Chapter 12: The End
"OKAY, then I propose a motion to penalize Keiji Kuhara in the name of session participant Takuto Ira."
System Message
A motion to penalize Game Master Keiji Kuhara has been accepted.
All progress will be suspended until the deliberation is complete.
"…What?"
Nobody followed what had happened, not the Paladins, the Witches, the Saints…or even the Game Master.
Time stopped once more.
An invisible force took control of the board, denying the use of their powers.
Takuto's life should've been like a candle in the wind, moments from being snuffed out for good. But the King of Ruin put an end to that false notion.
"Wow, I didn't know what to do because you suddenly started boring me with your life story. Is that what's in these days…? What do you think, Atou? Ah, right. You're still on their side, so I shouldn't engage you yet. Man, am I jittery. Gotta calm down first."
Takuto was being unusually talkative because of the nervousness he alluded to. He rarely spoke this much to strangers, although he seemed to be speaking to himself more than the people surrounding him. As it was, it was quite a hurdle for him to jump, talking to strangers with his social awkwardness.
Of course, that was a non-issue when smack-talking to his enemies. Proper communication requires caring about what the other person thinks. Takuto was more than capable of speaking for hours on end if he didn't give a damn about the other person.
"Anyways, Keiji, was it?" Takuto said, addressing the Game Master. "You did me a big favor by telling me your real name. I was never able to dig up your name, no matter whose form I took or tried to persuade to tell me. Since you know, proposing a motion to penalize another participant has to be done outside the session, in the Players' realm. I needed your real name to distinguish between the two for the system."
The Players' dimension was different from the game board's. For example, Atou and Erakino both possessed unparalleled strength and abilities, but they were no more than pieces on the board borrowing from the game settings. But the Players had both their abilities on the board and that of a higher dimension.
Keiji had the abilities of a Game Master capable of manipulating a tabletop RPG's mechanics and pieces. Meanwhile, Takuto had the abilities of a Player capable of manipulating the 4x strategy game's mechanics and pieces, plus he functioned as one of the pieces on the board with his nature as a Commander/Hero unit.
Since the motion to penalize another player happens outside the game session, it was necessary to bring up the real names of both Players to bring it into play. And so, Takuto had been trying all sorts of strategies to learn the GM's name and seal his powers.
[System Message
Player Takuto Ira, please submit your complaints.
]
The system was rushing Takuto. Temporary pauses should be avoided for a better gameplay experience. As faithful as this system was to the tabletop RPG rules, it likely wanted to restart the session as soon as possible.
Takuto felt the same way. He wanted to end this farce as soon as possible.
"Right then, sorry about that. I'll get right to it. My complaints against Keiji here are as follows:
Prolonged refusal to introduce himself.
Forced changes of the dice outcomes without proper cause and abused to steal a participant's character.
Unfair manipulation of in-game data by GM Authority without rolling the dice.
Arbitrarily manipulating the game progress to his advantage.
Disruption of in-game worldview and order by disclosing the GM's Authority to the board's dimension.
Use of owned characters to slander participant Takuto Ira.
Slandering participant Takuto Ira with his own mouth.
"Oh, and let's just tack this on for good measure:
Talking about himself and ruining the flow of the story for selfish reasons.
…I find the above reasons to be grounds to determine that he is not qualified to be the Game Master responsible for the smooth progress of this game session under the rules laid out by the tabletop RPG Elemental Ward. A motion to penalize him was invoked for these reasons. I propose that each participant in this session gets to vote on if we should revoke Keiji Kuhara's GM Authority."
[System Message
Your submission has been accepted.
It has been recognized as a legitimate disciplinary motion and given over to a vote.
]
The game system worked in the Players' favor, but that didn't mean it was completely on their side. The system was a slave to its rules and settings. It couldn't act outside of its pre-established rules, no matter how much the Player wanted it to, nor would it distort the rules just because the Player was at a disadvantage.
Conversely, any lawlessness was fair game if you played within the rules. Ultimately, it was crucial to understand the rules if you wanted to use the system to your advantage.
"S-Soalina!" Atou shouted. "We have to stop King Takuto!
Hurry—"
"System, please stop outside interference," Takuto requested.
[System Message
Sludge Atou and Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials' actions have been canceled. They can no longer take action.
]
Atou and Soalina's attempt at an attack was nullified with a single request.
Interestingly enough, what Takuto had just done was almost identical to the GM's Arbiter ability, forcing the TRPG side to grudgingly accept there was no worming their way out of this one.
"Shall we get back to it then? The system is requesting a vote here… I'll start. Takuto Ira here!" He raised his right hand and declared, "I strongly believe that Keiji's GM Authority should be revoked! We shouldn't overlook his misconduct. The situation needs to be rectified."
There was no immediate reaction, but his declaration was obviously doing something vital in the background.
I can't let this deliberation continue! Finding himself suddenly like a fish out of water, Keiji desperately struggled against the odds despite being at the mercy of a situation he was ill-equipped to handle.
"Stripping the GM of authority isn't fair! I object!" he cried out.
"The person called out for their actions can't participate in the vote."
Takuto's ruthless explanation crushed any hopes Keiji had of resisting. If Keiji couldn't participate, that left Takuto as the only voting Player. He was the only person capable of partaking in this deliberation.
The result was inevitable, reducing this entire exchange to little more than a charade. After all, the whole situation had been crafted so that only Takuto Ira's claims would be considered.
[System Message Approved: 1
Opposed: 0
Based on the above results, Keiji Kuhara's Authority as Game Master will be revoked.
]
The true victor had been decided once and for all.
What had caused the Saints'—or rather, the TRPG forces' defeat? An insufficient understanding of the game system? A lack of cooperation among their members? Or was it the decision to announce the Game Master's real name without considering their opponent's strategy? All of those elements were responsible for their downfall, and yet none of the above were the final nail in the coffin. What did them in was the damning mistake of making an enemy out of the human known as Takuto Ira.
"Oh, and please set right all the wrongs," Takuto said in a lighthearted voice to the system. "I can't accept how this game session played out with all his misconduct. It's my right as a Player to request as much, right? Hm, resetting everything would change things on too large of a scale, so I'm good with just the unreasonable stuff being undone."
"W-Wait!"
[System Message
Keiji Kuhara's Game Master Authority has been revoked.
Proceeding to undo all unreasonable outcomes executed by him during this session.
]
A different hell was reversed back into place this time. The chapel crumbled, and the Paladins were reduced to corpses without even uttering a scream. Flames erupted from the city and blighted land plagued the people.
Last but not least, the forces of ruin reappeared from the nothingness they'd been cast into.
Mynoghra's forces didn't quite grasp the situation and shared a collective look of confusion. But they seemed to realize the winner had been decided and patiently sat on the sidelines to see how things played out. After all…there's nothing left to do after everything is done and over.
The forces of good had no right to try anything funny after
Takuto defeated them…
"Why?! Why can you do such a thing?! How did you know you even could?!" Borrowing Erakino's mouth, Keiji lobbed his distraught, anger-filled questions at Takuto.
For Keiji, this ending was unimaginable. Keiji had also received the game's rulebook when he was unluckily chosen by the Dice God and granted the game system the Dice God had luckily chosen for him. He read and reread that thick manual a dozen times in the space given to him in a higher dimension than this one. Even when it came to Erakino—his subordinate and mouthpiece used to make his wishes a reality on the board—it took countless attempts to get her just right.
