Chapter 156 - The Test (1)

“Wow…”

As soon as we arrived at the guided ‘palace,’ a collective gasp erupted from the women nearby.

It was certainly a strange sight.

In the technicolor background, plants of all shapes and sizes were growing, and completely different ecosystems were established in the ‘zones’ marked by mana.

As a neighborhood overflowing with energy, it felt like the scale was different right from the decorations inside.

It was to the point where even the always stern, serious, and solemn Seo Hye-in and Darien, whose thoughts were usually impossible to read, were looking around with wide eyes.

“This… the academic world would be in an uproar.”

Lee Si-yeong, who was looking around, let out a groan.

“It’s practically the first time a human has set foot in the Spirit Realm, and to come to the very heart of it, the palace, just like this… like tourists.”

“…”

Indeed, it was an easy entry that even the others nearby had to admit.

Considering that the greatest achievement of even humans who would leave their names in history was reaching the entrance of the Spirit Realm, it didn't need further explanation how out of the ordinary this was.

“…But after doing such a thing, that guy is, again, again, again…”

Lee Si-yeong let out a groan as she watched Kim Gyu-sik walk around the palace as if it were his own front yard.

It was to the point where even the spirit acting as a guide looked flustered, as if wondering what on earth this guy was doing.

‘No, in the first place…’

The very spirits who came out as guides were absurd.

‘If even one of these fell into the material world, wouldn’t it be a catastrophe?’

It was filled with guys from whom a murderous pulsation of mana could be felt in real-time, making one naturally think that.

Even though we were staying as guests, while the entire party was tense and fidgeting, that guy was ordering the spirits around as if they were his servants.

Kim Gyu-sik, who was striding down the hallway in such a situation with the comfortable demeanor of someone who had returned to their hometown, finally stopped somewhere and nodded.

“You guys wait here for a moment.”

Then he went inside.

The spirits followed him in surprise, but it seemed they couldn't win against the queen’s order to ‘treat him as a guest,’ and instead of stopping Kim Gyu-sik from stirring things up inside, they were being dragged around.

‘…At this rate, he’s a completely troublesome guest.’

I didn't know what he was up to, but it was clear that his tendency to barge in anywhere he pleased showed no signs of diminishing even in the unprecedented location of the Spirit Realm's palace.

This was already the third time he had suddenly gone somewhere, taken care of something, and come out.

“Should I say he’s consistent… that guy, really.”

“Well, maybe that’s what everyone likes about him?”

Seo Ah-in, who had approached from the side at some point, said, nodding her head.

This one, she used to feel like a marionette being pulled around by Kim Gyu-sik.

But recently, she had been properly playing the role of a ‘disciplinarian.’

It was to the point where even her older sister, whom she usually found difficult and flustered around, would have a changed look in her eyes whenever the topic of Kim Gyu-sik came up.

The common perception that you become like the cunning person you hang around with must be true…

“…Aren’t you thinking something rude?”

“Hmm. You’re more perceptive than Kim Gyu-sik.”

“…”

Seo Ah-in mumbled, unable to deny it.

In the first place, the formulation of the ‘plan’ they were plotting was part of an effort to improve that hopeless part of him.

“You haven’t forgotten either, have you, Guild Master-nim?”

“…What.”

“We have to confirm it here. It’s even more important because we’re all gathered together.”

Seo Ah-in, who uttered those words with a determined expression, gripped Lee Si-yeong’s shoulder tightly.

“We have to confirm whether Kim Gyu-sik-ssi is heterosexual, definitely! Let’s confirm it!”

“…”

“If he happens to be gay, then we’ll all give up cleanly!”

“…Excuse me. Of course, no one knows a person’s heart, but. It’s not like he’s ever seemed completely uninterested in dating or the opposite sex, has he?”

“Otherwise, does it make sense for a person to be that clueless?!”

“…”

I can't refute that.

Lee Si-yeong looked at Kim Gyu-sik, who was striding out of the room, with a complicated expression.

Seeing him carrying something like a bundle, it seemed he had caused another commotion inside.

Just how frustrating did that guy make those around him for the hypothesis to reach this point…

“So, Guild Master-nim, you have to participate too! We have to confirm it at least during this journey!”

“…How are you going to confirm that?”

“I have a plan for that!”

“…”

Well.

Since the word ‘plan’ came from the mouth of ‘Seo Ah-in.’

I couldn't help but feel a strong sense of foreboding.

***

[…My queen?]

Selpas snapped back to her senses at the voice calling her.

The image of the man she had just met was being replayed in her mind.

[You don’t look well. Is there something troubling you?]

In the first place, the concept of physical fatigue was absurd for a spirit made of pure energy.

Then it would be correct to say that her mind was preoccupied with something.

It was a rational deduction, but that was precisely why the queen glared at her attendant with a displeased expression.

[Are you implying that I look ridiculous?]

[…N-no, not at all.]

In fact, it was 100 percent true, but if the Spirit Queen was glaring at you with a frosty gaze, even a clear truth could be somewhat distorted.

Just that action alone made the surrounding atmosphere scream as if it were being torn apart, and a terrifying vibration rose.

In the first place, the Spirit Queen was someone who was almost pathologically wary of her dignity being diminished.

