghhh!"

"Keuk!"

"Eek... eeekkk...!"

At the same time, he turned many Cyamodus officers who challenged him into ash.

Even if they did survive the electrocution, they were disabled due to the massive flow of electricity.

"D-Don't come towards me!"

"Run! Everyone run!"

"Escape everyoneeee!"

"Get lost! I said get lost!"

The Cyamodus soldiers began to run away from Kang Chul-In, instead of fighting him.

Hilariously, even ten thousand men couldn't handle the lone Kang Chul-In. They were running for their lives in a disgraceful fashion.

...I have no idea what's going on.

Kang Chul-In was equally puzzled.

He was akin to a suicide bomber. It was because a lightning bolt struck every 5 seconds at him, destroying everything within a 50 metre radius.

"You think you can escape?"

Kang Chul-In grinned slyly and chased after the enemy soldiers.

"Arghhhh!"

"Run!"

The Cyamodus soldiers ran for their lives but...

Bang!

Those common soldiers could not dodge the lightning strikes.

I'm reaching my limit soon.

However, Kang Chul-In himself was not invincible.

His brain was extremely fatigued from forcefully amplifying its abilities. His muscles started to show signs of trismus from overwork.

Moreover, his mana had depleted substantially. At this rate, he wouldn't last even 5 minutes.

When will this even end...

Kang Chul-In was about to bite his lower lip.

Thump, thumppp!

Suddenly, Cyamodus, the giant turtle, began to move. It seemed that Rothschild was finally about to join the scene.

I can't go on anymore.

Kang Chul-In perceived his limits exactly.

If he didn't escape now, he would die in Rothschild's territory before he could even conquer Pangaea.

"Kang Chul-In!"

At that moment, Rothschild's wrathful voice could be heard from afar.

Chapter 236: The Struggle

Translator: Leyy3

"How dare you!?"

Rothschild, who was standing on the high spire of Cyamodus, bellowed angrily at Kang Chul-In.

"You dare step into my territory? You bastard!"

His voice contained a mixture of resent and murderous intent.

"How scary."

Kang Chul-In snorted.

However, Rothschild couldn't hear him from afar.

Therefore,

Chuk!

Kang Chul-In pointed his middle finger at Rothschild to reveal his intentions. Wasn't it just the best to insult Rothschild?

Flash!

However, Kang Chul-In's entertainment didn't last long. The lightning strikes had yet to cease!

Psst!

Kang Chul-In flung his body away.

Bang!

Immediately, a lightning strike struck at where he was standing just moments ago. He had no luxury for a relaxing conversation with Rothschild.

"You, you bastard, will never get out of here alive. I swear to make this place your grave!"

Rothschild declared.

That's what you think.

Kang Chul-In simply ignored the infuriated Rothschild and chased after the escaping Cyamodus soldiers.

"D-Don't come near me!"

"Y-You devil!"

In the soldiers' eyes, Kang Chul-In was the death reaper himself.

The Lightning God!

Who could even challenge Kang Chul-In, when just standing next to him could guarantee an electrocution? All they could do was run.

Rothschild grit his teeth as he watched this.

"Alright then, let's see how long you can keep up that rampage of yours. I will slaughter you, Kang Chul-In!"

Whatever.

Kang Chul-In paid no attention to Rothschild. He continued to run here and there, summoning lightning bolts everywhere. Cyamodus soldiers, beware!

"Let's go, Cyamodus!"

Rothschild shouted.

-Keuhhhh...!

Cyamodus, the giant fire turtle, slowly raised its body.

Kang Chul-In, I will do whatever it takes to capture you!

The territory's capital would be in ruins after deploying Cyamodus, but Rothschild believed that it was inevitable.

He could pour in gold to reconstruct the territory anytime he wanted to, but opportunities like this didn't come by often. It was a worthy investment as long as he could capture Kang Chul-In.

***

Upon deploying the fire turtle, the territory was completely ruined.

Rumble,

Bang!

A lightning bolt struck towards Kang Chul-In.

Flick, flicker!

Cyamodus, the fire turtle, breathed a pillar of flame.

Thump, thump!

To top it all off, the gigantic fire turtle fumbled around, creating harmful vibrations throughout the city.

All of these factors contributed to the destruction of Rothschild's territory, even without the squall and earthquake promised by the artifact.

"Arghhhh!"

"Y-your Majesty!"

"M-Mercy... Kuhuk!"

The casualty rate was extremely high as well.

Many lives were lost from Kang Chul-In's electrocution and the fire turtle's stampede. It was almost as if a war had happened.

"Go, capture him! I said to stomp on him!"

However, Rothschild was focused solely on inciting the fire turtle. He couldn't care less about his people and soldiers.

That's right! You're doing well, Rothschild!

Kang Chul-In was highly motivated thanks to that.

What a hilarious situation!

It was entertaining and energizing to watch Rothschild break his own territory apart just to capture him.

Rothschild's rash actions didn't just cost money. If he continued to neglect his soldiers and people, how would he handle the aftermath? They would lose faith in him as their leader, which was difficult to recover from.

Rothschild should have maintained his composure even if he suffered a little damage. Lee Gong-Myung would have done that without a doubt.

Damn it... when are these lightning strikes going to end...?

Of course, Kang Chul-In was on the verge of collapse as well.

Notification!

At that moment,

The Aura of Jealousy will stop soon!

Lightning strike will stop soon! (Remaining: 20 bolts)

A notification popped up to inform him of when the lightning strikes would end. It was fantastic news for Kang Chul-In who was desperately trying to find the right time to escape.

A lightning strike takes roughly... five seconds.

Kang Chul-In calculated quickly.

Twenty bolts, each five seconds apart... that's 100 seconds in total. The problem is how do I escape...

He laid his gaze in the direction towards Laputa.

The escape route was to the west.

The problem was that he still had 100 seconds of torture left and he had not yet established his escape route at

all.

Flash!

Another bolt of lightning struck.

A bit more!

Kang Chul-In flung his body aside with all of his might.

He had to endure this penalty before he could even plan his escape. If not, the lightning bolts would just be a neon sign revealing his location to Rothschild.

***

While Kang Chul-In busily ravaged throughout Rothschild's territory, Kwak Jung visited Lee Chae-Rin's Dorado territory as Laputa's diplomat.

"Welcome."

Lee Chae-Rin, who was sitting on her mithril chair, greeted Kwak Jung.

"Thank you for coming such a long way."

"Haha! No worries! I came here via a magic circle! Anyway, Ms. Chae-Rin..."

Kwak Jung was about to continue his statement when...

Flash!

A chilling glare could be felt from his surroundings.

Shit...!

Kwak Jung immediately realized his mistake.

Lee Chae-Rin was a Lord.

In fact, she was an Overlord.

To call her 'Ms. Chae-Rin' was not only rude, but also a diplomatic disaster.

I-I screwed up...!

Kwak Jung shuddered.

Lee Chae-Rin's subordinates were glaring at him with such unbearable intensity.

"Ehem...!"

A low, heavy voice let out a fake cough.

"Excuse me."

A man stepped forward.

E-Eek?!

Kwak Jung was shocked to see this man.

He had seen plenty of other races, including Drakan, the dragon-human of Laputa, but it was different this time.

It was because this time, the man in front of him was,

C-Cerberus?!

A three-headed canine.

"Tactician Kwak."

"Yes?"

"I am Anubis, a humble servant of her Majesty and the leader of the royal guards of Dorado."

"Ah, yes... nice to meet you."

Kwak Jung thought otherwise.

Wah... this guy looks real scary...

He wasn't wrong.

Anubis was originally a low-level canine who used an S-rank Infinity Stone to upgrade into a three-headed canine. His new appearance was horrifying indeed.

-Grrrr...!

-Grrr...?!

In addition, the other two heads attached to his shoulder growled menacingly, further escalating the pressure.

"Tactician Kwak, please do mind your language."

"..."

"You may be from the same hometown as her Majesty, but she is still an Overlord. Isn't it common courtesy to greet her with some respect?"

Anubis was speaking the truth. Kwak Jung couldn't rebut him and consequently apologized to Lee Chae-Rin.

