Little Pink Starfish

“Master, are you really going?” Pei Sen couldn’t help but ask after returning to the manor.

Eagle nodded. “Of course. This kind of opportunity fell into my lap.”

Sweg had no interest in ruling the territory. If Eagle didn’t go, Frost Maple would likely end up back in the hands of the Red Maple family after Sweg’s death.

Eagle had always found it odd. Years ago, Lady Red Maple was known for her aggression—since the civil war in the Principality of Barst, she had been constantly annexing land. Yet she had never made a move on Lanno, which was the closest territory to Frost Maple.

“No wonder she never invaded Lanno,” Eagle said. “Maybe it was because of Sweg.”

Pei Sen wasn’t so sure. “Maybe she didn’t want to spark a war between nations. After all, Lanno is part of the Kingdom of Esmia. Expanding in that direction might’ve provoked Leiser’s wrath.”

Eagle looked at him with surprise. “Why would you think that? If a noble’s land is invaded, the king might offer some support, but Leiser wouldn’t be angry over that.”

Unless Lady Red Maple grew too greedy and swallowed too much land, threatening the entire kingdom, Leiser wouldn’t be truly angered.

Pei Sen: “…”

Oh right. He’d forgotten—the kingdoms in this world were completely different from real-world historical feudal states.

Even in medieval Europe, kings didn’t always have absolute power. Centralized authority was rare. In a feudal system like this, it was the lords who were responsible for their lands.

So rather than a unified state, the Kingdom of Esmia was more like a federation of small nations. The king was important, but not like the kind of monarch Pei Sen had in mind.

In this world, nobles held far more power than the vassals of Earth’s feudal history. Even the king couldn’t casually deal with a noble.

Take Prince Latimer, for example. Leiser had to execute him in secret—he couldn’t just order the death of a high-ranking noble.

But with that power came less responsibility. The king wasn’t expected to manage each lord’s territory.

If Eagle wanted to claim Frost Maple, sure, people from the Principality of Barst might grumble—but they weren’t going to rally to drive out a non-Barst native like him. They weren’t that passionate.

Fundamentally, people on the continent of Yalys didn’t have a strong sense of nationalism. Many commoners didn’t even know who their king was.

They only knew their lord.

“So the young master has to go. But without Sadin, our combat strength is a bit low…”

The players hadn’t had much time to level up. Even if they made progress, most of them would only be around level 30. Though, to be fair, a force of over ten thousand level-3 swordsmen was still kind of terrifying.

No nation yet had an army of that many supernaturally-powered soldiers.

Eagle smiled. “Don’t worry. Even if there’s danger, there’s nothing to fear. Besides, don’t I have the Bix clan to protect me?”

As he said this, the look in his eyes toward Pei Sen softened, his emerald-green eyes sparkling with light, making Pei Sen feel a little uneasy.

“Alright, then I’ll think of a way to strengthen the Bix clan’s combat power.”

Looks like it was time to talk with the GM again.

Was it hard to make the players stronger? Not really.

Even at level 30, the players were still crippled swordsmen—because they lacked skills. They still hadn’t cleared the Slave Trader’s Cave dungeon, and skill acquisition was scarce.

Kames had taught a few players, but he didn’t have a high opinion of the Bix clan, so only a few had learned anything from him.

In Yalys, swordmasters didn’t typically pass on skills unless they’d formally taken a student.

More importantly, Yalys didn’t favor spoon-feeding students—they encouraged independent growth and the creation of personal sword styles.

That was a death sentence for the players. They didn’t want to develop skills—they wanted to learn them.

They were here to play a game, not become swordsmanship fanatics.

Pei Sen glanced at his mage panel and sighed. He’d go talk to Ichabod tomorrow. Now that Sadin was gone and Ichabod had pledged loyalty to Eagle, Pei Sen didn’t have to sneak around to find Akin’s guards—he could just go to Ichabod directly.

He hadn’t practiced swordsmanship in a while, being too busy with other things.

Players had reached level 30, but the first-sequence players were mostly non-combat types—crafters, builders, etc. Pei Sen’s level was higher than theirs, but he was still only a level-2 swordsman, not level 3.

