The High Roller, Ch04: The Maid

,Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.

Betad by Beans, Priapus, Malcolm Tent, Mike God of Lore, Old man of the mountain

The Guild of Gamers: The High Roller

Chapter 04: The Maid

– Lisa Wilbourne (Tattletale) –

Okay, she might be just as mad as her new boss, but that was truly therapeutic. Coil was the reason she was in this mess in the first place, so watching him die over and over again was satisfying.

It took five deaths until he was truly begging, her powers telling her he was genuine in the wild promises he was giving in exchange for being spared. By the twentieth, he'd stopped trying entirely.

She was somewhere around thirty now, and the thrill of killing the bastard had finally worn off. He could be trained and made a part of their Kingdom, but eventually, he'd turn on them, and Sebastian didn't want him anyway.

Still, she made sure to put his body in storage for later. Just in case she wanted to work off some more stress later, he made a fantastic punching bag. 

Her mind raced, the potential clear. Sebastian could return the dead to life. Her mind went to her brother, buried in a small town's graveyard, but she shook her head. Later, not now. There was too much going on for her to want to tear open that emotional wound.

Once things had stabilised, then she'd drag the idiot back to life and kick his ass for killing himself in the first place. Maybe. 

The main thing was that Sebastian had the power to return the dead to life, as long as the body wasn't entirely destroyed. He claimed they needed thirty percent of the body to restore them to life fully. 

This alone made him the most valuable person in the fucking world; how many Capes had died over the years? The PRT would throw Brockton Bay at him if it got them access to this technology.

Sebastian knew it as well, but first he needed to prove his new toy worked as he claimed. So where was her beloved boss?

Obviously, Graverobbing, with a gaggle of merchant minions who were happy to desecrate countless graves for their new king. She'd managed to find the final resting places of everyone on his shopping list of corpses. Some of the list made her smirk at the impending chaos; others just confused her. 

He was still mad, but the more she saw him in action, the more she was convinced he genuinely knew what he was doing. Besides, anyone who let her brutally murder Coil a couple dozen times for her own entertainment was always going to win some of her affection.

Sebastian knew things; she was convinced he wasn't a true Thinker himself, but he had access to at least some future knowledge. He knew she would be important; he knew Alice would become a mad bomber and blow up half of Brockton Bay, so when he wanted bodies that didn't seem important to her, she just assumed he knew more than he was telling her.

Why else would he want some English professor? The only thing she could find about this Annette was that she used to follow Lustrum in College, and that was basically it. She'd even made sure her surviving family weren't capes, but her daughter Taylor was some bullied schoolgirl, and her husband Danny was a depressed wreck. Neither was interesting.

But her boss wanted her, and finding the grave wasn't difficult for her. Now, finding where All-Father and Iron Rain were buried was a different matter entirely, and she couldn't deny a sliver of worry at the idea of him bringing back those two.

Fleur was easy to find as well, even if she was well-protected due to the Empire thugs targeting her grave shortly after her death. There was one thing for sure, though: by the end of the day, nobody would be able to deny that Sebastian could bring back the dead.

And from there, chaos would be inevitable.

"What's the probability that Brockton Bay survives the week?" Lisa asked, making the replicant of Dinah turn to her.

"56.3%"

Eh, better than she expected. The world was going to go mad, but she'd be here, safe and profiting from the chaos. 

– Sebastian Fairfax –

Graverobbing is a fun hobby, and the chaos of using Babel and You are Spartacus at the same time means that by the time the PRT works out what on earth is going on, we've already yoinked quite a few from my shopping list.

Of course, for good measure, we also stole countless other bodies as well. Who they are is irrelevant; what matters is that they are confirmed dead. With Oni and Skidmark running interference for me, we practically emptied one of Brockton Bay's graveyards. Squealer made a digger to speed things up; she's quite inspired at the moment. 

Escaping with my hard-won gains, I look over the collection of coffins now lined up just outside my mansion in the Savannah. I've put aside the special ones, the ones I have true plans for, but the rest?

It's like a lootbox; you just don't know what you're gonna get when you crack them open. I didn't bother checking the names as I grabbed them all because it genuinely didn't matter who they were.

They're going to be my proof that I can return the dead to life. My sarcophagus is quite a wonderful toy. If the victim died of old age, the sarcophagus will turn back the clocks by a few decades; if they died of a terminal illness, it will bring them back without that little inconvenience. 

As long as I have a third of the body left, I can return anyone to life. 

Such is the power of the Gacha, I suppose.

Well, time to start this party. I do hope Brockton Bay is ready for my present. 

