Ranker's Return

Supplementary Story 59

“Your Majesty the Emperor.” Hyeonu approached Alexander with a pace that was neither slow nor fast. He wasn’t flustered. After all, it was Hyeonu who invited Alexander here in the first place.

“What emperor? You have to call me the former emperor. The emperor is now Heizer over there,” Alexander kindly corrected Hyeonu’s words.

“Then can I just call you Your Majesty Alexander?” Hyeonu made eye contact with Alexander.

“That is pretty good, Duke Gang Hyeonu.” Alexander also stared into Hyeonu’s eyes.

“I understand, Your Majesty Alexander.”

The two people looked at each other and smiled. Alexander passed by Hyeonu and corrected the behavior of the nobles who were bowing deeply. “Everyone, get up. The direction is wrong. It isn’t this side that you should bow your heads toward but the other side.”

Then the nobles raised their heads one by one and turned toward Heizer.

“What are you doing without applauding the new emperor who will lead the Yusma Empire?” Alexander continued with a smile.

Clap clap clap! The nobles clapped simultaneously as one body. Heizer listened to the applause from the nobles for a long time before cautiously approaching Alexander. “Father...”

Alexander put his hand on Heizer’s shoulder and said while making eye contact, “The throne of power is not a good place. It is a position of responsibility, not domination.”

“It is something I’ve always heard. Always put duty over rights.”

“There will definitely be hard times. You might think it now, but it will come unconditionally. No one could solve that loneliness. Not even me.”

“I will endure it. I can sacrifice that much for the sake of the empire filled with our ancestors’ blood and sweat.” Heizer showed a firm will to Alexander.

“I believe you will do well.” Alexander showed a satisfied smile.

“I will do my best.” Heizer took a step closer to Alexander and hugged him.

“Yes.” Alexander, still smiling, patted Heizer several times on the back.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Are you going back to the Holy Kingdom?”

“Yes, don’t worry too much. I will be back with your mother.” Alexander nodded.

“Don’t go other ways and head straight back. Otherwise, it will be big trouble, really.”

“I was already planning on it.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Don’t wait.”

After finishing these words, Alexander turned his back to Heizer.

“Duke, follow,” Alexander whispered as he passed by Hyeonu’s side. Hyeonu nodded slightly. He looked around for a moment before leaving the coronation ceremony.

***

‘Where is he?’ Hyeonu left the place of the coronation ceremony and looked around. He was looking for Alexander, who called him out earlier.

“You gave it up.” Alexander appeared in front of Hyeonu. He couldn’t hide his regret.

“Your Majesty should know that it wasn’t the right position for me from the beginning.”

“Haven’t you been handling the government affairs very well?”

“That is something that anyone can do, even if it isn’t me,” Hyeonu answered with wide eyes.

“I don’t know about that. I’m sure you were better than me.” Alexander shrugged. “In any case, it is true that I am disappointed because you have great abilities... I mean, isn’t it better to be stuck in the imperial palace and rule the entire empire than to be stuck in the north?”

“Thank you for the compliment, but... why would I be stuck in the north?” Hyeonu wondered with a puzzled expression.

“If Heizer becomes emperor, won’t you be fighting against Duke Blake? I think that’s right.” Alexander smiled.

“Huh?” Hyeonu’s eyes widened. At the same time, his heart started pounding like crazy.

‘How did he know?’

The fact that the black knight was John Blake was known to only a very small number of people.

‘Did someone say it?’

The names of those who knew this fact passed through Hyeonu’s head—Edward, Kalen, John Blake, and so on. He came up with several names, but he wasn’t convinced it was any of them.

“Do you think I don’t know anything because I am in the Holy Kingdom?” Alexander’s eyes shone sharply for a moment.

Hyeonu got goosebumps when he saw it.

“This person, why are you so surprised?” Alexander laughed loudly, but his eyes still contained a strange sharpness. “In fact, I was very surprised at first. Starting a war to throw away the position of emperor… Moreover, in multiple places. It is out of the norm.”

Hyeonu was consistently silent without replying.

Seemingly unbothered by Hyeonu’s continued silence, Alexander continued to speak, “The purpose was impure, but the process wasn’t bad. The results weren’t bad either. That is why I left you alone. If it was going to be an issue, I would’ve done it earlier, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Hyeonu finally answered in a bewildered voice.

“This is why it is even more regrettable. A lunatic who started a war to leave the emperor’s position must lead the empire. Heizer has no merit apart from the fact that he is of imperial blood...”

“No, Your Majesty. His Majesty Heizer, the current emperor, cares about the empire more than anyone else.”

“If you think that someone can become an emperor just because they cherish the empire, anyone could become emperor.”

Hyeonu just kept his mouth shut. It seemed meaningless to say anything. He wanted this time to pass quickly.

“I think you will suffer for around a month,” Alexander said.

“Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“The black knight has his entire body covered with armor, right? Moreover, his magic power was never shown on the outside... Who will know who is inside the armor?” Alexander burst out laughing and left.

‘Is he gone?’

Upon seeing that Alexander was gone, Hyeonu gritted his teeth.

‘He is really like this right till the end.’

Alexander was a really terrible guy. It seemed like Alexander was an NPC that had been made just to torment Hyeonu.

