LotM: Surviving as a Marionette

"Input the information, and the system will automatically fill in the corresponding details. This satisfies the acting method of a Marionettist—with this, I should be able to digest the Marionettist potion quickly."

The key principles of a Marionettist's acting lay in behind-the-scenes manipulation and maintaining the marionette's persona. The applause of the "audience" was equally important, as the spiritual feedback could significantly accelerate potion digestion.

"However... if the simulation is realistic enough that even I think it's a person rather than a secret puppet, wouldn't this be another form of losing control?"

Marionette were dead objects manipulated by the Marionettist. Without the Marionettist, the marionette would lose their spirituality. To perform so convincingly that it could fool anyone, to perform to the point where even the Marionettist couldn't briefly distinguish whether it was human or puppet.

When this mistaken perception affected the marionette, viewing it as a complete person, perhaps this marionette would truly come to life.

If the Marionettist didn't acknowledge the marionette as their personal property, this spiritual delusion would cause the Marionettist to digest incorrectly, leading to the extreme result of losing control.

Marionette coming to life... what a ghost story.

"So regardless of which pathway or sequence, digestion and acting require careful caution."

The underlying rules of the mysterious world were truly mad and chaotic.

Don planned to go to the theater later to pick through it, find one that was passable, and make it into his own Marionette to give to Father.

With remote manipulation, even if Father lost his memory and left Tingen, Don could still contact him.

Relying purely on skeletal messengers, if Father hadn't recalled that part of his memories, it would be difficult to get a reply.

"Moreover, having an amnesiac Death Consul provide spiritual feedback can accelerate my digestion."

Angel level - even an amnesiac Angel's status was still there.

Bidding farewell to Owen, Don took a carriage and left the castle.

He didn't have his Traveler secret puppet take him on a journey, since there might still be Beyonders left to monitor nearby. If he needed to appear before the public, he'd better not expose his Marionette.

The previous clay water lime sugar refining method had achieved remarkable results. The white sugar produced was much better in both appearance and quality compared to the impurity-laden sugar on the market. Developing the market and sitting at home waiting for pounds to flow in was just around the corner.

Don had positioned this product in the mid-to-high-end market from the start, but before selling, he had to establish good relations with some of Tingen's noble gentlemen.

After all, this would ultimately encroach on their interests. If he didn't want to assassinate those nobles who would definitely cause trouble, cooperating with some nobles and distributing benefits was necessary.

These noble gentlemen could turn hostile at the drop of a hat. After all, their power wasn't small. Baron was the lowest of all noble titles, and they might not give up readily available profits for a knight's honorary title - (which symbolized non-inheritance, where descendants could only obtain titles through other means rather than direct inheritance).

"Even more terrifying than the office politics of my previous life... So which ordinary and plain transmigrator thinks that with their intelligence, they could outmaneuver those young ladies from great families after transmigrating to ancient times?"

However, even if cooperation was confirmed, the white sugar production method naturally had to be firmly controlled in his own hands. He had previously borrowed a batch of personnel from Father specifically for this matter.

"It seems I'll need to hire some Beyonders. Indeed, there are no Beyonder guards in the castle." This was on the surface. Secretly, there were low-sequence Beyonders within the guard unit, employed by Father or instructed by his maternal grandfather's family, belonging to this territory's hidden 'final' defensive force.

Ah, of course, if enemies easily assumed that dealing with those hidden Beyonders would allow them to rest easy... then good luck to them.

Hidden behind the hidden, there were still two mid-sequence Beyonders, one Angel, a bunch of marionette, and a man-eating theater :)

Reclaiming wasteland, planting fruit trees, building workshops - this required many hands. Father's personnel weren't enough, so Don planned to go to the small town to scout around.

The somewhat bumpy carriage made Don close his eyes, but he couldn't rest properly.

Soon, the fairly bustling small town appeared.

The serial killer who had appeared here previously hadn't caused too much of a stir. Father Fidel was presiding over mass, with believers scattered in small groups sitting in the small chapel, quietly listening to the priest recite the Goddess's scriptures and praising the Goddess.

Don walked in from the chapel entrance, looking at the Evernight's holy radiance within the chapel, and quietly walked to sit in the last row.

His mother was a devout believer of the Evernight Goddess. The small chapel's construction had also benefited from Lady Boianca's contribution.

"Beyonder from the Church of Evernight?"

Don swept his gaze over the believers present and made his judgment.

This chapel wasn't large. Even for Sunday's worship mass, there weren't many believers participating.

After all, this was the 'countryside.' If they didn't work, the next day's food might not be guaranteed. Those poor people, even if they sometimes received aid from the lord and the church, couldn't afford to spend an entire day on mass.

At most, they would pray in their hearts while eating black bread, trace the crimson moon on their chests, and praise the Goddess.

Therefore, those who could participate in Sunday mass either had sufficient food at home or had some matter that caused them to temporarily rest here.

Just like the figure not far away who kept their head down and remained motionless.

That was the church personnel who had previously 'visited' their castle, also the Nightmare who had invaded his dreams before.

When mass ended, Don stood up and walked forward, placing the gold pounds he had prepared beforehand into the offering box.

"Mr. Lamud."

Father Fidel greeted Don warmly, pointing four times clockwise on his chest.

Don pretended not to notice the Nightmare beside him. After similarly drawing a crimson moon on his chest, he said to this devout believer of the Goddess, "Father Fidel, I have some matters for which I'd like your help."

"What matters?" Father Fidel asked. "If it's something I can do, as fellow believers of the Goddess, I'd be happy to help you."

"I want to hire some people in the small town." Don appeared somewhat troubled. "I have a decent business opportunity, but I lack some manpower. I hope to get help from people who are patient enough and hardworking enough."

"Of course, regarding compensation, hmm, on top of the original wages, I can provide two meals a day."

Generally speaking, employers wouldn't provide food unless you were their servant, butler, or guard - occupations that involved long-term employment with work locations within the employer's residence. Such positions would typically provide not only wages but also room and board.

However, families that could afford these expenses wouldn't hire ordinary people, and naturally couldn't be like Don, providing food and water due to insufficient manpower.

After all, nowadays, even those who worked desperately every day often ended up starving to death - this wasn't uncommon.

(End of Chapter)