"I apologize, your Majesty. I am not fantastic with words... Please forgive me..."

"Not at all, Tactician Kwak."

Lee Chae-Rin smiled and shook her hand.

"I understand. You don't usually put up a pretense."

"Haha..."

"Moreover... I can accept 10, or even 100 mistakes from someone who receives full trust from Mr. Chul-In."

"I-Is that so?"

"Of course~!"

"Hahaha~! As I expected, your Majesty is no normal heroine."

"You flatter me, hohoho~!"

Thanks to Lee Chae-Rin's witty comments, a comfortable atmosphere could form between the two of them.

"Your Majesty, I have something to tell you."

That was at least until Kwak Jung mentioned 'that story'.

"It's a crucial matter."

"Go on."

"Do you mind if I just tell you now?"

"Not at all."

"Your Majesty."

Kwak Jung's eyes gleamed.

"Yes, Tactician Kwak."

"Let me ask you as the chief tactician cum diplomat of Laputa."

He spoke in a heavy, serious tone unlike before.

"Do you, the ruler of Dorado, have any intention of marrying his Majesty, Kang Chul-In?"

"M-M-Mar..."

Lee Chae-Rin didn't expect this question at all. She was too shocked to continue her sentence.

Heh, she's surprised as expected!

Kwak Jung grinned inwardly.

Now, shall we start fishing for more?

And hence began Kwak Jung's plan.

***

Meanwhile, Kang Chul-In was fully occupied with dodging the 19th lightning bolt. He had not the slightest clue of what Kwak Jung was planning to do.

Flash!

Bangggg!

A lightning bolt landed on the food warehouse, which was one of Rothschild's most essential infrastructures.

Thump!

To add on to that, Cyamodus, the giant turtle, stomped on that very same warehouse. The territory now had no means of preparing for the incoming winter.

This was very satisfying for Kang Chul-In.

He intentionally ran towards clusters of people and vital buildings to dodge the lightning, while Rothschild was thankfully causing havoc on his own land.

"You little rat!"

Rothschild screamed in fury.

Shudder, shudder...!

Kang Chul-In slipped out of Rothschild's grasp every time, as if mocking him.

"Keke! How long do you think you can last?"

However, Rothschild was somewhat confident.

Despite his incredible abilities, Kang Chu-In was still a human. He couldn't possibly dodge at that speed for 365 days straight.

Wasn't he bound to hit his limit someday? Rothschild's judgment was precisely on point.

One last bolt.

Kang Chul-In didn't care.

Immediately after the 19th lightning strike, he swung his body towards the west --- the direction towards Laputa.

It was time for him to escape without even turning back.

Escaping here is my first priority.

Kang Chul-In was about to turn his body when,

Crack, crack!

With a sharp screech, hairline cracks began to appear on his armor.

"...!"

Kang Chul-In stopped moving for a moment.

He wasn't the one who stopped.

He was bound by some kind of effect.

String!

The culprit was a metallic string which boasted an enormous durability.

Grasp!

Tens of metallic strings instantly began to wrap around Kang Chul-In's body, locking him down.

The opponent had formidable skill.

God damn it!

Kang Chul-In could identify the user of these metallic strings, but that was the least of his concerns. The impending 20th lightning bolt was of a much bigger concern.

Flash!

The lightning bolt appeared.

...I can't dodge this.

Kang Chul-In was fully locked down now. Any movement of his could rip him into pieces. As even his neck felt a stinging sensation, he could be headless if not careful.

Damn it, I guess there's no choice but to get hit.

He had to acknowledge that he couldn't possibly dodge the last lightning bolt.

Thump!

However, before he was hit, someone dropped straight down from the skies and embraced Kang Chul-In.

Chapter 237: I'm Going!

Translator: Leyy3

"I... must have heard that wrong, right?"

Lee Chae-Rin inquired.

"No?"

Kwak Jung shook his head.

"You did hear it right, your Majesty."

"D-Did I?"

"Certainly. As the diplomat of Laputa, I came here to officially propose a marriage between your Majesty and his Majesty, Kang Chul-In."

"You are pulling my leg."

"I'm not."

"Stop this prank please. Are you short on money? How much do you need?"

Lee Chae-Rin couldn't comprehend this situation.

"...!"

The same went for Lee Chae-Rin's subordinates.

Kang Chul-In did help Lee Chae-Rin quell a rebellion at the start of the Great Summoning, which knitted them close together. Even so, a marriage proposal was absurd.

"Hmm... just to reiterate, I came here to propose a marriage between your Majesty and his Majesty."

"...That can't be."

"I'm serious?"

"R-Really?"

"Damn it! How many times do you need me to say it? Your Majesty, are you or are you not going to marry his Majesty, Kang Chul-In?"

Kwak Jung was too frustrated to even care about Anubis' previous warning. He had to shout to relay his message to Lee Chae-Rin, who was in disbelief.

"...M-Marriage?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Chul-In and I?"

"That's right?"

"A m-marriage between Mr. Chul-In and I?"

"Yes~! That's right~!"

"Kyaa!"

Lee Chae-Rin screamed.

She blushed uncontrollably, almost as if she were about to explode.

"You are saying...."

"It's the truth. Matters have already been discussed on our side, so I just came here to hear your thoughts."

"T-That!"

"Are you keen on the marriage?"

Lee Chae-Rin, however, could not reply to Kwak Jung's question.

It was because,

Thump!

She fainted on her chair from the shock.

"Y-your Majesty!!!"

"Are you alright?"

Dorado's subjects immediately crowded around Lee Chae-Rin.

After some commotion, Kwak Jung initiated a private conversation with Lee Chae-Rin.

He assumed that as fellow Koreans, they would have a more meaningful conversation than with the others around. It turned out to be a wise decision.

The Pangean people had a different perspective on things, after all.

"Are you feeling better?"

Kwak Jung handed a cup of ice water to Lee Chae-Rin.

"Yes, I'm alright. I feel much better."

Despite those words, she was still pale from the shock.

"Hmm... to be straightforward, what I mentioned just now was the key point."

"About... Mr. Chul-In and I are getting m-married?"

"Yes."

Kwak Jung nodded.

"Well, of course... I can't say that that's all there is to the story."

"What do you mean?"

"Let me ask you first. Are you a Lord, your Majesty?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm not asking the Korean lady, Lee Chae-Rin. I'm asking the one and only Lord of Dorado."

"To be honest... I don't understand what you're saying."

"Arranged marriage."

"...!"

"This is no normal marriage. It's more than just a couple developing feelings for each other and living happily ever after."

Kwak Jung's gaze was extremely sobering. He had the same eyes as when he drove a knife into an enemy gang member's abdomen without hesitation.

"This is a marriage between Lord Kang Chul-In and Lord Lee Chae-Rin. Furthermore, it's a union between Laputa and Dorado."

"I-I see...."

Lee Chae-Rin replied timidly.

That was to be expected.

She would have agreed to an arranged marriage with Kang Chul-In if she was a Pangaean. However, she was an earthling.

Didn't every earthling desire to share sweet love with his or her partner, and hope for their feelings to eventually lead to marriage?

"One more thing."

Kwak Jung pressured Lee Chae-Rin relentlessly.

"His Majesty won't just marry once."

"...!"

"You know it. He is too supreme of a man to just have one woman by his side."

"...!"

"His Majesty, Kang Chul-In, is a sovereign to the core. Does it make sense for the future conqueror of Pangaea to have just one spouse?"

Lee Chae-Rin bit on her lower lip and kept quiet.

W-What... should I do....

She knew that Kang Chul-In was not a man to casually date someone.

Not only was he a prideful Overlord, but he was also a workaholic. It was difficult to expect a normal romantic relationship from him.

That aside, he would give Lee Chae-Rin a cold shoulder no matter

how hard she tried.

However,

Does Mr. Chul-In really not have any feelings for me? Am I not good enough for him?

Lee Chae-Rin couldn't apprehend this situation easily. She herself was a stunning woman after all.

"What's the issue?"

Kwak Jung asked.

"Sorry?"

Lee Chae-Rin replied.

