Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: At This Level, It's Cute - 2
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The supporter's role includes mental care, which is crucial. And for mental care, delicious food and a good bed are essential.
That's why, while progressing through the main story, the first thing—and the one I raised the proficiency of the most—was exactly this kind of stuff.
"Eyyaaah~ I heard about it, but camping with the Sage really feels just like sleeping at home."
"Yeah. It's as comfy as my own place? How do you even make it like this?"
When I traveled with the Hero Party, it was hard to do mental care alone during battles or story events, so I leveled these up a lot.
Most adventurers focus on combat and ignore life skills, but these are a huge help in progressing the game.
"No wonder you're the Sage. Anyway, Princess. You okay?"
Baltin asked Lucille, who was new to camping. As he tossed a branch into the campfire and asked considerately, Lucille awkwardly hugged her sleeping bag.
"I-I'm fine."
"You don't look fine. If you want, sleep next to Lukendi. Humans seem to like beastkin fur."
The lion beastkin archer, a party member of Baltin's, waved her hand. Lucille looked back and forth between the spot I prepared and her, then shook her head.
"Master prepared it for me, so..."
"Then I'll go right next to it~"
Lukendi grinned and headed to Lucille's side. Lucille seemed like she might refuse, but the fur blocking the night chill apparently appealed to her.
"Your fur is really soft."
"Hehe. Right? Baltin falls for my fur every night..."
"Kyaa, kyaa! Th-that kind of talk..."
"Ahh. Being of noble birth, you must not know about that stuff? Nice. Then I'll give you some sex ed tonight, Princess. No, wait, Princess. Have you ever had a first love?"
"Th-that's... I... I like M-Master over there."
"Ooh~ So you like the Sage? Sage, you've set the girl's heart ablaze. Quite the sinner. But what to do. Lots of adventurers like you too. I hear rumors you're impotent..."
"Eh?!"
"...What...?"
Lucille and Veronica looked at me in shock, and I snapped.
"Who's impotent?! It stands perfectly fine!"
"But why? I know several adventurers who liked you."
"I've just never found a woman worth thinking about rationally yet."
"What's your type, Sage?"
My type.
Hmm...
First off, she has to be mentally sound and normal.
As I shut my mouth, Lukendi lost interest and smirked, starting some adult talk, while Lucille's face turned beet red.
Lukendi's conversational skills were better than expected. Baltin's party was an S-Rank adventurer group, so they clearly understood the importance of mental care.
As they chattered on, shifting topics away from me, Gallik's party gathered around the campfire.
"Ugh... Nights are cold."
"Lizardmen are weak to cold. Want me to cast a spell?"
"Please."
I cast Warm, raising the temperature around us. Only then did the lizardmen relax, curling up their tails in one spot and falling asleep soon after.
"What about night watch?"
"I'll handle it. Everyone sleep."
"You're taking on too much. You sure?"
"I'm good."
I tossed more branches into the fire and picked up the tin kettle. As I brewed tea with the boiling water, the others gradually fell asleep.
"Master. You okay?"
"Yeah. How about you, Princess?"
"Y-yeah..."
She didn't look okay. But Lucille, trying hard to sleep, eventually buried her face in Lukendi's fur.
"...Cardinal Veronica looks comfy."
"I'm used to it."
Veronica replied flatly from the spot I'd prepared nearby. Well, it wasn't our first time camping together.
"The touch of the Sage, huh."
"...Aha."
A strange atmosphere started brewing again. As long as they didn't grab each other by the collar, it was fine, so I let it be.
"How much have you experienced the Master's touch... I'm curious."
"Who knows..."
Veronica trailed off, then slowly turned her head. Meeting Lucille's gaze, she smirked.
"At least more than you, Princess. We've spent that much time getting close, after all."
"........"
Lucille bit her lip and closed her eyes, no longer wanting to talk. She buried her face in Lukendi's fur, and only then did Veronica turn to the night sky with a subtly smug expression.
"This reminds me of the old days. When the Hero Party fought the Demon King's subordinate, right? I remember fighting the Church's enemies with you back then."
Probably around Chapter 7. It was when we fought the Count of Discord, one of the Demon King's subordinates.
The Count of Discord specialized in attacks that caused link failures when party affinity was low, so my presence would only increase the risk of party collapse.
That's why I sat out that boss fight, and Veronica and I handled other tasks.
"That was nice."
"Was it?"
Well, I could relax a bit then too. I could focus on side achievements instead of the main story.
"Your mind was elsewhere, though."
"Had to be."
"It was surprising how much you moved for the Hero Party. I wondered if they were that important. Honestly, they..."
From my perspective, the Hero Party was like kids left by the water's edge.
A party that went all-in on attack with no healer meant game over if anything went wrong, so I had no choice but to make a deal with Veronica to cover for them.
"If you'd come under me, we could've kept that deal going."
The deal with Veronica was simple: I'd help with her tasks, and she'd supply the Hero Party with holy relics, holy water, and potions.
That's how we beat the Count of Discord and continued the main story.
"Water under the bridge."
"No regrets?"
"About what?"
