Chapter 5

### The Ruler's Council (1)

Gong was quite deep underground, as the staircase leading upwards seemed to go on for a while. Upon reaching the surface, Daifon excused himself and left for somewhere, while I followed Kaelan, who guided me.

"Please let me know if you need anything—dinner, a bath, or anything else. I will have it prepared for you immediately."

I replied that I wanted to take a bath first. Given that I had just been a prisoner, it was only natural that I was in a terrible state. Kaelan, who had anticipated this, immediately had the servants prepare everything. The maids swarmed around to assist me with the bath, but I dismissed them all. Having been a perfectly ordinary modern person just an hour ago, the idea of someone else washing me was simply embarrassing.

"During your bath, I will have dinner prepared..."

"I don't need it."

I just wanted to wash up; I wasn't particularly hungry. After finishing the bath, I changed into clean clothes and was led to a room. It was a very spacious and luxurious room.

I approached the mirror and stood in front of it. On the other side of the mirror, a man I hardly recognized stared back at me. Jet-black hair, skin pale as snow, eyes with a vivid golden hue, and distinct facial features.

'He's really good-looking.'

This was a pure observation of the body I had possessed, setting aside my current situation. I had already confirmed this during the bath, but it was a face I couldn't get used to. More importantly, I had no idea whose body I had ended up in. My character in the game had blonde hair and blue eyes, not this appearance.

I moved to the window. Since the room was on a high floor, the view of the castle's interior was quite clear. The massive walls surrounding the perimeter, the tall and majestic buildings, and the soldiers and knights standing guard with a stern presence were all visible.

'The Caldric Ruler's Council.'

One of the four major powers on the continent, with the Grand Ruler Rashetain and his nine rulers at the top. Unlike Saintea, where only humans existed, this land was home to various races. As one of the four major powers, Caldric was known for its free and open nature.

The place I was in now was the Grand Ruler's Castle of Caldric. The Grand Ruler's Castle was located in the center of Warbon, the capital of the Grand Ruler's territory, Dragoar. Dragoar was a familiar area I had visited frequently while playing Lasa.

'Is the city of Warbon spread out beyond those walls?'

Facing the reality of a place I had only seen as game graphics on a computer screen, I felt that if my situation were different, I could have enjoyed the overwhelming scenery.

"Hmm..."

I rested my chin on the window frame and sighed deeply. How did I end up here? Why do I have to meet the Grand Ruler of Caldric now? A misunderstanding had escalated far too much. I could almost understand the feeling of a cow being led to slaughter.

Suddenly, I remembered what Kaelan had said earlier.

'Now that I think about it, she mentioned that the Ruler's Council was about to start...'

I was one of the most knowledgeable players in Lasa. I knew a lot about Caldric, including its major NPCs, the way the ruling class operated, and even the intricate details that were usually irrelevant to the main story. While such detailed knowledge was rare among players, Lasa was a game with many hidden elements, and sometimes clues to these elements could be found within the game's setting.

Thus, most of the veteran players in Lasa, including myself, were well-versed in even the most minor details.

The Ruler's Council.

As the name suggests, it was a regular meeting attended by the Grand Ruler and the nine rulers. The meeting place was, of course, the Grand Ruler's Castle, where the Grand Ruler resided.

'So, most of the rulers are gathered here now, right?'

This thought brought a sense of unease. The timing felt particularly bad. I knew that the Grand Ruler Rashetain was a rather unpredictable character.

Knock, knock.

I was lost in thought when a knock sounded at the door.

"Are you resting well, Sir Ron?"

The person who entered was not Kaelan but Daifon. I realized the time had come. The ominous feeling I had from his words turned out to be accurate.

"The meeting with the Grand Ruler and the other rulers is about to start, and the Grand Ruler wishes for Sir Ron to attend as well."

"..."

Ah. My foresight has improved.

***

After the short conversation, I followed Daifon immediately. The wide and quiet corridor echoed with the steady sound of our footsteps.

Our destination, as mentioned earlier, was the Ruler's Council Hall. Depending on the flow of events, this place could become a public execution ground for me.

'This is getting worse and worse.'

Why would they invite me, a complete outsider, to a regular meeting of the rulers?

