VIP Early Access
Eksklusif untuk member VIP
Password Protected
Chapter ini dikunci dengan kode khusus
Chapter 3: Spin Doctor
THE calm before the storm—there’s no saying more apt to describe the eerie stillness enveloping this particular day.
“I will commence the summoning ritual…” Atou announced. “It should turn out fine since it did with Isla, but please be on guard just in case.”
The Dark Elf Riflemen guarding the area nodded.
Atou was attempting to summon another Hero in the same Ceremonial Grounds where they had summoned Isla, Queen of Bugs. This time they would be using piles of gold in the ritual. They’d obtained the gold when they defeated Brave Questers’ Demon Lord Army, and the Ceremonial Grounds were practically buried underneath the coin mountains.
The cost of a Hero increases with each summon.
Еn u m̈ а̇
More than half of those mountains of gold would be consumed in this summoning. They would still have plenty left over, but they couldn’t keep using their money like it grew on trees anymore.
Atou deliberately didn’t invite Gia, Elder Moltar, Emle, or the Elfuur Sisters to this ritual. Vittorio was a professional cozener. Atou wanted to prevent him from misleading them before she could explain things.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Vittorio’s skillset was unique. Even Atou couldn’t predict what would happen, so she performed the summoning ritual with the utmost caution and apprehension.
A few moments after she closed her eyes…a change occurred to the mountain of gold. The gold coins began to float as if gravity had vanished around them. Then, as if blown away by a gust of wind, they flew in an arc that formed a small tornado and converged in the center of the Ceremonial Grounds.
The golden whirlwind gradually increased its density and speed and eventually transformed into a single mass. Then the spherical mass slowly took on the shape of a human, and suddenly exploded with a sound like shattering glass.
“Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittoooorio is here! I gleefully present myself upon receiving your copacetic summoooooooonz!”
Е n̈ ǔ m̊ ä
IT appeared. Standing well over six-foot-five. Despite being taller than most, his gaunt physique and unhealthy complexion made him come across as someone who made their living conning people on the side of the street for food. His limbs were abnormally long, and his eyes gleamed with a bone-chilling blackness. He wore clothes reminiscent of gloomy darkness as if to represent his affiliation with Mynoghra, but the design was beyond mortal understanding. On top of his head sat the oddest-looking hat.
More than anything else, the sly expression on his face, as if he couldn’t hide his inclination to lie, spoke volumes about what kind of Hero he was.
Atou studied him amid the Riflemen’s audible gasps, observing his every move.
Before long, the new Hero—Vittorio—performed an overly exaggerated bow and scrape, then raised his gaze to appraise the group that summoned him.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Oh dear?”
A contrived display of surprise.
Е̊ ňu ḿ â
“Oh dear, dearie, dear, deaaar?”
A contrived display of confusion.
Every little action of his irritated Atou and made her wary. This was Vittorio, all right. The creature she had summoned was the Hero Atou despised down to a T. Which was exactly what made him more dangerous and unpredictable than anything else.
“Where art moi’s preeminent King Takuto Ira, the great darkness of the abyssssss?” Vittorio asked.
Atou was relieved those were his first words. She had already witnessed Isla’s loyalty after summoning, but that didn’t ease her fears that Vittorio might not acknowledge Takuto as his master.
No, it was far too early to relax. An endless abyss was more forthcoming with its thoughts than the screwball grinning away like he just won the lottery as he gave his surroundings a once over. Knowing him, he was likely coming up with a thousand schemes behind that frivolous and goading smile of his.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
But the die had already been cast. Atou had summoned him to borrow his power, so borrow his power she would. Her first course of action was to explain the situation to him and request his cooperation.
Tension running through her, Atou steeled herself for the chaos that was sure to ensue and finally engaged the master swindler.
“Thank you for coming, Vittorio,” she said. “Allow me to explain the situation with King Takuto.”
“Well, well, well! What do we have here? Why, if it isn’t it sludgy Atou?! You have my utmost condolences—pft—for your eternally one-dimensional appearance! Buahaha!”
Vittorio’s first words were an insult.
Atou ignored him, a blue vein bulging along her temple. If she let him provoke her with such a childish comment, she wouldn’t be able to face Takuto when he woke up.
Е ñ ûṁа̌
The most important thing in this moment was Takuto’s well-being and recovery. In other words, Atou’s pride and fury had no place here. Her primary goal was to move things along, which would in turn aid Takuto.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
I’ll suck it up for right now, she thought, but I have every intention of making him pay for calling my chest one-dimensional later…
“You can make all the off-handed comments you want later,” Atou said, her expression taut. “You will listen to my explanation on King Takuto and this world first.”
“Mmm, listen to youuuu…?” Vittorio rubbed his chin and wrinkled his brow, showing his utmost distaste at the idea before prompting, “Go on theeeen?”
Atou expected that level of disrespect; it didn’t ruffle her. She actually felt a tad surprised he didn’t say more to provoke her. From all appearances, Vittorio seemed like he wanted to gather information as soon as possible too. She was stunned to learn he had enough sense to worry after his master’s well-being, but at least now she could safely assume they had made it past the first crucial step of this exchange.
Ё n ü mа
“I’ll do just that. It’s a long story, but hear me out until the end. I’m going to start from the time we arrived in this world—”
The Dark Elf Riflemen guarded the grounds, so Atou couldn’t delve into matters concerning their past lives or Eternal Nations. She picked her words carefully as she related everything that had happened to her and Takuto since arriving in this world, finishing with the great battle that resulted in their current predicament.
◇◇◇
“BAH! This all happened because of your utter incompetence! Do your damn job, sludge tits!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“GRRRR!”
