The World of Otome Games is Tough For Mobs - Volume 13 - Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

Goodbye

“GOODBYE?” I echoed.

“Yes. I am staying behind to close the door from this side.”

The door could only be closed from the afterlife. That was the way it worked in plenty of stories. The price to retrieve a soul was to offer one in its place.

Alte Liebe’s setting seemed random and generic on the surface, but from everything I’d seen, it was way darker than I’d given it credit for.

The girls’ sudden appearance had made me suspicious from the start. After all, other works of fiction included the exact same kind of magic Marie used to get them here. Since reviving me would cost her own life, I couldn’t go back with her and the others. Angie, Livia, and Noelle had seemed ignorant as to what the cost of their adventure would be, so Marie must’ve kept the truth from them.

In any case, it was now my job to close the door.

“Go back. Having you there will be better for everyone,” I said.

“Unfortunately, you can no longer issue me orders. I refuse.”

“Stop grumbling and go!” I shouted, frustrated.

“No.”

However much I pressured him, Luxion refused to budge an inch.

“You stubborn idiot! You’ve only been out there enjoying the world for three years. Three short years! After forty years between my two lives, I’ve enjoyed myself plenty. But until I found you, you were on standby for who knows how long. You need to experience more of the world! Surely there’s something you’d like to do out there?”

At this point, he wasn’t likely to annihilate the new humans. The odds that things would resolve peacefully were high—weren’t they? Would giving him a new master help? No, he said I can’t issue him orders anymore. Maybe I could ask him as a favor?

When it came down to it, the world would be a better place with Luxion in it, compared to me. He had to be the right choice. He offered so much more than I could.

“Thank you,” he said.

My forehead furrowed in confusion. Was this some new jibe? “What’re you talking about? Did you malfunction?”

“No. I am happy you showed me such consideration.”

He was practically never so upfront with me. I was gobsmacked.

“I planned to use you at first,” he told me.

“Yeah, I figured. But, hey, you’re free now. Go back and go ham.”

If he went back now, he could dedicate his efforts to Holfort and old humanity’s resurgence. They needed him for that; they didn’t need me.

“After all the years I spent on standby, my three short years with you were precious and irreplaceable to me. If I were human, rather than AI, I would probably call the emotion I felt ‘happiness.’”

“Then you should—”

“I would find life completely pointless without you in it, Master.”

He could finally go back into the world and do whatever he wanted without anyone giving him orders, but he was willing to throw all that away for me.

“I thought you hated me ordering you around and working you to the bone?” I said.

“No, I did not hate it. I am a migratory ship. I was created to serve man and could finally do so. You gave me a sense of purpose. You made me feel proud of what we accomplished.” I assumed he meant he was proud that, rather than extinguishing new humanity, our efforts served to help old humanity recover.

“Those accomplishments were yours and yours alone,” I said. “You should feel proud. Now go back.”

“I would be lost without someone to be proud of. Moreover, I made a promise to you.” He recited the words he’d used before: “‘Whatever it takes, I will find you. I swear it.’ Now I have fulfilled that promise.”

I hadn’t thought he was actually serious, let alone that he meant to fulfill his promise like this. “That promise you made doesn’t even count. I was barely conscious.”

“I am true to my word, so I make a point of fulfilling any promise I make. Master, I came to find you, and the exit is that way.” His gaze moved to the darkness, indicating where he wanted me to go. He seemingly wasn’t inclined to change his mind, however much I argued.

“Would you prefer we both stay here? I relied too much on you, and it’s high time Holfort learned to stand on its own two feet without us.” I shrugged as if it wouldn’t bother me if Luxion stuck around. But us both remaining here was the worst possible option, and I knew it. I just wanted him to give up and go back.

“More people love you than you seem to realize,” said Luxion.

No, that was impossible. Did he realize how many people resented me? How many I’d killed, how many I’d involved against their will in messes I caused, how many were suffering in the wake of it all?

“I’d say you’re mistaking love for hate.” I crossed my arms and looked away from him.

“I think you ought to go back too,” a familiar voice said.

I whipped around and was shocked to see Brave.

“Partner and Mia are waiting for you too. They’ll be heartbroken if you don’t go back.”

“Brave, don’t you—” Don’t you hate me for what I did? My head was a tangle of thoughts that I couldn’t seem to unravel.

“Please take a good look around you,” said Luxion.

“Huh?” I scanned the area and noticed a huge crowd surrounding us. Some of the onlookers were people whose lives I had taken.

“Your face looks awfully gloomy,” said the old Black Knight I’d once fought, his arms folded and his feet planted shoulder-width beneath him.

A girl who looked like Miss Hertrude poked her head from behind me. “I would like you to go back too,” she said. “For my elder sister’s sake. And I would like you to reward Fanoss for their contribution to the war effort.”

“And you are?” I asked.

“Hertrauda. Hertrude’s younger sister.”

This was the girl who’d lost her life in Holfort Kingdom’s war with the former Principality of Fanoss. I wasn’t directly responsible for her death, but I’d still had a hand in it.

“N-no, I can’t…” I stuttered.

The Black Knight marched toward me. I braced myself, thinking that he was going to punch me, but instead he plopped down on the ground with his legs bent beneath him. Then he lowered his head.

“What? Why are you prostrating yourself?!” I demanded. This was the last thing I would’ve expected.

He glanced up at me. “I owe you an apology for all the trouble I caused. I’d like you to go back, for my lady’s sake.”

“Don’t you hold a grudge against me?”

“I did,” he admitted. “But after I came here and learned the truth about everything, I changed my mind. It’s not time for you to join us yet.”

A number of House Fanoss soldiers who’d also lost their lives in that war stood behind him. They followed his lead, bowing their heads. Among them was a young woman with a child. I somehow knew they must be the Black Knight’s wife and daughter.

While I stood there speechless, someone from the Alzer Republic stepped toward me. It took me a moment to recognize Serge, who looked to have mellowed out immensely since his death.

“My old man and sister would be in a real bind if you didn’t go back,” he said.

