Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Change (2)
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As I was wrapping up my day.
A message popped up, informing me that the princess’s favorability had increased.
[Favorability +5]
With this, it had shot right past 80 points.
I received a trait as a reward, but at this point, it was getting scary.
“…”
Seriously, isn’t this a bit much for just showing some consideration?
What’s done is done. No use regretting it now.
First, I should check the reward with a pounding heart.
[Unyielding Conviction]
[The stronger your conviction, the more potential you unleash.]
[Increases experience gain and the probability of attaining enlightenment. Maximum 200%.]
This, too, was an EX-rank trait.
It had a supportive nature, which made it even better.
I already had enough traits specialized for combat.
I would challenge the realm of transcendence with this unyielding conviction.
The next morning.
Saintess Luciel came to visit.
Unlike her usual composed self, she looked downcast this time.
“…I received a message from the Church. I think I’ll have to be away for a while.”
She had to report the details of the Hero’s birth to her superiors.
It seemed the higher-ups were planning to gather and hold a discussion.
Well, from their perspective, it was only right to prepare for a ‘holy war.’
Countless clerics and holy knights.
The Church’s forces were expected to be a great asset.
That aside… Luciel’s attitude was unusual.
*Ugh, I want to be with you, Sir Hero…*
*I can’t forgive anyone who gets in our way, not even the Pope!*
She fidgeted nervously, glancing at me as if to assert just that.
What was the source of this creepiness?
I could see a hint of the yandere in her.
I could only hope it was just my imagination.
She’s a Saintess, for crying out loud. Surely she wouldn’t cause a bloodbath?
Anyway.
I couldn’t bring myself to ignore the girl who trusted and followed me.
“I’ll be waiting.”
“—!”
She got excited over a single phrase.
I felt like my karma was steadily piling up.
“Yes. I’ll join you in time!”
She said she would finish her business quickly and participate in the event.
It was a celebration of the Hero’s birth, so it would look more plausible with the Saintess by his side.
Luciel left with a smile.
As if she’d been waiting, Aruru narrowed her eyes.
“Honestly, Luciel is such a vixen. The way she smiles with her eyes gives it away.”
“…”
A strange situation where one vixen was bad-mouthing another.
My little cutie, why are you so on edge?
“Maybe she has a tail if you lift her skirt?”
“—!”
Ah, the thought just popped into my head…
How could I resist a Saintess with a tail?
But since I had to resist, I changed the subject of my fantasy.
A fox beastkin in a maid outfit.
Just imagining that cute figure filled me with delight.
“Ah, you’re having weird thoughts right now, aren’t you? I can tell just by looking at your eyes!”
Excuse you.
I am perfectly respectable. Isn’t that quite wholesome?
She’s practically a living doll, so it’s more like playing with dolls.
“Anyway, no!”
She showed a rare prickliness.
Hmm, had I crossed a line?
Considering our strong bond, I didn’t think so.
Just as I was convinced it was a kind of joke.
Aruru giggled and said shyly.
“You can just check for yourself, you know?”
“For myself?”
“Mhm, I’ll wear anything for you!”
“…”
How could she be so cute and admirable?
After charming me like a fox, she burrowed into my arms.
For a moment, I thought it would have been nice if she were my girlfriend.
That was realistically impossible, but I could just cherish and love her that much more.
In the afternoon, the elf girl was loitering nearby.
Her eyes seemed to say she had something to say, so I gave her a chance.
“I’m a companion, right?”
“…”
“I’d like you to say it clearly.”
Hmm, is she lacking confidence?
She seemed worried she might be abandoned.
It wasn’t that strange, since our equal relationship had been disrupted.
Being a companion to Jace and being a companion to the Hero carried different weights.
Anyway.
I was willing to include one elf as part of a racial quota.
“Do I look like someone who goes back on his word? Nothing’s changed.”
Once a companion, always a companion.
Her expression brightened as if that answer was enough.
