“You! How can you just sit back after the heir of the Count Georuk family was humiliated like that?!”
Not this again. Meb felt a wave of nausea wash over him as he watched his wife storm into the office, raising her voice.
“It’s already a finished story. Please stop.”
“Finished? How can you say it’s finished when you acted on your own accord! I never agreed to such measures!”
This argument had been repeating itself daily since Meg Georuk, the eldest son of the Count Georuk family, returned after causing a ruckus with a foreign count.
It was exhausting.
He couldn’t muster the confidence to persuade her since she refused to understand, so he wondered how long this chaos would continue.
“As your lord, I command you to stop, my lady.”
“Why should I bow down to that Alrn family? They are just a count family guarding a border of a lowly kingdom! They may have had their glory in the past, but now they’re nothing more than a wolf that has lost its teeth...”
“Hah.”
As the countess continued to shout, Meb sighed heavily as if to emphasize his point.
Though the countess raised her voice, claiming he was ignoring her, Meb channeled his mana, creating an aura of pressure that silenced her.
“My lady, I have participated in the territorial disputes between the Soladin Kingdom and the Magical Empire.”
The conflict had begun with a dungeon.
A dungeon appeared along the border separating the Magical Empire and the Soladin Kingdom, prompting the nobles of each nation to dispatch soldiers for conquest.
Naturally, this led to disagreements among those who had come to conquer the dungeon, arguing whether it should be the kingdom or the empire that took it.
Under normal circumstances, such disputes would be peacefully resolved through consensus among the nobles responsible for each territory.
However, at that time, the situation was different.
In an atmosphere already tense between the kingdom and the empire, this conflict became a point of contention.
What should have been resolved through dialogue morphed into a clash of pride between the two nations, leading to a military buildup along the borders.
The slightest provocation could topple the dominoes, which crumbled like a house of cards at the slightest breeze, thus war broke out.
In that conflict stood Meb, renowned as a genius magician, alongside Benedict Alrn, known as the beast defending the kingdom.
“I witnessed it. A monster that single-handedly shattered the frontlines.”
Benedict charged into the heart of the battlefield without even mounting his horse.
Where a normal person would have turned to dust under the hail of bullets, Benedict was different. He absorbed everything, tearing apart the frontline.
But that wasn’t all. Amidst the chaos, he even incapacitated and abducted several nobles, including the commanders of the frontlines.
“I saw it. A comet torn apart by a human’s blade.”
Meteor Strike, a spell crafted through the collaboration of many magicians from the Magical Empire.
While many talents from the kingdom had weakened him, it was Benedict Alrn who delivered the final blow.
He wielded a massive sword, nearly resembling a club due to its size, and shattered the comet.
“I saw it. The existence of a single family, a single person, turning the tide of war.”
In the end, the kingdom emerged victorious from that war.
While countless factors contributed to that victory, the most notable was undeniably Benedict Alrn.
Since that day, whenever asked who the strongest family on the continent was, Meb would respond, “The Alrn family.”
Even after Benedict became more withdrawn following the birth of his daughter, and rumors circulated that he had lost his edge among the younger generation.
“I will say it once more. I firmly declare that I have no intention of opposing the Alrn family. I do not wish for the beast’s fangs protecting the kingdom to come to this place.”
If that were to happen, a monster in human form would arrive here in a furious state and tear everything apart.
Having concluded his statement, Meb leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.
Typically, he made an effort to respect his wife’s wishes, but this time was different.
This was a matter of the family’s survival.
There could be no compromise.
“Leave.”
With Meb speaking firmly, the countess could not utter another word.
In the end, the master of the Georuk family was Meb.
As the countess left with a dissatisfied expression, one of the family’s attendants rushed into the room.
The attendant, gasping for breath, bowed respectfully to Meb.
“What is it?”
“The lady of the Alrn family urgently wishes to speak with you, my lord.”
Upon hearing the attendant's words, Meb covered his eyes with his hand.
Oh great deity, please grant peace to this family.
“My lord?”
“I will go myself. Where is the lady?”
“I have guided her to the reception room.”
“Good job.”
I hope it’s nothing serious.
Convincing Benedict was straightforward.
<Karia is alive? Is that true?>
“Do I need to repeat it twice? Silly papa?♡”
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When I explained that Karia was alive and that we needed help to rescue her, Benedict said he would handle some urgent matters and come right away.
<Wait a day. I will take care of everything in that time.>
It was clear that Benedict, who was at least as strong as Karia in her prime—or even stronger—had promised to join us.
This meant we could effectively say we had succeeded in approaching Karia.