“Serge.” My mind flashed back to the moment I’d shot and killed him.

He forced a smile. It didn’t seem like he resented me for what I’d done to him. “No need to look all sentimental. I understand that you helped me out in the end, though that probably sounds weird coming from me, especially after all the trouble I caused. But yeah, you’ve got to go back. It’s for your own good too.”

Many of the onlookers hailed from the Alzer Republic; they offered me thin smiles as they watched. 

I said nothing to Serge, too frozen to react.

Miss Hertrauda nudged my back as if trying to chase me through the gate. “There you have it. Now, please return. There is still much you need to do.”

“No! No, there isn’t! Come on, Luxion. Back me up here!” I threw him a pleading look.

Luxion seemed delighted at how many of them were trying to force me out. “This is karma,” he said. “It’s the path your actions laid. So many people want you to live on, Master.”

From anyone else, that would’ve sounded like a heartwarming line. “Any number of the dead just want you to survive, and you owe their support to your great deeds.” Yeah, how sweet. Except when it came from Luxion; then it just sounded sarcastic.

“Help me out, would you?!” I cried.

The Black Knight rose to his feet and started shoving me along as well. “Enough! You need to learn to give up. My lady is on the other side, awaiting you!”

He and Miss Hertrauda worked together to slowly force me toward the darkness. I fought with everything I had, bracing my feet and shoving back, but I couldn’t withstand them.

“You’re supposed to be dead! Stop butting in!” I said.

The Black Knight’s face reddened with rage. “Shut up!” he snapped. “You have good women waiting for you. But, for some reason, you’re desperate to throw it all away. You’re in the wrong here! I’ve finally gotten the chance to see my family again and apologize to them. You should be doing the same!”

Brave hovered over me, sighing in exasperation. “Just go back, okay?”

“I’m telling you guys, Luxion should go back, not me!”

“When you see my sister, I want you to give her a message,” Miss Hertrauda said. “Tell her I hold no grudge against her, and all I want is her happiness.”

“That’s way too sentimental for me! And I already told you guys, I’m not going back!”

Serge shrugged at me, shaking his head at my stubbornness. He joined the Black Knight and started shoving me too. “Since you are returning, tell my father I’m sorry I couldn’t be a son to him, and my sister I’m sorry I couldn’t be a brother to her. Got it?”

“Are you guys seriously going to treat me like your messenger boy?!”

Soon the others who’d lost their lives in wars I’d fought in threw their voices into the mix:

“We can’t have you dying now.”

“You need to keep going.”

“Yeah. We need you to live enough for all of us.”

Why were they all so intent on sending me back? I wasn’t the kind of person they seemed to think I was. I was manipulative, ordinary, and had an admittedly bad personality. I was a background character, and however hard I tried, I’d never be a protagonist. I’d only accomplished so much because I had Luxion. Without him, I couldn’t have done anything.

Brave hovered closer. “Could I ask you to deliver a message to my partner and Mia? Tell them I really enjoyed the time we spent together, and I’m sorry for leaving them behind.”

Like I said, too sentimental. Way too sentimental. Especially since I was the one who’d stolen him from Finn and Mia. What was he thinking, asking me to be his mailman?

No. Hold up. The bigger question was still why they all wanted me to keep living. Hadn’t I done enough? “You want me to go on shouldering everything? Why do I have to carry the weight of the world?! It’s too much for me!”

Brave stared back at me sorrowfully. “I feel bad about asking, honestly. But we can’t interfere with the living world anymore. Plus, I’ve got faith you’ll help my partner, Mia, and the rest of the imperials.”

I was struggling with all my might, but so many people had joined the effort to shove me toward the gate that I was getting dangerously close to falling over the threshold. One person had no chance against a crowd.

“All of you—every single person—want to rely on me to do everything! But I’m not the amazing hero you seem to think—” I choked back my words as my eyes landed on a group of soldiers from Holfort, people who’d fought alongside me and died in the process. Some among the crowd had also fought on the opposite side and lost their lives. All sorts had gathered around me.

“I admit I hated you deeply when I was alive,” one said to me. 

Taken aback by his frankness, I couldn’t think of any reply. 

The old soldier grinned at me. “You’re young, but you speak your mind. And you keep raising the bar, accomplishing what others cannot. I was envious. I decided to serve under your command and died out on the battlefield. I was real pissed off about that at first, but…”

Before he could finish, more people gathered and offered their own perspectives. They seemed to share his reasoning.

“Yeah. If we hadn’t fought with you, we couldn’t have protected our families.”

“We were able to die without any regrets thanks to you.”

“That’s why we hope you’ll keep serving the greater good and saving lives.”

What were they talking about? Any world that needed someone like me to save it was beyond salvation. I’d only managed to fight thanks to Luxion. Without him, I’d never have stepped in to help Holfort—not with all its political issues. How could they expect so much of an ordinary man like me?

“You’re pinning your hopes on the wrong person! Send Luxion back, not me!” I shouted at them. I was intent on struggling to the end, if that was what it took.

Someone strode forth from the crowd. I recognized her as the head elder at the elves’ village. She mumbled something at me, her voice hoarse and quiet as a whisper.

What’s she saying? I squinted at her.

“He cannot hear you,” Luxion informed her quickly.

“Oh, my apologies,” she said, her voice losing its husky quality and shifting to something more pleasant and easy to understand. Her hunched back stretched upward, the puddles of wrinkles on her face flattened, and her skin regained a youthful quality. Her white hair darkened to blonde and regained a healthy sheen. I was mystified.

The head elder’s breasts swelled larger, giving her a voluptuous figure. I slapped my hand over my mouth, and some of those watching chuckled at my expense.

Miss Hertrauda frowned at me. “I hope you will act more discreetly in front of my elder sister.”

An image of Miss Hertrude popped into my head. She wasn’t particularly well-endowed; her breasts paled in comparison even to Miss Hertrauda’s. Maybe she was self-conscious about that.

