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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Daphne
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"I asked first. Answer."
"It's Carmel…"
"Not your name, your identity."
"...?"
I tilted my head, responding inwardly. *That's what I want to ask you.*
*Who on earth is this?*
The power to defeat high-ranking monsters in a single blow.
A superior appearance that didn't pale in comparison to the heroines, who were rumored to be so beautiful the game was often called "a game that survives on female character visuals."
No matter how much I rummaged through my memories, I couldn't place her. Was there ever a character like this in the game?
*No, there wasn't.*
I was sure. Considering I knew the names and appearances of Fran, the game's protagonist, and all the main characters, even the insignificant background extras, this was someone I'd never seen before.
"You, what's your identity, and why are you the only one alive? And why did you kill that guy?"
The woman gestured with her chin towards the remains of the Chaos Cultist, who had taken his own life, and asked.
"I don't know. And I didn't kill that person."
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"But it's true…"
When I replied, the woman tilted her head this time and fell silent for a moment.
I was just as confused.
That was because I, too, had no idea who the owner of this body I'd possessed was.
Despite having played the game for so long, 'Carmel' was a name I'd never heard, and the surname 'Hyacinth' was equally unfamiliar.
"By the way, shouldn't we…"
"...?"
"Shouldn't we run first?"
While deep in thought, I spotted a group of monsters that had crept alarmingly close, and I cautiously suggested to her.
"Stay put here. Don't even think about running."
Only then did the woman check behind her, say this, and extend her right hand towards me.
"But…"
I was about to assert, "I said let's run!" with conviction.
But the moment a small magic circle appeared in her palm, I was surrounded by a translucent barrier, and my right to speak vanished just like that.
"Kwooo!"
"Kyaaak!"
*Gulp*, I involuntarily swallowed dry. The monsters charging towards us were that ferocious.
*Is she planning to face them alone?*
Seeing that she had drawn another sword, holding one in each hand, it seemed that was indeed her intention.
No way. With that slender body, looking like it would break with a single blow, against so many high-ranking monsters…?
"Huh?"
Just as I thought that, she lunged at the monsters with unbelievable speed and swung the sword in her right hand.
-Shwaaaak!
As she swung her sword, a deep blue line, like her dark eyes, was drawn widely in its wake.
"...!"
From the drawn line, a chillingly blue flash of light burst forth.
My vision flickered, and an icy wind, like a sheet of ice, swept over me.
"..."
*This body, it had long hair.*
When I struggled to open my eyes, a cascade of jet-black long hair was wildly fluttering, obscuring my vision.
"Whoa…"
As I pushed my annoying bangs aside, my mouth dropped open.
It was understandable. All the monsters that had been in the path of the blue line were either sliced or frozen solid.
-Whirl-flame.
While I was still unable to close my gaping mouth, I saw flames surging up from a corner of my vision.
"Huh…"
The source of the flames, rising with the momentum to swallow the world, was the sword in the woman's left hand.
With an elegant, curving motion, she spun, drawing a crimson line with the sword in her left hand.
-Shwaaaak!
From that spot, a blood-red flash erupted, and simultaneously, a colossal fire demon began to surge forth.
The flames quickly became a fiery dragon, soaring into the sky, and the woman, ignoring it, continued to swing her swords.
"Unbelievable...!"
Watching that scene sent shivers down my entire body.
A ceaseless spectacle of blue and red flashes erupting.
Ice and fire beautifully embroidering the air.
Fluid swordsmanship, delicate and elegant movements.
The landscape the woman was painting was so dazzling and wondrous it seemed to be a painting itself, enough to make one's mind reel.
-Click.
Just as I couldn't stop admiring, her swords, which had been flying as if they would never stop, slid into the scabbards at her waist.
"Still...!"
I was about to shout, seeing that there were still monsters left.
But when I saw the lines carved into their bodies, I stopped my shout and had to let my mouth drop open again.
-Shwaaaak!
A quiet yet sharp sound echoed.
This time, a pure white light began to blanket the world.
My vision flickered once more.
****
"So…"
The woman, who had revealed her name as Daphne, sighed and continued.
"You woke up to find yourself being dragged away. You have no memory of anything before that, except your name and age. And the guy who was controlling those monsters killed himself. Is that right?"
"Yes."
"And you expect me to believe that?"
Despite my impassioned explanation just now,
Daphne still wore a disbelieving expression.
"If you're lying, you'll have to face the consequences."
She stared intently into my eyes and asked.
Daphne's blue eyes were gradually beginning to turn golden.
Was this some kind of mind-affecting skill? It felt like insects were crawling all over my body.
"..."
How much time had passed? The strange sensation gradually faded, and Daphne tilted her head, a peculiar expression on her face.
"What should I do with you?"
"Huh?"
"I'm debating. Whether to kill you or not."
"Why me?"
"Because…"
*Tap, tap*, Daphne poked near my heart with her finger and continued.
"You might not know it, but there's a very nasty aura seeping into you here."
*Could she be talking about my unique characteristic?*
"If I let you go like this, you'll cause a great disaster in the world, regardless of your will."
*Looks like she is. I don't know how she knows, but this is quite problematic.*
*Given the circumstances, the Chaos Cult must have been trying to imbue this body with one of the Seven Deadly Sins.*
The Seven Deadly Sins were colossal disasters capable of easily annihilating an entire kingdom.
