The Knight King Who Returned with God-Chapter 10 Chivalry (3)

Korea Hunter Association Headquarters.

At a meeting of all division heads and higher-ups, only one topic dominated the agenda.

"Leon Draconia Lionheart... why is his name so long? So he appeared from a black-grade gate..."

"He decapitated a high demon in one blow? Are you expecting us to believe this report?"

"The power levels of survivors vary wildly. It's not impossible. Think of the cases with Heavenly Demon or Blood Killer."

"Any other intel? The 'god' thing? Didn't he just use some magic to make crops grow?"

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"He helped in the Honam Plains gate, too?"

"So he's a combat type? That's a relief."

The black-grade gate that appeared in the middle of Seoul had passed quietly thanks to an information blackout.

The problem was... a survivor was discovered from within that black-grade gate.

The Association was extremely cautious in its approach to the survivor.

"Section Chief Kim Jin-soo, I heard you've been observing him over the past few days? Participated in the Honam Plains operation too?"

That question came from Oh Kang-hyuk, the head of the Hunter Association, directed at Chief Kim Jin-soo.

"Yes, sir."

"What kind of person is he?"

Kim Jin-soo took an unusually long time to respond, especially for someone answering a superior's question.

"...I'm not really sure."

For all that hesitation, his conclusion was as vague as could be.

"You're not sure?"

"He's not evil... If anything, he's quite righteous."

That much, he was certain of.

"But his values are very different from ours. At his core, he feels like a medieval lord..."

"Great... that's going to be a headache."

"Would've been easier if he were at least somewhat modernized."

Their reactions were understandable. While many survivors had been successfully integrated into society, many had not.

The lower their original civilization's level, the more likely they clashed with modern norms—especially if they were from ruling classes or different species.

These unassimilated survivors often created social problems.

If they were mere nuisances, they could be ignored—but some survivors were as powerful as top-tier Awakened, or even more so.

In short, when a lunatic appears... but wields a blade far too sharp, that's a real problem.

"Hmm... In terms of ideology and customs, we'll need to tread carefully and accommodate him as much as possible."

"Yes, though surprisingly, he adapts fairly well. He seems to understand our culture to some extent."

That was because Leon originally came from Earth.

He was only pretending to be a full-blooded otherworlder now, which let him blend in when needed.

Unaware of that, Chief Kim Jin-soo simply saw him as strangely flexible in some areas.

When it came to abilities, Leon was nothing short of extraordinary.

"Explain in detail about this 'descent of a god' incident."

The miracle Leon showed at the Honam Plains gate had gone viral on a personal YouTuber's livestream before the video was taken down to prevent panic.

"Yes, it was the goddess of fertility and life, Demera. He summoned her into a straw doll. They seemed to have had a real conversation."

It had been captured on video. Though the doll's voice wasn't heard, it clearly moved.

"Wasn't it just some kind of summoning spell?"

"A goddess? That's absurd."

Most executives dismissed the idea immediately. A god? It was too fantastical to be believable.

"But the evidence—"

"He probably just enchanted it. Saying a god blessed rice to make it grow? Get real."

"If demons exist, it's not that far-fetched for gods to, too."

The room was divided, but one thing everyone agreed on:

"That rice. Its effects are real."

The rice, supernaturally grown under Leon's blessing. More than that, the contaminated earth purified itself as the rice grew.

That purification alone was shocking—but even more so, appraisal revealed that every grain was rare-grade.

That sent the meeting room into another uproar.

"Rice that heals cancer patients and gives long-term buffs...?"

This ability was as astonishing as Leon's combat power—possibly even more so.

A normal buff potion made by a top-tier alchemist lasted three hours, and cost millions of won. Even major guilds used them sparingly.

But this rice lasted longer than potions, and different types of buffs could even stack up to three times.

If used right, all hunters in a gate assault could maintain buffs with just one or two servings.

"Talk to Leon Drago... nia Lionheart about that. See what his intentions are."

"Understood. And about the survivor support fund..."

"Maximum cap. Give him whatever he wants. We absolutely must bring him into our fold."

Chairman Oh Kang-hyuk said this, though even he lacked confidence.

The Phoenix Guild had already made contact. That meant this information wasn't exclusive to the Association. At the very least, Phoenix knew Leon's potential.

It was only a matter of time before the rest of the Top 10 Guilds caught on.

Could the Association truly compete with them?

Oh Kang-hyuk sighed, eyeing the remainder of this year's budget.

"...By the way, Chairman. Survivor Leon did make one request."

"What was it? Whatever it is, as long as it's reasonable, grant it."

"...Well, the thing is..."

Kim Jin-soo hesitated, clearly finding it hard to say, but eventually opened his mouth with difficulty.

"He... wishes to meet the President."

"Huh? Why?"

"He said that since he'll be relying on this country for a while, it's only proper that a king greet another king..."

"???"

Four days had passed since Leon returned to Earth.

In that time, Leon had been staying in a five-star suite in Seoul. At first, the Hunter Association had tried to house him in one of their own facilities, but Leon had immediately lost his temper.

"This isn't a battlefield! How can a king sleep in quarters with not a single work of art?!"

In short—completely beneath him.

He demanded a room fit for royalty—complete with a luxurious bed, personal attendants on standby, and art pieces to enjoy at any time.

Eventually, in the middle of the night, Hari scrambled across multiple five-star hotels, renting a suite and asking the hotel to decorate it with available paintings and ceramics. It was the best compromise she could manage.

"Your Majesty, please, I beg you—go to sleep!"

At 2 a.m., Hari even fell to her knees in a theatrical apology pose like she'd seen in historical dramas, pleading with Leon to rest.

"Hmm..."

Leon relented. After all, tormenting bureaucrats too much was beneath his dignity.

