Chapter 76: A Dream of National-Level Power

As I leaped lightly from the carriage, all eyes instantly focused on me.

The adventurers in front of the guild stared, their mouths agape, as if they had just seen a legendary treasure.

One male adventurer, particularly captivated by my appearance, couldn’t take his eyes off me, repeatedly tapping his friend’s shoulder.

‘Heehee!’

‘Am I that pretty?’

I could hear the murmurs from the crowd.

“Wow… incredible… Is she the daughter of some noble family?”

“She arrived in Count Hind’s carriage.”

“Then… is she Count Hind’s secret daughter…?”

‘His daughter?’

‘What nonsense are they spouting!’

But suddenly, the expressions of the adventurers, who had been captivated by my beauty, changed.

Their faces turned pale as they took several steps back.

‘Ah, Glessia must have moved next to me.’

‘Cowards!’

‘My bee doesn’t bite!’

The strange whispers continued around me, but I paid them no mind.

I had a specific purpose for coming here today!

Entering the guild, a magnificent hall unfolded before me.

It was bustling with all sorts of adventurers, and countless request forms were posted on the walls.

The heads of various taxidermied monsters hung from the ceiling, including the lavishly decorated head of a Frost Wolf from the Seolhanryeong region, placed right in the center.

‘I’ve killed dozens of those at once.’

‘Is that pathetic thing really something to be proud of?’

As I walked in thinking how weak adventurers were, the inside of the guild fell silent in an instant.

The adventurers parted to either side, like the Red Sea splitting.

‘Ooh!’

‘The miracle of Moses!’

As the crowd cleared a path, Ryandel and Leivi followed me inside.

Both of them looked a bit awkward, but I ignored it and walked confidently toward the reception desk.

The woman at the reception desk looked fidgety as I approached.

Her eyes darted between Miel and Cecilia on my shoulder, widened at the sight of Lotte floating in the air, and then completely froze when she finally noticed Glessia.

“Go get the guild master.”

The receptionist flinched at my words and quickly nodded her head.

“Yes, yes! Just a moment! I’ll bring her right away!”

She then scurried away through a back door.

‘There’s no need to make such a fuss…’

A moment later, the receptionist returned, followed by a woman who looked like a bandit chief.

She had a towering height, a muscular build, and a large scar that ran across her entire face.

She gave off the vibe of a true combat veteran.

[☆☆☆ 【Selina】 Human LV151]

‘Her level is pretty high, just like her appearance!’

But contrary to her appearance, when she opened her mouth, a surprisingly clear and beautiful voice flowed out.

“Hello, are you perhaps Miss Licorice?”

The woman greeted me kindly.

I was briefly surprised by how pretty her voice was, but what was even more surprising… was that she knew my name.

‘Has my fame already spread?’

‘No, isn’t it spreading too slowly?’

‘Considering all I’ve done!’

“That’s right! I’m Licorice!”

“Ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you! I am Selina, the guild master of the Neje Adventurer’s Guild. I’ve heard about you from Guild Master Evan.”

‘Oh! Evan!’

‘My National Power Level! It’s finally time!’

“Miss Licorice, your achievements are truly astonishing. You saved the village of Sia Kalt and were chosen as an apostle of Lord Mikel. In recognition of your contributions, we will raise your rank. You are now the first-ever SS-Rank adventurer!”

Selina said with a bright smile.

“What? SS-Rank!? No! I told you to give me National Power Level or SSS-Rank!”

I shouted without thinking.

‘What is this? What is this?’

‘I clearly told Evan to give me National Power Level or SSS-Rank!’

Guild Master Selina’s eyes widened, and a flustered expression appeared on her face.

“I do apologize… but the central guild held a meeting and concluded that the title ‘National Power Level’ is not suitable for an adventurer rank, and jumping straight from the existing highest rank, S, to SSS seemed odd… So we decided on SS.”

‘What?’

‘What’s so odd about it?’

‘The novels and games I’ve seen use it just fine!’

“Why is it odd! National Power Level and SSS-Rank are foundational terms!”

As I flew into a rage, the surrounding adventurers backed away even further.

Selina also took a small step back with a bewildered look.

“Miss Licorice, please calm down.”

Ryandel said, gently placing a hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t know why you’re so attached to the terms ‘National Power Level’ and ‘SSS,’ but you are now the first and only SS-Rank adventurer.

This is a truly remarkable status. It’s astonishing that you’ve created an unprecedented new rank, higher than the existing S-Rank.”

Ryandel’s words calmed me down a little, but I still felt unsatisfied.

‘Sigh…’

‘To think those foundational terms are ‘odd’…’

‘Am I just throwing a tantrum…’

“That’s right!”

“And if a new rank is established after SS-Rank, it would naturally be SSS-Rank, right?”

At Leivi’s words, Selina nodded a beat later.

