"Haa…."
That evening, after Lady Meredia had caused a commotion and left, I was processing the ever-mounting pile of documents in my office.
I set my pen down for a moment and let out a deep sigh.
"I was trying my best to stay out of the prince's engagement ceremony…"
Of course, considering the challenges ahead, sighing about it now is pointless.
Still, I can't help but worry.
The prologue of 'Black Tail Fantasy 3' is so difficult that even veteran players who let their guard down for a moment end up restarting the game.
Though I never had to restart after getting used to the game, that was just in the game—reality is different.
"Haa…."
The only fortunate thing is that there's still some time left before the prince's engagement ceremony.
And, honestly, though I just took a gamble, I was lucky enough to secure a favor from Meredia.
She might not think much of it, but I know exactly how to make the most of that favor.
"Alright, then…."
To clear my head, I'll put off the paperwork for now and focus on finding a way to survive the engagement ceremony scenario.
'At least I have strong resistance to curses thanks to my white magic, which is a small relief…'
In order to survive the engagement ceremony scenario, I need to take stock of my current weapons.
First and foremost is my innate talent for white magic, something I've had since birth.
Typically, white magic is mainly effective as a countermeasure against black magic and isn't particularly useful in combat.
However, with the right application, it can become a powerful weapon.
Considering that the main cause of trouble in the prologue scenario is curses inflicted by black magic, my white magic will undoubtedly have its moment to shine.
'…But honestly, it won't be enough.'
Given the difficulty of the prologue, relying solely on my white magic is nowhere near sufficient.
After experiencing an intriguing incident at Meredia's tea party a week ago, I had hoped my white magic might possess some special ability.
So, in between crafting magic circles, I spent the past week researching my white magic.
The result?
The only thing my white magic excels at is emitting an unsettlingly unpleasant aura.
No matter how hard I searched, I couldn't find any special ability.
Though my research isn't entirely complete, I tested my white magic repeatedly—on countless experimental subjects and even a sleep-deprived Alfred.
Unless some miraculous new discovery is made, the conclusion won't change.
'I really thought it would have some kind of reaction to black magic…'
To replicate the tea party scenario as closely as possible, I even tested my white magic on some confiscated black magic artifacts my father had locked away—knowing full well I'd be scolded later.
But there was no anomaly.
My dull, grayish-white magic simply erased the curses on the artifacts as cleanly as any other white magic would.
Given all this, it's clear that I can't overcome the engagement ceremony scenario alone.
I'll need to rely on the strength of others.
Which means I need trustworthy allies.
Fortunately, I already have my reliable bodyguard, Runiel.
But she alone isn't enough.
Surviving the engagement scenario requires more than just brute force—I'll need intelligence, strategy, and various other skills.
Since I can't handle everything on my own, I need a specialized organization to take on those tasks for me.
And I've already decided on the founding members of what will become the strongest dream team in history.
First, Runiel—the emperor's guardian knight and the most powerful warrior in the game.
Second, Parsha—Meredia's butler, possessing the greatest insight in the game.
And lastly, Bergen—the secret intelligence agent of the player, holding the game's most extensive information network.
As their titles suggest, each one is a brokenly overpowered character.
But within the game's system, they can never be on the same side.
All three serve as the right-hand aides and closest confidants of different key figures, so it's only natural that they can't ally in-game.
However, what if I don't have to worry about such system limitations in reality?
I already confirmed that no strange force is preventing me from recruiting Runiel, so there's no reason I can't bring the other two to my side as well.
If I succeed, I'll have assembled a dream team that is nothing short of perfection.
But to make that dream a reality, I have to act quickly.
I've already pinpointed Bergen's location, so all that remains is finding Parsha—before she becomes Meredia's butler.
And here's a seemingly minor yet crucial problem.
'Where on earth is she?'
Until she officially becomes Meredia's butler, her whereabouts are unknown—not just in the game but even in the game's extensive lore archives.
In the story, she quite literally appears out of nowhere one day as Meredia's closest aide.
Using utterly insane strategies, she pulls Meredia out of a dire situation and restores her standing.
Her talents were so exceptional that even at a young age, she received absurd offers from all directions.
But she never left Meredia's side.
No one knows why she was so fiercely loyal to Meredia.
Regardless, she played a critical role in shaping Meredia into a near-demonic figure, remaining her devoted aide to the very end.
Personally, I'd prefer Meredia to stay as just a moderately fearsome duchess rather than an overwhelming menace.
That's why I plan to recruit Parsha before she officially pledges her loyalty to Meredia.
'And as a bonus, it'd be great if her godlike insight could help with my family's financial crisis.'
To be honest, the fact that the Count's estate is on the brink of financial collapse is another major reason I want to recruit Parsha.
But none of that matters if I can't even find her in the first place.
"Sigh… What a headache."
Just as I was seriously considering putting up missing person posters all over the imperial capital, the door to my office suddenly burst open.
A groaning voice filled the room.
"My lord, what on earth is going on?"
It was Alfred.
"A rumor spreads overnight that a ghost is wandering around the mansion, and the maids all request sick leave at the same time…."
