Chapter 50

Chapter 50
During that exact timeframe, while the military academy graduation ceremony was proceeding at full speed, Darling Outsider sat opposite Anton across a single tea table, and the room was filled with a heavy sense of awkwardness. Although his attire and hair were completely disordered, Anton had not laid a finger upon him. When Darling Outsider originally secured a leave pass and made his way toward the Slums, heavy-set men dressed in black had intercepted him, telling him to get inside because someone was waiting. Naturally assuming that Haydam had summoned him, he felt no suspicion even when they pulled a blindfold over his eyes inside the vehicle. It was only after they arrived at a new destination and the blindfold was removed that he laid eyes on Anton sitting right across from him, causing him to completely lose his composure and create a massive uproar.

Acting like a startled feline with its fur standing on end, he retreated to a far corner while warning everyone to keep their distance and brandishing a chair defensively. Anton eventually succeeded in calming him down enough to take a seat, and then inquired with a thoroughly exhausted expression:
“Why are you so frightened?”
Darling Outsider paused for a moment before replying in a quiet, fading voice:
“I thought I was about to be tortured…”
“You have been reading too many novels.”
At those words, Darling Outsider managed an awkward smile. It was not novels, but rather the sheer volume of games he had played, as this specific setting typically served as the backdrop for torture scenes. Upon reflection, this hidden location only began functioning as a torture chamber after the player character was assigned the role of commander. While reviewing the walkthrough guides, he had always wondered who set up those secret areas, and it turned out to be Anton all along. Anyone would have trembled identically if the very first thing they witnessed after removing a blindfold was the precise spot where they used to torture non-player characters during gameplay, Darling Outsider reasoned to himself.

“You could simply have stated that you only requested my presence to talk.”
“I did state that.”
“Truthfully, my English proficiency is not very high.”
It was the kind of remark that would normally provoke a retort about whether that was something to boast about from Haydam, but Anton instead appeared genuinely intrigued.
“That is a refreshing reply.”
“Refreshing, you say? Where are we headed?”
“Recently, the only individual I have seen near your age is Haydam. And Haydam communicates quite well, does he not? Not like someone of his tender years.”
“Not merely well—he resembles a venomous snake.”
Hearing this, Anton let out a brief laugh. Had he truly summoned me merely for a conversation? Realizing that Anton genuinely appeared to harbor no hostile intentions, Darling Outsider let out a quiet sigh of relief. Anton the general was one of the non-player characters belonging to the Cola Area. In reality, Darling Outsider possessed almost no background information regarding this specific character, recognizing him solely as the individual who committed suicide following the player’s poisoning of Daphne, choosing to follow her in death. This elderly man has most likely abducted me because of Haydam, he deduced. Judging by the lack of harsh treatment, it appeared there was something specific he wished to ask.

No sooner had the thought crystallized in his mind than Anton abruptly asked:
“How long have you known Haydam?”
How long have I known him? Why pose that particular question out of all possibilities? Would the situation change depending on the duration of their acquaintance? Should he brag about being close since their days in the Slums, or was he expected to provide testimony regarding Haydam’s early childhood? Hmm… Darling Outsider attempted to strategize briefly in the manner Haydam might adopt, but quickly abandoned the effort and resolved to answer with complete honesty. Even if I clumsily attempt to imitate Dopamine Addict, it will accomplish nothing, as I am entirely unsuited for psychological games. Furthermore, speaking truthfully appeared to be the quickest method to escape this precarious one-on-one situation. Because—
“I have known Haydam for approximately three months.”
In truth, the total duration of his acquaintance with Haydam since entering the game world amounted to a mere three months. Claiming they had known each other since their shared time in the Slums would have necessitated fabricating an endless series of falsehoods. Sticking to the factual truth meant inventing nothing at all, and it would remain straightforward to substantiate.

Unsurprisingly, Anton’s facial expression twisted, as he had clearly anticipated a long-standing relationship between them.
“Three months, you claim?”
“When I arrived to enlist, Haydam filled out my paperwork because I was illiterate. That was our initial meeting… For what reason do you ask?”
Judging by the look in Anton’s eyes, not a single word was believed.
“Your enlistment documentation lists your origin as the Slums. If both of you originated from the exact same Slums, would you not have been acquainted with Haydam beforehand?”
“I stated this previously. Haydam completed the paperwork on my behalf.”
“Are you attempting to claim that Haydam simply inserted the Slums as a placeholder? If that is the case, where do you actually originate from?”
Confronted by Anton’s rapid sequence of inquiries, Darling Outsider responded with unwavering confidence.
“I am unaware.”
“…You are unaware?”
“I retain zero memories from the era prior to my tenth year. That is the root cause of my inability to write, as well as my current struggles with English. It is not because of a lack of intelligence.”

