57 – Broken Wings (2)
Radial, who was sitting in front of the wooden doll, immediately turned around.
“I-I’m sorry, my lord. I didn’t know you were coming…!”
She never expected him to come in person.
No. Perhaps Radial herself had been avoiding it.
From Karcein. From that boy from the past.
Because she had hurt someone irreparably.
But she had to quickly compose herself.
She couldn’t meet the lord in this state.
Turning her head abruptly, Radial unfolded her legs that were sitting, stood up, and quickly wiped away the traces of tears with her hand.
She smoothed her throat to avoid any sniffles being heard.
Then she turned her body back to face him, regaining her composure.
“It’s late… What brings you here, my lord?”
Karcein, who had been observing her, continued in a brief silence.
Clearly, tears were flowing.
He seemed despondent, sitting hesitantly.
Yet, upon seeing her, he soon began to smile again as if nothing had happened.
As if what he had just seen was an illusion.
“Shall we go inside and have a chat for a moment? Oh, it’s nothing special to be training at this hour. It’s just that my body is a bit sore.”
Then he tried to change the subject.
Avoiding any comments about her training.
By doing so, he ended up answering questions not asked.
“Please come in, Sir. I will demonstrate my skills that have been dormant for quite some time,” Radiel said, showing a posture of rolling up sleeves.
The conversation shifted towards what seemed like soliloquy this time, a normal conversation, that is, if she had been as she used to be.
“If she were the same as before, the words ‘Cadet Karsein, why have you come?’ would have probably come out of her mouth.”
Even though she might have seemed composed on the outside, in reality, she was flustered.
He, who had been keeping his mouth shut, finally spoke up, “Why are you being like this when you’ve heard?”
“What?”
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“You’ve heard everything. Haven’t you?”
Radiel’s lips quivered at the blunt remark.
“You heard that Sir has come. I thought you wouldn’t come anymore, so I was quite flustered when you did.”
“…”
“Let’s go in first, Sir. Once inside, I will show you the same courtesy as before.”
But then, once again, Karsein threw a blunt remark, “Are you going to keep pretending and brushing it off like that?”
Though she tried to play it cool, she took a sharp breath in the middle.
Her action did not go unnoticed by Karsein, who seized upon it without missing a beat.
“You know everything. Who I was captured by today.”
“…”
After those words escaped my lips, Radiel couldn’t bring herself to lift her head and once again gazed at the ground.
Soon, a dampness appeared on her face.
“Your words are true. I… knew. I heard from Mark on the day I first came to the training ground.”
Tears fell beneath her hidden eyes.
Radiel’s voice began to moisten.
“Although the hazing of newcomers is part of the initiation ceremony, it’s different in your case, Sir. It’s not a mere prank or tradition; it’s malice.”
It was clear malice.
Trying to drive her away from the training ground again.
Even Karsein himself felt that it was enough to do so.
“I know.”
Radiel glanced up briefly.
“You know? Then why… aren’t you holding me accountable? It’s all my fault that your reputation in the First Order has plummeted. It’s because I couldn’t explain.”
“…”
“Please, at least give me an order! Demand strict punishment for those who dared to act against the Bagrandt Duchy, even though it was me who faced them!”
She shouted as if pleading.
Even if she knew it was an emotionally-driven, wrongful command.
Even if, as a commander, she was aware of the abuse of power that should not be committed.
Even if punishing lower-ranking knights out of old emotions tarnished honor.
“I can no longer personally condemn them. But, if you use the authority of the Order’s Commander, revenge is still possible, isn’t it?”
She pleaded.
“Even if I have to turn everything upside down, it’s fine. As long as you, who have done nothing wrong, can stand tall. Please, even if it’s forced…!”
Drive them out.
Condemn those who falsely accused you.
And…
“As a disposable pawn, allow me to exact revenge even if it means I can never return here as the last spark!”
For revenge, issue the command.
“Please, Sir. Order the condemnation of Teo Ramstair and the rest of the underlings. This is my final wish!”
Ladiel, with tears streaming down her face, was shouting loudly before she knew it.
The bitter accusation once imposed on Karsein in the past.
Despite knowing the whole truth, she couldn’t protect or assist the nobleman who claimed innocence.
