episode_0012

Playing with settings is all about taking out the interesting parts of the setting and having fun with them.

I’ve always loved the Azurena series, so I wanted to memorize the world of the game series as much as I could. I read everything meticulously, from the myths, continents, and countries that appear in the world to the magic and culture. I read thick setting books, all the texts that appear as “books” in the game, descriptions of monsters and beasts, explanations of factions, and even character notes that are filled in after completing events.

Since the series came out once a year, there wasn’t much to do while waiting for the next part after clearing one. I played other games during that time, and I even played the previous installments released before I finished the latest one, but no matter what, if you consume one series diligently for seven years, you’re bound to hit a wall.

Moreover, even if the series has been going on for a long time, the world setting resets periodically.

Even if you gather all the texts in the game and add setting books, the books needed to summarize one world would probably only amount to about two thick volumes.

So, it’s fun to read.

… The problem is when it’s a “game.”

In games, it’s not always about showing the bright side of the world setting. But that doesn’t mean every dark aspect of that world is shown either. Settings that are too dark that just looking at them might make you feel depressed are briefly explained as dialogue and passed over, and the dark sides of the world are only shown “superficially.”

It’s enjoyable to study the setting while skimming over the depressing parts, but…

However, if it’s the “real world,” the story changes.

In games, showing a brief scene like “there’s an alley here too” becomes hundreds of papers worth of research in the real world. How to solve such poverty issues, showing countless examples and solutions, and debating and advocating for each other.

History is the same. In games, only important parts are neatly summarized at the main point of the story, but in this world’s history books, it’s thick, boring, and extensive. Moreover, interpretations vary for each individual dealt with, and long discussions are held over ambiguous parts.

Steam engines, firearms, magic. Even the core of the world, made up of those three things, is divided into various disciplines such as material engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, physics, magicology, magic engineering… It’s enough to make your head spin.

And the core discipline that permeates all those theories is none other than mathematics.

And I was someone who gave up on math coolly in high school.

… Do I have to do math too if I delve into settings?

But to me, understanding all of that to some extent was not an impossible task at all.

Isn’t that right? After all, all I had was time.

Even if I didn’t understand a book after reading it once, I could go back in time and make sure I understood it thoroughly. It didn’t matter how many times I asked the same teacher. After all, to that person, it probably looked like I was only asking once.

And there were great benefits that came with understanding things in that way.

“Indeed, you are the princess!”

The tutor exclaimed, clapping her hands with a bright face.

The title of “princess” still felt awkward, but I couldn’t ask this person to use a different title. Anyway, I was indeed a princess.

Of course, the real Princess Alice and I had different meanings in many ways, but to a teacher like this, it didn’t really matter. If I could just take away the catchphrase “She was such a capable teacher of the princess,” then it would be fine.

“How is it that every time I speak, everyone understands and moves on? Princess, you truly have a divine talent! I’m sure you’ll be able to blossom that talent even more at the Royal Academy!”

…It seemed like she was a bit too enthusiastic, but I just tried to pass it off with a neutral expression.

Of course, I had no intention of becoming an expert in any field. My goal was simply to get into the Royal Academy.

In the game, they might ask only one or two questions on the test, but in reality, it was bound to be different. I would have to solve dozens of problems within a strict atmosphere, just like a real exam.

Well… there was a way to look at the test questions and then turn back time, but that would expose my lack of preparation.

So, wouldn’t it be better to maintain this image of being “smart and capable” on a regular basis?

Then why was I trying to get into the Royal Academy? In the original work, Claire didn’t enter the academy right from the start; she was inserted by the emperor in the middle of the story.

The reason I wanted to directly enter the Royal Academy was…

Naturally, isn’t it obvious? I really loved the Azerne Chronicles. I had a great affection for the characters in it.

To be able to spend my school days with those characters?

Can you endure it? How?

Well, in the game, I was under the emperor, who could be considered the leader of the evil forces, so I might end up opposing the main characters in various ways… but that was actually a great merit for me.

In the original work, there are several characters who die. Depending on the protagonist’s choices, some characters are bound to die. The characters who die vary depending on the choices, but regardless of the choice, two to three characters, including Claire, die permanently according to the route.

That’s how it was in the latest installment I played. I heard that in the sequel, they were planning to continue the results by linking save data.

Of course, players never believed that the company would continue this linkage until the end of the series in that world. Most people thought that they would make the beginning gloomy and then save everyone behind the scenes, and I shared that opinion.

But still…

Still, I really didn’t like the idea of the characters I loved dying.

So, I would stop it. If I was under the emperor and gained proper trust, it wasn’t impossible.

*

“…”

Well, it wasn’t without side effects that I studied harder than when I was a test-taker.

Just like Alice, who was staring at me in front of me right now.

Both of us, after our birthdays this year, will be 14 years old.

In this world, you enter the academy at the age of 15. By the end of this year, we will take the entrance exam, and even there, those who rank first and second will receive special treatment when entering the academy. After that, we will study at the academy for four years, taking exams each semester to determine our grades.

