The World of Otome Games is Tough For Mobs - Volume 11 - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 “Awakening”

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Part 1

When I returned to the royal capital, I heard from Creare about the diagnosis of Erika and Mia.

The location is my room in the student dormitory of the school.

Only Creare and Luxion are around by my side.

[In conclusion, we are still in the process of analyzing it, but we don’t know all the details.]

“——You, even though so confident, but you didn’t understand anything.”

When I was disappointed with Creare, she got pissed off and told me the rest.

[Listen to the end and then you can judge! For now, it turns out that for Mia’s part, she will stabilize if she takes in some magic elements. As long as she is regularly replenished with the magic elements, she should suffer less suddenly.]

“How can I say this, it’s not quite what I expected. To begin with, Finn and the others were the ones giving the magic element.”

[The reaction is terrible, even though we’ve found an effective method. But we’re continuing our analysis, and in time, we’ll figure out a cure.]

“I doubt that, too.”

[Well, that’s terrible! But there are some things we’ve found out as a result of our investigation. It’s an awakening event, for example, but it’s worth a shot.]

“Really? The disease won’t get worse after she awakens, right?”

[——Master, aren’t you being too cruel? I wish you trusted me more.]

As I am disappointed that the results were not as good as I had hoped, Creare excitedly informs me of Erika’s results.

“I got more awesome information than that! You see, you see! What a surprise, Erika-chan had more of the characteristics of the old humans than Master and Marie-chan.”

When I heard this story, I couldn’t react much.

Ah, that’s so —— I thought so, but Luxion is different.

[Is that true? I’d like to check the data. Please send me the data later.]

[That’s great!]

“Yes, I sent it. So, you see, if we continue to interbreed around Master and Marie-chan, there’s a chance that the old humans will revive.”

I was dumbfounded at the excitement of these artificial intelligences.

Mating with Erika and Marie? My meager sense of ethics insists that I refuse to do anything like that.

What kind of a human being would touch his niece or his little sister from his previous life?

“Rejected. Erika is my niece from a previous life, and Marie is my sister from a previous life. I absolutely refuse to do that.”

When I strongly refused, Creare tried to convince me.

[Genetically, they are strangers. Then give me Master’s genes. I’ll take care of it.]

“It’s obviously a no-no!”

When Creare said she was going to make a child with my genes without my permission, it made me think that the ethics of artificial intelligence were strange after all.

Luxion blames me.

[When Finn and Mia started dating, Master congratulated them, right?]

“I did. That guy should have just prepared himself.”

“With which mouth does say prepared himself? Regardless, Finn has accepted Mia, who is a shadow of his sister from a previous life. It makes no sense for you to congratulate him for this, but not to accept your niece and sister from a previous life.]

—— What is it with these guys? Do they want me and Marie and others to get together?

Artificial intelligence is scary.

“Absolutely no. We’re done talking about this!”

Forcibly stopping the conversation, Creare was shining her blue lenses suspiciously.

[——Well, fine. And if I start a follow-up survey of Master’s children and they have stronger characteristics of the old humans, it won’t be a problem.]

Luxion agrees with Creare and offers to help.

[Creare, if you need anything for that follow-up survey, just let me know whenever you need it. I’ll do my best to get you what you need.]

“Are you guys going to do something weird to my kids? They don’t even exist yet?”

Luxion and the others, who started preparing this and that before my children even existed in the world, seem strangely funny.

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Part 2

[The resurrection of the old humans will take precedence over everything else. I’ll do my best.]

After Leon and Luxion left the room.

As Creare was about to continue her research, someone came to visit the room.

——It’s Erika.

“Creare-san.”

[Erika-chan! You should have told me if you were coming. I would have sent Luxion out to pick you up.]

Creare is quite friendly with Erika, who has many of the characteristics of the old humans.

Erika smiled as if troubled by the sight of her doing more than ever before.

“I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

[What? I’ll tell you anything.]

“Actually, it’s Mia’s awakening event, but is it really necessary?”

She asks Creare with a serious expression on her face.

Unable to guess what Erika was thinking when she asked this question, Creare answered honestly.

