6.

In a room larger than the Emperor’s own bedchamber, Han Simin was rolling around lazily on the huge bed that took up one side of the room when he heard a knock at the door.

The door opened cautiously.

His aide, whose belly had grown even more prosperous, came in with a grim, resolute expression.

“What’s up?”

“My lord. We have a problem.”

“Why? Did the Celestials come looking for me? To avenge the Heavenly King?”

Unlike his aide’s grave expression, Han Simin’s face was still relaxed.

He looked like he wouldn’t so much as twitch a toe even if the dead Heavenly King himself came back to life and swore revenge.

Who could stop him?

The aide let out a faint sigh and shook his head.

“No, sir. Someone far more terrifying has come.”

“Who?”

Even after hearing that, the lord still didn’t catch on, which the aide found deeply frustrating. But he couldn’t complain.

Without Han Simin, they would never have become the continent’s undisputed number one territory, much less risen to the level of a kingdom that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Empire.

“His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Huh? My father-in-law? All the way out here?”

“Yes. He has already sent sixteen letters summoning you to come in person, but since you kept pretending not to see them, he has come himself.”

“Man. What a hassle.”

At the mention that the Emperor—the only person on the continent who now stood above him—had arrived, Han Simin finally reacted.

He pushed himself up from the bed and stretched with a long yawn.

“Maybe I should just log out.”

“You mustn’t, my lord. Please.”

He tossed out an utterly irresponsible line, sending his aide rushing over in horror.

He, too, had learned a thing or two from Han Simin and was confident he would never have to kneel, not even before the Emperor. However, that confidence only extended to voicing his own opinions without backing down.

The Emperor was still the ruler and king of the continent.

’And Han Simin not only dragged such an Emperor all the way out here, but he’s now trying to run away because he doesn’t feel like meeting him?’

“After your audience with His Majesty, we can discuss this quarter’s profit distribution for the Rich Kingdom,” Hyeonsu said.

“That’s low.”

“His Majesty is enraged. It sounds like an important matter, so I believe it would be wise to meet him at least once.”

“Fine.”

In the end, Han Simin surrendered.

Dragging the hem of his loose, tracksuit-style loungewear along the floor, he shuffled toward his office.

*

“You haven’t changed,” the Emperor remarked.

“It’s been a while, Father-in-law.”

“You didn’t answer my letters because you found it bothersome, I assume?”

“I was a little busy.”

“Busy lying in bed, I imagine.”

“So, what brings you here?”

For a conversation between the Emperor of the continent and a mere commoner, the level of disrespect was downright dangerous.

Yet the Emperor did not waver in the slightest.

It was not because he possessed an ironclad mentality. Nor was it because, from his lofty position, he had learned to tolerate the insolence of such a lowly creature.

He had simply transcended it all.

“I came to ask a favor.”

Because of this, he no longer cared about tone and could say whatever he wanted.

As one human being to another.

He had cast aside the pride of an Emperor.

At that nonchalant tone, Han Simin’s brow creased slightly.

“What’s with that ominous way of speaking? It sounds like you’re about to ask for something incredibly annoying and unprofitable.”

Han Simin’s instincts were sharp, but the Emperor’s next words cut off his attempt to back away before he could take a single step.

“I wish to hand the Empire over to the Princess.”

Fortunately, it was not a particularly difficult request for Han Simin.

If anything, it was debatable whether this even counted as a request.

“Go ahead.”

He was already well-fed and comfortable, spending his days wandering around for fun and playing the game at a leisurely pace. A huge influx of new users had arrived, and on the community boards, people were debating whether the Main Quest had actually ended or if another was waiting, its conditions not yet met.

The consensus was that, given the nature of 『Fantastic World’s』 lore, a new Main Quest would likely emerge eventually.

In other words, this was a lull.

Everything had been power-crept to absurd levels—well, only for Han Simin and Specialist, but still—so they could afford to mess around and take it easy until the other users caught up.

And now, in the middle of this lull, a new competition over the Empire?

Just thinking about it made his head hurt.

Besides, the fact that the Emperor had come all this way to say this meant he didn’t even need to. Saying he needed Han Simin’s permission was just another way of saying that if Han Simin didn’t give it, the Empire would naturally end up his anyway.

“So a woman can’t be Emperor?”

“She can, but only if she is unmarried. For a member of the imperial family, marriage is tantamount to renouncing the right to the throne.”

“Come on. Then this isn’t something I can just tell her to do, is it?”

“I intend to break that rule this time.”

Han Simin remained silent.

’Wow. This old man really has changed.’

Tsk, tsk.

Han Simin clicked his tongue and shook his head. He had suspected as much ever since the Emperor had raised an army to keep the continent from falling into Kenji’s hands, even after learning that Simin had colluded with the Demon King.

“Well, it’s not a bad idea.”

The fact that he had become flexible was by no means bad news, so Han Simin gave a positive answer.

Master of the Empire.

Master of the continent.

In this day and age, when 『Fantastic World』 itself functioned as a kind of investment portfolio, having at least one such title under his belt wasn’t a bad thing at all.

However, instead of immediately planning an all-out confrontation with the Emperor, who had come bowing his head for that very title, he started running the numbers.

’Not yet.’

Han Simin had finally reached a point where he could plan for the future and pace himself.

