I Become a Rogue Lord in a World Where Only I Level Up

Chapter 1: Rogue Lords (1)

[Level 99 attained!]

[Unification successful]

The in-game message sparkled. This game, which I’ve been hooked on lately, is set in an alternate universe during the Warring States period.

I’ve been playing it like crazy since the day it was released, and I’ve finally succeeded in unifying the world.

[Management message received]

The moment I entirely conquered the game, a message window that I had never seen before appeared. Did the management ever send me a direct message?

It’s a solo-player game, but the strategy rankings are aggregated in real-time to create player rankings. Because of that, you’re connected to the internet and, well, you can receive messages, that’s for sure.

Do I get any perks? A coupon or something?

Curiosity piqued, I clicked on the message window first. Then another series of messages appeared on the screen in rapid succession.

[Game Management appreciates your strategy]

[Challenge for glory. This is a benefit only for you, number one in the rankings]

[Special Offer]

[When you’re ready to accept the challenge of glory, you’ll earn the rewards first. Perks can be obtained through exploration from the beginning MAP]

Glory?

No way, there is even a sequel? The game was completely conquered. In chaotic and war-torn times, he became king from a small-town hero and realized his country’s unification.

I’m not inclined to play without a sequel story, but the word “perks” appealed to me a bit.

It seems like there is a hidden story.

Where is the beginning MAP?

My curiosity exploded, so I looked around for perks.

However, no matter how much I scoured the in-game MAP, I could not find any perks.

Management prank?

That’s all I can think of at this point. I entered the developer’s website from my computer. As the contact form was set up, I sent an email asking about the meaning of the message that appeared.

I looked at the clock; the management’s message had wiped out my sense of accomplishment and left me with only exhaustion. It was already 3 am, a reply to my inquiry mail had not yet arrived.

“Whew!”

I had no choice but to turn off the game because I was yawning. No, I tried to turn it off. At that moment, I suddenly lost consciousness; around me was darkness, and I was dizzy.

*

*

I woke up.

The day began, as usual; I stretched and yawned; it’s a habit of mine. If I do this, I feel a little refreshed when I wake up.

“Huh?”

The scenery in front of me was utterly unfamiliar. I closed my eyes, wondering if I was sleep-deprived, then I rubbed my eyes and opened them again. But it was still an unfamiliar sight, someone’s house?

It’s the first bedroom I’ve ever seen. It looks like a luxurious medieval European-style bedroom.

I’m not drunk, not that I’m drunk.

Ah!

That’s when I remembered. I remembered that when I tried to turn off the game, my eyes went black, I was terribly dizzy and lost consciousness!

What? It’s this a dream?

Not being able to wake up from a dream. I immediately pinched my cheek; it hurts!

“Ugh!”

It was painful. I pinched too hard, but one thing is sure, it’s not a dream.

There was no way I would feel pain in my dream; I was probably moved to this place after I passed out.

I looked around again, horrified. Was I abducted? Where the hell am I?

I walked to the window in front of the bed and opened the curtain; then I looked at the landscape.

The outside scenery. It is. It’s.

“What the hell is this?”

A hollow voice was heard. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut; this is not the city I know. It wasn’t a city with a forest of buildings but a collection of one to two-story buildings. A castle wall surrounded such a city.

The morning sun was shining on the walls, and the scenery itself was somehow exotic and breathtaking.

But this was not the time to marvel at the beauty. What unfolds in front of me is a real landscape, not a screen. It was not a situation I could even understand.

I’ve heard that some cities in Europe are left in their medieval state, but it’s not like that. There was no modern atmosphere at all; the same was true for the people’s clothes. On the streets, instead of cars, horses and carriages are driven.

What’s more, the place I was in was a castle. It’s the tallest building in the city; the entire city can be seen at a glance.

I was in the bedroom of such a castle with the window opened.

“Are you awake?”

Just as my mind fell into chaos, I heard a knock from outside the door.

Thinking that he might be the one who created this situation, I hurriedly ran to the door and opened it quickly.

There was an old man with white hair standing there. He was dressed like a butler.

“What do you mean? A person living in a place like this!?”

When I asked him, he started to look at me strangely.

“Master?”

Besides, this old man suddenly called me master.

“Who the hell am I, master? Besides, who are you?”

I couldn’t understand it any better, so I asked back. The old man and the two women in maid outfits standing behind him looked at each other with a look of complete trepidation at my question.

“I am Landers, the chamberlain. Isn’t master the Lord of Aintorian, Master Erhin? What is this joke?”

