I Became a Disaster-Class Newbie by Stealing Abilities - Chapter 45

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 45. The Imperial Ball (1)
After a grueling interrogation came to an end….
The sovereign extracted several key pieces of information from Jang Ha-min.
‘This is becoming a headache.’
The situation was far worse than hoped.
If it had been limited to movements from Taesan alone, he could have managed it somehow….
But the board was far larger than anticipated.
—A nobleman commissioned it. I don’t know who. I’m telling the truth! We only exchanged letters—ones with the Imperial Seal stamped on them!
This confession came after making him drink four cups of strong wine.
There would be no lie in it.
‘A nobleman is targeting us….’
What reason could a figure of such weight have for taking interest in something like this?
Was it truly because of the higher demons and the Immortal Order?
Or was there another motive at work?
Either way, a storm was coming.
Whenever nobility became entangled, it invariably triggered massive ripple effects.
And so that eventful drinking session finally wound down.
Everyone left one by one, shelving their regrets and anticipating what might come next.
“Your Majesty. I trust you’ve been well all this time?”
The moment the troublemakers vanished, Baek Seol-gi launched into an enthusiastic flood of everything that had transpired.
When had this woman become such a chatterbox?
Her mouth simply wouldn’t stop.
Exploring Gangwon Province, which lay beyond the walls.
Visiting the Palace and meeting Hel Heim, gaining new power—and on and on.
An endless stream of stories poured out.
“Oh, that reminds me. Where are the others?”
Mochi, Chapssal, and Siru were nowhere to be seen.
The absence of the trio who had always stuck together like a set menu felt surprisingly noticeable.
“I left those children at the Palace. It’s the optimal place for training with the Bing Hwa Divine Sword.”
Hmm. That place seemed rather dangerous for anything beyond simple training, though.
“Are you sure it’s safe?”
“Don’t worry. Though it would seem lacking from your perspective, they’re children who can manage to protect themselves well enough.”
Fair enough—overshadowed by Baek Seol-gi, they might be, but those three were promising prospects with respectable rankings nonetheless.
“But then. I thought it would be just you and me spending time together… yet there was an intruder. Plump and well-fed-looking too. Clearly thriving without cause.”
Baek Seol-gi’s gaze shifted toward Amy.
Amy, receiving that stare, flinched in surprise.
“Se-Seol-gi. I hope you’ve been well too?”
“I’ve been well. Right up until I met a foreign woman.”
Normally, when Baek Seol-gi bared her fangs, Amy would cower and tuck her tail between her legs.
But why, this time?
Amy did not back down so easily.
“I… was happier before you arrived too.”
Though she barely whispered it, her intent was unmistakable.
Naturally, Baek Seol-gi’s expression darkened—a full ten times worse than when she’d looked at Jang Ha-min.
“What… did you just say?”
Smack.
It was like watching a wild cat and a large retriever facing off.
Amy had the advantage in height by far, but Baek Seol-gi’s aura was far sharper.
“Lord, your fortune with women is truly remarkable. I’ve neither heard nor seen such beauties quarreling over a single man before.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
The sovereign’s frown deepened into a scowl.
Not knowing anything, he could afford to say such careless words.
A clash of wills between two calamities was no laughing matter.
Baek Seol-gi, backed by Hel Heim’s patronage, had already surpassed even Varkan.
Amy too, with her awakened Bastion bloodline, had grown far more formidable than before.
A blade that cuts through all.
A shield that blocks all.
Though Baek Seol-gi still held the clear advantage for now, they were allies, not enemies.
A fight that only consumed their own strength had to be prevented at all costs.
“We have somewhere to be. Stop this nonsense and follow me. I’m leaving the ones who keep fighting behind.”
The Sovereign stopped the two calamities before they could collide.
“Where are you going?”
“Me too—I’m coming with you!”
Where, indeed.
The Imperial Ball was bearing down on them within days.
To attend, one needed attire befitting the occasion.
‘One invitation could bring up to two guests, if I recall correctly.’
Perfect—I’d bring Baek Seol-gi and Amy.
* * *
A carriage powered by Magic Stones.
Prepared especially for the Imperial Ball, its magnificence was in a class of its own.
In modern terms, it felt like a Rolls-Royce.
Though the price tag here would’ve been several times that, no doubt.
“Wow.”
“It’s so beautiful. Like a work of art.”
Baek Seol-gi and Amy’s eyes went wide.
Yesterday they’d been at each other’s throats, unable to stand being in the same room.
But the moment I bought them clothes they liked, both of them settled down instantly.
‘Expensive, yes—but worth every coin.’
Baek Seol-gi had chosen an Eastern-style dress.
The pure white fabric, evoking snowflakes, suited her silver hair beautifully.
Had we been in Northern Europe, one might have mistaken her for a noblewoman.
Amy, by contrast, had picked a pale-pink cocktail dress.
It complemented her blonde hair equally well, balancing elegance with refinement.
‘I hope no young noblewomen show up at this ball.’
Whoever came would be outshone anyway—no point stirring unnecessary jealousy.
“We depart now. The journey should take approximately two hours. Should you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to say.”
The coachman cracked the reins.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
We rode along the Han River.
The checkpoints dividing districts were all open for now.
