Chapter 315: Catching the B.J. Thief (2)

Chapter
315: Catching the B.J. Thief (2)

Sluuurp.

Celsia
poured me a bright yellow liquid.

“Woah,
it’s tea brewed with Moonlight Flowers. Sip it slowly and savor the
aroma.”

“Thank
you, Princess.”

“…So,
how is it?”

“…I
haven’t even tasted it yet.”

“Ah,
right…”

I
detached the lower part of my helmet to drink the tea, and inhaled
the aroma of the tea Celsia had poured.

I
didn’t know what Moonlight Flowers were, but the fragrance was so
luxurious that I couldn’t believe it was just brewed from a few
petals.

As
I took a sip of the tea, which smelled like refined lavender, my body
and mind relaxed.

The
comfort of the warm tea and soft fragrance calmed my mind, which had
been confused by Serif’s sudden appearance.

“It’s
good, this…”

“Right?!
Hehe. I’m glad it suits your taste.” Celsia smiled slightly
after confirming my reaction.

I
took a sip of tea and glanced at her.

‘Has
she adapted to the Blessing’s stigma?’

After
collecting the [Blessing of the Weak and Useless Magician], Celsia
had struggled to adapt to her constantly changing body.

But
seeing her wearing clothes that suited her current form, it seemed
she had succeeded in adapting.

‘Besides,
she even came outside…’

After
her body shrunk due to the Blessing of the Weak and Useless Magician,
I heard that Celsia had been living the life of a shut-in, confined
to her room.

She
could remotely control her armor, but that was it.

She
looked visibly uncomfortable even at the last birthday party…

Seeing
Celsia’s calm demeanor in front of the Deputy Union Leader, it seemed
her social skills had returned quite a bit.

Sluurp.
Sluurp.

…Although
she occasionally glanced at me, her face slightly flushed, and then
quickly turned her head away.

“Hoo…?”

The
Deputy Union Leader, who had been watching the scene with interest,
put down her teacup and said to me.

“I
heard the story from the Union Leader who arrived earlier, but how
was this Labyrinth trip? Balkan.”

“The
Elder Lich subjugation was successfully completed, and we succeeded
in subjugating the Jealousy Worshiper Karellos. Here is the proof.”

Thud.

The
eyes of the two petite women turned to the object placed on the
table.

The
Soulstone that appeared after beheading the Jealousy Worshiper
Karellos.

The
Deputy Union Leader nodded after confirming the Soulstone filled with
ominous Magical Energy.

“This
filthy and sticky Magical Energy… Yes. It’s definitely the Jealousy
Worshiper’s Magical Energy. I heard that those who were brainwashed
by the Jealousy Worshiper are also receiving treatment.”

“The
temple is working hard. There are a few remnants left, but one of
them is imprisoned in the temple’s dungeon.”

“Good
work. I don’t know if there’s any more information to be gleaned…
but I’ll have to check. Oh, and.”

Snap!

The
Deputy Union Leader snapped her fingers, and a yellow chick waddled
over and placed a thick money pouch, a wooden box, and a piece of
paper on my lap.

30
gold coins. A necklace-type Stamina Enhancement Artifact. And.

“This
is the reward for subjugating the Elder Lich and the Contract
document with Nuer. Nuer’s seal is already stamped on it, so feel
free to use her until you get tired of her. And the reward for
capturing the Jealousy Worshiper—”

“Our
royal family will handle that, not the Explorer Union.”

Celsia’s
lips were slightly upturned as she said that.

“The
Queen praised you personally.”

“…The
Queen, me?”

“Yes.
You caught a demon worshiper after decades, and you took the
initiative to eliminate one of the kingdom’s greatest dangers, so
there should be a reward commensurate with that achievement… The
reason I came to the Explorer District was to convey the Queen’s
words.”

I
was wondering why Celsia had come to the Explorer District, but I
never dreamed it was to give a reward for eliminating a demon
worshiper.

Celsia
smiled slightly at my reaction and reached into the air.

Whoosh.

After
rummaging through the subspace for a moment, she held a scroll with
the royal seal.

That
scroll must be the scroll containing the Queen’s words and rewards.

Swish.

Celsia
stood up smoothly from the sofa and unfolded the scroll with a
serious expression.

I
immediately got up from the sofa as well.

The
person in front of me was Celsia, but not Celsia.

The
monarch of the kingdom to which Labyrinth City belonged, a being who
represented the Queen.

There
was no one in this city with higher authority than her, and I, a mere
Intermediate Explorer, had to kneel before that lofty being.

As
I knelt in front of the petite Celsia, I could see her meager chest
and slightly hollowed-out cute belly button.

“Intermediate
Explorer Balkan.”

I
immediately lowered my head so that my trembling eyes would not be
noticed, and listened to Celsia’s voice.

“Yes.”

“In
your capacity as an Intermediate Explorer, you have succeeded in
eradicating the forces of one of the seven demons who brought the
kingdom to ruin.”

The
image of the old woman I had seen before overlapped with Celsia’s
face as she recited the Queen’s message in a solemn voice.

What
would that Queen, who had seriously considered my reaction when she
asked me to marry her daughter as soon as we met, prepare this time?

“To
dream of the resurrection of the demons sealed by the previous Hero,
and to destroy the faction of those who seek to plunge the world into
chaos once again… is truly like a great mark left on the world by a
new Hero.”

From
Celsia’s lips, who took a short breath, came words I had never
expected.

“I
bestow upon you the fourth rank of the Five Orders of Nobility,
Viscount, along with the surname of the previous Hero, Auster.”