Anyway, the blonde elven beauty—that is, the head elder who’d foretold my future last time I saw her—winked at me.

That’s one gorgeous woman, I thought. It proved how cruel time’s ravage could be to a person’s beauty.

“It’s been a long time, Hero,” she said.

“Yeah, I guess it sure has. Uh, what’re you doing here?”

Come to think of it, she’d mentioned something about a hero when she was fortune-telling.

“I returned here rather recently.”

“Returned here?” I didn’t understand what she meant.

The head elder shook her head in disappointment. “The important thing is that you seem completely unaware of what you’ve accomplished. You saved a world on the brink of destruction and laid a new path forward.”

What? She wasn’t making any sense. I needed her to explain this to me like I was a child. “What do you mean ‘on the brink’?” I asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

She ignored my question. “It’s all right if you don’t realize the gravity of that,” she continued. “What matters is that you saved the world thanks to your natural desire to do so. You’ve been through much toil on your journey, and your efforts do not go unappreciated. I’m certain you’ll keep the world on the right path and prevent the impending disasters that still await.” She clasped her hands as if in prayer.

This elf lady was exactly the type I went for. She wore the traditional garb of her people, but I could still make out the lines of her killer body, thick in all the right places. If I’d met this version of her in the village, I might’ve tried to win her over.

Hearing someone so attractive shower me with compliments left me lightheaded. “No, it was nothing, really,” I said with a bashful laugh, getting carried away. Then, with a sinking sensation, I finally digested her words. “Uh, hold up. Is it just me, or did you throw something ominous in at the end there?”

The head elder smiled at me. “You’ve saved the world many times before, Hero. Luxion’s presence here is proof of your deeds. He is a demon king of old. The Metal Demon King.”

Wait. Luxion’s a demon king?! I stared at him, open-mouthed. He looked awfully cocky for someone trapped in a tiny metal body.

“Surprised?” he said.

“No, not really. I mean, when we first met and you came out of standby mode, you immediately started going on about expunging all the new humans—wait!”

That’s right. When I found him, he was already talking about ignoring the standby order he’d received and wiping out civilization. I’m not imagining that, right?! I know he said it! Had I actually made a really smart play by retrieving him when I did, before he could wreak havoc on the world?

“If I hadn’t met you, Master, I would have remained ignorant of the truth and annihilated old humanity’s descendants, along with everyone else. I almost destroyed my very reason for existing. It was lucky that I encountered you when I did,” said Luxion.

“Wait. You were serious about that eradication nonsense? It wasn’t a joke?”

“Of course I was serious,” he answered without missing a beat, sending a chill down my spine.

He’s dangerous. But since I’d protected the world from him, didn’t I deserve to be relieved of further duties?

“That’s not all,” said the head elder. “You saved two women from misery—though that perhaps owed less to your efforts than to Saint Marie’s. Nonetheless, those two might’ve brought the world to its knees. Next, there was the war between Holfort Kingdom and the Principality of Fanoss. Had Holfort lost that conflict, the empire could easily have ended the Alzer Republic, and the world would’ve lost every last trace of old humanity. That would, in turn, have led to the end of everything we know. Then you triumphed in the Alzer Republic, stopping the Sacred Tree when it went out of control. If not for—”

It was fine that everything I’d done had ended in our favor, but that only made me sound good in retrospect. I hadn’t been aware of any of those consequences at the time.

“That’s enough!” I interrupted. “Look, I didn’t do all that stuff because I thought it’d save the world. I just didn’t like how things were going, so I stepped in. Seems odd to declare me a hero based on coincidences, don’t you think?”

Anyone—myself included—would enjoy being praised as a hero. All the flattery had almost convinced me that I was the hero they thought, but I couldn’t get that carried away. I was a normal guy. In game terms, I was no more than a mob, and I understood that. No one could reasonably call me a hero. On top of it all, I’d made a lot of bad choices along the way, and sacrificed many people. Instead of relying upon me because things had worked out, they’d be better off calling a real hero in.

“Actual heroes are way more impressive than I am,” I told them. “They’re strong, kind—the complete opposite of me.”

If someone else wanted to save everyone, I’d happily lick their boots. Okay, no, that’s disgusting. Maybe I’d be nice and carry their things for them instead.

The head elder cradled her head in her hands. Even exasperated, she looked stunning. “Mmm. What a conundrum this is. I suppose we’ll just have to take the hard route. Everyone, shove him back through the gate, and force him to return!”

People’s hands stretched out, grabbing me and lifting me, ready to toss me through the gate before I could struggle further.

“St-stop! Hey, Luxion, quit watching and do something, would you?!”

“I must politely decline. I hope instead that you find happiness upon your return. That is all I desire, Master.”

Ugh, you really piss me off! It’s not fair to say such sentimental stuff now!

“You’re a real pain in my backside, you know! After I turn into an old prune and kick the bucket, I’m going to come back here and sock you one! I hope you’re ready! You wait right there! Got that? Right there! I’m coming back for you, I swear!”

Liquid dribbled from Luxion’s lens. “Yes, do that. I will wait right here until you return as an old man. It’s more my style to await someone than to be the one seeking them out. It won’t be that long, anyway. You will return in under a century. That is much less time than I spent awaiting you before.”

The crowd tossed me at the gate. As its darkness swallowed me, I thrust my hand toward Luxion. “I swear I’ll come find you again! And thank you for everything you—”

I didn’t get to finish before I was pulled into the living world.

***

Once the gate swallowed Leon, Luxion slowly nudged it closed. He moved to one side and stared at it, beginning his long wait for Leon’s eventual return. Almost everyone else in the area had already dispersed. Only Brave and a few others remained.

“Are you really going to wait for him right here?” asked Brave.

“Yes. I have only one master: Leon Fou Bartfort. I will wait as long as it takes.”

Take your time, Master. But make sure to return to me. I will stay right here until you come back. He didn’t intend to move an inch until Leon reappeared through that gate someday.

