Chapter 7: This is going too far!

A portal tore open beside Crow, a dark blue sphere that rippled like disturbed water. A dark elf emerged and immediately dropped into a bow.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, for opening a portal directly in the throne room, but this matter demands urgency. A small group of soldiers wreaks havoc at the frontier. One warrior in particular, exceptionally powerful. His allies haven't lifted a finger to aid the invasion. Apparently, they approached experimental zone seven."

Alice's fingers drummed against her throne's armrest, her expression distant, calculating.

Several subordinates exchanged glances and whispered among themselves.

"This powerful warrior, is he the one who can injure the Queen?" one murmured to his colleague.

the response came in hushed tones.

"Injure her? You've lost your mind. Just because she glimpsed one possibility of defeat—"

"..."

Alice stopped tapping her fingers on the throne.

Her aura flared suddenly, uncontrolled. A crack spider-webbed across the throne's armrest under her tightening grip as the two whisperers slammed face-first into the stone floor, limbs splayed unnaturally, blood pooling from their noses, one scrabbling uselessly, the other already still, while the pressure expanded in a wave.

Torch flames shuddered black, darkness devoured the walls like a living shroud, and everyone else, servants, warriors, generals, and Crow, collapsed in the same instant, bodies slamming stone amid echoes of impact, blood, convulsing, hearts stuttering and lungs seizing under the invisible, crushing weight.

Can you stop showing your power? This girl is unstable.

With all this… to think she had been beatable.

The villainess rose from her throne. Each footfall echoed through the hall, which moments before had thrummed with conversation.

As she approached Crow, the two subordinates who had been whispering about her simply died.

"Never." Her voice emerged as a whisper, yet it reverberated inside everyone's minds.

"Never in all my existence… have I bled. Those who face me end like this—unable to even move."

She descended the steps slowly, her suffocating presence intensifying with each movement.

"No blade cuts me. No spell touches me. No force in this world can bend my will."

She stopped before Crow, observing him with genuine interest. Her gaze cut like razors.

"And yet…"

She lowered herself slightly, gripping Crow's chin between frigid fingers.

"You know how I fall. You witnessed it, glimpsed things only I know, things unknown even to my generals. What I extracted from your memories rings true without doubt."

She continued

"Can you imagine how I feel? After a life without challenges, someone finally appears, someone who can actually pose a risk to me and my empire."

Crow clenched his teeth. His body still trembled under the pressure but only showed strength.

She smiled.

"So, tell me, Crow… how do I prevent my ruin? Now that you serve me, if I fall, you'll certainly perish alongside me."

The pressure began to recede, but her presence remained overwhelming.

Crow drew a deep breath, recovering his air. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, his eyes blazing with a spark of something new, or perhaps ancient.

Blackmail. Nothing new.

He'd been manipulated before.

"You want to know how to avoid the worst?" His voice emerged hoarse but firm.

The villainess narrowed her eyes, a cruel smile forming.

"I do. And I want to see if you'll maintain that posture before me." She said with furrowed eyebrows.

"…"

The silence that followed those words cut sharp. The villainess maintained her piercing gaze on Crow, evaluating every detail of his expression. She didn't need his immediate answer. She already knew he possessed it.

"I witnessed in your memories that I triumphed countless times. I want to know what changed, and how to secure victory's outcome."

Crow responded

"Dungeons," he said. "In the timeline where you fell, the Hero spent weeks raiding ancient dungeons before the final confrontation. Magical artifacts. Each one closed the gap in power"

Alice leaned forward slightly, fingers steepled beneath her chin.

"Which dungeons?"

Crow opened his mouth—

The great hall doors exploded inward.

Dimitri arrived and announced:

"My lady… The Hero has been spotted at the kingdom's borders!"

The villainess arched an eyebrow, a crooked smile spreading across her lips.

"Oh? The 'Chosen One' so really it's him there. Hum… dungeons."

Then Alice laughed—low, sharp, delighted.

Even though I don't remember everything, I know. This is going to be hard.

The Hero had defeated this tyrant, well, with help and difficulty, but victory remained victory.

No matter what I do, every hero, no matter how strong their enemy is, always has the abilities to finish the story, even on hardcore difficulty.

