Episode 2 - Unfair Contract II

Fabric of Tera – It was the first lesson Youngki learned at the academy where faeries were trained to become guides. At first, he didn't understand what tera meant or what it meant to change its fabric but gradually he began to understand its intricacies.

Youngki was eventually taught how to alter the fabric of Tera to his will. He was filled with joy, the young faery couldn't stop thinking of the possibilities of the fabric changing but the naive child soon learned his fate.

Tera Broadcasting — It was a new concept that was developed by one of the Xer Muri at the time of Youngki's studying. It was a technological breakthrough in the world of myths. The faeries would alter the tera of fabric to broadcast the world to the myths sitting at the top — The 'Monarchs'. Youngki soon began to loathe the Monarchs as his use of Tera was confined to broadcasting but never spoke up due to the broadcasting being his bread and butter.

For the first time in his life, the low-grade faery met his match–Not at the hands of another faery but at the hands of a human, a species he had never even paid attention to. Several emotions were brewing inside of him. He didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity of all this or to be annoyed at the haughtiness of the man in front of him. The one thing he was certain of was–Hope.

For the first time in his lengthy life, the outcast saw hope. He wasn't sure of it, it might've been a trap but just like the man in front of him, Youngki chose to bet on the chance of it being hope.

+++

Silence filled the room and I could hear my heartbeat. Youngki stood still, frozen as if he had received the news of his death.

After a few seconds, he slowly started to speak.

[You... not only the seat of the Xer Muri but the Ruler of the Xer Muri? Have you gone mad?]

I could see several emotions cross Youngki's eyes. Fear, surprise, hope, and happiness. He was like an open book... I almost felt sad for doing this to him.

"It's possible."

[Haha. I can't even say anything. To think that some trivial bug who failed to clear the second wave is telling me he can make me the King of the Xer Muri. Do you really think you can do something like that?]

"I can."

Youngki's eyes shook at my overconfidence. I could see the nervousness in his eyes. I'd expected it. Every faery dreamed to be a Xer Muri one day, most spent their entire lives striving for it, completing arduous and absurd tasks, only to perish in vain. Now a mere human was proposing the seat to him, telling him he could elevate him to that status. It was an obvious mockery of his efforts, but I wouldn't worry about the sentiments of a faery right now.

[Hahaha, I can't believe it. This is a hit.] Youngki nervously laughed.

Before I proceeded I needed to clear up some things. In a subtle manner.

"Before I get to the details of it, can you explain this 'broadcasting' to me?"

Normally he would've told me to shut up or not get ahead of myself, but I guess his greediness took the best of him. [I'm sold. I'll briefly explain it to you.]

[I assume you're already familiar with Tera?]

"Yes."

[Good so I don't have to waste my time on that. Now listen carefully because I won't explain it twice. Tera Broadcasting was an integration in our system created by one of our esteemed Xer Muri. It might sound like bogus to you but us faeries alter the fabric of tera to broadcast...uh...You guys.]

"...You broadcast us all the time?"

[Eh... No, sometimes we censor some stuff.]

The air in the room got awkward and after a long time, Youngki began to talk.

[Anyhow, we broadcast to our Rulers. I'll make it short; Rulers are high-tier myths.]

"I get the idea, the system is more complicated than I expected."

[Of course!] Youngki proudly declared. This guy... was kind of cute. People would find it hard to believe he was blowing up others' heads for fun a while ago.

After listening to Youngki talk for a while I had another plan. Something he would never expect.

"Youngki, I'll say it against. Make a pact with me."

[Hahahaha! I'd almost forgotten about that! Haha, you really are a hit! Hah, even though you are smart enough to know about our contracts I guess even you get it wrong sometimes. I can't be a sponsor for you during the waves. They're exclusively reserved for our Monarchs.]

...I'd just gotten some new information, this guy was aloof.

"You misunderstood something, I never asked you to be a sponsor.".

[Huh? Wait–] As if he understood the mistake he had just made Youngki tried to backtrack but it was too late.

"I'm thankful for the new information. Even if I did have the choice of getting sponsored by you I wouldn't do that. I don't need the strength of an outcast faery, I need your resources."

[My resources?]

"It seems you have some problem understanding me. Your Korean language skills need polishing."

Youngki looked on with a dumbfounded expression before his expression changed as if he understood something. [...You don't mean the 'Peace contract'?]

