Inside a volcanic fortress, a being of flames laid in a molten bed of lava, her hands behind her back.
Her ponytail, which was made from fire just like the rest of her body and even her clothing, formed a zigzagged pattern, draping across the bed.
This was the Elemental Demon, Envidia- the head of the house of Envy.
Surrounding this woman was a building made from molten rock, and lava flowed freely around the room.
"Tomorrow, huh?"
The woman murmured to herself with a light smile.
"Tomorrow I get to visit my sister again I suppose.... how long has it been? A hundred years? I don't really remember."
With the flick of her finger, a document made from flames appeared in front of the woman.
"Mmm.... it looks like everyone has been informed.... hmm..... Huberos, do you think you can outdo me? You already know that it is impossible for you to have more than me in anything..... for that is the law of envy."
The woman giggled lightly, scouring the map in front of her.
"Oh sister..... I almost feel bad. After all, our reunion after so long will not be one of peace. However..... it is all for the sake of preventing others from obtaining that which no being in the world.... not even myself.... has obtained."
----
A pink crystal rotated on an axis as it hovered in a dark basement.
Before this crystal, a spiritual woman with skin as white as snow stood quietly.
This woman, wearing a plaid hat and short cut dress which was very loose on the arms, spoke with acceptance in her voice.
"Did you see this coming?"
The crystal rotated on it's axis, but no response was heard.
"Sigh.... I suppose I am a slave now..... this.... was my own loss."
The woman turned away, walking towards the entrance.
"Are you really going to say nothing? You had so much to say so long ago. Perhaps you truly are nothing more than a piece of data?"
[That I am. I hold no opinion on this matter. It is simply a scenario which I have generated.]
Shocked at the sudden reply from the crystal, Lustia turned around.
"You...."
[Are you displeased? Many are displeased with the world I have generated. However, I am merely a piece of data- and a partial one at that. I hold no such emotion as caring. I do, or I do not. Some are content when I do, and others are not. But it is impossible to please all. Therefore, I will not listen to complaints. For every person who gains, there is another who suffers.]
Lustia nodded before leaving the room.
"I didn't expect a response. You speak like a person, yet claim you are nothing more than data. Information with personality. Just what does that even mean?"
Exiting the room, Lustia headed up the spiral staircase with these thoughts in her mind, however she soon encountered a set of spiritual men standing guard at the door to the highest floor.
"Lustia."
The guards nodded in response, calling Lustia by her name instead of her title, for she was now a slave to the antiheroes just as they were.
"Do.... do you all hate me? For implanting desires within you to long for me?"
Lustia couldn't help but to ask these men for their own opinions.
The men who had hated her hundreds of years ago had all died since then, most under her own orders in battle, and from the moment which Lustia took the position as queen, she would charm each and every new spirit. As such, every spirit living in this time period was not among the ones who hated her due to their love for the former queen.
"I cannot find it in myself to hate you. It is true that it feels very odd for the desire which I held all my life to suddenly be removed.... but there is one thing that I found to be extremely strange."
"What is that?", Lustia asked.
"Well.... when I was under your charm, every time her excellency spoke.... the spiritual girl..... it was as if a dagger was being driven into my eardrums. However, for some reason, as soon as I was released of your charm and accepted my position as a slave of the antiheroes, her voice was no longer so ear wrecking. Certainly it was not pleasing, but it was not intolerable."
"Hmm.... so do you think that my ability did something to make the voice of that woman painful?"
"I believe so, but am not sure."
[Ah, that makes sense.... after all, I have a skill that increases my own charisma with those who serve me..... and I've leveled it up quite a bit since I came to this world.... keh heh.....]
As they spoke, the chilling voice of the spiritual girl rang in the minds of the three.
"I.... I see.... that does make sense....", the man said while shivering.
Even if he had submitted to them, her voice still shook him with fear.
Lustia nodded and passed through the door, heading to her room in thought.
'Haha..... I suppose being a slave means that even my own thoughts and conversations are always under surveillance.... no privacy at all..... well, I suppose that is what it means to be a slave....'
Laying down in her large bed, Lustia closed her eyes lightly.
'I suppose this is my punishment for doing this to even the people who did not hate me.....'
It was at this moment that Lustia recalled the words of the spiritual girl.
'Destroying all who look down upon us.... eh?'
She wondered how the remaining Hosts would deal with this war with the antiheroes.
'Perhaps I got off easy..... I do not know whether or not they can defeat the antiheroes. They all hold their own abilities, so perhaps they will be effective against them.... but only time will tell.'
[Worry not about us. I have already been running analysis on these abilities based on your knowledge of them, and I am coming up with countermeasures as we speak. Even so.... there are some troublesome ones among them. Or perhaps I am mistaken, and you are instead worrying about them rather than us?]
The voice of the elf spoke into the mind of Lustia.
[Well, after learning as much as I have about you, I won't blame you. However I will tell you here and now. If you truly are worried about them.... then you are right to be.]
With a bitter smile, Lustia let out a sigh.
"Will you kill them?"
