After finishing my conversation with Balderic, I stepped outside, and Kain excused himself before handing me over to Ailin.
"This way, please."
Under Ailin's guidance, I headed to the room that would serve as my temporary quarters.
"If there's anything you need, please let me know at any time."
"I'd like a bath."
Having been a prisoner, my current appearance was a complete mess.
Ailin seemed to have anticipated as much; everything was already prepared.
"Understood. Then, shall I assist you with—"
"No need for assistance."
Ailin, standing before me, was the second most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
Receiving such service from a peerless beauty like her...
It felt like it might lead to some unhealthy thoughts.
Ah.
The reason she was second was simple.
I'd just come from seeing Balderic.
She was the most popular character in the game, but seeing her in person, her reputation was no exaggeration.
Her beauty transcended human limits, like a mystical fairy.
"Understood. Shall I prepare a meal after your bath?"
I was too hungry to put off eating any longer.
"Bring the meal to the room."
"Understood. Please rest well."
She bowed gracefully in greeting and left the room.
After finishing my bath, I stood before the mirror.
The reflection staring back was utterly unfamiliar.
Hair as deep and dark as the night sky, skin white as marble evoking pale statues, eyes holding the gray of abyssal depths. It was a mysterious visage reminiscent of an ancient vampire.
"So this is me now."
If not for the current situation, I might have jumped for joy.
The man in the mirror was more handsome than any male celebrity I'd seen on TV.
Even with billions spent on plastic surgery, I couldn't have achieved this face in my original body.
If surgery could make everyone this handsome, Hongdae streets would be Cha Eun-woo paradise by now.
A bitter smile should have tugged at my lips.
Or rather, it should have.
Emotions churned wildly inside me, yet not a trace showed on my face.
As if the body wasn't mine, the threads of emotion failed to connect to my features.
Whether I tried to smile or frown, the perfect face in the mirror remained utterly emotionless.
The oppressive presence, like gazing upon Balderic herself, emanated even from my own reflection.
"Unbelievable. Feeling intimidated by my own appearance."
It was a rank I'd never seen before, but this ability's effect seemed pretty good.
At first, I thought a bluffing ability like this would get me killed quickly.
But now, it felt better than any other ability.
No matter how powerful the ability, it couldn't have navigated this situation as well.
A combat-specialized one would have ended with a single gesture from Kain; a support one wouldn't have changed anything.
Even so-called ultimate conditional abilities were just ordinary humans until conditions were met.
But now, if I played it right, it might all be over soon.
Tian Yi Hui...
The meeting where the eight captains, acknowledged even by Balderic, gathered to make Haven's highest decisions.
Though regular, the weight of the name Tian Yi Hui was immense.
One word from them could erase a small kingdom without effort.
With their immense power came arrogance beyond measure; my overwhelming presence alone might not suffice to survive them.
I walked to the window.
The massive walls encircling the outskirts, grand buildings, knights standing guard with tremendous resolve.
One of the continent's three great powers, ruled by the eight captains under Lord Balderic.
Unlike the Lunaria Empire, it was a land where all races coexisted.
A place where, regardless of status, pure strength could propel one to the top— that was Haven.
Scenes I'd only viewed through game graphics on my screen now unfolded vividly before my eyes as stark reality.
Etching every detail deep into my mind, I slowly drew in a breath.
This place was no longer just a game—it was reality.
Paradoxically, it was the world of Age of Legend, where I'd poured more passion than anyone.
I would survive, no matter what.
In this game-like reality, staking everything I had.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇They'd said Tian Yi Hui was tomorrow, so why was this trial already upon me?
I wasn't even mentally prepared yet!
"You're the captain candidate the uncle mentioned, big bro?"
I shot a cold glare at Kain, the one who'd thrust this situation upon me.
He dipped his head slightly in apology, but I didn't miss the faint smile playing at his lips.
I'll deal with you later, Kain.
Not that the weakened me could harm him, of course.
Slowly turning my gaze, I faced the little girl at the center of it all.
"I'm bored, so play with me."
