Chapter 12

Chapter 12
Upon pivoting back to face Taejeongtaese, a visual system prompt materialized in my field of vision.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
A friend request has arrived from Home Protector.
Would you like to accept?

That obnoxious user Home Protector possessed the pure audacity to issue a friend request as though nothing were amiss. I dismissed the interface prompt without confirming it immediately. I would handle him at a later time.

Taejeongtaese walked toward me clad in youth attire that resembled standard servant wear from the estate.

“They mentioned you weren’t present in your chamber, Hyungnim, so I came to escort you.”

After declaring that his objective was to escort me, Taejeongtaese explained that one of the domestics informed him he could continue residing within the estate if he chose.

“However, in exchange, I am required to assist you. They even mentioned that satisfactory performance could result in a monthly stipend. It appears they intend to employ me as your personal attendant, Hyungnim.”

“Hmm.”

From the perspective of the commander, eliminating Taejeongtaese and expelling him from the property would have been the most direct path. Perhaps because I mentioned yesterday a desire to dine with peers his own age, he chose to permit the boy, who was roughly my contemporary, to remain inside the estate.

This outcome suited my plans well. Regardless of how thoroughly I conquered every zone during my past existence, this physical vessel remained merely ten years old. I required an ally capable of navigating the interior of the manor. While the estate staff would treat me with extreme caution as the commander’s offspring, an orphan like Taejeongtaese could integrate and approach them with far greater speed.

The decision by the commander to allocate Taejeongtaese as my servant was unexpected, yet the man would have undoubtedly perceived the dynamic connecting myself, Taejeongtaese, and Anjeon8yeok. He had witnessed us conversing in an unfamiliar dialect; recognizing that the three of us shared prior acquaintance would have required minimal effort. Furthermore, the deferential manner in which Taejeongtaese addressed me—using the title Hyungnim and maintaining a submissive posture rather than acting as an equal—would have signaled to the commander instantly that the boy posed no threat to me.

Even so, retaining him as a close servant implied the commander intended to provide me with covert support, managed discreetly to avoid attracting unwanted notice.

“Why were you out in the rear courtyard?”

“Meursault summoned me.”

“Ah… he did the exact same thing yesterday…”

So he and Anjeon8yeok had been summoned concurrently the previous morning.

“That unsettling individual—you plan to eliminate him with poison, correct? You invariably terminated him across every single playthrough.”

When I remained silent, Taejeongtaese’s eyes widened in alarm.

“Y-you aren’t genuinely considering letting him survive, are you?”

“Our resources in skilled personnel are limited. Video games and reality operate under different rules. Our ability to dominate a zone within the game existed solely because it was a simulated environment. Assessing ground conditions and actively commanding military forces constitute an entirely distinct challenge.”

“I comprehend that, but… nonetheless, he is the individual targeting your stepmother, Hyungnim.”

“Children do not interfere in adult affairs.”

“That sounds… rather callous.”

I grasped the nature of his anxiety. However, Daphne was far from an easy victim. She held the status of the former commander’s daughter alongside being Hayden’s spouse. At the very least, the Daphne I recognized from the game was not someone easily manipulated by a figure like Meursault. If an individual merely followed my published walkthrough guides to eliminate Meursault and Daphne with poison early on, they naturally would remain ignorant of her genuine character.

“Regardless, you require an appropriate designation as well.”

“Ah, simply refer to me as Taejeong. My deceased hyungnim always addressed me strictly as Mr. Taejeong.”

I wished he would cease referring to Anjeon8yeok as his deceased hyungnim. Discarding the Beyoncé portion from the moniker Taejeongtaese Beyonce to retain only Taejeong felt slightly anticlimactic, but names held minimal significance.

“At any rate… I concluded my discussions with Meursault. He will maintain a favorable disposition toward me for the foreseeable future. Consequently, you have no need to treat him as a hostile entity. Naturally, because you are associated with me, you are not expected to bow or display excessive subservience to him either.”

“Understood.”

“Not limited to Meursault—within the confines of this manor, I wish to prevent any non-player characters from harboring resentment regarding my status as the commander’s offspring. We must also ascertain whether any of them maintain allegiance to Meursault or Daphne.”

“I shall investigate the matter. Remaining the child who inadvertently stayed behind grants me significantly greater mobility than you possess, Hyungnim. As recently as this morning, they instructed me to retrieve you.”

He clearly grasped the exact functional role he needed to maintain. Engaging in multiplayer alongside a veteran player proved to be an advantageous arrangement.

“Additionally, the commander and I established an agreement.”

“An agreement?”

“Every month, he intends to assemble minors of my age bracket for a collective meal.”

“Ah, in that case…”

“Precisely. Beginning around the start of the upcoming month, the presence of any other players within this zone will become apparent, allowing me to encounter them. We can introduce you to RoomCornerHoney at that juncture as well—he is already collaborating with me.”

“Under direct orders! I sincerely hope RoomCornerHoney hyungnim approves of me.”

RoomCornerHoney… hyungnim?

Precisely what criteria did Taejeong utilize when applying the title of hyungnim? Judging by his alias, the individual in question did not appear particularly youthful.

That afternoon brought notification that the commander intended to publicly declare me as his legitimate son. Because my public debut was scheduled for the following day, Meursault was tasked with accelerating my instruction in courtly etiquette and vital lore. Commemorating over a century of Goodman lineage history alongside the intricate matrix of military command structures represented a meticulous undertaking. Naturally, for a veteran of this simulation, the task presented zero difficulty.

“…You retained all of that data? Following a single review?”

