#092

Usually, doesn’t an alarm go off when you acquire a skill?

I feel like alarms always popped up for the skills the Cult Leader Unit obtained in Conclude.

A question flickered in my mind, but I didn’t have time for deep contemplation right now.

‘Use Forced Persuasion!’

[

SYSTEM

: To use ‘Forced Persuasion,’ try asking them to listen to your story.]

“…Andrea. Please, listen to me.”

Andrea’s eyebrows twitched, but he didn’t turn around to leave. Though there was no visual Effect, the skill seemed to have taken hold.

“I have no intention of dying.”

‘If sacrifice is a landmine, I’ll approach from the opposite direction.’

“How could throwing away one’s life be easy? I am a coward. If I had to choose between a great death that the whole world would praise and a wretched, insignificant life, I would choose living. Because I am far too terrified of dying.”

“Then why….”

“I’m saying I’ll help because I want to live. Andrea, I truly want to live.”

I looked Andrea straight in the eyes.

“I am grateful that you told me I almost died in total ignorance. But what has that solved? The evil person who completely deceived me is still roaming this Capital Church, isn’t he? In that case, can I really be called safe?”

“…He will be condemned. I promise you.”

“Then why aren’t you condemning him right now?”

Andrea couldn’t answer.

I quickly continued.

“Of course! There must be a reason why you can’t. I believe you have a plan, Andrea. But saving me probably wasn’t part of that plan. Right?”

Again, no denial came.

‘This situation is one hundred percent Andrea acting on impulse.’

If I were Andrea, after checking the reliquary, I would have simply kept a close eye on the target for a few days.

What if ‘Fabio’ was cooperating with Athanas despite knowing the truth? What if his mind was so contaminated that he was beyond reason? Those possibilities hadn’t been completely ruled out, so how could he suddenly reveal his hand and ask me to trust him?

‘Units afflicted with Mental Status Ailments, whether it’s brainwashing or Distortion, often behave irrationally.’

“…You said you saved me because you couldn’t bear to watch me die, Bishop. But what if Athanas knows that about your nature?”

‘Athanas, sorry!’

I decided to further emphasize Athanas’s atrociousness.

‘That way, he’ll feel that now is not the time to refuse help.’

“The moment you saved me, I became nothing less than a weakness for you, Andrea.”

“…I can keep one person like you safe.”

“But that only increases the burden. Andrea, I am afraid. What if I become a liability and ruin everything? What if you believe everything will be resolved without my help, only to realize later that wasn’t the case? Or what if I die miserably without even a chance to realize it….”

I intentionally gripped Andrea’s sleeve tightly. I didn’t forget to let a few more tears fall.

“Please, I don’t want to die in ignorance. Andrea. Give me a chance. I can do this.”

“…I understand your anxiety. But Fabio, there will be no need for your help.”

“Why not? Please tell me the reason.”

Andrea looked extremely conflicted.

“Because I don’t want to….”

Andrea blurted those words out and then hurriedly shut his mouth.

His expression looked as if he didn’t know why he was saying such things.

‘…This skill effect is insane.’

If you can’t refute it, you’re persuaded.

That means the person under the skill’s effect must keep spitting out refutations until they are persuaded.

‘That means they can’t exercise their right to remain silent.’

I felt like I’d hit a jackpot with this unexpected side effect. My voice sounded a bit excited.

“Is that all? Do you believe it is right to completely disregard a more effective method just because you ‘don’t want to’?”

Andrea frowned.

“…If it is a more effective method, then I suppose I shouldn’t. But how can you be sure it’s more effective….”

“Of course it’s more effective! Because it’s a way to catch the opponent off guard.”

“How….”

“Could Athanas ever imagine that Bishop Andrea would use me? He wouldn’t! Because you aren’t that kind of person. The better Athanas knows you, the less he’ll even consider that possibility.”

“…….”

“That is why you must accept my help.”

Andrea wiped his face with the hand that wasn’t being held. I could see cold sweat pouring down.

