novelraw Chapter 159 : 100% Conquest
Chapter 159 : 100% Conquest
It felt like being submerged in mud, limbs becoming powerless, the brain becoming foggy.
Without realizing when, she had already collapsed on the cold ground.
Perhaps some spell had been used before she could react, but due to her high 'magic resistance' value, she was able to quickly recover from the abnormal state.
"...No... I can't just..."
The first thing upon opening her eyes was to confirm Yvonne's safety. Elsa struggled to prop herself up, raising her head to look at the sky that had become a void.
The black-robed witch was suspending Yvonne's body in mid-air, countless overlapping gear-like light engravings surrounding her body, rotating with a clicking sound.
■■■ Loading...
■■■ Permission authentication passed
■■■ Importing...
1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%...
The increasing numbers seemed like a countdown, gradually eating away at her rationality.
Although she couldn't fully understand what was about to happen, Elsa knew that if she didn't do anything now, something irreversible would occur.
"...You're quite persistent."
"...The feeling is mutual!!"
As the words fell, a strong white light engulfed the surroundings like a black hole.
Realizing what Elsa was about to do, Dorothea's expression changed slightly. She hurriedly raised her hand, converting part of the dimensional transfer magic used for the loading bar into a shield.
This was a powerful magic created by concentrating all surrounding elements, including light, into a single point.
Almost without chanting, the preparation time for casting the magic was very short, almost instantaneous.
To think she could master it to this degree in such a short time...
Although outwardly calm, Dorothea's heart was already stirring with waves.
Because it was 'herself', she unconsciously compared with her past self, and only then did Dorothea realize that she seemed to have overlooked Elsa's potential.
Under her guidance, Elsa's current growth rate could be said to be quite frightening. In comparison, the time she spent alone figuring out the rules of magic composition in this world was far too long.
If given 20 years, perhaps the current Elsa could catch up to her.
"...Monster."
Realizing the other was unscathed after fully concentrating the final elements, Elsa trembled her lips, drew in a sharp breath, and uttered the description in her heart.
This was the most powerful magic she could use at this stage, but for that dimension-traversing witch, it was still too
She understood clearly in her heart that whether in magical techniques and practical experience, or in the amount of magical power that could be controlled, the other was far beyond her.
Not to mention the 'authorities' stacked on her after meeting certain conditions.
How could she possibly defeat such a monster?
"...A monster?"
Hearing her evaluation, Dorothea laughed self-mockingly, showing a villainous smile:
"That's right, that's right... I am a monster. Otherwise, why do you think the system targets me at every turn? They want to eliminate me, this game bug—"
Whether it was the system or those inconceivable 'bullying missions', their purpose was to put her to death.
But now, the winner is me—
She straightened her chest, her black robe swaying behind her, looking down at herself with a superior attitude:
"Give up resistance, you can't win against me. The gap between us is not something you can make up with a sudden burst today."
"So what!!"
The numbing sensation finally completely dissipated. Elsa stood up shakily, straightening her spine.
That deliberately villainous smile was too forced, piercing her nerves.
At the same time, it made her realize something else.
So what if the other was a monster?
If the future self had the potential to become a monster... then it meant that she also had the qualifications to become a monster!!!
So... now.
She needed to calm down,
Calmly search for a method.
"Must someone be sacrificed to achieve your goal?"
"I'm very sorry about that."
"This isn't something that can be resolved with just an apology—"
"Of course I know that, do you think I haven't made the corresponding resolve?"
The witch will bear everything, the witch will…
...No,
Elsa had originally wanted to stall for time through so-called verbal sparring.
But when the other's attention was on her, the progress bar continued to increase relentlessly.
Even if she wanted to stall for time, the loading on that side wouldn't be interrupted.
To stop it, she could only start with the spell itself and its structure.
Elsa continued to ask loudly:
"Even if you really roll back, can 'Evie' really come back? Can things that have already happened be changed so easily? Didn't you teach me that at the moment of regression, the world line would deviate, and reaching one's own past is impossible?!"
"What you say is correct."
She looked at the scale on the rotating gears and replied calmly,
"We can't easily reach the past, so this method of 'rolling back' the world is only theoretically feasible."
Although the witch was powerful, she wasn't strong enough to defy heaven.
Dorothea could 'modify' this world to a certain extent, but she still couldn't escape this world that created her.
Only outsiders like Yvonne could perform dimensional transfers.
Countless attempts finally allowed her to grasp hope.
"...So, you're using our future to gamble on an illusory 'uncertainty'? You're really too selfish!!"
Elsa gritted her teeth.
However, honestly speaking, if she were in her place, she might do the same thing.
Because they were the same person, Elsa could somewhat understand her thoughts.
She could no longer imagine what she would become without Yvonne by her side.
As long as there was even a glimmer of hope, she would try, until she got an answer—
But... although she could understand, she absolutely couldn't agree.
Now the two stood on different positions.
They were both giving their all for the unique existence in this world— the person they loved.
The protagonist of an otome game... when turning love into motivation, could really do many incredible things.
The progress bar had already completed more than half.
"It's almost time..."
Dorothea placed her hand on Yvonne's delicate cheek.
As a villain, she didn't look scary at all when asleep.
On the contrary, she was very beautiful.
If this were a fairy tale, the story being played to the audience now would be "Sleeping Beauty".
Under Elsa's glare, Dorothea tidied Yvonne's golden hair as she slept.