[I judged the increase in physical specs to be necessary.]

She did not display any medical knowledge as to why it was necessary.

Hearing Creare’s answer, Erika nodded.

“I knew it was necessary”

[We can only make improvements at the moment, and we’ll need them if we’re going to make a full recovery. Master was complaining, but isn’t it great that the awakening event turned out to be okay? I tried my best.]

“Thanks, Creare-san. Thanks to you, I’ve decided.”

“Is that so? By the way, about what decision?”

Erika puts her index finger to her lips.

“It’s a secret”

[Eh~ tell me. I’ll do anything for Erika-chan~.]

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Part 3

The lake is located in the territory of Baron Bartfalt.

It’s not as nice to see after seeing the tourist attractions of the Fraser Territory, but it’s still quiet and beautiful.

The lake is surrounded by greenery, and the Licorne floats on the water.

Every summer my family visits the lake, and this year Ange and the others are with us.

The other participants are Dorothea sister-in-law and —— Finn and others, who I brought with me because they seemed to be bored at the school.

Mia, wearing a one-piece swimsuit, ran across the deck with a float and jumped into the lake.

“Mia, don’t jump in because it’s dangerous!”

Finn, wearing a trunks bathing suit and parka, is holding onto the railing and scolding Mia, who is floating in the lake.

But Mia, on the float, looked comfortable.

“Come on, Knight-sama, let’s join.”

“——Goodness.”

Seeing Mia looking happy, Finn seems to have lost his desire to get angry.

Brave talks to Finn.

“Looks like she’s been in good shape the last couple of days.”

“Aa, I’m so glad.”

Seeing her playing around so energetically, it made him somewhat happy.

——I am sure he is thinking of his sister in a previous life, playing outside with great energy.

I pray that Finn will be relieved of his regrets.

That being said, Livia, wearing a bikini, was hiding her body with a parka. She was pulling the hoodie down and trying to hide her lower body.

“Leon-san, is this really a swimsuit? I’m starting to feel uneasy because the fabric part is so little.”

I give a thumbs up and nod.

“It’s a swimsuit provided by Luxion, no doubt about it.”

“I think it’s wrong.”

After being called, Luxion informs Livia.

[It was Master who specified the bikinis.]

“Oi, you promised not to tell!”

[I don’t remember agreeing to it.]

People around were stunned when it turned out that I was the one who prepared the bikini swimsuits for my three fiancées.

My family —— Mom was in regular clothes, but Finley was wearing a one-piece swimsuit.

My mom puts her hand on her cheek, bewildered by Ange and the others in their swimsuits.

“Kids today are amazing. I can’t even imagine in that suit.”

My sister Finley also didn’t like bikinis.

“It’s almost like underwear. Onii-chan, you have bad hobby.”

“It’s okay because it’s going to be popular in the future.”

He is hopeful that it should be as common as in his previous life.

Next to an embarrassed Livia, Ange is proudly wearing the bikini.

She puts her hands on her hips and urges Livia to undress.

“Take off your jacket. You’ll be less embarrassed if you do it with pride.”

“Unlike Ange, I have a belly circumstance——”

Livia looks sad, and Ange puts a hand on her forehead.

“That’s why I told you before to increase your exercise. But that shy Livia isn’t so bad either.”

Noel, watching them flirting, was wearing a parka and had her front open.

“Having a barbecue on an airship, it felt like a rich.”

It seems that there was no such custom in the Republic of Arzel.

Therefore, to Noel, it appears to be a rich people’s play.

The father in shorts tells Noel with a wry smile that it’s not true.

“We usually do it near the lake. It was Leon who went out of his way to bring out the big airship.”

The barbecue set is prepared and the charcoal is lit.

Nix, my big brother, who helps him, is dressed in half pants and a shirt.

They complain to me.

“Come on, Leon, give us a hand.”

“I’m the one who brings the ship out, aniki is the one who cooks the food——that’s fine, right?”

“I don’t think so. If you want to eat meat, help me.”

“He~i”

When I go to help as Nix asks, my little brother Colin approaches Dorothea sister-in-law, who is under the parasol with a drink.

