Chapter 121 The Choice: Servitude or Exile
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I gave a warm welcome to Oscar Blackwell, the Grimlock family’s butler, and that mysterious little shit Akahorus—the brat he’d brought along—who’d barged into my mansion without so much as a word of notice.
Specifically—I sucker-punched that arrogant little bastard right in his smug face.
”Ugh, gwaaaaah!!”
Akahorus clutched his face—his nose probably broken—and rolled around pathetically on the lawn.
Oscar’s usual poker face cracked for just a moment, twisting into shock at my utterly abrupt action. Then his eyes locked onto me with an intensity that could kill.
Ha. Hahaha.
So much for that composure. He was already losing it.
—Beautiful.
”…Xenos-sama.” Oscar’s voice was measured, precise—each word a blade wrapped in silk. “I must ask—what exactly is the meaning of striking a guest without warning?”
”Shut up.”
I drew a combat sword I’d borrowed from the wall earlier and leveled its razor-sharp tip at Oscar’s thin throat.
”Thought it was someone else, but it’s just you, Oscar. Here’s the thing—you two barged onto my property without permission. I simply assumed you were some suicidal thieves and took appropriate measures.”
”…I apologize most humbly for the intrusion.”
Even with a blade at his throat, Oscar offered that apology without hesitation.
”Hmph.”
I lowered the sword and sheathed it.
As expected, he wasn’t the type to be easily dealt with. He bowed his head deeply right there on the spot.
(So he’s not going to start a fight without warning, huh—)
Oscar’s purpose for coming here should have been to eliminate me completely and install that brat—still writhing on the lawn—as the next head of the family. That arrogance is exactly why he’d felt entitled enough to trespass.
But right now, the legitimate master of this mansion is me. Their offense—entering without permission—is undeniable.
This man looks down on me from the bottom of his heart. Because of that, he acted carelessly. Yet the moment he realized the situation favored him, his retreat was remarkably swift.
Arguing here would only put him at a disadvantage. He doesn’t fight battles he can’t win.
(…Guys like this are always the hardest to deal with.)
”Hey! Oscar!” Akahorus’s voice cracked with fury, his words tumbling out in a breathless rush. “Why are you apologizing to that bastard!! That useless piece of crap just punched me out of nowhere! You—you—!! I’ll never forgive youuuuu~, hrrngh, huuuuuugh… hsssssssss~!!”
He howled at me, then started making noises like some brain-dead beast trying to intimidate me.
(…What the hell is “hsssssss” supposed to be? Idiot.)
He was clearly a hopeless fool—
But his magical skill seemed genuine.
Akahorus pressed both hands to his face. The wound from my fist began to repair itself with a faint glow.
Healing magic meant he likely possessed Light-attribute mana.
(…No, water attribute can also perform healing. Maybe that’s it.)
Either way, rare to have multiple attributes. From what I’d confirmed so far—fire, and probably water or light.
Given he’d said something about how “killing weaklings feels so good~” back at the front gate, Light attribute seemed less likely, though.
Oscar and this Akahorus’s goal is to kill me and take over the mansion. That was already confirmed. Combat was inevitable, and I had no intention of avoiding it, but…
”Well, whatever.” I leaned back, studying them with deliberate disinterest. “You two clearly aren’t just thieves. I’ll hear you out.”
Not thieves—assassins come to kill me.
I showed them into the mansion’s lavish reception room. Nobility, after all, must always uphold appearances and proper procedure—no matter the occasion.
The clock edged toward noon.
I sank deep into the sofa of the reception room, facing Oscar and Akahorus. The brat sprawled across the ornate guest chair like he owned the place, while Oscar stood silently at his side like a shadow. My loyal maid, Lilia, busied herself preparing tea, but I didn’t wait for her to finish before speaking.
I already knew they meant to kill me. Playing at courtesy seemed pointless.
”So. What do you want?”
”You.” Akahorus jabbed a finger at me, his grin spreading wide and ugly. “As of today, you’re out as next heir. Surprised? Pfft. I’m the one takin’ over the Grimlock family now! So here’s the deal—you shut up and do whatever I say, got it? Become my servant. Or—if you don’t like that—get the hell out of this mansion right now!”
Servant or exile.
But if I stayed alive, I’d remain a troublesome loose end in this succession dispute. My father and Oscar would never allow that. Eventually—inevitably—they’d see me dead.
Smart of them not to say it aloud, though.
”Pass.” I met his stare flatly. “You’re annoying. Get out now, and I’ll let you live. Disappear.”
”Wh—! Oscar!” Akahorus whirled on his butler, face reddening. “This isn’t what you said would happen! You told me that Zero-Mana Xenos was a useless lazy good-for-nothing who’d just roll over! He’s so freakin’ sassy and keeps talkin’ back to me! And he—he punched me! P-ssshhhh! I am SO mad right now!! hsssssssss~!!”
The last time Oscar visited, I hadn’t known his true intentions. There were too many unknowns—too much I couldn’t reveal. Maybe I’d seemed weak then. Indecisive.
But that was then, and this was now. They’d come here to kill me. The response was obvious.
And besides—they had no idea their sloppy little plot had been under surveillance the whole time, courtesy of my magic artifact.
