Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Hero Who Wants to Level Up
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I hurriedly straightened myself up.
Doing it between the two of us was fine, but being seen by others was a problem.
Especially if the other person was a man.
"Run, run."
Ashy followed behind me, smacking my ass with sharp slaps.
She was urging me to hurry.
We crossed the garden and pressed close to the annex wall.
Far off, a crowd had gathered at the mansion entrance.
It was to welcome Drake.
Yuteron and his servants.
Even his pretty daughter had come out to greet him.
'Is it because he's a male hero?'
There hadn't been much reaction when they came to greet Ashy.
But with Drake's arrival, even Yuteron's young lady had rushed out barefoot to chat with him.
I slipped into the annex and headed upstairs.
I made it safely to our room and quickly changed into some clothes.
"Ah, that was thrilling."
Ashy giggled with laughter.
She seemed amused by the situation of fleeing from another hero.
"Why did Drake come here?"
Even having read the original story, I didn't know every character's movements.
Especially Drake's position in the early and mid-game, which wasn't prominent.
It was even harder because the story progressed from the protagonist Luke's perspective.
"He was probably staying in the Gertong Barony and came over."
"The Gertong Barony?"
Nothing particular came to mind.
"Back when Puppy was sold to Gertong, the one who saved you was probably Drake. That's what it said in the diary."
"Diary...?"
"Come to think of it, you used to write a diary diligently before regressing. Why don't you do it now?"
Ashy stared at me intently.
I wasn't the type to keep a diary, so her words were hard to believe.
The first time in my life I wrote a diary was...
Back when I was in the military...
'How tough must it have been, me from the first round...!'
I from the first round had kept a diary.
How bad could it have been?
I must have scribbled down my feelings to preserve them, but what did Gertong do to make me write a diary like I did in training camp...
Realizing the truth, tears blurred my vision.
"Write a diary from now on."
"What?"
Ashy declared it like an order.
"Write down what happened each day, your thoughts about it, your feelings... Leave it all in a diary."
"Why should I?"
"...Don't wanna write a diary?"
Ashy narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
She looked ready to rip my mouth open.
If I said no, she might make sure I never spoke again.
"I've always wanted to try writing a diary to reflect on my day."
"Right?"
At my response, Ashy smiled in satisfaction.
I could just scribble something half-assed in the diary.
"Anyway, another hero... Never saw that coming."
I'd figured we'd run into heroes eventually, even if not right now.
Slashing through demons, it was inevitable.
"I liked it just being us. Now the annex will have more people."
Ashy pouted her lips and grumbled.
She frowned deeply, clearly annoyed by Drake's arrival.
She's so pretty.
Watching her, I wondered why she was so obsessed with me—she was that beautiful.
Was our connection from the first round that precious?
What kind of relationship did I have with Ashy in the first round?
'If anything, Drake seems more suited to her.'
Drake was the handsome hero rumored in the story.
He meets Luke in the early to mid-game and helps him as a male supporting character.
He hits on one of the heroines and gets slapped.
That connection leads him to Luke, and they become friends cheering each other's romances.
He even gives Luke adult advice.
During the original serialization, backlash was fierce, so Drake sacrifices himself as Luke's shield.
That was the price for hitting on the heroine.
But this world isn't a novel.
With the regressor Ashy and the possessor me as irregularities, everything's messed up.
The first round probably didn't go like the original either.
I might be the one ruining this world two rounds in a row.
"All dressed?"
Ashy checked my clothes.
A sweet fragrance wafted in front of me.
'It's almost reflexive now.'
My dick tried to get hard again.
Without the chastity belt, my pants would have bulged.
"Kiss."
Ashy tilted her chin up slightly and pursed her lips.
No tiptoeing courtesy from her.
I had to lean in and kiss her as she stood still.
Mwah-.
"Hee hee."
Ashy beamed.
She demanded kisses so often that I'd gotten completely used to it.
No joke—I could do it even in front of people without a care.
Ashy gripped my collar tightly and turned her back.
"Let's go. Time to kill Drake."
"...?"
She spat it out energetically.
Chills ran down my spine at those words.
I asked hurriedly.
"You're gonna kill Drake? Why?"
"'Cause he'll hit on me. Gotta kill him."
Ashy glanced back.
She checked my expression and spoke as if it were obvious.
"Why? Should I not kill him?"
"We can't kill him. He's a hero."
Every hero is precious.
Thinking of the people he'd save, we couldn't just kill him offhandedly.
