Otherworld TRPG Game Master

Chapter 70: Academy Difficulty Level Increase 2

“Excuse me, Lorei. Did anything special happen outside?”

“Tower Master. Haven’t I already told you the color of the beastkin rogue’s underwear?”

“Not that. Something more⋯⋯ different.”

“Something, huh⋯⋯.”

For the sake of her Purple Magic Tower Master, who was trying to suck up as much information as possible about their beloved Esteemed Junior, Lorei, nicknamed ‘Senior Scarface’, began her flashback for the nth time.

I think I already talked about the Esteemed Junior's adventurer friend getting hit by an ogre’s flaming club and being sent flying because of it. I kind of want to continue on with my personal research… Can’t she just leave? Is there something that I didn’t talk about yet?

Ah.

Lorei snapped her finger.

“Our Esteemed Junior didn’t seem to realize how scary golems are, so I thought it was a great opportunity to make him fight against a cleaning golem.”

“Illusion Wizards need to have some amount of trauma against golems. Well, our Esteemed Junior was defeated as anyone would expect, but…”

Esteemed Junior’s last incantation.

Esteemed Junior was trying to do something to the golem, but it was canceled due to the Duster Attack. It was a magic that I’ve never heard of before, so I asked him about it. Exactly what kind of magic was he trying to use?

According to him, it was magic he came up with right on the spot.

“So like, obsolete golems don’t have egos which is why Illusion Magic don’t work, right?”

“For most of them, I guess so?”

“So he said… he was going to beat the shit out of it after making an ego for it. Esteemed Junior, that is.”

"⋯⋯⋯⋯!!"

The Tower Master turned stiff as if she got struck by lightning. Since it wasn't a surprise attack from the Blue Magic Tower, she was probably struck by a lightning of inspiration. Or perhaps, queer foreboding. What in the world did this little genius think of?

It was usually hard to read people's minds, but it was easy to read the Tower Master's. One could figure out what she was thinking about just by looking at the illusions floating around her.

Illusions rose around the Tower Master, who was lost in deep thought. There was a chibi version of Esteemed Junior and a spaghetti monster flying around in space.

But then, she opened up Esteemed Junior’s head, pulled something out of it, and put it into the spaghetti monster…?

“I'm going to get back to my research, so please leave.”

Lorei decided to act like she didn't see anything. It was indeed better to not get entangled with something that seemed so suspicious and bothersome. She dragged Tower Master out of her room and slammed the door shut. Only then was she relieved.

Lorei had finally regained her alone time.

===============================================================

The Tower Master muttered as she frantically moved around in her office.

“Right… Yeah. That's right. If I can’t hit it because it doesn’t have a body, then just make it a body⋯⋯.”

It was an idea she had never considered before. And the key lay there.

『That』, which was rooted in his mind, was a highly complex Magic-Cerebrate. Essentially, a Thought Form. It erased people’s memories and altered their personalities drastically. It existed conceptually without a physical form, hence making it untouchable.

Even Yuna didn't know much about the origins of its creation or what the thing was exactly. She was just barely able to figure out a fragment of what it did after observing and gathering data from records for a long period of time.

Thus, she had no choice but to wait for the right time as she slowed down the erosion. The reason he was not told the identity of ‘Something’ was because of the common characteristics of Cerebrates; they turned faith into power.

Just like the Illusion Magic he created, it gained more and more power the more one thought about it.

The contradiction of not thinking about it as much as possible while simultaneously dealing with it. The contradiction of having no physical form. Its complexity was why even the Emperor of the Empire and an Archwizard of the Magic Tower couldn't solve this dilemma; all they could do was pace around.

Tower Master Yuna, too, thought that there was no choice but to unveil her trump card at the decisive moment. However……

“After creating it…and hit it.”

She would give 『That』 a physical form and attack it.

Perhaps, it could be an effective means of preemptive attack. Even if it couldn’t be completely removed, it seemed like it might at least be possible to take away a fragment of 『That』’s power. Then the question was how and what to endow.

