Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Spendthrift Necromancer (108)

Saudi (2)

They had barely entered the palace with the guards when.

“We have important matters to discuss. Leave us.”

“Your Majesty, it may be dangerous…….”

“Enough. I trust Awakened Kim Minwoo.”

At the King's sharp command, the guards reluctantly began leaving the room.

Only the two of them remained.

Abdullah licked his lips anxiously and spoke.

“……

Can I truly Awaken?”

“Would I have flown all the way here just to spout nonsense?”

He nodded.

It was difficult to believe, but equally difficult not to. If Minwoo intended to scam him, there would've been no reason to come here in person.

“Let's speak plainly. Awakening must mean quite a lot to Your Majesty, doesn't it?”

“……

It does.”

Between someone who had Awakened and someone who hadn't, which held the advantage?

In modern Saudi Arabia, it was the Awakened.

They didn't persecute those who failed to Awaken, but naturally, those who had received Allah's blessing felt more pride and carried more weight when they spoke.

In the King's case, he had no reason to fight personally, so changing to something like Priest would be perfect.

Release one dazzling wave of Light and public loyalty would probably rise too.

Subtle deification and idolization.

For a man in the King's position, those were exceedingly sweet advantages.

“I need a rather large amount of money.”

“Money. Is this because of Skill Books?”

“That too. And I need funds for the Sky Auction House.”

The King's eyes widened slightly.

“……

You've already received an invitation?”

“Yes. My participation is confirmed.”

“Impressive. Well, with your fame and financial resources, I suppose you qualify. So, how much?”

“One hundred trillion won. I'd need at least that much.”

“……

Young man, are you joking?”

“Do I look like I'm joking?”

The two stared at one another.

The King's eyes narrowed in displeasure.

“Hah. You're serious.”

“I don't think it's especially expensive.”

Nobody knew exactly how wealthy he was. Saudi law prevented the royal family's assets from being publicly disclosed.

However, within the setting, the Saudi royal family's total wealth was estimated at roughly three quadrillion won.One hundred trillion was certainly expensive.‘But not an amount they can't raise.’If Awakening was truly possible, they would prepare the money themselves.

By any means necessary.

“Do you smoke?”

“Go ahead. I don't mind.”

“Hoo.”

He picked up a cigar and lit it.

“……

If the people found out, there would be an uproar.”

“Would there?”

Well, perhaps.

Would citizens be happy to learn their King had spent one hundred trillion won just to Awaken?

Even if it was his private fortune, the story would still create controversy.

If this deal became public, the repercussions might be severe.

But…….

“Then wouldn't it be enough to keep it hidden?”

There were countless ways to finish the transaction quietly.

“Hoho. You're something else.”

“I recently had reason to visit the Blue House.”

“……?”

“I met the President there. He's in his seventies, but he's remarkably healthy. He looks about fifty.”

Minwoo continued toward the silent King.

“I've heard you're pouring money into biotechnology these days. Three trillion won a year, was it? Well, aging really is frightening.”

“……

Do you have two hearts or something?”

Minwoo merely smiled instead of answering.

Saudi Arabia?

As an Awakened nation, it wasn't rated particularly highly.

Unfortunately, it was considered even weaker than Korea, which itself was regarded as a weak Awakened nation.

Given that Saudi Arabia wasn't particularly powerful militarily in terms of Awakened, the King would be more likely to simply break off negotiations than try harming Minwoo.‘And he has no intention of breaking them off anyway.’He was merely complaining once.

If he truly thought the price was absurd, he would've stood and walked out already.

After thinking for a long while, the King spoke.

“……

Just to make sure. Can you help other members of the royal family Awaken too?”

“Who?”

Abdullah listed several dozen members of the royal family.

Fortunately, Minwoo knew their Awakening conditions too.

Players had thrown themselves at the problem until they'd discovered them.

The names were familiar.

All wealthy people he'd seen many times before.

“I think so. Of course, I can't guarantee their Achievement ranks. The same applies to Your Majesty.”

The talents of Abdullah and the other royals were mostly on the low side.

Simply succeeding in Awakening would already be enough.‘And even that is a jackpot.’How many wealthy people shed tears because they couldn't manage even that?

“……

You really can? Then…… my wives and children too, perhaps……?”

“Yes.”

Abdullah brightened.

If not only he, but the royals loyal to him and even his family could all Awaken, one hundred trillion won wasn't particularly expensive anymore.

Then he wouldn't be spending the royal family's private wealth solely for his personal advancement, but for the security of the royal family as a whole.

Naturally, the burden became much lighter.

Even if the matter became public, they could somehow defend it.

“Your Majesty. Aren't you trying to get all of that for only one hundred trillion?”

“……

I can't move any more private wealth out. Instead, how about this? You're closely connected to Ilseong, aren't you?”

“You're offering business rights?”

“Construction is happening faster every day here in Saudi Arabia.”

The King smiled.

Not bad.

Saudi Arabia's construction market was enormous.

If Ilseong moved in, it could make a great deal of money.

Oil money tasted wonderfully sweet.

“And of course, you won't expect any commission from us?”

