Ch.74The Ambitious King (3)

“That’s correct. As far as I know, the Empire doesn’t control such things, is that right?”

“Yes. If you do it that way, you might be able to avoid the Empire’s eyes to some extent.”

“We’re just a group of reckless adventurers setting out on a bold journey out of curiosity. The Empire won’t pay any attention to us.”

“Because they won’t return anyway.”

“But we will return. With incredible discoveries that have never been revealed before.”

“Sounds good.”

Bellamy quietly listened to the conversation between the king and me.

“But there’s one problem. No matter how secretly you explore, you can’t completely avoid the Empire.”

“Of course. But we don’t need to give them everything. We can explore first and then only show them a portion of what we find.”

Beona smiled and folded her arms.

With a very satisfied expression, Beona nodded while looking at me.

“I can roughly imagine what you’re planning. Can you do it?”

“Pardon?”

When I asked back at the sudden question, Beona asked again.

“I’m asking if you can do it.”

“Me…? Why…?”

Bellamy staggered as if about to faint again at my question that completely violated proper etiquette.

But I couldn’t help it. This was beyond my expectations.

Using our city as a stepping stone for the kingdom’s growth? Okay.

Giving advice accordingly? Okay.

But telling me to do it myself? Absolutely no.

Why should I have to do it?

I’m a weak NPC who could die at any moment outside the city.

Plus, my dream is a comfortable and safe life.

I’ve put my heart and soul into growing the village into a city for over half a year for that purpose.

And now they want me to take responsibility for an adventure into uncharted territory that even I, a former player, know nothing about?

Are they crazy?

“I don’t have the capacity to take on such a great task.”

“That’s not true. You can definitely do it. After meeting you today, I’m certain you’re no ordinary person.”

Ah, I see. Did I overdo it with my tongue?

“I could offer various advice, but I really can’t be directly involved in the adventure. It would be better to entrust such things to others who are physically healthy and full of courage…”

“I’ll assign the kingdom’s best knights and wizards to you. The concerns you have won’t happen.”

Blanchard’s eyes widened at this unexpected statement. Her expression seemed to say, ‘You want me to go too?’

“Then all the more reason I can’t go. I might hold everyone back and put them in danger.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“That’s impossible!”

Blanchard shouted, rising from her chair.

“What are you saying?! A king of a nation going on an adventure to uncharted territory?!”

“Completing the continental map is my long-cherished wish. It’s unthinkable that I would miss out on this historic first adventure.”

I’m truly speechless with disbelief.

What kind of nonsense is this about a king joining an expedition to uncharted territory?

No matter how much I search through my knowledge of the original work, there’s nothing about such an absurd situation.

Of course not. In the original scenario, the Starting Village never gets promoted to a city.

So this means that by possessing this body and upgrading the village to a city, I’ve created a divergence from the original scenario.

With the king being so insistent, I don’t know what disadvantages I might face if I keep refusing, but what can I do?

But following along seems too dangerous. Is there any way out of this?

There is.

“Alright. But please give me some time. I need to make my own preparations.”

“I’ll give you a week. In a week, I’ll return with the personnel organized and all the related legal procedures completed.”

A week. Not bad.

After the king left, Bellamy grabbed my collar and shook me while sobbing loudly.

“Are you leaving me again…!”

“I’m not leaving. I don’t want to go either.”

“But refusing the king’s order means execution…!”

“I have no intention of refusing.”

“What do you mean you’re not leaving but not refusing…!”

“I have a plan, so stop shaking me.”

I straightened my stretched collar and quickly formulated a plan.

Actually, there’s no need to make a plan. It’s already set.

“Blanchard. I’m sorry, but could you make me a dimensional gate scroll? I need it urgently.”

“A scroll? You’re asking as if it’s just writing a letter, but that’s…”

“It’s a hundred gold coins per scroll, right? I’ll give you a hundred, so please write one.”

“Well, if that’s the case.”

“Mayor, please give the wizard a hundred gold coins. This is very important. For accounting purposes, just say it was used for preparations to receive His Majesty.”

“Ugh, okay…”

While Bellamy was rummaging through the safe, I went to the guard station.

“Liberone!”

“What can I do for you, Guardian Angel?”

Liberone, who was supervising the guards’ training, approached me with clanking armor.

“Come with me somewhere.”

“Understood. What’s the matter?”

