EDEN — Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Soon the Emperor swept in, crimson cape billowing behind him. All nobles rose at once to greet him.

Once he took his seat with a stern expression, the nobles followed suit, and the trial began. In truth, calling it a trial was generous, there was no real legal structure. Depending on the Emperor’s mood, he could declare someone innocent or guilty and send them straight to their doom. I-eon never imagined he would sit through a trial usually reserved for heavily PK-stained players or those unfortunate enough to disgrace the imperial family.

The Emperor looked down at I-eon with cold eyes.

“I shall give you one last chance. Speak truthfully. Where did you obtain that amulet?”

This time, he would not lie. Feeling responsible for the innocent lives tied beside him, I-eon told the truth.

“I received it from someone I know.”

But apparently, that answer was also wrong. The Emperor slammed his fist onto the table with even greater fury than before.

“More lies! That amulet was given to my younger brother Esteban as a birthday gift from the fairy king!”

…Younger brother?

Stunned by the sudden revelation, I-eon muttered without thinking.

“I got it from that Esteban though…”

“How dare you! To mock the child who gave even his life in the Divine, Demonic War!”

I-eon had spoken nothing but the truth, yet the Emperor roared with such fury he seemed ready to cough blood. The spectators erupted in chaos, and the courtroom turned frantic. The knights protecting the three readied their swords, prepared to execute the Emperor’s will at a moment’s notice.

The noise was deafening, but thanks to it, I-eon clearly realized what he needed to do. He opened Esteban’s status window. The small help text explained that while he couldn’t dismiss Esteban, summoning him worked just like summoning a pet. His current status was “Gathering,” which made calling him feel rude, but there was no choice.

Muttering under his breath so the Emperor couldn’t hear, I-eon said, “Summon Esteban.”

A pillar of holy light crashed down in the center of the courtroom. The chaotic shouting ceased instantly as everyone gasped at the sacred glow.

Inside the column of light, Esteban appeared in a crouch, wearing a green jumpsuit-style work uniform and matching green work gloves. He must have been picking tomatoes.

Confused by the sudden change of scenery, Esteban slowly rose to his feet. Seeing I-eon bound tightly, he reflexively reached for the weapon at his waist, only to realize he was unarmed, and cautiously surveyed the surroundings. His gaze traveled across the courtroom until it met the Emperor’s.

In that instant, Esteban’s eyes widened, and the Emperor too was struck speechless with overwhelming shock. A heavy silence fell between them.

Esteban spoke first, his voice trembling.

“Brother…?”

“Esteban?”

Hearing his voice, the Emperor stumbled down the steps toward him. His outstretched hand trembled violently.

“That you… that you are alive…”

“Brother!”

The two embraced tightly. Overwhelming sorrow and joy filled their reunion as they held one another, then pulled back slightly to examine each other’s faces. Tears welled in both Esteban’s eyes and the Emperor’s.

“How is it that you appear so young? Even if this were an illusion cast by a demon to torment me, I would still be glad. To see you again…”

“Brother, it is truly me. Your one and only younger brother, Esteban.”

Freed from the need to worry about those around them, the reunited brothers spoke at length before they finally paused. Not even because their conversation was finished, but because the Emperor suddenly realized that this was no place for such talk and suggested moving elsewhere. While Ensis had been listening with intense focus, Raham was half-dozing with a bored expression.

I-eon sent Esteban a desperate telepathic plea with his eyes. Thankfully, Esteban caught the signal. Just as the Emperor was about to lead him outside, Esteban grabbed his arm and asked:

“But brother, why are those people bound?”

“Ah, that’s right…”

The Emperor finally remembered.

“Ah, now that I think of it….”

Only then did the Emperor turn to look at the three of them. His face showed clear embarrassment.

“I thought they were con artists who stole your amulet.”

“The man in the center, I-eon-nim, is my benefactor and the one to whom I pledged loyalty.”

“Loyalty, you say.”

The Emperor still didn’t look pleased, but since they were his brother’s benefactor, he couldn’t simply leave them imprisoned. He ordered all three released. And not only that, at Esteban’s request, they were all invited to the banquet that followed. From prison to courtroom to banquet hall… what a dynamic day.

Sitting farthest from the Emperor, I-eon watched the two brothers’ conversation with the same bored expression Raham had. It was clearly required for quest progression, so walking away wasn’t an option, which made everything feel even more tedious.