“Yes, yes! The next stage will likely be SSS-Rank!

If you accumulate more achievements, Miss Licorice, you will surely be able to reach that position someday…!”

Selina looked pitiful, constantly glancing at me as she spoke.

I decided to stop being stubborn, fearing I would look childish.

“Fine… I get it. I’ll take the SS-Rank…”

I said, feeling a little dejected.

‘I thought I could get the cool title of National Power Level…’

‘But instead I get this baseless SS-Rank…’

“Um… If you give me your adventurer emblem, I can have a new one made with the upgraded rank by this evening.”

Selina cautiously extended her hand.

I took the S-Rank emblem from my pocket and handed it to her.

“Wow! A new rank, SS-Rank!”

Someone suddenly shouted from behind me.

“Ugh!”

A surge of anger made me turn in that direction.

A young adventurer with plain brown hair was staring with wide eyes.

Smack!

The adventurer next to him smacked the back of his head hard.

“I’m so sorry! He’s a bit clueless…”

The adventurer bowed deeply in apology.

The one who got hit also bowed his head.

‘Sigh…’

‘Staying here is just going to keep irritating me.’

“…Let’s just go to the royal castle.”

I said to Ryandel and Leivi with a deep sigh.

Everyone seemed to be watching me, and amidst the silence, we left the guild.

We got back into the carriage and headed for the royal castle.

A strange silence filled the carriage.

‘They’re probably all being careful because they know I’m in a bad mood.’

“Miss Licorice.”

Leivi spoke up cautiously.

“If you don’t mind me asking… why do you like ‘National Power Level’ and ‘SSS-Rank’ so much?”

“They were my childhood dream and idol!”

I remembered the novels I read back in middle and high school.

‘Countless National Power Level and SSS-Rank hunters and adventurers.’

‘The term ‘National Power Level’ in particular was so cool!’

‘Arise…’

Recalling the famous line of a National Power Level hunter, my eyes teared up slightly.

‘Sob…’

‘It was the perfect chance to get the title I admired so much…’

“Ch-childhood…?”

Leivi asked, looking somewhat puzzled.

‘Oh, right. I’m six years old.’

“Hmph! Don’t ask!”

I whipped my head around to change the subject.

Leivi shut her mouth, looking flustered, while Ryandel quickly looked out the window.

The carriage continued on and finally arrived in front of the royal castle.

A huge castle wall and soaring towers came into view.

It was a truly magnificent and beautiful sight.

“The castle gate is open. And there aren’t many guards.”

Just as Leivi said, the gate was wide open, with only a few guards standing watch.

‘Is this really the heart of the kingdom?’

‘Isn’t the security too lax?’

As the carriage reached the gate, two guards approached.

“Halt the carriage!”

one of the guards shouted.

The driver obediently stopped the carriage.

“Hey, that carriage… doesn’t it belong to Count Hind?”

the other guard muttered.

“You’re right. But the Count should have already gone inside…”

I opened the carriage window and looked out.

The guards immediately fixed their gazes on me.

“Who are you?”

one of the guards asked.

‘What should I say to get in?’

‘But then it occurred to me, these guys are all part of the knight order, aren’t they?’

‘The same kind of people who tried to capture me. And I came here for revenge!’

‘I’m not gonna tell you.’

As I opened my mouth, I felt my body heat up for some reason.

‘Ah, my noble soul is awakening!’

“My name is too noble to be held within the ears of a commoner.”

‘Such an arrogant answer, flowing out so naturally!’

‘I did well this time!’

The guards’ expressions hardened.

“What? What insolence is this in front of the royal castle!”

one guard said in a furious voice.

The other guard had already raised his spear in a defensive stance.

“Identify yourself immediately, or we will arrest you!”

‘Arrest? Me?’

‘Don’t make me laugh!’

‘Besides, I didn’t come here to talk to your king, I came here to invade!’

“I have not come to seek an audience with your monarch. My steps are here to deliver a bloody judgment and retribution. In the name of vengeance.”

Bewilderment spread across the guards’ faces.

They exchanged glances and then quickly assumed an attack stance.

“A-arrest her at once…”

Before they could finish their sentence, I scattered yellow paralysis pollen.

“Guh!”

The guards’ bodies stiffened and they collapsed on the spot.

Both of them could only blink their eyes, staring at me with expressions of terror.

‘Don’t be scared, I’m not going to kill you.’

“If you value your wretched lives, stay down.”

I got out of the carriage and headed toward the castle gate.

My four reliable aces, along with Ryandel and Leivi, followed me with worried expressions.

I kept scattering paralysis pollen at the guards who rushed forward to block my path.

Watching them fall over one by one was quite funny.

‘Hehe.’

‘Now my irritation is starting to fade!’

‘Time to go looting!’

“The time for plunder has arrived!”