The Munchkin Disciple Wants To Stop Being Obsessed Over

3 – Daphne (2)

“I’ll be back soon, rest here for a while. Don’t think about escaping.”

“Thank you.”

With a polite greeting, I joined my hands.

But Daphne left the room without a word, her face a curious expression.

Her footsteps grew fainter and fainter in the distance. I lay down on the bed in the corner of the room.

The soft touch that enveloped me from head to toe slowly released the tight tension that had knotted my body.

*Sigh*

But despite the relaxation of my body, my mind was filled with confusion.

How did this happen…?

So much had happened in just one day.

The sudden takeover, the horrifying landscape, the murderous intent of the monsters, and even the mysterious individual who appeared like a comet and saved me – Daphne.

She brought me to this log house through teleportation.

‘What on earth is she up to?’

The mystery grows by the minute.

Teleportation is a 9th circle magic that, in theory, only existed as a mechanism none could conjure up.

‘She is versed in swordsmanship too?’

It was shocking enough that Daphne possessed the skill to quickly annihilate high-ranked demons, let alone be an accomplished swordswoman.

This indicates her reaching at least the status of a Swordmaster.

‘Insane.’

A Swordmaster and a 9th circle mage.

She was the epitome of an overpowered character.

Thanks to this overpowered woman, I was still alive, following her here.

‘The real question is…’

If I could completely submit to her, then could I possibly learn a bit about swordsmanship and magic?

‘I don’t trust you.’

‘Remember this. If you show even a hint of suspicion, I won’t hesitate to kill you.’

‘Even if you do nothing suspicious, if I simply dislike you, I will still kill you.’

She has declared she could kill me anytime without the slightest bit of trust.

‘Is she a psychopath, or what?’

If disliked, death.

‘Ah…’

As I contemplate my uncertain future, a sigh escapes my lips.

Why did I suddenly end up here?

How am I to survive in this place from now on?

With a slap on both cheeks, I try to shake off my thoughts.

‘Let’s think. Think.’

One fact remains unchanged despite the harsh slaps – I am trapped in this game, embodied in a powerless child’s form.

‘I need to devise a plan.’

Whether I like it or not, I have to adapt and survive in this strange world.

I cannot simply fade away before the main episode of the game which I once insanely loved so much even begins.

‘I think the main story begins in 7 years.’

A fact I discovered by asking Daphne.

I have descended into this game 7 years before the main story begins.

‘I guess I have to go to the academy. A bad ending won’t be good.’

In this game, if the protagonist, Fran, gains the affections of more than one heroine, the world is destined for ruin.

What does this mean?

If ever the protagonist of this world, Fran, were to possess any harem tendencies, then this world could potentially meet its end, all thanks to him.

‘Who decides?’

If it were a game, that would be one thing. But now, this world is where I have to live.

So, I have to stop him, Fran, the protagonist of ‘Harem Academy.’

‘Luckily, I’m just 10 years old now.’

In seven years, I’ll be old enough to enter the academy, just like the protagonist.

“I just need to keep a close eye on Fran.”

Truth be told, Fran is strong. As long as she stays ‘innocent’, she can clear the main episodes without any trouble.

So, all I have to do is to prevent Fran from forming a harem. Then, the world should move along without any major issues.

“Then…”

I should prepare everything I can before entering the academy.

Like gathering strength to prevent Fran’s harem corruption.

Or jotting down the useful information from a ten thousand hour playtime before forgetting it.

“hahahaha.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

It was absurd when I thought about it.

Just a while ago, I was bashing the protagonist for not being able to form a harem, and now I have to support his innocence.

“Anyway…”

I’ve decided on my course of action for the next seven years, so surviving until then should be my priority.

First, I need to get Daphne’s approval.

Well, there’s a chance she could kill me tomorrow.

But it’s not a completely bad situation.

By my estimation, Daphne is at least a 9th circle magician and a sword master.

If I get approved by such a superhuman and become her disciple and learn swordsmanship and magic?

