“Grid!”
“Huh?”
Shortly after making love to Irene and talking with Faker. Grid was in Khan’s smithy when someone called out to him. It was Euphemina.
"What’s so important that you’re making a fuss?”
He faintly noticed.
‘Was there a positive result from Mumud’s Spellbook?’
But Grid wasn’t that expectant. He would just feel disappointed if the effect of Mumud’s Spellbook was less than expected. Grid was trying not to count the chickens before they hatched when Euphemina grabbed him. The small girl reminiscent of a squirrel fit comfortably against Grid’s wide chest.
Grid panicked at the abrupt embrace.
“H-Hey, what’s this all of a sudden?”
He might be a married man, but Grid was ignorant when it came to relationships. With the exception of Irene, he still wasn’t used to touching women’s skin. He hurriedly pulled Euphemina away, only for her to hug him again.
“Thank you...! Thank you very much!”
“...Ah.” She was happy enough to cry. It made him feel glad. "There’s no need to thank me. Congratulations.”
Grid smiled and stroked Euphemina’s blonde hair. Euphemina thought his big and solid hand felt good. Caring yet dependable. If she had a brother, it would’ve felt like this.
“Heok?”
Grid was shocked as he held Euphemina in his arms and stroked her head. It was because he met the eyes of Lord, his son who was looking at him.
“S-Since when have you been watching?”
This was a scene that could be misunderstood! Lord replied innocently to Grid, who was feeling fear and guilt. "I saw it when Father hugged the pretty sister.”
"I didn’t hug her!” Grid was agitated and unknowingly raised his voice. Then he pulled Euphemina away, approached Lord and whispered, "D-Don’t tell your mother about this.”
Grid asked this for the sake of peace at home. Lord just laughed brightly.
"The beautiful sister is Father’s lover!”
“W-What...”
A married man having a separate lover? As expected, Lord was the Casanova who already had 200 lovers.
“This is a big deal! Lord, this sister isn’t your father’s lover but my...”
“Your first lover? Second lover? Father is cool!”
“...Cool?”
A married man. Lord misunderstood that his father was cheating and even said it was cool! Lord’s ideas about the opposite sex were so different that Grid already started to worry about his future daughter-in-law.
"I don’t know who will marry you...”
Yes, Lord’s future wife was pitiful. Grid had serious thoughts about his son.
***
"Wow, it’s beyond imagination.”
Khan’s smithy.
Grid was surprised when Euphemina shared the quest information she received. A growth class starting at the legendary rating? Combining Pagma’s blacksmithing techniques and Braham’s magic only gave Grid a glimpse of the myth rating. Meanwhile, Mumud’s Successor alone could reach the myth rating.
In other words.
’Mumud was a genius at the level of Lord?’
He was amazing enough that Braham felt afraid and vigilant. Braham’s soul spoke while Grid was feeling admiration.
‘There’s nothing to be surprised about. If Mumud had lived a little longer, he would’ve transcended Muller.’
"...”
Sword Saint Muller who sealed the great demons. Mumud was someone who could reach that level.
‘Truly great.’
His colleague would be able to obtain the best class. Grid was pleased rather than jealous. Braham scoffed.
‘You have no guts.’
‘It is better than being narrow-minded enough to feel jealous of a colleague.’
In the first place, having stronger colleagues would unconditionally benefit Grid.
‘Isn’t it good if I have strong people to count on?’
‘Nonsense.’
Even if the woman here became Mumud’s successor, would she be stronger than Grid? Braham swallowed down these words. He was too narrow-minded to admit Grid’s infinite potential.
“Congratulations, Euphemina.”
Euphemina showed a shy smile at Grid’s sincere words.
"I want to be more helpful to you in the future.”
‘Che, playing around.’
Braham was annoyed and started taunting Grid.
‘There’s one think you are overlooking. How strong is Baal’s Contractor? Even Sword Saint Muller wasn’t able to match Pagma when he obtained Baal’s powers. You should know. It is close to impossible to fight Baal’s Contractor and free Mumud’s soul.’
‘You’re speaking too much.’
Baal’s Contractor. A person who formed a contract with the 1st great demon, Baal. According to what he learned in the Behen Archipelago, Baal’s former contractor was Pagma.
‘Pagma is dead... Then who is Baal’s Contractor?’
Braham kindly answered Grid’s question.
‘Your subordinates know him.’
"Eh?”
Grid was deep in thought when he suddenly let out a bewildered sound.
"What’s wrong?" The puzzled Euphemina asked Grid.
"Do you know who Baal’s Contractor is?”
"No, I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve heard of Baal’s Contractor.”
“Hrmm.”
Information about hell and great demons was an unfamiliar area for most players. Euphemina didn’t know. In the end, Grid asked in the guild chat window.
{Do you know who Baal’s Contractor is?}
{I don’t know.}
{What is that?}
Nobody knew. Grid frowned and complained to Braham.
‘The kids don’t know. You kindly provided an answer, but it was just a lie?’
‘Change the question. Ask them about the necromancer they met in the vampire city.’
‘Vampire city?’
Lauel, Jishuka, Pon, Regas, Vantner, etc. Grid was unaware that a few people met Agnus by chance in the vampire city. He dubiously asked again.
