Episode 13 – War of Kings (3)

[The constellation ‘Lady of the Brocade Sleep’ is waiting for your response.]

I shrugged towards the confident Min Jiwon and replied, “I don’t want to.”

Min Jiwon’s eyes shook violently. Some of the men opened their mouths and even the actor Min Jiwon couldn’t control her face. She spoke in a dumbfounded voice.

“…Huh?” Rather than accepting the given reality, she chose to doubt her hearing. “I think I heard wrong… can you tell me again?”

“I don’t want to be your underling.”

It was laughable to become her subordinate for only 2,000 coins. I spoke to my party members waiting behind me. “Let’s go. We have to hurry.”

We turned around without hesitation and Min Jiwon shouted in an urgent voice.

“Wait a minute! I can give more coins if it is lacking. I can talk to my sponsor―”

“There is no need.”

“I said to wait!” She ran urgently and blocked my way. It was a rather quick movement compared to her agility level. “Don’t you know the value of 2,000 coins?”

Didn’t she know? I could easily get a few bursts of 2,000 coins.

Min Jiwon spoke with narrowed eyes. “Can you afford to pretend like this?”

“…Pretending?”

“The war between the three kingdoms will soon begin. I don’t know who your sponsor is but the small and medium groups in the area will be cleaned up. Honestly, it isn’t enough that you didn’t accept the 2,000 coins. But is it possible that you haven’t figured it out yet? I am the king of Silla. The king who will soon unify the three kingdoms!”

She seemed to lose sight of reality as she became immersed in her acting. Well, Min Jiwon was originally like this.

She was an excellent actress and due to her deep sympathy with ‘Queen Jinseong’, she would live thinking that she really was the last queen of Silla.

This was why method acting was scary.

“It seems you are mistaken about something. This isn’t the age of the Later Three Kingdoms.”

“You are the one who is mistaken about the era. The Republic of South Korea is over. Are you still waiting for rescue?” She suddenly started speaking bullshit. “A new era has opened. The beginning of this era will start with me, Min Jiwon.”

I was mistaken. This type of nonsense sounded plausible when placed in this context. I was worried about how to separate from this woman when Yoo Sangah handled it for me.

“Q-Queen-nim?”

“What?”

“As far as I know… Silla is the weakest country in the Later Three Kingdoms… won’t it be hard based on the history? The one who unified the Three Kingdoms…”

Min Jiwon paled from the surprise attack.

“W-What do you know?”

“I… have a 1st grade degree in Korean history.”

“1-1st grade Korean history…” The embarrassed Min Jiwon stuttered. “What is so great about 1st grade Korean history?”

“Let’s go Yoo Sangah-ssi. She doesn’t know history very well.”

Min Jiwon’s words became redder at my words.

“Just wait! My proposal isn’t over yet. How about 3,000 coins?”

I turned around without saying anything.

“3,500 coins! I’ll give you 3,500!”

It was only increased by 500. Now I knew the scale of the queen’s capital. As expected, the constellations had different levels of wealth according to their popularity.

I ignored her and kept walking.

“3,600, no 3,700…!”

My footsteps stopped. I looked back and saw Min Jiwon making a ‘that’s right’ expression.

I was also a bad guy. I could just walk away but I wanted to smash it. I opened my mouth and spoke in a blunt voice. “Rather, I want to make you an offer.”

“What do you mean?”

“10,000, how about it?”

“…10,000?”

“Oh, is it too low? You are a king… then I will make it 20,000.”

Min Jiwon’s expression hardened. She glared at me.

“Are you joking with me right now? 20,000 coins? I don’t think you are worth that much…”

“No, I mean that I will buy you for 20,000 coins.”

“Huh?”

“To be exact, you and all your troops.”

Her mouth dropped open in a daze before she barely regained her senses.

“Y-You don’t have that many coins.”

“I wonder what you will say when I show you this.”

