"You dare, at this very moment, to pry open a classified matter that concerns the safety and future of the kingdom before presenting it to His Majesty?"
A suddenly lowered voice.
Eyes that had changed in an instant.
A solemn air that weighed down on everyone present.
Kim Jangcheol's once-shrinking shoulders unfurled with a rustle. His slightly hunched back straightened up. His chin lifted at an arrogant angle of precisely 11.5 degrees.
He spoke again.
"And so, I command you—withdraw your hands that dare to peek inside this cart. At once."
"......"
The guards hesitated.
They hadn't expected this today—not in the slightest—and suddenly found themselves reunited with the chuno. Naturally, they were glad, even a little giddy.
But then, they were met with a reaction even more unexpected. Kim Jangcheol, who'd been groveling timidly just moments ago, had completely changed.
"Uh...."
What's up with that guy?
Did our squad captain push him too hard? Maybe he snapped for a moment. Yeah, yeah. They say people can summon strength and courage out of nowhere in moments of crisis.
The soldiers exchanged glances and whispered with their eyes. In short, Kim Jangcheol's intimidating demeanor didn't faze them at all.
And then it happened.
"You insolent wretches!"
Kim Jangcheol finally exploded in a thunderous voice.
"I just told you—the contents of this cart are of the utmost importance! And yet you refuse to back down—does this mean you openly intend to defy His Majesty's will?"
"........"
The guards froze again.
No—this time, they flinched.
Unconsciously, the hand lifting the tarp of the cart recoiled.
Kim Jangcheol continued shouting.
"The chuno in this cart belongs to His Majesty. Moreover, my companions and I retrieved it from that perilous, abandoned land under His Majesty's special command. It is a treasure directly tied to the kingdom's future. And yet you dare—to pry and gossip over such a thing?"
He didn't raise his voice.
Instead, it rang with weight. Each word, every syllable, struck the ear and pierced the chest. With ironclad shamelessness, he delivered it—heavy, dignified, and unflinching.
The guards' necks shrank back instinctively. And all of them began sharing the same thought as they glanced around at each other.
'...Could that be true?'
'It kinda sounds like it...?'
'Right? He wouldn't be acting this bold otherwise, would he?'
'Of course not. This place isn't just anywhere. It's the front line protecting the kingdom from the abandoned land.'
'Could he be a demon race spy, trying to infiltrate the kingdom with a convincing lie?'
'If he were, wouldn't he have already torn off our heads and started chewing by now?'
'I mean, yeah, that's true.'
The joy of discovering chuno had faded fast.
The soldiers were thrown into mild confusion.
And so was their commanding guard squad captain.
"Uh, excuse me… what exactly… did you mean by what you just said?"
At the squad captain's question, Kim Jangcheol tilted his arrogant chin slightly.
"What do I mean?"
"That special command from His Majesty you just mentioned."
"Ah, that's classified."
"But…"
"Are you doubting me right now?"
"...Yes, I am."
"An admirable stance. Truly, a commendable attitude for the captain of a border checkpoint protecting the kingdom."
"Thank y—...no, wait. That doesn't mean I can neglect a proper inspection."
"Of course not. Inspect away. To your heart's content."
"....."
Kim Jangcheol spread his arms and smiled with ease. Which only deepened the guard captain's suspicion.
Naturally so.
Tsk. This guy reeks of scammer.
A special command from His Majesty?
A mission to the abandoned land?
As far as he knew, no such party had departed on any such mission.
Not according to the records.
This checkpoint meticulously recorded everyone who passed through.
For good reason. Without such diligence, it would be impossible to catch demons from the demon race who disguised themselves as humans and infiltrated.
"........"
But there was no record of this party ever leaving through the checkpoint.
And yet, they were now returning from the abandoned land—with a cart full of strange, unbelievably flavorful black potatoes. Far larger and finer than the ones he'd known.
'I...'
What judgment should I make?
Logically, he should doubt them. That's the right move. But then again, seeing that cart brimming with black potatoes... his certainty began to waver.
These people had brought black potatoes back from that barren land of death. What if, by the slimmest chance, they really had been acting under His Majesty's special command?
'Could I... handle the consequences?'
Worry began to grow, little by little. At the same time, reason screamed louder and louder that these people looked like nothing but frauds.
"........"
An internal war—emotion versus reason.
A short, sharp internal struggle ended with the captain opening his mouth.
"...Very well. Then allow me to ask you just one thing."
"Go ahead. Ask."
"You claim to have received a special command from His Majesty. I'll believe that, under one condition—you must provide a single piece of proof to support that claim."
"Proof, of what kind?"
Kim Jangcheol asked.
The guard captain answered.
"It's about a discrepancy in the checkpoint's logbook. This checkpoint keeps thorough records of everyone who enters and exits. But there is no record of your party."
"In other words, the logbook says you never passed through this checkpoint to head into the abandoned land."
"Hmm. And?"
"Furthermore, this checkpoint is the only path from human territory to the abandoned land. There are no other ways—no detours, no sea routes."
"Hmm, that's true."
"And yet, you, whose departure was never recorded, are now attempting to return from the abandoned land to human territory. How is that possible?"