The clue to that was in the session

If it was within the simulation closely tied to the psyche, it might be possible to deal with the phenomenon caused by 『That』 while minimizing its effects.

===============================================================

A simulation world created with Illusion Magic. While he was running a Cthulhu session for the Academy students, Yuna hid her presence and observed everything in detail.

A world influenced by the vicious Evil God. It seemed like it was structured so that there were fanatics who worshiped the Evil God and protagonists who were trying to save the world.

“......This time, too, I am, late, aga……..”

And players were being destroyed in real-time.

“The ruin and exhaustion is delicious. They lost loved ones too. And even the motivation fits perfectly. Their reactions were more passionate than I expected, but since I added time travel to the session material, I think I can beat them up a bit more…….”

He looked at the suffering trio with a warm smile. It was hard to believe he was the same person who crawled on the ground like a caterpillar just because he wasn’t able to grant Second Prince Irid a kiss.

“But it’s still not enough. They’re still too complacent. Maybe I should introduce a reported NPC to build some affection with them before triggering the event.”

He was even thinking of pummeling them more. Their mental states had already been all but crushed to dust. Yet, he continued to say that feelings of regret had to be built to its very limits in order for their second chance, where they start from the very beginning, to have a beautiful climax.

It seemed like his ability to empathize was fading significantly.

Both Saintress Tara and Niolle seemed out of their minds, their eyes completely unfocused. Yet even so, he didn’t seem like he was going to do anything about it. While the thrill after desolation might be more exhilarating, beating someone to a pulp and merely putting on a band-aid could not be considered normal.

This couldn’t go on.

Yuna surveyed the world.

If possible, she wanted to give 『That』 a physical form of a frail NPC that couldn’t even lift their whole body. And then, beating the shit out of it would simplify the expulsion as well.

But she couldn’t endow it with just any character. It needed to have something in common with 『That』 in various aspects. Whether it be personality, ability, narratives, beliefs, settings, and more.

The spell that Yuna prepared essentially involved tricking 『That』 with an illusion. As such, she needed a vessel with a high synchronization rate, so 『That』 would mistake it for its own body.

Capacity had to also be considered. The larger the capacity, the more of 『That』 could be contained.

An NPC named Isaac caught her eye. It seemed like she was designed as a mid-boss. She considered transferring 『That』 to her. But, no; it wasn't a good idea. The storage capacity given to Isaac wasn’t all that big.

Then what about the Cult Leader? The capacity was quite large since it was a NPC designed as the final boss. He could perhaps contain about 2% of 『That』. The setting provided was also good for attracting 『That』. He was a madman, worshiped an Evil God, and killed people without hesitation for his own purposes.

However, if I want to see a meaningful effect, I want to capture at least 5%......

“......Ah.”

Yuna looked up at the sky.

The night sky glittered with stars and the moon, but Yuna, who had Game Master Authority, saw something else. A massive cosmic monster made of countless bubbles. A fictional Evil God borrowed from cosmic horror fiction.

“......If it’s this….”

If 『That』 we to be put in the Evil God, it seemed like that 7% could be squeezed in. The synchronization rate was also quite high. An incomprehensible Evil God who manipulated time and space and treated humans like ants or dust; it was an avatar that 『That』 would want.

Moreover, there were many additional effects when using the Evil God as a vessel.

Although it was his memories that were erased, it also affected the memories of those who knew him. The changes brought about by 『That』 spread throughout the world. Even Yuna didn't know the exact mechanism, but she knew that such a phenomenon occurred.

The reason she was trying to make this work in a simulation world was because she was concerned about that phenomenon. Since it was a virtual world, she thought it would be difficult to exert influence outside of it.

But because there were always going to be ‘What ifs’ in the world…. If the Cult Leader's avatar was used as a vessel, something might happen to someone who resembled the Cult Leader in the real world.

As such, the Evil God was chosen.

