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

Chapter 34: The Consequences of One’s Choices (9)

How should I start? First, since I always record my gameplay, I always leave behind some comments like this in case someone might see it.

The background might be a bit scary, but… please watch this part. I didn’t have many moments where I could be alone. I want to leave this for the future… I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do this again.

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The reason I’m leaving this video now… Well, it’s nothing big. As I said before, there weren’t many opportunities to do this… I also thought I would actually die if I left these types of comments, and I was kind of scared of that.

However… Looking at it differently, these might be my last chances to say something.

So, whenever I get the chance, I want to record these kinds of videos occasionally. It’s not over yet… I still have time. Come to think of it, I actually have quite a lot to say…

Ah, right. If you see this video, could you show it to my parents? I have a lot of things I want to say to them. I’m sorry for not visiting you more often, and please forgive your unfilial son for leaving first…

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…Lastly, I might look quite ridiculous right now. It’s strange that I’m acting like I’m about to die, right? You might think I went crazy.

But, Mom, Dad, I’m not insane. I just… just… I just want to live.

I also don’t know why this happened, but this kind of thing happens a lot in manhwa and novels… Even though Mom and Dad don’t really read those, right? At first, I thought I was trapped in a game, but it turned out to be another world… So I want to keep living.

That’s why. I know, this might sound a little stupid, but… I’m worried that I might not be able to survive. If I could really continue to live in this different world…

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Hey, if I die, will it be painful?

Or will my thoughts just stop all of a sudden before I can feel any pain?

I really hope it’s the latter. I hate pain…

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I don’t want to die.

Why do I have to go through this?

I don’t want to die yet.

I don’t wanna die. I don’t want to die. I want to live just a bit longer.

Just a little more…

* * *

I opened my eyes in a daze. The video log I’d recorded while resting for a bit when going through the sewer came to me as a dream.

How useless.

I wasn’t the one who needed to see it, after all.

“Demon Knight!”

This place wasn’t where I was supposed to be, either…

“Have you come to your senses?”

I blinked as I moved my gaze to the source of the sound.

I saw a face that seemed rather familiar to me. Because of my blurry vision, the facial features were somewhat indistinct, but that red hair was unmistakable.

“Are you awake, Mister?”

It seemed Deb was here as well.

I slowly blinked before opening my eyes. I wanted to ask what was going on.

However, I failed to do so as my throat was overcome with an intense thirst. A dry cough and some heaving left my mouth instead of words.

“How could you not even give him any water?!”

“I-I was about to!”

Could they just put off their quarrel for later and give me some water first…

“Here you go.”

Still, it seemed like they weren’t so absorbed in their fight that they completely forgot about me. I got up with Deb’s help. The kimchi dumpling handed me a glass filled with water.

“I’ll tilt it now.”

No, there wasn’t any need to treat me so kindly. Merely drinking water with that kind of support also didn’t fit my character setting.

However, my body was much too weak to drink on my own, so I couldn’t ignore her help. Quite frankly, my vision was still very blurred as well. The hand supporting my back and shoulder felt kind of cool.

“It looks like you’re having a really hard time, Mister Knight.”

Didn’t he know it was a universal rule to pretend not to notice these things? I gulped down the water while grumbling like that. It had been a while since water tasted that sweet to me.

“…The… situation.”

After emptying two glasses, my thirst was somewhat relieved. My voice still cracked, but it was much better than being unable to talk like before.

“You…”

“Mister, you really…”

But why were they looking at me with those tearful faces? Was it so strange for me to ask what had happened?

“Hey, Mister. It has been two weeks, you know?”

…Was he joking?

“You almost died. Your injuries were so severe that it wouldn’t have been strange had you died on the spot, and the curse made it even worse. Every time they tried to lift it, you would throw up blood because of the Divine Power…!”

As Deb continued to explain, I became even more confused. It felt so absurd that I couldn’t believe it.

Two weeks? Just like that? Was I unconscious for more than five real-time days??

No, wait, I was alive even after five real-time days had passed? Then, this place really was…

No, that didn’t prove it. There was a slight possibility that only in-game time had passed.

I suppressed both my desire to believe in one or the other. I had to keep my mind open to all possibilities. I couldn’t get discouraged, at least. I had to endure.

“Are you listening?”

“I don’t care.”

Of course, even accounting for all that, it seemed ridiculous that two in-game weeks had passed.

Wasn’t there some rule about game characters getting better once their HP was full? Even if I was under a penalty because of my injuries, two weeks was just too long.

I took a quick look at my HP bar just to make sure. It was full. My fatigue hadn’t gone down, though.

“What’s the situation?”

Wow, now that I looked at it, there really was a penalty for too much fatigue: the rate at which it went down was affected.

Considering it hadn’t fallen at all yet, was there some system in place slowing fatigue recovery speed depending on how long I continued moving at full fatigue? How crazy. I should never do that again.

