Chapter 97

(￣(エ)￣)＜Starting the Side Story!

(=ↀωↀ=)＜This is the first installment of the "Episode Superior" series, which depicts the past and present of the "Superior" class.

□Vincent Myers, 2043, United Kingdom

One day, I posted something on an internet bulletin board.

"Born into an old noble family,

now a wealthy family,

living without any hardship,

and blessed with the love of my family.

Is this happiness?"

Most of the responses, aside from those telling me to stop writing nonsense, said, "Of course it's happiness."

I realized that I had only written about good things.

So, I tried to make it more realistic by rewriting it.

"Born into an old noble family,

now a wealthy family,

living without any hardship,

and blessed with the love of my family.

However, I have a serious heart condition,

and I cannot exercise or get excited.

Is this happiness?"

This time, some people said, "That's not happiness," but the majority still said, "It is happiness."

I guess that's true.

Objectively, the environment is blessed.

But from my subjective point of view...

"It's... not really happy."

I, Vincent Myers, muttered this while looking at the responses on the internet.

◇

Nineteen years ago, in 2024, I was born as the heir to the chairman of the Myers Conglomerate, one of the leading corporate groups in the UK.

From birth, I had a heart condition.

When my heart beats fast, I have an attack.

"Nothing will happen if I do nothing, but if I exercise or get excited, it could be life-threatening."

It's a strange disease.

Born into a wealthy family, I received a lot of treatment from infancy, but it never fully healed.

My father used his wealth and connections to have the world's best medical care replace my heart, but the disease recurred for some reason.

It seems to be a disease without precedent, and even the world's top doctors were at a loss.

My parents were deeply saddened by this, but they were genuinely relieved that my life was not in danger.

"You will live your life to the fullest. We will do anything to help you," my father said, hugging me.

"I am your mother. I love you, dear Vincent," my mother said, kissing my cheek.

I think they were really good parents.

Because of my condition, I couldn't take over my father's business, but fortunately, I had a younger brother.

My brother, Keith, is a good boy. He never looked down on me for being unable to do anything and said with a straight face, "I'll work hard for you too, brother!"

He is a really good brother.

I was born into a good family, had good parents, and a good brother... saying I was unhappy would be selfish.

I don't think I'm unhappy.

But I don't think I'm happy either.

My feet have never run on the ground.

The only exercise I can do is a leisurely walk that doesn't strain my heart. Running would be life-threatening.

My heart has never truly raced.

If my heart beats fast, I could die, so I can't watch movies that are supposed to be exciting.

I could read books and articles online, but if my heart started to race even a little, I had to stop immediately.

There is no despair, but there is no hope either.

Since I was old enough to understand, I have just read books without letting my heart race, looked at the scenery, eaten, thought, slept, and lived.

A life like a plant.

Pascal wrote, "Man is a thinking reed," but I was that, not as a metaphor.

I am blessed.

I am saved.

But I have never felt vitality.

I have never had the opportunity to give my all.

I have never... burned and leaped with life.

A gentle, but closed life.

That was Vincent Myers' life.

◇

One day, Keith came to me saying, "Brother! I have something amazing today! It's really amazing!"

"What is it, Keith?"

"A game! A really amazing game was released yesterday, brother!"

"A game?"

Looking closely, it was a colorful package, which indeed looked like it could contain a toy or game.

Keith, who had already graduated from junior high school and was busy preparing to take over my father's business while attending high school...

"This is a gift from me to you, brother!"

"Keith... a game for me..."

Yes, unlike reading, games and videos can easily get me excited.

Once, I went to the opera with my family, and I had to leave halfway through because I almost had an attack.

So, I usually avoid such things...

"It's different! It's a VRMMO! And it's 'real'!"

"VRMMO? Real?"

According to Keith's explanation, this game is like an SF novel where only your mind goes into a digital world.

During this time, your body is not affected, so there's no need to worry about a heart attack from excitement.

So, I should be able to play it, he said.

"That's amazing..."

It's too revolutionary.

I check the news online, but I don't think the latest technology news has reached this level.

Moreover, the idea that only the mind can travel without affecting the body is strange.

Even in a VRMMO, the brain receives information and thinks, so it should affect the body.

After all, even in dreams, the heart can race.

"Try it! In the game, you might be able to move freely!"

"Ha ha..."

Even if the game lives up to its claims, it's still a game.

