The Knight King Who Returned with God-Chapter 12 The Vile Merchant

Upon returning to Earth, Leon quickly assessed the state of the world in the year 2030 and established three goals.

First, to spread the faith.

This world held no true gods.

Yahweh, Buddha, Allah, the countless Devas and Devis of Hinduism—

If any of them were real gods, then at the very least, saints empowered to oppose evil should have existed.

Yet, whether they were cardinals or priests, or even the zealots shouting Allahu Akbar in the 2030s, not a single one of them wielded divine power.

No miracles. No sanctity.

No trace of divine energy.

"Priests in cathedrals and mosques don't channel any divine power."

True gods bestow their grace upon those who hold faith.

Even just remembering what happened on the Honam Plain proved this world had it all wrong.

The very idea that polluted land leads to famine was absurd.

How could land blessed and consecrated in the name of the Goddess of Life and Abundance ever become defiled?

And if the gods of rain and cloud truly existed, why would droughts even happen?

Just look at the crops.

Rice, enhanced by the finest 21st-century technology, couldn't even cure a tiny tumor inside the human body?

That same tumor advances to "stage two" or "stage three," and instead of sacred healing, they rely on hospitals—barbaric acts of healing?

Even getting sick in the first place was the real issue.

If people had been consistently eating crops blessed by Demera, disease would never have touched them.

Healing should be reserved for battlefield wounds or curses cast by wicked cults.

Not something that depends on scalpels or painkillers.

To use divine power, faith must come first.

Back in the Honam Plain, Leon managed with only a faint trace of holy power sustained by his Lionheart. But for what was to come, vast divine power would be necessary.

In his own world, the demons only won because there were no more faithful left to offer prayers.

No belief, no divinity.

Second, the revival of the Holy Grail Knights.

This world had no martial orders who wielded divine power.

If Leon, the Lionheart Guardian of the Grail, was a demigod—

Then the Holy Grail Knights were just a step below: living saints.

They were warriors who used sacred laws, knights of the gods.

Leon had survived only because the divine power left behind by these knights who ascended after fighting to the bitter end still lingered.

Knights of Ariana, goddess of light and justice, whose divine light blessed him.

Sir Jenkinson, the Sea Knight who protected ports and worshipped Foma, god of oceans and tides.

Sir Genoa, the Flame Knight who wielded fire in the name of Phetos, god of war and fire.

And the holy maiden Anyak, who healed knights with the divine light of Demera, goddess of life and abundance.

Even as the Empire collapsed, the Elves' great forest fell, and the Dwarves' underground cities crumbled, the Grail Knights continued purging the demons.

They were the bane of evil's existence.

Third, the eradication of evil running rampant on this earth.

Leon would spread the faith, restore divinity, and build an order of Holy Grail Knights rooted in divine harmony and law.

It might be too much to expect these faithless, ignorant commoners—these lowly beings—to produce saints worthy of knighthood.

But that didn't matter.

Leon Dragonia Lionheart would simply do what must be done.

"Your Majesty, someone has formally requested an audience."

"Hmm... If they followed the proper protocol, I suppose I can hear them out."

Leon already had a good idea who it was and gave his permission.

Meanwhile...

Executive Director Park Jong-chan found Leon utterly laughable.

Some royal brat from a barbaric civilization playing at king—

It grated on a man like him, someone practically nobility in modern-day Korea.

Still, Leon's abilities were far too valuable to ignore.

He could grow crops instantly—yet they remained safe for consumption.

And not just any crops—cancer-healing crops.

Crops that could purify land contaminated with mana.

When Park learned this, he went all in.

We have to bring this man into our company, no matter what.

"Thank you for granting me an audience, Your Majesty."

If bowing his head to a savage for the sake of corporate profit was what it took—so be it.

"Please accept this modest gift from our company as a sign of goodwill."

Park, accompanied by his aides, presented a gift to Leon.

It was a Weapon Closet, crafted by a renowned artisan from Doojeong Guild, one of Korea's top ten.

He hoped to dazzle the savage king with the closet's brilliant and ornate high-grade equipment.

Once he gets a taste of this, there's no going back. He'll be begging us to manage him.

Park eagerly awaited Leon and Han Hari's astonished reactions to this extraordinary offering.

