The Elimination of Risk
Eliminating the threat (3). The 1-Win 2-Loss Zone.
Considering that the pleasure city of Lampades is proving to be far easier to conquer than I initially thought, I have no choice but to start thinking about what comes after. Life after becoming an official Hero. Crossing over to the other world. And, of course, risk management.
Currently, I have two major risks. One is Park Changsoo. That’s a minor risk. The other is the matter of my regression. I don’t want the Archangels salivating over me just because I’m a regressor, nor do I want to become a Hero who is nothing more than a slave to those Archangels, forced to think only of sacrifice and devotion. What is the most certain way to eliminate those suspicions? I pondered it, and then I put it into action.
Killing Park Changsoo.
And now, according to the manual, I am in a situation where I should be receiving a penalty for [Fratricide]. It’s even the most severe form—an extreme situation where I completely killed Park Changsoo, stripping him of even the qualifications to become an official Hero.
"Interesting, very interesting."
The Archangel Michael begins to circle around me with her hands behind her back.
"I don’t know if Estiel told you, but I’ve been keeping a close eye on this side for a while now. I always welcome the increase of excellent and outstanding Heroes."
She talks too much. That gave me one certainty, but I didn’t show it. I pointed to the flaming handcuffs on my wrists with a sullen face.
"Is this what your 'welcome' looks like?"
"Hmm?"
"There shouldn't be a more outstanding prospective Hero than me. Even if I look like this—"
"Ah, I know that. There’s no need to doubt your skills. I’ve read every single report Estiel has written."
Archangel Michael flew behind Estiel, placed both hands on her shoulders, and laughed brightly.
"You’re the one who smashed Chekhov’s Arena to pieces!"
How should I put this? I don’t know if it’s appropriate to compare it to a 3-star general putting both hands on a second lieutenant’s shoulders, but Estiel’s face turned pale the moment Michael’s hands touched her. Yet, she maintained her composure as best she could. She has faith in me. She knows that I know about the Archangels, and she knows this situation is exactly what I wanted. In other words, this is a scenario within a scenario.
"Yes. I cleared it quite thoroughly."
"Do you know that thanks to you, Chekhov’s Arena is so smashed up that no one can use it anymore?"
"......?"
I tilted my head, pretending not to know. This is something a prospective Hero shouldn't know.
"No one can use it?"
"You used the blessing of a 'Great One' to take the soul that acted as the wedge for the stage. Since then, that arena has become a place filled only with wicked people who have lost their master. Thanks to that... the angels have a lot of complaints."
Michael speaks as if some massive catastrophe has occurred.
"Since we can no longer use an A-class stage!"
"So?"
"What?"
"Is that my fault?"
A senior Hero once told me: no matter the situation, if you are in the right, you must say this.
"Why is that your fault?"
I did nothing wrong. Since I truly have nothing to be guilty of, I can be confident.
"It’s not like Chekhov’s Arena is the only A-class stage in existence."
"......."
"Or perhaps... through reports like those... is the way I cleared it being shared with the angels? Is the know-how for clearing Chekhov’s Arena spreading among the angels as some kind of 'pro-tip' for raising excellent Heroes?"
"Regrettably, I have no obligation to answer questions of that nature."
She avoids the question. I didn't think I’d get an answer to that anyway.
"What’s important right now is your [Fratricide] penalty!"
Michael tries to steer the conversation back to the fratricide penalty. I know. I know this all too well. In reality, this is both a threat and a bribe.
"You felt how dangerous the fratricide penalty is while watching Park Changsoo, didn’t you? Haven’t you ever wondered why that bastard was so weak? It’s because his power was cut in half due to the fratricide penalty."
"......."
"Naturally, the same applies to you. It has to, because..."
"I told you, I don't consider that guy a comrade."
"That’s your perspective."
It’s a provocation. Michael is trying to make me angry. And what I need to do right now is—
"What kind of crazy bullshit are you spouting?"
Falling straight for the provocation.
"I’ll say it again: I do not recognize that fucking bastard as a comrade."
"I’ll say it again: we angels see you all as comrades."
Michael laughs, raising both hands as if she had expected this. It’s quite infuriating to see her chin tilted up as if she knew I’d react passionately, but knowing her true intentions, it’s just funny and cute. The reason this Archangel appeared—to put it simply, she came to seduce me. To be precise, she came to mark me early so that when I become an official Hero, I’ll designate her as my assigned angel.
'The method is disgustingly distasteful, though.'
She’s trying to threaten me, then imply that she can fix it for me. According to the manual, applying the fratricide penalty is the correct procedure, but she intends to 'fix' it as an Archangel to claim me for herself. If I were the me from the first playthrough, or someone ignorant of the situation, I would have thought, 'Ah, fuck, I'm screwed,' and entered negotiations, but...
