Chapter 68
Chapter 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Rebellion, Revolution, Reform, Assassination... Massacre?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The world Yi Young-jin knew was incredibly narrow and limited.
All the information and knowledge he had about this world came from the game.
D/Z SAGA revolved around the academy city of Jefrin Academy, and while he knew the characters' statuses, relationships, and routes inside it, stepping beyond Jefrin left him more clueless than a chick in front of a stationery store.
A few DLC stories touched on areas outside Jefrin, and there were some epilogues after the ending that played out beyond its walls, but those were extremely brief.
So, the knowledge that Wolfram von Loengrin currently possessed about this world was of little use, especially since Aila Trista was a doomed boss from the path of ruin, and there was hardly any reason to get deeply involved with her family.
The last way to obtain information about the Trista family would have been Spica Trista, who entered as a freshman when Kelters reached his second year.
But now, he had to admit it.
Wolfram von Loengrin had rejected Regina Cielra from the 【Merchant Route】, was on bird-flipping terms with Eve von Loengrin from the 【Imperial Route】, and hadn't even seen Isolde from the 【Knight Route】's face.
Instead, he'd grown close to Aila Trista, the 【Act 3 Boss】, become comrades with Rudika Hassan Shadow, the 【Kelters Beatdown Specialist】, and formed a solid senior-junior bond with Mille-feuille von Sabre, the 【Pink Chick Who Should've Been Expelled】.
【Fuck off】 Nepthelian... no, 【Knight of Conviction】 Nefti was at least originally friendly toward Kelters, but even she didn't remember his name.
...So, he had to understand.
There's no way for me to befriend the characters who were close to 'Kelters'—I'm Wolfram von Loengrin, a third-rate villain, and my connections and relationships... whether it's fate's prank or not, are forming with people who have little to do with the main story.
That's the reality.
So, what was he saying right now...?
The information I know might not be as helpful as I thought.
"So, what kind of monsters mainly appear here?"
"Slimes."
"......The Tristas, who boast alongside the empire's two great merchant houses, and wielders of the Black Crystal, are struggling against......"
"Slimes."
"......"
This world seemed livable even without that kind of information.
No, wait...
Slimes?
Did those things reincarnate or something?
"Slimes... it's a bit awkward to say, but I think I could handle them alone just fine?"
"A-hem. Well, you see..."
Of course, Count Glass—my father-in-law by 'setting'—knew my status and flushed red at my words.
Maybe it's the name Glass, but this guy's mentality seems a bit fragile, like glass.
Honestly, I had no confidence against real slimes either. Edible slimes? I could probably rock-paper-scissors their souls and take half the winnings.
"...Ahem. You see."
"...Let me explain instead, Father. Slimes, but not ordinary slimes."
"What kind of slimes are they?"
Spica picked up the explanation.
Unlike her earlier 'Oppa this, Oppa that,' her eyes were cool and intelligent.
Spica pulled out a pair of avant-garde fashion glasses from her front pocket, slipped them on with a swipe, and her eyes sparkled as she continued.
"Slimes. Specifically, mine slimes. They normally parasitize in a state identical to dirt, then counterattack when struck. ...That's all I know."
"Mine slimes are still slimes, so they shouldn't be that tough, right?"
"The problem is that everyone heading into the mines only carries mining tools. We can't equip the workers with weapons or armor."
"Hm."
"And considering the slimes' traits, it gets even more complicated."
"I see. Got it. Understood."
Slimes—whether edible, mine-dwellers, or some hell-custom humanity-ending apocalypse slimes—have a habit of splitting when their low HP isn't pierced through the 'core' precisely.
In game terms, it's like 【Slime's HP has decreased. The slime attempts to split!】 and it stretches out with a pop.
On top of that, they have 【Kin Recognition】 and slightly high 【Dexterity】, making them nimble. So, if you don't catch slimes right, they multiply, split, recognize kin, zip around... If there's one, assume there are a hundred...
"Cockroaches, huh."
"What's that?"
Spica tilted her head. Come to think of it, Jefrin—no, this world—didn't have cockroaches. Truly a happy, peaceful, beautiful world.
But it did have slimes.
"I see, in other words... the mines are crawling with cockroaches disguised in camouflage..."
"Huh? No, slimes, I said. Oppa?"
"Right. Slimes. The mines are crawling with slimes. And mine slimes... they're a particularly vicious breed."
"You know a lot about mine slimes?!"
"Of course. It's all in the imperial archives."
"...Ahh, so cool. I want it. Oppa."
"Can't take imperial books out."
"No, not like that. Hehe... Stealing from sis would be a revolution. A successful one. Spica... uhuhu, uhuhehe..."
The moment the explanation ended, she bowed her head and started muttering something.
Anyway.
Ugh, attacking slimes that go after people!
Thinking of it that way sent chills down my spine.
"So... since you know about mine slimes, can you exterminate them, Lord Wolfram?"
"Hm. I don't know the numbers, but mass extermination is possible too."
"O-oh..."
"First, we need to inspect the mine. Prepare a carriage quickly, and have Aila, Rudika, and Partras come along."
"Y-yes, sir. Right away. For the reform!"
"Oppa. Can't I go instead of sis?"
"Why?"
"Sis was all palpitations yesterday and went to bed late—she's still in dreamland! Let me, me go instead!"
"Hm... haha."
I placed my hand on Spica's head and patted it twice, lightly. Pow-pow.
A soft "Ow" vibrated under my palm, and I chuckled at the sound.
This kid. Does she know how dangerous where we're headed is?
