I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents

Chapter 168

As the aged leader stepped down, the Crown Prince was about to take his place in the succession ceremony.

I had finally completed the planned subjugation expedition and was about to return to the capital.

Was there anything special during that time? Well, every day was a series of special events, so by now, I hardly felt any excitement about most things.

Upon leaving the base and arriving at the expedition site, we would first scout the area to assess the dangers, set up a base camp, then plan the subjugation. Led by me, the expedition members would advance cautiously, and once deemed safe enough, we would launch a large-scale operation to clear the area.

After repeating this process about ten times, the subjugation period finally came to an end, and before long, the expedition team, including myself, was elevated to the status of heroes of the empire.

“Is that the hero from the rumors?”

Such achievements became palpable when we completed the last subjugation in the Great Forest and set foot in the city located at the gate.

While resting in the carriage, I took a moment to quietly listen to the chatter of the crowd outside the window.

“Yeah, that’s the person who made the most noise during this subjugation period. Not only did they handle the dangerous species on the wanted list, but they also conquered several unexplored areas.”

“With the Imperial Family as their patron and their name becoming so well-known during this subjugation, it seems that sponsors are lining up.”

“No wonder, the equipment really shines.”

Indeed, our expedition team’s equipment was quite different from before.

Initially, we managed with funds from the Imperial Family and our own money, but after a few missions, money started coming in from all directions.

Of course, it wasn’t always an easy process.

When someone rises, there are always those who become envious, and their interference could sometimes be more troublesome than dangerous monsters.

“I heard many heroes died during this subjugation mission. Seeing you survive and achieve so much, you must be incredibly strong.”

But jealousy alone can’t surpass the desire for advancement and lead to success.

Over time, it became clear that what we needed to aim for were achievements, not personal feelings. Even those who were hostile towards me ended up showering me with flattery and gifts.

In addition, I heard news that some expedition teams, driven by excessive competition, had been annihilated during reckless subjugations. But from my perspective, focused only on moving forward, I couldn’t afford to pay attention to that.

“It’s not just about being strong. I hear that every time they return, they share tales of their exploits, including strategies to defeat all sorts of monsters, which are so useful that even the regular army uses them.”

“That’s amazing. A perfect hero skilled in both martial and literary arts.”

However, as was often the case with rumors, I couldn’t attribute all the circulating stories to my achievements.

While my martial prowess was undeniable, someone else had directly advised me on how to deal with monsters and the ‘otherworldly beings’ referred to as ‘different types of beings’.

Though she was temporarily away on business… Thinking like this made it seem like I might never see her again.

She had only been away to organize the massive scale of the expedition team due to the overwhelming support we received.

I hope she wouldn’t just suddenly leave on the day we were supposed to return.

We grew quite close during our time together, so we should at least celebrate our return to the empire together.

“Woohoo!”

Whatever the case, the long expedition ended here.

Reflecting on the days that had passed, I poked my head out of the carriage to look at the crowd cheering for the expedition team.

It was a situation where everyone in the village had come out and was singing praises for me and the expedition team without any empty words.

Naturally, the person at the center of it all was me, the leader of the expedition team.

“Hero Woo Hyo! Hero Woo Hyo!!”

“Woo Hyo is the best!!!”

“Thanks to Woo Hyo, we can sleep peacefully!”

“Stay strong, Woo Hyo!!!”

“…Haha.”

Seeing them celebrate so passionately, I felt my heart gradually swell.

Not from the joy of the moment of glory, but from the anger at the fact that even in such moments, my treatment hadn’t changed.

Damn it, my ability is to make people remember me, so why do they keep shouting “Woo Hyo”?

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My name is not Woo Hyo; it’s Woo Hyo-sung…

“Oh! Everyone is blessing the hero!”

“Hey, you guys, hold on.”

At that moment, the expedition members began to react to the crowd’s cheers.

I was taken aback and shouted out, but they didn’t mind and continued as usual.

