I knew she had a strong competitive spirit.

When we first met, we both got into a fierce competition, and eventually ended up kissing each other on the lips while on the carriage. It’s only natural for people to have a strong competitive spirit.

And she didn’t just stop at that. When Selvia turned the maid cafe experience into a game of Kuhtulu, I was shocked and couldn’t stop her.

If we go back further, when I met Selvia in my hometown, she was always subtly worried about me. She has a good heart.

However, her envy had reached the point where she was willing to burn her own nature to ashes.

Competitive spirit and envy.

If I consider these factors and push her, we can quickly become close. I knocked loudly on Yuri’s door and put on a desperate act.

“Yuri, I’ve got shampoo in my eyes, and I can’t open them!”

In acting, details are important, so I really put my heart into it. It’s true that shampoo got in my eyes and I couldn’t open them.

Then Yuri opened the door, looking like she was about to have a stroke, and shouted at me, “What’s going on, just go away and don’t come back! ⋯⋯!!”

“Yesterday, I gave you one free use of your Freedom Pass after you lost at chess! You can use it, so come quickly and get me a drink ⋯⋯!!”

“I haven’t said a single word, though?”

“It’s written in small print on the contract!”

“It’s a fake contract!”

I should have read the contract more carefully.

It wasn’t a serious contract, but a sly one that added clauses like “If you lose at chess, you’ll become a dog” to tease me. I was induced to sign it with a smile.

If I were an adult, I would have laughed it off without any shame and gone around the block three times, but Yuri was embarrassed and muttered, “⋯⋯ugh.” with a blush.

I was cute.

It seemed that Pinvallez also enjoyed teasing people. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction, and I still do.

Although she was shouting and making a fuss, she said this instead:

“⋯⋯ah, really. You’re a person who ⋯⋯! You’re going to make me wait and see!”

“If my eyes become cloudy like this, ⋯⋯ I won’t be able to see your face anymore ⋯⋯?”

“It’s already overflowing!”

Uh-oh. I heard her rushing into the room. “Where’s the Yangdongi, Yangdongi ⋯⋯” she muttered to herself.

I lived with her as her neighbor for a few days and gradually became close to her while also proving that I have excellent self-control.

Not that I undressed or anything.

Seokyeobseon can tell if someone is in a state of s*xual arousal just by looking at them. It’s only natural. Do you need to have that ability to choose prey?

Yuri also has that ability, and thanks to it, she’s become more comfortable.

Thanks to the magic of suppressing s*xual desire, every time we meet, I see her gaze quietly and calmly, and she’s started to open up a little.

I took advantage of the opening and poured my whole body into it.

Ahahah! The cold water poured down on my head like a waterfall. I scrubbed my hair with shampoo. After pouring all the water, Yuri asked:

“Is it clean enough?”

“It’s clean enough, but it’s still a bit rough. It’d be better if there was a bit more.”

“Then do it yourself!”

Yuri threw a wooden bucket at me. I caught it with a wobble and followed her, asking questions as I went.

“Ay, why did you do that again? Is there a towel at home?”

“This time, are you going to steal it?”

“I didn’t steal it, I washed it and dried it, and I’m just holding onto it for a little while. And now, my upper body is all soaked. If I don’t dry it, I might catch a cold.”

“That’s your business.”

I smiled brightly and walked into Yuri’s house. As a result of infiltrating each other’s lives, I’ve roughly understood her inner structure.

It’s clear that the dry towel is over there. It was piled up near the bathroom.

It’s there. I picked it up and scrubbed my hair with it. And when I was doing that, I heard Yuri’s voice calling out from far away in the kitchen.

“Put the laundry basket in quietly! Don’t think about stealing it this time!”

This time, I didn’t have any thoughts of stealing. Since I had a reason to go back home to return the towel, I didn’t need two towels.

When I put the used towel into the laundry basket, I found a passenger inside.

It’s a low-quality, unremarkable undergarment made of coarse fabric, with no design or aesthetics. It’s pitiful.

I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sorrow welling up from my soul, and I ran to the kitchen with the undergarment still in my hand.

Yuri seemed to be preparing to cook something, wearing an apron. I scolded her, holding the undergarment.

“What kind of undergarment is this? Why do you wear something like this?”

“Ah, ah, ah, what’s wrong, what’s wrong? What are you holding, what are you doing?!”

Yuri’s face turned bright red, and she looked like she was about to cry. She was trying to hide her embarrassment with anger.

But I’m also angry. How can someone wear something so tasteless?

