Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer? - Chapter 396
Episode 396: One Person (2)
Although Mephistopheles trembled at the feeling of his soul being read in detail, he did not throw away the spirit of the person who had forcibly drawn him in.
[I will never die….]
I don’t know exactly what Gretchen was doing or what she found out when her soul was briefly ejected. However, it is clear that since then his attitude has become more stoic and hardened to the point where not even a needle can get stuck in him.
[I will never die.]
If things continue like this, I will really die. You will really die.
Mephistopheles, caught up in that fear, used the last resort.
[Damn Gretchen…!]
It’s about exposing all of one’s own miserable memories. Since this was using a natural flow, there was no need to enter into a contract.
After all, their souls were touching, their souls were deeply intertwined, and she didn’t close the soul’s memories. It’s just the information contained in the soul that flows, so what’s the point of a contract?
[Pity me, please pity me.]
Of course, if the result brings pity from a withdrawn person, it won’t be her fault. Because in the end, it’s just a result of coincidence.
[I do this to you…]
So please… may she also be given the cheap sympathy that even a stone on the side of the road would receive. I hope that expensive pity falls only on her.
Mephistopheles prayed even though he was trembling with shame.
* * *
The man who fell into hell cried out. Because the voice was muffled and the words were broken up, it was impossible to understand what they were shouting.
[I don’t think I have a good way of speaking.]
However, looking at the way the clown said that, it was clear that it was a very harsh word. The human coughed loudly before speaking. It was a cough mixed with blood.
Is this person sick? I saw the blood-stained palm from a strange perspective that was neither first nor third person. Although the amount of blood splattered was not large, it was clear that a red flag had been raised regarding his health.
[I don’t mind, but you’d better be careful in front of other demons.] As
the woman with hemoptysis was breathing heavily, the clown in front lowered himself. Above the white gloves is a handkerchief with a diamond pattern.
[Among those who admire the commander-in-chief, there are those who are obsessed with etiquette.]
Jijijik. No, was it a diamond pattern?
Crackling.
straight.
Crackling.
Smooth pattern.
Crackling.
grid.
Support position.
Frill decoration.
Each time it was disturbed with noise, the color and shape of the handkerchief changed. The appearance of the clown and the clothes of humans were the same.
A multi-pronged hat or silk hat, or even a cone hat.
Underneath the hat is a mask with a red nose, a mask with makeup, and a mask with tear, star, and heart marks.
The pieces of appearance that changed from time to time interfered with the clown’s impression.
Is this a characteristic of the clown himself? Maybe that was the case, but in my opinion, it wasn’t. This is because people’s clothing continued to change, including shabby shirts and one-piece t-shirts, and the surrounding scenery frequently changed along with noise. For example, the location of the rock, the type of monster that was cut off, and the shape of the blood stains that spread.
“It’s truly unstable.”
It’s a really strange world. I don’t even know why I’m here in the first place.
[Of course, this is a place made up of memories. If the person concerned does not remember properly, it is bound to be disorganized.]
“Remember? “I don’t remember anything like this—”
My head suddenly turned. Did you go back? The mind that was only thinking without substance watched the clown. Surprisingly, he is making eye contact with me.
[My dear, how did you end up here?]
“…Oh, I see. I don’t know either. “Why am I here?”
I just woke up from sleep.
[Memory is something that is locked deep in the soul and mind. If it is difficult to even dive into your own memories, you have been immersed in other people’s memories… You are also a person with many ups and downs.]
“…These are other people’s memories?”
[You just said with your own mouth that you don’t have any memories of this. Or is it a memory that he even lost?]
“…I guess that’s not true.”
It’s definitely not a past life, unless that setting suddenly pops up.
[If you do that, it doesn’t belong to someone else.]
“It’s a reasonable inference. Now, a new question arises: whose memory is it? Why are you able to talk to me even though you exist in my memory?”
I glanced at the woman with jet black hair. Her face is like a scribble painted black with a pencil. You can’t recognize anything that was originally there.
The unrecognized face only expressed its emotions with a tightly clenched fist and a handkerchief wiping its mouth. It cannot see me, but it sees the clown and is indignant.
“…You said his name was Mephistopheles.”
[That’s right.]
“It just so happens that one of the humans I know has the same name as you. Could that have had an influence?”
[Oh…]
Well, I don’t know if I feel sorry for her. A hypothesis that came to mind made my compassion grow cold.
Mephistopheles. anger. If something happened to me for no reason, and if that happened and that name came up, the culprit would honestly be obvious.
[The inherited name and the devoured soul become the bones and flesh of the spirit and body and remain there. I guess I know why I can talk to you.]
This is probably a memory of anger.
“What you just said is a bit difficult for me to understand.”
[This is not a proven hypothesis. Therefore, I also cannot define the action in language.]
However, the clown, who did not know why he had the name of Mephistopheles, waved his hand.
[But, dear one, I can at least say that the reason I am able to maintain my self, even in memory, is the same as your guess.]
“Is that so?”
[Isn’t it really interesting? There are coincidences like this in this world.]
“It’s not that it’s not interesting…”
Honestly, it was something I couldn’t agree with. Anyway, if this is truly a memory of anger, I’m not really curious and I don’t want to see it. I feel sorry for the clown who lives in those memories, but really.
[Hehe, it looks like we don’t get along very well.]
“…A little yes.”
It’s not at a very bad level, it’s just at the level of an enemy in my life, but I don’t really want to explain that.
I ended my answer with an appropriate affirmation. The clown let out a small laugh as if he sensed the truth.
