The Proposal That Ignites the Obsession
The acceptance of the invitation wasn't easy either.
The night was deep.
A cool darkness outside the window and a suffocating silence inside the room wrapped around us.
I loosened my tie and swallowed a heavy sigh.
It was time to push forward now. Regarding that damn "Heavenly Spirit War".
After filtering the information the gallery bastards spewed all day through my brain, the answer was one.
An unavoidable dead end.
If I don't participate, Ruby will board the "Bad Ending" express train.
If I do, the possibility of entering the Happy Ending route opens, but she'll be treated like a tool by all the elves in the world.
No matter which way I choose, it's a minefield.
Since it's a dead end anyway, if I have to jump into a dead end, it should be one with a guaranteed return.
The problem is... how to package this insane proposal.
I secretly turned my gaze.
"......"
Ruby Scarlet. Her mood right now was like a lit fuse that would explode if touched.
She was sprawled on the soft velvet sofa, legs crossed as if showing off.
Her face, propped on her chin, staring out the window, cold air dripping from it.
She ignored me as if I were invisible if our eyes met.
Her tilted head and the nervous twitching of her white toes clearly showed her displeasure level.
It seemed the remnants of yesterday's unwelcome visitor hadn't faded yet.
Standing in front of this ticking bomb, to say "Hey, let's go apply to the fun suicide squad" was not easy.
My mouth didn't want to open.
"......Why is it so quiet today?"
It was Ruby who broke the silence first.
Her gaze was still out the window, but the red eyes reflected in the glass glanced at me.
"Usually you talk so much it hurts my ears......"
Here was my chance. I swallowed dryly and fiddled with the thing in my pocket.
"I was in the middle of thinking."
"Huh? Thinking? You?"
Ruby snorted and turned her head.
"What kind of deep thinking would a counselor like you have......"
It was mocking, but since she responded, it was either all or nothing.
First, I had to lay the bait.
I smiled faintly and started slowly.
"Whether to bring this up now or wait until Ruby's mood is a bit better. That was my dilemma."
"......What?"
Ruby's eyebrows twitched.
Without hesitation, I pulled a red envelope from my jacket pocket and tossed it onto the table.
Thud.
It was a light friction sound, but the air in the room suddenly became as heavy as lead.
"This is the one left by that gentleman yesterday."
Ruby's gaze fixed on the envelope.
"......"
─Zzzzt.
A ringing sound in the eardrum.
It was clear.
She was shaken.
Especially when she saw the red seal with the Silverrain family crest, her eyes froze coldly.
"I don't want to see it, so throw it away......"
"It would be better to check inside."
At my suggestion, Ruby swallowed in disbelief.
"Hey. You said you didn't say anything yesterday, right?"
"......Of course not."
I shrugged nonchalantly.
After a moment of silence, I struck the final nail.
"All the words that woman spat with her mouth were nutrient-free noise pollution, so I judged it wasn't worth dirtying Ruby's precious eardrums."
"......Hmph, excuses."
"It's not an excuse. But this letter is different. It specifically said to have Ruby read it alone."
"Huh?"
I tapped the red envelope with my index finger.
"......Ruby isn't a coward, right? You wouldn't be scared and not read it, would you?"
"What......?"
Provocation.
It was faster to have her read it and get angry than a hundred words.
Ruby glared at me with a stern face, but I didn't stop.
"Go ahead and tear it open. It's better to check directly. If your hand is shaking and you can't open it......"
"You bastard......!"
Ruby shot me a snake-like glare, then snatched the envelope roughly.
Her white fingers tore the red seal mercilessly.
Inside the envelope was a gaudy invitation letter with gold foil.
She unfolded the paper and looked down at it.
Swish.
As she read the sentences, her expression started to distort strangely.
From indifference to shock, then to eerie killing intent.
"......Ha."
A short, hollow laugh escaped.
The white hand clutching the paper was trembling.
"Haha, hahaha......!"
The room, which had been silent, echoed with Ruby's nervous laughter.
She laughed so hard she held her stomach, then looked at me with cool eyes.
"Hey. Did you see this?"
"......"
I gave a faint smile at her question.
"I can guess the content roughly."
"Charity...... How funny."
Ruby gritted her teeth and muttered.
Zzzzt... The ringing sound hit the eardrum again.
Looking into her aura with Psychological Insight, it was a fierce crimson — not simple anger, but the anger before explosion.
"The last charity from that sneaky Silverrain family to me? To come to this competition and protect the honor of elves as non-hybrids? What nonsense is this?"
Bang!
She slammed the table as if shattering it.
"In that competition, if I become a target for countless elves and die, they will wash my dirty sins and grant me an honorable death......!"
As expected.
The gallery bastards' analysis was correct.
The Heavenly Spirit War was not a simple competition.
It was a death sentence to legally eliminate "Ruby Scarlet", the elf's blemish.
"These bastards......!"
Crack!
The invitation in her hand was crumpled beyond recognition.
