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Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Geli

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 23: Dream or Reality

My vision became hazy.

It didn’t feel real, it was like being inside a cloud.

Aah… it’s this dream again.

As I thought that, even though I didn’t do anything yet, the dream version of me (Fudou Niito) stood up and went to the kitchen.

Huh? This time I (Niito) moved without my will. 

Well, it’s just a dream after all. There’s no way it would be the same every time.

As I thought that, I went to my computer as usual and tried to turn it on, but I couldn’t touch it. My hand just passed through.

Damn. What’s with this dream? It’s very inconvenient this time.

As I thought that, I noticed that I (Niito) came back from the kitchen.

Ooh, nice timing coming here. I want to see the computer. Okay, hurry!

As I mimed hitting the computer to let myself know, I (Niito) lazily sat on the chair, and flipped open the laptop.

Ok, ok, at least he listened to me.

For starters, let’s see the video site. Video site. The one with commentary in it.

Those kinds of third party comments were unexpectedly quite useful as reference.

At the very least, it gave me an outsider’s perspective on how I was within the game.

Within the video lists, there were many videos titled as  Elrise route or Leila Route, but what I wanted to see now was the Eterna route.

Although I felt like it had derailed from the normal plot development these days, it was also what I wanted to achieve.

I wanted to bring Vernell and Eterna together, and to witness their Happy END.

So, to reach the “Eterna Route in the world where I became Elrise”, the development of that route should be a hint for me.

And as I watched  the video of Eterna’s route… how do I say this, it’s a completely different development from I knew.

First, the Elrise in this story was not the hated Pizzarise¹, but was changed to the famous facade of the Saint which I had been roleplaying.

However, the development was also extremely different from what I had experienced.

For example, there was no Fara-san hostage event because when Fara-san was about to assassinate “Elrise”, she got intercepted by Vernell’s party before it could even happen. They won the encounter, with Eterna using her Saint power to bring Fara-san back to her senses.

While the assassination target had changed, its development was still close to what I knew of the game’s story.

Perhaps the reason the hostage event didn’t happen, was because  I never visited the academy in that version of the world.

Or maybe even if I did visit, because I saw that Vernell properly raised the Heroine’s  favorability, I felt relieved and returned home right after.

In the first place, Fara-san’s reason to kidnap Vernell was due to my visiting him… if I never visited him, then the hostage event wouldn’t happen huh.

After that “Elrise” didn’t enroll the academy, the Demons Frenzy event also happened as it should, with several mobs killed and Vernell, Eterna, and several high favorability heroines worked together and resolved the event together. 

Eterna’s suicide attempt event didn’t happen and instead, it closely followed the normal route.

But there were some glaring differences.

First, Eterna’s group didn’t find out that “Elrise” was a Fake.

Rather, the story went on with “Elrise” being presumed to be the real Saint.

With that, the punishment event never happened.

And as the plot advanced until the fight with the Witch, “Elrise” was still never outed as the fake Saint.

Perverted Glasses Bastard‘s stalk & kidnap event also never happened.

With “me” in there, the story had changed, and the Perverted Glasses Bastard became a “totally suspicious looking character who  didn’t do anything in the end, just a weird teacher”in that world.

The story kept advancing, and perhaps in this plotline “Elrise” realized it was time to come clean. On the night before the final fight with the Witch, she called a few people (Vernell, Eterna, and Leila) and told them the truth.

After that, there was a conversation between Vernell and Eterna, but the content of it was totally different from the version of the game I remembered.

“To be suddenly told that I am the real Saint… this is impossible! I’m scared, Ver… I am not as great a person as Elrise-sama… I can’t become the Saint…”

This conversation was totally different from what I recalled.

It was supposed to go like “I have no choice but to do this… because I am the Saint”, as this was the event where she gained the awareness and resolution to become a Saint.

Afterwards, it was supposed to be the final battle where “Elrise” would fight against the Witch, but the moment the Witch detected “Elrise” underground, the Witch got scared and escaped, ending the fight.

The Witch then hid and waited until 365 days had passed since the player entered the academy, and then the game forcefully triggered the final battle event.

In this game, if you didn’t defeat Witch within 365 days after entering the academy, it will show that time has run out and trigger a one way route from the final battle to the ending.

Also by that time, “Elrise’s” lifespan has reached its limit, and she was no longer capable of taking action.

…That’s serious. I thought I still had a few years left, but it seemed like my lifespan was shorter than I thought.

In addition, the king feared the chaos that would be unleashed with “Elrise’s” death,  so he practically imprisoned “Elrise” and made her retire from the battle.

With that, “Elrise” even lost the choice to use the last of her power to drag Witch along with her to their deaths.

On the screen, the comments went “if only she was not imprisoned…” and “the king is seriously useless”, such comments filled it.

