“Zodiac’s next target is said to be the most beautiful woman in this town.”
“……”
“It’s you, isn’t it?”
“……”
“……”
After that, a long silence followed.
‘What the hell did I just say?’
Just confess your love, you idiot, especially after what happened yesterday…
I was so out of it that I blamed myself for saying something so stupid…
‘But wait. It’s not like I said anything wrong.’
I soon convinced myself of what I had said.
Honestly, Emma was indeed the prettiest in this town.
The few village maidens were plain, and among the new settlers, there were no beautiful women either.
The only one who could compare was Sophia? But she’s not my type.
Rize? She’s pretty, but she’s just a kid.
In the end, the most obvious target for Zodiac was Emma.
As I was nodding to myself, sitting in front of Emma’s log cabin, that’s when it happened.
“…Hmph.”
Whether she was amused or just found it ridiculous.
From behind the door, I heard Emma’s soft laughter.
When she laughs after being angry, it usually means it’s all over.
Sensing that Emma’s heart had softened a bit, I stayed silent for a moment before speaking.
“…I’m sorry.”
“…For what?”
“I still can’t accept your feelings.”
I will definitely go home.
That thought hasn’t changed once since I arrived in this damn Wild West.
If last night I had held Emma and truly shared love with her… I wouldn’t see her as just an NPC anymore.
Then I would never forget her, and even after returning to reality, I would think about her for the rest of my life.
…I didn’t want that.
If that happened, even after leaving, the ghost of this damn Wild West game would haunt me until I died.
So I couldn’t accept her feelings.
…I couldn’t hold her.
“I told you before. I have a place I need to go. You said you’d follow me, but… you can’t come there. Absolutely not.”
“……”
“That’s why. I can’t hold you. …Because if I do, I’ll keep thinking about you even after I leave.”
By now, I had pretty much told Emma everything that was on my mind.
Emma seemed to sense it too, staying quiet for a long time before speaking softly, almost to herself.
“…Yesterday was my first time. Did you know?”
“What? The kiss?”
“…If you put it so bluntly… *sigh*… Yes. …It was my first time.”
“I thought so. You were licking like a puppy, it was really cute.”
“…You trash.”
“I said that to turn you off, but did it work a little?”
“No.”
There are two reasons why I act like a brat in this world.
First, because the people here are NPCs.
Since they’re not human, I don’t need to be polite and can act however I want without any consequences.
Second…
If I act like a brat, I won’t get attached to the people here.
If I ever leave this place, I don’t want to have any regrets, so I shouldn’t form deep relationships with anyone.
But four years ago, I carelessly hired a female NPC as my secretary in this town, and she keeps saying she likes me.
No matter how much I act like a brat… and push her away, she still likes me.
*Creak.*
The door opened, and the woman who had only allowed her voice until now revealed herself.
The NPC who likes me no matter what I do… the most beautiful woman in this town.
“…Emma.”
But today, her outfit was a little different.
Instead of the usual stuffy outdoor clothes that covered her whole body…
She was wearing an off-shoulder top that revealed her pale shoulders and a pair of stylish women’s suit pants.
Just a change in style made Emma look like a rich girl who had momentarily stepped out of her usual life, exuding both nobility and boldness.
But the person herself seemed a little shy, as if it was her first time wearing such clothes, and she asked.
“…How is it? Does it… suit me?”
Ah.
You’re so beautiful.
Enough to make me unable to take my eyes off you.
…I almost said that, but I managed to pull myself together and jokingly asked.
“…Why are you wearing clothes that expose your shoulders in the middle of winter? You’re going to freeze to death.”
“…I bought this from a merchant who visited Justice Town six months ago. I wanted to look good for you, Boss, but my usual clothes are too plain…. Does it not suit me?”
“…No, it suits you well.”
I couldn’t even joke that it didn’t suit her.
“But still, wear a coat. I don’t like other guys seeing your bare shoulders.”
Ah.
Even though I can’t accept Emma’s feelings, I still meddle unnecessarily.
But hearing that, Emma smiled happily and put on a coat.
Then she reached out and naturally brushed my cheek, saying.
“Boss, do you know what my dream is?”
“…To travel the world?”
“It’s changed a bit. …Now, instead of just traveling the world, I want to travel the world with someone.”
I didn’t need her to say who that someone was.
“You said you couldn’t accept my feelings… six months ago, Boss.”
“That’s right.”
Six months ago, after taking down the Rush and Gold Gang, I rejected Emma’s feelings.
From Emma’s perspective, she’s been rejected by me twice now.
