From Today, I'm a Player

Chapter 55: Returning in Glory

Inebu had spoken in Korean, which clearly had been learned in a hurry. He continued again, shouting in a loud voice, “Please! Please come to the Nile!"

His desperation was as palpable as his rudimentary Korean.

"But… Why…?"

Lee Jun-Kyeong couldn't understand it at all. He had nothing in relation to Nile. He had just happened to meet them and exchanged aid with one another in the most recent Battle of Champions.

‘Something is definitely strange.’

The Nile had shown too much care for him and had expressed an incomprehensible level of kindness.

‘They also asked for my safety.’

However, there hadn’t been anything of substance that connected them, such as any resentment between them or a boon had been given. The reason these Hunters, who had the considerable backing called Nile, were so interested in him was because they wanted something from him.

It wasn’t just because they were his hardcore stan that they were requesting him to come to Nile.

Unfortunately for them, an announcement came out.

–Tsk tsk. All disturbance within the council is strictly regulated.

A buzzing-like sound rang within everyone’s ears. It wasn’t in any language, but rather, it was a message conveyed by meaning alone, almost similar to that of how a Sponsor communicated.

Inebu heard the voice and somehow shouted in an unknown way. When Lee Jun-Kyeong tried to open his mouth and respond to the words that he couldn’t understand…

Zzzt.

From where the two swords and the round shield that resembled a round table hung from the door, a bright light shone…

“The red gem!”

…and Inebu disappeared, only leaving behind a single shout. Suddenly, no one was left in the room, and the clamor outside the door had disappeared as well. A little while later, someone opened the door.

Squeak.

“Is everything okay?”

It was a thoroughly drenched Jeong In-Chang.

***

“The red gem…’

Due to the intervention of that person, the owner of the council, Inebu had disappeared without being able to finish what he had been trying to say. He had not been seen within the Council since that day.

The reason he had been in such a hurry was because an envoy had been sent to pick them up from the Nile.

“The Egyptians seemed quite scary.”

But, as if they had been aware of the envoy’s arrival, they rushed in to talk to him recklessly.

‘To think he’d mention the red gem…’

Apparently, Inebu had come to speak to him directly without going through anyone else because what he had to say concerned a very secret and vital matter.

The red gem.

Lee Jun-Kyeong could guess as to what he had wanted to say.

‘Why Nile?’

Beyond a few questions he had…

‘If the red gem he brought up is the red ore…’

…it was clear from the circumstances that the red gem meant Madness.

‘Is he saying that it has already been discovered in Egypt…?

There was still a long way to go until the time when the Hunters would be interested in the red ore, or the red jewel. However, not only did Inebu mention the red gem, but he had also shown him kindness and concern. …

‘That’s right. He had burst in after seeing the change in Heracles.’

So it was as if the pieces of the puzzle finally fitted together.

“Finally, we’re going back home.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong stopped thinking after hearing Jeong In-Chang speak. His partner was standing next to him with a bittersweet expression. The Round Table had just ended yesterday. As expected, Olympus had to apologize for breaking the agreement and give compensation for threatening war.

Threatening war was a mistake, but ironically, Athena had been the one to initiate them.

‘There’s no way she’d normally do that. Was it because she was flustered?’

Athena had dozens of nicknames that were all similar.: the goddess of cold blood, the goddess of battle, queen of blood and slaughter, etc. Thus, he wondered if she simply made a mistake while flustered because she had met Yeo Seong-Gu?

Unless that was why…

“Hey.”

He heard a familiar voice interject his thoughts from behind him. It was a voice he knew.

“Damn it…”

It was George.

When the Greek Hunter spotted Lee Jun-Kyeong, he contorted his face and approached him.

Step.

Jeong In-Chang stood forward and blocked him.

Although this was the same man he had been training with for days, Jeong In-Chang could feel that the resentment the other man had for Lee Jun-Kyeong was real. As his partner hadn’t fully recovered yet, he stood in front of him as if he was trying to protect him from any harm.

"I can't move aside."

"What are you doing?" George asked with an even more contorted expression.

Lurch. Lurch.

