The opening video began to play. As expected of a game popular enough to warrant a remake, the animation quality was high.
First came Kay, followed by the rest of the companions, appearing one after another to the rhythm of the music. After a sinister-looking Schumacher flashed across the screen, a few more characters appeared—and then, Inas appeared briefly as well. His face passed by with the expression of someone carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“……”
It was hard not to laugh, but seeing people he knew appear as animated characters inside a game made Nigel feel… off.
That strange sense of detachment lingered even after the opening ended. He sat still for a long moment. When he didn’t press anything, the game automatically replayed the opening video.
The world Nigel had just come from—he knew that wasn’t fake. It was the world he had lived in up until now. And yet, the game that reduced that world to nothing more than a fictional story clearly existed here.
The feeling that everything he knew had just been denied was deeply unpleasant.
If it felt this bad for Nigel—someone from Earth—how much worse would it be for someone who’d been a character in the game from the beginning?
The opening finally ended, leaving behind a hollow feeling. Nigel pulled himself together, grabbed the controller, and started the game.
It was an old release, and the characters were all chibi-styled, around two-heads tall.
Though slightly more polished than what he remembered from childhood, compared to modern graphics, it still looked primitive.
As soon as the game began, Kay was in his house, and a tutorial started, guiding Nigel through the basic controls.
The interface that popped up on-screen matched the one he was used to seeing—uncannily so.
But what unsettled him even more was the character he was now controlling. Just days ago, this had been someone he’d been locked in vicious combat with—threats of life and death thrown back and forth. And now here he was, reluctantly manipulating that same person on screen.
During dialogue scenes, detailed character illustrations appeared alongside chibi avatars and backgrounds. The artwork was exactly how he remembered Kay at sixteen.
Cheerful and bright, Kay helped out around town—hunting wolves, delivering milk, picking fruit. Always jumping in to solve people’s problems, he was the helpful neighborhood kid.
Once he finished all those errands, he was ready to set off on his adventure the next day. Thus, the game’s prologue came to a close.
Just like in Nigel’s memories, Kay departed with Lana. Along the road, Nigel—controlling Kay—fought battles.
The first time he accidentally got Kay killed due to poor judgment, he was wracked with guilt. After that, Nigel carefully leveled up the character and advanced slowly.
Eventually, after a few hours of gameplay, Inas appeared.
Inas
You look like you could use some help. Allow me.
He arrived just as Kay was in danger, effortlessly defeating the monster that had been giving Nigel so much trouble.
Inas, in that moment, was the epitome of a capable knight.
“Wow… he’s hot.”
Nigel muttered without thinking.
The Inas in the game was almost identical to the Inas Idenbach from before Nigel knew the truth.
Cool-headed, bound by chivalry—a knight through and through.
Even in game form, even as nothing but an illustration, Inas was strong and stunning.
One look at the art was enough to make anyone swoon.
For once, he understood exactly how his sister felt. With those looks and that noble personality, how could you not fall for him?
Though if she saw the current Inas—broken and unhinged—she’d probably be in for a shock…
Pushing aside those pointless thoughts, Nigel pressed on with renewed determination.
He couldn’t see the real Inas now, but he could at least bask in the in-game version’s presence.
The plot was already familiar to him, which made it a little dull, but seeing Inas again gave him fresh motivation.
Hours flew by in the blink of an eye.
There were interruptions—delivery food his sister ordered, cooking dinner—but thanks to Nigel’s focus, he made quick progress.
Eventually, Kay and company arrived at the capital.
Parting ways with Inas was disappointing, but Nigel didn’t put down the controller.
He hadn’t found anything resembling a bug yet, but he was still curious about what came next.
He didn’t know the exact strategy guide for this game, but based on his own experience, there was a good chance the in-game Nigel would appear in the capital.
The hidden route, The Duke’s Secret, only triggered in the mansion haunted by Rimera’s ghost.
Nigel wandered the capital, searching every corner, and finally, it paid off.
Knight of the Ducal House
The Duke of Magnus has taken an interest in your group. Seems he’s impressed by the achievements you’ve made in such a short time. If you wish, I can arrange a meeting.
Finally, an NPC from the Duke’s household expressed interest in Kay’s party.
He recognized the character—it was an NPC he’d seen plenty of times in the capital.
Nigel was about to accept the offer, when his phone suddenly rang loudly.
Battery nearly dead, the screen lit up with a name: Inas.
Just a little more and he’d have gotten there. He hesitated, but instinctively answered.
“Hey. What’s up this late?”
— What else? Nigel, want to meet today?
Today?
Nigel glanced between the darkened window and the clock.
Even if they were in a relationship, it was way too late to meet up now.
“Sorry. I’m busy tonight…”
— You should come. It’ll be better for you.
“What?”
— I don’t want to see you suffer, Nigel. You’re more comfortable here than out there.
A chill ran down his spine. He froze.
On the other end of the line, the voice softened in an attempt to comfort him.
— I know it sounds scary. But I think the real me wants this too.
“Don’t be ridiculous. What are you?”
