Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Favorability System (1)
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Saintess Luciel.
She was a healer in the truest sense.
She didn't wait for her allies to get injured.
She was the type to eliminate the source of the damage beforehand.
Wielding all sorts of blunt weapons.
She dealt divine punishment to her opponents, backed by her divine power—of the physical variety.
*Hmm, she looks normal enough...*
A slender waist. Fair, smooth skin.
In many ways, she evoked a man's protective instincts.
She looked like she couldn't kill an ant, but the reality was completely different.
Her strikes were terrifying.
Enough to separate the flesh from a bear's bones in a single blow.
That was because she could stack enhancement spells, a privilege of the Saintess.
A monster that surpassed the limits of a human...
That might just be the true nature of Saintess Luciel.
The girl confronting her was no pushover, either.
Esterize, the patient with hero syndrome. She was always crying out for justice.
She openly declared her conviction to become the Hero, no matter what.
An unwavering gaze.
A form that blended feminine charm with boyish energy.
More valiant than anyone else.
But in truth, Esterize had not escaped her dark past.
That was why she suffered from hero syndrome.
She took it upon herself to save everyone.
And at the same time, she strove to overcome her own pain.
If I were to share my thoughts for a moment...
It seemed like a good idea for her to become the Hero.
A pure goal. A righteous heart. Even a certain justification.
And an unyielding will that would not be easily broken was also part of the package.
"Ugh, I'm getting a weird feeling..."
Aruru whined, clinging to me.
She said it felt like her presence was fading.
It was a sharp instinct, fitting for a beastkin, but it was a needless worry.
As the Hero's party mascot, she was practically a permanent cast member.
"You can relax."
"Really?"
As the continent's only S-rank Spirit User, there was no one to replace her.
In addition, her snow-white fur, like an arctic fox's, was exquisite.
Big, friendly eyes you couldn't help but fall for.
A lovely girl, even without her ears and tail.
The body of a grade-schooler, yet with the subtle charm of an adult(?)...
Our little cutie.
How far do I have to go to satisfy you?
"Ehehe, I feel better now!"
Just like this, as you can see.
Sometimes, you had to humor your pet.
The key was to diligently interact with her, even if it was a hassle.
I finished my thoughts and returned to reality.
As the two girls faced off, the elf lass hesitated alone.
"W-Wait! I don't want to fight..."
Although she had kidnapped me, she was one of the more normal ones.
She was appalled by the madness of trying to resolve a disagreement with a sudden duel.
To define them, for now.
Luciel and Esterize weren't bad kids.
They just had a strong tendency to push their beliefs forward...
"Oh? Are you trying to reap the rewards of our conflict?"
"I can't just stand by and watch that happen."
"Should we take care of her first?"
"I agree."
"—!"
Correction. I'm not so sure myself.
They seem a little evil, perhaps?
This was the first time I'd seen them in person, so I couldn't be certain.
Perhaps feeling suddenly threatened.
Ilensia looked at me, sending a desperate plea for help with her eyes.
"..."
I had no intention of getting involved.
But she was still a girl, so I couldn't just turn a blind eye.
Well, I guess it's about time I stepped in.
I'll try to act naturally, like Jace would.
Analyzing the memories that sometimes surfaced, I realized I held the initiative.
"It seems you all have business with me."
They all nodded in unison.
Their immediate response gave me a boost of confidence.
"Then may I decide the order?"
"..."
After a moment of gauging each other, they agreed one by one.
I turned wordlessly, as if telling them to follow. And they quietly followed behind me.
Huh, so this works?
This body's dignity even worked on the Hero candidates.
I could only hope this trend would last for a long time.
* * *
A café was a suitable place for a conversation.
I sat there, facing the three girls.
"..."
What is this feeling?
The atmosphere wasn't exactly friendly, but the setup wasn't unlike a group date.
Of course, this was no situation to get into that kind of mood.
Because Ceria was at the next table.
