A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 44. Variables

“You… how do you know that?”

BangguseokYeoBo knew about the *“Middle-Aged Man Dating Simulation Game.”*

I stared at BangguseokYeoBo with a skeptical look, but he casually answered back.

“No, I’ve actually played it before.”

“You’ve *played* it?!”

Not just knowing about it… but actually *playing* it?

…The *Middle-Aged Man Dating Simulation Game*?

As I stared at him with a complicated look, BangguseokYeoBo frowned and answered.

“My sister is a classic game otaku, so she made me play it. That’s how I even learned about the Safe Zone.”

‘He has a sister?’

It was unexpected that someone in the Safe Zone knew about that dating simulation.

However, seeing as BangguseokYeoBo and his sister didn’t get transported into the game via the dating sim, it seemed like, unlike the Safe Zone, not just anyone could get trapped in the dating sim.

“I didn’t know there was a dating sim in the Safe Zone series.”

But BangguseokYeoBo shook his head at my muttering.

“It’s not like that.”

“It’s not?”

“They weren’t made by the same company.”

Not by the same company?

“The dating sim was made by a company called Cthulhu Games. They released just that one game and then probably went bankrupt.”

“Oh. That does sound like a suspicious game company name.”

Cthulhu is a well-known mythological creature, but hearing that someone got trapped in a dating sim made by a company named after it… It just sounded sketchy.

‘Then maybe Square Soft made the Safe Zone as a homage to that dating sim.’

The logo of the American game company Square Soft would pop up grandly whenever the online Safe Zone started.

Square Soft wasn’t some shady, unknown game company like Cthulhu Games, but a solid company that had been around for decades.

‘A game company, huh…….’

That person also used to run a game company.

Since losing contact with her, I sometimes forgot that my mother even existed.

The last I heard before losing contact was something about a company named *Salvation Project* or something along those lines.

I had avoided games because of her, but in the end, I ended up seeking dopamine through the Safe Zone.

And of all things, I ended up trapped inside that game.

‘Well, my mother doesn’t really matter anymore anyway.’

“…But why do you look so upset?”

“It’s nothing.”

Seems like my face gave me away after thinking about something useless.

There’s no point in dredging up old ties that had long since ended.

“So what kind of game is this *Middle-Aged Man something-or-other*?”

“What do you mean, what kind? Don’t you know what a dating sim is?”

“Nope.”

“What were you even doing all your life to not have played a dating sim by now?”

I was in the military, you jerk.

“A dating sim, in simple terms, is a game where the goal is to date a handsome game character. The reason there’s a likability system in apocalypse games like the Safe Zone is because the original concept was from a dating sim.”

After saying that much, BangguseokYeoBo suddenly made a smug face.

“You might have been the first to clear all the zones, but I was probably the first to clear all the NPCs. I’ve got the skills honed from my sister’s recommended dating sims.”

Cleared all the NPCs?

‘I’m not sure if I should be impressed or not…….’

Even though I posted all the strategies for clearing zones, this guy didn’t bother clearing any zones and was just focusing on raising likability with NPCs.

The fact that this guy customized his character to be unnecessarily good-looking was probably also for boosting likability.

“Luna Moon and Daphne… It’s surprising that those two NPCs are players who were transported from another game.”

TaejongTaeseBeyonce continued, ignoring whatever BangguseokYeoBo was talking about.

“If there are other players transported from other games in different zones, there may be more transported players in this world than we initially thought.”

I thought TaejongTaeseBeyonce’s opinion made sense, but BangguseokYeoBo shook his head.

“That’s probably not the case.”

“What do you mean it’s not?”

“The dating sim’s setting is confined to this one zone. Actually, saying it’s confined to this zone might even be an exaggeration. You know how classic games are. The world wasn’t very big. The commander’s residence, the training grounds, the church, the backyard… you just go back and forth between these few places raising the likability of the characters. Even if there are more transported players, they’d all be confined to this zone.”

So the setting of the dating sim was limited to the Cola Zone?

If that was true, then the only transported players from the dating sim were likely Daphne and Luna Moon.

I wanted to ask how different the dating sim’s status window was from the Safe Zone’s, but since BangguseokYeoBo didn’t have a status window, it was hard to compare.

“Was there anything special about the dating sim, like any unique functions?”

“I don’t remember. It’s been too long since I played it. Haven’t you asked Daphne?”

“Daphne?”

“If she told you she was a player, then she’s probably friendly with you.”

At that point, BangguseokYeoBo looked at me with wide, surprised eyes as if he’d just remembered something.

“Come to think of it, did you tell Daphne that you’re a player, too?”

“No.”

“You didn’t tell her you’re a player, so how did you find out she was from the dating sim? That’s some talent.”

“If I told her I was a player, I couldn’t keep pretending to be an illegitimate child, now could I?”

“Wow, you’re right.”

*Wow, you’re right*?

Maybe I should’ve just let this guy die at the hands of the Unicorn Zone players after all……

“Now that we’re on the topic, you guys should be careful not to reveal that you’re players. If you’ve written anything in Korean, get rid of it as soon as you get back. Daphne will figure it out.”

“That makes sense.”

“Yes. I’ll dispose of it immediately.”

