NOVEL WEB Ch.61 – The Quiet
POV: Tamara
What to do now? Events had taken an unexpected turn and all her plans had to be revised, it was not expected that she would make herself openly known so soon, when she had not even reached a sufficient level to actually be an unstoppable threat to everyone except the nobles with their Elite Classes .
'Plus, I'm not making any progress towards Seething Forge or ascension, and those are the most important things,' she thought dejectedly, 'maybe I could delegate... that's what politicians do, right?'
Tamara looked at the people who had come to beg and thank her for not having destroyed them yet, they had also given her the most luxurious home in Wadencap to eat and rest. Even though the human part of her found it unfair, the monstrous part of her was enjoying the sense of satisfaction of having come so far in her growth.
'As if it would have done it without my ability to plan and think about what to do,' Tamara thought annoyed, 'in any case...'
Tamara activated [Humanoid Form (Minor)] and in a few moments her body gained the ability to walk on two legs and to be able to grasp and use objects, albeit in a somewhat clumsy way. Her vaguely humanoid appearance petrified for a moment the people who were there to beg and thank her, who remained with wide eyes and pale faces at least until they understood that Tamara was not going to do them any harm.
She took a sheet of parchment and thanks to her knowledge of the Trade Alphabet, wrote a very simple and short message which she then showed to the others: [send me your chief here].
The inhabitants of Wadencap did not receive many visits from the outside world and so it took them some time to understand what Tamara had written, once they did, they sent a boy to retrieve the old man who had recognized her as Nightmare Tyrant some time before. The old man arrived as fast as he could, so much so that for a moment Tamara feared that he might die of a heart attack at any moment given how sweaty and short of breath he was.
“D-did you… need my s-service… my dark lord?” He asked after managing to regain his breath at least partially.
Tamara didn't respond immediately, instead she tried to appear as if she were looking at him for the most tender pieces of flesh to tear, if you have to be bad, you have to do it well. Once she was satisfied that the old man had regained regular breathing, she resumed writing on the sheet of parchment.
[I, Nightmare Tyrant, have no desire to destroy you and lose the precious resources your lives and arts can provide. I want a tribute system to be imposed in which I will get five parts in a hundred from the proceeds of your trade.]
“I thank you for your mercy, Nightmare Tyrant,” the elder replied after reading and interpreting what she had written, apparently he had a greater knowledge of the Trade Alphabet compared to the other inhabitants of Wadencap, “very well, your will will be carried out. Do you have any other orders?”
Tamara became thoughtful before putting her hand on the sheet of parchment again, the village would probably have rebelled with the arrival of the first adventurer powerful enough to challenge her, if not even when she left, but she might as well use that circumstance to try to get an idea on how to manage a domain and have subordinates, something for which her life as a young human girl had not prepared her.
[I don't intend to stay here for a long time, therefore, I need a person to take care of collecting my tributes].
"Oh! I understand, I understand…” The elder separated one hand from his staff to rub his bald head and nod, “I'm the head of the village, so if you want I can do it.”
Tamara tilted her head and then wrote, [do we have someone younger?] she wanted to add that she didn't want to offend him, but she doubted that that would be in line with the attitude of a greedy, malicious and power-hungry monster.
“…My niece? I was already training her to take my place, so she might be a good fit for you.”
[She will do], Tamara wrote, adding later, [now go away and take the rest of the people with you, I want to be alone with the two adventurers present in the village].
“D-do you want to kill them?” The old man asked, biting his tongue less than a second later, “of co-course, I will do as requested. Please forgive my impudence.”
The dozen or so commoners and the elder exited – rather hastily – from Nightmare Tyrant's makeshift throne room, leaving room for Luchael and Helen to make their way in reverse and enter the room. Helen closed the door before turning to Tamara, still holding the parchment and pen tightly in her hands.
“So… you've officially become Nightmare Tyrant this time,” Helen said, chuckling, “but for now you still look like a cute little black and yellow lizard.”
If Tamara could, she would have puffed out her cheeks in indignation... for both assertions. She's not cute! She's a lizard!
“How's the… the other thing? Is it under control?” Luchael asked looking at Tamara with a hint of concern on his face.
Tamara looked down, her bestial instincts were there, boiling as the two souls of her body tried to merge, this thing wasn't going to work out well if she didn't get moving in an attempt to grow enough to attempt ascension.
[I have to level up, I don't want to become a dungeon guardian or even really become the monster I'm expected to be], she wrote on the sheet of parchment.
“Do you have a way to know how much time you still have?” Helen asked abandoning her joking tone and appearing much more serious, “maybe… maybe if you fail to reach a suitable level to attempt ascension or you fail, it would be better… you know…” she murmured in a low voice, avoiding looking at her.
'I don't want to live like a half-beast incapable of having total control over itself,' Tamara thought, shrugging her shoulders, agreeing with what Helen was trying to tell her.
Luchael walked over and hugged the little monster, "I don't even want to hear that!" The leporan exclaimed, turning his head to bring his eyes towards those of the templar, “I am sure that Aradra will be able to ascend! All we have to do is get out of here and continue to level up!”
“That's the problem: now that Nightmare Tyrant has established her first domain, she will have to stay here at least long enough to put in place all the necessary structure, it's not something that can be completed by tomorrow morning,” Helen replied, “We have at least three days to spend here, days in which the rumors of the Nightmare Tyrant's arrival in Wadencap will probably spread.”
Tamara crouched a little in the leporan's embrace, distancing herself only to write again, [I will continue to kill the monsters around Wadencap and those in the dungeon, hoping that the adventurers coming from the plains will not be powerful enough to not be subjugated by intimidation alone].
“Okay, then I think I'll do the same…” Helen said, raising her left hand and looking at it thoughtfully, “I think I'll start right away! See you later, you evil little lizard!” She exclaimed winking at Tamara.
“And instead I will produce more concoctions for the eventualities of the future, better to be prepared!” Luchael smiled as he stood up to walk away towards the door, “see you later Ara… uh?”
Tamara had grabbed him by the hem of her skirt and pulled lightly to get his attention, Tamara didn't have to write for Luchael to understand that his little, scaly friend needed a hug.
