The night had long since surrendered to the deepest hours of the dark. Having returned from my little "excursion," I made my way toward a ruined cathedral on the outskirts of the Royal Capital. My identity remained shrouded beneath a heavy black robe and a mask, the perfect facade for a phantom of the night.
A desolate church at midnight has a certain atmosphere, doesn't it? Especially that weathered pipe organ looming in the sanctuary's furthest reaches-it lends an air of the supernatural that I just can't get enough of.
(Let's see… if I recall, it was right about… here.)
I pulled a specific Bible from the shelves lining the walls and slotted it into its hidden mechanism. The next moment, the heavy altar at the back groaned, shifting with a low, grinding rumble to reveal a stone staircase descending into the earth.
(Now this… this is a gimmick done right.)
Whoever designed this was clearly a man of culture.
(I mean, I could just use Void Crossing¹ to blink straight into the base, but…)
I'm a sucker for the classics. I went out of my way to take the official route every single time just for the sheer aesthetic of it.
My boots echoed against the stone as I descended the lightless stairs. Below lay a grand hall with soaring ceilings, filled with figures in black robes lying prostrate upon the floor. At a glance, there had to be at least a hundred of them. To be honest, it was a rather unsettling sight.
(Alright, who's the lucky girl today?)
A stone pedestal sat at the center of the hall, where a young girl lay trembling. Her breath was shallow and labored; on her right arm, the twisted, bruised patterns of a Defiled Crest² had begun to surface.
(Looking at the size and the saturation of that mark… that's a heavy case.)
It wasn't quite as bad as the one Dia had suffered from in the past, but still… the agony wracking her body was likely enough to shatter a normal person's mind. Stepping into my role as Void, the Hollow King, I ascended the jet-black throne at the far end of the hall. To my right, Dia-already waiting-offered a bow of perfect, fluid grace.
"Lord Void… I beg of you. Grant your miracle to this poor, wretched child," Dia said.
"Very well," I replied.
I gave a heavy, magnanimous nod, my voice dropping into a stern, authoritative baritone. Usually, I'm pretty casual when I'm just hanging out with the Void members, but in official settings like this, you've got to play the part of the Boss. If you don't tighten the reins occasionally, people start thinking you're a pushover. Maintaining that "on-off" switch is vital for leadership.
I extended my right hand and invoked <Light of Holy Purification>³. I carefully recalibrated the girl's magic factors and the Demon King's influence, weaving them into a stable harmony that effectively neutralized the Defiled Crest. The girl-finally liberated from the Demon King's curse and the hellish pain that came with it-slowly sat up. Fat tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"It… it doesn't hurt anymore… The fire is gone… Oh, thank the heavens…!"
(There, there. Good for you. The Crest won't bother you again. You're safe now.)
As I basked in a rare moment of warm, fuzzy feelings, Dia turned her attention to the girl.
"The curse is gone, but the exhaustion etched into your bones remains. You must rest. But never forget… our Great Lord Void spared his precious time to reach out his hand and save you. You must carry this debt of gratitude in your heart forever. Do you understand?"
The girl looked up at me, her eyes wide with awe.
"T-thank you…! Thank you so much! Truly, from the bottom of my heart…!" she sobbed.
She bowed her head again and again, her voice thick with gratitude. I simply gave a dismissive wave of my hand and a regal nod. Shortly after, the girl was respectfully escorted to the back rooms. There, she'd receive medical care and a briefing on her situation. Once she was stable, she'd be given a choice: stay with the Void, or try to return to the world above.
(I leave the day-to-day operations to Dia, so I don't know the exact paperwork, but…)
From what I've heard, every single person we save ends up begging to join the Void.
(I mean, makes sense. You get outed by society the moment a Crest appears, then you get sold off for inhumane magic experiments… Why would anyone want to go back to the "real world" after that?)
In the Void, they're surrounded by people who understand them. It's a sanctuary. Plus, we're a total gold-standard employer. The benefits are top-tier-probably because I spent so much time teaching Dia about the "toxic grind of corporate sweatshops" when she was younger.
"The Purification Rite is concluded," Dia announced, her voice echoing through the hall. "We shall now proceed to the Status Report. Those with intelligence for Lord Void, stand and speak."
Immediately, the members of the intelligence division snapped to their feet.
"The resistance forces in the Alvara Empire have made contact with a secret envoy from the Dragon Kingdom of Dradia. They are smuggling weapons through underground channels, sir!"
"We've located a hidden hideout of the Great Magic Cult in the northwest of the Klein Kingdom. No high-ranking executives were spotted; we plan to deploy a strike team within the week," reported another.
