Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Dice of Fate
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Months had passed since Duke and Ari's sparring match.
A lot had happened in that time.
Rex and Ari had been active as adventurers together.
Their adventures as adventurers weren't particularly noteworthy.
Rex had been mistaken for a woman while registering as a novice adventurer and joined an all-female party, causing a huge uproar.
Ari, who had lowered her hierarchy on Rex's orders, caved in the solar plexus of a senior adventurer harassing her sexually.
Things escalated a bit, and Ari ended up smashing an entire clan in a very, very minor incident.
During that event, I, the final boss...
Why didn't I participate in that event?
'What would be the point of crashing the kids' show?'
Ari was a baby tiger to me, but to ordinary people, she was a mountain beast prowling the streets.
Easy to misunderstand, but the adventurer profession didn't have particularly high average combat prowess.
A mid 1st hierarchy adventurer was only low knight level.
An upper 2nd hierarchy adventurer was mid knight level.
3rd hierarchy adventurers were admired by citizens and rare S-rank adventurers worldwide, but in territories, they were just upper knights.
In other words, Ari, who registered at the Adventurer's Association a week ago, was an ecosystem disruptor in the adventurer world.
This was a phenomenon because adventurers in this world were mere stepping stones for finding fortuitous encounters.
If you weren't born a noble, it was hard to find spirit herbs or masters, so commoners became adventurers praying to stumble upon opportunities somewhere.
Thus, one in ten who broke through the 1st hierarchy wall faced a choice.
Switch to low knight or aim for another encounter as a mid adventurer.
The same afterward.
Mid knight or upper adventurer.
Upper knight or S-rank adventurer.
Choices like that.
As a result, even the strongest adventurers topped out at 4th hierarchy.
From 5th hierarchy, no need to adventure; just become a lord.
Anyway, in that environment, a 3rd hierarchy baby tiger was a top predator in the food chain.
Thus, troubles inevitably encountered in adventurer activities were all resolved at her level.
That was why I had nothing to do.
'It's their stage; I can't step in.'
So I stayed quiet.
Stealing her growth opportunities would be tacky.
Besides, I had another role.
For that role, I had to stay in my room most of the time.
'It's about time...'
To alleviate boredom, as I folded paper thirteen times with telekinesis, someone knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
I sensed the presence beyond the door and hurriedly tossed the paper into sub-space.
Then I pulled out an item I valued from sub-space.
A famous philosopher, jurist, thinker... anyway, a roughly famous elf from faraway elf lands had written it.
Of course, not that I understood it; it was a prop item.
The bookmark had been stuck at page 245 for 50 years.
I leaned back in the chair, opened the book on the desk, and cleared my throat.
Once prepared, I spoke to Ari on the other side of the door.
"Enter."
Creeeak.
The door opened with the sound of old hinges.
Ari entered my room with a serious expression.
She wasn't in her usual maid outfit but black-and-white combat gear.
The moment I saw her, excitement made my heart race.
'What to teach her today.'
Every day had been so happy since formally accepting her after that spar.
"Please take care of me today too!"
As I admired the top of her head, I naturally recalled our first lesson.
The first lesson was a week after the spar.
I'd been down when the newbie who'd begged to be taught went radio silent for a week.
Then, when she suddenly showed up a week later asking for instruction, I nearly died.
- "I've let go of the obsession with the past that you mentioned, Duke. I thought that was the minimum qualification."
She had taken to heart what I'd said at the end of the spar, fixed it, and only then sought my teaching.
'Ugh... dying from happiness...'
Not freeloading on teaching, but striving to fix her flaws herself, and coming only if she couldn't...
'Too hot.'
It excited me. (Mostly in an old otaku sense.)
After that, she visited my room whenever she had time.
Our training had three main processes.
First, koan exchange in the room.
Next, explain what she needed to fix today and its relation to the koan.
Finally, head to the backyard for practical training.
I'd once wondered if physical training needed koans, but as my realm advanced, I realized.
In combat, mental image was half the battle, and koans corrected that image.
So, though boring, I steadily raised her this way.
"- In other words, obsession with speed only puts you at a disadvantage. Do you understand?"
Today's long koan ended, and she nodded as if understanding.
"Technique isn't about being faster is always better."
"Correct."
Today's theme was deception.