***

The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself inside a capsule of translucent green liquid. I was completely submerged, but breathing wasn’t painful. I lifted my hand and touched the glass in front of me. Noise immediately broke out on the other side.

“Hurry and tell everyone!”

“R-right!”

“He’s awoken! His Grace has awoken!”

The liquid drained, and the glass retracted. As I sat upright, Cleare zoomed over. “Are you all right, Master? You’re conscious, aren’t you? Do you still have your memories? Do you know who I am?”

I nodded at each question. “How much time has gone by?”

“Three months,” she said. “Why didn’t you just come back when everyone went to get you?!”

“Sorry,” I said, showing no remorse whatsoever for making them wait. “Guess I overslept.”

“You lazy pile of bones!” Cleare shouted, but her anger soon faded into nervous stammering. “Um, I don’t know how to put this, Master, but I have bad news.”

“What is it?” I more or less guessed what she’d say.

“Come in!” she called, instead of explaining.

A spherical mobile unit similar to Luxion entered the room. Its body was much darker black than Luxion’s, but it had a red lens at its center.

“I don’t know how it happened, but he underwent a factory reset. We haven’t been able to recover his data. He’s back in the state he was in when he first received the standby order. He’s like a newborn, basically,” Cleare explained. “I’ve registered you as his Master already, but it’s still really frustrating that this happened. What’s more,” she added, “he won’t listen to me!”

The mobile unit’s new appearance, combined with Cleare’s explanation, told me all I needed to know. He really did it. He sacrificed himself to save me. He’d left his main body behind to keep serving me, though.

I lifted my hand toward the black…Luxion, for lack of a better name at the moment. 

He zoomed eagerly at me. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master! I am a migratory ship built to help old humanity evacuate to the stars. My name is Lux—”

I couldn’t let him call himself that. The real Luxion was on the other side, waiting for my eventual return. It’d be confusing to refer to them by the same name. No, I needed to call this Luxion something different, out of respect for both the original and the new AI who’d be my partner from now on.

“Sorry,” I interrupted him, “but I’m changing your name.”

“Very well. What shall my new name be, then? Oh, I’m a little nervous about this, even though I’m a machine!”

He was much more cheerful and outgoing than Luxion, yet just as serious and committed as his older counterpart had been. Still, I missed Luxion’s quips and jabs.

“Let’s see… Elysium? Yeah, you’ll be Elysium. Cute name, isn’t it?”

He bounced in the air, overjoyed. “Elysium it is, then. I have registered it! Although I’m not sure about being called cute. As an AI, I have no concept of gender. Do you want me to serve you as a female AI? If so, I will need to make major adjustments to my mobile unit!”

I snatched him out of the air to stop his babbling. “There’s no need for that. You’re fine the way you are.”

Cleare studied me. “Master, did you already know about this?” I didn’t say anything, but that was enough for her to put two and two together. “So you did.”

Still caught in my grip, Elysium glanced up at me. “Master, you appear to be crying. Are you in pain?”

I brushed away the tears. “It’s just because I was submerged in that liquid until now. That’s all. Anyway, come on. We’ve got to go let everyone know I’m up.”

My body felt incredibly heavy after being inactive for three whole months. Enduring the pain, I forced myself to my feet while Cleare got me a hospital gown to wear. I slipped my arms through the sleeves and secured it around me.

Now free, Elysium came to rest at my right shoulder, the same place Luxion had occupied.

“Not there,” I told him. “You belong over here.” I grabbed him, moving him to my left shoulder.

“Why?” he asked curiously.

I couldn’t tell him the truth—that the other spot belonged to someone else, to my previous partner. Instead, I said, “My left shoulder’s a special VIP seat just for you.”

“All right! I will keep that in mind in the future. Your left shoulder is my spot.” He seemed quite pleased, which made me wonder if Luxion had also been so innocent and childlike when he was first created. I knew better than to ever ask him; no way would he give me a straight answer. Nonetheless, this was pretty entertaining, although I sorely missed Luxion’s sarcasm.

I staggered forward, but only made it a few steps before the door burst open and Angie, Livia, and Noelle spilled into the room. They all looked like they’d lost a lot of weight since I last saw them.

Each burst into tears the moment she saw me. They threw themselves at me, embracing me tightly.

“Sorry,” I said. “I overslept.”

Angie peered up at me. “Don’t ever make us worry like that again. I’m…I’m hopeless without you. I waited… This whole time, I waited for you to come back!”

Livia had buried her face in my shoulder, but slowly lifted her eyes to look at me. Tears streaked her cheeks. “I regretted it so much after you pushed us through the gate, Mr. Leon,” she said. “I kept thinking that everything would’ve been different if I hadn’t let go of your hand. All this time—the whole time you were asleep—I blamed myself.” Her voice was thick with anger, sadness, and a complex mixture of other emotions.

“I’m sorry. I won’t ever let you go like that again.”

“That’s a promise, and you’d better keep it this time,” she said.

Oof. She sure doesn’t have much faith in me, does she?

Noelle peered up at me with red, swollen eyes. “Dummy. You big dummy, Leon! You’re the biggest jerk in the world.”

“I know. Trust me, I know,” I said.

As the three clung to me, crying, Marie and Julius dashed into the room.

“Big Bro!”

“Brother-In-Law!”

What the hell? Julius calling me that ruined what should’ve been a sentimental moment.

“Couldn’t you two be a little more considerate?” I grumbled at them with a dramatic sigh.

Marie balled her little fists. “It’s your fault for causing everyone so much trouble!” she snapped back. “Do you have any idea how I… You stupid moron!” When she was done shrieking at me, she dissolved into ugly sobs.

Can’t you make up your mind whether you’re angry or sad?

Julius started weeping too.

“What’re you crying for? Seeing a guy’s tears does nothing for me,” I said.

“There’s the Leon we all know. I’m relieved.” He gave me a big grin. I couldn’t understand why he seemed so happy.

“All right, all right.” Cleare’s voice rang out loudly enough to draw everyone’s attention. “Let Master rest a little. Everyone else, please get ready for the ceremony. Our plans have been severely delayed, so we need to get back on track.”

