230 Just Like the Original Story

Still, I was the one who’d goaded her into the match in the first place.

I never imagined he’d actually lay a hand on her.

"Was there really a need to hit her just now?" I asked.

"Haha! You say the most amusing things, Weiss. You really are just like that Allen fellow, aren't you?"

"I’ve told you before: I’m nothing like him. I’m simply talking about basic decency."

"Is this truly the eldest son of House Fanscent speaking? I took the liberty of looking into you, Weiss. You used to be quite the fan of slaves, weren't you? If you’re going to lecture me on decency, perhaps you should settle the accounts regarding your maid’s past first. Lilith Scarlet has a lovely face, but she’s left a trail of misery in her wake. Should I list her victims for you one by one?"

The guy was surgically poking me with verbal needles, relentlessly hitting every raw nerve.

This might be the first time anyone has actually managed to rattle me this much.

But everything he was throwing at me belonged to the past. More importantly, the "Weiss" he was talking about was me, yet not me at the same time. I just have to fight him in the present.

Still, his attitude made one thing clear: he viewed me as an enemy. He was establishing the hierarchy before we even started the real games.

Cecil finally found her voice. "Neil-san, we didn't come here to trade insults."

"I imagine not. And don't worry, I’m not angry. If anything, I’m delighted that such bright individuals reached out to me."

"Delighted?" Cecil echoed.

"My personal feelings can wait. So, what’s your business?"

So he’s categorized us as 'usable trash' then? I thought. Hmph. As arrogant as ever.

I decided it was time to get to the point.

"It's about the slaves. We want to know your intentions behind advancing enslavement efforts in illegal territories."

At my question, Neil’s ever-composed mask flickered for just a moment. After weighing our options, we’d decided to just throw a straight fireball of a question and see how he reacted. I wanted to see how a villain with that much pride would respond.

"...You two are certainly interesting."

"Well? Neil-senpai, you aren't planning on building a slave army or something, are you?"

"Haha!"

As I pressed him, I felt a faint trace of Mana leak from Priscilla. They say a Slave Crest reacts physically when the slave senses ill-will toward their master.

And then, he said it.

"That’s exactly right."

...Wait, what?

"I’m intending to gather a vast number of combat slaves to form a private military. The Slave Crest is a masterpiece—it suppresses emotions, places a Restriction on actions, and allows one to dominate the world without risk. Please, don't misunderstand; I’m not doing this because I enjoy causing suffering. It’s simply natural for the competent to stand above the rest. This world is far too full of useless trash as it is."

"...In other words, you want to be a King?"

"Something like that. When trash sits at the top, no one can be happy. People are forced to taste bitterness simply because of incompetence. I only wish to correct the world's course. I don't care how many sacrifices it takes to reach that goal."

His words and his tone were exactly—and I mean exactly—as they were in the Original Story.

Neil was evil. But he wasn't your run-of-the-mill psychopath with a warped personality. In a twisted way, his sense of justice was so absolute it had punctured through the other side.

In most fiction, villains flaunt their power for no reason or try to destroy the world just because the plot demands it. But in reality, almost no one acts like that.

Evil is just another version of justice.

Much like how Allen and I had clashed before, Neil was simply looking at the world through a different lens. In his own mind, he was trying to build a better world.

The truth was, plenty of people succeeded solely because they were born into a noble title. And, as Neil pointed out, that included plenty of "useless trash." He wanted to strip them of their power and replace them with the elite individuals he deemed worthy. A meritocratic utopia.

There would be obstacles, of course. To crush them, he needed an invincible army.

So that’s his 'perfect plan.'

"I’ve told you this because it’s you two. I’m dead serious. I’ve asked Eva to join me as well, but I haven't been able to get a 'yes' out of her yet."

Neil’s eyes were terrifyingly pure. In that regard, he actually resembled Allen.

In the Original Story, Allen and Neil barely spoke to one another. But now, I finally understood the real reason those two were destined to clash.

At their core, they were identical. Their methods were just polar opposites.

If Neil were just a simple, mustache-twirling villain, I could just crush him and be done with it. But it wasn't that simple. He had his own convictions. I had no justification to strike him down here, and even if I did, it would be meaningless. After all, at this point in time, he hadn't actually done anything yet.

Memories of the Original Story flashed through my mind.

Cecil was the next to speak. "...I’m not denying that the competent should lead, but history shows that such systems almost never succeed. If anything, I think it only leads to further oppression of those at the bottom."

