Chapter 55 – Aesthetics (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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─Current Contribution : 11,600p

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Surpassed ten thousand points.

Likewise, because there was no subject of comparison, there was no way to know just how high it was.

If it went my way, see.

I felt like grabbing a Player next to me and asking what their Contribution was.

However, not lingering on personal achievements was also Granfel’s pride.

“I merely cleaned up trash.”

Merely tidying up my attire.

“Contribution, you say. Absurd.”

Spitting out words like this was my entire sentiment.

That’s right.

This too is exceedingly natural for him.

But let’s think about it coldly.

‘No, I should do some self-praise even if just out of unfairness.’

As you can tell from the increased Contribution.

I had somewhat played my part perfectly as a passenger on the bus.

The players who occupied the top of the walls thanks to the stairs I manifested.

They were securely supporting allies from a long distance.

‘Not to mention keeping them in check.’

Beyond support, even preemptive strikes.

‘The rest is something exceedingly familiar anyway.’

Something like blocking the opponent’s attacks with a barrier.

Because it was a manifestation as familiar to me as breathing.

Who was it that was receiving my assistance like that?

“Thanks to your help, Sir, moving has become much more comfortable!”

So I could be confident instead of shameless.

‘I definitely paid the bus fare.’

I definitely didn’t eat it raw……!

Step

So even at this moment of entering Frost.

I hadn’t been covered in a single speck of dust.

Not a single drop of blood.

In such a vision of mine, a message popped up.

[You have entered ‘Frost’ which is falling into hell.]

Falling into hell from a northern city.

As much as that modifier changed.

Frost was a gruesome scenery.

The corpses of guards were scattered all over the streets.

Blood pooled everywhere.

“……Damn it.”

At that miserable sight, the Lionheart Knights including Harkon trailed off.

Some knights among them in particular.

The sound of them grinding their teeth could even be heard in my ears.

Harkon opened his mouth with an icy voice.

“As Frost is a city counted on one hand even within the Empire. There aren’t just a few in our order whose hometown is Frost. It won’t be easy to fathom their feelings.”

Indeed, it felt to the point where them suppressing it was amazing.

Because this was truly a cruel scenery.

‘It’s not something like a virtual reality game, it’s reality.’

The sprawling corpses were no longer NPCs but.

The residents of Frost.

The blood-soaked streets.

Even the smell of blood piercing the nose.

All of this was real, reality.

If it were the past me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to hold back my nausea.

Just like the Players seen over there.

“……Wait, I don’t feel good. Ugh.”

“Don’t push yourself too much.”

“There was no need for it to be like this……. Fuck!”

Because it was me who would frown even at draining animal blood for meat, let alone corpses.

However, I had pride.

Granfel’s pride that doesn’t bend in any situation.

That meant even in front of this miserable sight.

He wouldn’t dry heave.

Or frown his eyes.

Or turn his head away and ignore it.

I said.

“Recover the bodies.”

Will recover the bodies.

At my words, Harkon feigned surprise and asked back.

“To recover the bodies……. Sir, are you serious?”

It wasn’t just Harkon.

Stare

The Shadow Mercenaries including Kitch were sending me gazes as if looking at a crazy bastard.

It was a perfectly understandable reaction.

Because I’m also currently thinking of myself as a crazy bastard.

‘Since we don’t know when and where the Demon King’s Army will rush at us.’

Frost was filled with buildings right from its entrance.

Every building.

Every alley.

It means it’s a situation where ambushing Demon King’s Army might launch a surprise attack.

To recover corpses in such a situation?

It truly cannot be anything but a crazy action that wants to die.

But I know.

Because it wasn’t just once or twice.

Everything was because of this damn bastard’s pride……!

『Granfel Claudi Arpheus Romeo is noble. He absolutely does not bow his head no matter who the opponent is. His pride is exceedingly heavy and does not shake. Even if he sinks and drowns to death from that weight.』

Right, that pride was telling me.

Those who died in battle while protecting Frost.

To turn away from them is.

Something that goes against pride.

Something that goes against pride?

Even if I were to sink and drown to death.

I probably wouldn’t be able to go against that pride.

However.

‘……Do you think I’ll quietly sink and die?’

As I said, it wasn’t just once or twice.

Even when I stood before Count Ascura without a single thing.

