17. The Genoria Otherworld Theory

"Are you saying that watashi is a resident of a picture book, desu ka!"

Wooser's cry echoed.

The mop-headed guy with knowledge of Genoria, Mikagami Ryuji, had apparently immediately realized that Wooser, whom I had brought, was an NPC from the sixth floor and told Nanami Shuichi.

So, they had chased after us, and the questioning had begun, but first, Wooser couldn't understand at all what they meant by a game, and her conversation with Nanami and the others wasn't making any sense.

Having no choice, I couldn't stand to watch and explained from the side.

In Genoria, there was a communication item called the 'Crystal Ball of Far Sight', which was like a video phone that could send images and voices over long distances.

I explained that it was a story world seen through such images. In other words, she was a fictional person who wasn't real, so it shouldn't have been a wrong explanation.

She understood, but Wooser absolutely refused to admit that she was a resident of that game world.

Come to think of it, that was only natural.

"Watashi is alive, masu yo. Just like you all, desu."

"Yeah, that's right..."

When Wooser gripped my hand tightly and said that with moist eyes, I had no choice but to reply that way.

I would be troubled if someone told me that I was an NPC in a game.

"What we, um... want to talk to Aliceidia Adelaide Alfonsina Angelique Arlette Arabel Aline Diana-san about isn't that. We just want to exchange information."

Nanami was amazing. He had perfectly memorized Wooser's long full name after hearing it only once.

"Information exchange, desu ka? Watashi also has something I want to ask you all. Aren't you earthlings who have been transferred to this world, desu ka?"

"What! Aliceidia Adelaide Alphon..."

"Vice-President Nanami, please stop that."

It was so long, I wanted him to at least say it only once.

"...Ahem, Diana-san, do you know Earth?"

"Of course, watashi doesn't directly know the world called Earth, desu ga, the Priest King-sama who rules the Rabitta Rabbit tribe prophesied it, desu. People who come from the world called Earth will surely help stop the Genesis Rupture Genocide Reality, desu!"

This time, it was Wooser's counterattack against being called a game NPC.

You all are otherworldly people who came from the star called Earth and are the heroes who will save the world Mundus!

It was a shocking fact.

Both stories sounded plausible, and it was hard to say which was true and which was false.

"My husband is also bad, desu. If you came from Earth, why didn't you tell me when we first met, desu ka?"

"Hmm, umm, why was that again?"

I was troubled by Wooser's accusation. Was it because explaining was too much of a hassle?

While I scratched my head and tried to dodge the question, I could hear Seki and Kumiko whispering something.

"It can't be helped, Shinjo-kun is that kind of person."

"That's right, he's Wataru-kun after all."

I could hear you!

I didn't think Seki and Kumiko had much contact when they were at school, but they seemed to have become quite close since coming here.

That was fine, but I wanted to ask them what they even knew about me.

"My husband was that kind of person, desu ne. It's a little shocking, desu."

"You too, Wooser?"

"But my love won't disappear, desu. Please be at ease."

"Oh, is that so? Thanks."

Seriously, what were they talking about?

While I was dumbfounded, a male student suddenly confronted us out of the blue.

"That's a lie! You lying bunny girl! Genoria is a game, and you're just an NPC!"

Mop-head... Mikagami Ryuji.

"What is this rude mop-potato, desu ka?"

"Mop-potato?! Besides, it's strange for a bunny girl to be on the first floor! Just wait in your cell until I come to rescue you!"

For some reason, Wooser's Genoria otherworld theory seemed to have irritated Mikagami Ryuji.

He leaped at Wooser as if to punch her, so Wooser was also about to punch back, but they both seemed to have forgotten that this was a no-attack zone.

"You too, Shinjo!"

"Eh, me?"

The mop-potato's anger was now directed at me.

"That's right! The mantle you're wearing is the 'Diminish Mantle', and the greatsword on your back is 'Solitude', right? Then the sword wrapped in cloth on your waist is the spirit sword 'Onsetsumaru'?"

"You know a lot, Mikagami."

"Of course I know! It's a rare item that appears on the solo samurai playthrough route! You also had knowledge of Genoria, so you were able to advance to the sixth floor alone!"

