NSE-Chapter 049

Chapter 49

The place where the Unorthodox Alliance Master was.

He moved toward that splendid great hall.

“Alliance Master. The Fifth Young Lord has arrived.”

At the Second Elder’s words, the Unorthodox Alliance Master raised his head. Kim Min-woo recalled what Jang Sam had said.

―……The Young Lord greatly feared the Unorthodox Alliance Master. There was no such thing as affection from the Alliance Master. You can tell to some extent from how the other young lords are still locked in endless competition even now.

―There is not a single faction that follows the Young Lord. If there is any, it’d just be me, Jang Sam……?

The conclusion.

The Unorthodox Alliance Master didn’t have much familial affection. There was no benefit to be had from being an illegitimate child either.

It was more like a feeling of, he’s blood, so I’ll find him and keep him around.

He had heard he came here a year ago, and seeing that only 1 Jang Sam was attached to him, the size of it was roughly clear.

The Fifth Young Lord here, Baek So-cheon, was a child half thrown away.

Then, was there anything he needed to show by way of courtesy?

‘Nothing.’

He sensed it the moment he saw those snake-like eyes.

At a glance, that man, the Unorthodox Alliance Master, was not the temperament to hand out crumbs just because someone wagged a tail.

‘I just need to reveal my usefulness.’

Then the man would lose his mind trying to use him on his own. All he had to do on this side was take advantage of that.

The Unorthodox Alliance Master, who had been staring at him, spoke.

“I heard you smashed Su-heon.”

“Are you talking about the Fourth Young Lord?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s fine as long as I didn’t kill him. I think that was enough to save the Alliance Master’s face.”

“Your pride has grown quite a bit since I last saw you.”

“The clue to Ascension? I heard it’s quite wonderful. They say even the Alliance Master here covets it?”

The Unorthodox Alliance Master’s face stiffened slightly.

“Su-heon or whatever his name is. With a fool like that occupying a spot, would we even get the 3rd place prize material, let alone the clue?”

“So, you’re saying you’ll take part in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering in his place?”

“That’s the plan. It shouldn’t be a bad proposal for the Alliance Master either.”

“……Only a little over 15 days remain until the points are tallied.”

“In the meantime, I just need to set off 1 big bang, no?”

“……There is no mission that gives 3,800 points at once.”

“Then you can make one.”

It was one of the reasons he had smashed the Fourth Young Lord to bits. He had sent the guy ranked 10th to the grave in 1 blow.

It was as good as proving his qualification.

What if this side couldn’t take part in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering?

The one who’d regret it was the Alliance Master.

Wouldn’t the chances of obtaining the clue to Ascension rise only if he sent even 1 more outstanding talent?

“……Make a mission?”

“Otherwise, you’ll have to send someone slightly worse than the guy with crippled legs, right?”

“There are many eyes on this side too. If I make a mission and hand it to you overnight, complaints will pour out from within.”

“I trust the Alliance Master will handle that well with his leadership.”

“Hah.”

He stared in disbelief, but only for a moment.

Then the Alliance Master drew his sword and swung it.

[The Unorthodox Alliance Master uses Necro Sword Art(S)!]

Enormous Mana split into 7 strands and began to pour toward him.

‘I’ll have to give up an arm, won’t I?’

The calculation came to him the moment he saw it.

Cedric and the Skeletons were summoned in a rush and took some of the sword energy with their bodies.

3 were blocked that way.

Of the remaining 4, he dodged 1 by twisting his body.

Of the remaining 3, he took 2 with his body.

A fountain of blood spurted up, but it was fine.

They had only grazed him, not fatal wounds.

The last one.

A sword energy aimed precisely at his heart.

He couldn’t see an angle to dodge this one.

He raised his sword.

The moment he deflected it.

[You take massive damage!]

[The Sword of Judgment is destroyed!]

As the blade burst apart, the sword energy, its direction bent, completely severed 1 arm. Blood fountained around the neatly cut arm.

‘Got off cheap.’

Was it because he was one of the people said to be the most successful in the martial world?

The attack was fierce.

Blocking it for the price of 1 arm was more than breaking even. Holding the severed forearm, he looked at the Unorthodox Alliance Master.

“Is the test over?”

