Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Mutual Ideals (Fan Art)
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After Ariel left, only Eve, me, and Patrasche remained here.
The waves crashed against the rocks with a splash, sending sea spray onto our bodies. The cold sea breeze was neutralized by the flames Patrasche had hung in the air.
Not bad humidity. Not bad scenery. Not bad... no, a bad conversation partner.
"Do you usually seduce women like that?"
"Seduce? That's an interesting way to put it. Gender doesn't matter when someone's coming to me purely for help."
"Lies like that to me..."
"Did I not help Zolf because he was a man?"
"...Well, yeah, okay."
Eve shrugged at my words.
"You really met that mermaid princess for the first time, right?"
"How many times do I have to say it? What's your basis for doubting me?"
"...If we make a mutual pact and she manipulates seawater to attack the outskirts of Jefrin, it'll go down in history as an embarrassment for the current Student Council President."
"And what's my reason to do that?"
"..."
Eve hugged her knees tightly.
After a brief silence, Eve quietly opened her mouth.
But her voice was loud enough to cut through the sea wind, reaching my ears clearly.
"Wolfram."
"What."
"...No. Nothing."
"...I see."
What the hell is this situation?
How do you even resolve this awkward atmosphere?
"Wolfram."
"Eve."
"Yes?"
"If you're just gonna say 'no, nothing,' then I'll pretend I didn't hear you call me."
"...Ugh. Fine."
Eve stared out at the sea for a moment, then let out a sigh.
"Alright. This woman's enemy. Trash."
"Sudden harsh words, huh."
"It's really the sea. First time seeing it in my life."
"Of course. An imperial scion doesn't leave the palace often. And if you've enrolled at Jefrin, the outside world is... even less so."
"Yeah. I know nothing. This sea is new to me. And this swimsuit too..."
"Swimsuit? Isn't that the student council-issued one?"
"Yeah. You knew. I didn't. I had no idea there was even issued gear like this... I really know nothing."
"You're only three months into your term. What would you know?"
"Yeah. Nothing."
"..."
Someone, please fix this mood. Please.
"Okay. What I'm about to say is me expressing gratitude to the bloodline senior who brought me to the sea for the first time, and as the utterly outstanding bloodline junior... making some weak sounds for the first time in ages. Listen and then let the wind carry it away. Got it?"
"Long preamble. Get to the point."
"Fine. Then I'll ask. No beating around the bush."
"Mm."
"Are you interested in the jade throne?"
"The jade throne is alrea—"
"Don't play word games. I mean the pinnacle of the Loengrins."
"..."
I tried to play dumb, but when she pokes straight at it like this, I've got nothing to say.
"No."
"Why?"
Why? Well...
"My dream can't be fulfilled within the imperial family."
"...I see. The Loengrins are too small for you."
"Too small."
"Where are you looking? What's your goal?"
Since Eve was talking to me sincerely, I should answer in kind.
Honestly, being around her feels like our genes are screaming at each other to die, but if she twists up and becomes a loner Eve, my Jefrin life is over.
My dream since coming to this Jefrin?
Of course I have one.
A massively big one.
The dream Yi Young-jin always wanted.
"My dream is to own a convenience store."
"And you're saying this seriously..."
One step further.
"My dream is for that convenience store to become a chain."
"...Chain?"
"Branches. Linked together like chains."
"I see. Interesting phrasing. I get it. Big dream."
"Thanks for understanding."
"You're not my enemy, right?"
"What if I was?"
"I'd stab you in the gut with a harpoon."
Never seen a kid this scary.
"Kidding."
"Mm."
Eve stuck out her tongue a bit, dusted off her knees, stood up, and trotted off somewhere.
Eve walked along the sea alone, confirming her own conclusion.
"Thoroughly calculating, really."
What Wolfram was thinking: the livelihood of the people.
Turning convenience stores into supply points visible anywhere in the world.
Of course, there was basis for it.
[Black King Tiger] A steel steed that can traverse everywhere in the world. Load it with goods.
[Trista] His fiancée's family is the world's strongest steel clan. Get high-quality steel from them to pave roads for Black King Tigers across the globe.
[Convenience Store] The result: convenience stores everywhere, iron horses running, becoming the king of commerce linking the entire continent.
The world he envisions is a paradise where humanity is tightly knit, no famines anywhere, and anyone can get the same products if they want.
"Grand dream. For someone with stamina 2."
Of course, there was basis for this judgment too.
He called his stores a chain.
Chains made of steel. A declaration of intent to link everything in this world, perhaps.
"In the end, it really has nothing to do with me."
What meaning did her usurpation hold for him?
In the end, none at all.
Whether she took the Student Council President position or not, it didn't matter.
"Whether I usurped it or not, you would've walked toward your dream anyway."
Sometimes. Very rarely, she felt like cheering on that free-spirited nature.
Those steps toward an unknown world.
A path that lightly shattered her common sense.
She wanted to see the ideal at its end with her own eyes.
"Good thing."
What was good?
That he wasn't a villain?
That his dream didn't clash with hers?
Or both?
Didn't matter.
Eve smiled faintly, fulfilled by the small sense of relief.
The sea breeze felt nice.
I don't know exactly, but it seems Eve bought it.
"Honestly, that was close to disaster."
"Is that so?"
"You might not get it, but the weight of the jade throne to an imperial scion is immense."
I've cleared the Eve route hundreds of times.
In the original, Eve seriously aims for the throne, with Kelters, the Royal Knight, by her side.
The moment I'm recognized as Eve von Loengrin's 'enemy,' her personal guard will step in.
Even if we make a peace pact... if rumors spread that I'm after the 'throne,' her other siblings won't leave me alone.
"Might be overstepping for a servant."
"Speak. I permit it."
