Chapter 120 – Ea (1)

After the helicopter crashed at Nakdong River, we went to Busan, through Yeongdo to get a ship at the New Port.

With that ship we went to the aircraft carrier fleet floating in the East China Sea, had a video call with the US President, and on the way back defeated an octopus monster.

It was just meant to be reconnaissance to check on the undead legion in the south, but looking back, it turned into quite a grand journey.

Thanks to that, there was plenty to report.

Count Rihardt made a strange expression as he listened to my report in the commander’s room that finally looked properly furnished.

“…Are you sure you definitely defeated that undead?”

The words he eventually spoke after a while meant he found it hard to believe.

“Yes. Everyone in the party and even the US envoy who came with us saw it.”

His expression became even more troubled at Hoffman’s response and the party members’ agreement.

“An undead monster that managed to escape alive after meeting the Sword Tiger… You’re saying you alone defeated such an undead.”

Hearing his words, I felt he might make some excessive misunderstanding.

So I told him the situation then without adding or subtracting anything.

“I wasn’t alone. The whole party fought together, and ships from this world supported with artillery fire. Plus, the undead monster wasn’t in normal condition after being injured by Count Schoppenheim.”

If it hadn’t been wounded by the Sword Tiger, and if I had been alone, I couldn’t have defeated it so easily.

Count Rihardt finally showed an expression of understanding at my continued words.

“So that’s how it was. But even so, it wasn’t a monster that a mere knight could defeat…”

The commander kept looking at me before nodding.

“Count Schoppenheim’s recommendation wasn’t for nothing.”

“He recommended me?”

The commander pointed to the order document placed on his desk.

“The Count specifically recommended you. He said to use you as escort when we interact with this world. At the time I thought he did it because he liked you…”

So that’s how it happened.

Even if David and the Americans said so, there’s no way the Count or other nobles would use me as escort for the envoy.

It was all because of the Sword Tiger.

The Count seemed to think the Sword Tiger recommended me because he acknowledged me, but that wasn’t it.

This was clearly a means to call me to his home.

When envoys from this world visit our world, they would inevitably end up going to the Empire’s capital.

Since Count Schoppenheim’s house was also in the imperial capital, if I became an escort, I would have no choice but to stop by the Count’s house.

It was an uncharacteristically cunning means and meticulous plan for the Sword Tiger.

Though I would have been angry before, I had no particular complaints now.

Because I wanted to meet him again anyway.

The commander pushed the order document toward me and continued speaking.

“In any case, you’ve also become a slayer of giant magical beasts.”

I immediately shook my head at his words.

“It was an undead monster. And a weakened one at that…”

If I received a title that only Sword Tigers get for something like this, I would just become a laughingstock to other knights.

I would surely end up like that knight who ran away from a Twin Head Troll, fell off a cliff together with it, and luckily managed to kill the troll.

That knight received mockery as the “Falling Troll Slayer” until his death.

“So this one won’t be officially recognized. We probably won’t be able to recover that monster’s corpse either.”

The octopus monster would have become like a dried and twisted squid anyway.

There was no way to recover it, nor any need to.

“That’s fine.”

“You don’t look disappointed. You’re quite an unusual knight.”

The commander looked at me with another strange expression at my answer.

Well, slayer was an extremely honorable title for knights.

Though to me it seemed like bait to make them hunt monsters that were hard to kill, that title was considered a family treasure for knight families.

It was understandable that he found it strange that I wasn’t disappointed about not receiving such a title.

But for me who wanted a manor or territory, it was just a shackle perfect for getting killed.

“Anyway, good work until now. This is an order document to escort the envoy to Czarmania, the imperial capital. As you know, it also serves as proof of identity, so don’t lose it.”

I received the order document and looked at the Count again.

When I stared at him, the commander smiled slightly.

“You don’t have to return with the envoy. Since no return time is specified, you can take care of business and spend time separately.”

I put the order document in my chest with a satisfied expression at his words.

And when I made a small request, it was immediately rejected.

“Going to our kingdom won’t be possible, right?”

“Since this order document is only valid for the Allied Forces and Empire, naturally it won’t work.”

Though it wasn’t time to return yet, thinking of vacation in my previous life made me a bit regretful.

After securing the order document like that, as I was about to leave the room.

The commander’s words were heard from behind.

“The Schoppenheim family house in the capital will provide lodging for you all. Make sure to convey your thanks later.”

I could only give a bitter smile at his words.

It really was a watertight plan.

After finishing the report and getting a good rest, the next day our party and David stood in front of the gate.

Instead of an altar, there was a rippling door floating on a temporarily made platform.

Magic circles were drawn all over the edges, and the center was undulating like waves showing a dark interior.

