Chapter 78

<077. The Belief of 20,000 Play Hours>

The party system of D/Z SAGA.

While it's an RPG at its core, it also features a system where you can get heroine endings based on affection and route choices.

The Magic Department and the Knight Department.

Each department has its main heroine, and it's not just the secondary heroines.

There are also extra heroines and heroines unlocked after the second playthrough, and after clearing all the heroines, the final heroine route opens.

Additionally, there's a route where the protagonist falls into corruption, and even that route is subdivided, so the heroine in the corruption route isn't just one.

In fact, there have been cases where the sub-heroine in the corruption route has won over the main heroine in the popularity vote.

And of course, if you fail to manage the affection, you won't even make it to Act 12.

If things go wrong, a message will appear saying, "No one who saw Kelters after that," and you'll die.

If you abandon a heroine or her affection drops, Kelters might say, "Sorry, I've lost interest in you," and reject you.

If you make a mistake in flag management, a heroine might die saying, "I... I wanted to laugh a little more with Kelters..."

Thinking about it makes me want to cry again.

Anyway, moving on,

So how do you manage the heroines' affection?

It's simple. Put them in your party and go hunting often.

I don't really understand why going hunting and leveling up leads to increased affection, but that's the system.

It's like, if you see someone you like on the street, you say, "I like you, let's go hunting now," and if you get along, you draw your sword, take up a spear, and kill monsters in a blood-soaked atmosphere, then share the rewards and ask, "Do you want to go on a date after this?" What a world.

I don't want to live in such a world.

Anyway, this party system is incredibly important.

Why is it so important? Ha ha. It's simple to explain.

【The status gap within the party is extreme.】

【You cannot receive status sharing!】

...Did I say it's incredibly important?

***

D/Z SAGA is not a god game.

I won't say it's a shit game, but it's just a game that barely reaches the level of a masterpiece.

However, if it were too much of a god game, it wouldn't be a game. Games are supposed to be a bit like slightly rotten trash to be truly appealing.

Let's look at the trashy part of this game, which is the party system.

For example, if I become Kelters and join the Magic Department, recruiting party members, Eve will be the default, followed by Regina. If I develop Kelters as a magic user, his magic power will grow.

So the party will look like this:

【Eve von Loewen Magic Power 22】

【Regina Sierra Magic Power 21】

【Kelters Magic Power 19+1】

Here, Kelters gets an additional +1 to his magic power because there are two characters in the party with higher magic power, due to the magic power synchronization system.

If I enter the Knight Department, Nephthys and Leon Weiss will boost health and strength.

In the game, this is why a party with strength bonuses is called a "Strength Pot" or something similar.

The others are called "Magic Pot," "Health Pot," and "Skill Pot."

Yes.

Kelters receives guidance from the strong characters around him and gains additional stats by aligning their hearts. This is why he eventually has magic power on par with Eve.

He really gets a lot of boosts.

However, there is a huge problem: if the status difference is too extreme, you can't receive support.

For example, if you put Eve with 22 magic power in the party, not all party members will receive the +1 magic power bonus; only those with 18 or higher magic power will.

This seems to be a balance to prevent Kelters from getting boosted too early in the game, as a difference of 1 in magic power is significant in the early stages.

So, if I apply this concept to myself, Wolfram von Loewen,

You can only receive additional status corrections from characters with 6 or lower health, 7 or lower magic power, and 12 or lower skill.

Hmm. If it had been someone other than Ayla... what would have happened?

For example, someone else... that is...

"Is there no one?"

After thinking about it, there's no one like that still enrolled at Jefrin.

If they were just 4 points higher than Wolfram, they would have been expelled from the academy.

"Milady... it won't work either."

Someone like Milady, who was expelled as a poor student?

Milady's health, strength, magic power, and skill are 9, 8, 11, and 6, respectively. Wolfram's are 2, 4, 3, and 8.

If Milady had been the first party member, she would have given a +1 strength bonus.

...But it's absurd to think that even that would be beneficial.

