Chapter 60
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: 25. Wasteland Festival
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"Were you a playboy?"
From a distance so close it nearly brushed the tip of my nose.
Her whispering voice was sweet, but its content was like deadly venom.
The hot breath spilling from her reddened lips tickled my chin and burrowed deep into my mind.
If a third party had seen it, they might have mistaken it for lovers' sweet talk—the atmosphere was that seductive.
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Anger'.]
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Jealousy'.]
Without those constant alerts jolting me back to my senses, even I might have fallen under that fatal charm and stopped breathing.
"…"
Of course, separate from the emotion absorption, the rage flickering deep in her eyes was unmistakable.
That realization barely allowed me to regain my composure.
'…This situation isn't looking good at all.'
I was trying to stay calm, but truthfully, things were far from ideal right now.
On one side, Elisica clinging to my arm and refusing to let go, and Celine struggling desperately to pull her away.
And right in front of me, Iris pressing in with a look like she wanted to devour me whole.
It was a total disaster.
"…"
I was racking my brain desperately for a way out.
But honestly, no easy answer came to mind on how to calm her down.
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Anger'.]
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Anger'.]
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Killing Intent'.]
[…]
In front of this protagonist radiating emotions laced with killing intent…
What was I supposed to say?
Gulp.
Was it because my tension had spiked?
My mouth felt parched.
'Looks like my confession gambit backfired.'
The guy who said he was staring because she was pretty…
It was natural psychology to get annoyed seeing him all chummy with other women.
…But this was unfair.
This wasn't the situation I wanted—how was I supposed to handle it?
Who could've predicted Elisica would suddenly act like this?
"Uh…"
"Uh?"
She looked up at me with a smile still plastered on, but her eyes screamed she wouldn't back down.
As if daring me to make an excuse.
"…I'd like to say it's all a misunderstanding first off."
I tried to stay as calm as possible while broaching the subject.
No, if you have eyes, just look to the side? I'm not doing anything right now?
…Don't just look at me—look at the girls next to me, please?
"As you can see, this isn't my doing…"
"If it's not your doing, then why aren't you shaking them off?"
She cut me off sharply.
Her cool gaze swept over my arm buried in Elisica's ample chest.
"Are you perhaps… enjoying it?"
"…No way. This is just force majeure…"
"Force majeure, huh. Hmm."
She tilted her head slightly, pretending to think, then her eyes curved seductively.
"Then how about this?"
"…What?"
I reflexively asked what she meant.
In that instant, Iris snatched my other arm.
"Now it's fair, right?"
"…?"
She linked arms with me innocently, tilting her head.
The soft, yielding sensation transmitted to my other arm as well.
Suddenly, both my arms were occupied by two beauties.
Elisica on the left, Iris on the right.
The body heat and pressure from both sides were enough to numb my reason.
But to me, it just felt like a torture rack in hell.
"…Oh my. Lady Riel too?"
Elisica's eyes widened as she asked.
"Yes. Young Master Evan looked troubled, so I thought I'd help out."
If I'd known it would come to this, I should've just cut off my arm and run when it first got grabbed.
Too late for regrets now—the situation was already set.
I steadied my swaying body and quietly squeezed my eyes shut.
'Anyone… please save me…'
"…Oppa?"
As I screamed internally, Celine—who'd been desperately trying to pry Elisica off—fixed her gaze on Iris, now arm-in-arm with my other side.
"What… exactly are you doing, Lady Riel?"
Her eyebrows twitched, and her voice trembled oddly.
Her eyes were locked on the arm Iris held.
"As you can see?"
Iris replied nonchalantly.
"It wouldn't be fair if Elisica had me all to herself, right?"
"No, what kind of…"
Celine bristled, about to retort that it was nonsense.
But Iris ignored her completely.
"Besides."
She looked up at me—drenched in cold sweat—and smiled sweetly.
"The Young Master said I was pretty. So isn't it proper manners for me to stay by his side?"
"…!"
Everyone froze as if meeting Medusa's gaze.
Stunned by the bombshell, they slowly turned to stare at me in disbelief.
"P-Pretty… Oppa said that to you?"
"…Oh my. Evan, is that true?"
The two pairs of stinging glares—devoid of any emotion—stabbed into me like daggers.
"Well, it's like this…"
If I'd known it'd turn out like this, I never would've said it.
As I hemmed and hawed over my past foolish choice…
"Oh, don't you remember? You looked into my eyes and said it was sincere."
She pouted as if hurt, hugging my arm tighter.
"You wouldn't say… those words back then were a lie, would you?"
Kuuung!
'Urk…!'
It was a perfect checkmate.
Deny it, and I'd be toying with Iris.
Affirm it, and…
"…Oppa?"
"…Evan?"
…I'd burn alive under the gazes of the two women beside me, eyes shooting lasers.
"No, it's…"
"It was sincere, right?"
Iris flashed a victorious smile at Celine and Elisica.
