Chapter 15
Now that I think about it, I have to admit it:
Valdeon Saga was never a good game.
The only thing it had going for it was its incredible level of freedom, but ironically, that very freedom often led to absurd and infuriating situations.
Like, sometimes you’d be walking along the street, suddenly encounter a crazed criminal, fight, and then your character would die just like that.
“Congratulations on your performance.”
Or, you’d go to a volcano for a quest, only for it to suddenly erupt, and you’d become one with the magma.
“Did Ace die?!”
After repeatedly dying in those ways, you’d start swearing naturally.
But the thrill of beating all those absurdities and finally seeing the Original Ending is what kept me holding the controller.
After facing dozens, even hundreds of unlucky events, you get the hang of it.
But this…
This is one of the worst strokes of bad luck in all the playthroughs I’ve ever had.
Why is Marco Yan in such a small, insignificant town like this?!
[Beginner’s Guide #4]
The following is a list of NPCs you should NEVER get involved with.
If you ever trigger Fate Mechanics with these people, switch to chill mode immediately. It’s better for your sanity.
- Fernia: As soon as she becomes the Empress, she starts a war against the dragons. A complete maniac. Capturing her is almost as difficult as Ornica, so if you’re a noob, just go for the Second Princess route.
- Rienna: If you get deceived by her outward appearance, you’ll end up in a cult inquisitor’s ending. Want to capture her? You’ll have to root out the faith embedded deep in her soul. Even a little blasphemy in front of her, and she’ll smash your head in with a holy hammer, resulting in a bad ending.
- Marco: Just pray this character doesn’t show up in the story. A walking disaster. There are claims that someone successfully captured her, but it’s probably a lie. No one could possibly put up with that personality unless they were the Buddha himself.
These three are known as the “Three Mad Women” and hold their places proudly.
“…Even I was pretty shocked, to be honest.”
The innkeeper who entered the room started fanning herself.
“Who would’ve thought that the ‘Yan Family’ would come all the way here….”
“Um… What’s the Yan Family?”
Angela cautiously joined the conversation.
“It’s a large criminal organization. They’re known for doing anything that makes money.”
“You know your stuff, kiddo. Especially now that the new boss, Marco, has taken over. That lunatic’s reputation precedes her. When she says she’ll burn everything down, she’s not bluffing…!”
Yan Family.
Their motif is based on the infamous Italian criminal syndicate, the Mafia.
Their sheer size makes them known in broad daylight, not just the underworld.
In the game, you’d hear their name at least once, no matter what route you took.
But hearing a name and having the boss of that family show up out of the blue are two very different things!
I closed my eyes tightly and asked.
“So, why is she looking for me?”
“Well…”
The innkeeper started to explain the entire situation.
It turns out, this inn business was just a side job for her; her main gig is running a tavern nearby.
A tavern where young men—called “doryeonnim” in this world—serve drinks to female customers.
Marco showed up there.
And then she said this:
“Hey. I saw a pretty boy enter your building a while ago….”
“He—He’s not a worker here! He’s just a guest….”
“Really? So what? I want that boy to serve me a drink. Bring him here. Now.”
“No matter what you say….”
“If you refuse one more time, I’ll burn this place to ashes. Choose your next words wisely.”
“…And that’s what happened.”
Wow, she really is a complete maniac.
She’s trying to summon someone who doesn’t even work there.
The worst part is that we can’t refuse this request.
If I say “Screw you” and refuse to go, she’ll either set the place on fire or flip the town upside down until she finds me.
That damn woman will never stop once she sets her eyes on something.
“Phew….”
I let out a heavy sigh and made up my mind.
No, it’s not even a decision.
There was no other option from the start.
***
“I’ll do it.”
When Alben spoke up, Angela felt like her heart was being torn apart.
“Y-You…!”
“There’s no other way. If we provoke the Yan Family, things will get out of hand.”
“Good choice, kiddo! I’ll make sure you get paid well!”
“…I don’t need money. I’m not selling myself.”
Even if she kept calling him “kiddo,” Alben was already past the age of seventeen, the world’s threshold for adulthood.
He must know exactly what kind of place he’s about to enter.
“If you’re ready, let’s go quickly.”
Alben stood up.
It seemed like he had already steeled himself for whatever would come.
Feeling the weight of his resolve, Angela felt like she was about to lose her mind.
“Wait!”
Before I could even think, my hand moved on its own to grab his arm.
“Do we really have to do it this way…? Ah! I’ll go talk to them instead! If I reveal my identity, even they…”
“No.”
Alben bitterly smiled as he held onto Angela’s hand.
Then, gently pulling away one finger at a time, he spoke:
“That name should never be used for someone like me.”
