I Became a Swordsmanship Genius in the Game

Chapter 67. Status

Hyunwoo followed the guidance of the arena staff and headed for the Market.

His destination was the banquet hall on the top floor of the Market.

As he walked down the long corridor from the entrance of the top floor to the banquet hall, he was lost in thought.

‘Lionel called me. Why?’

Even though I had become the Champion, meeting Lionel, the owner of the Arena, was not something that happened easily.

I thought about the reason he had summoned me.

‘If it were a matter related to rewards, he could have just sent Van. Simple curiosity? Or…’

The most likely reason was Jude.

The purpose of the special match was to recruit gladiators to carry out Jude's ‘request’.

There must have been some conversation between the two after the match ended.

‘A conversation the two of them might have had…’

Having thought that far, Hyunwoo stopped thinking.

There was too little information.

It seemed I would have to deduce the rest through my conversation with Lionel.

Just then, the staff member leading the way stopped, as if we had arrived.

“This is the banquet hall. Enter.”

The banquet hall at the end of the corridor.

To me, it was no different from an arena.

With a hardened expression, Hyunwoo stepped inside the banquet hall.

***

The banquet hall, entered after passing through the gloomy corridor, was another world.

Splendid, bright lights filled the room.

Food was packed onto a long wooden table that looked like it could seat dozens of people.

There was Lionel, sitting at the very end of the long table, and even servants standing in a circle around it.

My heart shrank at the splendid sight I was seeing for the first time in my life.

However, without showing such inner thoughts, Hyunwoo naturally approached the table.

Lionel, who had been watching him in silence, gestured with his head and opened his mouth.

“Sit.”

Finding my seat at the wide table was easy.

Because there was only one chair left.

‘What a way to treat a guest.’

The seat given to me was not at the very end, facing Lionel, but a corner seat next to it.

A seat placed diagonally to him.

If the seating arrangement was meant to show his dignity, it could be called a success.

Just from the seating, I could get a glimpse of his authoritarian personality.

Perhaps I should have been grateful he didn't make me sit on the floor.

‘Should I be glad that I can dine at the same table?’

That was just how the demons' sense of authority was.

Hyunwoo silently went to his seat and sat down. His gaze turned to the tabletop.

A plate and napkin in the center. And knives and forks of various sizes were laid out on the left and right. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on N0velFire.ɴet

A typical Western-style table setting.

As Hyunwoo was examining the tableware, Lionel's voice was heard.

“Eat before it gets cold.”

“Yes. I will eat with gratitude.”

As Lionel began to eat the food placed before him, Hyunwoo followed suit and picked up his utensils.

“Do you know why I called for you?”

But at the question that followed, he couldn't touch the food.

This was a situation that required a humble posture.

Hyunwoo put down his utensils and bowed his head.

“How could I possibly know Lord Lionel's thoughts?”

“Is it because you are human? You are good at reading the room.”

Hyunwoo thought this was his chance to grasp Lionel's intentions.

Having organized his thoughts, Hyunwoo slowly opened his mouth.

“It's just…”

“Just?”

“Now that I have become the new Champion, I thought you might have something else for me to do.”

“Something else to do… there is one thing.”

“Please tell me. I am confident I can do anything well.”

Hyunwoo bowed his head low, like someone who wanted to get into Lionel's good graces.

It didn't matter what he did, since in his eyes, I was nothing but a slave.

“I will accomplish it with my life on the line.”

“Your life…”

Lionel picked up his utensils and chuckled.

A clear sneer was embedded in his dry smile.

“You will be leaving the arena soon.”

“I will resolve it at once. Please send me.”

“It is quite a long distance. Preparations will be necessary. Wait until the order is given.”

Lionel's subtle smile.

Outside the arena.

And a long distance.

Having caught these three hints, Hyunwoo was certain.

The location of Jude’s request.

Kormur Dungeon.

Through the brief conversation, Hyunwoo understood that the deal between Lionel and Jude was done.

It meant that his lifeline had passed from Lionel to Jude.

In the end, the final deal had to be made with Jude.

Hyunwoo's head spun rapidly.

A means to meet Jude. And, to get an advantageous position when meeting Jude…….

‘I must become royalty, the royalty of the human world.’

In the Demon World, blood was power.

Strength was inherited, and weakness was repeated.

A severe belief in bloodlines.

That was why even demons were interested in the human imperial family, the peak of the human bloodline.

That included Jude.

‘The same goes for Lionel right in front of me.’

In other words, proving my status here would be advantageous for negotiating with Jude later.