But even so, Pei Sen was still the most powerful, because the players’ skill panels were… truly pathetic.

Back in the original timeline, it was similar. They leveled slower, yes, because there were no high-reward, low-risk construction tasks back then.

Without Pei Sen, the Bix clan’s progression was slower. They were still adjusting to the world, and didn’t interfere with the players as much.

Only after slowly clearing dungeons like the Slave Trader’s Cave did they begin to acquire proper skills.

Pei Sen felt a bit guilty. The players’ levels were inflated, but their actual strength was lacking. Whenever something happened, they’d just mob it without tactics.

Also, Starfall Plains and Moon Tree Forest were still underdeveloped—very few players had explored them.

In the original timeline, Pei Sen hadn’t joined the game from the start. He didn’t know where the early dungeons were. The world and dungeons changed over time. By the time he joined, Lanno was very different. The Slave Trader’s Cave had become obsolete.

“If some of those low-level dungeons are in Starfall Plains or Moon Tree Forest… and no one’s found them yet, that’s probably on me.”

Still, guilty or not, it was time to talk with the GM.

“If I want to teach players skills, is that allowed? If I teach them, do I get rewards? Can I make skill books from my skills and sell them…?”

He fired off a bunch of questions at once—better than getting stuck if the GM went offline mid-convo.

Even if he had an NPC panel and could technically teach skills, Pei Sen didn’t want to do it one-by-one. That’d be exhausting. Ideally, he wanted the system to let players learn skills directly from his “NPC.”

“Can I just be set as a skill trainer or mentor?”

He was only a level-2 swordsman, but that should be enough to teach basic skills.

But if that was the case, he’d have to start practicing again. No more slacking.

“Still, the player panel is better…” Pei Sen sighed. His progress in magic was so much smoother compared to swordsmanship—it was night and day.

But to Pei Sen’s disappointment, the GM didn’t respond like last time. Not even a short answer.

“Dead again?” This game’s GM seemed to be offline most of the time.

With a sigh, Pei Sen opened his NPC panel—only to find a new line under his name alongside [Faction Merchant]:

[Skill Mentor]

Pei Sen: “…”

So the GM was online. Just too lazy to talk to him?

Fine, no words necessary—as long as things got done.

After all, he was a semi-official “chosen one” of the system. Getting ignored a little was tolerable.

Then he checked his teachable skills—just four pitiful ones:

• Block
• Thrust
• Quick Thrust
• Crescent Slash

He was only a level-2 swordsman, and didn’t have the player skill panel. Still, mastering these few sword techniques in such a short time was impressive.

Most players only had their starting skill, Slash—even though they were sword-wielders, that was all the system had given them.

No wonder they kept shouting “Should we slash?” during encounters.

They weren’t using knives, but swords—and still only “slashing.” Classic.

“Still not enough. I need to ask the manor’s swordsmen for more pointers in the coming days.”

There were no shortcuts for Pei Sen to learn swordsmanship. Like the natives, he had to learn through real combat.

Fortunately, even though Pei Sen had been a mage before transmigrating, he had rich combat experience, and was quick to adapt to this body with supernatural powers.

Normally, players couldn’t use game combat skills in reality—but Pei Sen now had a supernatural body.

“In that sense, I have an advantage. Even in swordsmanship, I’m stronger than the natives.”

Thanks to the experience and contribution points players earned from daily tasks, Pei Sen had reached level 37.

Whenever he posted tasks or sold faction items, the system rewarded him. That’s how he kept leveling up even while staying at the manor with Eagle.

At level 37, Pei Sen had a Strength stat of 222—even Kames, who was close to becoming a level-5 swordsman, couldn’t match that.

With raw strength alone, Pei Sen could overpower all level-4 swordsmen.

No wonder Sadin had seen his strength and suggested he walk the swordsman path.

“Don’t worry too much, Pei Sen,” Eagle smiled, assuming Pei Sen was still concerned about the dangers of going to Frost Maple. “Do you think every territory has someone as strong as Sadin? High-level swordsmen and advanced mages are rare. A place like Frost Maple might have one or two—nothing close to Sadin’s level.”

