Chapter 6

The Perfect Young Lady’s Brutal Outing Plan
Morning light streamed softly through the lace curtains.
Along with the chirping of little birds, I snapped my eyes open.

Good morning, world.
Good morning, you shitty death game.

Another day, another day, I would once again deliver cuteness to everyone as a “perfect, beautiful young girl.”

“Mm… fwaa…”

A carefully calculated yawn.
I rubbed my eyes innocently and wriggled around on the bed.
Then, catching sight of myself reflected in the mirror by pure coincidence, I thought, ahh, Alice-chan is just so cute, and right on cue, a restrained knocking sound echoed.

“Good morning, Alice Ojousama.”

The one who quietly entered the room was my personal maid, Sera.

The moment she saw me on the bed, she flushed and let out a soft sigh.

“My…! What an adorably drowsy figure. It’s as if an angel is resting her wings.”

“Good morning, Sera. Ehehe, isn’t my hair all messy?”

“No, no! That defenseless look is precisely what makes it so wonderful! Come now, let us get you changed. It’s a lovely day today.”

Once Sera’s efficient dressing routine was finished, it was time for the “morning ritual” in the living room.
The instant the doors opened, two waiting figures rushed straight at me.

“Aaaah! Alice! My precious angel, good morning!”

“You’re the most wonderful in the world today too, Alice! How can you be so darling?!”

That was Father and Mother..
They hugged me from both sides at the same time and rubbed their cheeks against mine.
The sweet scent of perfume, and body heat that was almost a little stifling.
Normally this might have been annoying, but I deliberately melted into their arms and showed them a blissful smile.

“Good morning, Otousama, Okaasama! Ehehe, I love being hugged tight too!”

“Nguh…!”

“Oh, for this child’s smile, I wouldn’t mind toppling one or two nations…!”

My parents were writhing in agony.
Yes, yes, so easy. Ridiculously easy.
Maintaining my “beloved position” within this mansion was the most basic of survival strategies.
As long as I secured their affection, my food, clothing, shelter, and safety were all guaranteed.

And besides… it didn’t feel bad at all.
While happily enjoying this thing called “family warmth,” which I’d had little connection to in my previous life, I once again started a perfect day.

◆◇◆

First up was dance lessons.
A graceful waltz flowed through the spacious hall.

“One, two, three… yes, turn!”

Moving in time with the instructor’s calls, I stepped lightly across the floor.
The hem of my dress spread out with centrifugal force, drawing a beautiful circle like a blooming flower.
Center of gravity shifts, how long to hold my gaze, the angle of my fingertips, everything was a perfect motion controlled down to the millimeter.

Hmph, easy. It’s basically like a bullet-hell dodging game without hit detection.

While grumbling inwardly, I put on an elegant smile.
The instructor was wiping away tears with a handkerchief as she applauded enthusiastically.

“Magnificent…! To have such movement at only six years old, truly the rebirth of a fairy!”

Next was embroidery time.
I ran the needle across the silk cloth.
There was no hesitation. In my mind, the completed design blueprint was already laid out. The coordinates for each stitch, the thread tension, the color balance, I just processed it all with mechanical precision.

Stitch stitch stitch stitch…

And… done!

“I-it’s finished.”

“F-far too fast, Alice Ojousama!? … And yet, how beautiful! This complex rose gradient, completed in such a short time?!”

The embroidery teacher looked like she was about to collapse in shock.
I blushed slightly and said it without a shred of shame.

“The flowers told me they wanted to bloom here.”

“How incredible…! A child beloved by the God of Art…!”

And finally, classroom studies.
A lecture on the kingdom’s history and economics.
A young male tutor was explaining the complicated history of trade friction.
Normally, this would be the sort of content that bored children into nodding off, but after hearing it just once, I fully grasped the causal relationships.

“So in other words, Teacher, the true cause of this war wasn’t religious conflict, but a struggle over the tariff rights on northern salt, wasn’t it?”

At my observation, the teacher’s glasses slipped down his nose.

“T-that is correct… To see through the essence that’s only written in specialist books for adults, from just that explanation… A prodigy… Alice Ojousama is unquestionably a prodigy!”

A storm of praise rained down on me one after another.
While letting out a cute little “ehehe,” I coolly analyzed my own specs.

… Yeah. Even I have to admit it. I’m too perfect.

In the mirror was an exquisite young beauty, translucent hair shimmering, jewel-like large eyes sparkling.
The innocent curve of my cheeks, my slender shoulders, everything was kept at a meticulously calculated, charming angle.
A lethal level of “cuteness” that captivated everyone just by existing.

On top of that, this sharp mind.
Even in early childhood before I regained my memories, I picked things up quickly no matter what I did. I solved complex puzzles in an instant, and I could vaguely sense the subtext behind adults’ conversations.

And now that the memories of Mirai, the legendary gamer feared as the strongest, had fully returned, it was only natural that I could handle any task more easily than breathing.

