Chapter 121

The Soul World is a game with a variety of choices.

What this means is that the branching points split in real-time depending on my decisions, and those consequences carry on indefinitely.

If the academy collapse event that will happen in the future is the end of an episode, then countless events occur within that episode.

One example of an event that affects the story is Rod’s addiction. If this isn’t resolved, the story could get even more complicated.

In addition, building rapport with Kara to solve future issues related to Tartar, or ensuring the survival of Eli, who disappears at the slightest opportunity due to a balance-breaking situation.

A choice that seems trivial can hit you over the head like a massive hammer, or an unexpected situation might just pop up.

“Oh, no. Was that too sudden? I should have requested a conversation first…!”

The bespectacled girl, Jane, fidgeting in front of me is quite similar.

She’s a character confirmed to be an ‘Ironman without money,’ just like her nickname suggests.

In other words, she’s just a student with no connections at this point.

‘Was she in her second year?’

I know about her vague background because she’s pretty important. Her name, as I mentioned earlier, is Jane Brennan.

Coming from the land of machines and science, ‘Santia,’ her status is that of a commoner, which clashes with her intellectual appearance.

Despite her nickname ‘Ironman without money,’ she’s a scientist with incredible abilities in mechanical engineering.

But like a tragic genius, even the professors don’t acknowledge her theories, and she’s stuck in a rut.

“C-can we talk for a moment? I didn’t explain properly because I was flustered, but please give me a chance!”

“Sure.”

“Uh…?”

She seems taken aback because I accepted so easily.

The glasses slipping down her nose seem to highlight her clumsiness.

“How fascinating that someone like her eventually turns dark.”

Eli might need to be paid attention to because she’s a death flag, but Jane is the character that raises the difficulty level itself.

Even if I refuse her now, she’ll eventually seek investors, and unfortunately, that investor is a complete jerk.

He’ll just take everything Jane has researched and make it his own.

Normally, that would lead to suicide, but Jane turns to the demon side for revenge.

“What are you going to explain?”

“Ah? Ah, yes! Um, let’s move to a different place!”

Hastily adjusting her glasses, she begins to guide me. Her appearance didn’t match the awkwardness she was radiating.

Her shabby dress shirt hinted at her poverty, but her chest certainly didn’t look poor at all.

She doesn’t have problems surviving, but she has no money to achieve her dreams.

“Hold on a second. Ice cream.”

“Y-yes?”

“I’ll go buy some.”

“Yes! Please take your time! I will be waiting!”

But man, this feels so burdensome. I think I might attract attention from everyone around.

I bought two chocolate ice creams, the ones I always get from the shop. Naturally, one is for Jane.

When I returned to the place where I met Jane, I found her anxiously fidgeting in that short amount of time.

She seemed worried, probably afraid of being rejected. I had no intention of doing that, anyway.

“But if someone else overhears, they might actually reject her in a heartbeat.”

Jane’s personality is very straightforward. She hardly knows how to be indirect.

If she’s similar to Eli, it would be true, but Jane feels a bit stiffer.

Maybe that’s because we’re not close yet. In reality, her personality is quite impressive in various ways.

“Here.”

“Yes!”

When I handed her the ice cream, Jane happily accepted it.

Given how worn down I looked, she could have flinched, but she didn’t seem to care at all.

After handing her the ice cream, I opened my empty hand and retrieved Ragnarok.

“Where are we going?”

“Um, to that bench…”

Jane licked her ice cream and pointed to a bench in the square.

Normally, we’d go to a café or a restaurant, but it looks like she decided on that place considering my disheveled state.

“I’d love to go into a café, but I’m short on cash… Sorry.”

Oh, right. It’s just that she has no money.

They say truly poor people can’t even afford a cup of coffee, and it seems that’s indeed true.

She’d want to show me some sincerity but couldn’t because of her financial situation.

I felt sorry for Jane’s heartbreaking poverty. I wondered how she managed to live up to now.

Clunk—

Eventually, sitting on the bench in the square, I placed Ragnarok next to me. Jane seemed to be contemplating what to say next.

I should just eat my ice cream until she speaks. The weather was getting warmer, making it taste even better.

“Nom nom nom nom.”

“… …”

But this girl is devouring her ice cream like it’s a full meal. She’s not nibbling; she’s chomping down on it.

It was enough to make me feel a bit uncomfortable. I hope she hasn’t been unable to enjoy snacks like this.

“It’s delicious… How long has it been since I had ice cream…”

Okay, I should definitely stop mentioning her poverty.

The academy provides the bare minimum of support, but it’s just that—bare minimum. She still needs to earn some pocket money.

After all, Eli and Luna are always going into the forest every week to earn a few coins, aren’t they? Well, that’s a problem now.

Moreover, since Jane specializes in mechanical engineering, she probably doesn’t know much about herbs. She must be scraping by with odd jobs.

“Hmm. Hmm. Can I explain it now?”

“Sure.”

“Thank you. What do you think about machines, Sivar?”

Guess we’re starting from there. I faced Jane with my usual expressionless face.

Normally, I wouldn’t think much about machines. In this world, there are machines everywhere.

“Ah, no. Would you not know…?”

The problem is me. News about me has probably spread throughout the entire academy by now.

I’m just a wilderness dweller who has just entered civilization. That’s why Jane looked momentarily startled.

If I don’t say anything, the conversation will likely drag on. And since I’ve been in civilization for quite some time, I should respond appropriately.

“Comfortable.”

“Excuse me?”

“Make us comfortable.”

“Ah! Yes! Exactly! That’s what machines do!”

As I simply summed up what machines are about, Jane nodded vigorously, her enthusiasm evident.

