Chapter 418: Encounter of Evil and Evil ver.2 2

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"Hiyau!?"

To think that a jester was standing in her room!?

Pilitza, terrified, let out a strange cry and scrambled backwards at an incredible speed, still sitting on her butt!

"Hiya, hiya! Gooood eveniiiiiiing!"

The mysterious jester greeted the terrified Pilitza in a rather friendly manner, smiling.

He spun around once, then raised his right hand slightly.

A dancing, cheerful movement.

His baggy and overly decorated attire, along with the buns on the sides of his head, swayed.

"Hieh! Hieh!? N-No... nooo!?"

But no matter how friendly his attitude was or how funny his movements were, scary things are scary.

Pilitza, her back against the wall, hugged her shoulders, trembling.

But the jester, paying no mind to Pilitza's state, strode over to her, lifted her chin, looked into her eyes...

"Yes! Look into my eyeees!"

And then, he made his eyes glow green!

"Huh...? ...Ah..."

The moment she saw that green light... Pilitza's thoughts started to become hazy, as if a fog had descended upon her.

It's a feeling like dozing off in a comfortable bed.

Her fear gradually faded...

"Heyyyy, you... 'State your name'."

"Pilitza..."

"'Tell me your favorite things'."

"I... luxury... Um, handsome men... um..."

"Yes! That's enough... Aaalright! Then you can wake up now! Yes!"

Snap!

The jester clapped his hands cheerfully.

And the pleasant feeling enveloping Pilitza vanished.

All she felt was the piercingly cold air of the cell, the musty smell, and the rough feel of her prison uniform.

"Tch..."

Pilitza, once again aware of the constant discomfort she felt, frowned.

"So? Who are you?"

And after clicking her tongue, she asked the jester, who had suddenly appeared in her cell, his name.

The fear she had felt earlier had vanished for some reason.

All that remained was the unpleasant feeling of having her personal space suddenly invaded.

"Yes, yessss! I'm everyone's idol, the delightful, delightful Chubos-kun!"

"Th-The unpleasant, unpleasant Chubos-kun, huh? What are you doing suddenly appearing here? This is trespassing, you know?"

Pilitza clicked her tongue repeatedly at Chubos, who was dancing around cheerfully.

And then, Chubos started dancing with jerky movements, in sync with the rhythm of her tongue-clicking!

"Aaaah! Enough!"

Frustrated, Pilitza threw the wooden soup bowl that was rolling on the floor at Chubos with all her might!

The soup bowl flew straight towards Chubos's head... it flew... but it got caught in the buns on the sides of his head and stopped!

What's going on!?

"Ahahahaha! Now, now, Pilitza, don't be so irritable! Your cute face is going to waste!"

"Even when I'm irritable, I'm cute!"

"Wow... But, but, smile! I think you look even cuter when you smile!"

Chubos said that, ignoring his own annoying dancing.

Pilitza's blood pressure rose even further, hearing his words!

"Digging stones every day in a dim, underground tunnel! Sleeping in a cold, smelly cell with a thin blanket! Tasteless food! No handsome men! How am I supposed to smile in this kind of environment!?"

Thump, thump, thump!

Pilitza shouted, stomping her feet in frustration.

Chubos grinned at the sight.

His mouth, sloppily painted with lipstick like a child's drawing, twisted, revealing his crescent-shaped white teeth.

And then, this jester...

"Ta-dadadadadada-tadaaa! I have good news for you Pilitza-san! Congratulations, you have been chosen by the 'Ring of Happiness'!"

He suddenly said that.

"Huh?"

Chubos spread his palm in front of the dumbfounded Pilitza.

And then, he clenched his fist, twirled his wrist, and then spread his palm again.

And suddenly, there...

...A ring with a shining green jewel... appeared.

"Eh..."

Pilitza gasped.

Because that jewel looked more beautiful than any jewel she had ever been given... and seemed to emit an irresistible charm.

Gulp.

Hearing her gulp, Chubos nodded in satisfaction and continued.

"It's yours! Please accept it!"

And with an exaggerated bow, he knelt on one knee and held the ring out to Pilitza, his head bowed as if presenting it to royalty.

"............"

Pilitza silently grabbed the ring and hurriedly put it on her finger.

For some reason, she felt like she had to do it.

This ring belongs to Pilitza.

So this action is perfectly natural.

Something that should be done.

And the moment she put on the ring!

The 'Instructions on How to Use the Ring' were forcibly installed into her brain!

She felt a little pain in her head, but she quickly forgot about it.

Because the power overflowing from the ring was filling Pilitza!

"...U-Ahihi! Th-This, this ring! It's amazing!"

Pilitza, intoxicated by a sense of omnipotence, trembled, drooling uncontrollably.

"That's right! It's amaziiiing! Its official name is 'Last Dream ver.2'! It's a minor change version, with reduced overall output, but in return, it's more practical and versatile!"

Chubos danced around, overjoyed.

"It's supposed to be quite difficult to find a 'Compatible User' for this ring, but you're lucky! And I'm lucky too! To find 'Compatible Users' in quick succession!"

"Mm, mmfufufufu!"

Pilitza didn't hear what Chubos was saying as he danced.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of what to use the power of this ring for.

"First..."

Pilitza snapped her fingers.

And her body was enveloped in green light... and instantly, she became younger!

Her rough skin became smooth, and her messy orange hair regained its shine!

This is how she looked during her golden age, when she was working as a receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild branch office in the Teenidys Kingdom's royal capital!

Well... to be precise, she's made a few adjustments, like making her nose a bit smaller and her eyes a bit bigger!

"Mirror!"

"Yes, yessss!"

