My personality of always acting unless I was pushed to the edge was not fixed until the end.

　In the pouring rain, Luxion and I are resting inside a cave.

　This is a floating island where the Lost Items are said to be located.

　I had left them here until now because I didn't need them, but the need came up and I'm here to collect them.

　In front of the fire, I was looking at the lost items I had collected.

'How about this rifle?'

　The silver-colored rifle had a very old-fashioned design, but the barrel seemed to be excellent for ornamental purposes, with letters and other items engraved on it.

'Rare metals, and magic technology engraved with special characters are used in abundance. --I thought it would be useful enough with maintenance.

'That's good to hear. So - how much does my hard work increase your odds of winning?

"--almost within the margin of error. The margin of victory has remained unchanged from 30 percent.

As long as the margin of error is good enough to win, it doesn't matter.

　I thought it was a damsel-in-distress game world with a very fluffy setting.

　I thought I had been reincarnated in the quirky world of "that damsel in distress", but sadly, I got caught up in a fate from long ago and ended up at war with the Empire.

　The Sacred Magic Empire.

　They have a bigger continent than the Holfert Kingdom, and their national power is superior to that of the Holfert Kingdom.

　I wouldn't want to go to war with a country like that, but normally they wouldn't be my enemy with a cheat warship called Luxion.

　Yes, they were not my enemy.

　The Empire has acquired a huge fortress called Arcadia.

　If Luxion was a cheat weapon for the old humans, that one is a cheat weapon for the new humans.

　Unfortunately, even with Luxion, the odds are not good.

　Looking outside, the rain was pouring down hard.

　I can't even see a bit further.

''--I should have collected the lost items earlier.

　When I complain, Luxion, who has been quiet lately, follows up with me.

'If Arcadia doesn't exist, these lost items are unnecessary tools for the master. There is no need to recover them.''

　I was in good shape with my cheat battleship, and then the enemy brought out an even more awesome cheat fortress.

　Thanks to that, I had to fight for my life.

　I really don't like it.

'And yet, the battle between the old humans and the new humans wasn't over? That damsel in distress really isn't a good setup.

　When I say that with a laugh, Luxion asks me a question.

　It's a question I've been asked many times before.

''Are you really going to fight?　Can't I just run away with the Master, your family and everyone you know?''

Don't make me keep saying it. My answer is still the same. And you're too passive. Say you want to annihilate the newcomers, just like you always do.

　Luxion hates the newcomers, but he also hates the weapons left behind by the newcomers.

　That's why he should want to obliterate them immediately - he wants us to run away without fighting.

''There's no reason for the master to risk his life.''

I have a reason.

　If I were in a situation where I could escape, I would have boarded the spaceship that is the main body of Luxion and escaped.

　But - sadly, that's impossible.

　This battle--if we lose, the people of the old human side of the kingdom will eventually perish.

　Many will die.

But the old humans are also very stubborn. If they can't live with themselves, they'll just hope for the future and do what they can to make it happen.

　Past wars have made the planet uninhabitable.

　To be precise, the old humans could not survive.

　The New Humans were in a harsh but manageable situation, and the war ended with the New Humans barely winning.

　But the old humans were not exterminated.

　While some of them abandoned the planet and fled, those who remained carried out a plan that relied not on science but on magic.

　The one who was involved in that plan, or rather, used it, was the Holy Tree.

　The holy tree was inhaling the magic element in the atmosphere and lowering its concentration.

　The old humans who thought that the magnesium would eventually disappear from this planet or become very thin - they recreated their own descendants into newcomers.

　The reason why Luxion doesn't know how the newcomers arose is because there are beings like us who arose with our genes modified.

　And this plan - the crafting was to be activated in the future.

'When the concentration of magnesium drops to a certain level, the old humans suitable for that situation will revive. If the concentration of magic element is low, the newcomer side would have been destroyed even if left alone.''

　Yes.

　In the future, the concentration of magnesium will be insufficient and the newer humans will not be able to adapt to the environment and perish.

　So, I made a magical trick so that the old humans would revive at that time.

　--and the concentration of magic element has dropped and the tricks on the old human side are starting to go into effect.

　The reason Erica was sickly and weak was because the genes of the old human race were so dense.

　In other words, the humans in the Horphath Kingdom - if you trace it back to the source, it's the old human side.

　And the empire is the new human side.

