Ranker's Return

Chapter 935

‘He is completely crazy.’

Yeongchan clicked his tongue when he saw Hyeonu disappearing with a bright expression. How shocked was he that he logged out like this without even properly grasping if he was dead or alive?

‘It isn’t that I don’t understand...’

Of course, Hyeonu’s actions were fully understandable.

Alley Leader—the value of this one name was enormous, and even more valuable than the name was the account itself. It was an account with numerous unique and legendary items, and possessed more achievements and a higher level than anyone.

‘If he dies, then many things will fly away...’

It was the hard-earned skill proficiency and experience. If he was unlucky, then he could lose items. Additionally, there was one more thing. Perhaps it was the biggest thing.

A duke of the Yusma Empire—the problem was the loss of the title with tangible and intangible values.

This title contained many things—his position, his territory, and his influence. It meant losing everything.

‘So why didn’t he die?’

There was one thing Yeongchan was curious about now. Why didn’t Hyeonu die?

***

Hyeonu reconnected to Arena and felt that his head was really heavy.

‘Why is it so heavy?’

It was as if a stone was placed on his head. Just then, his head felt lighter. Instead, his thigh became heavy.

Hyeonu finally opened his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

The identity of the heaviness felt on Hyeonu’s lap was Tang-E. Tang-E was rolling around.

“Huh? You’re awake, Master dude.” Tang-E rushed toward Hyeonu’s chest after Hyeonu woke up.

“Yes, I’m awake.” Hyeonu stroked Tang-E’s head and looked up.

‘Where is this place?’

Hyeonu cocked his head. The place where he reconnected and woke up was very different from where he logged out earlier. He had obviously fought outside before logging out, but now he was inside a room.

‘Where am I sitting?’

Hyeonu was sitting on a chair with armrests. However, the chair was much higher than he thought.

‘It is familiar...’

The view that he saw from above was a very familiar sight.

‘The great hall?’

It was obvious.

The great hall in the emperor’s palace—it was the place where the emperor always stayed. This was what it looked like.

“Are you awake now?” Just then, someone talked to Hyeonu from the entrance of the great hall.

“Teacher?” Hyeonu saw the face of the person talking to him and replied with a surprised look.

“You seem to have come to your senses, so I’ll give you the message that His Majesty left behind.” Lebron didn’t care about Hyeonu’s words and just did what he had to do.

“Duke Gang Hyeonu, listen up!”

Lebron opened the paper he was holding in his hand and started reading it.

“Duke Gang Hyeonu has shown infinite loyalty to the empire and spared no effort for the sake of the empire. The achievements he has accumulated are bigger than anyone else’s. Therefore, I have no doubt that he will be able to oversee the government affairs while I recover my health.”

Lebron stopped talking and folded the paper in half. Then he threw it at Hyeonu, who was sitting on the throne.

“Duke Gang Hyeonu is appointed as the ‘interim emperor.’”

Lebron added the latter words that he hadn’t said as soon as he confirmed that Hyeonu had received the paper and unfolded it.

“I hope that in the future, he will become the interim empire and lead the empire well.”

Then he turned around and left the great hall.

“What...?” Hyeonu was dumbfounded by the sudden situation. He still hadn’t figured out what happened.

Then all types of message windows appeared in front of him. Hyeonu cleared the message windows and opened the paper thrown by Lebron. It was written exactly as Hyeonu had just heard. Hyeonu finally understood a bit about how things turned out. He didn’t know why, but he became the emperor of the empire.

‘Interim emperor? Me?’

Hyeonu double checked the message windows he had pushed to the side.

[You have become the interim emperor of the Yusma Empire.]

[The title will be changed.]

[The title ‘First Interim Emperor’ has been created.]

[First Interim Emperor]

[You are the first player to become an interim emperor of the Yusma Empire. The title will grow when you win.

Effect: The ‘dignity’ stat is created. Damage from ranks below the emperor will be reduced by 70%. Damage done to ranks below the emperor will increase by 40%.]

‘The title has been raised.’

The messages that entered Hyeonu’s eyes proved that the previous situation wasn’t false.

‘The title is good.’

The title of interim emperor was very good. It was much better than the title of duke.

‘There is a victory still remaining... do I have to become the emperor to get it?’

There was room for growth. The description box stated the possibility of evolution.

‘Is there anything else?’

Hyeonu’s eyes lit up as he searched the message windows. It wasn’t long before he found what he was looking for.

[Obtained the title of ‘emperor’ 1/1]

[Reemergence of the Luos Empire has been cleared.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

[You have leveled up.]

[All health and magic power are restored.]

“Ah! There was a quest.’

The quest he received from Kalui. That was it.

‘I guess it considers an interim emperor as the emperor.’

Hyeonu cocked his head slightly when he saw that the quest was completed. The actual title was slightly different from the clear condition, but the quest was clear. However, he didn’t really care. The quest was cleared and his level increased. Then it was fine.

‘My level increased by four.’

