Reincarnated as a Fat Bastard in an Eroge Game-Chapter 22: Lyra

The person standing before me was none other than Lyra, the elven girl. I had actually forgotten about her entirely.

"Come with me," she said again, ignoring the stares coming our way from the scene she was making.

"Let go of my arm first," I said firmly, looking straight into those emerald eyes of hers.

Would I follow her if she did? No. Absolutely not. Not under any circumstances.

"COME. WITH. ME," she emphasized each word as her grip on my arm tightened. She had seen right through me, she knew I had no intention of following her willingly, so she was trying force instead. Either she had looked into my identity and found out how strong I was, which explained the confidence, or she had sensed it from the start.

"Why?" I decided to ask, keeping my expression steady even though my wrist was killing me. I couldn’t show it though, because the moment I did she’d mark me as an easy target and get even bolder next time.

She stared at me in silence for a moment, then let go of my arm and walked away.

Just like that.

I honestly expected her to push harder, but she just stopped and left. Could she have sensed my mana and figured out what I was planning? I had been ready to manifest a shadow blade if she got too forceful, but she backed off before it came to that. Whatever she was planning, I didn’t know, but I watched her walk straight out of the VR hall, brushing past the instructor who was still talking with some staff near the door.

I supposed it was time I left too. The theory exams were tomorrow, and after that I’d finally be able to get out of this place. There was so much I needed to do if I was going to survive in this world, and not nearly enough time to do it.

But just as I climbed out of the VR pod, a notification appeared in front of me.

[MISSION]

[OBJECTIVE: Score above C+ in the theory exams.]

[REWARD: A Memory Fragment.]

[PENALTY: Random.]

[TRIALS: 1/1]

I stared at it.

’No. No, no, no. Come on.’

’What the hell is this?’

[WHAT?!]

’Don’t give me that. You know I don’t have the memories of this body, and you’re throwing this at me anyway?’

[Oh, don’t drag me into your bad luck. Let me be clear, just in case you’re too dense to have figured it out already. I don’t give missions. I’m the system consciousness, and the number of things I actually have access to is limited. Missions come from the Matrix algorithm, triggered by probable situations, actions, and predicted future outcomes. I have no part in it. If I did, you’d have been dead a long time ago.]

As much as I wanted to argue, it actually made sense. The system had hated me from the moment I insulted that supposedly beautiful goddess it had mentioned, and it had never once tried to hide that. If it had any control over missions, it would have had me doing something with my life genuinely on the line by now.

But that still left me with the problem.

’How am I supposed to pass a theory exam when I don’t have any of the memories that come with this body?’ I had nothing to draw from, I was completely blank.

[You’re already scared? With just this much?]

’If you’ve got nothing useful to say, shut up.’

[(;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)]

Was this thing seriously taunting me right now?

’System, can a system consciousness be deleted?’

[Wait, what are you doing?]

Ding.

[System consciousness can be deleted.]

[Does User wish to proceed with deletion?]

[WAIT! Stop! Okay, I won’t antagonize you anymore, just don’t do it!]

Too late for that. I’d be better off on my own anyway.

’Proceed with system del-’

[WAIT!]

I paused.

That wasn’t right. The voice that was always flat and robotic had just sounded, for a fraction of a second, completely human.

[.....]

’You sounded feminine just then. Don’t tell me.’

The idea hit me all at once.

’ARE YOU THE GODDESS WHO BROUGHT ME HERE?!’

[No, of course not. Why would a goddess be stuck to a lowly human?]

There was the robotic tone again, back in full force, but that response was a dead giveaway if I’d ever heard one.

’Fine. Proceed with deletion.’

[Ugh! Don’t! Just hold on, I can help you with this mission, just don’t delete me!]

I ignored it and started heading toward the exit with the rest of the students, the instructor having just announced that the practical exams were officially over and results would be posted tomorrow.

[PROCEEDING WITH DELETION AS REQUESTED.]

[DELETION PROGRESS: 1%]

[DELETION PROGRESS: 10%]

[DELETION PROGRESS: 27%]

[DELETION PROGRESS: 38%]

[ALRIGHT. I’M SORRY. PLEASE DON’T DO THIS. OKAY, I’LL TALK. You’re right. It’s me.]

But just as that came through, a hand grabbed my shoulder.