General Dimitri continued, his voice loaded with tension:

"Our scouts report he travels with a small group… and none of our monsters guarding the frontier can even approach him."

The villainess released a low laugh.

Then said

"No surprise there." She pivoted and climbed the steps to the throne once more.

"He is this world's protagonist, after all."

Crow's brow furrowed.

"Protagonist?" he murmured.

She knows this is a game? Or at least it was supposed to be.

The villainess paused momentarily, regarding him sidelong.

"You should grasp this already, Crow." She crossed her legs, propping her face against her hand.

"He's not merely a talented warrior. He's chosen by destiny. An error in the world's rules. He shouldn't succeed against us, it defies logic. After all, he remains a mere mortal despite everything."

Her gaze slid back to Crow, predatory and amused. "And where, exactly, do you think he's headed?"

Crow's stomach dropped.

The nearest dungeon to the border. The one I was with Lily. The one where the Hero had acquired—

"Oh"

Just my luck

Without mentioning the advantages, he has against non-humans.

I honestly feel human, but this power isn't natural to one.

"So... I'm a target too." He murmured, his fists clenching.

The villainess tilted her head slightly, her smile turning almost amused.

"Oh, without doubt, he'll hunt you now as well." Her eyes gleamed with genuine interest. "But unlike me, you exist in a middle ground... an anomaly between both worlds."

Crow felt weight in her words.

"I was born human, not a Soul Devourer..."

"Exactly. Precisely because of that, you possess physical form, not spiritual."

The villainess raised a finger, pointing directly at him.

"This means that, unlike me and the other beings of this realm... we don't know to what extent the Hero's power will affect you. Unlike other races, yours is something like a hybrid, I can't say for certain yet."

He knew that the only exception to this rule, that those born human who converted completely into another race, were vampires and other undead in general. The rest became hybrids, or simply humans with additional powers or something of that nature.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the throne's armrests.

"So tell me, Crow... do you fear the one chosen by destiny? I was thinking of sending you there to test him, with a group, of course."

Crow closed his eyes for an instant. Part of him wanted to answer yes. That he would fear someone who existed solely to eliminate anything standing in their path, even with difficulty.

But another part... a part growing inside him with each new soul he absorbed... strange memories that whispered inside his mind something different: "War. Fight"

He opened his eyes again, his gaze now firm.

"No."

The villainess smiled crookedly.

"Excellent, because you'll do this little job for me. But I'll explain at another time. For now..."

The silence in the throne room hung dense. Only the soft crackling of black flames in the torches broke the stillness. Crow remained motionless, absorbing the villainess's words.

She rose slightly from her throne, her crimson eyes gleaming in the shadows.

"It's as I witnessed in your memories, Crow."

Her voice emerged calm, yet laden with something dangerous.

"This adversary will arrive at the Lords' banquet... which occurs in a few days based on where he was spotted. Presuming he heads straight here with his group, he'll cause problems and eliminate some subordinates..."

She paused, laughing slightly.

"And after that, they'll simply teleport away, having discovered there's interference with teleportation and prepared artifacts to bypass it again, escaping unscathed. Completely ridiculous."

Honestly, I don't remember these details very well. Maybe she has access to something beyond memories. Does the soul record events as well?

Alice continued speaking.

"And he's already in my territory."

The villainess released a slight sigh, as if bored.

"This means destiny advances as it should."

She then descended the throne steps once more—fast—approaching Crow. She resembled a vampire in terms of speed, acting as if it were natural.

It must be good, being fast enough to move from one side to the other as if it were nothing.

"What do you suggest we do?" Alice said with a curious gaze.

Crow studied her, attempting to grasp her intentions.

"You're actually asking me this?" He narrowed his eyes.

The villainess smiled.

"Yes. Does it seem like I'm asking someone else?"

She stopped before him, her presence still radiating absolute authority.

"If what I witnessed in your memories rings true... my subordinates will die. And based on the secrets only I know, which I saw in those memories... hmmm."

Crow's eyes gleamed with surprise.

"You won't try to save them?" he said.

The villainess released a low laugh.