Chills ran down my spine at those words.
The girl with blue hair and her shadow-like bodyguard knight.
Knowing their identities, I couldn't relax even for her cute appearance.
I knew all too well the consequences of her "play."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇"Hello, Uncle."
"You've arrived..."
Kain, who could massacre hundreds with a single shadow, bowed politely before the girl who barely reached 140cm.
Yet everyone watched as if it were the most natural thing.
And it was.
She was one of the eight captains acknowledged by the lord of Haven.
Ellis, leader of the Qingyuan Regiment and known as the "Empress of the Deep Sea."
The Qingyuan Regiment ruled Haven's coastal regions.
"Lady Ellis, you've arrived a day early."
At Kain's words, she tilted her head with an innocent expression.
"Huh? Really? Oops, I came too soon. What should I do then?"
Her bodyguard knight, Leon, standing beside her, continued politely.
"Lady Captain, since there's no Tian Yi Hui meeting today, how about a stroll around the Lord's Castle lake?"
"Ooh! Great idea, Leon! You're a genius! Let's go right now!"
Ellis's eyes sparkled like a child who'd received candy, bubbling with joy.
"Lady Ellis, the Lord's Castle knights are currently training by the lake, so it might interfere with your viewing."
"It's fine~ If they get in the way, just sink 'em!"
Everyone around broke into cold sweats at her innocent retort to Kain.
And for good reason— one mustn't be fooled by her cute appearance.
Three years ago, when the North Sea Pirate Fleet's leader invaded Qingyuan Regiment territory with a five-hundred-ship armada, she went out alone and sank every vessel in just ten minutes.
Sinking pirates invading one's territory isn't strange, of course.
But that's talk from those who don't know the captains well.
Captains rarely blink at invasions of their lands.
To them, such events were like ant wars— mere nuisances from insignificant bugs, ignored unless they became bothersome.
The pirates, knowing this, would have taken utmost care not to irk a captain.
But their misfortune was encountering a girl who wanted to take a sea stroll that day.
"You're bothering my sea-viewing."
With that single remark, the five-hundred-ship fleet vanished into the ocean depths.
As if it had never existed.
"Leon, let's go! Today, we're sightseeing the Lord's Castle lake!"
Ellis exclaimed in an excited voice, like a child off on a picnic.
"Understood, Lady Captain. But if you sink the Lord's Castle knights too deeply this time, the lord might get angry."
"Sis would? Hmm..."
Everyone tensed, sweating as the little girl pondered.
To an outsider, the scene of armed knights fretting over a child's whims would seem comical.
But for them, it was life or death.
If she whimsically decided the training knights "bothered" her and sank them all,
Would the lord punish her, or the heads of those who failed to stop her?
Even those ignorant of Haven knew the answer.
One of the eight irreplaceable captains versus disposable knights—the scales were clear.
Only two could rein her in here: her ever-present bodyguard knight and the Lord's Castle steward, Kain.
The knights' desperate gazes turned to Kain, pleading like their last hope for salvation.
"Lady Ellis."
At Kain's calm voice, Ellis looked up from her furrowed-brow contemplation.
"Yeah?"
"The candidate I'm recommending for captain this time has been added to the Tian Yi Hui agenda."
"Captain candidate? If Uncle recommends him, he must be strong, right?"
Kain thought of Astra, a smile touching his lips.
"Yes, quite strong. One of the best I've seen."
"Ooh... That good?"
Ellis's eyes sparkled in an instant, brimming with curiosity like a child spotting a new toy.
"Then introduce him. I've decided—today, I'll play with that captain candidate."
"Understood. I'll guide you."
Kain inwardly apologized to Astra.
Forgive me, Lord Astra. But I believe even you can get along with Lady Ellis.
As steward managing the entire castle, he wanted to avoid needless chaos like a knight order's annihilation.
Besides, building rapport with a voting captain at Tian Yi Hui could only benefit Astra.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Read 230 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
https://noveldex.io/series/im-pretending-to-be-the-strongest-to-survive
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━