“We need to beat something up.”

After explaining my overall plan to Liberone, she understood.

“It’s something necessary for everyone’s sake. I’ll follow you.”

When we returned to the city hall, Blanchard had just finished creating the scroll with a pouch of a hundred gold coins beside her.

“Give me that, and please open a dimensional gate to here.”

When I pointed to a spot on the map on the mayor’s office wall, Blanchard tilted her head.

“What are you going to do there? Wait, are you trying to run away?”

“Run away?”

“Are you trying to escape because you don’t want to go on the adventure?”

“Me? Why would I do that after building up this city? Hurry and open it.”

Though half-doubting, Blanchard opened the dimensional gate.

The place Liberone and I crossed to was the rugged Kalisha Highlands in the north-central part of the continent.

It’s a lonely place filled with a gloomy atmosphere and desolate scenery.

The ground is covered with rough, irregular terrain and sparse vegetation.

The sky is weighed down by heavy, dark gray clouds.

“Is it really here?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Together with Liberone, we passed through the dry land with its gentle slopes and entered a rocky mountain ravine where fault lines were exposed.

It’s a dark and chilly place where sunlight barely reaches throughout the year.

A sinister place where strange monsters not yet properly known to the world hide.

“This is a very ominous place,” place, place, place.

Liberone’s voice echoed off the rocky cliffs.

“Should I use holy power to light the way?”

“No. That’s not necessary.”

I looked around at the unknown monsters with gleaming eyes in the shadowy darkness.

Is what I’m looking for here? It should be somewhere around here.

“Soon they’ll start coming at us a few at a time. Split them in half with one stroke.”

As soon as I finished speaking, some strange monster from the darkness rushed toward us.

Sparks flew as Liberone drew her greatsword.

Before the sword was fully drawn, the creature threw itself at the blade and was split in half, dying instantly.

“We’ll need to teach about three more a lesson.”

As if I were making a prophecy, after exactly three more attacks, the surroundings became quiet.

“What should we do now?”

“Just camp with me and get along well.”

“Get along well meaning?”

After I whispered in Liberone’s ear, she nodded indifferently.

“Although it compromises the conduct of a Holy Knight, I assume you have intentions that I’m not aware of, Guardian Angel.”

We prepared our camp with our backs to the rocky cliff.

We lit a fire, laid out sleeping bags, and sat there blankly before holding hands.

After holding hands for a while, Liberone raised her arm, wrapped it around my waist, and pulled me closer.

“Should I proceed?”

“Just do it moderately and then go to sleep.”

“Understood.”

With a determined expression, Liberone kissed my cheek.

After kissing my cheek several times, Liberone’s lips gradually began moving toward my lips.

“You don’t need to go that far.”

“Understood.”

Liberone replied in a somewhat disappointed tone, then began gently nibbling on my earlobe.

Then she gradually moved down to my earlobe and neck, which felt rather strange.

“That’s enough now.”

I grabbed Liberone’s hand as it was sneaking under my shirt and pulled back.

“Ah, yes…”

“I’ll pretend to sleep, so you take the first watch.”

“Understood.”

As I got into the sleeping bag, I emphasized once more.

“You absolutely must not be deceived. Stay sharp.”

“Understood. Don’t worry.”

I tossed and turned in the sleeping bag, pretending to sleep.

I could hear Liberone adjusting her sitting position behind me.

As I quietly listened, I soon heard footsteps that weren’t ours.

It’s here.

“Liberone. Come here.”

Someone called to Liberone. It was my voice.

“Hold me. Kiss me. I want more.”

Hearing such lines in my own voice is really awkward.

“Yes. That’s right. Come closer. Take off your clothes. Let’s become one.”

But this is strange. Liberone should be taking action by now. What is she doing?

I turned around and shouted in horror.

“Lone-Ribe-Tael! Snap out of it!”

Liberone, who had been staggering toward me beyond the campfire, turned to look at me in shock.

“That’s a fake! Beat it up!”

“Understood…!”

Liberone hastily reached out and grabbed the collar of my doppelganger across the campfire.

Then she mercilessly punched its face with her gauntleted fist.

Ouch, it hurts just watching.

[Gack! Stop hitting me!]

After being repeatedly punched in the face by Liberone, my doppelganger transformed into some grayish, slimy substance.

A doppelganger. The rare monster I was looking for.