"All marriages are the same eventually."

Kwak Jung tossed a casual remark.

"What do you mean...?"

"Is marriage such a big deal? You will develop feelings sooner or later as you face your partner every day."

"Well that..."

"As I said before, if you wish for a normal romantic relationship with his Majesty, that will never happen. His Majesty cares more about his work than girls, so how long are you willing to wait for that to change? Probably not in your lifetime."

"What's your point?"

"This is a chance!"

"C-Chance?"

"Isn't this a chance to be at his Majesty's side, 24/7?"

"...!"

"You two are going to face each other, eat together, and rub your bodies together. Who knows? Maybe his Majesty will start to develop romantic feelings for your Majesty."

"Y-You think so?"

"Certainly!"

"...!"

"And also, his Majesty Kang Chul-In is softer than he seems. He may be a bit rough on the edges, but he takes good care of his people. Have you heard of the term 'tsundere'?"

"T-Tsundere? Mr. Chul-In's a tsundere?"

"That's right."

Kwak Jung replied with a grin.

"That aside, marrying the strongest Overlord of this continent grants you a priceless ally. Who can possibly threaten Dorado afterwards?"

"That's true."

"Furthermore, an opportunity to seduce a man that you can never date in normal circumstances! Kang Chul-In, marriage and a formidable power altogether! Selling this bundle for 39,800 won... or not, ehem... Anyways! If you are against the idea of sharing one man with other women, then I guess it can't be helped. However, I urge you to think from a Lord's perspective. Ah, and also...."

"W-What is this?"

"It's a contract."

"Contract?"

"You can't just have an arranged marriage without a proper procedure."

"R-Right...."

"Please read carefully before making your decision. Well then, excuse me!"

Kwak Jung disrespectfully pushed a scroll towards Lee Chae-Rin before getting up from his chair.

Huehue... you will never say no to these terms and conditions, your Majesty, Lee Chae-Rin.

Kwak Jung, whose back now faced Lee Chae-Rin, chuckled slyly.

According to his plan... Lee Chae-Rin was bound to say yes.

***

Bang!

The last lightning bolt struck.

"Argh!"

The scream, however, did not come from Kang Chul-In.

"Lucia!"

Kang Chul-In shouted in shock after he identified his savior.

"Y-your Majesty..."

Lucia turned around and smiled faintly at Kang Chul-In.

"It was quite... a powerful lightning bolt..."

"Are you okay?"

"I can endure it."

Lucia slowly got herself up.

Pzzt, pzzt!

A blue spark constantly appeared around her body.

Sssss...

Aegis, the Shield of God, was now black and fuming.

"Lucia, your humble servant, had received an order to come aid your Majesty's escape!"

Lucia kneeled in front of Kang Chul-In.

"Your Majesty!"

She then apologized.

"I'm late to your rescue. I've committed an unforgivable sin! Please punish me!"

"No, not at all."

Kang Chul-In shook his head.

"What punishment? You've arrived in just the nick of time."

"Your Majesty!"

"Yes?"

"Please look up, your Majesty!"

Lucia pointed at the sky.

An aircraft floated in the cloudy sky. It was once Rothschild's prized possession, named Zeppelin.

"All according to plan."

Kang Chul-In grinned.

From the very start, he had no intention of escaping via land.

He had planned to escape on Zeppelin after summoning lightning, a squall and an earthquake upon Rothschild's territory.

"Your Majestyyyy!"

At that moment, Podolski shouted at Kang Chul-In from Zeppelin's prow.

"Catch this!"

Whip!

A rope dropped down rapidly and stopped just in front of Kang Chul-In.

"Let's go!"

"Heub!"

Kang Chul-In grabbed Lucia by her waist and held onto the rope.

"Ah, wait a second."

Before his escape, Kang Chul-In looked around his surroundings briefly.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong...?"

"I swear to find that bastard who held me back."

"Huh?"

"Ah, there he is."

Kang Chul-In stared into the distance, roughly 100 metres away.

And,

Psssssst!

A massive air current began to wrap around Kaiforce.

Whooshhhh!

A whirlwind was soon formed.

"Die!"

Kang Chul-In released a vortex which then swept across his target region.

Bangggg!

With a tremendous blare,

"Arghhhh!"

Someone's scream could be heard along with a splash of blood and flesh.

"Deed done."

Kang Chul-In confirmed Alighieri's death and let out a satisfied expression.

Stealth?

That was useless against his Oraclomind.

***

"You damn bastard..."

Rothschild was completely mind blown, having witnessed his nemesis' escape.

Zeppelin.

She was his prized possession which he had excavated from the ancient ruins. Aircrafts like that were rare in Pangea.

Money-wise, she was easily worth hundreds of thousands of gold.

But now, she was being used for his despicable nemesis' escape. Rothschild was about to go crazy with anger.

"Stop them!"

Rothschild bellowed.

"Catch that bastard, no matter what it takes!"

Roarrrrr!

Cyamodus, in response, struggled to move at a faster speed than before.

Crack!

Shatter!

Rothschild's territory was destroyed further every time it made a move.

However,

Brooooom!

Similar to the Full Metal Dragon, Zeppelin was equipped with ten V12 magic-engineered engines. Even the gigantic fire turtle could not catch up to her.

"Hahahaha~!"

Kang Chul-In, now on board of Zeppelin, laughed loudly at Rothschild.

"That was entertaining, Rothschild!"

"...!"

"Well then, have fun rebuilding your territory! I'll be on my way!"

Having said that, Kang Chul-In gradually disappeared from Rothschild's vision.

"Ah, ahhh...!"

Rothschild gasped in despair.

Splash!

He then vomited blood onto the floor.

He was that infuriated.

Chapter 238: Rothschild on a Rampage

Translator: Leyy3

"Keuk, keuk keuk keuk..."

Kang Chul-In laughed.

"Y-your Majesty..."

"..."

"Your... Majesty?"

His subordinates were flabbergasted.

Looking at Kang Chul-In now, he was covered with bruises, as if all his muscles had torn.

His lips were blue, and his face was pale. In other words, he was completely fatigued.

"Hahahaha~!"

Nevertheless, Kang Chul-In was visibly overjoyed with a cunning smile on his face.

"Y-your Majesty..."

Lucia approached him cautiously.

"You must be really tired, so why are you laughing so much?"

"It's entertaining."

"D-Did you say ... entertaining?"

"Isn't it? Cough!"

Kang Chul-In vomited blood.

That wasn't all.

His nose was bleeding, and his eyes were blood red.

Despite all of this, Kang Chul-In still laughed.

"Keke!"

"Y-your Majesty!"

"Bullying that Rothschild bastard... is always entertaining."

"...!"

"I wonder if there's anything more entertaining than that. Kekeke."

"...If you say so, your Majesty."

Lucia closed her eyes and replied.

"What good weather."

Kang Chul-In laid down on Zeppelin's deck and mumbled.

It was autumn.

The autumn sky was clear and vast without a single cloud.

"Good weather to screw with Rothschild."

"Y-your Majesty..."

"I'm satisfied."

"..."

"And... I shall take a nap."

Having said that, Kang Chul-In closed his eyes.

He could no longer endure his accumulated fatigue.

"I..."

Lucia gazed at Kang Chul-In affectionately and mumbled.

"... can hardly hold your Majesty back. How are you this mischievous?"

She was right.

"And also... that moustache... it doesn't suit you at all."

Kang Chul-In had forgotten to take off his disguise before falling asleep.

***

"Urgh... Urghhh..."

Rothschild fell sick after Kang Chul-In's escape.

"Kang Chul-In... Kang Chul-In!"

Even on his sickbed, he shouted his nemesis' name and shuddered in anger.

Of course, his blood pressure shot up whenever he did that.

Brrr...!

He trembled with rage.

"Your Majesty... more bad news, I'm afraid."

Sadly, this wasn't the end of Rothschild's misfortune.

"Our people are showing signs of rebellion. Many soldiers are running away as well."

The new chief of staff, general Akül, rubbed salt into Rothschild's wound.

He was just doing his job.

"So?"

Rothschild replied in a chilling voice.

