I Got Reincarnated Into a Game I Was a Top-Ranker in and I Became the Leader of a Villain Group That Will Destroy This Shitty Country - 40

Chapter 40: The Criteria for Cheating Is Too Strict

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“So, this is the place, huh…”

Stepping down from the carriage provided by the guild’s branch manager, the three of us looked up at the gates of the capital. The Empire was the strongest nation on the continent based on the game’s storyline. Of course the gates leading to the capital looked so impressive and daunting. The area in front of the gates was bustling with people. The gatekeepers were doing inspections on the people coming in and out. They were meticulous at their job. That was to be expected though, since they were the one responsible for controlling the entry and exit of the capital. Seeing how high the security was, we exchanged glances with each other. 

“So, Kai. What’s the plan? You didn’t just drag us all the way here without a plan….Right?”

“Hahaha~ What do you take me for, Chloe?~ Of course I don’t have any plans!”

“….Can I quit this party now?”

“Fine, fine! I was just kidding….! Geez.”

For the time being, both Nia and I were hiding our magic power to the best of our abilities. Nia was wearing a blindfold to hide her red eyes and judging the level of these guards… I doubt they could see through our trick. However, even if they did… Well, it wouldn’t be a big deal anyway.

“Let’s go, Nia, Chloe.”

“Huh? Wai-…!”

I pulled the two of them by hand forward. We approached the guards, who looked at us suspiciously. Their eyebrows furrowed. They were clearly suspicious of us but then.. 

SNAP!

I snapped my fingers.

“Huh…. Ah…?”

“Ah…. Huh….?”

The two men in front of us suddenly gasped, as if their souls had been sucked out and gradually… Their faces turned blank. 

With a broad smile on my face, I talked to those two men.

“I’m sorry~ You see, we’re from a small village far from here, so… We don’t have entry permits! But you see…. We have a very important thing to do in the capital… So can you please overlook us just this once?”

“Huh…? Ye-Yeah…!!”

“Su-Sure! Please, go right ahead!!”

For some reason, the men started sweating nervously and nodded in panic. Chloe was staring dumbfoundedly at me with her mouth gaping open. I only shrugged at her before I grabbed Nia’s hand again and passed through the castle gate without a hitch. 

Gradually, the scenery before us changed. This was the scenery I had seen so many times in the game. The town resembled 18th century France. Tall stone buildings lined up on the road. The voices of the people filled the heart of this bustling city. 

This was the Odell, the royal capital and this place was also the den of evil, where the empire’s darkest secret had taken a deep root at. 

“….I thought you didn’t have any plans?”

While I was basking in the afterglow of witnessing the scenery I had only seen in the games, Chloe talked to me. She looked exasperated. I shrugged my shoulders again as I led Nia by her hand. 

“The most important thing in games is flexibility, you know.”

“Ahhh~ I see now. Wonderful~ How wonderful~ So the demon’s power is basically just a tool to scam people…”

“You’re in the same party as the said demon, you know?~ Come on, it won’t hurt you to take more pride in us~”

“Fufu~ You really have ways with words, huh?”

Chloe softly chuckled before she gazed intently at the streets of the capital. Something she must had seen many times before. 

By the time I realized it, I had become quite close with Chloe. The difference in our ages weren’t that big and the conversation we had while Nia was sleeping in the carriage really helped in bridging the gap between us. 

And, as for Nia…

“…Humph.”

Just like usual, her cheeks were puffed out and she was squeezing my hand so tightly as if she wanted to crush my hand. Wincing at the familiar that had become something familiar to me, we headed to the backstreet, leaving the crowd away. 

We had two objectives here. One was to secure a place to stay for the night and two, to investigate the movements of a certain individual in my mind. Based on the original story, that person should be locked up in the castle. However, since I had changed the trajectory of the story in order to keep Chloe alive, I needed to check the situation first just to be safe. 

“You know… Kai, I have a question.”

Seemingly a question suddenly popped up in her head, Chloe asked me a question while we were on our way to an informant broker.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“The person we’re searching for―Rielle, he’s a man, right?”

“Hm? No, no, no way. I mean, Rielle is not a male’s name- Wha-What’s wrong?! Yo-Your eyes look a bit scary…?!”

“……Hm?? Nothing? My eyes are always like this though??”

No,no,no, your eyes are DEFINITELY not like that. Definitely not like that usually. Wait, why do your eyes look like you’re dead on the inside…? Just what makes you look like that all of a sudden?!

“…….Kai.”

“Ni-Nia?! What’s wrong…..? Your… Your eyes are glowing, you know…? Even your blindfold can’t hide the glow, you know….?”

“I believe I haven’t heard anything about meeting Rielle. Is she a woman?”

“Ri-Right. Nia, you were sleeping in the carriage so you didn’t know, huh. Well, to sum it up, we’re looking for a guardian. Rier is a pretty famous businesswoman, you know? She’s loaded, good at gathering information and many more. She will become a great ally for us-“

“Hmm… So she’s a woman.”

….What is happening here…? 

We were still in the middle of spring, but my body felt cold, colder than winter time. Chills ran down my spine as I realized both Nia and Chloe were glaring at me. The intensity of their glare was so intimidating that I couldn’t utter a single word out. Nia then gradually tightened her grip on my hand. 

Then, the two of them started having blood-curdling conversation nonchalantly.

“Chloe.”

“Yes, Nia?”

“Chloe, can you forgive people that cheats?”

“….Yes, I can. Of course I can.”

“Me too. However, do you think we should just leave Kai’s hand be?”

“Ah~ That’s a bit~ I think we should snap his hands at least once.”

“Wai-Wait a minute!! How does this count as cheating?! I haven’t done anything!! I didn’t even say anything suspicious-! ARGHHHHH?!!?”

A scream filled with horror echoed through the alleyway. 

After that, I trudged toward the informant with tears running down my face as I tried to heal my injured hands. In the meantime, both Nia and Chloe were holding onto the hem of my clothes.

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T/N: Building a harem with possessive girls… MC is definite an M (๑*ᗜ*)