Chapter 45: Yes? (2)

Kim Hyunwoo thought seriously.

Did he have any connection with the Duchess of Tesnoka?

But no matter how much he thought about it, Kim Hyunwoo believed there was no connection with the Duchess of Tesnoka.

Kim Hyunwoo had only been in this world of Arteil for a few months, and it didn't make sense to call it a connection from when he enjoyed Arteil as a game.

After all, according to what he had checked, the Tesnoka territory wasn't on the territory relationship chart.

Therefore, Kim Hyunwoo looked at the Duchess, who was smiling confidently, and her secretaries, who were slightly embarrassed and bowing their heads behind her.

Soon, feeling his unsettled emotions quickly settle, perhaps due to his unshakable mind, he spoke.

"You jest well."

"It's not a joke?"

At the Duchess of Tesnoka's words, a thud sounded again from behind.

"I'm actually making a sincere proposal to the Lord of Lartania."

-Thud!

Another sound followed her voice.

In fact, it was quite unsettling, but before Kim Hyunwoo could question the sound, he was already puzzling over the Duchess of Tesnoka's intentions with a bewildered expression.

"It seems you want something from me?"

He answered.

"Why do you think that?"

"It doesn't make sense that someone as beautiful as the Duchess would fall for me at first sight."

Following Kim Hyunwoo's words, Duchess Tesnoka smiled as if she liked what she heard and then said,

"Why? It's possible that I might have liked you at first sight, isn't it?"

"It's hard to believe it was love at first sight when you show no shyness, only a confident smile."

"Is that so? I am serious about the marriage proposal."

"It seems like you want to gain something through marriage with me."

Hearing Kim Hyunwoo's calm voice, Duchess Tesnoka looked at him with a slightly surprised expression.

"Ahem, excuse me."

She then sat down.

Duchess Tesnoka, now with a calmer expression than her previously confident demeanor, as if she had gained what she wanted, spoke.

"...Right. It's unexpected."

"In what way?"

"Well, there are several aspects, but normally, when I propose marriage, everyone jumps at the chance. You do know who I am, right?"

"I've heard you are Duchess Tesnoka."

"That's right. Normally, the lords who know this fact are eager to try something with me, but you, My Lord, are surprisingly calm."

"There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Naturally, your enticing proposal is not without cost."

Kim Hyunwoo answers neatly.

"...You're well-informed."

The Duchess smiled again, as if amused,

"First, even though you know who I am, I've been late in introducing myself. I am Rania Tesnoka, the Duchess of the Tesnoka territory and a Duchess of the Norba Kingdom."

She extended her hand.

"And I am Kim Hyunwoo, the Lord of Lartania."

By shaking her hand, Kim Hyunwoo was then able to engage in a proper conversation with her.

After a while,

"So, the reason you specifically came to our territory is because you heard that I handled a Disaster?"

"Yes. I originally planned to send someone, but after hearing that story, I wanted to meet you in person. Anyway, I wanted to meet you before anyone else from other territories."

"...Other territories?"

"Yes, at least the news about you must have reached the Calan Kingdom."

Kim Hyunwoo nodded, seemingly pleased with Duchess Tesnoka's words.

Although the Disaster could be considered a crisis, the spread of this news wasn't bad for Kim Hyunwoo, who had to manage the Labyrinth city moving forward.

However, Kim Hyunwoo also had another thought.

'But in the end, this means they just watched and didn't actually help.'

Of course, Kim Hyunwoo knew that there was no need to feel negative just because they didn't help.

After all, it didn't make sense for them to think about helping Lartania, with which they had no relation.

However, while human emotions aren't as logical as a machine's, leading to some negative feelings, Kim Hyunwoo chose to view it positively.

After hearing this story, Kim Hyunwoo could guess her purpose and also check how he appeared to the neighboring territories.

Therefore,

"Anyway, it seems like you've come to establish a good relationship with me, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Oh, and I am serious about the marriage proposal."

"...Why are you so fixated on marriage?"

"I don't want to miss out. And it's intriguing."

"...?"

Kim Hyunwoo looked puzzled at the Duchess's words.

He had absolutely no intention of getting married.

Arteil, the game played by Kim Hyunwoo, is a territory-based game but also a beautiful girl gacha game, naturally including an invisible affection system aside from the affinity system.

As affection increases, unlike affinity, the heroes' actions change, and if affection maxes out, even marriage is possible.

