3.
‘I was too complacent.’
Lancel swallowed hard at the bitter thought of the past ten years that had been wasted so thoughtlessly.
Looking back, it was obvious.
Although Rodnis was a thriving metropolis, it was hardly the sort of place where a 15-year-old girl could survive alone.
Even “Pina,” a winged spirit that was visible only to the protagonist, was merely a flying nag that would not have been of any real assistance to her.
His head throbbed. He would rather fail than waste another ten years like this.
As Lancel pondered this, a familiar birthday feast materialized right before his eyes.
“Happy eighteenth birthday, Lancel Dan—”
“I’m heading to the Imperial Capital. Since you’re going to stop me anyway, just grab your sword and come outside. There’s no more time to waste.”
“Huh?”
His heart raced with urgency.
By cutting through any unnecessary delays, Lancel concluded that he could reduce the time that it takes to get to the capital by about two weeks.
Accompanied only by his fastest horse and one servant, Lancel arrived at the Imperial Capital as if fleeing from something.
He arrived exactly on the 19th day.
“Still nothing?”
“Sir?” The servant looked at Lancel, who gazed blankly into space with a puzzled expression etched onto his face.
Once again, the game’s system screen did not appear before him.
Another ten years passed.
[Playtime: 0 years, 16 days]
—Lady Marigold has died.
—No marriage partner.
—No achievements.
[Bad Ending 2: The Pitiful Fall of Lady Marigold]
—This ending was added to the “Album of Memories.”
—Would you like to restart the game?
“This is driving me crazy.”
At this point, Lancel was certain.
The fact that the game’s system screen didn’t appear when he first entered the capital was enough proof that the ending had already been determined. In other words, the game was already over.
Marigold’s death ending is a prime example.
What remains after was just a world in which the protagonist had once lived but has now left behind.
The Imperial Capital of Rodnis was filled with needless liveliness, teeming with one incident after another, but Lady Marigold, who was supposed to be living there, was already gone.
After all, wouldn’t it be a bit strange if the game’s system remained intact even after its protagonist had died?
‘Huh.’
Honestly, Lancel was shocked.
When he first opened his eyes as the Lancel Dante of this world, he assumed that he was the main character.
Did that mean he had an overinflated ego? Wouldn’t it only be natural for any human being transmigrating from the 21st century to a medieval era of swords and magic to think that way?
‘So I’m just an extra? Me?’
What on earth had he been living these past hundred years for?
From the beginning, there was no grand mission to fulfil, no great evil to defeat. There was only Lancel Dante, a nobody.
Because he was just a supporting character.
Because he was just an extra.
‘So that’s how it is. Right—that makes sense now. I always felt like something was off. Like I had nothing to do. No wonder I even ended up writing a seafood travelogue.’
Lancel felt rather relieved.
The repetitive cycles of regression, the shitty Empire, the damn royal family, the wars, the crimes, the madness, the revelries, the famines, the tragedies, the anguish—none of these were his problems. None of it was his fault. They weren’t his responsibilities to bear.
Because the main character of this world was…
‘Lady Marigold.’
What did she look like?
Even the memories of the protagonist are fading.
‘I guess I’ll know when I meet her.”
.
.
.
“Happy eighteenth birthday, Lancel Dante! Why the long face on such a wonderful day?”
“We inherit our faces from our parents.”
“Come to think of it, your mother had an affair.”
“I heard that you are of eunuch origins.”
“……Did I tell you that?”
“I’m not sure.”
Having witnessed the same death ending twice, Lancel felt no particular sense of urgency. He was neither frustrated nor disappointed.
He decided to take it easy and figured that he had already paid his dues. He had an infinite amount of time left anyway.
‘Besides, I’ve already died twice. Surely I won’t die again? Let’s just take things easy, and go nice and slow.’
.
.
.
[Playtime: 0 years, 52 days]
—Lady Marigold has died.
—No marriage partner.
—No achievements.
[Bad Ending 7: Overworking is Bad for You, Marigold]
—This ending was added to the “Album of Memories.”
—Would you like to restart the game?
“…….”
Marigold, a 15-year-old girl.
Dead, once again.
4.
Lancel Dante, now an 18-year-old again, turned to the elderly gentleman before him.
“Butler, have you ever heard of the Marigold family?”
“The Marigold family…….”
“The fallen noble house in the Eastern part of the Empire. The Marigold family.”
On the darkening balcony of the mansion, Lancel was sharing a bottle of wine with the Dante family’s butler.
“…….”
The butler was silent for a moment at the question casually thrown out by Lancel, whose face was now flush from the wine.
“It’s a name that I’ve missed …” The butler said after a while, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
“It is best not to be too curious about that family, Young Master. All that you must know is that they had once been a noble family that disappeared in disgrace.”
“Disgrace?”
“Yes. Disgrace.”
Lancel kept his eyes fixed on his wine glass as he spoke.
“It seems like the family didn’t just burn away in a war then.”
“That is the story the world knows.”
“And how much do you know?”
“No one else knows more than what I have already told you, Sir. Beyond that, there is nothing more to know, and perhaps that is for the best.”