"I’m well aware of that. But I will see it through, regardless of the cost. Just imagine it—I don't even have to be the one leading the charge. For instance, take Milk Abitus. Suppose she became an Attendant Knight powerful enough to hold the reins of the Royal Capital. How would the world change? Cecil Antwerp, if you had a voice as a high-ranking secretary, how much better could you make this world? Weiss, if your Fiancé Cynthia became the Queen, what would change for the children who don't even know if they’ll eat tomorrow?"

...I’m not falling for it.

The man was a silver-tongued devil spinning pipe dreams. It was impossible. Even if he got close to his ideal, the mountain of corpses required to get there would be staggering. You can't justify that.

But... I saw Cecil’s expression waver for a split second.

She had been born with low Mana and had suffered for it her whole life. The Original Story mentioned that she’d once dreamed of changing a world that valued Mana above all else. She likely had a burning desire to fix the system herself.

However—

"There’s no point in indulging in such fantasies. It’s pure ego," I snapped. "Maintaining a slave army is a gross violation of human rights. And that’s just the start. The sacrifices would be endless."

"I know that. But it’s obvious that even more people will suffer if we maintain the status quo. That’s why it has to be now. You understand, don't you?"

"And I suppose this 'process' includes not even allowing your juniors to enjoy a game to their satisfaction?" I bit back sharply.

But the final, heartless answer came from Priscilla.

"I will not tolerate any further insults toward Master Neil."

Her Mana was staggering—an oppressive weight in the room. She was clearly sensing my hostility.

The conversation was over. Cecil didn't say another word.

---

"Thank you for coming," Priscilla said, bowing as we reached the gate.

Her movements were graceful, polite, and entirely robotic. As we climbed into the carriage, Cecil called out to her one last time.

"Priscilla-senpai... shall we play Universe again sometime?"

There was no answer. Priscilla simply stood there in silence. But in that moment, I noticed something. Her hands were trembling, just a tiny bit.

Maybe what that guy said isn't entirely wrong. But I still can't accept it. And that's fine. It’s impossible for people to truly understand one another.

"Fansent-kun."

"...Yeah?"

Cecil spoke up once the carriage started moving. Honestly, I didn't know what to say to her.

But she surprised me. "Neil-san’s way of thinking is wrong. And I think Priscilla-san knows it, too. I can't forgive what he's doing."

"...What makes you say that?"

"She said it was her first time playing Universe, right? I don't believe her."

"Well, she was probably watching from Neil's side all this time. That would explain why she's so good."

"Maybe. But you don't get that strong just by watching. Besides... even if it was just for a moment, she looked like she was having fun while playing against me. I’m sure of it. I only noticed because it was me."

I see.

So those trembling hands hadn't been a hallucination. My path was clear. Before the final showdown with Neil, I had to dig into Priscilla’s background. She was a character who had exited the Original Story with her mysteries intact. She’d never even stepped into the spotlight like this in the original timeline.

This was another divergence. Her loyalty was clearly higher here. But unlike the game, I had the freedom to act. My mission was set.

Cecil looked uncharacteristically mournful. I assumed she was wrestling with her inner turmoil...

...Until she spoke again.

"I want to... I want to play Battle Universe with Priscilla-san again! It’s too sad that I can’t play with someone that strong anymore! —Ah! Don't get the wrong idea, okay?! It’s not like I just want to play a game or anything!"

It went without saying that as she stubbornly tried to deny it, Cecil looked exactly like a child throwing a tantrum.

Well, in a sense, I guess that’s just like the Original Story.

---

Afterword:

And that's a wrap on the chapter where Neil's true colors start to show. Even if he’s a villain, a Noblesse villain isn't stupid. So, what’s next? How will Neil move?

By the way, tomorrow’s update will be around 5,000 characters, so expect two days in a row of high-volume content! The next part is pretty shocking—or rather, the story is going to start moving very quickly, so look forward to it!

It’s the final day of the Kakuyomu Contest, and the total word count has surpassed 100,000! Every character is being written to be as charming and compelling as possible, so please check them out!

[I obtained an Otherworld Guide Map 5.0 ★★★★★ (57,894 Reviews), so I will enjoy a carefree trip to another world relying on the Reviews] https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330669743197880

Also, for the final day, I’ve posted a [Short Story] in the [Otherworld Romance] genre. It’s a complete story at 10,000 characters and performed quite well on Narou, so I’m confident in the quality. I’d be honored if you gave it a read!

[I was broken off my engagement by the Count I had been pledged to since childhood, but I discovered a surprising fact a few years later, so I'm going to go meet him.] https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818023212800219516