Surviving as a Useless Bard in a Game

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When did I realize something was off?

I slowly recalled the events of today.

Why didn’t I fall asleep today?

Why wasn’t my ‘narcolepsy’ triggered?

Just because my negative trait suddenly neutralized for no reason?

Why?

—Strange.

Lost in thought, I turned my head to scan the surroundings.

Hours had already passed. In the blink of an eye, time flew by while I remained oblivious. Was I too absorbed in thought?

No, that wasn’t it.

–

Searching for possibilities.

Resolving.

[Attempting Retrieval].

Remaining time… Calculating not possible.

–

The Status Window began to make odd sounds.

Maybe the ability is referring to my eyes. But side effects? Remaining time? Does that mean it can be resolved?

What does it have to do with narcolepsy?

I recalled once more. I was certain I had experienced a similar situation before.

‘…A dark room.’

The day I was forced awake from sleep. The room I saw—filled with dark, gloomy frames. The place where my other possibilities were revealed.

Narcolepsy is a negative trait that restricts the time I can be active, ensuring my body’s safety when I fall asleep. A powerful curse.

Similarly, my eyes possess the ability to charm a target for a brief moment, guiding them toward my desired possibilities, making it impossible for them to refuse my words. A powerful blessing.

Is there something that can cause a conflict between the two?

‘There is.’

The condition for charm is to make eye contact. The condition for narcolepsy is to close my eyes.

It’s a difference in perspective.

So, what could the function of my eyes be that might interfere with the activation of narcolepsy?

What new function could it be?

The fact that applying my ability has caused a side effect means that a new ability has appeared without me even knowing it. Just like that.

‘…Characteristics.’

I am misjudging my traits. No, I don’t know them accurately.

The eyes I chose must have an additional effect of “latent potential.” It meant new functions would be unlocked later on, which I thought were merely a safety net.

Since it was useless early on, I designed my character to be useful later.

In other words, the latent potential has now been unlocked. More than a month has passed since arriving in this world.

‘Due to the unlocking of the latent potential effect, another trait, ability, has blossomed in my eyes. And for some reason, that function clashes with the curse of narcolepsy, neutralizing each other.’

–

You are currently in a state closest to [Insomnia].

–

The Status Window sent another message. It was giving clues.

Closest to someone with insomnia. Three letters. Skylar? No, that’s not even three letters. And let’s think about the possibility that it might not be a name. Guess it. Go back. Think.

No matter how much I thought, time passed, and I couldn’t figure it out.

In the end, I had no choice but to spend the night with a complicated heart.

Shadows hung heavily under my eyes, and I greeted the morning with bleary eyes.

Until Skylar rustled the blanket, got up, and made eye contact with me, I simply sat absentmindedly on the bed, staring out the window.

***

I opened my eyes. Today was just like any other ordinary morning.

There were so many things to think about.

I had said what I did to Selina, but to be honest, I had no solid plan. Collecting bodies was an incredibly challenging path.

‘…Convince Propertyius and Nisha, and together reach Osidens.’

My former family had become my enemies.

The side effects of my body. One thing I had been hiding from Selina until the end. The reason and culprit behind why those who chase stars were dismantled.

Those who possess the brain of a god become confused with their own identity, splitting into two.

Those who possess the heart of a god cannot empathize with others and live alone for their whole lives.

Those who possess the left hand of a god feel a desire to dominate and will do anything to get what they want.

And there were countless other unknown side effects as well. Just the same, the people who held bodies resonated and reacted with each other.

Few knew of the side effects. Not many could notice their own gradual transformation.

They knew nothing until they had their hearts stolen.

Watching comrades, who had slowly lost their personalities while sharing their bodies, transform, I did nothing. I felt nothing.

So even after losing a heart, I didn’t actively seek it out.

But that didn’t mean I wanted to die either. I was just satisfied living in daily life, playing the role of another with a new identity and a youthful body.

The option of collecting bodies was surely never available to me.

