The Art of Accidental Mind Control

The subsequent story… I forgot the beginning, and I forgot the middle. To summarize, it was simply this:

“I’ll teach… I’ll teach… Can’t I just teach… won’t that suffice?”

With a choked sob, the True Ancestor gasped for breath, coughing violently.

At that moment, she was utterly disheveled, sticky around both her eyes and the corners of her mouth, bearing no resemblance to a True Ancestor.

“F-first, you must retrieve the [Fragment]… Get to the point! A-and then, release the skill into the target’s body to perceive the magical pathway between the [Fragment] and the [Proliferating Fragment]…”

****

My thoughts returned to the present.

‘Release a skill? That—that would surely attract Claire’s attention, wouldn’t it?’

Hesitantly, Seraphina’s hand wavered beneath their intertwined skirts, lingering without moving forward.

But others wouldn’t grant her such leeway.

“What’s wrong, hmm? Seraphina? Is something bothering you (chuckles)?”

Beside her, Claire spoke as she advanced, a single step away from breaching Seraphina’s final defense.

“Seraphina! Miss Claire is speaking to you! You might ignore me, but you must at least respond to her, mustn’t you!?”

From above, the clueless Butler continued to press her, as if she had somehow provoked him.

‘Damn it all… Sooner or later, I’ll shove a [Fragment] into that man too!’

Annoyed beyond measure by both parties, Seraphina steeled herself. With a wave of her hand, she moved the [True Ancestor’s Blood] aside, then produced a ball of light.

“[Normal] [Life Recovery].”

‘[Normal]… Dammit, I thought I’d never cast a spell of this level in my life…’

‘However… the True Ancestor’s instruction was correct.’

As the magic flowed into the target’s body, Seraphina distinctly perceived countless gossamer-thin threads connecting the [True Ancestor’s Blood] to the other person’s body, like an exploding spiderweb.

These threads formed a spindle composed of innumerable filaments.

Closing her eyes, Seraphina continued to recall their conversation from earlier that morning.

“If I merely wish to influence their mind, rather than completely control them… is there a way to achieve that?”

“Only influence their mind?” Hearing this, the True Ancestor looked utterly bewildered. “Seraphina, isn’t [complete control] far more straightforward and useful than simple [influence]?”

“That’s not your concern. Just teach me what I need to know.”

Only Seraphina truly knew that, even now, she harbored a strong aversion to ‘body snatching’ and ‘total control.’

“If you only wish to influence their mind…”

****

Ending the spell, Seraphina extended her hand, cautiously reaching for the threads.

It was peculiar; though the threads were beneath their skirts, she could perceive their positions without any obstruction and precisely grasp each one.

‘Though she had no idea what purpose each individual thread served…’

“Hmm? What’s going on… Life points 50?”

At that very moment, Claire finally noticed the unusual sensation in her body.

“Seraphina, was that you? Why did you cast [Life Recovery] on me for no reason?”

“Ah… well…” Seraphina struggled to invent an excuse, resorting to a flimsy fabrication. “I observed a darkness between your brows, indicating an impending catastrophe. I specifically cast this spell for you to ward off misfortune… Mmm!”

Before Seraphina could finish, Claire’s delicate body suddenly stiffened, then launched a final offensive toward Seraphina.

“Darkness between my brows… that’s Eastern mysticism. What does it have to do with me, a Westerner?”

“I see you’re… up to something again, aren’t you?”

Claire furrowed her brow. “It seems I’ll have no choice but to take control of you!”

With that, she reached out, her hand moving towards Seraphina’s waist.

‘Tsk!’

Quickly arching her back, Seraphina barely dodged Claire’s advance, only to see her hand then reach for her stomach.

‘No… this woman wants to make a complete fool of me in front of everyone… I absolutely cannot let her succeed!’

Racking her brain, Seraphina desperately tried to recall their morning conversation, yet she couldn’t remember the remaining steps.

‘Hiss… forget it!’

Without a second thought, without discerning its purpose, she simply grabbed a single thread.

