Chapter 49: The Right Ending

-Chilchil-i! ;-; ;-;

-Bring back our Chilchil-i! Bring her back!

Perhaps it was because the episode was hastily created, yet with the help of the Gods, it was made with the utmost effort.

The Players’ immersion in the new story was remarkable.

‘…Well, I was also greatly shocked when I first saw those scenes through a dream while inside the Goddess of Wisdom. ……Players who witnessed the game story, intentionally infused with dramatic scenes, would be even more so.’

-I want to tear the Research Director to shreds, but why isn't he added as a Boss!

-It's too much that the story is forced to progress even though I worked hard to raise my characters

-Dreamstory is the devil!

Thanks to this, the Players' resentment toward the Research Director was very strong, and so was their motivation.

At first, I thought about putting the Research Director in as a Weekly Boss like that Abyss dude from before, making him a target for Players to pour out their Wrath….

‘Personality Jelly… What a terrible and dreadful thought.’

If it weren't for the Research Director being the one whose personality was extracted, and if the one who extracted the personality wasn’t the victim, the Wisdom Constellation, I would have stopped it immediately… It’s a terrible idea.

I finely divided the jelly and put it into the game.

‘It's actually more appropriate to use it since it's jelly.’

I intentionally killed the character Myuant-13-07 at the end of the story to leave a lingering impression.

To emphasize the tragedy, she vanished in front of the Player's eyes, scattering like dust.

It's impossible to release an already dead character as a new one.

But what if a character who looks exactly like her appears, having lost her memory?

Additional story update.

Act 3, Chapter 3 released.

＊ ＊ ＊

Crown Prince Ryzeal flipped through the documents with a dazed expression.

Swoosh-

“Ugh.”

A cut appeared.

A drop of blood fell from his finger.

No.

I have to get myself together.

I am the next Emperor who will lead the Empire.

I must not waver.

He tries to force himself to forget, but the final moments keep coming back to him.

‘……My beloved Prince.’

Her last words, spoken just before she disappeared into a halo of light, wouldn't leave his mind.

The Crown Prince shook his head.

It's just a game.

Even within that game, it's nothing but a virtual event.

She isn't real.

The Crown Prince tried to compose himself in any way he could.

He forced himself to pick up official documents and focus on his work, but the letters wouldn’t register in his eyes.

‘Hu, Huu! Wa, Prince!’

Her voice echoed in his ears.

Bang!

When the Crown Prince, in such a state, heard the news of the 'new story update,' it was only natural for him to run out without looking back.

“Are you alright, Zeal?”

The Supervisor gauged the Crown Prince's mood.

“I’m always alright. Why do you ask?”

“Well, you weren't in good shape after the last training session.”

“That was… Sigh. It was nothing.”

“Really? Then that’s good.”

The Supervisor gestured, and a book flew into his hand.

“……That book.”

Usually, he wouldn't distinguish one book from another, but the book in the Supervisor’s hand was different.

“You recognize it?”

There was no way he could forget.

It was the story where she was the protagonist.

That book.

“It's nothing special… As part of your training, you have a task to do.”

“A task?”

“It was a perfectly fine story when you went in before, but the Abyss has corrupted it.”

The Abyss… corrupted?

“Think of it as an Assassin of the Abyss having infiltrated it. No need to worry. There's only one.”

“So I just have to eliminate it?”

“That's right.”

"Easy."

Just one.

No problem for his character, which had already reached end-game specs.

All of the Crown Prince's characters had reached maximum breakthrough and maximum specs, dealing enough Damage to skip the Weekly Boss [Assassin of the Abyss]'s patterns.

‘……How dare it try to defile my memories of her. Unforgivable.’

On the other hand, a sense of excitement fluttered in his heart.

The thrill that he might be able to meet her again.

“I trust you’ll do well. But don't overdo it, it's just training. If you think you can't handle it, call me.”

“Understood.”

The Storybook, activated once again as usual.

The Crown Prince was already inside the story.

“……Wait a minute.”

He wasn't wearing a researcher's uniform?

He wasn't in the middle of the research facility as a researcher in charge of managing test subjects, but standing in the middle of a bustling street.

A completely different situation from when he entered the previous story.

Not starting in the research facility?

Then he wouldn't be able to meet her.

Just as the Crown Prince's heart began to ache.

Tap- Tap-

Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

The Crown Prince turned his head.

!!

A lovely appearance, wearing an Academy uniform and makeup, unlike when she was a test subject.