My retention was not the result of active memorization; I recalled the information from memory. Meursault, who had undoubtedly endured considerable frustration due to the substandard artificial intelligence of Cola Area non-player characters, appeared genuinely astonished. This explained why experienced personnel were consistently preferred for recruitment.

“My initial assessment already categorized you as an extraordinary individual, but… your capabilities far surpass my expectations.”

Once convinced of my superior aptitude, Meursault utilized the remaining timeframe to instruct me in supplementary subjects. The majority consisted of superfluous trivia concerning Daphne, though a single detail proved advantageous. He escorted me to the commander’s firing range—the identical location I had visited that morning—and subjected me to precision marksmanship drills. Operating firearms presented minimal difficulty for anyone who had fulfilled mandatory military service in Korea. Furthermore, active utilization of the Magic Marksman title during firing enhanced my precision parameters, ensuring every projectile struck the designated bullseyes. Meursault found himself entirely incapable of concealing his admiration.

“The visual evidence defies belief… Have you genuinely never touched a firearm prior to this instance?”

“Affirmative.”

I delivered the falsehood without hesitation. Given that this physical form had never gripped a weapon before, the statement remained technically accurate.

“Such proficiency… admits only natural genius as an explanation.”

Even after the conclusion of the session, Meursault continued whispering in disbelief while gazing at the scoring targets. His report must have reached the commander immediately, as that evening, during the commander’s visit, weaponry formed the primary topic of discussion.

This outcome aligned with logic; marksmanship constituted a genuinely critical competency in this reality. Neutralizing extraterrestrial monsters required the destruction of microscopic gem structures embedded within their anatomy.

“You successfully struck every target?”

“Affirmative.”

“Have you operated a firearm at any point in the past?”

“Negative.”

That statement constituted a complete fabrication, Father. Desiring to engender a more profound impression upon the commander, I opted to intensify my theatrical display.

“Does that achievement truly warrant such astonishment? Is that level of performance not universally attainable? The task appeared remarkably straightforward…”

Father studied me for an extended duration, evidently processing a complex internal deliberation. He is likely weighing the feasibility of deploying me on a pacification campaign.

The commander of the Cola Area functioned as an autocrat, yet he consistently positioned himself at the vanguard of every military campaign. Defeat equated to the total eradication of the zone. Those expeditions already incorporated underage combatants matching my age demographic, and military cohesion and morale dictated that the commander’s direct progeny must partake as well.

Even so, hesitation on the commander’s part was expected. No ruler who finally reclaimed his biological offspring would willingly thrust that child into active combat zones. However, the revelation of my firearm proficiency might compel him to enlist me in the upcoming offensive. The emotional impact upon the troops if he paraded me alongside him immediately following my public introduction would be immense. That calculated reaction formed the primary motivation behind my deliberate display of exceptional shooting talent.

Participation in a pacification expedition must occur at the earliest possible juncture. Certain objectives could exclusively be acquired via the pacification event mechanics.

“Pardon me, Father?”

“Hm?”

The instant I addressed him as Father, even the cadence of his vocal response shifted…

“I was informed regarding the existence of my stepmother, Lady Daphne.”

“Meursault undoubtedly informed you.”

“Affirmative. Rather than allowing others to brief her concerning my presence, concluding that personal initiative to offer my initial greetings would reflect better manners seemed appropriate.”

Upon introducing the topic independently, the commander regarded me with a blend of paternal pride and melancholy.

“Indeed… your biological mother was Luna Moon, yet moving forward, you must coexist with Daphne as well. However, arranging an immediate audience will prove unfeasible. My inquiry regarding a meeting was met with the explanation that her recent physical indisposition precludes hosting a young child. Once her recovery is complete, an introduction can be arranged.”

Daphne’s physical health was compromised? That claim defied probability. She maintained an inherently cautious disposition; she was likely biding her time until her investigation into my background concluded prior to consenting to a face-to-face encounter. The commander undoubtedly understood this reality, and although he displayed reluctance regarding discussions of Daphne over Luna Moon in my presence, he exhibited no skepticism toward the narrative regarding her medical condition.

Curious… Commander Hayden had contracted matrimony with Daphne devoid of romantic attachment, driven by prior leadership directives and personal ambition. Based on all observations gathered throughout my gameplay history, the pair never expressed mutual animosity, existing instead in a state of emotional detachment. When I administered poison to Daphne in past runs, the commander displayed zero outward grief. Yet when the man seated before me addressed Daphne, his tone carried an element resembling the camaraderie of battlefield veterans rather than conventional marital sentiment.

Luna Moon’s Ring exhibits identical properties… this universe fails to align perfectly with the historical parameters of the game. The underlying reason remains unclear.

In reality, when the commander approached me earlier that day, an intuitive sense suggested that Luna Moon’s Ring concealed a distinct secret. The moment he materialized, the ring manifested an anomalous increase in thermal output. While the previous night’s distractions precluded immediate notice, the artifact was demonstrably reacting to the presence of the commander. As corroboration, the exact moment he concluded his remarks and departed, the ring experienced a rapid dissipation of warmth.

Curiously, the artifact emitted a sensation akin to disappointment at being separated from him prematurely. This matched the identical ring previously influenced by the title Luna Moon’s Friend. Titles exerted systemic influence over various elements and possessed the capacity to alter items, yet Luna Moon’s Friend was restricted exclusively to non-player characters. The sole class of items responsive to such titles comprised ego-weapons—artifacts housing an independent consciousness.

This deduction led directly to a singular hypothesis. The ring in question houses the consciousness of a non-player character—an individual intimately acquainted with both Luna Moon and Hayden.