“Onee-chan, here!”

“Ara, thank you.”

Dorothea’s sister-in-law, but in her regular one-piece, not a swimsuit.

She doesn’t even try to play or help with the barbecue.

That was fine, but the family was strangely attentive to Dorothea sister-in-law.

My mom is calling out to her.

“Dorothea-chan, are you okay? If it’s too much, I’ll tell Leon to get you a room on the ship.”

“Thank you, mother-in-law.”

——Well, she’s a lady of a Count’s family, so it’s only natural that my family, the Baron’s family, would take care of her.

However, the previous Dorothea sister-in-law was someone who helped out in many more ways.

Has she changed, or has her true nature come out?

Noel approaches me as I begin to help, wondering.

Looking at Dorothea sister-in-law, Noel gives me a meaningful smile.

“Ah~, this is that.”

“That?”

“——Don’t you notice?”

When I tilt my head, Noel is a little surprised, then shakes her head and accuses me of being insensitive.

“Leon is really dense”

“No. If you know, tell me.”

“Hm~m, everyone seems to be silent, so it’s not really my place to say anything.”

Noel won’t tell me what she noticed.

I was about to question her until she told me, but Colin ran up to Noel——.

“Noel-neechan, let’s swim together!”

“Okay. Later, Leon.”

——Noel pulls Colin’s hand and waves her other hand at me.

I look at Luxion.

“Hey, what is everyone hiding?”

Luxion pointed his red lens at Dorothea sister-in-law and observed her for a while.

But he’s not telling me anything.

[I can’t tell you because it’s a matter of privacy.]

“Isn’t everyone terrible?”

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Part 4

Royal Palace of the Horfalt Kingdom.

Erika had returned to the royal palace for her summer vacation and invited Eriya over for tea.

Eriya is truly delighted.

“——Right.”

“I’m really glad that Erika’s illness seems to be cured.”

Erika lowered her gaze slightly and smiled, but she must have looked slightly sad.

Eriya notices and becomes concerned.

“What’s wrong? I’m here to help if you have any concerns. Don’t worry! I can be of some help.”

When Erika saw Eriya puffing out his chest, she felt like she saw the child growing up.

When she thinks it is for her sake, she is happy.

Erika is pleased to see Eriya’s growth.

“Thank you. But I’m fine. I’m not worried anymore.”

“Is that so?”

He seemed to doubt Erika’s words, but Eriya did not pursue the matter further.

Erika apologizes in her heart to Eriya —— and to everyone else involved with her.

(Sorry, Eriya. Oji-san and —— Kaa-san.)

Erika looks out the window of her room and sees the view outside from there.

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Part 5

There are only a few days left of the summer vacation.

We returned to the royal capital and called the five idiots to prepare to challenge the dungeon.

Perhaps they wanted to spend their few remaining days off with Marie, so Julius and his friends are in a bad mood.

“No need to rush to tackle any dungeons, right.”

I shrug my shoulders and tell Julius, who represents the sulky group.

“It’s for my convenience.”

“We wanted to enjoy our last summer vacation with Marie at the school.”

Finn sees Julius and the others turning their faces away and starts talking to me.

“Are you seriously bringing them? We’re enough on our own, aren’t we?”

“I’m trying to get them to work. Well, harassing them? You don’t want to be the only one having a hard time, do you.”

“You’re the worst boss.”

Finn sighs, but as for me, I have one more reason besides harassment.

——It’s Marie.

Marie said, “It’s really hard to take care of those five people from morning till night!” So I decided to take care of them for a while.

By now, Marie is probably in the royal capital with Kara, taking a breather.

I couldn’t say this because Finn would suspect me of being “siscon” or anything like that.

Mia, carrying a backpack, approaches us.

“Duke-sama, we are ready!”

Seeing Mia-chan in such good spirits seemed to soothe my heart.

I turn around to Five Idiots and tell them to follow Mia-chan’s example.

“You see, idiots? Even this girl shows motivation, but you guys keep complaining about it. Take a lesson from Mia-chan.”

Zilk is looking at me with scornful eyes.