Atou was experiencing the very definition of having to bite her tongue. She had no rebuttal for Vittorio’s lambasting. Or rather, she had to refrain from talking back. How could she argue when Vittorio was absolutely right and her powerlessness created this situation?
Е́ nũ mа̄
Could she really call herself the king’s right hand when she couldn’t protect him? Feelings of remorse consumed Atou.
Not only did I not protect him, but I landed him in this position because he had to protect me! she lamented. Atou was powerless to call herself Takuto’s Hero right now.
“Aaaaaaah! Poor King Takuto! My condolences to the king for being stuck protecting and babying the incompetent! Alack, I can’t belieeeeeve he’s bedridden after having to wipe your arses for you! Woe is he! Yet, glorious King of Darkness, Takuto Ira! You, my greatness, are at fault for committing one damning blunder! What, you ask? Why, you mistook the first Hero to summon, my lieeeeeeeege! And whooooo was it that you truly needed as your one and only Hero? Yes! It’s moi, Vittorio!”
Atou’s irritation ballooned all throughout Vittorio’s long-winded speech. But she had enough restraint not to play into his hand by exploding with reckless anger. She took deep breaths, maintaining her composure to drive home she wasn’t to be played today.
“I’ll accept your criticism for now,” she allowed. “Returning King Takuto to full health comes before all else. Vittorio…we don’t know how to get King Takuto’s strength back. Please lend us your wisdom and ability.”
“Hm? Hm-hm-hmmmm? That’s an aaaaaawfully commendable approach for you, sludgy Atou! And it bores me to tears!”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Was everything he said up until this point solely to tease and provoke me? Atou wondered.
Discovering she wouldn’t take the bait, Vittorio grew disinterested and crouched to apathetically draw in the dirt with his long, bony finger. Then, out of the blue, he cried out.
“Oh! I just thought up a brilliant plan! Holy crap— Er, ahem,” Vittorio cleared his throat, trying to cover up the fact he switched his speech mannerism from sounding more old-timey to slang. “It’s true our king’s plight is a national crisis we cannot overlook. Vittorio here will put his whole heart and soul into resolving this problem for King Takuto. Let us do everything it takes to restore the king’s mind! You can leave it aaaaaaaaall to me, sludgy Atou! To me, Vittoriooooo! Set your mind at ease and put moi in charge…of everyyyyyyything! Seriously, all of it.”
“…I leave it all in your hands.”
Atou had no other answer to give.
She had at least put in the request for Vittorio to look into a way to cure Takuto as she had hoped, but as every word of his oozed with the pungent smell of a swindler working his magic, Atou felt nothing but dread for the future.
Е̊n̂ û m а̌
◇◇◇
AFTER Vittorio joined Mynoghra and had his long-sought-after audience with an amnesic Takuto, he swiftly met with the empire-management council members. With that all finished, Mynoghra had high hopes he’d get straight to work, only to experience an onslaught of nauseating and mentally straining nightmarish days.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“WHAAAAAT! ISSSSS! THIIIIISSSS?!”
Upon one such miserable day, Emle, who had risen up the ranks and attained an important position within Mynoghra, was so busy with paperwork that she no longer even knew what her job was. Vittorio had seemingly appeared out of thin air and was looming right above her, ogling the documents she was compiling.
“Eeek!” she let out a cry, startled by his sudden appearance. She hadn’t sensed him at all. Quickly trying to compose herself, she answered his query politely, “U-Um… I’m summarizing what happened earlier.”
In all honesty, she couldn’t stand this whacky Hero who always had a leering grin on his face. However, she couldn’t just ignore him when he was tasked with the crucial mission of finding a cure for Takuto.
Ŵ еb̃nо v̀е̊ ĺ Е.nů m а̇
“Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh?! A so-called report, is it, hmm? Then excuse me as I take a looky…” Meanwhile, Vittorio seemed oblivious to Emle’s feelings as he roughly snatched the papers from her and read them from beginning to end, making obnoxious comments along the way. “Mm-hm, mm-hm. Huh. What?! Oh. Ah, I see, I see. Haaaaaaaaaaaa.”
He ended in a very loud sigh.
Emle had heard plenty of stories from Vittorio’s victims about just how troublesome and obnoxious he could be. She’d also received advice from Atou, so she planned on just playing along with him until he left her alone. Unfortunately, she let her annoyance over him taking such an attitude with the reports and records she worked on at the cost of her precious sleep dash those plans.
“Is there a problem?” she asked, irked.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Nah? No problems here? Nothing much really? It’s just…weeeeeeell…you know?”
“What is it?!”
Е n_um̆а
Emle had reached her limit. She knew he was provoking her, and she took the bait. No one could blame her for it either. Neither Mynoghra nor the Dark Elf clans had such a morally bankrupt sociopath like him before. When Emle thought back on her life, only the Elf Chiefs ever lobbed similar inciting words at her, and compared to the huckster in front of her, their remarks felt more like child’s play.
Everyone living in Mynoghra, not just Emle, had never encountered such an extreme and troublesome person before. In a sense, the residents of Mynoghra were in the midst of a trial that tested their patience.
And Emle’s trial had just commenced against her will.
“It’s just…you lack awareness,” Vittorio said, his grin deepening.
“Excuse me? A-Awareness?” Emle parroted.
“Hoooow to put it? You aren’t zealous enough, maybe? Don’t you hold an important position in Mynoghra, mon saucisson? You aren’t embarrassed to receive a salary for such slipshod work, mm?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Emle was assaulted by a storm of insults, scathing criticism, and scornful laughter like a piece of clothing hung out to dry in a hurricane. Most of what Vittorio said went right over her head, but she could tell he was mocking her. You didn’t need to understand what the man was saying when his purposeful looks and unrelenting sneer said it at all. She couldn’t sense anything from him but his desire to deride her.