“……”

The Alliance Master stayed silent, his face stiff. Soon, rummaging in his robe, he tossed over a pill.

“Attach the arm, and eat it.”

“Sure.”

He attached the severed arm and put the pill in his mouth and chewed.

[You consume a Top-Grade Recovery Elixir!]

The severed arm began to join back together smoothly.

‘Judging by the look of it, he seems to have meant to stop it after sizing me up roughly…….’

He wouldn’t have intended to truly kill.

Because it would be that side’s loss if he died.

He must have meant to test him.

But what a shame.

He had truly blocked that attack, and proved himself?

Now the Alliance Master could never let this side go.

Because the attack just now was one that even most rising stars couldn’t have blocked and would have just keeled over dead.

‘Then let’s go get what we want on our side, too.’

He grinned at the Alliance Master.

“Oh, I’ll go on the mission with my maidservant and my servant. I’ll split the points half and half with my maidservant, too.”

“……What?”

“My maidservant is quite useful. Please adjust it well so it works out even when divided. Otherwise I won’t clear the mission. Oh. Thanks to this, my sword also broke, so I’d like you to prepare a new one, and I’d like a decent Martial Art manual as well. That’s all for now.”

He left the Unorthodox Alliance Master’s residence.

The one in need is the one who digs the well.

So he would surely dig it well on his own.

* * *

The Unorthodox Alliance Master, Baek Hak-seong.

His face stiffened.

That he hadn’t stopped the sword art until the end.

It was because he hadn’t attacked with all his strength, but there was 1 more reason.

It was because he had sensed it by instinct.

That this fellow wouldn’t die from this much.

The cold gaze.

Inside it, all the calculations had already been finished.

The result was as expected.

He had parried his sword art with terrifying precision.

‘His body is at best a first-rate warrior’s level…….’

Even if he himself had possessed such a body, could he have blocked it while giving up only 1 arm?

He couldn’t be certain.

A formidable talent.

He had seen a fragment of it.

‘……It’s a good thing.’

How the youngest had managed to block the Necro Sword Art, whether he had been hiding his skill, and so on.

Such trivial doubts weren’t important.

The most important thing was.

That he had unexpectedly gained a powerful hand of cards.

‘He must be put in without fail.’

By whatever means, he had to slot that Baek So-cheon into the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

‘The mission…… I can give him that one.’

Baek Hak-seong’s eyes gleamed.

He had thought of a method, to some extent, for raising the maidservant’s and the youngest’s points without any noise.

Suddenly, Baek Hak-seong felt regret.

Until now he had thought the eldest’s innate aptitude was the best. That was why he had invested the most.

It was too late to reverse that. Not much time remained until the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

‘If only he had shown his talent earlier.’

He would have invested all his resources in that one.

Soon Baek Hak-seong shook his head.

Regret was regret.

Now was the time to do what needed doing.

“Second Elder, are you there?”

“Yes.”

“Gather the elders. We must hold a meeting.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, and…….”

* * *

He had roughly memorized the way, so returning wasn’t hard.

He returned to the residence he had seen earlier.

Jang Sam and Seo Ye-rim.

The 2 were waiting inside. Jang Sam, who had been hanging his head low like a cowed little fellow, sprang to his feet.

“Y-Young Lord! Why did the Alliance Master summon you? Is it perhaps because you harmed the Fourth Young Lord?”

“It’s not only because of that. There were a few things to discuss.”

Soon he gestured for Jang Sam to step out for a moment.

Jang Sam, who had been stealing glances at Seo Ye-rim and him, having misunderstood something, scratched his head and said.

“Heh heh. Then this humble servant will withdraw, sir.”

“……It’s not like that.”

“Oh, come now. You even gave Big Sister Aeng-aeng a pet name. That, Ye-rim, was it? This Jang Sam understands everything. Aren’t you both hot-blooded youths……”

“Ah, damn! Won’t you shut up?”

Seo Ye-rim’s eyes turned fierce.

“W-Well, then call me anytime! I’ll be going first!”

Jang Sam hurriedly ran out the door.

Only then did the surroundings quiet down a bit.

“Is your name Aeng-aeng?”

“……That’s right. Just like you’re Baek So-cheon.”

He could see why Jang Sam had been so cheeky. The names given in the martial world were Aeng-aeng and Baek So-cheon.