The chamberlain’s eyes glazed over; he looks puzzled, but I’m the confused one; this is no time to play around.

No, wait. Erhin Aintorian?

If it’s Aintorian, it’s the name of the game I was playing until just before I fell asleep, I believe.

No, no way?

Aintorian was a region where many events of considerable importance happen in the latter part of the game. Come to think of it; I think the name of the Aintorian lord in the early game was Aintorian Erhin.

I’m that Aintorian Erhin?

“You don’t think this is the kingdom of Lunan, and this is Aintorian territory?”

“Yes, of course. We are in Aintorian, a territory of the Lunan Kingdom.”

“I’m that lord’s Aintorian?”

“Yes, master. Master. Today you can visit …….What do you intend to do?”

The chamberlain asked me with a frightened face as usual. I’m so serious that I’m dying, what did you say earlier? No, it doesn’t matter.

Does that mean that to them, I’m the character Aintorian Erhin from the game?

Does that mean I’ve entered the game as well?

Impossible.

It’s certainly not possible, but the surrounding landscape and the appearance of the chamberlain and maids. Such things indeed give a sense of reality to the current situation.

It’s not at all dumbfounding to talk about, though.

“Mirror…….Is there a full-length mirror anywhere?”

“Downstairs. Master!”

It was the maids who responded.

There was no mirror in the room. However, I don’t even know if there is a mirror in this era.

“Where downstairs?”

“We’ll bring it right away!”

The maids ran somewhere else, perhaps misinterpreting the question of where to find it to bring it right away.

I didn’t stop them because I wanted to see my appearance right away.

Why in the world do I look like Aintorian Erhin?

“And the map! How about a map of this country?”

“Map? Of course, there is a map. Please wait a minute.”

The chamberlain also responded immediately and disappeared somewhere. He was very agile in his movements. Well, he calls me master, and that’s only natural.

I went back to the bedroom and sat down on the bed for a while.

I was stunned, but clearly, I was in the world of the game I was playing.

The maids soon returned, holding a full-length mirror in a pair, looking as frightened as ever.

But now is not the time to ease their fears.

I stared in the mirror; my body froze in shock; I couldn’t speak or hide my confusion.

The reflection of myself in the mirror bore a striking resemblance to an illustration of Aintorian Erhin, a game character.

Now I looked like Aintorian Erhin, Lord Erhin in his early 20s. The cool illustration had become reality, and the mirror reflected a handsome man I had never seen before.

“This is me……?”

“Master?”

“I need to be left alone.”

“Yes, master.”

The maids obediently followed my words and withdrew in a hurry. Soon after, the chamberlain returned with a large map in hand.

“Master, please take a look at the map of…….”

Wanting to be alone, I interrupted the chamberlain’s words.

“Put it there. And don’t come into the room until I call you.”

“Yes, sir.”

The chamberlain also reacted the same way as the maids and disappeared in a hurry. The big door to the bedroom closed, and I was alone again.

I’m 25 years old, and my hobby is gaming.

I don’t know if I was punished for my daily life or not, but I found myself in a scene from the game. Moreover, I was one of the characters in the game.

It’s hard to believe, but this situation was real, no matter how I look at it. No way, this is what the opportunity to challenge the glory was all about?

The developers of this game are gods?

Otherwise, the situation was absolutely impossible in reality, unless the game developer is an omniscient and omnipotent God.

What unfolds in front of me is not a game that runs in 2D or 3D graphics, but the real world.

The chamberlain’s expressions and actions, the maids’ frightened faces; everything was like they were living persons.

Do you think this is glorious? This situation where the game became reality?

If this had been a typical game, as a game lover, I might not have been able to help but rejoice because I’m not that attached to real life.

But there is a problem. This game is about war. In other words, it’s a deadly game. The fact that such a world has become reality means that I have to live in a time of warfare. My head was starting to hurt.

I scratched my head and unfolded the map that the chamberlain had left behind.

The place names on the map, and the country, are still the same as in the game setting.

“Wait, that means……!”

And then.

I noticed the biggest problem. This is the setting in the game, and if I was Aintorian Erhin…

Aintorian Erhin was not the main character; he’s someone who dies right at the start of the game. He’s not even a supporting character.

Am I, of all people, that Aintorian Erhin?

The game tells how a civil war hundreds of years ago united a kingdom divided like the warring states period.

That’s the problem.

The Aintorian region is one of the most critical areas in the game. It is the one with the most conflicts started by those who want to occupy it. Above all, Aintorian Erhin, in the setting, dies at the beginning of the game, from the Narja Kingdom’s surprise attack.