His personality was carefree and he had a bad habit with women, but as a hero, his nature was good.
Being chosen by the holy sword meant that much.
"I see?"
Mischief filled Ashy's eyes.
She nodded as if understanding and walked ahead.
"Since Puppy says not to kill him, I'll leave him alone even if he hits on me. That work?"
"...Why do you assume he'll definitely hit on you? He might not..."
100% Drake would court Ashy.
She was the most beautiful and alluring woman.
Suddenly, my mood soured.
Just imagining it piled up disgust.
"Got it. I won't kill him."
Ashy chuckled as she headed downstairs.
Drake's party was entering the annex.
Yuteron spotted us first.
"This is Hero Ashy, who arrived three days ago. Lady Ashy, this is Drake, who just arrived in the Yuteron Barony."
"......"
Drake stared straight at Ashy.
He was even more handsome than expected.
His eyes were sharply cool, his nose perfectly high.
As a guy, it made me envy him.
Drake scanned Ashy up and down, a smile playing on his lips.
A smirk.
A strange emotion flickered in his eyes.
My subjective take, but it felt like greed.
'...This pisses me off for some reason.'
I glanced cautiously at Ashy.
My head turned on its own.
Maybe she'd been watching me, because Ashy turned her head at the same time.
She faced forward.
Drake gave a faint smile and said to Ashy.
"Ashy, mind if I call you that? Since I'm the senior hero..."
"No problem."
Ashy readily allowed the casual address.
Lower barrier than expected.
A corner of my heart felt uncomfortable.
I'd thought Ashy would at least snap at him.
"I heard from the church that you took down Gertong. That true?"
"Yes."
"Wow, impressive. How long since you graduated the Academy..."
"Eh, basics."
Ashy brushed off Drake's praise lightly.
It seemed cocky, but it wasn't.
Her attitude was softer than imagined.
A warm atmosphere formed.
Yuteron alternated glances between the two heroes and spoke.
"Would you like to have a meal? It's an early lunch, but sharing it together wouldn't be bad."
Yuteron's eyes were saying it.
This was a chance, he had to seize it.
Since coming to Yuteron mansion, Ashy hadn't shared a meal with him.
She'd ignored his invitations outright.
For a hosting noble, that must have driven him mad.
Now, thanks to Drake, he had an opening.
An excuse.
"Sounds good to me, Baron Yuteron."
Drake naturally accepted the meal.
All eyes turned to Ashy.
Ashy nodded slowly.
"Sure, whatever... Since another hero's here."
"Thank you...!"
Yuteron beamed with gratitude.
He barked orders at the servants.
"Could we wash up first, Baron? We sweated a bit getting here."
"Of course. I'll have someone guide you to the bathhouse."
Yuteron instructed a maid to lead them.
Drake's party followed her to the annex bathhouse.
After sending off Drake, Yuteron left.
He bustled about for a perfect lunch.
We were left alone.
"He travels with a lot of women."
"...Yeah."
"You don't envy that, do you?"
Ashy stared intently at me.
"Not at all."
"But the diary said you envied his harem."
"That wasn't me. I don't know that guy."
By disowning first-round me, I dodged Ashy's anger.
Honestly, I felt wronged.
I hadn't done anything.
'If we're splitting hairs, Ashy chatting friendly with Drake is worse...'
A doubt arose.
It was just a short chat— was that really an issue?
I felt pathetic myself.
I shook my head to dispel the petty thoughts.
"Drake's party's a classic balanced comp. See that?"
"Super stable compared to us."
Drake led an all-female party.
A harem, basically.
'...Four women...'
A female knight to cover the hero's weak defense, a heavy-hitting mage, a sustained-cover archer, and the essential priest for any hero party.
Add the all-rounder hero, and it's a perfect hero party.
Compare that to us.
'A useless toy and a violent female hero.'
What a mess.
I wanted to crawl into a hole.
"Drake's holy sword is surprisingly high level. Didn't expect a level 5."
"......"
Ashy muttered darkly.
Her voice chilled, like something was brewing.
"Let's rest too."
"Yeah. Gotta heal with Puppy before that stuffy gathering."
"......"
"Or I might smash everything. Want that?"
"That'd be..."
"Then behave and cuddle in my arms."
While Drake's group washed and changed, while lunch was prepared.
I lay there holding Ashy.
"Sniiff, haah, sniiff, haah..."
"...Tickles."
"Stopped stroking your head and hair?"
"...Arm hurts too."
"Wanna die, for real?"
My hands didn't stop until Ashy was satisfied.