Chubos took out a giant full-length mirror in response to Pilitza's command.

Pilitza, ignoring the minor detail of where he got it from, blushed, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

Snap.

And then, she snapped her fingers again.

Her breasts grew larger, and her waist became slimmer.

"Mmfufu!"

And then another snap.

This time, her attire changed from a tattered prison uniform to a dress.

"Wow! It's like a princess!"

"Mmfu... Like? No, I am a princess..."

Pilitza spoke with a blissful expression, twirling around, her dress skirt fluttering.

"I've always thought this, ever since I was little. 'Why am I not a princess?' I should be a princess of this world, but everyone denies me. No one understands the truth. I, too, lost to the cruel pressure of society, and as I became an adult, I hid those true feelings deep in my heart and lived my life. But... from now on, it's different, right? The time has come for me to be recognized as the true princess of this world! Finally, the world is returning to its proper form!"

"Wowwwwwww..."

Chubos, listening to Pilitza's long speech, smiled and clapped his hands.

"N-Now... since you're already using the ring so well, my explanation is unnecessary, right?"

Chubos coughed, looking at Pilitza wriggling in front of the full-length mirror.

"I'm a 'Deliverer of Happiness'! My mission is to find unfortunate 'Compatible Users' like you, and deliver the Ring of Happiness! And so, it's about time..."

He said that, and somehow put the full-length mirror away, and began to prepare to leave.

The space beneath Chubos's feet began to glow purple.

He's about to teleport.

But...

"'Wait'."

"!!"

Pilitza's words, infused with the power of the ring, interrupted the activation of the teleportation magic.

"Hey, Chubos... I'm a princess."

"Th-That's right, isn't it? You're a princess, aren't you?"

"A princess needs someone to attend to her, right?"

"W-Well... that depends on the person."

"It's necessary."

"Yes..."

Pilitza, looking at Chubos who gave up arguing, nodded in satisfaction, and then, once again, gave a command, infused with the power of the ring.

"'Chubos, I give you the honor of becoming my servant. Serve me with all your heart and soul'."

"...H-Hah!!"

Chubos knelt on one knee, bowing his head like a vassal.

(...Oh shiiiit!! I screwed uuuup!!)

But!

This Chubos... was panicking inwardly!

('Last Dream ver.2' is designed to cancel any commands that harm us, 'Soul Poachers'... it's designed that way... BUT!!)

Chubos glanced at the "Princess" in front of him.

This "Princess", apparently tired of standing, has now created a throne with the power of the ring and is smiling arrogantly, resting her cheek on her hand, using the throne's armrest.

(It doesn't judge 'Become my servant' as a 'harmful command'!? This is a blind spot... Ggh, I can't move freely!)

Despite his panic, Chubos quickly considered several options.

One is self-destructing.

Discard his current body, send his memory data to their base, the 'Ark that Traverses the Void', and start over.

To be honest, this is the quickest solution.

(No... I can't! I can't do thaaat!)

But Chubos immediately rejected that idea.

Because he just recently failed and discarded his body.

And now he failed again?

He can't report that to Mama! It's too embarrassing!!

(So... does that mean I have to play along with this princess game for a while...?)

The true purpose of 'Last Dream ver.2' is the same as the original 'Last Dream'.

To grant the "Compatible User's" wishes one after another, and in the end, siphon mana resources, involving the surrounding area.

However, 'Last Dream ver.2' has reduced overall output compared to the original, and proportionally, the amount of mana it can collect is also reduced.

In other words, he has to distribute more of them...

So, being restricted here as a servant is a major setback for Chubos.

"Now, Chubos, listen carefully... Today, I was finally able to regain my true form... but! There's still something missing! Do you know what it is?"

Pilitza doesn't care about Chubos's inner turmoil as he desperately searches for a solution, kneeling.

She asked Chubos, her eyes narrowed, covering her mouth with a luxurious fan, newly created and studded with jewels.

"U-Um... money?"

Pilitza's gaze is cold.

"A-A handsome prince?"

Pilitza's gaze is cold.

"Th-That's it, delicious food!"

Pilitza's gaze is cold.

"Hah! A castle! You need a castle, right?"

Pilitza's gaze is cold.

Pilitza, shaking her head as if exasperated, finally broke the silence and spoke.

"The answer... is 'everything'."

(What a fucking perfect answer!!)

Chubos cursed inwardly.

"Therefore, I must 'take back' everything! Putting things back where they belong. In other words, everything to me!"

Pilitza laughed triumphantly, completely intoxicated with a sense of omnipotence!

"So, Chubos! First, we'll take control of this prison! After establishing a base here, we'll take control of the underground town, then the Deswaar Duchy, then the Teenidys Kingdom, and gradually expand our dominion! 'You'll do it'! Do you understand!?"

"Hiii!? W-Wait, wait, Princesssss!"

What a reckless command!

Even Chubos was outwardly panicked, and protested!

"Princess, you have that Ring of Happiness! So why don't you use its power! Then your wishes will come true right away!"

And after saying that, he grinned.

That's right, that's what he'll do.

Make this greedy woman grant her wishes non-stop.

Then the ring's power will quickly deplete, and the mana siphoning phenomenon will occur.

And then, Chubos will be quickly freed from this "Princess"!

However, at this suggestion from Chubos,

Pilitza snorted and rejected it.

Then, with a pout, she said!

"Don't be foolish. A princess doesn't do things herself. She has her servants do everything for heeeer!"

(Th-Th-This, this, this, thiiis bitcccchhhh!!!)

And so, deep underground, at the northernmost tip of the Teenidys Kingdom...

The conquest of a nation, by a 'princess' and a 'jester', has begun!

The is the last side story of this arc.