Maids VS Apocalypse

Author note: Mass Release (Chapter 5/5)

14 hours of writing (T^T) I hope you enjoy it!

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"To understand Lara’s... the character’s story, I think it would be for the best if I explained that of the game first."

Mark began with a short description of the overall plot of Maids VS Apocalypse, which wasn’t anything exceptional.

By achieving many rapid technological developments, humanity drew the ire of powerful demonic races that felt threatened by their growth, leading to a war of immeasurable scales.

Though they fought bravely, humans quickly found themselves pushed to the brink of extinction.

Grasya was humanity’s last remaining bastion, a kingdom where all the survivors gathered to push back against the demonic incursion.

The story starts with the protagonist, a young man whose name is chosen by the player, being sent to govern a region near the kingdom’s border.

On the surface, it was dressed up as a chance for him to earn the recognition of his father so he could be considered a proper heir, but in truth, it was a ploy by his brothers to remove him from the picture.

The region whose responsibility he was forced to shoulder turned out to be the weakest link in the kingdom’s defenses. With monsters ravaging its lands and people fleeing for safety, getting it back on its feet was almost impossible.

The protagonist didn’t shy away from the challenge, however.

The goal of the game is to rebuild the region and push back against the demonic forces that threaten to completely wipe out humanity.

"That’s the gist of it," Mark said. "Simple, don’t you think?"

Lara didn’t answer right away.

"I’m not sure..."

That response told Mark his maid didn’t have a lot of experience consuming fictional works.

Mark had always worried that the simplicity of the premise would push people away. His main reason for keeping it that way was so he could focus on the game mechanics, and he heard from somewhere that a good author could make a simple or cliche plotline interesting.

"Anyway,"

Moving on, Mark explained that the game starts with the protagonist arriving at the mansion he would be living in from there on. After renovating his own room, he would then go around hunting beasts and helping people.

It is while doing so that he meets his maids. The order in which that happens depends on which quests the player chooses to finish first.

"Lara’s, the Lara in the game, I mean-" Mark paused for a moment, finding it a bit troublesome that the two shared the same name. "Her storyline starts when the protagonist receives a request to investigate the monster tormenting the people of a small town under his jurisdiction."

The town was relatively peaceful, being a little farther from the border than other places, but in recent times strange incidents had been disturbing that peace.

People were starting to disappear every now and then. At first, the victims returned after some time claiming to have woken up in a place they don’t remember going to, however over time the number of disappearances increased while those who returned decreased.

Eventually, those who went missing never returned.

While investigating, The protagonist would hear from multiple sources about a young girl who is suspected of being the perpetrator. That girl’s name is Lara Becker.

"I assume she is falsely accused," Lara asked.

"No," Mark let out a chuckle. "That Lara did indeed kidnap many people."

Lara Becker was born from the relationship between a human man and a female vampire. Her father happened across her mother while she was fleeing from the traitors who wished to usurp her house.

Despite her being an ally of the demonic forces, the man took her in and nursed her wounds, going so far as to offer her his blood.

Love blossomed between the two even though he was a human commoner while she was a noble vampire, and that love led to the birth of a child, something that was thought to be impossible.

One day, the mother disappeared without a trace, leaving her lover to raise their daughter alone. The man did his best to keep the girl safe and raise her properly, but unfortunately, he eventually succumbed to a disease and passed away.

The girl was able to survive on normal food but needed human blood to maintain her strength. Her father provided her with some on a regular basis, but with him gone, she had to find another source.

"What a cruel fate," Lara commented.

"Indeed," Mark added

"Still, since these events happen before she takes on the occupation of a maid, wouldn’t that mean her crimes went unpunished?"

"Well, there is a little more to the story."

After learning of her nature, the protagonist confronts the girl named Lara intending on bringing her to justice. Once they talk, however, he learns that she only ever took some blood from her victims before letting them safely return.

When she noticed that people other than the ones she targeted started to disappear, she abstained from her meals and deprived herself even as her strength waned.

As the story approaches its climax, it comes to light that another vampire has been responsible for the disappearances, and Lara, having regained her strength by drinking blood offered to her by the protagonist, helps defeat the villain and becomes a hero.

"How admirable." The maid said, her tone showing she wasn’t that impressed.

"Did you expect the story to have a different end?" Mark asked.

"The protagonist should have slain the girl." She responded solemnly. "She is a criminal who threatened the lives of his subjects. As the one governing that territory, it is his responsibility to ensure she is punished."

"Is that so..."

Mark was a little surprised by the reaction his maid had to the story. She appeared to look at it from a logical lens, showing no sympathy to the Lara in the story. He understood her point very well, but logic wasn’t always the deciding factor when it came to writing romance.

"Well, if I were the protagonist and I met a girl as captivating as you are," Mark looked up and smiled teasingly "I wouldn’t hesitate to make the world my enemy just to keep you safe."

Lying down with his head on her lap, Mark felt that he could be a little bolder. He knew that his words would have little to no effect on the silver-haired maid. Even then he still made an attempt, mostly for his own amusement.

Lara stared at him from above, her expression unchanging.

"Master," She heaved a disappointed sigh. "You are not well suited to lead people."

"I know, right?"