When Duke opened his eyes, he found himself sitting in front of a familiar computer.
Confused by the sudden appearance of the computer only for a brief moment,
he instinctively sat on the chair following the memory etched in his body and turned it on.
Now, it was like second nature to open a fighting game and start a match.
And a few minutes later,
– “I hit first! Why does that count as his advantage frame?”
– “Shit. Okay. Just keep hitting all day long then.”
– “AAAH!! What do you mean guns in a fighting game?!”
Fighting games, like any other games, typically have characters often referred to as ‘cheap’ or ‘overpowered’.
Duke, who initially chose a dream character out of pride as a fighting gamer, eventually broke down and opted for one of these overpowered characters as well when rationality faltered.
“Ugh. It’s not a foul when I do it.”
But his joy didn’t last long.
KANG! KANG!
The keys flew off the keyboard like popcorn scattering everywhere.
“Shit! Hyaaah!”
There stood Duke, defeated by his own reflection.
Worse still, he had no argument against being thrashed by a traditional character wielded by a legend in the fighting game community.
Inevitably, his patience reached its limit, and he pressed his temples firmly before turning off the game.
He no longer experienced the small sense of achievement that came with climbing the ranks since he was already at the highest level.
At that moment, he remembered a friend who would have questioned why he felt stressed despite not being demoted while continuing to play.
“It’s just inertia.”
He muttered to the empty space where there was no one to hear.
“Phew. I need to detox my mind.”
While muttering to himself in the solitary room, Duke turned on a webtoon.
The novel had already concluded, the anime was premiering tomorrow… Ah, the webtoon.
After checking the latest episode of “I Don’t Want to Be Emperor” and liking it, he realized he had nothing left to do.
‘I don’t want to play that stressful fighting game again… ah, let’s play a Musou game.’
He started another game.
<Hexion Musou>
As the name suggests, this is a stress-relieving game where you choose a character and sweep away hundreds or thousands of mob soldiers.
It has RPG elements, so every round feels fresh, and there are various builds to choose from.
It also features commands and stories, making it more than just a Musou-type game; the actions are impeccable as well.
Most importantly, it includes all modern action game elements like parries and dodges.
While its controls, interface, difficulty, perspective, and camera work often attract mixed reviews, it remains a solid game overall.
“Once you get used to it, it’s pretty easy~”
Of course, motion sickness remains an issue even after acclimation.
While contemplating all this, Duke created his character.
‘What theme should I go for this time?’
He opted for a helmet and uniform this time.
Weapon of choice: the greatsword. For his main magic, he chose telekinesis and supplemented it with a few other spells…
Additionally, he configured various small traits and skills…
‘Ah? This feels familiar.’
Haunted by déjà vu, before pressing the character creation button, he decided to head to the bathroom first.
Toc.
Inadvertently, he knocked over the mug of cola sitting on his desk.
It seemed it had moved to the edge of the desk while he was furiously typing.
Seeing the cola spill over the power outlet, Duke recalled something.
“Ah, that’s right. I died once.”
He opened his eyes.
The ceiling was unfamiliar.
Despite having a sticky nightmare, he did not jump up.
I am the charismatic final boss after all.
One must rise with charisma befitting the ultimate antagonist, even when no one is watching. There must be no room for weakness.
Slowly, he rose and rolled his shoulders.
Thud.
I would prefer a refreshing shower in the shower room, but such luxury isn’t possible in this medieval fantasy world.
Though it is possible to bathe using well water in the inn’s backyard, it isn’t fitting for the final boss to wash himself in such a lowly spot.
At the same time, skipping baths altogether isn’t an option.
Duke is a charismatic final boss, not a stinking medieval noble who masks his odor with perfume.
Fortunately, Duke had already preemptively prepared a solution to this paradox.
“Purify.”
The glittery light that enveloped his body sounded like a magical jingle.
This modified Purify spell cleanses him as if he had bathed.
He further enhanced the effect with a couple of additional spells to shave his beard and tidy his hair, finishing with his grooming.
