kscans

Chapter 25 - Where Anger is Directed, and Where it is Received ①

Falty was finally being scolded less by the Queen, her instructor. It was a mess of her own making, but she couldn't help but wonder why the Will of God (System) had abandoned her after she'd achieved the Queen Ending. She remembered receiving various warnings at the start, but shouldn't it have guided her to the very end?

For now, she was taking the utmost care not to show her recklessness. This was partly because of what Cassandra had said, but also because as the future Queen, she couldn't afford any more careless actions.

"...First, I need to somehow communicate with the Will of God (System)..."

How did I do it back in the academy? Falty wondered, pacing restlessly around her room.

For a rare moment, she had some free time today. If there was a chance, it was now.

"...[Status Open]!"

As Falty spoke, a window popped up at eye level.

Lupia's section was still a mess of black scribbles, unchanged. She felt a renewed sense of disappointment. It used to display a number when they were students.

But she couldn't waste time. She tapped all over the status window, searching for some way to communicate with the Will of God (System).

"Where is it... Where could it be...!"

No matter where she touched or what she did, the option to communicate with the Will of God (System) didn't appear. Just like in her academy days, while she fiddled with the window, she was overcome by a strange sensation, as if the time around her had stopped.

"Oh, come on!"

Growing increasingly irritated, Falty bit down on her well-manicured nail. In a fit of frustration, she slammed her hand against the window floating at eye level.

"...Ah."

No sooner had the thought oops crossed her mind than the window warped, twisting from a neat rectangle into a bizarre polygon, then into other strange shapes. Thin lines fractured its surface, and a strange zzzzzt sound began to emanate from it. Did I break something when I hit it? Falty panicked, trying to restore the window to its original state, but it began to deform even more violently, making her hesitate to even touch it.

As a stunned Falty stared at the sight, the window suddenly grew to an enormous size.

"Huh?!"

As part of her queenly education, she had been told not to show too much emotion, but it was impossible not to be surprised by this. The window continued to contort, and after what felt like an eternity, its shape started to resemble that of a person.

Just as her anger gave way to creeping terror, the shape solidified into a clear human form. And that form looked exactly like Falty herself.

"...Wh... What are you...?"

≪'What'? How rude. I only came because you were being so noisy.≫

"The Will of God (System)...?"

≪What is your business, Falty-Ardia?≫

It questioned her in a flat, emotionless voice, wearing her own face. Finding this incredibly irritating, Falty glared fiercely at the Will of God (System) she had finally managed to meet. As she continued to glare, certain it was mocking her, she heard a voice as impassive as ever.

≪I must say, being glared at is quite unexpected.≫

"Shut up...! You—why won't you help me anymore?!"

≪...Pfft.≫

A small chuckle escaped its lips, and the Will of God (System) before her plastered on a look of utter condescension, openly mocking Falty. It suddenly seemed like an immeasurably terrifying entity, and Falty took a step back.

≪It seems you did not properly understand. I see, I see... You thought I would continue to help you even after you reached the ending, did you...?≫

"What?!"

≪Falty-Ardia, before you began the main story of 'Love☆Star', I gave you several warnings. Do you remember?≫

The Will of God (System) questioned her dispassionately.

How could she forget? A few days before the school year started, while preparing for the academy, she had suddenly been thrown into a black-and-white world where time seemed to stand still.

Then, she was asked, 'If you could aim for it, would you like to achieve a future where everyone is happy, and you yourself become the Queen?' After listening and processing the information, Falty understood that this entity, the Will of God (System), was searching for a noble lady to help it achieve a certain goal. It had presented her with various conditions.

One. The most important thing.

It would only cooperate until she reached an ending.

It was a cooperative relationship purely for the sake of reaching an ending; after that, it would offer no further assistance.

"I remember! But if that's the case, why is Lupia's favorability score blacked out?!"

≪Oh, my... You don't even realize the contradiction in your own words.≫

"What?!"

≪Falty-Ardia. ...Until when, did I say, I would cooperate?≫

"Until... I reached... the ending..."

≪And what is your current status?≫

"...I-I've reached the Queen Ending... but the one I wanted was the Grand Finale! So!"

Falty felt an unfathomable pressure from the Will of God (System)'s smile, which was so wide it was as if a sound effect should accompany it, but she desperately fought not to be overwhelmed. Her resistance, however, lasted only a moment.

≪You seem to be quite the fool... Shall I ask you again? ......U n t i l w h e n d i d I s a y I w o u l d c o o p e r a t e?≫

A small gasp escaped her lips.

The sheer depth and detail of the support she'd received had become normal for Falty. And so, the most crucial detail, stated at the very beginning, had completely slipped her mind.

≪Have you remembered?≫

The voice was gentle, like one used to explain things to a child.

"So... you're saying... because I've already reached the ending... you won't help me anymore...?"

≪Yes.≫

"Wh—What?!"

That's ridiculous! she wanted to argue. But she had agreed to that condition at the very start and had spent that year working together with it.

"That's... that's such a joke..."

≪It is no joke. You agreed to it, did you not?≫

As soon as it finished speaking, the System's form began to warp again with a zzzzzt sound.

≪You stole my fiancé, and my future, from me, did you not?≫

"Lupia...?!"

An emotionless voice, a blank expression.

A doll-like, impassive figure, yet a person of tremendous beauty. The future that she should have had—the future Falty and the Will of God (System) had stolen together.

But if she had reached the Grand Finale ending, she was certain everyone would have been happy. Falty hadn't managed it. But she held onto the naive hope that there might be some way to fix it.

≪What you walk now is the future.≫

Next, it took the form of the Queen.

≪It makes sense, doesn't it? If you've reached the ending, the finale, then you must move on from there. Am I wrong?≫

It questioned her dispassionately, with the Queen's form and voice.

She understood. But Falty's feelings could be summed up in one phrase: 'I don't want to give up.'

"Then... then at least show me my friend Lupia's favorability rating!"

≪My... you're saying strange things again.≫

With a crackle of static, the Will of God (System) changed back into Falty's form. It wore an expression of genuine bewilderment as it brought its face unnervingly close to Falty's.

She was stared at by its utterly lifeless eyes.

≪You two are such good friends, and yet you need to express that friendship with a numerical value?≫

Falty was at a loss for words, but it continued, staring at her from point-blank range.

≪You don't say such things about your other friends, yet you persistently cling to, obsess over, and fixate on that one young lady. ...My, my... how very... interesting...?≫

"It's because you! You just decided to stop guiding me, and now this is happening!"

Even as she let out a furious, scream-like shout, it showed no reaction, continuing its dispassionate speech.

≪That would be impossible. You see, I have already released the rival lady.≫

"...What?"

As if to deliver a final blow to the stunned Falty, it continued.

≪You never managed to build a proper relationship with her, so why on earth did you think you were friends?≫

"Ah, th-that's..."

≪You only ever judged your relationship with the rival lady by numbers. Isn't that right?≫

The Will of God (System) calmly laid out Falty's unrealized thoughts, her actions, and the consequences that followed.

≪And yet, you cry about being her friend. The rival lady has already put physical distance between herself and you, and this country. She has moved on.≫

As it spoke these words calmly, almost cheerfully, Falty felt the blood drain from her face. It's a lie, it can't be, she thought, but it was a fact she could not change. There was no changing it.