Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Cat
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"Darling, can't you stay just a little longer? You could even live here for good."
"Haha... Well, my job is as the Saintess's direct Holy Knight, so that's probably not possible. I have to serve her until I retire."
With the incident resolved, it was about time to head back, but Prelia hooked her arm through mine, looking reluctant to let go.
Ariana glared at her from the side as if lasers might shoot from her eyes, but Prelia didn't seem to care one bit.
"I see...? That's a shame..."
"Still, I've got about five more days here, so let's talk as much as we can in the meantime. And direct Holy Knights get vacation time too, so we can meet up again then, right?"
"When would that be?"
"Hmm... We get one week per year starting six months after becoming a direct Holy Knight, so if I use it soon, maybe around a month from now?"
"Really?"
Prelia pondered for a moment.
Even as she did, she stayed glued to my arm, refusing to let go.
"I see..."
Prelia flashed a sly, mischievous smile.
She hadn't been able to make that kind of face in her inverted state, so it was proof she'd recovered... but for some reason, it sent chills down my spine.
Fortunately, someone came to my rescue right then.
"Hey! Get away from Is! He's still on duty!"
It was Ariana, who had been wearing a frosty expression the whole time.
Of course, no woman would be happy seeing her direct Holy Knight flirting with another girl.
"My apologies, Saintess."
I immediately apologized to Ariana with all sincerity.
But Ariana wasn't interested in my apology. She kept her eyes fixed on Prelia and shouted.
"Is didn't do anything wrong! The problem is this woman! Clinging to a man who's not even married without a care in the world!"
"Hmm~? I don't think there's any problem with me."
"It's a problem no matter how you look at it!"
Prelia leaned in close to the fuming Ariana, who was chirping like a cute little chick, and whispered something in her ear while keeping that same sly smile.
"I'm seriously in love with our darling now, you know?"
"!! Eeeeeek!"
I covered my ears, figuring there must be a reason it was a whisper, so I had no idea what she said. But it looked like Prelia had won that round.
Ariana was huffing and puffing, glaring daggers at her.
"Is! Today we're patrolling the alley in G District!"
-Grab!
And so it ended up like this again.
"Our Saintess is quite bold, isn't she?"
"J-Just be quiet! I'm helping Is avoid worldly temptations because of you!"
In the end, I spent the day sandwiched between Ariana and Prelia once more.
After finishing our usual patrol of Ilunite, we returned to the inn.
As I was getting ready for bed in my room like always, someone knocked on the door.
-Knock knock knock.
"Hm?"
'It's probably Ariana.'
Since she was the only one who'd visit at this hour, I told her to come in without a second thought.
"Hey there~ It's me, darling."
"Fre... lia?"
It was Prelia.
And of all times, late at night.
Her skinship had gotten bolder ever since we dealt with her inversion twist, so I asked her warily.
"What brings you here?"
"Come on, it's not work hours right now, is it?"
"The Holy Knights who came with the Saintess take turns standing watch while she sleeps, so yes, this is technically my rest time..."
"Exactly! So, darling, wanna go for a walk with me?"
"A walk...?"
"Yeah! You're leaving soon, so I want to spend as much time with you as possible."
"You mean..."
"...You noticed?"
"...This isn't something to talk about here. Let's step outside."
A little more seriously, I went out with Prelia.
We left the inn and walked through a place that reminded me of parks from my previous life.
It was late, and far from the bar district, so there wasn't a soul around.
"Ilunite at night has such a nice atmosphere, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does."
As expected of a magical city, magic streetlamps powered by magic tools dotted the area everywhere.
"...Hey, darling. Are you satisfied with your time in Ilunite- Oh, right, no way you could be..."
Prelia started to ask for my impressions of Ilunite but shut her mouth tight, probably remembering all the incidents.
She looked so cute like that, I couldn't help but smile and say.
"It was satisfying. The Black Mages caused a lot of trouble, but my time with you was really fun."
"...! I-Is that so..."
"Yes. So don't feel too bad about it, and don't shrink away."
"...Yeah! Thanks, darling."
Prelia perked up again and hooked her arm through mine.
I'd gotten used to it by now, so I matched her stride and kept walking.
"...Darling?"
As we walked on, Prelia cautiously spoke up.
"I used to have a really dark personality, you know?"
I knew that. She'd originally been timid but loved people deeply, but the inversion twist flipped it to outgoing but unable to love.
