Limits of the Necromancer
Lee-Hyun thought as he prepared breakfast and cleaned the house,
'What's the value of a university graduation certificate? People wanted a graduation certificate as if it was absolutely necessary in order to get a job.'
The life of getting a job at a huge company, getting paid every month, getting bonus every holiday, and getting an end-of-year bonus! Is this not the life of a businessman Lee-Hyun cries for?!
'Dating, buying a car under monthly installment payments, going on a trip over summer vacation through the crowded highway too.'
The value of a university graduation certificate was limitless. However, not everyone who gets a good job at a good company has it because they have the certificate.
'I have to have a high grade and be good at foreign languages. I also have to have a few licenses in order to be in a more advantageous position than others. I'll have to run some internship too!' He could only sigh more as he continued to think.
He was older than others, and to add on, he dropped high school and took Gum-Jung-Go-Si, so he can't expect to live in normal ways like others.
"To think attending a university would be this painful."
The certificate was more likely to become useless then helpful, besides being a nice wall decoration.
It was when Lee-Hyun picked up a camcorder, a few necessary notes and headed out.
He saw Seoyoon standing in front of the door.
Because summer vacation just ended, the weather was still hot.
She who wore casually with jeans and white T-shirts, felt strange. Compared to her blinding beauty, the clothes she wore were absolutely normal, and she looked even more innocent and beautiful.
When wearing a party dress she as pretty as a goddess, and even when wearing casual clothes, she still attracts attention.
Her beauty was on the level of shining even when wearing any type of clothes! Lee-Hyun brusquely talked to her.
"Going to walk to university with me?"
Seoyoon lightly nodded.
She put in a bit of effort by going to Lee-Hyun's house solely for the reason that she wanted to go to the university with him.
Lee-Hyun replied bitterly.
"Fine, do whatever you want."
He bloomed his imagination of having a snail bride.
(TN: There's a Korean folk story where a snail transforms into a human at nights and do all house chores for the farmer who treated it/her nicely.)
A innocent and kind girl who cooks for Lee-Hyun in secret out of love! But, when he looks at Seoyoon, he couldn't help but have his dream be shattered.
'She must have cooked for me without much meaning. I cooked for her at times, so she must be doing this to pay back for what she received.'
Lee-Hyun could've waited for the bus at the bus station with Seoyoon and walked to the university, but after he started to hunt at Las Phalanx, he decided to ride on the bus to save time. The undead who have their mana supply cut from their necromancers weaken and turn back into a corpse or crumble away.
To hunt longer and save at least one more undead, riding the bus was necessary.
"L-Loo-Look at that girl!"
"So beautiful. I've never seen a girl as beautiful as her."
When he was with Seoyoon, people who came to watch, crowded so much to the point that the road gets blocked.
Lee-Hyun got used to such attention, so he only felt uncomfortable.
"There're too many shortcomings going to university with you. Too many people come to watch you."
Upon hearing that, Seoyoon wore a cap and a mask. After that, people let out disappointing sighs and went about their ways.
Soon, the bus they were waiting for arrived.
Lee-Hyun used his bus card and moved to go to an empty seat, but Seoyoon only stood still.
"What? Don't you have a transportation card?" Seoyoon nodded.
When would she ever get another chance to ride a bus? Since it was her first time riding a bus, she didn't have a transportation card. She only now learned that she needed to use the card to ride the bus.
Seoyoon wrote on a paper and showed it to him.
It's my first time riding a bus, you see...
Lee-Hyun paid for hers as well and they sat together at empty seats.
"Erm..."
"Next time, you have to carry around a transportation card, okay? If you have it, you can ride on a bus and you can ride on subways too."
Lee-Hyun sincerely advised her.
Upon hearing that, Seoyoon opened up her wallet thinking, maybe.
An unbelievable amount of cash and three credit cards. Black premium, diamond, and platinum cards! Annual fee alone is over 1000000 won for the cards, so of course they had a transportation card option among their many benefits that they had.
