Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21

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There are a total of two quests involving Vivian in 【Hirome】.

The first is 【The Last Regret of an Unfortunate Genius Mage】.

If you listen to the plea of Vivian, who appears as a ghost wandering in front of the Grand Temple, you receive a map to a certain warehouse as a reward.

And the second is the linked quest that occurs when the conditions for obtaining the map are met, 【Cecile’s Lullaby】.

While progressing through that quest, I finally learned the truth.

What killed Vivian wasn’t starvation, but guilt.

“That’s a face I’d like to nail into a coffin right now.”

Though the concerned words about looking unwell were translated quite aggressively, this time I could agree with the translator’s words.

Vivian looked so haggard she was unrecognizable.

‘She went to the place I told her about.’

The map I gave Vivian was the location of a warehouse where a magic potion called ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’ was stored.

The very map to that warehouse that could only be obtained as a reward for clearing the quest 【The Last Regret of an Unfortunate Genius Mage】.

Though I hadn’t cleared the quest here yet, since I had already cleared it several times in the game, I could draw the map with my eyes closed.

Thanks to the map I gave her, Vivian had reached the truth earlier than in the original story.

Vivian, who had been silent for a while with her head down, finally opened her mouth.

“Lady Belinda… how much do you know?”

“That ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’ is your early work. That your so-called mentor is exploiting it in a most vicious way. And that you haven’t been sleeping properly for days.”

As my words continued, resignation appeared on Vivian’s face.

“Lady Belinda knows everything.”

If Vivian knew the future I knew, she might faint on the spot.

‘Cecile’s Lullaby’ was a magic potion Vivian developed for her grandmother who suffered from dementia.

It was a truly magical potion that allowed the person who took it to dream of happy memories from the past.

However, Vivian, who only wanted to give her memory-losing grandmother peaceful tranquility, could never have imagined.

How dangerous that honey-colored potion that gifted sweet dreams could become when mixed with powerful sleep effects.

Bruno, Vivian’s mentor, began secretly selling the modified ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’ in the slums.

The slum residents, whose lives were harsh, began taking ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’ to escape to the past, to dreams, in order to forget reality.

Eventually, when they spent more time in dreams than in reality, they wasted away and died without even knowing they were addicted to ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’.

By the middle of the game, ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’ became so widespread throughout the Royal Capital that when someone died, people would say ‘Cecil took them away’.

Quest 【Cecile’s Lullaby】.

That was a quest to deal with the worst magic potion that would later sweep across the entire Kingdom.

“Vivian, you can guess why I told you the truth.”

“…Yes.”

“If you say you’ll leave the Magic Tower and work for me, I’ll grant you what you desire in return.”

However, this time too, she didn’t readily accept my proposal.

“Why… are you showing me such kindness?”

For the first time, wariness and suspicion appeared in her darkly sunken eyes.

Her mentor’s betrayal must have left a deep wound on Vivian.

Desperately needing help, yet unable to readily grasp the hand extended to her.

Remembering the eyes that once shone with faith and conviction that I had seen before, my heart felt a little bitter.

“Do you think my proposal is kindness?”

Even while pouring the moderately cooled tea into a cup, Vivian couldn’t give any answer.

I pushed the teacup toward her and casually asked.

“The Blanche Family doesn’t carelessly acquire even a single teacup. How much value do you think this teacup has?”

At the sudden change of topic, Vivian looked puzzled but held the teacup with one hand and examined it from various angles.

“It does look expensive…”

Seeming to have no idea, she couldn’t readily answer, so I held up three fingers.

“3 gold?”

“…”

“3, 30 gold?”

“…”

When I still didn’t respond, Vivian carefully set down the teacup with trembling hands as if it were too precious to even touch her lips.

“Su, su, surely not 300?”

“That’s right.”

Of course, it was a lie. Having lived as an ordinary commoner, there was no way I had an eye for luxury goods.

