Ch.90EP.24 – No Excuses for My Life (1)

“What about this female character? Don’t you find her pitiful?”

This comment came from a female planner during a meeting with the planning team.

However, those who only cared about entertainment and commercial success lacked empathy, and many responded with questions instead.

“What’s pitiful about her?”

“She’s uniquely miserable, which might actually appeal to players. That’s what users like.”

“True, narrative is important for characters these days.”

“I’d like to meet the original creator. They wrote it well anyway.”

The developers were simply satisfied with the character’s narrative, while the female planner made a disgusted face.

She had asked hoping for empathy, but to get such responses…

Her muttering “No wonder they can’t get married” earned her resentment from the male planners, but that was a minor issue.

During this time, only “he” agreed with the female planner’s opinion.

Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to show it outwardly.

Then as now, he was reserved and found it difficult to communicate with others.

Instead, he simply skimmed through the concise character profile of a certain female character.

——–

-Levi Polte.Part1-[Beginning of Despair]

[Married at age 19. Essentially sold into marriage, she faces contempt, disregard, and harassment from the marquis’s servants.]

[Harassment begins with her personal maid. Note: the personal maid is one of the marquis’s hidden lovers.]

[She endures painful and difficult days, wanting an immediate divorce, but her father Reynold Polte repeatedly fails in business and keeps borrowing money from the marquis’s family. #This worsens her treatment and intensifies the harassment.]

[The marquis continues his womanizing even after marriage. The marquis’s vassals believe they’ve only wasted money and turn a blind eye to her harassment.]

[In their second year of marriage. The marquis’s vassals advise him to have a child soon, so they were planning to spend their first night together after two years. However, the maid who was the marquis’s lover, blinded by jealousy, serves the marquis tea laced with poison. #She probably intended to kill him if she couldn’t have him. However, the marquis doesn’t die but falls critically ill.]

[Levi Polte, who was in the same room, is accused as the culprit.]

[She’s dragged to prison and tortured, damaging both body and mind. Fortunately, the marquis wakes up not long after and the real culprit is revealed. #It’s presumed he survived because he had learned mana manipulation techniques.]

[The maid is executed, as are all those suspected of involvement.]

[However, Levi Polte is already weakened in body and mind, and the marquis’s vassals propose sending her to a convent to cover up their false accusation of an innocent person. She is sent to a convent without any compensation for damages.]

[Shortly after arriving at the convent and receiving treatment, all her family members die. #The “setting” is that Reynold Polte was attacked by bandits after making too many enemies.]

·

·

·

[She becomes an orphan with no one in the world.]

——–

…Part 1 was mostly about despair and trials.

In a way, it seemed like the intense “narrative” that any [hero character] might have.

——–

-Levi.Part2-[Growth of a Hero]

[8 years later, revolutionary war breaks out.]

[Soldiers set fire to the convent. Levi Polte falls into a coma after being engulfed in flames while trying to save the nuns.]

[She survives for a month covered in burns. She is pronounced dead when her heart stops.]

[‘Awakens holy power’ and ‘resurrects.’ Proving she was chosen by God, she becomes the hope of the convent priests. #Her burns remain unhealed, her vocal cords are half-melted, and her hair has turned white.]

[She takes an old monk as her master and begins training. However, not long after, Inquisitors attack. The setting is that they refuse to acknowledge a new saint.]

[Miraculous escape through the sacrifice of her master and the nuns.]

[Resolving to take revenge, she joins a mercenary group and distinguishes herself.]

[5 years later, she becomes the leader of the mercenary alliance.]

——–

Part 2 was closer to completing a masterpiece that sends even greater hardships and trials to a hero who has overcome difficulties, thus perfecting them as a hero.

As a result, users would become immersed and curious about her future path.

——–

-Levi Jeanne d’Arc.Part3-[Birth of a Saint]

[Punishes the corrupt temple including nobles.]

[Joins the Northern Army, the largest revolutionary force. Allies with the Northern Grand Duke.]

[Begins to gain the upper hand after 7 years of battle.]

·

·

·

·

[The people betray Levi Polte. They fall for the temple’s instigation. In the process, she loses her most trusted comrades and friends.]

[Divine power manifests due to grief. It is revealed that she was destined to be a saint.]

·

·

·

[Witch trial begins.]

·

·

·

[Dies after saving a child until the very end. Later honored as a ‘great person.’]

——–

…Part 3 focused more on the birth of a great person than a hero.

It was the completion of a hero character, and users would need to make tearful efforts to somehow save this character, probably investing dozens of hours to find Easter eggs.

The character “Levi Jeanne d’Arc” would likely receive attention and affection from many users.

