Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Favorability System (3)
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“Breaking your promise on your own terms is unforgivable. Make sure it doesn't happen again...”
The girl mentioned our promise.
That if one of us became the Hero, the other would become their companion.
This, too, was a consequence of Jace's past actions.
But it was what I wanted as well, so I didn't mind.
Suddenly, the ideal composition for the Hero's party came to mind.
My dear cutie and the Saintess were irreplaceable assets.
Esterize's position overlapped with mine, but having two of us would be fine.
The elf girl wasn't essential, but she was worth including to meet the racial quota.
“...”
Hmm, why does it seem like it's composed entirely of girls?
It wasn't because of any ulterior motives; it was simply the best option.
Cedric and Gale had already crossed a bridge too far.
The rest of the guys were too unpredictable because of their damned pride.
If I had to add someone.
I could put Erich, with all his fancy gear, in the tank position.
Or maybe assign Skadi to the area-of-effect dealer role.
Anyway.
That was all assuming I was the one who became the Hero.
There were still ten candidates in the running.
And among them, the girl before me was the most likely.
“This time, I ran into monster forces under the Demon King's Army...”
As if I were the only one who would listen.
She proudly recounted her heroic deeds.
The situation in her ruined kingdom was roughly this:
Half the country had been scorched to the ground, and all its infrastructure was destroyed.
The survivors were trying to rebuild the kingdom.
They were working their fingers to the bone in the less damaged territories.
As the sole survivor of the royal family, Esterize...
...was rallying everyone while sharpening her blade for revenge.
“In the end, I saved a lot of people. It was a difficult process, but the sense of accomplishment was more than worth it.”
The girl was already acting like a true Hero.
Just looking at her, it was clear her mindset was on another level.
I was just some guy who'd been randomly possessed; I lacked that kind of desperate resolve.
What should I do?
I kind of just want to support her...
But on second thought, it all amounted to the same thing.
Regardless of who became the Hero.
We were scheduled to hold hands and charge the Demon King's castle together...
“Do you remember? We promised to fight a real battle together next time.”
What? We even made a promise like that?
The Demon King's Army's second invasion was still some time away.
But small-scale battles were still breaking out here and there.
In any case, I wasn't thrilled about it.
It felt far too soon.
So, can't we just pretend it never happened?
“Well, I guess it'll be difficult for a while.”
She added that I should take care of myself.
Then she let out a deep sigh, looking incredibly disappointed.
She might have changed in her quest to become the Hero, but thankfully, she still had common sense.
By the way...
Why is her favorability so high?
The initial value is a whopping 70 points.
It feels like it would hit 80 if I just played along a little.
Even considering we were close, it felt unsettling.
Weren't you a princess?
The reason for someone like you to take notice of someone like me... oh, wait, there is one.
As the heir to a great family, Jace's standing was incredibly high.
It wouldn't be strange for him to be on casual terms with royalty his age.
It was a fact I knew intellectually, but it hadn't quite sunk in.
This body's dignity was truly top-class.
There was more than enough reason for me to be the princess's type.
Of course, there was no need to worry.
Her paramount task was the reconstruction of her kingdom, so she had no room for things like falling in love...
“Oh, right. How are things going with your girlfriend?”
“—!”
She came at me with a sudden jab.
Why a question like that? Her intentions are highly suspect.
“Hey, don't look so serious. I was just asking, like checking in.”
“...”
Hmm, right, this is how she's always been.
She had a boyish, easygoing side to her.
Her personality had changed that way to overcome despair.
“The S-rank league is about to start, and you're the only one who had to drop out.”
She said she'd been looking forward to competing in the tournament.
It seemed she saw me as her only rival, as if the other Hero candidates didn't even register.
“How long do you think it will take to fully recover your strength?”
“Well, to be safe, probably around the middle of next year...”
“That's still a while away. Though it's fast, considering your dantian was destroyed.”
In any case, she smiled, saying she was relieved.
I gazed at Esterize.
