Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Carmel Family (3)
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Without hesitation, I told Ceria.
-Aruru's hiding under the bed.
“───??”
Her expression turned strange as I mouthed the words.
Her confusion was fleeting, replaced by a stern look and a fiery rage.
This mischievous fox beastkin…
You just couldn't help yourself and had to cause trouble!
That was the gist of it. It seemed to be the first time I'd seen Ceria genuinely angry.
Our little cutie.
It's out of my hands now! Don't blame me.
I'll pray for your soul, so just try to survive on your own.
Soon, Ceria dragged Aruru out from under the bed.
Even though she had hidden her presence, once she was found out, there was no escaping.
“Ugh…”
Aruru groaned, giving me a resentful look.
I trusted you! I only trusted you, but I never thought you'd betray me so quickly!
She seemed to want to argue, but I just shrugged.
Your opponent isn't me.
First, you have to deal with Ceria's wrath.
For a moment, Aruru's body trembled.
It must have been because of the glare fixed upon her.
Ceria let out a silent growl, reminiscent of a lioness.
From my perspective, even that was charming.
But for the guilty Aruru, it must have been utterly terrifying.
Indeed, as if terrified by the immense pressure, she immediately apologized.
“I'm sorry! I admit it's my fault. Please, just spare my life!”
“…”
A fox beastkin struggling to survive.
Ceria, asserting dominance as if ready to devour her prey.
I wasn't sure why, but the situation felt strangely thrilling.
The chilly atmosphere continued.
She scolded with just her eyes, her silence making it even scarier.
As if giving up on resistance, Aruru resigned herself to her fate.
Just seeing her drooping ears and tail, I could guess how she felt.
Ah, it's all over for me…
She'll probably manage her boyfriend more thoroughly from now on, right?
Maybe she'll order me not to approach Jace?
Aruru grew dejected, as if her world had ended.
Just as the moment of judgment arrived, Ceria suddenly did something unexpected.
Instead of scolding her, she gently pulled Aruru into an embrace.
I couldn't believe it. It seemed her anger had melted away at the fox beastkin's cuteness.
Hmm, this is a problem.
She should have laid down the law at least once…
Well, she was already like family, so Ceria was probably reluctant to scold her.
Besides, Aruru was older, so she couldn't just berate her.
After enjoying the fox beastkin's soft body, Ceria whispered quietly.
“You were lonely, weren't you?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
“It's not like we've only known each other for a day or two. I understand, but next time, tell me beforehand.”
“So you'll let me?”
“Well, if I'm in the mood, maybe sometimes…”
“───??”
Not just Aruru, but I was confused too.
It was such an unexpected development that I couldn't keep up.
“It might actually be more advantageous this way.”
Ceria slowly explained her reasoning.
When it's just two lovers in one room, it's too obvious.
But if Aruru is included, we'd have to worry less about what others think.
At the very least, it would leave no room for people to think, 'Ah, they did it again!'
Huh? What is this paradigm shift?
The more I thought about it, the better it seemed.
It might create a strange misunderstanding (?), but that was a side effect we'd have to endure.
“I'm all for it!”
Aruru said with an excited voice, smiling brightly.
It was a miracle, more than just surviving.
As if to repay her, she clung to Ceria and nuzzled her face.
Seeing the two girls' affectionate display warmed my heart, but then I remembered something important.
This means we can't proceed with the main event (?), doesn't it?
I should have just closed my eyes and gone for it. That would have been much better…
It was far too late to kick Aruru out and force the issue now.
As belated regret set in, my eyes met Ceria's.
She also looked quite disappointed, but she gave me a gentle smile, as if to say we should just have a quiet night.
True, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
Still, how could I just let this frustration go?
Our little cutie.
You're prepared, right? I'm going to mess you up!
“Ah, not there! Ceria is here, too…”
“I don't mind.”
“───??”
She dismissed it coolly, as if it were nothing.
Ceria even joined in on the process of tormenting the fox beastkin.
Caught between the lovers and suffering their ordeal, Aruru was quickly broken.
“Heeungh… I can't take any more… Your hands are too rough… but it was just as stimulating, which was nice…”
“…”
We were just playing around.
