A Certain Middle-Aged Man’s VRMMO Activity Log - Chapter 43

Dance of the Fairies Second Half, The Pot of Poisonous Bugs

“What do you mean you no longer have any intentions of staying with me!?”

Already having lost the afterglow of the victory, Grad yells.

“… Even if you don’t raise your voice I was going to explain, suruwa; first now, listen to me.”

With a calm voice, the Fairy Queen began her tale.

“This time my story is about the cooperation between the humans and the Fairies in order to select the Fairies’ next generation King or Queen.
In a revelation given to the Fairies, we were informed that a strong ruler that has accumulated battle experience and become strong is necessary to be the next King … and therefore it became necessary for Fairy to fight Fairy.
However, Fairies had become beings who were normally indifferent to fighting … that is why we came to the sides of the humans who have many opportunities to fight, in order to accumulate battle experience.”

The Game Master is most likely using something like a World Megaphone on this story so that the everyone in the arena can hear it; just the people gathered here alone number over 10 thousand, and there’s also a multitude of people who didn’t make it into the arena.
(There was an announcement made earlier that the arena’s maximum occupancy was 15,000 people.)
It would be unfair if someone wasn’t able to hear such a vital story related to the Event.

“And that’s why you made a contract with a human to fight, huh? Isn’t THAT convenient? Now that you’re done you’re outta here, huh?!”

Grad objected like that; maa, it’s not an unreasonable thought.

“Did you think the other children before now were unable to leave their masters? It seems that the amount of children with the feelings of wanting to stay obediently with their masters is especially large. … The reason I wish to separate with you is because I’ve judged that our contract has been completed.”

If you take her words at face value, the other Fairies currently contracted to Players that have not departed will continue to stay and go on adventures with their Players from now on.

“You were always saying it to me, weren’t you? ‘I’ll show that old man, I’ll get my revenge’ and the like … I won’t allow you to say you didn’t, yurusanaiwa; I’ve heard it over 100 times, by my count. And just now, your wish was fulfilled.”

Certainly the previous PvP was his win; since the Victory declaration came out, saying so isn’t an exaggeration.

“You never considered me as a partner; I was just a tool. Naturally, I don’t have to tell you that such a thought was unpleasant, iwanaiwa. That’s why I also chose to use you as a tool in order to become Queen; I’ve now come to understand that your abilities are certainly considerably high among the humans, ne.”

Grad’s face slowly turned red with fury and…

“Did you … just … call me a tool …?”

Asked that question of the Fairy Queen with a voice loaded in anger.

“… That goes for both of us. We both used each other, that’s what it comes down to. And what is wrong with that? Don’t humans do this kind of thing often?
Naturally you will be compensated, dasuwa; together with your championship prize the Fairies will add an additional 30thousandGlo, and in addition we will arrange for you to re-contract with a Fairy equal in Status and about as strong as I previously was.”

Fumu, then Grad won’t go back to the situation where he didn’t have a Fairy; well, yeah, there’d be no point if he became Champion just to become Fairy-less again …

“Don’t screw with me! You follow MY orders! I’m not some tool!”

Aa, Grad is completely furious, but you know na …

“I’ll return those words back to you, kaesuwa! I am not some tool! For you this world might just be an illusion for you to play around in, but for me it’s my truth and reality!”2

Was how she returned it to him … this Fairy Queen, there’s no way it’s a normal AI huh?
Is it some kind of experimental form? You sometimes hear about research places using games … looking into it further will destroy the romance, so I’ll stop here.

“So in other words you want to leave me no matter what, too …”

For Grad this is his final confirmation; I’m not sure what happened when he got split from Silver’s party, but it’s really stuck with him …

“Indeed, that’s right. I’m no longer going to stay by your side. And that’s why I said you’d be allowed to re-contract with another Fairy, as well as being given money as compensation. I’ll give you a child who will be obedient to you for your next contract; that will suit you as well, won’t it?”

The Fairy Queen already has no intentions on mincing her words, huh?3
If she says it like that …

“And ‘I wonder if I should choose to make you by force?’ -!?”
Grad mimics the Fairy Queen’s choice of words.
Grad, he’s still too young, nee, even if you’re not the Queen you could easily tell this kind of development was coming.
But, this just seems like a bad idea …

“If you’re able to defeat me with your strength of arms … then that’s fine, I’ll recognize that strength and accompany you again, mo iiwa. The calamity that will befall the Fairies is still a while in the future, farther in the future than the end of your lifespan, so it would be fine.
But you know, shouldn’t you also put something at stake? If you lose, then there will be no additional money! In addition, there will be no Fairy to contract after me! That will be your ante!

