Chapter 223: Nonlinear Optimist

Throb.

After getting past such a major hurdle, it was time for rewards as always.

Excited, I clicked the blue screen.

Maybe because its scale had been larger than any event I had faced so far, every reward on display looked good.

Ding!

[You have cleared the Main Quest!]

-Title: For All Alices

-Details: Defeat 'Oz (OZ),' leader of the Cult's Chimera Project.

[You have perfectly cleared the stage.]

-A reward will be granted. Please check your inventory.

First, I had finally brought my tiresome connection with Oz to an end.

One of the conditions for reaching a happy ending.

'The Cult's influence will weaken considerably soon, too...'

To the Cult, Oz had been practically a father.

They said he alone had carried out thousands of projects.

Without him, the Cult could not have grown as it had.

Now that we had pulled out such deep roots, it was only a matter of time before the Cult's fate was cut short.

'All that hard work was worth it.'

I had untied the first knot of the final chapter.

All that remained was the matter of the Glacia Family and the New Kingdom.

"The ending... The ending, huh."

The words slipped out without thought.

Then I collected every reward displayed on the status window at once.

Ding!

[You have cleared the Main Quest 'Eclipse'!]

[The ranks of your frequently used weapons will increase!]

[The rank of your exclusive weapon 'Black Mist (S+)' will increase by one level!]

[The rank of your exclusive weapon 'Balloon Knife+ (A)' will increase by two levels!]

[The rank of your accessory 'Broken Crown (S-)' will increase by two levels!]

Ding!

[You have cleared the Main Quest 'For All Alices'!]

[You have obtained the item '???-Rank Selection Ticket'!]

Screens poured in one after another.

I counted through the stacked notifications one by one.

The first things I checked were my brightly glowing weapons.

"They're generous again."

The ranks of my main weapons had been massively boosted.

They were gradually reaching the specs of most endgame equipment.

[Black Mist]

-Category: Ego Weapon

-Rank: SS-

-Status: Clean

-Description: A weapon containing an ego. It serves and follows its user as both master and parent. You may skip the cooldown of a unique skill once.

[Balloon Knife+]

-Category: Growth Weapon

-Rank: S-

-Growth Limit Rank: None

-Status: Colorful, Soft, Sparkly, Cute

-Description: A special Balloon Knife. It emits a vivid light of purification from its blade. The potency of its healing effect has increased greatly.

[Broken Crown]

-Category: Accessory

-Rank: S+

-Status: Destroyed

-Description: This is the crown worn by the ruler of nightmares, the 'Black Queen.' It has now been destroyed, leaving only her remnants behind. When worn, you can use the skill 'Nightmare Transformation.' It can now be worn for up to 20 minutes per day. Though the duration has been reduced, those 20 minutes can now be divided and used as you wish.

The scythe could now skip the cooldowns of Devour and Release once each.

The Balloon Knife's healing effect had become more pronounced.

As for the crown, I could freely turn it on and off within its allotted twenty minutes.

Before, I could only activate the skill once per day, whether I used all its time or turned it off midway through. Now I could activate and deactivate it freely during the allotted twenty minutes.

'This'll make it much more versatile. If I only activate it briefly when I need it, it'll be far more efficient than before.'

A satisfying result.

I closed the descriptions one at a time.

A black ticket rested in the hand operating the status window.

[Special Reward]

-You have obtained the item '???-Rank Reward Selection Ticket.'

-You may choose and obtain one of the rewards presented.

Another Selection Ticket, as expected.

I had only had one ticket left after fighting Oz.

'This is exactly what I needed.'

That brought my total to two.

I put the pitch-black paper into my inventory.

More than any other item, it gave me a special sense of security just by having it.

'Good.'

The cluttered screens cleared away one by one.

Then came the final reward notification.

Ding!

[You have completed the Hidden Quest 'Habitual Devotion'!]

[You have obtained the title 'Nonlinear Optimist.']

'The last reward is a title...'

It had been a while since a title had appeared as a reward.

I immediately read its description.

-----

[Status Window]

Name: Viktor

Title: Saint

Equipped Items: Mask of the Evil God, Robe of the Evil God, Ring of Promise

Active Set Effect: The world as ■■■ sees it.

.

.

Titles Owned: The One Who Collects Misunderstandings, Saint, Executioner, Nonlinear Optimist (New!)

-----

Ding!

[Nonlinear Optimist]

-Category: Title

-Status: Inactive

-Description: When this title is equipped, it grants the user a mental barrier effect. It suppresses the user's trauma and various negative emotions.

'A mental barrier?'

The description alone did not tell me much.

My finger moved without thinking and touched the screen.

My title changed.

Then something astonishing happened.

"...Huh."

The pain at the back of my neck vanished.

The throbbing faded, and an unfamiliar sense of calm settled over me.

"Oh."

It didn't hurt.

Curious, I rubbed the back of my neck a few times.

