Chapter 130: Advancing While Lost (2)

As we keep diverging from the game’s development, even if I strive to maintain the current state my strength only gets shaved.

"You are an ally of justice Sacred, right. Keep up appearances until the end."

I quietly mutter and decide my resolve.

The likes of me will eventually become useless, but becoming that is after I do everything I should do.

◇

I know a certain degree about the queen’s close aides.

Livy who charms male characters and makes them allies. If you do not take countermeasures even the original protagonist Alter is charmed without question and together with an ero scene meets a special bad end, a beauty... in the original the opponent Alter comes to hate most.

Koito who can forcibly put female characters into heat and make fallen-to-darkness Sacred unable to fight. In a way close to Alter’s way of fighting, an opponent good at fighting while breaking the other party’s mental.

Both are greatly inferior to Gain in the aspect of combat ability, but for the Sacred they are hard-to-fight opponents.

But though troublesome they are opponents there is information on. Unlike the girl before my eyes.

A brown girl growing mouse ears and a tail, with gray hair grown enough to cover her back.

The girl of an age around elementary or middle school wore a navy apron dress. On the skirt hem deformed mice running around are embroidered.

Nezumi-san. Real name unknown, and in the range I remember settings were never properly told.

The only information the protagonist can know is she is an opponent who sells items to the protagonist.

If you are a player, if it is a work with RPG-style combat elements you also understand she is a signboard-girl-like existence of Triangle Software who always appears. Only that.

In the game I was convinced that is how it is, but currently I cannot say that.

"...I see, I understood the story."

Same as usual, same as when I have been going to buy a bento many times recently, she nodded in a drawn-out voice.

"In short you want to borrow Nezumi-san’s wisdom. That kind of thing?"

"...Aa."

I cannot read inner emotions from her expression.

Originally I am not the type good at that kind of thing, but because the expression remains sleepy and does not change I have no idea what she is thinking.

Those eyes looking at me. Am I being appraised, am I being disappointed in, is she rejoicing she was waiting, or is she just sleepy. Understanding does not reach at all.

"So? If I help you what on earth does Nezumi-san gain?"

That question I had predicted to a degree.

Someone who knows something yet deliberately does not flow any information this way. If I tell that kind of opponent send information of course it becomes this.

"...I do not know. Frankly the only thing I can put out is around aphrodisiac."

I say it as if joking, but it is completely fact.

I predicted Nezumi-san’s question. As a result I also predicted I have nothing I can return.

The only light is that after the fight against Black Knight, Gain, affection toward this side rose.

I do not know what Nezumi-san’s purpose is.

But that affection rose from defeating the queen’s close aide means currently Nezumi-san and I can cooperate I think.

The uneasy point is that in the original she sold items to Alter and introduced facilities.

If harmed she seriously antagonizes, but otherwise she moves in a position like Alter-camp-leaning neutral.

Why did Nezumi-san in the original lend a hand to Alter, a guy who violates transformation heroines?

Certainly from a player viewpoint he is a reasonably human-like guy, and though he is often teased this guy pretends to be cool but is he a lolicon, he is a character who had reasonable popularity as a handsome villain protagonist.

But that is a player viewpoint, not the viewpoint of a human living in the same world.

"It does not become a talk. Please come the day after yesterday."

"...That is so."

A cold line. But I do not feel disappointment and accepted of course.

No profit I can return, I do not even understand what the other party seeks. There is no obligation to lend a hand to that kind of guy.

Frankly this time was just in case. I thought being refused at this rate is natural, I only thought it is better than taking no action and dawdling. Frankly whether it was truly a better action I actually have no confidence. Thoughts like am I not being evaluated down as a thoughtless idiot bastard swirl guru-guru in my head.

I think thinking is wasted...

Even so I do not have a simple brain that can immediately switch thinking. I think an idiot type who can switch sakutto is better than an idiot type who dawdles and worries.

While letting out a small sigh I thought I will buy a bento and go home.

"Aa. But one. Only one."

Right before that.

Nezumi-san slightly changed her expression.

From usual sleepy eyes. Pupils sway as if troubled, as if lost.

