"...No, Ash."
Stammering, Nameless let out a hollow laugh.
"How could that be possible? My country is the culprit behind all these tragedies, producing monsters."
"..."
"Such a thing is impossible. My country, I myself, do not deserve it."
"No. You do."
I grasped Nameless's weary shoulders and slowly lifted her up.
"If you hadn't stopped the monsters here for the last five hundred years, humanity would have perished long ago."
"..."
"You are not only the rightful heir to this country but also a princess who has taken on responsibilities no one else did... a princess with virtue and conviction."
It was clear that the production of monsters was not the will of the Lake Kingdom, but the dark will that had engulfed it.
Though the Lake Kingdom had fallen into being a colony that produced monsters under the Demon King's will, there were still people in the Lake Kingdom resisting that darkness.
Nameless was the living proof of that.
I nodded firmly.
"Your past five hundred years are your qualification. You, and your country, are more than qualified to join this alliance."
"..."
"I ask you, Nameless. Please join my alliance. I ask this as your friend."
At my words, Nameless's eyes quivered intensely.
"A friend...?"
"Isn't it so? I thought we had become quite close, fighting together in this darkness."
"A friend..."
Nameless bitterly smiled and lowered her head.
"Either way, it sounds like a dream."
"I won't force you. But if you're considering it... for the future of the Lake Kingdom, to place your country's name in international affairs."
I stood beside her.
"Please visit Crossroad. This time, I'll welcome you as a state guest."
"Ash..."
"Come, let's return to the base camp and rest. How could I leave you here alone after you came to save me?"
I supported Nameless, and though she hesitated at first, she eventually began to walk in step with me.
Was it my imagination?
The chains of darkness that had been wrapped around her limbs seemed to have lightened a bit.
Nameless and I leaned on each other, dragging the elongated chains like shadows, as we walked back to the base camp.
***
My party members were all waiting at the base camp.
Their faces were pale, as if swept up by that darkness's curse, but since all the members I brought this time had previously experienced the same curse on the 'Path of the
Overlord', they seemed to have endured it safely.
"Lord!"
"Senior!"
"Your Highness!"
"Your Majesty!"
Ah, the variety of titles they use to address me. I soothed the four who ran up to me like puppies finding their owner.
"I'm sorry, Lord. We all fell under that curse, leaving us unable to go on a search mission..."
"Then Nameless Noona suddenly appeared! She said so coolly, 'I'll go save Ash!' We decided it was better to let her handle it and focus on recovering to respond to the next situation." (TL Note: Reminder that Noona is a respectful and familiar way to refer to an older woman. It means Big Sister.)
Nameless Noona?
I was taken aback by the strange nickname Evangeline blurted out, and when I turned to see the person in question, Nameless had already stepped far away from me.
We were standing next to the large bonfire at the center of the base camp, but Nameless had already receded into the shadows.
"...Thank you for the offer, Ash."
She pulled her robe's hood low, hiding her face which was no longer visible.
"I'll consider joining your alliance positively."
"I'll wait, Nameless."
I whispered, hoping my sincerity would reach her.
"Please come."
"..."
With a faint smile, Nameless staggered back and then disappeared into the dungeon's darkness.
Watching Nameless's disappearing figure, I turned my head towards Coco the Severer, who had quietly come to stand beside us.
"Grandma Coco."
"..."
"What exactly is this 'fate' of Nameless?"
"The fate of one who bears the crown is singular."
Coco, also gazing distantly at the spot where Nameless vanished, slowly opened her mouth.
"It's to bear the karma of the people."
"Karma...?"
"Whether it be sin, suffering, or darkness... Nameless could no longer just stand by and watch her people suffer."
It was a cryptic answer, but one thing was clear.
It had begun.
The process of Nameless transforming into the final boss - 'The Sleepless Princess of the Lake Kingdom' had already started.
I clenched my fist tightly.
"I will save her."
"How?"
"By any means necessary."
I murmured with determination.
"I will save Nameless, and the Lake Kingdom... everything."
Coco clicked her tongue.
"That's a rather grand dream for a young prince. Protecting your own world should be challenging enough."
"If I'm going to save the world, adding one small country to the mix isn't such a big deal, is it?"
I gave Coco a sly smile.
"How can I talk about saving the world without such ambition?"
"..."
A fleeting sparkle crossed Coco's glass-like eyes. I gave the witch a short bow and then turned to my party members.
"Let's go!"
That concluded today's free exploration.
"We need to plan our strategy against the next Nightmare Legion commander."
The next phase in the battle against the monsters was imminent.
***
[Free Exploration Ended!]
[Leveled-Up Characters]
- Ash (EX) Lv.53 (↑1)
- Lucas (SSR) Lv.55 (↑1)
- Evangeline (SSR) Lv.55 (↑1)
- Damien (EX) Lv.54 (↑1)
- Jupiter Junior (SSR) Lv.60 (↑1)
[Deceased or Injured Characters]
- None
[Acquired Equipment]
- Bygone Future (SSR) <Robe>
- Plus 11 other items <Expand List>
[Acquired Items]
- Total 30 items <Expand List>
***
Lord's Mansion.
After concluding the free exploration, I ordered my party members to rest and retreated to my room. There, I gazed into the mirror, lost in thought.
'Two major challenges lie ahead.'
To put it in gamer terms, there are roughly two main quests.
The first is a [Branching Quest].
'Handling White Night.'
Legion Commander White Night and Tower Master White Night. Which side to take, which to eliminate, and how to utilize the remaining one.
