Ch.267267. Omission (2)

# Chapter ●

I know very well that the world doesn’t always go according to my plans.

My own track record proves this perfectly, and realistically, how often do situations solidify exactly where I want them among countless possibilities?

In that sense.

The current situation is incredibly perplexing.

< System Message >

[ Entering the ‘Skip’ branch of Chapter 5. ]

[ If you choose correctly, you will skip the main quest ‘Imperial Upheaval’ and proceed directly to the boss battle! ]

“…”

I stare at the window before me with a dumbfounded expression.

Just as I was brushing my teeth after waking up, something like this suddenly appears.

‘…What is this?’

Before feeling joy or anything else, only confusion dominated my thoughts.

A “happy miscalculation” was among the rarest variables I’d experienced in my life.

Well, I suppose such things can happen in life.

But isn’t the reward too great?

Skipping the entire main quest?

Without any struggle whatsoever?

How is that even possible?

< System Message >

[ A tremendous variable in scenario progression has been detected due to the influence of ‘Astrid Logos Campbell’! ]

“…”

My eyes narrowed immediately at the window that appeared in response.

[What’s wrong?]

“…It seems that mother character is pulling some strings behind the scenes.”

[Strings?]

“While it’s immediately helpful to me, her image isn’t exactly positive from my perspective.”

After rinsing my mouth and saying that, Calivan Chrysanyx responded in a voice of disbelief.

[Setting aside how you figured that out, shouldn’t you be grateful if it helps you, regardless of how?]

[Well…]

“What is it?”

When Calivan spoke with a somewhat subtle tone, I responded with a slightly prickly attitude.

[I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but do you really need to go that far?]

Those words flew from his side, cautious but with a firm tone.

[Haven’t you avoided having even a single conversation with her?]

“…”

[From what I can see, that’s not normal. Completely cutting off communication with someone so desperate, regardless of how bad their impression might be. It’s not like you. You might be called trash often, but you’re not someone who abandons human decency.]

“…”

[How should I put this? It’s almost like you have an aversion to the very concept of ‘mother.’ Did something bad happen in the past?]

With those words.

“…”

Momentary flashes of images appear.

Gunshots. Corpses. Crying. Blood. Hands soaked in it. A song.

And heartbreak.

“…Let’s drop this useless talk.”

I continue with an expressionless face.

I press my temple firmly to shake off the old memories surfacing in my mind.

This happened even before I became Serath. There’s no reason to get buried in such things now when I have so much to do.

“We can’t let our guard down. It’s not like all our concerns have disappeared.”

Skipping the Imperial Upheaval means that, as I originally intended, the ‘war’ won’t happen at all. That’s good, but.

The biggest problem still remains.

‘…The most concerning point is.’

While the main quest skip is one thing, the ‘boss battle’ still remains.

Not only the irritating Count Nicholas, but also this chapter’s ‘final boss’ is still there.

‘…The sooner I reconcile Serath and Victoria Evatrice, the better.’

I’ll probably need to handle that matter as soon as the business in Count Rebel’s territory is finished.

Only then can I sow the seeds or whatever…

[…Hey. You.]

“Yes?”

[That seed-sowing thing, is it what I think it is?]

“…Probably?”

[…]

“No, even I can’t help this—”

Before I could explain that this was the best option for clearing the chapter, Calivan’s voice dropped with a tone of indifference.

[Do whatever you want. You’ll do it anyway once you’ve made up your mind, no matter what I say.]

“…”

[Just, you know. Make sure to knock me unconscious when you actually do it.]

As I was left speechless, his resigned voice continued.

[That Victoria girl, I know she’s an adult. But just looking at her build, the guilt would be too much—]

“…What on earth are you talk—”

“Darwood Campbell!”

My breath catches as Victoria Evatrice bursts through the door before I can finish speaking.

Seeing me violently spitting out the mouthwash, Victoria looks at me with a puzzled expression.

“…What is it? Why are you acting like that?”

“…Nothing. It’s nothing.”

If she knew what kind of conversation was just taking place about her, with her personality, it wouldn’t be strange at all if she actually drew her sword and tried to slice me up.

This one’s definitely not a proper lady.

“Anyway, what is it? So early in the morning.”

“…I think you need to go to Count Rebel’s castle right now.”

Victoria continued with an exasperated sigh.

“I don’t know what kind of trouble you’ve caused this time.”

“…”

Why.

What.

What is it now?

●

“…How much do you want?”

