Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Thrill You Feel in the Game Might Just Be Electrocution (4)
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There were three imperial envoys in total, and all of them stared at Dalia in shock. The youngest-looking man among them glared at me with a face as fierce as could be.
“A bright yellow dress...”
Someone muttered in surprise. That sparked a wave of murmurs that swept through the crowd and then faded away.
It had been worth putting Dalia in that yellow dress. She strode out briskly and stood before Mother's coffin like a single flower.
A duke's lady in a yellow dress at her mother's funeral.
No one could see it as grief. It was as vibrant as if she were saying it was good that she was dead.
Dalia turned back to look at me. She stood ramrod straight like a tiny soldier. I'd told her to smile before entering, but her face wasn't smiling.
I mouthed the word 'smile' as a demonstration.
Dalia caught my lip movements and tugged the corners of her mouth up. It was an awkwardly crazy expression. I wanted to tell her to smile bigger, but that was probably her best effort. From observing her today, Dalia didn't seem like a kid who smiled much.
That's when one of the imperial envoys who had been glaring at us stepped forward.
“ Duke Sierra! What is the meaning of this commotion? Ruining such a solemn funeral! And that outfit on the duke's lady is utterly inappropriate for a funeral. Are you carrying out this farce without imperial permission?”
His words sent ripples of unrest through the mourners.
“Should've just played it safe and watched the imperial mood like always.”
“Guess you can't hide it when you've got no parents.”
“Won't be easy finding a match for Lady Dalia later.”
The hall grew noisy. One of the other envoys pretended to restrain him from the side, while the third kept his mouth firmly shut.
“There is no precedent for holding a funeral like this! It's an insult to the imperial family! Apologize!”
“The imperial family? What does the imperial family have to do with this? This is a family matter.”
I replied deliberately in an exaggerated, sorrowful voice. My words caused another stir among the mourners.
While everyone was baffled, I stepped up beside Dalia. I turned to face all the mourners, pretending to hold back tears as I tilted my head down mournfully, then lifted it resolutely. It was time to put my skills from those multi-level marketing days in the old neighborhood to use.
“Mother was a beautiful and cheerful woman.”
Though I'd never met her.
“After my father, the previous Duke Gluttony, passed away, she ruled and managed the duke's household all on her own like a true sovereign.”
Even if she had siphoned off the family fortune to her relatives.
“We siblings will always remember the mother who embraced us with love.”
We probably wouldn't.
“I, Duke Sierra Gluttony, have made a vow. When our wonderful mother returns to the arms of the gods, I will ensure she does so with a smile. I will make sure she departs happily, her eyes filled with the adorable sight of her young Dalia.”
When invoking gods, smiles, or happiness, I modulated my tone to sound overflowing with emotion. Already, a few mourners were moved by my words. I could see an elderly noblewoman dabbing at her tears with a handkerchief, and a stiff-postured officer nodding his head.
“The House of Gluttony bids farewell to the duchess today and welcomes a new dawn. The duke's house left to us by Mother will flourish grandly.”
Standing here, I could see them even better. The people who hadn't greeted us when we arrived at the church, the ones whispering about Dalia's future marriage prospects now that she'd lost both parents. I recognized every single one without fail.
It didn't matter what their expressions were in this moment. I was going to do things my way anyway.
“We only welcome this new era.”
The head butler, who had been standing silently by the entrance, started clapping to lead the applause. The mourners in the back seats began clapping enthusiastically in response. They weren't invited nobles. They were people from the House of Gluttony, hastily dressed in proper attire. A few had even been bought off on the spot at the church.
Humans can't help but get swept up in the atmosphere. As others clapped, the rest of the nobles joined in hesitantly. Most looked dazed, but fortunately, no one crazy enough to argue with the duke in front of the duchess's corpse stepped up.
The imperial envoys huddled together whispering, then nodded and took a step back. They weren't even the crown prince—just three envoys. They had no authority to challenge a duke. The one who'd started the argument looked almost cute fuming like that.
But no matter how I thought about it, something felt off.
'In the game, why hadn't Sierra ever acted out like this?'
Was it really just a lack of courage? The thought didn't linger long.
“We understand Duke Sierra Gluttony's intentions.”
A bishop with a deep, resonant voice extended his arm. Sunlight danced like ripples on the surface of his flowing ceremonial robes.
“Now that the duke has arrived, let us begin the funeral.”
The bishop's eulogy was the worst. I couldn't follow the content, but anyway, it was the worst. He spoke at a snail's pace, repeated himself endlessly, and peppered his speech with filler words like 'um,' 'uh,' and 'so, you see.'
The long-winded bishop eventually veered off into rambling about the current international situation. I sat there pretending to be a diligent, upright young man listening attentively, but I nearly nodded off without realizing.
Still, there were a few useful tidbits.
“With beasts flowing in from the Hermit's Lands stirring chaos in the world...”
He went on to say that the recent influx of beasts invading the continent were coming through the Susruri Strait. The beasts were massive with tough hides, making it hard for the church's priests to handle them.
