Otherworld TRPG Game Master - Chapter 283



Chapter 283 – Sub. High School Girls of South Korea

Here stands a beautiful girl. A current high school student dressed in a skirt with checkered accents and a beige jacket, radiating the scent of autumn.

The finishing touch was a beret.

She was waiting for someone, looking lovely.

Soon, familiar silhouettes appeared in the distance. One was tall and the other relatively short. That alone was enough for her to recognize them.

In front of the fountain plaza at Neo Seoul Station, Oh Hye-in waved her arms wide to greet her approaching friends. It had been a while since they last met.

“Daesu oppa, over here! Lulu, hello!”

“Ahh.”

“Job!”

The orange and red hair swayed together. The two who had met their end as magical girls were brought back to this world by the mad wizard’s grace.

With the truth about the simulation virtual reality already exposed, Hayan had finally secured access after Kim Lulu persistently nagged her every time she went for a health check-up.

In truth, it was a secret that the mad wizard had been pondering how to entice them into the simulation, wanting to recommend it first.

Oh Dae-soo awkwardly waved his hand.

“…It’s been a while. Have you been eating well—”

“Hello, tackle──!!”

“Ugh!”

Splash!

Kim Lulu, launched almost vertically, tackled Oh Hye-in with great force, and the two of them tumbled into the fountain. The sound of water splashing and the laughter of the two high school girls echoed high into the sky.

“Well, you really can’t be stopped…”

Oh Dae-soo adjusted his sunglasses as he watched the two of them start playing in the water. He muttered under his breath, sounding exasperated, but he couldn’t hide his smile.

After splashing around to her heart’s content, Kim Lulu set her sights on her next target.

“Dae-soo, come over here too!”

“No way. I’m wearing white, and if I get wet, it’ll be see-through…”

“Aqua Splash!”

Swoosh!

“──Hey!!”

“Oh! Blue!”

“I’ll make you regret touching me!”

“Eek! The otter of the swimming pool, Oh Dae-soo, has appeared!”

In the grand melee of the plaza fountain, Oh Dae-soo joined the fray. He conjured a barrage of magical water to unleash upon his foes, momentarily seeming to gain the upper hand against Kim Lulu.

Click.

But from behind, Oh Hye-in, waiting for her chance, launched a deadly ambush, turning the tide of battle 180 degrees. With just a finger tracing down his spine, she skillfully disarmed Oh Dae-soo’s hook.

“You, Oh Hye-in──!!”

“You owe me for that heartbreaking sacrifice ending, don’t you?”

“Was that what you had in mind…!”

In a desperate attempt to hold onto his slipping underwear, Oh Dae-soo hurriedly covered his chest with both arms, which was practically a declaration of defeat.

Oh Hye-in embraced the defenseless Oh Dae-soo from behind and began to mercilessly poke his belly.

“Have you put on a bit of weight?”

“Not at all?!”

Kim Lulu looked at the completely immobilized Oh Dae-soo, a sly smile creeping across her face as she gathered her magical energy.

In the session, her magical power had been limited, but now, to put it simply, it was after the ending. The mad wizard had granted her ample resources.

As her formidable magic coalesced, a massive column of water surged upward with a raw, brutish force. It soon formed into a large spherical mass of water, hovering above Oh Dae-soo’s head.

“At that size, everyone will be swept away! Are you planning to take out both Kim Lulu and Oh Hye-in?!”

“It’s fine, Lulu… If it’s to punish evil, I can sacrifice this one body. Do it without hesitation!”

“Okay, let them all be swallowed by the water—!”

KWA-aaaH──!

The water bomb exploded. The amount of water, suspiciously excessive for a fountain, created a torrent that would thoroughly dishevel anyone caught in it.

As the spray settled, only three drenched figures remained, looking like drowned rats. They laughed, wringing out their waterlogged hair and clothes.

“Ugh, ha ha ha!”

“Ah ha ha ha ha!”

“Hee hee…!”

Reuniting with friends was a joy.

—

Despite the major incident of a water bomb exploding near the bustling district, the city remained eerily calm. The police had not been dispatched, and the citizens went about their busy lives.

It was proof that this world was a simulation.

