Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Dragon Heart #3
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"So, to sum up what Master said, it's like this."
[1. This world is the same as the game 'Dragon Hunter Origin.']
[2. But Master and I are characters from the game 'Star Savior,' not Dragon Hunter Origin.]
[3. This world is destined for destruction.]
"That's right, exactly."
Luther nodded with a somewhat tense expression, and Integra suddenly narrowed her eyes, stood on tiptoes, placed her hand on his forehead, and said.
[No fever...]
[Master, may I perform a brief mental scan?]
"I'm perfectly fine?"
Luther narrowed his eyes in the same way, and Integra beamed, shrugged her shoulders, and replied.
[Just kidding.]
[Because it's you, Master, of all people.]
[Anyway, that explains it. The reason you knew things I didn't.]
Unlike Integra, who referred to the wyrmlings as 'native planetary lifeforms' every time they encountered them, Luther had always used their exact names.
And now, adding the Hecatoncheires to the mix.
Luther replied in a low voice to Integra, who nodded as if it all made sense now.
"Just like I said. It was my favorite game... so I knew about it."
If it had been some other game besides Dragon Hunter or Star Savior, he probably wouldn't have remembered every monster's name.
But the Dragon Hunter series and Star Savior were different.
They were his absolute favorites, after all.
[Then, Master, are Karen and Max game characters too? Lilia as well?]
"No, not Karen and Max. I've never seen them in the game. Lilia only existed in the lore."
[In the lore only?]
"You know... like 'there used to be someone like this in the past.'"
Luther added a bit more explanation about Lilia while he was at it.
A genius enchanter who died young, with an unknown cause of death.
[Wait, so that means Master and I changed Lilia's fate?]
"...Probably."
Integra's expression turned serious for a moment at Luther's answer, but she soon relaxed and said.
[Come to think of it... just by me and Master—who didn't exist in the 'original'—roaming this world, we've already altered the fates of countless people.]
[Like Karen and Max.]
If the meteor hadn't fallen, Karen and Max wouldn't have stopped at the Primordial Beast Forest in the first place.
In that case, they wouldn't have encountered Lilia, nor the gang of thugs led by Kapu who attacked the pioneer village.
[Now that I think about it, at least in the short term, most of these changes seem positive.]
[Like village girl Roxanna and all the others who survived thanks to Master.]
It was just as Integra said.
Without Luther, not only Lilia but Roxanna would have met a tragic end, and the pioneer village would have been razed by Kapu's bandits.
[It's praiseworthy.]
[But since no one else knows, I'll praise you on their behalf.]
"Huh?"
Luther unwittingly blurted out, but Integra stood on tiptoes again, patted his head affectionately, and said.
[Thanks to Master, many people were saved.]
[I'll praise you in everyone's stead.]
[Thank you. For saving them all.]
His face flushed red involuntarily, but a ticklish warmth spread in his chest all the same.
So Luther stood there obediently, accepting Integra's praise, and she gazed at his face before smiling softly.
[How cute.]
"Hey!"
[Hee hee. Anyway, so what about Aru? Was she a character too?]
It was obvious she was changing the subject, but pressing further would be embarrassing, so Luther went along.
"Aru's like Lilia. She died in the lore, so she doesn't appear in the main story."
[I see. Aru's fate changed due to Master's intervention as well.]
[Fascinating.]
Integra crossed her arms again, her face taking on a thoughtful expression as she reviewed everything so far.
Luther watched her quietly for a moment before cautiously asking.
"Um, Integra."
[Yes, Master? What is it?]
Integra blinked her golden eyes in response, and after a moment of silence—lips twitching several times—Luther finally spoke.
"Do you... believe me?"
[Didn't you tell me to?]
"Well... yeah, but."
What should he say?
That she believed him too easily?
If she'd gotten angry, saying there's no way, or questioned his sanity, that would have been problematic in its own way—but he hadn't expected her to accept it without a shred of doubt.
That he entered a game world.
That this world is exactly like a game.
This implied that Integra and everyone in this world might just be parts of a game.
Even setting everything else aside, being told 'you're a game character' should provoke some backlash.
But instead of that, Integra smiled softly, met Luther's violet eyes directly, and said.
[As I said before, because it's you, Master.]
[I already know what kind of person you are.]
With that, Integra clapped her hands together suddenly, her face lighting up as if she'd just realized something.
[Are you perhaps worried about an identity crisis?]
Spot on.
As 'Exactly' appeared on Luther's face, Integra chuckled softly and said.
[Master, I was created to begin with.]
[And it's only been a few days since I opened my eyes.]
[Even if the person before me right now is some human named Lee Yun-ho who possessed the body of 'Luther Lightseeker,' it doesn't matter to me.]
[Because ever since I opened my eyes, the one I've been with is none other than you, Master.]
[You're my one and only Master, and I'm your one and only support AI.]
[Even if this world really is inside a game, that fact doesn't change.]
Having said her piece crisply, Integra gave a gentle smile, as if to say, right?
"Integra..."
Luther murmured her name without thinking.
Support AI.
Her partner who had been with him through everything since she awoke in this world.
Looking back, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he'd made it this far thanks to her.
Beyond combat support, she'd been a huge emotional pillar for him.
As Luther's eyes grew misty, Integra avoided his gaze instead of tilting her chin up smugly.
[O-Of course, the chances of it actually being a game are slim. Whether coincidence or some inevitability, it's more reasonable to see it as another world with a similar worldview to the game.]
She rattled it off quickly, twisted her body slightly, and then vanished with a whoosh.
"Integra?"
[Let's continue the talk.]
Her voice echoed despite her absence.
She must have hidden herself out of embarrassment.
'Now that's really cute.'
But Luther's thoughts didn't last long.