He'd devastated Qualia's Northern Province, suffered counterattacks from the Saints, and learned how troublesome his TRPG abilities were. As far as he was concerned, he'd only made it this far after learning the importance of allies, reliable subordinates, and obtaining a nation to call his own by repeating the same exact battles. Then he had finally reached the point of being able to get the jump on one of the opposing forces and even obtained their powerful character in the process.
By the time he reached the point of thinking it wasn't half bad to have friends and allies…everything went up in smoke.
Isn't there a limit to how far out of left field things can be? I never expected everything to come to an end with such a heavy-handed method, Keiji lamented.
"Oh yeah, you were chosen by a dice roll, weren't you, Keiji? Makes sense you wouldn't know then," Takuto said, nodding to himself like everything made perfect sense. Keiji stood at the opposite end of the spectrum—nothing about what Takuto was about to tell him made any sense whatsoever.
"Elemental Ward is infamous for how much emphasis it places on player etiquette. It got mixed reviews because of the quarrels between players who start up these disciplinary deliberations. You'd know just how annoying they can be if you've ever played a session with anyone before."
Is it really okay for someone to have an uncomfortable game experience they would rather forget? The team behind Elemental Ward were staunchly against such poor player experiences, leading them to design a game that helped players adhere to good sense and proper manners in all sorts of situations. They put in the utmost care and effort to ensure the players always had a great game.
But…they went too far in the opposite direction. Their efforts resulted in a rulebook with a paranoid level of rules relating to player manners, unaware that it'd lead to the session participants lobbing constant complaints at each other over the smallest things. The creators had forgotten the most important thing—no matter how much consideration is given to the rules and gameplay, the story will always unfold with human words and dice…
"I've got experience playing Elemental Ward online, you see," Takuto continued. "I've had the opportunity to participate in sessions hosted by all different people."
Yes, the creators had forgotten that no matter how wonderful of a system they had crafted, even the best tabletop RPG could be ruined if there was a single person who did whatever they wanted to the extent the rules allowed, destroying the experience for everyone else.
For example…
"And I opened up deliberations every single time." …Someone just like Takuto Ira.
He threw his arms wide open, recalling a proud moment in his life, and then he unapologetically extolled the actions he took during past game sessions that had surely ticked off the other participants. He likely became convinced this operation would succeed when the system accepted his complaint about a lack of introductions. Even if it'd been impossible to propose a motion to penalize the Game Master in the Player's dimension, Takuto undoubtedly had plenty of other schemes at the ready.
That's just who Takuto Ira was as a person.
No tricks or cheats worked on him, for he was in control of everything. The brain that kept him ranked number 1 in Eternal Nations didn't allow anyone to unseat him.
"Ah, well, it's also the best way to instantly destroy any friendship with other players and get yourself blacklisted from future sessions… But anyway, it's nothing to fret about. I've got loads of experience in that department," the King of Ruin asserted confidently, as if he didn't care about others' thoughts or feelings one bit.
With that final pronouncement, the system finished processing Takuto's request and reset everything back to when the Game Master, Keiji Kuhara, had created the current Erakino.
In other words…
"Okay…enough chitchat. I'll ask you to return my Atou, Mr.
Keiji Kuhara."
…things were reset back to how they were before Sludge Atou had been Slurped away.
<-x-X-x->
DURING the time everything was reset…Atou forgot all about their animosity and raced over to Takuto.
"King Takuto!"
"Atou!"
.
--------------->
.
She threw her arms around her master's neck like a heroine in a romance novel. Takuto caught her and held her to his chest, breaking into a grin even as he struggled to process her assertive embrace.
"What a relief," he said. "I was worried like crazy. I'm thrilled you came back to me."
"Me too… I'm so sorry for worrying you, King Takuto! BUT! I just knew you would rescue me from this prison!"
How far back did the rewind reset her thoughts and memories? Did her suspicions dissipate the moment she was reassigned to Mynoghra? Whatever the case, Atou trembled with emotion, feeling greater respect and loyalty toward her master, who managed to epically toy with and destroy their enemies even under such hopeless circumstances.
"She's like a damsel in distress," Caria said.
"Damsel where? She seriously tried to kill us," Maria pouted.
Contrary to the happy reunion between Takuto and Atou, the twins were displeased they had to continually clean up after this annoying couple. That said, even they seemed happy to have Atou back, as they smiled even while they griped.
"My king, the Riflemen have completed all their objectives," Elder Moltar interrupted the cheerful mood with that report as he took a knee before his king.
"Okay, thanks." Takuto felt like he didn't have to go that far, but he didn't realize that Elder Moltar was equally floored with emotion by Takuto's display of strategic brilliance. "Let's see…at this point it's practically a dead rubber. Everything really did play out perfectly."
The TRPG system reset everything in the best possible way for Takuto. The majority of Paladins were downed by their injuries, some were delirious with Maria's Forget, while others suffered from
Caria's Plague. Commander Fjord lay dead in a corner of the battlefield as if his momentary return was a fever dream. Fenne had collapsed from her injuries, and Soalina was barely standing from the strain she placed on her body through the constant use of her Miracle Artes.
Meanwhile, Mynoghra's forces were almost fully restored. A handful of Long-legged Bugs, Brain Eaters, and other units had been lost, but the Dark Elf Riflemen, Elder Moltar, and Mynoghra's other vital members were unharmed.
The system undid the outcomes Keiji had unfairly obtained with the Arbiter ability. It selectively undid only the results that benefited the TRPG forces. For that reason, the damage Mynoghra had inflicted on Lenea remained, and only the GM's forced healing was lifted.
The Divine Nation's forces were left in such a devastated state they couldn't even regroup. That's why Takuto and Atou had such a carefree reunion despite being in enemy territory. Lenea's capital was no longer a battlefield where they had to keep their guard up.
"Kh…" Takuto sharply inhaled.
"Wh-What's wrong, King Takuto?"
Just as Takuto had said, there wasn't any threat left to them…or so they thought.
He suddenly held a hand to his head like he was enduring a hammering headache. Atou noticed his pain before anyone else and put a steadying arm around his shoulder, blanching as she searched his face.
"Welp, I think…I might've overdone it…"
Takuto made a similar pained gesture when he'd transformed into Flamin. He had the ability to imitate everything, even the game system, allowing him to wield unparalleled power depending on how he used it. There were infinite ways to apply that power, and it was unbeatable in the hands of someone as clever as Takuto.
A power able to wreak a different kind of havoc from Atou's own Skill Steal obviously came with risks.
"King Takuto! Did you push yourself too far to rescue me?!"
"Just a bit…"
Atou immediately realized the great lengths her master went to save her. She understood the burden he had to take on just to rescue her.
"Oh, King Takutoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Atou wailed. She clung to Takuto and bawled her eyes out like a child. Even Takuto felt a bit disturbed seeing his clothes get stained with her snot and tears, but he gently separated from her, careful not to hurt her feelings.
"I know, I know. That's a good girl," he soothed. "But since we're still in enemy territory here, gimme a little space, okay?" "Miss Atou, come here," Caria said.
"Gotcha!" Maria exclaimed.
"Aaaaah! How cruel~!" Atou lamented.
The perfectly in-sync Elfuur Sisters secured Atou and dragged her off. Neither wanted to witness a sappy romance scene unfold before their eyes.
Hurry up and finish this. I want to go home, they both thought.
"All right, why don't we clean up here and head home?" Takuto ordered with the casualness of someone who'd gone out camping with his friends. "I'm tired, so I want some R&R."
