Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer?

Initially, I hadn’t really thought much about the Demon Knight’s past before logging in.

In games, the player character’s past was more often than not either just a MacGuffin or progressively revealed within the story itself.

But ever since I started to suspect this place might actually be real, I had been half-preparing myself to be confronted with things that might go beyond the game’s narrative.

It would have been fortunate if this body got created when I logged in, but it was entirely possible that I had possessed a pre-existing person’s body.

However, despite being aware of this possibility, I had deliberately tried to ignore it. While the former would be fine, the latter would have only raised too many questions than I could have handled, so I avoided thinking about it altogether.

But now that the time had come for me to learn about this matter directly, I had no intention of closing my eyes to the truth.

As I often said, my life motto was, ‘There is nothing more useless than saying something is impossible, so it is better to focus on the present.’

“What did you mean when you said my movements were ‘shrouded in mystery’ and ‘heavily speculated’?”

– I didn’t mean much by it. Since you always traveled alone without exchanging words with anyone, appearing in places with no clear pattern, all sorts of rumors started to spread. There aren’t many who have seen you on your travels, either. –

– And, erm, hah. Let me be frank. Those who have seen you all say things like, ‘He only showed up after hearing about the appearance of Demons or criminals,’ or, ‘He seems to have some deep grudge against them, which drives him to hunt them down relentlessly.’ With that kind of information floating around… who wouldn’t become curious? Especially those who love to gossip. –

Could I withstand the weight that would inevitably bear down on me after facing the full truth given to me?

– Is that your last question? –

Could I overcome it this time as well, just like I once did when I faced that one major turning point in my life?

“…One last question. How were you so sure?”

– Uh, I’m not sure what you mean by that. –

“How were you so sure I was the same person as the figure you saw back then?”

– Ah. That’s… because you’re using the title of Knight, are you not? –

“…?”

– …? Erm, if you were impersonating a knight, you would have been sanctioned pretty quickly, right? Especially if you’re a registered adventurer, a mercenary, or part of certain orders. And here you are freely using the title of Knight… Also, you are the only adventurer in forty years to have been granted a knightly title. So I naturally assumed you would be the same person… –

I couldn’t be sure. Nothing was completely certain right now.

“…Understood.”

Whether the trial was the size of a massive house or a tiny apartment, when directly faced with it, it always felt like you were standing before an insurmountable wall.

– Erm, could I ask you just one question? –

“Go ahead.”

– Is there anything you need me to do regarding your unclear memory? –

I fell silent at Lord Bergard’s question.

Anything I needed him to do? Did he ask because he knew about the Demon in my right arm? Or was he simply showing concern because I was his benefactor? ＲÀɴôβƐṣ

“No need.”

Either way, there was only one answer I could give. With that, I ended the communication.

Having been leaning forward during the conversation, I reclined and stretched. Phew. The soft sofa cushions I was sitting on supported my back comfortably.

“Do you have any more requests?”

“I don’t.”

When the wizard left the room, I finally had some time to think. I placed my right hand over my eyes.

So many things were buzzing in my mind that it made my ears ring.

Yet, it was almost impossible for me to stop thinking.

Was everything I had just heard part of the official character’s backstory? A reflection of the character settings I had made? Or was it a recount of someone else’s actions?

If the Demon Knight from two years ago wore different equipment, just where did the things I was wearing now come from?

If it was just a reflection of my character settings, what unknown force was behind all this? And if he had been describing someone else, where had the real Demon Knight gone?

All these questions kept circling in my mind nonstop.

“Hah.”

But unfortunately, I didn’t have an answer for any of them.

Of course, I wouldn’t have an answer for any of this, since I had only gotten caught up in the middle of everything without any kind of clue to go off. Perhaps the system pulling this crap could answer them…

Or perhaps the real Demon Knight, wherever he had vanished to.

“Sigh.”

I stayed immersed in the darkness created by the palm of my hand for some time.

And then, the moment I moved my hand, I would gather all my scattered thoughts. Fortunately, it wasn’t that difficult.

The problem was with the countless hypotheses and speculations flashing through my mind, not with emotions blocking my vision.

The reason for that, well. It may have helped that I had already washed away all my anger in the bathroom. I no longer had enough energy to cry, laugh, or get angry.

Just as a stove couldn’t burn without fuel, it seemed I had no more emotions to light up.

“…What’s even the point of all this?”

And yet, the lingering doubt I had barely managed to put off earlier found its way back into my head quite easily.

Well, it wasn’t hard to understand why.

