Chapter 37 - My Heart Is Unwavering

“Hmm.”

I lay in bed, studying the message window.

With Ending 3 locked, I had passed the ten-ending-clear milestone.

The Stage 2 perk had unlocked. New items had been added to the Achievement Coin Shop, along with new upgrades for the Affection Scouter.

I hadn't even bought all the items in the Coin Shop yet, and there were already new ones on the shelves. I'd only upgraded the scouter to Stage 1, but upgrades were now available all the way to Stage 5.

At this rate, it really might turn into a magic eye someday.

The trouble was, my coin income couldn't keep up with all the items available to buy. Though that also meant I was making fast progress.

“I'll have to save up again. More coins.”

I swiped my finger across the window, browsing the shop's new arrivals. Finding something I wanted to buy would give me some motivation.

“Huh?”

The new items had a few things in common. First, they were “equippable.” Second, they were “limited editions.”

They were all pieces of equipment that either greatly increased stats or granted new skills.

But a player couldn't get all of them in a single run. These were rewards obtainable only by unlocking endings—items awarded for reaching specific endings.

Collecting and equipping them made subsequent playthroughs faster and easier to clear. Now I could buy them with coins without unlocking those endings.

For example:

[Ring of Disguise]

Ending (6) Reward

-A ring that distorts the user's mana wavelength to transform their appearance. A unique item belonging to Karma, leader of Houndry. Unlike illusion magic, it can even fool detection magic.

800 coins

That sort of thing.

To think an item I'd picked up without giving it much thought was worth 800 coins...

Normally, it was a reward for reaching Lucia's Ending 6. Rather than fulfilling that ending's conditions, I'd ruined them, but somehow I'd ended up with it anyway.

In any case, this meant that if I missed an item, the shop gave me another chance to buy it.

I hadn't actually collected every reward from the ten endings I'd passed so far. After all, I'd been learning about this world by deliberately missing endings, not reaching them.

[Ring of Luck]

Ending (15) Reward

-Raises the [Luck] stat by one rank. A traditional ring of the royal family. Experience a taste of the aura of those blessed with extraordinary luck from birth.

1,500 coins

Number 15. The reward for Amelia's True Ending.

But 1,500 coins?

“Expensive.”

No, wait.

Expensive or not, raising a stat by an entire rank might be worth that much. It meant an A-rank stat could become S-rank.

What's more, items bought from this shop could be equipped from the start of subsequent playthroughs. That would mean beginning at level 1 with the Luck bonus already in place.

With that much luck, you might stumble into the ending you wanted even after picking a few wrong dialogue options.

True Ending rewards were expensive, but their effects were simple and devastatingly powerful.

I considered saving up for this one, but checked the other True Ending rewards first.

[Supreme Spell Pouch (S)]

Ending (5) Reward

-A pouch that absorbs and stores magic. A masterpiece created by accident at the magic item shop in front of the academy. It can hold any spell, but can store only one at a time.

1,500 coins

This one was the reward for Esther's True Ending.

This... was actually pretty good, wasn't it?

In the game, it was probably meant to store an A-rank or S-rank spell from the late game so you could use it early in your next playthrough.

What really appealed to me was being able to store and use other people's magic, including spells I couldn't cast myself.

And it absorbed magic, too. Didn't that mean it could block an enemy spell, just once?

I could more or less see why this item was the reward for Esther's True Ending.

Maybe Esther used the pouch to learn mana control in that ending. Perhaps she poured one powerful spell into it, depleting the mana inside her body to bring things into balance.

Well, Ending Preview would give me the answer.

There were quite a few more useful items than I'd expected. The True Ending rewards were especially good.

I'd save up some coins, then open the shop again.

I currently had 50 coins.

Buying Ending Preview had cleaned me out completely, but locking Ending 3 had brought me back up to 50.

A measly 50.

Never mind 1,500; even saving up 800 wouldn't be easy.

Just as a sigh escaped me, suddenly—

[Ending (4) Locked]

[My Heart Has Been Unwavering for Two Years]

[Ending (5) Locked]

[Esther TRUE: First Love, Last Love]

Another 100 coins suddenly came in.

Coins held: 150.

Endings locking out of nowhere didn't even surprise me anymore.

Not in the slightest...

[Ending (16) Locked]

[I'm Rebecca, and Someone Has Been on My Mind Lately]

“What's your problem now...?”

037

“Hehe. We're finally graduating.”

Esther handed Laward the bouquet she had prepared.

“Congratulations on graduating.”

“Yeah. You too.”

“Somehow, it's all over now.”

Esther looked up toward the old school building.

“Do you remember? What I told you over there?”

“I remember. You said I should consider it an honor to have a woman like you confess to me, right?”

“You remember well. I still feel exactly the same way. You should consider it an honor to be the boyfriend of a woman like me.”

She rose onto her tiptoes and gave Laward's head a gentle pat.

“And to be spending the rest of your life with me.”

“... I will.”

“No more boring classes, and no more lovely walks. There are so many things I'm glad to see end, and so many I'm sad to lose.”

The thought that they alone would continue without ending came to Esther, but she kept it to herself.

“Is there anywhere you'd like to visit one last time before we say goodbye to this school?”

“No, not really. I have no regrets.”

“I see.”

Esther gave a soft laugh and perched on a desk.

“I've never sat on a desk before. I was taught not to do things like this.”

