Cracking Down on Real-Life Trolls
Whew. Serenity now, serenity now. I mentally drew the character for patience in my mind. I'd heard a saying that doing that three times could prevent a murder, but honestly, it felt like a total lie. Even if I chanted it three thousand times instead of three, I still couldn't comprehend the way these bastards operated, and my blood pressure kept spiking.
"Here, drink this."
"Huh?"
"Drink something sweet and take a breath."
Reina handed me a cup. She had brought some orange juice—the kind I'd kept in the fridge for Liv—with ice cubes floating in it. Gulping it down did help soothe my burning insides a bit.
"Yeah, let's just wait and see for now."
Surely, they had a reason. A fundamental reason why they had come to hate the Gallery, me, and the Gallery Shop. After all, you never know how things will turn out in this world. If the butterfly effect of the Gallery Shop had somehow threatened their livelihoods, it would make perfect sense for them to despise me.
So, I decided to check out this self-proclaimed Anti-Head-Mod Coalition through the Gallery window of the Minister of Finance, Gozbo. I had adjusted his window to be completely transparent so it wouldn't get noticed by anyone else.
Gozbo traversed a long, dark tunnel for quite some time. Because of the lack of light, I couldn't make out much through my shared vision. But then...
"I see light now," Reina murmured.
"Yeah, me too."
Upon reaching a certain point, an iron door lined with torches appeared. Soon, the iron door creaked open, and a crowd of figures wearing deep hoods poured out from inside.
[Hooded Figure]: "I am truly sorry for hosting you in such a humble place. Thank you for making the journey. It must have been difficult to navigate the darkness."
[Gozbo]: "It is fine. Since this is a clandestine meeting, I assumed there was a good reason for choosing such a location."
[Hooded Figure]: "Indeed, Your Excellency the Minister of Finance understands us perfectly!"
[Another Figure]: "Hahahahat! Let us not stand around out here. Let's head inside and talk."
[Gozbo]: "Very well."
The interior was remarkably clean. No, calling it clean was an understatement—it was incredibly luxurious, adorned with expensive carpets, wallpaper, lighting, and various high-end furniture. It looked just like the ostentatious rooms posted by spoiled noble brats bragging on the Gallery.
"Ah, right. Should I start recording?"
"Is that what you bought earlier? What kind of magical tool is it?" Reina asked.
"It's called a camcorder."
◈ Price: 1,500 pt
Since the Gallery's eye didn't have a built-in recording function, I had browsed the Point Shop and purchased a camcorder. When I did a test run, I found that it recorded the window projected by the Gallery's eye perfectly, capturing the audio with crystal clarity.
I raised my index finger to my lips, signaling Reina to be quiet. I had already sent Liv upstairs to her room on the second floor with five pieces of toast, Reddy, and Blackie, so there was no risk of her interrupting us.
[Gozbo]: "I have signed. Is that all?"
[Hooded Figure]: "Yes. Ah, since Your Excellency must be busy with Treasury affairs, let us get straight to the point."
Once the Minister of Finance finished signing the non-disclosure agreement, the members of the Anti-Head-Mod Coalition removed their hoods in unison.
A smooth, polished skeleton. A wild boar beastman. And a man with a severely disfigured face. These three seemed to be the ringleaders. The rest of the crowd consisted of ghouls, orcs, ordinary goblins, and low-ranking demons.
The skeleton spoke first.
[Skeleton]: "It is exactly as stated in the document we sent you. We despise and loathe the Head Mod, and we want nothing more than to see him dead."
[Gozbo]: "And what are your reasons for hating the Head Mod? For me, it is because he has doubled the workload of the Treasury."
The three ringleaders took turns explaining their grievances. First was the man with the disfigured face. Introducing himself as the Alchemist Guildmaster, he explained that his grievance stemmed from the witches on the Gallery Exchange.
[Guildmaster]: "Because of that Head Mod, our potion business is on the verge of ruin! It was a goldmine that yielded dozens of times our investment in profit, but he recruited the witches and completely ruined our market!"
[Gozbo]: "Does that mean the witches are selling their potions at a loss?"
[Guildmaster]: "W-well, probably not. However, the quality of the potions crafted by our guild is far superior to those of the witches..."
In short, they had monopolized the potion market and were throwing a tantrum because a competitor had arrived and cut into their profits.
I whispered to Reina in a low voice, "How much do potions usually go for?"
"A low-grade recovery potion goes for fifty copper coins on the Exchange," Reina replied. "But the Alchemist Guild's low-grade recovery potion costs ten silver coins."
