Otherworld TRPG Game Master - Chapter 273



Chapter 273 – The Wrong Path -1

Tick, my eyes rolled. I can tell even if I can’t see.

The doppelgänger had no intention of hiding his sorrow and anger in his voice. Perhaps with a desperate expression, he spoke softly to Yuna.

“You speak really strangely. Do I… hate happy endings? No. I like happy endings too. That’s why we’re doing this now, trying to be happy together. By getting rid of the fake.”

“……… It’s not a fake.”

“Can you distinguish? The components are completely identical… and the percentage of pieces I have is higher. And right now, ‘that’ belongs to this guy. The one soaked in malice is not me, it’s him.”

So.

If you’re calling ‘me’ a fake based on the impurities mixed in my body, then this side, mixed with that giant piece of trash, is closer to being the fake.

If that were not the case, wouldn’t there be no reason to consider oneself a fake? It seemed the doppelgänger was saying just that.

But Yuna remained unshaken.

She was silent, yet her silence spoke volumes. The light emanating from Yuna’s “Subtraction” began to swell. The traitorous evil deity, Akshin-chan, cautiously tugged at the doppelgänger’s sleeve.

“If we delay any longer, it’ll be dangerous. Unless we can persuade the master, this place is hostile territory.”

“I see. Well then, I don’t need you either. A heroine so entranced by a fake that she can’t even recognize me? Not at all.”

“…Hey.”

“Let go, Akshin-chan. We have more than enough time on our hands. What’s there to worry about when we have a splendid hostage right in our grasp? Akshin-chan, defend.”

The doppelgänger tried to lift me by gripping the nape of my neck, using me as a shield, and Yuna immediately fired “Subtraction.” A soundless death flew forth to carve away the doppelgänger’s information.

Clank.

“Dragon Scale – Branch.”

Boom-!

From Akshin-chan’s arm, which blocked the front, black scales erupted and swelled, covering the area like a curtain. In a geometric structure, fractal-like.

Swoosh-! A sound, indescribable, echoed as information was devoured.

“Subtraction” erased about 90% of the scales in one go, but it couldn’t pierce through.

It was an application of power I had never seen before. The magnitude and precision of this power were beyond anything I had witnessed from Akshin-chan. The fact that it withstood Yuna’s “Subtraction” proved this.

The doppelgänger sheltered me from behind, adopting a protective stance. At that moment, Yuna’s attack ceased.

Our physiques were identical, and my body was in a limp state due to the impact, so it couldn’t completely shield me.

If it were me, there would be enough of a gap to strike around the human shield, but Yuna was different.

Her precision was relatively lacking, and above all, “Subtraction” was far too powerful. Now that I was taken hostage, she would have no choice but to worry about the possibility of friendly fire.

The doppelgänger concluded that it could not win against Yuna. If I were in its position, I would think the same. Once Yuna began to use her sublimation ability, it would be uncontrollable, so it would likely consider retreating first. Just like this.

“Akshin-chan, open a dimensional gate.”

“…See, it’s just the person holding the leash that’s changed.”

“No, I’m different. If you get out of here, I’ll let you feast on plenty of souls. You’ve been hungry, haven’t you, Akshin-chan? I’ll permit it, I’ll forgive you. So hurry up.”

“………『Demon Realm Gate』.”

Crack, snap.

A fissure began to form in the air. Though it was called a dimensional gate, it resembled teleportation magic and its utility. It seemed like it was planning to escape from here.

“Don’t go, if you move…!”

“If I move, what?”

At the same time, the doppelgänger spat venom to shake Yuna’s resolve and buy time for Akshin-chan’s casting.

“Yuna, you’ve always been a halfwit from the start. You can’t even manage a session, can’t handle the magic tower, and all you’re good at is smashing things and making a mess. But do you really think… you can save this fake without a scratch?”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

“No, I don’t think so. I’ve been watching you all this time, so I know. Our Yuna… she can’t save anyone. Just like back in the old days at the tower.”