From Daphne's perspective, it would be a wise choice to kill this body, which could become a Seven Deadly Sin, beforehand.
In other words, I was a body that deserved to die.
*Why me?*
Of course, that didn't mean I was willing to die.
Ending the internal debate I'd been having, I came to a conclusion and opened my mouth, looking at her.
"I have no intention of doing that."
"I'm sorry, but…"
As she reached for her sword hilt, I grabbed her hand and shook my head.
"That's not for you to decide."
"Then you can decide for me, Lady Daphne."
"...?"
"Take me in. So I can't cause a disaster."
Was she intrigued by my clear articulation? Or was she feeling aversion?
Daphne placed her hands on her hips and began to glare at me.
"I understand my body is different from others. That must be why I wasn't killed by them."
"Keep talking."
"But... as I said earlier, I have no intention of causing a disaster. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"You can't know that."
"Didn't you just confirm that my words weren't a lie?"
"Hmm…"
A peculiar glint appeared in Daphne's eyes.
"I don't know what kind of person you are, but I believe you know this one thing."
"What?"
"If you swing that sword right now, it would just be a meaningless act of murder."
"That's true. But wouldn't the fact that I prevented a disaster beforehand still remain unchanged?"
*Pfft*, she let out a shallow laugh, then bent her knees, bringing her face close to mine as she retorted.
"Right. But if you could prevent a disaster without killing an innocent child, wouldn't that be the better course of action?"
"How?"
"You just need to take me with you. And watch over me to ensure I don't cause a disaster. Wouldn't that be good for both of us?"
"What's in it for me?"
Daphne tilted her head, asking.
"First, by taking me in, Lady Daphne, you won't have to carry the guilt of killing a child."
"Guilt, huh... I'm not sure I have such a thing."
A slightly terrifying statement came from her lips, but I didn't show it and continued speaking.
"Second, if you kill me here, they won't hesitate to try and create another being like me. Though I don't know how important I am to them."
"That's not an easy task."
She met my gaze and replied, her pupils shining with full interest.
"Even if it's not easy, if they lose the option that is me, do you think they'll give up easily?"
"I don't know."
"If there's no choice, it's human nature to create one. But what if there's an option to reclaim something they painstakingly created?"
"Hmm…"
When I asked, intentionally letting my eyes glint, Daphne merely let out a groan and didn't reply.
"They won't necessarily choose the difficult path."
"Go on."
"Third, by continuing to watch over me, Lady Daphne, you can keep preventing disaster."
"What do you mean?"
"Those people. They were trying to use me for something, right? Then they'll try to target me again someday, if not today. But what if I stay by your side, Lady Daphne?"
When I asked my last question, Daphne replied with a strange expression.
"They won't be able to take you."
"Yes. Exactly. If that happens, Lady Daphne, you'll be continuously preventing disaster."
"You... said you were ten, didn't you?"
Despite my strenuous efforts to make my case, Daphne asked an irrelevant question and began to stare intently at me.
"Yes."
"Interesting."
How long did our gazes meet?
She crossed her arms and let out a small laugh.
That smile was quite devastating, and I instinctively lowered my head, thinking.
*I have to go with her, no matter what.*
This was the conclusion I had reached after much deliberation.
Possessing this young body, I currently had nothing.
Naturally, I didn't know how to return to reality, and unfairly, this body was being targeted by Chaos Cultists.
It was in this situation that this woman appeared.
A woman with enough power to single-handedly sweep away high-ranking monsters in an instant.
If I were taken in by such a Daphne, at least I wouldn't be dragged away by the Chaos Cultists.
*And it would be even better if I could learn swordsmanship or magic.*
I didn't know what kind of person Daphne was, but one thing was certain.
I could confidently say that in over 10,000 hours of playing the game, I had never seen a character this strong.
If I were to receive training in swordsmanship and magic from such a person?
Not only would I be able to protect myself, but I might even lead a life even better than reality, becoming stronger than the main characters in the game.
"So…"
Now certain, I showed her a smile and clearly conveyed my resolve.
"Please save me."
It might have seemed a little servile, but I couldn't help it.
I needed to survive first to even think about what came next.
"You said your name was Carmel, didn't you?"
A soft touch brushed my chin, and it slowly began to lift.
"Hmm…"
The woman's breath, suddenly close. My head instinctively tried to lower, but my captured face remained still.
"..."
With her face close, Daphne began to meticulously examine mine, turning it this way and that.
"Ugh…"
My vision, which had been obscured by the black strands, brightened. Daphne had pushed my unruly bangs aside with her other hand.
"Black hair and red eyes. Even the way you're trying to escape your predetermined fate..."
"...?"
"You're very similar. I wonder... is this a coincidence?"
What was she talking about? Daphne's eyes, muttering something incomprehensible, curved like crescent moons.
"Fascinating."
She released my chin and straightened up.
An unreadable emotion flickered in her eyes.
"You want to live?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go for now."
Daphne extended her hand to me, and I instinctively took it.
Then, a massive magic circle began to illuminate, radiating a pure white light, appearing beneath our feet.
-Whoosh.
Before long, we were enveloped in a pillar of light.
*...Huh?*
A sound I'd never heard before. My vision inverted.
Could this be... *that* magic?
The 9th-Circle magic, Teleport, which only existed in lore and had never been successfully cast by anyone.
As I was thinking that, a familiar notification arrived.
[Tutorial complete.]