<h4>Chapter 15: Viin Simtor, Ch 15</h4>
[That crazy idea resurfaces in your mind. If you turn Rosalyne into a corpse and then resurrect her, she''ll belong to you forever.]
[However, your technique for reviving corpses isn''t perfect yet. To ensure your n goes off without a hitch, you dive back into research on modifying and reviving human bodies. Under the guise of conducting dissections, you acquire numerous corpses for your experiments.]
[The equipment and resources at the Sumeru Academia are far more advanced than those at Favonius Cathedral. You pour all your energy into this research and finally seed in reviving a female corpse that had been dead for just one day. You are ecstatic—not only because you are closer to your goal of reviving Rosalyne, but because you''ve aplished a medical miracle! As a doctor, you have cured the one ''disease'' no other doctor could—death.]
[Achievement unlocked: Necromancer]
[Reward: Resurrection Spell]
[Effect: Revive a corpse and make it your servant.]
Wow, can I really do something this godlike?
Although Lucas was shocked, he couldn''t help but feel that this was a bit too fantastical.
Sure, in the magical world of Teyvat, reviving the dead might not be impossible, but can mere medical skills really resurrect a corpse?
Or is this resurrection merely granting a body the ability to move again, without restoring its consciousness?
[Now, all that remains is the final step: killing Rosalyne as gently as possible to preserve the perfect corpse. You must meticulously n how to execute this without causing damage.]
[However, just as you''re preparing to carry out the final step of your n, your research on reviving corpses is discovered by the Academia. They deem your work as sphemous and a vition of divine will. You are branded a heretic and permanently expelled from the Academia.]
[Being cast out by the Academia doesn''t bother you in the slightest. After all, there is nothing left for you to learn there. Your only regret is that you couldn''t get your hands on Rosalyne. As you leave the Academia, you notice the conflicted look in Rosalyne''s eyes—disappointment, sorrow... and a hint of disgust.]
[You return to Mondstadt, but word of your disgraceful actions has already reached Favonius Cathedral. Stripped of your title and reputation, you go from being a revered doctor to a reviled outcast. You are forced to hide in Mondstadt''s slums, eking out a living by treating the poor.]
This is... too tragic, isn''t it?
Sure, it''s all the protagonist''s fault for his downfall, but still, the ups and downs of his life in this simtion are incredibly harsh.
[Age 31: The war in Khaenri''ah breaks out. Arundolyn, the Lion of Light, leads a contingent of Favonius Knights to battle. Meanwhile, Rostam, the Wolf Pup, stays behind to defend Mondstadt. A disaster soon befalls Mondstadt as the poisonous dragon Durin descends upon the city. To protect Mondstadt, Rostam leads his forces into battle. You volunteer as a military doctor, despite being despised for your past. With the shortage of medical personnel, your application is reluctantly epted.]
[The battle is brutal. Durin''s immense power takes a heavy toll on the Knights of Favonius. However, your extraordinary medical skills save many lives. Rostam begins to appreciate your work, though he doesn''t recognize you as his once-close "brother" due to your altered appearance.]
[Many times, Rostam is brought to you, critically injured. You have countless chances to end his life without suspicion. Yet, you know that if Rostam dies, no one will be able to stop Durin, and both Mondstadt and you will face certain destruction. So, you tirelessly treat Rostam''s wounds. In turn, Rostam saves you from danger multiple times.]
[Finally, when Durin is in atop the frozen mountain and the disaster ends, Rostam lies fatally wounded. When you find him, he is on the verge of death.]
[Forced switch to immersive mode.]
Wait a second!
Can it really switch to immersive mode on its own?
Before Lucas couldin, the scene in front of him changed to a snow-covered valley. However, the once-pristine snow is now soaked with dark red blood, and countless bodies are piled around. In front of you lies a bloodied and broken Rostam, his arm torn off, his body in ruins.
It''s worth mentioning that while the *Viin Simtor* is text-based, the protagonist''s experiences and emotions affect Lucas to a certain degree.
For others, it may just be simple text, but as the story unfolds, the protagonist''s life shes before Lucas''s eyes like a movie.
So even though this is his "first time" meeting Rostam, Lucas feelsplicated emotions towards him.
