Dragon Poor

Just in case, Kim Seon-Hyeok gathered the foreigners in one place and checked them over again, but as expected, he didn’t see anyone particularly suspicious.

Instead, they were staring at him with shining and worshipful eyes to the point of being burdensome.

“Um…”

Faced with those blind desires and longing gazes, his worries about the proxies’ existence became farther away.

Now, it was more important for him to care for the victims who had fallen into this world without knowing why and were living an unwanted life than to worry about the proxies. 

“Everyone except the foreigners can leave.”

Using the Imperial knights and people of the Empire as cover, Kim Seon-Hyeok kicked out the people from the Grand Duchys, that vassal states that had once been kingdoms, who had attended to keep an eye on the foreigners. The only ones left in the hall were the minimum number of servants needed to carry food and replenish drinks. 

“Now that all the disrupters have disappeared, let’s enjoy ourselves to our hearts’ content without worrying about anyone else anymore.”

Even though he tried to provide them with a comfortable atmosphere, none of the foreigners relaxed their posture.

It wasn’t unreasonable. When they had first fallen into this world, it was as if everyone was wearing clothes that didn’t fit them - awkward as they tried to get used to rank and classes. However, enough time had passed for them to adapt to this world. 

For them, the Indomitable Grand Duke wasn’t just a mere foreigner; he was a powerful person in an exalted position. And even if he said he wasn’t, there was already a gap between them and the Grand Duke because of the advancement of titles and rank.

That gap wasn’t so little that it would disappear with a single phrase of ‘enjoy yourselves comfortably.’

“Hm.”

While he had expected this, he was still embarrassed by the foreigners’ attitudes that were several times stiffer than he had expected. While he was at a loss for what to do, a foreigner from the Empire’s mainland stepped forward. 

“Then for today, there won’t be titles or classes, sir?”

It was Kim Woo-Young, a Magic Swordsman who had once been severely beaten by Kim Seon-Hyeok until he had changed into a completely new person. Now, he was speaking in an exaggerated manner.

“That’s right. Today, we’re going to take off our badges of rank and have some fun.”

Seeing Kim Woo-Young’s wink, Kim Seon-Hyeok answered with a laugh.

“Okay! No taking back your words later on, sir!”

Before Kim Seon-Hyeok could even respond, Kim Woo-Young spoke again.

“Seon-Hyeok hyung!”

He finally realized it when Woo-Young suddenly called him ‘hyung.’ Kim Woo-Young hadn’t stepped forward to relieve the other foreigners’ tension. He really was planning on dropping all ranks and enjoying the party.

“Ugh, did I overestimate him?”

Kim Seon-Hyeok shook his head and watched Kim Woo-Young swaggering as he once did before he had taught Woo-Young a lesson. 

“And why am I the hyung? He’s older than me.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok grumbled to himself. After turning 30, he somehow felt uncomfortable being treated as an elder.

However, seeing the atmosphere of the banquet quickly becoming lively due to the foreigners from the mainland finally intervening, his lips were clearly smiling.

Most of the foreigners were most definitely victims. They had fallen into this world without knowing why and had to start a new life where they were not wanted. They had to risk their lives and fight on the battlefields under the barbaric and harsh rules of this world. They had become tools for those in power who had the authority to drop them into hell with a twitch of a finger.

However, the only ones who had been paid back for the forced labor were only a small number of foreigners who had been awakened into intermediate and advanced classes.

Unlike the mainland of the Empire, which recognized the potential of the foreigners in the lower classes and actively began supporting them, the foreigners in the vassal states outside the Empire were still being treated as expendable beings.

Kim Seon-Hyeok felt sympathy and pity for them.

That’s why he had decided to take care of them himself. Unlike the past, he didn’t only have the ability to take care of not only a thousand of foreigners but ten times the amount. 

After glancing around, he summoned Lee Soo-Hyuk, the leader of the Giant Swordsmen.

“If anyone’s being treated unfairly or has a personal problem that can’t be resolved, tell them to find me once the banquet is over.”

Lee Soo-Hyuk nodded in admiration. 

“And if possible, tell it to the foreigners so that those in the intermediate and advanced classes don’t know about it, even if they’re the same affiliation.”

“So they don’t know?”