“…”

Thinking about the system, I could see Deb and the kimchi dumpling clenching their fists.

What was actually going on? I was the most nervous right now. Well, there was no point obsessing over it, so I just let it go.

“Do I… have to ask you a third time?”

And this was the type of character they wanted me to play, to begin with! If I put my safety first, then what would they do?!

“…First, the city is safe.”

Fortunately, those two didn’t make me lose my temper. I doubted I could do that with barely any energy left, but things somehow worked out.

“The Demon the Demon Knight fought was named a Plague Demon. It was completely defeated. Furthermore, the priests stepped up to purify the whole area, so no further infections occurred.”

The Inquisitor clearly and concisely explained the aftermath of the incident. That kimchi dumpling sure was good at reporting things like that, even though I couldn’t really do anything.

“Afterwards, I led a group of adventurers to break through the barricades and confirmed the siege on the city was over. I also requested support. As of yesterday, reinforcements arrived and have started their relief work.”

It seemed quite a lot had happened while I was passed out. Looking at it like that, maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing I had lost consciousness for two weeks.

Were I awake, I would have had to help them. Of course, that didn’t mean I didn’t want to, but I needed my body to be in good shape again first.

I felt I shouldn’t have added that setting of completely ignoring my own well-being in the pursuit of hunting Demons. However, I had to include it due to the character’s condition. Well, there was no more turning back now, anyway.

“Is there anything else you want to know?”

Okay, it seemed I had gotten the general gist of things. Work, brain! Quickly, think of something my character might ask!

“What about the Demon Contractors? Did you get all of them?”

“Those who were inside the city…”

“I caught them all.”

“…Yes, we could get them all through his aid. Additionally, the adventurers found their remnants outside the city… after he led them there. However, there were some we unfortunately couldn’t catch.”

Oh. Deb seemed to have played a bigger role than I initially thought.

I glanced at him. What was reflected in my eyes, which could see more clearly now, was a young man still wearing a hood.

“Well, it was worth doing after all, so…”

The young man spoke while scratching his exposed chin as if embarrassed. Then he suddenly wrinkled his nose as if remembering something unpleasant.

“What? Are you surprised this weak guy helped out without being a burden to you?”

I didn’t say anything, though… Ah, was it because of the thing I said to shake him off as I headed for the sewers? Had he been thinking about that all this time? “No.”

I didn’t know whether Deb held grudges for a long time or he was just saying things to cover his embarrassment.

However, my thoughts were clear.

“I take it back. You aren’t a burden.”

Clatter…

The wooden cup in the kimchi dumpling’s hand fell to the ground, and Deb’s mouth was wide open.

Just looking at them making a fuss like that made me think I was doomed.

“…O-o-of, of course."

Worried that a dagger or a mace would come flying at me, I tried locating my weapons as Deb answered me, albeit in a broken voice. The kimchi dumpling picked up the cup once more. Her hands were shaking, however, which didn't seem normal to me.

“…The sewers?"

Looking at her, it didn't seem she would bash my head in. Still, seeing her act like that was quite scary, so I quickly changed the subject.

The kimchi dumpling raised her head at that, her eyes shining.

“Due to a lack of manpower, we could only lock it down and monitor it. However, now that we have reinforcements, we can commence the cleanup work in a few days. Oh, I'm also included in the cleanup corps."

A-ah, I see. We would only leave after a few days, so it seemed I would have to stay in this city until then. What should I do in the meantime?

“I-I also… will do the Purification."

I mean… Since she was a Priest, of course, she would, right…?

While I wondered why the Inquisitor stated the obvious and why her eyes shined while she spoke, a thought entered my mind.

No way, did she want me to tell her the same thing I had told Deb…? Did she want my recognition?

As soon as that thought came to me, I tightly shut my eyes and clenched my fist. I know it made me seem as if I had a crappy personality, but I couldn't help it. That was how my character was designed. If I laughed right now, I would most certainly be doomed.

“My… weapon."

Could someone actually be that cute? This guy who started stuttering just because I recognized him, or this girl who started stuttering because she wanted recognition from me. How, how could that be real?

“Where is it?"

My aggression had increased quite a bit because of the kimchi dumpling. I had to beat up some Demons right away.

“Wait, are you trying to get up?"

“D-don't! You still have to rest more!"

What were they saying?! They were the ones tormenting me right now!! I felt like I wouldn't survive if I didn't swing around my sword right now! They were like a kimchi dumpling and a meat dumpling, respectively…! How could they act so cute when they were already grown up?!

“Urgh, what are you doing, not holding onto him properly, Miss Hypocrite?!"

“H-he might get hurt if I do!"

“Let go…!"

“Do you actually think this guy will get hurt by that?!"

“Urgh, you can't move yet!"

