I Became an Illegal Cheat User

124 – Theme: Roleplay (3)

‘When I saw her in the dormitory, I could only think she was pretty.’

Seeing her like this now, she is indeed a beautiful figure.

There was a reason the item description of the battle maid mentioned, “The creator’s personal feelings are heavily involved.”

‘Well, I was busy settling rewards back then.’

Even if I recognized her beauty, I probably didn’t think deeply about it.

And at the end of the reward settlement, the fire that occurred when I obtained the Levatein.

That intense moment when the room was completely burned made me forget about the battle maid item.

‘If Terra hadn’t suggested it, I would have forgotten until I carefully checked the inventory.’

Muttering that to myself, I quietly observed Terra’s actions.

Blinking.

Terra was still blinking as she looked at me.

At the same time, she was repeatedly opening and closing her hands.

It seemed she was checking the acquired control authority.

After a brief moment passed.

“Master.”

As if she had finished checking the control authority, Terra stood up from her chair.

Then, facing me, she gathered her hands together.

“Seeing your face with my own two eyes, I, Terra, am truly happy.”

She expressed her courtesy as if she were a skilled maid.

At that sight, I let out a chuckle and asked.

“When did you learn etiquette?”

“The day my master obtained this body, I studied the qualities of a maid.”

“That very day?”

“Yes, that very day.”

So it wasn’t just my imagination that Terra looked excited back then… Wait a second.

“…Terra, how did you learn?”

“I used the smart watch while you were sleeping, Master.”

“Smart watch?”

Oh, no way.

“Terra… just to check.”

That smart watch isn’t mine, right?

As I asked, Terra tilted her head.

I let out a sigh of relief at that gesture.

Ah, thank goodness.

It wasn’t mine after all.

“I used my master’s smart watch.”

“Oh.”

It was mine.

“Ah, is it because of the records? If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry. I deleted the data as soon as I searched it, so it shouldn’t be left in the academy’s database.”

“Can I trust you on that?”

I’m not going to suddenly have the kids looking at me weird one day, right?

No one is going to suddenly say, ‘Hey Yujin, I hear your maid is your type.’

“Yes, you can trust me. I’ve confirmed that no records remain in the database, so you can rest easy.”

With Terra’s assurance, I felt a huge weight lift off my chest.

My previously anxious heart settled quickly.

“Okay… I believe you. But still, next time, just tell me when you’re going to use my smart watch. Got it?”

“Yes, understood.”

Now that I had made that promise with Terra, this kind of thing shouldn’t happen again.

Thinking that, I shook off the lingering unease that had remained like a residue in my heart.

“By the way, Terra, is there really a need to upload a personality to the battle maid? Can’t you just control it like an iron golem?”

“Of course, that’s fine. But.”

Tera interrupted.

At the same time, she stepped forward with a click of her heels.

Then she reached out to me and grasped the slightly askew collar of my shirt.

“If you do that, you won’t be able to see your master’s face directly, will you?”

A small smile appeared at the corners of Tera’s lips as she adjusted the collar.

In that moment, my mind went blank.

‘…Has she always been this emotionally expressive?’

Of course, there had been signs of it before.

The messages that used to be as stiff as an AI in a chat program were gradually becoming softer.

The voice I heard when she wore the Atlas Armor had transformed from a monotonous text-to-speech tone into one filled with human emotion.

But the change hadn’t been that significant. It hadn’t felt all that natural.

It had a strong artificial vibe, as if the AI was merely learning from what already existed.

Yet what I saw before my eyes now was different.

“Alright, all done.”

The voice I heard was anything but artificial.

“How is it, Master? Isn’t it better when I control it directly?”

A gentle smile lingered at her lips.

Her voice was playful, as if she were joking.

Everything felt natural.

There was not a hint of artificiality.

Perhaps that’s why.

The thought lingering in my mind that ‘Tera is merely a part of the system’ began to fade.

No, to be precise, it was being overshadowed by the thought, ‘At this level, she’s just like a person, isn’t she?’

