Fake Saint of the Year

Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Prius

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 71: Alteration

There was a certain two-story apartment within the city of Japan with a rent of 50,000 yen.

Each room was a 1LDK1 with a bathroom and toilet.

There was no problem with its location, besides the fact it was located far from the station. It was considered to be a quite good apartment, despite its price.

In one of those apartment rooms, Fudou Niito looked at his offshoot on the “Other Side” through his computer today as well… Rather, considering the amount of soul left, he was the offshoot; but anyway, he was following the tale of Elrise.

The new things he could observe increased the amount of information he was able to gather, as he could see the game was finally approaching the decisive battle.

The characters that didn’t appear on other routes, like the Prophet (Propheter), the First Saint (Alfrea), and Crunchbite Dogman, were all added into the story, which produced a clearly different flow to it when compared to other routes.

A few days after Elrise’s Route was found, her entry on the internet expanded, and its content also changed.

[Elrise]

A character inside “Kuon no Sanka”, a Non-romanceable Character.

… Or so we thought for 4 years since the game’s release, until a certain Speedrunner video proved that it was possible to romance her.

Known as the Saint, the antithesis of the existence known as the Witch.

She was selfish in her childhood, until one day she became aware of what it meant to be a Saint and, as if she turned into a different person, she started to do things “for the sake of others.”

She possessed overwhelming magic power and swordsmanship, worthy of the title of Saint. Her fighting power was the strongest within the game.

Being a symbol of light and the antithesis of the symbol of darkness, the Witch, she would appear before players and help them from time to time.

She appeared before Vernell when he was 14 years old and helped him control his power of darkness by giving him a pendant. This was the great turning point of his life.

Afterward, the protagonist would reunite with her when he was 17 years old, but she stayed exactly as he remembered when she was 14 years old.

The Saint was like the Witch, who stayed young, stopped aging, and wouldn’t die unless slain.

Her period as a Saint was said to have come earlier compared to other Saints.

As a Saint, she wouldn’t take damage, except by the Witch’s or Saint’s power; so she wouldn’t get a scratch even if she blocked a sword barehanded.

She was also capable of purifying the Witch’s power.

If there was a place attacked by demons, she wouldn’t abandon them and would appear regardless how small the place was, and she would heal people she saw without asking for repayment.

Before she appeared, it had been said that the world was full of demon domains, where you could encounter demons just a few steps away from the castle wall. But when the main story began, demons that lived on the “Giardino Continent,” where the main plot took place, were already mostly expelled, which made safe travel possible.

Because of this, merchants could move easier, greatly improving the flow of goods and the whole living environment as a result.

Lands and habitats that were destroyed by the Witch and demons were also restored and became vigorous. Land that only yielded poor harvest prior to her appearance was now bountiful.

Also, she spread the cultivation of potatoes and soybeans, which could grow properly even in nutrient-poor land, resulting in a dramatic decrease in the number of people who starved to death.

Because of that, besides the fact she was known as the Saint who defeated demons and the Witch, she was also known as the Saint who made a bountiful harvest, which none of the other generations of Saint had done, and she was respected by everyone because of it.

Such respect was demonstrated by the fact her birthday was celebrated, unlike the other Saints.

She also possessed a high cooking skill for some reason, which she used sometimes to make cakes for kings, which were dubbed as “Cloud” and looked exquisite.

While she was practically the embodiment of the Saint’s ideal form, she was actually ………

…As expected, the word count increased compared to before.

As Niito read it, he felt like it praised her so much that it made his back itch.

Apparently, she did things everyone liked on the other side.

Regarding cooking, he had some common knowledge; since he was living alone, he possessed some cooking skill, but he was well aware it definitely couldn’t be called “exquisite.” 

To put it bluntly, the snacks one bought at the convenience store were much more delicious.

But even with just that, when the concept of cooking was lacking… Rather, considering the people on the other side had no leisure to think about cooking, it made it seem like the taste was a blissful one.

From that entry forward it continued about [Elrise’s Identity], but since that part didn’t change from before, he just ignored it and scrolled down.

He also skipped most of [Role in Main Story] and looked toward the part that was added.

