Ch.34The Last Memory (3)

The quest appearing means that it’s possible to progress with quests even within memories.

‘So I meet the qualifications at least…’

What matters is how the affection rating increase will be determined.

‘Will it be me, or that exterminator?’

Olivia sat on the bench, lost in thought.

The noisy footsteps, the urgent screams of students rushing into the classroom, Kiel’s gaze—all of it instantly sank beyond her consciousness.

It was perfect self-abandonment.

In her calm mental world, Olivia thought.

When she first entered Kiel’s memory, his status window looked very different from now.

[Kiel Rothschild]

– Level: 88

– Job: Sword Master

– Affection: 50

– Titles: Duke, Dragonslayer, Wandering Swordsman.

At that time, Kiel couldn’t distinguish between the Olivia from the extermination timeline and herself.

And then.

[Kiel Rothschild]

– Level: 93

– Job: Sword Master

– Affection: 63(+68)

– Titles: Seeker of Sword, Dragonslayer, Duke, Wandering Swordsman.

This was in 996.

Kiel’s affection was split in two. This meant that Kiel recognized the two Olivias as separate entities.

‘Then if I complete the quest, the 20 affection points should come to me.’

Because Kiel recognizes them as different people.

That would raise the affection to 88. That’s just calculating the affection given as a quest reward. If she focused solely on raising affection today and tomorrow, it could reach 90.

At that point, Kiel would no longer be an obstacle.

With affection at -10, he could almost be called an enemy.

[(+68) affection applies to the year 996.]

Of course, she would have to keep freezing and thawing until 996.

[Defeat the Demon – HIDDEN]

– Content: The demon worshippers have finally succeeded in summoning a demon. Defeat the demon.

– Reward: Increase affection of 1 party member who participated in defeating the demon by 20.

Anyway, the conclusion is that she should take this quest…

‘…Why do I feel so uneasy?’

She felt like she was missing something.

‘…’

But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure out what she was missing.

Olivia sighed lightly and emerged from her meditative state.

The demon would be summoned tomorrow afternoon anyway. There was still time to think until then.

She already knew all the personal information of the demon worshippers who had infiltrated the academy.

“What’s troubling you?”

Instead of answering, Olivia shook her head. Kiel smiled at the sight.

“…Why are you smiling?”

“Just, I find it interesting.”

“What?”

“The difference between your personality now and your usual self. Your usual self doesn’t worry about such things. You never hesitate when making choices. Compared to that, you’re much more human.”

“That’s obvious…”

Huh?

Olivia blinked.

Hesitation?

Of course, the Olivia from the extermination timeline wouldn’t worry about such things. Because that was ultimately her own gameplay record, and the extermination timeline contained the essence of experience gained from playing Lactea thousands of times.

How to level up quickly, how to easily raise the affection of the 15 main NPCs to 90.

The Olivia from the extermination timeline literally knew everything.

But…

‘Why is the affection so low?’

The affection Kiel had for the Olivia from the extermination timeline was 63. Surprisingly, 5 lower than her own.

That meant in the four years from 992 until now, it had only increased by 11.

‘…Does that make any sense?’

No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

Olivia turned her head sharply.

“Kiel. Does ‘I’ still give you sandwiches these days?”

“Hmm… No. Come to think of it, it’s been over a year since you offered me food.”

“I don’t? Then what about whetstones? Equipment repairs?”

“Those too.”

“Hmm…”

Something had gone terribly wrong. Could the snowball of overlaid memories have rolled this far?

‘No, even so, 63 affection is way too low!’

But to judge that she had completely given up on raising affection seemed wrong, since it was the Olivia from the extermination timeline who brought Kiel to the academy.

‘She said she absolutely wouldn’t give up this time, so she probably planned to get the 20 here.’

…Is it really okay for me to take this?

If she took this, the Olivia from the extermination timeline would never be able to raise Kiel’s affection to 90. There were only a few quests in the entire game that gave this much affection.

‘And she probably used them on other NPCs, or plans to.’

In that case, Kiel’s affection would at best hover around 80.

And the difference between affection 90 and 80 was just one thing.

‘Whether he hesitates to attack or not.’

