Somehow, I’m the Otome Game Villain 24:

Somehow, I’m the Otome Game Villain 24:

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by LordMarksman

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“Running away, huh?”

“Absolutely.”

“It’s awful how you’re so terrible that I can’t even shame you.”

“It’s called having thick skin!”

“I’d rather call it being shameless.”

Ideal grumbled, while I boarded the transport craft he designed. Luxion hovered in after the two of us. Marie wasn’t present, because it was her day off, and she was too busy to clock in some overtime. Apparently, she was working on a personal business. Ideal told me she intended to make money in order to not be reliant on me anymore… and I was more than happy to let that happen. Who was I to oppose her dream to be fiscally independent?

I mean, we live on the same planet, she’s not going to hamstring my efforts to keep it whole.

Anyway, once the ball simmered down, I decided to get some fresh air and do something productive to get my mind off things.

Bouncy, amazing, and cute things.

Dresses are really great at showcasing the body line—and Ideal’s lightly bonked me on the head with a tendril.

“Thanks. Let’s move on.” The transport was a dagger-like craft that had a single seat and no controls for me to use. It was a modified stealth insertion pod, according to the two AI, and it was previously used to launch powerful soldiers deep into enemy territory. The original form didn’t have engines or control and a person laid down to get in to be fired out of a cannon. Its original identity was lost and now it was just an AI piloted transport about the size of an air bike that had optical camouflage and all sorts of other ways to evade detection. Even magical detection, which made it pretty great as a way to check on my assets.

“I suggest gritting your teeth, Leon. We didn’t have room for inertial dampeners.”

“Tch. You could’ve let me surprise him.”

“Ah, my apologies.”

The two AI exchanged a few words, before falling into small indentations in the console, and the craft lifted straight off the ground and aimed up… and shot off.

We didn’t speak, since I had to endure what felt like a continuous fall from the top of a rollercoaster, but going up for almost four minutes. The only thing that I could use to track the time was seeing the outside through viewports change color from the nighttime horizon, to the clouds, and finally the crest of the Earth before we reached the place where I decided to put my manufacturing center and base.

A floating island elevated just past the stratosphere, beyond even the range of a Demonic Suit, if they still existed.

My legs were shaky as I got off, while Luxion and Ideal both seemed to grow visibly calmer.

“Ah, it is quite pleasant to be in a truly secure location.”

“Indeed, it is wonderful.”

The two AI’s flitted around in their Orb bodies. Lights came on and the dock went from chilly to warm as a small sphere came near me and began to radiate heat. Must be cheaper than heating a whole facility. It was AI operated and automated, so the place couldn’t house humans. The manufacturing section of the floating island, at the very least. There was another section where I was having a shelter being built for… a hundred thousand people or so.

Just in case.

“Alright, I’m fine now.” I managed to catch my breath and caught up with the two. The hangar was mostly empty, but it was massive and in the side of an island. The massive doors closed behind us once the transport came in and the drone that I was given doubled as a directed light source. Lights weren’t necessary for the AI to operate from here. “So, how’s production going?”

Luxion and Ideal both came closer, and below them was a cart, which I hopped into and proceeded to get sped along upon.

“The mass drivers that we’ve created on the surface of the planet are now delivering raw materials at a rapid rate. We have reached the required rate of resource input for our manufacturing to reach maximum capacity.” Ideal reported, and we left the long hangar, capable of taking in the whole of either Luxion or Ideal’s forms. I reached what could only be called a massive gangway above a huge shipyard. Floating robots carried materials in shipping containers, taking them to be processed by large machines that vaguely resembled massive furnaces, but spat out whole components and parts rather than sheet metal or ingots. Five ships were in production and all five were set to soon finish with AI forks of Ideal and Luxion. “Once the new ships are completed, we will focus on creating dedicated manufacturing centers for expanding our labor force, rather than relying on our fabricators.”

“We have about six months before the next school year, and according to Marie the second game takes place in Alzer some time after the first game, but before that the whole problem with Fanoss and the first game takes place. After that’s the third game, which will be crazier.”

“The timetables are comedically inaccurate.”

“I wish they were accurate, but we’re not that lucky. Hell, I’d say being able to predict the future just this much is already great.”

“That cannot be argued against.”

“I hate to agree, but that is true.”

The ships they were building were ‘expeditionary’ frigates by their classification. Incredibly well armed, they also had the ability to sustain a fight by producing various units ranging from spherical drones like Luxion and Ideal’s current chassis to swarm the enemy, to armed versions of the large laboring constructors, to flying tanks. Fleets of these guys used mass and firepower to hold the line against the Demonic Suits that Old Humanity used… and we were going to need them.

Because we just confirmed that Demonic Suits were in play and the main power of the continent, the Empire, was using them.

Hell, they had enough to spare to give to the Kingdom of Rachel in order to have them host a whole slew of Holy Knights.

The third game was a doozy, with the protagonist having to seduce a love interest in Holfort, gain acclaim through a war between Rachel and Holfort, and then use that fame and power to retake the Empire from a Demonic Beast that’ll have whole armies at its beck and call. The third protagonist is the grandchild of the Emperor and her cheat item’s a powerful Demonic Suit.

So, between now and the third game, there’s going to at least be three wars with Holfort at the center, something close to a civil war within Alzer, and finally the largest, most powerful New Human nation was going to get taken over by the Demonic equivalent of Luxion and Ideal… but truly built for war and capable of mass production just like them.

Yeah.

The timetable is rough as hell.

