Before coming into this world, when I went by the name Lee Young-jin, online, the term “run” didn’t signify jogging but rather “grinding.”
These grind sessions included farming runs, low-level runs, strength runs, and more. Naturally, there were a few runs in D/Z SAGA as well. Most notably, the glove run in Act 2, where you hunted Mossman until you acquired gloves that matched your training route. A farming run entailed inspecting options only after consuming materials, discarding undesirable options, and filling your inventory exclusively with premium option materials.
Next up was the Emil-run, performed when your training went awry to progress to the next round, following Emily’s route ending. I recall advising numerous newcomers who inquired about what to do when they messed up in their first round to “level up cooking and watch the Emily ending.”
Unlike other unfavorable endings, the Emily ending could be quickly viewed and was deemed an official conclusion. If you were swift, you could even trigger a flag in Act 1.
In any case, I managed to clear the field by reaching Emily’s affinity cut. I had no intention of utilizing Emily. Emily Haimelody could never be saved in the story unless this map was opened.
If you’re wondering if this constitutes salvation… well, let’s just say it’s a win-win. It’s as if we’ve joined forces to gain access to a map where we can gather materials.
“Thank you, senior. I will never forget this kindness in my life.”
“Hmm.”
“Ah, and… I still haven’t learned detection. May I visit you again to learn it?”
“Feel free to do so.”
“Yes, yes! Thank you so much! Really, really thank you. I will never… forget you in my life.”
Emily bowed deeply as she spoke these words. This is a line Emily only utters once if you embark on her route.
‘-Kelters. I will never forget you in my life.’
Well, there’s no way I embarked on her route. I broke all sorts of flags and only took the perks.
***
[City of Natural Wonders].
A sanctuary of ingredients established by the first emperor for cooks who don’t follow the path of the sword or magic. The sea is tranquil, with numerous fishing spots, abundant fruits and spices, and plenty of animals to hunt.
“Hmm.”
Of course, it’s not without its challenges.
Much like the Fairy’s Paradise in Act 1, this is also a hidden map of sorts.
Hidden maps in each act are usually quite formidable, so it’s often more advantageous to tackle only the early portions in line with your growth rather than attempting to conquer them right away.
“···Hmm. That’s regrettable.”
Nevertheless, as an experienced player, I have entirely different strategies at my disposal.
I can opt for a chest run where I collect treasure chests at fixed locations on the map and then use tier 5 return magic [Escape from Field] to make a swift getaway. But if I were to try that, I’d meet my demise for sure.
No, it’s worse than that. If I ventured inside and even encountered a goblin, I would truly meet my end. Of course, I have Patrasch, but even with our combined strength, we could encounter monsters powerful enough to ignore us.
So, we adopted a wholly different approach!
“Master. Are you certain this is the way to go?”
“Hmm. There’s no other choice.”
“······I understand.”
I only pushed Patrasch through the portal and telekinetically retrieved the necessary items.
When the monsters inside the portal get agitated and growl, I retract Patrasch. Then the clueless monsters, unable to see beyond the portal, get perplexed and retreat.
“Go, Patrasch.”
“···Uh, hmm. Got it.”
This is what they call “portal farming.” If you lack the strength, you’ve got to find a way to survive.
“······Is this the right way, Master? Putting your pride on the line?”
“Hmm.”
“Even silver-haired lady Emily was ready to fight near the entrance, but what about you, Master…?”
Well.
That’s Emily’s story.
What can I do about it?
Who will compensate me if I get injured?
***
When I brought numerous ingredients into the store, the sun was already high in the sky.
Patrasch departed, grumbling about how he really couldn’t handle this. Such an unfeeling fairy.
“···Hmm. It’s time to start organizing things.”
Not building skills or stats, but rather, it’s time to organize the episodes. So, I spread out a notebook and began jotting down the timeline.
“I know who the boss of Act 2 is.”
The concept of Act 2 is Sumsum Academy. It’s all about forming deep connections with the heroines.
Kelters teams up with heroines like Eve, Regina, and Isolde from 2-1 to 2-4. In the meantime, each heroine’s charms are introduced, they form a party, gain party skills, and in Eve’s expedition, they even acquire the party skill, Heart Link.
