Arc-5 Ch-01

"Good morning, Master."

When I opened my eyes, a metallic red eyeball was staring at me. You again, huh?

Every time this thing shows up, it’s a guaranteed nightmare, so I’d rather not see it.

What even is this thing? Each time we meet, its attitude is a little different, so I can’t figure out what it wants from me.

For some reason, it’s overly familiar, calling me "Master" like we’re buddies.

I don’t recall ever keeping a weird pet like this. When I tried to sit up, something felt off. It was like I was floating—weightless—and my body felt strange. My outline was translucent, and I wasn’t even sure if I still had a human shape. And where the hell am I?

There’s no ground, just this sensation of floating in light—or maybe falling into darkness. All I can make out is this floating eyeball and a massive door.

There’s nothing else here—probably not even light—but somehow, I can perceive the eyeball and the door, and it’s driving me insane.

"Long time no see, Eyeball."

"I believe this is our first meeting, as far as my memory serves."

"I saw you in a nightmare before. I don’t know if that eyeball was you exactly. You all look the same, so I can’t tell the difference."

"I see. That must be my parallel counterpart. If a parallel version of you exists, it’s not unreasonable to assume I’d have one too."

"Don’t just come to your own conclusions. Explain it so I can understand."

"Very well, allow me to introduce myself. I am Luxion, the artificial intelligence of an immigrant transport ship built by the old humanity."

"The last one I met said the same thing. But you seem easier to talk to than that guy."

"I’m flattered. But why is Master here?"

"More importantly, where is this place?"

"The space we currently occupy is the Land of the Dead."

"…Come again?"

"I detected faint traces of Leon Fou Bartfort, whom I registered as my Master, and prioritizing your protection brought us here."

I have no idea what it’s talking about. The Land of the Dead? What’s that supposed to mean? Am I dead? No, it wouldn’t be surprising if I died a long time ago. I’ve lost count of how many times I nearly died in wars or battles.

But a refined lady like Angie marrying a guy like me? That was always too good to be true. Everything up until now was just an illusion I saw while on the brink of death! Becoming a viscount! Marrying a duke’s daughter! Having kids! It was all a dream!

Hahaha!

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

…Like hell I’m accepting that!

I finally thought I’d survived, and now you’re telling me my entire life was just the delusional fantasy of a half-dead loser? No way I’m buying that! I’m definitely going back to the world where Angie and my kids are waiting for me!

"No way! I’m not staying in a place like this! I’m going back!"

"Please don’t make a fuss, Master. I’ll explain everything, so let’s calm down."

"Calm down? How am I supposed to stay calm?! I don’t want to die! My life plan was to retire early, live happily with Angie, and die surrounded by my kids and grandkids! That’s the only ending I’ll accept!"

"…Indeed, you are not the same Leon Fou Bartfort I registered as my Master."

The metallic orb swayed side to side, almost like a human shaking their head in exasperation.

"Is this because your Master died?"

"This is merely speculation, but during the final battle with the Voldenova Holy Magic Empire, my Master died. At that moment, it’s likely that your memories and sensations became linked with his as parallel counterparts."

"Speculation? ‘Likely’? You’re not exactly inspiring confidence here."

"Even with my full computational capacity, there’s insufficient data to establish a definitive theory regarding the concept of death or the existence of souls. I would greatly appreciate your cooperation to reach a conclusion."

This thing’s starting to say some dangerous stuff. I’m not some lab rat to keep dying over and over.

"First of all, why am I in the Land of the Dead? Don’t tell me I just died in my sleep."

"This place transcends time and space. The dead retain their egos as they were in life, but your existence here is extremely faint."

"Yeah, my body’s all translucent, while you’re crystal clear."

"Have you ever had a near-death experience or been on the brink of death?"

"I’ve nearly died more times than I can count."

"The resurrection magic used on my Master was designed to fully revive the dead. However, you survived despite suffering near-fatal injuries. Your presence here is, in essence, a remnant of your soul."

"So, what, my soul slipped out while I was sleeping?"

"According to recorded myths, deities of sleep and death are often closely related. There are also documented cases of individuals entering a trance-like state during sleep."

