Chapter: 183
The bastard is here.
Right outside the door.
Whoever it is, I don’t know. It could be a newspaper vendor, a male trying to hit on Yuli, or a member of the Elimination Team.
But no matter who it is, it will act as a poison to me. The newspaper likely contains information that could identify me, and if it’s a comrade, they might burst in with a surprise accusation, saying, “That guy is a Black Mage!”
So, it’s safer to eliminate the risk. Fortunately, this world is a bit sloppy, and the Queen’s NPC creation skills are rather unrefined.
I had set an information bomb on the doorknob of Yuli’s mansion. Yep, I took some from the bombs I brought.
The knock sounds. I can feel the presence. I smiled slyly, like a hunter eyeing its trap.
Knock, knock, knock.
The guy knocks. Yuli reacts.
“…A person? I didn’t get a heads-up, so it must be…”
“Isn’t it one of those creeps trying to hit on you? Should I chase them off?”
“Leave it! How could your scrawny body chase anyone away? It might be urgent, or… if it’s a randy mutt, I could make them a friend instead.”
Is she implying surgery to make him a eunuch? I added nonchalantly.
“I’m not saying I’m some unbeatable wall or something.”
“…I didn’t ask! I swear, I didn’t ask!!”
The moment I poked fun, Yuli jumped.
In that moment, with her attention diverted to me, I flicked my fingers. I activated the information bomb.
Click.
With a small explosion, toxic information was fired off.
Imagining the scene, hideous thorns sprouted from the doorknob, stabbing the person. The victim would twist and writhe, exploding into dust without a trace.
When a flustered Yuli opened the door, all that greeted her was emptiness. Just a few specks of dust rolling across the floor. She blinked.
“I distinctly heard a knock.”
“Maybe some neighborhood kid was just playing a prank? Knocked and then ran.”
“…Do the neighborhood kids think I’m a joke now?”
I casually chimed in from behind, and Yuli muttered, slightly gloomy. No, that’s not the intention. I quickly reassured her.
“Kids aren’t that complex! No, Yuli, it’s probably a coincidence that the wind blew this way. Don’t be so negative, okay?”
“…Really?”
“Yep, really. Now… let’s get back to what we were doing. Are you going to cower and run away over this? There’s still a long way to go.”
“Weren’t you the one panicking just a minute ago?!”
Yuli spun around and dashed deep into the house. I glared at the dust that had become NPC remains and quietly closed the door.
This was already the sixteenth time.
Once again, a brief peace reclaimed the atmosphere.
===============================================================
To explain how this battle is unfolding, I need to clarify one fact:
The center of this world is Yuli. Though she’s a pawn of the Queen…
Anything she finds odd or unbelievable gets a debuff, and anything she trusts without hesitation receives a buff.
Thus, within her sight, there are rules and order. Settings and plausibility must be upheld; failure to do so incurs a demerit.
If it were some amateur mage that infiltrated…
I have the skills to twist around that minor demerit into an advantage. Thus, as long as I exist, the minimum conditions for conflict are established.
The Queen knows that too. Last time, when she tried to falsely accuse me, she got counter-punched.
So, both the Queen and I are developing the story around Yuli. Just like when the NPC knocked on the mansion door a moment ago.
Let’s summarize it lightly.
I carry the minus setting of supposedly cooperating with the “Red Regeneration.” The Queen ultimately aims to use this setting to make Yuli hate me.
Before this ticking time bomb detonates, I either have to dismantle it or build up my closeness with Yuli so she thinks, “There’s no way he’d do that.”
There are several methods I could try. Like playing a role as a Black Mage who ‘infiltrated the “Red Regeneration” to get revenge,’ just like I fabricated Bennett’s story.
Or perhaps do a heroic roleplay as someone claiming the “Red Regeneration” techniques can be used for good by saving lives of condemned prisoners and curing the ailments of good people…
I could do that, but.
I personally believe the risk is extremely high.
The story is driven by the GM. The Queen controls this space. Even if I counter her with every trick I have, I can’t control the flow of this world.
More precisely… for a brief moment, it could be possible, but it takes too much energy and isn’t cost-effective.
“Did you brush your teeth? Wash your face and manage your hair? Did you stretch before sleeping?”
“Mind your own business.”
Trying to get Yuli to manage her appearance feels like a full-time job.
Anyway.
No matter how much I appeal that I’m a double agent or actually a good guy, with just three NPCs, the Queen can ruin all my buildup.
Victim 1. A young girl that reminds Yuli of her past. Accusing me saying, “That bastard caused my whole village to perish!” before meeting her end.
Ally 1. Yuli’s coworker from the Elimination Team, presenting all kinds of evidence declaring, “This guy’s really evil, trust me!”