The method to become royalty was not difficult.

All I had to do was ‘seem’ like royalty. After all, this was the Demon World, a place far removed from the human world.

Dalgeurak―

Lionel's utensils moved elegantly. After watching him for a moment, Hyunwoo's eyes sparkled.

A good idea came to mind.

Hoo―

Hyunwoo let out a long breath and straightened his back.

He exuded an arrogant atmosphere, not of a humble posture like before, but of someone looking down on others.

That appearance was enough to capture Lionel's attention.

The banquet meal.

Hyunwoo held the luxurious utensils in his hand.

He couldn't just use any utensil randomly.

‘From the outermost one.’

From the utensil farthest from the plate to the one closest, and the utensils for meat and fish dishes were separated.

Recalling the lore about the demons' dining etiquette in his head, Hyunwoo slowly began to eat.

Seeing this, Lionel's eyes showed a peculiar light.

Demon World dining etiquette was something only those with the most prominent bloodlines among demons valued.

For the slave right in front of him to be practicing that same etiquette, he couldn't help but be interested.

“Do you know dining etiquette?”

“I am just roughly following Lord Lionel by eye.”

Lionel narrowed his eyes and scanned Hyunwoo.

“Impossible. You cannot imitate the inclined angle of the knife and fork just by watching.”

“It is merely one of my small talents.”

That subtle angle and order, it was clearly not an ordinary custom.

That wasn't all.

Hyunwoo paused during the meal and turned his plate slightly to the left.

Then, he placed a small portion of the food on the edge of the plate.

The act of naturally leaving food for those below him.

Lionel knew well the group where such arrogant dining etiquette existed.

The Imperial Family of the Human Empire.

“Yes… unless it is a habit ingrained in you since you were young.”

“……”

Lionel's demeanor changed.

“It was written in the report about you. That you were of human slave origin.”

“That is correct.”

“Do you know? You just made a big mistake. If you're going to hide something, shouldn't you do it properly?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Your identity.”

Lionel lowered his eyes and lifted his chin.

At that gesture, which indicated he had already figured out his identity, Hyunwoo's eyes shone, and he let out a low sigh of relief.

He had been worried he wouldn't recognize it, but thankfully, his eye for detail was not bad.

Lionel quietly folded his napkin and placed it on the table.

Signaling the end of the meal, the servants hurriedly began to clear the table.

After the servants retreated, he spoke again.

“I do not believe someone of a lowly status could possess such a talent. Speak truthfully.”

He was a man like a snake.

To deceive such a person, a more thorough ‘act’ was needed.

A skilled actor could change the atmosphere with just gestures, without any lines.

Hyunwoo hypnotized himself, implying that he was ‘royalty’.

He looked at Lionel with a changed gaze. The gaze of those who stand above, not those who bow to someone.

“Hmm…”

At Hyunwoo's instantly changed atmosphere, Lionel stroked his chin as if intrigued.

“It seems my clumsy deception cannot fool Lord Lionel's eyes.”

“Did you hide your origin?”

“Yes. That is correct. As you said, Lord Lionel, someone of a humble origin cannot become strong this quickly. My growth is related to a special bloodline.”

“A special bloodline. Just as I thought?”

“Did you surmise even my origin? As expected… you have a remarkable eye.”

It was a statement thrown out with the expectation that, given his boastful personality, he wouldn't answer that he didn't know.

Hyunwoo slowly opened his mouth.

“Just as you think, Lord Lionel, I am royalty.”

“Royalty…”

“That is right.”

At Hyunwoo's declaration of being royalty, Lionel's brow furrowed slightly.

He might have expected it, but hearing it directly from the person himself seemed to have complicated his thoughts.

In times like these, I had to quickly sort out Lionel's thoughts for him.

“Now that my status has been revealed by Lord Lionel's discerning eye, please use me.”

“Use? You?”

“Think about it. If I am the royalty of the human world, what kind of benefits will Lord Lionel gain.”

“Benefits, you say.”

“Has there ever been a demon in the Demon World who has kept human royalty as a slave?”

“There wouldn't be. I have never heard of it.”

“Then Lord Lionel will be the first.”

At the word ‘first’, Lionel's expression changed.

The first of something.

It was a word bound to resonate in the heart of a man in the position of a conqueror.

Even more so in the Demon World, where they love to show off.

The advantages of recognizing Hyunwoo as royalty were clear, and there were no losses to be incurred.

He slowly nodded his head.

“You are right. If you are truly royalty, then I will be the first demon to have royalty as a slave.”