Come to think of it, the dreams where I saw this thing always came when I was mentally exhausted and fell into a deep sleep. After nearly dying so many times, it wouldn’t be surprising if my soul started slipping out when I’m worn out.

"Due to the simultaneous presence of a parallel counterpart of Leon Fou Bartfort in the Land of the Dead, a self-contradiction paradox likely triggered a sharing of memories and sensations."

"I don’t get it. This is driving me crazy."

I can barely understand half of what it’s saying. The Land of the Dead is already hard enough to believe, and now it’s telling me there’s another me out there? It’s enough to make me lose it.

"Let me ask you: in your dreams, did you fight a duel?"

"…Yeah, I did. I fought Prince Julius for Angies sake."

"Next question: in your dreams, which women were close to you?"

"Angie, Olivia-sama, the Queen, and some pink-blonde chick were there. The guy who looked like you said I had over ten wives."

"Then it’s reasonable to conclude your senses are linked with my Master’s. This is quite fortunate."

Its voice sounded almost pleased as it muttered that. Not a mechanical monotone, but a voice with real emotion. If the Land of the Dead is a place only those with souls can reach, it’s not surprising this thing might have one.

"Was my Master happy?"

"I don’t know. He became a king, but apparently, he rarely gets to go back to his country. He’s got a ton of wives and kids, but he mentioned never even meeting some of his babies. Thanks to a capable queen like Angie and competent subordinates, he seems to be managing."

"That’s very much like my Master. Probably making things worse by taking on more than he can handle."

The way it trembled slightly almost looked like it was laughing. At the very least, this thing wasn’t the same one that attacked the kingdom.

"Thank you for updating me on my Master’s situation."

"I don’t know the details, though."

"Even information you consider worthless is valuable to me. It seems my Master is the same as ever. That’s reassuring."

"Me, a king? What the hell would I have to do to end up like that?"

"My Master became an adventurer and succeeded in activating me. After enrolling in the academy, he fought a duel with Julius and achieved great feats in the war against the Fanoss Duchy, marrying Angelica and Olivia. Later, he intervened in the Alzer Republic’s civil war, brought the Sacred Tree’s priestess, Noelle, to the kingdom, and seized political initiative. He suppressed anti-kingdom nobles and fought against the Rachel Holy Kingdom and the Voldenova Holy Magic Empire."

"…How many years did all that take? Sounds like a decade’s worth of work."

"I accompanied my Master for roughly three years."

"How many lives would I have to live to pull that off?! A poor noble’s second son becoming a king? That’s ridiculous!"

"My Master was elevated to the rank of duke. To unite the kingdom’s nobles during the war with the empire, he had to take the throne."

"All I can see is him being saddled with a thankless job…"

"His greatest supporter was the Redgrave family. Angelica’s contributions made the peaceful transfer of the throne possible without significant unrest."

"…It did seem like Angie, as queen, was the one running things."

So, Angie turned me into a king? My wife is terrifying. But that wasn’t the thing that bothered me most. In my world, there was a war with the Fanoss Duchy. The Alzer Republic is in shambles from civil strife. The Forest of Ladies was recently crushed by Prince Julius and his group.

If that’s the case, what’s waiting for us next is a war with the Rachel Holy Kingdom and the Voldenova Holy Magic Empire.

"In my world, the Forest of Ladies was just taken down by Prince Julius and his men, and Angie and the others were kidnapped. Does that mean the next thing coming is a war with the Holy Kingdom?"

"I cannot say for certain. In our world, Angelica’s kidnapping happened when Master was in his first year, orchestrated by the Fanoss Duchy. In his third year, Dorothea was attacked by sky pirates. After that, the Forest of Ladies staged a coup, and Jenna and Finley were kidnapped. There’s also a gap of nearly five years regarding the fall of the Fanoss Duchy."

"So, you’re saying it’s unclear when—or even if—a war will happen."

"Master’s knowledge primarily revolved around Olivia and the war with the Fanoss Duchy. Based on my speculation, your world is likely one where I didn’t intervene, and Olivia rose to prominence as the Saintess."

I don’t get all this talk about “correct history” or “world transitions.”

Past lives? Otome games? Old humanity? It’s giving me a fever just thinking about it.

If this conversation goes on any longer, my brain’s going to explode.

"If you’re anxious, I propose activating my counterpart in your world."