– Taylor Hebert –

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♦ Topic: The Dead Rise!

In: Boards ► Locations ► Brockton Bay

Bagrat (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)

Posted On Jan 10th 2011:

You read the title right, folks! The dead have returned to life in Brockton Bay, because of course it happened in the Bay.

At midnight last night, a horde of confused people were dropped right in the middle of the boardwalk, numbering around thirty. The PRT reacted quickly, immediately suspecting this was connected to Sebastian, our resident lunatic.

He was last seen when he turned half the city into him and used his language scrambling power to make communication borderline impossible. By the time he ended his power, it became clear that he'd robbed dozens of corpses from a local graveyard.

You can probably see where this is going. It was quickly confirmed that the people who had been dropped into the Boardwalk were the same people who were buried in that Graveyard. PRT Thinkers have confirmed that they are truly the same people, not mastered or under any other effect.

All had the same story, they woke up in a strange sarcophagus with a bearded man in a top hat waiting for them. They were then locked into nice rooms in the mansion they'd been raised in until he suddenly returned and simply tossed them out through a portal.

Some of these people have been dead for decades, some for mere months. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for who he chose to bring back.

It seems like he did this purely to show the world that he could.

He also robbed several other graves, targeting specific people such as Jessica Campbell, better known as Fleur, Richard and Eleanor Anders, the father and sister of Medhall's CEO Max Anders, along with his former wife, Heith Anders. Presumably, to demand payment from the richest man in Brockton Bay for their resurrection. As always, trying to predict Sebastian's actions and motives is an exercise in futility.

I genuinely don't know what to think of the man; his powers seem absurd, his motives murky at best, and his actions utterly unpredictable, but I think we can all agree that this could change everything.

(Showing page 1 of 234)

►Loyal

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

He brought my grandmother back! We got called into the PRT to meet her, and she's younger than my mother now. It's definitely her, even if she's weirdly young. She died of old age, so he made her younger?

I don't get him, but he killed Lung and brought back Granny, so I also don't care. I'm gonna go buy a top hat and cane.

►Chilldrizzle

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Why is it always Brockton Bay?

Of course, the lunatic cape can just casually bring back the dead.

He's a villain, guys; remember that. He didn't do this out of the kindness of his heart. Can you imagine how many villains he could recruit by just bringing them back? The PRT should secure any villain corpses in the area ASAP

►Space Zombie

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Guys, think about it. He could undo the deaths at Endbringer attacks if they can get his cooperation; the risk of death at Endbringer attacks becomes negligible. That would be worth any cost he demanded.

Who cares if he wants to rule the Bay if it means all the civilians and heroes who die in Endbringer attacks can be brought back? Hell, I'll personally give the man a crown

►Bruce Lao

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

The issue is that nobody knows what he wants.

Lung's death was undeniably good, even if it was terrifying to live in BB's Chinatown when Lee was doing his... cleanse. All those girls who were freed from sexual slavery would probably agree that Sebastian is a good thing, but we just don't know what the man wants.

What we know is that the ABB- Sorry, the Night Parade (still getting used to that) and the Merchants both seem to work for him. He can give out powers and raise the dead; he's kidnapped the Mayor's preteen niece for some reason; we just don't know what the fuck he's scheming.

Maybe he's the best thing to happen to the Bay, or maybe we'll all be missing the days when a big fucking rage dragon was our biggest issue in the future.

►TaintedFlower

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

I feel like I should say something. I'm one of the hundreds of girls who were kidnapped by the ABB and forced into slavery; even before I was forced into one of their brothels, I was sexually assaulted dozens of times by the ABB thugs, and I've spent the past three years having the ABB sell my body to anyone who wants it.

When Lee showed up and just started killing, I figured it was over, and I was happy to know the masked psychopath was going to kill me and put an end to my misery.

Then Lee told us that we were going to be taken to the PRT, that Lung was dead, and the newly formed Night Parade wasn't going to be engaging in sexual slavery. That their new sponsor, some guy we'd never even heard of, had demanded we all be let go.

Sebastian saved my life and reunited me with my family. I don't care that he's a villain because he did more for me than the PRT ever did. Everyone knew about the ABB's brothels and the kidnappings, but nobody was willing to do anything about it. The so-called heroes ignored our suffering out of fear of Lung.

If Sebastian declares himself the new ruler of the Bay, I'll be the first to be cheering in the streets. Those he returned from the dead won't care that he's a villain; sure, he'll probably want to be paid for future resurrections.

So what? I hope he gouges the PRT for their entire budget when they come crawling to him, begging him to raise some hero or 'important' person.

