Chapter 23
Translator - Zofu
----------------------------------------
"Hildear. I'm not to your liking, am I?"
"...Pardon?"
The unexpected question cracked Hildear's composure.
"Your manner of speaking is somewhat confrontational, and you kicked my bottom back at the restaurant, didn't you?"
"Oh, no. That was purely an accident."
"Really? But you stretched out your leg even though you knew I was beneath you."
"That was truly out of habit... I apologize if I caused any misunderstanding."
Though Hildear apologized, she didn't bow her head or waist. With her usual personality, she would have had no qualms about doing so.
Elaine, who hadn't read her that far, couldn't shake her uneasy expression. The muttering from earlier and the kick to her bottom had clearly been intentional. But there was no proof.
"Hildear."
"Yes, Saintess."
"...Shall we settle this without our ranks?"
"How could I do such a thing with the Saintess?"
"But from what I see, you have many grievances yet can't speak because I'm the Saintess. So wouldn't it be good to have an opportunity to let it all out?"
"It's fine, it's fine. For now... it's fine."
'For now?'
Elaine narrowed her eyes.
It hadn't been a misunderstanding after all. She'd caught a glimpse of envy flashing in Hildear's eyes. And that added phrase, "for now," confirmed it. Yet the Saintess couldn't bring herself to blame her.
This was something she'd often seen in the materials she'd researched. No, there was no need to even look at heroes. Even in this world, incidents caused by women's jealousy and obsession were not uncommon.
So rather than being angry, she merely felt pity. She understood Hildear's feelings all too well.
"Hildear."
"Yes, Saintess."
"You know as well as I do how serious a crime it is for a woman to try to monopolize a man. And how ugly women's jealousy and envy can be."
"...Of course."
Hildear's expression grew solemn.
How could she not know? She'd seen such cases up close herself.
Even in the Palania Kingdom, a noble house had been eradicated because of this. Strictly speaking, jealousy had only been the trigger, the real cause lay elsewhere, and their title had been lowly, but still—jealousy was something to be wary of, extremely wary.
"All the more so for Si-woo, a hero who may bear the expectations of the entire world. He could handle at least ten, perhaps even more."
"......."
"He's that attractive, but still... you understand, don't you?"
"I know, I know. I am well aware of such things...."
Unable to show her expression to Elaine, Hildear hung her head deeply.
She knew it well. That's why she was angry. Just a few days ago she'd resolved to work harder and grow stronger, yet here she was, acting spitefully toward the Saintess. She was pathetic. Miserable and wretched.
Elaine stared intently at the bowed Hildear, thinking:
'It's been less than a week, yet she's already this deep in...'
She couldn't tell if it was because the woman was easy, or if Si-woo possessed something that made women fall head over heels. She personally wanted to lean toward the latter, but the former wasn't impossible.
There had been such women before.
Women who trained for over ten years to nurture their talent, joining the Academy to support a hero and save the continent as party members. Then there were those poor souls who fell for a male hero at first sight and devoted everything to him.
Some were abandoned by the hero and fell to despair; others grew overly obsessive and led both parties to ruin. There were as many human stories as there were people.
Thinking she should crush her spirit a bit more just in case, Elaine spoke:
"Hildear, you'll be the first to support Si—"
"Elaine."
But she fell silent at the sight of the woman's serious face as she raised her head.
"......."
"I will not lose."
"...That's exactly what I would say."
Elaine smiled faintly at Hildear's declaration.
No matter how many women a man had, no matter how equally he loved them all.
There could only be one legal wife, one true wife.
"Good. It seems Si-woo won't have to worry about us causing him trouble."
"Indeed. But Elaine, will you be taking on the role of Cartel's assistant?"
"Hm? Why do you suddenly ask.... Well, it's not a bad idea. As an assistant, helping Si-woo with various tasks would mean more time together."
"No, it's just that what you just said sounds exactly like an assistant."
"Um... that's a compliment, right...?"
"It is. But did you know?"
"......?"
"As far as I know, no Cartel assistant has ever become the legal wife."
Veins bulged on Elaine's forehead.
Rage filled her. It was truly an unexpected blow.
Of course, she hadn't known. Considerable time had passed since the hero was summoned, but such private matters weren't recorded in reports or information bulletins. It was absurd how Hildear asked so calmly and called it a compliment, knowing full well.
"H-Hildear? Are you picking another fight..."
Just then, Si-woo got off the bed and approached them.
"Are you two fighting?"
Though he'd just finished meditating, Si-woo sensed the unusual tension between the two women and asked with a worried tone.
"No, not at all."
"Surely not."
Hildear and Elaine simultaneously changed their demeanor, greeting him with bright smiles as if they'd rehearsed it.
Yet their gazes darted back and forth with such practiced ease that it seemed their earlier fighting had been an act. Of course, it was a ceasefire agreement of sorts—don't fight in front of Si-woo and harm each other's interests.
"Really? That's a relief."
"Did you finish your meditation well?"
Elaine gazed at Si-woo with sparkling eyes.
Expressing her anticipation and excitement at the fact that he was a male hero candidate who had already awakened his mana, while deftly changing the subject. Truly the eloquence befitting a ten-year veteran Saintess.
"Well...."
But his expression was quite dark.
"Is something wrong?"
