Episode 46
“This is…?”
The document was none other than a contract for the transfer of shares in the Reinhardt Trading Company.
It stated that 20% of the shares would be transferred.
“Are you saying you want to transfer shares? Shares of the Reinhardt Trading Company?”
The Reinhardt Trading Company was a thriving and promising enterprise. Giving away 20% of its shares was akin to handing over millions of gold coins.
Melissa, the princess, nodded in response to Zeke’s astonished question.
“Indeed. If you can assure me, a fifth of the company will be yours, Sir Zeke.”
“Wow.”
To Zeke, who had lived a previous life, this was an incomprehensible gesture. Even though he had saved her life with a cure, that was already settled under a different agreement. All Melissa wanted now was assurance, and giving Zeke shares for that seemed excessive.
“Princess Melissa, I’m just a student at Valhalla. I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
Honestly, Melissa’s actions only heightened his wariness. In his experience, people never gave something for nothing. Deals that seemed too good to be true always had a catch.
Melissa looked at Zeke and spoke.
“While I am a princess, I am also a merchant. The reason I’m making this offer to you is because I see significant investment potential.”
“Investment potential? What kind of potential? Because I’m a knight of Draker?”
“Please don’t misunderstand. While I respect the Draker knights, there are many besides you, Sir Zeke.”
As Melissa spoke, something clicked in Zeke’s mind.
“The rights to the cure for the Red Plague…”
The Red Plague was spreading relentlessly along the borders of the Kingdom of Alencia. Melissa, known for her charitable work, wouldn’t ignore such a crisis.
“You want to give me shares in exchange for the rights to the cure?”
“If the Empire is behind this plague, the cure could thwart their schemes. Even if not, it would save the people of Alencia, making it a worthwhile endeavor.”
Zeke studied Melissa’s eyes, trying to gauge her intentions. In his past life, he had met many people, but none who would sacrifice themselves for others like Melissa. Well, except for one.
“Damn it. I tried not to think about it.”
The first person he thought of when he returned to the past. The one who stubbornly walked their own path like a lone wolf in the frozen north.
“Sir Zeke?”
Zeke snapped back to reality. Melissa’s eyes reminded him of that person he once knew. He spoke slowly.
“All you need is for me to declare I’m not aligned with the Empire?”
Melissa nodded.
Zeke stood up and drew his sword. Cliff, who was standing behind, flinched and moved to intervene, but Melissa stopped him.
Holding his sword, Zeke declared, “I, Zeke Draker, swear on my honor that I have no ties to the Empire.”
Though brief, his words carried immense weight.
Melissa nodded in acknowledgment.
“Thank you, Sir Zeke. Your honorable oath reassures me of my judgment.”
Melissa promptly signed the transfer contract and handed it to Zeke.
Zeke hesitated as he looked at the contract. While the prospect of maintaining ties with Melissa was daunting, the future value of the Reinhardt Trading Company was too significant to ignore.
‘If it becomes too burdensome, I can always sell it later.’
As he signed the contract, Zeke said, “I appreciate the shares, but I’d prefer my involvement remain confidential.”
“Of course, Sir Zeke. You needn’t worry about that.”
Melissa pulled her hood back up and said, “Due to business, I travel to Atlas at least once a month. Now that you’re a director of the Reinhardt Trading Company, I hope you’ll make time to visit.”
With her characteristic graceful smile, Melissa left the parlor.
Alone in the room, Zeke shook his head at the chair Melissa had occupied. Despite the exhausting exchange, they had both gained what they needed.
‘Things are going better than before I returned, but they seem more complicated.’
Back then, life was rough but simple. Zeke shook his head to clear his thoughts and stood up. When his mind was cluttered, nothing worked better than swinging a sword.
Zeke headed straight to the training room.
[You have acquired the True Dragon Sword Technique.]
[The special skill True Dragon Sword Technique (S-rank) has been added.]
[You have completed an achievement mission.]
[You have been awarded the title ‘Heir of the Sword Saint.’]
[You have received the coordinates of the Chronos Kingdom’s treasure as a reward.]
[You have been awarded 500 Karma Points.]
[You have received two random boxes as a reward.]
“Finally, it’s done!”
After two long months, Zeke had mastered the True Dragon Sword Technique. He immediately checked his status window.
[Intermediate Administrator Status Window]
Name: Zeke Draker
Class: Immortal (Unique Grade)
Title: Blessed by the Ancient Dragon, Heir of Terracan Draker, Heir of the Sword Saint
Authority: Dragon Kin Domination
Constitution: Celestial Bone Structure, Immune to All Poisons
System Functions: Inventory (100 slots) / Mini-map (Portal Travel) / Intermediate Quest Book / Skill Shortcut Slot / Potion Shortcut Slot
Passive Skills: Healing Factor / Unyielding Mental Defense / Infinite Stamina / Combat Instinct
Special Skills: Gale Force [A-rank (Proficient)] / Elemental Sword [S-rank (Proficient)] / True Dragon Sword Technique [S-rank (Beginner)]
Active Skills: Static Charge [C-rank (Proficient)], Flashbang [C-rank (Proficient)], Dissonance [C-rank (Proficient)] Magic Reflection [A-rank (Beginner)] / Area Buff [A-rank (Beginner)]
Dragon Skills (Stage 2 Unlocked): Dragon’s Eye (Proficient) / Dragon’s Majesty (Proficient) / Devour (Proficient) / Word of the Dragon (Locked) / Dragon Scale Armor (Proficient) / Dragon Claw (Proficient)
Karma Points: 1095
He had regained 500 of the 800 points he lost using the portal to burn down the Mekain Cartel’s warehouse.
