Disastrous Romance - Chapter 2
Chapter 2
[Title: No, there has to be a happy ending]
Why isn’t there a mage? We use magic items all day long; the teleportation magic stone we use all the time is also a mage’s creation lmao.
└ Right?
└ It must be allowed by the game
A flurry of posts containing the words “happy ending” flooded the screen. Leah scrolled down her phone screen listlessly. None of the newly uploaded posts today contained any particularly valuable information.
“Is it really just a rumor….”
Along with the strategy of the last peerless man, commonly known as the ‘last man’, there was one ultimate ending that Deus players were desperately searching for.
It was the true happy ending, where you could romance all four peerless men.
Information about the true ending had spread among players from an unknown source one day. The rumor quickly grew, capturing the attention of players and eventually leading them to demand an official statement from Deus, the game operator.
Their reply was simple.
‘We cannot provide information that could spoil the game.’
However, the fact that they did not deny the existence of the true ending proved its existence instead. As time passed since the game’s release, the number of players who had cleared the game increased, and those who had cleared the first three men’s endings all yearned for the ‘happy ending’ that involved the last man as well.
Leah was one of them. However, with no clues for five years, players were starting to doubt the existence of the happy ending itself. She turned off the useless community and turned her eyes back to the monitor.
‘That ghost-like thing is definitely the last man….’
She stared intently at the black figure that was still floating around. As if the thing inside would give her an answer. However, no matter how much she stared at the monitor, the answer did not come.
“Ugh… I don’t know….”
She sighed in frustration and laid down on the desk. She had not been able to sleep all night, so she quickly fell asleep. Soon, the sound of her snoring echoed quietly.
On the monitor that was still not logged out, a notification continued to ring, but Leah, who was fast asleep, did not notice.
Ding!
[Notification: You have failed the ‘Mage’s Ending’ challenge 100 times and have earned the right to participate in a special event.]
[Would you like to participate? Yes/No]
[The event will proceed automatically if there is no response within 10 seconds.]
[10]
[9]
[8]
…
[2]
[1]
Ding!
[Notification: The special event ‘Deus Ex Machina’ has begun.]
* * *
When she opened her eyes again, Leah was lying on a vast, empty plain. She was still drowsy from sleep and stared blankly at the blue sky.
A gust of wind ruffled her pink hair, which flowed like a river. As the long strands brushed against her face, the tingling sensation gradually awakened her senses. Leah squinted at the sun and brushed her hair away.
“…Huh?”
She looked at the handful of hair again, but it was still pink. The moment she realized the absurdity, she woke up completely.
As she sat up abruptly, her strawberry cream-colored hair cascaded down to her waist. She looked around and saw a forest in the distance and low buildings in another direction.
When she raised her hand and touched her cheek, she felt a vivid sensation. There was no way this vivid feeling could be a dream.
‘What is this? Where am I?’
The overly unrealistic situation made her sense of reality even sharper. Leah got up and moved her body. The sensation against her skin was rough, and upon inspection, she realized she was wearing a tattered piece of cloth that could hardly be called clothes.
It felt like the fertilizer bags she used to sled on in the countryside during winter. She slowly walked forward, her fingertips caressing the vaguely familiar texture. Her destination was the cluster of buildings. She had a vague hope that she might find someone who could help her.
As she approached the buildings, the soft grass gave way to cobblestones. The moment Leah stepped onto the cobblestones, thinking, ‘The pavement is well-maintained,’ a familiar sound and a faint light appeared.
Ding!
[Notice: You have entered the starting village, ‘Noami,’ and the game will begin.]
At that moment, Leah realized. She couldn’t possibly not know, as she had seen this scene hundreds of times until last night.
“Deus…?”
This was the world of the game she had been playing until yesterday, Deus. As soon as she realized this, translucent letters floated in the air once again.
Ding!
[Special Event ‘Deus Ex Machina’
Seduce all four of the continent’s most peerless men!
A special opportunity given only to the persistent warrior.
You have become the ‘Knight of Vigor,’ a great warrior who will save the continent. Obtain OPs (O****m Points) from the four irresistible men located throughout the continent to save the continent.
Time limit: 12 months
Success: Happy Ending
Failure: Death]
[Notification You can view the list of the continent’s four most peerless men.]
[List of the continent’s four most irresistible men:
1. ????, Difficulty: Normal, Favorability: 0%
2. ????, Difficulty: Normal, Favorability: 0%
3. ????, Difficulty: Hard, Favorability: 0%
4. ????, Difficulty: Hard, Favorability: 0%]
The notification windows filled her vision in a dizzying manner. She reflexively scanned the contents, her eyes darting back and forth. The happy ending she had so desperately desired had come to pass in this way.
And then, with a final chime, a window appeared that revealed Leah’s exact situation.
Ding!
[Status Window
Name: Elijah Denvier
Occupation: Knight of Vigor
Level: 1 / Special Stat OP: 0]
Instead of showing her character with magnificent items and exceptional abilities, a status window appeared, showing that everything had been reset.
She had become the character ‘Elijah’ from the adult dating simulation game, Deus.
※ Deus Ex Machina: A plot device that literally mean ‘god from machine.’ It refers to a divine being who appears to resolve a conflict that cannot be resolved by human power or to bring the play to a conclusion.