The reason the Emperor had suspected I-eon was because the amulet blessed by the fairy king could not be taken from Esteban unless given willingly. Unaware that the amulet had been used as a component for the seal, the Emperor believed a stranger could not possibly have obtained it through proper means.

Even as the misunderstanding cleared and they sat at the ornate table waiting for their food, the brothers continued talking without pause. Seeing Esteban deliberately hide the part about being betrayed by his friend said a lot about his personality. The Emperor mostly laughed, though now and then he shed tears while listening.

“But what is with that shabby clothing? Don’t tell me that paladin beside you has been exploiting you.”

The Emperor’s eyes flashed, and he shot I-eon a glare, which I-eon ignored without a second thought. It wasn’t as if this NPC was like the High Priest whose affinity needed to be raised, there was no need to be on his good side.

Esteban laughed loudly and denied it.

“What are you saying? I-eon-nim took me in without asking for anything in return, so I wanted to repay him even a little. I’ve merely helped with the farm.”

“Farm work? Even if you became a knight of the Temple, you are still my younger brother!”

Being told the person he’d set to babysitting cats and doing farm chores was actually a prince was… complicated, even for I-eon. But Esteban only shook his head with a pained expression and confessed his true feelings.

“Brother, I am nothing more than a forgotten knight now.”

“What nonsense. You are a hero of the Divine, Demonic War…”

“Everyone who fought in that war is a hero. There was not a single person who did not risk their life.”

Esteban looked directly at the Emperor with earnest eyes.

“I lost my strength after the long seal, and the world no longer needs a hero.”

“Esteban…”

“After so long, living a peaceful life has been wonderful. Carrying out the mission entrusted to me by Tiog was an honor too, but… for the first time, I feel like I am finding who I truly am.”

“……”

With such conviction and expression, even the Emperor couldn’t push back anymore. As the pair continued their heartfelt conversation, I-eon nudged Raham with his elbow. Raham, half-asleep again, opened his eyes in a thin sliver to look at him. His face was so sleepy that I-eon let out a soft laugh.

Lowering his voice, I-eon spoke quietly.

“Bored, right.”

“…Yeah.”

“There was supposed to be a guild event at eight. Looks like we’re missing it. What do we do.”

“What event?”

“You didn’t check guild chat?”

“I don’t check it.”

Talking about guild chat made the cursed pictures from last night flash vividly through I-eon’s mind. And the conveniently vanished “1” as well. I-eon narrowed his eyes at Raham and interrogated him, well, something like interrogation.

“You saw it yesterday.”

“Ah… that.”

Raham’s sleepiness faded, and he added with a small smile:

“I saved it too.”

“What? Why!”

“Because it was cute.”

Cute, my ass, an automatic “You’re insane” slipped from I-eon’s mouth. He hadn’t even checked the comments on purpose, yet Iraine had gone out of his way to send captures like “Oh my, you two look so good together..ㅎㅎ” and “The winning team is really sweet, are you dating?” His resentment toward Raham far outweighed any gratitude toward the cats at this point. If their faces had been posted on the official site, he would’ve grabbed Raham by the collar, cats be damned.

But Raham spoke on, completely unaffected by I-eon’s murderous expression.

“I don’t like touching people.”

“So?”

“But you were fine. You were cute.”

“Cut it out.”

Objectively, he was flirting outright, but since I-eon already had steam coming out of his ears and knew Raham’s personality, he could only hear it as teasing.

While I-eon simmered and Raham smirked, he suddenly noticed people watching them. The two brothers, deep in their own conversation, and even Ensis, who had been listening intently, were all staring with strange expressions. Especially Ensis, who looked as if he’d witnessed something that should not exist in the world.

Annoyed, I-eon glared back defiantly. Only then did everyone hurriedly clear their throats and look away.

Just as the atmosphere was turning awkward, the door connecting the banquet hall to the kitchen opened, and a chef pushed in a trolley. The Emperor welcomed him heartily, seemingly trying to shift the mood.

“For this momentous occasion, I urgently summoned a special chef. Not only in Limbert but in the entire Empire, he is unmatched. Even you will be surprised, Esteban.”

Unmatched chef, those words caught I-eon’s ear. He turned, half-dreading, toward the chef. The man in a pristine white chef uniform walked over with attendants, smiling smoothly. His eyes met I-eon’s, and both widened at the same time.

