Chapter 26 - Before the Fruits of Choice (1)

The truths I had learned in my life were one in the grand scheme of things, and two when broken down.

First, the saying that 'there is nothing as useless as saying it's impossible.'

And the realization that followed from having learned that: 'Therefore, it is better to focus on the present.'

To summarize, there are so many things that happen in the world, and many of them are unbelievable, so the point is to not pointlessly conclude or deny things, but rather do your best in each moment.

Just like how I had optimistically assumed the game would turn off when the time came despite the damn logout bug.

Just like how I focused on the game as if I were certain, even knowing that proposition wasn't absolute.

"Log out."

「Invalid command.」

Of course, someone might see me like this as complacent.

"... Log out."

「Invalid command.」

I admit it. From a certain perspective, my optimism could be seen as negligence.

"... Fuck, I said log out!"

「Invalid command.」

But would being pessimistic instead of optimistic have changed my immediate predicament, my situation, or the conclusion I should have faced?

"Please, just log me out..."

「Invalid command.」

In a situation you can neither control nor resolve yourself, no attitude can be the right answer. It is merely a means to endure and hold out.

* * *

Before arriving at Tatara, we set up camp in the forest for a meal and some sleep. Though 'camp' was just lighting a bonfire and sleeping rolled up tightly in our cloaks, anyway.

The time for the nutrient IV injected into the capsule to run out had already long passed. Amusingly, no related notification had popped up yet, though.

Maybe, yeah. The capsule itself might have broken down. It was a capsule bought for the price of a car, but for an unlucky guy, he'd break his nose even falling backward.

In fact, unless the capsule was broken, there was no way the emergency protocol wouldn't work.

"Emergency protocol, force quit capsule."

「Invalid command.」

I muttered it out loud even knowing it wouldn't work. *CRACKLE. * Beyond that detestable window, the bonfire merely burned brightly.

As for other sounds, well. Perhaps because it was night, the surroundings were exceedingly quiet. It was probably because everyone was asleep, trusting the barrier set up by the mage.

"... Ha."

Then, was it finally time to admit it?

That I was completely trapped inside the game. And that there was currently no way out.

"... Goddamn it."

I rubbed my pointlessly itchy right arm and spat out a curse.

My stifled chest was demanding a cigarette, which I had quit since my twenties. I wanted to let out a colored sigh.

"Am I going to die like this..."

If so, would I make the news as the guy who died playing a game due to a combination of a game bug and a device malfunction? I'd prefer to decline this kind of fame.

No, would my death even be discovered in the first place?

My parents were at the family home, so they wouldn't be able to figure out the situation of me living alone.

My friends. They'd just assume I was going off the grid because I was crazy about a game again. I had way too much of a track record for that.

If I were currently serializing a work, maybe, but since I had just finished one, I had no reason to contact my editor either.

Even if I tried to use party play to convey it to someone else, I hadn't connected to the internet...

As for my child sponsorship... no. That was set to automatic transfer, and it was better they didn't contact me anyway. The kid would be sad if they heard the news that their sponsor had died.

Or wait, does the sponsorship stop if the sponsor dies? I didn't do any research in this area, so I didn't know. Still, the money left in my bank account should be enough to support the kid until they became an adult.

"..."

I kept my eyes fixed on the bonfire and continued to think blankly. It was mostly about the aftermath my death would bring.

My parents who would grieve, my friends who would come to the funeral, my acquaintances in the industry, the readers who would pray for me to rest in peace in the comments...

"I've never imagined this kind of death."

Strangely, I didn't shed any tears. Was it because this foretold death was in such a preposterous form? It still didn't really feel real.

It was like a frog in a pot. The water was boiling so slowly that the frog just sat there without even realizing the temperature was changing until it died.

That was actually a false story, though.

"... If someone, noticed."

If someone, anyone, noticed that my lack of news was strange, and pulled me out.

Maybe I could live? Could I afford to hope for such a possibility?

"Ha... Who would notice."

There was no way that was possible. Furthermore, it would take at least two more weeks at the earliest, and it was unknown whether I could hold out until then.

Nutrients were one thing, but humans couldn't survive long without hydration, right? Three or four days, at most.

So I leaned my body completely against the tree. Coming to the conclusion that I was facing death without even a means of escape, all my strength drained away.

"If only it was a transmigration instead..."

Then suddenly, a silly thought took over my mind.

Was it because I was frequently exposed to creative works? Or was it an escapism brought about by the helplessness of not even being able to put up a fight.

The astoundingly realistic scenery for it to be a game. The excessively human-like NPCs. Even the system structures that completely abandoned user convenience probably influenced this delusion.