She, who had done nothing, could only end up being a pawn in the present.
Karsein listened to Ladiel’s cries until the end with his lips tightly sealed.
Finally, he spoke.
“If you’re going to say such foolish things, never intervene. Ladiel Groupein.”
***
It was a sub-episode, but Ladiel’s intimacy box was completely obscured upon first seeing her.
Instead, this was floating there.
▶ The individual feels guilt towards Karsein.
[ Ladiel Groupein ]
[ Intimacy: ??? ]
The phrase indicating guilt.
She was the only one in the Order who felt guilt towards Karsein.
Thanks to this, the intimacy box was not ashen, but white.
It was a given that she harbored kindness, but for some reason, it was now obscured.
The key to completing this sub-quest was finding Ladiel, but after that, it was simple.
Just choose the sub-episode exclusive options.
[ 1. If you’re going to say such foolish things, never intervene. Ladiel Groupein. ]
[ 2. You haven’t changed. When did I ever wish for that? ]
[ 3. You’re suffering. However, even if you step out, it’s just a mere outburst. ]
It was like a revelation.
All three choices consistently displayed an attitude of not intervening with Ladiel.
And the player gains autonomy in the second choice.
Whether to simply refrain from intervening with Ladiel.
Or to scold her harshly, intensifying the guilt.
Or to convince her initially, then deal with the main episode.
When playing the game, I had hinted at having guilt and had chosen to amplify that guilt.
By responding in that manner, there were no constraints within the Order, the conversation with Ladiel ended here without any penalties, and I could prepare for this episode without any difficulty. In many ways, it was relatively easy.
If scolding Ladiel, the same situation as in the game would unfold. After confronting Ladiel and gaining free time, it would be simple to go around looking for the memorials now…
‘That choice brings about a dead end. It’s unavoidable.’
With Ladiel’s guilt intensifying, she would commit suicide during the main episode, leading to Karsein’s death due to Mark’s anger over Ladiel’s death.
In essence, the sub-episode and Ladiel’s death are the dead triggers of this episode.
The hints lie in guilt, the false accusation against Karsein in the past, and revenge.
Through these three keywords, preventing Ladiel from taking certain actions is the best course of action.
“If you’re going to say such foolish things, never intervene. Ladiel Groupein.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I didn’t return to this battlefield to force you into revenge.”
She responded in disbelief, unable to comprehend.
“Aren’t you resentful towards me, nobleman? It’s because of me! Then I…”
“That’s why I’m telling you to stop. In your current state, you won’t even be able to properly seek revenge against them.”
“…What?”
As if doubting what she had just heard, Ladiel asked.
I reiterated firmly to her once more.
“You just watch. I’ll crush them myself. So they can never rise again.”
…!
The target of revenge was the same, but Ladiel’s approach was wrong.
Therefore, I firmly state it here.
“It’s not you, I will do it myself. So, stay out of it. Radiel.”
▶Sub Episode. Mark and Radiel cleared.◀
▶With Radiel’s intervention gone, Mark’s intimacy freeze is released.◀
As Radiel watched over me with a softer expression, the Sub Episode was cleared.
The point is to reduce Radiel’s guilt.
In order to smoothly proceed with the plan, the guilt from the main episode must be reduced now.
It’s time to slowly return.
Since free action time has been given, I must find the memorial.
This free action time is quite pressing.
As I need to find a memorial and if I don’t return in time, I might encounter trouble with Bruce or Theo Paggery, so I needed to move quickly.
As I turned my back,
“Wait a moment, Sir!”
Radiel hurriedly blocked my path.
“I, I can help too!”
“What?”
“In the revenge, you surely have something to ask of me. Definitely!”
After clearing this Sub Episode, Carsein leaves without any further conversation.
And then, as the perspective shifts to the player, free action becomes available…
Radiel following and blocking the path?
An unprecedented scene.
Like the skipped scenes in the main episode.
This level of unpredictability is not good.
It had to be stopped.
“You already know how I’ve been treated at the Marquis’s. In fact, just that alone has greatly reduced the damage. That’s enough. There’s no need for you to step in any further.”
“No, I… I…!”
