CH 22

“…What?”

Clyde replied with a look on his face as if I was asking something obvious. “It’s funny that you remain in the library. Didn’t you follow me even if I died here?”

If Theresa followed all the places where Clyde appeared, it would be difficult for the player to work on his likeability. So, I excluded a few places and set him to appear randomly, and one of the places was the library.

“Ah… that, because I’m already in the fourth year. I’m thinking of focusing on my studies this year…” I said it with my own mouth, but it sounded like a ridiculous excuse.

Clyde laughed as if he had felt the same way. “You?”

I understand you can’t believe it, but I didn’t think you should be so openly disrespectful about it…

Clyde circled the table that was between us and came towards me. It was a wobbly gait that didn’t match his neat and elegant appearance. He stood in front of me, leaning on the table with one hand. Unlike his handsome face, as if it were carved from crystal, his ferocious body seemed to devour me.

I didn’t want to be nervous, but he was quite intimidating. It was because Clyde had a modest appearance, but his personality wasn’t like that.

Because the characters of Clyde and Theresa are like third-generation conglomerates, they are like dragon and tiger [1] .  

He was like the typical male protagonist, which was common to find in movies with academic settings.

“If you’re going to make a ridiculous excuse, why don’t you just keep your mouth shut? My constitution makes my stomach churn when I hear nonsense.”

Why does this bastard speak harshly? However, as a pitiful possessor who was obliged to endure the karma accumulated by Theresa, I apologized quietly.

“So…? Sorry…”

Clyde looked at me like an irreparable piece of garbage. I would have been stabbed hundreds of times if his eyes were blades.

He offered a generous offer. “If you really feel sorry, drop out of here. I will accept your apology then.”

The expulsion function existed in <God’s Play>. It meant that it would be game over if you got expelled from school. The same was true of the dropout route. Because you couldn’t maintain your school life, you just went out on your own, and it would be treated the same as game over.

What will happen if there’s a game over here? Will I die? My question was soon solved.

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Performance Obsession’ has sponsored 1,000 coins.]

[If you dropped out or were expelled from the school, isn’t it game over? If so, you should never let that happen. The penalty could lead to actual death.]

As expected, that would be the chase.

“That’s going to be a little difficult…? Instead, I will encounter you less from now on.”

Since it was impossible not to encounter him at all, it was a moderately compromised proposal.

Clyde burst into a violent laugh. His scary eyes made me swallow my dry saliva.

“Will someone who says she will encounter me less apply for a dormitory?”

His brutal questioning left me even more speechless. No matter what I say, it will only be an excuse.

Clyde said in sharp sarcasm with a tone of contempt, “I’ve never seen a human being as intemperate, stupid, selfish, and greedy as you.” He had a precise understanding of Theresa.

As the developer, I was embarrassed and chose to be silent, which made Clyde sigh. He had a clear look of boredom. Then he asked me with a completely incomprehensible expression.

“Why on earth do you like me?”

It was when I froze for a moment at a very embarrassing question.

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Rofan-Addicted Young Lady’ has sponsored 1,000 coins.]

[The standard of Rofan would reply that you no longer like him. But that would be too obvious and a lame answer.]

I thought so too. But I couldn’t help but to answer that. If I don’t officially give up on this one-sided love, Theresa will surely die. The number one cause of Theresa’s death was her love for Clyde.

So, I had to tell Clyde that I didn’t love him anymore, but honestly, I felt affection for him. Being the main protagonist meant the amount of work invested in them was incomparably higher than other characters. It was somewhat difficult for me not to love ‘Clyde Willow,’ whom I created by repeatedly revising and modifying character designs, settings, narratives, and abilities.

In fact, I felt like that for all the characters. When I looked carefully at this world, its people, architecture, and objects, I felt an indescribable instinctive affection and intimacy. To the point where I felt guilty in the corner of my heart, even to the people of Duke Squire. Will I be able to hide this feeling?

Let’s just say it out loud. Rather than being suspicious and taking an incomprehensible route, I thought it would be better to consistently play with my own choices every time, just like what Ozworld said.  

“It’s so natural for me to like you that it’s hard to explain otherwise.”

What is the best way to express this feeling? After thinking a bit, I chose the word I thought would most accurately express this feeling.

How can I express this feeling?

“I love you like destiny.”

