God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 87: Episode 17 _ My Father-In-Law’s Money Is Basically Mine(2)

Chapter 87: Episode 17 _ My Father-In-Law’s Money Is Basically Mine(2)

3.

An untimely assembly took place for the Imperial Knights. An assembly by the Emperor’s command! Knights who were handling miscellaneous duties gathered at the training grounds, which was exceptional. Servants looked surprised at a scene that couldn’t be easily seen unless a war had broken out.

"Your Majesty, everyone has assembled."

"Right. I called you because I have something to ask."

"Please give us your command."

"Please give us your command!"

At the same time, tension filled the knights’ expressions. What kind of matter was it for it to be this serious? Did a war perhaps break out? No, even if a war broke out, there was no reason for the Imperial Knights to gather in one place.

They were a group that solely protected the Emperor’s life, regardless of the war’s outcome. Besides, there was no way the Empire would lose. The Empire was solid enough to win even if it fought against the entire continent with its current power.

’Then assassination?’

The Imperial Knights did occasionally take on missions to assassinate disrespectful seeds from other kingdoms. However, that too was unsuitable as a reason for the entire order to gather. Then there was only one reason left.

’...Don’t tell me, demons?’

Next to the Emperor, the knights were the most knowledgeable about the continent’s information. Since they stuck by the Emperor’s side twenty-four hours a day, they were aware of most secrets.

Lately, adventurers had started appearing on the continent, the movements of monsters had become unusual, and they knew that it coincided with the cycle written in history books from thousands of years ago, showing signs of demons appearing. Therefore, they jumped to conclusions.

"Do you need time to train?"

"Pardon?"

They jumped over a very high wall of assumption and ended up committing the rudeness of questioning the Emperor.

"I apologize, Your Majesty."

"No, it was indeed out of the blue. However, it is because this is a point where your honest opinions are needed. Do you need training time?"

The knight commander remained silent. He couldn’t answer immediately. If it were a matter he could answer as a representative, the Emperor wouldn’t have told all the knights to stop their duties and gather at the training grounds.

He could have chosen arbitrarily and answered, or gathered the members’ opinions and reported them, but asking directly like this meant he intended to hear the opinion of every single knight.

"Do you need time to think?"

"...No."

But regardless, the first answer had to be his. Whether due to formalities or rank or whatever. Because the knight commander was making eye contact with the Emperor at the very front.

The Emperor stared at him.

"Tsk tsk. You want to go. Why can’t you say it?"

Han Simin, who was watching with his leg crookedly propped up next to the Emperor, sneered. For a mere subordinate—a "weaker party"—to be unable to answer in front of the Emperor meant that a definite decision had already been made in his heart.

Unless one was incredibly dense, there was no way they wouldn’t grasp the correlation between Han Simin being in this spot and the question.

"Is it not necessary?"

"...No."

But! Even so! How could he be the first to express a contrary opinion when his direct superior and the master of the continent was sending such a simmering gaze right in front of his eyes, silently pressuring him to say it wasn’t necessary? If he were a regular member, he might have spat it out even if he got cursed at for being tactless, but he was the knight commander.

’What do I do?’

What use was being the strongest knight who protected the continent and held it in his hands? In a position like this, he was ultimately no different from ordinary humans. The knight commander had to make a decision in a dilemma. In front was the Emperor’s simmering gaze. Behind were the knights’ desperate wishes.

’Just try saying it’s necessary.’

’Commander, it’s a god-given opportunity. Surely he wouldn’t kill us?’

He didn’t know why the Emperor was sending a gaze of forced refusal. But the important thing was that, depending on the answer, they could go even if the Emperor disliked it because the Emperor was not swayed by any story when he was at least certain.

’Ah, screw it.’

Eventually, he decided. His intuition, honed by a lifetime of the sword, guessed that their training would feel like a defeat to Han Simin for the Emperor, or that something would be ripped off from him.

"It is necessary."

Silence filled the air. But the desire to feel the pleasure of growth he felt back then was greater. The Knights would do anything for the Emperor, but the second priority was always the desire to become stronger!

Furthermore, becoming stronger was a means of protecting the Emperor. The members gained strength from the knight commander’s answer, which was a perfect rationalization.

"I also think it is necessary."

"Me too..."

"Me too..."

Identical answers. Within the disciplined movements, the corners of the knights’ mouths were subtly raised.

The Emperor was at a loss for words. Damn it. He couldn’t spit out curses in front of the knights. And he didn’t want to look at Han Simin, who was stretching proudly beside him.

"Your Majesty, you heard, right? Well, the choice is yours. Honestly, for me, even if the armor is a little less good, I can just get it elsewhere, but where would the knights get such a fortuitous encounter if not for me? There are about twenty million adventurers, but I bet I’m the only one among them who has this. Also, since I’m your son-in-law, and it would be sad if we calculated profits between us, I’m giving you a discount like this. Are you begrudging that trivial armor when I’m boosting the levels of the Knight Order, who are practically Your Majesty’s alter egos?"

He remained silent.

"Ah! Then it might be a waste. If you think of the Knight Order as just consumables to protect my life..."

"Stop! Starting now, under the Commander’s lead, you leave for training for ten days."

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now."

"Deal!"