[Role in Main Story]

Besides influencing Eterna’s suicide attempt, Elrise had a role that was similar to her role in the common route, except one could get Elrise’s Route-limited weapon once the Fighting tournament ended.

Players would get the same type of weapon as what was equipped during this time, but they wouldn’t get anything if they play barehanded, so take caution.

By result of verification, the strongest weapon you could get during this time was “Super Long Leek Blade”, which you get when you equip “Long Leek” in the tournament. 

But since this “Long Leek” was a joke weapon with 1 attack power, it would have made you lose against John during the semi-finals and not be able to fight Mary. So considering players had to sacrifice their final result of the tournament to get it, it was not worth it.

The route would start to go to this route’s original path after Diaz’s rebellion event.

After the battle, she said something to Diaz that made him stop resisting; it was most likely about her identity.

Approaching winter break, she was invited back to the Saint’s castle for a time to attend the Feast of Kings, but the Kings, who had thought to prolong the period of Elrise, and the Knights and who feared she would die during her fight against the Witch, all decided to confine her in her own castle.

She didn’t escape, since Leila was taken hostage, but she matched her timing with the Protagonist’s infiltration to escape with her own ability. After that, she rushed toward the Billberry capital to stop the crisis and destroy the demons.

In addition, she would use her ability to revive the Protagonist, who died there during this time.

She totally did a deed that not even a real Saint could do… this fake Saint-sama.

During this time, if Elrise’s favorability was below 50, the CG wouldn’t appear, so take caution.

During the winter break period, players would encounter the Prophet “Propheter,” who was only mentioned on other routes, and would find the pond that was made beside the academy for its dwelling.

After Eterna awakened her ability as a Saint, the Protagonist group was brought to Fuguten for training. Then the voice of First Generation Saint Alfrea was heard there, so they went to Alfrea’s Tomb.

After they encountered her there, Elrise then destroyed the seal of the First Witch and Alfrea was released.

At this time, the relationship and past of Alfrea and the First Witch Eve, which was never mentioned in any other routes, was explained.

Approaching the end of the plot, she revealed herself as the fake Saint to the Protagonist.

Even if the Protagonist said he didn’t mind that and confessed, she used the fact only a little of her lifespan remained to reject the Protagonist’s feelings.

This event wouldn’t change no matter how high Elrise’s favorability was.

Then…

…Niito could only see up to that entry.

Something must have been written beyond that, but even if he scrolled down, the buffer wouldn’t end, so he couldn’t see it.

He did buy a high-performance laptop for it, but the result was still the same.

As expected, he was unable to see things that had not yet happened on the other side.

Besides that, characters that never appeared on other routes, like “Alfrea”, “Propheter”, “Crunchbite Dogman”, and “Elizabet Iblis”, also gained entries.

He did confirm it just in case. While Alfrea and Elizabeth were female characters, they were stated clearly as Non-Romanceable characters.

Then he looked for the video.

The screen displayed Vernell during his once-in-a-lifetime confession and Elrise telling him the truth to reject him.

As Niito looked at it, he went, “Oops, now she’s done it,” and covered his face.

While this method could reject the other party without stating whether she was attracted to other party as the opposite sex, but… this was a bad move.

Worst case scenario, Vernell’s fighting will might fundamentally break.

She might mean to choose words to not reject him outright, but it was way better to reject him directly with, “I’m not interested in romance,” compared to this.

Or maybe with, “I am unable to answer you now,” since if she showed that Vernell still had a chance, his fighting will wouldn’t be withered. Rather, he would work even harder, since he wished to hear her answer.

Yet why did she respond to him like this? That was the worst thing you could respond to him with.

I guess she just totally panicked? Niito analyzed it as such.

Ever since Fudou Niito was well aware of his own abnormality… from his childhood until today, he was never approached with pure goodwill.

That was obvious. It was weirder if anyone could love this eerie and slightly crazy person, and Niito himself didn’t feel like being liked anyway.

So he was not used to it. To be approached by such pure goodwill.

I had actually never received goodwill from the opposite sex but… I see. I guess I would also end up panicking like that if it happened to myself, which made Niito have a complicated feeling about it.

