A Tragic Setting of My Own Making

"...And that's how Marie becomes the next Demon King, and Fran has to fight against her."

"Isn't that a bit too melodramatic?"

"It makes them more multi-dimensional, doesn't it?"

Crimson Memoria.

A fantasy action game about a noblewoman wielding a greatsword.

Lately, my friend and I have been staying up all night, every night, developing this game.

Both my friend and I are absolutely obsessed with noblewomen and greatswords.

We love the contrast between an elegant, refined girl and the rugged, massive greatsword she swings around.

What started out as just playing around with lore and concepts eventually evolved into full-blown game design.

Since I've been drawing for a long time, I took charge of the concepts and art, while my friend ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handled the planning, story... and programming.

"Anyway, keep up the good work. I'm dead tired, so I'm heading to bed."

"Sure, good night."

I was currently drawing a key art illustration of Marie, who could be considered the heroine of this game.

I was struggling to put the finishing touches on it, but I was having so much fun that my pen wouldn't stop moving.

Just a little more, and these characters will finally come to life.

Did I fall asleep after that? I can't remember.

When did I drift off?

That question vanished from my mind the very moment I opened my eyes.

Because right there in front of me, Marie—whom I had just been drawing with my own two hands—was giving me a lap pillow!

"?!"

Startled, I bolted upright.

"Are you awake?"

A face wearing a gentle, serene smile.

Short, curly teal twintails, deep and clear eyes, and a pure white dress.

It was undoubtedly Marie.

Unbelievable. I hurriedly scanned my surroundings.

Was this a dream? But the grass beneath my feet and the cool breeze brushing past felt far too real.

I began to feel my own body.

A slender, well-proportioned—though not exactly voluptuous—figure wrapped in a red dress, and golden drill-roll hair swaying on either side of my face...

I muttered the name of the owner of this appearance.

"Fran...çoise..."

"Yes?"

Marie tilted her head in confusion.

This... this is...

"Ohohoho!"

"W-what's the matter?"

I transmigrated?!

"The sky is truly magnificent today, is it not~?"

"Hehe, it really is. Aren't you glad we came out?"

I actually transmigrated into Françoise Albert de Valois!

She was the protagonist and playable character of Crimson Memoria.

"Fran" for short.

I was deeply moved... but...

...Hmm.

If this really was the world of Crimson Memoria, the situation wasn't exactly ideal.

In the original lore, Marie was Fran's adoptive sister and lifelong childhood friend.

But Marie eventually colludes with the demons at the Academy, falling into darkness.

Powerless to do anything, Fran gets politically framed for treason and executed.

Then, Fran is reincarnated all alone in another world, where she takes up a greatsword to confront Marie... That was the plot.

It seemed like a fun, dark story for a game, but as the person actually living it, I absolutely refused to let it happen.

I had to prevent Marie's corruption if I wanted to live a peaceful life in this world.

"Marie, what is the status of our Academy enrollment, pray tell?"

"Huh? Um... the entrance exams haven't even opened yet."

I see. Thank goodness I transmigrated before all that starts.

In that case, I must enter the Academy alongside Marie, block the ruin route, and build my own faction and gather allies.

Sigh... This is all because of the childish settings my friend and I cooked up.

We thought that kind of plot was perfectly fine for an action-focused game. But with those very settings in place, I had no intention of letting this sweet girl—who was also my absolute favorite character—fall into danger.

It was time to take immediate action.

"Shall we make our way back now, Marie?"

"...? Yes, of course."

The grand, luxurious Albert Mansion.

I had designed this estate myself, though I hadn't fleshed out the finer details. Even so, everything was perfectly realized.

It was packed with incredibly expensive-looking things.

I went to my room with Marie, sat on the bed, and tried to open my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠status window.

"Status window, if you please~"

Ping!

Fortunately, the status window existed. This was a world of magic, after all. We had designed it that way because we thought a sword-wielding character would look much cooler in a magic-dominated world.

But now that I was actually in her shoes, it was incredibly troublesome. Because this character, Fran, possessed the trait Magic Unsuited. We had literally designed her that way so she could be easily framed and politically outmaneuvered.

The status window listed the following skills:

Ugh, I really can't use magic at all...

Scarlet. The crimson-bladed sword from the lore I created.

Well, there's no need to worry about these passive traits right now.

But what on earth is this "Covenant"? I'll have to put that aside for now.

There were so many things I needed to figure out.

Scarlet... Without Scarlet, Greatsword Mastery EX is completely useless. Where is Scarlet? It's supposed to be a sword she carries with her, but its whereabouts are completely unknown.

I let out a soft sigh.

"Alas... I possess absolutely zero aptitude for magic, it seems~"

"You say that as if it's news... But you're the eldest daughter of the Albert family, Fran. Your position only requires you to inherit the estate."

Marie spoke gently, trying to comfort me.

Unlike me, Marie was designed to be highly proficient in earth-attribute magic. Because of that, her goal was to enter the Academy, while I, Fran, was supposed to stay behind and handle high society and noble politics.