He was angry when he checked the quest information and saw that it only gave him experience points, but he was satisfied enough if the amount was this much. Just then, people started appearing in the great hall that contained only Hyeonu and Tang-E.

“I greet the interim emperor.”

“I greet the interim emperor.”

“I greet the interim emperor.”

There were a total of three people who appeared. They were dressed in colorful clothing and gave the impression at first glance that they were strict.

“Who are you?”

Hyeonu didn’t know the faces. It was natural since Hyeonu knew few of the nobles.

“I am the treasurer who manages the finances of the palace.”

“I am the administrator who manages appeals that come from all over the empire.”

“I am the chief of staff who will be the hands and feet of Your Majesty.”

They explained their respective roles in response to Hyeonu’s question.

“Is that all? Do you have any other titles?”

“We are just faithful to the role we have been given.”

The man who introduced himself as the chief of staff answered Hyeonu’s words.

“By the way, why... did you appear suddenly?”

“It is to explain to Your Majesty the duties of the interim emperor.”

“Duties?” Hyeonu asked while cocking his head.

Duties—it was a word that made him feel like something was wrong.

“Your Majesty, the seat of the emperor is never light. It is a place where you carry the empire on your back.”

“The people from all over the empire are looking at you, Your Majesty. You have to think about them.”

“It is a law that you need to fulfill the duty to have the rights. Your Majesty must fulfill the duties of the emperor to enjoy the rights. This isn’t just a story limited to the interim emperor. It is the way of the first emperor and applied to all the successive emperors.”

The treasurer, administrator, and chief of staff—the three men joined forces to deal with Hyeonu.

Hyeonu felt tired just by listening to the three men.

“What are the duties?” Hyeonu asked with a sigh.

“The duties aren’t difficult, Your Majesty.”

“Solve the difficulties of the people. That is the duty of the emperor. In other words, it is government affairs.”

“You can’t leave the imperial palace until you fulfill this duty.”

Hyeonu’s face hardened in a cold manner when he heard the explanation of his duty. It was a shackle. It was also an absolute shackle that would never break.

‘The emperor moved the shackles from his feet to mine...’

Now he knew exactly how things happened. Everything was the emperor’s design. Lebron saying he wouldn’t come forward. It was all the emperor’s big drawing.

‘I was tricked..’

“Uwaaah!”

Hyeonu literally released his anger, but the three men didn’t blink an eye. It was obvious. They were the ones who casually ignored the emperor’s annoyance and anger. There was no way they could be surprised by Hyeonu’s anger.

“Your Majesty, the interim emperor doesn’t have to start the government affairs immediately from today.”

“His Majesty settled all the affairs for today before leaving to recover.”

“But from tomorrow, you must receive the appeals from all over the empire.”

The three men leisurely left the great hall after setting a fire to Hyeonu’s heart. Hyeonu was left alone and sighed loudly. He still didn’t want to admit it.

‘I was tricked..’

“I was tricked!! I am a pushover!!!”

He didn’t want to admit that he had to work on behalf of the emperor.

‘No, the rewards can be good. The title is the emperor. It might be temporary, but it is still the emperor.’

Hyeonu accepted the situation as positively as possible. Even so, he was still the emperor. It was said that he had to work, but it was clear that there would be rewards.

Just then, a scroll that looked exactly like the previous letter fell from the air into Hyeonu’s hand. Hyeonu snatched the falling scroll and opened it.

-Take a look, Gang Hyeonu.

I greet Duke Gang Hyeonu, the loyal servant of the empire. It will be very confusing, but accept it. This is fate. It won’t be easy to manage the affairs of the nation, but it won’t be hard. Just follow it. The nobles will be bound to see you as easy. Pretend to lose in moderation and strike if they cross the line. That is the secret I learned through my long years as the emperor. I am leaving for the Holy Kingdom to cure the curse. So please take good care of the empire in the meantime.

“Uwaaaah!”

Hyeonu read everything on the paper and tore it to pieces. He couldn’t bear it. This was an obvious provocation.

Hyeonu got up from the throne and ran out of the great hall. A very cool breeze was needed. It was a breeze to calm his blazing anger.

Hyeonu ran through the air of the imperial palace. However, Hyeonu’s run didn’t last even a minute. Hyeonu reached the end of the imperial palace and bounced off like he had hit a wall.

[You don’t have the right to go out.]

[You have failed to go out.]

‘The right to go out? What is this?’

He faced unexpected messages.

After that, Hyeonu ran through the air of the imperial palace for a long time. It was like he was running toward freedom.

‘I want to run!’

***

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” Yeongchan asked Hyeonu, who was sitting at the table and eating chicken breast with a blank face. He had looked like this the entire time after coming out of the cube. It was as if he had lost his mind.

“It is ruined, ruined...” Hyeonu didn’t say the answer that Yeongchan wanted. Only the same words were repeated.

“What do you mean by it is ruined?!” Yeongchan shouted loudly with an annoyed expression.

Hyeonu raised his head and stared at Yeongchan with blank eyes. Then he opened his mouth, “Do you know Alley Leader who was stuffed into the imperial palace?”

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