Chapter 223

The message of the main quest's completion.

Simultaneously, the Midgard community worldwide was experiencing an unprecedented number of concurrent players.

The atmosphere was explosive.

The board was filled with stories from those who participated, frustration from those who were too late, and curiosity from bystanders.

However, what significantly fueled this phenomenon wasn't just the completion of the quest.

-Rewards haven't been decided yet lol

-Guess we'll have to wait? They said they're calculating.

-What happened to Anti Mainstream? Is he alright?

The situation took a sharp turn near the end.

The fact that most were unaware of the exact situation and, crucially, that rewards had not yet been determined were hot topics in the community.

And within the game,

The specifics of how everything was unfolding were being revealed to Seojin, who had led all these events.

Calculating quest rewards.

Bonus conditions identified!

*Survival of Duke Ferret

*Minimal civilian casualties

*Minimal imperial army casualties

*Survival of Emperor Kalus

*Intervention by the Moon God 'Luna'

*Participation of over 10 nations

*Participation of over 50,000 adventurers…

A seemingly endless list of bonus conditions.

The event was a success: they prevented damage that would have occurred under normal circumstances, drew significant player participation, and swiftly resolved the situation.

It was expected to take some time to finalize the calculations.

After a quick review, Seojin looked at the man before him.

"We'll have to wait a bit longer. Please, continue speaking."

"You are the only human who can make the emperor wait, adventurer. So…"

"I'll speak when necessary. Don't mind the formalities and continue as you were."

Grand Emperor Kalus.

The man leading the wealthiest nation in Salevania smiled as if amused.

"Speak your wish."

"I like this. Skipping formalities cleanly. But a sincere thank you should be in order."

"I thank you. A habit formed while living as the emperor of this land shall be set aside for now."

"I express my admiration to you for not succumbing to his powers. Mutual respect is enough… Will you grant whatever I wish?"

"Everything but this land. Even if it were my life."

"Are you serious?"

"If you say so, there must be a reason you must."

"Surprisingly witty."

The emperor chuckled, savoring the moment.

Though visibly ill and half-leaning on the bed, he was now free.

"Quickly wrapping up secret affairs is also a virtue of leadership. The people must be worried enough."

"Adventurers are no different. Let's do as you said. First, open the empire's gates. Allow adventurers to come and go as they please."

"It shall be done."

"Are you wishing to expand your territory?"

"Consolidating our foundation is the priority. There will be no war for the sake of war, and if unavoidable, only the empire's interests will be considered."

"Sensible. Also, open the gates to the outside world."

"What do you mean by outside?"

"Before confirming, may I ask? Are you afraid of what lies beyond the continent?"

Beyond the continent.

Naturally, the emperor knew his meaning.

"I am not afraid of heading there, but of what might come from there to this land."

"Such as?"

"Things that could pose a significant threat to the continent."

"Fear of the unknown is a natural reaction. Especially if adventurers are involved. Uncontrollable individuals entering an uncontrollable place."

Kalus nodded.

If they were citizens of the empire or even of another country, they could be bound by the emperor's name. But as the adventurer before him had proven, they were different from the humans of this land, and would almost certainly end up beyond the emperor's reach.

"I swear to you. Problems caused by adventurers will be resolved by adventurers, by any means necessary."

"Let me ask one thing. Do you know what lies across this sea?"

The emperor had no choice but to ask.

After all, he had promised to grant 'anything,' and Seojin's eyes held a conviction that it would be alright.

"Not everything."

"That's quite the surprise."

"I'll bring what information I can as soon as possible. Though, it might be difficult right now."

"Anything else?"

"You must send one of your people. Including the Golden King and other key figures of the empire, they would want to board the ship."

"Not Ferret, I assume."

"Of course not. The Sword of the Empire should remain in the empire."

"Let it be so. Also, I plan to give the adventurers as much gold as possible, what do you think?"

"You understand the adventurers' nature well."

Seojin casually responded.

The core issues were addressed, and from the moment the quest was completed, a 'firm ally' relationship with the emperor was established.

The reason for the meeting in the first place was for Seojin to quietly, unilaterally request something.

But beyond Seojin's requests, the emperor offered a personal gift.

"Call him."

"…Who have you called?"

"Someone you know."

The emperor looked expectant.

What could it be that made him act this way?

Waiting, Seojin realized Kalus was right.

"Morrison? You were alive!"

Morrison Tucker. Real name Belpfret Ron.

A spy planted by the Kingdom of Valaran in the empire, who also played a significant role in this event.