I already knew this world wasn’t a game, but I was stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it, clinging to an illusion to endure my situation.

But now, with this bomb exploding in the middle of all that without giving me any proper answers, only hazy glimpses at reality, it was hard not to feel this creeping sense of futility inside me.

“If it’s like this.”

If there wasn’t any true ending, if all the battles, bloodshed, and desperate struggles to reach it had been meaningless…

I couldn’t help thinking it would be better just to give up on everything and hide in some corner of the world.

“If it’s like this…”

Or perhaps, perhaps…

I slowly lifted my arm from over my eyes.

My right arm was encased in a gauntlet, exposing the dark, inky skin hidden beneath.

Perhaps it wasn’t like this just because of some mere character setting.

“Damn it.”

Thud.

I shut my eyes tightly again, unable to finish that thought.

For the ones I held dear to my heart, I suppressed that final impulse.

Yes, no matter how unfilial I was, there were some things I didn’t want to show them until the very end. Even if none of this would ever reach them.

『Then that’s enough. Failing is fine; losing is also fine. As long as you can find meaning in your life, I’ll be rooting for you.』

Because that was probably the only thing I could give back to them.

Creak.

With that, I decided to get up again. Although hoping for an ending was pointless, there was a chance it wasn’t, so I kept clinging to it.

Or maybe it was just sheer determination to fight even harder to uncover the truth since I had come so far. After all, perseverance was a mandatory stat of any half-decent Korean gamer.

My legs, which I had forced upright, trembled a little at first but steadied after a few steps, carrying me forward without a problem.

It was now time for me to step back onto the stage.

Clunk.

“…You’re finally out.”

“…?”

But when I opened the door to leave, the Archmage and Deb were waiting for me.

Behind them, the two young noble heirs looked a little uncertain.

“What is it?”

Huh, did they come looking for me? Why? Was it because I left the Temple without telling them?

“You…”

Ah, now that I thought about it more, they had plenty of reasons to come here. In fact, even if there weren’t, it was only fitting that they came.

When someone who had been unconscious for ten days decided to leave not just their room but even the hospital without saying anything, everyone from their guardian to their attending physician would try to track them down.

The priests actually tasked with caring for me would be too nervous to confront me, though.

“For now, let’s return to the Temple. I also want to thank you for your hospitality, Young Lord.”

“I-It was nothing. Feel free to rest here as long as you want.”

“No, we can’t impose on you any further.”

On the other hand, the Archmage, who acted like my guardian, practically tried to drag me away with her direct words.

Deb stood next to her, constantly sneaking glances at me. He held a longsword loosely in his arms.

“Your purpose?”

I wondered why Deb was carrying this longsword with him despite having never seen him use that kind of weapon before, but I didn’t dwell on it for long and just let it go.

Instead, I stood firmly at the entrance to the reception room, portraying my character’s characteristic stubbornness.

The Archmage’s face seemed tight as if she was angry but couldn’t bring herself to express it properly. It was an expression that showed how truly hurt she was by my words.

“…You, do you think that’s appropriate now?”

“Erm! Mister, we still need to tell you about what is currently happening, and you need to eat as well…”

However, before that pain could explode into proper anger, Deb shouted loudly. He actually had a point there.

It was odd that he mentioned it now and not earlier, though. Besides, I had already heard some things from the two noble heirs.

Well, I still needed to hear about what we would do next.

“…Though I don’t know whether that’s the right thing to do.”

“…”

More than anything, hearing the word ‘eat’ made me realize how hungry I really was. Damn, I had managed to forget about that up until now!

* * *

Perhaps to overcome her own weakness, she asked Berserk to spar with her.

Once became twice, twice became thrice, and before she knew it, her entire morning had been completely spent.

The Inquisitor naturally headed to the dining hall when she noticed it was already lunchtime. She was famished from the intense training, and she also expected everyone else would be there.

“Wahaha. I’m hungry!”

“We’re here… Huh…”

But what was wrong with this atmosphere?

The Inquisitor glanced around the room, trying to pick up anything that could be different. The quiet dining hall seemed mostly the same as usual, but it somehow felt very strange.

It was a subtle difference she couldn’t quite put into words.

“Oh! Buddy! You’re awake?!”

“Y-You’re awake? Are you feeling better?”

Of course, seeing the Demon Knight’s seat, which had been empty the past ten days, filled again felt pretty good. Seeing him eat was also a sign that he was doing better, which was reassuring.

And yet…

“Berserk came here because I was hungry too. Let’s eat together.”