Moreover, once married, the heroes' behavior becomes very loving, and if the heroes get along, polygamy is possible, making marriage for increased affection in Arteil seem almost like a national rule at one time.

Furthermore, as affection increases, you receive additional stat bonuses different from the affinity level, making the management of heroes' happiness tricky but almost odd not to pursue.

However, the reason Kim Hyunwoo, despite knowing this, had no intention of marrying was because a Rank 33 territory was once ruined due to marriage.

The incident, dubbed 'The Last of Magical Power' among Arteil users, was simple: a user named 'Narak', who climbed from Rank 380 to 33 by marrying eight 5-star heroes, caused it.

Narak failed to manage the happiness of the eight heroes, leading to infighting among them, devastating his territory.

As a result, Narak, formerly Rank 33, plummeted to Rank 80 in no time, and despite attempts to recover the territory and manage the heroes' happiness, managing the shattered happiness of eight heroes was nearly impossible, leading to the territory's collapse.

Because of this, users dubbed Narak 'The Last of Those Who Used Magical Power', cementing the notion 'Marriage = Magical Power' in users' minds, leading them to avoid marriage.

Kim Hyunwoo, who was not yet a ranker at that time and had abruptly stopped working on hero affection, recalled this with a bitter expression before clearing his voice and speaking.

"...Anyway, I have no plans for marriage yet."

Two hours later.

"Then, I'll assume you'll visit me next time?"

"Since you've come to me, I'll visit you in return. Additionally, we'll discuss the trade matter through the trading post."

After receiving the farewell from Kim Hyunwoo, the Lord of Lartania, Rania left, climbing into a huge magitechnology carriage guarded by knights, and departed from the territory.

Immediately after leaving Lartania.

"How was it?"

In response to Roman's question, who appeared before the Duchess, she answered with a smile.

"It was fascinating."

"...In what way?"

"My magical eye had no effect."

"...Your magical eye, you mean?"

In fact, the reason the Duchess kept proposing marriage to Kim Hyunwoo was because of the magical eye she possessed.

The Magical Eye of Enchantment.

Although it wasn't as powerful as the 'demonic eye' mentioned in legends, capable of perfectly charming anyone, combined with her appearance, it was enough to bring out its full potential.

Moreover, despite her young age, the Magical Eye, which had been one of her weapons in managing her territory and diplomatic relations well, strangely did not work on Kim Hyunwoo.

It was the same no matter how many times she tried.

That wasn't the only thing that surprised the Duchess.

"With just a few pieces of information, he quickly deduces the situation to get what he wants."

Of course, since he had come to build a relationship with him in the first place, it was a feasible story, but even so, the Duchess felt that the Lord of Lartania was remarkable.

Being a Duchess, and furthermore, the Lord of the Tesnoka territory, was a position that naturally could exert pressure on others.

Of course, the conversation was too short to go into further detail, but conversely, even that brief interaction was enough for the Duchess to recognize the value of Lartania's Lord.

'I want it.'

At least, as far as the Duchess could tell, the Lord of Lartania was a treasure.

A treasure with so much hidden that you couldn't see the bottom of it with just a 2-hour conversation.

Therefore,

"...I failed to bring him under me, but it's surprisingly okay. It's no fun to obtain a treasure all at once."

The Duchess thought with a smile.

At that moment,

Merilda, who had been silently watching the Duchess leave from beyond the hill,

"...If I kill her, the Master would dislike it... It wouldn't be something to be praised for."

Genuinely looking regretful, she crushed the stone in her hand into powder, genuinely looking regretful.

"Three seconds would have been enough,"

Merilda muttered, glaring at the carriage.

However, knowing that Kim Hyunwoo intended to gain some benefit through her, Merilda could not kill the Duchess.

Therefore, she looked regretful,

"...It would be okay if I don't kill her, right?"

She thought, with a somewhat sinister smile.

About five hours later,

On a mountain path where Lartania was completely out of sight.

Crack-!

"Kyaa?!"

The high-end carriage that the Duchess of Tesnoka was riding was smashed to pieces by a stone that flew from somewhere.

And so, at the moment the Duchess was escaping from Lartania.

In the commercial territory of Rapengan,

"Is this the place?"

"Yes, it is."

"What about the budget?"

"We have brought half a year's budget of the Calan Kingdom."

The Absolute Ruler of Darkness said,

"We must obtain the Execution Sword."

She murmured while looking at the territory-

"...If necessary, I will destroy everything here."

-With a chilling gaze.