[Status Window]
Name: Sebastian Bonewit
Rank: S-Class
Occupation: Butler
Title: None
HP: 1000/1000
MP: 2500/2500
[Stats]
Strength: 8000
Stamina: 7600
Agility: 8500
Intelligence: 170
Sense: 6000
(Points earned from him: 0)
[Skills]
Passive Skill: Arm of Monarch (Everyone besides those acknowledged by Sebastian shall feel a degree of oppression)
Active Skill: Hand of Weight (Can freely control and manipulate gravity in any desired way)
'Am I that weak, or is he just that much stronger than me? No, no… no matter how I look at it, these are Divine General-level stats.
At this point in time, he's one of the strongest creatures alive… Why the fuck is he my butler again?' thought Johan, breathing through his nose.
'How could Johan even lose to Leor when this guy was by his side? I never even fought him in the game at all…' Johan thought, becoming more confused by the second.
"Master?" Sebastian asked, a trace of worry in his eyes.
Johan nodded authoritatively. "Let's leave now. Arrange the carriage. I'll join in a moment."
Sebastian nodded and immediately left the garden.
"System, do you know anything about why he wasn't in the game?" Johan asked the only omniscient entity he knew.
Pleasantly familiar white text appeared on the blue screen:
[Sebastian died of old age]
"Seriously? That's so anticlimactic." His eyelids drooped, but he nodded in understanding.
"Even though he has the firepower to wipe out the entire Aurelian Empire, he's still just an old man… I wonder if I can save him somehow," Johan thought, staring at the dandelions on the ground.
Johan's ocean-blue eyes sharpened as he looked toward the screen.
"I need to gamble more, but if I had a million points, maybe I would've already been overpowered enough to survive…"
He shook his head solemnly.
"Is the power that comes from losing yourself really worth it?"
His boot hit the grass, his footsteps growing firmer, as if he'd just made up his mind.
'No matter. I am Johan now… Sebastian, Selene, and even Acier—all are my responsibility now. I need enough power to save them! But power comes in different ways. I need no cheats…'
'The cheat needs me,' Johan thought, clenching his hands, amused.
'Even the real Johan would've never chosen the fourth option. Though maybe… I could choose high-reward options for others. Like that motherfucker Leor, seducing my daughter—I won't even feel guilty.' Johan grinned maliciously as he entered the hallway, making the maids tremble.
A cool breeze brushed against Johan's pale skin, making him look up at the cloudy sky. White pigeons flew freely overhead.
He thought of something and turned his gaze forward.
A wooden carriage, about the size of a seven-seater car, was tied to two very muscular black horses grazing on the grass.
Sebastian was playing with the chin of the horse on the right, making it puff happily.
Thirteen knights, clad in shining gold armor that reflected the dim sunlight, stood alert. Their helmets, revealing only their eyes and noses, gave them an imposing look as they saluted respectfully toward Johan.
"Sebastian." Sebastian immediately straightened his posture and turned toward the man with flowing white hair.
His respectful gaze as if asking, Yes?
"Call Selene. Let me show her what she'll have to deal with in the future as the next Matriarch of Matilda," Johan said in a solemn tone, his expression unreadable.
Sebastian's eyes widened slightly but he quickly masked it with practiced ease.
Then he asked hesitantly, "Are… you sure, Master? Today might not be the best time. The young lady might interfere and stain your reputation at the hearing…"
Johan nodded seriously. "No worries. I can handle her."
Sebastian nodded in understanding and rushed upstairs through the marble hallway to Selene's room.
Johan walked toward the carriage. Just as he clutched the door handle to open it gently, he paused—recognizing someone already seated by the window.
She was looking outside, toward the beautiful white jasmines along the side. Sensing someone, she immediately turned toward the door and bowed with practiced ease.
"...Olivia, I told you to leave. Why are you still here?" Johan asked hesitantly, taking the seat facing her.
'Will she still betray me?'
'I can understand that, since 'I' killed her family… but I can't allow that!'
His gaze turned serious as he looked at her, moving the green strands away from her serious brown eyes.
"Master Sebastian brought me Kisabe and the money. I sent him to the Crimson Empire to start anew, and live the life of freedom he always dreamed about…
He's only ten, yet remarkably sharp for his age to survive alone," Olivia said with a solemn smile.
"He'll probably forget about me—and his experiences in the dungeon," she added softly, her voice uncertain, almost hopeful.
'Maybe, Crimson Empire is the only Empire where war never happens' thought Johan to himself, in contrast to his thoughts, his voice became colder.
"You still haven't answered my question. Why didn't you leave with him? And no matter how smart, he's still a kid with a life-changing amount of money. Do you really think he won't be targeted by crooks?" Johan asked seriously.
He had thought of such a perfect plan—killing two birds with one stone—giving the siblings freedom and removing a future enemy.
"...I just want to stay here for a while longer. Please. But if you don't want that…"
Her voice faded into a faint whisper, as if silently begging not to be thrown out.
She had been planning to meet with Leor and work with him to take Johan down—to free her brother.
It was a perfect deal.
Leor could gain information about someone targeting him, and she could save her brother, her infant child, and herself. And Leor was a good and fair person—it was easy to work with him.
And his ability… even at its weakest version, it was strong enough to destroy the world.
He could easily wipe out anyone in his way, and the trial could be nulled.
It's a wolf-eats-rabbit world, after all.
But what happened yesterday… it raised her hopes. Maybe her child could live a normal life with its father.
She chose to stay here. But if she had misunderstood him, he'd probably execute both her and the child inside her.
So she didn't tell him she was pregnant with his child.
'I also have to make sure he doesn't just send someone to kill Kisabe… No one turns from devil to saint overnight.
Give me freedom? Enough with the games already.'
Her thoughts turned cold and pragmatic.
Johan's pupils dilated. His face turned serious—just as he was about to say something—
"Father."
A gentle, weak voice rang in his ears, uncertain of the word: Father.