Daphne was friendly toward me, but that was only because she thought I was Luna Moon’s real son.

If she found out I was another player, I had no idea how she’d react.

Daphne was far more dangerous than the commander.

The commander was just an NPC, but Daphne was a true veteran player who had survived for ten years with the dating sim system in this apocalypse game.

“Let’s be careful so no unexpected variables arise. There’s not much time left until the subjugation battle. Assa, keep practicing your healing skills. TaejongTaeseBeyonce, even though you’re not joining this time, if something goes wrong, I’m counting on you to take care of things.”

“Yes. But I’m sure you’ll come back safely.”

Just like TaejongTaeseBeyonce said, the first subjugation battle would go smoothly.

As long as it went according to the game, that is.

There was no zone barrier, unlike in the game, and that Unicorn Zone player was wandering around, but…

…I really hope nothing goes wrong.

* * *

After Haydam crossed over the wall into Daphne’s residence, she seemed to feel somewhat refreshed and ended her seclusion, resuming her activities outside.

She didn’t refuse Anton’s invitation to have tea, so while drinking tea in the inner courtyard of Daphne’s residence, Anton carefully seized the opportunity to bring up a delicate topic.

“Lady Daphne, how are things between you and His Excellency these days?”

Daphne gave a calm response.

“The same as always.”

Her indifferent tone, as if speaking about someone else’s affairs, made Anton unable to hold back any longer.

“Lady Daphne, do you really intend to divorce him, as the boy desires?”

The movement of Daphne raising her teacup to her lips stopped.

She placed the cup back down and looked directly at Anton.

“Do you think I’m divorcing him because that boy wants me to?”

“……”

The truth was, Anton already knew.

He knew that Daphne herself wanted the divorce.

It was clear just from the expression of relief she had shown after Haydam stormed into her residence and declared he would force the divorce.

But knowing it didn’t make it any easier to understand.

In the past, wasn’t it Daphne herself who had wanted to marry Commander Hayden more than anyone else?

Why else would she have accepted as her husband a man who had even fathered a child with another woman?

“Lady Daphne, I’ve known you since you were very young. I’m well aware you’re not someone who would be swayed by such a mere child.”

“What do you mean you’ve known me since I was young…!”

For some reason, Daphne’s voice rose, flaring up in anger.

“You know nothing about me, Anton. You don’t know who I am or what I want!”

“What is it that you want, Lady Daphne?”

“I don’t know!”

After her sharp retort, Daphne returned to her usual calm tone.

“…But at the very least, I don’t want to bear Hayden’s heir. That’s what *you* want, not me.”

“Lady Daphne.”

Anton gently grasped one of Daphne’s hands and whispered softly.

“All I want is for you to be happy. From the moment you were born until now, I’ve spent more time with you than with my own son, Plato. I thought of you as my own daughter. When you said you wanted to marry a man from another zone with no known background, I supported you without a word. And now, to claim that I’m the one forcing you to have his child, it pains me.”

As Anton spoke gently, Daphne’s face softened with a hint of awkwardness.

“…I’m sorry for yelling. Yes, it was me who chose Hayden. And now, I’m the one choosing to part with him.”

“I just… fear that once everything passes into the hands of that boy, Haydam, I won’t be able to guarantee your happiness, Lady Daphne.”

“Why does passing everything to that boy mean you can’t guarantee my happiness?”

“He’s a child who lost his mother and returned. He’s not an ordinary child, you know that. How can anyone be sure he isn’t thinking about revenge?”

Anton expressed his concern earnestly, but Daphne shook her head, as if it was nothing to worry about.

“I know for a fact. Haydam won’t harm me.”

Anton furrowed his brow at once.

“Why do you trust that boy so much? He’s Luna Moon’s son. The same boy who brazenly crossed the wall into your residence.”

“It’s not that I trust *him*.”

“Then?”

“Haydam knows me better than you, or perhaps anyone in this world. What I trust is the version of me that he knows. As long as he knows who I truly am, he won’t become my enemy.”

“…I don’t understand what you mean at all.”

Realizing that further conversation wouldn’t reach Daphne, Anton spoke in a resigned tone.

“In any case, I understand you wish to maintain a good relationship with him. If that’s what you desire, then I will support you, just as I supported you when you chose His Excellency.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“I don’t hate the boy either. Losing his mother at such a young age and living as an illegitimate child among strangers… that must have been difficult. I feel pity for him at times, knowing he probably doesn’t even have a single photo of his mother to remember her by…”

Anton trailed off, glancing at Daphne, who now looked at him in surprise, as if she hadn’t known this.

“What? Doesn’t he have at least one picture of Luna Moon?”

“You didn’t know? After investigating, it seems Luna Moon erased all her personal information when she deserted ten years ago. Not even a single photograph or portrait remains. His Excellency was deeply regretful about it, but he thought it would be disrespectful to have a portrait of Luna Moon made after marrying you, Lady Daphne. My guess is that he held onto the hope that Luna Moon might reappear one day, so he didn’t bother having another portrait made… but now she’s gone for good, leaving only the poor boy behind.”

“……”

As Daphne fell deep into thought, Anton spoke quietly.

“Now that I think about it… you remember that woman’s face, don’t you?”