"It's a bit strange."
"What seems strange?"
Hildear approached Si-woo with worry-filled eyes, examining his body.
"No, there's nothing wrong with my body."
"Then...."
"When I try to perform mana circulation, my mana moves strangely."
Mana circulation was one of the techniques learned through mana meditation.
It didn't just utilize the mana from the heart, but also the upper and lower dungeons, circulating mana evenly throughout the body. It had various secondary effects and was a good method for managing one's physical condition.
"How is it moving strangely?"
"Instead of going to the lower dungeon, the mana keeps going to my... balls... scrotum area."
At Si-woo's words, the two women tilted their heads as if they didn't understand.
"......?"
"Is that strange?"
"...Huh?"
Si-woo's expression wavered at Hildear's response. A face that seemed to ask, could this be correct?
Thinking about it, that was entirely possible in this reverse world.
During the First Round, a man from the martial world had said as much. He'd said the mana system and such were completely different from where he'd lived. Thanks to that, he'd struggled to modify his martial arts and internal energy to fit this other world.
So it wasn't strange for the First Round and this place to differ.
"...Is this. Correct?"
"Yes, of course."
"I don't know who taught you mana circulation, Si-woo, but the correct method is to start from the middle dungeon—the heart, where mana is stored—then go to the upper dungeon, the brain, and then the lower dungeon, the scrotum."
"......Th-then what about women? Surely not...."
"The womb serves as the lower dungeon."
"Wow...."
Si-woo couldn't help but marvel.
Truthfully, this wasn't a problem for him. He had habits from the First Round, but mana naturally flowed toward the three dungeons, so as long as he didn't do anything strange, the circulation itself would be fine.
It wasn't even instinctual as a habit, so with a little attention, he could fix it quickly.
What worried him more were heroes from worlds other than modern times.
Usually more than half of hero candidates were from Earth, but there were also those from other worlds.
Some might be from martial arts worlds, others from fantasy worlds different from this one. But they definitely wouldn't handle mana the same way as here. Would such people readily agree to change their valued mana circulation methods?
'...Well, it's not my business.'
It did worry him, but he didn't dwell on it long.
After all, he wasn't the one involved, nor were they acquaintances yet. He hadn't even been close to them in the First Round—just slightly familiar faces.
'They'll figure it out themselves.'
"Well then, I guess it's fine."
Relieved, Si-woo sat down on a nearby chair.
Elaine and Hildear scurried after him, sitting nearby. Hildear normally only stood by his side, sitting only when Si-woo urged her to, but with Elaine present, she seemed to have swallowed her pride.
"Si-woo."
"Yes, Elaine."
The Saintess Elaine had effectively joined his party, and she was already a woman who'd thoroughly examined his member.
Since her overseers couldn't enter this place, his speech had become more casual. He still dutifully attached "-yo" and "-nim" at the end of his words, though.
"Did you know there's a physical examination in two days?"
"...Two days?"
"I see Hildear didn't explain properly."
Two gazes turned to her simultaneously.
Hildear gritted her teeth at Elaine's non-accusatory accusation in front of Si-woo, but held back because of him. Elaine had picked several fights already, and this was indeed Hildear's fault.
"I apologize, Si-woo."
"No, it's fine. It's not that important."
Having a physical examination before enrollment was surprising, but it didn't seem like it would harm him.
"Once the examination is done and your results come out, every nation will officially target you, Si-woo. Perhaps some are already targeting you even before the results are made public."
"The Glayzer Empire among them...."
"Yes, the nations belonging to the Four Powers."
The Four Powers. Two empires and two kingdoms.
The empires possessed strong national power based on their vast territories and large populations, befitting empires. And there were also two kingdoms that, despite being merely kingdoms, held power and potential rivaling them.
"From two days onward, you'll be hounded by four nations."
"Four? Not five?"
"One of the Four Powers is rife with extreme female supremacy. So they don't accept male heroes. They chase out all the male heroes summoned to them."
"Ahh."
He had an idea of which one it was.
Even in the First Round, there'd been a nation where women were particularly dominant. In a world where men were often weak and incompetent, it was no surprise such tendencies would be even stronger.
After all, there were divine magics bestowed by the Goddess for reproduction and population, and that nation would have other methods.
"And after that, once the enrollment ceremony is held and the results are announced...."
"It'll be chaos. I'm absolutely certain. Prior contact within the Academy is technically forbidden, but they'll try to recruit you, Si-woo, even if it means getting caught and taking a penalty."
At her utterly confident statement, Si-woo let out a hollow laugh.
"Aren't you too certain? You haven't even done the examination yet."
"I've personally examined his member, tasted his essence. Both were firsts for me, but I'd be a fool not to be certain."
"Haah...."
"And from this afternoon onward, many women will approach you personally. Some may act on behalf of nations, others may want to join your party. Other hero candidates might approach for containment purposes."
"......."
"But I'll help you with everything, Si-woo!"
The Saintess of Blessing, Elaine, shouting as she clasped Si-woo's hand on the table.
Though her eyes showed much selfishness and greed, it was precisely that which inspired trust.
"I'm counting on you, Elaine."
"Of course!"
"And Hildear too."
"Ah, yes!!"
The official formation of hero candidate Si-woo's party had begun.
* * *