As mentioned earlier, in D/Z SAGA, each act’s final chapter has a boss, and there’s definitely a way to defeat the Act 2 boss. It’s not too challenging at this stage, but it’s a bit bothersome. However, this boss poses a bit of a challenge for Wolfram.
“It’s tough to pinpoint the right moment for the boss battle. Who triggers it?”
Kelters appears as a knight protecting the heroine who has the strongest affection for him when the boss confronts her.
If salvation fails here or if the timing is off? There won’t be immediate consequences. However, it takes a toll on the heroines’ mental states.
Eve loses her courage, Regina loses her will to live, and Isolde goes insane. No matter how hard you try, there’s no way to achieve a happy ending.
Of course, it’s not just this one boss causing these problems, but a total of four bosses from this point forward have an impact on the heroines’ mental states.
“That’s the real darkness of Flag Breaker, the Ending Crusher D/Z SAGA.”
The game that introduces such madness in Act 2 is none other than D/Z SAGA. This is when things truly go off the rails.
“The boss is nasty enough, but not knowing who it will confront is the real issue.”
The pen stops with a click.
“It doesn’t matter if I don’t pay attention to it. Although it should matter…”
Most of the people around me aren’t the original heroines of the story. Nephti is unattainable, Rudika is the most skilled assassin, Aila is a boss, and Mille-feuille is a student who gets expelled in the original story.
However, among those around me, there is one person. According to the original story, there’s someone who falls into this vicious trap.
“···Tch.”
Blood Mate. This individual is listed in Wolfram von Roengreen’s family register below.
Intelligent yet foolish, irritating to converse with, and a student council president who knows nothing of respect.
When I assumed the role of Wolfram von Roengreen, survival became my top priority, and I had to tread carefully. Now, I have developed a friendly relationship with Aila, and individuals like Nephti, Rudika, and the chicks that frequently visit.
The unfulfilled convenience store manager.
The convenience store is only just getting started. There’s still a long way to go.
So Wolfram only needs to live for himself.
“Do I simply need to concern myself with that foolish younger sister?”
However, leaving someone who could be easily rescued unattended feels like it would disrupt my sleep.
“If this body can’t sleep at night, I’ll be low on energy, and the morning will be dreadful.”
Yes, that’s the crux of it.
***
The following day, I rode the Black King and headed toward the student council headquarters, carrying a neatly packed lunchbox I had prepared the day before.
Do I really need to go to such lengths? Why should I care about what happens to her?
“Hello, Wolfram.”
As soon as the other students saw me, they started whispering. I scanned the surroundings and realized they weren’t looking at my face but at the lunchbox in my hand. The black three-tiered lunchbox. Inside it was a precious lunch packed by a brother for his sister. Ah, let’s just forget it. I feel like I’m losing my mind.
“Is that a lunchbox?”
“That’s it, the unmistakable mark of a member of the crew.”
“I’ve heard the rumors too. What’s inside it?”
“There’s talk of Princess Haimelody pursuing Wolfram…”
“The lunchbox that made the princess fall for him in one go…”
Enough already! I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but these students sure love to gossip about others!
“Is Eve here?”
“Yes, yes… She should be in the president’s office.”
“Got it. I’ll go in.”
“Yes!”
Saying so, I passed by the student council room. I made eye contact with Sylphia as I passed, but we didn’t exchange words. Has she become somewhat gentler?
“Eve. Are you there?”
“What do you want?”
In the office, there was Eve, with tired eyes, scribbling on documents. Several high-grade magic potions were discarded beside her. Even though Eve can convert mana into physical energy, the efficiency is terribly poor. If it were better, she could have temporarily recovered with that energy and then converted it back into mana, essentially becoming a perpetual motion machine.
This is Eve’s penalty in D/Z SAGA, the most overpowered character.
It’s debatable whether to call this a penalty, but anyway, in the story, Eve occasionally faints from overwork and wakes up in the infirmary.
Kelters, feeling sorry for her, enters the student council, teams up with Eve, realizes her loneliness, and supports her, deepening their bond.
Kelters plays the role of Eve’s savior perfectly, but I have no intention of going that far.
