I Became A Collaborative Character In The Game

Chapter 55: Port City of Ehrenfer – 4

—–CROW—– 

Paladin Ash.

A woman of few words, always blunt, yet beautiful and aloof.

Unlike the impulsive and emotional Annerose, she was always rational.

Even in the midst of crises, she maintained her composure and found the best solutions, earning the admiration of Annerose and countless players alike.

Ash, the woman of the moon, contrasted with Annerose, the girl of the sun.

The ever-calm and collected Iron-Blooded Saint.

‘But…’

Luther, briefly recalling the Ash from Dragon Hunter Origin, looked ahead with a complex and subtle expression.

“C-could you… take back… just two moves… no! Just one move… please?”

Ash, with a pitiful expression, fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke.

Well, her pleading to take back just one move was cute.

Very cute, in fact.

But this wasn’t her usual character.

She was supposed to be the calm and collected cool beauty.

“[She said she was serious about Go, so maybe this is her true self?]”

“[Or maybe her mentality crumbled after playing against me.]”

It was a plausible theory, but Luther found it hard to accept.

After all, the things Ash had gone through in Dragon Hunter Origin were no ordinary events.

A lady who maintained her composure even as the South was swept by a tsunami and the East was devastated by an earthquake, having a mental breakdown over losing a few Go games?

“[On the other hand, maybe it’s *because* it’s Go that she’s like this.]”

“[It’s purely a personal hobby, after all.]”

Luther unconsciously expressed his admiration at Integra’s interpretation.

It made sense when he thought about it.

She maintained her composure and rational thinking in matters involving others, but in things that didn’t affect anyone else, things purely personal, she didn’t bother holding back and revealed her true self.

‘It’s like a perfectly crafted gap moe personality.’

“[Anyway, Master, you should say something.]”

“[She looks like she’s about to cry.]”

“Ah.”

Indeed.

When Luther didn’t respond, Ash, perhaps thinking, ‘He’s not going to take back the move anyway, I just embarrassed myself,’ blushed crimson and seemed to be in agony.

“Uh… then let’s take back one move. That’s the fourth time this game alone.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Ash apologized, blushing again, but she continued to subtly move her hand, returning the Go board to the previous state.

She seemed incredibly serious about Go.

“[Master, this is already our fifth game today.]”

“[Let’s just play this game and call it a day.]”

‘Yes, that’s a good idea.’

Three days after meeting Ash.

Luther and Ash, who had safely arrived at the port city of Ehrenfer by ship from the wharf, boarded another ship bound for the South.

They even booked adjacent cabins.

They were currently playing Go in Ash’s room, which, like most cabins of this kind, was incredibly cramped.

“[It seems like you’ve definitely become close with Ash.]”

“[She looks like she can’t live without you now.]”

‘That’s a strangely suggestive way to put it, but it’s not entirely wrong.’

Luther smiled wryly as he recalled Ash appearing before him first thing in the morning, clutching a Go board.

How much did she love Go?

Or was there something special about Integra’s Go?

‘Integra, did you put drugs or something in the Go board?  Or maybe hypnosis?’

“[Stop talking nonsense and make your next move. It’s over there.]”

A spot on the Go board lit up.

Luther placed a stone and glanced at Ash’s expression.

Her eyes widened at his move, and she covered her cheeks with her hands, wearing a look of utter rapture.

“Hah…uhn…”

Oh dear.

Judging by her face, she didn’t even seem to realize what sound she had just made.  It was almost dizzying.

“[All the cool beauties in the world are dead.]”

“[Ah, of course, I’m still here.]”

Shaking his head at Integra’s nonsense, Luther decided not to play more than three games of Go a day from now on.

He was afraid Ash would become even stranger.

“[She’s already quite strange.]”

‘No, she’s fine when we’re not playing Go.’

“[You mean she’s very strange when you *are* playing Go?]”

As Integra chuckled and asked, Luther couldn’t help but nod.

But even if she was strange, she was only strange when playing Go, so it shouldn’t be a problem when dealing with the events of the Southern arc.

“[Let’s finish this. This is the final move.]”

As Luther placed a stone where Integra indicated, Ash flinched and then began to tremble.

Judging by her face, she seemed frustrated at losing, but also thrilled by the last move.

“[Master, why don’t you learn Go too?]”

‘Oh, come on.  I know what you’re thinking.’

“[Hehehe.]”

Even if he learned Go, he didn’t think he would become like Ash, but there was always a possibility.

“Anyway…”

Luther spoke softly to Ash, who was still staring at the Go board.

“Let’s stop here for today.”

“What?”

Ash, startled by Luther’s declaration, fidgeted and looked towards her luggage.

But Luther, anticipating what she was going to say, spoke firmly.

“I won’t accept money. I won’t accept potions, and I won’t accept holy relics.  This is it for today.  The end.”

