Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: 15. Book of Life and Death - Ending (2)
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Deneb El Grinebalt was an incredibly pure man.
To what degree was he pure? Even now, well past the age of twenty, he still had the hobby of writing self-made setting notebooks.
But Deneb himself didn't feel the slightest bit of shame about his hobby of jotting down custom settings.
Was this something to be ashamed of?
No, not at all.
He was simply transferring the fantasies that any man dreams of at least once onto paper in his notebook.
Honestly, something like an Evil Eye that views life and death as lines and dots? It was insanely cool, right?
The only difference between Deneb and ordinary folks was this:
Deneb was confident enough to show his self-made setting notebook to the Imperial Princess.
Whereas ordinary people just sealed their personal fantasies deep in their hearts.
That must have been why.
Deneb felt a strong pull toward Louis, the protagonist of Book of Life and Death.
Louis was more pure than anyone, loved justice, and despised evil—he was the model student.
Because he was so pure, Louis couldn't forgive criminals who harmed others without a second thought.
So, after obtaining the Book of Life and Death, Louis killed countless criminals.
Because he believed such trash had no right to live in this world.
And at the same time, to let everyone know that a 'god' who judged such trash existed in this world.
To remind them that a transcendent being who hated evil was always watching over the human realm.
Louis willingly stained his hands with blood using the Book of Life and Death.
Didn't that resemble Deneb himself, who was over twenty and still wrote setting notebooks?
That was why Deneb firmly believed Louis was far smarter and superior to Alpha.
He was the protagonist he had chosen.
How could he not be the strongest?
So he readily accepted his father's bet.
Because the Louis he believed in would never lose to a nobody like Alpha.
And now.
"See... I wasn't... wrong..."
Watching the battle end with Louis's victory and Alpha's death, Deneb broke into a triumphant smile.
"Hmph."
Naturally, a scoff escaped Deneb's lips as well.
"It looks like this bet ends in my victory, Father."
"...No... way... This can't... possibly happen—"
Meanwhile, the Grinebalt Duke refused to accept the bet's outcome, whining pathetically to the end.
Watching his father's ugly display, Deneb let out an involuntary sigh.
"Father, it's time to face reality."
"...What... did you say...?"
"From the start, there's no way some detective of unknown origins could beat an outstanding model student from the academy."
Deneb clicked his tongue at the duke, speaking as if instructing a clueless child.
"Decisively, Louis is the protagonist of Book of Life and Death. And in any story, the protagonist's ultimate victory is a given. In other words, Louis winning was decided from episode 1 of Book of Life and Death—"
But then.
Thud—
Louis, who had just killed the investigation team's members after Alpha's death to tie up loose ends.
From the darkness, a figure stepped toward him.
"...It's a shame we couldn't be friends, Louis. This is the last way I wanted to meet."
"Alpha...! You clearly died just moments ago...!"
Alpha, whose name the reaper had just written down, revealed himself.
Louis could hardly believe his eyes.
This was impossible.
The Book of Life and Death's power was absolute.
Hadn't even the empire's great archmage, called an absolute being, dropped dead the instant his name was written?
No living human could escape its influence, so how had Alpha—
"...Alpha, don't tell me."
"Yes, exactly. As expected, you're sharp, Louis. It really would have been great if we could have been friends."
"The first rule of the Book of Life and Death: Write a living person's name, and they die."
"But if we reverse that—"
"...Writing the name of someone not alive means they don't die."
With that, Alpha undid the buttons of his dress shirt.
And where his heart should have been.
It was empty, as if it had never existed.
"...So, you've already been a corpse. I thought you'd written your own name in the book, but no."
"I asked the mage to kill me. But not right away—I requested a bit of time."
"And Louis. I won't use the Book of Life and Death. No, no one in this world deserves to wield such an evil thing. That's my conviction."
"That conviction is nothing but hypocrisy!"
Louis growled like a beast.
"Do you know how much the crime rate dropped after I used the Book of Life and Death to kill criminals? Because I judged them, this world became a better place!"
"I already told you. Even if that's true, no human has the right to take another's life."
"You're no god of a new world. You're just a villain who got lucky with the book and thinks he's divine."
Alpha gazed at Louis with an utterly impassive face.
Even knowing his death was certain, not a trace of anguish showed on Alpha's features.
Seeing that, Louis realized.
He had lost.
Not just in wits or quick thinking.
Even as a human being, he couldn't measure up to Alpha.
"...This is the end, then. It was just a diversion anyway, but it was somewhat entertaining."
With those words, the reaper vanished from the human realm.
Alpha, having taken in the despairing Louis and the departed reaper, handed the fallen Book of Life and Death to Louis's father.
"Burn this book. You can do it. Things like this are no help to the human world."
"...Alpha."
"I never had parents, so I don't know about that. But... I know you're a great father."
"You did nothing wrong. Louis didn't either, in a way. The only bad thing is this power that lets you kill others."
Alpha offered a faint smile.
"Looks like this is it. Could you leave now? I'd like to be alone for my final moments."
"...It was an honor working with you."
As Louis's father bowed deeply with utmost respect and left the room.
Alpha lowered his head and slowly closed his eyes.
And with that, Book of Life and Death quietly came to an end.
"...No... way."
Watching that ending, Deneb unwittingly wore a look of despair.
"...Pathetic, my son."
Seeing Deneb's expression, the duke twisted his lips into a smirk.
"What was that? No way some detective of unknown origins could beat an academy model student? Well, what now? He won. Beat him head-on, even. Right?"
"....."
"And Louis's end was utterly pathetic. I almost wanted to record that voice and turn it into an instrument. Yes... it was endlessly similar to you right now."
"Kh, kuh...!"
Deneb trembled with rage at his father's merciless words.
But in this moment, as a thorough loser, he could only shut his mouth.
"So this bet... is my win. I'll take those lottery tickets you've been saving up."
"...N-no...!"
They vanished.
The five lottery tickets he'd earned by handling his vice-duke duties and pouring all his free time into it evaporated in an instant.
"Now a Super Lottery Ticket is mine. If I get the Book of Life and Death replica, I'll write your name first as thanks. Along with 'Loser.' Kuhahaha!"
With that unpleasant laugh, the duke left the parlor.
"....."
Left alone in the parlor, Deneb hung his head.
But.
"...No, it's not over yet."
Losing five lottery tickets due to the bet was undoubtedly a massive loss.
However, nothing was truly finished.
There was about a week left until the Book of Life and Death replica draw.
That was plenty of time.
Enough time to smack the back of his father's smug head after taking his precious tickets—more valuable than life... no, the lottery tickets.
"The one who gets the Book of Life and Death replica in the end... won't be you. It'll be me."
So don't hate me too much later.
I'm just succeeding the duchy, after all.
Vice-Duke of Grinebalt, Deneb El Grinebalt.
To one day write his father's name in the Book of Life and Death.
Activity.
Commence.