I Became the Savior of the Final Boss

Subtlety (1)

I regretted it.

That regret kept me from falling asleep.

“……Maybe I said too much.”

The kind of embarrassment that would’ve made the old me kick off the covers in the middle of the night surged up.

“I showed up out of nowhere and told her to give up the sword—her dream……”

When I closed my eyes, Ellis’s face vividly resurfaced. Her eyes, stained with sorrow and ready to spill tears at any moment, refused to fade from memory.

Maybe I’d been too hasty.

Still, it wasn’t enough to warrant using the Bookmark and reversing the page.

It was something that had to be said eventually, and a reality that Ellis had to accept sooner or later. It just arrived a little faster than expected.

More importantly, though the development deviated from my expectations, I gained an unforeseen benefit.

〔 Development Modified 〕

〔 10P Acquired 〕

Once again, the story was progressing in a direction unknown to me.

Something about Ellis, no doubt, was going to change just as I intended.

But I couldn’t simply rejoice.

“This feels strange. Subtly…… strange.”

……Something was off.

Ellis wasn’t the Ellis I remembered.

‘Rohan’ was Dennis’s subordinate.

Not just any subordinate—the Vice-Captain of the Éclat Knights.

Even if he and Ellis knew each other, she never spoke casually to him.

There was no such setting.

“So that’s what it means.”

So this was what it meant when a development was “modified”—the result itself changed in this way.

In that case, the concept of “Understanding” might become more important.

If I kept altering developments, one day, I’d end up……reading a story I didn’t know.

Moreover, the changes weren’t limited to Ellis.

There were memories I didn’t know.

Memories tied solely to ‘Rohan.’

— There was a day you couldn’t even walk, so I had to carry you to the restroom.

I said it unconsciously, reflexively.

As if I had experienced it myself—naturally.

But I had no memory of reading such a scene.

「Understanding」 ⸺ Rohan

✵Current Understanding: 1.1%

Was it because my understanding of Rohan had increased significantly?

Some small part of me—barely enough to fill a fingertip—felt like it had become ‘Rohan’s.’

And I could actually feel it.

It was unsettling, like a piece of meat wedged between my teeth.

Would I eventually become the real Rohan…?

……Ah, I already am Rohan.

Setting Shop Open.

When I thought of the 「Setting Shop」, a message appeared.

Thanks to meeting Ellis, I’d accumulated 35P.

Now I could unlock this feature.

Please let it offer some ability that could help me change fate……

[ 25P will be spent. ]

[ 「Setting Shop」 has been unlocked. ]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ【Setting Shop】

「Growth」 「Sixth Sense」 「Add Bookmark」

「Status Window」 「Add Understanding」 「Upgrade Setting Shop」

[ As a special bonus, you may freely choose one setting from the list. ]

This strange yet familiar feeling.

An interface straight out of a video game had appeared.

But that wasn’t the important part.

I could choose one of these six settings for free!

Of course. No way it would cost 25P for nothing.

Stay calm. Don’t get too excited.

Start from the top and check each one thoroughly.

「Growth Lv.1」 ⸺ Setting

✵Description

Breakthrough physical limits and unlock the potential to reach higher realms.

As the level increases, growth speed accelerates and new possibilities open up.

This is it.

This is the one!

With this, I could become as strong as Grace—no, even stronger.

No matter how hard ‘Rohan’ struggled, the power he currently had would never be enough to change Grace’s fate.

I had to prepare for the worst possible scenario for Grace.

When Grace made a pact with a demon and became the ‘end’ of the world.

If I were to protect her—or assist her in ending the world—I had to be ready.

……That would be the worst-case scenario.

A path I’d only take if I completely failed to change her fate.

A development where I become the ‘evil of the world.’

Regardless, I would accept whatever choice Grace made. Just like the original ‘Rohan’ did.

Of course, to avoid that, I had to fight like hell starting now.

I bookmarked this one for now and kept checking.

There might be something better.

「Sixth Sense Lv.1」 ⸺ Setting

✵Description

Perceive things beyond the five senses.

Gain clearer insight into fate.

Higher levels enhance sensory capabilities.

“This one’s…… ehh.”

Too vague.

Sixth sense? That just brings up the usual hunch or intuition.

‘Gain clearer insight into fate’ sounds tempting, but it’s too much of a gamble to spend my bonus on.

The other options, like 「Add Bookmark」, 「Upgrade Setting Shop」, and 「Add Understanding」, were related to my unique system.

Adding a bookmark costs 30P. Skip.

Upgrading the shop cost 500P…… hard pass.

「Add Understanding」 let me increase someone’s understanding by 0.1% for 10P.

Useful someday, but way too expensive right now.

Still, this one was the trickiest.

Ah…… Should I buy it?

Honestly, I always avoided novels that had this setting unless they were extremely good.

