Chapter 14
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 14: The Curse of Romance Fantasy Exists (1)
"Hueet....!?"
Senior Luciela's face turned red.
I picked out only the food from the fork she held out and ate it.
Pajata Spaghetti had a tomato-based sauce mixed with the filling of the intestines, giving it a savory taste while also intensely delivering the flavor of Gopchang.
Should I call it a taste created by harmoniously adding something delicious to something delicious?
I didn't know the combination of tomato and intestines could create such a taste, so it was incredibly fresh.
"Mmm... This is delicious. I should order and eat it next time I come."
"Eh..."
Senior Luciela, reacting to my words, looked alternately at me and her fork with blank eyes.
Me savoring her spaghetti, and the fork where the food that was stuck on it had disappeared.
What that signified was clear.
But unfortunately, her flustered appearance ended there.
Just as turning 180 degrees twice brings one back to the original position after a full rotation, as she experienced embarrassment on top of an embarrassed state, her reason returned.
Perhaps understanding the action she took, her ears were still red, but the momentarily blank expression had returned to a calm state before I knew it.
It was regrettable, but I decided to end the teasing here.
Originally, isn't seeing the reaction once when it's intense the most effective for things like this?
"Senior, would you like to try some of mine too?"
"Yeah, thanks. Could you put it here?"
I wanted to try "Say ah~" too, but unfortunately, the evasive maneuver of the senior who regained her reason was skillful.
We exchanged a bite of food each and started eating.
The taste of the pasta was excellent.
As if to show it wasn't a shop listed on the Gourmet Exploration Club's map for nothing, the Aglio e Olio pasta was familiar yet delicious.
Isn't the most difficult skill in cooking making something ordinary but delicious?
In that respect, the chef of this restaurant was surely a cook with outstanding skills.
"How is it? Does it suit your taste?"
"Yes, it's delicious. Next time I should try ordering other menus too."
"I'm glad it's delicious. But the world is wide and there are many gourmet restaurants. Going to diverse shops is also important."
"Of course."
There was no reason not to utilize the big data seniors had accumulated over decades.
After finishing the meal, we decided to go to a nearby cafe.
Since Senior Luciela bought me a meal, this was to repay her.
"You don't have to, really..."
"Ey, please accept this much."
"Since Junior says it to this extent, it can't be helped~."
Like that, holding a cup of coffee each, we sat for a while at a place with good scenery nearby.
"Fuhu, I'll drink it well, Junior."
To think I would see this appearance over a cup of coffee...
It was very satisfying consumption.
We sat side by side, sharing light small talk and drinking coffee.
Afterward, as our stomachs settled, we returned to the club room, talked some more, and parted ways in time for lecture.
Senior Luciela being teased for grabbing a male junior and going on a date just because we went to eat alone was a bonus.
About 2 weeks passed since then.
Contrary to what I expected, there were no signs of warlocks intruding yet.
On the other hand, the Saintess's contact began to increase strangely.
"Mr. Ethan, won't you do this assignment together?"
"Hehe, Mr. Ethan. Please spar with me."
"Mr. Ethan! It's the holy water you asked for!"
"Mr. Ethan, form a group with me!"
Did she decide to change her strategy of dealing with me since I kept putting up an iron wall?
The Saintess approaching with a smiling face like a harmless puppy.
How can one spit on a smiling face?
She approaches packaging her justification with plausible things, but as this act repeated for over two weeks, I was slowly getting scared.
'Just what does she want that she's approaching me?'
Commonsensically, does it make sense to treat someone who said they don't want to get close this friendly?
Of course, there was no trouble between the Saintess and me, but approaching to this extent only made me think she had some objective.
The problem wasn't just that.
The Saintess is a figure receiving the attention of the entire academy.
Such a woman continuously approaching a male student?
It wasn't good. It was really not good.
From the gazes of Knight Department classmates finding it exciting as if watching Love and War, to the jealous eyes of Male Lead Candidates.
My original intention, which was to aim for moderation without damaging the Kingdom's face, was being twisted perfectly.
Eventually, one day after accepting her proposal to do an assignment together, I asked straightforwardly when we were alone.
"Saintess, why on earth are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"I mean why do you keep approaching me lately under the pretext of assignments or sparring."
At my words, the Saintess made a startled expression.
Did she perhaps think this would be natural in her own way?
Our protagonist wouldn't be that stupid, so I should see this too as acting to induce sympathy.
"Hehe... I just wanted to receive help from Mr. Ethan who has superior martial arts skills to me and studies well too."
