The First Research Subject - Belladia Harrington (4)

In Sinear RPG, leveling up granted three distinct rewards: Stats, which represented foundational capabilities; Class Abilities, which enhanced specialized competencies; and Personal Traits, which revealed an individual's developmental path.

‘This growth system remains exactly the same even now that the game has become reality. Though there are parts that feel unnatural. After all, human growth was never this rapid in the original world.’

Magic was an art that demanded an extraordinarily long time to master. Ten years to cast your first spell, thirty to become independent, and a full century to earn renown. And those were the standards for the gifted.

‘Yet even accounting for talent, my growth rate is unnatural. Either an astonishing coincidence… or there’s some secret to reincarnation that I still don’t understand.’

But right now, there were far more urgent research topics than the mysteries of reincarnation. He had to train Belladia, build achievements as a court mage, and ultimately prevent the coming apocalypse. The opening of the main scenario was drawing near.

“Status window!”

He would dump every level-up point into Magic Power. Once he hit the cap, he would invest in Intelligence, and whatever remained would go heavily into Agility. It would prove useful in combat.

He would postpone specialization for now.

The number of available spells mattered far more at this stage.

Next came the Personal Trait.

It expressed individuality separate from one’s class.

…At last, the research stress had become bearable. While living as a witch’s apprentice, he had built up the necessary foundations of a mage, but the process of socializing a pleasure-killing psychopath had been grueling. In the game, it had simply been a matter of clicking choices. Here, he had to confront the madness directly.

“Can you endure it?”

“…My lord Count.”

“No. Please, sit.”

Every final day of the week, he reported the progress of the lessons to the Count. After all, the lady of the house who should have been responsible for the child’s upbringing was already dead.

“You’ve worked hard. I’m truly grateful.”

“A professional should speak through results.”

“Kahaha! First, have a drink!”

Glug glug.

The Hammer Count poured wine into a glass filled with ice. It was a reminder that although this world resembled medieval Earth, it was not the same. Sinear was a world where gods, magic, monsters, and heroes truly existed.

“I hope to become like that as well.”

“Since I made a promise, I will keep it.”

“…Honestly, I don’t believe you can change my daughter. Even the greatest Magisters gave up on her. What could a wandering mage possibly do?”

Gulp, gulp!

The Hammer Count drained the glass without hesitation.

“…Still, thank you for giving it your sincere effort.”

“It’s still too early to receive your gratitude.”

“No. You are worthy of it. You’re the first person who, after learning of my daughter’s true nature, did not treat her as a monster….”

The Hammer Count kept refilling the wine and showering him with praise. He said that unlike the current generation, Tellorian’s passion was remarkable; that unlike those spell-obsessed mages, he showed real responsibility… In the end, the message was that he didn’t have to push himself too hard. It seemed the Count had already given up hope.

“Regardless of the outcome of her treatment, I will pay the promised reward. I’ll also grant you the position of court mage.”

It was the first time he had seen it across any world line.

The Hammer Count appearing this gentle.

“Belladia is my wife’s final legacy.”

“….”

“Even if she is a monstrous child who killed her own mother, I cannot abandon her. She is the last fragment of my wife.”

So he knew.

Who had killed his wife.

“I know she is a child who deserves to be cursed.”

“….”

“But what can I do? She is my everything.”

The next day, once he had sobered up, the Hammer Count began the procedures to exclude Belladia from the line of succession and confine her. His closest aides suggested he take a new wife to produce a new heir, but the Count refused remarriage and declared he would adopt a distant relative as successor instead. The genealogists suddenly became very busy.

“…Am I being abandoned?”

“The possibility is quite high.”

Eighth week of the experiment. The specimen still could not suppress her impulses when a person was placed before her. At this point, even the supply of captured bandits was running dry. Soon, the specimen’s aggression would likely turn toward the territory’s own residents. He left open the possibility of acknowledging experimental failure and disposing of the specimen.

“What if I kill Father first?”

“The Hammer Count is not so easily dealt with.”

“….”

She gazed at him with mesmerizing eyes. It was an invitation to help her assassinate her father, but he had neither the intention nor any interest in participating in such matters.

‘Belladia Harrington must either be killed early or socialized. Only then will the mid-game become manageable.’

There was something worth revisiting at this point. There was no [Redemption] route for Belladia Harrington. Only a [Socialization] route existed. In a world where even demons occasionally repented, she alone remained a villain until the very end.

‘If I had grown up as a barbarian warrior or a paladin, I would have killed her without hesitation. But this playthrough is as a mage. When you discover a rare specimen, you study it. Destroying it outright would be irrational.’

Ninth week. He administered a [Calming] potion to the specimen. Thanks to it, she succeeded in suppressing her instincts even when facing humans, but she still could not resist the urge to kill attractive men. The Hammer Count was in the middle of constructing a tower to confine his daughter, while Tellorian had hired adventurers to procure a wyvern’s venom sac.

“This is the last time.”

“….”

“If you fail again, I will leave.”

The final experiment of the tenth week. As Belladia stared at the handsome young man bound in chains, an ecstatic expression spread across her face. He was a serial killer who had used his beautiful appearance as bait to lure women. According to the research ethics Tellorian had set, the man was an acceptable test subject.

“M-My lady! Please spare me!”

The more desperately the man begged for his life, the brighter the flames ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of desire burned in Belladia’s eyes. She drew the rapier at her waist and thrust it toward the kidnapper—

Thud!

“Huk!”

“…Release him.”

“Oh?”

“Hurry… quickly….”

The rapier had pierced wood, not the bandit’s heart. She was breathing heavily with an excited expression. She had barely managed to hold herself back.

