Chapter 8 - Curses for a Coward
Curses for a Coward
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Translator: Dusky90
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Curses for a Coward
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It was highly unusual for a person of Camille's stature to utter such an outburst.
For all his polished, cold exterior, Camille was a blunt, cold-hearted man who rarely raised his voice.
The fact that a foul, dirty word came out of Camille's mouth was no different than the sun rising in the west.
'I was the moron who expected something different.'
Camille bitterly regretted trusting Otto.
To think the lowly bastard had come to his senses by now....
'There was no plan in the first place. It was just a lie to get out of the situation. I should have seen through it when he said he was going to borrow money from the Sorun Estate. I should have just... taken him off myself.'
Camille struggled to contain the seething anger, regretting that he had not cut Otto down long ago.
But now it was probably for the best.
They didn't have to pay the debt to the Sorun Estate.
What was the use of a debt when the entire Lota Estate was going to be destroyed anyway?
"Everyone, from now on... Your Lordship, no."
A sneer appeared on Camille's lips.
"Forget about that bug, it won't help us anyway."
Everyone nodded at Camille's words.
"That's right."
"You piece of shit!"
"Eat well and live well, you bastard!"
Everyone cursed at Otto.
Even Camille, who never crossed the line, used the word <bug> along with the swear word, so the others seemed completely fine with it.
'Father.'
Camille remembered the old lord.
'He has fled, abandoning the lands that have been his for generations, but not me. I will stay and defend this place, Lota, in his place, and I will... I will die for the people you love.'
With that resolve, Camille prepared for the upcoming battle with the undead army.
The news of Otto's escape spread quickly.
"That son of a bitch, I knew it!"
"Abandoning the Estate to live on his own, you sick bastard!"
Knights and soldiers gnashed their teeth as they hurled insults at Otto.
But even that was short-lived.
"What do you want from him in the first place? Never mind. Fuck him and be done with him."
"He didn't fail to disappoint."
The knights and soldiers soon stopped caring about Otto.
It was even stranger that the lowly wretch didn't run away from the start, so they all thought, .
* * *
At the same time.
"Ugh. It itches. Mmm."¹
Otto rubbed his ears and winced in pain.
His ears itched so badly, he wanted to scratch them with an earpick.
The problem was, his helmet made it impossible to do so.
"They must be cursing at me. Swear in moderation. I'm not running away."
Otto knew all too well that the people of the Lota Estate, including Camille, would be calling him names.
But he hadn't really run away.
He had a plan, and he was executing it now.
'Is the route... this way?'
Otto reined in his horse and headed north up the mountain pass.
In the very direction the undead army was advancing.
'Ugh. My ass hurts. How the hell am I supposed to ride this thing?'
Being new to horseback riding, he was a little unsteady, but he had a good gait and he didn't have too much trouble staying on the horse.
After about three hours of traveling.
"Heeeeeeeee!!!"
The horse started bucking and rearing wildly.
"Huh? Uhhh?"
Bam!
Otto lost control of the rampaging horse and fell off.
If he hadn't been wearing his armor, he would have been badly hurt.
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"
The horse threw Otto off and started a mad dash back the way he'd come.
He had abandoned his master.
"Hey, you! You abandoned your master, you unfaithful bastard!"
Otto yelled at the back of the fleeing horse.
"Ugh... my back... it's killing me."
Just then.
A sharp chill!
Otto was stunned by the sudden cold that hit him.
It felt like the temperature was plummeting.
He was already shivering because he was walking on a mountain trail at night, but it was definitely strange to be so abruptly cold.
Soon enough, Otto saw a glimmer of red lights in the pitch blackness.
Those flickering lights weren't torches.
They were <eyes>.
The eyes of the skeletal soldiers.
And....
Rattle, Crackle!
A white-boned ghost horse emerged.
"Who are you?"
The being on the ghost horse spoke softly to Otto.
His name was Nazrak.
He was one of the 100 lord characters in the game [Territory Wars].
* * *
Nazrak was a powerful undead death knight and necromancer.
Although he was an accomplished swordsman in life, he was corrupted in his later years by dabbling in black magic.
Eventually becoming an undead himself, Nazrak was defeated by surrounding nations as he attempted to establish the [Undeath Kingdom], a nation of undead.
When playing [Territory Wars] using Otto de Scuderia, Nazrak and his undead army appear in the second week of the game.
And 99.99999% of players don't make it over this hurdle.
This is because the character's poor abilities and the military might of the Lota Estate are not enough to stop Nazrak and his undead army.
But Kim Dojin was different.
'If one tries to fight with force, one will never win.'
After countless trials and errors, he found a strategy to overcome the crisis.
Is that all there is?
They say that if you know your enemy and understand yourself, you're not at risk even if you fight a hundred times.
Dojin also played Nazrak himself, studying the character's background, strengths, and weaknesses in depth.
'The strategy is simple. All you need to do is keep your head straight.'
