-Main Quest: Aid the Rebels in liberating Eindell-

God above. You're a piece of shit for giving me this quest.

Somehow after mocking them and inadvertently stepping on one of their comrades, I was invited to the rebel base. They misunderstood my insults as criticism... what a load of shit. I was going to forcibly break up the rebel group anyways so I thought this was a good chance to sabotage them from the inside and prevent more deaths. But out of the blue the system gave me this quest...

Just how am I supposed to liberate a city with as few deaths as possible? Isn't this too unreasonable?

Those people in the strait were after the Blostmfell's fruit. I'm not sure why but more deaths will cause the fruit to appear. I need to do this as quickly and as peacefully as possible.

Should I just break the news to them? Stop fighting otherwise strange people are going to get a giant flower monster's fruit.. Will they believe me? Yeah no.

I don't have any status here. They've got no reason to believe me. In contrary, they might think I'm an imperial who is trying to sabotage them.

Even if all the evidence is there, as long as the person saying it has no power, it means nothing. I've learned that already...

Sigh.

"Branford, this way. Our chief is giving a speech about the newcomers and your arrival."

Passing into an alley, we entered through the back of a tool shop and descended into the basement.

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"The Goddess built this world for us and provided all of us with the System! To grow and fulfill our purpose! The Empire is trampling on the very purpose of the System's existence! By subjugating others and oppressing them, they keep us weak and unable to fulfill our destiny!"

Actually the religious text says, 'The Goddess built the world and empowered all of its inhabitants to bring forth offspring. In return, the inhabitants pray and provide divinity for the holy ones above'.

You're just interpreting it conveniently for yourselves.

Just because people are poor, doesn't mean they can't make more children. In fact poorer, less educated people are more likely to have more babies. And poorer people are also more likely to fall to religion as a hope of escaping their situation. So maybe this was the Goddess' plan all along.

The more I'm reading this bible-esque book, the more it seems like this entire world's just a farm. And we are the cattle.

"But the Gods have not abandoned us! He has sent us Heroes!-"

Yes, they did send a Hero...

"Claud Branford!-"

But I'm the Villain actually.

"-He has decided to lend us aid in this time of crisis!"

I didn't say that. I was insulting you and calling your methods stupid and ridiculous.

"Goodness of the heart knows no borders!"

I sincerely despise all of you.

"Despite being born to an imperial noble's family, this young boy's goal is to protect the weak and oppressed people of Eindell!"

How many children are going to starve to death because you won't give up a centuries long feud? How many of them will be cannibalized by their parents or other adults around them?

I was trying to break your spirits and cause despair. But instead of giving up this silly rebellion, you've conveniently misunderstood something and thought I was trying to help.

The Gods above must've found this hilarious and stuck me with this quest to prevent me from beating up all of you. I'm not sure what penalty I might incur if I fail. I can't just carelessly act right now...

"-Tina Myers! She is the daughter of this city's mayor and she is also helping us during this time of need! She will be providing the people of the city food to ensure they do not starve during this harsh time."

This Tina Myers. I've got my eye on you. I suspect that she's part of that same group that was in the Ruvere Strait. Why would a mayor's daughter start a rebellion in her own city?

Is she an impostor? Mind controlled? Or more likely, she's just stupid like the rest of the sheep and fell for the propaganda. Young adults think they know everything. Go out, be different, protest, save the world from your bedrooms with trendy videos, dances and songs.

"I am glad to support the good people of Eindell~ Thank you all for helping to liberate Eindell! I hope that all the poverty in Eindell will be eliminated!"

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Yup. Young, privileged and dumb. Does she not realize that her own wealth will be the first thing to go when this city's liberated? Her father has already lost his position due to martial law...

It seems like their chief is the only one I have to be wary of. He might be part of the same group that wants the Blostmfell's fruit.

Eindell never needed liberation. This portside city was thriving economically, trading seaside goods with the other cities. Sure there is poverty here... but there are poor people wherever you go. It's inevitable. There isn't a utopia where that doesn't exist. To blame their poverty on colonialism is foolish.

The days when Eindell and Ruvere City were part of the Ruvere Empire are over. That empire no longer exist. Instead of bringing back a dead country, how about living normally huh? Damned extremist sheep. You guys were living peacefully up till now, weren't you?

It's not as if I hate extremists. I quite like them actually. It's much easier to befriend someone when you have common ground. And extremists tend to show their way of thinking very openly in their words, actions, reactions. So mirroring them is quite simple.

In the old world, they're mostly all talk... wouldn't lift a finger to support their convictions. But these people are different.

She shook my hand excitedly with both hands.

"Claud Branford! I'm Tina Myers! I am glad to have an ally who thinks so alike! We shouldn't take our privilege for granted. We have to make the most of our opportunities to help others! You think so too right?!"

