Chapter 38
CHAPTER 38
Winter Season (2)
Julian firmly held her down.
“Don't move.”
Chloe lay on a hospital bed.
Her body burned with fever. Her breathing was ragged, and her blood vessels pulsed with unbearable heat.
Steadying his wavering gaze, Julian opened the Rulebook.
He let out another breath.
The blazing fever slowly subsided.
"...It's only temporary. But she's alive."
"Rejuvenation... Activate."
The moment everyone sighed in relief—
A sharp voice echoed through the air.
Chloe's lips trembled before she suddenly drew in a deep breath.
“Haah!”
[Congratulations!]
['Plague Scenario - Stage 1 Infection' has been nullified!]
The voice was bright and cheerful.
Far too lively for the atmosphere inside the ward.
It was the Rulebook.
Its voice continued.
[As a reward, you've received a Healing Relic Amplification Buff!]
[Healing efficiency increased by a whopping 200%!]
As the Rulebook disappeared with a delighted giggle, the first person to curse was Ilya.
[That response speed was absolutely incredible!]
[No other world has ever responded this quickly!]
"...For fuck's sake... 200% healing efficiency?"
Another team member slammed a fist into the wall.
Seol-ahh frowned uncomfortably.
But the voice continued.
[Humanity—the apex predator of the primate family simply because they learned to use tools!]
[As a reward for doing such a wonderful job, here's your prize!]
“What good is better healing efficiency if using healing relics spreads the disease?!”
“It's openly mocking us!”
“So it pretends to give us hope while actually telling us to die faster.”
Anger and fear erupted all at once.
Then Julian quietly spoke.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
“No.”
Everyone looked toward him.
Julian stared at the newly added reward recorded in the Rulebook.
“Which means...”
“The person who designed this reward assumed we'd never be able to clear it.”
Reward: Healing Efficiency +200%
Status: Permanently Applied Upon Clearing the Plague Scenario
His tone remained calm, but determination burned beneath it.
The others' eyes began blazing with the same fire.
“How ridiculous.”
“A reward that's only meaningful if you assume nobody can clear it?”
The corner of Julian's mouth curled upward.
His eyes gleamed.
“Think about it the other way around.”
“If we clear this disaster...”
“Our healing relics will remain permanently enhanced by 200%.”
“...!”
“Then all we have to do... is beat it.”
One by one, the team's expressions changed.
Ilya let out a disbelieving laugh.
[For now, you've merely suppressed the symptoms temporarily♥]
“Fine.”
“So if we endure until the end, our world actually becomes stronger?”
“Then this is practically a bonus.”
Julian's gaze turned icy.
Meanwhile, the Rulebook continued speaking in its cheerful voice.
Seol-ahh finally managed a faint smile.
Julian reached his conclusion.
[Then let me make a suggestion♥]
[Why not ask a Majesty from another world to build facilities capable of treating the disease? At least your citizens would survive.]
“Exactly.”
“We just have to clear it.”
“Then the reward becomes ours.”
Julian frowned.
The Rulebook spoke again, almost mockingly.
A Majesty from another world... That must mean those bastards who sided with God-grade relics.
[Of course, that alone won't fundamentally solve the problem.]
As if we'd ever trust people like them.
Then someone spoke.
“So you're saying...”
“We won't have time to worry about anything else.”
“That sounds like it's mocking us.”
“Like it's saying Ju-Heon will have no choice but to abandon everything and return to this world.”
“Our captain is the one who decides that.”
Irene shook her head.
[Well, I'll give you time to think about it. After all, you won't have the leisure to worry about anything else anyway.]
“No.”
Irene slowly shook her head again.
“It's the way it said it.”
“It sounded like...”
“While we're busy searching for a cure... they're planning something else.”
"...!"
The voice abruptly disappeared.
The first to react was Irene.
Her expression turned ice-cold as she murmured,
"...Didn't that bother anyone else?”
“What do you mean?”
Everyone stiffened.
Julian's mind immediately began racing.
Now that he thought about it...
Ever since Ju-Heon disappeared, the Majesties' invasions had suddenly ceased.
At first, they'd assumed everyone had simply become afraid after the Majesty of Conquest—who wielded the Relic of Ares—had been defeated.
...But what if that wasn't the reason?
[Relic Durability: 97 → 71]
Julian closed his eyes.
Stay calm.
What are they really after?
His eyes suddenly flew open.
The Relic of Zeus!
“But why is its durability dropping?”
Julian immediately ordered everyone to check Zeus's durability.
As the world's power source—and the divine relic protecting their world from invasion—the Relic of Zeus could be monitored directly from the conference room.
Its durability was connected to the system.
And the moment they checked...
Everything clicked together.
The invasion by Ares.
The plague scenario.
The Majesties.
Julian bit his lip and shot to his feet.
“...Their objective is to weaken the Chief God-class relic!”
“The sixth trial...”
Irene spoke with certainty.
“...was never the disaster itself.”
“The disease... is just bait.”
“While we're busy stopping the plague...”
“What the Rulebook and the other Majesties are really targeting...”
“...is this world's Chief God.”
Those bastards.
But it was all right.
Now that they knew in advance, they could prepare.
If there was a relic capable of destroying another relic's durability...
Then they simply had to destroy that relic first.
The color drained from every team member's face.
“They'll throw the world into chaos with the plague first.”
“Then, while everyone's distracted... they'll destroy, seal, or weaken the Chief God-class relic.”
“And once our shield is gone...”
“They'll launch the invasion.”
[Rejuvenation Skill Activated]
[Plague Curse: Stage 1 Nullified]
[User: Julian]
Ju-Heon let out a small chuckle.