[The most important things in forming a society of spirits are ‘strength’ and ‘authority.’]

The queen spoke in a measured tone as she walked with disciplined steps.

[It is a core element, to the point where it is no exaggeration to say that a leadership that has lost its dignity has lost its trust. Always keep that in mind.]

And the Spirit Queen had performed that role well for a very long time. As the strongest and oldest spirit.

[What is the next scheduled event?]

[A meeting with the intruders… excuse me. ‘guests’ who have entered from the material world is scheduled.]

So, the attendant couldn’t help but doubt his own eyes.

Because as soon as he heard those words, the queen’s mouth broke into a wide grin.

No. What is this.

You just said dignity was super important with your own mouth.

[…My queen?]

[…Eh, ahem. Th-then. Could you tell them to wait a little?]

The queen, who had repeatedly smoothed her immaculately groomed attire, as if with a phobia of dirt, finally took a deep breath and nodded.

It was a look imbued with the determination of someone going off to war.

[Let’s go.]

Selpas said, steeling her resolve inwardly.

Yes. It was absurd for her, the great queen, to be swayed by a mere human from the material world.

Although last time, she felt like her liver and gallbladder had been torn out after being caught in a strange trick, this time it was different!

She had made thorough preparations, so she would show him the true dignity of the queen!

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, my queen.”

[…Haah…]

“Pardon? What was that just now?”

It was no different this time!

As soon as she saw him, she was barely holding on to her sanity!

[…I-it’s nothing. More importantly. You said we would have our real talk here. What is your business?]

Selpas, who was experiencing in real-time the feeling that humans called a ‘pounding heart,’ even though she didn’t have one, finally managed to bring up the original topic.

“…Why are you talking with your eyes closed?”

Selpas, who had almost reflexively blurted out the crazy words that she was about to fall into his eyes, changed the subject with superhuman patience.

[Don’t mind me.]

“…Well, the explanation itself is a simple story.”

Kim Gyu-sik said, placing something in front of Selpas.

A bowl-shaped object. And the seal engraved in its center.

It was a characteristic sight that its importance was firmly imprinted in Selpas’s mind, which was turning pink.

It was a natural reaction, as it was a treasure of the kingdom passed down from her ‘ancestors.’

[…Wait a minute. You. Where did you get this?]

“The kingdom’s revelation. The lost bloodline of the royal family will come from the outside with the seal… something like that, right?”

It was a phrase she had heard so much recently from the ‘prophecy department’ inside the kingdom that her ears were about to fall off.

The royal family has a lost bloodline. They will return to the kingdom in the near future and shed light on everyone… something like that.

[…How on earth do you know what was said in the kingdom?]

“I’m talking to you in relation to that.”

No, look at him not even answering.

It was a look that said it was only natural that he already knew something.

“I will prove that the revelation was right. There are three kinds of tests passed down in the kingdom, right?”

At those words, Selpas narrowed her eyes and looked at him.

[…Are you talking about the ‘Hero’s Test’? That is a tradition that has been dead in the kingdom for a long time…?]

“Yes. But if you can pass it, its influence is absolute, right?”

That’s obvious. The reason it was abolished in the first place was because the difficulty was so insane that no one could pass it.

But the test was the test, but the process of even opening it was the problem in the first place.

[To preside over the test, you must first prove the qualifications of the subject. The royal seal alone is not enough, you must receive recognition from the proctors.]

First, you had to prove your worth in a battle of wits with the Blue Spirit, who was in charge of strategy.

You had to be able to survive a bloody battle with the Red Spirit, who was in charge of bravery.

And you had to have the purity of your spirit proven by the White Spirit, who was in charge of nobility.

And you had to receive from each of them the items that showed they had acknowledged you.

[Even the most renowned warriors in the kingdom have not passed all of these trials. They are terrifying tests where no one has survived. You must first pass these before you can proceed to the next stage…]

“Here.”

Three bundles fell in front of Selpas, who was continuing her explanation.

[…What are these?]

“A blue staff, a red heart, and a white suit of armor. You’re talking about these, right?”

Selpas looked back and forth between the bundles and the man in silence for a long time.

[…Uh.]

“Yes.”

[…H-how…?]

“I beat the blue one in an argument, knocked out the red one, and made the white one give up with a staring contest.”

[…]

No.

He says it easily, but.

After winning a battle of wits against a possessor of a brain that even the queen herself could not match, he stole the eyes, a symbol of submission for a spirit.

He unilaterally tore out the heart in a fight against a god of war whom even the kingdom’s strongest warrior could not withstand for a few rounds.

And in a fight against a harsh mental empath who could break the opponent’s mind just by making eye contact, he neutralized the opponent and took the armor.

No.

No.

Hey.

Is he really crazy?

That was something even she, the queen, couldn’t do.

[…All of that, in just one day of being here. In just a few hours before you came to see me here. You took care of it all…?]

“Well, something like that.”

Yep.

The answer came back with the demeanor of someone who had eaten because they were hungry.

“There’s no need to waste time on easy things. We have to move on to the important things quickly.”

[…]

What on earth is this guy?

Such a thought rose up in Selpas’s mind.

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