Chapter 19
Chapter 19
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Heart-Pounding Random Box! (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I had achieved an 11-win streak in the placement matches.
That alone earned me 110,000 points.
[Achievement Unlocked: Overwhelming Victory]
[Reward: Achievement Score +10,000]
Including all the minor rewards, I had gathered quite a bit.
My rank, which had been 666th, had already climbed to 477th.
It seemed to be going smoothly, but the reality was different.
The point dispensers had all vanished like rats.
“…”
I hesitated to go poking around their little holes, mindful of my own reputation.
I should refrain from undignified behavior as much as possible.
The aura of a nobleman was, in itself, useful in many ways.
Also.
There was the problem of a cooldown period before I could shake down the same targets again.
In other words, hunting would only get easier next month.
Wanting to use my time efficiently, I dedicated myself to training.
Around the middle of the month.
Chloe showed up unexpectedly, her expression quite tense.
“We’re in trouble!”
“Trouble?”
“Yes. A few days ago, Gale and Cedric met in secret. I almost missed it.”
Gale and Cedric.
Two proud and insidious fellows had met.
Just as I’d feared, the most worrisome combination had been born.
Gale was an S-rank mage who wielded powerful fire magic.
If we fought right now, I was confident I’d be roasted to a crisp in ten seconds flat.
Cedric was a magic swordsman who combined A+ swordsmanship with A+ magic.
His use of both sword and magic made him an incredibly tricky opponent.
According to the academy’s rules, they wouldn't get involved directly.
But since they each commanded a considerable number of A-rank subordinates, they posed a major threat.
“You’ll have to be especially careful from now on.”
This wasn’t just simple worry.
I could sense a strange desperation in her.
As if she believed the world would end if something happened to me…
Huh? What’s with her all of a sudden?
I thought our relationship was pretty casual.
Just a transactional one where we fulfilled each other’s needs.
Was she worried she wouldn't get a return on her investment?
A certain fact suddenly came to mind.
Chloe Venice, Cedric Venice…
As their surnames suggested, they were siblings.
Cedric was likely the legitimate heir, and Chloe the illegitimate daughter.
Though they were half-siblings.
Blood is thicker than water, as they were both the insidious type.
“Right, Cedric is your brother…”
“—!”
I had only said it offhandedly to confirm.
But she jumped as if I’d uncovered the secret of a lifetime.
“D-Don’t tell me… you don’t suspect me, do you?”
“…”
So that’s what this was about. She was jumping to conclusions.
It was no different from a guilty conscience needing no accuser.
Having lived her life using others, she was preemptively afraid.
“Please, believe me!”
She pleaded her innocence, looking as if she were on the verge of tears.
Well, I mean…
There was nothing to believe or not believe.
Everyone at the academy knew their relationship as siblings was a poor one.
Moreover, I knew ‘that hidden circumstance.’
The depravity of Cedric, who had tried to do something unspeakable to his half-sister.
That’s precisely why I trusted her.
Anyone else might be questionable, but as long as Cedric was involved, she would unconditionally be on my side.
“Now, calm down…”
“How can I possibly be calm right now?”
“…”
“You have no idea how much I despise that man!”
On the contrary, the problem was that I knew all too well.
It was frustrating that I couldn’t reveal that fact.
How should I put this?
As I pondered for a moment, my hesitation seemed to fuel her anxiety, and her agitation reached its peak.
“You’re all I have. I’ve bet everything on you!”
Her intensity was enough to corner a lion…
I was steadily pushed back by her imposing presence.
Was it because I was so flustered?
As I stumbled backward, my foot slipped.
Chloe instinctively reached out her hand.
I, too, reflexively grabbed her wrist.
The result.
I ended up falling backward, pulling Chloe down with me.
To be more precise.
She ended up in a position where she was pinning me down…
“…”
“…”
After a moment to process the situation.
“—!”
“—!”
We were both horrified upon realizing the scandalous predicament.
Now was the time to scramble apart, but the girl’s expression changed in an instant.
*This is my chance.*
*A golden opportunity that comes once in a lifetime!*
Her eyes glinted sharply with that thought.
“It just so happens that no one is around…”
“—??”
Uttering a meaningful line, she began to properly adjust her posture.
Complete contact.
The girl's weight pressed down on my body.
There was no way to escape, no matter what I tried.
“—!”
She gave me a bewitching smile.
She even licked her lips, as if a grand feast had been laid out before her.
I screamed internally.
*St-Stop! I’m a taken man!*
“I wonder why you’re not resisting. I’m very curious about the reason.”
“…”
I was a B-rank at 477th place.
She was an A-rank in the top 50.
Meaning she was far stronger than me.
Resisting would only make me look pathetic.
That’s why I was enduring it, not because I had any strange ideas. Definitely not! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
“Alright. I’ll take this opportunity to prove my innocence.”
Her voice was like dripping honey.
She gave a slight eye-smile as she gently caressed my chest.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I had a strong premonition that I was about to be devoured.
Someone, please stop this foxy girl!
Perhaps my desperate wish reached the heavens.
The owner of the training hall, Aruru, returned at just the right moment.
She had a refreshed expression, as if she’d just relieved herself.
And then.
Her eyes widened as she took in the scene before her.
“—??”
She froze.
Even her gently swaying tail stopped moving.
She stared at us intently, her gaze demanding an explanation.
I mean, what more could I say here?
The circumstances were so obvious they could be understood at a glance.
Our little cutie, a beat too late, seemed to have understood everything as she muttered.
“Oh, it’s that. I was curious about it, actually.”
“—??”
“I’m just a passing fox, so don’t mind me and carry on.”
A trait of beastkin.
Being half-animal, their views on sex were quite open.