Affection 90 breaks even a knight’s conviction.

Of course, it’s only a difference of seconds, but in a battle between high-level characters, a one-second difference can’t be ignored.

Why is that a problem?

‘Because I don’t know how much Kiel’s final memory will change because of this one thing.’

Again, this is inside Kiel’s memory. Although she can only accompany him until Imperial Year 996, Kiel will live until 998 with the memory of this moment, and will confront the Olivia who tries to start the extermination.

A Kiel without hesitation in his sword will remember fighting longer. He will remember buying more time for others to evacuate.

And he will remember his death differently than now.

Originally, Kiel froze to death. He probably didn’t even have time to feel pain. “Erna’s Blade” was created for that purpose.

That was also Olivia’s last act of humanity.

But if Kiel’s sword loses its hesitation, if his blade becomes sharper and threatens her life.

Surely Kiel will die in a more cruel and painful way.

And he will return with deeper resentment.

Olivia clicked her tongue.

She needed to reconsider whether this was honey or poison.

In her experience, such things were usually poison.

Very deadly poison.

*****

Poke, poke.

Shuffle, shuffle.

“…”

Kiel looked with a strange expression at Olivia, who was just pushing her food around without eating.

It couldn’t be that it didn’t taste good. The steak was of a quality that would satisfy even Kiel, who was something of a gourmet.

“Not hungry?”

“…No, just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Whether to eat or not.”

“…Then just eat.”

Olivia shook her head.

“It might be poisoned.”

“…”

Kiel laughed helplessly.

As if the academy’s chefs would be crazy enough to poison the food of a Grandmaster. Even if they did, poison wouldn’t affect someone of Olivia’s level anyway.

She could simply push out the poison with her magical power.

But Olivia must know that.

So then.

‘…It must be a different kind of poison.’

There is only one poison in the world that can affect a person who has reached such heights.

Heart demon.

A disease of the mind, a deadly poison that eats away at the spirit.

Kiel spoke softly.

“Can you tell me what kind of poison it is?”

“Why, want to give me advice?”

“If possible.”

“…”

Olivia silently looked at Kiel. Her face showed she was considering how to explain.

“…This is just an example.”

“I understand.”

“Listen. I’m at a very important crossroads. One choice gives me an enormous benefit.”

“Enormous benefit?”

“Yes, enormous benefit. If I had to describe it, I’d say it gives me a new opportunity? Life becomes a bit easier, difficulties decrease… anyway, that’s it.”

A pause.

“…A new opportunity?”

“No, that’s just a figure of speech. A metaphor.”

Olivia slightly averted her gaze.

“But if I choose that, it will harm someone else. With high probability, no. Almost certainly. And… the result of that choice will twist in ways I can’t predict… and someday come back to strangle me.”

“Is that so?”

Kiel put down his utensils and silently looked at Olivia.

“And the other choice is to give up that enormous benefit.”

“…Then what happens?”

“Hmm.”

Olivia groaned.

“Nothing happens.”

“Nothing?”

“Yes, nothing. And the world will flow as I knew it, and as you knew it. Without any ups and downs. Smoothly.”

“…”

Kiel looked at Olivia.

He couldn’t read her expression. Not because she was hiding it.

Because too many emotions were showing at once.

Hesitation, grief, regret, disgust…

All kinds of bitter emotions were gathered together.

“Actually, the second option is the safer one, right?”

“…”

“Hey. You said you’d give advice.”

Kiel couldn’t open his mouth hastily.

To an uninformed third party, this would be nothing special.

Just a common story about whether it’s right or wrong to sacrifice others for one’s own benefit.

But it’s different when Olivia tells the story.

‘…Advice?’

If her words were right, it would be telling her to die.

‘Someone like me?’

If her words were wrong, it would be telling her to live cursing herself forever.

Kiel sighed.

Olivia had never sought advice in the first place.

Having faced her firm resolve many times over, he knew.

Olivia wanted affirmation.

Whether her choice was right. If it was truly the right choice.

“…Yes.”

Kiel’s face contorted.

Whether he was smiling or crying, even he couldn’t tell.

“You… you…”

The poison she carried was too, too.

“You are right.”

Painful.