At this moment, all I wanted was to punch Daifon in the back of the head. After all, he was the root cause of this entire situation. Thanks to him, I managed to escape from the transport ship, but he was also the one who attacked it in the first place. If not for him, I would have been sailing across the sea without any issues, even if my destination was a prison.

Although the prison was not an ideal place, it might have been better than facing the rulers of Caldric now.

'Pointless speculation.'

I moved forward with a calm heart. There was no avoiding this now. I would soon find out which path was better.

Would I be able to survive without revealing my true nature in front of the rulers of Caldric?

'If things really go to the worst and I'm exposed...'

The only instant kill skill I had was useless for self-protection. It was effective, as it had worked on Quan, but it could only be activated upon contact, a fatal condition.

Well, there might be other ways. My vast game knowledge could be a valuable card for negotiating with the Grand Ruler.

Of course, the best outcome would be to get through this without being exposed.

As we moved, the corridor grew darker, and the windows eventually disappeared. Instead, glowing stones embedded in the ceiling provided light. We entered a corridor with a dark red carpet, where a few knights stood in a solemn formation at the entrance.

Creak.

The knights raised their swords in salute.

"We have arrived."

Daifon walked past them, and I followed, maintaining a composed appearance.

After walking for a while, a massive door at the end of the long corridor came into view. A figure stood a bit further ahead, as if they had just arrived.

A woman with hair as red as burning flames. Beast-like ears protruding from her head, a long diagonal scar from her forehead to her chin, and a massive greatsword on her back.

"Adviser."

She turned and spoke to me in a casual tone. In contrast, Daifon bowed respectfully.

"Have you arrived, 5th Ruler?"

I immediately recognized her without needing to hear her name. Her level and appearance were unmistakable.

【Lv.95】

Higher than Quan, and that appearance.

There was only one person it could be.

'5th Ruler, Kwanlang, Ignel.'

To be confronted by her so suddenly before even entering the council hall felt a bit strange.

Just standing there, her presence seemed to dominate the entire space. Quan was unknown to me, and Daifon was a character I had rarely interacted with in the game, but Kwanlang was different. She was a named boss character I had challenged many times, a familiar and formidable opponent.

This reinforced the reality that I was in the game world.

"You arrived just in time. But who is this?"

Kwanlang pointed at me with her chin.

"A person the Grand Ruler has personally allowed to attend the meeting."

"..."

She looked surprised.

"Considering the Grand Ruler's eccentricity, I can understand that, but who is this person?"

"Someone we recently brought in from outside..."

"Ah, I remember. You went to Saintea. What kind of impressive person did you bring back... Hmm."

Her gaze returned to me. Her vertically slit, predatory eyes scanned me once and met mine with a chilling stare.

"He doesn't seem like much."

Boom!

A sonic boom shattered the air. My hair fluttered in the sudden gust, and a sword blade stopped just in front of my neck.

"..."

I stood frozen, staring at her as she held the sword.

...What just happened? Did she swing her sword? When?

I didn't even notice her drawing the massive sword from her back. The speed was so inhuman that it felt like the process was skipped.

"Well, maybe not."

Kwanlang laughed and sheathed her sword.

"Even without any aura, you didn't react at all. You're tougher than you look."

...I didn't react because I couldn't. I felt like I had just crossed the Jordan River and back. If not for the Emperor's Spirit, I might have collapsed from the shock.

"5th Ruler."

Thankfully, Daifon stepped in with a firm voice.

"Don't take it so seriously; it was just a light greeting."

Kwanlang turned and laughed, sheathing her sword.

"You, let's have a match sometime. I'm curious about what abilities you have, even though I can't sense any mana from you."

What a terrifying suggestion. It seems the misunderstanding has only deepened.

As she walked towards the door, I watched her with a sour feeling. Daifon bowed, seemingly apologizing for her behavior.

It would have been better if he had intervened before she swung her sword, but I was grateful that my neck was still intact.

Boom.

The massive door opened with a heavy thud. Kwanlang entered the council hall first.

Inside, not only Kwanlang but all the other rulers must be gathered.

"Let's go in."

Feeling like I was entering the mouth of a monster, I followed Daifon into the council hall.