{Is there anybody who saw a necromancer in the vampire cities?}
{...}
Lauel and Jishuka panicked after realizing that the person Grid was looking for was Agnus. They were all hoping that Grid would never encounter Agnus. Grid watched the quiet chat window and asked again.
{Did no one see a necromancer?}
{Master, where are you?}
Then Lauel came forward. He obtained Grid’s location and ran to the smithy.
“Why are you asking about Baal’s Contractor?”
Grid looked at her and Euphemina shared the quest information with Lauel. Lauel read the contents and felt admiration.
“Unbelievable...! A growth class starting at the legendary rating...!”
But.
‘In order to clear this quest, she must be hostile to Agnus... Is this fate’s joke? My bad karma in a previous life is affecting Grid and my colleagues... Everything was so good...’
Lauel’s face became shadowed.
Grid asked again, "Why are you worried rather than pleased? Who is Baal’s Contractor that you’re so afraid?”
Sigh.
Lauel took a deep breath and spoke the name that he never wanted to mention.
“It’s...Agnus.”
“Agnus?”
Grid was familiar with the name. A high ranker in the 5th position after Kraugel and Yura vacated their spots. A person who obtained an epic class early on along with Katz and Euphemina. Yura had said this during her black magician days. He was much stronger than her.
"It’s definitely big.”
Grid could easily guess that Agnus was strong. He was one of the ‘three epic classes’ along with Euphemina and Katz, and Braham had just called his class the ‘strongest.’ Yes, Agnus would certainly be strong. Maybe he was in the same class as Kraugel.
“But that isn’t enough to cause fear. The strength of Overgeared isn’t at a level that individual players could go against. Find him and sweep him away.”
Attacking an innocent player for a quest? It was a morally wrong idea. Grid knew that. But Grid didn’t hesitate. He couldn’t always be just when building up his strength to become a king. He would make countless new enemies. He already anticipated this and was prepared.
Lauel was thrilled by Grid’s determination, but tried to calm him down.
“It’s too early to be hostile with Agnus. First of all, Agnus isn’t an individual. Numerous players are fascinated by his insanity. In fact, there are rumors that several small and medium sized guilds have pledged allegiance to him. We need to be ready for war if we have a conflict with him, but we can’t afford that.”
Aslan of the Eternal Kingdom had the Saharan Empire behind him. Aslan had blamed Grid for Prince Ren’s death and then kept Overgeared in check.
"We will become the target of the Eternal Kingdom if we go to war.”
“Hrmm... Aren’t you too passive? First of all, our power will increase dramatically if Euphemina becomes Mumud’s Descendant. If we raise Euphemina quickly, we can destroy Eternal’s forces and Agnus at the same time.”
"Your basic premise is wrong from the beginning. Agnus is strong. Victory isn’t guaranteed. What if a hostile relationship is formed, only for Euphemina’s class change to fail? Our territories will become a sea of fire.”
Grid couldn’t accept it.
"What are you saying? Can’t we easily kill one player if the elites of Overgeared act together?”
“Agnus has already transcended the category of a player.”
When they encountered him in the vampire city, Agnus was accompanied by a powerful lich and death knight. He didn’t participate in any external activities like the National Competition and only focused on growing, making him much stronger than before.
“Please excuse me, but just looking at pure combat capabilities, he is several times higher than Master. And we can’t afford to send all the main forces of Overgeared. The domestic affairs of our territories became worse when we went to Siren, so everyone is doing their duties. Above all, you have to level up if you don’t want to be left behind.”
"...”
Grid frowned. He trusted Lauel’s advice more than anyone, but...
‘He is that much stronger than me?’
Braham also said it was impossible to fight Baal’s Contractor to liberate Mumud’s soul, but Braham was Braham and Lauel was Lauel. Lauel didn’t know all the facts. It was shocking. His ego was bruised. Lauel didn’t mind Grid’s shaking.
“Agnus is a psycho. Literally. It isn’t good to go against him. We will suffer for the rest of our lives. To be honest, I was hoping that the Overgeared Guild would never become mixed up with him...” But it couldn’t be helped now that Euphemina had received such a great quest. Agnus was an enemy that needed to be taken down. "First of all, let’s clean up our affairs in the Eternal Kingdom and refine our power. Then I will make a detailed plan.”
“...I understand.”
Grid trusted Lauel. That’s why he made Lauel the lord’s proxy. He didn’t refuse Lauel’s decisions or advice unless it was a special case.
"I will get used to the new magic and strengthen myself. In the end, it’s my quest. I will become strong enough to solve the problem.”
Once the conversation was over, Euphemina rose from her spot. She expressed her will not to be indebted to her colleagues, bowed in farewell, and headed to the magic tower. It was to systematically learn and understand the magic knowledge she was given. Lauel also left in order to do his work.
Grid was left alone in front of a furnace. For him, who had been only aiming at Kraugel, Agnus’ emergence was a positive thing.
"Several times stronger than me...? Someone who has transcended the category of a player?”
He would deny it. Grid pulled out the god mineral adamantium. He obtained it as reward for the gold medals he won in the National Competition. What could he create to become stronger? He’d already been thinking about it, but his concentration at this moment was the best. He was confident that he could create greater items.