I pressed my index finger and thumb together. Then at the end of my index finger, the part of my coins showed up.

[20,000 coins.]

Min Jiwon’s barely maintained poker face finally collapsed.

“T-This is ridiculous!”

“Do you believe me now?”

It didn’t take long for distrust to turn to astonishment, astonishment to turn into greed.

It was natural. 20,000 coins was a truly huge amount. It was an amount that could affect the dominance of the three forces in the Later Three Kingdoms.

Unfortunately, greed couldn’t break her pride.

“Are you trying to buy me with money?”

“Why? Is it impossible? You are the one who made the proposal first.”

The leader of her subordinates came forward.

“You dare!”

He had a slender body and was very handsome. He didn’t seem to have much muscles but they were hidden. Yoo Sangah said, “Dokja-ssi, this man…”

I realized it the moment Yoo Sangah spoke. Yes, Silla had this constellation.

Silla wasn’t at an absolutely disadvantage in the war between the three kingdoms. Looking at the era, there were quite a few competent people.

For example, Kim Yushin or… the problem was that there was no Kim Yushin in the current Silla period.

“Gwanchang is a good constellation. But he is rash. What if my constellation was Gyebaek?  I don’t think you want to reproduced the battle of Huangshanbeol.” (Gyebaek= general from Baekje. Link . Battle of Hwangsanbeol link )

The confused man’s eyes widened.

“You… are you from Baekje?”

[The constellation ‘Hwarang Knows No Retreat’ is angry at your comments.] (TL: Hwarang= elite youth corps of Silla).

This person truly was his sponsor.

Hwarang Knows No Retreat, Gwanchang. His stigma wasn’t that great but his loyalty to the fallen kingdom was wonderful.

“I’m not from Baekje. I’m an ordinary South Korean person.”

“This guy!”

“I respect your patriotism but you should be more prudent. I don’t have only 20,000 coins.”

I moved my fingers one more time and the number of coins started to rise. The man’s face started turning pale.

Wealth was an object of desire for the poor. However, overwhelming wealth caused reverence and fear. Especially for those who were familiar with the power of ‘coins.’

Min Jiwon, who had been frozen for a while, belatedly opened her mouth. “You… who are you?”

She asked me too soon. I naturally had no intention of answering.

“Min Jiwon-ssi, you can’t solve everything in the world with money. I thought you would know this since you are an actor. I’m disappointed.”

I finally turned around and started leaving. The party members followed me as I heard Min Jiwon’s voice.

“W-Wait!”

However, she couldn’t follow me anymore. Once we got a certain distance away from the Silla group, Yoo Sangah spoke in a slightly grouchy voice.

“Dokja-ssi, can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Is she a famous person?”

I hesitated for a moment at the unexpected question.

“Huh? Um…maybe?”

“I see. Dokja-ssi and Sungkook-ssi recognizes her… I used to watch a lot of historical dramas, why don’t I remember her at all?”

This was why she was grumpy?

Lee Gilyoung interrupted. “Noona, I also don’t know her.”

“Ah, haha. I’m glad.”

It wasn’t a strange story. It was natural for Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung not to know ‘Min Jiwon’  if she only appeared in a novel.

The problem was Lee Sungkook.

“Lee Sungkook-ssi.”

“Ah, yes.”

Lee Sungkook responded from the rear of the group. Min Jiwon’s beauty seemed quite impressive.

“I heard that you are a fan of Min Jiwon…?”

“Huh? Haha. That’s correct. Don’t you know? She is a famous actress…eh?”

Lee Sungkook’s expression became strange.

“Uh… Min Jiwon…ssi? Eh? Why do I know Min Jiwon? No, did I know her from the beginning…?”

I quietly activated Character List.

[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]

+

[Character Information]

Name: Lee Sungkook

Age: 25 years old.