Borders of rank that normally required enormous wealth and official permits to cross.
Absurd, really.
A single slip of paper, and you pass through all of it.
‘Still, I’ve come far. Attending the Imperial Ball already.’
Though early in the game, my progress had been impossible by any standard.
My right arm was now fully usable again.
And I was recruiting the calamities smoothly too.
Truly, I was on the greatest Royal Road run yet.
How long had we traveled?
The scenery grew steadily more refined.
The shanties that had dotted Hanam were gone, replaced by high-rises and meticulously groomed gardens.
And then, at last.
“We’ve arrived.”
The coachman brought the carriage to a halt.
We were now in Yeouido, one of Korea’s most vital districts.
Creak.
As the door swung open, the first thing that came into view was an enormous mansion.
Words like “magnificent” fell far short.
The grounds alone covered more space than several World Cup stadiums combined.
“Those holding invitations, please come this way.”
“Nobility should proceed through the left entrance.”
With hundreds of distinguished guests gathered, security was meticulous.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Uniformed soldiers moved in perfect formation.
These bore no resemblance to the soldiers I’d seen in Hanam or Gangdong.
And among them stood those of an altogether different caliber….
The regular knights of the 4th Knight Order.
True—security changed when nobles were involved.
Seeing the elite troops deployed only to capital cities confirmed that much.
‘If I could just get even a taste of the skills those bastards possess, it’d be perfect.’
Jang Ha-min swept his gaze across the faces of the knights as he smacked his lips.
Here he was, forced to watch a buffet of culinary treasures walking around on two legs, and it was driving him mad with frustration.
Only after passing through a rather rigorous security inspection was he finally permitted to enter the garden proper.
They waited some thirty minutes for the ball to begin, champagne and light appetizers in hand.
“Baron Meltian has arrived!”
A resonant voice rang out from across the distance.
“Ooh!”
“The Baron himself has come.”
“I thought he was occupied with state affairs, but here he is at a social gathering after so long.”
An explosive wave of reaction followed.
A baron was typically the rank bestowed upon governors dispatched to represent each nation.
In other words—
Korea’s number one power broker had just taken the stage.
[Voice Amplification Magic activated!]
A man in his late forties.
A meticulously groomed white beard.
He radiated the leisurely confidence inherent to nobility.
“You’ve all traveled far, and I’m grateful for your effort. Though we hold this ball every year, your continued enthusiasm never fails to warm my heart. Of course, I’d be even more grateful if you simply sent your donations without troubling yourselves to attend.”
Meltian delivered the quip with practiced ease.
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
‘Is this what passes for aristocratic humor?’
Jang Ha-min found it utterly bewildering.
After Meltian had gone on at considerable length about the Emperor’s glory and the magnificence of the nobility…
“Ah, nearly forgot—we’re expecting guests of honor from the Murim for this ball, so do mind your manners and avoid any discourtesy. Should diplomatic tensions arise, well… it could become rather troublesome.”
Only at the end did he broach a matter of genuine consequence.
‘The Murim?’
Jang Ha-min turned the words over in his mind as well.
Though the Empire dominated the most vast expanse of land across the entire world, it did not hold all power beneath its heel.
The Murim was the most prominent exception.
The realm of the Ui and Hyeop, which controlled all of China.
While it fell short of the Empire’s might, it was nonetheless a colossal force that could never be dismissed.
‘Inviting a representative from a faction still at war as a guest of honor—that’s unexpected.’
Curiosity stirred within him.
What possible scheme lay behind such a choice?
“Now then, let us eat, drink, and make merry.”
With Meltian’s proclamation, the ball commenced.
[The Seven Instruments of Decaram awaken!]
A piano and harp, played by sorcery, poured forth a cascade of exquisite melody.
“Ahem. My lady, might I have the honor of knowing to which house you belong?”
“Third son of House Drobitan. Citramon, at your service. Though naturally, you must already be aware.”
A swarm of young men descended upon Baek Seol-gi and Amy.
They vied with one another to invite them to dance, each boasting of his house’s power and prestige.
An ordinary woman might have been flattered, susceptible to their charms…
Unfortunately, they had chosen the wrong quarry.
“Should you address me once more, I shall sever your tongue.”
Baek Seol-gi smiled sweetly as she spoke.
“Ha ha. No, surely you jest, my lady. Such harsh words from so fair a face.”
“Feel free to test me, if you doubt my sincerity.”
To any observer, it was no jest.
The murderous intent glinting in her eyes was far more palpable than Varkan’s.
“Might I propose a toast to that warm and radiant smile of yours?”
“By all means. Though, I must say—your ribs and femurs look absolutely delectable. Would you ever consider a visit to the Catacombs?”
Amy was frightening in an altogether different manner.
She seemed less interested in a man’s companionship and more intent on securing a sturdy test subject.
She’d even inquired after blood type.
And whether there was any family history of genetic disease.
Tsk.
Best to keep one’s distance.
Getting mistaken for their companion could easily result in social ruin.
It was then, just as he was settling into a moment alone with his thoughts.
“My eye for talent never fails, after all. I sensed something extraordinary about you, but I never imagined you’d make it to the Ball in such a short time. Still, you’re just a fledgling.”
An unexpected figure emerged from behind him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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