DBOFS 40

Chapter 40

“Sigh, I just feel drained.”

I purposely picked R-rated stories to recharge, but not even that is doing the trick.

“Maybe it’s because there’s no community.”

I’m suffering from a dopamine shortage.

True web novel fandom thrives on pouring out your passion in comments, spamming likes, and arguing in replies to opposing opinions—that’s what makes reading fun.

“That’s why I started recruiting the maid sisters one by one.”

And so, here we are.

Their fiery reactions brought the fun back—briefly—then it faded again.

“Well, it’s not like I stopped reading them…”

Next time, I’ll read a different genre. Leaving the maids I led into the world of R-rated novels behind, I stood up.

“Still no sign of Harris.”

Honestly, this was the root cause of my low mood.

And, well, it made sense. Harris was now truly the young Duke of Godwin and was busy taking over duties from the previous Duke.

“Of course he’s busy. He has to be.”

Thankfully, everyone at the estate readily accepted Harris as their young master.

Sure, part of it was because I paved the way in advance, but fundamentally, it was thanks to Harris himself.

“He saved the knights from the Unknown Dungeon.”

When the Godwin knights, including Parna, returned, the estate was filled with tears of joy.

They were comrades, after all—some related by blood, others by love.

“Thank you for saving my granddaughter,”
even the former Duke’s aide, Count Redian, was moved. He even thanked me personally, which says a lot.

My bond with the maid sisters also deepened. That made collecting R-rated novels way easier.

“Yeah, he’s just busy. That’s all.”

A man who’s professional about his work—that’s Harris, right? He didn’t become the shadowy Duke for nothing.

He was busy working, not avoiding me… definitely not…

“…Yeah right, he’s totally avoiding me.”

Thunk. I banged my head against the wall.

Even if he’s busy, isn’t it a bit much that we haven’t crossed paths for a whole week? We’re staying in the same building!

I wanted to rush over and shake him by the collar, shouting, “Why! What’s the problem this time?!” But… I wasn’t exactly blameless either.

“Is it the kiss after all?”

I touched my lips, feeling a little down.

Yeah, I did take a potion before it. The aftertaste was nasty.

And I even force-fed him ‘fairy nails,’ a calming potion ingredient. Maybe it reeked like sewage…

“…A sewage kiss, really?”

I want to cry. My first kiss—a sewage kiss? Ugh. Well, I enjoyed it. But if Harris was the only one who didn’t… that’s worse.

“Was it really that bad? Then why did he kiss me like a man possessed?”

Was it just because he needed guiding?

As soon as I thought of guiding, another memory I didn’t want came back to me.

“Absorption Technique…”

Normally, that’s an OP martial arts skill used by final bosses or protagonists in wuxia stories.

It drains other people’s energy, which makes it hated in martial arts circles. Naturally, in this world, espers would view it as a dangerous ability.

“So, if the kiss wasn’t the issue, maybe it’s the Absorption Technique?”

I have no idea what the problem is.

But either way, asking Harris directly would be… difficult.

The first is just embarrassing as a human being, and the second could be life-threatening.

“Ugh, I’m going crazy.”

I grabbed my head in frustration.

I really don’t get it. Am I even a guide at all?

The system’s [???’s Perfect Aim] skill seems to relate to my shooting skills. That makes it an offensive-type ability.

None of the typical guide powers—purification, healing, calming—apply.

“It’s not like calming someone by killing them, right?”

But then, why did Harris react so strongly? It must’ve had some effect.

And maybe I’m looking at this all wrong. Maybe it’s not a simple guide-vs-esper dichotomy.

Maybe I’m some hybrid, dual-core, new-type guide-esper…!

“Ugh, <My Heavenly Demon’s Guide> didn’t have anything like that.”

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t find an answer. After struggling with my thoughts, I lifted my head.

“In that case, I’ll confirm it a different way.”

I found a quiet spot where no one could see me and sat in a meditation pose.

Since I gained a martial arts skill like Absorption Technique, I decided to try the martial arts basic: energy circulation.

“In this world, I guess that means mana circulation?”

I’d used magic before, so I knew I had a mana core inside me.

I slowly closed my eyes and focused on that core.

“Dear internal mana, I know I’ve already used you a few times, but please respond this time too.”