"..."
Suddenly, I faced my own reflection in the mirror.
Even if I make a weird face, the reflection in the mirror, of course, mimics it instantly.
- If I looked in the mirror and my reflection moved differently from me, that would be quite unsettling, wouldn't it?
That's what Tower Master White Night had said before.
- I must be unique. If there's another me, then there's no need for my existence, right?
- That's why, if there's another me, I have no choice but to kill it.
That's the instinctive reason why the cloned White Nights try to kill each other.
And... the Legion Commander White Night I met this time said this:
- Above all, you can understand us, can't you?
- You're a fake too. A Player. A fake with another's personality copied into you.
"..."
My face in the mirror turned cold.
That's right. I am a being with the personality of a classic literature enthusiast from another world copied into Ash's body.
Desperately struggling to find a way to win until the very end, I'm just a mere fragment.
...If the real classic literature enthusiast saw me like this.
What would he think of me?
And if I were to meet the real RetroAddict.
What would I think of him?
Would we, like those two White Nights, want to kill each other?
"Sigh."
I shook my head to clear the thoughts.
Anyway, this branching quest still has some room for consideration. I should discuss it with my subordinates.
'And the second main quest is...'
Since it's never been attempted in the game, maybe I'll call it a [Hidden Quest].
'Saving Nameless.'
What must I do to prevent Nameless from turning into the final boss?
I intuitively felt it. To achieve the 'True Ending' that the director had asked for, I must save Nameless.
But this true ending has long since drifted away from my goals.
Regardless, I simply want to save everyone within my reach, purely by my own will. Nameless is no exception.
'But the transformation of Nameless into the final boss has already begun.'
The chains made of darkness that bound her limbs.
I don't know exactly what they are but... well, to put it bluntly, they're advertising her corruption or descent into darkness! It's a classic cliché!
'Can I stop it? Can I reverse it? Or is it already too late?'
As these unpleasant thoughts bubbled up, I remembered one of my principles.
It's not over until it's over.
I won't give up until the very end. If there's even a sliver of a chance for success, I'll dig in and cling to it.
'But, it would be nice to have some hint about where to start digging...'
As I was pondering this, there was a knock at my door.
Who could it be? Lucas or Evangeline?
"Come in."
I said without much thought, and the door cracked open - a guy with disheveled gray hair and round glasses poked his head in.
"Wow, you're working hard, Lord. You look like you're in a bit of a headache. How about a cup of coffee?"
"Ah, sure. But I'm planning to have a late-night snack with the kids soon. Can you bring it then..."
I was responding casually when I thought, huh? and looked towards the door.
There, awkwardly laughing... was that damn director, Aider.
"What, Aider?!"
"Haha, yes, it's me. I'm back!"
This damned director! So he wasn't dead after all! Where the heck has he been hiding all this time?
He's an annoying guy, but still my ally. I rushed towards Aider, and without realizing it, grabbed his arm in excitement, but then,
Crackle.
A strange sound came out.
"...Huh?"
"Oops."
Looking at the source of the sound... Aider's arm had turned into white particles and was fluttering in the air, like ashes that had burned completely.
"..."
"..."
Stunned by this horrifying phenomenon, I was shivering with my mouth agape when Aider laughed and waved his other hand.
"Haha! No, no, don't worry. It's nothing serious."
Then he started gathering the ash-like particles in the air and attached them back to his arm... and the dangling arm reattached itself.
"Ta-da! See, if you gather them diligently like this, it recovers!"
Crackle!
As he spoke, his arm fell off again.
Now it lay on the floor...
"..."
"..."
Aider awkwardly picked up his arm again, pressing the fallen parts together, and then let out a sigh.
"I'll be direct with you, Lord."
Then he grinned cheerfully.
"I've expired!"
What do you mean expired, like some kind of preserved food?!
***
Lord's Mansion. Dining Room.
While Lucas and Evangeline were enjoying the toast I made, Aider and I sat across from each other, each holding a cup of hot coffee.
Aider, that guy, seemed to lack the strength to even make coffee, so I ended up having to do it... Where in the world would you find such a Lord's assistant?
Aider, who had just been staring at his coffee cup, opened his mouth awkwardly.
"You saw the state of my soul back in the spirit realm, right?"
"Yeah."
I remember. His soul had cracks all over it, almost reduced to dust rather than just shattered.
"That state has reached its limit."
"So that's why you're turning into this... crumbling ash?"
"Exactly. Crumbling ash!"
Aider answered nonchalantly, even as his body continued to shed powdery particles. A god, really?
I asked incredulously.
"...Is there a way to fix it?"
"Huh?"
"A way to fix you. I'll help."
"Ahaha... Really, you're such a good person, Lord."
Aider laughed hollowly and then changed the subject.
"...The reason I've been hiding and came to see you today, Lord, is just one."
"Let's hear it."
"You want to save Nameless, don't you?"
At Aider's words, I shut my mouth tightly and then blurted out.
"...You too, right?"
I had realized that Aider and Nameless had some sort of connection when they met before.
I don't know their past, as Nameless doesn't remember and Aider won't tell, but...
It was clear that Nameless was part of the reason this damn director was deteriorating like this while trying to save this world.
"...I'll tell you just one thing, Lord."
Aider spoke with a clear voice.
"The reason I've asked for the True Ending but never told you how to achieve it or given any hints is simple."
"What's the reason?"
Aider smiled broadly.
"Because the path you're currently on, Lord, is the very path leading to the True Ending."
--TL Notes--
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