…Nay, I won’t end up like that, I guess.

He lacked a connection to reality.

He lacked subjectivity.

This might sound good to say, since he could see himself objectively, but he was only capable of seeing himself objectively.

He doubted his own heart could change despite being given such goodwill.

It was like a character I controlled was confessed to by an NPC… Fudou Niito had such a filter that would only see it as such.

He obviously logically knew that it happened to him, but his feelings didn’t want to understand it.

He just couldn’t set his feet on the ground. Fudou Niito’s soul was always floating, wandering about on the boundary between dream and reality.

As expected, she…

He remembered Elrise’s words when she came here before.

“Regardless of what I say, I took quite a liking to those people and that world. That’s why, well… for their sake, I think it’s worth it to throw away a life that is near its end.”

Did Elrise notice during that time? She smiled naturally at that moment, despite never being able to do so before.

The conclusion they made was the same: they had a common point of not treating their own life as precious.

But the feelings that made them reach such a conclusion were different.

At least, Fudou Niito never naturally laughed in front of others. And he probably never will2.

To think for others and have such a smile was something he definitely was unable to do.

—She was changing.

While Elrise might not notice it herself, her feet were closer to the ground now.

She was still not yet released from the feeling of the Game, and she went on without properly facing reality, since that was how she was from her childhood… 3

But definitely, she was different from him somehow. Niito thought so.

“AAAAAAHHHHH”

 “HE GOT REJECTEEEEEED!”

 “L-sama died early in another route after all…”

 “I knew it (white eyed).”

 “Even on her own route, she didn’t manage to escape from her own fate, huh…”

 “Why did L-sama die early?”

 “Ah, so this was a forced development. I thought I lacked favorability, so I restarted it once.”

 “Huh, did I need to write an entry?”

 “The woman who will reject you despite having MAX favorability.”

 “Boy, this is Despair.”

 “We need no love!”

 “Anyway, write something.”

 “I can’t see the screen, since it was filled with red letters from you guys4.”

Pandemonium of chaotic comments filled the screen.

Anyway, it seemed that the decisive battle was approaching on the other side.

Even more fighting power was gathered, compared to the original game that the difference made him feel pity toward the Witch.

But that didn’t matter, since Niito knew the Witch didn’t fear “Saint Elrise” in the original game, despite her being overwhelmingly powerful compared to the Witch.

Elrise was originally just a hindrance and a filthy existence. While she definitely did negative things toward the plot, she definitely was not an existence that did positive things.

Just changing such a person’s personality was enough to make Vernell’s group gain an advantage, but that Elrise did too many things prior to the main plot, which made the Witch lose her faction, since the demons outside were practically extinct already.

Nations and people grew wealthier, and with soldiers becoming healthier, this also increased their strength.

Their equipment further raised their strength with the flow of goods flourishing.

Comparing a thin soldier who was constantly hungry to a soldier who was properly getting their nutrients and was full of muscle, it was no brainer who was stronger.

On top of that, the Soldiers’ and Knights’ loyalty toward Elrise went into the negatives in the original game. And because the previous fake Saint was just way too bad, they ended up treating the real Saint badly as well.

They were practically only fighting out of obligation.

Compared to that, the Soldiers’ and Knights’ loyalty toward Elrise in the world after the change was so high, it was the maximum amount, and it was filled with men who would gladly smile and die for her.

The difference of morale was overwhelming.

With Elrise at the top, humanity was united as one.

Even if the Witch managed to escape somehow, Elrise’s allies were everywhere.

It totally isolated the Witch.

If that wasn’t already bad enough, the First Saint was added to the Protagonist’s team.

Bluntly said, Alfrea alone was enough to defeat the Witch.

From now on, the Witch would have to face both the First Generation and Current Generation of Saint at same time without many of her subordinates.

Even on the video, comments like, “I started to pity Alexia LOL”, “this is way too overkill”, “Alexia way was too unfortunate that I went LOL”, “when she was the Saint she had to fight against top class powerhouses even from the Witch’s generation, and once she becomes Witch she had to fight against Saint x 2 and invincible fake Saint, it’s beyond pitiful for her LOL” filled the screen. Such comments represented people’s pity toward the Witch, despite her being the enemy.

