Product 67 - Cliche Novel

Lee Young-jin's world is exceptionally narrow and limited. All the information and knowledge in his world stem from a video game.

The D/Z SAGA revolves around the character Jephryn, based in an academy setting. While Lee Young-jin may be familiar with character statuses and relationships within the game, once outside the context of Jephryn, his capabilities are worse than those of a chick outside a stationery store.

A few downloadable content (DLC) stories touch on the world beyond Jephryn, and the epilogue after the ending occurs outside of Jephryn a few times, but these are only brief moments.

Therefore, the knowledge possessed by Wolfram von Roengreen about this world is essentially useless. This is particularly true since Aila Tristar is an unfortunate boss character, and he rarely gets involved with that storyline.

Spica Tristar, who joined as a freshman when Wolfram was a second-year student as Kelters, was the last means of obtaining information about the Tristar household.

However, it must be acknowledged now.

Wolfram von Roengreen rejected Regina Ciel from the [Merchant Route] and is on bad terms with Eve von Roengreen from the [Imperial Route]. He has never even encountered Isolde from the [Knight Route].

Instead, he has become friends with Aila Tristar, the [Act 3 Boss], has formed a comradeship with Rudika Hatsan Shadow, the [Kelters Discipline Teacher], and established a positive senior-junior relationship with Mille-feuille Phon Sabre, the [Pink Chick Who Should Have Been Expelled].

Nephterian… well, [Knight of Belief] Nephti is somewhat friendly towards Kelters, but she doesn't even remember Kelters's name.

…So it must be understood. Wolfram von Roengreen is not closely connected to 'Kelters', and his connections and relationships are forming with those unrelated to the main story… perhaps it's fate's prank.

So what Wolfram is conveying now is…

The information he knows might not be as helpful as he initially thought.

"So, what kind of monsters usually appear?"

"Slimes."

"...The Tristar, a proud merchant family of the Roengreen Empire, struggling with…"

"Slimes."

"..."

It appears that you can survive in this world without knowing such information.

No, that's not it…

Slimes?

Did they even have a previous life?

***

"Slimes are… well, it's a bit embarrassing to say, but I think I can handle them on my own?"

"Cough, cough. Well, that's the thing. Uh."

Clearly, Count Glass, my 'father-in-law' in the 'setting,' knows my stats and blushed at my words. Perhaps it's because his name is Glass, but this guy seems to have a fragile mentality. Honestly, I'm not confident against real slimes. If it's an edible slime, I think I can take it on with a fifty-fifty chance of winning.

"…Uh-hum. Well, that's the thing.

"…I'll explain instead. Father. Not just any slime, you see."

"What kind of slime is it?"

Spica took over the conversation. Unlike when she called 'brother,' she had cool and intelligent eyes. Spica pulled out a pair of anti-glare fashion glasses from her front pocket, put them on, and her eyes sparkled as she continued the explanation.

"Slime. Specifically, a mine slime. Normally, it parasitizes in a state identical to soil, and when it's shocked, it attacks back. …That much is known."

"A mine slime should not be that tough since it's a slime, right?"

"The problem is that miners only take mining tools with them. It's impossible to equip all workers with weapons and armor."

"Hmm."

"Considering the characteristics of slimes, it gets more complicated."

"Indeed. I see. I'm convinced."

Slimes, whether they're meant for consumption, mining, or even the nightmarish destroyers of humanity, tend to split when their health is low if their 'core' isn't accurately pierced.

So, in gaming terms, it's like a popup message saying [The slime's health is low. The slime attempts to split!] and they expand with a puff. Additionally, they possess the trait of [recognizing their own kind] and slightly higher [agility], making them nimble. So, if you don't catch a slime properly, it multiplies, divides, and, thanks to their kin recognition trait, they are quick… Think of one as a hundred.

"Like cockroaches."

"What's that?"

