Reborn As The Villain In A Game-Like World-Chapter 15: Manipulating Words and Magic

Jack spread out his Psychokinesis onto the floorboards and the door. With only a C+ grade, he had to lie back into the chair and try to relax to increase his mana regeneration with his [Lazy] trait.

’If I can inflict a wound on the assassin, I can corrupt their mana flow with Blood Magic for a few minutes... That should bring down their fighting potential, but how can I get the jump on an assassin? Worst case, I blast them away with Pyrokinesis and pray to the gods that they don’t have any protection against fire attacks... god, that’s going to hurt so much.’

Jack’s eyes snapped open as he felt some weight pressing on the floorboards. The person crouched down slightly and pressed their head against the door.

’They reached this room so quickly? From their weight, they seem to be rather small or slim... likely to be a woman or maybe a smaller race. I can’t smell any of Melinda’s blood, so they likely didn’t kill her, confirming my worst fear. I’m their target.’

After the assassin didn’t break down the door, Jack came up with a good idea.

’Since they already know I’m here, why don’t I pretend I was expecting them? Not like I can get the jump on an assassin anyway.’

Using his D-grade telepathy, Jack made contact with the assassin. ’Welcome, little spy.’

A second later, he felt the assassin’s mana start to attack the floorboards, but his own mana intercepted and seemed to overcome her spell. They tried to escape with Space Magic through the floor.

’Maybe they came here for information instead of assassination?’

Seeing that the assassin couldn’t escape easily and didn’t seem to be hostile, Jack used Psychokinesis to open the door with more force than he had intended.

Beyond the door was a small woman. She was wearing a black cloak that tried to hide her silver hair and pointed ears, but he saw past that.

’What is an elf doing here?’

A primal urge surged through Jack to bite the woman’s neck. If Melinda’s blood smelled like a delectable roast dinner, this woman’s smelled sweet like vanilla. He wanted a taste.

Jack frowned as he fought off the urge with great difficulty and tried to identify the woman.

’Silver hair and being an elf meant she was part of the Silvermoon Clan. She is also too short to be Princess Emilia or Queen Kaylessa. Maybe she is one of their secret agents.’

’I remember doing a play-through as Princess Emilia. There was this one mission near the start given by a woman that looks similar called Imryll... but that Imryll looked to be about twenty years old. This girl seems a bit younger... maybe eighteen. Oh, wait, the official storyline still hasn’t started yet! It’s very likely she is a younger Imryll!’

Using telepathy again, Jack hedged his bets on the elven woman.

’Oh, Imryll, what a pleasant surprise. Does Princess Emilia need something from me?’

The elven woman’s face contorted in a strange fashion, and she suddenly moved toward Jack like a phantom.

’Wh—wha—’

Her hand flashed, and a black blade appeared from within the folds of her cloak. Before Jack could even react, the assassin had closed the gap, and her blade was inches away from his neck. Jack was so petrified with fear that he couldn’t move a muscle. All he could do was stare past the dagger at Imryll. He tried to activate his mana, but he couldn’t picture the spell in his mind’s eye. The world slowed to a crawl as the dagger inched ever closer.

’So, this is why being a psychic mage is a terrible idea. Despite all my talent toward it, I can’t concentrate when my life is in danger. It feels like trying to answer trivia questions while having a gun pointed at your head. Kinda muddles up your concentration, believe it or not.’

The black blade slammed into his neck with surprising force, causing Jack’s head to rock to the side, but instead of a decapitated head and a fountain of blood, the black blade shattered like glass, much to the shock of the elven woman. Jack, however, wasn’t shocked about the outcome.

’Now, if that blade had been coated in silver, I would be dead right now. Luckily, this is just a standard iron dagger, nothing that can threaten a vampire.’

Jack let out an amused snort as he reached up and brushed the shards of metal off his suit. He continued to maintain a calm demeanour as he took his time to straighten the wrinkles in his suit and reassume his posture. His nonchalant attitude seemed to disturb the woman, and she just stood there, confused about how to continue.

