A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 23. Choose Nicknames Wisely

Meanwhile, in the executive meeting room.

After the death of Lieutenant General Bathom, the executive meetings had been temporarily suspended.

Today’s resumed meeting was to discuss who would fill the vacancy left by Lieutenant General Bathom.

However, the term “meeting” was a misnomer since the promotion had already been decided.

The commander had already decided to fill the vacancy with someone from the pro-Daphne faction, instead of making an issue out of Lieutenant General Bathom’s death.

Therefore, the commander had declared he would not attend today’s executive meeting, and the pro-Hayden faction executives had not yet shown up.

While the pro-Daphne executives, gathered together, were discussing the transfer of Lieutenant General Bathom’s son to the military police, someone cautiously brought up another topic.

“But… have you all seen it?”

“Seen what?”

“The mid-sized monster that the child captured.”

Anton, the leader of the pro-Daphne faction, furrowed his brows slightly, but the other executives seemed quite interested in the topic and leaned forward, starting to speak one by one.

“If you have eyes, you couldn’t miss it, could you? Didn’t he drag it all the way to the commander’s residence for everyone to see?”

“I’m a bit concerned that a child of only ten years old is so desperate to attract attention.”

“I knew His Excellency was a ruthless man, but I never thought he’d push his own son so hard.”

Another executive frowned, indicating disagreement.

“Do you really think His Excellency ordered it?”

“Do you think a ten-year-old could think of hunting a mid-sized monster and organizing a meal for his peers on his own?”

“I also agree that it probably wasn’t the child’s idea. Just like with Lieutenant General Bathom, His Excellency is likely using the child for some scheme. Can’t you see Meursault following him around?”

At that, another executive clicked his tongue sharply.

“Ha, do you even know what kind of man Meursault is to say such things? He isn’t the type to follow a child around just because His Excellency ordered him to.”

“I also don’t think he’s an ordinary child. He didn’t even blink when Lieutenant General Bathom died; that kind of boldness isn’t something you can teach.”

At that moment, Anton, who had been silent all along, opened his mouth to speak.

“Regardless of whether it’s the child’s idea or not, the fact that what he’s doing is a threat to Daphne is unchanged. Even if he isn’t intentionally trying to check her, it’s still a threat to us.”

At his words, the other executives nodded in agreement.

“You are right.”

“Then what should we do? Even if we want to talk to him, Meursault is sticking to him using his probation as an excuse.”

“Has Daphne said anything?”

“We haven’t been able to contact her.”

“What?!”

“She refused to meet the child, saying she wasn’t feeling well. Could it be that she’s really unwell?”

“Impossible!!”

When the executives raised their voices, Anton gestured for them to calm down and continued.

“That’s not it. If she were truly unwell, she would have acted more aggressively. She is likely thinking about what to do with the child.”

“Ah…”

“So, don’t make any hasty moves. Leave Meursault and Lieutenant General Bathom’s son alone for now.”

“But the matter of Lieutenant General Bathom…”

“Have you forgotten why we gathered today? We are here to fill Lieutenant General Bathom’s position with one of our people, as suggested by His Excellency. Everyone here understands what that means, right?”

“……”

The executives present were all survivors of political battles.

Although the commander seemed to be offering the executive position as if he were yielding, his real intention was clear: accept this and back off.

It was a form of threat, implying that if they made an issue of Lieutenant General Bathom’s matter, they might lose their positions.

“So, never mention Lieutenant General Bathom again. Live as if such a person never existed. Lay low for now. Don’t fall for the child’s provocations. That’s what he wants.”

“What the child wants?”

“In my opinion, the child intends to join the subjugation.”

The executives buzzed with surprise at his words.

“The subjugation?”

“Why else would he make such a fuss about his hunting skills? To prove he is capable of participating in the subjugation.”

“But why would he want to join the subjugation?”

“The reason isn’t important. If it’s something the child needs, we just need to stop him from joining the subjugation.”

“I agree that it’s too early. Not just because we need to check the child, but… he’s too young. There’s a subjugation every year; no one would criticize him for waiting until he’s older.”

“I don’t know the reason either. Why he’s so desperate. It’s as if he has a deadline…”

Anton muttered, and just then, the pro-Hayden faction executives swaggered into the meeting room.

“What were you plotting that you went silent as soon as we arrived?”

Some of the executives bristled at the accusation, but Anton responded calmly.

“We were discussing Young Master Hayden. His hunting skills are quite impressive.”

“Ah, you mean the hippo pig?”

At the mention of the hippo pig, the pro-Hayden faction executives began conversing in a more relaxed tone.

“Doesn’t his behavior remind you of Luna Moon?”

“What are you talking about? She wasn’t that good at shooting.”

