Before I entered this game, back when I was in reality, there was a period when I wandered due to the hot-bloodedness of youth.
That period ended, leaving behind sad scars and a sense of loss that can’t be expressed in 5,700 characters, but anyway, what I realized back then was “the opportunity to put in effort.”
There’s a time limit even for firmly deciding on the field you want to pursue and putting in effort without waste. Effort itself is not an opportunity given to everyone. That’s the fact.
So when I first encountered D/Z SAGA, I cursed it out like crazy.
[*Why is this Eve’s normal ending? I clearly did everything?*]
[*Ha, ffs, because I messed up one week in the middle and missed one affinity quest?*]
Yeah.
D/Z SAGA’s time limits were extremely tight.
In the first place, this game has playthrough-by-playthrough content, so there’s plenty of content even after the second run.
A prime example is Filtia’s Demon Realm Gate.
Anyway, I suffered a lot from the system’s trolling kindness that pushed you toward a second playthrough.
And so, following the system, I went past the second run, to the third, the fourth.
After clearing the 283rd playthrough of Filtia’s route with a one-turn kill on the final boss using my first save file, I realized this:
*”Is this… really the D/Z SAGA I wanted to play?”*
*”Is this kind of playstyle really mine?”*
*”No. The fresh feeling is gone, and this Zefflin life—too easy—is that really my life?”*
Countless affinity enthusiasts, trolls, and anons commented on my post.
*”Young-jin bro, you crazy?”*
*”Even the Rabbit Streamer would look like a newbie in front of you”*
*”Wait, a one-turn kill on Filtia’s route final boss was actually possible? LMAO”*
*”Please live like a human being, dammit!!!!!”*
*”So what are you gonna do now? Gonna quit the game?”*
*”Don’t go! If you leave, the game dies!!!!!! Come back, Young-jin bro!!!”*
No.
No, guys.
That’s not it.
I’m not trying to quit…
*”I’m going back to the first playthrough file now. I’ll start over from the beginning. I’ve got Filtia’s ending route on first run.”*
*”Wut?”*
*”What’d you say?”*
*”LMAO?”*
*”?????????”*
Amid the praise and encouragement from countless cafe members, a post saying “At this point, the devs should invite him over and buy him a meal” went to the concept board, and it got about three hundred recommendations.
And after that, I exclusively played first-playthrough runs obsessively.
From speedruns to not using Kelter, to not using Eve on Eve’s route, to planting all the death flags on Regina’s route and surviving… The only one I failed was surviving against Professor Rudika.
Anyway, to do these first-run runs, the absolute essential thing is the early build-up.
Since D/Z SAGA has tight time management, you can’t waste any effort on raising characters per run.
For example, let’s say you raised a Kelter with Magic 17 and Strength 17.
Actually, you could have gone for Strength 18 or Magic 18, but you split it to try for both. Here, gaming noobs would say, “Wow, he can do both melee and magic, isn’t he a god-tier character?” But any user who’s played D/Z SAGA even a little would say this:
*”Newbie, I won’t say anything mean, so delete your save and start a new one.”*
Just as the difference between 17 and 18 is extreme, there are no all-rounder characters in this game.
A pure mage like Eve with Magic 22 can be beaten by Rudika with a comparable talent, and against that Rudika, the battle mage Ayla has a chance to win. And a careless Ayla can get one-shot by a pure melee character like Kelter with a bit of luck.
It’s literally rock-paper-scissors.
Which means, to win at rock-paper-scissors, you need to hold one of the three—rock, paper, or scissors—in your hand.
I don’t forgive trash players who make worthless hybrid characters.
And since I have excellent self-objectification and am quick on the uptake, I know how I should navigate this world.
That is: a “production-type talent” character.
Gather a bunch of strong party members, coat them in items, roll up buffs for them, and even devise tactics for them—a kind of support character.
I won’t have the thrill of fighting on the front lines, but this is better than being mediocre. Even in the final form, this will yield the best efficiency.
“It also helps the convenience store.”
The higher the skills you take, the more the crafting cost of lower-tier skills decreases—that’s only natural.
To stockpile all sorts of things at the convenience store from now on, raising myself as a production-type talent is the answer.
And from now on, I need to accelerate my own growth alongside the convenience store.
Anyway, my grand plan.
That is, to survive until Act 12, Chapter 45, live out my life as a convenience store owner, laughing and having fun—to make this great plan a reality, my moves from here on become even more important.
But the important thing is that from Act 4 onward, it’s “individual heroine routes.”
However, I don’t have an individual heroine.
Which means, from now on, Wolfram’s own route begins.
A route that even the veteran Lee Young-jin has never seen—an uncharted path!