"Your counterpart in my world?"

"My combat capabilities far surpass the military strength of the Holfort Kingdom, founded by the new humanity. Eliminating Master’s concerns would be a trivial matter."

It’s true—the power I saw in my dream was insane. The ship I was on in that dream sank an entire kingdom fleet, and the armor I piloted in the duel easily smashed the royal family’s armor. With that kind of power, I could probably win any war.

But it’s terrifying.

Even the armor is a weapon strong enough to crush humans like bugs. A battleship that can obliterate armor, wipe out fleets, and burn entire countries to the ground? I don’t want to mess with something like that. Especially after seeing that ducal airship—with Angie on board—charging at me full of hatred.

That kind of power would make countless people hate me. Sure, I’m a soldier, a commander leading troops. But the battlefield isn’t some lawless zone where anything goes. Massacring soldiers and burning countries is something only a storybook demon lord would do.

"I’ll pass. Even if I had that kind of power, I wouldn’t know what to do with it."

"There is no surer path to victory than a preemptive strike with overwhelming force."

"I’m not a butcher or a dictator. I’d rather no one had to die."

"My Master often said the same thing. But standing by and observing the situation frequently led to things getting worse, which was frustrating I grited my teeth"

"You don’t even have teeth."

"It’s a figure of speech. Picking apart conversations was also one of my Master’s traits. It’s strange—you’re both a different person from my Master, Leon Fou Bartfort, and yet you are Leon Fou Bartfort."

"Thanks, I guess."

Being compared to some legendary hero-king doesn’t exactly thrill me. I’m a coward and a wimp—just an ordinary guy who wants to stumble through life carefully and make my wife and kids happy. As long as my family can live happily, that’s enough for me.

"However, I recommend preparing for unforeseen circumstances. Part of your soul is connected to this world. You are far too close to the concept of death."

"Maybe that’s why I hate battlefields and death so much. But that’s none of your business. I want to live a life that suits me."

"Even if your family is put in danger?"

"…"

What a low blow.

It’s true—I couldn’t stop Zora’s attack, and the rescue only succeeded because of Prince Julius and the others. I’m a weak, clumsy nobody. My abilities are limited, and the range of what I can protect is small. But just handing me the power to destroy a country out of nowhere? That’s too much. If I got cocky with that kind of power and messed up, no one could stop me.

"Why are you so invested in helping me? Is there some ulterior motive?"

"My top priority is protecting the life of my Master, Leon Fou Bartfort. As a parallel counterpart, you fall under that directive as well."

"Thanks, I guess."

"It’s also a token of gratitude for updating me on my Master’s situation. Our conversation has been highly beneficial. Some of the information was mildly unpleasant, but overall, it’s acceptable."

As it said that, a rectangular panel appeared in the air. Looking closely, it displayed a map of our world, with one spot blinking.

"My main body lies dormant in a facility at this location. If you approach, magnetic disturbances will occur, and a transfer device directly beneath will activate. It wouldn’t hurt to keep that in mind."

"I’d rather not end up in a situation where I have to rely on you."

"Enduring long periods of solitude makes one question their purpose. Learning that my counterpart in your world is sleeping alone caused a slight lag in my processing circuits. Is this what humans call loneliness?"

"You’re a lonely one, huh?"

It’s kind of pathetic for something like that to feel lonely. Still, I guess I should be grateful for the useful info. As my mind scrambled to process everything, I started feeling sleepy, and my body’s outline grew fainter. Like in the previous dream, if I lose consciousness, I’ll probably get sent somewhere.

"Looks like time’s up. Thanks for explaining all that."

"No matter. My priority is Master’s happiness."

I wonder what kind of guy the me this thing served was like. Probably stronger, kinder, and a total lady-killer. I’m a little jealous.

"One last request."

"What?"

"Could you call me by my name?"

What a sentimental request.

"Alright. See ya, Luxion."

"Farewell. Until we meet again."

"I’m not planning on dying anytime soon!"

As we bantered, my body’s outline faded completely.

As my existence grew faint, I lost consciousness.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

What a weird dream. It felt so real, and all these unfamiliar words kept popping up. Aren’t dreams supposed to come from the dreamer’s memories?

Why were there so many strange terms? Is my head okay?

