Memory 22

[itsalluseless]

Memory: Ragequitting the fifth game [ep5] (Trivial Negative)
Game: Generosity with Kiriko
Day: 218
Form: A small Emerald coloured wooden box. 6/7 uses left.

LAMBDADELTA: I'll be the next Game Master. Any objections? You've got none, right?

BERNKASTEL: ......I have tons of them. Beato conceded the fight and is unconscious. Isn't this loss by default and 'game over' for her...?

LAMBDADELTA: I'll admit that a lot's happened to Beato, and it feels like she's been knocked out right now. But that doesn't mean she's lost the will to fight. That's why I'm acting as her assistant. Get it?

Beato was lying down on the deck chair, almost as though she were sleeping.

However, she wasn't sleeping, ......and she wasn't awake either. She was nothing more than a living doll that had given up on victory, who had asked Battler to perform her last rites, and who had surrendered everything...

Of course, if everyone just sat around, the next game...the 5th game would not be prepared. So, Lambdadelta had succeeded Beato as the next Game Master and proclaimed that she would prepare the next game.

BATTLER: Quit messing around. This game is between me and Beato. I don't know who you two are, but I'm not gonna just let you carry on without us.

LAMBDADELTA: No one asked your opinion. What'll you do, Bern? Accept it? Or not?

BERNKASTEL: ..............................Sure. Go and succeed her position.

BATTLER: What the hell...quit messing around. I don't know who you two are, but I'm not gonna let you ignore Beato and me and just carry on by yourselves!

LAMBDADELTA: Calm down. Of course, when the player changes, then so will the moves. There might be a lot of things that are confusing to you, but even those might become some big hints, get it?

BATTLER: Who cares?!! Quit saying whatever you want and deciding everything on your own!!

BERNKASTEL: .........Beato's game has repeated four times, and you still don't understand anything, right? In that case, I think that changing the player might lead to some huge hints.

BATTLER: That's none of your business! This is our game! Beato prepared it, and she designated me to be her opponent in it. I don't know what hole you two crept out of, but I don't want you screwing things up!

BERNKASTEL: .........In that case, wake Beato up and make her get the next game ready. Can you...?

BATTLER: B, ...Beato won't be getting up for a while. But there's no need for a new game. Just the four games that she has already laid out are more than enough! Even if there is to be a 5th game, it just needs to be something that Beato lays out and I challenge. You two have absolutely nothing to do with this!

Battler couldn't hide his irritation at these two witches called Lambdadelta and Bernkastel, who had shown up after the game's start and who had started to try and continue it on their own...

It looked like these witches were of an even higher rank than Beato, so high, in fact, that even Beato's teacher Virgilia couldn't even come close.

Battler had the feeling that he'd seen these two several times before. However, this was the first time he had known their names and spoken to them directly.

LAMBDADELTA: You can't get the next game ready without waking Beato. That's why I'll prepare the next game! We aren't so patient that we're willing to wait however long we have to for Beato to regain consciousness. Right, Bern?

BERNKASTEL: ............I don't like boredom. It really ticks me off.

BATTLER: We really don't care whether you get bored or not.

LAMBDADELTA: Come on now. Leave everything to this <perfect> Lambdadelta-sama, okay? I'll take over as the Game Master. DON'T WORRY, I won't play with too much 'certain perfection'.
. . . . . . . .
Just like Beato, I'll prepare plenty of incomprehensible fakes, clues, and bonus hints. I'll give you some big hints to help you understand Beato's world even more, okay?

Letting my voiceless emotions explode, ...I slammed the table hard.

The two witches didn't flinch at all. ......One grinned. The other looked indifferent, as though nothing had happened. The two of them just stared at me silently. ...As though they were reproaching me.

LAMBDADELTA: What's this? Not satisfied? Are you saying you'll step down from my 5th game? Isn't that loss by default?

BERNKASTEL: .........Battler won't step down. Of course he'll participate in the 5th game.

BATTLER: Don't just decide that yourself!! I'm not gonna play along with you two. I don't give a shit!

LAMBDADELTA: Hmm.........Then it really is loss by default, right...? The witch side wins this game. Is it really alright to end this with the humans surrendering...?

BERNKASTEL: .........If you step down, then the game will end with your loss by default, get it? .........If you want to make certain that your lonely sister will always meet with miserable circumstances in an endless number of worlds, that option is indeed open to you.

When Bernkastel mentioned Ange, .........Battler's expression changed instantly.

BATTLER: Y, ......you bastard, don't talk about Ange so casually......

BERNKASTEL: .........Because you have me, the Witch of Miracles Bernkastel, as your ally, ...there exists the possibility of a miracle in which Ange's family might come home to her. Well, even if you throw that chance away yourself and guarantee that Ange's endless futures will all end in sorrow, that might be pretty interesting too.

I vaguely understood what she was saying. Until I win in Beato's game, I'll remain trapped in this bizarre world.

And if I abandon that victory, ......then most certainly, my parents and I will never return to Ange. For Ange's sake, ...even though I know that the witches are toying with me, I must keep on fighting...

BATTLER: Nn, ...d, .........damn......

