Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Consecutive Visits (1)
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After straightening her clothes.
Chloe slowly opened her mouth to speak.
“You've been through quite an ordeal.”
He wasn't someone she could fool with a clumsy lie.
So she admitted to have been watching.
She also made it clear beforehand that she had missed her chance to intervene.
“I have a general idea of the situation.”
“Those troublemakers must have gotten ahead of themselves, not knowing their place.”
“I will report this to the Student Council and ensure nothing like it happens again.”
We'll handle the cleanup.
She added that there would be no further trouble.
This should be enough.
Any more kindness would have felt unnatural.
“……”
But something was strange.
He seemed uncomfortable for some reason.
In that moment, Chloe realized the obvious.
‘He's wary of me…’
She understood completely.
He would want to hide the fact that he could wield mana again as much as possible.
In any case, this was a predicament.
To be disliked before she'd even done anything.
She tried speaking to him cautiously, hoping to confirm it, but.
“Um, perhaps…”
“Don't ask me anything.”
At his cold response, Chloe bit her lip lightly.
He had a fiancée.
It seemed even blatant seduction wouldn't work on him.
“I don't know what you must be thinking… but I'm on your side. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to tell me.”
In the end, she revealed her true feelings.
Chloe could only hope he would believe her.
Jace's expression turned peculiar.
After a moment of thought, he slowly began to speak.
“There is something I need.”
“Yes. I'll get you anything.”
“Medicine, bandages, hunting tools, seasonings…”
He listed the essentials.
They were all easy enough to understand.
‘He was sent out with almost nothing…’
As she listened intently.
Chloe took a closer look at Jace's condition.
A body covered in wounds.
Some were from the troublemakers.
But there were many scratches, as if he'd been attacked by wild animals.
“……”
His clothes were in tatters because of it, but.
it gave him a strong, wild appeal that was more captivating the longer she looked.
A combination of a nobleman and a beast.
Could there be a more unfair combination in the world?
“And a cat…”
“Pardon?”
“…It's nothing. You can forget it.”
A cat? What could that mean?
It seemed to be a hint at something, but she had no idea what.
“I want to rest now.”
He said only what was necessary and drew a line.
Chloe felt a pang of disappointment at his attitude.
‘Well, it's not bad.’
A decent start, for a beginning.
Given the circumstances, there was nothing she could do.
“I'll come again tomorrow. Until then…”
You can't expect everything at once.
She had to be satisfied with having achieved her initial goal.
* * *
Chloe Venice.
Her true nature was close to that of a villainess.
I didn't remember the details.
But I was certain nothing good would come from getting involved with her.
Surely she wouldn't use the fact that I beat up some punks as leverage to hold something over me, right?
It was clearly self-defense.
But if she wanted to find fault, it wouldn't be impossible…
“I will report this to the Student Council and ensure nothing like it happens again.”
“……”
I was dumbfounded.
Why is this going so smoothly? It's actually making me anxious.
I had been feeling on edge, and now she was offering to take care of everything.
Suspicious…
How should I take this unsettling feeling?
From my perspective, this world was utterly unfamiliar.
I only had fragmented knowledge.
Right now, there was no one I could trust.
I would have to be wary of anyone, not just Chloe…
“I don't know what you must be thinking… but I'm on your side. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to tell me.”
She blurted it out so suddenly.
What was the meaning behind that desperation?
‘If that's an act, she deserves an award…’
A cry filled with emotion, as if she were being chased by something.
Of course, I had no intention of falling for it, but I had nothing to lose anyway.
I didn't know what her scheme was.
But it seemed playing along for a bit wouldn't cause any major problems.
This was all because of the system window.
Somehow, I'd become someone who couldn't refuse what was offered…
‘Hmm, on second thought, this might be pretty good.’
My memories were hazy.
There was still so much I didn't know.
There wasn't even a guarantee that my knowledge would apply here.
Furthermore.
My presence at the academy could twist many things.
In other words, I desperately needed information.
In that sense, Chloe was a good person to deal with.
She was known as an information broker at the academy.
The only slight problem was that she used that information to find her opponents' weaknesses and exploit them…
Well, whatever.
I'm already at rock bottom, so what's there to fuss about?
It was time to use whatever I could.
“Medicine, bandages, hunting tools, seasonings…”
She leaned in close, listening intently.
