Chapter 778 Agreement
When all of Charles Richards' explanations were over, Klaus Park came to a conclusion that connected everything to him and also explained why Charles wanted Klaus to become an Evolved.
"Wait a minute. In the end, you're telling me all this for a reason, aren't you? You said you couldn't put an administrator in charge of the game, so you want a watchdog like me to take care of your problems?"
Charles nodded calmly. "That's exactly what I want, boy. I can't give you or anyone else administrator permissions, but I can take advantage of your skill and goodwill to look after the game. I wouldn't call it a 'watchdog', it's more like a 'guardian', an informal administrator to prevent the Evolved from wreaking havoc and also to have a force to fight them? You have the necessary qualities for this role."
Klaus frowned, still trying to understand what was being asked of him. "But why me? Why not hire one of the players who are on top of the world right now or implement more conventional security measures? I'm just learning what an Evolved is now, while there are others far more powerful and skilled than me."
Charles leaned forward, looking directly into Klaus' eyes. "Because you're different, Klaus Park. Not only are you a skilled player, but you also have a unique understanding of the balance between power and responsibility. You don't just seek personal glory in the game; you seek to understand the motivations of the characters and, at the same time, preserve the integrity of the kingdoms. Look, this early morning you were fighting hard against demons to recover the souls of players and NPCs? And what did you get out of it? Nothing. You're no longer the typical player who does something just hoping for rewards, for XP or items."
Klaus was flattered, but also skeptical. "I still don't understand why you would entrust this responsibility to a player like me. I still have so much to learn..."
Charles smiled, a smile that contained confidence. "Klaus, have you ever wondered why, out of millions of players, you were chosen to get the Psyker Class? It was the game that chose you, based not only on the account you migrated from Myth2, but also on your career. And you proved the system right, you stood out not just for your skills, but for your empathy, for your ability to understand the game not just as a challenge, but as a reflection of humanity. You saved the Kingdom of Tretidian several times, you helped Mibothen and I know that you intend to go and help the Niflheim people."
Klaus was silent for a moment, reflecting on Charles' words. He looked at the holographic screen to his left, where an image of an RO landscape of a vast field filled with flowers was being displayed.
"So, what do you say, Klaus? Do you agree to be the guardian, the defender of the worlds we've created? It's your choice, and I understand the magnitude of what I'm asking."
Klaus took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. "You want me to be the administrator who can't manage, right? The observer who must interfere when necessary... All right, I'm ready to accept, after all, it won't change anything I already intended to do."
Charles smiled again, but this time with obvious relief. "Good, Klaus. You'll be the bridge between the Evolved and the control we need to maintain over Rise Online, you just need to sign..."
"Wait. I haven't finished yet. In order to sign whatever you want me to sign, I want you to fulfill a few conditions beyond finding a cure for my brother."
As if he already knew Klaus would say something like that, Charles smiled and took a deep breath. "All right, I'm listening."
"So far, I've rejected roles and positions within Tretidian because I wanted to be free, but that doesn't mean I'm against having a salary. Besides, I also want you to renovate my family home and I want an apartment in downtown New York. And while we're here, I want new gadgets for the Archery Department, we've proven ourselves to be talented, so why not invest in that? Oh, I also want my own private room on campus. Not to sleep in, but so that I can play without worrying about timetables or getting back to the dorm."
Charles frowned. "Why would you need all that?"
"For you to show that I'm really important to you." Klaus winked at Charles and got up from his chair. "When you've arranged all this, we'll talk more. Until then, there's a city to rebuild."
As soon as Klaus walked out of the office door, Charles grinned from ear to ear, for Klaus was exactly like Kaizen was, no personality distinction, no superhero syndrome, Klaus was a genuinely determined person and that was perfect for what Charles expected of him.
Despite the confident way Klaus spoke to Charles, as he walked through the administrative building he was lost in thought. The conversation with Charles weighed heavily on his mind, but at the same time, a sense of excitement propelled him towards the challenges ahead and now he was relieved that the search for treatment for Rhyzer Park would finally begin.
As Klaus made his way to his dormitory, he could feel the curious glances of some people in his direction and others even approached him for autographs and photos. Some murmured among themselves, but Klaus ignored the side conversations because he was too tired.
When Klaus finally arrived at his dormitory and entered his room, as expected there were Andrew, Nathan and David. It seemed like forever since he had last seen Nathan and David, even though he had seen them on the last day of the Special Program Tournament, and for them the impression was the same, because the Klaus they knew was someone strong and athletic, not Kaize, a famous Rise Online player.
After the door closed behind Klaus, silence hung over the dormitory for a brief moment.
Andrew, Nathan and David looked at Klaus who, confused, was standing by the bedroom door while looking at everyone.
"What is it?" Klaus asked.
Nathan was the first to break the silence, his expression a mixture of confusion and irritation. "So, you're Kaizen, the famous Rise Online player, Mr. Park?" He crossed his arms, looking at Klaus with a frown. "And you never told us anything? You never mentioned that you were a celebrity? I knew you were too cool to be true."
Klaus let out a tired sigh, rubbing his temples before answering. "Nathan, I didn't want my life there to interfere here in the real world. I just wanted to be treated like one of you, not like Kaizen."
Nathan shook his head, clearly dissatisfied. "And I always thought you were just a normal guy with exceptional athletic abilities. How come I never suspected that? You were good with swords and bows without having much technique or experience..." He put his hand to his chin and began to think.
David, the most relaxed of the group, laughed and slapped Nathan weakly on the back, but because he was physically strong, the slap almost changed Nathan's heart.
"Relax, Nathan. If even I didn't know, how could you? Besides, Klaus had his reasons for keeping it a secret."
"Cof... Cof... Not even you?" Nathan was trying to recover from the slap at the same time as he had taken offense. He was the boy who always bragged about his high IQ, while David wasn't that smart.
Klaus laughed at their manner and muttered:
"It's good to be back, boys..."
"What did you say?" asked Andrew to Kaizen.
The black-haired, broad-shouldered boy lifted his face and said:
"I asked if you guys wanted to go and warm up a bit in the department instead of staying here all night. I bet you're all a bit rusty, aren't you?"
"I trained at my uncle's farm." David replied.
"And I trained at my personal training hanger, back home in California." Nathan retorted.
"Oh, I forgot that you've all always been archers. Isn't it a bit bad for your reputation to be worse than a 'swordsman'?" Klaus joked.
"You damn loudmouth... Come on, I'll show you that I was just a bit unlucky in the tournament." Nathan stood up from the bed with determination.
"Are you coming?" Klaus looked at David and Andrew.
"And I'm going to miss the chance to see Nathan break another one out of frustration? Of course I'm coming!" Andrew said.
"I'm in too!" David said as he stood up.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Klaus exclaimed. "And the loser will have to buy everyone a round of beer!"
*
Edited by: DrHitsuji
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