“Hey, Rine. You seem to be in a good mood today. Did something good happen?”
In visual novels, there’s always at least one character with a lively personality mixed in.
‘Under the Chandelier’ was no exception.
Oparn.
A cheerful character who talks to the protagonist, who was isolated among the nobles.
He was also the person with whom you could build rapport the fastest at the academy.
“Ugh, water…”
To think that he is wandering near death’s door in a place like this.
The first thing you see is the bandage wrapped around his head, with red marks pressed on both sides of his temples.
And it doesn’t stop there; his entire body is covered in wounds, large and small.
A belly that seems to have been slashed by a sword.
And thighs that appear to have been stabbed by something.
A chest where you can feel the aura of magic.
“My goodness. Who did you fight with?”
Unlike his head, which was at least wrapped in bandages, the rest was left unprotected.
“First, we need to apply first aid.”
I cut the sleeve part of the shirt I was wearing with a dagger and wrapped it around his wounds.
Dressing with formality was required, even for a servant in the Middle Ages, and it was bothersome to have to wear layers upon layers in the cold North.
“I never thought I’d use it as a substitute for a bandage.”
“Uh, ugh.”
“Come to your senses. I will take you to the doctor soon.”
His head was spinning.
Oparn was of commoner mercenary origin.
Princes, sons of ducal families.
In the original work, his popularity was lower compared to the male leads with impressive backgrounds, but
‘He’s still one of the male leads.’
A new partner to be given to the protagonist of the original work, Rine.
Material that could potentially drive a wedge between Luciana and the prince.
I had no intention of letting him die in a place like this.
His eyelids trembled faintly before opening wide.
“Who are you…?”
“Save your energy to speak. You have serious injuries.”
It wasn’t feasible to bring an unidentified person to the ducal castle.
So, I supported him, intending to take him to a doctor in the underworld as a last resort.
“Excuse me, but could you tell me where we are?”
“Huh? Ah, it seems you were in a hurry because you were being chased. This is the border between the Speda ducal territory and the Frontal earldom.”
“Is that so. Finally…”
-Thunk.
Suddenly, more weight was put on my shoulder.
“Hello?”
Hearing the answer, he seems to have fainted.
“Ugh. He’s so damn heavy.”
The person on the other side was bigger than me, so I quickly started to breathe heavily.
“This won’t do. Friede.”
-Grunt?
“Lend me your back.”
Perhaps it’s because he’s been well-fed under the care of the ducal family, almost to the point of envying pigs.
His size was already comparable to that of a typical adult.
Enough to carry a person.
“I’ll leave this guy to you.”
-Growl!
Friede, baring his teeth, was wary of the stranger.
However, upon realizing the other was unconscious, he calmed down.
“Right. You understand so well, and when we return to the ducal residence, I’ll prepare a special nourishing meal for you.”
Whether he knew the person he was carrying was injured or not.
Gone was the unruly behavior he exhibited during walks, and he moved his steps slowly.
“Always such a clever one.”
Checking behind me to make sure Friede was following, I headed towards the underground prison of the underworld.
“But really, who did this to him?”
These weren’t wounds inflicted by a monster.
Spears, swords, magic…
Even just looking at the wounds while wrapping the bandages, they were full of traces from tools they couldn’t possibly use.
Moreover, it was unlikely for there to be bands of thieves in the north, where soldiers were on high alert.
“Was there a dispute among mercenaries?”
-Ding.
As if answering my question, a translucent window suddenly popped up in front of me.
[Quest Generated!]
[The major NPC, ‘Oparn,’ is being pursued by an unidentified force.]
[Protect him from the attackers and ensure his safety.]
[Reward: Increase in Oparn’s affection, ?]
[Failure Penalty: Death of Oparn]
A status window I hadn’t seen in a long time
As always, I frowned momentarily more at the penalty than the reward.
‘Death? Wasn’t Oparn perfectly alive in the original?’
There was only one possibility that came to mind.
‘Is it because of me?’
If things had gone according to the original, he would have joined the mercenaries and been on easy street.
The foreign object in that flow was me.
I hadn’t done anything directly, but it seemed I had caused a butterfly effect-like impact.
