A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 24. Another Player

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Daphne, who I thought was an NPC.

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**[Name: Meursault’s Wife**
**Strategy Route: Merry Bad Ending (Hayden)**
**Affiliated Zone: Cola Zone**
**Equipped Item: Eyes of Fascination**

***This player uses a different version of the system, so friend requests are not possible.]**

—

Setting aside the ridiculous nickname “Meursault’s Wife.”

Strategy route: Merry Bad Ending with “Hayden”?

Even as a player who has conquered every zone, I had never heard of such a strategy.

**‘What does it mean that the version is different?’**

At the very least, I was sure my system version was higher than Daphne’s.

Because while I could view her character information, she couldn’t view mine.

**‘Wait a minute….’**

Daphne in this world was a player different from me.

Luna Moon was suspected to be a player.

Daphne and Luna Moon knew each other.

In other words,

**‘It’s highly likely that Luna Moon is also a player with a different version from mine!’**

Like me, Taejong, BangguseokYeoBo, and Tbalrom.

Daphne and Luna Moon might have been players who possessed this game at the same time.

Though saying they possessed the game at the same time sounds a bit funny.

**‘If they possessed the game before us, many things make sense.’**

The information I didn’t know about Luna Moon, the different actions of Daphne.

It all made sense if they weren’t NPCs but players.

The only problem was why they, as players, appeared as NPCs in the “Apocalypse: Safe Zone”…

“Heydam?”

Daphne asked with a slightly suspicious look as I stared at her blankly.

“Why are you looking at me like that? As if there’s something floating above my head?”

**‘Does she normally say things like that when someone stares at her? Is she hinting that she can see the system? Or is she just saying that?’**

Everything seemed suspicious now that I knew Daphne was a player.

I pondered for a moment.

**‘Should I reveal that I am also a player?’**

But there was no advantage to revealing I was a player to Daphne right now.

I didn’t even know exactly what it meant to be a player with a different version, and why would I show my cards to a veteran player who had possessed the game before me and secured a position in the zone?

It would be a problem if Daphne conveyed to the commander that I was a player and not Luna Moon’s son.

**‘Is there a way to extract player information from Daphne without revealing that I am a player…’**

Of course, using Luna Moon’s name.

Once I was free from the effect of the Eyes of Fascination or whatever, the emotion blatantly visible in Daphne’s eyes was nothing but ‘favor.’

If she wasn’t favorable towards Luna Moon, she would have shown hostility towards me too.

But since she looked at me with eyes full of favor,

It was likely that she had no aversion to Luna Moon’s child, unlike the game.

I lowered my head slightly to apologize.

“If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize. Looking at people’s heads is a habit I inherited from my mother.”

“From Luna Moon?”

“My mother used to often stare intently at my head or other people’s heads.”

“……”

Hearing my words, Daphne’s expression became subtle.

I didn’t miss the moment and continued speaking.

“And I came to you in this rude manner to deliver my mother’s final message.”

“Luna Moon’s… last words?”

At the mention that Luna Moon left her a final message, Daphne’s pupils shook greatly.

It was not a tremor of fear or discomfort.

I felt a significant amount of anticipation in her eyes.

**‘Then….’**

“Could you excuse your servants? It’s a message only for you, Ms. Daphne.”

At my words, Daphne immediately commanded her servants.

“Everyone, leave the mansion.”

“Ms. Daphne!”

The servants who had been watching our standoff anxiously were astonished at her calm command.

“Why are you so accommodating to a child who trespassed over the wall?”

“No matter how young he is, we can’t leave you alone with him!”

“It’s alright, please leave.”

Seeing that the servants wouldn’t listen, they began to criticize me instead.

“Mr. Heydam! If you are not here to insult Ms. Daphne, please leave.”

“Request a proper audience and have a conversation!”

What are they talking about? I’ve been requesting a formal meeting for ages.

Daphne looked back and forth between me and the servants and sighed softly.

“If even you all don’t listen to me now… it makes sense why this child jumped over the wall. Thinking I couldn’t handle even my servants properly, he must have thought I wouldn’t mind him trespassing.”

“No, Ms. Daphne…!”

“We didn’t mean it like that…!”

The servants, exchanging bewildered glances, bowed deeply to Daphne and left the mansion in an orderly manner.

As the last servant closed the lobby door, a silence fell over the mansion.

**‘It doesn’t seem like she was hostile towards Luna Moon.’**

If she were wary of me, she wouldn’t have chosen to be alone with me, no matter how young I was.

