Golden Experience

“Your Majesty, I have proceeded as per your instructions. Regarding the census, we will issue notices for registration applications within the upcoming deadline and conduct on-site investigations afterward.”

“Thank you, Albert.”

“However, Your Majesty, if I may speak out of turn. Wouldn’t it be more efficient to simply bring all the residents under your control with the special [Subordinate] skill you bestowed upon us? It seems impossible with the residents, but…”

“No, it’s not good to control all the residents. In this game, there is no difference between player characters and NPCs, and there is no distinction between NPCs and monsters. According to the system message sent by the administrators, they are implementing a transfer service to areas controlled by a single faction. The selection criteria for areas controlled by NPC monsters seem to be decided through screening. However, for areas controlled by players who have agreed, they are likely automatically added to the transfer list. Even if they weren’t initially selected, they would probably be added if a player newly controls an area. While this needs verification, if not, it would allow players to set up their homes in places they agreed to control, rendering it meaningless.”

“I see… Understood. We will use the [Subordinate] skill sparingly.”

“Good. We don’t know the exact percentage of how much it would be considered ‘control by a single faction’, but at least, it’s not something to experiment with in this city.”

If they were to do it, they should choose a less significant city.

“By the way, can you lend me a chair or a bed?”

Rare didn’t come to this city to explain dungeons to Albert.

Rare borrowed a guest room in the Lord’s mansion, took out some Philosopher’s Stones from her inventory, and placed them on the table.

“Kerry, I need your help with something. Would it be alright for you to come to the guest room in the Lord’s mansion?”

“Of course, Boss.”

Rare lay on the bed, borrowing Kerry’s body through [Summoning].’

It’s been a while since she acted using Kerry’s body.

Unlike Yoroizaka, characters with a strong sense of self take some time to get used to their usual behaviors.

“That’s why I had Yoroizaka for that. Well, can’t be helped.”

Her monologue was, of course, in Kerry’s voice.

Of course, she can’t use Flight or Demonic Eyes like this. However, Summon is still usable. Though it’s Kerry’s skill. She can only summon those who Kerry has Subordinated.

Choosing someone randomly from Kerry’s list, she tried [Summon Summoner] to see what would happen when summoning using the subordinate’s skills.

When the vision switched, an elderly man was in front of her.

“Greetings, Lady Kerry. If you had come, I would have prepared a welcome…”

“Ah, sorry. I’m not Kerry right now. I am Rare, Kerry’s liege.”

She briefly introduced herself and explained the summoning mechanism.

This man is probably Gustav Urban, chosen from the list.

It seems that ‘Double Summoning’ is possible.

“Well, it’s unexpected to be in the presence of Lady Rare. I apologize for my rudeness. I am Gustav Urban, head of the Urban Trading Company.”

She knows nothing about the Urban Trading Company, but judging from the instructions given to Kerry, it seems to be some kind of trading company with a store in a prime location on the main street.

Apparently, he is a human merchant. Just what she needs.

“I’m currently borrowing Kerry’s body for a little experiment. One of them has already succeeded. Now, I want you to help with another one. I want to see if you can become a Noble Human, that is, a noble, by using a certain item.”

“M-me, a noble!? Such a thing…”

“I won’t force you. If you don’t want to, I can ask someone else…”

“N-no! Please, I’d be honored!”

Becoming a noble doesn’t mean joining the official noble class. It’s just a racial thing.

She thought of refusing just in case, but considering that the Hiers Kingdom is already gone, and all the nobles in the capital have become undead or been destroyed by Lyra, the surviving nobles are probably only the ruling class in each city.

Even if this man, Gustav, claims to be a noble, it doesn’t have any particular downside.

In fact, in the territory ruled by Rare, she might even grant him the rights of a noble if he wants.

“…Well, never mind. Now, take this.”

Rare took out a Philosopher’s Stone from her pocket and handed it to Gustav.

Gustav was enveloped in light—

《Confirming player brainwaves. Canceling automatic processing.》

《Subordinate has fulfilled the conditions for reincarnation.》

《Do you permit reincarnation into [Noble Human]?》

Ah, so that’s how it works.

Rare chuckled to herself.

This experiment was to see if, while borrowing the body of a subordinate, Rare could hear the system messages directed at that subordinate. Judging from the text, if a Philosopher’s Stone is used on a subordinate controlled by an NPC, the processing will proceed automatically. NPCs that cannot hear system messages cannot respond, which is a reasonable limitation.

Certainly, in the past, when she used a Philosopher’s Stone on Sieg’s Subordinated Skeleton Knight for an experiment, the processing had started automatically.

However, if there is a player involved, it seems the decision is left to that player.

—Permit.

《Commencing reincarnation.》

Approval through mental signals is possible. It seems that Rare’s brainwaves were detected earlier, and for now, Kerry is provisionally treated as a player.

“In other words, if I borrow someone’s body, I can act just like a player.”

But there’s something to be careful about—the inventory.

Rare couldn’t use it.

The reason she took out the Philosopher’s Stone from her pocket earlier was because she couldn’t put it into her inventory.

It seems the inventory is a completely personal space, and no one other than the owner can interfere with it.

“If it’s absolutely necessary, well, I can briefly return to Kerry to take it out, and then I can put it back…”

In front of players, the quickest way to demonstrate being a player is to use the inventory. Even if saying “A player pretending to be a player in front of players” is an incredibly awkward phrase, it might be necessary.

“Oh, this is being a noble…”

“Ah, I forgot.”

She had turned Gustav into a Noble Human.

His appearance hadn’t changed much. It seems the racial characteristics made him look better, but this level of change could be easily covered up by saying he went to a men’s esthetic salon or something similar. If there was a men’s esthetic salon in this city, that is. At least, he doesn’t look like a different person.

“You should have the skill [Subordinate] that befits a noble. I’ll also give you [Mental Magic]. Additionally, let’s give a slight bonus to INT and MND. It’s a gesture of gratitude for helping with the experiment. It should be useful for a merchant.”

After that, she warned him not to use [Subordinate] on the residents too much. It’s fine for his family or close associates, the Urban family in other words, but beyond that, even if they bring other trading companies under their umbrella, she instructed him not to use [Subordinate].

Gustav bowed deeply, almost to the point where his forehead touched the ground, and listened to Rare’s words.

“Well then, I have something to do, so I’ll take my leave. I’ll count on you in the future.”

With a bow of her head, Rare left Gustav behind and walked along the main street.

Her destination was the Mercenary Guild.

She could ask someone for directions, but it’s likely to be along the main street anyway, and she could casually look for it during a walk.

Walking through the city center like this is quite refreshing, as it has been a while.

“There are streetlights, so the public order seems good. The people in the city seem lively. If they make a living by the blessings of the grasslands, there should be a prominent Mercenary Guild, right?… Ah, maybe that one.”

Even if they talk about the blessings of the grasslands, the materials they obtained until now and in the future are likely to change. Until now, they might have sold claws and fur from moles, purchasing crops from elsewhere. However, from now on, the main product will probably be ant materials.

The target audience will also change, and if they were using it as meat for food until now, the food situation will change as well. Rare will have to rely on Albert and Gustav to adjust to this, and it will take some time.

“…I might try planting medicinal herbs cultivated in the Liebe Great Forest in the prairie. The ants can take care of the maintenance.”

She could see several people, who seemed like mercenaries or players, entering the guild.

It seems that building was indeed the Mercenary Guild.

Without any particular expression, Rare passed through the guild’s door.