“This is crazy. I got involved in a troublesome matter.”
Whether he was supposed to be here at this point in the original or not,
Meeting me now might have made Oparn’s survival even more difficult.
With that thought, my head started to hurt.
“Tsk, no. Let’s think positively. This could be a good opportunity to make Oparn owe me a favor.”
‘Under the Chandelier’ might not have been popular in the visual novel community, but I thoroughly analyzed and strategized the game as an RPG.
That’s why I knew Oparn was a very useful NPC.
Combat?
Being a mercenary, he’s fundamentally strong.
Just properly equipping him and putting him in position, it’s hard to find a more reliable vanguard.
And as a supporter?
With his talents as a blacksmith and a jeweler, he also has advantages in equipment enhancement.
‘Raising his affection could make the strategy much easier.’
I carefully examined the face of Oparn, who was lying on Friede’s back.
Glossy white hair,
Distinct facial features.
‘As expected of a male lead. Quite handsome.’
Better yet.
A face that still shone despite the utterly sickly appearance.
Given how useful his looks are, wouldn’t he be perfect as the saintess’s counterpart?
Let’s proceed as originally planned.
Dealing with the pursuers later… we can manage somehow in the underworld.
“We’re nearing the underworld.”
Even though the underworld of the north is under the control of the nobility and the military, it still has the image of an underworld.
As a servant of the Speda family, it felt awkward to openly enter.
‘I could just wear a robe, but…’
The problem was the mode of transportation.
The majestic mane of Friede, in its silver, would attract more attention than we’d want.
“Maybe I’ll use this.”
[Ally Camouflage (Rank:B)]
A skill obtained after defeating the twilight.
As I cast the skill on Friede using mana, black magic power soon enveloped the wolf.
A moment later.
“Hmm, it’s just like the real thing.”
The silver fur was gone.
Brown fur with black spots.
What remained was only a slightly larger hunting dog than average.
And Oparn, placed on top, looked just like an ordinary bundle of goods.
“This should reduce the risk of getting caught. Ugh. But can I find a doctor quickly?”
Luckily, my worries were unfounded.
“All urgent treatments are done.”
A middle-aged man, sweating from the exertion, constantly wiped his forehead.
The underworld was mixed with various types of people.
Refugees, beggars, mercenaries, managing nobles…
If they had one thing in common, it was their craziness for money, which was as good as power here.
With the right compensation, even a skilled priest could be employed.
However.
‘Why is a genuine priest here?’
The robe looked ordinary. However, the faint traces of embroidery on the wrist area.
It was clearly a symbol proving the priests of the Sun God.
[High Priest Robe]
[Ceremonial clothes given only to those who serve the goddess Nepisa]
Crucially, the item display in the status window proved that my eyesight wasn’t mistaken.
“It’s unexpected to meet such a skilled doctor in the underworld. I thought I was seeing the priests at work.”
“Haha, brother seems to wonder why I am here.”
Oh.
…Did it show?
But priests are beings chosen by God.
Merely setting up a church and caring for the sick would be more comfortable than staying in this harsh place.
“God’s hand reaches places where human hands do not, regardless of location or status.”
“…Are you doing volunteer work?”
He answered with a gentle smile on his face.
“You’re doing a good deed.”
“What can I say? You’re the noble who shows kindness to strangers, while I get paid for my services.”
I was also doing it for my own benefit.
Turning away from the pricking conscience of the doctor, I turned to Oparn.
“How is his condition?”
“Hmm. At first glance, I thought there was no hope, but he has remarkable vitality. With a bit of rest, he should recover quickly.”
Fortunately, perhaps because he’s a tank origin in the game, the healing magic seemed to work well on him.
“Umm, where is this…”
“Ah, you’ve regained consciousness. That’s proof you’ve recovered somewhat. It seems my work here is done, so I’ll take my leave.”
The room was left behind by the priest.
Silence descended between us for a moment.
The white-haired boy sitting on the bed just quietly looked at me.
Is this really the cheerful Oparn from the original work?
It felt awkward without even a simple word of thanks.
“…How are you feeling?”
Well, the one in need should make the first move.
“Who are you…?”
