Avoid Yandere Constellation

I emptied all the small bottles from the liquor cabinet.

I then filled each bottle halfway with holy water.

Alright, distribution done. Now, for the next part.

I grabbed a typical liquor bottle from the store and added a small amount to each holy water filled bottle.

The Constellation was livid at what I was doing.

[What are you doing!!!!!! Why are you mixing alcohol in there!!!!!]

It was the first time I'd seen her lose her cool like this.

I wasn't attracting trouble for myself, was I? The thought itself gave me chills.

Well, her reaction made sense in a way. To those who believe in the Constellation, even though it might be meaningless, holy water is symbolic. So mixing it with alcohol could be seen as a direct insult.

In simple terms, it was like disrespecting Buddha in front of a monk.

Ignoring the Constellation's repeated messages, I spread the liquor among the bottles.

"Whew... done. Why are you making a big deal out of this? You can get this holy water for free at the church anyway."

[The goddess of destiny is annoyed by your actions.]

Is she really upset over something like this?

Deciding that continuing the conversation with the Constellation was pointless, I ignored her messages once more and stashed all the bottles in my storage ring.

Now, time to execute the second part of my plan.

With a light heart and an energetic stride, I exited the mansion.

After leaving the mansion, I slipped into the back alleys for a moment and took out a mask from my spatial ring.

I needed to put it on quickly.

People seemed to be averting their eyes as I moved towards the alley. It felt right to conceal my identity at this moment.

With the mask on and my robe turned inside out, I headed towards the slums in David's territory.

After a walk of about ten minutes, I reached my destination: the slums. This place was filled with buildings on the brink of collapse, a stark contrast to the opulent mansion I was accustomed to.

True to its name, the slums were packed with shabbily dressed people lounging on the ground.

It was like witnessing homeless people in a subway station.

Most of the folks on the ground wore tattered clothes, pleading for help, surrounded by flies, as if they hadn't bathed for days.

I even saw some people scrapping over money.

Cautiously entering the slum and on high alert for any potential attacks, I looked around.

It should arrive soon.

As I hung around, a small brown puppy, seemingly from nowhere, came wagging its tail. It pawed at my leg.

Alright, found it!

I squatted down and patted the puppy on its head.

"Are you hungry?"

"Woof!"

The puppy wagged its head, its eyes wide and shiny.

"Then, will you follow me? I can give you some food."

[The goddess of destiny warns you not to be deceived.]

I understand.

I looked at the puppy warmly. It seemed innocent, scratching at me as if asking for food.

People nearby saw this and pitied me.

Ah... another one fooled.

You're telling me.

[The goddess of destiny calls you a fool.]

Ignoring those comments, I led the puppy to a quiet spot.

This should work.

I turned to the puppy that had followed me.

"Isn't it time to drop the act?"

Surprise!

At my question, the puppy stopped. It hung its head with a serious look, apparently not ready to stop the performance.

What an actor.

If this little one was on Earth, it would surely be a successful child actor.

I needed such talent.

The only one who could assist me now was Liche. No doubt, she was a skilled assassin, but honestly, she alone wasn't enough to guard me.

Here's what I need:

I need a partner with hidden potential and talent, who can also be useful for spying.

So, shall I recruit some talent?

To prevent the dog from further play-acting, I took off my mask.

It seems even in the slums, Cain's face is well-known; the puppy's eyes widened in surprise.

“I've shown you who I am. Isn't it polite for you to do the same? Or should I guess?”

The puppy narrowed its eyes at my words.

After a few moments, it decided to quit the act and let go of its transformation.

-Poof!

White smoke surrounded the puppy.

Soon, when the smoke cleared, a small girl appeared, with chubby cheeks and long brown hair.

By her looks, she seemed to be at elementary school age. Her youthful innocence was clear, and it was obvious she would mature into a beauty that would draw the attention of passersby.

However,

If there was one thing out of the ordinary, it was the dog ears on her head and the tail at her waist.

My gaze involuntarily moved to her swaying tail and ears.

I kind of want to touch her ears and tail.

For someone who's watched a lot of anime or read novels, it's only natural to imagine touching a humanoid's ears and tail at least once.

So, my desire to touch them is normal.

As I was admiring her ears and tail, she crossed her arms and spoke with a confident tone, as if she were someone extraordinary.

“Who would have thought… that the 'madman' noble from the Duchy of David would visit the slums.”