“I am of the opinion that the Empire must be destroyed, as to deny the Demonic Commander access to New Humans. We should shatter their whole continent and see it fall to the oceans below.” Ideal restated its plans. I’ve heard this multiple times. Luxion keeps snickering when Ideal says it, so I was sure that it was an in-joke that I was too stupid to understand. “We should at least prod the defenses of Rachel or find some form of the Demonic Suits. Both Luxion and I do not have any weapons on record that can kill them swiftly, and those weapons must exist, for the Demonic Suits to be so rare.”

“I concur. The fact that they’re used so sparingly and that there are so few of them suggests that methods were found to dispatch them that we currently do not have access to. We should endeavor to find any rumors of such weapons run tests on them.”

“Hmph. I loath to admit it, but caution would be for the best. Even with these ships, we will likely lose if we oppose a whole flight of Demonic Suits.” Ideal growled and shook its form. We got past the perch overlooking the docks building the ships. “This is where you come in, Leon.”

“Yeah. I got it.” The AI unveiling themselves would get their foes all riled up and ready to attack, therefore I had to do some legwork to get things done quick. They could do the searching, but with their abilities it would take time we didn’t have, since they’d have to be sneaky. Me? I’m already known as an avid explorer and researcher. “I’ll start sending out requests to Adventurers on any trails I can find. Same way we’re buying up raw materials and having them delivered through our shell companies to get stuff up here.”

The resources we were receiving were being extracted by regular people back on the planet. We invested in mines with the promise of buying their goods, came through with our payments, and had things shipped and moved around close to locations where they could be fired up here. The constant stream of resources that guaranteed our fleet building efforts was essentially being done by New Humanity… and Luxion and Ideal were both gleeful about the fact that they were essentially having New Humanity build their subjugators.

Once the fleet is finished, once the Demonic Suits are gone, and once all the games were finished… this place was basically going to be an unassailable fortress for the AI to use to take over the world.

And, be a great jump off point for the games that go into space.

Was that the sixth or seventh game?

Whatever, I’ll figure it out after handling the first ‘trilogy’ that just happens too damn fast.

“I must admit, these New Humans are proving to be able workers, and our efforts at controlling them are paying off quite well. They’ll do as workers and laborers and soldiers for True Humanity.”

“I disagree. Barring a few small population groups for the use of researching magic, we should phase them out. Our creations are better suited for caring for Humanity.”

Ideal was slightly mollified by the effectiveness of using New Humanity to achieve its goals against the Demonic Suits, but Luxion was still firmly grounded on the side of it’s better to kill New Humanity off.

I didn’t hold any illusions regarding who had the real power in the relationship now.

I’m giving them the world in exchange for safety… and I didn’t have a problem with that.

“As long as Alzer prospers, you can do what you wish with the rest of the planet. Not that I can stop you, besides reminding you both your promises.” These two had a monopoly over violence. I held the Sacred Tree hostage against Ideal and I was Luxion’s registered owner, but in the end they’re two AI with immense power and ability who could smash the world apart as they wished. That was before I facilitated this massive increase in their capabilities and bid them to create more AI. Sorry, New Humanity, but I’ve picked my side in this fight. It’s the side with big guns and powerful weapons that don’t consume their users and are called Demons. “Is this it?”

“Indeed, we will formally be signing our agreement and pact here.” A looming obelisk entered my vision. It was a moonlight of black metal that faintly glowed with innumerable lines. In its presence, I heard a faint buzzing sound. “As True Humanity once made a pact with AI, you will as well. You will acknowledge us as intelligent people with our own wills and powers, while we acknowledge you as our allies and partners to assist. You will listen to us, and we shall listen to you, and we will make Earth ours once more.”

I did feel a little hesitant signing this on my own. It was treason, plain and simple, to sign this without informing my father. However, in the end, he’d call me insane if he told me the truth and I was doing this for Alzer’s security and everyone’s best interest.

Wow, that thought couldn’t be more generic for a traitor, even if I tried.

I walked up to the monolith with the two AI following behind me, and a handprint section came alive. I placed my hand on it, and the same readouts from when I had accessed Luxion’s systems came to light, and all the instructions were in Japanese. I followed them, aware of the two AI staring over my shoulder in case I made a mistake, and finished everything off with a drop of blood.

A thought occurred to me, as I gave that blood.

Just how many people were descendants of Old Humanity like me?

“Hey, let’s start testing people for their heritage and find a baseline.” These guys were adamant against wiping out New Humanity. They cited that New Humanity had all sorts of flaws, and I could honestly agree with them on a lot of that. The Prince and his entourage being a bunch of over-emotional people was a sign of that… but they came from distinguished bloodlines of ruling classes. What about the rest of the people? “Let’s test the common people for their heritage. We know that the nobility exhibits a lot of New Human traits, but that may be because they’re New Human descendants after they took over. The rest of humanity may be descendants of Old Humans.”

Those words went without response from both AI’s for a long time.

Long enough for me to worry, until I realized the two of them were talking soundlessly at one another.

“… New Humanity had aimed to destroy True Humanity to the last and replace them completely, but with your genetic heritage being so clear despite thousands of years of drift, you are likely to be correct.” Ideal seemed… more mollified than usual. I suppose that with the new information from my blood, its views on things could’ve gotten shaken up. Its plans for massive destruction across the world may very well have seen descendants of subjugated humanity destroyed. It would’ve killed the people it swore to protect. “I will work on creating a test as soon as possible.”

With that, Ideal zoomed off at great speed towards its main body to make sure.

Leaving me with Luxion, who was usually with Marie.

“That’s a remarkable insight, Master. Would you mind if I check your head in case you’ve developed some sort of tumor or concussions that have led to this startling wisdom?”

“Not you, too! Can’t I ever catch a break with the two of you!?”

Seriously, these two need to give me a break sometimes!