Villain 1. Bursting in, beating Yuli to a pulp, and then upon my arrival saying, “Welcome back, brother. Still got that strange taste, huh? Trying to be chummy with this little girl before killing her?”
If the world is against me, no matter how well I tap dance, it becomes meaningless. Thus my conclusion.
I must counter!
To strike against what Yuli perceives and what the Queen has prepared as a setup, countering will bolster my standing.
The Queen is already subtly laying the groundwork for an attack on me. Just like how she placed suspicious objects in my home… and one more thing.
“Information about the hidden bases of the dark magic group ‘Red Regeneration’ and their collaborators.”
“It’s encrypted, so our seniors have been working day and night, but once the analysis is complete, we should have results.”
Yuli had previously mentioned those “encrypted documents.” Quite an ominous topic.
Now that Yuli is aware of it, this document must exist somewhere in the world, and even if it doesn’t, it becomes easier to fabricate information around it.
Eventually, it will be delivered to Yuli through an NPC.
As time progresses, the danger only amplifies.
I need to prepare a countermeasure. Ideally, I would want to be right next to Yuli when she checks that document…
So I can manipulate the information live and frame myself as “innocent,” flipping the situation.
So ideally, I should stick closely to Yuli for our actions… which…
“…Aren’t you heading home soon?”
“Can’t I just stay the night?”
“You think that’s possible?”
Of course not.
I obediently packed my things and prepared to leave. There’s no reason to stir up trouble now that we’ve somewhat become friends. Before I left, I waved at her with a smile.
“See you tomorrow!”
“Don’t come!”
She spoke curtly, but her eyes told a different story. Like a puppy pretending to be uninterested, her eyes clearly reflected a desire for more playtime.
In other words, she’s silently asking me to come back tomorrow. With a lazy smile, I returned home. Then I ascended to the attic to concentrate my mind.
Twisting information, crafting it carefully. I made a thin, flexible tube to carefully maneuver through, ensuring it reached Yuli’s home.
News gathering, akin to what I previously endured in the Knights of the Capital’s interrogation room… that’s my method.
Given that I’ve fallen into this timing, it’s the perfect opportunity for the Queen to pull some tricks. I’ll wait here until all is clear and I’m able to approach Yuli.
I then checked my progress in my mind.
Over the last few days, the installation rate of the information bombs reached 50%.
There had been minor interruptions during that time, but nothing major.
I realized this world is smaller than it seems. Like a game with incomplete map loading, certain parts of the city are a pitch-black void.
I mentally created a map marking the locations of major strongholds, mainly related to the Elimination Team and the Defense Bureau.
My lifeline remains robust. Though the Queen relentlessly attacks, she can’t quite break through the defenses of the Tower of Purple Magic.
Once the installation of the information bombs is complete, I not only have the choice to accept the ‘Key’ from Yuli, but also to smash it apart in order to gain access.
I wonder if I could get close enough before that, though.
About three hours had passed?…
Crackle. Crackle.
An odd sound came through the tube, pulling my half-closed eyes wide. I focused intently. Information flowed in. The communication crystal was blinking brightly, and Yuli, half-asleep, was answering the call.
“-The decryption is almost complete. For security reasons, a member of the Elimination Team must come to Number 4 Gate to collect the information immediately.”
“…This is Yuli, understood.”
Yuli yawned widely and moved to wash her face to chase off the sleep. I jumped up from my position.
The Queen had set the date today.
There’s decrypted information waiting at Number 4 Gate. If I could reach it before Yuli and switch it before she can check… I could nullify this attack from the Queen.
I leaped out the window in silence. I’d learned the location of Number 4 Gate through consistent information gathering. Let’s go. Time to hurry.
The night with the fake moon sped by.
I mentioned earlier that within Yuli’s sight, there are rules and order. Her perception influences the power and cost-effectiveness of the space.
If I think about it inversely, it means anything bizarre can happen outside Yuli’s sight.
Bam—!!
The wall exploded as a grotesque creature, resembling a hodgepodge of ogres and orcs, bared its teeth at me. I sprouted wings from my back and evaded.
The ground tilted and folded in half. From the sky, shooting stars fell. Once-human NPCs twisted and morphed into spears, shooting towards me.
The seemingly stable ground turned into bubbling lava in a heartbeat.
As I headed toward Number 4 Gate, the Queen moved the world itself to launch her assault.
Creating an aggressively nightmarish scene, it felt like the entire world was conspiring to kill me.
But I won’t flinch. Though the visuals are impressive, the information within is scarce. The movements are clumsy. I can easily break through.
The Queen knows that too. This is her way to keep me trapped.
Ensuring that Yuli arrives at Number 4 Gate before I can access the materials.
I transformed into an eagle or a butterfly and dashed through the nightmare. As the ground stretched like gum, I would fold space and leap along.
