Chapter 3 - Enemies Everywhere
Enemies Everywhere
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Translator: Dusky90
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Enemies Everywhere
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His legs went weak and he nearly fell to the ground.
A cold sweat trickled down his spine, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
Thump, thump, thump!
Rattling!
His heart was beating like a madman, and his hands and feet were shaking.
He had never been so close to death before in his life, but this was not easy to handle.
Thud!
Just then, two knights and four servants heard the chandelier fall and rushed over.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" they asked.
"Are you all right?"
But no one came closer to check on him.
Why?
Because they were afraid of incurring his wrath.
Otto de Scuderia was a man of such trashy character that the word tyrant doesn't even begin to describe him.
If anyone offended him, he'd beat them to a pulp.
If he gets the slightest bit angry, he'll crack his whip.
On top of that, once or twice a month, They'd end up seeing blood.
For example,...putting a gardener in a box full of bees to be stung to death because he was stung while walking in the garden.
Or cutting off both wrists of a barber who made a mistake while giving him a shave.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Otto's misdeeds and evil deeds are so many that it hurts to mention them all.
So even the people right next to him can't help but look away.
Isn't it a good thing that they're just looking the other way?
You get what you deserve.
There were many people in the Estate who held a grudge against this character.
That being said....
'There are enemies everywhere. Let's stay alert.'
He tried to hold on to his sanity.
Even if it's not because of the [Geez, you're an asshole] curse, this character is like a candle in the wind.
Not knowing when, where, how, or by whom he will be stabbed....
"Sir... my lord."
A knight cautiously asked.
"Are you all right, sir, are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Yes...?"
"I appreciate your concern."
That moment.
"Heh, heh?!"
The knight who asked me if I was okay looked at me like he'd seen a ghost.
Other people's reactions were no different.
"It's just not the reaction I was expecting."
He couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Kim Dojin was reminded of how trashy Otto's life had been.
"Yes, my lord."
The knight asked again.
" Do I track down the guy who installed the chandelier and behead him, or do I chop off the limbs of the janitor who cleaned the ceiling...."
"You don't have to do that. Don't ever do that. Never."
"Yes? Then how do I...."
"You don't have to punish anyone, it's not a big deal... let's just let it go, I need to... rest."
He rummaged through his memories and found his way to Otto's bedroom.
'Let's take a moment to collect our thoughts.'
Right now, He was desperate for some alone time.
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Shortly after the lord, Otto, left the scene.
"He didn't get angry...?"
"Thank you? Did you expect him to say that?"
"Isn't it normal to scream at the top of your lungs and throw things?"
They were confused by their lord's sudden change in demeanor.
"Shhh. Watch your mouth."
The knight who had been questioning Otto with the sword gave them a warning.
"Watch your mouths, you don't know when the lord's wrath will be unleashed. Have you forgotten, if you're unlucky, your head will be blown off?"
Their mouths clamped shut like startled clams.
Even the devil himself can get away with it for a day.
Well, maybe one day....
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Several days have passed.
He rolled out of bed and looked in the mirror.
Gamer Kim Dojin was nowhere to be seen.
A handsome blond man.
There is only one Otto de Scuderia, one of the 100 lords in the game The Territory Wars.
'Let's adapt. It's not a big deal.'
Dojin gave up and decided to just accept the situation for what it was.
Isn't it possible to adapt too quickly?
Yeah, that's too short a time to accept this improbable situation.
But there's no time to waste.
He has spent more time playing Otto than he can count, and He is a master at finally finding an optimized build.
Dojin knew all too well that his future was not bright.
'Public sentiment is terrible, finances are in ruins. No one can be trusted. And there's a truckload of people with a grudge against Otto. I need to get my act together.'
Wasn't he the only one who cleared the game with the fraudulent character Otto.
He straightened his clothes and took a deep breath.
'Just do what I've been doing. Just deploy the builds I've researched, the ones I've found.'
Dojin calmly gathered his thoughts.
Where to start.
'Of course I should ignore leveling up.'
The concept of a level being a thug is something that makes sense for other characters, but not for this Otto.
-99 Levels What kind of rip-off is this?