"Your Majesty?"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"W-Well..."

"Just kill them all."

"I beg your pardon?!"

Akül couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Y-your Majesty!"

"Why? Can't do it?"

"It's not that..."

"Can't you just summon new citizens and soldiers?"

"...!"

"Akül."

"Yes, your Majesty..."

"Don't let those lowly existences act however they want."

"..."

"They are destined to obey. I have never granted them any permission to complain and rebel. Just kill all of them."

It was a stone-hearted comment.

He seemed to have no hesitation committing a genocide.

It indicated that Rothschild viewed the native Pangaeans as nothing other than meat shields. They were consumables to him.

"However, your Majesty, with that sort of violent method..."

"Are you telling me to leave those traitors alone, Akül?"

"..."

"Think of it as starting afresh. And..."

Rothschild looked at Akül and spoke.

"I will reward you 100,000 gold and appoint you as our territory's key officer if you handle this well."

"...!"

"Show me what you are capable of."

"Yes... your Majesty..."

Akül succumbed to the enormous amount of gold proposed.

Kang Chul-In, in order to get my revenge on you... I think I can even sell my soul to the devil...

Rothschild had almost given up by now.

There was no light at the end of this tunnel.

He struggled hard to survive and was slowly recuperating, while Kang Chul-In ruined everything and ran off. He was extremely fatigued.

But what could he do?

All he could do now was invest gold to rebuild the territory.

For Rothschild to survive, he absolutely had to be as resilient as a cockroach.

***

While Kang Chul-In had left his place, Laputa's key officials were preparing busily for his crowning.

Drakan and James were in charge of expanding Laputa's territory.

Drakan led his army and roamed around the Ishtar region, conquering many small and big free cities. Meanwhile, James planted multiple rocks engraved

with Kang Chul-In's seal on unclaimed land, declaring that those areas belonged to Kang Chul-In.

Other officers were busy as well.

Timothy, Kimura and Podolski were responsible for administration and finance, construction of new cities and agricultural land, and training new intelligence agents respectively.

Kwak Jung had also returned from Dorado.

"You've come."

Kang Chul-In greeted Kwak Jung as he laid on his sick bed.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Where were you fooling around during a critical period like this?"

Kang Chul-In reprimanded Kwak Jung.

It was because the tactician's absence had increased workload for everyone.

As proof, Kang Chul-In had a mountain of paperwork piled next to his bed, which he feared the most.

In other words, Kang Chul-In had been scanning through countless documents even as he nursed himself!

"Haha... A-As for that..."

Kwak Jung sheepishly laughed and handed a document over to Kang Chul-In.

"I managed to do it."

"Do what?"

"Take a look first."

Kang Chul-In was puzzled, but he read the document nonetheless.

He then clenched his fist afterwards.

"What... is this?"

"Hehe... I'm trying to turn your Majesty into a playboy..."

"...You want a punch?"

"N-No, sorry!"

Kwak Jung realized his bad choice in words and began to blabber on to hide that fact.

"This is all an effort to strengthen Laputa and your Majesty. Furthermore, it shall be the foundation for your Pangaea conquest."

"So... are you really planning to make it happen?"

"Yes."

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"You are driving me nuts."

Kang Chul-In replied in absurdity. Kwak Jung's report was as follows:

[Marriage plan proposal]

Wife 1: Ninetails, the queen of Fox Valley

Wife 2: Overlord Lee Chae-Rin

Wife 3: Former Overlord Skadi Andvari

"Why, King Wang Geon of the Kory? dynasty had six queens and twenty-three wives."

"..."

"Since you already plan to expand your influence, I suggest you just go ahead with all of your arranged marriages without hesitation!"

Kwak Jung was right.

Laputa was currently bulking up to fight against the Gullveig coalition.

Arranged marriages would prove to be valuable assets in this process. It was an Overlord's duty.

"So you are telling me... to marry three people at once?"

"Yes."

"...My mother will be so pleased."

Kang Chul-In tossed out a sarcastic remark.

"I-I suppose..."

Kwak Jung replied sheepishly.

"I won't reject your proposal. However..."

"Yes?"

"This part needs a correction."

Kang Chul-In grabbed a pen and corrected a part of the proposal.

[Marriage plan proposal]

Wife 1: (Empty)

Wife 2: Ninetails, the queen of Fox Valley

Wife 3: Overlord Lee Chae-Rin.

Concubine 1: Former Overlord Skadi Andvari

"Hmm? What's going on?"

Kwak Jung was puzzled.

"Just like what I wrote here."

"...?"

"As for my first wife's place... I have to leave it empty. Damn it."

"I don't really follow..."

"This thing is not letting anyone become my first wife."

Kang Chul-In wriggled his fourth finger with the Needle of the Empress on it.

"Is it still causing you problems?"

"If I put anyone in the first wife's seat, I'm doomed."

"That bad?"

"I'm thinking of hitting level 100 and then completing a quest to satisfy this damn thing."

Kang Chul-In was speaking the truth.

....

*Due to the user's cheating, Laputa is selected for penalty option 1,2 and 3.

....

In other words, he had to reach level 100 first and clear the hidden quest to have his first wife.

"For now... let's just proceed with your plan."

"...This is tough on you, your Majesty."

"Clear these if you really do think so."

Kang Chul-In pointed at the pile of paperwork next to his bed.

"Y-your Majesty?"

"You do it. It's an order."

"..."

"Well then, you may leave. I'm going to rest."

Kang Chul-In gave Kwak Jung his work and immediately closed his eyes. It was a sort of threat to not bother him anymore.

D-Damn it...it's all about the ranks... Keuk...

Kwak Jung had to swallow his misery and leave the sickbay with a bunch of paperwork by his side.

***

At the same time...

Flap, flap!

A carrier pigeon flew across the land of Cyamodus, where mass genocide was happening.

It was heading towards a secret communication facility, with a confidential message wrapped around its leg.

The message was as follows:

Lord Alex Rothschild is slaughtering his own people and soldiers.

Seems to be a move to quell rebellion and the Coup d'etat.

New citizens and soldiers, replenished at an extremely fast rate.

Written by Schröder, the leader of the Fox Valley Intelligence Agency.

Indeed, Kang Chul-In had planted numerous Fox Valley Intelligence agents in Cyamodus to monitor Rothschild's every move!

***

As Kang Chul-In was about to marry three women at once, Desdemona, the ancient black dragon, was travelling to Ishtar's west, disguised as a traveller.

"Ha... nothing has changed during the past thousand years."

Desdemona mumbled in her human girl form.

"And they say even mountains change in 1000 years."

To her, even a decade passed in a blink of an eye.

"Oh, right."

"Hmm?"

"Hey, did you hear the rumour?"

"What rumour?"

"You know..."

Desdemona heard an interesting conversation from afar.

Let's eavesdrop a bit.

She then amplified her hearing abilities.

It wasn't difficult for a dragon like her.

"You know that Kentachi guy?"

"Ah~! That canine who sells things? The one who roams around with his backpack?"

"Yes, that Kentachi. I heard from that guy that..."

"Hmm?"

"An ancient golden dragon had polymorphed into a human and is now walking around the Ishtar region."

Desdemona froze.

Chapter 239: Three Daughters-In-Law

Translator: Leyy3

Nah, no way.

Desdemona shook her head.

Those rumors can't be true.

Unlike dragons, the human race had always enjoyed gossiping.

Shuffle, shuffle!

Desdemona stepped away to stop eavesdropping, but she couldn't help herself to listen a bit more.

"You actually believe that nonsense?"

"I'm serious! They say that the ancient gold dragon saved Fox Valley, the mist city!"

"Huh? Really?"

"Seems like it polymorphs into a human lord to entertain itself."

"No way."

"Apparently all the demi-humans already take it as a fact."

"Is that so?"

"They even made a statue of the ancient gold dragon."

Desdemona stopped.

Well... having at least one of my kind around would be nice.

Desdemona had a bitter smile across her face.

Maybe there was one dragon who had been hibernating without a care in the world...

The ancient gold dragon?

Polymorphing?

