The Great Undertaking

"Hoo..."

Finally back at the dormitory, I slumped onto the bed, utterly drained. It made sense— I'd been on edge all through class, and my condition wasn't exactly prime to begin with.

"...Ngh."

But I couldn't afford to collapse like this. I needed to run a final check on the strategy for clearing the upcoming Slave Market quest.

"Young Master, why don't you lie down for a bit? Review is important, but so is rest."

As I started to rise, Kania shoved me back onto the bed, and I flopped down helplessly.

"...Fine."

I wanted to snap at my insolent secretary for daring to push her master, but with no strength left, I let it slide.

"...Ugh."

Staring blankly at the ceiling, I glanced at Kania sprawled beside me with the same dazed expression and chuckled.

"You mimicking me right now, Kania?"

"...S-Sorry."

She bolted upright, eyes wide.

"Kania... you've been acting a bit off lately."

"What do you mean? Tell me, and I'll correct it."

I eyed her lazily, and she responded with calm composure.

"Hard to say... like you can see right through me?"

I murmured softly, and she smiled.

"As I said before, that's nothing for someone who's served you all this time."

"Still, it's different somehow... like this."

As I tried to voice my doubt, an info window popped up, blocking my view. I irritably swatted it away.

"Damn it, I said no, so why does it keep—"

"...You saw a system window?"

"Yeah."

"Why the irritation?"

Sighing at her question, I grumbled bitterly.

"These random quests keep popping up."

"Random quests?"

Kania looked puzzled, and beside her, the dismissed quest window still blinked.

I glared at it, then reached out quietly.

"You accepting?"

"No, rejecting."

My firm tone drew a curious look from her.

"Any special reason? From what you told me, clearing quests ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gives valuable rewards or points."

"True. And random quests offer more varied rewards than main ones."

"Then why reject?"

I sighed.

"The ones popping up now are all nuts."

I hit decline, and the blinking window vanished.

"Come to think of it, after you woke up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a few days ago, you've been grumpily swatting at thin air more often."

"Yeah, random quests scale with stack buildup."

Staring where the window had been, I nodded at her sharp observation and explained.

"I mentioned theoretically clearing up to 5 stacks? That's because of these."

"I see."

"Low stacks give light missions and junk rewards. As stacks build, they turn more extreme, violent, or lewd."

"Ah..."

"Or demand heavy self-sacrifice. Rewards scale up, of course."

Kania's face hardened. Grateful for her empathy, I darkened.

"Ancestor said the leaderboard's anonymous clears maximized these quests."

"...I see."

"At 5 stacks, only months left... even max points can't awaken the armament in time. Just a guess."

"Why not use them? Pick the least extreme ones?"

At her cautious suggestion, I nodded slowly.

"I thought of that. Up to 2 stacks, main quests barely suffice. From 3, time's too tight—randoms are essential."

"Then..."

"So I'll only take the self-sacrificial ones."

"Pardon!?"

She looked shocked.

"Ancestor warned: they enable clears at high stacks... but make the story bleak."

"Th-That means..."

"Yeah, unforgivable crimes galore. Doesn't align with my goals."

"So... only self-sacrifice quests?"

I nodded at her incredulous stare. Fidgeting, she rummaged in her bosom.

"Young Master, exactly how much time left? Must we do random quests now?"

"3 stacks: over a year, few months. So, starting today, we filter—"

"Eh?"

I gave a wry smile, but she gaped.

"Young Master, look at this!"

"...Huh?"

Her awkwardness puzzled me briefly, but the lifespan gauge she pulled out froze me.

"...What? Lifespan didn't drop?"

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠date matched what I'd seen before collapsing.

"Th-This can't be...?"

I poked and rubbed my eyes, but it stayed the same.

"What the...?"

Checked stacks—no error, three lifespan-draining ones. Why no deduction?

"I-I'm not sure what happened... but no loss means no need for random quests, right?"

"...Uh, y-yeah?"

Head spinning, I met her probing gaze.

"W-Well, if a good one pops, sure... but no dependency now."

"...Relief."

She composed herself, nodding.

Something's been off since earlier...

"How tough are random quests?"

I eyed her suspiciously, but answered her sudden question.

"Scale to hellish at high stacks. Ancestor said theoretical only. Right now, lifespan teetering, HP bottomed—clear rate abysmal."

"But 'clear records' exist?"

"...As mentioned, few anonymous ones, details hidden. Ancestor closest without them."

I whispered to her nodding.

"But Kania."

"Yes?"

"You hiding something from me?"

She shrugged.

"Me?"

Staring, I pondered.

Definitely up to something.

Her affection rising, mind-reading sync. Hinting my system ties to Demon God. And that suspicious reaction to the lifespan.

Soul swap spell worked?

I recalled it, panicked—but no, I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠torn the magic circle. If swapped, I'd be in her body.

So what did she do?

"Kania, what did you—"

Knock knock!

No answers forthcoming, I rose at the knock.

"Frey."

"Hello."

Irina and Clana stood there.

"What brings you?"

"Tomorrow's the big op—time to review."

"No Serena?"

"Sealed memories; she's holed up alone."

"...Understood."

Kania eyed them warily, then smiled at Serena's absence, adjusting posture.

"Then let's review together—"

"...Talk later, Kania."

I cut her calm continuation with a whisper.

"Good. As I briefly explained, my plan's simple."

I rose, ignoring her flickering eyes, voice rising.

"In this Slave Market quest, tangled with countless people and factions..."

Gathering starlight on my finger, I sketched the market map in air.

"...I'll be the villain; you and my false identity, the heroes."

The review stretched into the deep night, moon and stars obscured.

"Hmm hmm hum~♪ Hm hm~♪"

Perloché Astellade strode back-alley streets, humming and reading a letter.

"Don't worry, Professor Isolet! I'll stop that wicked Frey's evil scheme!"

She muttered confidently, pocketed the letter, smiled, and entered a shabby shop.

"Hello! Scroll shop, right?"

"...Yaaawn."

The counter owner rose yawning at her bright call.

"Whatcha need?"

"I'm doing a great undertaking soon! Give me something helpful!"

Perloché approached, eyes sparkling.

"Dunno the details, but attack scrolls over there, defense over—"

"It's a great undertaking!"

"Not elaborating... something embarrassing? Fine, forbidden scrolls here—"

"Great undertaking!"

Her smile faded from cheerful protest; owner frowned, rummaging storage.

"Yeah, yeah. Customers like you pop up. This grants untraceable magical perfect death, aged millennium—"

He boasted, pulling a musty scroll.

Boom boom boom!!!

Perloché dropped her smile, punched full force.

Kaboom...!

The shop shattered from the shockwave.

"...Great undertaking."

Amid wreckage, arm extended, she spoke coldly to the dust cloud.

Whoosh...

"...Huh."

Dust cleared; owner emerged.

"For real?"

Usually aloof and bored, he gaped in panic.

Crackle crackle...

Having blocked her Sun God's Blessing fist one-handed, starlight flashing.

"One chance. Fail, it's over."

"...Useless bystander god."

"Damn, driving me nuts. Not by choice—forced—"

Crackle!!!

As she tensed, he sighed mid-explanation.

"Fine, truth time. Relieves me... but can you and they bear the sin?"

Crackle!

"Good."

She gripped harder; he sobered, handing the scroll.

"Remember: activate when trial begins—"

"Thanks! Bye!"

Beaming again, she bowed and left.

"Good luck..."

Owner murmured, pulling a bottle from his pocket.

"...Perloché Astellade."