Secret Out – Off to the Imperial Palace
“Who the hell are you…?!?!”
I froze, head raised, staring. No, it wasn't just freezing up—my breath caught in my throat.
“Wa… wait, what?”
“Huh?”
Thinking maybe I'd misheard, I asked Yaruru again.
“Just now… wh-what did you sa—”
“To claim the reward, you have to reveal that Chase is GameMakerCute, you know!”
I hadn't misheard. Yaruru confirmed it casually, without a hint of doubt.
“Haha— wh-what the hell does that mean? How does it even connect like that?”
“It connects, you know!”
“It doesn't connect at all?”
“…”
“It doesn't con… haa.”
What the hell was I even doing? I stopped forcing the denial and let out a sigh. Anyone looking would see right through me.
I handed the magic panel to Yaruru and flopped face-first onto the bed.
More embarrassing than that time in my past life presenting a book report.
I buried my face in the bed. Maybe if I stayed like this, I could just die.
“No matter who they bring in, they'll suspect you the second they see Chase, you know.”
“…”
Yaruru kept talking, unfazed by my lack of response.
“I didn't know at first, but recently I was like, half-convinced, you know.”
“About what?”
“That GameMakerCute is Chase, you know.”
I lifted my face and stared at the ceiling. Deny it? Too late. Run? I could probably jump out the window… but then what?
“…”
Haa—
“How long have you known?”
“Hmm… honestly, at first I thought you were just the assistant, you know.”
“But?”
Yaruru shook the magic panel as she spoke.
“When it said no proxy claims allowed and you made that super serious face, that's when I was sure, you know.”
“Just from that?”
“There was plenty of evidence, you know.”
“…”
Wait a sec. Had I just fallen for Yaruru's bait hook, line, and sinker?
“Before that?”
At my question, Yaruru gave me a look like I was an idiot.
“I've been saying you were suspicious this whole time, you know!”
“Uh… have you?”
Thinking back, yeah, she had. Ever since I awakened my status window, Yaruru had been calling me out more often.
Who knew that was a flag?
Listening to Yaruru's explanation after that, I could barely keep my wits about me. My super serious attitude about the north. How exhausted I looked right when the Fireball Dodge patch timing came up. And…
“Whenever GameMakerCute comes up, Chase's ears turn red, you know.”
I reflexively covered my ears, and Yaruru's eyes narrowed.
“…Even now?”
“Go look in a mirror, you know.”
No need for a mirror. The heat radiating into my palms was anything but normal.
“Sigh, but why tell me now?”
“No need to say it before, you know.”
“Huh?”
Instead of me, Yaruru answered like it was obvious.
“Felt like you had your reasons for not saying, you know.”
“…”
“What matters isn't GameMakerCute's identity—it's the games, you know.”
Her unexpected words made me forget what I was about to say.
“And yeah, it was weird, but I didn't wanna overthink it, you know.”
“…Why?”
“Seemed like you wanted to hide it, you know.”
“……”
Her words hit like a punch to the gut, my heart sinking with a thud.
“Uh, uh… th-thanks? Yeah.”
“Hehe… no biggie, you know!”
A brief silence filled the room. Meanwhile, my mind raced in chaotic circles.
Yaruru had figured out I was GameMakerCute. And way earlier than I'd thought. But I didn't feel anxious or upset. If anything…
“Guess I'm glad you were the first to figure it out.”
“…Huh?”
It felt a bit embarrassing saying it aloud, but it was the truth. I could share this secret with Yaruru, no problem.
“Eeeee—?!”
“Yaruru, what's up?”
“N-n-nothing, you know!”
“…”
Her head whipped around so fast I heard her neck crack, tilting my head. But hey, problem solved clean, right?
That left just one thing—
2,000 under Chase Roman, 2,000 under GameMakerCute. Combined: a whopping 4,000 Imperial Merit Points. Time to cash 'em in.
“Chase, what now, you know?”
“Huh?”
“If we go claim the reward, the palace will know GameMakerCute is you. You cool with that, you know?”
I glanced back at the magic panel. Go? Hell yeah.
“…Gotta go. No reason not to.”
Staring at those lavish rewards made the 4,000 points feel too precious to waste. Plus, the palace wouldn't go blabbing about it.
Even if they find out I'm GameMakerCute, whatever… no big deal.
Caving to Yaruru's sparkling eyes, I opened the application screen right away. Name, affiliation, purpose. And below that:
[Companion: 1 person allowed]
“…”
“What's up, you know?”
I hesitated a moment, then said,
“Yaruru.”
“Yeah?”
“Come with me.”
She tilted her head at my words.
“Why me?”
“Looking at what you organized, figured it'd be fine to bring you along.”
Only after saying it did the embarrassment hit. Should've played it cooler. Was I bothering her—
Or not? She'd probably like it, right?
Yaruru blinked. Once. Twice. Then she jumped up, bouncing around.