While holding Aruru and feeding her, she stared intently at me.
The close surveillance of my fiancée...
Not even the slightest misstep would be tolerated.
Well, it seemed she'd followed not because she didn't trust her lover, but simply out of curiosity.
There probably wouldn't be any trouble.
I was just planning to chat with them a bit and send them on their way.
"First, Ilensia. You can speak."
"W-Well..."
"It's about the spirit, isn't it?"
"Yes. You shouldn't have any affinity for spirits, so how..."
"It just happened."
"—??"
"I tried, and it worked."
"—!!"
I put on a brazen face.
I couldn't very well say I got it from a random box, could I?
In any case, it was something impossible by common sense.
Aruru had let it slide, but the elf lass couldn't seem to accept it.
"Ugh..."
She looked like she wanted to argue.
But perhaps because I was acting so shamelessly, she could only move her lips.
"Is that all you wanted to discuss?"
"No. The main point starts now."
Her nose shot up high.
She suddenly changed her attitude, as if telling me to forget her dazed expression.
"So, you've become a Spirit Swordsman now, too."
The number of Spirit Users is extremely small.
Let alone someone who could wield both a spirit and a sword simultaneously; they were practically nonexistent.
It might be normal for elves.
But at the Hero Academy, Ilensia was the only one.
"And?"
"If you wish, I shall personally bestow my teachings upon you."
*What are you doing? You should be bowing down to me!*
*You'd better stay on my good side from now on.*
She began to show off with that kind of attitude.
Yeah, not a chance.
It wasn't that I didn't want to learn, but definitely not like this.
I had already figured out how to handle her.
If I insisted on 'No,' she would grow anxious and self-destruct.
"I have no particular intention of doing so."
"What? Why?"
"I just happened to acquire a spirit. It's not like I have nothing to do. I'm too busy to pay it any mind..."
"That's ridiculous! You know how efficient spirits are, don't you?"
The convenience of spirits was undeniable.
Once summoned, they could be maintained for a long time at little cost.
I knew all that but pretended to be difficult anyway.
At that, our elf lass launched into a fiery speech.
"No, how can you say that after watching me all this time?"
Jace's memories surfaced naturally.
The sight of the elf elegantly performing her spirit swordsmanship was a true work of art.
So much so that my current self couldn't even compare.
She painted magnificent pictures with massive flames and fierce winds.
But so what?
She was competing for last place among the Hero candidates.
It was stylish, but somehow weak.
Spirit swordsmanship itself was fine, so maybe this elf lass was the problem?
"Hey! What's with that look? Are you looking down on me?"
"Of course not. You must be imagining things."
"Hmph..."
"In any case, I'm not really interested."
She glared fiercely, as if I were incredibly detestable.
Not to be outdone, I held my head high.
*You want to teach me that badly?*
*My refusal is driving you crazy, isn't it?*
*If you bow your head sincerely, I'll think about it.*
I stared at her, conveying that feeling with my eyes.
She seemed to get the message, biting her lip in frustration.
"I'll teach you with no strings attached. Is that good enough?"
She said it firmly, as if she could concede no further.
For some reason, it felt like she would burst into tears if I refused even that.
Hmm, maybe I should pretend to give in and accept.
Just as I was thinking that, a system window opened.
[Sub Quest]
[Target: The 10 Hero Candidates]
[Objective: Achieve 80 Favorability]
[Reward: Randomly acquire a trait from the target individual]
[※ Exceeding 90 points will turn favor into love]
"..."
Once again, my head went blank.
I downed my coffee and barely managed to collect myself.
*Right, this kind of thing existed...*
The Favorability System.
The format had changed a bit, but it was more or less understandable.
If you built up enough favorability.
You'd get a chance to recruit them as companions later, when you became the Hero.
Was the limit five people?
Well, with reality adjustments, it probably wouldn't be that strict here.
In any case, it wasn't bad.
