Capítulo 12: Chapter 12
"What's there to hide? Absolutely! I am the Director of <Protect the Empire>, Aider~"
"..."
My mind went blank.
The director? This kid?
So, the one who dragged me into this was this son of a...?
My mind whirled with a hurricane of thoughts. Just at that moment...
-Thud!
Aider collapsed, spreadeagle, onto the floor. Like a starfish. His limbs and forehead were glued to the bathroom tiles.
"...?"
To me, rooted in place, unable to comprehend the situation,
"I'm deeply sorry for abruptly whisking you away to this place!"
Aider apologized with fervor.
"But I, no! This world needs you, Mr. RetroAddict!"
"..."
"Could you maybe lend us a hand, just once, just once?!"
"..."
After a pause, I voiced quietly.
"Firstly, rise, Mr. Aider."
I gripped Aider's arm and helped him up. Aider welled up, apparently touched.
"Mr. RetroAddict...! How could you be so kind... Are you really going to assist us?!"
With a gentle smile, I clearly addressed Aider's plea.
"No, for this."
I snatched this jerk by his collar and smashed his head onto the bathroom floor. Bam!
"Kuaack?!"
"Die! Die! Dammit, Die!"
Straddling Aider, I slammed my fists into him relentlessly. I'm going to end this guy!
***
A bit later.
"I'm sorry..."
Aider knelt, hands raised, his face bloated from the thrashing.
"Now, let's sort this out."
I sighed, sitting across from him. The beating had cleared my head somewhat.
"So you're that... 'Director' who chatted during the broadcast when I conquered the game."
"Yes..."
"And you're the actual director of this game, or rather this world."
"Indeed."
Why does this guy talk in such a way? Now that I ponder it, his dialogue in the game was exactly like this.
Suppressing the impulse to strike him again, I continued my inquiries.
"Why did you summon me here?"
"There's a 'True Ending' in this world."
Aider blew his nose with a tissue and met my gaze.
"An end that no one has ever achieved."
His eyes, visible behind his round glasses, were a vacant gray mirroring his hair.
"I've reset this world innumerable times to reach that finale. But, I could never attain the ending I yearned for..."
"So, you sought assistance from an outsider?"
"If I were to simplify it, yes!"
As Aider snapped his fingers, a system window materialized out of thin air.
Upon observing that figure, I finally seemed to grasp. This character was truly linked to the genesis of this world...
"I turned this world into a game and showcased it to the players from other realms."
The system window that Aider unveiled in mid-air displayed rows of server names.
Among them, a server named 'Earth' was conspicuous. Was Earth merely one of many servers?
"The players explored possibilities in ways I hadn't anticipated. However..."
Aider shook his head subtly.
"Even they, none could reach the true ending."
"...Am I not the same? A true ending, huh. I wasn't even aware such a thing existed."
I had been grinding through 'Protect the Empire' for six months, but this was the first time I heard of an alternative ending.
"RetroAddict failed to reach the true ending, but you achieved a feat no one else could."
Hell difficulty. Ironman mode. Commonly referred to as Hell's Ironman.
I was the sole player who had conquered it. Was it for this reason?
"I thought you had the best chance, so I clung to hope and brought you here."
"Brought me my foot! You kidnapped me! And to drop me in such a place, in this guy's body?! You practically sentenced me to death!"
"Er, should I say there was an error, or a glitch... I didn't anticipate this situation..."
As Aider's words faded away, he fell to the floor once more under my fierce glare.
"Ah, anyway! Let me explain first. It's about the 'reward' that RetroAddict will receive if you aid us."
I frowned.
"Reward?"
"If you guide this world to the true ending, I will grant one wish of RetroAddict."
"A wish...?"
Are we talking about a freaking Dragon Ball granting wishes?
"I am something akin to a god of this world."
Aider confidently asserted, his face still bearing the marks of my assault. How credible.
"When RetroAddict returns to the original world, I can easily present a generous gift."
"Anything?"
"Anything!"
"Even like 10 billion won in cash?"
"Just 10 billion won? 100 billion is also doable. Would you prefer more?"
...This guy, he seems to be promising too much.
But honestly, it was alluring. He's offering a wish. I have numerous desires I want to fulfill.
'Bro!'
...No.
There was one wish that I fervently hoped to realize.
I swallowed hard. If this character truly grants that wish, then...
Aider looked at me with a tender smile.
"RetroAddict has a wish you want to actualize, don't you? Not something like money, but a more valuable wish."
"..."
"You possess a dream you thought was unachievable and gave up on, right?"
Only then did I understand.
This self-proclaimed deity before me was aware, and he summoned me.
I was consumed with regret. Regret over something I had done.
"I'll fulfill your dream."
"...The dream is already shattered."
"As long as it still dwells in your heart, the dream isn't lost."
For some reason, Aider spoke with an assurance that suggested he knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Strike a deal with me, RetroAddict."
"..."
"Guide this world to its true ending. If you do, I'll grant your wish."
I, who had been silent, scoffed.
"But if you have such power, why don't you resolve it yourself?"
"There are certain limits to my abilities. I can exercise various powers 'outside' this world, but 'inside' I'm just an ordinary human. That's why I needed a proxy like you, RetroAddict..."
I exhaled quietly.
I couldn't entirely trust this guy, but I had a rough understanding of the situation. However,
"I want to ask one thing."
