STC chapter 22

Something suddenly dropped from the ceiling and appeared right before my eyes. Startled, I scooted back and clung to the head of the bed.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out of my chest.

Barely calming my shocked heart, I scolded the system window.

“What, appearing without warning like that?”

[System://Should I knock before appearing next time?ㅇ0ㅇ]

The system window shook from side to side, as if amused by my frightened reaction, like it was laughing.

“You actually came when I called?”

[System://Since the game could be forcibly terminated due to necessity.]

The system window, displaying those words, approached me.

[System://Sorry for suddenly disappearing earlier. I thought it would be better if I wasn’t there in front of Ye Ilhu.]

“Hm…”

[System://If I had stayed, you would have kept worrying about me, right? Isn’t that so?]

That was true. Things would have gotten more complicated with me glancing at the window invisible to Ye Ilhu.

Anyway, I had a lot to talk about with this entity. As I sat up straight, the system window also floated upright, mimicking me.

“I have a lot of questions, can I ask them all?”

[System://Of course. ( *ˊᵕˋ* ) We exist to help the main player, after all.]

We? No, hold on.

Setting aside the curious answer, I began asking the questions I had been wanting to ask.

“You kept saying this is a game world, is the game’s name ‘Love War’?”

[System://Yes and no.]

Perplexed by the ambiguous answer, I let out a hollow laugh. It wasn’t like we were going to play twenty questions now.

“Explain properly.”

[System://As you mentioned, the official title of this game is ‘Love War.’ But since Baek Seojun and Ha Ha Seonglim’s characters already reached a happy ending, it can’t be considered the same game anymore.]

This was the same information Chae Goya had confirmed. The timeline in this world was after Baek Seojun and Ha Ha Seonglim had joined the ‘Abyss’ guild.

[System://Due to the game resetting with a new main player, the original characters didn’t notice much change even when Kang Baram’s personality changed significantly.]

Ah, that explains why no one questioned the previously timid Kang Baram’s sudden lively transformation.

“Okay, so why did I become the main player? Why am I here?”

[System://The character ‘Kang Baram’ was created by the creator, and there is a close relationship between the character Kang Baram and you, the main player.]

The creator… It probably referred to my sister. It made sense, but it felt a bit awkward.

When I didn’t even know the ‘B’ in BL, I had teased my sister’s works, as siblings often do. In revenge, she named a minor character after me and gave him similar abilities.

It would have been perfect if that superpower wasn’t limited to just 3 minutes.

Anyway, as the system window said, there was a connection between this world’s Kang Baram and me.

[System://And your interference in this world distorted its justification. Normally, a completed game would continue like an everyday life.]

“But because I came here, a new game started, right?”

The system window nodded up and down, as if nodding.

[System://As expected of the creator’s kin, you catch on quickly. (^▽^)b]

“Then what happened to the original Kang Baram?”

I needed to figure out the issues ahead, but first, that was what I was most curious about.

In my original world, I had died in a traffic accident, but here, when Kang Baram crossed over, he was simply lying in bed.

There was no way this young man, who had no particular illnesses unless he died suddenly, would die so easily.

When I asked my question, the system window tilted its head. Then it nonchalantly answered, as if I had asked an obvious question.

[System://Of course, he died.]

“…What?”

[System://Even if there is a connection, we don’t just erase a character’s life indiscriminately. It’s related to the logic of this world.]

“…”

Though I had somewhat expected it, hearing my speculation verbalized by someone else made my heart sink.

“…Why did he die?”

[System://It’s because of $#$^$%^E$#$%#$!.]

“What? What are you saying, hold on.”

[System://$#$^$%^E$#$%… Oh, the content might be a spoiler, so it’s not displayed as a principle. I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you…!]

“A spoiler?”

I was at a loss for words. A spoiler? Does that mean I have to uncover this as I reach the ending?

“And you’re saying Kang Baram is dead… Even though he’s already been replaced, the cause of death is a spoiler?”

I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief, but the system window remained quiet.

From its resolute attitude, I realized that no matter what method I used, I would never get the answer I wanted.

“Is there any special chance? Like a Creator’s bloodline chance?”

[System://Ah, you’re trying to use all sorts of tricks ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )]

It felt like the words “No, go back” were echoing in my ears. No, wait, did you just sigh?

“Really, that’s unfair.”

Well, it did try to tell me initially. It was blocked by some rule related to this world’s logic or whatever.

Since I could no longer blame the system window, I moved on to the next question. The most important and curious one was still left.

“So, what should I do from now on?”

Surely, because I avoided the Side Tops as the main player, a penalty was given to my body. That’s why my health deteriorated.

Thinking about the sudden high fever and the dull pain in my bones made me tense unconsciously. If I hadn’t come into contact with Ye Ilhuho, I would have already been taken to the emergency room.

The system window spun around and entered a cheerful answer.

[System://Of course, you need to see the ending of the new game!]

“The ending…”

The lively response made me start to feel uneasy. Since it’s a game derived from ‘Love War,’ it couldn’t completely abandon the BL game elements.

[System://You keep asking the obvious! I’ve been saying this all along…!]

The system window seemed to be becoming more human. Was it complaining now?

[System://You need to max out the favorability of the Side Tops!]

At those words, I felt my arms, which were resting on my knees, go weak and staggered heavily. The system window spun around once and continued cheerfully.

[System://Fortunately, it’s not all of them. In a game with a multiple-main system, even maxing out the favorability of one character is recognized as completing the game! Isn’t that good news?]

“Good news, my foot!”

Why is it that ominous premonitions never miss? Of course, Chae Goya is cute, Ryu Min is reliable, and Ye Ilhuho is… let’s move on for now.

Anyway, they all had good sides, but it was only as a fellow human. No matter how handsome they were, they couldn’t be included in my romantic interests.

“What’s the maximum favorability?”

[System://I don’t know either!*^^*]

“If you don’t know, who does?!”

Wait, I remember seeing that Chae Goya’s favorability had already exceeded 100.

I recalled the screen that displayed ‘100/??’. Normally, we think of a perfect score as 100, but it seemed far from such a standard.

So the creator is a sister, huh?

“Isn’t it too vague? Then what about me? Do I have to like them too?”

[System://Hmm, there’s no necessity for the player to like the Side Tops. You can’t force feelings, can you?]

For once, the system window made sense. I quietly waited for the explanation to continue.

[System://Penalties… In other words, if you don’t want to die, you just need to max out the favorability of one of them.]

“Isn’t that toying with people’s hearts? Besides, seducing a man? I don’t even know how to do that.”

[System://Have you done anything special to increase favorability so far? No, right?]

“…”

[System://Favorability and love have a subtle relationship. Human emotions are complex and not easily explained.]

Well, that’s true. Initially, I was surprised to see favorability appearing, but I was relieved thinking it might be human affection rather than romantic feelings.

[System://Anyway, if you don’t want to be penalized, you have to follow the logic of this world.]

Right, it was unsettling, but there was no choice. Since I was stuck in this game, it was an unavoidable condition for clearing it.

I didn’t have to develop romantic feelings for them; I just needed to raise their human favorability. In other words, it would be enough to become good friends, right?

“Okay, I’ll do as you say.”

[System://Great! I’m glad to hear you’ve made up your mind!⁽⁽٩( ᐖ )۶⁾⁾]

The system seemed to dance joyfully in the air, as if it had hands to clap.

Watching that, I smiled and suddenly remembered something, quickly opening my mouth.

“By the way, you, could it be…?”