Nevertheless, I spoke shamelessly without batting an eye.

“People of the Blanche Family, who have built mountains of gold, are educated to recognize pearls hidden in mud. Thanks to that, I have excellent discernment.”

I elegantly tilted the supposedly 300-gold teacup and continued speaking.

“From what I can see, your value seems quite considerable.”

Clink. At the sound of the teacup hitting the saucer, Vivian flinched and hunched her shoulders.

“So I’m not showing you kindness, but making an investment. It’s my hobby to nurture things that haven’t been recognized for their value and help them shine later.”

“You, you’re mistaken. I don’t have that much value…”

“Are you saying my discernment is wrong?”

“That’s not what I mean, but… without my mentor, I’m…”

Even in this situation, seeing her say that without her mentor she was nothing, I secretly sighed.

This was exactly why Bruno could keep Vivian under his control and exploit her as he pleased.

Her timid personality and low self-esteem.

It wasn’t hard to guess what kind of words Bruno had used to manipulate and exploit her.

I had definitely approached her to obtain the ‘Spring of All Things’ at first.

‘I can’t just leave her alone when she’s so pitiful.’

She needed to know how brilliant a person she was.

I opened my mouth in a much lower voice.

“Vivian, if you refuse my offer again this time…”

At the atmosphere that seemed almost threatening, Vivian gulped nervously.

I continued nonchalantly.

“You’ll return to the Magic Tower without solving anything and refuse food and drink out of guilt. Then one day, you’ll muster up some pathetic courage to ask your mentor to stop selling ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’. But do you know what you’ll get in return? That trash of a human will expel you without giving you a single coin. Eventually, unable to overcome the cold and hunger, you’ll die miserably in front of the Grand Temple. This is the ending I envision for you. What do you think?”

Vivian’s mouth fell open in shock.

But this time, I wasn’t lying or exaggerating. That was the ending of Vivian in 【Hirome】 that I knew.

“I’m not a particularly generous person. Even so, I’ll give you another chance. Will you still refuse my offer?”

Please, please don’t refuse.

I clasped my hands under the table as if in prayer.

Though it might have sounded like a threat, this big sister isn’t doing this with bad intentions, you know?

And finally.

“…Please.”

“Your voice is too quiet. Again.”

“I, if you help me, I’ll do anything.”

“You’re making the same mistake again. How could you be this foolish? Don’t sell your value cheap. Again.”

When Vivian, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened her mouth again.

“If you stop the distribution of ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’, in return, I’ll create any magical tool that Lady Belinda desires.”

[Quest] Cecile’s Lullaby

Vivian has confirmed that her early invention, ‘Cecile’s Lullaby’, is being misused.

Help her eradicate the ‘Cecile’s Lullaby (counterfeit)’.

*Reward upon success: 10,000 gold

[Accept/Decline]

The quest window appeared, and I could finally feel at ease.

Ding.

As if they had been waiting, when I shook the glass bell, the employees who had been standing by outside came in pushing a trolley full of food.

I spoke to Vivian, hoping my smile would look kind.

“Good, first we need to start by feeding you until you’re full.”

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Late afternoon.

A spectacular scene unfolded as several carriages passed through the main gate of the Blanche Family manor in a line.

The carriages varied in shape and color without any regularity, but if there was one thing they had in common, it was that they all bore the logos of high-end clothing stores.

The employees who had been flustered by the unexpected visitors shook their heads when they saw all the carriages heading toward the annex.

“My goodness, how many carriages is that?”

“Well, of course. I thought it had been quiet for a while.”

“The young master, no, the head of the family is frantically busy preparing for the succession.”

“Lately, the head chef’s both wrists have given out from preparing meat banquets for three meals a day for the young lady’s meals. There are only four people, yet I have no idea where all that food disappears to.”

They clicked their tongues, saying that the good-for-nothing of the Blanche Family had started indulging in luxury and debauchery again.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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