[That depends on them. Not me. If they are unwilling to bend themselves to my will, or if they are unable to provide use for me as you have.... then I will not hesitate to remove their existences from this world.]
----
A handsome young man awoke surrounded by a number of French maids, in a luxurious room.
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His golden blonde hair shined as the sunlight peeked in through the windows, and he looked around to see each and every maid fast asleep, laying on him.
This man was Oscar, the Indeterminant.
However, currently his face was changed so as to not resemble his own.
"What a night it was..... and now to cover everything up."
[/swapcoordinates, Geralt]
With this command, a man who held the same face which Oscar has swapped to appeared in the bed, and Oscar teleported out into the city streets, his own face back to what it was previously.
The man, Geralt, looked around in confusion at his scenario.
"W-what!? Where am I!?! I was just outside in the market-"
It was then that a butler burst into the room.
"This is the man!!!!! The fiend who seduced the maids and did as he pleased, taking advantage of the sudden passing of the Senator!!!! Despicable!!!!! Guards, arrest him!!!!! He likely had a hand in the Senator's death as well!"
The man looked around in confusion as a number of armed men rushed into the room, surrounding the bed which he lay in.
A number of the maids woke up quickly, and as if they had been released from a spell looked upon him with disgust.
"You.... what happened to you? You no longer hold the same class as before."
"Disgusting. I cannot believe I allowed such a rotten man to make his way into my mind."
"W-what happened? I barely remember anything from last night...."
The maids all stood up, ashamed at their behavior and enraged with the man before them.
"Guards!!! This man deceived us!!! Take him away!!!!"
"I don't know what he did, but it was almost as if his smooth words influenced my mindset!!"
"He violated us even after the death of the Senator!!!"
The guards grabbed hold of the man, seizing him at once.
"W-wait!!! What are you talking about!?!?! I was just going about my da-"
"Going about your day in the bedroom of the Senator after he died last night!? A likely story bud. You're gonna be locked up so long that you won't even know what it means to see the light of day anymore."
The guards grabbed the man who struggled with futility, leading him off to be arrested.
"I can't believe such a degenerate was in this city."
"Were you involved in the Senator's death? Did you poison him? All the evidence points to it. Better if you just admit it now."
"I didn't!!! I didn't do anything!!!! I was just in the marketplace, a moment ago, and now I'm here!!!!"
"Ah, look. He's gone nuts now. Or maybe he's playing the insane card, trying to get a lighter sentence. That isn't gonna work in this situation bud."
"W-wait!!! You have to believe me!!! It's the truth!!! I'm sure people saw me walking around!!!!"
"Even if there were people who saw you, couldn't it just be someone who looked like you? Trying to search for an alibi when we just caught you red handed is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of."
"WAIT!!! STOP THIS!!!!! I'VE BEEN SET UP!!!!"
The man furiously struggled, to no avail.
Based on the situation and all the evidence, there was no possible way he could prove his own innocence.
Even if some of the facts didn't line up, the fact of the matter was that he was present in that room at that time.
"Unless you're being set up by someone who can manipulate reality itself, there's no way you're not guilty."
----
Oscar strode through the city with a disappointed look on his face.
He wore fancy clothes which he had changed into based on the local customs and styles.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do... and I suppose when in the French sector of Rome, do as the French Romans do."
Even so, Oscar was currently undergoing a slight amount of heartache.
'I had high expectations for those maids.... they weren't bad. But the ones who were acting disgusted at first lost the act as soon as I said some smooth words to them. Why are all women so easy in this world? Are good looks and pretty words all it takes to win over a woman? There's.... no substance.'
With a sigh, Oscar walked through the city. Eventually he came across the wall which separated the Empire's sector from the Sultinate's sector of the city.
A number of guards wearing excessively pompous outfits stood guard, wielding halberds instead of the usual spears and their manes made from extravagant feathers.
Oscar approached the men with a smile, presenting himself.
"Good morning, gentlemen. I have come to cross the border. I am known as the Indeterminant, and am headed to speak with the Sultan on important business."
Oscar held forward the document which held the approval of the Emperor, and the guards immediately stepped aside, opening the gate.
"Indeterminant..... it is a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you for your service, hero. Please continue doing everything you can for the sake of our country, and for the sake of humanity."
The guards revered Oscar with respect on confirming his identity, allowing him to pass easily.
"No no. Thank you both as well for your service. I am merely one who has been blessed with these abilities. It is the people who truly deserve the credit. I am merely performing my own role in this situation. As are you."
"Indeterminant...."
"You humble yourself far too much. We could never amount to you. Please remember us if you will."
Oscar passed through the gates with a smile, nodding to the two.
"Of course I will remember you. May I ask for your names?"
The two were surprised at the sudden question.
"Indeterminant.... to think that you would ask for our names..... we are not worthy to be known by you."
"No no, I insist. I would like to learn the name of each and every person I meet. After all, if I do not know the people I assist by name, then what kind of coldhearted savior would I become? I do not view people as mere numbers you know. Call it a personal habit of mine."
The guards looked to another nodding.