“Chef Kang?”

“I-eon-nim… and Enci?”

He couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge Raham, staring instead between I-eon and Ensis with his mouth open. Ensis looked just as shocked.

“Hyung, why are you here?”

“A sudden daily quest popped up. The palace pays the most. What about you? And what is this combination?”

“It’s a long story…”

Chef Kang instructed the attendants to set the dishes he brought. Realizing everyone already knew one another, the Emperor awkwardly chuckled, unable to hide his embarrassment.

“Well now… it seems I judged too hastily.”

“Brother, your fiery temper hasn’t cooled even with age.”

I-eon used the opening in conversation to quietly speak to Chef Kang, who was standing nearby.

“Did you make this with the ingredients I sold you?”

“No. Ingredients from you have added bonus effects when cooked. I only use them for buff dishes for guild members.”

“I see.”

He had always wondered, what he supplied was too much for personal use but too little to run a whole restaurant. Finally, it made sense. Nodding, I-eon looked down at the appetizer on his plate. He didn’t know what it was made of, but he wanted to try it quickly. Unfortunately, the brothers kept talking, preventing Chef Kang from introducing the food.

“Brother, you should start living a calmer life. I worry you won’t have anyone left by your side in your old age.”

It was blunt to the point of cruelty, but the Emperor, dotingly fond of his little brother, only laughed and said it was true.

That was, until Ensis suddenly cut in.

“No. To reign as a ruler, charisma is far more effective than gentleness.”

“Hm?”

The Emperor gave him a look that clearly said, “Why are you interrupting?” But Ensis, sitting straight with his chin slightly raised out of habit, continued confidently.

“Showing weakness only gives enemies an opening. To lead any group, much like how I grew the Justice Guild, one must prioritize logic over sentiment, and with cold, rational decisions…”

“Enci. Doridori-nim sprained their wrist.”

“What?!”

The ice-prince expression he’d worn while unpromptedly lecturing dissolved instantly into frantic worry. He jumped in his seat.

“Are they badly hurt? What should I do, should I bring drinks and visit?”

Chef Kang smirked and eased his worry.

“It’s just a mild sprain. They’re playing right now.”

“Hah… thank goodness.”

Letting out a relieved sigh, Ensis noticed the attention on him. He quickly changed his expression and ran a hand coolly through his hair.

“Anyway, that’s how it is.”

“…….”

The moment when image and true nature collide…

Thinking that Ensis was just as outlandish as ever, I-eon stabbed his food with a fork and popped it into his mouth. A notification appeared saying the Emperor’s affinity had dropped because he had eaten before His Majesty, but he couldn’t care less.

What followed were the Emperor’s stories, all while they enjoyed Chef Kang’s phenomenal cuisine, which practically turned the world of flavors upside down. After all, it had been fifteen years since he last saw his brother, there was so much he wanted to say that he didn’t care who else was sitting there.

As I-eon looked down at his now empty plate, having even finished the dessert, a message popped up.

[Debbie: I-eon-nim where r u]

The guild chat, which had been quiet since they formed a hunting party thirty minutes ago, had come alive. They must have just finished.

[Debbie: Event in 10 minutes!]

[I-eon: I’m in the middle of a quest and I can’t stop halfway…]

[Debbie: omg then u cant do the event?]

[I-eon: Yeah sorry]

He was still stuck in conversation, and there was no guarantee it would end within ten minutes. Feeling sorry for changing his answer after saying he’d join, I-eon apologized, and guild messages poured in one after another.

[Ji Jong-sosi: Noooㅠㅠ]

[Coco-pang: We need I-eon-nim to tank]

[Debbie: If the tank’s gone what do we doㅠㅠ]

What sort of event needed him to tank? He had assumed it would be a casual social event like the quiz event, but clearly not.

[I-eon: What’re you doing?]

[Iraine: Capture the Flagㅠ The tank has to guard the base]

[Debbie: Guild master probably won’t play….]

[Coco-pang: lol]

[Coco-pang: Fine. If we can’t get 1st in flags, let’s at least get 1st in kills]

[Valror: ok]

[Peacemaker: Sounds good]

The moment I-eon said he couldn’t join, the guild instantly switched strategy and started plotting with excitement. Seeing them have fun on their own eased I-eon’s worries. And just then, Esteban finally brought up the topic I-eon had been waiting for.