“Have you eaten? Let’s have a meal together. I have something to discuss with you.”
“…I didn’t make any plans, did I?”
“What are you talking about? Prepare to appreciate the effort I’ve put in. I’m confident it will suit the palate of Eve von Roengreen, who enjoyed my meals.”
“…Uh, ugh. Who…”
“Do you dislike it?”
“I didn’t say I dislike it.”
Eve responded, her face turning red as if offended, tightly clenching her fists. Even if something happens to her, there’s no need to follow in Kelters’s footsteps. After all, it should be done in a manner that suits Wolfram and Eve.
***
“Sandwiches again?”
“Don’t complain.”
“I never complained. …Thank you for the meal.”
As Eve remarked, the meal consisted of sandwiches once more. However, they were quite suitable since they didn’t crumble easily when handled, offered a variety of flavors, maintained a good nutritional balance, and featured top-notch ingredients sourced from high-altitude regions.
“…Yeah. As expected. It tastes good.”
Eve devoured the sandwich like a squirrel, holding it with both hands and relishing each bite. Even in the midst of that, she deliberately avoided the flavors she had already experienced, opting for different ones, clearly savoring her meal. Her behavior was rather amusing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. There’s also some soup.”
“…Thank you.”
With that, Eve sipped the soup I had prepared and finally let out a sigh of contentment.
“Your cooking really lives up to the rumors.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
It really was an exaggeration. If the rumors were accurate, the convenience store would be swamped with customers.
“Hmm. Honestly, I hate to admit it, but… it tasted good. Thank you for the meal. I feel somewhat lighter too.”
“It’s not just a feeling; you really are lighter.”
“Huh?”
“The food is designed for recovery and stamina enhancement, and it has multiple beneficial effects. Consuming all three types of sandwiches should be quite effective.”
“…This is magical food as well? You always make such unusual things.”
“And.”
“?”
I paused, deep in thought.
What should I tell Eve?
Should I warn her that a particularly formidable boss is about to appear, and she should bolster her mental resilience with my meals? Or should I advise her to get sufficient rest and maintain her mental well-being to endure the next two weeks?
Alright, how should I explain this?
The boss in the second act is a high-ranking officer of the Black Flags, deeply entrenched in the black market! Should I inform her of that?
Would Eve then assemble a search party to raid the black market? It’s quite possible. But before that, she’d question how I knew all this and subject me to thorough interrogation.
And if she digs deep enough, she might uncover my black market pass and the Black Flag officer badge. That would certainly put Wolfram’s neck on the line.
Wow, what a happy ending!
“Speak up. Why have you suddenly gone silent?”
“……I was just choosing my words.”
Explaining everything seems overly complicated.
So, I need to be more direct.
“Eve von Roengreen.”
“Yes? What is it?”
The boss in the second act casts a potent curse, exploiting any vulnerabilities to trigger the heroine’s trauma. In the original story, Eve von Roengreen’s trauma in act two is ‘the death of Wolfram.’
“I am here. Wolfram von Roengreen is here.”
“I know.”
“Right.”
“As unpleasant as it is, I know you’re still around, doing useless things somewhere.”
“Correct.”
“Right. So a person can be so… You really can’t tell…”
Eve’s grumbling faded, and soon, her breathing indicated she had fallen asleep.
“President… Ah.”
“Hmm. The president is currently asleep. We should let her rest.”
Shortly after, a student council member came looking for Eve, and I halted him.
“Ah, that… Um.”
Seeing the agitated member, I let out a soft sigh.
“Is it urgent?”
“…There’s a meeting with the Maestros after lunch. Everyone has been waiting for Miss Eve’s attendance for a month. I don’t know what to do.”
This kid, he’s involved in such matters too.
“Hmm. Then I’ll attend in her place. I’ll explain the situation, and as a fellow royal, that should save face.”
“Huh? …Yes. That’s right.”
I rose from my seat, and just as I was about to follow the council member, I heard Eve muttering in her sleep, interspersed with subtle complaints.
“···Idiot, Wolfram···. Really···.”
“···Oh dear.”
Truly.
Such a high-maintenance Bloodmate.
