The Ruined World Was Mistaken for a Game

Translator: Dreamscribe

The imperial family members and high nobles invited this time numbered 1,323 in total.

The number of nobles in the Sanctuary was far greater than the entire population of Earth, but the number of those in the class that could truly be called nobility was not so large. These were the 1,323 people standing at the very top of such a colossal empire, so their wealth and power were extraordinary.

Factions formed quickly, and competition broke out.

The moment they logged in, the imperial family members got a taste of the countless gacha on display, and their eyes rolled back in their heads.

Limited-time gacha!

Items that could never be pulled again once this window closed.

Not pulling would be the real loss.

Everything was for the sake of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire!

With that thought, nobody spared any expense. The rates were close to atrocious, but that only made it better.

After all, it meant that whoever owned such an item was special.

The rush that came when a good item dropped rivaled the games of Reist World.

The banquet hall was loud.

Cheers, groans, and gasps of admiration kept pouring out. Even after Jinwoo had stepped down from the stage and quietly withdrawn, everyone in the banquet hall stayed exactly where they were. They only stared at their Information Windows and worked their panels.

Scharnhilde was no different.

She wore a 3-star outfit and had pulled every weapon and piece of armor. Basic equipment could be received at the nearby bases, but how could an Imperial Princess use such low-grade gear?

The only thing she had failed to pull was a pet.

When Scharnhilde's Avatar approached a round object in the base, a Quest appeared.

[Arkia]The Beginning of the Legend

Hero from a distant land.

This is Arkia, a dangerous dimension where countless evils lie in wait. The enemies of Arkia have crossed the Wall of the Abyss and threaten the frontier of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire.

Grow stronger and defeat the forces of evil that covet the Kalsus Dimensional Empire. First, head to the hunting ground where creatures of evil swarm!

Objective: Arrive at the Beginner Hero Hunting Ground

Condition: Hero

Reward: Experience Points, Title

Scharnhilde looked at the Quest window that had appeared and tilted her head. There was a helper inside the game, but Jun explained it for her instead.

"What is this?"

"It is a Quest, Your Highness. Think of it as an assigned mission. It was introduced to help your Avatar grow. The Authority System will take 'payment' in the form of experience and time through Quests, and in return strengthen your Avatar."

Scharnhilde accepted the Quest and headed for the hunting ground.

There were quite a few Heroes at the hunting ground. They had come after accepting the Quest, just as she had.

SQUIRM, SQUIRM!

Black, sticky liquid like rancid oil was writhing and crawling about, and the Heroes were hunting it with weapons in hand.

"What a hideous monster."

"That creature is called a Slime, Your Highness. They are called monsters. It is the weakest monster in Arkia, so you should be able to kill it with ease."

"Mm, then I shall give it a try."

Scharnhilde approached the Slime cautiously.

When she transmitted her will through the panel, the Avatar moved valiantly and attacked the Slime.

"Kuk!"

Her Avatar was struck by the Slime's tentacle attack. A sensation like an electric current ran through the panel and into her whole body. Scharnhilde swung her sword again and split the Slime in half.

"I, I won!"

A blue orb flowed out of the Slime's corpse and settled into the Avatar.

[You have gained 10 Experience Points.]

[Congratulations! Your Level has increased!]

Angel's wings unfolded above the Avatar's head, and the Level went up.

"Level?"

"It is a number that indicates the degree of strength. Through the Authority System, you can absorb dimensional energy and soul force by killing enemies."

"So the more enemies I kill, the stronger I become."

Scharnhilde grasped it quickly.

She roamed the hunting ground and hunted Slimes. As Experience Points piled up and her Level rose, they became easy to kill.

'Exhilarating!'

Scharnhilde shivered all over as she savored the thrill of the hunt. The impact of a Slime bursting was so wonderfully chewy. It made her want to keep hitting them and hitting them. On top of that, she was growing stronger, and a sense of accomplishment washed over her.

She was hunting Slimes smoothly like that when someone blocked her path.

[This spot's mine.]

"Insolence!"

[Insolence or whatever, I got here first.]

"How dare you...! Reveal your identity!"

Scharnhilde's face twisted with rage.

The name floating above the Avatar in front of her read 'PuffPuffUglyPrincess.' The name was thoroughly unpleasant, and Scharnhilde's mood soured even further.

To take such an attitude before an Imperial Princess.

She wanted to hold him accountable for his crime right then and there, but she had no way to identify him.

"Jun, tell me who that wretch is."

"My apologies, Your Highness. Interference from the Authority System makes it impossible to know. A single misstep could cause the Authority System to collapse, so it will remain difficult to find out going forward as well."

PERK!

The ears of the high nobles perked up.

They could move about anonymously!

Jun's words struck them as very appealing indeed.

It was a setting Jinwoo had put in so he could troll people. The 'Authority System' took care of all the plausibility, so he could cram in any setting he liked.

