Chapter 94

The square in front of the royal castle, the place where the king's speech would be given.

Already, many players had gathered, creating a bustling scene.

Seats were set up, and the aisles were kept clear.

Weaving through the crowd, I found the top producer of the "Eleanor Guild" standing there.

"Ah, Hime-chan, Rū-chan!"

"Hey, Fino!"

"Thank you for your continued support."

Hime and Rumin smiled at Fino, who was waving with her usual sleepy expression.

Well, we've been relying on her a lot. She is probably the player we interact with the most.

I could see the figures of Iori and Kanbei as well. I wondered for a moment if the guild's management was okay, but if Eleanor said it was fine, it must be.

With a small smile, we sat down next to the guild members.

(But...)

While Hime and Rumin chatted with Fino, I turned my attention to the atmosphere around me.

I am usually aware of the attention I get, but today's was different.

The gazes were filled with negative emotions and even seemed to carry a sense of estrangement.

Of course, I can't say I don't have a clue. I've been exposed to such gazes in reality as well.

It's pointless to worry about it, and as long as they don't do anything, I'll just ignore them. In fact, it might be more convenient if there's no unnecessary interference.

"... You really made a big splash, didn't you?"

"The number of opponents was overwhelming. I fought seriously for the first time in a while."

"True. Thanks to that, it seems we've gotten into various complications."

Eleanor is not a warrior. She probably didn't notice the gazes directed at me.

However, she has an exceptional ability to gather information. It wouldn't be surprising if she knew more about the situation here.

"Being suspected of cheating... well, it's common among top players."

"What do you mean by 'cheating'?"

"Ah, you're still a beginner. Cheating... there are various definitions, but in simple terms, it means enhancing your abilities through illegal modifications."

"Huh? There's no way I could do that. I'm not that tech-savvy, and I don't know how to do such things."

"True. I've never heard of anyone successfully doing that. This game has top-notch security, after all."

I didn't understand everything Eleanor said, but it seemed she understood that it was impossible for me.

However, I see. They think I've engaged in illegal activities. Or is it just suspicion?

In any case, I understand that I'm being watched for that reason.

"Well, I won't worry about it. I haven't done anything wrong."

"No, I think it's strange too. But since the management has given their approval, there shouldn't be a problem."

"From the management?"

"Your actions received a lot of inquiries. The official website announced that there was no foul play in your actions."

"... I didn't expect an official announcement."

Indeed, if it's stated that there's no problem, I should just act confidently.

Even if someone says something, I have nothing to hide.

With that judgment, I completely ignored the gazes around me. Then, a change occurred at the center of the square, on the stage.

Two pillars of light appeared on either side of the stage, leaving the center open.

The sudden change caused a stir among the crowd, and two figures appeared as the light pillars exploded inward.

It was—

"Angels...?"

"Management avatars. They are said to be the messengers of the goddess Admynastia."

"Hmm, messengers of the goddess, huh."

Two girls with biological white wings, different from Rumin's light wings, appeared.

Upon hearing their origin, I instinctively touched my chest.

The holy seal of the Admyn religion, which I had equipped from the beginning, was dedicated to this goddess.

"Is the management in the position of a goddess?"

"Who knows...? The analysis of the world's setting is the specialty of the 'MT Exploration Society,' and I don't know much about it."

Thinking about it now won't give me an answer. I'll just listen to what the management has to say.

The two angels slowly descended to the stage and bowed in unison.

Their movements seemed mechanical. They don't seem to be controlled by humans.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet."

"Welcome, all visitors."

"We will now report on the World Quest 'The Demon Invasion.'"

With the mechanical and monotonous words, the murmurs around us subsided.

No—did they forcibly reduce the volume of the surrounding sounds?

In any case, this made it easier to hear.

"First, we have a message from the person who participated in the World Quest."

"Please look up."

The management avatars pointed upwards.

Following their gesture, I looked up to see a figure on the terrace above.

A middle-aged man wearing a crown and a luxurious mantle—his appearance made it easy to guess who he was.

"Visitors, I am Onstall August Zela Alphasia, the king of the Kingdom of Alphasia."

The deep, authoritative tone made me narrow my eyes slightly.

His words alone changed the atmosphere of the place. Indeed, he is a king.

"Thanks to your efforts, our Alphasia has escaped an unprecedented crisis. Your efforts were truly commendable!"

The king scanned the crowd—pausing briefly, his gaze landing on me.

His gaze was undoubtedly directed at me, carrying a sense of caution or perhaps—

Well, I have a few ideas. As long as I'm not openly opposed, there shouldn't be a problem.

"For your efforts, I have prepared a modest reward. I hope it will be useful in your future battles against the demons."

"—Distributing regular event rewards."

With the king's words, a window appeared before our eyes.

It displayed the rewards for the players, as he had said.

The amount wasn't large, but it included gold, various demon materials, potions, and—skill slot expansion tickets.

The materials and potions were indeed modest, but the additional skill slot was quite significant.

Well, I obtained 'Mana Manipulation' last time, so what should I get next?

"Leaving the rest to the apostle. I look forward to your further contributions. Farewell."

