WVKWnovel Chapter 177 : Popularity Poll - 2
Chapter 177 : Popularity Poll - 2
Magireta looked at me with an intrigued gaze.I continued calmly.
“Edgar and Odline have already secured the High-Ranking Monsters of the Third and Fourth Territories.”
“……”
“I've already established a friendly relationship with Drod, so you could say the Second Territory is on my side. In that case, the outcome of this game depends on who recruits the High-Ranking Monsters of the First Territory first.”
“So you want me to tell you the First MVP's name? So you can dig up information on him and use it to your advantage?”
“Exactly.”
“Hm. I understand what you're saying, but no.”
I hurriedly replied.
“I'm not asking you to say the name directly. Just like you did with Helena, if you could secretly write the name down somewhere—”
“Little Brother. We're in the middle of a game now. We weren't during Helena's time.”
So the circumstances were different.
If Magireta revealed the First MVP's name, I'd investigate him.
That information would help me in one way or another.
In the end, it would amount to Magireta assisting a specific Participant during the game.
I let out a sigh before speaking again.
“Then at least tell me the name of the region where the First MVP lives. I'll go meet him myself using a Teleportation Orb.”
“……”
“Not even that?”
“Phew. The region south of the Teper River. But I'll be telling Edgar this information as well.”
“Go ahead. The Teper River... Thank you.”
“But I wouldn't recommend going.”
“Hm?”
Swoosh.
Magireta's figure disappeared.
Her voice drifted back as if making an offhand remark.
“Because that's the true Land of Death.”
I woke up from my sleep.
As though they'd been waiting for me, my companions immediately crowded around.
“What did she say?”
“Well?”
“Give me a moment. I'll explain everything one by one.”
I shared all the information I'd obtained from the High-Ranking Monster named Orcus.
I also told them about my conversation with Magireta.
After quietly listening, everyone's expressions darkened.
“So Odline has recruited all the High-Ranking Monsters from his own territory and Helena's Territory...”
“Then that bastard has already guaranteed himself fifty percent of the votes.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“Magireta selects the High-Ranking Monsters at random. Just because he's recruited two territories doesn't guarantee him fifty percent of the votes.”
“……”
“We don't know how many High-Ranking Monsters live in Odline's Territory and Helena's Territory, nor how many of them were selected as voters.”
“But even if it isn't fifty percent, it feels like it'd still easily exceed thirty percent.”
He was right.
Even if Magireta's random selection happened to be unusually skewed, there was no way it would end up below thirty percent.
Everyone sighed in unison.
Once the total voter turnout exceeds 30%, if the gap between first and second place is at least twofold, the game ends immediately. In that case, only the participant in first place passes, while everyone else is eliminated.
I spoke.
“Edgar is aiming for a quick victory. As soon as the Popularity Poll begins, voter turnout will exceed thirty percent.”
“……”
“Before that happens, I have to hurry and gather voters as well.”
“Voters who'll stand on my side.”
“So even if you can't overtake Edgar, you at least have to close the gap to less than double.”
“Exactly.”
Otherwise, the game would end immediately instead of lasting a month.
With only Edgar surviving.
And everyone else eliminated.
At that moment, Sienne asked,
“But do you think Magireta will just sit back and watch that happen?”
“Hm?”
“I mean, Edgar passing alone while everyone else gets eliminated. If that happens, he'd be the only one left to play the remaining quests...”
“I don't think she'd mind. Magireta isn't obligated to ensure there are Participants left until the final quest.”
If every Participant was eliminated before then, that Cohort would simply come to an end.
Magireta wouldn't grieve over such a thing.
“She'd probably feel disappointed only because her boredom wouldn't last as long. But she'd likely think, ‘The Tenth Quest was entertaining enough to make up for it.’”
“That does make sense. Otherwise, she never would've created rules like these in the first place.”
“Maybe Magireta can calmly watch that happen.”
“But I won't.”
I deliberately smiled.
“We've already gathered the information we need.”
“Let's move.”
“Move? Where?”
“We're going to catch up with what Edgar has already done.”
I stood from my seat.
“We're going to grease the wheels in the two territories that haven't yet fallen under his influence.”
First, I used a Teleportation Orb to travel near Drod.
Each orb could transport up to three people, and with Louis and Kaid included, our group numbered exactly nine.
You could say we'd reached full capacity.
The moment we arrived in Hell, I looked up at the sky.
“As expected.”
“Hm? What's as expected?”
“The bulletin board is floating in Hell's sky too.”
I pointed toward Hell's violet sky.
Everyone followed my finger and looked upward.
Soon, Benjamin spoke.
“I see. So this place is part of the game's stage as well.”
“That's right. Now I'm even more certain.”
“Certain of what?”
“Our world and Hell. What do you think it means that both are part of the game's stage?”
Karin tilted her head.
“What does it mean?”
“It means Magireta deliberately overlooks Participants recruiting the High-Ranking Monsters selected as voters.”
“……!”
“In other words, if you want to increase your votes, you're free to go to Hell and campaign among the High-Ranking Monsters.”
So both Edgar's actions and mine fell within the intended scope of the game.
Armelia nodded.
“Then does that mean ordinary Participants can also travel between the world and Hell? At least for this quest.”
“Yes. If a Participant notices the bulletin board floating in the sky, reads all of the game's rules, and requests it, Magireta will allow them to travel between Hell and the world.”
“……”
“Though I doubt there are any ordinary Participants sharp enough to realize all that.”
If there were, then the vast majority of ordinary Participants wouldn't have been eliminated in the Future Diary.
The conversation fell silent for a moment.