Spica tilted her head in confusion. That's right, in Jephryn, precisely in this world, there are no cockroaches. Truly a blissful, peaceful, and beautiful world. However, conversely, there are slimes.

"So, in other words… Cockroaches infest the mines, disguised…"

"Hm? No. I mean slimes. Brother?"

"Yes. Slimes. The mines are swarming with slimes. Even the mine slimes… belong to a very vicious species."

"Do you know much about mine slimes?!"

"Of course. It's all recorded in the imperial archives."

"…Ah, that's so cool. I want it. Brother."

"It's a book that cannot be taken out of the imperial family."

"No, I didn't mean it that way. Hehe… If I take it from my sister, it's a revolution. A successful revolution. Spica… Hehehe…"

After the explanation, she bowed her head deeply and started mumbling something.

Well, anyway.

It's an attacking slime!

Thinking of it that way gives me the creeps.

"So… If you know about the mine slimes, are you able to exterminate them, Wolfram?"

"Hm. I'm not sure how many there are, but mass extermination is also possible."

"Oh, oh…"

"We should first inspect the mine. Prepare the carriage quickly, and I would like Aila, Rudika, and even Patrasch to accompany us."

"Ah, understood. I will prepare at once. For the reform!"

"Brother. Instead of sister, can't I come with you?"

"Why?"

"Sister went to bed late yesterday because she was thrilled, and she is still in dreamland now! I, I will go in her stead!"

"Hm… Haha."

I patted Spica's head with my hand.

Pat Pat.

Gently tapped twice. A soft 'augh' resonated under my palm, and I chuckled at the sound.

This little one. Does she know how dangerous the place we're going to is?

"Spica Tristar. A student of Jephryn must always dedicate themselves to the citizens of the empire at any time. This is a duty stated even in the student provisions of Jephryn. But you, as of now, are a lady of the Tristar family and have neither the right nor the obligation to go to a potentially dangerous site. Of course, unless Count Glass allows it…"

"It's still too dangerous for Spica."

"So they say, so let's leave it to your future seniors. Take on challenges and adventures after you enroll."

Saying that, I couldn't help but smile.

Being the sister of Aila, she feels like my own sister.

Different from Eve? Eve is not a sister but a bloodline mate.

I'm talking strange.

Ah, I wanted a sister like this. Really.

Let's trade for Eve.

"Eek…"

Perhaps embarrassed by the pointed-out fact, Spica blushed.

"Do you understand, Spica Tristar?"

"…Yes. I understand. Then, you have to stay at the academy until I enroll next year, okay?"

"I plan to be in Jephryn next year anyway."

"Yes. For the first time, I truly want something. I've inherited jewels and dresses from my sister, so… for the first time, I want to take something away. I'm serious about this revolution…"

With eyes as determined as her will, Spica looked at me.

Hmm.

Her eyes possess a depth that reminds me of a sincere Aila.

"I understand. I'll be waiting."

"Yes, you must wait for me. His Highness, Prince Wolfram von Roengreen. Or should I say, brother!"

Saying that, Spica bowed politely and quickly left the room.

"…Hmm, this means I'm entrusting the future of the entire family to Wolfram. Or rather, to this young man… to entrust everything to him and see how it goes…"

Count Glass was muttering something from behind.

So when is the carriage coming?

***

And so, Rudika, Patrasch, and I took a carriage towards the mines. On the way to the site, inside the carriage, I made a suggestion to Rudika Hasan Shadow, the assassin of shadows.

"Rudika. Let's work on a job together."

"Oh? Do you know what it means to entrust a job to Rudika Hasan Shadow?"

"Of course. The secret of the assassin family. The greatest descendant. Speaking to [Abyssal Dagger] Rudika Hatsan Shadow."

"Good. If the reward is right, I don't refuse a job. Especially if it's Wolfram's request."

