Chapter 228: Change (2)

Chapter 228: Change (2)

“Ian passed out again.”

From the stands, Amy Holloway casually munched on chocolate as if Ian Fairytale fainting was an everyday occurrence for her.

Morcan and I looked down at Ian, who was sprawled out on the dueling ground, eyes rolled back.

This isn’t right...

Although I sometimes jokingly called him an SSS-Class Master Fainter, I didn’t expect it to be this bad. This was too much...

Morcan initially dodged or parried Ian’s sword strikes, but after five minutes, he counterattacked.

It wasn’t fair for him to swing his weapon weakly like a child. Morcan moved quickly, but Ian was able to get in a single blow after his head was hit and he fainted.

“...”

A certain suspicion popped into my head.

Ian was the protagonist in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, but he only moved according to the player’s control.

The Ian I had thought of was always just the Ian from the game.

But this world isn’t just a simple game world.

I had always thought that the real Ian had outstanding reflexes and was good at fighting. It was purely my misunderstanding.

Is this the real Ian?

Then what about the game scenario centered around Ian?

If Ian’s skills weren’t guaranteed, didn’t that introduce a flaw in the scenario?

I had always sensed it, but it was a clear contradiction.

Even though I took over Ian’s role, I accumulated EXP, cleared achievements, and was able to allocate stat points to further my potential.

It felt like I had to follow a scenario for that to happen.

As if I had a predetermined track to follow.

And as long as I cleared obstacles and moved forward, rewards were given.

Maybe it’s like a cliche... like the gods were playing?

No... what a ridiculous thought.

I shook my head.

Why would a divine being bother to transmigrate me for their amusement?

Unless it was the amusement of the ultra-wealthy. For me to assume that a divine being would be entertained by a show I was putting on myself, following a predetermined scenario, was quite the stretch.

Surely there must be another purpose, and it definitely revolved around “defeating the Evil God”.

Or maybe...

The hypothesis that ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ was merely a “message” occurred to me.

This coincided with the possibility that all the stories I knew about Ian could be false.

Anyway... I still didn’t know the answer.

After all, I had to defeat the Evil God, and Ian needed to get stronger soon.

“Wake up, Ian.”

I crouched down and tapped Ian’s cheek lightly. However, it took him a few minutes to wake up.

“Gasp! W-where am I?”

Ian’s eyes snapped open, and he looked back and forth between Morcan and I, yelling.

“The dueling ground.”

“Ah... sorry. Did I pass out...?”

“How are you? Want to stop?”

“No, I’m fine! Let’s go again!”

It was a good thing that he was motivated.

“Go easy on him, Morcan.”

[As you wish.]

Five minutes later, Ian fainted again.

***

“I knew you’d be here!”

“Senior Dorothy?”

The lonely moon hung in the middle of the sky.

I had told Morcan to go on his own once Ian got tired.

I went to a corner of the Butterfly Garden to do some intense bodyweight exercises. I was currently taking it easy, doing one-handed push-ups.

I had neatly arranged my glasses and clothes in front of a tree. I was bare-chested, wanting to enjoy the breeze while I exercised.

Just as I passed 200 push-ups, a female student wearing a witch’s hat approached me with a smile.

It was Dorothy. I thought no one would come here at this hour, but I was mistaken.

“What brings you here at this time?”

“I was just bored. Thought I might find you here. Can I sit on your back?”

“I’m all sweaty right now, you know...?”

My body was drenched in sweat. I probably smell pretty bad, too. It would be unpleasant to touch me right now.

However, Dorothy just smiled naturally.

“I don’t mind. I’m going to shower later anyway. I was planning on washing these clothes today.”

“Then by all means. I could use the extra weight.”

“Nihihi, I came at the right time! Heave-ho!”

“I’ve been thinking about old times, back to the day I first met Stella. She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the Land of Oz, and it felt similar to that time. Well, everything got better right after you returned...”

Dorothy paused.

“The one inside your body. When that threat was there, the hallucination of someone holding my hand and the outburst both stopped.”

I stopped doing push-ups.

Dorothy had mentioned last time that some unknown entity resided within me.

She couldn’t perceive its exact form, but it definitely had many eyes and possessed an immense amount of mana.

Suddenly, I remembered what the Tower Master of Hegel, Aria Lilias, had said. She said that all beings who were close to a transcendental state had many eyes.

I wasn’t blindly trusting her words, but it seemed worth considering.

Is it the system?

Dorothy mentioned that she saw the entity from the first time we met. That was what sparked her interest in me.

Could it be the entity giving me power, like a game system?

I’m not sure yet.

Right now, nothing was certain. I could only hope to find the answer at the end of this journey.

“Thanks for telling me. I’ll think about it too.”

I continued with my push-ups.

“You’re really focusing on strength training today.”

“Because my mana is depleted.”

“Mind if I interrupt?”

“Please hold off.”

“Nihihi, I’ll let it go just this once.”

Dorothy chuckled quietly and then became silent.

I sneakily turned my head to look up at her. She was perched on my back, gazing intently at the moon hanging in the night sky.

Is she lost in thought?

I turned my head back down to the ground.

Soon, Dorothy spoke up.

“There’s something I haven’t told you.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve known all along that the President of my fan club wasn’t you.”

“...”

I wondered when she would catch on.

It actually made no sense that she hadn’t found out until now. It seemed she had been pretending not to know.

Then, why bring it up now?

“You can’t lie like that even if you’re a big fan. Fraud is a serious crime, you know?”

Dorothy leaned over from my back toward my head, her voice playful and close.

“...I’m sorry for deceiving you all this time.”

“If you’re really sorry, can I ask for a favor~?”

Here comes the main point.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with my training, anything is fine.”

I was willing to do anything as long as it didn’t interfere with my training.

Not only to Dorothy, but to Luce, and Kaya... I’ve caused them emotional turmoil, so it felt right to make it up to them somehow.

That way, naturally, I’d fulfill any favor and clear out any lingering guilt between us.

So we could go back to normal, and that would be that.

I listened attentively to Dorothy’s voice.

“Let me stay in your room tonight.”

“Heok...!”

Thud.

I crashed down. All my strength drained from me.

It was far beyond my control.

* * *

[Are you planning to leave already, Alice?]

In the Heart Kingdom, in Alice’s room.

The Phantom Cat Cheshire, with only its head floating in the air and its body transparent, asked Alice.

Alice Carroll smoothed her hair back and nodded.

“Yeah, I promised to return as soon as possible. I have important duties now, and Mephisto has not been subdued yet.”

The Heart Kingdom was operating in an emergency mode in anticipation of Alice’s absence.

Alice had stopped by the Heart Kingdom to quickly explain the situation and reassure her people.

It was time for her to leave.

“Get ready, Cheshire.”

[Meow! I am ready to leave anytime.]

Alice and the Phantom Cat Cheshire set off for Märchen /genesisforsaken