Chapter 34 : Informal speech (2)

One of the top priorities I set when I fell into the game ‘Death’s Blessing’ was to secure the protagonist beforehand.

The Unblessed One.

Born of royal lineage, but an unfortunate child abandoned because he lacked the blessing most in the Land of Prosperity possessed.

“…Lucky bastard.”

However, since all blessings turn into curses by the start of the main story, lacking a blessing is actually fortunate.

Take the ‘Blessing of Unerring Aim’ bestowed upon me as a prime example.

Right now, it’s an overpowered blessing making all ranged attacks hit, but later it becomes a curse where the 7th attack always hits a loved one.

Well. If you know beforehand, you can prepare sufficiently. Thanks to that, I managed to sell fraudulent goods to that devil fellow too.
Giving the devil control over the 7th Magic Bullet is an incredibly high price assuming the blessing exists, but…

Ultimately. You have to fight without blessings later on.

Furthermore, considering what the devil would do, the two penalties are practically identical. What the devil would do borrowing my bullet would mostly be aimed at my family.

Still. Taking the soul was an absolutely unacceptable price.

I thought I had already given enough. Giving me a few measly dark magic spells and taking my soul?

Taking the 7th Magic Bullet, and even my soul. I could understand why people loathed and feared devils so much. The problem was I had no choice.

“Unni. Are you okay?”

Just as I was immersed in uncomfortable feelings, a cute voice was heard.

“Ah. Enhen. Don’t worry. Just a bit tired from sparring.”

I forced a smile and reassured my sister. My lovely younger sister.

To protect Enhen, I could do anything. Selling my soul, helping the protagonist fellow I disliked.

Enhen hesitated, looked at me earnestly with her round eyes, and said.

“Um. Caspar. Aren’t you tormenting him too much?”

Hooo.

This again?

I didn’t say that Caspar becomes strong enough to easily kill demigods later, so he needed taming while still weak. Nor did I say I disliked my beloved sister caring about such a scoundrel.

Instead, I smiled lightly and nodded.

“Right. You must have visited Caspar again. Enhen.”

Saying so, I stroked Enhen’s head. The child’s soft skin gave me a sense of stability and responsibility.

“Mhm… Seeing his wounds, he looked like he was about to die. I went because I was scared… S-Sorry. Unni.”

“No. No need to be sorry at all. My sister. This big sister will grant whatever you wish. However… Don’t forget to act like nobility.”

Always elegant and dignified. Show a perfect appearance that no political enemy can bite into.

Gain trust by keeping promises. Make a habit of valuing honor.

I nagged Enhen again with such things. They were amusing to me, a modern person, but here, they were actually effective virtues.

“Giving punishment arbitrarily. Giving rewards without conditions, neither is acceptable. Rewards and punishments must always be strict for subordinates to follow.”

“B-But Unni… You’re too harsh only on Caspar. His limbs were broken just a few days ago, and today… you even cracked his head.”

Not wrong.

Especially considering Enhen, whom I overprotect, is the same age as Caspar.

However, the Unblessed One, Caspar, is slightly different. He’s a unique specimen, born innately with a different skeletal structure.

He possesses resilience that leaves no aftereffects from injuries, and grows immensely through the process. Especially his adaptive ability to analyze opponents and his reflexes are truly terrifying.

According to him, all opponents he can face have fixed patterns. Even thrown into a wolf pack, after being bitten a few times, he doesn’t get hit at all.

Also, it’s not like his combat ability itself rises; if the beast is slightly different, he gets hit a few times again. Though he adapts quickly to that too, it means his fundamental combat level doesn’t rise easily.

The ability to analyze the opponent and counter. That was Caspar’s true strength.

Yes. Truly an ability befitting the protagonist of a ‘Soulslike’ game.

Opponents seeming like insurmountable walls can be dared after dozens of attempts, and the techniques of warriors of adversity or divine beings can be figured out after seeing them just a few times…

A talent for killing.

“Enhen. That’s… because I acknowledge him. Without putting forth that much strength, I cannot win.”

It was slightly shameful content to say in front of my sister, but it was true.

Enhen asked me, her sapphire-like eyes wide and clear.

“Huh? Unni? What… does that mean?”

What else? It means I’ve shown my hand.