Desdemona only knew of one existence in Pangaea who qualified as a true dragon – herself.

In other words, she was the last and only ancient dragon around.

***

"Namo Amitabha..."

Park Sun-Ja was chanting a mantra in a temple in the Gyeonggi province in South Korea.

"Dear Buddha."

She bowed in front of the buddha statue.

"Please help my son get married soon."

A stranger who heard this prayer would have believed that Kang Chul-In was a lonely old bachelor. She was feeling that desperate.

Was her son bad looking?

Absolutely not!

Kang Chul-In was in fact pretty good looking. Maybe not celebrity level, but he still looked pleasant.

Moreover, not only was he the vice-president of the Galaxy Corporation (he got promoted after the Dungeon Gate incident), but he was also a four-star general in Korea.

How many men in the world could simultaneously brandish these titles? Kang Chul-In was already at the pinnacle of the social hierarchy.

Last but not least, money!

Yes, money!

He possessed an enormous amount of Galaxy Corporation stocks, which made him rich beyond imagination.

They were still rising in value, as well.

Appearance, money, and abilities.

Park Sun-Ja's son had the three essential traits of a good man.

Kang Chul-In was indeed very good husband material!

"Son, control your temper... sigh..."

His bad temper was his only downfall.

"Hoho~! Mrs. Park, why are you sighing so much?"

"Ah, senior monk!"

Park Sun-Ja greeted the old monk.

"I apologize for sighing in front of Buddha..."

"No worries. Why would the great Buddha be angry about that? So many people have been ranting to Buddha recently that your sigh won't be a big deal."

"Hoho~! Senior monk, you always have a way with words."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"But to me, you are more humorous."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Your son is about to get married, so why do you worry so much?"

"Marry? My Chul-In?"

"Yes, Mrs. Park."

"How do you know that...?"

"I just know."

The old monk gave a fathomless smile.

"However... you may be quite surprised, Mrs. Park."

"Sorry?"

"You are blessed with daughter-in laws."

"Daughter-in-laws?"

"You will know soon. Hoho! Well then, you may continue with chanting the mantra. I will take my leave..."

The old monk laughed and turned around.

"Senior monk..."

Park Sun-Ja could only stare at his fading back with a puzzled expression.

***

A few days later.

"Hu..."

Kang Chul-In let out a long sigh and stood on the magic circle that bridged Pangaea and Earth.

"Heung..."

Next to him were Ninetails, Lee Chae-Rin and Skadi Andevari.

"..."

Skadi Andevari, who came to send them off, didn't speak a word.

She didn't interact with Kang Chul-In much to begin with. Moreover, she had been leading a quiet life after she resigned from her Overlord position.

She had been working as a professor in the magician academy to earn her living.

"..."

Lee Chae-Rin was also silent.

Not only was she embarrassed, but she was also having mixed feelings looking at her competitors, Ninetails and Skadi.

As a Korean, she was having a difficult time swallowing the idea of polygamy.

I'm an Overlord!

Lee Chae-Rin, however, got herself together.

Mr. Chul-In is also an Overlord! I'm no ordinary woman!

That thought made her slightly more comfortable.

She was no longer an average woman, and would never have a chance to be with Kang Chul-In otherwise.

"I'm so excited to meet husband's mother!"

Ninetails, on the other hand, was rowdy.

"Your mother will like me right? Right?"

She was a Pangaean and was confident enough to not mind Lee Chae-Rin and Skadi.

She also didn't see a need for hostility.

"Relax sisters~!"

"Ah, ok..."

It was

because she was rank one amongst Kang Chul-In's wives.

Ninetails is their leader?

Kang Chul-In couldn't help but smile at this sight.

There was a need to establish a pecking order after all.

Hu... Skadi aside, Lee Chae-Rin is a problem.

Kang Chul-In also didn't find this situation entirely comfortable.

As for Skadi, she needed Kang Chul-In to protect Esmeralda. Kang Chul-In also needed the Esmeralda territory to conquer Pangaea, so their marriage was a win-win for both parties. It was a transactional relationship.

It was different for Lee Chae-Rin, however.

They knew each other even before the Great Summoning, and they mingled in various ways over a long time. To accept her as his second wife was no easy task.

Lee Chae-Rin.

Kang Chul-In glanced briefly at Lee Chae-Rin.

Yes?

She began to have shifty eyes.

Let's talk privately.

N-Now?

Later.

Ok...

They had already signed the marriage contract, but Kang Chul-In wished to take care of Lee Chae-Rin however he could.

"Let's go."

Kang Chul-In activated the magic circle.

***

Seoul was extremely hot.

It was the city's hottest weather in 100 years, and the heat island effect [1] made it worse.

"Phew, so hot."

Even under this heat, Mrs. Park didn't forget to water her cabbages, lettuce and chilis in her garden.

She wanted to treat her son with these fresh vegetables and pork belly when he returned.

Keeek!

At that moment.

"Mother."

The large gate opened.

"I'm home."

And Kang Chul-In revealed himself.

"Welcome home, dear son!"

Park Sun-Ja greeted Kang Chul-In delightfully.

"Yes, but..."

"Hmm?"

"I have a few people to introduce."

Kang Chul-In said firmly.

"People?"

"...Yes."

"Who are they?"

"Your daughters-in-law."

"Ah, daughter-in-law... that's right, daughter-in-law..."

Park Sun-Ja nodded while repeating Kang Chul-In's words.

"So, my son is introducing me to my daughter-in-law."

"Yes."

"Daughter-in-law... Hmm?"

Park Sun-Ja suddenly gasped in shock.

"Daughters-in-law?!"

"Yes."

"S-Son, you are getting married?"

"Only if you give me permission."

"...!"

"W-wait but, daughters-in-law, not just one daughter-in-law?"

"A-As for that..."

Kang Chul-In stiffened up.

Even he had a hard time explaining this.

He was a shameless person, but to introduce two fiancées to his mother was another thing all together.

"M-Mrs. Park..."

At that moment, Lee Chae-Rin appeared and greeted Park Sun-Ja.

"Ohmo, Ms. Chae-Rin!"

"H-Have you been well?"

"Certainly! Does this mean that Ms. Chae-Rin is our Chul-In's future wife?"

"A-As for that..."

Lee Chae-Rin couldn't find the right words.

How could she announce that she was only one of the many future daughters-in-law?

"My greatest pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Park."

At that instant, Ninetails appeared and gracefully greeted Park Sun-Ja.

Unlike Lee Chae-Rin who was dressed formally in business attire, Ninetails was wearing a Hanbok [2]. She was extremely beautiful and gave off a mysterious vibe.

"W-Who are you, may I ask?"

Park Sun-Ja stuttered.

"Please feel free to address me comfortably~! I am Ninetails, who has promised to be my dear husband's wife."

"Sorry?! W-What do you mean, lady?"

"I'm your first daughter-in-law."

"...!"

"I'm in your care!"

Park Sun-Ja immediately turned around and glared at her son.

"S-Son...?"

"...Yes, mother?"

Kang Chul-In replied with his eyes shut.

"W-What... is going on?"

"You are seeing it yourself."

"Huh?"

"You have... two daughters-in-law."

It was two as of now.

He didn't even mention Skadi, who he married purely for transactional benefits.

"...!"

"The details..."

Park Sun-Ja couldn't hear Kang Chul-In anymore.

"O-Oh my!"

She grabbed the back of her neck and collapsed in shock.

"Mother!"

Kang Chul-In quickly supported her.

"Mrs. Park!" "Mrs. Park!"

Ninetails and Lee Chae-Rin also shouted simultaneously.

***

Park Sun-Ja rested on her bed.

She had been wishing for her son to bring back a good wife, but she had never expected him to bring two.

"My son... my son is a playboy..."

Park Sun-Ja muttered with a white towel wrapped around her head.

"Two families... who knew that my son was the kind of man who makes women cry..."

It was sort of a disappointment.

Park Sun-Ja was disappointed at her son for the first time.

She had wished for Kang Chul-In to lead a happy life with the love of his life, not for him to practice polygamy.

A playboy. Father of two different families.

How could that even be possible in today's world?

