novelraw Chapter 185: Empire (3)
Chapter 185: Empire (3)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Emergency!
It’s an emergency!
RomanticBard might settle down in Alusion.
Upon hearing the news, Heina couldn’t help but have a grave expression. RomanticBard’s Contribution Points were overwhelming enough to not only claim the mansion but also several nearby buildings.
“This is serious.”
Was it an overreaction to make such a fuss over one Hero settling down?
No.
If anything, this level of response was rather composed.
RomanticBard.
He was a being akin to radiation. If he were to settle in Alusion, the imperial palace itself might be afflicted with a noise level comparable to radiation.
Through Heina, Jinwoo issued a summoning order. Everyone was immediately gathered in the Emperor’s office prepared in the imperial palace. Jinwoo also hurried into the office.
A meeting began amidst a serious atmosphere.
“How about deploying a large-scale Sacred Technique across all of Alusion?”
“It won’t work. He’s gotten even stronger after his third job advancement.”
To Hallon’s words, Jinwoo responded that way.
RomanticBard’s growth rate was extraordinary. Once his soul had grown and his potential and capabilities were unlocked, he had reached a level of disaster that couldn’t be blocked by Sacred Techniques. It might work if Divine Power was concentrated powerfully, but it was difficult to expand it.
Not only Ella but also Helby gathered together for this rare occasion.
Jinwoo felt very reassured with the two of them pondering together. With a goddess and a guardian dragon putting their heads together, surely a solution would be found.
"If the worst comes to pass...."
"We'll have to evacuate to the Research Lab. No, it might be fine to relocate entirely."
Ah.
Ella and Helby trampled Jinwoo’s hopes mercilessly. Even though he had provided Ella with a building in Alusion, it was already filled with various goods airlifted from Seoul. They had already begun making plans to move into the Research Lab entirely.
Jinwoo turned to Tia with hope in his eyes.
She met Jinwoo’s gaze with an expressionless face.
“Won’t it all work out somehow?”
“......”
“I found an unstable area on the border of Arsilan. The Magic Tower is busy keeping an eye on that place. So, Master, I’ll be cheering from afar.”
Tia considered it a matter unrelated to her. Since she remained in the Magic Tower, she could afford such an attitude. She sat on the plush sofa in the office, sipping tea.
Jinwoo’s eyebrow twitched.
"I should move the Magic Tower next to the grand mansion."
"...It seems special measures are needed."
Tia immediately took on a more proactive attitude.
Just because he didn’t like it didn’t mean he could restrict the freedom of a Hero. Moreover, considering RomanticBard’s Contribution Points, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he played a key role in saving Arsilan.
Luceren and Garsha had grave expressions, but deep down, they were secretly relieved. If RomanticBard settled in Alusion, the cities they managed would be safe.
Every time RomanticBard appeared near their cities, they had no choice but to issue a state of alert. Especially Luceren, when RomanticBard appeared in the forest, she reportedly couldn’t sleep for days. The faint sound of his instrument lingered in the forest and echoed for a long time.
Garsha cautiously opened her mouth.
“Still, wouldn’t he change after getting married?”
“His spouse is that SockThief, so that’s unlikely.”
Luceren shook her head firmly and spoke.
When RomanticBard appeared in the Elvens' forest, she quickly convened a meeting and responded frantically. And when she returned to her room, her socks had vanished.
An old pair of socks had been taken, and a new pair left in their place.
It was clearly the work of SockThief.
A diversion!
The disaster couple had used such a strategy. Luceren trembled.
“…They’re vicious. A photo of my socks was uploaded to the Arsilan Worlds. They were being kept in a frame.”
“Ah! I saw that too. The teddy bear socks….”
"...I, I received them as a gift."
Luceren’s ears flushed red.
They were a gift from an anonymous Hero. She didn’t know who it was, but she still wondered how they had so precisely matched her tastes.
In any case, there’s a saying that married couples are of one mind and body.
We might be witnessing the birth of a massive disaster.
“Hmm.”
Hasman, who had risen to the position of Chancellor of the Sillion Empire, nodded. Everyone's attention turned to him.
Jinwoo placed his hopes on him.
"Hasman, tell us. Do you have any ideas?"
"It seems we’ll need to negotiate."
"Negotiate…"
"When negotiating, it’s important to first understand what the other party wants."
What did RomanticBard want?
Why had he sent out so many wedding invitations?
"Ah!"
The wedding in reality had been modest.
It was due to concerns over public perception. Since it had been a shotgun wedding, there were plenty of rumors and gossip. Especially given that it was a union between the eldest son of the Ohsung Group and a nationally beloved actress, even more so.
