A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 25. If I knew

Middle-aged romance simulation game.

As I looked at her with a face full of doubt, Daphne, whose face had turned bright red, continued to mumble.

“Handsome, middle-aged man… set in an apocalypse military background… I was playing the game… and when I came to my senses… I was possessed…….”

“…….”

Was there ever a dating sim in the Safe Zone series?

Even though it was a ten-year-old game, the genre of apocalypse didn’t seem to have changed…….

Suddenly, the thought of her nickname being MeursaultWife crossed my mind.

So that’s why her nickname was MeursaultWife?

But if her nickname was MeursaultWife, why did she become Hayden’s Wife?

“If MeursaultWife has such a meaning, then why with my father…….”

“Me, Meursault wasn’t a capture target! He was an extra character, so he was an uncapturable character!”

So Daphne was an extra character in one of the games?

She wasn’t insignificant in ‘Apocalypse: Safe Zone’.

The same NPCs appear, but the format is a different game…….

‘…No way.’

Suddenly, a hypothesis crossed my mind.

‘We’ve been thinking all this time that we’re inside the game world…….’

The same characters, the same background.

Players possessed through different games.

‘Maybe the games we played were a mimicry of this world.’

The thought made my spine tingle.

If that were true.

‘Someone intentionally brought us into this world.’

There was clearly someone who released games that mimicked this world, whether it was Safe Zone or a dating sim.

We don’t know why they did it yet, but it doesn’t feel like it was for a good cause.

If it was to prevent the end of this world, they wouldn’t have given us ridiculous quests to marry NPCs in dating sim packaging.

They also wouldn’t have possessed random players through convenience stores.

It doesn’t seem like they possessed us to save the world seriously…….

‘It feels like the malice of a viewer who wants to see shocking scenes.’

The one who possessed us must be a true dopamine addict.

“…By the way, did you say earlier that you did something for my mother for the sake of the strategy?”

“Yes. I just received a quest saying, ‘If you don’t see the ending within a year, you die.’”

If you don’t see the ending within a year… death?

Wasn’t it just a system like ours, but there was an existence that gave quests?

“The capture targets in this zone were only the former commander and Hayden. As I possessed the former commander’s daughter, I had no choice but Hayden!”

Ah, I see.

As if truly feeling wronged, Daphne, who drank the still-steaming tea, calmed her excitement and spoke in a composed tone.

“It’s been almost ten years since I talked as a player like this.”

Daphne continued, looking slightly relieved yet slightly uneasy.

“When I heard that Luna Moon’s child had come, honestly, I couldn’t believe it.”

“You couldn’t believe it?”

Daphne looked at me with a timid voice.

“Because, you know…? Having a child of a game character… is something I couldn’t even imagine. I naturally thought it was a fraud.”

‘Pretty sharp.’

But it was understandable.

For example, with Daphne, even though she was beautiful, the image of her being an NPC was still stronger in my memory.

While it might be possible to have them date like game characters marrying, having a child of a game character is a separate story.

‘If Daphne received a quest to see the ending within a year, Luna Moon would have received the same.’

But seeing that she not only completed the quest but also had a child with a game character, Luna Moon must have truly loved Hayden.

Although Daphne took him away from her.

‘So Luna Moon might not have died from a plague, but from failing the capture.’

It was indeed strange that a player would die from a plague.

We have bodies that can be healed just by eating food.

Suddenly, I recalled what Daphne had said earlier and asked her.

“What did you mean when you asked my mother for help? You said your mother left coldly, but she wouldn’t have known how to leave the game world, right?”

“Ah… What I asked for help wasn’t to leave the game.”

“Then?”

“Although I married Hayden because of the quest… I soon regretted it. So, even if it meant dying, I wanted to stay with Meursault. I asked her to help me divorce Hayden. But Luna Moon disappeared the next day, and I was left alone in this mansion. Keeping the player’s secret for the past ten years until you showed up.”

‘…Hm?’

Listening quietly, something felt off.

That means… she had already told Luna Moon to help her divorce Hayden?

Then why did Luna Moon leave for that slum?

If Daphne had no intention to harm Luna Moon, she could have stayed here.

Of course, there were pro-Daphne faction executives around her, so she might have been threatened by third parties.

‘It could also be that Daphne is lying.’

Character viewing only shows Daphne’s player information, not whether her words are true or false.

Anyway… even if I don’t know Daphne’s true feelings, I know how to gain her cooperation.

“I will help you.”