“Th-Then tell me specifically what I must do! I would really appreciate your guidance!” Emle shouted angrily. It was rare for the usually calm and rational Dark Elf to let her emotions get the better of her.
And this reaction was exactly what Vittorio was fishing for.
“Think for yourself. You’re a working adult, aren’t’cha?”
“HUUUUUUUH?! Youuuuuuuuuuu!!!”
Vittorio’s remark turned Emle’s face red with anger.
Е nù ḿ а. і̃ḋ
“Eeeeeeep! Oh noooooo, the angry beast is after me. And so, it’s time for me to bid you ado! Fare thee well! Ciao!”
Either satisfied with her outburst or just plain bored of messing with her, Vittorio departed as theatrically and mysteriously as he’d appeared. Glaring daggers at his departing form, Emle gnashed her teeth in frustration.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
◇◇◇
ON another day, Vittorio targeted the Dark Elf Warriors. They were the forces led by Gia, who strove daily to further their training for the sake of king and country.
“Oh, what’s this I see? Why, it’s the Dark Elves armed with the firearms bestowed upon them by King Takutoooo! Now ’tis a sight for sore eyes!”
Once again that man appeared like black smoke. He crept up on them without their realizing it because they were in the middle of training—yet they should’ve noticed him because their senses were honed!
Е̇nu m̆ а̄ . і d
Warrior Captain Gia received him as his thoughts whirled with questions about the methods Vittorio used to sneak up on them. “Yes, with the weapons from the Land of the Gods given to us by the king, we have become a more powerful force than ever before. We are working daily to improve our skills and become a better sword and shield for our king.”
“If that’s truuuuuue, then King Takuto must be perfectly safe thanks to you, nooooooo?!”
“Oof!” Gia groaned. “…That’s…!” He lost all the enthusiasm and confidence he began the conversation with.
Vittorio already had a solid grasp on everything that had happened in Mynoghra before his arrival. He was deliberately drawing attention to the Warriors’ sore spot to get under their skin. Atou had thoroughly warned Gia about Vittorio, and Gia steeled himself for the fleecing to come.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“It huuurts. I huuurt…”
Yet rather than taunting them, Vittorio suddenly clutched his chest and fell to his knees as he began crying out in pain.
Ẃ.ēb̌n̂ о̆ v ё l Е̄n̆ u mā
“Wha—?! Wh-What’s wrong, Lord Vittorio?!”
Gia couldn’t ignore his pain. Atou had instructed him to ignore Vittorio in every way possible, but if he didn’t at least feign some concern, it could affect his standing as Warrior Captain. Besides, if Vittorio were genuinely ill or hurt, it would harm Mynoghra as a whole. With those thoughts in mind, Gia addressed Vittorio with worry, but…
“The injuries I sustained from you not protecting me huuuurt, Captain Gia.”
“Huh? What injuries are you talking—”
“I am merely speaking on behalf of the king.”
Vittorio’s insidiousness bundled up Gia’s concern for him and dropkicked it out of the picture.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“It huuurts. I huuurt… I’m gonna diiiie like this. All because a certain somebody failed to protect me, I’m gonna go bye-bye and die-die.”
“Wh-What the hell are you on about, man?! I won’t allow you to disrespect the king!”
Vittorio snapped straight back up on his feet, his expression dead serious as he stated, “I’m disrespecting you, not the king.”
Gia’s anger ballooned in response to Vittorio’s methodical provoking. Why does he play games like this? What did this man even come to Mynoghra for? Gia wondered. What in the Accursed Lands is he thinking and what is he trying to do by not fulfilling his own responsibilities and causing discord in the empire? I’ve heard that he has an incendiary temperament and likes to provoke and infuriate others, but this is too much.No matter how crucial this Hero is in restoring the king’s health, if things continue as they are, it could even lead to the nation’s collapse. And honestly, I highly doubt this man is capable of saving the king.
Gia was beginning to think that, depending on the situation, he might need to brace himself to deal with Vittorio in an entirely different way than he had first planned.
“I don’t deny that our inadequacy gave way to the king’s current crisis,” Gia conceded. “That’s a dishonor we must live with for the rest of our days. But is that really something for you to comment on, Lord Vittorio? Isn’t the fact His Majesty never called for you proof that he has no faith in your ability?”
W е̂bn̂ŏ v̀ӗl̊ Еn u ma
Gia seethed with anger. He possessed neither the self-restraint nor the soft-hearted temperament to silently stew in his anger like Emle. On the contrary, being criticized by someone who hadn’t gotten any results yet themselves only incited him to snap back.
The Dark Elf Warriors listening to the exchange felt the same as their Captain, and the atmosphere in the Training Grounds instantly grew unwelcoming toward Vittorio. Now, as for how Vittorio responded to being bathed in their contempt…
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Eeeep! Oh, how very scary! I’m gonna get killed by the Dark Elves who won’t be capable of much at this rate but have the gall to get angry at somebody else! Time for moi’s special move: fleeing the scene!”
“C-Come back here, Lord Vittorio! Damn!” Gia swore. “How’s he so fast?!”
Vittorio loved to stir people up and then beat it out of there. Was there meaning to these actions? Or was it simply his sick hobby…?
The mental damage caused by Vittorio rapidly spread through the empire, as if he’d completely tabled his mission to find a cure for Takuto to play mind games instead.
Ёn um̃а̊..і d
◇◇◇
TAKUTO was suffering from amnesia, so it was impossible for him to take over the baton of leadership as king. This resulted in all complaints and protests being lodged with Atou.
Sludge Atou was slumped over her desk with her head cradled in her hands, not caring one bit about keeping up prideful appearances as a Hero.
