I Am a Ruined Noble of a Ruined Kingdom

Chapter 1: The Worst First Meeting (1)

A cold floor, equally frigid walls. Pitch-black darkness where it was difficult to see even an inch ahead, and a space with an excessively vast area. These were the elements composing the scene of my existence.

Not even the green of commonplace weeds or the sound of insects chirping to soothe the loneliness could be found here. I had to accept it long ago: the hope that someone would rescue me was like a worthless, rotten rope.

"Ugh... uh..."

A feeble groan echoed within the cold, damp cavern. Yes, it was my groan. Following that, an convulsive shout mercilessly struck the enclosed walls.

"Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I roared, simultaneously slamming against the enormous door that showed no sign of opening. Anyone who saw me would almost certainly think I had gone completely insane.

Unfortunately, I knew all too well that there was no one to see me. If someone were to point a finger and hurl insults, I would rather grab that person and weep bitterly.

Because the place where I was trapped… more accurately, summoned, was the Great Cavern where no one's eyes could reach.

"Please, let me out of hereeeeeeee!!!"

I repeatedly roared and rampaged with all my might. Every time my body part struck something, a terrifying roar resounded. It was the result produced by formidable strength.

However, the Great Cavern was even sturdier than that, without even a single crack appearing anywhere.

"Uwaaaaaaaah!"

It was the usual ritualistic rampage that occurred whenever I snapped back to my senses. An action to try and release as much energy as possible to prevent my mind from eroding in the enclosed space. Whether it was actually effective or not, at least I hadn't gone insane yet. So I self-diagnosed.

"Why do I have to go through this? How many years has it been? One year? Two years? I don't know, I don't know! My sense of time has completely disappeared. Will I eventually forget how to speak too?"

Until now, I had tried my best to mutter to myself without stopping. Because if I didn't, I felt like more than half of my usable vocabulary would be lost. I'm not kidding, sometimes I couldn't even recall a few words to describe the disgusting situation.

"Please, someone find me. I'll do anything, find the Easter egg... are there no players after all? Is this reality? How the fuck did I..."

I sank down, recalling the past, and wept sorrowfully. Perhaps because I had sobbed so much, tears no longer came out properly.

The reason I ended up in this state was because of one fucking game. The sequel to the series, which I enjoyed playing, had led me here.

The new installment in the series, famous for its notoriously difficult level of challenge, was like welcome rain to me, a hardcore fan. Set in a fantasy world and unfolding as an action spectacle, held a considerable fandom. Of course, I too was part of the fandom.

Perhaps it was thanks to the experience I had accumulated playing the previous installments? I cleared the game in a time that was incomparable to others.

It was truly an astonishing speed of completion, enough to make my acquaintances shake their heads in amazement.

Following my quick completion of the new installment, I began to explore hidden elements. The series had always hidden many hidden content in each installment, so many gamers would spend a lot of time on it.

On the third day of doing so, I finally discovered a hidden map. It was the result of an unbelievable coincidence. Even I, who was the first to explore it, didn't know what conditions I had met to enter.

As I entered the map with a pounding heart, a notification window appeared on the screen.

[First Discoverer Privilege! You are given the opportunity to become a part of . (Accept/Decline)]

I didn't know it then. That the turning point of fate that would reverse my life would be this short sentence. If I could go back, I would break my fingers to stop myself.

"Wow, this is really amazing."

Foolishly, that was the exclamation I uttered.

At that time, I thought it was just a commemorative meaning, like leaving the nickname of the first discoverer. Anyone would have thought so.

Click!

As a passionate gamer, I accepted without hesitation. That was the root of the problem. The moment I pressed the accept button, my vision flashed white and my consciousness sank below the surface of the water.

Later, when consciousness returned, I couldn't help but doubt my eyes. The exact same place as the map I had discovered in was unfolding in my vision.

A dim, vast, cold, empty somewhere.