"Even though I loved the people around me, the inversion twist reversed my personality, turning my dark side bright while making me incapable of love."
Recalling the past seemed to pain her; her eyes filled with misty emotion.
"So in my inverted state, to kill the inversion twist, I had no choice but to fall in love. Even though I didn't really feel it, I brainwashed myself into thinking I loved you."
"...I see."
Her misty eyes met mine.
Then the corners of her mouth curved up slyly.
"Did that shake you a little?"
"...No."
"Aw, too bad."
'As expected, number one among the heroines for seductiveness...!'
Good thing I'd built up resistance spending time with Ariana, or I'd be blushing like crazy by now.
"Anyway, but I did get freed from the inversion, right? So I should go back to being my original timid self."
"That's true."
"But I've lived most of my life with this personality, so even after the inversion lifted, I stayed this outgoing."
"...Does it bother you?"
"No! I actually like this personality better! Though being too bright can cause issues in daily life, so my old self pops out sometimes."
Prelia's eyes curved into a gentle smile.
"You like this version of me better too, don't you?"
"...Yes."
"Huh? That felt like it had some real emotion there."
"No, it didn't."
"Tch, I see."
Her seductive smile vanished, replaced by Prelia puffing out her cheeks.
That was close just now.
"Right now, I can perfectly understand my own emotions. When I cry, laugh, or get angry, it's all purely my feelings. And... love too."
Prelia quietly unhooked her arm and stepped in front of me.
"Prelia?"
Calling her name, she bowed her head and took several deep breaths.
She looked extremely nervous.
"...Darling, no. Is."
She lifted her head, and her eyes looked endlessly serious, unlike before.
Whatever came out of her mouth next would be the absolute truth.
After steadying her breath a few times, she finally said it.
"I love you."
"...Prelia."
"I wanted to tell you this before you leave. I love the you who saved me from the Black Tower. I love the you who smiled brightly even when your body got hurt just from saving me. I love the you who... saved me from the inversion twist."
"... ."
"You said you don't have anyone you like, right? Then I'll work hard so you'll like me. It's my first time liking someone as a rational adult, so I might be clumsy... but still..."
"... ."
"Will you go out with me?"
Her elf-mixed blood made her skin snow-white, but now it flushed bright red with embarrassment.
Even her ears were dyed pink.
It showed just how much courage she'd mustered to confess.
But.
"...I'm truly grateful for your feelings, but I have to decline."
"!!"
I couldn't accept her heart.
"I... see... Could I hear the reason...?"
Prelia asked with tears welling up, and I endured the ache in my chest to explain gently.
"...I hid it back then, but I like the Saintess."
"!! So it was true after all..."
Prelia gave a bittersweet smile.
Forcing the brightest expression she could, she said to me.
"Well... After spending so much time together, it'd be weirder if feelings didn't develop. You two... really suit each other. I hope you have a beautiful love."
"...I'm sorry, but that's not why I brought it up."
"What...?"
The reason I couldn't date her wasn't because I loved someone else.
"Someone like me is too lowly to date either of you."
They were heroines, and I wasn't the Hero.
"The Saintess is a holy figure called the hope the Goddess bestowed upon humanity, and Prelia is practically an archmage who even created magic to defeat an inversion twist. But I'm just a direct Holy Knight."
One of the five heroines—Ariana or Prelia—had to end up with the Hero.
Otherwise, the party would lack a support class.
Since neither had much affection for Ruin yet, I couldn't act recklessly.
"So, it would be better for you to find someone strong like the Hero, who's revered in society. My vessel is far too small to hold someone like you, Prelia."
"...So in other words."
Prelia gritted her teeth and glared at me.
"I'm too good for you, so you can't accept me?"
"Yes, that's right."
"...But what if I say I'm fine with it?"
"My conscience won't allow it."
"What about the Saintess? If she confessed?"
"Even though I love the Saintess, my conscience can suppress that love."
"...So if you like me enough that your conscience can't hold it back?"
"Does it work that way...? Well... I might not be able to hold back then-"
"Then that's settled."
Prelia suddenly threw herself into my arms.
"...Prelia?"
"I just need to make you like me enough to overcome your conscience, right?"
"Yes?"
She looked up, meeting my eyes.
"Alright. While you're here with me, I'll seduce you with everything I've got."
"What do you..."
She gazed up at me with a smile utterly different from her inverted state, and if I had to describe it...
"Get ready."
It was like a cat that had cornered a mouse.