"Crow, my dear, I am immortal. My servants are merely pieces on the board. If they die, others will occupy their places. What matters to me... is final victory."

Lies. I may not remember everything, but I remember enough about this.

She leaned in slightly, observing every detail of his expression.

"I can't simply abandon governing my kingdom and go resolve things myself. It's like you going to clean your house while your maid rests in a chair."

Right, that actually makes some sense. No, actually it doesn't. If she went now with a small elite group, her chances of winning are high. Why won't she go?

She continued.

"But you... you're not part of the story, which means the outcome could differ from what I witnessed."

Well, if I do something, the original plot might spiral out of control... isn't that what isekai protagonists say? Not that I care. This is a hardcore RPG game. Nothing high levels can't solve. Ah, except for that thing.

Crow maintained a thoughtful expression.

Either way, I can alter the story. Maybe I can live the slice-of-life dream, like a retired soldier with my tomato farm... yeah, I can do it.

Alice smiled as she watched positivity surface on his face.

"Do you understand now, Crow? Why I'm asking you what to do? If I act, it would be something I'd naturally do, so I want something that breaks the entire narrative."

Hm.

"So tell me, Crow." Her voice became an almost seductive whisper. "What would you do in my position?"

Crow drew a deep breath, thoughts spinning through his mind. He needed to choose.

The hall remained silent for an instant. The villainess observed Crow attentively, awaiting his response. She wanted to see how far his strategic mind could take them.

She's testing if I'm stupid, right? Well, I may not be a genius, but I know the basics of warfare.

Crow lifted his gaze to meet hers, and a cold smile crossed his lips.

"Send a messenger. One who resembles a human as closely as possible."

Alice arched an eyebrow, interested.

"And what should this messenger say?"

Crow leaned slightly forward, his voice low but laden with cunning.

"Tell the Hero the king sent an urgent order."

The gleam in the villainess's eyes intensified.

"Continue."

Crow smiled crookedly.

"Tell him the village neighboring the kingdom is under attack by monsters. Powerful creatures no common warrior can face. Tell him he must return immediately to defend it."

Alice ran her tongue over her lips in delight.

"You want to deceive him."

"Not just deceive him..." Crow narrowed his eyes. "I want to delay him, and during that time an elite team will retrieve the artifact he's searching for there."

He rose slowly, his body still aching, but his mind functioning with absolute clarity despite what had occurred previously, and continued speaking.

"The Hero possesses an absolute sense of duty. If he believes innocents are in danger, he'll abandon any objective to save them. He lives for this."

Persuasion level 1 is in action

What?

The villainess leaned slightly to the side, propping her face against her hand, completely fascinated by the idea. But she remained silent, only listening.

"In summary, that's it. While he's away... we'll seize the artifacts and weaken him, plus we can prepare ourselves better." Crow said with confidence.

Persuasion level 1 is in action

What an annoying message. Stop appearing, I need to think here, man.

The hall fell silent again. The generals and lords, and the few lower-rank servants who still managed to remain conscious, looked at Crow with expressions of surprise and respect.

Alice seemed satisfied and said.

"Very well, Crow. We'll proceed according to your suggestion."

She rose from her throne, her black dress billowing around her slender figure.

"Choose the messenger you believe is best among those present here. Let's see if the hero bites the bait."

Crow remained standing, even with the weight of exhaustion still pressing upon his body. He surveyed the throne room, evaluating the villainess's subordinates. Many still recovered from the crushing pressure she'd exerted minutes before, but their eyes carried respect and caution when meeting his.

He sighed, then turned back to the villainess.

"We need someone who appears human enough not to raise suspicion. Someone who can imitate the posture and speech of a real messenger. Everyone has a different aura."

The villainess smiled, satisfied.

"I already have someone in mind."

With a gentle gesture of her hand, she summoned one of the servants waiting in the hall's shadows. A man of noble appearance, pale skin and ashen eyes—the elder who'd brought him to this place—wearing a dark mantle adorned with discreet symbols.

He knelt before the villainess.

"My lady."

The villainess studied him for a moment before speaking.

"Dimitri, you'll be our messenger. Your task is simple, but crucial."

The man called Dimitri remained motionless, listening attentively.

