Future Diary Survival Game-Chapter 33 : The Deal - 3

Chapter 33: The Deal - 3
I finished reading the diary book and blinked.
‘No. This isn’t right.’
[So that’s how it is.]
‘Put some heart into your replies.’
[What seems to be the problem?]
I tried to answer but just shut my mouth.
Come to think of it, there really wasn’t any problem.
Magireta had no obligation to group the four of us together for the quests.
It wasn’t like I ever asked her to.
‘Maybe the fact that we’ve been together until now is the real miracle.’
[That’s correct.]
‘Isn’t there any way?’
[There is, but not with my current state. Please upgrade my functions.]
So there might be something in the next unlocked feature?
But to upgrade that function, I’d have to participate in the next quest first.
This was seriously bad.
Even if I had the secret conversation feature, there would be limits to how much I could help if we couldn’t participate together.
In the end, the best option was still to stay together.
While I was getting anxious, Armelia asked,
“Mason. What’s wrong?”
“I… saw something through astrology…”
“That kind of setting is unnecessary. Speak comfortably. I know well that you’re neither an ordinary astrologer nor even a normal magician.”
Since when did “ordinary” become a qualifier before “magician”?
I scratched my head and said,
“Hearing that makes me feel a bit lighter. In the next quest, Your Highness will die.”
“Pffft!”
Aina, who had just taken a sip of juice, spewed it out at once.
It wasn’t particularly important, but for reference—Armelia was sitting directly across from her.
The princess, who had grown up gracefully in the imperial palace, turned pale as if she were about to faint.
It seemed she was more shocked by the spray of juice than by the fact that someone had just said she’d die.
“The juice is warm. Why is it warm…”
“Mason. You’re talking too lightly about someone else’s life, aren’t you?”
“Would it change anything if I said it dramatically?”
“At least give some kind of warning beforehand! And why her specifically? What, is there going to be some tree-climbing or stair-sprinting quest or something?”
For someone who apparently minded that kind of thing, the princess could be quite harsh.
I shook my head.
Then I placed both arms on the table and spoke seriously.
“In the next quest, we’ll all be scattered.”
In that moment—
Aina, who had been shouting,
Berseum, who had just handed Armelia a handkerchief,
and even Armelia, who had been wiping her face—
froze stiff.
Just like I had until yesterday, they had probably never even imagined it—
that we might be separated.
I continued in a serious tone.
“We’ve been lucky enough to stay together for three quests. But there’s no guarantee it’ll continue.”
“……”
“Besides, if you think about it carefully, it’s only been me and the princess who’ve been together through all three. Aina joined during the second quest, and Brother Berseum—we only crossed paths briefly in the first.”
“Mm.”
Berseum crossed his arms and nodded.
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. It’s not like Magireta’s kind enough to group people together just because they have good teamwork.”
“So the fact that we managed to stay together for three quests was the miracle.”
“Even so, why does the princess die? This kid’s not exactly stupid.”
I let out a small sigh.
The fourth quest was hide-and-seek.
Judging by what was written in the diary, this one wouldn’t be centered around strategy or mind games.
If it wasn’t about intellect, then Armelia had no advantage whatsoever.
No—frankly speaking, she was at a huge disadvantage.
Besides...
‘Part of the final pages of my diary book.’
<Looking back now, I was doing quite well until midway.
But Edgar Tyler—
that man ruined everything.
He killed Armelia, Aina,
and all the other ‘possibilities’ that had been discovered,
as if crushing filthy insects beneath his heel.>
Yeah.
According to the final pages, Edgar killed both Armelia and Aina.
And Armelia died during the fourth quest.
In other words—
“She’ll probably end up in the same quest as Edgar Tyler this time.”
“……! That man, huh. Hmph.”
“He didn’t even look that strong to me.”
“I agree. But the princess is even weaker.”
Armelia’s shoulders drooped.
“Besides, that guy’s danger doesn’t come from his strength.”
A man crazy enough to plan blowing up an entire territory just to eliminate the three of us.
There were no limits or safeguards in his plans.
If he thought something was necessary, he’d carry it out immediately—no matter how inhuman it was.
“I don’t know exactly what trick he’ll use against Your Highness. Unfortunately.”
“Isn’t there some way?”
“……”
“No, forget it. I can’t just cling to you like a beggar every time. This time, I’ll manage on my own. I want to see you all again—with smiles.”
Aina looked at Armelia with slightly widened eyes.
Armelia was so focused she didn’t even notice the gaze.
Then Aina mumbled,
“Sorry about the juice…”
“Hm?”
“Nothing. Anyway, don’t worry too much. Before the quest starts, I’ll teach you a few secret techniques. As soon as it begins, just kill that Edgar guy. You still have, what, three lives left?”
Armelia smiled softly and nodded.
But unless I personally rewrote my future diary by changing “today,” those events were bound to happen.
I tapped my finger lightly on the table.
“Let’s call Magireta.”
“……?”
“Let’s ask her to let the four of us keep participating together in future quests.”
“No, setting aside whether she’d even listen… would she even come if you called? You sound like you’ve got her on a leash.”
At that, Magireta’s voice answered,
“If it were someone else, maybe not. But when my little brother calls, I have to come.”
“Ah. I see. You really do like Mason, huh. You don’t even know your place.”
“And you do, so that’s why you’re spouting nonsense like that?”
“Huh… what—?”
