Chapter 201: Too Big to Refuse (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 201: Too Big to Refuse (2)
Daisy: ???
To be perfectly honest, Daisy hadn’t been in a very good mood lately.
Was it because her position was being threatened by the arrival of a new Saintess?
Not at all.
Daisy wasn't the type of person to worry about such things. In fact, even if the other party tried to push her out, she would have stepped down willingly as long as they didn't have ulterior motives like the previous Cardinals.
Truthfully, she had only stepped up because she felt someone had to do it. Daisy herself wasn't someone who particularly craved being above others.
Because of that, being summoned to the Holy Kingdom every break and working while being showered with praise by countless people felt more like a burden than a privilege.
And that wasn't all. She wanted to go home during the holidays. She wanted to see her mom and dad!
But since the Holy Kingdom called for her every year, she had no choice but to tearfully give up on returning to her hometown. How envious she had been watching Adam and Ellen head home every year.
So, when she first heard that a new Saintess had appeared, Daisy’s initial thought could be summarized as: “Oh, I can finally dump all this work on her!”
The problem was...
“Hmph!”
“...”
The successor Saintess she had approached to befriend wouldn't even speak to her.
Furthermore, Daisy could sense that the emotion behind it wasn't the prickly "playing hard to get" act of a stray cat, but rather the genuine readiness of a lion cub to bite if she got too close.
In short, it wasn't WWE; it was the UFC.
If she took one more step, Delmoa was truly prepared to fight her!
“Did I do something wrong...?”
Daisy looked at Delmoa with eyes full of sorrow. It was an expression that would have melted the heart of any RoFan male lead, making them forgive her even if she had caused a national catastrophe—but it didn't work on Delmoa.
If anything, the usually expressionless Delmoa actually scowled, making no effort to hide her discomfort.
Thus, despite her tearful face, Daisy had no choice but to watch from a distance until Delmoa calmed down.
So, was that why she was in a bad mood?
...Actually, no.
Daisy’s life was, quite literally, the life of a RoFan heroine. She had lived her entire life being treated with kindness by everyone.
It was true at home.
It was true with her first friend, Violet.
And after coming to the Academy, everyone from her friends in the Flower Arrangement Club—who normally wouldn't even be able to meet her eyes—to her juniors gave her a somewhat... no, a very heavy amount of affection.
Because of this, experiencing one-sided hatred for the first time was actually refreshing and stimulating for her.
I will make a smile bloom on that scowling face.
One day, I’ll tuck her into my arms naturally, just like I did with Violet!
If anything, she felt more determined than upset.
Then what, exactly, was making Daisy feel so grumpy?
It was Adam Smith.
More specifically, it was his words and actions.
“...”
Daisy recalled her encounters with Adam. Not just the recent ones, but their previous meetings as well.
“...”
The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Adam Smith did not treat her like a normal person.
It wasn't simply that he lacked interest in her like her other friends. On the flip side, it wasn't that he was ignoring her either.
How should she put it? He gave her attention, but...
“He didn't treat me like a human being.”
Daisy’s eyes narrowed.
At first, she thought he was just expressing dissatisfaction with her recent semi-blackmailing. She figured it was only natural for him to be annoyed.
However, in Adam’s behavior and tone during their recent date, there was no hint of dissatisfaction or complaint.
It was just...
“Like he was doing it for work.”
He felt like someone performing a given task professionally.
As a result, Daisy had spent some quiet time alone reflecting on their time together, and she reached a conclusion.
“...It was like that from the very beginning.”
His gaze had been consistent from the start.
“From the very, very beginning... he treated me like a mana bomb!”
What on earth did he see in me to think that?
That thought vanished the moment she saw Adam acting with absolute certainty that an incident would occur during their date—and more accurately, the moment she saw it actually happen.
“What is the problem, exactly...?”
She knew how much of a threat a Saintess was to a Dark Mage. She knew that her very existence could incinerate evil mana and purify—essentially annihilate—the soul of any being that had accepted such power.
But even so.
There was a limit to everything!
“It feels like he shows up whenever I’m about to do something... Is he doing it all on purpose?”
She was half-right.
To be precise, it was the fate of a RoFan heroine—the malice of the "Author"—that caused these events, but even Daisy couldn't know that much.
She couldn't possibly know about the "forced misfortune" or the destiny attached to the title of RoFan heroine.
Therefore, Daisy thought:
“There must be a reason why Mr. Adam is so certain.”
She was right. However, Daisy was too sane to reach the absurd conclusion that her best friend, who had read the original novel, was spoiling his life—and the world—to Adam Smith.
So, Daisy came to a perfectly rational conclusion.
“He must have had information.”
Information. Where would he have gotten it?
“It wasn't Leon.”
No matter how much Leon was considered one of the strongest powers on the continent, that was strictly limited to pure military force.
Some people said:
If Leon had even half the magic utility of Dale, it would have become a nation rivaling the Empire.
Furthermore, if Leon’s information-gathering capabilities were even half of the Empire’s, the name of the Empire ruling the continent would have been Leon!
Of course, Leon’s intelligence wasn't that bottom-tier. It was just that, unlike other great powers, they were only sharp domestically; their foreign intelligence couldn't hold a candle to the Empire or Dale.
Therefore, it would have been difficult for Leon to know about events occurring within the Empire, where the Empire had the upper hand in intelligence.
Which meant...
