Chapter 27

Juddak has disappeared.

And a day has passed.

– Juddak ← Where the hell did this guy go?

– Ah lol, this prank isn’t funny.

– What kind of bait are you trying to roll here…

– Here we go again, just eat something!

The initial reactions were awkward.

With Juddak going off the radar, the marketplace and barter exchange system naturally fell apart, and a tense atmosphere settled in the gallery.

And a week passed.

– Please come back, please come back, please come back!

– Ugh… it’s so boring!!! Just stop!!!

– Yeah, without you, the gallery’s just going to die~

Title: Juddak Is Back!!!

(Frog tying a rope around its neck meme)

Honestly, I’m just baiting you.

But what are you going to do about it?

What can you even do, you little jerk lol.

Other than getting super mad or cursing in the comments, what else can you do, you jerk lol.

– LOL

– Ah lol

– Ugh… damn…

Nn huh…

Nn just come back already…

Nn I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry…

Nn Author) Damn

Title: But this is divine punishment.

(Elf causing chaos over drinking prohibition meme)

(Adrian Crown Prince ordering everyone around meme)

(Throwing a fit to add items to the marketplace meme)

Yeah, this is your divine punishment.

Did you think it would turn out any differently?

Honestly, from Juddak’s perspective, there was nothing to lose.

Even in a position where he received everything unilaterally, wasn’t it enough to be proud?

… right, it should be?

– GAAAAH

– (Elf-kun kneeling)

– Juddak, crying for chicken, seriously…

Nn crazy dude, just let the chicken go already!

Nn I don’t know…

Nn it’s just the world was originally going to ruin anyway, Juddak just gave it a brief CPR.

– No announcement from the royal family?

Nn what are you expecting, our Gallum is lol.

Nn No apologies or anything like that, just none at all lol.

Nn Recruiting rebels 1,000/10,000.

– I have nothing to eat.

– Without the marketplace, I have to hit the ground directly…

– Do I have to go up the mountain again and pick some grass?

– … I’m so hungry, really.

– There’s no alcohol either, living is so boring…

The gallery slowly began to revert to the past.

A time when food was precious

The joy had vanished

Returning to an era where one needed to live solely for immediate survival.

– Oh lol, we found our roots again…

– The idiot dumbass has regained his initial spirit.

And the one hit hardest by this crisis was the Adrian Empire.

No race was more reliant on the marketplace and barter exchange than them.

Especially since people couldn’t forget the pleasures of fullness they’d tasted just once, they were dwindling like the undead.

“Above all, we lack personnel and supplies to defend the imperial territory.”

“Due to its central position on the continent, the frequency of monster attacks is at its highest.”

Adrian was located at the center of the continent.

This naturally made it less favorable compared to the dwarven underground kingdom nestled in the mountain ranges or the elves tucked away in the depths of Elard forest.

Drawing walls in a circle around the empire meant there were places to defend in every direction.

“I know that.”

Fredrick, listening to the report, nodded seriously.

How could he not know?

Hadn’t more than half the empire already been devoured by monsters due to such weaknesses?

The place where Juddak’s reappearance was most desperately needed was also Adrian.

“We even need to draft an apology letter!”

“Think rationally. If there’s no gallery, the empire might not be able to avoid the fate of Kelton Kingdom.”

The general nobles, aside from the royal faction, began to voice their thoughts.

They were gradually being pushed on all fronts, except to the south.

It was crucial to set aside pride in order to protect the empire’s future.

“Haha, what a laughable idea you have.”

“Are we really going to write an apology letter and beg for Juddak’s forgiveness? Doesn’t that sound treasonous?”

“Seems like there’s nothing they won’t say in front of his majesty.”

However, it was still the Crown Prince and his closest allies who held the reins of the royal family.

And they were the very ones who had previously entered into an assassination plot against Juddak.

Naturally, a method to draw Juddak to their side was unlikely to work.

“Treasonous? I am thinking of the empire’s safety! Or do you want to just let us all starve to death?”

“Let’s die from starving then.”

At that moment, Duke Isaac quietly interjected.

“Bow to Juddak who mocked the royal family? Wouldn’t it make more sense for us all to starve together?”

“G-Great Duke. What you just said is too much!”

As the atmosphere in the meeting room began to heat up.

“Enough.”

Fredrick quietly calmed the atmosphere.

At that moment, when all eyes were on him, he rubbed his temple and sighed as he addressed the meeting.

“Continuing like this, discussions will not lead anywhere. Let’s end this meeting.”

“But!”

“Do you think I don’t know? Continuing like this will yield no solutions, so it would be better to regroup later after some thought.”

No one dared to voice dissent against the Emperor’s words.

Eventually, when only Isaac and Fredrick remained in the meeting room, Fredrick revealed a hidden smile.

“Right, why would I not know about the crisis?”

Juddak’s presence ensures the empire’s survival.

It’s not something he doesn’t know, but on the other hand, if Juddak is here, his own position becomes precarious.

Once everyone starts to get by, the authority of the royal family starts to plummet instead.

Citing losses in the Great War and incompetent politics, he could be chased out or perhaps even killed.

“If that’s the case, I would prefer the empire on the brink of ruin as it was before.”

