Chapter 107 – Laplace ④

Eight hours remain of the 《Pseudo-Peace》.

I have left the fine adjustments of the Domain to Yataro, and he’s checking the abilities of my subordinates. I have granted a rest and a luxurious feast to the invasion teams under Rina, in recognition of their great service to my cause.

What I ought to do is consider my future strategies.

Having said that, there’s been no major shift in my general tactics and plans. Since my current plan is to gain control of all the Domains in the northern territory ― the Noto Peninsula, there’s no particular need to spend time worrying about it.

But there is one thing I need to gather more information about at all costs…

“Kanon!” (Shion)

“Yeees.” (Kanon)

Once I call for Kanon, she sits down on my shoulder as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Find out whether there are any Dwarf Demon Kings…ideally specialized in Alchemy, in the vicinity.” (Shion)

“It’s related to your previous conversation with Yataro-san, isn’t it?” (Kanon)

“That’s right.” (Shion)

According to Yataro, dwarves seem to be capable of strengthening and creating items. Hence, if it’s a Dwarf Demon King, it’s highly possible that they will be able to alchemize items, even as subordinates. If I can save on CP and obtain higher quality gear than what I can create myself, I definitely want one as subordinate.

“Shion-san?” (Kanon)

“What is it?” (Shion)

“Is it okay for me to use the humans you made into bloodkin to gather information too?” (Kanon)

“That bunch of farmers?” (Shion)

“Yes. Goblins and such are bad at using electronic devices…” (Kanon)

“I don’t care in particular, but…contact me before they touch a smartphone.” (Shion)

“Okaaay.” (Kanon)

The humans, which I turned into subordinates and bloodkin, and the former Demon Kings, who I turned into subordinates through 《Surrender》 like Kanon and Yataro, can’t defy my orders, and even their lives are under my full control, but…they have free will. Giving them things like smartphones, that allow them to contact the outside world, is still risky. It’s necessary to take steps to prevent them from passing on information to humanity, or unknowingly disclosing their identities through SNS, in advance.

When Kanon contacts me to say she is preparing to distribute smartphones to the humans, I give them an order.

――You’re absolutely forbidden to use these smartphones for anything outside of what Kanon tells you to do!

With this, they won’t be able to use the smartphone for anything but looking things up.

It’s really nothing but trouble when I turn humans into subordinates… between convincing them to become bloodkin in the first place, and how hard they are to manage, they’re a real hassle.

Now that I’ve given Kanon her instructions, I decide to spend my free time on 『Laplace』.

I log on to 『Laplace』.

The information available after becoming a 『Silver』 member has more than doubled compared to a 『Bronze』 member.

For example, I have access to a list of the subordinates that can be created by other species. Once I select the 『Vampire』 entry as a test, even 『Dhampir』, which I became able to create at B rank, are listed. 『Dragon』 and 『Fallen Angel』 have both a message stating, 『We’re waiting for information』. As usual, those two are wrapped in mystery. In addition, it has a sorted list of all kinds of items that can be created up to Alchemy B, and it also mentions the necessary BP to raise the rank of a stat.

What does that do to the meaning of Kanon’s ― Knowledge-specialized build’s existence…?

If I were Kanon, I would cry, and curse the administrator who created 『Laplace』, I think.

――?

Inadvertently, I look a second time at the necessary BP to rank up a stat from B to A, which caught my attention.

『

Necessary BP for a Rank Up:

E → D: 2

D → C: 5

C → B: 10

B → A: 30

』

According to Kanon, you need 50 BP to rank up from B to A, no?

I call Kanon’s smartphone.

『Yeees. How can I help youuu?』

“What’s the BP required to rank up a stat from B to A?” (Shion)

『It’s 50.』

“You’re absolutely sure?” (Shion)

『Yes. It’s information I gained after raising Knowledge to B.』

I finish the call with Kanon.

There’s a discrepancy between the information listed by 『Laplace』 and the information gained through Kanon. I wonder, which of them is correct? …Kanon, right?