-Ding!
▶Error Occurred!◀
▶It is not the time to intervene in this branch.◀
▶Considering alternative decisions…◀
…
…
▶Turning off the choices and proceeding with a forced event.◀
▶The clear conditions for Mark and Radiel Episode are changing.◀
▶Sub Episode is changing to the Main Episode.◀
▶Reconsidering the branch!◀
▶Results pending…◀
‘…What? Wait a minute!’
This abrupt change was completely unexpected.
A huge variable.
The Sub Episode was supposed to be nothing more than a device to block the dead trigger.
If that suddenly escalates to the Main Episode, it becomes something that must be done. Even without any information.
Just a few words would have been enough.
If I could calm Radiel, who is heavily loaded with the dead triggers, the flames wouldn’t escalate any further.
But my body wouldn’t move.
The red warning light came on, and time in this world seemed to stand still just like that moment.
‘Gosh!’
When I let out the frustration in my mind.
▶Branch selection complete.◀
▶Proceeding by changing the Main Episode, Troublemaker in the Smoke-filled Hall, to Broken Wings Episode.◀
Time was passing differently, already beyond my control.
▶Episode V. Broken Wings in Progress!◀
▶Revealing Radiel’s Intimacy Status!◀
[ Radiel Grufine ]
[ Guilt: 92% ]
Radiel’s intimacy box, once white, now displayed the word “guilt” in brown, with the question mark gone, clearly showing the percentage.
And.
▶Reduce the guilt of the individual and restore it as intimacy!◀
[ Failure results in death! ]
The status bar presented me with a new goal.
As the lengthy status bar vanished, control of my body returned.
I needed to be fully alert.
The phrase “Failure results in death” bluntly hung there. Once I had entered this branch, with the episode underway, there was no turning back.
I had to think hard.
“Where did I go wrong in this branch?”
The conditions for proceeding with a sub-episode were likely to have changed to specify this episode branch.
“I couldn’t do anything despite knowing the situation of the Lord. Carrying this burden makes me a scapegoat…!”
▶Reduce the guilt of the individual and restore it as intimacy!◀
[ Failure results in death! ]
[ Guilt: 94% ]
Darn it, the guilt increased by another 2%.
I grew anxious. What else should I recall?
“Should I find a different action than back then?”
The probable timeframe was undoubtedly today.
Today, Arina, having defeated Bruce and returned, made that clear.
Obtaining the warehouse key, meeting Radiel, and proceeding with the sub-episode.
…Something else?
Where on earth could it be?
“These arms were the price of my negligence and ignorance. So please. Please, I beg you!”
▶Reduce the guilt of the individual and restore it as intimacy!◀
[ Failure results in death! ]
[ Guilt: 96% ]
Once again, the guilt increased by 2%.
Seeing it rise by 2% each time, there were only two left. I had to stop it here.
“So, that means you should stop. You, too, have already made the best judgment. No?”
“…My Lord.”
“After I made your arms like that, I was banned from the ceremonial hall. But I am here now. It could be seen as an opportunity. It’s because you, who knew my innocence wouldn’t be proven, made the right choice!”
But once again.
▶Reduce the guilt of the individual and restore it as intimacy!◀
[ Failure results in death! ]
[ Guilt: 98% ]
Her guilt increased.
No. This wasn’t it.
Merely speaking words of reason wouldn’t solve it.
I had to completely convince her.
It was the last chance.
I had a few seconds to think.
What was different today from when I played the game?
Why was Radiel carrying this guilt until the end?
How could I lower Radiel’s guilt?
As my head was about to overheat.
I found one key difference.
“Emma Warnen.”
“…!”
“All the knights who take bribes are following Lady Emma’s orders.”
– Ting!
▶ Condition achieved! ◀
▶ The individual’s guilt is decreasing! ◀
[ Guilt: 68% ]
▶ By meeting the condition, guilt will turn into intimacy! ◀
[ Intimacy: 35% ]
That was another truth of the incident that Radyel might have already realized.
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It was Emma’s presence.
“How could the Master… that person…”
The explanation shouldn’t be difficult.
But.
– Thud.
Another guest arrived.
This girl likes Mc more than his mom lmao