Chapter 452: Aernor Delegation (2)

"Kang-Woo! I brought the clothes you'll be wearing today!" Echidna shouted from outside Oh Kang-Wo's room.

"Okay," Kang-Woo answered shortly.

The door swung open and entered a neatly dressed Echidna. It was rare to see her in such clothes, but her appearance made the clothes look more like a school uniform than formal attire.

"Who gave you those clothes?" Kang-Woo asked.

"Lilith did! She got you this too!" Echidna said as she handed Kang-Woo a clean set of formal attire.

Kang-Woo accepted the clothes. They looked extremely luxurious from just a glance.

'It's been a while since I've worn a suit.'

He did not like wearing uncomfortable clothes to move around in, but he had no choice today.

'Since today's the day that Aernor's delegation arrives.'

Dressing neatly for the occasion to welcome them was a formality. Kang-Woo slightly lifted his t-shirt to change.

"Hm! Hm!"

"..."

"Hm! Hmmmm!"

"Umm... Could you give me some privacy?"

"It's my duty to watch over your growth, Kang-Woo!"

"Oh, I see."

"Kang-Woo! What color are your panties today?!"

"Slushy."

Kang-Woo raised his right hand without answering Echidna.

"Grrk!"

Slushy bounced out from the Key of the Demonic Sea and stuck to Echidna's face.

"Kyah!"

Echidna struggled to get Slushy off of her face. Meanwhile, Kang-Woo changed into the suit that Echidna got for him and stood in front of the mirror.

'Mm. Not bad.'

Kang-Woo smiled as he stared at himself in the mirror. People tended to see their reflection in the mirror as more handsome than they actually were.

"Puhah!"

"Grrk!"

Echidna managed to get Slushy off of her face and threw it aside, Slushy rolling across the ground. Kang-Woo smiled and walked toward Echidna.

He asked as he fixed his clothes, "How do I look?"

"Mm..." Echidna narrowed her eyes and scanned Kang-Woo from top to bottom. "You look like a character from an anime."

"What? What anime?"

"You know, uhhh... You look like you'll say something like "You're slow... Even when you fall"[1] !"

"..."

The line sounded like something that would add a new page to his collection of dark pasts.

"Anyway." Kang-Woo shrugged and turned around. "What time were we supposed to meet Si-Hun again?"

"Mm. We have about an hour left!"

"Really?"

There was still time to spare. Kang-Woo sat down on a chair and Echidna trotted behind him.

"Hm! Kang-Woo! Lemme style your hair," she said as she poured some hair wax on her hands.

Kang-Woo smirked and nodded. Echidna began to run her fingers along Kang-Woo's hair quite delicately.

'Now, then.'

He had plenty of time, so he opened his status window and took a look at where his Twelfth Awakening Trait was written.

[Twelfth Awakening Trait: 'Ruler of the Demonic Sea (Rank: EX)']

[Effect 1: The Player can maintain their sanity for longer with the Doors open.]

[Effect 2: 𝌦𝌤𝌥𝌣𝌦𝌤𝌣𝌦𝌤𝌥𝌦𝌤𝌥𝌣]

'An EX-rank Trait.'

Kang-Woo had never seen such a rank.

'It's certainly a broken ability.'

The ability to keep the Doors open for longer was something he needed the most at the moment.

'Though I won't be able to test it out.'

Opening the Doors came with immense risk; he couldn't use it just to test out his new Trait.

'The problem is...'

Kang-Woo looked at the message covered in static for the Trait's second effect.

'The hell is this?'

Just like what had happened with his status window back then, the letters were completely illegible. Kang-Woo's anger only grew as he stared at the letters.

'I have no clues to go off of, so I have no choice but to randomly test shit out.'

It was certainly something related to the Doors, but just like the first effect, he couldn't afford to open the Doors only to find out what the second effect did.

"Ngh. I guess there's nothing I can test out at the moment," Kang-Woo muttered as he groaned.

He was at least relieved that the Trait would be of great help to him when he had no choice but to open the Doors.

"Kang-Woo! I'm all done!" Echidna shouted.

Kang-Woo nodded and stood up to look at himself in the mirror.

"Not bad." The hairstyle suited him considerably well. "Right then, let's go."

It was almost time for the delegation to arrive.

***

"This is Reporter Kim Seon-Kyung of SKM News! I am in front of the Gate where we will meet the people from Aernor for the very first time! The place is filled with the executive members of Guardians, national representatives, and countless people to witness this historic moment with their own eyes!"

The boisterous sound of helicopter blades turning rang but the mumblings of countless people were enough to drown it out. Layla, Grace McCubbin, Kim Si-Hun, and Kang-Woo were standing in front of the Gate in formal attire to greet the delegation from Aernor.

'There are so many goddamn people.'

Kang-Woo looked around in annoyance. The area was filled with politicians from every country, reporters, and regular citizens. It was only to this extent thanks to the Guardians Players regulating them; it would have been complete chaos if they were all left to be.

'The internet is on fire too.'

Kang-Woo turned on a stream on his smartphone.