It was the Great Cavern where I am currently trapped.

"It's already amazing that I'm stuck in a place like this, who would clear some meaningless conditions to come here!"

The Great Cavern where I was trapped was a kind of Easter egg. It was a place where there was no reason to see it with normal play. It was a hidden content that was opened only when certain conditions were met and a specific action was taken nearby.

And the content of this empty Great Cavern... is me. To be precise, it was this body I possessed, "Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country."

I didn't even know the exact setting for Netionpies. If it hadn't been for the diary I carried in my body, I wouldn't have been able to understand the current situation and my mind would have collapsed.

This body - Netionpies - was said to have been the greatest contributor to the founding of the Eld Empire, the spatial background of the series. In return, he gained the most powerful power in the history of the Eld Empire, but he was also human. In the face of death, both the Founding Noble and the slave were equal.

He went to great lengths to hide his body from the Reaper's Scythe. However, experiments that went against reason rarely yielded results, contrary to expectations. Angered by this, the method the man chose was truly the worst. He eventually did not hesitate to trample on the dignity of life in his experiments.

There is no detailed record after that, but he eventually gets the fruits of immortality in his hands.

But was it because he bought the wrath of the heavens? He is said to have simultaneously obtained side effects that caused uncontrollable madness along with the qi.

Netionpies was overthrown and sealed in the Great Cavern on the pretext of inhumane experiments and madness, and those who did it were none other than the first protagonist and heroine of the series.

Judging from the fact that I didn't even know the setting, I guess it was probably scheduled to be revealed later... but it doesn't matter anymore.

"I want to get out. I want to get out. I want to get out. I want to get out. I want to... get out......."

Please, I beg you.

I have the confidence to lick even muddy feet if I could just get out, regardless of being a Founding Noble or whatever. What's the big deal about washing from head to toe with my tongue? I will gladly crawl like a dog and run like a horse.

"Haha, I guess it's impossible after all. So much time has passed. No matter how optimistic I am, this is not the answer..."

It was then.

Wooong-

A sound I think I've heard somewhere. A sound that is very familiar, or has been waited for.

"This is?"

Wooong- Wooong-

There is no mistake.

I don't know how much time has passed, but I have always recalled this sound. It was the same sound effect that I heard when entering Netionpies' Great Cavern in the game.

"There's no doubt that's the sound of the seal being released... Now? At this timing? No, what does it matter!"

Kugugugugugu...

The heavy and huge door makes a dull sound of dragging on the ground. At the same time, dust begins to swirl inside the Great Cavern.

Kugugung!

Eventually, the huge door made of black iron visibly moved. To me, the sight looked like a giant slowly spreading his arms. It is the giant of a merciful angel who saves me.

"Sniffle, sniffle."

When I confirmed that light was coming in little by little, tears came out without my knowledge. Perhaps it was because my eyes had weakened after enduring a long time in the suffocating darkness.

"Sob, heuu... I'm finally getting out. I'm getting out! I'm so glad I'm alive!"

Eventually, the huge door opened to a gap where four or five people could pass. I ran straight out without hesitation. If it closes again, I'd rather kill myself, I can't stand it anymore.

Because falling into the abyss after having hope is more painful than falling from the bottom to the bottom.

I came right in front of the door, and it was the moment when the light was just entering my retina head-on.

A unfamiliar woman's clear voice was heard.

"What an qi! If the Founding Noble is alive, take my sword right now...?"

Her words could not continue.

"Thank you so much for your grace!"

Chwaaaak!

The moment I heard the woman's voice, I automatically knelt down and bowed politely, showing the top of my head.

It was a perfect full bow posture.

The acceleration of running was no joke, so I slid to the woman's feet in the full bow posture.

"Oooooh! It's outside. It's outside, it's outside... How should I ever repay this grace, sob."

"...Evil... Evil...? Energy? I wonder...?"

She was just confused, looking at me crying at her feet.