‘He seems to be trying to squeeze out a refutation somehow.’

I decided to deliver the final blow.

“Andrea. Is helping always a sacrifice? There must be a way for me to help without dying or getting hurt. Isn’t that right?”

“…It is still dangerous.”

“Until the culprit is dealt with, I can never be safe. It’s just as dangerous even if I don’t help. In that case, wouldn’t the safest way for me to be is to help you remove the danger as quickly as possible?”

I reached out with the hand holding the handkerchief and wiped away Andrea’s cold sweat. Andrea flinched, but he didn’t avoid my hand. Rather, it was closer to being unable to avoid it.

“Andrea. Are there any reasons left why you shouldn’t accept my help?”

“…….”

“If there are, please tell me.”

Andrea opened his mouth, but no answer came.

The notification window flashed.

[

SYSTEM

: ‘Bishop Andrea (Servant of the Distorted One)’ has been forcibly persuaded by you!]

‘Wow!’

I suppressed a cheer that almost burst out.

‘I have a skill too!’

I thought I’d live my whole life powerless, given the combination of a trash Othergod and a bottom-tier unit!

‘To think I can break someone’s convictions with just a few words!’

It was a skill with incredibly high utility.

Though it had the fatal flaw of only being usable on targets who have been Influenced….

‘…Who did I Influence again?’

Antonio, Nasir, Casimir, and Andrea—that makes four?

Once I realized there were only four targets I could use it on, my excitement calmed down a bit.

‘…It would be a real jackpot if I could Influence Terna Pel.’

Then I wouldn’t need to do this undercover investigation.

I could just persuade him to trust me and push all the other players aside.

‘Of course, that’s exactly why it probably won’t work.’

Still, I was very happy that the Silver Tongue trait wasn’t completely useless.

‘I thought things like Affinity only drew aggro and weren’t helpful at all….’

To think that acquiring a skill comes from building up Affinity!

Since the ‘Affinity’ stat didn’t exist in the game, I had no idea.

‘You System bastard! You should have told me!’

If I had known, I would have worked much harder to Influence people….

‘…Does Forced Persuasion not increase Affinity?’

The moment I thought that, the notification window flashed.

[

SYSTEM

: If a target is repeatedly subjected to ‘Forced Persuasion,’ it becomes increasingly difficult for them to resist you.]

‘…Difficult to resist?’

That means once they’ve been ‘Forced Persuaded,’ the second time is easier.

And the third time will be even easier….

‘…Does that mean eventually, they’ll just follow whatever I say without being able to refute it?’

How is that different from brainwashing?

‘That’s a bit creepy.’

Of course, as long as they can refute, Forced Persuasion won’t work.

But what if I refute their refutation?

‘Since the opponent cannot stop the conversation first….’

…As long as I have the persistence, doesn’t that mean I always win?

Even if I just spout sophistry, a moment will eventually come when they can’t offer a counterargument.

“Fabio, you are right.”

Andrea let out a sigh.

“…And I myself said that there is no act more foolish than not changing after hearing right advice.”

“Which means….”

“I will do as you say.”

As Andrea spoke, a soft smile played on his lips.

“Fabio, will you help me?”

‘…He seems completely unaware that he’s been hit by a Miracle.’

Seeing that the snake wrapped around my arm was also calm, it seemed this wasn’t the kind of skill others could detect.

‘I wonder if I can nullify Distortion with Forced Persuasion?’

I considered it for a moment but decided not to try.

Even if the creature didn’t notice my ‘Forced Persuasion,’ there was a high probability it would notice if something happened to the ‘Distortion’ it had cast.

‘I should try that after I find a way to prevent my whole body from freezing up.’

If my tongue doesn’t move, Forced Persuasion or whatever is useless.

I never wanted to feel that helplessness again.

“Of course! I’ll help!”

I spoke in an excited voice.

“Then will you tell me now? For what purpose Athanas is looking for Alicia?”

“…I must. Since I’ve decided to do so.”