It felt like a foreign object had suddenly invaded his peaceful reality. Nigel tensed up, fully on guard.
The voice let out a quiet sigh.
— This is the truth. Not a guess.
That voice—calm, low, eerily familiar—it sounded exactly like Inas.
Nigel glared at the phone, knowing full well the caller couldn’t see him.
But the voice continued as calmly as ever.
— Inas Idenbach has also entered the Eye of the Abyss. I know what lies in his depths. Normally, even if fragments of someone’s consciousness appear in your illusion, it’s hard for them to interfere this deeply… But we share a bond stronger than blood, don’t we? And you’ve accepted me, Nigel. Because of that, I’ve been recreated here more perfectly than anyone else. So perfectly, you can’t even tell the difference.*
“You pretended not to know all along?”
— It was better that way—for you.
“How is that better? You lied to me.”
The caller laughed.
“What the hell…”
— No… The one truly deceiving you is Inas Idenbach. Far more than you think, he’s close to understanding the truth of this world. And he’s hiding it from you.
“……”
— I’m just like him—but I’m also not. I care more about you than my own desires.
In this world created for your sake, I’ll devote myself to you.*
Nigel swallowed hard.
No matter how pretty the words were, it was all nonsense.
Devoting himself in a fake world, created solely for Nigel? It was just empty talk.
There was no way he’d ever be satisfied with a fake.
“Spare me the bullshit. I…”
Just as he was about to lash out further, the call cut off.
The battery had finally died.
Frustrated, Nigel stared at the dead phone in his hand, then flung it onto the couch.
Trying to stop him with that crap, calling at the last moment—there was definitely something up ahead.
Determined now, Nigel returned to the game and accepted the NPC’s offer.
The game resumed seamlessly.
And finally—Nigel came face to face with his in-game self.
“…Oh.”
But the character wasn’t what he expected at all.
He had pale blond hair and red eyes.
The colors were similar, but the features were completely different.
Unlike the other characters, whose designs were easy to match to their real-life counterparts, this one looked nothing like the real Nigel.
If he had to compare—real Nigel had a delicate, handsome face.
This version looked harsher. Stronger.
Nigel had always thought he resembled Rimera, but this character looked strikingly like Ruder.
He was skinny, so he lacked Ruder’s physical presence, but he had the same arrogance and the same faint cruelty.
It was the kind of face that reminded you exactly of the “Nigel” who used to torment Danil.
It made his skin crawl.
His fingers trembled slightly.
Sick to his stomach, Nigel moved to turn the game off.
But the screen distorted—faster than he could power it down.
His in-game illustration looked straight at him.
Right at Nigel, beyond the screen.
And then… he smiled. Brightly. Completely out of sync with the scene.
Nigel
Thank you.
Nigel
For finding my face.
Nigel
But then again, you’re the one who made me lose it in the first place. So I guess I shouldn’t really be thanking you, huh?
As the last line left his mouth, the in-game Nigel’s face twisted grotesquely.
It looked like something was about to burst from the screen—Nigel instinctively raised his arm, but nothing came out.
Instead, the image began to collapse—starting from the darkened parts.
The once-solid world was falling apart.
Cracks spread like shattered glass, and flecks of debris drifted into the air.
As small shards started to break away, Nigel screamed—panicked.
The door slammed open.
His sister’s face appeared—pale, horrified, looking exactly like his own.
She scanned the disintegrating room and ran to him, acting on pure instinct as she wrapped her arms around her younger brother.
“■■■!”
Whatever name she shouted didn’t reach him.
But the warmth of her body pressed even harder against him—proof of her love.
Like that moment in the car, on their trip, when she’d unconsciously shielded him.
Nigel sobbed as he clung to her. But it wasn’t enough to stop the collapse.
The structured world shattered, disappearing all at once.
He knew it was just an illusion, but watching his sister’s form get torn apart—he couldn’t hold back the tears.
He wept uncontrollably.
When the sobs finally subsided, he lifted his head, cheeks wet.
Hundreds—maybe thousands—of windows floated before him.
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
<Forget.>
As the endless windows vanished, a new one appeared in front of him.
NOW LOADING…
88.7%
Time Remaining: ???
Just recently, the progress bar had been at a low percentage—but now it had nearly reached completion.
Slowly, that window faded too.
And in the pure white void that remained, a man appeared.
Pale blond hair. Red eyes.
A cold, arrogant face.
It was the same man Nigel had just seen—the one who looked like Ruder. The other “Nigel.”
The man paid Nigel no attention.
Instead, he touched his own body, as if discovering it for the first time.
With joy in his eyes, he hugged himself.
[Ha… ha. I finally got it back.]
The space felt sacred—overwhelming.
The voice echoed with familiar weight.
And the face—undeniably, it was the true Nigel Grau Montstein.
“…Nigel.”
Nigel whispered it aloud—part suspicion, mostly certainty.
And the man smiled darkly.
[Yeah. That’s what I used to be called. Up until Loop 186.]
The Glarus before him… grinned.