"Cough... cough..." Rostam, his face pale, manages to smile when he sees you. "I knew... you''de to save me."
Lucas is momentarily silent. Durin is dead, and he doesn''t even need to lift a finger for Rostam to slowly die.
Yet, there is no sense of satisfaction in his heart.
"I''m not here to save you," Lucas coldly responds, slipping into his viinous role. "You''re already beyond saving."
"I know," Rostam says softly, "I never nned to make it back alive. Brother, it''s been eighteen years... I''ve always wanted to apologize to you."
"You... you know who I am?" Lucas is shocked. "When did you recognize me?"
"That day... when I saw your silhouette in the square, I knew right away," Rostam''s voice grows weaker. "So, I started going to the square every day, hoping for a chance to apologize... but instead, I ended up meeting Rosalyne. Do you really think I went there just to hear her sing? No, I was always looking for a chance... to make things right with you."
What?
What kind of plot twist is this?
So, all this time, I was watching Rosalyne, Rosalyne was watching Rostam, and Rostam... was watching me?
This rtionship triangle is way too tangled!
"And what of it!" Lucas bursts out. "I trusted youpletely... and you betrayed me!"
"It was the vige chief," Rostam replies calmly. "He rigged the lottery. The vige needed a knight to rise to prominence more than it needed a doctor. But yearster, when I returned, the vige had already been wiped out by the gue. I thought... you had died too."
So... that''s how it was?
In an instant, everything that had tormented Lucas for years seemed like a cruel joke.
"I don''t expect your forgiveness," Rostam says as he closes his eyes. "You can hold onto your hatred for me. But please... take care of Rosalyne."
With those final words, Rostam''s cold hand falls lifelessly to his side.
Lucas stares at his corpse, and for a moment, he''s back in their carefree childhood, living peacefully in the vige. Now, the once-dreaming knight Rostam can never raise his sword again, and the once-aspiring doctor Lucas has be a twisted, evil physician.
"Heh... hahahahaha!"
After a long silence, Lucas suddenly bursts into maniacalughter. His handsome face distorts with the intensity of his expression.
"Don''t worry, I''ll ''live'' for you."
For some reason, every time Lucas enters "immersive mode," he feels like he''s bing a different person.
In the previous simtion, Lucas had felt an intense desire to possess Shenhe.
Now, as he looks at the decaying, ckened body of Rostam, poisoned by Durin''s blood, Lucas''s feelings are equallyplicated.
No matter the cause, his life had undeniably been "stolen" by Rostam.
Lucas knows deep down that Rosalyne''s love is for Rostam, not for him, this twisted and self-loathing man.
And so, a new, even more insane idea takes root in his mind—one far crazier than resurrecting Rosalyne''s corpse.
Lucas swiftly draws a sharp scalpel from his medical kit. In swordsmanship, Rostam was a master, but even ten Rostams couldn''t wield a scalpel as deftly as Lucas.
Lucas ced the scalpel against Rostam''s jaw and, with the precision of cutting a priceless piece of art, perfectly peeled off the frozen skin from his face.
Even in subzero temperatures, Lucas''s hands didn''t tremble in the slightest.
[This time, you''re going to take back the life that was stolen from you!]
[The war against the evil dragon Durin has ended, and although the Young Wolf Rostam was severely injured, he survived. As for the mad doctor who once researched reviving corpses, he was buried forever under the eternal snow, with no one left to remember him.]
[Yes, you have survived in Rostam''s ce. Using your unparalleled skills in cosmetic surgery, you reced your face with Rostam''s. Monthster, you removed your bandages to reveal a face identical to his.]
[You imed that during the battle with Durin, you were poisoned and lost all your strength, unable to lift a sword ever again. Despite this, you were hailed as the great hero who saved Mondstadt, revered and admired by all.]
[At the ceremony honoring you, as you basked in the adoring gazes of the crowd, you remembered the time when you were the outcast, hiding in Mondstadt''s slums. Once again, your life hadpletely changed.]
[Suddenly, a young woman rushed onto the stage and threw herself into your arms. To your surprise, it was none other than the woman you had longed for, Rosalyne! Worried about Mondstadt after hearing of the disaster, she had returned in a hurry.]