「Status Window Lv.1」 ⸺ Setting

✵Description

View objective stats on people and objects.

Higher levels make data more accurate and detailed.

That quote, “Adults love numbers,” feels more true the more I think about it.

Now that it was real, I really wanted it.

I used to hate status window systems because they were tedious and bloated, wasting page space.

Still…… shouldn’t I buy this one?

Let’s think rationally. Just think.

How can I tell how strong someone is?

What if they’re hiding their power? What if they’re reincarnated or regressed?

And gear.

If I could see stats, at least I wouldn’t get scammed, right?

And look.

If someone says, ‘A legendary staff-wielding archmage nuked Ouroboros with Meteor Strike before millions of viewers,’ nobody gets it.

But if they say, ‘An archmage with a million followers one-shot Ouroboros with a 350k-magic staff,’ then.

“Wow, what an insane streamer-archmage!” And everyone claps.

That’s the truth…… Sigh, why am I trying to justify this to myself?

Still, it’s a setting I’d need eventually.

To change Grace’s fate, even turning my spine into a sword to offer up wouldn’t be enough.

“……First, I have to get stronger.”

That setting aligned best with my current goal.

I chose it.

〔 Setting Added: 「Growth」 〕

Aside from spending P, nothing noticeable changed.

I wasn’t sure if anything was different at all.

“Only way forward is training, huh. It’s been so long since I last trained……”

Wait—what was I saying?

Was I about to exercise?

……Nonsense.

Reading web novels to avoid moving was my idea of a hobby.

Now I’m talking about working out? That’s insane.

You’d have to hand me like 20,000 plausibility just to justify that!

If I started training now, it would be a sign that Earth would end the next day.

That’s how much of a shift it would be.

“……But if it’s for My Lady, there’s nothing I won’t do.”

To change something, I had to change myself first.

If I couldn’t change even myself, what could I hope to change?

“Still, I need to research 『Four Seasons』 right now, so I’ll have to postpone training.”

……Did I gain a P?

No?

Damn it……

I had a reason for rambling like a lunatic.

Just in case I’d earn a point.

I was in extreme resource management mode.

There were still so many things to buy beyond Growth.

I needed to add a Bookmark, buy Sixth Sense, level up Growth, and get the Status Window……

Anyway, enough of that.

Now I had to focus on acquiring P.

That would be the key to changing Grace’s fate.

“So for now, I need to study 『Four Seasons』 as planned.”

That was the best way to gain P at the moment.

I didn’t want to recklessly alter the plot and end up needing to use a Bookmark.

“The beginning of 『Four Seasons』 is a fusion of wind and fire elements. Start with wind……”

As if doing image training, I assumed I was on the lecture platform and began a mock class.

That was when the thread of 「Understanding」 began to unravel.

Woom.

As if out of habit, as I’d always done, mana naturally flowed out.

〔 Current Synchronization with ‘Rohan’: 1.1% 〕

As dormant memories surfaced, the spell began to manifest.

Thin blue threads started forming in the air from the tip of my middle finger.

What unfolded before my eyes was the 「Wind Spell」.

Seeing the pattern laid out like a formation reminded me of mystery circles I saw in documentaries as a kid.

But right now, there was nothing mysterious about it.

“9 strings and 6 curves. My Lady’s 『Four Seasons』 adds 3 strings and 6 curves to this to recreate spring.”

The straight lines called “strings” were, quite literally, bowstrings.

In spellwork, their placement and intersections affected the spell’s power—just like real bowstrings.

If “strings” were the bowstrings, then the “curves,” made of continuous dots, were the bow frame.

“Curves” were the most basic and essential lines that shaped a spell. Even the most delicate “strings” would fail without solid “curves.”

……It amazed me that I knew this.

Even 『The Genius Mage of Springwind』 didn’t explain this stuff.

“These three added strings are fire spells. Then the next six strings—water spells…… So this is where My Lady’s spring began.”

Even though 『Four Seasons』 was Grace’s main technique and the reason she was hailed a hero of the Human-Demon War, its opening felt underwhelming.

I wanted to call it simple, but honestly, it was downright shabby.

The spell combining wind and fire was, quite literally, just a “warm breeze.”

Add water elements, and it became that wavering spring breeze we had seen.

A warm spring breeze. That was it.

“Why would the Professor infuse something so powerless into her blade?”

It couldn’t even harm a crawling ant.

Sure, there were ceremonial or performance spells like fireworks.

But this seemed excessive.

『Four Seasons』 was Grace’s signature move. That meant it symbolized her entirely.

So questions kept bubbling up.

“There must be a reason I haven’t realized yet.”

To find that reason, I drew my sword from my waist.

And began adding the 372 strings and 261 curves that would lead into summer……

“……Hm?”

Wait—how many?