"There’s something I want to talk about. Do you have a moment?"
"Ah, of course. Come on in."
It was late one evening when Rush Winhelm came to visit Zenon.
On the surface, Zenon maintained the poise of a perfect Protagonist as he invited him inside, but internally, he was feeling nothing but sheer annoyance.
(A Conversation Event, huh? What a drag... Well, I suppose there’s no harm in grinding his Affection Level while I’m at it.)
In Luminous History, Conversation Events occurred when a Party Member visited the Protagonist’s room at night.
While a single event didn't trigger much on its own, the player could raise a character's Affection Level through dialogue choices. Once that level reached a certain threshold, it would unlock events unique to that character.
There were several ways to raise a character’s standing, but these midnight heart-to-hearts felt a bit more special than the rest.
Depending on the character, you could even end up in bed with them... Zenon mused, before reminding himself that such things only happened once their Affection Level was maxed out. He gave himself a mental reality check, noting that he had no intention of pursuing that kind of relationship with a guy like Rush anyway, then prompted him to speak.
"So? What did you want to discuss?"
"I’ve been... struggling. I’m wondering if it’s right to show compassion to someone who is nothing more than scum..."
(Right, right. This pattern. I’ve got it, I’ve got it.)
Zenon, having played Luminous History to death in his previous life, already had every dialogue branch and "Best Choice" memorized.
In this scenario, Rush was agonizing over his own sense of justice. By clearing away the boy’s doubts, Zenon would secure a massive boost to his Affection Level.
Dialogue options didn't literally manifest in the air like they did in the game, but that wasn't a problem.
Ready to show his true worth as a completionist gamer, Zenon recited the exact same lines the game’s protagonist would have used.
"There’s no need to hesitate. Evil must be punished; that’s only natural, isn't it?"
"Exactly... But is it right to stoop to the same level as my opponent? If I do that, wouldn't I just be becoming scum myself...?"
"Sometimes, that level of resolve is necessary. People naturally place their hopes in those who show they are willing to do whatever it takes."
Startled by those words, Rush lifted his head and stared at Zenon.
Certain that Rush’s Affection Level was skyrocketing, Zenon continued to feed him the "correct" answers.
"I see... You’re right! If I have the resolve to dirty my own hands, I won't truly fall to the level of scum. That's what you're saying, right!?"
"Precisely! There is a world of difference between the resolve of a man following his convictions and one who has none!"
"I see now...! Then I’m sure everyone will understand, won't they? They'll see what I'm trying to do and support me, right?"
"Of course they will! They’ll definitely understand and cooperate with you!"
The perfect answers. Recalling the flow of the Conversation Event, Zenon continued to pick the options that would maximize Rush's approval, offering his "friend" powerful encouragement.
Boosted by those words, a joyful smile spread across Rush’s face. He stood up, gripped Zenon’s hand tightly, and spoke.
"Thank you, Zenon! Thanks to you, my doubts have vanished! I'm not like Scum Yugo! I'll definitely obtain a power that surpasses him! And once I’ve reached those heights, I’ll show it to you first!"
"I’ll be looking forward to it."
(Nice! Perfect execution! Man, he’s so easy. Steamrolling this world with game knowledge is too much fun, lol!)
While he didn't think Rush’s specific event mattered much in the grand scheme of things, Zenon figured it was good practice for the Conversation Events with his actual targets. It wasn't a total waste of time.
After seeing the now-resolute Rush out of the room, Zenon suddenly remembered something, and a slimy smirk crossed his face.
(That’s it! Why don't I go pay a visit to Claire’s room myself? That was an option in the game, too. If I keep visiting her, her Affection Level will keep climbing, and eventually, we’ll get to the sex scenes...!)
Night events weren't just about waiting for people to come to him. He could take the initiative to raise the Affection Level of the girl he wanted.
Deciding to go see his beloved Claire immediately, Zenon had one final thought.
(It’d be a total mood killer if a System Message popped up while things were getting heated with Claire... I’ll just turn them all off for now. I should be able to do that. I mean, this is a game world, right?)
No crude interruptions were allowed during his time with his dear Claire.
Thinking that the atmosphere would be ruined if a System Message floated into his mind like last time, Zenon willed the notifications to turn off and left his room.
(Wait for me, Claire! Your Protagonist, Zenon, is coming for you!)
Already having forgotten everything about his talk with Rush, Zenon skipped toward Claire’s room in high spirits. However, at this point, he had committed two fatal errors.
The first was the nature of his conversation with Rush. It wasn't that his words themselves were the problem; the problem was that he failed to actually look at the person in front of him.
It was true that Rush had said almost exactly what happened in the game’s script. However, was the boy’s demeanor truly the same as the Rush Winhelm from the game?
If Zenon had looked closely at him even once, he surely would have noticed that Rush’s aura was fundamentally warped.
But Zenon hadn't. Dismissing it as just another event, he treated the person standing before him—a human being with real, shifting emotions—as nothing more than a static game character. That was his first failure.
And the second mistake was turning off the System Messages.
Immediately after this, a critical notification was sent to him... but Zenon, preoccupied with his fantasies of Claire, missed it entirely.
Because of this, a horrific incident would soon occur that would swallow not just the academy, but the entire city. Zenon, however, remained blissfully unaware.
The message, which had been sent to him only because he had recruited Rush as a Party Member, read as follows:
[Rush Winhelm's fate has vanished. He has left your party and can never be recruited again.]