"So, what happened exactly in the last Round?" Luca asked.

Grandov returned his attention to him.

"You died way too quickly—I barely made it in time," Luca said.

His tone made it sound like he was apologizing, but Grandov felt more sorry. As a veteran Player, it was pretty disappointing how easily his character went down.

"We've severely underestimated the other side," Grandov said, clasping his hands and leaning in.

Luca blinked. "But we already knew they were strong; no Player has ever won this Game. And that they were suspicious of your identity as a Player."

Grandov sighed.

"It's worse than we thought. Far worse. They could've ended the Game days into a new Round—just like they did the last loop. That's the level of power they're working with. And if they truly knew who the Player was, there was no reason to drag it out this long. But they did."

"Why did they then?" Luca frowned.

"A hidden trump card? A desire to watch us squirm? Maybe to bait out more of our strategy?" Grandov shrugged. He lifted the porcelain cup and took a sip of the green tea.

Not bad.

He glanced at Lisa, who continued to flip through her book quietly.

Whatever the reason, the reality of just how tall a wall the Kobar side really was had been underestimated all this time. And that was with all Players knowing that Adovoria's Fall ranked in first place as the most difficult current Game to beat.

"We'll have to slightly shift strategies then," Luca muttered.

"Yes, you'll have to take extra care to remain hidden, as our side's wild card. And we'll have to shift how we tackle the Game," Grandov agreed.

He reached into his inventory and withdrew the weapon he'd recently bought from the Game Store, setting it on the table.

The metallic thunk drew Luca's eyes. He picked it up, examining the silver, sleek object. "What is this?"

He turned it and peered directly into the muzzle.

"Ah! Don't ever aim at anything you want to keep alive," Grandov reached over, taking it back.

Luca quickly retreated his hands. "What is it?"

"A mana-powered gun," Grandov explained. "I'll train you on how to use it properly, but to start here's how you hold it. See? This here is the trigger."

Grandov explained how the gun worked to Luca. If he was going to leave this dangerous weapon with him, it was best he ensure Luca didn't accidently cause a premature restart or blow off someone's head.

"It's quite popular in modern-style fantasy setting realms. It makes a common soldier almost as deadly as a mage."

He pressed a switch at the base of the grip and smoothly slid the magazine out. It was transparent crystal reinforced with steel, glowing faintly from within.

"Look," he said, tilting the magazine so Luca could see.

Inside were a dozen mana rounds. The bullets were encased in glimmering crystal shells, each one swirling with compressed, colored light. The mana inside shifted as if alive, like a living fire was dancing inside.

"Each bullet contains compressed mana," Grandov explained. "When fired, it releases on impact. Basic rounds like these just explode. They're clean and deadly. But some modifications result in vaporization or liquefaction."

Luca let out a low whistle, leaning closer to see the bullets. "And can anyone use this?"

"That's the beauty of it," Grandov said, sliding the magazine back in with a click. "It doesn't matter how large your mana core is. It just matters how well you can aim and shoot."

Luca raised a brow. "And if it's so great, why do I get the sense that you've never brought it out in Adovoria's Fall?"

Grandov let out a small, knowing laugh. "Because Adovoria—this realm—is based in a medieval fantasy setting. Pulling out tech like this is a classic rookie mistake. Sure, you'll earn a genius label. But you'll also earn a noose."

"A noose?" Luca asked.

"Player-killers," Grandov said.

The word landed with a weight that didn't suit the cozy interior of Lisa's Tea and Books. A distant clink of china came from Lisa's corner, but here at the table, it felt like the world had gone still.

"Demon slayers. Exorcists. Witch-hunters," Grandov went on, settling back into his stool with a soft creak. "Each realm's got a different name for them. Same purpose, though. They're the executioners for summons and summoners. They're a real pain."

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Luca's expression shifted from curiosity to mild discomfort.

"They're not always precise about it, either," Grandov continued, lowering his voice. "They don't care about whether someone is truly from another world or just different. Schizophrenia, epilepsy, speech disorders, even left-handedness in certain backward realms—anything unusual can be taken as 'evidence' of demonic possession."

He gazed down at his cup of tea. A single tea leaf floated in the center. In most realms, this was a superstitious sign of good luck. But some saw the opposite.

It all depended on the eye of the beholder and the faith of the realm.

"Whole lives destroyed over superstition. Most of the time, it's not even about demons," Grandov said. "It's about control. A jealous merchant whispers a rumor about a rival's daughter, and suddenly, a mob appears with pitchforks. Nobles pay them off to get rid of inconvenient mistresses, bastard children, or reformers. Half the time, it's just opportunism."

He took a sip, exhaling softly.

"But politics or not," he continued, "they're good at what they do. Frighteningly good. If they get even a whiff that you're from another world, they won't stop until you're burned, drowned, or cut down in the streets."

Luca's frown deepened. "But can they actually... kill you? I mean, really kill you? Not just your in-Game possession."

Grandov was quiet for a moment.

That was what weighed on Magdalena's mind. Not the death of a character, but the death of self.

"I don't know," he said finally. "There've always been rumors. Stories of Players vanishing—not logging out, not respawning. Just... gone. People say they died for real. However, there has never been solid proof. And most of the time, a Player disappearing means they chose to settle permanently in a realm."