"Since the Saintess is a swordsman, isn't sparring with Asel more effective than with me, and if it's studying, isn't there Mr. Kyle?"
"T... That is true but..."
As I pointed out her justifications one by one logically, the Saintess gradually lost her words.
When I stared at her intently and applied pressure, the Saintess eventually had no choice but to vomit out the truth.
"That is... I heard that to get close to people, one must increase the time spent together..."
"Are you saying you tried to increase the time spent together to get close to me?"
"Yes..!"
The Saintess nodding vigorously and affirming as if she finally conveyed her sincerity.
At the somewhat plausible reason, I asked one more thing.
"So aside from that, what is your original objective?"
"O... Original objective? There isn't... isn't such a thing?"
Unfortunately, the Saintess made only of good will couldn't lie.
Her eyes trembling avoiding my gaze, and unlike usual, even her voice shaking.
I just answered by staring at her silently as I had done until now.
Perhaps there was worth in continuing this action all this while; the Saintess sweated profusely and received pressure.
Since the opponent was the Saintess, I planned to give up the interrogation if she didn't speak at an appropriate line.
But fortunately, the Saintess ended up defeated in the guilt created by her own conscience.
Her fingers fidgeting, opening and closing her mouth.
I waited quietly so she could spit out the voice of her conscience.
"T... That is..."
After waiting for about 20 seconds, the Saintess finally opened her mouth.
"There was that incident last time where an assailant intruded into the academy and tried to harm me."
"Yes."
"Since then, should I say my friends' overprotection has become too severe...?"
The friends she mentions probably don't mean ordinary friends.
The Saintess possessing a beautiful appearance, plus good sociability like a Golden Retriever and a bright personality.
Although she is a popular person regardless of gender, she was someone who drew clear lines when dealing with people, though it didn't show well.
So the friends she mentioned must be talking about the Male Lead Candidates.
Overprotection of Male Lead Candidates?
Isn't that practically common sense in Romance Fantasy?
"By overprotection you mean...?"
"Th... That is.. actually..."
The Saintess continued her words carefully, glancing around to see if anyone was listening.
"The last incident passed quietly, but somehow they found out and came to find me worrying. So I said I was really fine and moved on but..."
"But?"
"Since that day, whenever we are together, they try not to separate from my surroundings, you know?"
"You mean continuously?"
Her subsequent words were shocking.
"Kyle and Asel seem to be taking charge of Knight Department classes, and when taking other liberal arts classes, other friends..."
"Oh, my god..."
"Mr. Ethan said it at the restaurant last time. That warlocks might intrude... They seem to be minding those words."
".........."
My name comes out here?
It seems a small piece of advice I threw created a huge snowball.
Just what and how did they do for the Saintess to react to this extent.
"If there is anyone approaching around me, they start by being wary and share this and that information among themselves... Should I say that is a bit... a bit too burdensome?"
"Huh..."
Of course, since the woman in front of my eyes is the Saintess, it wasn't strange to receive such treatment.
But from her position as just a student yet, if friends guard her like an iron fortress, she has no choice but to feel burdened.
"Hmm... I understand that the Saintess's mental suffering was severe. But what relation does that have with approaching me?"
"That is... After all, friends trying to protect me is because they think of me, right?"
"Right?"
"So I'm thinking of staying a bit apart for the time being. Since they are friends I got close with from the beginning of the semester, we went around together every time, but continuing like this is too sorry and burdensome."
"....And the one you chose as an alternative is me?"
"Hehe, that's right. Because if it's Mr. Ethan, I can trust you."
The Saintess casually throwing words that would make a person's heart flutter with a brightly smiling face.
She probably doesn't even realize this is flirting.
Isn't the airhead attribute a passive of Romance Fantasy Female Leads?
I sighed and nodded.
Originally, the trials of a Romance Fantasy Female Lead are meant to be overcome together with Male Lead Candidates.
But what if the Saintess keeps her distance from Male Lead Candidates and an accident happens?
An irreversible disaster could occur.
But I couldn't force her to stay close to the Male Lead Candidates either.
What can be done. It was a snowball I made and a disaster I made.
Naturally, handling this was also my share, so for the time being, really just for the time being, I decided to stay by her side to prevent any possible incidents.
When I conveyed this intention to the Saintess, she smiled brightly, held my hand, and expressed her gratitude.
And the next day. The Saintess gathered the Male Lead Candidates and said.
"I decided to do assignments with Mr. Ethan for the time being!"
.......Yes?