Chapter 182

Indeed. That tall man was…

A ten-year-old boy.

“Jisung is here!” Hayes exclaimed, rushing over to embrace Jisung warmly.

“U-Uncle… P-Please let go…”

“Nonsense. What are you blushing for? My little munchkin!”

Jisung squirmed, his face turning beet red at Hayes’ affectionate gesture. He looked like a high school boy unsure how to react to physical contact from an attractive older woman—except that he was only ten years old.

To think he’s already ten.

In just a decade, Jisung had grown so much. Named “wisdom” after Flower’s wish for him to possess such qualities, he wasn’t merely big in stature; rather, his intellectual abilities matched or even surpassed his size.

“Yes. What seems to be the matter?” I asked, prompting Jisung to straighten up and explain further.

“Ah, about the Bright Kingdom…”

I raised my hand to cut him off. “If it’s that matter, let’s discuss it over dinner. It’ll be a long talk.”

We had eaten hastily on our way to the training ground, but the discomfort from rushing still lingered.

“Good idea! I’ll wash up and join you right away.” Hayes headed through one of the doors at the side of the training hall.

Flower approached Jisung with a question. “How was your lesson?”

“Yes, Mother. The teacher explained everything so clearly that it was easy to understand.”

Jisung was growing in a completely different direction than I had anticipated.

I thought he’d naturally become a fighting machine.

Wasn’t that what seemed inevitable when he started walking upright as soon as he was born? With physical abilities far surpassing those of ordinary humans, I assumed he would obviously pursue martial arts training.

However, Jisung showed talent and interest in politics and administration.

He has a robust physique and can gather inner force easily… but he lacks competitiveness. It might be due to his young age.

Given this situation, it seemed impossible to raise him as a powerful ally for mythic dungeons. Even if it were possible, it would take decades, making it an impractical fantasy from the start.

“Ah, Your Highness.” Edward, who had been momentarily lost in thought, spoke up.

“What is it?”

“My sister mentioned she has organized all the songs.”

“Oh, she’s always so diligent. Please convey my thanks to her.”

“She’d be even happier if you expressed your gratitude personally.”

“You’re right. I should visit her sometime.”

Edward’s sister, Harmony, was at the height of her career as both a singer and music producer in the Human Empire. Her genius talent and striking beauty in her late twenties had earned her fame throughout the continent.

Right. I should start logging out soon… so I guess I need to organize my songs.

With this thought, he began moving towards their destination.

Ding-dong!

We returned to the guild tower and headed straight for the dining hall. This particular floor, reserved exclusively for me and my family, already boasted an impressive spread of gourmet dishes.

There were tender braised ham hocks marinated in a sweet-spicy sauce; beef tongue lightly grilled with salt, pepper, and various spices; steamed fish simmered in bone broth infused with fruity juices; pasta tossed in rich cream sauce, topped with garlic croutons and al dente noodles; warm udon soup—dishes that could easily be mistaken for Earthly cuisine.

Though it was meant to be savored like an exquisite meal, I wolfed it down as if inhaling my food.

Munch, munch.

Naturally, my appetite was insatiable.

Even for an emperor, such a voracious appetite would have been problematic in Ardenia’s ordinary medieval society. However, in the Human Empire where food poured forth from dungeons, concerns about sustenance were the worries of others.

For the past five years, with large-scale farms operating across the southern regions, grains had been flowing abundantly. Moreover, fish catches from all the seas proved plentiful.

“So,”

Having filled my stomach to some extent, I slowly turned to Jisung, who was still savoring his meal.

“Why is the Bright Kingdom…”

The Human Empire embraced all humanity on the continent. The Ming Empire, which had referred to itself as Central while looking down upon other nations; the Holy Empire that regularly held witch hunts, burning people alive; the Eight Kingdoms, possessing all the vices of both empires; and even the Crystal Alliance, which struck fear into every human heart—all had dissolved into the Human Empire, now part of its unified whole.

However, the Human Empire was not the only power in Ardenia.

It wasn’t a case of another human faction rising against monster attacks. Rather, there existed forces composed entirely of non-human beings.

Bright Rebellion.