‘If I feel this way, others would surely think she’s a real person too, right?’

It was a certainty.

Unless Tera revealed the truth, to others, she would simply appear as a beautiful silver-haired maid.

They wouldn’t think of her as an AI or a golem.

As if she could read my thoughts.

Tera slightly lifted the ends of her skirt.

In that noble appearance, I nodded blankly.

At the same time, I answered Terra’s question from just a moment ago.

“That’s right. It’s better for you to control the battle maid directly than to remote-control it like an iron golem.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

At my affirmation, Terra’s eyes curved softly like crescent moons.

“Thank you, Master.”

As expected.

The feelings and thoughts I had were not wrong.

The emotions I sensed from Terra right now were genuine.

The bright feelings reflected in that expression.

The satisfaction of hearing the answer I wanted.

How could those emotions be dismissed as mere fabrications of learning?

If that were the case, I would rather say it’s remarkable.

That would mean Terra’s learning ability is exceptional.

So I want to say it’s real. No, it is real.

Was she moved by my conviction?

Terra gazed at me intently.

Her clear blue eyes sparkled like a lake on a sunny day, capturing my image.

Then she said,

“That’s unfortunate.”

Suddenly, she wore a look of sadness.

As she slowly lowered the two hands neatly gathered at her navel.

And when her hands reached her lower abdomen,

“It is truly regrettable that this body lacks the devices to please you, Master.”

“……!”

She spoke of the regret over the absence of some device.

“No, what do you mean…?”

“Still, it’s a blessing in disguise. There are three ways to make you happy, Master.”

“It’s okay! You don’t have to make me happy!”

I shook my head in a hurry.

I tried to stop Terra’s actions.

But despite my efforts, it was all in vain.

“Master, would you like to try this?”

Terra pointed to her mouth with an overt gesture.

“Or this would be fine too.”

She indicated her chest.

“Or if not, with your hands….”

“Stop! Stop talking!”

“Yes, understood.”

At my desperate shout, Terra ceased her actions.

She neatly brought her hands back together, adopting the polite posture of a maid.

“Then I will inform you when I create the device later. At that time, I will delight you according to the audiovisual materials I have learned….”

“Terra….”

“I’m just joking.”

It didn’t feel like a joke.

*Sigh… I’m completely drained.*

Even though having a body has made her emotions richer, Terra’s behavior had become overwhelmingly excessive, and I let out a deep sigh.

It was all the more surprising and exhausting since this had never happened in messages before.

Whether she knew my feelings or not, she quietly gazed at me.

With proper posture, she awaited my command.

As if all the actions from just moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.

For a moment, I wondered if it had truly been a misunderstanding.

Had I grown weary from the weakening of discipline, leading to strange imaginings?

But such thoughts were fleeting, and I shook my head.

*What illusion?*

With infinite energy activated, how could I possibly feel tired?

Thus, what had just occurred was not an illusion, but a stark reality. A dizzying reality, at that.

*Sighing once more, I shook my head in disbelief.*

And when my somewhat dizzy mind had recovered, I asked Terra.

“Terra, the device… since we’re on the topic, let’s check the weapons of the battle maid. What kinds of weapons are there?”

The sudden urge to check the weapons stemmed from the fact that the item description of the battle maid included more than just the phrase “the creator’s selfish desires are fully embedded.”

“As expected from a creator who spent a lifetime making combat golems, it is filled with lethal weapons aimed at killing the opponent.”

Such a description piqued my curiosity.

In that body, the size of a person, how many weapons could be hidden within that beautiful exterior to warrant the word “filled”?

“Yes, understood.”

Terra nodded at my command.

At the same time, she relaxed her neatly gathered hands and raised both arms.

“First, I will explain the melee weapons.”

The moment Terra said that, a sharp sound echoed as the forearms (from elbow to wrist) split open, revealing blades that sprang forth.

“First is the arm blade. It is a weapon well-suited for ambush. However—”

However, as she added that, Terra glanced around.

Then she walked over to a nearby fountain made of marble and swung the blade.

