As expected, I know all the female characters in this game who can become the ‘heroine.’
‘After playing it 999 times, how could I not?’
Including the final playthrough where I achieved a 100% clear, it totals 1,000 playthroughs.
There are heroines with individual endings.
Heroines with their own harem endings.
Heroines who help the protagonist and meet their death at the end.
If we consider only the heroines that the protagonist can be romantically involved with in this visual novel, there are almost 100 of them.
This is because if the protagonist chooses to, they can even pursue a 37-year-old widow who runs a cafe at the Academy and bakes bread, and who happens to be the mother of a heroine.
So, I want to redefine the term “heroine” once more.
Not as the heroine from the original game who ends up with the protagonist.
But rather, as a being who can awaken as both an “Angel” and the “Apocalypse”, an apostle of God who can save the world or a seed of catastrophe that could bring its destruction.
‘We have to pick out only those who have individual endings.’
People who the developers officially defined down as ‘OOO Route’.
There are 16 such heroines.
While it gets more complicated when you dig into it, the main representatives officially amount to 16.
And these 16 heroines have no blood relation to the protagonist, at the very least.
The same goes for the non-angel heroines who don’t have individual routes.
There are classmates, childhood friends, seniors, older sisters, strong-willed gyarus, researchers, heirs to wealthy families, noble ladies, princesses, and even a Thieves’ Guild master who is misunderstood as being non-v*rgin, among others.
‘At least there’s no incest.’
Among the 16 angel heroines and the hundreds of non-angel supporting female characters, there isn’t a single character truly related by blood to the protagonist.
This is consistent with the protagonist’s backstory.
‘There is, however, what some might call a sneaky form of incest.’
The protagonist is a male who was adopted into a certain noble family.
And in that noble family, there is a younger sister who is actually younger than the protagonist. She assumes the role of a younger sister character and is also one of the heroines (and an angel candidate).
-If there’s no blood relation, it’s not incest!
This setting would make true incest enthusiasts cough up blood.
Some people say this about them.
-Isn’t it more interesting when the younger sister, who once believed she is related by blood with her brother and developed feelings for him, later realizes as the story progresses that they are not blood-related and then goes full throttle in her affection?
That’s what they say.
Now, I’ve digressed a bit, but there is one heroine who always accompanies this younger sister character.
“Seia.”
“Yes, Brother.”
A little girl who is just 5 years old.
On the surface, she has white daisy-colored hair and a doll-like appearance, embodying the very essence of a beautiful girl in her childhood with great potential for the future.
“What do you think about our family’s tradition?”
Regif Habsderk, who has reincarnated at age 7, asks Seia Habsderk, a girl 2 years younger, only 5 years old.
“Our family’s tradition?”
“Yes. …About the tradition of marrying within the family.”
The Count Habsderk family.
Though the name might remind one of a certain historical family, neither I, nor Regif’s younger sister Seia, nor my currently living parents show any signs of physical defects—specifically, no genetic defects.
No twisted noses, no misaligned jaws, no signs of hemorrhaging blood—nothing like that.
So, it’s hard to understand.
“I heard that when family members marry and have children, the children are at risk in many ways.” “Who said that?”
“…I heard it in a dream.”
“Really? But none of our ancestors had that issue.”
As Seia says, the Habsderk family has maintained this tradition for dozens of generations since their ancestors, yet no one has been born with any defects.
“My mother said that. Mixing the blood within the family so that the great bloodline does not leak out is what truly makes our family shine.”
“Mother said that to keep the great bloodline from leaking out, mixing the blood within the family is what truly makes our family shine.”
“Do you even know what ‘bloodline’ means?”
“No.”
“Then why are you so eager to follow what Mother said?”
“Because I’m Mother’s daughter, and you’re Mother’s son, right? Mother said it’s very desirable for us, who were born from her womb, to continue our family’s tradition someday.”
I wanted to shout, “Mother!!”, but I am just a 7-year-old child.
This tradition has been passed down for generations and would be hard for a child to change. Historically, in Europe, some families followed such traditions to avoid diluting their noble blood by mixing it with outsiders, so if that was the intent, it could be said that mixing blood within the family is indeed correct.
As long as there are no genetic defects.
And up until my current generation, no genetic defects have been found.
‘Has common sense died?’
Did they do this on purpose?
Could the game developers have known that I would possess Regif and intentionally tied his past to Seia, one of the heroines, to force me into this “Habs” situation?
“Seia.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“You’re still young, so you might not understand, but I think marrying your siblings isn’t a common thing.”
If I say this to Seia, she might think that I’m getting ahead of myself.
But this is a serious and important matter for me.
“Is that so?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh, I see.”
Since Seia is still young, it’s necessary to adjust her thinking somewhat.
“Then does that mean you have to marry Mother and have children to continue the family line?”