It was just a sub quest, not something I was forced to do...
No, wait a minute.
Isn't the reward too tempting?
-Randomly acquire a trait from the target individual.
An incredible reward. At this point, it was practically a demand.
The word 'random' was a bit concerning, but it probably didn't matter much.
After all, the targets were the Hero candidates.
Any trait possessed by an S-rank would be good.
At worst, I'd get an A-rank skill.
If I was lucky, I might even acquire a unique passive.
An EX-rank skill you couldn't get with one million, or even ten million, achievement points.
Wow, how could I resist that?
I'd go through hell and high water to take on this challenge.
However, the last line bothered me a bit.
-Exceeding 90 points will turn favor into love.
"..."
It wasn't completely out of the blue.
It's natural to start liking someone as your favorability with them increases.
I'd have to exclude the male students first.
I had no choice; I was afraid of the... repercussions(?).
No matter how much I coveted the reward, how could I endure that horror?
In fact, the female students were just as dangerous.
As a man who was already taken, I'd be risking my life.
If the favorability got too high, hell would break loose.
Ignoring the cold sweat trickling down the back of my neck.
I cautiously looked at our little cutie.
[Favorability: 78 points]
Huh? Why is her favorability only that high?
I had been secretly expecting... no, worrying, that it might have already surpassed 90.
Well, 78 points was practically the maximum.
If I maintained our current relationship, the reward was guaranteed.
Listing Aruru's traits...
Glutton (S), Cuteness (EX), Super Strength (S), Spirit Arts (EX)...
"..."
This isn't going to be easy.
The ranks were all high, but there were some strange things mixed in.
This wasn't a guaranteed win, then?
If I got unlucky, this body's entire concept could be ruined.
It wasn't a skill, but Jace's dignity was nearly S-rank.
I tried to shake off the unsettling feeling.
If the system had any conscience, it would give me a combat-related trait.
First, I had to appease the furious elf lass...
"I'll come find you later."
"Does that mean..."
"It means I accept your offer."
"You should have said so sooner."
Her expression softened in an instant.
She might have been corrupted by her time in the human world, but she was still an elf, and her smile was beautiful.
"May I ask why you changed your mind?"
"Because I'd feel bad for unilaterally receiving a favor."
"Ah, that's the kind of person you are. I understand."
She rejoiced in relief, as if a misunderstanding had been cleared up.
In proportion, her favorability rose slightly.
55 points, 56 points, 57 points...
As expected, Aruru's was abnormally high.
To hit 80 points, I'd have to keep being friendly with her.
Ilensia's traits were roughly as follows.
Airhead (S), Spirit Arts (S), Charm (S), Archery (S)...
There was another strange one mixed in, but overall, it wasn't bad.
"I'll be waiting for you then. Well..."
Satisfied at having achieved her goal, she stood up.
It seemed like she was about to leave, but then she took a seat at a nearby empty table.
From the way she was looking at me, she seemed curious about what would happen next.
I just let it be.
Ilensia was just the appetizer; the main course was about to begin.
Next up was Saintess Luciel.
Her voice was as remarkable as her beautiful appearance.
Her delicate, clear tone was like hearing the call of a goddess.
However.
If you listened closely to what she was saying, your head would start to spin.
"I heard your dantian was destroyed, so it's a great relief to see you're all right."
She had been active off-campus.
So she hadn't seen the scoundrel version of Jace.
She looked genuinely worried, but I couldn't let my guard down.
"The goddess must have been watching over you. That's surely why you recovered."
"—??"
"Naturally, you ought to repay her for it. Now, how about you join me in feeling the joy of faith?"
*Just trust your big sis and follow me.*
*I'll back you up with everything I've got!*
With that kind of feeling, the Saintess whispered like a devil.
Hey, why is that the goddess's grace?
I worked my ass off to overcome it!
A girl who firmly believed that everything was the goddess's will.
As you can see, this opponent was an extremely difficult foe.