What to Do About the Non-Canon (2): "Are You a Pedo?"
"Are you a pedo?"
"What kinda nonsense is that, Demon Lord of Hell?"
While resting after training with Chang Yeom, I'd once heard some weird shit from her.
"Just asking. Are you a pedo?"
"As if."
I'm not a pedo.
"What if I suddenly turned all 'squishy' and loli-like? How would you treat me then?"
"Is this about the [Loli Suppression Incident]?"
I had a vague idea why Chang Yeom was saying this.
"In the original game, Cheoncheon's Esdinas, there's nothing for folks with certain tastes?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
Cheoncheon's Esdinas. A beautiful girl RPG that, to some, screamed, "This ain't a beautiful girl game!!"
Why? Because there wasn't a single heroine under 150cm tall.
For certain people, [Cheoncheon] was unholy content you dared not touch.
In a game featuring black people, the disabled, sexual minorities, vampires, beastkin, non-humans, machines, and more as side characters, there was one group completely absent.
Fans of that niche shed bloody tears knowing Cheoncheon started in Korea.
If it had been published in Japan and imported—yellow or red ratings be damned—there would've been loli characters.
But Cheoncheon didn't go there.
"Maybe the producer or devs just weren't into it? The game's setting is all busty academy girls from the start."
"They said even busty is fine. Just make 'em loli."
"Like this vibe?"
Chang Yeom snapped her fingers.
"What do you think?"
She'd gone full loli.
"Setting aside the OL outfit, didn't your whole look just change outta nowhere?"
"'Cause I'm lolified now."
Chang Yeom had shrunk so much her head barely reached my abs. She readjusted and compressed her body via mana—of course, keeping her head size while tweaking the rest would've made her adult-sized.
"My real question is this: If one of the heroines got hit with the [Loli Curse] like this, what would you do?"
"Loli Curse, huh. That's from the [Twisted Santa] story, right?"
"Yes."
Chang Yeom and I decided to reminisce about all the original villains and monsters—her mostly prompting—and brainstorm countermeasures.
Twisted Santa was one such case.
"Forces targets into child form."
An event boss. Offline game, but regular updates kept things fresh.
One was the mysterious [Twisted Santa Claus] boss tormenting the protagonist—making players grin like dads for a sec.
Heroine lolification. Specifically, a curse regressing them to a pure, childlike state believing in Santa.
Looked like a cash grab with pricey CG child skins, but I still hit buy.
"Back then, I thought it was an achievement."
"Sure, sure. Nice excuse. Skins had nothing to do with achievements!"
I'd checked if the 7-ish-year-old shrink form was an achievement collectible, fearing greedy devs. Nope—just some dev's taste or...
"Gave those lurkers watching Cheoncheon's every move the perfect excuse. They flooded with secondary fanworks of the heroines' kid forms."
"It was horrifying."
Unofficial stuff the devs never acknowledged plastered everywhere. In Korea, memes got so risky people whispered, "This dangerous?"
Result?
Devs nailed down no lolis officially. They self-censored before backlash.
But that's the original game. This world's different.
"Surely something'll pop up, right? Not in the original, but exists here."
"Didn't find any as Regiph."
"You weren't Regiph for like 10 years. You really scoped the whole world in that short time?"
"...No."
Chang Yeom warned me.
"If something we don't know becomes an Angel candidate, and it's a loli—what then?"
Where's my line?
"...As long as it doesn't get meme'd?"
Like Twisted Santa's 'lightweight mode' gift sticking around for whatever reason.
"Even if loli-looking, if it's a busty adult, it's just dwarfism."
"Hmm... Like those tall, stacked ones in your memories?"
"Especially beastkin girls, or dwarf-elf mixes."
Dwarves, etc.
"Alone, total big sis vibe, but next to others? Suddenly petite."
"That case? Possible?"
Chang Yeom patted her lower belly lightly.
"If stopping Angelification means only 'cumming' works, would you do her?"
"......Anything but touching that."
That.
"The final bastion even devs couldn't touch. If such a god exists..."
"A-CHUNG."
"Yeah."
Loli and busty adults? Fine. Little girls? No.
"No way that exists."
I underestimated them. Devs who push limits for profit.
In a game full of jiggle physics, pure lolis exist too.
I forgot: As long as not too slutty, they sell.
During tea time at the cafe after meeting Evangeline di Ershi princess.
"One thing upfront: I won't wear the academy uniform."
Evangeline di Ershi princess opened with a declaration of war the moment she sat.
"Swimming class too. I'd prefer no skin exposure."
"Princess Evangeline. Academy curriculum applies to everyone equally."
Instructor Esta gave a low warning, respectful to royalty yet firm to a student.
"Even princesses follow the rules."
"I know. But exposing my skin casually would trouble all those male students, no?"
"What?"
"I'm cursed."
Ludbekia and Esta frowned at the princess's words.
"If I show skin or wear revealing clothes, men who see get 'enchanted.'"
"Enchantment curse...? But that's..."
"Like demonic charm. And that charm... might destroy the world."
I get it. Might sound weird to some, but I fully understood the princess.
And realized she's a serious problem for me.
"Phoenix classmate?"
"Yeah?"
"Casual from the start is surprising, but don't take it bad."
The princess bowed sincerely to me.
"If you see my body and feel 'lust,' the curse triggers—you could turn into a twisted, madness-driven monster."
Her warning face was dead serious.
"One more time: No weird thoughts about me. Got it?"
"Weird thoughts."
I get her worry, but...
"Like this?"
As a special admittee like others, I needed to check one thing.
How? By picking up Evangeline princess right away—
"Kyaa?!"
"Wh-wh-what are you doing?!"
"Cute. Like a little sister 10 years younger."
Airplane lift. Hands on her waist, hoisted high.
"Put me down! This insolence...!"
"How's the air up top?"
"What!?"
Evangeline flushed red, furious instantly.
"Can't even walk right—how about piggyback? Or horsey ride?"
"Y-you...!"
Not loli, but niece treatment!
"This!"
Evangeline kicked wildly in midair, resisting.
Grabbed my head, stomped my solar plexus with her feet.
"Urgh...!!"
Her whole body screaming put me down.
"Hmm... Princess. You're a total brat."
"Hey!!!"
Best counter to lolis—or pedos.
"Hey now. Don't kick and hair-pull adults, kiddo."
Treat as child.
And...
'Physical contact.'
I confirmed it.
Heroine check.
The blank spot for the special seal etched on Angels—[Glory Sign].
It imprints on heroine candidates' lower bellies.
"......."
X'd.
I saw it.
Heroine potential, XXI.
'No. 21.'
An unknown heroine appeared.