If a completely fictional entity, one that did not exist and wasn’t seriously believed in by anyone, was used as a vessel… If only it could be defeated, then this matter could be concluded cleanly.

The only problem with this method was that…

“We will depart to the secret safe hour mentioned by the investigator……. In 10 minutes.”

“To think they’re only going to that place now.”

It meant the three who were already working so hard would suffer even more. The session difficulty was going to skyrocket. After all, it wasn't going to be some empty data mass of an Evil God, but the real deal; an Evil God loaded with 『That』, intent on actually fucking up people.

"⋯⋯⋯⋯."

Her guilty conscience stabbed at her heart.

But this task required the help of these poor students. This was because the strongest way to inflict damage on a Cerebrate was through the power of the mind. Just like how a Dream Demon could not dare to invade a Priest who had honed his mental discipline.

A will filled with emotions such as human courage, friendship, love, anger, and others……. Would be a great help in beating the Cerebrate.

But still…

Wouldn’t it be better for just three people to be the ones to take the hit as the vanguard…… than for him to become completely consumed and go crazy, causing the Empire and society to collapse because he unleashed terrible Illusion Magic on the entire world……!

“I-I’m sorry, Bennett. I’m sorry, Tara, I’m sorry, Niolle…But I-I’ll do my best too, so……!”

She planned to exert the power of a Sub-Game Master to its fullest extent.

Still, it will be a difficult journey. It was clearly unethical to impose greater pain on those who embarked on an adventure with good intentions. Yuna clenched her eyes shut. However…

The Purple Magic Tower Master could cut off something less precious for the sake of something far more precious.

Yuna proceeded with her plan while fully feeling the throbbing pain of guilt.

To extract 『That』 from him and inject it into the Outer God, he had to stay in the simulation world. And so, at the end of the session, Yuna revealed herself to him.

“...Uh, Tower Master?”

“Ah, eung. It’s me……”

“Seriously, how long has it been?”

He was surprised at first, but his expression quickly turned into a smile. It was full of joy and a sense of welcoming. She was able to feel his pure happiness in seeing her for the first time in a while, as it was conveyed to her directly. Despite being encroached by 『That』, it seemed he still cherished Yuna.

“Did you come here secretly? No, wait, that’s not important. So what happened in the Academy is that──.”

Yuna raised one hand to stop him from rambling on and on. Then, after adjusting the brim of her hat to cover her eyes slightly, she asked.

“Hey, um, you know… Do you…… still trust me?”

“Of course. Why? Are you going to do something?”

“I’m going to make you fall asleep. For about…… two weeks.”

“Ssssp…… It really is a bit of a schizo sadist move to screw over the session schedule due to personal reasons, though...”

Instead of questioning why and how he was being put to sleep for two weeks, he was more concerned about the next session schedule. Was it that enjoyable?

“Uh, I…! I’ll take over as GM. The session will continue.”

“To think you would rob me of the most delicious part when I so painstakingly prepared it…!”

“N-No, I didn’t have any intentions of that…! In the first place, I prefer love over despair and pain, you know!”

He grumbled for a long while. Saying stuff like ‘I was looking forward to it so much… It’s too much of a pity to leave without being able to direct the session until the end’, ‘I wonder if she would be able to truly bring out the spirits of the players’, and ‘Don’t go out of your way in being kind or to hype them up’.

When Yuna asked if he could quietly accept this as a once-in-a-lifetime favor, he relented, agreeing to it on the condition of receiving one wish coupon from Yuna.

"It's going to be a long vacation, then. Um, well... Please tell Pink-Haired Lesbian that I won't be attending this week's debate. And also, these are the future plots. There's a lot of things that I planned, so even if you leave it be, the session will run on its own, but there are so many unpredictable actions, so… Just in case. And as for what I was planning to do in the next lecture… This time, I was probably going to do the tentacle labyrinth and..."

After he talked about all the things he had prepared and also handed Yuna a pamphlet called 'Even A Beginner Master Can Do It! : 11 Ways to Induce Players’ Unpredictable Actions’....

