Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Fake Hero...? (4)
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“…”
“…”
After Daisy cast her curse, a chilly silence settled over the room.
The black-haired girl's eyes trembled fiercely as she gripped Daisy's hand, while the men, who had been standing around like brainwashed zombies, suddenly snapped back to attention, their eyes sharpening with confusion.
An ordinary person might dislike black magic, but there was no reason to abruptly cut off a curse aimed at a bad guy.
Laura smirked as if she had expected as much.
“As expected from a shady bitch.”
She looked up at me confidently.
“Quick, splash her with holy water!”
Hearing Laura's clear-cut solution, I pulled the holy water vial from my pocket and fiddled with it.
With this much circumstantial evidence, it wouldn't hurt to give the holy water a try.
The men's gazes toward Daisy had turned awkward now that her mental manipulation had worn off.
“…”
Seeming aware of the suspicious looks directed her way, Daisy scanned the room with a blank expression before letting her sword drop from her hand.
'What the?'
Wondering what she was up to, I watched curiously, and Daisy met my eyes squarely.
“Holy water. Splash it on me.”
“Pardon?”
“I said splash me with holy water.”
She sounded annoyed, her words curt.
It seemed her true nature was finally slipping through.
Yet she was boldly demanding holy water, confident she could withstand it.
I mulled it over for a moment.
What if I did as she wanted and splashed her, only for her to emerge unscathed?
It would prove her innocence, that she simply hated black magic and had severed the curse out of disgust. The powerful men around her would only fall harder for her.
Talk about a fierce backlash.
Did I really need to do her a favor?
I gave up on splashing her and pocketed the vial.
“What, you’re not gonna do it?”
Laura, who had been grinning in anticipation of the splash, looked baffled.
“Even so, dumping holy water on someone’s head feels a bit much.”
“No, that bitch is definitely a demon!”
I shot her a look signaling I had a plan.
“Well… if you think so…”
Having known me for a while, Laura caught on from my glance and, thankfully, didn’t press further.
“Thanks.”
“...?”
To my surprise, it was Daisy who looked flustered once I pocketed the vial.
She had probably planned to endure the humiliation of the holy water to clear her name, so of course she’d panic when it fell through.
Sorry, but I wasn’t about to help her out.
I hoped she’d squirm under the men’s suspicious stares from here on out.
“You’re really not gonna do it?”
“Yeah, I’m not. I don’t have a hobby of dumping water on women.”
“Just do it already. I don’t mind, seriously.”
I deliberately made a disgusted face.
“Is that your thing? I respect most tastes, but getting off on being doused… that’s a bit…”
Daisy’s expression hardened at my provocation, her fists trembling.
Watching her seethe filled me with satisfaction.
I could make this woman angry!
I could manipulate her emotions!
“Ugh, fine. Let’s go.”
Irritated, she dragged the black-haired girl away and stormed out of the black mages’ quarters.
“…”
The men hovering awkwardly around her hadn’t quite mustered the will to abandon her yet and trailed after.
Just like that, the fake hero’s party was gone.
Having successfully driven off the fake hero’s party, only our real hero party remained.
“Gah!”
The black mage captain, who had been eyeing an escape, was subdued at the perfect moment by Yumi’s intervention.
“Princess, tie this guy up for me.”
“Okay.”
Vene nodded at my request and used her plants to bind the black mage captain’s arms tightly.
Watching the vines writhe as they trussed him up turtle-style, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity.
“Um, Princess?”
“Yeah?”
“Could you stick to one style? Casual or polite, either’s fine—just consistent?”
“…”
Sometimes she was polite, sometimes casual.
Vene switched every time she addressed me.
Whichever she picked, I just wished she’d stick to it.
“Well… it’s tricky treating you a certain way…”
I’d heard I was an easy mark plenty of times, but this was a new one.
“Why?”
“You’re the hero, right? So I feel like I should be polite… but when everyone else is casual, being the only polite one makes me seem distant…”
She’d switched to polite again.
What an odd girl.
I pointed at Yumi.
“Yumi uses polite speech.”
