Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Unconsciously Setting a Flag
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"Huaaah...!"
Thud.
Asita flung herself onto the bed and fumbled around for a pillow.
She finally grabbed it, pulled it close, buried her face in it, stayed still for a moment, then started kicking her legs.
'Hmm... Today was fun, right?'
The question mark came from how tense even she herself had been.
The day had been a contradictory mix of tension and enjoyment.
The Outsider, Dre.
Their first meeting couldn't even be called decent on a superficial level.
Asita knew full well the power her appearance held.
Countless men had approached her over the course of her life.
Because of that, when it came to men, she could read their general intentions just by looking at them—even if she couldn't see all the way into their hearts.
And that's why she knew Dre wasn't a bad person.
Asita recalled the incident from not long ago.
She'd gone into the forest with people who'd always wanted to form a party with her, and of all things, they ran into a Red Rat.
All her party members were wiped out, her mana was depleted, and the terror of death closed in moment by moment.
While she was hiding and trembling, a man appeared before the Red Rat and charged at it.
She'd wanted to warn him to run, but fear that dropping her invisibility spell would get her killed, plus the psychological and very real fact that the Red Rat was too fast, kept her from acting.
And Dre defeated the Red Rat.
After winning, he showed no joy—just mechanically collected the corpses and prepared to leave.
With her mana gone, Asita had no way out of the forest, so she had to ask for his help.
And so their first meeting happened.
Indifferent eyes and expression. Fierce gaze.
He didn't look like a good person at all.
'I thought it was because I was wearing glasses...'
To repeat, Asita knew full well the power her appearance held.
She might get called clueless about other things, but she couldn't ignore that weapon.
She'd nearly been kidnapped multiple times as a child, and even a relative she'd trusted had turned on her once.
Fortunately, Asita could defend herself to some extent, and her father Apiz Leisia was one of the strongest men in the kingdom, so nothing scandalous ever happened.
Still, those incidents left scars she couldn't avoid.
Before long, she started favoring tacky round glasses and loose clothes that hid her figure.
That day had been the same.
Men have no mercy for ugly women.
Asita knew that well and figured Dre was the same.
She'd considered taking off her glasses.
But fear that the man with those criminal-like eyes might snap kept her from doing it, and by then, Dre had left.
She chased after him in a panic. His strides were wide, his pace quick.
For Asita, whose physical abilities lagged behind, it was obvious she'd fall behind eventually.
The thought of dying if she fell back made her chase him for dear life, but her stamina had limits, and her steps slowed.
Just as she was about to give up and either reveal her face or head back alone... she realized it.
For some reason, the distance between her and Dre stayed constant.
No matter if she hurried anxiously or slowed from exhaustion, the gap remained the same.
She thought this wasn't right, but tested it by walking even slower on purpose... and Dre neither closed in nor pulled away.
More time passed, and Asita was convinced.
Ah, this guy's protecting me.
He could've bragged about his consideration, but instead, he stayed silent, almost hiding his good deed. It was a fresh attitude for Asita.
They finally reached the village.
Asita wanted to repay him.
But something felt off.
The guild adventurers looked at him with cold eyes, and he seemed to take it as a given.
She ignored it and made a promise to meet again later on her own whim.
She later learned he was an Outsider who'd been framed.
The frame-up was vicious, but Asita trusted her own eyes.
Dre wasn't a bad person—fundamentally good, even altruistic enough to help others in such a situation.
Her thinking was right.
From what she'd casually heard from Apiz and Blan, he'd been framed by Yulis.
Asita knew Yulis well.
She was Gold's lackey from the same academy—impossible not to know.
A noble, upright knight... why she'd do such a thing was still a mystery.
When Yulis and Dre faced off in a duel, even laid-back Asita had been scared.
Dre always seemed cool-headed, but when he unleashed his anger, it was terrifying.
But it was righteous anger, so Asita mustered her courage and met him again.
He was back to his usual self.
And surprisingly sociable, too.
He quickly befriended Yulis's comrades from the Hart Clan knights and was especially friendly to Mr. Blan.