This summer break. I will get stronger!
“You’re not going anywhere else, little brother?”
“I don’t particularly have anywhere I want to go.”
“Wasn’t there anyone who called for you? Isn’t that… a bit sad?”
“No…”
Filtia’s question was oddly sharp, but it didn’t hurt.
Actually, there were.
Even someone like me had kids who invited me to their hometowns or to come play during summer break.
Nefty said she wanted to introduce me to Gluco Village, Millefeuille asked me to go east with her, Rudika said she’d introduce me to the Shadow clan, Ayla and Spica invited me to come play in Eden, and finally, Eve asked if I wasn’t going back to the Imperial Court.
But.
I won’t do that.
“…No, I’m not going out.”
“Oh my. Really? I think summer break is a great opportunity for students to catch their breath, you know?”
Actually. Considering Wolfram’s ending, leaving Zefflin is extremely dangerous.
Considering that in the original story, Wolfram got expelled from the academy, got stabbed, and died five minutes later, it’s better to stay inside Zefflin right now.
I need at least a physical null—or physical resistance item—before going out. Otherwise, it’s dangerous.
More than anything. There’s something I absolutely have to do this summer break.
“I have things to do with Sister Filtia.”
“…Huh, yeah?”
“Preparations for conquering the 【Demon Realm Gate】. For that, there’s no time to play during summer break.”
“Ho, hoo. I-Is that so. So, you’re staying at the academy for your sister’s sake…?”
“That’s not all. There are other reasons too.”
“I-I see.”
“But doing it for you is also one of the important reasons.”
“…Ugh!”
Since the rewards for conquering the Demon Realm Gate are end-game content, they’re pretty substantial.
I can’t do anything about it right now, but by gathering the materials needed for the strategy, it’ll work out somehow.
“Hmm. Honestly speaking… it won’t be easy. But I’ll definitely get it done.”
Filtia stared at me intently, then bowed her head deeply.
Well, it’s not something you can do right away, so she must be discouraged.
But, it can’t be helped. The Demon Realm Gate is that tough of a content.
“Hoo. Hoo…”
Filtia’s breathing is rough. That’s only natural—she probably thought she could conquer it right away.
But don’t worry. I’ll definitely find a way.
First.
“Then, shall we go now.”
“…Where to?”
“The most unconventional place I know.”
“…You know your sister can’t leave Zefflin.”
“What do you mean. It’s a place inside Zefflin. Anyway, Sister Filtia.”
“Hm?”
“Do you happen to have any good liquor?”
I recalled the face of the side heroine.
I wonder if she’s doing well.
—
And so, the trio of Patrasche, me, and Filtia headed to the entrance of the eastern forest, opened the portal inside it… and met the first person who might know where the First Emperor’s relics are buried.
El Pirane.
Sub-heroine and Fairy Queen.
And a drunkard.
Strangely enough, she greeted us in a proper state.
I thought she’d be shitfaced and going “Hweeeng, I dun get it, free Elpirane, Elpirane is a baby, baby~” but no.
“I’m surprised. I never thought the descendant of an old friend would come again.”
“Fairy Queen El Pirane. Did you know we were coming?”
“…Yeees, well.”
Don’t lie.
I can smell the alcohol on your breath.
Those liquor bottles rolling around under the curtain behind you.
So that “normal” look right now is an act… but why would you need to put on such an act?
“So, the guest who came with you seems to possess quite a formidable magical power… As the Fairy Queen, I hope you understand that if you’re a malicious visitor, I’ll have no choice but to treat you as an intruder.”
Ah, that’s it.
Even though Filtia is young, she’s a dragon, so El Pirane didn’t know how she’d react—so she forcibly sobered up to keep her in check.
“So, looking at your magical pattern, you seem to be of the dragon kin, your name is… Oh my?”
“As I thought…”
The two stared at each other intently and tilted their heads. As if their eyes were saying, “Why are you here?”
“Tia? Is it really Tia?”
“It’s been a long time, Auntie El Pirane.”
“Oh my, oh my. …Hehe. I see. So you were on this island too?”
“You two know each other?”
At my question, both nodded simultaneously.
“Auntie was a comrade who fought alongside Dad against the demons.”
“Hehe. How nostalgic. I challenged Hark, got completely defeated, and was forcibly dragged into the Middle Realm Alliance to fight the demons.”
“Then you could be considered war comrades.”
“War comrades? No, I was just unilaterally protected. I don’t know how many dragons survived thanks to Auntie.”
“I suppose you could call it the hot-bloodedness of youth.”
“I see. What an amazing story. To think such a connection exists.”
“…Hehe, really. Thanks to you, little brother, I get to see Auntie again? Thank you, little brother.”