But instead...

"Very well. I shall accept it... in recognition of your sincerity."

W-WHAT?

Accept it...?

"What the hell is with that attitude? It's like he's doing me a favor by accepting it."

Director Park Jong-chan was seething at Leon's arrogant demeanor, but forced himself to maintain a business smile.

"Ha... How about taking a look inside? I'm sure you'll be pleased."

"Tsk... Explaining manners to the lowborn is too tiresome. Han Hari, open it."

Leon, ever the overbearing fossil, delegated the task of opening the gift while continuing to infuriate those around him.

Han Hari stepped forward and opened it—and then gasped.

"Th-this is...?!"

"Heh heh..."

As the sleek case opened, metal hinges clicked and expanded to reveal a dozen or so finely displayed weapons—like a mini armory.

"These are our group's most advanced weapons. Please, choose any that suits Your Majesty's taste."

"These are... Unique-grade weapons made by a master craftsman from the Doojeong Guild?!"

Indeed, they were Unique-grade weapons crafted by the top-tier blacksmiths of Doojeong Guild, one of Korea's top 10 guilds.

Even high-ranking Hunters went wild for them—gear so rare that even money couldn't easily buy it.

"I heard Your Majesty plans to engage in Hunter activity. These will surely prove useful."

At that, Han Hari found it hard to breathe.

Weapons made by Doojeong Guild's master craftsmen? Each one could easily fetch over a billion won. These weren't drops from Gates—they were the best you could get through conventional means.

And now Leon was being offered one just like that?

Han Hari gulped as her eyes fell on Dawnlight, a Unique-grade longsword she'd only ever seen in YouTube videos during her time at the academy.

"No need. What use do I have for such inferior weapons?"

"I-inferior?"

"Y-Your Majesty! Inferior?!"

Even Han Hari was stunned. Otherworlder or not, how could he act so dismissively toward gear that looked this premium—even in the promotional photos?

"These weapons are made with the latest magitech alloy-compression techniques! You won't find quality like this anywhere else──"

Director Park quickly launched into a spiel about the cutting-edge technology and ultra-rare materials used to craft the weapons.

Even a savage should understand just how impressive this was. Any child would be amazed by the specs!

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But Leon's perspective was entirely different.

"How can you call it a 'sacred weapon' when it hasn't been bathed in starlight or blessed with divinity? Are your weapons only for hunting beasts?"

What... What is he talking about?

Did he expect weapons to be sun-dried while priests chanted over them?

Shockingly, yes. That's exactly what he meant.

"Compared to my sacred sword and spear, these are no more than toothpicks. Tsk tsk... bringing me weapons that haven't even undergone the Blessing Rite."

This damned savage!

There were always a few survivors like him—convinced their primitive world was superior.

Even the most prideful dwarves had to admit defeat when faced with the metallurgy and materials science of modern Earth.

Their master-forged, thousand-times-tempered steel swords bent like twigs when pitted against mass-produced standard blades from Earth.

"Ha... ha ha... You seem quite confident in your swordsmanship, Your Majesty."

"I merely stated the truth."

Leon summoned a sword from seemingly nowhere. Spatial storage tech? But there was no detectable magic aura...

Yet what appeared in his hand was a rusted, worn-down blade—nicks and chips across the edge, looking like it couldn't cut a thing.

Director Park wanted to laugh—What are you gonna do with that piece of trash?—but when their eyes met, the words died in his throat.

"You reek of doubt, merchant."

"M-my apologies, you misunderstand."

"No matter. Merchants like to exaggerate their goods. Though your weapons are like using an ox-cleaver to butcher a chicken, I shall still demonstrate with your offering."

Park Jong-chan was stunned, but quickly weighed his options. Should he humiliate Leon and crush his ego now, or let him save face?

But to insult the technological might of Doojeong Group? That couldn't go unanswered.

I'll show this barbarian what real craftsmanship looks like.

With a polite smile, he continued:

"In that case... I'd love to witness the brilliance of Your Majesty's holy sword for myself. Assistant Manager Han Hari?"

"Y-yes...?"

"Would you like to try any weapon you like?"

Hari glanced toward Leon, who gave her a slight nod.

She stepped forward and chose the weapon she'd idolized for four years: Dawnlight, a sword forged by Master Craftsman Park Jin-chul.