Park Sun-Ja couldn't fathom Ninetails and Lee Chae-Rin's intentions.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, someone knocked on her door.

"Who is it?"

Park Sun-Ja replied coldly. She assumed that it was Kang Chul-In.

However,

"Grandma~!"

It was Arshelly, her beloved granddaughter.

"I missed you, grandma!"

"Grandma is quite sick now. Come back later, my dear."

"Heeng~! I wanna see you..."

"..."

"Do you not like Arshelly just because you are angry at daddy?"

"T-That's not true!"

Park Sun-Ja got herself up immediately. She could never let her beloved granddaughter misunderstand.

Arshelly was innocent after all.

In fact, she was the victim of this whole fiasco, at least from Park Sun-Ja's perspective.

"Can't you just let me in? Sob..."

Arshelly spoke in a sulkier tone.

"T-That...!"

Park Sun-Ja wavered.

"Grandma, just me~! Please? Sob sob... I wanna see you..."

"I-I too, want to see you, my dear..."

"Heeng..."

Arshelly relentlessly let out her charm and Park Sun-Ja was constantly in a dilemma.

Just a bit more!

Arshelly grit her teeth.

"Your royal Highness, this mission can only be accomplished by you."

She suddenly recalled Kwak-Jung's pleads.

"His Majesty's mother would never appreciate this situation. Because of this, his Majesty could die a lonely man..."

"I-I can't let that happen!"

"Hehe~! Right? Then you have to persuade her no matter what!"

"Okay, I will try!"

Arshelly was Kwak Jung's trump card to make Kang Chul-In's marriages come true.

He believed that only Arshelly alone could persuade Park Sun-Ja.

"Can't I enter? Please? Grandma, I just want to see you for a while! Please?"

Arshelly asked again.

"Y-You want to?"

Park Sun-Ja succumbed in the end.

I will definitely persuade grandma!

Arshelly inconspicuously clenched her fists and entered Park Sun-Ja's room.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_heat_island

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanbok

Chapter 240: Lee Chae-Rin's Confession

Translator: Leyy3

"Grandma, Arshelly thinks..."

Arshelly was good with words.

Kwak Jung had taught her what to say, but even without them, her efforts would have been incredible.

Why?

It was because she didn't want her beloved father, Kang Chul-In, to be an unmarried and lonely man.

In addition,

"Imperial Princess."

"Yes?"

"Don't you want a younger sibling?"

"S-sibling?!"

"That's right. A cute little sibling!"

"...!"

"When his Majesty and his spouses get married, they can make your younger siblings via ovulation, fertilization, implanta... no, not that! I meant by holding hands!"

"Gasp...!"

Arshelly had been coaxed into doing as Kwak Jung had told her.

That's right; let's get a younger sibling!

With that goal in mind, Arshelly continued her persuasion.

"I wish for daddy to get married."

"But!"

Park Sun-Ja gave her a stern expression.

"He can't have two wives! That's bad!"

"No, it's ok~!"

"H-huh?! What did you say...?"

Park Sun-Ja was puzzled. She could not comprehend why this innocent little girl was supporting Kang Chul-In in polygamy.

"Grandma."

Arshelly spoke.

"Daddy, no, Royal Father is..."

"R-Royal Father?"

"That's right!"

"What... do you mean?"

"Well, Royal Father is a ruler of a nation."

"R-Ruler?"

"Yes!"

"You mean... over in the 'other world'?"

"Yes! That's right."

"...!"

"Royal Father will soon be a king!"

"What in the world...!"

Park Sun-Ja did not even know that lords existed. The information was too much for her to handle.

A king?

Her son was a king over in the 'other world'? Ruling over an entire nation?

"What do you mean? Explain to your grandma, now!"

Park Sun-Ja coerced Arshelly.

"Alright, grandma."

Arshelly maintained her composure and explained everything from the start to finish, as Kwak Jung had told her to.

She mentioned Pangaea, lords, and what kind of character Kang Chul-In was in the 'other world'.

"I-I see."

Park Sun-Ja mumbled to herself, as if she was lost in her thoughts.

"Daddy would never have an affair!"

"I didn't know that... so, it was just a difference in culture..."

"Yes, grandma!"

"It's still difficult to swallow... that he has two different families..."

Park Sun-Ja muttered in confusion.

Strictly speaking, Kang Chul-In only had one family with multiple wives. Park Sun-Ja, however, saw it differently from her perspective.

"Mrs. Park?"

At that moment, Lee Chae-Rin gently opened the door and peeked her head in.

"M-Ms. Chae-Rin?"

"May I enter?"

"S-Sure. I also have something to talk to you about."

Park Sun-Ja gave her the permission.

"I'll be leaving, grandma! Have a pleasant talk!"

Arshelly was sensible enough to leave immediately.

"You may sit here."

"Thank you."

"What are you thinking, Ms. Chae-Rin?"

Park Sun-Ja went straight to the question.

"Are you really planning to marry my son? As his second wife?"

"Yes, I am."

Lee Chae-Rin replied firmly.

"How... Is that possible? You can appreciate this situation, Ms. Chae-Rin?"

"Yes. I'm also an Overlord, after all."

"...!"

"This is more than just a marriage between a guy and a girl. It signifies a unification between Laputa and Dorado."

"H-However, there is no love..."

"No, Mrs. Park."

Lee Chae-Rin spoke with a slight blush on his face.

"I-I..."

She finally leaked her true rationale.

"I love Mr. Chul-In!"

"...!"

"Mrs. Park, I can handle it!"

"No,"

Park Sun-Ja shook her head.

"Ms. Chae-Rin is such a good lady. It doesn't have to be my son..."

"No!"

"...!"

"I-I... don't think any other guy can be my husband. Ever since I got to know Mr. Chul-In, I couldn't find anyone as supreme as him."

"Ms. Chae-Rin..."

"Furthermore... I myself am no ordinary woman. I'm some sort of a queen. Who other than Mr. Chul-In could handle me? Mr Chul-In's the only man for me."

"I-Is that right? Ms. Chae-Rin may end up unfortunate..."

"Nope."

Lee Chae-Rin shook her head.

"I'm confident. I will definitely be a beloved wife and a great daughter-in-law."

"But the jealousy..."

"I tossed that emotion out of the window."

"...!

"The moment Mr. Chul-In decided to become the ruler of Pangaea, he was destined to have more than one woman around him."

It was strange logic, but not false. It was just a bit difficult for a normal Korean to comprehend.

"Mrs. Park, please permit our marriage."

"..."

"Please!"

Lee Chae-Rin pushed on with a headstrong resolve.

Phew... I guess having a talented son is not always a good thing...

Park Sun-Ja, thanks to Kang Chul-In's superiority, had to face dilemmas that no other layman could ever encounter.

***

"Huu..."

Kang Chul-In let out a long sigh on the rooftop.

"This is driving me nuts."

The fact that he couldn't just go headstrong on this matter made him extremely frustrated.

Even a hundred thousand enemy soldiers didn't scare him, but his mother Park Sun-Ja was so hard to deal with.

"Son! You should not be a playboy just because you have it good! I've never seen a playboy who was actually decent! That's not good at all!"

Kang Chul-In suddenly remembered Park Sun-Ja's words.

"Mother, that's not..."

He tried to explain, but,

"I have nothing more to say."

Park Sun-Ja had already turned her back against him. Kang Chul-In was caught in a dilemma.

"Mr. Chul-In."

At that instant, he heard Lee Chae-Rin's voice from his back.

"You came."

Kang Chul-In replied, with his gaze fixed on Seoul's night scenery.

"Yes."

"You've done... well."

"No problem. Don't we all have to strive to get what we want?"

"...!"

learned that from you, Mr. Chul-In. I'm just doing what I usually do, so don't mind me."

"You..."

As Kang Chul-In was replying, Lee Chae-Rin suddenly embraced him from the back without notice.

"I love you."

"...!"

"I really, really love you."

Her confession was as sudden as her back hug.

Thump, thump, thump!

Kang Chul-In could feel Lee Chae-Rin's heart racing, almost as if it was going to explode.

