I approached and observed them. They were nobles, yet they all looked like beggars. Not a few had swollen faces, as if they hadn’t slept properly.

Had they been partying and drinking all night? When I stared intently, they all made tearful faces.

"What’s the matter?"

They scrutinized me, then finally seemed to recognize me and cried out.

"Oh, oh, by any chance, are you Hero Lucian Vane...?"

"Yes, I am Lucian Vane of Ravenscoft."

"Oh, oh...!"

Like devotees overjoyed at meeting a god, they felt relieved. There’s no need to welcome me so enthusiastically. I don’t particularly want to get close to nobles, you see.

"But seeing them, it seems the quest system has opened."

Originally, the quest system had been closed ever since I arrived here. No, it was even questionable if it existed at all. The opening of such a quest system was proof that some change had occurred in the world.

"I hope this change is a good one. But looking at my Abyssal Value, the possibility seems faint."

I clicked my tongue and looked around at the nobles. I poked the exclamation mark above the head of the closest male noble with my index finger.

[Side Quest - Evil Spirit King (★☆)]

*Immature Nobles* Defeat the Evil Spirit King that appeared in the basement.

Reward - 5000 CP, 500,000 Gold, Unrevealed Reward x1

Upon Failure - Forced Gender change into Transgender

The quest window I used to see in the game appeared. Wow, I didn’t expect the quest window seen through a title to be so different.

The noble, from whom the exclamation mark had vanished, pleaded desperately.

"As you can see, we live a leisurely life here. It’s to escape our family’s expectations and enjoy a more relaxed existence."

"Ah, yes."

I listened to the quest details with one ear and let it out the other. I don’t care about your circumstances. Anyway, whether here or in reality, rich kids never seem to know how to enjoy life. That’s why they resort to drugs or whatever.

Soon, the noble’s face darkened.

"But at some point, eerie sounds started coming from the mansion’s basement, and suddenly, things invisible to us began throwing objects around, and even killing our servants! It’s terrifying, please save us!"

"No, why don’t you just go somewhere else instead of staying here?"

"Well, there were some... issues where we used to live."

They’re vaguely explaining their situation. Just by this, I could immediately tell it was a quest from the game. Still, I was curious.

"What the hell did they do to make an Evil Spirit King or whatever appear? Sigh."

Even though I didn’t know exactly what an Evil Spirit King was, I decided to help. The difficulty wasn’t even that high to begin with.

Smiling brightly, I gave them the answer they wanted.

"Alright! I, Hero Lucian Vane, will go and defeat it for you!"

"Waaahhh!"

I immediately went down to the basement. The nobles cheered as if they had won the battle.

Creak.

I opened the basement door and briefly looked inside. Then I slipped in. A musty smell immediately assailed me.

"Hmm... it feels different from the underground passage."

A wide cavern appeared. Honestly, it was so spacious it would be a waste to leave it as it was. But why is it so cold?

It also felt unfamiliar, as if the density of space-time had changed. Is it just my imagination?

"It’s too much of a waste to leave it like this. It would be great if I could use it as a wine room. Or store emergency food, or bring in a billiard table... Ah, never mind."

What am I even talking about? But I did want a basement like this. Should I go to my private residence on Predator’s Island and decorate it sometime?

As I looked around, the Goddess spoke to me.

"Isn’t it because it’s underground? But even for underground, it’s quite eerie. They must have remodeled the underground passage, though."

I tilted my head. I pondered what kind of monster would be called by such a childishly flashy name as ’Evil Spirit King’.

To narrow it down, there were several possibilities.

"Basically, it’d be a spirit monster. If exaggerated a bit, it might be called an Evil Spirit King. Wraiths, Wights, and Ghosts are the basics, and if I’m unlucky, it might even be a corrupted Doppelganger or a Black Army unit."

It was too broad and abstract. It seemed hard to guess without meeting it directly.

Baaam!

"Huh!"

Suddenly, the entrance door slammed shut on its own. When I turned around, I felt an intense chill pierce me from behind.

"Haa, horror movie cliché. Seriously."

I swallowed dryly and put some distance between us. I quickly turned around.

I saw a wretched face, completely battered, with one eye barely hanging on. The creature was a translucent spirit monster. Thanks to my title, I could see it clearly.

Its body size was roughly that of a large teddy bear. Moreover, it had a grotesque form, as if several spirits were jumbled together. Why was its appearance so wretched? Did it die fighting?

"You have... invaded... the Evil Spirit King’s... land!"

"Evil Spirit King, my ass! You’re just a measly B-rank monster!"

I snapped, clicking my tongue.

It was a Greater Wraith. It was a B-rank monster accidentally formed from a collection of various spirit monsters. It was said to have versatile abilities, but really? I was more curious about how it would manifest them.

"Go on, show me those great abilities of yours."

When I glared, it opened and closed its distorted mouth. Even its mouth was disgusting.

"I am the Evil Spirit King...!"

"If you’re the Evil Spirit King, then I’m the Debauched King! Kekeke."

"Worship me...!"

"What kind of idiot in the world worships an evil spirit? Is your head empty?"