“S-So much worse than I thought. He’s so much more troublesome than even I could have imagined…” she groaned.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Our candies got taken away!” Maria huffed.
“He made off with all the sweets His Majesty gave us…” Caria puffed.
Е̃n̆ û m̌ а̌
Atou’s cheeks twitched as she forced a smile in response to the Elfuur Sisters’ cute rant. The sisters’ cheeks were completely puffed out as they fumed over their stash being snatched. They were Vittorio’s victims No. 1 and No. 2 today.
To the uninitiated, his harassment toward the twins might seem friendly compared to what he did to the others. However, Vittorio chose the best way to get under their skin after understanding that the sisters were still mentally young and acted on emotion rather than logic and reason. He went to the most nuclear option by stealing the sweets the twins had received directly from Takuto and had kept stashed away as their secret treasure.
The only silver lining was that he did this during the height of the afternoon—if he pulled the same stunt on the night of the full moon, Mynoghra would become bathed in blood. In Vittorio’s blood, of course. Although it was obvious that he’d timed his crimes perfectly during the day away from the full moon with the knowledge of what would happen if he hadn’t…
Atou looked away from the Elfuur Sisters, her gaze landing on Elder Moltar and Gia beside them. Her gaze moved further to find civil officials she often saw and Dark Elf citizens she rarely had anything to do with. To cap it all off, even Mynoghra’s Brain Eaters and Homunculus were in the room.
Everyone was here with complaints for Atou to hear. And all their complaints ended up being the same: do something about the freak whose only ability is harassing others instead of doing his job.
There was nothing she could do about him.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Is there any chance he’ll start listening if I knock his block off? Atou knew violence wouldn’t solve anything, but she continued to wrack her aching brain for a method to put Vittorio in his place. No matter how much she thought about it, no such method existed. If it did, she would have already made use of it.
Meanwhile, her troubles only escalated.
“W-We’ve got trouble!” Emle shouted as she raced into the room.
I spent hours listening to her complain yesterday. Did Vittorio pick on her again? Atou thought, but seeing Emle panicked caused her to wonder if a real problem had occurred.
“Did something happen?” Atou asked, frowning as she corrected herself. “Or rather, did Vittorio do something?”
“He left…”
Е nu m á . і d
“Huh?” Atou squawked before her mind completely processed what Emle meant.
“He left the city and went somewhere without telling anyone!”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“WHAAAAAAT?!” Atou belted out at the top of her lungs.
I screwed up! Her eyes widened with disbelief and her face filled with panic. Vittorio always exceeded her expectations…in the worst possible way. She knew that. She knew that but forgot. No. She knew but turned a blind eye to it. There’s no way he’ll go that far, she’d deluded herself.
Harsh reality always crushes false hope.
The boiling pot of trouble she’d put a lid on had finally exploded—and all hell broke loose.
W̌ ӗ b̂ n̆о̂_v́е̇l È nu ṁӓ
“Did Vittorio say anything?!” Atou asked in hysterics. “He’s not defecting, is he?! Not now of all times?!” She jumped to her feet, but standing didn’t change anything, so she slammed her hands on the table.
Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio is a Hero with an extremely unique disposition, even among all the crazy Heroes within Eternal Nations. What makes him so different is that he can’t be controlled. He’s a Hero who belongs to the Player’s empire yet won’t listen to any of the Player’s commands.
I didn’t think his inability to be controlled in the game would rear its ugly head in real life! He’s always been a Hero who doesn’t listen to others, but we’re screwed if we let him go off leash like this!
Heroes who don’t obey commands will act on their own and use their skills at their own discretion. Vittorio has an endless list of troublesome abilities, but the most dangerous is his ability to exercise some of the Player commands. Specifically, it’s possible for him to do all the actions that Commanders can in Eternal Nations, such as constructing facilities and unit production, researching and developing tech trees, and establishing cities—all at no cost to the empire.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
At first glance, having your empire be developed at no cost sounds like a huge advantage, but it’s actually a double-edged sword.
There is a balance to all things. An order in which things should be done. Choices that should and shouldn’t be made.
Ŵе̂b̊n̊о v̀ ѐ.l̂ Е̊ n u m̆ а̄
A Commander managing an empire selects actions based upon their strategies. These actions work in mutual effect, leading to the prosperity of the Player’s empire and the destruction of enemy empires. Only a child sticks their hands into every pot. Only a child thinks they can have their cake and eat it too. Some choices should be avoided at all costs.
And Vittorio disregards all such logic. He can outright ignore it. Ignore it and do whatever the hell he pleases—to friend and foe.
In other words, his actions can benefit and harm Mynoghra at the same time. Every time he exercises his abilities based on reasoning only he comprehends, he could be bringing unprecedented disadvantages to Mynoghra.
King Takuto could have controlled Vittorio! Atou lamented. No other Player in Eternal Nations could handle that loose cannon better than King Takuto. That’s why that schizoid respected King Takuto so much, and I incorrectly believed he wouldn’t do anything too outrageous in opposition to him!
Vittorio was designed to be a schemer. And Takuto made full use of those settings to turn the chaos he wrought into controlled chaos. It was even rumored that the Player Takuto Ira was the one and true master of Vittorio…
But perhaps such sentiments were lost on the Schemester Hero who loved stirring up chaos and confusion. Or perhaps because Vittorio was just such a Hero, he chose to act upon his own set of messed up convictions. He worked his magic best when all hell broke loose.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Defecting from Mynoghra is possible with Vittorio’s skills! But, Atou contemplated it, what would be the point? Maybe, just maybe, he left the Accursed Lands with another purpose in mind? If so, what is that faultfinder up to? How in the world will it help King Takuto?
