Chapter 802: The Protagonist’s Love Story (Part 9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 802: The Protagonist’s Love Story (Part 9)
Colorful flags snapped and fluttered in the wind. Canvases painted with various patterns intertwined to form the outer perimeter of the amusement park. Since this world lacked what one might call "cartoon characters," these canvases featured the works of Belland’s painters—mostly landscapes, romantic scenes under the moon, and even lifelike portraits of handsome men and beautiful women. It all looked quite sophisticated and artistic.
However, anyone with a shred of artistic sensibility who looked closely would realize that whether it was the landscapes, the romantic scenes, or those impossibly beautiful portraits, they all seemed to subtly interpret the concept of "love." These deep, intentional subtexts were, of course, per Muen’s request.
This kind of subliminal influence usually had some effect.
Unfortunately, Ariel possessed zero artistic sensibility. After giving the paintings a thorough "appraisal," she turned to Muen and said:
"These paintings look pretty valuable. It’s a waste to leave them out here as wallpaper. Can I take them and sell them after the date is over?"
"...You’re certainly frugal."
The corner of Muen’s mouth twitched.
"Tch, I guess that’s a no."
Ariel crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright, since this is a date, what are we doing next?"
Though she acted dismissive of everything here, Ariel actually felt a tiny spark of anticipation in her heart. After all, she was curious to see what kind of novelties Muen could produce to try and win over a "devoted soul" like her, who only liked beautiful girls.
"When it comes to the first item on a date, it has to be..."
Muen’s gaze swept over the surroundings.
It wasn't just the facilities that he had restored from his memories of amusement parks; many other details were almost perfectly replicated.
For instance, there were couples walking by and laughing, staff members shouting for people to stay in line, and a dazzling array of snack stalls and drink shops lining the paths.
There were even mascots holding balloons—a cute cat and a dog. They looked strangely bloated, as if the people inside were wearing two layers of fursuits.
To ensure the date didn't feel lonely, Muen had arranged for these "NPCs" to be in position beforehand. These "NPCs" appeared very professional; for example, the two mascots were already "mixing it up" with the local brats.
And by "mixing it up," it was meant in the most literal, physical sense. The cat mascot was surprisingly fierce, flailing its arms in wild "turtle punches" to beat back a group of brats who were trying to touch its butt, leaving them wailing for their parents. For a moment, the amusement park was filled with a "joyful" atmosphere.
But Ariel didn't care about any of that. Having spent her life training bitterly to become stronger, she looked down on almost all forms of entertainment, believing they were a waste of time. Aside from her peripheral vision occasionally darting toward the cream ice cream in the drink shop, she stood there like a pure white lotus, blooming in solitary isolation from the world.
Until Muen pulled her back to reality.
"That."
Muen pointed toward the iron rails constructed high in the air.
"We’re going to experience that first."
"What is it?" Ariel asked.
"A roller coaster."
"Roller coaster?"
Ariel tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Never heard of it."
"Of course you haven't."
Muen smiled. "Strictly speaking, you are about to become the first person in this world to ride a roller coaster."
"Eh?" Ariel blinked. "What do you mean, I'm the first?"
Without answering her question, Muen led Ariel directly to the attraction.
There was no need to queue.
Although the surrounding area was bustling and noisy, looking like a scene of peak popularity, the "NPCs" Muen had hired to add atmosphere didn't actually ride any of the attractions.
Just as Muen said, the "first time" for these things was reserved exclusively for Ariel.
"Come here."
Because time had been tight, even the designs from the Imperial Royal Engineering Institute had some non-user-friendly flaws. For instance, the roller coaster platform was designed too high, making it entirely unsuitable for a lady in a cute long dress to climb.
So, Muen simply reached out, grabbed Ariel’s incredibly slender waist with both hands, and lifted her up.
Ariel kicked her legs in protest, but to prevent the guy from taking the opportunity to peek under her skirt, she didn't put up any real resistance. She allowed Muen to half-push, half-lift her onto the platform.