Honestly, this kind of sudden leap in technological advancement often led to the 'it was actually another world' trope.

Of course, it was too much of a stretch to truly believe that given the existence of the UI and system. The same goes for the fact that the appearance I chose was reflected perfectly, the existence of weapons and the inventory, and even my clothes automatically washing and repairing themselves.

Such conveniences weren't provided in reality, were they?

However, the reason I couldn't easily let go of the thought despite all that was probably because possession or transmigration seemed better than starving to death.

After all, my life's motto was to keep all possibilities open, and I preferred living over dying.

"... Wait."

But I've been doing concept roleplay this whole time.

'... Ah?'

I looked back on my past actions that flashed through my mind. It was only natural that all the blood drained from my face at that moment.

All that mess was reality? Absolutely not. I could never accept that.

Before even worrying about having to risk my life to catch the Demon King, if my toxic behavior towards the NPCs was actually me throwing a fit at real humans, what about my social dignity!

It felt like coming out in my underwear without any regard for decency because I thought only my childhood friend was coming over, only to come face-to-face with a total stranger my friend had brought along.

I felt awkward and utterly humiliated.

What's more, for bugs or malfunctions I could just blame others, but in this case, there was no one to pass the buck to. I chose and did everything myself!

"Ah, damn it."

Because that seemed better than starving to death but was, in another sense, even more despairing, I prayed that neither was the case.

It was a total shitshow.

* * *

"Are you awake."

Since realizing my helpless misfortune either way, I seemed to have spent a hollow night.

"..."

"... What are you looking at like that."

But just because I was unlucky didn't mean I wanted to die.

Since there was nothing I could do anyway, I decided to continue playing the game.

Resolving to improve my relationship with the companion NPCs and tone down my concept's personality a bit was a bonus.

"...?"

It wasn't because I was completely certain this was another world. It was simply that this was more beneficial, regardless of whether this was a game or reality.

Especially changing my concept.

If it really was a game, it wouldn't matter if I acted like I did now, but if this was a real world... I would have to cooperate with them to catch Satan from here on out.

I just wanted to act a bit more cooperatively, just in case.

Of course, there was no way this was reality, and it absolutely shouldn't be, but anyway!

"Demon Knight."

"What is it."

But why was the Inquisitor glaring at me like that again. What now, what was it this time. She raised her affection level behind my back, and now she's dropping it behind my back too?

"Would you like to eat?"

"... Sure."

"...!"

I gave my answer while wondering what exactly was going on inside that red head of hers.

The next moment, the Inquisitor's eyes widened and her hand grabbed her mace. White light gathered on the mace.

"Are you the demon!"

'... Pardon?'

"... What are you talking about."

Since I had to react to the word 'demon' first, I scrunched up my face and grabbed the hilt of my sword.

At that, DeB, who was just cleaning up the bonfire, and the Archmage, who was barely opening his eyes, grew flustered. It made sense. I didn't understand this situation either.

"Wh-What's going on."

"What in the..."

I didn't know either. But she was suddenly picking a fight. And I had planned to treat her nicely starting today.

Didn't our right-arm-demon issue get resolved already?

"Step back behind me!"

However, instead of explaining, the Inquisitor just guided the flustered two behind her back. It was maddening.

Just what was she doing this for! Let me at least know the reason, please!

"Did you think I'd be fooled?!"

"What are you talking about so early in the—"

"The Demon Knight does not speak so mildly!"

'... What?'

"He wouldn't answer me, and if he hears the word 'demon', he's the kind of person to draw his sword first instead of asking back!"

'...????'

"How dare you try to impersonate him when you've merely gotten lucky enough to take over his body for a moment!"

I simply couldn't gather my senses at the Inquisitor's shout. Just now, what? No? What?

"Such wicked tricks won't work on me!"

'... You're joking, right?'

"Wh-What are you doing? Why suddenly to Sir Knight—!"

"... No, hold on."

I didn't know where to start correcting the Inquisitor's misunderstanding, so I absentmindedly turned my gaze to the Archmage.

I thought that since he was a Sage, he would explain to the Inquisitor just how ridiculous this was at her level.

"What do you mean, hold on!"

"The Inquisitor is right."

But the Archmage betrayed my expectations too!

My lips twitched from the surging blood pressure.

"Do not worry, Demon Knight! I will not fall for the detestable demon's acting! Just as promised, I shall buy you time until you can push the demon out and return!"

Seriously, where did this misunderstanding even start? Why were they mistaking that I got consumed by the demon.

And I was wondering why she kept talking about leaving something to her and buying time the other day. That was the build-up for this? It was truly driving me crazy.