Asita thought maybe she could show him her face and they'd become friends as man and woman.
The "maybe with this guy?" idea led her to reveal her bare face as "repayment."
Dre's blank face froze for a moment.
But it was just a moment—he treated her the same as always.
For Asita, that was beyond expectations.
The perfect reaction for friends.
Yet for some reason, she felt a bit dissatisfied.
Until then, she'd approached Dre somewhat calculatedly, but now she didn't want to.
She wanted to get close for real.
She was shocked when he, usually so quiet, subdued the loud Sor.
She'd already realized it with Yulis, but he was capable when it counted.
And Asita was betrayed by Sor and the girls from Milf Village, whom she'd thought were old friends.
She never imagined Sor would look at her with jealous eyes.
To Asita, Sor was a leader with the charisma she lacked. She never dreamed Sor would commit such a horrific crime or hate her—calling her a "pretty face with nothing else" had hurt deeply.
But.
When Dre called Asita amazing, the hurt melted away like snow.
And when he held her hand... electricity shot through her body.
After that, Sor's betrayal faded to the background. All she could think about was that electric spark with Dre, the burning heat in her hand.
...Could this be love? For me, who distrusts men without hating them outright?
Me, who's dumped countless guys?
That's why she'd deliberately touched him.
Curious if she'd feel that sensation again.
The first handhold was just normal. Comforting.
But the second time... unbelievably...
......She lost it.
"...Uwaaaaaah!!"
Embarrassing enough to writhe on the bed over the memory.
She wondered if Dre had used some sleazy trick, but no.
Asita might not know women, but she had an uncanny knack for men's emotions—especially base ones.
To her, Dre did like her, but not romantically.
She'd liked that at first, but now it annoyed her.
'Come to think of it, Dre. I wore normal clothes instead of baggy ones today, but he said nothing.'
Too much.
You might think what’s wrong with normal clothes, but even a little effort from Asita changed reactions around her.
Even if they pretended not to notice, their stares at her outfit showed they knew—it made her even more irritated.
A single compliment wouldn't kill him.
"...Maybe hold hands next time too."
No way.
Asita had a boyfriend.
A handsome, mannerly one from a powerful noble family with immense wealth.
He acted bold publicly, but he'd never tolerate her holding hands with another man.
If she were in his shoes, her lover holding hands with some other guy would piss her off.
Especially one so much beneath her.
...But looks-wise, wasn't Dre pretty handsome?
His rotten-fish eyes aside, with them closed, even picky Asita could admit he was good-looking.
'What am I even thinking.'
Normally, in this personal downtime, she'd just rest deeply, think about her father Apiz Leisia's rise, or recall fun times with dear friends.
Her pride wouldn't allow a guy she'd met barely a week ago to dominate her thoughts instead.
She tried pushing away Dre's fluffy image, but ended up thinking about him anyway.
"Meeting up should be fine, right?"
Asita didn't think her feelings were love.
She just wanted to feel more of that unknown sensation.
But still.
'How about regular meetings for a while?'
His suggestion was probably just to hang out as friends, not romantic.
In fact, afterward, he only asked about Outsiders or her magic—nothing personal like what she liked.
...She hoped he'd ask next time.
Unaware of her own wish, Asita imagined the next day—spending time with him at Prynar Academy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"An informative time."
I muttered to myself as I lay on the luxurious bed.
This wasn't Nila's inn or the guild room.
It was the top-class hotel prepared by the Hart Clan and the Blizja family.
I'd refused at first, but that bitch Clarit told me:
"Tomorrow, people with massive influence here will visit. It'd be appreciated if you helped uphold their dignity."
Fuck, what's wrong with Nila's inn?
I nearly snapped about her elitist bullshit, but Clarit added:
"I know it sounds shitty. But Dre, there are times you must observe protocol. Even if they truly don't mind the modest surroundings, others around them won't stay quiet."
That convinced me.
For example, say Gold came to Nila's to meet me.
Gold might not care about the place, but those who have to watch their eyes—like high officials managing Milf Village or local merchants—might fuss unnecessarily and subtly inconvenience Nila.