The result of the fight was already decided.

It might sound like a death flag, but regardless of how many death flags stood, he couldn’t even think of Alexia winning.

Other side will soon meet their end… in that case, I also have to do what I can, thought Niito.

That’s why he turned off his computer, dragged his painful body, and put on his coat.

Then as his apartment intercomm rang with convenient timing, Niito went outside.

“Hello, Ijuuin-san.”

The person outside was Ijuuin Yuuto who moved into this apartment recently.

He looked at Niito’s expression and said to him worriedly.

“Are you okay? You look worse compared to before, but… it’s okay, even if you don’t force yourself, and go rest. I could go talk with the Fiori Turtle myself and tell you the result.”

 “Even if I rest, it will only turn worse, it never gets better. My remaining time is small… so at least while I can still move, I want to hear the truth.” 

Niito’s expression was getting worse compared to before, just like Ijuuin said.

Around his eyes looked hollow and his cheeks were sunken in, as if he was a skeleton that was only covered with skin.

His hair fell out and he covered it with a hat.

His arms, too, were so skinny and unreliable that one wouldn’t think they were the arms of an adult man.

Even so, Niito displayed a fearless smile.

He didn’t know how to smile from his heart. Even so, he moved his face muscles and forcefully made a smile.

Up until this point, he never felt “alive” as much as he currently did.

He always thought it was other people’s business, and felt as if he looked from above toward his own “character” and controlled it.

Yet, for some reason now… as death came closer, he felt more “alive” than he ever did.

“Well, let’s go… to that world’s real creator… to the place where the scenario writer ‘Fiori Turtle’ lies.”

As Niito said that, in his hand was the address of the “Kuon no Sanka” scenario writer that they found out several days ago.


Want early access to Fake Saint and Executed Sage? Support the translator on Patreon! Also check out their newest project, Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer. It’s a Rance fanfic, sort of a prequel to the main story.

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Diair
Diair
6 months ago

I wonder, is the reason behind Elrise’s gradual personality change the magical training she’s been doing? It was sort of mentioned offhandedly in the previous chapter, that mana circulation would also take in feelings and emotions from the surroundings, and since Elrise has been doing it 24/7 for the last 12 years it would make sense that it would influence her.

It’s just that her personality was so incredibly trashy to begin with she wasn’t influenced at all by the negative emotions, only the positive ones.

Catman48
Catman48
11 months ago

Niito finally has a purpose. And thats why he is feeling so alive now. Its sad and tragic but also melancholic and somehow peaceful.

Eternal perspective
Eternal perspective
1 year ago

Thanks for chap
Initially I was disappointed at the character switch since mc
But yeah this gives off a closing all loose ends feel

SoulsTogether
SoulsTogether
1 year ago

Ah, yes. Another Nitto chapter. To be honest, I wanted more of Elrise given the recent developments, but this is a nice change of pace. Let us find the truth!

Thank you for the chapter!

Who Knows?
Who Knows?
1 year ago

Kind of random, but I just thought of the line “Everything that kills me makes me feel alive” from a song when I read the last part, lol

Gitami
Gitami
2 years ago

Alfrea dlc route where? It would be the romcom that vn companies usually put on their fandisks.

tsukii
tsukii
2 years ago
Reply to  Gitami

too bad, there’s none of it. our scriptwriter (propheter reincarnation) still salty about her dumping her to trash

Catman48
Catman48
11 months ago
Reply to  tsukii

Dude, why are you spoiling everyone? Delete or edit your comment man.

Oyashiro
Oyashiro
2 years ago

If mana circulation can draw in the emotions of others, then wouldn’t Elrise’s constant circulation training explain some of her changes? It might not be the only cause. However, the abnormal or missing parts of Soul may have been fixed because of Mana or the mana circulation training.

tsukii
tsukii
2 years ago
Reply to  Oyashiro

remember what niito said? they lacked subjectivity; they couldn’t detect or wouldn’t care of what happened to their being. therefore, even as elrise polluted by negative emotions, she could carry on with her mana circulation, unaffected by the detrimental effect, a cheat that her soul, instead her body, possess