"..."

What was even sadder was that the expressions of the Archmage and the Inquisitor were just too resolute. It seemed like no excuse or explanation would work on them.

Even if I confessed the truth and said 'This is acting,' they'd probably go, 'I do not listen to the words of a demon!' Especially that inflexible, stubborn Kimchi Dumpling!

Should I, then. Pretend I was rejected after bestowing a favor out of a whim?

They probably wouldn't believe that either. I didn't have the confidence to express something like that in the first place. I'd probably just turn around in anger and walk off alone, but there was no guarantee they wouldn't be suspicious of that either.

"If you won't come, I will!"

... Above all, I felt like she'd do this again later if I acted out of character!

"... Haha."

I dodged the Inquisitor's attack and placed a hand on my forehead.

"To think, to think I'd get caught like this..."

A very profound sense of disillusionment struck my mind.

"Shall we stop here for this time..."

Even as I acted it out, it was absurd. Furthermore, it was just too much.

I had to go this far? No matter how much I enjoyed concept roleplay, did I really have to play two roles—a split personality—because of the NPCs' character interpretation?

Wait, more than that, was the NPCs' interpretation of my character for real? I did act that way on purpose, but how could they bust out the 'You're not him!' line just from this one time?

This, this was absolutely unacceptable. A situation that had gone this crazy couldn't possibly become reality! This had to be a game!

"I knew it! My eyes weren't wrong!"

I was engulfed in shame as I heard Kimchi Dumpling's shout. I had no choice.

The reason I was able to throw away all my dignity and roleplay my concept until now was because it was all just me watching, and even if I involved others, I only brought them in when there was an implicit agreement.

In other words, I roleplayed a concept because it wasn't reality.

But that might not be the case? Regardless of whether it was true or not, just the mere possibility of it being raised brought on a rush of embarrassment.

I desperately needed a hole to hide in.

"Next time... I won't go back so easily."

Even while saying the line, I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment. I could feel my face burning hot, but I couldn't stop it.

I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

"Demon Knight!"

Ultimately, I covered my face with my hand and collapsed onto the ground. Maybe because I fell over, the three of them came running this way.

However, I couldn't bear to watch that sight with a sane mind.

So I decided to just sever my consciousness instead. It wasn't hard using the system.

「 ▲ Sleep for 0 hours 10 minutes ▼ 」

Please, let it be reality when I wake up. Let it be reality when I wake up! Before my social dignity dies, please!

* * *

"Demon Knight!"

The Inquisitor rushed forward urgently upon seeing him collapse.

Did he get a fever from fiercely battling the demon inside? The fallen man's face was redder than usual.

"Sir?!"

She reflexively drew upon her divine power for treatment, but quickly withdrew it upon seeing his brow furrow.

She had forgotten that the power of a god acted as a poison on a body that housed a demon. It was something the Archmage had explained when he joined them.

"Fortunately, he has just fallen asleep for a moment. There should be no need to worry too much."

"I-Is that so?"

"Hey, is there some kind of problem with Sir Knight? Spouting about demons or whatever since morning. And why did he suddenly pass out..."

At least it was a relief that he was asleep. As for why he suddenly fell asleep... he was probably entering a proper struggle for control against the demon.

["I've never imagined this kind of death."]

She recalled the voice she had heard last night.

["... If someone, noticed."]

She ruminated on the wish contained within that damp, cracking voice right after discussing his death.

The Demon Knight had probably foreseen this situation. However, the reason he hadn't told them was likely because they hadn't yet given him their trust.

"Are you ignoring me?"

"Be quiet."

Her thoughts were interrupted. She sharply glared at the Thief, whom she simply couldn't stomach, and lifted the Demon Knight up with ease. She couldn't leave him on the cold ground, so she intended to lay him down on the blankets they hadn't yet put away.

"He will wake up."

She properly laid the Demon Knight down without difficulty and covered him with her own cloak. Knowing the Demon Knight's temper, he wouldn't be too pleased about it, but it couldn't be helped. The body she had momentarily touched to lift him was far too cold.

"... He will certainly wake up. It's just that we won't know which one he is when he does."

The Archmage's doubt was valid. Even she had thought the same right after first encountering the Demon Knight.

"Well. I think I know."

But now, she no longer doubted him.

"There is no way he will lose to the demon."

The Demon Knight would absolutely never be defeated by the demon.

"Ah, so what the hell is the situation."

"Be quiet! Do not disturb his sleep, you mere criminal!"

"What did you say, you religious thug!"

"You despicable Thief!"

... Therefore, trusting that the Demon Knight would wake up, she would dispose of this criminal bastard in advance!