Even if I can move, it's just a virtual body...

"..."

But even if it's a virtual body... it might be much better than my current state.

"Let's log in right away! I bought one for myself too."

"Keith! Your tutor is waiting for you in your room!"

"Wha!?"

Keith, looking reluctant, was led out of my room by the maid, Marta, saying, "You can start without me, brother!"

And so, I was left alone in the room with the package.

"...What should I do?"

I'm not sure if I should really play the game... but since Keith prepared it for me, maybe I should try it.

I carefully opened the package and the game's box, and inside was a device that looked like a headset.

I read the instructions and, as a precaution, kept my heart rate monitor on while putting on the headset.

If I have an attack during play, the staff should come to my aid.

"Alright..."

With everything set up, I... hesitantly turned on the game.

◇

The next moment, I found myself in the courtyard of some mansion.

"Huh...?"

For a moment, I thought it was the Myers estate, but it was much smaller than my home.

"Where am I? And when did I get here..."

"That was the moment you turned on the game, sir."

"!?"

Before I knew it, a man was standing next to me.

The man wore a colorful silk hat as big as his head and a colorful gentleman's suit.

...It's a rather eccentric outfit, even in a clothing catalog.

"Ah, my apologies. I am the No. 0 administrator of <Infinite Dendrogram>, Mad Hatter."

The man in the hat introduced himself with an unfamiliar intonation.

But Mad Hatter... Alice in Wonderland?

I don't know much, but is this game based on a fairy tale?

Thinking about it, I realized...

"...A game?"

"Yes, this is a game. You are inside <Infinite Dendrogram>."

This is inside the game?

It looks completely real.

The air is filled with the scent of the garden, and the wind has a temperature.

"Feel free to run around and check it out."

The Mad Hatter said this as if it were nothing.

As if it were nothing... he said something I could never do.

"Can I... run?"

"Yes, of course. Please try the realism of <Infinite Dendrogram>."

Encouraged by the Mad Hatter, I took a step in the garden.

"..."

One step, then another.

Gradually, I started to speed up.

Before I knew it, I was running around the garden.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha..."

For the first time in my life... I was running at full speed.

Ah, I see.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

This is what running feels like...

◇

After running for about ten minutes, I was lying on my back on the grass, out of breath.

Being out of breath from too much movement was a new experience for me.

"Good job, sir. Why did you run so hard?"

"Because I've never... done it before..."

I can feel my heart beating.

This is supposed to be a fake in the game.

I've never felt such a sensation before.

But I felt with my whole body that this sensation was "real."

"Would you like to start the tutorial?"

"Sure, but can I stay lying down?"

"Of course, do as you please."

Then, the Mad Hatter explained various things to me.

Since I have almost no experience with games, I had many questions, but the Mad Hatter answered them without any complaints.

When we got to the character creation part, I asked a question.

"Can you recreate what I would have looked like if I had grown up healthy?"

The Mad Hatter said, "It's possible," and prepared the avatar.

"..."

At first glance, I was breathless.

I might be biased, but I was captivated by my avatar.

Thinking, "Ah, I could have been like this..." I even shed a tear.

The tutorial progressed, and after the <Embryo> was implanted, the Mad Hatter suddenly said in a hurry,

"I'm sorry, but I haven't set your name yet."

"Name?"

"Yes, your name. It was supposed to be decided earlier, but it was my mistake. Since you just started..."

I see, I won't be using my real name, Vincent.

But a name... a name.

...One name came to mind.

That day, the only time my family and I went to the opera.

I was looking forward to it, but I had to leave halfway through.

The name of the protagonist in that opera was...

"Figaro"

"Is that the name you want to use?"

"Yes."

This time, I won't leave.

With that resolve and expectation, I named myself.

I will let my heart race freely in this game.

"I am... Figaro."

The Mad Hatter applauded in response to my words.

"May your days of freedom be blessed!"

And in an instant, the garden disappeared, and I was thrown into the sky, looking down at the world.

My destination was the starting point I chose— "Legendaria."

Thus, I, who would later be known as the "Super Warrior" Figaro, stepped into the world of <Infinite Dendrogram>.

To be continued

The next update is tomorrow at 21:00.

(￣(エ)￣)＜It turns out Figaro is from a perverted country

(=ↀωↀ=)＜The reputation damage to Legendaria (fact) is severe...