Episode 38. The Monster of Dreams (3)
Thud thud.
Rubin walked out of the black pond and into the forest. Only one set of footsteps could be heard in the quiet forest.
Nine contestants walked the path, but when they returned, Rubin was alone.
Rubin became the sole winner after eliminating all the other contestants, but his expression was not bright.
-You don’t look happy.
‘Because it’s an obvious result.’
If it weren’t for his second life, he would have been delighted with his victory in the ‘Second Choice’, but Rubin had no doubts about his victory from the start of this test.
Helping the children grow up to become future supporters. He focused more on that than his own deserved victory, and it turned out just as Rubin intended.
-I didn’t doubt your ability. But the other kids all had outstanding qualities too. Of course, it was a choice for the future, right?
‘It’s not just them. There are still many people I need to win over to my side. Only then can I change the future and take revenge on the Emperor.’
-I guess so. By the way, about your death… I didn’t know I’d see it. What a shame.
Haneke carefully put Rubin’s fears into words. The general knew that this was the reason Rubin’s heart sank.
The Emperor. And the past where he died by his hands was replayed before his eyes, so how helpless and angry must he have felt.
Moreover, Rubin’s fear was different from that of the other participants. It was a fear of something that could actually happen in the future.
-The Telmah I saw in my dreams was a much more powerful being than the one I knew, even though it was only for a short moment.
‘While the great general died and I was growing up, the emperor was growing more and more powerful. When he fought the Assassins, he had already surpassed the realm of humanity.’
Haneke, who was a general, had met the emperor face to face several times. The emperor he saw then was strong, but not beyond human level.
Rather, I thought that the numerous forces that the Emperor could control – the special brigades, the magicians, and a few elder dragons – would be more formidable enemies.
-Is it so bad that you can’t win even if she’s your mother right now?
‘I can’t be sure. It’s not like my mother would turn against the Emperor right now.’
-Hmm, I see. That’s a scary thing to say. Even at this very moment, the Emperor is growing in power.
The emperor was not simply someone who inherited good blood. It was only natural that Telmah would succeed the previous emperor who laid the foundation for the empire.
Because he constantly pursued strength, was ruthless, and trusted no one.
‘You can only win if you have everything.’
Rubin repeated in his mind.
He had to grow faster than the Emperor was growing in power. Double, triple, and even more than what he had reached before his return!
-But, Rubin, there’s one thing that bothers me.
‘What is that?’
-You mean that mysterious creature called the dream spider that I saw a little while ago? Won’t it be an obstacle to your revenge?
I understood what Haneke meant. In Haneke’s view, the dream spider was not a being that obeyed or was loyal to the assassination sword.
If the relationship was one of contract, then she could have easily broken the contract after hearing the future Rubin told her.
That means, you can reveal the existence of the regressor Rubin to Telmach and save your life.
‘You don’t have to worry.’
-Nothing to worry about? Of course I know that dream spider isn’t a normal monster. But it doesn’t seem very trustworthy.
‘I may not be trustworthy, but I’m not the type to betray you at any time.’
A body that is not a betrayal? A look of incomprehension appeared on Haneke’s face.
‘That dream spider is a being that survives by feeding on the participants’ fears.’
-Does that mean you’ll die if you don’t have fear?
‘Yes. And that fear must be the fear of only those who have dark thoughts.’
Darkness is a unique ability that only the Assassin Swordsman possesses. If the Assassin Swordsman disappears, it means that the Dream Spider cannot survive either.
‘The dream spider must be racking his brain right now. Thinking about how to help the Assassin Swordsman not fall to the Emperor.’
Dream spiders are ancient creatures with memories spanning thousands of years. They are also called demigods.
Although it is unknown how this ancient lifeform became entangled with the Assassin’s Blade, the connection with the Assassin’s Blade and the Darkness was essential to sustaining life.
-That’s good then.
Haneke nodded as if he agreed. Soon, his eyes became lively and curious.
-So, what happens from now on?
‘How’s it going?’
-As you delve into your inner world and experience so many new and wonderful things, you become curious about what each day will bring.
‘Hmm. First, I guess I should start training on Aura.’
-Oh, then that’s right.
Rubin vividly remembered the aura that had been expressed during his fight with Kun. The intense energy concentrated in the weapon. The heavy, weighty aura of the ring.
While the aura was a versatile power that could envelop parts of the body or spread like fog, the aura was a linear power that could only be concentrated into weapons.
If I could freely control not only the dark side but also the aura… … .
-Don’t be greedy. Now that you’ve manifested your Aura, you can start training more quickly. From now on, I’ll teach you properly.
Haneke tried to calm Rubin down and brought up a different topic.
-By the way, didn’t you say that there would be a corresponding reward if you won this test?
I’m talking about Roynecro, Roynes, and the city choice.
Among them, what interested Haneke was the choice of city.
Even though he was trapped inside Rubin, it was hard to stay inside the Roinen mansion. He too was looking forward to a new change.
-You said you could choose the city you would live in after leaving the mansion? I don’t know if it’s on the list of cities, but how about a city called ‘Leureta’?
Leureta is one of the last border cities of the Empire. It is a holy place for mercenaries, but it is also a place that stands in opposition to numerous monsters.
It was also a land that was largely out of the emperor’s sight.
-If we establish a base there, we can use it as a strategic point in the future war with the emperor.
‘Well, Leuretara. I’ll think about it.’
Rubin said that he couldn’t disappoint Haneke right away.
The rewards for the second selection are given in the following order: Roynenser selection, Roinecrow selection, and city selection.
The one Rubin would choose today was Roynenser. Roynekrow would go to Gilfield’s arboretum and make his choice.
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Roynenser.
‘There is no one else but him.’
Rubin had already thought of this. This decision had been made a long time ago. It was such an easy and natural decision for a regressor.