“Brother, I gave my amulet to I-eon-nim hoping it would aid him in his adventure.”

“I know. But that is not a common trinket. My heart feels uneasy.”

Though he said so, Esteban smiled warmly, knowing his brother would give in. The Emperor sighed and reluctantly gave a long explanation to I-eon about the amulet and the story of how Esteban received it. In short, despite disliking humans, the fairy king had been touched by Esteban’s good nature and personally gifted it to him, a token that he could seek help whenever he needed. It truly was a rare item.

Listening intently, Ensis looked curious.

“I-eon-nim, what quest are you on?”

“I’m on the mainstream.”

“Main? There was a quest like this… don’t tell me, a hidden route?”

Probably so. Ever since the attempted-murder bard incident, there had been no information on any quests like this, and even the starting point differed from the normal Tiog storyline. Judging from when it appeared, he assumed the hidden route unlocked once contribution exceeded around seventy thousand. The player ranked just below I-eon barely broke fifty thousand, so no one had likely unlocked it before.

“Probably.”

“I see… then I must work harder.”

Ensis’s eyes lit up in competitive spirit. From his cheerful expression, he seemed to view I-eon as a friendly rival rather than an opponent. Since Justice was a guild that had grown steadily since Eden’s launch, Ensis likely progressed quickly through mainstream quests. I-eon, meanwhile, simply enjoyed whatever quests came to him and didn’t care about being the first to clear anything, but he chose not to say more.

Only after quite some time did the Emperor finally rise and say it was time to move. It was time to part ways with the two who weren’t involved in the quest. Chef Kang approached I-eon first with a cheerful grin.

“Timing’s rough, huh? But I’ll buy however much you farm, so don’t sell to anyone else~”

“Don’t worry.”

Ensis, having finished his reporting to the Emperor, came over as well. Standing boldly before I-eon, he thumped his chest confidently.

“Though we must part here, please do not forget, I am always waiting for you, I-eon-nim.”

“…….”

“You will surely escape that demon’s wicked influence someday.”

I-eon silently shifted his gaze toward Chef Kang. With a serene expression, the chef whispered something Ensis couldn’t hear.

[I asked him why he acts like that to you… He seems obsessed with a storyline where two men forced into conflict by a villain eventually understand each other and share a deep comradeship.]

“……”

[Good luck.]

There was no question who the villain in that fantasy was meant to be, Raham.

While the earnest Ensis and amused Chef Kang left the palace, I-eon and Raham followed the Emperor. They arrived at a quiet, beautiful garden where entry was forbidden without the Emperor’s permission. Walking along a white-tiled path, the Emperor stopped at a large clearing. He puckered his lips and blew a sharp whistle. High above, a small speck appeared, then gradually grew larger, a gigantic bird.

It looked like a massive bird of paradise, but its size was closer to that of an elephant. As it landed, the wind from its elegant wings whipped their hair violently. The Emperor stroked the feathers along its wing and spoke proudly.

“The Empire and the fairy lands are far apart, so I shall lend you my pet bird. Not for your sake, only for Esteban’s.”

“Ah… um…”

To be honest, I-eon didn’t want to ride it. It looked like it had terrible riding comfort, and relying on a single bird to travel who-knows-how-far sounded like a one-way trip to motion sickness. There was no direct warp gate from the Empire to the fairy lands, but honestly, walking sounded better than that.

He was about to politely refuse when Raham, who had been silent and bored all this time, suddenly stepped closer. He rolled his shoulder as if he had just woken up from a nap.

“We’re going to the fairy king?”

“Looks like it.”

Raham nodded, pulled out a scroll, glanced at I-eon, and tore it immediately. He didn’t even give I-eon time to refuse the Emperor’s “gift.”

The scenery dissolved from the lush green garden to a space filled with dreamlike violet plants. It was the homeland of the fairy-race players, famous for producing beautiful screenshots.

—You have discovered the Fairy Lands, Armid.

—The Emperor dislikes you.

His affinity didn’t just plummet. It burrowed through the floor. Well, it made sense, the Emperor had gone through the trouble of offering them help, only for them to vanish without a thank you.

I-eon nudged the shallow water beneath his toes, the bottom so clear it almost sparkled.

“If the Emperor gives us a quest later, we’re screwed.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go.”

