Ch.284Waiting NPCs. (3)

[Slime Mime Golem: Level 493]

[Skill: [Absorption] Additional effect triggered. Skill has been enhanced.]

[[Absorption] has been changed to [Greedy Absorption].]

[new! Greedy Absorption additional effect triggered: You can now absorb targets through means other than your mouth. You can convert absorbed matter into MP for recovery or use it for HP recovery. Holy power absorption is now possible. You can mimic the abilities of absorbed targets. (Power is determined by current stats and abilities.)]

Three weeks have passed since we dealt with the priests of the Holy Nation.

“Oh! Amazing! You’ve completely removed all those stubborn stains!!”

“Excuse me! L-Lord Gore! I hate to impose, but could you possibly help clean the kitchen chimney as well…”

“T-the s-stables. Ah, I apologize. Asking you to help with the horse manure would be unconscionable…”

[No need to apologize or hesitate. This is the mansion of Lady Grace, a dear friend of my mistress. Please tell me anything that needs to be done for cleanliness.]

“””Ohhh!!”””

‘[Greedy Absorption] is incredibly helpful for cleaning. Unlike before when I couldn’t absorb the superior demon of wrath’s abilities, I was able to take in this one’s powers. Perhaps I truly did become an artificial Seven Deadly Sin.’

The aftermath of the incident progressed far faster than we had anticipated. Brown Muller, Count Muller, Grace’s father, completely believed our story about how we overwhelmed the Holy Nation fanatics who had been hiding as servants and left after Lady Ira with a unilateral notification.

Of course, we were quite flustered at the time. But after the kidnapped citizens began arriving one by one at his mansion via Lady Ira’s teleport, and with testimonies from over 200 people confirming that the Holy Nation—not even the Empire—had been kidnapping citizens and sending them back to the Holy Nation, he requested support from the adventurer’s guild and guards of neighboring territories. He then designated the Holy Nation people as a human trafficking criminal organization, organized territorial defense forces, and began rooting out all Holy Nation spies hiding in his territory while preventing others from entering. Furthermore…

[I am an envoy of the Imperial Court!! Count Muller is to follow the Prime Minister’s orders…!!]

[What is this madman doing?! If you’re from the Imperial Court, why are you shouting about orders from a mere Prime Minister?! Throw this man in prison!!!]

The Imperial central government tried to intervene in the incident in Muller’s territory, but every self-proclaimed “Imperial envoy” who arrived was carrying orders from the Prime Minister rather than the Emperor himself, resulting in all of them being thrown into prison.

The Count, originally opposed to war and known for his strong sense of justice and care for his citizens, managed to save 200 citizens but felt guilty about the other 200 who were taken to the Holy Nation. With burning determination to protect his remaining citizens, he is now pursuing complete severance from the Prime Minister and total blockade against the Holy Nation. Moreover…

“Did you hear? The knights are returning!”

“Really?! That’s wonderful news. So they weren’t taken to the Holy Nation after all?”

“I heard that the territories the knights visited on their way to the Imperial capital were in terrible shape. Some places had deteriorated beyond just poor public safety—they’d become complete dens of outlaws. So even though they responded to the conscription, they were slowing their pace to check on the security of other territories on their way to the capital. That’s when the Count’s message reached them, and they’re now returning.”

“The Count mentioned yesterday that other anti-war lords who the Knight Commander knows have also refused the conscription and are calling their knights back. It seems he made contact with other territories on his journey.”

“I heard that in some territories, citizens are raising revolutionary voices! Apparently, more and more territories are protesting the current conscription methods as absurd.”

“Remember what we heard last week? About the Headmaster of Neity? They say he actually toppled one of the Empire’s pro-war territories. That famous warmongering family, the Helgott Duchy, couldn’t even put up a fight…”

After dealing with the Holy Nation people, the mansion’s true servants and maids, whom the lord had hidden away, returned and quickly began gathering information and concerning themselves with the territory’s future. And I, among them…

[Is this all for the stables? Perhaps the carriages need cleaning, or…]

“Oh my! Thank you!! Thanks to you, Lord Gore, everything was cleaned so easily and comfortably. I would feel terrible asking for more!!”

I’m helping clean up the mansion, which had become filthy because the spies hadn’t been doing their jobs properly. Yesterday I helped clean the interior, and today I’m helping with the laundry, stable and chimney cleaning outside, demonstrating my competence. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, I’m doing this partly because this is the home of Lady Ira’s dear friend, but I have other motives as well.

“Ho ho! Miss Gore! I hear you’ve been helping our servants with all their duties, but you’re our guest—you shouldn’t be doing such things!”

[Not at all. I am the maid of my master and Lady Ira. I must do what I can to uphold my master’s honor.]

“Hahaha!! Well now, I would very much like to meet this Jack fellow who is your master! But now that our original servants have returned, and I’ve heard you’ve been working all morning, why don’t you come in for a meal and spend some time with my wife and children?”

[If that is your wish, Count.]

