A Wild Last Boss App Chapter 3

Nations in "X-gate online"—basically players with influence—were allowed to construct a stronghold for their guild.

The most popular choice was a castle, but there were no particular restrictions on what appearance it could take.

A rare few took on the shape of shrines and temples, and one particular stronghold was even designed after a coffee shop.

While it's hard to imagine a coffee shop serving as the heart of a nation, it was something made possible within the game.

And from the innumerous options, the design I chose was a tower.

In no time, I had fallen into a trance and was fully exploiting the customization system.

The tower was redesigned every time our influence expanded. By borrowing the minds of players who had a better eye for art, the "Tower of Mafahl" eventually became one of the most awe-inspiring structures of the game.

"…though it's abandoned… it's still so… breathtaking."

But as you would expect, after a period of two hundred years, the inside of the tower became layered in dust. Nevertheless, the beautiful designs that decorated the skyscraper's interior peeked out from under the grime. As I walked straight ahead, a cracked, yet impressive crimson throne came into view.

The shattered windows were once beautiful stained glass.

Poking a finger into a crack that ran along the wall, I recall the joyful memories made in this room.

Everyone was here with me.

Here, we discussed how we would increase our influence. This was the site where we made an oath as guild members and considered our future expeditions.

We made merry deep into the night, drowning ourselves in wine…

…wait a second, why do I recall these memories as if I was there in person? Ruphas was the one who drank wine in-game—not me.

I simply watched through my puter screen, right?

What am I even reminiscing about in the first place?

It was only days ago that I split my territory into two parts. It's way too soon to start getting nostalgic about anything.

Shoot, there's a possibility my memories may be merging with Ruphas's.

I'm going to end up mistaking the game for reality if this continues.

I'm having a hard time distinguishing between the two even now.

Besides—

"How strange. This should be my first time seeing this in person, but it somehow feels so nostalgic. I feel a sense of security by just being here."

Nostalgia wells up in my chest.

It was as if I had returned home after a journey around the world.

A mysterious feeling.

Am I going crazy?

Or is my consciousness really merging with Ruphas's?

It's impossible to know right now.

"…hm?"

My voice slipped out in surprise.

Here, where none other than myself was permitted entry, a sound resounded through the room.

I directed my line of sight towards the source of the sound.

There, a young girl I didn't recognize stood before me.

She possessed pale blue hair the color of the sea plimented by her marine blue eyes. Her simple, white clothing lightly wrapped around her smooth, snow white skin. Moreover, her facial features were stunning.

…an unfamiliar face.

At the very least, she wasn't among guild members I gave permission to step foot on the very highest floor of the tower.

Who is she? And why is she here?

"—Ruphas-sama! Aren't you Ruphas Mafahl-sama?"

Calling out my name, she ran to me and gripped my hands tightly with her own.

Just the sincere smile plastered across her face was enough to express just how blessed she thought she was to witness my return.

Sadly, I don't recognize her at all.

"Who… are you?"

"Ho-How cruel! Have you already forgotten me? Forgotten about Dina, your most loyal advisor? I've been waiting 200 years in this tower for your return, you know!?"

Dina? Advisor?

What is this girl saying?

In place of an advisor, I instead had my guild members. And even then, none of them were named Dina. I never did have a designated advisor to begin with.

Not to even mention a young girl named Dina…

……

—no, she existed.

That's right, I remember now.

When I first built the stronghold, I decorated the tower with various ornamental objects, and among them, I faintly recall positioning an NPC with the appearance of a young girl.

Yup, characters were also included in the decorations for a stronghold.

They simply paced aimlessly about the chamber that they were assigned to. Their only purpose was to add more depth to the background, but I had gone out of my way to place one anyways.

It was merely because I had thought a stronghold without even a single mob would be a bit too lonely for my taste. Although I had pletely forgotten its existence before long, it seems I had named it something along the lines of "Ruphas's Advisor" and given it a strange backstory.

However, she had no real offensive powers and frankly, she was just another ornament not even worth taking note of. Before I knew it, she became another part of the background.

And that girl, out of her own free will, chose to spend the span of 200 years of her life waiting for my return?

Regardless of whether I remembered her or not?

She had remained faithful to the role I granted her and continued to stay here, alone?

"Ah, I see… I remember now. Forgive me, Dina. To forget an existence as important as yours… something must be wrong with me."

This is not a game.

It struck me how naive my attitude towards this world had been up until now.

If I continued to treat this world as a game, I could ruin the lives of thousands.

Forgetting an NPC in a game would just result in a couple seconds of confusion.

However, doing the same with a person with genuine emotions is an unforgivable insult to their existence.

"I mend you for your services. You have done well to protect this place during my absence, Dina."

"I—I am unworthy of such praise!"

I will never again think of her as an "ornament in the shape of a human