ALL NOVEL Chapter 16
The progress in the second run was quite good.
I learned magic.
Challenged dungeons.
While aiming for a standard progression, I built stable relationships with the heroines.
No longer was Jill the whiny, peasant-hating holy maiden.
Yulia didn’t waste the power of Petenburg just to keep an eye on me.
And Yerina’s paranoia had improved a lot.
The second run, filled with hopeful developments, was brimming with potential.
“You’re my bodyguard knight! A loyal pup! So why do you keep trying to leave my side?”
“······Ah, crap.”
“Ah, crap? What did you just say?!”
Jill went on a rampage and messed things up beautifully.
It’s fine. I don’t care.
After all, I anticipated regression from the very first time I challenged the dungeon, so the mental damage was minimal.
It ended in just three months, so I don’t feel like it’s a waste.
The final outcome was more disastrous than the first run.
Jill 100%, Yulia 84%, Yerina 65%.
I caught a glimpse of success in the second run.
I memorized countless dungeon structures, monster types, weaknesses, etc., so I should be able to shorten the time next run.
Let’s go for the third run.
“Stop right there, Yoo Jin. I’ll freeze you to death if you move.”
“······.”
“Open your pocket right now. It seems like there’s a fancy dagger inside. Whose is it?”
“······Sigh.”
The third run also failed.
Yerina’s instincts were pretty sharp.
I thought I had created a good alibi this time.
Crossing the continent with just one body was exhausting, I felt like I might die.
The final outcome improved a bit.
Jill 92%, Yulia 100%, Yerina 88%.
If the score had dropped further, I would have been more disheartened.
I feel like I can succeed in the fourth run.
“What’s this again?”
“What do you mean? It’s the holy knights deploying to defeat the witch of Petenburg.”
“Why on earth…?”
“An evil witch disappearing is beneficial for the world, right? Don’t you agree, Yoo Jin?”
“Hey, you crazy girl!!!”
Sixth run.
I discovered a new event.
The sacred knights’ invasion event of Petenburg.
Wow. Just as I was getting bored with repeating the same thing five times, a brand-new event emerged, snapping me back to reality.
I feel so moved, I might twist my insides.
Damn it. My stomach hurts. I might die.
There’s something else to consider now.
If the relationship between Jill and Yulia deteriorates severely, a war will break out between the Vatican and Petenburg.
Until now, it wouldn’t have been strange for a war to happen, but it seems the holy maiden was firmly opposing the invasion.
Their relationship deteriorated, and Jill approved the invasion.
But if I try to get them closer, both will find out I’m cheating on them.
It’s important to guide them to maintain a suitable relationship.
If only it were as easy as it sounds.
I’m going crazy.
The final score was Jill 99%, Yulia 100%, Yerina 91%.
It’s gone up a lot.
I think I’ll succeed next time.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know? How stupid do you think I am?”
“I don’t get what you’re saying, Yerina.”
“This Minotaur’s head, it’s been six months since it was defeated. Is it enough just to cast anti-decay magic? You should have put a barrier on it too. And this gem… I checked and it wasn’t bought at the auction. It’s been processed similarly, but the back is slightly different. Just where the hell have you been saying you went after the auction? Want me to keep going?”
“No, never mind. I’ll just start over.”
“What?”
Tenth run.
It was hopeless.
Yerina knew everything.
Until now, she was just pretending not to know.
She was watching how far I would go while turning a blind eye to the fact that I committed perjury.
She’s a total psycho.
In past runs, I had over 90% conquest rate.
This means she loved me even knowing I was a liar.
I need to be even more careful with perjury from now on.
……But what more can I do to be detail-oriented in my lies?
I feel so lost.
Final score: Jill 95%, Yulia 100%, Yerina 90%.
I’m slowly losing my spirit.
“Yerina, could you raise your hand?”
“Um… sure…”
Twelfth run.
Everything was perfect.
Although the relationship between Jill and Yulia was rough, it hadn’t escalated to war.
Of course, neither of them had the slightest clue I was dating both.
“I’ve thought a lot about it. Our relationship hasn’t been smooth a few times, but every time I reflected back. Did I really do anything wrong?”
