BFBG 06

Chapter 06

“Then, Master. I’ll return to my position now.”

“Wait.”

I had intended to avoid anything that might arouse suspicion if possible.

But this couldn’t be helped.

“It would be best to do a final review of the operation before you leave.”

“A final review… you say?”

Reviewing the plan again.

For the previous Zeiron, this would’ve been something he’d never do—so there was a high chance it would seem suspicious.

Still, it should be fine this time.

The person in front of me wasn’t Reaper or Yodal.

Just some insignificant underling who had barely stepped into the ranks of executives.

“If it isn’t rude… may I ask the reason?”

And fortunately, I had a convenient excuse.

“Hm. Things became a bit tangled during the first plan. My relationship with Princess Aris has become somewhat… complicated. Considering that, I think we need to revise the plan.”

“Ah, so that’s why earlier, you didn’t dodge my sword and improvised like that…”

“That’s right.”

If my assumption was correct, Princess Aris played a fairly important role in Zeiron’s original plan.

If my relationship with Aris had changed, revising the future scenario was inevitable.

“I understand what you mean.”

The Doppelgänger nodded with a stiff expression.

“Then… how should we revise the scenario?”

This was the critical moment.

What should I say to make the Doppelgänger explain the scenario on his own?

“If possible, rather than the original plan… I’d like to make it more intense. But perhaps because I have no talent in this area, nothing comes to mind.”

“M-more intense than this?”

“What do you think would work? I’d like to hear the opinion of someone who used to be a writer.”

Before joining Black Night, the Doppelgänger had originally been an author.

Let’s use that information to draw out more details.

“You mean… you trust my perspective as a writer?”

“Heh. If I didn’t trust you, would I say something like this?”

The Doppelgänger’s eyes trembled with shock.

His expression looked as though he couldn’t tell whether he was dreaming or awake.

“I trust you.”

“Ugh…!”

At my words, the Doppelgänger looked deeply moved.

“Yes. Could I ask this favor of you?”

“O-of course! Leave it to me. I’ll definitely repay Master’s trust!”

The Doppelgänger’s eyes burned with passion.

“To shift the route into the kind of ‘intense scenario’ Master desires, there are three methods. I think Master only needs to choose one.”

“Speak.”

“Yes. First scenario…”

As I listened to the Doppelgänger explain the three revised scenarios,

I was also able to roughly figure out what the original scenario had been.

‘The original scenario is basically a romance fantasy.’

Understanding the original scenario gave me a lot of information.

First: Zeiron’s objective.

‘I never imagined his ultimate goal was marrying Princess Aris.’

Zeiron’s aim wasn’t merely earning Princess Aris’s favor or creating connections.

His goal was to marry Aris, the Third Princess of the Canarion Kingdom, and enter the royal palace as a royal son-in-law.

Then eventually place the Third Princess on the throne and become the true ruler behind the Canarion Kingdom.

‘A guy over 500 years old planning to marry a 17-year-old is unbelievably disgusting… but from a practical standpoint, it’s actually a solid plan.’

The Canarion Kingdom, despite its size, had weak internal stability.

The previous generation of kings had governed reasonably well, but the current king was exceptionally incompetent.

Repeated foolish policies had hollowed out the nation.

Considering Canarion’s current political state, making the Third Princess queen wasn’t impossible.

‘Still… why the Third Princess? Why not the First Prince or First Princess?’

Instead of the troublesome process of placing the Third Princess on the throne,

Wouldn’t controlling the First Prince’s mind and turning him into a puppet be much simpler and faster?

Why had Zeiron gone out of his way to create such a roundabout plan?

‘Could it be because he knew about Aris’s talent?’

Aris was among the top three strongest named companion characters in Eternal History.

Her value as a character was proven by my own gameplay history.

Not once had I cleared the game without using Aris.

That was how broken her abilities were.

Maybe Zeiron had foreseen her potential and planned to obtain both Aris and the kingdom.

‘But how did Zeiron discover Aris’s talent? Right now, there shouldn’t be even a trace of it visible.’

At present, Aris’s golden talent was completely hidden behind the veil called Misfortune.

Her abilities only awakened after overcoming the innate curse of bad luck she was born with.

In the game, that happened after reaching her third year.

At this stage, no method should allow someone to see through her hidden potential.

‘What is it? Is there some method I don’t know?’

No matter how experienced I was, I was still only a player.

I didn’t know everything about the game.

It wouldn’t be strange if there were methods I’d never discovered.

‘I’m curious. If he truly saw through Aris’s talent… how did he do it?’

I was lost in countless thoughts when—

—Silence, everyone.

A middle-aged man who appeared to be an instructor stepped onto the stage.

—We will now begin the entrance ceremony for the 127th class of Garam Academy.

And with those words, the ceremony began.

‘Pretty ordinary.’

The ceremony itself was completely normal.

The instructors introduced themselves, the head instructor explained the academy curriculum, someone acting as vice principal gave a speech…

Honestly, it wasn’t much different from a real high school entrance ceremony.

‘Is falling asleep during entrance ceremonies a universal law?’

Yawn.

I was fighting boredom when—

—Next, we will introduce the two freshman representatives. First: Aris Bell Canarion.

Clap clap clap!

Thunderous applause erupted.

Then the familiar red-haired princess stepped onto the stage.

‘Wait. Why are there two freshman representatives?’

Shouldn’t there only be one?

As I absentmindedly clapped along—

—Next. Jian Bellomata.

Suddenly, my name was called.

‘…Huh?’

What?

Why am I a freshman representative?

‘The Doppelgänger never mentioned this in the scenario.’

Did he omit it because it wasn’t important?

‘Thinking about it… yeah, there wasn’t really a reason to explain it.’

It wasn’t like the academy could change representatives now.

No point mentioning it.

—Jian Bellomata?

My name was called again.

…I had no idea what was going on, but since I’d been summoned, I should go.

[Mentality EX Rank suppresses your agitation.]

For a moment, my heart raced at suddenly standing before everyone—

Then it settled immediately.

What was so frightening about standing before a hundred people?

I confidently walked forward and stood beside Aris.

“……”

Aris stared at me in shock.

An expression that clearly said:

I knew there were two representatives… but I never expected the second one to be you.

‘Surprised? I’m surprised too.’

I already knew Zeiron’s goal was graduating at the top.

Still, I never expected him to attract attention from the very beginning.

—Aris Bell Canarion. Jian Bellomata. Turn around.

Following the instructor’s command, we faced the freshmen.

—These two demonstrated exceptional abilities in academics and combat, and were therefore chosen as representatives.

Over a hundred gazes landed on me at once.

The old me would’ve broken into a cold sweat.

But not now.

[Mentality EX Rank removes tension, anxiety, and nervousness.]

I was completely calm.

Relaxedly, I looked around.

—First, representative of combat. Jian Bellomata. This student’s practical exam score is the highest recorded in the past ten years—

That was when the Doppelgänger, wearing my older brother’s appearance, suddenly shouted:

“I-I cannot accept this!”

His face flushed red.

Spittle flew from his mouth as he yelled.

“That trash is a representative…?! Impossible! There’s clearly some mistake!”

His acting was incredible.

Who could see that performance and think it was fake?

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He seems insane…”

Judging by the whispers around us, his performance was working perfectly.

“Corruption! Yes—there must be corruption! Maybe he bribed someone, or—”

—Oh?

The instructor’s eyes gleamed with interest.

—So what you’re saying is… Garam Academy is a trash institution that accepts bribes when choosing representatives?

“Huh? N-no! That’s not what I meant!”

Even in anger,

he immediately became servile before a clearly stronger authority—the instructor.

Very fitting for a third-rate villain.

“I-I misspoke! I retract my statement!”

—Hm. Words cannot normally be taken back. But I’ll overlook it this once. You are, after all, my lovely student.

The instructor seemed unwilling to ruin the entrance ceremony and tried to let it pass.

However—

“B-but there’s definitely some mistake! There’s no way trash like him could be a representative!”

—…You’re a student incapable of reading the situation.

The instructor’s expression turned icy.

Apparently even he couldn’t tolerate someone throwing away a second chance.

“I don’t know what tricks he used, but there’s definitely something wrong! Earlier, he couldn’t even react to my attack!”

—I see. So you’re the student who caused trouble this morning.

The instructor’s expression grew colder.

“So please! Give me a chance! I’ll prove he’s a fraud!”

—Prove it? How?

“A duel! If we duel, everyone will immediately realize he’s fake!”

—A duel…

The instructor stared at him coldly.

Then looked over the restless freshmen, the furious instructors—

And finally exchanged glances with the vice principal.

After a small sigh—

He nodded.

—Very well. As you wish, I’ll grant you an opportunity to duel Jian.

‘He accepted?!’

Wouldn’t dragging him away by force have made more sense?

Why allow this?

Was there something I didn’t know?

“T-thank you! I’ll definitely tear off that bastard’s mask and—”

—However.

The instructor’s eyes turned glacial.

—If you lose, and Jian’s abilities prove genuine… Chaan Bellomata. You will be expelled immediately.

‘…I wasn’t asking for a scenario this intense.’

The scenario the Doppelgänger had explained was simple:

[The Doppelgänger publicly accuses me of being a fake and demands a duel to prove my ability.]

That was the summary.

‘I didn’t realize “publicly” meant during the entrance ceremony…’

If I’d known I was a freshman representative, I could’ve guessed.

“Haah…”

I sighed—

Then:

“I never expected your relative to be so unreasonable.”

The waiting room door opened.

Aris appeared.

“I couldn’t imagine someone causing such chaos—not at just any academy, but at Garam Academy’s entrance ceremony…”

“…This is all my fault.”

I stared blankly into space and sighed.

“I knew my brother would lose his mind if I became a representative… but I never imagined my master would place me in that position…”

One thing I learned from the Doppelgänger:

The current “Jian” had a master, and the reason I became a representative was because of that person.

I didn’t know the master’s name, but from context, they seemed extremely influential.

‘This setting resolves the contradiction: hiding my strength when saving Aris, but revealing it as a representative.’

Aris reacted as though she understood.

“I see. So becoming a representative wasn’t your own choice.”

“…Yes.”

Exactly as expected.

Good.

That meant suspicion toward me should disappear.

“Jian Bellomata. Three minutes remaining. Come out soon.”

An instructor called from outside.

“Then I’ll be going.”

I stood and began walking toward the door.

Or rather—

I would have—

If the princess hadn’t grabbed my hand to stop me.

“Wait.”

The princess held onto me.

“Before you go, one last thing. I wish to ask you… You are…”

That was when—

[Mentality EX Rank repels ‘The Child Cursed by the World.’]

Suddenly, my mind pushed away some unknown force.

And—

[Aris Bell Canarion’s unique trait, ‘Beloved by All Things,’ awakens.]

[‘Beloved by All Things’ grants a Blessing to the target it has touched.]

A blessing descended upon my body.

‘…Huh?’