***

Nobility.

In
this world divided by status, it was the most certain hierarchy and
class.

No
matter how scarce Intermediate Explorer-level personnel were, they
were not as valuable as nobles with their own achievements and
titles.

Nobles
were a select few born with chosen bloodlines.

At
this moment, I, who had received the title of Viscount and the
surname Auster.

I
had become a noble with a surname and title that I could pass on to
my children.

Houses,
Artifacts, Relics.

These
were valuable assets and items that everyone wanted, but they could
be bought with money, and they were just items.

But
status was different.

Status
was not clearly visible, but it was simply ingrained in people’s
hearts and minds.

Why
else would there be the saying, “Even if they’re fallen, they’re
still nobles”?

Even
if a wealthy nouveau riche and a fallen noble were in the same space,
people would line up next to the noble.

There
was nothing bad about having a lot of money, but once wealth reached
a certain level, its value gradually faded.

But
a noble bloodline alone revealed a significant difference from
others, and its value shone even more brilliantly as it went higher.

Money,
fame, power.

By
the standards of ordinary people, two of the three elements that
symbolized success could be solved simply by obtaining a title.

‘Of
course, there’s a significant difference even among nobles…’

The
fact that they could be lumped together and called ‘nobles’ was a
huge merit in itself.

‘If
someone threatens me, it would really be risking their own life to
threaten me, and if they try to kill me, they’ll be executed for
murdering a noble.’

Just
imagining such things made my heart flutter.

If
the rumor that I had obtained a noble title spread.

In
Labyrinth City, as well as inside the Labyrinth, those who dared to
talk trash to me, pick a fight, or try to plunder me would all be
extinct.

I
wouldn’t bother picking on vulgar words like “I want to get
pegged” or “I want to dive in and kiss your dick,” but
if they had any sense, they would take care of themselves.

“Are
you happy? Balkan… No, should I call you Lord Auster now?”

It
was none other than Deputy Union Leader Yonel Freya who woke me up
from my happy reverie.

Celsia,
who had recited the Queen’s message, seemed to want to talk to me
more, but she checked her wristwatch and left the Deputy Union
Leader’s office.

Perhaps
she managed the cycle of her body changing by time.

She
whispered as she left that she would be in the Explorer District for
the time being, and I could only hope to see her again.

“Haha…
Just call me as usual.”

“Hmph.
I see. It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone receive a surname
and title directly from the Queen. Was it… the first time since
Diana stopped the resurrection of the Demon of Lust?”

“Diana
received a noble title?”

I
asked blankly at the news I was hearing for the first time.

Could
it be that Diana was a noble?

“No.
I don’t remember her receiving one. Instead, she was told to draw
attention so that she wouldn’t be dragged around for troublesome
matters after her retirement. In front of all the other nobles and
ministers.” “…”

“Well,
Diana was young back then.”

I
stared blankly at the Deputy Union Leader, whose appearance was that
of a petite child, but whose voice sounded as if she was reminiscing
about a distant past.

The
more I heard about Diana’s past, the more surprised I was by her
vigor and toughness.

I
think I know why Diana has so much lust.

She
lived like a flame, so all of the ripened and matured woman’s vigor
was focused on lewdness.

“It
would have been difficult to refuse the Queen’s gift in a public
setting…”

“So
she ended up receiving the surname Ordia. Come to think of it, you
received a better surname.”

“…Is
this surname good?”

Auster.

Balkan
Auster.

I
don’t feel anything special.

“The
previous Hero who ended the Great War… Isn’t that the surname that
Mother Earth used before she ascended? The previous King personally
bestowed a new surname after seeing her raise the flag of victory
with the south wind. The church will be horrified when they hear this
news.”

At
the Deputy Union Leader’s words, who was suppressing her laughter, I
blankly opened my status window.

[Nam
Sujin lv.51]

[◆
Blessing of the Victory-Leading Flag]

—The
flag wielded by the Hero who ended the Great War raised the morale of
allies and struck fear into the hearts of enemies.

What
caught my eye was the Blessing I had newly acquired.

A
Blessing with the Hero’s description, the newly bestowed Hero’s
surname.

Moreover,
rumors had begun to spread in the Eden branch of the church that I
was the Saint of Mother Earth, the being to which the Hero had
ascended.

“…Tsk…”

My
mouth felt dry for no reason.

Even
I thought the situation was incredibly coincidental.

Would
the church dismiss this situation as a coincidence?

‘Or
would they overreact and revere me as the Saint of Mother Earth?’

I
would be relieved if it was the former, but the latter would make the
situation a bit complicated.

‘If
I’m not careful, they might try to restrict all sorts of sexual acts,
saying, “A Saint wouldn’t do this!”…’

The
church I had seen so far might really do that, so I was deeply
troubled when.

“—kan.
Balkan?”

“Ah,
uh, what.”

“…I
don’t mind if you speak informally, but are you trying to treat me
disrespectfully as soon as you become a noble? That’s a bit…”
“Ah, no. I was a little dazed for a moment… What’s wrong?”

I
waved my hand at the Deputy Union Leader’s words and asked back, and
she made an awkward expression and lowered her head.

“As
the Deputy Union Leader of the Explorer Union, it’s embarrassing to
say this… but I couldn’t keep my promise to you.”

I
had guessed this from the rumors that the Deputy Union Leader had
been attacked and the bandages wrapped around her head, and now those
words flowed from her mouth.

“The
Demon of Sloth’s worshiper stole the vault you entrusted to me… or
rather, the orb inside it.”