Rick the Liar (2)

"Wow, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Who are you?"

I said, ignoring him without missing a beat.

It wasn't that I'd forgotten who Rick was on such short notice, I just didn't think Nox would remember him here, a squire of Eleanor's.

"Hmph~ Well, it's unlikely that someone as honorable as Young Master Knox would remember someone like me, so let me reintroduce myself, I'm Rick. I'm a squire in the service of Lady Eleanor."

"You're the one who came to give me a gift the other day. So, what do you want with me?"

I said as calmly as I could.

I wasn't really saying it, but I was dying to know. There's no reason for Rick to be talking to me… so why is he suddenly pretending to know me?

To Nox, the asshole, to be precise.

'Well, I suppose it's a bit of a shitty thing to do....'

He's got a black heart, so I'm sure there's a reason, and I know it won't be good for me.

"It's no big deal, I just thought it was curious to see you, Young Master Nox, a nobleman, wandering around alone without a squire or maid by your side."

"So. What do you want me to do?"

He raised his eyes and tried to look as scared as he could.

As I said, Zitri is on vacation. It's a bit of a stretch to say it, but she was working too hard, so I put her to bed for a while.

She's been studying up on the subject of being a maid for Nox as soon as she returned home. However, if she's so diligent, I'm in trouble. She needs to be able to play around a bit.

At least if you're Nox's maid.

Nonetheless.

"I see."

Rick said, putting on his slightly crooked newsboy cap properly. Cheerful-looking little shit is an asshole.

A scumbag who bites his own master. The one who looks so jolly as a partridge will bite you in the ass.

Especially in a medium like gaming, drama, or movies.

Rick casually changed the subject.

"I'm just finishing up an errand for a young lady, which is how we met, and I was wondering if you'd like me to help you get something, since I've got some time to kill anyway."

"I don't suppose that's the last thing Eleanor wants you to do?"

"Sometimes you have to play along, and as a noblewoman of honor, I'm sure she'd like to keep my squire from working too hard."

He's got one hell of a tongue.

My danger sensor went off again. Not a good sign.

I shook my head coldly and said.

"If you're going to make a big deal out of this, get lost."

"Haha, Young Master Nox, if you don't know your way around here, you're going to play right into the hands of con artists. No matter how deep your pockets are, money is money, and the less you spend, the better."

'You're the crook, you crazy bastard.'

I thought to myself for a moment and looked at the smiling boy in front of me.

What am I going to do about that traitorous son of a bitch.

Rick.

The villain of Chapter 3, the beginning of the Empire's plot to steal Eleanor, and the hidden traitor of the Arkheim Imperial Faction.

Why would a unit that stands at odds with the three major Dark Houses, including the Reinhafers, approach me?

I don't know why yet.

But nothing like this has ever happened in the game that I know of.

'Then I might as well figure it out now.'

Jumping to a quick conclusion, I put on a suitably mischievous face and nodded.

"Do as you please. But just know that if you start bothering me, I won't leave you alone."

As an aside, I immediately opened his status window to see what traits and stats he had.

Nope.

This asshole was definitely an unrecoverable rogue.

* * *

__________________

[Basic Info]

Name: Rick – Alias (Auschulz de Nefer)

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Race: Human-Demon

Primary Element: Earth

Achievements: -.

[Traits].

Positives: [Diplomacy] / [Gifted speech] / [Gifted memorization].

Neutral: -.

Negative: [Trickster] / [Bat] / [Sneaky] / [Traitor] / [Devil's Follower] / [Bird's Bluff] {1}

[Stats].

Physique: 4

MP: 4

Luck: 3

Willpower: 5

Charm: 12

[Skills].

Passive Skills: [Bargaining Compensation].

Active Skills: -.

__________________

* * *

As befits a guy with a negative trait like [Trickster].

Rick was very cunning.

Similar in temperament to his master, Eleanor, the 'fox of gold'. I realized that she trusted him for a reason.

"You don't need to buy a high quality orb for your Potions class; you can get a better one for free in later years."

"Pots and ladles for alchemy should be made of a special steel."

"Crafting is mostly done in the rainy potions room, so you only need the bare minimum. The shop you see in the back is connected to my Eleanor's shop, so they supply things cheaply."

"And let's see...."

I listen to him out of the corner of my eye, smiling slightly.

