Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Golden Generation (2)
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Fortunately, the situation I had feared didn't come to pass.
"You need to explain the current situation properly."
No, more precisely, it was 'not yet'.
Looking at Sena's expression, she seemed on the verge of exploding.
She had dropped all pretenses of formality toward the president, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword as she shot a cold glare our way.
If I stayed silent without offering any excuses, her blade would probably be pointed at me soon enough.
"That..."
"It's exactly as I said. I want to stay by the president's side and receive his guidance."
But before I could even get the words out, Phyllis answered for me.
And Sena, showing her doubt at Phyllis's words.
"Guidance?"
"Yes, guidance. As you know, there's not much left for me to learn in Academy City. My master knew that too, yet he still sent me here."
"......"
At that point in the conversation, Sena realized she had misunderstood and naturally lowered her hand.
"That's solely because of the student council president. Because of you."
"...Me?"
"Yes. My master saw your strength at a glance and wished to forge a friendly relationship with you."
"We've already established more than enough of a friendly relationship. Didn't she provide support even during the Four Heavenly Kings subjugation?"
The Four Heavenly Kings subjugation, where the allied forces' might had gathered.
The Great Forest led by the Divine Bow had also deployed their elite hunters, the 'Blue Wave'.
The participation of the Divine Bow—one of the Seven Great Powers—and their top unit, the 'Blue Wave', had been a solid boost to the allied forces.
"We thought that decision back then had solidified a sufficiently friendly relationship with the Great Forest."
In fact, after that battle, nearly every nation on the continent had banned persecution of elves and beastkin.
The empires in particular had shut down their rather large-scale slave markets, which was a pretty proactive show of goodwill.
There was no way the Divine Bow, queen of the Great Forest, wouldn't know about that.
"Of course, we were able to join the Holy Land reclamation thanks to accepting your proposal. Thanks to that, us elves—and the beastkin too—are receiving better treatment than before. That's a fact."
"Indeed. We were able to subjugate the Four Heavenly Kings thanks to you all as well, so we're even."
"Yes, exactly. We're even."
So this is purely the Great Forest's decision regarding you.
"What do you mean by that?"
As the conversation seemed to be dragging on, Sena handed me and Phyllis some tea before sitting down beside me and asking.
"My master holds you in very high regard."
At her words, I slowly nodded.
'The Divine Bow was one of the Seven Great Powers even in the previous season.'
True to her status as an elf who had maintained her peak for ages, the Divine Bow was an NPC who appeared in Failure Hero 2 as well.
She had been hugely popular back then for her devastating burst damage and stunning artwork, so I remembered every detail about her.
Among those details were the unresolved issues from Failure Hero 2.
By resolving the Great Forest's problems one by one, she had come to see me as a trustworthy human before I knew it.
'I was desperate back then. After all, I needed their cooperation for the Holy Land subjugation.'
And it wasn't just the Great Forest I worked on.
It was a massive battle, so I had to rally support from across the continent.
In the beastkin villages of the Great Forest, I won over the great chieftains by following their customs.
In the Rosario Holy Empire, I convinced the Great Saintess—one of the Seven Great Powers—to join the fight.
In the small southern island kingdom of Rishel, I struck a deal with the young girl queen to secure her participation.
I couldn't bring Alex from Baihite, but I'd done everything I possibly could back then.
'Well, both sides went all-out, so it ended in a stalemate.'
We subjugated one of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Plague Demon, but in return, they held the Holy Land to the end and maintained the front lines.
'Tch, should have taken out the Death Demon back then.'
If the Shadow Demon hadn't shown up out of nowhere, I could've gotten one more.
As I felt regret over what I hadn't accomplished, Phyllis suddenly spoke up.
"My master told me that your presence would be of tremendous help to our Great Forest."
I nodded.
'Even I think I've done quite a bit for them.'
>
Starting with restoring the Divine Bow's fortunes, I purified the world tree that was withering under magi corruption, helped fend off the demons invading the Great Forest, and even disguised myself as a thug to beat up those elders who kept force-feeding players sweet potatoes in the previous season.
The last one was purely personal grudge, but whatever.
The Divine Bow, queen of the Great Forest, actually looked refreshed by it, so it turned out to be a good deed in the end.
Anyway, piling up those feats in such a short time must have built up a lot of trust.
"She said she wouldn't have even considered sending me to Academy City without you. There's not much for me to learn here anyway."
"Well, can't argue with that."
Even as a young elf, she possessed power comparable to an active hero.
There wouldn't be much for her to learn among students who were mere hero aspirants.
The only thing might be real combat experience.
And Academy City was the perfect place for safe, abundant practical training.
"So my master told me, 'It doesn't matter which academy you enroll in. Phyllis, stay by his side and be with him.'"
"Hmm."
I rubbed my eyelids to ease the eye strain.
In the meantime, Sena, sitting beside me, posed a question.
"So what you want is the president's strength?"
Her tone had softened a bit from earlier, but her gaze on Phyllis was still icy.