"Large quantities of magical artifacts are being moved into the basement of the Ainsworth Estate. It appears they are preparing for some sort of ritual," the third added.
(Yes. This is the stuff.)
These weekly reports are a godsend. The Forbidden Library is great, but its info lacks shelf life. Having eyes and ears on the ground for real-time intel is the true perk of running an organization.
(But man… there are a lot of reports tonight.)
Now that the Main Course has officially kicked off, it seems the individual character arcs are all starting to trigger simultaneously.
"Lord Void, that concludes the reports for this evening," Dia said.
I slowly rose from my throne.
"Regarding the resistance in the Empire… keep them on a short leash. Neither help them nor let them fall. Monitor their ties to the Dragon Kingdom; if a revolution seems imminent, notify Dia immediately. As for the Cult hideout in the Northwest… it's a decoy. There are hidden units lying in wait. Cancel the strike team's deployment at once. Next-"
I leaned on the overwhelming processing power of my Hollow Brain⁴ and my meta-knowledge of the game's plot to issue a string of optimal commands.
"And finally… stay away from the Ainsworth Estate. That place is a nest for Arch-Elder Zoeva. If you go poking around there, you'll only bring back trouble. That is all."
With my orders delivered, I cast Void Crossing, warping myself directly into the Private Sanctum located beneath the hall.
"Ugh… I'm beat…"
I stripped off the heavy robe and the suffocating mask, tossing them aside before collapsing onto a plush black sofa. I let out a long, satisfied groan as I stretched my limbs. Acting like a paragon of Slothful Pride is exhausting enough, but adding the Grand Boss persona on top of it while managing an entire organization? It's a massive drain on my battery. Still, the intel I get is too good to pass up.
(It's a pain, but I guess I'll keep grinding.)
For the record, only a handful of people in the Void know that "Void" is actually Hollow von Heisenberg. Specifically, only the Five Hells⁵-the supreme executives led by Dia.
(I'm sure the 'Hollow equals Void' reveal will hit the world eventually…)
But not today. For now, I'll keep juggling both masks-the Vile Aristocrat and the King of the Void-to clear the Main Course as efficiently as possible. As I was lost in thought, Dia descended the stairs.
"Good work today, Void," Dia said.
"You too, Dia," I replied.
We swapped casual greetings as she settled onto the sofa opposite me, sweeping her long, silver hair over her shoulder.
(Looking at her now, she really has grown up, hasn't she?)
Ethereal silver hair, long, slender limbs, and eyes so clear they seemed to hold the sky… whether it was her Half-Elf heritage or something else, she had a beauty that felt almost otherworldly.
"It never ceases to amaze me how you process all that information at once… Honestly, you never stop surprising me," Dia said.
"I try," I replied.
(It's not actually my brain, though. It's just that the original Hollow had stats that were totally broken.)
But hey, details. While Dia uses formal language and bows when we're in front of the organization, she drops the act the second we're alone. She's always been the type to keep her work and private life in separate boxes.
"By the way, where are the other four of the Five Hells? I haven't seen them around lately," I asked.
The Void is a strict hierarchy with me at the top. Below me are the Five Executives, then the heads of various departments, then the field agents, spies, and so on.
"Ruby is in the Klein Kingdom, Aqua is in the Alvara Empire, Wolf is in the Dragon Kingdom, and Eme is in the Holy Kingdom of Ruberio. They're all laying the groundwork for our war against the world," Dia explained.
"I see. Everyone's busy," I said.
"Yes. But we only have this sense of purpose-this chance to create a new order-because of you, Hollow. If you hadn't saved us from that hell and neutralized our Crests, we wouldn't even exist," Dia said.
Dia gave me a soft, lingering smile. I just gave her a casual "don't mention it." I never was one for acting like a martyr.
"Speaking of which, Hollow… how are things on your end? Is that 'plan' of yours moving along?" Dia asked.
"Yeah. It's going perfectly so far. Though, to be fair, we've only just started," I replied.
Right now, I am executing a truly Grand Design.
(The original Ronzolkia is a classic Sword and Magic RPG. As the story progresses, the enemies get exponentially stronger.)
But what happens if the Hero doesn't grow? If, for example, Allen Fortis fails to level up during the early game? The answer I came up with is simple: he becomes a background character.
I've always believed that the only thing that makes a Hero a "Hero" is their strength. They slay the villains, save the girl, hunt the monsters, and bring peace to the world. A superhero is defined by their overwhelming power.
(And I'm going to strip that away!)