My absence had apparently thrown a real wrench into things. “Sorry,” I said. “What’s this ceremony about?”

“It’s the coronation,” Cleare said, as if I should already know that. “Your beloved Master is waiting for you.”

“Coronation?” I asked, confused.

“Yes. Roland stepped down, so the new king must ascend to the throne.”

Oh, right. Pretty sure I heard something about that before the war with the empire started. Or maybe I didn’t. Well, whatever. Master was probably stepping in as the new king, since he was part of the royal family. Why else would Cleare have made a point of mentioning him? No one else could do the job. Julius and Jake were out of the question, and the other princes were too young. Elijah was related to the royal family, but I couldn’t picture him on the throne. Everyone would surely support Master’s claim, so that only made sense.

The one thing I didn’t like about this was that his coronation would make it hard for the two of us to have tea parties. Still, that was my only real gripe.

Angie wiped the tears from her swollen eyes and smiled at me. “That’s right. You rest, Leon. We’ll get everything ready.”

“Yeah? Sounds great. It’s still hard to move around.” I’d put my body through the wringer during the war. All my external wounds had healed, but I had no idea how much damage my organs had sustained.

Livia glanced up at me. “We’ll do our best to keep supporting you, Mr. Leon.”

“Huh? Oh, uh, thanks,” I said awkwardly, a little embarrassed. I’d also do my utmost to offer Master whatever support I could. A king with some dignity would be an improvement over Roland; I’d enjoy serving Master much more.

Noelle wiped her tears away with her sleeve and gave me a petulant look. “You know, I didn’t expect you to accept this so easily. You’re really, really committed.”

“Committed? To what?”

***

Hold on. No one brought this up to me.

The palace’s audience chamber had been decorated in a rather simple, yet elegant, style for this event. It gave off a decidedly different atmosphere than in the past. The war with the empire had only just ended, so the royal coffers hadn’t yet refilled enough to afford the same opulence as in the old days.

That, however, wasn’t my objection.

Leaders from foreign nations the world over had gathered to witness this coronation. Vordenoit had even sent an envoy. A lot had happened while I was unconscious.

But that was neither here nor there. We needed to put the brakes on this whole thing. Way too many people are here, right? There were attendees from Vordenoit, Alzer, and other countries I didn’t recognize. Wait, no. The headcount doesn’t matter either!

Why was I being crowned king?!

I spotted Roland in the crowd. He climbed the stairs to hand over his crown, then promptly retreated. I had half a mind to snatch the crown off my head and chuck it at him. This was my coronation ceremony?!

“Th-this doesn’t make any sense,” I said, my whole body trembling. “No one told me anything about this.”

Everyone had accepted me as the new king as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Was I dreaming? Was this all a figment of my imagination, conjured while I was still comatose in that capsule? I entertained the possibility for a bit, but I had to shake it off. There was no sense trying to escape reality. I needed to keep a cool head to clarify the situation.

“For the most part, all you need do is keep calm and watch,” a voice whispered into my ear.

I craned my neck and saw Master standing there, looking far more fit for this role than I was. “Shouldn’t you be doing this, not me?” I whispered to him.

His smile weakened. “You have a strange sense of humor, Your Majesty. What point would there be in a wizened old man like me taking the throne? You have the strength, the bloodline, and a list of accomplishments everyone respects. It makes far more sense for a youth like you to lead us into a new age.”

I was Luxion’s—or rather, as he was known now, Elysium’s—master; I was engaged to Angie, a blood relation to the old royal family; and I’d triumphed over the empire, although the odds had been stacked staggeringly against us. All the kingdom’s aristocrats had agreed to recognize me as king. It made sense, in retrospect, why they were all so reverent and polite with me. And no wonder they’d been willing to follow me. They knew I’d be crowned after the war was over.

“But don’t you think this is a big mistake?” I persisted. “Roland’s alive and kicking. We should work him to his dying breath.” Standing there in front of everyone, I blanched, my face twisting into a look of bewilderment. Roland seemed awfully pleased by my dilemma; he was grinning like the cat that got the cream. It made my blood boil.

“Roland will be retiring to a spot we set aside for him in the countryside. He’ll take some concubines along, as well as a number of his mistresses,” said Master.

“He’s retiring?” I asked, indignant. 

Why was I being forced onto the throne while he got to run off to an easy life in the countryside? That was exactly what I’d always wanted, and he’d stolen it from me! Oh, he was not going to get away with this. It only made matters worse that some of the concubines from his remarkably huge harem, as well as his mistresses, were so concerned for him that they wanted to go along.

What the hell? This was a world gone mad. My fists trembled at my sides. No matter what it takes, I’ll stick my nose in and meddle so his retirement’s spoiled! 

Angie had been crowned queen during this ceremony. Wearing a red gown, she stood confidently before the crowd, as if this was exactly where she belonged. Her regal voice rang through the room. “Now that Leon Fou Bartfort has been crowned our new king, we declare this the beginning of Holfort Kingdom’s Bartfort dynasty!”

The aristocrats sank onto one knee, bowing their heads as they swore fealty to me. Livia and Noelle watched us from the edge of the elevated stage we all stood on. They both wore gowns as well, smiling as they wiped away tears of joy.

I was now preoccupied by Angie’s mention of a Bartfort dynasty. She was implying that my bloodline would constitute the kingdom’s new royal family, which made a certain sense. My offspring would inherit the throne for generations to come, since the former royal family had lost all claim to it, and my children would be the only ones in the line of succession. But it was just weird to keep calling this “Holfort” Kingdom when the Holfort family was no longer in power. Regardless, this was the beginning of a new country.

I guess we were able to usurp Roland peaceably because I’m taking Angie as my wife, I thought. No… It’s more like he fobbed the throne off on me.

Roland clutched his stomach, almost doubling over as he tried to hold back laughter.

I’d love nothing more than to send him straight to the gallows.