Though it sounded like there were many details that the butler was skipping over, Lancel decided to take his word for it. The butler wasn’t the kind of person to lie about something like this.
“I only thought to ask because the question suddenly occurred to me. Let’s pretend I didn’t ask such a question. ”
“Of course, Young Master.”
Lancel shook off any remaining questions in his mind, abandoning his line of questioning, and tilted back the last of his wine.
‘Well, I suppose that would be the case. Even in the game’s lore, the circumstances of the Marigold family weren’t mentioned in detail.’
With the exception of the childhood memories that Marigold occasionally recalls, the Marigold family’s backstory was barely mentioned in the Fallen Noblewoman Simulation.
All that was known of the Marigold family was that they had once been a prosperous count family in the Eastern part of the Empire that was destroyed in a single war.
Lancel put down his wine glass.
“I will be heading to the Imperial Capital tomorrow.”
“The Lord of the House will surely object.”
“Not at all. I knocked him down in the training hall, so he allowed me to go.”
“…I will see to it that the preparations for your departure are made.”
“Don’t you want to ask me why I’m going?”
“Every great knight dreams of living in Rodnis.”
The butler, who had been smiling sadly, added, “The train bound for the Imperial Capital of Rodnis will be passing through this area in two days. It will be a bit of a detour, but if you are in no hurry, perhaps you might consider boarding it?”
“A train… How long will it take for me to reach the capital?”
“If you board this coming train, it will likely take about four months.”
“Four months?”
Of course, there should have been a sense of urgency. With Marigold’s unpredictable visit and the possibility that she might die at any moment, it wouldn’t hurt to arrive at the capital early.
But perhaps it was because he had already experienced so many disappointments despite his previous attempts at rushing to meet the protagonist that Lancel remained at ease.
This learned helplessness seemed to stem from three of his previous experiences where neither haste nor leisure had made any difference to the outcome.
“A train would be convenient,” Lancel remarked.
“Then I shall arrange for a private compartment. Leave it to me.”
5.
The train bound for Rodnis arrived at the station, which stood alone in the fields.
While the train was a product of a civilization that was a bit too advanced for this medieval setting, it had become so commonplace that it didn’t feel particularly out of place.
Lancel’s sister, the creator of the game, used to dismiss the issue of historical accuracy, saying, “Romance fantasies can have trains!” And she wasn’t entirely wrong. If it exists, then it exists. That’s just how it is.
“Have you been waiting long?”
A man in uniform stepped out of the first car of the train. He was middle-aged and had an impressive mustache.
“I’m Baron Lockt of the Imperial Railways. I hear the Dante family has a son who has just come of age. He looks quite dependable.”
“This is Lancel Dante.”
“Lancel—a fine name. We have a journey ahead. Get on board quickly. Your compartment is in the second room of the second car. If you need anything, inform the train guards immediately. We will be happy to accommodate your requests. ”
The man pointed to a luxurious car on the train that was reserved only for nobility.
Inside, there were lavish decorations, fine wine, fresh fruit, and a bedroom far too spacious for a single person alone. It was a slower means of transportation compared to a horse-drawn carriage for a number of reasons, but it was certainly more comfortable.
“This is quite nice.”
Lancel hastily unpacked his luggage and threw himself onto the bed. While the facilities were quite nice, he would have to spend four full months on this train. Eating the same bland food day after day would inevitably become tedious at some point.
‘If I keep this up, I’ll soon be a master at wasting time. Though time seems to be the only thing I have left…’
Lancel closed his eyes. He felt the train leaving the station.
============
—June 21, 816 of the Imperial Calendar. Weather: Clear.
—Travel event in progress. “I’ll join you for a bit!”
============
“……!”
Lancel felt his whole body stiffen.
“What the hell is going on? Has my ability to waste time reached such superhuman levels that four months have passed in just a blink of an eye?’
It was impossible.
Lancel held his breath as the sight of the game’s system screen suddenly flashed in his mind.
———
[Fallen Noblewoman Simulation]
Schedule for the third week of June:
Monday – Find work on the train.
Tuesday – Find work on the train.
Wednesday – Find work on the train.
Thursday – Find work on the train.
Friday – Find work on the train.
Saturday – Rest (train).
Sunday – Rest (train).
※105 days until arrival at Rodnis.
※Not enough money for living expenses. Find a part-time job.———
‘Shes here.’
The hairs on the back of Lancel’s neck stood on end.
Marigold is here. He didn’t quite understand why she was on a train headed to the Imperial Capital. All that he knew for sure was that she was here.
Thirty years.
It had been thirty whole years.
That was the time it took to see this screen, that was the time it took to finally be in the same place as Marigold.
Lancel instinctively jumped up from his seat and left the room.
Marigold must be a commoner by now, which meant that she would have most likely boarded the train’s general cabin.
“Sir Lancel? Is there anything that you need…?”
“Get out of my way.”
“Oh! Y-yes, yes…….”
Pushing aside the guards who tried to stop him, Lancel barged through the train’s compartment.
“Sir Lancel, this section onwards is not reserved for nobles……”
“Do not interfere.”
Without hesitation, Lancel flung open the door to the general compartment.