He took another sip of tea, his gaze distant, the leaf in his cup now sunk to the bottom.

"I always thought the horror stories were just that—stories. Told to scare newbies in the forums." He paused. "But I'm not so sure anymore."

If NPCs can be cognisant of the Games and loops—something that was also considered a chat room myth—then it's hardly a stretch for real Player-killers to exist.

His gaze fell on Luca.

And an NPC gaining Player control mid-game is something that no forum chat has even considered possible.

Luca smiled. "And yet, despite the risks, here you are, pulling out forbidden tech?"

Grandov chuckled. It was a low, tired sound, but not without warmth.

Helping out Luca made this a worthy enough endeavor already. But, moreover, the prize that would be paid out if this impossible Game was beaten was well worth risking one's soul.

"Well, for starters, the gig is up," he said, voice lighter now. "Kobar's side already figured out I'm a Player. No point pretending otherwise with that lot."

Luca nodded in understanding.

"And as for the rest," Grandov continued, "I've got a decent cover. Didn't you say your younger sister and that other kid in your house made those fireworks a few rounds back?"

Grandov still remembered the gut-wrenching feeling of seeing those explode overhead, far too similar to the invention of that one madman.

Luca grinned. "Yes, my sister is a well-known genius when it comes to explosions and other inventions. Her works already guarantee the Frey Manor a healthy profit. Two rounds back, her fireworks were extremely popular with several nations."

I bet. This realm sure loves war.

"She's twelve, right?" Grandov asked.

"Yes," Luca replied.

What a terrifying child. But I'm grateful to have her on our side.

"Perfect," Grandov said. "If she already has a reputation, it gives us the perfect excuse when she 'invents' the mana gun. Hopefully, she can figure out how to manufacture the thing too. Buying the guns and ammo from the Game Store will get expensive, fast."

"She might," Luca said, inspecting the weapon again but much more delicately. "Leo's not as well-known as she is, but he's a genius when it comes to reverse engineering. I'm sure he'll be able to work out how this gun functions and tweak it so it fits our realm's rules."

Grandov smiled.

Luca Frey really is key to beating this Game. He wasn't just promising—he was pivotal.

"Good," Grandov said, leaning forward. "In that case, I have more inventions I'll purchase and provide your family with to be reverse-engineered. I'll try to get the blueprints when I can. They're cheaper in the long run and safer than stockpiling ammo."

He reached into a pocket and slid over the Ring of Boundless Bloom.

"Ah, and here's the ring. I picked it up on my way back from the mountain," Grandov said.

"Thanks, Jarvis will appreciate it," Luca replied, pocketing the ring along with the mana gun.

Grandov chuckled. "I'm the one who is thankful. If it helps your brother solve the famines that plague the continent, it's well worth it."

The infection of the land had spread far and wide across the continent. And with it, crops suffered, and food scarcity was still a widespread issue. Due to this, ordinary people were malnourished—and this played a significant role in how well the various nations fared against the Kobar Empire's expansion.

To fight, people need strength. And for sufficient strength, they needed nutritious food.

"Until my sister and Leo can produce a mana gun, how will you fare?" Luca asked.

"Don't worry about that." Grandov shrugged. "I may be concerned about getting caught by other Player-killers, but if I get into a tussle again with the Kobar side, I won't hold anything back. I won't cause you to restart prematurely again. So don't die on me either."

He winked.

"I won't," Luca replied with a smile. "I plan to lay low for the next couple dozen Rounds as I get myself and those around me properly leveled up."

Grandov nodded. That was the same plan from the prior Round; Grandov would carry the Game while Luca worked in secret to set the conditions for a proper victory.

"I'd better get going." Grandov stood up from his stool.

"I'll communicate with you the rest of the Round through the System and Princess Evelyn once you're appointed to your new position in The Order," Luca said.

"Till next time," Grandov replied.

But before he left, he summoned the Character Checker on Luca.

[ Character Checker (Level 15) in progress for Luca Frey. ]

[ Age: 19

Occupation: None

Title: Conjurer of Unreal Realities

Level: 19 ]

[ Abilities: Error in processing update ]

Tsk. There's still the same issue of not being able to see his skills.

[ Strength : 4

Dexterity : 47

Perception : 79

Intelligence : 111

Charisma : 34

Mana : 2

Sanity : -2 ]

Strength and mana were quite miserable, but Grandov was pleased to see that the rest of the stats had improved. Especially Intelligence.

I guess he hasn't had as much trauma hacking away at his memory.

Grandov smiled.

When he first met Luca at the Royal Bar back in Round 67, the young man had been barely coherent. A negative Sanity score in the triple digits, eyes hollow from sleepless nights and drunken spirals. Back then, Luca Frey was more of a liability than the key to winning this Game that the System suggested he was.

Unfortunately, getting him cleaned up and stabilized came at a rather heavy price. Not just to Grandov's pockets, but to Luca's memory.

His tragedies, his regrets, his victories—stripped away to glue back together his shattered mind.

That was the trade.

But, to walk the path of a fool… is better than to remember the road of madness.

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