‘Even if I don’t know what it does… it will definitely influence Claire’s mind!’

‘As long as it stops her actions, that’s all that matters!’

With that resolve, Seraphina steeled herself and yanked sharply.

Clenching her eyes shut, Seraphina was mentally prepared for anything to happen.

Whether it was a sudden scream or a forceful, reflexive thrust from below… she was confident she could defend or dodge.

But… reality was, nothing happened.

‘What’s going on?’

Peeking open one eye, Seraphina cautiously looked at Claire.

“Ah…”

She merely sat there, mouth agape, frozen in the exact position Seraphina had seen her in the second before closing her eyes, her gaze vacant as if her soul had been drained.

‘Didn’t we agree this would only influence her mind?’

Seraphina silently grumbled at the True Ancestor.

‘But judging by the effect… this is clearly [body snatching] or [total control], isn’t it?!’

‘But wait… the book was titled, “30 Minutes to Make Them Passionate About You? A Light Novel.” ‘

‘So you were just winging it, learning as you went!’

Upon recognizing the book, Seraphina recoiled with disdain.

Yet, this tiny, almost imperceptible movement inadvertently triggered Claire’s ‘switch.’

“M-mph!?” Claire suddenly shivered violently.

“Whoa!” Despite her preparedness, Seraphina was still startled by the sudden movement.

“Hm?” As if she had lost her memory, Claire’s once shrewd eyes suddenly became utterly innocent.

“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Simultaneously, as if she had become an entirely different person, the formerly audacious and provocative Claire seemed to have transformed into a sensitive little girl.

“It was my impropriety to suddenly make such a strange sound!” Her sentence structure became peculiar, seemingly due to nervousness. “I am truly sorry for frightening you so suddenly! I apologize! I apologize!”

‘Oh, my goodness…’

Watching the fidgeting, bewildered Claire before her, Seraphina’s mind instantly froze.

‘This [True Ancestor’s Blood] is truly something else, isn’t it?’

“Um, if you truly cannot forgive me…”

Perhaps due to her prolonged silence and lack of response, Claire became even more flustered.

“Please allow me to make amends for you!”

“Hm?”

“Anything within my power, I am willing to do!”

“Eh!?”

Concurrently, a series of hushed whispers drifted down from above Seraphina’s head.

“What’s happening? Why has the Third Miss become so socially anxious?”

“How should I know? It’s probably another vampire trick…”

“Hey, hey, hey, if the Third Miss stays like this, couldn’t I force her to give me a raise?”

“Eh! You’re a damn genius, aren’t you…?”

‘Is it? No, no, no. That’s wrong, wrong, wrong.’

Shaking her head vigorously, Seraphina’s intellect returned to its peak.

‘If she remains in this state, the entire Krieg Manor, and even the entire Krieg family, will fall into chaos!’

Hastily, Seraphina fiddled with the threads in her hand, attempting to restore Claire to her original state.

However…

With the first pluck.

“Hey! Do you know who I am? I am the esteemed Third Miss of the Krieg family! How dare a mere maid like you stand in my way…?”

‘Tsk, did I just turn her into a spoiled noblewoman?’

With the second pluck.

“Hey! Seriously! Who gave you permission to stand before me?! Move, before I punch you!”

‘Damn, isn’t this the legendary Japanese Yakuza Princess?’

With the third pluck.

“Good day, madam. What are your thoughts on the recent special military operation launched by the Northern Werewolf Empire against the Western Minotaur Kingdom?”

“I believe our Human Empire should…”

‘This is completely unnecessary, isn’t it?’

Hastily plucking at the threads, after an unknown number of attempts…

“Uh… oh, is that Miss Seraphina…?”

Claire finally reverted to her timid demeanor.

‘Sigh… is this the best I can manage?’

Observing Claire, who was now clutching her knees, a book covering her lap, looking shy and meek, Seraphina let out a long sigh.

‘It seems I’ll just have to adjust her slowly…’