In reality, the forces of good were mostly crippled from their injuries or dead, and the people they were meant to serve and protect were being tormented by the Plague and Addle skills the twins had sicced on them. But to Takuto, their misery was just another part of his day. He was the King of Ruin, after all.
"Oh yeah, Elder Moltar, can you order everyone to gather?" he asked the elderly sage.
"As you command, my liege. I will gather your subordinates at once."
If Takuto could use the Brave Questers' skill to summon his army here, he could send them back the same way.
As Takuto was preparing to go home, ignoring Lenea's remnants, he incited rage within Erakino, who'd regained consciousness after Keiji was stripped of his authority. She would never accept defeat.
"Not yet!" she roared. "It's not over yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!"
Unfortunately for her, everything had already ended.
"GAHA!!"
"Do you honestly believe it isn't over?"
Takuto kicked Erakino away before his subordinates could eliminate her and raised his hand to stop them. Then he leisurely strolled over to where she'd landed.
A gaping hole had formed in her stomach and one of her arms had rotted off. The former was the critical wound Takuto had inflicted on her while imitating Soalina, while the latter was the work of Caria's Plague. The Game Master had unreasonably healed those injuries, so the system naturally set things back the way they should be.
Takuto let out a disinterested sigh as he stared down at Erakino.
It was a miracle the girl was still breathing, let alone lunging at him. "I don't sense the GM anymore," he said coolly. "He probably lost all ability to interfere with this realm. It's a bit worrisome that I can't finish him off directly, but what can I do? I doubt he'll come down here any time soon."
Erakino wheezed and gasped for air. Either her nature as a Witch or her status as a key game character kept her alive, but one look at the state she was in made it abundantly clear that her life was doomed to sputter out like a candle doused in water.
"You're…nothing more than a TRPG character. All your power comes from that game system. Now that the GM's Authority has been revoked, you wouldn't have lived much longer anyway, even if you weren't injured," Takuto explained the situation to Erakino like he was instructing an ignorant child.
Erakino was aware of that reality without him telling her, so she directed her spite-filled gaze at Takuto like a knife and got one final jab in. "You piece of shit gamer… You're a loser who's acting like a big shot when you're mooching offa other people's powers! Get off your high horse! Someday…I'll kill you!"
She thought Takuto would ignore her taunting again, but he burst out laughing instead.
"AhAHAHAHAHAAA! What a joke! Everybody here is borrowing power from something or another. Do you think you're any different? Really? You? The girl who went around abusing the GM's power like it's your sugar daddy's credit card? You need a better dis! Pft! Bahahahahahahaaa!!"
He buckled over laughing like he'd just heard a comedian tell his best joke. Seeing him suddenly laugh like that was so eerily creepy that even his own people gaped at him.
"…Was that the wrong time to laugh? Shoot. I did it again. I'm so bad at these things."
His maniacal laughter stopped as abruptly as it'd started. Takuto awkwardly scratched his head and glanced over his shoulder at the subordinates waiting on standby behind him. Everyone felt compelled to bow their heads to him when he looked at them, and Atou, who'd escaped the twins' restraint during the interim, quietly walked up to him.
"King Takuto…" she said softly.
"Oh…Atou. Hmm, you know, I haven't done it yet."
"D-Done what, my king?"
Seeing his worried confidant come to his side plunged Takuto deep into thought. Atou couldn't understand what he was thinking and even began to worry that she had done something to upset him. Contrary to her fears, Takuto's train of thought had gone in yet another crazy direction.
"Sorry, I was just thinking that my feelings were really hurt when they took you from me, but I haven't gotten them back for that yet. It's not fair until they pay the price for that hurt, don't you think?"
"…Pardon?" Atou cocked her head. "You want payback?"
"Exactly." With that short reply, Takuto resumed his excogitation.
Atou was well-acquainted with Takuto's merciless tendency to thoroughly crush his enemies both on and off the battlefield. Even when it came to Eternal Nations, he was ruthless against players who deviated from just enjoying the game to doing things like trolling and griefing. He would always get the kind of extreme payback that made you wonder if he really needed to go that far to destroy them.
Erakino wasn't going to stay quiet after hearing his intentions. She wrangled the last of her fading lifeforce to put up what little fight she could to stop him from getting his way.
"Who the hell do ya think will get down on all fours to suck up to you, you social reject! Why don't you go bury your face in Atouy's breasts and bask in your self-satisfaction, you loser—"
Erakino seemed to have forgotten she was up against Takuto Ira.
A mere Witch had nothing on the evil residing within the King of Ruin. His revenge quest was far from over.
"A question for the system: are the vacant Game Master
privileges still available?"
"…Huh?" Erakino gawked.
[System Message
The session is still in progress.
A new Game Master hasn't been selected yet.
]
The system answered him.
At this moment, Atou finally realized what her master was after. Rescuing Atou was definitely his objective. Their relationship assured her of that. However, her rescue was just one objective. Takuto wasn't the type to end things there. Going by that understanding, everything up to this point had been an act—even his overly contemplative silence was just another performance.
Because…
"Okay, then, can I have the GM's Authority?"
…he had carefully prepared everything for this moment.
No one could have predicted this development. As everyone tried to process what his request meant for them, Takuto raised his voice louder than usual so they could all hear him.
"I've been playing the game according to the rulebook… I know I've only had a few opportunities to roll the dice, but I've followed the rules regardless. I've been fair, won't stand for cheating, and haven't done anything to ruin the mood with slander or the like. I'm the model Player in every way," Takuto elucidated, trying to persuade the system. Everyone who knew him well enough saw it more as him putting on airs for Erakino, or perhaps Keiji, who might still be watching from the higher dimension.
"What do you think? I submit the following suggestion to the system: grant Takuto Ira all Game Master privileges."
[System Message
The suggestion has been accepted, and the system hereby grants Game Master Authority to Takuto Ira.
We wish the best gaming experience to the new Game Master.
]
On this day, a nightmare Player viewed both as an Eternal Nations' Commander and Elemental Ward's Game Master was born.
"Erakino, was it? It's your turn. I know a lot went down between us, but let's get along as friends from now on," Takuto said with a crafted grin. His smiling visage was as cold as ice and felt as empty as a void of darkness for its lack of emotion. "I mean, as I said,
I'm one hundred percent the give-what-you-get type."
"D-Don't—"
[GM: Message
Exercising Game Master Authority.
Reset Erakino's ownership to default settings.
Reassign her under the new Game Master, Takuto Ira.
]
And then, right after giving his speech about how he was a fair and model player, Takuto wielded the Arbiter's power without scruples…
■■■■■
It's against the rules for a piece on the board to take away the Authority granted by the gods. Outcome: Divine Punishment The world stopped.
A strange space enveloped Takuto, sending alarm bells blaring from the depths of his very soul. He instantly understood that he'd just crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed, and quickly tried to devise an out. But it was too late.
■■■■■
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̷͍͛͋ ͉̋̂c k ͉̋̂ ̴͕̃͘0̵̧͎͠ 0̵̴̧͎̤͑͠͝ r9̶̡̓
Cu
̴͍̘́̀
Rejected.
>
The world jolted back into motion with an ear-piercing snap and an earth-shattering tremble.
"Ghhh!" Takuto staggered and choked. His mind instantly deduced that something was fighting at a higher dimension that he couldn't perceive. He clicked his tongue as he realized the danger he'd been in.