I have full control over Kanon’s fate. My failure is directly linked to a danger for Kanon’s life.

There’s false information listed on 『Laplace』…? The credibility of 『Laplace』 has gone down the drain in one go.

I carefully scrutinize the information mentioned on 『Laplace』.

『The information of this site has been provided by its members. We won’t bear any responsibility for its authenticity. We’d like to ask members who have discovered incorrect information to fill out the comment field located at the end of the page listing said information. It will be corrected after a check by the administrator.』

In addition…

『Members, who intentionally provide incorrect information, or submit information in an attempt to look down upon others, will have their accounts blocked. Above-mentioned will be closely investigated after the report of another member. In case the conditions mentioned above apply, please send a message to the administrator. Moreover, a false report will likewise result in an account block.』

The administrator has a really nasty character…

The members, if they notice the mistake about the necessary BP to raise a stat from B to A, are required to write their reasoning in a comment field which can be accessed by everyone. Or they have to report to the administrator.

I know that the information about the required BP is wrong. However, would I write that in a comment field that can be accessed by everyone? No, I wouldn’t. There’s no need to deliberately tell my enemies what’s correct. Likewise, it’s unthinkable for me to send a message to the administrator.

What will happen to Demon Kings who have assigned 30 BP and haven’t reached A?

They will likely throw a fit. However, they wouldn’t report, “This information is wrong!”, right? I would hope that other Demon Kings make the same mistake, instead. Being the only one deceived is upsetting after all.

The nastiest part of 『Laplace』 is that it only includes 5% false information with 95% being correct. It’s difficult to find the wrong information, and since a lot of it is true, it will be a helpful site in the eyes of a Demon King with Knowledge below B.

It’s necessary to have Kanon closely investigate the information on 『Laplace』 later on, I guess.

I stop browsing the site once I find wrong information mixed in. And then I take a peek at the main reason why I joined 『Laplace』 ― the forum.

◆

There are really a lot of threads…I heard about there being more than 100 from Yataro, but if you add the older threads, it easily exceeds 100.

The threads with the highest post counts are: 『Comprehensive Demon King Information Thread part276』, the thread about different species, 『Comprehensive Demon King (Vampire) Information Thread part13』, the threads split by the number of domains: 『Upper Class Demon King Lounge part1』, 『Middle Class Demon King Lounge part3』, and 『【Our Battle Begins】 Lower Class Demon King Lounge part67 【From Now On】』, Yataro’s recommendation, 『Random Creations part42 【Drop Rate】』, and eccentric threads such as 『Love Fairies Thread』 or 『It’s okay to marry your subordinate, right?』. Various kinds of threads have been started without any apparent order.

Once I check the Points of Note, it states that you can post on the forum as you like. However, it’s been forbidden to post hints identifying yourself or other parties.

Posts that hint at specifics are prohibited…? Is it a measure to prevent Demon Kings from conspiring with one another?

I have no time to look through all the threads.

I choose a thread with many participants and browse it.

Chapter 108 – Laplace ⑤

Comprehensive Demon King Information Thread part276

1　Nameless Demon King　ID：0132

■ Previous Thread

Comprehensive Demon King Information Thread part275

【Rules】

Next Thread >> 900

Trolling is not allowed and will be immediately reported to the administrator.

Revealing another party’s background or exposing your own background leads to an account ban. Let’s be careful about that.

2　Nameless Demon King　ID：0078

>>1 Thx

3　Nameless Demon King　ID：0183

I am, Demon King! Splendid 2GET¹

4　Nameless Demon King　ID：0069

>>3　Drop to hell

>>1　Thx

5　Nameless Demon King　ID：00171

About the matter of humans being useless after having turned them into kin.

6　Nameless Demon King　ID：00103

>>5　Troublesome as enemies, even more troublesome as allies. That’s humans for you.

7　Nameless Demon King　ID：0098

Wut? My main fighter is a former hero, though?

