Chapter 81 :

Episode 18 : A Father's Approval (5)

With a ton of players racing back to the ‘Kingless’ Kingdom in a hurried manner, using their skills and hidden skills as a means to get in front of those who were running ahead of them. 

To be honest, It was an amazing sight to watch despite seeing it innumerous times in the past.

"JoonChul-ssi, shouldn't we be making our way back to the kingdom?" HwanGi asked, having his eyes locked onto the sprinting players.

"Yes, we should. But it might be crowded when we get there, so let's just walk." I answered before beginning to move toward the kingdom.

As I walked, I could feel the breeze of the wind blowing past me. It was warm yet cool at the same time.

At this moment, all I could think of was the field of a bloody battle that I had every single life I lived.

‘I killed and I saved. But never have I ever surrendered.’ I thought, looking at my hand as I clenched my fist.

When I remembered the scenes from my continuous past, I was unconsciously slowing down my pace.

"JoonChul! Won't this take longer? I mean, we only have a few hours left until evening.." Alaine walking up to me and bumping her elbow on my waist, spoke to me.

I snapped out of my daydream and glanced over to Alaine, telling her and the others. "Alaine, HwanGi, Raiden and Frostina will be the second party."

"Eh?!" 

"If we go in one group, we might not make it until evening."

"But won't doing it together be easier?"

"Good point, but some of us will have completely different quests, making it harder for everyone to finish two quests early."

"I see your point, JoonChul-ssi." HwanGi agreed, putting his hand on Alaine's shoulder.

I smiled after knowing that I wouldn't need to explain a lot more to Alaine, then I made a decision. "I'll put you in charge, HwanGi-ssi."

When I ended that sentence, I could see Frostina flinching a little. I narrowed my eyes, knowing I just hurt Frostina's feeling a bit.

"You can count on me, JoonChul-ssi." HwanGi spoke as he seemed to be happy.

I sighed and continued talking. "The others will be with me."

Everyone nodded before we were all starting to walk faster, leaving the grassland to enter the dense forest.

During this I got a little bit hungry, so I pulled an apple out of my inventory and bit into it.

It was then that I suddenly felt a cold presence behind me, in view of the fact that I knew who it was, I didn't need to turn around to look at whoever was behind my back.

"I'm sorry for that, Frostina. I'm just curious about HwanGi's leadership." I mumbled, making sure that my voice was loud enough for Frostina to listen while the others couldn't.

"..Yes, I understand." Frostina responded with a calm voice without a hint of her sadness.

"You are the best at leadership which is why I wanted you to inspect HwanGi while I'm not there."

I couldn't know what expression Frostina was having, but I did know that I heard a slight gasp behind me.

I grinned before asking her. "May you do that for me, Frostina? And tell Raiden that he shouldn't use his full powers, including you too."

"As you wish, my Liege." 

Although Frostina still couldn't stop calling me her Liege, I didn't bother to correct her since it was what made her happy.

After munching on my apple, I said to Frostina. "Make sure to prioritize Alaine and HwanGi's quests first."

"..." No response was made by Frostina since she knew I hadn't finished talking.

"Since I know Rai and you can complete over 2 quests within an hour or less, it would be best to focus on the ones who can't do it within that short time."

"Yes, my Liege."

———

After having a pleasant yet serious conversation with Frostina, we were starting to get nearer to the entrance of the ‘Kingless’ Kingdom.

And once we entered inside, we noticed a couple of players hanging around the town, looking as though they were searching for NPCs.

"From here on, we must separate. Once you're done with your 2 quests, come to the ‘Bouquet’ tavern." I instructed everyone as I stared at HwanGi's face for a second.

His expression appeared as if he was determined to do something. It was hard to describe it but I presumed it was a determined expression.

"I'll do whatever I can to help. I hope you succeed in your end, JoonChul-ssi." HwanGi told me, looking me in the eyes.

"Good luck to you, HwanGi-ssi." I turned around before slowly holding onto Mya's hand.

Even though she was startled when I first touched her hand, she still allowed me to grab it.

I asked Mya politely. "Can you tell me what is the first name in the Quest list?"

"I-It's my father." Mya stuttered.

I was a bit shocked to find out that the first person in her list was her father, Payne Wayne.