"An inquiry for the system: confirm the situation."
The system responded by not sending any response to his mind as it usually did.
"…Did I go too far?"
I need to make extremely careful alterations to my plans, Takuto thought, deciding to switch gears. He'd planned on using and abusing the system to his heart's content, but it seemed he'd flown too close to the sun—closer to the untouchable realm than Keiji Kuhara ever got.
His primary objective failed. At the very least, he achieved his bare minimum goal of recovering Atou, and even obtained a snippet of intel on the mysterious conflict taking place in this world. If he were to evaluate the results of his mission, he'd give it a C.
"That means I don't need this thing anymore."
My business is done here, he thought. Takuto pulled out a revolver-type pistol far too large for an ordinary person to hold and pointed the muzzle at Erakino.
"Erakino!" Soalina cried out for her friend despite her total exhaustion. After draining all her strength using countless Miracle Artes against the forces of evil until she was mentally depleted, it was all she could do just to stay standing upright with the support of her Holy Staff.
"Stay away, Soali!!" Erakino shouted. "Run away. You can't beat him. You'll be killed if you come any closer. Just run." Sensing her defeat and imminent demise, Erakino offered her friend one last feeble smile.
This is the end for me, Erakino thought. Without Master, there's no going back. If we give this monster too much time to think, he'll come up with yet another devious way to torture us. If I can at least help Soali escape before that…
"…How curious. The session should've reset, and yet Saint Soalina is still Slurped. Is there some sorta hidden rule I don't know about?"
Contrary to Erakino and Soalina's terror, Takuto was intrigued by the situation like a scientist studying a guinea pig. The TRPG system should've removed all changes that benefited Lenea. If that was true, then Erakino's Slurp—the brainwashing skill granted by her character sheet—should've lifted. And yet, their friendship remained, piquing Takuto's suspicion.
"Atou…" Takuto's suspicions didn't apply to just Erakino and Soalina. "You also hesitated to kill this filth. Why?"
Atou was also showing an unnatural amount of care for them. She normally would've slaughtered them in a fit of rage for what they'd done to her the moment she was freed from Slurp. But she didn't strike and instead waited obediently for Takuto's orders. Takuto knew the extent of Atou's loyalty and fanaticism, so he found the change baffling.
"What?!" she squeaked. "I'd never… I'm your loyal servant, my king! I-I'd never hesitate…!"
"Really? I'm not buying it."
Takuto was right on the money. Atou was dismayed. She didn't know what to do with the feelings she had left for Erakino's side after being returned to her original faction. Since she had been reinstated as Mynoghra's Hero, she would undoubtedly shelve her feelings and cut Erakino down if ordered to. The real problem was that she had to ignore feelings she should've never had in the first place.
"…Because of feelings."
The answer came from a surprising source—Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials.
"What feelings?" Takuto asked, sounding a tad disgusted.
Soalina had hobbled her way over to Erakino and was caring for her friend when she directed a sharp glare at Takuto and said what must be said.
"No matter how much power you wield, some things can never be overturned or trampled upon. You can't crush a person's feelings. Just like how Miss Atou, who swears loyalty to you, never stopped having feelings for you after joining our side, the love every living creature possesses is eternal and incorruptible."
Takuto gagged, looking disappointed and repulsed by her response, but he listened until the end without interrupting her.
"Soalina…" Erakino said, moved.
"Erakino saved me. Her cheerfulness encouraged me," Soalina continued emotionally, smiling softly at her friend. "It was only because I had her in my life that I remembered how to tread my own path and was able to think about how much I wanted to make this country better. Even if those feelings were the work of some external force, they can never be undone. That's why—"
Unfortunately for them, the man known as Takuto Ira was neither patient enough…
"Didn't you hear how much I hate unasked for monologuing?"
…nor did he care about others enough to give their emotional speech the time of day.
"GAAAAH!"
"ERAKINO!!"
A bullet exploded from the revolver and accurately pierced Erakino's heart. The Witch barely holding onto life, had what was left
extinguished, bringing the end to one of Idoragya's Seven Apocalypse-Bringing Evil Witches.
"Soali…na…run. Sur…vive…for me…" Erakino wrung out what little lifeforce she had to bid farewell to her beloved friend. "Erakino! Erakino!" Soalina called her friend's name between sobs as she shed messy tears for the life extinguishing in her arms. "Why?! Why did it come to this?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
"You know, even if you bring up difficult concepts like love and feelings, it doesn't make much sense to me. I'm pretty worn out, so I'll try to consider it more later," Takuto said dispassionately to the sobbing Saint.
.
-------------->
.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 13: Soalina
SAINT Soalina of Blooming Burials started life as an ordinary girl living in one of Qualia's destitute northern villages. With the exception of one person, the status and abilities of a Saint were acquired later in life. No one knew what criteria the Holy God— whose existence had been verified—chose them by. The chosen were granted combat abilities that far surpassed a High Paladin's and unique Miracle Artes unlike any that came before them.
Soalina's ability was Blooming Burials. She'd received the overwhelming ability to control powerful flames, placing her at the top of the Saints when it came to destructive powers.
Soalina had a happy life. Her village and family were poor, but she managed to be content with her day-to-day, praying to God without fail and being an exemplary believer.
The Miracle Artes given by God came with a price. Recognition as a Saint came with a price. It wasn't clear whether the price came from the sheer strength of the Saint's power or if it was merely God's will that they pay one. In any event, every Saint since time immemorial has sacrificed something to obtain that power, and as a result, more than a few of these bastions of the people's faith and reverence have met tragic ends.
Soalina's price was every friendly person in her life. Her family, friends, acquaintances—just about everyone in her village.
They weren't involved in accidents or tragic incidents. That would have been a far kinder fate. No, it was none other than Soalina herself who set them ablaze with her flames.
At Central's orders.
…The people she loved went mad with the power of the Saint. Having obtained a certain kind of authority from their village producing a saint, they couldn't keep their desires in check and began making unreasonable demands to the other villages.
Saints hold immense sway and influence over the countries that worship the Holy God Arlos. Labor, food, wealth—all of it could be easily obtained just by mentioning their Saint's name. Even after Soalina cautioned them to stop their avarice, they only pretended to go along with her wishes briefly before returning to their ways.
Overwhelming good fortune and wealth had rained down on the once poor and frigid village. It eventually got to the point where the villagers let their rampant desires run unchecked. It's not like Soalina just sat back and watched it happen, nor did Central immediately forsake them. But the time Soalina bought them by going to Central and pleading directly with the Mystic Saint bore no fruit, since the villagers refused to be persuaded no matter what she tried.
Soalina was forced to face the facts when the surrounding villages started freezing and starving to death due to her village's actions. Her villagers weren't devout believers in God, but wicked souls led astray by avarice. Corrupted souls needed to be purged.
Her family, her friends, her neighbors…all that was left after she reduced them to ash were flowers in full bloom. Like a tribute to the departed, the flowers she offered to the dead merely existed where her loved ones once stood, never to speak to her again.
That's the story of the day Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials was born. The day a lonely girl sealed her heart away in her sorrow.
She had come so close to being rewarded for that sadness and misery…
◇◇◇
"…WITHOUT much ado~!"
A cheery, flippant voice addressed Soalina. When she heard that voice and saw that figure, Soalina cursed God for filling the world with such despair.
"It's time for the ever-so-fun-and-lovely revenge time! Soali~♪!"
