Chapter 4 : Grades
Lee Hye Yeon finished school and was walking home.
If she were to take a bus, she'd be home long ago. But she'd have to pay for it. Her thrift was almost as strong as that of her brother.
She only was taking bus if she was in real hurry. And even then she was pretending to be a middle school student. For middle school students ticket costed 200 won less than for high school students.
Sometimes though drivers were asking her:
"Schoolgirl..."
"Yes?"
"It's Dein high school uniform you're wearing, isn't it?"
"I'm wearing older sister's uniform."
"Sister's uniform? Why?"
"To meet with my boyfriend from high school. Uncle, i really don't have time let's go already. Ok?"
While saying it Lee Hye Yeon was usually bending her knees a little to seem shorter and make cute dimples on her cheeks. She was even flashing her eyes.
That was working because she looked younger than she was.
"Hmm, if so you can have a seat"
"Thank you, mister driver."
After that drivers weren't asking any more questions and she was taking her seat with a smile.
'Being a girl has many advantages.'
However girls also heeded a lot of things men didn't. Like underwear and cosmetics.
Lee Hye Yeon was a natural talent in those matters. She was getting all those things gifted by boys. She was giving them advices on how to behave with girls or introducing them to cute friends of hers and was getting presents in return.
Thanks to that Lee Hye Yeon was able to save her allowance and put it on a personal bank account. She wasn't Lee Hyung's sister for nothing.
"It should be arriving today."
She hurried home and checked the mailbox. The GED report card that she's been waiting for several days now finally arrived. In it were results of Hyung's exam.
"It's finally here."
She could have probably checked results over the internet, but she looked at the report car nevertheless.
Korean: 75
Social science: 90
Math: 65
Science: 55
English: 65
Ethics: 40
_________________
Total: 390
Average: 65
Total above 360 and none below 40 meant success.
"Now brother graduated from high school."
Lee Hye Yeon was wiping off her tears and smiling. The hard feeling she had all this time disappeared. Every time she was going to school she was sorry for Lee Hyun. She knew how he was earning money. Many times she was almost crying when eating food, earned and cooked by her brother.
She folded the letter and entered the house.
Grandmother's condition improved, but she hasn't yet recovered, so she was still in hospital. So Hye Yeon and her brother lived alone.
Hyun was still in the capsule. That was because today she came back earlier than usual.
"Well, I guess i'll clean up the house."
Hye Yeon Cleanly swept the house, cleaned the dust and washed the dishes.
"The plates from the breakfast are still here. Come to think of it, brother started to go to the dojo and return tired again, like at that time."
The time when Lee Hyun was preparing for Royal Road!
For almost a year her brother lived like he was possessed. He found and studied all the works on virtual reality and collected as much information on Royal Road as he could. At the same time he trained his body and learned to fight.
24 hours a day was literally not enough for him.
Her brother slept about 3-4 hours a day, yet still found time to prepare meals for the family.
When he first started to go to the dojo she was terribly upset. His hands were covered by blisters and body bruised. He was coming back exhausted and falling asleep right away like he was dead.
Those memories alone were making Lee Hye Yeon depressed.
At such moments Hye Yeon was trying to distract herself with work.
'Now I've got to study.'
To get accepted to 'Korea' university.
That was her most important goal right now.
At first she didn't want to go to that university. After all it was not a matter of studying in the most prestigious university but of getting all the necessary knowledge. At least that was the case for Interior designer, which was her desired profession.
But Lee Hyun wanted her to study in 'Korea' university. And for her brother, who sacrificed so much for her, she should at least be able to study hard. Her goal was to get a full 4-year scholarship!
But that wasn't her only aim. After graduating from school and getting the scholarship, she was planning to start earning money as a private tutor.
* * *
"Granny, brother's report card arrived!"
That day Hye Yeon couldn't hold her joy and ran to the hospital to give grandmother the news.
"Really? So did he pass?"
Grandmother's face was tired but cheerful.