“Does it matter anymore? We won't even be students tomorrow.”

“No, I suppose it doesn't.”

With a mischievous smile, she pulled Laward toward her by his tie and kissed him.

“Esther, what are you...?”

“We've been such model students. Let's be bad one last time. We won't be able to tomorrow.”

Esther didn't let go of Laward's tie.

“Well, strictly speaking, we could still do it tomorrow.”

She held a tie in each hand: Laward's in one, and her own in the other.

“It just wouldn't be as exciting as it is today.”

CLICK

I dismissed the script window.

“Holy shit...”

If I kept watching, I'd be finished in more ways than one. There'd be no tomorrow for me.

How long would I have to keep walking this tightrope...?

“Ahem...”

I checked just the event CG, then hurriedly closed it.

It had been quite a sight, but Ending 5 was particularly cringe-inducing.

Let me correct myself here.

My coin total was now 200. The 50 I'd had left, plus another 150 for three endings.

All of Esther's endings were now closed off, and one of Rebecca's had locked too.

As always, I had no idea why.

Endings remaining until the Stage 3 perk unlocks: 2

Anyway, overturning three endings at once had brought me closer to another perk.

Was it really all right to get them this often? I hadn't even taken full advantage of the previous ones yet.

Incidentally, Rebecca's ending locking had struck me as suspicious, so I'd checked the preview. Apparently, a sharp drop in affection had put it out of reach.

Why Rebecca disliked Laward more than before remained a mystery.

“... Hello.”

As I was thinking about that, Esther appeared out of nowhere.

This was the real Esther. The Esther who hadn't become Laward's lover or promised him a future together.

“It's already been a week. I thought you'd come to see me today.”

Huh.

Somehow... something was different about her today.

“Thank you for waiting a whole week. I'm ready to decide now.”

Ah. Now I knew what had changed.

“Esther.”

“Yes?”

For some reason, she no longer stuttered.

“Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing in particular.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“So, what have you decided?”

“I'll go to the sisterhood.”

Esther spoke clearly and firmly, her eyes resolute.

“I think learning more healing magic will help me get a feel for mana control. I can't practice with other kinds of magic, but I can cast healing magic as much as I like to practice.”

A week.

Only seven days had passed, but her eyes looked as though it had been seven years. Her face seemed so much more grown-up.

I see. Her way of speaking wasn't the only thing that had changed.

It was finally over. That was why the endings had locked. All of them, right up to the True Ending.

Only then did I notice how much more haggard she looked than usual.

Esther's nickname: a human-made disaster.

In the written character for disaster, a river flowed above fire.

A flood had poured down over her burning heart. The fire was out, but everything was a wreck.

“... You've made a good choice.”

“It's thanks to you. I'll do my best there, too.”

“Have you finished packing?”

“Packing? I was going to get ready after telling you. So I haven't packed yet...”

“You told Commander Blash you had things to sort out at the academy.”

“Ah... yes. I did.”

Esther slowly nodded, then smiled ever so slightly.

“Yes, I've sorted things out.”

It was only for a moment, but she definitely smiled.

“It's all done.”

“Good. Get ready to leave, then. I'll give you the letter of recommendation Commander Blash left with me.”

“Yes. Thank you for everything. Truly.”

“It was simply your own exceptional talent.”

“Talent I never would have discovered without you, my patron. I am worried about Rebecca without me around... but I trust you'll take good care of her. I'll be going, then.”

Esther bowed and turned to leave.

“Oh, wait.”

“Yes?”

“There's something I'd like to impress upon you.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Once you start studying at the sisterhood, they'll probably ask you to become a saint. You're more than capable of reaching that position. That's why they're certain to suggest it.”

“A saint...?”

As Esther mulled over the word, her expression somehow darkened.

“I see. Of course... You want me to become a saint too, my patro—”

“Don't even think about it.”

“... What?”

Why was she surprised? Wasn't it obvious?

Whether you became a saint or a paladin, you had to do something insane: kill your own human nature. Having gone through that absurdity myself, I wanted to talk people out of it whenever I could.

Laward had enjoyed himself plenty in my previous life, so he absolutely had to become a paladin. But the heroines were different.

They didn't need to go through that.

“If they bring up sainthood, run.”

“Run...?”

“Yes. Get as far away as you can.”

“You're joking, aren't you?”

“What part of that sounded like a joke?”

“Huh...?”

Esther froze, looking stunned.

“B-but why shouldn't I become a saint? Wouldn't it be a good thing for you? Becoming a saint is a great honor.”

“I'd like to turn that question around. Why should you become a saint? Esther, I'd like you to do honorable things, but I don't want you giving up your life as a woman.”

“Wh... what do you...?”

Judging by her reaction, Esther must have been wondering whether to try for sainthood herself. She was probably surprised I'd seen right through her dilemma.

I felt rather pleased with myself.

“Are you saying... you'd like me to keep living as a woman?”

“Of course.”

Just look at what becoming a paladin had done to me. Look at the state I was in now.

“I'd like you to do that, if only for my sake.”

“Ah, ahh...”

She covered her face with both hands, leaving only her eyes exposed.

She really must not have been feeling well today. Even her ears seemed red.

“Then... I won't...”

“Yes. A wise decision.”

“But don't get the wrong idea. I didn't want to become a saint anyway. I-it's not as though I'm refusing just because you want me to. I-I'm not.”

Hmm.