Strange rumors about the mansion are nothing new, and if the maids suffered stress because of Meredia, I can just give them ample sick leave.
Compared to the problems I'm dealing with, these are hardly worth worrying about, so I don't understand why Alfred is making such a fuss.
"Alfred, are you any good at finding people?"
As I looked at Alfred with disapproval, I straightened my posture and asked a sudden question that came to mind.
When I previously reviewed the recommendation letters for his successor, I figured he must personally know a lot of servants.
"People… you say? As long as I have a description, there's no one I can't find."
"I'm actually looking for a servant I need urgently."
"Oh, if that's the case, then that makes things easier."
As expected, Alfred, who had been staring at me blankly, cleared his throat and then smirked with confidence, shrugging his shoulders.
"If the person you're looking for is a servant and an imperial citizen, I can gather their information within a few days."
"Really?"
"I may not look it, but I've been in this business for 40 years. Back in my prime, I received offers from all over the empire, and even now, I hold a position as an elder in the Imperial Servants' Assembly."
I've always had a high opinion of Alfred's abilities, but I never expected it to be to this extent.
Now that I think about it, my father once mentioned in passing that Alfred was quite successful before he ended up working for our relatively insignificant family.
If that's the case, I might be able to find Parsha more easily than I expected.
Considering that Meredia scouted her as a butler, she's likely job hunting right now, submitting resumes to various mansions.
Of course, no ordinary noble family would hire such a young child as a butler, so she's probably being rejected repeatedly.
And if someone like Meredia, who recognizes her worth, were to appear, she would undoubtedly offer her unwavering loyalty.
"Then, could you help me track down this person?"
"Oh, just leave it to m—"
Hopeful, I handed Alfred the rough sketch of Parsha's appearance, which I had drawn as a reference in case I needed to put up posters.
However, as soon as Alfred received the drawing, his expression turned unusually serious.
I doubt he recognized her immediately—could it be that my drawing is just that bad?
"Young Master."
As I awkwardly scratched my head, Alfred slowly lifted his gaze, his expression incredibly solemn.
"…Why are you looking for my granddaughter?"
Hearing that, I couldn't help but break into a wide smile for the first time in a long while.
"Young Master?"
So this is what they mean when they say, 'The answer was right under my nose all along.'
"Haha…."
"Gasp."
Alfred, who had been studying my expression, suddenly covered his mouth in a panic as if he had realized his mistake.
But there was no time to question him further.
"I found her."
I had just discovered the second crucial piece for my survival.
°°°°°°°°°
"Haa…."
A few days later.
In a small, unassuming hut standing alone on a nameless hill in the western part of the empire.
"This just doesn't sit right with me."
Inside the hut, a girl leaned against a worn-out chair, staring intently at a tattered notebook, her voice filled with disappointment.
"Everything else is fine, but it's missing something crucial."
Though her tone sounded like she was appraising an object, reflected in her eyes was none other than a portrait of the empire's most noble figure.
"Rejected."
With an utterly irreverent gesture, she tore the page with the portrait, crumpled it up, and tossed it carelessly into a trash bin behind her before flipping to the next page.
"This guy has no charisma. Rejected."
"This one looks way too greasy. Rejected."
"This one has the face of a stubborn fool who will ruin everything. Rejected."
For a while, she continued ruthlessly tearing out portraits from her notebook.
"Well, I suppose this person is the best option."
At last, upon reaching the final page, she finally paused, resting her chin in her hand as she tilted her head.
"A fully-fledged demon lord is great, but a growing one isn't bad either."
The portrait she was now admiring belonged to none other than Meredia.
Treating the page as if it were a treasured artifact, she gently stroked it before carefully tearing it out and holding it close to her chest.
"Either way, being the Demon Lord's right hand is no different…."
At that moment, her eyes trembled, glistening with intense exhilaration.
—Knock, knock, knock…
"Hm?"
Suddenly, a knocking sound echoed from the entrance of the hut.
"Oh, Young Master… please, I beg you. My granddaughter still has a bright future ahead…."
"Which is exactly why I'm giving her an even brighter future with a job opportunity."
"Grandfather?"
Hearing the familiar voice outside, the girl absentmindedly got up and walked toward the entrance.
"But why are you here all of a sudden, without any prior—"
The next moment, her words cut off abruptly.
"Hello?"
Next to her grandfather—who was now ashen-faced and on the verge of tears—stood a boy she had never seen before, smiling brightly and waving at her.
"Wow…."
For a long while, she simply stood there, staring at the boy in a daze.
Then, her eyes sparkled with excitement, much like a child her age would.
"This is insane."
The reason, however, was far from ordinary.
It was because standing before her, alive and breathing, was the very embodiment of the evil she had only dared to dream about.
"Would you be interested in applying for a servant position?"
"Hey, by any chance, do you need a servant?"
Their words overlapped in perfect unison, ringing through the hut.
At the same time, the portrait of Meredia, which had been held so dearly in the girl's arms, fluttered to the ground.
"I'd rather die than grow old like this."
Beside them, Alfred, who could feel himself aging by the second, groaned in agony.
But neither of them was paying any attention to him anymore.