"Guh-euh...!"

Perhaps enraged, it trembled. Even a spirit gets pissed off the same way, huh. Just in case, I asked.

"Hey, but you’re not related to the Black Army, are you? Like Kahlum or something."

"Ka... ??"

"Never mind, let’s not talk about it. Anyway, I’m asking if your head’s empty."

"I shall... inflict severe punishment...!"

Suddenly, it moved the countless hands attached to its round body all in the same direction at once.

At the same time, my body floated into the air.

"?"

I felt an intense sensation of my head going up and my ankles going down. It felt as if an invisible entity was trying to stretch my head and ankles in opposite directions.

"I shall... tear you apart...!"

It cried out eerily. For an Evil Spirit King, its actions were quite cute.

"Are you a bear or a fucking dog? To tear a person apart?"

I endured. In fact, calling it ’enduring’ was an overstatement. Since the damage was zero.

Then the Evil Spirit King floated up and instantly closed the distance. It was like a blink.

"Severe punishment...!"

Its hand pointed downwards.

Then I was slammed into the ground. When its hand pointed upwards, this time I went up to the ceiling and was slammed into it.

I began to be slammed up and down in a dizzying reciprocating motion. It was like a rollercoaster, beyond words.

The Evil Spirit King, seemingly excited, ran its mouth.

"Hehehe, you’re a sturdy one. I’ll play with you more...!"

This bastard, he really seems excited. An Evil Spirit King getting excited over this kind of thing?

It was absurd. Still, it’s only acting like a king here because it’s a B-rank monster.

"This bastard, if it showed up in the capital, there’d be tons of guys who’d steamroll it."

Suddenly, I got angry. Why am I playing around with a guy like this?

"Hey, you’re definitely not related to the Black Army, right?"

"I shall bestow... death...!"

"Yeah, no."

I utilized the ring’s ability. I stopped its movements.

At the same time, I flew towards it and delivered a front kick.

The front kick landed squarely. The Evil Spirit King opened its mouth wide.

Inside its mouth were dozens, hundreds of gigantic eyeballs.

"Keuh-haa... Whyyy...?"

The Evil Spirit King was clearly flustered. And this thing calls itself a king.

I gladly scoffed at it.

"Why? Did you think I couldn’t beat you? I can see you just fine, and you’re easy to hit."

"But you’ve sustained critical damage...."

"What critical damage? I’m perfectly fine."

"Surely internal injuries...."

"I said zero damage. Can’t you tell by how perfectly fine I’m speaking?"

When I even shrugged my shoulders, the Evil Spirit King seemed speechless and just stared at me. Then it slowly began to retreat.

"Th-that... now that I think about it, you’re right."

"Oh, oh, where are you going?"

I kicked off the ground. I closed the distance.

I stretched out my hand towards it. It desperately extended a fist, but I grabbed that fist and slammed it into the ground.

"Geheek...."

"Where are you going? You’re supposed to die, aren’t you?"

I activated my aura and electric aura. Then I squeezed the Evil Spirit King from top and bottom, applying pressure.

I compressed it intensely from top to bottom, then burst it apart in an instant.

[You have defeated the enemy!]

[Acquired 35000 Collector Points (CP)!]

I went upstairs and informed the nobles.

"It’s all resolved."

"Oh, oh, we knew too little about Hero. You are truly great, Hero!!"

It was a considerable cheer.

[Side Quest ’Evil Spirit King’ Cleared!]

[Acquired 5000 CP!]

[Acquired Random Item ’Guaranteed Enhancement Fluid’!]

The random item turned out to be a real jackpot. Wow, this is something that guarantees the enhancement of one item, isn’t it?

While I was surprised by the reward, the noble looked at me with sparkling eyes.

"We wish to deeply respect your renown. This is an antique; if you sell it to the head of a large merchant guild, you will surely obtain a large sum!"

The noble gave me a special item that primitives might like. It wasn’t worth much, but I accepted it.

"Thank you, then."

I gave a brief and simple greeting, then mounted Lynn. I began to gallop frantically towards the manor.

It was already early evening. Why did time pass so quickly?

"That basement, the flow of space-time was strange there. Was that also because of the Evil Spirit King?"

Is that why the nobles were so happy? Because they thought I’d been defeated, but I returned perfectly fine after resolving it?

A small laugh escaped me. All in all, it was a good experience. This is what a Hero does!

"Heeheehing!"

Upon arriving at the manor, I thought of Lyra. I wanted to see her after a long time. Would she still be there?

I headed to where the merchant guild had been. The guild was still there. I asked a nearby merchant.

"Is the Merchant Guild Head here?"

In response to my question, the plump merchant shook his head.

"No. They probably went to rest at the nearby lake. They often go there, saying the scenery is beautiful."

"What? The lake? Th-thank you!"

I quickly left the manor. I urgently headed towards the nearby lake.

"No, suddenly? How dangerous is that?"

Is she out of her mind or not? To go to the lake alone.

I ran like mad and arrived at the lake. What I saw there was just one thing.

It was a naked Lyra.