This morning routine was now over a hundred years old.
From hereon, it would be a brand-new routine.
After donning the helmet and yesterday’s fine, tailor-made uniform,
and finally draping on a magnificent cape,
Dum-Dum!
Behold the spectacular final boss.
“Hem. Hoom.”
Fantasies aside. Let’s get back to being serious now.
After conducting another check of his outfit, he walked towards Rex’s room.
Duck.
The door opened.
Through the slightly ajar crack, A stood in place of Rex to greet him.
“Who are you?”
Correction.
Greeted is not the right word—she was on full alert rather than welcoming.
The white tiger beastfolk girl eyed him fiercely.
It was yesterday when Rex bought her the maid outfit she was currently wearing.
A 20% reflection of Rex’s taste and 80% of her own will, the maid costume suited her personality perfectly.
‘So this what it really looks like.’
In the original story, due to budget constraints, some accessories had to be sacrificed, but in this timeline, due to abundant wealth, a rather stylish design was achieved even for a standard maid outfit.
As I marveled at the outfit, her sharp gaze caught my attention through my helmet.
“Mr. D. What’s your business here this morning?”
Flick-Flick
The sound of her tail knocking against the doorframe was audible.
While I’m no expert on feline emotions, this was clearly a stance of caution.
Her tail wasn’t the only indicator; she actively exhibited her mood through what seemed like half-hearted growls.
That’s right.
A clearly disliked me.
The reason was straightforward.
She had faced my killing intent as soon as we met without even exchanging pleasantries; it was understandable she wouldn’t like me.
Still, I had a lot to say about her attitude.
‘Eh. Are you an animal or something? Can’t stand a little that?’
Of course, if someone aimed a sword at me at first sight, I’d snap his neck—it’s just my thing.
Shouldn’t a future empress at least have some breadth of mind?
Whatever! She’s not an actual cat, even if she’s a White Tiger beastfolk.
‘Calling someone an animal just because they’re a beastfolk is racial discrimination. Beek!’
While I was engaged in these useless musings, she finally addressed me, unable to endure the silence.
“Mr. Rex is still resting, D.”
“Duke.”
“Huh?”
“Duke. Just as you have the name Ari, I have a name too.”
Yesterday, A revealed her name was indeed Ari.
Though her real name is Arabella, she chose to be called Ari in everyday life.
In response to my statement, the tail that had been twitching paused briefly.
I thought she’d finally lowered her guard, but that was a mistaken assumption.
“Yieeep.”
Damn.
Not lowering her guard, she’s frightened instead.
True, there is an old superstition in this world that death comes when the god of death speaks one’s name, but is she really that scared?
Seeing her frightened self, it became unmistakably clear to me.
‘Aha, she’s definitely a cat.’
What, a courageous white tiger you say?
If this continues, it seems like our conversation won’t progress even as the day ends.
While Duke kept his gaze over Ari’s head,
Despite her intentions to keep the interior hidden by opening the door just a crack, height was something she couldn’t control.
The inn’s room being small, it wasn’t too difficult to spot Rex over her head from the entrance.
“Mrrr…”
There he was, Rex, scratching his stomach in bed as the sun was high.
Though Rex had moved to the corner of the bed, and the blanket on the other side showed impressions, indicating…
‘Ari must have slept together.’
I could roughly imagine the conversation they had.
Whether in the bed or on the floor, they likely ended up sharing the bed after some bickering.
Wearing a satisfied smile under my helmet, I shifted my gaze back to Ari.
Since it felt challenging to smooth things over with her here, how could I handle this in a way that fit my role-playing?
After much contemplation, a line came to mind.
“When Mr. Rex feels rested, let him contact me. I’ll be in the back garden.”
“Ah? Yes.”
She stood stiffly, pretending she wasn’t afraid, then answered.
With that, I left Rex’s room.
<Third-Person Perspective>
Duke went to the back garden for some meditation.