Thanks to the devil’s power, my physique is superior, allowing me to overwhelm him. In terms of pure skill, I’ve already lost.

“Enough. You may go now, Enhen. Study hard.”

Enhen seemed to regard me as some absolute and perfect being. Well, how much effort did I put into appearing that way?

***

That evening. Things happened suddenly.

Dark night. Under the cover of darkness, Caspar infiltrated my bedroom.

“Ugh. Wh-What! Assassin-. Mmph!”

Cold sweat trickled down my neck. How, how on earth did that guy…?

Since no one is allowed into my bedroom at night, my voice echoed emptily.

I had been complacent because security was thorough with dark magic, there were many servants, and crucially, few people were stronger than me…

“You too, must know honor. Duke.”

I was mistaken.

Mistakenly thought Caspar was merely a physically strong warrior.

Even though the ‘protagonist’… wasn’t that kind of existence.

Wasn’t the protagonist of Soulslike games typically a hero of the age, skilled in all magic and myriad weapons, possessing an immortal will? Just lacking detailed description.

Given enough time and persistence, infiltrating my bedroom wouldn’t have been difficult. He was a natural assassin capable of backstabbing without presence even a few steps away.

My hand trembles slightly.

I won’t die. Thanks to dark magic, getting stabbed in the neck won’t kill me instantly. I should be able to capture him again somehow.

However. My reputation will be utterly shattered.

From the young girl who revived the ducal house, to a whore who sold her soul to the devil.

From a promising and powerful Duke, to a blockhead who allowed an assassin into her bedroom.

However… What Caspar wanted was completely different.

“Duel me again. Duke. This time… without that filthy magic. With swords, fair and square.”

The boy said so, eyes blazing.

“…What?”

“Let’s duel honorably. I won’t kill you.”

With dazed eyes, I looked down at Caspar’s forearm pressing against my chest. His arm slowly released, and the dagger at my throat slowly moved away.

“Hut, Heek.”

A shrill sound escaped my lips. Caspar looked at me like that and spoke with a heated voice.

“I don’t genuinely hate you. After all, you saved me. But… I am done being treated like a toy anymore.”

“…Intended to put a leash on you and use you as a guard dog. Insolent, thing.”

A tiger is a tiger, perhaps.

My own capacity must have been insufficient. Would Enhen have been able to handle it better?

“This is the only way I know. Because this was the only way you taught me. I apologize for that.”

Clink.

The boy aimed his sword at me and declared.

“Agathe. If… I defeat you. Grant me equal standing. The right to fight beside you. The right not to use honorifics before you.”

“Do you. Know what you are saying. How dare you, without even a blessing…”

My angry words broke off midway, fading weakly. Because I knew.

“I know you, Agathe. Fighting shows the opponent’s information and life. You’re not someone who values status itself that much. What matters is the person’s worth.”

Grit.

Just. Thought he was just a fledgling who could fight a bit…

“Enhen. Taught you?”

“That too.”

My blue eyes turned cold. Mana imbued my pale skin. The Blessing of Unerring Aim.

But Caspar didn’t fear, seemingly sizing me up.

“Fine. If you prove it… I will acknowledge you. What do you want, Caspar.”

He bared his teeth, smiled, and replied.

“I told you. The right to speak informally. That’s enough.”

.
.
.

Though my memory isn’t perfect, omitting many parts, exaggerating, or confusing some details, that day roughly flowed like this.

Well……

The fight that day, naturally, ended with my defeat.

The fact that my stats were high and Caspar was young didn’t matter. When the strategy of pushing him with magic until he collapsed from exhaustion failed, all that remained was pure skill.

Originally, even in Soulslike games, isn’t it possible to defeat the final boss with starting stats if skill is sufficient? Having had my patterns read for years, there was no way I could win.

And.

After that day. My relationship with Caspar progressed quite a bit.

Language is also a framework of perception, and there needed to be a reason for Caspar to suddenly drop formalities with the Duke.

The appearance to show the servants on the surface, that is.

A young girl, just entering puberty, falling for the boy she usually bullied had sufficient plausibility.

Back then, I just thought the excuse of puberty was really convenient, without any other thoughts, but…

Thinking now, it’s fortunate. Otherwise, I might have lost Caspar to Enhen.