Unlike the flowery air on the princess’ side, the Blood Ruler’s side was experiencing a heavy and uncomfortable air.

  As they lost the castle that they used to use as their headquarters, they all gathered temporarily in Rangrian Castle, the second castle in the South. The heroes were in fear of the punishment that would come from the Blood Ruler, especially those three who lost the battle.

  “I came back awakened, you have given back the capital to that novice b*tch,” Riad said quietly in a low voice. Her voice held much anger. The air of blood from the awakened Riad was even stronger. It was filling up the air and suffocating the heroes.

  “Pardon us all to hell,” the three knights begged for forgiveness.

  “Then go to hell.” Riad’s answer was as cold as ice.

  “Please…… forgive us.”


  “Please, give us one more chance.”


  “A chance? You couldn’t even deal with the remnants, what could you possibly do with another chance?”


  “Please consider our contribution and give us one more chance. This will never happen again.”


  “Your contribution? Okay, if you want to prove your worth, all three of you fight against me, and if you can hit me at least once, I’ll forgive you,” answered the Blood Ruler.

  The three knights felt relief.

  Is she forgiving us!?

  That makes sense. Although we made a huge mistake, without us, the next battle will be a problem.

  It wouldn’t look good if she pardoned us like this, so she made this condition of only “one hit.”


  Everyone knew the Blood Ruler was the strongest fighter, but there was no way all three of them attacking her together would not yield even one hit. Winning and hitting someone once were completely different conditions.

  They were relieved to have a chance to save their lives.

  “Come to the training hall. Do your best if you want to save yourselves.”


  “May it please you, Your Highness.”


  The three knights bowed and followed Riad into the training hall. The other heroes followed to see the match.

  A few moments later…… the three knights were passed out on the floor in a bath of blood.

  They looked miserable with fractures all over their whole bodies, and torn flesh and ripped muscles.

  They were barely alive only because the Blood Ruler didn’t want to kill them.

  Their torn pants smelled like a disgusting mix of blood and urine, but the other heroes watching from a distance couldn’t laugh at them.

  They were almost the same as the three knights—afraid. What they saw here was something incredible. Of course, It was the ultimate skill of the Blood Ruler.

  The three knights couldn’t hit or take a hit from the Blood Ruler. Out of the six classes, knights had the highest defense force, but one skill slew all three of them. This wasn’t because they showed any weaknesses, but because this was the strength of absolute power that overruled everything.

  No one would have believed this without seeing it. Even those who saw couldn’t believe their eyes.

  This is…… the awakened Blood Ruler’s new power.

  Fearful. Scary. She was their ruler, but they were terrified.

  For the princess and her team, their happiness from one victory will only last until next month. They will be destroyed in their next battle. The three knights will not be needed, for the Blood Ruler alone was more than enough.

  “Useless things. Can’t even take one hit,” said the Blood Ruler.

  The three knights used their last strength to beg for their lives.

  “Sa…… save us.”


  “You guys couldn’t even defeat the remnants of the princess. You guys are useless.”


  Bloody energy spewed from the magical sword of the Blood Ruler.

  “They used a trick!”


  “Yes. They were so cunning and cowardly!” Firgrine and Angrasil shouted together.

  “Huh?”


  For the first time, Riad’s face showed something other than anger. She was curious.

  Realizing that this was their last chance to beg for their lives, the three knights started to shout out loud.

  “That is the truth! If not, we would have won!”


  “Tell me the details of the battle. According to that, I will decide what to do with you all.”


  “Yes, Your Highness.”


  The three knights described the fight with the princess. Of course, they added in how hard they fought with their loyalty to the Blood Ruler while how sly and cunning the acting of the princess and Jenna was.

  “That is what happened.”


  “Ho. Ignoring your useless flowery words, it was a fight with a very capable military strategist.”


  Riad put away her magical sword.

  “Are you forgiving us?”


  “Although you guys were defeated this time, you’ve done some good in our previous battles. I will give you one more chance to be useful. Bring in the healer.”


  “Thank you, thank you.”


  The three knights cried with happiness.

  After dealing with the situation, Riad sat on the throne and asked the heroes again, “There’s really no one new on the princess’ side?”


  “The princess, Rittier, and the baby wizard were fighting in the battle. That was everyone in the battle.”


  “Maybe there was a VIP guest who didn’t come out onto the battlefield.”


  “We would have reported that you if there was another high-level hero.”


  “What about a low-level one?”


  “There was none.”


  “That doesn’t sound right. It is impossible for them to come up with a brand new tactic like that. There must be someone,” Riad said with confidence.

  Then one hero from the corner started talking.

  “Ah…… there was…… Somehow, the princess kept the extra level, con man. They provided him a good chamber and food.”


  “Why you didn’t you mention that until now!”


  Riad’s angry voice shook the hall.

  “Because he was a level 0 extra…… rumor has it that the princess is keeping him because he is good in bed.”


  “Stupid idiots. Blind with eyes. Def with your ears.”


  Riad sat back on the throne.

  “Bring in all the intel about this extra. Don’t miss anything. I will check everything, even the smallest details.”


  “You don’t need to spend time to take care of an extra……”


  “Bring it!”


  “Yes, Your Highness!”


  After getting intel about Sungjin from the heroes, Riad started to laugh.

  “Ah, haha. So that’s it?”


  Why is she laughing?

  “Fun. Okay, I will go and see him.”


  “What? Your…… Your Highness. Why would you go see an extra……?”


  “Idiots! Level 0, so what! If you can bring victory, that is an ability! Having an ability means you are useful!”


  “B…… but.”


  “I will see him in person. If he was the real source of their plan, then it’ll be worth taking him.”


  “Your…… Highness.”


  The heroes couldn’t stop her. They were deeply unsatisfied in silence.

  I’m sure it was not the work of the extra. It was the three of them who struggled to find inspiration by chance.

  A stupid, low, useless extra couldn’t know anything about a battleground meant for heroes.

  People put their jewels in a jewel box, not in the trash can. God would put power, intelligence, and character in a hero’s body, not an extra’s.

  They couldn’t understand why the Blood Ruler was ignoring common sense.

  It was obvious that she was going to waste her time, but they decided to stay in silence as to not provoke her anger.

  * * *