When Seoyoon showed him those cards, Lee Hyun shook out of rage.
'I got done in.' Her cruelty of making him pay for the bus and showing him her transportation cards afterward! No one but Seoyoon could do such a dreadful thing.
It was about when they arrived at the university and Lee Hyun was headed to the lecture room to take his first class. Seoyoon followed him.
"What? Did you sign up for capsule engineering?" Seoyoon only nodded twice. They took a 3 hours long lecture together, and shared a lunch box together in a grassy quad under warm sunlight.
Seoyoon followed him when he headed to listen to his next lecture.
"By any chance, did you also sign up for social structure theory in virtual reality?" She nodded again. Seoyoon picked out the lectures Lee Hyun took and signed up for them only.
"Hyung, it's been long."
"Hello Oppa!" Back Soon-Jo, Lee Yoo-Jung, Min So-Ra, and Choi Sang-Joon also signed up for social class theory in virtual reality, so they could meet in the lecture room.
After the lecture was over, all students gathered in the great lecture room.
"As I have promised, we will check your assignments today."
Lee-Hyun sat at the front line in the lecture room with over 300 students.
'It's hard to give an F to a student who always sits at a front seat.' The seat to get the professor's favor! Lee-Hyun, Seoyoon and 12 other students sat at the very front.
"Then, please come up one by one starting from the left."
Professor Joo Jong-Hoon played the students' camcorders in order.
The camcorder played a scene with a sunny sky and blue sea with parents and nieces laughing.
"Family trip at a resort... Must have been fun."
The professor gave short comments as he checked the videos.
"You worked hard at voluntary works. Must have felt proud."
"Watching a play at a theatre... Good for cultural experience."
It seems like the students spent their vacation very fulfillingly. Well, at least for recording. And, it was Seoyoon's turn.
When it showed Seoyoon's vacation life, the students' ability to focus boosted up more than ever.
Bright sunlight came through the window.
Seoyoon was sleeping on a bed with a quilt on, but soon raised, rubbing her eyes.
She did not have her make-up on, but with her perfect beauty, not even a hint of sleep laid on her face.
"Woof woff!" a dog that barked with enthusiasm, ran to her arms. The scene of Seoyoon patting the dog while holding it in her arms played on the screen.
Perked ears, quick legs, and a frivolously shaking tail. The dog seemed familiar.
It was Momn Boshin, the one Lee Hyun gave her.
Seoyoon held a towel on one hand and went into the bathroom. She just took a moment to wash her face, but her face shone as if a halo was behind her! Since nothing special happened over the vacation, she decided to just record her daily life and asked her nurse to film for her.
Seoyoon got up in the morning to cook. She took out ingredients to make omelet rice and chicken salad. She brushed her soft hair that came down onto her beautiful shoulders aside and started to cut ingredients.
All scenes were like CF.
The food displaced on the dishes were decorated beautifully like the ones from a very high-class restaurants.
Omelet rice, salad, and an orange juice that were placed very neatly on the white table! She ate with the nurse who was filming for her.
Lee Hyun thought,
'Why do you cook so tiresomely so early in the morning? Just how much more delicious did you want to eat?' If it wasn't for his sister, he just ate simply.
Seoyoon's cooking got better as she made lunches for Lee Hyun, but no one noticed it.
Boshin also ate below the table, and she started to wash dishes after finishing her meal.
Someone among the students let out an exclamation of "Wow!" as he watched her wipe a drop of water that splashed onto her forehead as she washed dishes.
It wouldn't be a waste to make a movie from Seoyoon waking up, washing her face, cooking, and eating meals. But, Lee Hyun thought differently.
'She only needed half of the detergent that she used... She splashes too much water as she washes her dishes.' After finishing washing the dishes, she sat on a rocking chair and opened a book.
The title of the book she was reading was "Art Museum Envoy Diary".
It's a book that lets you study about art pieces and artists as you take a glimpse at art museums all over the world.
