Chapter 219
1.
“Kulkeok, kulkeok.”
Luke, the hero, who had been flying through the air while coughing up blood repeatedly, regained consciousness.
For a moment he could not grasp what had happened to him, then he looked to the three knights assisting his flight beside him and recalled.
Whoosh.
The three knights and Hero Luke sliced swiftly through the sky.
At that moment, Luke recalled Seonghyun’s last words.
Beware of the Rieszkan Kingdom?
Why would he say such a thing?
Was that not the country that protected him and had supported the nurturing of heroes since long ago?
Since being chosen as a hero, Luke had lived in the Rieszkan Kingdom the whole time.
And he had lived under their guidance all along.
Of course, only recently had he abandoned training to dig into the past of the hero Hindel.
He had felt a persistent unease during that time.
‘Beware of the Rieszkan Kingdom…’
Perhaps those words were correct.
Just like these three knights who suddenly appeared after staying silent all this time.
While Luke was letting a seed of doubt sprout,
One of the three knights, likely the representative, spoke.
“The Sword Star has been very worried as well.”
“…”
At those words, Luke could not hide his confusion.
The Sword Star?
If that were true, he would not have let Luke roam about like this in the first place.
Was he truly worried?
Luke thought of his teacher, the Sword Star.
Not a hero, but one who was said to have reached the stars with his sword, thus called the Sword Star.
Luke’s expression showed doubt.
He was Luke’s teacher, yet…
‘Wasn’t he uninterested in me from the beginning?’
When Luke was first chosen as a hero and met the Sword Star,
He still remembered clearly the first words spoken to him back then.
“You have no talent.”
One of the few who could say such a thing to a hero.
Yet after being told he had no talent, Luke tried even harder.
Talent or not, he was a hero.
He vowed again and again to break through those limits with effort, no matter what.
But after that, there were no days when the Sword Star personally made time for him.
Most days, he simply came when ordered by the King of Rieszkan, fulfilled the allotted time, and left.
Worried about him?
It was laughable.
Yet, because of Seonghyun’s words to beware the Rieszkan Kingdom, Luke could not help but react.
Seonghyun seemed to know much about Hindel.
He knew why Luke had come, and even preempted him so he could not speak.
‘At the very least, he knows far more than I do.’
If someone like that said so…
There was definitely something about the Rieszkan Kingdom.
Be wary?
He should follow Seonghyun’s words.
But rather,
‘I should use them.’
If he used those who sought to use him,
Wouldn’t he reach the answer he wanted?
Regarding the death of Hero Hindel.
No, more precisely, the tale entangled between Hindel and Helena.
If he could uncover those unclear truths…
While Luke was thinking that,
One of the three knights spoke.
“The Sword Star said he would come see you after the upcoming Hero Council. Please remain quiet until then.”
It sounded courteous.
But Luke could feel the disregard within it.
‘I should watch them, even if it takes time.’
Feeling grateful to Seonghyun for giving him this realization,
Hero Luke and the three knights headed to the capital of knights.
2.
[Eternal World will be waiting for you.]
Seonghyun stepped out of the capsule room, looking at the now-familiar farewell message.
It was just the right time, and he felt hungry as he looked around.
Since he was out anyway, he might as well eat before heading home.
‘Whew.’
He often skipped lunch while playing.
But it was better to eat when the chance came.
Skipping lunch and only playing was not ideal.
Glancing around, he was reminded of the tonkatsu he had eaten at the department store before, so he entered a nearby tonkatsu place.
If the tonkatsu he had before was Japanese style, this one was western-style tonkatsu.
A bowl of soup came first, and green chili peppers were served as side dishes.
He wondered why they served chili peppers,
But when the tonkatsu came and he tried it,
They cut the greasiness nicely and were actually good.
‘Is there anything I need to do before going to Sysbalt?’
He was thinking for a moment when it came to him.
The items he had acquired this time.
He happened to get something good.
The Body of the Spirit Tree.
A perfect material for Silvanor, who was once an elf.
‘That will make an excellent body.’
Learning homunculus alchemy had truly been a divine move.
He had also obtained Hindel’s soul this time.
If he made a body for Hindel as well, it would be perfect.
Thinking that, he suddenly recalled the tasks awaiting him in the next city.
‘But how do I enter the knight order?’
It was the City of Knights, Sysbalt.
Players becoming knights was practically unheard of.
It was post-200 content, and even then it was extremely rare for anyone to earn a knighthood.
But Seonghyun had already been granted a knighthood.
That made it relatively easier to enter an order of knights.
However,
‘Even so, it won’t be easy to just walk into a knight order.’
Timing had to be right.
And besides the title, there would be various other conditions.
If he had Silvanor’s body ready, things would be more convenient.
‘He would know knights well. And if it’s Silvanor, there might even be connections.’
It was so long ago that it might no longer matter.
But there could still be an elf knight somewhere.
It seemed best to create Silvanor’s body first, then go.