Ignoring the excited players, the king quickly left.

It seems they don't want to involve themselves with us—no, they can't?

There seems to be some constraint, but I can't judge with the information I have.

The 'MT Exploration Society' might know something.

"Regular reward distribution is complete."

"Next, we will distribute special rewards to the top performers."

The management avatars continued in their usual monotone.

It seems we're finally getting to the main topic. Event performance and corresponding special rewards—how will it turn out?

I admit it's childish, but I can't help but be curious about the results.

"Announcing the individual performance rankings."

"Performance is based on points. Points are added for defeating demons and subtracted based on the damage to the battle area."

"More points are added for defeating noble demons or Demon Knights."

"Here are the rankings. Please pay attention."

The two angels raised their arms simultaneously.

On the stage, a window similar to what we usually operate appeared.

It displayed ten horizontal lines, which were replaced one by one with the names of the top performers.

■ Individual Performance Rankings

1st: Quon

2nd: Hime

3rd: Dullack

4th: Satsuki Mori

5th: Altrius

6th: Dean

7th: Raison

8th: JADE

9th: Scarlet

10th: Alisera

I murmured at the results.

I thought Altrius would be higher, but he was probably busy with commands.

My actions on the battlefield likely affected his performance.

While I feel a bit guilty, I doubt he's too concerned.

After all, he'll probably be first in the guild category.

"Indeed. Congratulations, Quon. But the point deduction seems quite harsh."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, those who caused some damage, like us, or those who prioritized elimination over damage, like 'Clifot Gate,' are mostly not included. Most are you, 'Camelot,' and 'Sword Saint Union.' I haven't seen the name in 10th place before."

So, the management's intention was to focus on those who minimized damage.

Unintentionally, Altrius's strategy was correct.

Still, Hime's second place is probably due to her hunting Demon Knights before I arrived.

She was focused on hunting big targets to protect the surroundings, but it led to being targeted by noble demons.

In any case, as the crowd buzzed over the rankings, the angels on the stage continued without showing any reaction.

"Next, the special rewards will be granted by the apostle Frauzeal."

"Please come forward, apostle Frauzeal."

With those words, another pillar of light appeared in front of the rankings.

From it emerged an avatar in the form of an angel, like the previous two.

However, unlike them, this one had a human-like, expressive face.

"Hello everyone, I am GM Frauzeal. From here, I will also participate in the proceedings."

It seems some management avatars are controlled by humans.

Given that she introduced herself, she probably appears regularly.

"... Quon, is the GM's appearance a special measure for you?"

"Maybe to explain what I did?"

"There's no other way to believe it without the management GM's answer."

I could only return a wry smile to Eleanor's laughter.

The commotion is undeniable, and I couldn't deny her words.

However, why did she appear halfway through? Was it inconvenient for her to be with the king?

While pondering this, Frauzeal continued her speech.

"Then, please come forward, Quon, the first-place winner in the individual category!"

"Wh—!?"

As her voice echoed, a blue light enveloped me.

In the next moment, I was instantly teleported to the stage.

I was floating in my seated position, and as I directed my feet toward the ground, I slowly landed.

The stage was filled with gazes of various emotions directed at me.

Despite the overwhelming presence, I turned my attention to the GM standing next to me.

"... If you were going to call me, you should have told me beforehand."

"Ah, sorry. We did announce it on the official website, but I didn't explain it here. In any category, the first-place winner is called to the stage."

"Ah, I see. Understood."

So, I might be called in the party category as well.

Well, if it was announced beforehand, I have no complaints.

"Quon's performance... two noble demons, seven Demon Knights, thirty-six large Lesser Demons, and... is this real?"

"It's true. Apostle Frauzeal, please read it out."

"... My apologies. The other Lesser Demons and Slave Beasts total 1,107. A total of 1,152 defeated! It's hard to believe, but the control system's tally is accurate."

I already knew I had a 'One Thousand Against One' title, but over a thousand was a bit much.

I must have caused quite a stir. If the noble demon in the south had taken a bit longer to defeat, I could have set an even better record.

"I've seen the video recordings, and it's an unbelievable record... do you have any tips for handling such chaos?"

"Tips... ideally, chaos should be avoided. It's better to systematically eliminate enemies like Altrius or the 'Sword Saint Union.' I simply had a way to reach the leader directly and acted on it."

"Ah, I see... what kind of method?"

"Well, it's my bread and butter, so I can't reveal the secrets of my style. In simple terms, it's about 'avoiding the enemy's attacks and landing my own.'"

It seems I'll have to deal with more troublesome people, so I'll do a bit of lip service.

By acknowledging that I use a martial arts style, it becomes a fact.

While it was already implied with Hime, I'll officially announce it now.

"I see... I don't quite understand, but let's move on to the special rewards! Here are the rewards for the first-place winner in the individual category! Here is what Quon will receive!"

With those words, Frauzeal pointed to a monitor in the air.

The next moment, the screen displayed—text and an image of a katana.

"Two named skills, 'Sword Demon Rasha'! And the growth weapon 'Garo Maru'!"

—At the