►Mane Magenta

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Oh god, imagine how much he could charge for resurrecting Hero?

He was the Tinker, a Triumvirate tier cape, he could ask for ten million, a lap dance from Alexandria and the Chief Directors' anal virginity, and he'd get it.

►Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

God, today has been pandemonium.

Having thirty dead people suddenly show up very alive and well has been utter chaos, but I can confirm that Bagrat is telling the truth. They are all perfectly healthy; those who died of old age have found themselves in their thirties again, people who died of grievous wounds were fully healed, and terminal illnesses were cured.

Panacea basically threw her hands up and gave up, claiming she couldn't even tell that they'd ever been dead in the first place. 

It's worth noting that Fleur was not one of the ones brought back; New Wave isn't thrilled to know a villain has her body.

►Glory Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Damn right, we aren't; Sebastian better not be doing anything weird with her body. God, things stopped making sense when he showed up, but I can't deny the idea of Aunt Jess coming back to life...

Well, we all miss her a lot; I just worry about what price he'll demand for it

And yeah, trying to examine the resurrected people drove Amy mad because she couldn't find a single thing wrong with them. She even knew one of the women; she had brain cancer and passed away because Amy can't do brains.

Now she's in perfect health without a hint of the cancer that killed her.

►Deadman

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Bro, Brockton Bay is going to go mad with the people coming here in the hopes of having Sebastian bring back their loved ones. It's gonna be chaos

►Reave (Verified PRT Agent)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Definitely, the PRT is preparing, but there's only so much we can do

We're expecting desperate families, civilians, villains and heroes alike. Let's face it, damn near everyone has lost someone, and now they might be able to get their loved ones back.

►XxVoid_CowboyxX

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

He's gonna bring back Fleur as the start of his cape harem! All the dead heroines will be turned into his villainous battle harem! Fleur is probably already alive and being brainwashed into his toy!

►Glory Girl (Verified Cape) (New Wave)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Void, for once in your life, shut up.

►Feychick

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

God, I hope he takes payment in sexual favours because I'd do some really degenerate shit to have my sister back, and I know damn well I won't be able to afford whatever price tag he puts on resurrection.

►XxVoid_CowboyxX

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

...how degenerate are we talking?

►Feychick

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Far worse than anything your virgin mind can think of, Void, I'd do some seriously fucked up shit just for a chance.

Let's be honest, Sebastian could demand damn-near any price for his services and people will pay it. He's the only supplier, and demand is extremely high.

►XxVoid_CowboyxX

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

I'm not a virgin!

I have a girlfriend, she's really hot and from Europe

►AllSeeingEye (Muted)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

No, you don't. You're a social pariah at school thanks to your inability to shut your mouth and generally creepy behaviour, and the only girl willing to tolerate your presence dislikes you because you're too cowardly to stand up to her bullies

But sure, tell us more about this European girlfriend

►Tin_Mother (Moderator)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

AllSeeingEye, you've been warned about how close you come to doxxing people. Take a week on mute.

►Char

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

So, All is definitely a Thinker, right?

End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 232, 233, 234

(Showing page 2 of 234)

►Kriketz

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Who cares if she keeps making Void go crying to the mods?

But yeah, anyone in Brockton Bay might want to stay inside. I guarantee the crazies are already on their way.

►Laser Augment

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Has anyone seen the statement Haven already put out? They're a little upsetti spaghetti over this, something about this being a sin.

►Morgan Sinister

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Haven is always upset, usually at the Fallen, which is understandable, and sometimes at anyone who isn't Christian, which is less so.

Wanna bet they show up and get their asses kicked by the Gigachad himself, Sebastian Motherfucking Fairfax?

I still don't know if that's his real name or cape name.

►Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)

Replied On Jan 10th 2011:

Allegedly, it's both.

But again, who knows when it comes to him?

End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 232, 233, 234

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Someone had brought the dead back to life. 

That same someone had desecrated her mother's grave, had her mother's body. Her mother wasn't one of the thirty people who returned from the dead, but this Sebastian had her body.

Everything she'd been through paled in comparison to that simple fact; the bullying seemed so very irrelevant compared to the fact that her mother could be returned to life.

It felt like every single issue in her life could be fixed with that one action, but as she sat on her bed, searching up everything she could on Sebastian, she frowned. PHO said Parahuman healing usually costs somewhere in the high five to six-digit range, depending on the healer. Panacea was a godsend because she didn't charge, but something told her that Sebastian wasn't so generous.