"Yeah! He did! Look at his grades. Apart from Ethics all the grades are high."
"That's fine. What's important is he's got a smart head."
Although some could interpret it as 'His head is smart, but as a human he is a failure'. But Hyun's family knew well what he had to go through in last 10 years, so they never doubted his human qualities for a moment.
Grandmother was still looking at his grades.
"He really did it. Before I died..."
"Huh? What're you talking about, granny? Our happy life has just started."
Lee Hye Yeon reassuringly took her grandmother's hand.
* * *
Every morning Lee Hyun was going to the dojo.
To exercise his body and to learn fencing from Ahn Hyundo were his two main morning activities.
"Come in."
"Congratulations on passing the exam!"
When Lee Hyun entered the dojo Ahn Hyundo, instructors and almost all the students were waiting for him. They were ready to celebrate Hyun's graduation from high school.
"So he's got a high school diploma now, eh?"
"I used to studied hard in high school too, but..."
Ahn Hyundo got surprised by insructors' envy.
"What's with you lot? Didn't you go to highschool too?"
"No, we left it early to train with sword more."
Instructors lived only to train with swords.
Ahn Hyundo nodded.
"So that's why you're so simple."
"That's..."
They greatly respected their teacher but his last words hurt them.
'At least we finished middle school.'
'You didn't even go to elementary school yourself...'
However Ahn Hyundo had a doctor's degree. World's leading universities granted him an honorary doctor's degree in recognition of his kendo skills. But actually he only ever went to the kindergarten!
There the child Ahn Hyundo have beaten many of other kindergarteners, for what he has been punished often.
'On the day he got accepted to elementary school he has beaten up neighbourhood bullies with a wooden sword...'
'They spent 16 weeks in a hospital I think? And the 7-year-old who beat them was taken into custody.'
'So he never got to enter the elementary school...'
Instructors knew about it, but kept silent.
Ahn Hyundo was following the path of a sword since childhood. Days were passing by but no worthy opponents appeared, so he had to spend time meditating or playing Go, However even without any opponent Master was constantly improving his mind and body in numerous daily trainings.
Royal Road was taking Ahn Hyundo back to his childhood. He was able to fight with strong opponents, high level monsters. The long forgotten feeling of being alive, constantly improving, returned to him.
It seemed like his childhood dream had finally started to come true...
"Ahem... Master..."
With a little hesitation Lee Hyun asked:
"My sister came to watch our training today. Do you mind?"
"So it is? Of course, she's welcome..."
Ahn Hyundo gave his permission without a second thought. Most of the apprentices were professional swordsmen. Of course bringing in talented people from various places was encouraged as wel. But general public or young kendo students sometimes trained in dojo too.
"Okay now, let's start the training. Line up!"
After a short celebration all the students and instructors, including Chung Il Hoon took their places.
"Today we'll start from an hour of basic training and then spar."
"Yes!"
The usual morning routine. Students brandished their swords with swift and accurate movements.
"Then I'll go get my sister, Master."
"Okay."
Lee Hyun left the dojo and headed towards school gates. They didn't have cellphones, so they just made an appointment at a certain time.
"Brother!"
As it was sunday and Hye Yeon didn't have any lessons, she was waiting at the school gates, dressed in casual clothes. Her skirt was barely covering her knees and short hair were swaying with the wind.
Her friends came with her.
"Hello everyone."
"Hey. You did a good job at the festival."
Those were Hye Yeon's friends!
Lee Hyun replied with a shrug:
"Eh... Yeah."
"Well then, let's go. Come on, brother."
Hyun nodded in agreement and led them to the dojo. The moment doors closed behind them, all the students inside reacted vigorously.
"Oh, girls!"
"Schoolgirls!"
"Wow, high school girls came to a place like this..."
"They're pretty."
The unexpected happened, girls came to the men's den. All the trainees suddenly started working harder. The strength and speed of their strikes raised significantly.
* * *
Today the training was really hard.
Lee Hyun left the dojo and, as he didn't want to spend money on a bus, he decided to run all the way home. Running was another good way of maintaining good physical condition.
