Shattered Romance and a Convenient Date
The opportunity had arrived. Siegfried's pupils trembled. Hagen pretended to be flustered. Cream expressed her disappointment. And me? 'Ahh... this is hilarious—!' I desperately held back my laughter amid the varied emotions and reactions.
"Why..." A single word loaded with meaning.
Siegfried, who had bowed his head, lifted it after a moment.
"I had no choice... Cream, you know about the curse on me."
Siegfried began making desperate excuses.
"I can't fight in a constant state of arousal."
He tried to gently persuade Cream.
"My focus slips, my combat power drops... and you've seen how I can't fight properly against female demons."
Siegfried was right. On the battlefield, a lapse in concentration leads to death. So no one could blame him for relieving his urges here—if it had been with a regular party member.
'But Cream isn't just any party member.'
They were in that ambiguous flirtationship phase. Cream and Siegfried had feelings for each other, and both were somewhat aware of it. Getting caught sleeping with another woman in that state? Brutal.
'Pure gold.'
I could see why middle-aged aunties go crazy for those trashy Korean dramas. If I'd had popcorn, I'd have been munching away while watching the show.
Hagen was off to the side like me, enjoying the melodrama.
"My life was on the line, so it was unavoidable... something I had to do. You get it, right?"
"...."
Siegfried reached out with trembling hands to grab Cream's, but she just stared at his face silently.
"Cream..."
As Siegfried took a step forward, Cream stepped back.
"Cream—!"
She dodged his outstretched hand. Tears welled up in her eyes. Swallowing them, Cream questioned Siegfried.
"Siegfried, you said it was unavoidable?"
"Y-yeah—! That's right."
Tears streamed down Cream's cheeks, dripping to the ground.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"That's..."
"Were you afraid I'd stop you? Afraid I wouldn't understand?"
As Cream pressed on, Siegfried's shoulders hunched smaller.
"You didn't trust me?"
Cream had been disappointed that Siegfried went to the brothel, but hiding it from her hurt even more.
"No—!"
Siegfried tried to explain, but it wasn't getting through to Cream.
"Did you have fun? Hiding it from me?"
Her words started carrying real emotion.
"No—! Really, no—! It was torture. Thinking of you made it worse."
What a joke. I nearly burst out laughing.
"Really?"
"Y-yeah—! Totally!"
Siegfried nodded vigorously, seeing hope in Cream's question. But that hope...
"Then why were you smiling until our eyes met...?"
...shattered with her words.
"That's, no... I mean..."
Siegfried couldn't string words together.
"You enjoyed it, didn't you? 'Unavoidable'? Don't lie—!"
Cream shouted.
"Then you should've purified it properly—!"
Siegfried crossed the line.
"If you'd purified it right, would I have even gone there?"
Cream faltered at his outburst. Up to that point, Siegfried had a point.
"Are you even a saintess? What kind of saintess can't lift a simple curse? It's not even the Demon King's... ha—!"
Blame. Siegfried was blaming Cream.
Tadak—!
Cream bolted out upon hearing his accusations. Siegfried realized his mistake and tried to follow, but...
"I'll go. You stay here and cool off."
I told him following would make it worse and chased after Cream.
"Pl-please... take care of her."
I smirked fully at Siegfried's parting words.
The village square at the center. I found Cream on a bench near the fountain. She wasn't alone—surrounded by sketchy guys.
"Whoa—check out that body."
"Why cry alone? Want big bro to comfort you?"
"Hahaha—! Make you cry for a whole different reason?"
Obvious extra thugs. Sring—!
I drew my sword and pointed it at one of their throats.
"Don't be annoying. Scram."
"Showing off in front of a girl..."
The guy with the sword at his neck had guts, talking back despite it. Drip—!
I cut him off mid-sentence, nicking the blade in just enough to draw a line of blood. Only then did they get my intent, shutting up and fleeing like the extras they were.
I sat silently beside her.
"Hic... sob..."
Cream, who had been crying quietly, now wailed loudly.
'Time to wait.' I just waited until she spoke first.
"That jerk Siegfried—!"
Cream started unloading everything.