What would parahuman resurrection cost? Millions, presumably. Millions her family couldn't get if they sold everything they owned, including their organs. Annette hadn't been lucky enough to be one of the ones used as an example, but Sebastian still had her body. What was he planning to do with it?

There was nothing she wouldn't do to have her mother back. She couldn't think of a single thing she wouldn't do if it meant her mother lived again; no matter how illegal, how degrading, she'd do anything.

But what would someone like Sebastian, a cape that had the world by the balls, that had the Merchants and AB- the Night Parade seemingly following his every whim, want with some unimportant schoolgirl like her?

It was torture, having everything she could ever want dangling right in front of her with no idea how to reach out and grab it. That wasn't even mentioning what this was doing to her dad, the mere idea of Annette being returned to them…

Sighing, she continued her research into Sebastian Fairfax, the most important person in the world as far as she (and so many others) were concerned. She had to find a way to get him to resurrect her mother, no matter the cost.

– Sebastian Fairfax –

Feat Achieved: Become Infamous Worldwide (Two Rolls), Become Taylor Hebert's Obsession (Two Rolls, Good Luck)

Ah, Miss Hebert is wondering what I'm doing with dear Annette, and my little display has had the desired effect. How wonderful.

Rolling. Results: Rare Perk, Rare Power, Legendary Astral, Mythical Perk

Ah, quite the set of rolls. A sign from the Gods, the 'Founders', that I am on the right track? 

[Breathless] - Rare Perk

You no longer need to breathe to survive.

And like that, one of my curses becomes irrelevant. Why would I need to hold my breath when I don't need to breathe to begin with?

[History Repeats] - Rare Power

The user can cause old wounds to re-open or bones to re-break regardless of how long ago the original injury was.

And this could be fun; so many capes have been at this for a while. How badly could I hurt them if I just keep reopening old wounds? Anyone who has been at an Endbringer battle may want to keep their distance.

[Upgrade Master] - Mythical Perk

You are a natural when it comes to upgrading your powers, all upgrade quests are easier and grant two upgrades instead of one.

Now we are talking! The ability to rapidly improve all my powers can only help me in the long run. I'm not afraid of a little work, after all.

[Replication Upgrade Quest]

Objective: Have your clones win five battles without any direct input from you. (0/5)

Objective: Have your clones earn you one pull without any direct input from you. (0/1)

Reward: Replication Clone Limit Increased, Replication Cooldown Decreased

Yes, that will do quite nicely.

[Building: Scrying Tower] - Legendary Astral

This tower allows you to scry the world you are currently inhabiting, able to observe the world unseen.

And I do believe I've just found my Spymaster's new favourite place in the whole world. Clearly, the Gacha approves of my plans; why else would it reward me so?

All is going according to my design, more or less. 

– Lisa Wilbourne (Tattletale) –

Sebastian's power was bullshit, but it was bullshit that was benefiting her, so she didn't give a damn anymore. Sure, he could pull a fucking tower out of thin air, which let her spy on the entire fucking world.

Did she want to spy on the Chief-Director? Sure, she could sit in and watch the most private meetings between the PRT directors as an unseen voyeur. Of course, the current meetings could best be described as 'What the fuck is Sebastian, and how do we get him on our side?'

There was nowhere she couldn't secretly watch; privacy was no longer a thing for anyone in the world, and they'd never know it. Her power worked best in person, but now she could spy on people up close from the comfort and safety of her new home.

Because Sebastian would have to pry her out of her new lair with a crowbar. She came out for food, and that was it. Her PHO handle was increasingly accurate, the All Seeing Eye, because with Tracker, she could find anyone, and with the Scrying Tower, she could immediately spy on them no matter how hidden they thought they were.

She'd even noticed that her power didn't seem to get overworked nearly as much when she was using the tower, and with her clone's help, she could gather so much information without so much as a minor headache.

Flying through the city as an unseen spectre, she grinned as she got to work. Nothing was going to happen in Brockton Bay that she wouldn't see.

– Ophelia Herren (Othala) –

The Empire was in danger.

She knew it, no matter how much she wanted to claim they'd beat Sebastian. He could raise the dead, he could grant powers to their enemies, and he'd killed Lung.

Lung, the seemingly invincible rage dragon, Lung who had fought the Empire at their full strength and driven them back. Sebastian had his body in the fucking freezer, head crushed to a bloody pulp.

Oni Lee was Sebastian's General. Now, the ABB had reformed into a new gang under Sebastian's control. With the Night Parade and the Merchants both being empowered and guided by the Thinkers Sebastian had gathered, she couldn't see a way for the Empire to win.