'I graduated from high school...'
Hyun was running with a smile on his face. Maybe he didn't get to go to high school all the way through, but now he would be able to proudly say that he graduated it.
'Granny will be very happy. And Hye Yeon...'
Since their parents died Lee Hyun was worried most about his sister. When she was a child she was unusually timid and scaredy. Their complicated family circumstances forced her to grow tougher.
"I wouldn't be able to continue replacing her parents forever. Probably a few more years..."
The biggest dream of Lee Hyun was for his sister to meet a decent man and marry him!
On the wedding ceremony he'd take the place of her father and be the one to bring the bride to the the groom. Since early childhood he was familiar with the role of a parent and was used to taking care of his little sister. And when the moment comes when the groom will take the bride's hand Lee Hyun will become free.
He never actually thought of what will happen afterwards. Every day he had to struggle through many hardships to try and earn even a little money. He didn't have time to think about such distant future.
So only when his sister will finish the university and marry will he be able to relax and start living for himself.
'However...'
Lee Hyun laughed bitterly.
Hye Yeon must meet a really good guy.
With her current grades she would be able to easily get into 'Korea' university and get a good job after graduating from it. That, coupled with her good looks, would make it possible for his sister to come together with the best men.
But if on her wedding she will be led by her brother, who barely graduated from high school, that might embarrass her.
'I'm so ashamed I'm uneducated...'
Lee Hyun started to worry that his poor education might become a disadvantage for his sister and interfere with her life.
Then he saw Great Society Rehabilitation Center!
He was just passing it on the way home. In addition to its stately appearance it was filled with state-of-the-art equipment.
'I had been diagnosed there once. And if I manage to become a doctor there my sister would be proud.'
* * *
Last few days weren't so easy for Dr. Cha Eunhee.
She used hundreds of various treatments, trying to return Jeong Seoyoon to normal state. And Royal Road was her last resort.
Virtual reality games are known to grant emotional stability. They relieve stress by allowing to satisfy unfulfilled in reality desires. Traveling between reality and virtuality helps to fade the painful feelings.
Cha Eunhee hoped that it will help to save Seoyoon from her mental obsession.
Every day since Seoyoon started playing, Cha Eunhee was watching her playing records to be able to examine her psychological state better, than any test could show, as in the game Seoyoon had to constantly make decisions by herself and interact with the environment.
All the Seoyoon's actions in Royal Road were recorded in the capsule. That was private information, but as Seoyoon's doctor Cha Eunhee had access to it.
First recordings of Seoyoon's hunt were encouraging.
"This way she'll recover in no time!"
The initial tendency was positive.
Even though she never laughed or talked to anybody and was very withdrawn overall. She started to hunt and the desire to hunt was a display of greed.
Cha Eunhee thought that her desire to become stronger and acquire better items will make her more lively. That such 'human' behaviour would certainly make a positive impact on treatment.
But with time her expectations waned.
Seoyoon was just hunting. She was going to places where monsters gathered in large groups and fought them. Fought fiercely, to the death, like a berserker.
And she still wasn't talking to anyone in Royal Road.
'But wasn't there a positive change?'
In Seraburg got acquainted with a fighting instructor. They weren't very close, but it still was a huge breakthrough. They were eating together and she listened to him talking.
'Just a little but she's reacting...'
The monster hunt was a good sign as well. Closed people usually become secretive and suspicious. Sometimes they even start acting like a child with superiority complex. Thankfully Seoyoon's state wasn't at such level yet.
When people endure a great pain, they often start to feel sad or scared afterwards. To threat such residual state fighting was a great medicine.
"Huh, still a long way til she's completely healed."
Cha Eunhee sighed deeply.
After leaving Seraburg Jeong Seoyoon headed south where she continued her endless hunt.
'How long will you remain locked in that state?'
Jeong Seoyoon wasn't just a patient for her, but more of a little sister, as they knew each other since childhood. Their parents were friends so they were meeting often, little Seoyoon was always calling Cha Eunhee older sister and following her around.