This girl had also sold her school uniform.
She was dressed practically, like a mercenary or an adventurer.
She wore no makeup, as if such things were a luxury.
But her natural beauty was so striking that she still exuded a royal dignity.
The small talk continued for a while.
Fortunately, the situation I'd feared didn't occur.
If I had been in perfect condition, she probably would have challenged me, saying something like, “Let's throw down!” under the pretext of preparing for the tournament.
“Let's move over there now.”
Was it because I'd handled her reasonably well?
As if deciding I looked fine, she changed her target to Aruru.
*Nom, nom, nom.*
My dear cutie's feast was still in progress.
I'd love to see her get indigestion just once.
But as if that were impossible, she steadily demolished the desserts.
“Aruru, you haven't changed a bit. Have you been well?”
“Yeah, life's been great lately, so I'm super happy!”
As if to say her new master was the best.
She answered energetically, her tail wagging gently.
As you could see, their relationship was quite friendly.
Aruru identifies people with her beastkin senses.
Not many people could pass her criteria.
In other words, Esterize's heart was pure and righteous.
On top of that, her skills were outstanding.
Enough to surpass Jace, a genius of the sword.
When the time for the final battle comes, I could probably trust her to watch my back.
A moment later.
I came to realize a few things.
The princess was quite sociable.
And yet, all she did was exchange a brief glance with Ceria.
“...”
It might have just been my imagination, but...
Isn't this situation subtly dangerous?
Without Aruru here, wouldn't it have been a bit chilly?
That was a bit of an exaggeration, but the atmosphere was unknowingly awkward.
I glanced over at Ceria.
She wasn't exactly on guard, but she seemed a little conscious of Esterize.
Hmm, is this what they call a woman's intuition?
If her rival was a princess, it wouldn't be strange to feel a sense of crisis.
It's a good thing she doesn't know her true identity.
If she knew, she might have shown a little jealousy.
I suddenly wanted to see that.
Disapproving of the women who approach her lover.
A girl hugging me and leaving her scent, like an animal marking its territory...
*Thump, thump.*
Just the thought of it makes my heart swell.
Of course, it was nothing more than a ridiculous fantasy.
If I truly cherished Ceria, I would have to make sure that never happened.
I gently took her hand.
As if she'd been waiting, her face instantly brightened.
We quietly felt each other's warmth.
Our exchanged glances were filled with affection.
My dear cutie reacted immediately to our public display of affection.
“Ugh, are you starting again?”
An expression of utter injustice.
As if she couldn't stand it anymore, she pulled the princess into it.
“It's getting worse and worse. What do you think?”
“I don't really mind it at all.”
“—??”
“They're so affectionate, it actually makes me want to cheer for them...”
“—!!”
Esterize, you too?
Aruru trembled with a sense of betrayal.
“I knew it. You've gotten into a relationship too, haven't you? You traitor!”
“Hey, what are you talking about?”
“My senses told me you were supposed to be single until you were thirty, but to think you'd already have a man...”
“...Wait, hold on. I can't just let that comment slide.”
The two girls bickered cheerfully.
For one thing, Aruru's senses were almost always accurate.
What with defeating the Demon King's Army and rebuilding her kingdom.
Esterize would spend her time busily.
It would be the same even after she became queen at a young age.
Destined to declare, like a certain someone, “I am married to the state.”
Then, around the age of thirty, she would come to her senses.
Realizing she needed an heir to carry on her line.
Her ending was to hastily achieve a reverse harem.
“...”
Should I pity her, or envy her?
Instead of solving that conundrum, I focused on something else.
The change in favorability was unexpected.
Aruru, who had been acting jealous, must have just been joking, as her score remained the same.
On the other hand, the princess's favorability had dropped by 2 points.
Wait, didn't you say you didn't mind? That you wanted to cheer for us?
A timeless truth suddenly came to mind.
That a woman's outside and inside are different.
Could it be that she's conscious of me as a man?
Just like the saying that there are no friends between men and women, a powerful suspicion began to form.