“Indeed. Who would have thought I’d meet Tia again like this…”
“What a touching story.”
“Indeed. Auntie, how have you been?”
“After that, I challenged Hark again, but as you can see, I was utterly defeated and ended up trapped here.”
“That’s such a sad story.”
“Hehe. But isn’t that why we were able to reunite?”
“Indeed.”
“Fate is a mysterious thing.”
……
Ah, seriously.
It’s annoyingly hard to just throw in interjections and pretend not to know.
Actually, I know exactly what kind of relationship they have.
Three hundred years ago, the battle that decided the fate of the Middle Realm. El Pirane fought alongside Hark, and she was close with Filtia like an aunt and niece.
After that, El Pirane shouted, “A world only for humans? I can’t accept that!” and led the Fairy Grand Army to challenge Hark again, and as a result, she was shattered once more and trapped in this Zefflin.
But I can’t exactly say I know all that, can I?
Honestly, lately, with all the talk about the First Emperor, I can’t afford to be scamming people everywhere, and if I mess up a scam with these two, I’ll really be heading to the afterlife.
Especially El Pirane, who can distinguish truth from falsehood by magical patterns, so there’s a high chance of being caught in a lie. So. I’ll just throw in interjections. That’s the answer.
And so, the conversation between the two non-humans continued endlessly. During that time, I realized just how many interjections the human brain can produce.
“Hehe… But, I see. So you’re also trapped in this miniature garden.”
“…Here, because of Dad’s barrier, I just have to watch over the Demon Realm Gate. Dad is protecting it.”
“The great ancestor’s barrier, huh.”
“But because of that, you haven’t been able to leave here for three hundred years, right?”
“…Yes.”
“What a terribly sad story.”
I’m starting to run out of interjection patterns, aren’t I? As I tilted my head thinking that, El Pirane pulled Filtia’s shoulder close.
“But still, just because you can’t leave this miniature garden doesn’t mean you should give up hope.”
“…Yes, Auntie. Even if I lived here for ten thousand years, I could endure it. Because Auntie is here too.”
Huh?
“What are you talking about. You can leave.”
“…Descendant of my friend?”
“…Little brother?”
Oops.
But, if someone tells me there’s something I can’t do in D/Z SAGA, I can’t help but blurt it out because it pisses me off.
“The vow binding El Pirane is 【someone defeating her one-on-one】—and Sister Filtia’s is 【the complete sealing of all Demon Realm Gates】—both can be done.”
At that, the two stared at me wide-eyed, then smiled softly.
What, you think I can’t do it?
“Hehe. Thanks for the consolation, Descendant.”
“I’d rather challenge reality even if it’s hopeless than console with empty words. El Pirane. I will create your freedom.”
“…Ugh.”
“Little brother? Your sister is fine. Even if I can’t conquer the Demon Realm Gate, Auntie is here.”
“Same goes for you, Sister Filtia. Why do you think we came here today? Do I look like a bluebird that makes miraculous reunions happen? No. I came here realistically to get you out of Zefflin.”
“…Ugh.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take you outside.”
The two stared at me intently.
“Tia. Are you thinking the same thing?”
“…Probably, Auntie.”
“An age difference of about eight hundred years… should be fine, right? If need be, I could turn him into a fairy…”
“I’m worried about his short lifespan… but if I give him half of my dragon heart, he’ll become half-human, half-dragon…”
The two stared blankly at me, muttering incomprehensible words.
“Zefflin’s summer break is short. Come. Let’s begin preparations.”
—
At the same time.
Imperial Library.
This library, which values silence and stillness as virtues, makes it impossible for ordinary people to even get a library pass, but any imperial family member can come and go freely without restriction.
Total collection: approximately 83 million volumes.
The blonde imperial princess, who had returned home right after summer break, briefly greeted the Emperor, then holed herself up in the library, her fists trembling.
“You said it was in the Imperial Central Archives!”
“Y-Your Highness!”
“I’ve searched everywhere and it’s not there! Where on earth did you acquire that knowledge!”
“Y-Your Highness! Please calm down!”
Eve von Lohengrin.
The rage of the “natural disaster” with Magic 22—it was nearly impossible for mere attendants to stop her, but this Imperial Library was the very history of the Lohengrin’s 300 years.
With the mission to protect it even at the cost of their lives, the attendants stood before Eve.
“That uselessly vast and accurate knowledge! You said you got it from this Imperial Library! And yet! I can’t find a single, not a single one of them!”
“Your Highness! Please calm down!”
“I want to calm you down and then beat you to a pulp!! Where did you get that information!! Wolfraaaam!”
Eve’s war against 83 million volumes had just begun.