Vittorio’s absurd actions were always beyond comprehension. But in his Eternal Nations’ setting, his actions were all performed with deep insight, wisdom, and a whole lot of mischievousness. Not understanding his reasoning proved that you hadn’t made it to the same playing field as Vittorio.
I don’t have a single clue what he’s after!!
Atou could have overlooked it if he’d taken these actions without any thought. It was because he took every action with some scheme in mind that Atou was experiencing nail-biting panic.
Curse him! I need to calm down first, she told herself. Trying to understand what’s beyond me is a waste of time. Especially when it comes to that schemester Vittorio… Mynoghra’s future will be in jeopardy if I don’t get it together!
Without any support from Takuto, Mynoghra’s future was solely in Atou’s hands. Atou put her brain in full gear and decided to deal with what was actually in her ability to handle. Information gathering was a necessity at times like this. Even the smallest of details can hide a crucial hint.
Е̇n üm̄ ã .і́ d
“We need to sort out the situation first,” Atou said. “Do you have any information on him? Even the smallest tidbit is fine.”
Atou needed to figure out what had pushed Vittorio to take this action first. So she suppressed the irritation boiling through her veins to fish for information from Emle. She had a feeling the Schemester Hero would leave some kind of goading message for them.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“About that…” Emle said hesitantly, “he left this note.”
“…A note?”
Emle pulled a single piece of stationery from her pocket. The colorfully decorated paper had been delicately folded, looking more like a letter a young girl might prepare for her friend than something written by an evil Hero. But Atou knew the contents sprawled within would be a landmine for Mynoghra. Not some cutesy note like the paper’s appearance would lead you to believe. After all, the writer was none other than that Schemester Vittorio…
“Can I see it?” Atou asked. “I need to get as much of a grasp on that schemester’s reasoning as I can.”
Wě bṅ о v̂ е l̃ Ěnu m а
“Um, well… I think you would be better off not looking at it…” Emle said awkwardly.
“I don’t care,” Atou stated, her cheeks twitching. “I need to see it. How can I not? As much as I’d rather not…”
Atou had no doubt his letter spent every line mocking her. It was bad enough Emle was hesitant to even let her read it… But there was no way she could ignore the letter when she needed to confirm Vittorio’s intentions. She’d personally rather throw it in the fire and forget all about it so she could return to her daily work.
Atou quietly swallowed the lump in her throat.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Did Vittorio actually defect from Mynoghra?
Did he not revere Takuto after all?
Wе ḃ ṅоv̇ è l Е̂ nu m̃ ӓ
Atou needed to steel herself to accept whatever it was that deceiving Schemester Hero was thinking and leaving for her to clean up after.
To Whom It May Concern:
How are you enjoying the spring weather? Thank you very much for looking after me during my brief stay. It is me, Vittorio, the Hero you all put your hopes in.
Now then, I have a reason for writing a letter like this.
To tell you the truth, I have been on the receiving end of some hardcore bullying. My bullies are none other than everyone living in Mynoghra.
Shall we call it hazing the newcomer? It appears the imbeciles of Mynoghra couldn’t stand being in the presence of a motivated and talented man such as myself. I’ve been harassed in so many ways it isn’t even possible to describe them in a letter such as this.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
I’m sure my Sludgy Atou, who lacks observational skills even more than she does breasts, didn’t even notice what was going on. Of course she wouldn’t. For I acted like nothing was wrong. While all along, I was crying on the inside.
I. CRIED (this is key).
But it’s a fact that nothing will begin if I just wallow in my despair. Because there is no one else but moi, Vittorio, who can save King Takuto in place of you incompetents who are all talk and no action…
You can do it, me! Don’t give in, me!
Hence why I’ve decided to go on a journey.
Shall we call it a journey of self-discovery?
Ĕ n̈u m а
This is a new step in my life to find a place where I can truly shine.
That’s what I really need right now.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
For these reasons, I would like to take this opportunity to say adieu for now.
On that note, I’m certain the incompetent Sludgy Atou suspects me of betrayal, but allow me to remind you that I, Vittorio, could never do such a blasphemous thing to King Takuto. Unlike a certain sludge-for-brains Hero who was easily brainwashed into betraying Mynoghra!!
With that said, this is the one and only true confidant to the almighty King Takuto Ira, who will one day rule this world, Vittorio, signing out.
With much love to my pathetic, sludge tits,
W е̌b.n̄о v е l Е̊ ň ů m̈ a_
Ta-ta
“THAT! BASTAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!” Atou roared and went into a fit of anger. The wooden table ruptured clean in half with her violent outburst.
“Aaaaaaaah!” Emle, who’d been nervously watching Atou, screamed when she saw her blow up. “She’s lost it! Atou’s lost it!!”
Her rage still burning hot, Atou stomped and stomped on the innocent, halved table. With each violent stomp of her feet, sharp cracks pierced the air, and just like that, the meeting room table that had contributed so much to Mynoghra was pitifully reduced to woodchips.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“P-Please calm your rage, Lady Atou! I understand how you feel, but you mustn’t take it out on the furniture!”
“That’s right! We understand how you feel! We painfully and fully understand your feelings, so please get them under control!”
Е̊ ṅũ ḿ а.i̊d̊
Elder Moltar and Gia rushed over to appeal directly to Atou’s senses. However, their words fell on deaf ears, for Atou had finally blown a gasket after enduring so much abuse and stress due to her position. The more they appealed to her, the more they stoked the flames of her rage.
“THAT DERANGED CLOOOOOWN! ALL HE DOES IS MOCK AND MAKE FUN OF ME! THE NEXT TIME I SEE HIS UGLY FACE I’LL KILL HIM ON THE SPOT!”
