The Game Difficulty
Went Crazy
Chapter 3
“Congratulations, Glen! Really!”
Triss clapped her hands with her usual bright smile.
Glen returned a faint smile.
“Thank you, Sister.”
“I knew you could do it.”
Two days after opening his holy power and demonic energy—
Glen finally refined his holy power and wove his first Holy Ring beside his heart.
Holy Ring: 1st Ring.
Of course, for a child of the Wordsworth family, reaching this level at seventeen—something most achieved before even turning ten—wasn’t exactly praiseworthy.
But Glen didn’t really care.
‘If everything goes according to plan, I’ll reach 5 rings within half a year… no, even higher.’
If that happened, Glen would instead be called an unprecedented genius who reached 5 rings at seventeen.
And that wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
‘Because every step of growth from here on is already in my head.’
He was a veteran player who had raised dozens of characters.
Inside Seong Yo-hwan’s mind was a perfectly planned growth route starting from the Wordsworth territory.
The hard part had only been learning how to use holy power. Once that was solved, everything afterward followed the Royal Road.
In other words, the orthodox and optimal path.
Still, Glen felt that wasn’t enough.
‘Sure, if I follow the royal path I designed, I can become the strongest Holy Knight in a few years. But can that alone clear Gray Eden on Lunatic difficulty?’
Glen shook his head.
What if he had made even a single mistake during the fight with the Spirit-Devouring Wolf?
‘I would’ve died on the spot.’
He hadn’t shown it, but facing a Lunatic-adjusted enemy had been pure despair.
And the same would be true for the next Lunatic element that blocked his path.
‘If I get careless, I die.’
Glen needed more than just his original plan.
So what else could he prepare besides the “Holy Knight’s Royal Road”?
Glen looked down at the demonic energy sealing shackle on his left wrist.
‘Holy–Demonic Power. Power born from fusing holy power and demonic energy.’
If he awakened that power—the same power used by the final boss, Mors—he could respond to unexpected variables.
Of course, as he had said before, he had no clues about holy–demonic power.
And he couldn’t even leave the territory to gather information.
But just because there was no method yet didn’t mean he could sit still.
Until he found clues, he would do what he could.
‘Build demonic rings steadily, alongside holy rings.’
Glen clenched his fist.
That way, when the chance to awaken holy–demonic power finally came, he wouldn’t be caught unprepared.
For that future opportunity, Glen couldn’t afford to abandon either holy power or demonic energy.
“Glen?”
Triss glanced at him.
“Are you worried about something?”
“It’s nothing. I was just thinking. Shall we start the spar?”
“Huh? Ah… okay.”
Triss fixed her sword with a slightly flustered expression. In an instant, her gaze sharpened.
“You’re at 1 ring now, so I’ll raise the intensity a bit. Is that okay?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I wanted.”
“Good. Then here I go.”
Just as Glen and Triss kicked off the ground to rush at each other—
“Both of you are here.”
A calm, middle-aged voice cut between them.
Glen and Triss stopped and turned their heads.
“Fred?”
It was Fred, the butler of the Wordsworth family.
He looked at the two of them with a gentle smile.
“Good day, Miss. And Second Young Master. It’s only been a few days, but it seems you’ve grown a bit taller.”
Neither Triss nor Glen looked pleased.
The fact that the man who oversaw all servants in the mansion had come personally meant one thing—
This was probably related to the Head of the Family.
Triss sheathed her practice sword.
“What brings you here?”
“The Master has ordered me to bring both of you to his office. I apologize for interrupting your training, but may I ask for your understanding?”
Fred bowed politely with a faint smile.
Figures.
Glen clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘I don’t want to get involved with the Head if it’s not important.’
But refusing a summons wasn’t an option.
Using his reputation as a fanatic troublemaker to talk back?
Impossible.
‘He’d just say he’ll come to my room himself, like last time at lunch.’
“Oh, and just for reference—if the Second Young Master says he won’t come because of ‘God’s will,’ the Master said he will personally visit your room.”
‘See?’
Glen twitched an eyebrow.
The Head of the Wordsworth family’s office was located at the center of the fourth floor of the mansion.
“Master. I’ve brought the Miss and the Second Young Master.”
Fred bowed as he opened the door.
The Head stood with his hands behind his back, looking out the window.
From the massive window, the garden, the main gate, and both training grounds—large and small—were visible at a glance.
Henry Wordsworth always stood there, overlooking everything belonging to the family.
“Father.”
Triss bowed first.
“Mm. You’ve been working hard.”
Then Glen bowed lightly, wearing a faint smile.
On his face was the mask of a fanatic zealot.
“A morning filled with God’s blessings, Father.”
“God’s blessings…”
The Head snorted.
Then he slowly turned around.
“Hearing such sacred words from your mouth makes them sound especially hypocritical.”
His eyes swept over the demonic energy sealing shackle on Glen’s wrist, contempt flashing through them.
Was that really a look a father should give his son?
But Glen was used to it.
‘He’s always been like this. And this body did plenty of things, too…’
Glen secretly observed the Head.
Perfectly neat attire. A stiff posture. Cold, resolute ash-gray eyes.
Similar to himself—yet different.
As his appearance suggested, the Head was authoritarian and inflexible, the type who would abandon even his own children if they didn’t contribute to the family.
“So it’s true that you formed a Holy Ring. Looking closely, you’ve gained some muscle too.”
“He has talent. Reaching this level in just half a month clearly proves that.”
Triss spoke passionately, but the Head’s response was ice-cold.
