[No title provided]
“Ow, ow… damn it, that damn master of mine… I’ll get revenge someday.”
I’d just been thoroughly schooled by my master in front of everyone, so I was carted off to the infirmary for treatment. Nothing was seriously injured, but I had bruises here and there, so the school nurse told me to apply some ointment and rest. I lay on the medical bed, replaying my recent conversation with Master in my head.
“Limitations, huh…”
I’d been her disciple for quite a while now and thought I knew her pretty well, but Master still had a ton of secrets. I had no idea why someone with such overwhelming power had chosen to live in seclusion, and her attitude toward the Heaven God Cult—like she knew all about them—left me deeply unsettled.
What should I do…
It had been years since I’d randomly possessed this game world, but I still hadn’t figured out my place in life. I’d thought it was just a trash dating sim, so I’d stuck by Polo, the protagonist, aiming for a peaceful, low-key existence. But the power I’d gained and these new enemies wouldn’t let me have that easy life.
Sure, I could cut ties with everyone I’d gotten entangled with and live out my days in leisure, but that wasn’t for me. Was I just born stupid and dense? At first, I’d treated everyone like NPCs, keeping my distance and refusing to get attached. But after breathing and living in this world, I realized it was real—just like the one I’d come from.
The heroines I’d gotten mixed up with under bad circumstances… I couldn’t bring myself to cut them off coldly anymore. They’d become relationships I’d actually miss if they were gone. I knew I couldn’t go back to how things were.
“…Can I really do this…?”
Honestly, it’d be a lie to say I wasn’t scared. I didn’t know if it was a possession cheat or what, but I had power beyond my years and all sorts of praise from people. Still, enemies stronger than me could pop up anytime.
Bang!
“Ack! You scared me. Even if it’s just me here, don’t just fling the infirmary door open like that—”
Lost in thought, I jumped at the door suddenly bursting open without a knock. I figured it was my club members coming to check on me—more like inspect my condition—and turned to look. But only one person stood there.
“Uh… hey…”
“…You’re here.”
Familiar sky-blue hair. Sleepy half-lidded eyes with brilliant sapphire irises inside.
“P-Prazia? Why are you here…?”
We’d had that brief encounter where I helped her find her way when she was lost, but otherwise, we had zero connection. The fact that she’d come alone to my infirmary room scrambled my brain.
Academy scouting on behalf of Bellier? Nah, the headmaster would’ve come himself for that. Then it hit me—her wish to duel a new Aura Lord—and a chill ran down my spine.
“…It was you, right?”
“W-what was?”
“You saved me… and Delphine.”
“!”
I’d hoped she hadn’t noticed, but after seeing that, only an idiot wouldn’t put it together. Even with the mask, someone at her level would sense the familiar swordsmanship in my movements.
“…Thanks.”
“Hm?”
“You saved me… and my friend. Thanks.”
She sounded a bit awkward saying “friend,” but given her status and personality, that Delphine girl must really be precious to her.
“No big deal.”
I hadn’t done it expecting thanks anyway. I just wanted to stop those damn Heaven God Cult bastards from pulling their shit on innocent students, and it happened to be her friend.
Even so, hearing gratitude from the usually stoic, icy Prazia felt… novel, somehow.
“Then duel me now.”
“Beat it.”
Sorry, but that’s a no-go… my body’s in this state…
Damn. I’d slipped into casual speech without thinking. She wouldn’t make a fuss about me talking down to a foreign duke’s daughter and cursing, right?
“…Why?”
“Why what… I’m a patient right now, you know? What kind of etiquette is it to demand a duel from someone who just got beat up?”
“Oh, sorry…”
Good. She had some common sense after all. A bit oblivious, but a good kid at heart—
“Then duel me when you’re better.”
“Can’t you just head back to your country sooner?”
My head was already pounding from everything else, and now this girl shows up demanding a fight. It was giving me a real headache.