"What?"
How many times the actual price were they ripping people off for? Absolute scum.
Next up.
[Lich Master]: "The Head Mod framed my subordinate and had him stripped of his rank as Legion Commander! To make matters worse, he brought great humiliation upon me in the Senate. Because of that wretched bastard, all of my achievements have been invalidated!"
"That's the Lich Master, one of the Eight Elders of the Demon Realm," Reina whispered. "Based on the emotions I'm sensing, he truly, genuinely believes that."
So this guy was an Elder and Bernheiter's superior. Is he insane? Logically speaking, if anyone had a right to feel wronged, it was me, the guy who almost got killed because of Bernheiter. How could Bernheiter—who got kicked out of his position for trying to slaughter his own troops and refugees—be the victim here?
And finally, the wild boar beastman, twitching his massive snout, huffed and puffed.
[Boar Beastman]: "Because of that damn Head Mod, the food stockpiled in the Merchant Coalition's warehouses is rotting away! We're keeping some of it refrigerated using frost magic stones, but even then, the continuous cost of those stones is bleeding us dry!"
[Gozbo]: "Is that because your stockpiled food isn't selling? Because of the Gallery Shop?"
[Boar Beastman]: "Y-yes, you could say that."
Was this finally it? An actual case of an innocent merchant suffering because of my actions?
"He's lying," Reina said flatly.
"Really?"
"I can smell the stench of a greedy, practiced liar. He probably hoarded all the food to drive up the prices as high as possible before selling it. It's so transparently obvious, it's sickening."
I paused the camcorder recording for a moment. Then, I let out a dry laugh.
"Hah!"
"H-Head Mod?" Reina asked, startled.
"No, it's fine. I'm not angry."
It was just... how should I put it? Yeah, that was the word.
"What kind of absolute bastards are these guys?"
But since they had resumed talking, I turned the recording back on.
[Lich Master]: "...Because of him, a negative perception of all undead has deepened..."
[Boar Beastman]: "The damage suffered by the Merchant Coalition is beyond imagination! It is all due to that Head Mod's trickery..."
[Guildmaster]: "We must eradicate the witches, and from now on, all medicines and potions must be handled exclusively by the Alchemist Guild..."
[Lich Master]: "Indeed, won't the Demon King also realize the danger of the Gallery at this rate? With the goal of eradicating the Gallery..."
[Boar Beastman]: "I heard the Regent has also submitted to the Head Mod. His judgment seems clouded, so perhaps it is time for him to step down from the regency..."
[Guildmaster]: "Ah, but if he does, who will manage that childish Demon King when she throws a tantrum? Hahahahat!"
It was like watching a barking contest to see who could spew the most bullshit. Had the high-ranking demons I'd met so far actually been the normal ones? Well, to be fair, the Demon King throwing a tantrum over chocolate and bullying the Regent wasn't exactly normal either.
But at least they weren't garbage like this.
One guy was whining because he couldn't scam gullible people anymore. Another had appointed his subordinate as a Legion Commander, only to blame others when that subordinate got kicked out for committing atrocities. And the last one was only interested in hoarding food to build his personal fortune, completely indifferent to whether people starved to death in a war-torn Demon Realm.
These are... the elites of the Demon Realm?
My mind cleared completely. Any lingering thought of clearing up misunderstandings and offering a hand of reconciliation had long since sunk to the bottom of my heart.
Having gathered all the necessary information and dialogue, I stopped the recording.
"The only thing a troll deserves is punishment."
A forum troll? You could just ban them and be done with it. But when it came to real-life trolls, things were different. In my past life, I could have sued them to show them how harsh reality could be. Unfortunately, no such legal system existed here.
"Wait, actually, there is one."
A judicial system that, while primitive compared to my past life, was highly effective.
I reviewed the recorded footage. After editing the video with the assistance of the Gallery system, I opened the Point Shop.
"Time to buy the rest..."
The living authority of the Demon Realm. I passed the baton to Regent Yugelt and the Demon King.
"Time for you bastards to pay the price."
"A TV? What on earth is this object?"
Yugelt was at a loss. What had been delivered looked like a thin, fragile window, and he didn't dare touch it with his thick, massive hands. Instead, he showed the illustrated instruction manual to his servants and ordered them to move it.
Connected to this 'TV' were long cables and a device called a 'camcorder.'
Even operating the remote control had to be delegated to the servants. After a moment...
"It is on, my lord."
"Oh, it works."