It had been tempered for ten days under the searing energy of a special Gate's sun—one of the toughest blades in existence. Its special ability, Sunlight's Radiance, could even melt advanced alloys.

For someone like Hari, blessed with fire affinity, it was a perfect match.

"I-I can really swing this...?"

"Why ask an adult for permission to swing a toy?"

That bastard...

Hari burned with rage, but Director Park was grinning—Sweet revenge is coming.

Despite her awe at holding her dream weapon, she still worried about Leon's old sword. But there was no room for half-measures now.

She activated Dawnlight's special ability. A crimson glow wrapped the blade, the edge flaring bright red.

"T-then... here I come!"

She swung at full force.

Dawnlight, at maximum power, collided with Leon's rusted blade.

The result was, without question──

-Clang!

With a crisp, almost satisfying clang, the blade shattered.

The one that broke in a single strike... was Dawnlight.

"Huh?"

"Wha...?"

Both Hari and Director Park tilted their heads in confusion. Even the secretaries were puzzled. The only one wearing a bored expression while staring at the broken blade... was Leon.

"I had my doubts, but you really did bring me something fit to be a toothpick. Dispose of it."

What... just happened?

Director Park's mind couldn't process what he had just seen.

Dawnlight was a weapon known for effortlessly slicing through even the bones and hides of high-grade monsters. It was the culmination of the best technology Doojeong Group had to offer—the pinnacle of what they could create.

C-could it be... a Unique-grade artifact?

That old, chipped sword? No way.

Sure, some survivors from other worlds had brought over their world's greatest artifacts—Unique-grade items. But even those carried a certain majesty.

That rusty, broken blade? It couldn't possibly be...

"It wasn't even 'Indestructible'? What a waste of time. I'll shorten the audience. You have three minutes—speak."

"N-no... Wait, what? No?"

Director Park had intended to establish dominance. How had it turned out like this?

He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't get a word out until a secretary gave him a shake on the shoulder, snapping him back to reality.

Right... the gift was only meant to win favor. Sure, a billion-won weapon had just been trashed, but right now, a billion won isn't the issue.

"Y-Your Majesty Leon──"

"What nation allows a lowborn merchant to speak the king's name so casually?"

"Khh... Y-Your Majesty."

His clenched teeth made a sound like they were about to shatter. Never in his life had he been so insulted or humiliated.

"A-about the crops... that Your Majesty is cultivating... Our Doojeong Group would like to secure exclusive distribution rights."

"The crops I'm cultivating? Do I look like a farmer to you?"

"N-no! Of course not! We simply wish to obtain the seeds of the crops You've grown in the Honam Plains and cultivate them ourselves."

"Hoo... so you wish to convert religions? Finally, something worthwhile from that mouth of yours."

"P-pardon?"

Convert? What was he talking about now?

"Those crops grow in lands blessed by the priests of the deity of life and abundance. And now you wish to become one of those priests? Quite the ambition for a mere merchant."

"Ah—no, that's not what I meant."

"Hmm?"

Director Park Jong-chan realized trying to follow Leon's twisted logic was pointless and decided to cut straight to the deal.

"We wish to acquire the patent rights to the rice seeds."

"What?"

Leon's gaze sharpened. Park hurriedly added some context.

"Of course, we would compensate you. Based on our internal valuation... we estimate their worth to be around 180 billion won."

Of course, that was an undervalued figure. Super rice that could supposedly cure cancer? Worth only 180 billion won? Ridiculous.

But if he explained that value to this ignorant savage, the guy would probably faint from excitement.

"You want to buy divine seeds... with money?"

"Exactly. Of course, the contract would include exclusivity for Doojeong Future Foods in terms of distribution rights. And if necessary, we can even negotiate a higher amount depending on──"

Director Park was already imagining how he'd manipulate this barbarian.

Lowball the seed's value, act like it's no big deal, use complex legal and logistics jargon to confuse him and take control of everything.

He was a born businessman—skilled in downplaying others' worth while inflating his own.

But──

"You lowly merchant... How dare you blaspheme the sacred?!"

What Park didn't realize was:

The man standing before him... was not just a king.

He was the living representative of divinity itself, and the most devout of all holy believers.