Chapter 30 – Pursuit (3)
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Chapter 30 – Pursuit (3)
God.
Law of causality.
And.
‘The system.’
I had a rough idea.
From transmigrating in the game to regressing, the things I’ve experienced so far don’t make sense in common sense.
Literally the realm of impossibility.
Unless it’s a prank by a being presumed to be a god, there’s no way to accept it.
Wait, does that mean…
‘Could it be Merlin too?’
The fact that Merlin knows about the system ultimately means she’s aware of the system’s existence.
I couldn’t comprehend it.
Have I ever seen another transmigrator, other than myself?
Could it be that she’s also a transmigrator like me?
A creepy silence descended.
I stared silently at Merlin for a moment before slowly opening my mouth.
“Are you not from this world either?”
Merlin chuckled at the absurd question.
“No, I’m from this world.”
“But how do you know about the system?”
“What? The system?”
Merlin tilted her head for a moment, then clapped her hands as if she realized something.
“Oh, you call that the system?”
“Answer the question.”
“How do I know? The reason is obvious, isn’t it?”
Obvious?
I furrowed my brows unconsciously, and Merlin quickly responded.
“I saw it too. That thing you call the system.”
“You saw it? How?”
Merlin raised an eyebrow.
She then bent forward, leaning her upper body towards me.
After a moment, she whispered as if sharing a secret in my ear.
“I saw it. Destroying the world.”
“…What?”
I was taken aback by Merlin’s eyes, which met mine up close.
Her eyes were filled with deep emotions.
Merlin whispered in an infinitely gentle voice.
“As you know, this is a world which was created.”
Of course, this is a world within a game.
A world where the goals, lifespans, and strategies of each character are all predetermined.
“One day, I realized that terrible fact. Ah, I’m just a chess piece on a predetermined board. No matter how much I struggle, in the end, I must dance to the predetermined destiny, like a chess piece.”
Merlin let out a short sigh.
In her breath, a faint annoyance lingered.
“Some are born with the destiny of a hero to save the world, while others endure the hatred of countless people for no reason, and others return to the past and repeat a hellish life because they failed to properly fulfill their assigned role.”
A sense of deja vu crept in.
Each word Merlin spoke didn’t feel unfamiliar.
“That’s how this world works. You have to somehow continue the predetermined story. Only for that pathetic reason.”
A bitter laugh escaped.
Despite being familiar with the absurdity of this damned world, I still shivered.
“Suddenly, I felt disgusted. Both this world and myself, living surrounded by hatred.”
Expression slowly faded from Merlin’s face.
She spoke softly, her voice sinking.
“So, I destroyed it.”
“…And the result?”
“Guess what? I failed. At the crucial moment, that damned thing called the system popped up and ruined everything.”
“What a shame. If you had succeeded, I wouldn’t have been kidnapped.”
“What can I do? That’s my innate destiny.”
Electricity surged between our gazes.
After a moment, she and I burst into silent laughter simultaneously.
The more we mixed words, the more inexplicable kinship I felt.
“To activate the Relic fully, you have to get rid of the system in front of you.”
“Tell me how.”
Merlin stared through me before bluntly saying.
“There’s only one condition for the system to intervene in a creature’s destiny. When the creature fails to fulfill its given role. When its existence violates the causality of the world.”
“…”
“So, when you continue to do foolish things like now, the moment when the system intervenes in your destiny.”
“That moment?”
“Just die cleanly. How about it, easy?”
“…What? You’re telling me to die?”
“Yeah. If you die during the reckoning of causality, there will be no chance for the system to intervene.”
Click—
The gears in my mind began to align one by one.
Now everything became clear.
What the fundamental problem was with all the irrational situations I had experienced so far.
◆ Scenario Progress Rate
: 35%
Even though I hadn’t progressed with the scenario, why had the scenario progress rate increased?
◆ Synchronization Rate
: ??%
What did the newly appeared synchronization rate indicator on the system window mean?
And.
What was the cause of the failure of the first run? Ting—
A shock, as if being electrocuted by high voltage, engulfed my whole body.
