Wrecking the Database 16

Wrecking the Database 16

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Commissioned by Weise

Wordcount: 2500

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“What the hell, Hikigaya. People leave you alone for a few weeks and you try to become Nobunaga!?” Isaac yelled at me. I didn’t like being yelled at. My ears are quite sensitive, as are my feelings, and my soul. I am a gentle, kind individual who shouldn’t be compared to the Demon King of Sixth Heaven. Not only am I kinder individual, but you don’t see chibi-Hikigaya’s running around yelling HIKKIII, right? “Hey, don’t try to run away from this! Face it like a man! Take responsibility for turning these NPCs into—

Right, well, that’s where the jokes stop.

“They’re not NPCs. They’re not People of the Land. They’re human beings living in a world with monsters and Adventurers who don’t want to kill those monsters anymore.” I didn’t need to explain the situation to Isaac in a roundabout way. He was meathead, but the sort of meathead that led other meatheads. He’s a leader-type meathead, with strong work ethic and honor, thus he can understand what I’m saying upfront and not argue when I’m right. And, because I am me, I am right. Tee-hee. “What did you want to happen? Have them depend on Players for everything? Put their lives in the hands of people just ripped out of their homes? People more powerful than them, who can’t die, and can take whatever they want?”

Isaac and I were talking alone, after we’d conversed with the court, and were now having a “stroll” to “catch our breath.” Only the first part of that sentence was true. The court conversation was a thinly veiled cry for help. Isaac started yelling my ear after we were out of their earshot. And, we were talking alone with one another because I made sure no one was following us. Whoever had been can enjoy a nice, long nap, though Isaac didn’t need to know that.

All Isaac had to do was accept the Guild Quest I set up for him.

Which was assisting an army in destroying the Goblin King.

What’s the big deal about introducing levies to a feudal society that didn’t have a standing army because of Adventurers? Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I essentially made this world’s first military on purpose, but that was better than the human beings living on this world needing to rely on human beings on another world. If Isaac could answer the questions, regarding how the People of the Land wouldn’t get turned into slaves by wannabe Isekai protagonists or people who thought they “could do a better job,” then I would be all ears.

But Isaac could only look angry, instead of giving me any answers.

And, angry hardly gets anything done compared to simple logic.

People are better of being able to fight for themselves, someone like Isaac, who owned a small business understood that.

“There should’ve been a better way than this, Hikigaya. We could’ve worked together, given them what they needed, without being imperialists.” Isaac scowled and snarled, while crossing his arms over the suit he wore. They were complaints I nodded to. There was no point in fighting the fact that things could have been better. However, there was a point in making it clear what was present now was better than nothing. “Fuck off with that smug look of yours. What’ll happen after this? If all the rest of the kingdoms decide to start having armies? What the fuck will you do when you see countries warring against one another in a few decades!?”

“That’ll be an issue to deal with then, when there are countries, and not graveyards being picked apart by monsters.” Did introducing the very basics of a military to a duchy mean everything was going to be perfect? No. People were going to die. The idea was going to filter to the rest of the nations. Rulers will like the idea of not having to rely on fickle immortals with human morals. Then, because people are bastards all out to get the most for themselves, they’ll use them on each other. But, again, what was the other option? “I didn’t see Akihabara rallying together to make Raids and every normal person in this world doesn’t come back after a monster kills them, so I did my best with what I had, while you and everyone else were just thinking about yourselves!”

I didn’t mean to shout, but after everything, I couldn’t help myself.

Things would be easier if I only had to take care of myself, my friends, and Komachi. However, Komachi was the sort of person who went out of her way to help other people. It’s a miracle that I managed to send her away, so that she would be far away from the Event, but that’s not going to last. Everyday, as she gets stronger, she gets closer to that fateful day when she’ll get hurt and die. Even if she comes back, what kind of a brother would I be if I let that happen? The same goes for the people who decided to surprise me, to join me in a game I liked, just so that they could spend time with me, even when I didn’t want them to.