Her techniques were excellent but too straightforward.
She'd only faced people reacting to her techniques so far, always thrusting quickly, but that had limits.
Shoulder movement, foot spacing, gaze handling, waist angle.
Combining those visually predicted the next move roughly.
If predicted, no matter how fast, just wait there ahead of time.
Thus, I would teach her to deceive opponents.
"Understood. I'll wait in the backyard."
She headed straight to the backyard.
I donned my cloak as always and followed.
When we arrived at the backyard, Rex was waiting.
But he wasn't the referee.
Rex was also planning to train alongside Ari.
The reason was simple.
'Can't have the king get taken down too easily.'
I and Ari were there, but absolutes didn't exist in the world.
Of course, other reasons too.
'I know you can reach 3rd hierarchy level.'
Endgame Rex had 3rd hierarchy combat power.
Interface reaching 10th while base at 3rd was serious, but possible.
'Not asking too much.'
Just assist beside Ari and fight together.
'What was that proverb about a mutt becoming something after thirty years.'
Couldn't recall exactly, but aiming for that effect.
Unaware of my loyal intent, Rex wailed half in tears.
"Save me..."
Rex begging with snot and tears.
Ari, as always, seized the moment to wipe his nose with a handkerchief.
While naturally groping his thigh to satisfy her fancies.
Dying liege, fancy-fulfilling maid, loyal knight tempering them both.
'Hm. Peaceful as ever today.'
Truly a peaceful daily life.
'Watching those brats flirt makes me want one too.'
'Ah. Sleepy.'
In a luxury hotel in Karognar's inner castle.
A beautiful woman rubbed her bleary eyes and rose from the queen-sized bed.
She hated this territory's beds.
Not just the beds.
She hated everything about this territory.
Wealth concentrated on the lord and his superhumans wasn't reinvested here.
They chose exploiting territory folk over enriching it.
Obviously, oil from withered fruit couldn't compare to lush ones.
Thus, everything here was backward compared to her Sneria territory.
'Haa...'
Not just this territory.
Purely by prosperity, her Sneria territory was the kingdom's richest.
Problem: she cared for the territory, making her weaker than other lords.
To protect from covetous lords, she used relationships and contracts.
Luxuries, high-end goods, delicacies.
Winning over hobby-obsessed lords so they'd value her territory, securing mutual protection pacts.
If attacked, the bellyache of enriched lords would force aid.
Using jealousy between lords, not trust in hers.
This arose because territory combat relied on lord's personal might.
She tightroped thus using lordly relations.
All because she was weaker than others.
Tap tap.
Applying cosmetics from her territory, she sighed.
"Haa..."
Of course, she knew.
How dangerously she played atop the precipice.
Normal lords first grew strong, then protected land; she understood.
But...
'Can't exploit land in that state.'
Empire fell to civil war, leaving war scars.
Lords didn't care, kept exploiting, but as commoner-born, she couldn't prioritize her growth.
She'd been a resistance fighter to make people like her happy; abandoning them now was abandoning her mindset, impossible.
Thus, she pioneered welfare and reinvestment unseen, growing her territory.
'Don't wanna work...'
Neighbor lords vile, reality harsh.
But she couldn't abandon because retainers and most folk appreciated her efforts.
- "Thank you, Lord. Thanks to you, I've lived the best life."
Fleeting to her, lifetime to citizens; she had to do her best.
Thus, she perfectly played the 'Shadow Queen' today too.
'Ah. Come to think...'
Recently, a new appreciator of her efforts appeared.
Sorry to past supporters, but this one's recognition filled unprecedented satisfaction.
"Want to see Duke..."
Unable to suppress, words slipped out.
Cheeks faintly flushed, she glanced around lest heard.
Frugal, no attendants; none heard.
"Ahem."
She finished makeup, changed clothes.
The drowsy reluctant girl became a proper queen running a territory, exiting the room.
"Lady Sneria. Report."
A retainer waited early morning with papers.
"Summary of events in Karognar territory."
Sipping coffee in the dining hall, she checked the documents.
Here to renew pact, but separately, she'd seeded informants.
This lord overconfident in might, ignorant of intel warfare.
Or deemed normal soldiers useless in war, ignored investigations.
Thus, except inner castle, she gathered intel freely.
'Idiotic.'