“That, that way, don’t, don’t do that⋯⋯.”

Yuna’s complexion turned pale. Her lips were parched, and her hands trembled.

“Honestly, I found you ridiculous and loathsome. Look at what you did, thinking you could remove ‘it,’ huh? You strutted around, but there was nothing of substance. I’m this guy, and I bet the one you think is real feels the same way.”

“No, no⋯⋯!”

“I love Yura. But you? No. I’ve spent time with you out of pity, and honestly… I wish you’d just get the hint and back off. How could I find anything appealing in a brat like you? Instead, I’ll ask you this, okay?”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

It was venomous words spat out in the guise of love. He had sharply pierced Yuna’s anxiety, and soon tears began to fall from her large eyes.

The doppelgänger grabbed my arm and swayed, moving like a puppet.

“Go ahead. Huh? Shoot the ‘subtract.’ You said you’d save him, right? You said not to touch him. Now, if you miss, you’ll kill him with your own hands. Even if you hesitate and don’t shoot, in the end, it’s still your hands that will kill him.”

Crash, bang—!

With the sound of shattering, a dimensional door opened. I didn’t know where it led, but a chilling wind blew through. Was the doppelgänger planning to drag me along and escape like this?

Is this where it ends for me…?

At that moment, Yuna, who had been silently crying and trembling, seemed to possess something unwavering in her eyes, whether it was resolve or something else entirely. She lowered her voice, speaking clearly as if she had become someone else.

“Leave him behind. If you don’t set him down, I will kill you.”

“Yuna… if you shoot magic, that man you care about will die, you know? Can’t you see how he’s flailing around as a shield right now…?”

“If you take him, he’ll die anyway. If it comes to that, I’d rather kill him myself. And you, I’ll tear your soul apart, and if you don’t have a soul, I’ll create one just to kill you.”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

Yes, Yuna, you’re doing well…!

You don’t negotiate with terrorists. Isn’t this the right attitude in a hostage situation that’s pushed to the brink?

Putting aside all emotional aspects, it’s the correct judgment. If I get dragged away by the doppelgänger, I’ll end up absorbed and dead in some nameless hillside.

And this b*stard has shown hostility towards Yuna. That means he’s our enemy.

In that case, it’s better to eliminate any future threats. I moved my neck, which felt heavy, and nodded. Your judgment is right, Yuna.

How could I stand by and watch this b*stard threaten the people I love? I’m fine, so just shoot.

I’ll find a way to survive, no matter what. Don’t hesitate or feel sad.

I felt my gaze convey that. The resolve in Yuna’s eyes deepened. The doppelgänger let out a hollow laugh, as if realizing something.

He understood that if he continued this hostage situation, his own head would really be on the line.

“Alright, then I’ll give you this fake. ‘Parsimony.’”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯!!”

Thud.

My body was shoved, and another kick came flying toward the back of my head. This b*stard. If I take one more hit, it’s really going to hurt…?

I was secretly terrified, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.

Yuna hurriedly reached out to stop the attack and caught my collapsing body. In the meantime, that doppelgänger vanished into the dimensional portal with the evil deity.

“Ugh, ugh…”

Yuna didn’t have the strength to hold my falling body. She wobbled and fell alongside me. A loud thud echoed.

I wasn’t hurt because Yuna’s quantum-mechanical chest cushioned my fall. But I was worried about Yuna. Is she okay?

“Ugh, no… You like me, right? Don’t hate me…”

Oh dear. It’s not just my body that’s the problem.

Yuna held my head in her arms and cried bitterly. She lamented about messing up the session, that she had tried her best in her own way, and that she would eat well and grow strong, so please don’t abandon her.

It was unnecessary worry. Wasn’t it all for me? Besides…

Didn’t I also have a time when I acted like a punk while trying to create a simulation world? So even if there was a sin, in the end, it’s all even.