"Now what?"
"Sit down."
Muen gestured for Ariel to take the front seat. He helped her fasten her seatbelt and lowered the safety bar. Once everything was ready, Muen sat down right next to her.
"What’s so fun about this thing?"
Ariel observed her surroundings with curiosity. She gave the safety bar a tug and found it was very tight; with her current physical strength, there was no way she could open it herself.
"Heh, you’ll find out in a moment."
Muen gave Ariel a mysterious wink.
On the old-school forums of his past life—back in an era when love was still pure and hadn't been polluted by the impetuousness of the internet—some people called the roller coaster, the haunted house, and the Ferris wheel the "Three Holy Sites" for winning over a girl.
Setting the latter two aside, the reason the roller coaster took the top spot was its sheer, overwhelming force.
Whether you were a "Sea King" who had tasted every flavor of romance or a "stone woman" with a heart as hard as steel, atop this 250-kilometer-per-hour steel beast, everyone felt the sensation of a racing heart equally.
The most primal, simple, blood-pumping sensation of "heart-fluttering."
No one could resist its power. If they could, it probably meant their heart had stopped beating, and you should call an ambulance immediately.
So, this was naturally Muen’s first choice.
As Muen settled into his seat, the staff member operated the controls. Mana began to flow through the magical foundations and the rails. The sharp, metallic screech of steel friction rang out, only to be quickly drowned by the rising roar of the wind.
The roller coaster started, moving faster and faster. There was no "foreplay" to tease the senses; under the design of those madmen at the Royal Engineering Institute who had clearly lost their minds from overtime, the coaster shot straight toward the highest point.
From there, it would plunge hundreds of meters at high speed and then tear through a series of frantic, looping tracks.
Muen’s heart swelled with anticipation. He wondered how the usually fearless Ariel would react when the 250 km/h surprise hit. Would she secretly grab his hand?
"Oh, this thing moves. It’s climbing pretty high."
Ariel seemed to be looking forward to it too, but she clearly hadn't realized what kind of soul-stirring experience awaited her once the coaster reached the peak.
...
One minute later.
"Haah..."
Ariel let out a long yawn, a tear of boredom pricking the corner of her eye.
"This thing is so dull."
Rumble, rumble, rumble... The steel shrieked and the wind howled. The roller coaster continued to crash along the tracks at a high speed of 250 kilometers per hour, occasionally performing 360-degree rotations along the winding rails.
By any objective standard, it was incredibly thrilling.
But Ariel was still bored. The reason was simple: this 250 km/h speed... was just too slow.
It was so slow that Ariel was nearly falling asleep.
"So, is the point of this thing to make me fall asleep so you can take the chance to do something 'indescribable' to me? If that's the case, we might as well have gone straight to a couple's hotel. At least there, I could break your 'third leg' with some proper justification."
Ariel turned her head to look at Muen.
"...No, like I said, I have no intention of doing anything 'indescribable' to you."
Muen covered his face in shame.
He had miscalculated. He had completely miscalculated.
He had thought that such a novel and exciting thing would surely be enough to pry open Ariel’s heart just a little. But he had completely forgotten one crucial point.
This steel beast, racing at 250 kilometers per hour, was indeed thrilling—perhaps even too thrilling—for the college students of his past life who could break a rib just by sneezing. But for a peerless powerhouse like Ariel, who could literally tear a steel beast apart with her bare hands, this speed was no different from a horse carriage.
In fact, the dragon-blood horses in his stables could run far faster than this.
Actually... compared to a carriage, the way the roller coaster swayed back and forth made it feel more like a rocking chair. It was perfect for a nap.
"Is that it? Is that it? Nothing else?" Ariel asked with a face full of boredom.
"..."
Faced with her mockery, Muen silently buried his head even lower. His mind, however, was racing in a frantic brainstorm.
What do you do when your date gets bored in the middle of the outing?
Waiting for an answer online. It's urgent.