Elnore Erinarise la Tristan asked with a very serious expression.

The recipient was Faynol Leiphec. Small horns were protruding from his forehead, and red flames were still streaming from around his body.

It was clearly the appearance of someone who had unleashed demonic power.

However, compared to his previous state where he went berserk with pillars of fire, he was now clearly maintaining his “rationality.”

‘…He seems to be getting more accustomed to it.’

Elnore sighed inwardly with that thought.

Well.

From Yuria Greyhaunter’s swordsmanship skills she saw earlier to Faynol’s increasing proficiency with demonic power.

It feels strangely like the Demonic Vessels around Darwood have been accelerating in their “growth” lately.

“…”

She silently looked down at her chest.

More precisely, she was briefly thinking about the being inside it, but before she could fall into deep contemplation, Faynol responded.

“Oh my. Money won’t do, I’m afraid?”

“…”

Elnore’s eyes rapidly narrowed. Her displeasure was evident.

“…You’re not doubting the financial power of the Tristan Dukedom, are you?”

“The Empire’s most prestigious family, of course I believe in it.”

The item being “traded” was something that would have shocked Darwood if he had seen it.

It was a physical print of his baby photo that Professor Astrid Campbell had shown, which Faynol had stored in his memory.

Seeing it, Elnore’s eyes were gradually becoming bloodshot.

Of course, she immediately stuffed it into the deepest part of her mental archive upon seeing it, but keeping it as a physical “object” was another matter entirely…!

With a sentiment similar to a fan addressing a famous celebrity, desperation began to mix into Elnore’s voice.

“…Then why are you refusing?”

“I want to set the fairest price. It’s a photo of Darwood. Money just won’t do.”

Seeing Faynol speak so seriously, Elnore’s expression also became increasingly serious.

What on earth was he going to demand after building up such suspense?

However, the following sentence was a truly harsh answer befitting such buildup.

“Student Council President, you have a collection too, don’t you?”

“…Kugh…”

Elnore immediately let out a groan.

Whether it was Beatrix Elfin Kilgore’s “Do the other people in your family know you’re doing this?” or

Principal Atalante’s “I keep getting reports that you’re sneaking somewhere in the middle of the night! Please show some restraint!”

She had endured all sorts of reproaches, even occasional nonsense from Elia Krisanax like “Share the good stuff if you have any,” to build her own “Darwood Collection.”

Her own treasure, storing only the most memorable and coolest moments she wanted to preserve.

…To put it more accurately, it was a collection of stalker photos taken while following Darwood around.

In fact, each time she took a photo, a virtual mini-Beatrix would appear beside her ear saying “That’s a crime! A crime, you crazy woman!” but Elnore was the type of person who could mercilessly ignore such virtual lectures.

“…Fine. I’ll send you one selected photo.”

“Excellent. Deal—”

Just as the two were about to conclude their mutually satisfactory negotiation, a scream suddenly erupted nearby.

“You, you two! Do you know who I—!”

“…”

“…”

Ah.

There was ‘that’ too.

As if Elnore and Faynol simultaneously recalled this, they looked at Count Rebel, who was hanging upside down from the top of the castle wall wearing only a single piece of underwear.

“…Should we have been a bit harsher? Seeing that he still has the energy to speak, it seems he hasn’t reflected enough.”

Faynol snorted and said that.

His eyes glowing red suggested he was fully prepared to keep his word, but Elnore stopped him with a bitter smile.

“That’s enough. If we did that, the entire territory of Count Rebel would be erased from the map.”

Indeed, the soldiers of Count Rebel’s territory, who were sprawled all around groaning, flinched at those words.

In reality, without even having time to use the equipment brought from the Demonic Spire, they had witnessed all sorts of bizarre scenes—walls being sliced, the entire sky being set ablaze, and iron being torn apart with bare hands.

It had taken less than half a day for these women to “invade” the count’s territory and turn the entire castle into a wasteland.

And now here they were, giggling about some man named Darwood.

‘…I wonder…’

Someone probably had such a thought.

‘Should I be envious…?’

What kind of life must a man lead to have such women at his side all at once?

Love is always a double-edged sword. The deeper one falls, the more devastating the disappointment can be.

If these women were ever “disappointed”…

“…”

The person who had this thought shuddered.

Whatever the case, they certainly didn’t want to end up like that.

And while someone was having such thoughts.

“…What on earth is going on here?”

The man in question trudged into the count’s castle.

●