Chapter 26: Eve Rotwyler

“Ah, so you’re a friend of Lady Eve! Well, in that case, I really should upgrade your room! Hahaha!”

“……Forget it. You’re really using the ‘friend’ card that much?”

I was sitting at the counter, drinking the specialty beer Lucard had poured for me.

Gulp, gulp.

“Hm, I feel like this could use a shot of soju.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nothing important.”

The beer tasted just as terrible as it was described in the original, and my mind was in turmoil.

Eve.

That was the real name of Irgal, as whispered to me by the Varmilo High Priest.

So I was confused.

‘But that’s a girl’s name, isn’t it?’

The ‘Irgal’ I was first introduced to fit that dark brute perfectly.

But ‘Eve’—no matter what anyone said—was definitely a girl’s name.

There was simply no way it would suit someone as huge as a bear.

And what was even more baffling—

‘Eve, from the Wyler Principality?’

The moment I heard that name, a face immediately came to mind.

I knew all about a woman named ‘Eve Wyler.’

She was an NPC.

[Character] Also known as the ‘Genius Young Lady.’ She’s the beautiful and clever granddaughter of the Wyler Grand Duke.

During the main scenario, ‘Crack in the Alliance,’ she’s captured by rival forces and goes missing.

There was no way I could be mistaken.

Eve, the granddaughter of the Wyler Grand Duke, was an utterly unique existence in this world.

Just as the character description bluntly stated, she was a girl whose beauty and strength were unrivaled by anyone in this world.

But as the principality’s story progressed, she was also a character who was fated to die.

‘That’s why she was always ranked as the number one NPC that players wanted to save.’

Eve Wyler was sacrificed, caught up in the political strife within the principality.

Just like me—the Third Prince Gilloshian, who was doomed from the start.

‘Of course, the circumstances were a bit different……’

Gilloshian was so incompetent that he was driven to be a pawn in the Empire and Revolutionary Army’s schemes, while Eve was the complete opposite.

Her brothers, fearing her exceptional abilities, conspired and attacked her.

The clever but far too young young lady had no one to protect her, and so she met a tragic end.

Knowing all this made me extremely uneasy.

‘……What the hell is going on?’

I was certain that Irgal was a player character.

Because that guy was in the player’s seat!

Driving the carriage during the Third Prince assassination event, meeting with the Varmilo High Priest to hand over Gilloshian—those were all things the player character was supposed to do.

‘I’m pretty sure you even got bonus experience for it, right?’

Since Irgal was fulfilling that role, I naturally assumed he was a player.

He even dropped subtle hints while escaping the black market.

‘But now you’re telling me that was actually Eve Wyler?’

I just couldn’t understand it.

Why was the young lady, who should have died in the Wyler Principality, suddenly in the mountains kidnapping the Third Prince with the Revolutionary Army?

Most of all, Eve was a petite, delicate girl—just as a young lady should be.

But Irgal was huge and burly!

That guy was a head taller than me or Kals!

Standing still, he looked like a wild bear draped in rags!

……Rags?

At that moment, an item flashed through my mind like lightning.

I tore my gaze from the beer mug and looked at Lucard.

“Hold on a moment, owner. I need to ask you something.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Has the Border Guard Garrison had any trouble recently?”

“Trouble?”

“Well, like a theft at the barracks, or something valuable going missing……”

I asked cautiously, and Lucard thought for a moment before nodding.

“Oh, not recently, but a few months ago there was something like that. A thief broke into the barracks, but they never caught him.”

Apparently, it was an unsolved case—the culprit was never found.

The Border Guard Garrison blamed the City Guard for the lapse in security.

Caught off guard, the City Guard retorted, “What kind of army gets robbed by a petty thief?” and the two sides started butting heads.

So that petty thief……

‘It must have been that person.’

I had a feeling.

I was sure of it!

“So, nothing specific was said to be missing?”

“Hmm, I heard something like a cloak was stolen? Something with ‘bubble’ in the name or something?”

“……!”

Just as I thought.

I knew exactly what that cloak was and what it did.

[Apparel] A magical cloak crafted by a designer who reached the realm of demigods. When worn and infused with mana, it can alter the wearer’s body shape at will, hiding their true identity.

That’s what was stolen and used.

If she wore that ‘Bubble Cloak,’ it would be entirely possible for a young girl to transform into a hulking giant.

‘But I didn’t know it could even change the voice.’

Well, now that I think about it, there’s no way I could have known.

In the original game, all player dialogue was handled through text, and there was never any description of how magic or items altered voices.

So I just assumed it was a big guy hiding his face and speaking in a gruff tone.

‘No, but more importantly, why is Eve Wyler in the player’s seat?’

She’s an NPC!

And not just any NPC, but one who was supposed to die!

“……Huh?”

Suddenly, it felt like something smacked me in the head.

“Hmm? What is it this time?”

“N-no, it’s nothing.”

I shook my head at Lucard and began to seriously ponder the thought that had just occurred to me.

An NPC who, according to the original story, was supposed to die.

But one who survived and was now exploring somewhere completely unexpected.

That applied to me, and now to Eve Wyler as well.

If that’s the case—

‘Could it be the same for that person as it is for me?’

……Did someone else also possess an NPC’s body?

As soon as I reached that thought, I shivered all over.

It was a strange, indescribable feeling.

I thought I was the only one dropped into this game world—but maybe not.

And another thing.

‘Maybe that person knows why we were suddenly brought to this world.’