While the other students thought 'as expected from Seoyoon', Lee Hyun, again thought differently.
'It's all just faking.' He thought she was overacting with a camera in front of her! After reading a book, she got into a capsule, played Royal Road, took a walk in a garden, showered, and headed to the bed.
As she lied on her bed, covering herself with a quilt, with the light turned off, the video ended after giving a bit of silent space at the end.
The professor said,
"It was a brilliant art piece that described your daily life in a beautiful way."
That was something that gave Lee Hyun great shock.
He went through hell of going to Africa and Europe to record, but to think Seoyoon would be praised for just filming her normal daily life!
"Next."
Lee Hyun handed the assistant his video camera with a disappointed face.
They just saw Seoyoon's so no one really looked forward to seeing Lee Hyun's video.
Actually, it's not an overstatement to say that most students only wanted to see Seoyoon's.
The travel across Egypt, Africa, and Europe!
Crossing the desert on a four-wheel drive jeep, skydiving on an airplane and a hotel, an autobike, a motor boat, deep sea adventure, and even extreme sports! The Professor commented long after finishing the video.
"As professors give out assignments, there is a range to the expectation. But, I never thought there would be a student who would experience such a special vacation! If I had not given out such an assignment, we would not know about this student, would we? Please give a round of applause to Lee Hyun who experienced such a special travel that no one else could've done!" Some students even trembled.
"As expected from Princess Knight."
"He was amazing at the MT too, you know."
Lee Hyun was not happy as he got the applause.
Because he would've been happier if he could have a normal life like quietly eating at home, feeding animals he raises at the backyard, training at the DoJang, and going into the capsule to hunt.
Seoyoon was looking at him with eyes of envy and amazement.
Lee Hyun wasn't so happy to be envied by her. 'I'll spend my winter vacation at home at any cost. There's no way another assignment like this will be given, and if there is, I'll just make a snowman. If I need more things to film, I guess I can just have a snow fight with the neighbor's kids.' Lee Hyun was promising himself to spend his winter vacation only at home.
Other student's recordings were mostly simple and uninteresting, so Lee Hyun nodded off and ended up sleeping.
Seoyoon also was thinking rather than watching. She wanted to travel afar over the winter vacation.
If she could go on a trip with a friend she can trust and rely on, she thought it would be very nice.
***
"Ghost ships? If you're asking about the ship a skeletal captain directs, I am not sure. I think it was going Northeast…"
"He bought a lot of dried fishes from here."
"He also bought lot of dried apples at a very cheap price. He haggled over prices with amazing skill."
The 2nd warship of Kingdom Haven that arrived at Iiffia Island had sent out trackers to gather information.
Since the ship carried over 230 users alone, gathering information did not take long.
"There're not many places he can go to, northeast from here... If he heads northeast after coming out from Neria Sea, he'll be headed into a far sea."
He can go to the southern place after going around the east of Versa Continue, but if that were the case, it would be better to just go through Neria Sea canal.
"Is he trying to hunt for monsters after arriving at the island? Or is he just doing a quest related to sea travel?" He did not understand his intent, but Drinfeld decided to chase after the ghost ship for now.
After going off into the Northeastern Sea, he himself asked sea creatures and birds for the direction the ghost ship went.
And, they arrived at the Planetis Port after chasing after the trace of the ghost ship.
"A hidden port at such a place... as expected of Weed. All ships, full speed towards the north!" The warships of Haven Kingdom all set sail.
It was a grand view to see each ships set 16 sails.
Colossal war ships headed out to sea, riding on the wind.
Trace the ghost ship! They followed the trace of the ghost ship and headed north of the sea.
The most famous pirate on the sea, Griffith! Over 50 mid-sized sailboats and galleons that he directed were gathered on the Platis Sea.
Pirates must have enough bravery to fight until death even when armies come, and information gathering must be done fast.