Such monsters bore this name. Like the Holy Army led by the Madman Edward before them, they were classified as [Enemies], distinguished from humans as monstrous entities.

“It may be a hasty judgment… but we must increase the number of guilds entering Bright Rebellion castles.”

“Why is that?”

Even among identical monsters, some could communicate effectively with humans. These included cyclops trainees—highly intelligent beings who cared only for their own cultivation—and angelic races that used holy powers, as well as versatile fairies with exceptional magical abilities and divine beastfolk possessing unique supernatural gifts.

Unlike demonic or mage creatures, whose endless malice made compromise impossible despite their high intelligence, ogre mages were more approachable. Rather than constantly battling them, it was often easier to reach a compromise and recognize their territory.

However, the most effective communication still occurred between humans sharing the same appearance. It had been over five years since both sides acknowledged each other’s territories. The Bright Rebellion had proclaimed itself the Bright Kingdom and even established trade relations with the Human Empire.

“Here are the details of our recent trade with the Bright Kingdom.”

I accepted the paper that Jisung handed over.

”…Their wood imports have increased?”

“To be precise, it’s wood for making charcoal. I heard they’re melting down weapons to create farming tools.”

“How peculiar.”

“Yes, it is indeed strange.”

It was strange because their true nature was as monsters. These creatures could replenish their strength by simply visiting what could be considered their home—the Pillar of Light. They no longer needed sustenance, yet here they were, going so far as to melt down weapons just to make farming tools?

“Do you think this poses a threat?”

“I wouldn’t say exactly. They’ve clearly submitted to Your Highness. However, it’s never good when we’re unaware of their strategic moves. If we maintain ongoing relations with them…”

I logically presented my argument. I explained several assumptions he had come up with based on our current situation as we ate together. Then I asked:

“What is the current population of the Human Empire?”

Jisung answered without hesitation: “According to the Personnel Development Agency’s announcement last month, the population of the Human Empire stands at 12,470,000 people. Out of these, 8,700,000 have been issued citizenship.”

Over the past decade, the Human Empire has experienced dazzling progress. The population has skyrocketed, society has stabilized, knowledge has expanded exponentially, technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, and most importantly, the average human capabilities have risen to unprecedented heights compared to the past.

If there were no disqualifying factors, one could become a Player by simply reaching adulthood and choosing a General rank class. This process was akin to being issued citizenship rights. In other words, the Human Empire boasted eight million Players.

Gigas of all shapes and sizes poured forth from factories, fueled by a steady stream of raw materials. Through relentless reverse engineering, dwarves began producing automobiles and firearms within just ten years. Even fifth-class mages started emerging gradually.

Though the combined might of the entire Human Empire still fell short of my own capabilities… their overall level had reached a point worthy of note.

Hmm. Perhaps having this kid around wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.

Yet upon further reflection, it seemed utterly absurd:

This is supposed to be only ten years old?

I turned to look at Flower, communicating silently through our eyes alone.

It wasn’t my idea, was it?

Flower smiled warmly and winked at me.

I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?

Her eyes dripped with affection as she gazed at her son. Unlike my gruff demeanor towards him, her love for our child was truly remarkable.

“Hmm. Very well. The administration will arrange a position for you, so go ahead and do as you please.”

“Thank you!” My son’s eyes sparkled with joy.

Wait, does a ten-year-old really enjoy this kind of thing?

We left the dining hall after what could have been either family mealtime or report time. Flower went off somewhere giggling with Jisung.

Flower, that kid… She used to always stick close to me before.

I felt an indescribable emotion stirring within me when Hayes approached from beside me. He wore a serious expression on his face.

“Um, Jaeyeon.”

“Why?”

“I never thought I’d be having these thoughts,” Hayes said with a peculiar expression. “Should I have children too?”

As I grew accustomed to my physical body, the involuntary shedding of life factors like before no longer occurred. Now, just as other bio-energy trainees could do, I could create basic life factors at will. This allowed me to spread bio-energy throughout Ardenia based on my own decisions.

These soldiers may lack talent, but they’re popular among their peers. Given sufficient supplies, their abilities can rival those of higher rank.

