Chapter 83

“The legendary ones?”
“You can’t be…”
“You mean you met a member of the Secret Knights?”
The captains looked even more stunned than when they had heard Karot’s story of awakening.
“Yes.”
Crime smiled again at the surprised looks on the captains’ faces.
“Are you sure?”
“They haven’t shown up in 100 years.”
True to their word, the Secret Knights hadn’t been seen since the Battle of Verdek over 100 years ago.
“You claim to be the guardian of the imperial palace and to be under the command of the emperor.”
“That was a hundred years ago, and the Secret Knights didn’t show up twenty years ago when the Higher Demon Lord Deremon descended and ravaged the Imperial Palace.”
“But how do we know you’re part of the Secret Knights?”
At the questioning of the successive captains, Crime opened his mouth, still smiling.
“Yes, the Secret Knights disappeared after the Battle of Verdek a hundred years ago, but…”
Crime trailed off, glancing at each of his captains.
“Doesn’t everyone realize that their claim to be the guardians of the imperial palace and to be under the command of the emperor is a lie spread to keep the nobles in check?”
True to Crime’s word, the rumor that the Secret Knights guarded the Imperial Palace on the Emperor’s orders was spread by Muran Helioca, the current Emperor’s grandfather, the Iron-Blooded Lord, to keep the nobility in check.
“Hmmm.”
“Hmm.”
The captains coughed in vain. It wasn’t as if they didn’t know. That the Secret Knights took no orders from the Emperor, and that their purpose was not to defend the palace, was an open secret known to all who knew. They only pretended not to know because it was the Emperor who spread the secret.
“And the reason I’m so sure He’s the Secret Knight is because He shattered Karot’s shield with a single punch after learning the Forbidden Book.”
Crime continued.
“He is also currently working as a blacksmith in the forge.”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
The leaders, looking at each other in disbelief, continued.
“To have that much power and still work as a blacksmith, that’s why I thought he was the Secret Knight.”
“Th-that. Could it be a dragon’s play?”
At Crime’s words, one of the captains opened his mouth to speak. The others looked at Crime with a look of agreement.
“No, he used a condescending tone with me. That would never happen if he were a dragon, and besides, if he were a dragon, would he have frowned at me and let me have my temper?”
“…”
“…”
The captains said nothing at Crime’s words. Crime continued.
“Anyway, Karot… he’s got his eye on her, so we don’t have to worry about it at all. The question is how to minimize the damage if he does come. That’s what we called this meeting for.”
It was then. Second-in-Command Reim opened his mouth to speak.
“But… what happens to the existence of Him of whom you are so sure?”
“You’re using the name Ming Hu… You’re not?”
“Hehe, thanks!”
“You said smithy, didn’t you?”
“Let’s get this meeting started, I can’t wait to finish it and see you!”
* * * * *
“I’m going to die.
Ming Hu stared at the old man in front of him.
“I’m honored.”
The old man offering to shake hands was dressed in robes reserved for imperial mages.
“Did I say lame?
The old man wearing the robes reserved for imperial mages was none other than Reim, the second-in-command of the Imperial Mage Corps.
“What are you doing to me…”
Ming Hu looked at Lin Ming. He couldn’t understand why someone who was supposed to be the head of the Imperial Palace Magic Corps would do this to him.
“Heh, heh, sorry!”
Reim scratched the back of his head with the hand he’d offered to shake. But seeing Reim still smiling, Ming Hu sighed inwardly.
“I’ll leave you to it, it was an honor to meet you!”
He tapped the floor with the staff he was holding and said.
Poof!
Tapping the floor with his staff, Reim began to walk out of the forge.
“Ha…what.
Ming Hu thought as he watched Reim’s back as he left the forge. He didn’t understand what had suddenly happened.
“Ugh.
Ming Hu let out a long sigh and turned to his workbench, then opened his character window to check his achievements.
Name: Ming Hu
Nationality : Helioca [Empire]
Age: 22 Occupation: Blood Knight/Strong Smith
Reputation: 105000 Merit: 15400
Level: 230
Life: 1548950
Mana: 6420
Blood power: 759
Strength : 75930 [7593(+1090)] Dexterity : 165 Constitution : 607(+500) Intelligence : 10 Wisdom : 311
Dexterity: 210
Bonus stats: 710
‘Hmph’
I smiled when I saw the achievement chart.
“I’ve got to go up a little bit more.
