Chapter 33
Chapter 33
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Affinity System (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Saintess Luciel was perfect in every way.
As if she had been blessed by the Goddess herself.
Looks, figure, abilities—she lacked nothing, but…
“Believing in the Goddess will bring you a happy life.”
“…”
Once she set her sights on a target, she never let go.
That unparalleled persistence was the only fly in the ointment.
For some reason, it reminded me of a cult.
One that used good looks as bait to recruit new members.
Well, since she was a Saintess, it wasn't likely to become an issue.
I had an instinctive aversion to religion.
Did the Goddess even exist in the first place?
Given the concept of divine power, I supposed I had to assume so.
From my perspective, though, the system window felt much closer to a deity.
Believe, and it showers you with rewards.
Even if you forget, it creates quests to give you more.
When I laid it all out, it seemed quite plausible.
“…”
Transmigrated into a game world…
It wasn't that I had no doubts about my situation.
But since I was enjoying myself, I had ignored that fact until now.
It was the same now.
There was no way for me to find out anyway.
I was content with my current reality, so I was fine with how things were.
A healthy body that could move.
A world where I could act freely.
I already had everything I needed.
My state could be summed up in one sentence:
The system window is my one true god, and the Goddess is a heretic.
I unknowingly clenched my jaw.
The moment I uttered those words, the Saintess would surely pull out her mace.
I had to avoid that, at least.
I may have gotten quite a bit stronger, but I was still just a ten-second knockout for her.
Even as these thoughts raced through my mind,
the girl’s beautiful voice continued.
The Goddess this, the Goddess that…
By now, I should have been tired of it, yet I found myself listening intently.
Agh, I’m being mesmerized against my will!
Somehow, despite my resistance to enchantment, I was gradually being drawn in.
If it had been a succubus's seduction, I would have endured it.
But Luciel, though fanatical, was utterly pure, so my abilities were no match for her.
How did Jace put up with this?
It seemed my mental fortitude wasn't quite on his level.
Or maybe he just deflected it with his exclusive skill, ‘Flawless.’
“H-Hold on…”
“—?”
“I need some time to think.”
“Of course. Take all the time you need.”
I calmly closed my eyes.
Soon, my inner delusions accelerated, and an angel and a devil modeled after Jace popped into existence.
-The Saintess is a good girl. You should try to be on friendly terms…
-To hell with the Saintess. That thing is no different from a witch!
The tiny figures growled at each other.
It was a situation where my true feelings took form and clashed.
May the best one win.
Since both were me, I simply watched.
The angel, who had been patiently reasoning with its counterpart despite the harsh insults, suddenly pulled out a mace.
Thwack! Thwack-thwack!
Blood and flesh flew everywhere, necessitating a mosaic blur.
The angel, splattered with the devil’s blood, smiled brightly.
-See? Things could turn out like this if you’re not careful.
How utterly brutal…
The thought that this might be my subconscious gave me a slight shiver.
This taught me a lesson.
It’s dangerous to go against the tide.
I wasn’t exactly scared, but I figured I should play along a little.
“…”
It was purely for the reward.
I just needed to raise her affinity.
Luciel’s traits, befitting a Saintess, were exceptionally good.
Madness (S), Clear Mind (S), Goddess’s Blessing (Ex), Stacking (Ex)…
The Ex-rank skills were beyond mention.
Even ‘Madness’ looked decent.
It seemed like it would be quite useful in a fierce battle.
I reaffirmed my decision.
Like Aruru, the Saintess was irreplaceable.
A girl I absolutely had to win over if I wanted to become the Hero.
Luciel was in the prime of her youth, but…
she only had eyes for the Goddess, so I had nothing to worry about.
Surely she wouldn't fall for me just because I showed her a little consideration?
A bit full of myself, maybe, but this body of mine was so outstanding that I couldn’t help but consider the possibility.
“First, let me ask you this. Why are you so obsessed with me?”
I had a rough idea, but…
it was best to hear the answer from her directly.
“Because you’re no ordinary person. You have enormous influence. And you’ll only become more incredible as time goes on.”
The Saintess was perfectly logical.
While wandering the city and focusing on missionary work was fine,
it was far more efficient to win over the heir of a great family.
The Crodain family’s domain was vast.
I was slated to become the family head in the future.
Her calculation was that if she turned me into a fanatic, the entire domain would come to believe in the Goddess…
Well, maybe not to that extent.
But she seemed to strongly desire my faith to become devout.
“Above all, you’re a Hero candidate. Someone who will become the Hero should naturally believe in the Goddess…”
“That doesn’t apply to me right now.”
“You’ll get it back soon enough.”
That was true.
It would be strange for the Hero not to believe in the Goddess.
“What about the others?”
“They just ignore me outright.”
That figured.
They were so focused on surviving the competition that they had no time to spare for things like faith.
Jace, being good-natured, had politely refused her.
Because of that, she must have seen a sliver of hope, which led to this pattern of her constantly approaching him.
“Alright. I’ll give it some positive consideration.”
“—!”
Was my reply that unexpected?
She was so startled that she lost her posture.
A moment later, she expressed her joy and prayed to the Goddess.
The sight of her with her eyes gently closed and hands clasped together was truly befitting of a Saintess.
“…”
Even the clothes she wore were different.
As if she had sold her uniform, she was dressed in holy vestments.
A pure white fragrance, reminiscent of lilies, wafted from her.
I can’t resist a Saintess character.
And yet, surprisingly, I was resisting.
My reaction was so faint, it was as if this body had a trait for single-minded devotion.
Hmm, isn't this a bit serious?
Even with a girlfriend, it’s normal to glance at a passing beauty.
But my feelings were no different from admiring a beautiful flower.
