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[Translator - Night]
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Chapter 265: The Descent of the Holy Sword (5)
"I didn't lose."
Ketal spoke lightly, and Kretein swallowed hard.
Ketal had won against Materia.
He was also a high-ranking superhuman, someone who could stand tall wherever he went.
But this...
This was something else entirely.
Kretein struggled to suppress his shock and spoke.
"...Thank you sincerely for coming."
"I enjoyed it, so it's fine,"
Ketal said with a faint smile.
"By the way, I have the Golden Pass. Is that something special?"
"It is different. The Golden Pass is much higher than the Silver Pass."
The Golden Pass was only given to those who deserved the utmost respect from the entire Holy Sanctuary.
It was reserved for heroes or those with equivalent influence.
"Ketal, of course, you should have the Golden Pass. Please, follow me."
Kretein led Ketal deeper into the Holy Sanctuary, into an area that ordinary people could not access.
They entered a large building within the Holy Sanctuary.
"This is it."
"Wow,"
Ketal's eyes sparkled.
The building was enormous, and it contained all sorts of facilities, as if a whole village had been compressed inside.
The quality of the facilities was far superior to those outside.
It felt like entering a luxury hotel.
"Everything here is free. Please make yourself at home,"
Kretein whispered quietly.
"If you're uncomfortable being around others, I can guide you to a private room."
"No, this is fine. Thank you."
"Very well. I will return in a few days."
Kretein bowed respectfully to the end.
Ketal walked through the building with a pleased expression.
Outside, it was crowded with people, making it difficult to walk, but here there were very few people, no more than a dozen or so.
Only top-tier elites were allowed in, so it was to be expected.
'How should I pass the time?'
As he wandered through the building, something caught Ketal's eye.
It was a bar.
But it wasn't just any bar.
It had an elegant atmosphere and various types of alcohol displayed.
'A cocktail bar?'
Ketal's face lit up with interest.
How would fantasy cocktails taste?
He entered the bar.
The bartender guided him to a seat and handed him the menu with skilled movements.
Ketal sat down and browsed the menu.
All the drinks had names he'd never seen before.
As Ketal smiled, contemplating what to order, someone approached him.
"Hello?"
Someone spoke to Ketal.
He turned to see who it was.
He wasn't surprised since he had sensed someone approaching.
Ketal looked at the person and exclaimed in surprise,
"Pasika! We meet again here!"
"Indeed. I see you've made it in here as well."
Pasika smiled as he appeared.
From what he could sense, Ketal's aura was of first-rate quality.
It wasn't surprising that he could enter this place.
"Shall we sit together? Let's continue the conversation we couldn't finish before."
"Sounds good."
Ketal laughed heartily and made room for Pasika to sit next to him.
Pasika sat down with a mysterious smile.
* * *
In the continent, there was a kingdom called Feridoan.
It was a powerful nation, on par with the kingdom of Denian.
No other kingdom could easily challenge it, and it was a historically rich kingdom with hundreds of years of history.
Pasika was the first prince of the Feridoan kingdom.
He had an appearance that seemed straight out of a painting.
Poets sang of his beauty, and the ladies of high society longed to catch a glimpse of him.
Not only was he good-looking, but he also had proper manners and cared for others.
He was strong as well, having reached the upper tier of top-level superhumans at a young age.
He was expected to surpass the superhuman level and reach the rank of a hero.
He was the pride of the royal family and beloved by all his people.
He was, in every sense, like a hero from a painting.
When he came to this place, everyone had high hopes that if anyone could pull the Holy Sword, it would be him.
But Pasika had one peculiar hobby.
He enjoyed hiding his true identity, befriending people, and then revealing his identity to shock them.
He felt an intense thrill from watching people react in surprise when they realized he was a prince.
He wasn't an evil person, and it wasn't necessarily wrong.
But it wasn't exactly an appropriate hobby for a prince of a nation.
His father had warned him about it, so he had been restraining himself.
But he was reaching his limit.
'Since I'm out of the kingdom for once!'
He thought it would be okay to enjoy his hobby for a bit.
He was looking for someone suitable to surprise.
Then he noticed a barbarian standing in front of the Holy Sanctuary.
At first, he was quite surprised.
A barbarian, who was known to hate gods, was at the Holy Sanctuary?
It was a very strange sight.
But the fact that this barbarian was here meant that, unlike typical barbarians, he had some common sense.
And if that was the case, he could be a target.
With that in mind, Pasika approached Ketal.
Pasika squinted his eyes.
He could sense that Ketal's aura was of first-rate quality.
Through their conversations, he had confirmed that Ketal had no significant background.
After two "coincidental" meetings, they had built a sufficient rapport.
'This should be enough.'
Satisfied, Pasika smiled and called the bartender.
"To celebrate our second meeting, it's on me!"
"But isn't everything here free?"
"What's important is the sentiment."
"That’s true."
Ketal laughed heartily.
Pasika ordered from the bartender.
"Bartender, two Retinis!"
"Retini?"
Hearing an unfamiliar name, Ketal tilted his head in curiosity.
Pasika smiled knowingly.
"Just try it."
Soon, the bartender handed them two glasses.
Ketal lifted his glass and took a sip.
"Oh."
Ketal's expression showed surprise.
Seeing this, Pasika felt a sense of satisfaction.
He assumed Ketal was impressed by the taste of a proper drink.
He thought Ketal was moved by the taste that was on a different level compared to the strong liquor barbarians usually drank.
