episode_0363

I opened my eyes to the sound of sparrows chirping.

Looking around, it is currently morning.

Outside, where daybreak had begun, the sunlight was slowly streaming into the room.

“…phew.”

Harnie sighs.

It was definitely a disturbing night.

It was a night when it might have been difficult to fall asleep.

It was normal for Belian to lose sleep over the fact that he had been toying with her, the fact that he had been included in the elaborate plan, and the hardships of his life.

But that night passed so quickly that I didn’t even realize it had happened.

“You slept soundly even after all those things happened.”

Thanks to this guy sleeping right next to me.

I feel strong arms wrapped around my waist.

Warm heat is transmitted from the close bodies.

I couldn’t think of anything as I kept my eyes tightly closed at this temperature.

I couldn’t even think about things like that.

These vivid sensations, which I still feel, have covered up those memories.

Yes, that’s right.

All he remembered was that Karsine fell asleep while holding him.

“…ummm.”

Meanwhile, Carcein is tossing and turning.

“Oh my. It looks like it’s morning?”

Karsine stretching with a yawn.

Harnie was startled by Karsine’s reaction and fell down.

“Da, don’t come near me.”

“Why are you doing this? Did I do something wrong…”

“That’s not it… Uh, could you stay away from me for a moment?”

I can’t help but blush when I think about how we fell asleep together all night.

There have been many moments of co-sleeping up until now. There have been many times when I slept with her in my arms all night, and the number of times has been quite a lot.

There were even times when I had to touch his skin or hug him in a state where I was practically naked.

And… just a few days ago, we kissed while we were sleeping.

But it was different back then.

Harnie’s psychology had already changed greatly.

‘Ugh… Uh, what should I do?’

I can’t even look at Karsain.

Strangely, I couldn’t look at the person I had met just fine until yesterday.

It’s as if Carcein is a different person.

It’s different from yesterday. I can’t treat him like I usually do. I used to start my day with Karsin normally, chatting about this and that, and even joking around once in a while, but I can’t do that.

I didn’t know how to react. I couldn’t continue the conversation even though it was easy to answer since it was just a simple question.

“Did you feel very frustrated? If so…”

“That’s not it.”

“Then… did you feel pain because I hugged you so tightly?”

“Oh, no! I’ve never been sick.”

“Uh…”

Karsine did not leave.

Instead, he confessed his true feelings to Harnie and decided to stay by her side.

As real lovers, not fake lovers.

The two were able to open up about their feelings for each other.

Perhaps, this was the situation where what one had longed for came true.

It would not have been strange for him to have craved affection for Karsain.

But that was the problem.

No matter how much she was courted and how many times she had been showered with love letters and gifts… this was her first time.

I’ve never been in a real relationship.

True love, not fake love.

Harnie doesn’t know how to treat someone who has true feelings for her.

So I don’t know what to do.

Harnie, who had never experienced love before and had only had a crush on someone, was completely immune to courtship.

Just as the girl’s heart was shaken by the relentless straight path, the current situation was exactly like that.

“First of all… I’ll let you go.”

Karsine, who had an expression on his face as if he didn’t know English, carefully relaxed his arm, worried that he might get hit on the back like yesterday.

“Ah…”

The arm that was holding my waist falls off.

One of the shoulders that used to be a pillow falls off.

The skin touching each other over the clothes. And the body temperature transmitted through the contact of each other’s skin.

It all fell away at once.

The body that had been stiff from being stuck to Karcein was stiffening in a completely different way this time.

“Hmm… It’s time to get up anyway, so I guess I’d better get ready to go out.”

“Ready to go out?”

“Yes. As I told you yesterday, I will go get the real treasure today. I said that the guardian amulet you had is not literally one of the five treasures.”

Yes, I did. I had something to do.

I ended up completely forgetting even that.

“First, I’ll wash up. I’ll heat up the water and prepare a meal. If you didn’t sleep well because you were sleeping poorly, you can sleep a little longer and wake up.”

Karsine said this and went to prepare the bath and breakfast.

Harnier, who could not bring himself to continue the conversation or take action, was ultimately unable to catch Karsain.

Only after he leaves do I feel it. The emptiness and this lump of desire that arose as soon as I left Carcein’s embrace.

‘You idiot. Why did you do that!’

Actually, I wish we had stuck together a little longer.

I wish you would hug me a little more and stay like this.

I wanted him to feel lethargic, like I should just sleep in a little more and stay like this.

But it is regrettable that the body does not follow suit.

Harnie was extremely embarrassed by the fact that Karsine was by her side, but she ended up having contradictory thoughts of wanting to stick with Karsine.

***

Harnie’s condition is strange today.

Should I say that it was different from usual? For some reason, the conversation didn’t continue.

Not only did he lower his head and avoid eye contact, but when I asked him if he had had an uncomfortable night’s sleep or felt stuffy, he simply denied it and did not give any answer.

…I must have done something wrong.

It’s difficult in many ways.

This is love.

‘Still, now is the time to focus.’

