Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Dungeon Conquest (5)
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The party scraped together every last jewel. The quality was a bit lacking, but the quantity was impressive. It was enough to open a large jewelry store.
There was no way we could carry something so heavy. So, we decided to store it in my inventory for the time being.
“Put it in!”
“Don’t you dare sneak any away. I’m going to check everything.”
“…”
The elf girl wore a resolute expression. For someone making a request, her attitude was quite cheeky.
Well, I was half-resigned by now. Trying to understand a scatterbrain was a fool’s errand. Separately, though, a question popped into my head.
Surely, this body of mine was an icon of trust. In the first place, my family was so loaded that I had no reason to covet others’ belongings.
Why didn’t she know something so obvious? Does she even really like me? I was starting to get confused.
“Don’t be silly… You think Jace is like you?”
“—!”
As if to ask what nonsense she was spouting, my little cutie smacked the elf girl on the butt. I’d been wanting to say something myself, so that was incredibly satisfying.
I glanced at the miserable remains of the Jewel Golem, then used a scroll. The return point was the Hero Academy. Just like in the main story, I would use this place as our base of operations.
If we based ourselves in a city, our actions would be restricted, and there would be no suitable way to train. The academy, on the other hand, was equipped with every facility we could need.
It was also an environment where we could live comfortably without worrying about prying eyes. There were students and staff, but they wouldn't bother us.
Having spent a considerable amount of time together, they had no reason to find the Hero’s party particularly novel. The most they would do is watch from a distance so as not to be a nuisance.
Above all, we needed to prepare for what was to come. The unexpected event of the Four Heavenly Kings attacking the academy.
There was a high probability that this combat event would inevitably occur. Cedric may have caused a terror incident and fled, but that was unlikely to significantly disrupt the flow of the story.
If I was right, the Four Heavenly Kings would ‘definitely’ appear before the Hero's party. For example, whether they met the previous Hero this year or the next, the Four Heavenly Kings would intervene regardless of the date.
What if we didn’t meet the previous Hero? If we didn’t stay at the academy, would the attack from the Four Heavenly Kings be averted?
Various hypotheses came to mind, but in the end, following the main story's progression was the best course of action. There was no reason to avoid it, was there? Combat events provided a handsome amount of experience and items.
Please, come and wreak havoc! I was at the point where I should be praying for it to happen.
Ultimately, making the academy our base was the best choice. If the Four Heavenly Kings attacked while we were staying in a city, it would be troublesome in many ways.
In the worst-case scenario, they might take citizens hostage. Even if they didn't, people would get caught in the crossfire. In other words, we’d be blamed even if we successfully defeated the Four Heavenly Kings.
The academy was a completely different story. There was no need to protect each and every student. Having been trained, they would know how to look after themselves.
“Everyone, get a good rest today.”
I gave the party a single day of freedom. I had no intention of interfering with whatever they did. My philosophy was that you should rest when it’s time to rest.
In the main story, the dungeon conquest parts and the daily life parts were separate. The daily life parts involved training, as well as events where the protagonist would ‘flirt’ with the heroines. A progression designed to naturally raise affection levels…
“…”
No, wait a minute… What does that mean for me? If I cross the line, even by a hair, having multiple lives wouldn’t be enough.
I couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Ceria. I loved her so sincerely that, even now, I felt terribly guilty.
Actually, the fear was greater than the guilt. After all, she was the girl who had stabbed the Four-Heavenly-Kings version of Jace.
Though I had completely twisted that fate, a sliver of fear squirmed within me like a trauma.
Betrayal meant death… In a way, she was more terrifying than the Demon King.
Of course, I was just scaring myself for no reason. Ceria had a warm heart, combining kindness and composure.
There was no way she would suddenly go dark and scream, “You two! You finally did it! Everyone just dieeeeee!”
In the first place, all I had to do was not give her a reason. It takes two to tango. As long as I conducted myself properly, a happy ending was likely.
“…”
I wanted to believe that, but a wave of anxiety washed over me. Should I call it the will of the world? An unseen, coercive force might come into play.
The Four Heavenly Kings blocking my path was an inevitability. I didn’t doubt that fact for a second. They were fated to be the stepping stones for the Hero’s growth.
The same went for the Demon King. Despite holding out for hundreds of years, he was designed to be defeated by the Hero of the era. If my abilities were lacking, it would be a bad ending, but to put it another way, if the conditions for clearing were met, a happy ending was guaranteed.
There was no way to prove it, but based on the flow of events so far, I had a strong feeling that was how it would be.
Therefore… it led to the conclusion that the girls were highly likely to make aggressive moves on me. It wasn’t something I could handle just by being careful on my own. The will of the world would intervene, creating a situation that was nigh on irresistible…
Even if the detailed process differed due to various variables, the outcome would likely be quite similar to the flow of the main story.
“…”
Was the happy ending always a harem? Something accomplished regardless of my will didn’t sit right with me.
They say marriage is hell. I didn't fully trust that saying, but any intelligent person could find some degree of reason in it.
Well, I probably wouldn’t fight with Ceria. We’d be too busy whispering sweet nothings to each other to have time to argue.
I also planned on raising the world’s cutest fox beastkin, so I could picture the three of us living together cozily.
That was the limit. The moment it went beyond that, a chaotic storm would surely be unleashed.
The princess, who would boldly demand my love.
The elf girl, who would steal my lips at every opportunity.
And the saintess, who would hold onto me late at night and greet the morning with me…
I didn’t have the confidence to endure that sweet happiness… no, that horrifying life!
It would be nice when times were good, but the difficult times would be overwhelmingly more frequent. Getting nagged from all sides would be the norm, and in severe cases, blood might be drawn.
