Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: The Serpent's Maw
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Before entering this game, Yi Young-jin.
More precisely, he recalled the memories from his days as Super Young-jin, when he was active online.
"Hoo... Tch."
As he typed on the cafe strategy board, he clicked his tongue without realizing it.
【Filtia Breeze Route Guide】
He had only written the title and spent hours without filling in the body, a deep frustration welling up in his chest until it escaped as a tongue click.
On the monitor displaying D/Z SAGA, only a single line was written.
Game over message.
His playtime had already exceeded three thousand hours, yet this Filtia Breeze route led to a bad ending with the slightest misstep.
When he loaded a save file, Filtia gazed at him from the screen.
The game's hidden heroine.
The number of bad endings—even just the ones identified—was more than double those of Regina Cielra.
But Filtia wasn't like that incomprehensible Regina Cielra.
She was a character anyone could understand and empathize with.
That's why it was even harder to give up.
...Let's push a bit harder.
Filtia.
Filtia Bluebreeze.
In the world of D/Z SAGA—not just Jefrin, but across the entire continent ruled by the Loengrin Empire—one of the scant ten remaining descendants of dragons.
The faint wish of the last daughter of a species doomed to extinction.
To grant it, he opened his status window, cycled through buffs, finalized his setup, and moved the cursor.
Let's try once more.
He clicked Yes without hesitation.
"Let's go."
As he headed to the student council room, he reviewed the Filtia route strategy he had written back then.
What he was attempting now wasn't a pure game, but one infused with a touch of realism.
In other words, it was just the inference that while the game worked one way, logically speaking, other approaches might be viable in reality.
"This kind of strategy is a first for me too."
Filtia Bluebreeze was like Elphira or Lilia.
In the sense that she was a character who appeared in a hidden map.
But unlike the Eastern Forest or Sleeping Mountains or the Frost Plains, the hidden map in the Blazing Desert had no portal at the entrance. You had to defeat the boss at the end of the southern desert map, then take the portal that opened there to reach Filtia Bluebreeze's domain.
Once you entered, her roar echoed along with a system message.
Her endless minions and monsters poured out.
And upon reaching the nest, he had to fight Filtia.
No mid-save. Endless hell rally.
But defeating Filtia earned her recognition, and she granted the chance to undertake her quests.
Progressing through those quests, Filtia would appear.
From this dialogue, one could infer that she, disguised as a Jefrin undergraduate, was enjoying her school days in her usual fashion.
"In other words, Filtia Bluebreeze is somewhere in Jefrin."
However, the problem was that Filtia had three different forms.
And even finding her posed issues.
Her personality was prickly as hell by default.
There were reasons and backstory, of course... but she was an incredibly terrifying character.
Still, piecing together the lore, it wasn't entirely impossible.
With that thought concluded, he entered the student council president's office and spoke to Eve.
"So, Eve, I have a favor to ask."
"...What now?"
"Among all Jefrin students, I'd like you to find one particular student."
"Just to check, do you know how many students there are at Jefrin in total...?"
"If we're just counting students, it's around eighty thousand."
He shrugged.
He knew it. Eve was going to get furious, and he was prepared to brazen it out...
"Got it. Which one out of the eighty thousand?"
"...Huh?"
"I'm listening. Who are you looking for?"
"You're not mad?"
"You say it's necessary for your plan. Spit it out already. Who is it?"
"...Alright. I'm going to describe three people. First, blue hair..."
As he described Filtia's appearance and attire from his knowledge, Eve pondered for a moment.
"I don't know about the other two, but there's a student named Tia with blue hair."
"Really."
"Yeah. Fourth-year in the Magic Division. I only remember her looks. Rumor has it she's an elusive senior. She advances with just enough attendance, test scores, and assignments—but she doesn't hang out with anyone regularly..."
I see.
That 'Tia' seemed to match the 'Filtia' he knew.
But...
"Eve. One thing I want to ask."
"What?"
"Do you happen to remember every single student's personal details?"
At his question, Eve waved her hand with a smile.
Right? No way that's possible...
"Isn't that a given for the student council president?"
"......"
What a monster.
"Blue-haired Tia. So this is her form now."
Having confirmed that Filtia attended the academy, all that remained was to go to her.
"Hoo."
Honestly. Scary as hell.
But it wasn't like there was no way at all.
To be precise, it was a gamble.
The Filtia route was one that poured everything into the character's own charm.
Filtia seemed gentle and kind at first, but as affinity rose and you grew closer, it felt like she was deliberately pushing 'Kelters' away.
In novel terms, a truly clichéd setup.
Three hundred years ago, to protect human sovereignty, the founding emperor Hark invaded the heavens and demon realms, accompanied by the 'former guardians of the human world,' the dragons. In the fierce battle, most perished.
Now, only ten dragons remained across the entire continent.
