Chapter 4 - Saboteur in the Shadows
Saboteur in the Shadows
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Translator: Dusky90
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Saboteur in the Shadows
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His name is Pizero.
The most notable henchman of Otto de Scuderia.
There will never be another one like him in the world.
A rare inveterate human that facilitated Otto's depravity and the eventual collapse of the Lota Estate.
This despicable man dazzled Otto with all sorts of flowery compliments and pandering, and subsequently amassed an enormous personal wealth behind his back.
More recently, he's been siphoning much of his wealth out of the country, and has connections to the enemy Sorun estate.
The Reason?
To sell the ruined Lota Estate to the Sorun Estate.
He planned on sucking dry the Lota Estate treasury of all it's available money down to the last copper.
'Oh, this bastard' came the thoughts of Otto upon recalling the game backstory of Pizero.
Otto's face darkened at the sight of Pizero.
Pizero is a character that inspires all kinds of irritation and anger.
What if he tried to pull something?
[Alert: Pizero strongly opposes your opinion!]
[Alert: Pizero objects to your opinion!]
[Alert: One of your subordinate shows dissents with your order!]
The response is the same as above, with the message that the effect is canceled.
The reason was simple.
Pizero's standing in the realm is significant and his influence over Otto is high.
Of course, Pizero's disagreement doesn't have an enforced effect.
A player can choose to override Pizero's opinion.
But there is a consequence.
'He'll sabotage me, and if I disagree with him for the third time, he'll try to have me assassinated.' came the foreknowledge of Kim Dojin who is now possesing Otto de Scuderia's body.
Try to remove Pizero improperly?
Game over.
The moment Pizero dies, the operatives he had planted will incite the people of the estate to rebel.
Sorun's army also invades at this point.
That makes him a very irritating and troublesome presence for the player.
"No, my lord. When you say releasing the rations, what do you mean?"
Pizero strode up to the throne and said.
"The people starve because they are lazy and incompetent, and you want to be responsible for that, my lord. They are ungrateful creatures. Even if you give them a gracious favor, they won't even know it's a favor and will ask for more provisions."
Then a familiar reminder popped up.
[Alert: Pizero takes a different stance on your suggestion!]
But Otto, who had been in this situation numerous times before, never batted an eye and cut right through Pizero's objections.
"My judgment remains unchanged."
"W-What?"
"As their lord, I will supply the starving commoners with provisions."
"No, my lord. Suddenly, what's the matter with you? Are you giving the bastards...."
"Enough."
Otto chastised Pizero, interrupting him.
" Speak no more. This is my order as your lord."
"Yes, my lord?"
"This ends our council meeting this morning. That is all."
With that, Otto rose from his throne.
"And Camille."
Otto motioned to Camille.
"Come with me. I have to talk to you about something."
"Yes, my lord."
Then a message popped up.
[Notification: You've upset Pizero!]
[Notification: You've incurred Pizero's displeasure!]
[Notification: You have made Pizero displeased!]
He brushed off the notification and left the room with Camille.
'I guess he must have been in a terrible mood.'
Otto had no problem dealing with Pizero.
Why?
Because he knew all too well how to handle Pizero.
"T-t-this!!"
Pizero trembled with a surge of fury.
"Hey, Pizero. Take it easy."
"Is everything all right with you?"
"Keep your anger in check."
One by one, the minions flocked to Pizero's side, speaking one word after another.
"I can see where you're coming from."
"Don't worry"
Pizero's eyes narrowed.
"What's this to be embarrassed about, I'm just being a bit absurd, that's all!"
Pizero raised his voice, and the servants flinched and shivered.
"All of a sudden, he's decided to distribute rations, without consulting with us? Ha! Is he ...."
Pizero barely managed to suppress the words that were about to spill out of his mouth.
There was no way he was going to openly curse the lord in front of so many eyes and ears.
'Whatever that fucker has done wrong, he's done it badly, and he dares to disrespect my opinion. Well, we'll see about that.'
Pizero gnashed his teeth and stalked out of the assembly.
Otto, whom he considered his very own puppet, had gotten out of his control, and he would have to set him straight...
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'First I have to get Camille on my side.'
Camille was the only one capable of securing Otto's safety.
He was also the only character with the potential to grow into a Heroic Unit in a place where there wasn't a shred of useful talent.
He's just been stunted by all the mess Otto has made.
"What are you on about, and why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
Camille inquired to Otto when they reached the lord's office.
"Cause..."