They tracked the ships of Haven Kingdom the moment they left their area. "So, the admiral of the Haven Kingdom navy has come out himself, huh."
Griffith and his pirates only needed to follow after the Haven Kingdom's ships without much effort.
"So, they looked for even us to hunt down Weed, unsatisfied with only Haven Kingdom's navy, huh? Now, now. I cannot let them have our prey with our pride as pirates on the line. Let's go, to hunt the legend of this continent!" Upon hearing Griffith's words, the pirates yelled loudly.
Pirates fell behind compared to the navy in supplies and equipment. However, they could cover for their lacking power with their numbers.
Through pirates' secretive information exchange, the man of sea on the Neria Sea gathered under Griffith's order.
This was a huge gathering for pirates that may happen only once or twice in a year.
***
Weed hunted at an amazing place commanding undead armies, but there were limits to mobilizing for the quest.
Because undead armies are basically cheap and weak, lots of sacrifices were required whenever fighting against Bollards.
"Not easy to explore."
Undead armies unconditionally get hostile reactions from monsters.
Because of that, he had to fight without rest.
Now, he even summoned 40 Death Knights.
It was the biggest undead army Weed could make with his level, mana recovery rate, and necromancer skill.
Even so, 30 to 50 undead died whenever fighting against Bollards.
"For now, we have to head to the 7th peak where the Armenia pirates headed to. But, we'll have to fight at least 20 times against Bollards…... " Whenever fighting against Bollards, the number of undead reduces tremendously.
Mostly low-level undead dies, but if the number of low-level undead get too low, even Death Knights will die.
"Can't help, but to keep on moving as we fight against Tair Badgers."
At where 4 Bollards are gathered, AOE curse magic is casted, Death Knights attack, and skeleton mages shootout magic.
A bunch of ghouls and zombies charged forward, and Deer that was undead-ized to the Bollards! Due to huge attack by undead army, battles were lead to victories, but 23 undead crumbled from burning, never to be summoned again.
Because they fought against Bollard after Bollard, at least 100 undead were unable to be re-summoned.
"At this rate, it'll be troublesome."
Weed moved to hunt Tair Badgers, but the closer he went to the 7th peak, the number of Bollards increased and now, at least 5 or 6 of them roamed around together.
To add on, based on what he observed when he turned into a crow, even if he passes through Bollards, Warriors of Chaos will appear.
"Can't be helped. I'll think about it later, and use all that I can for now."
Weed took out his last card, Mirror of Eternal Rest.
It's an item related to the Matallost religion; it allows an undead to possess high vitality, mana, and strength.
"There's only 3 left for the durability, so... I'll have to use it really carefully and give it back before it breaks."
As soon as he took out the Mirror of Eternal Rest, black and blue energy flowed through Weed.
Ding!
- A hideous Lich uses the Mirror of Eternal Rest
The raised undead's vitality increases by 25%.
Mobility increases by 38%.
They'll use various methods to move. For example, crawling on four feet or jumping off of a wall.
They'll possess deadly poisons.
Resistance increases.
Instinct becomes sharpened.
The undead that dug and hid inside the earth will be able to endure for longer period of time even without necromancer's mana supply.
You can use level 5 undead summoning skill.
You can summon a group of witches that will obey a necromancer.
Necromancer skill effect increases by 55%.
Able to use special skills.
Grim grave, Ghost Cry in Mid of Night, Acid Breath, Self Destruction of Anguish, Vitality Transfer.
- Not much of the durability of the Mirror of Eternal Rest is left.
Weed's vitality, mana, and wisdom also increased by a lot. His intelligence and wisdom alone increased by 300, and his maximum mana doubled.
"For now, rest everyone."
Weed stopped all mana supplies to the undead, and disabled undead summon magic.
Then, zombies, ghouls, skeleton, and Death Knights all collapsed onto the ground.
The only ones left were Death Knight Van Hawk and Geumini
"Rise again. I will save you from the tortures at the bottom of the hell. I will give you power, enough to rule the world. Summon Death Knight!"