“Even so, it’s only 1 ring at seventeen.”
There was not a trace of warmth in his voice.
“He’ll grow quickly. Before long, Glen will form his second and third rings as well.”
Triss unusually pushed back, making the Head twitch an eyebrow before letting out a scoff.
“We’ll see. That aside, there’s something I want to ask you.”
The Head’s gaze turned to Glen.
“What wind blew that made you take up the sword—something you never cared about before?”
‘I knew he’d ask.’
The Head had been curious.
Why his second son, who had done nothing but obsess over scriptures, suddenly started training his body, wielding a sword, and forming Holy Rings.
And more importantly—
Whether it could be used for the family.
The Head was authoritarian and power-hungry.
He spent all day at his desk thinking about how to raise the family’s prestige.
Even though the Wordsworth family had declined somewhat, it was still one of the top ten most prestigious families in the Papal State.
‘But this man always wanted more.’
That was why he paid attention whenever something seemed useful to the family.
Just like now.
—Looking closely, you’ve gained some muscle.
‘Closely.’
The Head had been watching Glen through that massive window all this time.
And seeing Glen’s abnormal growth speed, he had begun to harbor a sliver of expectation.
‘He’s probably hoping I’ve come to my senses and might become one of his chess pieces. Dream on.’
Glen had no intention of meeting those expectations.
Of course, he could give the model answer the Head wanted.
“I’ve changed my ways and wish to serve the family.”
If he said that, the Head would pretend not to care while happily providing all kinds of support.
‘Yeah, no thanks.’
With the royal road laid out by the greatest Gray Eden veteran, why walk a path paved by the Head?
What Glen wanted from him was the same thing as always—
Indifference.
‘Just watching from afar no matter where I go or what I do.’
That was the ideal role of the Head, in Glen’s eyes.
“You’re asking why I started using a sword?”
So Glen decided to act even more like a fanatic zealot.
“God told me to prepare for the chaos that will come someday. That’s why I trained my body and took up the sword.”
So he could walk the path he wanted more freely.
Glen watched the Head’s reaction.
“You say that every time you open your mouth. Will you refuse to eat and drink too if it’s not God’s will? Tsk… I should summon an Inquisitor here someday.”
Judging by his displeased expression, things were going exactly how Glen wanted.
Even jokingly saying something like that to his own child made the man look petty and small-minded.
He wouldn’t gain anything from it anyway.
“Oh, an Inquisitor! I’ve always wanted to meet one. That would be great! If you do, I’ll gladly help them hunt down heretics!”
Glen’s eyes sparkled.
“…Pathetic.”
The Head let out an exasperated breath.
At that moment, Fred cleared his throat, trying to ease the cold atmosphere.
“Ahem. Master, I believe there was a reason you summoned the Miss and the Young Master.”
“…Yes. That’s right.”
The Head straightened and looked at Triss and Glen.
“The reason I called you here is your training.”
“Training…?”
Triss asked back.
Glen waited silently.
“I won’t beat around the bush. Triss. Starting tomorrow, return to the main training ground and train the apprentice knights.”
“What?”
“There have been several reports that the movements of the demon race are suspicious. That should be enough for you to understand.”
“You mean…”
Triss lowered her gaze.
The Wordsworth territory was a frontline region bordering the demon race’s land, the Demonic Wastes.
If demons that had been quiet for a year were now acting strangely, the conclusion was obvious.
“Does that mean combat will resume?”
“It’s not confirmed, but the chances are high. We must prepare for the coming battle.”
Power filled the Head’s eyes as he looked at Triss.
“I’ll give you half a year. In that time, make the apprentice knights sent to the family usable.”
“And Glen…?”
“There’s no need to complicate things. Take him with you. Training alongside other apprentices won’t slow his growth, will it?”
Triss looked at Glen.
Her eyes said, ‘Glen, the situation is what it is. Please understand.’
Glen nodded as if it didn’t matter.
“Yes. I understand. I’ll return to the main training ground starting tomorrow.”
“Good. I’ll be expecting results.”
The Head nodded at Triss’s answer.
Then his gaze shifted to Glen.
“You’ve monopolized your sister’s training for half a month. That’s enough. Now, yield for the sake of the family.”
“Yes. This too must be God’s will.”
Glen’s expression was calmer than expected.
The Head’s eyebrow twitched.
“…Good. It’s nice to see you obedient. Becoming strong alone is important, but those you’ll fight alongside in the future are comrades. As a Wordsworth, it’s important to build some camaraderie with them.”
Glen was speechless at the Head’s attempt at advice.
Throughout the entire conversation between Triss and the Head, Glen had felt absurd.
‘They’ve detected strange movements in the Demonic Wastes at this timing? Nonsense.’
Demonic raids were carried out extremely secretly.
No matter how capable the Head of Wordsworth was, he couldn’t detect such covert movements.
‘And what? Half a year?’
The attack would begin in three and a half months.
Even if they trained knights starting now, they wouldn’t reach the desired level.
If they were preparing for the attack, the schedule should be two months—not half a year.
But even if Glen told the truth, the Head wouldn’t change his plan.
And Glen had no way to prove that the demon attack would start in three months.
So should he just sit back and allow the demon raid?
‘Of course not.’
There were plenty of ways to prepare, even without the Head’s position.
And the condition to execute the first step had just been fulfilled—by the Head himself.
‘Apprentice knights, was it?’
The corners of Glen’s mouth slowly rose.
‘Let’s see just how useful they are.’
