Fujimaru Ritsuka: A Blockhead Like You Would Lose Affection Points in a Gal Game

"Perhaps this unchanging scenery over thousands of years is the reason why Adele and the others' parents chose to resist it—"

While maintaining the status quo and lying down is fine, before life wears down our edges, we always yearn for a better life.

Gwen agreed.

Have life worn down your edges?

Mash blinked. Having lived in Chaldea all her life, she had never seen those numb people in society and couldn't quite understand Gwen's words.

"Um."

Gwen explained—

"After all the troubles are resolved, Mash, you should be able to understand this very quickly once you go to normal human society."

Although I once longed for a better future and a more exciting life, perhaps because of the mundane realities of daily life, or perhaps because my attempts at change were met with setbacks, I gave up on striving for more and only sought to maintain my current lifestyle.

Although it's not perfect, it's beyond reproach.

After all, only by living can one have the right to pursue life and the future.

"Hmm..."

Hearing these somewhat difficult words, Mash nodded slightly, but judging from her hesitant expression, she clearly still couldn't fully understand.

"Okay, let's stop thinking about these unpleasant topics."

Gwen rubbed the little eggplant's head, ending the topic and moving on to another, more somber one—

"I can sense that you are under a lot of pressure."

"..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka blinked, tacitly agreeing with Gwen's words.

"Because of the destruction of the Lostbelt?"

"Gwen asked."

"Um..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded slightly.

"Although I know it's necessary, destroying someone else's world under the guise of saving the world... doesn't feel good."

"Um...

Should I say I'm relieved about this?

Gwen laughed.

"After going through so much, you still maintain this simple kindness."

Fujimaru Ritsuka scratched his head awkwardly upon hearing this, and was about to say something when Gwen interrupted him again—

However, there may be some misconceptions that need to be corrected—

Meeting two pairs of slightly bewildered eyes, Gwen said seriously—

"Firstly, it was not you who destroyed those worlds, but Human Order, or rather, the world itself—"

Different parallel worlds emerge in order to explore a more hopeful future.

When these Lostbelt deviate significantly enough to warrant pruning, they are abandoned by the worlds that gave birth to them.

To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy, the Lostbelt we see now are like living dead who have been given a death notice and should have died a thousand years ago, but are still lingering in the world because of the Fantasy Tree and other reasons. They have become a virus in the world as a whole.

It is not you who will destroy them, but the world itself.

Moreover, judging from the fact that Earth's Erasure, they destroyed an Earth that had developed normally, overcome various difficulties, and survived to the 21st century with difficulty and good fortune, all for their own survival.

Killing an innocent person is wrong, but killing a murderer is called acting bravely for a just cause and eliminating a scourge for the people.

Secondly, don't assume that the Lostbelt will last forever just because you don't come.

"Ah?"

Ritsuka and Mash, who had been feeling a mix of emotions, were both taken aback.

Although Lostbelt have their own problems, it seems that it wouldn't be impossible for them to continue if Chaldea hadn't intervened.

"Oh..."

Gwen chuckled—

"The Fantasy Tree was sent by the Alien God. Think about it carefully. Did the Alien God send down the Fantasy Tree just to destroy the Pan-Human History and allow a few Lostbelt that are not even as good as the Pan-Human History to continue?"

Lostbelt are merely tools, talismans, and human shields; they are not the beneficiaries.

Look at the Fantasy Tree in the sky, how much magic has it absorbed?

And look at the city beneath our feet, how much energy does it consume?

It is said that the Fantasy Tree continues the Lostbelt, Lostbelt nurtures the Fantasy Tree, but when the Fantasy Tree matures, will the Alien God that descends need the Lostbelt?

Ha... just a bunch of worthless wretch clinging to life.

"..."

Hearing Gwen say that this was very likely the truth, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

Then, before the two could speak, Gwen had already turned back to look at them. A gentle breeze stirred the hem of his robes, bringing a chill to Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash.

"And finally, you may already understand, but because of your kindness you're unwilling to accept it, let me be the villain and spell it out—"

Saving the world is no easy task; sometimes we can't even save one person, but—that's never a reason for us to give up easily.

Chapter 624 Fujimaru Ritsuka: Your wooden-like behavior will lower your favorability in visual novels.

The words spoken in a soft voice struck Fujimaru Ritsuka's heart like a heavy hammer, shattering all her attempts to avoid the issue and resonating in her mind like a resounding bell.

A gentle breeze from the rooftop ruffled her bangs, bringing a slight chill that forced Fujimaru Ritsuka to confront the Gwen spoke of—a reality she had indeed come to understand but had been unwilling to face for various reasons.

"Call..."

After staring at Gwen for a long time, Fujimaru Ritsuka let out a long breath, a troubled look appearing on the girl's pretty face.

"As expected, even if I knew it, hearing you say it still feels awful..."