“The Empire must have told him.”
Daisy’s eyes narrowed further.
Once she got this far, the answer was easy.
“The After-School Dessert Club.”
This was why Adam Smith was—it felt a bit odd to say—a man who treated even her professionally.
Even for Daisy, unless she was the Daisy from the original work, she couldn't help but realize her own value after experiencing various incidents and meeting many people.
And yet, a man who treated even her like a dangerous bomb was in that club.
Of course, he was also in the Swordsmanship Club, and contrary to the Academy’s perception, he was quite social there...
“He’s not the type to do something like desserts...”
She was about to say that, but then she remembered that the Dessert Club was the winning team in the baking category of this year's Founding Festival. Moreover, although they missed the finals, Adam himself had been part of the team that climbed the ranks until just before then. Daisy’s brow furrowed again.
“...Well, he does do it.”
Even if the data was a bit skewed, Adam Smith and a dessert club just didn't seem to match. Furthermore, look at the other members.
“Mr. Aeryun... he was suspicious from the start.”
Claiming to be the same age as us? No way.
“Ms. Marie, too... she seemed to be hiding a lot.”
The same went for Marie, who always glared at her with a scowl.
“Mr. Taylor too, and Mr. Camelon!”
The members of the Dessert Club overlapped suspiciously with the people who went to the Holy Kingdom every break.
Adam was the only one who didn't participate, but Ellen, who was always by his side, didn't go to the Holy Kingdom either.
Thus, unlike a RoFan male lead whose intuition had been castrated by the RoFan Curse...
The RoFan heroine Daisy, who had somewhat overcome the curse and opened her eyes, reached the truth.
“Mr. Adam... must be some kind of secret agent!”
She hadn't reached the intended destination, but Daisy had arrived at a different one nonetheless.
The "Agent Adam Smith" theory.
If she applied that one label, most of his eccentricities were explained.
“What he did to the Magic Department... let's just say he did that because he's from Leon.”
But she didn't have certainty yet. She needed to find concrete evidence.
“I need to throw out some bait.”
The problem was, what kind of bait would a man like Adam Smith bite?
“There’s only this...”
Daisy carefully channeled divine power into her sword.
—Graaaaaah!
The sword screamed as it woke up.
—Just... kill me already...
Ignoring the now-familiar lament, Daisy narrowed her eyes.
The only link between her and Adam Smith. The only thing that only she could lend him.
The problem was that even if she tried to use it as bait, it was difficult to use properly unless she was with him.
“There’s a way?”
“Yes.”
As Daisy was agonizing over it, the person in question had come to her and claimed to have solved the problem.
“How?”
“It’ll be solved if you let Delmoa carry it around.”
“...”
Delmoa.
Daisy’s expression soured slightly at the name.
‘Is that true, Goddess?’
She even went as far as checking with the Goddess.
—It should be possible.
“...”
Upon receiving confirmation, Daisy felt something slightly strange. How should she put it?
It was like...
‘The feeling I got when Mom gave Violet a birthday present before me...’
It wasn't a big deal, but it was just... something.
A bit disappointing, yet not quite.
As Daisy was frowning at that ambiguous emotion...
“Would you like to sell the sword for cheap?”
“...”
Before she knew it, the conversation had turned into him asking to buy her sword.
“I’ll pay a high price if you let me do installments.”
He was trying to solve it with money.
“I don't want to...”
A blunt answer popped out of Daisy’s mouth instinctively.
The thought that flashed through her mind was whether this man would even give her the time of day if she handed over the sword. Usually, she’d think that since they’d built a relationship, they’d at least greet each other when they met...
But if the opponent was Adam Smith, she couldn't be sure.
So, Daisy unconsciously sent an inquiry to the Goddess.
‘Can’t you make it so only I can use it?’
—That’s...
When she received the answer that it was difficult due to procedural reasons, Daisy grumbled to the Goddess.
‘You told me I could do whatever I wanted...’
—......
As the Goddess of Light fell silent at Daisy’s first-ever complaint, Daisy weighed two options.
One was the choice to never lend the Magic Sword.
The other was something Violet had taught her in the past.
“Offer...”
“Pardon?”
“Make me an offer first...”
She was thinking of squeezing as much as she could out of him for the highest possible price.
“F-first of all, we’ll keep the current conditions, but proceed in the form of a permanent lease. If the contract isn't followed properly... I-I’m taking it back!”
Violet’s voice echoed in Daisy’s head.
—You must never let yourself get ripped off!
Yes, Violet. I’ll do my best.
Just as Daisy was nodding, satisfied with her demands...
“...Then why don't you come home with me this break?”
“...M-me? To Leon?!”
Daisy blinked in shock at the unexpected response from Adam.
“No, I’m staying in the Empire...”
“Y-you’re coming to my house?!”
“Ah, if you’re busy because of the Holy Kingdom...”
“I-it’s not that...?!”
Daisy’s mind went momentarily blank. She thought she heard the Goddess’s voice, but...
“It’s my first time going to someone else’s house, too.”
First time.
At that word, Daisy shouted before she could stop herself.
“Deal!”
—Oh boy...
The answer that burst out of her, and the Goddess’s lament.
And then.
“Then I’ll put it to good use.”
As Adam reached out his hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world...
“Ah, yes...”
Daisy dazedly infused divine power into the Magic Sword, wrapped it up nicely so Adam could carry it, and handed it over.