“What do you mean…! What’s the point of having a name that can’t even save one benefactor?”
Suddenly, the world blurred, and a warm sensation filled her eyes.
Emotions swirled and tangled within her, turning into a few drops of tears that slowly fell.
“Ugh… Damn it…”
“Please wait for me a little while. I’ll be back soon.”
In the end, up until the moment he left the room with the innkeeper, Angela couldn’t do anything else.
All she could do was blankly stare at the spot he left behind.
“Ah… Aahhh…!!”
Soon, Angela’s anguished cry echoed throughout the room.
Once again, she couldn’t protect him.
“It’s because I’m weak that I lost him…!”
What good is it to try and protect the one you love?
In the end, I couldn’t even stay by his side.
He sacrificed himself for me and left, remaining calm and composed.
And yet, here I am, only capable of crying.
“No… Noooo…!!”
I thought Fate would bind us together.
We’d have a son who looked like him, a daughter who resembled me, walk through the streets shyly holding hands, and when we’d turn old and gray, we’d watch the sunset together.
I thought it was only natural—no, I took it for granted.
But the world was far more cruel than that.
Not even the power of Fate could deny my own powerlessness.
“If you lack the strength to protect, you lose everything.”
Crunch!
Angela’s teeth ground together.
The blood vessels in her eyes burst, turning them a deep red.
“I’m sorry… I’m… really sorry, my love….”
I’ll probably never forget this day for the rest of my life.
The day I sacrificed the one I love because of my own weakness.
“I’ll become stronger….”
I’ll keep getting stronger and stronger.
And I’ll wipe away everything in this world that stands in our way.
I’ll sever the heads of those who dare target him, display them for all to see, and wipe out every single one of their bloodlines.
If that’s what it takes.
“……”
I’ll become the Empress if I have to.
***
“It’s room 3. Be careful and keep your wits about you, kiddo.”
“You… You’re really brave, aren’t you?”
I kept taking deep breaths repeatedly.
I couldn’t tell if it was easing my tension, but my mind felt a bit clearer.
Standing in front of the door with a giant ‘3’ painted on it, I took a moment to gather my thoughts.
Marco, the heroine of Valdeon Saga who was considered almost impossible to capture.
Even Ornica was difficult to capture, but at least there were a few people who had succeeded.
But no one had ever successfully captured Marco.
Not a single person had posted any proof of success. It was safe to say it was practically impossible.
However, there was one person who managed to capture Marco.
“That person was me.”
When I posted a screenshot as proof, most people responded with, “What a load of crap, fake as hell.”
“Pfft… I love you too, my dear.”
“Don’t bring me gifts like this again! …Not that I said I was throwing it away or anything. Anyway, t-thank you….”
Even though Marco had spent the entire game being a terrible character, she blushed and looked embarrassed.
User ㅇㅇ(12.142): Even if it’s a fake, I have to admit, it’s a detailed one.
User ㅇㅇ(49.172): Why would Marco say something like that? Like, seriously, would she say that?! Lololol.
User ㅇㅇ(11.114): It’s widely accepted that the devs blocked any route to capture Marco.
Honestly, I wouldn’t have believed it either.
But what can I do?
I’ve actually seen that expression and those lines in the game.
‘Expressions that other players have never seen before.’
When people didn’t just doubt me but outright insulted me, I decided not to share my capture method.
Actually, there was no capture method to speak of.
The reason I managed to capture Marco was purely a ‘mistake’ on my part.
“I’m coming in.”
-Come on in.
After taking a deep breath,
I turned the doorknob.
Click— As the door opened, I was immediately hit by the thick smell of cigarette smoke.
‘Ugh.’
Barely holding back a gag, I looked around the room.
Women dressed in black suits were lounging around, each holding a drink in hand, clearly tipsy.
It seemed that even in a world of reversed genders, every member of the Yan Family was still female.
“Oh, is this the guy the boss was talking about?”
“…I think I understand why the boss is interested. Hehe!”
“If it weren’t for the boss, I’d have already tried to get a taste~.”
Their gazes were focused on me.
Crude and lewd comments were thrown around brazenly.
“Alright, knock it off, girls.”
But as soon as the person sitting at the head of the room spoke up, silence fell over the group.
“That one’s mine. Anyone who touches him… won’t be left alone.”
With her jet-black, unruly hair and blood-red pupils,
she gave off the impression of a feral wolf.
Despite only being nineteen, she was a monster who had inherited the name of Yan and was now the current boss of the Yan Family.
The Fist Demon Marco.
“Puhuhu. You came, my pretty boy.”
She took the cigar out of her mouth, carelessly ground it out, and flashed a wide grin.
—
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