Chapter 78
The Great Forest’s Barrier is divided into a total of three types.
The Reactive Barrier, which activates immediately when outside personnel enter the Great Forest,
the Responsive Barrier, which detects and catches any Anomalous Sign different from the norm within the Great Forest,
and finally, the Cooperative Barrier, which locates any Unauthorized Being and shoots them down using all available means.
“…The problem is that it doesn”t end here.'
These three types of Barriers were just the baseline.
Starting from Magic that could monitor even the outside of the Great Forest, to the Spirits scattered everywhere.
Unless one had a truly special method, going undetected within the Great Forest was an impossible feat.
If one did use a method to go undetected, that in itself would be like advertising how suspicious they were.
First of all, sneaking into the Great Forest meant making enemies of the Elves.
“But it can”t be helped, would the Empire even let me in!'
If the Crown Prince was a Transmigrator, there was no way he would let anyone else in after occupying the Great Forest.
As long as they shared the same goal of moving the World Tree to their own land, there would be no concessions.
“…Or should I just say it? That I am the Protagonist of this story? That you… you didn”t transmigrate into a core character?'
So if she told him to side with her, would he actually join her willingly?
That was also ambiguous. And revealing that she was a Transmigrator in the first place didn’t seem entirely positive either.
“Just how much of the Original Story does the Crown Prince know?”
She was also curious about how much of the original work the Crown Prince knew to be intervening in the current situation.
If he had definitely read the same content as her, he would know that doing this wasn’t beneficial.
If he had made this judgment despite that, there had to be a corresponding reason.
Mirne desperately wanted to know what that was.
She was so curious about why he was trying to protect the Empire to the end, even though he had transmigrated as the Crown Prince of an Empire destined to fall anyway.
'Can’t he just follow the flow of the original work that I’m leading?'
Muttering like that inwardly, Mirne very naturally stepped foot into the Great Forest.
Srrrk.
If she had been caught in the Barrier, the bell attached to her wrist would have shaken and made a sound.
But the bell on Mirne’s wrist remained incredibly still.
“Hmm, is it too obvious that I wouldn”t get caught.'
Reactive, Responsive, Cooperative.
Having confirmed that she wasn’t caught in the Triple Barrier that the Elves boasted of, Mirne…
'Let’s go!'
She moved toward the World Tree without hesitation.
There were no obstacles.
There was no worry of getting lost either.
[ Beginning guidance toward Eiloren. ]
This was because there was a perk that could be activated when going to a Male Lead.
Because of this, she didn’t need to worry about taking the wrong path to the World Tree.
Even the maze-like forest paths, deliberately twisted to prevent approach, were useless.
It was certain she would arrive soon if she just followed the arrows appearing before her eyes like a Virtual Navigation system.
[ You are getting closer to the target. ]
Step.
And it was actually true.
A distance that would have easily taken a week if she had come with the Delegation.
It took less than three hours as soon as she moved alone with the system.
The surrounding Spirits continuously sending her goodwill and casting buffs on her played a huge part.
Thanks to her overwhelming Spirit Affinity, it was no exaggeration to say the Great Forest was like her own home to Mirne.
Anyway, just like that.
[ The target is nearby. ]
“Eiloren! Eiloren! Where are you!”
Following the system’s guidance, Mirne abruptly shouted out to find Eiloren.
This was accompanied by the thought that no matter how much the Empire had taken over the Great Forest, they couldn’t have entered the Elves' Territory.
It was an action stemming from the confidence that even if she were caught, Eiloren would defend her.
However, the very first reaction Mirne faced as soon as she made a sound was…
“Found you.”
Flying in along with that cold voice.
Thwack!
“?!”
It was a poisoned arrow.
Mirne couldn’t react to the unexpected attack, but…
The Earth Spirit beside Mirne, Nomt, reacted swiftly and blocked the poisoned arrow.
“W-what in the world is this.”
Mirne was flustered.
“I don’t know what kind of confidence an inferior species has to not only attempt Infiltration, but also raise their voice.”
Eiloren burned with a chilling anger.
+++++
The displeasure of being subjected to Manipulation by a being you had considered inferior your entire life.
That was something difficult to describe in words unless you experienced it yourself.
“Just imagining it makes my brow furrow, so the one actually experiencing it must be going crazy.”
Actually, at first, I had told Eiloren not to cause friction with Mirne right away, but to start with a conversation.
But after thinking about it for a bit, I came to the conclusion that there was absolutely no need for that.
If the situation went south anyway, it was obvious she would escape using Save & Load.
Even if she didn’t, she probably had quite a few means of escape.
I wondered if we really had to do that.