No way. If we live like that, both Marie and I are doomed.

"No, I too shall enroll in the Academy!"

"Huh? Really?"

Leaving a startled Marie behind, I stood up abruptly.

"But first, I must locate Scarlet."

Right now, my only real source of power is Scarlet. It's time to awaken my greatsword mastery.

I took Marie by the hand and set off to find Lucien Albert de Valois.

"Um... Fran, you seem incredibly proactive today."

Marie's cheeks flushed slightly.

Finding her reaction adorable, I smiled and replied,

"But of course! This is a matter of utmost importance. And it is all for your sake as well, Marie!"

"?"

Marie looked utterly baffled by my words.

Arriving outside Lucien's office, we knocked gently on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Father~ Are you within~?"

"Hmm. Enter."

The moment he finished speaking, I softly pushed the door open.

Lucien Albert de Valois. He was Fran's father.

A man of immense presence, an incredibly wealthy and powerful figure who managed the finances of the Valgrande Kingdom... That was how we had set him up. Holding such a high position, his charisma was so overwhelming that even his daughter, Fran, should have been intimidated.

Yet, the moment his eyes fell upon me, his dignified expression melted into a doting grin.

"Father~ I have arrived~"

"Yes, yes~ Of course! My precious daughter Fran, and Marie. Did you two have a lovely stroll~?"

I immediately inquired about Scarlet's whereabouts.

"I came to ask if you might happen to know where a sword named Scarlet is kept~"

"Hmm? Scarlet? And a sword, at that..."

Lucien stood up, sinking deep into thought, before finally speaking.

"Regrettably, Fran, we live in an age of magic. Swords are nothing but forgotten relics of the past."

"So, in the end, even Father does not know?"

"Ugh! Forgive me, my sweet daughter! Please, forgive your foolish father!"

Where did all that terrifying presence go? No wonder Fran ended up doing whatever she wanted in the original game.

"You are forgiven~ It seems I must search elsewhere."

"Sob... Thank you, my darling daughter!"

Leaving behind a weeping, overly emotional Lucien, Marie turned to me and asked,

"Why don't we visit the Guard Captain next? She would likely know more about weapons."

"Oh, what a splendid idea, Marie~"

We headed out to the training grounds outside the mansion.

There, standing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tall and rigid before the training soldiers, was a woman. Her name was Sally Clavel.

She was the character who, in the original timeline, would fight against the entire state and die protecting Fran after she was framed for treason. Her loyalty was absolute.

With her black hair tied in a sharp ponytail and her disciplined black military uniform, she possessed a presence almost as commanding as Lucien's.

"Sally~ I have come to see you."

"Lady Françoise, Lady Marie. Good day to you both."

I got straight to the point.

"Do you happen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to know anything about a sword called Scarlet?"

"My deepest apologies, my lady, but I know nothing of it. Our guard unit focuses entirely on magic."

"I see~"

"If I discover anything that might be of assistance, I will report it to you immediately, my lady."

Hmm... Is magic really everything in this world? Who should I ask next? The maids definitely won't know...

"Who should we look for now?"

Marie pondered for a moment before speaking up.

"What about the Head Butler? He is incredibly knowledgeable about the family's history, so he might have a clue."

Right, let's go see him.

The Head Butler, Sebastian.

He was the man who managed the Albert household. In the game, he functioned as an NPC who managed Fran's stats and skills, and briefed her on quests.

"I greet the young ladies. How may I be of service?"

"Sebastian, do you know anything of a sword by the name of Scarlet?"

Sebastian adjusted his glasses, thought for a moment, and replied calmly.

"While the name Scarlet does not ring a bell, I do know of a certain legendary sword."

A legend?

"And what might this legend be?"

"According to the legend, there is a sword embedded in the ground inside a certain cave, waiting for its rightful master."

Embedded in the ground? Like Excalibur? Hmm... I don't remember writing a setting like that.

"Do you happen to know the location of this cave?"

"My apologies. I do not know its location. After all, it is merely a legend."

"Hmm~ Very well. Thank you, Sebastian."

"I am always at your service, my lady."

Sebastian bowed elegantly.

On our way back to the room, I felt frustrated. I had only heard a vague, strange legend, and gained no real leads.

"Sigh... How am I to find it when no one knows anything?"

"Fran..."

Marie seemed to recall something, her face lighting up with joy.

"I think I know where that cave is!"

Oh, really?

"My, truly?"

"Yes! It must be 'that place.' Let's go to the library!"

I followed her into the library.

Marie pulled a rolled-up map from one of the bookshelves. It must have been untouched for a very long time; it was covered in a thick layer of dust.

"Cough, cough!"

"My word, the dust is absolutely dreadful~!"

Once we brushed the dust away, it finally began to look like a proper map. As we unfurled it, I froze.

"T-this is..."

The map was identical to the rough world map I had drawn myself when building the game's setting.