Chapter 188 - The Protest
"Lick, lick."
"...Hm?"
A damp sensation on my face made me lift my heavy eyelids, revealing Lulu licking my sleeping face.
"Master, we're almost home."
She paused upon noticing my eyes open and informed me as such.
"...Mm."
Sure enough, as she said, the Starlight Mansion was visible through the carriage window.
"Yaaawn..."
"Lick."
As I rubbed my sleepy eyes and yawned, I tried to pet Lulu's head while she licked my ear and prepare to disembark. But...
"...Huh?"
I couldn't help but furrow my brow.
"What is it?"
The mansion was swarming with people.
"W-What's going on, Master?"
"No idea, but..."
I thought maybe the servants who'd gone out had returned, but there were several times more people gathered than that.
"...Doesn't look friendly, at any rate."
And they all wore cold expressions or angry glares.
"".........""
The animals who'd been dozing in my arms with me stirred at the ominous vibe, rising to peer sharply out the window.
Somehow, their presence felt reassuring, but it also worried me a bit. They'd expended a lot of energy earlier—were they overdoing it?
...Wait, what are these guys, anyway?
As I watched them with concern, a sudden thought furrowed my brows slightly.
I knew they weren't ordinary animals, but fine, the cat doll and canary aside—how were the owl and pigeon using magic?
I'd have to ask their owners next time I saw them.
"M-Master. The atmosphere's weird."
As I pondered and prepared to step out, Lulu grabbed my arm with an anxious look.
"...It's not like this is the first time."
"Huh?"
I gave her a casual reply and exited the carriage, drawing all the gathered people's gazes to me.
"H-Hey, kids... hold on! Just wait a sec..."
And at the front of the crowd were...
Irina, blocking the people with a flustered expression, and...
"Irina! Snap out of it! What the hell are you doing?!"
"...We're here for a legitimate protest."
Ariane, Irina's friend, looking at her with teary eyes, and Aris, the commoner representative.
"Hm."
I could roughly guess the situation.
Aris, the commoner rep, had probably rallied them to condemn me.
"...Perfect."
It was a headache of a situation on the surface, but it might actually work in my favor.
For one, Ariane over there, tearfully persuading Irina, was one of the 'sub-heroines' I'd decided to track down during this break.
She had the least screentime in the game, with scant events and backstory, but...
A sub-heroine was still a sub-heroine.
Of course, I had zero intention of pursuing her.
Just imagining Irina's reaction was terrifying, and besides, I had no real connection with her anyway.
Why did Blacktail Fantasy have so many pointless sub-heroines, anyway? Was there really some kind of 'pursuit reward' or something?
Otherwise, there was zero reason for someone like Ariane, with no ties to me, to be a sub-heroine...
Ariane[Pursuit Halted]
Details.....
"Hm."
Snapping out of my reverie at the status window, I shook my head and looked away.
"Aris, huh..."
The assassin from the Moonlight family, blackmailed by the secret young lord during the mansion raid that triggered my second trial.
She was gaining public support as the 'commoners' representative' through various activities.
Fortunately, she wasn't a sub-heroine. I'd checked the list just in case—her name wasn't there.
"Everyone, please maintain order..."
Even so, she had significant screentime despite not being a heroine.
She had little role in first year, but in second year, she gets elected student council president at Sunrise Academy for some reason.
(That reason involves the fake hero, of course. And right now, it'll be Ruby meddling.)
Anyway, as president, she naturally clashes with the dean and corrupt nobles.
And most importantly, she directly opposes me, their central figure.
That's why her role ramps up—she becomes the second-year scenario's villain.
Not that it's villainy from her perspective; stopping me makes perfect sense to her.
- F-Frey...
Lost in these thoughts as I stared blankly at the writhing crowd, Irina sent me a telepathic message while desperately holding them back.
Telepathy was one of the highest-tier spells, yet she wielded it effortlessly. Irina was impressive as always.
- W-What do we do? How should I...