Integra swiftly changed the subject.
[Hecatoncheires.]
[The group of dragonkin who inherited the blood of Demon Dragon Helcanes.]
[They are the ones who ultimately lead this planet to destruction.]
[Master plans to stop the Hecatoncheires and prevent that doom, right?]
"Just like I said."
The best goal Luther could set for himself right now.
Prevent this world's destruction first.
Integra let out a thoughtful "Hm—" before speaking.
[Master, then let's think backwards for a moment. How do the Hecatoncheires destroy this planet?]
Knowing the cause of destruction would make setting goals much easier.
Just eliminate that cause.
But instead of answering, Luther looked troubled.
[Master?]
"Well..."
[Well?]
"Honestly, I don't know exactly."
[...What?]
Integra reappeared before Luther's eyes.
Her face was half shock, half exasperation, and Luther furrowed his brow as he continued.
"It's definitely heading toward destruction, but I don't know how."
[What do you mean, you don't know? Why not?]
Destruction happens, but you don't know the cause?
Does that even make sense from someone who didn't just read a prophecy but actually played the game?
But Luther had his excuses.
"The game doesn't go that far."
[Huh? Wait, you mean... you didn't finish it?]
"No, the game wasn't released that far. Dragon Hunter Origin was an RPG sold in DLC parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, like that."
Integra responded to Luther's explanation not with kindness, but with a voice full of disbelief.
[Selling an unfinished game in parts is weird enough, but I can't understand a Master who buys them.]
"Yeah, tell me about it."
Why did he do that?
If he hadn't played Dragon Hunter Origin, would he have gone into Dragon Hunter 3?
[Sigh. Anyway, you don't know everything, but you know more than half, right?]
"Roughly up to the 3/4 point. But... like with Aru this time, I plan to shake up the main scenario from the roots."
Integra nodded in agreement with Luther's words.
[Not a bad idea.]
[Like you said, Master, it's a world destined for destruction, and the game story heads straight toward doom anyway. Better to shake it up from the start.]
[Even if the story diverges completely from the game, we have plenty of info to use.]
[Details on characters, items, geography, and so on.]
"Exactly."
No matter how the story twists, the established lore can't change.
Where someone is, their past, what abilities they gain in the future—things like that.
Knowing about the Hecatoncheires' dragonkin in particular was crucial.
[Then let's think about our immediate goal.]
[In the original story, the incident happens in Venus City, right?]
"Yeah. Balboa launches a massive attack to steal the 'Spirit Jewel' from House Gleston."
A massacre where not a single child from the earl's family was left alive.
The western arc's protagonist, Anne Rose, gets caught up in the Gleston family tragedy—that's how her story begins.
[You took down Balboa, Master.]
[But the Hecatoncheires are still around, so the Venus City incident is likely to happen one way or another.]
"Probably."
Balboa wasn't the only dragonkin in the Hecatoncheires.
The Spirit Jewel was one of the materials for the 'Beast Lord Descent Incident' that caps off the western arc, so they'd send another dragonkin to make the Gleston incident happen.
[Then our top priority is stopping the Gleston family incident.]
"Yeah, we have to keep the Spirit Jewel out of the Hecatoncheires' hands."
[Understood.]
[And I have a good idea.]
"What?"
Integra grinned at Luther's question, patted her chest confidently, and said.
[Master and I steal the Spirit Jewel first.]
"What?"
[The Hecatoncheires want the Spirit Jewel.]
[Even if you stop them this time, they'll attack again eventually.]
[So Master and I secure it outright.]
[No reason for the Hecatoncheires to attack a house without the Spirit Jewel, so the family stays safe. They don't get the jewel either, shaking up the main story. Plus, we could use that Spirit Jewel as Master's energy source.]
Luther was momentarily stunned by Integra's explanation but soon nodded.
It was perfect, just as she said.
"Genius."
[Hee hee.]
Of course, the problem of infiltrating the earl's house and stealing the Spirit Jewel remained, but they could figure that out on the way.
[We can do it, Master and I.]
[Master is Star Savior—savior of the stars, after all.]
As Integra placed a hand on her chest and smiled brightly, a smile spread across Luther's face too.
"Yeah, you're the best, Integra. Good thing I came clean."
[Hmph, obviously.]
Integra shrugged with a smug look, though her cheeks flushed pink again.
[But Master, one thing I'm curious about.]
"What?"
When Luther asked back, Integra cleared her throat with a hem-hem, composed her face calmly, and asked sweetly.
[You said 'Luther Lightseeker' is one of Star Savior's protagonists, right?]
"Yeah."
[Then he's the main hero, right?]
"Probably? There was even an ending where Luther saves the stars."
[Hm-hm, I see. Then...]
"Uh."
[Um... am I...]
"You?"
[The heroine...?]
Integra fidgeted with her fingers, then slowly lifted her head to ask.
Her face flushed red, golden eyes full of expectation.
Silver hair sparkling in the sunlight.
Luther swallowed hard for a moment, averted his gaze, and scratched his chin awkwardly.
[Master?]
"Well."
[Well?]
"Uh... it's a secret."
[Master?]
"For now, secret."
He couldn't bring himself to tell the current Integra that she was just a named NPC he called out.
No, he didn't want to.
[Master?]
"Time to head back. Karen, Max, and Lilia must be worried."
[Tch, deducting 1 point from Master.]
"That's so sad."
Luther turned away playfully, and Integra, who had been staring at him, suddenly pursed her lips in a smile and whispered in his ear.
[Master.]
"Yeah?"
[Adding 1 point to Master.]
"What now?"
[It's a secret.]
"Integra?"
Instead of answering, Integra smiled softly, and after tilting his head once, Luther set off toward Anus Village.