Chapter 114
Chapter 114
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Young Falcon
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, Filtia was gone.
To be precise, she had told me not to come looking for her because "sis has to go watch the door today."
We made a promise to meet twice a week from now on, at the library.
Of course, I probably wouldn't go myself. I'd probably send Eve instead.
A sacrifice for the dragon? A little sister should be plenty.
Thanks, Eve. I won't forget your sacrifice.
Whatever.
Thanks to that, today was a rest day.
Sitting in the convenience store chair, spinning my pen, I jotted down a list of things to do on a piece of paper.
What I was writing now was strategies for 【Dragon's Trial】 and 【Eight Gates】.
But knowing the strategies didn't make it any easier.
"【Dragon's Trial】 requires at least 8 stamina. 【Demonic Eight Gates】...minimum 15 stamina."
Both were far beyond my current reach.
This damn status window.
"If I stack items from Eve's Act 7 and Isolde's Act 8, I could clear two of the gates... but that doesn't fix the core stats."
【Demonic Eight Gates】 was endgame content.
You couldn't just brute-force it even if you knew the strategy.
And that made sense, because the dungeon itself had an extreme restriction: Eve can't use it.
By the time you enter this dungeon, Eve has already graduated.
On top of that, Kelters stays at the academy to uphold his pact with the dragon by enrolling in grad school.
This dungeon, with its insane setup, doubled as endgame content for D/Z SAGA.
In other words, it wasn't meant to be cleared on the first playthrough!
【Inherit your 1st playthrough stats and items】
【Grind like hell with your life on the line】
【Optimize your party's gear to the max】
Clear it on your 2nd playthrough! That's how the devs designed it.
The meta was to see Eve's route ending, inherit her bond skill 【Transcendent Demon God】, roll into playthrough 2, and clear it with magic.
Of course, wrapping yourself in the mythic gear Hark used was standard.
Me? I did clear it on my first playthrough.
I tried no mythic weapons, no armor, all sorts of challenges... but if you told me to do it right now, I'd balk.
I really don't want to.
No, even if you beat me to death, it's impossible right now.
"With Kelters' current specs, I could meet the minimum cut-off... but stamina 2 is a no-go no matter what."
So, put off the 【Eight Gates】 strategy for later.
More importantly.
Right now, it's Aila vs. Regina duel.
From my position, I want Aila to win no matter what, and that's exactly what I'll make happen.
The first prerequisite for that is boosting Aila's magic power to 1.
I already had a rough plan for the rest.
"Put off 【Eight Gates】, break the 【Pact】 to gain trust."
Gain Filtia's favor to get magic power 1. That's under Dragon's Trial.
Clear Demonic Eight Gates with Filtia. That's the Filtia route strategy.
Strictly speaking, getting magic power 1 has nothing to do with clearing the gates.
"Even so... hmm. Need to think more on this."
"...Senior?"
Chewing on the end of my pen, lost in thought.
The convenience store door opened, and a chirpy voice called out.
That chirp. Milmyu, huh.
"What brings you here."
"I-I wanted to buy a drink... and talk with you, senior... b-but... what on earth are you doing?"
"Thinking. Got something to mull over."
"U-ugh. Why are you sweeping your hair back with your right hand?"
My bangs were bothering me a bit.
"Why were you chewing on the pen?"
Because I was thinking?
"Why are you dressed so neatly, leg crossed, deep in thought...?"
It's just a comfy thinking pose...?
"Something wrong?"
"Eek!"
Under my gaze, Milmyu clutched her chest with her right hand.
Like someone with heart pain,
...arrhythmia maybe?
"You okay?"
"Wh-why are you looking at me like that... with eyes like those... worrying like that..."
"Hm?"
"Pen in mouth, leg crossed, lost in thought with those intellectual eyes... eek."
She acts weird sometimes, but today she's extra off.
Too hot out?
"Milmyu."
"Calm eyes hiding passion... a smile that can't conceal intellect, arms that can lead anyone, steps toward the future. A warmth like intense light..."
"...Milmyu?"
What the hell is going on?
Why is Milmyu's breathing so ragged, her face so red, like she's about to pounce?
Like she's under brainwash or charm status...
"Ah."
That's it.
"Calm down, Milmyu."
"Seeing you like that makes it impossible... i-it's your fault, senior."
Milmyu's eyes were turning like Regina's.
I could see Isolde in 【Seven Swords Rampage】 state.
"Calm down. This is the effect of 【Secret Lovely Potion】."
"A potion that makes you more secretive and lovely? Right here? How? Did you use it in front of me? For some reason? Senior?"
Good lord.
That interpretation?
"Already tough enough... y-you're the one who drank it. Looking at me with those eyes..."
"No, that was unavoidable."
"It's okay. From now on, I'll think of it as unavoidable too."
...
......
Tsk.
Her eyes were already gone.
First, activate Imperial Bloodline.
"......Eek."
I overwrote the status ailment on Milmyu with 【Intimidation】.
Then immediately deactivated 【Imperial Bloodline】.
"You back to normal?"
"S-sorry, senior... I didn't feel like myself just now."
"No, it was the potion's effect. I should be the one apologizing."
"Eek..."
【Charm】 and 【Intimidation】 were same-tier status ailments, so this trick worked.
Anyway.
Milmyu wouldn't meet my eyes.
Man, must've hit her hard mentally.
"Look at me. We should talk eye-to-eye, right?"