She planned to poach usable tech, know-how, talent to her territory.
Sipping coffee, she reviewed the report by a junior knight pulling all-nighter.
First, page 1.
'Slave liberation movement?'
Sudden wandering knight order liberating slaves across Karognar.
Burning slave caravans, planting black snake flags, vanishing.
Lord targeted them as main revenue from slaves, but too elusive to catch.
'Fun.'
Hated in her territory, but another's; she enjoyed truly.
'Consider hiring for ours later.'
Such justice-filled knights would align with her ideals.
She noted the page, turned next.
'Report on Duke Awik's last whereabouts.'
Ordered since he vanished here a year ago.
But she skipped.
Meaningless now.
Then an intriguing report caught her eye.
'Research city that laundered people suddenly became ghost town?'
Main revenue: human trafficking.
Extension: laundering people.
For travelers, fake bandit/orc attacks to vanish them.
Service for envious nobles.
Karognar got opportunities from nobles, used vanished as test subjects thriftily.
Open secret among lords.
She felt disgust at such neighbor, but powerless.
Now suddenly ghost town.
'Count Karognar will rage in days.'
Territory officials lazy baseline.
Her loyal informant found ghost research city, but count's aides unlikely.
Most busy training/exploiting their areas, ignoring research city.
Probably days to reach lord's ears.
'Should I tell?'
Briefly pondered, then shook head.
'Can't do good for that baldy.'
She slipped the page into shadows.
Invisible to all.
Thus reviewing, one report left.
She popped tough scones in mouth, checked.
Her eyebrow twitched.
With new tension unlike before, she read intently.
- 4th hierarchy demon appeared.
- Demon occupied a city; presumed ogre race.
- Followers mostly goblin/orc humanoid demons.
- Multiple 3rd hierarchy demons observed in group.
Her expression darkened reading.
4th hierarchy demon.
Not common, but not rare.
Meant: if lord incompetent or neglects, probable; else, not.
Because demons culturally cannibalized unlike humans.
Fast realm growth from cannibalism; even 1st hierarchy overnight.
Normal lords cull before nearing 4th to maintain power.
'What’s that baldy thinking?'
Unlikely Count Karognar unaware.
Demons accrue karma fast, often exposed unluckily.
Even 2nd from cannibalism draws witness floods.
'Unlikely unaware it reached 4th.'
Aides lazy, but power-related swift.
Thus, one possibility.
'That baldy geezer... mad.'
Count gambling.
Grow demon to 5th, subjugate it to break wall.
'Heard his human lifespan tight.'
Count level 59 now.
One more rejuvenates somewhat, but time short.
'To do such madness.'
Misplay, demon beats count, eats him/retainers, becomes local lord.
Count gambling anyway dying, but huge nuisance to her.
'Cannibal demon territory next door possible.'
Demons would invade or kidnap her folk secretly.
Precedent existed; not fantasy.
'What to do...'
Emptied coffee, pondered.
Demon still 4th.
Now, she and retainers could subjugate.
Her personal 4th, linked with retainers reaches 5th.
'Problem is the count.'
Unlikely permits her activity.
Probably that demon his pet, with watchers.
Secret subjugation impossible.
Groaning, pondered demon disposal.
Suddenly, one face flashed in mind.
Justice knight needing no lord permission, gladly subjugating demon.
Her heart pounded wildly.
'Asking him first decided.'
Naturally pondered recompense.
'Yes. Must repay the favor.'
What with.
'Yes. Invite to territory.'
10 years luxury hotel stay, best hospitality.
Her territory kingdom's richest; treat Duke and liege lavishly.
Note: hotel her mansion annex; not important.
'Purely repayment. Yes.'
Unilaterally decided, prepared contact Duke.
Believing her trusted justice knight wouldn't refuse.
This was an original story no one knew.
Originally, Hana couldn't rely on anyone.
Yet karma didn't work so sloppily.
In original, purely 'by chance,' adventuring Rex and Hana defeated that demon, snowballing Rex's fate.
Duke unaware too.
But this world's karma rolled differently.
Original fate's dice max judgment punishing demon was Rex encounter; not this world.
Originally 10-sided fate's dice became 12-sided, rolling...
Roll... Roll...
Higher number = harsher punishment for the demon
12
Unfortunately for that demon, an originally impossible judgment appeared.