Raham strode ahead. Easy for him to say, he could splurge an entire perfume bottle to restore affinity whenever he felt like it. I-eon followed, remembering the apology gift Raham had given him. Water splashed around his feet as he walked. Fireflies fluttered among the unusual plants, casting a faint glow over the fairy lands.

Mesmerized by the beauty, I-eon took in the dim yet fantastical scenery, feeling almost isolated from the outside world. It was a shame he had nobody to share the moment with. Raham, walking ahead without a single glance at the surroundings, didn’t seem even remotely interested in the scenery.

Unlike the Emperor who required a waiting number, the fairy king could be met anytime as long as he wasn’t asleep. Disliking humans, he carried a cold aura, yet did not reject them outright, the gentleness of fairy nature.

The fairy king, as large as an ancient tree, blinked jewel-like eyes.

[So you’re asking for help in that boy’s stead?]

“Yes.”

[Since it’s the boy’s wish, I can hardly refuse…]

The fairy king, buried partway into the tree trunk, slowly leaned forward. The sheer size alone made the gesture overwhelmingly intimidating. Her eyes scanned I-eon, then Raham.

[I do not care much for humans or demons. So I will listen, once you complete the task I give you.]

As expected, there was a condition. Without hesitation, I-eon accepted. The quest was “Purify the Corrupted Fairy.” It wasn’t difficult, defeat a tree spirit who’d gone mad after losing a friend to human greed, then give a moral lesson afterward. The hardest part was keeping Raham from opening his mouth; every time he tried to help, he gave the wrong answers and nearly re-corrupted the spirit.

That guy definitely had terrible morality scores when he was a kid. On the way back to the Fairy King, I-eon didn’t miss the chance to give Raham a lazy, narrowed stare and a mocking grin.

“You couldn’t win over NPC affinity, right? You raised it with all cash items, didn’t you?”

“I raised it fine without that.”

“Sure you did.”

Raham met I-eon’s disbelieving laugh with a steady look.

“I’ve got almost every demon-realm NPC at max affinity.”

“…Oh, right. You’re from the demon realm.”

In Eden, the basic playable races were six: human, elf, dark elf, demon, beastkin, and fairy. With the opening of the Eastern Continent two years ago, dragonkin became the seventh. Before creating a character, the game recommended a race based on a personality test and player preferences. Players were free to choose whatever they wanted, but since NPC personalities varied greatly by race, people generally followed the recommendation to avoid trouble.

Some players deliberately picked a race with fewer players to increase their chances of receiving their race’s relic, the reward for being the first to clear the mainstream storyline, but that was a very small minority. Raham probably fit the demon race perfectly without needing to force anything. Even though I-eon hadn’t known him long, he could tell. If someone didn’t know what a typical demon looked or acted like, Raham would’ve made a perfect example.

Satisfied with their quest results, the Fairy King showed a faint smile.

[Unlike me, our god Herenium is close with the gods of mankind.]

[I am curious how your journey will end. Take my seal and seek the pilgrims of the desert. If you walk with them, you will find your path.]

When the Fairy King finished speaking, the quest information updated. Compared to the other leaders, her territory was small, but as the matriarch of the mystical fairy race, she possessed her own unique seal. I-eon checked the Fairy King’s seal, temporarily engraved on the back of his hand, and read the quest details. It instructed him to find the pilgrims currently crossing the Selvia Desert.

Selvia Desert… I-eon furrowed his brow.

“This place is huge, isn’t it?”

“Huge.”

“There aren’t any other clues. Are we supposed to just search blindly?”

A search on the official site only said the pilgrim group didn’t follow a fixed route and wandered wherever their feet took them, so players had to find them on their own. With no information, the only option was to try. I-eon and Raham moved to the base camp at the edge of the desert via warp gate.

A dry sand-laden wind brushed past I-eon’s cheek. Everywhere he looked, the land was nothing but sand. He stared blankly toward the horizon, where nothing existed but dune after dune, stretching endlessly.

“Should we rent camels…? My black dragon is one-seater and weak to sunlight.”

The idea of a dragon getting sunburned sounded ridiculous, and yet his picky pet really did have that trait. Feeling annoyed at it again, he turned toward the camp. Slow as they were, camels were still far better than wandering aimlessly on foot.

Just as he picked out a camel that at least looked sturdy on the outside, a violent sandstorm suddenly kicked up. I-eon instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes. When the wind died down, he opened them again. He lifted his head, thinking, So this is desert wind…

“…?”