“I dispelled it. My mental barrier.”

It was all left to Yuna now. Although it was a bit lengthy, seeing him trust her to this extent was honestly moving. Yuna, slightly tear-eyed, reached out her hand.

“⋯⋯Thank you. Eung. Then, see you⋯⋯later.”

“Make sure to get the log.”

“......Can you please at least maintain the mood when I’m moved…?”

With a single wave of her hand, Yuna blurred his consciousness and submerged him deep so that he wouldn’t wake up from any external shocks. Then, after slathering on layers of Protection Magic on him…

She reaffirmed her resolve. To lead her plan to success.

Afterwards, Yuna used Illusion Magic to change her appearance and appeared before the three people.

===============================================================

Yuri Lanster was lying on her bed, fidgeting her toes, and suddenly snapped at the Crazy Wizard who was dawdling especially more today.

“Are you not getting ready?”

“Uh…huh? Eung? Getting ready for what?

“I am fairly sure I have already given you an official document. Don’t you have to go on a Dungeon Exploration Practical Exercise soon?”

“Ah, ahaha. W-Was that so?”

"⋯⋯⋯⋯."

Yuri Lanster's eyes narrowed. Then she moved closer to the Crazy Wizard and sniffed around him. Instead of his usual scent, there was a fluffy fragrance of flowers.

Although she didn't even get as close as she usually did, the Crazy Wizard seemed extremely jittery for some reason. He even clasped his hands lightly, placed them on his chin, and hunched his shoulders.

The scent of a female was so strong that she could smell it even from 10 meters away. As she raised her glasses, Yuri Lanster asked seriously.

“Mr. Crazy Wizard. Are you trying to seduce me?”

“...Wh, WH-WHAT?!”

“It’s like you’re just begging to be eaten. I am sure I have told you already that I like passive women.”

“Eek, hik…!”

“That voice. You of all people should already know what that coquettish sound means to me……”

Was this a provocation?

Dealing damage against each others’ psyche was practically a daily occurrence, but it was always done in a gentlemanly manner, without ever crossing any boundaries. For example, Yuri Lanster hadn’t released the seal known as her ‘Suit Jacket.’ Because it was a stimulus that crossed the line.

The Crazy Wizard had sealed his TS Magic for the same reason. Because it was a stimulus that crossed the line.

But now, in a battlefield where only cold weapons were allowed, the Crazy Wizard suddenly started casting fireballs. The treaty had been violated. If one side crossed the line first, then it was only fair for the other to step up their offensive.

Should I── unseal it? Should I just seduce him?

I guess I can just completely fuck him up so he is at a total loss for words.

Just as Yuri Lanster was about to violently undo her tie and unbutton the dress shirt fastened all the way to her neck… the Crazy Wizard disappeared into thin air as if erased from the world.

“Hah.”

Why did you even cross the line first if you’re going to run away scared?

However, it was a long-standing tradition to return a blow for a blow. As such, Yuri Lanster loaded a nuclear bomb called 'Sneak into Bed in the Middle of the Night While Wearing Thin Clothes’.I’m going to completely fuck you up, Crazy Wizard. Prepare to die.

After putting her tie back on and straightening her clothes, Yuri Lanster drafted a new official document for the cooperation request; it was for the Dungeon Exploration Practical Exercise that students attending the Academy were sequentially going to experience. The document requested participation as an observer there.

The dungeon to be used by the students had been confirmed to be safe by multiple adventurers, but the Professors would accompany them in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.

It was scheduled for two days later. The first batch of students would leave the Academy then.

She glanced at the list written on the document. Bennett Helton, Niolle Lestman, and Saintess Tara were included.

Since they had traveled through a harsh world ridden with fanatics, a mere dungeon would practically be a walk in the park for them. Their complexions seemed poor the last time she saw them, though……

It was only a short reprieve before the start of the second session, but…

Yuri Lanster sincerely wished that the Dungeon Exploration would serve as a change of pace for /genesisforsaken