Chapter 14: Craftsmen and Lover – 1

“Why are you hiding? Come out.”

A man walked out from the darkness.

‘That man…!?’

He was the one with that shocking status window I accidentally opened before coming to this desert.

Imperator Claudius Ahenobarbus

Title: Founder Emperor, Tyrant, Lord of Power

LV 375

Occupation: None

In the current state of Rudera, titles aren’t given out yet, so only those who have accomplished great feats in reality to the extent that others recognize them as such hold titles in their status window.

The Dragon Lord was one, and so was the Demon King.

The Founder Emperor, with the name Ahenobarbus.

No doubt about it, he’s the first emperor of the empire.

The tyrant who was said to be dead.

He’s actually alive?

No, more importantly, even if he is alive, why is he playing this game?

Wait a minute.

That man was on the first floor of the Tower of Labyrinths until a moment ago.

Him being here means he followed us?

Why?

Did he discover my identity?

I recalled the various powers I used in the desert.

… No way.

No, it can’t be.

Neither the Dragon Lord nor the Demon King knows that I am the GM, the owner of this world.

Even though I assigned the Demon King the role of community manager and gave her various tasks, she never met me, so she wouldn’t be able to recognize me.

But to see an avatar with the appearance of my true self using the powers of a GM.

And such a transcendent being, at that.

I felt cold sweat running down my back.

What is your purpose for being here, Founder Emperor?

While I was tense, waiting for him to speak.

“……”

He just stood there with his mouth open, staring blankly at Solaris.

“What’s with that look, like you’re seeing a lost lover. It’s creepy for a grown man.”

She grimaced in disgust.

“Is he someone who got caught in the desert pit like us?”

“Is he from the empire? He looks like he reeks.”

Wald and Perizet didn’t seem to care much about him.

Probably because he was hiding his power completely, so to them, the Founder Emperor Ahenobarbus

—let’s call him Balbari because his name is too long

—anyway, Balbari only looked like a swordsman of Wald’s level.

“Anyway, it’s nice to finally meet other entrants. Nice to meet you.”

Solaris began the main story according to the setting I had previously prepared.

This was the start of the main storyline penetrating the third floor of the Tower of Labyrinths.

“This place is the demon’s lair, Pandemonium.”

“Pandemonium?”

“Yes. Have you heard of it? Well, to be exact, it’s just one branch that split off from the massive Pandemonium.”

The third floor of the Tower of Labyrinths was one of the demon’s lairs that originated from the demon temple, Pandemonium.

It was a temple meant to revive the evil god.

Of course, since regular demons are too high-level for players to handle, I filled it with ordinary monsters except for one boss demon.

Still, there were so many of them that players who reached this place were struggling to clear a path.

At the centre of this demon temple was a weakened great demon conducting a ritual to revive the ancient evil god.

The main quest was to defeat the great demon and stop the ritual before the revival was completed.

“…That’s the situation. So we need to defeat the demon quickly and prevent the revival of the evil god.”

“Hold on.”

“…”

After Solaris finished explaining the setting I had prepared, Balbari, who had been standing blankly, opened his mouth.

“We haven’t heard your introduction yet. Who are you? How do you know all this, and why are you here?”

“Oh dear, I got so excited I forgot to introduce myself. As I mentioned earlier, I am Solaris, an envoy sent by the god of this world to stop the revival of the evil god.”

“…?”

I didn’t write this line.

Since I can’t prepare every single line for all NPCs, I leave all but the most important dialogues to be managed autonomously.

The NPCs act based on the settings given to them.

Solaris must have made that response on her own judgment.

Strictly speaking, she is my envoy.

She explains the story I created.

“I couldn’t stop the revival of the evil god on my own, so I was waiting for someone to reach this place. After a long wait, I’ve finally met companions to stop the ritual!”

“Then before that…”

Balbari tried to ask another question after hearing Solaris’s answer.

But Solaris raised her hand to stop him.

“I’ll allow personal questions later. Right now, the revival of the evil god is imminent. Let’s stop the ritual first, then I’ll answer. Follow me.”

She turned around and started walking forward.

“…Damn.”

Balbari followed her.

“The revival of the evil god… Where the hell are we?”

Wald muttered in shock at what he had just heard.

“Haha, indeed.”

I didn’t expect to come here with a friend either.

“To meet the GM’s envoy… the messenger of God…!”

Meanwhile, Perizet looked enthusiastic.

“It’s a chance to defeat the evil god with the envoy of God! Let’s go quickly!”

“Hey! Wait!”

She grabbed both of us and dragged us after Solaris.

“Haah!”

Slash

Boom Solaris’s sword energy cut through all the monsters blocking our path.

“Wow, she’s really strong. As expected of someone sent by a god.”

“Ah, great GM.”

Wald and Perizet admired the scene.

“…”

Balbari silently watched the scene.

“Uh… Excuse me.”

Wald tried to talk to him.

“…”

Balbari didn’t respond.

“Excuse me?”

Balt got closer and waved his hand in front of Balbari’s face.

“We’re allies fighting to defeat the evil god. Let’s at least introduce ourselves. I’m Wald.”

“…What?”

Then he grabbed Wald’s arm tightly.

“Ouch!”

“Get lost. I don’t have the time to deal with you right now.”

He let go of Wald’s arm and approached Solaris, who was wiping her sword after defeating the monsters.

As soon as he released Wald, Wald clutched his grabbed hand and returned to us with an embarrassed expression.

“Seems like he doesn’t want to talk. Maybe he’s the shy type?”

That might be possible…

He was talking to Solaris.

Just a while ago, he was standing there blankly staring at her…

Why is that?

Could it be… did he fall in love with an NPC?

Though Solaris is indeed created from an asset that Carthesia handed over, which I meticulously worked on.

If we keep going, it should become clear.

I followed Solaris with my party.

A woman in the form of a master.

She introduced herself as the GM’s agent, but her voice, intonation, appearance, and personality were all exactly like the master’s.

I thought she had disappeared into the cycle of reincarnation after that day.

I had wandered through many dimensions to find her…

To think I’d meet her like this.

“Did you say your name was Solaris? Where are you from?”

“……I told you we could talk about trivial things after the ritual.”

Solaris, who was sheathing her sword after defeating the monsters, replied.

“We need to know a bit about each other to fight in sync, don’t you think?”

“…Sigh. I suppose there’s no choice.”

Seeing that this time Ahenobarbus didn’t seem to back down, Solaris sighed deeply as if resigned.

“I’ll tell you. Actually, I have no memory.”

“…You have no memory?”

***

‘Does that mean she forgot all our memories together?’

I had a hunch when she didn’t recognize me, but hearing it directly was a shock beyond words.

“Yes. I was drifting somewhere in the sea of dimensions, having lost my memory, when the GM saved me. And made me his agent.”

“…”

So the GM saved her when she was cast out of the cycle of reincarnation, drifting between dimensions.

He had been convinced that Solaris was the reincarnation of his master for some time.

Damn it.

What should I do?

Though I finally met her, whom I had longed to see again, I was so confused I didn’t know what to do.

***

Boom!

Solaris’s strike split the massive door blocking the temple entrance.

Had we come through another route, we would have had to face thousands of monsters to reach the boss room, but thanks to the hidden entrance, we arrived quickly and easily.

“Phew. We’re here.”

She turned around.

“I’ve cleared all the monsters blocking our way. Only one demon performing the ritual remains. Though it’s a high-ranking demon, it’s wounded and has lost its power, so we can defeat it. Are you all ready?”

“Yeah! Let’s take down this evil god or whatever!”

“I’ll do anything for the GM!”

Wald and Perizet were full of enthusiasm.

“Nothing can stand in my way.”

As Solaris turned her gaze in my direction, Balbari reluctantly responded.

“Heh. Good. Let’s go.”

We followed Solaris into the temple.

-Foolish mortals!

Boom!

-How dare you enter this place!

A massive two-headed eagle landed on the ground with a crash.

The archdemon Quetzalcoatl, the final boss of the 66th Pandemonium on the 3rd floor of the Tower of the Labyrinth.

“Haah!”

With Solaris’s shout, her energy enveloped us all.

“With the GM’s blessing upon us! Stop the resurrection of the evil god!”

-How dare you!

“Alright! Let’s do this!”

“Praise the great GM! Forever and always!”

Just as Wald and Perizet prepared to charge at the archdemon.

-The wrath of the evil god shall be upon you

—Ugh!

Boom!

Crunch!

Something that fell from the sky smashed the archdemon to pieces.

“…Huh?”

“W-what!”

Thud.

The crushed Quetzalcoatl fell to the ground.

“Now I understand.”

Clank.

The first emperor emerged from behind the archdemon’s remains, adjusting his gauntlet.

Boom!

As he stomped the ground again, immense energy radiated from him.

The energy stormed out, engulfing everyone except Solaris.

“Argh!”

“Eek!”

Wald and Perizet, caught in the storm, turned into white particles and vanished.

They had died from the first emperor’s attack and logged out.

On the other hand, I was unaffected because my avatar had the ‘instant death prevention’ trait.

This trait nullified any attack that dealt more than my maximum HP in damage, a feature added to prevent accidental deaths during the game.

“GM. Was your plan from the beginning to draw me here?”

The first emperor glared at me with a distorted expression.

…L?

Me?

“…!”

The first emperor, bewildered, scooped up Solaris in a princess carry.

“While enslaving my master…!”

Uh, wait a second. I think there’s a misunderstanding…

“I will reclaim my master from you here, GM!”

Boom!

The first emperor leaped high in anger.

Whoa!

I was so startled that I activated the emergency protocol.

Thunk!

“Ugh!”

The suddenly manifested shield repelled him.