Chapter 75
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: The Aide's Choice (3)
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I looked at the part Marian was pointing to.
Side story game.
If it was the side story I knew,
it would be a spin-off with the exact same setting and characters.
I carefully reviewed Marian's explanation.
This world—
was a fictional one from a novel, by Marian's standards.
The basic setup was based on an otome game,
with fixed schedules and choices.
That was causing the compulsion, and she was worried Ruena would change because of it.
And—
Marian had said this.
Because of the side story game, Ruena was fixed as the final boss.
'Then...'
The otome game's side story.
And the cause that made them conclude Ruena was the root of the disaster.
There was only one answer.
I looked down at the bowed Marian and opened my mouth.
"So in that side story game, Ruena appears as the final boss, and to clear it, you have to kill Ruena?"
"...Yeah. That's right. Spot on."
Marian's eyes widened a little, as if surprised.
Then she added 'RPG' next to the 'side story game' part.
Honestly, I had no idea what that meant...
But since she'd marked it there specifically,
I could only guess it was a different genre from the otome game.
Marian circled the relevant part emphatically and continued.
"The main otome game's plot is like this. The heroine stops and punishes Ruena, who's turning dark after dabbling in forbidden magic, by teaming up with the guys she's romanced."
"...Punishes. So the side story isn't that plot."
"Yeah. The side story is an IF where Ruena succeeds in turning dark. Specifically, it's about cleaning up the chaos that causes right after she succeeds, and executing the cause—Ruena. Of course, she'd have to be the final boss."
I nodded slowly as I listened to Marian's explanation.
Now the puzzle pieces were falling into place.
In simple terms—
in this hybrid world where everything was mixed up,
there was one where Ruena was locked as the final boss, and that's what made it this way.
Plus, timeline-wise, it was after the main game.
So no matter what the main story was,
Ruena becoming the final boss was already a set ending.
'...Is that what you're trying to say?'
My brow furrowed on its own.
Honestly, not everything made sense.
Some of what they said didn't match what I knew.
They weren't lying,
but there was no guarantee it was the truth anywhere.
Then Marian pointed to herself.
"I possessed the protagonist of that side story game."
"...The one who kills Ruena?"
"Yeah. That's right. So I have to take out Ruena to bring peace to the world."
Marian said it like it was some grand mission.
I was losing control of my expression.
Her attitude, speaking as if it were obvious, was utterly infuriating.
The wind brushed my ear.
For some reason, my heart felt coldly heavy.
I understood with my head.
Why they were going so far to get rid of Ruena.
To them, that was the answer.
They believed reversing a set ending was impossible.
But.
'Who the hell decided that crap.'
Even hearing their story, my answer was one.
Disaster?
Final boss?
Cause of the regression?
I didn't give a damn.
No matter what anyone said,
set ending or whatever.
I had no intention of letting others define my world.
To me, Ruena was
Ruena Eliad, whom I'd watched by my side for over a decade.
A handful, spoiled, fussy sleeper, accident-prone to the point I couldn't look away.
And—
the most precious person in my world.
By their standards, that might be justice.
But by mine, they had insulted my world.
I... wasn't generous enough to brush that off.
I tossed aside any pretense of composure.
I approached Marian and looked down at her silently.
I didn't know what my face looked like.
I could only guess it was terrifying from how frightened she looked.
"Who the hell decided that? Who says that's the answer? Where's the proof?"
"...Huh? I've been explaining. That's the set ending and plot of this world."
"Yeah. A messed-up plot that's mixed with whatever and doesn't match reality."
Marian's expression slowly hardened.
Her lips moved, but I couldn't hear a word.
I looked down at her coldly and took another step closer.
"Hey. Is human life that cheap that you talk about killing based on uncertain crap? Or have you lost your mind enough to spout that nonsense in front of the next Grand Duke's aide?"
"Th-that's not it! Celen! I don't want to kill or anything—! The compulsion forces it—!"
"So what."
Compulsion. That damn compulsion.
What gave them the right to act like fixed choices were absolute truth.
That's what thieves had to watch out for most.
Pretending the answer was set.
Despairing at a dead end.
The moment you get cocky in certainty, you miss all the variables that can flip the board.
I slammed my fist into the nearby wall.
"Do you know how much of what you said doesn't match reality? First off, you said Ruena's engaged to the Crown Prince. Listen up. She has no fiancé."
"Right. She wouldn't in the second loop. That setting vanished in the first regression."