Almost there.

Hyunwoo, wetting his dry lips from tension, spoke again.

“A talent one can have because of a special bloodline. In the human world, this is called dazzling potential.”

“Dazzling potential…”

“Lord Lionel, who understood my etiquette at a glance, will know its meaning.”

Lionel stared at Hyunwoo with a contemplative expression, then nodded and smiled.

“If you say you are royalty, then you are royalty.”

I was sure that Lionel would think more about the benefits to himself if Hyunwoo were royalty, rather than whether the human Hyunwoo was royalty or not.

A moment later, he beckoned a servant with a hand gesture.

“Bring tea.”

‘It worked.’

Being invited for dessert was a sign that he acknowledged Hyunwoo's status.

Hyunwoo had gained an opportunity to have a deeper conversation with him.

The servants cleared the table and brought tea.

Ttalkkak―

Lionel leisurely lifted the prepared tea and opened his mouth.

“By making you, a human royal, the Champion, the honor of the Bellatus Arena will be elevated.”

“As expected. Your schemes are on another level.”

“However, what do you gain by doing all this?”

“Is my life not in your hands, Lord Lionel? Having come to the Demon World, I will only live within the shadow of the Demon World.”

Hyunwoo naturally praised Lionel.

The royalty of the human world.

The fact that such a person was his slave was a fitting way to satisfy his base desires.

It seemed Lionel had also finished his calculations in his head.

“Not bad.”

Thanks to that, Lionel's attitude toward Hyunwoo began to become more and more favorable.

When the atmosphere had improved to a certain extent, Lionel called a servant.

The approaching servant brought a potion to Hyunwoo.

“This is Bation's Potion, the prize from the last match. I hope it will be of help.”

“Thank you.”

It was the reward that had been announced in the special match.

As Hyunwoo tucked the potion into his coat, Lionel asked another question.

“Is there anything else you need?”

“May I make a request?”

“In commemoration of you becoming the Champion, I will provide you with what you need. Speak.”

If I hadn't been able to create this atmosphere, I would have had to return with just the potion.

Hyunwoo conveyed his thoughts to Lionel.

What he could gain from him here.

“I want an undeniable right to command, allowing me to spar with the gladiators staying in the arena.”

“Are you talking about a free sparring pass?”

“That is correct.”

“What is the reason?”

“Please think of it as a small struggle for survival.”

“I am suddenly curious about that struggle.”

At Lionel's gesture, a small piece of paper the size of a credit card was placed in front of Hyunwoo.

A paper that read ‘Free Sparring Pass’.

“I do not like my property being damaged.”

“I am also Lord Lionel's possession. I would not dare to think of killing your possessions.”

Lionel smiled contentedly at Hyunwoo's answer.

With this, he could now obtain any swordsmanship he wanted, at any time, in any place within the arena.

“Is that all you want?”

To Lionel, Hyunwoo was a gladiator who had brought him 5 million mana stones.

This much generosity was nothing.

After a moment of thought, Hyunwoo carefully opened his mouth.

“May I take the administrator, Van, as my own possession?”

For an Orc, he was surprisingly smart and competent.

From what I had observed of Van so far, I thought it would be okay to have him around as a ‘porter’.

Lionel, who had been silent for a moment, spoke again.

“Yes. If you are of royal blood, you would need at least one servant.”

At Lionel's gesture, footsteps were heard from outside the banquet hall.

And a moment later, an executive of the arena opened the door and entered.

‘It’s not like they're on a 5-minute standby, but everything happens with just a gesture.’

The newcomer was an executive who managed the administrators.

He opened his mouth.

“You called for me?”

“Can the Champion's administrator be made his possession?”

“May I have the administrator's name?”

At Lionel's gesture, Hyunwoo said Van's name.

“Could you please wait a moment?”

A short while later, the executive returned with a document containing information about him.

“Van-Grogue is the property of the arena, so he can be transferred at any time. However, his origin is… no, it's nothing. If it's for the Champion, there should be no problem in taking him as a servant.”

“Is that so.”

As Lionel nodded, the executive handed the document to Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo looked at the document in his hand.

A document containing Van's personal information and ownership.

Hyunwoo, who was slowly reading down the document, paused.

He had found something strange.

‘What is this?’

He thought he might have seen it wrong, so he rubbed his eyes and looked again, but nothing had changed.

Something he had never expected was written there.

Van’s race was not ‘Orc’.

[Race: High Orc]

‘High… Orc?’

It was like finding out a stone I had picked up was actually a jewel.