episode_0030

God.

causality.

and.

‘system.’

I had roughly expected it.

From being possessed in a game to returning, the things I have experienced so far do not fit into common sense.

Literally an area of incomprehensibility.

Is there any way to understand this unless it is a prank by a being presumed to be God?

Wait a minute, that means.

‘Could it be Merlin?’

Merlin’s knowledge of the system ultimately means that she is also aware of its existence.

I couldn’t understand.

Have you ever seen someone other than me?

If not, is she also a possessor like me?

An eerie silence fell.

I looked at Merlin blankly and slowly opened my mouth.

“Aren’t you from this world too?”

Merlin burst out laughing at the absurd question.

“No, I am from this world.”

“But how does the system know?”

“What? System?”

Merlin tilted his head and then clapped his hands as if he had realized.

“Aha, you call that a system?”

“Answer first.”

“How do you know? Isn’t the reason obvious?”

Obvious?

When I frowned inadvertently, Merlin continued quickly.

“I saw it too. That system.”

“You saw it? By what means?”

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

She immediately bent down and pulled her upper body forward.

After a while, she whispered in my ear as if telling a secret.

I could see “. They destroyed the world.”

“… What?”

I was startled by the look in Merlin’s eyes right in front of me.

Dark emotions were overflowing in her eyes.

Merlin whispered in an infinitely kind voice.

“As you know, this world was created.”

That’s because this world is a game world.

A world where each character’s goals, lives, and strategy are all set.

“One day, I realized that terrible truth. Ah, I am just a piece on a chess board. A piece of chess where no matter how hard you struggle, you must ultimately play on a predetermined fate.”

Merlin sighed briefly.

There was a faint hint of irritation in his breath.

“Some people are born with the destiny of a hero who will save the world, while others endure the hatred of countless people for no reason, while others return to the past and repeat a hellish life because they failed to properly fulfill their assigned role. Not.”

I felt a sense of déjà vu.

Every word Merlin said didn’t feel unfamiliar.

“That’s how this world works. Because I have to continue the story somehow. Just for that simple reason.”

I laughed out loud.

Even though I was well aware of the absurdity of this damned world, my teeth were shaking.

“I suddenly got bored. This world and myself, who live surrounded by hatred.”

The expression slowly disappeared from Merlin’s face.

She spoke softly in a subdued voice.

“So I destroyed it.”

“… … What is the result?”

“You won’t know it if you look at it, right? I failed. At a critical moment, that bastard called the system came out and disrupted the situation.”

“It’s a shame. If it was successful, I wouldn’t have been kidnapped.”

“What should I do? That is your innate destiny.”

An electric current jumped between our gazes.

After a while, she and I burst into soft laughter at the same time.

The more I talked to her, the more I felt a strange, indescribable sense of kinship.

“In order to properly start the relic, you must first get rid of the system that is standing in front of you.”

“Tell me how.”

Merlin looked at me intently and then blurted out.

“There is only one condition for the system to intervene in the fate of creation. When a creature fails to complete the task given to it. When its very existence violates the causality of the world.”

“… ”

“So, if you choose to do the wrong things like you do now, the moment the system intervenes in your fate later.”

“At that moment?”

“Just die cleanly. How about it, is it easy?”

“… … what? Die?”

“Yes. If you die during causality settlement, there is absolutely no room for the system to intervene.”

Clap—

The cogs in my head began to fall into place one by one.

Only now everything became clear.

What is the essential problem of all the unreasonable situations I have experienced so far?

◆ Scenario progress

: 35%

Why did the scenario progress rate increase even though the scenario was not progressed?

◆ Synchronization rate

: ??%

What is the meaning of the new synchronization rate indicator in the system window?

and.

What was the cause of the first round of failure?

Tingling—

A sharp pain struck my entire body, as if I had been electrocuted by a high-voltage current.

After a while, the synchronization rate figure, which had been covered with a question mark the whole time, finally revealed its true identity.

◆ Synchronization rate

: 6%

‘It’s miserable.’

Is it because I was only thinking about obtaining the holy relic and crossing the dimension?

The synchronization rate figures were as miserable as I expected.

The more my actions deviate from the role assigned to Kyle.

The more my actions violate the causality rules set by the world.

That damn system will not stop harassing me.

I slowly lowered my gaze fixed on the system window.

When their eyes met, Merlin shrugged.

“The problem is after you die.”

“… ”

“You have to forcibly return the soul that has escaped the body, and this is usually not a difficult task.”

Merlin narrowed his eyes as if his head hurt just thinking about it.

“I need two.”

She raised her thumb and middle finger.

“Elixir.”

If it’s an elixir, there’s no need to worry.

Since an extra-large straw is attached to the royal family’s spine, it can be manufactured at any time as long as there is enough time.

but…

“And, the Precious Blood.”

Fuck.

If I had known this would happen, I would have taken care of it.

****

A stormy time has passed.

As soon as Merlin finished the conversation, he left the mansion.

After Merlin left, I summarized the conversation I had with her all night long.

Robbing the relic and opening the dimensional gate.

What must be prerequisite for this is the neutralization of the system that Merlin emphasized.

Elixir.

And Precious Blood.

but.

‘How can I get the Precious Blood…? ‘

The Precious Blood is currently being stored under strict security deep in the underground vault of Duke Winfred’s residence.

Is there a possibility that Kyle Winfred could break through the security with his bare body and steal the Precious Blood?

Will it work?

There’s no way something like that is possible.

“Ha… ”

Suddenly, Luna Winfred, who was apologizing to Kyle with tears in her earnest voice, flashed through my mind.

Luna would be able to do it.

Luna is obsessed with guilt for trampling on Kyle’s life.

On the condition that you forgive her.

enough… It would be possible… .

but.

Am I, not even the real Kyle, qualified to discuss forgiveness?

“… … ”

Honestly, I don’t know anymore.

Although it is tempting at the moment, the decision is not easy.

I guess I haven’t quite come to my senses yet.

Even in the midst of all this, you can see that he has an ounce of conscience.

“Ugh.”

I left the mansion and headed to the imperial palace.

The purpose of the visit is to check the status of materials needed to manufacture elixir.

I also plan to exchange greetings with Rudine to make the kidnapping easier in the future.

“Please verify your identity.”

As I climbed the pure white marble stairs, two imperial knights guarding the huge gate blocked my path.

I took out the pendant given to me by the emperor from my pocket.

The knight’s eyes widened as he checked the pendant.

After a while, he made an inexplicable gesture with his chin toward the attendant waiting behind him.

“Please eat inside.”

Squeak—

The door opened with a polite gesture from the driver.

I calmly passed through the door and entered the imperial palace.

The building of the Imperial Alchemy Association is adjacent to the Empress Palace, located inside the Imperial Palace.

This means that even if you walk diligently from now on, it will take quite a long time.

I shortened my stride and increased my speed.

At the same time, the familiar sight of the imperial palace passed by at speed.

It was then.

“Ah, lie. Does that make sense?”

“This is true too. What would I use for lying to you?”

“But… Anyway, Lady Isabel is insulting the royal family… I can’t believe it.”

Two nameless extra noble ladies were having an unusual conversation.

“… ?”

Lady Isabel? Insulting the royal family?

As I heard the unbelievable story in my ears, I stopped walking without realizing it.

As if they didn’t even see me stopping, the women they were talking to laughed and continued talking.

“For what reason is that?”

“Well, I’m not sure about that either. I heard it happened during tea time with Her Royal Highness?”

“Tea time? Oh my… Was there an argument between you two?”

Tea time?

Isabel and Ludine?

“No matter what… ”

The woman continued speaking.

After a while, the woman playfully covered her mouth with both hands and continued speaking in a voice filled with laughter.

“… That’s why you slapped Her Majesty the Princess in the face. How can you be so ignorant!”

Holy crap.