The youngest among them, Filtia, was ordered by Hark to guard the demon gate from the safest place, Jefrin.
Records mentioned occasional visits from Hark, but ultimately, she had been left alone for three hundred years.
In short, Filtia's current mental state was...
With that thought finished, he opened the door to the library where she undoubtedly was.
Magic Division Building 7.
A bit busier than his Building 8, but still a library where no one would seek her out.
Inside, a woman gazed blankly out the window.
"Oh my. Little one. What brings you here?"
"......"
No doubt about it.
Blue dragon.
Filtia Bluebreeze.
The first thing he saw was blue. The last thing was also blue.
Long straight hair dyed with lavish amounts of the most noble blue gemstone pigment.
Eyes even more transparent and blue.
A tall girl about his height or slightly taller.
A 'sword' at her waist too large for a mage to carry.
And a uniform reminiscent of a cheongsam, utterly unlike current Jefrin students' attire.
No mistake.
That outfit was Jefrin's official uniform from a century ago, and the sword at her waist was the 'Speldiarabi' he had borrowed countless times.
In other words, a dragon stood before him.
Carrying a magic sword, surpassing Eve in overall combat prowess, a blue dragon so dangerous that mere entanglement meant preparing for death.
He took several deep breaths.
One wrong choice, and he was dead.
Tia—no, Filtia Bluebreeze—was that kind of existence.
But he too was the man who hadd her hundreds—no, nearly a thousand times.
'I know you that well.'
"I am Wolfram von Loengrin."
"Loengrin... I see. Papa's... Yeah. So what brings our little one here?"
Hoo.
Here, he went for the bold play from the start.
Like a woodcutter calling a tiger 'big brother'!
"I've come to greet my big sis."
"............Huh?"
She just stared blankly at him.
Hark von Loengrin's bloodline cowered not before a dragon's gaze.
"S-Sorry, sis did it by accident... used her dragon eyes. You okay?"
"Of course. The blood of Hark von Loengrin is not weak. You know that well."
"Yeah. Sis knows too. It's Papa's blood, after all."
"Right. Three hundred years ago, I saw your existence in the diary left by your adoptive father, Hark von Loengrin. Filtia Bluebreeze... If you're the great ancestor's foster daughter, then calling you my big sis is only proper."
"...Wha—huh? D-Does that make us...? I-Is that how it is?"
"Yes. Big sis!"
"Eep, bi-big... sis..."
Filtia was weak to momentum!
Extremely weak!
Push harder than expected, and she floundered!
"Even if our blood doesn't connect and our races differ, since the great ancestor Hark von Loengrin acknowledged you as 'daughter,' you and we are 'family.' Isn't that right, big sis?"
"..........I-Is that so?"
"Yes. Though three hundred years passed in absence, I, who inherits the great ancestor's blood, am here, and you, his foster daughter, are here. We can start a new day right here."
"I-Is that... so?"
"Yes."
"I see..."
"Or did I misread? Are we not in a relationship defined by that word?"
Filtia froze abruptly.
......Wrong move.
Too hasty, it seemed.
"Too rash. For now, let's build a friendly rapport. I'll head out today—"
"Where do you think you're going?"
"......!!"
He couldn't continue.
Not by choice.
Magic forcibly sealed his mouth.
"Hehe. Sis was startled. First time a guy's approached so aggressively—and he's my little brother, no less... Right. Sis is Papa's daughter, and you're Papa's descendant, so we're siblings, aren't we?"
"......"
"But don't scare me like that next time, okay? Wait until sis is mentally prepared. Got it? Even 'family' must mind their manners."
"Understood. Filtia big sis."
"That's been bugging me since earlier. Too stiff. C'mon, repeat after me: Filtia big sis."
"......"
No, even so, that was a bit much. As he hesitated with that thought,
...A chill ran down his spine.
"I wonder why. Does my little brother hate the word 'big sis' that much? Then sis will have to teach you—for the occasion of gaining a little brother? How should I correct it? With magic? Physical? Or dragon tongue? Sis is confident in all. I'll do my best for my little brother!"
"..........Filtia............big sis."
"Yes. Good boy. Let's keep it that way. Got it?"
"Got it. Filtia... big sis."
"Yay! Sis is so happy to have a little brother today!"
With that, Filtia patted his head as if impressed.
......For real.
For real scary.
Not dragon scary—snake-in-the-jaws chills.
Only then did he truly grasp the woman before him:
Approaching slyly but weak to offense, acting friendly yet lonely, a dragon yet a heroine.
"If you say 'big sis' like that again, big sis will correct you personally?"
"......"
"Let's try once more. After three hundred lonely years, sis wants to hear 'big sis' from her little brother every day starting today—not 'elder sis' or whatever. Even one 'elder sis' and who knows what sis might do."
"Filtia big sis."
He was reminded anew: the hidden character boasting the most bad endings in the original work.