"H-Hey, Misery!"
"Oh, Mr. Fail. Hello. It's been quite a while."
Sian, who had called out to her with a hint of nerves, felt his heart swell at her response. It was far more gracious than he had anticipated.
Having once written her off, he’d worried she might hold a grudge, but the current Misery showed no sign of it.
"She’s a game character," he reminded himself. "She probably doesn’t care that her personal event was left gathering dust."
Relieved that his anxieties were groundless, Sian began heaping on the praise to win her over.
"I heard the news! You won your match against Berbar, didn’t you? Piercing through the opponent’s armor to secure the win—that’s just incredible!"
"Thank you. However, it wasn't a victory I earned alone. It was only possible because so many people supported me."
"No need to be modest. You had talent all along. It’s truly wonderful, Misery."
Yesterday, when Berbar had reported the results of the duel, Sian hadn't been able to hide his shock at the unexpected outcome.
The fact that Misery had mastered an attack capable of piercing the armor he’d personally provided—and so early on—left him stunned. He once again recalled the details from the strategy site he’d read regarding her character profile.
- Misery Pim... C-rank
A character obtainable early in the game, but fundamentally lacking in firepower. While she can demonstrate decent strength if cultivated with "love," the game is much easier to clear by raising multiple high-rank characters instead of investing the necessary time and effort into her.
However, if a player proceeds with her development to unlock passive skills such as [Increased Number of Attacks] and [Critical Rate Up], and also teaches her defense-ignoring techniques, she becomes a highly useful unit in specific scenarios.
She is ranked C due to the high effort required for growth and her permanently "paper-thin" armor, but depending on the player’s management, she is an interesting character capable of unbelievable explosive power.
The C-rank label on the strategy site was merely a relative evaluation compared to other characters, not an absolute measure.
In a game, performance gaps were inevitable, but the ability to overcome those gaps through dedication was supposed to be the true essence of the experience.
Still, Sian felt it was only natural to seek out high-rank characters who could contribute to the party immediately, rather than wasting time on a low-rank unit that required heavy investment.
In this world, he wasn't the only protagonist; several others existed.
If he took any unnecessary detours, the best characters and gear would be snatched up by his rivals.
As the incident with Isaac had taught him, once someone pulled ahead, it was nearly impossible to catch up without a miracle.
Sian and the other reincarnators understood this perfectly. They had been engaged in a fierce, silent struggle to recruit the strongest available characters to solidify their foundations. Naturally, no one had the luxury of worrying about Misery. Everyone had left her behind.
"But this is a stroke of luck! Misery is back on the market, and she's already been leveled up!"
For some reason, she had undergone a sudden growth spurt, reaching a level where she could use defense-ignoring attacks.
As the first among the reincarnators to discover this, Sian was practically beaming with joy. The only thing that had stopped him from recruiting her before was her weakness. Now, that obstacle was gone.
She was a combat asset and a beautiful girl who was exactly his type. There was no reason not to take her. Without wasting a moment, Sian made his move.
"Listen, Misery. You have incredible talent. Why don't we develop that potential together?"
"Eh...?"
Sian extended his hand and struck a pose, delivering a line befitting a true protagonist.
Misery looked back and forth between his hand and his face, her expression one of confusion. Sian pressed on.
"I’m the man who is going to be a hero. You have the strength and talent worthy of being my companion. If you join my party, I can even help you upgrade that Wasp Needle further. Misery, you’ve been chosen. Come with me... let’s become heroes together."
Sian stared straight into her eyes and unleashed the "killer phrase" that had won over so many others. Inwardly, he was already gloating.
His party was about to get a major power boost. But even as he celebrated his victory, Misery shook her head and rejected his offer.
"...Thank you for the invitation. However, I have no intention of becoming your companion."
"What!? W-Why!?"
Caught completely off guard, Sian's mask slipped, his voice cracking in genuine shock.
He panicked, realizing he had broken character, but Misery didn't seem to notice.
"If you had asked me a little while ago, I would have accepted joyfully," she said. "But... this recent incident made me realize that things have to change."
"Why!? Why is it no good? I’m a Hero Candidate! I have the Academy's backing, and I’ve got all the best gear! I can give you the perfect environment to get stronger!"
"You're right. But I don't just want to be strong. I want to become a magnificent Magic Knight like my father. I was taught that what I need to achieve that isn't physical strength or powerful Magic Items. It’s strength of heart. If I stay with you, Mr. Fail, I’ll end up relying entirely on your power. That wouldn't fulfill my dream. That’s why I won't borrow your strength. I'll make my dream come true on my own."
Sian stood there, speechless and aghast. He had never even considered the possibility of being rejected. As Misery bowed her head and walked away, a message flickered into his mind.
[Misery Pim’s Scenario Route has vanished. It is now impossible to make her a companion.]
Sian couldn't possibly understand the weight of those words, but they were the ultimate proof that Misery had finally moved past her own hesitation.