Chapter Four: Let’s Steal an Adventurer’s Prey!

The day after I blew up Marie’s detached residence, I was thinking about my next move to charge toward becoming the charisma of evil.

That’s when I remembered something even more important than spreading infamy.

“To aim for the final boss, strength is an absolute must, isn’t it?”

Since reincarnating as Klaus, I’ve been diligently training in swordsmanship and magic every day.

While my growth was impressive at first, it’s been stalling lately.

Drawing on my game knowledge from my past life, I had a hunch about why.

“It’s probably because my proficiency has hit its cap, right?”

In «Altena Fantasia», playable main characters had levels and skill proficiencies. Proficiency increased with skill use, boosting usage frequency and power.

However, proficiency had a cap, and to break through it, you needed to level up.

The conclusion was clear.

“My growth has stalled because I’ve hit the proficiency limit.”

While I can’t see my stats like in the game, the system itself seems to apply in this world.

To grow further, I need to level up—meaning I have to defeat monsters!

“Alright, that settles it!”

Having reached this conclusion, I geared up, ditched my administrative duties, and set off for a dungeon.

The dungeon I was heading to was located in a forest near the territorial capital.

Based on prior research, I judged it to be conquerable even with my current abilities.

With that in mind, I was striding toward the dungeon with enthusiasm when—

Shaaa!

“What the—?!”

Sensing something unknown approaching, I reflexively swung my mana-infused sword.

The blade’s sensation of slicing through something reverberated through the hilt to my right hand.

“What’s this…?”

Examining what had fallen to the ground, I saw it was a translucent blue bird, conjured by magic.

The bird, lying on the ground, opened its tiny beak.

“Dungeon—deep—boss variant—comrade down—buying time—help!”

Its words came out fragmented.

Seeing this, I was certain.

“A transmission spell, huh?”

A transmission spell, as the name suggests, sends a magically conjured bird to deliver a message to a specific recipient. The fragmented words were likely because my attack disrupted the magic forming the message.

I carefully picked up the bird.

“Whoever cast this had something to say… but that’s probably impossible now.”

I felt a twinge of guilt for being the cause, but the charisma of evil doesn’t sweat the small stuff!

I’d give it a proper burial later and tucked the bird into my chest pocket before resuming my journey.

Minutes later, I arrived at the dungeon entrance.

“Now, before I head in…”

From my item pouch, I pulled out two items: «Recoil Enhancement Ring» and «Fresh Blood Lure Lamp».

These existed in the game world as well.

In the game, their descriptions read as follows:

«Recoil Enhancement Ring»: B-Grade

- Reduces HP by 1% every 10 seconds, but increases all stats by 50%.

(Stops reducing HP once it reaches 10% of max HP.)

«Fresh Blood Lure Lamp»: D-Grade

- A liquid made from blending various monster bloods, emitting mana that attracts monsters.

Applying it to the body draws nearby monsters.

In «Altena Fantasia», efficient leveling required focusing on three factors:

1. Defeating monsters with a small party (solo was optimal—questionable for a romance game).

2. Defeating monsters stronger than you.

3. Gaining bonus experience the lower your HP is when defeating a monster.

The third was especially critical.

Given this mechanic, experienced players always equipped the «Recoil Enhancement Ring» for leveling.

The «Fresh Blood Lure Lamp» was self-explanatory.

Using these items raised the risk, but with my game knowledge, it shouldn’t be an issue.

So, I equipped the ring and applied the «Fresh Blood Lure Lamp» to my body.

As for how I got these items, they were among the confiscated goods from that merchant, so I helped myself.

I thought he was nothing but trouble, but it seems he had some use after all.

“Alright, prep’s done—time to go!”

With that shout, I stepped into the dungeon.

I progressed smoothly through the dungeon.

As expected from my research, the monsters were familiar ones from the game—goblins, kobolds, and the like.

Using my knowledge of their weaknesses, I defeated them easily, feeling myself level up steadily.

“Nice, nice, this is the feeling of leveling up! It’s addictive!”

Continuing on, I reached the boss room.

It was about time to call it a day after defeating the boss.

“Hm? What’s that?”

—Or so I thought, but I heard sounds of combat coming from the boss room.

Peeking inside, I saw several adventurers already fighting the boss, an ogre.

…Wait, was the ogre in the game that big?

Well, there must be minor differences between the game and reality.

More importantly—

“Normally, stealing prey from adventurers who got there first is taboo… but I’m not one to care about that!”

I’d do anything to level up.

With that, I cast my most powerful spell.

“«Explosive Inferno»”

A torrent of flames far larger than I’d imagined erupted from my hands.

This must be the effect of leveling up.

The flames hit the ogre directly and exploded.

Thanks to the unexpectedly high power, I took it down in a single blow.

“Sweet, boss defeated!”

Wiping sweat from my brow with satisfaction, the adventurers noticed me.

“Hey, look over there!”

“Who’s that?! Did they take down the boss?”