"What?"
I looked up at Melissa's voice.
Melissa, who had been watching us like spectators, approached.
She positioned Marian behind her and spoke.
"Second loop. Meaning, it disappeared in the first regression. For reference, up to the second loop, the Crown Prince attended this academy. Same year as me."
"......"
"As you know, not anymore."
Melissa shrugged.
It was clearly a casual dismissal.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
It really was a total mess.
Pathetic.
Even with so many changes, they clung to the 'original plot' or whatever.
I opened my mouth to retort.
But Melissa beat me to it.
"You must think it's weird. Why believe only the original when things have changed?"
"Yeah. You get it."
"That's the terror of compulsion, kid. Even if minor settings keep changing nonstop, the core events stay on track."
Melissa pulled a notice from her bag.
The imperial delegation's academy inspection.
An official event scheduled in exactly half a month.
'No way...'
Melissa smirked as she caught my changing expression.
"Stubborn but quick on the uptake. Good. Even if she's not his fiancée and the Crown Prince doesn't attend the academy. Ruena will definitely meet the Crown Prince. On the event date the game set."
"......"
"That's compulsion. The force that drags every flow back to its original place."
Melissa waved the notice.
A chilling, leisurely smile spread across her face.
"Ah!"
But—
That irritating look shattered instantly.
Because I snatched the notice from her hand and tore it to shreds.
I let all the ripped pieces fly away in the wind.
It was a declaration of war.
Against their believed set ending and compulsion.
I smirked as I watched the scraps whirl away in the strong wind.
"Then if I shred it so bad it can't revert, that should do it."
"...What?!"
"Like those paper scraps I just blew away. Smash the flow and everything so it can't revert at all."
"Hah, that's ridiculous..."
"Ridiculous? Keep going until it works, and nothing's impossible."
Melissa gaped in disbelief.
Marian stared up at me with wide eyes too.
Whatever.
I straightened my tie and my posture.
To me, the Eliads who paid my daily wage came first, not these nobodies.
"I'm Ruena's aide. I'll stand by my lord, light her path ahead, and ruthlessly eliminate any threats to her. Just like always."
"...You're insane."
"Not insane, just doing my job. And you're the crazy ones. Trying to kill someone over something that hasn't even happened—is that sane?"
Melissa tried to argue, but I stuffed a cookie in her mouth.
No point listening anyway.
More of the same tiresome nonsense about how many times they'd seen it.
Melissa spat out the cookie.
'Oh, payback.'
Still, getting one bite in wasn't a loss.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Time passed like that,
and the imperial delegation's academy inspection drew near.
Maybe because there was so much to handle.
My head throbbed.
For one, the Crown Prince was a politically crucial figure.
Setting aside compulsion or whatever,
I couldn't afford to treat him lightly or show any sloppiness.
But—
'...This girl, seriously.'
Whatever.
My childhood friend, weak in the mornings, was prioritizing sleep as usual.
'Can't tell if it's a blessing or a curse.'
I let out a long sigh and looked down right below me.
Ruena was nodding off continuously, eyes half-closed.
Tsking my tongue, I straightened her clothes.
"Hey, hey. Your ribbon's messed up. Why'd you half-button your blouse?"
"...Mm."
"Excuse me, Miss Ruena. I'm not a blanket. Don't snuggle up just because your clothes are disheveled."
She always responded well, then and now.
She kept nodding, then burrowed into my arms on her own and clung.
Sighing, I pried Ruena off me.
Her state... was a sight.
A sleepy face.
Clothes unbecoming of a noble lady.
Hair I doubted was properly tied.
Compulsion or whatever.
Talking about world-ending with a girl like this was laughable.
Sighing, I fetched a comb.
Then re-tied Ruena's hair.
Yeah.
Compulsion or whatever.
I just had to fix everything off around her.
Like always.
"All done."
"Ehehe, thanks, Celen."
"Ruena."
"Yeah?"
Ruena, looking in the mirror, turned to me.
Drowsy.
Foolish.
A little cute...
The usual Ruena Eliad.
I stepped closer to her.
Then fiddled with her neatly braided hair as I spoke.
"You just stay like this. That's the best."
"...Yeah?"
"The messes, I'll clean up like always."
"...Yeah!"
I wonder if she got what I really meant.
Her face clearly hadn't grasped even half my true feelings.
But—
it didn't matter if she didn't.
I was content just seeing Ruena smile so brightly like now.