Chapter 156 : Ugliness - 1
Chapter 156: Ugliness - 1
After blinking several times, Aina asked,
“What do you mean it’s decided?”
“Why did you say there was no need for that?”
“……Because I was going to give up.”
“I thought the same.”
Huh?
Then Sienne and Berseum spoke up.
“I’m sorry. I said something pointless without reading the mood.”
“No. I, as the eldest, behaved without proper composure.”
“No, it’s not like that. You’re not that much older than me.”
“I didn’t expect you to admit that.”
Lastly, Benjamin and Karin.
“My apologies. I had no intention of placing a burden on Mr. Mason.”
“Heh. Still, that just now? That totally felt like a leader. I’ll say it was cool.”
My hand holding the coin trembled.
Our companions really are the best.
For once, I felt something deeply moving.
With a slightly damp voice, I spoke.
“Then… what should we do about the Emperor’s life?”
“Please decide. You’re the leader.”
“Your Highness.”
“I promise. No matter what choice you make, I will never blame you, and we will never be divided because of it.”
She continued with a smile warm enough to be called gentle.
“Because we must all survive together until the very end.”
All of my companions wore similar smiles.
Mine probably looked the same.
I said,
“As expected, we’ll decide with a coin toss.”
Everyone nodded.
It was the same conclusion as before, but the process that led to it was completely different.
Flick. Spin. Tap.
Catching the coin in my palm, I said,
“Heads, we save him. Tails, we leave him.”
“Alright.”
“Then… it’s heads.”
Armelia, Berseum, and Karin didn’t particularly rejoice.
Aina, Benjamin, and Sienne didn’t seem particularly disappointed either.
Because now, something more important than the Emperor’s life had appeared for them.
At that moment, Magireta’s voice rang out.
“You all are seriously boring as hell.”
“Maybe your taste is just far outside common sense.”
“Don’t talk back to your sister.”
“Anyway, we can start now.”
After saying that, I signaled to Benjamin with my eyes.
Then Edgar spoke.
“What exactly have you been doing this whole time? You’re talking as if you can save the Emperor whenever you want.”
“That’s exactly right, Edgar.”
“What?”
“Well, just watch.”
The moment I finished speaking—
Whirr.
A thread shot out from Benjamin’s Beramut Gloves.
It was so thin that you wouldn’t notice it unless you looked closely.
In an instant, it stabbed right into the crown of B’s head.
‘Will it work? Will it really work?’
I suppressed my pounding heart.
“Ugh? Ugh…”
Suddenly, B clutched her mouth.
Anyone could tell she was writhing in pain.
Edgar shouted in shock.
“W-What are you doing? That’s cheating!”
“What’s cheating? There’s no rule that says we can’t attack B or harm B.”
“Mason…!”
“Mr. Benjamin. Please hurry.”
“Understood.”
Benjamin moved his fingers slightly, sweat dripping down.
Tremble, tremble.
B’s entire body convulsed.
She spoke with slightly slurred pronunciation.
“This… this, I won’t bu-buy it.”
Aina shouted as if she were about to jump in place.
“It worked! It worked. As expected of you, big brother!”
Instead of answering, Benjamin gave a faint smile.
Then he quickly approached B.
The rest of us followed.
We looked at the armrest of B’s chair.
There was clearly a Number pad there.
“Mr. Benjamin. Is it possible?”
“Ugh. It’s not easy.”
“That’s fine. Then we’ll do it.”
We had already coordinated this beforehand.
Even when Benjamin controlled Kaid, he had struggled because a monster’s brain was subtly different from a human’s.
Kaid was probably a high-ranking monster.
So naturally, controlling B, who was of the same level, wouldn’t be easy.
Magireta had said:
—First, you have to make her say out loud whether she will buy or not. Then you press the Number pad. That’s what counts as ‘setting the price.’
What Benjamin needed to do was only make B say “I’ll buy” or “I won’t buy” aloud.
After that…
“I’ll press the Number pad using B’s Fingerprint. Just make sure she can’t resist.”
“Understood.”
“Alright. Then.”
Thud.
I grabbed B’s hand.
It was surprisingly warm, like a human hand.
I spread her index finger and pressed the 0 button on the Number pad.
Next, I selected Silver coin from the Gold coin/Silver coin option.
And finally, I pressed the button labeled ‘Confirm.’
Click.
A Mini Bulletin Board appeared in front of Edgar.
■ Edgar Tyler’s Profit
* Revenue: 5,036 Gold coins 98 Silver coins
* Cost: 0 Gold coins 16 Silver coins
* Profit: +5,036 Gold coins 82 Silver coins
Seeing it, Edgar went into a frenzy.
“Mason, you bastard!”
“Judging by your tone, you’re worked up again. What’s the problem?”
“Cheating, cheating, cheating! This is cheating!”
“Hah. And controlling the participants’ souls to put them on the table wasn’t cheating?”
“There was no rule against it.”
“Right. And there’s no rule against controlling B either. That’s why I’m doing this. No problem, right?”
Grit.
Edgar ground his teeth so hard it was frightening.
I continued, almost spitting the words.
“The participants didn’t get on the table by their own will. It was your will, Edgar.”
“……”
“Likewise, B pressing 0 Silver coins right now isn’t her will. It’s mine.”
“……”
“We’re the same. You stay quiet when it benefits you, but the moment things turn against you, you go berserk. Isn’t that pathetic? Try calming down a bit.”
Clang.
