A moment of blankness. Then, surging fury.
Along with the sense of having been outmaneuvered came the wariness that his opponent was a far more dangerous entity than he had imagined. Tension crackled between both parties.
"Whoa now! Don't get so murderous! You'll scare the little one!"
A single click of the tongue.
Taking action against the opponent here would be a terrible move. In the worst case, it could mean losing the Regalia.
The special victory of 'Eternal Nations'—the Dimensional Ascent Victory.
This was the most difficult victory to achieve within the game, accomplished by satisfying certain conditions with items known as Regalia.
Among the complex requirements—like defeating unique units, founding an empire, or constructing specific buildings—was the acquisition of a treasure. One such treasure was the Regalia's Sacred Sword.
Why was an object called the Hero's Sword in Brave Questus something that functioned as their Sacred Sword? And why did his intuition scream with certainty that this was indeed a Regalia?
By all rights, their respective games should never intersect. Takuto had fought against TRPG and RPG factions multiple times, but until now, no such sign had ever appeared.
That was precisely why, when Vittorio offered him this Sacred Sword, it had created that instant of blankness.
But in a way, this was also an opportunity. He could deduce a great deal of information from this single event, and above all, obtaining this Sacred Sword would bring him one step closer to a Dimensional Ascent Victory.
Takuto intentionally cooled the heat that had risen from the unexpected event, maintaining his composure as he watched how the situation would unfold.
"What I want you to understand is this: I genuinely want to be on good terms with King Takuto. I'm serious. Our goals don't have any real overlap on your side."
"I have many questions—like how you knew we were after a Regalia, or why the Hero's Sword and the Regalia's Sacred Sword are compatible... but certainly, as a gift, it's quite appealing. However, are you sure? The Hero's Sword was also a rather important item in Brave Questus, wasn't it?"
The Hero's Sword, as its name implied, was a weapon symbolizing the hero. In-game, there were stronger weapons available, so as equipment it was only mediocre, but it occupied a crucial position for game progression and for events with certain characters.
What state the system of 'Brave Questus' surrounding it was in, he did not know.
But this sword, being the trigger for various events, is certainly not something to hand over lightly.
"…Changing the subject, the king and the rest of us were brought to this world by the machinations of gods. We agree on that much, right? So if we assume this world is a game, what do you think the victory conditions are?"
Suddenly, Yu asked with a serious expression.
Victory conditions. That was information Takuto hadn't known until now.
No… at this very moment, it had become information he didn't know.
Because the fact that he was being asked this question itself indicated that if victory conditions existed, they weren't the straightforward kind one would normally expect.
"…Defeating all opposing forces. Meaning our faction survives down to the last person. Isn't that it?"
"…Wrong. The answer is, we don't know."
"What do you mean?"
From the first question, Takuto understood that simple survival wasn't the victory condition, but even so, this was a vague response. He nodded appropriately to encourage the other to continue.
"That's the reaction I got too. Even I thought so. According to our idiot god, most of the gods participating in this game aren't aiming for victory. But that doesn't mean they're participating without any thought, just to pass the time."
"Gods are powerful, thus their true intentions are difficult to fathom. Is that the idea?"
Though not fully convinced, Takuto tried to rationalize it, and Yu nodded in agreement.
Ignoring the slave girl's enthusiastic cheer for her master's smooth conversation, Takuto accelerated his thoughts to probe the other's intent and the background.
In 'Eternal Nations,' there were also people who aimed to clear special conditions like self-imposed restrictions or achievement runs…
No, even then, they aimed for victory within those restrictions. So perhaps it was more about enjoying the match itself.
Recalling the "just for fun" types from his past life who weren't obsessed with winning or losing, Takuto found a measure of understanding.
"What you do in the process is what matters. At least, that's what we're being asked for."
"You mean the gods aren't watching whether we win, but rather what we accomplish in this world?"
"At least, that's what I think."
Yu isn't being given victory conditions from the gods, either. That means his motivation for standing against the Succubus faction is simply for his own sake and the survival of his side.
"This 'Hero's Sword' is the same. It's a crucial item if you're playing the game Brave Questus, but it doesn't align with our goals. That's why we decided to offer it. It's surprisingly important, you know! Though you might already be aware of that."
Takuto nodded in understanding. It was certainly valuable enough to serve as a gift, and it felt like a genuine gesture of goodwill from their side. It was a pity to write off these terms so quickly. He wanted to secure the Royal Regalia sword, and if there were no hidden agenda, an alliance with the Hero was attractive. Setting the Succubus aside, as the man said, having numbers on your side was an advantage in its own right.
