Hax slowly walked away from the Adventurer's Guild.
The wooden door behind him closed with a quiet creak.
Only after the black-armored figure had completely disappeared from sight did the guild hall, which had been frozen in silence, finally come back to life.
But not with laughter.
Only whispers.
"...He really left."
"Just like that?"
"Does he even realize he just pulled out a Red Dragon scale?"
One adventurer continued staring blankly at the door.
"If I had even a single dragon scale, I'd probably retire."
"And he just put it back like it was nothing..."
On the other side of the hall, the Guild Master remained standing before the now-empty table.
A faint trace of the Red Dragon scale's mana pressure still lingered in the air.
He let out a long sigh.
"Lydia."
The female receptionist immediately straightened her posture.
"Y-Yes, Guild Master."
"Close the sales counter for fifteen minutes."
"Huh?"
"I need to send a report."
Lydia's expression changed.
A report?
Just because an adventurer sold some monster materials?
The Guild Master seemed to read her thoughts.
"If it were ordinary monster materials, then of course not."
His gaze shifted toward the exit.
"But the man who just came here is anything but ordinary."
He walked toward his office on the second floor.
Once the door closed, he unlocked a small safe hidden behind a bookshelf.
Inside rested a communication crystal about the size of a clenched fist.
It was reserved exclusively for high-priority reports.
The Guild Master slowly sat down and picked up his pen.
But the tip of the pen stopped just before touching the paper.
"...How am I supposed to write this?"
He sat there in silence for quite some time.
Throughout his years managing the Guild, he had received reports involving dragons.
He had even seen dragon materials before.
But they had always come from large-scale expeditions involving dozens of Rank A adventurers, sometimes even with support from the royal army.
Yet today...
One man had arrived alone.
And sold a Red Dragon scale as casually as if he were selling Dire Wolf hide.
The Guild Master rubbed his temples.
"Lydia."
The receptionist promptly stepped into the room.
"Is there anything you need?"
"If someone came in carrying a Red Dragon scale..."
"Yes?"
"And claimed they killed it themselves..."
Lydia blinked several times.
"I... would probably think they were joking."
"Exactly."
The Guild Master gave a bitter smile.
"That's the problem."
He finally began writing.
High Priority Report
Royal Capital Branch, Etravia Adventurer's Guild
Today, an adventurer named Hax visited the guild to sell monster materials.
Among them was a genuine Red Dragon scale, whose authenticity has been verified.
The subject claimed to have slain the dragon personally.
This statement has not yet been verified.
However, based on the condition of the material, there is a high probability that the scale originated from a recently deceased Red Dragon.
Considering the incident in Eisenvald and the appearance of the black-armored knight reported to have aided Hero Seraphina, we believe this individual warrants special attention.
It is recommended that both the Central Guild and the royal government conduct a direct investigation.
The Guild Master reread the report.
Not a single sentence explicitly stated that Hax had definitely killed the dragon.
Yet neither did it deny the possibility.
"That should be enough."
He rolled up the letter and placed it inside a small metal tube.
The communication crystal on his desk began to glow.
A moment later, the metal tube vanished into the light.
The report had been sent.
The Guild Master slowly leaned back in his chair.
For some reason, he had a feeling that the letter he had just sent would become the beginning of something far greater than a mere guild report.
Far in the heart of the capital, beyond towering white stone walls, stood the Royal Palace of Etravia.
Inside the main council chamber, the atmosphere was far quieter than usual.
The ministers stood in rows along both sides of the room.
Spread before them was a massive map of the kingdom's northern territories.
Several locations had been marked in red.
Ashen.
Eisenvald.
And the mountain range lying between them.
Standing before the throne was Seraphina, one arm still wrapped in a thin bandage.
Her holy armor had been replaced, though several scars from the battle remained visible.
"So you believe the invasion was truly led by the Demon King?"
The King's voice was heavy.
"That is the most likely possibility, Your Majesty."
"And that Minotaur General?"
"He was far stronger than any demon we have faced before."
Silence returned to the chamber.
At last, one of the ministers spoke.
"What about the black-armored knight mentioned in your report?"
Seraphina paused briefly.
"I do not know his identity."
"But he helped you?"
"Yes."
"Was he from another kingdom?"
Seraphina slowly shook her head.
"I cannot say for certain."
She recalled the black-armored figure descending from the sky.
The way he fought.
The way he spoke.
And his calm gaze amid the sea of monsters.
"...However..."
Every eye turned toward her.
