The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 332

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 332

Episode 332.

For some unknown reason, the Sword Emperor seems quite displeased with Dohyun.

Why would such a Sword Emperor wait here, wasting precious time for Dohyun, when he’s not even a wife greeting her husband returning from war?

‘No, is this a wife waiting for her cheating husband to come home?’

Looking at that expression that makes one wonder if there’s something to feel guilty about, the latter seems more natural.

“What brings you here?”

Since he couldn’t think of anything he’d done wrong, when he asked, the Sword Emperor clicked his tongue and gave a blunt reply.

“What brings me here? You’ve built such a spectacular achievement that I had to come, didn’t I? It’s quite remarkable that you’re the hero who saved the Empire in our stead.”

“…”

As Dohyun wore a bewildered expression, wondering why someone would give praise with such a face, the Sword Emperor stepped closer.

Thinking he might suddenly swing his sword like last time, Dohyun flinched, but fortunately the Sword Emperor didn’t do anything.

No, he did do something.

Thud.

A calloused, wrinkled hand placed on his shoulder.

“…Thank you. If it weren’t for you, we would have lost irretrievably much.”

“Ah.”

The blunt demeanor disappeared, replaced by a serious face.

The trembling of wrinkles etched in a kind smile.

Sincere, steadfast eyes.

Deep sincerity could be felt in the slightly trembling voice.

His eyes widened briefly at the Sword Emperor’s unexpected heartfelt gratitude.

Soon Dohyun smiled and nodded.

“I only did what needed to be done. It was our problem too. I didn’t do it out of any heroic spirit.”

“…You’re quite honest, aren’t you? Whatever the case, it’s true that we’re in your debt. If a moment comes when you need this old man’s help, I’ll surely assist you in the name of the Seven Rivers.”

Ding-

[The effect of the title ‘Max Favorability from the Start?’ activates. Favorability increases even more greatly.]

[Sword Emperor Gawain Drew’s favorability increases dramatically.]

[Your relationship with the Sword Emperor has become a bond.]

[This will be recorded in the Adventure Log.]

‘A bond with the Sword Emperor…’

This was rare enough to be recorded in the Adventure Log.

Though the Sword Emperor showed himself relatively often among the Seven Rivers, that didn’t mean he was easy to befriend.

Rather, the Sword Emperor was called a star precisely because he was visible yet unreachable.

‘It’ll come in handy someday.’

He even offered help, and connections are never bad to have.

“By the way… how does it feel to become a hero?”

At the Sword Emperor’s question as he glanced around with a grin, Dohyun also looked around.

“Damn… the class of having the Sword Emperor come to greet you. Is this what being a god is like?”

“The Sword Emperor welcoming the god. Wow~ that’s an instant article title.”

“The journalists are laughing.”

“He seems close to the Sword Emperor? Private audience with the Emperor, intimate relationship with the Sword Emperor… even his connections are beyond comparison.”

“Same game, different world. He’s literally playing a different game alone.”

Watching the countless crowds chattering in amazement with stunned faces, Dohyun shrugged.

“It’s a bit tiring.”

“…What? Haha, that’s just like you.”

At his nonchalant answer, the Sword Emperor chuckled, saying he was quite an odd fellow, and removed his hand from Dohyun’s shoulder.

“Ah.”

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, the Sword Emperor spoke firmly.

“Ahem! Though I acknowledge you, I still cannot give permission yet. I’ll always be watching.”

“…?”

“A man must have the spirit and strength to protect from any danger… (omitted) At minimum, you must win against me in a duel once… Until then, even if dirt gets in my eyes…”

Watching the Sword Emperor ramble on about how it’s still a hundred years too early, how he raised his disciple, and other incomprehensible things, Dohyun shook his head.

‘Ugh, here he goes again.’

The Sword Master himself knows nothing but swords, so why is his master acting like this?

After listening with one ear and letting it pass for several minutes.

Thinking this senseless nagging would never end at this rate, Dohyun interrupted.

“Looking at this now, did you come here just to say that? You’re being thoughtless, so stop and go back…”

“What? Thoughtless? Are you saying our Ryeon isn’t good enough? This insolent brat, who does he think…!”

“No, what’s with all this from before? What tune am I supposed to dance to?”

Just when the scales in his heart were about to tip heavily to one side.

“Ahem. Look at me losing my composure. This wasn’t the time for this.”

Did the Sword Emperor finally come to his senses after seeing Dohyun’s coldly annoyed eyes?

He belatedly cleared his throat and began to compose himself.

Then he took something from his chest and spoke in a solemn voice.

“Kaiser, hero of the Empire.”

“What concept is this now?”

Having already seen his embarrassing behavior, Dohyun’s face was indifferent to this late attempt at dignity.

But the moment the next words followed.

That expression had to crumble instantly.

“I wish to commend your merit in saving the Arniss royal family and Empire, and executing the traitor Garion.”

“Pardon?”

