Obtaining a hypnosis artifact

Weapons, accessories, and other tools that have high-level magic or spells imbued or bestowed upon them are commonly called artifacts.

Of course, not all artifacts are the same.

Among artifacts, a very small number—those created by gods or born through truly special processes—are given nicknames like "Holy Relics" or "OOPArts" to elevate their status.

This is because they display excellent performance that is on a different level from things made by mere mortals, or they show miracles that one wouldn't even dare to try and replicate.

This is also the case for items called "Demon God's Toys" or "Magic Tools," which the Demon God creates for fun and scatters across the world.

Generally, Magic Tools have weak output when first discovered, but uniquely, they are items that can have their performance strengthened step-by-step through special sacrificial rituals using the blood or souls of living creatures.

Strengthened in this way, these Magic Tools can, depending on the case, display performance comparable to or even exceeding that of Holy Relics or OOPArts.

However, there is a reason why Magic Tools are looked down upon as mere "toys" or "Magic Tools," unlike other Holy Relics or OOPArts.

It's because a characteristic of these toys is that in the process of offering sacrifices and strengthening the Magic Tool, the owner's soul gradually deteriorates, eventually leading to their ruin in one form or another.

So, the point is this.

It means that the Magic Tool I luckily—or unluckily—picked up at an antique shop has absolutely no issues with being used as long as I don't offer any sacrifices.

This has been proven by a past scoundrel who built a decent kingdom with just one Magic Tool and lived to a ripe old age, a fact verified by numerous scholars, so there is no mistake.

"Hmm. So, how do I use this?"

I muttered, fiddling with the old, simple metal bracelet.

It was a bracelet that strangely caught my eye at a small antique shop in an alley I was browsing just to kill time.

It didn't cost much, so I bought it on a whim and brought it to the [Dormitory], only to find out it was a Magic Tool.

I was so surprised that, without thinking twice, I rushed back to where the antique shop was.

But by then, no matter how many times I rubbed my eyes and looked, there was no such thing as an antique shop in that alley.

Only then did I understand the current situation and return to the [Dormitory].

That is my current situation.

For reference, the owner-binding of the Magic Tool was finished in an instant just by trying on the bracelet once.

And the ability of the Magic Tool, which could be said to be the most important part in a sense, was also naturally realized and understood as if it were engraved into my brain at the same time as the binding.

The Magic Tool's abilities are as follows:

Just like the feeling in many creative works, it can induce the target's actions, thoughts, and even psychology using the user's voice as a medium.

However, hypnosis can be maintained on up to 3 people at the same time and is automatically released after a certain period. Also, the same type of hypnosis cannot be stacked, and the stronger the psychological resistance, the weaker the intensity of the hypnosis.

By satisfying a few conditions, the user can put the target into a trance state at will.

However, it can only be used when the target's mental state is somewhat stable, and if they harbor feelings of suspicion, wariness, or hostility toward the caster, they will not fall into a trance state.

By using "Mental Power" as a cost, you can write the desired suggestion, and the suggestion created this way allows you to edit and correct the visualized mental world of the target who has fallen into a trance state, and it is possible to strengthen the suggestion that has taken root in the mental world as time passes.

However, the more the content of the suggestion does not match the target's personality or tendencies, the more the consumption of mental power increases, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and the higher the possibility that they will lower or overcome the suggestion on their own.

If you cut out all the trivial stuff like restrictions, weaknesses, and limits, and summarize only the core parts, you can summarize it roughly like that.

Of course, without having to rattle on like that, there's no problem calling it a "Hypnosis Magic Tool" for short.

Even if it's looked down upon as a Demon God's toy, isn't it a divine tool that allows you to chew, tear, taste, and enjoy a person's mind without any particular risk?

It's just that, for now, its output is severely flawed.

And as explained earlier, that flaw is something that can be solved by strengthening the Magic Tool.

So, in reality, the Magic Tool in my hand is a super-duper awesome Magic Tool that, depending on how it's used, might even be able to overthrow the Empire on its own.

So, anyone would normally strengthen a Magic Tool with such special characteristics.

"But I don't really have any intention of doing that."

An ability that could overthrow the Empire on its own?

I do covet it.

Power to make everyone kneel and manipulate them as I please?

I'm a noble, for heaven's sake, I know that power is good.

Afraid of the fate of ruin after growing the Magic Tool?

That's one of the reasons, too.

But those are all just secondary things.

Leaving those aside, I don't intend to strengthen the Magic Tool for a more fundamental reason.

It's nothing special; it's just purely not my taste.

Again, the ability of the Magic Tool I obtained can be summarized in one word: "Hypnosis."

Then, what is the hypnosis we're talking about here? What comes to mind when you think of hypnosis?

It's about taking someone who would never do such a thing, fixing them up to my liking, and then... whenever I want, doing the "hehehe~" thing.

But when playing this kind of hypnosis training, if the performance of the hypnosis is too good, one problem arises.

Think about it.

The Magic Tool's performance is so good that a villainous young lady with ringlet hair, who was just a moment ago saying, "Hmph! There's no way I could share a meal with a commoner like you!", suddenly shakes her butt and says, "Woof woof! Please praise me, Master-nim!" with just one click.

"That's too good."

That's right.

It's too good.

My middle leg also acknowledges that it would be stimulating and thrilling.

But if every single thing is overturned with one click and I keep getting what I want, honestly, it's not fun.

Even in a simple card game, it's only fun if you get a reasonable amount of advantage; if you can see the opponent's hand and change what card comes next to your liking, what fun is there in the game?