"…Erakino," Soalina choked out. Standing before her was Witch Erakino, the friend she'd been cradling in her arms only moments before.
No…it wasn't Erakino, but Takuto Ira imitating her.
"Bingo! It's little ol' me, your good pal Erakino~♪! Your one and only friend! Your sister from another mister, ehe! …Oh, and let's not forget, I'm yet another friend you killed, Soali."
"No…no…"
Soalina buried her face in her hands and wept. Her past sins came back to haunt her, echoing a chorus of "Why did you kill us?"
"It was sooooo painful. I suffered sooooooooo badly… Say, say, Soali? Why did you hafta go and make such a rash suggestion? Eraki here was sooooooo against going after the King of Ruin, but you just wouldn't take no for an answer, would you?"
Soalina knew. Oh, she knew. Knew who was the most at fault. Knew the source, the catalyst, that led to this tragic outcome. She knew and continued to turn a blind eye to it.
"You got greedy, Soali~♪! Blinded by greed, blinded by the thought you were invincible with the GM's powers, you went and did something stupid. So, so stupid."
"No, I didn't mean to…I didn't. Please…please…forgive me,
Erakino…"
Soalina had become full of herself. She'd finally opened her heart up to someone for the first time in a long time and could just be herself. Erakino was a beacon of light in her life—she treated her like another one of the girls, instead of as an untouchable Saint. And that's why, Soalina got the wrong idea—she started to think she was special.
Soalina had falsely believed that if everything kept going well, she could get back everything she'd lost and live a happy, content day-to-day like she did as a child. Erakino would be right by her side, laughing with her, chatting about unimportant things, fighting occasionally, making up…
Yes, Soalina got the wrong idea by believing she could live out those fanciful days.
"Like hell I'd forgive you," Erakino hissed. "Everybody's gonna die because of you. All the Paladins, Fenny, our nation's citizens…every single one of 'em's gonna die. Just like little ol' me here."
"Aaaah…aaaaaaaaaah!!" Soalina sobbed.
"You're just as bad as the village that raised you. You arrogantly believe you have power and greedily consume everything around you until you lose it all…"
Erakino was so right it hurt.
It turns out I'm the same as those villagers when it comes down to it, Soalina realized. I'm greedy, have no self-control, and don't care about the suffering of others. I'm being punished because of that. My punishment resulted in the loss of yet another loved one. I let this happen…when I know better than anyone else that Saints have to pay a price for their powers.
"It's all your fault, Soali~♪!"
Soalina no longer had enough fight in her to talk back. She wanted to let everything come to an end. Perhaps she could meet Erakino again if she did. She didn't believe in heaven, but just the possibility of seeing her friend again—the possibility of being with the people who were sacrificed because of her—made her want to meet her end.
I'll apologize when I see everyone again, she thought. I don't know if they'll ever forgive me…but I'll apologize for all eternity if I have to. Forever…and ever…
Erakino's claws flashed in the corner of Soalina's eyes. An undefended hit by those would bring death even to the most enhanced Saint's body.
I'm okay with that.
She was okay with that.
Something exploded as the claws stronger than any steel arced through the air to cleave her in half.
"…Ngh!"
Soalina hadn't died. She was dumbfounded for a moment as she tried to comprehend why she was still clinging to life. She blinked to see something had forced its way between her and Fake Erakino.
"Run away, Soalina! You still have things to do!"
"Saint…Fenne…"
Veiled Saint Fenne Kahmair stood between her and death. Her veil was tattered from the battle, and darkish-red blood oozed from her abdomen. Even so, she mustered what little life she had left to save Soalina.
"I'll hold them back," Fenne said. "Erakino— Your friend told you to live, didn't she?! Then fulfill your duty to her! Don't just stand there waiting to die, SOALINA!!"
The face behind the veil was that of a wrinkled old woman.
Soalina was shocked by how her youthful, enchanting voice belied her facial features, but understanding dawned when she remembered all Saints pay different prices for their abilities.
Fenne had her reasons for teaming up with Erakino and for being on the receiving end of Takuto's taunting words: "You foolish, foolish woman who teamed up with a Witch for the sake of your own happiness." She must've been clinging to some hope, no matter how impossible it was. Just as Soalina had things that were important to her, Fenne did too.
Is it really all right for us to give up on our dreams? For me to run away on my own? Soalina wondered. And anyways… "Get out of here, Soalina! Hurry!" Fenne shouted.
…Where in Arlos's world am I supposed to run?
"Yeaaaah, I'm not gonna let you escape. Things will get messy later if I don't finish you off," Takuto, who'd reverted to his true form during their brief exchange, told them in an exasperated voice.
Even if she chose to run, there was no getting through the forces of evil surrounding them. Neither Saint wanted to admit it, but they were doomed.
"Resign yourselves to your fate and look forward to a better life next time. You might actually have a chance at one," Takuto said, beginning to imitate something else. His outline blurred, and something attempted to form from within the distortion. "…?!
GHHH!!"
Takuto suddenly clasped his head in his hands and staggered backward.
"King Takuto?! What's wrong?!"
Atou stopped watching from the sidelines and raced over to
Takuto, shooting Soalina and Fenne an enraged look. But neither of them expected this outcome. They didn't know what had happened either.
"Damn it… Caria, Maria!" Takuto called for the Elfuur Sisters, his voice pained, his hand pressed against his head.
"Here, here!"
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
The twins responded like usual, though they were worried about him.
"Is it done?" he asked, keeping it short.
"Indubitably, yes."
"Perfecto!"
Takuto nodded and shifted his gaze toward Elder Moltar. "Everyone here and accounted for?"
"Yes, my liege… However, what ails you? Did those rotten Saints do something—"
"No…not them. They aren't the threat, but we'll withdraw.
Gather around me now."
Takuto wasn't taking questions. Elder Moltar quickly realized something unexpected had happened within Takuto and that they had a duty to follow his orders swiftly.
"At once!"
"All units, gather around His Majesty!" Gia ordered in a loud voice after receiving the signal from Elder Moltar.
Mynoghra's army converged around Takuto.
"That's everyone. This range should be fine… Okay, let's go."
As soon as he finished speaking, Takuto transformed into Ice Rock. Several Dark Elves instinctively braced themselves, but hastily resumed their positions within the designated space.
"More important matters came up. I'll excuse meself here for today," he said to Soalina and Fenne. A tinge of impatience infused his voice while he still maintained the cool of the absolute victor.
"I hope we can have a friendlier conversation next time around," Takuto said, temporarily reverting to his true form just to convey those words before shifting back into Ice Rock. Then he chanted the teleportation spell anyone who ever played Brave
Questers would know and retreated with his army to a jaunty tune.
◇◇◇
LEFT in the wake of the forces of evil was a bereaved Soalina, an unconscious Fenne, and the shattered remnants of a dream called the Divine Nation of Lenea.
"Aah…aah…aah…" Soalina wept.
It was all over. Her dreams, her friends' dreams, all of it. When she closed her eyes, she felt like she could hear Erakino's overly friendly, loud voice that she never could come to hate. She had a feeling that if she looked over her shoulder, Erakino would pop out from behind a pillar like she was just playing a bad joke on them.
But Erakino was gone from this world…
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Soalina broke down crying, for that was all she could do now.
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Chapter 14: Promise
THE same day a victor was decided in the war between the forces of good and evil, Takuto and his people could finally relax back at Mynoghra's capital in the Accursed Lands.
"Oh, King Takuto!!"
