I'm back at the Tavern.
"Hey, Lucien. You with me?"
Deus' voice echoed in my head. He said I just needed to take down 7 wolves.
I looked into his eyes.
"There you go. Welcome back, so how was it? I saw you die once, and your health bar went critically low. What the hell was that for?"
He was talking to me, but he wasn't even giving me any attention.
"I'll have you run an inhabitant hunting quest maybe two more times…"
He kept talking.
His voice was like a mumbling sound in the background.
I already took down 7 wolves before the pups came out didn't I?
Then why were they there?
Why did I come to the conclusion that they're part of the monsters I needed to hunt?
All these questions played in my mind, it was overwhelmingly confusing.
I even gave justification for my action, I should stop deceiving myself.
…
I'm just like them...
A monster who kills just to survive—aren't I?
But... aren't we all?
"Before I send you back to that dimension, I think it's better to appraise you first."
"Were you listening?"
Deus asked.
I didn't even understand or hear what he was saying.
I was lost in my own thoughts
"Am I a monster too?"
Deus' attention snapped to me.
"What? Why?"
I didn't mean to say that out loud.
...
"Am I?"
Deus stared at me for a moment—then burst into laughter.
"What a silly question… HAHAHAHA!"
"You're asking if you're a monster? What's with this self-awareness? Ridiculous! HAHAHAHA!"
He shook his head while he grinned.
"I just love this game!"
"You're a fucking AI. If you even knew what that meant."
"Anyway, to answer your ridiculous question—yes. You're just like the monsters, beasts, or whatever else we've fought. But in your case?"
…
"I paid a lot of money to have you generated. That means I'm your boss. You follow my orders—because I own your existence."
"That's the only thing you need to lock into your database."
Then he smirk—
"And, of course—always remember…"
He stepped closer at me—
"You're my best buddy. Got it?"
"Alright, enough with this nonsense. I don't even know why I am explaining this to you."
Then he turned around and walked towards Remi.
"I gotta give it to the devs, they incorporated an advanced language AI to these inhabitants. HAHAHA!"
Deus continued mumbling.
He paid for me…
I owe him my existence…
I always thought I had been borned.
He said I was generated.
Am I even real?
…
"Hi Traveler Deus! Welcome to Catares Tavern! Are you here to make a purchase? Or are you appraising your Inhabitants?"
"Hi Remi, I want to appraise."
Am I just like Remi?
"Thank you for confirmation, can you please provide your inhabitants information. Please do not share their Seed Number. Thank you!"
They went on the usual same conversation they had.
Remi was different.
She didn't think like I did.
She didn't understand like I did.
She never felt the pain—
The suffering—
The agony tearing through me.
We are not the same.
I may have been generated because of him—
But I'm just the same as you, Deus!
You are not above me—
And I am not below you!
…
*SLAP!
"Hey, Lucien!"
"What the hell was wrong with you, you're scowling like a monster. HAHAHA!"
"Did you even hear what level you are now?"
I looked at Deus.
I resented him—I knew that.
But no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't look at him that way, I couldn't show him hostility.
"I didn't, Deus. I apologize."
"Whatever. You're at 41 now—same as me. I guess those two Galegi I killed gave you a lot of experience on top of the Inhabitant Quest you did."
"Plus, you've gained sword proficiency."
"Looks like we'll head straight back to fight Galegi. I have high expectations, especially since you've picked up a lot of passive skills too."
You talk too much, Deus.
His voice started to annoy me.
I don't care what he said.
I'll discover this world—on my own terms—
even if it's by following him.
And I'll prove to him—
I'm not some mere tool he claimed I am.
…
"But for now, I'll log out and get some rest. Maybe I'll hop back in later… or tomorrow."
Deus mumbled to himself, stretching his arms.
"What a day… I really wouldn't want to die in this game again."
"This damn game even has a pain indicator. When Galegi killed me—It felt real."
"Crazy."
…
With that, I was back in this dark dimension again.
Am I just going to be trapped in this never-ending nightmare, this unreal reality I'm in?
But I see things. I hear things.
How can it not be real?
But what's real? What's true?
Is anything truly true? Or is it all just a lie?
If only I could explore it myself...
Was there a way out of here?
Why do I have to follow his orders?
I can make my own decisions.
I'm more than just a tool. More than just a game piece.
I know I have feelings. But Deus never saw that.
He only saw me as a means to an end.
A way to entertain and make him feel good.
I'm not staying trapped here.
I won't remain bound by the rules of this world.
If I'm just a program…
Then I'll be the glitch. The bug.
WAAAAAAAIT!
I'm back! Do you remember me?
What the hell just happened to this guy Lucien?!
He's acting scaaaary!
Phew, good thing you will never have the chance to play this game.
Are all AI characters in this game called Beast Odyssey like him?
Hmm…
What do we think?
Anyway, just a reminder—It's me. Your conscience speaking. Again.
How many chapters has it been?
A lot had already happened.
This Deus guy is heartless isn't he? But isn't that what we normally do?
We normally take things for granted?
OHHH! Shots fired.
HAHAHAHA!
Oops. I let my inner demon slide. Or I should rather say, 'our'.
Enough of us.
Let's talk about something different.
Like, what do we know so far about this story?
What is Deus?
What is Lucien?
What is this game all about?
What is this story all about?
How do we feel about how the story is going so far?
Come on! Help me answer this!
You know what? I want to take the narration out from this guy, Lucien.
He's taking over too much!
Should we let him continue to tell us the story?
I'm doubtful.
Whatever.
Let's continue this story in the next chapter.
Let's discover who will continue the story next time.
I hope I get to.
I'm a good story-teller, you know.
TRUST MEEE!