"Spica Trista. Jefrin students must always be ready to serve the empire's citizens. It's in the Jefrin student code of conduct. But right now, you're a lady of the Trista house—you have neither the right nor duty to head into a potentially dangerous site. Unless Count Glass permits it, of course..."
"It's still too dangerous for Spica."
"He says. So leave it to your future seniors. Save the challenges and adventures for after enrollment."
I smiled without realizing it.
Being Aila's little sister makes her feel like my own little sis.
Different from Eve? Eve's not a little sis—she's bloodline mate. What weird talk.
Ah, I always wanted a sister like this. For real.
Let's trade with Eve.
"Eek..."
Spica flushed red, embarrassed at being called out.
"Got it, Spica Trista?"
"...Yes. Got it. But you have to stay at the academy until I graduate next year?"
"Well, I plan to be at Jefrin next year too."
"Yes. For the first time, something I truly want to have. I inherited jewels and dresses from sis, but... this is the first thing I want to steal. I swear it on the revolution, truly..."
Spica looked at me with eyes clear with resolve, just like Aila's.
Hm. Eyes with deep conviction, reminiscent of serious-mode Aila.
"Got it. I'll be waiting."
"Yes. You have to wait, no matter what. Prince Wolfram von Loengrin. No, Oppa!"
With that, Spica bowed politely and trotted out of the room.
"...Hm, does this mean we're entrusting the entire future of the house to Lord Wolfram? No, perhaps... betting everything on this young man..."
Behind me, Count Glass was muttering something.
No, seriously—when's the carriage coming?
And so, Partras, Rudika, and I rode a carriage to the mine.
Inside the carriage heading to the site, I proposed to Rudika Hassan Shadow, goddess of assassination.
'Rudika. Let's do a job together.'
'Oh? Do you know what it means to entrust a commission to Rudika Hassan Shadow?'
'Of course. The secret heir of the assassin lineage. Greatest successor. The Abyss Dagger, Rudika Hassan Shadow.'
'Good. I won't refuse if the pay's right. Especially a commission from Wolfram.'
'The mine we're heading to now...'
Thus, a noir film-worthy deal was struck. In exchange for skipping my 30% middleman cut, I handed all the pay to Rudika Hassan Shadow.
What, you say paying 30% as brokerage without doing anything yourself isn't fair?
Who cares.
In this world, it's the sucker's fault for getting duped.
30%? Hey, we make nothing either. Got it?
"We need to wrap this up quick."
"Hm."
And so, my merry band entered the mine, and true to Rudika's words about wanting to finish fast, we faced the slimes right away.
And Rudika did not betray my expectations.
"........."
Shwick, shwick-shwick, shwick, shwick-shwick—Rudika's silent slime-slicing attacks were utterly ruthless. Brutal.
Her daggers pierced each slime's core precisely with every strike, dropping one per hit.
However.
Splatter, spluuurt!
Naturally, every time a slime burst, its remains splattered toward Rudika. Even an assassin can't attack and defend simultaneously.
Rudika, unable to use some heaven-earth chaos stance, ended up slime-covered from her uniform onward.
"......Enough. This won't end."
"I think so too."
She kept slicing—shwick, shwick-shwick—but true to assassin form, lips clamped tight, though surely cursing inwardly. I let out a deep sigh.
"Count Glass. Mind if I ask something?"
"Ask away, Your Highness Wolfram."
"They've multiplied quite a bit. Looks like you've been fighting them off for a while to clear the mine slimes, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Tsk.
Of course.
They couldn't one-shot them, so they multiplied and overflowed.
Moreover, slimes tend to eat dead slime corpses for nutrients.
At this point, the mine itself required full-scale war against the slimes to salvage.
"How about abandoning this mine?"
"...Considering this mine's output, it'd be a severe blow. And..."
"And?"
"It's not just this mine. Most western mines are dealing with the same issue. We have to hold somehow—retreating won't solve it."
"I see."
Only then did it click in my head. Pa-ching.
Why Aila gathered talent in Act 3, why she became the boss, etc.
Ah...
This is something.
"Yet, your friend is from the Hassan Shadow house, famed as the continent's top shadows, showing such prowess... and still no countermeasures."
"......"
Count Glass gave a hollow smile my way, while assassin-mode Rudika glanced over without a word.
"No, we do have countermeasures?"
"Pardon?"
"Alright, time to switch strategies. Rudika, that's enough. Changing methods."
"...Oh. Sure, Wolfram. Rudika was getting tired anyway."
Rudika grinned cheekily. I responded with a wry smile and turned from the mine.
"A-a different method?"
"Yes. We have one."
"Wh-what is it? Tell me!"
"Sure. It's simple. Poison bait method. ...Hm. We'll need materials, though."
"Poison bait...?"
"Yes."
As mentioned earlier, slimes have a habit of eating their dead kin's corpses.
In other words.
"Poison the slimes to death, then other slimes eat those corpses and get poisoned, die, become food for more slimes... repeat infinitely."
"A-ah... Y-yes, that would definitely work, but... how to put it. Not reform or rebellion, no revolution, but..."
Mentally fragile Count Glass hesitated, then barely continued.
"...Massacre?"
"Hey now."
No bad words.
I glared sharply, and Count Glass immediately backed off.
"...Wolfram, uh. Doesn't Wolfram seem more assassin-like than Rudika?"
You too?
I'm not that kind of guy.
"Hm. No. Whatever. It's just assassination level."
"...Assassination is more covert. Not mass slaughters like that. Wolfram underestimates assassination... no, overestimates in this case... no... uh..."
Rudika glitched out.
Well, honestly.
"No survivors, isn't it assassination?"
"......"
"......"
Right?