Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: I'm the First, Right?
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Aila finished her drink and headed home that evening.
After Aila left.
Milmyu said I didn't need to come in until the expedition team returned, and Patrasche was off playing on her own, so today was all mine.
First things first: sort out the story so far.
"Taking down Eve's Act 4 boss wasn't clearing my Act 4. It was just my 4-1."
I had no idea what Wolfram von Loengrin's Act 4 was aiming for, but it sure didn't feel like normal difficulty.
If beating Eve's Act 4 boss only wrapped up one part, then my real Act 4 boss was something else entirely.
So. Who was my enemy?
But figuring out the boss too late would be bad. I needed perfect prep to smash whoever it was.
Luckily, I'd scored growth gear.
And my growth path seemed based on 【Party Member Enhancement】.
Heaven was on my side in every way.
Next up: form a party.
Parties had to be planned carefully, of course.
As I'd said before, half-baked lineups in this game ate lives. They just ramped up the difficulty.
Plus, I wasn't sure if party comps were flexible. Like, could I disband and reform? ...I'd never tried, and no system window popped up for it.
So, pick party members wisely... but that didn't mean pure efficiency. I wasn't min-maxing like that.
The most efficient? Simple. Aila was already in, so add Eve, Regina, and Philthea, stick Patrasche as melee tank, me supporting from back on 【AoE Magic DPS】.
But no. That wouldn't do.
Not that I hated Philthea... Regina needed thought. Eve? Putting Eve in the party? Hell no.
"...Hell no. Or maybe not that far."
My self-question was "hell no," but my self-answer denied it.
Anyway, I didn't like it.
That day, I decided to party with the comrades who'd stuck by me.
First, Aila. Then Nefti.
After that, Rudika and Milmyu. These four.
Thinking it over, any of them would shine anywhere. Specialized parties would be killer.
Aila for AoE magic DPS. Nefti for melee DPS tank. Rudika had assassin potential, and Milmyu... uh. Hmm... mascot party for hell mode?
Anyway. With these five versatile folks together!
Wow, perfectly balanced trash party! Really wanna run it? Shall we clear this game together?
...
......
No. Think buffs. Matching attribute groups per character could work well.
For example, me and Eve together? Light attribute buff. So group by attribute. No-attribute has no buffs, but maybe still something.
......
"Wow."
No changes to the party.
Because this wasn't a game.
These were the people I'd chosen to keep by my side in life.
But man, this wouldn't be easy.
"That's what makes it fun."
The next day.
Since I'd cooperated with the student council's request, my grades stayed safe without attending classes.
Lecture progress? No idea. Was I the teacher?
"Wolfram. You here?"
"Aila, huh."
Aila dropped by early afternoon, which was rare.
She glanced around the convenience store, then nodded with an "aha."
"Forgot something yesterday."
"Did you?"
"Yeah. Found it, so I'll grab it."
Hm.
Come to think of it... there was something I needed to tell Aila.
"Aila. Come here a sec."
"Huh? Something wrong? You feeling okay?"
"No. I'm fine. But I've got something serious to discuss."
"...Serious... talk?"
"Yeah. The kind only we two here can have."
"......R-Right. Already third year, second semester. Practically just a year left..."
Aila clenched her fist and stepped toward me.
Right hand and right foot forward together. New walk?
"S-So, what's this serious talk?"
"Look at this first."
I smoothly held out the silver staff to Aila.
The symbol of my pathetic silver rank...!
"Cool silver staff. Real gem. But?"
"It's growth gear."
"What's that?"
Ah, right.
Growth gear was super rare.
Only the founding emperor had one. Spotting it as growth type needed system assist.
"Follow this staff's path, and it grows with me."
"Staff gets bigger? Touches the sky? Wow..."
She got none of it.
...
......Hm.
Explain it 'Aila-style.' Pick words...
"The more subordinates I gather and rebel, the stronger this staff gets with me."
"...Heavens! A rebellious staff!"
Now she got it.
"Should've been copper originally, but now silver."
"Yeah. But... why tell me?"
Good question.
Why indeed.
Hard to put exactly into words.
But I felt I should tell her first about expanding the party.
"Didn't you say before? First seat among rebellion's five stars is yours."
"Yup. Still not yielding it."
"That's why. Aila. Time to fill the rest of the rebellion's five stars."
"...I see. Hm. Yeah. Filling the spots... Wait? This important thing is that?"
"What else?"
"......No. I mean, it is important... but is that it...?"
Aila tilted her head.
"The lineup's this."