"He was being held in Duke Ferret's basement. He said he was important and asked me what he should do with him. But more than likely, he just didn't want to kill him."

Kalus said, smiling as if pleased by Seojin's reaction.

That was the kind of man Duke Ferret was.

A man who acted only by the emperor's command, but not one to seek instructions for such trivial matters.

"Good to see you again."

"Likewise."

Despite his haggard appearance, Morrison's face was filled with boundless joy.

He never thought he would set foot on his homeland again, yet here he was, facing the enemy's emperor, alive and well.

"Let him go and give him what he desires. Ensure he can return to his homeland without inconvenience."

Kalus once again sent Morrison on his way, exchanging a pleased smile with Seojin, who showed the reaction he had hoped for.

"Thank you for the gift. I've received it indeed."

"That's good to hear."

"Something else came to mind just now, if I may ask for one more thing."

"By all means."

"Please remove all agents you've planted in Valaran. Ensure no similar situations arise unless absolutely necessary, as you've said. In return, we'll also withdraw all Valaran spies from the empire."

"And what about agents in other countries?"

"As you wish, Your Majesty. My concern is solely Valaran. At least, for this moment."

"It shall be as you desire."

The emperor nodded readily.

And then,

Act 1: The Throne and the Liar is complete!

Finally, Seojin encountered this long-awaited message.

* * *

Rewards are being distributed to the raid members.

*Rewards vary based on contribution.

*Some reward items may be non-tradable.

*Additional bonuses awarded based on achieved conditions!

Contribution rankings have been revealed!

1. Seojin

2. Merhen

3. Moonflower

4. BunnyRabbit

…

Golden King Alio's estates were bustling with players coming in droves.

The quest was over, and with the contribution rankings revealed, it was time to claim the rewards.

System rewards had been distributed a while ago.

But to receive the 'raffle items' mentioned by Seojin and the 'gold' personally offered by the emperor, one had to be there in person.

The contribution ranking was almost as expected.

Seojin and those around him, members of the Great Red guild, and a few tasked with special missions by Seojin had taken the top spots.

Yet, hardly anyone felt discontent.

"I ranked 80,000th but got 180 gold."

"I'm around 50,000th, 440 gold for me. Maybe I'll sell it and take a vacation. Honestly, I didn't do much…"

The rewards were almost too good to be true.

Especially since everyone saw what Seojin and the others had done.

Hwang Soochul, representative of SMU, broadcasted the event as promised, and those who watched couldn't dare to complain.

Moreover, thanks to Seojin, players could now freely traverse the Camilton Empire, meaning a significant increase in quality quests.

Meanwhile…

"…Get on the ship as soon as it's ready. I'll follow later."

"I've waited this long; a few more days won't hurt. Take your time to wrap things up. At least everyone here knows what you've accomplished."

As Seojin prepared for the next step, he engaged in a serious conversation.

The key figures of the empire, led by Raul.

They harbored dreams of venturing beyond the continent of Salevania, and thanks to Seojin, they could now realize them.

"Then, please wait. Ah, and Raul, I have one favor to ask of you later."

"A favor? I'd even take it as a command."

"Let's call it a command, then. Anyway, I'll be here. I'll be back."

He postponed the conversation with the NPCs.

An urgent matter had arisen.

Seojin rushed to a separate building within the imperial palace,bustling with players who had willingly lent their strength to the cause.

Individuals connected to Seojin.

"Seojin is here!"

"Bro! Over here! We've got the food ready!"

"Thanks for the 2,000 gold!"

"The guild master has arrived!"

As soon as he arrived, cheers erupted.

Champagne popped everywhere.

Calming the excited crowd with a wave of his hand, Seojin spoke to Merhen.

"Start without me. I'll join later. Where's James?"

"James? He should be around back there. Outside. Something up?"

"I'll tell you later. Just enjoy the party for now. Let me know if you need anything."

Merhen nodded, slightly confused by Seojin's urgent demeanor.

The party continued, albeit with a slightly subdued atmosphere, as Seojin had already rushed out the back door.

In the relatively quiet back garden, Seojin found the person he was looking for.

"James."

"Ah, welcome. Thanks to you, I made 3,000 gold. Looks like I can recover some of my investment."

"I mentioned I had something to ask?"

"I said I needed your help. Are you willing to?"

A smile lit up James's face.

Under normal circumstances, a developer would never engage in such a conversation, but now, the situation had changed.

"Tell me. What do you need?"