When I came to my senses…
I was here, inside the game.
Thud!
“Ugh…”
It’s always like this.
As if I’d fallen from the sky, I’m thrown into the middle of the road.
Kaiter Empire Calendar 879, June 8th, the small provincial town of Delman.
Same date, same place.
Nothing ever seems to change.
At first, it took quite a while to accept that I was trapped in the game.
‘Who would even believe this?’
I pinched myself all over, hoping it was a dream.
But, as they say, humans are creatures of adaptation.
Gradually, seeing the familiar scenery and people around me, I could easily deduce that this was the world of the game “Happiness.”
After that, I adapted to the situation and quickly began to realize my goals.
However.
“Argh! This is so frustrating!”
I couldn’t hold back my resentment and slammed my fist on the ground.
There was a clear reason why I was so angry.
I had experienced death a whopping eight times, and I had regressed again.
“Haa…”
I was exhausted.
No, I was beyond exhausted, and I just wanted to escape this game world.
No matter how hard reality is, it can’t be as bad as this.
“Definitely not.”
I can say that with confidence as someone who’s experienced it.
That’s because the end of my failed endings was…
A catastrophe in itself.
A hazy dust and acrid smell filled the air, and the land consumed by fire shook explosively.
The ground cracked, and the mountain in front of me collapsed.
And that’s not all.
A tsunami surged and violently swept the surroundings.
Before natural disasters, humans were nothing more than mere dust.
My family, as well as everyone around me, disappeared like grains of sand.
Everything was destroyed, a dystopian world where no hope could be found.
At the moment of death, I returned to the beginning of the game.
And this is the ninth time.
“Ugh…”
A groan escaped through my teeth.
In an instant, a strange energy gathered in my hand.
With a fluttering sensation on my palm, bubbles popped.
At the same time, a soft white light emanated.
“It’s the same. This time too.”
I wasn’t surprised by this bizarre phenomenon.
You could say I had the composure to accept it calmly.
Through repeated regressions, one of my abilities had bloomed.
An attribute called ‘Serenity.’
‘Serenity’ was the power to calm anger and restore order to a chaotic atmosphere.
In simple terms, it was similar to a kind of calming effect.
It’s not like a mark appeared on my hand or anything.
I could only sense the energy on my own; outwardly, there was no sign of it at all.
But I wasn’t entirely happy with this ability.
Having challenged and failed countless endings, the ‘Serenity’ attribute hadn’t been of much help to me.
“Ugh, it’s useless.”
If they were going to give me an ability, they could have given me something more plausible.
They have no flexibility at all.
Tsk, I clicked my tongue and cursed the developers in my mind.
Why aren’t there more things that only the protagonist can do, like healing wounds or discovering items that bring good luck with a touch?
“Tch! What’s the point of having this attribute? There’s nowhere to use it.”
Ah! There was one thing.
Was it the fourth regression? Or the fifth?
Anyway, once, I happened to meet a child crying on the street, and I quickly comforted them with this hand.
But that didn’t change my life significantly.
“Ah, never mind, never mind.”
I shook my head to shake off the memories of the past.
What’s the point of all that now?
I didn’t want to waste time dwelling on things that weren’t related to the ending.
In fact, even now, I don’t know how to use this ‘Serenity’ attribute effectively.
I just…
“I want to stop, everything. ”
Another repeated regression.
A goal that has lost its way.
A situation where it’s questionable whether there’s even an end.
“Hoo…”
A heavy sigh escaped.
My chest felt heavy, as if pressed down by a stone.
What did I do wrong to deserve this?
All I did was immerse myself in the game to escape my lonely reality.
I was even alone at the end of the game.
I lost even my in-game family, miserably…
I survived alone, only to face the wrath of nature’s judgment.
If I can’t succeed in the ending like this…
“It’s better to die now.”
I bit my lip as if I had made a huge decision.
I don’t want to face any more terrible pain.
I lay flat on the ground again.
Because I remembered a carriage passing by here in the early stages of the game.
‘Maybe if I die now. I can escape from here.’
A faint hope began to rise.
If I could say goodbye to this world through death, that wouldn’t be a bad choice.
Thump, thump-thump!
As expected,
I could hear the sound of hooves galloping powerfully from afar.
Now all I have to do is lie here.
Today is the last day.
I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the future to come.
Once the carriage, which hasn’t noticed me, passes by, everything will be over.
That’s when it happened.
[There was never a hidden ending from the beginning!]
