Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer?

Chapter 25: Irrevocable (4)

“Ah, damn it."

I had been pretty proud of what I’d just said, but Deb suddenly cursed after hearing it. He said he would get me a horse, so I chose to let it go, but I had no idea why he did that.

“…Hey, Mister. I really hate those guys from the Temple."

I already knew that. I knew he hated them so much that he would openly discuss it with me, whom he wasn't even close with, right in front of a member of the Temple.

“However… I hate Demons even more. I also really hate people who are no better than Demons."

Was the favorability level of all plot-relevant NPCs screwed up or something? If it wasn't, he would never have told me, someone he just met, something like that.

As I reached that conclusion, I listened to the rest of his words.

“So, take this with you."

I reflexively caught something that just came flying toward me.

“…In any even remotely developed city, you should be able to find a tavern with this insignia out front."

As I was about to check what he had thrown, Deb whispered to me. I didn't know what he’d given me for him to bring up some tavern.

“If you find one, give them this. You'll be able to buy any kind of information."

I glanced at what was in my hand.

It was a piece of wood engraved with a rat overlapping with a snake. It was something anyone who played Legend of Heroes would be familiar with: the emblem of the Information Guild.

“You deserve it."

Crazy. This was an Information Guild access card. It was similar to the Adventurers' Guild but fulfilled a slightly different role.

I felt the back of my head tingle slightly. I thought Deb would join us because of this incident, but now I realized it was all just to get him to deliver this card to the player.

I very much welcomed this twist. However, I would probably be able to log out before I even got to use it.

“…Why did you give this to me?"

“I just told you. I hate those Temple guys, but I hate Demons and those associated with them even more. And wouldn't you, Mister Knight, make better use of that than us, who just hold onto information."

That was true. After NPCs provided the player with information, the player would investigate and solve the situation according to the Quest.

However, I didn't think he gave me that knowing this.

“What do you want?"

I asked as I put the card into my inventory. Deb lifted the corners of his mouth to that.

“It's fine. I already got what I wanted."

…I would have to check if I had anything in my inventory to give him. I never gave him anything, so why was he acting like that?

“And the horse… I'll try to get it for you as fast as possible. In the meantime, rest a bit. I'll be able to do it alone."

Wow, what good service.

What? What did I do for him to go to such lengths for me? I couldn't even explain it as being part of the plot anymore. Was this really all because I gave him one Demon Contractor? Wasn’t that a bit much?

“Wait.”

While I was trying to read Deb’s mind, the Inquisitor spoke up this time. Her sunken eyes glittered in the moonlight.

“I will join you.”

It wasn’t anything I particularly wanted to happen or couldn’t predict. These plot-relevant Companion NPCs just wouldn’t stop following me. Even if they did, I wouldn’t mind.

“Sir Archmage…”

“…How could I let you go alone?”

Although the Archmage’s expression seemed rather grim, he eventually agreed to come. He pressed his thick fingers against his eyes.

“But, do you really not mind?"

“I didn't expect to go through such ordeals already, but… you don't have to worry about me. Ever since I decided to join you, Miss Inquisitor, I decided to stay by your side."

Good, it seemed they decided to come along. However, why were they talking like that?

“…You guys will have to get your own transportation, though."

“Hmm. I'll pay the original price for it. Is it still not possible for you to arrange some for us?"

“Well, in that case."

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Deb shrugged and gestured to the other thief NPC—the one who had brought the sack—who instantly disappeared into another alley.

“You'll have to pay the original price, so you better be prepared."

As he spoke, Deb slowly walked backward in the direction the other thief had gone before turning completely and running off. That instant disappearing skill really made him seem like the Thief class’s representative character.

“…Anyway, all we can do now is wait."

“Ah, then we should go to the dorms. We shouldn't have any problem using it."

The Temple’s dormitory… I guess not going there would fit my personality better, wouldn’t it?

“You should also come with us, Demon Knight. Wouldn’t it be better to rest properly, even just a little?”

Hmm. If they put it like that, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

I just had to avoid lying in a bed. No matter whether I slept standing up, sitting down, or lying down, my fatigue level would decrease all the same.

“This way.”

