Chapter 50

Oliver has been on my mind, and I can't help but think about him while working with a heavy heart.

Sigh, who is Oliver, anyway?

In the game, you can revive a dead person using the "Substitute Doll" item, but in this world, resurrection is impossible. Therefore, not everything in the game's mechanics is necessarily correct.

However, on the other hand, the skills that Alexia uses have the same effects as in the game, and the order in which she learns them is the same. If only Oliver is different, I can't understand why. Is it something unique to this world, or do I just not know about it? The problem is that the game's common sense doesn't always apply here.

Skills are structured in a tree, and you can't learn higher-level skills without learning specific lower-level skills. However, before that, the skill trees for secondary and primary classes are separate, so in theory, you can learn secondary class skills without learning any primary class skills, as long as you have changed to a secondary class.

Why can Oliver use the skills of a "Monk," a secondary class?

Maybe I should just ask him directly, but I can't do that bluntly because I don't know who Oliver is.

If Oliver is a resident of this world and just happens to have the same skills as a secondary class, there's no problem. However, if Oliver is a player or the cause of my being sent to this world, the situation changes.

If Oliver is a player and just didn't know this world was another world, maybe I should tell him. If he's from another world, our relationship can continue as it has been.

But if he's the culprit, it must be for some reason that he approached me. I don't know his purpose, and he's acting as if he doesn't know me. If I reveal that I know, the risk is too high. That's why I don't want him to know that I'm aware.

I think the possibility of Oliver being the culprit is low. There's not enough information to determine if he's from another world or a player, but if he approached me without me noticing, there's no need for him to use secondary class skills to stand out.

The fact that I have doubts is true, and I want to clarify them. First, I need to determine if Oliver is a player or from another world.

"Another World" only recently started its official service. Including the beta test I participated in, it's been about half a year since the general public could join the game. If Oliver is a player, he wouldn't have a past in this world, as he wouldn't be living here.

By investigating Oliver's past, I might be able to determine if he's a player.

I should ask someone who might know about his past. Someone related to the church he came with might know, but I don't know anyone there.

First, I'll ask Alexia and Irene. Since Alexia went to the northeast of the commune with Rozline, she must know more about Oliver than I do. Alexia seems to be free, as she's resting at the inn. I'll visit her right away.

"Alexia, I have something to talk about. Is it okay?"

"Of course, please come in."

Entering the room, I see Alexia and Irene, and...

"Mr. Chaos, do you need something from Alexia?"

Of all people, I encountered the one person I shouldn't right now. Why is Oliver here?

"Please don't mind me, Mr. Chaos. Please proceed with your business."

It seems I was unconsciously sending skeptical glances. Feeling ashamed, I meet Alexia's gaze.

"Alexia, I have a question. I'm sorry, but I need you to ask everyone to leave."

"Ask everyone to leave? What's going on?"

Avoiding Alexia's puzzled gaze, I look at Oliver. Irene spills the tea she was about to serve me, and Oliver mutters, "Hmm."

"Understood. Sir Oliver, I'm sorry, but could you step out for a moment?"

"That's right. I'll leave so as not to be a bother."

Irene also tries to leave with Oliver, but I stop her.

"Ah, I need to ask Irene something too, so please stay."

"Me too?!"

"Yes, I need you here, Irene."

Irene stands behind Alexia, looking uncomfortable and shrinking slightly. Her reaction makes me wonder, but I prioritize what I need to ask. After confirming that Oliver has left the room, I turn to them.

"So, what I want to ask Alexia is about Oliver."

Ignoring Irene's obvious disappointment, I ask Alexia.

"About Sir Oliver? But I thought I already told you about him."

"No, I want to know more about his background. I heard he's part of the church's knight order, but I want to know more details, like when he joined."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know much more... Irene, have you heard anything?"

"I don't know much about Sir Oliver. Stories from the Castel Kingdom don't reach us often. However, I've heard that he became famous about a year ago."

A year ago.

The closed beta test for "Another World" started in April, about half a year ago. Players could log into the game only after that, so the possibility of Oliver being a regular player is eliminated.

Then, is Oliver not involved in this?

No, wait.

It's too early to completely rule it out. A year ago, information about "Another World" was already public. I can't have mistaken the announcement of the game's development, which I had been eagerly awaiting. Even if it's impossible for a player, if Oliver is a game developer, he could have visited this world during the early stages of development, such as the alpha test, making it plausible for him to have been active here for over a year.

Moreover, it's more natural to assume that someone involved in the game's development is responsible for my ability to travel between worlds. Technically, I have no idea, but if something is embedded to allow travel between worlds, it would likely involve modifying the game's program or the virtual reality device, the Valgia, used to play the game.