But now she wasn't neither laughing nor speaking any more. And Cha Eunhee was doing all she could to return her to normal, cheerful self.
Some parts in the recordings were surprising her.
"Why is there a statue of Seoyoon in Baran village?"
It seemed that Seoyoon didn't notice it, but the statue of softly smiling guardian deity of the village was her splitting image!
The face of statue of Freya must have been based on Seoyoon.
The beauty of that smile was making Cha Eunhee dizzy.
* * *
Seoyoon was continuing to hunt and move deeper into the southern part of Rosenheim kingdom. All the more people were coming to southern part of Rosenheim kingdom, and in order to avoid them she had to move deeper little by little.
Hunting monsters such as Dark Ghouls and Blood Ravens.
However the once low, population of southern region was constantly growing. Players had yet to come to dungeons and hunting grounds used by Seoyoon, but it was already bothering her.
'I can't stay here any longer...'
Seoyoon decided to leave the south of the Rosenheim kingdom.
Originally she started playing at the center of the continent, slowly making her way south towards Rosenheim, however having come this far south she realized, that there are no free lands further ahead.
'To the east... Where there's no players...'
Seoyoon decided to go to Lands of Despair.
* * *
The construction of the pyramid became the hot news of Royal Road. Most of the rumors were spread by the people, directly involved in the construction.
The pyramid almost instantly appeared on the web-sites. And then several journalist teams were sent to Weed by various media sources. They wanted to record all the stages of construction, from the initial concept to the final result.
Of course the report about the pyramid could fit in a small article, but reporters wanted to spotlight the pyramid, created by player's effort alone in detail. To show players' feelings, their hard work, that made the construction of the pyramid possible. And they had to do it from the beginning to the end, from the moment the quest first appeared, as that was the way great history is written!
The pyramid, built by thousands of players' hard work!
The TV producers were already thinking about making a show, where famous actors and showmen would be building their own pyramid. They thought that audience will be interested in whether someone else will be able to complete such an impossible at first glance task.
"We'll pay you a million won."
"If you agree to work with us, we'll pay you 2 millions!"
Every day Weed received such offers, but he was refusing them. However once he got an offer, very different from others. The Korean Ministry of Education decided to launch an advertising campaign of textbooks, and wanted to involve the pyramid in it.
And they offered seven million won!
Weed accepted it.
* * *
The hunt in the Huntresses' gorge was getting livelier with each passing day.
Though their party didn't have the mandatory warriors or paladins, the high level of cooperation between members allowed them to quickly demolish the amazons and earn lots of experience points. During past few days Weed received 7 levels and reached a total level of 266
Fighting together with Geomchis was incredibly pleasant. He would continue hunting with them, but the construction was nearing it's end and he just had to attend to it.
The moment the last stone fell into place Weed received a message
Ding!
You completed the construction of the tomb for great king Theodarren.
Feeling the approaching death, King decided to build a marvelous tomb for himself and appointed the most famous sculptor of the continent to the task. And now the tomb is complete.
Receive your reward from king Theodarren.
But hurry to do it before his death.
"It's finished!"
"Hurray!"
Numerous players around the pyramid were shouting happily.
For the first time so many people gathered in such a backwater kingdom. Every player mined or delivered at least 1-2 stone blocks and contributed his part of sweat and effort to the construction of the tomb.
Weed headed to the royal palace.
The tomb was complete all that was left was to report to the king and receive the reward.
The king met him in the throne room like the last time. He looked even older and the progress of his illness was evident.
Following the etiquette, Weed knelt before the king.
"Your Majesty..." - he started talking, but was immediately interrupted by the king.
"Stand! SUch renowned master deserves more respect than that. Besides all this etiquette makes me uncomfortable."
"No, your Majesty."
Weed wasn't intending to get up, but the king gave order to his knights and they got him on his feet anyway. Weed noticed, that king's attitude towards him significantly changed since their last encounter.
