Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Survival Event
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The final evening of the weekend.
Most weekends, I spend my time at Rafne's tower.
Since it's a weekend off from the academy, Rafne insisted it was fine to stay there.
So, I usually pass the time crafting items in the tower or chatting idly with Rafne.
Today's harvest was recreating the main sword I'd used up in the loop event.
I made a new one using the last of the dragon bones.
I needed to prepare in various ways for the sub-event coming up soon.
After finishing the crafting and having dinner, I spent the remaining time...
'...How do I explain this?'
I sat on the floor, lost in thought.
"Hee, hee hee, hehe."
Rafne was currently sprawled across my lap, reading a novel and enjoying her leisure time.
Was the novel that entertaining, or had the lazy, relaxed atmosphere loosened her up?
Whatever the case, Rafne let out a soft, tension-free laugh.
According to her, this was the optimal position for reading while staying close to me.
But honestly, from a guy's perspective, having Rafne draped over my lap like this was way too stimulating in all sorts of ways.
Especially the soft pressure against my thigh.
No, that's not what's important right now.
"Ken~ A little more~."
As I got lost in my worries and my hand paused, Rafne nudged her head toward my stomach, urging me to continue.
I resumed stroking her hair.
"Hehe, ehehehe."
She seemed to enjoy the sensation on her head, letting out another languid laugh.
Rafne apparently considered this—lying on my lap reading while receiving my pets—the ultimate healing time.
Maybe that's why she acted spoiled more often these days.
It was much better than her clinging to my pant leg in despair, though.
Which made it all the harder...
To bring up what I had to say next.
"Hey, ...Rafne."
"Hm? What?"
She alternated wiggling her legs to express her contentment.
The novel must have been captivating; she didn't even look up at my call, staying focused on her reading.
Maybe now was a good time to tell her?
If there was an ideal moment, it had to be now, when she was in the best mood.
"Well... there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it? Want something?"
Only then did Rafne turn her head to look up at me.
Her eyes, compared to the lifeless ones I'd first seen, now brimmed with vitality.
Those sparkling pupils gazed up at me.
It seemed her heart had mended from me staying by her side during the Aspetra repair—when I'd crashed there—or from nursing her through it.
'Yeah, if her mind's recovered this much...'
Trusting those sparkling eyes, I forced my stiff mouth open.
"In a bit..."
"Mm-hmm."
"I have to leave the tower empty for a while..."
"Oh... Yeah, got it. How long? Coming back for dinner?"
A flicker of gloom crossed her face for a moment, but Rafne quickly recovered and asked with a smile.
She seemed okay with it.
Just a week ago, she would've burst into tears and clung to me over that.
Emboldened by her positive reaction, I smiled back.
"Ah, probably about five days."
And Rafne's face crumpled like the world had ended.
"......Huh?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days ago, as a reward for repairing Aspetra, I'd obtained the Full Moon Necklace.
With this necklace in hand, I now had all but one main material needed to create the Goddess's Pendant.
The missing piece was the Pure Mana Crystal.
This item was fairly common on the Karav Continent in the late game.
But at this point in the story, there was only one way to get it.
A sub-event hosted by the academy in a few days.
I could claim it as a prize in the Survival Scramble.
This event featured students from all over the academy—in modern school terms, something like a field day competition.
The problem was that the Survival Scramble lasted five days.
Which meant...
I'd have to leave the tower empty for five days.
"No, no, nooooo!"
Hearing that, Rafne started crawling up from my lap onto my torso.
"Sorry, I'm sorry! H-Have I been too playful lately? Or, or is the food not tasty anymore?! I'm sorry! Forgive me! I won't act spoiled anymore! I'll make the food even better! P-Please...!"
As I'd feared, Rafne clung to me, tears streaming as she pleaded.
I wasn't flustered by the familiar sight. I stroked her head and replied calmly.
"No, the spoiling's fine, and the food's delicious. But..."
"Liar! You've lost weight recently! So the food must taste bad now? You're sick of it? Sniff, I'm sorry! I'll do better! I'll try harder! So don't abandon meee!"
"It's okay, Rafne. I'm not abandoning you. Listen carefully."
"Uu, ugh. Sniff."
I hugged her back as she clung to my chest, stroking her hair tenderly.
Rafne burrowed into my embrace, clutching the back of my shirt.
Sobs echoed from within my arms.
When she got like this, no amount of talking got through to Rafne.
It was more effective to calm her down first, then explain.
'...Feels like I'm becoming a tamer.'
No, better to think of it as getting the hang of it.
I'd just grown accustomed to handling Rafne's patterns.
The issue was the scale this time.
Five days away would hit her hard, so I needed to explain carefully.
"Sorry... I'm sorry, Ken. I-I'll clean harder and act spoiled less. So don't get annoyed with me... Don't abandon me... Uuugh, I'll do better."
Rafne lifted her face from my chest, looking up at me with teary eyes.
She seemed calmer than her earlier wailing.
Once she was in a state to listen, I began explaining.
After hearing everything, Rafne still had a tearful face, but she seemed to understand.
