That 369: A Difficult Opponent

"Uffuffuffu! Just as you suspected! Normally, the Slave Master's 'Subjugation' ability doesn't work on 'Players'!"

Hmm.

"But my skill is specially crafted!"

As expected.

"My 'Subjugation' allows me to control a successfully enslaved 'Player' completely for a full hour!"

Interesting.

"Then again, I can't enslave ordinary people anymore, so that's a trade-off!"

Hah hah.

"But if someone like us is aiming for a sudden comeback, we figured this approach would be more effective."

I see.

I cross my arms, scowling,

"Got it. I understand perfectly."

I look down at Kudryavka, who's doing a spectacularly awkward bow.

"Everything's been explained! Please, 'Nameless' girl, forgive me!"

Next to me was an older man who had sustained injuries far worse than the ones Kudryavka had inflicted a moment ago.

"It's fine, really... I was just startled a moment ago. Felt like I was being unfairly blamed for things, you know?"

"Eeeeee? But but this is a game, right? So, if you did it, you win, that's how it works!"

Carefully performing a skill assessment, I found that Miss Kudryavka's job was a very ordinary "Warrior" with a level of 27.

The old man's job was "Slave Master" at level 32.

Aside from the altered "Subjugation" skill, neither of them stood out in any particular way.

Well, in a peaceful place like this, it's no surprise they'd slack off on leveling up.

I took out the flash memory from my pocket,

"By the way, the contents of this are"

"Of course I'm serious! I'll do my job. It's got nothing to do with gaming."

"Is that so?...Just so you know, if you interfere again, I'll kill both of you. I'd appreciate your cooperation."

"Ah, nooo...!"

I let him go after scaring him senseless, handing him over to Kudryavka.

"Whoa! Senior!"

I was genuinely surprised by their behavior, but I couldn't bring myself to hold a grudge.

I was clearly at fault for being careless just now. If this weren't a "game," I could have easily lost my life over it.

Ignoring Kudryavka rushing toward her liberated lover, I quickly left the radio tower.

▼

When I opened the door, the 'protest girl' types were still there,

"Y-yeah...!"

they gasped, each turning fearful, almost panicked, expressions upon seeing me.

Probably they’d heard the violent noises coming from inside.

After using Skill Identification, they all seemed just ordinary humans.

"Ah, um..."

It was the girl among them who was the roundest, with a short bob cut and a round face.

She looked somewhat like Chibi Maruko-chan, and she stopped me with a serious expression.

"Wait a second!"

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry."

"I have a dead younger brother!"

"Unfortunately, I just heard a similar story a moment ago. By the way, that person was ambushed and deceived, so I can't trust them."

"I'm telling the truth!"

Well, he might not have been lying either.

"So, you're saying you want me to capture you so you can bring your dead brother back to life?"

"S-sure... Is that bad?"

It's not bad, but...

My younger brother died before he could enter the "Kingdom." Now, the most common cause of death in the world—being bitten by a zombie, that's what happened.

So she came to this country to revive her younger brother, is that right?

And right now, they're desperately trying to earn money, but they can't make enough to cover the personal resurrection costs.

"Hey, 'Nameless'... When a close family member passes away, it's like losing a part of your own body. Even as we speak right now, my brother and I are growing further apart in age. We've always been together, but I can feel our experiences and perceptions drifting farther and farther apart. It's truly heartbreaking."

Of course, I feel genuine sympathy inside. There are countless people like Vivian, forced to work by the very price of human life.

But I must step over people like them.

"If I win this game, I'll have all of Reika's possessions transferred to me. Once that's done, let's immediately revive your brother."

Don't be ridiculous. Rika—Rika herself—would never accept such terms. There's gotta be some cruel trick hidden in there. Something like, 'Shall I give you ten thousand yen?' and then lifting it up with a 'Here you go, it's yours!' attitude.

She was talkative, just as one would expect from someone who's always making a scene.

"But the announcement Rikka made just now wasn't a lie. From her perspective, it's a realistic reward. Isn't that right?"

"……………"

"Rikka isn't really interested in playing a game with you. She wants to see you—the savior, the one who saved everyone—having to choose who to rescue. That's what she's after, I'm sure."

Ah... yeah, maybe you're right.

"Hey, you understand, 'Nameless'... If you take me in, I'll do anything. Even after I'm transferred to 'Gran Deliria,' I'll work my whole life to pay you back. —And if needed, I'd even die for you."

Her words carried... a clear, unmistakable resolve.

You must truly care deeply about your younger brother.

"There's no need to play along with Reiwa's game....Please, just listen to me..."

Sorry... I'm sorry... Goodbye...

"Ahh, wait a moment..."

I couldn't bear it any longer and dashed away, panting.

Behind me—words from a person who was certainly no villain pierced through.

"——You're a murderer!"

Is failing to save someone you could have saved with your own hands equivalent to murder?

One of the fundamental questions many who've become "players" inevitably ask themselves at some point.

"Ahh... ah..."

For a brief moment, Nise Maruko-chan seemed to regret the harsh words she'd just spoken, clutching her mouth shut—but then again, words once spoken couldn't be taken back.

I didn't respond in any way, and quickly slipped away from the scene.

"Hmm..."

I'm not someone who gets discouraged by something this minor... but still, the damage was about on the level of when the online reviews for a game I thought was a masterpiece turned out to be terrible—something like back when Final Fantasy XIII came out.

If Reika deliberately lured me into this game just to mess with me, she's quite the trickster indeed.