Afterwards, they fought the Witch without “Elrise’s” help… Eterna and the Witch defeated each other, and she died in Vernell’s arms. 

OI, MEEEE!? Why did you just stay in your bed and let this happen! You’re useless!?

This was the development you were supposed to prevent in the first place!

In the comments, “if only Elrise didn’t get imprisoned…”, “it’s impossible anyway, Witch would soon teleport away the moment she detects Elrise within the vicinity”, “regardless of the route, she keeps running away from El-sama²”, “if Elrise fought and defeated her instead it might develop differently”

Anyway… yeah. If I approached the Witch, she would escape. Let’s remember this.

Also, my lifespan was way shorter than I thought. I better remember that I’m  OUT once it’s been 365 days.

And to teleport on top of that… hey that was supposed to be the last resort because you would end up weakened after using that…

To teleport in this world would mean breaking down the whole body into particles, and then transporting these to the destination first before reforming into the body once more. It was a dangerous technique that would leave the Witch in a near death state once used.

To put it in meta terms, this was the reason why the Witch’s power changed based on the number of games played and routes chosen. But to think you would use this to escape without even fighting…

Did you need to go that far to avoid me, oh Witch…

Ah-, anyway that’s enough for Eterna’s route. I understand now.

There wasn’t much change to this route even with me added into the mix.

In that case… that’s not good. I mustn’t aim for Eterna’s route. It’s like putting the cart before the horse.

But there was still hope. My world has developed differently compared to the one in the video I had just watched.

I was inside the academy, and more than that, I just obtained knowledge of the future.

It’s all about how to use it effectively.

Ok, me (Niito). Show me Elrise’s route next.

Ah, yes, yes. It’s starting from when  Elrise entered the academy.

What I saw was what I already knew. It was the same development as in my world.

The regular members had changed.Mob A and Fiora, both of whom had never appeared in any other route, were there. Perverted Glasses Bastard was there also as Vernell’s friend and comrade in the fight.

The academy’s Demons Frenzy event took a different development because “Elrise” was there and ended in an instant, unlike in Eterna Route. And what followed after was Eterna’s Suicide attempt event, after which “Elrise” would fall into the sea with Vernell.

And then… yes yes, I was seen in a wounded state by Vernell.

In the video, I claimed the wound was a string but… looking at the comment I finally realized my mistake.

“A string attached…?”

 “Elrise-sama, there’s nothing there which was made of red string in that place”

 “Perhaps it’s her panty color”

 “A vote that its Vernell fundoshi³ color”

 “It’s a red string that’s connected to me”

 “It’s also connected to me”

 “Good news, you guys are connected to each other”

 “It’s hellish picture if I imagine it”

 “Yaranaika⁴?”

…not good

That’s right, now that I thought about it, I did claim it was a red string attached, but… there wasn’t any, in that place, there was  nothing with red cloth.

Vernell’s uniform was black and blue. Eterna and mine were white and green. There was no red there.

Oops- Now I’ve done it.

But looking at the video, it seemed like Vernell got fooled anyway, so let’s call it Safe.

Next up was the start of  summer break and individual events.

In the video, there was an option to choose“Elrise’s” face icon during the evening within the academy. The player who uploaded the video moved the cursor to choose it.

Then the event began, and Vernell found “Elrise” sneaking around within the academy.

Aah… that time…

…Ehh, that’s considered a personal event?

The development was the same as what I remembered. Both of us got found out by Leila and got a sermon because of it. Then finally, “Elrise” changed how she called  Vernell.

“Ok then, see you tomorrow… Vernell-kun♪”

…………。

…………。

EHHHHH!? Did I say it like that!?

No, I definitely didn’t. Who the heck was that!?

I said it with like, a different nuance compared to that, right!?

I thought I called him like a normal fellow member of society. It was  like saying “hello, Norixxke-kun” something like a light greeting to a comrade

“I repeated this sentence over and over”

 “I already repeated it 20 times but this is definitely not an addiction”

 “She says it in such playful way it’s so cute”

 “Elrise who got playful for her first friend is cute”

 “Cute”

 “That’s priceless…”

 “El-sama looks so happy”

 “What would happen if you use other name than default name?”

 “That video show it as ‘homo-kun’”

 “But the voice only there if you use default name”

Oouh… I unconsciously covered my face as I saw the rapid-fire comments.

To think it has become like that… with my looks and voice, it ended up becoming like that huh.

… uwah, what a disaster.

If there was a hole around me, I’d want to sink into it. No, rather I’d want to thrust into it.

But in this form, I no longer had MY SON now…

The next event was the Fighting Tournament.

Vernell won somehow after a hard fight against Mary, then the small fry intruded.

Also before the battle began,“Elrise” made Vernell a sword and gave it to him. It could be equipped in the Menu Screen.

