"If it makes you feel any better, I have driven a car many times before." In video games.

"How is you speaking nonsense supposed to help Betty feel any better, I suppose?!" Beatrice's grip on my arm only tightens.

"Right, uh…Huh." Without a response to that, I just look to my right. "Thanks for this, Lord Mathers, I won't forget this." I didn't know if he had ulterior motives, or not, but I just decided to take it at face value…sorta, but not really. "Also, Rem, Ram. Thank you both for taking care of me, I appreciate it, really." I made sure to convey my appreciation in my voice.

The maids weren't inherently evil, and it could be argued that they were actually very good people. I can only say this because…

Tutorial Quest 2

Gain the Trust of Rem - 1/1

Gain the Respect of Ram - 1/1

Quest Completed!

Rewards - Reputation Unlocked! New Title - Made for Maids

Made For Maids - Increases Reputation Gain with Maids by 25%

View Reputation Screen?

Y - N

Tutorial Quest 1 - Where Am I!?!?

Objectives

Find Out Where You Are - 1/1

Gain National Currency - 20/10

Optional Objectives

Get A Map - 1/1

Quest Completed!

Rewards - Shop Unlocked! New Skill - Observe, 5 SP

Optional Rewards - New Skill - Like the Back of My Hand

Observe - Lvl 1/100

Upon activation on target, a short synopsis on the target will be given

No Cost

Like the back of my Hand - Lvl Max

The Player will never get lost in a place they have already seen a map to

Roswaal L. (A.) Mathers

Level: ???

Title: Court Mage of Lugnica

HP: ???

MP: ???

Said to be the Greatest Mage in all of history, though very little is known of him.

Reputation: 0/100

Rem

Level: ???

Title: Maid

HP: ???

MP: ???

One of the few Oni left alive in the four nations. She is a twin Oni, which is seen as a bad omen in Oni Tradition.

Reputation: 70/100

Ram

Level: ???

Title: Maid

HP: ???

MP: ???

One of the few Oni left alive in the four nations. She is a twin Oni, which is seen as a bad omen in Oni Tradition.

Reputation: 50/100

'I'm guessing Lucky Break had something to do with this.'

Dismissing the bundle of screens in my face, I notice the smiles from the two Maids. Rem's genuine, and Ram's haughty, two contrasting images that fit them perfectly. They'd likely said something while I read, but I just nod with a smile of my own. "Goodbye then, If I'm ever in the area, I'll be sure to visit, and…" My smile thins out, the ache in my heart acting up. "If she asks…" I shake the thought out of my head. "Nevermind. See you all." With a wave, I grab the reins and do as the cowboys did in western films. "Hyah! -WOAH!"

In a burst of speed, the ground dragon takes off at a speed too fast for me to control. "Kyaah!" I hear Beatrice scream from beside me.

"Slow down, Clara!" Now on the trail to the nearby village, I pull on the reins, which does the trick as our speed drastically changes. Clara, my ground dragon squawks in annoyance before just huffing at me. "Sorry?" I offer, but she ignores me.

"What were you thinking, I suppose?!" Beatrice suddenly shakes my arm. "Are you trying to kill us both?!"

"Sorry, sorry…It was an accident..." We had finally arrived, and there I saw it. The little sister.

Lifaus Highway

'…I don't hate her, at least I... She stabbed me in the gut and I… Why? She could have killed me, no, would have…' I go in circles.

"Ne, ne…Nii-san. You're going to regret this, you know?" I hear from my tied up prisoner.

Turning to the side, my eyes meet with the purple haired beast tamer.

Meili Portroute

Level: 25

Title: Demon Beast Tamer

HP: 75/75

MP: ???

A "child" of ???, The Archbishop of ???. Sister of Elsa Granhiert.

"Probably." I really wanted to avoid the mess called the Witch Cult, but unfortunately fate had other plans. "Beatrice?"

"Yes, I suppose?"

"Knock her out."

"Wait-" Placing her doll-like hand on the other girl's abdomen, the assassin falls over limp in our carriage.

"Thanks." I mutter, laying down onto the carriage, away from the assassin girl.

"Hmph, Betty is only doing what her contractor desires."

"That's…What if I asked you to do something heinous and or cruel?" I wonder.

"Betty would check if you were still you, if you were, …Betty does not know." She says, now coming my way.

"Right, sorry for asking something stupid." I apologize, closing my eyes. '...What do I do now?'

