Apostle of the Curator (1)
Leila Academy Lecture Building, Room 3
rustle rustle
A friendly gathering where students clustered in groups of twos and threes, chatting away.
I slipped past the academy students and squeezed into a quiet corner spot, pulling out a chair and plopping down.
thud
Then I face-planted onto the desk.
'So sleepy...'
Here I was, the director of the continent's hottest game, fending off interdimensional invasions, yet forced to attend academy classes.
After tinkering with game development late into the night, dragging myself to school in the morning had pushed my body to its limits.
'At my level, I'm one of the richest people on the continent... I could probably skip these classes.'
So when I told the constellations I wanted to drop out and focus on game dev,
Absolutely not, she said.
Academy classes wouldn't help her or me anyway, and I didn't care about credentials or face, but she opposed it fiercely.
She said that while a commoner graduating from the academy might be one thing, a dropout commoner gets utterly looked down on, and she couldn't bear to see her apostle disrespected.
'I don't care about that stuff anyway...'
It felt like getting nagged by mom.
But as her apostle, I couldn't ignore a constellation's command.
So even if I wasn't really paying attention, I was at least showing up for classes.
"Hey, did you pull the Demon King?"
"Yeah. I only did a 10-pull hoping for one 4-star character, and she came out. The stacks are too precious to waste."
"This jerk's casually bragging like it's nothing."
"That story this time... made me cry."
"Yeah, right? So sad..."
"Poor Lina, what to do...!"
"Lina-chan's too cute and pitiful! I'm cheering for Lina-chan!"
"You see the new reinforcement stone dungeon?"
"Couldn't even clear the knight stage. Should I really pull the Demon King?"
"You should pull. What kind of demon race guy doesn't have the Demon King?"
"Huh? Species discrimination?"
"No matter how much I hit the weekly boss, I can't figure out the patterns."
"If you don't know, just take the hits."
"I'm taking hits and still don't get it... Sigh. When am I gonna clear this? Gotta beat the boss quick to strengthen my Demon King."
Twitch!
I'd been trying to nap face-down, but the endless chatter about Akashic Archive from the students around me rang in my ears.
As the game's sole developer, director, and company owner, hearing the customers' talk kept sleep at bay no matter what.
Plus, the goddess hovering beside me in spirit form, guarding me, wasn't helping.
-Well... right now, Demon King Perlerina's story is the main focus. Your story wrapped up a while ago, Goddess.
I replied to her telepathically, still face-down on the desk.
-No, I mean it's not completely over, just the hype's died down... you know. Especially with the new weekly boss hot right now. When folks go hunt the Beast Queen, they'll remember you and the heroes.
If a new character rises with killer story and buffs, the old ones fading is natural.
Knight Ren's single-target DPS shone in weekly boss fights, nearly burying the Demon King, but follow-up events and content pulled all attention to Demon King Perlerina.
No wonder everyone was obsessed with her tale.
-Don't worry. I'll release a split version of you later, with an event story.
-Of course. You're my first investor and partner, Goddess.
Without her, the Akashic ArchiveDream Story project might've crashed from the start.
She was basically my life partner in this.
...Plus, repackaging a proven saga as an event was pure profit.
I jolted upright as the goddess hugged me tightly from behind, her sensation startling me.
Even as a spirit avatar, not her true divine body, the inexplicable softness and warmth triggered my reflex.
Unlike my wish for a quiet class, this drew eyes—but luckily, a bigger aggro magnet appeared.
"What did you just say?"
Thank goodness.
A male student three rows ahead shoved back his chair and stood abruptly.
Handsome, intellectual vibe from the glasses.
His academy uniform fit perfectly as he turned to the girls beside him.
"Cheering for Demon King Perlerina? You serious?"
The girls shrank back as he adjusted his glasses with a cold glare.
...Come to think of it, those girls were the ones pitying Demon King Lina earlier.
"Unbelievable. You didn't even watch the story properly?"
His booming voice drew every chatting student's gaze.
"Demon King Perlerina is a blatant mass murderer. Even if it's to break the chain of hatred, the lava sea she created drowned countless lives—undeniable fact and history. No denying it."
'...Wisdom's apostle?'
I glanced at the goddess amid the murmurs.
-Goddess, you know Wisdom?
Makes sense; a shut-in goddess wouldn't.
Wisdom, huh.
God who loves debates, reveres experience and knowledge, I think.
"Choosing to hinder the Demon King's great task preserves the hatred chain but stops the slaughter. Helping it breaks the chain but drags innocents into massacre. Quite the intriguing dilemma."
Looking at him now, yeah, not keen on tangling.
Even on my game, he'd dismantle me.
"You ignore the beautiful dilemma from this fantastic game studio, cheering just 'cause her life was rough. Even if she overcame hatred through self-sacrifice, that's no academy student's logic."
Thanks for the praise, but... wasn't exactly intentional.
"Can you refute this?"
......
No one in the chilled room answered.
"Oh dear. My argument too perfect? Pity. Thought we could debate fun since everyone's on Akashic Archive."
...Maybe Wisdom apostles get avoided for other reasons.
"Of course, the studio has unexplained bits. Like forcing the one right choice despite the dilemma. Probably intentional bait. Archive has long hinted restoring original history as top priority."
Spot-on catch of my bait.
Loyal customer? Gotta check his spending later.
"With the Curator dead anyway, predicting next story's impossible now."
Then—
Bang!
"She's not dead."
A female student slammed her desk and stood.
Now what?
"The Curator didn't die."
She glared at Wisdom's apostle with fierce hostility.
"...Good. Debate on Curator's survival? Fun. Never imagined this topic."
The two approached slowly, facing off.
"Curator didn't die, huh. In Akashic Archive Act 2 finale, Curator gets pierced by Abyss Shadow. Dies in player's arms. That last-ditch cube field creation was impressive directorial flair. But clearly death. What's your basis for survival?"
He adjusted his glasses, questioning her.
"...Simple. The Curator didn't die."
This felt weird.
Seeing folks debate my story's future.
...Kinda fun.
No wonder authors spy on reactions.
-The in-game Curator died... but the Curator herself didn't, actually.
The Archive's Curator is modeled after my past life self.
No way I'd casually kill off my self-insert protagonist.
Curator lives.
But the survival bait's buried in a hard-to-find side quest.
And her current state defies this world's logic, so tough to use as proof.
That's why I eyed the girl more.
How'd she spot the hidden sequel hint in her ample gamer pouch... er, bag.
How well she'd caught my bait.
"That's why I'm asking for basis. Tons of evidence points to death. Zero for survival. What proof you got? No solid grounds, your opinion's invalid."
Guy kept pressing.
How would she reply?
With my hidden bait?
Non-side-quest folks wouldn't buy it; even completers might not.
It's long, boring, pretentious.
So her answer hyped me more.
"Then..."
She raised her hand over his head.
?
What?
"...Die."
Wham!
She grabbed his head and smashed it into the desk.
Flash
In the chaos, I glimpsed it.
A badge inside her fluttering jacket.
Curator and male deputy Curator pictured, with a heart between—a bizarre badge.