I struggled to move my unresponsive mouth and managed to stammer out some words.

“I… I really like you, Yuna?”

“…Really?”

“I just really like you. Don’t worry.”

“…Really, really?”

I mean it.

I tried to move my hand to stroke Yuna’s head, but when I lifted it, my strength gave way, and I accidentally landed on her backside.

A surprised sound, almost like a chirp, escaped her, but in the end, it seemed to bring some relief. The frequency of her whimpering decreased.

As the tension eased, tears began to flow. Being a fearsome man, I usually could control my tears with just a little trickle, but…

After being hit by that attack, feeling pain, sorrow, and being unable to move, I cried a bit. Just moments ago, that crazy doppelgänger was about to take my place. I’m human too, and it was dizzying.

“…Thank you for choosing me. Really.”

“…I’m also grateful you didn’t abandon me, um…”

We clung to each other and sobbed. Grateful, and thus.

To express it a bit more poetically, we cried together like crickets. That alone was comforting. The amount of information contained in our tears was minimal, but it was enough to share our hearts.

We stayed like that for a while.

—

Anyway, a hell of a thing happened.

Even if the pieces of the Soul Stone were scattered across the world, I never worried about the plot twist of those pieces turning dark and striking me from behind. I believed in myself.

But this is how I come to realize my own arrogance. What on earth did that b*stard eat to be spouting such nonsense?

This was the most dangerous situation I had faced since being reincarnated in this fantasy world.

The computational power to suppress ‘that’ had fled at 51%.

On top of that, that b*stard was targeting my neck.

Now that the shackles of ‘Gingoa’ have been lifted, if the evil deity has resources, she can freely draw upon all her powers from the ‘Evil God’s Toolbox.’

The moment she starts collecting and devouring human souls en masse, a threat far beyond that of a dark sorcerer will be born.

I must resolve this. The moment ‘that’ second version is born, it will be uncontrollable.

And… even if this weren’t such a critical situation, I would have thrown myself into this matter with more passion than any other incident.

It doesn’t matter whether I’m real or fake. The ship of Theseus and all that nonsense, that b*stard has violated the unspoken rules.

From the moment he left a deep scratch on Yuna’s heart, he became my sworn enemy. He has hurt the one I love. Even if I am a fake, I cannot tolerate this.

Doppelgänger b*stard, I will make you pay, no matter what it takes.

I swear it.

As I steeled my resolve in my heart, Yuna suddenly made a bombshell declaration.

“Hey, should I wash you after such a long time? I’ll wash you… since, um, your body seems like it’s not moving.”

“………??”

“You haven’t washed together with me lately. I, I was actually waiting for you to ask. But since you didn’t, and I said I like you… if it’s not a burden for you… okay?”

Wait a minute.

Let’s think this through calmly for just a second.

I deleted the libido suppression module, I did, Yuna. That’s why we haven’t bathed together!

Back when I was practically a walking sage, we shared the bathroom, but how could I do that now? There are proper boundaries between men and women!

But Yuna, perhaps anxious that the words the doppelgänger had spread might be true, seemed eager to confirm my affection in any way possible.

In the end, we bathed together after a long time.

—

Clatter, clatter. The carriage sways.

It’s a carriage that regularly travels between a nearby satellite city and the imperial capital. It’s large enough to accommodate about thirty people and is quite popular due to its reasonable price.

Today, the interior of the carriage was packed with people. Yet, it was quiet.

With around thirty people gathered, it should have been noisy, but for some reason, only the voices of two could be heard. A girl’s voice. A young man’s voice.

“What are you planning to do from here on?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? Of course, I have to reclaim my place.”

“⋯⋯You couldn’t persuade the master, could you?”

“Don’t bring up that whatever-it-is. And⋯⋯ I’m not the only one who knows him, you know? Huh? I’ve had countless sessions, and I have a lot of friends.”

