Chapter 2: Frail Attention-Seeking Face Genius (2)

You tried to recall the circumstances, but you can't remember anything.

‘…That’s not true.’

Contrary to what this ‘Mysterious Voice’ coming from within my head… or wherever, was claiming(?), I clearly remembered everything up to the moment I pressed the appearance setting button.

And in the first place, who are you?

So of course, I was well aware of who ‘I’ was, and what kind of existence the ‘Champion of the Malevolent Star’ was.

The only thing that comes to mind faintly is your name.

‘…Name?’

If anything was forgotten, it was this.

To be precise, it wasn't in my memory in the first place.

A name is given at the very end, after setting the appearance, but my consciousness was cut off before that.

So the only name I remembered was ‘Yubin,’ my… original name.

Many other things were questionable, but it seems we should first grasp the current situation.

The ‘Voice’ continued to recite the tutorial lines, but I had already grasped the fact that I was being transported in a wagon.

However, there were certainly things I still needed to figure out.

For instance, the [Observation] the ‘Voice’ was currently suggesting.

In the game, whenever you perform specific actions like this, you first roll a die to ‘check’ for success.

How that process would now…

--

[Observation]

Difficulty 2

--

‘…Hmm.’

At that moment, following the familiar notification, the dice I had seen throughout the game ‘rose up’.

According to the world’s lore.

‘Soul Stone.’

It was called.

A tool that determines the fate of the soul, said to be possessed by all who have a ‘soul’ in this world.

That’s the lore, but to put it bluntly, it’s a six-sided die.

I couldn’t see it with my eyes, nor could I touch it.

I had a sack over my head and my hands and feet were tied, after all.

But, nevertheless, the Soul Stone was definitely there.

It is proof that you, too, have a soul.

If I had to specify, it was within my inner self.

It was invisible yet clearly seen, and though I wasn’t touching it, I could feel its texture and weight.

There was no other way to explain it.

It seemed that, just like in the game, I had to roll the dice whenever I performed an important action.

──However, there was one part that was different from the game.

Yes.

One more thing.

‘The dice, there are two of them…?’

Normally, there should only be one.

……Well, it wasn't that I couldn't guess the reason at all.

As the ‘Voice’ said before, the Soul Stone is the proof of a soul.

It’s practically the soul itself.

If that’s the case, then the magnificent jet-black obsidian die I had seen throughout the game── the soul that originally resided in this character, the ‘Champion of the Malevolent Star,’ and the Soul Stone will guide your path.

The perfectly ordinary white die made of plastic, a material that shouldn't exist in this world── it wouldn’t be so strange to say that the soul of the being known as ‘Yubin,’ was coexisting with it.

‘Interesting.’

Whatever the principle, if I could really roll one extra die, it would surely be a huge advantage.

So how are these dice rolled?

As I pondered that method, the moment I decided to [Observe] my surroundings──

‘──!’

The dice were thrown.

‘So that’s how.’

--

INT Modifier +7

--

This [Observation] is essentially a practice roll to show how this game works.

So here, as long as I didn’t get a 1, which means a ‘Critical Failure,’ it would be fine.

--

⚁ / ⚄

Result 12

--

Looking at the result, it seemed that instead of adding the values of the two dice, the one with the higher value was chosen, but anyway.

--

[Observation]

Success

--

It meant the [Observation] was a success.

Every time you exhale, you feel something blocking it.

An irregular rattling.

The feel of a hard wooden floor.

The clip-clop of hooves and the snorting sound of a horse.

It seems you are being transported in a wagon with something covering your head.

“In the first place, no matter how much this one sells for, our cut will be the same.”

“That’s true.”

And the ones driving this wagon clearly see you as a ‘product’.

Well, of course.

They’re working for slavers.

In other words.

With this, one thing has become certain.

You are being sold off somewhere.

Though you don't know where that is.

I had to escape somehow.

Otherwise, I would be sold into slavery.

I needed a plan.

‘Status.’

I tried it just in case.

And.

--

Yubin

Lv.1

Race: Human

Class: Bard

STR 04(-2)

DEX 04(-1)

INT 07

MEN 06(-2)

CHA 20(+5)

Traits

(Attention Seeker)

(Closeted Artist)

(Kingdom-Toppling Beauty)

--

I don't know the principle, but the so-called ‘Status Window’ appeared as a mental image, just like with the dice.