[Users have all been played by the game company’s marketing!]
People say that just before death, their life flashes before their eyes, and that wasn’t wrong.
Seeing the words, I had seen in the community floating in my head.
‘Yeah, maybe that’s true.’
Maybe I was really played by the game company’s marketing.
Now I even doubt whether the hidden ending really exists.
But if there is one…
I just hope someone succeeds and doesn’t have to go through something as terrible as I did.
For a moment, as I transferred hope to others, another comment flashed through my mind.
[lol, the reality is probably a friendless loser]
[lol, that’s why they’re playing games all day]
“You crazy…”
I gritted my teeth.
Even so, I didn’t want a hater to succeed in the hidden ending. Never!
I squeezed my eyes shut and suppressed my anger.
As my vision was blocked, my hearing began to become acutely sensitive.
Thump, thump-thump!
The sound of the carriage was getting closer.
‘Yeah, it’s all over now.’
Whatever happens, I decided not to have any more regrets about this place.
Then.
“Neigh!”
Along with the horse’s cry, my body flew into the air at an incredible speed.
Huh? What? Why doesn’t it hurt at all?
If I had been trampled by a heavy horse and a large carriage, my body couldn’t possibly be intact.
Ah!
Could it be that I’m already dead and can’t feel any pain at all?
In that moment when I couldn’t be sure of anything.
“Are you okay?”
I heard a kind voice.
Who?
I slowly lifted my tightly closed eyelids.
“…”
I saw the figure of the person exuding a dark aura.
The person in front of me was wearing a black dress and a hat with black ribbon decorations.
Below that, a net-shaped face veil was draped demurely.
As I focused, the face gradually became clearer through the veil.
‘Gasp, a grim reaper?’
My surprised eyes widened.
That was the first thought that came to mind when I saw the black outfit.
‘Am I really dead.’
I tried hard to understand the situation.
If I was dead, that would be very fortunate.
Of course, I would have to confirm whether I had escaped the game.
Anyway, I was relieved that I had achieved some of my goals, but my expression couldn’t help but harden as I suddenly remembered something.
‘Huh?’
I know this person.
It’s definitely a face I know.
‘Uh, but who is it…’
I turned my thoughts around more busily than ever.
And before long, I was able to recall the identity of the other person.
Someone who lived very close, but didn’t interact much with.
Just a vague memory,
“O-Oniisan…?”
Before my thoughts could be properly organized, my mouth opened first.
Why the heck are you here?
The person in front of me was definitely Extra 1, who appears as the girl next door.
“I’m glad I found you early and stopped the carriage. I almost passed by without seeing you.”
What? Does that mean Oniisan saved me?
Even Oniisan was in that carriage?
Then… I’m not dead yet?
“Haa…”
A sigh escaped. I just wanted to cry.
I never thought that the owner of the carriage passing by at this time would be the girl next door.
Because it had so little to do with my previous strategies.
Ugh, I’m doomed!
“What’s wrong? Are you not, okay?”
I came to my senses after my body shook once.
And Oniisan’s face came into view.
Even with the veil draped over her face, Oniisan’s face shone like a pearl.
Clear eyes and a beautiful nose on a small face.
Could there be such a perfect proportion in the world?
‘Damn it!’
Even in this moment, I’m admiring Oniisan’s appearance.
Above all, Oniisan’s emerald eyes looking down at me…
‘It’s like a jewel…’
And what about Oniisan’s white silver hair, which contrasts with the black dress?
It made her features even more distinct.
Even the face veil couldn’t completely hide Oniisan’s appearance.
Now that I see it, she was decorated with black beads and lace instead of fancy jewels, but the beauty inherent in the simplicity felt even greater.
Oniisan’s appearance is like a doll that walked out of a glass display case.
“Hey.”
“…”
“Can’t you hear me? No, can you even see me?”
Oniisan waved her hand in front of my eyes several times.
Every time her hand brushed through the air, a cool forest scent seemed to waft through the air.
Somehow, time seemed to be flowing slowly, and the sound of my heart beating thumped in my head.
And that wasn’t all.
Now, it even seemed like I could see a halo behind Oniisan’s back, as if large wings were unfolding.
Could it be that you’re not just the girl next door.
‘Are you the reincarnation of Nike, the goddess of luck?’
“Parker!”
“Yes, Miss!”
“Come here and carry her. I think she’s lost her mind.”
At those words, my thoughts stopped abruptly.