She showed her interest, as if claiming she was curious about human activities.
Bright and sparkling.
The curious girl’s eyes were utterly innocent.
And that’s what was driving me crazy!
Being overpowered by one girl was embarrassing enough, but now another girl was watching.
Huh? What is this humiliation play?
This was far beyond the limits of what I could endure.
“…”
The only silver lining was that Chloe had stopped moving.
She seemed at a loss since Aruru’s appearance.
Yes, now’s my chance.
I roughly grabbed the girl’s wrist.
Startled by the force, she flinched and pulled her upper body back.
“Chloe.”
“…”
“I understand how you feel, but that was still an unnecessary act.”
“I, I was… that is…”
Finally seeming to regain her senses.
She couldn’t continue her words, looking flustered.
“I trusted you from the beginning.”
“Is… is that really true?”
“What kind of person am I?”
“…”
“Once I trust someone, I trust them to the end. That is Jace Crodain.”
“—!”
Shock and awe.
She trembled as if she’d been electrocuted.
Our bodies were pressed tightly together.
I could feel the girl’s emotions vividly through my own body.
Ah, I almost reacted.
The position was so blatant that I couldn't help it.
I silently scolded my own body.
*Hey, you were supposed to be devoted, weren’t you? That’s not right!*
While I was inwardly breaking out in a cold sweat.
Chloe finally, slowly, pushed herself up.
“I seem to have been rude without realizing it. I’ll restrain myself for a while… so please forget what happened.”
“…”
Her face was only slightly flushed.
As if nothing had happened, she turned and walked out.
Somehow, I had overcome the crisis.
I could finally breathe properly again.
No, wait a minute…
What did she mean by ‘for a while’? Was she implying she’d do it again?
I was confused whether she truly had ulterior motives for me or not.
If it was an impulsive act, that would be a relief, but if she was serious, I was out of options.
Given her calculating nature.
Perhaps her goal was to completely bewitch me.
She was truly masterful.
A girl who didn't allow for even a moment of carelessness.
I had experienced Chloe's frightening side with my entire body.
Well, now that I’d been through it once, I should be able to handle it properly next time.
Just as I was comforting myself that I’d held up well enough, Aruru trotted over.
“That was totally amazing!”
“What was?”
“You overcame your instincts. Even though you’re a young male full of vigor.”
“…”
What is this kid saying now?
I stared at her for a moment before pulling her into a tight hug.
“Aah, I’m not mentally prepared yet…”
“You’re for healing.”
“—??”
A soft, fluffy doll.
There was nothing better for calming a chaotic heart.
As expected, it was remarkably effective.
The pure heart of a boy, toyed with by a seductive girl, was being healed.
“Can I tell Ceria about this? I’m curious about her reaction.”
Our little cutie.
You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Do you need your meal ticket cut off to come to your senses?
“I-I didn’t see anything! I swear!”
As if begging for forgiveness just this once.
She offered me her tail fur, which she took great pride in.
Its supreme fluffiness was beyond description.
There was a reason fox scarves existed, after all.
She was the perfect size to fit snugly in my arms.
Like a master and his pet, we rolled around and played together happily.
* * *
“Hah, hah…”
Chloe gasped for breath.
Why on earth had she done such a thing?
The moment Cedric was mentioned, her emotions had flared, and she had lost her reason.
Somehow, their bodies had ended up pressed together.
She had seen that coincidence as an opportunity and made a bold move.
“…”
The memory was still vivid.
She felt so embarrassed she could die.
It was a good thing Aruru had walked in; otherwise, she would have made a fool of herself.
Anything beyond that was uncharted territory.
She would have undoubtedly lost her composure and fumbled around.
As time passed, her excitement gradually subsided.
Chloe meticulously analyzed the incident.
One gain and one loss.
First, her brazen forwardness was a clear mistake.
Given Jace’s character, he was unlikely to be fond of that type of woman.
*That’s not who I am.*
*I’ve never done anything like this before.*
The thought that Jace might find her strange left a bitter taste in her mouth.
If it hadn’t been a calculated move.
She should have restrained herself from such impulsive actions.
Chloe let out a long sigh, then a faint smile touched her lips.
“Still, he didn’t push me away.”
If he had really disliked it, he would have pushed her off.
He had looked stern, but he hadn't offered any real resistance.
For someone with a fiancée, he was remarkably passive…
Of course, being a gentleman, he might have been careful out of consideration for a lady.
Thinking positively, there was a chance.
Just glimpsing that hope was satisfying enough.
Also.
She had heard the words she most wanted to hear.
—*I trusted you from the beginning.*
—*Once I trust someone, I trust them to the end. That is Jace Crodain.*
It made her feel foolish for ever worrying.
Jace had said it with such unwavering confidence.
How could a person be so upright?
She felt ashamed for ever thinking he might doubt her.
A life where she couldn't even trust her own family, let alone others.
Now, she finally had someone she could trust without reservation.
Her heart grew warmer and warmer.
The girl wanted to convey her feelings, but.
Now was a complicated time in many ways, so it wasn’t appropriate.
“I have to solve the immediate problem first…”
Chloe coolly looked to the future.
Before long, Cedric’s insidious hand would surely reach for Jace.
Even if she did nothing, they were bound to clash.
She had only one choice.
To help Jace with all her might.
She could only hope that everything would turn out well.
* * *
I deliberated carefully.
It felt as if I were standing at a crossroads in my life.
[☆Heart-Pounding Random Box☆]
[Beginner’s Special. 1,000 points per try.]
[This is your only chance. 100/100 remaining. Time left: 2:57:44]
“…”
The text unsettled my heart.
*This thing just gives stuff away, so I can trust it, right?*
In the end, as if succumbing to the devil’s temptation, I reached out my hand…