Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Save Point (2)
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#038
1.
The moment Ceres made her proposal.
“Sedric, do you want to keep working with me?”
-Ding!
Choice prompt, you bastard….
Last time it popped up at the worst moment and gave me chills, but this time it’s spot on.
Project Z thwarted, Arbel safe and sound.
And on top of that, a business proposal from Ceres-mama (the silver-haired, pale-eyed beauty rumored to be the prettiest in the neighborhood, S-grade figure, and a virgin to boot).
All I have to do from here is learn magic under the warm hem of Ceres-mama’s skirt and dream of a rosy future!
‘Focus!!!!!!’
Want me to tell you something fucking terrifying?
Everything I did in Necropolis—twisting my body into a pretzel and putting on that ass show….
Could’ve been avoided if I’d just clicked [Go to the Academy] in the last choice prompt!
Well, who knows what variety-hour bullshit would’ve happened there instead. Anyway.
Gotta be careful.
Consider every possible variable.
But today, the routine felt a bit different.
Suddenly, just like when I broke the precept earlier, time stretched out.
Huh?
This is a first.
-Ding!
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:::Title Acquired (New!):::
Having transcended the ring of utter despair,
you have finally written your own fate.
May blessings follow in your footsteps.
▶ Title: 「Ring Breaker」 Acquired
- Premium Route may activate probabilistically upon route selection.
- 30pt provided.
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A title notification popped up.
But only 30pt?
And what’s a Premium Route?
The first time the status window appeared, I thought it lacked any style.
Now I’d take no style if it’d just simplify a bit.
Standing in front of the kiosk doesn’t feel like grandpa duty just once or twice.
[ 1. Ally with Ceres ]
[ 2. Reject Ceres’s proposal and go with Eiming ]
The choice prompt text was just starting to form.
-Zzzt zzzt zzzt.
Like an old brown TV, static crackled and all the text scattered.
A situation that felt oddly familiar.
Sure enough.
-Bam bapababa-bam!!!
Fanfare blared as the scattered golden particles gathered into a circle, forming text.
[ Special Route Branch Detected! ]
Text sparkling far more beautifully than gold, in rainbow hues.
[ Entering Premium Route ]
[ Premium Route Clear guarantees SSR-grade perk ]
[ Warning: This route has a 480-hour time limit ]
Premium Route! Right now?!
SSR-grade perk as reward?!
No foreshadowing at all up to now?
It’s fine.
No need for foreshadowing! It can happen! I love this kind of author-convenient plot twist!
Let me get some freebies for once!!!!
Honestly, among recent isekai stories, no one’s suffered as much as me!
[ Analyzing worldline, confirming new trajectory ]
[ Time until choice unlock: 05h : 00m : 00s ]
A countdown started like a microwave running, then reality snapped back.
“Sedric? Your answer?”
Yeah! It’s fine! I can wait 5 hours!
SSR-grade perk guaranteed.
My mouth’s watering.
How amazing must this route be to build up like this?
2.
After seeing the Premium Choice preview.
I listened to the rest of Ceres’s proposal.
“Keep sticking close to Eiming from now on and report his movements.”
Simple enough.
Basically, become her full-time spy.
We stopped World War Z and got honorary Nobel Peace Prizes, but Eiming still has the watermarked original documents.
“Of course, Eiming won’t do anything with the originals right away.”
“Why not?”
“He missed the political timing.”
Ceres-mama’s insight was on point.
Gisella’s already purged, case closed.
If Eiming comes running late with the originals yelling, “Actually, it was Lady Ceres who leaked them!”
Then both Overnus Pharma and Twilight Resource Development would be like, “Eiming, why bring this up now?”
Especially Overnus—they might even grill her, “Eiming, you sure you’re not cozying up to Twilight Resource Development?”
“It’s awkward either way. He’s sly and sharp; who knows how he’ll trip us up later.”
Even aside from that, Eiming’s the pavilion master of the Phantom Ghost Clan.
Equivalent to a director at Twilight Resource Development.
No downside for Ceres to plant a mole there.
And conveniently, wasn’t I already Eiming’s unofficial Yoobi?
Perfect fit.
“You monitor Eiming’s activities regularly and report back. Not the document location, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then, when the chance comes, steal or destroy them. That’s plan B.”
“What’s plan A?”
“Killing Eiming, but I won’t expect that much.”
Hm, looking at the fragmented text that floated up….
This question was probably tied to the original choices.
In that case, my options would’ve been two.
First: alliance with petite Ceres-mama.
Not petite exactly.
Her height’s down to mid-170s, but that body!
Just tie her hair up in a mature style, slap on some heavy makeup, and boom—“Hehe, Sedric? Go ahead and act spoiled with mama today.”
Anyway, spying under Ceres-mama would’ve been choice one.
Meanwhile, choice two: team up with Phantom Ghost Clan’s playboy Eiming.
‘Rowen, my dude! Join me!’
‘The manliest act there is!’
‘This foundation’s perfect for your skin tone!’
I pictured Eiming, arms crossed like Guan Yu, his skirt hem flapping.
“…….”