Thud thud.
At that moment, Rubin felt the ground beneath his feet feel different. He looked down and saw a dense, taut spider web.
It was the thread that carried the eliminated contestants. It was laid out like a carpet at the exit. It was an old celebratory ritual for the winner of the second round.
“Are they all here now?”
I walked across a carpet made of spider webs. Ahead, I saw other contestants standing, waiting for the winner to emerge.
Kuhn hung his head in humiliation, while Hamil was paying his respects with sincerity. Standing next to Hamil, Blaneda also bowed his head in gratitude as he met Rubin’s eyes.
Clap clap clap clap.
The other contestants, no matter what their true feelings, followed the tradition and applauded the winner.
But Rubin wasn’t idle enough to revel in this deserved victory. He looked around, looking for someone.
‘Oh, there she is. The one who will be my Loinense.’
The vassal, who had received the winner’s gaze, lowered his head with a bewildered expression.
The next schedule was carried out immediately.
The winner Rubin returned, and the heads of households and contestants moved to the banquet hall.
The contestants took each empty chair, and the heads of households sat on the seats of honor placed on the podium.
And at the same time, the vassals who would become the participants’ ronens were gathered in another place connected to the banquet hall.
“Now you are waiting for a new master. If you are chosen as a Roynenser, you must forget your former family and serve the new family.”
The candidates for the Roynenser seated in a row. The one standing in front of them and speaking in a stern voice was the direct retainer of the main house, Damon.
Damon was respected by all his vassals, for his abilities surpassed those of even the most skilled lords.
Just as Siren is considered the greatest head of a household of all time, Damon is considered the greatest direct vassal of all time.
For the vassals, being appointed as a Roinenser directly through the mouth of such a person was no small honor and glory.
‘Bikandel, Trikang, Burso… … .’
Damon looked at the three from House Roinen among the thirty vassals who were candidates for Roinenser. These three would all undoubtedly be nominated as Roinenser.
‘Bikandel. He’s the most outstanding guy in everyone’s eyes, so he’ll naturally be chosen as the winner.’
Being chosen by the winner, Rubin, meant staying in the Roinen family.
‘At least I’m glad I didn’t lose Vikander.’
While thinking that, on the other hand, Damon felt something ominous.
I had a feeling Lord Rubin would choose a vassal over Vikander.
‘That’s not possible. There’s no Roynenser better than Vikander.’
Every year, the Roinen family raised a considerable number of their vassals as Roinensers and sent them to other families. This was because the Roinen family’s vassals were filled with only the most skilled assassins among all the swordsmen.
‘Even if they were the ones put forward by other families as candidates for the Roynenser… … .’
Since he was a direct vassal of the main family, he was also well aware of the abilities of vassals from other collateral families.
Even so, it was only one level lower than Vikander, Trikang, and Burso.
The condition for a candidate was that he had to be at least 4 stars and possess all the abilities required of a Roinenser, but even then, there were bound to be differences within that.
Vikander, who was capable of reaching 5 stars, was a skilled person who was even mentioned as a candidate for the assassination squad. On the other hand, among the vassals of other families, there were those who had just reached 4 stars.
‘Especially, that guy, Kuze Martin, from the Croquison family.’
Damon looked at Kuze, who was sitting blankly at the very end.
‘Kuje Martin is practically a headache for the Croquison family.’
It was Kuze Martin who had recently shown his rock bottom by failing missions one after another. It was as if the Croquison family had dropped a bomb on him.
‘Who would choose this family?’
As Damon was thinking that, the door to the banquet hall opened and a servant came in.
“Daemon.”
“Is the nomination process complete?”
“Yes, here is the list.”
The participants would have written down the names of the Roynensers they wanted in order of the winner and submitted them to Siren.
The names will be checked and readjusted if there are any overlapping names. However, priority will be given to those with higher test rankings.
“There was no overlap between candidates.”
“okay?”
It was strange. Usually, the candidates for the Roinense submitted by the winner and the runner-up overlapped. Especially this time, there was the best card, Vikander.
‘And yet they didn’t overlap?’
That meant the kids made an unexpected choice. Maybe it was Rubin.
‘This is ominous.’
Damon reached out and took the list that the attendant had brought. It contained the names of each participant and the names of the Röyens who had been called out.
“The nomination process is now complete. I will call your name. The Roynens who have been called should go to the banquet hall to greet their new master.”
The eyes of the 30 candidates gleamed. A new change awaited them as a new vassal.
“The Roynens of the Reincrocchi family… … .”
Damon called out the families with the lowest rankings.
As expected, all the candidates produced by the main family were nominated.
Boursault became the Leunense of Blanet, who finished fourth, and Triquen became the occupant of Hamil, who finished third.
“Bikandel, you… … .”
Kun Crokisson, who was eliminated before Blaine and Hamil, but was ranked second by Dream Spider due to his performance in the exam.
As expected, Kun’s choice was Vikander.
“You will become the Roynenser of the Crokison family.”
A look of bewilderment appeared in Vikander’s eyes.
The expression on his face was like, ‘It’s not Rubin, it’s Kuhn?’
Damon was also unexpected. Damon barely managed to shake off his crumpled expression.
Anyway, it was winner Rubin’s choice.
“Finally, the winner, Master Rubin… chose Kuze Martin.”
It was a surprise to everyone that a vassal who seemed like he would never be called was chosen as the winner.
The other candidates who were not selected stood firm as qualified vassals, hoping to be called next year.
“All designated Roynensers, go to the banquet hall.”
Nine Loinenses stood up from their seats.
Damon met Kuze’s eyes as he passed by. It was clear that Kuze had not expected this situation either.
‘The banquet hall will be bustling.’
With that thought, Damon also headed to the banquet hall.