He raised at least 50 Death Knights using the skeletons that turned back into corpses.
Originally, real Death Knights should only be raised using a knight's corpse.
The effect is bigger if a corrupt, greedy, and unjust knight's corpse is used to summon a Death Knight.
A penalty was put on to the Death Knights as they were raised using the bones that were originally of beasts.
Still, the magenta aura that flows on their bodies!
- With necromancer's skill strengthened, the Death Knights' strength and vitality also increased.
"At least level 270."
Weed was very satisfied even with this much.
If their levels were 270, then they were stronger than most Death Knights.
Currently, necromancers are praised by majority, but it is not invincible. While you can bring around undead armies, the quality of each individual units sucked.
It is most suited for fast leveling up, mass production, and mass consumption.
"We want to know if you have the right to order us."
The summoned Death Knights asked him.
To obtain their loyalty, he must prove his power and leadership.
Instead of inconveniently talking lots, he took out the Royal Seal of Arpen Kingdom.
"Authority of the Emperor."
Luminosity that gently shone from the crystal skull!
- You have used the Authority of the Emperor.
When a lord or a king uses it, your diplomacy skill will temporarily increase.
You can suppress a citizen's objection with your authority.
Knights and nobles will follow any orders.
Increases loyalty of commoners.
Leadership increased by 150%.
Charisma increased by 150%.
Stats irrelevant to battle will temporarily increase by 40.
Until you directly get involved in a battle, the Authority of the Emperor will be maintained.
If you battle without cancelling the skill, the effect of the Authority of the Emperor will continually decrease until its owner gets changed.
An emperor does not fight in front of the army!
The Death Knights, as the necessary condition to make full use of the Authority of Emperor was fulfilled, kneeled.
"We will follow your order."
For now, he got the promise of loyalty, so they won't betray him easily. Plus, since he, the lord of undead, raised them himself, the basic process was already done.
Weed showed a satisfied smile and cancelled the skill.
"Cancel the Authority of the Emperor!" The aura that decorated the crystal skull slowly disappeared.
"If I walk around the town under that state, it will be pretty useful."
Weed raised more types of undead using Undead Rise. Undead were now a lot stronger and had their levels raised from 30% to 40% compared to before.
"Let's go!" Weed ordered the undead to go toward the Bollards.
"Death Knights, mark one for each. Undead, focus on supporting them!" Ghouls and zombies got the mission of staying by Weed.
Skeleton mages used magic attacks, and Geumini shot arrows.
With Death Knights becoming the main forces, 5 Bollards could be caught with only minor damage.
There were times when Death Knights were in danger, but Weed gave them his vitality at the last moment.
"Now this is more like hunting!" Weed used Bollards' corpses to summon horses.
The horse of terror that Death Knights can ride on!
After hunting Tair Badgers, he summoned low-level undead to slow down monsters for a bit, and after hunting Bollards, he increased the number of Death Knights and witches.
He was on the stage where he must mind not only the quantity, but quality as well. As Derald's witches were summoned, the magic used in battle varied more, and its power increased as well. The overall strength of Weed's undead army was much higher than before.
"Charge!" Weed marched on saving as much time as possible before the durability of the Mirror of Eternal Rest ran out.
As he hunted Bollards, the overall number of undead did not decrease by much. As there were more corpses raised using Bollards, there weren't much losses.
"Let bones grow and cover the body. Bone Armor!" With enough supplies of corpses, he made bone armors with magic for Death Knights.
They didn't have much resistance or defence, but Death Knights could fight more easily with that poor armor.
"Corpses stacking and stacking, there is no lifeform existing here. Only the tombs of corpses made by time exists. Tomb of Deceased!" Tombstones raised where Weed battled.
It was a support magic that increases necromancer skills at a limited area and undead' recovery rate.
Finally, he broke through the defense line of Bollards and arrived at where the Legacy of Sculptors were which could only be viewed when Weed transformed into a crow.