“We can’t just stay still! Everyone, prepare to shout!”

“Hey, you guys. Don’t do it. Don’t do it.”

“Everyone, shout forward for five seconds!!”

“Woo Hyo~!!”

…Damn it, I knew they would do this.

Did I let them loose too much for the past six months? Even if the initial discipline had loosened by now, incidents like collectively teasing me and violating the hierarchy happened often.

Moreover, since they did this in front of everyone, I couldn’t scold them right away… What’s the point of achieving so much if my fate is always so miserable?

“Fine, do whatever you want.”

But this was better than maintaining a consistently heavy atmosphere.

I had gotten so used to it by now that I just ended up laughing it off.

---

While only triumphant news was delivered to the outside, it wasn’t that there were no dangers within the expedition team.

There were many times when I faced mortal danger, and some expedition members were often isolated in dangerous areas or seriously injured during the subjugation stages.

The most bleak moments were when there were deaths… Yes, we embarked on this expedition knowing it was dangerous from the start.

No matter how much experience we had as heroes and no matter how well we knew the strategies, there were limits to what humans could do.

After the influx of sponsors, we had more reinforcements like mercenaries, so the lack of personnel didn’t hinder our progress, but sometimes their absence lingered in my mind and dampened our morale.

“Everyone, a toast to Hero Woo Hyo~!”

So, to prevent such complexities from hindering our work, we celebrated even more grandly when we achieved results.

The soldiers who had come this far with me, strengthening their resolve, began to cheer and raise their glasses as the subjugation period came to an end.

“We dedicate all this victorious glory to Woo Hyo!”

“Come on, Woo Hyo. Drink up, drink up!”

“So now you don’t even call me a hero, just Woo Hyo?”

“Oh, we didn’t mean that. We were just faithfully following your words!”

“You said, ‘Train like it’s real, fight with your life on the line, and at the drinking table, treat each other like family!’ Didn’t you?”

Even if the atmosphere was like a family, they shouldn’t address their superior so casually.

“…Fine, do whatever you want.”

But at the end of the arduous expedition and on the verge of returning.

Thinking it wouldn’t be easy to stop them in their high spirits, I took a sip of my drink as the soldiers began to noisily enjoy the feast.

I didn’t feel any hesitation at their indulgent behavior.

Because I, who had wandered through the brink of death with them, knew better than anyone that they deserved it.

“Then let the members enjoy themselves… I will take my leave.”

As the cheerful banquet continued, one member, deeply immersed in the excitement, tried to leave the tavern.

Though he was a bit tipsy, it didn’t take long to recognize who he was.

“Where are you going in the midst of all this fun?”

“Where else? There are people who can’t be here; shouldn’t we comfort their spirits too?”

Lieutenant Sanson.

After surviving the war with the undead, he replaced the then commander and assisted me in leading the soldiers for six months.

He, who managed people in my stead, was still deeply appreciated, but throughout the expedition, what he showed was closer to guilt and longing than pride.

“General Marcus and the comrades who went ahead deserve to enjoy this moment too.”

“…Indeed.”

We wouldn’t have come this far without their sacrifices.

Feeling the excitement wane due to those bittersweet emotions, I took advantage of the soldiers being engrossed in the feast and followed Sanson.

The celebration shouldn’t dampen just because two of the leaders were absent.

“I was going to pay my respects to the General too. Let’s go together.”

“That’s fine, but… are you going to train again?”

“I have to. Just because we ended the subjugation doesn’t mean all the calamities in this world are gone.”

What I eradicated was just a small part of the whole.

There were still many paths to go, so my determination to strive shouldn’t fade due to a day’s excitement.

---

After paying tribute to those who left before us, I left Sanson’s side and went into the forest behind the village to dedicate myself to training.

And that training was done solely by my own strength.

There was a great teacher in the expedition team guiding me, but unfortunately, she didn’t know how to handle spirits.

Spirit arts were something I had to train on my own.

