Chapter 18
ROOK BARUSAK
Rook Barusak was reclining on his chair .
Sorting out the stockpiled doc.u.ments, he gave out an exhausted breath . The maid Mary, who was always next to him attending to his necessities, had gone out to the market , so she wasn´t here today . For the first time in a while, Rook was able to enjoy his time alone .
“Now that I think about it, I´m already fourteen years old . ”
While overhearing a tumult happening at the main street, he suddenly got nostalgic .
Rook carried his previous life´s memories . Somehow pa.s.sing for the university exam, he drank to the point of being bathed in alcohol, so he didn´t have memories on these last moments . That´s why at first, he thought he was dreaming a dream he had become a baby, but without showing any signs of waking up, he grew up . After one year, he was able to get used to all that and accept that he reincarnated in a game world .
“Uhh, what was the next event?”
Rook extended his hand to the table´s drawer .
Removing the padlock, he took out some old papers . On them, there were words written in j.a.panese . From the moment he became able to hold a pen, he wrote down all the events that were going to happen . For the residents of this world, it was like the future itself was written in there, but because it was written in j.a.panese, n.o.body would be able to read it . In fact, the servants thought they were only scribbles .
“Ah, that´s right, it was that . This one is the most important event, so I need to properly do the arrangements . But before that, there is Seles-chan´s confession event, right?”
Rook let out a broad smile . It was the heroine that had the air of an important figure, his childhood friend Seles . It wasn´t to the point of being his favorite in his previous world, but it was close . *1
“I can´t wait…
…Rather, it´s not time to be daydreaming . I need to start the preparations for the next event, or the world will truly be destroyed . ”
Putting away the papers, he gave out a long sigh . In case this event ends up in failure, regardless of which route he were to choose, it would lead to a bad end . The route Rook chose was the one that he would capture as many girls as he could; it was the harem end, but depending on this next event, all this would crumble down . Now showing a serious face, he started the arrangements related to the next and most important event . But there was someone that kept hindering him .
“Ro- Rook! It´s terrible!”
Without even knocking the door, a small shadow came running . It was Rebecca, a young girl that was being hunted by slave hunters at this city Rook had come to . After saving her without difficulties, it became that he would be taking care of her until she was able to live on her own . But actually… There was a route that she would be together with Rook for her whole life, and this one was the route Rook was aiming to advance through .
“What´s the matter, Rebecca . For you to be in such hurry…
“Selestinna-san, she… She was!”
Speaking while sobbing, she came to Rook and hugged him . When she came running, her wheat braids came a bit loose . As Rook was hugging her small body, he frowned . In the game, there shouldn´t have been scene where Selestinna would get into trouble at this stage .
“But, but… I don´t want to believe it, but…”
“Rebecca, calm down . There is no way Seles would lose that easily . ”
While Rebecca was still talking, this time, Mary came rus.h.i.+ng into the room . Mary´s face was unnaturally very pale . While cuddling Rebecca, he became perplexed by the development that didn´t happen in the game .
“What´s the matter, Mary?”
“It´s very important, Rook-sama . Selestinna-sama and Toudo-sama, who were partic.i.p.ating at the capturing of the Myuuz castle, have both perished . ”
“Wh-what did you say!?”
The impact was as if he had been hit with a metal rod with full force . The route in which Selestinna died indeed existed . However, it wasn´t at this timing, but only after the story had developed more . Rook unsteadily sat down on his chair .
“This you are talking about, are you really certain about it?”
“But, we even saw the coffin . ”
While saying that, with her eyes wide open, Rebecca had a great amount of tears flowing down from her eyes . Leaning his elbows on the table, he put his hands on his head . This development didn´t exist in the game . As if inflicting the finis.h.i.+ng blow, Mary continued with her words .
“It seems the demons even had stolen her sword… All we were to recover was her battered body . ”*2
“How…could it be?”
Rook was trembling . Because of his sorrow over Selestinna´s death and his anger over this unreasonable situation, he couldn´t stop trembling . Being worried about Rook´s condition, Rebecca cuddled close to him .
“Rook… Are you crying? Will you go after revenge?”
Revenge .
While nodding to Rebecca´s words, he firmly held himself back . He certainly wanted to get revenge . The cute Selestinna that had that tsun*3 and imposing personality, and from time to time would show an embarra.s.sed smile; for the demons who made her die, he wanted to make them suffer twofold .
But right now there was something more important than that .
“Thank you Rebecca . And also, Mary… Can you two leave me alone for a little?
“But…”
“Please . ”
As Rook muttered that word in a depressed tone, the two of them both looked at each other with a pained expression . Rebecca kept standing there as if she still had something to say, but she had her back pushed by Mary with her head hanging down .
“Understood… If you´ll excuse us, Rook-sama . Now, Rebecca, let´s go . ”
“Yes… If Rook says so…”
And then, still showing signs of hesitation, they left the room . Still in his room, Rook was once again alone . The ambiance of the room that now had become silent was quickly becoming heavy . As if to break away from this heaviness, Rook raised his voice .
“Why, why did Seles-chan… Was it because I did actions differently from the game? Now, what am I supposed to do now! Without Selestinna, what do I do about the next event!!”
Rook´s voice was resounding, full of grief .
Rook was self-aware that he had strayed a little too much from the game main character´s actions . Administering his territory that even had his long gone elder sister Riku´s part added to it day and night, the soldiers and the people gained prosperity . Because of that, he ended up meeting some heroines at timings differently from what they were supposed to be . He wondered if Selestinna´s death was also because of his actions . Of course, while there were differences on when he had met the heroines, the situations remained very similar to the game . That´s why he couldn´t have imagined that by these actions, he would trigger Selestinna´s death .
“If I don´t investigate where things went wrong… No, before that… Yes, it alright . After I get through the next event, I can deal with that . At that time, I will be able to more or less guess who was the demon that killed Seles-chan . ”
Bit by bit he regained his calm composure . After he deeply breathed three times, Rook took out his papers . And then, he drew two lines over where it was written [Seles-chan confession event] . *4
“I´m sorry . I promise… That I will definitely get revenge for you . ”
Rook s.h.i.+fted his eyes to the next event .
What was written down there was:[Contact event ①] . Relying on what his next steps were going to be, the bad ending was approaching moment by moment . Selestinna was a character that was required for that event . He would be meeting a character during his date with Selestinna, but because the essential Selestinna was now gone, he had no choice but to choose somebody else . But he could only wonder which heroine he should use in Selestinna´s place . While thinking all this, a man that had black wings landed behind Rook, who still had his hands on his head, without making any sound .
After looking at Rook´s writhing back with interest for some time, the s.h.i.+nigami whispered in a small voice .
“I guess it is still not time . ”
He said .
The moment the s.h.i.+nigami had whispered, Rook suddenly felt a chill . Putting the papers down, he immediately turned his head back, but there was n.o.body there . Only, on the complicatedly manufactured carpet there were many black feathers left behind . It was as if there had been a crow or something around there a few moments ago .
“It´s only my imagination, I guess?”
While holding a black feather, Rook muttered with mixed feelings . *5
He still didn´t know . He didn´t know that the one who killed his beloved Selestinna was actually his sister .