Constellation Support: Manager of the Old Ticker

Private Attribute: Hypnotist (Rare)

Exclusive Skills: Hypnosis Lv. 3, Bluff Lv. 4, Weapons Training Lv. 3, Detect Attributes Lv. 2…

Stigma: Comfortable Sleep Lv. 1

Overall Stats: Physique Lv. 13, Strength Lv. 13, Agility Lv. 17, Magic Power Lv. 18.

Overall Evaluation: The current comprehensive evaluation is currently in progress.

+

It was the second time I saw Lee Sungkook’s information. Nothing had greatly changed, except for one thing. Lee Sungkook’s ‘9th to Get Off’ attribute had disappeared.

“Lee Sungkook-ssi?”

“Uhh… yes?”

“No, it is nothing.”

I stopped speaking in order to prevent confusion. In the world of Ways of Survival, an attribute only disappeared when the qualifications for that attribute weren’t met anymore.

All those who ‘got off’ knew the ‘future’ of this world. However, the future that Lee Sungkook knew was only near the prologue. The evolution of the current scenario surpassed the information he knew.

Then a hypothesis emerged. Maybe all those who ‘got off’ would become simple characters the moment they caught up with the ‘future’ they knew?

It was still a leap, but it was a possible hypothesis. If this was the case, it was understandable that Lee Sungkook and Jung Minseob’s information started to be seen.

If it was like this…

Maybe one day I would also…?

[The character ‘Min Jiwon’ shows a weak liking towards you.]

…All my thoughts collapsed at this absurd message. I reflexively looked back. Min Jiwon was still standing still and looking this way. I couldn’t see her face but her gestures looked angry.

Then this message… no, wait a minute. Why did I forget that episode?

It suddenly came to mind. On the 11th regression, she had slapped Yoo Jonghyuk as soon as he met her. Then Min Jiwon supported him throughout that regression…

I suddenly had an ominous feeling. Perhaps… it couldn’t be?

At least I wasn’t hit on the cheek.

***

An hour later, we moved through the forest of buildings near Gwanghwamun as quickly as possible. I didn’t see any humans but it was clear that the kings who bought my text were hiding near here.

–Pay attention to when they start to move. We will also move in time with them.

I said to my party members while moving cautiously.

In any case, I knew the kings’ goals.

「The moment he reached the entrance of the National Palace Museum, his heart started pounding. Most of the artifacts sleeping here were garbage. Only one of them was real.

The Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword.

The strongest SSSSS grade item was hidden here in Gwanghwamun! 」

I wrote it but my hands and feet curled up just reading the words.

It was true that the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword was at the National Palace Museum.

Of course, the rating of the item wasn’t SSSSS. In the first place, there was no such rating.

The Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword boasted a great performance and in fact, Yoo Jonghyuk of the third regression also favoured this sword at the beginning.

–Hyung, if there is such an item, shouldn’t we get it first?

–There is no need.

Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword was a good sword but it wasn’t a necessary item right now.

However, the plagiarist and other kings would think differently. They could get the best combat power at the beginning with the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword. They would surely be looking for the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword.

My plan was simple. Take the other artifacts while they were aiming for the sword.

The problem was when would those guys move? There was no need to worry about it in advance.

In this damn world, those guys always appeared when the scenario was stagnant.

[Huhu, this is really surprising. All the key people are gathered.]

It was as I expected. There were sparks and an intermediate dokkaebi appeared out of thin air.

[Shouldn’t good children be awarded a prize?]

There was the sound of something started to rise from the centre of Gwanghwamun.

It was a single throne covered with a golden light.

There were gasps everywhere in Gwanghwamun. There wasn’t an explanation yet but all the kings would’ve realized it at this moment.

Only a single king could take that throne.

[The main scenario has been updated!]

[Main scenario # 4 – The King’s Qualifications has begun.]

TL: I’ve made a discord group to discuss all my novels, both BL and non-BL. Feel free to join if you want to chat about ORV or anything else. Invitation link is below: