Chapter 274
Chapter 274
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.61 – The Knight Fears Humans More Than Ghosts 2(3)
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The gray-haired boy shook his tousled head like a puppy whimpering in distress.
"Modred, huh... Yeah, I think Team Leader 2 was in charge of that..."
The boy, Derek, looked embarrassed.
He was pretty sure he'd boldly declared to the instructor that there was nothing in this world he didn't know...
'Looks like people really do need to stay humble.'
He had to admit right away that there were unknowns everywhere.
'The world-building is just too vast... That's the problem.'
That's how games were.
Even during development, everyone had their assigned parts, and even the planning team was subdivided, with each person focusing on specific areas.
Especially for a game aiming for top-tier AAA status, the number of side stories branching from the world-building was enormous, requiring dozens—no, hundreds—of people to work on it.
In that sense, it was only natural that his knowledge was limited as just one person out of a few hundred planners. Blaming himself for it was a contradiction.
If anything, it was impressive that one person knew so much.
But even knowing that...
'It doesn't help at all right now. Feels pathetic.'
He couldn't be of use to the man he considered his benefactor.
It was inevitable that he felt pathetic about himself.
He wanted to help directly if he could.
'But I can't leave my post right now either...'
He was in the middle of a quest—no, a massively important operation—so Derek couldn't afford to leave to help him.
Especially since opportunities like this only came once.
'A chance to get a Unique-grade item, the [Fragment of the Holy Grail]. It doesn't come twice.'
The super-sized site story [Memories of the Autumn Fairy].
He had to satisfy the clone left behind by the Autumn Fairy, and if he did, he could obtain the fragment of the Holy Grail that the clone carried like a hairpin.
But to meet the item acquisition conditions, he had to keep the clone entertained without boring it for a full 24 days. That's why Derek had spent the last 15 days sleeping only 2-3 hours a day while playing the clown.
...A horrific process, especially since even the clone, being a fairy, didn't sleep.
It was an extreme situation, to say the least.
His efforts so far were too precious to waste, so Derek couldn't leave this spot.
So, the least he could do was...
'Send him the info I know?'
Specifically, information about Team Leader 2, who handled the Modred side stories.
He didn't know everything else, but Derek knew how most of the projects that guy had planned ended. He suspected Modred's story might follow the same pattern.
'That guy is... a bit twisted. No...'
To put it bluntly, he was a 'pervert'.
For the record, this 'pervert' meant he had some perverse tendencies in game development, not that he did anything socially harmful.
...But any player who'd played a game he worked on would probably want to kill him.
'He's skilled, and a senior I respect in his own way, but man...'
The endings in the games Team Leader 2 was involved in were mostly...
'...[Massacre Endings] or [Tragic Endings].'
Yeah, what did that guy say again?
Definitely...
- No, it's the best, right? I was expecting some cathartic payoff, but everyone dies or ends up broken no matter what! Players getting annoyed and pissed off...! Wah, just imagining it floods me with dopamine! That's why I can't quit developing, kekekeke!!
"...He's just a pervert, huh?"
Reflecting on it, Derek realized Team Leader 2 was a pervert unworthy of respect.
[Whum... Whooo, whuuu.]
"...?"
[Whuuu... Whuuung, whuu.]
"...What's with these things?"
He frowned in bewilderment.
It felt like standing right in front of a 'ghost sound sleep ASMR' recording.
Like playing a glass harp—it wasn't irritating, but just because the sound wasn't grating didn't mean...
[Whuu, whuuung.]
"...Don't crowd me."
Their presence was still annoying.
The wraiths—the ones that had been subdued elsewhere after clashing with Lee Han—were circling around him.
'And why'd they change appearance like this?'
One reason for the annoyance was their altered looks.
Unlike their first encounter, where their eyes glowed red and they exuded ominous spikes of energy all over, now they seemed utterly docile, even cutely deformed.
Like horror game monsters suddenly turning into chibi characters from a healing game?
"You guys weren't like this before, right?"
[Whooo?]
"Your voices used to sound like nails on a chalkboard..."
[Whoo, whooo.]
"...Why are you so endearing now?"
They had definitely been threatening monsters, so he couldn't treat them kindly, but their looks and sounds had done a complete 180—transformed into something that could be a regional mascot without anyone batting an eye.
But cute was cute, and Lee Han had never let a monster that threatened him live this long.
So he desperately wanted to get rid of them right now.
However.
"I-I like them 'cause they're c-cute!"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah! They're cool and smooth to touch—feels refreshing! So cool..."
"......Glad you like them."
"Yeah!! I really like them! Thank you, Santa!"
"......"
This delighted young lady made it impossible for him to touch them.
'She loves them.'
Not even cats or dogs, but what did she like about these superficially cute monsters?
"They're so cute."
"I want to take one home."
"Right..."
...Or maybe not?
'Everyone's friendly except me?'
Lee Han overheard the whispers around him and let out a hollow laugh.
Out of sheer absurdity.
...Then, in that moment.
[Whooo....]
The wraiths swarmed toward Louise in an instant.
"Wow!"
They gathered around her like blessing a child, forming a circle—a grand spectacle that looked like a performance from afar.
Like a circus troupe of oddly shaped performers singing and dancing—an undeniable marvel.
"Oh my..."
"Wow!"
Everyone was in awe, and with Louise's eyes sparkling, it seemed heartwarming at first glance. But to Lee Han's eyes...
'...Worship?'
The wraiths seemed to revere the little girl like a queen.
It felt like watching ancient Egyptians worshiping a pharaoh as the sun god's proxy—subservient adoration.
And it wasn't a pleasant sight.
"Why are they doing that to the kid?"
Unwanted expectations on a child weren't responsibility—they were 'coercion'.
That was Lee Han's creed, and this felt like an omen of an unhappy fate for the girl, making him deeply uncomfortable.
"...Am I overthinking it?"
"No. You're just a 'proper adult' about it."
"Pardon?"
"You recognize the duty of an adult: to admire or exploit a child's abilities. You're a fine man."
"...Th-thank you, elder?"
"Hoho, just call this old bag an old woman. Highborns often do."
"I couldn't do that. It'd make me uncomfortable."
"Ohoho, such a gentleman."
"......"
...He'd missed her presence.
With full focus, Lee Han could detect falling leaves within 100 meters, with hearing and a sense of smell rivaling or surpassing a dog's.
...Yet he'd missed her entirely.
Lee Han's face tensed as he eyed the old woman warily, unsure where she'd come from.
"Don't be so guarded. Without this staff, I'm just a frail old woman who can't walk."
"...Do you have mind-reading powers or something? You read my thoughts too well just now..."
"When your face is that readable, who needs mind-reading?"
"......"
"Bet you've heard that a lot."
"Is my face that simple...?"
"Pft!"
The old woman burst into laughter, covering her mouth joyfully.
She introduced herself as a 'maid'.
"To be precise, I retired 50 years ago, so calling myself a maid now is embarrassing."
"Um, elder, if I may ask... how old are you?"
"103 this year. I've lived a bit long, haven't I?"
"...I thought maybe 70s at most."
"Why flatter an old woman? Though it does feel nice."
"No, I'm serious..."
She looked remarkably spry for over a century old, and Lee Han scratched his cheek.
But surprise was surprise—he offered her a seat and some tea anyway.
"You serve tea even to uninvited guests?"
"If they had bad intentions, maybe not. But you don't seem bad, elder."
"What makes you say that?"
"No foul smell."
"...?"
"Instead, you smell strongly of herbs. There's a faint blood scent mixed with disinfecting alcohol, so probably from treating someone. I'd guess your profession is apothecary, healer, or maybe alchemist."
"......"
"What's wrong?"
"...I'm shocked. At my age, I thought surprises were a thing of the past. Arrogant of me. Pendragon keeps producing fine knights."
"You're too kind..."
"Not at all. I thought you were a criminal hiding your 'true form', but apparently not."
"......"
"Your real appearance seems far more charming and handsome. I can't fathom why you'd hide it. Care to explain?"
"...More importantly, won't you tell me who you really are?"
Lee Han's heart sank.
She wasn't ordinary, as expected.
Tension rose again as she pierced his disguise for the first time, and oblivious to it, she made an 'oh dear' face.
"Ah, this old fool forgot her manners. Introductions first, of course. Forgive me—after so many years, I get chatty when someone new appears."
"......"
"Let's see, can't waste a young man's golden time, so where to start..."
"......"
"Ah, best to lead with this: In four days, when the full moon rises, Wales will be 'destroyed'."
"Pardon?"
"Evacuate any outsiders immediately. Locals have already made their 'contract', so nothing to be done, but the living must live."
"......"
"The 'sacrifices' can't escape their fate."
"......Um."
"Yes?"
"Th-that..."
Th-the pacing is too fast, ma'am....