The doppelgänger smiled slyly, as if plotting something. The evil deity scratched at their throat, which felt oddly empty, with their nails while glancing around.

All thirty-two passengers were drooling, their eyes glazed over.

The fake Mima had done something. This was⋯⋯ a simple ‘lunchbox’ prepared for the evil deity. If he ate it all, he could secure quite a bit of resources.

Now that the grip on the throat was loosened, no matter how many people he devoured, how brutally he tortured and killed, pain would not come.

It was a long-desired thing. Freedom.

To treat the world as a playground, to frolic and enjoy infinite freedom while handling all things like toys.

But somehow⋯⋯ he just couldn’t bring himself to it. As the evil deity leaned his chin on his hand and stared blankly outside, the fake Mima suddenly asked.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“No⋯⋯ it’s just. I’m not really in the mood.”

“After all the effort the person put into preparing it, you should at least taste it⋯⋯.”

“If I force myself to eat when I’m not in the mood and end up getting sick, are you going to take responsibility?”

Could it be motion sickness? That shouldn’t be the case. It was strange.

The fake Mima made an exaggeratedly disappointed face. Beyond those eyes, a hint of anxiety, hidden beneath a veil of smoke, was slowly seeping out.

The master’s ‘negation’ had certainly torn at the fake Mima’s heart. A wounded heart needed a refuge, and the torrent of those emotions flowed toward the evil deity who had ‘chosen him.’

He tightly grasped the evil deity’s hand and asked.

“⋯⋯You know, evil deity. You’re not going to leave me, right? Huh?”

From noble mtl dot com

“I’ll say it again, you’re the one holding the leash. How could I escape?”

Right.

If he had to choose, this was better. Sticking to the 51% side was more rational and a shortcut to recovering his true self.

The addition of the threat of the purple master wasn’t a big deal in the long run.

He could collect souls and extract ‘powers.’ The ‘heroine’ that the succubus queen had stolen and used, and all the other things that other dark sorcerers were eyeing. Originally, they belonged to the evil deity.

He could use them with a level of skill that was incomparable to the queen. With this, even in a less-than-fully-recovered state, he could compete with the master.

But to do that, he had to eat all thirty-two in this place without leaving a single one.

Still, his appetite had completely vanished, and for some reason, he felt no urge.

“I get it. You want to enjoy the thrill, don’t you, evil deity? Yeah, if you recover your original power all at once, it wouldn’t be fun. You’d wipe out the master in an instant.”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

“Then just watch from there. See how I unravel this predicament.”

It was a look he had seen often.

When the mad wizard found himself in a crisis… he would wear that expression and come up with a solution. And, annoyingly, he would lead the story to a happy ending with remarkable ease.

Akshin-chan looked at the doppelgänger with faint hope. He began to explain his plan.

“I’m going to Irid. I need to request ‘help.’ My doppelgänger has appeared, and it’s caused quite a troublesome situation… I’ll ask them to send a boy knight. That should bolster our forces, right?”

“What if they contact us first?”

“I left an information bomb in the Zatop communication network before I escaped. It’ll probably take them quite a while to recover. And that Y-something is likely to be slow because he’s coddling the fake.”

“But, do you think Irid will trust you?”

Hmm.

The fake Mima casually smiled and said, as if it were no big deal, “If he betrays me, I can just brainwash him.”

“………”

“You know better than anyone how far a powerful illusionist can go, Akshin-chan. Well… and there are plenty of other means. Like Centra, for instance?”

Is that so?

He intends to walk the dark path.

If he’s willing to use any means necessary, the chances of victory rise sharply. The moment the mad wizard’s abilities, previously shackled by unnecessary goodwill or morality, are unleashed, it would be a trivial matter to have the Empire at his back.

However, Irid… wasn’t he someone who had, in his own way, built a bond with the mad wizard? The fact that he was already resolved to ‘discard’ him, even if it was just a hypothetical.

That realization, for some reason, left Akshin-chan… feeling uneasy.