They were all good people who would look at the monsters ravaging the countryside, save other people, and die as many times as it takes to finish the job. 

Meanwhile, those who had actual power were bickering, trying to reach the level cap, and didn’t care about the People of the Land until they saw that they could react, learn, and change with just a little fucking help!

So, I couldn’t help but yell.

Thankfully, Isaac didn’t just shut up and leave after I did.

I needed all the allies I could get my hands on.

…

Yukinoshita waited for me at the stables. Yuigahama and Totsuka were being charming in the Court. After meeting with myself, Isaac, and Yukinoshita, I figured the court should spend some time with individuals who are worth spending time with. Given Totsuka’s abilities and greatness, Yuigahama was there to protect him and lay down her life for him if required, thus he could easily soothe the worries of those in power. 

So, after meeting with Isaac, I joined Yukinoshita so that we could pretend not to exist, as to calm the normal, regular people that lived in the world we invaded and accidentally broke.

“For a man who convinced a Guild to come to our aid, you don’t seem very pleased, Hikigaya-kun.” Yukinoshita probably didn’t need to be Neko-type beastman, with a specialization in tracking and analyzing, in order to realize that I had a bad mood. She was those special-types in real life that could do things like that without becoming a video game character in another world. Yep, there’s no point for a lesser individual, such as myself, to try and fool her. I’ve already lost this battle thirty minutes ago. She knows exactly what I’m going to say before I even say it. “Ah, I should’ve expected this. You ought to have had me speak with them, Hikigaya-kun.”

Give me back my praise! I said give it back! That’s totally the wrong idea, woman!

“Isaac’s guild is going to take the quest. There’s no issue.” I schooled my features using techniques born from my Wage Slave occupation. Wage Slaves are masters at hiding their loathing, compressing it, and living with it. Those who try to have dreams and pursue another occupation, while doing the type of work we do, will unfortunately suffer from a severe case of death. Still, giving up on my dreams has perfected one of my 108 Skills. My Poker Face is now transcendent and can fool a god’s senses with ease, because all emotion is unknown to me. In my current state, I have the emotive ability of a peanut. “Everything’s fine. I just didn’t like what he asked me for in return.”

“Hmph, you overestimate your ability to lie, Hikigaya-kun.” Eh!? What’s this? Was the earlier lack of ability a ruse? Yukinoshita, did you pretend to be mentally deficient so that you could catch me off-guard? What the heck!? That’s hilarious. Wait, no. I fell for it! That’s not hilarious. That’s sleazy! Give me back my pride as a person, you bitch, I demand it! “Knowing you, you were confronted regarding your methods, despite your best intentions, thus you are disgruntled… or perhaps even depressed.” Don’t applaud yourself! Stop that! Stop clapping this instant! “Hmmm? Do you disagree that my analysis is not worthy of praise? I feel as though I’ve granted the world insight into the mystery known as Hikigaya Hachiman.”

“Tch. Whatever. We both know that Isaac wouldn’t have been convinced by you, especially if it had been your plan.” That was a fact. Isaac knew me. We fought together. Hatred can only be born in close proximity. Most people can only dislike one another. They hear rumors, never interact with someone, and look from afar, thus they can dislike. Hatred is more personal. It requires understanding. Isaac’s ability to bulldoze through life without changing makes me envious of him. The fact that I always take the most effective solutions has earned me his hatred. Thus, we can work together when required. “He’d have disliked you due to association with me. But, since I spoke with him and put my neck on the line, he couldn’t refuse.”

“Associating with yourself would topple most civilizations, but I’m confident in my ability to overcome it and attain exceptional results.” Yukinoshita raised a hand to cover her smile. That’s a bad habit, y’know? It makes people think that you’re conniving and terrible. Also, no, civilizations wouldn’t fall just because I’m associated with them. I’ve been in Japan for two decades and—oh huh, you might have a point. That place is a shithole. Huh, I wonder if I can use these civilization-toppling powers to my benefit? “There could have been a solution that didn’t require you becoming more miserable, Hikigaya-kun. Please, remember that misery isn’t an acceptable state of being, simply because you’ve grown used to it.”