“…It’s astonishing, really.”

“What is?”

“Everything.”

How could something so vivid, with all senses so alive and everything feeling so real, be a simulation? Each detail was the result of computation. How could that be?

It was hard to believe that an individual had created this world.

Yet, it was something that could not be denied.

KWA-aaaH──!!

Far off in the sky, something resembling Godzilla roared, and beside it, a colossal golem, larger than any building, was preparing a rocket punch.

“What’s that?”

“They say it’s for the next session.”

“Looks like they plan to plunge another victim into the abyss of despair.”

“Maybe they’re trying to give a lonely person a friend again. Wasn’t Oh Dae-soo the only one left in this pit of despair?”

“……..”

From noble mtl dot com

—

That’s right. Kim Lulu and Oh Hyein met here, and it became a turning point for them. Moreover, when I think about it comprehensively… life here was enjoyable.

Even as I returned to reality, sharing desserts with Kim Lulu, there was still a lingering sense of regret, a longing for doenjang jjigae, and above all, the taste of mala tang kept surfacing in my mind.

Is this the old adage of giving a disease and then a cure?

While Kim Lulu cheered at the sight of a giant robot delivering a punch to the face of a colossal monster, Oh Hyein received a transmission from outer space and spoke.

“Ah, the signal’s here. Did they say it was Hwayang…? They said the health check is done and they’re sending her down here.”

“Down here?”

“Yeah. They said there’s no better place than modern times to show her the world and give her a moral education. Honestly, Daesu oppa doesn’t know much about morals, right? You got a 30 on that pop quiz back then.”

“What’s wrong with cracking a head when a student is talking in class? The morals of this country are strange to begin with. I’m fighting an honorable battle at the top, and how dare a jungle peasant—”

Vroom.

A UFO spun and flew in from the far sky. As the silver flying saucer beamed a radiant light down to the ground, Hwayang majestically descended, riding the light.

Kim Lulu waved at Hwayang as she landed.

“Hello, Hwayang!”

“Hello. One more time.”

“One more time…? Was it fun coming down from the sky?”

“Meow.”

Then let’s ride again. Kim Lulu took Hwayang’s hand and signaled to the UFO. Slowly, the two of them began to rise into the air, as if being abducted by aliens.

Oh Hyein and Oh Daesu watched this scene, whispering to each other.

“I know a perfect person to be a moral teacher. Want me to introduce you?”

“…Is it one of those AIs that, like you, has gained a sense of self?”

“Yeah. There’s a really kind old man named Abraham.”

“Ah…”

That name was familiar. It was the name that kept appearing in my nightmares when I was suffering from the aftereffects of being hit by the Parshim Hyun Jeon. I was truly curious about who he was, considering the mansion had burned down completely and screams had filled the air.

“Are there others?”

“Centra is nice too, but her mindset is medieval, so she has this thing about hitting if you cause harm… And Pero has a quirky side after living through the apocalypse. So, the most ideal person is Grandpa Abraham.”

“…Can’t you take on that role? It’s hard to trust a complete stranger, and… I’ve never seen a magical girl like you.”

“If you praise me like that, I might get a little embarrassed…?”

At that moment, a mad wizard suddenly appeared in the empty space and interrupted.

“Both are suitable choices. But I can vouch for Abraham’s humanity, so trust him, Rodeleus. He’ll teach very well.”

“…Turn on your blinker!”

“That includes Kim Lulu’s common sense education. Hyein, once the UFO abduction game is over, please move them along, and Rodeleus, let’s have a chat.”

—

“Yes, President.”

Oh Hye-in gave a limp salute, patted Oh Dae-soo on the back, and then walked away. Rodeleus grimaced, torn between annoyance at the interruption of time with his friend and the discomfort emanating from the mad sorcerer.

“…What is it?”

“I’m just trying to sort out the Red Flavor Duke’s traffic.”

That… was certainly an important matter.

—

The Red Flavor Duke is still alive and well, but as a dark sorcerer, to put it plainly, his limbs have been severed.

The elite nurtured through the artificial myth plan have mostly been taken by the mad sorcerer, and his subordinates are being picked off one by one. The dark power available for use beneath the surface is rapidly diminishing.