Before coming into this world, when I went by the name Lee Young-jin, online, the term “run” didn’t signify jogging but rather “grinding.”
These grind sessions included farming runs, low-level runs, strength runs, and more. Naturally, there were a few runs in D/Z SAGA as well. Most notably, the glove run in Act 2, where you hunted Mossman until you acquired gloves that matched your training route. A farming run entailed inspecting options only after consuming materials, discarding undesirable options, and filling your inventory exclusively with premium option materials.
Next up was the Emil-run, performed when your training went awry to progress to the next round, following Emily’s route ending. I recall advising numerous newcomers who inquired about what to do when they messed up in their first round to “level up cooking and watch the Emily ending.”
Unlike other unfavorable endings, the Emily ending could be quickly viewed and was deemed an official conclusion. If you were swift, you could even trigger a flag in Act 1.
In any case, I managed to clear the field by reaching Emily’s affinity cut. I had no intention of utilizing Emily. Emily Haimelody could never be saved in the story unless this map was opened.
If you’re wondering if this constitutes salvation… well, let’s just say it’s a win-win. It’s as if we’ve joined forces to gain access to a map where we can gather materials.
“Thank you, senior. I will never forget this kindness in my life.”
“Hmm.”
“Ah, and… I still haven’t learned detection. May I visit you again to learn it?”
“Feel free to do so.”
“Yes, yes! Thank you so much! Really, really thank you. I will never… forget you in my life.”
Emily bowed deeply as she spoke these words. This is a line Emily only utters once if you embark on her route.
‘-Kelters. I will never forget you in my life.’
Well, there’s no way I embarked on her route. I broke all sorts of flags and only took the perks.
***
[City of Natural Wonders].
A sanctuary of ingredients established by the first emperor for cooks who don’t follow the path of the sword or magic. The sea is tranquil, with numerous fishing spots, abundant fruits and spices, and plenty of animals to hunt.
“Hmm.”
Of course, it’s not without its challenges.
Much like the Fairy’s Paradise in Act 1, this is also a hidden map of sorts.
Hidden maps in each act are usually quite formidable, so it’s often more advantageous to tackle only the early portions in line with your growth rather than attempting to conquer them right away.
“···Hmm. That’s regrettable.”
Nevertheless, as an experienced player, I have entirely different strategies at my disposal.
I can opt for a chest run where I collect treasure chests at fixed locations on the map and then use tier 5 return magic [Escape from Field] to make a swift getaway. But if I were to try that, I’d meet my demise for sure.
No, it’s worse than that. If I ventured inside and even encountered a goblin, I would truly meet my end. Of course, I have Patrasch, but even with our combined strength, we could encounter monsters powerful enough to ignore us.
So, we adopted a wholly different approach!
“Master. Are you certain this is the way to go?”
“Hmm. There’s no other choice.”
“······I understand.”
I only pushed Patrasch through the portal and telekinetically retrieved the necessary items.
When the monsters inside the portal get agitated and growl, I retract Patrasch. Then the clueless monsters, unable to see beyond the portal, get perplexed and retreat.
“Go, Patrasch.”
“···Uh, hmm. Got it.”
This is what they call “portal farming.” If you lack the strength, you’ve got to find a way to survive.
“······Is this the right way, Master? Putting your pride on the line?”
“Hmm.”
“Even silver-haired lady Emily was ready to fight near the entrance, but what about you, Master…?”
Well.
That’s Emily’s story.
What can I do about it?
Who will compensate me if I get injured?
***
When I brought numerous ingredients into the store, the sun was already high in the sky.
Patrasch departed, grumbling about how he really couldn’t handle this. Such an unfeeling fairy.
“···Hmm. It’s time to start organizing things.”
Not building skills or stats, but rather, it’s time to organize the episodes. So, I spread out a notebook and began jotting down the timeline.
“I know who the boss of Act 2 is.”
The concept of Act 2 is Sumsum Academy. It’s all about forming deep connections with the heroines.
Kelters teams up with heroines like Eve, Regina, and Isolde from 2-1 to 2-4. In the meantime, each heroine’s charms are introduced, they form a party, gain party skills, and in Eve’s expedition, they even acquire the party skill, Heart Link.