[You were shocked to realize that Rosalyne hadn''t noticed anything unusual about you. Of course, after years of separation and your severe injuries, it was only natural that ''Rostam''s'' body and appearance would have changed. Who knows Rostam better than you? Your wless performance had deceived Rosalyne, and fooling everyone else would be even easier.]
[Seizing the moment, you publicly proposed to Rosalyne right then and there. Overwhelmed with happiness, Rosalyne, dizzy with joy, immediately epted your proposal.]
[You were ted! Your revenge n had seeded! You had taken back the life that Rostam stole, won the woman you loved... even if it was in someone else''s name. But so what? You told yourself you *were* Rostam, and as for Lucas? He no longer existed in this world.]
Is this... really how things turned out?
Lucas found it difficult to calm down.
Was this a good ending?
He wasn''t sure. After all, he had obtained everything he wanted—a life of respect, the woman he loved, supreme honor... but none of it had anything to do with the name "Lucas" anymore.
[The wedding was soon held. Your marriage to Rosalyne became a grand celebration in Mondstadt. In the bridal chamber, you saw your new wife, her cheeks flushed from dandelion wine...]
"Activate immersive mode."
[Immersive mode activated.]
Ahem... I''m doing this to avoid slipping up!
Lucas shamelessly exined to himself.
[No need to exin, I understand. Go for it! Full speed ahead!]
The room, carefully decorated, was filled with the scent of incense, rose petals scattered across the bed...
And the woman he had longed for every day and night.
The most remarkable thing about the *Viin Simtor* is that once the immersive mode is activated, Lucas fully assumes the role, adopting the character''s personality, actions... and obsessions.
Sitting gracefully on the bed, dressed in a white wedding gown, was Rosalyne.
She looked remarkably simr to how she would be 500 yearster as "The Lady," but her demeanor and expression were entirely different.
Of course, Rosalyne''s transformation into "The Lady" wasrgely due to her inability to cope with Rostam''s death. But now, "Rostam" was alive and had married her, so she had no reason to turn into that bitter figure.
Lucas felt a slight sting on his cheek asionally, perhaps a lingering effect of the "face swap."
"Rostam?" Noticing something off about her husband, Rosalyne softly called out, "Are you alright?"
"I... I''m fine..." Lucas snapped back to reality and smiled at Rosalyne. "You look beautiful."
"You..." Rosalyne blushed slightly. "You never used to say such things. Did you practice saying these words to other girls while I was away?"
Lucas''s heart skipped a beat.
Women really do have keen intuition.
It was true that Rostam had always been reserved, the kind of man who found it hard to speak sweetly.
Meanwhile, Lucas, after years of charming countless women, had be quite the smooth talker.
"I... I meant every word," Lucas quickly corrected himself. "You''re the most beautiful woman I''ve ever seen."
And he truly meant it.
Strictly speaking, every simtion takes ce in a different parallel world.
So, Keqing and Shenhe—they belonged to other worlds!
"You... why are you just standing there?" Rosalyne blushed even more as she shifted on the bed, patting the spot beside her. "Come... sit with me."
"Oh... oh!" Lucas snapped out of it and hurriedly sat down beside her.
Strangely enough, despite his experience with countless women, Lucas suddenly felt awkward in front of the one he loved most.
"Rosalyne... can I ask you a question?" Lucas suddenly thought of something and asked, "If that day, I hadn''te back alive, if I''d died in the battle against Durin... what would you have done?"
"Why would you say such unlucky things?" Rosalyne''s expression darkened briefly, but she answered seriously, "But if... that had really happened, I wouldn''t have lived on by myself."
Her answer brought Lucas a sense of relief.
I wasn''t wrong!
If I hadn''t taken Rostam''s identity, Rosalyne would''ve died too.
"Rosalyne..." Lucas suddenly held her hand and softly said, "Could you sing for me one more time?"
"Now, of all times?"
Rosalyne was momentarily stunned. Singing on their wedding night seemed quite unusual.
But to her, it also felt romantic. After all, she believed it was her singing that had brought her and Rostam together in the first ce.
"Yes, right now," Lucas held her hand tightly, his voice choked with emotion. "All these years, I''ve longed... to hear you sing again."
Lucas didn''t even know if he was speaking as Rostam or... as himself.
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Author''s Note: Please donate powerstones!!