“Not to pry, but you’re pretty strong yourself. Keep training like you are, and you’ll be fine. Why are you so desperate to pick fights?”
“?”
What was that baffled look? Was there some hidden custom in this world where guys and girls had to duel on first meeting?
“You’re strong.”
“Yeah.”
“Not a fully realized Lord… but really strong.”
“Mm, yep.”
“So duel me.”
Did I miss some lesson, or did she? Feeling the importance of early education once more, I looked at Prazia—whose literature scores were probably trash—and said,
“First off, what do I gain from dueling you? Sparring only helps when levels are close for mutual growth. Dueling you gives me zero progress.”
“Hm…”
“You seem to cover for your aura control with natural physical talent. You’d learn a ton from me. But me?”
If something comes in, something has to go out. It might sound harsh or cold, but spoiling her just because she’s a duke’s daughter would only make things worse.
Prazia pondered deeply, then fixed her clear, innocent eyes on me.
“…I’m pretty.”
“…Yeah, you are.”
It was funny hearing it straight from her mouth so boldly, but I couldn’t argue. It was a fact—her radiant beauty held up even against my club’s girls.
“I get confessions a lot. But I turned them down ’cause they were all weaker than me.”
“Your standards are weird.”
Like an upgraded version of “I don’t listen to the weak.” No man weaker than her gets to hold her hand or whatever?
“Lots of guys rushed at me to impress me and got wrecked.”
“That’s on them for being idiots.”
Men really do have two brains. One up top, one down below. And the one up top never beats the one down there.
I casually shot down all her points, and Prazia tilted her head, stared blankly at me for a moment, then dropped a bomb.
“Are you… impotent by any chance?”
“Alright, let’s go. I’ll give you the beatdown you want.”
Topping the list of things you don’t say to a healthy guy. As an equal-opportunity kind of person, I was dying to swing my fist at her whining face ASAP.
“Everyone tried to impress me. I’m pretty and well-connected. Beat me with your skills, and you can have me.”
Ah, that’s what she meant. Basically, if I proved myself now, she’d give me a shot at dating her.
Pfft.
But when I responded to her offer with a smirk, her eyebrow twitched—she was offended.
“…What’s so funny?”
“Nah, it’s just…”
She was pretty, sure, but no romantic sparks for me. Always so deadpan, wooden expressions, minimal reactions—no cuteness factor. The princesses were more fun to tease—one fell for pranks with expressive faces, the other hid her real self when flustered, the saintess spoke her mind despite being shy. Even Luna was bold and proactive.
…Huh?
A fleeting thought gave me a vague sense of unease, but I brushed it off.
“You’re pretty, yeah, but that’s it, right? No charm, blank face, and all you talk about is dueling. Total fight junkie.”
“…”
“Kiddo, people aren’t just their looks. You’re inexperienced, so you wouldn’t get it, but—”
“Got it.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll show you.”
With that, Prazia climbed onto my bed. Her movements were too stiff for seduction—what was she up to? I watched as she slipped between my legs, turned her back to me, and lay down, resting the back of her head on my stomach.
She looked up, and our eyes met.
Then she grabbed my hand and started kneading her cheek with it.
“How’s that.”
“…Squishy.”
It really was, like a baby’s chubby cheek.
“Mom and Dad ask all the time. They say my cheeks are cute.”
“Fair enough.”
Maybe because she was half-dragon, her skin barely aged—super soft and springy, weirdly addictive. She thought this was tempting me, but it just felt like playing with a kid.
Bang!
“Mars, you okay? You took some brutal hits earlier…”
“If you’re in bad shape, we should call the imperial physician—”
“Sorry! I should’ve come sooner, but I was at the closing ceremony…”
“Seriously, the count’s too hard on you, Mars. I’ll have to say something next time—”
“Sorry, Mars! I had no idea my dad would show up like that—”
…….
…….
…….
Oh.
I’m screwed.