I nod unenthusiastically. I refuse to spare Willpower for someone like this.

This girl is a fool. Assuming another person to have the same thoughts as you is fine but saying it outright to them? She's totally unaware of how her actions may be viewed as offensive. How dull can you be? What if the person doesn't share the same thoughts? Is she even thinking about that? This person is a noble? Really?

"So~ You must have a plan to liberate Eindell?"

I don't have any. The soldiers have already enacted martial law. We're hiding in a basement under a tool shop...

"I'm sure you have something you're thinking of..."

We have few weapons. Where are you going to get food and water during martial law..? Everybody will starve to death before then...

"You can share it with me..."

The military has their own farms... And they're heavily stocked with rations. We're looking at an extremely long martial law. Plenty of people are going to starve in this time. And if these guys resist, more will die.

"Claud Branford, I see you're really thinking hard about this... I'll make some food for you to eat! We should get your arm looked at too. The fighting out there must have been really rough."

I facepalmed.

Finally I have more than 10 seconds for myself to think without someone interrupting.

"H-hello sir!"

Why you-! Oh.

A kid..? Probably only a few years younger than me. Sorry for the mess your seniors in life have made...

"Miss Tina asked me to bring this to you."

I nod. A sandwich. Is this... meat? This had better not been a person... I don't mind cannibalism but I don't want to contract any weird diseases.

"Umm... I'm an altar boy for the church. Could I try a healing prayer for your arm?"

This is their medical personnel? Or maybe the others are busy healing more seriously injured rebels...

"Goddess above, please watch over your little lambs, purify their bodies... Cleanse!"

Hmm... my sweat. I feel fresh. So that's a cleaning spell.

He didn't try a healing spell first. Cleaning the wound. Was it intuition or taught to him?

"Goddess above, one of your lambs is injured, please aid them... Heal!"

I felt something. My right arm is moving again... It didn't do anything for the appearance but it's got more range of motion now.

"Ah! Your arm is moving! Thank you, Goddess!"

Did praying actually increase the efficacy of his spell? I'll try it next time. None of my prior spells provided as large of an effect as his...

"Umm sir Branford? Can I ask how you got this injury?"

Perhaps... is this my chance? I don't have to namedrop the Blostmfell. Just hint at it. Then this little boy will run around telling everyone hopefully...

-Willpower: 7/24-

"There was an accident on the Continental Train, I fell into the Ruvere Strait. A giant monster with a flower on its head appeared and ate the train's engine. I managed to hide but some falling tendrils from its flower wounded my arm... When I woke up, a white forest had sprung up overnight-"

Why is he so pale? Does he know what a Blostmfell is?

"Claud Branford? I'm coming inside..."

Damn it. She's back.

"Thank you for helping out, Quentin~"

"M-Miss Tina!"

"What's wrong, Quentin?"

"Mr. Branford said his arm was hurt because of a Blostmfell!"

"What!"

It seems like they both know what it is. Am I the only one who didn't know about this? I need to read more books about history...

"Y-yes! He said a monster with a flower on its head appeared in the strait! And a white forest grew overnight!"

"Branford! Are you sure it was a Blostmfell?"

I nod in affirmation.

"H-how can this be? I will send a scouting party to investigate!"

Good. It's going as I hoped it would. Now all that's left is to convince them to stop the fighting.

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The scouting party returned at night.

The de facto leaders meeting place turned into a panic room instead...

"More deaths will attract its attention!"

"W-we have to lift Eindell's martial law quickly! Otherwise the Blostmfell will destroy Eindell!"

"Inform the main force!"

Wait. That monster's going to come here?! And you guys still want to liberate the city? Didn't you just say that plant is attracted to death? Idiots!

-Willpower: 6/24-

"How are you going to achieve that without causing any more deaths? That's foolhardy. Call the attack off!"

I said that a bit too forcefully... I don't think my point got across to them.

"B-but the people..! If the resistance doesn't attack now... We'll run out of resources waiting for the Blostmfell to leave!"

How can such stubborn people exist! They already know danger is coming but they're caught up in their own beliefs!

"Branford, you have to help us liberate Eindell before the Blostmfell arrives!"

This is no longer just wishful thinking. This girl is completely naïve to the point that she's delusional. She still wants to have a resistance movement at a time like this? And she's asking me to help her?!

Martial law, freedom or whatever, we can handle that later.

-Willpower: 5/24-

"Right now there's a monster about to head for the city! If that thing comes here, there won't be a city left to liberate. Get yourselves together!"

They stopped panicking...

"Y-you're right. Branford's right! We have to put a hold on the resistance!"

"Call back our troops!"

"Prepare the med bays and get ready to receive patients!"

"No."

Only one person was not in favor of stopping the attack. To want to continue the attack when everyone else has already agreed to stop... You're the most suspicious one.