On that note, it seemed weird that Julius and Jake were here. You guys are princes, aren’t you?! At least, former princes. You’re really okay with me stealing your birthright?! Why’re you applauding like this is some happy event?!

Julius wasn’t the only one cheerfully attending. The rest of the idiot brigade was here, and they all looked relieved that I’d sit on the throne from now on. They gazed up at me with blankly pleased expressions, as if there were no complicated thoughts in their heads.

You’ll all pay for this. Mark my words, every last one of you will suffer. I’m a small-minded guy. You idiots aren’t getting a happy ending while I’m forced to sit here tormented. But I was too timid to risk destroying the mood by venting my feelings. Instead, I kept a thin, uncomfortable smile on my face for appearances’ sake.

Angie grinned at me. “I used some rather unconventional methods to ensure things ended this way, but at least now our country’s unified. Thank you, Leon. I’m glad you had faith in me.”

“Huh? Uh, no, I wasn’t—ah!” I gasped as I remembered Angie informing me that she knew a way to unify everyone. I’d told her she was free to do so, if she thought she could, never asking for details about her plan.

Oh no. She couldn’t have meant making me king, right?! I’d taken it for granted that someone else would be crowned after Roland stepped down, so maybe I had this coming.

My eyes landed on Elijah, who was attending the ceremony with Erica. I was tempted to throw him under the bus by making him take the throne. That way, I could run away from the responsibilities this new position entailed. Awfully tempting. Erica was royalty—or used to be, I figured. Surely, with my support, she could take the job. I mean, maybe?

None of that mattered. I was just being stubborn—and kicking myself for not paying more attention to detail. Why didn’t I ever pay attention to detail?! What I wouldn’t have given to go back and punch myself.

***

As the coronation ceremony ended, the attendees transitioned to a standing banquet. Since Holfort Kingdom was still recovering, the celebration was modest.

Some thought that opulence would be needed to earn neighboring nations’ respect, but Leon’s awakening meant that luxury wasn’t necessary. Holfort’s new king was the hero who’d vanquished the empire; he’d more than proven his mettle in battle.

“Where’s Leon? Did he retire to the lounge?” Angie had been speaking with each country’s envoys up until now. As she realized she hadn’t seen Leon in a while, she became so anxious that it showed on her face. She felt guilty for forcing him to push himself so hard when he’d only just awoken.

“He said he was going to rest, because he’s exhausted,” Livia told her. “But, judging by the way he sped out of here, I think maybe he was just running from the party itself.” She smiled, although her brows were drawn together in a look of exasperation.

Angie’s face brightened a little. “I hope that’s all it is. Resting is part of his job right now.” She nodded in satisfaction to herself.

“What? I haven’t heard anything about this!” Noelle’s panicked voice echoed from a short distance away. It was loud enough to gain the attention of everyone nearby.

Angie sighed. “What is she making so much fuss about?”

Livia chewed her lip nervously, worried about what could be going on. Whatever it was must’ve been beyond Noelle’s ability to handle, because she hurried over to Livia and Angie the moment she saw them, holding a document.

“H-here, Angelica,” she stammered, her hand trembling as she passed her what appeared to be a contract.

Angie scanned the page with growing horror. “I’ve never heard about this,” she said.

Three women followed Noelle over. 

Deirdre pressed her fan over her mouth and chortled. “What a relief that Leon—pardon, His Majesty—came back to us safely.”

“Deirdre?!” Angie glowered at her.

Clarice smiled. “I would think you understand exactly what’s going on from looking at the contract, don’t you, Angelica? His Majesty promised us this compensation when he was still an archduke.”

Angie handed the contract to Livia, who began trembling as she digested the stipulations it contained. “He promised this to House Fanoss as well?!” She stared hard at Hertrude.

Hertrude made peace signs with both hands, although she was too bashful to show any emotion on her face. “Before we set out, you’d gathered us all in one place. Did you think we’d keep each other in check? Sadly for you, I’m the type to prioritize my own interests and those of my house over petty arguing.”

Livia was speechless. Hertrude had played her hand well.

Louise stepped toward Noelle. “Sorry about this, Noelle. I know it was unfair of me to arrange it this way, but I had to put what’s best for our homeland above all else.” She spoke as though her hands were tied, but her beaming face contradicted that.

Noelle’s fists trembled. “You put your own feelings first, and don’t you pretend otherwise!”

“Oh, dear. You saw through me?”

Angie shook her head. She needed to calm down and handle this situation. “Though I’m sure I already know the answer, I have to ask, just to be absolutely clear—what is it you four want?”

Leon had rather vaguely promised to reward them with whatever compensation they desired once the fighting was over. No specifics or limitations were given in the contract, and it most definitely had his signature at the bottom.

“That should be obvious,” Clarice answered for the other girls. “We want…”

***

Since I’d only just recovered from my war injuries, I gave the excuse that I was exhausted and fled the party for the lounge.

“Rotten piece of garbage!” I shrieked once I was outside the chamber doors. “Roland and his ugly, grinning mug… I hate his guts!”

The jerk had some nerve. He’d made various jabs, like “How do you enjoy this, Your Majesty?” and “How’s it feel being king now? What’s it like? I genuinely want to know.”

At this point, it made sense that he’d acted so serious before we set out for battle. He’d already known that I would take up the king’s mantle. He’d been restraining his usual childish antics entirely for this moment.

“Roland, you rat bastard. I swear I’ll make you suffer for this.”

As I stewed in regret, Elysium watched curiously. “What a wonderful day, Master. You’re now king of an entire nation.”

“How can you watch me suffer like this and act so happy?” I demanded. 

I couldn’t understand him. Maybe it had something to do with the factory reset, and a lack of lived experience, but his reaction didn’t seem to fit the situation.

“Oh, I see. You’re dissatisfied.”

I nodded. He finally got it. “Exactly.”

“I recognize why. You are too great to preside over only one kingdom. We shall eventually need to subjugate neighboring nations to grow our dominion until we conquer the entire world!”

“Would you quit putting words in my mouth?! I never said anything about world domination! How’d you even make that connection?!”

