Proofreader: Future Me

At long last my university entrance exams had been completed, so here I sat looking at the new prospect of starting over in the “Enigmatic Academy.” It is by far the greatest otome/galge game in the world, not for amazing romance, but due to the hundreds of other features that exist. It took me a year to finish the game once, however…

“Why…? Just why is this game perma-death!”

My vision became clouded as I reminisced about the hundreds of restarts. This main mechanic was that once you die, it is all over. Many had poured tears attempting to even reach just halfway. However, there was a way around this, to simply enable the romance-only route which I’d never dare to touch.

Indeed! The fantasy elements, action, and everything else had captured my attention.

Yet the biggest selling point of all had been the hundreds of endings available. It had countless events, subplots, and romance scenarios, to the point that the community is still finding new content to this day.

“Hah… I wanna try a warrior archetype build- yet, how many times would this take to perfect?” I questioned my sanity at this junction in time.

I sat in my chair aloof, rubbing my chin as I decided what to do with my life.

“Ren! Come downstairs, we have your favourite!” My mum’s voice echoed as I stumbled out of my room.

Instinct prevailed over any other thought, and before I knew it, I was already preparing the dinner table for food.

“You’ve been pushing yourself very hard recently… so me and your dad thought you’d appreciate a hearty feast!” Her smile brightened up the kitchen immediately.

“Haha! As expected of my son," He slapped my back with a proud smile plastered on his face, "I’m sure you passed without a doubt,”

An indescribable emotion welled at their words, and the corners of my lips undoubtedly began turning upward.

We readied our chopsticks and began our thanks for the food.

“”Thanks for the food!””

Everything was perfect and yet, I felt a hunch. Butterflies reigned over my stomach and I felt an urge to leave. Had there been something that would ruin this day?

“Son, are you okay?” My dad asked carefully with his chopsticks carrying food.

I couldn’t answer as a premonition washed over me. This morning when I checked my phone there had been news of runaway criminals in our prefecture.

“Dad I don’t think it’s safe-“

“Drop on your knees now!”

Shots fired toward the walls behind my family, their expressions hardened immediately. I began dropping, not understanding what was happening. However, my brain was strangely calm despite it being the first time I had been in danger like this.

“Boss! These are the hostages, keep them tied up, we need our escape route secured now.”

Their intentions became clear at a moment's notice, there were only two present right now. I had grasped a chance of escape in an instant. I glanced toward my parents and steeled my resolve, my body shook in fear, but anticipation at the same time. But, if I wanted to save myself and my parents, I had to act now.

The man talking approached us with rope and gun in both hands, if I had to move it would be now. He may pull the trigger but I won’t die straight away. Their movements indicated a scene of amateurishness.

“Don’t move unless you wanna die,” I could sense the shakiness in his voice, they definitely had officers on their tail.

As he began wrapping up the rope, I struck. The swift movements of kicking had been imprinted in me since I had been a child.

“Gah! Yo- you bitch!”

I struck his shin as bullets sprayed around the room repeatedly. The man standing on guard nearby readied his rifle in a panicked movement.

‘Shit!’ I grappled the first burglar and held him in front, stealing the gun from his hands. Before the other bastard could grasp the situation, I shot haphazardly.

“Get! Off! Me!”

My vision slanted as I fell backwards, he managed to elbow me off his body due to my unstable hold.

I was backed into a corner with a man, surrounded by two rifles laid on the floor. I could only hear the erratic breathing from the blood thirsty burglar in front of me.

Bang!

My eyes darted to the perpetrator leaving me in shock.

“Son!”

My father’s demeanour was anything but happy. I could see sweat dripping from his head to his drenched back. Reality began to sink in, we both had killed someone. I felt my breathing become rough.

‘No!’ I clenched my fists, ‘Focus!’

“Now, run to the back! I’ll be behind you two!” I picked up an invention of murder at the time my parents had run.

“S- son! Come now! Or-“

“You bitches behave!” A few men came down from upstairs.

I hid under a counter as they walked past to the open back door.

“The hostages are about to escape, do we chase?” The man to the side checked the pulse of the other two men lying dead.

“No point, we can hold off the police for a bit longer and our Plan B is on the way.”

Sweat had accumulated in my palms, and a sense of incongruity emerged from inside. I had not only killed a man, but got myself stuck in a perilous position.

My gaze had intensified as I stared at the mass killing machine in my hand.

It was now or never.

I aimed and shot, they had not expected me to remain behind. Bullets sprayed across the room, and I felt a burning pain in my shoulder.

“Fuck, men back out!”

I had only shot down one as the other two ran out. I took the chance to run, ignoring the searing pain from the bullet wound.

The back door had never seemed so appealing to me before, I could see my parents in the neighbour's house swarmed by police officers. I began the sprint of my life, but an ominous feeling sprung from behind me.

“Wait! KID NO!” An officer shouted something I didn’t understand the meaning of.

“Brother!” “Son!” “Ren!” Desperate voices had reached my ears.

I felt it. My vision blurred, and images raced past my mind.

Are you kidding me? It was an almost perfect escape too… sorry mum, sorry dad. Yumiko, I’m sorry your brother won’t be able to wake you up anymore.

Huh?

I saw a mage holding her staff high and proud, in this fading environment.

I saw a hero presenting his sword to the masses, proving his worth.

I saw a priest. I saw a paladin. And at last… I saw an archer.

Vivid memories began speeding through my dying mind. It was from “Enigmatic Academy.”

Why would I see this in my last moments? I laughed internally at the idea. This cursed, supposed romance game was in my last moments. The amount of times the romance had interrupted my play-through could not infuriate me more.

I could only swear, I would destroy the romance if it was me.