Hyeonu gazed at the sky and let out a deep sigh, “Sigh...”

On the outskirts of the imperial palace, a man’s cry rang out, “Let’s leave the imperial palace and go north! To destroy the black knight!”

***

Hyeonu’s life remained unchanged even after Heizer became the new emperor of the Yusma Empire. Just like he had to work in the office constantly before, he now had to fight relentlessly against the undead.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He got out of the imperial palace and headed straight away to the battlefield.

-Only the background and work he is doing have changed. He is still doing the same thing every day ㅋㅋㅋ

-What type of serving in a war as a commoner quest has he received? He is just fighting without a break ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Is the content only a war?

The viewers also clicked their tongues at Hyeonu’s game routine.

“Do you think I am doing this because I want to? Who will stop the black knight without me? Will you block him?”

Hyeonu was angry when he saw the chat window. He didn’t want to stay in the north. In his mind, he would’ve left in search of a new field or quest.

-You can’t do that.

-The black knight is too much.

-To be honest, there is no one who can stop him except for Alley Leader.

-He isn’t even a growth-type monster. But he seems to be getting stronger.

-The moment that Alley Leader leaves, the northern area will be devastated. ƒ𝐫𝒆𝐞w𝗲𝚋𝗻૦𝘷e𝙡.c𝑜𝙢

-NPCs must be brought in ㅋㅋㅋ

“That is why I’m staying here. There is no answer if it isn’t me. Isn’t it a great thing? I am giving up my own interests for the public’s good.”

-Yes, stay strong.

-Alley Leader is the Best Best Best has gifted you 59 gold coins.

-You are the light of the north.

-Ninth Dragon has gifted you 1,000 gold coins.

-Lool ㅋㅋ Liu Shei!

-It seems like he is here to pay for protection.

Gold coins suddenly poured into the chat window.

“Don’t do that. Come here quickly and prepare for battle. All nine of you will participate today.”

Hyeonu frowned rather than liking it. It was because one of the people who gave gold coins was Liu Shei.

-I’m sorry. The kids don’t listen well...

Hyeonu was angry with Liu Shei because of the players who were absent every time they fought—the Kowloons.

“That is your problem. Hurry up and bring them in. Otherwise, I will take out all of New World from the battlefield.”

-Wait! Wait a minute! I’ll bring them at all costs!

“It is too late. I am also off work today. Take care of the black knight. I will not go to the battlefield until all nine of the Kowloon are killed. This isn’t my territory. The owners are still here, so what am I doing?”

The news Hyeonu gave was like a bolt out of the blue for Liu Shei.

-No... wait! Alley Leader? Teacher? Excuse me? the startled Liu Shei urgently called out to Hyeonu.

-Satan: Teacher? The progress seems to be too fast.

-The lives of nine rankers vs one well-developed city.

-What is the comparison?

-It is sudden ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.

-Is this bloodshed?

-???: If I obediently bring out the Kowloon...

Unfortunately, this message was already buried by the chatting storm of other viewers and couldn’t reach Hyeonu.

“Now, everyone. I’m hungry, so I’m going to eat. I have guests for the eating show. Please greet Tang-E and Gom-E with a round of applause.”

Two small bears appeared on Hyeonu’s shoulders.

“It is time to eat, Master dude!”

“I’ll be angry if you give me something that doesn’t taste good, Master dude!”

Tang-E and Gom-E screamed in Hyeonu’s ears from both sides.

“The title of the dish I will make today is braised chicken legs. However, it is with the fine spices of the East Continent...”

Hyeonu was already used to the behavior of the two bears, so he continued speaking without frowning.

***

“I’m full, Master dude.”

“I enjoyed the meal today as well, Master dude. Please bring some spices for Tang-E.”

“Yes, I’ll take care of it.”

It took quite a long time for Hyeonu and the two bears to finish eating. In the meantime, the black knight killed all the Kowloons of the Kowloon Guild were killed once. Numerous cracks appeared in the city walls, and the gates disappeared without a trace.

“First of all, I have to move to relieve my stomach a bit, kids.” Hyeonu patted his belly while looking at the devastated landscape.

-Eating peacefully while watching that.

-He has good guts. Did he lose his mind?

-He ate almost non-stop.

-Even if it is an eating show, I don’t think it should be that much ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The viewers were dumbfounded. Hyeonu had eaten while watching blood splatter and the undead collapsing. Moreover, he had done so like the food was very delicious.

“Take care of those guys. I will handle the black knight,” Hyeonu repeated what he said earlier today.

“I know, Master dude. Don’t be as badly beaten today.”

“That’s right. Badly beaten.”

Tang-E criticized Hyeonu while buffing him, and Gom-E helped.

Hyeonu’s eyes became fierce as he shouted at Tang-E, “So are you going to deal with him instead?”

“I’m sorry, Master dude. Work hard.” Tang-E shook his head and started running along the walls with Gom-E.

“I’m going too, everyone. The chat window will now be turned off. I won’t be able to see it when I’m focused anyway,” Hyeonu said. He took a deep breath, kicked off from the wall, and flew in the air.f𝓇𝘦𝒆𝘄𝑒𝗯𝑛𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄𝘰𝓶