Chapter 17:

Jay sat at his desk, thumbing through several booklets, each listing who would do what. He had spent three whole loops digging dirt on the residents of Ruso City and the surrounding area. Well, four days if he counted that one time the Alt-Jay died, but Jay doesn’t count that, he had sent that one to New Hope.

Jay murmured to himself, feeling cross at the Alt-Jays for not doing any of this important work themselves. If he were to believe them, several groups of inquisitors started looking for them after they used grand magic on an entire town. It was all they could do to hide themselves.

But busy work kept him busy, so Jay decided to do it rather than delegate a whole Alt-Jay to the task. And Jay had a sheer lack of busy work after buying the fleet of golem servants.

Jay talked to himself as he listed off valuable intel.

“Hmm, the City Lord’s wife will perform almost any reasonable request when I have proof of her affair… Interesting, but I don’t think ‘use your authority over the city crystal to accept my crystal’s subjugation’ counts as a ‘reasonable request’.”

Jay thought over the first bit of intel he attained that could possibly give him direct access to the city crystal. It was a vital point to the ‘take over quietly’ scheme.

Jay pondered to himself. “But if I can make it seem like she won’t be beheaded, or worse, lose her position, she would definitely do it.”

Jay stopped, “Hell, if I actually can make that happen, I would need scarce few moves to take over the city.”

Jay as quick as lighting started putting together intel he had collected into his new ‘Operation: Cheater Storm’ folder.

“Most all guards have stated that they would follow the orders of the Head Guard over the City Lord…”

“The Head Guard has heavy ties to the Order of Sensual Nights.”

“The City Lord’s Head Merchant would stab backs for a higher cut of the profits, if he could…”

“The Adventurer’s Guild would refuse all requests ‘concerning Stansa nobility’ for a simple bribe.”

“All town and village heads will accept military presence if that presence is announced by their crystals.”

“Several advisors to the City Lord could be swayed to my side if I…”

“The Tax collectors can be easily threatened into submission if I show that I have the city guard at my beck and call…”

“The Commerce Guild can be…”

“A generous donation to the Stansa Church could…”

Like so, Jay meticulously went through his intel and added organizations and influential individuals to his secret bloodless coup. Though ‘coup’ might be the wrong word, because Jay was again aiming to put the current administration under his power, not build a new one. Less work and more legitimacy that way.

By the time Alt-Jay had come back, Jay was ready to send the next one on a journey that would make a list of intel that would make a spymaster pre, into an actionable plan to take over an entire city.

Well he was almost ready, he was pretty busy staring at the mess and monstrosity in front of him.

He ignored the stubby clay golem wave a vacuum like magic tool around, “Really dude? Was that abso-fuckin-lutley neccisary?”

Alt-Jay, licked his palmed and let his fuzzy ears fall flat, “Nyawww… does that mewen you don’t like confetti?”

Jay rolled his eyes as Alt Jay swished his tail, “No, not the damn confetti! The damn catboy routine! You know how much I cut back on the furry shit now that I’m in a fantasy world!?”

Alt-Jay covered his mouth and physically said, “Gasp!”, before continuing. “Does that mean yowou liked that confetti!”

Alt-Jay then winked, and an actual stylised heart wafted from his eye, “Or does that mean yowou like me?”

Jay could only sigh, “Come on man, that shit’s offensive here.”

Alt-Jay did a ‘cute’ tilt of his head, “On nyao, but I don’t think anyone cares about that in this world…”

Alt-Jay dissolved with a pouty look on his face. Jay stared at the spot his double stood for a little while longer, before he leaned back in his chair.

“I care.” Jay’s grin dripped with ambition, “And if I care, everyone else will too.”

…

Jay was unpacking his new loot, things like bags of gems, several swords, and books from various collections. Some things couldn’t be bought with money, and Jay found it easier to use his cheat than his influence.

But Jay wasn’t thinking about the shipment of loot he was sorting, he was thinking of the best way to better the lives of the people he was taking under his wing.

It was a mercy. Something that Jay did almost unconsciously. It wasn’t that Jay was afraid that if he threw his weight around, someone with an epic item or divine interference would wreck him. Nor that Jay had experienced years of social conditioning in a much softer society. It wasn’t even from the reward promised by karma.

No, while it was true that these things would influence him to ‘pick paragon’ on almost all decisions, that wasn’t what drove him to act so virtuously.

Jay had grown up on Earth hearing about killers. In movies, in books, on the internet, and in history. Unless they were the type that were fucked in the head, they all agreed on one thing:

‘Mercy is a luxury.’

Even in Divinity’s Rest, that was something Jay had heard killers say.

Jay… agreed, on a primal level.

There is one thing that is apparent about Jay, whether you spent any time with him on his old quests, on Earth, or as a noble.

Looking at Jay’s abode, with magically conditioned air, expensive incense burning 24/7, robot golem servants, rugs and curtains, and artworks in prominent display, it is clear. Jay turns away no luxury.

Indeed, Jay has spared and saved lives because it lets him feel good. Good in a way most other things can’t bring him. Even a good fucking can’t compare to it. Though, mind you, Jay had to cut back on that. ‘Addictive personality’ feels like an understatement when it comes to Jay. No one complains if Jay saves too many lives. If it’s bad to be good, then why does being good feel so damn good!

Jay would have even taken the time to set up a humane prison for the slavers if it didn’t get in the way of his other goals. He had to settle for not killing a single one of them and making sure they weren’t sent to some of the more heinous owners.

Jay’s thoughts on doing good deeds stopped.

He did his thing on the necklace with a strange gemstone.

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???

Soul Fragment

Age: 2,340 (2,503)

Class: N/A

Strengths: Force, Light

Weaknesses: Magical, Dark

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Description:

An ancient spell used to divide the Stansa Templar Swordmaster’s soul into fifths. Only damage to physical objects capable in the soul realm.

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“Fuck!”

Jay dashed to his newest Alt-Log.