Looking at her like this, she was just an ordinary girl.
However, there was something unusual about her gaze.
She was staring at my body… with an intensity that looked like she wanted to devour me.
“And a cat…”
“Pardon?”
“…It's nothing. You can forget it.”
I want to be a butler…
I was so desperate for some comfort that nonsense was starting to spill out.
“I want to rest now.”
I might have sounded a bit too harsh.
But I was so tired that I ended up sending her away.
Her pout lasted only a moment before she smiled and nodded.
“I'll come again tomorrow. Until then…”
She left immediately, as if she had no intention of bothering me further.
She left with a seductive glance, and for some reason, she reminded me of a cat.
“……”
I need to keep my wits about me.
I might get bewitched by a fox, after all.
* * *
The attack from the wolf pack.
The confrontation with the delinquents.
That one-two punch had taken its toll.
These sons of bitches…
Why is everyone so eager to tear me apart?
Anyway, today was a wash.
Hard training was impossible in this state.
I'd swung my sword to my heart's content, so I skipped all the quests.
Tending to my injured body was the priority.
Given the circumstances, applying medicine or bandages would have to wait until tomorrow…
‘For now, all I can do is meditate.’
Heart Arts training.
Spreading mana throughout my body would provide some degree of healing.
However, my level was still far too low to expect any significant effect.
After a few attempts, I quickly got used to meditating.
As expected of the Crodain family's secret Heart Arts, it had many advantages.
A so-called auto mode.
Once set, it would finish the job on its own.
“……”
Alright, let's get my thoughts in order.
I'm someone who prefers a leisurely pace.
I want to grow stronger slowly and steadily.
But… isn't this all happening too fast?
I didn't exactly fight her, but meeting Chloe was also unexpected.
I was beginning to guess her objective.
She must have seen some value in using me.
My past as a scoundrel was a bit of an issue, but.
now that I could wield mana, there was no chance I'd be kicked out of the family.
Considering that, Chloe's suspicious words and actions made sense.
She would try to make me indebted to her in some way.
Well, that's fine.
It's just a form of transaction; a simple give and take.
The real problem is…
it seems like more and more people will start having expectations of me.
‘The original Jace was just too exceptional…’
I'll try my best to get stronger, but.
can I really meet people's expectations?
Regardless of whether it's possible or not.
I have no intention of going that far.
Let's assume I start getting attention.
Then after graduation, I'll be assigned to the front lines.
And there, I'll be happily trading blows with the Demon King's Army.
“……”
I'm not keen on that.
Putting aside the danger and hardship.
it's best to avoid contact with the Demon King's Army as much as possible.
I don't know if it's just a feeling.
But I had a strong hunch a malicious event would occur.
Yep. Absolutely not going.
I've already done my part.
Jace was originally supposed to become one of the Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings.
By possessing him, I've essentially eliminated one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
What more do they want from me?
Could anything be more logical?
If you disagree, you're automatically right.
Well, I'll probably have to face them eventually.
But I'd rather hang back in the rear and play with some low-level demons.
If I needlessly step onto the front lines, it'll just create a ton of variables.
Staying put is the safe bet.
For now, that was the realistic approach.
When I return to the academy, I'll live quietly.
However, there's one thing I must be especially careful about.
Avoiding the people who were close to Jace.
They might notice something is off.
One wrong move could lead to a terrible situation.
-Everyone! This son of a bitch isn't Jace. He's something wearing Jace's skin. That's right, he's a demon in disguise!
Just like in a villainess story.
getting framed and exiled after being possessed is the last thing I want.
Therefore, person of interest number one is…
this body's fiancée, Ceria.
I absolutely must keep my distance from her.
Just as I finished organizing my thoughts, my meditation ended.
The moment I opened my eyes, feeling refreshed…
“……”
“……”
How did this happen?
A girl was sitting gracefully across from me.
Ah, you scared me!
What are you doing here?
I wasn't overreacting.
I seriously thought my heart was going to drop.
The number one person to avoid, whom I'd just been thinking about.
This body's fiancée had appeared out of nowhere.
No, don't do this. It's dangerous!
If I make a slip of the tongue, she'll get suspicious.
Suspicion… At the very least, she'd feel that something was off.
I have to avoid her. I have to push her away coldly.
But.
The sad look in the girl's eyes left me speechless.