I Became the Guardian of Big Shots in the Game

Crack!
Ponya dealt with the source of the last groan and collapsed on the spot.
“Hah.”
It was really a close call, but.
She survived because she was able to fully unlock her ability.
‘It was true?’
That He knows everything.
And that He would help if you wished for it, as Levi said.
It sounded crazy, but it was true.
‘And I’m still sane even though I entered the Berserk state.’
Beastkin are strong from birth.
On top of that, they become even stronger when entering ‘Berserk’, but.
Most avoid using it.
‘I clearly heard that you lose your mind and go on a rampage.’
It’s common knowledge that ‘Berserk can’t be controlled’.
That’s why Berserk is strongly perceived as a last resort for beastkin.
But.
Ponya was clearly conscious.
She was much more excited than in the previous fight, but.
She still clearly remembers why she threw punches and kicked.
“As the thread of fate unravels, you’ve become even more beautiful.”
Though the Berserk state hadn’t subsided yet.
Ponya’s instincts judged that she still had no chance against Levi.
“Levi… unnie.”
“You’ve become so obedient, how nice.”
“I understand now.”
Levi immediately understood.
What those words meant.
“If you believe and devote yourself, He will bestow even greater favor upon you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Levi gently stroked Ponya’s head.
Just as she usually does with Hwaryon.
“Both of you go inside and sleep.”
The night was still far from over.
“You need to show Ethan-nim an energetic appearance in the morning too.”
Now it’s time for the children to sleep.
*
The disastrous work concentration week finally ended.
The city hall employees who confirmed the rising sun with eyes heavily ringed by dark circles smiled brightly.
Ethan was one of them.
“Everyone worked hard.”
The mayor, who knew the employees’ hard work better than anyone, immediately ordered them to go home.
People packed up their things and left the office.
“Ah, Ethan-kun.”
“Yes, Mayor.”
“Thanks to you, we cleanly processed work that we would have had to postpone until the second half of the year.”
He wanted to answer “Couldn’t you have just postponed it?”, but.
“So here’s a special vacation. Take a good rest for two weeks.”
Until he heard the word vacation.
And so he received such a long vacation and returned home.
What he encountered as soon as he entered the yard was.
“Hap!”
“Hehehe!”
Ponya, who seemed taller than yesterday, running around trying to catch the swiftly moving Hwaryon.
At a glance it looked like play, but.
Seeing their speed, this was closer to training than play.
‘Ponya seems to have grown bigger thanks to Berserk, and what’s with Hwaryon? Tails and ears?’
As he remembered, Black Baroness Hwaryon’s ability wasn’t combat-oriented.
But the movements Hwaryon was showing were good enough to be employed as a combatant.
It seems a new ability has manifested.
[The World Tree’s First Root advises checking the two children’s stats.]
‘Right, checking the numbers should show it.’
When he opened the notification window, countless new notifications appeared again.
He pushed those aside for now and pressed the ward window.
[Name: Hwaryon]
[Age: 11]
[Detailed Stats: Health(350), Mana(230), Strength(310), Agility(500), Mana Sensitivity(200), Holy Adaptability(120), Luck(70), Composure(10)]
[Name: Ponya]
[Age: 10]
[Detailed Stats: Health(500), Mana(120), Strength(420), Agility(340), Mana Sensitivity(110), Holy Adaptability(170), Luck(30), Composure(90)]
“Wow…”
Ethan doubted his own eyes.
At first, he thought he misread the numbers because he was tired.
‘If you add the buff from the World Tree’s root on top of this, the stats will be inflated?’
Ethan, who was already considering going on a beginner labyrinth exploration since he got vacation.
‘Forget beginner, at this rate they could perfectly clear intermediate too.’
He decided to modify his plans a bit.
At that moment.
“Big brother!”
“Ethan-nim!”
The two who had been running around hard, having spotted him, came running pitter-patter and hugged him.
“Welcome back!”
“Good work!”
“Thanks.”
Seeing them, he felt his tension melting away.
Ethan decided to rest for now.
*
He slept all day on the day he came home from work.
The next day when Ethan woke up.
“Ah.”
He was dumbfounded to find dozens of sub-quests and the capital’s main story acts 1 and 2 all cleared.
[Congratulations ‘Ethan’-nim, ranked 1st in contribution.]
[The title ‘Public Enemy of the Underworld’ is awarded to ‘Ethan’-nim.]
