Wisdom's Finale: New Story Launch!
[Akashic Archive] New story for the final act of Wisdom is now live!
Experience the continuation of the main storyline!
"Finally!"
Crown Prince Raizeol jumped up from his seat the moment he heard the update news and bolted to his room.
"Your Highness! Where are you going? You still have duties today!"
"Argh! Handle that stuff later! I'm busy right now!"
He ignored the servants' shouts, quickly lay on his bed, and hugged his terminal close.
What happened after the Maelstrom assassin?
Did the Curator really die like everyone was saying?
If so, does that make me the next Curator of the Akashic Archive?
Brimming with anticipation and excitement, the crown prince's consciousness slipped into a dream.
What story would greet him next?
His vision cleared just as the vast landscape filled with the Akashic Archive's enormous bookshelves came into view.
"Hey there."
The Curator greeted him in her usual form.
"...You're alive?"
He'd clearly seen her assassinated by the Maelstrom's agent, yet here she was, perfectly fine.
What the hell?
"Nah, I died."
"...?"
"But I didn't stay dead."
"Playing word games now?"
The Curator chuckled at the crown prince's exasperated reaction.
"Ah, sorry. When the previous instance died, not all my memories transferred intact."
"Previous... instance?"
The Curator smirked, lifting the corner of her mouth.
"Meaning the old me died, but only some memories carried over. ...Probably got jumped by that Maelstrom assassin at the end. You handled it well, right?"
"...Yeah."
He had no idea what "memories carrying over" meant, but it implied some kind of revival method...?
The crown prince tilted his head, struggling to make sense of it.
"Knew it was you. Not a trace of Maelstrom left—perfect cleanup."
"But the results from the final trial didn't transfer. How'd that go?"
"The final trial..."
The final trial—the Curator's third test—was purging the Maelstrom within the tale of the past Demon King Perlerina.
He'd watched her life unfold, activating her will weakened by the Maelstrom and guiding her to make the same choices as history.
But that poor girl, living such a tragic life, resorts to massacre and chooses death?
He couldn't accept it.
So he changed it.
Instead of letting history repeat, he nudged her toward breaking the chain of hatred another way.
"Pity. Thought you were promising. 9 points."
In the end, the Curator ripped into him for it.
"Announcing the results of the three Akashic Archive Curator selection trials."
So he'd assumed he'd failed.
Especially after derailing the story in the second trial too—passing seemed impossible.
"M-Maelstrom...! How did it infiltrate the Akashic Archive directly...!"
But then the Maelstrom assassin crashed in and attacked the Curator, complicating everything.
Things dragged on vaguely until now.
The crown prince pondered.
What should he say?
The truth?
Would they kick him out of the Akashic Archive?
He could only have one account under his name—getting banned meant no more stories like this.
That would suck...
As his worries peaked—
Clap.
"Ah, whatever."
The Curator snapped him out of it.
"Doesn't matter anymore. You took down the Maelstrom assassin—that's merit enough."
"...So that means."
"Congrats. You've passed the three trials verifying your qualifications as assistant Curator."
Dozens of books swirled around the crown prince, making celebratory sounds.
"Passed the trials... So I'm the Curator now?"
"Of course! ...Or so I'd like to say, but not yet."
"...?"
"There's still a procedure needed to become Curator."
Snap.
A book flew into the Curator's hand at her gesture.
"This is..."
"Training this time."
"Training?"
"Yeah. We've confirmed your qualifications and abilities as Curator, so now we teach you the role. This book's free of any Maelstrom meddling."
The book floated from her hand, pages flipping open.
"We won't enter it directly—instead, create a virtual story based on this."
"Virtual story..."
"Right. Don't worry—it's just a world made for this training, and it'll be deleted after."
Her energy overlapped the book, spawning an identical one above it.
"You'll enter this world and observe the protagonist up close."
"Like the trials, as a soul?"
"Slightly different. Probably start as a nearby researcher."
"Researcher?"
"Haha, find out when you get in. Your job: decide what happens to the protagonist."
"...Please tell me it's not pushing someone to die or start a massacre again."
"Who knows... You could do that, or something else. Up to you. Point is, the ending's yours to choose."
"You said not to corrupt the story."
"This isn't corruption. No fixed ending."
"...What?"
"It's an ongoing story."
Humming with resonance to the Curator's will.
"Good luck then, Assistant Curator."
Thud!
The crown prince's vision went dark.
The new third act story of [Akashic Archive] has been revealed.
Chapter 1: Muria-13-07 endures human experimentation in agony.
In this era of peace, where such atrocities are unthinkable on the continent, players were shocked.
After the experiment, back in her iron-barred cell, her forced cheerful chat with friends to forget the grim reality only amplified the tragedy.
Chapter 2: Players, as researchers, help Muria-13-07 escape.
Like an escape game, solve gimmicks to reach the final gate.
There, the lab director appears, turning Muria-17-06 and Muria-25-03 into meat lumps.
A forced story event.
Mere researchers—players—can't stop the grand magus-level director.
The director sows discord between the researcher and Muria-13-07, humiliating them.
Muria-13-07 steps in front of the player.
Power gathers around her.
Resolve to protect her precious one, to lose no more—awakens her strength.
The final flame, burning her last life.
She incinerates the director, unfolding a dream world.
The girl squeezes her last strength to create a dream realm.
A fantastical world of lights no player has seen.
"Eek! C-Can I hold your hand, prince?"
The player enjoys a final date with the frail girl.
"So happy. Is this okay?"
The one-night dream ends; the world crumbles.
Sunset sky collapses behind the girl.
Tears well in her eyes as she fades.
Sad music plays as the girl vanishes.
Leaving a small pendant.
◈ The crystallization of love from a girl who transcended mortal limits, choosing oblivion. Squeezed her final strength to give to her beloved. Contains life's happiest memory.
Click.
Opening the pendant reveals a picture inside.
The girl smiles brightly with her friends and the player.
"This completes the story."
[Lewd Wisdom smiles gratefully only to one person.]
"But are you really okay with this? Your—er, the constellation's entire life laid bare for everyone?"
[Lewd Wisdom says she doesn't care.]
[Lewd Wisdom says it's necessary to at least try reviving Yukyuk and Samsam.]
[Lewd Wisdom adds she wants to share the happy time with her prince.]
[Lewd Wisdom grins darkly that announcing this will make everyone acknowledge her prince is hers.]
...Pretend I didn't hear that last part.
There was a reason for turning her tragic saga into game story fodder.
To revive two pitiful souls who couldn't even enter the reincarnation cycle, used as materials for divine evolution.
She's not tied to Maelstrom sins, so revival success isn't guaranteed this time either...
All prior successes used power from purging sins.
No guarantees here.
[Lewd Wisdom says don't worry.]
[Lewd Wisdom says her trusted prince's power can do it.]
"Thanks for believing in me."
Hope players' wishes unite for a miracle.
Squirm squirm.
I spotted a wriggling jelly blob in the corner of my vision.
The villain who, desperate to surpass humans and become something greater, dragged countless into misery—now reduced to this end.
"Almost forgot you."
Feels cruel, but considering the victims, it's not enough.
"Don't worry. You'll get plenty of attention."
I'll make sure of it.