After some trial and error, the TV flickered to life. The Demon King, who had rushed over at the news of chocolate arriving, sat on Yugelt's thigh, her mouth already stuffed with Belgian chocolates.
"You are not in your child form today, Your Majesty?" Yugelt asked.
"I just felt like it today," she replied.
Usually, she went around in the form of a child, claiming it was more comfortable. Today, however, she was in her true form—a mature, elegant woman wearing a radiant gown. Deeply moved by this rare sight, Yugelt clapped his hands.
"It suits you beautifully. If only you would maintain such a dignified appearance normally..."
"Oh! Something is moving!" she interrupted, pointing at the screen.
The video on the TV began to play.
"What is this...?"
"It seems to be a magical tool sent by the Head Mod. He requested that Your Majesty review it personally, as it concerns a matter of grave importance."
"A magical tool?"
The Demon King gasped, nearly dropping the entire box of chocolates she was holding.
"I have never seen or heard of a magical tool so exquisite and beautiful."
"Nor have I, Your Majesty. I can only assume it is a magical tool because it was sent by the Head Mod."
"The Head Mod... just who is he?"
But then, familiar faces appeared on the screen.
"Those bastards...!"
They were the scum who constantly looked down on the Demon King, eager to flaunt their wealth and authority. They were the core of the anti-royal faction, men who didn't even bother to hide their ambition to seize the throne the moment she showed any vulnerability.
Why did the Head Mod send me a recording of these people? Did he want me to get indigestion while eating my chocolate?
The Demon King felt a surge of annoyance, but since Yugelt was watching the video in silence, she held her tongue.
A few minutes later...
"...Ha!"
The moment the Minister of Finance signed the non-disclosure agreement, the conspirators began to show their true colors. They boasted of the atrocities they had committed in the Demon Realm, openly displayed their utter contempt for the royal family, and even laid out their bold ambitions to commit treason the moment an opportunity arose.
"How dare they!" she shrieked.
"Your Majesty! Please calm down!" Yugelt urged.
"How can I be calm right now?! Those ungrateful wretches, who don't even realize whose grace allows the Demon Realm to exist, dare to—!"
"...I am worried that the precious chocolate and magical tool sent by the Head Mod might be caught in the crossfire of your wrath. Please, restrain your power."
"...Ah."
She hastily suppressed her surging mana. She couldn't risk burning the chocolate, after all.
The Demon King swallowed her anger along with another piece of chocolate and asked, "Did the Head Mod leave any other messages when he sent this?"
"He only asked us to review it and send a reply."
Both the Demon King and Yugelt had received immense help from the Head Mod. In fact, they were still receiving it. By delivering a vivid recording of the core opposition faction plotting treason, he had handed the Demon King the perfect justification to purge them.
"Hmm, does he expect us to calculate his contribution and reward him accordingly?"
"I highly doubt that is his intention, Your Majesty."
"Why?"
"If the Head Mod wanted a reward, he wouldn't have gone through such a tedious and roundabout process. He would have wiped them all out himself first, then casually demanded a reward as if delivering a status report. He is certainly powerful enough to do so."
"That is true."
He was a man capable of recording a video right under the nose of the Lich Master, a supreme magic user. Naturally, he could have easily annihilated the vermin gathered around that table in an instant. Yet, he hadn't. Instead, to secure undeniable proof, he had sent his collaborator, the Minister of Finance, to disarm their suspicions. Believing the Minister of Finance had joined their side, the traitors assumed the tide had turned in their favor and foolishly poured their hearts out.
Everything had gone exactly according to the Head Mod's plan.
As the full picture clicked into place, the Demon King shuddered.
"...He is a truly terrifying individual."
"Indeed, Your Majesty. The Head Mod is a deeply frightening man."
Yugelt placed a reassuring, massive hand on the Demon King's shoulder and continued, "That is why it is in our best interest to maintain a close and amicable relationship with him."
"I completely agree."
The Head Mod's intentions were crystal clear.
[All affairs within the Demon Realm must be resolved under the name of the Demon King.]
[Therefore, the handling of this matter is left entirely to the Demon King and the Regent.]
"Indeed. Since we have been shown such consideration and respect, we must rise to the occasion, shouldn't we?"
"Precisely, Your Majesty."
"Assemble the Royal Guard! Track the location of the Minister of Finance and strike down the traitors!"
"At once, Your Majesty!"
After waiting for a short while, a reply arrived from the Regent. I had expected a brief message saying they had secured the evidence against those insolent bastards and would arrest and punish them accordingly.
But instead...
"...Huh?"
You're doing what now?