The cracked earth showed even 300 meters below, and lava flowed there. "Walk with caution."
Weed fought monsters, avoiding the cracks.
Las Phalanx's Evil Spirit, Daebans' spirit, and lost angry barbarians! "It seems it's better to avoid evil spirits as much as possible."
They were weaker than Tair Badgers, but it's important for necromancers to leave corpses behind after battles. He avoided Las Phalanx's Evil Spirit or Daeban's Spirit and fought with barbarians.
The barbarians fought against Death Knights with equal strength, but they could not fight equally with Weed's curses and witches attacks.
If you haven't hunted monsters with overwhelming numbers, you won't understand the feeling. He meditated at the Tower of Ruins for a moment to recover his mana to the max.
Now came the most difficult barrier, the Warriors of Chaos.
The Warriors of Chaos that hunts Bollards with a snort. If he can't pass through them, he won't be able to arrive at where the Armenia pirates are. "Kill them!" The undead army poured toward the Warriors of Chaos.
There were 8 Warriors of Chaos! Their levels are unknown.
"Rotten corpses, be cleansed with pure fire."
The Warriors of Chaos swung their axe and whips toward the undead army. At the moment when the whip touched them, weak ones like zombie, ghoul, and skeleton melted from the high temperature fire.
It was a terrifying attack.
Even Van Hawk resisted against the joint attacks of three Warriors of Chaos for about 2 minutes and was finally called back. Even Death Knights were cruelly crushed to powders by the Warriors of Chaos.
Anyway, it was when Weed tried to cast a curse magic upon seeing undead get swept away. Whether they had to run or fight, cursing the opponent is very advantageous.
"Blink."
The Warriors of Chaos flashed here and there. As they used short distance teleportation, they were massacring witches and Death Knights.
They were fast to the point where Weed could not dare to cast AOE curse magic. While he hesitated for a moment, the number of undead rapidly reduced.
"Moooo!" Yellowy hurriedly cried and ran.
"Let's run, master." Weed agreed very much.
"Geumini run!"
At times like this, the fast Geumini even let out Wings of Light to run! When he counted the units later, only about 7 zombies that looks like they're about time to be buried, 2 Death Knights, and 10 skeleton were all that were left.
Even if the undead fought in however way they wanted without the necromancer's order after Weed ran away, this was horrible.
Compared to that, the 8 Warriors of Chaos who were chewing on Daebet's meat on the horizon looked fine.
"This won't do."
Weed had to increase the number of undead again.
At where the Legacy of Sculptures was, he hunted Tair Badgers and Bollards. And when there were more undead, he tried again.
"We've come for revenge. Kill them all!"
He gathered undead and tried two more times against the Warriors of Chaos, but he could only hunt 1 with overly focused attacks. Overall, it was a failure! Even when he hunted down 1 Warrior of Chaos, Weed used Undead Rise.
When he did that, other Warriors of Chaos went berserk too much, so even his life was on the line. He couldn't help but retreat.
"There's too much gap in the levels, so even if I get reborn, it's almost impossible."
Even if Weed is resurrected with the Power to Resist Death, it will only increase the number of deaths to the count.
It will also cause a huge drop to the skill mastery, but he can't stop fighting either.
Weed gathered as many of his undead army as possible.
"If I just kill 3 more and curse them, there's a chance of winning."
However, they moved too fast to cast curse on them.
With the undead army rapidly decreasing, he again retreated! At the fourth battle, he had to return once again, only after losing his undead army.
If he did not have the undead army as a necromancer, Weed, Yellowy, or Geumini would've died.
It's the necromancer that's praised as the best jobs ever existing... Plus, since a necromancer can order around an undead army by himself, necromancers are by far the best fighters as an individuals.
Of course, they'd buy mercenaries with lot of money, but when looking at only levels and skills, the best battle job is necromancer.
It's just it could be different if the level became very high and skill mastery almost at the master level.
