I Became a Righteous Knight in a Game

Chapter 111

Reinhardt was dumbfounded.

“Someone is trapped? In the villa where I used to live?”

Aslan, or rather, Han Yura, had said so.

She said a man named Team Leader Choi Ho-jun had mimicked Reinhardt’s actions exactly and, as a price, had become trapped in the building.

“Does that make any sense?”

Of course, it was not that it made no sense.

It was not impossible, but that did not make it any less absurd.

In addition to that.

‘The fact that things turned out this way means these people don’t know anything either.’

It was a regrettable fact.

Han Yura was the lifeline that had appeared before Reinhardt.

He had thought he could somehow grab onto it and climb up, but unfortunately, the lifeline had long since rotted away.

In fact, it was Han Yura’s side that was asking Reinhardt for help.

‘I have to know something to be able to help. I was just thrown in here without a clue myself.’

The advice Reinhardt could offer was limited.

All he knew was that one should not agree to the input of a substitute.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): What happened?

ㄴ(Aslan): The same as ever. I think he’ll have to stay here for a while.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): For a while, you say. Does that mean you’ve found a way?

ㄴ(Aslan): Not at all.

Reinhardt once again found the situation so absurd that he ended up laughing.

But this also made one thing certain.

‘Now they’ll surely believe it. Since they’ve experienced a supernatural event firsthand.’

Reinhardt had been transmigrated into the game.

Most people would think it was nonsense, but from now on, Han Yura would not be able to.

She herself was experiencing such a moment right now.

For some reason, Reinhardt’s mood improved slightly.

It was because he felt as if, while drifting in the vast ocean clinging to a buoy, he had met a companion in a similar situation.

‘Though they won’t be of much help.’

Of course, the companion was also just floating aimlessly in the sea.

But there was a clear, stark difference between enduring a situation alone and enduring it together with others.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): I’ll look for a way on this end too. I don’t know if it will be of any help, though.

ㄴ(Aslan): Please do. The same goes for us.

Whenever Reinhardt left a comment, a reply came back instantly.

It was proof that Han Yura’s side was also desperate.

Then, a thought occurred.

Reinhardt realized a very important fact.

‘Wait a minute. She said she’s Han Yura, right? The genius developer of Soul Calibur.’

The person he was talking to was Han Yura.

That meant she was a being akin to the creator of this world.

If so.

If she was someone who knew every secret of this world inside and out.

‘Wouldn’t she know what I should do from now on?’

Why had he not thought of this?

It was a world of continuous crises, but Han Yura was the person who knew the answers to solve them.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): You said you are Ms. Han Yura, right?

ㄴ(Aslan): Yes. That’s me.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): Did you participate in the development of this expansion pack as well?

ㄴ(Aslan): It’s safe to say I conceptualized almost all of it.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): Then you must know what I have to do now, right? You must also know how to grow the Light Spirit.

To the current Reinhardt, Han Yura was like a cheat code.

She was like the answer sheet one sneaks a peek at when tired of solving a problem set.

He had thought so, but the answer that came back was different from what he expected.

ㄴ(Aslan): I know how to grow the Light Spirit. The standard method is to expose it to as much sunlight as possible. Moonlight helps too. It’s a Light Spirit, after all.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): So I just need to keep it in a bright place?

ㄴ(Aslan): It won’t be without effect. But the sun is the most effective means of growth.

It meant he should just continue what he was doing.

But the problem was the addendum attached to her first answer.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): I understand. I’ll do that. But from what you wrote in the comment, it seems to imply you don’t know what I should do now.

ㄴ(Aslan): I don’t.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): ?

ㄴ(Aslan): You’ve already deviated far from my original design intentions. The storyline you’re currently progressing through is nearly impossible.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): What does that mean?

ㄴ(Aslan): You’ve entered that world directly, haven’t you?

ㄴ(Reinhardt): Yes.

ㄴ(Aslan): That’s why the current development was possible. We made it so that a regular user playing on a computer cannot play that way.

It was something not just anyone could do.

He roughly understood that meaning, but what Reinhardt needed now was not praise from a developer.

ㄴ(Aslan): So, what I’m trying to say is.

Fortunately, Han Yura added an explanation as if she had read Reinhardt’s mind.

The functions a user can utilize in the game are limited.

It meant they could not show delicate emotions towards NPCs like Reinhardt could.

While basic emotional expressions like crying and laughing could be used, actions like conveying subtle emotions through facial expressions were not possible.

ㄴ(Aslan): In the end, a difference arises from the conditions themselves. For example, if you think you need to persuade Evangeline, it would be much more difficult if you could only use simple emotional expressions, right?

ㄴ(Reinhardt): It would be.

ㄴ(Aslan): Besides, other people can’t speak freely either. So, most players can only use limited means when interacting with NPCs.

Reinhardt understood as soon as he heard the explanation.

“So it was possible because I was truly transmigrated.”

Acting as a righteous knight, persuading someone, threatening, deceiving, and caring for them—all those choices were things only Reinhardt could do.