“No, I mean the fact that he loves hippo pig meat. I hate it because it’s greasy, but he insists on eating it once a week.”

“Ah, right. It smelled really good. I miss it.”

“I’m looking forward to the day we go on a subjugation together. If His Excellency allows it, there’s a lot to teach him-”

“What are you talking about?”

Anton, who had been listening quietly, spoke up in displeasure.

“Are you serious? How can you even think about sending such a young child into the subjugation?”

Following Anton’s lead, the executives who had just heard from him about stopping Hayden from joining the subjugation also chimed in.

“The problem is that you keep expecting him to be like Luna Moon. The poor child must feel so burdened that he went out to hunt monsters.”

“The child said he and his mother are separate, but you’re the ones treating them as the same.”

“This is why warmongers are hopeless!”

“What? Warmongers? Do you know who you have to thank for living comfortably inside the zone?”

As the argument escalated, a soldier burst into the meeting room.

“S-something terrible has happened…!”

Recognizing the soldier from Daphne’s residence, the expressions of the pro-Daphne faction executives instantly hardened.

‘Something must have happened to Daphne.’

The pro-Hayden faction executives prepared to smirk, but…

The soldier’s next words made both sides shout in disbelief.

“Young Master Hayden has climbed over the wall into Lady Daphne’s quarters!”

“What?!”

* * *

I hadn’t intended to climb over the wall from the start.

Getting the secluded executives to come out was easy.

You just had to provoke someone untouchable.

In that sense, Daphne was a perfect target.

The pro-Daphne faction would rush over fearing I’d harm her, while the pro-Hayden faction would worry she’d poison me.

All I had to do was leisurely drink tea with Daphne and wait for them to come running.

The problem was that even though I’d come all the way to her quarters, Daphne refused to meet with me.

“Lady Daphne is still unwell. She asks that you please return.”

‘She still doesn’t want to meet me?’

That Daphne was lying about being sick was obvious.

If she were truly unwell, she would have done something to hide it and keep me in check.

‘Why doesn’t she want to meet me?’

I initially thought Daphne refused to meet me because she didn’t know what kind of child I was.

But I had shown her a lot since then.

The incident in the executive meeting room, hunting the mid-sized monster, the barbecue party with the children.

If Daphne had heard all this, she would have judged what kind of person I was.

That’s why I decided to visit her myself.

‘She can’t still be ignorant of who I am… she’s not such a foolish NPC.’

Then why doesn’t she want to meet me?

‘She’s hiding something.’

Concluding that Daphne was avoiding me to conceal something, I climbed over the wall into her quarters.

“Kya! Y-young master, you can’t do this…!”

Of course, since I didn’t sneak in, the servants of Daphne’s residence were bewildered but tried to stop me.

“Young master! This is Lady Daphne’s residence. Please, stop…!”

No one dared to touch me, so I boldly walked into Daphne’s residence.

The reason I didn’t sneak in was simple.

By causing a commotion, Daphne would have to come down and greet me herself.

And to prove that my judgment was correct.

As soon as I entered the lobby, Daphne appeared at the top of the stairs.

‘Daphne… right?’

For a moment, I doubted if this was the same NPC I knew, as a dazzlingly beautiful woman began descending towards me soundlessly and gracefully.

‘With her silver hair down to her waist and the thick white fur draped over her shoulders, she seems to be the NPC I know.’

She was tens of times more beautiful than I had seen in the game.

It made me think that the game graphics couldn’t capture her beauty, so they had to nerf it.

I could somewhat understand why Meursault was obsessed with her.

Even though she was so beautiful, the fact that the commander chose Luna Moon over Daphne made me admire him.

The commander must have truly loved Luna Moon.

“Do you have something urgent to tell me, that you had to cause such a disturbance

?”

Only when Daphne, having descended the stairs, spoke to me did I snap out of my thoughts about her appearance.

I realized that this wasn’t a normal reaction.

‘Could this be…?’

Taking advantage of my regained composure, I swapped out the ‘Friend of Luna Moon’ title for ‘Golden Eyes Like Stone.’

A surprising message popped up before my eyes.

[Item effects are offset.]

Only then was I able to look at Daphne properly.

She didn’t look sick at all, confirming that she had been avoiding me on purpose.

I looked at Daphne.

No, ‘her.’

I gazed up at her as if entranced, then opened her character profile.

When opening an NPC’s profile, the usual screen appeared.

[Name: Meursault

Favorability: 67/100

Zone: Cola

Special Notes: Rank – Major General]

But Daphne’s profile was different from both NPCs and ours.

[Name: Meursault’s Wife

Strategy Route: Merry Bad Ending (Hayden)

Zone: Cola

Equipped Item: Eyes of Enchantment

*Player using a different version system. Friend request is not available.]

‘A player using a different version!’

…But why is her nickname like that?