Could it be because my fiancée was at the next table?
I cautiously glanced over at Ceria.
Far from watching me, she was busy playing with our little one.
She really was the best.
Perhaps because she trusted me completely, she showed not the slightest hint of unease.
I subconsciously compared her to the Saintess, and she didn’t lose out in any respect.
A girl with a big heart and a gentle nature.
An active spirit, not stingy with her affection.
A beautiful soul, a great cook… should I just hurry up and marry her?
I couldn’t wait until graduation.
Dropping out would be difficult because of the family’s expectations.
Maybe I could plant bombs all over the academy and blow it up?
“I’m curious if I understood you correctly. Does this mean you’re ready to believe in the Goddess?”
“Half right, half wrong.”
“You mean it’s difficult for you right now.”
She nodded understandingly, as if she comprehended my situation.
With the competition at the Hero Academy already so fierce, my priority was to regain my strength.
“As I’ve always said, I believe you’re the one among us who is suited to be the Hero.”
Faith was important, but she had no intention of hindering my progress.
Perhaps because I was weakened, she seemed to be a bit more lenient.
“Still, you should have time to read at least one book.”
“…”
Don’t tell me this is leading to…
Given the circumstances, she was clearly about to recommend I read a holy book.
Maybe it would be worth a look?
It would be boring, but as a kind of story, some parts might be interesting.
Anyway.
If I could shake off the Saintess’s persistence with just that, I would be more than satisfied.
It wasn't a refusal, so I even gained some affinity.
51 points, 55 points, 59 points, 63 points… What is happening?
What is this? A bug?
Even a 3-point increase was a lot, but this was four times that.
Hmm, was there a lot of pent-up potential?
That seemed like a plausible guess.
It was like a dam had burst, making this a special case.
What if it really was a bug?
Before I knew it, it would surpass 90 points…
I imagined that situation for a moment.
Agh, I wouldn't just resist; I’d be conquered in a minute!
How could I possibly withstand the sight of a Saintess openly trying to seduce me?
“…”
Well, a fantasy is just a fantasy.
It was nothing more than me imagining the worst-case scenario.
In the meantime, Luciel reached into her robes.
She soon pulled out a small book and handed it to me politely.
“This is a book I’ve had since I was a child. It summarizes the important teachings.”
“—!”
For a moment, I almost cheered out loud.
A holy book touched by the Saintess’s own hands…
Its value was immeasurable.
Just putting this up for auction would probably secure our little one’s food budget for a year.
I wasn't joking.
Luciel was the idol of this world.
Having traveled all over the continent, her recognition was higher than anyone else’s.
She didn't dance or sing, but…
she gave speeches and smiled before vast crowds.
“…”
Suddenly, an idea came to mind.
Should I try starting an idol business here?
If I put our little one front and center, it might just work.
Given the lore of this world,
beastkin were in charge of being cute, so it was bound to succeed.
Everyone was already aware of the fact that beastkin were cute.
If I even produced merchandise, it would sell like hotcakes.
Becoming the richest person on the continent wouldn't be just a dream.
Well, I had to deal with the Demon King first.
Until then, there wasn't much I could do.
I absentmindedly fiddled with the holy book she had given me.
For some reason, I could feel the girl’s warmth on it.
It was a little worn, but its condition was quite good.
She might not have treasured it obsessively, but she had clearly kept it with some care.
“Hmm, I don’t know if I can accept this…”
“It’s fine. I’ve already memorized it all. I just carried it with me out of habit.”
The contents didn't matter.
The fact that it was the Saintess’s personal possession made it a super-premium item!
It might be nothing to her, but some people would be dying to get their hands on it.
“If you don’t like it, I can get you a new one.”
I quickly shook my head.
How could I disregard the girl’s sincerity?
This book would be a symbol of the connection between her and me.
I would use this opportunity to try and reach 80 affinity points.
“I’ll treasure it.”
“You don’t have to go that far… but thank you for the sentiment.”
She scratched her cheek, looking abashed.
In that brief moment, her affinity rose again.
Agh, no more!
At this point, it was getting scary!
Luciel, oblivious, simply smiled.
“If you ever run into any trouble, please come find me. I’ll help you with all my strength.”
Sorry, but you’re the most serious problem right now!
One wrong move, and my peaceful life could be over.
“Well then, I have some business to attend to…”
The girl who had given me both a gift and a sense of crisis at the same time finally departed.
I wanted to catch my breath, but the third batter, who had been waiting all along, stepped up to the plate.
“I have a question. Why am I last?”
Esterize, the Hero-disease patient.
She asked with a wide grin.
“Because I figured you’d take the longest.”
“Does that mean you’ll give me that much more of your time?”
I once again searched my memories.
Jace had a slightly deeper connection with this girl.
A friend who just happened to be female…
Or perhaps something closer to a friendly rival.
“Actually, I rushed back as soon as I heard the news about you. I’m so glad you overcame such a difficult ordeal. If you had become a wreck, I might have gotten really angry.”
She playfully raised a fist.
For a girl’s fist, it looked a little rough.
Knowing her hidden circumstances, I felt a sense of fondness for her.
Indomitable Spirit (S), Righteous Heart (S), Unbreakable Conviction (Ex), Noble Bloodline (Ex)…
Among her many traits, I focused on ‘Noble Bloodline.’
For now, she was acting as a Hero candidate while hiding her identity.
But after defeating the Demon King, she was destined to become the queen of a nation.
“I can’t forgive you for breaking your promise on your own. To make sure it never happens again…”
The princess of a kingdom destroyed by the Demon King's army.
She had a few issues, but there was no harm in being on good terms with her.
I would manage this connection, raise her affinity, and collect my reward.