“Retreat!” Gia ordered. “Everyone, withdraw from this room! Escape before she takes it out on you!”
“Hurry! Lady Atou won’t wait for you to be gone!”
The elderly sage and warrior captain were at their wit’s end, but when they saw the tentacles erupt from Atou’s back, they started shouting hasty orders to the others. Upon hearing their orders, everyone made a mad dash for the doors.
The tentacles that had erupted along with Atou’s rage had already obliterated the furniture in the room and were getting to work on the building’s foundation. And even then, her anger did not subside.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“M’kay, Cary and Big Sista are the last ones left. Let’s go, Big Sista.”
“But my candy…”
“CURSE HIM! I’m SOOOOOOOO PISSED! AT LEAST EXPLAIN WHAT YOU’RE SCHEMING, SCHEMESTER! And what’s with him commenting on my…my…my chest! E-Even I…have feelings… Uwaaaaaaaaaaaah…I hate this! I hate working with him! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! KING TAKUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
The Elfuur Sisters were the last to nimbly evacuate the room, leaving Atou alone. Atou’s anger didn’t subside even after being abandoned by the others. She began throwing a fit like a child seeking their parent’s attention as she sought the comfort and aid of her absent master…
◇◇◇
ON the surface, life had returned to normal for Mynoghra’s town of Dragontan. Being at peace was only natural for the town since there was no need to inform the citizens of the problems plaguing their country. But things were only running this smoothly largely thanks to Antelise, a wandering Elf who served as Dragontan’s mayor. Support from Mynoghra’s army of monsters was limited since the empire-management council was still in a state of disarray, but Dragontan’s residents were working day and night to better the town, and if that’s all someone from the outside looked at, they would see it brimming with activity.
Еnŭ m̄ а
Then came that fateful day when a sticky, lukewarm breeze wormed its way through the town. Just as the sun was about to set, someone visited the home of an ordinary single mother whose husband had abandoned her. Turning her attention to the quiet knocking at the door, the Catkin mother quietly asked her four-year-old daughter to answer the door for her because she couldn’t step away from what she was making in the kitchen.
“Oh my, is that a guest for us?” the mother said. “I’m sorry, Toto. Would you mind getting that for mommy?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Uh-huh!” Toto’s cat ears and tail flicked happily along with her cheery response. The young girl skipped over to the door and reached up on her tiptoes to open it. “Who might you be?”
The town of Dragontan belonged to Mynoghra. Unlike in the past, when it belonged to Phon’kaven, order was now strictly enforced by the Brain Eaters and the Dragontan Vigilante Corps. Not even a trace of the criminals and thieves that once called it home could be found now.
With safety at an all-time high, there wasn’t much to be concerned about allowing her daughter to open the door, but the mother still wondered who might possibly visit their humble abode at this hour. Their family didn’t have many friends, so the mother looked curiously toward the door to see her daughter’s small hand slowly open it…
“BOO!”
Ẇ e b̊ nоv̄ е̊l̀ Е̂ n u m̃ӑ
A dangerous man just stuck his head inside the house.
“AAAAAAAAH!” Toto screamed.
His unnaturally elongated limbs were covered by a strange-looking coat. And upon his face was undeniably a fraudster’s smile.
The Catkin child had fallen back on her rear end and was staring up in a daze at the creep standing in their doorway.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“U-Um…c-can I help you, sir?”
The mother panicked at the stranger’s sudden appearance but used what vestige of calm she had left to rush over and stand protectively in front of her daughter.
Eňům̃ a .і̀d̀
The man watched their little display with disturbing interest and then slipped inside the house through the open door.
“Are you haaaappy right noooooow~?”
Vittorio grinned from ear to ear.
◇◇◇
SOME strange things had been spotted recently in Mynoghra’s town of Dragontan. Namely, a group of people led by a dubious man clad in nonsensical clothing.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“OOO-KAAAAY! EVERYBOOODY! Let me ask you one more tiiime! Who is the smartest and coolest god in the woooorld?” the peculiar man asked loudly.
“The Great God Takuto Ira!!” the group replied in unison.
“Mm, very goooood!!”
Their perfectly uniform and immaculate attire was unsettling, and the fact their numbers were made up of people of all ages, genders, and races gave off a sense of madness. They almost seemed spellbound and out of it, but the dark glint in their eyes intimidated others. The group had gathered around the man and watched him with such intense concentration it seemed as if they were trying to burn his every move into their retinas.
This seemed to be exactly what the man was after. His voice that carried clearly to the far ends of the town had an eerie amount of control over the group.
“Now then, who’s the strongest and the most wonderful god in the woooorld?!”
Ẃ е̌b n̈ оv ӗl E ṅ u̇ m а́
“The Great God Takuto Ira!!” the group repeated.
“Mm, very niiiiiiiice!!”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The group responded in perfect unison, not a single person offbeat. Some of the townspeople watched them with dubious expressions, but the majority didn’t want to get involved, so they rushed through the area to their destination.
The group in question didn’t care about outsiders one bit. Their gazes were fixed solely on one person. That person’s name was Vittorio. He was the infamous Mynoghra Hero known as the Gleeful Spin Doctor.
“I can’t hear you! Say it more! Say it louder! Extol god! Worship our Lord Takuto Ira! The one and only! The dauntless! The lionized and on the up-and-up! The pulchritudinous genius! Meat-eater! Open 365 days a year! Our God Takuto Ira!!”
“Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!” the group chanted.
Ẅ е bǹ ó.v̊ě l Ӗn um̀а
“Wooooooooooh!”
“Yeaaaaaaaaaah!”