Without any risks there won’t be any excitement in a match; that’s a rule that all of you, you humans that is, have, ne?”

―――――――――――――――――――

… Aa, the demonstration of the merits and demerits of their compatibility came after all.
But this kind of thing would be a given between human relations.
The victor takes it all, and the losers are left with nothing.

This has been a rule since long ago, an unshakeable, iron-clad rule.
In the Ancient Roman Coliseum it was actually a cold and easy to understand rule they had; [if you lose = death penalty].
Even in the present day when wars occur, complete victory or defeat aren’t related to the soldiers; their victory is surviving …
If you die, then it doesn’t matter how many skirmishes your troops win, there’s no meaning at all.
If you lose there’s nothing left; that is the sad, harsh, unchanging rule.
Even so, if you fight and lose, if your opponent doesn’t destroy you they won’t win.

… I wonder if Grad was able to pick up on that reality?
… it was impossible, huh.

―――――――――――――――――――

“Aren’t I the champion!? Why do I get that kind of condition attached!?”

Grad continues to yell.

“That no longer has relevance, or do you still not understand? This is a problem solely between you and me; the fact that you became champion earlier carries absolutely no meaning whatsoever you see. I wonder if you’re still caught up in the atmosphere of the Event?”

The Fairy Queen relentlessly informed him of the reality of the matter.

“Just to be sure, in case you seriously want to fight me, don’t expect to show any mercy; I won’t, shinaiwa. Are you truly prepared to take the full brunt of the power of the Queen? I will wield it freely and without holding back. Even if you are my former master, ne.”

For the Fairy Queen, this is her ultimatum. There will be no mercy.

“If you … at least had a heart even a little like that old man, then …”

The Fairy Queen said. Where her line of sight was before, there was Silver and the Valkyrie who had just lost in the previous PvP.
From a Fairy’s point of view, I imagine that those two have a desirable relationship.
If Grandpa Silver won and that Valkyrie became Queen, then instead of having this conversation, I bet she would choose to stay with the old man and continue on his journey with him.
But in the end this is an “IF” I’m talking about that might not have happened.

“You prefer old farts like that, huh?”

On seeing that, Grad tried what was probably his hardest yet to provoke her.

“… I wonder if this is also ‘humanity’, kashirane …”

She’s clearly given up on him, na.

“Hurry up and come at me; I’ll make you obey me again!”

With his fighting spirit up, Grad doesn’t have a doubt towards his win.
In his PvPs, except against Silver, they were complete victories; certainly  it doesn’t seem possible to lose when he’s fighting against an NPC.
… but you can’t just think about the opponent as just your usual Fairy, you know.

“There are still things I should convey to you, aruwa. We will be fighting in the normal Battle Field that gives benefits both of our offensive abilities equally; it won’t be the one that favors Fairies, so rest assured. And as an addition, you are allowed to use whatever and however many items you’d like, yoiwa. So please organize your items now. I’ll even have the vault opened, ageruwa; please take what you need from it …”

She declared.
The Game Master immediately approached Grad and opened the vault.
Like that about 2 minutes of strange silence passed.
Of course there was some murmuring, but nothing said more than that.

“Alright, I’m ready.”

Grad now declares … it seems like he was able to regain his composure in the time it took to organize his items.

“… Now then, let us begin …”

With the Queen’s declaration the Battle Field was deployed and the Countdown started.
With that battle between the Players’ Champion and the Fairies’ Queen began.

SKILLS
[Wind-Blown Hunting Bow]Lv1
[Kicking Assault]Lv12
[Farsight]Lv47
[Craftsmanship]Lv45
[Cooking]Lv49
[Alchemy]Lv40
[Stealth]Lv37
[Physical Ability Reinforcement]Lv16
[Thief]Lv33
[Whip]Lv34

Reserved Skills
[Woodworking]Lv26
[Blacksmithing]Lv30

ExP 14

A/N: Possession of the Title Fairy Seducer.
Meaning of the numbers on the dice.

The left 6・6 1 and 2 are leisurely stories, 3 and 4 are kind of battle stories, 5 and 6 is the current story.
The right 6・6 The one who wins the Queen battle; 1 and 2 are other people; 3 and 4 are Silver, 5 is Grad, and 6 is now.
Totals The Queens personality; 4 is still obedient, 5~8 is tomboyish, 9 and further is now.

I thought I’d write in this allocation.