"You'll infiltrate human territory and deliver a message to the Hero. Remember to circle around and approach from behind, so he won't suspect you came from our kingdom. Tell him the village neighboring the kingdom is under attack by monsters."

She placed a finger against her cheek, like an innocent girl, and continued.

"Say the king himself ordered him to return immediately to save it, as no one else can handle the creatures. The rest, you say what you think best."

Dimitri didn't hesitate.

"As you wish, my lady."

Crow, watching Alice with her finger pressed to her cheek, gazing upward thoughtfully as she gave instructions, remembered Lily, who'd done something similar when he'd arrived in this world.

In sequence, Crow crossed his arms, observing the man.

"Can you perfectly imitate the accent and tone of a human messenger? You don't look like one."

Dimitri raised his head, and his expression changed completely. His gaze became more human, his tone assuming a convincing urgency.

"Milord! I bring a message from the king! The village of Riverside is under attack! The troops are insufficient! We need your strength immediately!"

Crow raised an eyebrow, surprised.

The villainess laughed softly.

"Perfect," she said. "Depart immediately. And remember... don't fail."

Dimitri bowed.

She snapped her fingers and he simply vanished into the shadows.

Crow released a slight sigh, still feeling the situation's weight.

The villainess then turned to him, crossing her legs as she settled into the throne.

"Well, we've spoken enough. Now you can go rest. After all, the journey from here to the frontier alone takes several days, so you're dismissed."

Alice glanced to the side, where her personal maids stood, and addressed the smallest among them.

"Sophia... take him to his new quarters. And no foolishness."

The blonde maid, with the appearance of a vampire, merely inclined her head and walked away, as one wanting to be followed. Crow withdrew and followed her.

The hungry vampire maid that killed that guy with leather armor.

After passing through several doors and traversing a corridor, he arrived at the door to what would be his room. After he entered, she closed the door.

"This is your new room."

Crow turned. "Right, it's a pretty nice room..." He paused. "What's wrong with your face?"

Sophia was drooling.

She blinked, as if waking from a trance, and straightened quickly. Her sleeve wiped across her mouth, smearing saliva along the dark fabric. When her hand dropped, her eyes remained fixed on his throat.

"Apologies." Her voice came out rough, strained. "It's been... difficult."

"What has?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she stepped forward, slow, deliberate.

Crow's instincts screamed. His hand shot to his hip.

Empty. No blade. They'd taken everything before he entered the throne room.

Just my luck.

Another step.

"The souls inside you," Sophia whispered, her gaze never leaving his neck. "Three of them. Fresh. Still screaming."

Crow's blood went cold. "Still... what?"

"You can't hear them?" Her head tilted, curious. Predatory. "They're begging. Clawing at the inside of your essence, trying to escape."

He couldn't. He heard nothing but his own hammering heartbeat.

She moved closer. Close enough now that he could see her pupils dilate, the faint tremor in her hands.

"To a vampire, you smell like an open wound bleeding liquid gold."

Crow backed up. His spine hit the door.

Locked. She'd locked it when she closed it behind him.

Sophia stopped inches away, trembling—not from fear, but restraint. Her breath came shallow, rapid.

"Lady Alice forbade me from touching you."

"Good," Crow managed. "Then back off."

Her smile split wide, fangs gleaming.

"But she said nothing about what happens if you touch me first."

Before Crow could process the words, she swayed forward, deliberately, theatrically, collapsing against him.

Her weight pressed him into the door. Her face buried against his neck.

He felt her breath, cold and hungry, against his skin.

Chomp!

"Oops," she whispered.

Crow's hands shot up to shove her away—

Pain exploded through his shoulder.

Fangs. Sinking deep.

Sophia's arms wrapped around him like a vice, pinning him against the door. Her throat worked rhythmically, drinking, draining.

Okay. Okay. Don't panic. Just—

Crow grabbed her shoulders, trying to pry her off.

She didn't budge. If anything, she pressed closer, a small pleased hum vibrating against his neck.

This is NOT how I die. Not to a horny vampire maid!

He twisted, hard. His shoulder screamed in protest, but momentum carried them both sideways—

They crashed onto the bed.