Realistically, trying to level up and do something is the wrong approach to Otto.
With Otto, there's no need to level up at all until a certain point in time.
'First things first.'
Otto's early game is all about appeasing the populace and removing the seeds of rebellion.
The Lota Estate is a ticking time bomb.
As dissatisfaction piled up, he did not know when the territories and servants would revolt.
Even the smallest, most insignificant mistake is met with an immediate revolt.
What if there's an uprising?
End
He will be arrested and guillotined by an angry mob of rebels.
And his decapitated head will be hung above the gates.
To avoid that, appeasing angry citizens is the first priority.
'Is it meeting time soon?'
At the Lota Estate, meetings are held every morning with the lord presiding.
Of course, this character hasn't been to a meeting in years, but....
'Let's go.'
Otto immediately left the bedroom.
"My lord...?"
The guards at the door of the bedroom turned and chased after him.
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"Your lordship is here."
The servant announces Otto's arrival.
"What did you just say?"
"Looks like I'm not quite awake yet."
The servants before him frowned at the sound of his voice, as if to say, "What the hell?
The last time the lord attended a meeting was three years ago.
It's hard to believe that such a person would walk into an early morning meeting.
But that's exactly what happened!
"What the...."
"Your lordship attended... a meeting, a morning meeting...?"
The servants doubted their eyes.
Who would have thought that the man who wouldn't show up for a meeting until the day this Estate went under would show up this early in the morning....
"... the wind blew something this time."
The young knight, Camille, narrowed his eyes, unnerved by Otto's appearance.
"What's on the agenda today?"
Otto, who sat on the throne, spoke up.
'I'm going crazy. Are you doing this from morning because you want to do some shit?'
‘What did you eat wrong? I've heard that he's locked himself in his bedroom for a few days and can't move.'
Bewildered subject.
"Why are you asking that out of the blue?"
Camille asked Otto.
"The lord wants to know the agenda for the meeting, do I need a reason?"
"That's...."
Camille's emotions fluttered as he tried to plead his case.
Otto saw right through Camille's pretense and smiled bitterly.
'You want to scream, 'What's the point of wondering now?'
Camille had a right to say that.
He was originally an orphan from a commoner's family, who found favor with a former lord and became a knight.
Today, he is the de facto ruler of the Lota Estate on behalf of his lord.
But even that was pushing the boundaries.
'The only person he can trust. But when he turns against him, he is... the most terrifying of all.
If the province's popularity falls further, the impatient Camille will cut down the lord Otto himself and commit suicide.
Killing the monarch to whom you swore allegiance is the worst thing a knight can do....
"Just go ahead. I'll just be watching."
“… yes."
An uncomfortable meeting starts.
"A couple, exhausted from hunger, hang themselves with their daughter...."
"Monster outbreaks have become more frequent in the western forests. During the night, one of the outposts was attacked and four soldiers were killed...."
"The Sorun Estate is in turmoil. We have detected frequent military exercises in the area close to our territory."
The situation was the worst.
'As expected, it's a piece of shit.'
The current situation at the Lota Estate was exactly as Otto had known it.
“This is the situation.”
Camille turned to Otto and said.
Look, this is what your Estate looks like.
... as if to say.
"First of all"
Otto spoke up.
"Release the reserves of food and distribute it to the starving commoners."
That moment.
"Provisions... what?"
'What did I just hear?'
The vassals were confused by Otto's orders.
"What are you thinking?"
Camille asked Otto.
“What is the reason for your sudden mercy?”
"You said the people are starving to death."
"Finances are tight. If we release food now, the Estate could go bankrupt."
"A human life is more important than bankruptcy, who cares about a few cobwebs in a mountain's mouth?"
"My lord...."
"Knight Camille."
"Yes, I'm here."
"It's a command. Get it done."
"Your command... I receive and honor it."
At that time.
"No, my lord, that would not do!"
A middle-aged man in a fancy suit appeared and strolled up.
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TL/N:
1. If you notice there are times when MC name gets used which is Kim Dojin, he hasn't yet fully distinguished himself as Otto de Scuderia, which only happened when he calmly assess what his first priority is in staying alive.