‘If this continues, I’ll have to hand over the casino to the council.’
Hudson.
Possessing the talent of a con artist, he settled in Arcana with grand ambitions.
However, despite appearances, he was currently facing a severe financial crisis.
‘Raising taxes under the pretext of a grand expedition? While pocketing the back money as usual!’
Damn Arcana. Damn city council!
The council raised taxes related to entertainment and imposed back taxes on previously unreported amounts.
But Hudson could not accept this at all.
The unreported taxes were all for the council’s lobbying. Therefore, the council had turned a blind eye to it.
Suddenly, to accuse him of tax evasion was simply too much. Even if Arcana was a place where money could do anything, the council had crossed the line.
No matter how you looked at it, Hudson had become the council’s regular prey. It was no different from eating the hunting dogs after the hunt.
The only solution was one.
‘I’ll become so dirty that I’ll become a councilor myself!’
Becoming a city councilor.
Hudson’s desire to reach level 10 was beyond imagination.
“... What do you mean by speaking only the truth? Are you saying I’m not truthful?”
Perhaps the gods had finally granted Hudson’s wish.
A miraculous timing.
But upon hearing the Sacred Angle’s proposal, Hudson could only tilt his head in confusion.
“The stars do not listen to those who are full of lies. If you truly wish to qualify, you need to shed all your lies.”
“I am truthful.”
“It’s a lie.”
“What exactly is a lie? Is my name being Hudson also a lie?”
“It’s a lie.”
“...”
If even the name of the casino, which is firmly established as Hudson, is considered a lie by the Sacred Angle, then there was no refutation.
Indeed, Hudson’s real name was not Hudson.
‘Does he know I’m a player? Could he be a hunter pretending to be a Sacred Angle?’
There are NPCs who specialize in hunting players.
They call players ‘criminals’ and execute them as soon as they are discovered. The number of players they have killed is countless.
Their methods of approach and attempts to discover are varied, so one must be cautious.
Just a moment ago, he said he would accept any proposal, but he still felt a bit uneasy.
If the man in front of him was a hunter pretending to be a Sacred Angle...
“Serengeti.”
“... Wait. Just wait a moment.”
The moment the name was mentioned, Hudson’s expression turned pale.
He quickly looked around and pressed the hidden buttons in sequence.
He turned off the power of all the devices that were being monitored and eavesdropped in real time.
As if no one should ever see or hear.
Then, with a still pale face, he asked:
“H, how do you know that name?”
“The only daughter of the Balan Kingdom’s Wiser Marquess family, the White Knight Serengeti. You had a secret engagement with her.”
“...?!”
Even the secret that no one knew.
The engagement ceremony with her was a secret known only to the two of them.
He had never told anyone. She, too, would not have leaked it to anyone.
How could the Sacred Angle know a secret that no one in the world knew?
This alone was astonishing enough to make the heavens and earth turn upside down, but the Sacred Angle’s words were not yet finished.
“The casino is just a surface reason. What you truly desire is to stand proudly as a city councilor and propose to the Marquess family, isn’t it?”
“...”
“Fortunately, it works out well. Serengeti has lost both legs and become a cripple due to the grand expedition. As a city councilor of the Golden City Arcana, the Marquess family would not refuse. They might even welcome you with open arms.”
“...”
“But... what can be done? Hudson, who is neither level 10 nor a city councilor, has no value to the Marquess family.”
Hudson’s eyes were filled with complex emotions.
And the reason I know all this is simple.
Because I am the final gamer and simultaneously the strongest character in the game, Wilhelm.
Naturally, no one knows more about the grand expedition that attacked the demon world than I do.
-Wilhelm. Oh, most honorable Knight King, if the expedition succeeds, please protect Hudson. And convey this and my words to him. I am sorry for going ahead... I truly loved you.
Serengeti.
She was an important figure who participated in the grand expedition. Known as the White Knight, she led a formidable force of five hundred knights.