“Congratulations.”

“…I want to practice a lot more.”

“Impossible. We no longer have any prey to offer you.”

“….”

At that, Belladia gazed covetously at the territory’s residents going about their daily lives. But when she felt the mage’s gaze upon her, she quickly turned her head away.

“…Yes, teacher.”

“Now comes the final gateway.”

“….”

“You will turn sixteen in a month, won’t you?”

For the heir of a noble house, the coming-of-age ceremony held special significance. It was the day the previous lord would officially recognize the successor before his vassals and neighboring lords.

“The Hammer Count plans to confine you on that day and declare a distant relative as heir. However, I will persuade him to change it into an event where you are introduced as the successor. From now on, you must show the patience befitting the Harrington family heir. In front of everyone.”

Noble ceremonies were long, tedious, and often involved unpleasant incidents. It was not a place one could endure with nothing but bestial instincts. If she could pass such an event, it would serve as proof that socialization had succeeded.

“After the ceremony, I will give you a final evaluation.”

“…What kind of evaluation?”

“Whether I will truly accept you as my disciple.”

Belladia’s coming-of-age ceremony was an event that had not existed in the original world line. It was a turning point he had created on a whim.

“!”

“Belladia Harrington possesses countless possibilities. It would be a shame to let her disappear simply because she was born with the instincts of a monster.”

Belladia was strong, intelligent, beautiful, and young. Each descriptor carried tremendous potential—possibilities that the game, made on a limited budget, could not fully express.

“Then let us pray for the blessing of the Gambler Goddess.”

“Wait a moment, Teacher Tellorian.”

“?”

“Why did you give me this chance?”

“As I told you before, it’s to use you.”

He was currently devising a grand plan to reorganize the entire continent. Harrington County was the perfect place to sketch out the first draft.

“If your only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠goal was to become the court mage of Harrington County, it would be far safer to simply let Father confine me, wouldn’t it?”

It seemed the training in considering things from another person’s perspective had borne fruit. Nine weeks of effort had not been in vain. Socialization had progressed considerably.

“…What is your real objective?”

“A motive you would never understand in your lifetime.”

“Still, I want to hear it.”

“It’s pity.”

He turned away.

Toward the training grounds where the Hammer Count would be waiting.

“For a fellow mutant.”

＊＊＊

“Are you satisfied with the results of the correction, My Lord Count?”

“…I can hardly believe it.”

The Hammer Count, seated formally on the balcony, stared down at the audience chamber with astonished eyes. Lady Belladia sat upon the throne, receiving respectful greetings from the vassals. She answered every smile with a smile, every laugh with a laugh.

“Is that truly my daughter?”

The Count had said the exact same thing three months ago.

Back then, it had been in shock. Now, it was in jubilation.

“Do not let your guard down just yet.”

“…Isn’t this a good day?”

“Even if the young lady appears fine now, we cannot predict when she might act impulsively. You must watch until the end of the ceremony to see if she can endure it.”

Belladia, seated on the throne, wore armor and carried a sword. It was not the attire recommended for noblewomen, but this coming-of-age ceremony was the occasion where she would be introduced as the Hammer Count’s successor. Projecting dignity was more important than strict adherence to etiquette.

“Was that attire also recommended by her teacher?”

“No. It was the young lady’s own decision.”

“…Wise. She has the qualities of a ruler.”

The morning audience ended, and the luncheon began. Guests were seated according to their status and age.

“Teacher.”

“?”

Belladia, who had been overseeing the luncheon, approached Tellorian. Her turquoise eyes boiled with murderous intent.

“There’s a bitch I want to kill.”

“Who?”

“An ugly bitch with only big tits.”

Baroness Varken. A longtime political rival of the Harrington family, famous for her political skill and elegance. After losing her elderly husband, she was raising her children alone. Extremely wealthy and still quite beautiful, she received a great number of marriage proposals. She was twenty-seven years old.

“What has made you so angry?”

“That old, pig-looking bitch is flirting with my Allanson! A woman like that deserves acid splashed on her face before I rip out her heart!”

Count Allanson. A longtime ally of the Harrington family and a renowned valiant knight. Young, strong, handsome, and unmarried. He had quite a few illegitimate children, but that was hardly a flaw a lovestruck girl would care about.

“….”

“Is that too much?”

“Very much so.”

“Then I’ll sever ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her tendons and throw her into a den of prisoners. I won’t kill her, so that’s fine, right?”

She had improved considerably.

She had come to ask him before actually carrying it out.

“Spill a drink on the Baroness’s dress by accident.”

“…Is that all?”

“Then apologize to the Baroness in the most polite manner possible. The important point is to emphasize the title [Madam].”

She was a clever student.

She immediately understood the hidden intent.

“…!”

“While acting polite, suggest that you become close like sisters. Since Madam is around the same age as your aunt, say you will treat her like an elder sister.”

Committing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠such rudeness would naturally cause quite the scandal in high society. Inviting guests only to insult them would create quite the rumor…

‘A savage and rude young lady is far better than a psychotic murderer. Considering that Belladia is the heir to a border county, a moderate amount of notoriety might even be helpful.’

Moreover, Heartland was a region that looked down on female lords. If she gained a reputation as a proper madwoman, it would help with her self-protection.

“…I just thought of something even better.”

“?”

“A way to destroy only that bitch without me getting hurt.”

“…Confess what kind of atrocity you are planning.”

He listened to her plan calmly.

Once the conversation ended, he was certain.

‘The specimen has succeeded in socialization.’

The experiment was a success.

More perfectly than he had expected.