However, in his mind, he was anything but calm. There was an intense buzzing at the back of his head as his vampire instincts to retaliate with unrestrained violence tried to take over. It took everything he had to barely suppress the rage. He could still hear it calling out to him from the back of his mind, and his blood was practically boiling. But few situations required the use of such violence. While Imryll had just tried to kill him, she didn’t pose a threat to him—so long as she didn’t possess any silver weapons.

Jack flicked his finger, slamming the door behind her closed. Imryll jolted from the noise, fear in her eyes. She looked between the closed door and him before saying, "So..."

"Please, take a seat, Miss Imryll," Jack said while bringing a chair from the corner of the room with Psychokinesis, forcefully placing it under her, and making her fall back into it with some force.

"How do you know my name?" she demanded in a tone she had no right using.

"Miss Imryll, how about we play a little game?" Jack said, ignoring her demands.

"A game?"

Jack picked up his glass again and took a long sip as he kept suppressing his vampiric rage. "Yes, a game. I will answer one of your questions if you answer one of mine. This will continue until we are both satisfied."

Imryll didn’t even blink and quickly agreed.

’She obviously plans to lie.’

Jack leaned back in his chair and swirled around the cheap wine while thinking what to ask first.

’In truth, this "game" and all my over-the-top actions were to buy me some time to make sense of the situation. I already know who she is, and I can guess why she is here... Why don’t I confuse her instead?’

"Considering you have arrived at my doorstep, then I assume Queen Kaylessa has decided to agree to my plans?" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Imryll made the most confused face Jack had ever seen. "What plan?" she said cautiously after a moment of thought.

"Is that your question?" Jack asked in a mocking tone, taking another sip of wine.

"No... erm." Imryll became flustered and confused.

’Not that I can blame her. She is playing a game with a time traveller. She works for the princess, not the queen, so she will have no way to verify my words.’

"It would be rather inconvenient to pry any further into our plans. They are top secret and above the pay grade of a little spy like you. Even if you asked the queen, she would feign ignorance."

Imryll considered Jack’s words for a moment and just slowly nodded with a sad look. "To answer your question, I have not come due to the queen’s orders," she replied. "Considering you are in a working relationship with the queen, I won’t participate in this game of questions. I would only be betraying the princess."

’Oh, no. I need to get into the princess’s good books, even if they think I’m working for the queen.’

"Very well, it was only a silly little game. Oh, before you go, Imryll, let me give you something."

She seemed very hesitant and a little scared, but she waited.

Using Psychokinesis, Jack floated over a piece of parchment and an ink-dipped quill. Activating one of his newest skills, Automatic Writing, he quickly wrote down some runes and diagrams, all in front of Imryll’s face. He didn’t even glance at it. Even though his mind was straining, his [Noble Aura] refused to let him show that he was putting in any effort.

Imryll’s hesitation slowly changed to one of interest and finally one of shock.

"Are... these... Lune Runes?!" She carefully held the parchment like it was some kind of national treasure and looked at Jack with wide eyes.

"Indeed, they are my gift to your princess. Send her my regards," Jack said while trying to wave the woman away.

"This is a problem..." she said with worry.

"How so?"

"There is no way I can make it back to the princess safely while carrying this. All of Prince August’s agents that I passed on my way here will kill me on sight and try to steal it."

At that moment, the door swung open, and Melinda walked in with a tray of tea, almost scaring the poor elven woman to death.

"I brought the tea, Master. Is this the guest?" Melinda appraised the woman and set the tray of tea on a small table.

Jack let out a long and tired sigh. "All right, Miss Imryll, please stay here for the time being. I will send Melinda to the city tomorrow with a message for the princess to come and retrieve you."

Imryll gave a deep bow. "I thank the lord for his hospitality. This humble servant of the princess is named Imryll Rosethorn."

Jack waved his hand for her to sit down and put his wine glass to his lips. "Just Sir Jack is fine for me."