He approached them as he walked through the manicured gardens of the Round Table Council.

"It’s fine,” Lee Jun-Kyeong said.

There was no hostility from George.

[The mana stream is activated.]

Furthermore, Lee Jun-Keyong had activated the mana stream to check if George was armed, but the man wasn’t carrying any weapons. However, the man’s distorted expression was showing hostility—no, it was something else.

While Jeong In-Chang was still contemplating whether or not to step aside, George spoke, "Underdog."

"I will be watching you,” Jeong In-Chang spat out.

“Why does he keep speaking Korean when he knows I can’t even understand what he’s saying?” George complained. Jeong In-Chang stepped aside for him, and George smiled in return. Then, George faced Lee Jun-Kyeong again.

The Greek Hunter was alone at this moment as Heracles hadn’t gotten up yet.

"You’ve gotten up, and as that punk hasn’t been able to yet, it was a completely disastrous defeat."

Instead, Demetrios had been transported to Olympus by a convoy. His condition was that serious.

George looked at Lee Jun-Kyeong with a strange expression.

His grudge was real, but an unknown emotion was also hidden in his face. It was such a subtle emotion that it would be impossible to notice if one wasn't careful.

“Thanks to you, I learned a lot. Next time, I’ll make sure things don’t end the same way.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong retorted, "I tend not to leave any possible future problems unfinished."

"Bastard," George laughed and said, "It's nothing serious…"

George's gaze shifted to Jeong In-Chang again. He spoke to Jeong In-Chang, who looked over at Lee Jun-Kyeong with a confused face, "I can’t seem to be able to converse with that brat… There was no one else to help interpret."

Because cell phones and the internet didn’t work while they were in the Round Table, he, who had to stay by Heracles’ side, had not been able to properly converse with Jeong In-Chang even until the end.

He stated, “I have something I want to tell him."

"…"

"You," George said, pointing his finger at Jeong In-Chang.

“You have more than enough potential. Although it’s irritating to say, you most likely have more than me… Even though it was only for a few days, you must have learned a lot while fighting with me. Still, you can become even stronger.”

“What is he saying to me? Jeong In-Chang grumbled to Lee Jun-Kyeong

While Jeong In-Chang flushed red as if he had judged it as insulting him, George smiled and continued, “Your Sponsor. Tell him to think carefully about the identity of his Sponsor. It seemed as though he wanted to obtain a title. But, while fame and favor are important, the connection with your Sponsor… or, should I say, the assimilation rate? It should be high. In order to do that, it’s important that you understand your Sponsor.”

It was a big piece of advice, and it was friendly with a hint of affection. Jeong In-Chang relaxed his expression as if he felt it. Then, it was Lee Jun-Kyeong's turn to deliver the message.

Lee Jun-Kyeong looked over at Jeong In-Chang and repeated a condensed, paraphrased version, “He wants you to become <The Prince on a White Horse>.”

“You!! Bastard!” yelled Jeong In-Chang, hoisting his greatsword.

Lee Jun-Keyong smirked and left them behind. Apparently, they needed to have one final match again.

Step.

Lee Jun-Kyeong moved to enjoy his final day at the Council, and, as he walked around, he turned back and looked over at George.

“Do you have something you want to say?” George asked mischievously, smiling at Lee Jun-Kyeong, who had created an awkward situation.

Lee Jun-Kyeong said what the man had wanted to hear, "Heracles will get up."

"…!"

"And he’ll become more of a monster than before, but let me remind you, I tend not to leave any possible future problems unfinished. So next time, it would be nice to raise our swords on the same side."

He had been able to handle the future problem.

"What? Ha ha ha ha!"

George stood, laughing like Heracles.

***

The location of the Council was a secret. They had been attacked on several occasions by secret organizations that coveted their power and attempted to subdue them. However, the Council was like an impenetrable wall.

‘Would it be called a hidden wall?’

Despite the best efforts of Olympus, Asgard, and the other prominent secret organizations, the exact location of the Round Table Council could never be found.

Only with the permission of that man or woman, the owner of the Round Table, were they allowed to enter. That was how they had remained the guardians of England, even up until the future Lee Jun-Kyeong had lived in, observing the world while staying hidden.

