episode_0069

“…You already knew about me?”

“Yes. There was also a skilled shaman…, and a guest came and told me. Thanks to that, I was able to find out.”

“A guest?… And the shaman….”

“Is Granny here?!”

When Baek-ryeon asked with a bright expression, Jin-an smiled and nodded.

“She said that a noble person would come from the Western Regions through the Yeom Country. At first, I thought it meant another guest…, but after hearing the report from Pyeonggyeong, I realized the story was wrong. To think…, White Tiger was being humiliated in our land…, in the hands of monsters, no less.”

Swoosh…

“It’s humiliating.”

[You are being affected by 【Emperor’s Dignity】.]

[Due to the influence of 【Emperor’s Dignity】, stats are temporarily reduced. (3%)]

This tingling sensation.

A feeling very similar to when I first met the Yeom Emperor. So she’s also the ruler of a country.

She was overwhelming everyone there with her clear Emperor’s Dignity.

But that was only for a moment.

Soon, the pressure disappeared and she said with a smile.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about what’s already happened. More than that, Baek-ryeon, you look very tired. Resting is the first thing you should do. Above all, when White Tiger wakes up, he wouldn’t want his descendant to greet him in such a dirty state. Clean yourself up.”

“Ah….”

“Hoo, the time has come to feel your soft skin again after a long time.”

Queen Jin-an, raising the corners of her lips and making seductive gestures. It was hard to believe that she was the same queen who had exuded that overwhelming presence just a moment ago. Her perverted appearance bewildered both Seol-rin and me as we looked at the Queen.

However, as if wondering what we thought of her gaze, the Queen laughed heartily and said.

“Oh, of course, I won’t leave you out. I like beautiful women, but I don’t discriminate against men.”

“No thanks.”

“Really? That’s a shame. Then how about you? People say that same-sex people become friends through naked encounters. You came as envoys from Yeom Country, so if you and I strengthen our friendship, the Yeom Emperor will surely be pleased.”

“Huh? Huh?….”

Leaving behind the flustered Seol-rin, I looked at Queen Jin-an.

“More than that, I heard that there was an assassination attempt on you, and that’s why the isolation policy was imposed. Judging from the appearance outside and inside the palace, it doesn’t seem like a very bloody atmosphere, considering there was an assassination attempt and an isolation policy was issued.”

“Ah, that? I certainly issued an isolation policy, but… well, assassination attempts happen all the time. Did you know? Originally, I had many older brothers. This throne was originally theirs. But I’m the one sitting here now.”

Having said that, the Queen asked, flashing her eyes seductively.

“Do you know why?”

She met my gaze with a playful smile.

Looking at the context so far, the answer was obvious even without saying it.

“Did you kill them all?”

“Haha, kill them? I’ve never killed anyone directly.”

“….”

The Queen said, shrugging her shoulders.

Of course, this isn’t important. What’s important is….

“Who was after your throne?”

“Maybe. This time was definitely dangerous. If it weren’t for the guest, it would have been a disaster. I never imagined they would hire assassins from other countries. Hahaha.”

“Who on earth?”

“Well? Everyone is pretending not to, but there are more than one or two people who are after my throne.”

I don’t know if I should say that the Queen’s guts are amazing for talking about these things so casually, or if she’s too relaxed.

Seol-rin’s thoughts weren’t much different from mine, as her expression was subtly stiffened, unsure of what expression to make.

“But the assassination attempt itself was just a justification for issuing the isolation policy.”

“Justification… Does that mean there was another reason for issuing the isolation policy other than the assassination attempt?”

“Yes. There was an evil force trying to spread poison in my country, so it was to stop them. If you are from Yeom Country, you probably already know. I’m talking about the Suin Alliance.”

It seems that Jo had already noticed that pirates in the sea were receiving Great Root Pills from the Suin Alliance and smuggling them.

She really doesn’t seem like an ordinary queen.

Baek-ryeon said, responding to the Queen’s words.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already taken care of all the pirates who are smuggling Great Root Pills in the sea. To be precise, Doryeong took care of it.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief. It just so happens that I’ve also beheaded all the officials who received the smuggled goods. The situation has matched perfectly, so I can stop the isolation policy now.”

