Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Preview
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In a place where no one else was present.
Esterize clutched her chest.
It burned, hot enough to set her ablaze.
Though some time had passed, it showed no signs of calming down.
Even the densest person would have to admit it by now.
This feeling was, without a doubt, love.
She was undoubtedly in love with Jace.
How did this happen?
No matter how she thought about it, it didn't seem to be her fault.
“If he treats me so well… what am I supposed to do?”
In truth, Jace’s behavior hadn’t changed.
He just couldn’t pass by someone who was struggling.
He was merely being a little more considerate because she was a comrade.
And yet, a single word from him could move her heart.
She found it impossible to control the overwhelming emotions.
She was in a position where she had to be responsible for so many people.
It was more than just a burden; it had become suffocating pressure.
She had been suffering greatly for one reason or another.
But Esterize forced herself to appear bright.
Being depressed wouldn't improve the situation, after all.
To overcome the harsh reality, it was better to force a smile.
No one had noticed the truth.
She had hidden her identity and shown no signs of her struggle, so it was only natural.
Even after recently revealing her identity to Jace.
He had simply taken it in stride, as if it were nothing special.
Rebuilding the kingdom was, at its core, a personal matter. There was no reason to go into every detail.
She had acted as usual even after that.
But he had cut right through her defenses as if he could see her true state.
-Then I'll just have to help you until you succeed.
-So just keep looking forward and run.
-By helping you, countless people will find happiness.
-It might take some time, but your wish is bound to come true.
Every word was so warm.
They gathered together and created great ripples in the young woman’s heart.
For a moment, tears welled up in her eyes.
She had been flustered at the time, but the more she replayed his words, the more special they felt.
“...If that wasn't consolation, then what was it?”
His denial that it was consolation must have been a form of consideration.
No, Jace would most certainly help her.
Consolation was just words, but he was a man who would act.
Esterize thought deeply.
If the heir of the Crodain Family cooperated, it would be a tremendous help.
But was it okay to accept such a favor?
There’s nothing I can give him in return…
Offering her body and heart wasn't a viable option either.
“…”
The young woman clutched her head.
It was because she had, without realizing it, entertained a fantasy.
It had become a habit, something she imagined several times a day.
She had reached the point of picturing herself as Jace’s lover.
She had just made a slip of the tongue, hadn't she?
She had almost revealed her true feelings without thinking.
“Estelle… Please, get a grip!”
Jace already had a fiancée by his side.
If that were all, she might have dared to harbor some vain hope, but there were far too many other women vying for his attention.
The beastkin Aruru was one thing.
But Ilensia, Luciel, and every other notable girl seemed to be fawning over him.
Esterize didn’t have the courage to join their ranks.
It wasn't that she couldn't compete, but she had a mission she absolutely had to accomplish.
To rebuild her kingdom.
To annihilate the Demon King's Army.
Focusing on that alone was barely enough.
The fallen princess, the sole remaining royalty.
She felt the weight of her title grow even heavier.
She was aware of her circumstances.
But at her age, it was only natural to be interested in the opposite sex.
If it were just some ordinary man, it might have been different.
The problem was that the object of her affection was someone close to perfection.
After long deliberation, Esterize managed to sort out her thoughts.
“For now… I have to become the Hero.”
Ultimately, it depended on the Holy Sword's choice.
But among all the candidates, she was undeniably a strong contender.
Many things would change after that.
It seemed best to remain quiet until then.
The young woman calmly composed her emotions.
The feeling of love. Her first love, and at the same time, an unrequited one…
It would be a lie to say it wasn’t painful.
But separate from that, her heart fluttered with an exhilarating feeling, so blissful it could be addictive.
“Alright. I have to try even harder from now on!”
The feeling of loving someone.
The young woman used it as a reason to become stronger.
She wanted to become the Hero and stand proudly by his side.
* * *
The next morning.
I was discharged from the infirmary, feeling lighthearted.
The lethargy had completely vanished.
It was as if my shackles had been broken; I felt like I could soar.
No one can stop me now.
That’s how much confidence was overflowing from my entire body.
In a few days, I was scheduled to face Largo.
I felt like I could handle a guy like him with ease.
“Well, I don’t think you should take it so lightly.”
“…”
Chloe suddenly appeared and threw a wrench in my thoughts.
You, how did you read my mind? Did you learn telepathy somewhere along the way?
“By tailing… no, by thinking of you every day, I’ve gotten to the point where I can roughly read your expressions.”
“—!”
A chill ran down my spine.
You've been secretly following me every day?
I never imagined her stealth abilities had developed enough to deceive my senses.
Well, that much was fine.
But for someone who just made a slip of the tongue, she was far too composed.
A thought occurred to me.
Could she have mentioned it intentionally?
*I’m always watching you.*
*I wish you would recognize my feelings.*
There was an undeniable sense of protest in her tone.
It was still at a cute level for now.
But in the future, it was projected to go beyond cute and become downright creepy.
I’m really sorry, but yandere just isn't my type!
“Ah, I can’t seem to read you at all this time. I suppose I’ll have to observe you a little more.”
“…”
The mind-reading wasn't all that surprising.
My little cutie did that sometimes too.
The inseparable bond between a master and a pet.
It’s only natural to read each other’s minds with just a look.
In other words, Chloe was abnormal.
She had achieved a miracle with her feelings for me alone.
That’s why it’s so scary…
I could picture an ending steeped in blood!
“Hmm, it seems you’re thinking something terribly rude…”
“It must be your imagination.”