The next morning, Hari personally handled room service.

"Your Majesty, it is I—Agent Han Hari!"

—Enter.

Opening the door with her room key, Hari entered, pushing in a tray with breakfast and respectfully greeting him.

"I trust you are well-rested and in excellent health, Your Majesty."

"Indeed."

Hari carefully set the table herself.

"Your royal meal is served, Your Majestyyy..."

The meal was a luxurious galbi set costing over 100,000 won, complete with five side dishes and premium marinated Korean beef ribs that made her mouth water just from the smell.

"Have you eaten?"

"Ah, not yet..."

"You must eat when you can. Don't starve yourself."

"R-right... yes, sir..."

Just as Hari was thinking she'd grab a sandwich at the lobby café after Leon finished eating—

"Sit."

Leon gestured to the seat across from him.

"Y-Your Majesty...!"

He asked if she had eaten... and now offered her a seat? Was he going to share his meal with her? Hari, deeply touched, reached for some chopsticks.

Just then—

"What are you doing?"

"Pardon?"

"Why haven't you yet prepared the ribs to be eaten?"

"W-Wait... weren't you going to share them with me?"

"In what country does a king dine at the same table as a commoner?"

"Urgh..."

Of course. Hari bowed her head in silence and got to work separating the bones from the marinated meat.

After checking out, Hari had Leon board the Hunter Association's official vehicle and they headed off somewhere.

On the way, she began explaining things.

"The Hunter Association has arranged for support funds and a resettlement grant, Your Majesty. It may not be quite a royal palace, but we'll provide a place where you won't feel lacking."

"Such considerate treatment. When will the President of the Republic of Korea be available to meet?"

"Ah... that's... we need to consider security measures..."

"Does your country think I, a king, would stoop to assassination? Kings do not slay fellow kings!"

"N-no! Of course not, Your Majesty!"

Hari also didn't think Leon would suddenly pull a sword on the president... but "he might" wasn't an acceptable margin of risk—not when it came to the President's safety.

He possessed a level of power that even S-rank hunters would struggle to stop, and if he ever snapped, it wouldn't be surprising if the worst disaster in Korean political history unfolded.

"M-more importantly, about the place where Your Majesty will be staying! As I mentioned before, real estate in the capital region is extremely expensive, so it's going to feel quite cramped compared to your former palace. Would... that be all right?"

At first, they considered getting him a decent apartment in Seoul. Survivors with high-grade evaluations received a housing subsidy of 15 million won over one year.

For a modern person, that'd be enough to live in a home fit for a king, paying roughly 1.3 million won a month in rent. But Leon was a king.

He'd once owned a royal palace, and even just his sleeping chamber among hundreds of rooms must have been enormous.

To match his taste, they'd practically have to hand over the Blue House or Gyeongbok Palace. Obviously, that was out of the question.

"How could I indulge in luxury as a mere guest?"

Hari didn't mention that, to meet Leon's demand for art, the Hunter Association had pulled strings to borrow museum pieces, some worth hundreds of millions of won.

Nor did she say that Leon's assigned residence was the personal vacation home of Oh Kang-hyuk, the President of the Hunter Association.

The Association had gone to great lengths to accommodate Leon's picky tastes—and quietly hoped that all that effort would pay off. But if they made it too obvious, Leon would probably scold them for lacking class.

"By the way, Your Majesty—about the distribution of loot..."

"I've given orders for it to be handled. However, I've taken a liking to the cloak, so leave it be."

"...Understood."

In the end, the loot from the Honam Plains Gate was designated as a special case exempt from taxes.

Technically speaking, the official line was: "We didn't acquire any loot from Honam Plains!"—a bold lie, of course.

The benefits Leon received exceeded even those granted to the top ten guilds, including the Firebird Guild, but... Leon hadn't been listening to anything the association staff had to say anyway.

He insisted that if he could speak directly to the king of this land—the President—he'd be understood, and refused to budge. Eventually, the Association quietly agreed to arrange a secret meeting with the President.

Until then, Leon would be granted immunity and tax exemptions on all matters.

Thus, Leon's share of the loot included: the Dullahan's greatsword, the Dullahan's cloak, and 500,000 won worth of magic crystals hastily mined before the dungeon closed (out of a total worth of 1 million won).

While it seemed like most of the loot had gone to Leon, no one complained—after all, he had practically soloed the dungeon in a one-on-one duel.

"We've arrived, Your Majesty."

They had arrived at an officetel in Bundang, close to the Hunter Association. It was a luxury officetel favored by hunters, equipped with a rooftop helipad for emergencies.

As expected from such a high-end building, the lobby was lavish, decorated with finely framed prints and modern art pieces, creating a sophisticated atmosphere.

'What on earth are those blobs of paint supposed to be?'

Some of the art was completely beyond Leon's aesthetic sensibilities.

"Ah~ Are you Agent Han Hari from the Hunter Association?"

Just then, a man in a sharp business suit approached them in the lobby.

"Who are you?"

Hari was immediately on guard. Only a handful of people knew about their destination, and it was supposed to be a secret. This man approaching them felt anything but coincidental.

"Haha, what a coincidence! I'm Park Jong-chan, Director of Doojeong Future Foods under the Doojeong Group."

"D-Doojeong Group?"

Doojeong Group was one of Korea's top three conglomerates. But what was a director from a chaebol doing here, pretending it was a coincidence?

"Ah... so this is the famous 'survivor' I've heard so much about. A pleasure to meet you—Sir Leon Dragona Lionheart."

He knew everything already. Hari felt her stomach drop.

Leon, on the other hand, simply stared at the hand extended toward him for a handshake... before making a face of utter shock.

"A merchant... dares offer his hand for a handshake?"