Chapter: 26
The focus of attention remained unwavering. Under Astrea’s leadership, we took refuge in the mansion.
Perhaps thanks to having a Class A adventurer accompanying us, we didn’t run into any unnecessary troubles along the way.
“Brother···”
I always thought I couldn’t hide my identity from the public forever.
And with this timing being particularly unfortunate, the sense of emptiness I felt was greater than I had anticipated.
“Now, you’ve really become a doll.”
“Ugh···”
I tried to make a joke to lighten the mood, but I ended up making her cry instead.
Well, it’s not like this stuff doesn’t happen. It only hit me later how the words I just tossed out could have sounded to her.
“I’m sorry, oppa. I didn’t mean it. Alright, that’s enough for now.”
“You. You’re not just going to sit back and accept this, right?”
I gave Maria a faint nod to calm her down. Of course not.
The method was so ludicrously unexpected that I didn’t see it coming and just got hit. I’d definitely thought about the lord’s restraint long before this.
I let the player pass. I had confidence in my ability to handle whatever the opponent threw at me.
“The lord made a mistake.”
How dare you mess with the law when I’ve lived in a world where its abuse ran rampant?
I suppose you’ve unlocked some personal traits too. I figured it’d be a good idea to teach you a trick or two while testing you out, you know, combined with that beloved law of yours.
“Maria.”
“···Huh?”
If it had just been about me, I might have chosen a slightly more amicable approach.
But you made our child cry. Such a kind girl who genuinely knows how to feel sad for others.
“Be my puppeteer.”
I’d like to extend my condolences in advance.
*
“Hehehe···.”
Trying hard to stifle my uncontrollable laughter, I sipped my black tea. I had just received the report that the usual scarecrow had faced the truth at the Adventurer’s Guild, gone mad, and fled.
That abominable monster, who dared to threaten my composure, was called Ai.
Until I heard the news that our main trading partner, the thieves, had been wiped out, I thought it was entirely plausible. If the Knights had intervened, it wouldn’t just be strange; it would be only natural.
However, that person had managed to catch all the spies who had quietly sneaked into the village. They even brought undeniable evidence so we couldn’t make a move.
Fortunately, I wasn’t involved with any of them, so I was safe for the moment. But if I let them be, who knew when they’d extend their claws out here?
Taking the risk and contacting the palace proved to be a masterstroke. Many people there still felt uneasy about monsters disguising themselves as humans, so I had no trouble gathering information.
‘And to think they even got involved in a commotion while heading to the Holy Nation. Surely, the gods are guiding me.’
The collective brainwashing incident of the Holy Nation.
That guy was rather credited as a key figure in solving the case. But the world doesn’t operate solely on truth.
The Holy Nation was in a situation that required urgent recovery efforts. The fact that even the Pope had been brainwashed had severely damaged their credibility.
If we stirred up the perception of monsters that had been implanted since childhood, it wouldn’t be hard to disguise the real culprit as a mere pawn.
Adventurers, who were the hunters, didn’t need any prompting, and it was common for ordinary citizens to be victims, or their families and friends, too.
‘Even without any coaxing, public opinion is bound to flow naturally in that direction.’
Perfect.
The thorn in my side, the scarecrow, would naturally crumble beneath the public’s disdain just by waiting. If everything goes well, I could even anticipate a weakening of the imperial power under the pretext of shielding such an entity.
‘See, you should have known the theme long ago and stopped lurking around us.’
Ah well, I appreciate you turning a crisis into an opportunity.
Not rushing to designate it as a target for elimination, but instead defining it merely as an object feels like a thoughtful approach. I hope you enjoy a warm farewell with Maria, with whom you seem to have bonded.
In the future, encountering people like that should be…
Kaboom-!!
“Phew-! What, what’s going on? Why an explosion all of a sudden??”
“My lord, we are in trouble!”
“What’s happening?!”
“Outside… the scarecrow is causing a ruckus!!”
“What, what···?”
After all the mercy I showed, what kind of trouble is this rascal causing without grasping the kindness?
Kaboom-!!
Is this person out of their mind?
*
I was classified as a mere object.
And real life doesn’t apply to objects.
Kaboom-!!
Thus, I decided to indulge in some reckless pleasure.
After disposing of the invulnerable guild buildings through joining and disbanding, and after settling Yuri’s debt, I still had plenty of gold and silver coins left.
I exchanged a ton of silver coins just for this stunt. Sure, it was Maria who actually did the heavy lifting.
“Alright, catch him-!!”
Connected to Maria’s mana thread hidden somewhere, I effortlessly evaded the guards’ pursuit.