"Yes?"
"What happens if I die here?"
Indeed, that was the most crucial question.
"Winner takes all. If you succeed in clearing, you'll return safely to the original world, back to the moment when you were broadcasting your victory, having gained your desired wish."
Aider offered a thin smile.
"If you die here, it's the end."
"..."
"Life is a one-coin game. There are no saves, no loads. You cleared it on Ironman mode, you're aware of that, right?"
Indeed. That was the nature of this game.
Even if other aspects were forgiving, death was irreversible.
"If you wish to return to Earth, I can send you back immediately."
"What? Seriously?"
"Seriously. In fact, my initial plan was to bring you here and propose this from the start. You fell during the tutorial due to unforeseen complications..."
Scratching his chin awkwardly, Aider gazed at me with intensity.
"What's it going to be? Will you seize the opportunity to clear the true ending and earn the chance to fulfill your wish? Or... would you prefer to return to a peaceful everyday life, devoid of the threat of death?"
"..."
"The choice is entirely yours, RetroAddict."
Normally, I should have chosen to return without hesitation.
But two things deterred me. One was the aspiration to accomplish my wish, and the other was...
'Isn't it worth a shot?'
Confidence.
I had completed this game on Ironman mode. I had a handle on nearly everything about this game.
Clear it once more?
What can't I do?
Aider patiently waited, his lips sealed as I mulled over it.
"Hmm..."
After a lengthy consideration, I exhaled deeply.
"...I'm in."
Aider's face broke into a smile.
"Really?"
"Yes."
The odds seem more than favorable.
In that case, isn't it worth a gamble? One round of betting...!
"I'm going all in on this, so you better do your part correctly. And don't forget about granting my wish if we reach the true ending."
"Absolutely, sir! Treat me as your loyal hound from this point on!"
Aider literally prostrated himself, attempting to lick my feet like a dog. Get away, you madman!
I pushed Aider back, heaving a sigh as I glared at him.
"Alright then... Lord's Assistant Aider? To safely navigate this world, let's get started."
"Hooray! Just tell me what to do!"
Swiftly raising my hand, I jabbed my finger into Aider's chest. His face was lit up with an eager grin.
"By tomorrow morning, before I delve into official tasks, sell all the Black Spider magic stones."
"Eh?"
Aider's face froze, but I pressed on.
"Well, they are basically money conversion items, aren't they? You should have a sales route."
"Indeed, that's true, but it's already late in the day, and the market is closed..."
"I don't care. Then open it again. The merchants who are interested in buying magic stones should be in the city anyway."
I pressed my finger to Aider's lips, cutting off his protest.
"Shut up and do as you're told, jerk. Whether you sell it overnight or early in the morning, I want the cash conversion completed by the time I review official duties tomorrow. Got it?"
"Ah, understood..."
Aider looked deflated but complied.
"There are 388 Black Spider magic stones. It's a vast sum even just on the open market. What are you planning to do with all... this money!"
"There's plenty to do, but that's none of your concern."
I ushered Aider out of the bathroom, growling at him in a menacing tone.
"Get the cash by tonight, no excuses. Or else, smack!"
"Smack?"
"I'll abandon the game and bolt for the mid!" (TL Note: For those that played LoL, this sentence is obvious. For everyone else, he is basically saying he will give up and force a loss)
My trollish statement drained all color from Aider's face.
"I'll definitely get it sold!"
-Bang!
After shutting the bathroom door harshly, I let out a sigh and made my way to the bathtub.
"I need a bath, sigh..."
But the water in the bathtub had already gone cold. Damn it.
***
The next day.
I woke up from a sound sleep in my soft, pristine bed to find Lucas waiting outside the room.
"Lucas, you should take a break."
"I've had enough rest. I resumed my escort duties this morning."
It was morning in name only, but he'd probably been waiting by my door since before sunrise. This guy really takes his job seriously.
As I washed my face and dressed with Lucas's help, there was a knock at the door. It was Aider.
"Heh heh... The money conversion, it's done..."
Aider, soaked in sweat, pointed out the window.
Glancing out, I saw several carts brimming with boxes of gold coins. Due to the massive amount, a substantial security force was present.
"I summoned the merchants, stayed up all night... Held an early morning auction... Somehow managed to convert it all to cash."
He actually pulled it off. I thought maybe half would sell at most. He's more capable than I gave him credit for.
Aider offered me a bundle of sales documents. I didn't accept it, simply gesturing for him to continue.
"Just give me the grand total. How much is it?"
"For each stone, a little over 10,000 Adel. I sold all 388, so the total comes to 4.5 million Adel!"
4.5 million!
In this game, by the third year, the influx of high-quality magic stones caused severe inflation, but this was certainly not a sum you could amass at the start.
Lucas, taken aback, widened his eyes, and I casually whistled. This amount should suffice for operational funds.
"Good. We're heading out immediately. Get ready, Lucas."
"Where do you plan to go, your Highness?"
Lucas, who quickly fetched my coat, asked. I shot him a mischievous grin.
"Our party's quite empty, isn't it? I'm off to recruit a handy ally."
First stop, the Mercenary Guild.
I planned to pick out new members for my party.
"Just for starters..."
I flicked the gold certificate handed to me by Aider, letting a smirk play on my lips.
"Shall we try about 100 consecutive pulls?"
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