As always, she seemed to feel *something* and was satisfied.
I wondered if this was right, but it had somehow become a natural part of our daily routine.
After setting aside the thoroughly heated-up Aruru, I enjoyed some light affection with Ceria.
What was the rush?
For now, sharing our love in this wholesome way was enough.
Holding my precious, lovely girlfriend, I slowly closed my eyes.
* * *
The next morning.
I woke up feeling warm and content.
The warmth of the girls pressed against me.
We hadn't done anything special, but just being together filled me with a sense of fulfillment.
Ceria on my left, Aruru on my right…
Looking at the fox beastkin curled up by her master's side.
At this point, it really felt like I was raising a pet.
She sometimes acted unpredictably, but she was so praiseworthy otherwise that she was just adorable.
An indispensable existence, you could say.
I found her useful whenever I needed some healing.
As for Ceria… she stirred my heart intensely.
“───!!”
Her slightly disheveled state, perhaps from tossing in her sleep.
The secret glimpse of what lay beneath her slipped undergarments stimulated the darkness within me.
How could I endure this? To simply ignore it would be rude.
As a faithful lover, I felt it was my duty to appreciate the view.
I'm glad to be alive. I have to keep going.
It became a reason for my spirits to soar, in a way.
I wished this moment could last forever, but I couldn't stay lost in a dream…
Being chosen by the Holy Sword and becoming a Hero.
In other words, it was no exaggeration to say the fate of this world rested on my shoulders.
I couldn't be satisfied with the present.
In the original story, it took about two to three years to defeat the Demon King.
Even considering a few variables, I knew the strategy, so I could speed things up.
It looked like I'd only have to work my fingers to the bone for two years.
After that, I'd be able to live as I pleased.
A happy life, married to Ceria, raising our little cutie.
For the best happy ending, I had to endure anything.
First, I needed to decide on our future course of action.
Ceria and Aruru would follow my lead unconditionally.
The Saintess also seemed to follow only the Hero, so there was no need to mention her separately.
That left Esterize and Ilensia.
At our gathering, I looked at the princess.
“Hm? Is there something you want to say?”
“I want to have a quick meeting.”
Originally, there was supposed to be only one Hero.
Everything revolves around the Hero, but in this era, there are two.
We needed to establish a focal point.
It wasn't about me unilaterally taking control, but it was best to avoid disagreements as much as possible.
If the Heroes acted separately, it would look strange, wouldn't it?
We needed to move as one, so as not to confuse those around us.
“Ah, that's not a problem. You're the party leader, right? I'm sure everyone thinks so.”
An attitude of absolute trust in me.
She added that whenever a decision needed to be made, she would follow my lead.
They were grateful words, and a reaction I had expected.
But what I wanted wasn't obedience, but something closer to an equal partnership.
“Esterize. No, Princess.”
“───!!”
Ack! I told you I don't like that title!
I'm not a princess anymore…
Flustered and displeased, she shot me a glare.
Nope, not a chance. I'm going to keep calling you Princess.
Seeing her get embarrassed every time was one of my joys.
It wasn't just a matter of bad taste.
Apart from my own amusement, it was important to boost her self-esteem.
Who was Esterize?
She was a natural-born leader.
She showed her true worth when she was on top, rather than under someone else.
Excellent judgment and wit.
The drive to act without hesitation.
In every aspect, she wasn't lacking in the slightest.
Her outstanding abilities deserved to be put to good use.
While the grand scheme would proceed according to my intentions, it was better for the princess to take the lead in minor details and unexpected situations.
“You're a Hero. The savior of humanity, chosen by the Holy Sword… You understand what that means, right?”
“…You're one too.”
“Right. I'm also aware that I'm essential to this world. Anyway, you are no less important than me. To be honest, I think you're even more so.”
“I don't know why you overestimate me so much…”
She shook her head, unable to understand.
Well, it was natural for her not to be convinced right now.
The more I thought about it, the more pitiful Esterize's situation was.
Her kingdom fell, so she couldn't even use her title as a princess.
