Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Protagonist's Identity?
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Ceria was long gone.
But even after all this time, my face was still burning.
“…”
Seriously, why was she so forward?
I almost lost my composure.
The girl's soft touch.
Her delicate breath against the nape of my neck.
And her tender voice, whispering right in my ear.
God, I was dying…
The stimulation was so intense I thought I'd go crazy.
She looked so perfectly prim and proper.
The very image of a model student.
But once she got going, there was no stopping her.
I had a rough idea from Jace's memories.
But the difference between that and the real thing was on another level.
So this is…
The destructive power of a childhood friend of ten years?
I shuddered at how terrifying it was.
“…”
I'd probably have to keep putting up with this.
If you can't avoid it, you might as well enjoy it.
Next time, I'll have to respond (?) with confidence.
Ah, right. This wasn't the time for this…
I needed to make the sensation of manifesting Sword Ki my own.
As always, I sank into meditation.
Because Ceria's image kept flickering in my mind.
I struggled with worldly desires—or something like them—but managed to overcome it somehow.
Before I knew it.
The one-month period was almost over.
* * *
After much time and effort.
I could finally control Sword Ki at will.
However, the duration was extremely short.
Because it devoured an insane amount of mana.
Well, time would solve that problem.
My mana was still gathering rapidly, after all.
[Sub Quest Complete]
[Reward: +400 Achievement Points]
A quota of one hundred repetitions each.
It was incredibly tough at first, but now it felt awkward to skip them.
Like clearing a daily quest?
It was about that level, so it wasn't much of a burden.
Now that my workout was done, it was time to swing my sword.
Just as I settled into my stance and repeated the motion about fifty times.
I sighed and glanced in a certain direction.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
The villainess with cat-like features.
Chloe had been watching me for a while now.
She wouldn't have come here without a reason.
She must have brought some meaningful information.
“I didn't want to interrupt.”
She began.
Then she approached me amicably, as if wagging her tail.
The gentle smile in her eyes was very much like a fox's.
The word 'sly' fit her perfectly.
It was a good thing I knew her true nature; otherwise, I might have been completely taken in.
Besides, I was already spoken for.
A girl who perfectly embodied the phrase 'pure and lovely'.
The charm of seeming gentle but becoming aggressive depending on the situation.
No matter how hard Chloe tried, she was a long way from catching up to Ceria.
“First, I suppose you could call it good news.”
“Good news?”
“Yes. Your image, which had hit rock bottom, has recovered a bit.”
A system that encourages competition.
A society where strength is valued above all else.
That's why the atmosphere at the Hero Academy was somewhat violent.
To exaggerate a little, you could just be walking down the street…
[PoXmon Trainer Red has challenged you to a battle!]
Fights broke out frequently, kind of like that.
Accidents, big and small, happened just as often.
It reached a point where the ratio of problem children was higher than that of normal ones.
Anyway, to a degree that made all that seem like child's play.
Jace's hooliganism had crossed the line by a long shot.
The reputation he had built as a nobleman's son was completely overturned.
But for some reason, she said my image had improved a bit.
Why, though? I've just been training in the forest.
“You took care of those delinquents, didn't you? When the Student Council punished them, that fact came to light… You see how it went, right?”
I think I got it.
By beating the crap out of the delinquents who once followed him.
It was a form of cleaning up his own mess, which could be interpreted as him having come to his senses.
Hmm, so that's how it turned out?
In truth, I only fought because it was an unavoidable situation.
I just stomped on them because I didn't like them, and it came back to me in an unexpected way.
No, wait a minute…
My reputation changing just because of that is too much.
Didn't someone steer the narrative in that direction?
Ceria couldn't have done it.
To secretly dispatch people and carry out something covertly.
One would need to be born cunning, and she was far from that.
Then who could it be?
I didn't think too hard about it.
Just then, the person who fit the criteria was right in front of me.
A girl well-versed in information who skillfully manipulates people's psychology.
“You must have intervened.”
A strange light flickered in Chloe's eyes.
She shrugged, as if she had no intention of denying it.
“There's no need to thank me. Well, if you insist…”
“You shouldn't have.”
“What?”
“I was confident I could overcome it without your help.”
In reality, I couldn't be more grateful.
If I followed my heart, I would have wanted to pat her on the head.
But.
I had to maintain my bluff in front of her.
The more impressive she found me, the less likely she'd be to cut me loose.
The moment she felt even a hint of disappointment, she would bare her fangs.
“I had a feeling, and I was right. Well, that's who you've always been.”
Confident, no matter where.
The dignity of a nobleman who pursues only the righteous path.
She nodded as if recalling that very point.
“Anyway, it's not time to relax just yet.”
“Are they targeting me from up there…?”
“That seems highly likely, doesn't it?”
The ten powerhouses who reigned as the strongest in the academy.
Their strength was overwhelmingly superior, and for good reason.
They were player characters.
The so-called protagonists of this world.
Jace was skilled enough to join their ranks.
But he ended up taking a grand position in the Demon King's Army.
“…”
The memories that came to mind were hazy.
But I could grasp the key points.
Those ten were all Hero candidates.
The story truly begins when the player chooses one of them.
Defeating all rivals, getting caught up in various events, and so on.
