Chapter 27: The Consequences of One's Choices (2)

Is It Bad That the Main Character's a Roleplayer?

Chapter 27 The Consequences of One's Choices (2)

"You—Ah! Demon Knight! Have you come to your senses?!"

Naturally, I didn't miraculously wake up in reality after sleeping for a bit.

What greeted me instead were the Inquisitor and Deb, who were fighting again, and the Archmage, who looked down at me as he bound me with magic, his eyes showing wariness.

"...Do you want to die?"

Even if I wanted to destroy these bindings, I couldn't because I had no weapon on me. I glanced at the magical chains wrapped around my body before glaring at the Archmage with contempt.

He studied my face for a moment before grinning.

"I just wanted to prepare for the worst-case scenario, so don't be too angry with me."

The chains broke to pieces and dissipated into nothingness. Just like my social reputation.

"..."

I grabbed my sword, scrunched up my face, and tried swallowing my tears.

As I couldn't log out anyway, I figured I should continue playing the game while toning down my roleplaying a bit.

I had no idea it would become such an ordeal, flipping all my plans on their heads.

A pain. This was all such a pain.

However, I couldn't stop now...

Flutter.

After taking a deep breath, I completely threw off the blanket covering me.

The clothes placed over my body fell to the ground as I straightened up. At a glance, they seemed to be the Inquisitor's—the color was different from my own clothing.

But, so what? She practically brought this on herself. Shit, I actually wanted to change, but those guys were the ones forcing me to keep this shitty personality...!

"...Do I have to cut out those impertinent eyes first before you turn your heads?"

I was just trying to survive this time. I swore that I would never roleplay again after this. I never thought I would receive such karma for a character setting I'd tried for fun.

"Ah, no!"

However, why did she answer so brightly? Just what did she like about these harsh words...?!

I was pissed and angry in many ways. Especially at that kimchi dumpling!

She seemed so proud of herself.

I climbed onto my horse without even hiding my seething feelings. That was only possible because the bonfire was already doused and my luggage packed into my inventory.

I didn't have a cloak or blanket. I didn't really have to worry about my body temperature thanks to the system—if it mattered, it would have given me a warning, too—so I just slept as is. If I used the system to fall asleep, I wouldn't feel the cold or anything else.

That was one of the reasons I found it hard to believe this place was real. Of course, my biggest issue right now was with my roleplaying!

"Giddy up!"

"Hey, please wait a second!""

Ah, whatever! I don't want to go through that again!!

"Demon Knight!!"

"Mister!!"

Uwaaargh!!

* * *

After rushing ahead, just focusing on the horses as if in a trance, I almost reached Tatara.

Was it because I was dealing with some serious issues in my head? Somehow, I didn't feel that tired, but the others looked like they were about to die.

"Where should we go first after we enter the city?"

I couldn't listen to what the kimchi dumpling said, definitely, absolutely!

My actions—ignoring her, that is—were perfectly calculated to avoid making her think the Demon had taken me over again.

Right, I was in danger of getting temporarily possessed by the Demon at any moment... Or that was supposedly the case. So I had to think along the lines of: 'If the Inquisitor hadn't noticed my change'—God, how great would that have been!—'the Demon could have harmed other people using my body.'

However, what about the Demon Knight's past? His family was killed by that Demon. Simply put, this incident should have perfectly stimulated his past trauma. Naturally, he couldn't help feeling anxious and nervous, which he would express by pushing away those around him even more.

For example, by ignoring them, turning away from them, or pushing them away for his own sake and theirs.

However, even if I interpreted my character that way, another reason was that I felt too ashamed to face them. If I didn't maintain some distance, I would likely end up in a similar situation as before.

How did things end up like this? I wanted to stop roleplaying immediately but couldn't. I was so embarrassed I felt like I was about to die.

"Are we immediately heading to the Mabel Company...?"

