I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-162

Ch-162

—

Yes. He would tell her. He would say it.

Resolute, Hudson sought out Serengeti’s room.

Knock, knock.

He clenched his fist and knocked on the door, slowly.

“Hm? Hudson?”

Just from the sound of his footsteps, Serengeti recognized him immediately and opened the door.

…A sheen of sweat covered her skin.

Even now, she had been exercising with nothing but her bare body.
Of course.

“I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me? What is it?”

“I actually…”

“Actually?”

Hudson took a deep breath.

“I… I’m a sinner.”

“A sinner who stole my heart?”

“No… that’s not it…”

“Don’t worry. The ceremony will take place a week from now. I’ve already prepared everything, so you just have to follow me.”

“Wait. Did you say a week…?”

Hudson was appalled.

Even at the fastest, how could things move this quickly?

Was marriage supposed to proceed at such breakneck speed?

“You don’t have parents, Hudson. We don’t need a formal meeting between families, so you only need to show up. My curse has been lifted; there’s no reason to drag this out any longer, right?”

“No… I don’t even have clothes to wear yet…”

“I already prepared those too. Before the Grand Expedition.”

“…You prepared them *before the Grand Expedition*?”

Insane.

What on earth was this supposed to be?

The Grand Expedition was more than half a year ago.

It meant she’d been planning to hold the ceremony the moment she returned alive.

Sure, he’d had similar thoughts, but even then—this was way too fast.

“Why? What are you worried about? Don’t tell me… you don’t want to marry me?”

Serengeti’s expression rapidly darkened.

If this continued, she would spiral endlessly into delusion.

Having experienced this countless times, Hudson quickly waved both hands.

“N-no, that’s not it. You’re the only one for me. It’s because I like you *too much*.”

Serengeti’s expression bloomed radiantly, as if it had never darkened at all.

“Right? Then shall we go eat?”

“Uh… y-yeah…”

This wasn’t it.

*‘Fine. Today isn’t the only day.’*

Hudson let out a small sigh.

*

*

Time flew like an arrow.

Seven days later, it was suddenly the day of the wedding.

Everything progressed so quickly that Hudson barely had time to breathe.

*‘In the end, I couldn’t say it properly…’*

He hadn’t even been able to properly explain that he was a Player.

He simply could not find the right timing to speak.

In fact, he hadn’t had a moment to see Serengeti since that day.

Even on the day of the wedding.

*‘Is this really okay?’*

Was it alright to let things flow toward marriage like this?

While hiding his most important secret?

But he did not have much time left to worry.

Before he knew it, the hour had come.

The wedding hall—

A place where everyone had gathered.

*‘Ah…’*

The moment he saw Serengeti in her dress, all his worries vanished at once.

Because she was beautiful.

So beautiful it left him speechless.

But that happiness did not last long.

【The progression speed of the ‘World Erosion Rate’ is rapidly increasing.】

【Erosion Rate has reached 20%.】

【The Demon Realm’s second invasion of Earth has begun.】

【You are under attack!】

【If you do not log out within 30 seconds, you will die.】

Second Invasion Begins

“Huh.”

Inside his office,
Marquess Weiser let out a dumbfounded laugh.

Because of Serengeti—his daughter.

—Marquess. No, Father. I will marry Hudson.

He had, of course, opposed it to the death.

What kind of child was Serengeti?

His one and only daughter. The sole heiress of their family.

Even if Hudson served Randolph, at the core he was still nothing but some peddling merchant.

There was no way he could hand Serengeti over to a mere merchant.

—If you continue opposing my marriage to Hudson…

—If I oppose it? What, will you die or something?

She was probably just playing around with the concept of risking her life.

Having faced death once, she probably thought he would cave if she gambled her life again.

But absolutely not.

Marquess Weiser, who had weathered countless hardships, had cultivated an unshakeable heart.
He could laugh off his daughter’s childish tantrums.

—I will marry into the Vilmheim family.

—What…? Absolutely not!

But if it was the Vilmheim family, the story changed entirely.

Vilmheim. *Vilmheim!*

Were they not the damned scoundrels who stood in direct opposition to House Weiser?

Just imagining sharing a table with those insolent swine made his stomach churn.

—I’ve already settled things with them as well. Here.

—…

A single letter.

Upon seeing the seal of the Vilmheim family head, Marquess Weiser turned pale.

The handwriting matched that of the Vilmheim patriarch.

Naturally, the contents concerned marriage.

“W-without even my permission…”

—The Vilmheim family head is bald, but he’s ambitious. Bald, yes, but better than some worthless merchant, isn’t he?

—You… you’re serious…?

—If I can’t have a ceremony with Hudson, I’ll marry into Vilmheim. Then I suppose I’ll spend my whole life listening to Father curse me.

A move so far beyond imagination it defied expectation.

She had cut off every route of escape and placed everything on the line.

Only then could he truly face Serengeti.

“Hah.”

Absurd, but for Marquess Weiser, an astonishing strategy.

House Vilmheim had been enemies for over a hundred years—coexistence under the same sky was impossible.

Going there was on a wholly different level than merely risking her life.

‘And here I thought she only cared about the sword.’

She had grown.

The brute who only knew how to swing a blade now knew how to issue a proper threat.

And not just a threat.

‘Hudson’s résumé…’

Where did she even get something like this?

Countless documents.

Reading Hudson’s listed achievements, Marquess Weiser was once again stunned.

“Owner of the Golden City Arcana Casino ‘Hudson’”

“Honorary Advisory Councilor of the Arcana Assembly”

“De facto head of the Intelligence Guild ‘Stars and Night’”

“Former member of ‘Blood Fall.’ One of the Ten.”

