I have not been in this world for a long time. But in a way I can tell. Two new trainees abandoning their comrades to escape? That kind of decision would severely impact the trust people have in them, affecting the group's morale.
Traitors are not tolerated.
All I have to do is utilize the will of the people to bury them socially.
A soldier willing to abandon his allies is a soldier not to be trusted.
The ostracization, they won't be able to bear it.
Now I just have to find a good way to spin this. People probably won't feel sorry for the uncouth bastard who bullied an ally on the first day. And I don't have any evidence either...
But what about using the Hero? Forget the evidence. All I have to do is get her to cry and that's instant sympathy points. I'll try to work it out from there. The question is... how-?
I landed on my face. Urgh. I was distracted and now I've got dirt in my mouth.
"Claud! Are you injured? I didn't know, I'm so sorry..."
Ah.. I think I've got an idea.
"I-I'm okay, it's okay..."
I slurred my speech on purpose. I had a small cut, but I flexed, trying to get as much blood out of it as I could. Judging by her face, she must have come to a realization.
"Claud? Claud?!"
Yes, cry more. Make your face redder and cheeks puffier.
-37/50 Bad deeds completed. Sadistic trait added. Making the Hero cry now counts as a bad deed-
Huh? That's not what I intended but okay. I just wanted her to appear emotional in front of the crowd later.
"I-I don't think I can go any further. I wish I could kill those bastards..."
-39/50 Bad deeds completed. Deceit successful-
Blegh, I think my acting was pretty shit but she believed it.
"N-no, Claud! Get up!"
"I can't keep my eyes open..."
I'm cringing, maybe I should have taken acting classes.
-41/50 Bad deeds completed. Deceit successful-
"Y-you can't close your eyes! You're a Priest, you have to cast a healing spell!"
"..."
I will later, but for now you need to keep crying for me to rack up bad deed completions.
-43/50 Bad deeds completed. Deceit successful-
"Uwaaah! Claud! Claud, I'm so sorry! I should have listened to you!"
Yeah of course you should. I'm the smart one here.
"T-this is not your fault."
-46/50 Bad deeds completed. Deceit successful-
-The Hero has acquired (Rare) Justice trait. The Hero has 10% more stats when fighting those with Evil personality traits. Stacks with multiple Evil traits-
"T-that's right. It's those guys' fault. I-I won't forgive them! They're bad people!"
Mmm yes, don't forgive them. But please do take it easy if you ever decide to fight me. Your stats now outstrip mine with your buffs after all.
This scene was so touching, even I was shedding a tear. It probably looked like I was on my last leg and crying.
-48/50 Bad deeds completed. Deceit successful-
Doing misleading things sure does come naturally to a Villain.
-49/50 Bad deeds completed-
Ah damn it, don't cry over me. Your salty tears are really unpleasant.
-50/50 Bad deeds completed-
Ah finally. With all the crying she's done, she must have a crybaby trait. I hope she gets rid of it. My ears are ringing.
-Villain's Sub main quest completed. Hero's Class granted to Sophie. All the Hero's status limits have been lifted-
"I'm the H-hero? P-please Goddess, let me use a healing spell! My friend is dying!"
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Did she really just cast a Heal spell? The Hero sure is overpowered, she can heal and fight.
Oh wow, this is getting comfortable.
I want to sleep but unfortunately I can't. Best I get up before she realizes I'm bluffing.
I slowly open my eyes.
"Sophie?"
"Uwaah, Claud!"
Shit don't hug me! You're squeezing the life out of me with your 50% bonus stats!
"C-Claud, you're alive..."
Yes, that is very obvious. I am alive. But I would like to remove my Evil personality traits now...
"H-how am I alive?"
I'm just pretending to not know she's a Hero now, but I want to know if she'll offer up the information willingly. That way I can gauge how close we are.
"Y-you didn't hear me earlier, Claud?"
"Hear what?"
"Nothing it's okay."
Looking at her beaming smile, anyone could tell she had something to hide. But if she didn't want to tell me, fine I guess. I'll make her give it up later. We're going to be best friends from now on.
-New Sub Main Quest: 0/50 Bad deeds completed-
Huh? No wait. That's not fair. The quest didn't say anything about having a continuation.
Oh Hero, please don't get rid of your crybaby trait. I still need it.
-The Villain's dialogue has been deemed ineffective in antagonizing the Hero-
Huh? That doesn't sound good.
-The Villain's dialogue has been limited to four choices set by the system-
-If any dialogue outside the permissible choices occur, Willpower will now be consumed-
This system really wants me to die, doesn't it?
Like hell, I'll let you do that. I'll cling onto the Hero as hard as I can. She'll carry me in the late game, I just need to make myself an indispensable ally.
"C-Claud, are you okay? Do you need me to cast another Heal?"
-Option 1: Like hell, I would ever need your help-
-Option 2: Get away from me-
-Option 3: You dare ask if I need help, you lowly filth!-
-Option 4: Slap the Hero and smirk-
Oh what in the- How are these options? Even the forced dialogue earlier was better!