"Hmm, so what if I did?"

Mikagami was also a solo player. I had tried to disguise the rare items so they wouldn't stand out, but I couldn't hide it anymore.

Since I had gained a considerable lead at the starting dash, I thought my advantage was unshakable, but I would have preferred to keep it a secret a little longer if possible.

"That's not fair! Give me that equipment and sword!"

"Why would I do that, hey..."

Ryuji was trying to steal my greatsword and was grabbing at an invisible wall.

That's why negative actions were impossible in the city. Wooser, stop pointlessly unleashing rapid kicks at the mop-head.

"Shinjo, you're selfish! I was teaching everyone the locations of traps and monster information, but in the meantime, you selfishly monopolized such good items!"

"Then why didn't you just hurry up and go on the攻略 like me?"

When I said that, Ryuji turned his potato-like face bright red and got so angry that steam seemed to rise from his head.

"B-but I was moving to help everyone, so I didn't have time for that! You cheated and secretly collected rare items, didn't you? Such selfishness is unforgivable! That rare equipment is more fitting for me, the hero who saved everyone!"

"Huh... are you an idiot?"

For starters, what even was his job?

Putting aside the mantle, 'Solitude' was just an extremely hard sword unless a high-ranking samurai used it.

"Y-you called me an idiot?! Don't screw with me, cheater!"

"Hey, I think it was great that you helped everyone with your knowledge of Genoria."

It reduced my troubles, so I was grateful for that.

I could even thank him.

"Then give me the rare items!"

"That's a separate issue. You, the virtuous one, chose the path of helping everyone and being thanked. The selfish me chose the path of improving myself in the meantime. This is individual 'responsibility and choice'."

"Uwaaaaaaaah!"

He swung his arms around and tried to punch me like a child.

Even Wooser, who had been hostile towards Ryuji until just now, was watching in amazement.

That's right, this wasn't hostility.

It was just a child throwing a tantrum in front of someone who wouldn't do what they wanted.

"Vice-President Nanami."

"What is it, Shinjo Wataru-kun?"

"I'm advancing through the攻略 alone because I believe that's the optimal course of action to clear this game. Our ultimate goal should be the same, and I don't want to be hostile towards you all."

"Of course, we also..."

A white-gloved hand swiftly interrupted Nanami's words.

Jinguuji Tsukasa, the gloomy glasses guy who had arrived later and had been quietly watching our discussion from behind, stopped Nanami and stepped forward.

"Shinjo-kun, do you know the term 'Führerprinzip'?"

"What the hell are you? Are you trying to become a dictator?!"

Jinguuji, wearing black cloth armor with gold thread that looked like a military uniform, hung a slender jeweled sword from his waist and stood imposingly, his gray mantle fluttering in the wind.

Behind him, a group wearing black uniforms and white gloves lined up in a row, puffed out their chests, and clicked their heels into formation.

A student holding a large red flag at the front, everyone wearing the school-designated black uniform with a red armband that read 'Student Council Executive Department (SS)'.

Jinguuji, with his back straight, gave a light salute to his subordinate executive members.

Then, he turned to me, his glasses glinting, licked his red, glossy lips, and gave a chilling smile.

That smile was intimidating.

That gloomy glasses guy was still a man of bad taste.

Was he planning to start some kind of fanatical speech in front of everyone, bringing along his SS-like bodyguards?

"Kukuku... Dictatorship is a harsh word. The one hundred and twenty-three survivors of our Yurin High School are currently in a critical situation. Even though a third of the students have already lost their precious lives, there are even foolish ones trying to secede from the student council. To avoid infighting, strict organizational control under an excellent leader is necessary."

"And that excellent leader is you, you're saying?"

Jinguuji quickly waved away the hand wearing the white glove in denial.

His every move was theatrical, and it grated on my nerves.

"No, it's Vice-President Nanami Shuichi. A bright person like you should understand. He is the Führer of our current 'Student Council'. No one but him can unite and lead everyone. The Student Council Executive Department (SS) is an organization that carries out Vice-President Nanami's instructions, and I am merely an aide."