Having played the game, I already know what I need to buy and which ones are good to start with.

My only concern now is why this Rick guy approached me.

And he knows it, too.

He knows I'm not listening to him, that I'm suspicious of his intentions.

"Well, it looks like you've bought everything you need. I'll need to measure you for your school uniform, so you'll need to bring a maid later, and that green-haired… did you say Zitri?"

"You're quick on the uptake. I've never seen you memorize someone's maid's name."

"I have a rather good memory."

Rick laughed, a manly laugh, then looked at me for a moment.

He was short, but somehow I felt uncomfortable.

Like I was facing a great threat.

But that's who I am now.

The scion of House Reinhafer. I am what I am.

I have no reason to be embarrassed.

"You've helped me out of nowhere, so I'm going to have to help you out of nowhere."

"What are you talking about?"

I said, and then, ignoring Rick, I grabbed him by the throat and drove him into a deserted alleyway, pinned him against the wall, and opened my mouth with a cold sneer.

"Why did you approach me?"

As it turns out, I realized that Rick had made contact with me quite impatiently. He was trying to convince me of his usefulness, as if he were trying to win me over to his side.

If I played my cards right, I could get him to spill his guts.

"Haha… that's pretty straightforward."

Rick paused. For the briefest of moments, I saw his expression change and then return. I was sure.

He was aiming for something.

"Perhaps I should talk to Young Master Nox sooner rather than later."

Rick smirked.

"But before we do, I have one question for the Young Master."

"And if I refuse?"

"You won't get the information you want, and I'm sure you're wondering why I approached you, too, aren't you?"

That cut deep.

However, my trait, Master of Acting, is not easily swayed by such things.

"I may have to torture you to get you to talk."

"Uh-oh. That's a bit… okay, I'll get one thing out of the way up front: I'm not here to see you at Lady Eleanor's request."

"…I see."

As expected.

The calm and collected Eleanor would have given orders to investigate me, but she wouldn't have approached me so rashly.

After all, it's Rick's word against mine.

The reason, of course, has to do with the conflict between the Arkheim Empire and the Dark House.

The main story in Chapter 3.

The battle between the three groups: the Empire, the Nobles, and the Lunatics (the Dark House).

In this episode, House Rivalin is attacked by the Emperor and nearly destroyed.

If you don't save House Rivalin here?

A bad ending.

Things will go straight to the worst.

The reason is simple.

There will be no one left to keep the Empire in check.

Dead men tell tales of decay.

This is why it's only meaningful to slay demons while leaving forces to keep each other in check.

Let them help each other.

At least, if humans and beastmen don't unite in one place, it's impossible to clear this damn game of difficulty.

But Rick won't see that future. Besides, he's a traitor.

His reasons for contacting me are also impure.

I crossed my arms and glared at him.

The words came out of Rick's mouth, unexpected and surprising.

"You don't honestly think that the rebellion in the Underworld will succeed, do you?"

"Ha, so. You're asking me to become a front man for the Holy Family, abandoning the Dark Family?"

"...That's quite a dangerous thing to say, isn't it?"

You're the one who's dangerous, asshole.

Rick already knew that the Dark Houses had begun to turn against the Emperor. Another dangerous man, he thought.

In truth, the Dark Houses' rebellion was inevitable. The House of Arkheim, Princess Penelope's family.

At the time of the establishment of the early nation, it openly gave preference to the holy family and ignored the dark family even with the help of the dark family.

The war between the two groups is a foregone conclusion.

'But it's not something a mere squire could know.'

I continue calmly.

"And neither do you. Answer the questions I ask. Unless you want to die."

"You're making a point, yes. That's right, I think Young Master Knox could be of service to the Empire."

Rick didn't hide his true feelings.

Well, he must have thought I was the right man for the job.

A scion of a dark family, a raggedy youngster known to the world as an outcast.

But also an up-and-coming knight who has recently proven himself.

I publicly despise my family. It's known.

So Rick is giving you a choice.

Betray the House.

Abandon Rinehafer and join the side of the Holy Empire, and you will be rewarded handsomely.

'The Dark Houses are difficult to defeat, even for the Holy Empire. Even with all the knights and wizards of the Arkheim Empire, the Dark Houses' ubiquitous poisoning is virtually unstoppable. Even if they win the war, their power will be weakened and they may be attacked by neighboring nations.

The Underworld.