[Might is law around here.]

"What did you say?"

[If you don't like it, come at me.]

"D, don't like it...? Has he lost his mind?"

Scharnhilde trembled all over from an insult unlike anything she had ever felt.

[PuffPuffUglyPrincess has challenged you to a Duel.]

Scharnhilde accepted at once.

A wide circle formed around the Avatars and the Duel began. Scharnhilde charged in first, but she could not inflict any damage at all on PuffPuffUglyPrincess. PuffPuffUglyPrincess's Level was so high that nothing but Evade kept popping up.

SHUNK!

PuffPuffUglyPrincess swung his sword lightly, and Scharnhilde's Avatar was cleaved in two and collapsed on the spot.

[You have been defeated.]

[You have died. You cannot log in for one day.]

"Wh, what?!"

Scharnhilde shot to her feet where she stood. Then she glared at everyone in the banquet hall.

"PuffPuffUglyPrincess! Who is it! Come out at once!"

Scharnhilde's rage-filled shout rang out, but no one so much as pretended to hear her, all of them absorbed in their screens.

"Y, yiiiik! H, how dare...!"

"Heh, how foolish. In Arkia, strength is the law. If you find it unfair, become strong."

Second Imperial Prince Kaljest sneered as he spoke. Kaljest had recruited subordinates and was controlling the hunting ground to level up quickly. When it came to politics, he displayed ability that surpassed Scharnhilde's.

"As of this moment, our Light Hero Blood Alliance controls the Slime hunting ground. If you wish to hunt here, come serve under me."

"That's absurd...!"

Scharnhilde glared at Kaljest. Kaljest gave her a mocking laugh and leisurely began hunting Slimes.

"Hahaha! My Level is climbing and climbing. So this is the growth of a Hero!"

"Kuh!"

Scharnhilde was so mortified that her eyes reddened. Breathing roughly, she sat back down. But there was nothing at all she could do. Her Avatar had died, so she had to wait a full day.

Just then, her Information Window appeared.

[Using a Resurrection Stone allows you to revive immediately.]

*Resurrection Stone materials: Gold Chip, 10G

"A Resurrection Stone!"

She remembered the chips she had won the day before.

They could be deposited into a separate account and withdrawn at Reist World at any time. There was quite a lot of content inside RL linked to Reist World. It was designed to keep people coming back to Reist World.

When she crafted a Resurrection Stone, the Gold Chip and 10G vanished, and her Avatar revived.

"...I am weak. I do not even have the strength to take revenge."

Swallowing her tears, she had no choice but to withdraw from the hunting ground. Jun glanced around at those nearby, then quietly opened his mouth.

"This is a secret, but..."

"Hm?"

Scharnhilde quietly lent him her ear.

"There are things that spread when the Authority System caused an error. Authority congealed and took physical form."

"Then it must possess tremendous power."

"Yes. It should be somewhere around here. We call them Hidden Pieces."

"Hidden Piece...!"

It was a name that felt truly sacred.

"Look for a place that feels somehow artificial. Perhaps a Hidden Piece is waiting for you, Your Highness."

Scharnhilde looked at Jun with eyes full of emotion and affection. She smiled brightly, as though she had met a savior, and nodded.

"I shall not forget your loyalty."

Scharnhilde watched the room carefully, then rose from her seat. She did not want anyone catching wind of her journey to find the Hidden Piece.

"I think I shall return to my quarters."

Kaljest watched Scharnhilde's back as she left the banquet hall and let a sneer play across his lips.

"Running away, loser?"

"Heh, think whatever you like."

Scharnhilde answered with forced composure while clenching her fist tight.

That sneer, I will turn it into shock!

Vowing that, she returned to her quarters together with Nasko, who was thoroughly hooked on RL.

"Nasko."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Contact my retainers."

Once access to RL was permitted to others as well, she would mobilize every last bit of her strength.

"Understood!"

"And follow me."

Scharnhilde formed a party with Nasko.

"Nasko, what is that pet?"

"It is a 3-star pet, Your Highness. It came out on my very first pull."

"Ahem...."

"It has the ability to revive for free once a week."

For the first time, Scharnhilde envied Nasko. But she had her pride, so she did not let it show. She merely feigned composure and congratulated her.

[PuffPuffUglyPrincess: Chickened out and ran?]

"Wh, what?!"

[PuffPuffUglyPrincess: FYI, the "Ugly" in my name is short for "hideously ugly".]

"Grrr! How dare...!"

A Whisper had come from PuffPuffUglyPrincess.

She wanted to wipe out his entire family that very instant, but there was no way to uncover that damnable wretch's identity.

"Uuugh! I will have my revenge. Without fail...!"

Scharnhilde ground her teeth and plotted for the days ahead.

Just then, her Information Window appeared.