Necromancers mostly used cheap undead.
There are high-level undead you can make like the bone dragon through specific methods, but even those undead are not invincible.
Swordmasters who have high attack and defence will beat up those undead, and if they are equipped well, they won't die easily either.
High-level magic of magicians whose skill masteries are hard to raise is thought to have tremendous power.
Anyway, even the necromancer, so-far called best job, could not roam around freely on Las Phalanx.
Rather than fighting against the Warrior of Chaos, Weed decided to focus on hunting with the undead army.
For the next 10 days, he leveled up 5 times.
- Durability of the Mirror of Eternal Rest became 1.
In the end, the durability of the Mirror of Eternal Rest reached its limit, so he put it into his backpack before it broke.
- Effects of the Mirror of the Eternal Rest disappears.
The undead and their stats changed back. Their max mana and recovery rate dropped as well.
Some undead that do not get controlled by the necromancer roams around however they like and get destroyed by falling into the crevices or by monsters.
He cannot use level 5 undead summon skill anymore, but he could maintain the witches he previously summoned.
"I'll have to hunt for Tair Badgers or Bollards again."
Weed fell in deep thoughts.
Necromancer had his leadership and charisma raised at all times. Still, it would be better to turn back into sculptor to raise various skill masteries, endurance, and patience.
If he makes at least 10 sculptures and give them life, it wouldn't be so bad to hunt Daebit even if it wouldn't be quite like now. While Weed was troubled, someone approached from afar.
"I'm pretty sure monsters don't come here."
Over the horizon, a man with a pale face and black cape, and an unbelievably beautiful girl was walking toward him.
The abandoned land, Las Phalanx. The two who walked towards the place where the undead were.
"Were there other users who were exploring this region? That girl sure is pretty like Seoyoon."
Weed couldn't understand that there could be a girl as pretty as Seoyoon. If there were at least 5 of such beauties, he felt like suicide rates all over the the world would decrease tremendously.
"Men especially won't suicide."
Looking at her from afar will make them burn with happiness of being alive and fill them with the motivation to live after all.
Savior from despair. Even the neets who do not step out from their room will run outside if they see Seoyoon through the window.
Death Knight Hawk also commented from the side.
"The black clothes, tall height, and pale face is just like Tori, Master."
"Yeah, he sure looks like him."
As Weed watched them with the undead army, the two walked toward them.
It's been long since they last saw each other after fighting against the bone dragon and because their equipment changed, they didn't recognized them easily. But, when their face came closer to the point they could see their face clearly, they were, in fact, Seoyoon and Torido.
***
The navy of Haven Kingdom Drinfeld followed exactly how the ghost ship sailed.
Using what sea creatures they witnessed, he arrived at the Deron Sea.
"Amazing. I heard he doesn't know much about the sea, so how did he travel so far?"
Unlike what he expected, seeing Weed travel such a long distance, Drinfeld adjusted his opinion of Weed.
Weed came even to the Area of Aurora and Glacier of Deron Sea.
"Just where is the destination for the quest to make him travel so far?" The warships had to stop several times to resupply for food and rest.
Aside from Drinfeld, users of Haven Kingdom learned fishing skills previously. You can say it's a must-have skill for a man of sea, but it wasn't enough to feed the whole fleet.
"Captain, it's cold!" As they sailed through glacier areas, many unprepared sailors caught the flu.
"I never thought he'd really come to the Deron Sea. The damage to the crewman will be huge."
Drinfeld did not expect to travel such a long distance leading the navy of Haven Kingdom. If there was to be any damage to the ships or crewmen of the Haven Kingdom, he would have to take all the responsibility for them.
He needed periodic results to keep his authority, but if he doesn't act carefully, he'll be blamed for everything.
The vice captain opened his mouth worriedly.
"We can turn back now. Should we give up on tracking down Weed and return?" Drinfeld shook his head. "No, it is too late to turn back when we are already all the way here. Proceed through."