I normally felt as though it was being seared by fire now and then, but even that sensation seemed to have disappeared entirely.

'It isn't especially powerful, and it doesn't seem like a reward that will help in the final battle...'

Still, it seemed like a fine bonus reward.

I would probably wake up less often while tossing and turning at night, too.

'I'll need to equip [Saint] when something happens, but [Nonlinear Optimist] would be better for resting or going about my daily life.'

Another successful reward collection.

Satisfied, I dusted off my hands.

'Should I head back soon?'

I rose from where I had been perched on the base of the tree.

My limbs creaked with exhaustion.

The fatigue from the subjugation battle remained.

Even as I let out a huge yawn, I breathed in the season's now-chilly air.

'Once I get back... I'll stop thinking about everything and get some proper sleep.'

Too much had happened.

I had defeated Oz, encountered Unknown, and finally managed to save her...

'It's been a long day.'

I blinked away the drowsiness and headed toward my companions' tents, leaving that fresh realization behind.

* * *

Afterward, the matter of Oz was fully resolved.

The site was handed over to the knight order.

My companions and I returned to the Academy.

"How are you feeling, Miss Allie?"

"Mm... Probably better, thanks to you."

Unknown remained in the hospital room for several days.

There was nothing particularly wrong, but the recommendation was to conduct a thorough examination just in case.

The environment prioritized the patient's complete rest.

As such, only a limited number of people were allowed into the room.

Those people were roughly my companions and me, who had led the subjugation battle.

"Sis, let me introduce you. They're the people who have been so good to me."

"Liss's acquaintances...?"

Allie naturally became acquainted with my companions.

Alice's older twin sister, with a face identical to hers.

Seeing her, my companions all had different thoughts.

"There are two Alices now. Mm. Interesting."

Rin looked around with an expressionless face, clearly intrigued.

Her vacant eyes carefully studied Unknown.

Then Caitlin's usual sharp voice sounded beside Rin.

"What? You're twins, but your eyes and hair are completely opposite colors? What is this, cookies and cream?"

"My sister used to have the same colors as me, but... I think they changed when she underwent the revival experiments."

"Is that so? Anyway, welcome. Your little sister and I are just acquaintances."

"Ah... H-Hello. Um, thank you for being close to Liss."

"We aren't close. We're just acquaintances."

Caitlin greeted her with a delinquent air.

As Allie hesitated in confusion, Carmilla smoothly stepped in to mediate.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Carmilla Blandir, rightful heir and princess of the Blandir Dynasty, as well as your younger sister's close friend."

"Close friend? With me...?"

"What's with that reaction? Are you saying I was the only one who thought so?"

"N-No! I'm just... Um, so happy that Your Highness thinks of me that way..."

The hospital room grew lively.

Meanwhile, Javert stood on the opposite side of the bed.

The woman in uniform politely greeted the girl she was meeting for the first time.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I was the one who briefly looked after Alice several years ago."

"Sis... This is Sister Javert. She's the person who saved me from the laboratory."

"Ah... Back then, in that collapsing laboratory..."

"I'm sorry. If I had acted more quickly at the time, I might have been able to save Miss Allie as well..."

"N-No! Just rescuing and protecting Liss makes you my lifelong benefactor."

"...I see. Just as I had heard, you are a good older sister, Miss Allie."

After those polite words, a cheerful voice cut in.

Ranne offered a handshake in her spirited manner.

"Hm! I'm Ranne Kihano! Alice and I have been best friends since the beginning of the school year!"

"She's really kind. And somehow... she feels a little like you used to, Sis..."

"What, that's why? So that's why the black-haired one was always trailing after the blonde one."

"Th-That's not what I meant..."

A few words passed among the girls.

Doran, Doran.

Faker, Faker.[1]

Just when Allie seemed to be gradually relaxing...

"Mom...?"

A small girl poked her head out.

Her dark blue eyes looked up at Allie.

Lua looked back and forth between Alice and Unknown several times.

Before long, she fluttered her arms excitedly, took both their hands, and hopped in place.

"Dad! There are two moms now! There are two Sleepy Moms!"

"Uh, um...?"

A surprise daughter reveal.

Naturally, Unknown could only be flustered.

Black hair like her younger sister's, and eyes that seemed to mix my colors with Alice's in equal measure.

"Mom...?"

Her red eyes shook with agitation.

The girl went rigid as she looked between Alice and me.

"A daughter...? R-Really...?"

"Mm... That isn't exactly wrong."

It seemed I would have to explain the complicated family tree first.

===

Maid Javert and Maid Ranne.

I will upload the remaining friends tomorrow.

Footnotes:

[1] “Doran, Doran” echoes the Korean sound for friendly chatter while invoking Doran, and “Faker, Faker” invokes Faker. Both are celebrated Korean League of Legends players.

“Doran, Doran” echoes the Korean sound for friendly chatter while invoking Doran, and “Faker, Faker” invokes Faker. Both are celebrated Korean League of Legends players.