Thud.
We all shot up from our seats.
We had no idea when Magireta had appeared, but she’d blended naturally into our group.
There was even a small plate and a fork set in front of her, with a portion of the main dish already served onto it.
“Y-you—since when—”
“About halfway through? So I don’t know all the details. You wanted to ask me something, right?”
“……”
“Just kidding. I heard everything from the start.”
I swallowed hard.
Magireta rested her chin on the table and said,
“Edgar Tyler. You even know his name already. My little brother is truly fascinating.”
“…….”
“I heard the Princess is going to be with Edgar in the next quest, right? How could you possibly know something like that? Even I can’t say for sure. The teams are going to be formed completely at random.”
Cold sweat ran down my back.
But I didn’t let it show. I simply curved my lips into a sly smile.
“It’s just a small knack I have, sister.”
“Enough to deceive almighty me?”
“Being almighty and being all-knowing have slightly different meanings, don’t they?”
“You talk well.”
She smiled faintly and leaned back.
It seemed she decided to just let it go.
Well, Magireta probably already expected that I had some sort of special ability.
“By the way… you want everyone to join the quest together?”
“Yes, sister. Isn’t there any way?”
“Of course not.”
“Why not? You usually grant my requests.”
“When did I ever?”
“Like when I asked you to send us to the place we designated after the quest, or when I asked for a prize other than gold coins…”
“Those were all rules that were already set.”
Pook.
She stabbed her fork into a steak and brought it to her mouth.
Then, tearing into it greedily, she continued,
“I thought you might’ve noticed by now, but my quests tend to have many ‘hidden rules’. Finding those one by one—that’s part of your job. Of course, it’s also for my entertainment.”
“…What about when I asked you for that guarantee during the first quest? You agreed to vouch for me when I swore on my life not to reveal that man’s occupation. Isn’t that also a favor you granted?”
“I said I could grant requests as long as they don’t interfere with the game.”
“…….”
“Gathering specific people in one place to form a team—that clearly does interfere with the game. No matter how much I adore my little brother, I can’t go that far just for you.”
At that moment, lightning flashed through my mind.
‘Wait. In the last page of the diary….’
I recalled the Diary Book.
On the final page, Edgar had written that he used up two of his five lives.
One was when he died to Aina.
And the other—
‘When he made a deal with Magireta to set up a trap!’
What did that mean?
I asked carefully,
“If a favor is out of the question, how about a deal?”
The next instant—
A deep smile appeared beneath Magireta’s hood.
She set her fork down with a light tap and said,
“As expected, little brother, you’ve got sharp instincts.”
“…….”
“Well, since you figured it out and asked first, I’ll answer you. A deal is fine.”
She made a circle with her fingers.
“But a deal has to be mutually satisfying, right? What can you offer me?”
“What should I offer you?”
“You propose it. Then I’ll weigh it on the scales inside me.”
“And if the scales tip unfavorably for you?”
She chuckled softly and replied,
“Then you’ll have to pay the price. For daring to propose a deal to me and trying to bargain with something so pitiful.”
We both inhaled at the same time.
Damn it.
This was like a customer being asked how much they’re willing to pay—except if she didn’t like the offer, she might just kill me.
Magireta should really try becoming a merchant. She’d fail spectacularly.
‘What could I possibly give Magireta?’
As I was turning the thought over in my head, about to speak—
Thump.
Suddenly, Armelia covered my mouth with her hand.
The unexpected move startled me so much I froze. Then, in a voice deadly serious, she spoke,
“Do not speak, Mason.”
“Wheh meh mouh ish…”
“Ah, sorry. Anyway, you mustn’t be taken in by that demon’s deceit.”
Armelia lowered her hand and glared at Magireta.
“It’s written even in the Scriptures—one must never make a deal with a demon.”
“To think the Princess had that kind of scholarly background.”
“It’s less about learning and more about rote memorization. Still, the Scripture says that even if things seem fine at first, a deal with a demon inevitably leads to ruin. You must not trade with such a being on my account.”
“Then, Your Highness, you’ll die.”
“…That would indeed be troublesome.”
Seriously, what was I supposed to do?
At that moment, Magireta shrugged.
“If you don’t like it, forget it. I’m not forcing you.”
“…….”
“If you change your mind later, call me anytime. But only before the quest begins.”
Then, playfully, she added,
“Once the quest starts, if you want to make a deal for a ‘shuffle’, you’d really have to stake your life. Unlike Edgar, you only have one life, right?”
“Shuffle?”
“Yeah. It’s the process of mixing and redistributing all the participants again from the beginning.”
“Would there even be a need to reshuffle once the quest’s already started? You could just swap a few people with my party instead.”
“Wouldn’t that make the swapped ones feel unfair? They’d be moved by someone else’s greed, not their own will—and if they happen to run into a legendary powerhouse there, what then?”
Uncharacteristically kind of her.
But she wasn’t wrong.
For example, whoever gets swapped with Armelia would end up facing that lunatic Edgar.
Someone who wasn’t destined to meet Edgar would suddenly have to challenge him in a quest.
That would change fate itself.
‘So that’s why she says a new shuffle must be done—leaving everything to chance. If the quest’s already started, that is.’
When I fell silent, Magireta asked,
“Any more questions?”
“……”
“If not, I’ll be going. Thanks for the steak.”
“Pay before you go.”
Of course, Magireta vanished without paying a single coin.