“…”
It wouldn’t be just a catfight. At that point, they would all be awakened, so it would be beyond anything I could imagine.
And would they only snarl at each other? If we had children, they would bicker amongst themselves too.
Agh, I can only picture a bleak future! It might not be a bad ending, but it could be pretty close.
I calmly gathered my thoughts. No matter what, I had to avoid the trap of a harem.
Having Ceria as my partner was more than I deserved. A pure, devoted love that looked only at her…
The most desirable path was to pursue eternal happiness by adding my little cutie to the mix.
Yes, I’ll try to lower their affection levels starting now. It would be extremely difficult due to my inherent class, but if I put in the effort, I felt I could somehow maintain the status quo.
As my brain started spinning happy scenarios, hope began to bloom. The protagonist in the main story was unattached, which was why situations where he flirted with the heroines were frequent.
In my case, however, a fiancée already existed. To reach me, they would first have to overcome that wall. Ceria was a formidable girl, whether she knew it or not. She would serve well as a gatekeeper.
Of course, I couldn't let my guard down. Ceria was still only A-rank, so she could be broken through by a brute-force approach. Before anything else, my priority had to be raising her level to S-rank.
“Play with me!”
The fox beastkin, clinging to me as always.
“I want to use some of the jewels we just got, and I need you.”
The elf girl, trying to use me as a porter.
“How about we offer a prayer to the goddess, wishing for everything to continue going well in the future?”
And the saintess, seemingly trying to lure me to the temple with some ulterior motive.
Each of them didn't hide their desire to spend time with me. It was all too obvious that a heart-pounding, unexpected event was about to occur.
Yeah, not a chance. I wasn’t so gullible as to fall for something I saw coming. I had been too soft in my responses until now, but it was time to get tough.
“Sorry, but I already have plans…”
“Plans?”
“I’m going on a date with Ceria today.”
“—!”
That sudden declaration startled everyone. Even Ceria looked completely taken aback, not knowing what to do.
Of course, if I blatantly went on a date, it would cause discontent. It would negatively affect the party's atmosphere in one way or another. I calculated everything and smiled faintly.
“I was just kidding about the date.”
“—??”
“Actually, I’m planning to look over Ceria’s swordsmanship. I think it’s my duty as the party’s leader.”
This is a crucial time. It’s not a time to be leisurely. To defeat the Demon King's army with ease, we need to strengthen the party's combat power.
With that logic, I calmed the girls’ excitement. Perhaps because I’d given them a big shock at first, they all nodded as if they understood. But since that, too, was a form of favoritism, I added one more thing.
“If you guys need my help, I’ll help you too. I can spar with you anytime.”
I left room for them to think I would treat them fairly, but in reality, that wasn't entirely the case. Aruru and Luciel were in completely different fields, so there wasn’t much I could help them with.
The elf girl had switched her main weapon to a bow, so she needed to work hard on her own, and the princess had reached a stage where she had to become stronger by herself, without the help of others.
In the end, Ceria would end up monopolizing most of my time. I said I would look over her swordsmanship, but when it was just the two of us, romantic situations befitting a couple in love would naturally arise.
While I secretly hoped for her affectionate advances, I also intended to train her seriously. Ceria’s current position was highly unstable.
While not so much as to be a hindrance, it was an undeniable fact that her skills were inferior compared to her other comrades.
Her combat power was ambiguous for a member of the Hero’s party. She was only barely hanging on because of her status as my fiancée and Aruru taking her side.
In other words, I needed to make Ceria S-rank as quickly as possible to quell any potential controversy.
I believe in her potential. It would be difficult for her to surpass the princess and my little cutie, who were among the top-tier main characters, but she could certainly surpass the elf girl.
“Yes. I’ll work hard to live up to your expectations.”
Perhaps because she fully sensed my sincerity, the girl showed her resolve and psyched herself up.
“Alright, we need to step up too, right?”
While I took care of Ceria, Esterize looked after the other party members. The princess’s role was that of a sub-leader.
Though not to the same extent as me, she was also a Hero, so she was afforded a small measure of respect. Unlike the other girls, her demeanor was serious, likely because the weight on her shoulders was heavier than anyone else’s.
It seemed like she would eventually explode with all her pent-up emotions, but that was a problem to think about when it happened…
For now, awakening Ceria was what mattered. With her mana purified by the elixir’s influence, we would see good results soon.
***
After Jace and Ceria left, the girls cautiously sized each other up. Aruru, with her beastkin senses, detected the unusual atmosphere.
She instinctively raised her tail straight up. Presently, one of the girls slowly opened her mouth.
“Shall we… have a serious talk?”
“…Should we?”
“I’ve been waiting for this.”
“—!”
As everyone nodded, Aruru screamed internally. *Agh, these vixens are finally showing their true colors! It’s about time, but of all moments, why now!*
The girls who desperately wanted Jace’s attention. To counter Ceria’s monopoly, they might even form a secret alliance.
*That can’t happen! I like things the way they are now!*
Aruru had already thrown her lot in with Ceria and was quite satisfied with the arrangement. But now, it looked like the three girls were scheming together. She had to tell Jace about this right away…
“First…”
“Let’s grab Aruru.”
“Aruru, stay still. It’s not like you’re completely uninvolved in this, right?”
“…”
The small, slender fox beastkin was helplessly caught. Even as the strongest spirit master, she couldn’t go against the tide alone.
Since it had come to this, it seemed best to follow the principle of acting first and reporting later. *This is actually for the best. I’ll do everything in my power to sabotage them!*
A happy, peaceful life of coasting along under Jace and Ceria. Desiring that with all her heart, Aruru was prepared to spare no effort.