Haven Kingdom navy passed through the glacier area. During the process, 273 of the crewmen had died.
It was mostly the crew members who had light clothing to adjust the sail and observe the stars.
If he had not changed their direction upon hearing that the path the ghost ship took changed because of the sea creatures, the damage would have tremendously increased.
'Just where is he heading...' Various conjectures and suspicion arose among the users of Haven Kingdom and Drinfeld.
"Did he find some treasure island? Like, some place covered with gold all over the place with high graded weapons."
"That treasure that all users of sea dream of?"
"I think he's looking for a sunken ship full of gems rather than a treasure island."
"It's Weed we're talking about, so maybe he's chasing after some legend of Deron Sea. Something priceless like legendary weapons or a crown covered with gems."
"Let's head anywhere!" Their enthusiasm ran high. The more they chased after Weed, the harsher their path became, and they believed that a worthy price was waiting for them.
The 2nd division warships that were full of simplified ships, for profit of the kingdom were often attacked when meeting ships of other kingdoms.
They were chasing after Weed, full of desire to take his equipment and even his quest.
***
The merchants of central continent who visited Morata had many complaints.
"The transit duty was only 3% before, so why was it raised to 5%?"
"Can he really just raise taxes like this just because he's the lord?" The merchants gathered and sent in complaints, but they couldn't get any positive support from Morata's users.
5% for transit tax was rather cheap. In the Central Continent, 15%, 20%, and even 35% for the transit tax were often the case.
Plus, the transit tax was not for Morata merchants, but only for the merchants of other districts to pay. It was something for Morata merchants to welcome, so they did not support them.
"I can't understand how he can raise taxes like this."
"There's limit to looking down on us. Does the lord of Morata not know who's behind us? It's the Merchant Union!" The merchants gathered and caused an uproar. Then, someone shouted.
"We shouldn't talk among ourselves like this. Let's go to the lord's castle."
"Let's go and talk to him!" The merchants crowded to the lord's castle. Of course, they were doing this while knowing fully well that the lord of Morata, Weed, was absent.
They complained to the guards.
"To suddenly raise transit tax like this. How could you do this?!"
"We came to meet the one responsible for this."
The fame and authority of the Central Continent merchants were outrageous.
The guards politely brought them to the department that was in charge of the commerce inside the lord's castle.
"This is the Department of Commerce where they look out for the merchants staying at Morata."
Merchants bashed in. But, the floor was covered with straws, and female cows were looking after calves.
"Who the hell decorated the Department of Commerce like this?! Where's the person in charge?!"
Next to the feeder in the Department of Commerce, there was a nameplate.
Representative of Morata Commerce - Yellowy
Yellowy was currently absent.
"We shouldn't stand here like this. Don't we have to complain to the person in charge of transit tax?"
"That would be the one to talk to."
The merchants came out again and looked for the Department of Finance, but Geuminyi wasn't present either. And, Wyverns were the ones who had the seat of the 1st deputy head of taxing! Wyverns sat at the top of the towers and sometimes revisited Morata.
Because of that, it was hard to meet Wyverns either.
The merchants tried to use their fame and conversational skill to persuade, but there was no one to persuade. Of course, it was a wonder if Wyverns would actually be patient enough to listen to humans talk.
"To think that all of the people in charge are absent… then how about meeting other directors of Morata? We'll be able to sway them a bit about Morata's government."
"I agree."
The representative of the merchants came out from the Department of Finance and went to the Department of Military.
Due to repairing and improving the lord's castle, new departments formed, and there were directors for each of them.
The director of the Department of Military - Bingryong, Phoenix - hunting
Weed gave the seats to the sculpture lifeforms to gain practical dictatorship. Because of that, it was impossible for the merchants to lobby or persuade to pressure the government to change.
This was the true dictatorship! Later, the knights or merchants who stacked up contribution may be promoted into higher places, but currently, Weed ruled with absolute power.