Chapter 23 – Choose Nicknames Carefully

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Meanwhile, the executives’ meeting room.

The executives’ meeting, which had been temporarily suspended since the death of Lieutenant General Batom last time.

The executives’ meeting resumed today was a meeting about whom to raise to Lieutenant General Batom’s vacant position.

However, rendering the word ‘meeting’ meaningless, the promotion candidate was already internally decided.

This was because they had already finished talking with the commander to fill that position with the pro-Daphne faction instead of taking issue with Lieutenant General Batom’s death.

Therefore, the commander declared his absence from today’s executives’ meeting, and the executives of the pro-Hayden faction had not shown up yet either.

While the pro-Daphne faction executives sitting huddled together were talking about Lieutenant General Batom’s son, who had been transferred to the research institute’s military police, someone cautiously brought up another topic.

“By the way… did everyone happen to see it?”

“See what?”

“The medium-sized monster that child caught.”

At that, Anton, the leader of the pro-Daphne faction, frowned slightly, but the other executives, quite interested in the topic, leaned forward and began to chime in.

“If you have eyes, there is no way you didn’t see it, right? Didn’t he drag it all the way to the commander’s residence as if to show off?”

“I was a bit concerned about a mere ten-year-old child trying so hard to get attention.”

“I knew His Excellency was a cold-hearted person, but I didn’t know he would force his own son to do such an unreasonable thing.”

At those words, another executive frowned as if they didn’t think so.

“Do you think His Excellency ordered it?”

“Then, does a mere ten-year-old child think on his own to hunt a medium-sized monster and gather children his age to make a dinner party?”

“I also agree that it wouldn’t be that child’s idea. His Excellency must be plotting something using that child, just like the matter of Lieutenant General Batom. Don’t you know by seeing Major General Meursault following him around?”

At those words, another executive clicked his tongue loudly.

“Ha, do you guys say that because you don’t know what kind of bastard Major General Meursault is? He is not the type of person who would chase after a kid’s tail just because His Excellency ordered it.”

“I also think he is no ordinary child. He didn’t even bat an eye when Lieutenant General Batom died, and that kind of boldness is not something that can be taught.”

At that moment, Anton, who had been keeping his mouth shut all this time, spoke up.

“Whether it is that child’s idea or not, the fact that what he does is keeping Daphne-nim in check remains unchanged. Even if he does it without the intention of keeping her in check, it is a threat to us.”

At those words, the other executives nodded in unison.

“You are right.”

“Then what should we do? Even if we want to talk to him, Meursault is sticking close to that child’s side under the pretext of suspension.”

“Has Daphne-nim not said anything?”

“I cannot get in touch with Daphne-nim either.”

“Pardon?!”

“She rejected the meeting with that child, saying she was not feeling well, but is she really unwell?”

“How could that be!!”

As the executives made a loud noise, Anton gestured for them to restrain themselves and continued speaking.

“That is not it. If she were really unwell, she would have acted more aggressively instead. She is probably thinking. What she should do with that child.”

“Ah…”

“So, everyone, do not think of moving rashly. Leave that arrogant Meursault and Lieutenant General Batom’s son alone.”

“No, but still, the matter of Lieutenant General Batom…”

“Have you forgotten the reason we gathered today? Today, we gathered to fill Lieutenant General Batom’s seat. It was His Excellency who first proposed filling that seat with someone from our side, rather than his own person. There is no one in this room who does not understand what this means, right?”

“……”

The executives here were also people who survived the political struggles to climb all the way up here.

The commander handed over the executive seat as if conceding it, but the hidden meaning was no different from telling them to take this and shut up.

It was a kind of threat that if they took issue with the matter of Lieutenant General Batom, even this seat would disappear.

“So, never speak of Lieutenant General Batom’s matter again. Live as if such a person never existed. Keep your heads down for the time being. Do not fall for that child’s provocation. That must be what that child wants.”

“What that child wants?”

“From what I see, that child intends to go out to the subjugation battle.”

At those words, the executives went into a stir.

“To the subjugation battle?”

“What else would be the reason he showed off his hunting skills so loudly? It must be to prove that he has the skills to go to the subjugation battle.”

“No, for what on earth is he trying to go to the subjugation battle?”

“The reason is not important. If that is what is necessary for that child, we only need to block him from going to the subjugation battle.”

“I also think it is hasty. Not just because we have to keep that child in check, but… he is too young. The subjugation battle is an annual event, and no one would find fault even if he went out after growing up a bit more.”

“I do not know the reason either. Why he is so desperate. As if some deadline has been set…”

While Anton was murmuring, the door of the executives’ meeting room opened, and the executives of the pro-Hayden faction walked in.

“What kind of plot were you hatching that you shut your mouths as soon as we arrived?”

At that, several executives flared up, but Anton stepped forward and replied calmly.

“We were talking about Young Master Heydam. His hunting skills were very outstanding.”

“Ah, the hippo-pig, you mean?”

When the hippo-pig was mentioned, the pro-Hayden faction executives began to talk in a comfortable tone.

“Doesn’t his behavior resemble Luna Moon exactly?”

“What are you talking about? Her shooting skills weren’t that good.”

“No, I mean liking the hippo-pig meat. I dislike it because it is greasy, but she said she had to eat hippo-pig meat once a week.”

“Ah, that’s right. The smell was really good. I miss it.”