In Korean terms, it’s like entering in the third year of middle school and attending until high school graduation.

And in the original work, Alice was the top student at the time of admission.

“…How did you do it?”

Alice asked in a sinister voice. It seemed like jealousy was dripping from her voice.

Alice entered the academy by only getting five questions wrong out of all the subjects on the entrance exam. The exam at the Royal Lyndarium Academy was famously difficult, and usually, if you scored above 450 out of 500, you would hear words of praise.

Alice, who entered with a score of 487 points, was naturally a top student among top students. She had achieved remarkable success through her hard work driven by the desire to excel beyond her “siblings.”

“….”

I silently looked down at the mock exam paper I was holding.

There, the score of 495 points was written.

By the way, mock exams are usually considered slightly more difficult than actual exams.

… Did I study too hard?

“….”

Alice blushed as I remained silent.

“….Tell me. Did you really solve it based on your ability?”

Well…

Strictly speaking, was it really based on my ability?

If turning back time is considered my “ability,” then it’s because I made sure to secure enough study time and memorized everything.

Moreover, while Alice studied for four hours a day, I filled all eight hours with ease. Everyone, including Alice in front of me now, would probably think of me not as a top student, but as a genius.

… Did I study too hard?

“…I was lucky.”

“Lucky?”

The words I forced out were a blatant lie.

“Yes. There were a few questions I didn’t know, but it seems I chose the correct answers based on intuition. I remember there were five questions, so if I had left those questions blank, Your Highness could have scored higher than me.”

To avoid sounding forced, I calmly spoke with my usual tone.

“As Your Highness knows, I tend to be luckier than others.”

Even though I may appear competent, some things just seem to have gone my way due to luck.

Naturally, some people who see me think I’m incredibly lucky.

Well, I agree that I’m lucky.

Honestly, one of the protagonists I adored so much was right in front of me.

“….Hmm.”

Alice narrowed her eyes as if trying to confirm if my words were sincere.

But her expression quickly softened.

“Really? Is that true?”

Whether she knew it herself or not, she tried to maintain her loosened expression.

“Indeed. Your Highness, have you ever seen me lie?”

“…No.”

In the past nine years, I had never betrayed anyone in the palace. If asked to do something, I did it silently, and if asked a question, I answered sincerely. I never lied.

Of course, in the case of lying, I just let it go and pretended it wasn’t a lie. The results were the same for others anyway.

For reference, the Emperor never ordered an assassination on me after that. I’m not sure what he was thinking. There must have been some hidden agenda. Thanks to that, acting became easier, but…

“Heh, I see. So, it’s all because of luck?”

In the end, Alice couldn’t hold back her laughter and spoke with a brightened mood.

… It was a bit awkward to lie to this girl, but this should do.

“That’s correct. Congratulations.”

“Heh.”

Alice snorted in response to my words.

“Well, they say luck is also a skill, right? If this were a real test, you would have definitely been the top scorer.”

Alice looked at me with determined eyes.

“Just wait. I’ll make sure you can’t win next time, even with luck.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

She’s kind of cute.

… I should make sure to make at least five more mistakes on the entrance exam.

*

In addition to constantly provoking Alice’s temper, there was one more side effect.

“Sylvia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you happen to be interested in world affairs?”

“….”

In the presence of the Emperor, a completely unexpected question was thrown at me.

For a moment, I almost blurted out, “Excuse me?” but I held back.

“Um.”

Judging by my silence, the Emperor, after a brief pause, spoke.

“In a month, there will be a trilateral meeting between the Law Kingdom, the Royal Kingdom, and our Empire.”

“….”

Up to this point, I remained silent without any particular thoughts. The Emperor often called me and said random things, so I assumed this was just one of those instances.

“But I have a prior engagement and won’t be able to attend.”

So?

Suppressing the rising doubt on my face, I continued listening to the conversation.

“So, will you go in my place this time?”

“Me? Are you asking me?”

“Um?”

Oh.

I couldn’t hold it in.

…Again.

*

“Why am I the one going instead of someone else? May I ask?”

Once the Emperor said this, it was highly likely that he had already made up his mind. If he hadn’t intended to assign me this task from the start, he wouldn’t have called me here in the first place.

…But, even upon reconsideration, this doesn’t seem quite right.

Regardless of my actual age, officially I am only 14 years old. In Korean age, that would be 16, and I am just about to enter the Academy next year – essentially, high school.

Even though scenes of teenagers dominating the world often appear in anime subculture, isn’t this a bit too much?

“Well, it’s because I trust you. Is there any other reason?”

“….”

Um.

It seems like I may have been trying too hard.

People around me, like the other children of the Emperor, the real princess Alice, and even the Emperor in front of me now.

Although I may not know it myself, the growing confidence in my ‘ability’…

…was actually a side effect of my recent worries about my abilities.