　If the situation is left as it is, the humans on the new human side will be destroyed.

　In order to avoid this, the empire's emperor has revived the floating fortress of Arcadia, which creates and distributes magical elements.

　But if he did that, the old humans who triggered the trick would eventually die.

　--So we have no choice but to fight.

　If one of us is disadvantaged, we may both survive, but no one wants to be disadvantaged.

　It's not just about me.

　My family, friends and acquaintances will suffer as well.

Are you sure you won't change your mind, Master?

　I tell Luxion, who tells me to stop fighting, what happened not long ago.

'Jenna--my sister is pregnant.

'Yes, sir. We've identified it as a boy.

　My nephew is about to be born.

'It's hard to think that he or his child - or the children who will be born - will suffer.

　I feel bad about fighting, but I also feel bad about running away.

　It sucks.

　After all, this isn't a war - it's a race for survival.

　If I run away, the old human side will certainly be destroyed.

''Don't you think that's a weak reason to fight for the old humans?　Why don't you take your sister's kids with you and run away?

'If I didn't have any power, I could make an excuse in my mind that I couldn't do it on my own, even if I tried. But I'm your master. --I'm your master and I have the power to fight.

　I have no excuse for myself. In your mind, you keep thinking about how you escaped for a long time.

'No one wants the Master to fight me,'

You're lying. The facts are in favor of it.

"They're just using the master.

Then I'll be fine. I'll take care of them.

　As he said this, Luxion turned his one red eye down a bit.

　He looks as if he is depressed.

'Do you want to run away too?　I won't stop you.

　I don't have a chance of winning without Luxion - but even if I force him to fight, I can't stop him if this guy really gets away with it.

　Luxion raises his one red eye and looks straight at me.

''Without me, Master can't fight, can he?

You're getting back to your normal routine.

"I am in compliance with my master's orders.

I'm sorry.

　I feel bad for this guy.

　In the first place, this current win rate of thirty percent - that's the win rate of me and Luxion laying down our lives.

''Even so, you're unlucky too. A guy like me is going to be the master.

"There's no denying it.

I don't care if you lie about that part, just deny it.

　We were talking lazily, and then the rain stopped.

　I put out the fire, then stood up and stood tall.

'Well, I'd better get going. I've got a lot of other things I need to retrieve.'

　Luxion is looking at me.

'You're not going back to the kingdom?'

There's no point in going back. Besides, you'd be betraying everyone. I don't want to see you right now.

　Angel, Livia, and Noel - I'd be betraying all three of them.

　But I don't regret it too much.

Besides - it's for the best, you know?

What did you like about it?

'You can't have a reincarnated person like me in this world. Besides, surely if my life has any meaning, wouldn't it be to give up my life here?

　Originally, without anyone knowing, the Empire would have ended up winning - or rather, the new human side would have ended up winning.

　That's where I am, and I can oppose the new human side.

　There are reincarnations on the New Human side too, though, and I can't say that the other side is evil.

"So my life had meaning too. It's a little - or rather a lot of responsibility.

"Do you plan to fight alone?

"-Who's going to believe me when I tell you this?　I wouldn't believe it. Besides, the odds aren't going to be much better with your cooperation.

''You said earlier that we can raise it by a margin of error. Besides, the Empire has an army on the ground. If you allow them to respond to that, the odds are much better--

'This is a race for survival, and you're going to help us?　I'd be skeptical. Besides, you've seen a lot of goofiness in the kingdom. There's no point in holding your breath.

　It won't work.

　So I don't have any expectations.

''So that's how you're going to hold it all alone. If it's the responsibility of the reincarnation to participate in this battle, then Marier and Erika should be included as well. Since the Republic's side is also on our side, Lelia and Serge should also--''

I've told you before. I'll be fine on my own. Besides, do you think Marie and the others can be relied upon?

　I don't have any expectations for Marie and her friends.

　Erika is also asleep at the moment.

　Besides, Lelia and Serge are no longer in the running.

　If you think about it this way, the reincarnated people on the old human side are not good people.

"Come on, let's move on.

"Yes.

　As he tried to move, Luxion suddenly stopped moving.

'What's wrong?'

'Master, I just received word from Claire. --Marie has reported that she has recovered the Lost Item.

◇

　A student dormitory in the Kingdom of Horfath.

　A fine house is prepared there for Leon.