The empire being abundant or lacking, Fredrick always lived comfortably.

He wished only to sit comfortably on the throne of an empire going to ruin, living peacefully until the end.

Fredrick turned his gaze to Isaac.

“So, the assassin squad…?”

“Well, there hasn’t been contact yet. But judging by Juddak’s absence, the operation must have succeeded.”

“Yeah, it should.”

It was somewhat concerning that the assassin squad had not returned, but what could Juddak possibly do about it?

Fredrick smiled satisfactorily as he opened the gallery.

And then he came across a recently posted concept article.

Concept Article) Damn, it’s me, you pathetic idiots.

Author) Juddak☆

(Assassins charging meme)

(Screen going black meme)

Hello, everyone.

I’ve been receiving assassination threats and jumped into a rift, so I couldn’t take questions.

Apparently, it seems quite some time has passed since I entered the rift.

It’s not the most convenient time to write this due to immediate danger, but I felt like I had to say something, so here I am.

The Adrian royal family disruptors have searched my gallery log trying to kill me.

Thus, I’m announcing that I feel a remarkable threat to my life.

Banning IPs from regions related to Adrian.

Duration – Permanent ㅠㅠ

Reason – Elimination of troublemakers.

Yeah, well, take care~

– Damn, what, assassination?

– What’s this, is it alright now?

– Taldru) Brother, did you take your sword? Stay close to your sword immediately.

– ?????? Where are you, I’m going to help;

– Ugh dammit… these imperial bastards are taking the most idiotic route.

– I live on the edge of Adrian Empire, damn, am I banned too? Pleasepleaseplease.

Nn lol, yeah, you should taste the ban too.

Nn Ugh, I should have just defected…

Nn What the hell is this, because of the troublemakers?

– Full-Peel Elf★) What’s wrong? Are you okay? Where are you Juddak? I’ll come right away!

Nn Wow, this guy’s dropped the act.

Nn What does it even matter if Juddak’s dying lol.

– I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire★) What? Report on Juddak’s health. I’m ready to deploy at any moment.

Nn When did this guy get so close to Juddak?

Nn Juddak was the one who first initiated conversation, right?

Nn Juddak says he can’t live without the marketplace, ah lol.

“Damn…”

Wasn’t the assassination successful?

“Your Majesty, please open the door!”

“I was just reading the concept article; what does it mean, please explain it to me!”

Bang! Bang!

The nobles who had turned away began to pound on the meeting room door aggressively.

Fredrick’s expression suddenly darkened.

“Why… how did you know the assassin squad belonged to Adrian, Juddak!”

*

My dizzy vision gradually became clear.

As I slowly touched the ground and opened my eyes, discarded tissue paper, candy wrappers, chicken bones, and more came into view.

“What the…”

The garbage I had tossed away into the rift.

Looking around, a vast world painted in purple unfolded before me.

“Where the hell am I?”

The interior was more unique than I’d thought.

The sky and the ground, and in the distance, traces of a civil civilization that resembled a foreign kingdom.

“Aaaaaah!”

Thud, thud, CRACK!

And lastly, grotesque monsters.

It was then I finally realized where I was.

Inside the rift, another world.

And that it was the “outside” that had been mentioned as the cause of the Great War in the gallery.

The rift was a kind of portal that connected the outside to this other world.

“Is that why everyone’s been having headaches?”

[Danger. Danger. Leave the area immediately.]

I staggered as I got up.

[12-gauge Shotgun] – 240 points.

Of course, I didn’t forget to buy weapons.

Thud, thud.

“P-please save me!”

Turning toward the last scream, I saw an assassin being devoured by a monster.

It seemed they threw themselves into the rift to chase me.

And thankfully for me, they had become a decoy for the monsters inside the rift.

“sry.”

“Aaaaaah!”

The assassin let out their last breath as they died.

“GRRRR.”

“Kieeeek.”

Monsters that had gathered around from the commotion approached me.

The issue is that they looked far more ferocious and stronger than the monsters I had seen in the other world.

BANG!

“Kieeek!”

I blew one of the approaching monsters apart, but it didn’t die in a single hit.

Although it was almost like a near death state, the numbers were absurdly overwhelming.

“The only way I can get out is…”

[Ticket for the Rabbit Hole.]

I lowered my gun and immediately pulled out the ticket.

“Kieeek!”

WHOOSH!

Right before a monster lunged at me, I tore the ticket in half!

“Ugh?”

At that moment, a hole to the rabbit hole appeared on the ground, and I fell into it in a whirlwind, my vision spinning.

“Do monsters not come in here?”

Turns out, the system wasn’t just unusable for random items.

Sliding down like a slide, I passed through the tunnel until a moment later, the exit opened up.

“Ugh!”

“Muff!”

I collided with something soft.

As I slowly got up, I felt countless gazes upon me.

Right below me, beside me, all around me, I could feel eyes watching me.

“Juddak?”

“Hee hee.”

With heart-shaped eyes drooling, the prominent ears were strikingly distinctive of the Rabbit Beastfolk.

And I realized I had fallen right among them.

“Oh no.”

Before I could even try to stand, hands from all directions and fluffy rabbit paws began to pounce on me.