A touching reunion played out upon their return to the Palace, but the emotion wasn't that of an over-the-top romantic comedy but a tragedy. Atou clung to her master, her face pale with worry.
"Please rest! You're going to hurt yourself!"
Takuto's fatigue showed on his face and demanded immediate rest. The reason for his exhaustion was simple: he used up too much energy during the war with the Divine Nation of Lenea.
The Hero known as the Nameless Evil God had the power to imitate everything, including natural phenomena. No world run by game mechanics would ever let a power capable of temporarily altering the way of the universe to be used without a cost. Takuto choosing to retreat when he did proved the burden was so great, he couldn't even spare the energy to finish off the enemy.
After returning to the Palace, he obediently crawled into bed and stayed there like Atou requested.
"How are you feeling?" Atou asked. "Shall I get you something to eat?"
Takuto couldn't stop smiling at Atou, sitting on the edge of his bed, fussing over him in every way like she was going to nurse him back to health all by herself. It finally felt like he got her back, and the threads of tension keeping him powering through it all loosened up for the first time since he lost her.
He hated to admit it, but he only very narrowly made this operation a success. The silver lining in this series of events was learning that he possessed the Nameless Evil God's ability to imitate anyone's appearance and abilities after seeing them once. But using that ability came with a somewhat costly price in the form of the headaches plaguing him at random intervals during the various battles and the overwhelming feeling of his energy being sapped right out of him. He felt the fatigue settle into his bones and spirit.
A few moves were all it'd take to change the outcome… If the enemy had made just a few more moves, Takuto's Perfect Imitation would've reached its limit, and the tides of battle would have changed in Lenea's favor. But it could be said that Takuto Ira became the legend that he was because he was always able to overcome the odds and secure the impossible win in the end.
"Nah, I'm good on food. More importantly, I'm sorry it took me so long to save you."
Takuto spoke sweetly to Atou, his kindness and compassion making his wrath seem like a distant memory. More than anything, his voice brimmed with a special emotion meant only for her.
Atou also felt delighted to be with Takuto again since she viewed the turbulent days under Lenea's control as someone else's memories.
"Please don't apologize, my king. If anything, you should be blaming me for reacting too slowly during their initial attack."
"No, no, I'm responsible. I neglected to put measures in place even though I considered the possibility of other games and Players being out there."
"Nonsense. It's my job to protect you, my king. I'm the one who should've deflected their attack!"
They continued to go back and forth, taking the blame and apologizing until they burst out laughing together and decided to agree that they both had things to improve.
A tranquil time passed between them. Although Atou realized Takuto wasn't in the best condition yet, she hoped this moment would continue forever.
"Hey, Atou? Can I ask you for a favor now that we've made up?" Takuto suddenly asked as if the thought had just occurred to him.
"A favor? I'll do anything you ask of me!"
It was an unusual word choice for Takuto. He could order her to do his bidding instead of requesting a favor. The way he gazed into her eyes made Atou blush and feel like he was about to say something especially important.
"Ah…um…I mean, if it's within my ability…" she stammered.
Could this finally be our big romantic moment?! Atou began fantasizing about all sorts of things, clearly not entirely free of the feelings she'd entertained while aligned with the TRPG forces.
But Takuto's request was of a different category from her fantasies.
"Okay, then I want you to get along with the others," Takuto requested.
"Hwha…? Get along?" Atou parroted, struggling to comprehend his request.
Her confusion made perfect sense because "the others" referred to Mynoghra's citizens and Takuto's subordinates. Atou believed she was doing everything in her power to play nice with them and even thought they trusted and relied on her in turn.
What in the Accursed Lands made him ask that of me? she wondered. And going to the extra length of phrasing it like a favor too…
"Um…is there something wrong with the way I've been behaving with the others?" she asked, worry seeping into her voice. "Do they hate me, and I just don't know it?"
Am I the only one who thought we were on friendly terms? Or is he worried that discord will occur between us because of my time in Lenea?
Takuto chuckled at Atou as she cocked her head to one side, trying to find the answers to the dozen or so questions racing through her head.
"Nope, not at all. It's not something you have to worry about right now, anyway. Just remember that I want you to get along and play nice with others in Mynoghra," he stressed.
"I-If you say so…?"
"It's a promise between us, Atou."
Atou decided to let herself be convinced by his vague answer.
She didn't want to stress him out too much by pressing the subject. She was curious about the real intent behind his request, but figured she'd have plenty of time to ask him once he felt better.
As she made up her mind, Takuto held out his pinky finger.
"Let's pinky promise then," he said.
"Oh! Okay! …Huh…"
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing. I just realized this is my first time ever making a pinky promise."
"What a coincidence—me too."
They both felt a little depressed by that realization, but equally excited over getting to experience it for the first time together. After an anticipatory pause, Takuto and Atou's pinky fingers hooked around each other.
"Pinky swear, if you lie—" Takuto began, reciting the rhyme, then cut it short. "Hmm, making you swallow a thousand needles doesn't sit well with me. Let's go with this instead: I'll be a little disappointed in you, Atou."
"Noooo!" Atou whined. "I'd much rather swallow a thousand needles than have you be disappointed in me, King Takuto! I promise
I'll keep my word!"
"Haha!" Takuto laughed. "Then it did the trick. This is where we release our pinkies."
With that, Takuto unhooked his pinky from hers and drew back his hand. Indescribable loneliness washed over Atou as she felt that slight warmth vanish from her grasp.
"Now I can rest easy…" Takuto whispered, the exhaustion finally catching up with him and sucking the last bit of energy out of him.
It was time to stop talking. Continuing to chat without letting him rest was bound to have a negative impact on his health. Atou decided to withdraw for the day and wait until he recovered so they could restart their busy but happy empire-management days together.
"I'll leave you for now, King Takuto. Please rest well. I'll explain what's going on to the others," she said with a smile. But then she saw it—the light of wisdom that always twinkled in Takuto's eyes vanished. "King Takuto?"
"Sorry…who…are you?"
Her master stared back at her from the bed, looking as confused as a lost child.
◇◇◇
WHAT happened after that was more shocking and tragic for Mynoghra than anything short of the death of their king. Ever since that day with Atou, Mynoghra's king and Commander, Takuto Ira, suffered from full-blown amnesia. He couldn't remember who he was, where he was, or who he was speaking to. He seemed to remember how to speak and the names of some basic items, but had no recollection of people or specific events. If that wasn't hard enough on Mynoghra, Takuto spent most of his days in a deep sleep.
IN the dark bedroom, Atou watched over Takuto's sleeping face with a haggard expression.
"…Come in," Atou said in response to the formal knock on the door.
Elder Moltar entered the room with her permission. He didn't look as worn down as Atou, but the immense stress he felt from the situation was evident in his features.
"How does our king fair?" he asked in a solemn voice.
"The same as always," Atou replied in a taut tone. "He's stayed bedridden the whole time, and even when he awakes, he barely knows who I am."
Elder Moltar was comparatively calmer than Atou because he'd already witnessed Takuto come back from the dead firsthand once before. He believed no matter how hopeless the situation looked, it was only because he viewed it through the limited knowledge of the Dark Elves. He was convinced his king would return in full form again, as he did on that fateful day not long ago. And that was why Elder Moltar could dedicate his time and focus on finding the cause of Takuto's memory loss and stabilizing the nation.
"What in the Accursed Lands happened to His Majesty?" Elder
Moltar asked. "I've had everyone under me look into it to no avail."
