Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 845

The level of the current players kept on improving and the number of new players and subscribers were increasing on a daily basis. In fact, the number of players that could be considered as special and outstanding was also increasing. In other words, the number of players that the Special Players Management Team had to monitor was increasing.

‘When is the new recruit going to come?’

They had posted an announcement but it was still hanging there. According to Team Leader Park, the new recruits had to have a strong mentality.

At that moment, a warning popped out in Lee Minhwa’s monitor.

[Warning.]

[Player Minhyuk has triggered the Emperor’s Comfort.]

[The target: Ardo Empire’s Hound Amacar.]

“...?!”

Lee Minhwa looked at the screen in confusion.

‘Why is it considered a warning when Player Minhyuk triggered the Emperor’s Comfort?’

At that moment, Team Leader Park, who was handling his own work, stood up after hearing the warning and came to look at her screen.

“Amacar...?”

Ardo Empire’s Amacar was a top-level Named NPC. He was someone that even the operators of Athenae were interested in. After all, the Ardo Empire came to be because of him. That was not all. Many players wanted to learn from Amacar and follow his path. Amacar could be said to be someone with outstanding strength. However, when it came to nurturing someone else, he could even overshadow a genius.

‘A transcendental.’

Perhaps that was the most apt expression to describe Amacar. In fact, even the God of Growth and Development would not be able to nurture and develop anyone as much as Amacar could nurture his men.

“Don’t tell me... Is Player Minhyuk trying to recruit Amacar?”

“That’s right.”

“But why did you get a warning message?”

Amacar might be an outstanding talent. However, everyone was fully convinced that his life would end in the Ardo Empire. That was how much he had lived for the sake of the Ardo Empire.

Team Leader Park hurriedly checked the Emperor’s Comfort. What he saw surprised him.

“What seems to be the matter... heok...!”

Not long after, Lee Minhwa also realized why Team Leader Park was taken aback.

“The Emperor’s Comfort is a skill that is influenced by CHA.”

Minhyuk’s CHA had already exceeded 14,000, after he had become an emperor.

Once a stat had reached units like that, it could definitely make a huge difference in the game. This was the case for special stats like DEX, Will and many more. Of course, among these special stats was CHA. When CHA exceeded 10,000, it could easily show the dignity and majesty of an emperor.

“Among all of the players in Athenae, Minhyuk had ranked fifth in terms of CHA.”

Initially, Minhyuk was only ranked fifth in terms of CHA. In fact, the player with the highest CHA only had 3,200 CHA, while Minhyuk only had around 2,000 CHA back then. However, when he became an emperor, his CHA grew to 12,000. Once CHA went past 10,000, its influence on a lot of things would grow with every 1,000 unit increase.

“He gained an additional 2,000 CHA when he became the Battle God’s Descendant.”

That was why it became a problem. Basically, the Emperor’s Comfort would not be influenced by CHA unless it was over 12,000 CHA. But now, Minhyuk’s CHA had reached around 14,000. This meant that the CHA would now have a huge influence on the skill.

Lee Minhwa gulped dryly. Then, she asked, “No way... Player Minhyuk would not be able to pull out the pillar of an empire, right?”

***

[Emperor’s Authority.]

[Emperor’s Comfort has been activated.]

Emperor’s Comfort was the first power that was released for Minhyuk when he became an emperor.

(The Emperor’s Comfort)

Level: 1

Effects:

•You can give comfort to your people, your soldiers, your Named NPCs, or even the players that belonged to your empire.

•The more sincere you are in comforting them, or the higher your CHA is, the more likely it is for the other person who received your comfort will be able to overcome hardships and adversities.

•Those who receive your comfort will sometimes be able to overcome their limitations and enjoy benefits like stat effects or buff effects.

Minhyuk was shocked at the unexpected activation of the skill.

‘I thought this can only be triggered and used for my people or players?’

But that was obviously not the case right now.

‘Can this be triggered as long as they have a favorable impression of me?’

It was only natural to seek comfort in difficult times. Perhaps that was the reason why those that could receive Minhyuk’s comfort were not limited to his own people. This was also proof that Amacar needed comfort.