I carefully watched the retreating Inquisitor’s back and followed at the last possible moment.

“Are you hoping for your own destruction?”

The Archmage then asked me in a low voice so the Inquisitor wouldn’t hear. I decided not to answer the sage.

Because his question perfectly described the image I had been aiming for. Wahaha.

* * *

Deb returned around dawn.

It took longer than I anticipated, but I just let it go after saying, “You’re late.” The horses were too good for me to throw a temper tantrum.

Actually, thanks to him being so late, I could rest for a good amount of time.

“Why five?”

“No matter how good the horse, it’ll tire very quickly if carrying a warrior in full plate armor like you. That’s why.”

So he meant she should roughly distribute the burden between two horses. However, there was one more left.

“…Because these are very precious horses. They told me someone has to go along with you to ensure they won’t get hurt.”

Deb, after speaking rather bluntly to the Inquisitor, immediately turned his eyes to me.

Those two were so strange. Why did they act all friendly with me, who took every opportunity to show off my bad temper, but saw each other as a nuisance?

“And you are the one I take?”

“Yeah…”

「???(Deathbringer) has joined you.」

Right. I glanced at the Status Window rising before my eyes.

* * *

* * *

"Are you dissatisfied? If so, I can just take back those horses.”

A voice interrupted my thoughts from the side.

Though I wasn’t particularly dissatisfied… Rather, it was the first time I ever heard that voice. I glanced in the direction it came from.

“…! Sister!”

I could see the astonishment on the faces of the priests who came to see us off. If even they recognized her, she must be quite famous in this town.

“Do you know her?”

“Well, she’s a great supporter of our Temple. She also does a lot of charity work in the slums.”

“…So she doesn’t have a criminal record or something?”

“Of course not!”

Thanks to the Inquisitor, I managed to gain a lot of information. Right.

“I can tell just by looking. You're that Demon Knight our little boy has fallen for, right?"

“I didn’t fall for him!"

“You came running to me at this ungodly hour to ask that I lend you horses, and you’re telling me you didn’t?”

“Urgh.”

Listening to her conversation with Deb, it seemed she was these horses’ owner.

I turned to look at the horses, suppressing the remaining fatigue. I could properly see the other person now.

She was of the ‘Sland’ race, her ears pointy and her body slender. The faint scent of medicinal herbs coming from her was rather relaxing.

“Well, I was only joking about taking them back. I was just curious about who was borrowing my horses, so don’t worry.”

“You are?”

“I run a small pharmacy. You can call me Skyley.”

I found it rather strange that the owner of a pharmacy possessed five horses of such quality, but I decided to let it go. She might be a collaborator or a member of the Information Guild.

Of course, it could also be because she had a close relationship with Deb… I wasn’t all that curious. If she were an important NPC, I would see her again later, after all.

“Are you the owner of these horses?”

The Inquisitor, who had successfully removed her armor with the help of some of the priests, came forward.

They had only removed the plates and left the chainmail, making her seem very daunting.

“First, I want to express my thanks to you. Then, the price for lending us these horses is…”

“Ah, that’s fine. I heard someone from the Temple asked to borrow one, so how could I request payment? We have to help each other in times like these.”

“Still…”

“You need it for a good cause, don’t you?”

Skyley spoke with a smile on her lips.

“I raised these kids with all my love, so please ensure they don’t get hurt.”

However, she said that while looking at me, not the Inquisitor. Also, her hand was still pressing down on Deb’s head as he stood beside her.

“Ah, why are you doing this again?!”

“If they get hurt… I might get a little angry.”

So, she was indirectly telling me to make sure to take care of Deb. The NPCs in this town were really good at speaking in a roundabout way.

“That won’t happen.”

Of course, the expression of the Inquisitor, who likely missed the hidden meaning, turned somewhat grim.

Unlike when addressing Deb, she was polite. Despite being acquainted with a criminal, Skyley didn’t seem to bother her so long as there was no criminal record, or so it seemed.

“In that case, I can feel relieved.”

“Erm, but… about what he said about returning the horses.”

“Ah, it’s literally just that. These kids are just so precious to me that I get rather anxious when sending them to an unknown place.”

