Ranker's Return

Supplementary Story 48

The Holy Kingdom didn’t send a large number of reinforcements. At best, it was around 2,000 people. However, it wasn’t a force that could be evaluated by the number alone. Thinking in terms of players, they were on average at least level 300.

In addition, they were all of the priest, paladin, and monk classes. They were able to exert an overwhelming power against the undead—more so than anyone else.

‘Our guild will be like this later, right?’

Gang Junggu saw a glimpse of what the future of New World would be like from the sight of the reinforcements of the Holy Kingdom. At this moment, Heizer approached Gang Junggu’s side and said, “What are you looking at?”

“I was looking at the priests in the temple. We have adjusted to this hard march, but there is no guarantee they have.”

“The senior priests are comparable to any decent knights. In addition, considering their blessings... They will be fine for a few nights.”

“That is true.” Gang Junggu nodded.

The blessings—in other words, buffs—sped up the regeneration of the target’s physique and increased the stats themselves. It might be different in a battle, but it would quickly recover after a long walk.

“Did you say that you know the interim emperor well?”

“That’s right. We have a good relationship like brothers.”

“What type of person is he?”

“What type of person? Are you talking about personality or something else?”

“Everything.”

Heizer had always wondered about the adventurer who became the interim emperor. What type of human was he to be able to get Alexander’s approval?

“I don’t think you are curious about the appearance, so I’ll move past that,” Gang Junggu started to answer Heizer’s question with light humor. “First of all, his personality is hard to describe. He seems cold, but he actually has a lot of affection for others. In addition, he keeps his word no matter what.”

Gang Junggu’s comments about Hyeonu always contained high praise.

“He has done a lot of things for the empire. He did a great job in stopping the black magicians who tried to overthrow the empire, and he was the one who eliminated the barrier between the East Continent and West Continent. Additionally, he formed an alliance between the Yusma Empire and the Yuxin Empire of the East Continent by himself.” Gang Junggu’s mouth smoothly revealed Hyeonu’s past actions.

“Are those things an adventurer can do?” Heizer exclaimed. The more he listened, the more surprised he became.

“It is hard to believe, but it is true. He rose step by step from the bottom.” Gang Junggu fully understood what Heizer was thinking. He also shook his head occasionally at the things Hyeonu did.

“But apart from these things, I personally don’t think he is very suitable for the position of emperor,” Gang Junggu concluded.

“What do you mean?” Heizer asked with a strange expression.

“It is literally as I said. He doesn’t have the qualities of an emperor.”

“Qualities?”

“He is more of a general than an emperor. He feels frustrated giving instructions and watching from the sidelines. He thinks he is better off moving around. He has the typical constitution of being out in the field.”

“Indeed... There are positions that suit each person.” There was a faint smile on Heizer’s face.

‘Good...’ Gang Junggu tried to hold back his laughter when he saw this. ‘It is going well. Very smoothly~’

It was a fortnight before they would arrive in the north. This was enough time for him to prepare Heizer.

***

“Why are you smiling in such a silly manner?” Reina looked curious when she saw Hyeonu, who was smiling like a fool.

‘Did something good happen?’

It was the first time she had seen Hyeonu like this since she started getting to know him. Hyeonu just continued to smile like a man with a screw loose. He didn’t hear Reina’s words properly and asked with wide eyes, “Huh? What?”

“Did something good happen?!”

“Ah, yes. A good thing happened.” Hyeonu nodded vigorously. Good news kept flying in.

‘Heizer will covet the position of emperor...’

It was likely that things would proceed more comfortably than expected.

“That’s great,” Reina congratulated Hyeonu without even knowing what good things he was referring to.

‘I don’t have to know what is going on,’ she thought. It was enough if Hyeonu liked it.

“I feel good. Why don’t we hang out somewhere?” Hyeonu asked Reina with a smile.

“Hang out? Where?” Reina wondered with a startled expression. She never dreamed that Hyeonu would say this first.

“Isn’t there anywhere you want to go?” Hyeonu kept asking regardless of whether he knew Reina’s mind.

“Um...” Reina was lost in thought.

All sorts of things were passing through her mind.

‘There isn’t much time, so...’

It had to be a place where the journey would take as little time as possible. She already knew that Hyeonu didn’t have much time to spare.

‘A nearby place, a nearby place...’

“I have decided,” Reina quickly decided on a destination. It wasn’t too far from where Hyeonu and Reina were located, but it was a place they had never been to together.

“Let’s go to the Han River.”

“The Han River?”

“Why? You don’t want to?”

“No, there is nothing that can’t be done.” Hyeonu shook his head.

‘It isn’t bad.’

The Han River was a good choice.

“Then let’s hurry and go. It is a short ride away.” Hyeonu grabbed Reina’s hand.

“Yes.” Reina moved as Hyeonu led her.

***

“Wow, is this a real delivery?” Reina exclaimed as she looked at the food filling the mat.

‘I thought he was kidding...’

After arriving at the Han River, she heard Hyeonu’s words about food being delivered, but she thought he was just teasing her. Yet it wasn’t a lie, it was a fact.

“Reina, why would I lie to you? It really came.” Hyeonu made a face like he was wronged.