“Sure, next time, you’ll handle all the talking. I hate doing it anyway. And, you’re learning how things work quickly enough.” I could argue, but what would I be arguing for? The right to do what I want? That’s overrated. I prefer convenience and not having to do actual work. If Yukinoshita can do what I just did, without me or herself getting hurt, then that’s great. Only, of course, if she could guarantee the same results. But, if anyone could manage to make Isaac back down and just accept a quest, it’d be a sharp-tongued, swift-minded Neko Ranger. “I’ll leave all of that to you later, then. Just be sure not to crush anyone beneath that big head of yours.”

“Truly, you amaze me, Hikigaya-kun. I offer you my support, without cost, and you belittle me?”

“Yep, you should be amazed. Definitely. I’m pretty great at being shameless and saying how things are.”

Yukinoshita sighed, but she still covered her mouth with a gloved hand.

I wasn’t as demure as her, so I did my best to hide my creepy, weirdo smile behind the shadow of my hood.

Hey, wait, isn’t that even creepier than just having it out!?

…

From my mount, I looked upon the levies assembled to confront the Goblin King Event. They were People of the Land, clad in iron and leather, and wielding crossbows and pikes. Amongst their number were the Duke’s royal knights and mages, specialists in a sea of bodies who can barely march and hold. It was a train that marched on the roads, followed by a few wagons carrying supplies, as they went on the attack against monsters that used to be beaten for them by living gods. 

Most of them weren’t going to make it. 

Mobs know more than charging. They can find other routes, jump over obstacles, and have no fear, while also having an array of abilities and skills they instinctively know how to use.  Fighting against them with unlimited lives, magic, and skills made for video game protagonists is fine. As a regular person, you have a long stick, some other people with long sticks, and some people that can shoot sticks. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll get someone special to help you out, but they only have one life. Thus, if their life was on the line, you’ll have to exchange yours. 

Isaac’s guild was going to help them now, so this first venture was going to be a success, and that would resound all across the world. 

However, Isaac wasn’t going to be everywhere, nor was his guild, but their success was going to be attributed to the levies made today. 

In the next handful of years, a lot of people are going to begin dying against monsters that they never had to fight before, just so that Komachi wouldn’t have to help them herself.

There was no denying that I’ve created something terrible and ugly.

However, again, the only other options were to subordinate the people of this world to the Players. No alliance between the People of the Land and the Players could flourish. It would be a relationship between a master and a slave. The people of this world would be no more than a source of income, who would make money for their masters, and would practically be slaves under a different name. 

If they can fight back, if they could hold their own, and if they were independent, even if it was at the cost of lives, then they would be in a better position in the eyes of the Players. But there’s no denying that many were going to die, because I didn’t believe my fellows could good, kind, and compassionate. The possibility existed that we could’ve returned to our former relationships, that the Players wouldn’t take advantage of the People of the Land, but chose not to believe in that. Instead I believed in the value of violence, in how humans understand each other better if they were afraid of each other, rather than having faith in our ability to work with one another.

Isaac was right to hate me.

In the future, Komachi and everyone else might even feel the same.

What a fuck up this is.

I find myself in another world, just wanting to have a good time, yet here I am contemplating how fucked I’ll be in a few decades for introducing conscription, combined arms, and Kami-knows-what-else to a video-game world made real.

I know I’ll regret this later. That this idea was terrible, could have been done better, and should’ve been done by someone more skilled than me.

Yet, I this was all I could do; thus, I can only accept the outcome of what I put into motion.

At the very least, I can hope Isaac hates me enough for this to not keep secrets about me anymore.

The sooner I’m defeated by someone better than me, the sooner I can stop trying to be more than just a salaryman.