They've infiltrated every city, and it's difficult to reduce their numbers once and for all.

That's why the Emperor plans to bring them down by planting rebellious molecules from within.

A mole planted at the top of Eleanor to do just that.

That's who Rick is.

The Emperor's desires are simple. He needs supplies for his war, countless gold coins, and to get them, he's going to subjugate Rivalin to the Empire.

I clicked my tongue and crinkled my brow.

The Emperor's dog. Rick the liar.

He was so sure I wouldn't refuse his offer.

'Actually, there's nothing wrong with his offer. I have to get out of the house, and I have to use it, and it's probably the best way to cut ties with Reinhafer.

But.

"That's not going to work."

I had to say that.

Rick looks a little surprised.

Which is understandable. Nox was a villain in the first place. He's the one who gets possessed by Baal and becomes the final boss of Part 1.

In other words, he developed in opposition to the Arkheim Empire.

What if he sided with the Emperor?

Of course, things would get completely out of hand.

It's a choice I could never make.

I cannot be a part of the Arkheim Empire.

I am evil, and they are not necessarily good.

Nor are humans necessarily good.

The world of Inner Lunatic is such a place.

It's a classic, canonical fantasy world where the winner defines justice.

However, it is a world where humans are externally centered.

It's a world where they are seen as the one good.

So I have to be the antithesis of that. That's how Nox von Reinhafer as a villain would be complete.

"Well, I understand, but… if at any time you change your mind, please contact me privately. This is my private line."

Rick said with a wistful look on his face. He then extended forth a crystal ball of his own.

Then, at that moment.

Thwack.

(seuleung.)

I laughed and drew my sword.

"What the…!"

As Rick gave me a puzzled look, I held my sword upright and promptly sliced the crystal in half. The sword's dance was monotonous.

One step, and less than a second later, it was in pieces on the floor.

Rick looked puzzled for the first time.

I rhymed with a wicked grin.

"You insult me or my family one more time, and next time I'll wring your neck."

Rick gritted his teeth.

"You already know who's behind ..., do you think he'd tolerate that?"

"Forgive? Do I need to remind you that it's a luxury to wish such a thing on me?"

"...."

There was a reason why he was being so forceful, to the point of being a little over the top.

It was one of Rick's traits. It was [Bird's Bluff].

Yes, he pretends to be strong, but it's just a bluff. He's a weak, weak, weak character who is infinitely vulnerable to real power.

So.

My actions were justified. Whatever.

"Go fuck yourself."

Before I cut off your sorry ass head right now.

I'm probably a crazed psychopath for adding that.

I'm starting to think that being an asshole is kind of fun.

'That's kind of refreshing.'

* * *

Orientation classes are coming to a close.

Some of the subjects were familiar to me from the game, and others were from the books I'd read before entering Eldain.

It was almost embarrassing how easy the material was.

In this world, they are adults, but in my reality, they are still only in middle school.

I wouldn't expect them to be able to do much academically yet.

Unless they're geniuses.

"Good to see you. It's 'again', I'm Vernon. I'm your instructor for this lesson in [horsemanship]. I'll be teaching you a lot of things along with basic fitness, so stay tuned!"

"...."

-Isn't that the crazy instructor from back then?

-Bald…?

-Be careful. Calling a non-bald person bald is fine, but calling a bald person bald is just plain rude.

-Ohh….

I hear a murmur of voices.

Vernon cleared his throat, trying to calm himself.

A few more words, and he's ready to punch a student without hesitation… The tendons sprouting from his fists. I should probably be careful.

Anyway.

Instructor Vernon began to talk about his subject.

"First, let me introduce you to this place. This is Clariel Plains. It exists on the grounds of Eldain Academy, and is a vast expanse of very fine vegetation. You will be learning the basics of riding here. Now, all of you, mount your assigned horses, or those you have brought with you."

Boredom crossed the faces of the nobles, and the commoners were bewildered.

Commoners, of course, had never ridden a horse before.

Aristocrats, on the other hand, have already learned how to ride a horse. Naturally, there are differences between the two.

In my case….

Although it's too light.

Heh!

My mount greeted me with a long, loud clatter.

All eyes are on me.

Why?

Because he's a fine horse.

I feel a momentary sense of superiority, enjoying the superior ride of an Obsidian.

Oh well. That's what you get for being dead.