I Reincarnated as the Villain in an Eroge, But Before I Realized, I Became a Capture Target
Translator: Reo
Editor: PalenMisha
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Luca POV 13 (Part 2)
I had thought that everything that had happened to me was part of a story. Particularly, that the reason I was looping was because I was the protagonist of that story.
But was that actually wrong?
Was the game my Akashic record? Was I repeating time because I was the singularity and the World was interfering with my record?
In that case, the world with the tsuki was actually a parallel world. Plus, only the World knew where the Akashic records were, and mine were in a parallel universe. That was why, in every loop, I always went back to that room – a place where I could acquire information. Or so it made sense to think.
In other words, this world was real?
No, even if it were, if I kept repeating the same time, it would be no different from a fictional world.
The future that the World wished for, is one where the world didn’t collapse. As the minister of finance said, that’s probably what the World wanted. But how the hell was I supposed to save the world? What even destroyed it in the first place?
I was certain that my Akashic record would hold some kind of clue. I mean, if there wasn’t one, what would be the point of going out of the way to send me to another dimension, a parallel universe where my Akashic record was? And beyond that, what part of my record had the reason behind why the world was destroyed?
“…….”
The only thing I could associate with the world’s “destruction” was the Evil God, but I always made sure to properly defeat it.
As for the individual endings, time kept looping no matter which one of the girls I chose, so that was probably irrelevant. Rather, what all of the routes had in common, and what was always missing at the end, were Zagan and the Dark Organization.
Also, there were always victims in the 9th city and the capital.
Could someone among them be the key to saving the world?
I didn’t know why the world fell, but if I saved everyone, maybe this loop would stop?
I had no clue. No matter how much I thought about it, I, who had hardly changed in over thirty years, might never find the answer to this.
Plus, even if I wanted to do something, I couldn’t. As a member of the royal family, I always had guards with me and couldn’t move freely. The most I could do was ask around and try to gather information about the Dark Organization. And maybe interact more with the heads of the cities whenever they were in the capital, because they would be of great help to me later on. Especially Duke Magnifique. I should talk with him a lot so that the 9th city wouldn’t suffer damage from the fight with the dragons this time around.
The line between fiction and reality was fuzzy and there was so little I could actually do. Anxiety overcame me.
Up until this point, I’d been going through the same year again and again, but this time around I had so much time to think, that I didn’t know what to do with myself. I kept getting anxious thinking I should be doing more.
Whenever that happened, I thought about Zagan.
Zagan had built a good relationship with his family, hadn’t destroyed his family home, and hadn’t cursed his mother. Thanks to that, both Sensei and Noel were incredibly lively, and I’d even had the chance to talk to the countess at a party. She was a beautiful and fragile person… They looked so much alike there was no question she was his mother.
Also, Zagan hadn’t joined the Dark Organization this time around. I didn’t hear any news of him becoming a killer either. Rather, by the time he was 17, he had established himself as an adventurer. He was an A-rank at the time, but rumors about him had spread all the way to the capital, probably because he was a dark attribute user.
There were voices asking why a dark attribute user was allowed to become an adventurer, but there was no law that forbade it. Anyone over fifteen with no criminal background was allowed to join the adventurers guild.
I miss Zagan.
While thinking that, I finished my studies at the academy and, at 19, became an apprentice knight.
Afterward, I would continue training under my teachers’ guidance and, in two years, I’d take the exam and become a knight.
About a month after that, the Lumiere would make its appearance.
January 1st, my twenty-first birthday. Finally, the day had come.
Ever since the morning, anytime I’d run into someone, they’d congratulate me, but my heart kept growing heavier.
Lately, anxiety and fear would often strike me, taking over in an instant. Even when I’d tell myself that everything was ok, the memories of previous loops continued to resurface and I’d almost start to hyperventilate from the pain.
However, I couldn’t run away. Because if I ran away that pain would turn into self-condemnation and it would end with a knife in my stomach.
After breakfast, I went back to my room, sat on the sofa, and closed my eyes. I tried to think about Zagan to help ease a bit of the anxiety.
The joyful expression he had whenever he fought, his voice that made fun of others, his gloomy, lonely eyes.
I’d looked at his face, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping, so many times I could still vividly remember it even now after twenty-one years had passed.
But maybe the Zagan from this loop would be different from my memories. Lyle-sensei and Noel were so bright, maybe he would be too. A Zagan as cheerful as those two… honestly, I couldn’t imagine it.
Speaking of which, I hadn’t heard any rumors about Zagan for about three years, which got me worried. Though, about half a year ago, there came the sudden news that he’d risen to S-rank.
As always, I was impressed by how amazing he was, but at the same time, my anxiety grew thinking about what was ahead.
Because Zagan hadn’t joined the Dark Organization this time around. And the reason I got to meet him in the dungeons was because the Dark Organization was trying to collect the star fragments so they could resurrect the Evil God. But if he wasn’t part of the organization, then he’d have no reason to go into the star fragment dungeons.
As an S-rank adventurer, there was a chance he would participate in a dungeon raid, but he didn’t seem like the kind of person who would do that.
I missed Zagan, I wanted to see him. But I might not be able to.
Like this, I succumbed to anxiety. Still, for some mysterious reason, whenever I thought about Zagan, I didn’t feel the need to throw up.
As I was lost in memories of Zagan, a knock came at the door and Father’s messenger entered.
I was given the command to come to the audience chamber immediately.
Had the time finally come?
Sigh. I didn’t want to go.
Still, I somehow made myself stand up and put on my armor.
I’d hesitated a bit, but in the end, I still chose to put on the same armor I’d always found myself in. It had been given to me as a gift a few days before, to congratulate me on becoming a knight, and was the best armor I currently had.
I left my room, went down the stairs, walked for a bit, and then entered that corridor that led to the audience chamber. A few days ago, this corridor had been blocked off and people were forbidden from stepping inside. Even now, there were no guards and it was surrounded by a deathly silence. And, because of the Lumiere, the air felt heavy.
I’d passed through this corridor several times in the twenty years since I was reborn, and every time I felt sick. I somehow managed to get through the PTSD by telling myself that it was ok and that it wasn’t that time yet. But now it was that time.
The closer I came to the place where I’d opened my eyes again and again and again, the more the bile rose up in my throat.
Just a few more seconds.
Just ten more seconds.
Just another… 5, 4, 3, 2….1.
“….., …..uu.”
Here.
Here was where it all started.
The origin of my despair.
I couldn’t stop the flashbacks, the need to vomit made me gag, and my legs were shaking. But before I threw up, I took one more step. My thoughts were about Zagan.
Zagan, everything’s going to be ok, right? I mean, you’ve already changed so much. Just the fact that you haven’t killed anyone is already a huge change. Nothing could make me happier than knowing you’re not a criminal. And since you’re not part of the Dark Organization, you won’t die.
Just that is enough. I’ll take another step.
Ah, but hopefully, I’ll get to see you soon.