Only developers can access the game's program, and the Valgia I use was sent to me by the game company when I was selected as a beta tester. Therefore, it's highly possible that it was tampered with by the game company or the development company. Of course, the company that developed the Valgia can't be ruled out.

"Besides, it's just a rumor, and I don't want to say anything bad about Sir Oliver."

Irene hesitates to speak. I encourage her with my gaze.

"Sir Oliver is said to be, well, an eccentric person, someone different from the norm."

It's a difficult rumor to pin down.

"Does that refer to his unique fighting style?"

"I'm sorry, but I only overheard it by chance, so I can't vouch for its truth."

"Still, it's quite mean of people. He's a wonderful person who works tirelessly for the people. To spread such rumors is despicable."

Alexia shows righteous anger.

When treating the boy and trying to save the villagers from monsters, Oliver was undoubtedly a great person. If I didn't have suspicions about him, I would have thought of him as an excellent person, just like Alexia.

"By the way, what was Oliver's business here?"

"It's nothing much. He asked about the magic I use and about you."

A sudden fear gripped me, as if someone had sneaked up behind me.

Is Oliver investigating me?

Why?

"Hmm, about me?"

"Yes, Sir Oliver seems to know a lot about your achievements, but he wanted to know more about your daily life, so I told him about when we first met. ...Did I do something wrong?"

I tried to sound calm, but my tone was slightly accusatory. Alexia looks confused, thinking she might have said something wrong.

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to blame you."

I immediately apologized. If I had hesitated, Irene, standing behind Alexia, might have made me suffer physically.

Oliver is investigating me. Is he approaching me to investigate me?

But what is he trying to find out?

When applying for the beta test, personal information like name and address was required. If Oliver is a game operator, there's no need for him to investigate in this world. He could find out from the user's personal information managed by the company. It's impossible for personal information to be revealed in the game.

Therefore, he must be investigating something that can't be known in the game or something that requires direct interaction.

From what Alexia said, it seems he's investigating what is generally known in this world. He might be trying to find out what kind of impact I'm having in this world and whether I'm a dangerous person.

Perhaps my arrival in this world was unexpected for Oliver. After becoming famous in the commune, he might have come to assess me based on my unusual actions.

That's a possibility. However, it could also be that he's investigating as someone related to the church, not as a player, someone from another world, or the culprit.

Ah, no. The more I think about it, the more doubts arise, and I can't even figure out who Oliver really is. My head is getting confused.

"Teacher?"

Alexia was looking at me curiously. I had been lost in thought and forgotten about her.

"Sorry, Alexia. Thank you, Irene. Thanks to you, I learned a bit more about Oliver."

I ended the conversation and left the room.

Without concrete evidence, my speculations are limited. I've been suspecting everything, and it feels like I'm being misled by my own imagination.

For now, it seems Oliver is investigating me. If I don't know, I need to carefully observe his actions and find out his purpose. I'll be cautious and avoid making careless remarks in front of him.

***

Alexia had been busy since arriving in town. It wasn't overly burdensome, but her only complaint was that she had little time to spend with Chaos. Chaos also seemed busy, and she only saw him in passing. She felt a bit disappointed but continued her work.

This morning, while Irene was brushing her hair as usual, Alexia noticed a different expression on Irene's face. She seemed to be hesitating about whether to say something. Curious, Alexia asked.

"Irene? Is there something you want to talk about?"

"Um, well..."

Seeing Irene's hesitant demeanor, Alexia turned to face her and encouraged her to continue.

"What's wrong? Is it that hard to talk about?"

Despite being asked directly, Irene seemed reluctant to speak, as if the words were stuck in her throat. But finally, she relented under Alexia's innocent gaze and began to speak.

"Do you remember when Chaos asked you about Sir Oliver in detail not long ago?"

"Yes, I remember. It was just recently."

Chaos's interest in Oliver had left an impression on Alexia.

"Since then, I've been curious and investigated Sir Oliver. I found some troubling rumors."

"Troubling rumors? You mentioned before that he was considered an eccentric person."

Alexia was aware of Oliver's work and thought it was just a baseless rumor at the time.

"This time, it's different. Or, in a way, the same."

Alexia couldn't quite grasp the meaning of Irene's words and looked at her skeptically.

"In a way, the same? What do you mean?"

"The rumor involves Chaos as well."

"Really? Teacher, you? Irene, please don't be so dramatic."

"Apparently, Chaos has been asking around about Sir Oliver, not just to us but to others. Moreover, it seems that Chaos has been watching Sir Oliver from a distance while he works."

"That's... surprising."

Alexia knew that Chaos was interested in Oliver, but she never imagined he would watch him from afar.

