Two men were chatting in the emperor’s residence. It was the most gorgeous building in Yusma, the capital full of ornate buildings.

“Why do you seem like your master? How dare you treat the emperor as your servant? You only look for me when you need something. Am I wrong? Aren’t I right? Viscount Gang Hyeonu?”

Hearing the emperor’s fierce question, Hyeonu couldn’t raise his head. It wasn’t just fierceness but actual killing intent.

“I think you’re misunderstanding something, Your Majesty. How could I do that? I came today because I have an interesting story.” Hyeonu changed the topic and naturally set the stage for his purpose.

He had learned from his previous encounters with the emperor and knew one thing for sure, which was that the emperor was very bored with life. Therefore, he was always looking forward to something to attract his attention.

Hyeonu aimed for this.

“An interesting story? This is different from the duke. You are definitely different from him. Tell me more.” The emperor bit the bait that was thrown at him. He smiled slightly at Hyeonu’s words and started to show interest.

Hyeonu received the emperor’s attention and carefully threw another bait. “I want to ask you something first. Do you like alcohol?”

“Alcohol? Of course. You aren’t a man if you don’t enjoy drinking. However, the wines of the continent are piled up in the imperial family’s cellars.” The emperor used a bizarre manner of speaking. He started with an affirmation and ended with a denial, moving back and forth like a reed.

Nevertheless, Hyeonu didn’t panic and pulled a glass bottle out of his inventory. It was the same as the bottles he gave to Qing Feng and Edchan. Now he was going to give a few bottles to the emperor.

Hyeonu said, “I will presume and say that Your Majesty has never tasted this alcohol.”

The emperor stared at Hyeonu’s bottle and stated, “That isn’t just any old alcohol. It is the first time I’ve ever seen this type of alcohol. I don’t remember seeing anything similar in the imperial warehouse... Is it from the East Continent?”

“That’s right. Not long ago, I accidentally went to the East Continent. I thought of you and brought this back with me.”

The emperor clicked his tongue. “Tsk, your mouth is full of saliva when you speak. You have an oily tongue for someone who is Lebron’s disciple.”

He stretched out his right hand toward Hyeonu. Then something mysterious happened. The wine bottle in Hyeonu’s hand was sucked into the emperor’s hand. The emperor grabbed the bottle and opened it without hesitation. There was a clear sound as the wooden stopper was removed. Then a delicate scent filled the emperor's palace. The emperor raised the bottle to his mouth and started to drink it.

“Umm... It isn’t comparable to the drinks made by the elves, but it is pretty good.” Closing his eyes, the emperor savored the drink and then gave an evaluation of the alcohol when he opened his eyes soon after.

Then he asked, “By the way, how did you go to the East Continent? I know you can’t bypass the Balder Mountains because there is an unknown barrier...” The emperor asked while sipping the alcohol.

The sight of the emperor doing that reminded Hyeonu of an alcoholic.

“I met a dragon. He said that he can get rid of the barrier. However, he has a condition,” Hyeonu answered.

“Condition?”

“The condition is that Your Majesty reads this and follows what is written.” Hyeonu walked in front of the emperor and handed him some papers.

The emperor received the papers and slowly started to read them.

“Hmmm...” He groaned while reading the papers for a long time.

Finally, the emperor’s gaze shifted from the papers to Hyeonu. “Do you know what is written on this?”

Hyeonu stood still, not saying anything or doing anything.

The emperor continued talking like he didn’t care about it. “You don’t need to say it. You know what is written here, but you still brought it to me. I don’t know if I should say that you have a good grasp of my personality or you don’t know me at all...”

A rainbow-like brilliance emerged from the emperor’s body and poured toward Hyeonu.

‘Ugh.’ Hyeonu felt himself choking under this intense pressure. His body crumpled involuntarily. He couldn’t raise his head or his back.

‘Monster!’

Hyeonu had leveled up and his stats had risen, but he was still nothing before this monstrous emperor. He was always prey in front of a predator. Like a mouse in front of a cat, he couldn’t move.

Just then, the papers were dropped beside Hyeonu.

“Take it. This is the price for the alcohol. In addition, if you have any left then leave me a few more bottles,” the emperor said.

‘What? This?’ Hyeonu was trembling. He was still puzzled by what was going on.

Did the emperor pay for the alcohol by sparing Hyeonu’s life or by signing the papers? He could only confirm it after leaving the imperial palace. The most important thing was first leaving this damn emperor’s sight.

Hyeonu took out a few bottles of alcohol from his inventory and carefully placed them down on the floor.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Then I’ll be going.” Hyeonu picked up the papers and fled from the emperor's palace like he was being chased by something.

***

Outside the imperial palace, Hyeonu entered a restaurant that stood out and sat down. “Phew...”

He didn’t feel like going hunting straight away.

‘I can’t get used to it no matter how many times I see it.’

The emperor was such an NPC—a man Hyeonu couldn’t adapt to.

‘I will start with the treaty first...’