“Still, the A-rank skills aren’t improving.”
Despite using them frequently over the past two months, Magic Reflection and Area Buff remained at the beginner level. It seemed they needed to be used in real combat to gain experience.
After checking his status, Zeke quickly opened his inventory to examine the coordinates of the Chronos Kingdom’s treasure, which intrigued him the most.
A worn piece of paper was stored in the inventory. When Zeke selected it, a message appeared.
[The coordinates cannot be read at this time.]
[You need to find the seal that can activate the coordinates.]
[Find and combine the scattered seals to activate the coordinates.]
“What? A seal? Activation?”
A map appeared before Zeke’s eyes, showing rough locations across the continent.
“What is this? Two places in the central continent, one in the southern continent, and one in the north. So the seal is split into four parts?”
Obtaining the kingdom’s treasure was not going to be easy. Simultaneously, a mission message appeared.
―Linked Quest Mission―
[Find and restore the scattered seals of the Chronos Kingdom to their original state. (No time limit)]
[Quest Mission Reward: Title ‘Heir of the Chronos Kingdom’]
“Heir of the Chronos Kingdom? The reward is just a title?”
While the prospect of activating the treasure’s coordinates was appealing, if the reward was only a title, there was no rush to complete the mission. With no time limit, he could take his time.
“I’ll deal with urgent matters first and then look for them slowly.”
After finishing his review, Zeke stretched and left the training hall, heading to his room.
Upon entering, he noticed a letter on his bed, sealed tightly. It seemed to be from Kay.
Zeke tore open the seal and read the contents.
“They’ve finally taken the bait.”
A date had been set for his meeting with Don Juan. With Valhalla’s break approaching, he had the time to spare.
Zeke stood up immediately.
“Great. It’s been a while since I’ve dealt with those southern continent drug dealers.”
“Move it! That goes over here!”
The port of Aison was always bustling with ships arriving for trade. Thanks to the efforts of Kali Draker, the southern seas were free of pirates, making the central sea routes safe and allowing regular lines to the Republic of Dorta.
Among the ships was one from the rising Reinhardt Trading Company.
Disguised as a sales agent for the company’s southern continent branch, Zeke concealed his youthful appearance and posed as an ordinary young man. Without the black gloves symbolizing a pureblood Draker, no one on the ship could connect him to Zeke Draker.
‘It should take about ten days to arrive.’
Even if he wanted to use a portal, he couldn’t unless he had been to the location before. Moreover, even if he had, he couldn’t travel unless the portal coordinates were activated.
Despite the limitations, once he activated the coordinates in the southern continent, he could travel anytime, albeit at a high point cost. He decided to think positively.
‘It’s perfect for creating an alibi.’
Sitting on the ship, Zeke hummed a tune, enjoying the leisure. In his past life, he had traveled frequently, often by ship. He planned to relax and reminisce about those times.
Just then, someone approached Zeke.
“Hey, kid. Move it!”
The sailors came over and roughly dropped cargo right where Zeke was standing.
There was no real need to put it there, but it seemed they were annoyed by Zeke lounging around doing nothing.
Adjusting the glasses he wore as a disguise, Zeke addressed the sailor.
“Hey, you. What’s your name?”
The rough-looking sailor approached him, incredulous.
“You? Are you out of your mind, you scrawny brat? You want to take a swim with the fish?”
At that moment, the captain came aboard.
As soon as he spotted Zeke, he hurried over, rubbing his hands together and bowing his head.
“Oh, Deputy Chief! Why didn’t you just relax? You’ve already come aboard?”
The sailor threatening Zeke was taken aback by the captain’s demeanor.
“D-Deputy Chief?”
The term “Chief” referred to the person with full authority over the trading company, and the “Deputy Chief” was right below them.
It was rare for someone as young as Zeke to hold such a position. If they did, it meant they were likely a close relative of a high-ranking official in the company.
Just in case, Zeke had asked Cliff to give him a high rank, and Cliff had gone so far as to create a backstory that made Zeke his nephew, granting him the Deputy Chief position.
Zeke adjusted his glasses again and asked, “So, what’s your name?”
The sailor’s face turned pale as he bowed at a sharp 90-degree angle.
“I-I’m sorry, Deputy Chief! I didn’t realize who you were and made a mistake.”
Zeke lightly tapped the sailor’s cheek and said, “Let’s do well. I’ll be watching.”
“Yes! Understood!”
With a smirk, Zeke followed the captain’s lead into a cabin more luxuriously appointed than the captain’s own quarters.
He lay down on the plush bed, savoring the feel of the soft blankets.
“Ten days at sea, no need to be uncomfortable.”
Zeke, who dreamed of becoming the strongest on the continent, was someone who knew the sweet taste of power.