Otto snapped to attention and bowed before Nazrak.
"Yes, Lord of Death. I am Otto de Scuderia, Lord of the Lota Estate."
"Lord of Death... I've been called that before, yes, do you know me?"
'I know everything.'
'I know you better than you know yourself.'
Having cleared [Territory Wars] with Nazrak, so there is no reason to think he doesn't know him.
"Yes, Lord of Death. I understand that you sought to accomplish a great deed 500 years ago, but were unable to do so."
"Five hundred years is a long time. How do you remember me?"
"Yes, Lord of Death. My family has a prophecy that has been passed down from generation to generation."
"A prophecy?"
"A prophecy that the Lord of Death will awaken, and that we should welcome him as he deserves."
"Was there anyone in your family who predicted my resurrection?"
"Yes, Lord of Death."
"Hmm."
"If you will accept me, I will diligently assist the Lord of Death in accomplishing his great task."
"How can you serve me? Your abilities are paltry, and your potential is abysmal."
"I know that."
"And yet you can serve me?"
"Yes, Lord of Death."
"And how do you plan to serve me?"
"Strategy and diplomacy."
From Otto's mouth flowed the words that would win Nazrak's heart.
* * *
In the game [Territory Wars], Nazrak was one of the most powerful lords.
However, he had one fatal weakness: strategy and diplomacy.
Nazrak lacked the ability to see the big picture, and he was basically at war against all factions.
Who would like Nazrak, a high-level undead death knight and necromancer, whose subordinates are all undead monsters?
It was only natural that all living people resented Nazrak.
So whenever Nazrak set out on a full-scale conquest, several factions would ally and oppose him.
Enemies everywhere.
Even with a powerful military, he was invariably in the position of being hunted.
It was therefore important for Nazrak to avoid being surrounded by others and to create as many alliances as possible.
"Strategy and diplomacy.."
Nazrak pondered Otto's words.
"This is why I failed to build the Undeath Kingdom back five hundred years ago... that's right."
"Lord of Death."
Otto coaxed Nazrak in a soft tone.
"I have spent many years studying strategy and diplomacy, waiting for you to rise from your slumber. Please accept me, so that my modest abilities may be of service to the Lord of Death."
"If I accept you, will you be able to demonstrate your abilities?"
"Of course."
"Good."
Nazrak smiled in satisfaction.
"Then I will make you a high-ranking undead."
"Not right away, please."
"Why not?"
Nazrak's voice was tinged with anger.
"You have chosen to be my vassal, and you will not become an undead?"
"Lord of Death, why would I not want to have the honor of becoming an undead, an immortal being? However, if I were to become an undead to serve as a diplomat, the human monarchs would not be pleased."
"Hmm!"
"So why don't you hold off on turning me into an undead for a while?"
"What you say makes a certain point."
It was no wonder that Otto's words sounded so agreeable to Nazrak, whose diplomacy skills in the past had been disastrous.
"Very well. I will allow you to serve as the only non-undead among my subjects. If you accomplish great things in the future, I promise to make you the highest ranking undead."
"I apologize for any inconvenience caused!"
Otto prostrated himself before Nazrak and bowed.
[Alert: You have earned Nazrak's trust!]
[Alert: Nazrak likes you!]
[Alert: Nazrak's favorability rating for you has reached <Expected>!]
[Alert: Nazrak listens to you!]
Just like that, Otto had succeeded in winning the heart of the undead lord Nazrak and becoming his servant.
'It's done.'
A small smile tugged at the corners of Otto's mouth as he bowed his head.
* * *
At the exact same time.
"Sir Camille!"
A knight rushed up to Camille and reported.
"A ranger on a reconnaissance mission, posted along the mountain pass to the north, has sent an urgent message!"
"An urgent message?"
"The lord who fled... no, Otto, that son of a bitch... is said to have become a lackey to the undead army!"
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"They say that a ranger who was out scouting saw that bastard standing at the vanguard of the undead army."
"That fucking bastard."
Camille closed his eyes in disbelief after hearing the report.
"That bastard!"
"Haaa!"
"You inhuman bastard, it's not enough that you abandoned your territory and ran away, and now you became a vassal of the evil undead army!"
Everyone was furious.
Well, as far as fleeing was considered, fine.
But to serve as a minion to an undead army?
How far has this man fallen....
But that too, for a moment.
"Well, then."
"If it's Otto the fucker, so be it."
Everyone accepted that Otto had become Nazrak's front man because <it's Otto>.
With his usual behavior and image being so trashy, they weren't surprised by anything he did.
"Oh, and."
The knight reported further.
"The undead army has suddenly changed direction and is said to be advancing on Sorun Territory."
Instantly.
- What is the plan... I'm going to destroy the Sorun Estate. In just two weeks.
Otto's words flashed through Camille's mind.
'No way?'
** ** **
TL/N:
1. Korean expression. They say if your ears are itching/ticklish, someone is talking sh!t about you.