Sweat beaded on Andrea’s forehead. Even though he was hit by the skill, some resistance seemed to remain. I glanced at the snake.

‘If it notices anything strange….’

The snake tilted its head and flicked its tongue to lick the back of my hand.

[The snake is cute!

Therefore, seeing a cute snake makes one feel good.

It feels as if everything will work out. It is reassuring.

And one wants to pet the snake!]

[

SYSTEM

: Due to the effect of ‘Heaven Above, Earth Below, I Alone Reign Supreme,’ ‘Distortion’ is provided as text.]

‘…Fortunately, this creature seems to have very low intelligence.’

Relieved, I gently stroked its head, and the snake closed its eyes contentedly.

Andrea spoke.

“…Alicia possesses a very pure and noble soul. Not only that, she was born with the wonderful qualities to become the next Great Saintess. Athanas wishes to sacrifice such an Alicia as an offering.”

‘Why would Athanas do that?’

More importantly, qualities to become a Saintess?

Adelaide only became the Saintess by force because there were no other candidates.

“That is not all. That evil man….”

I listened calmly, but it was complete nonsense; the only thing I gained was the fact that Andrea held an immense amount of hostility toward Athanas.

‘…He’ll find and kill the person who will save the world, no matter what form they appear in?’

Is Athanas some kind of horror game boss monster?

I gave appropriate reactions and changed the subject.

“Then what can I do to prevent such a terrible thing?”

“Fabio, what I wish to ask of you is….”

I sparkled my eyes as if I would follow whatever Andrea said.

‘I’ll keep using Forced Persuasion until he spits out the conclusion I want!’

* * *

When I stepped out of the orphanage, the sun was just beginning to rise. The morning air was pleasantly chilly.

‘That was a productive time.’

I had gained a lot.

Among those, the most joyful news was that Adelaide was safely alive.

‘I couldn’t ask specifically which house she was adopted into, fearing I might trigger the Distortion….’

But hearing that she was doing well, even though I had seen her just a week ago, put my mind at ease.

‘And I decided to keep pretending to be Athanas’s lover.’

This part was truly tricky.

I hadn’t thought I’d be able to come up with so many reasons why I couldn’t date Athanas.

‘In the end, I won, though.’

Now I am a double agent.

Of course, that’s only how Andrea perceives it.

‘I need to relay this news to Athanas quickly.’

I thrust my hand into my pocket and fiddled with the reliquary. The contents inside had also been returned to me for the sake of my double agent activities.

‘Athanas is probably sleeping soundly right about now….’

Completely unaware of what I’ve been through.

Seriously, the hardships I endured because of this reliquary….

“…Fabio.”

‘Holy shit, you scared me!’

“A-Athanas?”

I stuttered in surprise.

I was just thinking about him, and he suddenly pops up like this!

‘…But why does he look like that?’

Did he stay up all night?

No, I don’t think staying up for just one night would make someone look like this….

“You look tired, why aren’t you sleepi—”

“…….”

I felt some incredibly complex emotions in the way Athanas looked at me.

‘…Did I betray him in his dreams or something?’

Otherwise, there’s no reason for him to look at me with those eyes.

“Is something on your mind?”

“…Yes.”

“Then why not tell me? I can’t guarantee I’ll be of help, but I’ll do my best to listen.”

‘It would be great if Athanas got Influenced this time.’

Of course, I had absolutely no intention of using Forced Persuasion on Athanas.

Arbitrarily manipulating the mind of a sane person who isn’t afflicted by a status ailment….

‘…Too unethical.’

I have no intention of committing such horrific acts in reality, outside of a game.

I’m not some crazy player who can’t distinguish between a game and reality.

‘I just want to build up more Affinity.’

Because another skill might appear.

Athanas stared at me in silence, as if he could see right through my impure intentions.

“Of course, if you don’t want to say what’s bothering you, feel free to—”

“…It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s that I cannot, even if I want to.”

“What? Why? Did someone forbid it?”

“Because I promised to do so.”

“With whom?”

Athanas shut his mouth tight.

Chapter 93