“I’m sorry I doubted you.”

“It is a joke, a joke.” Hyeonu grinned and carefully ripped off the food packaging.

“I never dreamed I would be eating pizza at the park and not at home.” Reina’s eyes twinkled. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was a situation she had never experienced in the United States.

“Then eat first. I’ll buy some ramyun from the convenience store over there,” Hyeonu said after setting up the food. He got up and pointed at something behind Reina.

“Cup ramyun?” Reina asked as she turned to look at the convenience store.

“No, there is a ramyun boiling machine in the convenience store.”

“Really?” Reina’s eyes widened.

Hyeonu saw it and burst out laughing. “Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes, I’ll come.” Reina quickly rose from her seat.

Reina looked at the food on the mat and asked a question, “By the way, can we just leave it like this?”

Hyeonu shook his head. Reina’s concern was groundless.

“It is okay. No one will take it. Look, everyone is eating something.”

In addition, there were quite a few people at Han River Park. There would be no one who would disregard so many people’s eyes to steal someone else’s pizza or chicken.

“Just follow me.” Hyeonu strode toward the convenience store.

Reina, who had been protecting the mat for a while, belatedly followed Hyeonu to the convenience store. By the time Reina arrived at the convenience store, Hyeonu had already bought the ramyun and was boiling it.

Reina carefully approached Hyeonu. “Is this the machine?”

This was also amazing. The ramyun was boiled with just a few presses of the button. Hyeonu didn’t take his eyes off the ramyun and barely opened his mouth to answer Reina’s question, “Yes. It is your first time, right?”

“I’ve never seen it before. It is too fascinating,” Reina said.

Reina was behaving similarly to Hyeonu. She was busy looking between the boiling ramyun and the machine.

Dding-!

There was a sound, and Hyeonu hurriedly moved his hands. He picked up the container of ramyun, quickly put it in a box, and grabbed wooden chopsticks.

“Let’s go back.”

“Yes, yes.”

Reina and Hyeonu took the ramyun and carefully returned to the mat. Hyeonu had just carefully lowered the box to the mat when someone approached Hyeonu and Reina.

“Excuse me...” the person said.

Hyeonu stood up and faced the owner of the unfamiliar voice. The owner of the voice was a woman who appeared to be a university student.

“Is something the matter?” Hyeonu wondered with a puzzled expression.

“Are you perhaps Gang Hyeonu, also known as Alley Leader?”

“Yes, I’m Gang Hyeonu.” Hyeonu nodded.

“Then can you take a photo with me? I am a fan. I’ve watched your live stream every time and subscribed to your A-World channel,” the woman poured out words with an excited expression.

“Of course, I’ll take it for you.”

It wasn’t difficult to take photos for fans. Rather, it was something he had to do.

“Thank you, thank you.” The woman smiled brightly and approached Hyeonu. Then she posed with great care and started taking photos.

“Reina-ssi, can you take a photo with me as well?” The woman who took a photo with Hyeonu was now aiming for a photo with Reina.

“Yes, let’s take a quick shot.” Reina smiled and nodded.

Then she got up so the woman could easily take a photo. Hyeonu watched the scene with satisfaction. Just then, another voice spoke to Hyeonu, “Excuse me...”

“Huh?” Hyeonu turned in the direction that the voice came from and his eyes widened.

‘Why are there so many?’

Before he knew it, some people had gathered in front of Hyeonu. There were quite a number of them. It seemed that all the people in the park had gathered here.

“I am also a fan. Can we take one photo?”

“Me too.”

“Please take a photo with me as well.”

The people gathered here were all Hyeonu’s fans.

“Ah... Yes, I’ll take a photo with all of you. Come one by one. If you are in a group, you can take it together.” Hyeonu quickly recovered from his flustered state and smiled. Before he knew it, Reina finished taking the photo and stood next to Hyeonu.

She said, “I’ll take a photo with you as well. If you want to take a photo with me, please come over here and stand in line.”

The moment Reina finished speaking, the people who were standing in front of Hyeonu quickly came in front of Reina and started to line up. At the same time, a line was made in front of Hyeonu. It was a very long line.

***

On the night that Hyeonu and Reina went to the Han River…

The witnesses who saw Hyeonu and Reina there started to pop up on all types of communities and social media.

[Today, I met Reina with Alley Leader at Han River.jpg.]

[Meeting the handsome man and beautiful woman at Han River.jpg.]

[I think Reina is on a date with Alley Leader.jpg.]

[Alley Leader and Reina’s personalities are really good.jpg.]

Most of the eyewitness accounts were filled with stories about Hyeonu and Reina.

‘He is doing well.’ Gang Junggu smiled when he saw these sighting reports.

He said, “Hyung-nim, it seems to be going well. The two of them were seen at Han River.”

“Is that so? It must’ve been a lot of trouble... That’s good.” Kim Seokjung smiled and shook the glass containing whiskey.

“I think it is time to have a party. Shall we get it ready?”

“We have to have one. Our brother is dating. A celebration party should be natural.”

“Then I’ll prepare it as usual.”

A party was scheduled without even the protagonist knowing about it.