But when they first met earlier, both had used their real-world names.

Apparently they had sounded like pet names.

So there had been a reason the Fourth Young Lord went berserk.

It seemed not for nothing that an affair drama had played in his head.

“……Let’s use our real-world names when it’s just the 2 of us. It’d be tiresome to be misunderstood for no reason.”

“Then what will you call me?”

“Aeng-aeng. Something like that should do.”

“……This is seriously driving me crazy.”

“What can you do? I’m the Young Lord and you’re the maidservant.”

If it bothered her, she should have had a higher status.

If anything, in this world a young lord who kept speaking politely to a maidservant would be treated as a madman.

“……No, didn’t your dad say anything? Don’t they raise a maidservant’s status if she fights well?”

“He didn’t say anything in particular.”

“……Right. Do as you please.”

Gripping her forehead as if she had a headache, she answered with a resigned look.

“Let’s get down to business. Do you know the clear method?”

“I have a hunch. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”

He nodded.

As expected of one beyond A-rank, she had at least basic perception.

“I’m going to take part in it. Exiting through the Middle Zone isn’t an option.”

“……I figured. Tell me honestly. You came into this Gate on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

There was no need to deny it.

She would have already roughly gauged his level. She’d at least have thought he wasn’t someone who’d stammer and get shoved into the Gate like a fool.

And that was in fact the case.

“Is there a Necromancer Skill like that? Like secretly shoving someone with a ghost hand or something?”

“Whitey.”

―Coo.

Whitey, perched on his shoulder, revealed itself. Aeng-aeng, no, Seo Ye-rim’s eyes widened.

“Wait, when?”

“This one has quite formidable stealth. Even the Sword Immortal couldn’t notice.”

“……That little bird shoved him?”

“Yes. It’s a Divine Beast, so it’s quite strong.”

At those words, Seo Ye-rim chuckled.

“Mr. Jo Pil-uk is going to be seriously pissed off. I cursed him to his face and came here.”

“He’s going to get cursed a lot more in the future anyway.”

“……Well, that’s not wrong. Phew. Anyway, you’re saying you don’t intend to leave quietly, right?”

“I’m too busy grabbing the reward. Which brings me to this: what will you do, Ye-rim?”

“Hmm……”

She crossed her arms, deep in thought.

“……The reward did look pretty decent.”

“I’ll take 1st place. If you’re aiming from 2nd place on, well.”

“……Ha, that’s funny. Who said they’d give you 1st?”

“You’ll have to. Otherwise you can’t even take part in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. How else will you get points?”

“……I can just clear missions.”

“You won’t have the time. All they have is stuff that gives a pittance of points.”

“……Even if I work hard, it won’t work?”

“It’ll be hard. Even accumulating is tough, and the sabotage will be awfully severe. Once your points reach a certain level, every Tom, Dick, and Harry will come to assassinate you.”

A maidservant daring to rack up points?

He guaranteed it.

Starting with the guys whose rankings were on the line, they’d glare with burning eyes and try to kill her.

It would be awfully troublesome.

“Ha, I guess so.”

Seo Ye-rim scratched her head vigorously.

“But isn’t that the same for you too?”

“That’s why I went to negotiate after crippling the Fourth Young Lord.”

“What are the terms of the negotiation?”

“I’m going to receive 1 big mission. A big enough one that, even splitting the points between the 2 of us, we can take part in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”

“In exchange, I back you for 1st place?”

“That’s how the world works.”

“What if I betray you?”

“If you were that kind of person, you wouldn’t have come to rescue me in the first place. I thought someone had jumped in to commit suicide, you know?”

“……Don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t jump in because I like you.”

“I know. So, deal?”

There was no chance Seo Ye-rim would betray him.

She was a person who had come to save him to begin with. And yet she would betray and kill him, or stab him in the back?

‘If she were going to kill me, she wouldn’t have come in the first place.’

If she were going to stab him in the back, how would she face the Sword Immortal outside?

He didn’t trust her.

He trusted the boundless affection she held for the Sword Immortal.

That was why.

“……Fine. While I’m at it, I should get myself a decent Martial Art.”

“A good choice.”

When she agreed, he was able to smile inwardly.

‘A strong rival, eliminated.’

Because the odds of taking 1st place had risen exponentially.