“So... he ended up using it after all.”
“I knew he'd figure out how to use it properly.”
The next notification appeared.
No wonder he's a Majesty.
His thought process really works differently.
Ju-Heon's expression, however, darkened slightly.
[Infection Spread Successfully Contained]
[However, Zeus Relic Durability Has Dropped Sharply]
His face immediately changed.
“...They're targeting the Relic of Zeus?”
His world.
His people.
There was no way he wouldn't be worried.
Part of him wanted to return immediately.
But...
“Irene's there.”
“So it'll be fine.”
Majesty Yoo Jae-ha spoke with his arms folded.
He raised one eyebrow.
“So the plague's just bait.”
“The real target is the Chief God-class relic.”
“If they bring that down, your world will be theirs for the taking.”
“You really believe that?”
“Yeah.”
“They'll manage somehow without me.”
His words sounded commanding, but his steps were as hurried as someone chasing a lifeline.
There was one thing Ju-Heon believed without question.
Irene—the Bankruptcy King.
She was the one who destroyed things, not the one who got destroyed.
Ju-Heon brushed the thought aside.
“The disease is the real problem.”
“While they're buying time over there...”
“We need to eliminate the root cause over here.”
Eventually, they arrived at a lavishly decorated tavern.
Everyone inside looked perfectly at ease.
As though they had no idea a plague was spreading throughout the world.
Cynthia stopped at the entrance.
“...This place is run by Delreira.”
Ju-Heon looked at her.
He asked bluntly,
“You asked me to work with you because you already have a solution, right?”
“If you're about to suggest we lower everyone's intelligence like you did...”
“Then let me save you the trouble.”
“Shut up and get lost.”
“No.”
“There's another way.”
“Follow me.”
“Then why are we here?”
“This district belongs to Delreira's people.”
“And nobody here ever catches the disease.”
Ju-Heon's eyes narrowed.
If they could solve the plague...
The city would finally be free.
Of course, Cynthia hadn't been able to accomplish that herself.
“...Even during a plague disaster?”
“Yes.”
“The people here never get infected.”
“Why?”
“I had someone investigate.”
“They said Delreira distributes a medicine.”
“With that medicine... neither you nor I would ever have to fear disease.”
“There's normally a relic protecting this place.”
“If we destroy it, we can steal the medicine.”
“If we succeed...”
“I'll give that medicine to your world too.”
It sounded like wonderful news.
Yet unexpectedly—
Ju-Heon frowned.
Cynthia's voice was desperate, yet filled with conviction.
“If we can overcome the plague sent by the Rulebook...”
“Then neither Bitrain nor Delreira...”
“We'll never have to obey them again.”
“...That's strange.”
“What is?”
“Very strange.”
In an instant, Ju-Heon understood why Cynthia's convictions had suddenly changed.
Yoo Jae-ha raised an eyebrow.
“What now?”
“Delreira, was it?”
“The Majesty Bitrain is investing so much effort into.”
“Why would someone like that establish her own territory here?”
Ju-Heon looked directly at Cynthia.
Silence followed.
Then he continued.
“Are you drunk?”
“A colony is called a colony because there's something to gain from it.”
“So what exactly is Delreira gaining here?”
“We're required to meet a monthly quota and hand it over.”
“When you think about it...”
“Isn't that the very definition of a colony?”
Cynthia fell silent.
“...Maybe...”
“She came here to supervise whether the quotas are being properly met?”
She slowly nodded.
Ju-Heon immediately shot the idea down.
“Exactly.”
“So she only gives the medicine to her own people.”
“It's a privilege reserved for the administrators.”
“You only need one or two people to supervise quotas.”
“But—”
His gaze settled on the large map hanging on the wall.
Yoo Jae-ha casually offered his opinion.
“If that's all it is, then fine.”
Ju-Heon frowned.
“The territory's far too large.”
“I wish it were that simple.”
His voice became quieter.
Staring at the map, he continued,
“You're telling me they maintain territory on this scale...”
“Just to supervise quotas?”
“Does that make any sense?”
“If they're expanding their territory this aggressively...”
“Then they're doing something here.”
“No.”
“They've already been doing it.”
Cynthia's voice trembled.
His eyes flashed.
“...Then... what exactly is their objective here...?”
“Maybe they're running some business in their colony.”
“Something like... a casino.”
“They're producing.”
“They're stockpiling.”
“And it's already being shipped out.”
“!”
His words struck directly at the true nature of colonialism.
Cynthia's face turned pale.
“No.”
“That can't be.”
“That would be an act of invasion.”
“There weren't any signs of something like that.”
“My instincts are screaming otherwise.”
“You said Bitrain personally invested a lot into this place.”
“Then something important is happening here.”
Just then—
A voice echoed from inside the tavern.
[Intruder Detected.]
“Damn it!”
“The security relic spotted us!”
“We haven't gotten the medicine yet!”
Ju-Heon simply grinned as he pulled something from inside his coat.
At that moment, Majesty Yoo Jae-ha chimed in.
“Go, Cup Ramen!”
“You've got three minutes.”
“Loot the whole place!”
“A criminal's instincts?”
[Relic 'Yoo Jae-ha' has been forcibly equipped.]
Shut up.
[You crazy bastard of a Captain!!!]
Something suddenly moved behind the door.
Ju-Heon, who had enthusiastically thrown the Cup Ramen inside, abruptly froze.
“...Hey.”
“What now?”
“That...”
For one of the rare times in his life...
Sweat rolled down Ju-Heon's face.
“...That thing isn't normally this quiet.”
“What?”
“There's...”
“Absolutely no sound coming from where I threw it.”
“What?!”
“There's something... in there.”