"You seem to have misunderstood something. For me, it doesn't matter even if I fail."
She grinned, opening her arms as if giving a speech to herself, her only audience.
"I can keep trying."
"But thanks to her conquest, I now have many good materials to try..."
Dorothea's expression now finally matched her self-proclaimed witch title.
"If this time doesn't work, then next time—It's a simple principle."
Witch Lady was thinking this very seriously, and indeed intended to do so.
Her advantage was only time now.
In a situation where this game hadn't been fully conquered, all she could do was to try and error bit by bit like this.
As the protagonist of the game, after gaining her own consciousness, Dorothea had already become independent from this game.
Just like games can be saved, Dorothea could possess memories of all the routes she had experienced.
This was her trump card, and also a form of torture.
"If there are four options ABCD, and each option has abc solutions, if every permutation and combination would lead to different results... how many endings would there be?"
A math problem??
Elsa's mind raced, immediately reporting the result:
"...3 to the fourth power, 81 different endings."
Although there were only 4 and 3, when stacked together, it became this terrifying.
"Hehe... You calculated quite quickly. Then— what if there were hundreds or thousands of such branches and options?"
Dorothea said something that sounded terrifying to Elsa with a calm face.
"Could it be... you..."
"That's right, up until now, this is what I've been doing."
Eliminating item by item, choosing the exit that could lead to the future among endless options.
If it were like before, she probably couldn't have escaped from the endless abyss at all.
But now, an excellent solution had appeared before her.
It was impossible not to be tempted.
"...How many more such worlds do you want to create??"
"My, my... You understand quite quickly."
A look of surprise flashed across Dorothea's face, but was quickly replaced by a determined expression.
"Witness— You don't need to do anything, just be a witness—"
Until now.
The time I've lived through.
Is it going to disappear like this?
No...
Looking at her distant figure, Elsa felt her consciousness starting to flicker and blur.
No... absolutely... not...
What method is there...
"I say... you can understand me, right?"
"After all, we are the same person."
"—!"
Hearing these words, Elsa felt as if something in her brain had been pierced with a rumbling sound.
That's right, the same person...
So, what she could have, I could have too.
Under the magical pressure of the distorted space-time, Elsa gradually recalled the sensation when she put on the Silver Shoes for her.
She imitated Dorothea's gesture and snapped her fingers.
[Permission Change]
"!!"
The black-robed witch watched helplessly as the permission for the Silver Shoes was transferred, returning to Elsa's feet.
Although Dorothea was panicking inside, her face remained calm:
"—It's useless!! At this point, even with the Silver Shoes, it's too late—"
Having reached the final stage, the boundaries of space had already become blurred.
Soon this world would restart, merging into one with the world she came from.
—'If only I had the Silver Shoes.'
Elsa felt calmer now than ever before.
'Just tap the heel three times, and it can take its owner anywhere'
The childish voice reading the fairy tale echoed in Elsa's ears. She raised her toes, already certain of what she needed to do in her heart.
"I think you might have forgotten after too long... No, you probably never read this story with Evie."
The wish realized by the protagonist of 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' using the 'Silver Shoes'—
Its true function was to lead lost people back to where they should be, a magical item for obtaining happiness.
Tap, tap tap—
The crisp sound echoed in the space that had suddenly become chaotic.
"...What are you doing?!"
Everything had gone awry.
The witch's contract had now been transferred to her.
Everything that should have been within her knowledge was now beyond her grasp.
She had made so many preparations for this day.
So, it was impossible to fail—
How could it possibly fail?!
"What's wrong, isn't this the ending you wanted?"
Leaping with the Silver Shoes, Elsa had somehow taken Yvonne out of the magic circle.
"Everyone... achieving a good ending, such a route does exist, Witch Lady."
Yvonne, who had woken up at some point, gasped in Elsa's arms and called out the system frame:
"...The points are enough now, I want to use 'Wish'."
[Permission Confirmed]
"I wish—that everyone's story in this world can continue!"
In the chaotic space, a bright crack was forcibly torn open.
Light gushed out from within.
"......"
Hearing the familiar voice.
Dorothea turned around suddenly.
No...
How is this possible—
"——"
But, if I've failed...
Then what is this scene now...
"——"
Having traversed the distorted dimensions, her voice and figure were quite blurry.
But, she could indeed feel it.
"——"
Ah...
Very naturally, her fingers came to rest on my own.
Guiding me, she held our hands together.
Unconsciously, I uttered that confession I had prepared for so long
"I like you."
After going around in circles for so long, the length of time I had traversed had far exceeded her imagination, but...
Finally, finally, I said these words.
As if she had been waiting for this response for a long time, she smiled at me.
Looking at her, the corners of my mouth also turned up. At this moment, I should probably smile like this, right? Although thinking this, bitter liquid had already flowed to the corners of my mouth.
The smile was probably quite ugly.
But it didn't matter.
She would accept all of me like this.
Liking each other mutually, just this alone made me feel very happy.
It was this kind of indescribable, pure feeling.
"Is this enough?"
The witch's figure, distorted by dimensions, became blurry.
"...This is enough."
In contrast, after holding her hand, her voice finally became clear.
"Is it really okay? The system has restarted... From now on, I will bully you, you know?"
Hearing this question, she didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
"...Isn't it quite a happy thing for the person I like to only bully me?"
"Then come bully me, please bully me— From now on... you can only bully me alone."
[Conquest rate has reached 100%]