And even before that supposedly amazing Great Evil.

Because I have experiences of surviving after almost dying.

I didn’t hesitate anymore.

I bent my knees and lowered my waist.

I approached the soldier of Frost who breathed his last while leaning against a building.

As if he couldn’t close his eyes yet.

I closed the glaring eyes of the soldier.

“I shall inherit your pride.”

Right, sink me if you can!

Because I was confident in struggling more than anyone else at least.

At my action, Harkon nodded his head.

The Lionheart Knights moved in perfect order.

They gently laid the sprawling corpses down and.

Closed their eyes that couldn’t be closed.

Meanwhile, someone approached me.

“……Thank you.”

Because she was wearing a helmet, her face couldn’t be seen, but I could tell from her voice.

The Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace.

It was Jesica, who escorted me when I was struggling in the office.

“……And I’m sorry for everything in the meantime. Truly.”

Jesica was speaking tearfully from under the helmet.

‘……I don’t know what you’re sorry for but.’

Did you perhaps talk behind my back.

Things like that are perfectly understandable.

Why, that feeling of not being able to leave work because of your boss.

‘Because I know it well too.’

Still, my quick-wittedness was on the decent side again.

I immediately realized.

The fact that Jesica’s hometown is Frost.

Of course, the feeling of losing something precious to demons.

There’s no way I could know it.

But Granfel would probably know better than anyone.

“Do not be swayed by emotions.”

Standing up from my spot, I continued my words.

“Because we must move forward nonetheless.”

……Would it hurt to just comfort her a bit?

Every time this happens, the past me.

I want to nag at Granfel.

Do you think all the people in the world.

Have superhuman mental fortitude like you.

Fortunately, Jesica nodded her head.

Did Harkon’s mentality education perhaps take effect.

The moment such a useless thought occurred to me.

“……!”

Suddenly, the quest window blinked.

I inevitably flinched.

……Wait, what is this?

*

Ten gates.

Siege warfare progressing simultaneously.

“……It’s done!”

“Yeah, it should open if it has a conscience. You bastards!”

“Do you know how many bottles of potions we poured in!”

The gates that showed no sign of being breached finally began to crumble down.

Excluding the gate Ho-yeol assaulted, their speed was all similar.

“Crazy, aren’t those bastards’ force no joke?”

The Demon King’s Army revealing themselves from behind the crumbled gates was also the same.

However, there was one thing different.

That was precisely the existence of the Players on top of the walls.

“……Wait, aren’t those Players?”

“I think so. How did they get up there?”

“Don’t tell me, did they already cross over from another side?!”

That was correct.

The stone stairs Ho-yeol manifested.

They were the Players who climbed up those stone stairs and occupied the top of the walls.

They ran on top of the walls and reached the gates of other areas.

And began helping suppress the Demon King’s Army.

“We definitely did well to move, right?”

Cold society.

Naturally, there was no mind to help others in that.

Everything was for their individual experience points and Contribution.

“Thinking that crumbs would fall off was foolish.”

“For real. It’s on a different dimension there, I’m telling you? You saw it too, right?”

“We just can’t keep up with the hunting speed. Simply.”

Ho-yeol and the Lionheart Knights.

And even the Shadow Mercenaries.

Where they went, there wasn’t even a proper place to put a spoon on.

So they quickly made a judgment.

That they’d rather cross over to another gate side.

Swoooosh!

The covering fire of such Players.

That was enough to shake the Demon King’s Army’s formation.

Even that wasn’t enough.

“……Aren’t there fewer of them than expected?”

Compared to what was expected.

The number of the Demon King’s Army that rushed out was not large.

The reason for that could be easily found.

“Lee Ho-yeol. They concentrated their troops towards that side.”

Then the story became simple.

This was an opportunity.

Because they didn’t miss the given opportunity.

Shining, which had maintained the top position until now.

Rox, who was racking his brain, made a judgment.

“Let’s rapidly advance to the center of Frost.”

“Okay~ I’m feeling a bit sorry for that side.”

“Sorry my ass. When it’s a situation where we’re busy taking care of ourselves.”

“……But, where did our princess go again?”

Camilla, who was drawing her bowstring, looked around.

Jesse, who was firing off skills just a moment ago, couldn’t be seen.

Rox and Dmitri didn’t think much of it.