Unable to endure any longer, Edgar drew his sword.
We hurriedly hid B behind us.
I quickly pulled the Emperor down from the table.
“Let’s hurry. Before Edgar loses it completely, we’ll finish the rest.”
“Right. I’ll go first.”
Thud.
Armelia placed a stone on the table.
Benjamin moved his fingers again to control B.
A groaning voice escaped from B’s mouth.
“Ghh… I-I’ll buy… I’ll buy it.”
“Good!”
I grabbed B’s hand again.
I had already calculated how much each companion’s stone should be purchased for.
Tap tap. Click.
Using B’s Fingerprint, I operated the Number pad.
Soon, a Mini Bulletin Board appeared in front of Armelia.
■ Armelia Kerr Dneroum’s Profit
* Revenue: 10,003 Gold coins 69 Silver coins
* Cost: 3 Gold coins 69 Silver coins
* Profit: +10,000 Gold coins
A clean 10,000 Gold coins.
At the same time, Edgar screamed hysterically.
“Stop it! I said stop!”
I ignored him.
As long as the rules existed, he couldn’t fight us.
At least, not yet.
‘Up to the third person is fine. From Edgar’s perspective, until the third, it’s still not below the top 50 percent.’
But the moment the fourth person surpassed Edgar’s profit, he would act.
If participants fight, they’re eliminated—but if even the fourth surpasses Edgar, he’d be eliminated automatically anyway.
At that point, Edgar would go all out.
‘Before he realizes that…’
We had to finish everyone’s transactions quickly.
Of course, I had prepared basic countermeasures, but I hated things getting complicated.
“Next!”
“Me.”
Aina placed her stone.
Benjamin flicked his fingers again.
“Ahh… I-I’ll bu-buy… I’ll buy it.”
“Good.”
I grabbed B’s hand and operated the Number pad.
■ Aina Noel’s Profit
* Revenue: 10,005 Gold coins 22 Silver coins
* Cost: 5 Gold coins 22 Silver coins
* Profit: +10,000 Gold coins
It was going smoothly.
Let’s keep going.
“Stop, I said stop!”
“Be quiet, Edgar. I need to focus.”
“You bastard!”
Next was Berseum.
He also cleanly reached 10,000 Gold coins.
But when the fourth—Sienne—was about to place her stone…
“Aaaaagh!”
Edgar finally exploded.
He charged at us.
But—
Clang.
He was blocked by the Defensive Barrier Berseum had activated in advance.
Startled, I shouted toward Magireta.
“This isn’t us fighting! Edgar charged on his own into the magic my companion set up!”
“Heh. Don’t worry. That’s not a violation of Rule number ten. Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
“If you remove the defensive magic and clash directly, then it’ll be a violation.”
Then there was nothing to worry about.
That magic would last until this game completely ended.
—Clang! Clang!
Edgar repeatedly struck the magic barrier with his sword.
Ignoring him, I said to Sienne,
“Please place the stone quickly.”
“Yes.”
Thud.
As Sienne placed her stone, Benjamin controlled B to speak.
“I’ll bu—ugh… I’ll buy it.”
“Good!”
I grabbed B’s hand and entered the pre-calculated price.
Soon, Sienne also reached a clean 10,000 Gold coins.
Next was Benjamin.
“Mr. Benjamin. Are you alright?”
“I’ve gotten a bit used to it. Since it’s not forcing a confession, it’s easier than I thought.”
“That’s a relief. Can you place the stone yourself? There might be an issue if you don’t.”
“Hmm. That’s fine.”
Benjamin took off one glove, rummaged through his pocket, and pulled out a stone.
He placed it on the table and repeated the process.
He also safely reached 10,000 Gold coins.
Lastly, Karin.
Same result.
All six of our companions reached 10,000 Gold coins.
‘Now only I’m left.’
Success was right in front of us.
Suppressing my anxiety, I took out my stone.
And just as I was about to place it on the table—
“Don’t move!”
“Huh?”
“Mr. Mason. If you place that stone on the table, I will destroy the world.”
I let out a hollow laugh.
“Cornered enough to lose your mind? You’re spouting nonsense.”
“I’m serious.”
“And how exactly are you going to destroy the world?”
“I can’t. But Odline can, can’t he?”
My face stiffened.
Pointing at himself, he said,
“I’ve already asked Odline. If you pass, he’ll spread your Maggot punishment across our world.”
“Like with Louis?”
“Yes.”
“You’re insane…”
“Insane? No, I’m perfectly sane.”
Edgar’s eyes were eerily clear.
But it wasn’t because he was normal.
It was like he had gone so far off the edge that he looped back around and seemed sane again.
“Now retrieve the Beramut thread.”
“……”
“If you don’t, the world will be destroyed.”
“We’ve already stopped Louis’s bomb before. One of my companions is extremely strong.”
“That only works when there’s one bomb.”
My companions’ expressions darkened.
“What if dozens or hundreds of those bombs are scattered across the continent? Can you destroy them all?”
“……”
“If even one goes off, the world ends. You know I’m not bluffing, right? With your precious information network.”
In the end, Karin couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“Hey! You lunatic. You’re eliminated anyway, eliminated!”
“……”
“The six of us already got 10,000 Gold coins. You’ve only got a little over half of that! Even if Mason gets eliminated now, that doesn’t mean you pass!”
“That’s correct. I’ve been eliminated.”
Edgar spoke calmly.
“So I plan to go to hell together with Mason.”