My core policy remains: don't interfere with the Hero directly. Instead, I'll simply go around "sniping" every single one of Allen's power-up events. By systematically weakening him and pushing him out of the main plotline, Allen Fortis will eventually become nothing more than a generic NPC. I call it the Protagonist Mob-ification Project.
(Heh heh heh… it's flawless. I'm a genius!)
The only thing a Vile Aristocrat like me has to fear is the Hero's awakening. If I can prevent that, clearing the Main Course will be a walk in the park!
"Dia. I might need you to move soon. Can I count on you when the time comes?" I asked.
"Heh. Is that even a question?" Dia laughed softly. "The power to fight, the Void, our friends… you gave us everything, Hollow. For your sake, I'd do anything. I'd give my life without a second thought."
"Wait, uh, yeah… don't make it that heavy, okay? Just a little help is all I'm asking for," I said.
Dia can be a bit… well, a lot sometimes. But I guess that obsessive devotion is just part of her charm, right?
Summary:
Hollow returns to the secret base of his underground organization, 'Void,' operating under his dual identity as the masked king. He heals a girl suffering from the Defiled Crest and receives intelligence reports on global movements, including the Ainsworth Estate and the Alvara Empire. The chapter reveals Hollow's grand strategy: to prevent the protagonist Allen Fortis from ever becoming a hero by systematically sabotaging his power-up opportunities.
Trivia:
- The mention of Arch-Elder Zoeva at the Ainsworth Estate suggests a looming high-tier threat that even Hollow's organization is wary of.
- Dia's 'obsessive devotion' is noted by Hollow, hinting at potential future friction if her loyalty conflicts with his desire for a quiet life.
- The 'Main Course' of the game has officially begun, meaning the world's scripted events are now in motion regardless of Hollow's readiness.
- Hollow's teaching Dia about 'black companies' shows how his modern Earth knowledge has directly shaped the Void's internal ethics
Character Insight:
The dynamic between Hollow and Dia is showcased as one of absolute trust but distinct 'on-off' boundaries. While they are casual equals in private, Dia enforces a divine hierarchy in public to maintain Hollow's authority as 'Void.' Hollow's motivation is purely defensive—he isn't trying to rule the world, but to dismantle the story's hero to ensure his own survival.
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The 'Defiled Crest' is established as a curse that leads to social ostracization and inhumane experimentation, providing the Void with a constant stream of loyal, desperate recruits. The world consists of several major powers (Klein, Alvara, Dradia, Ruberio), all of which the Void is actively monitoring and infiltrating through its 'Five Hells' executives.
TL Notes:
The term 'Mob-ification' is a localization of 'Mob-ka,' a Japanese internet slang referring to turning a main character into a background 'mob' character. The 'Five Hells' (Gogoku) refers to the highest-ranking subordinates, whose names are themed after elements or jewels.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Void Crossing: A unique teleportation or space-manipulation magic used by Hollow.
2 ↩ Defiled Crest: A magical affliction or curse related to the Demon King, causing physical agony and social exile.
3 ↩ Light of Holy Purification: An advanced healing or restorative spell used to neutralize curses.
4 ↩ Hollow Brain: A specialized cognitive ability of the protagonist that allows for high-speed information processing.
5 ↩ Five Hells: The 'Gogoku,' the supreme executive rank within the Void organization reporting directly to Hollow.
Notes:
• Hollow - 15‑year‑old heir of the Heisenberg ducal house, 170 cm tall, dark crimson medium‑length hair in a ribbon‑ponytail, crimson eyes, lean aristocratic build; wears a black school uniform with a navy jacket. Top‑ranked freshman at Redrick Academy, known as the Vile Aristocrat and founder of the organization ‘Void’ under the alias Void. He wields Origin‑Class innate magic ‘Void’ and Refraction, hides intense training behind a slothful façade, sits by the window, and plots ruthlessly as a transmigrated noble.
• Dia - Half‑elf descendant of the Hero who bore the Crest of Impurity, she sports ethereal silver hair, slender limbs and clear eyes. As First Seat of the Void and Hollow’s most loyal subordinate—No. 2 of the organization—she manages its practical affairs, speaking formally in public but casually with Hollow.
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.
• Allen - Fifteen‑year‑old protagonist of Ronzolkia, now a preparatory student in the Special Advanced Class under Hollow’s watch. Snow‑white medium hair, sky‑blue eyes, androgynous gentle smile, wears a white track uniform and a ‘White‑Vest’ denoting his underdog status. Rank 31, last place, yet wields Hero’s and Demon King’s factors, high‑agility dagger style, and is genuinely kind.