The Inquisitor glanced between the Demon Knight eating silently and the Archmage and the troublemaker sitting across from him.

Additionally, the troublemaker was still holding on to the longsword he had wanted to give the Demon Knight.

Something seemed off. She didn’t know why, but this situation definitely felt strange.

She blinked.

“Erm…”

“You’re here.”

She couldn’t figure it out. The Inquisitor looked to the chilly Archmage before shooting the troublemaker a pointed glare.

She seemed to be asking, ‘What’s going on here?’ with her gaze, to which the troublemaker seemed to answer, ‘Just sit down and eat.’

“What’s going on? There’s lots of food today!”

“…I thought you might come here soon, so I had it prepared in advance. The soup will be ready soon, so if you’re too hungry, feel free to eat the things here.”

“Ooh! Thanks!”

She stopped thinking about it and just sat down for now.

The Inquisitor carefully observed each person’s expressions before sitting next to the Demon Knight as usual.

Was it because he had just woken from his ten-day coma and only got to eat now? In front of the Demon Knight, there was easily twice as much food as he usually ate. There were also things like fish instead of meat.

“…Since everyone is here now, let’s discuss what we will do next.”

“Okay.”

At least he was eating fish.

Thinking of the increasingly gaunt Demon Knight, she prayed that he would take this opportunity to eat as much as he could.

“As I told you before, the route from Ednium to the next city is somewhat inconvenient, so we’ll be traveling back to Camborough. Given that we’ll be returning there, we should coordinate our schedule with the young lady and delay our departure by a few days. She seems quite occupied these days.”

“Wha… what?”

However, the Archmage’s explanation raised questions in her. It was somewhat different from what she had heard.

She was fairly certain the young lady had offered to adjust her schedule completely around theirs.

“Furthermore, there’s still no news of the Demon that fled with part of the Skyflow Tiger’s corpse.”

News of the escaped Demon?

As far as she could remember, hadn’t they decided to completely abandon the search for that Demon two days ago?

“Uhm, Madam Archmage. About that news…”

The Inquisitor tried to raise her hand to confirm this information.

If she had misheard, that would have been a serious mistake on her part, but if she had been the only one who wasn’t informed of this new development, that would also be concerning.

Stomp.

But at that moment, a firm pressure she felt on her foot instinctively stopped whatever she planned on doing.

The Inquisitor, who had reflexively shut her mouth, sharply narrowed her usually round eyes as she looked at the person in the seat right before her.

‘Why did you step on my foot!’

‘Just read the room already!’

There was a brief yet fierce whispered exchange of words between the Inquisitor and Deathbringer.

“Once this is over, I think we should go to Bemurchen next. It’ll probably take about a month just to get there, but… it’s the city with the largest Magic Tower in the East.”

In the meantime, the Archmage slowly listed the things they had discussed and decided on while the Demon Knight had been asleep.

She spoke as if addressing everyone, but her words were practically meant only for the Demon Knight.

“When we get to Bemurchen…”

Moreover, while Bemurchen was the city with the largest Magic Tower, it was also in a heated war against the mermen.

So what the Demon Knight especially needed to hear was that he needed to get his body back to peak condition because even more battles awaited them.

“…I was thinking we could check over your body there once more.”

At least, that was what she had heard, but for some reason, the Archmage didn’t mention it to him right then.

The Inquisitor wondered why she wasn’t saying anything about it. However, figuring there must be a reason, she just kept quiet.

There was a difference between giving wrong information or simply withholding some, after all.

“So, if possible, try to take care of yourself until then.”

But she couldn’t help but wonder why they’d been told something else earlier.

Blankly staring at the table, she decided to ask about it later. She was too hungry right now. The smell of delicious food kept wafting over, making her hungry stomach growl.

“Other than that… Ah, the Skyflow Tiger’s corpse belongs entirely to you. Have you decided what you want to do with it? If you want something crafted from it, I can arrange a craftsman for you.”

“I’ll sell it.”

“…I’ll take care of it then.”

Fortunately, the Archmage didn’t talk for long. As a bonus, her portion of soup had just arrived as well.

Now, she only had to grab her spoon in a way that didn’t seem unnatural.

“…What are you doing?”

Seeing as the troublemaker was saying that, she was sure it was okay to eat now. After looking around a little longer, she cautiously grabbed her spoon.

Although Berserk was already busy stuffing herself with whatever was before her, ignoring the soup entirely, she was glad she could finally eat now.

As such, their silent lunch began.

____

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