Chapter 55

◈ Chapter 55. Aesthetic (1)

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- Current Contribution: 11,600p

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Breaking the ten-thousand-point mark.

Without a point of reference, there was no way to know how high it was.

If I could, I would ask.

How much contribution do you have?

I would want to grab the player next to me and ask.

But not dwelling on personal achievements was also a matter of pride for Granfel.

“Just cleaned up some trash, that’s all.”

I merely adjusted my clothes.

“Contribution? How absurd.”

That was all the sentiment I expressed.

Indeed.

This was also a matter of utmost naturalness.

But let’s be realistic.

‘No, I have to praise myself a bit, even if it’s out of frustration.’

As the increased contribution showed,

I had fulfilled my role as a passenger on the bus.

Thanks to the stairs I manifested, the players occupying the city walls.

They were providing clear support from a distance.

‘Let alone restraining the enemy.’

Support that went beyond mere defense, even preemptive attacks.

‘The rest is just something I’m used to.’

Blocking the enemy’s attacks with a barrier was as natural to me as breathing.

Who was receiving my support?

“The movement has become much smoother with your help!”

So I could be bold, not shameless.

‘I paid the bus fare for sure.’

I certainly didn’t freeload...

Clack—

So even as I entered Frost now,

I hadn’t been splattered with a single drop of blood.

A message appeared in my field of vision.

[You have entered ‘Frost’ falling into Hell.]

Falling into Hell from the northern city.

The descriptor had changed that much.

Frost was a gruesome sight.

Corpses of guards were scattered everywhere,

and the streets were drenched in blood.

“...Damn.”

Harkan and the Lion Heart knights, including Harcon, trailed off at the sight.

Among them, some knights.

The sound of their teeth grinding could be heard in my ears.

Harkan spoke in a cold voice.

“Frost, a city that ranks among the best in the empire. Many of our knights are from Frost. It’s not easy to understand their feelings.”

Indeed, it was a feeling of great restraint.

This was truly a cruel scene.

‘This isn’t a virtual reality game, but reality.’

The scattered corpses were no longer NPCs.

They were the residents of Frost.

The blood-soaked streets.

The stench of blood that pierced the nose.

All of this was real, reality.

If I were my past self, I wouldn’t have been able to hold back my nausea.

Like the players I saw over there.

“...Wait, I feel sick. Ugh.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“There’s no need to do this... Damn!”

I was the one who would wrinkle my nose at the sight of blood, even from meat.

But I had pride.

The pride of Granfel, which would not bend in any situation.

Even in the face of such a gruesome scene,

I would not retch,

nor frown,

nor turn away.

I said,

“I will collect the bodies.”

I will collect the bodies.

Harkan, surprised, asked in return.

“Collect the bodies... Are you serious, Sir?”

It wasn’t just Harkan.

Stare—

The Shadow Mercenary Corps, including Kichi, looked at me as if I were a madman.

It was a completely understandable reaction.

I was thinking of myself as a madman, too.

‘Who knows when and where the Demon Army might attack.’

Frost was filled with buildings from the very entrance.

In every building,

in every alley,

there might be Demon Army troops lying in ambush.

In such a situation, collecting bodies?

It was a madman’s act, a suicidal move.

But I knew.

It wasn’t the first time.

All of this was because of this damn pride...

『Granfel Claudius Arpeus Romeo is noble. He will never bow his head to anyone. His pride is unbearably heavy and unshakable. Even if it means drowning under that weight.』

Yes, that pride was telling me.

The ones who fell while defending Frost.

To turn my back on them.

Would be against my pride.

Against my pride?

Even if it means drowning.

I could not go against that pride.

But.

‘...Do you think I’ll just drown and die quietly?’

As I said, it wasn’t the first time.

When I stood before the Count Ascura with nothing,

even before the great evil.

I had the experience of coming back from the dead.

So I no longer hesitated.

I bent my knees and bowed.

I approached a Frost soldier who had died leaning against a building.

His eyes were wide open, as if he couldn’t close them.

I closed the soldier’s eyes.

“Your pride, I will carry on.”

Yes, try to drown me if you can!

I was confident that I could struggle more than anyone.

Harkan nodded at my actions.

The Lion Heart knights moved in unison.

They laid the scattered bodies to rest.

They closed the eyes of those they hadn’t noticed.

Then someone approached me.

“...Thank you.”

Though I couldn’t see his face under the helmet, I recognized the voice.

Jessica, who had guarded me in the office of the Golden Palace in the Kingdom of Yusra.

“...And I’m sorry for everything. Really.”

Jessica was sobbing under her helmet.

‘...I don’t know what you’re sorry for.’

Did she say something bad about me behind my back?

That’s understandable.

Why, the feeling of not being able to go home because of a boss.

‘I know that feeling well.’

Still, I was pretty good at reading the room.

I soon realized.

That Jessica’s hometown was Frost.

Of course, I couldn’t understand the feeling of losing something precious to a demon.

But Granfel would know better.

“Don’t let your emotions get the better of you.”

I said as I stood up.

“We must move forward regardless.”

...Would it really help if I just comforted her a bit?

At times like this, I want to nag at my past self, Granfel.

People in the world.

Do they all have superhuman mental strength like you?

Fortunately, Jessica nodded.

Maybe Harkan’s mental training was effective.

At that moment, a thought crossed my mind.

“...!”

Suddenly, the quest window flashed.

I was startled.

...What is this?

*

Ten city gates.

A siege battle progressing simultaneously.

“...Enough!”