Chapter 1: Rogue Lords (1)

[Level 99 attained!]

[Unification successful]

The in-game message sparkled. This game, which I’ve been hooked on lately, is set in an alternate universe during the Warring States period.

I’ve been playing it like crazy since the day it was released, and I’ve finally succeeded in unifying the world.

[Management message received]

The moment I entirely conquered the game, a message window that I had never seen before appeared. Did the management ever send me a direct message?

It’s a solo-player game, but the strategy rankings are aggregated in real-time to create player rankings. Because of that, you’re connected to the internet and, well, you can receive messages, that’s for sure.

Do I get any perks? A coupon or something?

Curiosity piqued, I clicked on the message window first. Then another series of messages appeared on the screen in rapid succession.

[Game Management appreciates your strategy]

[Challenge for glory. This is a benefit only for you, number one in the rankings]

[Special Offer]

[When you’re ready to accept the challenge of glory, you’ll earn the rewards first. Perks can be obtained through exploration from the beginning MAP]

Glory?

No way, there is even a sequel? The game was completely conquered. In chaotic and war-torn times, he became king from a small-town hero and realized his country’s unification.

I’m not inclined to play without a sequel story, but the word “perks” appealed to me a bit.

It seems like there is a hidden story.

Where is the beginning MAP?

My curiosity exploded, so I looked around for perks.

However, no matter how much I scoured the in-game MAP, I could not find any perks.

Management prank?

That’s all I can think of at this point. I entered the developer’s website from my computer. As the contact form was set up, I sent an email asking about the meaning of the message that appeared.

I looked at the clock; the management’s message had wiped out my sense of accomplishment and left me with only exhaustion. It was already 3 am, a reply to my inquiry mail had not yet arrived.

“Whew!”

I had no choice but to turn off the game because I was yawning. No, I tried to turn it off. At that moment, I suddenly lost consciousness; around me was darkness, and I was dizzy.

*

*

I woke up.

The day began, as usual; I stretched and yawned; it’s a habit of mine. If I do this, I feel a little refreshed when I wake up.

“Huh?”

The scenery in front of me was utterly unfamiliar. I closed my eyes, wondering if I was sleep-deprived, then I rubbed my eyes and opened them again. But it was still an unfamiliar sight, someone’s house?

It’s the first bedroom I’ve ever seen. It looks like a luxurious medieval European-style bedroom.

I’m not drunk, not that I’m drunk.

Ah!

That’s when I remembered. I remembered that when I tried to turn off the game, my eyes went black, I was terribly dizzy and lost consciousness!

What? It’s this a dream?

Not being able to wake up from a dream. I immediately pinched my cheek; it hurts!

“Ugh!”

It was painful. I pinched too hard, but one thing is sure, it’s not a dream.

There was no way I would feel pain in my dream; I was probably moved to this place after I passed out.

I looked around again, horrified. Was I abducted? Where the hell am I?

I walked to the window in front of the bed and opened the curtain; then I looked at the landscape.

The outside scenery. It is. It’s.

“What the hell is this?”

A hollow voice was heard. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut; this is not the city I know. It wasn’t a city with a forest of buildings but a collection of one to two-story buildings. A castle wall surrounded such a city.

The morning sun was shining on the walls, and the scenery itself was somehow exotic and breathtaking.

But this was not the time to marvel at the beauty. What unfolds in front of me is a real landscape, not a screen. It was not a situation I could even understand.

I’ve heard that some cities in Europe are left in their medieval state, but it’s not like that. There was no modern atmosphere at all; the same was true for the people’s clothes. On the streets, instead of cars, horses and carriages are driven.

What’s more, the place I was in was a castle. It’s the tallest building in the city; the entire city can be seen at a glance.

I was in the bedroom of such a castle with the window opened.

“Are you awake?”

Just as my mind fell into chaos, I heard a knock from outside the door.

Thinking that he might be the one who created this situation, I hurriedly ran to the door and opened it quickly.

There was an old man with white hair standing there. He was dressed like a butler.

“What do you mean? A person living in a place like this!?”

When I asked him, he started to look at me strangely.

“Master?”

Besides, this old man suddenly called me master.

“Who the hell am I, master? Besides, who are you?”

I couldn’t understand it any better, so I asked back. The old man and the two women in maid outfits standing behind him looked at each other with a look of complete trepidation at my question.

“I am Landers, the chamberlain. Isn’t master the Lord of Aintorian, Master Erhin? What is this joke?”