“Pardon what? Now that you’ve heard the imperial command, hurry and follow me.”

The Sword Emperor put the gold plaque back in his chest and spoke curtly.

“His Majesty the Emperor wishes to see you.”

And as those words ended, a cheerful notification followed.

[The great Emperor of the Arniss Empire, ‘Baharun de Arnis’ seeks you.]

[Visit the Audience Chamber to receive the ‘Royal Reward.’]

Grin.

Seeing the message window that appeared before his eyes, Dohyun broke into an irrepressible smile.

‘Ah, if it was something like this, you should have said so earlier.’

The city-destroying Quest, the Black Knight Garion.

The time had come to receive the clear reward for that.

* * *

The Sword Emperor opened the door to the Audience Chamber and stepped aside.

Only Dohyun, his Guardians, and the Emperor remained in the Audience Chamber.

“Cough, ah, you’ve come. Welcome, hero of the Empire.”

“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”

The Emperor he met again after just two days had noticeably weakened.

Though there had been a setting that his death was approaching, outwardly he had seemed healthy, even powerful.

He had been an Emperor whose charisma pierced the heavens.

Now he looked like an ordinary grandfather past sixty.

“I apologize. My body hasn’t fully recovered yet, so please understand.”

“I’m fine, Your Majesty. Rather, shouldn’t you be resting more…”

“Lying down doesn’t make the remnants of the abyss tormenting my insides disappear. I wanted to meet you before things got worse.”

At the Emperor’s grave words, Dohyun no longer urged him to rest.

As the Emperor said, he looked very sickly.

As if this was how a cancer patient with a terminal diagnosis might look.

‘…Is he not recovering?’

Did some sympathy show in Dohyun’s eyes?

The Emperor gave a bitter smile.

“Fifty-one. That is my age.”

Then he continued speaking in a calm tone.

“To some, it may be the prime of life, but for me, who was born with a shorter lifespan than others, it’s an age when the flame of life grows dim enough.”

Baharun—he was born with less than half the vitality of an ordinary person.

It was because he had escaped the fate of dying as a newborn.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Baharun had lived healthily for a long time, defying expectations and living one more year.

But now even that seemed to be reaching its limit.

“Originally, the physician said it was remarkable and that I could live at least four more years… but when I asked yesterday, it was cut in half.”

“…”

Two years.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had one foot at death’s door.

But that was only from a negative perspective.

“Am I not fortunate? I thought I would surely die like this without hope, yet I can still live two more years. My life seems more tenacious than I thought.”

In other words, despite already exceeding his predetermined lifespan, he could live a full two more years.

The Emperor seemed to genuinely think this way.

That’s probably why.

“…Even I, who have reached the end of my lifespan, am still living like this, yet those who should live depart so fleetingly. Isn’t heaven truly cruel?”

“…Your Majesty.”

What Baharun was deeply grieving over was.

The 2nd Prince, Iden de Arniss.

Unlike his brother who was born with a warrior’s constitution, this child had been small and weak since childhood.

“It was like seeing myself and Brother Bairan.”

He resembled much of his own childhood when he had to change after losing his mother, father, and brother to ascend to the throne.

Perhaps that’s why.

Iden caught his eye like a sore finger and always made his heart ache.

When he would constantly pressure the physician out of worry, the answer would come back that the 2nd Prince would live well until eighty, so don’t worry.

That child had died.

“Without ever properly exploring the outside world even once.”

“…”

“It’s all my fault. Just because he was a knight my brother trusted, I didn’t harbor any suspicion. I was complacent. That complacency drove Iden to his death.”

There had been sufficient opportunity to prevent it.

If only he had been a little more suspicious, a little less arrogant.

If only he hadn’t had that useless confidence that he could control everything upon ascending to the imperial throne, and that arrogance of dismissing the Disciples.

“…No, if only I had shown just a little more interest. If I had, wouldn’t things have been different? That thought hasn’t left my mind from the moment I awakened until now.”

“…”

Dohyun gave no answer.

The arrogant Emperor Baharun was not here.

What he saw before him was only a father blaming himself.

Who could comfort the sorrow of a father who had lost his child, and what words could dare offer consolation?

“Iden really loved birds. He would always observe and study birds, yet he never actually kept any.”

Simply listening to his lament.

That was the only thing Dohyun could do.

“He said the reason he loved birds was because they flew through the high sky, wandering freely. He said he wanted to become like that someday.”

“…”

If he had known the child would depart so fleetingly.

Baharun wouldn’t have done that.

“I would have gone mountain climbing with him, which he so desperately wanted, and wouldn’t have bound the child who complained of boredom just because his body was weak.”

His voice, spoken in a calm tone, was as precarious as an old man standing on a steep cliff.

But it was only for a moment that he closed his eyes tightly from indescribable emotion.

The moment he slowly opened his eyes again.

Baharun had returned not as a father lost in grief, but as the Emperor of the Empire.

