Chapter 243
‘This damn old man...!’
Revealing that Victoria is a princess to a mere extra has taken the story not just off the rails, but out of this universe.
"Hmm, not surprised, are you? You expected this much? I've always thought you possessed remarkable insight."
This is bad. My reputation keeps rising.
I wish I was treated just like any other cockroach passing by.
Why, a cockroach wielding a Sacred Sword. Isn’t that a common sight everywhere?
...No?
Then I’m screwed. A world without a single cockroach wielding a Sacred Sword.
The cockroach youth.
The world within the game is cold...
"Keke, on the contrary. When people are too shocked, they can't react at all, you know? Wow, Miss Victoria is a princess. What a shock, huh?"
"Not shocked at all, I see. Understood."
No, treat me like a cockroach! You're good at that!
Treat me with contempt, just like you did at the social gathering!
Drip-!
Suddenly, the sound of a water droplet echoed, and my mind cleared.
It was the power of 'Mental Defense'. It always keeps me calm, my best defense mechanism.
Yes, let’s stay calm.
‘Victoria hasn’t been entrusted to me yet.’
Adonis’s reaction is probably because he holds me in higher regard than Alex.
The solution is simple then.
Either lower Adonis’s regard for me or increase his regard for Alex before he leaves.
Adonis will be leaving in the second semester. There's plenty of time until then.
So, let's not fuss about it.
Just calmly respond as usual, just calmly.
"What is the reason you revealed such information to me?"
"I told you. It's my personal decision that there's no need to hide information from allies. An ally is a comrade you can rely on. Needless lies are no good. Isn't that right?"
The word 'ally' was used twice. It's his way of emphasizing to me that he is an ally.
"Keke, it sounds to me like you're saying since you've shared such precious information freely, I should too... Or is that just my misunderstanding?"
"Hahaha! That’s going a bit too far. What's so strange about calling an ally an ally?"
Adonis slapped my back enthusiastically.
My hp inevitably dropped. By half, no less.
"Of course, it would be good to share information. For example... why you are so loyal to the Lester family?"
"Keke, do you think I'd tell you? Information about Miss Victoria is of no use to me."
"Hahaha! That is true. But I hope you acknowledge my effort to build trust."
I plan to never reveal it.
‘If Luna and Rezé manage to acquire the skill... it would be best to keep my distance.’
Lurking in the cool shadows.
Thriving when out of sight.
Making the back of one’s head tingle unknowingly.
Truly, a life much like that of a cockroach.
I planned to lead such a life until Adonis leaves the academy.
Otherwise, I might face the worst ending, having the hero party lose their healer, Victoria.
"By the way, I hope you keep it a secret from that child for now. Despite appearances, she has her own pains."
Knowing that Victoria is a princess.
I won't tell. I don't want to create any more variables.
"Then I might as well help with training before I go."
Rumble-!
A massive storm cloud settled over the training ground ceiling.
Luna and Rezé started running immediately.
"Oh? Adapted in just one day. I definitely need to increase the intensity."
"Aaaaaah! You bastard!"
"Eeeeeeeek!"
Tap tap-.
As I watched Luna and Rezé's training, someone tapped my shoulder.
It was Victoria. Covering her nose and mouth with a fan, she pulled me back.
It was obvious why Victoria was acting this way.
"Keke, peddlers are not welcome. I decline the offer to join even more so."
"Oh~ Hohoho! As expected of Zero. You're so perceptive! I'm growing even more fond of you!"
Did she not hear me say no peddlers?
Luna must have been unable to stand it. How can you win against a child who only hears what they want to?
"I just made an offer to Miss Luna as well. She kicked me out quite spectacularly though."
Now who will join her party?
She brazenly admits to trying to steal someone else’s party member. Truly a strange child.
"That’s why I came to you, Zero. If you agree to join me, everything will be resolved simply."
"I don't understand what you mean...?"
"You two are a pair, aren’t you? It would be troublesome for you to underestimate my intelligence. Oh~ Hohoho!"
Victoria covered half her face with her fan, but she couldn’t hide her smiling eyes.
She giggled, looking over at Luna. Just looking at her seemed to make her happy.
‘Could it be...’
I instinctively knew.
Yuridia had caused another mishap.
"Yes! Zero and Luna's sticky love story! I have grasped it perfectly from start to finish. Oh~ Hohoho!"
Just as I suspected.
Damn Yuridia had influenced another one.
At this point, I was curious. What kind of rumors was Yuridia spreading?
"Keke, do you really know? That’s not an easy story to come by."
"Is this a test? Sure, I'm happy to indulge. If I can have Zero and Luna, I'll do whatever it takes!"
Snap-!
Victoria closed her fan and began chattering excitedly.
"From their first meeting at the entrance exam. From that moment, they felt something special about each other."
I did feel something special. Her personality was terrible. Worse than now, believe it or not.
"Discovered a Demon's Shard hiding and holding its breath in the academy’s basement! Then, a bloody battle unfolded! They protected each other by throwing themselves into the fray. Yes, that’s where the love started to bloom!"
Yeah, we did use each other as shields.
It was a gimmick where you'd die if Erosion stacked three times.
"Zero discovered a secret passage in the ant hill! Realizing that if the giant ants joined, Luna would be in danger, he blocked the passage with his body. Luna was so moved, she cried! Ah, just the thought tugs at my heartstrings."
It wasn’t blocking the path; it was a one-sided slaughter. The ants couldn’t even reach where I was.
"After being recognized for his efforts, he received a medal and said, ‘It’s all thanks to you,’ as he handed it to Luna. Ah, another cauldron of emotions!"