She had suffered all sorts of hardships.
She had become frugal to the bone, saving every penny to raise funds.
Even with all that effort, rebuilding her kingdom was a distant dream, so it was no wonder she had low self-esteem.
In contrast, I was the heir to the Crodain Family.
That alone granted me treatment comparable to royalty.
Everyone walked on eggshells around me; I never had to do so for anyone else.
The Emperor, the First Prince, the Second Prince, the heads of the great families.
I only needed to be careful around them.
What's more, now that I was a Hero, showing basic courtesy was enough.
Factoring in their desire to win the Hero's favor, we were almost on equal footing.
Anyway.
The princess needed to have more confidence.
I wanted to see her confidently state her opinions in front of everyone.
“Ugh, is it really okay for me to do that?”
“Of course.”
You become a queen later, you know?
You even build a reverse harem, regardless of how shocked your subjects are.
Perhaps because she was still in her innocent phase, she just showed hesitation.
“You're destined to rebuild your kingdom and become its queen.”
“B-but…”
That's just wishful thinking.
It's a distant future, and not even a certain one at that.
She showed her lack of confidence in many ways.
She believed the path she was on was right.
But she wasn't caught up in delusions, merely facing reality.
She shouldn't be like that.
Now that she was a Hero, she could be bold.
For example, confidently making a request before the Emperor.
Demanding 'Gimme money!' out of the blue would be too much.
But she could receive any support necessary to fulfill her duty as a Hero.
In the princess's case, a development like this was also possible.
Revealing her identity and announcing her intention to rebuild her kingdom.
She wasn't alone.
Although her kingdom had fallen, remnant forces remained.
Ten thousand soldiers who had survived the horrors of the last war.
Their strength was comparable to the Empire's elite troops.
They had combat experience and were burning with a desire for revenge.
Furthermore, with proper supplies, they were in a position to gather even more forces.
Wielding that not-insignificant military power would create room for negotiation with the Empire.
We will participate in the upcoming war.
We will stand on the front lines and defeat the Demon King's army.
That would lessen the Empire's burden, so wouldn't it be a shame to just let it slide?
A picture like that could be painted.
This wasn't my idea; it was something the princess had actually done.
It was one of the many choices available in the original story.
If she were the only Hero, I might have watched for a bit.
But perhaps because she was conscious of my presence, she tended to be passive.
The reason I brought this up was that I wanted to fix that about her.
Always be confident.
You should demand anything related to your duty as a Hero.
“If there's something you want, just go for it. You have every right to.”
A Hero is someone who sacrifices for everyone.
Since you're putting your life on the line, it's okay to be a little reckless.
What? You won't even do this for me?
I quit being a Hero! You guys figure it out on your own!
Well, I couldn't throw a tantrum like that.
But just implying that I could become uncooperative if necessary was enough.
“Something I want… What I desire…”
The princess unconsciously repeated my words.
We're going to suffer together from now on, so I hope she'll look out for her own interests a bit.
No, wait a minute…
Why are you staring at me and blushing?
That can only be interpreted as you wanting me, right?
“Mm-hmm, okay. I'll try.”
“…”
What exactly was she going to try?
I was too scared to ask, so I swallowed my words.
Anyway.
It seemed my advice had been accepted to some extent.
That's good enough. Now, let's head to the imperial capital for the main event…
“Excuse me. Why am I being skipped over?”
“…”
The elf girl pouted.
Her importance was low, so I had forgotten about her without realizing it.
It wasn't like she absolutely had to come with us.
But it felt like things would be a bit empty if she wasn't around.
I had accepted her as a companion for now.
But with her flighty nature, there was a high chance she'd do something unexpected.
If you don't listen, I'll kick you out immediately!
I couldn't just threaten her like that, so I chose my words carefully.
“As befits a member of the noble Elven race, I trust you'll conduct yourself well.”
“Huhu, very well. As a representative of the Elves, I shall proclaim our superiority to the entire world.”
She shrugged proudly.
I can't believe how simple she is. Yes, she was an easy woman.
Around noon, we headed for the imperial capital.
The first step as a Hero. The real beginning started now.