"I don't think you will find an external cause. I believe it's because he overused his powers. This is all my fault," Atou lamented.
"Lady Atou…"
Elder Moltar had considered that possibility too. King Takuto's ability was all-powerful. Everything ended with his enemies being at the mercy of that power without ever understanding it. But wielding so much power couldn't have come without a price. All signs pointed to him suffering the effects of overusing his ability.
Elder Moltar was having his subordinates investigate dark magic and doing whatever was necessary to procure useful texts on the subject to help Takuto regain his strength. He naturally had no intention of ever blaming Atou for what had happened. King Takuto had acted per his mighty will. His subordinates' role was to support his decisions, not question them.
"I am powerless. Incompetent when it counts," Atou soughed. "All I do is lose my presence of mind when I'm needed most… I'm worthless compared to King Takuto, who dashingly rescued me when all seemed hopeless."
Elder Moltar did come to check on Takuto, but his main purpose was to seek Atou's assistance. She had been given the authority to lead Mynoghra during one of the short bouts when Takuto regained his memories. In other words, she had become the interim Commander capable of commanding the construction of new facilities and production of various units.
They needed a Commander now more than ever, and it was her duty to increase their national power to prepare for the possibility that Takuto might not recover for a long time. In addition to Domestic Affairs, they needed to launch an immediate investigation into what had happened to the Divine Nation of Lenea and the Saints after they retreated. Mynoghra was honestly at a point where it could suffer massively without a Commander taking control.
But one look at Atou told Elder Moltar she wasn't fit for the job right now. She was mentally and physically depleted, with no motivation to lead an empire.
"I don't have it in me…" Atou said. All Elder Moltar heard from her these days was a litany of self-abasement. But what she uttered next upended his expectations. "…So I will ask him to do it." "Him…who?" Elder Moltar asked.
The grim despair vanished from Atou's crimson eyes, replaced by a heroic determination. She gently stroked a still-asleep Takuto's cheek, then stood and faced Elder Moltar.
"Hero Vittorio," she replied, mentioning a name Elder Moltar and the rest of the Dark Elves had never heard. "Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio is his full title. He specializes in trickery and scheming, and is the most effective under these circumstances and…"
Atou brought up the name of a new Hero unit. They had never informed the Dark Elves about him, but everyone who originated from Mynoghra knew his name…there was no way not to.
"…You could say he's the lowest, most despicable Hero in the history of Mynoghra."
In Eternal Nations, he was the Hero most known for his notorious troublemaking.
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Side Story: Doll
BACK when not even a shadow of danger loomed over Mynoghra, their Commander, King Takuto Ira, encouraged the people to enjoy their pastimes. This policy stemmed from the modern values instilled in Takuto during his previous life and his staunch opposition against a sweatshop-like work environment. It also had more than a little to do with his strong convictions against a life devoted entirely to work. Although it might be a bit questionable that such strong convictions were held by someone who spent the majority of his short life in the hospital…
At any rate, no soul belonging to Mynoghra would oppose the king's decree, especially when said decree was made with their wellbeing in mind.
This was how the Dark Elves inhabiting Mynoghra began building a culture steeped in enjoying hobbies and pastimes. Such activities weren't limited to the Dark Elf denizens alone.
"Mmmmm…" Atou groaned.
In the private chambers Atou had secured for herself right next to the king's own chambers—something that should've been unthinkable in most palaces—Atou scrunched up her face as she stared hard at one spot on her desk.
"How…do I even begin to describe this?"
Today was her day off. It was questionable whether one of Mynoghra's council members and a Hero of darkness actually needed days off, but she wasn't going to complain when it was none other than her king and master who told her to rest. She honestly would've preferred to spend every second of every day clinging to Takuto, but she couldn't go doing her own thing right after publicly agreeing with Takuto's policy to have people enjoy things other than work.
This resulted in her holing herself up in her room and spending time away from Takuto—a rare occurrence indeed.
"I've created something absurd…" she whispered in a gloomy voice.
The reason for her gloom was on the receiving end of her intense gaze. How should she even begin to describe what she had created? If ignoring the heartfelt effort she'd put into it, calling it a disfigured lump of cloth would best describe the object.
"I can't believe I so epically failed at my King Takuto doll…"
Sadly, the shabby object in question was supposed to be a doll Atou had put her heart and soul into making look like Takuto. This thing she brought into the world with her own two hands was noticeably dark red and boasted an eerie appearance. Takuto's attire had very little red, yet that was the predominant color her creation took on. And the problems didn't stop there…
The worst part of all was that she didn't neglect to make a rough version of all his body parts. Human body parts of various sizes peaked out from the dark red lump, thrusting wildly into the air as if cursing their living counterpart.
No amount of excuses or exaggerations could allow anyone to claim this monstrosity was a doll. Small children would surely cry at the sight of it.
This object that any horror enthusiast would gladly buy was Atou's first attempt at a Takuto doll.
"I o-obviously can't show this to King Takuto. But…what in the world must I do to improve? I mean, this is bad…real bad."
Atou knew how horrifying her creation was. She stared at it like she might a Long-legged Bug taking a shower. She couldn't see a path to improve from a creation you'd want to hide under your bed to something she'd be okay showing off, even if flawed.
It's worth noting that she was, indeed, following a proper guidebook. The monstrosity staring back at her resulted from following the steps in the book she had Takuto use Emergency Production to procure for her.
The road ahead is long, and there'll be many setbacks, but retreat is out of the question. Atou had to persist because it was none other than Takuto who'd strongly recommended that she pick up a hobby…
I've tried my hand at more hobbies than I care to count. I started with cooking, which ended up dashing my hopes and dreams when my first several dishes turned out as charcoal lumps. I've since been certified as someone without any fashion sense. I'm forbidden from partaking in sports or martial arts of any kind because I'll destroy my opponents…literally. I'm no good at games… This is the only hobby left for me!
Obviously, the world has a lot more hobbies to offer than what Atou had tried. But a hobby isn't something you force yourself to do, and Atou wanted to enjoy what she picked. Dollmaking offered a win-win scenario since she could enjoy making Takuto dolls while also showing off to the man himself what a cutesy hobby she'd selected. She didn't want to give up—even in the face of these tragic results—when this hobby served her self-interests and a practical use.
"As they say…practice makes perfect. I'll practice until I can make my ideal couple dolls of King Takuto and me!" Atou declared, setting her sights high to motivate herself.
As Mynoghra's Hero and Takuto's confidant, Atou didn't need to put in this much effort. All she needed to do was use it as an enjoyable way to kill some time. But her horror over how terrible she was at handicrafts and her desire to improve lit a fire under her. Atou found herself respecting her king all the more, for the resolve ignited by her rebellious spirit and the strange excitement filling her chest made her realize how wonderful it was to have a hobby.
"First things first, I must dispose of this atrocity. I wouldn't want anyone to see it."
She especially didn't want Takuto to see it. There was no way she could possibly make up for the rudeness of creating a doll in Takuto's likeness that turned out like…this. She would die of embarrassment if he found out. Fortunately, as long as Atou didn't tell anyone, no one, no matter how smart they were, would ever guess the cloth monster was meant to be a Takuto doll…
Atou held the doll to her and headed for the garbage can.
"Whoa— Atou…?"
She made eye contact with the doll's model.
"K-K-K-K-K-K-King T-Takuto! Wh-What brings you here?!"
"Uh, well… Sorry?"
"Don't be! You are welcome in my room anytime, my king!"