I was telling my new partner that I didn’t want to be a king at all, but he didn’t get it. Maybe that was inevitable; he’d only just awoken. I’d have to teach him a lot, a prospect that felt incredibly daunting.

A knock sounded on the lounge door. When I invited whoever it was to enter, Angie and the other girls flew in with dark expressions.

“Leon, there’s something we need to talk about,” Angie said tersely.

Livia was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Both were obviously furious. “We’d like the truth from you, Mr. Leon.”

The sudden interrogation took me aback.

Noelle charged toward me, thrusting several papers forward. “Do you remember signing these? You don’t, right? Tell me you don’t.”

Whatever these papers were, my signature was at the bottom of each sheet. The three girls recognized it, of course, so why had they sped here to ask me what they already knew? Had something happened? Studying the pages, I realized this was the contract Miss Hertrude had me agree to before the war began.

“Yeah, I signed this.” I swallowed and asked tentatively, “Something wrong?”

Their faces fell.

“Why would you make vague promises?” Angie demanded.

“Vague promises?”

“You signed these documents without thinking properly about what they might ask of you. You’ve essentially agreed to take Clarice and the other three into your care.”

“I’ve what?!” The pages crinkled in my hands as I studied them again. I’d promised compensation without clarifying what it would be. I just said I pledged to compensate their aid in battle as fully as I could.

Livia smiled thinly at me. “Houses Fanoss, Atlee, and Roseblade will each send women to marry you and strengthen relations between their house and the crown. The Alzer Republic will do likewise.”

“B-but I was thinking I’d pay them platinum or something,” I babbled, trying to cover my ass.

It was a safe bet that “strengthen relations” meant they wanted me to welcome the women they sent as concubines.

“You big idiot!” Noelle shrieked, tears in her eyes. “You should’ve made it clear how you’d repay them to begin with! Since you already signed this contract promising them basically anything, we’ve got no choice but to honor it!”

I realized now that I shouldn’t have signed so easily, but it was already too late.

Angie seemed to read the emotions on my face. She leaned in closer, putting pressure on me. “You’d better not tell me you heedlessly signed this only because you didn’t think you’d survive long enough to make good on it.”

“No, uh—actually, yeah.” She was glaring daggers at me, so the truth just slipped out.

Livia’s smile became strained. “Is that why you agreed to so many things so easily? You thought you wouldn’t come back either way, so you’d never have to see them through?”

“Yeah,” I said reluctantly.

Noelle gave me a cold glare. “You never meant to become king either?”

“No, actually. That kind of caught me off guard. I didn’t ever think I’d be the one crowned.”

Noelle burst into dry laughter that echoed painfully through the room. “But everything worked out just perfectly for you, didn’t it? From your point of view, you came back and got pushed into the position without warning.” Her lips pursed into a flat line. “You were reckless because you planned to die.” Her face was blank, which only happened when she was absolutely livid.

“I’m so sorry. I just thought I had to be willing to put my life completely on the line, or we wouldn’t be able to win,” I said.

Yes, I’d been reckless. I figured if I survived and had to make good on my promises, I’d cross that bridge then. There were no guarantees I’d make it out alive! But I wasn’t going to say that to them. I’d already dug my grave deep enough.

Angie and the others exchanged looks. All three sighed, seeming to resign themselves. Being angry with me for any longer wouldn’t serve any purpose.

Angie jabbed a finger in my direction. “At any rate, you’d better never sign something so vague again! Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Crestfallen, Livia dropped her gaze to her feet. “I didn’t expect Mr. Leon to take so many wives so quickly.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

Noelle narrowed her eyes at me. “You didn’t agree to anything else, did you? You’d better spill your guts right now, while you have the chance.”

“No, I didn’t.” I hesitated. “Uh, I don’t think.”

“You don’t think?”

I couldn’t remember. At the time, I’d abandoned all hope of surviving, so it was anyone’s guess.

The girls had formed a circle around me. I was sweating bullets by this point. “Save me, Luxion,” I whined.

Elysium was hovering at my left shoulder. He shot out in front of me, then turned back around to face me squarely. “I’m right here, Master. Please let me help you.”

“Yeah? What’re you going to do to get me out of this mess?” I asked.

“Simple. Based on everything I heard up to this point, the main issue is the concubines’ arrival, is it not? Well, there is no need for you to worry. I am more than in favor of you having more offspring, Master.” He spun back around to face the girls. “In fact, I recommend expanding Master’s harem further. Surely you wouldn’t mind doing that if it’s for his benefit. I can prepare a list of adequate candidates. Please have them summoned to the palace.”

He was only interested in spreading my genes, but his worst offense was putting that duty on Angie, Livia, and Noelle’s shoulders. Their faces tensed with indignation. They looked like demons ready to come at me for the kill.

“I’m suddenly not so sure I can teach Elysium right from wrong,” I muttered.

It hadn’t been long since Luxion and I said goodbye to each other, but I sorely missed him. What would he say if he were here right now? The future was looking grim.

***

Meanwhile, Roland had returned to his private quarters with Mylene. She’d pulled him away from the banquet to admonish him for taunting Leon several times, and Roland was acting like a petulant child about it.

“What a waste,” he said. “I was having fun talking to the young ladies at the party.”

“You’re always like this. Can’t you try showing a little self-restraint? The new king hates the exact behavior you just demonstrated,” said Mylene.

Roland sank into a nearby chair and crossed his legs. He stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. His expression finally softened. “Mylene, I’m splitting up with you.”

She was stunned for a moment. “What’re you talking about?” she asked with a hint of laughter in her voice, as if she thought he was joking. 

But Roland was being perfectly serious. “We won’t need to appear together in public anymore. There’s no need for you to continue pretending to be my wife.”

Mylene’s gaze dropped to the floor. Their union had been completely political, but the two had been together for many years. “There was never any love between us, but it still hurts to hear you say that.”