After a moment, the synchronization rate, which had been covered with question marks all along, finally revealed its true identity.
◆ Synchronization Rate
: 6%
‘It’s miserable.’
Was it because I had only ever thought about obtaining the Relic and crossing dimensions?
As I expected, the synchronization rate was abysmally low.
The further my actions deviated from the role assigned to Kyle.
The more my actions violated the causality predetermined by the world.
That damned system would relentlessly interfere with me.
I slowly lowered my fixed gaze to the system window.
As our eyes met, Merlin shrugged.
“The problem is after you die.”
“…?”
“We have to forcibly return the soul separated from the body, and that’s usually not an easy task.”
As if her head was already hurting from just the thought of it, Merlin narrowed her eyes.
“We need two things.”
She raised her thumb and index finger.
“An Elixir.”
As for the Elixir, there’s no need to worry.
As long as there’s a special large straw inserted into the Royal Family’s spine, it can be manufactured at any time given enough time.
However…
[Translator – Peptobismol]
“And, the Holy Blood.”
Shit.
If I had known this would happen, I would’ve taken care of it when I had the chance.
****
A stormy time passed.
Merlin left the mansion as soon as our conversation ended.
After Merlin left, I spent the night organizing the conversation I had with her.
The Relic heist and the opening of the dimensional gate.
To achieve this, as Merlin emphasized, the neutralization of the system is essential.
Elixir.
And the Holy Blood.
But.
“How am I supposed to get the Holy Blood…”
The Holy Blood is currently stored deep within the heavily guarded underground vault of the Duke Winfred’s estate.
Is there a possibility that Kyle Winfred could breach that security and steal the Holy Blood?
It’s impossible.
There’s no way something like that could happen.
“Haah…”
Suddenly, Luna Winfred’s voice, tearfully apologizing to Kyle, flashed through my mind.
Luna might be able to do it.
If Luna, consumed by guilt for trampling Kyle’s life.
If I offer her forgiveness as a condition.
Then… it might be possible…
But.
Do I, who isn’t even the real Kyle, have the right to talk about forgiveness?
“…”
Honestly, I’m not sure anymore.
Although it is tempting at the moment, the decision is not easy.
I guess I haven’t quite come to my senses yet.
Even amidst this, seeing a shred of conscience in myself…
“Ugh.”
I left the mansion and headed towards the Imperial Palace.
The purpose of the visit is to check the status of obtaining the materials needed for manufacturing the Elixir.
And to greet Rudine, to make the kidnapping easier in the future.
“Please verify your identity.”
As I climbed the white marble stairs, two Imperial Knights guarding the giant gate blocked my path.
I took out the pendant granted to me by the Emperor from my pocket.
The eyes of the knight widened as he inspected the pendant.
After a moment, he gestured to the attendant waiting behind him with an unknown expression on his face.
“Please come in.”
Click—
With the knight’s courteous gesture, the door opened.
I casually passed through the door and entered the palace.
The building of the Imperial Alchemy Association is adjacent to the Empress’s Palace, located inside the Imperial Palace.
So, even if I walk briskly, it will take quite a while.
I narrowed my steps and increased my speed.
At the same time, the familiar scenery of the Imperial Palace passed by swiftly.
Then.
“Hey, is that true? Does that make any sense?”
“I know, right? Why would I lie to you?”
“But still… Lady Isabel being accused of insulting the Royal Family… I can’t believe it.”
Two unknown noble ladies were having an unusual conversation.
“…?”
Lady Isabel? Insulting the Royal Family?
Hearing the unbelievable gossip, I unintentionally stopped in my tracks.
Unaware of me stopping, the women continued their conversation with a chuckle.
“Seriously, why would that happen?”
“Well, I’m not entirely sure either. I heard it happened during tea time with Her Highness, the Princess?”
“Tea time? My goodness… Was there some sort of argument between the two?”
Tea time?
Isabel and Rudine?
“Anyway, no matter how you look at it…”
The woman’s words trailed off.
After a moment, she playfully covered her mouth with both hands and continued speaking with a laughter-tinged voice.
“…Hitting the Princess across the face. How uncouth can you get!”
Holy shit.
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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