Thinking that, Seonghyun smiled with satisfaction.
‘Even if there are no connections, having a knight to operate with will be convenient.’
Leonik was a knight as well.
But since he was a skeleton,
It would be difficult to move around together.
More than anything, Leonik’s infamy was well known.
One never knew what might happen.
It seemed better to quickly create Silvanor’s body and travel together.
With that in mind, Seonghyun finished his meal and returned home.
To create Silvanor’s body as quickly as possible.
3.
[Welcome to Eternal World, another world, an eternal world.]
[May good fortune be with you, Player 『Seonghyun』.]
Clearing away the familiar welcome message, Seonghyun headed straight to a nearby hunting ground.
This step was essential to obtain Silvanor’s body.
Fortunately, thanks to the Dark Lord quest he had recently completed, his experience was nearly full.
He should reach the goal quickly.
After heading out and hunting for a good while,
He managed to gain a level.
[Level Up!]
[You have reached Level 171.]
The moment he saw the level-up notice,
Seonghyun took out the Alchemist’s Cauldron first.
And before putting the materials in, he summoned Helena, Fiora, Serphina, and Balthar.
But instead of Balthar, Leonik appeared in his place, smiling brightly.
It was a mystery how a skull could smile that brightly.
But he truly was smiling.
Anyway.
-Ahem ahem! My lord! It seems Balthar is receiving personal training from Noya, so I have come in his stead.
Leonik looked very excited.
So that was the reason.
Seonghyun nodded.
Helena and Fiora peeked at the cauldron and asked.
-L-Lord, is that…?
“Are you planning to make a new body?”
As Helena approached and asked.
For some reason, Hero Hindel’s necklace seemed to twitch.
Seonghyun deliberately ignored it and nodded.
“Yeah, I’m going to make a body for Silvanor.”
“Ahaha! That’ll definitely help. And we got good stuff this time too.”
“I think it’ll be great.”
Both Helena and Serphina agreed.
On top of that, Melicia’s knowledge in Seonghyun’s mind indicated there would be no problem.
It seemed he could proceed smoothly with creating the body.
He hadn’t obtained any high-grade undead this time.
But he already had the Body of the Spirit Tree.
So there was no issue.
Seonghyun tossed the material items he had gathered so far into the cauldron and began the synthesis.
Once he started, the summoned vassals kept watch around him, and thanks to that, Seonghyun was able to focus entirely on the transmutation.
‘Here… add this. Stir.’
Given the quality of the materials.
It looked like it would take longer than expected.
But that was fine.
There was plenty of time.
As Seonghyun stirred the cauldron vigorously, crafting the body,
Fiora, who was standing guard, quietly asked Leonik,
-W-will Silvanor like it?
-…He probably won’t like it.
-R-right?
No one enjoyed remaining as a soul.
Silvanor was no different.
But more than that, there was one thing Silvanor feared most.
If he gained a body, the training from Drakhanos, which he had been avoiding all this time, would be waiting for him.
Fiora tilted her head, still not quite understanding.
-B-but Leonik, why didn’t you tell the Lord?
If Silvanor did not want this, it could have been postponed.
They knew Seonghyun’s personality well enough.
It was a bit strange that Leonik chose not to mention it.
Leonik knew for certain that Silvanor would dislike it.
He could have said so, yet did not. Fiora seemed puzzled.
At Fiora’s question,
Leonik looked up at the far sky and murmured,
-…If we add one more, won’t my rest time increase?
-Ah.
Only then did Fiora nod as if she understood.
Among the knight-type vassals, there were only Balthar and Leonik at present.
In other words, Balthar and Leonik had been taking turns receiving instruction from Drakhanos.
If one more were added?
It would become a three-shift cycle.
Their rest time would increase, and there was no reason not to be happy about it.
While they were thinking that and waiting,
Seonghyun’s alchemy was finally completed.
Countless messages popped up before Seonghyun’s eyes.
The preparations were already done.
He customized the body, extrapolating Silvanor’s youthful appearance.
[Great Success!!!]
[『Melicia’s Homunculus Alchemy』 is a great success!!!]
[The rank of the homunculus body rises to the highest level!]
[You can customize the homunculus body.]
[The race is close to Elf.]
[Elf customization is available.]
[Please design the desired avatar.]
[Here is the current list that can use Transcended Death.]
『Homunculus, Designation - Silvanor』
[Level drops by 1 and becomes Level 170.]
[The 5 bonus stat points previously gained are consumed.]
[Through 『Transcended Death』, 『Homunculus, Designation - Silvanor』 is reborn.]
[『Homunculus, Designation - Silvanor』 evolves into 『Knight of the World Tree, Silvanor』.]
The form of a World Tree appeared.
As if weaving a single body from its shape,
Silvanor stepped out from within.
His soul had already been imbued.
So Silvanor’s body could be fully completed.
But why was it?
“…Thank you very much, my Lord.”
Seeing Silvanor’s faintly gloomy expression, Seonghyun tilted his head slightly.