From the expression on his hyung’s face back at the mansion, there had been nothing but guilt toward his wife. His wife had looked at him with the same sentiment.
"It seems he wants to be congratulated by many people."
"Then we just need to congratulate him enough to his satisfaction. There may be concerns about fairness among the other Heroes, but we can use RomanticBard’s Contribution Points as an excuse."
Hasman showed his true form for the first time in a while.
Jinwoo nodded after hearing his words.
"It might be a good idea to acknowledge the Contribution Points he’s accumulated so far and grant him a domain in a completely different region."
"In that case, I have a region I can recommend."
Tia immediately recommended a region.
Considering the Contribution Points RomanticBard had gathered, it was something he deserved. Rather, giving him special treatment might motivate other Heroes to collect Contribution Points more actively.
"Let’s go ahead and have the imperial family officially celebrate the wedding."
It might not be a bad idea to release related content while they were at it. Jinwoo was determined to offer full-fledged congratulations for the sake of Alusion’s peace.
***
The wedding day, which held the fate of Alusion, and even Arsilan’s peace, arrived. Ella’s Grand Temple in Alusion went all-out solely for this wedding. All members of the knight order were mobilized to maintain order, and all clerics were deployed.
RomanticBard and SockThief.
The wedding between the two was a massive sensation. Not only in Arsilan, but Earth was in an uproar as well. Even the weddings of Hollywood top stars seemed trivial in comparison. The 'RomanticThief' couple was notorious, though mostly in a bad way.
Numerous Heroes and citizens of Arsilan gathered at Ella’s Grand Temple in Alusion.
“Th-they’re really doing it.”
"I know, right."
“Ah…”
Weddings were supposed to be festive. Yet the atmosphere felt more like a funeral. The Heroes who came to the wedding began trying to find anything good about RomanticBard.
“W-well, thanks to RomanticBard-nim, my kid listens better these days.”
“Ah, that... I saw that too.”
The RomanticBard special video edited and uploaded by SockThief had racked up impressive views. It was a compilation video showing RomanticBard in his best moments, but children were absolutely terrified by it.
When told that RomanticBard would come for them if they misbehaved, they reportedly became filial children instantly.
“Even if there are no monsters on Earth, there’s still RomanticBard.”
“If you install a Gate of Souls, he really can show up.”
These days, kids were too clever to believe in Santa Claus or monsters, but RomanticBard was a real, living, breathing terror, the worst monster in existence. What’s more, he had undergone a third job advancement and had become even scarier.
RomanticBard would occasionally appear in LA Fields or various cities, and each time, the screams of children echoed, and the area would become a sea of tears.
“W-well, let’s just give our wedding gift and be done with it.”
“Yes.”
The Heroes headed toward the front of the Grand Temple.
In front of the temple was a designated area where one could leave congratulatory gifts, money, and messages. The Archbishop of Ella’s Grand Temple personally came out to receive the gifts and bestow blessings upon the visitors.
It was just as the Heroes were placing their money into the box. Named Heroes began arriving in droves.
Haebyul and the Romance Heroes came bearing generous gifts and laid them before the Archbishop. There were True Magic Stones, Magic Stones, Enhancement Stones, and even high-ranking furniture.
Haebyul carefully wrote a message.
[Haebyul]
To our pride and the hope of Arsilan, RomanticBard-nim!
RomanticBard-nim has become far too great a presence for us to contain. It always weighed on our hearts, feeling as though our Romance Domain was binding someone who sings of freedom.
Now, it is time for you to leave the tiny Romance Domain behind and head toward a bigger world. Because RomanticBard-nim’s music belongs to all of us! It is deeply regretful, but for the sake of RomanticBard-nim’s limitless potential, we will let you go.
Please spread your art toward the ends of vast Arsilan! I will support you not as the Lord of Romance Domain, but as a fan of RomanticBard-nim.
*HandGenius likes this message.
*WingGenius recommends this message.
*UruBear is impressed by this message.
*Ella nods in agreement.
The message was publicly visible, open for everyone to see. The Heroes, sensing the desperation within Haebyul’s message, nodded along.
The Helby Lovers Group gifted an entire airship along with a message suggesting RomanticBard should explore outside of Arsilan. Of course, it wasn’t a realistic gesture, but it was full of hope.
“I shall bestow a blessing. May the hearts of the Heroes reach the Demon King, ku, cough! No, RomanticBard Hero-nim….”
The Archbishop gazed solemnly at the Heroes, then drew a sign of blessing and delivered it. It seemed the Archbishop felt the same way.