In the end, there is nothing as hollow as a result without a process, and super-strong hypnosis where everything is achieved with one click is just a mediocre thing that lacks romance and charm, even if it's fun for a moment!

Because that's how you can see the process of a person's personality changing! The strange sense of incongruity and discomfort that arises in that process! The situations that contradict common sense that you keep facing, and the self that paradoxically adapts to them! You can watch all those processes in real-time, enjoy them leisurely, and eventually, when the fruit is ripe, you can pick it nicely!

Seeking only sex one-dimensionally and hastily with just hypnosis is the same as attaching a phonograph and a masturbation sleeve to a golem and shaking its waist, so a gentleman who has learned as much as he should must never do the above act.

Therefore, I like it just the way it is now.

"Of course, that's only when it's producing the minimum performance."

I put the bracelet I was fiddling with back on my left wrist and stood up from my seat.

"First, shall I look for someone suitable to use as a test subject?"

Let's enjoy everything—things I'm curious about, things to experiment with, things I want to do—slowly, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one by one.

+++

It was fine to take the first step boldly, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but when I actually tried to use the ability, I couldn't see a suitable person.

The current time is around 6:30 PM.

Regular classes for each department at the Academy have long since ended, and it's a time when the place is full of people wandering around the Academy grounds according to their own circumstances.

So, if I just wanted to try using the ability, there were plenty of people.

Even right now, a female student dressed neatly in her uniform is walking past me with quick steps.

I could just grab her and use the ability or whatever.

But then it wouldn't be fun, would it?

This is all for fun, so if possible, I want the friend who will share this monumental first experience to be someone I want to be with for a long time.

So I'm looking for an attractive woman who catches my eye at first sight!... But no such woman is coming into my view.

"Ugh... maybe I set the criteria too vaguely."

Maybe the mindset of a theater director who ran out to do street casting is the problem.

In that case, let's first specify the conditions for a "starting woman."

'Let's see... if possible, I want to be able to use hypnosis right now...'

Someone where there is little traffic and the target stays in one place for a long time.

'At the same time, someone who is easy to use the ability on.'

Someone timid, indifferent, or kind enough not to jump up and leave while I continue the experiment.

'Lastly.'

Pretty.

...

Come to think of it, is the librarian noona that popular?

I have an acquaintance who is crazy about women, and he said that she's tall, has big breasts, big hips, and everything is big, and yet, with that pretty face, the way she trembles like a small animal stimulates a man's protective instinct, and it's super hot.

That's why there are many male students who frequent the library who have a crush on the librarian noona.

Since she also fits the conditions I was looking for, shall I go see her face at least?

She's pretty, has big breasts, big hips, and her personality is timid, and she has big breasts.

At first, I intended to use it on a fellow student since I'll be seeing them for a long time, but since there are no students immediately visible, I decided to compromise on this much.

"Ha. Thinking about this is funny when you think about it."

I organized my thoughts and then chuckled.

It's funny that I'm doing this even though nothing is decided yet.

But I didn't try hard to control my heart.

A Magic Tool crafted by the Demon God himself is indeed that amazing of an item.

With such high expectations, I headed toward the library.

The Imperial Academy library boasted a huge scale and was a facility that was open to the public on the first floor.

As a result, it was located on the outskirts of the Academy grounds, so it was a bit far from other facilities.

If it were normal, I would have been very annoyed that the distance between the [Dormitory] and the library was too far, but today, perhaps because I was in a state of overflowing happy dopamine, such trivial things didn't annoy me much.

It makes sense, as I was imagining a hypnosis training life with the Magic Tool, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the library.

It feels like I've been hit by time magic.

Ah, this must also be the grace of the Demon God-nim.

Creak.Step, step.

I opened the library door and went inside.

Inside the library, besides students in uniform, there were people in various outfits, and since the library was huge, it felt quite empty even though the actual number of users wasn't small.

I guess it's because the exam period just ended, so the students who mainly used the facility have left, which was fortunate for me.

I had to have a good time with the librarian noona in a little while, so it would have been troublesome if there were many people.

I wandered around, looking around the inside of the library.

"Thank you for your hard work~."

"Haha, no problem. I'm just doing my job."

Then, I lightly greeted the staff I passed by.

It's not that I'm greeting everyone I meet because I'm in a good mood thinking about hypnosis training, but I just looked at them to get a sense of the staff's movement, and I made eye contact, so I greeted them.

It's a bit awkward if you just walk away after making eye contact, right?

Anyway, after running around the large facility while encountering various staff members, I finally found the target I was aiming for at the edge of the second floor of the library.

And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I could tell at a glance. This is a pass. It's a pass.

"Ah, I finally found you. Hello?"

"Ah? Uh... Ah, hello...?"

A beauty with round glasses, long black hair, and a modest style.

She has a somewhat gloomy feeling, but as I heard, she was definitely incredibly hot.

Perhaps she knows her own lewdness, she is wearing a thick, baggy cardigan and a long skirt to try and cover it up, and she is hunched over as much as possible, but that behavior makes her head-sized breasts and plump hips stand out even more, making me want to ravish her right now—what more needs to be said?

But I, Victor Haust. A man who knows the aesthetics of waiting.

With a strong heart, I endured and patiently spoke to the librarian noona.

"Sorry to bother you while you're busy. There's a book I'm looking for, but I have no idea where it is, so if it's okay, could you please help me find it?"

"Uh... that, um... I'm busy right now..."

But it seems our librarian noona is more introverted than I thought.

"If, if that's the case, please ask other staff members..."

She's already starting to calculate how to run away before I've even done anything, you know?

First, I need to calm our librarian noona down, never mind the suggestions or whatever.