"When I first... met you, Mr. Chul-In... you were a newbie whom I wanted to protect."

"..."

"It was amazing to see you struggle to survive in this dog-eat-dog society."

The Kang Chul-In Lee Chae-Rin mentioned was an average employee before the Great Summoning happened.

"Hence, I tried my best to take care of you. You did seem burdened by it, though."

"..."

"And I began to like you since then."

"...!"

"Even before the Great Summoning... for the longest time."

Honest, heartfelt words.

Thanks to them, Kang Chul-In could recall his past memories and feelings which he had forgotten.

A newbie.

He always had that someone who was friendly to even a lowly intern like him.

"Aren't you tired, Mr. Chul-In? Drink this."

"Hang in there!"

"The boss is always like that. He is retarded. So don't pay too much attention to it."

"What's your plan for... this weekend?"

Lee Chae-Rin had always been displaying her feelings subtly, and Kang Chul-In had started to appreciate her caring and cheerful behavior.

"When the Great Summoning happened... I was honestly scared. It's true that I relied on you the most, and that I ranted a lot to you."

"..."

"But not now!"

Lee Chae-Rin embraced Kang Chul-In tighter.

"I no longer depend on you. Instead, I wish to be your trustworthy supporter and wife."

"..."

"I love you! Even if I can't have you all for myself..."

At that moment.

"...!"

Lee Chae-Rin's body was swept around.

"Are you really fine with this?"

Kang Chul-In faced and asked Lee Chae-Rin, who was now in his arms.

"Of course!"

"You sure you won't regret it?"

"Certainly!"

"If you happen to regret it, then I will let you off..."

He was about to finish the sentence with 'anytime you want', but he couldn't continue.

"Heub!"

It was because Lee Chae-Rin's moist lips had sealed his lips tight in a blink of an eye!

***

While Kang Chul-In was focusing his attention on domestic affairs, a coalition had gradually formed in the north, with Albrecht Vilhelm in the center.

In the land of Bifrost, the Lord's Hall...

"From this moment onwards,"

Albrecht Vilhelm, wearing a luxurious cape, raised his Epic-ranked sword Balisada high up in the air.

"We, as one, will fight against the evil Overlord Kang Chul-In, and achieve peace in this continent!"

Immediately, all the lords gave him a standing ovation.

"My brothers!"

Vilhelm shouted at the audience.

"I, Vilhelm, have respected your wishes and became the chairman of the North Coalition! I will, however, never abuse my authority, and I promise to listen to every ruler intently! With that, let me open up the first topic for discussion!"

He spoke in a grandiose tone, but in reality, he had already grasped the whole of the North Coalition under his control.

Overlord rank 2.

An enormous amount of land, a robust economy and an endless talent pool.

A concrete alliance with Overlord Ao Xin.

In fact, Vilhelm was the one who created the North Coalition. All of his speeches were nothing but a façade.

"As the chairman of the North Coalition, I propose to position our army to the west!"

That was the only sentence which he actually meant.

The west.

By advancing the allied troops towards the Deathwin territory, Vilhelm aimed to pressure Kang Chul-In and prevent his move in the next spring.

"I agree!"

"Vilhelm, I'm with you!"

"Let's destroy Kang Chul-In!"

"We can't let that demon advance to the heart of Pangaea now can we?!"

All the lords in the North Coalition supported Vilhelm.

"Wait."

At that moment, a man with pale skin and white hair stepped forward. It was Andrei Ivanovic, the vampiric Overlord.

"Overlord Andrei Ivanovic... any suggestions?"

Vilhelm questioned him with a slight hint of skepticism.

"Is pressuring alone enough?"

Andrei's red eyes gleamed.

"It seems like an overly timid move to me."

"Timid you say..."

"What if we conquer Deathwin? Won't that be more beneficial to our coalition's safety?"

"Hmm... but isn't it winter, soon?"

Vilhelm opposed.

"Our coalition is still in the midst of formation. If we start a war at this point..."

"We are an alliance."

"...!"

"The enemy may be strong, but he is alone. Why stop at pressuring? Even a simple war of attrition will be burdensome for Kang Chul-In."

Andrei glanced sharply at his audiences and continued.

"I agree wholeheartedly with the chairman's opinion, but to merely pressure Kang Chul-In is equivalent to giving him time to stabilize. I believe that conquering Deathwin right now is a better move, even if costly."

He had a point.

However,

This sly vampire bastard...!

The problem was that Andrei intended to stand back and watch while Vilhelm and Ao Xin did the work.

A war of attrition?

As Vilhelm mentioned, an imminent war would undoubtedly cost Vilhelm and Ao Xin. The other lords didn't have the ability to participate in the war, after all.

Even if they did, they would give a myriad of excuses to contribute as little as they could.

In other words, Andrei manipulated his words cleverly to place the burden solely on Vilhelm and Ao Xin's shoulders. The other lords were bound to agree to his suggestion as well.

"Hmm... that makes sense, too."

"As Overlord Andrei had mentioned, our coalition is strong enough to strike now..."

"I agree with him."

"Chairman Vilhelm, what do you think?"

The response was immediate.

The cunning lords of the North Coalition were leaning towards Andrei's opinion.

... Touché.

Vilhelm gritted his teeth.

He had assumed that he had control over the North Coalition, but that damn Andrei was tackling his influence.

Of course, it would be great if they could conquer Deathwin. However, that was not all.

Vilhelm also needed time.

He had to amplify his influence and power to 'perfectly' gain control over the North Coalition.

His final goal was to conquer Pangaea, after all.

"What's your view on this, chairman Vilhelm?"

Andrei inquired.

"I..."

Vilhelm replied.

"I respect your opinion."

"Is that so?"

"Immediately after this meeting, we will form the first allied troop to conquer Deathwin."

Vilhelm didn't have a choice.

Andrei Ivanovic had valid logic and Vilhelm didn't have any excuses. He had to send an army to at least 'pretend' to conquer Deathwin.

You will pay for this, you sly blood-sucking bastard.

Vilhelm glared at Andrei.

Well then, have fun.

Andrei responded with a relaxed expression.

***

W-What is this...!?

Lee Chae-Rin was surprised.

So hard... to compose myself... Heuk...!"

Kang Chul-In's kiss was akin to a thousand-year-old snake's movements.

How could a man's tongue move so flamboyantly? And how could someone's kiss be so soft and delicate? Lee Chae-Rin's mind was blanking out.

She was the one who initiated the kiss, but she succumbed to Kang Chul-In's kissing technique within ten seconds.

Thump,

Thump, thump!

Lee Chae-Rin's heart raced uncontrollably.

The kiss was short and succinct.

"Lee Chae-Rin."

Kang Chul-In spoke.

"Yes, Mr. Chul-In."

"No matter what happens..."

"I'm listening."

"I will never let you starve to death. I promise to feed you."

"Pfft!"

Lee Chae-Rin broke into laughter.

Chapter 241: There Is No Time For Rest

Translator: Leyy3

"...Why are you laughing?"

Kang Chul-In asked, his face stiffening.

"What, it's funny! Kuku..."

"...?"

"How are you so bad at talking like this?"

Lee Chae-Rin asked, still laughing.

"Me?"

"I've heard from rumors that Mr. Chul-In was supposed to be good at talking... I've heard that you've made your opponents grab the back of their necks in anger..."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Lee Chae-Rin continued talking.

"But for someone that's rumored to be good with their words... to say that you wouldn't make me starve to death..."

"..."

"Isn't that a little too lame?"

"It is?"

"Yeah, it is."

"How so?"

"After all, Mr. Chul-In, you have a lot of money. I've heard that your house is super expensive and you have a bunch of super cars, too. Someone like that is saying that they won't let me starve to death."

"..."

"And even though you have a lot of places to spend money... for someone like me..."

What came afterwards was something that anyone could guess.

"I bought ten buildings, ten apartments, as well as five villas in Seoul."

"...So rich."

Kang Chul-In said, staring at Lee Chae-Rin as if he was jealous.

She was like a noble in Korea.

"Anyway, then..."

Just as Kang Chul-In was about to speak again.

"No."

Lee Chae-Rin shook her head.

