Chapter 94: The King In Yellow's Scripts
With the interviews finished and each of the recruits sorted in my mental hierarchy, I leaned back in my chair, letting out a small sigh of satisfaction.
I now had a diverse individual under my guidance and chain of commands—each with their own potential uses. Their integration into the bastion would take time, but the foundation was laid.
Just as I started thinking about the next steps, a playful voice drifted through the door. "Need something, darling?"
Right, I told Kuzunoha to face me in the office after the interviewing session was finished.
I didn't even have to look to know she had slipped into my office with her usual flair, as her crimson gaze locked onto me with a mischievous glint.
"I need paper, Kuzunoha," I said, not missing a beat. "An abundance of it."
Kuzunoha raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into an amused smile. "Paper? Really? Of all the things I could withdraw from my arcane storage, out of all the Theotechs and record-breaking discovery of an object, and you want something as mundane as paper?"
At first I thought that paper was a luxury commodity in this world, since its inhabitants were still running around and fighting horror with sword and musket, albeit a magical one.
As such, I thought that Kuzunoha would have a sizable number of them since she was attracted to exotic things like it was in her survival instinct. I didn't expect that she would think so little about the amazing utility of a paper.
"Yes, paper," I repeated, though I couldn't help but let a small smile tug at my lips. "I need to write guides, assign tasks, and... bind the new recruits to their duties."
Kuzunoha stepped forward, her black gothic lolita dress swirling around her ankles as she reached into the air. With a flick of her wrist, a stack of pristine white paper appeared on the desk before me.
"As you wish, oh great leader," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Anything else? A magical pen? Some enchanted ink? Perhaps a binding spell for those lovely books you plan to write?
"I could even try to imbue the thing you write with arcane influence, making its reader to be compelled to adhere the command written by the author~"
I met her gaze, my smile turning sharper. "Actually, yes. I want to write a special chant. One that serves as a psychological binding."
Kuzunoha's eyes gleamed with interest. "Oh, darling, you do know how to keep things interesting. Psychological binding, you say? How delightfully sinister." She let out a low chuckle, clearly pleased. "I'll make sure the chant is appropriately compelling."
"No need, I will be the one who writes them. You just need to craft the enhancement."
As she worked on the enchantment, I busied myself with writing the first few guides.
It was crucial that these recruits knew their roles, understood our goals, and saw what they could achieve in the future under my leadership. I detailed the responsibilities each of them would take on, the expectations I had, and the rewards that would come with loyalty.
It was really convenient that Carcosa was also using the alphabet system.
And also that everyone I recruited were literate.
As much as I want to personally indoctrinate and guide each of them at this stage, I want to give myself as much free time as possible. At this point of time, the mind of Narcissus appeared to be a little bit unstable, and that instability might lead to the end of everyone under my reign.
Work smarter, not harder!
It didn't take long to write eight personalized bibles for all of the new recruits. While I was revising the work and seeing if there was any potential for improvement, Kuzunoha suggested an arcane spell that allowed me to bind my soul to these books of guidance.
When binded, I could change content as much as I pleased. Keeping the connection would slowly weigh the mind, but I found the offer of the long-range mental-projection editing to be too good to not be taken. .net
That arcane spell was also in the same category as the spell she used to instantly write the contract that she was about to hand out.
"I'm sad that you didn't mention this spell far earlier."
"I love watching your lightning-speed handwriting~"
By the time I finished, Kuzunoha had completed her part, leaving the papers subtly imbued with the chant's essence and all sort of arcane influence. She also helped me make the books much more pleasing to look at.
[The King In Yellow's Script (Arcane 100%) - 1.5 kg: A personalized bible of an extraordinary artifact that merges mundane scripture with subtle, yet powerful, arcane influence. Bound in rich, black leather that seems to absorb ambient light, the book emanates a faint aura, its pages slightly glowing under certain conditions.
Each volume is meticulously tailored to its recipient, embedding unique instructions and insights aimed at fostering unwavering loyalty. As such, the content may vary between its owners.
Crafted with an almost divine attention to detail, the paper inside is weightless and smooth, while the ink never fades, despite the passage of time. However, the true power lies in the arcane enhancements woven into the very fabric of the book. Each page contains a silent, ever-present chant, crafted by the author, which instills a psychological bond between the reader and the words within.
The deeper one reads, the stronger the connection becomes, subtly influencing the mind to align with the author's commands and ideals]
Huh??
Why does the world's system name it as script??
Not to mention, wasn't the King In Yellow happen to be that one culturally referenced book of short stories by American writer Robert W. Chambers? Or so, what the internet said.
"You look bewildered," Kuzunoha commented.
"... Did you happen to put in an extra arcane enhancement without me knowing?"
Kuzunoha tilted her head slightly, a glimmer of amusement flickering in the void where her face should have been. "Oh, darling, I don't need to meddle with arcane enhancements to keep you on your toes," she replied, her voice a smooth blend of mockery and confidence. "Your confusion is purely a product of my superior presence in this disarray of a realm~"
Right, a sarcastic Kuzunoha is an honest Kuzunoha.