…

“Founder of the ‘Labyrinth Merchant Guild’”

“Founder of the ‘Labyrinth Bank’”

“Financial Administrator of the ‘Labyrinth City’”

“Person Randolph trusts more than anyone else”

Even reading the report, he could hardly believe his eyes.

Hudson.

*‘What the hell is this guy?’*

If the résumé was true, the man wasn’t some simple merchant at all.

He was the unseen hand controlling the market from the shadows.

‘Stars and Night’ was one of the top ten intelligence guilds.
And if he was once from ‘Blood Fall’…

‘As if Hudson would’ve told her this.’

Hudson definitely hadn’t said any of it.

Serengeti.

She had found it out herself.

She knew far more about Hudson than he imagined.

Maybe even more than what was written here.

“‘The one Randolph trusts most.’”

And that last part—
Could it even be called a résumé?

But if one knew Randolph, it could indeed be considered an achievement.

‘More trusted than even those who fight beside him?’

Marquess Weiser stroked his chin.

Randolph was the knightly type.

He would naturally grow closest to those who fought at his side.

Hudson, being a merchant, managed the city and did not spend much time with Randolph.

Yet Serengeti confidently claimed that he was the one Randolph trusted most.

Could it be true?

‘It must be.’

Serengeti had served Randolph longer and more closely than anyone.

If she saw it that way, then it was so.

And her preparation for the wedding impressed even Marquess Weiser.

He had thought her merely a reckless child.

But she had grown enough to be entrusted with the future.

‘Has she ever been this serious about anything other than the sword?’

Certainly not.

Which made him feel a strange regret—
as if he were only now discovering a new side of his daughter.

“That child is already… ha…”

Marriage.

A wedding.

Serengeti had already passed the usual age for marriage.

“The earlier the better, then.”

So the sooner they held the ceremony, the better.

The only thing left was deciding whom to invite.

‘I’ll have to summon everyone urgently.’

It would cost a fortune, but if he sent out urgent summons, everyone could gather within a week.

He would give her the grandest of weddings, blessed by every relative and associate.

It was all he could do as her father.

*

*

Hudson’s eyes trembled wildly.

Just moments ago, he had been dazed by Serengeti’s beauty—

But the messages now flashing before him snapped his mind into clarity.

“The groom seems completely lost after seeing the bride.”

“They make a fine pair.”

“Serengeti! You look just like your mother.”

Ah…

The countless guests filling the hall—

All of them were relatives of Marquess Weiser.

Even those with strained relationships had come without exception.
Over 200 guests were now watching Hudson and Serengeti.

The guests Hudson had invited barely reached twenty, if that, but thanks to Marquess Weiser, the hall was packed with people.

A truly grand, extravagant wedding.

There could hardly be a more blessed ceremony than this.

【You have taken a Level 6 attack!】

【Remaining duration of ‘Guard Wall (Lv 7)’: 24 seconds】

【If you do not log out within 24 seconds, you will die.】

The problem was that even now, his real body on Earth was still being attacked.

…Hudson’s face turned deathly pale.

His Guard Wall was only Level 7 at best.

A shield that blocked Level 7 or lower attacks for 30 seconds.

If a stronger attack landed, or if 30 seconds passed, Hudson would die.

*‘What do I do?’*

There was only one way.

He had to leave the wedding hall and log out.

With the Second Invasion underway, he wasn’t even sure there *was* a safe zone anymore—but if he could find the safest place possible and then log back in…

*‘No.’*

Impossible.

Everyone would find it strange.

And soon enough, everyone would be convinced he was a “sinner.”

It was one thing for Serengeti to believe he was a sinner—
but for Marquess Weiser and all of his relatives to know—
that was the difference between heaven and earth.

Forget marriage; he would be reported to the Reaper Cult and doomed to die.

They would spit on his corpse and click their tongues in disgust.

【You have taken a Level 7 attack!】

【Remaining duration of ‘Guard Wall (Lv 7)’: 19 seconds】

【If you do not log out within 19 seconds, you will die.】

“Why is he just standing there?”

“Isn’t he stiffening up a bit too much?”

“Haha. Looks like he’s nervous.”

People whispered among themselves.

The makeup hid his complexion to some degree, but his expression was so stiff that it drew attention regardless.

…The attacks were growing fiercer by the second.

At this rate, he would truly die.

He had to log out immediately.

Abandon the marriage with Serengeti, or stake his life on going through with it.

Hudson finally lifted his head and looked toward Randolph.

But looking at Randolph wouldn’t magically give him an answer.

Randolph was currently back in Korea.

Meanwhile, Hudson was in England.

On a remote, isolated island, at that.

Were the people in the fortress safe?

【You have taken a Level 7 attack!】

【Remaining duration of ‘Guard Wall (Lv 7)’: 14 seconds】

【If you do not log out within 11 seconds, you will die.】

“Maybe the merchant’s feeling pressured by the knightly families?”

“Well, there are over a hundred knights gathered here alone.”

But as more time passed, some guests began subtly criticizing Hudson’s behavior.

Knightly families had little patience for a man who failed to act like a man, and many were becoming frustrated with Hudson’s demeanor.

【You have taken a Level 7 attack!】

【Remaining duration of ‘Guard Wall (Lv 7)’: 8 seconds】

【If you do not log out within 4 seconds, you will die.】

Eight seconds.

There was no turning back now.

No solution.

*‘What should I…?’*

Kwarrrrung!

—

 

 

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