The Boy Who Was Meant to Be King

Imok was the little king of his city.

“Everyone calls you Lord Imok.”

His father, who had just removed his travel garments, suddenly turned toward him and said that.

His father had just returned from a meeting.

A gathering attended by the lords of each city and the leaders of large and small alliances.

“That is remarkable.”

The one who responded was his father’s strategist.

“It almost seems as if they acknowledge our young lord as a king.”

“That is an exaggeration.”

Even as he said that, Imok’s father looked pleased.

“Still, it is true that our city is ahead of the others.

That arrogant Lord of the North absentmindedly called him Lord Imok and only afterward realized it and panicked.

It was quite amusing.”

“Has the young lord of the North still not been chosen?”

“The Lord of the North claims it will happen soon, but who knows if that is true.”

Imok glanced at the outer robe his father had just removed.

The black fabric was so covered in dust and sand that it almost looked beige.

The sand could not possibly have come from the meeting itself.

As far as Imok knew, this meeting had been held in the Northern Province.

The place with the most abundant water among all the cities.

“Who does not know that the northern young lord is dull.”

After the fall of the old world, water had become more valuable than oil or gold.

Naturally, the northern city had become the most powerful among them.

“The New Lord surely has eyes.

Surely they would not choose someone like that.”

Imok, who had been quietly listening, frowned slightly.

‘New Lord.’

That was the respectful term people used for the Master Creatures who granted seals to humans and lent them the power to fight the post-apocalypse creatures.

But Imok did not like the term.

‘New Lord.

Does that not make us sound like slaves?’

As if a new age had arrived and humanity’s position had fallen from rulers of the world to animals of the old era.

“It seems the Shadowless Corps is quite busy because of it.”

“The Shadowless Corps.

Is that not the direct organization of the Northern Lord.

What are they doing?”

“They are thoroughly searching every corner of the northern city.

They claim they are investigating a mysterious disease occurring in the outskirts, but it is clearly a cover story.”

While they spoke, the topic shifted again.

Imok quickly lost interest.

“Then what is their real objective?”

“The commander of the Shadowless Corps is a man named Mu-o.

We have obtained information that he has headed toward Sak Fortress.”

“Sak Fortress.

If it is Sak Fortress…”

A moment later his father snorted with laughter.

The sound was sharp enough that Imok instinctively turned to look at him.

“They have no shame.

Are they planning to bring back a bastard child?”

“Perhaps they are anxious because their heir lacks talent.”

“Hah.

As if that would…”

The strategist quickly caught the meaning of his father’s unfinished words.

“Of course, no matter who they bring, they cannot compare to our young lord.”

That was the correct answer.

Only then did the anger fade from his father’s face.

“Who could possibly compare to our young lord?”

Encouraged, the strategist continued praising Imok.

“Not only the northern young lord, but even the western city’s only son still has not received a seal.

Those rural fools of the alliance are even worse.

They search desperately for someone to inherit the alliance, but how easy could that be.”

None of those words praised the lord himself.

Yet Imok’s father did not mind.

“Among all the cities, only our young lord has been chosen by a divine-grade Master.”

“The only one.”

Rather than pride in himself, the father seemed delighted by that fact.

“The only one, and the most noble.”

Of course.

Imok was his father’s greatest pride.

Living as the lord of the Eastern City, a land far harsher than the others, this was the first pride he had ever obtained.

“The northern city and western city may enjoy wealth now, but will that continue forever.

In this age, such things mean nothing.”

“If there is no powerful seal, yesterday’s city of lights can become today’s ruins.”

“Exactly.

Just like that city.”

An uncomfortable silence briefly followed.

But only briefly.

“In any case, it is obvious that our young lord will one day obtain a position like that of a king.”

“He who bears the seal of the strongest Master Creature.

Of course it will be so.”

“And when that happens, our eastern city will surely…”

The strategist trailed off.

Not because someone interrupted him.

But because Imok’s father strode forward and lifted Imok into the air.

“Imok.”

Imok answered calmly.

Originally, “Imok” was not his name.

It was the name of his Master Creature.

Yet everyone called him Imok.

His real name was

―읒어랑라데ㅔ[ㄷ;⁅⁊⁙⁂ㅇㄹㅈ대ᅟᅢᆽㄴㄴㄴ•••〇〇•⁒

―――――――

“Imok.”

He answered calmly again.

Though it was not his true name, everyone called him that, and he had long since grown used to it.