“Uu…  Understood…”

Ash, clenching her fists and biting her lip, replied with a sorrowful expression.

To anyone else, she would have looked like a heartbroken woman.

“Sigh… I’ve made a spectacle of myself. Thank you for the games.”

“No, it’s alright. I enjoyed it too.”

Ash seemed to have returned to normal after the game ended.  Smiling awkwardly, Luther quickly left the room.

“[Master, the Ash I’ve observed so far seems completely different from the ‘Iron-Blooded Woman’ or ‘Moon Paladin’ you described.]”

“[Will she really be helpful?]”

At Integra’s slightly serious question, Luther thought for a moment before nodding.

“She will.  After all, Ash is an Executor of the Holy Knights.”

“[You said she became an Executor because of her Stigma, right?  The one that grants special abilities.]”

“Right.”

Stigma.

Ash became a member of the Holy Knights at the young age of twenty because she was born with a Stigma.

“[I’m a bit curious.]”

“[The Founding Emperor Clausewitz used ‘Divine Instruments’ received from an ‘Angel’.]”

“[And generally, angels are messengers of God.]”

“[Perhaps there’s a connection between the Heavens… the Galactic Federation, and the Seven Gods’ Church.]”

The Seven Gods’ Church, which worshipped the seven gods, including Minastein, the God of Oaths, and Lete, the God of Purification.

It was the Seven Gods’ Church that recognized and declared the Founding Emperor’s weapons as “Divine Instruments,” so perhaps, as Integra suggested, there was an unexpected link.

‘But the probability of that is low.’

The concept of “holy power” actually existed in this world.

In other words, there was a high probability that the Seven Gods also existed.

“[Perhaps the Seven Gods are highly advanced AIs.]”

“[It’s a common sci-fi cliché.]”

“No, that’s a bit…”

“[Why not? I’m a Holy Spirit.]”

“[I could even become a goddess.]”

As Integra, who had appeared before him, spoke playfully, Luther just chuckled and stepped out onto the deck.

The salty wind was quite cold as winter approached, but after being cooped up inside playing Go, it felt refreshing.

“Phew, this is nice.”

Stretching, Luther looked around the deck.

As expected of a large galleon that could carry over a hundred people, the large and magnificent sails were impressive.

“[Master, let’s talk a bit about the Southern arc.]”

“[You said that in the original story, the situation became serious after Princess Pelialu’s body was discovered?]”

‘Yeah, as soon as Annerose and Ash arrived in the South, Pelialu’s body was discovered… and the atmosphere of the entire South became gloomy.  There were even rumors of a possible war with the Malkuth Kingdom.’

But now that Princess Pelialu was alive, it was irrelevant.

“[So the main story will begin when we enter the Malkuth Kingdom?]”

‘That’s likely the case this time.’

He had departed earlier than in the original story, and the event that would have caused a delay at the beginning had been removed.

In other words, he had gained some extra time.

“[I hope we can find the Emperor’s sword during that time.]”

“[We’re almost there, according to the coordinates.]”

The location where the ship carrying the First Emperor Clausewitz’s sword had sunk.

But it wasn’t like he could just dive into the deep sea, so Luther was considering asking Princess Pelialu for help after resolving the Southern arc’s events.

“[Well, if the Southern arc ends well, Master will become a hero of the Malkuth Kingdom.]”

“[Actually, you’re already a hero for saving Princess Pelialu.]”

“Ahem.”

As Luther cleared his throat, feeling slightly embarrassed, Integra chuckled again and looked towards the sea.

‘Why?  Do you see something?’

“[No, I just remembered something.]”

‘What is it?’

At Luther’s question, Integra casually crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes, and said,

“[It’s a classic fantasy cliché. If you go to the sea and board a ship, a kraken appears.]”

‘Yeah, I know what you mean.’

From web novels and games to movies.

As Luther agreed, Integra, as if playing a prank, wiggled her fingers like a kraken’s tentacles and continued,

“[A ship sailing on the vast ocean, surrounded by nothing but water.]”

“[Suddenly, the camera zooms out, and a dark, giant shadow looms beneath the ship, seen from above….]”

Saying that, Integra playfully sent a drone into the sky.

Luther grinned and closed his eyes, saying,

“Vision sharing.”

Sharing vision with the drone.

At Luther’s action, Integra chuckled again and continued,

“[And suddenly, a kraken’s tentacle emerges from the calm surface—]”

“Integra.”

“[Yes?]”

Instead of answering, Luther shared his vision.

The blue sea.

The galleon they were on.

And the giant, dark shadow looming beneath it.

“[Huh?]”

At the moment Integra made a dazed sound…

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

With a tremendous roar, giant tentacles burst forth from the surface of the water.

—–CROW—– 

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