Rather than watching her run away just as he was starting to get angry.
I concluded that it would be psychologically better to watch her turn tail and run after he had poured out his anger to some extent.
That was exactly the reason why Eiloren had fired a poisoned arrow without hesitation just now.
“Why are you suddenly doing this…?!”
“Suddenly? Did you say suddenly? If you stopped by the Verdantia Kingdom, there’s no way you wouldn’t know how the Great Forest is currently being run, so how is this sudden?”
“Even so, a poisoned arrow!”
“You speak incomprehensible words. Are you telling me to show mercy to an intruder, then?”
Eiloren was revealing his anger without reservation.
Watching this attitude from Eiloren, Mirne continued to be flustered.
“She has no choice but to be.”
Since the Male Lead, who should basically hold goodwill toward her, was acting so hostilely.
A situation worthy of hostility was completely understandable, but his attitude was so different from the Male Leads up until now that the sense of disparity must be immense.
“Eiloren… You might not know me, no, maybe you do… I’m Mirne. Have you never heard my name?”
“I have.”
Mirne stubbornly continued speaking, still unaware that I was watching.
“Then this will be quick. You know why I came here!”
“You must have come because of the World Tree, is there any other reason? If not that, what reason would a Human have to come near the World Tree?”
“Openly revealing himself in front of Mirne, Eiloren… isn’t important. I came to see you.”
“You have a talent for picking out and spouting only the most terribly disgusting nonsense.”
Rumble, thud!
Openly revealing himself in front of Mirne, Eiloren didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding his hostility.
The arrow that flew toward the target’s head once again was blocked by the wall created by the Spirit this time as well.
“…”
“Just… why…”
Mirne revealed a flustered, incomprehensible tone.
“Just, why?”
Eiloren’s face distorted even further, having accurately grasped the meaning behind those words.
“Do you not understand? Why I’m not harboring baseless goodwill and striking up a conversation with you?”
“…?”
“I don’t know how many people you’ve made a fool of in this manner, but I am different. Just how many people have you bent to your whims through unconditional goodwill?”
They sent each other looks of incomprehension.
Then, that balance was suddenly broken.
“Is this a case where… the affection perk was created exclusively for Characters suddenly introduced in the latter half, but it wasn’t applied? It was always a trash game with a lot of bugs, but… this is severe.”
It was because Mirne spat out those words with calmly cooled eyes, unlike before.
“…What are you talking about?”
Eiloren drew his bowstring again with an uncomprehending face, but…
'Crazy.'
I couldn’t suppress my eyes from widening the moment I heard Mirne’s words.
“It was that kind of setting? No, before that, it was an actual game?”
Even amidst the continuing chaotic emotions.
“So… are you going to kill me? Seriously? Me, who is being adored by the Spirits even at this very moment?”
Mirne’s words flowed without obstruction.
“Do you think it’s brainwashing? Honestly, I have nothing to say even if you think so, but I didn’t do it. I can explain everything to you.”
“…”
“Do you know why you went through such a thing? Because the world will soon be destroyed, and… to prevent that destruction, I have to have the World Tree.”
“You’ve suddenly become a different person. Is this your true self?”
“…Yes, because this is the only way. If the Demon Race invades, the Continent will walk the path of destruction… To escape that path, the World Tree is needed. No? Not the World Tree, but you all are needed. You too… Let’s all go to Maselin. Then… then if we solve things step by step like that, we can stop the destruction!”
After hearing all of Mirne’s words, I had only one thought.
“Certainly, perhaps because the Original Game was a Visual Novel style Female-oriented Dating Sim Game, she has a spectacular way with words.”
Mirne hadn’t transmigrated for nothing.
I didn’t know how the game worked, but with that level of social maneuvering, she must have played the Original Game excellently as well.
I figured she must have solved something like a Challenge that no one else could beat, at the very least.
Of course, that was that, and the feeling of disgust was a separate matter.
Anyway, Mirne finished speaking like that and waited for Eiloren’s answer.
Eiloren gave an unexpected answer.
“I understand now.”
“…I knew you would understand after all.”
Twang!
Simultaneously with that answer, Eiloren shot his bow and smiled deeply.
“I understand why His Highness finds you disgusting.”
Naturally, that attack was blocked once again by the earthen wall created by Mirne’s Spirit, but…
“Mirne, did you not hear? That the Great Forest is Imperial Territory, and trespassing results in Summary Execution?”
By then, I had already caught Mirne from behind.
“You must be the only one so brazen even after making an enemy of the Empire.”
The second sword meant to kill a god.
Slash!
“Aaaagh!”
Left a deep wound on Mirne’s back without obstruction.