They might be veterans guarding the Count’s mansion, but they can’t match the skill of a Class A adventurer.
“Damn it, stop right there-!!”
So, rather than just ditching them, I ended up having a tougher time tossing around silver coins while trying not to injure anyone.
No matter how furious I was and how much havoc I wreaked, it shouldn’t lead to any casualties. They didn’t even do me any wrong.
“If you surrender now, I’ll give you some top-quality rags… Gaaak-!!”
Of course, if they misbehave, there will be punishment.
Just an innocent fairy tale rustling underfoot doesn’t justify starting a fight, so why the heck are they looking for trouble?
“Hey you! Can’t you just quit it?”
Perhaps it was because the knocking was so loud and boisterous?
Our heavy-bottomed high noble lord decided to grace us with a visit.
“I don’t think this will bring you any benefit.”
Are you genuinely worried that I’ll be branded a permanent terrorist if I regain my human rights?
I’m rather flattered by such concern, but it’s fine. I’ll make sure you’ll never utter such words again by sending you into the abyss of despair.
“Why so serious? Just some antics by a mere object.”
“You fool. You might not be held accountable, but your master certainly will.”
“Uh, I don’t have a master?”
Did I hit a sore spot? I loaded my voice with ridicule.
When I thought this author had managed to topple my confidence, I endeavored to make myself feel as terrific as possible.
“My two friends were bickering over who owns my property, but they never reached a conclusion.”
“Ha. Is that so?”
The lord’s thick brown eyebrows twitched as he broke into a wry grin.
Clearly, he was excited at the prospect of dismantling my logic with his own reasoning.
The nature of people, who can’t stand losing arguments, remains consistent throughout time and space.
“Bring me the necklace of subordination.”
“The necklace of subordination…?”
An item commonly used to convert conquered monsters into troops. Subjugated individuals cannot harm their contractors and must follow orders unconditionally.
As if taken aback by this, I echoed the lord’s words verbatim, producing a slight shudder.
They say when you find it hard to keep pace in a conversation, just mimic like a parrot. That’s exactly it.
In reality, the lord was absolutely ecstatic over my response, nearly dying with delight.
“Seems you’ve made quite the mistake. Regardless of being deemed an object, if it causes harm or chaos, it instantly becomes a target for removal.”
He declared while holding up the necklace of servitude brought by the guards.
Would it be subjugated as his own possession, or disposed of as a public threat to his territory?
“···.”
I released Maria’s mana threads and slowly approached the lord.
Even as those around grew increasingly wary, the lord remained solely wrapped in confidence, appearing at ease.
Click-
“Yeah, that’s it.”
As the necklace of servitude filled up, the letters engraved on its surface began to shine brightly.
It would become a piece of art that would please the lord, so much so that he even felt it was a shame to be enjoyed alone.
“Donate this to the academy for swordsmanship practice.”
“Yes, yes!”
Dragged away, I exchanged glances with the party members watching from afar.
A cue signaling that everything was progressing as planned, conveyed through eye contact. Even with the restrictions around my neck, I remained as composed as usual.
*
The individual characteristics termed “player” were nothing out of the ordinary.
Simply put, it’s an advanced version of the user-friendliness system.
However, while up until now I had only used the game functions honestly, personal traits now allow for applying them at my discretion.
-“Maria. Be my puppeteer.”
-“Brother is finally proposing to Maria···”
-“It’s not like that, can’t you just say you understand for once?”
“···Tch. Maria, do you want to be my brother’s puppeteer?”
–
For example, like this.
Pets are secondary companions that can pick up dropped items or assist in battles.
In Super Ego Online, you could not only simply level up, but also capture monsters and increase their intimacy beyond a certain point to make them your pet.
Since Maria and I were practically inseparable best buddies, intimacy was no barrier. By leveraging our individual traits, we managed to flip the script where she took the lead in building our relationship.
So, why did I willingly declare myself a pet even after losing my human rights?
“Is this the new training dummy? It looks so dumb…”
Kaboom-!!
“What, what was that?!! Could it be that explosion just now came from that scarecrow?!!”
“From this moment on, I will execute the operation to conquer the Academy following the will of Count Yopheral, the Lord of Abyss Pearl Yopheral.”
First off, if you’re already a pet, you can disregard the subordination.
Bang-!! Boom-!!
“Gyaaaa-!!”
“Wha, the scarecrow has gone mad!! Someone go fetch the professor-!!”
Now, every atrocity I commit is under the directives of Lord Yopheral.
Let’s see if our lord can bear the support from so many noble children and their parents!
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