Although it was described as meditation, his mind was whirring with plans for the future.
‘Hmm. I shouldn’t earn the empress’s disfavor.’
While he built a barrier at first to avoid losing the heroine,
he certainly didn’t want to be her enemy either.
I just wanted her to think of me as a friendly sister-in-law, but our first encounter went wrong.
If I leave things as they are, the empire might split before it’s even established.
‘It’s not about dividing into East and West Rome or something.’
Duke wanted to avoid such a situation at all costs.
Of course, one might ask why he let the killing intent fly in the first place if he was worried about it…
‘How am I supposed to hold back.’
Honestly, as a loyal servant, he couldn’t overlook such occurrences.
After meditating (so-called), Duke made a decision.
‘Alright.’
Project: Let’s make friends with Ari.
Just as the meditation was ending, Ari and Rex approached from the inn.
Duke sensed them with his perception but intentionally continued meditating.
“…”
After about two minutes, Duke finally unclasped his arms, ending his meditation.
[I was waiting since you were meditating.]
Rex could now type with one hand without looking at the screen, having become proficient now.
The other hand was covering his yawn.
After a week of travel, he had gone straight to rescue A and shopping with her; he was likely tired.
‘Was there some chemistry yesterday…?’
Duke decided not to interfere in case the situation escalated.
The issue was that they hadn’t exchanged any words since the initial display of killing intent, and Ari still treated Duke coldly.
But today, an event was prepared to mend the emotional rift between the two.
[Today we are planning to assess Aria’s power, right?]
“That’s correct, Mr. Rex.”
Today was scheduled to be Aria’s power evaluation and training enhancement.
After Rex saved her, Aria selflessly volunteered to be his maid.
However, Rex had no intention of treating her as just hired help.
She possessed the qualities of a hero, and immediately upon meeting her, they could form a <Hero’s Oath>.
Based on that, Rex strongly advocated her role as a combatant.
Conversely, Aria insisted with equal vigor on becoming Rex’s maid. (She inexplicably seemed to have a fixation.)
After a heated exchange, the strange job title “Combat Maid (?)” was created.
This was represented in the maid outfit that Aria wore at present.
[Then, I will leave Aria to you, Duke.]
Rex sent a message.
Originally, in the original story, Rex immediately deployed Aria in combat after acquiring her.
Rex, who excelled only in tactical command, needed help refining combat senses and training skills.
In this world, Duke was present to assist.
“Why invest in alchemy when you have an alchemist? Why worry about training when you have a knight?”
As a result, Duke assumed responsibility for Aria’s combat training.
“An honor it is.”
‘Bingo, establishing a hierarchy.’
Duke happily accepted Rex’s request.
To become an indisputable second-in-command meant training all of Rex’s newcomers.
As a bonus, he could thoroughly train her while she was still green.
Although he outwardly maintained a strict demeanor, inside Duke felt like a giddy child.
Duke was all set to initiate the practice immediately.
Just before Duke could initiate the conversation, however, Aria beat him to it.
“I do not recognize you.”
It was the White Tiger girl who still harbored suspicion.
“How can you possibly teach me?”
Rex smirked faintly in response to her words.
[Ari. Duke is a good person, so please don’t act this way.]
Aria nodded silently at that part.
“I understand.”
She could comprehend why he displayed killing intent upon first meeting—anyone would act the same if in Duke’s situation defending Rex.
Though emotionally she felt hurt, she knew time would mend this.
However, there was one more reason Aria disliked Duke.
‘If only you were not here…’
If Duke had not existed, Aria could have been Rex’s right hand herself.
She was aware, however, that without Duke’s aid, Rex might not have escaped from the doctor’s lab.
Yet, if conditions were different, she herself might have played Duke’s role.
‘After all, I’m from the same tier, the second-tier.’
She merely considered herself unlucky.
Her tendons had been severed during her abduction, and afterward, restraints had sealed her magic and transformation power.
If she’d had the same conditions, she could have performed as well as Duke.
