Chapter 43. Winter Season (7)
Cynthia couldn’t believe her ears.
Jooheon sounded far too calm.
“I’m blocked because I’m currently classified as an ‘Invader,’ right?”
He casually rolled one shoulder.
Like a man who had dodged taxes this way countless times before.
“Then I just stop being an invader.”
“Simple.”
What the hell was this bastard planning?
Jooheon tapped his arm with one finger.
“Hand over your Majesty Authority.”
“...What?”
What did this bastard just say?
Jooheon grinned viciously.
“Didn’t hear me?”
“Give me ownership of this world.”
“You... are you insane?”
Cynthia shouted with an expression too stunned even to laugh.
“What do you think this world is?!”
“It’s not something I can just hand over that easily!”
“Why not?”
Jooheon smiled as if it were obvious.
“If it’s my land, then ‘summoning’ my Artifact isn’t an invasion.”
He shrugged.
“It’s just taking something out of a drawer in my own house.”
“Do you seriously think that makes sense?”
Then Majesty Yoo Jaeha cut in.
“He’s right.”
“That doesn’t really make sense.”
Cynthia let out a relieved breath now that another Majesty was finally agreeing with her.
Then Jaeha continued.
“You should hand it over to me instead.”
“...What?”
Majesty Jaeha crossed his arms and looked over the entire city.
Half-mocking.
Half-serious.
“How is a rookie supposed to manage a city this size?”
He held out a hand.
“Give it to me. It’s mine now.”
Cynthia screamed.
“ARE YOU INSANE?!”
“WHY WOULD IT BE YOURS?!”
Jaeha smirked.
“Then which one of us do you think is right?”
“Have you considered that neither of you is right?!”
Jooheon looked utterly unconcerned.
“Fine.”
“Then just hand it over temporarily.”
Cynthia hesitated.
“If it’s only temporary...”
“That might actually be negotiable.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe for a reasonable—”
“Thousand years.”
“AAAAAAAAARGH!!!”
It was almost possible to hear Cynthia’s mind snapping.
She dropped to the floor, clutching her head.
“AAAAAH...”
“You’re both insane.”
“You’re both completely insane!”
Jooheon already had his hand extended.
“Come on.”
“The authority to this world.”
Cynthia stared at him.
“...You’re actually serious?”
“Yeah.”
“I need it to summon Hades.”
“Damn it!”
“Only temporarily!”
Cynthia screamed and grabbed his hand.
Then—
[Majesty Authority transfer request detected.]
[Authority transfer: Dionysus → Yoo Jaeha.]
The city system’s voice rang through the air.
Jooheon narrowed his eyes.
“Why the hell are you getting it?”
Majesty Jaeha looked at him like he was an idiot.
“You thought it would go to you?”
“Legally speaking, I’m the invader.”
“I told you I used my Invasion Right.”
He grinned.
“Relax.”
“I’ll register you as my subordinate.”
“Then you should be able to summon your Artifact too.”
A vein bulged on Jooheon’s forehead.
At that moment, golden system text flashed in the air.
[Authority transfer request detected.]
[Evaluating...]
Before Jooheon could reach out—
The system coldly delivered its verdict.
[Denied.]
“...What?”
Majesty Jaeha shouted.
“WHY?!”
Another message appeared.
[Authority transfer requirements not met.]
[Required value: Madness 80 or higher.]
[Current candidate: Yoo Jaeha (Madness 12).]
[Disqualified.]
“...Madness value, huh.”
Jooheon muttered.
Cynthia straightened her shoulders and finally regained a little confidence.
“See?”
“I told you it wouldn’t be that easy.”
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
“Do you know why I’ve managed to hold onto this city until now?”
“Maintaining that level of Madness...”
“You have no idea how difficult it is.”
Jooheon and Jaeha silently looked at her.
Cynthia exhaled.
There was something strange in her expression.
Pain.
Pride.
Exhaustion.
“You probably thought I drank every day because I liked it.”
“No.”
“I drank because I had to endure.”
She gave a faint, trembling laugh.
“The core of this city eats away at your ‘mental strength.’”
“If I stop drinking even for a single day...”
“I start hearing screams inside my head.”
Yet despite that...
There was unmistakable pride in her expression.
“Still.”
“I endured.”
“Lonely.”
“Exhausted.”
“Unable to sleep.”
She lifted her chin.
“And I maintained Madness 80.”
It wasn’t exactly something to brag about.
Yet she somehow made it sound like one.
“It wasn’t an easy life.”
“All of this was...”
“In its own way, my sacrifice to protect the city.”
Majesty Jaeha muttered:
“...You’re seriously bragging about that?”
“Of course I am!”