My master and Lady Ira are commoners. Moreover, according to Rey, my master’s adventurer identification has disappeared. This means that if these people decided to be harsh, they could make things difficult for my master and Lady Ira. Of course, I don’t think they’re that kind of people, and if such a situation arose, I could certainly subdue them by force. But to prevent such a situation in the first place, and to ensure Lady Ira enjoys a pleasant vacation with her friend, I am meticulously playing the role of my master’s “perfect high-class maid.”

So, after working diligently, I pretend to accept the Count’s kindness and quickly make my way. Of course, my destination is…

-Knock knock knock.

“Who is it?”

“It must be Gore! Gore! Come in!!”

[Excuse my intrusion.]

Naturally, I go to Lady Ira’s side. Although I can now move even when separated from her, my primary duty is still her protection. Even while working outside, I’ve been constantly monitoring her status window.

[I apologize for interrupting your fun. It’s mealtime now—where would you like to eat?]

“We’ll eat in the dining room.”

“Peep!”

“Dining room!”

Lady Ira was playing in her friend Grace’s room, along with the highest-grade spirit Peep. Since that night, Lady Ira has hardly been separated from Grace and looks truly happy. Yes, this is surely the everyday life my master would want for her.

[Understood. Then, please wash your hands before coming. I’ll prepare cake for dessert.]

“Ah! Ira!!”

“Yes! Let’s go wash up!!”

“Peeep!!”

After seeing off the two girls who rushed past me at the entrance, I immediately head to the kitchen to check on the cake I baked yesterday. Hmm, I should prepare a different snack for tomorrow. I’ve been baking cakes continuously because Lady Ira enjoys them, but she might start getting tired of them soon.

And so, another peaceful day passes, and Lady Ira will again sleep in the same room as Grace tonight. And then…

“…Gore, you’re really too much. Always leaving me alone.”

[You are ‘our protector,’ so it can’t be helped. It’s appropriate for you to entertain the eldest daughter and the Countess.]

The blonde swordswoman Rey, looking somewhat different from usual, shares a room with me in the evening. The blue-haired woman who usually serves as our brain isn’t here.

[From what I hear, revolutionary winds have begun to blow in the Empire. We couldn’t spread the news about the Holy Nation summoning demons on a large scale, but rumors seem to be gradually spreading.]

“Ugh… I’ve been working with the eldest daughter and Countess all day. Do we have to talk about work again?”

[Eating sweets, drinking tea, telling stories of your adventures, demonstrating swordsmanship, wearing dresses and chatting—we call that playing.]

“Then why don’t you do it…!!”

[Please say something that makes sense. I’m merely a golem maid without a voice.]

“Ugh! You fraud!!”

Rey, puffing her cheeks and arching her eyebrows, is cute even to my eyes. However.

[Fraud? That’s unpleasant to hear…]

“No!! You don’t need to keep writing like that anymore!! Why are you still communicating through text even when it’s just me?!”

[…Sigh.]

“Is this better?”

“…Yes. Now that you can speak, use your voice.”

That day, after devouring the priest who had swallowed the superior demon of greed, I learned why the demon hadn’t died and gained fragments of its abilities. Thanks to that, I acquired a voice.

“As I told you, while it’s good that I gained a voice, this voice is…”

“One of the ‘Holy Nation saint’s voices’ stolen by the demon of greed. But the fact that you can use it is thanks to Gore’s ability. I’m sure the deceased owner of the voice wouldn’t mind Gore using it. Besides…”

“I like that voice,” she said with a bitter smile, lying on the bed in luxurious pajamas, hugging a pillow. I sighed at the sight. Why are you trying to seduce me like that? Show that to the master. No, don’t seduce him before me.

“So, to get back to our discussion. Based on the information I’ve been gathering, I’m starting to get a general idea of Ragni’s location.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. To continue what I was saying earlier. About the territory where revolutionary winds have begun to blow. It was originally a pro-war territory, or rather, land ruled by a viscount family that actively cooperated with the Imperial Court. But…”

“Someone began inciting people, and that’s how the revolution started?”

“And that someone is surely…”

The blue-haired woman we’re pursuing. The possessor of an impossible intelligence that doesn’t seem human. It must be her. Rey nodded as if she understood that much, and I continued.

“In my personal opinion, it’s better not to track her yet.”

“…Why not? Even if it’s just me who goes…”

“If the enemy we faced this time was the only one of its kind in the Empire, that would be fine. Unfortunately, the memories of the priest and demon I devoured suggest otherwise. If you go alone and encounter another enemy like the one we just faced…”

You would definitely die. We can’t win perfectly with our current strength. Rey understood my concern and reluctantly agreed with a frown, but…

“…Isn’t Ragni in danger too?”

“That genius fool will survive just fine on her own. So, what we need to do is something else.”

“Something else?”

“Yes. Something else.”

Looking at the status window invisible to her, I continued.

“Soon, our master will be coming this way. Until then, we need to become stronger. While allowing Lady Ira to maintain her current daily life. To protect this kind of everyday life in the future as well.”

[Skill: [Overprotection] The locations of designated targets [Ira] [Rey Sol] [Gore] [Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman] have been displayed to the user [Jack].]

Finally, our master is returning.