“Preventing a destruction ending wouldn’t be too hard.”

But could there be more? Perhaps it’s possible to enjoy a life more exciting and sweet than reality.

I might even find a way back to my world.

“Yes, let’s give it a shot.”

With a vague goal in mind, motivation began to seep in.

****

Deep within the dense blue forest, there was a clear and transparent lake, exuding an enigmatic and mysterious aura.

Half-naked Daphne was there, immersed halfway and lost in thought as she recollected the day’s events.

“…”

It had been a while. Cutting through the flesh of monsters with her sword, and annihilating beings with magical energy using her magic.

It wasn’t hard. The monsters she faced were mere fodder for her.

“The contract is still in effect…”

Her still trembling hand, and the mana that had been boiling for a while and was now settling down confirmed it. The ancient contract and the limitation it imposed on her body were still in effect.

Therefore, her body and mana should have been incapable of resisting magic.

But…

“It has loosened.”

The restriction that had been tormenting her for a long time loosened for a moment.

“Why did this happen?”

She had an inkling about the reason, but it wasn’t something that could be understood easily.

The restriction loosened the moment she saw the boy with a very familiar and dear appearance.

Hair as black as pitch.

Eyes ablaze in a fiery red.

Pale skin untouched by time.

Facial features so sharp, it’s as if they had been sculpted from porcelain.

And a body and soul crafted for sinning, filled with cruel chains of bondage.

Seeing a face that bizarrely resembled someone’s childhood, Daphne’s body instinctively moved.

Her magical energy, fiercely boiling in response to the magic, cooled and merged with the sword, cutting through the body of the magic beast.

In reality, it should have been impossible.

The moment she used her sword against the monster, she should have lost control or consciousness due to her own limitations.

“…”

But today, or rather the moment she decided she must protect the boy, she didn’t.

“Camel…”

Daphne softly closed her eyes, murmuring the boy’s name to herself.

He was quite an interesting child.

The boy’s familiarity made Daphne feel a certain nostalgia.

At the same time, the boy’s familiar yet out-of-place aura made her restrictions loosen momentarily.

Was that all?

In a situation where fear should have taken over.

The boy was different. He boldly demanded his life be spared, listing reasons one by one.

While his argument wasn’t flawless, what was truly astonishing was the boy was only ten years old.

-“If there’s no choice, creating one is human nature, right? But, what if you have a choice to reclaim what was difficult to create?”

-“Yes. Exactly. In that case, Daphne, you would continue to fend off the disaster.”

The boy’s gibberish that Daphne remembered made her burst into spontaneous laughter.

The more she thought about it, the more absurd it became. How a mere ten-year-old boy could successfully convince her.

“Is this a coincidence?”

“No,” Daphne murmured and then fell back into thought.

Waking abruptly from a long slumber.

Encountering a group from the Church of Chaos at the place she was drawn to, and the boy shaped by the hand of fate.

And even her momentarily loosened restrictions.

As the events lined up, her certainty grew stronger.

It was not a coincidence.

Her meeting with the boy was inevitable.

“Perhaps…”

The boy might just be the ‘opener of destiny’ that she has been longing for.

“…”

Daphne still remembered.

A man who, a long time ago, gave his life desperately trying to change the world’s destiny.

“hahahaha…”

Daphne softly closed her eyes, and let out a faint smile.

In the end, it seemed foolish now – the conviction of a man who no longer existed, having failed.

There’s nothing as foolish as regret.

Daphne, who had momentarily lost herself in reverie, slowly shook her head, shaking off past memories and emotions.

If the boy was truly ‘the one who opens destiny’, then it had to be so.

The first appearance of ‘the one who opens destiny’ since he died a thousand years ago had to be a significant event.

I hope so.

Daphne grumbled, standing up, her pure white body arising to leave the lake.

Splash, splash.

Her slender, naked body caused ripples in the lake.

I suppose I’ll need to check.