However, my goal was not merely to defeat Karia. It was to rescue her from the Evil God’s curse.
In the world of the Soul Academy, there were several characters afflicted by the Evil God’s curse.
True to its high degree of freedom, the Soul Academy presented players with choices when encountering them.
Whether to mercilessly take their lives or to find a way to save them from the Evil God’s curse.
Had this occurred in reality, one would have to choose one of the two options. And that choice would never be reversible.
But that was a game, and I had experienced both sides.
To clear all achievements in the Soul Academy, one must have wiped out as well as spared at least once.
So, I have a rough idea of how to save Karia in a situation like this.
The necessary team composition is as follows:
Someone who can confront Karia head-on.
Someone who can nullify the magic of the Evil God she uses.
And someone who can strip away the curse controlling her.
I’ve thought about this composition.
Since I’m already using the cheat of having Benedict on my side, why not take advantage of it?
There’s no need for me to roll around in the mud every time I complete a quest from that pathetic, incompetent deity, right?
Sometimes it’s okay to cheer from the sidelines and let things get resolved on their own.
“Lord Benedict is coming here?”
Hearing that Benedict would be coming sent shivers down Count Georuk’s spine.
The reason was simple. I had deliberately given him no explanation about the circumstances.
He was probably assuming that Benedict was enraged due to the foolish actions of his son.
It’s true that this man has decision-making issues, but he’s still somewhat resolute. Seeing him tremble like this indicates that Benedict truly intimidates him.
Alright. Having just pushed this man into hell, it’s time to throw him a lifeline.
“Don’t worry, Count...”
“Don’t worry, cowardly count. The reason my foolish father is coming here isn’t because of that.”
“Excuse me? Then why?”
I roughly explained what had happened in the dungeon.
About Karia being entangled in the curse and how Benedict would come to save her.
I didn’t mention anything about the Evil God’s seal. Explaining and convincing him of that would be too troublesome.
The count was not someone who could be persuaded by vague words from a pathetic deity like Kal or my grandfather.
“Are you coming to rescue an old comrade?”
Upon hearing the full story, the count let out a heartfelt sigh of relief.
“If that’s the case, then there’s no problem at all. I will promise my active assistance with your stay and anything related.”
“Really?...”
“Absolutely. In fact, there’s something I would like to ask the cowardly count.”
“What is it?”
“Please join the party.”
“Come into the dungeon with us. You’re not scared of that too, are you?”
Having someone like Benedict to block Karia head-on would be more than enough. This is not just my guess; my grandfather nodded in agreement, so it’s confirmed.
So all I need to do is fill the other two spots.
One of those two I have chosen is Count Georuk.
He may seem incredibly incompetent, but he is a powerful mage.
In a magical empire filled with countless capable mages, he is a genius who commands respect for his skills.
When it comes to fighting under specific conditions, he has used various elemental spells, making him one of the tougher bosses players faced.
He was not someone who could typically be recruited as a party member, but this isn’t a game, is it?
Those kinds of restrictions do not apply here.
“Me?”
The count looked visibly taken aback.
It seemed he never expected me to make such a request.
“That would be rather difficult. As the count responsible for this place, there are various rules I must adhere to, and I must always...”
“Is that really okay?...”
“Should I tell your foolish father everything? About what his cowardly son has done?”
Would it really be okay?
What do you think would happen if Meg tried to harm me and I told him about it?
I might not know for sure, but I doubt it would be a calm reaction.
The count's eyes were trembling.
I was practically pulling the rope after pushing him into hell.
It was only natural for him to be flustered.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Yes. So what?...”
“What? Are you angry? A little girl with no blood in her veins is feeling too proud and getting mad? But you can’t do anything, can you? Kuhut. Cowardly count.”
The count’s statement was correct.
This was a threat.
Because I had the justification, and a calamity like Benedict loomed behind me, I could make this threat.
However, Count Georuk could not resist this threat.
Even if he disliked the arrogant brat before him, there was nothing he could do.
His foolish son had already made the first mistake.
As the count, who had been looking down on me, began to cradle his head, our gazes reversed.
“Don’t worry...”
“Don’t worry. All you have to do is enter the dungeon and fight. Even if you’re a cowardly count, your magical skills aren’t that bad, right?”
He looked up at me, and I looked down at him.
In this moment, the answer was already nearly determined.
“...Is that really all it takes?”
“Yes. Of course. That’s all that needs to happen.”
“Of course. With that, both the cowardly count and your perverted trash of a son will be just fine?”
“Understood...”
Count Georuk nodded with a voice mixed with a sigh.