8　Nameless Demon King　ID：00132

>>7 Heroes that changed sides to a Demon King rofl

9　Nameless Demon King　ID：00201

The definition of a hero…

10　Nameless Demon King　ID：0132

BraveHas the intention Personto change sides to a demon king

11．Nameless Demon King　ID：0128

>>7 What’s the level of the hero?

12．Nameless Demon King　ID：0078

>>11 That’d be leaking specific information, aight? lmao

Even afterwards they keep talking about turning humans into bloodkin.

382　Nameless Demon King　ID：0137

The strongest force of the humans is the JSDF?

383　Nameless Demon King　ID：0382

>>382 The JSDF depends on the region, no? The JSDF in Yokohama and Hokkaido seems to be really bad news

384　Nameless Demon King　ID：0293

I wonder whether it’s just my home town, but students are dangerous as well, no?

385　Nameless Demon King　ID：0243

>>384　Where’s your home town? Keep the information at a level so that your account won’t be banned

386　Nameless Demon King　ID：0293

>>385 Kansai, in the Kinki region

387　Nameless Demon King　ID：0302

>>386 If it’s Kansai, Kinki…893 is dangerous as well, right? They’re tough cause they cooperate pointlessly with each other.

388　Nameless Demon King　ID：0019

My hometown’s strongest human is an elementary schooler

389　Nameless Demon King　ID：0154

This message has been deleted according to the rules.

390　Nameless Demon King　ID：0132

It’s an account ban if you reveal a specific place’s name

Post after reading at least 1

391　Nameless Demon King　ID：0412

>>390　Account ban in one go if you write the name of a specific place?

392　Nameless Demon King　ID：0132

Oh? An ID in the 400s. A newbie, eh?

If you mention the prefecture, it’ll be immediately deleted. If too much of your posts get deleted, your account will be banned.

If you go as far as writing the name of a town or street, you’ll be banned immediately. Be careful, newbie.

393　Nameless Demon King　ID：0027

Be careful, newbie rofl

There it is! A Demon King talking big in a senpai style to a newbie!

394　Nameless Demon King　ID：0027

>>392　Yooooo senpai!! lol

Afterwards the thread develops into an insult-fest.

For the time being, what I saw in this thread can be summed up with…your account will be blocked if you disclose a specific place. It seems mentioning a prefecture isn’t allowed, but a general area is okay. The ID has been simplified quite a bit, in contrast to the anonymous forums I have been frequenting up till now. Very likely you’re assigned a number in the order of when you joined 『Laplace』.

I can only browse and post on 『Laplace』 with the smartphone I’m currently using. Information manipulation through socket-puppeting, such as changing the ID while masking the IP, would be very difficult.

I decide to browse the next thread.

Comprehensive Demon King (Vampire) Information Thread part13

101　Nameless Vampire　ID：0072

Look, I wonder, is the blood of a virgin really delicious?

Normally a vampire creates bloodkin by sucking blood, right?

Why is the specification here to give them our blood…?

102　Nameless Vampire　ID：0167

>>101 Hi Hentai Vampire-san!

103　Nameless Vampire　ID：0072

Hentai? Rather, that’s the ideal form of a vampire, no?

104　Nameless Vampire　ID：0211

>>101 You never sucked it?

105　Nameless Vampire　ID：0072

>>104 Of course I have!

106　Nameless Vampire　ID：0211

What about having sucked a male dhampir?

107　Nameless Vampire　ID：0072

Everyday, but what about it?

108　Nameless Vampire　ID：0167

You’re a pervert after all, aren’t you?

109　Nameless Vampire　ID：0211

A dhampir is a being that had been created…a newborn being

In short…the rest is obvious even without me spelling it out for you, no?

110　Nameless Vampire　ID：0072

>>109 You’re a god, aren’t you!? Thanks, thank you so much…

From now on I will survive by sucking Momo’s blood everyday.

111　Nameless Vampire　ID：0167

You’re definitely a pervert, aren’t you…?