I might be more exhausted than I thought. Yawning, I glanced around the bed and saw Angie and the twins sleeping soundly.

After tucking them in, I got out of bed and approached the window. The horizon was tinged red. Dawn’s coming soon. The manor’s servants will probably start waking up and getting to work. I got up too early—there’s still a while until breakfast.

I’d love to crawl back into bed, cuddle Angie, and catch some more sleep, but with the kids there, that’s not happening. I’m a responsible dad, after all. I can’t exactly sneak in some slightly naughty cuddling with Angie while the kids might wake up at any moment.

But I’m not the kind of guy who’s diligent enough to start work first thing in the morning either. Guess I’ll take a walk outside to clear my head. A nice long stroll should make me hungry by breakfast time.

I quietly changed, left the room, and slipped into the storage room by the entrance to grab a coat, shoes, gloves, and winter gear before sneaking out of the manor. Now that I’ve got a noble title, the servants come to wake me up, but when I was a kid, I was always up early.

We were poor nobles who had to work the fields to eat. Farmwork started before dawn and finished before breakfast, then mornings were for studying or training, and afternoons were back to farmwork. That was my routine until I joined the military, and even then, wake-up times were strict, so I’m used to early mornings.

Plus, I don’t mind views like this. The freezing winter air that chills your lungs is perfect for shaking off sleepiness. As I walked slowly along the unpaved road, I thought about the future.

Zora’s dead, and Merce and Rutart are probably going to be executed in the capital. Our family issues are sorted, so I just need to focus on managing the territory, but it’s not that simple. Angie’s family, the Redgraves, are at odds with the Holfort royal family.

If things keep going like this, the two factions will clash, and it’ll lead to civil war. The duke, who’s clearly overestimating me, seems to think he can throw his son-in-law into the fray if things escalate. Sorry, but I’ve got no intention of doing that—not out of loyalty to the royal family, but because I don’t have the money or the manpower.

The kingdom’s nobles are exhausted from two wars with the Fanoss Duchy. If we don’t quietly focus on managing our territories, we’ll starve before we can even think about power struggles. So many houses lost their heads or heirs in the wars. Most nobles and citizens just want peace, at least until things stabilize.

Angie and the Queen are working on some kind of plan, but I’m not optimistic. Trying to preach “let’s stop fighting because lives and money are precious” from a safe distance sounds like empty idealism.

The fastest, simplest way to resolve conflict is violence. No matter how many words you string together, a single bullet can change everything. If the royal family and the duke’s faction don’t reconcile and it turns into civil war, it’ll end up as a political mess. I thought back to the dream again.

“We fought the Rachel Holy Kingdom and the Voldenova Holy Magic Empire.”

That’s what it said. If that dream was true, we might end up at war with the Holy Kingdom or the Empire. Heck, preparations for that might already be underway. The kingdom’s still licking its wounds from the last war, and now we’re starting to fracture internally when we should be uniting against external threats. There’s no way a backwater upstart like me can do anything about this.

Just thinking about it is driving me crazy. So much for a refreshing morning walk—now I’m just depressed. I should’ve gone back to bed or teased Angie instead. My sigh turned white in the cold air and faded away.

I’d walked quite a bit without realizing it. The crunch of frost under my boots had turned into the feel of brick. Looking around, I realized I was on a promenade near the hot spring town. Since I’m here, I might as well visit the war memorial before heading back. I tried to clear my mind as I headed toward it.

A lot of people died in that war. There are always flowers placed at the memorial. I’m a pretty shady lord, turning people’s grief into a tourism gimmick. I’m definitely going to hell. When I reached the memorial, someone was kneeling in front of it, offering a silent prayer. Blue-tinted hair and an obviously expensive overcoat. It was a face I knew well.

┳━━━━━━━━━┳

Author’s Note

┻━━━━━━━━━┻

This is the introduction to Part 5.

For a while, the focus will be on interactions between Leon, Angie, and the Five Idiots. Luxion’s appearance was inspired by the approaching release of the novel’s final volume, which put me in a bit of a melancholic mood. Part 5 will have more humor and battle scenes as a reaction to Part 4. The policy prop

osals Angie and Mylene are working on are still a secret for now.

I’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts to keep me motivated moving forward!