Oscar had thought he understood me after that first visit. That certainty was cracking now, confusion seeping through his controlled mask.
”I don’t care if you’re mad.” I waved off Akahorus’s tantrum and turned to Oscar. “More importantly—that old man chose this brain-dead brat as my successor? That means his mana reserves must be substantial, doesn’t it?”
Time to fish for intel.
”Indeed.” Oscar inclined his head. “The late Leon-sama was a man of extraordinary power—and I daresay this young master surpasses even him. The master was overjoyed to learn that such potential had surfaced anew in the Grimlock bloodline.”
Leon—above that—?
”And that’s not all.” Oscar’s tone remained calm, unhurried. “Young Master Akahorus has already proven himself on the battlefield many times over. He has faced entire magical battalions alone—battalions the equal of an enemy army’s full regiment—and crushed them utterly, turning the tide of war. A sterling record of accomplishment.”
A mob character with that kind of power? I didn’t remember anyone like that from the game.
”Compared to Xenos-sama, who has achieved nothing but confusion and chaos for his allies.” Oscar’s eyes gleamed—just slightly. “The master’s decision to reconsider succession seems wholly justified.”
Well. Objectively, sure.
From the outside, it made perfect sense. The brat’s mana reserves were clearly no joke.
But that didn’t mean—
I had absolutely no intention of dying quietly.
So my father had decided to throw down the gauntlet openly. If I turned this brat back on his ass, the old man would be furious beyond reason.
(…Interesting.)
I smiled, just a fraction.
—
Summary:
Xenos sucker-punches Akahorus on sight, shattering Oscar’s composure and establishing dominance before the negotiation even begins. Oscar reveals that the late Leon-sama’s mana level has been surpassed by this brat, who has already crushed enemy battalions on the battlefield. Xenos realizes his father has openly thrown down the gauntlet, and he has no intention of dying quietly—he smiles at the challenge.
—
Trivia:
Xenos’s magic artifact has been monitoring Oscar and Akahorus since their first visit, giving him critical intel they don’t know he possesses.
Akahorus has already faced magical battalions alone and crushed them, yet Xenos doesn’t remember any character like him from the game.
Oscar’s previous visit established a baseline of “weakness” that Xenos is now subverting, creating confusion in his enemy’s strategy.
Xenos interprets his father’s decision as a direct provocation, and he intends to respond with force rather than submission.
The title “Servant or Exile” presents two false choices—Xenos knows the real outcome is death.
Notes:
• Blackwell – Oscar, head butler of the Grimlock family, is defined by his surname and professional commitment to his employers.
• Akahorus – A brash, arrogant child brought by Oscar to replace Xenos as the next heir. Boasts immense mana reserves and battlefield experience. Prone to tantrums and juvenile threats. Speaks in short, emotional bursts. Candidate for the next head of the Grimlock family. Arrogant and boisterous, he has fused his body with a demon to gain power. Speaks with crude confidence and childish taunts, believing himself superior to the protagonist. The antagonist challenging Xenos for the Grimlock family headship. A small-statured brat with a vulgar personality who boasts about mastering all six mana attributes. Speaks with a yankii/delinquent register, switching between arrogant and childish tones. Parasitized by a demon in his left hand. The assassin sent by Xenos’s father. A reincarnate mob character with hard-work cheat. Massive mana pool and multiple mana affinities. Arrogant, crude, and underestimates actual combat experience. Tries to make Lilia his Magic Slave.
• Grimlock – Xenos’s family name.
• Oscar – Head butler of the Grimlock family and Gaius’s confidant, he is a tall, lean man in his late forties with gray hair, silver-rimmed glasses, and piercing azure eyes. A professional yet secretly seething “shadow ruler,” he serves as strategist, spymaster, and Xenos’s protective, stoic bodyguard. Though hostile toward Xenos, he maintains composure while managing the estate, even under humiliating orders.
• Xenos – Job: Heir to a high-ranking noble house; Relationship: Owner of Lilia; Has romantic connections with Elenor, Cecilia, and Lizel; Item/Magic: Summoning magic, [Substitution Collars]; Note: Was caught up in a Royal Palace explosion and missed three days of school. Pragmatic and calculating personality. Job: Noble of Grimlock family, protagonist; Relationship: Manipulator of Princess Liliana, pursuing Serena; Item/Magic: [Ring of Transformation]; Note: Reincarnated villain with game knowledge, calculating and arrogant. Job: Theater Owner and noble of Grimlock family; Relationship: Fiancé to Cecilia; Item/Magic: Game knowledge/metaknowledge; Note: Reincarnated villain protagonist who knows the original game script.
• Lilia – Xenos’s fiercely loyal, trauma-resilient Head Maid is a lovely, pale, busty woman with long dark hair, a chest tattoo, and a nullified crest. Dressed in a black uniform, she maintains refined, icy elegance when disciplining others, especially Elenor. While formal and efficient with guests, she masks deep, jealous anxiety for Xenos, finding her greatest joy in serving him and sleeping by his side.
• Leon – Protagonist and heir to the Grimlock family. Reincarnated individual with knowledge of the game’s script. Uses mind control abilities and manipulates situations to his advantage. Pragmatic and calculating with a cruel streak. Currently holding Princess Liliana in protective custody at Grimlock Manor.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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