The news bureau was conducting interviews with named Heroes.
“How do you think Arsilan’s political situation will unfold from here?”
“It feels like everything will be decided after this wedding.”
“Is the matter really that serious?”
“To be honest, even more than the Lord of Despair..., ahem....”
The named Hero, who was about to answer frankly, went silent after noticing the camera. The most trending Heroes of the moment, Taein and WhiteWind, were also spotted on camera.
Reporters quickly approached them. After completing the interview satisfactorily, the reporters expressed their thanks.
“WhiteWind-nim! We’ll be rooting for your next project.”
“Please, don’t misunderstand. I’m absolutely not actress Lee Eun-seo.”
“Ah, that’s part of the concept?”
The reporters smiled warmly and looked at Taein and WhiteWind. Since the two were so polite and well-mannered named Heroes, the public image of Lee Eun-seo and Lee Cheon-woo was also improving.
The Heroes entered Ella’s Grand Temple in Alusion.
As befitting the main temple of the capital, the interior was magnificent. Alongside a statue of Ella stood a beautiful sculpture of the guardian dragon, and murals depicted sacred imagery of past events.
Thanks to the space expansion, everyone was able to watch the wedding from good seats.
All the Heroes and citizens of Arsilan who entered the temple quietly took their seats.
Seated at the very front, Haebyul couldn’t hide her nervousness. HandGenius was visibly tense and breathing heavily, while WingGenius was praying to Ella.
‘Ella-nim! Please, let RomanticBard leave the Romance Domain.’
The massive statue of Ella in front of WingGenius was smiling benevolently. Sometimes, when praying earnestly in the Grand Temple, Ella would respond.
[WingGenius.]
‘Ella-nim! You heard my prayer? Then...’
[It’s beyond even my power. I’m scared too.]
‘Ah….’
On this day, WingGenius’s faith dropped drastically.
“Huh?”
“Leon-nim?!”
Leon, the Emperor of the Sillion Empire, appeared. Word was that Leon would be officiating the wedding himself. While it might seem odd for an emperor to conduct a wedding, this was Leon. Though he had become emperor, he remained the same as ever.
The Heroes could read the urgency in Leon’s expression.
‘Ah…’
‘Leon-nim feels the same way.’
‘Makes sense.’
Given the circumstances, it didn’t seem like preferential treatment. Of course, RomanticBard did deserve to be honored.
“Today is a day overflowing with blessings in Arsilan. Hero RomanticBard, Hero SockThief. The union of these two great Heroes will shine an even brighter light upon Arsilan.”
When Leon raised his hand, the Contribution Points of RomanticBard and SockThief appeared.
“90,000 points….”
Everyone stirred upon seeing RomanticBard’s Contribution Points.
They had heard it was enough to purchase the largest mansion in Alusion, but they hadn’t expected this level.
[Heroes RomanticBard and SockThief have achieved 71,321 Contribution Points in Arsilan!]
[Emperor Leon pays respect to the great Heroes RomanticBard and SockThief.]
[Ella and the Guardian Dragon bless the beautiful wedding.]
Now they understood why Leon himself was conducting the ceremony.
“But... why is it 71,321 points combined?”
“Ah! SockThief-nim... must be in the negatives.”
“Yeah, that tracks.”
“I’ve never seen someone with negative Contribution Points before.”
SockThief’s Contribution Points were in the negative. Because of her, their combined total barely exceeded 70,000 points, but even that was an incredible record.
As Leon looked forward, Heina and the imperial elite knights lined up on both sides of the central aisle.
Cha-ruk!
The knights drew their swords and raised them high.
It was the highest form of courtesy.
“Hero RomanticBard, the groom, will now enter.”
From the entrance of the Grand Temple, a dark aura swept in, and RomanticBard appeared. He was dressed in formal attire provided by the imperial family, which suited his skeletal appearance, making him look like a truly evil Demon King.
Countless achievements of RomanticBard flashed before their eyes.
“Destroyed seven cities belonging to the Empire of Evil…”
“Drove a group of Evil Nobles to commit mass suicide? Whoa…”
“He’s second on the level ranking.”
What kind of Bard is this?
Isn’t he just a mass slaughterer?
Many more feats were listed after that.
So that’s what it takes to gather 90,000 Contribution Points! Every single achievement was out of the ordinary.
Silence fell.
It was so quiet, even more than when people prayed to Ella in the temple. RomanticBard stood before Leon and looked out at the audience.
Leon glanced around, then gestured toward the Heroes to encourage applause.
“Uh, woooow!”
“C-congratulations!”