"I only want one thing from you."

"...?"

"Please, don't die."

"...!"

"No matter what happens."

She spoke, with emotion dripping from her words.

To not die.

That was the only thing that Lee Chae-Rin wanted from Kang Chul-In.

"Looks like little sister has a lot of worries."

The person who answered wasn't Kang Chul-In.

"Why are you worrying about that like an idiot?"

"...!"

"You don't need to worry about things like that. After all, our husband is invincible! That's a pointless thing to worry about."

Ninetails spoke, tapping Lee Chae-Rin's shoulder.

"B-Big sis..."

Lee Chae-Rin was startled.

"...Ninetails."

Kang Chul-In was also startled.

Why?

Because he also didn't notice Ninetails approaching, which meant that there was a 100% chance that he had focused too much on Lee Chae-Rin's words. Thus, he couldn't concentrate on anything else.

"Don't tell me... you saw everything?"

"Yeah."

"...!"

"Huh? Who cares? We're all family."

"...Even family doesn't do that."

Kang Chul-In said, shutting his eyes tight.

"B-Big sis..."

Lee Chae-Rin blushed.

"It's fine. Let's just stay happy with each other~!"

Saying that, Ninetails hugged Lee Chae-Rin. It was quite a touching scene.

I honestly don't know how to react.

Looking at this, Kang Chul-In was quite moved, but also felt quite guilty at the same time. He started to ask himself whether it was really okay to have multiple wives.

As a South Korean and a man from earth, he had the same struggles as Lee Chae-Rin to accept it.

No.

Kang Chul-In shook his head.

Now that it's become like this, I'll try my best.

Since things have come to this, the only thing he could do was take responsibility and try his best.

"Don't worry."

Kang Chul-In said, smiling.

"I won't die. And... the two of you are my wives. I will become a husband that protects my wife, no matter what the circumstances are."

It was a promise.

It also meant that Kang Chul-In's heart was open to them.

"Mr. Chul-In!"

"Husband!"

The two women smiled at Kang Chul-In, before immediately going to hug him.

***

Finally, Park Sun-Ja also fell.

"Mother, please say yes."

Now that Kang Chul-In had come forth, too, she couldn't refuse the marriage any longer.

At that moment...!

Park Sun-Ja recalled what the famed monk said to her.

"Looks like you'll get a daughter-in-law soon."

"...Daughter-in-law?"

"You'll know soon. Well then, I'm off. Kuku!"

She had thought that he meant that she would get one daughter-in-law, but it seemed that that wasn't the case.

"I will live well, mother."

"Son... do you really have to do this? People will point at you."

"My life is already in the other world, mother."

"...!"

"I'm sure that you've also guessed that I can't live ordinarily

now."

"Will you really be alright?"

"Yes."

"Even though people will speak about you?"

"Those lips that speak about me, and those fingers that point at me... I'm planning on destroying all of those."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any regrets?"

"No."

"Well, then..."

Park Sun-Ja continued her words, staring at Lee Chae-Rin and Ninetails that were also sitting down.

Or rather, she tried to, but couldn't.

"W-What on earth!?"

Park Sun-Ja suddenly fell backwards.

"Mother!"

Kang Chul-In quickly helped his mother up.

"Are you alright?"

"Mother-in-law!"

Ninetails and Lee Chae-Rin were also shocked.

"Mother, are you alright? Don't tell me, you're sick..."

"S-She's a demon! S-She has a tail!"

"...!"

"She's a demon!"

Park Sun-Ja shouted, pointing at Ninetails.

"My son has been charmed by a demon!"

"..."

"Son, wake up! You've been charmed and brainwashed by a demon!"

It was obvious what had happened.

Happy and excited that Kang Chul-In's mother was about to agree, Ninetails' tails involuntarily revealed themselves.

"...Dammit."

It seemed like further explanation was required.

***

Beep, beep!

A message arrived at Laputa's communication center.

"...!"

Staring at the message, the soldier's face froze.

This was what it said.

Sender: Gulveig Alliance

Receiver: All Lords

Contents:

The Gulveig Alliance, made up of 9 territories in the North of Pangaea, will try our best to maintain peace within the Pangaea continent.

The Gulveig Alliance is opposed to Overlord Kang Chul-In's violent and ruthless methods in taking out other Lords and conquering their territories.

We await the reply of other Lords that agree with us. The door to the Gulveig Alliance is always open.

Because of the 2nd statement above, the Gulveig Alliance will now declare war upon the 'Axis of Darkness,' that is, the Laputa territory!

The alliance leader of Gulveig,

Overlord Albrecht Vilhelm.

It was a shocking event.

9 territories, under the name of the Gulveig Alliance, had declared war on Kang Chul-In.

***

The leader of the Axis of Darkness, however, was busy explaining something to his mother.

"R-Really? So, Ninetails... or the fox-human race, is a race that emphasizes respect to their parents and the elderly?"

"Of course, mother-in-law!"

"Aha! I thought the Ninetails was something that came out in Korean folk..."

Saying that, Park Sun-Ja froze momentarily, and continued.

"But now that I think about it, it seems like even in Korean Folklore [1], Ninetails acted extremely well towards their husbands and mothers-in-law."

What she said was true.

Even in Korean legends, Ninetails were often portrayed as characters that liked to act extremely nicely and well to their husbands and their mothers-in-law.

Even though in the end, Ninetails failed to become human and the romance between them and their husbands was tragically cut short, but that didn't matter since Ninetails here had no intention of becoming human in the first place.

The most important thing, however...

"B-But, lady..."

Park Sun-Ja cautiously opened her mouth.

"Haha, not lady! You can speak comfortably to me, mother-in-law! I am your daughter-in-law, after all."

"I-Is that so...? Anyway, but..."

"Yes?"

"Then... how about children...?"

"...?"

"Since you're not the same race as my son... is... is 'that'... possible?"

At that moment.

"Cough!"

Kang Chul-In, who was watching from the side, nearly spat out his drink.

"Ah~!"

But it seemed like Ninetails wasn't fazed at all.

"Don't worry, there's no problem!"

Ding dong!

At that moment, a way to escape this awkward situation presented itself to Kang Chul-In, as the doorbell rang.

"I'll go outside."

Kang Chul-In quickly grasped this opportunity and left towards the entrance.

-Milord, it's me!

Kwak Jung's voice could be heard from the interphone.

"Ha, seems like he's finally bought it."

Kang Chul-In smirked, staring at the silhouette of a red car. It was obviously the Ferrari that Kwak Jung had wanted so badly.

"Milord!"

As soon as the door opened, Kwak Jung rushed in with a frantic expression.

"What is it?"

"T-Trouble, sire!"

"Trouble? What, did that Vilhelm bastard decide to fight against me or something? With his group?"

"Eh? How did you know, sire?"

"...Hm?"

At that moment, silence descended.

"For real?"

"Yes, sire."

"Is it the Gulveig Alliance?"

"You knew that too, sire?"

"..."

"Anyway, I think that we'll have to return quickly."

Looking at Kwak Jung's expression, it seemed as if the situation was quite dire.

So, war when it's almost winter...? It seems like they want to play the long game.

"Let's go immediately."

"We still have one or two days of..."

"No, we leave immediately."

Kang Chul-In quickly moved.

Ah, this is 100 times better.

The reason his footsteps were so fast was because this was a great excuse to escape from the awkward situation that he was in right now.

"Ah."

Kang Chul-In suddenly stopped.

"Who's the general for the other side?"

"We're not sure yet, sir."

Kwak Jung answered.

"From the rumors, they say that it was someone who was wearing some white armor..."

"Oh, so it's him then?"

Kang Chul-In smirked.

Brrr!

Staring at Kang Chul-In's expression, Kwak Jung froze and shivered. That was how terrifying Kang Chul-In's expression was.

There was an explanation for his current expression.

The person wearing that white armor was the owner of the 'Sonic Ring', which was also part of the Trinity Impact along with Kang Chul-In's 'Overpower Bracelet'.

Grand Sword Master!

This enemy was one that even Kang Chul-In couldn't guarantee his victory against!

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumiho

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