In figuring out how to navigate such training, Airi’s prophecy was a tremendous help.

[After meeting with the Furry Tribe and listening to their advice, make Linnea Great Forest your final expedition site. When you go to the designated place, a spirit interested in you will approach you on its own.]

[Remember, the Great Forest is a very treacherous place, so make sure you are strong enough before entering.]

Yes, the last expedition site was the most dangerous place I had ever been to.

It required a lot of preparation, and if I had made even a slight mistake in capturing the giant Dully, I might have died.

If I hadn’t encountered the spirit swarm that Phobia mentioned, I wouldn’t have been able to repel the attack and take them down in one blow.

Whooong… whooong.

Of course, the spirit swarm, though possessing a sense of self, naturally took the form of animals or plants as they were nurtured by nature.

Thus, they couldn’t offer me clear guidance, but just interacting with them taught me a great deal.

They were much larger and more precisely formed than those created under human influence.

To use an analogy… It’s like the difference between charging headfirst without knowing anything and carefully constructing the process once you know the outcome.

Whooong.

Anyway, having become accustomed to handling spirits, I finally mastered the art of creating ‘clones’ that had been stagnant until then.

At first, they merely mimicked me, but now they had a much clearer form and could make their own decisions and movements.

Now, they could be considered independent entities created by my hands rather than mere clones of myself.

“Hmm, hello spirit. Do you remember me?”

The spirit, seeing the constructed me, immediately responded with a “whooong” sound.

The act of waving its hand was a greeting I had consistently taught since I became proficient in handling spirits.

This indicated that the spirit had reached a level where it could not only mimic my actions or observe closely but also practice what I had taught it independently.

While I was pleased with such growth, the more the spirit grew, the more questions arose in my mind.

“…But why do you keep turning into a female form?”

Half a year ago, I had noticed a slight change, but since it wasn’t clear, I thought it was either an illusion or the form wasn’t fully established.

Now that the form was completely clear, I could see that it was transforming noticeably into a female shape.

-……

And whenever I pointed this out, the spirit always kept its mouth shut.

Usually, it would respond with a humming sound whenever I spoke to it.

Isn’t it strange that it only stays silent when I point out the fact that it’s female?

“…You.”

And I had a hunch about the reason.

The spirit swarm began by mimicking the conjurer’s body, and what this spirit reflected was a ‘being with two personalities.’

“Could you be Pheloi?”

If this spirit mimicked my other personality…

If this spirit, thinking it had become one with me, used the spirit vessel to reappear before me…

Whooong!!!

The spirit swarm reacted violently as soon as I voiced this suspicion.

My body froze at the unexpected intense reaction, but I couldn’t block the ensuing attack.

Bang!!!

A burst of magical power exploded from the fist that struck my body.

I was thrown far away, but the spirit swarm didn’t chase me. It just turned its back.

“Ugh! Wait, why all of a sudden…?”

Whooong!

The spirit swarm disappeared with a particularly emotional hum.

I couldn’t understand what it was saying, but I could feel its emotions through our connection.

This guy is really angry right now.

“You’re not Pheloi, then?”

Did I touch a nerve by suggesting a different identity?

But if it wasn’t Pheloi, I had no clue why a being mimicking me would take on a female form.

Should I call it back and talk to it directly? No, calling back an angry spirit isn’t a good idea.

I’ll think about it myself first, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll try talking to it again later. I started to get up from the ground.

“Are you alright?”

A gentle voice and a hand extended towards me.

Feeling a sense of familiarity, I grabbed the hand and stood up.

“…Why are you here? Everyone is having fun; you should join them.”

“As a maid, it’s only natural to prioritize my master.”

It might just be an excuse, but she still treated me as her master.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her words and greeted the girl in the maid outfit who helped me up.

“Long time no see, Flang.”

“Yes, master.”

Flang smiled brightly at me.

“I’m your maid, Flang.”

The sense of warmth from her was certainly not a mistake.