Her eyes flicked to me, trembling violently.
"Ah...?"
And in that moment.
".....?"
Ariane, who'd been watching me, flinched ever so slightly and tilted her head.
It was a split-second reaction, but since I was focused on her, I caught it.
...Damn.
That confirmed my hypothesis.
Since the third trial, the sub-heroines were undergoing some kind of change.
Most developed some 'indeterminate' feelings toward me, seemingly tied to our degree of contact.
I couldn't pinpoint the details or cause since Perloché's idiot persona took over, but it wasn't good news right now.
Lulu was a special case post-conquest, but if sub-heroines felt this way, it raised the risk of my identity leaking.
So, before second year, I'd meet all the sub-heroines and nip even these change-induced emotions in the bud.
And it looked like Ariane would be the first.
...Bonus: I'd need to keep an eye on Aris next to her, too.
With that resolved, I sent a telepathic message to Irina, who'd been fidgeting anxiously toward me.
'Irina, listen up. I'm explaining the plan now.'
""........""
A brief silence followed.
"Ah?"
Having heard my full explanation in that quiet, Irina...
- F-Frey? For real? You're serious? B-But that's...
Her cheeks flushed crimson as she urgently messaged back.
- Th-Thank... Wait, is this really okay? You're not grossed out? We can do this?
"...Sigh."
She seemed seriously burdened—I felt a pang of guilt toward Irina.
Would this even work?
.
.
.
"What the hell is this nonsense?"
After finishing the telepathy with Irina, Frey scanned the surroundings with cold eyes for a long moment before speaking.
"...Tch."
Ariane ground her teeth at his words, while...
"We're protesting."
Aris replied calmly.
"Protesting?"
"Yes, a condemnation protest against you."
"...Ha."
Frey let out a hollow laugh and...
"Protesting right in front of a duke's mansion? Lost your damn minds?"
approached her with a icy expression.
- Zing!
A barrier materialized before Frey.
"It's a gathering under the Church's permission and protection."
As Frey halted and scowled, Aris stared him down and declared.
"These are all Church followers, gathered here with the Pope's approval."
"In my territory, I'm the Pope and Emperor. I could turn you all to pulp right now."
"Yes, please do. Word would spread nationwide that you slaughtered peaceful protesting Church members. Your shaky power base could use the hit."
"You wanna try me?"
"We've already staked our lives. If it gives us leverage to drag you down, we'll do anything."
Cold, chilling words flew back and forth, a murderous tension crackling between Frey and Aris.
"G-Give Irina back!!"
Ariane, who'd been listening, suddenly shrieked.
"Have you ever thought how much pain and suffering you've caused Irina, you monstrous freak?!"
Silence fell after her outburst.
- Zing...!
As Frey remained expressionless, Ariane erected opaque barriers around them, blocking the protesters' and bystanders' views.
"Urgh...!"
Clenching her fists, she tearfully approached Frey.
"...Irina, is what she said true?"
Frey glanced at her, then casually asked the Irina beside him.
"Uh, w-well..."
Irina hesitated, face flushing.
"If it's true, I'll send her to Ariane."
"...Ah."
Irina glanced at Frey's magnanimous tone, then at the shocked Ariane.
"...No, it's not."
She bowed her head deeply and replied.
"What...?"
Ariane looked stunned.
"A-Are you being threatened, Irina?!"
She rushed to Irina and demanded.
"Irina, you're safe now. My sister's in a secure location. Public opinion's shifting, the Church and Imperial family too. That thug can't act so boldly any—"
She approached the bowed Irina, but...
"Sorry, Ariane."
Irina swallowed hard, lifted her head, and said.
"But I..."
Face beet red, she turned to Frey and...
"...like Frey now."
Quietly nestled into his arms.
".......What?"
Ariane stared dumbstruck.
"Th-That can't be... No way. You, Irina?"
Cold sweat beaded on her as she spoke.