"If it hadn't been for him holding back the remaining monster forces..."
"...the casualties in Eisenvald would have been far greater."
Before the conversation could continue—
A royal knight hurried into the chamber.
"Permission to report, Your Majesty!"
The King nodded.
"What is it?"
The knight knelt and presented a sealed metal tube.
"A priority report from the Royal Capital branch of the Adventurer's Guild."
A servant immediately carried it to the King.
The seal was broken.
The King slowly read the letter.
His eyebrows rose slightly.
Then...
for the first time since the meeting had begun...
his expression truly changed.
"...Interesting."
The ministers exchanged puzzled glances.
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
The King raised the letter.
"The black-armored knight we were just discussing..."
"...has just visited the Adventurer's Guild."
The room fell silent.
"And according to the Guild's report..."
The King paused for a moment before continuing.
"...he attempted to sell a Red Dragon scale."
Even Seraphina lifted her head in surprise.
The once-silent chamber was now filled with looks of utter disbelief.
----
Leaving the Adventurer's Guild behind, Hax once again made his way down the capital's main avenue. The sun was beginning to sink beyond the city walls, while mana lanterns lining the streets lit up one after another, gradually replacing the fading glow of dusk. People hurried home. Merchants closed their stalls, while groups of adventurers only now began filling the taverns to spend the night.
Hax stopped briefly at an intersection.
His gaze swept across the bustling streets.
Then shifted to the pouch of coins in his hand.
Twenty-eight gold coins and fourteen silver coins.
More than enough to cover an ordinary person's living expenses for quite some time.
However...
"..."
He fell silent for a few seconds.
"I have no needs."
He did not need food.
Nor sleep.
The armor that formed his body would continuously repair minor damage by drawing mana from the surrounding environment. Extreme heat and cold had little effect on him thanks to the various resistance abilities embedded into him from the moment of his creation.
In other words—
the money had almost no practical value to him.
Hax stared at the coin pouch in his hand for a moment.
Money was merely a tool for acquiring resources.
Yet almost all of the biological necessities humans depended on simply did not apply to him.
He needed no food.
No bed.
Not even spare clothing.
What he needed...
was infrastructure.
A permanent location.
A place spacious enough to access the System, test various abilities, organize his Inventory, and conduct experiments without worrying about being watched by the people of this world.
The longer he remained within human territory, the more often he had to conceal the existence of the System.
That approach was inefficient.
"...A base of operations."
The words escaped his lips naturally.
A place that belonged solely to him.
A place he wouldn't have to leave simply because the lease had expired.
A place that could continue expanding as his needs grew.
Hax began calculating the possibilities.
Buy a house.
Build one.
Purchase vacant land.
Or...
establish a base outside human territory.
All of them were viable.
There was only one problem.
"...Where?"
Just as the question surfaced—
the sound of galloping horses echoed from the far end of the street.
Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop!
The pedestrians immediately stepped aside.
A squad of mounted knights rode into the main avenue, the crest of the Kingdom of Etravia emblazoned across their breastplates.
At the front, a commander in his forties reined in his horse and surveyed the crowd gathered near the Adventurer's Guild.
His eyes scanned every face.
As though searching for someone.
Then an adventurer pointed toward Hax.
"There he is..."
The commander followed the direction of the finger.
His gaze immediately settled on the black armor standing not far away.
Found him.
He dismounted, approached Hax, and offered a respectful salute.
"Am I speaking with Sir Hax?"
Hax looked at the man for several seconds.
"...Yes."
The commander released a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness."
"His Majesty the King has ordered us to search the entire capital for you."
"..."
"He wishes to personally express his gratitude for your deeds in Eisenvald."
Hax studied the man for a moment before shifting his gaze to the royal crest engraved upon the commander's breastplate.
A golden lion crowned with silver.
The emblem of the Kingdom of Etravia.
"..."
"His Majesty ordered us to search the entire capital for you," the commander continued respectfully. "He wishes to personally thank you for your assistance during the Battle of Eisenvald."
Hax did not answer immediately.
Behind his black helmet, he instead opened the constantly updating priority list maintained by the System.
[Current Priority]
Gather information about the Demon King.
Understand the world's political structure.
Establish a permanent base of operations.
All of them...
converged at a single destination.
The Royal Palace.
The gathering place of nobles, high-ranking officials, military commanders, and archives that might contain this world's history.
There was no reason to decline such an opportunity.
"...Very well."
His answer was brief.