"It's about the mines we're heading to now…"

Thus, a deal reminiscent of a noir film was struck, and I agreed to hand over all the rewards to Rudika Hatsan Shadow in exchange for a 30% middleman's cut. But is it right to take a 30% cut as a brokerage fee without doing anything and just entrusting the job to an assassin? What do I care? It's the sucker who gets caught who's at fault.

30%, huh? We don't have anything left. You know that?

"I want to get this done quickly."

"Hmm."

And so, my pleasant company and I entered the mine and faced the slimes immediately, according to Rudika's wish to deal with it quickly.

And Rudika did not betray my expectations.

"..."

With silent, swishing movements, Rudika's attacks were cold and brutal as she sliced through the slimes. Rudika's dagger struck precisely, piercing the core of each slime, and with each strike, one slime after another fell dead.

However.

Splat, splat!

Naturally, every time a slime burst, its remains splashed towards Rudika. Even an assassin cannot simultaneously attack and defend. Unable to use the stance of the Heavenly Demon Fighting Art, Rudika ended up covered in slime, starting from his uniform.

"Enough, this will never end."

"I think so too."

While continuing to slice with the sound of swishing, Rudika, true to her assassin nature, kept her mouth tightly shut, but I could tell that she was surely swearing inwardly. I sighed deeply at the sight.

"Count Glass. I have a question I'd like to ask."

"Please ask, Your Highness Wolfram."

"The slimes in the mine have proliferated quite a bit, haven't they? It seems you've been resisting them for a long time, is that right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Tsk. So that's how it is. They didn't die in one blow and ended up overbreeding. Moreover, slimes tend to consume the corpses of their dead as nutrients. Now it seems that we can't tidy up this situation without planning a total war against the slimes in this mine.

"How about we give up on this mine?"

"…Considering the mining yield of this mine, it would be a severe blow. Besides that…"

"Besides what?"

"It's not just this mine. Similar things are happening in most of the mines in the west. We must defend them somehow; retreating won't solve anything."

"Is that so?"

That's when things clicked in my head.

The reason why Aila gathered talent in Act 3, why she became the boss, and so on.

Ah…

This is quite the situation.

"Even the esteemed guest from the Hatsan Shadow family, known as the greatest shadow on the continent, despite showing such might… there is no solution."

"...."

Count Glass looked at me with a defeated smile, and Rudika, who had gone into assassin mode, glanced over and said nothing.

"No. There is a plan?"

"Huh?"

"Let's change the plan now. Rudika. Stop that. We're switching methods."

"…Oh. That's right, Wolfram. Rudika was getting tired as well."

Rudika said with a grin, and I responded with a bitter smile and left the mine behind.

"There's another way?"

"Yes. There is."

"Ho, ho. May I hear it!"

"Yes. It's not difficult. It's the poison-feeding method. …Hmm. We need some ingredients though."

"Poison-feeding…?"

"Yes."

As I mentioned earlier, slimes tend to eat the corpses of their dead kin.

So.

"We kill the slimes with poison, and then other slimes eat the poisoned corpses and become poisoned themselves, and when they die, other slimes eat them… and this cycle repeats indefinitely."

"Ah, ahh… If that's the case, we can certainly deal with them but… That's quite, how should I say it. Not a reform, or a rebellion, not even a revolution, but that…"

Count Glass, with a weak mental constitution, hesitated, but finally managed to continue.

"…A massacre?"

"Ahem."

No bad words.

I glared sharply and Count Glass immediately backed down.

"…Wolfram, it's like. Isn't Wolfram more suited to be an assassin than Rudika?"

You too?

I'm not that kind of person.

"Hmm. No. What are you talking about? Assassination level."

"…Assassination is more covert than that. We don't commit such mass slaughter. Wolfram, you're underestimating assassination… no, in this case, overestimating… no… that um…"

Rudika was at a loss for words.

Well, actually.

"If there are no survivors, isn't it an assassination?"

"...…"

"...…"

Right?