"I don't know what their true purpose is. They didn't tell me that much. But, well, I was told to come make friends, so here I am. Thinking about it, I feel like I'm just being used by that stupid god. It's starting to piss me off."
The gods' objectives were unknown. The man before him probably didn't know either, and no matter how Takuto probed, no more useful information would likely come forth.
Takuto wasn't particularly skilled at judging people, but he wasn't terrible at deduction or inference, either. At the very least, from their conversation so far, he understood what the player Shinjo Yu was seeking.
*(I see. Above all else, it's about their own survival. Anyone's afraid of dying, and especially in this world, the danger to your life is constant. On the contrary, it's more unusual to take reckless gambles by leveraging special abilities... I wouldn't want to take such risks either...)*
If he, like Takuto, had arrived in this world without knowing anything, just playing a game, then perhaps his ultimate purpose was strikingly similar to his own. The pieces to confirm this were already falling into place. Yes, for example...
"Brave Questus had something called the Original Character System, didn't it?"
"Ugh!!"
That reaction turned Takuto's hypothesis into conviction.
The game Brave Questus was a masterpiece that stood above many other RPGs, but it contained a particularly distinctive mechanic: the Original Character System.
The protagonist, the hero, and his companions. On top of that, one could always bring along custom characters they had created themselves.
Initially a weak, almost useless character, but depending on how one raised them, they could become the ultimate companion, so powerful that no enemy could stand against them.
One would secretly give them the name of their beloved and play the game. This was practically a ritual that took place whenever any of the numerous series in the franchise was released.
He now remembered clearly that such a system had existed.
(Well, the tragedy when save data got deleted thanks to that system was incalculable...)
Takuto, having never used the original character system himself, hadn't experienced that tragedy, but even in the modern age where technical advancements had made data loss nearly impossible, he still occasionally saw people for whom it remained a deep-seated trauma, suggesting countless tears had been shed back then.
He realized he had been overthinking it somewhat. At least setting aside the existence behind him, the man was proving to be a very straightforward individual.
Takuto glanced at the enslaved girl.
—In other words.
"Could it be... the ultimate bride I envisioned?"
"Gwaahh!"
"M-my Master! Your head, does your head hurt!? What's gotten into you so suddenly, Master?!"
The instant those words left his mouth, Yūa screamed loudly, clutching his head and writhing in apparent agony.
Like the TRPG player Kuribara Keiji, it seemed players were, perhaps surprisingly to Takuto, far more human than he had considered. Rather, he revised his view, thinking perhaps it was the top-tier players of "Eternal Nations" he had fought until now who were the inhuman ones, and made a decision.
"Very well. I will accept the offer of cooperation. However, it will be strictly for defensive purposes, not active hostility towards other factions. That would be preferable for you as well, I imagine?"
"W-well, to be honest..."
"E-eh, what does that mean, Takuto? Why are you suddenly accepting the cooperation? You were so cautious just moments ago..."
Setting aside the particular feelings typical of a young man his age, he would need to explain to Atou later why he had arrived at this decision.
After that, it would be the Dark Elf leadership of Mynoghra...
Takuto had previously suffered at the hands of the TRPG witch Erakino. For the Dark Elves who had been present, the incident was, in a sense, traumatic.
For them, the player faction was tantamount to the gates of hell. One might even call them natural enemies.
Even if one tried to explain the circumstances and the benefits, drawing out their understanding would not be an easy matter.
The Regalia's sacred sword and the player's cooperation.
He could not afford to lower his guard, but what he had gained was significant. Yet the price that accompanied it would surely not be small.
As the discussion grew increasingly complex, Takuto felt a slight darkening of spirit, wondering when a peaceful day might finally come.
"Um...? What does 'recent bride' mean, Master?"
"N-Nothing! It's nothing!"
I glance at the flustered, evasive Yu and her slave girl.
I myself had been obsessed with Atou as a favorite character, and from an outside perspective, my fixation would have seemed abnormal. Thus, Takuto felt he was hardly in a position to criticize Yu's actions.
=Eterpedia===
[Original Character System]System
A system from the acclaimed RPG series "Brave Questus", representing one of its signature features.
Players can add a specific original character to their party during the game's early and progression stages.
This character's name, backstory, appearance, combat style, and other aspects can be freely determined by the player, and they will act alongside the player.
Throughout the series, this character's combat ability is low, but since there is no growth limit, persistent play can lead to them becoming the strongest character.
※Note: In Brave Questus 3, if the original character's gender is set to female, they may defect to the enemy after a certain period.
※Note: In Brave Questus 7, if their personality is set to "Free-spirited," they may come out as having a lover mid-game.
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