Yet for the commander, that single word lifted a tremendous burden from his shoulders.
Thank goodness.
He had already imagined the worst.
What if this mysterious knight refused?
He wasn't even certain the soldiers under his command could stop someone rumored to have fought alongside Hero Seraphina and emerged from the battlefield virtually unharmed.
The commander gestured toward his men.
"Prepare the carriage."
"Sir, wouldn't horses be faster?"
The commander slowly shook his head.
"A guest of honor does not walk to the royal palace."
Hax watched the exchange without much reaction.
Several minutes later, a white carriage bearing the royal crest came to a stop before the Adventurer's Guild.
It was a carriage normally reserved for welcoming nobles or foreign envoys.
Witnessing the scene, the people still lingering around the guild began whispering among themselves.
"A royal carriage..."
"Who's being picked up?"
"That man in black armor..."
"Is he really someone important?"
The rumors that had previously circulated only within the guild quickly spread across the entire town square.
Someone even sprinted toward the nearest tavern.
"I just saw it!"
"The royal family personally came to escort the black-armored knight!"
"They say he's going to meet the King!"
Within minutes, the story began to change.
From one person...
to five.
From five...
to dozens.
As always, each retelling added another embellishment.
"They say he's a Hero from the western kingdom."
"No! I heard he's an imperial noble."
"I heard he killed a Red Dragon by himself."
"A Red Dragon? I heard it was two."
No one realized that the entire rumor had started from a single dragon scale placed upon the guild counter only moments earlier.
Meanwhile, Hax had already boarded the carriage.
Its interior was spacious. The seats were upholstered in fine leather, while several mana crystals embedded in the corners maintained a comfortable temperature.
He sat down without paying much attention to the luxurious surroundings.
Instead...
his gaze settled on the window.
The capital slowly drifted past as the carriage rolled forward.
The marketplace.
Weapon shops.
The Magic Academy.
The church.
Military barracks.
He observed each of them in turn.
Without realizing it.
The System began operating.
[Mapping Surrounding Area...]
[Urban Structure Analysis: 7%]
[Commercial District Registered.]
[Military District Registered.]
[Religious Facility Registered.]
Every building they passed gradually formed a three-dimensional map within his mind.
The commander seated across from him considered starting a conversation several times.
But whenever he looked at the black-armored figure silently staring out the window without moving an inch, the words died before leaving his lips.
Silence filled the carriage.
Only the sound of wheels rolling over stone pavement remained.
Eventually...
the commander gathered his courage.
"Sir Hax."
"..."
"May I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
The man hesitated for several seconds.
"The emblem on your armor..."
He cautiously pointed toward Hax's chest.
"I've never seen it in any kingdom."
"It isn't a royal crest."
"Then..."
"It's merely a design."
The commander blinked.
"Just... a design?"
"Yes."
The answer was so flat that it only deepened the commander's confusion.
If it wasn't the crest of any kingdom...
then where had such a powerful knight come from?
He wanted to ask another question.
But decided against it.
Perhaps the King himself would receive the answers later.
Meanwhile, Hax was thinking about something entirely different.
The palace.
Land.
A base of operations.
If the King truly intended to reward him...
then the probability of obtaining land would increase significantly.
"...Quite high."
Hax murmured quietly.
The commander accidentally overheard him and assumed Hax was referring to the capital's defensive walls.
He smiled proudly.
"Indeed, Sir Hax. The capital's walls are among the tallest on the entire continent."
Hax slowly turned toward him.
"...?"
Several seconds later...
he chose not to correct the misunderstanding.
The carriage continued onward.
In the distance, the towering silhouette of Etravia's Royal Palace gradually came into view above the heart of the capital.
Its massive gates slowly opened.
And unbeknownst to anyone inside the carriage...
countless eyes were already waiting for the mysterious black-armored guest's arrival.
Not only the King.
But ministers, generals, senior Guild officials, and several nobles who had spent the entire morning debating the same question.
Who exactly... was Hax?
----
The Royal Palace of Etravia was far quieter than the bustling streets of the capital.
The ceiling of the grand audience hall soared high above, supported by white marble pillars engraved with the history of the kingdom's past monarchs. A crimson carpet stretched straight toward the throne at the far end of the chamber, where a silver-haired, middle-aged man sat, wearing a royal robe that was simple in appearance yet carried unquestionable authority.
Standing to his left and right were ministers, military commanders, senior officials of the Adventurer's Guild, and several influential nobles. Seraphina was there as well, dressed in a fresh set of white knight's attire, though the faint wounds on her face had yet to fully heal.