Otto considered the words with a bitter smile.
"To survive?"
"What?"
"At this rate, I'll... ugh!"
Otto let out a lone scream.
Crack!
The chair collapsed into pieces as soon as he sat down.
It was due to one of the effects of the [Jeezy, you're an asshole] curse, [Knockback].
"Ugh... I didn't know that. Ugh!"
Otto grunted, clutching his ass.
"......."
Camille snapped his mouth shut in disbelief at Otto's behavior.
"Where were we?"
"If this keeps up...."
"You'll have my head flying for sure."
Otto laughed, looking troubled, and turned to Camille.
"Why did you suddenly think of that?"
"Oh, I don't know."
Otto retorted.
"Sooner or later there will be a Rebellion, or the Estate will go into debt. Either that, or an invasion from the Sorun Estate. Or worse, a horde of monster will be coming from the forests to the west and wipe us out. And in the worst case scenario, I'll be assassinated."
"If anyone can figure that out...."
"Cause that's the way it is."
".... ..."
"Let's just say I've finally gotten my act together."
"It's already too late."
Camille said in a sour tone.
“If you come to your senses even now, pack your things and run away at night. It's water that has been spilled. Our Lota is already doomed, there's nothing we can do about it now...."
"Older Brother."
Otto blurted out.
"......!"
Camille froze in shock.
Older brother.
As a child, Otto de Scuderia had called Camille that.
It was a nostalgic label for Camille.
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There was only a four-year age gap between Otto and Kamiyu.
The former lord was concerned that Otto, who had lost his mother and was an only child, would be lonely, so he arranged for Camille to live with them.
So Otto and Camille spent their entire childhood together and became like siblings.
"Brother!"
'Yo-young master, you can't call me as older brother'
'No! I'll call you big brother!'
'No way,' he said, 'I would be put to death if the Master called me that!'
'Then I'll only call you that when we're alone! Can't that work?'
'Well, that's....'
'Bro-Brother!'
'Ugh'
'Hehe! I have a brother! Hehehe!
But as Otto grew up, he became more and more spiteful.
He was jealous of Camille's swordsmanship and intelligence.
And when he became a lord and began to degenerate in full force, the two became forever estranged.
As a result, the fond memories of his youth have long since become memories that only Camille fondly reminisces about.
"Why are you calling me that all of a sudden?"
"Help me. I need your help."
Otto appealed to Camille.
"I know things are rough, and I know how awful everything I've done over the years has been."
Otto felt a little guilty as he said it.
"Shit. It wasn't me, it was that asshole Otto.'
It's the game's character, Otto de Scuderia, who does all the dirty deeds, not the gamer, Dojin Kim.
"But give me one last chance. A chance to make up for what I've done."
"But...."
"Please, big brother."
The title of big brother was one of the key phrases that could turn Camille into an ally.
Camille treasured the memories of his childhood with Otto more than anyone else, so he couldn't help but be stirred by the term.
"Trust me once, and I guarantee I'll never let you down again. Give me a chance to be a worthy son of my late father."
Otto fired in the second keyword that would make Camille an ally.
Preceding Lord.
A man regarded as the greatest lord in the history of the Lota Estate.
A father figure to Camille.
"You haven't forgotten about our father's will, have you?"
On his deathbed, the previous lord left the following last words to Camille.
Take good care of Otto... I... ask you to do this for me. Camille... my son... I ask you to take care of your brother... well.
...like this.
Brrrr!
Camille shuddered.
'it's okay.'
The look on Camille's face convinced Otto that the words were working.
[Brother] and [Father] were the words that would cause Camille to become an ally.
How does Kim Dojin know this?
There is an item called [Otto's Diary].
It can be found on the last shelf of the bookcase in Otto's bedroom.
Through the diary, the player can learn about the two's past and learn certain key words to turn Camille into an ally.
Of course, Kim Dojin was the only one who knew how to do it.
Who else would scour every inch of the map and read every book on his bookshelves?
It was the culmination of three years of research on the character known as Otto.
"Knight Camille."
Camille dropped to one knee.
"I accept my Lord's command."
Then a notification popped up.
[Alert: Camille has a change of heart!]
[Alert: Camille's affinity status for you has changed from 'Contempt' to 'Sympathy'!]
You can increase your affinity over time.
Camille will not betray the player unless you have 'Contempt' set on the character.
"Brother, there's something I need to do."
"Just give me an order."
"Pizero"
Otto says.
"Let's get rid of him."