Though this gate was different from the one I came through, seeing a gate gave me new feelings.

When I first came to this world through the gate, I certainly thought I would have a hard time.

But this world was far more dramatic than I expected.

The party members were also staring at the gate with blank expressions.

They seemed to have many thoughts like me.

However, Yerim’s reason for staring at the gate was a bit different from ours.

“So if we pass through this soap bubble we’ll be in another world?”

“You don’t have to go if you’re scared.”

At Hoffman’s words, Yerim shook her head fiercely.

“Scared? I’m nervous but not scared at all. I’ll be the first Earth person to go to another dimension. I can’t miss an opportunity like this.”

Looking at Yerim clenching her fists, it seemed there was no need to worry about her.

Rather, David seemed more scared.

“Won’t the gravity be different? The air composition won’t be the same either, what about bacteria? Viruses? Endemic diseases?”

Hearing his muttering, he really was scared.

Whatever was said, he seemed to be an elite from the State Department after all. Being elite meant knowing a lot, which seemed to give him more worries.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah. Yes. I’m fine. I’ve had a lot of hardship during operations in remote areas. Even though I got many shots while on the carrier, I still can’t feel at ease. Seeing that you all are fine, that world should be fine too…”

David answered me while wiping sweat with a handkerchief.

Though it was probably meant to reassure himself, unfortunately David’s words were wrong.

As he said, none of the regular soldiers who came to this world got sick.

Looking at them, it seemed there were no dangerous viruses or bacteria in either world, but that was actually because of the priests and holy water.

Moreover, never mind this world, but the place we would arrive through the gate was a dungeon where a demon lord had been.

A place filled with miasma.

If Yerim wasn’t going together, David would have had difficulty surviving.

But I didn’t tell him these things.

If it was necessary information, those above would have told him, and with Yerim there, there was no reason to scare him more with unnecessary talk.

After checking on David like that, we stood in front of the gate.

Now it was time to go inside.

While waiting for the magician’s signal, Yerim who looked back waved brightly.

“Look, Seo-eun unnie came. When I told her yesterday that I was going to another world, she worried a lot.”

Yesterday, after confirming we were safe, Seo-eun had dragged Yerim away.

And today she was just watching us leave from far away like that.

If it had been her from not long ago, she would have run up to me to protest something, but it seemed there had been some change in her mindset during that time.

When Yerim greeted her, Seo-eun also smiled and waved.

“Unnie seems to trust you a lot, Sir Knight. When I said I was going with you, she immediately felt at ease.”

I moved my feet while listening to Yerim’s puzzled words.

It was because the magician’s signal had fallen.

Hoffman entered the gate first, then I pushed my body into the rippling gate.

My vision changed and the world flipped.

Dizziness came again.

Is this something that can’t be helped with mana?

While thinking that and holding my head, I heard vomiting sounds from beside me.

“Blegh! Blegh!”

I thought it was Hoffman vomiting, but it was someone else.

The one vomiting was David.

A brown-haired Westerner in a suit was lying face down on the floor vomiting mindlessly.

“No, is this something you can’t get used to?”

Beside him, Hoffman was lying on the floor complaining with a matter-of-fact face, and Yerim was standing holding onto Zahina next to her with a pale face.

Strangely, Zahina looked fine like the elf I saw before.

After a while, after throwing up everything in his stomach, David came to his senses.

Seeing that, a noble dressed in formal attire approached us.

“Welcome. Special envoy from another world. I am Viscount Ralph, a servant of the Empire.”

The noble greeted David while staying far away from the vomit traces.

David stepped forward and introduced himself.

“I am David, Deputy Secretary of the US State Department. Thank you for your hospitality.”

Zahina’s interpretation wasn’t perfect.

The words that reached my ears in double had subtly different meanings.

But still, it wasn’t difficult for each side to understand.

The place we arrived at now was indeed where we left from, the Demon Lord’s dungeon.

However, this place had changed a lot from what we saw when leaving.

The hall with the gate was full of traces of people.

All the bizarre statues we saw before were gone, and traces of the hero’s battles had been cleaned up.

Instead this place was filled with things people needed.

From magicians’ tools to tables and chairs, even weapons.

This place was like a human fortress rather than the Demon Lord’s dungeon.

This place that had become a human fortress was bustling with magicians, knights, civil officials, and even those solemn nobles were showing their faces.

Finally, at the entrance to the hall stood elderly-looking elves with grave expressions.

They bowed their heads upon seeing Zahina.

Then the elf who stepped forward first opened his mouth.

“First daughter of the lost sacred tree.”

My eyebrows twitched at words that seemed somewhat condescending.