I couldn’t obtain any beneficial information from this thread.

Afterwards I go through 『Upper Class Demon King Lounges part1』, 『Middle Class Demon King Lounge part3』, and 『【Our Battle Begins】 Lower Class Demon King Lounge part67 【From Now On】』.

Going by the categorization of these threads, upper class Demon King are those with more than 50 sectors, middle class Demon Kings are those ranging from 10 to 49 sectors, and Demon Kings ruling less than 5 sectors are classified as lower class.

That means, I’m an upper class Demon King, huh?

How many Demon Kings possess the qualification to be called upper class Demon Kings? More than 50 domains, can’t you identify a Demon King with that information alone?

Upper Class Demon King Lounge part1

1　Nameless Senior Demon King　ID：0007

Only Demon Kings with more than 50 domains can browse and post in this thread.

Demon Kings not meeting that condition are asked to leave at once.

We are the chosen Demon Kings. Once more, let’s be careful about statements that reveal any specifics about yourself.

I’m looking forward to a discussion befitting upper class Demon Kings.

2　Nameless Senior Demon King　ID：0007

Are there any upper class Demon Kings besides myself?

3　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0109

>>2　There ain’t no Demon Kings who can clear such a harsh condition!

Don’t start any pointless threads!

4　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0007

>>3　Oh dear? You’re saying you don’t fulfill the condition of being upper class?

Are you so dumb that you can’t even read 1?

According to my investigations, there are more than 20 Demon Kings fulfilling the condition to be called upper class in this country.

5　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0109

Even if there’s 20 of them for argument’s sake, it ain’t like all of ’em are participating in Lapalce!

6　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0007

In that case, you must be a lower class Demon King? Hurry up and scurry back into your hive.

7　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0055

No kidding. >>5 go back to your lower class Demon King thread at once, got it?

8　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0007

>>7 Oh? You are?

9　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0055

>>1 Thx for starting the thread.

I’m a Demon King meeting the condition in 1. Best regards.

10　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0013

Now that 2 people have gathered, I’m going to join as well.

Afterwards one upper class Demon King after the other shows up.

78　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0007

Come to think of it, which of the bonuses, you received in celebration for having hit 50 domains, did you choose?

I chose the sword. I worried whether I should go with the spear, but in the end swords are the royal road, right?

79　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0209

I went with the spear.

80　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0192

Bow for me.

Next they continued writing down weapon kinds.

128　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0007

ID209, 192, 87, 54, 183, 291, 305, 243, 137, 90, 161, 220, 299, 38, 177, 329, 193, 309, 238 are no upper class Demon Kings.

For the time being, I have reported you guys to the administrator.

Please don’t visit this thread anymore till doomsday.

He lured the impostors with fake information, huh?

ID0007 seems to be clever. Even afterwards he continued to uncover impostors by posting things that included truths and lies. In the end the number of Demon Kings remaining in the Upper Class Demon King Lounge had been dwindled down to eight.

192　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0013

The number of participants in the thread isn’t growing, is it?

193　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0055

The condition is harsh, after all

194　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0115

How many Demon Kings in the country actually possess the qualification?

195　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0159

Going by my research, it’s 37.

196　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0031

If it’s a research by Ikoku-san, it has some credibility.

197　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0077

So 8 of 37 have gathered here, eh?

198　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0007

It’s 21% of the whole. I’d like the administration to put a little bit more effort into scouting.

199　Nameless Upper Class Demon King　ID：0027

Even just 21% are very good, no?

Probably because there are only a few Demon Kings posting in the Upper Class Demon King Lounge, everyone is acting like acquaintances.

Now then, what am I going to do? Should I participate in this thread as well?

Participating or just viewing, I need to consider the merits and demerits of either.

If all the Demon Kings participating in this thread…are really ruling over more than 50 domains, the merits are numerous? The demerit is…the bother of getting along with them?

I resolve myself, and start posting on the forum.

Translation Notes: