To Save My Favourite Character, I Decided To Destroy the Game’s Plot

 

'We're going to get ready now, and I'm going to need your help, Norwin."

"What do you mean, "help me"? I don't know anything about your store".

"It's okay, it's okay. It's a simple job.'

While this conversation is going on in my mind, Arjano turns to Arthur with a smile on his face.

'Arthur . I'm going to head to the store now, so please gather the kids who are on duty today and meet me at our usual place."

'I understand!'

With a big smile on his face, Arthur jumped up and ran out with a bang! He pushes open the door and runs away.

"I told you to open and close the door gently.'

Sighing, Arjano looks over and sees that the aging wooden door has been broken by the shock of the recent impact.

Not only the door, but if one looked around, one could see that this entire room was made of ragged wood.

The floor and ceiling were littered with holes that had been boarded up, and the furnishings were poor quality. There were no furnishings of any kind, and as an added bonus, the room smelled a little musty.

The room alone is enough to show that the residents are forced to live in poverty.

"Do you think it looks poor In the eyes of an aristocrat?"

'Well, if I may put it without choosing my words. This place is an abandoned orphanage or something, right? Are you the one who runs it?"

"Yes, I do. And I'd like you to call me Arjanne, please, instead of "you."

'Arjanne? Arjanne is your real name.'

, real name. Haha, I haven't cared about such things for hundreds of years. I just use different names for different bodies. So now it's Arjanne. It's strange, isn't it, to have more than one first name? Ha-ha-ha-ha."

While laughing aloud, what I see in front of me is an inorganic beauty. The woman's face is fake and does not even show the slightest hint of amusement.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Well then, I'll go .

I'm glad to hear that. I'll be happy to work with you. So, follow me as I move around a bit to get prepared for ------."

I started to move out of the house.

The hallway that opened the door to the room was also a wooden structure that had deteriorated noticeably.

In a sense, this is a new sight for me since I have only been in touch with the aristocratic society in this world.

　But...

"Oh, no!"

"Oh, be cautious, you might step through the floor there."

"Why didn't you say so first?"

　I broke out in a cold sweat.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"What are you giggling at? I think this is dangerous for the kids! You---Arjanne could easily fix it!"

"I'm sorry, that was too predictable of a reaction from Norwin. Also, yeah. Well, I can fix it. But it wouldn't be for Arthur and the others, you know".

"What's that?"

I was on my way to move somewhere to get ready or whatever. I thought we were just having a casual conversation as we walked down the hallway.

"Hey, norwin-kun. At what moment do you think a human is about to die?"

　Suddenly, Arjanne stopped, looked back at me, and asked me this question.

　I looked at her face to see if she was joking, but she had a serious look on her face.

"When did you say...?"

　That? To quote from a famous anime, when you are forgotten by everyone? Is that too much of a joke?

　No. I don't know. Rather, I can't make sense of Arjanne's change in mood.

I only know her through the knowledge of the game, and today is the first time I've come in contact with her as a living person. And since we were enemies, there was no way we could have a proper understanding of each other.

Even now, while having a casual conversation with her, behind the scenes she is extremely cautious, and I am sure she knows it.

---How can she be so serious with someone with whom she has such a warped relationship?

　If it's an enemy, it can be hostility, murder, harm, or even indifference. I can easily handle such feelings, but I don't know how to handle this one.

Hey, what are you---you, Nicholas, and Veldra---what do you think you're up against?

　Why are you trying to kill Crecencia?

"I don't know. It depends on who you are. Especially Cassandra."

"You're a cute little kid, aren't you? Yeah, well, yeah, I guess she is."

'You can't be cute with a kid who's trying to kill you."

'Ha-ha-ha! See, as an apology, you made it so that once I die, I'll come back to life.

"Because it's not good. So, what do you call the moment when a person die?

Hmm? Let's see... ------

　Just as Arjanne opened her mouth to answer, a group of children appeared from the corner of the hallway.

　The moment they see Arjanne, they start running with big smiles on their faces.

They ran to her and said, " Whoa, Arjanne! Arjanne!"

'You came back?"

'Let's play!"

'Come play with us over there!"

"Look, look! You did a good job!"

　The children, one size smaller than Arthur and me, were innocently pining for Arjanne.

I'm going to work now, so let's talk when I return.

"Oh, no."

'No. I want to talk now."

'No. No, please be a good girl and wait for me. What are you going to say?"

'Uh, yes."

Okay!

"Yes!"

　Arjanne speaks to them admonishingly with a gentle smile. The children nodded their heads and gave me a final "Hello! The kids nodded their heads and finally greeted me with a cheerful, "Hello!

You must be popular with them.

Yes, I do. Yes, because I'm pretending to be the director of this orphanage.

"Why is that so--?"

'They're children now. I guessthink they're dead."

"What?"

They are dead by my standards. Yes, they are.

"No, they're alive."

:Do do you think they are? I don't think so. Oh, here we are. I've got something for you here, Norwin."

"Here?"

Arjanne stopped, stopping the conversation. At the end of the hallway, there was a door to a storage room.

"I'll open the door, but be careful, it's very dusty.'

　Arjanne was quick to say so, but gently opened the door. As she had warned, dust flew out. The air was so dusty and smoky that I almost coughed.

　I was so disgusted that I used wind magic to push the dust and the air out of the room.

Why didn't you just start from the scratch?

Hahaha, that's not good enough. If it's too convenient, if it's too spoiled..."

"What's your point all this time?"

"Well, you'll understand when you start working. Here, take this".

　Arjanne, still shaking her head for an answer, hands me a large basket filled with dishes and cooking utensils.

　It was quite heavy, but I activated my body enhancement and lifted it up. This is not a weight to be carried by a child. Well, that's okay, because it's me.

Is the store a restaurant?:

"Yes, it's a restaurant. I'm serving a simple bowl of soup. Can you put the cart out in the hallway? I'm going to put the frame of the cart on it."

"I'll put it up at ------."

　We proceeded with preparations like that, and ten minutes later after loading the cart with the framework and large boards used to build the stall, we finally set off for the main street.

　 We should have seemed quite strange carrying such a large load, but for some reason, the people we passed along the way smiled at us.

"Oh, Arjanne, are you going to open a shop today? "

"Yes. It's been a while since I've had any spare time."

"Oh, you're working today? I'll be there later, so save some for me!"

"I'm sorry if it's sold out."

　Apparently, Arjanne's store is accepted as a part of this city. It is also pretty good reception.

I'm getting more and more puzzled.

"Good luck with your work, Arjanne!"

"Ms. Shirley, if you don't mind, you can come back later?"

"Yes, I'll be back after school! Good luck with your work, little one."

"Thank you very much."

　What the hell? Seriously, what the hell?

What is this person thinking? How could someone who can kill people so casually, like it's part of everyday life, do this?

　Could it be an act?

These facades are all just a cover...

" Norwin."

　Arjanne greets another passerby with a smile and speaks to him in between.

"What is it?'

"Can you take a look over there?"

"Ah?"

　I looked in the direction Arjanne pointed to while carrying a basket of dishes and other items.

　At the end of the main street, which is crowded with food stalls, vendors, and passersby. Near the entrance of a narrow passageway leading to a back alley, I saw a child dressed in dirty clothes.

He was probably an orphan or the like, without even a home.

　He stared at the lighted boulevard with glazed eyes, and his gaze crossed with mine for a moment.

I felt a slight, tiny chill.

　It was just a child, someone I could defeat with magic or a spear at any time if I wanted to. But I was pressured.

'I think,' she said, 'that a child like that is the one who can be called alive."

Was this line a continuation of what she said earlier about people who die?

Apparently, the answer She was dodging is now going to give us the answer.

"People die when they are satisfied.. There is nothing more to be said. The moment we think that, we stop moving forward. He no longer chooses the hard and painful path of progress."

"------"

"You see those kids over there? They have nothing, they have nothing to fulfill, and they look so needy and unbearable. What do you think would happen if you gave kids like that a place to develop?"

"They'd be dying and gaining strength."

"That's why I run the orphanage. Yes, I take orphans with great talent, such as Arthur and the others, and put them to learn".

So you're building strong pawns?

"Yes, that's right. But most of the children are given a peaceful environment to grow fangs. Because they are happy, because they are satisfied, they forget how hard it was when they were starving and dry. Don't you think that's as good as being dead? Right?"

"I think it's fine if you're happy. How much you want from yourself and the moment you feel happiness, you know, it depends on each person."

'That happiness is something that is granted to you out of the blue. You don't know when you might lose it, and you just keep soaking in the lukewarm water? Hey, isn't that too stupid?"

"Well, sure. What are you trying to say in the end? I know what the definition of death is."

I guess so. I just wanted to give you a reason not to indulge them.

Hmm.

I also wanted to make you aware of these values. Now that we've accomplished what we set out to do, let's end this boring conversation, shall we? You see, I can see where I'm going to set up my store.

Arjanne forcibly stopped the conversation saying so. I followed her back and walked to the place where she was going to set up her store.

If I help her with the store, she can tell me what she is thinking and what her goal is.

　I'm almost there. I'm already pretty tired, but I'm going to make it to the end