The Return Of The Genius Ranker Of All Times [EN]: Chapter 174

174.

It is said that when a person is in shock, their thought process shuts down.

Dohyun was feeling the truth of those words. For a moment, time seemed to stop, and he couldn’t think of anything.

One second, two seconds passed…….

“Ah.”

Dohyun blinked, regaining his senses after a little less than three seconds.

He saw Ruriel tilting her head, looking at him as if asking what he was doing.

Soon, she seemed to grasp the situation and explained.

“Ah, I didn’t tell you who that was, did I? No wonder you’re so taken aback.”

“…….”

“You probably guessed it to some extent, but yes. That sleeping woman is Angela, the one you’ve been searching for so desperately.”

It was a confirmation.

Dohyun, faced with the undeniable truth, paused to collect his thoughts.

No, he tried to.

‘No, I can’t collect them.’

If only his brain, soaked in bewilderment, could function properly.

Still, after diligently wracking his brain, he managed to summarize the situation to some extent.

‘So, Angela died, but she’s not really dead, and she’s sleeping in this forest for some reason? And at the same time, she’s the key and medium to obtaining the Fragment of Fate.’

‘I think that’s right, Master?’

‘Excellent summary, my lord.’

‘Lizariza!’

It was good that he had obtained a clue to get the Fragment of Fate as he had hoped.

‘But why does it have to be Angela who is the key?’

Since Sargis, he knew that the Fragments of Fate were usually shattered, and a medium to act as a key was needed to restore them to their original form.

But why did it have to be a person?

And not just any person, but the Sleeping Beauty who was thought to be dead.

Does the King even know about this in the first place?

Considering the fuss he made just by touching the necklace, it was questionable.

“There’s no way he wouldn’t know. The White Magic Tower Master personally created the barrier coffin at the King’s request. There’s no place as safe as this.”

“Ah.”

I guess that’s not the case.

As he reached out to touch the glass coffin at those words, there was a crackling sound, and his hand bounced back.

[Protected by a powerful barrier.]

[Prolonged contact may cause fatal damage.]

[Attempting to解除 it without permission requires very high-level barrier解除 ability and magical knowledge.]

‘The performance is certainly reliable.’

It was well-known that the White Magic Tower Master had no equal when it came to crafting magical artifacts.

There were also many rumors that he excelled in barrier magic, and it seemed that this was a special glass coffin combining those two skills.

But that wasn’t what mattered now.

“……More importantly, why is Angela in a place like this?”

Why was she sleeping in such a place?

And why was she being protected with a special barrier in this particular location?

That was the question.

“She’s cursed.”

“……A curse?”

“A curse that puts you into eternal slumber. She’s probably living in a dream world right now.”

Ruriel’s expression turned bitter as she looked at the sleeping Angela.

“It’s the end of those who break taboos…….”

“Taboos?”

“I don’t think I’m the one to talk about this. It’s polite for the people involved to bring it up.”

“……Polite. Hmm. I guess.”

“Why are you looking at me like that? Is it surprising to see the word ‘polite’ coming out of my mouth?”

“No way.”

……This kid is more perceptive than I thought.

Is it because of all the nagging she’s done?

Dohyun cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“More importantly, by ‘people involved’……. Are you talking about the person I’m thinking of?”

Ruriel looked at him with a suspicious gaze, but fortunately, she followed Dohyun’s lead.

She nodded and looked south.

In the direction of Pratel, the City of Dreams. More precisely, in the direction of the royal castle beyond it.

“King Gilberun, known as the greatest sage king in history. The rest he will tell you.”

“Ah.”

Dohyun nodded silently, then paused.

After thinking for a moment, Dohyun spoke in a reluctant tone.

“Um……. I don’t think that’s going to be easy.”

“Huh? Why? He’s not the kind of person who would discriminate against an Apostle and refuse to meet them, is he?”

“I got kicked out.”

“……?”

Ruriel tilted her head, looking as if she couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Dohyun briefly explained to her what had happened and how he had been kicked out.

Ruriel chuckled after hearing the whole story.

“That’s amazing. How did you find that? Frankly, even the White Magic Tower Master himself wouldn’t be able to find it so easily because there wouldn’t even be a trace.”

“I have good eyes.”

“……I can’t accept that just because you have good eyes?”

He does have very good eyes.

After all, he has the only eye in God of Creation Online, the unique trait. Ruriel scratched her head and turned around as if she didn’t understand.

“Okay. Just follow me. If you explain it well, it’ll be fine.”

“That’s…… not the expression I saw.”

Dohyun recalled the faces of Gilberun and the Knight Commander when he was kicked out and clicked his tongue.

Their faces were so cold that they were almost frozen.

But Ruriel was just calm.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What, do you have a plan?”

“It’s not really a plan. It’s just that I, Ruriel, am vouching for you.”

She smiled and said confidently.