“Help… me?”

“Yes. If you help me settle down here a bit, I will free you from Commander Hayden as soon as possible. I promise on my mother’s name.”

Daphne blinked rapidly, as if hearing something unexpected.

“…Did you really hear what I said? Or did you not understand? The reason Luna Moon died was largely my fault. Because she would have received the same quest-”

“I know.”

“You know, yet why…….”

“My mother forgave you, and you are my mother’s last remaining friend.”

“…….”

Daphne looked at me with an indescribable expression.

“…You’re just a ten-year-old child, but talking to you feels like talking to Luna Moon.”

Well, it’s because I’m a player like Luna Moon.

‘Surprisingly naive.’

The reason Daphne trusts me so easily could be because they played a romance simulation game, not an apocalypse game.

If I can treat Daphne as my mother’s friend and gain her solid backing, helping her divorce her dictator husband is something I can easily do.

Besides, Daphne and Hayden’s divorce is beneficial to me and not a difficult task.

Because I’m still in the process of claiming three rewards.

And there’s one more reward I can demand from the commander.

Since Commander Hayden doesn’t particularly love Daphne, helping her divorce him isn’t a difficult task.

The real problem is elsewhere.

‘Commander Hayden might also know that Luna Moon was a player.’

Judging by his reaction when he learned about my healing ability.

I suddenly thought that Luna Moon might have hinted something to Commander Hayden.

Because, in the past, the commander had hinted at me.

– Hayden. Why I loved Luna Moon, yet married another woman. Why I couldn’t protect you and Luna Moon even with the high status of a commander. You might not understand now, but when you grow up and reach an age where you can understand my words, I’ll tell you everything I know.

His grand words back then might have been because he knew Luna Moon was a player.

‘If the commander knows about the existence of players, I must never let it be known that I’m a player…….’

Hiding the fact that I’m a player from Daphne was the right choice.

I must continue to play the role of Luna Moon’s child born in the game.

Until I have this zone in my grasp.

* * *

“Hmm?”

After finishing my conversation with Daphne and leaving the mansion, I saw the aides glaring at me with a murderous look, and behind them were the executives.

The pro-Daphne faction executives with angry faces and the pro-Hayden faction executives looking bewildered and watching the pro-Daphne faction executives.

‘The effect is amazing.’

Seeing these rarely-seen people rushing over because I jumped over the lady’s mansion wall, I found it hard to suppress a smile.

“Heydam, sir! What on earth-”

A pro-Hayden faction executive cautiously called me, but Anton, the head of the pro-Daphne faction, interrupted him, yelling.

“What on earth are you doing! Jumping over Daphne’s mansion wall and even kicking out the servants!”

I didn’t kick out the servants.

I glanced at the servants, and they avoided my gaze, quickly heading back into the mansion.

Those bastards must have maliciously tattled to the executives.

“It seems like a misunderstanding…….”

“Of course! It must be a misunderstanding! There’s no way Heydam, sir, jumped over the wall!”

“No, I did jump over the wall, but it was Daphne who told the servants to stay outside.”

“…….”

Huh?

Did the pro-Hayden faction executive just turn his head away, looking like he couldn’t defend me anymore?

“If Daphne told the servants to leave first, then you must have had something urgent to discuss.”

It was Josef, the head of the pro-Hayden faction, who spoke.

“Did you have a good talk?”

“Ah, yes.”

“If it was urgent enough to jump over Daphne’s mansion wall, it must have been a very urgent matter?”

When a pro-Daphne faction executive couldn’t hold back and sarcastically spoke, Anton, who was still filled with anger, said.

“Yes, what was so urgent that you committed such rudeness? We need to know so we don’t misunderstand and be disappointed in you!”

If you want to know so badly.

I smiled brightly and answered them honestly.

“I just promised, on my mother’s name, that I would make sure Commander and Daphne get divorced.”

“What, what…….”

“What did you say

?!”

“This crazy…….”

Anton turned pale and then rushed into the mansion.

Probably worried about Daphne who would have heard my harsh words.

‘Now that Daphne has agreed to cooperate with me, I don’t need the pro-Daphne faction executives anymore.’

Watching the pro-Daphne faction executives hurry inside after Anton, Josef grabbed my shoulder.

“What are you thinking! If the Commander finds out……!”

Josef was pressing me when a low, deep voice came from behind.

“If I knew?”

“……!”

When I looked up, Commander Hayden was staring down at me with his one remaining eye, standing rigidly behind Josef.