Jacques von Heibrun (1)
“Phew...”
Leaving the sickroom and returning to the VIP guest room, I fell deep into thought.
My mind was incredibly cluttered.
Perching on the edge of the bed, I let out a heavy sigh and carefully chewed over the Saintess's warning.
'I followed the starting path of the original game exactly.'
Lost Elder was fundamentally a single-player RPG.
While it did support multiplayer features for certain content, the main scenario could only be played solo.
In that sense, as the first person to be possessed into this world, I had followed the main scenario's starting path to the letter.
I had opened my eyes in the Underworld Arena, the tutorial start point for the swordsman class, and met the Human Butcher there.
'But what about the others?'
The tutorial boss, the Human Butcher Barba, was long dead.
Furthermore, the main scenario was already well underway.
This worldline had already diverged too far from the original game's start. I had no way of knowing how other possessed players would be integrated under these circumstances.
'And that's not the only unresolved question.'
What exactly was the trigger for this possession?
It wouldn't just kidnap players at random. After all, the purpose of this possession was ultimately to save this world.
If so, let's slowly retrace the circumstances right before I was dragged into this world.
What was different from usual?
Was it obtaining the 12-star Mythic-tier hidden skill, Soul of the Sword Master? Or was it starting my 200th playthrough?
'If obtaining a hidden skill is the condition for possession...'
That would actually be a relief.
It was a reward obtained by pouring in a whopping 179,312,341 points.
Of course, I couldn't rule out the possibility of unlocking a hidden skill with fewer points, but the hurdle would by no means be low.
Even Strawberry Latte, ranked second, had nearly 30 million points and hadn't even caught a glimpse of a hidden skill.
If the trigger was that strict, the number of possessed players would naturally be very small.
'Then it would be easier to control them. And there would be plenty of ways to use them.'
I had achieved such ridiculous feats with just the Soul of the Sword Master.
What if other players with different hidden skills were possessed? We could definitely achieve even better results by cooperating.
Of course, all of this was assuming I could control the possessed players.
'But...'
What if starting the 200th playthrough was the trigger?
'...That could be a bit of a problem.'
There were at least fifty players in the country who took Lost Elder seriously.
If you included those who played casually without joining chat rooms or communities, that number would be much higher.
Accumulating points was difficult.
But starting a 200th playthrough was by no means hard.
You just had to put in the playtime. It was a condition even a chimpanzee sitting in front of a computer could meet.
'Then, as time passes, the number of possessed players will naturally increase...'
And the variables I would have to manage would increase just as much.
'Sigh.'
This is a massive headache, seriously.
I muttered curses under my breath and massaged my temples.
As I did, a certain player's name suddenly flashed through my mind.
'...Strawberry Latte.'
Right.
Strawberry Latte.
I couldn't guarantee who the next possessed person would be, but under the current circumstances, he was the most likely candidate.
After all, he was ranked second in the Hall of Fame and had played the most playthroughs after me.
'That bastard only plays mage characters.'
He was the type who habitually said other classes were boring.
I recalled that even when he did concept plays, he always set his base class as a mage.
But there was one key point to note here.
A mage's tutorial starting point was not the Underworld Arena.
When any mage started the game, the very first place they opened their eyes was...
'Wintersield Magic Academy.'
Having reached that conclusion, I let out a low sigh.
Maybe all of this was just a delusion.
Perhaps the Saintess had meant to warn me about something else entirely. It was possible I was barking up the wrong tree.
Even so, let's prepare for it. It was always better to thoroughly eliminate all risk factors for peace of mind.
Besides, Wintersield was a place I had to visit anyway, and going there wouldn't disrupt the plans I had already set in motion.
'Of course, there are things I need to take care of before heading to Wintersield.'
To deal with the monster sleeping there, thorough preparation was required.
Knock, knock.
And I still had a bit of business left to finish in Midtemple.
“Come in.”
The person who visited the VIP room was Arwen.
I had requested to speak with him first, saying I had something to discuss.
Wearing a good-natured smile, Arwen handed me a teacup and took a seat on the opposite sofa.
“Thanks to you, Seeker, the prestige of the Goldheart family has risen significantly.”
“...”
“In particular, the interest in Adelia is incredibly intense. Not only did she become the disciple of a Sword Master within a month of leaving home, but she even received recognition from the Fire Dragon Sword Master.”
I replied briefly.
“It is all thanks to her own outstanding talent.”
“Haha.”
Arwen smiled softly and took a sip of his tea.
“Hearing you say that, as the head of the family, I hardly know how to respond.”
Arwen von Goldheart.
He had to shoulder the heavy burden of being the family head from the moment he turned twenty.
After his grandfather and father passed away in consecutive accidents, he was left to lead dozens of dependents of the Goldheart family.
Over the decade that followed, Arwen ran himself ragged to protect the family's honor.
As a result, he had unintentionally grown into a seasoned politician.
“However, this situation will not last long.”
