Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 915

Carron’s vision grew dark. ‘If the Beyond the Heavens Empire chooses to turn a blind eye to us, then the Roarke Kingdom would truly collapse.’

This was because they had nowhere else to go. But why was Carron so obsessed with the survival of the Roarke Kingdom? It was because this kingdom was his only joy. To put it in a more vulgar and coarse way, it was because he was suffering from severe social withdrawal, and the kingdom was his only salvation.

Carron lived a lonely life, devoid of any friends. Only after he joined the Roarke Kingdom did he have the chance to make many friends. When he came to that kingdom, he wondered why these people were so friendly and kind. Perhaps it was because their king itself was a man of such virtue.

Carron held the bloody key the first prince had handed him before he collapsed.

–Our kingdom’s warrior... If, by any chance, there is a place that will accept and help our kingdom, please give this to them.

–What- what is this...?

–This is the key to the place where the power left behind by the predecessors of our Roarke Kingdom.

–...!

Carron was shocked. There was a legend in the Roarke Kingdom about an item left behind by the Roarke Kingdom’s ancestors that contained an extraordinary power that could help someone grow further. Even Carron was not aware that it existed.

–Why don’t we use this to negotiate with the other empires and kingdoms?

The first prince smiled faintly.

–His Majesty, the late king, was kind and merciful.

–...

–I want to give this key to someone like him. Have to...

In the end, the first prince fainted.

However, none of the places they had gone to welcomed them with open arms. They were just like that alliance. And the worst part? The Luvien Empire stood behind that alliance.

‘The Roarke Kingdom had given a mere hundred tons of rice, hundred tons of flour, and five tons of beef and pork as a gift to the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom in the past.’

After hearing that the king of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom loved food and was suffering from financial difficulties, the late king of the Roarke Kingdom sent some support with a kind smile, saying, ‘We can’t let his people grow hungry, no? Hoho.’ But now, the Beyond the Heavens had grown into an empire with tens of thousands of tons of rice and flour at hand.

‘In the end, perhaps Beyond the Heavens Empire too...’

Standing at the end of the hallway, Carron saw the conference room doors open.

Haze immediately went outside, saying, “But Your Majesty, compared to the help we received...”

“Back then, the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom suffered financial difficulties, and many of our people were hungry. And who helped us then? It was the Roarke Kingdom. I will go out there alone to repay them.”

The other executives rushed out and stood next to Haze.

“I know that everyone here does not like the idea, but if we can resolve this problem, we will gain a strong ally in the form of the Roarke Kingdom.”

“...”

Carron stared at Minhyuk from the end of the hall. He could ‘feel the weight’ on his shoulders with just one look.

‘This man carries the life and death of an entire empire on his shoulders.’

He was the idol of all of the players. Because of that, the choices that he had to make always carried heavy weight and solemnity.

Even though the rest dissuaded him, the man said, “This is how I will repay them, and this is my way. I hope everyone can understand this.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

“Hoo... If that’s what you think, then fine.”

“Ah. I will cooperate with Joy Co. Ltd. and make a Ztube video this time, I think?”

At this moment, Carron, who was pondering over the weight that Minhyuk carried, realized something.

‘What?’

It seemed like the Beyond the Heavens’ emperor would help them. But there was something far more surprising than that.

‘He’s going alone?! Is he crazy?!’

Even Carron knew that the Luvien Empire's movements were highly unusual. Perhaps that was why he was going to do it like this.

‘But, isn’t he being too reckless?!’

“Minhyuk, we’ll fulfill our duties and missions in the Beyond the Heavens Empire.”

“I guess I’ll have to wait at the fortress and prepare for battle.”

Everyone greeted Minhyuk with a “Fighting!” yet no one said, “Let’s go together.”

“My dear, fighting~” Even Minhyuk’s girlfriend, Genie, said the same thing.

“Alright. I’ll be back,” Minhyuk said, walking forward as if what he was about to do was no big deal. Then, he made eye contact with Carron and said, “Let’s go.”

‘He- he’s really going to go alone?’