After I finally managed to cool down my burning face, the Archmage, covered in stark white hair as if he'd bleached it, asked me a question. He was correct. As expected, not reacting to them was the right move.

"Let's go..."

"Are you okay, Sir Archmage?"

"...I can endure for a little bit more."

As I raced ahead, I checked on Tatara's current condition.

What caught my eye were the very noticeable barricades on the bridge leading to the city.

Those weren't there when we left.

"...! It's people!"

Even the guards positioned in posts became hectic when they saw us approaching. They didn't seem hostile toward us, given how no attacks came flying our way despite us having clearly entered their range.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

Deb seemed to have noticed as well, leading him to say that. What followed was the stiff voice of the Inquisitor.

"...I can feel Demonic Energy coming from the City."

In other words, the city was ruined.

"Are you sure?"

"Not completely. However, this feeling... I only get it when facing Demons."

Well, it wasn't anything surprising. Since the Quest said we should go to Tatara, something would obviously happen there.

「❖ The Truth Behind the Curtain

∎ Go to Tatara

∎ Investigate what happened in the city」

My job was just to find out what happened and what would happen.

"You there, halt!"

A guard ran out of his post to stop us. Of course, I would have to stop even if he hadn't said anything: the barricade, made from multiple logs tied together in an X shape, didn't have a single gap.

"Identify yourselves!"

I was thinking of leaving this to the Inquisitor like I had until now, but I changed my mind. If I didn't want her smashing my head in, I had to carefully interpret my character and act accordingly from now on.

I took out my adventurer's card from my inventory.

Swish.

"Woah!"

When I threw it over the barricade, a guard caught it in a panic. The one who caught it seemed extremely frightened, and those near him quickly stepped away as though I had thrown a grenade.

"Y-you are an adventurer...?"

However, I still managed to prove my identity.

"Are the others adventurers as well?"

"N-no. Wait, I mean yes, I have an adventurer's card."

Momentarily confused about her profession, the Inquisitor handed over both her adventurer's card and her sacred relic. The guard's eyes became as round as saucers.

"You are a priest?!"

Although priests seem to be treated quite well in this world, the guard's reaction seemed pretty excessive. It seemed as if... as if someone drowning was looking at their savior.

"W-why are there only so few people?"

"...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Pardon?"

A moment later, the guard asked us with trembling pupils.

"Didn't you come because of the messenger we sent...?"

The picture was becoming clearer.

"...Both we and the priest are just here on some business. Is there a problem?"

The Archmage, gesturing for the Inquisitor to stop, approached and asked him a question. The moment he realized the urgency of the situation, his eyes no longer showed any signs of fatigue. They only contained a cool glint.

"It's..."

The guards first looked at each other before speaking in a calm voice.

"Let's go inside first."

* * *

* * *

After several guards cooperated to move the barricade, they created a small gap.

"A messenger, huh...? It seems something very bad happened."

While our precious horses were ushered into the city first, the Archmage spoke as he stroked his chin. Then, a hand crept up beside it. It was Deb's.

"...It might be a little late, but could I say something?"

"What is it?"

"On our way here, I saw quite a few traces of battle and blood. At first, I thought they were left by bandit attacks or wild animals... But, after hearing the guard's words and how they're acting, isn't this a bit too suspicious?"

"How many did you see?"

"So many that one might think the Lord neglected the roads for several years?"

So, it seemed there were more than usual, huh?

Moreover, I had one more piece of information that those three didn't: the second Quest I solved here, the Emergency Rescue Quest.

Unfortunately, my memories of the original game were useless here. Nothing like that ever happened during the game.

"Couldn't you have seen wrong? If security on the roads was that bad, wouldn't we have been attacked at least once?"

"Oh, who wouldn't know that? Those helm watchers mentioned a messenger, right? Stupid Inquisitor."

"Wh-what did you say just call me? Stupid?"

"Yes! Stupid!!"

The Inquisitor and Deb were fighting again, but I had already seen that several times, so I easily ignored their squabbling. I had gotten quite accustomed to it.