“Yumi’s identity is tied to polite speech… she has to protect that.”
I tried picturing Yumi suddenly going casual.
It was impossible to imagine.
“Fair point.”
Convinced by Vene’s words, I nodded readily.
“Is that so?”
Yumi looked taken aback.
She didn’t seem to have an objective view of herself.
“Yeah, polite speech definitely suits Yumi.”
Laura chimed in agreement, and Yumi’s face fell slightly.
I hadn’t meant it badly, but she took it the wrong way.
I needed to clear that up.
“I didn’t mean it badly.”
“Is that so?”
I patted her shoulder, but she still looked down.
I asked her,
“Do you want to drop the formalities too?”
“Honestly… I’ve been a little jealous seeing how close it makes you all look…”
“Then just go casual with me.”
“R-Really? Is that okay?”
I’d expected some hesitation, but Yumi bit immediately.
She must have genuinely envied the others.
If I were some status-obsessed dragon treating hierarchy like gospel, maybe not—but having come from a modern world, I had no strong attachment to it and nodded easily.
Yumi brightened up.
Laura patted her shoulder.
“Good for you.”
“Hehe, thank you, miss.”
Watching the pair get along warmed me, sparking an idea.
“How about we all just drop formalities with each other? In battles ahead, tense moments will demand quick talk—sticking polite speech then would kill efficiency.”
“Big yes!”
Vene was first to agree.
“Well, polite speech does feel kinda cringy anyway.”
Even alley-raised Rainy nodded without resistance.
Now it was just Laura left.
As the lady of a high noble duke’s house, she’d probably been addressed politely her whole life.
Would she resist going casual?
“Sure, do whatever.”
To my shock, Laura agreed readily.
I was stunned.
Laura, who used to treat non-nobles like dirt, allowing casual speech?
I thought I’d reformed her some, but not to this extent.
“You’re serious…?”
I asked hesitantly, and Laura tilted her head like it was obvious.
“Why would you think I’m lying?”
“Well, I figured a lady like you would say something like, ‘How dare a slave talk casually to me!’”
Laura frowned.
“I went to the academy for years. You know the rule, right? Casual speech between students.”
The academy had a clause about treating all statuses equally.
It was all talk—no one followed it, since stepping out meant instant reality check from the real world.
Still, rules were rules inside, so princes and commoners alike used casual speech with each other.
“Now that you mention it, yeah. You must’ve gotten casual speech at the academy too. Was it okay?”
“Bugs buzzing doesn’t bother humans, right?”
Oof.
That was pretty harsh.
“So you’re secretly thinking the same about us using casual speech?”
“We’re the hero party. The noblest beings in this world. Can’t compare us to bugs.”
Hm, my understanding of Laura just went up 5%.
With the rest on board, only Yumi remained.
“Um… I’ll sit this one out…”
Shockingly, Yumi declared she’d opt out of the mutual casual project.
“Why? You’re casual with me.”
“B-But with you, miss…”
“Ah…”
Yeah.
Casual speech with the miss she’d served her whole life.
That had to feel heavy for her.
Even a thick-skinned guy like me would struggle.
“Then casual with everyone except Laura.”
At that, Laura marched over to Yumi, looking pissed.
“Hey.”
“Miss…?”
“Am I a burden?”
“N-No, it’s not that…”
“I already see you as half a friend, Yumi. Don’t you?”
“…”
Of course she couldn’t.
Laura…
“Answer me.”
“Honestly… jumping straight to seeing you as a friend feels like a stretch…”
Yumi laid out her true feelings.
Hearing that, Laura furrowed her brow, pondering a solution.
I wondered what fix our lady would come up with.
Having grown mentally, maybe a warm hug to evolve their bond into friendship?
Watching eagerly, Laura crossed her arms and said imperiously,
“That’s an order. From today, see me as a friend and use casual speech.”
“M-Miss…?”
“Not following orders?”
Yumi hesitated, questioning if this was right, but knelt before Laura’s firm gaze.
“Yeah…”
Laura shattered my expectations with a brute-force approach.
Classic Laura!