"What a coincidence.. Now it feels like your father is truly giving you a quest."

"Even so! I'll do my best!" 

‘I like how Mya is being confident and brave right now.. if she weren't, I would have stolen her amulet already.’ While I mused, I started to walk with Mya as well as Mirai and Behemoth.

After splitting up with HwanGi's party, I asked myself. ‘I wonder if Behemoth and Mimi are doing fine with each other..’

For a moment there, I heard a hiss behind me and I couldn't imagine what kind of trouble those two were cooking up right now.

‘Considering their personalities and relationship..’ I shifted my gaze behind me, finding Mirai and Behemoth in a glaring contest.

"Mimi and Behemoth." I spoke, glaring at them for having a heated contest without me. 

And it seemed I won since both Mirai and Behemoth flinched from just having to look at my glare, causing them to shut their eyes unexpectedly.

"Ha." I chuckled from watching them being scared of me. 

"Mimi, get on my head, and Behemoth, climb onto my arm." Before saying this, I stretched out my right arm toward them, waiting for them as I grinned.

Mirai transformed herself into a spider and quickly went up onto my arm to get onto my head.

As soon as Mirai got on my head, Behemoth hopped onto my left arm as I wrapped my arm around him.

‘This feels like I have three kids to watch over.. or more accurately, I have my arms full.’ 

Mya glanced at me before saying what she thought. "Blacky! Woah, I really want to pat him."

"You do?" When I heard she wanted to pat Behemoth, in an instance, I carried Mya with my right arm, making her sit on my arm.

"W..woah..! Uncle, y-you're strong." Mya admired me for a second before going back to admiring Behemoth.

‘But I'm always strong though? Did she not see me in that way?’ I raised my eyebrow while I observed her.

It was almost as if she didn't want to look at me for a long period of time but as for Behemoth, Mya was having sparkling eyes just from gazing at him.

‘How did the original JoonChul feel to have this villainous face?’ I thought, being slightly annoyed.

While Mya was carefully caressing Behemoth, I was walking through the path with people staring at me.

Everyone's eyes were on me, looking greatly surprised as I slowly but surely moved past them.

I thought, clicking my tongue. ‘Have these people never seen a man carrying a cat, a spider and a girl?’ 

As I walked, minding my own business, I overheard something stupid.

A female voice whispering to another one of her friends. "Is that man a children trafficker..? He's holding onto that cute little girl with such a scary face.." 

‘How can someone just assume a person's behavior by their appearances? How insensible!’ I grumbled.

I exhaled a sigh as I wanted to rub my forehead, but since I had my hands preoccupied, I couldn't do so.

Despite being gossipped about, I needed to try calm and c—

Slap!

‘Ho?’ Without a warning, a small hand hitting my cheek made me look at the so-called hand that slapped me.

"Hm?" 

"Eek!! A-ah.. I-I.." As Mya trembled with a stutter, she was appearing rather pale with her wide eyes looking at her hand.

I stared at her, pondering what she was trying to do by slapping my cheek suddenly.

Even though it didn't hurt much since her hand is tiny and the strength she used to smack my cheek wasn't that strong, I was curious to see what she was about to say to me.

Because I stopped walking when Mya slapped me, I began moving again toward the tavern without removing my gaze on Mya.

"Why did you slap me?" I asked.

Mya flinched and was sobbing slowly. "I.. I just saw a fly, so I t-tried to hit it"

"And you hit me instead."

"Ack..! Y-Yes, I'm sorry! Please don't harm me!"

"What kind of person do you think I am? I have been with you for awhile and yet you still think I'm a bad guy?"

"N-No, it's just hard not to be a-afraid of you when you have that s-scary look on your face.." Mya was fidgeting her fingers after removing her hand from my cheek.

"My face is just like that. And look, we're here." 

I halted when I arrived in front of the tavern, entering it as quickly as I could to search for Payne.

"He's over there! B-By that table!" 

When Mya pointed, I took a look at where she was aiming her finger at, discovering Payne serving his customers.

Without wasting a second, I went to the counter before Payne could even notice me, calling him over.

When Payne spotted and heard me, he swiftly went to the counter, staring daggers at me.

I placed Mya down slowly but surely, nudging her toward her father. 

Eventually Mya had her eyes on me and I whispered to her. "Ask him for the quest."