Chapter 219
Chapter 219
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 219
Chapter Title: 64-1. The Prophet is Often Misunderstood as a Liar.
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Is appearance really unimportant in love?
The answer to that question had already been provided by that pillar hubby and the Northern Grand Duchess.
'Even without me, Ki-seok will manage just fine.'
Ever since Ki-seok had woken up, they'd been stuck together like glue.
They'd already succeeded in getting married in the game, and the Grand Duchess actually preferred his new macho build, reminiscent of a true Northerner.
Before heading back to the academy, I needed to stop by the bakery in the North.
Since I was already here, it was a good opportunity to pick up some dessert for Pine.
'...There might be a situation that could make Pine jealous. Better to prepare in advance.'
I'd heard that wolfkin could be hypersensitive when it came to matters involving their lovers.
In that case, bringing her favorite sweet dessert would be the smart move.
"This must be [Caprostia Patisserie]..."
As expected of a place that mirrored the Empire like a twin, there was a sign similar to the one back in the Granasia Empire.
I pushed open the door of the bakery, steam rising invitingly from the fresh loaves, and was greeted by a bustling crowd.
It really was a famous spot.
"Welcome. What can I get for you?"
A white-haired bear beastkin, pulling a massive batch of bread from the oven, greeted me warmly.
He looked like he could hold a cola in one hand without it seeming out of place.
"Uh, do you have any 'Northern Baklava' by chance?"
"Of course we do. Judging by that talisman you're carrying, you're an honored guest."
I immediately named the sweetest dessert I knew.
Baklava.
Layers upon layers of paper-thin dough stacked with nuts, a type of pastry finished with syrup that hardened into a crisp, sweet texture.
Variations depended on whether it included pistachio powder or kaymak cream inside.
The one I was after was a local specialty from the North.
'Northern Baklava.'
A cake-like treat topped with honey, lemon syrup, and fresh cream.
It contained unique nuts only found in the North, with an effect that warmed the body.
A warming food, perfect for enduring the North's harsh cold.
It was sweet, but I was also worried she might catch a cold.
"Huh...? Isn't that Licht?"
"Kainel. What are you doing here...?"
Just then, a familiar voice came from beside me as I waited for the baklava.
"Whoa, without the helmet, I almost didn't recognize you."
The blond-haired, blue-eyed hero slid into the seat across from me.
Kainel was chatting away, his hands full of sweets—probably for Ariel.
"...What's all that?"
"Oh, these are the ones your friend Ki-seok recommended."
As expected from the vice-guild master of the same guild.
Ki-seok had put in the effort to help pair up the hero couple, just like I had.
He'd even given Kainel some friendly advice to work out, flaunting his own muscular physique.
'Kainel should pick up something else too.'
But compared to me, he was a bit lacking.
Unlike Ariel, he wasn't big on sweets, so it might be better if he got something for himself.
"You should grab something savory too. You can't eat too many sweets, right?"
"...Yeah, matching tastes is still tough. Thanks for the advice, Licht."
I promptly suggested he add some food for himself.
Kainel picked out sandwiches and turned to me with a question.
"Oh, right. Licht, did something happen with Pine earlier?"
He spoke with a playful smile.
He seemed to have some ulterior motive.
"...Nothing happened."
I clamped my lips shut and played dumb.
He hadn't crossed the line, but how could I possibly say I'd been rolling around in bed with the princess?
He seemed to know something,
but seeing how embarrassed she was, I wanted to keep her secret.
"Hmm. Not 'I guess so,' but 'nothing happened'..."
Kainel picked up on the oddity in my words.
His old nickname of 'oblivious next-door farm boy' must have faded away—spending time with me had changed his personality a lot.
"Actually, I overheard Pine muttering to herself after bumping her forehead against the wall just a bit ago."
"...."
Kainel curled his lips into a smirk as he spoke.
He must have seen Pine give me a deep kiss and then flee.
She'd been repeatedly mumbling 'it was a mistake' while banging her head against the wall.
How flustered must she have been?
Even after we started dating, her defenses were as fragile as glass cannon.
'At least I don't have to worry about her getting devoured.'
He said she'd asked Ariel and Sophitia for makeup tips, or paced around endlessly before coming to my room.
Honestly, it was adorable.
Considering how she'd initially approached me only for swordsmanship, it was the complete opposite now.
"Your lips look a bit chapped. What did you two get up to?"
"...Just a little mishap with Pine."
Oh no, the mark from where she'd bitten me must have lingered.
As we chatted briefly about her, Kainel casually brought up another topic.
"So, it was true—you're not destined to defeat the Demon King and save the world."
"...Yeah."