[Live stream of the first encounter with Aernor's delegation: 382,190 watching]

JerryM: Sheesh, are these numbers for real??

Butterfly Valley: ban the spammers plz

Wooden Spoon: Sheeeeeeesh! People from another world! I can't believe I'm living to see the day!!

Ro Yu-Jin: It has to be a cute girl, right? With big tits, right? They have to be big! That's the rule!

Woojin: Elf! They have to be an elf if they're from another world!

Sosori: I just imagined myself going to another world.

Tresha: Guys stfu. The stream is lagging cuz of the chat.

Sosori: Wow u left me hanging

The chat was so fast that Kang-Woo could barely read any of them. Over 380 thousand people were watching the livestream, and that was the Koreans alone.

'If we take the entire world into account...'

There would likely be an immense number of people watching the scene right now.

'I mean, it's only natural.'

It was Earth's first encounter with another world of all things; there was no way that people wouldn't be interested.

'It looks like the reactions are... mostly positive.'

It was more apt to say that they were curious. One would only be able to tell whether their curiosity would turn to amity or hostility after the meeting took place.

'You're my only hope, Iris!'

Kang-Woo put his smartphone back into his pocket as his eyes shone. It was no exaggeration to say that whether this first meeting would be successful or not was entirely up to Iris. He was honestly not that worried.

'The first impression would most definitely be amicable considering her good looks.'

One's looks were the most important in first impressions; there was nothing more simple than that to leave an impactful first impression. Considering that, Iris's elven beauty would no doubt leave a wonderful impression on the people of Earth as well as fulfill their fantasies of another world.

'Not just that, her ears got longer after becoming Elune's incarnation.'

Her physical form had become closer to that of an elf than a human. People thought of elves when they thought about another world, which could be seen from the comments.

'This is gonna work.'

The plan was already half-complete with just Iris's looks. The rest would be resolved as long as Lilith manipulated public opinion.

Whoooom!

A wave formed on the giant Gate that was several kilometers tall. The voices of news reporters filled the scene.

"Everyone! A historical moment is about to take place! The delegation from Aernor is about to arrive on Earth! Countless Gates have formed since the Day of Calamity, but this is the first time that we will be interacting with other humans with as much intelligence as us!"

"What will the people from the other world look like? Will we be able to form an amicable relationship with them?"

"According to the First Lady Grace McCubbin, Guardians have already formed a bond of trust with..."

Voices sounded out from all over as the entire world focused on the Gate.

Whoooom!

The wave on the Gate grew stronger.

'Right, then.'

Kang-Woo stared at the Gate in anticipation.

Step, step.

Clear sounds of footsteps echoed from the Gate. They sounded like the marching of trained soldiers.

'Did she bring the imperial army as the delegation?'

Kang-Woo couldn't help but think so. He stared at the Gate with a slight frown.

'An army isn't good.'

Seeing armed soldiers would only raise the people of Earth's wariness of those from Aernor.

'But asking them not to be armed is a bit much too.'

No matter how much Iris trusted Kang-Woo, coming to another world without having any means to protect oneself was asking for too much.

'This is more than within my limits of approval.' Kang-Woo nodded. 'Now, it'll all go smoothly once the first impression is good.'

An alliance between Earth and Aernor was about to be formed.

"Everyone! The delegation of Aernor is coming out of..." a news reporter slurred their words after seeing the delegation.

"The hell?" Kang-Woo was left with his mouth agape after seeing the delegation walking out of the Gate.

The delegation of Aernor consisted of thousands of people and were all wearing white clerical robes covering their entire bodies with a beautiful golden emblem on them. Kang-Woo was familiar with the emblem.

"Wha— Why is..."

'Why is the Church of Splendor here?'

[Greetings, people of Earth,] said a blonde woman standing at the front. Her words translated by magic filled the surroundings via a voice amplification device. [My name is Iris von Arnan, the princess of the Arnan Empire.]

Iris took off her white hood, revealing her beautiful face with her golden hair fluttering in the wind.

[I have come to Earth to deliver the words of light to you all.]

"... Hey."

[Everyone, do you believe in the light?]

"Wait a second."

[Are you aware of the God of Splendor?]

"What are you doing?"

Kang-Woo's mouth was left agape.

'In the place where Earth would meet the people of Aernor for the very first time... where their first impression would decide everything...'

"What the fuck do you think you're d—"

Before Kang-Woo had a chance to finish his sentence, Iris shouted, [People of Earth! Let us all put our faith in the God of Splendor! We must all believe in the God of Splendor! We must all follow his words!]

"No."

[Let us all praise him!]

"Stop."

[Ohmen! Ohmen! Ohmen!!! O light!!][2]

"Please fucking stop."

{Ohmeeeeeeeeeen!!]

Kang-Woo looked around in silence.

Everyone's mouths were left agape in shock due to the appearance of a group of cultists. Kang-Woo lowered his head with his hair clenched.

"Motherfucker."

'Why does this shit always happen to me?'

1. This is a line said by Kuchiki Byakuya from Bleach when Kurosaki Ichigo faces him for the very first time. ☜

2. Refer to the reference in Chapter 426 to see what Ohmen means. ☜