However, I stopped distributing unique version life factors. The reason was simple: It consumed too much energy.

Once activated, it caused muscles to vanish in chunks of twenty kilograms each time, requiring a minimum investment of several months just to recover. This rendered its overuse impractical.

“Jealous?”

As I wrapped my arm around Hayes’ waist and pulled him close, his face flushed crimson.

“Ugh… Ah! I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’ll tell you later!”

I chuckled at the sight of Hayes hastily making his escape.

…How peaceful.

Ten years had passed in the blink of an eye.

The entire Human Empire was singing praises for this golden age of prosperity. While legendary monsters still roamed beyond the castle walls, not a soul felt threatened by their presence. In fact, players willingly paid admission fees to scale the towering fortifications, driven by the allure of riches and experience points.

And above all else, there was me—the Great and Glorious Emperor—standing as the bedrock of this empire.

Yes. Here… there must be a way to live forever.

Even if I lived here for ten years, time in reality wouldn’t flow. Moreover, I wouldn’t even age here… If I wanted, it might be possible to reign as the Emperor of Ardenia for all eternity.

A life where everyone respects me, loves me, and there are no crises whatsoever.

In the past, Ardenia was incomparably more primitive than Earth in reality, but that is no longer the case. The facilities in Mythical Rank Palaces aren’t much different from those in reality, and unlike before when there were few amusements, culture and art have flourished while food has become delicious.

”…Ha.”

I laughed. My mind was about to relax, so I composed myself.

How absurd.

What a naive thought.

If I had simply been content with mediocrity, why would I have suffered so much on Earth-34? Wasn’t it hailed as paradise itself?

“Yes,” I mused. “I’ve been there for quite some time.”

Arriving at the Guild Office, I gazed down below. My city, my empire was laid out before me.

It was indeed beautiful and precious, but I couldn’t be bound by just one thing.

And so, I uttered:

“Log out.”

Whoosh!

The vast expanse of my city vanished. The office, though not grand, had been sophisticated; now it transformed into a modest studio apartment.

“Heh heh. Long time no see.”

Logging in after ten years might have seemed impulsive, but it felt strangely exhilarating.

I delved into my memories.

Let’s see… What was it again?

The first thing that popped up was my confrontation with Director Chen Xianyi. It was unforgettable, actually one of the reasons why logging in took so long this time.

And then there was… me being revealed as a Transcendent. There were tons of articles about the Flower scandal… I even did some commercials… And that reality show ‘Survival Island’, wasn’t that broadcasted too?

It had been a whole decade since I last logged out. The major events stuck in my mind, but the minor details faded away. I couldn’t recall how much Nemesis stock cost or how many novels I published during that time.

Just then…

Cheedar, who had been quietly by my side, suddenly spoke up.

“Huh?”

My mind wasn’t working properly due to this sudden turn of events.

“What’s going on? An actual emergency situation? Wait, has Cheddar been hacked right now?”

However, it wasn’t just Cheddar that was sounding alarms.

The warning sounds were coming from all directions. Of course, my PC was blaring them out, but even the room tower’s broadcast was loudly echoing through the air.

“Level 22?!”

I hastily raise my body to look out the window.

“Aargh?! Wh-what’s this? What’s happening?”

“Is another Transcendent appearing?”

“No, what is this water?! Where is it coming from?!”

Water was rising from the city streets—an impossibility in Earth-34’s urban infrastructure!

But the real problem wasn’t merely the water.

”…Narration?”

An utterly clear voice rang out, completely at odds with reality. Then, from the water pooled on the ground, a giant with dark blue skin rose to its feet.

”…What was that?”

I was terrified. But that wasn’t all of the problem.

I’ve seen my final moments! I am going to die… Everything in this world will be destroyed!

It knows! It also knows!

It is watching us! Disaster will sweep over this place!

The sky split apart. An enormous eye revealed itself from within. Unlike Schugon or whatever it was called earlier, this entity was very far away—several kilometers distant—but even so, its presence was clearly visible.

In South Korea.

No, across the entire world.

No, perhaps throughout the universe… Monsters were swarming everywhere.