[The Painless Player] Chapter 2

“Ever since I heard about the clan’s massacre ten years ago, I’ve lived with regret—for knowing we were being targeted yet doing nothing to stop it.”

Serena’s face darkened with a bitter smile. Her self-deprecating tone was unlike the proud master of the Magic Tower.

“To me, you’re the only one of your kind left in this world. So, I would never harm you.”

The grand mage, revered by all, lowered her head before a slave girl. My avatar let out a deep sigh as she looked at Serena.

"…I'll follow you."

"Thank you for trusting me, girl."

Her soft hand touched my small one again, and I regained control of my body.

"Come to think of it, I haven't told you my name yet."

The familiar nickname-setting scene appeared. No matter how much the story diverged, this part was essential—

"I am Serena. I look forward to working with you, Anastasia."

[Nickname: Anastasia (Asha) has been set.]

…Excuse me?

I didn't say a word!

This was supposed to be the part where Serena revealed her name, and the player entered a nickname in the settings window.

Though I'd played every run as Asha, it had never been automatically set like this.

'Should I report this to the developers?'

It's not a major bug, but auto-assigning a name seems odd...

While I pondered, the scene shifted.

"Allow me to introduce my home."

"Ah… yes…"

Serena’s introduction was grand, but my response was lackluster.

Of course, the Magic Tower was as breathtaking as ever, given Raison d’être’s top-tier graphics.

But I was a seasoned player who had been staring at this tower for years.

No matter how spectacular something is, seeing it daily turns it mundane.

Serena glanced at me nervously, looking somewhat deflated by my reaction.

“Is it… not to your liking?”

“No, it’s fine. Anywhere would be better than where I used to live.”

This time, I was sincere. As someone from a "child factory," I had only ever lived in assigned housing.

Even if I made a lot of money, moving was impossible.

Though my current home wasn’t bad, it couldn’t compare to the Magic Tower.

“…I see.”

Huh?

I wasn’t sure what nerve I’d struck this time.

This version of Serena felt unusually melancholic. Perhaps the post-ending patch had changed something.

While Raison d’être was known for creating entirely different stories based on small choices, this level of deviation in the first chapter was unprecedented.

Still, aside from the nickname setting, it didn’t feel like a bug.

‘This new Serena isn’t bad.’

Her behavior diverged from what I was familiar with, but even if it were a bug, it was intriguing.

I almost wanted to enjoy it more before it got patched.

“Lady Serena, who is this girl?”

As I quietly followed Serena around the tower, a man approached and asked.

He was a sharp-featured, long-haired beauty with soft cat ears and a tail.

[A sub-character has appeared!]
[Name: Adel]
[Adel is Serena’s loyal servant and subordinate. If you help Serena escape her solitude, he will show great affection for you.]

A blue window popped up briefly as Adel appeared. Though not one of the main three male leads, Adel was a sub-character with a romanceable route.

I had seen his ending before, but it always left me feeling uneasy.

Unlike the main male leads, Adel prioritized Serena even if he ended up with the protagonist.

Considering Serena had taken him in and nurtured him after he was abandoned, it was understandable, but he wasn’t an appealing choice for me.

"She is someone I’ve taken under my wing, Adel. Prepare a room and meal for her."

“…Understood.”

Adel glanced at my cross-shaped blue eyes and seemed to grasp the situation, nodding in acknowledgment.

He must have closely witnessed Serena's life after the Neon Clan’s massacre.

“Follow me.”

As he spoke, a new set of choices appeared before me.

[(Follow him quietly)]
[(Hesitate)]

Time in the game doesn’t flow until a choice is made. I stole a glance at the frozen Serena.

To figure out what changes the patch introduced, I’d need to try different options.

More than that, I was curious about Serena’s reaction.

After a moment’s thought, I chose the second option.

“Huh? What’s wrong…”

As soon as I selected it, my hand grabbed Serena’s robe. Though she could have easily brushed off someone much smaller, she didn’t.

At first, her gaze was puzzled, but when she looked at my face, her expression hardened.

I suddenly wondered what kind of face my avatar was making, but there was no way to know.

[Serena’s affection level increases by 2.]

“My apologies. I wasn’t considerate enough,” she said, gripping my shoulder gently, her tone cautious.

I still didn’t understand her behavior, but once I progressed further into the event story, I’d unlock cash items that revealed flashbacks for each character.

Then, I’d likely understand this as well.

“Adel, just prepare the meal for now,” Serena instructed.

Adel nodded once more and left the room.

Now, it was just the two of us.

Serena gently took my hand, which was still clutching her robe, and said,

“Let’s go to my chamber, Anastasia.”