“The fashion is only complete when you pay attention to the parts that aren’t visible, but you’re someone who earns money and wears something like this?”

“Put that down immediately! I’ll kill you! I’ll really kill you!”

“Before you kill me, I’ll die with my own hands. Hey, leave my pretty face alone and don’t waste it on nonsense. I don’t like men, and it’s none of your business, so just leave me alone… Ugh, it hurts, it really hurts!”

“Shut up, shut up! Stop messing around and come back right now!”

Yuri slapped me in the face with a fierce punch, dismissing my opinion with a wave of her hand. This avatar of hers was as fragile as a leaf; I couldn’t even begin to think about opposing her.

I had to bow down to her pressure and return my clothes to her.

“…Even considering functionality, this thing is a total waste. I understand not wanting to decorate, but at least the quality should be worth noticing. The way it fits is different, you know?”

“Ay, you’re really…!!”

She laughed loudly and then hit me again.

It’s time for dinner. Yuri placed a lukewarm stew in the middle of the table, pouring it into a wooden bowl with a spoon. I took a large spoonful and tasted it, then evaluated it coldly.

“The salt could be added to taste, but 2.5 cups would be better.”

“…Then you can do it yourself, then?”

“Okay. I’ll be the cook tomorrow morning. Just leave it to me.”

“If it’s not good, you’ll have to pay for it!”

Okay.

I managed to secure a reason to visit tomorrow as well. This wheel of friendship is unstoppable. I’ve already made my appeal to my character, and Yuri looked at me with a warm smile, even as she laughed at me.

Humans are social animals, after all.

In the life where those who would once beg for a single trinket now play and chat with me, the existence of someone who can share a laugh and a story with me is indeed positive.

As long as I just gradually gather time, I can recover our original relationship. And I can even become friends again. But…

It’s not enough.

I wasn’t forgetting my goal. I was constantly repeating it to myself. I’m here to get the Pinvaleres, and I need to get my hands on the clue leading to the underground 2nd floor.

In this world, the underground 1st floor is where they reconstructed Pinvaleres’ mental wall. It’s no different from a sealed door, and they’re trying to block those who want to go down to the underground 2nd floor.

From noble mtl dot come

So I suspected that “permission” is a crucial point.

As the gatekeeper, the young Yuri needs to believe and acknowledge me, and then open the path to the underground 2nd floor. That’s why I’ve been building our relationship like this.

I also found evidence to support this suspicion. The existence of the “Key” Yuri always wears around her neck.

It’s an object with an excessive amount of information, and it has a very artificial feel to it. It must have been touched by the queen’s hand.

When I asked her, “What’s the key for?” once.

“You don’t need to know.”

She showed a defensive attitude, much stronger than the caution she had towards me on our first meeting.

After carefully digging into the related information, she felt a compulsive urge to protect this “Key”. Memories of various people trying to steal or rob the “Key” were implanted in her.

She even heard that a friend from the Annihilation Squad, who was somewhat close, tried to steal her “Key”, leading to their eventual estrangement.

At that moment, she realized. If she tried to delve any further into the Key, all the relationships she had built up until now would crumble. So, she had been feigning disinterest.

She had never heard Pingballez speak of such an important key necklace. Although she tended to hide her past… having some clues and having none at all are different.

She checks her memories. Pingballez never showed any signs of wearing a ‘necklace’ in her actions, habits, or fashion.

So, this must be an object deliberately created by the Queen.

Instead of scattering clues around the world, the Queen seems to have focused the clear conditions into one distinct symbol, the “Key”.

Therefore, to go down to the second basement level, she must obtain this “Key”.

This proposition seems true.

As she was organizing her thoughts and watching Yuri with a smile, Yuri, feeling the gaze, looked up with a blank expression and blurted out,

“…What are you looking at so intently?”

“Because you look pretty when you eat.”

Her face flushed instantly. Young Yuri had defenses as low as a tower master. Holding her spoon like a knife, she aimed it at me, feigning anger to hide her embarrassment.

“Are you really a eunuch…?!”

“Want me to show you?”

As I pretended to take off my pants, she quickly turned her head away.

I felt a deep sense of triumph rising from within. I had won. I was overpowering Pingballez…!!

It was satisfying to be on the winning side after being beaten all along.

Well…

The best scenario would be to gradually gain her trust and have the “Key” handed over, but if the situation doesn’t allow, I’m also considering physically stealing it.

After sufficiently softening her guard, I plan to seize the key at a decisive moment.

In that case… young Yuri will undoubtedly be hurt, but still. It must be done. Because she needs to be saved.