“Yeah, if you have a conscience, open up, you brats!”

“How many potions have we poured in!”

The city gates, which had shown no sign of breaking, finally began to collapse.

Except for the gate Hotae had breached, the speed was about the same for all of them.

“Crazy, those guys have some serious power?”

The Demon Army appeared behind the collapsing gates, the same for all of them.

But there was one difference.

It was the presence of players on the city walls.

“...Wait, those are players, right?”

“Yeah, looks like it. How did they get up there?”

“Could they have already crossed over from another side?!”

That’s right.

The stone stairs Hotae had manifested.

They were the players who had climbed those stairs and occupied the city walls.

They ran along the walls to reach other areas and began to assist in suppressing the Demon Army.

“Sure, it was a good move, right?”

In a cold society,

naturally, there was no heart to help others.

Everything was for their own experience and contribution.

“Thinking that some scraps would fall was foolish.”

“Really. It’s a different dimension, didn’t you see?”

“I can’t keep up with the hunting speed. Just.”

Hotae and the Lion Heart knights,

and the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

There was no place for others to join in where they went.

So I made a quick decision.

To move to another gate.

Shush—!

The support fire from those players.

It was enough to shake the ranks of the Demon Army.

Not only that.

“...More than expected?”

More than expected.

The number of Demon Army troops that rushed out was not as many as anticipated.

The reason was not hard to find.

“Hotae. You concentrated your forces there.”

Then the story became simple.

This was an opportunity.

Because they didn’t miss the given opportunity.

Shining, who had maintained the top position until now.

Rocks, who had been thinking, made a judgment.

“Let’s advance quickly to the center of Frost.”

“Okay~ I feel a bit sorry for them.”

“Sorry, my ass. We’re busy enough as it is.”

“...But, where did our princess go?”

Camilla, who was drawing her bow, looked around.

Just a moment ago, Jesse, who had been casting skills, was nowhere to be seen.

Rocks and Dmitri thought nothing of it.

It wasn’t the first time Jesse had disappeared on her own.

The moment Hotae’s name was mentioned, she vanished.

“Hmm... I have a feeling I know~?”

But Camilla kept her mouth shut.

Madness.

What good would it do to be hated by Jesse?

.

.

.

The Demon Army’s forces were concentrated on Hotae’s side.

For some, it was an opportunity.

For others, it was a bolt from the blue.

“...?!”

Gwon and Berserker.

They couldn’t leave the Kingdom of Yusra completely empty.

Because of the dispersed forces, the two guilds had been forming a joint front.

“...What?”

“Damn it.”

Nam Taemin and Leonie stopped simultaneously.

It was all thanks to Hotae that they could enter Frost more smoothly than expected...

Leonie gritted her teeth.

“Sorry, but I can’t just sit back. I can’t live with a debt.”

Leonie was about to join Hotae’s side immediately.

...Was it because of worry?

‘No, absolutely not.’

Who is Hotae to receive worry or help from someone?

This was just stubbornness.

My self-respect wouldn’t allow me to keep receiving.

“I’m definitely in favor. Sister.”

“I’ll support your decision and determination to the end.”

“Shut up.”

Nam Taemin also told his guild members.

“We will join Hotae’s side.”

Hotae and the Lion Heart knights.

And the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

I knew their level well, but...

There’s no business in quantity.

Even if we couldn’t provide much help, we needed to add to the numbers.

The moment the two guilds agreed.

There should be no hesitation in movement.

But for some reason,

it kept catching my eye.

In the end, Nam Taemin stopped.

“Go ahead. I’ll follow right behind.”

The fallen Frost.

I couldn’t just pass by.

I couldn’t turn a blind eye.

“...”

Nam Taemin silently collected the bodies.

Worried that there might be a familiar face.

Chewing on the boiling anger.

Nam Taemin’s quest window was also flashing.

[Conditions met.]

[Quest started.]

[Class Quest: Proof of Savagery]

“...!”

Twice.

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- Current Contribution: 3,300p

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*

Just by collecting bodies.

The contribution increased.

This increase was significant.

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- Current Contribution: 19,600p

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I thought.

Good deeds do bring good luck...

Of course, I didn’t do it for the contribution.

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

A crazy act driven by pride that dominated my body.

‘Is it because I didn’t expect it?’

It felt not entirely bad.

But I didn’t show it.

The situation didn’t allow for it.

The Shadow Mercenary Corps.

One of the members said from the rooftop.

“They’re just swarming in. Damn, it’s getting annoying.”

Just closing the eyes of the bodies.

Just laying them down.

Still, it was an inevitable delay.

Because of that, the Demon Army’s reinforcements were pouring in.

Soon, the Demon Army came into view.

They were different from the faceless [Demon Army Infantry] in appearance.

But it didn’t matter.

I knew.

I had checked their levels through the additional update.

[Demon Army Monster Cavalry: Lv.400]

[Demon Army Centurion: Lv.420]

[Demon Army Warrior: Lv.420]...

No need to go far.

They were weaker than the Bai Yixue I had hunted recently.

No, weaker than the succubus.

‘So what if there are many of them?’

The number didn’t matter.

The most efficient way to deal with a large number of enemies.

I had magic.

So come on.

My experience, my contributions.

Of course, the battlefield filled with buildings was narrow and complex.

There was a risk of buildings collapsing, not just to the enemy.

But even that was no problem for me.

I adjusted my clothes.

Even the disheveled [Handkerchief].

“There’s no time to waste. Let’s end this in one go.”

Yes, now is the time.

The moment to test the new stat, [Aesthetic].