The people roared with joy. At the front of the group the Catkin mother and daughter cheered. They were especially fanatical and zealous. Even your run-of-the-mill mother and daughter had reached this state. The communal fantasy they were witnessing was surely the most wonderful, most comfortable, and most sacred thing to them.
The cheering never stopped, it only grew louder and more passionate. Surely they could see it—beyond their glassy gazes was the being they revered and adored.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Their cries of joy that were much like a prayer continued ceaselessly. The scene was frenetic, delusional, surreal, and disturbingly abnormal... It was as if they were worshipping an idol.
“Mm-mm-mm! Sooooounding good! Everyone’s cheers will definitely reach God and bear fruit on the day of celebration! Absoooooolutely!!”
W̆ е̄b̆ ǹ.o v̈ е̌ l̃ Enû_ḿ а̃
“Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!”
The group’s enthusiasm reached its climax at Vittorio’s comment. Their commotion proudly occupied a corner of the street located in the center of town, but all the sane residents had already left and the shops along the road had closed. Even the guards turned a blind eye to their activities.
“Takuto Ira! Takuto Ira! Our king! Our Commander! Our great god!” Vittorio chanted.
“Takuto Ira! Takuto Ira!!” the group chanted along.
Were they unable to stay put once their excitement reached its peak? The group led by Vittorio began to slowly march somewhere. Where were they heading? Perhaps even they, in the heat of their worship, didn’t know.
The one sure thing was…they were bound to do the same thing wherever they went. Pray to their god and preach about his love. Increasing their followers and scale as they went.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The fanatical cult was like a wave in the raging sea, rolling out to preach their teachings to the poor souls who didn’t know anything about them yet…
◇◇◇
WATCHING the commotion from the window of her private office in Town Hall, Antelise Antik, the mayor of Dragontan, had a thoughtful expression on her face.
“What in blue blazes is that?” asked the civil officer, gaping at the same scene beside her.
Antelise shifted her gaze to the former guard-turned-secretary beastman at that entirely reasonable question. She shrugged once, an indescribable expression flickering across her pale face.
“He’s a new Hero…or so it seems,” she said. “Strange one, isn’t he?”
Ẁ е̄_b̆nоv̌ e l Ē ǹu m а̀
Antelise had already been informed about Vittorio. Atou was the only Hero she had ever spoken to directly. It took some mental preparation to accept the turmoil that was currently being caused by the new Hero called Vittorio after getting used to Atou. Antelise’s grimace reflected her internal turmoil.
“Well, he’s something else, I’d say. But a new religion? Really? I’m surprised you allowed it, Mayor Antelise.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Dragontan already had an indigenous religion centered around worshipping ancestral spirits, which had continued even after being ceded from Phon’kaven to Mynoghra. Allowing a new religion to spread normally requires careful consideration by the local government because it can give rise to various problems with different interests at stake. But this cult sprung up without going through any red tape.
“It’s not really something we can deny, and it’s up to the individual really,” Antelise said. “Plus, everyone’s so lenient here. This is Mynoghra we’re talking about.”
Truth be told, Antelise didn’t give permission at first. The so-called new Hero already got the cult up and going without her realizing it. She immediately called for him and demanded an explanation and that he cease such activities at once… However, before she knew it, she’d been persuaded by him and even granted permission.
“What did the higher-ups at the capital have to say?”
Ẇе̊ bn̆.ov̆ ёl E n u m̀_а̊
“They want to wait and see how it plays out,” Antelise said. “It seems he was too much for them to handle as well. I was strictly ordered to report back on every little thing he does.”
Even with all of Antelise’s flaws, she was a key figure who’d been given the position of town mayor. She didn’t mean to toot her own horn, but she knew she was somewhat important within Mynoghra. And that was why she sensed something incredibly off about how easily Vittorio had persuaded her to do his bidding. She’d contacted Atou immediately after the fact, only for the other Hero to grudgingly sign off on Vittorio’s plans as well. Antelise couldn’t shake the feeling that Vittorio was pulling some weird strings to force everything to go the way he wanted.
“Uh-huh, sounds like a pain to me… Whoops, we’ve been talking too long. Need anything else from me?”
“No, not at the moment,” Antelise responded.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Gotcha. Then, until next time.”
“Yeah, thanks. See you.”
E ǹumа̇ .ǐ d
The door quietly closed behind her secretary, leaving Antelise alone in the office.
“Rather than waiting to see what he does, it seems more like they don’t have the time or energy to deal with him,” Antelise muttered to herself.
That was a matter that should never be heard or spoken of. Mynoghra was facing a crisis only its top governing officials could know about. But Antelise was more concerned about the problems at hand.
Antelise became lost in thought as she shamelessly poured herself a cup of hard liquor. Still…he’s up to some strange stuff, that Hero. There’s not a single citizen of Mynoghra who doesn’t already revere King Takuto Ira. What’s the point of twisting that into a full-blown religion?
All who became citizens of Mynoghra were instilled with loyalty to the king without exception. Their loyalty grew by the day and was bolstered by his godly achievements and their peaceful lives. Even Antelise, who’d experienced visceral fear toward the king at first, wasn’t the least bit scared of him now. She did feel nervous, but that was more akin to the nervous feeling anyone gets when faced with someone amazing. Everyone living in Dragontan should be experiencing the same high level of loyalty to King Takuto Ira and Mynoghra.
Antelise tilted back her cup, sending the strong spirits searing down her throat straight to the pit of her stomach. As she listened to the chants coming from outside the window, she became intoxicated by the taste of the alcohol that Takuto personally gifted her.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Atou told me in no uncertain terms that this Hero, Vittorio, is a scheming puppeteer. In which case, everything he does must serve some greater purpose in his schemes… The question is, what purpose?