Now, the Red Flavor Duke possesses only the power of an ordinary noble.

“…Isn’t that dangerous enough? After all, he is a duke of the Empire.”

“And my forces are the Goddess Church and the imperial family. Once he rises to the surface, he can’t just fall back. Knowing that, the duke has been dedicated to his dark sorcerer activities, hasn’t he?”

But.

“If he rises openly, the damage on our side would be significant. Emotionally, I want to strike him down while he’s weakened, but when I asked Irid, he said the side effects would be severe.”

“If we don’t reveal the evidence that he is a dark sorcerer and has committed all sorts of brutal acts, it will surely provoke the nobles’ resentment.”

“That said, I have no intention of just leaving him be… I will apply pressure, and I am considering a safe extraction. In my opinion, a suitable timing will inevitably come.”

“Timing?”

I don’t know what his ambition is. But I can tell that despite holding the tremendous power of a duke, he is starving for something, busy seeking strength. So.

“Giving up would be the right answer, but the duke won’t give up.”

He will continue to plot. He will invest time and resources to reach a higher level as a dark sorcerer, gradually eliminating obstacles.

But right now, the duke has no dagger he can use secretly. The mad sorcerer has stolen or broken them all. So what then?

“He will try to use the power of the light. He will attempt to convert the duke’s power into that of a dark sorcerer. He will mobilize the knight order known to the public and wield authority.”

“……”

“Perhaps he will do something even at the cost of discarding all the power of the light.”

And that moment will be the timing.

At the moment when unavoidable evidence reveals his sinister intentions. If a close aide of the duke were to take his life with a sharp dagger?

The mad sorcerer whispered quietly.

“It’s a reverse assassination request, Rodeleus. Are you interested in becoming a ‘duke killer’?”

“…I’ll take it. I was already thinking of that.”

“Good. Then let’s see if you have the guts, a necessary virtue of an assassin. Go watch a horror movie together. This is your movie ticket.”

“?”

As the mad wizard abruptly drifted to a halt, Roderus revealed his thoughts through his expression. What’s going on all of a sudden?

He spoke awkwardly.

“Well, it’s not like something’s about to explode. Now that you’ve made your decision, we’re connected, so we can discuss it anytime. More than anything… I feel a bit bad bringing up work on a day meant for hanging out with friends.”

“Ha.”

So, it meant to go ahead and enjoy the rest of the day.

Roderus didn’t insist on declining. After a long time back in South Korea, he wanted to fully savor modern civilization with his friends before heading back.

A horror movie. He had never seen one, but he understood the concept.

It was the kind of film where something suddenly jumps out to scare you, or it creates a chilling and eerie atmosphere. He couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. Horror? Ha, please.

Roderus was someone who had actually been on assassination scenes and undergone life-threatening training. He knew how to calmly deflect a knife that suddenly flies at him.

How scary could horror really be?

—

Wooo──!

“Daesu-yaaak-!!”

“⋯⋯!! ⋯⋯⋯⋯!!!”

“Cover my eyes, cover my ears!”

“Do it yourself. Use your own hands!”

Kim Ruru clung to Oh Daesu like a cicada, trembling uncontrollably, while Oh Daesu wanted to cover his eyes and ears too, but he held back, fearing it would ruin his image. His pride was dominating his body.

Trying not to show it, he squinted hard, but every time a chilling sound effect played, he flinched, making it clear he was scared.

Oh Hyein munched on popcorn, enjoying the sight of the two cowards shaking even more than the movie itself.

Hyangyi’s eyes sparkled as she began to deeply explore the horror and suspense she was experiencing for the first time. It felt oddly familiar and enjoyable to see people scream and run away.

A desire to play a bad prank bubbled up within her. If she threw a white blanket over herself and shouted, would they scream?

But she had learned that she shouldn’t be mean to good people. Daesu and Ruru, who took care of her, were good people, and if they were sad, she would feel sad too.

Still, she wanted to try. So, if… if…

– Mirror, the mirror is glaring at me!

– Kya-ha-ha-ha! Did you think you could escape from me? I’m inside you, so how could you possibly run away!

Right.

If there are bad people, they need to be taught a lesson like that.