"Hear that? The Young Master likes me. So there's no issue with me being by his side."
"…Hold on."
Crack.
In the tense silence thick with strain, there was an illusion of something snapping.
"Lady Riel. Even so, your behavior right now goes against etiquette."
"Etiquette?"
"Evan Oppa is the legitimate son of a count's family. He's not someone you can treat so casually."
Celine said in a voice chilled to ice.
Her eyes coldly pierced Iris.
"…"
Invoking family status in this situation might seem childish.
But it was the only shield she had right now.
'Though… I'm not even going back anyway.'
After that huge fight with Father, no way they'd take me back even if I tried.
And I had no intention of returning.
Of course, regardless of my thoughts…
As someone essentially disowned, it wasn't logic that applied to me, but on the surface, she wasn't wrong.
"…Heh."
Iris laughed lightly, utterly unfazed.
As I stared blankly at her, half-resigned to whatever counter she'd throw…
"Outdated notions like that don't matter."
"…What?"
"What matters between young men and women is mutual affection, right?"
She winked at me.
I was speechless, mouth agape.
"Oh my, Lady Riel? This time Celine's right. Clinging like that is rude."
Elisica finally stepped in, ears twitching cutely.
But her eyes were deadly serious.
"Besides, you haven't known the Young Master long, have you, Lady Riel?"
"…Isn't that the same for you, Lady Elisica?"
"Sure, but… we've had some very deep conversations alone together. Right, Evan?"
Elisica gazed into my eyes softly.
And I knew exactly what "deep conversation" she meant.
That night, our talk—obviously.
'Deep conversation my foot…'
A headache throbbed; I wanted to press my temples.
Staying like this meant no festival fun—just getting shredded in a catfight.
"…Hmm. You really are a playboy."
Iris's eyes narrowed. When her gaze flicked to me briefly…
Her sharpness made me swallow hard involuntarily.
"But isn't it the heart that matters over time? Him calling me pretty proves he has feelings for me."
No, wait—that was just…
A desperate move to put out an immediate fire, not from real feelings.
A stopgap because nothing else came to mind.
'…Saying that would really get me killed.'
"…"
"…"
"…"
Crackle!
The three women's gazes clashed in midair, sparks flying like invisible flames.
Just as I feared real trouble brewing…
Onlookers' attention was turning our way.
"Hear that? S-Class girls fighting over one guy right now."
"For real? Who? Only guy in S-Class coming to mind is Sir Kaien."
"That Evan Dreadnote guy. The one all the rumors were about!"
"Three girls on him. Rumors must be true."
They whispered behind hands, thinking we couldn't hear.
Unfortunately, my heightened senses picked it up easily.
…I'm dying of embarrassment here.
"…So you shouldn't read too much into what Evan said, Lady Riel."
"Yeah. He said the same to me. He won't now, but…"
Celine glanced down sadly, shaking her head.
"…"
This wouldn't do.
I had to defuse it somehow.
Or it'd barrel straight to a bad end.
'You can do it, Evan.'
I took a deep breath and spoke to the women, their voices rising.
"Now, now, everyone calm down…"
"…Sorry, Oppa. Wait a sec?"
"Hold on. I'll wrap it up quick, Evan."
"Young Master, please step back for a bit?"
All three shouted at me in unison, like they'd planned it.
Overwhelmed, I clamped my mouth shut.
Unable to wedge into the menacing atmosphere, I just watched nervously.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Was worried when I lost sight of ya. Comrade!"
The booming voice came with sudden vibrations.
The three women's gazes snapped toward the source, defusing the powder keg.
"Hm?"
Then, Barkan—who'd gone ahead—returned dragging Hye-ra and Kaien.
Well, "dragging" fit better.
"Aren't those your classmates? But…"
Barkan, oblivious to the heavy mood, tilted his head then burst into laughter.
"Flowers in both hands! A warrior worthy of my recognition. Warriors claim beauties! Jealous, man. So jealous!"
Wham! Wham!
His massive palms slammed my back, rattling my bones with pain.
But right now, that pain was a blessing.
'I'm saved…'
Barkan's interruption broke the suffocating standoff.
I seized the chance, quickly changing the subject.
"S-Since we ran into each other, how about we all hang out together?"
"Y-Yeah! It'd be fun to go around as a group…!"
Hye-ra chimed in supportively, fidgeting with her glasses under the tension.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Eek…!"
The three women's icy stares impaled Hye-ra, screaming "read the room."
She yelped and hid behind Barkan.
But she wasn't wrong.
Stalemate would just waste time.
"Great idea! The more the merrier for festival fun!"
Barkan nodded heartily with a grin.
First time I was glad for his lack of tact.
"…Alright, let's drop it and enjoy the festival for now?"
I smiled awkwardly at them.
Thankfully, Barkan's arrival had blunted their edge.
"…Fine. I'll yield this time."
Iris released my arm reluctantly.
Elisica and Celine backed off grudgingly too, but their glares at each other were still sharp.