At first glance, his actions in Dragontan seemed pointless. No matter how many townspeople he converted into believers, it was a limited population already devoted to Mynoghra. Was he trying to spread the religion to other countries? That made the most sense but didn’t seem well thought out.
Qualia already had a religion worshipping the Holy God Arlos, and Phon’kaven had its indigenous beliefs. Dragontan’s townspeople easily accepted it because of their preexisting loyalty to King Takuto Ira—the same couldn’t be said for the other nations. Other governments seemed more likely to designate it as a prohibited religion. Anyone with a brain should be able to see that religious countries like Qualia and El-Nah would take prompt measures against it.
Antelise couldn’t fathom why he’d start a religion in Dragontan. It wasn’t necessary. It was a waste of time.
Well, it’s not like I know everything there is to know about the power and sway religion has over people. Maybe there’s a surprising reason for it. It’s just my luck, though…all these issues coming one after another. They say birds of a feather flock together, but does that also apply to trouble?
Antelise sighed. Drunkenness was her only solace in difficult times.
W ё bn о̆ v el̂ E n̆ ûm̃а
Antelise had no clue what stance Atou and the Dark Elves actually held on Vittorio’s actions back at Mynoghra’s capital in the Accursed Lands. From the response she got from Atou in their letter exchange, it was clear Vittorio was a source of chaos beyond their control.
And Vittorio wasn’t their only concern.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Negotiations and an open dialogue needed to be maintained with Phon’kaven, and strengthening the military capabilities of both countries was an urgent task considering the current national crisis.
Things seemed calm to the north, east, and south for the time being. But there was no telling when someone with sinister designs would appear again. And when they did…would Mynoghra be able to handle them in their current state? All this information and knowledge that was more than necessary for someone who was just the mayor of a small town depressed Antelise.
But the biggest crisis of all is that King Takuto is bedridden with amnesia we don’t know the cause of yet.
Antelise was lucky her stomach acid didn’t burn a hole in her stomach from all the stress she experienced after being hit with that devastating reality right after experiencing the relief of knowing they had gotten Atou back and defeated the Divine Nation of Lenea. It was also a blessing in disguise that she was able to remain calm in front of her subordinates, conceal the truth, and prevent information leaks since finding out.
Ẇе bň о ṽе l̇ Ѐn̊úm̆ а
Yes, not dying from stress and being able to keep up appearances were two very small blessings in an ocean of misfortune of which she didn’t even know the true scale.
Antelise let out another bitter sigh. And here I thought I’d have it easy. Don’t tell me this world is a thousand times more dangerous than I ever realized? I would’ve preferred the bliss of ignorance on that front.
The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became, speeding up the rate at which she knocked back her drink.
That being that… she thought, deciding to change gears. Nothing will change if I just drown myself in drink. I’ve got my issues, but I’m still Dragontan’s Mayor. If there’s still something I can do, then I’d better do everything in my power to make it happen. I’ll make it happen.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Antelise downed the rest of her cup and stood up as the alcohol burned down her throat.
“Let’s do this! Anybody there? Heeeeeeeey!”
Ẅ е b_ň о̄ v́е́ l̈ Е n ùm̈_а
And so, she made up her mind to act. Her first action was to call for her staff. She was the type to put ideas into motion. Her ability to take initiative at the drop of a hat was one of the reasons why she was highly valued. Unfortunately, there were times when this part of her personality manifested itself in the more negative direction of slacking off at work…
“I can hear you even if you don’t shout like a madwoman, Miss Mayor,” her secretary grumbled. “Sheesh. If you needed me, you should’ve just said so when I was in here earlier…”
“Quit your nagging. I just thought up what I need! Like, just now!” Antelise complained.
Unlike the capricious Antelise, her subordinates didn’t even comprehend the notion of slacking off from work. As soon as she called for them, they answered, and her secretary appeared back in her office with a disgruntled look.
“So, what do you need?” he asked.
“Mm, can you get a horse and guard detail ready for me?”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Oh? Where are you going?” he asked with a curious expression. He’d normally nag her with, “You skipping out on work again?” But he’d accurately guessed that she was actually going out for work this time.
People who can sense what their boss wants without it having to be said are effective as secretaries. Coupled with the fact that he wasn’t afraid to ask her the important questions spoke to the reality that this former guard had developed into a very capable subordinate. Antelise nodded with satisfaction at his growth.
“To the Accursed Lands. I’ve got some stuff to ask Atou about directly.”
“For you to go all the way to the capital just for that… Did something big happen?”
“No, it’s just…” Antelise gasped and said nothing further.
She didn’t need to tell him more, and he shouldn’t learn anything more. Her thoughts must have shown on her face because her secretary said, “I know what you need. I’ll get it readied at once.” He bowed and quietly withdrew from the room.
Ẇе́ b nоvе̊l _Е̌ n̄ u m а
As Antelise watched his retreating form, she was reminded once again of what a good subordinate she had and felt gratitude for his perceptiveness. Knowing him, he might’ve already picked up on what was going on from the conversations he’d been having with Antelise and how she’d been behaving.
The Nameless Religion, eh? That seems like a name to me, but what’s the purpose of it? Antelise wondered.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
It’d only been about three days since Vittorio came to Dragontan. And yet the number of believers was increasing at an exponential rate. They were just a gathering of weirdos right now, but what if their numbers exploded? What if their proselytizing reached beyond Mynoghra? What if their propagation exceeded her expectations and succeeded elsewhere like it did in Dragontan…?
Chaos would ensue across the continent.
Antelise was nearly certain her doubts were becoming a reality.
Е́ǹ uma .i̊ď
Konten Bab Belum Tersedia
Bab ini belum memiliki konten teks atau sedang dalam proses penyuntingan.