“Anyway, I have something to tell you. It’s closer to bad news, if I had to categorize it, but in truth, it probably won’t be a big problem.”
She always seemed to bring only bad news.
It wasn't her fault, so I couldn't really complain…
“Your opponent, Largo, has gotten incredibly strong.”
“—??”
“Judging by the aura he’s giving off, he’s definitely had an awakening.”
“—!”
That bear of a man had broken through his limits.
No, anyone could see that was a huge problem. So why…
“The result is already set in stone, isn’t it?”
“…”
*You've gotten stronger too, right? You even beat a graduate, so what's the problem?*
With that kind of attitude, she was completely certain of my victory, as if it were a matter of course.
Well, she wasn't wrong.
Strength was, after all, a relative concept.
At this point, my level was somewhere on the border between A+ and S-rank.
Largo seemed to have just reached S-rank.
But that alone wouldn't be enough to stop me.
If it came down to it, I could just use Berserk again.
Still, S-rank was S-rank.
The thought of that hulking figure wielding S-rank power was a bit daunting.
Hmm, so much for an easy win…
I’ll have to prepare accordingly.
The duel wasn't immediate, so I had some time.
I would try my best to gain new strength by the day of the match.
“It seems Largo has been very conscious of you. He’s truly tenacious.”
The fact that he had an awakening.
It wasn't all that strange.
For a side character, he had a fairly significant role to begin with.
In the original story's flow, this would have happened early next year.
But given the circumstances, it seemed my presence had sped things up a bit.
Yes, I suppose it couldn't be seen as a bad thing.
Thinking about the future, the stronger the people around me were, the better.
It would make dealing with the Demon King's Army even slightly easier.
I had already obtained a minimum level of strength.
After the Holy Sword event, I would need to start putting my plans into motion in earnest.
Awakening my comrades, one by one.
Raiding dungeons to acquire special items.
Besides those, I had other things to take care of, so I was going to be busy.
“As you know, I believe only in you. Since you defeated Maier so splendidly, you’ll be able to deal with Cedric in no time, right?”
“…”
The girl’s sparkling, smiling eyes.
They felt quite burdensome.
It seemed she intended to rely on me as much as she hated Cedric.
When you thought about it, Chloe's disposition leaned toward 'evil.'
She was the type to not care about the means to an end, so long as she got what she wanted.
It was fortunate that our interests aligned.
If she had disliked Jace, it would have been quite a headache.
In any case, she was on my side for now.
That was the only thing that mattered.
“This is Cedric’s current state. He’s furious, but he can’t make a move, and I could see he’s about to go crazy from it. I don’t think he’ll do anything right away, but he’s a sinister fellow, so you shouldn’t let your guard down.”
She summarized it neatly for me.
I should probably erase that from my mind for a moment.
For the time being, I needed to focus on the upcoming duel.
“Ah, they’re already…”
As if sensing someone’s approach.
She vanished in an instant with a disappointed look.
A moment later, Ceria and Aruru appeared together.
Hmm, she’s like a state-of-the-art radar.
I once again marveled at Chloe’s phenomenal senses.
“You’re finally discharged. I’m glad to see you’re looking healthy.”
“Let’s hurry to the dining hall. They said there’s a special menu for breakfast today!”
The girls congratulated me on my return to daily life.
Ceria offered Aruru, who was in her arms, to me.
I naturally took the world’s cutest fox beastkin from her.
My little cutie.
How did you manage to get snacks while I was gone?
“Mmm, Ceria bought them for me.”
The life of a pampered pet, indeed.
Well, Aruru more than deserved to be loved.
As we were returning after a pleasant meal.
A boar of imposing size suddenly appeared.
“…”
Largo glared fiercely.
Was it because he had powered up? He looked even stronger than before, just at a glance.
No, wait a minute…
His strength was a bit beyond my expectations.
The fighting spirit he exuded was qualitatively different.
It had taken on a distinct form, so much so that even an ordinary person could notice it.
“You know, don’t you?”
He asked without preamble.
The unspoken words must have referred to our duel.
An important process where the winner would become a Hero candidate.
When I nodded gravely, he withdrew his hostility as if to say, *that’s all that matters*.
“Do your best. That is all I have to say.”
He turned his back sharply as if he had no further business.
His attitude hadn't changed at all. To put it nicely, he was a real man; to put it badly…
“Ugh, he’s so annoying!”
My little cutie expressed it perfectly.
How was I supposed to tame this beast of a man?
“Hmm, he’s certainly gotten stronger.”
“Still not enough to challenge Jace, though.”
I made a calm assessment.
As things stood now, the odds were fifty-fifty.
Largo had always shown his true intentions.
He saw me as an opponent he must defeat.
If I didn’t want to end up in a sorry state, I had no choice but to stay sharp.
“I’ll need some special training.”
It was actually for the better.
This gave me a concrete goal.
The difference between having one and not was significant.
I had already grasped a clue to an awakening.
It felt like I could reach it with just a little more effort.
“A fine idea. I will support you in any way I can.”
“I’ll help too!”
How could they be so admirable?
They offered to help as if it were their own affair, without me even asking.
“It’s only natural to take care of one’s lover.”
“It’s about time I started pulling my weight.”
Our relationship was no different from that of a family.
For their sake, I had to achieve an overwhelming victory.
Considering Largo’s fiery personality.
I would have to show him a clear difference in power to make him submit completely.
I immersed myself in meditation without rest.
And at some point, I glimpsed the universe within myself.