Chapter 248: Chapter 246: A Grand Banquet for Heroes

Chapter 246. A Grand Banquet for Heroes

“What are you talking about?”

Cheon Yuseong’s eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

The ‘beings above’ surely referred to the entities almost akin to gods.

He couldn’t grasp the implication of needing to stay undetected by them.

“Do you remember Antrad, the mid-level demon?”

“The one who turned the fortress into a mess with that skull mask, right?”

“Exactly. That one.”

“He was a pretty powerful demon, if I remember correctly. But what does this have to do with the guys upstairs?”

“To summon that demon, you need to gather cursed relics. However, the relics they had weren’t complete enough to manifest Antrad. The location was also improper.”

Considering the poor conditions, an absurdly strong being had emerged—

And carried a considerable part of its original power.

There was only one thing this could mean.

“Someone with transcendent power lent them a hand…is that what you’re saying?”

“Exactly. And this isn’t something gods can do. They won’t have such reasons either.”

Though demons revel in chaos, they don’t typically meddle with the system to create havoc.

In fact, anyone would feel the same.

The loss would be far greater than any gain.

“The ones who aided the demons were administrators. And probably those closely connected to the higher echelons. Maybe even the highest place of all.”

Jinhyuk looked up at the night sky reflected in the window—

The upper layers of the Tower, where absolute beings that observed all beneath the Tower resided.

“To think a high-level administrator is involved…”

Cheon Yuseong’s face tensed.

The weight of these words was too grave,

And he knew too well, the higher one climbed the Tower, the more perilous it would become.

His blood felt cold running through his veins.

“So, what do we do from here?”

“Well, for now, we should enjoy the day.”

“What?”

“We’ve been fighting nonstop since we arrived in the middle layers. Even in the fortress, we never rested properly before the demons disrupted everything. Just realizing that someone is plotting against us from behind is enough.”

“Speaking as if you have all the solutions up your sleeve.”

“I have a few things in mind. Whether they’ll work remains to be seen.”

“You always have a ridiculous amount of confidence.”

The opposition was a high-level administrator, after all.

A transcendental being in charge of all matters in the Tower, on par with gods.

But what could this confidence be?

“Nevertheless… I can’t explain it, but being with you makes me think we can somehow escape even the worst situations.”

Pfft.

For the first time, Cheon Yuseong smiled.

It was a soft, warming smile.

“I make sure my people are well taken care of. So don’t worry too much. Others I may not know, but my people, I will definitely protect.”

“Alright. Enjoying the day doesn’t sound too bad.”

The person before them had dealt with all the impossible situations up until now.

This time, too, he would surely find a way through.

After all, that’s the player Jinhyuk he knew.

At that moment…

“Ugh. Dealing with those nuisances almost killed me.”

Ellis approached with a fatigued look, accompanied by Teresa and Andria.

“What happened?”

“These weird guys were pestering me, asking to dance or to go for a lakeside stroll in the evening.”

“Toasting to the twinkle in your eye…” someone had even dared to say.”

Ellis and Teresa recalled the dreadful moments with a long sigh.

While busy talking with Cheon Yuseong, Jinhyuk didn’t notice they had gone through tough times too.

“Hehe. It’s just because you sisters are so beautiful.”

Andria giggled sweetly.

Indeed, with Elis in a black dress with silver hair, contrasted with Teresa in a white dress with golden hair, they stood out wherever they went.

Not to mention, having Andria, resembling a sister to Elis around, it was no surprise they attracted such attention.

“But you made it through quite a crowd.”

“Well, I managed to persuade them nicely with words.”

“With words?”

“Yes. With words.”

Hmm…

That seemed hard to believe.

It was difficult to imagine her rejecting them politely with a friendly tone.

Then, Andria whispered the truth into Jinhyuk’s ear.

“Elis did speak firmly, but precisely… Teresa released her ‘power.’”

“…!”

Could she have used ‘corruption’?

Jinhyuk swallowed hard.

Truly, if Teresa had turned to her darkened form, ordinary people wouldn’t bear the pressure.

‘Honestly, even I find her dark version a bit overwhelming.’

He imagined the sight of two noble queens dispersing a daunting presence and shivers crawled up his spine.

A short while later…

“Oh! You’re all gathered here. I wanted to join you for a drink since I have been buried in work.”

“Finding you, the guests of honor, in the most secluded spot was quite a task.”

With the arrival of Ebrahim and Feces, everyone gathered except Wolyeong, who remained hidden in the shadows.

＊＊＊

In a relaxed atmosphere.

Fine wine and delicious snacks enriched the conversation.

After such a hectic period, this moment felt ever so sweet.

As the mood warmed up, Ebrahim, tipsy from drinking, spoke to Jinhyuk.

“I sacrificed everything else for the great cause of the empire’s survival, thinking as long as the empire’s backbone stands, my sacrifices were justified. However, you achieved what I couldn’t dare compare with, completely on your own.”

His words were tinged with…

Gratefulness, remorse, and self-contempt.

And simultaneously…

Shing!

His ceremonial rapier slid out of its sheath.

“I pay the empire’s unique tribute to one who has done us a great favor.”

He owed a lifetime debt of gratitude.

The pride and self-esteem, worn away with years, were awakened through his actions.

Jinhyuk was a hero and a benefactor of the empire.

[Ebrahim activates ‘Knight’s Conviction.’]

Warmth enveloped the banquet hall.

Golden flower petals of qi fell gently from the ceiling.

It was a stunning sight.

But the real astonishment came from the silenced hall.

The chatter, the musicians’ play—everything had stopped.

The nobles bowed, paying their respects.

The heads of the powerful mage tower and the red cavalry knights.

The imperial guards and heads of many prestigious families.

They all conveyed their thanks in their unique ways.

Even Reinhardt on the central platform watched Jinhyuk with emotional eyes.

[The Empire awards you the ‘Title of Honor.’]

[‘The Fortress of Giants’ is upgraded to the status of ‘Duchy,’ an independent domain granted by the Empire!]

[Astonishing feats have been accomplished.]

[This event will be recorded in the ‘Hall of Honor’ for an entire day.]

The notifications followed one after another.

‘A title of honor and a duchy… They are giving a status.’

Caught off guard, more unexpected rewards kept pouring in.

Reflecting on it, summoning the first Emperor Reinhardt proved to be a stroke of genius.

His speech allowed the nobles to reflect on their mistakes.

And seeing Elis made him smile unwittingly.

“Why are you smiling so unpleasantly?”

Elis narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, just… I’m proud. It seems the Ataraxia Manor wasn’t obtain…