"I don't recognize it. That bastard who tried to get me killed is a comrade and a Hero?"
I knew Michael’s intentions, but responding to the negotiation would mean accepting the premise she laid out.
"Park Changsoo? That piece of trash who sold his comrades to brothel women just to save his own skin?"
"Nevertheless, he is a prospective Hero."
"Is the Hero you guys want really such a piece of trash who drives his comrades into frustration and despair?"
"......That’s not it, but."
Park Changsoo is a prospect, but he is a Hero. I start by firmly establishing that fact.
"I don't think so. Especially now, having seen those here in Lampades who might be Heroes in heart, if not in title."
"Look, so—"
"Tell me, what is a Hero?"
"Are you trying to have a conceptual argument about Heroes with me?"
"Archangel Michael. That is—"
"Interesting. Hold on a second."
Estiel tried to intervene, but Michael pushed her aside with her hand and stood face-to-face with me.
"What do you think about Heroes?"
Even though she’s short, she floats in the air, leveling her eyes perfectly with mine as she asks the question.
"What does the prospective Hero Yu Siwoo think a Hero is?"
"Someone who just needs to kill the Demon King, no matter what kind of human they are."
"...Isn't that a contradiction? Park Changsoo might have that potential, too?"
"That’s a matter of possibility."
"If we’re talking in the realm of possibility, couldn't he also become a proper Hero? Maybe he’ll suddenly reform."
"Fat chance. He’s the type to suck the Demon King’s dick just to survive."
I could feel Park Changsoo’s soul screaming loudly beside me, but Park Changsoo doesn't know. Only Park Changsoo doesn't know. Michael has no intention of clearing Park Changsoo’s grievances or delivering a fair verdict.
"Wasn't a place like Chekhov’s Arena an extreme space designed to filter out selfish bastards like that? Madam Helma wasn't a demon, but if he had been seduced by a demon—say, a Succubus Queen or a Banshee—he’s the type of Hero who would sell out his comrades."
"Then... shall we ask the person in question? Hey, prospective Hero Park Changsoo. What do you think?"
"How could that be possible!!"
As soon as he was allowed to speak, he screamed.
"I’m not that much of a piece of trash! In Chekhov’s Arena, I was just pushed into an extreme situation...! I only pretended to sell them to the brothel!"
"Pretended?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm...."
Something Park Changsoo doesn't know, or is mistaken about.
"For someone who was 'pretending,' you sucked that woman Madam Helma’s pussy quite well, didn't you?"
"......!"
"Even when the Madam climbed on top of your face and forced you to lick her pussy? You accepted it quite willingly."
...That was information I didn't want to know. Estiel must have written it accurately in her report, and Park Changsoo stood there with a shocked face, unable to say a word.
"So you, shut up again. What I’m most curious about right now is... why you did this."
Michael held up two fingers.
"Regarding the fact that you killed Park Changsoo twice."
"......."
"Wasn't once enough? Why did you have to finish him off?"
"Why ask such an obvious question? An enemy once is an enemy forever."
Why would 'finishing him off' be called that for no reason?
"That bastard tried to kill me. Well... there was the special situation of having multiple lives, but it’s a fact that he killed me."
"So you killed him once."
"A guy like that will try to kill me again the moment he finds an opportunity. Even if he doesn't try to kill me directly, he’d sneakily stir up public opinion behind my back or try to trap me."
In reality, humans like Park Changsoo were common among the Heroes who cleared the tutorial.
"You don't know the malice of humans. Just as I told a heartfelt lie to the King of Lampades to eliminate that bastard, he is the type of guy who would do anything to bury me."
And because people like Park Changsoo were summoned as Heroes.
"I said it before, but that guy is the type who would side with the demons just to kill me. Hey, Archangel."
"Why?"
"Do you recognize a guy like that as a Hero? If he clears just three tutorial stages?"
"......."
"I don't recognize him. If you want to penalize me for killing a human from the same world, I’d accept that. I clearly committed murder, and he was a human from the same world."
"......."
"That guy."
I lightly caught my breath and drove the wedge in.
"He’s the type to beg for his life even in front of the Demon King."
Can you really just call that the realm of possibility?
"He wouldn't just beg to be spared; he’d sell out his comrades to enjoy wealth and glory, and even join the Demon King’s army to fight for the demons."
No. Park Changsoo already showed signs of that in the arena.
"If this were the Japanese colonial era, he’d be a collaborator, no, a pro-Japanese traitor selling out independence fighters to the Japanese police!"
This was meant to piss Park Changsoo off.
"I only killed someone who needed to be killed. For the sake of my comrades."