I'm no army guy and never will be, so it's funny coming from me, but it might feel like a division commander visiting—or worse.
I didn't want to make things harder for Nila, who'd already suffered over a year because of Ramnert.
Clarit's surprisingly thoughtful.
Damn woman I can't fully hate.
The hotel's facilities were so impressive that any lingering complaints vanished.
Gold's inn was the best in Milf Village, but this hotel was even more lavish, decked out with magic by her family.
Of course it'd be opulent.
...But this bed is insanely soft.
Nila's was decent, but the bed was just okay.
This fluffiness made me sleepy just lying down. Loved it.
I lay there recalling Asita's explanations from earlier.
She'd confidently called her research on Outsiders, so her knowledge was extensive.
First, Outsiders' language.
After long research, even if they spoke different languages, it automatically translated to the listener's language.
But not for monsters.
I asked about group conversations: it converts per listener's learned language.
And zero delay.
There are translation spells, but they're advanced magic, and Outsiders' version is superior—highlighting their uniqueness.
But their real specialty? The "perks"—skills, weapons, abilities.
I asked the difference between skills and abilities: skills consume mana and anyone can learn them (though Outsiders' high-level ones aren't for everyone).
Perks don't consume energy.
Three types:
Skills. Most common.
Weapons. Like Yulis's sword.
Talents: innate powers, like superhuman strength or hearing spirits easily—powers taken for granted, like moving an arm.
After hearing plenty on perks, I asked where Outsiders come from. Asita looked puzzled why I was asking but said they're thought to come from beyond the World Tree.
That raised questions.
"No one ever said they came from another world?"
These arrogant, cheat-wielding bastards—what force stops them from bragging about another world?
Standing out is universal, and otherworlder status is brag-worthy.
But Asita's reaction was unexpected.
"Another... world?"
"...?"
Before I could question her odd response.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Emergency Quest Occurred!
📍 The Temple of ??? has granted you exclusive permission. They will follow if you reveal it, deeming it your will, but please keep silent for now if possible.
⏰ Quest Reward: Character Setting Collection. (Disappears if otherworld is mentioned.)
No idea what ??? or "temple" means.
Two things from the quest:
One. Other Outsiders can't reveal they're from another world.
Two. "For now" implies the otherworlder info will eventually come out.
Dunno why the secrecy, but exclusive info like this will be a weapon later, so I shut up.
And getting the Character Setting Collection was a happy accident.
It lists characters, perfect since names and faces were getting fuzzy.
Testing it: think of it, and it pops up as a system window instantly.
I lay on the bed, summoned the collection, and it appeared with the system window.
Dozens of characters—all stunning beauties and hunks.
But no Asita.
Despite her extraordinary looks and abilities, why?
...Maybe because her body will soon dissolve into mana and die?
I'll work to prevent that, but...
Then what do these "main characters" mean?
This world isn't a game—it's real. So major characters...?
Maybe it's a game-like world, well-crafted?
Or a looping one?
These are the ones who shine in the loops?
Too speculative?
Either way, they'll hugely impact things later.
I was about to memorize them all, eyes wide, when—
Knock knock knock.
"...?"
Thought of Nila for a sec, but no way she'd come here. Guards would've checked first.
And unlike Nila, a voice came from beyond the door.
"A-are you... there?"
"......?"
Why are you here, and why me?
Reluctantly, I opened the door. There stood a petite, beautiful girl fidgeting.
"Lady El."
The breathtaking golden-haired girl.
El had come to my room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Dangerous."
Clarit felt immense gratitude toward Dre—and equal danger.
A human who could defeat Prostia with personal strength.
Of course, at 30% power.
The legendary Destruction Dragon, said to become a new monster every 1%.
30% was a level where it couldn't exert any real force.
'Even so, Dre's overwhelmingly powerful.'
30% or not, the Destruction Dragon is a catastrophe.
Even all the artifacts hidden by the Ten Great Families might not suffice, yet he handled it alone.
"We must stay vigilant."
She had no specific plans.
But she felt she needed to keep watch... with him nearby.