“Ahem! Wishing you happiness!”
Clap clap clap!The Heroes seated at the front quickly erupted into cheers. It was a very awkward kind of celebration.
“Hero SockThief, the bride, will now enter.”
SockThief entered. She wore the traditional wedding dress of Arsilan. Since she hadn’t undergone her third job advancement yet, she looked just as she had before. Her mischievous smile, paired with the dress, unexpectedly suited her quite well.
“She stole Heina-nim’s socks, stole Leon-nim’s socks…”
“She even stole Luceren-nim’s socks.”
“She tried to steal Helby-nim’s socks but failed… Whoa, this criminal record is…”
The Heroes were speechless at her list of “achievements”.
The wedding proceeded smoothly, accompanied by the blessings of all. Ella and Helby appeared to give congratulatory messages, and Leon handled the officiating.
Overall, the ceremony went without incident.
“I hereby declare that the souls of RomanticBard and SockThief are now united as one.”
The Heroes couldn’t help but feel this reality was cruel.
They were celebrating the birth of a great evil, surrendering to an overwhelming disaster. Leon cleared his throat and then spoke with a solemn expression.
“The Imperial Family has also prepared a gift for the two of you.”
As Leon extended his hand, a shimmer of light appeared, revealing the Holy Sword. From the Holy Sword, a stream of light created an information window.
[Emperor Leon of the Sillion Empire praises the Contribution of RomanticBard and wishes to appoint him as the Margrave of the Arsilan Empire.]
*The Margrave will be granted a large domain.
*You may decorate your domain using your Contribution Points. To celebrate your marriage, a 50% discount will apply for one month.
*A 20% tax reduction will be applied.
*The Imperial Family will provide resources for city development.
*The Imperial Family will support you with a knight order and army.
A map of the empire appeared, showing the domain. It was a fairly large territory spread across the outskirts of Arsilan.
“This is the most unstable region along Arsilan’s borders. If Hero RomanticBard resides there, the Empire’s safety will be as good as guaranteed.”
Leon looked at RomanticBard with a solemn expression.
“Please protect the Empire with your music.”
“With music…!”
“Your music is our only hope. Please sing of hope.”
“Hope…!”
Leon’s words sounded incredibly sweet to RomanticBard.
RomanticBard’s eyes began to burn intensely. Once he was in this state, no one could stop him.
SockThief tilted her head, then made eye contact with Leon.
[The Margrave's family member will have their criminal record expunged once.]
*If RomanticBard becomes a Margrave, SockThief’s criminal record will be erased after 24 hours.
As that message appeared, a sparkle lit up in her eyes as well.
This must be done!
It was a chance to freely steal socks for 24 hours.
As soon as RomanticBard knelt down, Leon swiftly touched the Holy Sword to his shoulder and appointed him as Margrave.
[Congratulations! Hero RomanticBard has been appointed as a Margrave of the Sillion Empire!]
When Leon looked toward the Heroes, those who had grasped the situation all cheered in unison.
“Th-the first ever Margrave, RomanticBard!”
“Woooah! A Margrave? That’s so awesome!”
“Kuh! Now that’s romantic!”
“Whoa! Isn’t this the first in 'Arsilan Saga'?”
“Kyaaaa! So cool!”
The Heroes were in a frenzy.
Haebyul and the Romance Heroes gazed at Leon with teary eyes.
‘As expected, His Majesty had it all planned out!’
‘Long live Emperor Leon!’
‘What a brilliant solution…!’
Overflowing with joy, Haebyul and UruBear looked at each other and tightly held hands.
WingGenius, overjoyed, pulled HandGenius’s cheek into an embrace. The Heroes and citizens of Arsilan inside the Grand Temple wanted to burst into a chorus of “Praise Be to Our Emperor!” at any moment.
LifeHunter wore a look of relief, and NorthernGrandDuke, while jealous of RomanticBard, nodded and sincerely congratulated him.
Everyone in Arsilan rejoiced from the bottom of their hearts and cheered.
The atmosphere, once funeral-like, transformed into a full-blown festival. It couldn’t have been more joyful.
Not only those present in the Grand Temple, but messages of congratulations flooded in across Arsilan Worlds as well. Seeing this, RomanticBard nodded, overcome with emotion.
“Thank you. I will continue to repay you with beautiful music.”
There was a moment of silence at the words of Margrave RomanticBard, but then cheers quickly resumed.
“Shouldn’t we declare today a holiday or something?”
"Haha! I really agree."
This is what a wedding should be!
With RomanticBard settling down at the borders of Arsilan, the empire became even more peaceful.