Chapter 75
The silence was different.
It did not demand answers or clarification, but instead gave Theo space to adjust to the new situation.
A sense of relief mixed with bewilderment.
Theo realized that the Aldraya standing before him was not the same Aldraya from his previous memories.
Usually, the girl was relentless in asking questions, unraveling every doubt and uncertainty in Theo with a sharpness that could mentally exhaust anyone.
Every answer he gave, no matter how precise or honest, would always be followed by another question, as if there was never enough pause for anyone to take a breath.
This time, her demeanor was far more restrained, as though the entity standing before Theo was not merely an inquisitor, but an observer capable of holding herself back.
In that moment, Theo felt a new balance forming between them.
He remained cautious, still calculating the girl's every move, yet the pressure that usually constricted his thoughts had lessened.
He could sense that although Aldraya was still sharp and powerful, there was a subtle shift—lighter, yet still deadly in her calm.
And for the first time since this encounter began, Theo could take in his surroundings without anticipating the next question, savoring the very brief but precious moment granted to his awareness.
'Come to think of it, everything turning out like this is only natural.
Last Prayer, that cosmic horror novel, exploded too big, too fast, to the point where top publishers were fighting to print it.
And from there, the world began to change.
Every new game born afterward, whether slightly or heavily, drew something from it.
Atmosphere, concepts, threat structures, even the way a world collapses.'
Fuaaaahh!
'I know that.
I've seen it countless times.
And Flo Viva Mythology, yes, this game is one of them.'
Theo slowly lowered his head, letting the murmur drift through the labyrinth of his whirling thoughts.
He realized a fact he could no longer ignore—that the work he once wrote, a horror novel titled Last Player, had spread its influence far beyond what he could have imagined.
The novel was not just an ordinary horror story, but a piece so powerful that renowned publishers immediately printed it, and readers around the world welcomed it with immense enthusiasm.
The genius he poured into every page shaped the inspiration for hundreds of games that were born afterward, and every mechanic, every storyline, even the cosmic horror atmosphere in those works bore traces of his unmistakable influence.
Among all the games born from that inspiration, there was one that captured Theo's attention more than the rest.
Flo Viva Mythology was not merely a game that borrowed ideas from his novels; it was a world that had mysteriously drawn him deeper than hundreds of other games.
He didn't play it just for entertainment—there was a deeper pull, a subtle force guiding him through every layer, every mechanic, and every possibility hidden within its code and digital world.
The game felt as if it was calling to him—not just as a player, but as an entity with a unique bond to the stories and world it had shaped.
In his mind, Theo began forming a hypothesis, connecting facts and instincts born from both his real and digital experiences.
He realized that the influence of Last Player was not mere rough inspiration, but a seed that penetrated directly into the core of Flo Viva Mythology's creation.
The concepts, the horror ambience, and the world structure in the game followed the flow and depth of the narratives he once crafted, as if this world were an extension of his own novel—yet now alive with new rules shaped by the logic of a game.
'Flo Viva Mythology stands upon foundations born from Last Prayer—my own work.
This world, its code, the concept of entity ascension, even the structure of Sa, all were touched by ideas that once existed only in my mind.
So doesn't it make sense that I'm considered an Administrator? Or perhaps more accurately, an Administrator not acknowledged by the others?'
Hhhh!
'Not part of their system, not a guardian of this game, not an entity recorded in any hierarchy.
But even so, I am the reason this world took the shape it did.'
Fu–fu–fu!
'If that's truly the case, then Aldraya asked earlier not out of suspicion, but because she herself wasn't sure where I stand.
Among them or outside them.
And that's understandable.
With the Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition I bear as a writer, it's no surprise that RWIA can match the Sa of the Administrators.
Perhaps even push the upper limit a little.'
Theo took a deep breath and let his thoughts untangle the knots slowly forming in his mind.
The realization grew clearer.
The foundation of Flo Viva Mythology he understood did not stand on its own, but traced directly back to the work he had once written.
Last Prayer.
That fact placed him in a unique position—one that could not simply be aligned with the Administrators of the game world, because he was not part of the overseeing structure deliberately embedded into the system.
Yet logically, when he examined his unseen but crucial role, Theo understood that he possessed authority equal to, perhaps surpassing, the limits held by the Administrators.
He was not merely a player or observer, but the source from which all code, mechanics, and the very existence of the Flo Viva Mythology world drew their purpose and direction.
This thought led Theo to a conclusion both strange and thrilling.
He could be called a Semi-Administrator, a title marking an existence outside the official hierarchy.
More accurately, he might be an Anti-Administrator, for although unrecognized by the official Administrators, his presence still shaped the logic they followed.
He understood that his role was not that of a guardian or controller, but of an unseen lawgiver—a force silently granting permission to every authority within the game to operate and adapt.
In his mind, the image grew clearer as he recalled the moment Aldraya looked at him with a blank gaze and questioned his identity.
The girl showed no certainty—her expression suggested that although Theo carried Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition surpassing any ordinary human, he still confused the structures normally read easily by Sa.
Theo realized that certainty was never given absolutely.
Aldraya herself, with the seed of an Administrator within her, seemed unsure whether Theo should be categorized as an Administrator or not.
And that uncertainty strengthened Theo's understanding that his power originated from something different—far purer and more fundamental than the codes executed by every Administrator.
In the silence filling the space between them, Theo held his breath for a moment, recognizing his unique position in the world he had stepped into.
He was not part of the official hierarchy, yet he was still the core that gave meaning to every action, every code, and every Sa within the world.
One thing became clear.
His existence as a Semi-Administrator or Anti-Administrator was not an empty title, but a reflection of a unique role that linked the will of a human creator with the laws guiding the entire Flo Viva Mythology world.
'Semi-Administrator? I suppose being called an Anti-Administrator suits me better.'
Theo bowed his head slightly, letting all the understanding settle into his mind.
To be continued…