If Eve Wyler arrived in this world before I did—

Then she might know more about what’s going on.

‘Yeah, that’s possible.’

Somewhere inside my tipsy, spinning body, it felt like a cold spring was bubbling up.

If that’s the case, I’d better be even more prepared.

She had already warned me we’d meet again soon.

I had no idea what form that meeting would take.

The only thing certain was that we absolutely couldn’t trust each other.

For now, we were under the same roof, if only awkwardly……

‘She tried to kidnap and kill Gilloshian without hesitation.’

Eve Wyler was fundamentally an anti-Empire NPC.

She was a character who believed the Wyler Principality must one day gain independence from the Empire.

Remembering that, I couldn’t just trust her simply because she revealed her identity.

……Wait.

‘Or is it different? If, like me, she has an independent personality separate from the original NPC?’

Would she have completely different thoughts?

Or, if not, would her basic direction of thought be the same as Eve’s?

“……I have no idea.”

I shook my head, and Lucard let out a hearty laugh.

“Haha, you look like you’ve got a lot on your mind! When that happens, have another drink.”

Without me even asking, he poured me another beer.

It still tasted terrible.

But hey, it was on the house.

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”

Lucard tilted his head with a crooked smile.

“Huh? What do you mean? That’ll be 1 silver coin.”

“……Damn it.”

A highway robber with a menu.

Anyway, I downed it in one go.

Gulp, gulp.

It was bland as hell, but at least it was cold.

Reminds me of the beer I’d drink at the convenience store in front of my old dorm.

As I put down the huge mug, I organized my thoughts.

‘Whoever that person is, whatever they’re thinking, it’s all the same in the end.’

My survival in this world is up to me, and I have to get stronger as quickly as possible.

‘So let’s move on to the next step.’

My plan for what to do next was already forming in my head.

“Here, 2 silver coins.”

I slapped the coins down and looked at the owner.

Then, resting my chin on the table, I spoke lazily.

“Come to think of it, there’s another friend of mine who knows the owner……”

My plan started from here.

“Hm? Who else says they know me? Haha, I must be really popular!”

Yeah, I know.

‘I know, and you know too.’

Anyone who dug even a little deeper into this game would know that name.

“……Chero.”

Lucard’s eyes changed instantly.

“Chero? Hey, did you just say Chero? I didn’t mishear, did I?”

I tilted my head and said,

“I met him yesterday. He called himself some kind of ‘Card Shuffler’ or something? I couldn’t believe it, so I didn’t really take him seriously.”

But that was partly true.

He does deal with ‘cards.’

Specifically, the Destiny Card that the player uses.

“Wait, yesterday? So, where was he yesterday? If I ever catch that guy, I’ll just! Absolutely! Wring his neck!”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Feigning ignorance, I watched as Lucard shook his fist in anger.

“Damn bastard! The tab he owes me is enough to buy a house!”

I snickered inwardly.

‘That’s just an excuse. The real reason is that Chero conned him, and now he’s trying to clean up the mess.’

Chero is the greatest swindler in all of Aurax.

That’s his official setting.

‘Actually, he’s the NPC who teaches you all sorts of ways to use Destiny Cards.’

To the residents of this world, the Destiny Card the player wields is called by many different names.

God’s Card.

Cursed Card.

Card of the Universe……

They understand it in all sorts of ways, but it’s a power granted only to the player.

Anyway.

“You! Find that Chero guy and bring him to me! I’ll make it worth your while!”

Lucard’s eyes seemed to spark with fire.

At the same time, a system message appeared.

[Quest ‘Cardcheater Chero’ has been given.]

[Quest] There’s a guy called ‘Chero’ somewhere in this city, going around cheating people with cards. Catch him and learn more about Destiny Cards.

What a sense of parody.

The player who completes this quest will gain access to the Destiny Card’s upgrade feature.

So this was a quest that had to be completed sooner or later.

‘Because in the mid-to-late game, you absolutely need higher-tier cards.’

Which meant that, at this early stage, the feature wasn’t strictly necessary yet.

But I needed the upgrade feature right now.

The ‘D-rank Card Draw Ticket’ I had.

‘And soon, I’ll reach level 10 and get my second Card Shuffler.’

This time, I was determined to make a decent card.

To do that, I absolutely needed the card upgrade feature.

Goodbye, trash-tier gladiator!

I said a cheerful farewell in my heart, while outwardly scratching my chin with a troubled look.

“Hm, you want me to catch Chero? I had no idea he was that kind of guy, but handing over a friend is a little……”

That’s how you’re supposed to deal with NPCs.

Lucard shouted in desperation.

“Ah, right. Beastkin value friendship, don’t they? But that guy is a notorious freeloader! Not the sort of person you should call a friend!”

“Hmmm, still……”

“If you catch him, I’ll make sure to reward you handsomely!”

“How handsomely……?”

“I’ll give you a sword I used myself! How about that?”

“Okay! Thank you, thank you!”

Lucard looked like he’d just realized his mistake, but I was already getting up from my seat.

[You have successfully negotiated with a friendly NPC.]

[The expected reward for the quest ‘Cardcheater Chero’ now includes ‘Retiree’s Sabre.’]

“I’ll have Chero here by tomorrow.”

Actually, I could catch him tonight if I wanted.

I knew exactly where Chero would be right now.

But first, I needed to come up with a strategy.

This time, I had to get my hands on a proper card, no matter what.

‘At least a C-rank card.’

If possible, even higher!