Overpowered Reincarnation Perks! - Chapter 16.6
[And I’m also a victim whose village was destroyed because of the ore that attracts monsters, brought by the castle’s investigators.]
Although I only stayed there for about 20 days, so it’s not my hometown, it was the village where I lived.
[The leadership of this castle is corrupt. Don’t trust them. As proof, even now they are hiding a very important fact from you.]
The lord’s death.
I won’t say it here. If they have any sense, they should know what card I’m holding.
If they don’t want to see the people gathered in the square fall into panic and chaos, they should cooperate at this point…
“Do not mislead people with your wicked words, intruder.”
A deep voice that resonated clearly even without an amplification magic stone. A tall man with hair brighter than the morning sun stepped down from the execution platform and stood in front of me.
At the commander’s appearance, Callion and Arvan became alert and pushed me back. It’s good that they’re protecting me, but I wish they knew that confronting the commander in this situation would ruin any chance of smooth negotiation.
As I tapped their arms and squeezed out between them, I saw the commander’s face looking down at me coldly.
They say beautiful flowers have thorns, but those green eyes shine dangerously as if they truly contain poison. Just meeting them makes one’s heart grow cold.
Don’t be intimidated. I have two handsome warriors by my side.
“The one speaking wicked words would be you, Commander. I’ve only come to set things right.”
“Set things right, you say?”
“Yes. Let’s negotiate. Please return our comrades’ bodies safely. In return, I’ll provide you with what you need.”
I don’t want to work for guys like these, but sometimes you have to do dirty work to survive and compromise with evil.
“What we need, you say.”
The commander slightly raised his chin. He’s already tall, but looking down arrogantly makes me feel like I’m an amoeba at the bottom of the sea.
They’re the ones in a hurry, so why do I have to lower myself?
“I don’t need anything, though?”
The commander pulled out a thin rod from his waist.
Is he going to attack now? Does this madman not know the basics of negotiation?
Sensing danger, Callion drew his sword and Arvan wrapped around me as we stepped back.
It was then that the clueless system window popped up.
[Insight skill activated!]
‘Huh?’
[Character Information]
Name: Dienes
Position: Commander of the ‘Castle’
Possessed Skills: Training Lv.9, Brainwashing Lv.10, Intuition Lv.8, Instigation Lv.7, Command Lv.9, Intensive Cultivation Lv.6……
He feels extreme skepticism about ruling the castle.
He has no interest in the survival of the people inside the castle.
He has no will to correct the atrocities committed by the castle’s soldiers.
This individual is in a state of [Severe Apathy], with no attachment to survival.
This individual is in a state of [Brainwashing: Oblivion], with all memories that make him uneasy sealed away.
This individual is under a [Curse] that prevents him from recognizing emotions. He cannot be afflicted with [Anger], [Fear], or [Confusion] status effects.
This individual is slightly interested in you.
I thought he was the final boss, but it turns out he’s a severely ill patient.
So the castle is in this state because someone who should be in a hospital is in charge as the commander.
I looked up at the blonde commander, dumbfounded.
‘Dienes.’
Come to think of it, that was definitely his name. I belatedly remembered that when I was imprisoned, a soldier had called him ‘Commander Dienes’.
‘But why did this information window suddenly appear?’
As I peered into Dienes’ status window, a loading bar appeared below the information window, and a few more lines were added.
[Insight Results]
This individual is listening to your story.
If you satisfy his interest, he will accept even somewhat unreasonable proposals from you.
Ah. Is it providing clues on how to approach the negotiation?
But satisfying his interest? I’m not a clown. How am I supposed to satisfy the interest of a man I don’t even know? I wish it would give me a more specific quest instead of such abstract explanations.
‘Can’t be helped. I’m not in a position to be picky right now.’
If the system window says to do it, I have to do it, what choice do I have?
“Callion, put away your sword.”
“Ju-in, this man is dangerous.”
“It’s alright, lower your sword.”
If we start fighting here, I’m the one who’ll end up with a broken back. I pushed away Arvan’s arm and stepped forward.
Until then, he was still holding the thin rod. The blade hadn’t sprung out yet. It probably means he’s not seriously thinking of fighting.
“Seems you’ve forgotten already? What you need.”
At my words, Dienes’ eyebrow twitched.
“You’ll need me, won’t you?”
If the reason this man broadcast his voice throughout the castle was to draw me out, then by my appearance here, he has achieved his primary objective.
And probably the secondary objective is.
“…Let’s move somewhere else to talk.”
It’s probably to take me to the central palace.
“First, hand over our comrades’ bodies. And guarantee the safety of the two people with me.”
“Don’t act so brazen, intruder. I could forcibly arrest you.”
“I could have run away without coming out here, too. You think you’re the only one showing goodwill?”
I put on a bluff, implying that I could have just bolted, but I graciously came out because he called. Honestly, even as I say it, I wonder if it’s not too shameless, but I have to satisfy his interest, right?
Generally, in these situations, if I cower and grovel, the other party loses interest. Originally, in genre works, it’s standard for slightly mentally unstable characters to be drawn to protagonists who challenge them defiantly. Clichés aren’t created for nothing, you know.
I glared at Dienes.
Meeting those green eyes makes me feel like a frog in front of a snake, which is scary, but if I back down here, it’s all over.
“Very well.”
Dienes accepted. As expected, clichés prevail.
“Move the coffins. The execution is suspended.”
When Dienes ordered the soldiers, they began to close the coffin lids and move the rectangular coffins, even though they looked confused as to why the commander suddenly withdrew his order.
‘Don’t these guys have any opinions? Do they just obey unconditionally if it’s the commander’s order?’