She chewed on the medal out of curiosity. Luna’s teeth marks are still on my medal.
"Then, the sudden attack by the devilish Teron faction! Luna was in danger, and Zero appeared to declare a proxy duel to protect her! Ah, a proxy duel to protect his woman. I truly got goosebumps at that part!"
...Well, that part is actually true. The process was a bit different though.
"But it doesn’t end there! Attacked by a fourth-grade senior demon! A fierce battle, and then the incredible act of offering his own soul as collateral in a contract to protect his lover! Oh, such dazzling love!"
...Thinking back, I must have been out of my mind then.
Even if the main characters were in mortal peril, to try to save them by offering my soul...
I wasn’t in my right mind.
I still don’t really understand why I did that, but it definitely wasn’t because of love.
"And they continue to nurture their love. They even adopted a pet rabbit along the way."
Does she not see Rezé as a person?
What kind of child is this? Rezé is a person, a person!
Victoria spat blood from her mouth. The excitement had triggered her chronic illness, causing her to bleed once again.
...What exactly does she want me to do with Luna? As innocent as I am, I had no idea.
It was clear though, that this club needed to be dismantled.
"When all the leaves of that tree have fallen... I will no longer be in this world. Ah, if only I could die seeing the rabbit-like child born from Luna and Zero..."
The tree outside the window boasted lush foliage, seemingly counting in the tens of thousands.
Moreover, that tree was an elf tree, known to live for thousands of years.
Victoria would likely die of old age long before all the leaves of that tree fell.
"Ah, it’s so pitiful that the people of this world do not know love..."
Victoria dabbed her tears with a handkerchief.
Hmm, this is a tricky situation. Not because she’s madly in love.
‘Victoria should be focusing her attention on Alex, not me.’
Teron and Yuridia have ventured into a storyline unknown to me.
I had to steer Victoria back to a normal storyline.
"Keke, I've listened well. Some parts of the story were incorrect, but it was a splendid tale."
"I haven't been part of this Love Support Club for long. I'll have to try harder."
No, please don't try harder. That place is as good as a cult!
"However, I must politely decline your recruitment offer."
"Why?!"
"There are better options available to you."
Such as Alex, Alex, or perhaps Alex.
Did Victoria catch the hint in my words? Her eyes sparkled.
"Alex is good too, of course. But there’s something fundamentally lacking with him."
Something lacking in Alex?
That’s useful information. If I can fill that gap, Victoria’s affection for Alex might greatly increase.
Adonis might be influenced as well.
"What is it?"
"It's love! He lacks love! Without it, he cannot become stronger!"
...I was a fool to have expected more.
I chased Victoria away, along with a sign that read 'No Entry for the Love Support Club'.
*
It's been a week.
Adonis’s bizarre training continued as usual today.
While dodging lightning, Rezé stumbled and fell.
"Thump!"
...How can a human's moan sound like 'thump!'?
The training must be that intense. To the point where a human starts making rabbit sounds.
"Rezé!"
Just as Adonis’s lightning was about to strike.
Luna, who had fallen over Rezé, drew her sword and raised it to the sky.
Like a lightning rod.
"Bring it on! You bastard! Come at me!"
A spirit of sacrifice, protecting a friend with her own body.
Of course, Adonis showed no mercy.
Crackle-!
"Aaaaaah!"
Golden lightning struck Luna, charring parts of her body.
"Ugh..."
"Lu, Luna!"
Luna groaned, her sword still planted in the ground.
Strangely, although the lightning had ceased, sparks still flickered from Luna’s sword.
Adonis chuckled at the sight.
"Ho, she’s realized it. The compatibility is just right."
Had she gained a skill? I quickly opened Luna’s information window.
[Lightning Sword F]
A new skill had appeared. And it was quite a decent one.
'A passive skill that adds lightning properties to the sword. It can probabilistically induce the status abnormality 'Electrocution.'
'Electrocution' slows attack and movement speeds and reduces damage—an important skill that causes 'Electrocution' that one of the party members must have.
And Luna had acquired it.
"Now only that kid needs to continue training. Luna, come out."
"But..."
"...Go, go on."
"Rezé?"
"No more relying on others!"
Rezé gritted her teeth and started to run, dodging the lightning.
After being struck by lightning a couple of times and tumbling on the ground.
Crackle- Crackling-!
Lightning began to swirl around Rezé’s feet.
From then on, Rezé was no longer hit by the lightning. She began running ahead of it.
‘Has she gotten faster?’
That was... like Squirrel Thunder!
Ah, no. Rabbit Thunder! Yes, with that speed, if she were to collide with an enemy, it would cause significant damage...!
Pffft-.
"Eeek?"
"Huh?"
In that moment, the lightning swirling around Rezé's feet disappeared.
It makes no sense for someone as fragile as Rezé to charge at the enemy and collide bodily.
Her body would shatter into pieces before even managing to destroy the opponent.
Her weapon is a magic gun, after all. Could it be...
"Hahaha! What excellent mobility."
Adonis laughed.
I immediately checked Rezé's information window.
[Lightning Dash F]
"..."
It’s a passive skill that increases movement distance.
Rezé, who was supposed to evolve into a majestic, emperor-general, admiral-majesty rabbit, evolved into a 'slightly faster pufferfish rabbit' instead.
Damn this old man! He should have given her a skill like [Lightning Bullet]!
"Rezé! That's amazing!"
"He, hehe... It's all thanks to Luna!"
Luna and Rezé hugged each other, rejoicing.
"Hmm~ How romantic."
No, old man.
Don't turn my rabbit into a useless character!
--TL Notes--
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading
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