“We all eagerly await the exploits of the crown prince and the House of Gluttony.”
The Susruri Strait was also where mermaids appeared. Speaking of mermaids brought to mind Enbi, one of the male leads.
If we joined the beast subjugation, I'd need to plan for him. He was belligerent. Conflict with him was inevitable.
As I sifted through the helpful parts, I heard a dozing sound from beside me. Dalia was nodding off, shaking her little head like a rock star.
“Wake up.”
Kids would be kids, huh. I couldn't let her give anyone an excuse to nitpick something I hadn't anticipated. It was a shame, but I had to wake her.
When I shook her shoulder, Dalia's eyes snapped open brightly, then drooped half-shut again. She mumbled something incomprehensible.
“...Oppa’s feelings change a lot today.”
“Hasn't happened.”
We whispered, avoiding the bishop's eyes. Dalia's voice was like dandelion fluff.
“Different from this morning. Suddenly likes Dalia. But now, likes a little less.”
“What are you...”
Dalia silently raised her hand and formed the OK sign again. She held it near her eye as if looking at me through it, then whipped her head away. Unpredictable kid.
“What're you doing?”
I mimicked her hand gesture absentmindedly while staring at the bishop. What was this old man still thinking about, droning on? As I blinked while thinking that, a mysterious heart shape appeared above the old man's head.
[♥♥]
What was this?
Once I saw the heart, it stayed visible even when I looked away. It would flicker out of sight sometimes, but when I focused on it, it never faded.
I scanned the surroundings in that state. Every single person had hearts.
But the color and number varied by person. The bishop had two red ones. The imperial envoys had two black ones. It seemed there were only two colors: red and black. Could this be...
'No way, affinity levels?'
I remembered seeing these hearts while playing Dreamflower. They appeared when you pressed the shortcut key for affinity displays.
Max affinity was five red hearts, and rock bottom was five black hearts.
Dalia could see these status windows too? That would explain what she'd said earlier. It meant she'd seen my affinity change after I possessed this body.
“......”
My eyes met Dalia's. She blinked once like a doll, then stared blankly at the bishop with an empty expression.
This kid might not be an ordinary brat.
If she could see affinity, she could probably see other status windows too. I recalled what Dalia had said to me before the funeral started.
Dalia gazed straight ahead and whispered once more in a light, quiet voice.
“If you open the door of the heart, you see a window with letters. Is Oppa opening it? The door of the heart.”
Hearts didn't have letters. There were no rectangular windows around either.
The proper status window was definitely something else.
I didn't know how to open the door of the heart, but if I figured it out, it seemed like I'd handle it as easily as the affinities. How had I brought up the bishop's affinity earlier?
I glared mercilessly at the bishop, trying to recapture that sensation. I prayed for the status window to open, muttered “status window,” and even shouted it in my mind.
“...and thus, the demeanor of a dignified leader is...”
One of the hearts above the bishop's head flickered as if about to vanish.
I'd glared too hard. Act like I'm not glaring! I raised my handkerchief and pretended to wipe away tears. Thanks to my all-out performance, the bishop's hearts didn't decrease.
'Enough nagging, show me the box! Door of the heart! Window of the heart! Enough nagging!'
In the midst of the endless eulogy, as I snapped irritably, 'What the hell is this old man doing,' a faint rectangle appeared next to the bishop. It was just like the ones from dating sims.
I repeated it in my mind. What the hell is this old man doing, what the hell...
I got the feeling! Focusing my mind, the status window finally appeared.
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Name: Horay Ketopsis
Personality: Jealousy - Easily swayed by others' words, but achieves quickly
Occupation: Holy Bishop
Traits: None
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The status window wasn't complicated. Good thing it was easy to read. The bishop didn't seem like much.
Then what about me?
Most importantly, my own status window. By the settings, Sierra Gluttony was a mage. The status would show what magic I could use and if these abilities were worth anything.
Viewing my own status window was easier than others'.
But...
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Name: Sierra Gluttony
Occupation: Necromancer
Personality: Arrogance - Raises affinity quickly, but suffers constant defense debuff
Penetration - Affinity rises when striking a vital point
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“Uh...”
You've got to be kidding.
My mouth twitched the moment I saw the status window. If there was a god showing me this, I'd have some choice words.
How am I arrogant?
I've never been arrogant in my life. I'd never heard anyone call me arrogant, haughty, or conceited. Probably.
Was it not my personality, but the original Sierra's? That didn't make sense. Sierra was a coward. For the original Sierra, it should've said something like 'coward.' And the bigger problem was...
'Why the occupation? Wasn't this guy a mage? Suddenly necromancer? Sierra, this...'
Now I understood why Sierra hadn't used magic well. She wasn't a talentless idiot or a spineless coward lacking confidence. She was just a survivalist coward.
In this society, displaying her true abilities would've gotten her branded a demon worshiper and burned at the stake.
'You were just struggling to survive in your own way, huh?'
After all, in this world, a necromancer's occupation was literally dark-attribute, something only the human enemies—the hermits—possessed.