"At least you are aware."

"Hey-woah!" Feeling a sudden weight on my stomach, I open my eyes and find my contracted spirit straddling me. "Um…What is it?" I ask, feeling embarrassment at the slightly precarious position.

"Get those weird thoughts out of your head, in fact! Betty just…needed to replenish her mana."

"...Haven't you been doing that the whole day?"

"S-Shut up, I suppose! Betty grows tired of her contractor's endless complaints." Placing her hands on my chest area, I get the notice of my just replenished mana pool being drained.

Warning!

Player's MP is being drained!

It wasn't anything too bad, considering my previously meager MP pool had increased by a lot. Thanks to me (and Beatrice) defeating Meili's army of beasts.

Ren

MP: 167/500

But, when compared to my contracted spirit…

Beatrice

MP: 43,691

Yeah, she doesn't have an actual limit. At least, not one I could see. Perks of being a literal magical being, I guess.

"Fine…I'm running on fumes anyway. Good night, Betty." Closing my eyes again, I ignore the response thrown my way.

"So soon~?"

It was quiet, even if only for a moment, but I made my move in that time. Grabbing my spirit by the waist, I jump out of the carriage, away from…

"Elsa." I address the smirking woman standing in my carriage, standing in front of her fellow assassin almost protectively. "You're early."

"Oh? You were expecting me? I'm flattered, Ren-kun."

'She remembered me? …Not important.' Setting my spirit down so that she can stand, I seize her hand in mine. "Why else would I leave your sister alive? …but, how did you know I would be here, and so soon?" I dance around the truth I immediately arrived at. 'That damn clown, I shouldn't have trusted him for a second.'

"Well? …Was it Roswaal? How much is he paying you? …I imagine he's underestimating me, so very little?"

"Oh? And, how did you come by this information?" Neither a confirmation or denial.

"I mean, unless I made myself an enemy of a certain Witch Cult Archbishop, I ca-"

CLANG! Thud.

Impacting against Beatrice's barrier, one of Elsa's blades falls onto the ground. Looking back at the one responsible, I shudder at the look being thrown my way.

"Elsa, I just…want to talk." I start.

"We have nothing to speak of." She responds curtly, her enjoyment of the current situation gone.

'Fuck it. Bluff time.' Let's hope she actually cares about Meili.

"Oh? I wouldn't say that." I grin almost sadistically. "If you try anything, I can't guarantee Meili's safety." I continue without hesitation. "Did you know that my spirit is an expert at all things magic? She could probably even destroy someone's gate simply by touching them" Given enough time, of course. "Now, imagine that she placed a spell or curse like that on Meili. She'd die from Mana sickness."

"You're bluffing."

"Am I?" I laugh. "Even if I was, are you willing to take that chance? Even if by some miracle you were to defeat us, we wouldn't go down without a fight, does Meili have that time?"

"...Talk." So, I wasn't wrong.

Reaching behind me, I pull out the bag of coins given to me by her current employer. Throwing it on the ground in front of her, the coins spill out. "Become my personal blade. In exchange, I'll deal with the Archbishop and give you my life once I no longer need your services."

"Wha-"

"...I accept your deal."

"Think about it-Huh?" It was that easy?! "Ahem, right…Good." I grin. "Beatrice, if you would." I continue my bluff.

Turning to face my spirit, I receive the dryest look of the century, and nothing else.

Crouching down to her level, I cup one side of my mouth and "whisper" to her. "Do something, at least!" Again, nothing, just that same stare, which only further embarrassed me. "Please…"

After a while, she breaks the stare with a sigh. "Release."

Nothing obviously happened at her words, but I'm more than sure that our performance convinced the assassin of my bluff. Turning back to Elsa, I notice it. A knowing smirk on her face.

She hides her blades away under her dress, but I wasn't staring!

Averting my gaze, I noticed the knife she threw at us. Grabbing it, I approach her with a hidden caution. "To commemorate our deal, allow me to do this." Sliding my palm against the blade, it cuts through skin with ease.

-17 HP

Showing her my palm, I feel my wound knit itself back to normal. "A show of my trust." I mirror her excited smirk as I feel a rush. "I look forward to us working together."

En Route to the Capitol

"What is our next move, I suppose?

New Quest!

An Archbishop and a Gamer walk into a bar…

(Time Until Automatic Failure: 90 Days)

Defeat The Archbishop of Lust - 0/1

Rewards - ???, Increase Affection with Elsa Granhiert, Increase Reputation with Meili Portroute, New Title, 15 Gacha Coins, New Skill, 150,000 Exp

Failure will result in death

'So, I'm forced to do this. If not, I just die?' With a sigh, Ren slows the carriage to a slow and calm pace. "Elsa, is Lust doing something three months from now?"

"...Nothing I would be aware of. I was just one of her many children."

"Hm." He hums, not showing the disappointment that he was clearly feeling. Turning back to face the road, he feels a tug on his right ear. "Ow-"

"Don't ignore Betty, in fact! What is our next move?"

Leaning into her hand, Ren is relieved of most of his pain. " ...That, I don't know. With Elsa with us now, we need to be inconspicuous. The last thing we need is to be charged as accomplices." Released from the spirit's grasp, Ren is soon taken into another's grasp.

"Oh? I can shadow you away from sight, if you'd like." Elsa blows into his ear, as she leans onto him from behind.

"Release him, I supp-"

"-It's fine, Beatrice." Ren cuts off the spirit before she does anything rash. "As for your offer, Elsa, I'd appreciate it if you did. I'd rather not be labeled a criminal, even if I'm not a goody two shoes hero."

"Fine by me, but where did this angsty child come from?" She lowers her hand to his abdomen. "I want the tast-"

"Onee-chan, we're still here, you know? Wait until later if you're going to do that." Meili finally says something, having been observing since the start.

"She will be doing nothing of the sort so long as Betty is here." Beatrice butts in.

With a sigh, Ren removes himself from the assassin's relaxed hold on him. "Enough. Beatrice, stop letting Elsa get to you. Elsa, stop riling Beatrice up. And, Meili? Thank you for being the voice of reason."

"Hmph, I didn't do it for you." Meili childishly responds.

"The only one I'm trying to rile up is you, Leader."

'This woman is far more dangerous than I thought.' Dodging out of the way of another grab from the woman, Ren sighs for the nth time that day. 'I can't believe I'd ever miss my previous mundane life.'

Ren Fujimura

Visualize the flow of mana. Circulating throughout my body like a calm stream.

"In an unprecedented situation where we aren't together, I'll need to be able to defend myself."

Now, maintain it. 'One, Two, Three…' Time seemed to slow as I kept the circulation going and counted the time going by at the same time.

New Skills Created!

Mana Reinforcement (Active) - Level 1/100

Mana Circulation (Passive) - Level 1/100

Opening my eyes, I grin at the two blue screens in front of me.

Mana Reinforcement

Level - 1/100

Enhances reflexes and reaction time significantly, Increases STR and AGI by 1%, and Reduces damage taken by .5%

Every 10 seconds costs 5 MP.

Mana Circulation

Level - 1/100

MP costs are reduced by .2%, MP recovery is increased by .2%, MP pool is increased by .2%

Passive Skills Do Not Require MP

"Heh."

"Hehehe…" I tried holding it in, but…

"Hahahaha! I have the power!"

"Eh? What's with him?" I heard from the beast tamer in my party.

"Ignore him, I suppose." Beatrice waves me off, continuing with her brushing of the other girl's hair.

Noticing the curious glance from Elsa, I turn away quickly. 'Hey, 2B?'

"Yawn…Yeah?"

Did she just yawn –Wait, not important. 'I need to know how to level up passive skills.'

"Hm…A passive like Mana Circulation levels up by just using MP. Spending, Recovering, Repeat."

'It's that simple!?'

"Why wouldn't it be?"

'I…I don't know.' Sitting back down, I enjoy the silence around us.

If only I knew what would happen in a few days.

To Be Continued…

Am I satisfied with this chapter? 50/50. I don't like my take on Elsa, but at the moment, I'm just going to settle with it. Skipped the Meili arc, because Beatrice just stomps tbh. Sorry for all the cuts in the beginning, but god damn was that a lot of text that would have otherwise been too fucking complicated.

I mean, what else am I supposed to say here? I've been unmotivated since January that I can barely write 20 words for my other stories. Good thing this is mostly a hobby and not a job for me.

Other than that? I'm gone, see yall.

Preview to Chapter 5

Ren Fujimura, you are hereby sentenced to death by execution. How do you plead?

On what charges?! I'm innocent until proven otherwise!