There's a saying about "iron rice bowls."
It refers to jobs with such high employment stability that you're unlikely to ever get fired. Usually, this means civil servants, teachers, professors at private universities, or company presidents.
Jobs where you don't have to worry about being fired unless the company goes bankrupt or the country splits in two.
So here's a question: what's the most secure job in this world?
*Of course, it's being the Hero.*
Unique and one-of-a-kind.
The only job of its kind in the world right now.
A divine calling bestowed by none other than God himself, above even the Emperor.
No matter how annoying or infuriating I might be, they absolutely cannot fire me.
That was my safety net, and thanks to it, I could act however the hell I wanted.
"...That's enough."
After I'd been acting like a fool for a while, the Emperor finally broke the silence.
His voice was clearly exhausted.
"As you say, we'll end the formalities here. Indeed, there's no need for empty flattery. Everyone here knows you'll receive your reward anyway. Good work, and please enjoy the banquet from now on."
With those words, he trudged out of the banquet hall. His expressionless exit clearly showed his displeasure.
But what could he do about it?
What could he possibly do just because he was in a bad mood?
Besides cursing me internally and leaving with a sour expression, what else could he do?
*That's right, I'm the Hero.*
Even if I'm at a disadvantage in terms of power, I have the upper hand when it comes to job security. Essentially, I have nothing to fear.
And to begin with, the current Emperor wasn't that powerful.
He wasn't big-hearted enough to sacrifice his interests to maintain his dignity, nor did he have the ability to do so.
A tiger with missing teeth, slowly backing away.
A setting sun, transferring power and preparing for retirement.
That was my impression of Maurice von Fildoor from the game. So this level of defiance was acceptable.
Of course, just because he wouldn't directly say anything, that didn't mean everyone else would stay quiet.
"I heard this generation's Hero was problematic..."
"Indeed, who would have thought he'd be such a ruffian..."
Whispers.
I could hear people nearby gossiping about me.
They probably thought they were speaking quietly, but the Hero's body allowed me to hear even the faintest voices.
Naturally, hearing such gossip didn't hurt my feelings.
But what my party members said did sting a bit...
"Hmph, I sensed something ominous, and here he was hiding his true colors. Utterly disrespectful."
"How vulgar and crude."
"Hmph, who knows. Perhaps this is all an act too."
"Hero..."
All of them glaring at me while making their comments.
Irritation, disgust, suspicion—all directed at me.
I suppose after traveling together for half a year without showing this side of me, suspicious glances were unavoidable.
The only unusual reaction was from the Saintess, who was looking at me with something like pity in her eyes.
I still didn't quite understand the Saintess's reaction... but it was within my expected range of responses.
So I continued my foolish behavior, ignoring the stares.
Gulp, gulp.
A bottle of wine was already empty. The burning in my throat suggested it had been quite potent. I could feel the alcohol hitting my stomach.
Yet, ironically, my body wasn't feeling any effects of intoxication.
It wasn't because this body had a high tolerance for alcohol...
[Poison neutralized!]
In a way, alcohol is a type of poison.
As soon as it entered my body, my "Poison Resistance" neutralized it, so there was no way I could get drunk.
Because of this, I appeared completely sober... but I had no intention of leaving it that way.
I silently activated a skill.
*Blood Flow Acceleration.*
Blood Flow Acceleration has many effects.
Enhanced physical abilities, increased mana efficiency, improved reflexes, and so on... but the most basic effect is simply making blood flow faster.
I directed the circulating blood temporarily toward my face.
My face quickly flushed red like someone drunk.
Perfect. My mind was clear, but outwardly I looked completely intoxicated.
What does this mean?
It means I could now act even more like an asshole. Since ancient times, alcohol has been a very effective way to turn people into beasts.
And people tend to be more forgiving toward beasts. Our country's laws proved that.
"Bring more alcohol!!"
So I continued acting like a jerk for a while.
In the elegant banquet hall, I devoured food ravenously and found other bottles of alcohol to down in one shot.
"Ahh, this is the shit. After months of eating nothing but crappy dried food and lukewarm water, a feast like this makes me feel alive again!"
"My goodness..."
"Oh my..."
I occasionally let my language get crude.
Each time, I could feel the people around me losing respect, but I didn't care.
*Anyway.*
A coldness briefly flashed in my eyes.
*These aren't people I need to impress.*
As I mentioned before, this game is a dark fantasy adult game.
And as is typical in dark fantasies, evil isn't limited to monsters.
This country was rotten to its core.
"How utterly vulgar."
Said a noble who held orgies in his mansion every night.
"His character must be absolute garbage."
Said a noble who had killed several slaves with a whip.
"I wonder if someone like that can really save the poor citizens, tsk tsk..."
Said a noble who had starved hundreds of his subjects to death through excessive taxation.
This was the reality of this country.
Everyone pretended to be noble and clean on the outside, but in reality, most nobles were corrupt and depraved.
The nobles who should be governing the country only thought about exploiting others with their power.
The Demon King had revived and the world was in crisis, yet they were all busy fulfilling their own desires.
