Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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"Don't wanna?"
"…."
I flatly refused with a smiling face.
In informal speech, no less.
The atmosphere shifted from a refreshing summer beach to the biting winds of an Arctic shore.
Luna's faint smile from earlier had vanished, replaced by a rigid expression as she stared at me.
Even the women who had been hostile toward Luna earlier were taken aback, their eyes wide like rabbits as they looked at me.
My grinning gaze locked with Luna's stiffened one in a staring contest that showed no signs of ending.
"…Isn't that a bit rude?"
In the end, Louis stepped in to mediate.
"Oh, sorry. I just can't eat with strangers."
"Even so, you don't have to say it like that."
His words were less mediation and more openly hostile toward me.
He glared at me, his face twisting in a scowl.
"And we've only just met, so what's with the informal speech? Is that the etiquette in your country?"
"Ah… I thought it was fine since you didn't say anything last night. I'll be careful."
"What? Last night?"
Louis whipped his head around to look at Luna upon hearing my words, which could easily spark misunderstandings.
But Luna remained unfazed by my provocation and calmly replied,
"I don't care how you speak, but please refrain from saying things that cause strange misunderstandings."
"Ah…."
I smiled and said,
"So, you're okay with informal speech then?"
"What…."
Discomfort flickered across Luna's face.
This wasn't some minor level shift.
She was genuinely flustered.
'Kekekeke, that's the expression I wanted to see!'
'Yeah, better stop here.'
I wiped the smile from my face, adopted a serious expression, and bowed my head.
"Phew… Sorry. I couldn't stand being ignored, so I acted immaturely for my age."
"Ugh…."
Only two people here understood what I meant.
Louis and Luna.
The others looked confused, wondering what I was talking about.
My sudden apology out of nowhere must have left them clueless.
I bowed deeply toward Luna.
"Miss Luna, I'm sorry."
"I-It's fine. I'm sorry too…."
Luna couldn't hide her fluster at my abrupt humility.
'That should be enough for her to realize it—how this mess is her fault.'
'It's fine. As long as Luna knows inside, that's enough.'
With her sense of responsibility, that guilt would slowly take root once planted.
And her thirst for growth would keep her from staying away.
"Sorry. I ruined the mood because of me. I'll head out first."
With that, I slipped away from the group.
Like yesterday, I sat on the outdoor terrace chair.
The sunset was spectacular.
"Wow, beautiful."
"Well, if she doesn't come, nothing I can do about it."
It might sound overly optimistic, but what's done is done.
I had to trust the traits listed and push forward.
Though there could be conflicting ones we don't know about….
"Guess I'll think about what to do if she doesn't show…."
'Hm?'
The sound of low heels approached from afar.
It stopped behind me.
I glanced back.
Luna Staatfeldt.
She stood there demurely, gazing at me.
Her prim uniform made her look stunningly beautiful.
The flustered expression from earlier was gone; she stared at me with her usual stoic face.
I ignored her and turned back to the sunset.
A voice came from behind.
"…I'm truly sorry."
I glanced sideways at her.
Her eyes, lit by the sunset, met mine.
I stared straight at her and said,
"Well… I wasn't exactly in the right either… Let's call it even and forget it."
"…."
I deliberately switched to polite speech.
But she didn't respond, instead lowering her head as if deep in thought.
Her silence stretched longer than expected, and before long, the sun that had painted the sky dipped below the horizon.
Lanterns around us flickered on automatically, illuminating the school.
"Well then."
"…."
I turned to head back to the dorm, leaving Luna behind.
As I reached for the terrace door,
"If you're still mad… I'll come here until you're not. …Even if you don't come, I'll wait."
"…."
I entered the building without a word.
A week passed.
The fight between Luna and me spread like wildfire through the class the next day, turning me into a celebrity.
But since the reason wasn't known, I ended up the villain.
To the guys, I was the creep who messed with Luna; to the girls, the one who hit on Louis.
Thanks to that, no one bothered me, letting me live quietly.