"My name is Jeanne Polvierre."
"And mine is Louis Marchatte."
"I see. Thank you, gentlemen. I will not forget."
"We are honored."
Oscar walked off, smiling to himself.
'It seems that little by little my database of names is increasing..... the more people I meet, the more I can manipulate.'
----
The gate which separated the two cities was a short tunnel, which Oscar passed through quickly before meeting a set of guards who were dressed slightly differently.
The dark skinned guards reminded Oscar somewhat of those from ancient Arabia, however these ones in particular wore outfits which were still French in nature. The frilly clothing looked strange, especially combined with the scimitars which the men had on their backs.
"Who goes there?", one guard asked, holding out a hand to stop Oscar.
"Good morning. I am the Indeterminant. I am sure you have heard of me?"
"The Indeterminant.... you mean to say that you are the one to lead the heroes of humanity?"
"I am."
The guard seemed to be thinking for a moment, before speaking up.
"So you have come to our country to assist us in our plight?"
"Exactly so. However, the details are something which I must keep confidential. I must meet with your Sultan before anything. If you need proof of my identity, then I hold a document signed by the current Emperor of the Vythguard Empire."
Oscar held forward the document, but the man waved it off.
"There is no need for that. Indeterminant..... if you are truly who you say you are, then our nation is in great need of you, and we would like to welcome you with open arms."
The men immediately opened the gates, allowing Oscar in.
"Thank you, men. Ah, would you tell me a bit more about your plight?"
"Of course, Indeterminant. Well, as for this city of Touchette here, we have not been too effected by the drought, as we have been able to obtain provisions from the other two sectors of the city, but the nearby countries have not been asked to provide for any more than this city in particular. The fact of the matter is.... people all around our nation are starving and thirsting from the drought. The small amount of water we have is diminishing so quickly, and it is difficult for almost any crops to grow anywhere."
Oscar put a hand to his chin in thought, nodding.
"I see. So you all have been dealing with such a thing.... I apologize for not arriving sooner."
"No no! It is no fault of your own, Indeterminant!! You are the savior of humanity, but this is our issue. It is your duty to defeat the monsters and protect humanity, so I am certain that you have been very busy with such matters!!", one guard exclaimed.
"That is right. But even so, the fact that you have arrived now is enough to reassure me. Indeterminant..... how much you are doing for the people of this world.... I thank you greatly, and I beseech you.... while you are here, please do what you can to help our people!!"
Oscar nodded with a smile.
"It is for that reason which I am here. I will ensure that your people no longer suffer from such a drought."
"Indeterminant...."
"Thank you!!! Thank you graciously!!!!"
The men bowed their heads to Oscar, spilling out their hearts before him.
"I have a wife living to the West of here, and she is going to give birth soon!!! I can't stop thinking about her, but I am not allowed to bring her into this city! Please, bring food and water to our people!!!"
Oscar placed his hand on the shoulder of the man with a kind smile.
"Of course. I will do everything I can."
The men looked up with hope.
"Thank you so much!!!!!", they shouted.
With a smile, Oscar turned to the city and began walking away, but before leaving he turned his head back.
"Ah, incidentally.... what are your names?"
----
Oscar made his way through the Sultinate sector of the city of Touchette.
The people gave off a different feel than the ones in the Empire's sector, yet everything within this city still reminded him of France.
The clothing of the people, the architecture, the artwork, and the city streets were similar.
What was different was the demeanor of the people.
While the people in the Empire's sector seemed to hold their heads high, many people within this sector looked down with deep concern.
'It seems that even in this prosperous city, the people of the Sultinate are undergoing harsh times. How interesting. As I expected, I can use this drought to convince the people of this country to play right into my hands.'
Oscar hid his grin as he walked through the streets, eventually coming to the end of the city where he passed through the gates easily.
On exiting the city, the gate opened up to a desert.
The sun which was rising beamed down in him, and he looked around to see a stable.
'Ah, I suppose I should acquire a ride just as the last time.'
Oscar walked over to the stables to see that there were no carriages or chariots, but rather a large number of camels.
'Camels? Ugh.... how annoying.'
Instead of walking over to purchase one, Oscar typed in a command.
[/create sportscar]
Appearing in front of Oscar, a red sports car with two white lines going across it appeared.
"This is more my style.", Oscar said as he opened the door, grabbing a key from his pocket.
[/edit object: sportscar: Add property: Temporary road pavement]
Opening the door, Oscar entered the car and turned the key, revving the engine as loud as he could with a smile.
VRR!!! VRRR VRRR!!!!
Taking the attention of the men nearby at the camel stalls, they looked over in shock at the loud noise.
As soon as he placed the key into the car, the sand underneath the vehicle transformed into asphalt.
"Hahaha! This is more like it!!"
Speeding off in a flash, the ground directly underneath the vehicle temporarily transformed into asphalt within the range of the vehicle, before changing back into sand as soon as the car left the area.
The man standing at the stall rubbed his eyes, watching as the vehicle sped off into the distance.
'Must have been a mage.... they come up with some crazy contraptions these days.....'