The Return of the Talented Monopolist is Special

A few days later.

“Is everyone here?”

“One person still hasn’t arrived.”

With Clark, the commander of the Black Tortoise Order, eight members of the order stood in a line in front of the main gate of the Pencel family. Behind them stood four upper-class trainees, including Cain, all standing at attention with slightly tense expressions.

The knights were all equipped with real swords at their waists, ready for battle at a moment’s notice.

And then, the last person.

“Who is that?”

“That’s Eugene Lober, selected as the observer.”

“Where has this guy been…?”

At that moment, footsteps could be heard.

Thud, thud.

Eugene slowly walked out from the main building of the Pencel family. Since the knights had never seen him before, they didn’t immediately recognize him as Eugene.

However, when Clark spoke, they soon realized who he was.

“Eugene Lober, hurry up! This guy is walking like a layabout.”

“Oh, yes.”

Eugene finally started to jog a little, offering a greeting as he approached.

“Greetings.”

“How can the observer be the last one to arrive?”

“I’ll make sure to be early next time.”

Clark spoke as if scolding Eugene, but his expression showed no sign of displeasure. He had already witnessed Eugene’s antics multiple times.

However, the knights had varying reactions.

‘For an observer, his attitude is rather rude.’

‘I heard he’s from the direct line of Pencel, is he acting like this because of that?’

‘Interesting. I heard he’s only 13, but why does he look so tall? And why is he so handsome?’

The reason Eugene had come out late was intentional.

By doing so, Eugene aimed to make a lasting impression on the knights, showcasing his position and the advantages of his bloodline.

It was often more impactful when something started poorly but gradually improved rather than starting well.

‘A bad first impression will work in my favor. In the end, they’ll start to see me in a positive light, and in doing so, they’ll feel that I’m kind to them specifically.’

Eugene was putting into practice the skills of interpersonal relationships and psychological dominance that he had learned from his father.

Clap!

Clark clapped his hands, sending Eugene to his spot.

“I’ll explain the details of the mission again. Upperclassmen and Eugene, listen carefully. Just because you’re an observer doesn’t mean this is a picnic.”

“Yes!”

“The details of the incident should have been relayed to you by Instructor Emacs. There have been serial murders at the ancient ruins ‘Glamphustan,’ located between Pencel and Heukji. But what’s important is this.”

Clark’s eyes darkened.

“The residents of Pencel passing through Glamphustan have been disappearing, leaving behind bloodstains.”

One of the upperclassmen asked during the explanation.

“What exactly is Glamphustan?”

“It’s said to have once been the capital of a powerful empire. However, the last emperor of that empire sought ‘limitless mana’ and sacrificed not only his surrounding territories but even his citizens to dark gods as offerings…”

Clark shook his head as he continued.

“After it was revealed that he sacrificed his people, the emperor was killed by his citizens and neighboring nations, and the empire collapsed.”

The knights and upperclassmen nodded in understanding.

“We may need to investigate whether this history is related to the current events. In any case, since this is the task given by the lord, we must find the culprit and return. Understood?”

“Yes!”

The upperclassmen grew more tense as they listened to the details of the mission, their expressions hardening. The Black Tortoise Order also seemed deep in thought, considering the most bizarre case they had encountered in recent missions.

However, Eugene was different.

‘This isn’t some curse from a dark god, it’s the work of the Magic Tower, and it’s not even aimed at us. It’s a political struggle led by the illegitimate child of the Magic Tower’s master.’

Later,

‘And Pencel got caught up in this, being framed for the murder of the Magic Tower master’s daughter, which escalated into a war between Pencel and the Magic Tower.’

As Eugene was contemplating how to use the events that would unfold in the future, Clark’s gaze shifted to Eugene’s waist.

“Did you bring a decent sword? What a reckless guy.”

“Yes. It should be fine.”

“Must be nice to have things so easy.”

This time, both the knights and the upperclassmen trainees were taken aback.

“…Is that a real sword?”

“Looks like it.”

“Didn’t they say he’s an observer?”

“Yeah…”

It was odd that Eugene, who was supposed to be participating in the mission as an observer, had brought a real sword with him. Everyone tilted their heads in confusion.

Clark then spoke up.

“This observer, Eugene Lober, is a person who has strictly adhered to the principle of respecting the strong in Pencel, earning recognition for his efforts. He requested to carry a real sword for the mission, and we granted it. Keep that in mind. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“So, does this mean he could participate in combat?”

“That depends on the situation.”

It was possible.

Since the knights and the upperclassmen trainees were unaware of the events between Eugene and the upperclassmen, they couldn’t fully grasp the vague statement about adhering to the principle of respecting the strong.

Clark chuckled as he observed the surprised expressions on the knights and upperclassmen.

