I Became a Level -99 Vicious Lord

Chapter 2

My legs went weak and I nearly fell to the ground.

Cold sweat ran down my spine, and the hairs on my body stood on end.

Thump, thump, thump!

Rattling!

My heart was beating like crazy, and my hands and feet were shaking.

It was not easy for me to handle the current situation, as I had never been so close to death before in my life.

Thud!

Just then, two knights and four servants heard the chandelier fall and rushed over.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” they asked.

“Are you all right?”

But no one came closer to check on me.

Why?

Because they were afraid of him getting angry.

Otto de Scuderia was a man of such trashy personality that the word tyrant doesn’t even begin to describe him.

If anyone offended him, he’d beat them to a pulp.

Once he gets a slightest bit angry, he’ll crack his whip.

On top of that, once or twice a month, I’d end up seeing blood.

For example… A gardener gets stung by a bee while walking in the garden, so he puts him in a box full of bees and has him stung to death.

Or cutting off both wrists of a barber who made a mistake while giving him a shave.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Otto’s list of depravity and misdeeds were so numerous, that it would be painful to mention them all.

So much so that even those closest to him are forced to avoid him while keeping an eye on him.

Are you happy just by looking at it?

How karma builds up as you commit evil deeds.

There were many people in the estate who held a grudge against this character.

That being said….

‘There are enemies everywhere. Let’s stay alert.’

I struggled to keep my spirits up.

Even if it’s not because of the <Wretched Bastard> curse, this character is like a candle in front of the wind.

Not knowing when, where, how, or by whom he will be stabbed….

“Uh… my lord.”

One of the knights asked cautiously.

“Are you all right, are you injured anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Yes…?”

“Thank you for your concern.”

The moment.

“He-heehhh?!”

The knight who had asked if I was okay looked at me as if he had seen a ghost.

The other’s reactions were no different.

“That’s not the reaction I was expecting.”

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

What a trashy life Otto had led.

“M-My lord.”

The knight asked again.

“Shall I find the man who installed the chandelier and behead him, or cut off the limbs of the janitor who cleaned the ceiling….?”

“You don’t have to do that. Don’t ever do that. Ever.”

“Yes? Then how would….”

“You don’t have to punish anyone, it’s not a big of a deal… let’s just move on, I need to… rest.”

I rummaged through my memories and moved toward Otto’s bedroom.

‘Let’s calm down and think this through.’

I desperately needed some alone time right now.

* * *

Soon after his lordship, Otto, left the room.

“He’s not angry…?”

“Thank you? Did you think that that person could say something like that?”

“Shouldn’t he be yelling and fucking around?”

They were confused by the sudden change in their lord’s demeanor.

“Hush. Watch your mouth.”

The knight who had questioned Otto with the bayonet warned them.

“You don’t know when the lord’s anger will break out, so watch your mouths. Have you forgotten, if you’re unlucky, your head will be blown off?”

Their mouths clamped shut like startled clams.

Even the devil can get away with it for a day or so.

Yeah, for a day….

* * *

A few days passed.

I got out of bed and looked in the mirror.

The gamer Kim Do-jin was nowhere to be seen.

A blonde, handsome man.

There was only Otto de Scuderia, one of the 100 lords in the game <Territory War>.

‘Let’s get used to it. It’s no big deal.’

In desperation, I decided to just accept the situation as it was.

Was I adapting too quickly?

Yeah, it’s too short a time to accept this unbelievable situation.

But I don’t have time for this.

I’ve played Otto more times than I can count, and I’m a master craftsman who has finally found an optimized build.

I knew all too well that my future was not bright.

‘Public opinion is vicious, finances are on the verge of bankruptcy. I can’t trust anyone. There are more than a truckload of people who have a grudge against me. I need to keep my head on straight.’

I didn’t clear this game with Otto for no reason.

I straightened my clothes and took a deep breath.

‘I just need to do what I’ve been doing. Researching, and unlocking the builds that I’ve optimized.’

I calmly organized my thoughts.

What to do first.

‘I should definitely ignore leveling up.’

The concept of leveling up is something that works for other characters, but not for Otto.

How can I even level up with a level of -99?

Realistically, the idea of leveling up to do something is the wrong approach for Otto.

Otto doesn’t need to level up at all until a certain point in time.

‘Let’s start with the people.’

Otto’s early game is all about appeasing the people and removing the seeds of rebellion.

The Lota manor is a ticking time bomb.

There’s no telling when the disgruntled vassals and the people would revolt.

Even the smallest, most insignificant mistake could lead to an immediate rebellion.

And what if there is a rebellion?

The end.

I’ll be captured, guillotined by the angry rebels.

And my decapitated head will be hung over the gates.

To avoid that, my first priority is to appease the angry populace.

‘Is it time for the meeting?’

Every morning in Lota Manor, a meeting is held with the lord presiding.

Of course, this character hasn’t attended a meeting in years, but…

‘Let’s go.’

I quickly left the bedroom.

“My lord…?”

The guards who had been standing guard in front of the bedroom caught up in surprise.

* * *

“The lordship is coming.”

The servant announced Otto’s entrance.

“What did you say just now?”

“I must’ve not been awake yet.”

The servants before him frowned at the tone of the chamberlain’s voice, as if to say, what the hell?

The last time the lord had attended a meeting was three years ago.

It was hard to believe that such a person would show up to a meeting so early in the morning.

And yet, it had happened!

“What the….”

“Your lordship… attended a meeting? A morning meeting?”

My servants doubted my eyes.

To think that that a human who was unlikely to attend a meeting until the day that his territory was destroyed would show up this early in the morning….

“…Some kind of wind blew this time.”

The young knight, Camille, narrowed his eyes, obviously unnerved by Otto’s appearance.

“What’s on the agenda today?”

Otto spoke up from his throne.

‘This is crazy. What the hell is he doing this early in the morning?’

‘What’s wrong with him? I’ve been told that he has locked up in his bedroom for days and won’t budge.’

The servants are puzzled.

“Why are you asking that out of the blue?”

Camille asked Otto.

“The lord is curious about the agenda for the meeting, do you need a reason?”

“That’s….”

Camille’s emotions fluttered as he tried to plead her case.

Otto saw right through him and smiled bitterly.

‘Now you want to yell at me for wondering, but what’s the point?’

Camille had every right to say that.

He was originally an orphan from a commoner, who had been raised to the rank of knight by the grace of the previous lord.

Today, he practically ruled Lota on behalf of his lord.

Even so, he was pushed to his limits.

‘He’s the only one that I can trust. But when he turns into an enemy… he’s the most terrifying character you’ll ever see.’

If the public sentiment of the territory declines further, the impatient Camille will cut down the lord himself, Otto, and commit suicide.

Killing the lord to whom he has sworn allegiance is the worst thing a knight can do…..

“Just go ahead. I’ll just watch.”

“…Yes.”

The uncomfortable meeting began.

“A starvation-weary couple hangs themselves along with their daughter….”

“Monster outbreaks in the western region has become more frequent. One of the outlying outposts was attacked during the night, leaving four soldiers dead….”

“The movements of the Sorun estate have been disturbing. Frequent military exercises have been detected in the area close to our territory.”

The situation was dire.

‘This is really bad.’

The current situation at the Lota estate was exactly as Otto had expected.

“These are the situations.”

Cammile looked back at Otto and said.

Look, this is what your estate looks like.

As if to say…

“First.”

Otto opened his mouth.

“Release the stockpile of food and distribute it to the starving villagers.”

The moment.