As the doors to the audience hall opened, every gaze immediately fell upon a single figure.
Black armor.
A dark cloak.
Calm, measured footsteps.
Hax.
Not a single person present dared underestimate the man who had appeared in Eisenvald that night.
The King slowly rose from his throne.
"Sir Hax."
The hall fell even quieter.
"On behalf of the Kingdom of Etravia, allow me to express my deepest gratitude."
"Without your assistance, the casualties at Eisenvald would have been far greater."
Hax gave a slight nod.
"That wasn't my primary reason for going there."
His answer caused several nobles to exchange glances.
He wasn't seeking praise.
Nor was he trying to be humble.
He was simply stating a fact.
Instead, the King smiled faintly.
"Even so, the kingdom owes you a debt."
He raised one hand.
"Name any reward you desire, so long as it lies within the kingdom's power to grant."
Every eye immediately turned back toward Hax.
Money?
A noble title?
Territory?
Or perhaps...
the position of military commander?
Yet Hax remained silent.
A System window appeared before him.
[Request Recommendation]
Current Objective: Establish Permanent Base.
Success Probability if Requesting Land: 91.8%
"..."
The decision was made almost instantly.
"I require a piece of land."
"..."
Silence abruptly filled the hall.
Several nobles frowned.
Just...
land?
Even the King looked slightly surprised.
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
"For what purpose?"
"To build a base of operations."
His answer was so matter-of-fact that many in the room had no idea how they were supposed to react.
The King considered it for a moment before nodding.
"That is not a difficult request."
"However..."
His gaze became more serious.
"There is one condition."
"You must become a citizen of the Kingdom of Etravia."
The King did not continue immediately.
Instead, he studied Hax for a few moments before speaking again.
"But before that... there is something I wish to ask."
Hax raised his head slightly.
"You..."
The King paused.
"Are you a Hero from another kingdom?"
The audience hall fell silent once more.
Several ministers immediately shifted their attention toward Hax.
Even Seraphina watched him closely.
Ever since the events at Eisenvald, that question had lingered in all of their minds.
Hax had appeared too suddenly.
The power he displayed was overwhelming.
And most importantly—
no one knew who he was.
Hax remained silent for a few seconds.
"No."
His reply was brief.
"I am not a Hero."
Several nobles exchanged puzzled looks.
"Not?" one minister muttered.
"Then..."
The King asked another question.
"Where do you come from?"
Hax had already prepared an answer during the journey to the capital.
"The missions I accept take me from one place to another."
"I usually work alone."
"That is why so few people know me."
The King narrowed his eyes slightly.
"'Missions'...?"
"Then do you serve someone?"
"Another kingdom? The Church? Or perhaps a secret organization?"
Several ministers also adopted serious expressions.
To them, someone as powerful as Hax should have belonged to some major faction.
Hax paused briefly.
Then answered in the same flat tone.
"No."
"I only accept work that I consider worth doing."
"No one has the authority to command me."
His answer prompted another exchange of glances among the nobles.
That was not the response of a soldier.
Nor that of a royal knight.
It was the answer of someone who acted entirely according to his own will.
The King observed Hax for several moments, as though trying to discern the intentions hidden behind the black helmet.
"I see..."
He did not appear fully convinced.
But neither did he see any reason to press the matter further.
The man standing before him had saved thousands of his people at Eisenvald.
And so far—
every action he had taken had benefited the Kingdom of Etravia.
"Very well. I will not force you to reveal what you wish to keep hidden."
"But there remains one condition if you wish to receive land from the Kingdom of Etravia."
The King's expression turned slightly more solemn.
"You must become a citizen of the Kingdom of Etravia."
The hall fell silent once again.
Several ministers discreetly watched Hax's reaction.
They still knew nothing of his origins.
If the rumors were true—that he was a Hero from another kingdom—then such a request would almost certainly be refused.
Hax, however, did not answer immediately.
He was calculating.
[Analyzing Proposal...]
Benefits:
Official ownership of land.
Legal identity.
Authorized access to royal facilities.
Improved access to information.
Risks:
Potential obligations toward the kingdom.
Overall Evaluation:
Advantages exceed disadvantages.
Recommendation: Accept.
"...I have no objection."
The answer came without the slightest hesitation.
Ironically, it was the officials who seemed taken aback.
It was really that simple?
The King smiled.
"In that case... how would you feel about becoming a Baron?"