He must have been convinced after seeing Kwon Ki-seok's body briefly turn muscular from its vampire state.
My goal was to connect the love lines of the main characters to complete the Grand Route.
Dealing with the Hero Cult's Demon King was just a side benefit for Pine's peace of mind.
It would be tragic if she became the Nameless Saintess.
She'd lose her family, friends, memories, and power.
"In that case, could we help with Drake and the Sage's romance too?"
Having heard my confirmation, his eyes sparkled as he made a proposal.
He offered to help raise other people's Love Meters.
The hero even mentioned repaying the favor I'd done him before.
"You said you'd repay the favor someday."
I recalled the conversation by the campfire when we first met.
I smiled at his actions befitting the Light Hero.
At that moment, a status window popped up before my eyes.
Maybe because he'd bought desserts, the hero couple's Love Meter had risen.
These two were about to hit 100% soon.
As I recalled, Kainel and Ariel had proposed while building a snowman.
'Winter's coming soon. Does that mean the Grand Route is within reach?'
The CG from [Black Heart] I remembered.
Childhood friends confessing their love while building a snowman amid heavy snowfall.
Once that happened, their Love Meter would lead straight to marriage.
I was just about to smile warmly when my Love Meter with Pine appeared.
Unlike Kainel's pink backdrop, this one had a red background with a lip-shaped emoticon.
The damn system was watching everything.
'...Is this really only 55%?'
Comparing it to the hero couple's number left me speechless.
The Love Meter wasn't just a percentage—it had to be an achievement rate toward marriage.
I shuddered imagining Pine wringing me out like a dried rag if I messed up.
"...Thanks, Kainel."
I forced a smile and accepted his offer.
It was the opposite of struggling alone at first to protect everyone's love lines.
'No one to help back then, so I ended up in plenty of misunderstanding-prone situations.'
Pretending to be the crown prince in the carriage felt like yesterday,
yet time had flown by.
Late autumn.
It had almost been a year since enrolling in the academy.
It had taken so long to learn about Pine and start dating her.
"It was your sister-in-law who suggested it first. She wants to help with your love business, Licht."
"...Who did you call...?"
As we left the patisserie with the packaged baklava, Kainel added one more line.
I had no idea when he'd heard the term 'sister-in-law.'
Pine must have been bragging to everyone.
"Princess Pine Granasia. Should I start calling you the royal consort now, Licht?"
Royal consort.
I knew it meant the queen's husband.
Well, the Granasia Empire's succession rights belonged to Pine, not Lupus.
"No, she's not empress yet... maybe prince consort?"
"......That's embarrassing, Kainel."
I told Kainel not to tease, but
I couldn't stop the grin spreading across my face.
On the road back to the North from the academy.
Sophitia and Ki-seok waved us off.
"Take care, Soo-hyun."
"Keep it up, Pine."
Seeing them like that, their Love Meter would rise fine without my interference.
Next time I visited, they might actually hold a wedding.
His nickname 'Northern Grand Duchess's Husband' wasn't bravado after all.
Pine, not to be outdone by her friend, hooked her arm through mine.
"No eyeing other women, Soo-hyun. Not even Sophitia."
"....."
"Hee hee, the dessert's extra sweet today."
She wrapped her tail around my leg, staking her claim.
As if I'd run away without that.
'This must be why the Sage's future vision showed what it did.'
Munching on the baklava I'd gifted her, she stared intently only at me.
What choice had future me made to end up chained by Pine?
The Sage's future sight showed the aggregate of possible outcomes I could have taken.
"Well then, I'll cast Teleport, Licht."
Immediately after, a 3D magic circle glowed in Dennis's hand, and we began turning into a mass of light.
We arrived back at Grand Hearts Academy to falling leaves.
The season shifting from autumn to winter.
Our group returned to the chilly air filling our lungs, the crisp wind blowing through.
"Let's head straight to the academy library."
I bolted toward the library at once.
First, I needed to figure out the relationship between Drake and the Sage.
Theirs was a brutal one-sided love.
Even after the Demon King Black Cloud died in [Black Heart], they never got together.
From the descriptions, it seemed mutual attraction was there.
'Even the pillar hubby said he didn't know the details.'
In that case, asking the parties involved directly was the way.
My legs felt heavy as lead from the anxiety.
"Oh? Isn't that student Licht? Why are you running like..."
I encountered the Sage, sitting atop a pile of books as always, reading.
Her yellow demon eyes blinked blankly at me with a puzzled look.
I was curious how the Grand Sword Master had won her heart.
"......Sage, could you tell me about your first love? It's really important."
I said with a smile on my lips.
First love is a memory no one forgets easily.