At some point, the Queen’s attacks shifted to be more passive.
Yuli must be out of her house now. She might find it strange to see the world folding in half or beams blasting down from the moon. In that case, I should hurry a bit more.
After fending off numerous obstacles, I finally reached Number 4 Gate.
===============================================================
The Queen acknowledged it. That is a monster.
Initially… she had no intention to kill him or tear him in half. She must eat. She must absorb every piece of information in that head of his.
To absorb everything without loss, she couldn’t leave behind a large wound. She must leisurely melt it all.
Smashing him to pieces and letting valuable knowledge slip away would be utterly tragic.
So… she thought she had to be gentle and take it easy. Because, after all, he’s just a human. Even as a mage of this purple temple, the illusion mages she’d seen before were inferior to her. There was a vast gap in perception with a succubus born as an information entity.
He’s young. He’s only lived a few decades. After spending more than a hundred years controlling dreams and minds, she expected there would be a world of difference.
When he entered, she was momentarily dazed as eyes opened across her body. But still. She thought she’d maintain a superiority.
It turned out wrong.
She tried to casually tone down her strength at first, thinking that the human wouldn’t even imagine a scenario where the ground suddenly turned into a monster to devour him.
And instead, she got hit back harder.
“Oh? Is that so? Then a bit of loss of info is fine. I’ll crush you gently, using an incomprehensible ancient titan to invoke a fear beyond human grasp!”*
“Jab Cthulhu.”
Nothing happened.
From that point on, it was no longer about information. She thought she didn’t care even if he shattered into bits. With that mindset, she unleashed her total assault, squeezing her creativity to the limit to catch him off-guard.
But he remained dull as though he was already familiar with such chaos. How could he still remain unshaken? Had he experienced it all before?
No matter how hard she tried to use every bit of her power to shake the world, not a single ripple rattled him. How can this be? This place is her domain…?!
And so, she conceded.
That mad wizard can do things she cannot. Acknowledging that opened up a path for her. As if he reads every one of her intents. In that case, she would dig a trap ahead of time.
He’d likely know about the ‘encrypted document’ before now.
“Alright, I’ll secretly contact Yuli Lanster. Tell her to come to Number 4 Gate. Through my senses and magic, it will appear as though you’re meditating in your room.*
It will feel as if nothing is in action at all.
No, that cannot be. You must be monitoring Yuli through methods I don’t know. Without a doubt. As I weave this information to keep it hidden and inform Yuli via crystal…
You definitely recognize it.
Hmm, heading to Number 4 Gate, I see, just as I expected.
I’ll pretend to be shocked as if a child caught in the action, then delay my attack. As if I’m trying to buy time.
But no. I want you to arrive at Number 4 Gate. Let’s go.
It’s time to turn the tide. Let’s shift this comedy into a tragedy and revert this amusing dream back to the original nightmare. The Queen thought to herself, as she smiled with satisfaction, tinkering with her crimson lips.
Now, I’ll take the lead.
===============================================================
Creek.
I opened the door to a shabby little warehouse. This was it, Number 4 Gate. I took out the information bomb for the NPC stationed inside the Elimination Team.
There was another door inside, surrounded by a high-intensity black box. And it had tightly captured the information.
“You won’t delete this information even if I have to kill you,” it seemed to say, reinforced to the max.
Beyond the door, there should be the ‘encrypted document’ thing. It likely reinforced that so Yuli would see it somehow.
Checking Yuli’s position, she should arrive here in about ten minutes. Ten minutes doesn’t really seem enough time to erase it, huh?
Before considering deleting the info, it might be more cost-effective to just steal it and hide it away forever. I opened the door to collect the documents—
Woosh.
I got sucked in. My body was pulled into the room by a sudden force, and simultaneously, the door slammed shut.
Rubbing my sore body, I grasped the doorknob. It wouldn’t budge. Even if I try breaking down the information, it’s securely locked away, too sturdy to smash through right now.
I’m trapped. A trap?
But what can possibly be done with me stuck in such a little room…
“…Look at this little shit…”
I surveyed the room. There’s a corpse of a dead Elimination Team member, splattered with blood, a bunch of shredded documents, and my fingerprints all over the place.
It looked as though I had hidden here to destroy evidence. This is bad.
Yuli is approaching too. If she sees this suspicious scene, my suspicion about the ‘Red Regeneration’ will escalate dramatically…
Can I manipulate the evidence before she arrives?
Impossible. Everything is reinforced information, and they’re objects that will take quite some time to dismantle.
What about escaping? That’s a timing issue too. I can feel the Queen’s gaze. She’ll definitely see me trying to wriggle free.
“Ha…”
Before Yuli suspects me of being affiliated with the ‘Red Regeneration,’ I have just ten minutes.
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