"Nezumi-san too is lost about various things. Whether I can believe you, and such."

In the original Nezumi-san’s expression almost does not change. Remaining sleepy eyes, only changing the mouth and pose.

The only difference is when she is antagonized by the protagonist in games including Magical Warrior Sacred Knights.

Only at those times her expression is desperate, or impatient. Anyway from the usual fluffy state she turns and takes every means to eliminate the protagonist. I have attacked Nezumi-san many times thinking if I defeat Nezumi-san in that situation is there an ero scene, so I remember well. In the end no matter how much I cornered only several mouse corpses scatter and I cannot capture Nezumi-san.

"But Nezumi-san is a coward. Should I bet now? Should I spend under the winner’s umbrella like until now? The former has large risk, the latter return is too small. The result of only choosing the latter is now."

However if I say it Nezumi-san’s change was only that.

I understand original and reality differ. Actually precisely because of that my merit is about to vanish.

But for better or worse original and now are on an extension line.

For example Leas. Currently she obtained exchange that could not exist in the original and the image of an unattainable flower and solitary girl is being dispelled.

But that she is not as cool as her appearance image and that her mental is not strong are all original settings.

If in the original there had been the current kind of development, if a transformation heroine victory route existed it might have become the current kind of development.

Precisely because of that Nezumi-san too.

There might be some setting.

That she understands my current state, and that she is lost like now.

There is setting not revealed to the original protagonist or players, and she is moving that way?

Nezumi-san who had been staring at me thinking while confused closed those pupils once... and put on a sleepy expression same as usual.

"...I have expectations of you, and you have properly earned Nezumi-san’s affection too. But if I side with you more than this I will not be able to make an excuse when the time comes."

"I see."

In the end I understand nothing.

What I should do, what Nezumi-san is thinking.

But there is one thing I understood.

"...In other words Nezumi-san. From your viewpoint I am doing it well?"

Otherwise affection would have no way of rising.

Therefore I felt a little relief.

Compared to the Sacred members I am a no-good guy, but even so I could think I am properly doing it.

◇

"Ah. Truly I. Flee, flee, flee, and now I became unable to flee."

Inside the shop after Furezawa Senjumaru left, Nezumi-san fell face-down on the counter.

Around such her mice gather chichi-chi. She strokes each one lovingly and twists her face already this many have decreased.

"Should I bet on that child? On that kind of weak child? Ah... I hate it, I am scared, I do not want to lose more than this."

A Vigilante named Atel Octo who does not exist in the "original."

But as a mere Tentacle Monster Villain he existed. A Monster Villain for unlocking ero scenes usable from early to late... as the first Earth-born one.

Precisely because of that she had thought even if he has special power he will die soon. But he defeated Gain and drew Sacred Knight into allies in a perfect state.

Maybe, she thinks.

If it is him, might he grant my wish.

Her chest swells from expectation. But when she thinks then shall I try betting on him she gets scared and hesitates.

Does this kind of opportunity come that many times? Rather than getting shaved like this is it not better to support him with full power.

From touching him options increased, and what I can do too.

But increasing options by no means means a hand reaches the future I wish.

In this world she is a loser. Same as those Sacred.

And the loser framework is a loser precisely because it is inferior to winners. Even if options increase a bit can that premise be overturned? Truly?

Thinking starts looping guru-guru. I should bet around here, no, is that really fine.

Around when unproductive thinking circled about three times she felt space-time warp.

Someone comes to the shop. The invading existences are two. A tall man and a blonde girl standing beside him.

Different from Furezawa Senjumaru. Regulars of Nezumi’s general store.

"Welcome to Nezumi’s general store. Shopping?"

"Aa. Line up the goods, Nezumi."

The white-haired man with a girl following beside him. Alter Native hooked up the corner of his mouth.

At that figure Nezumi-san is a little lost.

Is it fine to sell goods like this? If it is him, Vigilante Atel Octo, I thought maybe.

"...Yes. Please drop a lot of money."

But expecting is already tiring.

Nezumi-san as usual lines up goods before Alter.