I’m just slow because I’m a noob, but I can circulate you well. I’ll even take some elixirs. I’m a transmigrator—I’m good at exploiting game mechanics. Just give me a chance…

“…Huh?”

Wait, what’s this?

Meanwhile

Sigh…

The former Duke pressed a hand to his forehead.

Relieved that the children had returned safely, and that Jade had woken up without issue, that relief was short-lived.

“Things just keep piling up.”

Because the aftermath came rushing in.

The former Duke was a man who kept his word.

His grandson had risked his life to clear the Unknown Dungeon and even rescued the missing knights—so, of course, he had to act.

To formally introduce Harris as the heir of House Godwin, the former Duke reopened the castle for the first time in a while.

“Prepare the banquet!”

It was to celebrate the young Duke’s return and his achievement of destroying a dungeon.

The retainers rejoiced. After losing their true heir and falling into darkness under the new Duke, a renewed energy filled Godwin’s halls.

Everything was going well.

Until unexpected guests arrived in the midst of succession preparations.

“Norman…”

[With the succession matter unresolved, I feel great anxiety as the head of House Godwin.
I acknowledge my failings in properly handling this and will send a suitable branch child as a candidate in my name.
I hope you, the rightful holder of the succession rights, will make a wise decision. I await the new young Duke in the capital.]

Rip. The former Duke crushed the letter in his hand. His face, once called the Iron-Blooded Duke, was cold as steel.

“…That bastard.”

Norman already knew Harris was going to be named heir. News the Duke had previously kept under wraps had now spread.

The right to decide the heir was one Norman had given up long ago. It belonged solely to the former Duke.

And yet, this letter—and the guests sent along with it?

Being insulted was one thing. But what was Norman playing at?

‘What’s his angle?’

The former Duke thought of the son who had abandoned him—and whom he had abandoned in return.

At the Imperial Princess’s funeral… that pale face… and those piercing violet eyes…

“…!”

And the boy those eyes had stared at—the one who looked just like the Princess.

Harris.

The Duke sprang to his feet.

“Jade! Where is that girl—the one who’s Harris’s guide?!”

Before the aide could even speak, Count Redian’s son, Yanis, came running in.

“My Lord! The young Duke’s guide—!”

Back at the terrace

“…Huh.”

In the corner of the terrace, Jade snapped out of it at the sound of a startled voice.

Actually, she had been aware the whole time.

‘Distract the maids with spicy novels and secretly circulate mana? Really?’

When you focus on mana circulation, you become unaware of your surroundings.

If she’d done that to lure others into lowering their guard, it was a decent tactic.

Of course, Jade didn’t fall for it. Given her goals, she should’ve taken advantage of this perfect opportunity while the girl was distracted…

‘Damn it. If this slave girl hadn’t matured so fast, I could’ve observed how she does mana circulation!’

By the time she finally tore her eyes away, Jade had already finished and returned from her mana session.

“I’m going out.”

“Huh? All of a sudden?”

“What’s the reason…?”

“I’m not just going for fun. Who do I ask for permission?”

“Uh… Count Redian…”

“Got it.”

Even as she spoke seriously about going out, Jade couldn’t take her hands off the <My Slave> novel.

‘Ugh, just a bit more and it’s the end of Volume 2!’

It was hard to concentrate.

‘No, just finish it quickly and get back to business.’

It wasn’t rational thinking. But having lived her whole life as a prim and proper lady, Jade couldn’t resist the red-sticker world she’d fallen into.

So what was that rope scene going to do, exactly?!

“Ah, around this time, he should be in the Central Wing.”

“Great. Let’s go there.”

Unlike the half-distracted Jade, the maids skillfully guided her toward the Central Wing.

The massive Godwin castle was bustling with the return of the knights and the welcome party for the new master. On top of that, the unexpected guests had made things even more chaotic.

“It’s a bit noisy, huh?”

“Feels lively. I like it.”

Maids tried to chat, but Jade only gave vague answers.

Her pale face made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

She seemed so lost in thought that she didn’t even register the hallway they entered.

The maids were watching her with concern when—

“Oh my, is that the lowborn girl?”

Suddenly, someone picked a fight in the middle of the Central Wing hallway.

‘Wait, that crest—?’

Seeing some familiar faces, Jade quickly ducked behind her.

“The vulgar wench who seduced the Godwin heir without knowing her place.”

Wait, that girl?!