Even yesterday, all she got was a kiss(?) and the main event didn’t even start.
Emma was still a woman.
She must have been deeply hurt in her pride by what happened yesterday.
But…
“Even after being rejected, I still like you, Boss, and I’ll keep pursuing you.”
“……”
Emma, as if she didn’t care about such things, continued to charge into my heart.
“…I won’t give up until you finally choose me.”
Until I finally choose Emma…
[Logout]
[Logout not possible]
[Amount remaining until logout: $952,123 / $1,000,000]
It seems like I had to give up on returning to my original world and choose to stay by Emma’s side.
“…I would never do that.”
But now, Emma’s expression was filled with confidence that she would make me choose her someday.
Emma smiled slightly and removed her hand from my cheek, placing it in front of me.
Like a princess being escorted.
“Then let’s go catch Zodiac. We have to protect the most beautiful woman in this town from him.”
“…Pfft.”
At Emma’s cute words and actions, I held her hand like a knight escorting her.
“…Yeah, I should protect the most beautiful woman in this town.”
Normally, even if it were Emma, I wouldn’t do such cringy things…
But today, it was a gesture of apology for what happened yesterday.
So, I treated Emma with excessive care and helped her onto the horse.
Fortunately… the incident (?) from yesterday was quickly erased from both of our minds.
**
When I left, as Sophia had said, I went to the Sheriff’s office, and all the security officers were gathered there.
But…
“What? Just let these guys-!”
From outside, Jet’s angry voice could be heard, suggesting something had gone wrong.
“Sheriff.”
“…Ah, Kid and Emma are here too.”
“What’s going on?”
“Well… sigh…”
When I asked, Sophia answered instead of Jet.
“Many of the security officers weren’t paired up in twos yesterday.”
“…Really?”
As Sophia looked at them with a pitiful expression, the security officers responded as if they were wronged.
“Many of us are single, and if two men sleep in the same house, rumors spread that we’re gay…!”
“Isn’t it fine if we just drink with a colleague until night and then part ways when it’s time to sleep?”
It wasn’t fine.
Most murders happen late at night.
If the security officers weren’t paired up yesterday, they couldn’t confirm each other’s alibis.
“You guys, calling that an excuse… sigh…”
Jet sighed, looking at his subordinates with frustration, but Sophia didn’t.
Even without clear alibis… Sophia didn’t seem to suspect the security officers much.
I felt the same.
‘There’s no Zodiac among the security officers.’
It makes sense since the Zodiac serial killings happened not just in Justice Town but across Utah.
Security officers who rarely leave the town are naturally excluded from suspicion.
Sophia probably knew that but wanted to confirm just in case.
‘Should I… check properly too?’
In Chapter 8 of <Outlaw>, the Zodiac serial killings change every time you play, with different clues.
But there’s one thing that remains consistent.
Every time the Zodiac serial killings episode happens, there’s one overlapping clue.
I wanted to check that now.
“Mira eso detrás de mí.”
“Huh?”
When I used a language other than English, everyone here looked only at me.
“What did he say?”
“Sounds like Spanish?”
“But why suddenly?”
I had just told them in Spanish to look behind them.
But everyone here, without a single flinch, only looked at me in front.
That confirmed it for me.
…There’s definitely no Zodiac among the people in front of me.
With that, I closed my eyes and fell into thought.
‘Who on earth is Zodiac?’
If he was close with Aiden, the stuttering security officer, then Zodiac was likely someone I knew too.
Someone I know…, who can roam all over Utah…, and took a gun from my warehouse.
…My head felt like it was covered in fog.
But in that fog, there was one silhouette.
That silhouette spoke to me.
‘Don’t you know who I am? Or are you pretending not to know?’
…….
What snapped me out of my thoughts was Sophia’s voice.
“…There’s no Zodiac among the security officers.”
“…!”
“And… I think I have an idea of who Zodiac might be.”
So far, there have been three murders.
This is the fourth…
Even in <Outlaw>, unless you’re a newbie, you can guess who Zodiac is by the fourth murder.
Judging by Sophia’s expression, it wasn’t a bluff; she seemed to have found someone she strongly suspected to be Zodiac.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Sophia, but…
“Sorry. From now on, I’ll only discuss this with the Sheriff. Everyone, please step out for a moment.”
Unfortunately, she sent all of us out except for the Sheriff.
Swoosh.
As I left the Sheriff’s office, her gaze was on me.
Thud.
As soon as the door closed and a little time passed…
“What? …That’s… not it-!”
Jet, having heard Zodiac’s identity from Sophia, shouted in disbelief.