It seemed that making up my mind was the trigger.

Perhaps because I hadn't decided on a name, my original name was written there, which was the first thing that caught my eye… but that wasn't important right now.

--

Skill List

[Class Skill]

Bard's Song

(Valor/Swiftness/Wisdom/Divinity/Fascination)

Encourage

Vicious Mockery

[Unique Skill]

???

--

‘…As I thought.’

With this, the possibility of being a different character was completely gone.

It was the Bard whose build I had crafted before losing consciousness.

Which meant I had to form a plan with that in mind.

First, I should avoid options that use physical abilities as much as possible.

For example, trying to break these ropes with [Strength], or secretly jumping out of the wagon using [Stealth].

My current physical abilities were far below average, not even on par with an average adventurer, but worse than an ordinary person.

I felt pathetic for even wondering how I would survive with such stats.

I couldn't do anything properly, and the only thing I could rely on was my face, but with this sack on, it was completely useless.

How was I supposed to save the world like this?

It would be better to just be sold as a slave, at least I’d get to eat every day, and if I’m lucky, maybe my master will take a liking to me, that would be much more fitting for someone as worthless as me……

‘……What?’

No, wait a minute.

What am I thinking right now…?

‘Don’t tell me, this is…’

The moment you feel the owners of the voices lose interest in you, a sense of depression suddenly assails you.

You are alone.

No one is looking at you now.

--

(Attention Seeker) Trait activated

Current State: ‘Depressed’

--

‘…I’m screwed.’

It seemed the ‘Depressed’ debuff directly affected my emotions as well.

To the point of being instantly swamped by negative feelings.

But still, to get depressed right away in the brief moment after they stopped talking about how much I might sell for…?!

‘What an annoying (Attention Seeker)…!’

This is a totally bothersome person.

The number one type of person I would never want to be around normally.

If I feel this annoying to myself, who would ever care about me?

Who would accept such a troublesome person as a companion?

So it would be better to really become a slave……

‘……Gasp!’

No.

This wouldn't do.

First, I had to get into a ‘Noticed’ state somehow.

“HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA──”

“? Hey, shut it!”

“──Yes!?”

Swish!

The sound of something whipping through the air rang out, and I stopped singing and instinctively straightened my back.

A whip had struck the floor at my feet.

“What, what’s with him all of a sudden?”

“Is he crazy…?”

But thanks to that, the ‘Depressed’ debuff was removed… or so I thought, but it was only for a moment.

‘W-wait! A little more! Talk about me a little more!’

Because it ended with just a warning whip crack and a surprised reaction, the moment I felt I wasn’t being noticed, depression immediately consumed me again.

Singing didn't seem to be very useful in this situation.

At least as long as… my vision was obscured.

Even if they were still looking at me, because I couldn't see them, I couldn't recognize that I was in a ‘Noticed’ situation.

There was the option of not stopping my song at all, but… it was too dangerous a gamble, as I couldn't guarantee the next whip would also hit the floor.

If by any chance that whip was aimed at me, it would be a near-death state at best, and instant death if I was unlucky.

That was the fate of a glass cannon with only 2 ‘Strength,’ which raises health (HP).

In that case, there was only one answer.

First, I had to do something about this sack on my face.

***

Not long after, the rattling grew more frequent, and soon the wagon came to a stop.

It seemed we had arrived at our destination.

The slavers’ camp.

And if the prologue’s story proceeds as it should, the slaver who hired these men will not arrive here until evening.

It was practically the last chance for players who couldn't jump out of the wagon or hijack it.

In other words, I had to escape somehow before that guy arrived.

If I miss this chance, I will really become a slave.

…Of course, becoming a slave didn’t mean ‘Game Over’.

It was entirely possible to continue the adventure after being sold.

In a way commonly known as the ‘Slave Route’.

And it was because of the existence of such various routes that Malevolent Star was praised as a masterpiece.

However, once the (Slave Brand) trait was imprinted, it was extremely difficult to remove it.

It could only be removed around the mid-point of the story, at least.

That meant, until then, I would be treated as a former slave wherever I went, and my ‘Charisma’ would be reduced.

Sometimes, annoying pursuers who thought I was an escaped slave would even show up.

So I had to avoid the Slave Route if possible.

Not only because my only weapon right now was my Charisma stat… but more than anything, I just didn't want to be a slave.