Stats wise… huh? I only made that toy randomly, but it was this strong huh.

The weapon shown on the screen was the“Saint’s Great Sword”. With the  attack power bonus you got, it was the equivalent of a last tier weapon. In addition, the penalty to accuracy and speed for equipping a Great Sword type weapon was barely anything at all.

“STROOOONG!”

 “It’s not weapon you’re supposed to get at this stage of the game”

 “Is this okay game balance wise?”

 “Because El-sama Route limited to new game, this may be the remedy for the upcoming difficulty”

 “What would happen if the protagonist equipped a weapon other than a great sword?”

 “The weapon given will match what you use at the time. I got a super powerful twin sword”

 “I got a Long sword”

 “I got a Tonfa”

 “I didn’t get anything though…”

 “You must be playing Barehanded (lol) you don’t get anything if you’re playing Barehanded (lol)

 “Seriously…”

 “I used a joke weapon, radish, then I was given a strange weapon called a radish sword. It’s super strong”

 “I use Mackerel as weapon and got another Mackerel as weapon”

 “El-sama is too capable on making weapons lol”

If Vernell used a weapon other than a Great Sword, it seemed like “Elrise” still gave a corresponding type of weapon.

Well, obviously, I couldn’t let him fight using a competition weapon.

It’s not hard to make it, as long it’s nothing too strange, I could probably make it.

As for barehanded style… well, if Vernell’s fighting style was barehanded, I would indeed be unable to make him anything…

After the fight, the loser dog was now dying, somehow a sad BGM played. An Illustration of  “Elrise” embracing the loser dog face Illustration was shown.

Hhm. Hmm. It’s a beautiful picture-.

…eh, this was how it looked like from a third person view, huh.

As I thought that, I heard an opinion from an unexpected place.

“Actually, you thought things like “You’re still awake, huh. Ok, just sleep already” or something close to that right? Although looking at the Illustration, it strangely looks so much like a real heroine that I can’t stop laughing”

The one who said that… was me.

Fudou Niito (the male me) said that as if he was speaking to me.

Niito (I) looked toward me and laughed.

But what was this? Why was Niito(I) moving without me?

Well, maybe it was all a dream after all?

“Ah-… your speech, can’t you do the polite speech you usually do? Honestly hearing someone speak like me with that appearance, it makes me very uncomfortable.”

Hah? What was he talking about?

I did role play as the Saint on the other side, but there’s no need to continue doing it here.

It’s not like I was Elrise right now.

“Aah, I see. You didn’t notice it, huh. Wait a moment… where did I put the mirror again?”

As he said that, Niito (I) started looking around the room.

Fool, the mirror was inside the drawer.

“Oh, that’s where it was. Look, this is the current you.”

As Niito (I) said that he pointed the mirror towards me

And what was reflected there was  a half transparent, ghost-like Elrise.

Wha… What…? ⁵

“Wh, WHAAAT–!? I, I thought I returned to the ‘me’ of the dream! But actually, I was still Elrise!?”

I was so surprised that I screamed.

It was then that I noticed. The voice that came out from my mouth, it’s a female voice I was familiar with.

Looking at the surprised me, Niito (I) laughed gleefully.

“To think that you really didn’t notice. That’s very funny. By the way, last time and all the times before as well, you didn’t return and become me, you only possessed and moved  my body. You still looked like that all those times”

 “Se, seriously…?”

 “Seriously. How long– have you been under the illusion that you are the person named Fudou Niito…?” ⁶

 “Shut up. You didn’t look cool at all while saying that”

The dream felt weird this time. To think Niito (I) made a fool of myself.

“But wait… if that is so, then what was I? Am I ‘Elrise herself that happened to have your memory’s pattern?”

 “No, if that is the case why would you be able to connect to the world as just a consciousness…? Or why you could go beyond worlds or something, I don’t really know the reason why this is possible. But there are connections between you and I that are beyond just memories. I think…”

As Niito (I) said that, my sight suddenly turned hazy.

Ah, no good. This was the sign I was about to wake up.

Niito (I) seemed to noticed that, and he hurriedly said,

“Listen! You might think this is a dream but, this is a dream yet not a dream! The fact that you could take back memories from here is your strength! Don’t just pass it off as a mere dream, remember it properly! You see? The Witch will escape as soon as you approach her! Then she will keep hiding until you die! That’s why, don’t go  underground! She is still half convinced now… She still thinks her precise location is still unknown, which is the reason why she’s still inside the academy! But if you take a single step there, she will escape without hesitation! And her whereabouts won’t be known! I have seen such worlds (routes)! That’s why the first thing to do is—”

Niito (I) still seemed to be saying something, but unfortunately I couldn’t hear anything beyond that.

Damn. Don’t cut off there. I got curious!

Yet the dream abruptly ended, and I awoke on top of a luxurious bed.