It was around then that the guard who asked us to come inside opened his mouth once more. His helmet, which seemed of a better quality than the other guards', gave off a weird glow.

"Those who come to the city don't get attacked."

"Right now, your wrist—what did you say just now?"

"Those who come to enter the city aren't attacked, Miss Priest."

As soon as I heard those words, I immediately realized what kind of situation we got ourselves into.

It seemed those Demon Contractor bastards left those coming to the city alone and only kept them from leaving. Considering what I'd heard and seen during the rescue mission not too long ago... Were they planning to use the people of this town as sacrifices?

Ah, was that why that guy was babbling about the Mabel Company? Because they would obviously end up messing with the merchant group I had gotten involved with?

Anyway, if they were trying to use the entire city for a ritual, they were bound to get swept away, as well. I had thought it was something else entirely because he only mentioned the merchant group.

"What? So I was right, huh?"

"Sh-shut up."

"In that case, what about those who try to leave?"

The Archmage asked another question. He questioned that guy in my stead, for which I felt rather grateful.

"Thanks to the few people who managed to return alive, we learned that everyone who left was attacked without exception. Even still, we had to ask for help somehow..."

"So you kept sending out messengers."

"We thought at least one person should be able to survive to get help."

Well, if those guys were trying to use this city for their ritual, it would be safest to completely isolate it. Receiving outside help could compromise their plan, so it's obvious they would desperately keep anyone from escaping.

I stepped away from my Companions for a moment as I pieced together the big picture. The closer I got to the city, the more my right arm tingled.

"Is there anything else? What about the barricades?"

"The Lord ordered us to erect them. He was worried our city might get attacked. As for other things... There has been a surge in missing people as of late."

"Wh-what has the Temple done so far?"

"...The Temple can't make a move right now."

"What?"

"The priests were the first to notice something was strange and moved out, but... "

The guard practically spat out his next words as he ordered the gate on the other side of the bridge to be opened.

"Most of them died while dealing with the Demons in the sewers."

What kind of coincidence was that? My tutorial Quest happened to be cleaning the sewers, as well.

However, the only things that appeared were Goblins. Now, something more dangerous had appeared and caused severe damage to the people of the Temple.

"Those bastards... How foolish can they be...?"

It seemed I had to go back into the sewers. Just thinking about it made my nose sting.

"It seems you noticed as well."

"Do you two have any guesses?"

"It looks like the Demon Worshippers are the cause behind this, but..."

The Archmage's eyes turned to the Inquisitor. She naturally lowered her voice so that the guard wouldn't be able to hear her words.

"In the worst case, we might need to abandon this city."

"What...?!"

"...Hey, Mister. Is the situation really that serious?"

"It's somewhat similar to what happened in Somon. Demon Contractors are hiding somewhere, collecting sacrifices, and plotting something, but... unlike in Somon, where they were limited to only about 30 victims, the ones they plan to sacrifice right now..."

They were uncountable. Considering what they did to those who tried to leave, there should be more than 100.

In other words, they would be able to summon at least five Knuckers.

"Please enter, Miss Priest."

"Ah, yes. Thank you for your help."

"...Of course. It's something I ought to do, after all."

...However, phasing it like that made it seem like a pretty big deal, didn't it? Who the hell was in charge of balancing the difficulty?

"Erm, Miss Priest."

"Yes?"

"Will we... be able to get through this?"

Remembering the Knucker I had defeated in just two hits, I stepped through the gate.

"That's..."

"Yes. We'll get through this! We will definitely get through this!"

Our Hero, completely cutting off the Archmage from the back, started talking about hope.

"If God had given up on you, I wouldn't have ended up here. So don't worry! There is still hope!"

Accompanying her enthusiastic words.

Duung!

「Tatara」

The dull sound of a bell rang out. The city, barely changed since we left except for its lost vitality, unfolded before us.