“…I’m sorry for showing such a pathetic side. I’ve made a disgrace of myself before the Hero who saved the Empire.”

“No. I understand.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

Having said that, Baharun no longer grieved or lamented.

He simply continued speaking with a calm expression.

‘…Indeed. He’s someone with the qualities of an emperor.’

‘I feel sorry just watching. He should just cry his heart out. Is it just me, or does this make me more uncomfortable?’

‘Rizariza…’

Dohyun agreed with the words of those quietly whispering.

It was then that the conversation moved to the main point.

“…I visited my brother’s tomb.”

“Ah.”

Visiting his brother’s tomb meant he had been to Garion’s Secret Place.

In other words, he had seen the traces of Bairan’s suffering.

“In my childhood, my brother was an object of admiration. I wanted to be like my brother, who was praised as a genius, and I wanted to be with him. He wasn’t particularly kind to his little brother who followed him around…”

The Emperor, who seemed to be reminiscing about the past, soon gave a faint smile.

It was a bitter smile.

“…I still vividly remember him patting my head when I said I wanted to be like him, telling me I could do it. That was my last conversation with my brother.”

It was a memory Dohyun had also seen while experiencing Bairan’s will.

A moment of silence passed between them.

In the awkward quiet, Baharun seemed to be spending time recalling his childhood.

After waiting quietly for a few seconds.

Swish.

Baharun rose from the throne and walked over step by step.

Though he coughed from the sudden exertion, he approached resolutely and stopped only when he stood before Dohyun.

Then he bowed his head deeply without hesitation.

“Thank you so much. For avenging my brother. And for saving Rior.”

“…! Your Majesty. Please raise your head.”

Though Dohyun tried to stop him in panic, Baharun firmly refused and maintained his position.

“If it weren’t for you, I would have become a father who lost both his children. Not only that. The Imperial Family’s bloodline would have been severed. It wouldn’t have been strange if wars broke out to seize the throne.”

“…”

“You are the Hero who prevented all of this. What would be shameful about bowing my head to such a Hero?”

At his words, which even conveyed dignity, Dohyun withdrew his outstretched arm.

He judged that trying to stop this would be more impolite.

Was that thought correct?

Only then did Baharun, with a relieved expression, bow his head even deeper and speak.

“When conveying sincerity, there should be no discrimination just because one is an emperor. I only hope that my sincerity has been conveyed.”

“…It has been sufficiently conveyed. Please raise your head now.”

“Thank you.”

Anyone who saw this might have scolded him for being impudent toward the Emperor, but Baharun smiled as if nothing was wrong.

“Through this incident, I’ve realized how much the Empire has depended on a small number of strong individuals like the Seven Rivers. This is certainly a result of my complacency. Before Rior inherits the throne, I’ll solve as many problems as possible…”

Instead, even in the midst of all this, he only spoke of constructive directions.

‘Hmm, he’s an excellent emperor. An empire led by such a person wouldn’t have been too bad.’

‘Rizariza.’

‘Right. He’s cool.’

What kind of father could be so constructive and composed even while losing a child?

Indeed, being an emperor isn’t something just anyone can do.

It was the moment when Dohyun’s image of Baharun, which had been strongly impacted by the books in the secret storehouse, changed 180 degrees.

As this warm atmosphere continued.

“Kaiser, Hero of the Empire. I am not a petty Emperor who only expresses sincerity with words. Though it may be insufficient compared to your achievements, I would like to show my appreciation… Would you graciously accept it?”

“Of course.”

At this perfectly timed offer, Dohyun’s eyes sparkled as he gave an immediate response.

His response was so immediate that Baharun hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded with satisfaction and headed toward the wall.

Swoosh-

‘There’s a safe in a place like that?’

Then he took out something from a secret safe hidden discreetly within the wall.

[Rewards for clearing the city-destroying Quest ‘Black Knight Garion’ are being given.]

[Enhanced rewards obtained for achieving the Quest through an impossible Achievement.]

[‘Imperial Reward’ is upgraded to ‘Imperial Treasure’.]

“This is one of the Imperial Family’s treasures. It’s a treasure that has been designated to be gifted only to benefactors of the Imperial Family for generations.”

What Baharun handed over was something wrapped in black cloth with a golden dragon engraved on it.

At first glance, it was hard to tell what it was.

Judging by the size, it at least didn’t seem to be a weapon or armor.

‘A treasure… I wonder what’s inside.’

The moment curious Dohyun received the treasure from Baharun with an interested expression.

Ding-

Along with a cheerful notification that stimulated his ears, information appeared.

Dohyun’s eyes widened as he confirmed it.

‘…Crazy. Something like this existed?’

He was stunned for a moment at the appearance of an item he truly never could have imagined.

Soon, the corners of Dohyun’s mouth rose so high they seemed ready to ascend to heaven.

‘This changes everything.’

This.

It seems like the troublesome matter will be resolved.

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