"You have my gratitude. Thanks to you, I finally have a place for my final rest. You are a great sculptor. And I am very curious at what was your thoughts, when you was building the tomb."
"I was thinking about all the hardships your majesty had to endure during your life."
"Yes... I vanquished many foes to defend my kingdom. And now, after my death I'll get to the very depth of hell where I will suffer for eternity."
"Not at all, your majesty. You life passed like a firework. The one who's not scared by the flame and tries to catch it might get burned. But you were burning yourself to illuminate everything around you. Your bright fire was warming and protecting Rosenheim for a long time. And now you will be able to rest in a comfortable place and watch your kingdom prosper."
The King was greatly satisfied by those words.
"I don't regret at all that I entrusted this task to a sculptor, whose name was spoken of by so many. You prepared a marvelous resting place for me, far more than I have expected of you. So go now, get your promised reward."
You succesfully completed the quest.
Fame increased by 690.
You received 2930 reputation points of Rosenheim Kingdom.
Level up.
Level up.
Level up.
Level up.
Level up.
Five levels and 2930 reputation points with the royal family!
The King continued speaking:
"All the others, who assisted the construction of the tomb will receive their appropriate rewards. Your service to the royal family is great, we wish to reward you. What is it that you wish?"
The exciting moment, that Weed was imagining so many times has arrived.
'2930 points... I could get a rare or even unique item from royal treasury.'
The sword of Agatha was a good item in many ways. It increased the Faith attribute, increased Health recovery and even allowed to use blessing 5 times a day. But still the sword, forged by Order of Dreya had low damage stat.
Weed wanted a sword!
The best one possible.
However he had to think about completing the quests he already had...
'Even the best sword in the world won't help me in the Lands of Despair.'
Weed made a decision and said:
"Your Majesty, I have got a task from the Order of Freya. Soon I will have to go against the Necromancers, worshiping the Dark God Balkan. The Order learned, that something evil is being prepared in Lands of Despair, and my task is to deal with it before necromancers gather too much forces. However, to my regret I don't have enough men to complete such an important task. That is why I request assistance of brave warriors of Rosenheim."
The King carefully listened to Weed and seriously shook his head.
"Lands of Despair... I heard there are refugees living there, who were chased there during the era of strife and war with dark elves. During my reign I have sent my troops twice to those hostile lands, but not a single man has returned. For that reason I ordered a high, thick wall to be erected, to prevent the evil of that place from invading my lands."
"That's how it is..."
Only now Weed started to understand, that that place was even more dangerous than the province of Morata!
But it was not the time to give up. The quest is an adventure. And until his experience proves, that this mission is impossible, nothing will stop him from trying. As it is often said, 'it's better to regret doing something, than to regret not having done it'.
While Weed was lost in thoughts, Theodarren quietly continued:
"In such a dangerous, unlawful place you'll need loyal people. I'll provide you with soldiers. But I ask you that you treat them with respect and not let them be killed in vain."
He'll have to spend reputation points on soldiers. That decision almost made Weed cry.
'Anyway, going there with only priests and hoping for a miracle would be a suicide. The completion of the quest is more important that any unique items...'
However even after taking that decision, he couldn't help but try to scrounge something valuable.
"I treasure my memories of Rosenheim Kingdom so much, that I wish I had some kind of memento of it. If your Majesty doesn't mind, a sword would be a perfect for that."
Right words, said at the right time.
The King nodded and ordered one of his advisors to lead sculptor to the training grounds.
On the way Weed was inventing thousands of excuses to take the best possible weapon from the armory. He recalled his hunt in Lair of Litvarth and his quest in the province of Morata. He had to endure so much to finally get here and get an opportunity to receive something really valuable.
To come through all that suffering to spend all the points on soldiers?
Never! Weed ought to take at least somewhat valuable item for himself.
Advisor led him to the training grounds, where multiple warriors were training.
"By the King's order you are allowed to take knights and soldiers to aid you in your mission in the Lands of Despair. Pick them yourself."