‘Family.’

That was what the people were to Minhyuk. That was why he answered Amacar like that. However, if Amacar did not hear the Guardian God’s Voice, then he would have only thought that the man in front of him was saying those words insincerely to win his heart. However, it was undeniable that Amacar had witnessed and felt it firsthand.

Why did the Evil God named Obren chose to become the Guardian God? Why did the man named Ghost Spear Ben, one of the Pinnacle Strong Men of the past, chose to push himself until he became the Spear God? Why did the Fallen Wretched Emperor live for a man that was only a mere king?

Those questions clearly showed him that the sincerity in Minhyuk’s eyes was true. He was not lying when he said that he viewed his people as his family.

“My emperor was once like that too.”

Surprising as it might sound, the current Ardo Empire, a powerhouse among powerhouses, was founded by Emperor Consteinus.

“Is that so?” Minhyuk asked, a faint smile on his face.

The smile on Minhyuk’s face brought forth an unknown emotion in Amacar. He was the strong and powerful leader of the knights called the Hounds. The Hounds were soldiers that were far more cruel, but also the most righteous men in the empire. Somehow now, the master of these men, Amacar, was already starting to feel strange. He felt like he wanted to lean on and depend on the emperor of an empire that might become the enemy of their own empire.

At the same time, a set of notifications rang in Minhyuk’s ears.

[Your high CHA is attracting Amacar, who wants to be comforted.]

[Emperor’s Comfort has already been triggered.]

“I would like to hear your story,” Minhyuk said, smiling softly.

Sometimes, bringing up the words and the story that one had been keeping to themselves was the best way to reassure and comfort them. Just like that, Amacar began to tell his story.

Amacar was a war orphan. He did not know which empire or kingdom he came from. He wandered aimlessly as a child until he met with Consteinus' carriage procession. Consteinus decided to bring Amacar along to the Ardo Empire. However, even in that place, Amacar remained an orphan. Still, the people there provided him with food and a place to sleep in.

“I swung my sword just so I could repay them.”

Amacar wielded his sword for the people that helped him. The first was Consteinus. He was immediately followed by a long list of people.

“They raised you,” Minhyuk said.

‘The people are my family.’

Their emperor regarded them, his people, as his family. It was the same for Amacar. He considered all of the people that helped him, including the empire itself, as his family.

“That’s why I became strong.”

Amacar swung his sword and became stronger to repay the help and care that he received from them. Then, one day, he joined the Ardo Empire’s swordsmanship competition. When he won the championship, he bowed and shouted loudly to Emperor Consteinus.

“Back then, I declared loudly that it was thanks to His Majesty’s grace that I was able to survive and grow strong like that. I even declared that I would only live for the sake of the Ardo Empire for the rest of my life. Back then, I never imagined that His Majesty would even remember me.”

There was a faint smile on Amacar’s face. The memories of that day were so sweet.

“However, His Majesty said...” Amacar could clearly recall the smile that Consteinus had given to him back then. “He said... I remember. I remember the little kid that smiled at me back then. I have always been watching you. I have heard that you became a soldier. I have heard that you became a knight. And I...”

There was a teary smile on Amacar’s face.

“...have heard that you have truly become one of my people.”

Amacar looked genuinely pleased as he recalled those memories.

“Then, one day, the Hound Knight Order that I raised, as well as several soldiers under my command were besieged and isolated by monsters. We were on the verge of death, unable to eat and drink for days on end and exhaustion seeping through our bones.”

Back then, the Hound Knight Order had been considered as the lowest knight order. They were just beginning to grow.

“Just when I thought that we were all going to die...”

That day appeared clearly in Amacar’s mind.

“The monsters split into pieces as arrows rained down upon them. That was when I saw Emperor Consteinus charging through the gaps within the monsters’ ranks and cutting them one after another.”

Amacar’s eyes started to turn glassy from the unshed tears.

“Emperor Consteinus cut down the enemies while shouting, ‘Are you guys alright?! No one died, right? Hold on! I will protect you!’”