Ming Hu decided to visit the Exchange after he had earned some more merit. He wanted to see what items were available and how much merit was required to exchange them.
“Let’s make it!”
Ming Hu closed the character window, opened the crafting window, and selected the Iron Greatsword. He crafted a variety of equipment and returned it to the warehouse, but all of them had the same merit level of 300.
The most efficient piece of equipment to craft with the materials currently in your inventory is the Iron Greatsword, and the most efficient way to craft it is to craft the Iron Greatsword if you have the same amount of merit.
Siaak
Hit Build and the material appeared on the workbench.
[Hold the hammer].
[Tap the marked spot with a hammer].
Ming Hu picked up his hammer and smashed it down on the shiny spot.
Boom!
[You have successfully crafted the Iron Greatsword].
Ming Hu opened his inventory and placed the Iron Greatsword in his inventory. He then selected the Iron Greatsword again and pressed craft. He did this repeatedly until he had made about 30 Iron Greatswords.
“No, Sith, what are you doing here?”
Ming Hu couldn’t help but flinch when he heard Nerfai’s voice. He felt an uneasy sensation. Ming Hu glanced toward the entrance.
“…”
Ming Hu glanced at the entrance, frowned, and turned his attention back to his work. At the entrance stood an old man, dressed in the robes reserved for imperial mages.
Boom!
[You have successfully crafted the Iron Greatsword].
After Ming Hu finished crafting the Iron Greatsword, he placed it in his inventory and walked straight to the warehouse.
“You’re not looking for me, are you?
But Ming Hu already knew. The imperial sorcerer Nerfai had called Sith had come for him.
“Hello.”
Soon arriving at the warehouse, Ming Hu greeted the warehouse keeper and began pulling out a heavy iron greatsword from his inventory.
“Hey, I think you were just here a minute ago.”
The warehouse keeper was a little surprised to see Ming Hu pull out a heavy iron greatsword.
“That’s great.”
[Recognized by Canon].
“Hmm? Admit it?
Ming Hu was intrigued by the recognition, but only for a moment.
‘Is it over? Aye…’
I didn’t see any message other than that I was recognized.
“Haha, what?”
Ming Hu smiled at Cannon’s praise and continued to draw his iron greatsword. When Ming Hu had drawn out all forty of his greatswords, he looked at Cannon and said, “I’m not going to tell you.
“Here are 40 heavy iron greatswords.”
“Wow. You’re amazing.”
Cannon began to examine each of the heavy iron greatswords that Ming Hu had drawn.
“Thank you.”
[Helioca merit increased by 12000].
As Cannon finished speaking, a merit badge message appeared, but not just one.
[Gain an additional 10% Merit for being recognized by Canon].
[Helioca Merit increased by 1200].
“…huh?
Ming Hu stared blankly at the message. The iron greatswords are worth 300 merit points per sack. You have returned 40 sacks, increasing your merit to 12,000, and you have been recognized by Warehouse Keeper Cannon, increasing your merit by another 1200, or 10% of 12,000.
“What…what.
This situation didn’t make sense to me.
“Do I get a 10% boost in public recognition for being a warehouse manager?
I can understand being recognized by the Warehouse Keeper. However, I don’t understand why you’d get 10% more merit for being recognized by the Warehouse Keeper than you would for being useful to the Empire.
“…Awesome.
But what is incomprehensible is incomprehensible, and what is right is right. Ming Hu confirmed the merit.
“28600…”
The gain of 13200 brings your merit to a whopping 28600.
“Is it permanent, time-limited, or a number of times?
Ming Hu watched Cannon’s back as he carried the heavy iron greatsword to the storage room, thinking, I’ve been recognized and given extra merit points. This means that if you don’t get recognized, you won’t get additional merit. Of course, you can still earn extra merit without being recognized.
“It’s already fast, but if it goes up another 10%, it’ll be even faster.
However, because you can quickly build up your reputation, the additional reputation boost is even more impactful.
“I’ll have to check it out.
Ming Hu began to walk toward the workbench at a brisk pace.
“…huh?
As Ming Hu walked to his workbench, he was soon forced to stop.
“…”
“…”
Ming Hu looked at the old man who had wordlessly blocked his way. The old man tapped the floor with the cane he was holding and smiled.
Poof!
“It’s an honor to meet you! I’m Sith, fourth in command of the Imperial Palace Mage Corps.”