Though I didn’t know the relationship between Luna Moon and Daphne, if they were both players, they likely cooperated.

Yet, Daphne hid herself instead of coming to find me, known as Luna Moon’s son.

**‘Even though she still holds Luna Moon in high regard, why didn’t she come to find me, her son?’**

I read a faint sense of guilt in her eyes as she looked at me.

**‘She did something wrong to Luna Moon.’**

Upon reflecting further, it made sense for Daphne to feel guilty towards me.

Originally, Luna Moon was in a relationship with Hayden.

But with Hayden marrying Daphne, Luna Moon’s son (me) ended up wandering through slums.

**To conquer the zone, did she drive out Luna Moon and marry Hayden…?**

If so, it was obvious what Daphne wanted to hear the most right now.

“Mother…”

I continued, not taking my eyes off her violet ones.

“Said she forgives you… she knows it’s not your fault.”

At those words, Daphne staggered backward, greatly agitated.

“…Lies.”

She seemed to have been waiting to hear these words but didn’t believe them right away.

“You’re lying to gain my favor, aren’t you?”

She asked in a trembling voice, and I shamelessly replied.

“How could that be? Why would you think so?”

“Because she wouldn’t have forgiven me so easily.”

Daphne frowned and bit her lip.

“Even though I said it was necessary for the strategy, that it wasn’t my intention, she never believed me. When I asked for help, she coldly left. That was her!”

“Of course, Mother said you wouldn’t believe it easily. She told me to say this in such cases.”

A ridiculous word to say in this situation, but I judged it to be the most effective in persuading Daphne.

“Meursault’s Wife.”

“That, that’s…!”

Daphne’s face turned red, as if her embarrassing past had been revealed.

If I ever return to reality, I thought I should be careful when choosing nicknames.

“Did Luna Moon tell you everything? Do you know what we are?”

As expected, Luna Moon was a player of the same version as Daphne.

I tried not to laugh as I answered politely.

“Actually… Mother passed away while telling me, so I couldn’t hear everything. So, as her friend, could you please tell me?”

Daphne didn’t take her eyes off my lips as if knowing what I was about to say next.

I slowly finished my words.

“About ‘players.’”

—

* * *

—

“Before we start talking….”

Having sent all the servants outside, Daphne prepared tea herself.

Despite being a possessed player, the years she lived in this game must have been significant, as her movements in brewing tea were familiar.

Pouring tea into my cup, Daphne sighed softly.

“I hope you won’t be too shocked by what I’m about to tell you. Your mother truly loved Hayden, and as a result, you were born. You are the fruit of a love that transcended dimensions.”

Well… I’m not that fruit, but rather an imposter pretending to be one.

Nevertheless, I could only nod quietly to hear more of her story.

**‘Hmm?’**

…For some reason, Luna Moon’s ring felt a bit warm since a while ago.

The feeling was different from when it warmed in the presence of Commander Hayden.

With the commander, it felt happy to meet and sad to part.

Now, it felt a bit excited and tense.

“Where should I start….”

Daphne muttered as she leaned against the ornately gilded floral-patterned sofa.

“First, a player… means a possessed person.”

“A possessed person?”

“Luna Moon and I are not from this world. We… suddenly found ourselves possessed in a ‘game.’”

“……”

Possessed in a game.

They got possessed while playing a game too.

Daphne paused to gauge my reaction.

“…It must be hard to believe, that your world is inside a game.”

She seemed to think I was shocked by the revelation.

But I was just curious.

What game Luna Moon and Daphne had been possessed in.

**‘Daphne also possessed a game. But we have different versions… did they possess one of the Safe Zone series?’**

The Safe Zone series has a long history, starting as a dot game about ten years ago and now existing in both console and online versions.

I played the latest online version, “Apocalypse: Safe Zone.”

“What kind of game was it?”

“Pardon?”

“If my world is inside a

game, I wonder what kind of game it was.”

“……”

Daphne remained silent for a long time.

She seemed reluctant to tell me what game it was.

Knowing which game they possessed was important.

If it wasn’t from the Safe Zone series, it could mean other players entered through different games.

“Was it a game so terrible that it’s hard to mention?”

“Ah… no, it’s just… a bit… embarrassing to say…”

Embarrassing?

Safe Zone series couldn’t be that embarrassing, could it?

“So, it’s Mi…”

“Mi?”

“……”

Finally, as if she had no choice, Daphne closed her eyes tightly and confessed.

“…Middle-aged Romance Simulation Game…”

“…What?”

Middle-aged Romance… what?