“Hey, Navi, what’s this…?”
《…Well, why not just comb their hair and comfort them?》
“That’s it.”
《Wait, are you really going to do it?》
Even though they all have beautiful hair, these guys mess it up every time their emotions go up and down.
“White.”
I call her name as I slowly comb her hair.
Who would’ve thought my experience comforting my old dog would come in handy here?
“Aah, aaah, my king, Curse, Curse… I’m, I’m really, truly scared… Waaaah! You told me it was okay to live, and because of that… aaaaaah!”
“Scarlet.”
Why does everyone have such silky hair?
“I, I always thought it was inevitable… that instead of spreading curses, I would have to die with them… Ugh, aaaaaah!”
“Kuro.”
“Hic… Hic… I never wanted to be born… There was never anything good about living… And yet, now, now… waaaaah!”
I gently smooth out the hair of all three of them.
This is fine, right? I won’t be accused of harassment or anything, right?
They’re all sobbing uncontrollably…
—Now, I can turn all of them into spells.
《Reaction: Spell Creation》
Hmm, they’re not stopping their crying at all.
No, this is definitely my chance—a perfect opportunity to control their hearts…!
Heh, I’m honestly a little scared of my own villainous talent.
《Reaction failed》
—…
“We’re comrades, proud knights.”
“““Waaahhh!!”””
Thud. Hug. Crack.
They all rush at me at once, hugging me tightly.
Kuro’s forehead slams into my solar plexus.
Scarlet’s long ponytail wraps around my neck.
As for White, she’s practically crushing me in a bear hug.
Even though they look like kids, these three are monsters, and honestly, they’re terrifying.
If I hadn’t reinforced myself with curse power on the spot, I’d be…
““Waaaaah… Curse…””
“You don’t need to act tough anymore… It’s okay for you all to live.”
As long as you’re under my command, that is.
You three will be essential when I finally finish playing my role as the mastermind villain.
I should earn more points with them now.
“Curse… I understand now. Your wish, and my wish… I cannot forgive the gods, the Supreme God, or this world.”
“Heh.”
White’s hair starts to stand on end again.
“So… that’s what it means. Yes, I understand everything now, my role.”
Scarlet’s red ponytail floats up slightly.
“Heh.”
“Hehe, I’ll do my best…”
Kuro’s oddly sharp canines catch my eye.
“Heh.”
…Wait, did they just stop crying? Huh? That was fast. Impressive, these girls might actually be competent.
“I’m going to start preparing, Curse.”
“Ah…”
For what?
“The enemy is the gods’ forces… We, alongside the King of Curses, will end the tyranny of the gods. But we need power for that.”
“Ah…”
…Her voice is getting intense.
“We were deceived by the gods, turned into mere props for the Seven Prophecies of the End. Even our free will was nothing more than entertainment for the gods…”
“Ah…”
I mean, maybe… yeah, probably…
“The enemy is strong, Curse.”
Wait, I need to play along.
“…The divine player agents hear the voice of the gods and follow their quest orders. By fulfilling those quests, they receive great power as a reward from the gods, and that power easily drives people mad. They’d do anything for the rewards from the gods.”
《Huh?》
“So there are multiple players, after all. There could even be some sort of organized movement.”
“In that case, we need to form our own organization for the coming war…”
“Hehe… At the same time, we, we, we need to strengthen our individual abilities… But not just strength—we need comrades who share our circumstances and our goals…”
Isn’t this getting a little out of hand?
N-no, it’s fine. There’s no way starting an organization would go that smoothly.
I hope they don’t expand too much; the more people we have, the more likely things will fall apart.
“…Curse, the fact that players have remained hidden in history means the gods’ influence already extends to the world’s powerful leaders, doesn’t it?”
“…Do I have to explain every little thing?”
“…”
Oh no, I said something cold because the question seemed complicated.
What do I do now?
“Ah… h-hah… That look in your eyes…! Hah, I’m deeply sorry, my king, for being so presumptuous as to rely on your kindness. Please forgive me.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Phew, safe?
Wait, why is White’s face so red, and why is she breathing so heavily…?
…Does she have a fever?
“White… I’m so jealous…”
“White-chan… so, so sneaky… such a shameless woman…”
“Alright, looks like I’m safe!”
“Haa… ugh, whew… Scarlet, Kuro. We already know what we need to do, right?”
“Haha, White. That’s a foolish question. …Form the organization, expand, refine, and strengthen it. Prepare for the decisive battle against the players and the gods.”
“Hehe, a-and at the same time, we’ve got to become s-stronger too. Strong enough to stand alongside Master.”
Ugh, I really wish they wouldn’t.
“Curse, my king.”
“Curse, my lord.”
“Curse, Master.”
Although their bodies are clad in dark nightclothes, they’re all absolute beauties on the outside.
These special individuals, with whom a mob character like me should never have even been involved, kneel before me.
“From now on, we wish to become your loyal subjects.”
