Ch.73Birds of a Feather: NPCs Flock Together (3)

[-Occupation: Raid Boss (Ottoman Empire Slave)- Level: 450 Name: Ragni Bluemoon: 18 years old.]

[Strength: 10+?????]

[Agility: 10+?????]

[Intelligence: 330+??????]

[Luck: 200+????]

[HP: 210,000]

[MP: 100,000]

[Skill: Wisdom of the Blue Ruler.]

[Skill: Ruler’s Aura.]

[Skill: Imperial Qualification.]

[Imperial Qualification Effect: Turn defeated enemies into your subordinates. The affected targets become ‘subjugated’ regardless of their will. (You can issue 3 absolute commands to subjugated targets.)]

[Imperial Qualification Active: 9 targets.]

[Skill: One Who Stands Above.]

[One Who Stands Above Effect: Those born to stand above cannot be less capable than those below. Steal stats from humans subjugated to you. (Takes 50 percent of the subjugated target’s stats.)]

[One Who Stands Above Active: 9 targets. (Strength 72. Agility 107. Intelligence 33.)]

[Skill: Heaven-blessed Talent.]

To summarize, six of them surrendered of their own will, and three were those I told Ragni to knock down while they were tied up, which she did by simply pushing their heads with her hand.

But all the effects activated. It seems the definition of “defeat” is quite broad.

The stat boost is pathetically small compared to the number of people, but Ragni has become incomparably stronger than before.

Of course, the stats from those three will disappear soon.

“So, what’s going to happen to us now?”

“You will die.”

“Eek?!”

Oh dear, that’s not right. When faced with that question, I reflexively answered with a joke from my past life, causing even Ragni to look at me in disbelief.

“Ahem. Not you guys, but those three over there will die. As for you, from now on, follow her instructions. Lure out those infiltration bastards. Ragni?”

“Got it.”

Ignoring some of the guys who are visibly dejected that Ragni is no longer meowing, I look down the mountain. That person is still there—why on earth are they still hanging around?

[-Occupation: Striker- : Level 17]

Did they level up after defeating those bandits? I think they were level 15 before. That woman, confident she hasn’t been spotted by me, continues to watch us.

Ragni immediately gave orders to the men, who gagged the dying leader and the guy they had abandoned before departing.

“Will those people really follow me?”

“Yeah. Without question.”

I give a definitive answer to Ragni’s anxious question.

Since your skill has activated, they can’t back out even if they wanted to. If they try to disobey your orders and escape, the forced command will activate and make them comply. If I find out that one of your command counts has been used up, I’ll execute that bastard on the spot. It’s all very straightforward.

“…You, what are you really hiding?”

“I’ll tell you later. For now, let’s deal with that woman over there.”

“Huh?”

When I point in the direction of the white tiger woman watching us, Ragni squints her eyes, looks in that direction, and says she doesn’t see anything.

Could it be some kind of beastkin trait? Is it that I can see her because of my veteran mountain keeper’s senses, and she’s actually extremely well-hidden?

I slowly walk with Ragni toward where the white tiger woman is.

Hmm, it seems Ragni really can’t see her. Even though we’ve come this close, the woman shows no sign of running away, and Ragni’s gaze doesn’t change.

For now…

-Grab

“Hey.”

“Eek?!”

“Huh?!”

When I grab the white tiger beastkin’s arm and pull her, both she and Ragni let out shrill screams of genuine surprise.

“How long have you been watching?”

“Uwah. H-how? How did you know I was here?!”

“So you really were here? Jack, you’re amazing. And how were you hiding? I couldn’t see you at all.”

I asked the first question, but now everyone’s just throwing questions around. I release the white tiger woman’s arm and look at her.

Hair streaked with white and black. Tiger ears rather than cat ears, and golden eyes.

And her tiger tail standing straight up in shock behind her, looking just like a startled cat.

“I asked first. How long have you been watching?”

“W-well… J-just now? The, um, all the thieves were caught, and someone said they saw people heading this way…”

“Who? Who saw us moving?”

That sounds like a lie. If I run at full speed, I have specs similar to a level 400 demon now, and the highest level among your escorts is only around 40, right? Besides, your guerrilla unit was clearly all chasing after the thieves. So who supposedly saw us?

“Jack.”

“Yes?”

“This person is lying.”

“Eep?!”

“Right?”

“Yes. The movement of her eyes, and the way she’s wringing her hands—it’s obvious.”

First she tries to turn Ragni into a kitten, and now she’s blatantly lying.

Is this really a player? Wait. Is lying constantly part of being a player? Somehow that feels right.

As I stare at her and turn these thoughts over in my mind, Ragni continues her sharp questioning.

“It’s obvious you’ve already noticed he’s much stronger than you. You don’t seem to be thinking of resisting, and it feels like you’ve seen something you shouldn’t have. That’s why you started with a lie. You probably didn’t see us defeating those people, but you must have seen them tied up, and given the distance, you shouldn’t have been able to hear our conversation. Oh my, could you actually hear us? I’ve read about beastkin having good hearing, but this is my first time dealing with one directly, so it’s fascinating.”

“…W-what are you talking about…”

“I’m saying lies won’t work in front of my girl. So, how much did you hear and see? If you’re honest, we can let this pass without incident.”