“No way… is that Lord-sama?!”

I lingered just long enough for them to see me before leaving the dungeon.

Heh heh, perfect.

This should spread my infamy among adventurers as the despicable lord who steals their prey.

My goal was leveling up, but getting this result too? Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

Laughing heartily—“Hahaha!”—I casually defeated a few more monsters on my way back to the surface.

◇◆◇

—Just before Klaus entered the dungeon.

Guen, an adventurer based in the Renford territorial capital, was tackling the dungeon with his party as usual.

But in the deepest part, they encountered an unexpected crisis.

“No way, a variant?!”

Due to environmental changes or consuming other monsters, the boss had evolved from an ogre into a high ogre.

Worse, a single blow from the high ogre knocked one of Guen’s comrades unconscious, stripping them of the option to flee.

All they could do was endure the enemy’s onslaught.

“Damn it! We have to use a transmission spell to call the guild for help!”

“Is there anyone at the guild who can handle a high ogre? Even if there is, it’ll take hours for them to prepare and get here…”

“I know, but still!”

Acknowledging his comrade’s concerns, Guen activated the transmission spell, knowing it was their only shot at survival.

“We’ve encountered a boss variant in the dungeon’s depths. A comrade’s down, so we can’t escape. We’ll buy as much time as possible, so come help us ASAP!”

He imbued the message into a blue bird and released it.

All they could do now was pray it reached the guild.

“…Well, buying time against this monster is the biggest job left.”

Facing the high ogre, Guen grimaced and muttered.

An hour later, they’d exhausted their barrier items and healing potions, realizing they could hold out no longer.

As they braced for death—

“«Explosive Inferno»”

A sudden torrent of flames from somewhere struck the high ogre, blowing it to pieces.

(What just happened?!)

Confused, Guen looked toward the source of the flames. There stood a blood-soaked man with the blue bird Guen had sent tucked in his chest pocket.

Unfamiliar, but it seemed he’d received the transmission spell and come to their rescue.

Guen called out to his stunned comrades.

“Hey, look over there!”

“Who’s that?! Did they take down the boss?”

“No way… is that Lord-sama?!”

Hearing his comrades, Guen’s eyes widened.

(Lord-sama?! Why’s someone like him here?!)

But ignoring their confusion, Klaus left without introducing himself.

Guen and his party stood in silence, watching his back as he departed.

Regaining their composure, they exchanged glances.

“What just happened? Did Lord-sama personally come to save strays like us?”

“And covered in blood like that… As a healer, I can tell his HP is below 10%. He could collapse any second.”

“What?! To save us in that state and leave without even asking for thanks… I heard recently that Lord-sama’s become a great man who works for the people. The rumors were true…”

Overwhelmed by shock and awe, Guen and his party were speechless.

One thing was clear: Klaus, the lord of their territory, was a far greater and nobler noble than any other.

After resting and their unconscious comrade regained consciousness, they returned to the adventurer’s guild.

There, they recounted Klaus’s heroics like a legend.

Hearing the full story, every adventurer was moved to tears by Klaus’s bravery and nobility.

And then—

“““Lord-sama! Lord-sama! Lord-sama! Lord-sama!”””

That night, a banquet to honor Klaus raged at the adventurer’s guild until dawn.

Meanwhile—

“Achoo! …Hm, is someone spreading my infamy? Nice, nice, feels good! Hahaha!”

—Klaus himself, oblivious to the soaring admiration from the adventurers, let out a hearty laugh.

◇◆◇

A few days after my first dungeon conquest, I’d been steadily clearing several more.

Thanks to efficient experience grinding, I leveled up significantly in those days.

I’d likely reached the cap for dungeons in this area.

So, I paused my dungeon runs and returned to focusing on administrative duties.

One day, Oliver, the butler, made a sudden proposal.

“Klaus-sama, may I promote one of the servants to be your personal maid?”

“A personal maid, huh?”

“Yes. I understand you haven’t expressed a need for one, but with your increasing workload, I thought it prudent… Also, the individual strongly wished for it.”

“? Well, fine by me.”

Come to think of it, Klaus had little interest in servants and never had a personal one.

I didn’t particularly care either way, so I nodded.

Oliver promptly opened the door, ushering in a girl.

Wait, is that…

“Now, Marie, your greeting.”

“Yes!”

As expected.

It was Marie, the girl whose room I’d blown up just days ago.

She approached and gave an elegant bow.

“I, Marie, will serve you with utmost sincerity to meet your expectations, Master-sama. Please, from now on, command me with anything.”

With a smile, she said this.

For some reason, her smile sent an indescribable shiver through me.

[Image]

Interlude 1: Master and Maid

“What the hell is going on…?”

Thanks to Oliver’s suggestion, the black-haired girl Marie became my personal maid—so far, so good. But right now, my mind was in utter chaos.

The reason? I couldn’t read Marie’s intentions.