Option 3 is a hard pass. It just makes me look crazy, when we actually have a friendly atmosphere going on.
Option 1 and 2 make me sound ungrateful as heck.
Option 4... ahhh. There's something promising.
Option 4 makes me look even more insane than option 1, but if I can get it to work how I want...
I scooch closer to the Hero and give her a big slap on the back.
The slap resounds across the forest.
"Eeek! W-why did you hit me?"
I don't know how I look right now but I'm probably smirking. I hope she misunderstands it as, 'I'm fine, I'm just a tough guy who can't say thank you' kind of vibe.
"Claud, you're really a big meanie! I don't want to talk to you anymore!"
She went off in a huff.
Oh, I hope she doesn't mean that. Did I screw up?
-6/50 Bad deeds completed. Anger successful. Scare successful. Harass successful. Embarrass successful. Hurt successful-
Oh wow, that completed a bunch of them.
Going back to the academy, the walk was unbearably painful. The Hero constantly turned around shooting me a pouty face. That expression soon changed to a weird expectant look.
Is she hoping that I'll come up to her and apologize?
But I refuse to interact. The less interactions I have, the less choices I will have to make. Can't lose the game, if you don't play.
Eventually she slowed her pace to walk beside me.
In a relationship, one side has to yield eventually. And I refuse to be the one yielding.
"Umm Claud..."
-Option 1: Shut up-
-Option 2: Get away from me-
-Option 3: Stay silent-
-Option 4: Slap the Hero and smirk-
Ah thank goodness there's a third option. Also why is that fourth option still there? It doesn't even match the situation.
"C-Claud, are you mad? Did I do something wrong?"
-Option 1: Yes, I am mad at you-
-Option 2: Get away from me-
-Option 3: Stay silent-
-Option 4: Sarcastic response-
What the hell is sarcastic response supposed to be? Seems like a horrible idea. I'm keeping my fat mouth shut.
"Is it because I went to help them? Or that I kicked you?"
-Option 1: Yes, I am mad at you for disobeying my orders-
-Option 2: How could you kick me?!-
-Option 3: Stay silent-
-Option 4: Sarcastic response-
Ah option 1 has expanded. I think I'll choose it. I am honestly mad at her for that after all.
"Yes, I am mad at you for disobeying my orders. You put yourself at risk and almost got yourself killed! Don't think it's acceptable, just because everything turned out alright!"
Wow, I said way more than what the options showed. The system is unreliable again. But it conveyed what I wanted to say pretty accurately.
If the Hero dies prematurely, I'll be screwed. She's my golden goose responsible for my stats and fighting on the frontlines, I can't let her die.
"Y-you... I was just... I just wanted to help them. Is that wrong?"
-9/50 Bad deeds completed. Anger successful. Embarrass successful-
Can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. I'm sure our bond will grow stronger after it goes through some hardships.
-Option 1: Helping others is a waste of time-
-Option 2: Their lives are worthless-
-Option 3: Our lives are more important-
-Option 4: What benefit would come from helping useless people?-
These options... are trash. And they're really short, there's clearly more dialogue than what's being shown. What an obvious trap.
In a short timeframe, as to avoid her suspicion, I have to weigh these carefully, considering my own disposition and how the system might twist that.
That's a tall task with too many variables to think about.
I could just use my Willpower to control my dialogue.
Yeah I'll do that.
-Willpower: 2/4-
"Helping others isn't wrong..."
First reaffirm her beliefs and express that you share them too...
"But at the cost of our lives, that's a cost too great."
Put forth a reasonable argument...
"I value your life far more than those of strangers."
Butter her up...
"You're my friend."
Finish with a statement.
Those are the five steps to strengthening any friendship. Fight, share common ground, argue civilly, reaffirm your relationship's status and finish it off on a good note. Give me my Oscar award. I deserve it for that show I just put on. I powered through that awkward feeling inside.
Honestly a modern day person might have seen through the theatrics. But for someone in this fantasy like world.
"I- you.. You think of me as a friend?"
Look at that smile. She fell for it.
-Option 1: No, you're a fool for believing that-
-Option 2: You mean nothing to me-
-Option 3: Our relationship is purely transactional, you're my golden goose-
-Option 4: Why would I ever be your friend?-
Ah! Go away, you stupid prompt dialogues!
-Willpower: 1/4-
"I do. I admire your bravery but I can't applaud your choice in endangering yourself. You can't protect others, if you can't save yourself."
Ah that was so cool. And so very cringe.
Her grin is practically ear to ear.
"Claud.. I'd be happy to be your friend."
-Maximum Willpower has increased to 12-
-Willpower: 1/12-
Oh. That's a huge jump in possibilities. I'll be able to have more normal conversations now. Hehehe.
"I've never had a friend before."
Oh no. Stop. That's an exposition dump flag right there.
"Back at home..."
Can I skip this cutscene already?