And when I fell into the trap of the demon army, she bravely stepped in to take my place. At the time, I thought it was a special event...
But I managed to save her desperately, only to find that both her legs had been amputated, and she was in a state where it was difficult to treat due to a powerful curse.
Just before she fainted, Serengeti entrusted me with a necklace. Inside, I found a photo of her and Hudson’s secret engagement.
‘That’s impossible. It couldn’t have happened.’
As far as I know, Serengeti has no promised future with any man.
Such a setting does not exist.
Hudson is just the owner of a casino in the city of Arcana. How could he have a future promised with the only daughter of a distant marquess family?
They have no connection, and their living areas are vastly different.
If it were possible, it would only be if Hudson were a player.
‘A love between a player and an NPC.’
To Hudson, this place is not a game.
It is reality. How could something he so desperately desires be just a game?
Hudson, who had lost his composure, asked with a half-given-up attitude:
“What kind of truth... do you want?”
“Everything.”
“Everything...?”
Where should I start?
Hudson must know many stories that I need to know.
For example, about this world, about players, about the Eight Heroes.
But if I only ask about those, it would only raise suspicion.
I had to maintain the attitude that ‘I know everything about you.’ The mystery would make Hudson believe I am a Sacred Angle.
“Start from the beginning. Where you were born and how you lived.”
So, let’s hear it.
Hudson’s story.
His real life story.
*
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
The sound of the knife moving is loud.
Although there are many conversations around, the sound of the knife cutting is particularly noticeable.
‘... Is something wrong?’
While listening to Hudson’s story, I ended up being late for the appointment.
Who would have thought he would speak in such detail?
I couldn’t just stop him in the middle.
Thanks to this, I also learned the names of the guys who claim to be the Eight Heroes and erase Wilhelm, playing the hero.
They are probably the ones who have interfered with me the most. An adversarial relationship where we cannot coexist under the same sky.
“Does the meat suit your taste?”
“Yes, but isn’t this place expensive?”
After a long silence, the conversation finally began.
But the location is a problem.
Cheongdam Steak House.
I had promised to treat him to a 160,000 won steak per person, but I ended up being late.
For a moment, I thought I might have to pay.
“You did help me get rid of the stalker. Actually, this is still insufficient.”
Kim Hana smiled.
Stalker. He was definitely not in his right mind.
“It was something I had to do.”
“No, it’s an action that only a truly brave person can do.”
Stepping in when someone is threatened is not an easy thing to do.
Because the threat could also be directed at you.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised.
If I hadn’t merged with Randolph, could I have stepped in?
Probably not. I would have wanted to step in, but my body wouldn’t have followed.
Then, leaning forward, Kim Hana cautiously said:
“But... wasn’t that woman who was with you earlier? She keeps glancing over here.”
... It seems Kim Hana also noticed.
That the woman sitting at the table behind us was Kim Se-yeon.
‘What a coincidence.’
Kim Se-yeon was sitting with her boyfriend, who had briefly taken down his profile.
A wealthy businessman. A party to a love triangle.
Indeed, Kim Se-yeon’s current boyfriend looked like a man of means. He was dressed in luxury brands and wore a Rolex watch.
Unlike me.
I had been pretending not to notice, but it seemed Kim Se-yeon was also paying attention to this side.
“It’s fine. We really have no connection.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Kim Hana noticed something was off but didn’t delve deeper. She knew too well that getting involved in other people’s affairs only causes trouble.
“Park Hyun-myeong?”
... If that guy hadn’t approached and spoken to me, I would have completely ignored it.
“Are you seriously following our Se-yeon all the way here?”
“...?”
What kind of fresh nonsense is this?
“Stop being clingy, kid. I’m embarrassed for you.”
“Oh, brother. Let’s stop.”
“Se-yeon, you’re too kind. You need to be clear about these things. If you don’t speak up, he’ll just keep deluding himself, like a stalker. He’s nothing special.”