“Waaah— first time at the Imperial Palace, you know!”
“…”
“It's an important mission, you know!”
“Claiming rewards?”
“Anyway, super important, you know!”
Yaruru plopped right next to me.
“Hurry! Apply now, you know!”
“You were just asking why a sec ago.”
“Now I get the reason, you know!”
“Which is?”
“Can't let Chase go alone—worried, you know!”
“You're not lowballing me too much?”
“Not lowballing—worried, you know!”
Her bouncy reaction made me chuckle as I filled out the form.
[Visitor: Chase Roman]
[Affiliation: Grace Academy]
[Purpose: Imperial Merit Points registration and reward collection]
[Companion: Yaruru]
[Visit application received.]
[Approval results will be notified by tomorrow morning.]
“Faster than I thought, you know.”
“Tomorrow, huh?”
“Means we gotta prep now, you know!”
“Prep for what?”
“Going to the Imperial Palace, you know!”
Before she finished, Yaruru shot up.
“Gotta pick outfits quick, you know!”
Not wrong, but… we're students. Academy uniforms should be fine, right?
“N-no, that's not it, you know!”
The door slammed shut.
“…What wasn't it?”
Alone in the room, I stared at the magic panel. Still didn't feel real.
Monster wave repelled with minimal damage, my name called at the ceremony. Ariel-sunbae turns out to be a duke's daughter. Yaruru uncovers my secret. And tomorrow: Imperial Palace.
“Shit went down.”
I hugged a pillow and flopped back.
“Ain't sleeping tonight, 100%.”
After a bit, I got up anyway.
“…Maybe pick my outfit too.”
Long story short: didn't sleep a wink. Tossed and turned so much that when the approval pinged, I immediately straightened the bedding.
The outfit I'd picked before bed looked meh now, so I tried new ones…
“…Why do they all suck?”
Fourth change already. Ended up with neat formalwear from home.
“Why am I even stressing this?”
Muttering as I fixed my sleeves—
Knock knock knock.
A polite knock. Opened the door: Yaruru.
“…Who the hell are you?”
“What kinda talk is that, you know?”
She pouted at my question—but
“You're totally different from usual, damn!”
“Rude, you know!”
She kicked my shin. Way more put-together than usual. Light makeup. Clean dress instead of sloppy uniform. I'd miss her on the street.
But why the memo pad?
“Hmph, gotta be thorough, you know.”
“…Déjà vu.”
“Today it's real, you know!”
She scanned me top to bottom and grinned.
“Chase dressed up too, you know!”
“…It's my normal stuff.”
Not a lie. Similar to what I wore for outside stuff pre-academy. No need inside, so it stayed packed…
“Liar, you know.”
“What?”
“Fidgeting with your sleeves—you look uncomfortable, you know.”
“…When'd you notice that?”
No answer—just humming. I cleared my throat awkwardly and shut the door.
Heading out the gate, riding the carriage to the capital, I couldn't stop eyeing Yaruru. Honestly, more than the palace.
She knew I was GameMakerCute now, but wasn't acting like it. No, not ignoring—just zero fucks given.
“…Yaruru.”
“Whoa—huh? Why call me, you know?”
“Really not weirded out?”
“What, you know?”
“Me being GameMakerCute.”
“Yeah.”
Her quick reply made me blink. She turned to the window, adding,
“Chase is Chase, you know.”
“…”
“GameMakerCute or not, still Chase, you know.”
“Huh?”
“So. Not that weird. Curious, but… waiting for Chase to tell me first, you know.”
Her answer left me speechless. Uh. What to say…
I turned to the window.
“See? GameMakerCute talk and your ears go red again, you know!”
“They're not red.”
“Someone'd think you dyed 'em, you know!”
“I didn't!”
She ignored me, cracking up. Still gripping her dress to avoid wrinkles.
After the eternal torture, the carriage stopped. Door opened; Yaruru gasped following me out.
But short-lived. Knights lining the massive outer wall. Their armored presence made her grab my sleeve.
“Get behind me.”
“U-ugh… Chase okay, you know?”
“I've trained a bit myself.”
Shrugged and pulled the stiff Yaruru behind me. She calmed a tad.
“Now it feels real, you know…”
“You good?”
Grrrrowl…
“J-just nerves, you know…!”
Pfft— “Still time before entering. Grab food first?”
“Gah, just go in already, you know!”
Her tugging my sleeve, I headed to the palace gates. Yeah, solo I'd just be sighing right now.
“Present your pre-approval form.”
I pulled up the magic panel for the guard.
Chase Roman
Visit for Imperial Merit Points registration & reward collection / Approved
Companion (1 person) registered / Approved
The guard's eyes scanned the panel. He nodded, fiddled with something, and the massive gate began to creak open.
“Confirmed. Proceed inside the main gate and follow the guide.”
“Let's go, you know!”
“…Yeah, let's.”
We stepped through the slowly opening main gates of the Imperial Palace.