Knights of Rosenheim were dressed in shining silvery armor. Their horses were very clean and looked to be tended to well.
Please pick warriors using your reputation points.
After the window appeared, numbers started appearing on knights' chests.
'Looks like it's their value in reputation points.'
Every available knight or soldier had a price. He had to chose carefully, spending points only on really necessary soldiers.
First Weed carefully examined all the knights.
They were gathered in a few groups. There were Scarlet Knights, known for their strength, White Knights, known for magic and Royal Knights, who served king personally. The latter had 280th level.
Without a second thought Weed stopped his choice on them. Personal knights of the king were the best fighters of the kingdom.
'In such dangerous lands I'll need good support...'
Weed approached closer and saw numbers on their chests. They started at 30 and went all the way up to 100 points per person.
The reputation point system was one of the reasons the tyrany of guilds in Royal Road was reduced. With it even solo players and small parties were able to complete quests and accumulate reputation points of kingdoms and other powers of Royal Road. And in case they need help, to do a quest for example, they didn't have to look for a guild any beg for it. They were able to hire an army from some king or aristocracy.
While walking around the training grounds, Weed reached a corner, where a great number of various armors and weapons were piled up. Swords, spears, axes, bows, clubs and maces, there were too many kinds to list them all.
Sword alone numbered more than a hundred. And of course every item had a price in reputation points above it.
Old and rusty ones were cheap, just 2-3 points. But the good ones were much more expensive, 1500-2000 points.
So if he picks a lot of soldiers, he would get a poor weapon, and if he takes a great weapon, he'll have few soldiers. Weed faced a difficult choice.
'I worked so hard to get these points... I just can't spend them all on soldiers.'
If an NPC were to die in combat, he would be gone for good. But even if none of them dies on the quest, Weed will still have to return them all back. But the weapon will stay with him even after he finishes the quest. He would even be able to sell it for cash.
After giving it a lot of thought, Weed decided to pick 10 Royal Knights. When choosing them, he was immediately giving them new names.
51, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 98, 99, 100!
Of course Weed will remember the faces and names of knights, who he spent his hard-earned reputation points on.
"It looks like the King values you high, so I will obey."
"I don't like it, but I can't go against King's order, so I will follow you."
Knights weren't hiding their disapproval. Straightforward, rude and displeased statements were directed at Weed, but he ignored them and proceeded to pick the weapon and ordinary soldiers.
'I should pick the best weapon possible and then spend the rest of the reputation points on infantry. I can't let my points drop low enough that I wouldn't be able to pick the sword I want.'
First he examined the decorated swords, covered by ornaments. However he didn't like any of it.
'Useless stuff. More of a work of art than a weapon.'
Unfortunately he wasn't allowed to check the weapons' stats when choosing, so he had to rely on his intuition and experience.
Good thing, that in free city Somuren he had a chance to thoroughly study weapons and learn to estimate their value by their looks. His experience as a blacksmith was helping as well.
Weed was trying to find a sword, containing the largest amount of mithril. And when he found one he picked it with a little doubt.
"Identify!"
Sword of Cold Loteu
Durability: 150/150.
Damage: 68-75
This sword belonged to Loteu from Niffleheim Kingdom, the leader of the mercenaries from the northern part of the continent. It contains the power of ice.
Requirements:
Strength: 600.
Level: 250.
Effects:
Strength +50.
Agility +10.
Leadership +20%.
Bonus frost damage +30.
Every attack slows the opponent.
If you take a profession of a mercenary, you immediately get silver status.
"Not bad at all."
Weed spent 1700 reputation point on the sword and was satisfied with it. Even though its effects were worse than those of Sword of Agatha, its damage was a lot higher. And if you take into account the sharpening bonus, this sword was easily best of what he ever had.
After taking the sword he had 541 reputation points left, that he was going to spend on hiring soldiers as well. Weed continued walking around the training grounds and to his surprise he noticed a familiar faces.
"Chief!"