But only for a moment. She then stared at me intently, as if wanting something more.
“I overheard that there’s going to be an event in the imperial capital…”
*Take me with you! You promised last time, didn’t you?*
She exuded that feeling as she swept back her flowing blonde hair.
Her intention was easy to grasp.
There was the reason of wanting to be with me, but…
Her vanity, wanting to show off in front of a large crowd, was likely the primary motive.
I stared at the elf girl fixedly.
I examined her from head to toe.
Aruru joined in, crossing her arms and sizing her up.
*Flinch.*
Perhaps she sensed something in our actions.
Ilensia trembled as if feeling a sense of shame.
“Alright. I’ll give you a pass.”
“—??”
The fox beastkin shrugged, as if doing her a great favor.
The elf girl looked dumbfounded, as if to say, *Why are you stepping in?*
I watched them gradually grow closer and smiled faintly.
An elf’s beauty was bound to be effective.
Revealing that she was the Hero’s companion would raise expectations.
Her combat skills were somewhat lacking, but I would make up for it in other ways.
“I have one thing to confirm.”
An airhead who didn’t act her age.
Before doing anything, I needed to hear Ilensia’s resolve.
*You’ll continue to face dangerous situations from now on.*
*Are you mentally prepared to overcome those harsh trials?*
The elf girl considered it carefully, then tilted her head.
“Umm, I’m not sure?”
“—??”
“My weapon is a bow, right? I don’t know about the others, but for me, it’s not really…”
“…”
Ah, right. Hers was a cushy position!
I was the one who recommended the bow, so I couldn’t even argue.
Still, how could I just let that brazenness slide?
I put Aruru forward to corner Ilensia.
“I’m taking back my approval. Your attitude is too flippant!”
“Hey, wait a minute. Aruru, you’re a rear-position fighter too, aren’t you?”
“It’s completely different. I’m prepared to sacrifice myself for Jace.”
“—!”
The elf girl jumped in surprise.
I was in the same state as her.
*Huh? Isn’t that too serious? You don’t have to go that far!*
I know some pets throw themselves in front of their owners to save them.
But my little cutie was small and delicate, so I’d rather she didn’t overdo it.
“F-Fine, I get it! I’ll try my best to do my best. Is that good enough?”
She reluctantly showed her resolve.
Her airheaded nature made her seem rather unreliable. Suddenly, I remembered her character settings.
“Depending on the situation, we might not have a roof over our heads for days.”
“Camping is nothing to me. Who do you think I am?”
*I am an elf who lives in harmony with nature.*
*I can live more comfortably than anyone else.*
She began to puff out her chest and boast.
*Nope, absolutely not.*
*You whined about the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements on the very first day of camping.*
It was a moment that revealed the true face of an elf tainted by human society.
You could say she was severely humanized.
She even ate meat well.
She only looked like an elf; her behavior almost perfectly mirrored that of a human.
Well, she’d manage somehow.
Watching her stumble would be entertaining in its own way.
I finally accepted her into the party.
As soon as Esterize returned, we would set off on our journey.
The rough itinerary was as follows.
First, I had to stop by my family home and announce that I had become a Hero.
A visit to the in-laws was also a must. It was only right to show my prospective father-in-law that I was still going strong.
The final destination was the Imperial Capital.
It seemed like unexpected events would pop up frequently there.
I had some idea of what to expect, but there were far too many variables.
As always, I would have to improvise.
I could only hope things would turn out well this time, too.
A short while later, I submitted the plan to Ceria.
I had considered various factors, so it was likely to be approved.
“Hmm, the party is a bit large…”
“…”
Her voice came out like a groan.
She was clearly pointing out that there were too many girls.
Aruru, Esterize, Ilensia…
And Luciel was scheduled to join us in the capital.
From Ceria’s perspective, it was bound to be uncomfortable.
But there was nothing to be done about it.
It was standard practice for a Hero to travel with a large group of companions.