Then, the notification sound was constantly heard in my ears. I didn’t look at them. It was also because I couldn’t take my eyes off Clyde, who was staring at me with a hardened face. I didn’t know if this expression was right, but he looked like someone who was stabbed by a person he always believed in.

“…You say you love me like destiny?”

As I nodded, I could see Clyde’s straight jawline tightening. I felt embarrassed as I could see his expression of barely enduring something. Theresa always says she loves him, so why is he reacting so seriously?

Of course, all of Theresa’s words and actions were the ones that Clyde feared the most. Clyde hates love. No one in this world knew him better than I did.

“You…”

I raised my hand when I felt the eerie madness in his eyes. “But I won’t love you anymore!”

“…”

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Professional Instructor’ has donated 1,000 coins.]

[What are you announcing over there?]

I felt belatedly ashamed from the Constellation’s comment. I’m in a hurry, so I say whatever… Clyde’s eyes had a shady aura, so I had no choice. Clyde is half human and half demon.

Anyway, Clyde’s eyes looked more normal than before, so I cautiously continued. “That doesn’t mean I won’t like you.”

I lowered my raised hand and asked for a handshake. Clyde’s eyes followed the trajectory of my hand gesture.

“Let’s get along well while ignoring each other moderately, Clyde.”

There was no answer. Instead of acrimonious criticism and ridicule, he stared at me fiercely and strode out of the library with an expression of the unwillingness to do so.

“It’s embarrassing…”

I shamelessly took back my hands.

“Did I get through safely?”

It was only the first day of school, but why did I feel so tired?

Growl.

“…Even in the midst of this, I’m still hungry.”

I should go back to the restaurant and get a sandwich. With that thought, I trudged out of the library.

* * *

Clyde went out of the library as if he was running away. He had no destination. He only desperately needed a place where people’s eyes wouldn’t reach. Fortunately, there were no people at school late at night. Even if there were, it would be difficult to find them except in the club room, cafe, restaurant, or near the library. So it was a relief.

“Keugh…!”

Clyde hurriedly covered his eyes with his palm while running away. At the same time, he could feel the insidious heat rushing into his eyes as if it touched his hand.

Creak! He ran into the empty powder room with a nearly closed view.

Clyde lowered his hand that was covering his eyes and rested it on the dressing table, looking at the mirror. There, he had red eyes. As soon as he saw it, a unique red light with a strong scent that made him go crazy completely dyed his blue eyes.

Humans cannot have red eyes. Because it was the stigma of corruption and the fate of those who had demonic powers.

Clyde was half human and half demon. The world called such existence as trash. The most corrupt and cursed existence that should never exist.

He closed his eyes painfully. But inside, a terrible joy was welling up.

-It was the first time I felt such pure feelings.

The demon’s greedy black tongue, which occupied half of his body, ran through his organs.

-It felt like I was going to get sick every time Theresa said she loved me. She just released the energy I didn’t want to eat.

But the sublime feeling of love he tasted for a moment ago was so sweet and ecstatic. Clyde felt that all his trust had been betrayed.

How could that be?  It was absolutely impossible for Theresa Squire to feel like that. So, no matter how much she talked about love, he could ignore it and put up with it. Because her love was like a stench.

-Today was different as if her soul had changed. Why? If it’s that soul, it will find a dream until it dies…

“Shut up. Stop it.”

-Why? You’re a demon born of a succubus. Ah… don’t tell me, you’re still considering yourself a human being, don’t you?

“Shut up!”

-Humans would never acknowledge half the blood flowing through your body.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

“Damn it!”

Shatter! Sharp fragments splattered and tore his skin as he smashed the mirror with his fist. Blood was dripping, but the heat rushed into his head to the point where he couldn’t feel the pain.

“Haa… Haa…”

He glared hatefully at his bloodshot eyes. As he stretched his arm out to the side, a subspace appeared, and his hand disappeared. Then, as if pulling something out, he pulled back his arm, and there was a white fan and glass bell in his hand. They were taken out of the subspace. Clyde clenched the glass bell as if to break it.

-This. Are you really going to run away from yourself again like this?

Hahahaha.

The glass bell began to purify the demonic energy that engulfed Clyde with its holy energy. This was the holy relic Clyde held in his hand when he was born. The red energy that filled his blue eyes slowly drained away, and the hallucinations that had been tormenting him stepped back as it licked its lips.

-You won’t be able to keep running away forever.

Clyde glared hatefully at the demon.

“Get lost.”

In the shattered mirror, he was staring at himself.