Should I call it a sound strategy? Hiding my dark intentions behind a smile, I continued the everyday conversation.

“How have things been lately? You mentioned the Annihilation Squad was in a bind. Weren’t you tracking a group of dark wizards?”

“…It’s been troublesome. We raided a location that the Defense Bureau claimed was a base with my seniors, but it was just small fry. We only got one piece of information. Do your job properly, Defense Bureau.”

“Our guys must have worked hard too. It’s good that you got some information, what is it?”

“It’s about the hidden bases of the dark wizard group ‘Red Resurrection’, and their collaborators.”

I heard that the ‘Red Resurrection’, which the Annihilation Squad of the year 440 is tracking, aims to sacrifice people to obtain new and healthy bodies.

They mainly approach nobles, offering to fix their ugly faces or transform their frail bodies into muscular ones, enticing them with attractive conditions to secure their support.

“The documents are encrypted, so the seniors are working day and night… but once the analysis is complete, we should be able to achieve some results.”

“A blood wind is bound to blow.”

“Even if it does, it’s a welcome blood wind.”

Yuri spoke decisively, revealing her disgust for the group of dark sorcerers. As if she would tear them in half at a mere glance.

I was resting my chin on my hand when suddenly, a spark of thought flashed through my mind.

“…”

“Why do you look so troubled?”

“No, it’s just that I forgot something. It just came to me. I need to send a report to the royal family.”

“Are you out of your mind? Hurry, go send it!”

After giving Yuri that excuse, I made my escape.

—

I’ve always felt uneasy about the queen, who was suspiciously quiet.

Whether it’s the world turning upside down or sudden bouts of searing pain, checks are still coming my way… But the big one hasn’t hit yet, has it?

The occasional pain that breaks through the defense is bearable if you just take it. The queen must know that too.

She could have chosen any other time, but there must be a reason she chose this point in 440 years. She must be scheming to use an event from this period.

In that sense, the case concerning the dark sorcerer group “Red Resurgence” is, so to speak, the main scenario.

I was speculating whether this scenario was meant to drive Yuri to despair…

“This little trickster, did he play a cunning prank?”

After checking on Yuri and returning, I scoured the place where this body spawned, my home. I lifted carpets and pried open attic boards.

And in a secret space behind a cupboard in the corner of the house, I found a printing block marked with a bloody palm and ritual tools used for black magic.

I spread my palm and compared it. It was identical.

This body, the identity of the avatar prepared by the queen to fool me… belongs to the “Red Resurgence,” the very group Yuri is tracking.

So this is how you want to play it?

Fine. You want to entangle me in a hostile relationship with Yuri. Then, I’ll just have to adopt the stance of a reformed villain. After all, I haven’t harmed anyone since I fell here.

I’ll lay the atmosphere thick, and say, in fact, I wanted to cure my frail body and got carried away. But seeing you, I’ve come to regret it. I’m sorry. However, I haven’t committed any crimes yet, so please give me a chance. I’ll cooperate.

If I play it out like this…

Wait.

Just a moment.

I mean… I’ve altered the ugly appearance before entering.

I modified the avatar’s modeling, not the world’s settings themselves. So, I’m like a ‘pig orc who suddenly became a handsome young man.’

To the outside world, it looks as if… I’ve diligently rubbed shoulders with the “Red Resurgence,” sacrificed people, and finally changed my own appearance.

I’ve been caught by my own trick!

“Even now, if I change the information…!!”

No chance. The queen had a firm grip on the relevant information, ready to defend her position. She’s planning to cast me as the villain. This damn guy.

Suddenly, I became the villain obsessed with the hero (who, in some sense, protects the city’s peace)…!

—

The queen, who had been watching all this from “The Nest,” finally relaxed and laughed. In her eyes, he had no way out.

His skills surpassed human capabilities, enough to break a sweat…

Only by obtaining “The Key” can one enter the second underground level, the deep recesses of the heart. However, he was labeled as a minion of “The Red Resurrection,” and Yuri Lannister was guarding the key very preciously.

Click, click, click.

Fate will flow towards revealing his identity. Because the queen will make it so.

Corner the magician. Get anxious, struggle. And when you’re driven to a dead end, shout for Yuri Lannister’s sake and snatch the key from her.

That moment. Yuri’s consciousness, feeling an extreme sense of betrayal, will label the magician as ‘the enemy’ from her mental barriers.

The moment this small world turns against him. The queen will bare her claws, hunt him down, and tear him to pieces.