Because, an overwhelmingly strong character deserves to be in the party just by existing.

【The party member's talent is so excellent that all magical actions receive a +5% bonus!】

【The party member's talent is so excellent that the success rate of all magical actions increases by +5%!】

If you put competent party members together, you get more than just stat bonuses; you get action bonuses and critical success bonuses.

That 5% figure is determined by the party members' trust, unity, and mutual friendship. For heroines, it's based on affection, and the maximum is 8% according to my memory.

To get 8%, you need to be near the end of a heroine's route. So, Ayla must trust me a lot.

"…Ayla."

"Yes?"

"You are a symbol of my trust. I hope we can continue to work well together."

"Of course! Leave it to me!"

***

Strictly speaking, I never dreamed of rolling with stats from the beginning.

At first, I didn't even know if the party system existed, and even if I did, there were no weak characters around to support me.

I could have hired 4-tier trash from the labor market and given them +1 stats, but that would mess up the party balance.

Ayla's stats are so good that we benefit from her magical actions, but if I put such trash in the party, we'd get stat bonuses but the judgment bonuses would be thrown in the trash.

So, when making the game, you roll with a skill pot and form a health pot if you need a tank, or a strength pot if you need physical damage. It's a really difficult and complex game.

However, most of that is useless.

But, regardless, there's something you definitely want to get early if you form a party.

"Ayla."

"Yes. Did you call me, Wolfram?"

"Do you have free time this weekend?"

"Yes, I do. The exams are over, and I don't have any club activities."

That's good.

Then it's a perfect opportunity.

"Can you come with me on an expedition?"

"…An expedition?"

"Yes. It might take some time, but how about it? Can you do it?"

"…Hmm. Let's do it together. I trust you."

"…Of course. Let's do it together. So, who's coming with us, and when are we leaving? Can I come early in the morning?"

I shook my head, thinking about the quest trigger.

"No. You're the only one coming with me. And there's no need to come early in the morning."

"Ah, ahaha... So, just the two of us. Yes, I understand. It'll be a short trip, right?"

"No. We'll be in the field until midnight. We'll probably stay overnight."

"Ah. I see. One night. Returning the next day. I see. Then we can leave slowly."

Ayla said this and nodded, then widened her eyes in surprise and asked,

"…Yes? One… night…?"

"Um. Yes."

***

Act 2, as mentioned earlier, involves meeting the heroines of each route and raising their affection.

A representative example is the 2-1 episode where Eve invades the Black Flag's hideout.

I ended up going with her, but originally, Kelters would put Eve in his first party and then encounter the Black Flag's officers with the student council members.

Completing this episode creates a very convenient system between Kelters and Eve, who were in the same party.

It's a skill that can only be designated to one member in the party, and it's a must-have if you're building a party system.

I'm really glad I didn't get the party system when I went out with Eve.

If I hadn't, I might have gotten this function with Eve first. Thinking about it, it's really disgusting.

Anyway, we're here in the Sleeping Mountains to get this skill.

I really come here a lot. Really.

"Umm… How far are we going? Ah, [Black Crystal] [Area Control]."

"It won't take long. Ah, Partasch. This is about right."

We rode Partasch's cart and set up camp roughly in the middle of the deep mountains.

The campsite where I had been with Eve before still had traces left.

The monsters we encountered on the way were easily taken down by Ayla with the Black Crystal.

Then, a sad status message appeared in front of me.

【You did not contribute to the battle. You will not receive the status boost effect.】

【You did not contribute to the battle. You will not receive the status boost effect.】

...It's really sad.

Anyway.

We set up a tent and a campfire using the herbs to repel monsters and the barrier stones, relying on Partasch's telekinesis.

I made a light meal. Ayla asked if she could help, but I shook my head. I called her here for my convenience, so I should do this much.

I made a salad with mayovines dressing, cream pasta with cream beans, and two smoothies with mix beans, then set everything up and sat down.

"Wow…"

"Why are you like that? Eat before it gets cold."