"Yes."

[Haha, unbelievable. I knew I wasn't wrong about you.]

Peace contract — It originated after the faeries came to know of the materialistic possessions of humans. In exchange for stopping their mischievous activities and terrorizing the humans, they agreed to exchange peace for the humans' luxuries. The pact was soon modified as the Xer Muris wanted to sell items from their kingdom and it soon became a contract allowing travel between each other's land and use of other commodities. Contrary to its name the main purpose of this contract was simply to satisfy each other's greed.

I'd long believed it to be a false myth but Youngki's expression made me realize its weight.

[You really are crazy. Originally only the Monarchs are supposed to be aware of the Peace contract.]

"I know."

[I don't know how you came to know of such a thing. But to think a mere human is proposing signing a Peace contract with me. A human who hasn't even received the blessings of a Monarch.]

Most people wouldn't know about it. I'd never felt more grateful for reading myths than I did now. I thought of Hyo-rin for a while, in the world before the fall she was superior to me, but all of her achievements and skills had become obsolete now. In this world, a social outcast like me, who studied myths for a living was at the top of the hierarchy.

Youngki had made one understatement. I wasn't simply 'smart enough'. It was shameful pride but I didn't care about that right now. This whole situation was amusing to me. As if I knew what I had to do next I opened my mouth with a smile.

"Isn't it more beneficial for you?"

[What?]

"Youngki do you know what makes a broadcast interesting?"

[No...?]

"This is why you're still an outcast."

[...Shut up.]

"Now I want you to listen carefully." Like a student that was currently in detention, Youngki nervously nodded.

"There are always two types of people that tune in to a broadcast. The first are those that watch the broadcast for information, information that'd prove to be useful to them. The second are people that watch just to pass the time."

[How does this have anything to do with the Peace contract?]

This guy was denser than I thought.

"The contract seems like a loss for you, right? This is my way of making it up to you. Think about it carefully, currently, you're the broadcaster and I'm the one being broadcasted, your main source of income."

This was where my real objective for doing all of this started.

"Now what if the broadcast was so entertaining it'd keep both of the audience hooked?"

[Is something like that even possible?]

"It is."

I had to explain it in simple terms otherwise he might not be able to understand anything.

"it means a human that would be able to demonstrate abilities that surpass those of others around him. Someone who would uniquely clear the waves with unprecedented abilities."

Youngki seemed to calmly think about everything that was mentioned. [A human who could do all of that... It's certainly the ideal scenario but would someone like that exist? A human that's stronger than those blessed by the rulers is a fantasy.]

"It's possible. I can do it."

[You're getting ahead of yourself.]

[When the broadcast starts you'll be forced to choose a ruler.]

"It isn't necessary to choose one, right?"

[Well you're right but...]

"You already saw it before, didn't you? I was able to manipulate the first wave to how I wanted. Think about the later waves now."

[You don't mean...]

"You're finally starting to get some brain cells. I'll be that variable, not choosing a ruler."

[Haha... You really are insane. But I can't sign the contract with you based on your words.]

"It should be here any moment now..."

[What?]

+

[Secret Trial - Markhor Hunter.]

Difficulty: A

Clear conditions: Kill all the markhors present in the area.

Time duration: —

Reward: 5000 coins

Failure: Death

+

The faeries were prideful creatures. Originally they objected to the idea of the contract but finally yielded on the basis that humans cleared a test created by the faeries only then they'd meet the conditions to sign the contract.

"You didn't even know that, Outcast."

[...At this point I don't know if you're the faery or I'm the faery.]

[The system has been updated.]

[The broadcast will start soon.]

The scenery started fluctuating and after a few seconds, we found ourselves in the forest.

[That was sudden.]

Youngki started going through the system messages as if he found something strange and after a while, I was bombarded with messages.

[Youngki's channel has restarted.]

[Several Monarchs are entering the channel.]

One by one countless gazes fell on us.

[A few Monarchs are wondering why a faery is with a single human.]

[Eh? No, it's nothing like that my Dear Monarchs. You know we faery's can't violate the Fairness Convent, right?]

Youngki tried to appease the suspicious Monarchs while I was on the lookout for the markhors.

I heard the screams of several markhors in the distance. Youngki flinched at the sound and hid behind me... Seriously this guy kept forgetting he was stronger than me.

After a while, a few markhors could be seen and I prepared myself for the lonely fight.