　Marie, who got in dressed in rags, was showing Clairele the bottle she had collected.

　It looked like a liquor bottle.

　The contents could be seen to contain liquid.

''How so!　This thing is going to give your brother a power boost!

　Cleare opened the lid of the bottle and checked its ingredients.

'In game terms, it's a "buff" type of item.'

　Buff - refers to the effect of improving abilities and so on.

　In other words, if you drink the liquid in this bottle of liquor, it will improve your abilities.

''I was going to collect it before, but then I got lost, so I gave up on it. But this guy's effects are amazing. In game terms, it's a huge increase in any stats!　Even the bosses are easy to take down.

　Marie was proud of herself, happy to be of service to Leon.

　Cleare showed her one blue eye as she nodded.

'It sure is a wonderful effect.'

You know!　If you take this thing and power it up, you can take on your brother--

　There was no doubt that it was a very effective item.

　Then the door opened and Rion and Luxion came in through it.

''Brother!''

Marie, have you recovered it?

　It was important enough for Leon to rush back.

'Isn't it great!　It's been quite a struggle.

　Marie says, and Rion pats her head.

　My hair was crumpled.

'Great!　I mean, you look terrible, too. Why don't you take a bath?

　Marie was relieved to see Rion talking lightly as usual.

(Good. He's the same brother as always.)

　Not long ago, he had looked severely trapped.

　Marie couldn't watch him look like that.

　That's why she retrieved the Lost Items for Leon.

　I thought it would be useful to my brother.

'Well. Have you reviewed it a bit?

'Oh, you're the best. I almost gave up looking for it because I'd forgotten where it was, you know. Creare, what's in it?

　Leon immediately confirms the status of the item to Clairvoyant.

''- The effect is more than I expected. I'm sure it will be even more effective if you improve it further for the master from here. But it's only enough for three times.''

　It's an item that would normally disappear after a single use, but apparently it can be used three times, increasing its effectiveness.

　Marie is delighted to hear that.

''It's a bargain to be able to use it three times.

　Clairvoyant agrees.

''--Yes,''

　Rion was delighted.

'This will give us a better chance of winning. 'Thanks, Marie.'

Heh.

　It was a harmonious atmosphere, but Luxion breaks it up.

''--Both Master, Angelica and Olivia are coming towards us.

Did you ever let him know?

"Yes.

You shouldn't have done that.

　Rion leaves the room to meet them.

　But Luxion remained in the room.

　He then looked at the items that Marie had retrieved.

'What's going on?'

　When Marie asked in doubt, Luxion tells her the reason for this in a matter-of-fact manner.

''We initially prioritized the items to be recovered. At that time, one of the items that the master really wanted to recover was this potion.''

I'm useful to you once in a while.

　To Marie, who is confident, Luxion lets out a colder voice than usual.

''-- I didn't want to collect it. I didn't intend to let you collect it, etc.''

　With that much said, Luxion left the room and headed for Leon.

'Hey, what. You could have given me more compliments.''

　As Marie looks dissatisfied, Clairé, who lets the robots carry the medicine, explains Luxion's attitude.

'He doesn't want the Master to die,'

"-What?　What do you mean by that?

　Clare's words caused Marie to panic.

''Why do you say my brother is going to die? I have an item that will make you stronger!

"Marie, do you know what that medicine is for?

So I'll just use an ability-enhancing item.

Realistically speaking, it's doping. Plus, a significant improvement in ability makes the drug that much stronger, doesn't it?

　Marie's face went pale.

'Well, wait. 'Don't let my brother use that,'

No. The master decided to use it.

　As Marie tried to retrieve the medicine from the robot, she was interrupted by the other robots.

'Ha, let me go!　Creare, you don't care if your brother dies!

"-this is what the master wants. That twisted man is a freak.

　Luxion knew where the medicine was, but he didn't tell Rion about it.

　The reason is that if you use such a strong medicine, Rion's body won't be able to get away with it for free.

　-- and Marier retrieved it and delivered it to him.

　I was stunned when Marier collapsed from his knees on the floor and sat down.

''Wha, I--for my brother,''

"Yes, I was instrumental in the master's victory. You're not so bad, Marie-chan. You look tired, you need to get some rest now.

　Creare also leaves the room with the robot in tow.

　Marie, who was left alone, held her head in her hands and shed tears.

'Why is it always like this?' --I wanted to save my brother.