“Hey, get out.”

One of the mercenaries pulled me, still tied up, out of the wagon.

Then he took me somewhere,

“Don’t even dream of trying anything funny.”

Soon pushed me violently, and I was thrown onto the hard floor, collapsing into a sitting position.

He probably threw me into a cage.

And as expected, I soon heard the creak of an old iron door moving.

If you stay here like this, you will be ‘traded’ and become someone's slave.

At the same time, the ‘Voice’ began to warn me.

If you don't want that, you must do something now.

To act.

If I were a Strength-focused Warrior, I would have broken these ropes with [Strength] first.

If a Mage, I would have burned the ropes using [Magic].

If a Rogue, it would have told me to use [Finesse] to cut the ropes with a hidden blade… but none of those applied to me.

Right now, I am a Bard.

The choice given to me was, in the end──

“E-excuse me!”

“…Hmm?”

Only the ‘gift of gab’.

“What is it?”

“Ah, well……”

However, although I managed to call out to the guy before he left.

“Um… so……”

Perhaps because of the ‘Depressed’ debuff, the words didn't come out easily.

In the game, what lines did I say to ask them to untie me?

I couldn't remember anything.

My mind felt like it was going blank.

“…What do you think you’re doing?”

Then the mercenary finally shouted as if he couldn't take it anymore.

“Are you messing with me right now!”

“T-the sack!”

Startled by his voice, I blurted out the main point without realizing it.

“What? The sack?”

Right, if I’ve come this far, it’s all or nothing anyway…!

“Th-this, please… t-take it off…!”

“……What?”

I could see the mercenary was dumbfounded.

No, to be precise, I couldn’t see it, but I could feel it.

Well, it was a natural reaction since I just abruptly asked him to take it off without any proper build-up.

“Why?”

“It’s, it’s suffocating…”

But that was also brief.

--

[Persuasion]

Difficulty 15

--

The suddenly appearing dice began to roll.

--

CHA Modifier +25

Depressed

--

Even though 5 points of Charisma were docked because my face was covered by the sack, it was a difficulty that could be overcome with [Persuasion] as long as it wasn't a ‘Critical Failure’.

So, ‘As long as it’s not a 1…!’

--

⚀

--

‘!?’

But it landed on 1.

--

⚂

--

However, perhaps because the 3 that appeared next to it resulted in a ‘Success’ check, the dice thankfully began to roll once more.

I was wondering how the ‘Depressed’ debuff would apply in the current situation with two dice, but it seemed to be a system where the higher of the two was unconditionally chosen and then counted as a single die.

--

⚃ / ⚃

Result 29

--

And the subsequent roll was a 4 on both sides.

--

[Persuasion]

Success

--

It was a comfortable success, far exceeding the difficulty of 15.

“…R-really?”

The other person is feeling a strange persuasiveness in your words.

It seems your appeal has worked.

The process was clumsy, but it worked nonetheless.

I could see the blurry silhouette beyond the sack striding closer.

“If you try any funny business…”

And that presence soon crouched down in front of me, and the moment he slightly lifted the sack──

“──Ugh.”

At the sight of light after so long, one of my eyes instinctively squinted.

That gesture, to the person in front of me now, might have looked like a wink.

“……!”

It was only after seeing him gasp and freeze while staring at me that I belatedly realized.

‘──Hooked.’

He was perfectly, completely ‘Charmed’.

Gulp, the sound of him swallowing his saliva echoed loudly.

“Um, could you take the rest off for me…?”

“Huh? O-oh, oh! Y-yeah…!”

Then, when I asked while pretending to hide my shyness by subtly averting my gaze, he nodded as if possessed and then whipped off the sack he had only half-lifted.

With that, the interference of the sack was now completely gone.

‘It worked…!’

It works.

It really works.

My only asset is my face?

Then I just have to use my face!

My plan wasn’t wrong after all!

‘I am, a beauty…!’

My build wasn't wrong.

With this face, I will save my life, and furthermore, the world.

As long as I have this amazing face, no one can stop me.

‘I am a face genius…!!’

Feeling the ardent gaze upon you, you feel an indescribable sense of happiness.

You are being noticed.

--

(Attention Seeker) Trait activated

Current State: ‘Happy’

--

‘Applaud!’

Applaud my outstanding beauty, which will be called the second coming of the God of Beauty…!