BERNKASTEL: .........What's wrong? You look unsatisfied. Did you already forget the anger you felt when your sister was turned into mincemeat......? That spectacle where she was torn to bits, ripped to pieces by countless red-hot pliers. Make sure you watch closely this time, okay......?

Bernkastel pointed the palm of her right hand upwards. ...As she did, a pale light gathered there, ......and some kind of blue-glowing crystal appeared there.

......A scene was reflected on its sharp surface, ...but it wasn't the scene that surrounded them now.

If you looked deep into that crystal, ......that Fragment, then you would probably learn what was reflected on there.

If you stared at it, then you could surely see that scene where Ange.........gave up everything after 12 years of her life to finally reach her beloved brother, ......only to have her entire body torn to bits while she was still alive. A scene of her death throes.

BATTLER: D, ......damn...you.........

Without thinking, he grabbed at her collar, but as soon as he touched that which made up her form, it disappeared like foam on the waves.

And then, as naturally as though she had been there from the beginning, Bernkastel was leaning against a distant wall.

BERNKASTEL: .........If you step down from the game, this will become not just a Fragment, but a definite reality. I won't be the one to create that future. You'll do it yourself. ......So decide, alright? Figure out what you want to do with your beloved little sister's future.

Battler's fists shook with anger, ......but even if he swung them down, he wouldn't be able to hit Bernkastel. This witch wouldn't even let someone pet her if she didn't wish for it, like a cat or a phantom.

And, ...she was telling the truth. For Ange's sake, I can't step down from this fight. Even if these unpleasant witches hijack the game board.

LAMBDADELTA: Ehheheheheh. That's just like you, Be~rn. You're even heartless when you threaten people. ...That's how it is, Battleer. You aren't allowed to step down from the game board. You and Beato are nothing more than pieces on the game board that exist to distract us from our boredom. ...Even your incomprehensible anger and irritation make for a wonderful treat to sate our boredom. Well this level of anger only makes for a cheap snack.

BERNKASTEL: .........Like those curry-flavored potato wafers that sell at 30 yen for a pair.

BOTH: *giggle*giggle*, ahhahahahahahaha...!!

BATTLER: Y, you damn......witches......

BERNKASTEL: .........*giggle*. Fight for Ange's sake, okay? And for Beato's too, right...?

In a way that was admonishing, ...or perhaps babying, ......and similar to the way something too sweet sometimes gives you a headache, Bernkastel tormented Battler and smiled.

At this point in time, the host of this tea party, Beato, was absent. ......The guest witches were already making themselves at home.

LAMBDADELTA: ...What'll you do, Ushiromiya Battleer? Will you surrender to fate...?

BATTLER: ..................

LAMBDADELTA: Just step down. You've had enough of being toyed with as a witch's piece, right? Eheheheh, it sure is tough being one of Bern's pieces. I'm sure she'll use you and throw you away just like she did with Ange. Geheheheheh!

BERNKASTEL: I'm not giving you the option of stepping down. ......Keep fighting for the sake of your sister's future. I'm your ally. Until you win, I'll support you so that you can reach that future...for all eternity, until I get bored. ......*giggle*giggle*.

I can't let her provocation and cajolery rile me up...... These witches know I get mad easily, and they're trying to take advantage of that...

Battler withstood it all, ......and finally relaxed his clenched fists.

BATTLER: .........If you want to start this 5th game of yours, ...then just do it. Do whatever you want.

LAMBDADELTA: Yes, I will do whatever I want. ......Hey, where are you goi~ng?

Even though Battler acknowledged this 5th game, he turned his back on them, which surprised Lambdadelta a bit.

BATTLER: If you're going to be Beato's substitute, ......then I'm sure that Bernkastel witch over there can be mine if she wants.

BERNKASTEL: .........Not a bad idea. Otherwise, this'll turn into a loss by default.

LAMBDADELTA: What the heck?! Are you gonna just ignore this Episode 5 that I put so much effort into making?! Rude, ruuude!

BERNKASTEL: ......Battler says he's going to take a break for a while. Until he comes back, I'll be the substitute player. How's that sound...? Battler...?

BATTLER: .........You do that.

LAMBDADELTA: ............

BERNKASTEL: ......What's wrong, Lambda? So, you'll refuse to play if it's against me instead of that fool Battler...?

LAMBDADELTA: Ehheheheheh!! Of course not♪ I'm glad I get to play with you, Be~rn! Come on, let's play, let's play! Let's play together in Lambdadelta-sama's super <hyper> and <cute> Episode 5~!

BERNKASTEL: .........Well, this really is a world that Beato created. You aren't going to ruin the atmosphere of the story, are you...?

LAMBDADELTA: Don't worry about that. I'm really good at reading between the lines for that sort of stuff. I made sure to use a Beato-ish atmosphere to make an even more interesting tale. Battler, make sure you come back as soon are your break's over, okay? It'd be a shame to miss this. I've prepared plenty of bonus hints that'll get him closer to Beato's secre~t♪ ...Is what it'll look like but I'll actually fill it with misdirection and make things more and more confusi~ng. Wait, hey, Battleer! Why aren't you listening when a witch is talking?!

Without answering, Battler disappeared into the darkness.