Then she started pouring out praises for all sorts of machines. Things about magic trains, guns, etc., flowed out one after the other.

Her homeland, Santia, is a highly developed civilization in science, which is why such explanations came up easily.

“I love those machines and want to improve them. What I desire is to aid those with insufficient bodies! Basically, what I mean is…!”

In simple terms, Jane’s explanation was about enhanced suits and mechanical prosthetics. It’s an over-the-top technology that is very fantasy-like.

If you were to look at the illusions and various items shown in the Special Dueling Arena, one might wonder why that’s considered the ideal.

However, these things rely heavily on ‘magic.’ In this world, magic manifests through language.

Just like how AI pulls up images in a snap, it handles a lot, while engineering plays a supporting role.

Although Santia is scientifically advanced, it isn’t entirely dismissive of magic. Both have harmonized to develop extremely.

“You might think, ‘Why even bother with machines when there’s magic?’ But my aim isn’t that. It’s to let the weak become stronger through machines! And I can show you that!”

Jane’s excitement was evident as she explained passionately, her blue eyes sparkling behind her glasses.

Knowing the future, I already see that she will realize that dream. But to anyone unaware, it would sound like mere nonsense.

Especially since it requires a lot of funds. In reality, it’s such an uncertain future that no one would invest, and even professors wouldn’t support her.

“Of course, if left unattended, one might find a demon showing up armed with a cannon.”

The protagonist might be familiar with a game where demons are expertly cut down with chainsaws. It’s known for showcasing a love for chainsaws.

The inventions of a blackened Jane, in the future, would resemble those demons. Just imagining it sends chills down my spine.

Especially the red demons, which are practically consumables, would deal massive damage if equipped with bombs.

“D-do you not care?”

Jane cautiously asked me as I was lost in thought. It seems my silence made her nervous.

I shook my head to reassure her. It’s a story that’s hard not to find interesting.

The problem is that it’s overly speculative, but if she gets an investment, Jane would surely prove herself.

“I’m interested.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. I’m curious.”

“Then, would that mean…”

While her explanation was okay, when it came to talking about investment, Jane’s voice grew quieter.

In the Soul World, she had begged like a dog, but this time felt different.

It seems she’s cautious because it’s someone who’s asking for help.

From this, one can tell Jane’s character isn’t malevolent; she has a kind heart. The reasons for her future descent into darkness seem justified.

“… Excuse me, but do you know how important money is, Sivar?”

“I do.”

“Then you also understand why one shouldn’t freely give money to a stranger?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why…?”

Despite pleading as if grasping a straw, she seems hesitant when it comes down to it.

But right now, if I want to interact with her, I need to provide her with some funds. I pressed into her hesitation.

“How much do you need?”

“Huh?”

“Money. How much do you need?”

“Um… I need about 10,000 silver coins to prove the theory…”

10,000 silver coins equate to about 1,000,000 won. That’s an expensive sum for a commoner but reasonable for a noble.

And it’s also the price that proves Jane’s genius. Just 1,000,000 won to achieve innovation.

Typically, we’d need to sign contracts and whatnot, but I don’t think Jane will pull a fast one on me. So, I stood up.

“Let’s go.”

“G-go where?”

“Bank. I’ll give you the money.”

“R-really?! Then we can prepare the contract first…!”

“Later.”

I should just hand over the money first and think about it later. I stuffed the remaining ice cream into my mouth and headed to the bank.

Jane hastily followed behind me, looking both worried and expectant, her expression oddly innocent and adorable.

“Are you really going to give it to me? Someone with no background or connections?”

“Yup.”

“W-why? Can I ask where you saw the potential?”

I know exactly what kind of mess you’ll cause in the future. I cannot let you arm demons with machines.

That thought bubbled to the surface but, thankfully, my pathetic language skills kept it in check.

“Just.”

“Just?”

“Because it seems interesting.”

I didn’t expect to make such a chaotic statement. Yet, I had no other words to offer.

Upon hearing my response, Jane looked utterly flabbergasted. The way her glasses slipped down made her appear even clumsier.

It’s not just empty words; the items she invents will definitely stimulate male fantasies.

“Give me some too.”

“To Sivar too…? You mean?”

“Yeah.”

This made Jane’s expression even more enigmatic. I bet her feelings were becoming quite complex by now.

I decided to let her sort out her thoughts as we made our way to the bank. First, I need to withdraw some money.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Sivar. If you don’t have an account, you cannot withdraw funds.”

“Ah.”

Looks like I need to go get my bank book first. Rize is keeping it; how should I get it from her?

I asked Jane to wait for me and returned to the dormitory. I could quickly wash my face anyway.

Coincidentally, Rize was busy training, so she didn’t pay me any mind. I should quickly snatch the bank book while I have the chance.

“Brother Sivar, where are you going with that bank book?”

“… …”

“If you need money, please tell me. I can give it to you.”

Busted. I was sure I was being stealthy; how did she sense me?

I squirmed like a kid caught stealing money from their parents’ wallet.

How can I persuade Rize? I need to ensure I can provide Jane with the investment.

“Mechanical arm.”

“Mechanical arm?”

“Yeah.”

The words that inadvertently slipped from my mouth were:

“She said she’ll give me some money.”

“… …How much?”

“10,000.”

“… …”

It might as well be compared to Luna’s chatter. At this rate, Rize would give me a huge lecture.

But Rize’s reaction was quite different.

“Yes, go on.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s fine.”

Just when I wondered if she was truly okay with this, I looked at her face.

She smiled benevolently with an air of authority and then dropped a heavy line.

“Everyone should experience things like this at least once.”

“… …”

I can’t help but recall the time I got scammed in that maple leaf game.

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