Hyeonu pulled out the papers from his inventory. There was nothing to see on the first page. Then Hyeonu turned to the last page. He only wanted to look at the part with the signature.

“Wow!” An exclamation flowed from Hyeonu’s mouth as he confirmed the signature. On the signature line, letters presumed to belong to the emperor could be seen.

[The emperor’s signature 1/1]

A message appeared, proving that what Hyeonu saw wasn’t an illusion.

“Sigh...”

In some ways, he had overcome the biggest hurdle. Climbing the Balder Mountains might be tough right now, but he would manage it someday. It was a wall that would break over time. On the other hand, persuading the emperor was different. The most suitable words to match the emperor was ‘there is nothing he can’t do’. He literally dominated the West Continent. Such an emperor bent his will once for an adventurer. It was precisely for the emperor’s own pleasure.

Hyeonu didn’t know it until now.

‘All that is left is to make the stage.’

Hyeonu stood up after drinking what he had ordered. He wanted to receive the next quest as soon as possible.

***

Johannes felt an object moving in front of his face and frowned. “What is this? I’m sleeping. This shit...”

He opened his eyes and confirmed the identity of the thing that disturbed his rest. They were familiar white objects—pieces of paper.

“What? You’re already here?” Johannes uttered.

A masked man was standing behind the pieces of papers. Johannes had seen this person many times already. This person was the hateful human who destroyed his guardians. Therefore, he threw this human to the East Continent to tease him. Then the human showed up in front of him again and made an absurd request to remove the barrier. Johannes conditionally approved the removal of the barrier with the desire to tease the human again.

‘I set unreasonable conditions...’

Yet he reappeared in just a few days, moreover with a confident posture.

Johannes asked in a slightly shaky voice, “Why have you come? Has the contract been signed?”

His uneasy feeling was correct. The answer Johannes didn’t desire emerged from the human’s mouth.

“Yes, here are the papers signed by the emperor of the Yusma Empire. Please take them,” Hyeonu said with dignity. Then he threw the papers toward Johannes.

Groan. Johannes moaned and accepted the papers. The last sheet of paper was clearly marked with a signature. It was obvious that the emperor had signed it.

‘There is definitely the unique feeling left behind by the magic power of the Yusma imperial family.’

It seemed Johannes had to remove the problem by adding another condition. He hadn’t talked to the clan or the lord about removing the barrier because he thought he had given Hyeonu an impossible task.

‘Unbelievable. The time is too short.’

The barrier was created by many dragons at the time, so at least three dragons were needed to remove it.

‘I don’t know how much I will be scolded by the damn lord.’

“Sigh...” Johannes sighed unknowingly. He needed time. So, Johannes started to think of an excuse to buy some time.

“I’m sure this is the emperor’s signature. I admit it. However, things have changed.”

Once Johannes finished speaking, a message appeared in front of Hyeonu to notify him of the quest completion.

[The Beginning of the Integration of Continents has been cleared.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

However, it couldn’t catch his eye. Hyeonu was focused on Johannes’ words.

“Things have changed? What are you saying all of a sudden?” Hyeonu questioned.

Johannes smiled and waved at Hyeonu as if to calm down Hyeonu’s agitation. “At the clan meeting, they said that the connection of the east and west isn’t just a human problem. It isn’t wrong. So I need to add a new condition. Get consent from at least three tribes about getting rid of the barrier. The consent needs to come from those with the status of a tribe leader. For example, the orc tribe chief or the dwarf tribe chief. Understood?”

‘This is perfect. As expected, I’m smart.’ Johannes thought this impromptu excuse was perfect.

This human couldn’t know three different species, let alone the leaders. It would take a few months, then the preparations for the removal of the barrier would be perfect.

[A quest has been created.]

[Consent of Other Species]

[Humans aren’t the only ones living in the West Continent.

Gain formal consent to remove the barrier.

Rating: MS

Conditions: Consent of other species 0/3

Rewards: Experience, Johannes’ reward.]

‘It’s okay.’ This was what Hyeonu felt after reading the quest window in front of him. They weren’t just words. He actually felt it was okay. It wasn’t a difficult or tricky task. In addition, it would give him a dragon’s reward.

‘It should be at least unique rated? No, epic?’

He was looking forward to the rewards the dragon would give him.

‘Then how will he check it?’

In the case of the emperor, there was a signed agreement. This time, Johannes gave him nothing.

“I understand. So someone like the orc tribe chief or dwarf tribe chief. I need the consent of those with this status. How will you check it?”

“Ah, that’s right. Wait a minute.” Johannes realized he hadn’t handed over parchment as before because he had improvised. He only realized after Hyeonu questioned it.

“Here. It can be used to film something when magic power is injected. You can record their agreement to remove the barrier.” Johannes pulled out three small glass crystals.

‘It’s like a camera,’ Hyeonu thought.

“I understand. It won’t take long. I’ll be back in a few days at the most.” Hyeonu took the glass crystals and disappeared with these words.

Johannes was left alone and said to himself with a bewildered expression, “He will come in a few days...?”