Or at least to survive unscathed, and Dinah thought Victor was going to die within the week. Her husband was in danger. Sebastian didn't give a singular shit about the Unwritten Rules, and he'd kill Victor just to inconvenience Kaiser.

"You, girl. What's the chance of Victor dying or being badly wounded in the next three days," Ophelia asked, making Dinah look up from her cartoons, a scowl on her face.

"89.68%. If you ask me another question, I'll ask Sebastian to feed you to his lion. He can bring you back afterwards anyway," Dinah said grumpily, glaring at her. It would be more intimidating if she didn't have ice cream around her mouth.

"I can just blow her up if you want," Alice added, also munching on ice cream. 

"Aww, thanks! That's so sweet!" Dinah said, giving the Asian girl a beaming smile. "Yeah, ask me another question, and Alice will blow you up. Only Sebby gets to ask me questions; everyone else has to use my clone."

She was surrounded by lunatics. Still, she knew Dinah couldn't stop herself from using her powers when she was asked a question; Sebastian had warned them about how they needed to word things around her. 

There was just under a 90% chance that Victor was in serious danger. Sebastian was planning something, and nobody in the Empire knew what or had a way to stop him. Everyone here could use his Peace Zone power, so she couldn't even try to fight them, and Lisa always knew if she tried to contact the Empire.

Sebastian had done some Tinker fuckery to make a slight delay with messages sent out, and Lisa took pleasure in ruining her attempts to contact Kaiser or any of her allies.

Spymaster was right; Lisa seemed to see everything, and it was infuriating. 

She had only one option: she needed to convince Sebastian not to kill Victor. He wanted information, maybe she could bribe him with the Empire's secrets to save Victor?

It pained her to betray her allies, but if she had to choose between her husband and the Empire, she'd choose Victor. Her true loyalty was to the Herren clan, and Dinah thought they would cut the Empire loose.

It made sense, the tides were shifting in Brockton Bay, and the Herren clan wouldn't risk a war with a rising power over this shithole. God, they probably wanted to ally with Sebastian for his ability to grant powers. They'd toss Kaiser to the lions without a moment of hesitation for that. He was powerful and white, and the ability to empower the clan was worth far more than Kaiser and his Empire.

Knocking on the door, she waited for Sebastian to call her in before entering, seeing him sitting at a desk working on something. He closed it the moment she glanced at it, a small smile on his face.

"Ah, Ophelia. And what can I do for you?" He asked, making her hesitate. Kaiser didn't forgive betrayals, but she was certain that Lisa was plundering her for her secrets anyway.

"You're going to attack Victor, aren't you?" Ophelia asked, not commenting on the mention of her real name. She was still wearing her skin-tight red bodysuit, but there was no doubt they knew who she was under it.

"I am. Victor is one of Kaiser's most reliable allies, and I have decided I don't like Kaiser having a reliable right-hand man. It will serve as a good blow against the Empire. Victor is a Master of All Trades with his stolen skills; he's too versatile for me to leave him to his own devices," Sebastian admitted, making her mentally flinch at the casual tone when talking about the upcoming attack on her husband. 

This was the man who had killed Lung; what chance did a skill thief stand against him? Victor wasn't suited for outright combat.

"What will it take for you to spare him?" Ophelia asked, making Sebastian raise an eyebrow. "I'll talk, I know the identities and home addresses of other Empire capes, I know the location of important stashes and businesses; just don't kill Victor."

"Ah, but you fail to understand something. I already know the identities of people like Max, the Biermann twins, Justin and the Schmidts. Lisa has found the locations of those important stashes, so the better question is, 'what do you know that I don't already know?'" Sebastian said, her blood running cold at his casual name-dropping of Kaiser, the twins, Crusader, Night and Fog. "Were you planning on giving up Kayden now that she's returned to the fold? It's cute that Kaiser thinks she'll be of any use when all it would take is for me to… babysit Aster for a while to get her to behave herself."

He knew everything, she realised, her heart pounding. She wasn't suited for this kind of thing, and he had her clearly outmatched. Her mind raced, searching for anything that might save Victor, but she came up empty. What did she have to offer that he didn't already know, that he couldn't find out with Lisa and Dinah?

The Empire was doomed. Maybe Sebastian would be punished for his blatant breaking of the Unwritten Rules, but it wouldn't happen fast enough to save the Empire.

Sebastian just watched her descend into a panic; as much as she wanted to claim the Empire would be victorious, she knew it was a lie. Kaiser just wasn't prepared to deal with this kind of attack, blatantly ignoring the established rules to capes. 