Becker, Hosram, Buren and Dale. Soldiers from his raid to the Lair of Litvart. Old friends.
"You are here too?"
"Yes, the areas around capital started to get invaded by monsters and we were called back to patrol and hunt monsters."
The four soldiers became captains long ago and were in charge of their own troops of hundred people.
"We knew you will come back someday."
"Yeah, we are so happy to see you again, Chief!"
Buren and dale couldn't hold back their joy. During their hunt in the Lair of Litvart they became really close to Weed and were truly happy to meet him.
Weed considered himself lucky.
In the upcoming mission he will need reliable soldiers like never before!
"I take you with me, guys. Come on, we have a lot of work to do."
After picking Buren and others together with their 400 soldiers Weed had only 3 reputation points left.
Advisor carefully examined all the picked warriors and said:
"It is desirable that you return all the knights and soldiers intact."
Weed decided not to respond. However cruel that sounds, but he was picking them to fight. There were a lot of battles with dangerous foes ahead of them, and Weed believed that losses were unavoidable.
Of course he wasn't intending to let his hard-earned soldiers die easily, but he wasn't going to keep them behind also.
However the advisor continued:
"If you keep their lives, the royal family will recognize your merits again. And if you return them stronger and more experienced, King and other aristocrats will be very pleased."
Advisor's words could be interpreted as a promise to refund all the reputation points, spent on the returned soldiers and increase them for every soldier, who raise their level in upcoming battles.
'If I knew this would happen, I would pick a lot more soldiers...'
In the very end among the soldiers Weed noticed Docke, the instructor from training hall. Not so long ago he was promoted and now he was training knights in the palace. Also there was Midvale, the knight, that Weed was accompanying to Lair of Litvart. However he didn't have enough points for either of them. Besides each of them costed more than any other knight.
'Too bad. Well, hopefully i'll have another opportunity...'
Weed finished his business at the palace and headed to the Order of Freya, accompanied by the soldiers he hired.
* * *
At the entrance the highest church officials were already waiting for him.
"Are you ready to depart?"
"Yes." - abruptly replied Weed.
Behind his back were knights, Buren, Becker, Hosram, Dale and four hundred of simple soldiers. All of them were a little tense, as they didn't expect to be entrusted with such an important mission.
Even Royal Knights rarely participated in quests of such high difficulty.
High priest said:
"The promised 50 priests are already waiting at the portal."
"We'll show you the way."
The priests of Order of Freya. Weed greeted them and inspected carefully. There were many bearded men in robes, but much to his surprise there were a lot more priestesses. And all of them were striking beauties.
Soldiers were looking at them wide-eyed.
"Woah!"
"Now I feel more encouraged, Chief!"
From a single glance at the priestesses the fighting spirit of Becker and other soldiers shot sky high.
Weed stepped on the portal at the head of a great army. But he was only able to command 50 priests of Freya. Royal Knights, Buren, Becker and others will be independently evaluating the situation and make their own decisions.
"Freya bless you!"
High priest and others recited a prayer and the portal started to glow.
When the glow disappeared, Weed and others were already far from Rosenheim.
* * *
Pyramid quickly became one of the most visited places of Rosenheim Kingdom. Every day more than 40 thousands people visited it.
Of course most of them were coming not to look at works of art, but to receive the buff of Sphinx statue.
"Wow! Great."
"True. That's crazy, to build a pyramid here..."
"I saw a movie about the construction. That was really cool, I only came here because of it."
But to the surprise of those who came here for the first time, besides the famous Sphinx statue they found there other sculptures of gazelle, kangaroo, deer, rabbit and other low-level monsters with sad expressions on their faces.
Looking at those sculptures many players felt guilty as in the beginning they were slaughtering great numbers of those harmless herbivores.
So it was no surprise that after reading the engraved words their hands were reaching to their pockets.
For looking at the statue pay as much as your heart tells you.
All the collected money will be donated!
We will use them to help those in need.
Every visitor was leaving a copper or silver coin.