Perhaps his request was unexpected because Lee Soo-Hyuk’s eyes widened.

“The foreigners in the intermediate class have already lived as nobles for over 10 years. It wouldn’t be strange at all if their personal interests have gotten stronger than the bond of being a foreigner. They may even keep the foreigners from the lower classes from getting close to me.”

“But still, they’re also foreigners. Would they really do that?”

“Why do you think the nobles who came with them left so quietly and easily? Especially since if they aren’t careful, then even if they’re low ranking, as long as they’re talented, the foreigners may be taken by the Empire in large numbers.”

Lee Soo-Hyuk frowned and looked around before lamenting in a low voice. 

“Ah…”

“You see it now? They may seem like they’re getting along easily, but there is an invisible wall between the intermediate class foreigners and the lower class foreigners.”

At his words, Lee Soo-Hyuk spat out bitterly.

“They’re like noblemen.”

“They’re not like noblemen, they are noblemen. 

Since Kim Seon-Hyeok had first-hand experience in how the previous monarch, Theodore, had integrated the foreigners, who had equality carved into their bones, he knew the difference between the foreigners who had gone into the Central region and the other foreigners.

“You sure have learned a lot.”

As he watched Lee Soo-Hyuk lead a few of his men and naturally melt into the crowd of strangers, someone spoke to him.

“Miss Yoo-Jung.”

She was Ahn Yoo-Jung, a Wind Spirit Summoner and the original master of Atiyah.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has been. With so many things to do, even though we live in the same Imperial Capital, we have never met.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok greeted her with a calm face. He had felt the scent of her Spirit from the very beginning.

“Well, even if we had met, we have different titles and different positions. How could I have dared to exchange words with you?”

Once, the relationship between her and Kim Seon-Hyeok had been definite as she had a higher rank as a Viscount and he was only a cavalryman. But now, their relationship had completely reversed.

“Still, I do owe you, and we also have fought together. How could I pretend not to know you?”

“I was joking. Actually, it wasn’t because of my title, but because I was uncomfortable with you, that’s why I avoided you.”

Although he didn’t understand it, Kim Seon-Hyeok had an inkling so he only showed an awkward expression.

“I have recently been able to communicate directly with the Spirits. It was only then that I realized why I was swayed so easily by you every time we met.”

She looked him straight in the eye.

“You. You have the power to control the Spirits. That ability was why it was difficult for me to reject your requests.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Yoo-Jung. I didn’t have the intent to use you. It’s a skill that I myself struggle to control…”

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s all in the past.”

At those words, he finally realized something.

She wasn’t wavering a single bit as she looked straight at him. She had been swayed by his dominance in the past, but not anymore.

“How is it? Does it seem like the current me is affected by your power?”

“No, not at all.”

“That’s right. The way I am right now, I’m perfectly fine looking at you.”

It seemed like she had achieved a lot since he had last seen her. She seemed to completely escape the influence of his dominance.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

When he sincerely congratulated her, she accepted his kudos without a sign of humility.

“But more than that, you have changed a lot.”

“That’s because I truly fought to the point of death.”

She shook her head at Kim Seon-Hyeok’s answer.

“I am not talking about your physical power.”

Ahn Yoo-Jung’s gaze turned to Lee Soo-Hyuk, who was busily moving through the crowd of foreigners, before turning back to him. It seems like she had overheard the conversation between him and Lee Soo-Hyuk.

“Do you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“Right now, your expression is like a true noble, a true ruler.”

Wondering whether she was being sarcastic, he turned to look at her. But there were no signs of mockery anywhere on her face. Instead, she was staring at him with eyes full of admiration. 

“It’s a bit late, but congratulations on ascending to the position of Grand Duke. May you continue to be successful and have infinite glory in your future as the Grand Duke.”

Ahn Yoo-Jung held her dress out with graceful movements, bowed her head, and left.

“A true noble…”

Without intending to, Kim Seon-Hyeok touched his face several times.

“What is it? Are you giving yourself an acupuncture massage?”

Who knows when he had gotten that drunk, but Kim Woo-Young approached him with a ruddy face and spoke to him. Kim Seon-Hyeok completely ignored him.

Nod.