After some time passes, the Demon King's Army launches its offensive.
Around that time, the protagonist is reborn as the true Hero.
Depending on how you managed your affinity with them.
There was a system to recruit some of the rivals as companions.
Here's the problem.
Who is the protagonist now?
Unfortunately, there's no way to know.
Any of them could be the protagonist, or none of them could.
Since I know the general flow of events.
If I were to support one of them, would that person become the Hero?
Well, whoever it is, I hope they do a good job of defeating the Demon King.
As a powerless newbie, I'll just kick back and reap the benefits from the rear.
Like I said before, as long as they get rid of one of the Four Heavenly Kings for me, that's good enough, right?
Of course, the empty spot will be filled by someone new, but that's none of my business.
“Some might try to persuade you, some might threaten you, and some… might even try to bury you forever.”
All traces of a smile gone.
Chloe wore a serious expression.
Indeed, it was an accurate analysis.
It seemed she had a keen understanding of the Hero candidates' personalities.
I had been worrying about the same thing, so I narrowed my eyes.
“If they get involved directly, even I have no way to stop them…”
“It doesn't matter. I may be outmatched in strength, but my will won't be broken.”
If, by some chance, they mess with me.
I'll make them pay the price for underestimating me.
This time, it wasn't a bluff; I truly showed my resolve.
“Wow…”
Was it because she was impressed by my display?
The girl's eyes turned hazy.
*Aah, don't fall for me. I can't take responsibility for you too!*
Well, it was just a passing thought.
Unlike her appearance, her true nature was that of a cold-blooded villainess.
The reaction she was showing now was probably just a well-crafted act.
I felt like I was sinking deeper into a swamp.
But in my current situation, I had no other choice.
‘More than anything, I need information.’
I only knew the general flow of events.
And even that might change in the future.
Because my very existence is a variable.
No matter how quietly I try to live.
This body's presence won't fade away so easily.
Due to its nature, factional strife was common at the Hero Academy.
More than half of the Hero candidates led their own factions.
In a desperate bid to survive.
The main cause was students trying to align themselves with the strong.
-Join my faction.
-I'll make sure you're treated well.
Offers would probably come in like that.
They would surely add that I'd regret it if I refused.
Back in Jace's prime, he was their equal.
So it would have been nothing but ridiculous nonsense, but the situation was different now.
“…”
A sigh escaped me.
Seriously, what is this nonsense in a sacred place of learning?
Unlike a game, reality isn't fun at all!
Anyway.
Predicting the future was nearly impossible.
There was a limit to improvisation, so I couldn't rely on that.
Whatever it was, I had to grasp the situation beforehand.
I'd have to use my head to respond if I wanted to survive.
In other words, information was life.
I gazed at Chloe.
The only way to get a steady stream of information was to bring her to my side.
“Come to think of it, this will be difficult alone.”
I muttered, subtly setting the mood.
At that, she seized the opportunity, her face brightening as she leaned in.
“You mean you need someone to rely on, right?”
“Well, maybe…”
“I'd like you to be clear.”
“Alright. I need you.”
“---!!”
She flinched and took a step back.
Blushing as if she'd just received a confession.
The whole sequence was so natural that even I was almost fooled.
Her acting is top-notch.
Countless male students must have fallen for that trick.
“Then I'll be counting on you from now on.”
With that, I finished speaking and turned away.
What were the chances she would betray me?
For now, there was no way to know.
The best I could do was to show no weaknesses.
* * *
Chloe slowly calmed her beating heart.
Even though some time had passed, the trembling remained.
“Ahh, this is a bit problematic…”
Many people misunderstood.
But Chloe was just a girl, no different from anyone else.
In other words, she had the right to love a man.
There was nothing strange about her falling for Jace, but…
“I hate unrequited love.”
It felt like she was losing out big time.
Her calculating nature made it bother her constantly.
She had tried to get closer whenever she had the chance.
But Jace's attitude hadn't changed much.
There were many possible reasons.
First, he was focused on regaining the power of his prime, so he was relatively uninterested in other things.
‘And it seems he still doesn't fully trust me…’
The existence of his fiancée couldn't be ignored either.
The expression 'a total mess' wasn't enough to describe the situation.
Nevertheless, the girl did not despair.
Things aren't fun if they're too easy. This was just right.
Yes, let's wait.
An opportunity would surely come.
Even though Jace had grown weaker, he was still confident.
Seeing that confident demeanor gave Chloe certainty.
It would just take some time, but he would rise to become a Hero candidate, just like before.
“…”
For a moment, a flame flickered in the girl's eyes.
Among the Hero candidates was someone connected to her.
“Cedric Venice…”
That wretched bastard deserved to die.
At the very least, she felt she'd only be satisfied if he were crippled.
She didn't have the ability to do it herself.
But she wanted to make it happen, even if it meant borrowing someone else's power.
What if she asked Jace when he regained his strength?
‘If he takes care of Cedric for me…’
She was prepared to offer him her body and soul.
The girl thought of Jace and muttered softly.
Just let me use you this one time.
In return, I'll give you my all.
Even then, her habit of calculating kicked in.
After a thorough review, it didn't seem like a losing deal.