Unfortunately, however, the two of them combined were too much for me right now. Although I had only exerted myself for a moment, my fatigue soared so high that I was forced to close my eyes once more.

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“Are you feeling better?”

After sleeping for an entire day, my physical condition returned to almost what it was before. My fatigue level had also reduced to 0, and the injury penalty was lifted.

Except for some stiffness from not moving around for some time, I felt no other discomfort.

“You can rest a little longer, you know?”

“Not needed.”

So, I decided to participate in the sewer cleanup mission. I couldn’t help with the Purification, but wasn’t dealing with the Demons whose population had again increased during the lockdown period also part of cleaning up?

Of course, I was a little shaken when I heard there would be no pay. But because of my character setting, I couldn’t just back out.

“Demon Knight.”

Now that I thought of it, I didn’t even get paid for stopping that plague ritual or my efforts in killing the Plague Demon.

I remembered being warned that there wouldn’t be any compensation, but I didn’t expect to really not receive anything. I thought the boss might at least drop some rare items or equipment.

Or was it because I didn’t land the last hit on the Plague Demon? Or because I didn’t have [Butcher]?

I was so disappointed that I couldn’t even complain about it. Well, not much, at least. Just something like, ‘This shitty game.’

“Thank you.”

Anyway, as I swung around my Longsword, various thoughts running through my mind, the Archmage expressed his gratitude to me.

That was very unexpected.

“I know you said you don’t need any thanks, but if not for you, something terrible would have happened.”

Guuuh… It was true that I prevented it by rushing, but I probably suffered this much precisely because I came too quickly.

If the incident progressed as soon as the player reached Tatara, even if I had arrived a bit later, preventing it just like this would still have been possible.

Of course, that theory might be wrong. If so, I guess I did a good job.

“Do you understand the gravity of this matter?”

However, the Archmage continued talking right away, not minding my silent reaction. Of course, this might have been a rhetorical question to begin with.

“Do you even know how difficult it is for something of this scale to occur in the border area?”

If I did, I would be this game’s scenario writer and not a player… If given a clue, I might have been able to deduce it, but without knowing anything about a setting, I would just be left confused.

“The sacrifices required to isolate a whole city in such a short time, summon enough Demons to fill the entire sewer system, and even prepare a plague ritual are beyond one’s wildest imagination. They also needed many people to put this plan in motion. Moreover, even Vampires, whose creation probability is below 5%, were mobilized here…”

That… was right. Usually, it wasn’t necessary to think about where the mobs and other forces came from in games since it was assumed they just reset or something. If viewed from a realistic standpoint, however, this certainly was strange.

When carrying out large projects, the time and manpower consumed were always inversely proportional to one another.

“In other words, the effort put into this incident is beyond our imagination. Far too much to simply destroy a mere border town.”

It was around then that I realized what the Archmage was trying to say.

“Moreover, they even set up a ritual outside to bombard the entire city. It wasn’t carried out due to a lack of sacrifices. However, that seemed to have been their ultimate goal.”

Although this seemed like a huge waste of manpower to use against this little city, it would have been all worth it if their plan had succeeded.

What would have made all of this worth it for them was…

“Be clear with your words.”

“There is a high chance that their target was the Hero.”

that they were targeting the Hero herself. The binding ritual in the sewers and the bombardment magic circle he mentioned made it seem that way.

“Before the Inquisitor’s real talent blooms, before she gains experience and becomes a seasoned Demon hunter. There are rumors that they did all this to kill her before she could ever challenge their King.”

I felt a little surprised as it was unexpected, but thinking about it, it was only natural.

In games, novels, and manhwa, enemies were, for some reason, sent out according to the main character’s level, but in reality, there was no reason for the final boss to do that. The cleanest and easiest way to handle all this was to nip the problem in the bud.

“Simply put: thanks to you, we have avoided that outcome.”

Well, looking at it from a meta-perspective, they actually were sending out mobs fit for my level. The game system was geared toward the players, after all, not the Hero.

“Again, thank you very much. You have my deepest gratitude. If not for you, our world might have lost its Hero.”

Nevertheless, I gave him the most fitting response I could to those serious and sincere words.

“So it wasn’t anything worth listening to.”

I had listened to him, thinking he might give me some important information. Since his words contained nothing useful, I could just ignore what he said.

“Good to see that you are consistent in your words and actions.”

Was he being sarcastic…? Of course, it might not have been intentional. Urgh. I didn’t want to be like this.

“Right. When this is all over, we should get together and talk. Shouldn’t we decide on where we’ll go next?”

As the biggest incident had concluded, it seemed they wanted to move to the next one sooner or later.

I swallowed the words stuck in my throat and put away the sword I had been swinging until now.

I could tell it was time to enter when I saw the puppy-like dumplings gently making some hand gestures.

“Ah, looks like it’s time. Let’s go.”

The Archmage also noticed them and gestured toward me.

It was time to go clean up.