As mentioned earlier, in D/Z SAGA, each act’s final chapter has a boss, and there’s definitely a way to defeat the Act 2 boss. It’s not too challenging at this stage, but it’s a bit bothersome. However, this boss poses a bit of a challenge for Wolfram.
“It’s tough to pinpoint the right moment for the boss battle. Who triggers it?”
Kelters appears as a knight protecting the heroine who has the strongest affection for him when the boss confronts her.
If salvation fails here or if the timing is off? There won’t be immediate consequences. However, it takes a toll on the heroines’ mental states.
Eve loses her courage, Regina loses her will to live, and Isolde goes insane. No matter how hard you try, there’s no way to achieve a happy ending.
Of course, it’s not just this one boss causing these problems, but a total of four bosses from this point forward have an impact on the heroines’ mental states.
“That’s the real darkness of Flag Breaker, the Ending Crusher D/Z SAGA.”
The game that introduces such madness in Act 2 is none other than D/Z SAGA. This is when things truly go off the rails.
“The boss is nasty enough, but not knowing who it will confront is the real issue.”
The pen stops with a click.
“It doesn’t matter if I don’t pay attention to it. Although it should matter…”
Most of the people around me aren’t the original heroines of the story. Nephti is unattainable, Rudika is the most skilled assassin, Aila is a boss, and Mille-feuille is a student who gets expelled in the original story.
However, among those around me, there is one person. According to the original story, there’s someone who falls into this vicious trap.
“···Tch.”
Blood Mate. This individual is listed in Wolfram von Roengreen’s family register below.
Intelligent yet foolish, irritating to converse with, and a student council president who knows nothing of respect.
When I assumed the role of Wolfram von Roengreen, survival became my top priority, and I had to tread carefully. Now, I have developed a friendly relationship with Aila, and individuals like Nephti, Rudika, and the chicks that frequently visit.
The unfulfilled convenience store manager.
The convenience store is only just getting started. There’s still a long way to go.
So Wolfram only needs to live for himself.
“Do I simply need to concern myself with that foolish younger sister?”
However, leaving someone who could be easily rescued unattended feels like it would disrupt my sleep.
“If this body can’t sleep at night, I’ll be low on energy, and the morning will be dreadful.”
Yes, that’s the crux of it.
***
The following day, I rode the Black King and headed toward the student council headquarters, carrying a neatly packed lunchbox I had prepared the day before.
Do I really need to go to such lengths? Why should I care about what happens to her?
“Hello, Wolfram.”
As soon as the other students saw me, they started whispering. I scanned the surroundings and realized they weren’t looking at my face but at the lunchbox in my hand. The black three-tiered lunchbox. Inside it was a precious lunch packed by a brother for his sister. Ah, let’s just forget it. I feel like I’m losing my mind.
“Is that a lunchbox?”
“That’s it, the unmistakable mark of a member of the crew.”
“I’ve heard the rumors too. What’s inside it?”
“There’s talk of Princess Haimelody pursuing Wolfram…”
“The lunchbox that made the princess fall for him in one go…”
Enough already! I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but these students sure love to gossip about others!
“Is Eve here?”
“Yes, yes… She should be in the president’s office.”
“Got it. I’ll go in.”
“Yes!”
Saying so, I passed by the student council room. I made eye contact with Sylphia as I passed, but we didn’t exchange words. Has she become somewhat gentler?
“Eve. Are you there?”
“What do you want?”
In the office, there was Eve, with tired eyes, scribbling on documents. Several high-grade magic potions were discarded beside her. Even though Eve can convert mana into physical energy, the efficiency is terribly poor. If it were better, she could have temporarily recovered with that energy and then converted it back into mana, essentially becoming a perpetual motion machine.
This is Eve’s penalty in D/Z SAGA, the most overpowered character.
It’s debatable whether to call this a penalty, but anyway, in the story, Eve occasionally faints from overwork and wakes up in the infirmary.
Kelters, feeling sorry for her, enters the student council, teams up with Eve, realizes her loneliness, and supports her, deepening their bond.
Kelters plays the role of Eve’s savior perfectly, but I have no intention of going that far.