“…In that case, the Temple could—”

“Of course, I know if I asked the Temple, they would ensure my horses’ safe return, but that’s just how the mind works. I thought I would feel a bit more relieved if someone I know goes along.”

“Th-then…”

“I’ve known this kid for quite some time already, so I thought it’d be good to leave it to him. Ah, is there some kind of problem with that?”

“Erm…”

“He’s a little rough around the edges but often helps me with charity work. He’s very quick-witted, so I’m sure that he won’t cause you any trouble, Miss Inquisitor.”

It seemed the Inquisitor wanted to send Deb away or replace him with someone else…

I had no idea why she insisted on us taking Deb—maybe because of the plot—but it seemed there wasn’t anything we could do. Well, I didn’t really care who came along.

“Are you going to keep blabbering?”

I felt really sorry. We’d only exchanged a few words, but I couldn’t waste any more time.

Just when I mounted the horse, the Archmage coincidently came trudging in.

“I’m the last one, huh?”

He didn’t even ask why there were five horses or who this new addition was. Even a normal human’s ears would have picked up half the conversation between the Inquisitor and Skyley, so with his hearing, he should have already grasped the situation.

“Oh my, it seems I wasted too much of your time. Off you go.”

“Erm, yes. Thank you… for your consideration.”

The Inquisitor, defeated by her eloquence, eventually got on her horse with a sullen expression. Deb had already mounted his, so all we needed to do was leave.

“Ah, wait. Hey, listen.”

“Huh, what else is there?”

…All we needed to do was wait for the horse owner to finish speaking with her representative and then leave.

“I wish you luck.”

“May God be with you.”

They didn’t talk for long.

I didn’t feel the need to listen to these words of blessing, so I just started riding.

“Giddy up!”

Neigh!

The great horse immediately started moving its legs at my command. Its speed and acceleration were quite good.

“Th-that.”

“Hooh.”

The priests behind me were staring quite intensely, but my character wasn’t one to care about the looks of others. Wahaha.

“…! How nice!”

“…Looks like I’ve been pampered to death here. Sigh, I deserve it.”

I could hear the Inquisitor’s exclamation and Deb’s mutterings enter my ears. It seemed this was the first time that Deb had ridden a horse.

“At this rate, we’ll arrive in three days.”

“That long?”

“Yeah.”

Just as I heard the Archmage lamenting close by, a horse approached me.

“…Erm, Mister. Please forget what you just heard.”

It was the Deathbringer.

“I met her a little while back in the alleys, and she’s a bit nosy, so…”

“I don’t care.”

In fact, I would engrave that incident into my mind, but that was just me. My character wouldn’t be that interested in it.

“Is that so.”

I wondered how he took these words. After riding beside me silently for some time, Deb opened his mouth once more.

“…Mister, have you ever regretted it?”

That question seemed a little strange in this situation. Besides, shouldn’t such sensitive subjects only be broached after we’d known each other for some time, or, in other words, after we’d built up some rapport?

Did that guy’s favorability somehow rise without me doing anything, like with the Inquisitor?

“…”

Should I ignore him, or shouldn’t I? If I decided not to ignore him, how should I answer?

I quickly thought about what my character would do, and an appropriate answer soon came out of my mouth.

“What a meaningless question.”

Because he hadn’t been strong enough, he had been unable to prevent his family’s demise.

Because he hadn’t been strong enough, he was the only one who survived.

And because he hadn’t been strong enough, all he could do now was hunt those Demons.

From his perspective, was there even something to regret?

Regret was only possible when one realized they had done something wrong or could have made a better choice. Neither applied to the Demon Knight.

In other words, he never even had the chance to feel regret.

All of his despair resulted from an unstoppable disaster.

However.

“…The nutrient supplements should have run out by now, so why can I still not log out?”

Two days had passed since we began our journey to Tatara. With how much time had already passed, this couldn’t have happened because of the sleep function’s time skip, but I still couldn’t log out.

Even when we reached Tatara, the game still didn’t end.

“Why…?”

I had a lot of regrets.

Connecting to this game. Getting too immersed in my roleplay. Putting aside all my worries, thinking I would eventually be able to log out. These were all things I could have prevented!

Shit!