“You little... you just met me and you're already calling me a madman? And hey! Is there a rule saying I can't come to the slums?”

Generally, it's best to respond to informal language with informal language.

I might seem low for bickering with a child, but I treat everyone equally, be they children or adults.

And besides, considering Cain's reputation, it wouldn't be out of character for him to act a bit crazy.

When I voiced my displeasure, she shook her head in surprise.

"Oh, no, I apologize. But why are you looking for me? I'm sure we have no connections."

"That's where you should have started. Anyways, are you interested in making a deal with me?"

"A deal?"

At Cain's question, she tilted her head.

"Exactly. I may be overstepping, but I've done some research into your background."

"......"

At Cain's words, she narrowed her eyes. He continued apologetically.

"Think of it as an intrusion if you want. But listening won't harm you. So, what do you say? Will you hear me out?"

"......I'll listen."

"Good. It's straightforward, I just want you to be my follower. I'll make you stronger and help you get your revenge. Honestly, I think it's a better prospect than wasting time begging here and planning for the future, don't you?"

At Cain's proposition, she squinted at him with skepticism.

...It's not a bad offer.

But can I trust him?

Contrary to the rumors, he seems less intimidating than I had imagined.

My intuition tells me the offer isn't bad. However, I'm not going to blindly trust him.

She shut her eyes, remembering her past.

Her beast-kin people were slaughtered in the forest by cloaked humans.

Friends, elders, parents sacrificed themselves to save her.

And... running away to survive, abandoning her people and justifying her actions.

These horrific events happened a year ago. Every night, these incidents plague her dreams.

In her heart, she wishes to rip apart the cultists who murdered her people. She fantasizes about it every night before sleep.

But in reality, she's been surviving by transforming into a pitiful puppy in the slums.

She slowly opened her previously shut eyes.

"First, elaborate on the specifics of the deal."

At her words, Cain raised four fingers.

"Four years. During that time, you'll be my follower, training under me and following my orders. Of course, you can refuse any reckless commands. And by the way, I promise you'll live at least 100 times better than your current condition."

"·····And if I accept the deal, you'll help me get my revenge?"

"Exactly. Of course, it will depend on your performance."

Cain gave a warm smile and extended his hand. She looked at his hand.

That's right. Even if it means making a deal with the devil...

I need to avenge them.

She grasped Cain's hand and spoke.

"You probably already know, but my name is Kage. My lord."

Cain responded with a devious grin as if he had been waiting for her to say that.

Okay. I've found a promising one.

I stared into the eyes of Kage, the girl with whom I just shook hands. Her determination to achieve her revenge made her gaze blaze with intensity.

She's remarkably sharp for a child. She must be the daughter of the tribal elder of the canine-human tribe.

I'm genuinely surprised that such a character isn't a main one in the game.

Originally, her story was a side story, not a main one. Typically, characters who appear in side stories don't have much influence on the main narrative.

So, they're essentially insignificant, right? One might think.

Sure, most side characters might not be impactful. But the Kage standing in front of me is an exception.

Despite being a side character, she possesses exceptional talent and potential.

Darn. It seems unfair when I think about it. If you're going to make me reincarnate, do it as someone talented like her!!

Okay... let's calm down.

Anyway, someone with such potential and talent is now under my command.

Of course, she's just a child now and not very useful, but her race matures faster than humans.

Eat well and grow well, please protect me until the main storyline concludes.

I feel pathetic being guarded by a child, but I also don't want to get hurt, so what can I do?

Besides, it's not like I deceived her.

Her tribe was exterminated by the cult. So, if she's under my command, there might be a chance for her to exact revenge on the cult.

This is like hitting three birds with one stone.

Help Kage achieve her revenge, gain a talented subordinate who won't significantly affect the main events, and covertly assist Kim Soo-yong through Kage.

There's no better outcome than this.

Actually, all I have to do is sit back, and Kage will aid Kim Soo-yong on her own, following my orders.

As I was gleefully planning...

[The Goddess of Fate suspects you're a lolicon.]

This blasted system. There are things you should and shouldn't say.

My ideal type is closer to Liche. A woman with a fantastic body, ample bosom, and sophisticated style.

That's the kind of woman I prefer. I'm not into the petite and youthful style.

The system crossed the line first, so I decided to return the favor, using a gesture well-known in my home country, Korea.

I raised my head. I stretched my hand towards the sky, accurately raising my middle finger.

"Yeah, your mother."