‘Well, it should be fine...’
I wasn't particularly anxious.
Because I had found a good solution.
If her favorability approaches 90, I'll just have to lower it by flaunting my relationship like this time.
The more I thought about it, the more amazing it seemed.
The ability to control the emotions of the Hero candidates!
“...”
It wasn't something to be proud of.
But my targets were so incredible that it felt like I'd obtained an S-rank skill.
“Ah, that was fun. It's been a while.”
The princess smiled with satisfaction.
She was covered in white fox fur.
It seemed to shed quite a bit.
But my dear cutie's fur was so thick there was no need to worry.
“I should get going now.”
She left, saying she'd see us again.
I watched her back as she walked away.
She seemed fine for now, but I couldn't let my guard down.
The future queen who would achieve a reverse harem...
She might have already added me to her list of candidates.
That seemed like a bit of a stretch.
But as royalty, her ambitions were vast, so you never knew.
I have a soft spot for queen characters.
But still, I hate reverse harems!
A friend I get along with.
Just like it had been until now, that level of relationship was just right.
***
Esterize stopped walking in a secluded spot.
“That was close...”
Jace Crodain.
A man who exuded dignity just by standing still.
He may have grown weaker, but that quality hadn't changed.
Looking at him...
...it was as if he had a perfect understanding of noble grace.
“There was hardly anyone like that, even among royalty.”
A character that helps the weak without hesitation.
Always considerate of others despite his high status.
And a fortitude that remained unshaken in any situation.
Esterize liked everything about Jace.
His sense of justice, in particular, wasn't fabricated like her own.
The qualities of a Hero...
Weren't they something you had to be born with?
Her mind grew complicated.
It felt as if her entire life up to this point was being negated.
She had aimed to become the Hero.
But in the end, it seemed she would never be able to surpass Jace.
He had even overcome the destruction of his dantian.
His strength was recovering at an incredible speed, as if a mountain once conquered is easy to climb again.
His potential and mental strength were worthy of nothing but respect.
The thought that she was so much less than him made her confidence plummet.
“Still, I can't give up.”
How could she falter here?
Esterize's eyes shone.
Revenge, and reconstruction... there was just so much to do.
It was fine even if she lost the position of Hero.
In that case, she would support Jace and punish evil.
That aside, she was slowly reaching her limit.
She coveted Jace as a man, not as a friend or a companion.
“...”
For some reason, just looking at his face made her feel good.
This time, her heart had fluttered throughout their conversation, and it was torture to endure it.
She wanted to make a move on him.
But he already had a fiancée, so there was no opening for her.
The girl shook her head vigorously.
She felt it was for the best.
The burden on her shoulders was too heavy to leisurely dream of romance.
“I should be satisfied with just having a reliable friend.”
She forced a smile, but her heart wasn't at ease.
She had a premonition that one day, she would cause trouble without even realizing it.
***
Late at night.
As I was thinking about my future plans...
Aruru, in her pajamas, did something unexpected.
She climbed onto me as I was sitting at an angle.
She was surprisingly hefty; it felt like an ab workout.
“Play with me.”
“It's time for bed.”
“For some reason, I can't sleep.”
“...”
Beastkin have an enormous amount of energy.
They have to burn it all off to sleep soundly.
Her habit of napping whenever she could probably had something to do with it.
Foxes are canids, but she's really like a dog.
Well, it was true that I'd been neglecting her a bit lately because of the tournament.
I decided to grant the girl's request, partly to raise her favorability.
My dear cutie accepted her master's touch with her whole body.
“Aah, you seem more proactive today!”
Her tail swayed up, down, left, and right.
She squirmed, saying my gaze was lewd.
Huh? Now you say that? Weren't you the one who started this?
As always, she was enjoying it while putting on a flirtatious act.
I didn't know about lewd, but I was feeling greedy.
Favorability: 78. The reward shimmered before my eyes.
So just stay still. Your big bro will take care of everything