If he did it now, he could certainly entertain the bored viewers stuck in this lull and make some money, but a war that flared up too hot in the middle of a rest period wouldn’t last long.

He could wait. It wouldn’t be too late to act when some new episode unfolded.

’Besides, the Imperial Princess is already on my side.’

In fact, this might be the better play. If he became Emperor in any capacity, he would be buried under a tidal wave of administrative work.

“So all I have to do is give up my claim?”

“If you simply say as much in front of the opposing factions, I will handle the rest.”

“Sure, why not. If our Princess is going to be Empress, then as King of the Rich Kingdom, I have no particular reason to object.”

“Thank you.”

“In return, we should settle the accounts properly, right?”

The Emperor remained silent.

“That massive gold vein you discovered recently in the Northern Forbidden Zone—give me that.”

“You’re nothing short of a thief.”

“Better to steal a single gold vein than to steal the entire Empire, don’t you think?”

“...Very well.”

A mutually beneficial deal was neatly concluded.

*

The Imperial Princess ascended the throne, and immediate retribution rained down upon the opposing factions.

The new Empress was more of a tyrant than the previous Emperor, more brutal, and her hand never hesitated in the slightest.

Even so, the people cheered for their new ruler.

First of all, she was beautiful. And for as ruthless as she was to her enemies, she lavished boundless affection on the kingdoms and subjects who came under her wing.

The carrot and the stick.

She wielded them better than anyone.

Even though the world had entered a lull and no one dared challenge the Empire anymore, factions that opposed it kept popping up wherever there were lines to be drawn. The wars to establish a new order continued day after day without pause.

In the midst of all that, what she cared about most was welfare policy.

“Do not spare any support for the Rich Kingdom, which has played the greatest role in connecting the people of the continent with the adventurers. For the continent to grow and to prevent future threats, the most important thing is harmony between adventurers and the people.”

Her intentions were as transparent as glass, yet no one could refute her.

“These criteria were selected in a very fair and just manner. If anyone has objections, please feel free to voice them at any time.”

“Um, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Ah! Of course, before I make a decision on any objections, I will first verify just how fair and upright the objectors themselves are.”

The noble was speechless.

From that day on, strange rumors began to circulate not only among users but even among NPCs.

“They say the true master of the continent is actually the King of the Rich Kingdom.”

“I heard he gave up the throne because he thought it would be too much of a hassle.”

“I heard a letter arrived from the Rich Kingdom last night, and the very next day, five nobles who had been gossiping about it all vanished.”

*

7.

When Epia was not around, the Heavenly King had rampaged with such ferocity that it seemed he would swallow the Demon World whole, but the demons themselves had not retaliated in kind.

No one knew why.

For the Celestials, however, it was nothing short of a heaven-sent opportunity.

A chance to recover.

Of course, they still wondered why the demons hadn’t charged in to wipe them out entirely, but this was no time to dwell on such questions.

They needed to elect a new Heavenly King and reorganize as quickly as possible.

The problem was who would sit on that throne.

In their hearts, every Celestial wanted to become the Heavenly King. This desire was even stronger because, unlike the demons, the Celestials did not determine their leader through a strict hierarchy.

Once someone became Heavenly King, they naturally drew closer to God and gained power befitting the position.

Because of that, the gathered Celestials watched one another carefully, gauging the mood.

The staring contest did not last long.

Even if they didn’t have a rigid hierarchy, there were still ranks among them.

“I will temporarily sit on the Heavenly King’s throne.”

The Celestial who had exercised authority just below the Heavenly King stepped forward. Along with him, several upper-rank and top-tier Celestials who had already been drawn into his camp chimed in.

They had prepared extensively and stepped up boldly while everyone else was still hesitating, so no one could easily object.

Above all, their momentum was menacing.

“In times as chaotic as these, we have no time for infighting. The Heavenly King’s seat is not what matters most; what matters is preparing for the demons, who may strike again at any moment! Anyone who disrupts that effort can only be seen as a dog of the demons, can they not?”

Their justification was airtight.

Wearing a satisfied smile, the Celestial who was to become the temporary Heavenly King began walking toward the shattered Heavenly King’s castle. Although it had been destroyed and nothing remained, a castle could always be rebuilt.

Heh-heh.

What mattered was that he would become Heavenly King. Ascending to a position chosen by God was meaningful in every sense.

“Wait!”

In that moment, in a place where no one had dared raise their voice, a clear, pure voice rang out, the only one to halt his steps.

Thin but firm.

Overflowing with confidence and faith.

The Celestials turned to look, and a familiar face met their gaze.

“Aria?”

“You survived?”

“What are you doing here...?”

“Didn’t you fall to the Demon King?”

As the murmurs spread, a top-tier Celestial allied with the would-be king realized what the weapon in Aria’s hand signified and shouted urgently.

“How dare that traitor, who bedded the demons, brazenly show her face here! Get out at once!”

Even in the face of such humiliating insults, Aria’s expression did not change.

She simply drew the weapon that gleamed with a crimson light.

“From today, Heaven will change. We will no longer bow to any foreign power but will endure on our own strength. To that end, we will adopt any means that can help us, even if they are the ways of the Demon World.”

That day, the master of Heaven changed.

*