Chapter 3

My legs felt weak, and I almost collapsed.

Cold sweat trickled down my spine, and the hair on my body stood on end.

Thump thump thump thump!

Rattle rattle rattle rattle!

My heart pounded wildly, and my hands and feet trembled.

Having never been in a life-threatening situation before, I found it hard to cope with the current situation.

Crash!

At that moment, two knights and four servants rushed over, having heard the sound of the chandelier falling.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Are you alright?"

But no one actually came close to check on my condition.

Why?

They were afraid of being the target of his anger.

Otto de Scuderi was such a despicable person that the term "tyrant" was an understatement.

If he felt his mood was being spoiled, he would start by slapping people, regardless of who they were.

Even a slight irritation would lead him to lash out with a whip.

And about once or twice a month, he would inevitably draw blood.

For example... he once put a gardener in a box full of bees because he was stung while strolling in the garden.

Or he would cut off the wrists of a barber who made a mistake while shaving him.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Otto's atrocities and evil deeds were so numerous that it was exhausting to list them all.

So even those who were close to him could only cautiously avoid him.

Was it fortunate that they noticed?

As much as he committed evil deeds, he also accumulated karma.

The fief was full of people who harbored grudges against this character.

That means...

'Enemies are everywhere. I need to stay alert.'

I tried to keep my wits about me.

Even without the curse of being a "complete scoundrel," this character was as fragile as a candle in the wind.

I didn't know when, where, how, or by whom I might be stabbed...

"Um... Lord."

One of the knights cautiously asked.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Really...?"

"Thank you for your concern."

At that moment.

"Ah, ah?!"

The knight who had asked if I was alright was startled as if he had seen a ghost.

The reactions of the others were not much different.

'This isn't the reaction I expected.'

A bitter smile came to my face.

I was once again reminded of how despicable Otto's life had been.

"Um, Lord."

The knight asked again.

"Should we find the person who installed the chandelier and have them beheaded? Or should we cut off the limbs of the servant who cleaned the ceiling...?"

"There's no need for that. Absolutely not. Absolutely."

"Really? Then what...?"

"There's no need to punish anyone. It's nothing... let's just move on. I... need to rest."

I headed to Otto's bedroom, retracing my steps.

'I need to clear my head.'

I desperately needed some time alone.

* * *

Right after Lord Otto left.

"He didn't get angry...?"

"Thank you? Did that guy even know how to say that?"

"Shouldn't he have been yelling and throwing a tantrum?"

They were confused by the sudden change in the lord's attitude.

"Shh. Be careful what you say."

The knight who had asked Otto the question warned them.

"None of you know when the lord's anger might erupt. Don't forget that a slip of the tongue could cost you your head."

The murmuring mouths closed tightly like frightened clams.

Even a demon might let things slide for a day, right?

Yes, for a day...

* * *

A few days passed.

I got out of bed and looked in the mirror.

There was no trace of the gamer Kim Dojin.

Only the golden-haired handsome man, Otto de Scuderi, one of the 100 lords in the game "Fief War," remained.

'I need to adapt. There's no other choice.'

I decided to accept the situation as it was.

Isn't it too quick to adapt?

Yes, it's too short a time to accept such an unbelievable situation.

But I don't have time to waste.

I had played Otto countless times and finally found the optimal build.

I knew all too well that my future was not bright.

'The people are restless. The finances are on the brink of collapse. There's no one to trust. Moreover, the number of people who hate me is more than a truckload. I need to stay alert.'

I wasn't the only one who had cleared the game as Otto.

I straightened my clothes and took a deep breath.

'Just do what I've done. Follow the build I've researched and discovered.'

I calmed my thoughts.

What should I do first?

'Leveling up is obviously a no-go.'

The concept that "level is king" applies to other characters, but not to this Otto.

-99 level, what leveling?

Realistically, trying to level up to achieve something is a wrong approach for Otto.

Otto doesn't need to level up until a certain point.

'First, the people.'

The key to Otto's early game is to calm the restless people and eliminate the seeds of rebellion.

The Iota fief is a time bomb.

The fief's residents and officials, who have accumulated grievances, could rebel at any moment.

Even a small, trivial mistake could immediately trigger a rebellion.

If a rebellion occurs?

It's over.

I will be arrested and beheaded by the angry rebels.

And my severed head will be displayed on the city gate.

To avoid that, calming the angry people is the top priority.

'Is it time for the meeting?'

In the Iota fief, a meeting presided over by the lord is held every morning.

Of course, this character hasn't attended a meeting in years...

'Let's go.'

I left the bedroom immediately.

"Lord...?"

The guards in front of the bedroom were startled and followed me.

* * *

"The lord has arrived."

The servant announced Otto's entrance.

"What did you say?"

"I must still be half-asleep."

The officials in the hall frowned at the servant's voice, as if to say, "What kind of nonsense is this?"

The last time the lord attended a meeting was three years ago.

It was hard to believe that such a person would attend a morning meeting.

But it actually happened!

"What is this...?"

"The lord... attended the meeting? And it's the morning meeting...?"

The officials doubted their eyes.

A person who seemed like he would never attend a meeting until the fief fell had appeared so early in the morning...

"What wind blew him here this time?"

The young knight Camille, feeling uneasy about Otto's appearance, closed his eyes tightly.

"What's the agenda for today?"

Otto, seated on the throne, spoke.

'What the hell. Is he just trying to throw a tantrum?'

'Did he eat something wrong? I heard he had been locked in his bedroom for a few days without moving.'

The officials were bewildered.

"Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Camille asked Otto.

"Does the lord need a reason to be curious about the meeting's agenda?"

"That's... "

Camille showed signs of emotional disturbance, as if he wanted to protest.

Otto smiled bitterly, seeing through Camille's thoughts.

'He must want to shout, "What good does it do to be curious now?"'

Camille had the right to say that.

He was originally an orphan from a commoner background who became a knight due to the previous lord's favor.

He now effectively governed the Iota fief in place of the lord.

But he had reached his limits.

'The only person I can trust. But if he turns against me... he will be the most terrifying person.'

If the people's morale drops further, Camille, unable to bear it, will personally behead the lord, Otto, and then commit suicide.

Killing a lord to whom he had sworn loyalty was the worst act a knight could commit...

"Just proceed. I'll just observe."

"...Yes."

The uncomfortable meeting began.

"A starving couple hanged themselves with their daughter..."

"Monsters have been appearing frequently in the western forest. Last night, one of the outer outposts was attacked, and four soldiers..."

"The movements of the Solun fief are suspicious. Frequent military training has been detected in areas close to our fief."

The situation was dire.

'As expected, it's a mess.'

The current state of the Iota fief was exactly as Otto knew it.

"This is the situation."

Camille looked at Otto and said.

Look, this is what your fief looks like because of you.

...as if to say.

"First."

Otto spoke.

"Release the stored food and distribute it to the starving people."

At that moment.

'Food... what?'

'What did I just hear?'

The officials were confused by Otto's order.

"What are you thinking?"

Camille asked Otto.

"Why are you suddenly providing relief?"

"The people are starving."

"The finances are tight. If we release the food now, the fief might go bankrupt."

"Human life comes first. It's not a big deal if we go bankrupt when people are starving to death."

"Lord..."

"Knight Camille."

"Yes, I'm here."

"It's an order. Release it."

"Order... I will obey."

At that moment.

"No! Lord! That's out of the question!"

A middle-aged man in fancy clothes appeared and objected.