Heheh. Not only perfect, but also such a cute young beauty—talk about adding wings to a tiger.

Right now, I was truly invincible…

… or so I thought.

The moment I returned to my room and was alone.
All emotion drained from my face.
I dove onto the bed and glared at the empty air.

Status Open.

A blue window floated before my eyes.
Written there, as always, was a mission that could only be described as incomprehensible.

“………… Haah.”

A deep sigh slipped out.
No matter how much of a genius gamer I was, this was way too much of an impossible game.

“Seriously… telling a duke’s daughter to specialize in ‘murder’? What kind of joke is that…”

The unlock condition was “murder.”
I was fully aware it was ethically out of bounds, but I also refused to just wither away and die like this.

For a moment, a sweet little hypothesis crossed my mind, maybe humanoid monsters… like goblins or orcs, would count?
But I immediately snorted and dismissed the idea.

… Yeah, right.

The opponent was that nasty AI. There was no way it would prepare such a convenient loophole.
Not “subjugation,” but “murder.”
By definition, the system was surely demanding a clear “human life.”

Conclusion.
—I’d have to do a human.

That said, stabbing some innocent passerby in the back was too much even for me.
Even if this was a life-or-death game, my mental health wouldn’t survive that, and pulling off random PK like that would be a huge hassle if I got caught.

In that case, the answer was simple.

I calculatedly curled my lips into a grin.
I didn’t need a mirror to know. Right now, I was surely wearing an angelic face with the cutest, most smug “victory grin” imaginable.

I just needed to find a “human” who deserved to be killed, someone I wouldn’t feel bad about.

For example, utterly vile bandits. Wanted, heinous criminals.
If I hunted them, that would be “murder” and “social contribution” at the same time, right?
A skill would be unlocked, and the city would be safer.
A perfectly efficient quest, killing two birds with one stone.

“Heheh… it’s decided.”

My policy was set.
All that remained was to move to where that “prey” could be found.
Naturally, there was no way such conveniently evil scum would be inside this overprotective mansion.

… I had to go outside.
And to do that, I had to persuade Otousama.

◆◇◆

Otousama’s study.
After knocking on the heavy door and receiving permission, I entered to find Otousama battling a mountain of paperwork.

“Oh? Alice. What is it? If it’s about work, I’ll be done shortly, and then we can have tea together…”

“Otousama, may I speak with you for a moment?”

I deliberately used a slightly stiff tone.
In my hands, I held a thick book on domain management that I’d just finished reading the other day.

“… Oh? And what might that be?”

“It was recommended by my teacher. About the economy and distribution of our Kleinert territory… I learned a great deal from it.”

I took a step forward.
Placing a hand on my small chest, I looked straight at Otousama.

“However, Otousama. There are things I simply cannot understand from the numbers written in books alone. The faces of the people who live there, the scent of the streets, the liveliness… Without knowing that kind of ‘living atmosphere,’ I don’t think I can truly fulfill my role as a daughter of this house.”

Perfect logic.
Not “I want to play.” “I want to learn.”
And for the future of the ducal house, for the sake of the people.

Otousama’s eyes widened.
Soon, moisture began to well up in them.

“A-Alice…! To think that, at only six years old, you would already consider the people of the domain so deeply…!”

“Yes. I know I’m being selfish. But I want to see it with my own eyes. This wonderful city that you protect, Otousama!”

The finishing blow.
Otousama pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose loudly.

“Uuu… what a splendid daughter…! Very well, I shall grant permission! I’ll immediately mobilize the entire knight order for security…”

“Please wait, Otousama!”

This was the critical moment.
If he mobilized everyone, not even a mouse would be able to get close, let alone monsters.

“If you make such a grand procession, the townspeople will be frightened. I want to see the city as it truly is. And besides…”

I tilted my head slightly and looked up at Otousama from beneath my lashes.

“I don’t want to make a big fuss and interfere with Otousama’s work or that of the knights… If only two skilled knights and Sera as my attendant were with me, that would be more than enough to put me at ease.”

Earnest consideration.
And an appeal to Otousama’s trust.

“Hmmm… but…”

“Please, Otousama. …Is it no good?”

My ultimate weapon: the watery-eyed attack.
A full combo of shamelessness, making maximum use of my age privilege.

After several seconds of silence, Otousama fell.

“… Very well! If you insist that much, I shall respect your wishes!”

“Thank you! I love you, Otousama!”

I leapt at him with a beaming smile.
Burying my face in his clothes, I grinned slyly with just my mouth.

All according to plan.

And so, I obtained permission to go out under the favorable condition of “a small escort.”
The escort consisted of two knights and my maid, Sera.
With this, there would be plenty of chances to slip away quietly while staging an unforeseen incident.

On the road to the city, or perhaps on its outskirts…
Surely there would be some wonderful player lying around, just waiting to unlock my skill.

All right, time to start preparing for the outing.
Snacks, check. Handkerchief, check.
All that’s left…

… the will to kill.

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