Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Dating Adel
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“Phew… It’s been a while since I lay on this bed.”
A few days by carriage.
After submitting the report on what we’d done, just like last time, I checked the time and saw it was already night, so I lay down on the bed with a sense of relief.
The finest bed in the imperial palace, incomparable to any other.
Honestly, it just feels ‘comfortable,’ but there’s an indescribable ease to it.
Probably because returning here after completing a mission makes me think, Finally, it’s over.
I’m thinking the same thing right now.
Anyway, I decided to lie on the bed and rest for a bit.
My shift was over, and I’d submitted all the reports on today’s work.
“...Maybe I should turn in early tonight.”
I don’t particularly like unnecessary sleep, but I had nothing else to do.
I don’t have any hobbies, so my routine is just flipping through the notes where I’ve jotted down info about this game world I’ve possessed into—one more time.
I’ve already gone through it over forty times.
Nothing new to see.
Just go to sleep already.
I’d brushed my teeth, and I’d changed into comfortable clothes ages ago, so I could just pull up the covers and crash as is.
Right as I was about to do that, someone knocked on the door.
-Knock knock knock.
“...Hm? Who’s there?”
Whenever someone knocks, it’s never good news, so now it’s more fear than curiosity.
I got into position to dodge backward if needed, then called out that it was okay to open the door.
The door opened smoothly.
I kept my guard up the whole time, and the one who opened it was…
“Oh? Sir Adel?”
“Sir Is, pardon the intrusion.”
It was Adel, whom I hadn’t seen for a while since she didn’t come with us to Illunite.
It’d been ages.
Since it was Adel, I relaxed and guided her to the sofa.
“Ahem, Sir Adel, may I ask why you’ve come to see me?”
“I’ll be direct. Sir Is, please date me—with marriage in mind.”
“Pardon?”
I must have misheard that.
My mind went completely blank, like someone had erased everything.
Suddenly? Adel? The Adel with some route difficulty? Asking me? To date? Why?
Of course, there was no way I’d know why she’d say something like that.
What choice did I have? I had to ask the person herself.
“...Sir Adel. May I ask what reason led you to say that?”
“Yes. It was an order from the First Princess.”
“From the First Princess…?”
“That’s right.”
Ah, now I get it.
I was wondering what this was about all of a sudden, but if Bellatrix Oberia, the First Princess, ordered it, that explains everything.
In the game, there’s an event that triggers when one heroine’s affection maxes out right around the point where Bellatrix’s is at a favorable level.
It’s her sending Adel to date the player.
As long as you don’t tank Adel’s affection to rock bottom, she’ll follow Bellatrix’s orders and start dating the player. Treat her well in that emotionless relationship, and her affection shoots up fast.
Bellatrix and Adel are connected in a lot of ways.
But the problem now is… why did Bellatrix send Adel to me?
“Could you tell me why the Princess ordered you, Sir Adel, to date me specifically?”
“The Princess said she’s very curious about you, Sir Is. She told me to learn more about you.”
Damn, it matches the game event and dialogue perfectly.
The event had already started, centered on me.
And I couldn’t even refuse it.
Refusing tanks Bellatrix’s affection massively.
If you reject the gem she found confessing to you, she decides you’re worthless and won’t even look at you anymore.
But I can’t date Adel either…
Sure, it’s a relationship on Bellatrix’s orders that ends after a while, but is it right for me to take on this event?
Ruin seemed to be doing better lately, after that turnaround fight with me.
...No, this won’t do.
At this point in the story, Ruin should be able to raise Bellatrix’s affection just fine.
Even if I dented it, it wouldn’t be a problem.
So, I’d refuse—
“Oh, and Princess Bellatrix also asked me to give this to you, Sir Is.”
“This is… a letter?”
Right as I was about to refuse, Adel handed me a letter.
The moment I tore open the envelope and read the contents, I lost my words.
And when I finally opened my mouth again…
“Though I’m lacking, I look forward to working with you.”
“Likewise, Sir Is.”
I had no choice but to accept.
[Sir Is, I’ve been thinking about increasing the funding for all the cathedrals in the empire. If it’s not too much trouble, would you scout them out with Adel, whom I have in mind as a bodyguard? With the demons and black mages causing chaos right now, I think the cathedrals need more support.]
It was prettily worded on the surface, but in high-society speak, it boiled down to ‘Date Adel or no funding, good luck.’
...The moment I thought of Sister Stella’s face, refusing was off the table.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next morning.
-Knock knock knock.
“Mmm…”
-Knock.
“Come iiiin…”
Someone was knocking first thing in the morning, so in my half-asleep daze, I mumbled for them to enter.
I still had two minutes before my wake-up time…
But as a holy knight, I wouldn’t give in to the temptation of sleep, so I threw off the covers and sat up.
“Hoo… Miracle-like aaaah!”
The moment I tried to spring out of bed like usual, I had no choice but to dive right back under the covers.
“Good morning, Sir Is.”
Because Adel was standing right there in lingerie? Or something like it—nearly sheer.
I didn’t have the confidence to face her in that state straight-on.
“Sir Is? Isn’t it time to get up?”
“S-Sir Adel! Could you maybe… change your outfit a bit…!”
“Outfit? Oh, this? The First Princess gave it to me to wear when visiting your room. I don’t know why she said to come in pajamas, but… it is quite comfortable.”
“I see?!”
Bellatrix…!
In the game, it wasn’t this level of intensity. Why the sudden spike?
“...Hoo! Fine. This must be another trial I have to endure.”
“Trial…?”
“It’s nothing. Could you wait a moment? I’ll change and head right out. You can’t go to the training grounds like that either, Sir Adel.”
“Why not?”
“...You don’t need to worry about it, Sir Adel.”
“?”
“Anyway! I’ll change clothes, and we’ll meet again!”
I pushed Adel out of the room and quickly changed.
What a chaotic morning.
I opened the door after getting dressed, and there was Adel—already in training gear, standing at perfect attention. No idea when or how she’d changed.
“Fast… aren’t you?”
“This is nothing. Come on, let’s go.”
She sidled up next to me as she said it.
And then—
“Ow!”
“Ah, s-sorry.”
“No, it’s fine…!”
She linked arms with me, squeezing like she’d snap it.
“I’ve never done the arm-in-arm thing before, so I was clumsy.”
“H-Haha… It’s fine, Sir Adel.”
After a few more tries, Adel finally got the strength right on the third attempt.
Probably left a bruise. I’d check when I bathed later.
Anyway, we headed to the training grounds—amicably? Arm in arm.
We were going to our usual corner when someone called out to us.
“Hey!!! Adel!! And that holy knight from back then!!”
“Hm?”
“?”
Adel and I turned our heads at the same time.
Ah.
The instant I saw who it was, I nodded involuntarily.
Lore Inferior.
Self-proclaimed rival and arch-nemesis of Adel, staring at us in disbelief.
“What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? Ha! You show up like that and ask that?”
He pointed his wooden sword between us with a venomous glare.
Probably at our linked arms.
“How dare an unmarried man and woman link arms and come here!”
“Lore, I’m dating Sir Is now.”
“How— What?! D-Dating?! You two?!”
Lore’s eyes went wide like he’d heard some monster tale.
He muttered as he looked at me.
“How’d you tame that ironclad weapon of a woman…?”
I didn’t do anything…
Lore was staring at her like she was some exotic creature, so I was wondering what to say when Adel calmly told him.
"I confessed to him."
"?!?!"
Lore plunged into even greater chaos.