Chapter 2
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Walking Death Flag
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A week had passed.
By now, I had no choice but to accept it.
"It's not a dream after all...."
I stood in front of the mirror.
There stood a fat man with a cold expression.
Tristan Ruelverta.
The NPC from the game I'd become a week ago.
If he'd just been some ordinary NPC, my gloomy mood might have been a little better.
According to the original story's setting, Tristan Ruelverta was a villain among villains.
A greedy piece of trash who put his own safety above all else.
But I could have endured that much.
Who wouldn't prioritize their own well-being? The real reason I hated this guy was something else.
Character Profile.
Name: Tristan Ruelverta.
Age: 20.
Occupation: Count of Ruelverta.
Traits: Tycoon, Calculation, Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath.
Traits that reflect the character's stats and personality.
Among them, he possessed as many as six of the so-called worst traits, the Deadly Sins.
In other words, he was a born villain.
In the original story, Tristan was an utterly heinous antagonist.
Because of that setting, in the online game, he became the one who sold out the country to the invading players.
Thinking of the countless NPCs who died in agony because of this bastard made my blood boil.
To put it simply, he was like that guy from Iwan Yong.
I could never forgive this guy... and that guy was me.
Ah, damn it.
"Haa...."
A week ago, I'd possessed this game's character.
The most suspicious culprit was, of course, my sister, Jeong So-ra.
I recalled what So-ra had said at the end.
-Fine. Then show me. The ending you want, bro.
Words she'd tossed out like a joke.
If I thought about it seriously....
"In other words, finish this story my way...."
Was that the only way back to reality?
Maybe.
But I decided to accept this situation in a simpler way.
"This is my chance...."
In that week, I'd learned one fact.
This was the world of the game 'Another World Online.'
However, there were no players anywhere.
The reason was surprisingly simple.
The game hadn't officially launched yet.
In other words, this was before players entered the world.
Exactly 358 days before.
How did I know?
358 days until service begins
With a notification like that floating in front of my eyes, it would be weirder if I didn't know.
I opened the window.
Cold air seeped into the room.
Through my breath, I could see the snow-covered cityscape.
The clock tower standing tall looked familiar.
This was a city in another world that resembled a beautiful European fortress.
"...Luddrow."
The capital of the Meikahel Empire, located at the northernmost point of this world.
The symbol of NPC resistance that fought to the very end.
The city that had been thoroughly destroyed by players in the previous timeline stood intact before my eyes.
"Beautiful...."
I'd imagined it countless times in the novel and experienced it vividly in the game... I muttered as I gazed at that beautiful scenery.
"I'll protect it."
The game hadn't started yet.
I could protect it now.
This scenery, the characterseverything.
As the sole reader of the original novel, I could make it happen.
But it wouldn't be easy.
526.
The number of endings in So-ra's game scenario where Tristan dies.
He dies in so many ways.
Poisoning, slaughter, hanging, beheading, explosionnothing was off-limits.
He was the only one with such a varied fate of death.
In other words, one wrong move here, and I could die.
Tristan, the most wicked character who meets the worst end among all.
And that's me.
Of course, I had no intention of just sitting back and taking it.
I knew this world well.
From the original settings to the miserable endings in the online game.
I'd confirmed it all with these very eyes.
'First, change this damned future of mine.'
I had about a year.
A long time if long, short if short.
I would definitely avoid the pitiful end where no one pities me.
And beyond that, I'd stop the players' invasion and protect everyone.
I closed the window and muttered.
"Come at me, if you dare. You dogshit players."
Even though I'd become a villainous NPC, right now, I could get way ahead of you bastards.
It was the moment I smirked in satisfaction.
Knock knock.
"...What is it?"
"I-I'm sorry to disturb you during work.... Count. U-Um, a relative just arrived, so I thought you should come out...."
A relative? Ah, right. I knew who it was.
The only relative who would visit Tristan was 'that person.'
A headache, but no choice but to deal with it.
I clicked my tongue and stood up.
"Tsk."
"S-Sorry.... They're so stubborn. Sh-Should I go back and...."
"I got it. I'll head down right away."
"Huh?"
As I pushed open the door, I felt a strange 'whoosh' sound and a bit of resistance.
"Hm?"
In front of the door were moist eyes looking up at me from the floor where she'd fallen.
She looked like a young maid who'd just started working.
Narrowing my eyes, her profile appeared.
This really was a game world.
Character Profile.
Name: Wendy.
Age: 12.
Occupation: Servant of the Ruelverta Count Family.
Traits: Crybaby, Klutz, Frail, Misfortune
"Wendy...."
"Eek! S-Sorry! Master. P-Please forgive meee!"
Wendy prostrated herself on the floor, begging frantically.
Her reddish hair trembled.
The clumsy maid full of mistakes.
'I was wondering why she hadn't shown up yet....'
In the original story, Wendy was the first character Tristan killed.
The reason Tristan killed her was simple.
He just didn't like her.
This foul-tempered villain drove a young girl to her death just because she rubbed him the wrong way.
'But that was Tristan's big mistake....'
Among the bad ends Tristan meets, only one has him killed by Wendy.
That's no problem.
The real issue is that out of 526 tragic endings, a whopping 525 stem from her death.
In other words, all the rest.
-Wendy? Heh heh, she's a walking death flag, basically.
I remembered the original author So-ra saying that.
Her death is the trigger that starts Tristan's misfortune.
But just not killing her myself wouldn't solve it.
Even if I didn't kill her, this unlucky klutz would die so easily.
It's all thanks to the insane combo of her traits, 'Misfortune' and 'Frail.'
Trait: Misfortune.
Rank: Ungraded.
Details: Misfortune is intertwined in your life. This trait will turn your life into a thorny path. If you're thinking "Why does this trait even exist?"that's normal.
Trait: Frail.
Rank: Ungraded.
Details: You're more likely to catch illnesses than others. And once you do, they won't heal easily.
I couldn't help but sigh.
For my own survival, I couldn't let this airheaded girl die for at least a year....
"Hoo...."
Alright.
I spoke to her in a gentle tone, as if addressing a child.
"Are you okay? You're not hurt?"
"P-Please, just once.... Huh?"
Urk....
My stomach churned for some reason.
Maybe because it went against my traits, or because of the possession's influence.
Such dialogue seemed impossible for Tristan, the trashy personality.
But apparently, I wasn't the only one who found it forced.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Wendy let out a shrill scream and fled.
Her face was pale as if she'd seen a ghost.
"Good grief...."
To be so shocked by a single kind word.
It said a lot about how Tristan usually acted like a total bastard.
I scratched my head.
"Even if a person suddenly turns nice, it's a problem...."
And from the resistance in my lines, it seemed villains were meant to act like villains.
"Alright."
I'll try talking and acting as much like Tristan as possible.
Turning a villain good overnight would only raise suspicions and backfire.
I decided to immerse myself in the character of Tristan.
With that thought, I headed down to the first floor.