[Compiling achievements.]
[Special reward, ‘Amulet of Protection’ is granted.]
[Item: Amulet of Protection]
[Description: Increases wearer’s ‘Physical/Magical Defense’ by 30%. Grants ‘Mental Pollution Immunity’ effect to wearer.]
A fairly useful item came out.
‘It’s a waste for me to use it.’
He roughly decided who to give it to.
At that moment.
Knock knock.
“Ethan-nim. Are you awake?”
“Oh, I just woke up. What is it?”
Levi came in.
“A guest has come to visit.”
“A guest?”
“It’s the young lady of Count Sharian who visited last time.”
*
“How have you been?”
“You don’t need to be so formal. You’re a noble, aren’t you?”
“Because I’m a noble, it’s even more important.”
If she insists, what can he do?
Ethan just went along with it and sat down.
“The Sharian Count family never forgets benefactors who helped in difficult times.”
“It seems things were resolved well.”
He had only wished her good luck because there was nothing he could do, but.
It seems things were somehow resolved well.
“It’s all thanks to you. I came today to express my gratitude along with a gift.”
‘I only let her stay for one night?’
Ethan thought she was quite generous, as expected of a noble.
The young lady of Count Sharian spread out a map on the table.
“Most of the territories in the northeast region have now been incorporated into the Sharian Count family.”
He felt something was off from there, but.
The young lady didn’t stop talking.
“So, I wish to give you a part of the territory, please choose a place you like…”
“…Did I understand correctly?”
Even nobles don’t give away land out of simple goodwill.
It’s too much as a reward for just letting her stay one night.
‘What’s her intention?’
In Ethan’s memory map, the northeast of Etrion was the vast domain of Marquis Mackleton.
He understood that the Sharian Count family survived due to some butterfly effect, but.
‘I didn’t do anything.’
“Did I perhaps make a slip of the tongue?”
“No, not at all. But giving me territory…”
The young lady of Count Sharian thought for a moment and.
“I’m sorry. I almost dared to give you territory in the form of a bestowal.”
“?”
“I’ll give you a gold mine that has been generating high profits for generations in our family.”
“…I’ll have to decline.”
Then the young lady asked again with an increasingly nervous expression.
“Is it because you’re not satisfied…”
“No, it’s too much as a reward for help. And, wouldn’t it be troublesome if rumors spread that a noble gave land to a commoner for free?”
Of course, Ethan said this out of consideration for the Sharian Count family’s prestige, but.
‘I see. You don’t like drawing attention. It would restrict your activities.’
The young lady understood it completely opposite.

“Then if there’s anything you want…”
“I’m grateful enough that you came to visit like this.”
“Please don’t say that. Please allow me to repay your kindness.”
After a long back-and-forth.
They reached a conclusion.
“Then how about I purchase it at a low price?”
Ethan said that while pointing at the cleanest place on the map.
The central part of the mountain range.
Where no mineral veins are marked.
Literally worthless land.
“Are you really okay with that?”
“Yes, it’s enough.”
No, it was more than enough, it was overflowing.
It’s too much as a reward for resolving the trouble with the city hall guards and letting her stay one night.
Thinking that, Ethan pushed firmly.
“I understand.”
The young lady of Sharian looked regretful that she couldn’t give more even while handing over the land.
However, what results this decision would lead to.
Neither of them knew at that time.
*
“Well, are you all ready?”
“Yes!”
Levi, Hwaryon, and Ponya answered while sitting in the carriage.
Even though they heard the labyrinth was dangerous.
They all gladly agreed to come along, saying “Anywhere is fine as long as we’re with Ethan-nim.”
They were truly admirable wards.
“Then let’s depart.”
He couldn’t waste the time given as special vacation.
Ethan and the group set out towards a labyrinth three days away from Serdin.
Malos was in the driver’s seat.
Sir Rashid followed on a separate horse beside them.
“Ethan-nim. It could be dangerous.”
Sir Rashid worried that although the children were outstanding.
It was still too early for them to explore a labyrinth.
“There probably won’t be any dangerous situations.”
That’s because.
Hwaryon and Ponya’s stats were unimaginably high.
Moreover, Levi’s stats showed as unmeasurable for the current Ethan.
That means they’re that high.
“The shallow depths of the labyrinth should be fine.”
And right after they left.
-Boom!
From a corner storage room on the first floor of the mansion.
A suspicious noise was heard.