[Hana you. To get rid of a tangible memory rather than a vaguely recalled memory, an appropriate procedure is needed. It means that you can’t just leave this place as soon as you feel uncomfortable.]
“…Why?”
In fact, all the attempts I made to consciously wake up earlier, that is, all the methods that clearly worked in the world of images, have failed here. Really why?
[Even if you ask me why, how can I explain it? That’s just the law.]
…This is unreasonable! Why do I have to look back on my enemy’s memories?! Anger: What does this bastard really want from me and do such a thing?
As I was trying to hold back my neck from the rising anger, I realized that I was now an insubstantial being. I got even more upset.
“Then… can I know what the procedure is?”
[The embodied memory is also a kind of prison. You must aim for the gap that appears at the intersection of memories.]
“…Aha.”
I don’t know what the intersection of memories is, but at least I know this one thing.
That damn gap is definitely the kind of thing that appears when you look at your memories. And I’ll probably find that gap after looking at most of the memories.
Well, it already feels like shit.
“What is that intersection of memories?”
For no reason, my head started pounding at the clearly drawn future. Of course, the cause of this headache is pointless irritation.
[Memory is something that goes forward but is not continuous. It cannot go back, but it can cross.]
“…?”
[Find the moment when incompatible things become compatible. That is the intersection of memories.]
“…I understand. “If there is no other way, we must follow it.”
Still, I’m glad I found out the answer. It is natural that if there were no clowns, we would have been looking at memories without a clue.
“thank you for telling me.”
In the same vein, I also expressed gratitude. I was worried that this person, like Anger, might be good at deception, but I put that anxiety aside for now. Right now, I have no choice but to rely on what this person told me.
[Not much to say.]
In the end, I decided to follow the clown and the human to peek into their memories.
[Follow me carefully. I don’t know what will happen if I lose the memory.]
The moment the clown’s unexpected behavior, which would not have happened in the past, ended, the memory scene that had not been in progress finally began to flow.
[Now this is your room.]
The clown carried the person presumed to be Mephistopheles to a palace. It was a bonus to be led to the room without even meeting the person in charge or manager of the palace.
[Originally, I would have seen the corps commander first… but since he seems to be out, I can’t help it. However, I can’t take you, who is addicted to demonic energy, from place to place.]
Surprisingly, most of the convenience facilities were provided in the room.
[Please rest in this room for now. We will arrange for the doctor to be here soon. Also, unless you want to be a crazy person, please don’t refuse to see a doctor. He’s just for treatment. I am not a threat to you.]
However, even if certain facilities are provided, if there are shackles at the end, everything becomes meaningless. A man with shackles without chains on his ankles screamed in agony. Wow! Every time, the objects in the room were smashed.
[It is no use struggling so hard. As long as you are in the eyes of the corps commander, your outcome has been decided.]
The clown stared at the shattered object and snapped his fingers. The flames that arose engulfed the broken household items and disappeared without leaving even ashes behind.
[Or my dear. Would you like to make a bet with me?]
So in the now empty room, the clown took a step forward. Support position. The shape of the clown, which changed every moment with noise, became fixed for the first time. Even if it was only limited to the face, what was fixed was clearly fixed.
A goat bone head wearing a top hat and marked with paint was revealed for the first time.
[I wonder if I can avoid the ending… or not.]
That goat bone was a little different from the anger I knew. Rather than the difference in the shape of the bone itself, the difference was whether there was something underneath it or not.
Anger is like a person wearing goat bones, but this is darkness using bones. It was the devil.
[I bet you will become complacent. On the other hand, you… that’s right, you’re betting that you won’t give in to the corps commander’s courtship and will endure.]
Meanwhile, the deal that the devil is making feels very similar to the deal that Faust and Fury made. A thought suddenly occurred to me.
The idea that humans usually just act the way they were taught.
[What will you gain from this contract? You’re greedy. One thing is wise. It is not a law to engage in a transaction without profit.]
Of course, this does not justify acts of anger. I recalled it again and watched past transactions.
The faceless woman answered the devil in a broken voice.
“From that@#!? Should I!@#give me@@!$#?”
However, the memory of this moment was more understandable than the previous moments, perhaps because it was quite impressive to her.
The less distorted voice helped me read the dialogue without context.
[Give me your name. That’s fine.]
“@#So what about your#$ main@$?”
[If you win the bet, I will hand over everything I have. My soul, my name, everything.]
“Lack#@$.”
[What do you want from a jester who works at the court? How much more do you think that your name is worth more than everything I have?]
“…!”
[Keep in mind. You are a stranger who fell into hell, a lost child who would not be surprised if you died at any time, and a lowly soul whose life was only saved by the caprice of the corps commander. Also, since you only have so much value, this transaction cannot be a bet with equal profits. I just took the loss out of my own favor.]
“….”
[So, what is the conclusion? Are you going to do it? Should I not?]
But in this case, it was better not to hear it. I felt uncomfortable watching one person heading to the abyss.
Of course, she may have already gone to hell by the time she came to hell in a human body… so this transaction may not have been what caused her misfortune.
Deals with the devil were inherently complicated just by watching them.
“do.”
[Okay. As a condition for determining victory or defeat… this would be good.]
But no matter what my feelings were, their contract went ahead.
[Long live this brilliant time forever. The moment these words come out of your mouth, you will be defeated.]
“Easy#@. Good@%$.”
[If you do, swear on each other’s names.]
The clown Mephistopheles and the woman who would become Mephistopheles in the future wrote each other’s names on the contract that came to mind.
Unfortunately, the woman’s name was blacked out and could not be seen. Unfortunately, even the owner of the memory had forgotten.