"Helping Claire."
"None."
I took another sip of tea, and she stared at my profile until it stung, then chuckled softly.
"Still... it's good you escaped them now. It'd be even better if you came under me. Sometimes I think... if you were under my protection, you might be happier."
In the darkness filled only with cricket chirps, I took another sip of tea. The campfire crackled, its flames flickering in the wind.
In the silence, Veronica broke it with one word.
"Expensive man."
"The world's only Sage—think it'd be cheap?"
I snorted, and only then did Veronica giggle softly.
"Obtaining something precious isn't easy. Following the light is the same. It seems impossible at first, but persistent effort can reach it."
"Is that so?"
"That's why I'm a bit more relieved."
Rolling over on her stomach, Veronica gazed at me and smiled brightly.
"Because no one can just mess with you now that you're free from Claire's party."
The next morning, I transformed Moonlight into a bugle.
-Paa~ Papapa~ Papa~ Paparapapapa Parabarapa~! Papapa~! Paparaparabararapa~! Papapapa~ Papapapa Parabararapa~
Nothing beats a wake-up bugle for mornings. As I played the familiar tune, the sprawled-out group staggered to their feet one by one.
"Ugh... Morning already?"
"Breakfast is ready, so eat up first. Then wash up lightly at the stream over there."
Breakfast was pancakes, fried eggs, grilled bacon, and soup. I served the prepared dishes in bowls, and the groggy bunch finally gathered.
"Doesn't feel like we camped... body feels better."
"Hey, Sage. Princess isn't fully awake yet?"
Lukendi pointed at Lucille, who clung tightly to her. As Lukendi pondered shaking her awake, I stroked Lucille's head.
"Princess. Time to wake up."
"Uuugh..."
Whispering in her ear, Lucille slowly opened her eyes. Still dazed, she stared blankly at me, then gave an awkward smile in the morning sunlight.
"Good morning... If every morning was like this..."
"Breakfast is ready, so dig in."
"Y-yeah..."
I was worried since it was her first camp, but no big issues. As she sat yawning cutely, I woke the dead-to-the-world Veronica.
"Get up."
"Uuum... Morning already?"
"Yeah. No morning prayer?"
"Hehe. Cardinals can skip it."
"Wow. A delinquent cleric..."
Stretching lightly, she joined the campfire for breakfast. After a simple meal and washing up, we set off, arriving near the Frost Dungeon by afternoon.
"No battles—lucky. Alright, Sage. We'll set up camp here and wait."
"Yeah. Thanks."
The lizardmen and lion beastkin cooperated to set up camp. As the adventurers grabbed their weapons and stood ready at the camp near the dungeon, Lucille gripped her staff tightly.
"Master. Will it be okay...?"
Lucille, new to dungeons, looked tense. Veronica glanced at her stiff form, checked her mace, and said calmly.
"Scared? Sit it out."
"...I'm not scared. Master's here."
"...Hmph."
"Hey. I won't say be friends, but don't cause problems."
"Heh. After all we've done together? Think I'd cause trouble?"
"I don't plan to fight. Don't you trust Master's one and only disciple?"
The beauty and the cutie stared at me. Meeting their eyes alternately, I shook my head.
"I trust you."
Of course, I didn't forget precautions.
"Eek."
"...Always..."
"What. Why."
Turning from their slightly flushed faces, I recalled the Frost Dungeon strategy.
Entering applies a Chill debuff. Without Warm magic, movement and attack speed drop continuously, and HP decreases.
Enemies: Ice Wolves, Ice Elementals.
And Snowstorm Crystals.
Most weak to fire, so Lucille needs to perform.
For a mage as main DPS, a frontline is essential.
"Oho."
I transformed Moonlight into a greatsword. As the glowing blade formed, Veronica eyed it in surprise, and Lucille's eyes sparkled.
"So cool..."
Moonlight is definitely coolest as a greatsword.
"Master's... really... Ah, no. I-it was just to myself. Let's go. I'm ready."
"Got it. Let's head in. Veronica, healing's on you."
"Leave it to me."
Wielding a greatsword means taking the warrior role. Experienced Veronica knows her role in a basic warrior-priest-mage party.
"Here we go."
I stepped into the Frost Dungeon. The moment I entered, chill assaulted us.
"Warm."
The chill vanished around me. As we prepared to tackle the dungeon, monsters appeared as if waiting.
-Grrr...
-Weeeeng!
Enemies right on entry. Well...
Anyway, as the tank now, time to tank properly.
-Kwaaang!!
I swung Moonlight hard, unleashing the warrior skill Sword Wind. As the crescent blade drew their aggro, I followed with the bard's powerful taunt.
"You know what happens when the king falls?! King Kong! Kahahaha! Ow, my belly! Here's a bonus humor! What animal do cats hate most?! Meerkat! Aigo~! Oh! One more..."
-Grrooowwl!! Kraaaah!!!
The taunt, 'Cold Joke', was a massive success.
Even Lucille and Veronica looked sickened.
Author's Note
Good night. Hope you enjoyed—see you tomorrow~ Bye~