What would be left after paying rebates to everyone?

Naturally, the royal family receiving Awakening needed to clamp down firmly on things like that.

“If you truly Awaken everyone you just mentioned…… nobody will say a word about that matter.”

Done.

With this, he'd established a connection to the royal family. In Saudi Arabia, there was little the royal family's influence couldn't accomplish.

“Good. Let's do that. Again, I can't guarantee Achievement ranks. If members of the royal family or your family receive low ranks, you'll have to accept it.”

“That doesn't matter. Merely receiving Allah's blessing is already a miracle. Could I test this once?”

“Of course. I'll write down the conditions for the others. Have them test them exactly as written.”

There were far too many people.

If Minwoo personally coached every single one of them through Awakening, he'd waste all his time.

Minor characters like that could handle their own Awakening.

“……

But do you truly know all of their conditions?”

“I do.”

“How?”

“Isn't it rather rude to ask someone outright for their trade secrets?”

The King smacked his lips at that.

A short while later.

Minwoo handed him a document containing the details.

“Follow these instructions.”

“Hoh…….”

Abdullah exclaimed as he read the Awakening conditions of his relatives and family.

He didn't know about everything else.

But he understood one thing.

If these truly were the conditions, there was a reason those people had never Awakened until now.

Every kind of bizarre method was listed.

One royal even had to eat cow dung to Awaken.

“……

Stay here for today and rest well.”

“Certainly.”

He probably wanted to verify whether those were genuine Awakening conditions.

Minwoo could wait as long as needed.

After some time passed.

Abdullah urgently summoned him.

The King stared at him with genuinely astonished eyes.

“How in the world……!”

“I told you not to ask. More importantly, did you manage to preserve your dignity?”

Abdullah nodded.

He'd chosen several royals with relatively easy conditions and tested them.

And they had truly Awakened!

As an added bonus, those royals had gone beyond mere gratitude and started looking at him with outright reverence.‘Impossible…….’Not one or two.

Five people had Awakened.

That meant what was written on the document was genuine.‘Then I…….’Could he truly Awaken too?

Abdullah swallowed.‘Just what is this man…….’He'd thought Minwoo was merely an Awakened good at fighting, but clearly that wasn't the end of it.

The ability to discover Awakening conditions.

Explaining how incredible such an ability was in the age of Awakened would only wear out one's mouth.‘Truly terrifying.’Even now, nobody knew how high Minwoo's ceiling reached.

And the future would be even more absurd.

Abdullah couldn't imagine just how far Kim Minwoo would rise.

Their eyes met.

“Your Majesty's Awakening condition is……”

“What is it? Surely I don't have to eat feces like that man?”

“Nothing like that.”

Minwoo looked him over and spoke.

“You need to get shot in the thigh.”

“……

What?”

“You'll Awaken if you get shot in the thigh.”

Players had volunteered to serve as Abdullah's guards.

Then one day, he'd been caught in a terrorist attack and Awakened.

That was how they discovered it.

Get shot in the thigh, and he Awakens.

It was a ridiculous condition, but was it difficult?‘Not really.’It wasn't as though he had to get shot in the heart or head.

Only the thigh.

And they could even cheat with something like a less-lethal round.

What if the condition had required a genuinely life-threatening gunshot?

The Park Siwoo Saudi route would've died long ago.

No matter how desperate someone was to Awaken, they wouldn't risk their life simply because some stranger told them to.

The condition needed to be suspicious, but still plausible enough to try once.

When Minwoo explained that, the King sighed in relief.

“……

That is easier than I expected.”

“Awakening is always easy once you know the condition.”

The problem was finding the condition.

Every person had such wildly different requirements that even professional Awakening assistants had limits.

Who in their right mind would think to experiment by shooting a King?

Conditions like this weren't common either.

“……

Then if I get hit by a weak bullet, does that mean my Achievement rank will also be low?”

“Probably. But that doesn't particularly matter to you.”

“True.”

F-rank Achievement or B-rank.

Unless he reached something like S-rank, from the King's perspective they were effectively the same.

“You aren't planning to go for S-rank or anything, are you?”

“Wouldn't that require taking dozens of live rounds? I'd probably need to end up hovering near death…….”

“You won't reach that realm just by getting shot repeatedly. Just use something like a less-lethal round once and Awaken.”

Then heal it completely afterward.

Awakening finished.

Simple.

“I'll try it.”

Abdullah immediately left as though he couldn't wait.

He would probably assign the task secretly to a trusted guard.‘He'll handle it.’After waiting a while, Abdullah walked back in with a brilliant smile.

“Hahaha! To think something that tormented me all my life could be resolved so easily! I never imagined it!”

“Congratulations on your Awakening.”

“Thank you, thank you! You are a hero of Saudi Arabia!”

The King patted his shoulder with eyes dripping with gratitude.

“Everything according to Allah's will.”

“According to Allah's will. I will have the promised amount transferred shortly.”

“Thank you.”

His available funds increased dramatically.

Add Park Siwoo and Seo Yerim's savings on top of that.‘Game over.’He could already hear the screams of the Awakened who would be competing against him at the auction.