Though the sparkle in her eyes had vanished, replaced by those despairing, dead ones.
"S-So you'll come back after five days?"
"Of course. I definitely will."
"R-Really? For real? You'll really come back?"
"It's not even starting tomorrow—it's in a few days, so don't worry too much."
"I caaan't..."
Well, tomorrow or in a few days, it was still five days away.
It'd be hard for her to accept, but fortunately, she seemed to get it.
"If only that curse would just stay like this and I only needed Ken..."
Rafne mumbled gloomily even as I headed back to the dorm.
It made me feel unnecessarily guilty.
I'd have to stay longer at the tower the day before the event.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day at the academy, I headed straight to the sign-up desk for the Survival Event.
Here, you filled out and submitted the application form.
I'd planned to sign up earlier originally.
But after explaining to Rafne, it felt better to do it then, so I was a bit late.
"Good morning, Ken."
As I filled out the form, a familiar voice came from beside me.
Turning, I saw Mary standing there.
"You're signing up for the Survival too, Ken?"
Mary held the same application form I did.
"Yeah, there's a prize I want."
"What a coincidence. Same here."
She started filling out her form right next to me.
'So she is participating.'
I'd expected Mary to join the Survival.
In the game, whenever Emily entered the Survival Event, Mary always appeared as an opponent.
Her reason for joining was one of the prizes: a voucher for a high-class restaurant meal.
Why did Mary want the meal voucher?
Because she loved eating? No.
It was for a date with Adrian.
In the game, this Survival Event triggered the rivalry storyline between Emily and Mary over a date with Adrian.
Of course, Emily could choose to take the voucher as her clear reward or opt for something else.
Mary was probably joining for the same reason this time.
"Um, Ken..."
Mary, who had been filling out her form, spoke up.
"Yes?"
"What prize are you aiming for in this tournament, Ken...?"
"Me? I need a mana crystal."
"I see..."
Mary fidgeted with her pen, hesitating as she wrote.
She kept glancing sideways, as if she had something to say.
"Ken... If I win a prize in this tournament..."
Mary struggled to get the words out.
As I focused on what she might say...
"Ah, Ken."
Another familiar voice came from behind.
Turning, I saw...
"Hey, Emily."
"What, you're signing up for this too?"
Emily approached with a smile.
Our relationship had warmed lately—she'd even brought drinks to morning training—so unlike before, she came over kindly.
Spotting Mary beside me, her face stiffened.
"...M-Mary."
"Emily, what's this about? If you're here to bully Ken again..."
Mary's eyes sharpened, and she began emanating a cold aura.
Her mana felt frosty enough to form rime.
Emily waved her hands frantically to calm Mary down.
"N-No! Nothing like that! I just had something to say to Ken!"
"Something to say? Then say it."
"Uh, wh-what? H-Here? I'd rather talk to Ken alone if possible..."
"If it's nothing shady, you can say it in front of me, right?"
Mary seemed overly guarded because of Emily's past record.
I'd have to explain soon that things had thawed between Emily and me.
Under Mary's pressure, Emily blushed and hesitated.
She squeezed her eyes shut, then looked at me with resolve.
"Fine, whatever. I can say it here."
She held something out to me.
"Ken, I said I'd treat you to a meal to apologize for the other day."
"Yeah...?"
What Emily offered was something Mary and I both knew well.
It was the Survival tournament application form.
"The meal voucher as a prize..."
Emily averted her reddened gaze, then carefully met my eyes.
"If I win it, wanna go together?"
"W-Wait...!"
My response didn't come—instead, it was Mary who spoke up.
"Huh? What?"
"N-No, I mean, um...!"
Mary, who had been sharp and confident moments ago, suddenly looked flustered at Emily's words.
She glanced back and forth between Emily and me.
Then, like Emily, she cautiously eyed her form and spoke to me.
"I was about to...! Ask you first, Ken. About the meal voucher."
"...Huh?"
Mary hesitated, Emily panicked.
The two stared at each other in silence.
"I asked first."
"No, if we're being precise, you interrupted when I was about to ask."
Emily and Mary locked eyes like they'd awakened glaring powers, sparks practically flying between them.
Wait, this scene felt familiar from the game.
"Indeed, a contest to claim a date with Ken Fine Stein."
Another familiar voice chimed in.
Its owner was a man approaching from behind Emily.
"What an entertaining sight."
It was the game's main capture target: Adrian Faraday.
He flashed a bright smile and waved at me.
"Can't miss an event this fun."
With that, he picked up an application form.
"W-Wait...!"
I'd never seen this guy join in the game...?
My exclamation at Adrian's surprise move got drowned out by the two women's sharp tones.
"Then there's only one way."
"Yes, only one person can claim each prize anyway."
After glaring at each other briefly, they submitted their forms without needing to decide who went first.
"Whoever wins the prize gets to invite for the meal."
"Fine, I was planning to win anyway."
With business done, the two turned and walked off in opposite directions.
Hey, what about my opinion?
"Heh, you're quite the sinful guy."
Only Adrian remained, chuckling amusedly as he clapped a hand on my shoulder.