If the rumor is true, perhaps he's trying to assess the character of a hero, someone revered by the people, from the perspective of another hero. However, it's impolite, no matter how much he is a teacher. Alexia felt a sense of duty to caution Chaos later.

"Whether the rumor is true or not, the fact that people think this way is a problem. You should let the teacher know."

"Yes, I agree. We can't let more unfounded rumors spread."

"But how does this connect to the rumor that Sir Oliver is an eccentric person? It seems more like the teacher would be the one being talked about."

As Irene was about to conclude, Alexia interjected with a question. Irene's reaction confirmed that there was more to the rumor.

"Please, Irene. Tell me properly. This concerns the teacher's and Sir Oliver's reputations. If the teacher needs to change his behavior, I don't want to say anything misguided. I need to know the details of the rumor."

"Alright, I understand. Please listen carefully."

Irene's face turned red, and she cleared her throat.

"Furthermore, from the way Chaos watches Sir Oliver from a distance with intense eyes, it seems that Chaos might have a particular interest in Sir Oliver."

"Particular interest? That's not a bad thing, is it?"

If they are working together to rebuild, a good relationship between them is not a bad thing. Alexia didn't see how it could lead to bad rumors.

On the other hand, Irene was blushing and struggling to explain.

Originally, Alexia was a struggling student at the Vayksel Empire's magic academy until her talent as a mage was discovered by Chaos. Despite her academic knowledge, she lacked friends of her own age due to jealousy. As a result, while she was knowledgeable about academic subjects like magic and history, she lacked interest in topics that her peers enjoyed, leading to a bias in her knowledge. Recently, she has shown more interest in love due to her own experiences, but she remains quite innocent.

Irene, being a bit older than Alexia, is still a young woman. Discussing such special romantic situations in this world was something she hesitated to do. She felt a sense of guilt in telling such things to the innocent Alexia.

However, since her mistress, Alexia, asked, she had no choice but to decide to tell her.

"In other words, it seems that Chaos might be in love with Sir Oliver, and people are saying this."

Irene's loud voice, as if she had given up, reached Alexia's ears. Alexia's expression changed to one of shock.

"Teacher in love?"

"Yes."

"With Sir Oliver?"

"Yes, that's right. People are whispering that the way he asks about Sir Oliver and watches him work is like a young woman in love. Especially since both are considered heroes."

"But Sir Oliver is a man. The teacher is also a man. That kind of love is strange, isn't it?"

Alexia countered with her own sense of normalcy. In her understanding, love is something that happens between a man and a woman. Lovers are supposed to be a man and a woman, not two men. However, Irene shook her head.

"Alexia, unfortunately, the world of love is broader than that. There are cases of love between people of the same sex, though they are a minority."

This kind of talk has been around for a long time, but Irene had never encountered it personally, so she never had the opportunity to deal with it. The residents here might not know, but those involved in transporting aid supplies are aware that he is a hero and close to the queen of the commune and Alexia. Even if they have to work with him, it's not easy to get close. Therefore, people are letting their imaginations run wild based on Chaos's actions.

She never imagined that such a rumor would arise about her master's love interest. Even if it's just a rumor, it changes the way people look at Chaos. She never thought she would have to report such a thing to her mistress.

"Such a thing can't be true."

Alexia was devastated. The young girl had once again learned the depth of the world.

"Speaking of which, there was a rumor that Sir Oliver is an eccentric person. Some people are saying that Sir Oliver might have the same interests as Chaos, and that he has been asking others about Chaos, just as Chaos has been asking about him."

A bolt of lightning struck Alexia's heart.

"Does that mean they like each other?"

Irene nodded solemnly. Alexia fell to her knees, her hands touching the floor.

When did Chaos start to have feelings for Oliver? Alexia wondered. At least from Clermont to here, she and Chaos had met and talked with Oliver several times, but it didn't seem like they were that close.

However, since arriving here, she hadn't been able to keep track of all their actions. Alexia was busy, and Chaos was also busy, so they could only be together when she was guarding her. Could it be that during this time, Chaos and Oliver's relationship had progressed to the point where they were aware of each other?

No, wait, she thought, stopping her runaway thoughts.

Everything Irene had said so far was just a rumor, and it wasn't clear if it was true. If it was true, the most plausible things were that Chaos had been asking others about Oliver, observing Oliver, and that Oliver had been asking others about Chaos.

It was a big scandal for heroes. It was the perfect fodder for gossip. It was probably just a rumor that had been exaggerated.

"Irene, please call the teacher later. I can't let a bad rumor spread about him. It must be a misunderstanding."

"Understood."

She couldn't stand by and let the teacher, whom she respected and had feelings for, be slandered. Now that Alexia