This belief strengthened when she discovered the new power within her earlier that morning.
“I am stronger than you.”
Fphewt!
Rex almost choked upon hearing Aria’s declaration.
Hearing that, Aria’s eyes furrowed.
“Mr. Rex?”
[Sorry. Truly sorry.]
“That isn’t too unreasonable to think. But after Mr. Rex and I formed the Oath yesterday, a new power awoke within me. I am different now.”
The other night, after forming the oath, they shared the same bed. Since then, fresh skills had emerged within her.
Unlike Duke, she seemed to be aware of her newfound power.
The power also seemed to deepen her loyalty to Rex (and possibly her affection), but at the same time, it increased her jealousy toward Duke.
She firmly believed Duke must have used the power from the same oath to help Rex escape.
‘That killing intent yesterday…’
Definitely born from the power of that oath.
And now that she had gained her power through the oath as well, surely the balance between them must have shifted in her favor.
– At least, that was her belief.
Both Rex and Duke could clearly read her thoughts.
‘It’s nowhere near the truth…’
Rex wanted to dispel her misguided beliefs.
Before signing the Oath, Duke was a human calamity. After signing, he had turned into a natural disaster.
‘To be fair, Aria’s abilities are incredibly potent…’
The new power she gained explained her newfound confidence well.
It was a powerful enough skill to threaten a third-tier individual with her 29th-level fangs.
When the conditions were met, it was strong enough to challenge even a fourth-tier individual.
But, it wouldn’t work against Duke.
Rex could say for sure that, against Duke, the skill would feel more like a massage.
Rex sought the right words to stop her reckless challenge.
‘Just how do I explain this…’
Duke being a Level-9-grade monster was something only Rex knew, due to his “perusal” Cheat skill.
In contrast, Aria didn’t have any “perusal” abilities. Neither could Rex afford to share the privileged information with her.
Moreover, Rex himself wasn’t great at interpersonal relations.
He found no way to explain this without upsetting either Duke or Aria.
Thus, Aria continued to glower at Duke while Rex found himself caught between the two.
But Duke found the feisty Aria quite adorable.
‘A brash one. Just in full bloom.’
Had she reached the sixth-tier, Duke might have knocked her out with a punch in the name of establishing his rank.
She was just Level 29.
If we compare it to superhumans, it was akin to adolescence.
This level is when, after achieving something special—something one in a hundred might accomplish—one feels supremely confident and capable of crushing rocks as large as houses.
‘And with a Level above 30, one would definitely consider oneself elite.’
She was an elite in the world of superhumans, so it was no wonder she brimmed with confidence.
Because Duke understood this frame of mind, he found her antics endearing no matter what.
‘Partly, because of her skills too.’
Duke was also aware of her skills.
It was undoubtedly a game-changing skill in the original story, securing her status as a legitimate second-in-command without Duke.
But Duke wasn’t one to fear such an ability.
‘I can still beat you even without using skills—because of all the training I underwent.’
Duke never truly expected to rely on the abilities from the Oath anyway.
Given that, he’d trained rigorously enough to match her final form in the story.
Given the context, it didn’t matter how much she challenged him.
‘This is cute.’
In such situations, it is better to gracefully accept her challenge rather than respond combatively—it maintains decorum.
Duke turned his back to her without a notable reaction.
“Follow along.”
“Hieep!”
Upon hearing this as an invitation to the rooftop, she let out another high-pitched growl.
Duke clarified his intentions by offering additional instructions.
“To understand your full potential, we’ll need to adjust your equipment first. We will go to the blacksmith.”
He strode forward with his cloak billowing behind him in cool manner.
Coolly walking away, Duke sent a message to Rex.
[Don’t worry. I have a plan in mind.]
[Good. I’ll leave it to you.]
Rex sighed in relief.
As Duke headed toward the blacksmith, he considered his plan.
‘I’ve decided.’
The relationship he would form with her would be that of a teacher.
‘The tutor to the empress…’
Just thinking about it got his blood pumping.