From afar, a woman who seemed both intelligent and elegant was enjoying the banquet. She bowed her head when their eyes met. She was Lee Eun-Seo, a senior mage who had recently developed a number of magical items and raised her status. 

Kim Seon-Hyeok gave her a small nod in return. 

“Everyone’s living well.”

He looked around with his eyes filled with emotions before he too finally jumped into the crowd to enjoy the banquet.

The modest banquet that had been prepared only for the foreigners before the Imperial Victory Day was over. But the real Victory Day celebration banquet was only starting.

Of course, before the real banquet started, Kim Seon-Hyeok had to keep his word.

“The people despise us as if we were the culprits behind the calamities of the West, sir.”

“We were the ones who stood at the front when the monsters were rioting, but after the fight was over, forget about being treated as comrades, we’re still bullied.”

“A count is hitting on me, but I’m so anxious because I don’t know when he might do something. Here, no matter what happens to a woman, no one will help them.”

Foreigners incessantly requested a meeting with him. Some came alone to discuss personal matters while others came in groups to complain about the unfair treatment they were receiving.

And most of them hoped to seek asylum on the mainland of the Empire where the lower-class foreigners were treated well. 

Kim Seon-Hyeok decided to accept all of them. Of course, it wasn’t easy. No matter how powerful the Empire was, it wasn’t easy to take the manpower of the Grand Dukes who had sworn oaths of vassalage to the Empire all at once.

But he had no intention of giving in. Even if he suffered some loss, he was determined to somehow carry out his will.

“Do what you want. Even if there is a backlash, I and the Empire will your windshield, Grand Duke.”

As she had always done, Ophelia continued to support him. Under her direction, the capable nobles of the Empire quickly began to create negotiation conditions.

“Aren’t they just lower class foreigners? It won’t matter whether they’re there or not. At best, their abilities are still inferior to those of an apprentice knight, right? So even if they’re gone, there’s nothing for you to regret. Aren’t I correct?”

And once the Victory Day’s banquet was in full swing, those nobles met with the delegation of each Grand Duke and presented them with things the Empire would exchange for the foreigners of the lower classes.

Most of the delegates answered that they were satisfied with the price offered by the Empire and said they would consider the proposal positively. Of course, there were also those who were against the idea saying that it would weaken the power of their Grand Duchy.

“The one who initiated this proposal was the Indomitable Grand Duke. He pities the people from the same world as him drifting around from one land to another and wishes to keep them close. However, if your stubbornness disappoints him and he decides to withdraw his blessing, then there is nothing that we can do about it.”

But those delegations could not continue to express their opposition to the proposal when the Empire stated they would withdraw the Dragon’s protection. 

They knew better than anyone else what a difficult time the kingdoms who didn’t have the Dragon’s protection were having against the monsters.

In the end, the delegations decided to give up all the foreigners of the lower classes. Included in the foreigners the delegation was giving up were the foreigners who hadn’t come to the Imperial Capital under the excuse of being ill.

“I didn’t think they would hand them over as well.”

When Kim Seon-Hyeok saw the delegations’ attitude of handing over even the foreigners who didn’t want to leave, he realized once again how neglected the foreigners of the lower classes were.

But since their sense of privilege was helping him out, it wasn’t exactly something to complain about.

“Eat to your heart’s content and enjoy yourselves!”

At the same time as Ophelia’s declaration, the fireworks sent up by the mages exploded over the banquet hall and the banquet reached its peak.

“Hm?”

Just as everyone was staring at the entertainment prepared by the Imperial Mage division, Kim Seon-Hyeok suddenly felt a strange sensation.

When he followed that strange sensation and turned his head towards it, he saw a woman staring at him. 

She didn’t look particularly striking. She had an ordinary appearance that could be seen everywhere and her outfit wasn’t unusual either.

Nevertheless, Kim Seon-Hyeok couldn’t take his eyes off her.

He felt tense. He was getting a strange feeling that if he turned his head for even a moment, the nape of his would be bitten.

She was exuding a stench similar to that of a wild beast.

“Can it be?”

He frowned at the unusual sensation as he stared at her.

‘Hi.’

The woman bit her lips, showing him a ferocious smile.

[It’s the Blue Wolf.]

A beat later, Edda’s voice came into her head.

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