When I speak with a bit of pressure, the white tiger woman swallows dryly and opens her mouth.

“I-I’ve been listening since the demon subjugation. Since the tied-up person started talking.”

“…Oh dear, I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t notice at all.”

So she’s been watching since I was so angry at their nonsense that I was focused on swinging my fists around. She must have seen all my violent behavior too.

I start to consider how to handle this situation. After a brief silence, the white tiger woman speaks first.

“D-do you have a hobby of tormenting women?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

What is she suddenly talking about? I was just thinking about how to resolve this amicably and convince her not to tell anyone, when the white tiger woman raised her eyebrows slightly and asked.

“I-I saw it earlier! M-making that beautiful woman say ‘m-meow, meow’! And embarrassing her in front of people!! And c-calling her a masochist!!”

Oh. Shit. She really did see and hear everything.

What should I do about this? I don’t want to be on bad terms with someone who might be the protagonist of this world.

Moreover, from the atmosphere, she seems to harbor a small but definite hostility toward me.

Then the white tiger woman immediately turned to Ragni and continued speaking.

“Y-you! Are you being blackmailed or bullied by this man?!”

“Well. That’s not entirely wrong.”

“Ragni?!!”

“S-see?! This person is bad, right?!”

“No?! You said you heard our conversation?! How does that make me the bad guy?!”

And Ragni, what the hell are you saying?! Blackmail and bullying?! Are you really thinking that…!!

“You said everything—the punishment and this collar—was your ‘intention.'”

That’s not it! When did I say that?!

The collar was my intention, but the punishment wasn’t! Why is she suddenly acting like this?! I’m already making an effort by not playing along with your perverted tendencies, and now Ragni suddenly starts acting up, looking at me with a devilish smirk.

What’s with you all of a sudden? Are you messing with me?!

“Hehe. You should be careful too. He has tremendous strength and mysterious abilities that can ‘subjugate’ even ‘women’ who are hostile to him.”

“…S-subjugate?! You mean he forces women to submit?!”

“No I don’t?! I’ve never done that?! I don’t have any mysterious abilities like that?!!!”

“There are already three pretty women by this man’s side. Plus a beautiful female golem. All of them have had their ‘bodies and hearts’ taken.”

“Ragni, stop!!!”

Thinking she’s gone completely mad, I reach out to cover her mouth, but Ragni deftly avoids my hand and suddenly starts making eye signals.

Huh? Could it be.

“So. It’s better not to provoke this man. Forget what you saw today, and forget you ever saw this man at all. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me, ‘giving everything’ to this man and ‘submitting’ to him.”

Now I understand. Apparently, Ragni is trying to make me look like a complete jerk so this woman will keep her distance on her own.

But is this really necessary? I’ve been made to look like a total scumbag. Almost like some hypnotic NTR creep.

However, Ragni’s words seem to have worked, as the white tiger woman’s face has turned as red as a radish.

Fine! Let’s drive the point home!!

“Haah. Since our disobedient slave has spilled everything, I have no choice. Now that you’ve heard, you know what to do? Don’t go spreading our business anywhere. Got it?”

Playing along with Ragni’s act, I reach out and wrap my arm around her shoulder, causing her to let out a small scream of surprise at my action.

If this makes the other woman keep her distance, we can just observe her from afar.

Yes, I’ll become the trash if it means gaining a peaceful daily life. That was my reasoning, but…

“T-trash!! What do you think women are?!”

-Grab!!

“Kyah?!”

This time, she quickly reaches out and pulls Ragni’s arm into her own embrace.

And I can see her golden eyes burning as if I were her parents’ mortal enemy. Huh? Did I go too far?

“I-I won’t let someone like you have the right to do whatever you want with such a pretty girl!! I’m going to report you!!”

“W-wait!! Let go?! What’s wrong with you?! I already belong to that man!!”

“You need to wake up too!! Girls shouldn’t say things like that!!”

Despite the white tiger’s strong grip, Ragni resists quite forcefully, likely due to her increased stats.

However, having never engaged in physical struggles before, despite her improved stats, she is easily captured by the adventurer beastkin and dragged a bit away from me.

Hmm. This backfired way too much. But what is she doing now?

“Ahnn!!♡ Let go!! Let me go!! Jack!! Get her off me!! Where are you touching?! I said let go!!!”

“Huff… Haah. T-to bully and subjugate a child with such a nice fragrance. Don’t worry! I’ll protect you now!”

The reason I’m not moving isn’t because the other person is threatening Ragni, or because I don’t know how to intervene.

“Ahh!! Let go!! Jack, help me quickly!! Where are you touching?! Are you a pervert?! Can’t you hear me saying let go?! Don’t grab my chest!!!”

“L-let’s escape! I’ll set you free! Don’t live submitting to a man like that, come with me!!”

“No, I’m telling you!! Just disappear!!? Ahnn!!♡”

I’ve unconsciously stopped moving because of the unexpected eye candy that suddenly started.

The woman pulling at Ragni’s body, sniffing her, subtly grabbing her chest, and glaring at me—her actions momentarily diverted my thoughts elsewhere.

And my response to all this was:

“…Oh, holy shit. Yuri? No, fuck? That can’t be right?”

I was finally able to move when I saw the woman’s tiger tail moving to invade under Ragni’s skirt while firmly gripping her chest.