To him, this place was reality, but to others, it would just be a game.

“So she doesn’t know. Fine. That’s okay.”

Then he could also understand why the progression of events was unpredictable.

Even when Han Yura had checked on Reinhardt’s current situation, she had seemed bewildered.

‘She said originally, the Magical Beasts and the Dark Order were supposed to appear as a set.’

But the Magical Beasts had appeared, and the Dark Order had not.

Because Reinhardt had made it so.

That, too, would have been impossible if it were just a game.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): I understand. Then please tell me about some hidden treasures. Like weapons or crafting materials hidden somewhere in some mountain range?

ㄴ(Han Yura): I can’t know that either, for now.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): What do you mean you don’t know that either?

ㄴ(Han Yura): The reason is similar. Precious materials like Magic Stones and Sealing Stones are always on the move. I could make a guess if the progression were standard, though.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): What about treasures? Aren’t there any hidden holy swords?

ㄴ(Han Yura): I don’t like things like that. I believe finding a hidden treasure and using it to clear the game easily ultimately diminishes the fun.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): No…….

ㄴ(Han Yura): Isn’t that how everyone is? At first, they find it novel and fun, but after a little while, guides pop up all over the internet. In the end, new users are busy finding treasures by following the guides. I didn’t want that kind of situation.

All elements within the world must have an organic relationship.

That was Han Yura’s philosophy as a developer, and in reality, the users were satisfied with it.

It was because they could encounter all sorts of situations depending on how they played the game.

‘She’s not wrong. Not wrong, but.’

Reinhardt scratched his eyebrow with his index finger and started typing again.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): Still, isn’t there anything you can tell me? Like how to grow the Light Spirit.

ㄴ(Aslan): It’s possible, but the amount of information is too vast. I also have to consider the number of cases. For example, the Light Spirit is the same.

Han Yura explained again.

She said that while the method for growing the Light Spirit was fixed, the growth efficiency and process could subtly change depending on the situation.

ㄴ(Aslan): Fortunately, you’re on friendly terms with Truma now, but if you become hostile towards Truma, the more sunlight the Light Spirit is exposed to, the weaker it becomes. In that case, you couldn’t even call it a Light Spirit, though.

Therefore.

ㄴ(Aslan): If you ask about a specific setting, I can answer. But if you ask for information that might be helpful in the current situation, or for general information, there’s nothing I can tell you.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): I understand. Then what happens later? What’s the final goal of the expansion pack?

ㄴ(Aslan): You probably already know, don’t you? This world is a point in time before the original story.

It was just as Han Yura said.

This place was an expansion pack, a world dealing with the past of the original story.

‘So it ends when I beat up all the demons. Just like the original.’

But the difference from the original story was the fact that he could change the process of reaching the final destination to his liking.

ㄴ(Reinhardt): I understand for now. If anything comes up, I’ll let you know again. I’ll start a new series of posts or something.

ㄴ(Aslan): Us too.

Reinhardt took his hands off the keyboard.

With eyes half-dazed, he scanned over the conversation he had with Han Yura again.

“How absurd.”

His impression was no different from what he had first felt.

And unlike the desperation of Reinhardt and Han Yura.

ㄴAnonymous35: What did those guys see? Show me what they saw!

ㄴAnonymous41: I’m dying of curiosity! I’m dying!

ㄴAnonymous42: fr can’t you just reveal it?? I’m going crazy??

The community users seemed to think the two were putting on a show.

To stimulate the curiosity of prospective expansion pack players.

And in reality, the fact that their conversation was private was already generating a significant ripple effect.

“They must have a headache over there too.”

However, cleaning up the problems in the real world was Han Yura’s responsibility.

Reinhardt closed the community.

Now that he had figured out that Han Yura could not provide immediate help, he had to move to resolve the issues he had temporarily set aside.

***

Alchemist Felton’s workshop was of a medium size in Serigel.

It was neither too large nor too small.

But his passion was undeniable.

The alchemists gathered in the workshop were not there for money or fame, but solely for the advancement of the discipline known as alchemy.

“It is such a pleasure to meet you. Truly.”

“I am Reinhardt, a knight of Taton.”

“Yes, and I am Felton! An alchemist.”

Felton extended a hand stained with scars to Reinhardt, who had visited the workshop.

They were all the aftermath of passionate experiments.

Sometimes, just a single drop of a potent chemical could burn the skin black.

“I heard a rough explanation from the Knight Commander, but he said that Sir Reinhardt would provide additional details.”

Alchemist Felton was making his gaunt cheeks even gaunter as he showed his blatant anticipation.

“I also heard that you possess research materials that have never been discovered before.

We have very high expectations.”

“Yes, they will be new research materials. The types are also diverse. It will require a tricky process to refine them, but I know the method to some extent.”

“That is truly, very interesting.”

Felton rubbed his palms together, putting on the most amicable expression he could muster.

“If you entrust it to us, we will somehow produce the results you desire. Even if we have to grind all the alchemists in the workshop to do it.”