“What are you talking about, Seia?”
“It’s okay. Even when you become an adult, Mother will still be in her late thirties. They said it’s possible when you turn twenty.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I don’t know. I just heard the maids talking about it.”
This family environment is clearly, no, certainly harmful to Seia’s upbringing.
I can say this with certainty.
Seia.
She becomes the protagonist’s younger sister who harbors feelings for him, and even while believing they do not share the same blood, she is the heroine who most supports the protagonist as a younger sister.
‘Now I get it.’
Seia also gets kidnapped by Regif. But in all my 999 playthroughs, where I killed Regif more than a thousand times (including the times I got game over), I never once saw Regif use any kind of drug on Seia.
There were heroines who weren’t affected by drugs during their kidnapping, but I never imagined there was such a background to it.
“Seia.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“No matter how pretty and cute you are, I don’t plan on marrying you.”
“…Then.”
Seia looks at me, sobbing at my words.
“Who should I marry and have children with, then?”
“Seia. What I mean is…”
“Mother and Father said that it’s a noble’s duty to marry, have children, and continue the family line. Are you saying that’s wrong?”
“No, that’s right, but…!”
“Could it be…”
Seia suddenly stops crying, looks at me with a stern expression, and asks,
“Brother, you’re not suggesting that we mix the Habsderk bloodline with the ‘dirty and impure blood’ from outside, are you?”
“Seia.”
“No. I won’t allow it. Brother, you must marry me.”
“…”
Should I just become a commoner?
“…Alright, fine.”
“Promise.”
“Okay, fine. I promise.”
It’s just a promise with a 5-year-old.
When she grows up and I bring it up again…
-You crazy b*stard! Stop spewing nonsense and shut your mouth! When did I ever say I’d marry you?! Get out!!!!
And she’ll curse me out in every way possible.
“Promise.”
I hooked my pinky finger with Seia’s as she stopped crying.
* * *
Lying in my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I finished my thoughts.
Based on my deductions about Regif’s background, I had already concluded that he was a “fallen noble”.
And now, in the current situation where I’ve arrived at the point before his fall as the young master of a count’s family, there’s only one direction I can think of.
‘It seems like falling is the right path.’
Looking at the long line of family photos in the hallway, the portraits of the previous Counts Habsderks and their Countesses, I can say with even more certainty.
A couple has children, then those siblings…
‘Ugh.’
Even saying it makes me feel nauseous, but I forced myself to suppress the rising disgust as I gathered my thoughts.
The Habsderk family.
No matter what the traditions of this family are, the original setting is the Academy.
‘Esdinas Academy.’
The very title of the game, Esdinas, is the name of the Academy where the game is set.
Although a hidden name is revealed as the game progresses, the official name known to the public is the “Esdinas Continental Union Academy”.
Not just an academy of a single kingdom, but an educational institution located at the center of the continent, where people from all nations and powers across the land enroll to interact and exchange knowledge.
Thus, anyone who passes the entrance exam can enter the Academy.
‘The problem is, although Regif took the exam and entered the academy as a commoner, I’ve never heard of the Habsderk family being involved in any way.’
There were no traces of the Habsderk name in connection to Regif or Seia. In fact, even in the original story, I never came across this family.
That leaves only one conclusion.
‘It means the Habsderk family was completely erased.’
This suggests that Regif and Seia had to suppress their noble identity or even the remnants of their fallen noble status, refraining from mentioning their family name.
Even Seia didn’t recognize Regif as her brother, which raises the question—
‘Is it because Regif had changed too much?’
I look at the mirror lying on the bed.
The reflection shows not a mid-boss with blonde hair and tanned skin who would say something like, “OhohoWWW”, but a beautiful boy with platinum blonde hair and skin as white as a doll’s.
‘How does this appearance turn into that NTR blonde delinquent?’
It’s frightening.
What kind of hardship did he endure to end up looking like that?
What terrible events must have befallen this family for Regif to suffer so much and become a commoner?
What could have happened in the 10 years between the original story and the present time…
“…Ah.”
There are things.
“…What could they be.”
At least 70 of them.
‘In the next 10 years, at least 70 significant events are likely to occur, any of which could lead to the downfall of the Habsderk family.’
“…”
Will I even be able to survive this? Me.
“…I have to survive.”
No matter what, I have to stay alive.
‘I have to survive and return to the real world to claim my 200 billion won.’
If I escape this world and return to reality, I’ll be the owner of 200 billion won.
To do that, I need to lay the groundwork over the next 10 years.
A foundation that will allow me to be prepared for any situation.
So.
“I need to learn magic.”
First, I’ll make sure to fully claim the talents that mid-level boss Regif possesses.
Hypnosis.
Brainwashing.
And… aphrodisiacs.
“…Maybe I should start by learning some offensive magic.”