Anton looked entirely unconvinced by a single sentence just spoken. Then again, Darling Outsider acknowledged that even he would refuse to believe such a claim, as no sensible person would buy into the extreme convenience of having a complete lack of memories right up until the moment of meeting Haydam.
“Yet you supplied both a name and a place of origin on your enlistment forms. Do not tell me you fabricated those details as well?”
“How did you deduce that? Haydam invented those for me too.”
“…Are you expecting me to credit the notion that Haydam bestowed the name Darling Outsider upon an actual human being?”
“Hey now, should I not be the aggrieved party regarding that matter? I am the one forced to carry that designation through life!”
When Darling Outsider fired back with genuine indignation, Anton leaned back against his chair with an expression of profound disbelief.
“That explains why Haydam dotes on you without reservation. I had been wondering what qualities he perceived in you to maintain such a close proximity… I nearly allowed myself to be deceived by your innocent child act.”
It is not an act… However, offering denials at this juncture would fail to sway Anton, prompting Darling Outsider to remain silent.
“Very well… Let us assume your claim of a three-month acquaintance is accurate. You are frequently summoned by him. When you visit the commander’s residence, what activities occupy your time?”
Suspecting that Darling Outsider was withholding cooperation, Anton began directly probing into his interactions with Haydam.
“Perhaps specialized training sessions? Or does he issue direct orders to you?”
“Um…” Darling Outsider resolved to answer this inquiry truthfully as well.
“We primarily consume various food items.”
“…You do what?”
“Cookies… Oh, and combat rations as well. He instructs me to sample various things, so I consume them.”
It was far from a falsehood—whenever a meeting occurred with Haydam, the time was spent eating various substances to test different capabilities. Anton responded sharply with an expression of growing irritation.
“Are you attempting to ridicule me?”
“Not at all, but is it truly so unusual for a pair of ten-year-old children to gather together and eat snacks?”
“It is exceptionally unusual! That Haydam would summon you solely for the consumption of snacks!”
As Anton’s voice elevated beyond its normal register, Darling Outsider shrank back slightly before steeling his resolve and posing a question of his own:
“For what reason is it so crucial for you to discover my activities with Haydam? How do you intend to manage the fallout if Haydam discovers this conversation?”

Anton stared at him intently for a moment before responding in a more measured tone, as if regaining his composure.
“Haydam stated an intention to appoint my son as his adjutant.”
“…What? Platon?”
When his son’s name emerged from Darling Outsider’s lips without the slightest hesitation, Anton’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“It appears you are already well-informed regarding my son. Did the two of you share an extensive exchange of stories while eating snacks together?”
“He never mentioned that Platon would receive the adjutant position. Is he actually appointing Platon to that role? Have you verified that information properly? Knowing Haydam’s tendencies, he would likely scam someone out of a proper position and offer far less.”
“…Were you not supposed to be Haydam’s companion?” Anton inquired with a sour expression, clearly unsettled by remarks displaying even less trust in Haydam than his own. Darling Outsider experienced a sudden surge of internal panic, having operated under the assumption that the adjutant role was naturally destined for himself. If the adjutant position is awarded to Platon… what becomes of my own role?

Anton’s voice persisted, reaching the ears of the now-apprehensive Darling Outsider.
“…The reality is that my own trust in Haydam is quite limited. That is the exact reason I brought you here. I find myself unable to determine whether my son should place his trust in Haydam.”
“Umm… That does not sound like a fabrication…”
Initially, the assumption had been that since Anton represented the leader of the pro-Daphne faction, the abduction was merely an attempt to unearth Haydam’s vulnerabilities. Yet if the offer of the adjutant position to Platon was genuine, Anton would lack any logical motivation to oppose Haydam.
“Do you grasp the situation now? We find ourselves aligned in the same circumstances. Therefore, cease holding back and provide an honest account. How long have your dealings with Haydam lasted? Is he an individual worthy of our trust?”
Darling Outsider sensed a degree of genuine sincerity behind Anton’s inquiries, though that realization changed nothing about his predicament.
“W-well, my acquaintance with him really has only lasted three months, and he is not precisely a trustworthy figure.”
At that response, Anton’s demeanor turned frosty for a brief moment.
“Even after hearing everything I have disclosed, you persist in maintaining an act? You possess a high degree of caution.”
Caution had nothing to do with it—he was merely relaying the unvarnished facts. While Darling Outsider wrestled with the awkward atmosphere, Anton spoke with an unreadable expression.
“If your distrust of me is truly absolute… I shall share one of my personal secrets with you.”
“A secret?”
“In strict truth, I possess a daughter whom I have kept concealed from the public.”
“You have a daughter?!”
Even Darling Outsider, possessing veteran experience within the Safe Zone, was encountering this information for the very first time. Anton maintaining a hidden daughter… A sudden realization struck his mind, prompting him to voice his shock:
“Could Daphne actually have been your daughter all along?!”
Instantly, Anton’s facial features twisted in displeasure.
“Daphne ‘was’?”
“Was Lady Daphne your daughter?”
“I offer to share a confidential secret, and your mind immediately drifts to trashy soap opera plots. You really ought to cut back on reading novels.”
A widespread theory had long circulated among players suggesting that because Anton maintained unwavering loyalty to Daphne following the former commander’s death, even following her into the grave after she fell victim to poison, he must secretly be her biological father. Judging by Anton’s visible reaction, however, that hypothesis was entirely incorrect.

Completely ignoring Darling Outsider’s dramatic soap-opera speculation, Anton withdrew a photograph from his coat pocket and extended it outward.
“Observe this photograph. Care to inspect it?”
The motivation behind bringing up a hidden daughter remained unclear, but this might represent information unknown even to Dopamine Addict, making an inspection worthwhile. Darling Outsider accepted the offered photograph. Upon examining the image, he beheld a black-haired Asian woman who bore no physical resemblance to Anton whatsoever—a young female distinguished by a prominent mole positioned directly beneath her eye.
“…Huh?”
As Darling Outsider stared at the photograph while tilting his head in sheer bewilderment, a faint smile slowly materialized across Anton’s lips.