Seemingly relieved, yet also somewhat troubled, the girl casually ripped off her hair tie and began to comb her hair, which was somewhat disheveled due to the previous conflicts.

"Unfortunately, this is the reality, and reality is never beautiful."

Seeing that the girl's emotions were relatively stable, but she still seemed somewhat troubled, Gwen sighed softly, his gaze drifting away to the distant city, which looked almost like a carbon copy.

"What you are doing is not saving one or two people, but saving the world. This means not only glory and hope, but also a heavy responsibility that can crush a person."

Moreover, even when rescuing a person who has been kidnapped or held hostage, we would need to consider eliminating the kidnappers; how much more so when it comes to saving the world?

"Of course I understand..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka re-tied her hair, but because of the wind on the rooftop, her hair was even more disheveled than before. She took two steps forward, leaned against the rooftop railing, and gazed at the distant city.

"For those innocent people who lost everything without knowing anything, for those who helped us along the way, for those who sacrificed for this cause, for all of us who have done this..."

I will continue without hesitation—absolutely.

As she finished speaking, the girl tilted her head slightly, and something like a flame seemed to flicker in her Amber eyes.

"Yes, I believe in your resolve."

Gwen gently patted the girl's shoulder and whispered words of encouragement.

"Shouldn't you lend me your shoulder at a time like this, senior?"

In visual novels, this is an option that significantly increases affection level.

Feeling the weight of the hand resting on her shoulder, Fujimaru Ritsuka pursed her lips and forced a smile.

"This is reality, not some galgame or bishoujo game."

Gwen lightly flicked the forehead of the girl who didn't want to talk about the topic anymore, but he also unceremoniously pulled her into his arms, allowing her to temporarily escape the biting wind from the rooftop.

Withdrawing his hand from the girl's forehead, Gwen also unceremoniously pulled over the somewhat dumbfounded little eggplant—

"Alright, Mash, stop watching. Let's take a break during this rare moment of peace."

"Huh?"

I also?"

Mash was caught off guard, but she didn't resist. She simply nestled in Gwen's arms, her pretty face flushed.

"Ugh... my heart is beating so fast..."

Is this what it feels like to be close to a boy?

How strange...

However, before the eggplant could even begin to conjure up any thoughts that would make her blush and faint, the girl's increasingly soft body suddenly trembled slightly, and she broke free from Gwen's gentle embrace.

"What's wrong?"

Gwen and Fujimaru Ritsuka looked over together, only to see Mash, her face flushed, trying to put on a serious expression as she spoke—

"It's a communication from Storm Bord. Perhaps Da Vinci and Miss Shion have some experimental matters to discuss with us."

"Then let's connect and listen. If they're in any danger, I can go and rescue them."

Gwen nodded.

Soon, with a flash of light and shadow, the figure of Little Da Vinci appeared in front of the three people standing side by side.

"This is Da Vinci, Ritsuka, Mash, can you hear me?"

As soon as the call connected, the Little Da Vinci waved enthusiastically in greeting.

"Dear Da Vinci, this is Mash Kyrielight. Communication is stable and the signal is normal. We can begin communicating."

Mash checked the signal and replied after confirming that there was no problem.

"Yes, yes, we've received the gifts you sent back. They've truly delighted almost all of us..."

Little Da Vinci made no attempt to hide his joy, and said with a smile to Gwen and the other two on the other end of the communication.

"Don't talk about me like I'm some kind of gift delivered to your door in a package, Da Vinci!"

Dr. Roman's dissatisfied complaints came from the side.

"Oh dear, they're all pretty much the same. Do you need me to rush-make a gift box for you, Romani?"

Little Da Vinci's face was full of cunning and malice.

"That's really unnecessary."

Dr. Roman's voice, several octaves lower, almost made one imagine him shrinking back.

"Whee..."

With a grin, Little Da Vinci glanced at Dr. Roman, who was quickly adapting to his new environment, then looked at the other end of the communication line and said seriously—

"In short, on behalf of all the staff of Chaldea, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Gwen for enabling Roman to return to Chaldea."

"You're too kind."

Gwen smiled and accepted the thanks with a matter of course.

As for whether the return of Dr. Roman, the former acting director, would cause any trouble for the new director, Gordolf Gwen believed that Dr. Roman and Little Da Vinci would handle this minor but significant potential problem properly.

The next moment, the light and shadow in front of Gwen and the other two suddenly multiplied into two frames on the same screen, and a delicate purple figure joined the communication—

"Alright, let's get down to business—"

Shion casually stroked his twin ponytails, looking somewhat impatient, and said.

"Ah, it's Miss Shion."

Has the communication been established?

Upon seeing this figure that was gradually becoming familiar, Mash immediately exclaimed with delight.

"It's a minor issue..."

"It's so good to see you're all safe and sound, Mash, Ritsuka."

The pretty girl smiled mischievously, greeted Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka, and then her gaze fell on Gwen, who was standing between the two of them.

"I suppose this must be Gwen?"