[An Authority for Heroes has been updated!]

*Gather materials to craft Weapon Enhancement Stones!

"Heh, heh heh heh! I shall show you what true wealth means."

And so Scharnhilde began spending money without holding back.

"Hehe, our Ppipo is so pretty."

Nasko simply named her 3-star pet herself and beamed.

* * *

Reist Legend had launched without a hitch!

The 1,323 Heroes did not step outside the Golden Palace. Not one of them so much as ate a meal, all of them buried in the game.

It was that much fun!

The joy of growing stronger by killing Slimes, then Horned Rabbits, then Goblins!

On top of that, writing their own history and building up their own narrative gave them a feeling like they had stepped into a myth.

But they were not doing it simply because it was fun.

They were carrying out a sacred mission for the sake of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire. That belief justified the sight of themselves utterly consumed by RL.

SHUNK!

Jinwoo grinned and used his Avatar to stab Kaljest in the back.

[Wh, what are you doing!]

[KaljestIsTrash: Kekeke, you were carrying an awful lot of nice things. Please don't take it too hard.]

[Y, you bastard!!!]

[KaljestIsTrash: For your information, "trash" means shabby and worthless. Hahaha!]

Kaljest's rage-filled shout came through. Jinwoo did not use voice chat, only floating text above his head.

When Kaljest's Avatar collapsed, it dropped every item it was carrying. Jinwoo swiftly scooped them all up, then repeatedly crouched and stood on top of the corpse.

[H, how dare you humiliate me....]

Kaljest's corpse vanished.

Jinwoo quickly cleared out of the area.

"Wow, he really dropped a fortune."

Jinwoo checked his Inventory and marveled. It had not even been three days since RL opened, and it was packed with items bought through pay-to-win spending. Word came that Kaljest was throwing a fit in the Golden Palace.

Jinwoo went to see Kaljest as though he had been waiting for exactly this. Apparently his anger had not cooled at all, since he was hurling everything within reach and huffing furiously.

The escort knights did not even think to stop him. No, they chose not to. All of them were too busy pretending to hold him back while staring at their screens.

"Hyeongnim, what happened?"

"A man I took under my wing betrayed me."

"How could he...!"

Jinwoo squeezed his eyes shut.

"That wretch dared to take the items I gathered...!"

"Hyeongnim, please calm yourself for now."

Kaljest barely composed himself and slumped down into a chair.

"For now, allow me to give you the money and items I have gathered."

"Huh?! I, is that truly all right?"

"As you saw on the footage, I failed. No matter how many times I tried, I could not overcome it. But I believe it will be different for you, Hyeongnim."

DRIP!

Tears rolled down Kaljest's cheeks and fell to the floor.

"Kuh! My little brother. You truly are...."

"First, take a Resurrection Stone."

The bracelet was linked to the mailbox.

When the Resurrection Stone arrived in the mailbox, he pressed it and his Avatar revived. Jinwoo logged into RL and approached him. Then he knelt and handed over the items.

The feeling was like inheriting the story of a Hero, and a shiver ran through Kaljest's entire body.

"I will not forget your sacrifice."

With a solemn expression, Kaljest equipped the items Jinwoo had given him and began recruiting Blood Alliance members.

"I issue a Kill Order! KaljestIsTrash, no! I am not trash! Kuh! In any case, kill that wretch!"

At first, he had thought it was a name praising his greatness.

That was because the man who betrayed him had claimed that in the ancient tongue, "trash" meant "one who holds great light". Moved by this, Kaljest had gone around calling himself trash.

The crime of humiliating an Imperial Prince was grave, but there was no way to uncover his identity. After a day had passed, access to RL was permitted to the other nobles as well, and the number of Heroes had grown far too large.

At present there were over 50,000 Heroes in Arkia. And that number was growing explosively. Word had it that in front of the Golden Bank, a long line of nobles had formed to open accounts.

In a month, once access was permitted down to the soldiers, the number of Heroes arriving in Arkia would easily surpass the hundreds of millions. And with more time, it would reach the trillions.

Kaljest's anger faded little by little.

The Kalsus Dimensional Empire had gained tremendous power.

'Magnificent.'

If every Hero grew strong and conquered Arkia, then even the Dimensional Predators would be no match for them. And the forces he took in as Blood Alliance members in Arkia would become forces that supported him directly.

Foolishly, the Crown Prince had not come here.

Even if he started late, the gap would already be too wide to close.

Kaljest was moved all over again by his younger brother's great achievement.

"My dear brother, I am truly grateful."

"I hope you accomplish everything you set out to do."

Jinwoo said that, bowed his head, and withdrew.

'Just as planned.'

In the Kalsus Dimensional Empire, the game was becoming reality, and reality was becoming the game.

Well then, let the trolling begin.

A thick smile hung on Jinwoo's lips.

*****

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