Even that nerve-grating remark! The Emperor shuddered and stood up from his seat. He wanted to lock him in the underground prison and watch him writhe, but knowing that even that wasn’t pain for an adventurer, not associating with him was the best method!

Watching the Emperor leave the training grounds, Han Simin shouted.

"Leave the warehouse open before you sleep! If I don’t have armor, the training might be slowed down by half, so I’ll take the payment in advance!"

There was no answer. The Princess approached and filled the Emperor’s spot.

"Are you going immediately?"

"Yeah, want to go together?"

"I don’t know if my stamina has recovered enough to travel a long distance yet. I’m sorry."

"No, nothing to be sorry about. Let’s go play next time."

"Yes."

A much kinder attitude! It might seem materialistic, but Han Simin was confident.

’It’s good if she’s pretty!’

Besides, even when the princess was physically a bit uncomfortable due to the curse, didn’t he accept her without prejudice and take her as his wife without bursting out a single complaint? Why kick away such luck that came to him! Even though it was a game, there were plenty of people who bought capsules for games where they dated pretty women; this much was nothing.

"Then shall we go to the warehouse together?"

"Yes, Baron."

He naturally held out his hand, and the princess shyly took it.

’Shit... why are tears coming out?’

He felt somewhat happy, but it was like the Han Simin in reality was crying. He cleanly ignored the jealous gazes stabbing from behind and headed to the warehouse.

* * *

If the Knight Order leaves, who protects the Emperor! The Emperor himself blocked such worries in advance.

"I have called the former knight commander, the Tower Master, the mages of the Magic Tower, and the High Priests, so go without worry!"

They were speechless. With this, how could they worry anymore? The combat power itself was beefier than the Knight Order combined, and since they said with their own mouths that they wanted to go, the knights’ thick-skinned faces weren’t hard enough to back out now.

"Alright. Is everyone gathered?"

"Yes!"

However, regardless, once they left the Imperial Palace and lined up in front of Han Simin, the knights’ energy returned. Han Simin, wearing the crimson leather armor as usual, but with a shining, tight-fitting silver undersuit underneath! Their shoulders naturally straightened, and their chins lifted.

An undersuit! They hadn’t even imagined it. Didn’t he discover a trick to double the defense? Of course, he intended to sell the leather armor he was wearing.

’It’s too outdated for my class to wear.’

The reason the Emperor didn’t come out was because he didn’t want to see him. It was because he took the inner wear under the pretext of one set of armor and even took what to wear on the outside! Stop him? How could he stop a guy who already put it on and thanked him preemptively? It was the Emperor’s fault for leaving him alone, thinking he would take care of it himself.

"Mwahaha!"

He felt happy, strongly believing he had certainly gotten revenge for being screwed over in the territory matter. However, the biggest harvest would be the princess who became Cinderella. Thus, an excited Han Simin showed an active appearance after a long time.

"I will convey the precautions from now on. First, every time you don’t listen to me, I will cut one hour from the training time for the next ten days. Of course, not listening includes revealing that you find me annoying, glaring at me with disgust, or thinking that someone weaker than you is acting up! Understood?"

"Yes!"

It was a ridiculous condition, but the knights shouted sincerely. To them, Han Simin was a fascinating existence and a great person. At first, they considered him a trivial adventurer, but now he felt like a quasi-master. There was no need for that.

"Second, everything that drops from hunting is mine."

"Yes!"

"Then let’s go."

At the satisfactory answer, he moved his steps. It was obvious the knights would hunt for ten days straight without sleeping, but considering what he received, he could endure that much.

’I should sell the leather armor to an NPC for gold.’

Enhancing the undersuit and outerwear would make time pass quickly, and although nominally he said he would make the knights stronger, he planned to move in a direction that benefited Han Simin as well.

"...Excuse me, Baron."

"What?"

While walking for a while, perhaps noticing those thoughts or feeling something was strange, the knight commander asked cautiously.

"Do you happen to have a location in mind..."

Of course! It hadn’t been long since he got the Emperor’s permission, but the knight commander had planned the hunting ground and schedule tightly in advance. The monsters shouldn’t be too weak, nor too strong. Considering their level, there were only a few hunting ground conditions on the continent!

But if Han Simin went to a random place, it would all be for nothing. He couldn’t help but be anxious.

"Of course. Don’t worry too much. The place I’m going is also a place where you guys will feel like dying from the difficulty."

He fell silent. But he couldn’t express his inner thoughts because the picky guy in front of him would surely bring up the conditions set before the start and cut down the time if he said anything.

He could only hope that it wouldn’t be too different from the hunting ground conditions they wanted. The fortunate thing was that the direction was quite plausible.

"...Commander, isn’t this path a bit familiar?"

He said nothing. Except for the fact that it was in the direction of the Rich Territory, it was very plausible.

"I will achieve the cleanup of the north of Rich Territory that even His Majesty the Emperor couldn’t do."

"...Why us for that?"

"Ahem. Are you rebelling right now?"

"How could that be?"

"What is the reason you couldn’t clear the surroundings there? It’s because you guys are weak! Let’s take this opportunity to get stronger step by step and work hard for the Empire, and for your growth. I’ll help you with all my might from behind."

The Commander was speechless. An extremely personal task solely for himself! The cleanup of the territory’s surroundings under the guise of growth began.

* * *