“I’m looking forward to the day of going to the subjugation battle with that child. If only His Excellency permits it, there are many things to teach him—”

“What do you mean by that?”

Anton, who had been listening quietly, spat out in displeasure.

“Are you speaking out of your mind? To think of putting such a young child forward to the subjugation battle in the first place.”

As Anton set the tone, the other executives, who had just heard from Anton that they must block Heydam from going to the subjugation battle, also added their words.

“It is a problem because you keep expecting things from him by saying he resembles Luna Moon. How burdened must that young thing have felt to go outside the zone and catch a monster?”

“That child said he and his mother are separate, but aren’t you guys equating the two?”

“This is why there is no hope for war maniacs!”

“What did you say? War maniacs? Who do you think you guys owe it to that you eat and live comfortably inside the zone!”

Just as the voices of both sides rose.

A soldier flung open the meeting room door and entered.

“W-We have a big problem…!”

The one who was gasping for air with a pale face was a soldier from Daphne’s mansion, so the expressions of the pro-Daphne faction executives who recognized him froze at once.

‘Something has happened to Daphne.’

The pro-Hayden faction executives twisted one corner of their mouths, preparing to sneer, but.

In the next instant, both sides had no choice but to shout at the words that poured out of the soldier’s mouth.

“Y-Young Master Heydam has scaled the wall of Daphne-nim’s residence and entered!”

“What?!”

* * *

I hadn’t intended to scale the wall from the beginning.

The way to make the executives of both sides, who kept to their rooms, pop out was easy.

I just needed to touch someone who shouldn’t be touched.

In that sense, Daphne was a very good target.

The pro-Daphne faction would rush over fearing I would act outrageously toward Daphne, and the pro-Hayden faction would rush over fearing I would get poisoned by Daphne.

I only needed to leisurely drink tea offered by Daphne and wait for them to rush over.

The problem was that Daphne rejected the meeting with me even though I came to her residence in person.

“Daphne-nim is still not feeling well. She says she is sorry, but asks you to go back.”

‘Still no intention to meet me?’

Daphne being sick was definitely a lie.

If she were truly sick, she would have taken any action to hide it and keep me in check.

‘Why is she trying not to meet me?’

I thought the reason Daphne rejected my visit at first was that she didn’t know what kind of child I was yet.

However, I had shown really many things in the meantime.

The matter at the executives’ meeting, hunting the medium-sized monster, and gathering children to have a pork belly party.

I thought that if she had heard of all these events, Daphne would have surely made a judgment about what kind of person I was.

And that was why I had come to find her first.

‘There is no way she still doesn’t know what kind of person I am… She wasn’t that stupid of an NPC.’

If so, why was she trying not to meet me?

‘She is hiding something.’

Having concluded that Daphne was avoiding meeting me to hide something.

I scaled the wall of Daphne’s residence just like that.

“Kyaah! Y-Young Master, you mustn’t do this…!”

Since I hadn’t scaled it secretly, the servants of Daphne’s mansion, who had been watching my sudden action with bewildered faces, were frightened and tried to stop me, but.

“Young Master! This is Daphne-nim’s residence. Please stop…!”

Because no one seemed to dare to lay a hand on my body, I was able to walk into Daphne’s mansion proudly.

The reason I didn’t enter secretly was simple.

Because only if I caused a stir would Daphne, that woman, come down herself to greet me.

As if to prove that my judgment was not wrong.

At the same time I entered the lobby, Daphne made her appearance at the top of the stairs.

‘Daphne… right?’

To the point where I momentarily doubted if she was the NPC I knew, a dazzlingly beautiful woman began to descend toward me with a soft gait, without making a single footstep.

‘Looking at her silver hair falling to her waist and the pure white, thick fur draped over her shoulders, she does seem to be the NPC I know.’

She was dozens of times more beautiful than what I saw in the game.

To the point of making me think that the game graphics couldn’t capture all of that beauty, so they had no choice but to nerf her.

I could understand to some extent why Meursault was crazy about Daphne.

I even felt awe toward Commander Hayden, who chose Luna Moon over Daphne despite her being so beautiful.

The commander really loved Luna Moon.

“Is there something you urgently need to tell me, even to the point of causing such a racket?”

Only after Daphne, who had finished descending the stairs, spoke to me was I able to stop thinking about her appearance.

And I noticed that this was not a normal reaction.

‘Could this be…?’

Taking advantage of the moment I regained my senses, I swapped the title ‘Luna Moon’s Friend’ to ‘Treat Gold Like Stones.’

An unexpected message popped up before my eyes.

[Item effect is canceled.]

Only then was I able to look at Daphne properly.

Leaving beauty aside, she didn’t look sick, so it seemed certain that she had been avoiding me on purpose in the meantime.

I stared up at Daphne.

No, at ‘her,’ and.

As if possessed, I opened her character profile.

Normally, when opening an NPC’s character profile, a window like the following appears.

[Name: Meursault

Favorability: 67/100

Affiliated Zone: Cola

Special Note: Rank – Major General]

However, the character profile of Daphne that appeared before my eyes was different from an NPC’s.

And it was also different from ours.

[Name: Meursault’s Wife

Target Route: Merry Bad Ending (Hayden)

Affiliated Zone: Cola

Equipped Item: Violet Eye of Fascination

*A player using a different version of the system; friend requests are not possible.]

‘A player with a different version!’

…But why is the nickname like that?