The Queen clapped her hands lightly, saying brutal things casually in response to Baek-ryeon’s words.

Then, a man in a blue-green outfit walked over cautiously.

“Your Majesty, did you call?”

“Yes, make sure Baek-ryeon and his party can rest sufficiently. Also, tell the royal physician’s office to do their best to help White Tiger, whom they are protecting, recover, as he is more important than anything else in our Jo.”

“I will obey your command.”

He bowed to the Queen and approached to guide us.

The Queen slowly looked at him and raised the corners of her lips slightly and said.

“Ah, and Baek-ryeon. I will visit you later. Let’s cleanse our bodies together and share the stories we’ve accumulated during that time. Oh, and you can join us too and discuss the direction that Yeom Country and Jo should aim for together in the future.”

“…Huh? You weren’t just saying that?!”

Seol-rin looked at the Queen in surprise, and that was the last thing I saw as the first meeting with Jo’s Queen, Queen Jin-an, came to an end.

* * *

“It seems you can stay here, Leon. Your party members are not far away, so you should not have much difficulty finding them.”

“Thank you. But, there is one thing I would like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I heard that there was a guest who came here before me. I heard about myself through him, and I also heard that I could be safe during the assassination attempt…, can you tell me who it is?”

The eunuch said, as if it were not difficult to answer my question.

“There was a noble guest who came alone from the Western Regions. I heard he is a shaman who serves the god of the Western Regions.”

“A shaman who serves the god of the Western Regions?… Where is that person now?”

“Around this time, he always goes out of the palace and walks through the village streets.”

After thanking him, I lay down on the bedding for a while.

‘A shaman who serves the god of the Western Regions…, a priest?’

Does that mean that the Holy Kingdom sent someone here? But to say they sent someone, they only sent one person?

Did he come personally? If he came to find me personally….

‘Noren?… No, that can’t be. He should be moving with another warrior party, so there’s no way he would just come here on his own…’

I thought about it, but I don’t know.

“Sigh, I don’t know. Anyway, I brought him here, so I have to hope that White Tiger is safe….”

I have to hope that there is a way to restore the broken vessel here, but if there is no way to restore White Tiger’s vessel….

What should I do then?

I left the room to calm my troubled mind.

And I grabbed one of the people passing by.

“I’m thinking of taking a walk outside the palace for a while, but where should I go?”

“I will guide you.”

Guided by him, I went outside the palace and walked through the village streets. The first thing I felt while walking was that it was like being in a folk village.

Well, this place is made with Joseon as a motif.

‘Ah, right. There was something I had to do here.’

One map stuck in the corner of the inventory.

Philgrea General Map.

This map, which I bought at the Gallaea general store in the Roman Kingdom, was a grateful item that unlocked the map function when I bought it, but at the same time, as the map function was activated, this physical map ended up being stuck in the corner without being used.

‘There was an event where I could get a Brush Sword using this map….’

It’s been so long that I don’t remember.

Well, it seems like it’s already been about half a year since I came here…, so it’s understandable that I forgot.

Still, as I thought about it with a groan, some things came to mind.

“Surely…, I had to find the descendants of the person who made this map…, and find out the location of the dungeon entrance from them?”

However, at that time, most of the eastern continent of Philgrea was devastated by the Heavenly Demon, so they were wandering around to avoid the Heavenly Demon, so I don’t know where they are or what they are doing at this point.

“Tch, should I get it later?”

Brush Sword, this is a pretty high-performance equipment, so if I give it to Baek-ryeon, Baek-ryeon will be able to use magical ranged attacks, which will be useful.

“Are you a lost lamb?”

“Should I say I’m lost? I’m worried because I don’t know where what I’m looking for is…, huh?”

A rather soft voice is heard.

I answered it without realizing it…. When I turned my head, a woman with white hair wearing a nun’s habit was looking at me.

At least, it’s an outfit that you can’t see in Jo.

The moment I saw it, I knew who she was.

“Are you the guest from the Western Regions?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m finally meeting you. I greet the Warrior. I am Lucy Wenretera, a nun belonging to the Byzantine Holy Kingdom.”

With those words, she said with a slightly playful smile.

“Nice to meet you.”