The tears slowly dripped down Amacar’s cheeks.

“When all the monsters had been cut down, His Majesty threw his sword aside and ran.”

The tears that flowed down his cheeks could no longer be stopped.

“Back then, His Majesty did not even wear his boots. He came running right away when he heard the news. When all the fighting was over, he hugged me tightly and told me...”

The voice that rang in his ears back then was still vivid in his mind.

-It’s alright now. You have all survived.

On that day, the legend of the Ardo Empire began.

“I can still remember it clearly,” Amacar said with a bitter smile on his face as he wiped his tears. “His Majesty personally made some soup for those of us, who had not eaten or slept properly for days. Then, with a simple piece of bread in his hand, he sat down with us to eat and laugh together.”

Minhyuk nodded. He could tell what happened after this story. The best knight order, the best before the appearance of the Swords of the Gods, was created in the Ardo Empire.

The news of their victory spread far and wide in the Ardo Empire. Then, Ardo grew bigger and bigger until it became the strongest empire. However, with the appearance of the Luvien Empire, they became what they were now.

“You must have been very happy back then.” This was Minhyuk’s comfort. “After all, there’s nothing greater or more wonderful than moving forward and becoming stronger for someone else’s sake.”

[The Emperor’s Comfort has covered Amacar with warmth.]

“You have raised your empire for your emperor.”

Minhyuk placed his hand on Amacar’s shoulder.

“Your emperor ran for his people to the point that he even forgot to wear his boots.”

Minhyuk tightened his grip on Amacar’s shoulder.

“Even now, you still care for Emperor Consteinus more than anybody else.”

This was the truth. Although Amacar hated Consteinus after he changed, he was still his emperor.

“Emperor Consteinus also cares deeply about you.”

Minhyuk stood up. What was comfort? It was just telling someone nice words.

‘It did not work because you did it like that.’

‘Aren’t you the reason why this happened?’

‘Everyone is having a hard time.’

Yes, it was saying some nice words, not the nonsense mentioned above.

“I’m sure Emperor Consteinus will still come running to save you when you’re in danger, even if he forgets to wear his boots.”

[The Emperor’s Comfort has deeply moved Amacar.]

[With your Emperor’s Comfort, Amacar’s hateful feelings toward Consteinus had disappeared.]

Minhyuk began to cook quickly. What he decided to cook was nothing but a simple dish. He took out a pot and began to boil some soup.

Amacar could not forget the soup that Consteinus made for them, the soup that he ate with them as they chatted and laughed together. This dish would definitely bring greater comfort to Amacar.

Amacar looked at the soup and the dinner rolls that were placed in front of him. He clearly remembered how hungry he was back then. When he took a sip of the warm soup, the salty yet creamy soup instantly warmed his empty belly. For some reason, Amacar felt like this was the same as back then.

Back then, they were all tired and exhausted but they could laugh and joke around the moment they sat down with Emperor Consteinus and ate together. In fact, he felt like he could see what happened back then right in front of him.

Amacar picked up one of the dinner rolls. He tore it apart and slowly placed a piece in his mouth. He ate one, two bites of the soft and airy bread. Of course, he did not forget to take a sip of the soup every now and then.

Then, he dipped a piece of the dinner roll in the soup and put it in his mouth. The creamy soup made the bread even softer, a delicious flavor wrapping around his mouth with every bite. The meal was almost finished in no time at all.

Amacar chuckled as he finished the dinner roll in his hands.

‘My emperor has changed. And yet my emperor still loves me more than anybody else.’

Just like what Minhyuk had said, his emperor would definitely still come running for him if he ever came across danger.

[Amacar is responding to your comforting words!]

[Your favor with Amacar has exceeded the MAX!]

[The Emperor’s Comfort will soon end.]

Now, Minhyuk only needed to say one last thing to move Amacar’s heart and mind.

“Sir Amacar.”

Amacar turned to look at Minhyuk as the man gave him his final comfort and consolation.

“Stay in your empire.”

These were Minhyuk’s final words of comfort for Amacar.