"N-no. How could I dare look... eek......"
"I'm fine with it."
"S-sorry. But I'm not okay, senior..."
Well, yeah.
Of course she'd be embarrassed.
"Ashamed your feelings got exposed?"
"......Yes?"
Only then did Milmyu lift her head to look at me.
Her gaze screamed disbelief.
"No need to be so embarrassed. I already know everything."
"Se-senior?"
"Milmyu. I know the true feelings you're harboring for me."
".........Eek."
"No point being embarrassed now."
Her face beet red, Milmyu fidgeted before letting out two big breaths.
"You really... knew my feelings?"
"......"
"Please answer, senior."
"Of course."
"......Ah."
Come on, it'd be dumb not to notice.
Milmyu's feelings for me.
"You trust me, right?"
"......Yes."
"Jefrin's survival of the fittest. I know you trust and rely on me."
"Y-yes......"
Coming alone from that rural eastern village to Jefrin.
How anxious must she have been? Feeling thrown to the wolves.
With my minor help, she followed me faithfully.
That anxious, she had no choice but to trust even a third-rate villain like me.
A tragic fate.
In other words, Milmyu...
"Thinks of me as a reliable senior. No doubt."
"?"
"Heh. To flatter a bit more, she follows me like a father. Not a hard guess."
"......................?"
See?
Look, Milmyu's got her mouth agape, speechless.
Your boy Wolfram von Yi Young-jin, master of reading hearts.
Shaman level psychology. Second to none.
"...Heh, hehehe."
Right on the money.
Milmyu's smiling purely at me.
"Hehe, hahaha, ahahahahaha."
But Milmyu.
Why are you glancing between the 'Cartridge Battle Gauntlet Mk.2 Founder's Edition' and me?
Milmyu stared at her own fist.
It had been an impulsive action, so she unclenched it quickly, but she couldn't stop the heavy sigh.
"...Really. Senior is..."
"Hm. It's fine."
Hm what? Seriously.
Senior's always "hm" or "mm," acting like he knows everything.
Does he actually know nothing?
Or is he pretending not to know even if he does?
Countless emotions tangled into an unsolvable knot, piling more questions on unanswerable ones.
Ask before getting trapped in the mess.
"Senior. I have a question."
"What?"
"That Secret Lovely Potion... what exactly does it do?"
"Makes people more likely to feel goodwill toward me."
"......"
My heart pounded.
Like it might burst any second.
Should I ask the next question?
Words came before I could think.
"Why did you drink something like that?"
The pounding wouldn't stop.
To look good to me? No, Milmyu. Don't fantasize.
Or Senior Aila? Makes sense. But would she even need it?
Or Senior Rudika? Senior Nefti?
Who was it for?
Whose goodwill were you after?
"......"
He's troubled.
I haven't known Wolfram senior long, but when he's stumped, he pauses, furrows his brow, chooses his words.
"See, the thing is."
"Yes."
I waited for his answer.
More precisely, for the one answer inside me.
Any other, and I'd bolt to the dorm and bawl.
I knew I would.
And senior, with an awkward expression... slowly opened his mouth.
"I figured I'm in a position hated by the whole Jefrin."
"......?"
Didn't seem that way to me?
"You know, Wolfram von Loengrin committed a ton of sins last year. Calling him Jefrin's top villain wouldn't be wrong."
"Y-yeah. So..."
"Mm. So yeah. Not saying I want everyone to like me now, but for business, reputation matters."
"So... that's why you drank it?"
He nods.
This man...
No one in Jefrin could drag him down with mere finger-pointing.
Yet he's afraid of that.
"Think about it. Easier to gain goodwill means sweeping away that much ill will."
"......Hehe. Really? Hates from the whole world vanish?"
"Why laugh."
"No. Nothing."
That's why.
Because he's this kind of person.
Magnanimous, passionate, intellectual, embracing all, squeezing out superhuman wisdom...
But simple, meets eye-to-eye, hates being hated, sincerely encourages.
That's why... I don't want to end as just senior-junior.
This time, take a big step forward.
"Wolfram senior. One request."
"What."
"Milmyu von Sabre is currently top of the first-years."
"She is. Impressive."
"Yes. I think it's all thanks to you, senior."
"No. Your own effort."
"...You really think so?"
"Of course."
"Then. If I hold top first-year in finals..."
"I'll give you a reward, sure."
"No, not that."
My heart thundered in my ears.
The weak Milmyu inside me screamed.
Ignore it, push on.
Be quiet for now.
"After finals... want to hang out in the residential district. Just us two."
"Hang out?"
"Yes. Casually meet, eat, see a show, dessert. Just you and me, senior."
"Not inviting others?"
"...Yes. Just us. As a reward, can you give me your time?"
"Got it. Not sure what I'd use it for, but..."
"...Thank you."
Whew.
Got confirmation.
"...Heading back?"
"Theory's fine, but practicals need hard work."
"Right."
I clenched my fist tight.
Holding top spot ain't easy.
Perfect practical score, plus 3+ wins against five opponents.
Kelters, second-year first. Third, Gale.
And Shinespark, Celtia too.
Higher stats than me, all tough foes.
"Milmyu."
"Yes, senior."
"Do your best."
"Yes!"
But right now, I know I won't lose to anyone.
Senior.
When that day comes, I'll show you.
That there are people who never held even a speck of ill will toward you from the start.