“Yes, Father.”

“You will one day become the master of this world.”

“Yes.”

His voice remained calm.

As if hearing something obvious.

Perhaps pleased by that attitude, his father burst into loud laughter.

“Yes, that is how it should be.

Who could possibly rival you.

Whether it is the North or the West, in the near future they will bow their heads to you and beg for your mercy.

Perhaps by then the concept of cities will disappear altogether.

There may even be nations again.”

“Nations.”

“Yes.

When your father was your age, such things existed.”

“Are they formed by gathering cities together?”

“Something like that.”

“Then what is the ruler of a nation called?”

His tone suggested that if nations returned, their ruler would naturally be himself.

“A king.”

“A king.”

“Yes, a king.

Then let me correct what I said earlier.

Imok, you will become the king of this world.”

Those words sank deeply into him.

‘I will become the king of this world.’

But as time passed, things began to change.

“The western city’s only son has finally received a Master Creature.

They say it is the divine Red Crow.”

Jeog-o of the western city.

“The second son brought from Sak Fortress by the Lord of the North has also been chosen.”

“Have you heard that the northern second prince was chosen by two Masters?”

Seolya of the northern city.

The same people who had once praised Imok as the only hope of the East suddenly turned and praised others instead.

And they did not stop there.

“The western prince’s Divine Scarlet Qilin and the northern prince’s Northern Heavenly God and Ice Jade Qilin.”

“Compared to those three, the eastern young lord’s Master Creature Imok is somewhat…”

“Incomplete.

Honestly speaking, its rank is lower.

It is not an independent divine entity like the others.”

“And it is difficult to call it a perfect benevolent god.”

Even so, Imok was certain.

‘I will become the king of this world.’

That had been decided long ago.

How could those who appeared suddenly out of nowhere change that.

‘Seolya is a bastard.’

The northern lord denied it, but no one believed him.

How could such a person compare with him, the legitimate heir of a city lord.

To Imok, that comparison itself was an insult.

‘Jeog-o has flaws.’

It was widely known that illness ran in the western lord’s family.

Even if Jeog-o claimed to have overcome it, who could truly believe that.

‘Only I can become the perfect king.

They cannot.’

But then.

“They say that in the ruined city, a boy suddenly appeared with countless post-apocalypse creatures behind him.”

He appeared.

OZ.

“The creatures did not harm him but protected him?

Then is he not also a chosen one?”

“Evil beasts.

Those terrifying things?”

“But if they follow him, it means he can control them, and if that is the case…”

That unknown upstart.

That lowborn thing who appeared from nowhere.

“The young lord of the eastern city also serves a poisonous dragon.

If OZ can control his creatures, then they are no different from Lord Imok’s Master Creature.”

Such words were spoken quietly.

Far from Imok.

Rumors spreading like distant sparks.

But rumors are like fire.

Once you realize they exist, they have already grown uncontrollably large.

‘Jeog-o.’

Is having a benevolent Master Creature really that important.

‘Seolya.’

Is having two Masters really what matters.

‘Damn it.’

Outwardly he remained calm.

But inside, cracks slowly spread.

The more he belittled Jeog-o and Seolya, the greater the contradiction inside him became.

If their Masters meant nothing, then what about his own.

Neither perfectly benevolent nor numerous.

‘A king must be strong.

Whether he is good or evil does not matter.’

Yet when he thought that, OZ came to mind again.

Many whispered that among those chosen by divine Masters, OZ might be the strongest.

They simply could not openly praise him because all his creatures were evil beasts.

‘A king rules people.

Therefore he must be judged by human law.’

But even thinking that…

‘Yet in the first place…’

Everything he had built came from the creature who had chosen him.

‘I am at a dead end.’

It felt as though invisible walls surrounded him.

A labyrinth he had somehow entered blocked every direction, leaving him unable to move forward or back.

Sometimes a thought crossed his mind.

‘Imok is a poisonous dragon.’

Had that black venom seeped into him as well.

Without him realizing.

Slowly.

Deeply.

Into his brain.

Otherwise, why would…

Your territory is currently in a state of civil war.

In a state of civil war, the walls cannot function properly.

Temporary passage between your territory and other territories is permitted.

Warning. Your territory is under invasion.

Current number of battles…

Imok’s lips twisted.

“If not for that, why would I be seeing this kind of thing.”

He looked around.

Screens the size of a grown man’s palm surrounded him densely, moving without rest.

Red lights flashed violently.