Being politically savvy, Arwen surely knew what lay ahead. He continued in a calm voice.
“Once you leave Midtemple with Adelia, the Goldheart family's influence will wane once more. I cannot help but feel a bit concerned.”
A heavy silence filled the reception room.
Arwen's concern was by no means groundless.
'For now, Adelia is getting attention as a member of the Goldheart family...'
But as she accumulated achievements with me in the future, her identity would inevitably shift.
People would gradually perceive her not as 'Adelia of Goldheart,' but as 'Adelia, Disciple of the Sword Master.'
Especially if she left the Holy City of Midtemple to roam the vast continent.
Above all, the Traditionalist councilors would try to alter the public's perception of Adelia by any means necessary. That was the only way to diminish the Goldheart family's influence.
“...”
I briefly recalled Midtemple's political structure.
'The Holy Families are largely divided into two factions.'
The Traditionalists.
They sought to defend the existing order and power structure, aiming to limit the Sword Master's authority as much as possible.
Above all else, their priority was loyalty to the Elder and preserving the system that had lasted for centuries.
'And...'
The Reformists.
Led by Arwen, they argued that active change was necessary to respond to the threat of the apocalypse.
They believed the world had to be normalized, even if it meant boldly overturning the existing system.
'Naturally, I have to support the Reformists.'
For the sake of the future, it was far more advantageous for me if Arwen became the core of power.
Our interests aligned perfectly.
'But it's impossible right now.'
The ones holding power in the Holy City were the senior councilors of the Traditionalists, and naturally, Midtemple's current inclination leaned closer to them.
Therefore, I had to reverse the situation somehow.
Otherwise, Midtemple might interfere with every single move I made in the future.
Having made my decision, I spoke.
“I will help you.”
“...!”
Arwen's eyes widened. He apparently hadn't expected me to be so direct.
“Do you have a plan in mind?”
I nodded.
'Of course I do.'
Hadn't I said it before?
In this wonderful world full of dreams and hope, there existed a method far easier and more effective than persuasion.
Especially a drastic measure that worked exceptionally well in Midtemple...
“We just need to kill the leader of the Traditionalists.”
To restore stability to the Holy City of Midtemple, that hypocritical, ugly old man had to be eliminated.
Pant, pant.
The rough breathing echoing across the training ground gradually subsided.
Adelia bent forward, catching her breath.
Watching her quietly, Sikan Bauer let out a sincere exclamation of admiration.
“Your growth is truly astonishing, my lady.”
Just a few months ago, he wouldn't even lose his breath when facing Adelia.
But now, the feeling was completely different.
Her fierce attacks, and the relentless flow of her strikes.
Sikan Bauer had only barely won by exerting his full strength.
'I knew she was growing explosively under Sir Gaon's tutelage... but to think it was to this extent.'
The eyes of the Paladins standing around the training ground to watch the sparring were also filled with surprise.
“Unbelievable. She definitely wasn't this outstanding just a month ago.”
“She always had great potential, to begin with.”
“So there really was a reason she was chosen as the Seeker's disciple.”
“The rumor that she was recognized by the Fire Dragon Sword Master was true.”
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
The praise echoing around her brushed past Adelia's ears.
In the past, she might have felt secretly proud hearing those words.
But Adelia merely closed her eyes tightly in disappointment as she looked at her reflection in her sword.
'...I'm still far from enough.'
Perhaps it was because she had witnessed someone who had reached the absolute peak of the sword.
Adelia felt her own achievements were infinitely lacking.
But there was no need to despair.
The single month she had spent with Sir Gaon.
She knew better than anyone how much she had changed in that short span of time.
'If I continue to stay by Sir Gaon's side...'
A goal that once felt like an unreachable wall. Hope bloomed that the day she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the two giants of Midtemple might not just be a dream.
“Amusing.”
She flinched.
It was at that exact moment that the surrounding air suddenly froze.
The people gathered on the training ground stiffened all at once.
Along with an overwhelming pressure, a massive shadow loomed over them.
'...Jacques von Heibrun.'
Adelia's eyes widened.
A giant of a man, nearly two meters tall.
And a muscular old man wielding a thick executioner's sword of matching weight walked forward slowly.
One of the two giants of Midtemple, and the powerhouse the Reformists feared most. That giant was always at the center of the Traditionalist faction.
“I hear your skills have improved greatly.”
Jacques slowly lowered the greatsword from his shoulder. A heavy metallic ring echoed across the training ground.
“How about it? Care to spar with this old man as well?”
“M-Master...!”
It was while I was discussing future plans with Arwen.
A man who appeared to be a retainer rushed into the VIP room in a panic.
Arwen, displeased by the interruption, furrowed his brow slightly.
“What is the matter?”
“I-I apologize for interrupting your meeting with the esteemed guest. It's just...”
Catching his breath, the retainer delivered shocking news.
“...L-Lord Heibrun has... the young lady!”