“Have you eaten? Let’s have a meal together. I have something to discuss with you.”
“…I didn’t make any plans, did I?”
“What are you talking about? Prepare to appreciate the effort I’ve put in. I’m confident it will suit the palate of Eve von Roengreen, who enjoyed my meals.”
“…Uh, ugh. Who…”
“Do you dislike it?”
“I didn’t say I dislike it.”
Eve responded, her face turning red as if offended, tightly clenching her fists. Even if something happens to her, there’s no need to follow in Kelters’s footsteps. After all, it should be done in a manner that suits Wolfram and Eve.
***
“Sandwiches again?”
“Don’t complain.”
“I never complained. …Thank you for the meal.”
As Eve remarked, the meal consisted of sandwiches once more. However, they were quite suitable since they didn’t crumble easily when handled, offered a variety of flavors, maintained a good nutritional balance, and featured top-notch ingredients sourced from high-altitude regions.
“…Yeah. As expected. It tastes good.”
Eve devoured the sandwich like a squirrel, holding it with both hands and relishing each bite. Even in the midst of that, she deliberately avoided the flavors she had already experienced, opting for different ones, clearly savoring her meal. Her behavior was rather amusing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. There’s also some soup.”
“…Thank you.”
With that, Eve sipped the soup I had prepared and finally let out a sigh of contentment.
“Your cooking really lives up to the rumors.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
It really was an exaggeration. If the rumors were accurate, the convenience store would be swamped with customers.
“Hmm. Honestly, I hate to admit it, but… it tasted good. Thank you for the meal. I feel somewhat lighter too.”
“It’s not just a feeling; you really are lighter.”
“Huh?”
“The food is designed for recovery and stamina enhancement, and it has multiple beneficial effects. Consuming all three types of sandwiches should be quite effective.”
“…This is magical food as well? You always make such unusual things.”
“And.”
“?”
I paused, deep in thought.
What should I tell Eve?
Should I warn her that a particularly formidable boss is about to appear, and she should bolster her mental resilience with my meals? Or should I advise her to get sufficient rest and maintain her mental well-being to endure the next two weeks?
Alright, how should I explain this?
The boss in the second act is a high-ranking officer of the Black Flags, deeply entrenched in the black market! Should I inform her of that?
Would Eve then assemble a search party to raid the black market? It’s quite possible. But before that, she’d question how I knew all this and subject me to thorough interrogation.
And if she digs deep enough, she might uncover my black market pass and the Black Flag officer badge. That would certainly put Wolfram’s neck on the line.
Wow, what a happy ending!
“Speak up. Why have you suddenly gone silent?”
“……I was just choosing my words.”
Explaining everything seems overly complicated.
So, I need to be more direct.
“Eve von Roengreen.”
“Yes? What is it?”
The boss in the second act casts a potent curse, exploiting any vulnerabilities to trigger the heroine’s trauma. In the original story, Eve von Roengreen’s trauma in act two is ‘the death of Wolfram.’
“I am here. Wolfram von Roengreen is here.”
“I know.”
“Right.”
“As unpleasant as it is, I know you’re still around, doing useless things somewhere.”
“Correct.”
“Right. So a person can be so… You really can’t tell…”
Eve’s grumbling faded, and soon, her breathing indicated she had fallen asleep.
“President… Ah.”
“Hmm. The president is currently asleep. We should let her rest.”
Shortly after, a student council member came looking for Eve, and I halted him.
“Ah, that… Um.”
Seeing the agitated member, I let out a soft sigh.
“Is it urgent?”
“…There’s a meeting with the Maestros after lunch. Everyone has been waiting for Miss Eve’s attendance for a month. I don’t know what to do.”
This kid, he’s involved in such matters too.
“Hmm. Then I’ll attend in her place. I’ll explain the situation, and as a fellow royal, that should save face.”
“Huh? …Yes. That’s right.”
I rose from my seat, and just as I was about to follow the council member, I heard Eve muttering in her sleep, interspersed with subtle complaints.
“···Idiot, Wolfram···. Really···.”
“···Oh dear.”
Truly.
Such a high-maintenance Bloodmate.