"Is it truly impossible for you?"
Hit the nail on the head more than expected.
Impossible?
Completely?
Who knows.
Honestly, I don't know.
If you go through all 12 acts and wrap yourself in the full set from the true ending, you can somewhat transcend stats. Not for nothing that it reaches the end of the heavens.
The Eve route ending is: 'Eve and Kelters walk toward the jade throne as imperial heir candidate and her guardian knight, combining their strength from here on.'
The classic 'our real fight starts now' ending. Beat down the other siblings and stand at the top, Eve!
But it has zero tension. I'm not worried at all.
It's because in that ending, my specs—wielding 70 mythic magic swords, wearing the first emperor's armor, magic power at 22, firing affinity skills—make continental conquest feel like a finger snap, and it makes me believe in their future. That's the problem.
But that's not my ending. It's the one Eve has to walk.
"I have my own path. I can help to some extent... but I won't stand at the top."
"I see."
"And specifically, among the current Loengrins, Eve taking the throne is the best option. I have no interest."
The others all have... issues, each one.
"Haha, hahahahaha!"
"What's so funny."
Patrasche burst into laughter.
Laughter so far from the poised wolf he'd been until now.
"No. Master is surely a descendant of our old friend Hark."
"Sudden."
"What. There was a time I roamed battlefields with Hark von Loengrin. When Her Majesty lost to Hark and formed an alliance."
"...And?"
Nothing like that in the setting books.
I perked up my ears at this story I didn't know.
"Back then, Hark said the same. I remember clearly. A human as pure as an idiot, overflowing with passion like light. Looking up at the sky, he said, [I don't mind not becoming emperor. For now, I'm just representing humanity as interim leader of the middle realm. If there's someone more suited, someone who can save humans, let that one be emperor.]"
"..."
He said that?
So Hark von Loengrin didn't raise an army to become emperor?
"Fate rolls unpredictably. Kekeke. Whatever. Dismiss it as an old tale from a 500-year-old wolf fairy."
"Will do."
Interesting additional lore.
No... vivid because this is reality, something I could hear here.
"Ah, found you!"
"Senpaiiii! Where'd you go all alone?!"
"Wolfram! Do you know how worried Rudika was?!"
"Wolfram senpaiiii!"
Behind me, the comrades who trusted and followed me.
"Seriously wandering off alone! Don't worry people like that!"
"Exactly!"
"Wolfram, don't rely too much on your own strength."
"I-I... was so worried... sniff."
They all came running over, making a fuss.
...Comrades, right?
Somehow, shrugging off the four's questions alone.
What did I do? Fishing.
"I was fishing."
"Fishing?"
"Yeah. While you all changed into swimsuits, I couldn't just wait there. So I headed out early."
"Uh, well, yeah."
"True... It'd be weird if senpai was standing there while we changed, but you should've gone somewhere totally out of sight."
"Should've put up a Black Crystal barrier next to Wolfram too."
"...Rudika agrees."
In the end, I escaped the charge of deserting alone.
"So, why don't you all try fishing? It's pretty atmospheric."
"Rudika could just dive in and hunt faster."
"Wouldn't it be quicker for me to slam Black Crystal into the sea?"
"I-I'm scared of falling splash into the deep sea."
Yeah. Knew it.
What would green rookies know about the true joy of fishing?
Proof: Aila, Rudika, and Milmyu tilted their heads.
And...
"Ah. I like fishing too."
"What?"
Nefti smiled brightly and took my hand.
"Gluco Village has streams. I often went fishing with the neighborhood kids."
"I see."
"Yes. So I'll fish here with senpai... What about the rest of you?"
"Sure. I'll do it."
"Ah, then Rudika will too."
"I-I'll... watch from the side."
At Nefti's suggestion, the other three nodded reluctantly.
I handed out rods one by one, baited them, cast into the sea.
But no bites, so the three tilted their heads, then started looking utterly bored.
Glancing my way, sighing, etc.
"Guess the swimsuits were pointless."
"He's not the type to be into that. Probably just suggested wearing them to come to the sea properly."
"Mm. Wolfram's that kind of guy."
Hey, badmouthing.
If uncles my age got excited over you young ladies' swimsuits, the police uncle would nab us.
"Honestly... starting to get bored."
"Me too..."
"Mm. On the way here, Rudika spotted a nice view. Wanna go just us?"
"Sounds good. Lead the way."
"M-Me too... I'll come!"
Aila and Milmyu decided to walk the coast following Rudika's lead.
"Nefti not going?"
"Yes. What kind of angler leaves the rod behind?"
"Good thinking."
"Thank you."
Now only two true anglers remained, who could enjoy even the waiting...
Of course, Patrasche was holding my rod, but whatever.
Surrendering my senses to the sea breeze and waves, eyes fixed on the rod's tip.
A junior who could share even this silence enjoyably, smiling simply.
Time like this with Nefti was truly delightful.
As we enjoyed the brief silence, Nefti spoke.
"Senpai."
"Mm."
"...Do you remember what I told you before."
"Which thing?"
"Around finals... I said I'd give you a firm answer."
"About the Royal Guard."
Nefti the Knight of Conviction, instead of guarding her hometown. Whether she'd guard my side. She said she'd decide by the end of finals.
"Yes. Whether I'll be Gluco Village's guard... or senpai's exclusive Royal Guard."
"Didn't tell you to rush. But from what you're saying... you've decided."
Nefti turned from the sea to look at me, and I met her gaze.
"Yes. I've made my choice."
Nefti the Knight of Conviction spoke clearly into my ear.
"I will be senpai's knight."
It wasn't a small voice. Neither swept by the sea wind nor drowned by the waves.
Her conviction and resolve rang firmly in my ears.