No one in their right mind would want to serve a corrupt lord who blew their cherished home to bits.

Yet, Marie chose to become my attendant. There had to be some ulterior motive.

Above all else, I needed to figure out what it was.

One thing was clear: deep down, Marie must harbor resentment about working as my attendant.

“So, the best way to expose her true feelings is…”

“Master-sama, you called?”

“!”

Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed Marie approaching.

I flinched for a moment, but this was perfect timing.

I’d use my genius intellect to brilliantly uncover whatever she was plotting.

“Marie, I’m going to teach you your duties as my personal maid. Follow me.”

“Y-Yes, understood!”

With a nervous expression, Marie followed me.

First, I took her to the kitchen.

“Let’s start with cooking. A maid must be able to brew tea, of course, but also prepare at least basic meals.”

“Y-Yes, I’ll try!”

Nodding, Marie began cooking with awkward movements.

Likely due to her history of slacking, she didn’t seem very skilled.

Truth be told, I wasn’t that interested in her cooking ability itself.

So why bother with this? To see if, in the process of working for me, she’d crack under pressure and reveal her resentment.

People show their true selves when angry or frustrated.

It was a genius plan to uncover her scheme—but…

“…Hm.”

—At least during cooking, Marie didn’t show any signs of irritation.

Worse, the chefs I’d thrown in the dungeon earlier gathered around, teaching her cooking tips.

The atmosphere became oddly cheerful, thwarting my original goal.

I was pondering how to intervene when—

“It’s done, Master-sama!”

In no time, a simple meal was prepared.

…Now what?

To make Marie angry, I could just throw the food away, but that would deviate from my goal of provoking resentment through her duties.

…Fine, I’d go with the flow.

Sitting at the table, I glanced at Marie’s cooking.

Scrambled eggs, grilled bacon, and tea—pretty basic stuff.

I picked up a knife and fork, eating slowly.

“…Hm.”

Honestly, it wasn’t anything special, but thanks to the chefs’ help, it wasn’t inedible. Still, I couldn’t just say that…

“…”

Marie watched me intently, holding her breath.

To her, I said:

“Next, let’s go.”

“Huh? Y-Yes, Master-sama!”

Without commenting on her work, I headed to the next destination.

After that, I assigned Marie various tasks.

Laundry, cleaning my room, assisting with administrative duties.

The workload was immense for one maid, and I hoped she’d snap at some point, but unfortunately, it didn’t go that smoothly.

“Maybe expecting results in one day was too much…”

I might have rushed things. So, I switched to a long-term plan.

Even if she could endure one day, a few days of this should push her to her limit.

Thus—

“Marie, you’ll do the same tasks tomorrow and beyond. Got it?”

“…! Yes, of course, Master-sama!”

I’d declared she’d endure the same suffering moving forward, yet for some reason, Marie nodded with a radiant smile.

To think she could keep up such a facade.

This girl was shaping up to be a tougher foe than I’d imagined, and I trembled with apprehension.

◇◆◇

A few hours earlier—

“I, Marie, will serve you with utmost sincerity to meet your expectations, Master-sama. Please, from now on, command me with anything.”

Marie declared this with a smile and elegant demeanor.

But inwardly, she felt as much anxiety as joy at becoming the personal maid of her revered Klaus.

She understood Klaus was a great man who treated black-haired individuals without prejudice.

But being his personal maid, sharing daily life with him, was another matter entirely.

That anxiety swelled rapidly.

However, she soon realized it was a misunderstanding.

Marie’s first task as Klaus’s personal maid was cooking.

Under the previous lord, she was barred from the kitchen, making cooking a near-unknown territory. Having been told multiple times that people didn’t want to eat food touched by a black-haired person, she had a deep aversion to it.

Still, summoning her courage to meet Klaus’s expectations, and with help from the other chefs, she managed to prepare a simple meal.

It was slightly burnt, far from perfect.

—Yet Klaus ate it all without a single complaint.

Though he didn’t offer feedback, the fact that he didn’t reject her food filled Marie’s heart with warmth.

Her happiness didn’t stop there.

He entrusted her with personal tasks like laundry and cleaning his room. Though the workload was heavy, for Marie, who’d been given minimal tasks under the previous lord, it felt like a sign of trust, filling her with joy.

And the clincher was his final words:

“Marie, you’ll do the same tasks tomorrow and beyond. Got it?”

“…! Yes, of course, Master-sama!”

Honestly, Marie’s work today was subpar.

She wouldn’t have had grounds to complain if she’d been sacked as a personal maid.

Yet Klaus had said he’d continue entrusting her with tasks.

It was proof of his expectations and permission to stay by his side.

After parting with Klaus, Marie, filled with unprecedented happiness, vowed fiercely:

“I’ll keep striving to become a personal maid worthy of Klaus-sama’s expectations!”

Oblivious to Marie’s heartfelt resolve, Klaus was busy fretting over what tasks to assign next to make her resent him, completely missing the mark.