Yet, perhaps, I might be manipulated by Selina… maybe even charmed.

The emotions I felt now were real. Even if they were born from charm or manipulation, for the first time in my life, I desired something after feeling nothing for so long.

‘…I want to see.’

Yes. I wanted to see. If the final moment comes, I wanted to see a smiling face after everything is over.

Eventually, if the last moment comes, I might have to fight her, yet I found myself somehow looking forward to that last moment.

I looked aside. A bed placed near the window at a slight distance caught my eye.

“Selina, let’s get up early today…”

“Ah, yeah.”

Her tone and voice were heavier than usual. For some reason, Skylar felt that Selina was unfamiliar. It felt awkward.

“Are you okay?”

“Hmm?”

“No, it just feels a bit different from usual.”

“Really?”

Selina slowly turned her head to look at Skylar.

She looked haggard, worn out, and dark, as if she hadn’t slept. There may have been better words or phrases, but the moment Skylar saw her face, he sensed something was wrong with his linguistic ability.

It felt strange.

“…Did you not sleep?”

“Maybe.”

“…”

Skylar couldn’t find the words.

Worry, sure. As comrades, he could show concern to some extent. But Skylar and Selina’s relationship was too ambiguous to be considered comrades.

So, were they lovers?

Skylar could not answer that question. They weren’t lovers. When he looked at her, he saw her overlapping with his family. He couldn’t call it a lover’s relationship.

So, were they family?

Still, Skylar kept his mouth shut. They weren’t family either. An ambiguous relationship where neither family, lovers, nor comrades existed. The relationship of using each other had already been broken. They might claim to be comrades, but they knew better than anyone that they weren’t.

So who were they? What was their relationship?

He couldn’t find an answer.

Thus, Skylar uttered no words.

Was it right to be worried? Or was it right to nag? He couldn’t decide.

Or perhaps he was simply shocked to see Selina in such a broken state for the first time. It was the first time that Skylar, as a human being, felt shocked by someone else.

Eventually, both fell into silence.

A cat watching them calmly meowed, mimicking a beast.

Time passed.

Skylar and Selina returned to their usual relationship as if nothing had happened.

Nothing had changed. The only difference was that a tired black shadow appeared under Selina’s eyes.

***

Time passed again.

Meals were all resolved in the room. Food had been purchased sufficiently, and once they left, that would be it.

They had sworn vows with magic to go on a journey to gather bodies for the Emperor, so there could be no breaking this promise. The Emperor hoped nothing but safety for their journey as well.

They shared a piece of cold, stale bread for dinner and drank water.

They placed a map on the table.

“Let’s decide soon.”

“…Yeah.”

“For starters, the most famous body holder is the one with the ‘wing bones.’ Honestly, I’m not sure about their willingness to cooperate. But…”

Skylar paused in the middle of the conversation.

Wizards are always sensitive to the flow of magic and air. Even if one isn’t a wizard, a skilled adventurer naturally becomes sensitive.

The air felt heavy. And there was, for some reason, no visible flow of magic.

The flow of magic always fills the air. But suddenly not being visible? That’s not normal.

‘…Not an ambush.’

If sealing away the ability to use magic was the goal, they wouldn’t use a clumsy method like this, but would directly target the body. So then, what’s the purpose?

Skylar soon realized he had been mistaken.

He scanned the area and noticed something strange.

“…What is this?”

Skylar muttered as he looked up at the ceiling. Selina gazed at him with a dazed look.

The flow of magic filled the ceiling. The reason it hadn’t been visible as usual was simple. It was completely different to see the flow above water and see it underwater.

If magic filled this space, naturally, I wouldn’t see the flow because I would be within it.

“Skylar?”

“Selina, did you do this?”

“…?”

“There’s… way too much magic. In this room.”

Skylar pointed to the ceiling, and Selina followed the direction of his finger.

The flow of magic rippling from the ceiling entered Selina’s eyes. She swallowed hard, showing her surprise.