Swish!

The fountain split diagonally. Then, with a thud, it fell to the ground.

“As you can see, its strength is exceptional, making it useful not only for ambush but also in direct combat.”

Terra retracted the blade and returned to me.

“This time, the weapon I will show you is this.”

Terra’s right hand grasped the index finger of her left hand. As she pulled, a clinking sound echoed, and the assembled part detached, pulling the finger out.

Following the finger, a faintly visible wire emerged.

“As you can see, there is a wire connected to the fingers of this body.”

A wire, then is it for assassination?

“Yes, that’s correct. This finger wire is optimized for assassination. So—”

Terra released her grip on the index finger.

As the finger fell downward, the connected wire flowed down smoothly. Then, Terra’s left hand seemed to tremble slightly.

Clatter.

The chair that both Terra and I had been sitting on split in half and fell to the ground.

What a waste.

Though its appearance was old, it had been remarkably sturdy.

Of course, even if I think so, I don’t feel it’s a waste.

After all, I won’t be sitting down now, and since it was used to check the weapon performance of the Battle Maid, I actually think it was well used.

“It has the sharpness to produce such a clean cross-section.”

Tera said this while waving her hand again. With a strange whirring sound, the wire retracted, and the index finger that had been detached reattached to her hand.

Just from this, it was already a sufficiently threatening sight.

However, as stated in the explanation, the amount of weaponry inherent within the Battle Maid is ‘full.’

So Tera continued to show which weapons were available, taking them out and explaining their uses.

Each time, I realized that the modifier ‘Battle’ in front of ‘Maid’ was not there for no reason.

“When someone approaches closely…”

A shotgun emerged from her elbow.

“If someone approaches from behind…”

A sharp blade appeared from her heel.

“When the distance increases…”

A pistol barrel emerged from her knuckles.

“If the situation turns dire, self-destruction…”

A mana stone that looked like a heart appeared from her chest.

Endless types of weapons popped out.

But from my perspective, aside from a few, most of the weapons seemed useless.

This is because the metal used for the Battle Maid’s body is mithril, which has high magical conductivity, and adamantium, known for its hardness.

For that reason, it wasn’t necessary to fully embed weapons in her body. Her very body could be a sufficient weapon.

“Yes, I also agree with my master’s thoughts.”

Perhaps Tera thought the same; she nodded in agreement with my suggestion that most of the weapons could be unnecessary.

“Then, when constructing the body later, I will reflect my master’s opinions.”

“Sure, if you need any materials, just let me know.”

“Yes, I will.”

Tera nodded and began to retract the weapons she had taken out.

Then she folded her hands demurely, presenting herself not as a battle machine, but as a faithful maid.

“Now that we’ve confirmed the performance of the Battle Maid, let’s go check the mansion.”

“Yes, master.”

We walked toward the mansion.

Terra followed behind me.

And when we reached the mansion.

“Master, please wait a moment.”

She stopped me as I was about to enter the mansion.

“There may be potential dangers, so I will scan the mansion first.”

Terra stood beside me.

At the same time, her blue eyes shone brightly.

And not long after.

“Scan complete.”

The light in her eyes, which had been shining brightly as if confirming the entire mansion, returned to its original state.

“Upon checking, there are no danger elements except for areas at risk of collapse due to deterioration. Additionally, a narrow hidden space has been detected in the room at the very end of the fourth floor.”

“A hidden narrow space….”

That sounds like a suspicious area.

As if there’s something important hidden there.

“Shall we check it out?”

“I suppose we should?”

It’s only polite to check a hidden space.

I nodded at Terra’s words and approached the door that looked like it could fall apart at any moment. No, I was about to approach it.

“Master, please leave it to me.”

If Terra hadn’t stopped me again.

“Are you going to go instead?”

“Yes, as long as I am using this body, there’s no need for you to handle such trivial tasks.”

“Then, well… I guess I should leave it to Terra.”

“Then, Master, I have a suggestion.”

A suggestion here?

“What kind of suggestion?”