"Hmm. That's what you're curious about?"
"Yes. To verify the truth of your claim, I must hear your answer."
"..."
Kim Jangcheol fell silent for a moment.
And met the gaze of the guard captain staring straight into him.
A gaze befitting the captain of the kingdom's most critical checkpoint.
'As expected, no pushover.'
Even if he dropped the King's name and claimed a royal command, if he failed to give a convincing explanation, they'd unsheathe their swords without hesitation.
But Kim Jangcheol wasn't worried.
From the moment he grasped the situation, from the moment he read the atmosphere surrounding chuno, from the moment he switched gears in his head—he had already prepared the perfect answer for this very question.
"Alright. If you must know—"
His shameless lips parted.
"The fact that there's no record of us passing through this checkpoint—that is the proof."
"...Excuse me?"
The captain's brow twitched ever so slightly.
But Kim Jangcheol, undeterred, wet his lips with a loud smack. Then, with shamelessness layered in triple-embossed steel all over his face, he inflated the scale of his lie.
"Do you think His Majesty's special command is some kind of children's play?"
"Excuse me? What do you mean by that…"
"I'm asking if you truly believe that those entrusted with a royal mission, one that concerns the safety of the royal family—those like us, operating under His Majesty's secret order—would leave a trail in the records before even completing the mission, parading about and announcing our path to the whole world?"
"......."
"To you, the system and management of this checkpoint may seem like absolute truth. But remember—there is a deeper, more dangerous world out there that you know nothing about. So I implore you, stay in your world. Do not cast your gaze upon the more perilous one. Understood?"
"......"
What kind of bullsh*t is this.
That was the most honest reaction that came to the guard captain's mind.
But Kim Jangcheol paid it no mind, continuing to run his mouth with even greater zeal.
"I'm saying—behind this checkpoint's seemingly flawless system, there are things you do not know. Just as I passed through this gate without leaving a single trace and ventured into the abandoned land teeming only with death. And now, I stand here before you after many sacrifices and at last completing our mission."
"........"
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"......"
Nope.
Not even a little.
Truthfully, the captain was only growing more confused.
He understood what this guy was trying to say—roughly. Something about how those high-ranking folks up top had means to pass through the checkpoint without leaving any records. That kind of thing.
And that was exactly why—
'...This makes him even more suspicious.'
The captain's eyes narrowed. His reason was now screaming louder than before—He's lying. If you trust him, you're screwed.
But at the same time, his emotions were raising their voices even higher.
That may be a lie, but what if—what if it's actually true, and you don't believe him? Then you really are screwed. You won't survive the fallout.
'So what... am I supposed to do?'
The captain found himself in even greater agony than before. Logically, he knew he shouldn't let them through—but emotionally, he was a little scared.
So, finally,
The captain came up with a solution. A compromise, or perhaps, his own way out.
"...Very well. I will believe you. On one condition—"
"One?"
"I'll have the cart and your companions remain here."
"What? So you're saying, you won't let us pass?"
"That's not it. You, sir, will come with me."
"Hm, where to?"
"To the fortress's highest authority—the Commander."
"...So you're passing the responsibility."
"It's not a matter I should decide on my own. I ask for your understanding."
"Tch, fine."
Kim Jangcheol let out a bitter smile.
To be honest, he thought this much bluster would push things through a little.
'This guard captain's no pushover.'
He'd almost not fallen for it.
In fact, he was quite sharp.
'Believing me outright makes him suspicious, but if he doesn't believe me and I'm telling the truth, the consequences would be too much—so he's deferring the decision to a superior.'
This isn't easy. Making a living is never easy. That applies to him, and to the captain too, probably.
So Kim Jangcheol followed the captain into the fortress. He did, for a moment, consider forcing his way through—but held back. He thought about what came after.
'Sure, we could break through with force—but if we did, we could forget about ever selling chuno in the human world.'
Horrible rumors about their party would spread like wildfire. That would make acquiring seeds for the next planting nearly impossible.
'Anyway, the fortress commander, huh.'
He mentally prepared himself.
If even the guard captain at the gate was this strict, how thorough and severe would the top authority, the Commander, be? What kind of words would he need to prepare?
Bracing himself, he climbed the stairs, passed down a corridor, and arrived at a door.
"This is the drawing room. Ah, just so you know, another guest has arrived before you—please keep that in mind."
The captain opened the door.
And the scene inside the drawing room was revealed.
What he saw first was a desolate and sparse setting. A space too frugal to be called a drawing room. And within it, the back of someone seated.
"........"
That must be the guest who arrived earlier.
The guest's head reacted to the sound of the door opening.
They turned reflexively, as if to see who had come in. Upon seeing Kim Jangcheol's face, their eyes slightly widened. From that point on, they stared—no, glared—without looking away.
And thus, the threads tangled.
A chilling sense of shock.
The feeling of one's heart plummeting.
Only then did Kim Jangcheol fully realize who that so-called guest who arrived first actually was.
"Uh...."
Someone he had believed he'd never meet again. Someone he'd sworn on his life to never cross paths with.
It was Aged Kimchi.
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]