‘It’s surprising. No one in Pencel’s history has ever been so arrogant. Well, maybe ‘arrogant’ is the wrong word. His abilities are too exceptional for that.’

A knight, whose face was marked with a long scar, asked.

“Could you provide some basic information about the observer? It’d be useful in case something happens and we need to locate him.”

While the question seemed to be for the mission’s sake, it had an underlying tone of slight disrespect toward Eugene.

Clark briefly observed Eugene’s expression.

Tap, tap.

Eugene seemed unconcerned, absorbed in straightening his clothes.

Clark let out a wry smile and shared Eugene’s information.

The knight who had asked for the information shot Eugene an annoyed glance before looking away.

Meanwhile, three upperclassmen trainees, excluding Cain, muttered under their breath.

“That guy is so arrogant. Damn.”

“Even upperclassmen carry wooden swords, and what’s he doing acting like that…”

Cain glared at them as he overheard.

“What are you muttering about?”

“Well, it’s just…”

“If you lost because you were weak, then get stronger and fight again. Don’t show your inferiority.”

“…Alright, Cain.”

Click.

Cain clicked his tongue lightly, then turned his head toward Eugene.

Although Eugene had an indifferent expression, Cain could sense the confidence embedded in his face.

This sparked a small flame of determination in Cain’s chest.

‘Next time, I’ll make sure to see a proper result.’

In a dark room of the ancient ruins.

“When will they arrive? Is it certain they’re coming today?”

“Don’t make me say it twice. It’s true.”

“…”

Herkel dismissed his companion’s doubts and quietly played with his dagger.

“Once they step through the teleportation portal, we’ll follow them. The youngest-looking one will be our target.”

“I heard the knights are coming too. We need to make sure we stay undetected.”

“That’s one thing, but I also heard someone from the Magic Tower is coming to the ruins. We should be extra careful, he’s the one we need to be most cautious of.”

Over the past decade, the Red Scorpion had become a large and formidable assassination group. However, even they had to tread carefully when it came to anyone from the Magic Tower.

“What if we encounter them?”

“We retreat immediately.”

“Why have the Magic Tower folks suddenly decided to come to the ruins after being quiet for so long…?”

It was at that moment when Herkel’s pendant flashed brightly.

“They’re here.”

Clark and the group, including Eugene, had crossed through the portal and arrived at the ancient ruins, of Glampustan.

The moment Eugene set foot on the wide plains, he immediately felt the humid, hot air, a stark contrast to the weather in Pencel.

Looking around, the sky was a perfect blue, and various buildings made from well-fitted gray bricks were densely scattered across the green mountainside.

To the left, a massive mountain loomed, while to the right, faint mist crept between the buildings.

It felt like no one had passed through here in ages, yet many murders had been committed in this place, according to the reports.

Clark, with his hand resting on his sword, began his explanation.

“As I mentioned earlier, we need to find traces of the killer that remains in this area. Look for hair or footprints near any areas with a smell of blood. It’s important to deduce the killer’s path and escape route as well, so don’t forget that.”

“Yes.”

“First, we’ll head to the central temple of Glampustan and then spread out from there. Move out.”

The knights nodded, though some couldn’t help but frown.

Whizz—Whizz—

Since sometime earlier, small insects, about the size of a finger, had started to buzz around Eugene and the group, their teeth clicking together.

The insects kept swarming around their faces and eyes, making the search difficult.

Eugene clicked his tongue, glancing between the insects and the knights’ outfits.

‘They must have been drawn by the smell of sweat. When they wear such thick leather, the combination of sweat and leather scent is bound to attract the Spiwus.’

Eugene knew the name of these insects—Spiwu—and their characteristics. At first, they seemed harmless, but when they gathered in groups, they could become a serious threat.

“I brought something, just in case.”

One of the Black Tortoise knights took a glass bottle from his waist and sprayed the outer garments of himself and his comrades.

A faint sour scent filled the air, and immediately, the Spiwus hesitated, retreating a little.

The group finally relaxed and nodded.

“Feels better now.”

“What kind of perfume is that? The smell is… interesting.”

As expected from the Black Tortoise Knights of Pencel, they had prepared for even such simple tasks and investigations.

However, shortly after—

Whizz! Whizz!

The Spiwus became even more aggressive, starting to attack Eugene’s group. It seemed the spray had backfired.

“Damn it… what’s going on…!”

The knights were tempted to simply sweep the insects away using their auras, but they refrained from doing so hastily to avoid drawing attention.

In the meantime, Eugene pulled out a few leaves from his inner pocket and began rubbing them in his palm.

These were rare herbs, which he had received from Gungwi.

“What are you doing, Eugene?”

“Just a moment.”

Clark, using a very faint aura to shield his body, tilted his head in curiosity.

But as the juice from the leaves started to seep out and a pleasant fragrance spread, the Spiwus began to scatter.

“Oh, what’s this?”