"Yes, yes. But… you seem quite familiar with camping, Wolfram?"

"Of course. It's natural when you think about my goal."

To become the world's best convenience store manager, you need to be good at cooking.

This isn't a place where you just press a button to get a meal kit.

"…That's true. To go out into the world and see it, you need to be skilled at cooking. Camping… Will Wolfram achieve his dream someday?"

"…?"

"I like it. I think it's a good dream. I'll eat well, Wolfram!"

"Um."

After finishing the meal, I cleaned up the dishes, and Ayla sat by the campfire, making a chair with the Black Crystal.

This brings us to two major actions so far:

"Going out into the field with a party member and engaging in battle."

"Having a meal together."

And for the final trigger, I sat down and spoke to Ayla.

"Phew. It's fine. Ayla Trista. It'll be fine. Wolfram said he would wait."

While Ayla was muttering something, I finished cleaning the dishes and sat on the chair she made.

"Ah?!"

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Ah, no. You… suddenly came over, so I was startled."

"Then I'm sorry."

"…Wolfram. Why did you come on this expedition today?"

"…Um."

How should I put it?

If I said, "I came to get a skill because Ayla is a party member," I'd probably get stabbed to death.

Hmm, in situations like this, just… hmm.

"I wanted to have a conversation."

"…A conversation?"

"Yes. Lately, I've been so busy with various things that I haven't had the chance to talk calmly. I see this as an opportunity to deepen the bond with my best comrade in rebellion."

"Ah… Yes, yes!"

Finally, Ayla wiped away the awkwardness she had shown all day and smiled brightly at me.

"So, Ayla. ‘Let's have a conversation.’"

"Yes, I agree! Wolfram! Let's talk a lot!"

With that, the trigger was complete, and a holographic panel appeared and disappeared in front of me.

【During the rest time, the party member agreed to the conversation!】

【Intimacy with the party member deepens!】

【The expedition with the first party member and camping are complete!】

【Achievement unlocked.】

【Title ‘Die, Social Butterfly’ obtained!】

"What should we talk about?"

"Ah, how about old stories?"

"Old stories? Um. What kind of stories?"

"Stories from our childhood!"

"…."

That's Wolfram von Loewen's memory.

A story that Youngjin doesn't know and isn't even in the setting book.

"There are too many things, so I can't remember everything. Actually, my childhood memories are quite vague."

"…Ah. I see. Wolfram's childhood must have been… difficult because of your low abilities."

"Um. I'm sorry."

"Ah, no. I'm the one who's sorry."

"So, will you tell me? About what happened in your childhood."

"…Yes, yes! So…"

Ayla started talking enthusiastically.

While she deliberately avoided some parts, I could put together a new understanding of how Ayla and Wolfram's relationship had been.

And then,

"…So, Wolfram… …That is…"

"If you're sleepy, go to sleep."

"Y-Yes…"

Looking at the clock, it was half past ten.

It seems Ayla really does fall asleep at this time.

While Ayla went into the tent and fell asleep, I looked at the system window in front of me.

【You have obtained a skill!】

【Heart Link】

【8T】

【Party-exclusive skill】

【A skill where mutual trust creates a bond of fate beyond magic. When a party member's health drops below a certain level, it is shared with the party leader! When a party member has a status ailment, it is shared with the party leader!】

I nodded as I read the skill.

"Of course, I got it."

A skill that can immediately display a party member's status ailments, health drops, and other conditions. Having this or not makes a big difference in party management.

When I activated the skill, a small Ayla face icon appeared in front of me, with her health glowing green and her magic power glowing blue, and no status ailments.

"When Act 2 ends, Act 3 begins. And the final boss of Act 3 is Ayla Trista."

I hope nothing happens, but you never know how fate will roll.

So, I need to be prepared.

Ayla becoming a party member means that as the party leader, I must protect her from danger.

That's the playstyle of Youngjin, the cafe owner with 20,000 total play hours of D/Z SAGA, who has never let a party member die.