At first glance, the atmosphere was so different that one might think she was a different person, but the Crown Prince could be sure.

A Girl with the exact same appearance as the one he longed for was looking up at him.

“Um… Have we… perhaps… "

She hesitated and stammered, struggling to speak.

"...met before?”

“……Met before?”

“Ah, no, it’s just that you look familiar somehow…”

The Girl blushed slightly, embarrassed.

The Crown Prince's heart ached.

“Um… Please don't take this the wrong way? I had a dream where I went on a date with a Prince… and that Prince looks exactly like you…”

The Crown Prince felt as if the puzzle pieces were finally falling into place.

The Supervisor had said that this story was still ongoing, not yet finished.

That meant the story was progressing with her, the protagonist, still present, not completely gone.

Then that meant the Girl who experienced that death was reincarnated and living again.

“My name is Alembertian…”

Alembertian.

Was that her name in this life?

The Crown Prince clutched the pendant item in his pocket.

If he showed her this item, he could tell her the truth.

He could tell her about her past life and convince her that she had a special relationship with him.

……But should he?

Her past life memories were the worst of the worst.

They were so painful that after finishing the story, he had ordered an investigation into human rights violations within the research facility across the entire Empire.

If he told her the truth, she would learn about those painful memories.

……He didn't like that.

“Ah, no, it’s not that I've gone crazy! Really, in my dream! …Haa…”

The Girl hung her head, at a loss for what to do.

“I believe you.”

“……Huh?”

“Lately, someone in my dreams calls me Prince.”

Though I am the Crown Prince.

“……Really?”

“The dream is hazy, so I couldn’t see who it was clearly, but I didn’t think it would be such a little Girl.”

“I’m not a little Girl!”

“Heh. Is that so?”

The Crown Prince walked with the Girl.

“Are you attending the Academy now?”

“Yes, I’m a second-year!”

She grinned, making a V-sign with her index and middle fingers.

Fortunately, unlike her past life, it seemed she was living happily in this one.

“Would you mind giving me a tour of the Academy?”

“The Academy? Our Academy is famous for being really boring.”

“It's alright. It’s the Academy you attend, isn't it?”

“……Prince, you're so sneaky. Is it okay to just barge in like this?”

The Girl turned her head slightly and muttered.

“What did you just say?”

“Ah, I didn’t say anything! L-Let’s go to our Academy?”

The Girl grabbed the Crown Prince's hand and started running.

“Oh? It’s Bertia! Where are you going?”

As the Crown Prince looked around the Academy with the Girl, a female Academy student called out to her.

“Ah, Secula!”

“Wait a minute. You're with a man…!”

“No, it's not like that…”

“As I thought, pretending to be so innocent.”

“That’s, um…”

“Sorry to interrupt. Have a good time~”

“Hey! Listen to me!”

The Girl named Secula, who had spoken to Bertia, quickly disappeared.

Was she Myuant-17-06?

Even Yukyuk-i had reincarnated.

He could also see a small Girl hiding behind a wall with Secula, looking at him and the Girl with narrowed eyes.

That was probably Myuant-25-03.

It seemed all three of them had reincarnated and were living happy lives this time.

“L-Let’s go quickly, Prince!”

The Girl grabbed his wrist again and started running.

“This is my secret base, I mean, my personal hideout.”

The rooftop of a lecture hall in a secluded part of the Academy.

“The Night View from here is super pretty.”

“……I see.”

The Crown Prince chuckled.

The Girl, admiring the scenery and laughing brightly, looked no different from an ordinary Academy student.

Freed from the Research Director's curse, she was finally living a proper life.

“Huh? Why are you laughing? Is there something on my face?”

“……No. It’s just…”

Because I’m happy.

The right ending.

The right life.

All the distracting thoughts that had plagued him from the last story update until now seemed to melt away.

If he hadn't entered the story because of the Abyssal Corruption, he wouldn’t have imagined this ending.

……Huh?

Abyss?

Come to think of it, this story was corrupted by the Abyss….

It felt as if a huge lightning bolt struck his head.

The Crown Prince jumped to his feet.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

He ran.

Something jelly-shaped appeared behind the Girl.

A sharp blade protruded from the jelly.

An attack aimed at the Girl’s back.

The world slowed down.

Perhaps it was because he was pouring everything into saving her.

In a world moving at a speed he couldn’t normally perceive,

The Crown Prince ran, activating various abilities.

I will protect you.

This time, no matter what.

Kwaaang!

“Prince!”

Because I won’t lose you again.