Daphne thought to herself while shaking off her wet hair.

The chance meeting with the boy wasn’t a coincidence, but destiny. She might have found the ‘one who opens destiny’ that she had searched for so long.

Yet, this was nothing more than an unverified hypothesis.

Maybe it was only a delusion born from her emotion and psyche crumbled over time.

So, there was a need to confirm it directly.

To confirm if the boy, Kamel, she brought along held the potential to be ‘the one who opens destiny’.

The likelihood is low, though.

Indeed, the probability was barely present.

Despite this, there were three reasons why Daphne harbored some form of anticipation for the boy.

His appearance, which strongly resembled that man who died a thousand years ago.

His adorable tenacity, as the boy did, that he didn’t lose his spirit even when confronted with extreme circumstances and stubbornly retort with words too mature for his age.

And the fact that he’s made artificially to contain sins.

Well, even if that isn’t the case…

Daphne, who draped her coat over her now dry body, muttered to herself in silence.

He just has to stay alive…

Even if Kamel isn’t ‘the one who opens destiny’.

I’ll have to be a bit gracious, if he survives till tomorrow. She thought.

*****

One, two, three…

She cautiously counted the numbers in her head, and then opened her eyes.

Familiar ceiling…

No, damn it.

Regrettably, her view was filled not with a familiar ceiling but an unfamiliar log ceiling.

Damn.

It was a very unfortunate occurrence.

Hoping everything she went through the day before was a dream, that when she opens her eyes, she would be back in reality.

Deep inside… No, she wished for it, very earnestly, but as expected, that was not the case.

Damn.

I am the one… to be possessed for the second day. Curse words involuntarily creep into my feeble voice.

Sigh.

A deep sigh broke free once again, but I managed to calm myself, accepting the situation.

I had possessed my character in the game I used to play, and now I have to live here.

Even if I deny, the fact doesn’t change.

So, I decided to think positively. Anyway, I am in this situation, so I must try my best to survive, like I pledged yesterday.

“Damn it.”

As soon as I decide to think positively, my body starts to react reflectively.

I neatly fold the blanket and open the window for ventilation. As a result, a cool breeze blows in, revealing a view of green forest.

Although momentarily stepping into an odd sentiment, I, having regained my consciousness, started moving again.

This time, I tidied up the room that was littered with all sorts of stuff, dusting off and straightening things out.

As I started doing so, the room gradually began to look neat, and I could smile, feeling proud and content.

“sh*t.”

Just so you know, the reason why I have been so busy since morning isn’t because I’m suffering chronically from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

‘Nothing is as important as the first impression.’

The reason is because I have to look good in front of Daphne.

-“If you are not to my liking, I will kill you. “

Because otherwise, it would be unjust to die screaming.

‘I have to learn something.’

Especially in this unfamiliar world, it was absolutely necessary for the future I was facing.

Looking at me now, the state of the body I possessed was so miserable it was even desperate.

All stats being 1 aside, this shabby body doesn’t even have traits that could be used right away.

The only trait I do have, [Vessel of Sin], is a trait that the followers of Chaos Church would salivate more than I do.

So, the best choice I can make is just one.

Looking good in front of Daphne and learning something, whether it be swordsmanship or magic.

‘Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to be a bad person.’

Though psychopathic tendencies are seen here and there, and though she is a character that I haven’t encountered in the game.

Looking at her sparing my life, who could become a sectarian of Seven Sins, and bringing me here, at least she’s not a bad person.

If I sincerely effort, being human, she would have no choice but to accept me.

“···.”

Come to think of it, it’s worth giving a try, right?

“Come out if you woke up.”

Thinking so, the anticipated voice came along with the knocking on the door.

[Hidden Quest ‘Daphne’s Test (1)’ is in progress.]

A quest notification appeared.

[You can choose a reward if you succeed.]

Oh, I can choose the reward. Then, it’s a welcome news.

[If you fail, you will die permanently.]

Okay. If I fail, naturally I die···.

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