Episode 5: The Self-Proclaimed Charismatic Strategist (Part 1)
“Thank you.”
He—Prince Ryuguin—returned the novel he had borrowed from the otaku boy in his group. That otaku boy, Eisuke Saito, had suddenly transformed into a more refined version of himself since becoming friends with Ryuguin and his companions, quickly gaining popularity among the female students who had a penchant for younger boys.
“You read it! That was fast! I just lent it to you yesterday!”
Eisuke Saito’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he began to chatter away, thrilled that his idol, Ryuguin, shared his interests. He had lent the book after being asked, but deep down, he had doubted whether Ryuguin was genuinely interested, never imagining he would actually read it.
“I really admire the protagonist, Kirihito! Right now, I’m totally into otherworld transfer and summoning stories, and I can’t help but project myself onto those protagonists!”
Saito, passionately speaking in front of Ryuguin, was the quintessential otaku. Despite being a student, he was well-known in gaming circles, often placing high in tournaments. He was adept at PC operations, even creating his own Vocaloid songs, and while Ryuguin couldn’t quite grasp the intricacies of programming languages, he recognized Saito’s exceptional talent in areas that were completely foreign to him.
“Ah, it was quite interesting. Being summoned to another world, gaining overwhelming strength, and becoming invincible. It’s fiction, but I can only imagine how exhilarating it would feel to be in that position.”
Ryuguin smiled, showing no sign of distaste, as he empathized with Saito.
“Ryuguin-kun… Status Open!! Just kidding!”
Unable to contain his excitement, Saito began to imitate a character from the story.
“Honestly…”
Ryuguin feigned exasperation, but then joined in with a playful tone, “You really are something… Status Open!!” They both laughed together.
To an outsider, it might have seemed like a charming exchange between two students. However, the reality was quite different. For Ryuguin, his primary concern was his own benefit. Thus, his relationship with Saito was purely a calculated move, a means to gain knowledge that could serve as a communication tool with other otaku he might encounter in the future. In essence, every interaction with Saito, including this playful banter, was nothing more than a coldly calculated investment of time and effort to acquire knowledge in that particular field.
There was no room for friendship in this arrangement.
Ryuguin awoke from his slumber. He had dreamt of his student life.
With a foggy head, he surveyed his surroundings. He was in a luxurious lodging reserved for nobility.
Though he referred to it as a lodging, everything about the place—from the architecture to the service, meals, and bedding—was of the highest quality. Ryuguin, determined to prove his own competence, searched for flaws in what was touted as the best service in this world, but unfortunately, he found nothing to criticize.
“Tch!”
Frustrated, he grimaced and clicked his tongue. Checking the time, he realized he had far exceeded the agreed-upon meeting time. However, he quickly reassured himself,
“Well, it’s fine. They’re probably feeling happy waiting for me, and that’s what matters.”
With that thought, he completely discarded the option of hurrying.
As he sat up, he felt movement behind him—a sign that the two women he had spent the night with were stirring. They were the number one and number two from a recently opened luxury brothel in the area. Ryuguin had forcibly taken them from the establishment by flaunting his wealth and the power of declaring, “I am the Hero.”
“Wake up.”
His voice was devoid of warmth, lacking any trace of intimacy shared between lovers.
The top woman from the brothel stirred awake at his command, while the other remained lost in her dreams.
“Hey, you wake her up.”
Sensing the urgency in his expression, the first woman hurriedly nudged her colleague to rouse her.
“Um…”
The moment she heard his words, a sense of dread washed over her.
“This night was a business transaction between you and me. I’m the client, and you’re the ones providing the service. Yet here you are, still fast asleep even after your client has awakened. Don’t you have any professional pride?”
It had been a full night of exclusive service. Ryuguin had no desire to engage with them, but the women had no choice but to serve him until they were utterly exhausted.
While she was too fatigued to rise, she couldn’t voice that thought, knowing he had just woken up himself. Internally, she cursed Ryuguin, wishing he would at least let her get dressed, but he continued to press his point without a care.
After a while, the top woman realized something. The man before her, who was rambling on about “business” and “clients,” was actually deriving some twisted pleasure from lecturing and asserting dominance over women who were considered top-tier in this town—
After all, the heavy breaths and the evidence of their earlier activities had only intensified as his tirade continued…
Realizing the abnormality of Ryuguin’s behavior sent shivers down her spine. She quickly greeted him, then, once her colleague was awake, they hurriedly dressed, complimented him in a bid to placate him, and discreetly exited the room the moment he was distracted.
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Finally, we have the much-anticipated chapter featuring Ryuguin!
His story is far from over!
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