"But I am nothing if not generous, and I admire your loyalty to your husband. I do believe I can think of a way for you to earn his survival," Sebastian finally said, making her look up.

The smile on his face wasn't encouraging, but even if it was a trap, she grasped the lifeline he'd thrown her way with both hands. Victor was the love of her life; she had to save him from Sebastian's madness.

"What do you want?" Ophelia asked, defeated as he smiled.

– Later –

This was humiliating. She blushed as she poured Sebastian his tea. She didn't know how to make good tea, but apparently, Sebastian barely had a sense of taste so it didn't really matter.

"Will that be all, sir?" Ophelia asked, one hand going behind her to try and tug the tiny skirt of her new uniform down. Sebastian wanted a maid, and as long as she was obedient, Victor would not be killed.

Her uniform was revealing, even for a girl who normally wore a skintight bodysuit, her small cleavage and legs on display for her new boss's enjoyment.

She paled to think what Victor would think of her, dressed so scantily for another man, but she had to. If it meant Victor survived, she would endure this humiliation.

To his side, she stood. Dressed in her Othala outfit, her 'clone' obediently stood patiently as she waited for orders. This was part of her deal, her betrayal of the Empire. Othala was his now, Ophelia was his maid, and Othala was his healer and support.

One felt like a betrayal of Victor, even if it was for his safety, the other was a betrayal of the Empire as her powers were going to be used against her former allies.

"You are adapting well, Ophelia," Sebastian praised, making her look away. Deep in her chest, anger and humiliation raged against her position, but she wouldn't let Victor die. 

"Thank you, sir," Ophelia said through gritted teeth, unable to hide her emotions. Sebastian didn't care; he was enjoying her submission. "May I return to my duties?" 

It was a big mansion, and Lisa, Dinah and Alice were all messy people. 

"Not just yet, tell me. Which Empire cape should I take out first?" Sebastian asked, making her blink. "I'll let you pick my next target."

She paused, wondering how to answer. She could pick someone minor to lessen the damage, but what if this was a trap and he was testing her?

"Taking down Rune would limit their mobility, but Hookwolf is the biggest threat," Ophelia answered, feeling a hint of shame at her cowardice. Sebastian just smiled, his hand moving and resting on her bare leg as she froze.

She didn't move, even as he rubbed his hand along her leg, going higher until it vanished under her short skirt. He was groping her ass, long fingers squeezing her buttocks as she stood there and just passively let him. She had to be obedient for him to keep his word, repeating her mantra that this was for Victor as he watched her remain incredibly still. She wasn't given underwear to wear with her new uniform, and was utterly bare beneath her skirt without a single layer to protect her from his groping hand. She'd known this was coming from the moment he gave her this skimpy outfit, but it didn't make it any better.

"Good answer. Rune is already out of commission as she hasn't healed from her wounds yet. Still, Hookwolf is certainly the biggest hitter in the Empire," Sebastian replied, praising her even as he molested her unresisting body. "One more question. Should Ophelia or Othala be the one to service me?"

She froze, looking at her clone which stared back impassively.

"O-Othala," Ophelia answered, letting out a sigh of relief as he let go of her backside. "Othala, give Sebastian a b-blowjob."

Her clone didn't hesitate, uncaring as she fell to her knees, hands working to undo Sebastian's belt. It was weird to watchOthala fishing out his large cock and, without a moment of hesitation, taking it into her mouth.

It was her, in her cape outfit, no less. Othala, the Empire's healer, was on her knees servicing their enemy. What would Victor think? What would her allies think if they saw this? They wouldn't understand that it wasn't really her.

She wanted to leave before he got ideas, but his demands for her obedience kept her still as she watched him lean back and enjoy her- Othala's service. The sounds Othala was making made her blush; Othala held nothing back in her pursuit of completing her order.

She was basically choking herself on his admittedly impressive manhood, uncaring of her own needs as Sebastian guided her head.

"Ophelia, be a dear and help speed things up. Pull your top down," Sebastian ordered, giving her a look. She hesitated, making his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You promise you'll spare Victor?" Ophelia asked, delaying things.

"I am a man of my word; Victor will live as long as you remain obedient," Sebastian reminded her. She got the message, and with reluctance, she reached up and pulled the top of her maid uniform down, exposing her modest breasts for his enjoyment.

He reached up with one hand, kneading her small breasts as she bared her chest for him. She couldn't completely suppress her reaction as he gently toyed with her nipple, rubbing circles around the pink nub as she gasped quietly.