“It’s actually for the best. I’ll have to make things clear this time.”
“—??”
Her eyes glinted sharply.
It was as if she was declaring her intention to do something.
Wait, what exactly was she planning to show?
While she was gone for a moment, Aruru explained.
“It looks like she’s planning to show everyone the gap between them.”
“What gap?”
“‘He’s my lover. We’re getting married soon. Don’t even dream of making a move on him!’”
“…”
“Something like that. She’ll probably show it through actions rather than words.”
By openly displaying affection.
I could picture her clinging to me throughout the entire journey.
Should I call it a kind of jealousy?
It meant she loved me that much, so I was just happy.
“Your reaction is more important than anything else.”
She wanted me to sync up with Ceria and put on a spectacular display of affection to make the others jealous.
*My little cutie. Are you sure you’ll be okay? I don’t think you can handle it.*
“Mhm, I’m already pretty used to it. The other girls, on the other hand, will be dying. That’s good enough for me.”
*Then it’s a win for me.*
*The suffering of others is my joy.*
She smiled brightly, saying the fun of watching would be much greater.
“…”
Something seemed a bit off, but I had no intention of stopping her hobby.
As long as she followed me well, it was the duty of a master to be lenient.
A few days later.
Just as we were finishing our travel preparations, Esterize returned.
“Sorry! I’m a little late because I was catching up on work.”
She cautiously watched my expression.
Anyone would think she had committed some grave sin.
“No, you’re right on time. We can rest for a bit and then depart.”
I gave her a summary of our travel plans and schedule.
Perhaps because she enjoyed traveling, she couldn’t hide her excitement.
“What do you think?”
“Of course, I’m all for it!”
“…”
A knee-jerk response that bypassed her brain.
I wasn’t sure why, but she seemed to be in high spirits.
Well, she must have felt relieved in many ways after showing off her status as a Hero to her aides.
That aside…
What was the meaning behind her burdensome gaze and flushing face?
“We’re Heroes, so we’ll have to travel together from now on, right? It’s ‘fate’ decided by the goddess, so we can’t help it! Ahaha…”
“…”
She was being more forward than usual.
It was clearly due to her excessively high favorability.
In that case, I would have to be firm as well.
I needed to join Ceria’s lovey-dovey plan to lower the princess’s tension.
First, I had to establish a basic policy.
I spoke in a deliberately serious voice.
“Esterize.”
“Yes?”
“There are two Heroes, but only one Holy Sword. Do you know what that means?”
“One of us will have to use the Holy Sword as their main weapon. In that case, of course…”
“Right. You use it.”
“—??”
She flinched, as if she hadn’t expected that at all.
Not only that, she waved her hands dismissively and even looked on the verge of tears.
*Wait, why? Didn’t you want to be a Hero so badly?*
*Right now, it’s more efficient for you to use it!*
I tried to coax and soothe her.
But the girl’s gestures clearly screamed, *‘Waaah! I don’t want to, no matter what!’*
“…”
What was with this reaction?
Could it be that she had figured out my scheme?
There was no other explanation.
A situation where we were trying to palm off the Holy Sword on each other.
I didn’t know what her true intentions were, but she was no match for my stubbornness.
“At this point, you’re stronger. You know that, right?”
“Mhm…”
“I’ll entrust it to you for now. Let’s do it that way until I surpass you.”
The fact that I had recently acquired my own exclusive weapon.
After mentioning that, I finally managed to persuade her.
“Thank you so much…”
She showed her resolve, vowing to meet my expectations.
I had just pushed a difficult task onto her, but her favorability went up again.
What should I do? This might be getting dangerous.
I needed to team up with Ceria quickly and slow her momentum.
The time to depart had finally arrived.
I gathered all my companions and set off as planned.
Our first destination was the Crodain family’s territory.
It seemed inevitable that I would have a long conversation with the family head.
I wondered how he would judge me.
Now that I was a Hero, I would face him with confidence.