The entire audience hall turned toward Hax.
Yet he answered almost without thinking.
"No."
"..."
The King looked genuinely surprised.
"May I ask why?"
Hax replied in the same calm voice.
"I dislike obligations unrelated to my objectives."
"As a noble, I would be expected to attend council meetings, receive guests, and involve myself in matters of governance."
"That would be inefficient."
Silence once again settled over the hall.
To the nobles, those responsibilities were an honor.
To Hax...
they were merely additional tasks.
Or perhaps, a more fitting way to describe his mindset was—
"I would rather build something than inherit it."
One of the ministers immediately made a note of his decision.
"We will prepare the land for you. It lies near the kingdom's western frontier, far from the capital. The area has remained largely uninhabited for years, with only forests and rolling hills surrounding it. It holds little value to the kingdom, but it is spacious enough to build a residence."
"That will suffice."
As always, Hax's reply was concise.
But before the King could continue, Hax spoke again.
"I have another matter to discuss."
"Oh?"
"I've heard that the kingdom purchases dragon materials."
The Commander of the Royal Army's eyes immediately lit up.
The King nodded.
"That is correct."
"Dragon scales, bones, horns, and mana cores are all extremely valuable materials. Our royal blacksmiths use them to forge weapons and armor for our commanders. With such equipment, their chances of surviving the battlefield increase considerably."
"That is why we purchase dragon materials at exceptionally high prices."
Hax gave a slight nod.
"In that case..."
He raised one hand.
Subtle spatial ripples formed beside him.
A dark leather pouch slowly appeared in his grasp.
Several people nodded to themselves.
A Magic Bag.
That made sense.
Yet Hax did not immediately take anything out.
His hand remained inside the pouch for several seconds.
Then...
the distortion behind the bag began to expand.
Seraphina, who had been quietly observing the entire time, narrowed her eyes.
"..."
That...
wasn't how a Magic Bag worked.
The air throughout the audience hall began to tremble.
The space before Hax warped, as though something far too large was being forced through an opening much too small.
Several royal knights instinctively reached for their swords.
Even the King frowned slightly.
"What in the—"
BOOOOOOM!!
A gigantic Red Dragon suddenly appeared in the center of the audience hall.
Its intact body occupied nearly half the room. Crimson scales reflected the light of the mana chandeliers, while its folded wings rested heavily upon the marble floor.
The entire hall froze.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Not a single voice could be heard.
One noble unconsciously dropped his wine glass.
The Commander of the Royal Army stared with wide eyes.
Even the Grand Guild Master, who had been invited to the audience, could only stand there in stunned silence.
"That's..."
"A Red Dragon..."
Completely intact.
Not a single scale.
Not a claw.
Not a horn.
An entire dragon.
Still completely intact.
Not merely a single scale.
Not a claw.
Not a horn.
An entire dragon.
Hax glanced around the hall.
"...It seems this place is smaller than I expected."
That flat remark nearly caused several knights to lose their footing.
Seraphina wasn't looking at the dragon at all.
Her eyes were fixed on the fading spatial distortion beside Hax.
A Magic Bag...
could never produce something this large.
No.
What she had just witnessed...
was high-level spatial magic.
Yet Seraphina chose to remain silent.
If Hax had deliberately concealed that ability, then he undoubtedly had his reasons.
And after everything that had happened in Eisenvald...
she decided to respect that choice.
Meanwhile, the King slowly stepped down from his throne.
He approached the Red Dragon's massive body at an unhurried pace.
His hand rested against one of its crimson scales.
It was still warm.
Still overflowing with mana.
This...
was truly a dragon that had only recently been slain.
He turned toward Hax.
"If you intended to sell something of this magnitude..."
"...why did you ask for land instead of money?"
Hax answered without much thought.
"Money is a resource that will eventually run out."
He briefly looked at the dragon.
"And it is ultimately spent to acquire facilities."
His gaze returned to the King.
"If the facilities themselves can be obtained directly..."
"...then asking for money is inefficient."
Silence settled over the audience hall once more.
"For humans, a house is a place to live."
"But for me..."
"Land is a permanent location."
"A place to store materials."
"A place to conduct research."
"A place to develop my abilities."
"And a place I never have to abandon simply because the lease has expired."
"It holds greater value than gold."
No one answered immediately.
Even the King remained silent for a long while.
To the nobles, this man was truly an enigma.
They couldn't begin to understand the way the black-armored knight thought.
Yet precisely because of that—
their respect for Hax only grew stronger.