Plop.

A stone thrown by Lee Jun-Kyeong had fallen into a pond. The Round Table was built within a large garden. All the buildings and spaces had been enchanted, and the beautiful garden was always thriving through the use of a strong mana.

Plop.

In the middle of the garden was the most beautiful pond. Lee Jun-Kyeong looked at it and tossed another pebble. Then, with a gentle ripple, the pebble sank into the water.

Plop! Plop! Plop!

He stood, skipping rocks. It was something he had often done in his past life as there was nothing else to do in his hometown.

Popopopopopop!

Unlike his previously languid toss, the next pebble he had thrown raced across the pond and crashed into the opposite wall before falling.

Boom!

If he hadn’t controlled the force behind the pebble, the wall could have crumbled. However, as if he wasn’t satisfied yet, he picked up a massive boulder.

“Heup…”

It was a decorative stone that was heavy for even him to lift. He slowly moved his arms, positioning himself into a throwing stance. Finally, as the boulder launched into the air and was about to crash into the pond…

Thrum.

The boulder stood still above the pond as if time had stopped.

"Looks like you’re having fun there,” a beautiful voice said. Lee Jun-Kyeong couldn’t feel the voice’s presence. However, he knew where it came from.

"How did you find me?"

It was coming from the center of the pond, where the boulder would have fallen. In an instant, the boulder had disappeared so quickly that Lee Jun-Kyeong hadn’t even noticed it. In its place stood a beautiful woman. Standing on the pond like a goddess, a gentle breeze shook her blue robes.

“No, did someone tell you how to find me? That’s a really drastic way of getting my attention. I don’t know who told you, but it seems that I’ll have to make sure that person will never step foot in the Council ever again,” she remarked.

However, there was a smile on her lips, and it seemed as though no one had ever called for her in this way.

The woman standing in front of him was…

“Merlin.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh my, do you know me?”

And she was the owner of the Round Table.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” Lee Jun-Kyeong responded.

Her eyes coldly narrowed. "There shouldn’t be very many people who know who I am…”

The wind was soft as it tickled Lee Jun-Kyeong's cheeks, feeling warm and oddly seductive as if it was a woman’s hand.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Lee Jun-Kyeong replied, "There’s no reason you wouldn’t know who I am."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don’t," she responded, smiling while returning his words back to him. The surrounding flowers seemed as if they were in full bloom at the refreshing sight of her smile.

"He who defeated Heracles, The Underdog." The glint in her eyes changed in an instant. "It looks like you're an incessantly arrogant Hunter."

Lee Jun-Kyeong had previously described the owner of the Round Table as?that man or woman,?but he hadn’t used that ambiguous term because he wasn’t sure of the owner’s gender.

"What are you trying to do by provoking me? It looks like you know who I am."

Instead, he was referring to the fact that the owner was both man and woman. Then, the beautiful goddess suddenly disappeared, and a playful-looking boy stood in her place.

“You should already know that even within the Round Table, no one is allowed to ruin my mood.”

The gentle spring wind had disappeared, and a storm began to brew.

Woosh.

It blew over towards Lee Jun-Kyeong, sweeping forth as if to swallow him, but then it suddenly disappeared.

“...!”

Merlin's eyes started to shine with interest.

"You…"

It seemed as though the same questions he had been asked over and over again would be coming up soon.

"Who are you?”

He laughed because it was a question he had heard so often. Furthermore, this question was the same as the one the Demon King had been asked when he had recalled his meeting with Merlin.

["Who are you?"]

At the query, the Demon King had decided to introduce himself in a quirky manner.

[The One Who Will Destroy Everything.]

Although it was a cringe-worthy title, he was someone who actually held that sort of power. Furthermore, it was his sincere answer as well. As a result, the Demon King had been expelled by Merlin and was never allowed to have contact with the Council again.

However, Lee Jun-Kyeong was different.

“I am the one who knows the location of Excalibur."

He used a cheat.

1. ??, or Fanshim, is a portmanteau of two words, Fan, and ???, or severe, and means hardcore/severe fan. Or, stan.