As the professor wrapped up the lecture from the podium,
"As of today, you're officially students of Schutra Magic Academy. Classes will ramp up starting tomorrow, so get your schedules from the TA."
The professor finished with some minor announcements and left.
Until now, we'd only had morning classes, but now afternoons were added too.
The magic circle practice we'd had daily was down to twice a week.
'God, that was boring as hell….'
'F*ck….'
Studying is always tough….
I glanced at the seat next to me while complaining to Armonia.
Luna was packing up to leave.
As she stood, she glanced at me.
After a few seconds of (my one-sided) staring, she turned and left the classroom.
Louis, seeing that, glared at me before following her.
I snorted at his retreating back.
'That guy's still at it.'
As Armonia said, even after the incident, Louis was the only one who grinned and chatted with me every day.
I thought it'd get me out of joining a club, but he kept insisting we go together.
Then, in places like this with no one around or prying eyes, he'd show his hostility like that.
'Psycho… Doesn't that get tiring?'
Definitely different from the Hero.
The Hero would've tried to kill me regardless of witnesses….
'…No joke. He drew those messy magic circles I struggled with just as well.'
In just a week, Louis could draw magic circles decently.
No, nearly on my level.
We figured the Holy Order's proxy had dumped Enel into boosting his abilities.
A sudden question hit me.
'But Armonia, why can't Zodiac do the same?'
'Huh? Then can they pay the success fee?'
Hearing about finances worried me.
I'd gone through the trouble of grinding those into powder, and if they stiffed me….
'Whoa….'
They'd pay ten million Enel to defend it—a truly vital spot.
That should be enough for payment.
'?'
'What? Then how do they raise them?'
'And the Holy Order?'
'…Wait, this feels familiar.'
F2P users vs. whales, right?
'So they went F2P and ended up like this?'
'Whales can earn more Enel, so why?'
'Ugh….'
Now they can't because of finances, apparently.
The poor get poorer, the rich richer.
I hate paying too, so I get it.
Though there weren't any gacha eroge to spend on anyway.
Still, sad… F2P leading to bankruptcy….
'Proxies are just like humans after all….'
'Huh? What were they like at first?'
Back when they were first created by the gods, they had no emotions.
Nor were they split into two factions like now.
But as they manipulated and grew protagonists across the universe, they began to change.
Protagonists' emotions flowed into them, letting them feel.
Emotions emerged, conflicts arose, leading to this situation.
'Ah, so it's not mindless puppeteering?'
Resulting in attachments….
Kinda like me?
Playing eroge, I immerse as the protagonist.
Mid-explanation from Armonia, a weary male voice came from behind.
"Um… student? Something wrong?"
"Yes?"
Turning, I saw a man with dark circles like icicles under his eyes.
I thought he was a Joker in heavy makeup.
He was the TA here.
"I have to lock the classroom now."
"Ah, sorry. Got lost in thought."
"Haha… It's fine. Here's your schedule."
The TA handed me the timetable with a drained smile.
'Whoa, that's the most deflated smile I've seen.'
I took the schedule and stood.
"Thank you. I'll be off."
"Sure, take care."
I left the classroom, leaving the black Joker behind.
Passing the terrace today, I checked it out.
Sure enough, Luna stood rigidly near the chair I'd sat in, straight-backed.
'Oho, coming every day for a week like a champ.'
'Hmm… As long as possible?'
Armonia had a point.
No matter her thirst for growth, if she deems persuading me impossible, she might give up.
So I had to keep her on edge.
'Don't worry. That's why I lock eyes at the end of class every day.'
I'm watching you, was the signal I kept sending.
Not planning months of this—just another week before approaching.
'No need to rush. More alone time is better for me.'
'The longer alone, the more stray thoughts creep in.'
Even bad ties are ties.
Sometimes characters I hated in dreams make me replay the game.
No charm, no fun, yet.
And hated feelings flip suddenly.
Whatever Luna thinks of me, the more my mind fills hers, the better.
She probably feels guilty toward me now, plus desire.
"Alright, heading back."
I left Luna behind and went to the dorm.