This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

Chapter 67 12.5 Placeholder Object?

Okay... That was one silent fire extinguished. But why do I get the feeling we were only getting started?

"You can both relax now," Shizu let out a small breath as she finally turned to face us. "Guidance, are you sure you can fix it?"

The dev took another look at the error prompt floating above us before nodding. "Yeah. That's a quick fix. I just need to know the code."

"Got it," the princess voiced out. "[Code Watcher]"

At the princess's confirmation, Guidance quickly went to work as she listened to Shizu utter out what she needed. All the while, I turned my attention to the courtiers around us, noting how they were still looking at us with skepticism.

If I were to describe them, I'd say that they looked exactly like how East Asian nobles would've looked back in the middle ages. Kimonos, Chinese dresses... Hell, some were even wearing some semblance of modern suits despite the style clashing so hard against the backdrop of the Imperial Palace.

"So the Princess truly is a [Somatic]...."

"She looks like the Empress..."

"Did time really pass by that quickly?"

I resisted the urge to shake my head at the comments I was hearing. Then again, now that I thought about it, didn't Shizu tell me earlier that she wouldn't even be let inside the palace because she didn't look like her old self anymore? If so, then how were we even here in the first place?

[BZZZTT!!]

"Khh..."

At the telltale sound of things being changed, I heard Guidance let out a small gasp as she adjusted through the change. Meanwhile, I shook my head as I blinked away the slight nausea I was feeling. "Ohh.... Still sucks every time...."

"B-BBLEEUGH-"

And sure enough, Shizu still got the worst of it as she audibly retched, her stomach heaving even as she fought to keep her food inside her mouth this time.

"Princess!"

"What did you do?!"

And of course, the classic standoff happened with the nearest guards quickly cutting us off from our friend. I was tempted to draw my guns, but that would only exacerbate the situation, seeing as Guidance was clearly not enjoying her time either.

"It's the natural reaction to any sort of change I make," the dev explained, the panic in her tone evident from the shakiness in her voice. "Sh-Princess Caris's [Manifest] allows her to see the inner workings of this world, and every change I make affects her perception of it directly."

"Then why-"

"E-Enough!"

The peanut gallery was stunned into silence yet again, this time, by Shizu's insistence as she panted on her knees.

"S-She speaks the truth! My [Manifest] is doubly affected despite us having a clear synergy in abilities," the princess explained, her face still green as she held in her lunch. "The fault is my own for not being able to adjust to the changes."

"Pray tell, where are these changes, daughter?" the Emperor bellowed out, a tinge of concern hiding underneath his baleful gaze. "You will not have me believe that this woman can change the world if she even fails to fix this so-called mistake."

Raising an eyebrow, I found myself pointing upwards to the previous spot where the error was formerly floating. The gasps of astonishment were like music to my ears as what was once a glaring error in the world was now an opulent chandelier, matching its brethren among the ceiling in illuminating the throne room.

"T-that is..."

"The Princess speaks the truth?"

All of a sudden, the doubters in the hall seemed to turn on their heads as they began questioning their own judgment. Kind of predictable if this was a story. Then again, it was a cliche for a reason, seeing as it was happening yet again even in real-time.

"So it is as you say," the Emperor pondered aloud. "However, a mere one-off trick cannot substitute as proof for a claim as grand as being able to manipulate the world itself. After all, what if her [Manifest] simply revolves around these mystical artifacts?"

So the errors were artifacts here, huh... Funny, but okay.

"And how about this young man?"

I froze, all confidence and condescension thrown out the window as I found myself being the new center of attention. Cause of course I'd be one eventually. What did I expect? That I'd just coast through with my puny weapons and hide behind the sidelines?

"M-Moriya has a powerful set of offensive [Manifests]," Shizu quickly explained, her tone still recovering from her earlier ordeal as she forced herself to stand at attention. "In the same way as the [Vestyge] with their steam rifles, his weapons are even faster and more potent than any ranged weapon that our enemies can field against us."

I blinked at the heaping praise. I didn't think my pistols were that powerful at all!

"I see..." her father hummed in thought. "Young man, can you shoot down one of the chandeliers above us?"

Wait, what?! "Eh..."

"I asked you a question, [Somatic]."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness!" I haphazardly blurted out, internally wincing at my own inadequate response as I hastily drew my guns. "Is there any specific one you want to go down?"

The Emperor stayed silent as if I had just asked him something stupid. Knowing my luck, I probably just did.

"Just shoot one down," Shizu harshly whispered at me. "Don't keep him waiting."

Oh dear....

Cracking my neck, I raised my right hand as I quickly picked a target, settling for the one chandelier just by the side of the newly-fixed one. With a deep breath, I steadied my aim, squeezing the trigger as the shot finally rang out.

[*BANG!*]

[HP: 213/220]

My health dropped once more, blood turning into a bullet as my shot soared through the air.

[*CLANG! CRASH!*]

And thankfully it hit the mark.

Unceremoniously, the gaudy chandelier crashed onto the carpet below, glass and metal flying out from the impact as a tinge of red stained the small chain that once kept it aloft. Not gonna lie, that was a pretty slick shot from me.

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TWT: @ChellyArks