"No. Lemme guess. Chickie. Nefti. And... Rudika! Right?"
"All correct."
"Surprisingly normal picks. Thought Wolfram would toss in someone wild for the five stars. Like... Regina Cielra?"
"No plans for that. I pick who stays by my side myself."
"Hm. Got it. Then me..."
"Obviously picked you first."
"Hm! Heh-heh-hm! Right! So it is..."
What did she think I was?
"Anyway, these five as core... Cool with that?"
"Asking my permission? No need, right?"
"You claimed first star, so just checking no objections to the others."
"Why would there be? They're all sweet and great. And..."
"And?"
Aila leaned in close, smiling.
"Think I'd give up 'first star' no matter who joins or how strong?"
"Fair. No reason you would."
"Yeah. I'm greedy."
"Not a rebel?"
"Rebellion starts with greed to smash the old order and rebuild everything. No greed? Just go with the flow—no rebellion talk."
Aila stretched, then nodded with an "ahem."
Got it.
She was consistent.
First invite, naturally: Milmyu.
She was working part-time, so,
"Yes! I'm in! Thank you, senpai!"
"Hm."
"No way I'd refuse. Senpai... hee-hee. I'm thrilled. Thanks... But if I'm first, who's next?"
Next, Nefti.
Nefti, in a tank top for the first time in ages while working hard, tilted her head at my words.
"...Different from Royal Guard?"
"Nah, same deal."
"Then why ask? Haha. I'm always... by senpai's side. Whatever you do, tell me first. I'm first, right? Who's after?"
Then Rudika.
"Haha! Wolfram! Hm. Good! Shedding all pomp, not as Rudika Hassan Shadow, but my own will—I'll stand alone by Wolfram!"
"Thanks."
"No biggie. Wolfram... don't just say thanks. My choice. ...I'm first, right? Who's next?"
Hm.
That was...
And everyone gathered at the convenience store.
Milmyu. Nefti. Rudika.
And in the center, lightly smiling Aila Trista.
Aila spread her arms, welcoming them with a smile I'd never seen.
"Welcome. I'm Aila Trista, first star of Wolfram's five stars."
"...Huh? First invite... was Aila senpai?"
"Yeah. Right, Wolfram?"
Aila grinned confidently at me; the other two eyed me questioningly.
Not wrong.
"Yep. Aila was first applicant."
"......Ah."
"I see..."
"Got it."
Aila "ahem"-ed and nodded again.
"Anyway, 'five stars' term came from Aila. So it's her criteria... but."
"Wolfram. No need to spill that."
"Aha... right. So it is..."
"Ah... figured."
"Hm-hm. Rudika thought so too."
The three smiled together; Aila puffed her cheeks.
"Don't twist facts."
"B-But... even so, Wolfram picked me first, right?"
"Well... yeah."
I mean, true.
"Heh."
"......Right."
"Ah... yeah?"
"...Got it. So that's it..."
Aila crossed arms, smirking; others stared, smiles gone.
No.
Not a closeness contest, kids?
Well... teens gonna teen.
Here, super order master, mind-reader genius, mood monster, modern emotion machine Yi Young-jin had to step up.
"But no 'first' here. Everyone here's equal—just order differs."
"......"
Five cold stares stabbed me.
No.
What'd I do?
The weird vibe eased over time, and I added the three to the party.
They just sat; I signaled done, Nefti stepped up as rep.
"So what's this ritual mean? Just sat?"
"Hm..."
Party was strictly 【system】; explaining risked over-sharing. Dodge with skill talk.
Similar skills existed anyway.
"A skill. Manages my vassal heroes."
"...How?"
"Poison, burns, mental attacks—alerts instantly to all abnormalities. Key for battlefield command."
"...Ah. Real signals? Handy."
Nefti nodded.
"Got it. All info to Wolfram... scary for assassin, glad for Rudika. Ironic fun."
Rudika nodded insightfully.
"M-My... all info to senpai? Th-That's risky, right? P-Privacy... e-embarrassing."
"No such function. Don't worry. Can turn off off-combat; plan to keep off."
"......Ah. Good. Relieved."
Milmyu relieved, then chilled fast.
"...Wait, staff grows like this, right?"
"Hm. Yep. See."
I showed the now-golden staff; "oohs" echoed.
Finally gold felt useful. Next jade...? Far off.
But what stole my gaze wasn't the item's buffs.
"Aila."
"What, Wolfram?"
"Can add one more comrade. Five stars to six. Okay?"
"......Here? Now?"
"Hm."
Cold stares from all.
Why?