The chamberlain’s eyes glazed over; he looks puzzled, but I’m the confused one; this is no time to play around.

No, wait. Erhin Aintorian?

If it’s Aintorian, it’s the name of the game I was playing until just before I fell asleep, I believe.

No, no way?

Aintorian was a region where many events of considerable importance happen in the latter part of the game. Come to think of it; I think the name of the Aintorian lord in the early game was Aintorian Erhin.

I’m that Aintorian Erhin?

“You don’t think this is the kingdom of Lunan, and this is Aintorian territory?”

“Yes, of course. We are in Aintorian, a territory of the Lunan Kingdom.”

“I’m that lord’s Aintorian?”

“Yes, master. Master. Today you can visit …….What do you intend to do?”

The chamberlain asked me with a frightened face as usual. I’m so serious that I’m dying, what did you say earlier? No, it doesn’t matter.

Does that mean that to them, I’m the character Aintorian Erhin from the game?

Does that mean I’ve entered the game as well?

Impossible.

It’s certainly not possible, but the surrounding landscape and the appearance of the chamberlain and maids. Such things indeed give a sense of reality to the current situation.

It’s not at all dumbfounding to talk about, though.

“Mirror…….Is there a full-length mirror anywhere?”

“Downstairs. Master!”

It was the maids who responded.

There was no mirror in the room. However, I don’t even know if there is a mirror in this era.

“Where downstairs?”

“We’ll bring it right away!”

The maids ran somewhere else, perhaps misinterpreting the question of where to find it to bring it right away.

I didn’t stop them because I wanted to see my appearance right away.

Why in the world do I look like Aintorian Erhin?

“And the map! How about a map of this country?”

“Map? Of course, there is a map. Please wait a minute.”

The chamberlain also responded immediately and disappeared somewhere. He was very agile in his movements. Well, he calls me master, and that’s only natural.

I went back to the bedroom and sat down on the bed for a while.

I was stunned, but clearly, I was in the world of the game I was playing.

The maids soon returned, holding a full-length mirror in a pair, looking as frightened as ever.

But now is not the time to ease their fears.

I stared in the mirror; my body froze in shock; I couldn’t speak or hide my confusion.

The reflection of myself in the mirror bore a striking resemblance to an illustration of Aintorian Erhin, a game character.

Now I looked like Aintorian Erhin, Lord Erhin in his early 20s. The cool illustration had become reality, and the mirror reflected a handsome man I had never seen before.

“This is me……?”

“Master?”

“I need to be left alone.”

“Yes, master.”

The maids obediently followed my words and withdrew in a hurry. Soon after, the chamberlain returned with a large map in hand.

“Master, please take a look at the map of…….”

Wanting to be alone, I interrupted the chamberlain’s words.

“Put it there. And don’t come into the room until I call you.”

“Yes, sir.”

The chamberlain also reacted the same way as the maids and disappeared in a hurry. The big door to the bedroom closed, and I was alone again.

I’m 25 years old, and my hobby is gaming.

I don’t know if I was punished for my daily life or not, but I found myself in a scene from the game. Moreover, I was one of the characters in the game.

It’s hard to believe, but this situation was real, no matter how I look at it. No way, this is what the opportunity to challenge the glory was all about?

The developers of this game are gods?

Otherwise, the situation was absolutely impossible in reality, unless the game developer is an omniscient and omnipotent God.

What unfolds in front of me is not a game that runs in 2D or 3D graphics, but the real world.

The chamberlain’s expressions and actions, the maids’ frightened faces; everything was like they were living persons.

Do you think this is glorious? This situation where the game became reality?

If this had been a typical game, as a game lover, I might not have been able to help but rejoice because I’m not that attached to real life.

But there is a problem. This game is about war. In other words, it’s a deadly game. The fact that such a world has become reality means that I have to live in a time of warfare. My head was starting to hurt.

I scratched my head and unfolded the map that the chamberlain had left behind.

The place names on the map, and the country, are still the same as in the game setting.

“Wait, that means……!”

And then.

I noticed the biggest problem. This is the setting in the game, and if I was Aintorian Erhin…

Aintorian Erhin was not the main character; he’s someone who dies right at the start of the game. He’s not even a supporting character.

Am I, of all people, that Aintorian Erhin?

The game tells how a civil war hundreds of years ago united a kingdom divided like the warring states period.

That’s the problem.

The Aintorian region is one of the most critical areas in the game. It is the one with the most conflicts started by those who want to occupy it. Above all, Aintorian Erhin, in the setting, dies at the beginning of the game, from the Narja Kingdom’s surprise attack.