“The one who carried you here when you were unconscious and took care of your treatment.”
Right after my words ended, I felt pressure on my foot.
Was it a complaint for boasting about what I did, or was it asking about the promised nutritious food?
Friede pressed down on the toe of my shoe with his paw.
“Hold on a moment. Don’t interrupt our conversation, go away for now.”
After throwing a piece of monster jerky outside, Friede leapt after it with supernatural speed.
I sighed as I closed the door.
“Always have to acknowledge his appetite.”
Perhaps it was because of the little commotion with Friede, but Oparn’s eyes, previously filled with wariness, softened a bit.
“…Thank you for saving me.”
“It’s nothing. Anyone would have done the same.”
Trying to show off a bit, he bowed his head once more.
“I will not forget this favor.”
…Hmm. This doesn’t feel like the Oparn I know.
A bit clumsy but honest in his actions, that’s the charm of Oparn – or so his fan club claims.
Somehow, it feels like he’s putting on an unbecoming suit of strange dignity.
“By the way, it seems you are a mercenary. Has there been any war among the mercenary guilds recently?”
He kept silent for a while before finally speaking.
“Yes. Being a clumsy new recruit… I got separated from my colleagues.”
See?
While I focused on the RPG aspects of this game and excluded other elements, the progression of the story still required managing the affection levels with the protagonist and male lead characters.
Even I, who made a contract over chicken, was no exception.
-Oparn, why are you lying?
…What do you mean? When have I?
-Do you know? You move your fingers whenever you lie.
Oparn, avoiding my gaze and twitching his fingers he held together, mirrored exactly that cutscene moment.
“Is that so? That’s troubling. Especially now when the demon invasions are intensifying again, and mercenaries are causing internal strife.”
-Sweat dripped down.
Whether it was from pain or the fear of being caught in a lie, only he would know why he was sweating.
“I hold some influence around here, I could investigate the matter for you.”
“Oh, no! There’s no need for that!”
Oparn, waving his hands frantically trying to stop me.
‘…It worked.’
“Why not? They are the ones who hurt you. Just let me know, and I can easily avenge you.”
Though my goal was to intimidate, the flustered boy’s face was quite a sight.
Caught in a difficult situation.
Seeing him flounder, I almost burst into laughter.
However.
I do need to be aware of any forces that attacked a commoner boy within this territory.
“For investigation purposes, at least tell me their basic descriptions.”
“…”
It seems you don’t trust me. Is it because of my servant’s attire? But you know, even among servants, those from the Speda ducal household hold considerable sway.”
Oparn’s face became guarded once more. I shrugged and extended my hand.
It would have been nice to know more about him beforehand, but since he wasn’t willing to talk, I had to approach slowly.
“By the way, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. My name is Hans Byron.”
“…Ah, yes. I’m Oparn.”
As he hesitantly shook my hand, a voice suddenly echoed in my mind.
-Frost Mane, can you hear me?
A voice that seemed to look down on everyone, with an aloof tone. It was none other than Bathory’s voice.
‘…Isn’t this the same thing the head servant used before?’
As I froze for a moment, the voice sounded again.
-Oh, it seems you do not yet know how to use telepathy. I didn’t realize you hadn’t gained that insight. But, that’s not important right now.
Her voice carried an urgency.
-Get away from him immediately.
“…Excuse me?”
I couldn’t help but respond in surprise. After all, in the original work, there was no ally more reliable than Oparn.
Always on the protagonist’s side, steadfastly supporting them.
A lively personality that cared for others.
The disparity between what I knew and Bathory’s urgent warning made it impossible for me to let go of his hand.
Thus, I overlooked the white-haired boy, who was observing me keenly.
“Enough! Why hesitate when the enemy is before you?!”
Frustrated by my inaction, Bathory emerged from the shadows herself.
Unable to use offensive magic, she forcefully pulled away the hand I was shaking.
“Enemy, you say?”
“Yes. At least when it comes to blood, I cannot be mistaken. This smell of blood is undoubtedly that of a demon!”
At that moment, Oparn’s voice filled the room with a low tone.
“…Vampire?”
His reaction, cold and unimaginable as his own, settled in the air.
Cliche Novel 