Sadin wasn’t just a high-level swordsman—he could crush advanced mages. He was one step away from Sword Saint.

The Principality of Barst was a small, war-torn nation. Even the Kingdom of Esmia only had one known legendary mage and fewer than five Sword Saints.

Barst probably didn’t even have one.

The Red Maple family, after years of being suppressed by Lady Red Maple, had failed to kill even a level-3 swordsman like Lin Xing.

Eagle didn’t think highly of their supernatural forces.

Pei Sen agreed. “Still, we should prepare early.”

“Right,” Eagle said. “By the way—does the Bix clan have more people?”

Pei Sen looked at him. “What are you planning?”

“Frost Maple has a lot of territory. If I go, I’ll need time to fully control it.” His emerald eyes took on a rare, cold gleam. “I think the Casey City and Arzi Town model works well.”

Pei Sen understood. “You want to flatten the cities of Frost Maple?”

“Yes. Flatten them all—and build proper cities that belong to me.”

Destruction first, then reconstruction from the ruins.

Eagle had a kind of mental cleanliness—not extreme, but he hated anything he considered tainted.

He would accept ruling Frost Maple—but not in its current state.

“Master, the people there have suffered years of war. We might need to go slow.”

It wasn’t like Lanno. Thanks to Lady Red Maple’s ambitions, some cities in Frost Maple had been caught in war for years.

Eagle nodded. “I know. No rush. One city at a time. Some have already been destroyed—we can send the Bix clan to rebuild immediately.”

Pei Sen laughed. “Don’t worry, Master. Just give it two months… in two months, the Bix clan will exceed your imagination.”

Eagle was slightly surprised, but since Pei Sen said so, he nodded.

Whatever happened, he trusted Pei Sen unconditionally.

Pei Sen was already thinking about the upcoming public beta.

When that day came, millions of players would swarm this world like a plague of locusts.

In the original timeline, the Bix clan was eventually labeled the most evil race in history by every country on the continent.

…

Meanwhile, the current players were grinding non-stop—doing tasks, farming bricks, keeping a close eye on Lin Xing to make sure nothing happened to him.

Mary only tried once to move Lin Xing to the city lord’s manor. After being rejected, she never brought it up again.

She didn’t want to humiliate herself further.

Eventually, Lady Mary finally set aside her endless paperwork and made a visit to Golden Rose Manor.

As a former steward, she had once been deeply familiar with the manor—but when she arrived near Eagle’s quarters, she immediately sensed many changes.

There were barely any guards outside the young master’s room. Pei Sen had even moved into the room next door.

Mary had lived there briefly herself but moved out quickly once she realized Eagle was a light sleeper.

And this Pei Sen, shamelessly taking advantage of the young master’s favor…

He lived right next door. Surely Eagle heard every little noise he made—it must be disrupting his rest!

“How could they send all the servants so far away?” Mary grumbled. “There shouldn’t be no one outside the young master’s door.”

After talking to some staff, she learned that not only at night, but even during the day, no one was allowed near Eagle’s study or bedroom.

“He said it was the young master’s order?”

“Yes.”

“Hmph.” Mary sneered—she didn’t believe it at all.

“No one allowed in without permission?”

“Correct.”

Eagle had grown up surrounded by servants. What noble would willingly send their attendants away?

Only someone like Pei Sen—a commoner—would care about such things.

Nobles didn’t mind having affairs with servants. It was considered normal, not shameful.

“But even during the day?” Mary frowned deeply. “The young master may be of age now, but he’s still too young. He shouldn’t be so… unrestrained.”

If Pei Sen knew what Mary was thinking, he’d feel terribly wronged.

These natives—why were their minds so impure?

Yes, it was Eagle’s idea to send people away. He wanted to learn magic and practice divine arts—if anyone saw that, it’d be trouble.

Even though Kesso was dead and Sadin had been driven off, Eagle and Pei Sen both knew: some of the servants were still likely reporting to Burke Angre in the capital.

They weren’t hostile—unlike Jekko’s spies—but they were still spies.