"Hmm... My master did say that, but..."
"...Your master did?"
"So you're thinking something else."
As I said that while sipping my tea, Phyllis covered her mouth with her sleeve and let out a soft laugh.
"Hehe, that's right. My master told me to learn martial arts from you and spread the good qualities of elves, but..."
With that, Phyllis crossed her arms below her chest.
Her breasts lifted, emphasizing her voluptuous figure, and Sena's expression grew even more menacing.
"Wouldn't it be better to create a fait accompli and take you back to the Great Forest rather than approaching so passively?"
"Wh-what...?!"
"......?"
For a moment, it felt like my mind had frozen from a hammer blow to the head.
And Phyllis was an elf who never missed such an opening.
"What do you say, President? My breasts may be smaller than my master's, but I'm confident in their shape and feel."
At her words, my gaze was inevitably drawn to her chest.
"President."
"...!"
At the same time, a killing intent that stirred my instincts emanated from beside me.
I swallowed hard, pretending as casually as possible, and forced out the words.
"Sorry, but I'm engaged. I'll have to decline the offer..."
"A concubine would be fine too?"
Pardon?
"Did you know? Humans who kidnapped elves never took them as wives."
"Ah, uh, eh...?"
Sena's mind blanked out just like mine at the sudden self-deprecation.
"If they were lucky, they'd be concubines. If not, they weren't treated as people at all. We've endured that kind of treatment for a very long time."
"That's... truly regrettable."
"Yes, it is regrettable. Maybe because we've lived that way for so long, us elves don't put much stock in human wives or concubines."
"No."
"......"
Of course, humans almost never took elves as principal wives!
Is that really okay?
"Someone who brought revival to the Great Forest and will be of great help to my master's path ahead. Wouldn't it be a bargain if I could win over such a man with my body?"
Then Phyllis leaned in close and whispered in my ear.
"If even a concubine is too much trouble, an affair would be fine too?"
Before I could respond to Phyllis, who said it with a suspicious smile, the desk slammed down hard.
"Enough!"
It was Sena.
Her pristine white face flushed bright red, her eyes shaking violently as she shouted.
"What kind of disgraceful behavior is this toward a man who has a fiancée?!"
"Huh? That's why I said a concubine is fine."
"What do you...! Wife or concubine! He already has a beloved fiancée bound by a century-long vow, and yet...!"
Phyllis looked briefly flustered at Sena's outburst, then wore a suspicious expression as she clung to her.
"Hmm~? Why? I heard the Imperial Empire, where the president is from, allows polygamy, fiancée or not."
Well, that's true, but if I actually did it, I'd be dead?
The image of Se-hee's dead eyes flashed in my mind, making me shiver faintly.
"Impure! True pure love looks only at one person and devotes itself entirely to them!"
"Ah, you're a follower of Rosario."
The Rosario Holy Empire basically doesn't allow concubines.
Finally understanding Sena's words, Phyllis nodded.
"Hehe, who would've thought the vice president of the student council would be this cute."
"Eek! If you mock me any further...!"
"Would everyone be happy if you just practiced pure love?"
"Of course! Pure love is the form of love ordained by the gods!"
"Then there shouldn't be any divorces in the world."
But there are.
"Th-that... is..."
"Shall we approach it differently? Do you know about the childhood friend rule?"
"...!"
Sena visibly panicked as those words left Phyllis's mouth.
"Childhood friends from youth never end up together. It's a cruel rule."
"......"
"If it's your pure love, what does that leave for the childhood friend? The joy of having your long-cherished beloved stolen? The defeat of losing her to a superior rival?"
"Guh...!"
"Face reality, Vice President. Pure love may be the highest form, but it's not a love that makes everyone happy."
At the same time, she drew close to Sena.
{Especially for latecomers like us.}
>
She had infused her voice with internal energy to prevent it from leaking out, but unfortunately, it rang crystal clear to me.
'Now, how do I refuse her.'
Regrettably, I had no attention to spare for her words right now.
Ever since picturing Se-hee's dead eyes, I'd been racking my brain for a polite refusal.
That's why I didn't hear it.
{It's good for you too, you know? Legally(?), the only ways to claim him are as a concubine or an affair.}
{B-but that's too...}
{Hehe, how cute. Once you cross that line, it'll be simple. Sharing love with him in secret from his fiancée... doesn't that sound thrilling?}
As Sena stammered without replying, I finished gathering my thoughts and cut into their conversation.
"Sorry, but I don't see you that way."
"I see."
"My fiancée is the jealous type. I'd prefer she never has to feel that way."
Hm, handled that well.
I nodded to myself with an inner sigh of relief, when the smirking Phyllis spoke up.
"Got it. Then I'll aim for the concubine spot slowly."
"What?"
"I never thought I'd break through right away anyway."
"I'd prefer we just stay friends."
"Understood. Friends it is."
"Thanks for understanding..."
"How about friends with benefits then?"
Hey.