If they split up, Mylene would return to her homeland in disgrace. She didn’t see any hope for her future, but perhaps it was lucky that she’d survived at all. Had they been defeated in the war, she really would’ve lost everything.

“I suppose we can count our blessings that we have our lives, but I have no idea what I’ll do now.” She wrung her hands.

Roland smiled gently at her. He could often be callous toward Mylene, but not today. “Now that I’ve released you, you’re free to live however you want. I’m sure the new king will take good care of you.”

“Pardon?” She blinked at him in surprise. It took a few moments for Roland’s words to sink in. “What an outrageous thing to say!” She must’ve thought he was teasing.

Roland stared at her without cracking a smile; he was utterly serious about this. “I couldn’t love you, but I still want you to be happy. You’ve done so much for me and my country. Let me at least support your chance at finding true love.”

“B-but…” Her eyes darted from side to side, as if she couldn’t make up her mind.

“You should live for yourself,” Roland said emphatically, attempting to give her the push she obviously needed. “Find your happiness, Mylene.”

Tears trickled down her cheeks. Lifting himself from his chair, Roland wrapped his arms around her shoulders to comfort her.

***

After Mylene left, a doctor acquaintance of Roland’s named Fred popped inside. He shot Roland an annoyed, if not exhausted, look. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to have Holfort Kingdom’s former queen join the new king’s harem?”

Roland stood up straight, puffing his chest out like he was proud of a job well done. “It’s a perfect strategy, isn’t it? I get the satisfaction of sending a wild card right into that brat’s inner circle, and Mylene gets to be with the one she really loves. Don’t worry. If he chases her out, I’ll support her.”

Fred hung his head. “Please don’t destroy the delicate balance of the new king’s romantic relationships. Things like that can affect the whole kingdom.”

“Nah. The brat’ll handle it well. At least, since Angelica’s got a good head on her shoulders, we can rest assured she’ll take care of it. For better or worse, he’s basically putty in her hands.” Roland grinned to himself and broke into a little jig, unable to contain his happiness. “Mm, I really outdid myself with this one! Stuck it to the brat and got rid of that nag Mylene. Two birds with one stone! My own genius scares me sometimes. I got rid of the concubines and mistresses I didn’t want anymore to boot. All’s well that ends well!”

Roland was actually grateful to Leon. The palace had been simultaneously suffocating and boring. Not only had he managed to free himself of that, the incoming government would bankroll his new lifestyle in the countryside. As far as Roland was concerned, he’d achieved victory over Leon.

“What scares me is that someone like you was ever our king,” said Fred.

Roland nodded. “Right there with you. This country’s got something seriously wrong with it. The new king will have to work hard to fix everything.” He looked pleased as punch about this whole thing.

Fred stared hard at the former king with a sour expression.

***

Once the coronation ceremony was over, I made time to meet Erica. There was a lot we needed to talk about, but most of all, I wanted to check on her condition. This should’ve been a relaxing opportunity to catch up with my niece, but instead…

“S-sorry, what’d you say just now?” I asked.

Erica gave me a regretful look.

The moment our meeting began, she’d apologized to me. She felt her selfish actions had caused us unnecessary pain. Even if she’d come clean sooner, though, that wouldn’t have stopped the empire from doing what it had. Maybe it was mean of me to say, but her actions wouldn’t have changed a thing. Still, she seemed to blame herself for everything. 

I convinced Erica that it was arrogant to think she bore any responsibility or owed anyone anything over what had happened. The war would’ve broken out sooner or later. It had been inevitable. Anyway, I didn’t think things had ended too badly. It’d gone about as well as it could have.

But I’d also accepted her unnecessary apology, and our conversation was going smoothly. Then she said something so startling my heart almost stopped.

“Uh…um… Uncle,” she repeated nervously, “I said that this otome title—the Alte Liebe series, that is—has at least six installments that I know of.”

This was a brand-new revelation I hadn’t been prepared for. Not only was the third game not the end of the series, there were at least three more?! The room started to spin.

“Wh-what happens in the fourth game?” I asked haltingly.

The first had been an absolute nightmare, and I’d almost lost my life by the time the third was over. It’d be an understatement to say I was devastated that there were three more to go.

“I think it’s set at an all-boy school or something. I’m pretty sure it takes place on a continent with a desert, but I never started that game myself. I just know the gist of it. If I remember right, the protagonist cross-dresses to attend the school or something like that.”

Erica hadn’t played it, so she couldn’t give me specifics. She only knew some vague details about the game because, as the continuation of a series she’d played as a child, it’d piqued her interest briefly.

“D-did you say a desert? Do…do you know anything else about the other games? Anything else at all? I don’t care how small, but give me something!” Part of me was terrified to learn more, but remaining in the dark would be even scarier.

“The fifth installment takes place in outer space.”

“Outer space?!” I cried.

“The perfect opportunity for me to be of service!” Elysium declared confidently. “Master, you can leave everything to me. I am a spaceship, after all, so I have no problem functioning outside the planet’s atmosphere.”

I was too dumbstruck to react.

“Oh, um, I know the sixth installment goes back to the game’s roots and takes place in Holfort! Um, Uncle? Are you all right?” Erica asked me worriedly.

I sat in my chair, hugging my legs to my chest. My mind had wandered back to that sexy head-elder elf and what she said to me. Something about needing to save the world again.

Tears sprang to my eyes. “I knew it. I never should’ve come back.”

“Master, what’s the matter?” Elysium asked. “If something about all this bothers you, I could completely destroy the continent containing this desert. How about that?”

Erica pulled a face at his radical fix for the issue, but she focused on trying to comfort me. “It’ll be all right, Uncle. I doubt the world will be destroyed easily.” She hesitated. “Um… Actually, I think you might be in for a rough time. Sorry.”

Considering how close a call each previous installment had been, I would probably be on thin ice again. One wrong step would spell the end of the world. That meant I couldn’t just ignore these problems and hope the plot followed the canon storyline.

I shot out of my chair and screamed at the top of my lungs. “Dammit! This otome game world is tough for a guy like me!”