"Well, that's a happy thing."

I hated this guy from the bottom of my heart.

I didn't feel anything even when the mop-head guy, who threw a tantrum like a child, cursed at me, but I felt like vomiting when I saw the obvious tactics of this kind of politician.

"What Mikagami-kun said might not be wrong. Shinjo Wataru, your selfish actions are too much, and they could negatively influence other students."

The mop-head guy, who had been throwing a tantrum and crying, looked delighted as Jinguuji strongly defended him.

I see, so this was how he was being controlled.

"Then... what are you going to do?"

"Well, I'd like you to swear unconditional obedience and iron loyalty to the student council. Since you seem to know Genoria well, I'd also like you to supplement the information that Mikagami-kun submitted. For the time being, that's all."

What to do...

It was easy to reject Jinguuji's demands here. If it were just me, I wouldn't have any problem making these 'Student Council Executive Department (SS)' guys my enemies.

The problem was what Nanami Shuichi, the leader of the student council himself, was thinking.

Why was the righteous Nanami approving of Jinguuji's methods?

"Vice-President Nanami, do you really think this kind of high-handed approach is right?"

"I don't think it's right to suppress people with force either. But there are even guys who are taking advantage of weaker students by acting as they please, and even trying to target female students outside the city. To protect everyone, we reluctantly need police power."

I see, so that's how it was.

It wasn't a simple diagram where the villainous Jinguuji was using Nanami's charisma to be tyrannical.

Jinguuji was taking on all the dirty work that arose to maintain the order of the organization.

Because Jinguuji and the 'Student Council Executive Department (SS)' were playing the villains, Nanami could remain a clean leader who was only righteous.

Rather, it could even be said that Nanami Shuichi was using Jinguuji Ryo.

It was well done. Light and shadow, completely opposite yet complementing each other. Despite appearing to be an idealist, the man Nanami Shuichi was also a fine realist.

Haa, seriously, everyone was like this...

I knew that Jinguuji was deliberately pressing me with a high-handed attitude, using the door-in-the-face psychological negotiation technique.

He would make a flashy intimidation at the beginning, and if I accepted, great.

If I resisted and refused, he would then try to get a compromise with more modest conditions.

The obvious tactics of a politician.

Even if he couldn't gain any real benefit, just making me bow my head, even if only in form, would preserve the student council's face.

"Utterly ridiculous..."

I didn't care what these guys did in the city.

I just didn't want them to involve me in it.

Even after coming this far, was I still going to be forced to participate in the ridiculous melodrama of these humans?

No way, I didn't care about anything anymore.

"Is that alright, Shinjo Wataru? If you go against the student council, I think your companions' positions will also worsen..."

The fact that Jinguuji was intimidating me with the Student Guidance Department (SS) behind him probably meant that if I refused, they wouldn't guarantee Seki and the others' safety.

"Try it."

"What did you say?"

"I said try it, Jinguuji. Do you understand the difference in rank? I'm a 'Swordsman' armed with rare equipment. Try laying a hand on me in the dungeon, and I'll turn your precious Student Guidance Department (SS) into mincemeat in an instant."

"...You're a stubborn one, Shinjo-kun. Can't you understand that if you just follow along in form, it won't be a loss for either of us?"

"Unfortunately, I don't make decisions based on profit and loss. I have no intention of playing your political make-believe game."

For a moment, Jinguuji twisted his thin lips into a straight line and glared at me with hatred, then quickly regained his composure and gave a thin smile.

He shrugged and showed a wry smile of余裕 to his close aides around him, saying, "Ha, this is him."

Jinguuji was desperate to save face.

Well, yeah, he was a clever politician, not a warrior. Unless he was sure he could win, there was no way he could lay a hand on us.

He tried to control people with bluffs and intimidation, but they were just bluffs.

He was pointing a gun, but it wasn't loaded.

"If that's all you have to say, I'll be going."

"W-wait, Shinjo Wataru-kun!"

Seeing the negotiation about to end in a breakdown, Nanami Shuichi hurriedly tried to mediate, but I turned my back and started walking.

I had no intention of participating in their political make-believe game any further.