“As expected of Leon-kun. It’s really dirty of you to use a girl as a reason. When you say it like that, I can’t help but be motivated.”

Since the younger girl was showing her motivation, the five idiots were also motivated, not wanting to show their uncool side.

——It’s nice that idiots are so easy to handle.

“Well, let’s get going”

“Yes!”

When I announced the departure, Mia cheerfully responded.

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Part 6

The dungeons in the royal capital are like mines leading underground.

It is said that it used to be a cave, but it has been reconstructed everywhere for the mining of magic stones.

Wheelbarrows are also available to carry away the magic stones, and in some places rails are laid.

It’s not unusual, since the passageway is one I’ve passed through many times in class.

But for Mia-chan, it was a new experience.

“I’ve been here a few times and it’s a mysterious place. There are lots of magic stones.”

The floor, walls, ceiling, and the magic stone were exposed and visible.

Because it emits light faintly, it was bright even in the cave.

When Mia-chan has a question, Julius kindly explains it carefully.

“This is a dungeon where magic stones can be mined. I don’t know what the logic is, but even after mining, magic stones will appear. The area near the entrance is mined frequently, though, so all the stones are small.”

“He~”

The deeper you go, the bigger and purer the magic stone you get.

Therefore, until a few years ago, the boys went deeper and deeper anyway.

The deeper they went, the more money they earned, which shortened the time they had to earn money for gifts for the girls.

——It is a sad youth covered in blood and sweat.

Then, after a certain amount of progress, Mia-chan stopped.

We notice, stop and turn around.

When Finn called out to her in concern, Mia-chan was staring at an empty wall.

“Mia? Aren’t you going to proceed?”

“——It calls me.”

Mia-chan’s red eyes seemed to glow slightly.

When Luxion analyzed the surroundings, he noticed something unusual.

[I have identified a space inside. But it is unnatural. I accompanied Master to investigate many times, but there should have been no hidden space in this place.]

“Did space suddenly appear?”

I suspected a mistake by Luxion, but something was wrong.

When Greg bent down and touched the ground, he noticed a slight change.

“Isn’t it shaking a little?”

The shaking gradually increases, and an anxious Brad advises us to withdraw.

“This is not good. Let’s go outside for a minute.”

As we were about to retreat, Mia-chan reached for the wall as if guided by something.

When her fingertip touches it, the walls split open and widen to form a hole.

—— Is this the right event? I look at Finn as if to ask him a question, but he, too, is puzzled and holds his mouth shut.

Finn whispers to me.

“I don’t know the details either. I was just listening to my sister.”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to keep going”

When I try to proceed, Luxion stops me.

[It is dangerous. Even now the space is being expanded.]

“There’s no choice but to go. ——It’s Mia-chan’s awakening event.”

When I decide to proceed, the five idiots reluctantly follow behind me.

Mia-chan was wobbly and tried to move on, so Finn supported her body.

“Mia, oi, Mia!”

“——Knight-sama, I have been called. Mia —— is called.”

Chris was worried about Mia-chan, who was mumbling to herself.

“Leon, are you really sure about this? It’s dangerous to continue in this condition.”

“——Move on”

Chris said nothing more about my decision.

As we continued onward, we didn’t encounter a single monster.

The passage is a straight road, so there is no chance of getting lost.

However, because it is dark, Luxion is shining in front of us as a flashlight.

How much progress have we made in this way?

At the place where we arrived, there was a huge magic stone.

The high-purity magic stone is a huge crystal, but it has been processed to become a stone monument —— a monolith.

When Mia approaches the magic stone, her red eyes shine even brighter.

Her hair was swaying.

“Mia!”

Finn calls out to her, but she does not respond.

Brave is panicking for some reason.

[This is——Why——]

Beyond Brave’s wide-eyed gaze was a monolith.

Before long, letters are floating on the surface where there was nothing.

I ask Luxion to analyze it.

“What does it say?”

Luxion analyzes the letters and reads them out loud.

[We have endured a long time, and we have arrived at this place. Our hope is here. Gather together, guardians of our hope.]

When Luxion finishes reading, I ask him what it means.

“What does it mean?”