So it was best not to expose Eagle’s supernatural powers.

But Mary, unaware of the truth, had completely misunderstood.

This was thanks to the fact that in this world, nobles really did have questionable morals.

It was common for them to be entangled with servants, stewards, even knights.

At that moment, Eagle was learning magic. Pei Sen was bent over, patiently explaining spell models.

Compared to Pei Sen, who had a mage panel, the natives had it much harder. Still, Eagle was smart, and progressing quickly.

Pei Sen was explaining something, while Eagle looked up at him. Pei Sen’s focused face and soft black eyes were especially captivating.

“Young master, did you understand?”

Pei Sen leaned in, and Eagle looked up. Their faces were very close.

In that moment, both of them were momentarily lost in thought.

Mary had come filled with anger. She had raised Eagle from a young age, and once held a special status.

Following etiquette, she should have knocked before entering the study—but anger clouded her judgment. Frustrated by the Bix clan and everything else, she barged in.

And saw her little master—face nearly touching that loathsome Pei Sen.

So it really was that kind of relationship!

Mary nearly fainted.

Even though she had suspected, seeing it firsthand was another matter.

And in broad daylight, no less!

Both Pei Sen and Eagle had sensed someone outside the door. But they were just slightly dazed at that moment, and assumed it was a maid. Eagle had already instructed that no one was to enter without permission, so neither of them expected Lady Mary to just barge in.

At that moment, Pei Sen hadn’t realized how their position might be misinterpreted. He simply took a step forward to shield Eagle and motioned for him to quickly put away the magic book.

“Lady Mary, what brings you here?” Pei Sen asked, a bit confused. He had always thought their relationship was fairly decent.

Mary stared at him coldly. “What, I’m not allowed to come?”

Pei Sen blinked. What was wrong with her today? Did she eat gunpowder for breakfast?

His reflexive step forward was misinterpreted by Mary as a guilty attempt to cover up what had just happened.

“I was the one who brought you into the manor, who introduced you to the young master,” Mary said heavily. “But Pei Sen, this is wrong. The young master is only fifteen years old. He’s a noble of high status. You shouldn’t be taking advantage of his youth and innocence to seduce him into depravity!”

Pei Sen: “???”

Excuse me, lady, what are you even talking about?

At that moment, Mary heard Eagle chuckle lightly. She didn’t know why, but despite always thinking she knew him well, she felt a chill run down her spine.

“Mary,” Eagle said leisurely, resting his chin on his hand, “who gave you the authority to barge into my manor and reprimand—” he paused slightly, smiled, “—my personal steward?”

Mary had a guess what word he had almost used. Probably “my man.”

This relaxed, smiling young master felt so unfamiliar. For a moment, Mary thought she was looking at someone else entirely—someone who had always terrified her.

She couldn’t believe that in just a short time, the once bratty and hot-tempered child had turned into this.

She had always known Eagle was smarter and more mature than he let on. His bad temper was often just a way to vent his helplessness.

But she hadn’t known what he was like when he stopped pretending.

If Sadin were still here, maybe he’d have something to say too.

At that moment, Eagle—though he looked nothing like Leiser—carried the same calm, terrifying aura and sharp demeanor as His Majesty Leiser.

Mary had wanted to say something, but her lips just quivered. In the end, she said nothing.

She was dazed. The once composed and capable Mary was now starting to doubt her whole worldview.

The confident Mary had taken too many blows lately.

And actually, Pei Sen was also starting to doubt life itself. He suddenly realized what Mary meant earlier.

He and Eagle were absolutely innocent—why did everyone think they were… involved?

This was getting ridiculous. No matter what, he wouldn’t do that to a fifteen-year-old.

The young master was still just a kid!

…Well, technically. Even though Eagle was unusually mature and often made people forget his age. Physically, he still had traces of youth, but didn’t look anything like a child. Especially lately… maybe it was Pei Sen’s imagination, but he seemed more and more grown-up.

Pei Sen reflected guiltily. He had indeed gotten distracted earlier because of Eagle’s gaze.

No. It wasn’t right. The young master… was too young.

Absolutely off-limits.