Atou's master had shown up in her room unannounced. And his gaze was locked on the Takuto Doll she had clasped to her chest with both hands.
Things couldn't get any worse.
Atou could only freeze up in response to Takuto's sudden appearance in her room.
Meanwhile, Takuto wasn't expecting this turn of events either. Even he understood that it was wrong to enter a lady's room uninvited. He had knocked on the door and called out to her before entering. But when she didn't answer him after all of that, he worried that something had happened to her and acted without thinking.
If he had stopped to think about it a little more, he could have taken several other actions first, but Takuto tended to act rashly when it came to Atou. He shouldn't be blamed for what he did out of concern for her.
It should never be forgotten that he suffered from a lack of social skills. Nine out of ten times, he was bound to make the wrong decision when it came to social situations. As such, Takuto's inner turmoil was on par with Atou's. No…it was actually a whole tier worse.
Yeah, there's no mistaking it…that's a failed attempt! Takuto thought. She tried to make something and failed at it horribly!
Takuto was the one who'd encouraged all of Mynoghra to pick up hobbies. He'd even advised Atou to find a hobby, so it wasn't hard to guess what was going on.
Naturally, he planned to respect whatever hobby Atou chose for herself. He didn't care whether it produced perfect results or not. It's a hobby—as long as the person enjoyed themselves, the results didn't matter. He wasn't like some people who expected even someone's pastimes to produce something. So he didn't care one way or another if Atou had failed at something she was trying to make for her hobby.
Yes, the failed product wasn't the problem. The real problem here was…
It'll hurt Atou's feelings if I say the wrong thing! Wh-What's the right thing to say in this situation?!
"That's a lovely doll," Takuto settled for. "Is that supposed to be one of Mynoghra's Shoggoth units?" "It's you, King Takuto…" The room froze.
Both of them screamed internally that they had said the absolute worst thing. Takuto had made a shot in the dark guess, while Atou had told the truth because she didn't want to lie to her master.
The silence mercilessly stabbed them both.
At this rate, the status quo would be maintained until one of them broke down and started crying. However, there was one man who summoned up his courage to make sure that didn't happen. Yes…Mynoghra's King Takuto Ira tried to save the situation. "W-Well, no one's perfect the first time. Don't worry about it." "Aw, thank you…" Atou sniffled.
Takuto was somehow able to correct course. He'd epically failed with his first comment but received passing marks with his second. He hoped his next would get them past this awkward moment.
"Besides, there's a lot we can verify if you get good after practicing a bunch," he said.
"Really? Like what…?"
"Improving Culture Levels."
Takuto decided to reveal one of the strategies he hadn't discussed with anyone yet in hopes of distracting them from the uncomfortable mood. He wanted to verify the existence of a component called Culture.
Atou realized he wasn't just using a random phrase, but referring to one of the stats an empire can improve in Eternal Nations. Her expression clouded over slightly despite her realization.
"Culture, you say? Now that you mention it, Eternal Nations has a Cultural Victory, too, doesn't it?"
"I'm not surprised you didn't think of it right away. We never did much with Culture…"
Culture in Eternal Nations is the quantification of the influence various civilizations have on the world. It covers everything from an empire's arts to its civics and religions. Essentially, everything that makes up an empire, from its language to its attire and even the food its citizens eat, can be collectively classified under Culture and becomes a part of that empire's influence.
A Cultural Victory becomes possible when every aspect of an empire's Culture becomes the object of envy, and other empires naturally start to seek alliances or offer up their allegiance.
A Cultural Victory was a longshot for Mynoghra, which not only had its evil-alignment stacked against it, but also had the culturally incompetent Homunculus as its starter race.
"I don't think Mynoghra can exercise much influence with its Culture," Atou pointed out.
"You can say that again. That's why I want to try experimenting around."
Takuto completely agreed with Atou. There was no world in which this man who knew every detail about Mynoghra and stood as its undefeated leader would overlook one of its key traits. He was after something different with this strategy.
"What kind of experiment?" Atou asked.
"So, we've already figured out that this world's version of Eternal
Nations doesn't work exactly like the game we knew, right?"
Atou nodded. They had already verified that theory through everything they'd experienced in this world so far. The game system occasionally acted outside of their expectations. It almost seemed like someone was adjusting the settings to something easier to parse, causing a headache for Takuto and Atou when it came to those good and bad changes.
"I'm thinking the same probably applies to Culture too. In the game, your empire can keep existing even if your Culture Level is stuck at zero, but in reality, doesn't it seem absurd for there to be a nation without any kind of culture whatsoever?"
"When you put it that way, it certainly does…"
Just when they thought the system was interpreting things in a way that was convenient for them, it would then overinterpret certain points. That was how the Eternal Nations' system had worked so far in this world. Based on his experience, Takuto decided that it'd be better to promote Culture in some way to double-check if his understanding of the system was correct. His decision stemmed from a heartfelt desire to do something for the Dark Elves, who he believed were working far too hard.
"I see, so that's what was behind this most recent policy," Atou said.
"Yep. That said, what matters most is that everyone enjoys some free time. It's okay to take it in stride and just have fun."
In fact, Takuto wanted to confirm one other point. He wanted to know: Can Mynoghra's units—entities derived from a video game— grow and change? He wasn't thinking about the type of growth that came with leveling up or Atou's unique ability as a Hero unit to steal skills. His question was more: Can life experience as an individual overcome and overwrite their base character settings?
He was essentially trying to investigate what kind of entity Atou and the rest of the units could be classified as. Were they really nothing more than game characters, even though they had memories? Or were they already freed from such restraints and in possession of a soul and a sense of self that couldn't be violated?
If his latter theory was correct, then it begged the question: who granted them this life and power? No, the real question was: who and with what purpose were they granted life in this world?
What in the world am I? Takuto had begun to question his existence a bit more lately. Meh, no point thinking about something I won't be getting the answers to any time soon!
After all, I know Atou is the Atou who has been with me all along. That's the one absolute in this world.
Takuto could say for certain that Atou was his other half—the girl he'd spent much of his past life with. Sure, he didn't have hard evidence to prove it, but he held an unswerving conviction that it was so. As long as that fact existed, the human known as Takuto Ira felt he could go on forever. He knew that with her, he could overcome any difficulty and every obstacle in their way.
That was his—
"Setting aside the serious talk, King Takuto…"
Takuto snapped back to reality, feeling like he was being dragged back to the surface of his thoughts after plunging into their spiraling depths. Startled he'd become so absorbed in his thoughts that he'd neglected Atou, he shifted his gaze back to her and smiled to deflect from his momentary lapse. His gaze landed squarely on Takuto Doll #1. Or more precisely, a suspicious-looking object attempting to resemble him.
"D-Do you think I'll ever get better…?" Atou asked, her voice trembling.
"They say that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, so I know you can do it. I believe in you, Atou."
Takuto felt his own growth, seeing as he was able to encourage her on the spot. He felt like he'd just made up for the countless mistakes he'd made earlier in the conversation. The experience points he'd gained amid the awkwardness were definitely accumulating within him.
I can do this. I'm definitely getting better at communicating.
Takuto was feeling proud of himself, when…
"I don't believe in myself one bit, though. Especially when I think of the hundreds of failures up to this point…"
"E-Er…"
He hesitated and immediately regretted it. Where did his confidence and conviction from a moment earlier go? His face twitched into a forced smile as he tried to comfort Atou as she looked up at him with teary eyes.