But in reality, it was different.
'This is a martini, isn't it?'
It was a cocktail he had tried on Earth before.
Come to think of it, this world also had things like wheat and barley.
Since the ingredients were the same, it wasn't surprising that they had drinks identical to those on Earth.
‘Who would've thought I'd be drinking an Earth cocktail in a fantasy world.’
It felt strangely nostalgic.
Ketal sipped the martini.
"It's delicious."
"Oh, uh, yeah, right?"
Pasika was caught off guard by the unexpectedly calm reaction.
'Th-this isn't what I expected...'
But Pasika didn't lose sight of his goal.
He continued chatting with Ketal, trying to build a rapport.
When he felt they had grown close enough, Pasika's eyes gleamed.
"Ah, come to think of it, there's something I haven't told you."
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[Translator - Night]
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"What is it?"
"Hmm, I wasn't planning on saying it. People usually get surprised and distance themselves when they find out. But after talking to you, I don't think you're that kind of person, so I'll tell you."
"Don't worry. I'm not the type to change my attitude."
Ketal spoke lightly.
Pasika laughed at those words.
Many had said the same thing before, but none of them had kept their word.
'Alright, then.'
Be amazed!
As he reveals his true identity and watch their eyes widen in shock and panic!
Just as he was about to speak about himself—
"Excuse me."
Someone spoke from behind.
Annoyed at being interrupted, Pasika turned his head.
There stood a middle-aged man, looking at Ketal with a curious expression.
'Who is that?'
It was a face he recognized.
As Pasika searched his memory, his eyes widened.
'Th-the Mercenary Guild Master!'
The one who oversaw all the mercenaries on the continent.
The Mercenary Guild Master.
Some people looked down on them as mere mercenaries, but their influence was not to be underestimated.
They were one of the few organizations spread across the entire continent.
Not only were they numerous, but there were also a few superhumanly strong individuals among them.
And the Mercenary Guild Master was the one who managed and commanded all of these mercenaries.
Even the Mercenary King couldn't ignore the Guild Master's words.
Although his personal strength wasn't remarkable, his influence was greater than that of two or three kings combined.
And such a person was approaching with a cautious expression.
'Did he recognize me?'
Pasika was a young man who had reached the top tier of excellence.
He had made quite a name for himself.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Mercenary Guild Master had recognized him and approached.
Pasika quickly straightened his posture.
But the Guild Master paid him no attention.
He was solely focused on Ketal.
"Excuse me, but are you by any chance Mr. Ketal?"
"I am Ketal, indeed."
"Oh, I see! It's an honor to meet you!"
The Guild Master excitedly grabbed Ketal's hand.
His enthusiasm was palpable.
"I am Dragan, the Mercenary Guild Master! It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Oh, I see."
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Ketal!"
The Guild Master's loud declaration made Pasika's eyes widen.
The Mercenary Guild Master.
A person of immense influence.
Even his father, the King of Feridoan, had to be extremely courteous when dealing with the Guild Master.
But now, this Guild Master was bowing to Ketal.
As if he were of a lower status.
The Guild Master spoke cautiously.
"Mr. Ketal, if it's not too much trouble, could we have a word? Since you're technically a mercenary, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Ah, I haven't done mercenary work in quite a while. Is this about losing my status?"
"Absolutely not! That could never happen! I just need to confirm something."
"I don't mind. Could I visit you later? I'm in the middle of a conversation right now."
"Yes! I'll be waiting!"
The Guild Master shouted loudly before retreating.
He didn't show the slightest bit of interest in Pasika.
"So, what were you about to say?"
Ketal turned back with a curious expression.
"Uh, well..."
Pasika was at a loss for words.
'Wait a second.'
Pasika was confused.
He had planned to reveal that he was the first prince, destined to become the king and ruler of the Feridoan Kingdom.
He wanted to see Ketal panic and scramble to show respect upon learning about his status and background.
But here was the Mercenary Guild Master, who held much greater influence and authority than he did, bowing to Ketal.
'Wh-what?'
But he couldn't just stay silent.
Ketal was looking at him, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Uh, so..."
Pasika stammered.
And at that moment, someone else interrupted.
"Hello?"
At the sound of a woman's voice, they turned their gaze.
Pasika gasped at the sight of her.
Because she was stunningly beautiful.
A woman with golden hair and black eyes.
She looked like a sculpture brought to life.
Pasika had often been praised for his good looks, as if he had stepped out of a painting, but he seemed plain and ordinary compared to this woman.
Her beauty was that flawless.
The woman in her elegant dress was looking at Ketal.
"Is your name Ketal, by any chance?"
"Yes, it is. And you are?"
Ketal looked at her with admiration.
But it wasn't because of her beauty, like it was for Pasika.
Although the woman was indeed beautiful, so were high elf queens, demons, and ancient dragons.
He admired her for another reason.
'She's strong.'
Even though she had restrained her aura, an overwhelming force could still be felt.
Ketal was genuinely impressed.
She was strong.
She might be the strongest human he had encountered outside.
A strength that made the Mercenary King and the Chief Inquisitor look like children.
A divine presence akin to that of a god's avatar.
She had transcended mere power.
With such strength... Ketal's eyes shone.
"That's right. I've heard many things about you. I've always wanted to meet you."
The woman bowed respectfully, introducing herself with utmost courtesy.
"Ketal the Barbarian, from the other side. I am Helia, the Saintess of the Sun God. It is a pleasure to meet you."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
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