All the while, Othala worshipped his cock, and finally, he stopped and let go as he gripped Othala's hair and forced her head down, groaning. Othala was clearly struggling to swallow his load.

He pulled her head back, and she got to witness him paint her face with his seed, some hanging off the eyepatch she wore as Othala. Othala didn't react, simply panting slightly. 

Sebastian paused for a moment, his cock not flagging, much to her surprise. Standing up, he grabbed Othala and bent her unresisting body over the desk, gripping her bodysuit and just tearing a hole in it to expose her naked slit.

She couldn't look away as he gripped her hips, lining himself up and thrusting into Othala, a smile on his face as he kept eye contact with her. She couldn't ignore the fact that that was her pussy he was using, her married slit filled with the cock of another man.

He was taking something that should only be enjoyed by Victor, the wedding ring he'd let her keep feeling heavy as she watched the rough, dominating sex with her breasts still out.

Othala didn't have her pride or anger, and let out her voice as her body reacted. Her moans filled the room, gasps and pleasured moans leaving the clone as she just took the pounding. She hadn't been told to participate, so she was letting him have his way with her. Sebastian never broke eye contact, and she didn't dare look away as he defiled her- Othala.

It wasn't really her, she repeated that in her head over and over. It rang hollow, watching Sebastian pump his shaft into the body that was identical to hers in every way. It was her face scrunched up in pleasure, her moans filling the room, her pussy that was wrapped around his cock.

As he let out a victorious yell, he slammed his hips forward and once more unleashed his seed into Othala, a slightly crazed smile on his lips. She said nothing, even as he pulled back and she watched his seed start to leak out of a freshly-fucked pussy.

He placed his hand on her costume, watching as it quickly repaired the tear. Othala was still leaking his cum, staining the inside of her costume with it as she rose, cheeks flushed and breathing heavily.

Her expression was blank, semen still drying on her face. Sebastian looked between them, and she expected him to grab her next, demanding she bend over and grant him access to her most sacred place. 

"You may go, Ophelia, for now at least," Sebastian finally said, making her sigh in relief. "Othala will stay here. I have work to do and I could use the entertainment while I work."

If it meant she could escape, she'd leave her clone to be degraded in her stead, finally fixing her top as she bowed with great reluctance. She hated him, hated him for taking advantage of her like this, but for Victor, she'd remain obedient.

Leaving the room, she paused as she came across his precious Oracle, riding a lion around the mansion for some reason. Dinah paused as she looked over her uniform, the preteen blushing slightly before she smirked.

"Do you want to know the chance of Victor dying this week?" Dinah asked, and her eyes widened and she nodded. "14.32%."

Dinah didn't stick around, the lion prowling through the corridors with Dinah riding atop it, but Ophelia let out a sigh of relief. Everything she'd done was worth it, it was working.

Despite the shame, the feeling that she was betraying Victor, she walked with her head held high. This wouldn't be the end, but if Victor survived it was all worth it.

– Dinah Alcott –

She'd long since realised she couldn't predict Sebastian directly, numbers got weird around him. But she could vaguely predict the aftermath of his actions.

If she asked what was the chance of Sebastian killing Victor, she got nothing. If she asked what was the chance of Victor dying she got a seemingly somewhat accurate answer even though Sebastian was the main threat.

She'd been honest to Ophelia, but she really wasn't very good at this. If Ophelia had asked about the chances of Victor being crippled in the next day, she'd have not liked the answer.

Dinah was really getting the hang of this villainy thing, lying to people was fun when everyone believed she had to tell the truth. She did, but she could direct any questions to her clone and then give whatever answer she felt like giving.

Sebby approved, he was pretty cool like that. She'd even been helping Alice out with her Tinkering. Mostly by having her clone nearby so Alice could ask 'what is the chance of this blowing up and killing me' every five minutes. The percentages were worryingly high sometimes, Alice had already blown up two of her clones since she could be more reckless by having her clone do the dangerous stuff.

Still, Ophelia had a new uniform, and she still didn't. She knew Sebby had the magic wardrobes so maybe she should prove she was capable of taking care of herself and pick her own.

Maybe she needed a maid outfit? Seb seemed to like it, but she shook her head. That was silly, she was the Kingdom's Oracle, not a maid. She needed to look the part.

Maybe later. For now, she rode Lionel through the mansion as he sped up, letting out a cheer as she zoomed past Lisa. Lisa just sighed, rubbing her forehead. She really was no fun, all she wanted to do was spy on people all the time.

…what was the probability that Lisa was a voyeur? 

Getting her answer, she just snorted and focused on what mattered as Lionel charged through the open doors and into the savannah. Life was so much cooler after joining a villain.