When Carron turned to look at the other end of the hallway, he saw the members of the Beyond the Heavens waving their hands at them.

‘What is this...?’

The Beyond the Heavens’ executives were completely different from Carron. Once Minhyuk disappeared, they began to talk to each other.

“If it’s just the allied nations, then Minhyuk alone is enough.”

“I know, right? That’s what I thought, too.”

“Minhyuk going alone is better than all of us going together, no...?”

They weren't too worried about him.

***

Contrary to the easygoing executives of the Beyond the Heavens Empire, Carron’s head was filled with countless thoughts.

‘Is he really going alone?’

On the other hand, he also felt how amazing the man in front of him was.

‘He is this bold and ambitious...?’

Carron was fully aware that Minhyuk was a powerful player. Even so, the troops of the allied nations easily exceeded a million.

‘But it’s also impossible to take the talents of the Beyond the Heavens Empire just because of his reckless decision.’

But he remembered the grace and favor that the Roarke Kingdom had given him in the past.

‘Is he going to return the favor by himself?’

Even though he knew that it was a reckless choice? This man was indeed a sincere person.

Minhyuk met the prince, who had recovered to some extent.

“I haven’t forgotten...” Minhyuk smiled softly. “...the help that the late king had given us back when we were still helpless, and I could not do anything as I watched my people go hungry. I will do my best to help you.”

Carron had a lot on his mind. In front of him was the prince of a collapsing kingdom and the emperor of an emerging empire. Even though they were of different statuses, Minhyuk did not belittle or ignore the prince and even showed him courtesy and respect.

“...”

An unknown feeling bloomed in Carron’s chest.

“Please rest some more. You’re not yet back to full health,” Minhyuk said as he left the room with Carron.

Once outside, Carron asked, “Is it alright for you to go alone? Minhyuk, going to the battlefield is completely incomparable to the few hundred tons of rice and food they have sent in the past, you know?”

That was right. Minhyuk’s worth was at that level now. Minhyuk just smiled faintly.

“It’s too much.”

Minhyuk did not say anything in the end. Carron just stared at Minhyuk’s back as he walked ahead of him. After a few moments, Carron hurried forward and caught up with him. Then, he asked, “I can’t help but overhear earlier that you’re going to make a Ztube video with Joy Co. Ltd.?”

“...Eeeek! My blabbermouth is a problem.”

Minhyuk had mentioned those words because he did not realize that Carron could hear what he was saying. However, it did not matter that much whether the man heard or not.

“Yep. That’s right. We’re going to make a video.”

Carron continued to stare at Minhyuk. Then, he asked, “Do you already have an editor?”

***

Minhyuk realized who Carron was. He might be an emperor, but because he wanted to eat a lot of delicious food, he constantly studied Athenae and the changes that happened in the game. Because of that, he knew how influential Carron was and his identity.

Carron said, “I recently received an email from Joy Co. Ltd. I haven’t checked it yet with everything that has happened in the Roarke Kingdom.”

Perhaps Joy Co. Ltd. had offered him a considerable amount of money so that they could hire him for the video production.

And the bigshot Carron said, “I’ll edit the video for you, Minhyuk. Do you have any of your videos from when you started Athenae and those from when you started until now?”

“I believe Joy Co. Ltd. has them. But why are you suddenly offering to help me edit the video?”

Carron answered without hesitation, “Because I think it’s interesting and fun.”

‘Also, your worth is high.’

That was what he wanted to say but held back.

“The emperor of an emerging empire; the only one who stepped forward to save a collapsing kingdom.”

Carron was sure that this would get a ton of views.

“On top of that, the person in the video is someone who suffers from a rare disease called eating addiction. It will also send a message of hope to those suffering from rare diseases.”

There were just so many things that would create a synergy. While Carron was talking with Minhyuk, he was confident of one thing.

‘This video will be my life’s work. My masterpiece.’

Also, he wanted to help Minhyuk somehow.