"I tried so hard—! In a place where I knew no one—! Learning holy magic—! Hic... couldn't even eat what I wanted—! Hngh—! Sniff—!"
She blew her nose loudly and continued. I listened quietly.
She'd followed Siegfried and suffered immensely. Endured it all thinking only of him, even braving the Demon King's army battles out of fear just for him.
"How could he say that to me—!"
She cursed the man who'd toppled her pillar of support with one sentence.
"Bastard! Moron! Dickhead! Worm with his brain in his dick—!"
Cream's eyes, red from shouting, had stopped tearing up.
"Phew... thanks for listening to my rant."
She turned, flashing a smile despite her puffy eyes.
"Feel better?"
"Yeah, a lot. Emotions sorted."
"Emotions sorted?"
I tilted my head, and she explained.
"Yeah. My feelings for Siegfried. All cleared up."
My subtle efforts during the journey, pointing out his flaws, were finally paying off.
"Isn't that a bit rushed?"
I kept the conversation going, feigning concern.
"It's not like that... Once the rose-tinted glasses came off, his flaws started jumping out."
Siegfried's personality was hot-blooded at best.
'Self-centered at worst.'
Traveling together daily had made those traits obvious. They say you see a partner's flaws clearly after marriage—must've been like that. Plus, seeing Siegfried in constant horniness from the curse had grossed her out.
"Made me wonder why I ever liked a guy like that."
Her cooling feelings got the final blow from his blame.
"Gotta settle things with Siegfried for good tomorrow."
Cream shot up from her seat.
"Oh, I'll stay in the hero party, of course."
Got responsibilities as a saintess!
We headed back to the inn and ran into Siegfried at the entrance.
"Cream... about earlier!"
Cream dodged his grab and entered.
"Let her rest tonight. Talk tomorrow."
"Yeah..."
Siegfried slunk inside, shoulders slumped.
'Sweet dreams tonight.'
I replayed the day's events and drifted off.
Woke up to an empty room.
'Couldn't wake me?'
Yawn—! I stretched hugely and headed downstairs. Everyone was gathered for breakfast. Unusually quiet vibe.
Hagen and Nibel, sensing the chill between Siegfried and Cream, stayed silent. I sat quietly and ate. Once Siegfried and Cream finished and went up...
"Sigh... how'd it come to this?"
"Ah, well..."
I summarized yesterday for Nibel, who hadn't been there.
"I see. Always gotta watch for romantic drama on adventures..."
I stopped Nibel before he could intervene—might break the party.
"I'll handle it."
"You?"
Endgame of the plan. Time to block variables.
"Hmm... yeah, better you than an old fart like me. You're closer in age."
Nibel said he'd extend the village stay and left. Then Hagen approached.
"I'll sit this out. Have Altera join me?"
His eyes on Altera's chest. Knowing what he wanted...
"Altera, make Hagen happy."
I ordered her. Hagen grinned and left with Altera.
Everyone gone, I followed Siegfried and Cream upstairs.
"Let's talk about Cream."
Siegfried knocked on her door. Cream opened it.
"What I said yesterday was a slip. Sorry!"
He bowed deeply. But Cream's face stayed blank.
Siegfried waited hopefully, but...
"Done talking?"
Her response was ice-cold.
"Y-yeah...?"
Siegfried blinked in daze.
"Then my turn."
As planned yesterday, Cream opened her mouth to end things.
"I don't love you anymore. Funny saying this when we weren't even dating, but clearly: our relationship ends here. Oh, I'll stay in the party as saintess. Can't let others suffer from our fallout."
Siegfried just listened mutely as she spoke.
He grabbed her wrist as she tried to leave.
"Cream! We can't end like this. Let's talk! Clear up the misunderstandings—!"
Cream shoved his hand away roughly.
"Siegfried, no misunderstandings between us. From now on, treat me as a party member, not a friend."
Called by full name instead of nickname, Siegfried dropped to his knees in despair.
"Don't go—! Where are you even—!"
He clung till the end, but...
"Got a date. Let go."
Her words broke him.
I met Cream on the stairs.
"So, wanna go on that date now?"
"Sure."
I'd play along with her white lie to escape Siegfried.