"You never even glanced at guys while studying magic. You hated romance talk. Wait, 'Frey-nim'? Why the honorific..."
"I-I can't live without Frey-nim anymore."
"Lies! Don't lie!"
Despite that, Irina clung steadfastly to Frey, gazing up at him blushingly. Ariane shrieked.
"You must be threatened! The Irina I know is a total prude who's never even held a guy's hand!"
"Um, excuse me..."
"She'd live her whole life with magic, never liking a man... Huh?"
Her shaking eyes flared as she yelled, but then...
"Irina, don't tell me that's..."
She gaped at the red soul orb Irina proffered and muttered.
"...A Blood Oath?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"F-For real? Actually...?"
Ariane murmured in disbelief.
"A B-Blood Oath... only manifests with 'true sincerity'..."
Her expression darkened as she muttered.
"I-I told you."
Irina, giving her a strange look, blushed deeper and spoke.
"...I can't live without Frey-nim."
"...What?"
"I-I've already given him my body and heart. My soul too."
"Your b-body... too...?"
"Y-You know, right? A Blood Oath's completion requires... p-purity..."
Chatting with her old friend while in Frey's arms, Irina cut off in embarrassment.
".....When?"
Frey, holding her, asked with a flustered expression. Irina buried her face in his chest and mumbled.
"Th-The purity part was a lie... Uwuu..."
"No, the Blood Oath. When did you—"
And at that moment.
- Thud
Ariane collapsed to the ground in confusion.
"F-Frey-nim."
Irina glanced at her, took a deep breath, and...
"Smack."
Kissed him.
"......Eek?!"
Ariane's cheeks flushed watching.
"Uwuu...?"
Irina had played with Frey as childhood friends, but for Ariane, who'd devoted her life to magic with zero male experience...
"Mmm..."
"...Hah."
The sight of their tongues intertwining was overwhelmingly stimulating.
"Haa... Haa..."
In the weird atmosphere, Frey pulled back with a trailing string of saliva.
"That's enough, now..."
He whispered lowly to Irina, but...
"...Hah?"
She dove back in.
"I-I need to make it... certain..."
Licking his lips, Irina...
"Lend me your hand a sec..."
".....?"
Using the precise mana control she'd learned in mana exhaustion, she guided Frey's hand between her legs.
- Swish...
"Hik!"
Irina slumped against Frey's shoulder.
"I-I love you... Frey...♡"
Her face melted as she felt his touch, gazing lovingly into his eyes, whispering.
".......Ah."
Ariane, who'd been frozen in shock, iced over completely at the scene.
"I like you... Frey... Can't live without you now..."
"I-Irina."
"Even when sleeping, I think of you so many times... Watching you sleep, so many times... N-No, that's not—"
Her switch fully flipped, Irina continued.
"I grew this puppy love so huge..."
"Ahht."
"...Take responsibility."
Breathing raggedly, she whispered her love to Frey.
"Irina, not here..."
"...Ah."
After an intense display of affection, Irina snapped to at Frey's urgent words.
"Eek...!"
She released control of his arm, shuddered violently, and...
- Thud
Collapsed to the ground.
"I-I'm sorry... Forgive me..."
Irina began begging.
"...Over there."
"Hiiik..."
Frey callously shoved her aside and approached Ariane on the ground.
"See? The Irina you knew is gone. So..."
He lifted her chin as she bowed her head, whispering, but...
"........."
For some reason, Ariane just stared blankly at Frey.
"This is too much, I can't watch...!"
Unable to bear it, Aris hurriedly stepped toward them, and...
- Whoosh...!
"...Ack!"
A flying stone struck Frey's head right then.
"E-Everyone!?"
Aris whipped around in alarm, and...
"......Didn't you say non-violent protest?"
Frey turned a terrifying glare on Aris.
"So what's this?"
Holding the now-sobbing Ariane in his arms, he sneered coldly.
"If it's a violent protest instead of non-violent... that changes everything, doesn't it?"
Aris's eyes shook violently.