Let’s get serious.
I have no intention of sticking around and educating orphan kids, who lack any knowledge, until they become useful.
So, what will I do?
Do you not understand why I made the gaming console?
“It’s about spreading information.”
Even if they can’t read, live in different countries, belong to different races, have different intelligence levels, genders, or ages—everyone should find games fun.
Manipulating values, shaping public opinion.
That’s my plan.
Do you think I’m just talking about some naive ideal like, “I just want to make everyone smile with a fun game!”?
No, that’s not it.
To make money? That’s a side quest. Money, power, fame—those things only help me achieve the primary goal. I’m not obsessed with them.
My strategy is to embed my thoughts and intentions into games to manipulate public opinion.
The first batch of games is still straightforward, a safe, classic storyline meant to raise the console’s profile.
But once people get used to it, and start appreciating the depth of the stories, that’s when I’ll release a game infused with my philosophy!
Of course, I won’t make it a boring game.
I’ll subtly instill ideas like, “The disgrace of the aristocracy” and “Secret societies are cool!”
I feel like a long-haired, dirty cult leader! It’s like using subliminal messaging in anime to brainwash people with cult ideology. Hilarious.
Well, anyway, we’ve already got the gaming console.
I’ll throw in educational programs like, “Learn to read and write with games!” or “Learn arithmetic through games!” and give those kids a uniform education.
Then, regularly administer paper tests, and any dumb kids who keep failing get cut off. Perfect!
“As expected from Lord Exus!”
Ada, standing next to me, cheers me on.
Nice!
Ada throws in the right comments, beautifully enhancing my performance.
Getting praised by a pretty girl—it’s the best!
Feels so good~!
While I have the kids studying at the former slum mansion, I’ll take care of other business.
Namely…
“Scalpers must die! No mercy!”
“Gwaaahhh!”
I’m eliminating scalpers.
I’m only allowing the Beaks Trading Company and its affiliates to sell the gaming consoles.
How is it that consoles are being sold here, in the Carenheit Margrave’s territory, even though I haven’t granted permission yet?
I won’t allow it. I’ll kill them.
So, I blew up a few shops.
I posted signs saying, “Executed for illegal dealings of gaming consoles,” and left the shopkeepers” heads on display.
Is killing them too extreme?
Hmm, perhaps you’re right.
But this isn’t Earth.
This is a medieval world where private executions are allowed.
In fact, since laws don’t have much enforcement here, the victims have to crush the offenders themselves or risk danger.
I’ve heard that Japan was like this not too long ago. Around the time of the Pacific War, there was a patent system, but registering patents would only get them ripped off…
The police wouldn’t respond to patent violations, so the victims had to sue themselves, but doing so would often result in massive losses due to litigation costs.
Who knows how many inventions were buried in history this way…
At least, I won’t let that happen to my magical tools.
That merchant claimed he developed the device himself! There’s no choice but to kill him.
Just then, a representative from the Beaks Trading Company, who had come from the capital, came to greet me.
“W-why, Lord Exus, what brings you here?!”
A fat-bellied merchant, just like you’d expect.
His bald head and scruffy beard were irritating.
“Oh, I’m just executing scalpers.”
“I-I don’t quite understand, but please, do stop by our Pigeon Trading Company. At least have some tea.”
“No, thanks. I don’t want to drink bad tea. …Hmm? No, I’m not being rude. I’ve gotten used to drinking high-quality tea, so I just don’t want anything else. I do appreciate the gesture, though.”
Ah, that was sincere.
I know I’m being rude, but I generally avoid eating or drinking the food in this world.
Why?
Because the hygiene is crap.
And the taste is crap.
If you analyze the food sold in the streets with magic, some of it is guaranteed to give you food poisoning.
Meat products are especially dangerous. Half of it is practically rotten when they sell it.
The animals are slaughtered after being raised on the filth and garbage they find on the streets.
Now, when you talk about the food chain, that’s one thing, but it’s just too disgusting for me.
It’s so gross I can’t bring myself to eat it.
Of course, I know it’s rude to refuse such offers, and it doesn’t even feel good to be this kind of rude.
So, I still bow my head politely.
“I-is that so…? Oh, by the way, we’d like to discuss the release of the gaming console in the Carenheit Margrave’s territory…”
“Ah, about that, I want you to sell the special large-screen model to the Margrave.”
“Hmm, indeed. Understood.”
Also…
“I need you to deliver this as well, to the Margrave’s mage, Margaret.”
I instructed him to give a special model to Master Margaret.
Not out of goodwill, of course.
I couldn’t hide the scent of her being a closet otaku.
I imagine she’ll get hooked on the gaming console and spend tons of money on it.
From our conversation, she has imagination and can express herself poetically. I want her to write spin-off novels based on the games she plays…
There are very few people in this world with the cultural capital and flexibility to write entertaining novels.
I’m sure Master Margaret can do it…!
Now, once I finish eliminating the rest of the scalpers, I’ll head back to the capital.
What? I’m just using the kinetic magic field I made to fly at the speed of sound.
I can fly from the frontier to the capital in just a few hours!
I ignored the pigeon merchant who noticed the heads on display and screamed in horror, searching for my next target…
Or so I thought, but one of the scalpers had something interesting.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
A beautiful girl wrapped in a straw mat!
Nice! An amusing event!
I cut the rope and spoke to her…
“Phew, you saved me! Um…where are we?”
“You’re in the Carenheit Margrave’s territory.”
“Oh my! All the way out here?! I’m terribly sorry, but thank you so much for saving me, Lord Exus Raven.”
Hmm?
“You know who I am?”
“You must be joking! There’s no one in the capital who doesn’t know Lord Exus!”
“Hmm?”
Is that so?
“Besides…we’re classmates, you know?”
Oh, really?
“Sorry, but I’m not interested in all the nameless masses.”
“N-nameless? Me?”
“Yeah.”
“I-I see… This is the first time I’ve been treated like this… Somehow, it’s oddly amusing.”
Is that so?
“So…if it’s not too much trouble, could you take me to the capital?”
Hmm.
Judging by her bearing, she’s definitely a noble.
I can probably get a reward, if not ransom money, and use it to fund the activities of the Secret Society Aurora.
I’ve also taken in some kids as servants, so I need the money.
And if she’s the child of a noble with a domain, I can expand my console’s market there too!
“Alright, let’s go, faceless mob girl.”
“Eh? O-okay.”
I carried the girl and flew to the capital.