Minhyuk talked a lot with Carron. Then, he logged out, mailed him, and agreed on a verbal contract they would sign once they met. After that, Minhyuk immediately contacted President Kang Taehoon. Since he now had the best editor, Joy Co. Ltd. could just sit there and do nothing. If that was the case, then the profit distribution was distributed unfairly. He had to revise it. He logged back inside the game only after he obtained Kang Taehoon’s approval.

When he reconnected, Carron was already there. Carron said, “While we’re on our way, will you tell me how and what you felt when you first started Athenae and what happened in between?”

Carron had told Minhyuk earlier, ‘I will frame your story in a new light.’

“I...” Minhyuk began to tell his tale.

***

It was collapsing.

Booooooooooom–!

The wall that had firmly stood for countless years collapsed in the end.

Thuuuuuuuud–!

The Peiro Allied Nations was an alliance created by the union of at least five small kingdoms. Each of the kingdoms’ flags fluttered in the wind as their soldiers charged toward the thick cloud of dust that bloomed from the collapse of the walls.

On the other hand, the Roarke Kingdom remained alone, with no reinforcement troops by their side.

Commander Ed shouted, “Protect the gates! Do not let them enter the kingdom!!!”

No nation had come to repay the grace and favor that the late king of the Roarke Kingdom had given them in the past. The help he had given them back then was small, but the situation was entirely different from what they had said before. Didn’t they tell their king, ‘It’s good for us to help each other, no? Hoho.’

Now, these greedy bastards were trying to trample on their kingdom just because they refused to be a part of the Peiro Allied Nations. They would kill their men and take their women and children as prisoners.

Rumble–

Ed, who watched the enemies flock like rabid dogs toward the broken section of their walls, could not help but resent their king.

‘Why did you have to show mercy and give them kindness?!’

Everyone had abandoned them, yet almost two million soldiers from the allied nations were charging at them. And their forces? They only had 350,000 exhausted soldiers left to protect their families from the charging troops of the allied nations.

“Keuaaaaaaack!”

“Aaaaaaaaack!”

“A- aaaaaaaaaaack!”

Ed felt a numbness in his chest as he watched the Roarke Kingdom’s royal army get swept away. He watched as their necks got cut, their abdomens got pierced, and the magic raining down upon them and forcing them to disappear without a trace.

All Commander Ed could do was pull his sword out and defend this place until his very last breath.

Baaaaaaaaaang–!

But then, a catapult shot a huge rock that slammed into the wall he was standing on. The resulting shockwave swept Ed away, and he flew toward the wall behind him.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep–

Ed’s ears were ringing while his vision was spinning.

Drip, drip–

Red blood dripped down his forehead and further clouded his vision.

“Whyyyyyyy?!!!” Ed wanted to ask so badly. “Why did you have to live like that?!!!”

Why did he have to live so kindly and graciously if you would die just like this?!

“Why the hell... why the hell?! Whyyyyyyy?!!!” Ed knelt and screamed helplessly. But at that moment...

“He was an admirable person.”

“...”

Ed turned his head and followed the direction of the voice that rang in his ears. There, he saw a tall man standing beside a very familiar foreigner.

“I can never forget the warmth he has shared with me and my people.”

Ed clearly remembered this man. After all, he was the one who went to this man’s kingdom under the order of his king to give them rice and flour. Before he left, Ed told his king this.

–Your Majesty, the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom is a kingdom that might perish and collapse soon. Why would you send such precious food and resources to this kingdom?

His king just chuckled.

–Every favor and grace we shared would return to us.

Back then, Ed could not understand what his king was talking about. He could not understand him even now. But...

Thump, thump, thump, thump–

The man walked in front of him with his sword raised.

“The grace and favor that I have received a long time ago... I will pay it back today.”

“...”

Ed stared at the man blankly as he jumped through the cracks of the broken walls and swept away the troops of the allied nations.

Meanwhile, Carron, who was watching everything, was thrilled to see Minhyuk charging forward despite the troops of the Allied nations surrounding him.

On their way here, Carron had heard a lot from Minhyuk. Carron thought that he should use the first words that Minhyuk told him as the opening phrase for the video that he would edit.

[I... I want to live.]

He could tell that this video would make the world tremble and shake.