Meanwhile, Aina looked around and asked,
“By the way, where's Drod? We teleported near him, didn't we?”
“Right here.”
“Eek!”
“So that's what all the noise was about.”
We were currently in the garden inside Drod's palace.
The very place Beat had enthusiastically shown us before.
Drod stood there with his family.
I quickly greeted them.
“Hello. There's something I'd like to discuss for a moment—”
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“I'm enjoying a walk with my family right now.”
“Wait in the reception room.”
This wasn't exactly the time for that.
I was about to protest, but the three of them simply turned around and walked back into the garden.
They didn't even tell us where the reception room was.
Versium spoke in disbelief.
“He's rather poor at receiving guests. I recall we were treated quite generously last time.”
“Drod is an MVP who cherishes his family.”
“Nothing is more important to him than spending time with them.”
“I see, but...”
“For now, let's wait.”
“His cooperation is absolutely indispensable in this quest. We can't afford to create unnecessary conflict.”
After saying that, I took out the compass and examined the map.
Using the enlarged map, I made my way to what appeared to be the reception room.
Such an enormous palace, yet not a single butler or steward.
What a waste of space.
After some wandering, we finally reached the reception room and each found a comfortable seat.
Then Louis spoke.
“By the way, why exactly am I traveling around with all of you?”
“If you don't like it, go back. Want me to send you now?”
“Hmph. Maybe I will.”
Kaid immediately panicked and interrupted.
“No, no! Where do you think you're going?”
“Sticking with this group gives you the highest chance of survival.”
“Kaid. I've always thought this, but you're far too spineless.”
“Haha. Thank you. It's nothing special.”
“……”
“Anyway, we've finally gotten the chance to tackle a quest together.”
“Even if they tried to throw you out, you'd be begging to stay. Stop letting your pride get in the way.”
Louis answered only with a deep sigh.
After quietly watching them, Armelia tilted her head and whispered to me,
“Maybe it's just my imagination, but don't those two get along surprisingly well?”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“You never know what life has in store.”
“They're monsters, though.”
I replied before unconsciously bouncing my leg.
I was probably getting impatient because I had no idea when the Popularity Poll would begin.
To calm myself down, I changed the subject.
Something had just occurred to me.
“Aina. Let's use this downtime to test something.”
“Hm?”
“According to the High-Ranking Monster named Orcus, Odline enslaves monsters by binding their souls.”
“He said it instills an instinctive fear.”
“So?”
“Do you think you could undo that Soul Binding?”
If she could, then perhaps we could travel through the Third and Fourth Territories with Aina and free the monsters Odline had enslaved.
Aina tilted her head.
“Well... I won't know unless I try.”
“Then try it.”
“Right now.”
“Who am I supposed to test it on?”
“What do you mean who? Kaid's standing right next to you.”
Only then did Aina realize.
She lightly clapped her hands.
“Oh. Right.”
“I completely forgot about him since he's always outside my field of vision.”
“You people are seriously too harsh.”
“Hm. Well, let's give it a try.”
Aina stood up and waved her hand over Kaid's head.
Apparently, that was where his soul was located.
Watching her, Karin let out a snort.
“She really looks completely out of her mind.”
“You look more normal than when you're talking to your spirits?”
“Hah.”
“Hmm... I tried, but it still didn't work.”
“The color of his soul didn't change at all.”
So it really was impossible.
Aina's Awakening still couldn't surpass an MVP's Authority.
Kaid smiled knowingly.
“Heh. These chains aren't so easily broken.”
“I've spent countless years living as a slave.”
“Even if your Soul Binding were removed, I feel like you'd willingly remain a slave.”
“I honestly think that sometimes too.”
“Don't agree with me.”
How much time had passed?
Creak.
The door to the reception room opened.
Drod, Renia, and Beat entered.
I immediately forgot all the complaints I'd been muttering to myself earlier and respectfully greeted them.
“Hello. It's been a while.”
“I don't think it's been that long... Well, make yourselves comfortable.”
The three of them sat down in the empty chairs.
I quickly got to the point.
“The Tenth Quest has begun.”
“Hm? Then how did you get here? Can you travel around during a quest?”
“This quest is a bit unusual.”
I explained the entirety of the Tenth Quest.
I also told them that Odline and Edgar were already busy making preparations.
Interest appeared on Drod's face.
“That's quite an interesting quest.”
“We never had a game like that during my time.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“So, what would you like me to do?”
“You've probably already guessed.”
I rubbed my palms together before continuing.
“Please issue an order to the High-Ranking Monsters living in your territory.”
“Tell them to cast their precious votes for Mason and my companions.”
“I can't do that.”
“Thank you very—... Huh?”
“You can't?”
At the very least, I'd expected him to say he'd try.
Instead, he rejected the idea outright.
Benjamin cautiously spoke.
“I don't mean to take credit, but peace returning to your family was...”
“I know, I know.”
“It's thanks to Mason and all of you.”
“But impossible is impossible.”
“Why is it impossible?”
“Aren't you the MVP of this territory?”
“Being an MVP doesn't make me a king.”
He began explaining slowly.
“The mission Lady Magireta entrusted to an MVP was to manage the assigned territory on her behalf.”
“We're administrators, not rulers.”
“……”
“I don't have the authority to command monsters like Odline does.”
“I don't possess the Authority to Enslave Monsters.”
“……”
“Well, I do have a certain amount of influence, so I can at least speak to them.”
“If that's enough, then I'll gladly do that much.”
The expressions of my companions immediately brightened.
Even if he put it that way, they believed the High-Ranking Monsters would still heed an MVP's influence.
Just then, Renia interjected.
“But I should warn you in advance.”
“His recommendation won't have much effect.”