I slowly stood up from my seat.
I picked up the grotesque bundle of paper that had fallen at her feet.
"......Leave it."
Ruby growled lowly.
"I don't want to look at that kind of thing again."
"Hmm, indeed, the content is quite dirty."
I replied calmly, pressing the crumpled invitation flat with my palm.
The wrinkles on the paper that didn't unfold well were like her trampled self-esteem.
I had to burn this crumpled self-esteem as fuel.
"To find honor in death...... What an interesting interpretation."
I chuckled and took a step towards Ruby.
"How interesting. It's like they're too lazy to clean up their own shit, so they politely ask the victim 'Please disappear on your own.'"
"......Yeah, that's the real intention. If I, the blemish of the elves, disappear in the middle of the battlefield, what a clean and touching ending it would be."
Ruby bit her lip.
It looked precarious, as if red blood droplets would seep out at any moment.
"So, are you going to die?"
"......What?"
"According to the family, according to the script they've written. Will you die tragically like a tragic heroine and receive their applause?"
My provocation made Ruby's eyes sharpen.
"Hey, brat. Be careful with your words? My mood is the worst right now......"
If I back down here, I might become ashes.
But I couldn't back down.
Cold sweat ran down my back, but I maintained a calm smile on the outside.
"Or......"
I cut off her warning and closed the distance by one more step.
Now within reach.
Between the faint rose scent from her and the acrid heat, I waved the tattered invitation in front of her eyes.
"Instead of tearing this dirty invitation to pieces, how about turning it into a winning trophy and throwing it in their faces?"
"......Huh?"
Ruby's pupils shook.
She burst into a hollow laugh in disbelief.
"How funny...... Winning? Hey. Have you gone crazy? Do you know who will be coming out in this "Heavenly Spirit War" and barking?"
I don't know who will come out, but... is there anyone who can beat you?
If I wake up the "Ignis" sleeping inside you.
I didn't show it, but her potential was top-tier in the world.
But, lip service is poison to her now.
"I know. The continent's renowned geniuses, monsters, all gathered there."
"Even knowing that, you say such things? I......!"
She got flustered and shouted.
"I'm half-breed! My mana circuits are unstable compared to others, and moreover, they eat my dad...... A heretic trash! How can I win there? Don't say such dream-like things!"
Defeatism.
A steel stake driven deep into the unconscious of a woman who had been gaslit for a long time.
If I don't pull this out, I can't even start.
I boldly reached out.
Before she could react, I grabbed her delicate chin and forced her gaze to fix on me.
"What are you doing......?"
The sudden contact made Ruby let out a short cry and stiffen.
Normally she would have exploded in anger like fire, but startled, her red eyes widened.
"Ruby Scarlet."
I called her name in a deliberately stern voice.
"Look me straight in the eye."
"You, you aren't going to......?"
"The ones who decide if you're a failure or not aren't these old farts."
My gaze dug deep into her red eyes.
"I, your assigned counselor, have decided. Got it?"
At my firm voice, Ruby's lips trembled.
I didn't let go of the chin I was holding and struck the final nail with confident tone.
"The Ruby Scarlet I analyzed is not a woman who will just die for those bastards."
"You......"
"What you lack is not talent. You just don't have the guts to step forward."
I released her chin and placed the unfolded invitation on her chest with the opposite hand.
"I will make you the best. I will prove to the elves that you are the greatest."
"......How do you prove that?"
"I have a plan. You just go on stage. Then I'll make those arrogant family bastards crawl under your feet. I promise."
Fuck, I said it.
The dice were thrown.
A mere church counselor making high-nosed elf nobles crawl under their feet.
They wouldn't not know how absurd that sounds.
"......"
A heavy silence flowed.
Ruby stared at me blankly.
The arrogant and brazen declaration I just spat out was unbelievable.
"You......"
"......"
But at the same time.
In Ruby's red eyes, the faint flame that had been burning dimly suddenly flared up as if oil was poured on it.
"Is that true?"
"I said it, didn't I? I'm your counselor. If that's what you want, I'll make it happen as per the counseling."
Of course, the counselor isn't a savior.
But what she needed wasn't logical persuasion.
Unconditional trust, and a crazy guy to support her.
I bet everything on that.
"......Puhuh. What a funny brat."
"Huh?"
"......If that's a bluff, I'll kill you."
Her voice, opening her mouth after a long time, was a bit hoarse.
But her eyes were much clearer and burning than before.
"Got it?"
"Of course. You will win. I guarantee it."
I grinned and shrugged.
"Save the success bonus. You'll receive it very expensively."
Ruby laughed in disbelief at my brazen attitude.
Then she snatched the tattered invitation from my hand roughly.
"Alright."
She lifted her chin, and her usual confident face returned.
"Go ahead and bark, counselor. I'll watch how your fancy tongue changes my fate."
Heroine's Favorability Increased
Ruby Scarlet's favorability has increased by 10.