Quite some time has passed since I chose not to go back.

It was a waste of time as I wasn’t lying down all day.

That meant I had to analyze and prepare more thoroughly.

▶EX Episode. This episode is included in True Enemy.◀

▶Acquire the five treasures to stop the Yggdrasil Project.◀

An episode where you have to collect five treasures.

The episode that was supposed to signal the end of the last chapter in this game and send me back to reality was an episode that had already started a long time ago.

But that wasn’t an episode of one chapter.

This wasn’t the episode that ended the game.

It wasn’t an episode that brought me back to reality.

A trap that just sends me back to reality and leads to the worst ending.

It was a trap that led to the blowing of the last chance to save Harnie.

This made me have another question about the status window.

At the end, at the last moment.

At that moment when the author might be sent away.

It popped up numerous warning messages.

He left countless messages telling me not to come back.

As if he knew this was a trap.

‘…No. Actually, that wasn’t all.’

Or, as a warning, by displaying a bad ending.

For example, by displaying a numerical value for the risk level or by clearly indicating the timer.

In addition to this, there have been numerous warnings posted.

The system itself was like that too.

Intimacy that can be used to determine whether someone is a dangerous person.

Stats, action points, and stamina levels that can be used to check Karsane’s physical condition.

They provided me with information in all sorts of ways, including various UIs and episode-specific precautions.

Lastly… the very concept of choice.

I had a feeling that it might have been an iron fence meant to restrain my impulsive actions.

So, I can’t help but wonder.

The status window that kept popping up warning messages and telling me not to go back… is it really just a system in the game?

I’m not sure.

This is still just speculation.

But it just so happened that an answer to this question was available.

‘It’s almost time.’

I waited and waited.

I waited here for that time to come, having prepared even better than before in the place I had been to.

and.

The status window readily gave me this answer.

-Tiring!

“…ha.”

A sigh came out naturally.

I had a feeling it wouldn’t happen.

I really didn’t know this would happen.

▶The fifth treasure. You have obtained the Silver Heart of Wederos.◀

How can you look at this and not be convinced?

I have provided answers to all the questions that have arisen so far.

‘…Yeah. The status window never intended to put me in danger in the first place.’

When a trap called a portal to reality was created.

The Guardian’s Amulet certainly looked like a treasure, but the status window clearly denied it.

The bad ending is a warning to me, showing me the outcome I will face.

The danger level of the field was a device that helped me avoid getting into trouble by going straight into a dangerous place.

The timer that was always there was a signal that something was hidden.

Numerous warning signs warning of danger.

Messages that I have never seen before in a game.

Intimacy. Stat window. Abnormal status. Game UI. Mini-games. Item window. And even the options.

All of these things provided in the form of a game system were not threats to me, but rather a helping hand.

‘I don’t think I know everything yet. But…’

One thing I noticed for sure.

If that’s the case…

I won’t hesitate.

‘Okay. Go ahead and display the next message.’

It’s not over yet.

Is there anything else you want to say?

Then from now on, I will follow your instructions thoroughly.

What on earth do you want from me?

I wonder what you hoped for by trying to help me in this way.

I’ll make sure to listen to everything.

After all, what you want is the author’s survival.

-Tiring!

The status window will display a message, along with an alarm sound that will soon sound.

however.

“…What is this?”

A message appeared whose intention was unknown at first.

“What did it say?”

Harnie, now aware of the existence of the status window, asked quietly.

“…The mystery has been solved. Harnie. The message is that the amulet of protection you had was not a treasure.”

“As you guessed.”

Yeah, it was just as I guessed.

However, there are still some questions that remain unanswered.

What would be the point of just setting up a tree? Where in the world is there a family that collapses because of a tree, or a country that is conquered because of a tree?

It was reasonable to assume that there was something.

So I thought the status window would tell me the characteristics or information about the tree with a different message this time.

▶CHAPTER 4 ends with the conditions satisfied.◀

▶CHAPTER 5. The Only Way Begins◀

▶Episode I. Go to the designated map and eliminate the surrounding demons to prevent one character from being attacked.◀

A chapter begins with a single sentence, completely closing this question.

‘What the heck is this?’

I can’t believe it with just my head.

Let’s put our heads together with Harnie first.

“Go near the Shiren Villa and eliminate the surrounding demons to prevent one person from being attacked.”

Oddly enough, the status window was asking for some other action than to ruin the Yggdrasil project.

“If it’s Shiren’s Villa… it’s Bagrand territory, right?”

“Yes.”

“Shireun Villa. Shireun Villa… hmm.”

Hearing that, Harnie becomes lost in thought.

Then, something suddenly crossed his mind, and his expression became even more serious.

“Do you know anything?”

She nodded slightly.

“I have something to say. Since I have my own information, I think I know what the status window is trying to say. But… before that, I have something to say to you.”

“Please speak.”

“…I told you at the graveyard before, right? Your relationship with your family wasn’t just bad, it was ruined by someone else’s intentions.”

…Why is that topic suddenly coming up?