That's why the country was full of poor people and criminals were rampant.
So the people here would need to be overthrown someday.
"Haha, I actually like his honesty!"
As I was thinking this, someone approached me.
Baron Belfer.
Known as a well-respected lord, but in reality, a piece of trash who abused slaves in his mansion daily.
"Pleased to meet you. You're truly as bold as a Hero should be."
He said this while extending his hand to me. It was impressive that he could approach me with a smile despite the curse that must be affecting him.
Indeed, he was truly a man with dozens of snakes in his belly.
I didn't take his hand, instead sipping my drink as I replied.
"Your belly is truly bold."
Belfer had a potbelly.
Perhaps because I pointed out his complex, his brow twitched momentarily.
But only briefly. Soon he smiled kindly again and said:
"Since we've met by fate, how about sharing a drink?"
"Oh?"
I nodded.
"Sure."
Let's hear what nonsense he's trying to spew.
One thing I could be certain of was that he had chosen the wrong opponent.
So we began drinking together.
After a few rounds, he got to the point.
As expected, it was about business.
"Come to think of it, being a Hero must require quite a bit of money, right? My business is doing well, so I have plenty of money. If you ever need any, just let me know."
I'll provide financial support.
"For someone doing such important work for the world, I can certainly help that much. I only ask for one thing. Just visit my mansion occasionally, and meet like this for drinks sometimes. I enjoy meeting people."
In exchange, how about forming a connection with me?
"And I can introduce you to my people too. Well, that's how life works, isn't it?"
And help me show off that connection.
*So he wants to give money in exchange for influence.*
I'm friends with the Hero. I eat with the Hero, go to saunas with the Hero. He wants to show that off to increase his political influence.
Even if I'm a ruffian, being the Hero itself has its uses.
My response was:
"What are you talking about?"
"Pardon?"
"Why are you making such a long speech? So you're saying you'll give me money?"
I don't get it.
"If you're giving money, I should gratefully accept! So when and how much are you planning to give?"
"Don't worry. I can give as much as you want. But in return, I'd like you to agree with me whenever we meet..."
"What? Why should I do that? How annoying."
"I'm trying to make a deal here!"
Bang, bang.
He finally raised his voice, pounding his chest in frustration. I sipped my drink and said:
"You keep saying boring things at a drinking party. Forget it. I don't need your money, so get lost."
Essentially, I was telling him to leave.
I was going to have plenty of money anyway, so I didn't really need financial support. Rather than increasing his influence, it was better not to accept anything.
"Urgh..."
After that, many more people approached me.
Someone offering to provide potions made in their territory in exchange for promotion.
Someone offering to buy monster materials in bulk if I formed an exclusive equipment contract with them.
Some even brought proper contracts.
Of course, I rejected them all.
"Don't talk about complicated things like mutual benefits or resource aid."
"A contract? Why should I bother with such troublesome things?"
"More importantly, is there more of this food? It's deliciously salty."
Each time, they were disgusted with me.
"Such an ignorant..."
"Born lowly, he knows neither manners nor propriety."
"Why was someone like him chosen as the Hero?"
Did they think I was too drunk to hear well?
Their gossiping voices had grown louder than before. But I actually took this as a good sign.
*Yes, despise me more.*
Look down on me more, let your guard down more.
That will make it easier for me to tear out your throats.
After sufficiently lowering everyone's opinion of me, I let out a small sigh.
"Phew."
Good. It seemed I had successfully established my reputation as a ruffian.
But there was still a problem.
*With this, I can forget about any political influence...*
My connections had been thoroughly isolated.
I had gained freedom by cutting off everything, but in exchange, I'd lost anyone who could politically support my statements.
In the hidden mastermind route, I could at least maintain relationships with people on the surface.
His problem was being highly suspected, but he had no issues with sociability.
But the simple-minded ruffian route made that difficult.
While I might be less suspected, I couldn't do anything political.
And politics was very important in this game.
The happiness of humanity needed to increase to slow the unsealing of the Demon King.
Cutting out the rot, fixing what needed to be fixed, persuading people around me.
To do all these things, power was essential.
So the ruffian route had this critical limitation...
*...*
Fortunately, I hadn't acted without considering this.
It's difficult to gain power?
Then I could use someone else to wield it instead.
Or find a partner.
Of course, the conditions were still strict.
Someone who shared my goals, wasn't corrupt like the other nobles,
and was desperate enough to cooperate with me despite the curse. I needed someone like that.
Luckily, there was one such character.
"..."
My eyes briefly turned to the corner of the banquet hall.
While the hall was noisy with nobles' conversations, that spot felt particularly lonely and desolate.
The woman sitting at that table had slumped shoulders and kept darting her eyes around.
She gave off an impression of being dejected and anxious.
At first glance, she might look like a noble from a minor family... but once you recognized the distinctive features of her bloodline, it was quite surprising.
Flowing, antique silver hair, and amethyst-like purple eyes. The beautiful woman with a tired expression I had seen many times in the game.
The Empire's Third Princess.
Dayla von Fildoor.
She was the card I intended to use.