[I don’t know.]

Then, the monolith emits a strong light and melts.

It’s as if it has done its job.

Hiding my eyes with my arms, I looked at the scene around me through the gap.

Finn is hugging Mia-chan and trying to protect her.

Each of the five idiots was shouting something, but I couldn’t hear them well.

Then Luxion says to me in a stronger tone than usual.

[The concentration of the magical element is increasing rapidly. If this continues, it will affect even the outside of the dungeon.]

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Part 7

At the same time.

The royal palace was noisy.

The reason is that a red pillar of light appeared from a dungeon managed by the royal capital.

The pillar of light, stretching from the ground to the sky, continued to shine as it was for several minutes.

Watching the light from her room in the royal palace, it became harder and harder for Erika to breathe.

“I knew it would come to this.”

Holding her chest with her hand, her knees hit the floor.

“——I’m sorry, everyone. I still can’t tell you.”

Erika kept some things quiet from Leon and Marie.

It is a secret known only to Erika, who has played through that third Otome game.

She thought that Leon and Marie would be reckless if they knew the secret.

So she couldn’t say it.

She tries to regulate her breathing against the wall, but it’s too painful.

Erika remembers her role.

“The villainous princess Erika is a sickly girl who is cunning and good at feigning innocence —— I couldn’t play the villainess, but I could cunning and good at feigning innocence, I guess?”

She smiles while suffering.

Erika had pretty much expected this to happen.

That’s the knowledge that comes from playing the game.

Like Karl and Finn, she didn’t just watch their sister play.

Like Marie, she did not play it halfway.

Erika recalls her previous life.

“I played it a lot of times —— because mom is too busy and can’t play with me —— I always played alone at night because I was so lonely all the time.”

In a previous life, Marie worked at night.

So Erika spent the entire evening alone.

She was lonely, but she couldn’t even say anything unreasonable to Marie, and the one thing that supported Erika, who had been enduring for a long time, was that Otome game.

Playing the games that Marie liked to play made her feel like they were playing together.

Only when she was playing games, she didn’t feel lonely.

So she played it many, many times.

—— And then she realized something.

Marie was wrong when she said that an ill and weak condition of Erika, the villain princess, was a lie.

She was truly ill and weak.

“The villain princess always becomes sicker after the event in which the protagonist awakens——”

The game shows the princess who really suffers.

Maybe it is the princess’s retribution for all the evil she has done —— an event for the players to vent their pent-up frustration.

In contrast to the protagonist of the third work, who is recognized by those around her, Erika’s position deteriorates.

In the end, no one believed her, and she was struggling.

“——Maybe I should have told them to stop the awakening event? But then again, Mia might not heal completely —— Because I’ve lived long enough”

Because of her previous life, Erika was satisfied with her life.

And if Mia, who is living in the present moment to the fullest, would feel better, she could not bring herself to stop the awakening event.

Erika looks up at the ceiling and bursts into tears.

“I’m sorry, Mom. This time, I’ll go first——”

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Part 8

When Mia experienced her awakening.

A huge black object that was sleeping deep in the sea flashes a red light.

Inside the huge object, buried in sand and rocks and with shells and other objects stuck to its surface —— there was a magical creature as large as two meters in diameter.

As one giant eye opens, the equipment in the room starts up in response.

The magical creature illuminated by the light looked like a giant version of Brave.

He has a more piercing appearance than Brave, and his eyes are bloodshot and moved.

Then he opens his big mouth and starts laughing.

[——There is. No, awaken. Our hope was not crushed!]

As if in response to the excited magical creature, a huge object began to move and rise up from the ocean floor.

The figure appears to be a giant disk, but it also appears to be chipped.

The magical creature was moving its eyes impatiently.

[Where? Where is it? Where’s our master, the new humans?]

As the surface rises, magical creatures are produced one after another.

The magical creatures that had fallen to the floor opened their eyes wide and rose to the surface.

Everything is waiting for the order of the parent, the magical creature.

The magical creature points to the ceiling as one arm appears.

[Search. Find out. We must go for our master.]

The magical creatures run out of the room and head outside.