“So just trust me and follow me.”

Dohyun nodded at her confident demeanor.

At this moment, Ruriel was just a beacon of light.

But it didn’t take long for that thought to be shattered.

* * *

The back gate of the royal castle.

An entrance not permitted to users.

“No, I’m telling you, I’m vouching for him. At least report it to the King. You’re so frustrating, really.”

“……That’s not possible. The King is in need of rest right now. Especially, it’s difficult to let that person…… in.”

Dohyun covered his face as he saw the guard glancing at him sideways and speaking coldly.

‘I knew it…….’

What was I thinking, trusting that old lady?

“Didn’t you tell me to trust you?”

“No, this isn’t it…….”

“Sigh.”

“You’re thinking of me as a 진상 [a person who causes trouble] or something, aren’t you.”

How did she even know those words?

Ruriel, who was quick to notice, glared at Dohyun, who turned his head slightly.

In the end, Ruriel’s tongue, filled with half embarrassment and half annoyance, moved quickly.

“Why can’t you let us in? Don’t you know who I am? You’ve seen me come in and out of here, haven’t you.”

“I know. Aren’t you the one who goes around giving 훈수 [unsolicited advice]…… ahem, advice to the guards? Even so, it’s not possible today, so please come back another day.”

“훈수? Did you just say 훈수? Is that 훈수?”

“Isn’t it?”

“Ha. I just gave you advice because you were being so frustrating. That’s all blood and flesh. Do you think I’m doing it for my own good?”

Dohyun was genuinely impressed as he watched Ruriel, who didn’t even blink an eye, utter famous words that would be included in the 꼰대 [Kkondae: an older person who is condescending and stuck in their ways] appendix.

‘Wow…….’

Is꼰대 timeless?

It was amazing how the words and actions were all the same.

“I don’t know which noble family you’re from, but no matter what, it’s not possible today.”

“No, I’m telling you to call the King! Or call Rakra!”

“……Are you personally acquainted with the Knight Commander?”

It was the moment when he was about to take her away because he couldn’t stand it any longer.

The guard, who had been indifferent, paused at the name Rakra. His indifferent expression was now stiff.

Knight Commander, Hyde Rakdrier.

There were only a few who were allowed to call him Rakra so intimately.

At that, the guard had a chilling feeling in his head.

Creak-

“It seems someone has come to find me.”

“……I thought there was only one person who would cause such a commotion…… It really is Ruriel.”

Behind the guard, the voices of two heavy men were heard as the door opened.

A voice that he had heard once but remembered strongly.

“……Uh oh?”

“King……?”

It was King Gilberun of Pratel and Knight Commander Hyde Rakdrier.

“Rakra!”

“Eek……!”

Ruriel’s complexion brightened noticeably, while the guard’s complexion turned pale blue.

* * *

Fortunately, Ruriel was not just a crazy old lady.

“I received a report that a young girl was causing a commotion at the back gate, and I wondered if it was…… It really was Ruriel.”

“……Is that really the person he wants to vouch for?”

“Of course. He passed all my tests. He even got all the materials.”

“Indeed…….”

“I was lucky. I couldn’t see any promising guys, so I was frustrated, but I felt a good aura.”

“……?”

Dohyun expressed his doubts as he watched them talk to each other about things he didn’t understand at all.

A prophecy? Promise?

What does all this mean?

There’s a saying that if you stay still, you’ll get half of it [if you wait patiently, you’ll eventually understand].

“Finally……. Is it finally time?”

As he listened quietly, Gilberun showed an excited appearance for the first time.

His eyes, bloodshot as if he were looking at an enemy, muttered in a trembling voice.

“Ruidra, it’s time to chase away that nightmare and get the spark of purification.”

Dohyun listened to the murmur.

‘Ruidra?’

It was a name he had never heard before.

At least there was no such name among the bosses or NPCs known in Pratel.

If there was such a name among the officially known bosses, there was no way he wouldn’t know, and he could be sure that he had searched every corner when looking for Angela.

That means…….

‘Hidden Piece!’

It meant that he had found a hidden piece again.

“Who is Ruidra?”

“Ah, it seems Ruriel hasn’t explained it yet.”

“I thought it would be right for the person involved to say it.”

“I see……. That’s true too.”

In the end, Gilberun couldn’t stand it and opened his mouth, saying he wouldn’t hide anything.

“A terrible collection of nightmares that eat dreams and grow. The name of the witch who was awakened by my misguided greed.”

Ding-

As soon as he finished speaking, an alarm rang.

[You have heard the name of the terrible nightmare and dream witch, Ruidra.]

[Recorded in the Book of Adventures.]

[You have learned about a hidden raid boss in Pratel.]

‘Hmm……. Okay, this time it’s a raid boss…… Huh?’

Dohyun, who was reading the phrase with interest, closed his mouth for a moment.

‘Wait a minute, what boss did you say?’