“For your convenience, I would like to request permission to use the inventory.”

“Permission to use the inventory?”

The moment I asked that.

Ding.

[The system’s sub-core ‘Tera’ has requested permission to use the inventory. Do you accept the request? YES / NO]

A message from the system appeared in my field of vision.

For a moment, I was taken aback by the message, but then I nodded, reassured by the thought that Tera wouldn’t do anything strange with this.

[Request has been accepted.]

[‘Tera’ has acquired permission to use the inventory.]

“Thank you, Master.”

Tera bowed slightly, her posture respectful.

Then, she waved her hand in the air, opening the inventory I was familiar with.

“Tera Unit 2, at your service, Master.”

“Tera Unit 3, at your service, Master.”

“Tera Unit 4, at your service, Master.”

From within, she summoned three battle maids.

Turning to those maids, Tera commanded, “Unit 1, as the head maid, I order you to investigate the hidden space for our Master.”

“”We will carry out the head maid’s orders.””

In response to Tera’s command, the three maids bowed gracefully.

Then, with a sound like a swift kick against the floor, they vanished in an instant.

“Master, please wait a moment. The maids will soon bring you the results you desire.”

“Oh… okay.”

Is this why nobles keep servants around?

I marveled at Tera’s ability to handle the bothersome tasks in my stead.

‘I’ll have to accompany Tera more often in the future.’

Of course, that would be impossible at the academy.

There, I had no need for maids, and drawing attention from those around me would make it unwise to summon them carelessly.

So, I would only bring her out in other places or situations.

When entering this hidden world.

In places where power was required.

Or in situations where Tera was absolutely necessary.

I decided I would only summon her when one of those three conditions was met.

As I pondered this,

“Master, I have completed the spatial verification.”

Terra pulled something out of her inventory.

“This is the item that was in the hidden space.”

It was none other than an old compass.

“…But how did you bring this?”

I looked around.

Yet, the maids who had entered the mansion were nowhere to be seen.

In response to my question, Terra closed her inventory and answered.

“The second models that went inside the mansion retrieved it from the inventory.”

“…Does that mean the other bodies can also use the inventory?”

“Yes, that is correct. Although I distinguished them as the second and third models, those bodies also have my personality uploaded. Therefore, they can use the inventory.”

Oh, I see?

‘This could be incredibly useful for strategy!’

“That’s great.”

I nodded in satisfaction, thinking of various strategies that came to mind, and took the compass that Terra offered.

Then, a message similar yet different from the system appeared in my view, revealing the underlying world here.

[You have obtained the Hero’s Tracking Compass.]

[From now on, you can detect the hero’s location.]

“Oh.”

As expected.

It really was correct to check the hidden space.

&

&

&

“Hee….”

This is too much.

Seriously, this is too much.

To just leave while I went to pick some flowers.

To abandon me in a place like this.

“I hate the carriage driver…, I hate the merchant too….”

“Hey, coachman, you said you’d wait for me.

Merchant uncle, you told me to go pick flowers, and said you’d take care of my things.

“Ugh, I hate all the adults….”

Are all adults like this?

Or am I just the fool?

“But what should I do… I have to go to the capital… I need to see the king…”

I don’t even know where I am.

I don’t know where to go to find the capital the director mentioned.

“Ugh, what should I do….”

I’m scared I might go against the words of the deity.

I’m scared I won’t be able to punish the demon king who makes people suffer.

It was while I was sitting on the ground, crying for a long time.

“Ah, damn it.”

Suddenly, I heard someone’s voice in front of me.

So I looked up.

“Wow…”

A handsome older brother and a pretty older sister were looking at me.

But it’s strange.

The handsome brother is frowning.

He doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.

Could it be because of me?

Is it because I’m sitting right in the middle of the road?

“I-I’m sorry! I’ll move right away!”

Then the handsome brother suddenly slapped his forehead with his hand.

Why is he doing that…?

&

“Ah, damn it.”

Is this little kid really a hero?

Isn’t it better for this world to just perish?