“Bear our curses, bear our rage, and protect us as our shield.”
“We who have been cursed, who will be consumed by the curse, even if these bodies decay and perish, our loyalty will remain with you.”
They bow their heads, eyes cast downward, quietly speaking their vows.
From their posture alone, I can feel absolute trust and reverence.
“My king.”
“My lord.”
“Master.”
These three exceptional beings, cursed by the world and by the gods themselves.
“Curse.”
They called my name.
………………………Nice.
Eh… really nice…
I feel like a proper villain.
“You are now my vassals, my friends, and my curses. We walk the cursed path together. Do you have the resolve to bear and rule over the curse?”
“Meeting you was the greatest fortune of my life. I will never let go of this fortune.”
“You opened my eyes. You alone are worthy to be my god, my lord.”
“You, who carry the curse, my King of Curses, I will surely raise you to the god’s throne, Master.”
“Very well. From this moment on, you shall be my three knights. You are no longer the harbingers of the end.”
The girls open their mouths slightly, then close their eyes and bow their heads.
“We, who bear the curse, who rule the curse, our name is––”
Memories.
The fleeting moments spent in the Life Field.
The time spent with my guild members.
The guild name I chose.
Ah, it was really fun.
“Brotherhood…”
Before I realized it, I muttered.
I suddenly felt nostalgic about my guild members.
I’ll probably never see them again.
“We are the ‘Curse Brotherhood.’”
But I’ll take the name.
So I won’t forget the time I spent with my guildmates.
“The usurpation of the divine throne. The end of the gods’ tyranny. The beginning of the age of humans––the age of curses.”
The girls, still kneeling, look up at me.
“Three knights… Knight of Domination, White.”
“Knight of War, Scarlet.”
“Knight of Famine, Kuro.”
“We, the three knights, will surely bring the heads of the hated gods to you.”
“Good. Then I shall bestow upon you the power of the curse. The ultimate power to defy fate and draw the bow against the gods.”
Curse power.
I let the power of the curse dwell in my hands, and release it towards them.
Somehow, I thought I could do it.
The black, flame-like light envelops them.
“This is… the power wielded by the king… ah, it’s so warm.”
“Ahaha, haha. I understand everything now… My lord, this isn’t magic. What a warm power…”
“Hehe… it smells like human… I can smell Master… so warm…”
My curse power fills them.
…I tried it on a whim, but it worked.
These girls are incredible.
They’re already unconsciously controlling the curse power.
“Use it well. The curse is the essence of human existence itself. Remember, the curse is never your enemy.”
“The power you gave us, the power to defy fate… I’ll make sure to meet your expectations.”
“This power… it’s a gift, my lord. I’ll make sure to repay this debt.”
“Hehe… I feel connected to Master… This is the first gift anyone’s ever given me… I’ll never let it go…”
The dark flames blend into the guild uniforms I gave them.
Wait, did those uniforms have that feature?
They look so cool, like an army of darkness…
“Curse, from now we will begin our operations. First, we must establish our public faces within human society.”
“Let’s start with what we’re best at. White will handle… the Adventurer’s Guild. I’ll take care of the Magic Academy. Kuro will…”
“Hehe, I’ll go meet with the assassin organization, Shadowhand…”
“My lord, I shall prepare a castle worthy of you, the King of Curses, and an organization to match. Please look forward to it.”
“Hmph… I have my reasons for staying in this humble place. Do as you see fit, I leave the details to you.”
“…! Yes, understood!”
“Good. Now go––”
“My lord, may I assume that I’ll be given some authority over the organization’s personnel?”
“…? Heh.”
“How generous… I thank you, Curse.”
“Do as you like. Now go, my––”
“Hehe… M-Master. While White and Scarlet secure our public positions, I’ll work on expanding our influence in the shadows across the continent. But, um, about our public relationship with you…”
“…? Do as you wish.”
“…! Hehehehe, understood, Master. You’re so generous.”
“Well, then? Go, my––”
“Curse, um… I know it’s a little early, but… if I work really hard, could I… um… maybe get something else from you?”
“…? I’ll reward good work.”
“!!!! Ah, my king, my life is yours to command…!”
“…White, you’re so sneaky.”
“White-chan, you’re shameless.”
“We are equals in Curse’s eyes.”
“White is amazing.”
“White-chan is so talented!”
Everyone’s getting excited without me.
Well, that’s nothing new. Even in Life Field multiplayer, it was the same.
“…Good. Go, my knights. We––”
“We who bear the curse, we who rule the curse.”
They took my line…!
So evil!
“…Go.”
“Curse, please look forward to our results.”
The girls vanish without a sound.
I wondered how they moved, but decided to stop thinking about it.
Well, a lot happened, and I didn’t really understand half of it, but…
Overall, it felt pretty villainous, right?
“Alright…”
I don’t really get it, but I think I played the part of the villain well.
The morning sun is dazzling.
Now, I’ve got to do what I need to do too.
“Time to go to the fields.”
Another day begins.