– Sebastian Fairfax –

Ah, Ophelia. She'll make a fine maid once she has been properly trained, and turning Othala against the Empire, even in the form of her mindless clone, will be a powerful blow to their morale.

For what better proof of your victory is there than to take your enemies' women? Normally you take the women after defeating them, but I don't mind doing things a little backwards. Victor has failed as a man, and his woman taken from him. 

As for my promise? Victor will live, I am nothing if not honest.

Feat Achieved: Cripple Victor. One Roll Granted.

[Replication Upgrade Quest]

Objective: Have your clones win five battles without any direct input from you. (3/5)

Objective: Have your clones earn you one pull without any direct input from you. (1/1)

Reward: Replication Clone Limit Increased, Replication Cooldown Decreased

He will live, he just won't be walking anytime soon. I needed him neutralised because he's a little too useful with his array of stolen skills, so I simply had my clone shatter his legs and break his hands. 

With no Othala available, he'll be down for the count for the foreseeable future. He will live, he may just come to regret that. I am curious to see if Kaiser will get desperate enough to make an attempt on Panacea, or perhaps acquire some other healer.

But then, I have to wonder how he is taking the news of my borrowing of the corpses of his family. Don't worry, I plan to return them when the time is right.

Rolling. Result: Major Curse (25 Pity Points Added)

[Curse of Mana Corruption] - Major Curse

Your mana itself has been cursed, making casting spells both painful and damaging. The larger the spell, the more painful it will be to cast, with the highest tier of spells putting you on death's door to cast.

Hm, I had hoped to begin my studies into magic soon but I am not one to fear a little pain. What is pain if not weakness leaving the body? Although this combined with Mana Leak will make studying magic problematic.

Still, I do believe I need to go and beat Victor even more for this inconvenience. Or maybe I'll just work off my frustrations on his lovely wife. I haven't decided yet.

Curse me, will you? Naturally, I shall return this inconvenience back tenfold upon Victor.

— Bonus Scene — Max Anders (Kaiser)

Sebastian had looted the graves of his father, his sister and his wife. Make no mistake; he would be thrilled to see Heith live once more, returned from the dead after the Teeth killed her.

His father would be far more awkward; the man was a megalomaniac, and while he wasn't as much of a believer in the cause as he claimed, he would be disappointed to see that the Empire was struggling against the Merchants and Night Parade. He would try to take over again immediately, and the Empire could not afford a civil war. The Empire was his; he was the reason they'd lasted this long, and he wouldn't let anyone, not even his father, change that.

But Eleanor? The deranged psychopath was a true believer in the cause; she was a more rabid attack dog than Hookwolf. All of his father's savagery and hatred with none of the caution. It was why he'd killed her, and it was why Marquis had taken the fall for it.

Even Marquis understood that Iron Rain was too dangerous to live. He had never really understood why Marquis had actually taken the blame for him, but it was clear that the man knew how deranged his sister truly was.

She knew he had killed her. If she were returned from the dead… she'd try to return the favour; many of the Empire would rally to her side and if his father was returned at the same time… His father had always favoured her. The moment Allfather heard that he'd been the true killer, it would be war.

A war he couldn't win. Even if he managed to deal with Iron Rain and Allfather, along with the capes that would undoubtedly side with them (Hookwolf, for one), the Empire would be massively weakened. With the Merchants and Night Parade allying under Sebastian's control, they wouldn't survive.

All Sebastian needed to do to wipe out the Empire was resurrect them both and let them loose. They'd destroy everything he'd built while Sebastian just watched and waited to pounce.

To make things more complicated, the Gesellschaft were demanding he acquire Sebastian's services for them. Between his ability to grant powers and his new power to return the dead to life, the Gesellschaft wanted them both and demanded that he get it for them, despite Sebastian having declared war on the Empire. First Othala, and now Victor? Two of his most versatile capes, kidnapped or crippled. He might have to start considering finding leverage on Panacea, because Rune was still in poor shape and Victor was far worse.

On the bright side, the pressure the Empire was under meant he'd managed to pressure Purity into rejoining them with a little leverage. Still, would she turn on him if a civil war broke out? Almost certainly. Her anger, borderline hatred, was clear to see. 

Sitting in his office, he frowned as he looked over the city. Sebastian was ruining everything, with the sword of Damocles hanging over his head in the form of his lunatic of a sister. 

How he missed the status quo when all he had to worry about was Lung going on another temper tantrum.

…Oh god, Sebastian had Lung's body, didn't he?

Shit.