She was a sunfish-like character, frustrating but truly an “achievement” for users if they could save her.

So this hero character was indeed well-crafted.

If a game streamer played (advertised) the game appealingly and the algorithm worked in their favor, she would be a massive hit.

From the company’s perspective, there couldn’t be a better character.

…That was certainly true, but.

“…Pitiful and sad.”

Living a life full of misfortune and trials, only recognized after death.

What can I say, there are many similar cases even in modern history, so it’s relatable and concerning.

So he sighed and shook his head.

Game companies, after all.

“They’re brilliant at finding ways to make money.”

That’s why he could get his salary too.

He smiled bitterly with this self-talk.

“Th-that’s all I know. I think there were more specific details, but I didn’t dig that deep…”

“……”

“Sigh, I’m sorry. I don’t actually know any solutions.”

Derrick had explained a lot, but he didn’t have any ideas to suggest a solution.

Rather, he thought he only had things that would make the listener feel unpleasant and sigh.

‘Ah, I should have learned more details.’

Now that they were in this situation, he deeply regretted it.

He had only participated in the planning stage and wasn’t involved with the rest of the settings or Easter eggs, so he didn’t know the hints to save the girl or more detailed information.

Derrick found himself frustrating.

Always unable to help in important situations.

As he was apologizing…

“No, that’s enough.”

Suddenly, he expressed gratitude.

“Pardon…?”

“Thank you. Thanks to you, it seems easier to make a decision.”

“…?”

He looked relieved, even smiling.

As if his curiosity had been satisfied.

…But from what?

Derrick blinked at him, but instead of satisfying Derrick’s curiosity…

“Shall we get going?”

“…Where are you going?”

“Hm?”

Derrick couldn’t help but ask as he watched him stretch with a refreshed expression.

Somehow it felt like he had to ask now…

Sure enough, he…

“Nothing special. Just going to pick a ‘fight.'”

“What?”

“That’s all you need to know. And sorry, but could you deliver my resignation letter to the Chancellor for me? The person I’m going to fight with won’t end with just a resignation letter.”

“…Ah.”

Derrick’s eyes widened as he belatedly realized what his words meant.

Could it be-?

“In-Instructor…?”

By the time Derrick called out to him.

Whoosh.

He was already walking far away.

As if the word hesitation didn’t exist in his mind.

*

*

*

Instead of returning home, he changed direction.

His destination was set and his hesitation gone, so he didn’t want to waste time going home.

However.

He paused.

“…?”

“Ah, Sir Knight…!”

A maid who had been dozing against a tree near his path greeted him cheerfully.

As if she knew he would come here.

She rubbed her tired eyes and stood up.

“Hehe, thank goodness. I’m glad our paths didn’t miss.”

“Why are you here?”

“Don’t worry about Lady Levi. She fell asleep right away when I sang her a lullaby.”

“That’s not a problem… Wait, your lullaby wasn’t a headbutt, was it?”

“Huh?”

“…Never mind. More importantly, how did you know I’d be-“

“-Here you go!”

“…?”

Was she expecting him to come here?

Just as he was about to ask this question, Leira interrupted and handed him his equipment.

Woong.

Gleaming armor and sword, along with a one-handed shield and hand axe, all looking freshly polished.

These were the equipment he typically used.

As Ihan stood there, not even thinking to take the equipment Leira offered, she put on a solemn expression as if imitating someone.

“The princess said! ‘My sworn brother is simple-minded. Even if a knot is complexly tangled and the knot itself is a treasure of immense value, if it needs to be untied, he’s the type to cut it with an axe.'”

“……”

“She also said, ‘If my sworn brother causes trouble, he won’t be satisfied with just teaching those lowborns a lesson. If he’s going to make a move, he’ll shake the entire country. If he doesn’t, then he’s not my sworn brother.’ She asked me to tell you that!”

“…Damn, she’s not a stalker, what the…”

Had she seen through everything?

He had just caused trouble today, and she had foreseen this far…

Anyway, that sister of his sometimes seemed worse than an oracle user.

‘Can she read the future?’

What is she, some fantasy oracle…

Thinking that even a real oracle (prophet) wouldn’t be this good, Ihan scratched the back of his head.

He had planned to go without telling anyone, but now that everything was exposed, he felt awkward.

It was embarrassing and somehow deflating.

…Still.

“Thank you, Miss Maid. I’ll put them to good use.”

“Hehe, please be careful.”

“…Yes.”

There was no denying the reassurance of knowing someone was waiting for him.

So he promised.

“It won’t take long.”

“Okay!”

He would return quickly so she wouldn’t have to wait too long.

And Ihan had never broken a promise to her, not even once.

And he had no intention of breaking one in the future.