Yeah, Eiming and I just don’t mesh.
I’m not super uptight morally, but his hobbies are incomprehensible.
And joining a crossdressing club? Instant no.
“What? Uncomfortable thinking it’s betrayal?”
“No, not that....”
No choice prompt needed; no dilemma even.
“Hmm… your reaction earlier… you prefer this form?”
In an instant, the mannequin-legged pose on the sofa became full Ceres-mama.
Black dress, 240cm height. The form I knew best.
I jumped.
“No, I undid the precept! Isn’t Ceres-mama gone?!”
Petite Ceres answered.
“Strictly speaking, the ‘restriction’ is gone. Before, I needed the precept’s power for flesh-shaping. Now I’m a proper 5th Rank Mage? Child’s play.”
Petite Ceres and mama Ceres coexisting in overlap?
“Wow, 5th Rank can do this too!”
“Simple.” “Split the consciousness” “and shape flesh.”
Surround sound from petite Ceres and mama Ceres….
My nose tingled.
The modest dream I thought had crumbled was back: ‘Our restaurant’s open for business!’
Might not taste like the original, but hey!
“Mama!”
“Eek!”
I dove into Ceres-mama’s bosom.
Ahh, this is it. This softness. This warmth.
“I’ll do it! I’ll be an awesome spy!”
Ceres-mama, slightly startled.
“Heh… you’re one weird kid….”
She chuckled, stroking my back.
3.
I headed home with bouncy steps.
Back to my C Sector studio, there’s always a routine.
“Arbel~ I’m home~ Mwah!!”
“Uh….”
Kissy hello on Arbel’s squishy cheek.
“Aigoo, you’ve tanned a bit.”
Shovel coal into the heater to keep the temp steady.
“Towel’s bone-dry too.”
Hang up wet towels to maintain humidity.
“This stuff’s expensive. Don’t spill.”
“Umm….”
Plug her nose and feed her the meds Isis prescribed.
“Ha, sis. Ever tried apple mango bingsoo? At Four Seasons, it’s like 150k a bowl? Everyone bitches about the price, but it’s worth it. The fruit’s on another level. I’ll treat you later. But wear the bunny girl outfit. Promise?”
“…….”
Finally, wipe her down with a damp cloth while chattering about the day’s events. Routine done.
Used to feel like a chore.
But skip a day, and things feel off-balance.
Like tending bonsai.
“Anyway….”
[ Time until choice unlock: 00h : 05m : 12s ]
Premium choice unlock soon.
Kill time and open the status window for the first time in ages.
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[ Death Game (LV.0) ]
▶ User: Sedric Montraven
▶ Achievements: 「Zeroth Death」 「Lucky for Now」 「Selective Death」
▶ Titles: 「Hedonist」 「Poison Mushroom Identifier」 「Ring Breaker」
▶ POINT: 52pt
▶ Previous Era: [ Sturdy Stomach ] [ Laplace’s Eye ] [ Blazing Life ]
◆ Shop
◆ Playground (Locked)
◆ Enhancement (Locked)
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“Hm, better than when it was empty.”
Feels rewarding, like after cramming for a test.
But seriously, what’re titles for?
My guess: when ‘Playground’ or ‘Enhancement’ unlocks, they act like achievement tickets for relic coupons.
Or level up the Death Game itself….
Or just stat boosts?
“GM, your gimmicks are too many and messy….”
Difficulty’s shit too.
Petting Arbel’s head, I decided to spin the Joker gacha.
On a day this great, even gacha feels right.
“Let’s go!!!!”
Result?
「Universal Music Box」
- Grade: C
- Description: A music box that plays requested songs.
- Effect: Plays backing track for desired song.
- Note: Wind it up.
“Pfft.”
White-trash item.
“Sis, I’ll pick the tune? No complaints, just listen.”
Set the music box by Arbel’s head and wound it.
Ballerina spun as melody flowed.
I hummed along to some old-fart otaku tune.
“Uh… uuu….”
Still, not bad.
Today, Mysterious Contract Stamp scored big, saved Arbel who almost died four times.
First time since Necropolis that things feel… stable.
So even a gacha dud doesn’t bum me out.
Nah.
Truth is.
[ Time until choice unlock: 00h : 00m : 01s ]
[ Premium Choice unlocked ]
This!
“Kiyaaahooo!!!!!!”
I clenched my fist for the moment I’d awaited.
-Weeeeng!!!
Premium Route indeed!
Rainbow flashes everywhere before the choice even appears—not ordinary.
Multicolored sparkles filled the room, forming the choice text.
Window in shimmering foil like a rare card, complete with rainbow hologram!
“They really made choosing fun!”
What choices await?
SSR perk—what is it?
Finally, ‘Paat!’ effect sound, choices appeared.
Heart pounding like my first leveraged futures trade, I read the either/or.
Froze in despair.
“Fuck….”
This.
This is bullshit….
“You fucking bastard….”
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[ Premium Route Clear grants SSR-grade perk ]
[ Warning: This route has a 480-hour time limit ]
[ 1. Kill Ceres Cassian. ]
[ 2. Kill Arbel Montraven. ]
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