It’s not just a day or two that Jesse disappears on her own accord.

Lee Ho-yeol, she disappeared exactly as that name came up.

“Hmm……. I think I know why somehow~?”

But Camilla shut her mouth.

Like crazy.

What good would it do to earn Jesse’s hatred.

.

.

.

The troops of the Demon King’s Army concentrated towards Ho-yeol’s side.

That news was an opportunity to someone.

But to someone else, it was news like a bolt out of the blue.

“……?!”

Gaon and Berserker.

They also couldn’t completely empty out the Yusra Kingdom.

Due to that, those two guilds who were unintentionally operating a joint front with divided military power.

“……What did you say?”

“This shit.”

Nam Tae-min and Leonie stopped in their tracks at the same time.

To think the reason they could enter Frost smoother than expected was all thanks to Ho-yeol…….

Leonie ground her teeth.

“Sorry to drop out. But I have a personality that can’t live while owing a debt.”

Leonie intended to join Ho-yeol’s side right away.

……Should I call this because of worry?

‘No, absolutely not.’

Is Ho-yeol someone to receive worry or help from anyone?

This was simple stubbornness.

My pride that I can no longer just keep receiving.

“I unconditionally agree. Unni.”

“I support that decision, that resolve until the end.”

“Just shut up.”

Nam Tae-min also spoke to the guild members.

“We will also join Ho-yeol-ssi’s side.”

Ho-yeol and the Lionheart Knights.

Plus even the Shadow Mercenaries.

Though he knew their level well…….

There is no beating overwhelming numbers.

Even if it might not be a huge help, there was a need to match the headcount.

The moment the opinions of the two guilds matched.

There shouldn’t have been any hesitation in their movements.

But what could be the reason.

It kept catching his eyes.

Eventually, Nam Tae-min stopped his steps.

“Go first. I’ll follow right behind.”

The crumbled Frost.

He simply couldn’t bring himself to just pass by.

He couldn’t look away.

“…….”

Nam Tae-min collected corpses wordlessly.

Worrying whether there might be a face he knew.

Ruminating on that boiling anger.

Such Nam Tae-min’s quest window was also blinking.

[You have fulfilled the conditions.]

[The quest begins.]

[Class Quest : Proof of Wildness]

“……!”

Two times at that.

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─Current Contribution : 3,300p

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*

I merely recovered corpses but.

Contribution rose.

This, the risen Contribution was considerable.

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─Current Contribution : 19,600p

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I thought.

So a blessing also comes from living kindly……!

Naturally, it wasn’t something I did wishing for Contribution.

In a word, biting the bullet.

It was a crazy act I did because of the pride dominating the physical body.

‘Is it because I wasn’t expecting it.’

It felt somewhat not bad.

But the outward expression wasn’t there.

Because it wasn’t a situation for that.

The Shadow Mercenaries.

One of the members said from on top of the roof.

“They’re just openly swarming in. Damn it, this got bothersome.”

I merely closed the corpses’ eyes and.

Laid them on the floor.

Nevertheless, it couldn’t be helped that time was delayed.

It must be because of that the Demon King’s Army’s follow-up troops are swarming in.

Soon, the Demon King’s Army that came into sight.

They were different from the [Demon King’s Army Infantry] which lacked individuality from their exterior.

But it didn’t matter.

Because I knew.

The level of the guys I checked through the additional update details.

[Demon King’s Army Demonic Beast Cavalry : Lv.400]

[Demon King’s Army Centurion : Lv.420]

[Demon King’s Army Fighter : Lv.420]…….

There was no need to go far.

The fact that those guys were demons weaker than Baek Yi-seol.

No, than the Succubus I hunted a while ago.

‘So what about their numbers?’

That volume also didn’t matter.

The most efficient method for dealing with multiple enemies.

Because I had 『Magic』.

So come.

My experience points, Contributions.

Of course, the battlefield filled with buildings was cramped and complicated.

Not just allies, but even the buildings might collapse if one isn’t careful.

However, even that isn’t a problem to me in the slightest.

I tidied up my attire.

Even the shape of the unkempt [Handkerchief].

“We have no time to waste. We shall finish this in a single breath.”

Right, now is the time indeed.

It was the moment to verify the effect of the new stat, [Aesthetics].