“This time, it’s the real deal.”

Once the insects had retreated, some of the knights grumbled.

“If you had something like this, you should’ve used it sooner.”

Eugene struggled to hold back a sarcastic laugh. Instead of thanking him, they were complaining.

Clark, sensing Eugene’s frustration, cast a disapproving glance at the knights before turning back to Eugene.

“You’re worthy of carrying a real sword.”

The knights awkwardly cleared their throats, and the upperclassmen, except for Cain, glared at Eugene with envy.

Eugene chuckled as he felt their gazes.

‘They’ll dislike me at first, but that’ll change over time. I guess it’s kind of cute, considering they’re young.’

Seeing the upperclassmen’s jealousy and envy made him realize how troublesome it could be.

Then again, upon further thought, it seemed that the grown knights were no different.

‘Maybe they’re all the same after all.’

Anyway,

As Eugene’s group arrived at the central temple of Glampustan, they immediately frowned.

“Wh-what is this…?”

“There’s a superstition that if you offer human sacrifices at the central temple of Glampustan, your wishes will be granted. That’s why it’s like this.”

“Ugh…”

The upperclassmen gagged.

In the center of the temple, on a pyramid-shaped altar, dozens of bodies were piled up on top of each other.

The corpses of men and women, except for the elderly and children, had begun to decompose, releasing a terrible stench.

While the knights maintained neutral expressions, they wrapped cloths around their noses to avoid the smell of rotting flesh.

However.

There was one person who did neither grimace nor cover their nose as they examined the altar.

It was Eugene.

As if searching for something, Eugene carefully looked around the altar and even approached the bodies, closely examining places like the eyes or shoes.

‘If a war broke out, there would be blood and maggots everywhere, so this is nothing.’

Since Eugene had come as an observer, it was important not to touch or damage anything, but simply observing was fine.

Clark, with a curious expression, asked Eugene.

“What are you looking for?”

“Just taking a look. I wonder if I can find anything.”

Though Eugene spoke casually, Clark felt an unusual confidence in his words.

There was an odd sense that Eugene would be able to solve whatever problem they encountered.

“…I see.”

Clark smiled faintly to himself and turned away.

“We also need to determine whether these bodies belong to the victims of the serial killings. Take the bodies out, and once the investigation is finished, split into pairs to continue searching!”

***

Glampustan was vast and complicated.

Some places extended deep into underground layers, causing delays, while others were hidden by dense vegetation, making exploration difficult.

Additionally, searching through the decaying bodies one by one was a difficult task.

Still, they had made some progress. The bodies on the altar were not victims of the killer, and the killer’s shoe size was approximately 270.

Thus, the group spent the entire day, and by deep night, they were setting up camp in a corner of the central temple.

Even so, Eugene continued to search the area with a torch in hand.

He was hoping to find “that girl” he had been planning to meet before coming to Glampustan and also solve the mystery of the ring.

While the upperclassmen were setting up tents, they occasionally glanced at Eugene, who was alone, holding a torch and searching the area.

They wanted to curse him for being overly cautious, but since they felt Cain’s gaze on them, they silently continued with their work.

The reason Eugene was inspecting the central temple once again was different.

‘I didn’t notice it in the daytime, but there’s a pattern visible when the torchlight shines on it.’

Moreover.

‘Every time I pass a certain point, the ring vibrates. This must mean there’s something nearby related to the ring’s secret.’

As Eugene thought about the ancient empire and the ring’s connection, his gaze fell on a particular spot as he illuminated the area with the torch.

On the floor of the eastern temple, near the altar, faint patterns were drawn.

The design seemed to connect a circle, triangle, and square.

Eugene slowly approached and began to examine the pattern closely.

Then.

Whuuuu…!

The ring vibrated more strongly than before.

There was no doubt now—the secret of the ring was hidden here.

But that wasn’t all.

‘This pattern looks similar to the one on the ring.’

Though the design on the ring was very small and the pattern on the ground was much larger, Eugene immediately recognized the similarity.

He had observed the ring closely before.

Eugene traced the pattern with the hand that wore the ring.

‘Did I discover this ring here? Or was the ring made first, and this pattern was carved to match it? There’s a secret of the ring here.’

Just then.

“Mm?”

Eugene discovered a strangely distorted symbol.

As Eugene, with a puzzled expression, began to brush the dust off the symbol, it happened.

Ask.

As soon as Eugene’s hand touched it, the distorted symbol magically shifted and suddenly returned to its original shape.

At the same time, suddenly…

Whoosh!

“Ugh…!”

A large hole appeared in the floor, and a torrent of flames erupted. Eugene quickly performed a defensive maneuver and swiftly retreated backward.

Then, he noticed.

A young girl, her eyes gleaming with a vigilant expression, staring back at him.

“The return of the talent usurper is extraordinary.”