The experience points were significant.
All the maps of the continent, dungeon locations, detailed structures, and types of traps were already stored in my head.
I probably know more than RPG developers at this point.
Having bumped my head twelve times, I knew how to obtain almost all hidden pieces, items, and achievements.
“Ultimately, it always came to the conclusion that we have to bear this burden together.”
Learning from the failures in the tenth and eleventh runs, I further strengthened my perjury.
I couldn’t create a more perfect alibi than this.
As a result, I successfully deceived Yerina completely.
With all her doubts put to rest, I finally succeeded in entering the Ice Cave.
In this serious atmosphere, at the entrance of the Ice Cave, Yerina’s conquest rate should be around 93%.
Yerina probably senses it too.
What I’m about to say.
“No matter what happens, I want to be with you for life, Yerina. Will you marry me?”
“Yes! I’m so happy!”
Yerina jumped up with tears of joy.
This is it.
I had already gotten Jill and Yulia’s conquest rates to the kissing stage, so I had definitely surpassed 95%.
Once I receive Yerina’s kiss, it will truly be over.
The long, long journey of the twelfth run will come to an end.
“……”
I slip the ring onto Yerina’s fourth finger.
With this, the conquest rate should be around 94%.
Then I stand up slowly and approach her.
‘Did I seem naive? Did you think I knew nothing?’
Yerina’s voice played in my head, and my body trembled.
It felt like she would perk up her ears and say exactly that.
This time, she would say my perjury was terrible.
That I knew everything.
Trauma resurfaces.
“······Hah.”
But that nightmare didn’t happen.
Our lips touched.
The moment I roughly embraced Yerina, her movements paused.
[Congratulations. You have cleared the game.]
[Escape Condition 1: All heroines’ conquest rates must exceed 95%.]
[Escape Condition 2: You must conquer the final boss, ‘Draken’.]
Ba ba ka bam.
I cleared the game.
The tension dissipated, and a breath I had been holding escapes.
“Ha······.”
[Proceeding to calculations.]
[Monsters hunted: 821.]
[A-rank Boss: 1.]
[B-rank Boss: 0.]
[C-rank Boss: 15.]
[Hunting Score: 38825 points.]
[Heroines’ Conquest Rates]
[Jill Diner: 96%.]
[Yulia Petenburg: 100%.]
······
I took down a lot.
I’m now more focused on the monster hunting score screen than the heroines’ conquest rates.
This run was the most diligent I’ve hunted.
There was a day I did ten dungeons.
I had to catch a lot of boss monsters at once and secure evidence and alibi for the next two years.
That’s now just a memory.
It was painful, but there are plenty of happy memories.
I will probably never forget this.
[Yerina Frost: 93%.]
“Uh? What the hell?”
But what the hell is happening?
It’s not over yet?
Despite accepting my confession and promising to marry me with a kiss, her conquest rate is still 93%.
There’s no evidence now, but she can’t fully trust me, fearing I might cheat in the future.
What the hell.
[Failed to achieve escape condition.]
[Returning to the starting point in 10 seconds.]
“Ah······.”
It was impossible from the start.
Even meeting all conditions, I couldn’t see a harem ending due to Yerina’s severe paranoia.
I even feel relieved now.
If I had seen even a glimmer of possibility, I might have done futile things dozens of times more.
What is twelve years?
I might have spent 120 years.
Until my emotions wear out and my mind breaks.
Now that I realize it’s impossible and can stop, I feel refreshed.
[Returning to the starting point.]
Fortunately, I wasn’t told that I’m doomed to be trapped in this game.
I only have one path left.
I need to attempt conquering Escape Condition 2, the final boss.
Let’s start with a new opportunity and a fresh mindset.
Now I don’t need to smile at the heroines anymore.
There’s no need to spout cheesy lines.
I don’t need to say I love them when I don’t mean it.
I can live freely while adventuring as I please.
“Let’s give it a shot.”
How dangerous it is remains completely an unknown quantity, but I have the game settings book in my head.
How hard can it be?
It can’t be worse than dating three mental patients, can it?